Ya’ll.
Oh ya’ll. We have been super-duper busy over here.
And I haven’t been faithful about updating you on all the in’s & out’s of Bower life like I should. So I thought, what the heck, let’s smoosh it all together and give to you straight. Consider this an update on what we have been up to…and a little preview of upcoming events.
1. Lilley’s 1st Birthday Party
One of our favorite little chunky monkeys has turned numero uno! Birthday parties best part? Lilley tasting sugar for the first time. I have been attempting to get her hooked for some time now but everytime I get close to the mouth of the child with a Pixie Stick or the Fun Dip, well, her mother karate chops me in the jugular.
2. Trick or Treating with my nephew Cole
If you haven’t already guessed, Cole was Indiana Jones for Halloween. Yes, he is five. And yes, he knows who Indiana Jones is. No, he hasn’t watched the movies. He learned about everyone’s favorite archeologist from the PS3. His favorite game is Lego’s Indiana Jones. And he hums the theme song upon command. As well as saying “SNAKES?! I hate snakes!”. Being a huge Indy fan (yes I attempted writing I LOVE YOU on my eyelids…it came out backwards), it’s pretty much a dream come true for me. Best part about trick-or-treating? Cole tipping his hat everytime a lady gave him candy….and them going “AWWW!” and giving him more. Man. Cole you are making Harrison Ford proud 🙂
3. Willow & her shirt
One of my best friends in the whole wide world, Stephanie, sent me some photos of her daughter Willow sporting a homemade onesie. Homemade by whom? ME. Shocking, I know. But seriously, it made my day. And so do those blue eyes. And that baby grin. and those squishy fingers. Don’t worry Willow – you may be confined by the baby gate, but you are dancing all over my heart 🙂
4. Madi Kate’s Smile
Meet Madi Kate. She belongs to Eric the Yard Dude. (you may remember her birth announcement here!) And I never, never get to see her. It’s cause they live an hour away. But it is a total treat anytime I do. Seriously…I feel like Carrie Bradshaw in a Manolo factory when my eyes get to feast on this little one. She is just darling. And her clothes? Her clothes make grown women cry. But even more amazing than her clothes is her smile. That dang smile is gonna get her in trouble. I can tell. Eric – if we birth a boy, I give you permission to shoot him.
5. Visiting the Pumpkin Patch
The boyfriend & I headed to the local pumpkin patch (known to many as the local Methodist Church) and scored some great ‘kins for the holidays. Who knew that picking out produce could be so much fun?!?! And those little ones were uber-cute for decorating the game night we hosted with our friends. Maybe next year we can grow our own. I mean, we figured out how to grow a human…a pumpkin can’t be that hard, right?
6. Falling in Love…
…with our new washer & dryer. My goodness. It is pretty insane in there. I mean, who knew that a little machine could enable a person to get ALL their dirty laundry done in a matter of two days?!? It’s craziness. And yes, like many of you, I sat in front of the first wash cycle & ooogled the innerds of our new appliance. Only issue now is that the delivery people forgot our drying rack. Did I mention that it had a drying rack? Cause it does. And it clips into the dryer for sweaters and all those lovely air-dry items. Genius. And if you look closely at the photo above – you can get a clue of what we have been up to 🙂
7. Knocking one off the list
We actually finished a project. I know. It’s like a miracle on 34th. Or Jesus walking on water. Or Britney wearing underpants. It’s hard to believe but it’s true. And now…I am bursting (BURSTING) at the seams to show you all about how we did it. And just how dang good it looks. Contact your history book writers, this one goes down as a supernatural event 🙂
8. Mom’s Portrait
My mother. My poor, poor mother. All I do is drive her crazy. I know you all feel bad for her. You would go nuts with me as your daughter too. Did I mention that as a teenager I would yell at her in my sleep? Literally. I would have no recollection of it later. But she would end up crying. How I have abused her. How I have ridiculed her. How I have unapolegetically posted unflattering photos of her on the internet.
So now I am trying to make it up to her. I took this photo for her college alumni newsletter. There she is. In all her white haired glory (I pray I get those genes). So now…will you please say something nice about her in the comment section? Anything. Maybe about how pretty she is or how you love her teeth or her personality or even how jealous you are that she has a daughter that is groveling for compliments from complete strangers? Because I am…I am groveling. on my hands & knees. with immense amounts of grovel.
She’s your mom?
No way.
Sister I can buy, but mom, nuh-uh.
She’s a very beautiful woman – now we know where you got it!
She’s much too young to be a potential grandma – a cool aunt, maybe.
And this is truth, not just groveled-for compliments…
You didn’t even have to grovel, I think that is a great portrait of your mom and was going to say so before you begged 🙂
Great job taking the picture her eyes and smile are beautiful.
Great pumpkin pics too. OK when is Jeremy gonna ditch the NY hat. I betcha thought I wouldn’t notice 😉
And Indiana Jones… I cracked up when you said he tipped his hat, he’s is going to be a little trouble maker with the ladies when he gets older.
You are soooo silly!!! Lilley is a complete DOLL!!! So are the other cuties!!! And your mom, well the picture speaks for it self! She is beautiful! Now I’m wondering what happened to you (Just kidding Katie)!
Hey, I’m having a giveaway on my blog if you would like to stop by. I figure since you always have nice giveaways, you could ty to win one yourself!
HEY! I got a new washer and dryer also! AND I am going to work on making an organized laundry room! I didn’t get the fancy ones though 🙁
She’s beautiful!! You better hope you inherit her incredible skin too!
She’s beautiful, and I would’ve said so whether you would’ve groveled or not. She’s got the kind of brown eyes that I love that are so bright and happy!
I love the pictures of all the little ones, and I am so happy your new washer and dryer are working out for you. Laundry is fun! Yeah right, I wouldn’t go that far, but I’m sure it is more fun than it used to be.
I normally only read in my RSS feed so commenting…well, it takes some extra clicks but since you goveled I am here. Your mother really is beautiful (even in her embarrassing pics). I am glad to see she survived the secret! Your family is very blessed with great members (including the newbie)! Keep postin’, I LOVE IT!
Your mama could be a Paula Deen double. Maybe she could make some extra money at parties or something. Does she like butter?
Your mom is beeeyoooooootiful! You look so much like her. I love her hair, too. SO pretty.
And the little ones? Oh the cuteness!
Your mom is BEAUTIFUL! She looks like Paula Deen…but younger 🙂
I just googled Paula Deen.
And then I fell outta my chair.
This is hilarious.
I can’t wait to hear my mom’s reaction 🙂
XO – Katie
p.s. Megan – I think she does 😉
I’m going to come and STEAL your nephew!! that is hysterical, you can clearly see that he is totally in character. love it.
is that some kind of sage-y plant? in the middle? YUM!
your mom is a doll! I love it when women go gray but don’t chop it off to what my sisters and I call “the pouf.” you know what I mean, don’t you?
Jennifer – you must be referring to the Paula Deen Pouf 🙂 And I love me a simple bob (although I swear I will sport that q-tip look if I can have white hair and thinner cheeks!)
And you will have to wait for all the nitty gritty details on the plants – and yes, it smells like heaven 😉
XO – Katie
Your mom really is beautiful!!!
I love your white coat.
No wonder why your mom looks familiar!!! BECAUSE OF PAULA DEEN!!! My dad loves to use her recipes, she is an absolute awesome cook, and so is my dad!!! But anyways, she is a beautiful mother. You look much like her!
Your mom is beautiful, and lucky to have that great white hair (instead of the dishwater grey). And you look like her, as I am sure you know. You took a great picture!
Gorgeous mom!!! and Wonderful picture!!
LOL Your mom is gorgeous and you don’t need to beg for compliments on her behalf-that skin… I’m in my 20’s and her skin looks better than mine!!
Hey I was going to say your mom look like Paula, but I did’nt know if it was cool to say eventhough I love Paula’s cooking…umm umm good!!!
So, I’m sittin’ on the couch, watching the CMA awards & reading your post. Multi-tasking at it’s best. I picked up my laptop & brought it over to my hubby to show him your beautiful mother’s picture. I said to him “Who is this woman?” He replied instantly “That’s Paula Deen!”
you 2 have the same smile! and i’d also like her hair some day…
(by the way, gawd you’ve been busy!)
kelly
You yelled at that sweet, beautiful woman in your sleep? How dare you.
All of these photos are awesome. Lilley’s eyes…. killing me. They are awesome.
Your mom has NO wrinkles! I am 31 and have more wrinkles than here. So jealous!!! You better home you get her genes alright!!!!
Katie, your mom should hope every single boy she ever attended a class with in college sees this photo in the alumni newsletter. It screams, “College classmates, eat your heart out!”
WOW! What a portrait of your mother! She’s beautiful! And you captured her veautifully! Looke at those catchlights in her eyes!
Your mom is a beautiful woman, Katie. Great picture!
Ok, no offense to Paula…but your ma is the better looking, younger sister of Paula..not a look-alike by any means. And, I agree with some others..Can we puh-lease have her skin care secrets!?!
Your mom’s skin is so pretty. She looks like she is in her 30’s! I am so jealous that you are in love. I need to dump my current W/D and find a new love that I can be happy with!
You said that you googled Paula Deen, did you not already know who she was? And you call yourself a southerner?!? 🙂
Actually Karen, as an advocate for BUTTER MAKES IT BETTER, I did know Paula Deen. I just HAD to google so that I could see how much she resembled my mom. With side by side photos, I feel very comfortable calling her Debbie Deen 🙂
XO – Katie