...but I loved his music! Michael Jackson was an Icon. One of those people that you just assume will be around a long time, even if he was weird. The man left a great legacy of music, and I am sure most of us can remember one song or another of his that we loved and danced too.
Mine is this one. I remember in 5th grade my best friend and I would spend HOURS singing along to this one.
Some of my other favorites were Black or White and Man in the Mirror. What Michael songs did you grow up listening too? Which ones were your favorites?
Thursday, June 25, 2009
Shannon is...
...trying to stay calm, but failing miserably. Seriously, I am so excited about the upcoming trip it's like I had 4 cups of coffee (or at least what I imagine I would be like if I ever did that, haha).
...working on a "To Do" list for my 3 weeks off. I don't want it to fly by and not have accomplished anything. In fact, maybe I will post it here so I have to hold myself accountable.
...drinking a ginormous Diet DP so that I can try and skip my regular nap. Maybe that is causing my jitters...
...feeling a little sunburned.
...procrastinating starting the laundry. Why does it torture me so? I swear that basket is magic. I wash every single piece of dirty laundry, and by the time I go to bed the basket is full again.
...also starting her list of Must See places when we go to Portland. Among them VooDoo Donuts (I have GOT to try a maple bacon donut), Pix Patisserie (to try some of the French Macarons that Black Apple's Emily often raves about), and the Portland Children's museum (much larger than when I was a kid, but still a childhood memory I want to pass on to my own kiddos). I really hope we can do these things, but we shall see!
...getting excited for a new sewing project I am starting up. Keep your eyes peeled for a blogiversary giveaway coming up! (See now that I mentioned it, I HAVE to do it!)
...wondering if anyone still reads this? *tap tap* Anyone out there?
...working on a "To Do" list for my 3 weeks off. I don't want it to fly by and not have accomplished anything. In fact, maybe I will post it here so I have to hold myself accountable.
...drinking a ginormous Diet DP so that I can try and skip my regular nap. Maybe that is causing my jitters...
...feeling a little sunburned.
...procrastinating starting the laundry. Why does it torture me so? I swear that basket is magic. I wash every single piece of dirty laundry, and by the time I go to bed the basket is full again.
...also starting her list of Must See places when we go to Portland. Among them VooDoo Donuts (I have GOT to try a maple bacon donut), Pix Patisserie (to try some of the French Macarons that Black Apple's Emily often raves about), and the Portland Children's museum (much larger than when I was a kid, but still a childhood memory I want to pass on to my own kiddos). I really hope we can do these things, but we shall see!
...getting excited for a new sewing project I am starting up. Keep your eyes peeled for a blogiversary giveaway coming up! (See now that I mentioned it, I HAVE to do it!)
...wondering if anyone still reads this? *tap tap* Anyone out there?
Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Little Story Books
Natalie in recent months has taken to making us stories. She has always loved to draw, and now she will make a bunch of pictures on computer paper, have us staple them together, and sometimes narrate for her. I love the stories, but I hate keeping the bulky awkward "books", so I finally buckled down and made a craft I have had bookmarked to make for ages.
I know these are not a new concept, I first saw them on Salt and Chocolate here , and I knew that I had to try my hand at them eventually. It only took me, what? A year and a half? Better late than never I guess.
Anywho, they are very easy to make, cut the paper down to size, get some embroidery thread, poke a few holes and "bind" it up. They are actually really relaxing to make too, so if you don't think you can make them on your own (and you want some), I would love to! Haha, no really, I have pent up creative energy, call me. The best part is now Natalie has a great place to draw her stories and pictures, and they are much more pleasing to look at than stapled together computer paper.
I know these are not a new concept, I first saw them on Salt and Chocolate here , and I knew that I had to try my hand at them eventually. It only took me, what? A year and a half? Better late than never I guess.
Anywho, they are very easy to make, cut the paper down to size, get some embroidery thread, poke a few holes and "bind" it up. They are actually really relaxing to make too, so if you don't think you can make them on your own (and you want some), I would love to! Haha, no really, I have pent up creative energy, call me. The best part is now Natalie has a great place to draw her stories and pictures, and they are much more pleasing to look at than stapled together computer paper.
Sunday, June 21, 2009
Puzzles!
One thing I love to do (though I haven't done so in a very long time) is put together puzzles. I don't know why. I must have gained this love from my Mom and my Grandma Jean, and now it looks as if I have passed it on to my kids. Brady for the longest time, would pull out his puzzles after I had tucked him down for naps,a nd put them together one by one. Now he will go to the closet and pull out a huge puzzle to put together. I love it! It also gives them such a sense of accomplishment when they finish one. Plus it makes me one proud Mama!
Oh! And a very, very Happy Father's Day out there to all the Daddys!
Oh! And a very, very Happy Father's Day out there to all the Daddys!Saturday, June 20, 2009
fleeting moments
Yesterday we got to take both kids to the dentist for the first time in too long (no cavities for either kid! Woo hoo!). Keith and I were watching the way they were acting, and said to each other how nice it was to see them acting their respective ages. Not acting like a baby (whining, crying, pouting) and not acting like a teenager (sassy, rude, defiant), just acting like sweet innocent kids. It was really refreshing, and it made us so happy. Brady was being so good in the dentist chair, and when it tipped back he just held on to the little toothy alligator he was playing with for dear life, making sure it wouldn't fall down. It was so sweet. And Natalie with the little sunglasses she put on to block the light, she just opened up wide and obeyed the hygienist, but then was still fascinated by all the tools and stickers and bubbles they had to look at. Weird how some seemingly insignificant moments of time, that you might not even have noticed had you not been watching closely, can bring such a sense of peace and joy.
I also saw it in Natalie the other day at the library. They each got these cool cowboy hats for turning in their second reading log of the summer, and she instantly put hers on and pretended to be a cowgirl riding her pony all over the library. Gone was the little princess, the sassy girl who thinks she is older than she really is. All I saw was my precious, creative 5 year old enjoying being a child. Sometimes I feel guilty that we have made her grow up too fast, but seeing things like that make me breathe that much easier, she is still a little child, happy to enjoy simple and sometimes silly things.
Brady can be so hot and cold. One minute he is just the sweetest thing, soft and squishy and lovey, and the next minute he is screaming "NOOOOO" at the top of his lungs and you are standing there scratching your head wondering what set him off. Even with the weird outbursts I still can't get enough. Often times when I am just watching his sweetness and can't resist reaching out for a few squeezes or maybe a nibble of a squishy body part (toes, thighs, fingers, cheeks, arms, elbows, belly..you name it!), he has to tell me to stop. Earlier he was playing with his harmonica and had said that the high note meant stop, and the low note meant go. Well this afternoon, as soon as I sat down on the floor next to his piggies hanging off the couch, to get a little nibble, he let out a high note, "that means stop, Mama."
I think having a 5 year old, that is clearly NOT a soft toddler anymore, and just so ready to be a Big Girl and having a 3 year old that is there in that in between, no mans land of being a Big Boy and yet still being the child that will tell me he never wants to grow up so he can be my baby forever, makes me see and realize how quickly time goes by. In 2 short years Brady will really be a Big Boy. It makes me sad in some ways, but in other ways makes me realize I need to enjoy what I have while I still have it. Instead of a time out, give an extra squeeze or ten. To grasp at those quickly passing days of childhood.
I also saw it in Natalie the other day at the library. They each got these cool cowboy hats for turning in their second reading log of the summer, and she instantly put hers on and pretended to be a cowgirl riding her pony all over the library. Gone was the little princess, the sassy girl who thinks she is older than she really is. All I saw was my precious, creative 5 year old enjoying being a child. Sometimes I feel guilty that we have made her grow up too fast, but seeing things like that make me breathe that much easier, she is still a little child, happy to enjoy simple and sometimes silly things.
Brady can be so hot and cold. One minute he is just the sweetest thing, soft and squishy and lovey, and the next minute he is screaming "NOOOOO" at the top of his lungs and you are standing there scratching your head wondering what set him off. Even with the weird outbursts I still can't get enough. Often times when I am just watching his sweetness and can't resist reaching out for a few squeezes or maybe a nibble of a squishy body part (toes, thighs, fingers, cheeks, arms, elbows, belly..you name it!), he has to tell me to stop. Earlier he was playing with his harmonica and had said that the high note meant stop, and the low note meant go. Well this afternoon, as soon as I sat down on the floor next to his piggies hanging off the couch, to get a little nibble, he let out a high note, "that means stop, Mama."
I think having a 5 year old, that is clearly NOT a soft toddler anymore, and just so ready to be a Big Girl and having a 3 year old that is there in that in between, no mans land of being a Big Boy and yet still being the child that will tell me he never wants to grow up so he can be my baby forever, makes me see and realize how quickly time goes by. In 2 short years Brady will really be a Big Boy. It makes me sad in some ways, but in other ways makes me realize I need to enjoy what I have while I still have it. Instead of a time out, give an extra squeeze or ten. To grasp at those quickly passing days of childhood.
Friday, June 19, 2009
A pretty.
Last week when grocery shopping I spotted a bunch of fading lily bouquets for sale and it was just so sad to me. I dug through the bunches and found a bouquet of all buds, not a one had bloomed yet, and I snatched them up, thinking it was worth $5 to at least see if they would bloom for me. Oh how glad I am, that I did! They burst into one of the prettiest bunches of flowers I think I have ever had. The kids enjoyed seeing if another bud had "popped" each morning. There is just something about having fresh flowers on the kitchen table. Have you bought yourself flowers lately? I highly recommend it, sometimes we just can't wait around for the guys to do it for us!
It's a summer miracle!
Out with the old teal truck and in with....
OUR NEW VAN!!
To some of you this is old news, because I am a slacker and haven't posted about it, but for the rest of you here it is! We decided that since the truck was totalled in the car accident (did I blog about that??) it was time to upgrade and get ourselves a van. And oh what a glorious van it is! It's a Dodge Grand Caravan, and it was the first kind of van I ever wanted (the second was a Town and Country, but apparently those are more expensive for the same amenities), and it has everything we could have ever hoped for, plus more!
We named her Maxine, Max for short, since we got her at CarMax (clever, no? haha), and we couldn't be more thrilled! I wanted to get a picture of her outside, but it just wasn't happening, so this one will have to do.
I looooooove the stow and go seats, that second captains chair just folded neatly into the van to give us so much more space to get in and out. This is exactly what I wanted it to be like, room to move around!
And a nice little spot for my market basket to keep it looking nice and neat (we will see how long that lasts).
I had a sad realization the other day when I initially announced this great bit of news on facebook before I posted it here, my poor blog has taken seat on a back burner for far too long (at least I know I am not alone in this). I used to love blogging, I posted almost daily, and had fun keeping track of the day to day minutia of our lives. Though I do think anyone that reads my blog needs to get on facebook and find me, (that means you family!), I also have committed to myself to find the time much more often to share what is going on with us Texas Bowers. So any of you that are still reading, keep coming back for more mundane stories from the house of Bowers.
OUR NEW VAN!!
To some of you this is old news, because I am a slacker and haven't posted about it, but for the rest of you here it is! We decided that since the truck was totalled in the car accident (did I blog about that??) it was time to upgrade and get ourselves a van. And oh what a glorious van it is! It's a Dodge Grand Caravan, and it was the first kind of van I ever wanted (the second was a Town and Country, but apparently those are more expensive for the same amenities), and it has everything we could have ever hoped for, plus more!
We named her Maxine, Max for short, since we got her at CarMax (clever, no? haha), and we couldn't be more thrilled! I wanted to get a picture of her outside, but it just wasn't happening, so this one will have to do.
I looooooove the stow and go seats, that second captains chair just folded neatly into the van to give us so much more space to get in and out. This is exactly what I wanted it to be like, room to move around!
And a nice little spot for my market basket to keep it looking nice and neat (we will see how long that lasts).
I had a sad realization the other day when I initially announced this great bit of news on facebook before I posted it here, my poor blog has taken seat on a back burner for far too long (at least I know I am not alone in this). I used to love blogging, I posted almost daily, and had fun keeping track of the day to day minutia of our lives. Though I do think anyone that reads my blog needs to get on facebook and find me, (that means you family!), I also have committed to myself to find the time much more often to share what is going on with us Texas Bowers. So any of you that are still reading, keep coming back for more mundane stories from the house of Bowers.
Monday, June 15, 2009
Natalie
I forgot to show some of the Natalie photos from the photo shoot. I can't believe she is 5 years old! Of course it took forever for her to not give a cheesy fake smile, but I guess that is half the memory. I love love the one in the flowers. It is my favorite by far.
Saturday, June 13, 2009
Garage Sale
Firstly I want to say, yes, I know I have been a major blog slacker. And I apologize to all my family. I know this is a good way for us to keep in touch, and I do want to be more regular in posting, but I just don't have the drive lately. I may force myself soon to post once a day, but for right now I just can't do it. But know that I think about all of you every day, miss you all, and can't wait till you can learn about our life by being a part of it, instead of reading about it on the Internet!
Anywho.
We had our very first garage sale this weekend. I have been putting it off and off and off for at least a month, and finally a week ago I decided that today was the day. We had a pretty good spread, lots of kids toys, 2 strollers, books, picture frames, and all other manner ofjunk treasures.
We opened up at 7:30, and the only advertising we did were a few signs on the main street leading to our house, and an add on Craigslist. We actually sold all of the big stuff, except the complete set of Classic Pooh crib bedding (why won't somebody buy that from me??!), and most of the little stuff. We had one trunk load of stuff to take directly to Goodwill afterwards (no need to keep it laying around, or it will work it's way back into circulation!), so I was really happy with that! The only real downside of the day was that it is June. In Texas. So that means it was pretty much a billion degrees out. Not fun.
The goal for the day was to get enough money for the kids to get real bikes, they have been sharing a plastic Dora big wheel since we moved in, and honestly I am sick of hearing them take turns aka fight over whose turn it is. Luckily we surpassed our goal! So after cooling baths/showers, lunch, and naps we headed out to Target to get some new bikes! We then continued on to Chili's to celebrate (plus the kids had free meal coupons from their summer reading program at the library), and then on to Pure Bliss from some seriously good frozen yogurt. Seriously, you need to try it out. Keith and I aren't even fans of frozen yogurt and we loved it. They have SO. MANY. TOPPINGS. It's a serve yourself yogurt bar, you get your own flavor of yogurt, and then load on the toppings, and the prices were totally reasonable. It was 7 bucks for all of us to get a perfectly sized sundae with whatever we wanted on it. I highly recommend it.
Um, I digress. The bikes. Long story short (since I am tired of typing and I am sure you are tired of reading), the kids love them. Natalie was just over the moon. And tonight getting ready for bed she couldn't stop saying "I can't believe I was riding a BIG. GIRL. BIKE!" I love how proud she was! Now we just have to convince Brady that "yes he can!" ride his little bike (which we worry is a bit too small, he is just so dang tall!) if he puts his mind to it!
Anywho.
We had our very first garage sale this weekend. I have been putting it off and off and off for at least a month, and finally a week ago I decided that today was the day. We had a pretty good spread, lots of kids toys, 2 strollers, books, picture frames, and all other manner of
We opened up at 7:30, and the only advertising we did were a few signs on the main street leading to our house, and an add on Craigslist. We actually sold all of the big stuff, except the complete set of Classic Pooh crib bedding (why won't somebody buy that from me??!), and most of the little stuff. We had one trunk load of stuff to take directly to Goodwill afterwards (no need to keep it laying around, or it will work it's way back into circulation!), so I was really happy with that! The only real downside of the day was that it is June. In Texas. So that means it was pretty much a billion degrees out. Not fun.
The goal for the day was to get enough money for the kids to get real bikes, they have been sharing a plastic Dora big wheel since we moved in, and honestly I am sick of hearing them take turns aka fight over whose turn it is. Luckily we surpassed our goal! So after cooling baths/showers, lunch, and naps we headed out to Target to get some new bikes! We then continued on to Chili's to celebrate (plus the kids had free meal coupons from their summer reading program at the library), and then on to Pure Bliss from some seriously good frozen yogurt. Seriously, you need to try it out. Keith and I aren't even fans of frozen yogurt and we loved it. They have SO. MANY. TOPPINGS. It's a serve yourself yogurt bar, you get your own flavor of yogurt, and then load on the toppings, and the prices were totally reasonable. It was 7 bucks for all of us to get a perfectly sized sundae with whatever we wanted on it. I highly recommend it.
Um, I digress. The bikes. Long story short (since I am tired of typing and I am sure you are tired of reading), the kids love them. Natalie was just over the moon. And tonight getting ready for bed she couldn't stop saying "I can't believe I was riding a BIG. GIRL. BIKE!" I love how proud she was! Now we just have to convince Brady that "yes he can!" ride his little bike (which we worry is a bit too small, he is just so dang tall!) if he puts his mind to it!
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