Shelby Bowman

Here she is..

Treasures from the Outlet

I love the outlet..if not for no other reason than I can spoil my kids without breaking my bank account..and seeing as the dog has cost us a small fortune..I have no bank account to break so to speak..so on Saturday when we found a Snow White dress for Emma..and a batman (BRAND NEW) costume for Connor..I couldn't resist..

Any readers left out there??

Hi all,
I'm sorry it's been awhile..there's been a lot going on. For some reason I've just not been in the blogging mood. Odd though, because I have so much to brag about..like Hayley..gosh..what a freaking blessing she is..in the past few days especially I've been filled with this overwhemling love for her..I look at her and she smiles back at me..her expressive little face causes this flood of emotion to bubble up..I love it..I'm savouring..she makes me so happy..

We have another new member of the family..Shelby..she's a lab(mix) puppy. All black with the exception of her two front paws, her breastbone area, and a few hairs at the tip of her tail..we had an incident the first week she lived with us..and Shelby broke her leg..so she's cost us a small fortune..and has been casted up for longer than not..she's a beautiful dog though..and very very loyal to us..she's going to be a good dog..even though many people feel I should get rid of her..I can't..she's a Bowman Brat now and forever..

I was suppose to travel to Canada this summer..unfortunately there's been issues with immigration..keeping me stranded here stateside. I'll get home one day though..I miss my friends and family. I missed a very dear friends wedding because of all this..looking at pictures just isn't the same. I'm heartbroken about it..but thrilled their day went off so perfectly..Brad and Tara..Congratulations..you two are a beautiful couple..and I know it'll be a wonderful forever for the two of you. xoxo

Another big change, is that I've started attending Church..my Mother couldn't be more thrilled..I'm excited about it..I feel like I'm actually starting to learn..retain..and FEEL it..

Storms are brewing here in VA Beach..my head is pounding..I hate headaches like this..

Anyway..I'm rambling...perhaps next time I'll get a few pictures up here..love to my readers..if there's any still out there after my hiatus.. ;o)

Emma Art

Emma drew this yesterday..I tried adding what she talked about when showing me. The text on the picture isn't large enough..oh well..

This is her family, under a rainbow, Daddy, AJ, Connor, Emma, Mommy (with baby Hayley Nicole in her tummy) and there's some pretty flowers. I thought it was really cute, and wanted to share.

The Navy

ugh..where do you begin to explain to someone what it's like to live in complete limbo?? IT SUCKS!!

First Allen was suppose to be gone for 7 weeks..happened to be over the due date..we were emotional..came to terms with it..but knew he'd be home and Hayley would be 5 weeks old..and he'd have lots of time with her then..

THEN..it was 7 months they were going to go..that was a hard pill to swallow..thankfully shortlived..we then went back to 7 weeks..

THEN..less than a week before the original date of departure..it was CANCELLED..he wasn't going ANYWHERE..YEEHAW!! We were THRILLED...Daddy was going to see his last baby being born..

THEN with not a weeks notice they were leaving again..for 5 weeks..unfortunately we knew he'd likely miss the birth..his return date was not too long after my due date..however..I've never gone late with babies..we came to terms with it..easily as we'd already pretty much emotionally prepared ourselves for it..

THEN..while on this little surge deployment..his boss..and HIS boss come to him and tell him that while in Port..if I were to go into labour/have the baby..they would get him home..let me repeat..THEY CAME TO HIM..

Last night..again..one of the big guys pulls him aside and says..decision time Bowman..if you want to go..you gotta go tomorrow..we didn't know what to decide..burn leave with him coming home and waiting for baby..or maximize leave with him home with baby upon his return..we opted to wait until we knew how far along I was dilated etc..finally made the decision..moved money around so he could have enough to get himself home if stranded somewhere etc..only to find out..the bosses boss hadn't ran it by his boss and it turns out he says no..so Allen is not coming home early..will miss Hayley's birth after all..and I feel so emotionally drained from the ups and downs..that I could bury my head in my pillow..blah..

I'm mad at myself for ever getting my hopes up..but it's hard to do when these pretty high up guys tell you one thing..then change their minds..we didn't ASK for Allen to come home..he was given the offer..and thought it was legit..coming from the sources it was coming from..oh well..you live and learn..as far as return date for Daddy now?? I wont believe it until I see it..

Thank GOD for the friends in my life..

May...seriously??

Is it really May already?? Where has the time gone?? It's been quite some time since I've blogged..I've been busy though. Allen left the day before Good Friday, and the kids and I have been enjoying lots of time with friends and family. First we had Nana and Uncle Tyler here for Easter weekend. We went to Lowe's for their clinic and built bird houses, and enjoyed some fun times in the backyard (see previous posts for pics). Then we've enjoyed several awesome playdates, at friends houses, at parks, here at our house etc. We have some wonderful people in our lives. I truly feel blessed, even by people I've never MET before..that I know through the Mommy Network I used to belong to, and who I've kept in contact with since leaving that world. They have put themselves out there..seriously willing to help in anyway they can while Allen is away. I thank God for the blessings I have everyday.

Speaking of Allen being away. We are on the homestretch. We're on day 25 of him being away. It feels like FOREVER though, I think it's just because of the impeccably TERRIBLE timing of this month away. I'm not dealing as well with some things as I would if I weren't VERY pregnant, and very tired. I got to speak with Allen briefly last night, before the phone lines went down. It's always refreshing to hear his voice, and his reassurances. He makes me happy. I slept well after that, it was already really late though, so I'm suffering a bit today. Slow, sluggish, and low patience level.

Connor has pink eye. It looks 100x better already today after a day of drops. I've also been putting drops in the other kids eyes. Emma is RIDICULOUS about it. She's waiting on the couch right now for a drop to be put in her second eye..I had to walk away..such a drama queen. It's IRRITATING!!

We have no real plans today. We'll likely go to the grocery store, return the movie we rented yesterday, I really want to get some things done around here, but I'll probably take them to the park for a bit..if it doesn't rain..like it's been calling for, for the last 4 days..with not a drop in sight. I seriously do not understand how the Weather people in this area keep their jobs, it's BRUTAL how wrong they are..and how often that happens.

Ok..must go put her drop in and let her get back to playing.

Hopefully my next post will be to announce the arrival of Hayley. Anyday now...

Emotional Video

This was sent to me by my Aunt..as I sit here and wipe my tears I wanted to share..powerful message, powerful pictures..

I miss Allen. Thankfully he wont be gone long.

Catching up..

April is nearly halfway done..and I haven't done many posts..so here is a slideshow..catching up on all I've missed...

Highlights...
*Connor opening his birthday gifts...
*Parker/Bowman BBQ...
*Lowe's Build & Grow Workshop with Nana & Tyler...
*Backyard playtime with Nana & Tyler...
*The Easter Bunny comes early...
*Maternity & Family Photo shoot by Lori

Tyler and Mom are on the road home to Canada. I'm sad..I miss the company..I miss watching my kids have TONNES of fun with them..it doesn't help that we haven't heard from Allen in over 24 hours..I'm assuming it's stupid technology and an issue with the email network..but blah..it certainly helps keep them feeling closer when you can hear from them everyday..gets a bit lonely when there's no communication..I can NOT imagine how it was back in the day when there was only snail mail..I'd not have survived..

Allen and I met online..so we're used to the being apart thing. Heck we've been together for almost 5 years now..and only LIVED together almost 2..so yeah..we can do the a part thing..we knew how to survive before..I'm sure we can reteach ourselves this time..I'm just having a pity party..

Happy Easter Everyone!! Have a BLESSED day!! xoxo

Connor's SECOND Birthday

Just a few choice pictures from Connor's birthday. I've been slacking at blogging..not sure why..probably has something to do with Bejeweled or Tri-Towers Solitaire taking up all my time. :S Anyway, Connor's birthday..it was small (thankfully..not sure I could have handled it any bigger in my state..a month away from another baby)..it was typical of me..unorganized..chaotic..and crazy..the kids seemed to enjoy themselves though..no major snafu's..and everyone got cake..my dear friends helped me clean up afterwards so I could crash when the craziness was over..and that I did..flat out on the couch..watching my soap.

We ate cheetos, popcorn, and juice...



Made Sports door hangers...



Had Football cupcakes..



Played on the swings in the yard...





Shot some hoops in the living room...



Even had some quiet reading time...



Thanks to everyone who was able to attend..Connor loved all his presents..he plays with his firetruck every day..is going shopping with uncle Tyler to spend his gift card..and pretends to fix the bikes out back while wearing his had hat and goggles...and Gina..even though you couldn't attend..thank you so much for dropping off his guitar..he loves it..me..well..just remember..your children have birthdays too..there is such a thing as sweet revenge!! :D

Shower Pictures

Thanks again Ladies!!

THANK YOU!!!

Thank you to everyone that came to Hayley's shower yesterday!! It was a fabulous morning..I loved how laid back it was..it was so nice to get to visit with everyone. You guys were way too generous with your gifts. THANK YOU!!! 47 days to go...yippee!!

Fox's Red Eye Show..

Ok..so I'm hardly a political activist..and only got involved so passionately in the past election because of my family now being so greatly affected by our relocation here to the USA. Typically I'd have voted for whomever my Dad told me to vote before..I trusted him..I trusted he knew what was best for me..and went along with it. As I got older and out of school and had programs and issues with the goverment myself as a professional (worked in daycare and with children who had special needs) I started to actually pay attention...then I moved..and now it doesn't really matter what I think..I don't vote here in the USA.



Anyway..this clip was pointed out to me of a Fox "talkshow" called Red Eye..a 5 minute clip where they mock, and belittle the Canadian forces that are over in Afghanistan..and those working hand in hand with the USA to keep our (BOTH) borders safe.

I did some research on the show..and found the wiki website to be pretty informative.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Red_Eye_w/_Greg_Gutfeld

You can tell just from watching the show..they are a comedy show..satire..mocking..and any topic they get on would be mocked with the same stupidity as they do the Canadian Armed Forces..who hasn't joked about the Canadian Armed forces before?? Especially compared to the USA (larger population..more money to spend on Military etc)..everyone I know has told Allen if he joined the Canadian Navy he'd have to learn to paddle a canoe. I digress though..this show is on at 3am...and obviously their Neilson ratings prove that there is a reason this show is shown at this time slot..it is NOT a news show..nor is it the American VIEW..while I completely agree it is in total DISTASTE to mock people who are serving our country..your country..their country..any country..and the fact that people are dying..and while it did offend me to a degree..I can't let it get my panties wound so tight I can't focus on the real political issues..(which I just don't have the energy at the moment to post on here).

Basically my point being...the men on this show..are immature..comedians..with little journalistic experience. They come from Maxim and Stuff magazines..and Doug Benson was merely a contestant on Next Comic Standing..what more can you expect from them??

**Added after initially posted..why wasn't there this much uproar made over Obama's Special Olympics comment made on the Jay Leno show which has a much higher Neilson's rating..and was done by the PRESIDENT OF THE UNITED STATES..not a bunch of punks?? Obama is "allowed" to make errors in judgement..hrmmm..the people HE offended are people living with special needs..who can't help who they are..and who are sadly and unfortunately mocked..and have negative stereotypes that are extremely hurtful..this show..while mocking the Canadian Military..are a comedy show..at 3am..representing nothing more than the need to get viewers..Obama is the one the Americans elected to represent them..bigger issue..bigger fish..but why was it ignored and swept under the rug??

Where are they??

The Parker Princess birthday pictures?? I fully expected to have a full inbox today.. Are you that busy Lori?? lol ;o)

Happy St. Patricks Day

Highlights of the playdate:
*Finding Ireland on the Globe
*Learning about St. Patrick (he told Ireland about God and scared away the snakes)
*Talking about rainbows, leprachauns, pots of gold and shamrocks
*Dancing and Irish jig
*Going on a St. Patricks Day Parade
*Making rainbow necklaces
*Eating green jello, popcorn, celery

Thank you Carrie for a wonderful morning...

Pretty Tulips...

Pizza Party

Daddy was in charge of picking up something for dinner..I wasn't surprised in the least he went for pizza..but I was thrilled to hear him having the kids help him put it together..I shouted from Emma's room (I was cutting in) for him to take pictures..and that he did..check out the slide show below..they had a great time..and the pizza was YUMMY!!

**I've had to take out the slideshow to get rid of the music..hopefully one day I'll get around to making a new one without music.

Great Wolf Lodge

**Slide Show at the bottom of post if you don't feel like reading**

As most of you know we just got back from Williamsburg VA, where we took the kids on a mini getaway to Great Wolf Lodge. This place is AWESOME..and the timing could not have been better..Thursday was the first COLD day after a bunch of days of summer like weather. It rained on Friday too, so while we were in the bubble of the great wolf we weren't missing out on some fabulous weather.

We didn't tell them we were going until Tuesday night. We gathered them around the good old desk top and pulled up the website first. Showed them pictures, and what the room was going to look like. Then we pulled up a youtube video of the splash area, the crazy slides, wave pool, MagicQuest etc. They were in AWE..and knew they only had 2 sleeps until we left. The next morning the first words out of Emma's mouth to me were "1 more sleep Mom" she was doing the count down. Thank goodness we didn't tell them sooner. That might have got annoying.

On Thursday Allen was off..but we sent AJ to school for the morning. We packed up and cleaned up..and had a nice relaxing morning. Then headed off to pick up AJ. Once all together, we started off our vacation by stopping at Mi Casita for some Mexican lunch, then got on the road to Williamsburg. We pulled up and the kids (and us too) were amazed at the size of this place. It was HUGE. We pulled out our swimming bag and headed in to get our wrist bands so we could enjoy the water park before check in at 4pm..and to our surprise our room was ready. It was so nice to be able to settle into our room, get changed, and then head to the waterpark.

Once inside Emma who has no fear was off...the free spirited little girl went exploring. I lost sight of her a couple of times..which scared the heck out of me..so we then had to lay down some ground rules. AJ who knows how to swim..went wild..as expected for any 7 year old set loose in a room full of fun stuff. He needed a few reminders how that we need to pay attention the people around us. For the most part he was really well behaved. One minor video game mishap later, and he has learned his lesson.

Connor was surprisingly cautious of the whole thing at first. Held on TIGHT to Daddy or Mommy, and seemed almost afraid of the water. For the kid who LOVES his bathtime and would go headfirst into Lori's pool clothed or not..I was somewhat taken aback by it. It didn't take him long though to warm up to the idea of the water fun, and soon it was Daddy one way..and Mommy the other way watching our babies have the times of their lives. It was stressful at some points..trying to keep them coralled..making sure they are in your line of sight, but really I enjoyed myself watching them have fun.

We splurged and allowed them each to spend some money in the hotel. Emma chose a wand "like Harry Potters" and loved being able to make tress light up..animals wag their tails or howl all around the hotel. We opted out of the game part of Magic Quest..maybe next time. AJ unfortunately signed our room up for the Nintendo games..which of course comes with a fee..and that was what he spent his money on. Connor..well..we walked into the gift shop..and he went STRAIGHT for the footballs..he knows what he likes and likes what he got. He was playing with it in bed this morning.

We ate a FABULOUS meal in the hotel restaurant...it was a great buffet..and the caesar salad was to DIE for. Well worth the money. Considering we only stayed one night..I wasn't worried so much about the price of our meal..just the convienience etc. I really didn't want to pack the kids up in the truck and travel away from the hotel. Allen got himself some beer..and I ordered it to come in a funky cup that lights up. The kids LOVED it..Allen liked the fact that it was 22oz of beer, and refills were "cheap" to him. haha

We truly had a great time, and even though my camera took some crap (some nice) pictures..the memories in our heads will last a life time. We plan on doing it again..perhaps this time again next year, who knows. We'd love to do it with another family next time too..this time it was nice just the 5 of us though. We just thought next time..with a family and spending two nights..each couple could take an evening to themselves, while the kids watched movies in the room together.

This little trip was just the refreshment my family needed. It was so nice to step out of the ordinary and have some fun together.

Fun at the Park..

We went to Bow Creek Rec Center park today, and met up with our friends Miss Nanette, Katherine and Allison. Everyone was very well behaved and seemed to have a good time. I'm amazed at how much little Allison is talking these days. Full on sentences, and such a happy little toot. Katherine and Emma were off and doing stuff princesses do, and Connor was obsessed with the swings. My back hurts just thinking about having to lift him into the swing. It was another beautiful day here too..I think I got more sun..but I love the feeling of getting out of the house and actually DOING something. We had a great picnic lunch, and the kids ate themselves silly!! It was a GREAT morning.

Front of the house spruce up..

Spring was in the air..and seeing as Allen leaves in 2 weeks for 7 weeks..we needed to get to work..I'm no longer embarrassed by the front of our house. It looks clean and tidy (hopefully the grass will green up) and once those rose bushes bloom..it'll be beautiful..the roses will be my little project this summer..keeping them fed, pruned and looking stunning..I'm looking forward to the new hobby.

I'm not sure why Allen and I never take before pictures of the projects we do..but here's some of the pictures from when we were cleaning up and then done.

Enjoy.


Finally something other than weeds in the "triangle garden"..a Quince bush, and some tulips. I need more..but only so much you can squeeze out of a budget in a weekend. ;o) Stay tuned..once everything starts blooming..you'll see more.


Mulched the bush part of the garden..planted Rose bushes where the Azalea's were.


The whole view.


Daddy hosing down the dirt and rocks.


Emma and Connor playing in the water.

Lori's House..

Mommy - "We're almost at Lori's house"!
Connor - "YAY"!
Emma - "I'm going to be nice today Mom".
Mommy - "That would be great Emma".
Connor - "Lori's house..YAY!"

Slide show tells the story..it was a good morning..great morning..the kids were good, the company was good..and the chicken nuggets were FABULOUS!! Mmmm..