New Year Goals

Every year I start the year with goals to change and make my self better. 

This year is a little different. 

This year I have goals to simply MAINTAIN life. 

Brent and I have our family in a place of stability and happiness and we want to work toward keeping it that way!! 

It’s not perfect by any means. 

Scarlet needs some serious effort put towards her tantrums and how I choose to deal with them. 

I’d like to step up my game a little with Ella’s homework. She’s doing great, but we put forth minimal effort. She could be doing even better if we really applied ourselves!! 

We want to make some improvements on the house. 

Grass, flowers and some paint.

Brent and I would like to be able to spend more time together and get to the temple. 

We want to do better at saving money.

That is all I want for 2014.

I just want to maintain!! 

I don't need to be bigger or better or have lofty goals!!

I just want my family to be happy!!

Merry Christmas!!!

We had a wonderful Christmas this year!!

Best present of all was that Brent got to be home!!

 The girls are at an exciting, fun age!!

 They believe in magic and opening presents is more fun for ME to watch!!

 They were good little girls this year and got spoiled. 

I can't help it.

 Bingo at Christmas Eve dinner.

 Scarlet didn't win but Aunt Joshlyn provides prizes any way!!

I love having school teachers around!!

They have all the cute stuff!

 We did the Nativity scene.

I went to get a drink on Christmas Eve night and while I was in the kitchen Santa came in the front door!!

I snapped a picture really quick before I hid in the laundry room so he could do his work!!

(go to capture the magic.com to see if you can catch him too!)

Bowler Family Christmas Party

I love the holiday season. 

From November 1st to January 1st is my favorite time of year!!

Last week we celebrated my mom's birthday.

I am really awesome and the only picture I took was this one. 

Scarlet eating a chicken leg.

Glad this moment is frozen in time!!

 We went to the library.

I haven't been in to even get books since before school started.

During the summer we went 2 or 3 times a week and I got to where I just hated being there!! Trapped in doors, hiding from the heat!!

 I need to get back more often.

My girls love books and the puzzles.

I encourage reading in our house as often as possible. 

We read about 5 books before bed every night and any other time they hand me one.

I truly believe that reading breeds intelligence!!

 On to the Christmas Party!!

Bonnie made some awesome Mexican food.

We read some touching stories and sang Christmas carols.

 We chose one thing that we could give the Savior as a gift this year.

Something to work on and towards.

Scarlet is thinking really hard about hers.

Hopefully it was NOT THROW MIND NUMBING TEMPER TANTRUMS.

 Ella and Charlotte singing.

 Scarlet suspicious of the joy!!.

 But she was really excited about instruments!!

Gotta love retired teachers and all the goods they have left from being in the classroom!!

 Enthusiastic triangle playing!!

 Elsie with her maracas!!

 Santa swung by to peak threw the window and check to make sure we were being good.

Ella came face to face with him and nearly fainted!!

 Santa left a little "get threw the next 5 days" present!!

 Some how the camera got put on night shot so the pictures were blurry.

 Scarlet got a puppy in its own carrier.

She has A LOT of puppies that were my old pound puppies that she HAS to take every where with her.

Hopefully a carrier will help keep track of the little buggers!!

Ella got a mermaid barbie that changes color in different temperatures.

She has an Ariel and has really been concerned that she is alone and doesn't have a friend!!

We had a wonderful evening!!
 

Family Pictures

The awful torture that is family pictures is here again. Out of 150 or so pictures we got maybe a dozen decent ones. For some reason, this was a particularly rough year. Tears, protesting, clinging.

And that was just me and Brent!!

Here is the best we could muster.

There is almost 30 pictures below. I understand if you can't hang in there!!

Enjoy!!

If you made it this far, you are a true friend!!

Some of these are more "out takes" than pictures.

I'm tellin' ya!! It was rough!!

But we did our best and don't have to do it again til next year!!