Finding the Positive......?

The last few weeks have kind of...............

sucked.

Just a lot of little, stupid things,

and a couple medium to big stupid things.

And it starts to feel like I broke a mirror or offended someone's ancestors or something.

So here are a few cute pictures that have no significance at all,

other than the fact that they're cute.

 Scarlet playing spatula balloon volley ball.

She's going to be an athlete.

I need to learn the sports.

 Cozied up in her bed for some cartoon time.

I thought maybe she was watching something I didn't want her to.

Like Barbie or Winx or some other crap show this up tight mommy doesn't approve of.

But she was just sitting somewhere quiet!!

 Couple things going on here.

Tan lines.

Naked eating.

 Leading the music with her snake, Sivalivaloo.

I was laying on my back, trying to stretch my hip.

Someone kept inching closer and closer and rubbing all over my sweaty hair.

Don't mind me!!

Just gonna snooze on your head!!

I realized there are not any pics of Ella.

I'm genuinely not sure why!!

I'll make my next post about her!!

Happy Birthday....to ME!!!

For my birthday, I told Brent I just wanted to go to the temple.

We have family names that I printed LAST January,

and a stack is going to be coming soon.

It was time to start the work!!

I have never done baptisms for the dead,

and I was a little nervous!!

But it was very lovely, and I look forward to going again.

Do you ever see a picture of yourself and just think, "Ugh."

Well, that is how I feel about the picture above!!

But Brent looked so handsome,

I had to post it.

For the record!!

My hair is ugly from being wet and pulled back!!

This is what he got me!! 

I'm so excited!!

I have always wanted a grandfather clock.

But I didn't want one with a square head.

Or one that looks like it has horns.

I am a very traditional person,

and my tastes and style reflect that.

I am grateful for all my friends and family who remembered me yesterday.

It makes me feel loved.

Happy Father's Day

I love my father.

He is a wonderful, generous, loving man.

I am blessed to be his daughter.

I love the way he loves my daughters.

I deeply appreciate the way he serves me.

I am so proud of his conversion and his testimony.

I admire his hard work.

I love his spirit and I know he was a choice being before he came to this earth. 

He has been through many trials of fire, 

and each time he has came out on the other side refined  instead of burned.

I deeply love my husband.

I have for many years.

I loved him before I even knew the true meaning of the word.

He has always loved me,

even in the trenches of despair,

and the ugly war of depression.

We created children and I am so grateful for the loving daddy he is.

 I am grateful for his everlasting patience.

I am so proud of his courage, his faith, and that he holds and uses his priesthood with respect and worthiness.

Cize

I'm a beach body member and some days I get sick of certain routines and I try to mix it up.

I turned on Cize on Saturday and got about 4 minutes into it, and just wasn't feeling it. 

But Ella had asked to do it with me, since it's dance based,

and when I wanted to turn it off,

she wanted to keep going.

So I let her and thought it would last a few minutes and then I turn on hard Corps 22 and be done with fitness for the day.

She did the whole 30 minutes!!

And she had so much fun!!

Unfortunately it was a Challenge Du Jour work out,

so I don't have it for her to do again.

And trust me, she has asked!!

I love how happy this made her.

I love how much fun she had.

I love her hair whip.
And the cheerleader in me loved her beautiful clean at the end.
Ella, I love your amazing, free, pure spirit.

Our latest addiction

Late summer afternoons,

you can find the Bowler women hiding in my bedroom with the window AC unit on high,

a bowl of ice cream,

and our new coloring books!!

I love coloring.

It's relaxing,

it releases endorphins,

and it's an idle activity that makes me feel a little less lazy because I'm doing it WITH my children!!

Here are some of our works of art!!

 Desert Falcons

By me

 Beautiful horned owl

by Scarlet

 Peacock

by Ella

Another owl

Not sure who the owner is!!

We may have all contributed!!

And we have 2 more brand new books that just got here from Amazon!!

Bless you Amazon.

Rocky Mountain Bouncy House!!!

During our first heat wave,

I told Brent that we needed water toys to get threw the summer!! 

I always go get the little blue plastic pools and they just don't cut it!! 

SO 

I got serious this year.

And it's awesome.

And I get to play too!!

Those slides are fast!!

Summer Days

Summer is here and it came in with blazing fury.

I finally decided that since the heat is inevitable, I might as well find water to play in and help keep me cool.

I might not be able to pray away the heat,

but I can pray to acclimate to it better!!

We have sought refuge at every water facility available to us, including our own sprinklers & trampoline!!

 My house it covered in drying towels.

 And swimming suits.

 And cover ups.

And I've decided I'm ok with it!!

We are having fun and keeping cool, and wearing out little chickens!!

Who sleep in and need entertainment!!

Last Day of School!!

2nd grade has been great for Ella.

A lot of work, but she learned so much and grew so much.

She improved in her writing and reading , and made new friends.

Her teacher was just plain awesome!!

1st day of school.

Last day of school!!

I think she grew this year!!

Ella turns 8 this summer and will be baptized.

After that she won't age anymore, we have an agreement.