2018

I took the longest break I have ever taken from blogging this year!!

Instagram kind of killed my blog!!

But I like my blog because it tells a story instead of providing a caption.

This year has been a little more difficult than I would have liked.

I was taking medication I didn't need.

It was prescribed to me by lovely doctors with good intentions,

it just didn't work and I had other underlying things at play.

I have struggled with red lined, high anxiety and some depression.

I understand I had things I need to learn,

and I'm grateful to learn vital lessons I will use for the rest of my life.

Now I'm ready to start taking steps forward.

My goals are: 

To maintain my medication and let it do it's job

Exercise 

Healthy eating

Meditation

Connection with the energy around me

I love my sweet family and I am grateful for the gospel to lead me through hard times.

I'm grateful for good and kind people who love me and serve me when I'm not

capable to reciprocate.

I have focused my goals in a better, more loving, more service oriented way,

and I'm excited to start the new school year.

Clark County Fair

 The fair delivered its good times and greasy food just like it always does!!

The girls got to ride all the rides,

see all the animals,

and get their faces painted!!

We also performed as a cheer team and my girls did awesome!!

 Scarlet wanted a dolphin this year.

 Ella wanted an elf eye.

 Their favorite display was the wildlife booth.

Even if Scarlet was convinced the animals were not really dead, only pretending,

and were going to leap to life any minute.

 We had a great time!!

We were sunburnt, greasy, and covered in dust!!

Warm Springs

Warm Springs opened up last spring after years of being closed.

It burned down in the summer of 2010.

I love that old pond.

The water is warm and feels soft!!

Happy children getting to be in their natural habitat-

the wild!!

Easter

Easter is always packed with fun!!

We have Alderete Family fun,

Bowler Family fun,

County egg hunt,

and much more!!

Bowler Easter!!

We have a few more cousins this year!!

Jeff is getting married in August and his new lovely wife has 

2 wonderful daughters.

We are so excited Mohave them as apart of our family!!

Easter hunt at the fair grounds!!

This event is crazy, loud, and children are racing everywhere!!

Egg coloring!!

My little dyers did a wonderful job

 Ella even made a dragon egg!!

 Waiting so patiently!!

 Happy girls with fun baskets!!

We had a great week!!

We played and had some family pictures,

and ate a lot of chocolate!!

First Lost Tooth

My girls have lost their teeth a little later than average children.

I did too!!

So we are always very excited when the first one finally falls out!!

Scarlet lost her first tooth March 6th, 2018

She screamed like I was killing her, but we got it!!

Year of the Dog

Every year I make new year goals.

Some years have been over the top and I accomplish nothing I write down.

As I have aged,

I make goals that are obtainable.

This year I want to:

 

 Maintain my weight

Learn to Accept

Minimize my need for sweets

Go to the temple 4-6 times

 

This year I truly intend to complete my goals.

I have love and support and help and a plan.

That was a lot of 'ands'.

 

We have spent the girls' break playing.

Playing together and lazing together,

and I snoodle them every night before bed.

 

Ella and I have been playing acrobat again!!

She has excellent body control and just enough fear to keep her from panicking and diving toward the ground.

Which I know sounds awful,

but is actually a good ting for small people who want to cheer.

 

On January 4th,

I woke up and went for my last run.

I plodded along the cold path,

my knee protested.

My hip ached.

And I accepted that running does not have room in my life anymore.

 

I got the bike I've been wanting for a year and half,

and I love it.

It's exhilarating to ride

and relief to my legs, feet and knees.

 

Even though I won't be running by Granny, Grandpa, and now Uncle Raoul,

I will still make sure to take the time to careful ride passed them.

 

My pets took the lazing part of the holiday quite serious.

 

I got to finally play with my yoga wheel last night.

I didn't NEED a yoga wheel.

I just wanted a toy for Christmas!!

 Handstands.

Are HARD.

I can not do them unassisted,

or with out the reassurance that the wall is near.

 But I could crouch on this things for hours.

I may not do a lot of things well,

but I have balance.

I'm short.

Low center of gravity.

I'm like a pyramid!!

 

Ella joined me!!

Merry Christmas

The holiday season went by in a flash this year.

More so than even usual.

The girls got out of school LATE.

If the schedule is the same next year,

I'll keep them home early.

 

Christmas Eve night we went on a Christmas light scavenger hunt!!

It was fun!!

Out of the 35 things we were supposed to find,

we got 29!!

 Kato loves our family so much.

His loyalty makes me want to have ALL the doggies!!

 

The girls called me in to see their Who impression.

I'd say it was spot on!!

 

Waiting to be set free on Christmas morning!!

Daddy woke us up at 4:45am

 

I love to see their sweet faces the first moment they see the tree.

 

Scarlet didn't really ask for anything specific for Christmas.

She would throw out ideas,

but there wasn't anything she just had her heart set on.

Until about 10 days before Christmas.

She then declared she hoped with all her heart she got a.....

 stick horse.

Bless her precious, easy to please heart.

 She was so very happy.

 

Ella didn't ask for a Big LOL Surprise Ball.

And I was glad cuz they were a "hot toy" this year and NO WHERE to be found.

But Santa is a master gift finder,

and he delivered!!

 She was so excited and told me that she had really, really wanted one,

but didn't ask because she knew they were hard to find and didn't want to be disappointed.

They're only little once,

and I strongly encourage them to believe in magic as long as possible.

Before they want make up and clothes,

and don't want anything to do with me.

 

Going to find stockings!!

 Even the pets got a few things!!

I guess everybody was good in the Bowler house this year!!