Only 6 Days.....

My mom's birthday was yesterday. She turned.....yeah right like I was going to tell!! She really is very young. WAY younger than my friends moms. We all ate too much and the kids went crazy. I don't know what I would do with out her!!

I asked Ella what she wanted Santa Clause to bring her. (Not by any means expecting an answer) She held up one of the books she was looking at and shouted, "BOOKS!" So Santa might have to make one last shopping trip this year!

I LOVE CHRISTMAS and I am so excited it is almost here. The only draw back with Christmas coming, is then it is over. Always a sad day!! The 26th of December has got to be the worst day of the year. We have had our tree up since 2 weeks before Thanksgiving and the decorations went up on Black Friday. I had a cookie day last Saturday. I baked over 100 cookies, made peanut butter fudge, and toffee. I had never made toffee. It isn't too hard, but very stressful!! I think of it as moody candy. It has to be the exact temperature or it goes bad! Ella loves the tree. She loves Christmas lights. We think blue is her favorite color, because she always points to all the blue lights and happily chatters to them.

Ella Update

I realized I haven't given an Ella update since she turned a year old. Yesterday she was 17 months. I can't believe she is that old already! She is 50% for height and 10% for weight.
These pictures were taken by my friend Esther. She did an amazing job. These are only 3 of the dozens of good pictures she took. But I thought I would spare you 100 pictures of my baby!! The above picture is her evil face....frightening I know! (If you want GOOD, inexpensive pictures call Esther Jones)

Ella has the fine and gross motor skills, and the responsive, social development of a 22 month old child. She is doing really well in those departments.

She loves: Grandma, Grandpa, and Uncle Jordan

Black kitty (her little stuffed toy)

Anything edible!! She loves to eat!! Anything!!

Playing outside

Walks

Birds

Jara

Kitties

Books

What she is afraid of:

Dogs

The Train

Jack

Strangers

Wind Shield Wipers

Things she can't do: I know as you read above some of you were thinking, oh how lovely, she's advanced in some areas. And the other half were thinking, great another bragging mama. Good news!! Ella's not perfect!! She doesn't speak. She says kitty and daddy and that is about it. Sometimes I think she might be saying something else, but I think it is my hopeful imagination!! She also has a hard time sitting still. She's not hyper active, she just likes to be MOVING!!

I'm up on my soap box....be prepared....

WARNING: Ranting and Raving is about to ensure…continue at your own risk.

I have always been of the opinion, that every one is entitled to their opinion. I usually shrug if it is a topic I don’t agree with and keep mouth shut. If I am truly passionate about said topic, I will put in my two cents, BUT really, people can think what they want.

HOWEVER, I have came across several blogs (as I’m happily blog stalking) and Facebook account of people cursing, criticizing, and nothing short of verbal abuse of police officers. Recently I came across a girl’s personal blog that claimed that ALL cops were (and I quote) “dicks”. (I would like to verify, her words, not mine.)
And this my friends really pissed me off.
LET ME TELL YOU WHY!!! (back me up on this Laura)
MY husband is a COP, and a damn good one if I say so myself. And he has to put up with ignorant people All. Day. Long. These people don’t know why they have to go to jail, when they beat their wife, and/or girlfriend, and/or prostitute. These people can’t understand why they have such a big ticket to pay when their car isn’t insured, and they have suspended plates, and they blew through a school bus with red lights flashing and the stop signs out.
So let me say this….IF YOU DON’T WANT TO GO TO JAIL AND YOU DON’T WANT A TICKET, DON’T BREAK THE LAW.
It is NOT a secret that speeding is against the law. It is NOT a secret that mouthing off to a police officer is going to get you into to trouble. HELLO! Why would you try to argue with a cop about a ticket. Is there anybody out there who has been able to convince a cop (or any authority figure) that they are wrong and you are right?
I realize that there is good and bad officers everywhere. Just as there are good and bad doctors, and good and bad teachers. But is it necessary to solemnly swear every one is the same to the next?
Before you criticize a police officer; think for a moment, what it is like to put up with idiots (like you may be acting) all day long……Thank you.

Thanksgiving!!!

Thanksgiving morning dawned bright and early. My mom and I went on a walk/run around the high school. We caught glimpses of the informal 'turkey bowl'. We returned to her house and the preparations began! I had the honor of cleaning our 23 pound turkey. I find sick pleasure in turkey cleaning. I love to squeeze the rogue quills out of its skin. I love to happily dig bag o' guts and neck from the cavity and proceed to scour left over entrails from the rib cage. I also give him a little massage when I season him. It my way of saying, sorry buddy, but you'll taste good!

All the food was fabulous. But I failed to bring my camera to the dinner!!

After the turkey enzyme kicked in, we crawled back to our house and slept off our meal. Friday morning arrived along with Black Friday... (cue music) My mom and I left my house at 4:50 am and headed toward the stores. Ella was sooooo good. She didn't throw any fits and was good tempered all day. I was so proud of her. I only had to fight once for a discount item. It was worth it, although I may now have an enemy out there that is twice my size, but fortunately half my speed!

This is what happens when Ella tries to 'help' me wrap presents. She tries to help a lot lately. It usually ends this way.

Above: The high school alumni game. The old men kicked butt! It was interesting to see some of the boys my age (boys? I guess they're men now!) playing. I can't believe we are all so old! With kids and mortgages.

Below: My sister in law Lezlee with the one and only Bowler grandson. Poor little guy is out numbered 5 to 1.

What's in a Name

I saw this on my friend Sheila's blog and thought is was interesting. I also thought I would share!

1.Do you have cultural or religious naming traditions? No. Brent and I are just two regular white people so we didn't have much to go off of!! :)

2. Did you or your partner come to your marriage with pre-selected names? Yes. Although we did not use any of them! Brent liked Elizabeth. We actually did consider this and will again when we have another little girl. I liked Kyrah, Shena and Jessa. But I won't use them. I think I liked them for too long, didn't use them and are now sick of them.

3. Did you consider the sound of the first and middle and last name combination? Yes! I really liked Aurora. But Aurora Bowler sounded like aurora boreallis. Brent said it also sounded like someone barfing.

4. Did you have veto power? Yes. Brent didn't really need it because his names were simple and tasteful. But I admit some of mine were weird. I started to get a little too creative.

5. Did baby naming cause arguments? Nope.

6. Did you think was easier to name boys or girls? Well we only have one girl and that wasn't too bad! But I really can't answer that.

7. Did you eliminate names because of people from your past or present who you don't like or because a certain image come to mind? Yes! There are certain names I would never name my child because I know someone with that name or because someone I dislike has named their child that name.

8. Did you tell people the child's name before it was born or 'keep it in the vault'? I told everyone what I was going to name Ella. I didn't really care who knew. I had never heard the name before so I figured it wasn't being used. Since Ella was born about 100 of them have popped up. I also wanted to call her by her name so she would recognize it.

9. Did you use baby name books. Yes. It was very important to me that her name mean something. My name is boring and means something boring so I wanted it to be special.


So what did I name my child?.....
Ella Ruth Bower

Ella is Old English for ALL. I thought that was beautiful because she is 'my all'.
Ruth was my Granny's name and I found out I was pregnant the day she died. Also, Ruth was the friend of Naomi in the bible. So it was a the name of a righteous woman.
I love her name. I think it is beautiful. Just like I love her and think she is beautiful.

I'm Afraid!!

While I was happily blog stalking away tonight, I made a realization: 8 people I know are pregnant and 2 just had babies..... Can anyone say YIPES! I'm afraid to drink the water! Has it been a particularly cold autumn? Beware ladies, there's something in the air!

I am Thankful for...

Okay, it is officially time for the yearly, emotion filled, sappy profession of gratitude!! So here it goes!....
1. I am so thankful for my wonderful husband!! HE is charming and perfect and I am so madly in love with him.
2. My crazy daughter! She tries all my patience and melts my heart with her big blue eyes.
3. My family. I don't know how I could live with out my mom. Maybe one day I will be as wise!!
4. All my other extended family. All my wonderful aunties and uncles. (Here's to you Katie and Beulah!)
5. Memories. My granny died 2 years ago this month and I miss her so much it aches. Although I know she is in a better place, I miss her.
6. Brent's job. Such trying times. We are blessed to have a paycheck and insurance.
7. My darling house.
8. My pretty car.
9. My health.
10. That I finally lost my baby weight! ( yes I'm bragging a little. Sorry for that cheerleader ego burst. It's under control now.)
11. The gospel. I would be so lost. It is so hard to be righteous sometimes, that I am glad for repentance.
12. My Savior. There are no words to describe the love I have for Him.
13. My friends.
14. This nation.
15. This valley. (most of the time)
16. The beautiful fall weather.
I won't go any farther, I could for pages but that sums it up. I challenge everyone who passes by this blog, be stalker or friend, to post what you are thankful for!!