The Bowers Family

We had a great three day weekend as a family.  Saturday we slept slightly past 7:30 which is late for us and we were at the pool by 10:00.  Madison loved splashing and playing at the pool with her Daddy and Mommy.  We think she might even be part fish.

She wasn't too crazy about going under the water though.  I think she will save that for the tub for now.

This weekend she also showed us that she has been listening to us and paying attention when we pray.  Here she is praying for her lunch.  (No we didn't take this during the real prayer, she wanted to pray for that mac 'n cheese about 10 times.  That food was seriously blessed.)

Sunday morning we got up and went to church and Madison looked so cute in her red, white and blue we had to capture the moment.

Sunday evening we had a Sunday School picnic at the park and a great time was had by all.  Madison loves the park and play ground and it was even better with her friends from church.

Monday we cleaned house a little and Madison followed behind me with her mini vacuum as I vacuumed the house, until she decided it was too loud and it was scary.  Chris took some rest time of his own with a buddy from work shooting guns and as he says blowing things up.  No they didn't really blow anything up but I am sure the time to release some tension from the stresses of his job was good for him.  For Dinner a precious friend from MOPs Miss Melanie volunteered to come and watch Madison for us to have a date night.  Chris and I went out to a steak house and actually got to eat out without cutting someone else's food or wiping up with wet' wipes.  We even stopped by the mail for a little while.  Wow I forgot what that was like the mall with no stroller or child wanting a cookie.  Funny we were in and out so quick, that was strange too.  So in all we had a fabulous three day weekend and we feel so relaxed and ready for the adventures that lie ahead of us.  In just about 16 days Madison and I will be heading to Texas for our June trip while Daddy is very busy with the plant outage, he will be working long hours and maybe sleeping in his office, lets hope not though for his sake.

How blessed we are to be American's and have this special holiday to remember those who have given so much for us and our country.   God Bless America and those who are fighting for it, we thank them for their sacrifice and service.  We also say a special pray for our family members and friends that are currently in harms way;  Joshua, Guy, and Monica you are in our prayers.

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Ok so any of you that blog on a consistent basis you have to get the free download of Windows Live Writer.  It makes blogging so much easier.   And no you don't have to get a Windows Live Id, just select the option that you already have a weblog and type or copy in your http://.  That is it and your done, just start typing.

It lets you see exactly what your posts will look like before they "go Live" and adding photos is a cinch. 

If more people knew about this program I think more people would have blogs, so spread the word and try it out for yourself.

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Today Madison and I visited the Florida Museum of Natural History on the UF campus with some of our friends from MOPs, it was our last official play date. I was quite impressed with the fact that entrance was free, we did pay to visit the butterfly rainforest but it was worth it. I think we will have to get a membership whenever bonus time comes around so that we can visit the butterflies whenever we want.






This flower was so pretty. It reminded me of the colors of Rebekah’s upcoming wedding.

And of course this turned out a little blurry was she was so cute on the little benches.

I am so glad that we found out about this local find while we still have plenty of time in Gainesville to enjoy it. Madison was afraid of a few of the exhibits but hopefully after a few more visits she will be fine with all of them. She kept saying it’s a spooky cave mommy and proceeded to climb me like a mountain and scream like I was taking her to a haunted house. This girl is so much like me sometimes it just cracks me up, I guess she will cover her eyes for the scary parts of movies too. We can just have Chris tell us when we can both open our eyes now.

Have a great Memorial Day Weekend. Chris has three days off in a row and a friend from MOPS might be able to watch Madison for me so that we can go to dinner and a movie. Movies in a theater, what is that? I don't guess they will be able to "pause it", as Madison says, when I need to take an intermission. Oh well I can hold it, if it means getting to go on a real date I haven't had one in over two years and I think a girl is due, don't you. I knew you'd see it my way too.
:)

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Yeah she finally went #1 and #2 in the potty and all in one spontaneous sitting. I thought this day was never going to come. She is definitely our child, she had to do it on her own timing and when it was her idea. So here's to more reward stickers tomorrow, I would much rather buy stickers that diapers. Goodbye Pampers hello Charmin. She even wanted to make sure both her Grammy and Grandma heard the big news in person.

Great Job, Love you Babe!

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The Condo Queens (left to right) Up Front: Tori Nemecek & Melanie Jones, In back: Valerie Henderson, Erin Grindstaff, Allison Walker, Melissa Armstrong, Kelly Trent and Me.


Well my MOPS group is officially on hiatus for the summer even though we have a few more informal things planned. This last Monday was mommy makeover day and I was one of the two lucky people to get my hair and makeup done along with participating in a mini-fashion show, it was fun. I have really enjoyed MOPS and I am so glad that I was able to participate this year. Unfortunately as groups go we did lose a few friends to moves and schedule conflicts through the year so the photo isn't quite complete but we did have all the current members in our group on Monday. I am hoping to get a few friends from church to come along when we start up in the fall.

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Mother's Day, the day we set aside to thank our moms for all the hard work they put into raising us and for the unconditional love they show us. I thank God for the wonderful mom he gave me, not only is she my mom she is my friend. She has been with me through all my trials and all my joys. Even now she is stilling teaching me things that I will go on to teach my children. I pray that I will be as great a mom as she has been to me. I love you Mom!

Madison, thank you for a very special "mommy day" I am proud to be your mommy and I love you oh so very much. I pray that we will always have a very close and special relationship.

Chris, thank you for the extra special "mommy day" treatment. I love you very much and I thank God for giving you to me. I ask God to help me be the very wife that you need me to be. Forever and Always.

To my Grandmother Williams and Great Grandma Hilton, thank you for being the Godly Matriarchs of my family. Your influence for Christ laid the foundation for the Christian parents that I have today. I pray that my faith will lay a path for future generations as well.

And last but not least to Janie, my mother-in-law. I treasure the friendship we have formed and I thank you for the love you give to us and for all the hard work you put into raising Chris. I know he wouldn't be the man I love without your influence in his life.

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I have enjoyed my 2nd sixteenth birthday, who knew 32 would come so fast. Thanks for all the well wishes. Wow if I could only go back and tell myself a few things, kinda like that Brad Paisley song.

Sunday, we had a fabulous family fun day at the Jacksonville Zoo. Chris hadn't had a day off since we took Madison to Disney, and my birthday was the perfect excuse to "encourage" him that one day wouldn't wreck the project, not that he likes working every single day but duty calls. It was so much fun watching Madison and listening to the things that she would come up with. She wanted to hold practically every animal and she loved the snakes and reptiles, she doesn't get that from me for sure. We got there around 10 and the weather was comfortable but by 3:30 when we started heading toward the gate it was 91 with no breeze. We also managed to escape without any Madison meltdowns, sometimes the littlest things can get her so upset. We definitely have a strong willed child, I tell Chris that comes from him, haha.

Tonight we tried to go out for Mexican, my favorite birthday food in honor of my own personal holiday, but On the Border was having a big party and the wait was just too long for eating with a toddler. So we went to Outback my other favorite restaurant and had no wait, that was perfect. We did skip the cheese cake because we were so full, which isn't bad because we can have it tomorrow and everyone who knows me knows that I am all about the birthday week and month celebrations.

So here's to my 2nd sixteenth birthday and not redoing ages 16-21, high school definitely was not the best years of my life.

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Yesterday, May 1st one of my favorite days, Madison and I were playing with her memory matching game when she just started counting the game tiles out loud one by one, she got to six without skipping or insert any extra numbers. She was even able to repeat it over and over. I was actually shocked she usually says 1, 2, 7, 11, 10, 13, 14 but not this time. She finally has 1 through 6 committed to memory. Yeah Madison!

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