The update the world has been waiting for.

It may appear that time has frozen at the Bowcut household.

To the contrary. Lucy is no longer 10 months old and the warm, sunny weather I was pictured in with my children has passed. Life is busy and like most moms, I feel spread very thin. Motherhood leaves you with the constant turmoil of how to make best use of your time. Oh, how I wish I was a better friend and multi-tasker. Although there are times I'd like to freeze my days of having young kids, I also look forward to days of them being more self-sufficient. As I was wading through pictures this evening, I came across this picture I snapped this fall of the front seat of my minivan. (While waiting at a red light of course--I may text while I drive, but I don't snap pictures.) It summed up some of the craziness of my life so nicely.
Blogging has sunk low on the priority list, which makes me sad, because I know I'm allowing memories to escape me. And I'm depriving far away grandparents and other loved ones to peek into our lives. So here it goes again.

Below is an update covering the last 4-months...somewhat. I'm committed to finishing this post tonight, so I will try to restrain myself in writing much text. Feel free to skip over this-- as this is really more for our record keeping.

Another soccer season passed.

Ella turned 7.

Complete with a Harry Potter themed birthday party. (Ideas compliments of Jenn Kirwan.) My attempt at a snitch cake.

I realized I failed to get many pics, but wizards in attendance were taught Quidditch, herbology, potions and defense against the dark arts (pictured below).

And they reaped the fruits of their hard work with the destruction of Lord Voldemort.

Ella's actual birthday was several days later--

And was a little upset that her big day was the same day as the school fun run. Each class runs a mile through the surrounding neighborhood.

Samantha was insistent on holding the sign while clapping at the same time. She was a devoted cheerleader.

And Ella of course did great--and crossed the finish line with her best friend.

We returned to school a couple of hours later to eat lunch with Ella and bring cupcakes for her class. She was allowed to buy lunch that day and I tried not to be too disgusted with the pizza and strawberry milk.

And her evening celebration with her grandparents was a success.

Her main gift being a new bike (without training wheels!!!) which she learned to ride on the field near our house. Hooray!

The passing of Ella's birthday means raking leaves

And my birthday.

But...hmmm, I can't seem to find those pictures. Maybe it never happened. That would be okay.

And then of course Halloween. Halloween festivities this year consisted of a ward Halloween party on Saturday in place of trick-or-treating on Sunday.

We contributed the Hermione and bumblebee.

And the butterfly.

Thanksgiving was a blast as we got to spend it with the Kirwans. We drove 12 hours over two days to Champagne, Illinois. They stuffed us with way too much food and they showed us around their new environs, which includes a fun college town.

The weekend included chocolate pilgrim hats

Wrestling matches

a trip to a children's science museum

and ice skating--not pictured. Thanks again, Kirwans for a fun time. We'd do the drive again and again.

And then Ms. Lucy...is now our big 1 year old.

She refused the bib, and turned out to be our most aggresive one-year old cake eater yet.

Lucy's birthday happened to overlap with our big chocolate making weekend. My sister, Jen and sisters-in-law, Janene and Chloe all flew in for the weekend. Here we are watching the head chef do her thing.

It was a huge success--we made more than ever this year and experimented with some new recipes, which were great. It was chocolate heaven. We decided that when you combine the $400 worth of ingredients and all the air fare of the women, these are pricey chocolates. That could buy a lot of Godivas. But we're quite proud of our creations and love the time together.

Plus...we have another generation to train.

Our chocolate making was the kick-off to our Christmas season, and just the beginning of the sugar consumption. Below is Ella and her good friend who lives two houses away.

This Christmas may have been our best yet--I'm a HUGE fan of staying in my own house for Christmas. My parents also stayed in town and spent the night at our house so they could be there for Christmas morning. Lucy awoke an hour before everyone else and we found ourselves watching the clock, waiting for Ella and Sam to wake up.

I made an ABC scrapbook for Sam which was a huge hit--pat on the back to me.

Lucy enjoyed the destruction of the morning and her sisters' things more than her own. Santa did bring her a new carseat which she loves.

I failed to take a picture before the destruction, which is too bad because it was quite lovely.

Christmas breakfast is only complete with our traditional orange rolls.

And we did get a pic before gifts at my parents' house. Sam is sporting one of the three princess dresses that Santa brought her, which she rotated through that day.

New Years was spent at our temple visitors center for a chinese dancing program--the girls were thrilled--our y chromosome friends and fathers, not so much.

Ella-bless her heart, was a trooper. December 28 she had her tonsils out and we dragged her out. She wanted to be out and about, but could still barely talk. Winter break was the perfect time to do the tonsils and she's glad its behind her.

In more recent news...

Lucy finally started to pull herself up at 13 months. She is now showing a little courage in letting go, but I still think we've got another month or two before walking is a reality. My girls are slow movers.

We've had 4 snow days so far this year. I don't win any awards for creative entertainment for my children, other than helping them into their snow gear. However, the girls took matters into their own hands and figured out that with some re-arranging, the hall linen closet served as the perfect hide-out, with built in bunk beds. Blankies, pillows, books and flashlights were gathered to complete the fun.

Snow days also mean lots of pajama time and hanging out in Mom and Dad's bed.

Although not pictured, our front yard was the sight of the fort which all the kids on the block worked together to build. Our last snow fall was extremely wet, great for packing and the kids spent hours and hours outside over several days. The last snow fall also brought ice, with many downed trees and branches. Our power went out for 3 days. We toughed it out the first night and slept in the house--which was cold, cold, cold. My parents fortunately got their power back late that night and we moved in with them until our power came back. Miserable.

This crew is not only the source of my busyness, but also the source of my happiness. I adore them.

Brian tells me Ella looks just like me. But...

And Samantha spends a lot of time as a princess hosting tea parties. She is a board game addict--and her favorite line of conversation is, "when I'm a mom"... I'll drive, I'll put the soap in the dishwasher, I'll wear those earrings, I'll read the newspaper, I'll have a cell phone...

Lucy, although still a mama's girl, is beginning to lighten up a little. She will now tolerate my mom and ventures out of my sight a little more. Although she has a total of 12 teeth, she still prefers soft, pureed stuff, which I don't get. Her words are "Uh-oh" and "Ma Ma". And she is a total poser for the camera--

And I'm realizing that she is really starting to grow into her own distinct look.

There you have it...the Bowcut Bulletin is back.

Lucy at 10 months

So this is my problem with blogging...I'm too detail oriented. I feel like I have to capture every significant moment, which I simply don't have time for. And then they start to pile up and the task begins to be too daunting and so then I don't do it. Half our summer was left undocumented--violin camp, our beach week with the Kirwans, various outings. And now the last 1.5 months is mostly undocumented. So I here begin AGAIN--striving to capture recent moments before the memory of them dissipates.

Recapturing Ella's birthday is a priority (and will have to wait until a quiet moment tomorrow), but first I have to show off my cherub 10-month old. She is the most darling baby there ever was. I cannot keep my lips off of her. I don't remember eating my other children as much as I do her. She is so soft and chunky, she nestles herself right into my shoulder, and she is totally more of a mama's girl than my other two were.

I think it's our blue eye connection.

In Bowcut girl fashion, she is not yet mobile. According to our pediatrician, their big heads slow them down. But she is showing interest, which is more than I can say for Ella and Sam at this age. Actually, she can move by pushing herself backwards. We left the back door open from the family room into the screened porch and she almost scooted herself right out the door. Generally, she seems to get wedged under a chair, couch or piano bench before she gets too far.

I adore pictures of Ella reading to her younger sisters.

And when I get bored at soccer practice or pushing children on the swings, I take self-portraits because who else is going to take pictures of me with my children at odd moments throughout the day?

More recaps are on the way. Hopefully before Lucy turns 1.

A Decade

I'm a sporadic blogger these days. But I couldn't let today pass without commemorating our 10th Anniversary. A whole decade we've been married. And it's passed in a flash, yet at the same time we've made a lot of history.

This is our engagement picture--taken the summer before we were married.


It's funny how you little you REALLY know someone when you get married. You think you know them, but you just don't. You really take a leap of faith. It takes some of the nitty gritty living to really know someone.

But after a decade, I think I know Brian pretty well. I'm sure he's still got one or two surprises up his sleeve, but I have to say, after all these years, I sure like him a lot. He is, without a doubt, the one for me.


We've come a long way, babe. I've loved the last 10 years. Happy Anniversary.

"First Grade was AWESOME"...

...was the first thing out of Ella's mouth after coming out of school on Monday. How's that for a great report?

The first day outift had to consist of all purple and pink. Ella took the news that her new purple backpack had not yet arrived, in stride.

According to our little pupil, these are the coolest things about first grade:
-she gets her very own desk and keeps her school supplies in it
-she already knew four kids in her class, one of them being our next door neighbor
-she gets to keep a water bottle on her desk at all times so she never has to leave to get a drink
-there is a super fast pencil sharpener
-there is an overhead projector (I gather from the description she gave me) that is named Elmo
-she has THE best teacher (which has been corroborated by all veteran parents)

On our side of the street on our block, are four homes. In each house lives a first grader. How's that for lucky? We're now the happening place for first graders and they tend to congregate here. Hopefully that will continue through the years.

It was a large procession walking to school. I love being able to walk to and from school (though that will morph into driving as the year progresses.)

Ella and her friends heading in through the front doors.

Rewarded by afternoons of play after school.

Next up...Samantha's school starts next week and she can't wait. She spends her time pacing up and down the sidewalks on her tricycle. And ringing the bell.

We're all delighted another school year is here. Maybe now I'll get to finish stripping the wallpaper in my bathroom.

Notes

It's the first day of school. The little girls are napping. The house is quiet.

I sat down at the computer to check e-mail and saw these little notes Brian and Ella have been leaving for each other.

She's only gone 7 hours a day now. When she's gone for good, I think these might just be the little things we'll miss like crazy.

A report of the FIRST day of FIRST grade to come soon!

Sam.

Three years ago today I had this baby.

Her name was Harper.

For a day.

But I have some tactless, overly-opinionated women in my family

(ahem Grandma Spring, Mother, Jen).

They didn't like Harper.

So then she had no name.

For about two days.

And then, after much debate and agonizing...

She was Samantha.

And we never questioned it again or looked back.

But according to Samantha, she is nothing but "Sam".

NOT Samantha.

There is something about "Sam" that denotes spunk.

It just seems so fitting for some reason.

I have an inordinate amount of love for all of my girls. But if I HAD to pick one whose antics and personality I want to ingrain in my memory for forever it is Sam. She is a pistol. A ball of fire. She provides endless amusement. There is spring in her step. Her personality is contagious.

So...here are some tidbits I always want to remember about her at age 3:

-I no longer am allowed to pick out her outfits. She is thoughful and meticulous about what items she will put together. I'm hoping her sense of fashion will improve with age.

-She gets time outs for playing in the toilet water.

-She sings Twinkle Twinkle, ABC, Jesus Wants me for a Sunbeam and the Itsy Bitsy Spider like a Rock Star. When we sang "Happy Birthday" to her tonight, she was belting it out, singing right along with us.

-Her hair is crazy curly, also fitting to her personality. She rarely keeps any type of hair thing in it, adding to the crazed look.

-She is a contrary little thing. If you say up, she says down.

Example: last night's pre-dinner conversation:
Sam: Mommy, what's for dinner tonight?
Me: Quesadillas, fruit salad and carrots.
Sam: I DON'T LIKE CARROTS.
Me: Yes you do.
Sam: NO I DON'T.
Me: What do you want instead?
Sam: Broccoli. I don't want carrots.
Me: So, do you want broccoli or carrots?
Sam: Broccoli. I DON'T LIKE CARROTS. DADDY DOESN'T LIKE CARROTS. LUCY DOESN'T LIKE CARROTS. ELLA DOESN'T LIKE CARROTS. WE ALL DON'T LIKE CARROTS.
Me: Okay, you can have broccoli.
Sam: No, I want carrots.

-She can recognize the sound of a violin playing on the radio.

-The girl can push buttons like no other. One of Ella's pet peeves is people closing books she is part-way through reading and has left opened, turned upside down (despite our admonishments to use a bookmark). Sam has learned to really tick Ella off by closing her books. The other day, Sam picked one up, not realizing at first it was Ella's. Ella, from the other side of the room looks at Sam, and begins to sprint towards Sam, yelling, "Saaaaammmm, nooooo!" Sam looks up, with a smile on her face and forcefully shuts the book.

But...On to the Birthday--

She celebrated with her sisters and dearest friends at the park.

She has been waiting to get to blow out candles. And she shined today.

She rode on a train with her friends.

She got her requested monkey cake.

Goofed off with her sister and cousins at the family dinner/celebration.

And of course opened lots of presents.

It was a good day for Sam.

Happy 3rd Birthday, Samantha.

We love you.

We're glad you're not Harper.