Trip to Guatemala

I was able to go to Guatemala for a few days last weekend to visit my parents, and it was so wonderful to have them all to myself! We had a great time seeing the amazing sights, culture, and just being together.

We went to a beautful golf course and hotel outside of Antigua and one the holes was named "Pop" which I knew my kids would love.
The volcano smoking behind us

Another Volcano- they are so beautiful!

The view from our hotel room

Lunch in Antigua- I LOVE the black beans, platanos, guacamole, and limeades!

Some ruins about an hour outside of Guatemala City

The children are SO adorable- these two little girls were so sweet walking down the street like this.

We went to a neat church in Chichicastenango, and the market there was HUGE! You feel bad because you want to buy something from everyone!

It was such a great trip, and even though I was sad that my family couldn't have the time with my Mom and Dad, I was grateful for it. Nate says he's still angry because he misses them more than me! I'm not sure that's true- but we all miss having them around so much and are glad for any time together. I am constantly reminded of how wonderful my parents are and feel so lucky to have them! Thank you for the amazing trip Mom and Dad!

Paradise!

Rich and I got to go to Kauai with his parents for 9 days in November, and it was such a fun and relaxing trip! We spent our time eating great food, laying by the pool with a good book, and an occasional golf game or board game. I loved the time with my hubby and we really enjoyed being with his Mom and Dad. It is no easy thing to leave 3 young kids for that long, so I am VERY grateful to everyone for helping with my kids. Allison had all 3 the first 3 days, and then Kim had Kennedy for 6 and Karina had the boys for 6, as well as friends taking them to and from school at times. It was nice to know they were so well taken care of and the kids actually loved all the time with their cousins. Kennedy is always asking to have "Kim" come and play now! Thank you so much to everyone- I loved a getaway before being tied down with a newborn for a year!

The beautiful Hawaiin Sunset

Hanging by the pool

The view from our balcony- I am much whiter than Rich because I am suddenly very concerned about wrinkles and piled on the sunscreen and wore a hat the whole time!

Allison flew over for a week visit, and we overlapped for a day. I have never seen Rich read as much as he did on this trip! He's usually not a sit still type! :)

Happy Birthday Tanner

Tanner turned 5 last week, and we had a fun family party for him. His favorite thing is to be with all of his cousins! Tanner is my little angel boy- he really has one of the sweetest personalities I have ever seen. Some of my favorite things about Tanner are:
-He loves sports. All day he asks me to play soccer, basketball, baseball, kickball, or anything else he can think of with him. But, he is always so sweet and says he's "easy" on me since I have a baby in my tummy!
-He's all boy: wrestling, crazy jokes, crude noises, etc. but in the midst of it all always stops to kiss Kennedy or tell me how much he loves me.
-He is a sweet brother. The minute he gets a gift with more than one item, he quickly asks Nate and Kennedy which one they want. He idolizes Nate, and tells me daily that Kinz is his princess and loves taking care of her.
-He loves learning. One of his favorite things to play with me is school and he can do worksheets forever! He is also learning to read and is picking it up so quickly!
-He is a Mama's boy. All I have to do is look at him and I get teary at the thought of having another sweet boy! He won't do a single thing when he wakes up until he's given me a good long snuggle, he still tells me at least 10x a day how much he loves me, and daily says, "Mom, is there anything I can do for you? How can I help you?" Whatever girl gets this boy one day (if I ever can let that happen) is one lucky lady!
I love you Tan-Tan! You'll forever be my special Thanksgiving boy!

The kids eating on the back porch.

Getting ready to blow out the candles.

Excited to open presents.

Opening presents with the family the morning of his birthday. I told him he could have anything he wanted for breakfast, and he wanted Cocoa Puffs- easy for me!

Halloween

Happy Halloween the day before Thanksgiving! :)

Iron Man

Ninja

Minnie Mouse

Happy Birthday Nate!

How can my baby be 7 years old? Nate has always been an "old soul"- he just seems older than his age, but in the past few months he has really matured. I would say that "seven" of my favorite things about Nate (although I could list 100) are:
1) He's compassionate- he hurts when others hurt
2) He's a hard worker- he had a run for school today and ran his heart out to get the top spot in his grade. He did come in 2nd, but was SO disappointed because he had given it his all.
3) He's funny. He even gets those really dry, sarcastic sense of humors.
4) He's a good example to his little brother and sister.
5) He's smart. I mean- he's really smart.
6) He loves to talk. I have been having deep, in depth conversations with him since he was about 3.
7) He loves his family- and when I tell him this baby will probably be our last he gets very upset at me because he wants a HUGE family.
Nate will always be my special buddy, my helper, and my sweet first born. I love you Nate!

Opening presents the morning of the big day.

His breakfast of choice- kolaches and donuts.

Doing his best to get all of the candles out. He had a surprise party this year- and it was such a hit!!! He literally was SO shocked! I don't know who was more excited- Nate or all the little boys hiding when they knew he was coming! It was a great night.

Pumpkin Patch

It doesn't seem like it would be Fall without a visit to the Flower Mound Pumpkin Patch. We go every year and the kids always love the hay ride, bounce houses, mazes, character cut-outs, giant hay piles, and picking out pumpkins. Nana was able to go with us this year, which made is extra fun. Kennedy wouldn't let her put her down!

Kinz and her Nana- she keeps asking me "Where Nana go?" She has the same feeling that I do- that Nana's visits are never long enough!

The kids all put as many big, heavy pumpkins as they could in wagons and were pulling them around- it didn't look like too much fun, but they were entertained!

Cute Tanner

Nate with "his" pumpkin

Beavers Bend, OK

Each fall we go camping with Brandon and Jamie, but this year they invited us to stay at their cabin in OK and it was perfect! The setting and weather were beautiful, and there was plenty of room for our large group! All of the kids had a great time playing together, and even the 2 year old girls never had an issue. We loved hiking, riding the train, fishing, flying kites, s'mores, and the kids loved just exploring the area around the cabin. It's amazing how much kids can entertain themselves in nature! It was a lovely weekend getaway!

The group on our hike along the river

Our family- Kennedy actually loved riding in this backpack still

My boys and I- they could throw rocks in the water forever!

I just love this picture of Kennedy for some reason- such a cutie!

My at-home cuties

With Nate in school, Tanner and Kennedy have started to play together a lot more. He loves to "babysit" her for me while I get things done around the house. I walk into the family room and he'll have a blanket laid out with all of her babies and some toys on it, as if she can't get around by herself :) She loves it and they call it her "special spot." They are both pretty easy and entertain themselves a lot better then Nate did, and I love having them around!

Kennedy is obsessed with Dumbo right now and wanted to watch it during her bath. I was making jam so Rich was in charge of bath time, and because her Daddy can never say no to her, he fixed her up a bath in the sink where she could still watch it. We had fun doing crazy things with her hair!

Are we crazy?

Yep, another baby Bowman will be arriving in March 2011! Sometimes I look at my brood of crazy monkeys and think, "are we really doing this?" But, then I think of delivering, bathing, rocking, nursing, and falling in love with another little one and I get butterflies in my stomach I'm so excited! We just told the kids this week and they went crazy with excitement- especially Nate. He even said right away, "I don't even care what we're having- I just hope it's healthy!" It seems like all I've heard people say lately is, "#4 really put me over the edge." I don't know if that will be the case for us, as sometimes I think we've already fallen off the edge, so what's one more? We can't wait!

Nate's Moves

Nate is talented at many things, but I had no idea that dancing was one of them. The music started at the reception and he went out there are just busted a move! I have never seen anything like it! He was dead serious the entire time and was so focused on his dancing. He did break dancing, the jump splits, knee slide, spread eagle, the robot, the russian, and all kinds of other things I had no idea he even knew about. It was the entertainment of the evening! This boy is a crack up!

A few minutes in he brought me his tux jacket because he was getting so hot!

The jump splits.

The Knee Slide.

Tanner joined in too and had some great moves of his own. Here he is almost in a full middle splits.

The Reception

The boys all wore tuxedos and I loved Kennedys fancy dress. Tanner told me he liked looking "sharp."

I'm serious when I said the kids were all over Brooke and Nate- and they were so sweet to dance with them almost the whole reception.

Kennedy and Nate Dogg.