Thanksgiving 2010 - 30th Anniversary - in Chicago!

Catching up here! How to back up and cover the last 5 months...
So last Thanksgiving we decided we didn't want to stay home (surprise, surprise). It was our 30th anniversary, too, so the 3 of us decided to head up to Chicago via the train for Thanksgiving. Way fun, bitter cold! These pictures are not particularly in order...
We went to the Museum of Science and Industry on Friday, the 26th. Sarah and I had done a little after-Thanksgiving shopping (no great bargains in Chicago!) and then we took the bus and headed to the museum. Way fun! Saw lots of fun exhibits and behind-the-scenes stuff. Happy 30th Anniversary to Rich and Lisa!!

There's a building on Michigan Avenue, can't remember the name (maybe the Post Office), that has pieces of buildings from all over the world. This piece is from the Great Pyramids in Eqypt. Way cool. Our hotel was right close by Michigan Avenue.

This picture is for Marshall, my Lego-man.

Sarah and I doing a little shopping along the Magnificent Mile...how fun!!

Oh yeah...can't go to Chicago and not experience pizza - Chicago style!! I think we were each able to barely eat 1 piece each, but it was sure good! All in all - a great and memorable weekend!!

Friends...

Before the onslaught of December has become too crazy, I am going to do some catching up of sorts...obviously not in any particular order.

I have been so blessed throughout my life to cross paths with some incredibly remarkable and fun women. These pics only represent a small number of them. This past summer I had so much fun catching up with some friends from quite some time ago, plus getting to know some new friends quite a bit better.
OK, seriously, if you want to get to know someone really well, spend a week with them at Girls' Camp! This is a pic of Deor Jorgensen, me, and Dana Waggoner and we served the Young Women of our stake while camping during one of the hottest weeks of the year in Missouri. We had so much fun teaching and hiking and singing and spending time chatting with each other and with the girls...loved it! I have LOVED my new calling working with all of the other wards in our incredible O'Fallon Stake!!

One of the first people that we met upon our arrival in Bellingham , WA on a very, very dismal and rainy day was Dawn Hatch. After meeting Dawn, I knew that everything was going to be just fine. Dawn makes me smile - just love being around her!!

So, while at Girls' Camp and chatting with Deor we made a connection from our past - Carol Jean Bishop! Carol Jean and her husband were dear friends when Rich and I first started dating. Deor and her husband Neil met the Bishops when they were at the University of Utah doing graduate work...such a small world! Deor, Carol Jean, and I had a yummy lunch together!!

I'll have a "forever" connection with this amazing lady! Jenny Hawks and her husband served a mission in St. Louis and lived in our basement for a little over 6 months. I LOVE her!! I think she likes to shop as much as I do!!

This is SUPER funny - so no laughing! This picture is of my good high school friends. I married first and was obviously pregnant here - just can't remember if it was with Amy or Chris. Anyways, the four of us met up this summer for the first time in 25+ years...and

...we look just a tad different...older, but definitely wiser! (Lisa, Gail, Yasemin, and Alison)

Claire Was Here - Evidence Abounds!!

My goodness...I can't believe how long it has been since I've updated my blog! I guess it just comes down to the fact that I've been having too much fun to actually sit down and document it all...but I must because I don't want to forget a second of it. Needless to say, it will take several posts.

I came home from Utah last night - and wow, it just seems a little too quiet! Claire & Company arrived on September 22nd and it has been non-stop since then. I'm walking around the house seeing various pieces of evidence that Claire was here. Also going through pictures -lots of proof!
Claire loved my bathtub...sometimes we had a bath twice a day. Amazing how much I could get done while she was occupied for a few minutes in the bathtub.

Some mornings when she woke up she was particularly happy to see Caleb - and occasionally she would pose for a picture with him...Claire loves to be outside. I have a hammock on the deck that she quite enjoyed playing and relaxing in. The weather was pretty much perfect for their visit, and therefore, Claire wanted to be out there most of the time. We tried to fence her in - rather unsuccessfully. She quickly learned how to move the chairs and put them back as they were so we wouldn't notice her escape. One morning I looked out a kitchen window only to see her headed into our neighbor's yard without a thought to look back. The girl is fast!

She loved, loved, loved playing the piano and loved, loved, loved entertaining us on the drums!

Claire loves powder! After every bath we have "powder time" and she puts it on rather generously. Well, one Sunday morning we couldn't find her as we were trying to walk out the door. We did, however, find a powder trail that lead to my closet where she was hiding. She had managed to get the bottle of powder and I guess she found it rather entertaining.

Claire loves to play with rocks - there's just something about rocks. She loves to pile them up, put them in her pockets, put them in a bucket, or line them up creatively.

This is pretty much how my living room looked for about 3 weeks. I have waited to be a grandma for a long time and have been stashing things away. It's way fun for me to bring it all out and I didn't mind one bit that she'd go in there and bang away on the pots and play with the dishes. She did, however, manage to get a spice jar off the kitchen counter (I think it was the tarragon) and dump it all over one morning.

We had the funniest experience the last night she was here...ok, so it was probably one of those moments that was much funnier had you been there in person. Claire was not about to eat her stew, even though she generally likes everything it was made with. We all tried everything we could think of. In desperation Katie tried to reason with her, showing her that the elephant was more than happy to eat the stew...didn't work...clearly didn't work!

Ummm...walked down the stairs. I thought FOR SURE I had put away every marker and pencil and pen I had. Wouldn't you know I missed a couple of them. And wouldn't you know that she'd feel the need to further decorate my pretty wallpaper! Oh Claire, Claire, Claire...

I'm not sure that I'm too anxious to remove her artwork - it's a sweet remembrance to me. I love her!!

August 21, 2010 - Diving Diva Claire!

Cute Video of Baby Caleb!!

He's Here, He's Here, Baby Caleb Has Arrived!

I made it to Utah late Saturday night, August 14th - just in time for a fun get together at Jayne and Ta's home...so fun to see Mandy and her sweet family, Jayne and Ta and Poppy, AND my oldest sister Sharon and also my sister Becky, plus Lindsay and all the Brewers. Too fun!

Last week was way exciting for the Brewer family. Joseph's dad was able to be in attendance at his graduation from BYU...a significant milestone...yay, yay, and double yay to my fantastic son-in-law...so proud of him! I think he is so relieved and proud to be a graduate, but he is even more proud to be the father of a beautiful son...Caleb James Brewer...born Monday, August 16th. About 20 minutes before he was born all of us in the room started trying to guess what his weight would be. Joseph was right on the money...8 lb. 10 oz. Not bad for being a week early!
Katie's looking a little worn out in this pic, but she actually is feeling pretty darn good...compared to Claire's delivery, this one was a piece of cake. I'll spare you all the details and just say again what an incredibly wonderful experience it is to witness the birth of a child. Tears of relief and tears of joy just sprang to my eyes. I'm so proud of this little family!!

As previously mentioned, Joseph's dad was able to be here for his graduation and to meet baby Caleb. Earlier that day we went out and did some errands. Claire ADORES her Papa - particularly because he loves to give her rides on his shoulders! She was so cute putting her head down on top of his while we were going through the store.

Claire wasn't much for enjoying the hospital room, except for playing on the bed and with all of the buttons...we LOVE pushing buttons!

Can I just say how fantastic it is to meet a doctor that absolutely and thoroughly enjoys what he does??!! Dr. Holmes is so kind and soothing and patient...Katie is so lucky to be in such good hands! This is Dr. Holmes, proud papa Joseph, and baby Caleb!

Aunt Lindsay came over at the end of her work day just in time to be there for Caleb's birth! She's in love...again!

This is the most precious child! He actually looks pretty awake in this picture. That has been, so far, the biggest issue...getting him to wake up! He seems so mild, so content, so peaceful, and so clueless as to how much we are all in love with him!! Welcome sweet baby!!!

August 6, 2010 - An Historic Day Indeed!!

It has been an historic day...at least in the world of Lisa Bowerman! What could possibly make this an historic day one may wonder? Well, I filled out my LAST set of school registration papers and went over to Edwardsville High School with Sarah to register her as a SENIOR! Yahoo! And I have to say this - Edwardsville High School has it down to a science. I've gone to lots of schools and lots of registration days...we were in and out of there in about 15 minutes! Smooth!! So, the first pic is Christopher's Kindergarten picture.
Such a cutie!

And the following pics are of my baby girl as a SENIOR! These pictures were taken by our dear friend Katharine while we were out in Utah in June. I think they turned out so well. She captured Sarah's personality to a tee!

I can't say it enough, and I know she's tired of hearing it, but I am SO glad I have one more year left with this girl! We are going to have a great SENIOR year together!