Dear Nice Weather, please stay. Thanks.

Today and yesterday was lovely.

The weather forecast says that it will not, however, stay this way. Why couldn't it be this beautiful for next weekend, Easter? Oh well, as long as it is not raining I will be okay with it. I am excited for the family gathering and the big egg hunt....for Harper that is. Yes, excited for Harper not I. Okay, maybe just a little for me too:)

Good news: Harper is off the bottle! Yay. He's actually been off of it since a week before our anniversary trip but I neglected to share the news. I am very grateful though. I just rock and giggle and play with him in my arms a little then lay him down --awake-- and he talks and plays in his crib then goes down all by himself, no crying! Its so funny listening to him on the monitor. I sure love that little guy:)

I will be flying back to Oklahoma the 21st-3rd. I am excited to see my family and have Harper spend some time with them too, but I am dreading the flying part. It was much easier when he was not mobile and he didn't throw fits to get his way and when all I had to do was pop a boob in his mouth to quiet him. Oh how I miss the instant peace of those times *sigh* How are we going to get through that long flight in such tight quarters? Oy! But I bet it will be much easier because that seems to be the trend with me lately. I get so worried/anxious about doing something beforehand and then it turns out to not be that big of a deal afterall ie. weaning from nursing, and then the whole bottle thing... Ya, those =not so big of deals.

I am hoping that the Oklahoma weather is nice. Have I ever mentioned how much I love the sun? Well I really really do!

So Lance and I just saw the movie Taken on Friday and it was VERY good. But I am a suspense thriller movie kind of gal. My mom said she thought it was upsetting that she even had nightmares the night she saw it. If you are a gentle, sensitive soul like her, maybe you wouldn't like it either. There are some violent scenes. It was just the kind of thrill I needed that day. Very intense movie. I am a huge fan of Liam Neilson sp? We didn't find out that was him till the end though lol. We were denying it the whole movie and then whattayaknow?

I am at the office=no pics. Sorry. But next blog entry. Promise:)

Whidbey Island getaway..

This was my butternut squash raviolli with apples and cranberry in a sage cream sauce. YUM!



Here a couple pics of our banana rum creme brulee w/ plated lemon and rasberry glaze. (you would think the banana rum would be a rich desert but it was so light and delish that we finished the whole thing and we never finish a desert.) It was double good and very pretty. My camera does not do it justice.






Lance and I are major foodies. We love to cook and try new foods with differing combinations of flavors. However, because of the present economic conditions, we have not been able to eat out like we used to, but that has only made us become creative in our own kitchen.We've had some fun with that!

For the weekend we dropped Harper off at the Grandparents for his very first sleepover and Lance and I went up to Whidbey Island off of Seattle, for the night and stayed with Lances uncle Verlane. Verlane owns the building that Gordons on Blueberry Hill, the restaurant is in, so he sent Lance and I there along with his credit card--bless him. This was the second year to come to the eatery for our anniversary. And it did not disappoint!

For our appetizer we ordered the Fire Roasted Portabello mushroom topped with Gorgonzola cheese and a huckleberry glaze drizzled atop. This was our second time ordering this and it was just as good this time around. The salad was a spring salad mix with a buttermilk basil and rosemary dressing. That was okay. The salad was a little too earthy tasting for my liking. I got the butternut squash for my main and Lance got the rack of lamb. A very very tender meat. Both of our first time trying that. And then for desert the Chef Gordon brought out the creme brulee because Verlane had called and told them it was our anniversary so he made his "passion" for us, as he said. We also got to give kudos to him for the yummy food. It was a very nice romantic night which we needed.

Saturday on the drive back home we stopped at the Alderwood mall, ate some lunch at Panda express, and watched the movie " Knowing". It was not that good in my opinion, for many reasons. Then we arrived back at the grandparents by 8pm to pick up our little munchkin that we missed a ton! what a nice reunion.

Here is a pic of my boys that I just have to add in here. Even though this is from a couple weeks ago when we were up on Whidbey Island for Lances aunts funeral.



Sorry for the pics. Im having a hard time making the smaller so you can only see half them.

Well washington can have him back...

(Picture from our dating days in Utah.)

.....were my thoughts when I pulled into my work parking lot that day. Some goofball in an Explorer suv, with a Washington license plate, took "my" spot which made me have to park on the other side of the lot. That day had already gone to the pooper, as I recall. I was a grump. And had neglected to put on anything decent that morning, only to throw on some sweats and somehow managed mascara on the lashes and gloss on the lips just so I didn't look like a complete frump.

Little did I know, I would be meeting my future husband that day. That "goofball" from Washington? Ya, that was him. And in fact, unbenounced to me, he had watched me stumble out of my car from across the way, all the way up to the door of the place I worked. Well I should say we. The place where we worked. He starting that day, apparently.

The company we worked for was called Crysalis Inc. One of the best jobs I've ever had and a great job for a college student. Its what got me interested in Psychology. Crysalis is a non-profit organization that helps those with developmental disabilities work and blend in with their community better. Our title was Residential Advisor.

It wasn't until later that day we officially met. My girls had wanted to go outside to get some air. And he, come to find out later in a confession session, had seen us outside, and hurried his boys out with us as well to meet me.

When I first saw him I thought he was quite a nice site to behold. I even remarked later that evening in my journal, of how I liked his "chiseled features", and thought he could be a "Calvin Klein model" if he wanted. He was tall with shaggy blonde hair( though later he dyed it for fun so we could look like the whitestripes couple? ya, I don't get that either)But at the time I met him, my love life was confusing and frustrating and a relationship I had been in just a week prior had broken off with some feelings left of anger. I actually wrote in an entry a couple days before our meeting, that I was sick of the stupid dating scene, and dumb boys and was ready to meet my eternal companion already. I felt like even though I thought he was a looker, I was not going to get excited about the new guy and left my thoughts at that.

That night when I walked to my car, there was a note on my windshield left by him which I still have to this day. He gave me his number and e-mail( okay, at the time I was like, "e-mail? what the heck, who writes their e-mail?") and he told me he would like to take me out sometime. I was way flattered of course, but I never called the guys, so unless I saw him again, that date wouldn't happen because I wouldn't be the one calling him... or e-mailing him for that matter.

As it turned out, lucky for me, he worked again the next day. We sat outside and and talked pretty much that whole shift. The conversation flowed. In the middle of me talking, he said" do you want to hang out tonight after work?" I said "sure" and then continued on with what I was saying. It was that easy. From that first night we hung out until we married , we were together every second we could be, and I never gave thought to that guy who I was in a relationship with just a week before meeting Lance either.

I dated a lot in Provo. Its pretty easy to do with so many guys up there, but never with any other person did things flow and fall in to place so perfectly, like they did with Lance. I knew I was supposed to marry him from only a short time into the relationship. I knew he was my one. As cliche as that might sound, WOW its so true. Marriage has been such an adventure. I sit here typing with tears streaming down my face because I am so very thankful to my Heavenly Father for guiding me to him, my husband, Lance Lawrence Bowers. I had a high-school boyfriend ( not of my faith) who I was pretty nuts about at the time. But something inside continually nagged at me, never to settle for anything less than a temple marriage, and no matter what, I knew I wouldn't be able to. Ever. I knew I couldn't settle and had enough self-worth to know that I was a deserving daughter of God to receive such a gift.

Lance is my partner. My best friend. We have our moments as any married couple can.... But!! we are in this thing for the ultimate win of celestial glory. Together as team mates.

EditToAdd:
I forgot to mention the reason for this gushy love tale. Its because we became husband and wife 4 yrs ago on this 18th day of March.

Milk mouth...

( This was harper at around 5-6 months)

Mommy's little milk mouth.

----------When Harper was first born, I tried to get him attached to the binky...for some peace, ya know? I tried every kind there was out there. I even did research on them to find the best. Ordered on line and everything. I should have figured out something was wrong when we had to physically hold the binky in his mouth for it to stay, or zip it in a jacket or prop it up. But without doing such tricks it always fell out. I had never heard of this problem happening with other babies, but I just assumed it was because he was so tiny and it would get better as he got a little older. Well, it didn't. I don't know if it had anything to do with his pallet... was it too high? Probably not he nursed awesome. But I gave up on that binky idea. No peace.

---------Of course you could have called me his human binky. That kid LOVED to nurse. From the moment we first tried he was a pro. I assumed I would have such a hard time since everyone else I know, did. My mom tried to nurse all of us kids, but had issues with every one of us, so she had it programed in my brain that so would I. Luckily I didn't and I loved it too. Its not only good for the baby but its cheap, and convenient. I was never embarrassed of doing it in public either, I just had my pretty Bebe cover up and I was good to go. We stopped nursing completely when Harper was 11 1/2 months. I wanted to wean because A.) He had some toofers that could hurt! B.) I wanted to be done by a year anyways and felt I had done a good enough job and C.) Since I had problems with previous pregnancy losses and I wanted to prepare my body before we began trying again for the next which meant I had to start taking certain drugs i.e. baby aspirin, that you can't take while nursing. The last reason was the main reason we stopped.

------------The whole time I nursed Harper we never supplemented with a bottle. Ever. And not because I am opposed to that. In fact, I so wish we had...just to have given me some sort of break. I mentioned earlier how my mom programmed me into thinking nursing would be hard, right? Well, she said that if I were to supplement a bottle early on, it could cause nipple confusion and Harper might choose the bottle over me. She meant well, but I'm fairly certain she was wrong. What happened was because I didn't get him used to the bottle early on, when I attempted the bottle when he got older, he acted like it was some foreign alien thing that he wanted NO part of! He wanted the warm soft boobies.. And as my husband said," can ya blame the guy" Well, I guess not. I tried several times anyhow in hopes he might take to it eventually. No luck.

-----------Every time I laid Harper down to sleep, I nursed and rocked him before hand. Which created a problem because he needed that sucking motion to fall asleep. And he didn't take a binky, suck a thumb, have a lovey he favored yet or do any other self soothing thing. I was his soother.

----------When it came time for the weaning process to begin, I was so nervous because he had rejected bottles as well as any type of formula I had spent some pretty bucks on, in hopes he might likey. I thought the reason he didn't want the bottle was because formula is so strong and icky tasting compared to the sweet light taste of momma milk. But I thought surely there had to be a brand out there that had to come similar in taste. There apparently turned out to be... Similac sensitive brand. I remember I even tasted it first ( okay so I'm weird:) and had a feeling it would be the one. Score! I was right. As it turned out, the weaning process became something that was much more difficult for me * tear* ( I cried for like a whole week after we stopped) than it was for him.

------------But now we have a new problem. And I need some help. Please anyone who has ANY sort of advice about this. I don't care who you are. If any random person even happens onto my page and you read this please help me! ( though by my numbers not many people visit my page yet--boo).

-----------My son is NOW attached to the darn bottle. Mornings, sometimes nap time, and before bed. And he turned 15 months on March 6th.

My worries are A.) the older he gets the harder to break the habit. B.) his teeth and decay...I do not like the thought of that sweet milk residue in his mouth as he sleeps. He's been on fluoride drops as per my bro-in-law since 6 mo and I brush his teeth, but still... and C.) I don't like the attachment he has to it.

----------I blame myself because I got him hooked on it a little too late. I was just desperate for him to be okay after me having took myself away from him and I wanted to make sure he got enough nutrients through out the day since his main source before, had just been mainly me. He had only been eating baby food maybe once a day before 11 mo. I was told that was okay since he was breast feed and he was gaining weight fine. He drinks out of big boy cups now through out the day and eats all table food no more baby food... but when it comes time for a nap or bed time, he still whines for that bottle.

----------Tell me what I need to do.

Do the cry it out thing? blah I hate that! But I'll do what I need to.

-----------Is there any plan that worked for any mother out there who was trying to wean from the bottle. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. Sorry this was so long. This has just been really frustrating and its SO much easier to just give in to him. But is that the best for him? No. And I realize that.

----------I had spaces all in it but it won't allow for that????? Sorry it looks all run together. blah

Mrs STP?..Naw

Today was a good day over all. We didn't have any big episodes that stick out in my head. The weather is doing some crazy stuff though. It is suppose to be almost spring however its been frigid and we've had snow showers off and on since Saturday! I personally don't mind the snow even though the taste of spring we had before the crazy weather started,was nice. I felt like this winter was too short. It was nice that we had a white Christmas, but that was like the only snow we got and it seemed like the season just flew by. Though that could be because ever since I had a baby all of a sudden it seemed like time flew by in general. Its like Harpers growth has given me something to measure the time by. But yes I like the snow. There is something about seeing the snowflakes falling outside and being all safe, cozy and warm in my house. I love it. I associate the snow with movies in, snuggled up in blankets on the couch, yummy comfort food I shouldn't be eating like homemade chex mix, and board games. Oh and most importantly having my husband home with me. I wuv him!

But spring is nice though. To me it means that I need to get this body in tip top shape for summer...and our Hawaii trip. I am not fat, though I have some squishiness I'd like more toned. Pregnancy changed that about my body. My once perky butt has turned flat. My hips spread with that baby who's bum rested in between them--the entire pregnancy! No, but for reals. To tone is my goal. Oh and eating healthier. I have always been into eating healthy, however, with the holidays and all the food that comes with that, I began to slack, and I hate how I feel when I put that kind of crap in my body. I also have a husband who doesn't help me. He is a terrible eater so he can be a bad influence.

I have a friend who is speaking about doing a local run and that got me thinking more about exercise.. Was it a 5K Brit? Any who that gave me a good idea to attempt the same sort of thing. There is a bicycle race every year called STP ( Seattle to Portland). Living in Boston when little and even when visiting Boston when we moved to Oklahoma, my family rode bikes a lot all over. We were always active doing something like that but I do not have one now. However, if I were to be serious about doing that sort of race, Lance would totally support me and we'd work the bike into our budget. My brother Adam is installing security systems in Portland for the summer so he could do it with me. Lance isn't into that sort of thing. His kind of exercise involves either a gun or fishing pole in hand. He came on a Yellowstone week long backpacking trip with my family in 2006 and that was pushing it. He doesn't grasp why people hike just to well...hike. So back to the STP. I don't know if this year would be realistic for certain reasons, but maybe next! As the warm weather comes back around once this weirdo stuff stops, Harper and I will take more walks with the jogging stroller. And maybe I'll even attempt to jog haha. I did it last year almost every day in warm weather--walk that is-- and that helped me shed the baby pounds fast. That and water.

Speaking of water. I am not a lover of water---more of a diet coke girl--- however I have always been good about getting my 32 oz a day despite the fact... I drank even way more than that 32 while I was nursing Harper which we stopped when he was 11 1/2 months. I had a water bottle that was a 64 oz thing and I would drink it at least once and maybe more. I remember my mom telling me I was drinking too much but my body needed it. I HAD to drink a ton just to replenish what that kid sucked outta me. But since we stopped I have neglected the bottle. Lately I started again and I forgot just how good drinking water can make you feel. I feel better even after the first forced chug. I remember a major pregnancy symptom for me in the first trimester was having an insatiable thirst for water. Though that sucked because you already pee more than normal from just the hormones so add in water and I felt like I practically lived in the bathroom.

Hey, if anyone wants an annoying yapper ankle bitter of a dog, just let me know---oh, did that not sell him? Because we need to get rid of our dog( well, more Lances dog) before Utah. I don't know what we are gonna do with him, honestly.

I better get off of this thing and enjoy my last couple hours before sleep and the next day begins again. Time alone is a cherished thing here.

P.S. I can't remember or figure out how to post pics. I know I won't get readers from just my writing alone. I need to bribe with some pics too.

Sorry this time.

Its been awhile...

Update:

---Harper is now 15 months!!! He is saying more and more words everyday. He will attempt at any word you ask him to say too ( 1-2 syllable words of course) Its so awesome though watching his development into a sharp little guy. He is such an active little boy, always wanting to run everywhere. Which makes it difficult when we are at certain places like a family funeral yesterday ( Lances Aunt died) At one point he tried to run onto where the casket was to be lowered ( Yes, a highly stressful situation). He also kept trying to steal every ones balloons( they were to be let go into the sky at the end of the service). And he is now not afraid of throwing some pretty good fits when hes not getting his way in public. I sure as heck have my hands full, but I wouldn't change it all for the world. He is one of the best things to have happened to me in this life. He and is father both.

---Which brings me to my next thing. My Lance. He is doing great. WE are doing great as a couple despite the financial stress we have faced starting this past year. His family owns Bowers Realty which is where I work part-time right now. We all know how the real estate market is doing. We were doing SO good too, dang-it. Which is why we bought our house as well as the rental house...then this whole economy thing happened. So, Lance made the transition into selling insurance for State Farm. That still wasn't bringing in as much income as we needed, so Lance started working for his brother Steve who's a dentist and is doing some construction for him. Thankfully Steve has the means to pay well and we are able to get by with Lance just working for him right now. I am so thankful for his family. They have been such an amazing support for us during these difficult times. Even though there are a lot of marriages falling apart because of the financial stresses so many are facing at this time, this has actually brought Lance and I even closer as husband and wife. I love that man so much. He is such an awesome person, he is so intelligent and can do ANYTHING he wants, he's a worthy preiesthood holder and is so faithful and knowledgeable in the gospel. He makes me laugh even when I "want" to be mad haha, he can break down my walls with just one look. Our love for eachother is firece and I am so thankful for it. I look forward to growing old with him and serving missions together one day.

--- On to the next rant. We have realized that we do NOT want much more of this bitter financial stress we've tasted in recent days. We know that we want the financial freedom to be able to focus on those things that are more important in life such as: serving the church, being able to go on those missions one day as a couple, raise our family free of those kinds of worries, and serving the community etc. We know that is what we are supposed to do. So we prayed and prayed on what was the best route for our family in attaining those goals, and we came to the conclusion on going back into school. Both of us. I don't have much more to go before I am done. We will be moving back to utah to attend UVU. We applied to BYU-Provo but unfortunatly its even more competitive to get into now due to others having the same ideas as us because of the ecomomy. Oh well, if UVU doesn't work out like we hope, there is always BYU-Idaho... Lance isn't sure of what exactly he will do. Maybe Dental ( there are 2 dentists in the family) or something in the medical field( there are 2 doctors in the fam as well) or maybe something else entirely. Who knows,the oppertunities are endless right now! But whatever he chooses to go into he will be amazing at it! He's so smart and I have so much faith in him! Right when we came to the decision of going back to school, we knew it was the right one and it has been a relief and a weight off our shoulders ever since. So before fall comes around--Provo, here we come!

Right now we are just really busy with Harper, our jobs, church and family fun activities with Lance's family. We are always doing something with them it seems. Charter fishing for crab or Halibut, fishing in the hoods canal for shrimp or salmon, skiing, horseback riding, playing settlers of catan ( LOVE that game!) or any other board game and laughing like crazy, always. I love them so much! I got so lucky with them for sure! End of June into July we are heading to Hawaii with the entire family. That's 25 neices and nephews and all the adults! Its going to be so much fun and we are very excited for it. It will be just what we need to start off the fall semester.

I will definatly try better to get on here more... and hopefully gain some readers too! This hasn't been much of a page to behold. I still have yet to figure this whole blog website out like how to add people to your page. If anyone can help me with that, that would be awesome!

Home sick....

This was taken on the Boston trip. My dad and Harper on Revere Beach.

( pic added in after the post)

um so this is how it goes here. I never realized just how hard it would be to marry someone from across the country. It has been hard......especially lately. And I wonder if it has anything to do with the fact that I now have a son to raise, which makes me reflect upon my own childhood. I had a good one. My parents divorced when I was 12, so that's not really "ideal" per se, but I was a lucky girl for the parents I had and the way they raised me. I miss them. I miss my mom and dad.

Lance, Harper and I are heading back to Boston, Ma. where I was born to meet up with my dad, brothers, step mom and sister as well as all the other Harper clan. My son, for those who do not know, was given my maiden name, which is, Harper. This trip couldn't have come at a better time. Lance has never been to Boston and I am excited to show him all places that was my childhood. I look forward to swimming in grammys gigantic pool ( where Lance and I are staying), grilling fish on the patio, eating fresh produce from her garden, waking up and bike riding to my old house down the road and all over Lynfield for that matter ( I hope every ones excited to watch Harper for us!) I can't wait for the time we'll spend at the "Harper" cabin in New Hampshire, and the "Butler" ( my cousins) cabin down the road where we will water ski, wake board and BBQ. I'm excited to go to Sharon Vermont to the Prophets birthplace, to hike lots of trails there and find orange and red salamanders that I've been telling Lance all about . Those poor things, we used to pull their tails off because we were told they grew back.There used to be this shake stand there in Sharon, that had these "monster shakes" and we were always excited to get one and share...I wonder if that's still there. On July 4th we are going to my uncle Eric's beach house in Kennebunk Maine where we will play on the beach, eat good food, spend time with all the uncles, aunts and cousins and later watch fireworks. We have box seat tickets to a RedSox game on July 7th, that the aforementioned uncle brokers out, and bless him, he gave us 6! And of course we will take a few days to go into the city so Lance can experience all the history that is Boston. I'm sure I'll walk the "freedom trail" That I've walked a billion other times. We will go to the Museum of Science, Museum of Fine Arts and eat at Faneuil Hall also known as the Quincy Market. We'll eat Kelly's seafood and walk Revere beach, play in the tidal pools in Nahaunt where my daddy grew up, walk around Waldon Pond where author Henry David Thoreau lived for a time. I feel like this is going to be like one of those family trips, like the one I took to Jamaica after high school, where the whole trip was beyond amazing but what would have made it even more perfect, would have been sharing all that with my true love.... And I get to do that!!! He gets to experience the family that helped create the crazy goofy fun-loving, New England delicious sub-eating, you guys have no idea ( subway/quiznos sucks) girl that I am.....My mouth is watering now. Maybe I should go eat some lunch.