tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6382945929428199682024-02-20T11:29:39.513-06:00The Bowen Buzz: Adventures of Usalisha.p.bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512495123080721550noreply@blogger.comBlogger135125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638294592942819968.post-21543085845411152392015-09-17T11:08:00.000-05:002015-09-17T11:08:13.375-05:00BabymoonWith things getting kind of crazy at work for Spencer and baby time approaching quickly, we decided we needed a quick weekend getaway. Spencer's birthday was in April so we decided to celebrate by going to Chicago.<br />
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We decided to rely completely on public transportation, so we started out by taking the train to Chicago. What was supposed to be a four hour ride turned into almost six, due to several tornado warnings along the way, but we finally pulled in at about midnight and then took a taxi to our hotel.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Back to public transportation!</td></tr>
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The beautiful thing about traveling without scheduling it all out ahead of time is that you get to sleep in. Oh man, I <b><i>love </i></b>to sleep in! So day one (which was Spencer's birthday) we slept in longer than we had in a REALLY long time. After taking our sweet time to get up, we got breakfast at McDonald's (Spencer's favorite) and then headed to the Museum of Science and Industry.<br />
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We created hurricanes, saw a real Tesla coil, learned about planes and trains, played with the table of elements, watched a baby "grow", and all sorts of other cool science-y things. Spencer was a kid in a candy store, the nerd.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My brother works for Boeing, it made<br />me smile.</td></tr>
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Being my largely pregnant self we had to stop pretty often, and I really appreciate Spencer being so patient with me and constantly making sure that I was doing ok. After exploring the museum all afternoon I was EXHAUSTED so we went back to the hotel to take a much needed nap. Again, loving the sleep!<br />
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Feeling refreshed we walked several blocks for dinner. Of course Spencer chose pizza. Of course. I didn't even have to ask. So we did some research and Spencer chose Gino's. Luckily we got there early enough that there wasn't too much of a wait. By the time we left there was a line <i>down the street</i> and around the corner!<br />
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Spencer was in pizza heaven. Neither of us had ever had Chicago style, and we were not disappointed. And of course we ordered too much. I ate ONE slice.<br />
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Somehow we dragged ourselves another few blocks to Cheesecake Factory for some birthday cheesecake. Oh man it was so good.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">In our "lovely" hotel room.</td></tr>
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The crowning event of the day though, was the Chicago Symphony Orchestra. We love a good concert, and this one did not disappoint. The hall was <b>beautiful </b>and the music inspiring. I also loved having an activity that let me just <i>sit </i>for a while.<br />
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It was the perfect end to a perfect day. Happy birthday to Spencer!<br />
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Day two was pretty low key. My 37 week pregnant self was totally worn out, so we didn't get to everything we wanted to, but it was still really fun. Our first stop was Chinatown!<br />
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There wasn't really anything to do, per se, but we enjoyed walking the streets and feeling a little bit like we were back in China again. We went into EVERY grocery store we could find looking for our favorite soy sauce that we found while we lived abroad, but it was nowhere to be found. We enjoyed the authentic things we did see though, and we had to resist the urge to buy a bunch of stuff to take home. Again, we had to stop a lot so I could sit and rest, but Spencer was a total stud and took good care of me.<br />
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After Chinatown we headed to Cloud Gate, or the bean, and we actually ended up spending a few hours there. The weather was beautiful, and I really needed to get off my feet, so after exploring the bean and the park for a little bit we found a nice bench and people-watched for a while. I love that we can just sit and talk and it still be so much fun. Spencer and I fell in love during our late night conversations, and I appreciate that we can still find things to talk about.<br />
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We spent the rest of the afternoon exploring Michigan Avenue. Again, stopping often to rest, but we found some fun shops and ended the trip with a much needed stop at the Ghirardelli's store for ice cream. Fun story: So you order and get a number and wait for them to call yours. We ordered one scoop to share and while we were waiting they kept calling the same number over and over and no one was claiming it, so the server looks at me and smiles and says "Last call for number so-and-so, or this pretty lady gets it!" Going once, going twice, SOLD to the pregnant lady who was very happy to get a free ice cream cone. Suddenly our expensive dessert stop became affordable and exciting.<br />
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I'm so glad we were able to take this trip before baby boy showed up. We had so much fun, and it was totally worth the swollen ankles.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yikes! For the record, this was the one and <br />only time I had an issues with swollen<br />ankles my whole pregnancy.</td></tr>
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<br />alisha.p.bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512495123080721550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638294592942819968.post-20364778331559285682015-09-15T19:52:00.001-05:002015-09-15T19:53:22.088-05:00Being a Mommy is HardGuys. Being a mommy is hard. <br />
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At first, NOTHING gets done. There is just an endless fog. You are so tired, there are so many diapers, and he never.stops.eating. When he's awake you feel like you need to be completely dedicated to him, and when he sleeps you don't dare to make a sound for fear of waking him up. The dishes pile up (buy paper and plastic people, and then throw it away!), the dust gathers, and the clutter builds. You barely get out of the house, and when you do you're so disconnected that you forget to say hi to your friend when you see her at the grocery store.<br />
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But that baby smell, <i>mmmmm</i>. And the way he impishly smiles while he sleeps. And the snuggles. Oh the snuggles!<br />
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Then things start to get a little better. You learn how to use what little time you have to sneak in a blessed nap, or to eat something by yourself. Or to freakin' use the bathroom. And maybe on occasion you wash a few dishes or get a load of laundry done. Or maybe, but just maybe (and only if you are feeling really motivated) you make a quick trip to the store between naps. But you still fill disconnected from reality in a way. It's hard to focus on relationships or responsibilities outside of the home.<br />
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With all that, your baby starts to smile at you. And your heart literally melts. Ok, not literally, but it sure feels like it. And he looks at you, and you know that he can see you. And he calms down when he hears your voice. And you just know that there was never anything so precious.<br />
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Slowly, a routine appears. This daily routine that feels like it repeats every 5 minutes. But without the routine you might just lose your mind. And routine turns into somewhat of a schedule. Your baby starts to sleep in long enough stretches that you feel like an actual human being in the morning. And suddenly you realize that you have both the energy and the mental capacity to actually invest in the projects and people around you. You still have to make yourself get off your butt and get moving, but the fog has lifted. And it's a beautiful thing.<br />
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This is where I am now. I love that not only do I feel connected to life again, but I am constantly delighted and amazed by the little things my baby boy is learning to do each day. There have been billions of people born on this earth, but I am completely enthralled when <b><i>my </i></b>son rolls over or sits up on his own. I get absolutely giddy when he laughs, I can barely take it when turns his head away and smiles as if he's embarrassed when he is playing with a toy and looks up to see me watching, and his newest trick of holding out his arms to us when he wants to be held fills me with warm fuzzies.<br />
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All this goodness does not mean that it's not still hard. There are days when I just want to stay in bed all day and play on my phone. Or other days when I just want to go to the gym because I finally feel motivated for the first time in weeks. Days when I'd like to be able to run over and help a friend at the drop of a hat. Days when I'd like to be able to focus entirely on a project that I've been dying to get done for months.<br />
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But a lot of the time I can't. I have a baby, and he needs me. So I get out of bed and play with my little boy. Because of his sleep schedule I can't make it to the gym while babysitting is available so instead we go on walks around our neighborhood, sometimes multiple times a day. I can't always just run out the door to help someone in need, but I can help them find help, and do what I can when I can. And instead of spending a day on a project, I work on it little by little during naptimes and while he is content to play on the floor by himself for a few minutes at a time.<br />
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I do what I can, even though I can't always do it when and how I want to. But looking back, I'm just so glad that I can actually <b>get things done</b>. My baby is growing up, and I love to watch him grow.<br />
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Being a mommy is hard. But being a mommy is awesome.<br />
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And I love being a mommy.alisha.p.bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512495123080721550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638294592942819968.post-19097558764382820752015-04-13T11:51:00.001-05:002015-04-13T11:51:20.792-05:00KetchupSo the last few months have been a blur. I feel like we have been really busy, but when I look back I can't remember what we were doing for all that time! So here are a few highlights from the new year.<br />
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First, Spencer has been CRAZY busy at work. Due to some very unexpected events he ended up being the only engineer on site shortly after New Years, so he has been responsible for a whole lot and was coming home a lot later than usual. Luckily things have mostly died down, but for a while it was a lot of very early mornings and very late nights.<br />
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For a little while this pregnant lady got REALLY lazy. This same dinner scenario has happened on more than one occasion, though sometimes with French toast or pancakes instead of grilled cheese.<br />
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And then it finally snowed! A completely sunny and warm Christmas, and finally it dumps snow in February. Spencer and I finally got to make a snowman, as tiny as he may have been.<br />
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I also turned old (note: this is not a typo, I meant old, not older). Birthdays aren't a huge deal anymore, but I very much enjoyed the letter from my hopped-up-on-drugs missionary sister (in her defense she had just had surgery) and the giant box of oranges from my mommy's tree. Baby boy also very much enjoyed the oranges and would have a disco party every time I ate one.<br />
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Since Valentine's Day is two days after my birthday and was on Saturday this year we had made plans to make a day of it, but a bunch of things went terribly wrong at work for Spencer and he ended up working all weekend, so we salvaged the day as best we could with a 10 o clock dinner at Buffalo Wild Wings.<br />
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We also love to get in as much skyping/facetime with nieces and nephews as possible. And we've gained a new niece and a new nephew since February! I love watching them grow.<br />
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Spencer and I both got new church responsibilities. Spencer was called as a counselor in the bishopric (meaning he helps the Bishop, who is in charge of the congregation, with whatever is needed to take care of the members and to keep things running smoothly). I was asked to serve as a youth leader over the young women in our ward. It is a challenge for me at times, but I love it and the girls don't seem to mind my sometimes silly ideas. This was after a lesson on our divine nature, and I made all the girls make crowns and wear them around at church to remind them that they are princesses and daughters of God!<br />
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We've also been working on finally finishing up some projects around the house so that it's in the condition we want it to be when the baby comes (more pictures to follow). So we finally put up one of our Christmas presents to ourselves just a couple of weeks ago. No big deal, it's only 6 feet long...<br />
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But one of our favorite highlights from this year was a trip down to Texas at the end of February. Spencer had a corporate training in Corpus Christi, so we drove down a few days early to spend the weekend with my brother and his wife in Dallas. We love visiting them, and we always have so much fun when the extended family gets together!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weather in Jacksonville...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weather in Dallas. Blessed sunshine.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The girls.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Big belly!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Proof that we actually love each other.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Texas family!</td></tr>
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And funny story that I need to document so I don't forget, but just a few weeks ago Spencer decided that he needed to change the brakes on his car and that he wanted to do it himself. He started around 9:30 that morning, and I don't know the exact details but there was a part that just wouldn't come off. He worked and banged at it for a while, and then our neighbor across the street noticed that he was struggling and came over to help. Spencer felt vindicated when he couldn't get the piece off either (he's a bigger guy and worked as an Air Force mechanic for 6 years). So together they decided to saw off whatever this piece is and replace it with a new one, so Mr. Neighbor brings a hacksaw over and they go at it. They finally get it off, but now a different piece is stuck inside. After working on THAT for a while, Mr. Neighbor suggests that they take a blowtorch to it to expand the metal so the piece can fall out. Which they do, and it works. Hallelujah. We say thank you to the neighbor and Spencer proceeds to change the brakes. Only to find out that the brake pads were still in plenty good condition and didn't need to be changed after all. So after 5 hours, 3 trips to the auto shop, a hacksaw, and a blowtorch...our car is in the exact same condition it started. Oi vey. But Spencer had a blast, so I guess it's a win. <br />
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Anyways, it's been a great year so far and now we're just waiting for little boy to make his grand appearance! <br />
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alisha.p.bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512495123080721550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638294592942819968.post-74445091685529319242015-04-06T21:34:00.000-05:002015-04-06T21:34:03.413-05:00Wedding Planner, At Your ServiceI spent most of the end of 2014 helping my good friend Katie plan her wedding. This was a big adventure for me, especially since I almost literally did nothing to plan my own wedding (thank you Momma!). But I loved helping my friend put together her fairy tale day. It was a test of my organizational skills and, with a few major setbacks, of my ability to be flexible and adaptable. And in the end it all came together. She was gorgeous, the weather (mostly) cooperated, and there is just about nothing better than watching two best friends commit to spend eternity together!<br />
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alisha.p.bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512495123080721550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638294592942819968.post-6141714155237292182014-12-29T20:50:00.000-06:002014-12-29T20:51:00.056-06:00Holiday Madness 2014By now you should know that any time we get together with my family there will be a blog post with too many pictures of my nieces and nephews.<br />
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With that warning out of the way, Spencer and I planned for months to spend Thanksgiving in Idaho with my sister and her family this year. And we were very happily surprised to find out that my parents and several more of my siblings were going to be joining us!<br />
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I would be lying if I said it wasn't madness. But oh, what glorious madness it was! 2 days of 10 adults and 6 kids hanging out in a one bedroom, one bathroom apartment. Two pregnant sisters and 3 babies under a year old. Lots of giggling and playing cousins, intermingled with the occasional biting, hitting, and falling. Meal after meal of DELICIOUS food, not limited to shrimp dip, homemade snickers, and real Mexican tacos. We played lots of games (FARKLE champion, at your service), snuggled lots of babies, and only one person ended up in the hospital (my poor dad had a kidney stone).<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Save me?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Adam and Kiera became best buds.</td></tr>
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After the two days everyone else went home and Spencer and I spent the rest of the week with Michelle and Austin. None of us had ever done Thanksgiving on our own, but I am very proud of how everything turned out. We made way too much food (of course) but it was so much fun. We played more games, giggled with their babies, and just enjoyed ourselves. And I tried to do a family photo shoot with them but the weather and the little girls did not cooperate so we just took a few quick shots inside. Boo. Next time!<br />
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Thanksgiving was amazing. I was a little sad that we needed to stay in Illinois for Christmas, but I'm so glad we were able to see so many people for at least one of the major holidays.<br />
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Christmas at home was fairly simple but lots of fun. It was such an adventure figuring out how to decorate our first home, and of course we got a real tree!<br />
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Christmas day was spent opening presents and then the missionaries came over to spend the rest of the day with us. They skyped their families here and we played games and ate food all day long. We also got to talk with Spencer's family in the morning, and then had a family skype session with ALL of my immediate family. Yeah that's right. 2 parents, 8 siblings and 6 spouses, and 10 grandkids...all at the same time. All that I'll say about that is that I am rarely more entertained than when my family is all together.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Silly missionaries...</td></tr>
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It was a very merry Christmas!alisha.p.bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512495123080721550noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638294592942819968.post-59351104974747356512014-12-20T21:40:00.000-06:002015-04-06T21:03:06.038-05:00Baby BowenSo at this point most people have heard that I'M PREGNANT!!!<br />
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This is a huge deal for us. Spencer and I have been waiting a LONG time, and finally after many many pleading prayers and heartbroken tears we are so grateful that our Heavenly Father has blessed us with a little one.<br />
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Luckily I have had a really easy pregnancy. I occasionally felt quite nauseous, but I am proud to say that I did not throw up, not even once! (This, obviously, is a trend I hope to repeat in future pregnancies.) Most of the first trimester I was exhausted, and I've had a few major headaches, but other than that I have felt great! <br />
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I have an annoying tendency to fear the worst, so with every doctor's appointment I go in nervous and dreading the possibility of being told that something is wrong, but every time the doctor reassures me that the baby is healthy and everything is looking just right. A BIG load off of this momma's mind.<br />
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And of course, the most exciting appointment was our 20 week visit yesterday. Spencer and I have been "arguing" over whether we were having a boy or a girl. Bowen men always (with one exception) have a boy first. All of my siblings have had girls first. So who's genes reign supreme (not like my genes actually have anything to do with it...)?<br />
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Well, I always was sort of a black sheep in my family. IT'S A BOY!!! And boy, is he a wiggler. For a while the doctor couldn't tell for sure because the baby was having a dance party in my belly, but with a little maneuvering...POP...there it was! <br />
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We are so excited (and nervous) to have a little boy running around the house. And we are so happy and so blessed and so ready for this next step in our lives!<br />
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Baby Boy Bowen coming soon: May 4th! alisha.p.bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512495123080721550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638294592942819968.post-83880756363540794202014-09-29T09:40:00.000-05:002014-09-29T09:42:37.695-05:00Reunions of Families - Part 2After lots of visiting and playing and giggling babies came the actual reunion. We drove up with Spencer's sister and her husband and we all just <i>loved </i>the four hour drive with no air conditioning...<br />
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The reunion was in Albion, Idaho at an old college campus-turned-family reunion site. We had a blast playing games, chasing little cousins around, swimming, playing horseshoes and volleyball, playing on bounce houses and a giant water slide, and just catching up with everyone. We were so glad we were able to go and see everyone!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Double baby shower!</td></tr>
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And for posterity:<br />
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We love family reunions!alisha.p.bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512495123080721550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638294592942819968.post-13564023913742962452014-09-12T13:36:00.003-05:002014-09-12T13:36:47.815-05:00Reunions of Families - Part 1In July there was a Copple family reunion (Spencer's dad's mom's side of the family) in Idaho and we are ALL about family reunions! I even got to fly out a week early so I could see more friends and family (to make up for lost time from when we had to move to Illinois weeks ahead of schedule) and then Spencer joined me just before the reunion started. So I got lots of playtime with all my nieces and nephew in Utah/Idaho, lots of laughing in with friends, special one-on-one time with grandparents, and then we family reunion-ed it up! I took tons of pictures (too many cute babies!) so here are just the pictures from before/after the reunion. Which will basically be a bunch of adorable pictures of my nieces and nephew. So sue me.<br />
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<span style="font-size: large;">Penny</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Time to get our modeling on.</td></tr>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-size: large;">Emma</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hugs?</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sewing lessons.</td></tr>
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<span style="font-size: large;">Addie, Kiera, and Cole</span></div>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teehee</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They LOVE to wrestle.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We got a <b><i>little </i></b>silly...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">This is their new album cover</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Happy birthday beautiful girl!</td></tr>
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alisha.p.bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512495123080721550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638294592942819968.post-18887562198491811482014-08-23T08:38:00.000-05:002014-08-23T08:38:06.669-05:00I'm getting too old for this.So shortly after moving I was asked to serve in our church by helping with the youth, specifically the young women. With that came the assignment to go to Girls Camp...less than two weeks later. Of course I said yes. I didn't know anyone, I didn't have any idea what I was supposed to be doing, but I have always loved Girls Camp and I knew it would be a blast.<br />
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Oh boy, was I right.<br />
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There is something very special about Girls Camp. You stick a bunch of girls ages 12-18, most of whom barely know each other, in a few cabins or tents for a week and by the end everyone is best friends and has had the time of their lives. It's amazing. <br />
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You know what else is amazing? I tend to acclimate to whatever group I happen to be surrounded by, so for a week I reverted back to being a teenage girl. Well, sort of. I was super awkward and attention-seeking as a teenager, so at least I...oh wait. Nope, that still happened. But really it was more like reverting to my 21 year old self : a total spaz with boundless amounts of energy (regardless of the ridiculous lack of sleep) but with at least a small amount of control and self-discipline. You people from the Villa know what I'm talking about.<br />
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But I like to think that the girls liked me. And by the end of the week I had a bunch of 14-16 year old best friends.<br />
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Girls get to go to camp for six years, four as regular campers and two as youth leaders. I was put in charge (with another leader) over the 3rd year girls, with two youth leaders to help us, and they were all AWESOME. <br />
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Camp was complete with tons of crafts, water games, skits, camp cheers, learning survival skills, dutch oven cooking, early morning, late nights, and lots of laughter. And I loved having the opportunity to discuss with and teach the girls about their Savior, their incredible divine nature as daughters of God, and their ability to do good and make a difference in the world. It was a GREAT week.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Helping each other</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Warhead challenge. I HATE WARHEADS.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The camp store. Girls could earn tickets to buy things.<br />I may have given out tickets like candy...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DzSx9x4QUiM/U_e53FSISmI/AAAAAAAAVU0/OCjcxqlSZB4/s1600/2014-06-10%2BGirls%2BCamp%2B-%2BWednesday%2B(284).jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-DzSx9x4QUiM/U_e53FSISmI/AAAAAAAAVU0/OCjcxqlSZB4/s1600/2014-06-10%2BGirls%2BCamp%2B-%2BWednesday%2B%28284%29.jpg" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Learning how to use a compass</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teamwork!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqcmy7jQwLNxslxTfmt2P8xW69CvaBIDrL4l6h0VTZdpUoXEYh78yvbGhbcsNpP0NxtGcJMOPGRYU-rTtrFdZ9Lb8WRV1YrRlY98SpOVRBHm9Xxlrk16qmQfgPElV1KnXmfnFQPMF5Pv4/s1600/2014-06-12+Girls+camp+tri-wizard+tournament-pool+(68).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhqcmy7jQwLNxslxTfmt2P8xW69CvaBIDrL4l6h0VTZdpUoXEYh78yvbGhbcsNpP0NxtGcJMOPGRYU-rTtrFdZ9Lb8WRV1YrRlY98SpOVRBHm9Xxlrk16qmQfgPElV1KnXmfnFQPMF5Pv4/s1600/2014-06-12+Girls+camp+tri-wizard+tournament-pool+(68).JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting pushed into the pool. Not that I minded.</td></tr>
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When I got home Friday afternoon, I decided to take a nap. That nap pretty much lasted until the next morning. Turns out, I'm just too old to act on that kind of energy for very long. But it sure was fun and was totally worth it!<br />
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A few weeks later I also got to go as a chaperone to Youth Conference. We teamed up with a stake from St. Louis and had it down there. Games, service projects, inspirational speakers, dances, museums...it was such a blast. And I even got roped into teaching a class on dating for a friend who couldn't make it. <br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s-6AbvTwfVc/U_fOEcAI_9I/AAAAAAAAVYI/L0Q9BfrZCpQ/s1600/2014-06-26%2B28%2B%2BYouth%2BConference%2B-D2%2B(108).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-s-6AbvTwfVc/U_fOEcAI_9I/AAAAAAAAVYI/L0Q9BfrZCpQ/s1600/2014-06-26%2B28%2B%2BYouth%2BConference%2B-D2%2B%28108%29.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The City Museum in St. Louis. Completely interactive and<br />made with 100% recycled materials. SO COOL.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rf7IBbRmdAQ/U_fOWNswEWI/AAAAAAAAVYQ/VFSRcMZt4xY/s1600/2014-06-26%2B28%2B%2BYouth%2BConference%2B-D2%2B(126).JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-rf7IBbRmdAQ/U_fOWNswEWI/AAAAAAAAVYQ/VFSRcMZt4xY/s1600/2014-06-26%2B28%2B%2BYouth%2BConference%2B-D2%2B%28126%29.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Learning to swing.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o-Pu-0Qc388/U_fPHwQMDNI/AAAAAAAAVZA/5i1qlL53eGA/s1600/927715_1449321255325050_2359331_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-o-Pu-0Qc388/U_fPHwQMDNI/AAAAAAAAVZA/5i1qlL53eGA/s1600/927715_1449321255325050_2359331_n.jpg" height="320" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Dancing "under the stars"</td></tr>
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Again, I could barely move by the end of it all, but it was worth it because the youth are just so fun!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--PQae-PkXvw/U_fPNJpFYCI/AAAAAAAAVZQ/KCQ_2GkJRQg/s1600/BrLtIb0CIAAfaEh.jpg%2Blarge.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--PQae-PkXvw/U_fPNJpFYCI/AAAAAAAAVZQ/KCQ_2GkJRQg/s1600/BrLtIb0CIAAfaEh.jpg%2Blarge.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
<br />alisha.p.bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512495123080721550noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638294592942819968.post-74615226535755208362014-08-13T08:02:00.000-05:002014-08-13T08:33:17.851-05:00Playing HouseIt still feels kind of funny sometimes to be living and working and acting like adults. A lot of the time we feel like we're just big kids <i>pretending </i>to be adults.<br />
<br />
But life is good. And life is happy. And we are loving this grown-up part of our lives.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieqDmyKGsK2EFPxNFSpqE_XSvTETDkcj0uby_Lj4u4a2LA2h7zxrJ-rA4eRmtvjxJaDnP_YahDNo6CM3m2WfoL01O6EirbxVrRsfZxV8ZfAMy0OBm5if-BwFDDrsbiW4k_II5hviNy52I/s1600/IMG_4509.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieqDmyKGsK2EFPxNFSpqE_XSvTETDkcj0uby_Lj4u4a2LA2h7zxrJ-rA4eRmtvjxJaDnP_YahDNo6CM3m2WfoL01O6EirbxVrRsfZxV8ZfAMy0OBm5if-BwFDDrsbiW4k_II5hviNy52I/s1600/IMG_4509.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">One night there was a HUGE storm and we woke up to this...</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QHQt2Ogw8qk/U-pajivEIII/AAAAAAAAVSI/T9IjBHHS8ak/s1600/IMG_4512.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QHQt2Ogw8qk/U-pajivEIII/AAAAAAAAVSI/T9IjBHHS8ak/s1600/IMG_4512.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Luckily, no damage. Whew!</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6EWZZ70-AXQZ2puj17MqmbsKaqA3WMAPunztloTrzYXE0omCDuhsEU_elebBZrtADzxZMplFLl6BFNyEguVBDPltBFvX8lR3AOM7HQAe_V232mDPLiNX9dApL3oh2vszgb6RM9570Lh0/s1600/IMG_4513.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6EWZZ70-AXQZ2puj17MqmbsKaqA3WMAPunztloTrzYXE0omCDuhsEU_elebBZrtADzxZMplFLl6BFNyEguVBDPltBFvX8lR3AOM7HQAe_V232mDPLiNX9dApL3oh2vszgb6RM9570Lh0/s1600/IMG_4513.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">But we did find out that our basement leaks. Freaked us out,<br />
but turns out ALL basements leak around here.</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EQCL2fJF-nI/U-pbnYxT0OI/AAAAAAAAVSs/YrFFMuyQzp0/s1600/IMG_4589.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-EQCL2fJF-nI/U-pbnYxT0OI/AAAAAAAAVSs/YrFFMuyQzp0/s1600/IMG_4589.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Grierson Days, a Civil War reenactment they do here<br />
every year</td></tr>
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jm3rjWEJSFU/U-pb06HqnkI/AAAAAAAAVS0/EpGq5TF56x0/s1600/IMG_4594.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-jm3rjWEJSFU/U-pb06HqnkI/AAAAAAAAVS0/EpGq5TF56x0/s1600/IMG_4594.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></div>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zH5XvmuklMA/U-pbJHC8EkI/AAAAAAAAVSc/PI5HnJ1jXhs/s1600/IMG_4527.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-zH5XvmuklMA/U-pbJHC8EkI/AAAAAAAAVSc/PI5HnJ1jXhs/s1600/IMG_4527.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Manly man doing manly things.</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QMJndX-bLOc/U-pbU5NDXEI/AAAAAAAAVSk/1pEwubzGk5s/s1600/IMG_4551.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-QMJndX-bLOc/U-pbU5NDXEI/AAAAAAAAVSk/1pEwubzGk5s/s1600/IMG_4551.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We got a piano! Finally. And it was free!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5vTXItKE1Rs/U-paA1En9AI/AAAAAAAAVR8/aufTQMZd4FY/s1600/10348601_10152571991261037_5551145388452642253_n.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-5vTXItKE1Rs/U-paA1En9AI/AAAAAAAAVR8/aufTQMZd4FY/s1600/10348601_10152571991261037_5551145388452642253_n.jpg" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Nauvoo, IL. Because we can.</td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><br /></td></tr>
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And for your viewing pleasure, my single FAVORITE thing about living in the Midwest. Keep in mind that you can only see about 1/10th of what we could see without the camera.<br />
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<br />alisha.p.bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512495123080721550noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638294592942819968.post-40336475430791057592014-07-22T17:45:00.000-05:002014-07-22T17:45:40.638-05:00We Bought A Zoo...I mean houseWhile we were in California, Spencer got a call from his soon-to-be boss who asked if we could move out to Illinois a few weeks early. This meant cutting our trip in half and almost eliminating any time in Utah before we left, but we knew we could do it and that they wouldn't ask if they didn't need him so we agreed. (I still think they owe us a week of vacation so we can go back to California though...)<br />
<br />
So we went back to Utah, packed up what things we would need to have with us for the next few weeks, supervised while movers came and packed up our stuff (oh how glorious to have someone else pack everything!) and put it in a truck, and got on the road. Two days and 22 hours of driving later, we made it to Jacksonville.<br />
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xnJIypyAKm8/U87J9Bp_gJI/AAAAAAAAVQQ/FouKzcxqK30/s1600/IMG_4471.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-xnJIypyAKm8/U87J9Bp_gJI/AAAAAAAAVQQ/FouKzcxqK30/s1600/IMG_4471.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pit stop on the way. I promised my niece that I would take<br />a picture as we drove through Sidney!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IBvX4zZVjOw/U87KVlmljBI/AAAAAAAAVQg/OWWk9NPg6Lg/s1600/IMG_4478.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-IBvX4zZVjOw/U87KVlmljBI/AAAAAAAAVQg/OWWk9NPg6Lg/s1600/IMG_4478.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We made it!</td></tr>
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Spencer had flown out about a month earlier to look at homes, and we made an offer on a house without me even seeing it. Spencer had taken lots of pictures and a video though, and I trusted him completely, so after living in a hotel for a week we finally closed on our very own home!<br />
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1400 square feet (just the main floor), 2 bedroom, 1 bath. Our stuff wasn't delivered until a few days later, but we were so excited to own our first home. We are still working on getting everything unpacked and where we want it to be, but things are coming together and it's finally starting to feel like ours.<br />
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<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-POHE5BJ_g28/U87KFtT7KyI/AAAAAAAAVQY/AA95ytTEEik/s1600/IMG_0466.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-POHE5BJ_g28/U87KFtT7KyI/AAAAAAAAVQY/AA95ytTEEik/s1600/IMG_0466.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></div>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmwULX3fbgUEESwK6ARJuNcj5xO_FLIYE7559AHdbuoZH_OLNAXShD8Xi5MEENDfQrTAfw9MltHHqIDkygtUBqK4V9XcO-iScz5lo3RPrbE911JusI9_NxeHQlzupf1eaNui3ON7lSCzE/s1600/IMG_0440.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgmwULX3fbgUEESwK6ARJuNcj5xO_FLIYE7559AHdbuoZH_OLNAXShD8Xi5MEENDfQrTAfw9MltHHqIDkygtUBqK4V9XcO-iScz5lo3RPrbE911JusI9_NxeHQlzupf1eaNui3ON7lSCzE/s1600/IMG_0440.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The attic</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1CTmUntgKsZwS8UAU5P1lHTTDwvc0Qm-a-P7K7C8jcKhg7l3ntyC5_T2YWXjhzmTztSCeM_frf8cl9KBsVLxzVABRF51zvDosv2lnjMzQO6PhChfk2wKEMzicjsToREeMxtWHRN2mbYo/s1600/IMG_0449.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh1CTmUntgKsZwS8UAU5P1lHTTDwvc0Qm-a-P7K7C8jcKhg7l3ntyC5_T2YWXjhzmTztSCeM_frf8cl9KBsVLxzVABRF51zvDosv2lnjMzQO6PhChfk2wKEMzicjsToREeMxtWHRN2mbYo/s1600/IMG_0449.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Full, unfinished basement</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSOAVuzOy7xVn4zpLjKhOVEHg2AVMDz7HoXZelqPslGEFddhKf-rk07DDKP3cdgvRhyx44QrjNbMHnnGp8f24j0YHbSP2BrQ6iUXqxg_iRYzf96Ym291MpB8-60T8ofI-afMAm_GoTXg/s1600/IMG_0454.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjhSOAVuzOy7xVn4zpLjKhOVEHg2AVMDz7HoXZelqPslGEFddhKf-rk07DDKP3cdgvRhyx44QrjNbMHnnGp8f24j0YHbSP2BrQ6iUXqxg_iRYzf96Ym291MpB8-60T8ofI-afMAm_GoTXg/s1600/IMG_0454.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Storage room in the basement, perfect for food storage!</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Cv55miAM51I/U87I2CL2d_I/AAAAAAAAVPM/U3HbRMe2_Oc/s1600/IMG_0418.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Cv55miAM51I/U87I2CL2d_I/AAAAAAAAVPM/U3HbRMe2_Oc/s1600/IMG_0418.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Kitchen</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nRJmgC4CNDk/U87I3jw2qhI/AAAAAAAAVPQ/kZpiaoKwefs/s1600/IMG_0424.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-nRJmgC4CNDk/U87I3jw2qhI/AAAAAAAAVPQ/kZpiaoKwefs/s1600/IMG_0424.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Living room</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RnpMrrd0XoA/U87I13BepLI/AAAAAAAAVPE/wNC-aygZI04/s1600/IMG_0430.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-RnpMrrd0XoA/U87I13BepLI/AAAAAAAAVPE/wNC-aygZI04/s1600/IMG_0430.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Second bedroom (painting to happen in the near future)</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iZMwtV4MJuU/U87JBi-2p0I/AAAAAAAAVPc/zM1URPGWS8E/s1600/IMG_0434.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-iZMwtV4MJuU/U87JBi-2p0I/AAAAAAAAVPc/zM1URPGWS8E/s1600/IMG_0434.JPG" height="320" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bathroom</td></tr>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaBz1BFhsz8W0UN5RRbUW2Ah-p3e0UhZ-ZYtQuA4nOl-QC_qaZt65N5XSvARufz2HCDIOhoDflT8F2hdMlQds7CBSgn3Vm5c10pV45H08pxShdnrMI2c7jbgGEKMJqN3AUMZj0LgCvUvM/s1600/IMG_0437.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjaBz1BFhsz8W0UN5RRbUW2Ah-p3e0UhZ-ZYtQuA4nOl-QC_qaZt65N5XSvARufz2HCDIOhoDflT8F2hdMlQds7CBSgn3Vm5c10pV45H08pxShdnrMI2c7jbgGEKMJqN3AUMZj0LgCvUvM/s1600/IMG_0437.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Master bedroom</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
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<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF3GFHiIXi4jmo5fCPWTBux8DuD2kF8gzYP6UdmZpwDXhVyXu7qkxoJ61G3g4Vvw1vsfK4321D7TSmkH5T7ARg4DU1ccYtkYcyZnpmc5IvEG4qooR1Yhk-0afQKBcg9f2Dl0TSiNhqAjU/s1600/IMG_0457.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjF3GFHiIXi4jmo5fCPWTBux8DuD2kF8gzYP6UdmZpwDXhVyXu7qkxoJ61G3g4Vvw1vsfK4321D7TSmkH5T7ARg4DU1ccYtkYcyZnpmc5IvEG4qooR1Yhk-0afQKBcg9f2Dl0TSiNhqAjU/s1600/IMG_0457.JPG" height="240" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Backyard (the white post in the back right is the property<br />line)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Side and garage</td></tr>
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I promise to take pictures of the moved-in version soon, but hopefully this gives you a idea of what it looks like. <br />
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Spencer also started his new job just a couple of days after we got there. He has absolutely loves it, with all it's challenges and unfamiliarity, and I am so very proud of him!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">First day of work!</td></tr>
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Welcome to Jacksonville!alisha.p.bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512495123080721550noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638294592942819968.post-72817823182336377552014-07-07T19:35:00.000-05:002014-07-07T19:38:20.801-05:00Home Is Where The Beach Is<span style="font-size: x-small;">Warning: LOTS of pictures. Because I love them all and I'm too lazy to split up the post</span>. <br />
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So after graduation and the wedding Spencer and I decided we needed a break. From life. So we decided to head to California to spend a few weeks doing whatever we felt like with little to no pre-planning. Experience has taught us that this is the best way to vacation. (disclaimer: vacation is different from travel. if you are planning on traveling then this no longer applies)<br />
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So off to California we went! We overlapped a few days with my brother and his family visiting, so we even got some niece and nephew lovin' in at the same time! Festivities included bonfires (duh), playing at the park, lots of giggling, and visiting Downtown Disney. And here is a rather ridiculously large number of pictures documenting said activities.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Best buds</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Sid wanted to take one of me.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bahaha</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">What a doll</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Yeah buddy!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Tanners reaction when I asked <br />
him to smile...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Teehee</td></tr>
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Three days into our trip, Spencer's soon-to-be boss called him and asked if he would consider starting work a few weeks early. Talk about blind-sided. Of course we said yes, but it meant cutting our time in California by half, getting the movers to come early, and getting our housing situation taken care of in a much shorter time frame. Phew. But we did manage to get several trips to the beach and a day at Disneyland in before we had to leave.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Haunted Mansion</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Note to self: Don't ride Splash Mountain<br />
as the sun is setting</td></tr>
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Thank you California, it's always great to come home.alisha.p.bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512495123080721550noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638294592942819968.post-27909519043337502112014-06-22T22:13:00.000-05:002014-06-22T22:13:21.485-05:00Mawwage Is What Bwings Us Togevah....I'll be honest, I took very few pictures of Brigette's wedding day. I spent most of the time yelling at people to hush up and do what the photographer told them to do, then herding them into position because no one was listening to her (I can be rather assertive if the situation calls for it, in case you didn't know...). But luckily a couple of days earlier I had gone out with Brigette and Austin to get some shots in before their reception so I do have at least some pictures to share!<br />
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It was a beautiful day! Congratulations Brigette and Austin!<br />
alisha.p.bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512495123080721550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638294592942819968.post-78075817739218854052014-06-14T22:07:00.003-05:002014-06-17T09:31:32.473-05:00GRADUATIONI do not have words for how happy and excited I was for Spencer at graduation. I seriously felt like I would explode with pride. So I'm going to let the pictures do the talking, and at the end I'll put what I posted on facebook that day because I literally cannot think of any other words to use to express my joy!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Pres. Samuelson's last graduation.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Commencement</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">President Uchtdorf!</td></tr>
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<span class="userContent">"HE DID IT!!! I cannot even describe how incredibly proud I am of Spencer
today. He has worked SO HARD to make it to today. 8 years ago Spencer
entered BYU as a freshman, but since then he has served a 2 year LDS mission
to Taiwan, traveled to m<span class="text_exposed_show">ore countries than we can keep track of, married the woman of his dreams :),
completed 4 internships, spent a year in China, received a full-time
job offer for after graduation before he even started his senior year,
and graduated with both a Bachelors of Science in Chemical Engineering
AND a Bachelor of Arts in Chinese. <br /> <br /> Spencer, I love you more
than words can say, and while I have loved our life together so far, I
am so much more excited for the next chapter! Congratulations
Sweetheart, you did it!"</span></span><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span class="userContent"><span class="text_exposed_show">25 April 2014</span></span></div>
alisha.p.bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512495123080721550noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638294592942819968.post-12804846455344941152014-06-14T17:55:00.000-05:002014-06-14T17:55:44.174-05:00Family Time and the TempleWith graduation and a wedding and a missionary farewell coming up, Spencer's parents decided to spend a few weeks in Utah with us. His mom came out for a month and his dad was there for two weeks, and we had a blast. Good food, lots of games, and lots of family around.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">General Conference in Salt Lake City</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Can you find Brigette?</td></tr>
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Also, the day before graduation we were privileged to go to the temple with Spencer's sister for her first time as she is getting ready to serve a mission in Argentina. <br />
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We had so much fun being surrounded by family! Next up, graduation!<br />
alisha.p.bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512495123080721550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638294592942819968.post-69609359190737335132014-06-02T18:03:00.002-05:002014-06-02T20:48:36.919-05:00Catchin' UpNow that I've FINALLY finished blogging about Europe, it's time for updates. <br />
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Shortly after Christmas I went to a class on decorating on a budget, and one thing that was mentioned was that sometimes all you have to do is rearrange the furniture to give yourself the change that you want in your space. So I went home and a couple of hours later...voila! I had never really liked being in our apartment (it felt kind of like a cave to me) but after moving things around and adding a lamp I actually started to enjoy our tiny little apartment.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Before...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">After. I understand that in many ways the picture<br />
above actually looks better, but trust me, it was DEFINITELY<br />
better after.</td></tr>
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Then there was the time we had an awesome Chinese New Years party with our Flagship friends. I didn't take any pictures at the party, but we pulled out almost everything Chinese we could find and then didn't put any of it away for a month...<br />
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And there was that time that Spencer made me yummy breakfast for my birthday. Which is so sweet by itself, but at the time I had to be at work by 6:30 so it meant waking up at 5:30 am for him just to make me breakfast! Awesome husband award to Spencer!<br />
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And I have a new niece! So there was lots of lovin's to give to that cute face.<br />
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And I made cinnamon rolls by myself for the first time ever. Not perfect, but still delicious. Hm, maybe I should try them again this week...<br />
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Then the sun finally started to come out on a regular basis, so Sunday walks became a thing...<br />
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And then Spencer and I bought a car. But then decided to buy a house the next day. So now we're trying to sell said car. Anyone want a Lexus?<br />
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And there was that one time when we went to watch another rockin' niece totally kick trash at her soccer game...<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">While Spencer played adorably<br />with her little sister</td></tr>
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And we went to Idaho a few times because my <i>other </i>niece is FREAKIN' adorable and we love hanging out with my sister and her hubster. <br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Michelle's are better than mine...</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Bah! That face, it kills me.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aren't they precious?!</td></tr>
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Yay updates!alisha.p.bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512495123080721550noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638294592942819968.post-71950571806227878272014-05-19T13:39:00.000-05:002014-05-19T13:41:06.495-05:00The End of A Most Memorable TripAfter three lovely days in London, we returned home to Germany for our last few days. But since Brussels was only a <i>little </i>bit out of the way, and it <i>was </i>the <b>best </b>thing I ever ate...<br />
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Oh yeah, we did.<br />
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Somehow, I don't have ANY pictures from our last few days. I don't know if I just didn't take any, or if I accidentally deleted them or what, but know that we played lots and lots and lots of games. Countdown, Bohnanza, Mormon Rummy, Five Crowns... all day, every day. And New Year's Eve Spencer, Papa Bowen, and I made Chinese food for dinner. And then New Year's Day Brigette and Austin got engaged. Yay!<br />
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Oh yeah, and we documented Spencer and Brigette winning the BYU Racquetball Mixed Doubles championship just a couple of weeks before.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Weirdos...</td></tr>
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It was such a great trip and we loved being able to just be together, to play, to travel, and to explore.We love you family!alisha.p.bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512495123080721550noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638294592942819968.post-421024343259098572014-05-10T00:01:00.000-05:002014-05-10T00:01:14.795-05:00Across the PondBecause I know you were wondering, this is the only souvenir I bought in Paris...<br />
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I got it at a gas station. And I love it.<br />
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Also, I am going to put all three days in London in this one blog post. So it will be long and there will be lots of pictures; I hope you can forgive me. But this is my blog and I do what I want.<br />
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Just kidding, I love you, just keep reading. <br />
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We drove out of Paris early and took the Chunnel over to the English side of the channel. Who knew there was a magical train that you can drive onto and then it transports you <b><i>under water</i></b> to another country? So cool.<br />
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The Chunnel comes out right near the White Cliffs of Dover, so <i>of course</i> we had to take a quick look before we headed to London. After some beautiful fields and a castle or two we turned a corner and came across the beautiful cliffs.<br />
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We were not in the best spot to get the most dramatic effect, but it was easy to see why the sea wall was so famous. I loved smelling and tasting the salt in the air and feeling the dancing wind on my face. It reminded me of home...<br />
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After exploring for a little while we climbed back into the car and went to the LDS London temple. The grounds were amazing and we wandered around for a couple of hours enjoying being outside and the sacred feeling that always comes from being near a temple.<br />
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Eventually our stomachs started growling at us so we started searching for something to eat. England, as we all know (to be read in a tone of complete sarcasm), is widely known for their eclectic and flavorful food so of course we completely avoided local cuisine altogether and found the most hilarious "American" barbecue place. We're talking cowboy hats, country music, saddles and antlers on the walls...I loved it. Although it was kind of disconcerting when a girl in plaid, braids, and cowboy boots and hat walk up and start talking to you in a British accent. It's just not right.<br />
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Surprisingly, it was really good. We all ate too much, and enjoyed a taste of home. Fat and full, we decided we needed to walk around and try to burn off at least a few of the many calories that we had just consumed so we drove into the heart of the city. Parliament, Big Ben, London Bridge, Westminster Abbey, The Eye of London...such a beautiful city!<br />
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We stayed at Lakenheath Air Base, which is about an hour and a half outside of the city, so it made for a late night but I'm so glad we did it. I loved the city at night!<br />
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Day two was a Sunday, so we found a local LDS ward to attend and then decided to tour the nearby University of Cambridge campus. We're talking THE Cambridge people. I was geeking out.<br />
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It almost felt like we were at Hogwarts. Spires, turrets, giant arched doorways, you name it. A lot of things were closed, but we had so much fun just wandering.<br />
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I even got to drive for a little while. Those weird Brits, driving on the wrong side of the road...<br />
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We ended the night with classic fish and chips, a must on my food list. And it even turns out that I like mushy peas and should have ordered them over the regular kind...<br />
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Day three was our day of culture. First we went to THE West End (England's Broadway), and got tickets for a show later that evening. Then we tried to get a quick bite to eat, which turned into an hour wait for food that was underwhelming. To make ourselves feel better we explored the area and wandered a little into China Town. I loved seeing all the old, famous theaters and finding the one we would be entering in a few hours.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">That's right, I'm not above the cliche.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Why hello there.</td></tr>
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Our truest cultural experience was made possible by the suggestion of my Grandma Packard. She was born in England, and when I asked her what kinds of things I should do while I was there she told me that during Christmastime only they put on funny altered productions of fairy tales called pantomimes. So to the panto we went!<br />
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Juvenile, potty-humor, and very British. It was no masterful production, but I could just see my grandma as a little girl - sides splitting with laughter. And the funniest part? Grandma today would have HATED it.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">They even had us dress up during intermission!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Soooooo...that's a man.</td></tr>
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And then the crowning event: LES MISERABLE. I am always amazed at the pure beauty and talent of some people, and this was no exception.<br />
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After the play we took a quick drive around the city so we could see it at night one last time...<br />
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And that was it for London. Cheerio!<br />
<br />alisha.p.bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512495123080721550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638294592942819968.post-49970038249475940072014-05-05T13:49:00.000-05:002014-05-05T13:49:16.662-05:00Love, Love, and the Court of MiraclesWhew! Sorry about the delay, but things have gotten CA-RAZY around here. I'll blog about it as soon as I can, but just know that I have not been ignoring the blog on purpose, but I have literally not been home except to sleep for the last 3 weeks. So I'll try to get posts out about the rest of our trip pronto so I can tell you all about it. <br />
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Our second and final day in Paris was my favorite, mostly because it was our two year anniversary! Anniversary in Paris? No complaints here...<br />
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The day started early, and we drove into town to find breakfast. We found an amazing little bakery near our first stop so we could eat while we waited in line.<br />
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Dear people who have never been to France, GO TO FRANCE and eat a croissant, chocolate or otherwise. Seriously, I couldn't decide which one I liked better and I wish I had bought three more of each. And now I'm salivating just thinking about it.<br />
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So after picking up breakfast we got in line for the Catacombs. We were there right when they opened. And we still had to wait in line for almost two hours. And it was cold. And there was nowhere to sit. Fortunately, however, we are a bunch of fairly entertaining people (if we may say so ourselves) and we were able to keep ourselves from getting too bored.<br />
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And then it was our turn. First you go down a whole bunch of stairs. Then you go down more stairs. Then there is a landing with informational posters. Then you walk down a descending pathway for a while. And the pathway just keeps going. They are cool, kind of creepy pathways, but no bones. And you wonder, "Is this the catacombs?" And you start to think that maybe this is not what you were expecting it to be. And then, all of the sudden, you come to a doorway.<br />
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Let me roughly translate: "STOP! Here lies the kingdom of the dead". So now you have shivers. And you're kind of creeped out. But you are also intrigued, so you walk through that ominous door.<br />
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AAAAAAAAAAAHHH! Bones. Bones everywhere. A sign that informs you that you are surrounded by the remains of approximately SEVEN MILLION PEOPLE. And all of your good sense tells you that you should probably just turn around and high-tail it out the way you came. But there is a small part of you, that dark streak that you usually try to pretend isn't there, that urges you forward.<br />
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Guys, I have never been so totally creeped out and so awed and inspired all at the same time. I was constantly shuddering in disgust and then immediately following it with a "This is so cool!".<br />
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We finally found the end, and after a long climb up a whole lot of tightly winding stairs we at last emerged into the light of day. I had to take a few long breaths of fresh air to get out the heebie-jeebies before I felt normal again. We took a quick tour of the nearby gift shop (EVERYTHING was in the shape of a skull) while singing "The Court of Miracles" song from The Hunchback of Notre Dame ("where it's a miracle if you get out aliiiiiiiiiive!") and then headed off to destination #2.<br />
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We next found ourselves at the Arc de Triomphe. Luckily this line wasn't nearly as long, so we decided to climb to the top. Dear Paris, why do all of your attractions have so many dang stairs?!<br />
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The views were beautiful though. And it was windy. It was so cool to see the whole city though, and to get an idea of where some attractions were in respect to other landmarks.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">D'aw :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Aren't they so cute!?</td></tr>
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And then we had to go back down all those stairs. Whimper.<br />
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Back at the bottom we gawked and horsed around like the silly American tourists that we were. And I apologize for none of it.<br />
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We headed back over to Notre Dame (I wanted to go again to see it during the day) but by the time we got there the sun had already gone down anyways and it was starting to rain, so instead we wandered around and found a cute little cafe for dinner. Dinner was DELICIOUS, and Spencer's parents even treated us to creme brulee for our anniversary dessert.<br />
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After dinner we still had a couple of hours to kill, so as a last minute decision Brigette, Austin, Spencer and I decided to go to the Louvre. By the time we got there it was an hour and half until closing time, and happily admission was free! We split up, and Spencer and I decided that we were going to go through AS MUCH of that giant museum as we could in such a short period of time.<br />
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First, we half ran to the Mona Lisa. I just felt like it was the one thing I had to see to have a real Louvre experience. Then we rushed through the Latin artists section, over to the Egyptian exhibit on the other side where I'm pretty sure we were able to get through all of it, plus some of the Islamic section, before we were herded back out to the front doors. <br />
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By the time we got out of the museum we were slightly panting and more than just a little warm, but it was so much fun!<br />
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Such a great day to celebrate an anniversary! I just loved walking around hand-in-hand with my sweetheart, stealing kisses in the City of Love. <br />
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Happy Anniversary Spencer! I<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}">n
two years we've been to 6 countries and almost half the US states, moved
5 times, and had more amazing adventures than I ever thought possible. I love you handsome man!</span><br />
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<span class="userContent" data-ft="{"tn":"K"}"><br /></span>alisha.p.bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512495123080721550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638294592942819968.post-14084298007763706092014-04-16T12:07:00.000-05:002014-04-16T12:07:29.735-05:00Paris Holds The Key To Your HeartThe day after Christmas we all piled into the car and headed to PARIS! (side note: 8 adults in a minivan is TOO many)<br />
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Our first stop was the airport where we picked up Brigette's boyfriend, Austin. Then we checked into our hotel (so nice!) and then drove into the city. Traffic was AWFUL and it took us almost three hours to get to the heart of the city, but we were very excited when the Eiffel Tower suddenly came into view. We eventually found a place to park and made our way to the park around the tower.<br />
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After a few pictures and some fun people watching, we decided to get dinner and found a cute cafe a few blocks away.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hello handsome</td></tr>
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Now come on people, what kind of Paris trip would be complete without trying escargot?<br />
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Which actually turned out to be pretty darn good. I was worried about slimey-ness and texture, but it wasn't an issue at all. It was kind of weird to have to dig it out of the shell though...<br />
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After dinner we went back to the Eiffel Tower and got in line to go up to the top. We waited. And waited. And waited. And people started getting out of line. And then more people left. And finally when we were right near the front of the line because so many people had given up, an official came out and told us that the tower was closed because they had found an abandoned backpack and had declared it a bomb threat. It would probably be a couple of hours before it was clear to send people back up. Boo.<br />
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So instead we took a few more pictures and then strolled up the Seine River. It was a beautiful night and the city was gorgeous all lit up.<br />
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Our last stop for the night was Notre Dame. Now usually you would go during the day and the stained glass would be all lit up, but we went at night. The halls were shadowy and dark, and it was so hauntingly beautiful and kind of creepy all at the same time. And I loved it.<br />
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After we walked around inside we walked around the entire perimeter. If you ever go, make sure you walk around to the back side of the cathedral (I think it's even more beautiful than the front).<br />
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Also, the famous "Love Lock" bridge is behind the cathedral. I didn't know it was there, otherwise I would have brought a lock, but I may have slipped a bobby pin in there somewhere just for kicks and giggles. Can you think of a better way to symbolize your eternal love than with a bobby pin?<br />
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Before getting back in the car we stopped for some crepes de citron (crepes with yummy lemon sauce) and then it was back to the hotel. What a beautiful day in Paris!<br />
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Pear-eee holds the key to your heeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeart!alisha.p.bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512495123080721550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638294592942819968.post-22795348713000769012014-04-07T18:25:00.000-05:002014-04-07T18:29:12.098-05:00Merry Christmas!I LOVE CHRISTMAS. Seriously, who doesn't?<br />
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Christmas was very different this year. I've never had an all-adults Christmas day, but we are all still kind of kids at heart so it was still lots of fun. It was the latest start to a Christmas day I have ever had though, which was a strange but welcome change. Growing up we would wake up at 5:30 or 6 every year, but as a bunch of old people we decided that we just weren't willing to get up that early, so we opted for an 9 am wake up. We took the Bowen traditional picture on the stairs...<br />
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And then ran to our presents!<br />
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Present opening was divided into two parts, since Mom and Dad Bowen were helping with serving Christmas lunch to the servicemen/women on base at 11. While they were gone we started a sibling game of Risk. In retrospect, not the best idea...the game FINALLY ended at around 6 PM! Oy vey. Fun memories though. Spencer and I really enjoyed coming up with fun gifts for each other, but he took the cake when I opened a package to find a vintage edition of Make-A-Million, a game that Packards have been playing for decades and which is no longer produced. He is such a sweetheart, and I may or may not have teared up a little at his thoughtfulness.<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Hand-made glass ornaments for each of us from Brigette</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Napping in-between present opening "sessions"</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hRN1oowOsfA/U0MxZfnEcCI/AAAAAAAAUL8/96J2gcEiloM/s1600/2013+Dec+24-25+Brussels%252C+Belgium%253B+Valkenburg%252C+NL%252C+Christmas--Ger+192.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-hRN1oowOsfA/U0MxZfnEcCI/AAAAAAAAUL8/96J2gcEiloM/s1600/2013+Dec+24-25+Brussels%252C+Belgium%253B+Valkenburg%252C+NL%252C+Christmas--Ger+192.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">I was a little giddy...</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VO4cLjSzWao/U0MxagfZxWI/AAAAAAAAUME/JJ0Ok0ayujo/s1600/2013+Dec+24-25+Brussels%252C+Belgium%253B+Valkenburg%252C+NL%252C+Christmas--Ger+193.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-VO4cLjSzWao/U0MxagfZxWI/AAAAAAAAUME/JJ0Ok0ayujo/s1600/2013+Dec+24-25+Brussels%252C+Belgium%253B+Valkenburg%252C+NL%252C+Christmas--Ger+193.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">He loved it!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">1935!!!</td></tr>
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Gifts ended with a large, mysterious package that had made it's way across the ocean. The kids sent Dad Bowen on a scavenger hunt to find this last gift, which of course took him all over the house only to end up back under the tree where he started.<br />
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This is one of his favorite paintings, and they actually already have a copy in their home but he has always wanted one for his office. We loved watching his face as he opened it!<br />
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ6S1fsg3j6j3Wf9uyuVWR3I-LsXZozqVY8w6tKwZJLAJEH5u4j9Q1WhCQN8vb5xsRq5FPseDvHh16J3S_l2vgN7wDJZUY5lIXlmYEljYl5kxCoH8Y7cW-e83IZ8Nmr81eS-0Q3gG2hWc/s1600/2013+Dec+24-25+Brussels%252C+Belgium%253B+Valkenburg%252C+NL%252C+Christmas--Ger+204.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjZ6S1fsg3j6j3Wf9uyuVWR3I-LsXZozqVY8w6tKwZJLAJEH5u4j9Q1WhCQN8vb5xsRq5FPseDvHh16J3S_l2vgN7wDJZUY5lIXlmYEljYl5kxCoH8Y7cW-e83IZ8Nmr81eS-0Q3gG2hWc/s1600/2013+Dec+24-25+Brussels%252C+Belgium%253B+Valkenburg%252C+NL%252C+Christmas--Ger+204.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">We love you!</td></tr>
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It was a great Christmas, and although I know it will be a few years away I can't wait for the next time we can all be together for Christmas again!<br />
<br />alisha.p.bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512495123080721550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638294592942819968.post-75783720757830123202014-03-30T22:31:00.001-05:002014-03-30T22:37:43.800-05:00The Best Food I Ever AteDay two was Christmas Eve, and we had great plans to get up early. But as the Bowens always say "A plan is merely a point to deviate from". But we did eventually get out the door, and we were on our way to BELGIUM!<br />
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I'll be honest, I slept the whole way there, so I missed most of the scenery. But I was super excited to wake up just as we were pulling into Brussels.<br />
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I love Brussels. It is such a beautiful city, and it seemed like a great mix of old with modern. Our first stop was the Grand Place, which was a seriously amazing town square. Tall, majestic buildings surrounding the square, surrounded by shops and restaurants...it was lovely.<br />
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Then we moved on to the Christmas market, and ate some of the yummiest fries I have ever had. Belgium needs to work on their condiments, but the fries were awesome.<br />
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After we had shopped and snacked, we headed back towards the car. And that's when we stopped for what I think I can honestly say is the BEST thing I ever ate.<br />
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Why hello beautiful.<br />
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Guys, Belgian waffles in Belgium are NOTHING like Belgian waffles in the States. First of all, they don't come by way of batter. They come in balls of dough. And they aren't just simple waffles, they have big chunks of sugar spread all throughout them. And then they cook it right there in front of you, and then cover it with toppings of your choice: chocolate, strawberries, nutella, raspberries, whipped cream, caramel, powdered sugar, bananas, ice cream.... The particular shop we stopped at happened to also sell Australian ice cream. My combination of choice- raspberry sorbet and dark chocolate drizzle. OH.MY.HEAVEN. The raspberry sorbet was rich and strong (me likes the strong flavors) and the chocolate drizzle froze over it and had to be broken with every bite. So imagine with me:<br />
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Hot, carmelized waffle topped with the most delicious raspberry sorbet of all time, drizzled with dark chocolate. Every bite has a bit of crunchy sugar, with raspberry melting into the waffle, a cold bite of sorbet, and a morsel of chocolate that begins to melt instantly in your mouth. Bliss, my friends, pure bliss.<br />
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After slowly enjoying every last bite of waffle, we piled back into the car and headed to the Netherlands. Valkenburg, to be exact. Don't worry, I had never heard of it before either. In Valkenburg they have a really cool Christmas tradition. Every year they have artists come create larger-than-life scenes depicting different aspects of the nativity in a huge set of caverns out of SAND. These are sand sculptures people, and it was crazy impressive.<br />
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Other than just being beautiful and very impressive, it was actually a very touching. The sculptures depicted everything from the proclamation from Caesar, the difficulty of traveling, the mass gathering of people, and it all led up to the final scene at the manger. I appreciated the opportunity to reflect on my Savior, and to feel the Spirit. It was the perfect way to end the day, and the perfect way to lead into Christmas. <br />
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<br />alisha.p.bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512495123080721550noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638294592942819968.post-81782725829590784632014-03-25T20:59:00.001-05:002014-03-25T20:59:19.838-05:00Let it BeginOk, so maybe I was a little over-enthusiastic earlier about being ready to tackle blogging about our trip. Life has been crazy around here, and every time I thought about sorting through all the pictures I started to feel very tired.<br />
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But never fear, I promised a tale from across the pond, and I always deliver. So let us begin...<br />
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So our first full day in Germany was one of our only full days in Germany. One of the biggest Christmas traditions there is the <span class="st">weihnachtmarkt, or Christmas market. Tons of booths, lots of yummy food, and really cool trinkets and crafted items that I've never seen before. So our first stop was in Koln (also known as Cologne), which is one of the most popular markets in Germany. The market was nestled right up to the base of the amazing cathedral, which was a beautiful backdrop for the festivities. We explored the cathedral first (my first cathedral!) and then ventured into the market.</span><br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Brigette took a stained glass class<br />
over the summer, so she was geeking<br />
out just a little....</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My first real Bratwurst, delicious!</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Baha</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UoGouFrf6Xc/UzC9ekeEUyI/AAAAAAAAUCg/Ll0sN7OtbkY/s1600/2013+December+23+Koeln+and+Bonn+Christmas+Markets+143.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-UoGouFrf6Xc/UzC9ekeEUyI/AAAAAAAAUCg/Ll0sN7OtbkY/s1600/2013+December+23+Koeln+and+Bonn+Christmas+Markets+143.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Some sort of potato fritter, I can't remember the name</td></tr>
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<span class="st"><br /></span>
<span class="st">After we'd explored to our heart's content, we drove on to Bonn, the birthplace of Beethoven! They have a big statue of him and everything. We weren't there as long, but it was beautiful.</span><br />
<span class="st"><br /></span>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wIpL_Z4zPZA/UzDA2OuBicI/AAAAAAAAUFI/Ad_SDRpAfxY/s1600/2013+December+23+Koeln+and+Bonn+Christmas+Markets+208.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-wIpL_Z4zPZA/UzDA2OuBicI/AAAAAAAAUFI/Ad_SDRpAfxY/s1600/2013+December+23+Koeln+and+Bonn+Christmas+Markets+208.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">So pretty!</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lyWK8tFlTGo/UzDAy0QvhMI/AAAAAAAAUFA/lEMMszUyA2o/s1600/2013+December+23+Koeln+and+Bonn+Christmas+Markets+231.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-lyWK8tFlTGo/UzDAy0QvhMI/AAAAAAAAUFA/lEMMszUyA2o/s1600/2013+December+23+Koeln+and+Bonn+Christmas+Markets+231.JPG" height="320" width="213" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">More brats</td></tr>
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<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8r2rtXZdNQY/UzDBMNNXcDI/AAAAAAAAUFw/3qw2gCX477w/s1600/IMG_1715.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8r2rtXZdNQY/UzDBMNNXcDI/AAAAAAAAUFw/3qw2gCX477w/s1600/IMG_1715.JPG" height="213" width="320" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">GIANT chocolate covered strawberries.</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">My love :)</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Spencer bought me my own <br />
<span class="st">weihnachtmarkt mug, by himself,<br /> in German!</span></td></tr>
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<span class="st"><br /></span>alisha.p.bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512495123080721550noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638294592942819968.post-8505033211228587742014-02-08T17:42:00.000-06:002014-02-08T17:42:37.964-06:00So this one time we went to Europe...So Spencer's family is on the brink of some really big changes. His parents are figuring out when/where they will retire, we're graduating and moving to Illinois, Brigette is getting married and has been offered a job (probably in California, JEALOUS!), Bryonna is planning on doing a study abroad/internship in Germany, and Krystal just got her MISSION CALL to ARGENTINA! So in less than 3 months, we will be all over the place. So for Christmas this year the parents really wanted everyone to be together before we scatter to the four corners of the earth. And gather we did!<br />
<br />
We weren't even sure if we'd be able to make it. The Salt Lake airport had been closed 3 times that week because of ice and snow, including the night before we left. We knew people who had been trying to fly in and out for DAYS, but were stuck where they were. But we got lucky (phew!) and after just a small delay we were off. After 24 hours, 2 layovers, and very little sleep we finally flew into Frankfurt, Germany on a Sunday morning. First we went to church (which I may or may not have slept through), then spent the afternoon playing games and settling in. Krystal had missed a connecting flight because her flight out of Salt Lake was delayed for multiple hours, but she also eventually made it. It was so fun to be all together, laughing and playing. It's a very different dynamic, with all of us being adults, but we loved being there.<br />
<br />
And thus our adventure had begun! alisha.p.bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512495123080721550noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-638294592942819968.post-83312877547301401522014-02-08T14:49:00.004-06:002014-02-08T15:11:26.016-06:00Sister Bowen!Before I start on Europe, I just wanted to share the exciting news! Spencer's youngest sister, Krystal, has received her call to go on a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. She will be serving in the Argentina Posadas mission speaking Spanish, and reports on June 18th! We are so very proud of her, and we can't wait to hear about all of her adventures and to see her grow as a person and as a missionary!<br />
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Getting connected</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">The group</td></tr>
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<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Her mission call AND her drivers <br />
permit in the same day!</td></tr>
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Congratulations Krystal!alisha.p.bowenhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/00512495123080721550noreply@blogger.com0