Dave's 9!

I just finished working on the post about loving that the boys are old enough to do fun stuff that Josh and I enjoy. It's so true, but at the same time I cannot believe that Dave is 9 already. Just doesn't seem possible! We watched some old videos of Dave recently and I cannot get over how he is so different but so similar to his little self!

For his birthday we didn't have anything planned. We'd celebrated with different family members leading up to the big day already. Josh was scheduled to work but at the last minute he was able to take time off starting when the kids got off the school bus-so we decided to go out to dinner! Dave was so excited.





The Bowyer fellas.

Everyone was singing happy birthday to him. He didn't love it.

This guy, such a character. I took a video (much to his dismay) and here is a little glimpse into him at 9.

As a comparison here he is at 5. I'm just over here sobbing don't mind me.

Guess Who from Aunt Brittany. This has gotten a lot of play already!













Dave is still so into basketball. For his birthday his big present from us and grandpa Charlie and grandma Kyra was tickets to watch the Pacers. We're going tomorrow so we are all pumped! He starts his YMCA basketball league in two weeks and has continued playing ball with Josh and the cottage at least weekly.

The new development in his life in the past year is Fortnite. Man does he love that game. As he mentioned in the video he has gotten a ton of victories, both by himself and with his friends.







First solo victory on the Switch (they just got that for Christmas).












He loves to read and has recently gotten into solving puzzles of all kinds. Especially crosswords. I can't get him interested in helping me work my jigsaw puzzles though...maybe someday! Right now I can hear him upstairs practicing dunks on his basketball hoop-that's pretty much what he's done all of break so far besides play Fortnite.

We were supposed to have his friends over for a sleepover the weekend after his birthday (always hard to coordinate with Thanksgiving!) but both Ike and Dave came down with some kind of illness so we had to postpone. We finally got the kids together last night which worked out great since they hadn't seen each other for a bit because of Christmas break.





Goofballs wore shorts over to the pool...it was 20 degrees.
















The kids seemed to have a good time-they woke up at 5 to continue their fun, ha!

Well that about wraps up Dave's birthday. He's such an interesting kid-he sure drives me crazy at times but I am so thankful we've been blessed with him!

Christmas Tree Hunting

We had another eventful year with our Christmas tree. I think Josh is about to call it quits and go back to an artificial...I'm hoping he forgets the annoyance again by next year so we can get a real one again :)






These smiling faces do not tell the true story of how frustrating we found hunting the tree!













We were told after last year's debacle to make sure to get a Fraser Fir because it was the best kind to last. Well we asked right away when we got to the farm about that kind of tree and were sent to a section. Imagine our surprise when there were clearly at least 3 different types of trees in this section! We found some helpful people also shopping for a tree and they led us in the right direction after much wandering around. Unfortunately the frasers were all huge so we had to finally settle on a tree we thought would look pretty good and Josh chopped it down to size.

I introduce you to our Christmas bush. Not quite what we had in mind...but it was free because of all of our trouble from last year so that was nice!

She looked much better all dressed up but yikes. Dave decided she was like the teapot song...short and stout.

I took a picture of one of my favorite ornaments-a nativity set in a gourd from Puerto Rico.

This tree did last a lot longer but was so ready to be taken down. The branches were all stuck down from the weight of our ornaments!

And it left quite a mess when Josh finally drug it outside. it was too wide to fit through the door so he had to really wedge it to get it out.

Thanksgiving 2018

As mentioned in my last post, we hosted the Smith boys for a sleepover the night before Thanksgiving. Ike and Zac thought it would be super fun to get up at 1:30 in the morning! I spent about an hour sitting on the floor coaxing them back to sleep and somehow Dave and Caleb slept through their crazy!

We went out to Josh's grandma's house in Logansport for Thanksgiving. The family is planning on putting it on the market this spring so it was really nice to have a last big holiday there!








Dave and Sophie rocking their IU attire.

Basically next to impossible to get a picture where everyone is looking and kind of smiling.

Playing games with Grandma D.

Everyone needs vampire teeth at Thanksgiving!













Another goal for next year is to get more pictures of adults! I always make sure to get lots of the kids so I am going to work on that! We had a great day-Josh was even able to get a couple hours off to come with us...good food and good company!

My dad and Kyra came up with Liam and Gavin to spend a night with us on Friday. The kids had a lot of fun and we just hung out and they played mostly.

Dave doing story time again. He loves reading to other people!

Early November

Well it turns out I didn't record much of what went on between Halloween and Thanksgiving. Seriously, I took like 10 pictures. But here is what I've got and what I can remember happening! Having a job really cuts down on my ability to keep track of things!

We finished Goblet of Fire! That was sure a long one! After that we read The Fantastic Mr. Fox as a palate cleanser.
















Ike performing in his Thanksgiving showcase. It was super adorable and he did a great job!

He beat me pretty soundly at Monopoly Jr. I need to brush up!

Caleb and Zac stayed the night before Thanksgiving. Dave did some reading before bedtime.

Mineo and Lecrae Concert

Josh and I really love going to concerts and it has been so much fun getting the kids into them as well. We surprised the boys with tickets to Andy Mineo and Lecrae for their birthdays and ended up upgrading our tickets because it was all standing room and we figured that would not go well with the kids! So so glad we did-we had a place to sit and a great view!







From our seats, stage is behind us.














For those of you not familiar, these are Christian rap artists who Josh and I have been following for several years. We have seen both of them separately but the kids really wanted to go so we indulged them. :)

Waiting super patiently for the headliners. We ended up really loving the openers and are planning on seeing one (Nobigdyl.) again in February.

The boys rocked out the whole time-Dave knows almost every song to Mineo and a lot of Lecrae's music so he probably had the most fun but Ike is an all-around music lover so I think he had a pretty good time too.

Crowd surfing at the end on an inflatable turtle. The kids loved that!












I could not be more excited that the kids are finally at an age where we can take them to do things like this! Not that I've been wishing away them being little but I sure do love the age they are right now! I'd like to pause time if anybody's got that figured out :)

Halloween 2018

Mom took this adorable picture of the kids and their pumpkins in Evansville.













Ike went as Harry Potter for favorite character day at school. Dave as usual decided to opt out.


















Paul George, baller.

Ike went as floss. And he flossed. I was pretty proud of this costume. Here's him in action.

With my favorite tree on campus!

Staff kids ready for trick-or-treating.

Bennett and Ike.

Love these boys!

Fall Break Trip to Evansville

The kids and I took advantage of their fall break and spent a long weekend in Evansville. Josh had to work unfortunately but we had a great trip and he was off the rest of the week with the kids after we got back!





The boys with Gamma and Grandpa Dave.






















We listened to Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire in the car. Love quiet kids and audiobooks!

We hung out with Kyra and Dad at Ivy Tech's Halloween party when we got to town. The boys had a blast.

Mom and I took the boys to a tour of a haunted house in Newburgh. They loved walking through it in the daylight!

Gotta say it was still pretty creepy!





















I think this was some kind of mutant goat?


















Ike got his face painted like this. 45 baby wipes later and it was off.
















Helping grandpa Charlie make dumplings!

Ike and some deer across the street from mom's new house!










We had a fun, quick trip! I have got to get better about taking more pictures...gonna work on that going forward!

Birthday Celebrations and Battle of 1812

We were super busy in October-birthdays, Halloween, concerts oh my! Josh's grandpa Dave turned 80 this year (as did my grandpa Dave!) so we celebrated with him and the family.






Dinner out.

Handsome fellas!

Battle of 1812 with our crew.

Patiently awaiting the river battle.

Took this coming home from lifeguarding one evening. It was so beautiful.









We had a big shindig for Grandpa Dave's birthday/fall celebration out at the farm. Everybody came out for it and we had a blast hanging out with the family.

Ike with Amaya.

Super cheese Dave :)

I think Grandma Mary might be her favorite though.

Meranda, Sophie, Ike, and Zac.

Chad, Zac and Grandpa Dave.

Caleb and Dave.













Seemed like everybody had a blast at the fall cookout/birthday bash! We had lots of good food, warm drinks (it was not very toasty outside) and great company. Grandpa Dave and Grandma Mary took off for sunny Florida a couple of days after the cookout and we were all jealous. Can't wait to see them again in February!