School is in...

Not much has happened in the last two-three weeks.  Times does fly, though...Alec is already serving in his first area.  He was only in the MTC for 12 days!  He is serving in Delta, CO and in his first letter home, he said he met someone that said his mom is in our ward...sure enough, she is in our ward!  She actually has a daughter out on a mission right now, too!  I am glad Alec is able to have a little piece of home with him while he is in Delta.

School started on August 7th.  The kids were ready to start.  Calvin is a senior, Ashton a sophomore and Dallen is in 8th.

Despite the picture, Dallen was happy :).  They are doing good and Calvin started his first day at his new job on August 7th, also.  He works for "Celebrations", a little restaurant here in Snowflake.  He washes dishes and does some prep work and basically whatever else they need.  He says the work is hard sometimes because he's so tall and it hurts his back, but he really like the people he works with and likes going.  Since he got his first paycheck, he decided he needed to purchase a car and his Uncle Steve and Aunt Heidi were so generous as to help him achieve that.  He bought their old kid's car.  He is so happy and said "this is the best thing I have ever bought with my money".  

Calvin getting ready to detail his car

Needless to say, he is happy.  We do have a deep appreciation for doors opening and little things like that.  I know he'll have a great learning experience, and I love not feeling any responsibility for his car and what he does with it.  

This week we are going to be bringing home, Shawna, Dallen's horse.  We have to put up fencing still and hopefully will be able to do that Monday or Tuesday.  I am really excited because she will help keep the weeds and grass down.  All the rain we have had has made the weeds explode and I guess a horse is as close to a lawn mower that we are going to get right now.  He is really excited to get her at our house because he has been feeling a little left out considering all his friends play soccer or are in 4-H and he doesn't want to do either of those things.  So, it will be good for him to have a "friend" to come home to and take riding whenever he wants.  I still can't believe we are going to have a horse!  We'll post pictures of her next week.  

We got to see my sister Debbie and her family.  They were driving from Albuquerque to Julianne's house and realized they were going to be passing by us!  We met them in Holbrook, just 1/2 hour from us, and it was really fun to see the twins and Davney.  I was able to bring my boys (Calvin, Dallen, Ashton) and Scott was able to take some time from work to come, too.  We are grateful they stopped to see us.  Scott said after, "I'm really glad you made sure we all came.  That was really fun to see them".  I had to take the kids out of school and wasn't sure I should, considering they just started, but I felt it was important and I'm glad it all worked out.  

Well, it's getting close to when the chickens should start laying their eggs.  We are down to 9 chickens.  I am not sure what is plucking them off, but something is!  It's ok, though, because I was a little worried we'd have too many eggs because Alec is gone and he used to eat quite a few.  My food bill has gone down dramatically and I now only have to buy milk once a week and half as much!  We do miss him, though.  We are going to frame that stupid first egg, though.  Chickens are great, but they aren't what people make them out to be!  I just consider it food storage :).

Everything else is going good.  Work is still going and we are grateful for that.  Things are settling down now that school is back in session and Alec is on his mission.  Tomorrow is his and Scott's birthday.  Scott gets his birthday back, as he is the only one here.  This is going to be weird!  We are healthy and doing good :)  

Adult Getaway, Rodeo, and Farewell...

This past week and a half has been a whirlwind and I seriously didn't see how I was going to get through it, but like everything...it comes and goes and we get through it :).

We had a wonderful "Adult Getaway" with Scott and his brothers/sisters and their spouses.  We were only missing one out of 19, so I think that is amazing!

A picture of the inside of the Cabin in Show Low, AZ...plenty of room!

We had 3 birthdays during the week and celebrated on Jeff's Birthday

Amy (on the 22nd), Kent (on the 24th), and Jeff (on the 26th)

Siblings and their spouses (minus Rachel, who wasn't able to come)

Scott and his brothers and sisters.  So exciting that they were ALL able to be there!

While at the cabin, we had 3 or 4 out with back problems.  We are getting old :)  Kent got everyone (or at least those willing) to do back stretching exercises.  We ate healthier than I normally do and it was nice to have others cook :).  Laura and Mike did amazing at planning and it was a really fun week with them.  While they were here, we went to the Taylor Rodeo for Pioneer Day.  An hour before the Rodeo, it was seriously like a hurricane at our house.  The rain and wind was SCARY!  We thought for sure they would cancel the rodeo, but we were told it has never been cancelled, maybe delayed, but never cancelled.  Well, Alec was going to be doing the calf dressing (Scott's back was out, and he ended up not even going to watch because he couldn't sit on the bleachers!), and so we had Calvin drive into town to see how the rodeo grounds were looking.  He said it was totally fine over there.  Well, as we got there, it started to sprinkle and then we could see another storm coming...lightening included!  But none of the locals were moving, so I thought "they are either stupid or they know something I don't know".  The announcer did mention a couple of times for those on the top of the bleachers to come down further so that they wouldn't be struck by lightening!  WHAT?!?  Here is a picture of Dallen and Jeremy and Sam.  We were all under umbrellas and the Rodeo did go on!  About half way through, it stopped raining, but the mud was incredible, and lets just say that if a cowboy was stepped on by a bull or horse, he would have been fine because he would have sunk so far into the mud that it wouldn't have hurt him!  Needless to say, we were told it has never rained like that before and there were people in our ward that had flooding issues and our roof even leaked because the rain was so much.  It was probably a swimming pool on top of the roof at our house!  In June people were fined for even smoking outside because it was so dry, and then everyone prayed for rain, and it hasn't stopped!  Every day there is tons of rain in Taylor.  It's crazy.  Here are pictures and a video from that night.  We were half way up the stands and then the lightening got too close and electrocuted a couple of the umbrellas being held, and so we went further down for the rest of the evening...just in case :)  Can you see how hard it was raining?!?

Dallen, Jeremy and Sam trying to stay dry (they wore their swimsuits just in case)

Alec, Wendy, Emily, and Calvin

The Bowler gang after the rain had stopped.  Look at the muddy arena!

IMG 0447 from Amy Bowler on Vimeo.

Heidi's kids and Kent and Amy's kids and Megan, Kathie and Paul's oldest, were able to come with us because they wanted to come for Alec's farewell the next day.

So, the Adult Getaway was still going on, and we had Alec's farewell that Sunday.  It was kinda planned that way, but not really.  I was happy that there was a lot of support from family (whether they wanted to or not because of the getaway).  Alec did really well on his talk and we know he will be learning so much more about himself and his relationship with Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ.  We had a taco bar and I had made some sugar cookies with ties on them for dessert.

Having a little luncheon after Alec's farewell at Church

I liked this picture because it showed Alec :)

Brad, Mike, and Dan.  We love seeing our family!

Took a moment to give him a squeeze :)

More pictures of us together.

even the dogs were happy!

We are sure going to miss him!!!

After the luncheon, Scott and I went back up to the cabin for the getaway to hang out with everyone for one last evening.  It really was fun and I am grateful it was SO close to home so that we could come in the midst of the chaos that goes along with getting your child ready for his mission.  

The next day, Monday, we made sure we had everything Alec needed and he was set apart that night by the Bishop and Stake President.  Tuesday he packed up.  All he had was either in a tote or his suit cases.  We went down to Phoenix Tuesday night and got up early Wednesday morning and headed to the airport.  Heidi and her family came with us.  There were at least 15 other missionaries going to the MTC on his flight and he was instantly making friends.  My sister, Jenette, picked him up from the airport with her family

Alec and Jenette at SLC airport

Craig and Alec (spoiling Alec with Cafe Rio!)

Alec and Hannah...he was just sure she wouldn't like him :)

 Jenette and Craig took him down to the MTC and Jenette said that when they pulled up, Alec said "what have I gotten myself into?!?".  They literally dropped him off and left (they cut the apron strings at the MTC, that is for sure!).  We haven't heard from him, yet, but I am sure he is doing fine and hopefully we will hear from him either today or on Tuesday (I can't remember).  We got back home and Shep knew something wasn't right.  He, somehow, knew that Alec was not coming back.  These are pictures Calvin took...

Shep laying on Alec's bed and blanket.  Calvin said he was whimpering!  So sad! 

Then he started looking out the window and whimpering some more.  It was so pitiful!  He really misses Alec!

Shep is doing a little better now, but now much.  He cries, now, when we come home.  He can't control himself...it's almost as if he thinks we are all leaving for good!  

We have rearranged the boys' rooms, now, and our house is more quiet and there is still milk in the fridge.  I had a breakdown at the grocery store yesterday, when I realized I wouldn't be buying "Dill Pickle" chips this year for school or at all because Alec was gone.  It was something I knew he loved and I would make sure I had it for him at home.  I literally had tears coming down in the grocery store!  Sad, I know.  I miss the blender not being in the sink every morning because Alec just had to have Orange Julius the night before.  He was a big presence in our home and we definitely know he is gone.  He will be missed, but like he said, it is time for him to move on.  He has learned and progressed as much as he could at home.  It was time for him to learn more somewhere else.  I like his choice of learning :).

One last thing...

CALVIN GOT A JOB!!!!!

He will be working at the little restaurant in town called "Celebrations" and he will be washing dishes for them.  He has been working on getting a job there for over a year now, and finally, because the girl that used to do it went onto college, he was able to get the job, with help of friends in our ward who know Calvin and can promise he'll do a good job.  I am excited for him and he will be working with some amazing and super fun people.  It is relaxed, but they expect the work to be done.  He doesn't have a set schedule, and just clocks in when he can, does the dishes and clocks out.  Luckily, it is one thing I did teach him at home :)  He is ready to do this job.  He officially starts on Wednesday, which is also the first day of school!  The restaurant is less than a 1/2 mile from the high school and so it is perfect, considering the kids' car is gone.  

I can't believe school is starting.  Calvin will be a Senior, Ashton in 10th and Dallen in 8th.  Ashton is starting to learn to drive and if I get my act together, he will be getting his permit soon.   

We have had a good summer, lots of changes, and more to come.  We have been blessed and have really loved seeing so much family in the past 3 weeks.  They are really what it's all about :)

St. George

We were able to spend a few days in St. George.  I just really felt it was important to go, especially since Alec leaves in a couple weeks (less now) and it would help him be able to move forward on his journey. My nephew, Chris Bowler, was getting married and Alec was able to go to the temple sealing.  I thought that was cool that he was able to go.  None of the other cousins were able to because of age or on a mission (Derrek).  So, we traveled up to St. George and got a hotel (it just seemed easier, even though there is family there).  Heidi and Kathie stayed at the same hotel and that was way fun.  We love being with their families.

Thursday we went and saw my Grandma Gilgen and my Grandma Nyquist.  I love that my kids know their great-grandmas!  I knew one of mine and have fond memories of her.  Here is a picture of us with them at lunch and another picture of me with Grandma Gilgen.

We had a lot of fun.  Grandma Gilgen was funny, giving the kids one-liners and had the kids laughing.  She would do things like sing and then say "what?  You don't like my singing?!?".  We wanted to take a picture with her and she said "I don't care.  My hair isn't done, but that doesn't bother me because you're the one that has to look at the picture!".  She was constantly making us laugh.  We then went to Grandma Nyquist's and played "Spinner" and had lunch with her and Grandma Gilgen.  Aunt Nancy came, too, and we had a really nice time visiting with them.  We love playing games with grandma Nyquist.  

That night, we were able to go and visit the Beechers.  We really do miss living next door to them and wish we could pack them up and live by them again.  Maybe some day :)

The next day, Chris got married to Christina (I forgot her maiden name!).  She served in Russia as a missionary also and while they served in the same area together, she told us he never even caught her eye then.  They went to a missionary reunion during Conference and saw each other there and then the rest is history.  

This is a picture of Kent and Amy and their family.  It was a great wedding and Christina's grandpa sealed them.  He was SO funny and borderline irreverent.  Her family didn't seem to be laughing at all his comments, but the Bowler side of things were cracking up!  We wish them well on their beginnings :)  

We did a luncheon after the wedding and then swam and hung out with cousins.  We all went to Pizza Factory for dinner (needed the breadsticks!).  

The next day, we were able to go skiing with Rod, Geoff, and Julianne and their families.  It was really fun and a great end to our fun time in St. George.  It was Olivia's 12th birthday, and she was kind enough to share it with us.  She's actually used to having a skiing activity on her birthday because we are usually doing a Steurer family reunion on her birthday :).  It was fun.  

all of us at Quail Creek Reservoir

 We drove straight home after the lake and had to swing by Kingman to pick up a soap-box-derby car for Scott's boss.  We got many looks from people because it was strapped to the top of our car and isn't something you see every day!  I should have gotten a picture of that...oh well :).  We had a good time and Alec and Calvin got to see their friends that they have been missing and we had lots of cousin and family time which is the best way to spend a vacation.