What a trip

They say there's no such thing as a vacation with kids. Well, do you know who they are? Me. I am they. And hear me say to you: there's no such thing as a vacation with kids. 

We just got back from 4 days in Philly, and while I would call it many things (a trip, a visit, a whirlwind adventure!) a "vacation" would not be one of them. Because though it was actually quite lovely (in pockets...at times...) I'm fairly certain people sleep on vacations, so by that criterion alone, our weekend was disqualified. (I would argue that the true hallmarks of a vacation are returning tan, fat and happy...maybe even with a bead or two in your hair...but that seemed like an impossible dream at this point, so I was willing to set the bar low:  I would have settled for just fat. But alas, my kids wouldn't even let me hit the breakfast buffet in peace...)

So no. This weekend was most definitely not a vacation. But it was a trip. 

As with most endeavors these days- there was good, there was bad, and there was ugly. Sometimes all of them within a matter of minutes. There were points when I contemplated, seriously contemplated leaving at least one of the (screaming) children on the side of the road. But somehow, mercifully, there were just as many moments when I wanted to stop time and bottle up their exact essence right now because they're each just too perfect (and funny, and adorable) to comprehend. And then they'd scream some more and I'd be back to my plan of leaving them at the nearest service station to fend for themselves. You know. Just til they're 18 or so. (Don't worry...I'd never actually abandon my children. And if I did, it'd be at one of the really nice rest stops with an Auntie Ann's. I'm not a monster.) 

Traveling with kids is memory making on warp speed...it's highs and lows jammed back-to-back too fast to make much sense of them. You're laughing and crying, and yelling, and hugging, and when it's all over you look at each other and promise you'll never do this again, simultaneously knowing you absolutely will. It is yin and yang. Bitter and oh so sweet. 

------------

Catching chicken nugget throw-up in a towel, confirming our suspicions that yes, Fin does indeed get carsick. 

Glimpsing in the rear view mirror to see sisters sharing their toys and helping calm down their baby brother. (and maaaaaaybe taking a Dramamine induced nap).

------------

------------

Turning a 4.5 hour trip into 6, due primarily to the longest rest-stop lunch in history, inclusive of one water bottle related tantrum, and no less than four separate bathroom trips. 

Catching up with old friends, chatting, laughing, and staying up way past our old-lady bedtimes. 

------------

------------

"Sleeping" sandwiched between two little bodies, striving to keep everyone quiet enough to avoid waking the baby before the sunrise. 

Organizing glee-filled races to press the "excavator!" button (again, and again).

------------

------------

Nursing a sick baby at 2pm, while my lunch sits juuuuuust out of reach. 

Getting snotty, but heart meltingly sweet snuggles from the fever-stricken baby. 

------------

------------

Seeing the clock strike 11pm, and 2am, and 6am (and maybe a couple hours in between).

Watching Piper swim a lap around the entire pool by herself (with a little help from her floaties). 

------------

------------

Running out of discipline options at bedtime, putting Fin in the bathroom for (yet another) time out. 

Laying next to her afterwards to try to talk about being a better listener, and having her rub my arm with her jelly's ears as a silent form of apology.

------------

------------

Packing everything we could possibly need for an day spent a family's house, and realizing we didn't 
bring a pack and play for naps, and oh...we're also out of diapers.

Watching Dustin's family embrace the girls and seeing them play with their cousins like they've known them forever. 

------------

------------

Accidentally bringing up religion and politics, in one very ill-conceived attempt at conversation.

Holding hands with the girls after a long day, telling them, "I love you little people.", and hearing Fin, with all the sincerity in the world reply, "I love you too, Mom. And you love me. And I love you too."

------------

I could go on forever, highlighting tiny snippets I never want to forget (mismatched flip flops, unbridled enthusiasm over Fruit Loops, searching for duck logos on every hotel surface), and mini-nightmares I'm thankful are already fading from my mind (the whining. oh the whining. SO MUCH whining). This weekend was the full spectrum:  the absolute worst...the holding puke in your hands, strung out to your wit's end with complaining, bleary-eyed exhaustion, worst. And the absolute best...the childlike wonder, heart might burst, memories for a lifetime best.

It wasn't a vacation. But it was a trip. 

--------------------------------

Psssst....Want to get all the Bowdenisms news delivered right to your inbox?

YES PLEASE! Subscribe via email and never miss an -ism.  xox

A Very Bowden Christmas

It seems Christmas this year was more of a blur than usual...maybe it goes faster each year, or maybe it was the combo between the new baby and all the traveling that made it seem to speed by. The 25th seemed to come upon us before I was totally ready- but we did make some beautiful memories along the way, and the best news is- it's not over yet! My dad and family are visiting this week, and then my mom's side is coming up next weekend. Yay for never ending holidays!

But before time gets away from us, I wanted to record some of the special times we've shared so far this season:

Trip to Philly

Do I love a six hour drive on the turnpike? Hardly, but when you have a dozen or so family members on the other end waiting to greet you and (more importantly) hold your baby, you go willingly. Our trip this time was as busy as ever. We crammed in visits with both sides of Dustin's family, as well as some friends. I snapped pictures constantly, and posing with our snuggle bunny soon became mandatory (not that I heard anyone complain) I could (and did) assemble an entire album of Piper sleeping on various people's chests.






Seasonal outfits

Try as I might to avoid turning Piper into a Toddlers and Tiaras type spectacle, I do find myself getting caught up in the fun of playing baby dress up. The holidays are just too good of an excuse to pass up. Even this non girlie girl knows Christmas is the time for velvet dresses. Plus I figure we only have a couple years where she's going tolerate donning footie pj's, so I'm milking it. And is there anything funnier than a baby in an ugly sweater?






Christmas trimmings

I warned you that we weren't going all out (or even halfway out, really) but we did manage to get at least a teeny bit festive. Our Christmas pandora stations (yep- two! Call me a Scrooge now!) have been in heavy rotation, I managed to update our stockings, (I'm in love with the new ones!) and I hung Christmas cards (loooove getting all this fun mail!). And of course there was the task of wrapping our presents. We're still going strong with the brown paper (a tradition that is at least 3 years running) but I updated them with yarn and paper snowflakes this year.


Time together

We are lucky that I'm off work this year, and Dustin took a week vacation too, so we can hang out as a fam. Yes, our time has been packed full of actives, but we've still managed to steal away for little moments just the two (or more often, three) of us. We've had long talks in the car, cuddled, and enjoyed parenting together- giving baths, changing diapers, tag teaming burping. And we even got away from the munchkin for a few minutes here and there. (we had a few people who graciously offered to hold her...and maybe never let go).



It's been a wonderful week, lots of laughing, lots of presents, lots of hugging and lots (LOTS) of eating, and it's gotten me even more excited for Cheistmas round two and three...

Baby Shower-palooza: Part 4

The fun's not over!

Can you believe it? There are even a few more people that love me and wanted to be in on the baby fun! Dustin's family (especially his mom, step-mom and sisters) were so sweet to throw a shower for me. I don't have many pictures (I was too busy enjoying it all!) but the location was perfect, a country club-type restaurant with a yummy buffet...including cheesecake, yesssss!

We played some games of course- a couple of toughies! We had to finish the nursery rhyme lyrics (proof that I'll need some books to cheat off of...I could barely remember any of them!) and we took a stab at matching baby names with their meaning (I had no chance at winning this one). But the funniest part, was after we finished...we couldn't find the answers! So the prizes went to the matriarchs of the group- Mom Mom and Great Aunt Carmen. I figure they know the most about raising babies, they probably would have won anyway, right?

We wrapped up the festivities by opening presents. This was the first shower where the attendees knew the baby's sex, so you better believe we got some adorable stuff for Baby Girl Bowden! She even got her first doll!

But while it was a big girlie day, the men got into the action as well. No, they didn't attend the baby gift and game squeal-fest, but they did make a big family event of it. While all the girls were having shower-fun, the boys went out for some beer and snacks on their own. I love when Dustin is able to get together with all of his brothers, but when his dad, uncle, and cousin get in the mix? Even better! Everyone got to hang out together at an impromptu after-party, so we took the opportunity to take a few photos of the group.

Check out the fellas:

And the Bowden ladies:

It was so great to get everyone together...But maybe the best part was Dustin being reunited with someone special from his past:

That little guy is Mitchel Artie, Dustin's cabbage patch doll from when he was just a wee tot. His grandma bought it for him twenty five (?) years ago and his Dad held onto good old Michel all this time. We even got his birth certificate- and the funniest part is, he was "born" on November 1st...My dude date!

All in all, it was a great day. We had a wonderful time relaxing, reminiscing and laughing with family. I can't wait to have a new little one around to join in the fun.

Where the winds go sweeping down the plains...

As long as we're still living in the past (I've got a LOT of blogging to catch up on!) I should share some photos from a couple months back, when we traveled to Philly to see the Wissahickon Middle School Production of Oklahoma! (so prestigious!) I've already told you about the aftermath of the trip- but it was worth it to see Dustin's niece Elizabeth, in all her Broadway-bound glory. Check her out:



Ok, I'll give you a close up....


Such a star, right? (she gets it from her grandmom).


We had such a fun weekend watching Lizzie dance her heart out, plus we got some quality time with the Bowden (and Tambourino, and Doll) crew. Dustin's dad and step-mom only make the trek back to Philly a few times a year, (can you blame them? They live in paradise!) so it's a special treat to have the whole family together.


Dustin got to golf with his dad and his brothers, (which probably ranks in his top three favorite things ever), while I got to go garage sale-ing with the ladies. (I scored a Parcheesi board, for 50 cents!! Such a bargain for the Royal Game of India!) Our nephew, Jagger, almost lost a finger in a tragic Sedan-Door-Closing-Incident, but he was a trooper, and we all made it to the show with all our pieces. Even if some of those pieces are a little goofy at times:


Now, if you ask me why I like to go to Philly, I'll probably tell you it's because of the charming accents, or the delicious cheesesteaks...which both definitely rank high on my list of loves. But it obviously is about much more than that. We have so much fun whenever we go back- seeing family, catching up with friends, staying up too late together playing games, drinking wine and eating ice cream (best combo ever!). But as much as I love being with them, what I love even more, is seeing Dustin enjoy himself.

There is no competition for a top spot in Dustin's heart, because it is a solid tie between his dad and his brothers (don't worry....I'm in there. It's just a different kind of love.) Dus can be a man of few words about a lot of things, but there is no doubt that he loves his "guys" more than anything in the world. I love to sit back and watch them- as they joke, wrestle, brag, and love like only a group of boys can.

We don't get together as often as we would like, but when we do, it's the best. And at the very least we have a cheesy group photo to remember it by:

Muffled.

This weekend we went to Philly. It was a great time, we saw family, watched a play, ate a lot, and laughed even more. But that's not the story I'm going to tell right now. No, today's story goes a little something like this:

We started the four and a half hour drive.
But then our muffler fell off.
And so the drive took much longer than expected.

That's the short version anyway.....
About halfway through the drive, Dustin and I heard a terribly loud noise. We were scared for a minute (well, I was) but realized pretty quickly what had happened: the muffler on my beloved 1998 Corolla had come loose, and was now dragging on the highway. Ugh.

Thankfully it had stopped raining (we had been stuck in torrential downpours several times already), so Dustin stepped out to take a look. The muffler was attached, but dragging, so it needed to be reattached. A call to AAA proved unsuccessful- their only option was to tow the car. Ummmm, no. Not an option. So instead Dustin had to figure a way to fix it himself.

Enter, the MacGyver method:

I stayed in the safety and warmth of the vehicle, so I can't tell you his exact solution, but I know it involves a carabiner, some golf shoelaces, and maybe some chewing gum. But however he did it, he got the job done, and it held for the whole rest of the drive. Unfortunately, in doing so, he burned his fingers on the car, resulting in a couple of painful blisters.

But luckily for him, I was able to pull a MacGyver of my own: at the next rest area, we stopped to get ice, but there were no plastic bags. No worries- I asked the nice Annie Ann's worker for a plastic glove, and made a makeshift ice pack.

He doesn't look happy, but I think it helped.....

So, that's the long and the short of our most recent road trip. It may not have gone as planned, but it really could have been so much worse. I was so impressed with Dustin- he fixed the problem quickly (if a bit creatively), and didn't even get upset. It's so easy in situations like that
to get frustrated and take it out on each other, but he didn't complain or sulk. I'm so thankful we got home safe, and blessed to have a husband that takes such good care of me.

But I don't think we'll be driving to Philly again anytime soon....

Crossfit Games: Round 2

Saturday morning we were greeted by rain. LOTS of it. But we were determined not to let it dampen our spirits (our clothes, yes. Our spirits, no.) I had absolutely no idea what to expect, but we put on some brave faces and headed into the gym.

A pretty foreboding exterior, no?
(alright, this pic was taken at night...but trust me, it wasn’t much sunnier at any other point in the day)

Luckily it was warm inside. Partly because it was packed!

From our Pittsburgh affiliate, there were five athletes competing: R.J., Keith, Rick, and trainers Blake and Mike. There were also a few folks from Panther Crossfit (the group from Pitt). And on the sidelines, trainer Jenn was focused on judging. Our rag-tag crew of spectators was about ten deep...but if we were going to catch all the action, it was going to require some serious dedication. We would later learn is that it would also require some endurance and leg stamina, as there was not a chair/bench/bleacher/cardboard box to be found. Standing room only kids. Some give kudos to those completing three fierce workouts for time, while some say the real heroes are the people standing around for eight hours with only a soggy sandwich and a miller light to show for it. Ok- no one says that. Clearly the competitors deserve the glory here. Check out some highlights of the action:

And while it was a very long day, it was really cool to watch our friends push themselves to the limit, and kick some CF butt. One of the coolest parts was that while it was a competition, there was a spirit of camaraderie and respect from everyone there. People were routing each other on, regardless of what gym they were from. But who are we kidding....our guys were clearly the best!

And after all that hard work (and diligent watching), you better believe we celebrated. The aftermath:

For more details, and full results, you can check out the official site, here.

Oh- and P.S...All that competition got me pumped up. So much so, that somehow I walked out of the event having committed to two weeks of Crossfit workouts. That's 4 times a week. At 6AM.

Seriously.

So far, I'm three days, and two workouts in, and I can barely move. Somehow I don't think the competition is in my future....

Crossfit Games: Round 1

Last Friday, Dustin and I took a trip into a strange little world unlike anything I’ve seen before. They call it The Crossfit Games. You see...when a couple of our friends said they’d be taking a trip to King of Prussia (Dustin’s old ‘hood) to watch some gym-mates compete at the Crossfit sectionals, we jumped at the chance for a weekend getaway. Little did I know what we were in for......The competition started promptly on Saturday morning, but the spectators among us had a long night of pre-gaming ahead of us. That’s right- while the athletes were making protein shakes, squeezing in some last minute crunches, and centering their chi (I’m assuming...) the spectators among us had a date with some Mexican food. Because if we’re not able to represent some athletic prowess, we might as well show off our elite status in the eating and drinking arena. The forum for our gluttony was Distrio, part of a group of restaurants owned by Jose Garces (the newest Iron Chef).

The food was PLENTIFUL.

And DELICIOUS.

And the Sangria didn’t hurt either.

Oh....and of course there was dessert. Because we are dedicated to our craft.

Truly though, the décor alone was worth the trip. I definitely recommend it.

So after pushing ourselves to the physical limit, we returned to the suburbs for some shut eye. After all...we had a full day of exercise-watching ahead of us. You can’t skimp on the sleep and still expect to bring your cheering a-game.

Stay tuned tomorrow for stories from the actual games! Imagine that!