Christmas Questions

1. Wrapping paper or gift bags? I like to use gift bags
2. Real tree or Artificial? Artificial

3. When do you put up the tree? Day after Thanksgiving

4. When do you take the tree down? New Years

5. Do you like eggnog? No... I can't stand it...

6. Favorite gift received as a child? Books

7. Hardest person to buy for? Everyone - I have a hard time picking out gifts

8. Easiest person to buy for? Aaron- Sportsmans gift certificate works every time

9. Do you have a nativity scene? A clay one from Guatemala, something new breaks every year...

10. Mail or email Christmas cards? Mail

11. Worst Christmas gift you ever received? Candies that were left in a car with smokers and a dog before they got to us...sick

12. Favorite Christmas Movie? Home Alone

13. When do you start shopping? All year

14. Have you ever recycled a Christmas present? No, but I'm not above recycling presents...

16. Lights on the tree? yes- white only

17. Favorite Christmas song? Star of Bethlehem

18. Travel at Christmas or stay home? Stay Home

19. Can you name all of Santa's reindeer's? yes

20. Angel on the tree top or a star? Star

21. Open the presents Christmas Eve or morning? One gift of PJs on Christmas Eve and the rest in the morning

22. Most annoying thing about this time of the year? All the advertising

23. Favorite ornament theme or color? Mine are this color green and a faded red, I really like the woodsy ones I've been seeing every where this year
24. Favorite for Christmas dinner? Honey baked ham

25. What do you want for Christmas this year? I don't' know - nothing really

Brothers

Ashton has been saying the funniest things.

• Last night he was riding in the car with his dad when they came up next to a coca-cola truck... ASH: Look dad that's a soda truck Dad: What kind of soda is it? Ash: The kind mom drinks, but it's not good she needs to have drinks like us, like orange juice and apple juice.
• "If I did that my tent would fall down and I would say 'what the heck!'"
• "I'm gonna go live at Carter's house but Colten can stay here."
  

Oh Happy Day!

Scott and Carly Wedding Slideshow from Tia Bowen on Vimeo.


Scott and Carly were married yesterday - it was a beautiful day. We're so excited to have Carly as part of our family. This is their wedding video they played at the reception and the only pictures I took that turned out. I'll have to get some from my sister.

The Un-Holy War

I saw this on my friends blog and had to post it. We have a split home - Aaron's family are all Y fans. His grandma played softball for them in college and is remembered for listening to every game on her radio. My parents also went to the Y and until we moved to SLC I also thought I was a fan (oh forgive me). However I saw the light and was converted. I graduated from the U in '06 and well my blood bleeds red. Yesterday Ashton's grandma J asked him what color he will be wearing for the game - he said, with out coaching, even after we told him his dad was wearing blue, that he would be wearing RED! Oh happy day for me! And he actually will - only because that is the color of his tie for my brother's wedding tomorrow. Yes he's getting married on game day and his reception is up at the U of U...fun huh? Needless to say we won't actually be watching the game. Go Utes!

And so it begins...

This morning, an half before the boys' doctor appointment Ashton fell backwards off of my bed and cracked his head on my cedar chest. I took him into the front room to wait for dad to come home and of course got blood everywhere, all over my face and hair and on the carpet. It stopped bleeding so we decided just to take him into the doctor for his appointment instead of the ER. He ended up needing two staples - which I had never seen done before - ouch! They don't numb it at all, they just shoved the staples right into his head! He cried and said "I don't like these people!" I told him he was being so tough and brave - he told me that he was NOT tough or brave. Afterward he had to get his flu shot booster...poor kid will never want to go to the doctor again.
In between all of this Colten had his wellness check up. He weighs 16.9 lbs and is 26" long. (Ashton weighed 17.6 lbs at 5 months and Aaron weighed 18 lbs at 6 months. I did not weigh 16 lbs until I was 14 months old!) He's in the 40th percentile for height and weight and 50th for his head...so I guess he doesn't have the Jackman head after all. He will however need a helmet for his flat head so we'll be getting that in December. I think he'll be happier since we won't constantly be rolling him over onto his stomach and trying to make him sleep on his side.
Colten is rolling all over the place now. He's trying to scoot - so it won't be long before he's crawling. He's also eating baby food, the whole time I feed him he makes faces like he isn't sure if he likes it. I can't believe how fast it goes with #2!

My brother's wedding is this weekend so look for more pics on Sunday... I can't wait to see Ashton in his little tie!

Catholic Diocese Supports Church on Prop 8

Catholic Bishop John C. Wester, of Salt Lake City sent this Press Release:

“In light of recent events, I wish to express the support and solidarity of the Catholic
Diocese of Salt Lake City with our brothers and sisters in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Recently, both of our churches took a strong stand in California to support Proposition 8 which sought to maintain the traditional definition of marriage as between one man and one woman. Like our friends in the Mormon faith, the Catholic Church has long championed and promoted the sacredness of traditional marriage and the importance of the family in our society. While acknowledging that this position is not universally held in our society today, our churches are committed to proclaiming the truth and we cherish our ability to participate in the democratic process. It is worth noting that our two churches joined with a wide alliance of people from different faiths and ethnicities including Orthodox, Jews, Evangelicals, Hispanics, African
Americans, Asians and Anglos. Our defense of traditional marriage should in no way be
interpreted as an attack on any person. To the contrary, we honor the dignity and sacredness of
each individual.

I acknowledge that this is a very controversial topic in society today and that many people
have strong feelings regarding the definition of marriage. It is my hope that in the ongoing
conversation, both sides would engage the democratic process in mutual respect and acknowledge the right of the other to speak in the public square. One of the hallmarks of our country is that people of different opinions can debate neuralgic issues and at the same time demonstrate respect, civility and courtesy for the other. I pray that this will be the case going forward.”

I completely agree with the 2nd paragraph. Prop. 8 was put on the ballot so that the people of California could voice their opinions through voting. It is every Americans right to "speak in the public square" be that by knocking on doors or paying for advertisements. I hope both sides can show respect for the other. Destroying each others property and getting confrontational is not the Lord's way and it is not respectful of each others differing opinions. I hope members of the church can rise above it and act in a christian manner even to those who do not believe the same way we do.

Fire Family

We went to visit Aaron at the station last night - it was fun to get Colten's first pics with the truck.

Wahoo

"Zero days until the election. Zero: The number of times in our nation's 232 year history, as of the time of writing, that the country -- despite being originally populated by dark-skinned Eurasian migrants, having a multi-continental populace going back longer than the country itself, currently boasting a citizenry with genetic ties to every conceivable place in the world, and a roughly equal (though leaning female) gender breakdown -- has seen fit to elect a non-white, non-male person as either its president or vice president.

Today is the last day in our nation's history that we'll ever have to admit that again."

-From the daily show blog yesterday

I am happy about our President Elect as many of you already assumed... I don't affiliate with any party but I tend to vote for the candidate who is the most charitable, who looks out for those in need and who are less-fortunate. I'm all for spreading the wealth and I strongly believe that "what goes around comes around" so those giving often receive in return more than they ever gave ... I am excited to see what Obama will do in the next 4 to 8 years!

It's the day

I'm so excited for the election today. It is truly historical, between an African American for President and a women for Vice President. Someday I'll tell my grandchildren about it - even if they don't want to hear it. Can't wait to see the results - oh and yes Jeremy I will gloat!!!!

Boo to You!