The moment has arrived......we finally know whether we have a nephew or niece!!!

Well, it seems as though the Bowling Family (extended, not immediate) has been blessed with another addition of 10 little fingers and 10 little toes. Temple's brother, Jonathan, and his wife Jackie were blessed with the arrival of their baby in the early morning hours of Saturday.



And I bet you are wondering what all the wait was for.....pink or blue? Yea, we were tired of having to wait too. So, I'm glad that's all over with, ya know? The waiting. Although I love the idea of the surprise, and that is how Temple and I did with all 3 of our children's births, it has still been hard wondering for 9 long months what was growing all along....boy or girl. Niece or Nephew. I mean, what's really important is that the baby is here and healthy and the mom and dad are doing great, nobody passed out during labor, or skipped out during delivery to catch a playoff football game, or anything like that. All is well and we all just couldn't be more pleased. A new baby to hold, to smell, to kiss the buttery skin, to SPOIL like crazy......babies are so sweet. I mean, really, what in the world is more fabulous than holding a newborn. Nothing, that's exactly right.

• Oh, I forgot, I bet you were still wondering what they had........is the suspense killing you, too? Well, I am super excited to announce that Baby Bowling is a.....

~~BEAUTIFUL BABY GIRL~~

• And now let me introduce you to the prettiest little chubby cheeked niece I know......

Anna Katherine Bowling

I cannot even tell you how thrilled Tyner Beth is to have "AK" (as Tyner Beth has chosen to call her) to play with.....she will be a grand baby-sitter for Uncle Jonathan and Aunt Jackie.
Oh, the cute faces of a newborn baby....too sweet.

Holding on tight to her cousins' finger.

The kids were all so desperate to see her open her eyes. She finally showed them she could, if and when she wanted to. :)

Tyner Beth wanted her to hold her "first baby doll" that we brought her, but I don't think AK was all that interested in it yet!

And more cute faces....

Y'all will probably tire easily in the next few weeks, months, years, from looking at photos of our new niece, but I just can't stand it, she's so cute. And I end today's session with this last little snapshot I took before we left the hospital......she's smiling....and Temple rolled his eyes when I squealed with delight after snapping it. But, it certainly looked to me like she was, and basically, that is all that mattered.

Coming off vacation is hard.....no matter how cute you look in pink tights.

Here's Tyner Beth around 4 o'clock today. Returning to the school routine was fun for a few brief hours....then the excitement waned into a sluggish, lazy afternoon.

I can't blame her.....if I could have draped myself over the foot of the bed comfortably, I might have tried it myself.

Seriously, do you know how many pillows we have on our bed? But she was so tired, I mean just slap worn out, so a block of wood under-head will do just fine, thanks.

Of course, it doesn't take long for a power rest.....rejuvenation is so simple and quick when your body is only seven years young.....and so, back to flipping, twisting & turning again.....pink tights and all.

"Let's Make a Deal"......remember that gameshow from the 70's?

Well, as it seems, we should have been back into the swing of things by today....school back in session, the holiday break over, back to routine.

However, the good Lord saw that we weren't quite ready to make it back to the grindstone, and sent a flood yesterday. It rained and rained, and then guess what? it rained some more. So much that many of the roads were flooded. Thus, school was cancelled for today, and I assume the county is doing the necessary road work to ensure the safety for the school bus routes, etc., for tomorrow.

We've been making the most of our "day off", which brings me to the gameshow segment. Sadie was our (not-so-willing) contestant this morning in our own version of LETS MAKE A DEAL.

What's behind Curtain #1?

It's those school children, with nothing to do, so they gave Sadie a bath. In my bathroom.

No, it's okay, really. After the rain, the temperature dropped....and we've had to give up the 70 degree weather in January! So, when it was 40, wet and windy outside, I agreed to let them bathe her indoors.

She actually loved the warm water.....as opposed to the cooler garden hose variety.

Of course, you knew what was gonna happen.....they are kids afterall. Walt, stepping into the tub, proudly announced that he had on shorts, so thus, he could get into the tub with Sadie.

Not to be outdone by the brother who had the forethought to sleep in shorts.....(because hey, he's been living in them all winter break, since it's been 70 degrees, why not?).....the little princess took matters (and her pajama bottoms, as it were) into her own hands.

Rolled them up and in she went.....with lots of laughter.

The scrubbing continued, and then the rinsing....and more rinsing.....and even more rinsing, until we finally felt like we had all the suds out. Then for kicks you know what the momma did? I closed the shower curtain with the 2 small children and the dog still inside......why? because Sadie had just been rinsed.....and that meant that she was about to shake all the water off. And I didn't want it on me, Rivers didn't want it on him, and the best way to avoid that was to draw Curtain #1.

I heard lots of squeals and giggles and opened the curtain to find this.....

Then we towel dried her as best we could.....and let her loose. And she did what she ALWAYS does after every bath, even the ones outside. She goes straight to the rug in our bedroom and does what the kids call her "itchy dance". Scrubbing her ears, neck and face on both sides, over and over again against the rug.

Then she moves to her sides and 'dances' around the rug.

And finally ends up on her back for one last little shake.

And here she is basking in what little bit of sunshine she could find coming through the windows. All clean. Smelling like baby shampoo, drying her hind end in the sun. Now, I need to go and vacuum the rugs, and then see what more mischief they may get into before the sun sets........see ya later!

Welcome the arrival of Will and Janie's baby girl.....

yes, this post should have been on here last year (I just like saying that) but, hey, it's been kind of busy around here lately.....



So, as it seems, a couple of weeks ago.......

• one day Hanna was still at work with her mommy, Dr. Kimbrell, at the Vet clinic......

• and then the very next day......WHAM!!! She's out of the womb, ready to take on the world!!

And I was blessed to be there and hold her, on her genuine birth-day......


Welcome to the world, sweet Hanna!

SATURDAY SHOWCASE.....

UPWARD basketball has officially began.....

Rivers had his first basketball game today. They lost, but they played well and I know Rivers had fun. I think he was high scorer for his team with 7 points, but please don't quote me on that.....I did not keep up very well. I was talking to my neighbors for almost the entire game. And on either side of me was the enemy. On my left, a grandmother to Trey, whose family are good friends of ours from Northside. And on my right, the Herrens, very good friends of ours in Berry, whose daughter Hannah was on the opposing team too.

It's not so easy having to guard a girl in the game of basketball.....especially when she also happens to be one of your best friends.
Eventually, you get over that fact, and play hard.....and you go after her and forget about the ponytail swishing at the back of her head......and you steal the ball.....

And then break away back down the court for a score.....hopefully.

Like I said, Rivers had a lot of fun playing, even with a loss. A Saturday morning spent on the basketball court with your best friend, Justin, will be fun either way the ball bounces.

2009.....it's here, already.....

We have been enjoying lots of fun times with family during these holiday weeks. This week we have been blessed to have Pappy and Nana (Temple's parents) and Grandmama and Grandaddy (the kids' great-grandparents) to stay with us since Tuesday!

We all enjoyed ringing in the New Year with lots of food, fun and fireworks! And Aunt Jackie came to stay with us too......baby bump pictures to come soon.....and possibly actual baby pics---he or she is coming sometime this month!!! SO EXCITING!

The neatest part of New Years Day was when my Mom and Dad came over to join us all for supper. Mom had cooked a delicious feast with all the "necessary" foods to be consumed on January 1st.....and brought them hot to our house for the meal. Yum. And while we were all sitting there talking in the dining room and the kids were running around the house, I realized how fortunate they and we really were.....

Our children began the first day of the year 2009, being surrounded by all of their grandparents and great-grandparents (except having Mimi -- their great-grandmother--and we surely missed her, wish she could have been here too!). It was a really special time and we are so thankful for them all.

The kids ringing in the New Year with Grandmama and Grandaddy

Christmas at the Lake...with the Tyners....all 3000 of them.

Tyners.....they are a fertile bunch. We have a lot of Tyner Family cousins. You want me to count them......okay......um, well, let's see, there's over 60, how's that? And even more if you count the in-laws....and some have been married so long, we forget they aren't blood related. (Hello, Kim Tyner, Linda Tyner, & Dick Helms).

We always have the best time with family....and it is so good to see everyone each year at Christmas and July 4th. Fun times, great memories. We had reservations for 28 on Friday night at Finchers Restuarant near the lakehouse. And then all of those people slept at the lakehouse that night. Yep. 28 folks. All in a bed or on a couch, or a few on a bean bag with a blanket too. :)

Then on Saturday, the rest of the crowd converged and including several friends and others, like 3rd cousins twice removed or whathaveyou, we had a big time. I would guess-timate that there were close to 80 folks there to eat and enjoy the fellowship of family.

Here's a real sweetie, a cousin from South Carolina......Sweet Robyn. Her name is actually Kimberly Robyn......she's named after me, her favorite cousin. Okay, so I just lied. She's really named after her mother, Kim Tyner. Are you confused yet? :)

Robyn will be the first in the family to make a "doctor"---graduating from Dental School in May. She's smart. And beautiful. And apparently flosses her teeth well....because they look fantastic!

And here, well this little gal hails from the great state of South Carolina too......but that Alfred Hitchcock fan beside her drug her across the border years ago........and we haven't forgiven him since. He's nice, really, he is. As far as canadians go, anyway. :) Just kidding, Graham, you are an awesome cousin. It's exciting to say "I have family in Ontario".......I just wish Ontario happened to be closer to Alabama, that's all.

Tiff and I have been close cousins for years.....she became the ultimate cousin along about Christmas of 1983. She brought down a couple bags of hand-me-downs, as usual, except one bag had a rabbit fur coat in it. Yes mam, it was like Santa had visited me all over again. A hand-me-down rabbit fur coat......what more was there to covet in 1983?

I'm gonna dig around and see if I can't find a good photo of us back then......maybe even one wearing the fur coat.

Here's that sweet Robyn again & her cutie patootie of a fiance, Randy. He's such a nice young man. Mainly because he always says I'm pretty and still cool at my age. Either he's sweet, or he secretly drinks, and has no idea what he's really saying. :)

• The next time we see this pair they will be saying...."I do." Yet another moment to be together with family and make some more memories. Can't wait, guys. Although, Robyn, I just don't know how you will look any better on your wedding day than you do every other day of the year.
  To all my Tyner Family.......you are the greatest. Thanks for making the Holidays more complete with a round of cards, a glass of wine, and a few dozen tall tales to spread the cheer til next time......and I can hardly wait.....til next time.
  

Christmas Scenes too funny not to share......

Seriously.....can she put the cat down long enough to see what Santa brought???????

Rivers opening up a real crowd pleaser for the young men.......AXE body deoderant...Hurricane scent. Please notice the excitement on his face........over a $2 can of deoderant. Please, if I knew that was all it took......it would have saved me lots of money and time.....searching for that just right gift!

Walt....with his spray deoderant.....ICE scent......oh the coveted bottle he has dreamed of since that night in the football locker room when one of the "big" guys on the vasrsity team gave him his near empty can. All I can say is look out girls, I hope you like his smell. Although by 3:00 this afternoon, he was so soaked in it, he reminded me of Peppy Le Pew.

The kids had been about to bust trying to figure out what these big, odd-shaped wrapped gifts were under the tree for all three of them. And the excitement grew even more when I told them they were not from the USA. They tried to guess when and where Temple and I went out of the country to purchase Christmas presents.

Mind-Boggling. It's a gift I give freely. :)

A good friend and former worker of Temple's, bought these for the children.....true, authentic, Mexican sombreros. It was the only thing we were lacking to have a bullfight.....now let the fiesta begin! Bring on el Torro!!

My Three Christmas Morning Amigos

Walt admitted to having torn a little of his paper a few days before Christmas and seeing something bright blue and shiny and sequin-y.....and he said he thought it was something from PARIS? Where he forms these ideas? I have no clue. But if you are ever traveling abroad, and do ever see a bright aqua sombrero with silver shiny sequins in the city of LOVE, I'm sure you will think about him.

• And then finally.....a classic Christmas toy. And the one, out of the 328 items received this Christmas, they have played with the most........ SLINKY. Again, a $3 purchase......by now, had I only bought them deoderant spray and slinkies....I could have saved a house payment.
  

The annual Christmas morning photo.......

I know, I know. It's Christmas morning and my boys are shirtless. And one of them is in shorts. But it's Alabama. And although it says Christmas on our calendar......there's no snow white picture here in the south.....instead, it's a balmy 63 degrees.

Silent Night, Holy Night.......

Yes, I love that song. A Christmas favorite. This weekend while practicing with the children at church for the short Christmas Program they presented on Sunday night, I really studied the words. First off, because there are some hard phrases for younger kids to sing....I'm talking about 5, 6, 7 and 8 year olds.....And even then the older kids from Sunday school may have had a hard time as well. And although it was just precious as they stood in front of the church and offered their voice in song, I doubt very seriously any of them on stage truly understood the meaning behind the words they belted out.

Which is another reason why I was really studying it. I love the phrases located within it, chosen to bring to life that very night, so long ago. Words like these....."Silent Night, Holy Night, Son of God, Love's pure light". Because isn't it the truth.....He is love's pure light.

Have you ever noticed a baby when their mother or father walks into a room....having stepped aside momentarily......what happens? At the first glimpse of their parent, their caregiver, the one who loves them more than anything in the world.....the child's face will automatically just "light" up! (Kind of like back in 1984 when you got that glo-worm for Christmas and you squeezed it!) :):) Seriously, You know what I'm talking about. You have seen it. I know many of you have experienced it firsthand. It is one of the most wonderful sights to see. The love a child holds.....pure love.....pure light in their eyes, showing this love.

That picture is what I have in my head as I read those words in Silent Night. The Savior's sweet face being all lit up.....in fact in one verse it even says..."radiant beams from thy holy face". Radiant beams, indeed.

He is the purest love we will ever know. The purest love we can ever even hope to know. And my prayer is that you know that love......"son of God, love's pure light".