Shades of Grey

I Just Realized...

2012-03-05T10:15:00.001-08:00

One year ago today I started blogging right here at Shades of Grey. This blog has meant so much to me. In those dark and lonely days of new mommyhood it gave me something to look forward to, it gave me a place to record all the highlights of Greyson's first year, it was a place to share victories, defeats and be transparent, it helped me launch Shades of Grey Photography and Blue Skies Grey Shop, it was a place to share my faith and my life. Thank you so much for reading along.

xoxoKtB

A Day in the Park

2012-03-05T09:47:00.001-08:00

A few days ago we went to the park to swing. We do this multiple times a week because Grey just screams in delight when he is swinging + there is a park a few blocks away + the weather has been exceptional this winter in Dallas. I brought my camera along to capture photo's for a friend but ended up getting a little "snap happy" while the kids were swinging, eh what can I say, Grey is darn cute.

My little baby is starting to look like a little boy more and more these days...

Juney-B usually accompanies Grey to the park. They have a great time swinging together...

June was rocking some pretty cute piggy tails that day...

Grey, in his happy place...

A plane mommy! Look a plane...

Grey is 13 months old now. I know! I can't believe it either. Time flies in some respects and in others it is just creeping along. Here are a few updates on Grey in case you care:

* Though he has taken a few steps sans walker, he still mostly crawls
* We are still breastfeeding 2x's a day and supplementing with Almond Milk
* He is still OBSESSED with hair, mostly mine
* He loves to eat fruit, bacon, sweet potato fries, baked beans and broccoli, almost everything else has to be mixed with applesauce + cinnamon for him to stomach it
* His first real word was "nana" for banana and he is also saying "ba" for ball
* He is taking one long nap about 2-3 hours long
* He hates church nursery but we still make him go
* He loves swinging, walking in the hall, elevator buttons spotting airplanes, watching big kids run around and be silly, and the song "Party Rock."
* He has a shy, cautious, and sweet personality. He is pretty chill unless he is being left at the church nursery or taken to the doctor, haha.

We love you more and more every day Grey-Grey!

xoxoMom

Carter is One

2012-02-29T09:54:00.001-08:00

I recently did a baseball themed shoot for 1 year old Carter. His 1st birthday was a baseball theme so it only seemed fitting. Throughout the shoot Carter was Mr. Serious, but his sweet parents were able to help me get a few smiles. From afar we must have looked crazy jumping around and making loud noises, but it was worth it!

Here are a few of my favorites from the shoot:

A little baseball cupcake action...

Rocking out on home plate... err where home plate should be...

...and Mr. Serious himself.

Happy belated Birthday Carter!!

To book a shoot email me at shadesofgreyskies@gmail.com

I would love to work with you!

Etsy Shop Grand Opening + Giveaway

2012-02-27T05:43:00.000-08:00

I am beyond excited to announce the GRAND opening of Grey Skies Blue on Etsy. As a fun treat for all my loyal blog readers I am offering a discount just for you {and who ever else you might send my way}. Just type GRANDOPENING10 in the coupon code box to receive 10% off your order this week only, through March 2, 2012.

All of my bows clips and headbands are made from high quality wool felt and hand stitched to perfection. While the bows are super sweet on babies and little ladies they are just as charming on grown up ladies as well {I wear one almost every day!}. Custom orders are available.

I am also offering some super fun gender reveal party pins and photobooth props. If you have a friend who is finding out the sex of their baby soon please tell them about GreySkiesBlue and send them my way!

I will be adding some new and different items soon {shoe clips and brooches}, and I will keep you up to date with all that is going on in the shop right here on the blog. I would love to count you as a new follower so you can stay up to speed with Grey Skies Blue.

And just to start things off right I am hosting a giveaway. Up for grabs is one bow headband or clip from the shop, free of charge and made with love especially for you.

How to win

:::You must be a public follower of this blog to enter:::

First Entry: Hop on over to Grey Skies Blue and then leave me a comment telling me what your favorite item is or give me a suggestion on a new product you would love to see in the future.

Additional Entry: Share this post or a link to the shop on Facebook and leave me an additional comment that you did so.

Additional Entry: Add Grey Skies Blue as one of your favorite shops on Etsy and leave me an additional comment that you did so.

:: GIVEAWAY DETAILS ::

a) Up to 3 entries per person.

b) The giveaway is open from monday, february 27 @ 8 a.m. CST until thursday March 1 @ 8 p.m. CST.

c) Using random.org, 1 lucky winner will be chosen on thursday, March 1 @ 8 p.m. CST and subsequently announced.

d) Open to contestants in the U.S only.
e) Please be sure to leave me an email where i can reach you if your account doesn't link to one. Thanks.

Your support and encouragement have meant the world to me. I am so thankful for all the kind words and volunteers who helped me get the shop up and running. Special thanks to my bff Shelby for totally rocking the logo, my husband for being excited and supportive, my mom for being an example of the entrepreneurial spirit and also a big thank you to Kailyn, Vandi, Kristina, and June for being awesome models!

Connecting in a New Way

2012-02-23T08:20:00.000-08:00

For years I have wanted to have daily time in the Word with my husband. But for most of our 5 years of marriage it has seemed to illude us. I would do my thing, he would do his...and sometimes neither of us would do much of anything. There is a long list of excuses as to why we failed, but none hold much water.

Recently though, I think we have found our groove and I wanted to share our solution in hopes that, if you have always struggled with this as well, it might be a solution for you too.

Adam and I aren't reading the same book or even studying the same subject, but what we have begun to do is when we sit down to spend time studying God's Word we pull up our email and journal our thoughts as we work through whatever we are studying/reading. Right now, I am reading the book of Galatians and working through my church's Lent Guide. Adam is working through some heavy reading on suffering. Once I am done with my quiet time, I hit send and it's delivered to Adam's inbox. He does the same.

Why it works for us:

1. We are both better able to express ourselves more deeply and thoughtfully through writing.

2. Because we are not studying the exact same topics we are able to learn more about two subjects, sharpening each other through our individual studies.

3. Email holds us accountable. If I forget to do my quiet time, but later in the day I receive an email from Adam, I am reminded to make time for the Lord. Also, I have not been perfectly consistent in emailing everyday since we began. Grey has been sick and I let taking extra care of him get in the way of setting time aside for the Lord. A quick email from Adam asking how my quiet time was going helped me get back on track.

4. It is convenient. We don't have to do our quiet times at the same time of day. We can get to it when we can and still connect and discuss what we are learning.

5. It cultivates a relationship full of grace. To read what your spouse is working through and struggling with gives you a better ability to give grace when grace is due.

5. It encourages deeper conversations. Many times our thoughts don't stay on the page. They make their way into our conversations. When we go on a date or sit down over dinner our conversations aren't always confined to small talk because we know what the other person is studying and struggling through.

Spending personal time in the Bible is so important to my relationship with God. How can I fully love Him if I don't know Him. Spending time in the Word with Adam via email and helps me know and love him better as well.

If you have been struggling with a consistent quiet time with your spouse, give this method a try and see if it works for you. If nothing else, I hope that this encourages you to be creative with how you connect with God and with your spouse.

xoxoKtB

Bows Before Hoes

2012-02-20T17:32:00.000-08:00

Ok. Sorry for the inappropriate title. I just had to. Forgive my immaturity.

I am running full steam ahead to open an Etsy shop in the coming weeks. I have been toying around with the idea for years now, but never really felt like I had the right concept. Well, I think I have it now. It energizes me to think about logos and shop names and lining up models for photo shoots. I am so excited to think about being able to contribute more towards our family's livelihood via handmade goodies.

My signature item will be a sweet bow. Here is a sneak peek:

The {small, medium, and large} bows will adorn headbands for babies, girls and ladies. The one above is a small infant sized headband. The bows will grace shoe clips to add sweetness to your heels or flats and will also be turned into broaches to add fun detail to your sweaters.

I was brainstorming shop names and "Bows before Hoes" was the first idea that came crashing out of my weirdo brain. After texting my awesome idea to a friend I received a text back saying "I've got bow's. In different area codes..." Yes. I have great friends.

Another idea that my mom came up with was this tagline "train up a child in the way she should bow, and when she is older she will not depart from it." Then she proceeded to message me pictures of my 3rd grade self wearing ginormous bows in my school pictures. Ya, I was that kid. And apparently I come by my corniness honestly. Unboweevable. <----wow. There is a never ending stream of really dumb bow jokes coming out of my brain right now.

All of that is to say that I will be rolling out my very own Etsy shop in the coming weeks and covet your support and encouragement. I have already received so much and I am very thankful for it. You girls {and guys} are really great.

Oh, and the REAL name of the shop is going to be Grey Skies Blue. I chose the name for two reasons 1) to keep it in the blog/photography family 2) because wearing the headbands makes me cheery.

Stay tuned for the GRAND OPENING!!
xoxoKtB

To pre-order email me at shadesofgreyskies@gmail.com

Our 4 Cents

2012-02-15T06:03:00.000-08:00

Valentines Day at the Bowman home is not about grandeur gestures that cost a pretty penny. It is about simple little gifts that take a little bit of thought and elbow grease. Adam loved me so well yesterday, as he does every day. He woke up early with a sick baby and let me sleep in... best gift ever. Then, after we cooked dinner together, he cleaned up the kitchen all by himself...now that is a practical display of love if I have ever seen one. After Grey was in bed we snuggled on the couch and battled at Scramble with Friends while watching Castle... ya, stay at home dates are our new normal post baby.

This year my gift for Adam was all about the milestones we have hit as a couple (I can't believe we are coming up on our 5th wedding anniversary soon!). I went through our penny jar and found four pennies. One from 2003 {the year we met}, 2006 {the year we started dating}, 2007 {the year we got married}, and 2011 {the year 2 became 3}.

I also made a photobooth strip over at photoboother with a picture from some of our milestones... dating, engagement, marriage, and parenthood.

I had picked up a tiny frame at the thrift store a few months back and was at a loss of what to do with it. It was gathering dust in our closet. I ran and snatched it out and painted it a lovely shade of pukey green, to match our living room. Then I cut white card stock to fit into the frame and dabbed a bead of hot glue on the back of each penny. Placed in a perfectly straight, chronological line they look pretty cool and are reminders of how blessed our lives together have been.

I love Adam so much for what happened in those milestone years. I love him just as much for the ways we have grown together in the in between years. He loves me so well. So there are our 4 cents.

xoxoKtB

Spreading V-day Cheer

2012-02-13T19:39:00.000-08:00

A few days ago I saw Elsie over at A Beautiful Mess make some adorable cake pops. After I saw her tutorial, I thought that I just might be able to pull them off. I followed her instructions, but found out a few little secrets of my own along the way {thanks to my friend Kori who was willing to come help me along in the process}. These babies are not exactly difficult to make, just time consuming. But oh my gaaash, are they yummy!

What you need:

Box Cake Mix

Tub of Icing {I used Betty Crocker vanilla icing}

Candy Melts {I used Wilton in pink}

Embellishments are optional

Step 1- Bake a box cake, any kind. I chose Red Velvet. 1 box of cake makes about 40 cake pops.

Step 2- Let cake cool completely then place in bowl with 3/4 tub of store bought icing.

Step 3- Mix together with clean hands... this step is super messy so beware.

Step 4- Form into small cake balls. Kori told me that mine were too large {insert "that's what she said joke here}. I ended up letting my cool in the freezer before pulling apart and reforming into smaller balls... get your mind out of the gutter.

Step 5- Place them in the fridge for 1 hour or the freezer for 30 minutes to cool. While they are cooling, place cake pop stick into an egg carton or Styrofoam cube to make the holes. It is much easier to make the holes before hand instead of trying to jam an already coated cake ball down into styrofoam. Also, go ahead and melt the Wilton Candy Melts {I got mine at Michael's}.

Step 6- After they are chilled, dip sticks in candy melts and then push them about 3/4 of the way into the cake ball. Place back into the freezer for a few minutes.

Step 7- Carefully swirl each pop in the candy melts, making sure not to hit the bottom of the bowl. Lightly tap the stick to make sure the coating is thin and not going to drip once you have the pops upright.

Step 8- Sprinkle with colored sugar or drizzle with extra candy melts. Let stand for about 30 minutes to harden.

Step 9- Eat and enjoy. Then give the rest away to friends and neighbors before you devour 40 cake pops all by yourself.

The best way to spread V-day cheer is making cake pops for those that are dear.

xoxoKtB

A Valentine's Day Short Story

2012-02-13T08:49:00.000-08:00

Based on a true story...

New Endeavors

2012-02-07T05:39:00.000-08:00

My friend Samantha is a writer and contributor to StartMarriageRight.org. She has a beautiful blog where she writes weekly on faith and life. She recently switched over to the "Standard Theme" on Wordpress, no small job I gather, which gave her little corner of the internet a clean and modern look.

A few weeks ago, she asked if I would design a header that reflected the new look... which is what prompted me to change mine, I needed to find out what I could and could not do. She had a vision, but I wasn't sure I could make it happen. I am kind of a photoshop noob. I told her that.

But Samantha believed in me... which was such a great feeling. She pushed me to try something I probably never would have tried on my own. Her new look launched last night. Go check it out!!

Here's to friends that sharpen not only my faith, but my skill set as well.

xoxoKtB

Will You {Make} My Valentine

2012-02-06T13:37:00.000-08:00

There is a lot about Valentines day that I don't love. But what I do enjoy is that it is a built in time I can count on every year that reminds me to tell the people I cherish the most just how much I love them.

I have been working on some handmade Valentines Day cards this past week. I got 5 done before my sewing machine roundhouse kicked me in the face. I retaliated by shoving it back in it's hiding place and resolving not to let it see the light of day for at least a month.

Despite my lack of sewing skills, these are so so easy to make. If you like the idea of being crafty and making homemade Valentines, but in reality you have never actually made anything you have pinned on Pinterest...ever, then these are right up your alley. Just cut out a heart from pretty paper (I used an old Paper Source calendar for scraps), place it on cardstock and sew a straight line in a contrasting color of thread right down the middle. Fold each side of the heart up a little bit to give it a little dimension.

As you can see I cut out hearts of varying sizes. I like the idea that each one is individual. Perfect in their imperfections. They are nothing fancy, just a little something special to tell friends that I love them.

Since the card stock is not a uniform size there is the dilemma of finding envelopes that they will fit nicely into. Good thing I have a gem of a bff in Shelby, who taught me how to make envelopes out of magazine pages. She can teach you too here.

Happy {almost} Valentines Day. You are loved.
xoxoKtB

Frameworthy + Camera Settings

2012-02-02T13:43:00.000-08:00

Whats that I hear? You want to see an obnoxious amount of pictures of Greyson coloring for the very first time?! Well then, you are in luck my friends, because I have just that!

And because I am nice like that, I thought I would include some settings...

these were all taken at ISO 300 1/60 f1.8 and processed with florabella's classic workflow actions, specifically "classic bright" + "modern color" + "ivory boost" (at 50%) + "peach haze" (at 30%)

deciding whether or not they are for fun or food...

getting his scribble on...

Maybe they are for food...

he is a conservative color-er... it's all about the blank space, it's what's in between the scribbles that really speaks to him.

Look mom, I can color without looking!

I'm impressed Grey. Really I am.
Now his picture is in a place of honor: outside our front door for all to see.
Until next time,

xoxoKtB

A Little Quiet Around Here

2012-02-01T18:22:00.000-08:00

It's been a little quiet around the blog lately, which stands in stark contrast to the constant drone of Greyson's poor sad whine which often turns into a full on sob. Poor baby is the sickest he has ever been. This is what's been going on at our house the last few days:

Lots of alligator tears.

Tons of snuggles...poor baby, but I was loving every minute of it.

Falling asleep at random places and times. I had a meeting at work and he crawled up on my lap and fell asleep while we talked marketing strategies. Totally not normal for him.

Sleeping after sleeping. This was today. He had just taken a 2 hour nap. We always head out to the couch to snuggle until he wakes up fully, but he just fell right back to sleep.

Yesterday and today have been some of my most trying days as a mom. It is hard to watch your baby fight a virus. It is really hard to listen to whining ALL day without losing your mind. It's hard to tell him no, he can't play with the kids in the hall and the courtyard because he is sick, when he has no idea why I am keeping him quarantined. As much as I love the extra snuggles, I am ready for Grey's immune system to kick this virus in the butt.

Hope your house is in a cheerier mood than mine is!
xoxoKtB

Blank Wall Woes

2012-01-27T18:18:00.000-08:00

Ugh. I hate blank walls. Basically every last inch of my living space has nail hole after nail hole. I put things up. I take them down. I switch things around. I do the hokey pokey and I turn myself around...

Right now there is a blank space in my living room. It is bugging the bajeebies out of me. I want it to go away, but I feel confused as to what to put there. I want a place to display cute art, photos, and a shadow box full of Adam's grandmother's jewelry. I want to bring a little rustic into our living room. I need it to cost little to no money.

Where do you go when you are in such a bind? Pinterest of course.
Here are a few options that are tickling my fancy:

Option 1- "Book Shelves" The good thing about going with this option is that I already have some pretty rad vintage Nancy Drew books that I could use. The bad thing about this option is that I don't see the shadow box fitting onto a shelf. It's a little too large and in charge.

{source}

Option 2- Paint Chippy "Window Box." Pros would be that it would hold all of the lovelies that I want to display. The con would be actually being able to find a window to use and then the handiwork it would take to turn the window into a display case...kinda seems like a lot of work to me. Not to mention hanging it on our "do not make large holes in our wall" apartment.

{source}

Option 3- Shutter Clutter. I totally dig the pic on the right. Clothes pins are cheap and I am pretty sure I can salvage an old shutter from any number of rummage sales in my area. It would be a fun way to display all the free printables I have pinned and a few photos as well.

{source}

Option 4- Pallet Gallery Shelving. The cool thing about this option is that my father in law works at a place where they discard pallets on the daily, so I could walk away with some free lumber. It would also display all my pretties quite nicely. The only con would be that I would need Adam's help sawing the pallet, and my hubs works full time and goes to school full time and has a 1 year old... needless to say he has little time for my honey-do list. Maybe I will work up the gumption to saw these myself... Girl Power!

{source}

Sugarfoot! This was supposed to help me...not confuse me more. A little help please.

xoxoKtB

P.S. I am starting a campaign to actually write what you are pinning when you pin it. You know, get a little descriptive. Enough with labeling pins "oh cute!" and "clever!" Those words are not descriptive and do not help me when I am searching Pinterest for say "gallery shelving." So stop it. Stop it right now. And start taking 2 seconds to actually explain what you are pinning. Thank you kindly.

He Knit Me

2012-01-26T10:03:00.000-08:00

At church on Sunday, Matt Chandler spoke on the sanctity of life. It was the best sermon on the topic that I have ever heard. I listened intently to every word, but three words stood out to me and have been stuck in my brain ever since. "He knit me."

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. Ps 139:13

You hear that verse every time the topic of the sanctity of life is brought up, but the Holy Spirit has a way of using Matt to bring fresh eyes to what has become a {sadly} mundane portion of Scripture. Matt made the point that when you knit, you knit with a purpose, an end in mind. You don't just sit down with yarn and a knitting needle and say "Wow I just made a sweater!" You need a plan, a pattern. Making a sweater is a deliberate act. I started to think about how God made me, why did He do what He did?

He deliberately made me loud. He knit me to that end.
He deliberately made me passionate. He knit me to that end.
He deliberately made me love people. He knit me to that end.
He deliberately made me creative. He knit me to that end.

I have started to look at the people around me with fresh eyes too. My friends son, is the most chill baby I have ever been around. When he was a newborn, he would just lay and coo. Needless to say I was a little jealous. Grey was never ok with being left to lay on the floor by himself. This little boy will go to anyone, anytime. He is such a cuddly baby. A few months ago there was a huge shift in his parents lives. They went through some tough stuff. It was sudden and it was hard. This little baby had to be away from his mom and dad for a few weeks, things got a little chaotic. But God knit him, in a very special way, to be just fine adjusting to new people, places and circumstances with great ease.

I have lived many days of my life wanting to be knit like someone else. If only I was more organized, prettier, funnier, pensive. But I am not those things, and that should be ok.

I am loud, and I use my voice to speak to teenagers about purity.
I am passionate, and God has directed my passions to Himself.
I love people, and God has called me into ministry.
I am creative, and I am able to stay home with my baby because of it.

He knit me.
He knit you too.

When I look at other people, I keep thinking about how God knit them, tiny and fragile as they were, with a purpose. They are who they are because they were carefully and painstakingly knit together in the darkness of their mother's womb by an all knowing God who had their very best at the forefront of His mind.

Sin has rotted much of the good that was knit into us, but God is in the business of redeeming the rotten, weak, broken, hurt, and enslaved. No one is too far gone. Not one person is not worth fighting for. He knit them too.

I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well. Ps. 139:14

God, wash this truth over me. Help me to see people as you see them: Fearfully and wonderfully made.

xoxoKtB

Grey's First Birthday in a Nutshell

2012-01-23T08:25:00.000-08:00

Remember this mood board from a few posts ago? Well it came to life on Saturday!! Grey's party was so fun. My only regret is that I didn't get more photos of the big picture, like full tables and the entire room. I was super rushed setting up. I had one hour. So my time was spent making sure the popcorn machine was plugged in and arranging paper airplanes and balloons, not snapping photos. Oh well... When I look back in 20 years I will have the classic cake shots, so that's all that really matters.

Here are a few closeups of the details:

The photobooth was so fun!! We laughed so hard taking these. The kiddos were less than cooperative and a few props got eaten, but that just added to the fun :) Here are some memorable shots:

And of course the birthday boy himself enjoying his dairy free cupcake!!

Here is what went down:

We started off by dedicating our little boy to the Lord...

There was lots of playing and carrying on...

popcorn with fun flavorings...

chit chat chit chat...

and lots of presents to open...

We had so much fun celebrating our little boy! Thank you to all who celebrated with us. To family and friends in Ohio, Florida, Virginia, Pennsylvania and Georgia we missed you dearly. You know who you are!!

xoxoKtB

Precious Cargo

2012-01-18T04:16:00.000-08:00

"Making the decision to have a child is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your

heart go walking around outside your body."

Elizabeth Stone

Today Greyson turns 1 year old. This past year I have often felt that the line between a mom and her baby is rather thin. Many times I feel like Grey is just an extension of myself. When he is hungry, it is my sole goal and delight to sustain him from my very own body. When he is tired, it is my joy to rock him, to feel him go limp in my arms as a twirls my hair. His tears make my stomach turn and my eyes misty. When he is having fun and screaming in pure joy, I am totally wrapped up in his smile. Taking care of him is as if I am taking care of myself.

This first year of his life has been a journey. Parenthood has changed me. But it's not all about me. Grey is growing into a sweet and sensitive little boy. When he sees Adam and I cuddling he inserts himself right in the middle of our love fest. When we pucker our lips he leans in and gives us slobbery, wet, open mouth kisses. When an upbeat song is playing he flails his arms around as he does his signature dance moves. He has gone from being a helpless little baby to a mobile toddler. His mind is developing by leaps and bounds everyday and it is so fun to watch.

As we prepare to dedicate our little boy to the Lord on Saturday {an outward celebration of a decision we made 1 year and 9 months ago} I cannot help but make my prayers more fervent for him. My prayer is not for success, smarts, or wealth, but that he would love the Lord fully.

A Prayer for Greyson

I pray that you would know the Lord at a young age

and walk with Him your whole life.

That love would shape you.

That you would be called a friend of God.

Curious and strong, not rebellious.

Sweet and gentle, not weak.

Full of faith, wisdom and humility.

A lover of truth and justice.

A good listener and full of integrity like your Dad.

Bold and passionate like your mom.

Enraptured by God's Word, a student of it for life.

As a boy, kind and compassionate to your peers.

As a young man, a servant, generous with your time and talents.

As a man, pure and respectful.

As a husband, a strong leader, provider, and gentle companion.

As a dad, an approachable leader and fun loving playmate .

As an old man, full of wisdom and discernment.

May your life be lived to His Glory.

Happy Birthday Greyson!! You are our most precious cargo on life's journey. We love you with as much love as our hearts can hold, bursting to their seems and spilling over!

xoxo mom for dad too

A Swinging Pendulum

2012-01-17T07:14:00.000-08:00

I'm sure you have seen it. The video of a guy reciting a poem called Why I Hate Religion, but Love Jesus. If not then here it is:

This video has gone viral, and I have seen it on a number of my friends Facebook walls. When I watched it, I resonated with much of his diatribe against self-righteousness. But a still small voice inside of me told me not go all the way with him. Yes, Jesus is far greater than religion, but are they complete opposites as the poem suggests? I guess it depends on how you define "religion." Do you define it as the poem seems to: self-righteousness. Or do you define it as Webster "a specific fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by a number of persons."

It seems to me that young Evangelicals are jumping on the "I hate religion" bandwagon all too quickly. Leaving in their wake a trail of traditions, rules and regulations. Some of the these things should be left in the dust, but others might deserve more careful consideration. Is the baby getting thrown out with the bath water?

I will admit that I have recoiled when someone has referred to me as religious. I retort quickly with a well rehearsed "I am not religious, I have a RELATIONSHIP." The word religion has baggage. But is Jesus really the opposite of religion?

1 Timothy 5:4 says: But if a widow has children or grandchildren, these should learn first of all to put their religion into practice by caring for their own family and so repaying their parents and grandparents, for this is pleasing to God.

James 1:26-27 reads: Those who consider themselves religious and yet do not keep a tight rein on their tongues deceive themselves, and their religion is worthless. Religion that God our Father accepts as pure and faultless is this: to look after orphans and widows in their distress and to keep oneself from being polluted by the world.

These verses seem to suggest that the word "religion" in and of itself is not to be hated. There is a religion that is "pleasing to God," religion that He "accepts." This religion is free from the self-righteousness that the above peom rightly rails against, but it is religion non-the-less.

This post is not intended to be a polemic against this well written poem that has much truth and passion contained in it's words. After many of it's lines I wanted to yell "AMEN!" Instead it is an invitation to think, fighting against the pull of the swinging pendulum. Think about what it would mean to completely forsake religious tradition, the teachings of the church fathers, creeds and hymns. What would it look like to walk away from the "fundamental set of beliefs and practices generally agreed upon by" greater Christianity. I believe it would leave us open and vulnerable to careless self-interpretation and a rationalization of sin. Think about it.

xoxoKtB

Photobooth Printables Roundup

2012-01-11T12:16:00.000-08:00

I have been working feverishly for Grey's little shindig. One thing I am looking so forward to is the photobooth. These are all the rage for parties, wedding and other events these days and I can see why, they are just plain fun. I already had a few mustaches DIY'd as photo props, but wanted to beef my props collection it up for the par-tay. I found a bunch of free printable props and wanted to pass my finds off to you. Maybe you can get some mileage out of these as well!

Funky Photobooth Props from The Pretty Blog

Fun Glasses Printables from Oh Happy Day

Hats and Specs Free Printable from Oh Happy Day

Staches and Lips from Catch My Party

Print these babies on card stock, attach them to a dowel rod {I found mine at Michael's but any craft store will have them} and have a blast at your next party!!

Until next time,

xoxoKtB

Basics of Manual Mode Photography Workshop: Second Edition

2012-01-11T06:44:00.000-08:00

Do you have a digital SLR camera that you don't really know how to use? Maybe you stick with the automatic modes on your camera but long for the creativity that comes along with getting out of that box and being in control of your own exposure? Do you think the best mode to shoot babies is the one with the little kids face on it or motion is best captured by the running man? Does the thought of learning about your camera by reading the entire owner's manual make you throw up in your mouth? If any of these things describe you, keep reading!!

Recently, quite a few people have been asking me for advice on how to take a better photograph. This is more than a five minute conversation. I am still learning a lot myself, I think photography is one of those crafts you will never perfect. It is ever evolving. But, I have learned that I love helping others make their photographs just a little bit better. It really is EASY to improve your pictures once you learn the BASICS.

So join me February 5th and stop using your expensive dSLR camera like a point and shoot!

Basics of Photography Workshop- Saturday February 25th, 2012

-Learn the basics of shooting in Manual Mode using natural light-

We will focus on the three main aspects of manual mode: ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed

Location: Downtown Dallas

{The address will be emailed to those who enroll}

Time: 3pm

Length: 2 hours

{2 hour informal "class" with an optional half and hour afterwards to practice shooting and ask more questions.}

Price: $30 per person
{Refer a friend and get $10 off, refer two friends and get $15 off}

The first 10 people to email me will get into this session.

To enroll email me at katieabowman@gmail.com

Hope to see you there!!

Time Flies When You're Turning One

2012-01-05T19:12:00.001-08:00

Theme: Time Flies When You're Turning One
I chose this theme as a tribute to all the older mom's that told me to "cherish every moment." They annoyed me when Grey was a newborn, but looking back time really does fly. They were right! Who knew? Apparently they did.

1. Serve bottled soda's and juice boxes out of a vintage suitcase

2. Paper airplanes made out of maps hung on the strings of balloons over the food table

3. Bunting, bunting, bunting

4. Grey's monthly photos displayed in glass jars

5. Red biplane cupcake toppers from this etsy shop {my only splurge}

6. Paper fan photobooth backdrop

7. Photobooth sign and props

8. Cookies as favors- either plane or cloud shaped

Light snacks will be served:

Dairy Free Cupcakes
Sorbet
Popcorn with fun flavoring salts and sugars
Bottled Sodas
Juice Boxes

I'm a bit overwhelmed, but super excited. My budget is basically zero, so I will do my best to keep it as close to that as possible :) I sure do wish that the birthdays of the two boys I love the most were just a bit further away from Christmas. It makes for some quick planning!

Can't wait to show you how it all turns out.
xoxoKtB

The 11th Month: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

2012-01-05T13:57:00.000-08:00

Hello 11 months!

In the picture above he was running straight for me screaming with joy.

He makes my heart so happy.

Let's review...

I am so glad I stuck with his monthly pictures. Next up, his 1 year old portrait. Tear.

The Good:

He is so FUN! He loves pushing his "car" around. He is so close to walking it's not even funny. Any day now. I love that he is fully aware of the world. This picture was taken when he spotted an airplane. A squeal followed. Love.

His hair is so awesome. I love it. Every last strand of it. Sadly, he will be getting his first hair cut before his birthday, its starting to get in his eyes and hang over his ears.

He is saying "momma" and "dadda" more consistently and talking so so much! I love his little voice and his growl laugh. He started eating table food... right after we bought a huge amount of baby food. Lol. Oh well, I am glad his texture issues are almost a thing of the past.

Gah, his cuteness kills me.

The Bad:

Sitting. up. in. bed. AHHH! He has been sitting up in bed and I don't think he can really figure out how to lay back down/he doesn't want to lay back down. He lays down all the time during the day so I know he knows how, but he might forget when he is half asleep... or maybe he is just being defiant about going to sleep. Whichever it is it is really frustrating... here he is completely asleep sitting straight up. No joke.

Last night, though, he slept through the night without sitting up... let's hope it's a trend!

The Ugly:

Christmas "vacation" was kind of a bear. He was in a strange place and never really warmed up before we had to leave. He ended up sleeping in bed with Adam and I and it was hard for us to do anything because if we walked away from him he got nervous and started crying. I LOVE that he is attached to us and has a healthy bond with his mom and dad, but over the next few months I will be more diligent about play dates at new places and getting him used to new faces.

The good FAR outweighs the bad. Every month, we fall more in love with our little boy. We can't wait to celebrate his first year of life in a few weeks. I will post a birthday party mood board soon. Until then,

xoxoKtB

The Horse Whisperer

2012-01-04T13:55:00.000-08:00

My sister and I are opposites in almost every way. I am deathly afraid of almost every animal. Yes, even puppies. I don't know why. I just am. Adam vows to get a dog for our family and help me get over my fear. My sister on the other hand is a legitimate horse whisperer. She can train horses that no one else can break. She has a giant, GIANT, dog aptly named Junior that sleeps in her bed at night. Every time I am home I overhear her begging our mom for some other animal.

One thing that Jessie and I do share is a love for photography, so it has been fun to get to spend time together taking pictures and editing. Jessie has done modeling for various department stores so she is comfortable in front of the camera, which made my job super easy. While I was home for Christmas we headed out to the horse farm where she rides and I snapped a few pictures of her in her element.

Shout out to my mom for assisting me with Jessie's and Ligia and Brandon's shoots. Your eye was great, I wish you could help me at every shoot!!

To book a session email me at katieabowman@gmail.com for pricing and availability.

xoxoKtB

God Will Give You More Than You Can Handle

2011-12-31T19:23:00.000-08:00

{source}

Pinterest is a place where you never know what you will stumble upon. After I was told about some drama surrounding a pin of a lovely print that read "God Won't Give You More Than You Can Handle" I went to see what all the fuss was about. There was an atheist arguing the absurdity of this claim and an all out comment war ensued to defend his attack on Christianity. The atheist referenced the girl sexually abused, the child dying of cancer, the people enslaved around the world...could they handle that? He argued no. After initially being annoyed by his comments, I started to really evaluate the validity of the saying.

The saying is biblical right? I have heard it thrown around so much that it must be a verse or something. I went to my Bible to find out. I turned to 1 Cor 10:13 to find these words:

No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.

{emphasis mine}

Hmmm... Sounds a bit different than the saying. The word "temptation" seemed to narrow it's broad sweeping claims. John MacArthur comments on the verse saying, "No believer can claim that he was overwhelmed by temptation... No one, not even Satan, can make us sin."

Maybe this atheist was right. Not his entire worldview, but his stance on this particular Christian cliche. I thought about the stories that fill the Bible which recount stories of people that were taken seemingly beyond what they could handle. Jonah could not handle going to Nineveh, Joseph could not handle being engaged to a girl who claimed to be pregnant by the Holy Spirit, Paul could not handle persecution and the thorn in his flesh. Just read Paul's own words in 2 Corinthians 1:8-9:

We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. {emphasis mine}

As I think about the people around me going through hard stuff and the stories that fill the Bible of people in difficult situations it seems that it is God's practice is to take people beyond what they can handle. He does this so that we learn to rely on Him. Like a good Father, He seeks to stretch us to new and deeper levels of holiness.

I asked the Lord three times about this {Paul's thorn in the flesh}, that it would depart from me, "My grace is enough for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." So then, I will boast most gladly about my weaknesses so that the power of Christ may reside in me.

I Corinthians 12:8-9

As I thought about the saying in light of Paul's words, I realized that maybe it should read a little bit differently, "God will not give you more than He can handle" so our boasting might be in Him alone.

Reading the saying this way gives me great comfort. It takes the pressure off of me and lays it at His feet. As we start 2012, we don't have to worry about what lies ahead. We don't even have to worry about if we can stand up under the stress that presses in on us daily. His yoke is easy and his burden is light. Let Him carry it for you. He will not give you more than He can handle.

Happy New Year!
xoxoKtB

Baby Lee

2011-12-30T19:22:00.000-08:00

One thing is for sure: If Baby Lee is anything like her momma then she will love to laugh and love to dance.

Ligia is one of my best friends in the whole world. We have know each other since Middle School. We went through our awkward stages together. We have weird inside jokes. We both love art, laughing until our stomachs hurt, and acting silly. Basically, we are soul sisters.

I insisted that I would take her and her husband Brandon's maternity photos. I love how the session turned out. There is just something amazing about maternity shoots. The joy, the anticipation it all makes for beautiful photos...though it helps when you have good looking people to photograph! Here are some of my favorites:

Come quickly Baby Lee! I can't wait to squeeze your cheeks!!

Florida readers: I am available this summer for sessions. If you would like to book a summer session email me at katieabowman@gmail.com

Dallas readers: I am always available for you!! I would love to work with you. Email me at katieabowman@gmail.com for pricing and availability.

The Great Photo Dump Continues: Melissa's Family

2011-12-29T21:04:00.000-08:00

My friend Melissa asked me to capture a few photos of her family while they were all gathered together for a pre-Christmas celebration. I was happy to oblige. Her parents are so stinkin sweet {and adorable} and her family was a joy to work with. The kids were just AWESOME little posers and smilers which made my work a LOT easier. Here are a few of my favorites for my time with this sweet family:

Homemade Resee's

2011-12-29T12:56:00.000-08:00

Ok, so I lied. I said my next few posts would be all about recent photo sessions, but this one is all about the beautiful marriage that is peanut butter and chocolate. I could not keep this recipe to myself. It would be unethical.

Birthdays are kind of a big deal in our house. Yesterday was Adam's birthday. Last year I made him this Cheesecake {cheesecake is capitalized out of respect}. It was a labor of love and chock full o Reese's Cups. Yum-o.

Adam and I are both peanut butter and chocolate people. So this year I decided for his birthday treat I would try my hand at some homemade Resee's "Cups." Mine were so much cups as bars... but boy were they delightful. I kind of mixed together a few recipes I found via Pinterest and allrecipes to come up with this:

Here is how it went down:

2 12oz bags of milk chocolate chips

2 cups confectioners sugar

1 16 oz jar creamy peanut butter

1tsp vanilla

Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil. Melt one bag of chocolate chips in the microwave. Once melted pour into a thin layer on the baking sheet. Place in freezer for about 15 minutes.

While the bottom layer is freezing, whip together the peanut butter, sugar, and vanilla until smooth and creamy. Spread over hardened layer of chocolate. Freeze for 15 minutes.

Melt the second bag of chocolate and spread over peanut butter mixture. Freeze for 15 minutes or until hardened.

Cut or break apart and Enjoy!

Yes, they are as good as they look. Stop drooling on your keyboard and go make some for yourself... you only have a few more days until you have to implement that new strict diet you are resolving to stick to once January first roles around... so chop chop!

Enjoy!
xoxoKtB

The Great Photo Dump of 2011: Families

2011-12-29T08:05:00.000-08:00

Hey Yal!! Hope you all had a very Merry Christmas. For those of you that read this blog for things other than photography... sorry. My next few posts will be from all the sessions I have been busy working on the past few months.

November and December were busy months for Shades of Grey Photography! I am still working on editing three sessions {1 family, 1 maternity, & 1 senior} so more photos fun photos will be posted soon, but here are a couple of family shoots to get us started...

First up, The Deathrages

They were a fun and LIVELY group and I love that the photos reflect that. Thanks for letting me capture your family!!

Next up: The Marineau's

The thought of trying to capture two toddler twins {and boys no less} frightened me! But the boys were great and oh so adorable. Here are some captured moments from their shoot:

1 hour sessions start at $75 for families of 5 or less. This includes a CD with 5 photos from the shoot. Additional photos can be purchased. Professional printing is available.

To book a session email me at katieabowman@gmail.com for more details and availability.

xoxoKtB

My Favorite Christmas Carol

2011-12-22T11:24:00.000-08:00

In my opinion the most beautiful Christmas Carol is "I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day." The words are rich, the melody haunting. It was originally a poem written by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow on Christmas day during the Civil War that was later set to music. Longfellow's son had been severely wounded in the fighting and his wife had recently and tragically passed away. His world and his country were in turmoil when he penned these words:

I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day
Their old familiar carols play,
And wild and sweet the words repeat
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

I thought how, as the day had come,
The belfries of all Christendom
Had rolled along the unbroken song
Of peace on earth, good will to men.

And in despair I bowed my head:
"There is no peace on earth," I said,
"For hate is strong and mocks the song
Of peace on earth, good will to men."

Then pealed the bells more loud and deep:
"God is not dead, nor doth he sleep;
The wrong shall fail, the right prevail,
With peace on earth, good will to men."

Till, ringing singing, on its way,
The world revolved from night to day,
A voice, a chime, a chant sublime,
Of peace on earth, good will to men!

I hope this sweet carol finds you joyful as you celebrate Christmas with your families. Merry Christmas from my family to yours.

xoxoKtB

12 Christmas Traditions

2011-12-21T22:26:00.000-08:00

Yes. I would consider myself sappy. Maybe that is why I am so into traditions. Little ways that our family can celebrate Christmas each year and create sweet memories for years to come. These are some traditions I hope to establish for our little family. These traditions serve to refocus Christmas on Christ as well as foster love, joy and closeness within our family.

1. The White Stocking- Jesus' stocking. Every Christmas we write on a slip of paper what we want to give Jesus in the coming year (attitudes, habits, hangups, devotional time, acts of service). When we pull the stocking out the next Christmas we talk about how we did in giving that specific thing over and what we want to give over for the next year.

2. Advent Calendar- Crafting an Advent Calendar each year with an activity (an outing, a service project, etc) or gift for each day that will help prepare our hearts for Christmas. There are so many creative ways to set up an advent calendar. Here are some of my favs from Pinterest:

source

3. Christmas Slumber Party- One night the week before Christmas we will roll out the sleeping bags, make a fort and camp out by the tree.

4. Gingerbread Nativity- Instead of gingerbread houses, why not make a nativity?! I'm not sure how I feel about eating it afterwards... but it would be a fun project to keep on display throughout the season. This would likely be of the activities in the Advent Calendar.

source

5. Christmas Lights-Bundling up, driving to a neighborhood with awesome lights, jumping in the back of Adam's truck and blasting Christmas music while we look at lights.

6. Christmas Family Movie Night- Elf was Adam and I's first movie. We went together to see it at the theatre in 2004, years before we started dating. It is a must see every year at the Bowman house. Hot chocolate, popcorn and other Christmas treats will be involved too, of course!

7. Opening our Christmas morning pajamas on Christmas Eve.

8. The Christmas Story-After opening our one Christmas Eve gift, we will sit down and read the Christmas story so that as we lay our heads down to sleep on Christmas Eve our hearts are full of the joy found in the real Christmas story. The story can lose some of it's magic because we hear it so often, it would be fun when our kids are older to act out the story kind of like this:

9. Donuts for breakfast Christmas morning- I asked Adam what traditions he hoped to carry on from his childhood. He said donuts. His mom makes sugar donuts every Christmas morning. Adam can down a dozen. I think I can indulge his request.

10. Giving- Whether it's Angel Tree or a Christmas shoebox, I want to make sure we give generously every year. I would love to give each of our children a small amount of cash for Christmas each year and let them decide where/who they would like to give it away to.

11. Ornaments- This year I made Grey's special ornament because he is obviously incapable of craftiness quite yet, but in the years to come I hope to fill our tree with his {and our future children's} homemade ornaments, one special one for each year.

12. 4 gifts- A gift you want. A gift you need. A gift to wear. A gift to read. Consumerism is out of control. I want to try to stick with 4 gifts for our kids that fall into each of those categories. That's it. That's all.

What Christmas Traditions do you have in your family? What ways do you try to keep Christ the center of Christmas? How do you hope your kids will remember their childhood Christmases?

Merry Christmas Y'all!
xoxoKtB

Carol, Hay Bales, and a Country Road

2011-12-18T18:06:00.001-08:00

My friend Carol ~~abandoned me~~ moved away from Dallas to a small country town about half an hour away. When we went out to their home to have dinner with them recently, we had an impromtu maternity shoot. Carol is expecting her second baby, a girl this time, and maternity shoots are my ultimate fav! No little kids to wrangle. Just me and a momma {and maybe a dad} and a fun belly to showcase.

We totally trespassed, and in TX that is a scary thing to do, and found ourselves a field, some hay, and some horses. It was totally worth it. Check out how gorgeous this girl and her baby bump are:

I can't wait to me meet baby girl Layton!! Come quickly little one.

If you would like to schedule a shoot contact me at katieabowman@gmail.com

xoxoKtB

Christmas Card Mini Session: Yeehaw

2011-12-15T18:15:00.000-08:00

I've been busy with Christmas Card mini sessions, but since everyone is using the photos for their Christmas cards I have not been permitted to post the photos. Now that all of my in-laws cards have been sent out, I am free to post away!!

When we went to go take our Christmas pictures, I needed a button pusher once my camera was set up on the tripod. Adam's mom graciously offered to help us out. Since they were going anyways, they decided to join in on the fun and take their Christmas card pic as well. They settled on the one above, so I added text and voila! An adorable Christmas greeting!

The other photographs I snapped of them turned out adorable as well, here are a few:

Thank you Lin and Maribeth for letting me snap snap snap away!! We have LOVED having you in Dallas with us!!

There is little I enjoy more than photography. What a blessing it has been for our family this year, and the bonus is that I love every minute of it! Looking forward to all that lies ahead for Shades of Grey in 2012...all to His glory.

xoxoKtB

Christmas Cheer from Dallas

2011-12-11T19:29:00.001-08:00

Most all of our Christmas cards have been received so it's time to send out our greeting to you too! Merry Christmas from the Bowman's!!

I just LOVED the venue for this year's Christmas card. It was Trammel Crow Park in Dallas... amazing views of the skyline for sure! Here are some runner's up from our little shoot. It was hard to pick a photo for this years card, but Grey's face in the one above sealed the deal. Pardon them all being from the same angle... I had a tripod set up so I could take my own photos.

I love this one. Grey looking at Adam. Adam looking at Grey. Could my heart get any fuller?

Canvas PLEASE!

Coming soon... The In-Laws :) Once they get all their Christmas cards out I have permission to post... and oh my goodness are they cute!!

I am booking mini sessions through December.

30-45 minute shoot

5-7 photos to print or post

$50*

*And fair warning prices are jumping up a tad after the New Year

contact me at katieabowman@gmail.com to set up your session

The In Between

2011-12-11T13:41:00.001-08:00

Elisha and the Widow's Oil

And Elisha said to her, "What shall I do for you? Tell me; what have you in the house?"

And she said, "Your servant has nothing in the house except a jar of oil."

Then he said, "Go outside, borrow vessels from all your neighbors, empty vessels and not too few.

Then go in and shut the door behind yourself and your sons and pour into all these vessels.

And when one is full, set it aside." So she went from him and shut the door behind herself and her sons.

And as she poured they brought the vessels to her. When the vessels were full, she said to her son,

"Bring me another vessel." And he said to her, "There is not another." Then the oil stopped flowing.

She came and told the man of God, and he said, "Go, sell the oil and pay your debts,

and you and your sons can live on the rest."

2 Kings 4:2-7

The Bible is full of stories about God stepping into the mortal realm and doing the miraculous: parting the sea, the walls of Jericho tumbling down, Daniel spared in the lion's den. Often times, though, there were hundreds of years in between the miraculous stories of the Bible. So what about the people that lived in the "in between?" Those people's stories may not have been included in Scripture, but does that mean that God was not at work in their lives?

My husband is in Grad School getting his Masters in Theology, a degree that we feel very strongly that God has called him to pursue, but one that does not promise a hefty salary once we are finished with schooling. In light of that, we decided not to rely on loans and increase our school debt but to trust God to provide through our jobs and other avenues to pay tuition each semester. Until recently, when I decided to stay home with our 10 month old, the funds have been relatively easy to come by.

When I decided to scale back speaking to just 3-5 days each month we knew that our budget would be tight, but I felt like sacrifice was worth the reward. After praying about the decision I felt strongly that being at home with our baby was God's best for our family. Through that decision we have been able to experience the sweetness of God. He graciously provided a few unexpected avenues for income. Adam continues to work full time and pursue his degree full time as well. Each month, we never have much left over but we always have enough. God is so very good.

As this semester's tuition deadline approached, I felt a pit growing in my stomach.

Lord, how are we going to afford school this semester? We don't have enough!

If worse comes to worse, we could always take out a small student loan, I thought to myself. I doubted that God would come through, so I started making back up plans. God doesn't need a back up plan.

The deadline has come and gone and we were able to pay almost our entire school bill upfront which means we will have manageable monthly payments. I look back on where the money came from and there is no great story. No money showed up in our mailbox for the exact amount we owed. No one slipped us a check to cover our school bill. Instead, I believe, that God honored my husbands hard work, his generosity, and our decision to trust God in staying home with Greyson.

When I heard how much we were able to put towards tuition my mind immediately went to the story of Elisha and the Widow's Oil {above}. It was almost as if the we kept pouring out the oil but the vessel was not draining. God is so very good.

In the end, this month is very much the same as the months before it. We don't have much left over but we have enough. God is so very good.

As we live our lives in the "in between" eagerly awaiting Christ's return, we may not experience miracles of Biblical proportions, but we can still experience the goodness of God.

This Christmas, I invite you to reflect on the simple, even commonplace, ways that God has provided for your family. He is so very good.

Sometimes He comes through in big ways and other times He makes what you have enough.

xoxoKtB

P.S. Just a reminder that the giveaway is still going on. Maybe you will see a small miracle in your life and you will win... i kid i kid. But seriously, go enter!!

Last Night & a GIVEAWAY: CLOSED

2011-12-09T09:19:00.001-08:00

AND THE WINNER IS: #8 SUZANNE!!

Congrats Suzanne. I will be in touch with you to give you your winnings!!

Last night I had the opportunity to participate in a Cooking and Crafting Christmas party for the seminary wives in my building. It was so fun to learn some new recipes from Kris and to share some Christmas-y crafting ideas.

Kris shared some awesome holiday indulgences: Peppermint Brownies, Cheesy bacon pull apart bread, and a simple puff pastry dessert that will have you looking like a pastry chef in no time.

Can you say yum? Loads of cheese, bacon, and ranch... like I said, indulgence.

One of the little ladies brought her doll along. She was holding the recipe handout, I had to snap a picture. Too cute.

Kris' little girl June knew that her momma was not close and woke up very sad and lonely so she ended up crashing the party. She was a welcomed arrival.

Here I am demonstrating how to make a felt poinsettia. But, our main craft for the night was snowglobes inspired by Anthropologie!! I am in LOVE with mine. They are kinda all the rage right now and I gotta say I have jumped on the canning jar snowglobe train.

After the hotglue dried, Dottie talked to us about family traditions. It was so fun to hear about all the things that Dallas has to offer families at Christmastime as well as the sweet family traditions she has started with her family.

Check out this advent calendar! It's a 24 count mini muffin pan. She made little squares with magnets to cover each hole and every day leading up to Christmas her kids get to open one!! Pinterest worthy!

A good time was had by all!

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If you weren't able to make it to the party {or even if you were} you can still get in on the crafting action and win some of the crafts that were featured last night. That's right, it's GIVEAWAY time!!

What you will win:

1 felt poinsettia

1 book Christmas tree
1 Jar Snowglobe

1 surprise: Who doesn't love surprises?! I can't share because I am giving this craft as Christmas gifts, but let me assure you it is lovely. If you were there then you saw it, if you weren't there then I promise, you will be pleased. Similar items are going for $20-$40 on etsy. A little hint: it's something you can wear!! {and if it doesn't suit you, it will make a wonderful Christmas gift!}

TO ENTER

1. You must be a public follower of this blog to enter this giveaway.

2. Then, leave a comment.

3. That's it, that's all.

GIVEAWAY DETAILS

a) Only one entry per person please.

c) The giveaway is open from friday december 9th until wednesday, december 14 @ 8 p.m. CST.

d) Using random.org, 1 lucky winner will be chosen on wednesday, december 14 @ 8 p.m. EST and subsequently announced.

e) Open to contestants in the U.S. only
f) Please be sure to leave me an email where i can reach you if your account doesn't link to one. Thanks.

The 10th Month: Good, Bad, and Ugly

2011-12-07T09:43:00.001-08:00

So here we are... halfway through Grey's 10th month and I am just now getting around to pictures. C'est la vie. When he was a wee one I would get so mad at myself if I didn't get his monthly picture on the exact day he turned one month older. Ten months into this whole mom thing, I am much less uptight.

First let's do a brief review:

And now for the 10th month... drum roll please!

He is getting increasingly hard to wrangle for pictures when I am by myself, so an action shot it is. I would like to point out how much his hair has grown!! Such a stud muffin.

The Good:
Every month is my favorite month, but 10 is by far the best. He is very consistently sleeping 7pm-7am and sometimes even more... AMEN!! He is super active and verbal but still loves to cuddle with momma. His new favorite place is sitting in front of our pantry stacking cans and knocking them over. He is standing with no hands on and off. And crawling like a wild man. He loves walking with his walker in our hallway and watching big kids play in the courtyard. He loves mimicking: laughs, raspberries, clapping, waving, peek a boo.

The Bad:
He had an ear infection... no fun at all. He refuses to eat food with texture (besides cheerios, grapes and black beans) so we still puree everything.

The Ugly:
Testing boundaries. He hasn't done it too much with me yet, but his Nanna reported to me that he was defiant with her about playing with the DVD player. Here comes toddlerhood!! Bring it on!!

Greyson,

You melt our hearts. You will never know what your dad and I were like before you. You have changed us in so many ways. You taught us selflessness and dragged us into the deep waters of love. You have taught us more about our Heavenly Father and the sacrifice it was to send his only Son. You have taught us more about grace and the gentleness. You are dearly loved and I pray over you every single night that you will know Jesus very soon.

xoxo mom for dad too

Can I Get an Amen?!

2011-12-05T07:25:00.000-08:00

Seriously, can I get an amen?! I am a Florida girl through and through. I don't mind looking out the window at freshly fallen snow, but ten minutes later when its all mucked up with dirt and slosh... um no thanks. And you can keep your freezing temperatures to yourself Northern states. I'm not interested.

This year's Christmas wreath was inspired by freshly fallen snow. It gave me the look without the chill. I was inspired from a few different Pinterest wreaths. I pulled ideas from this one or that one to finally come up this little beaut.

It makes me happy every time I turn the corner in our hall to head home. Do I wish my door wasn't the ugliest brown known to man? Yes. But such is apartment living. Luckily the wreath distracts from the poop color. Anywho...

What I used:

-5 thin white boas
-1 sheet of maroon felt
-5 white pearly beads (on hand)
-1 spool of silvery ribbon
-hot glue... of course.

The wreath itself is pretty simple. Just hot glue the boa's around your wreath form. Done and done. The poinsettia at the top is a little more complicated but still REALLY easy.

First. Cut out these shapes:

Then with a needle and thread pinch the flat end of each leaf and sew together sides, like so:

Then hot glue each leaf in place:

Once the glue is dry, sew each pearly bed into it's place in the center and you end up with something like this:

It is such a simple and versatile craft. I put one on a head band and got loads of compliments. I also think they would look lovely on Christmas gifts, in garland, or pinned on a scarf or sweater.

I am helping to host a Christmas craft and cooking night {guess which one I am NOT leading!! lol} and we are going to do these poinsettias as one of the crafts. I can't wait to share these super cute little guys!!

Hope you all are having fun decorating your home for Christmas this year!! I still have some last minute details to pull together. Decorating with a 10 month old is a little trickier than I expected!!

xoxoKtB

He Wants You

2011-12-02T09:09:00.001-08:00

You may know that my day job involves speaking to young people about sex and saving it for marriage. I am passionate about purity and marriage. I really love my job and the time I get to speak one on one with students after a program. I see the hurt and pain in kids eyes, almost daily, because they have been used up and discarded, they have been told lies about sex by the media, their friends and sometimes even their parents, they have sought love through physical relationships and have come up short. Every day I want to yell out JESUS!!

Jesus wants you. He loves you. He cannot get enough of you.

...but I feel gagged by the public school system. I am not only representing myself, but my organization. I cannot jeopardize their impact on future students by breaking the rules. It hurts my heart. It makes me cry, even as I type my eyes are misty for those kids I speak to every day that are lost.

If you feel broken by sin and shame, then watch this video.
If the church has hurt you, then watch this video.

Jesus wants the rose. Whether its sexual sin or something completely different that has you feeling broken and used up, Jesus came to redeem you and give you freedom.

That is why He was born a lowly baby, led a perfect life as he struggled against the same temptations and sin that we struggle with, died a horrific death, and claimed victory over death when He rose again. The Christmas story is a story of redemption.

I hope that you can find true peace this Christmas. A peace that only comes in handing over your sin and brokenness to Jesus and letting Him redeem your story for His glory.

xoxoKtB

*Matt Chandler is a pastor of the Village Church in the Dallas area.

$1 Christmas Craft

2011-11-29T10:05:00.001-08:00

I'm sorry, but if a craft takes me longer than nap time and costs more than a few bucks to complete it's not my kind of craft. Complicated, expensive projects suck the energy out of me. I need instant gratification. Often times I craft because I can't afford the real thing... plus it brings me so much fulfillment and joy to make things with my own two hands.

If you feel the same way, then this project is for YOU!! For less than $1 you can have an adorable Christmas tree to adorn your mantle this holiday season. All you need is a book. And... nothing else. Though I have seen them spray painted gold and they look super cute that way too.

I ran over to my handy dandy neighborhood thrift and snagged an old book with yellowed pages for an aged look. All you do is mess around with the pages until you find a fold that works the page into a right triangle...every book is slightly different depending on the height and width of the book but play around with it and you will figure it out.

One you figure your folds out, start in the middle of the book and work your way out. You will get into a groove and it will go by really fast. It took me about 30 minutes to complete this little treasure:

I glued a starfish we bought in Hawaii last year on top, but a star shaped cookie cutter, mini tree topper, or just one made out of card stock would work too. Fun, fun and fun and you are done and moving on with your life {filled with pride and satisfaction} in just 30 minutes!!

My $1 book Christmas tree is gracing my table as our Christmas centerpiece this year, holding the star up proudly over my giant head nativity handmade in Peru {Adam and I collect nativities from around the world, it's so fun to see different interpretations from different cultures}.

Merry Christmas and Happy Crafting!!
xoxo KtB

Christmas Card Sneak Peak

2011-11-28T08:16:00.001-08:00

AHHHH! I am IN LOVE with our Christmas Cards this year. It's kind of sickening how I keep staring at them. Get over it woman. Ok. I'm over it. Well, I am happy to report they are in the mail and on their way to our family and friends. I must say I am happy that that whole ordeal is behind me, but who doesn't love getting Christmas cards? I know I do!

We {the in-laws and Adam, Grey and I}hopped on over to Trammel Crow Park in Dallas to get some skyline shots. We set up the tri-pod and I put the camera on all the right settings so that all they had to do was click a button for the ones that I was in. It was the PERFECT day for photos. Overcast. Gloomy. Perfectly diffused light!!

Only the Lord knows how much longer we will call the Big D our home so we thought it fitting to capture the skyline before we left this beautiful city behind.

Here are some of the shots we did not use for our Christmas cards...

It was such fun to capture these and even more fun to edit. I have been watching bookoo's of YouTube Photoshop tutorials to improve my skills and hopefully you can tell!! I know I certainly can. Thank goodness for free YouTube videos because Photoshop courses are EXPENSIVE!

If you have a photo you would like turned into a Christmas card, I would happy to help!! Email me at katieabowman@gmail.com for a quote.

I am still booking mini sessions at $50 for a 30-45 minute shoot and 5-7 edited photos for you to print or post. Email me at katieabowman@gmail.com to book a session!!

Baby Pie

2011-11-26T05:05:00.000-08:00

My baby pie is Greyson boy. But this post is not about him. It is more literal than that. It's about well, baby pies. Elsie over at A Beautiful Mess posted about some baby pies back in March. I filed her recipe back in my brain and saved it for a baby pie occasion. Thanksgiving was one such occasion.

Her post was about baby peach pies, but I decided to do pumpkin instead. I used the recipe on the back of the Libby's pure pumpkin can and a box of puff pastry {usually found in your grocer's freezer section}. It took about 45 minutes to complete...10 mins of prep, 35 minutes of baking.

Use a cupcake liner as a guide to cut the appropriate sized "crusts." Place each individual crust in a greased muffin pan.

I started to freak out a little bit once I mixed the Pumpkin Pie recipe on the back of the Libby's box... is it supposed to be THAT runny?

I had never made Pumpkin Pie before. I called my handy dandy chef next door, Lisa. She assured me that it was fine. With her blessing, I proceeded to fill each pie crust with about 1/4c pumpkin pie mixture.

Then into the oven they went. It was 350 degree and they baked for about 35 minutes. I kept checking them every five minutes towards the end until my knife came out clean. I was worried that the crust would bake faster than the filling, but thankfully that did not happen. And, FYI one box of puff pastry makes 8 pies.

With a dollop of freshly made whipped cream on top, I must say they were delish!

These baby pies are just begging for different fillings.
Apple, Pecan, Sweet Potato, Cherry, Peach, Key Lime...endless possibilities!!

The Puff Pastry crust was so crumbly, flaky, YUMMY. And let's be honest, the adorable factor on these baby pies is quite high.

Happy Baking!!

xoxoKtB

Overflowing

2011-11-24T09:20:00.001-08:00

My heart is overflowing with gratitude this Thanksgiving. It's our first holiday season as a family of three. What a precious gift God gave us January 18, 2011.

The clock in the delivery room the minute Greyson Michael entered the world.

The first look.

1+1=3

His first night in the hospital

We are so thankful for our little boy. G-baby is sick right now {ear infection, cold, diaper rash... a trifecta of pain}, so at our little family dinner last night he was super cuddly. Here are a few pics from last night.

So Thankful. So very blessed.

Praise God, from Whom all blessings flow;
Praise Him, all creatures here below;
Praise Him above, ye heavenly host;
Praise Father, Son, and Holy Ghost.

The Classic Christmas Tree Shot

2011-11-23T10:28:00.001-08:00

That classic shot in front of the Christmas tree. We all want it, if not of our kids, of ourselves to commemorate another year of cheer.

Under the Sycamore was one the first blogs I ever started reading. It is written by Ashley Ann Campbell, a mom of 4, incredible crafter, and photographer extraordinaire. She recently wrote a great article about how to capture that Christmas tree shot we are all hoping for. I followed every word of her advice and went to snapping.

Oh my goodness did I get some keepers!! Here is what I did:

1. Set Grey about 3ft away from the tree. Our tendency is set/stand them right up next to it... fight that tendency.

2. Set my camera to aperture priority (A or Av mode) and opened my aperture nice and wide to about a 2.8 (go as wide...smaller the # the wider the aperture... as your particular lens will allow you to). This will give you a nice blurry tree in the background with lovely bokeh'd out Christmas lights. The wheel at the top right corner of your camera is how you make your aperture bigger or smaller.

3. Made sure to face his little mug towards the light of the window. It wasn't extremely bright in the room, but it was day time and his face was looking directly at a window. A lot of times people think that nighttime is the time to capture the tree shot... again fight that urge and set up during the day. The lights will still shine through!! And then you don't need the dreaded flash which will wash everything out and take away from the lovely Christmas lights.

That little rocking chair in the above picture was Adam and his sister's when they were itty bitty. Love heirloom stuff like that!

Here are some more keepers from our mini session... and by the way the below are raw, straight out of the camera, so even if you are no good at photoshop you can still get some good ones!! {The one at the top was processed in Photoshop just a tad, you can see the colors are just a bit richer}

Thanks Ashley!!

Merry Christmas and Happy snapping!! Hope you get a great picture of your kiddos this year. I am sure these are just a few of many that we will take of Grey-Grey this year. Stay tuned for more and more and more!!

xoxoKtB

Photography: Samuel

2011-11-21T18:02:00.001-08:00

I have been a busy busy bee taking Christmas card photos and pictures for Christmas presents. Here are some favorites from a recent session with a sweet little boy, Samuel.

This is Cookie. Samuel loves Cookie and wanted a picture with him... or her. Matching puppy dog eyes.

Love this one. He was being silly and was cracking himself up.

Do you need Christmas card pictures or photos of your kids to give to the grandparents? Schedule a session!! Mini sessions are just $50.

What you get:

30-45 min shoot

5-7 edited photos for you to print or post {or put on a Christmas card}

location of your choice {within DFW area}

for just $50 bones

email me at katieabowman@gmail.com to book your session

Good. Better. Best.

2011-11-20T18:39:00.001-08:00

Remember the branch redo? Well it's been re-done. Again. We just weren't happy with it. We marinated on the finished product for weeks, and Adam and I agreed that it just was not right.

It started off good:

It got better:

But now I think it is at it's BEST:

I stumbled upon these ceramic owls at the Dallas Arboretum gift shop. I loved how they had a little bit of a vintage feel to them, yet there were shiny and new. They were also flatter than the crocheted owl from the second picture, which awkwardly stuck out about 5" from the wall. Basically they were just what I had been searching for. When I flipped them over and saw the price, $10 for the mom and $6 for the baby, I was sad. I didn't have $16 to spend on silly owls. "Oh well, I will keep hunting through thrift stores" I thought to myself.

Fast forward a week and I come home to the momma AND the baby owl sitting on my counter. Adam's mom had gone back and nabbed them for me! How incredibly thoughtful. I am a lucky girl to have married into such a sweet family.

So there you have it. Sometimes it takes a few tries to find the perfect piece, but when you do you know. And BONUS, Grey loves them, he thinks they are the bees knees. He told me.

Mark this branch redo off my to-do list. Now if only I could start marking a few Christmas presents off!

Good. Better. Best.

xoxoKtB

shared via The Sasse Life

The Little Things

2011-11-18T09:13:00.001-08:00

It's that time of year. The time to think about things you are thankful for and reflect on God's many blessings in your life. Of course I am thankful for the cliche things... my salvation, family, friends, a roof over my head, a comfy bed to sleep in. Those things may be cliche but they are HUGE things and I am blessed beyond my dreams.

But lets get down to the REALLY important things. The little things that make a day a little bit brighter, a little more special. Here are some things I am especially thankful for this year:

1. Chick-fil-a. It's the Christian chicken. I am actually in one right now...I have a 3 hour lunch break and just nabbed me a grilled chicken sandwich, waffle fries, polynesian sauce and a Dr. Pepper. Plus they almost always have free wifi... heaven on earth. Adam and I would go on lunch dates here every Thursday in college. Chick-fil-a will always have a special place in my heart... and on my thighs.

2. Coffee. More specifically caffeine, but I am thankful that caffeine is wrapped up in something so yummy. Each morning I start my day off with a cup and I am thankful God created such an amazing little berry with amazing little beans inside that some person figured out if you crush it and put it in water it makes your day worth having.

3. Pinterest. I have never had so many projects on my to do list. Pinterest makes me feel creative and accomplished. Thank you inventor of Pinterest, you are saving me tons of $$ on Christmas presents this year. Cheers to you. Go take a bath in the gagillions of dollars you are about to make.

4. Nap time. Those 2-3 hours during the day that I get EVERYTHING I need to get done, done. Thank you God for creating babies to need naps. It's a built in time every day that I can count on. God, thank you for the break for mommyhood. You rock.

5. 7pm. As much as I love Grey, which is like to the end of the world and back, I look forward to 7pm, his bedtime. This is the time I usually get to do crafts, blog, edit photos, spend time with Adam, watch a tv show, shower etc. Me time makes me a better Mom.

6. Lists. I love making lists. Grocery lists, to do lists, packing lists, lists about stupid things I am thankful for. I also love reading other people's lists. I have a soft spot for blogs that are full of lists. If you have a list on your blog I will definitely read it.

7. Chocolate. Ok. I am not proud that 3 of the 7 things I am thankful for is food, but a leopard cant change it's spots. I recently quit buying chocolate chips because I couldn't control myself when they were taunting me from across the room. None the less, I love you chocolate. Especially when you hook up with peanut butter and have a party in my mouth.

8. Maternity Jeans. Stop looking at me that way... I can feel your judgment through the computer. Yes. I am back in my pre-prego jeans so you can stop whispering, but I love throwing on those maternity skinny jeans and calling it a day. Talk about comfort. In my opinion all pants should be made that way. Comfort and style... win win win. Hey, at least I am not walking around rocking pajama jeans... though honestly I am not totally opposed to the idea. If you were looking for a stocking stuffer idea for me, then you can just take that subtle hint and do with it as you please.

9. Kevin Arnold. The Wonder Years is my ALL TIME favorite show. It just showed up on Netflix and I have not been able to stop watching Kevin and Winnie. I love Kevin. I love reliving my middle school and high school insecurities through his eyes. Fred Savage, if you read this, meeting you is #4 on my bucket list. Right behind dancing in the audience of Ellen, being on the Price is Right, and going on a Reformation tour in Europe. I want to pinch your cheeks so badly!! You, Fred, are adorable.

10. Those first few minutes after Grey wakes up from his nap. He is so super cuddly when he first wakes up. Adam and I fight over who gets to go in and get him. I usually win. We sit on the couch and he plays with my hair. He lays his head on my chest and closes his eyes. I rub his little back and wish that he would never grow up. But at the same time, I can't wait to see what kind of man he will grow up to be. Those few moments are over once he has time to really wake up. But I cherish them each and every day.

What are you thankful for this year beyond the normal "big stuff." That big stuff is awesome. It really is. But so are the little things that make each day a little bit more special.

Happy Thanksgiving!

xoxoKtB

DIY Almond Butter

2011-11-17T18:53:00.001-08:00

Long time no see. A little thing called work and being tired to the bone happened. I thought today was my last day of work for a while, but ~~my tired brain~~ fate played a cruel joke on me and I showed up at a school almost an hour away on the WRONG DAY. Good times. Enough of that. Let's get to the yummy goodness I just discovered how to make. It's so simple and yummy, I just HAD to share it with you. This little treat will be my go to "gift in a jar" this Christmas.

Almond Butter... like peanut butter only better for you.

What you need:
-Almonds
-Food Processor

Yep, that's all. I was pretty amazed myself!

Preheat your oven to 350 and roast your almonds on a pan for 15 minutes. I used about 2 cups of almonds, you can use however many you want.

Dump said almonds into a food processor and let er rip...

When you think you are done processing, keep going... scrape the sides of the food processor and give it another whirl. You will end up with a ~~peanut~~ almond buttery smooth consistancy perfect for spreading on apples, bananas, english muffins, or adding to smoothies. It really couldn't be simpler. I read it could take up to 15 minutes of processing, but it didn't take me nearly that long... closer to 5 minutes.

Put your almond butter in an old baby food or jelly jar and apply these jar fancify-ing techniques and you have yourself the perfect little Christmas gift in a jar!!

xoxo KtB

Pinterest Challenge: {Thankful} Tablescape

2011-11-10T10:08:00.000-08:00

Sherry over at YHL is at it again. It's Pinterest Challenge time! For the summer edition, I linked up a keepsake for grandparents. It was so fun to see all the other projects that were being inspired by the eye candy that is Pinterest. The fall edition has come and gone and I was too busy to link up but I still wanted to participate. This go around I was inspired by this Pinterest Pretty:


{source}

But since I stink at writing letters with a glue gun, I decided to use puff paint for my version. I normally don't decorate for Halloween or Thanksgiving. I decorate for Fall and let it take me through both holidays. But this year we are staying in Dallas for Thanksgiving, so I wanted to make our home a little more festive to commemorate our first Thanksgiving at home as a family of three. Plus I have been DYING to come up with a craft that would use all the left over babyfood jars I have been ~~hoarding~~ saving.

What you will need:

-8 babyfood jars, lids discarded
-any color puff paint
-your desired color of acrylic paint {or spraypaint}
-8 votive candles

Clean each jar and take off wrapper.

Write each letter in the word "thankful" one letter on each jar.

Let them dry completely. Apply your first coat of paint. Let dry. Apply second coat of paint.

Put a votive candle in each jar, light and enjoy!

I truly am thankful this year. I cannot stop gushing to God about all the good and perfect gifts He has given me. Today though, I am mostly thankful for the three hour nap that Grey is taking... may it last just a few minutes longer!!

xoxoKtB

A True Story About Sleep

2011-11-08T09:25:00.000-08:00

*I am writing this post mostly for myself. I want to remember Grey's sleep patterns in hopes that they will encourage me with my next little one. In writing this though, I hope to encourage other mom's {and not totally freak them out}.

Sleep. It used to be my bestest friend. Ask my college roommates about how serious I used to be about getting my sleep... actually don't ask them, what they would tell you would be ~~incredibly~~ slightly embarrassing. Now, 9 months into this whole mom thing sleep is just a blurry memory that is starting to come more into focus once again.

When I first had Greyson, I was obsessed with getting him to sleep. My body was not used to running on just a few hours of sleep, I was hormonal, and I was exhausted from nursing 24/7. I was not in my finest hour as a wife/christian woman/person... but I survived to tell the tale. I call those first days/weeks the "trenches." Every day felt like I was fighting just to make it through.

Grey began sleeping "through the night" fairly early on {Sleeping through the night is technically 5-6 hour stretches, but the mom usually gets to sleep a four hour stretch if she is lucky, oh joy}.

At about 3 months he began to sleep from 8pm-4am... 8 solid hours before wanting to eat... which meant about 6 straight hours of sleep for me.

Around 4 months he went through sleep regression- those are the nights of which we do not speak of... but you can read this post if you want more details.

By 5 months he had stretched to 10 hours...7pm-5am. At 5am I would feed him and he would go back to sleep until about 6:30-7am.

At 8 months old he was STILL waking at 5am crying for FOOOOOD MOMMY!! He would go back to sleep and usually sleep until 7am or later.

If you would have told me that at 8 months old I would still be waking up at some point in the early morning to feed my baby I would have curled up into a ball and wept. But surprisingly, I kind of started to enjoy my early morning feedings with my little boy. It was not ideal, but it was working out ok for us. But, at his 9 month appointment I told my Dr. about his sleeping habits and he warned me to nip that 5am feeding in the bud now or I could be waking at 5 am for the next few years.

YEARS! That word kept ringing in my ears and it was enough to light a fire under my booty. Grey was/is teething something fierce, so maybe it wasn't the best time to push him, but I pressed on anyways with that word "YEARS" as an ever present whisper in my ear.

I should also say we were having nap issues too. He had been sleeping in our bed for naps, but after a tumble that was no longer an option and his crib was a must {for his safety and my sanity}. So in one fail swoop so began Greyson sleep training boot camp. Drill Sergeant: Katie Bowman aka Mom. I was about to get very serious about sleeping.

The Plan:

Naps: Someone {Tammy} suggested making his crib more comfy like our bed, so I lay a soft, fuzzy blanket down and give him a snuggly monkey to hold on to. I nurse him until he is drowsy and lay him down with his paci at 10am for his morning nap. The first day he cried for 30 minutes, the second it was 20. I ended up hopping in shower so I didn't have to hear him cry. It helped my nerves and kept me from caving. Now he lays down in his crib for nap without a peep!

Nighttime- After his Drs. appointment I decided it was time to get him used to 7pm-7am routine. The first night he woke up at 5am crying. I turned off the monitor and set my alarm on my phone for 6am. I figured if he was still crying at 6am I would feed him. He ended up being asleep at 6, so I turned the monitor back on and he slept until 7am. Night two, same song and dance except he slept until 7:40! Since then, he has been pretty consistent with his 7am-7pm routine except the time change threw him off a bit.

So, that's the story. Has it been hard? Most definitely. Will I do things differently with my second? Likely, but it depends on their personality. Will I stress out about sleep as much? Definitely not. God has given me the grace to get through each day no matter what the night before has looked like.

DIY Gifting for Every Occasion

2011-11-04T05:12:00.000-07:00

Recently, there were two occasions worth celebrating with a little something special.

1. My best friend from high school, Ligia, found out she was expecting a little girl.
2. My sister Jessie turned 17.

I love both of these girls so very much and I wanted to make sure they knew it. What better way than spending a few extra minutes crafting them the perfect gift to celebrate the occasion!!

Here is what I ended up with for Ligia:

Pickles and Icecream :) I tried my hand at canning my very first jar of pickles then I paired it with a cute icecream bowl and gift card to Cold Stone so... LET THE CRAVINGS BEGIN!! I threw in a little flower headband just for fun.

And for Jes:

A framed picture of her and Grey from her recent visit and a bouquet of paper flowers.

I hope these DIY gift ideas inspire you to create something special for your next special occasion! Get your DIY on.

xoxoKtB

Etsy Love

2011-11-03T10:02:00.000-07:00

It's likely no surprise that I enjoy handmade and vintage things. I appreciate the time and effort people put into finding and crafting unique things. The above picture is a screen shot from my favorites page on Etsy. If you have time, your should stop by some of my favorite shops and check them out! Who knows, you just might find the perfect gift for someone on your Christmas list.

Spotlight:

honeysucklefinds- This shop {2nd picture} is near and dear to my heart. My bestie owns this little slice of the interweb. She has a real knack for finding the coolest vintage items. Check her out...stat! I love the vintage suitcases she has in her shop right now. They could double as a nightstand, photo prop, or just a conversation piece in a special part of your home.

SoulPeaces- I am absolutely in love with the jewelry {third picture} in this shop. How sweet is this necklace? I can see mine now... with a little a-k-g stamped onto each leaf.

cozyblue- I adore this shop's {last one on the second row} personalized, hand embroidered family trees. Such a unique idea and a great way to personalize a little piece of your home.

Do you have an etsy shop I need to know about? I would love to add your button to the "Etsy Love" section of my blog.

xoxoKtB

June Bug

2011-11-02T09:37:00.000-07:00

I was enlisted by June's Momma to take monthly pictures of her precious girl. I took a few snaps of her when she was just days old and it has been so fun to watch her grow! Over the last two months we have been heading outside and capture June's budding personality. Here is are two of my favorites from her 4 month session:

Here are a few from our 5 month session:

And here she is month by month:

Hope you enjoyed taking a peek at this sweet baby.

Email me at katieabowman@gmail.com to inquire about sessions and pricing.

xoxoKtB

Cutest Homeless Baby on the Block

2011-10-31T17:28:00.000-07:00

If you are easily offended, just think of him as a poor lumberjack...

If not, then yes, Grey dressed up as a homeless baby for Halloween. If it makes you feel any better it was his idea and he insisted that anyone with a sense of humor would think it was silly not offensive.

What we used:

-Old socks for hand warmers- cut the toes off and a place for a thumb hole
-Sleeve of an old shirt for a hat {which he would not wear}
-Jeans
-Flannel from Old Navy {$6} the only thing I spent $$ on
-Sock- for his feet this time. I cut a hole in of the them so his big toe would stick through
-Piece of cardboard for his sign
-Shopping cart- borrowed from a neighbor
-Black eyeshadow for his beard- because you can't put face paint on a baby

My little homeless baby shaved and washed up and is now fast asleep. Today was a big day, but one for the memory books!

Happy Halloween!

xoxoKtB

Fall Favorite: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

2011-10-30T16:27:00.000-07:00

I've said this before...I am no chef. But I do have a few really good recipes in my repertoire. And let me tell you...these muffins are to.die.for. This is one of those fall recipes that you will pull out time and time again. I have already made 6 batches this Fall and every time I make them someone asks me for the recipe. This recipe was passed on from a friend of a friend almost 5 years ago. I thought I would pass on the love to you this season. Just think of it as an early Christmas present from me to you!!

What you will need:
1 2/3 c flour
1 c sugar
1T pumpkin pie spice
1tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 cup plain pumpkin
1/2 c butter, melted
1 cup chocolate chips (i use milk chocolate, but you can you use semisweet or dark I suppose)

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350

Grease muffin pan ( I usually use cupcake liners, less clean up)

In a large bowl, mix flour, sugar, pie spice, baking soda, baking powder and salt

In another bowl whisk together pumpkin, butter and eggs

Pour wet ingredients over dry and fold until dry ingredients are moistened

Stir in chocolate chips.

Scoop evenly and bake for 20-25 minutes

oooey gooey chocolatety pumpkin goodness

Enjoy!

xoKtB

Tis the Season

2011-10-28T19:16:00.000-07:00

It's that time of year. The time of year that you bribe your kids and your husband to take the family's yearly Christmas card photo.

Here are some photos from two recent Christmas card mini sessions here in the Big D:

The Croupe Family

The Black Family

I am offering Christmas card mini sessions through the end of November.

30min-1hr photoshoot + 5-7 edited photos= $50

email me and we can talk about locations and dates!!

katieabowman@gmail.com

P.S. Don't forget that the Basics of Manual Mode Workshop is still open for registration. Find out more details here.

Basics of Manual Mode Workshop + Settings

2011-10-26T06:12:00.000-07:00

My first Basics of Manual Mode Workshop was this past weekend. It was great fun! We learned about ISO, Aperture and Shutter Speed and how to be in control of your own exposure. I am hosting a second workshop Nov 12th at 3pm in Dallas. The details are below.

But first I want to share with you my camera settings for a recent shoot I did of Grey at the Arboretum and a few tips as well. I processed these photos in Photoshop for my own personal use {printing/posting to FB} but just for you, here they are in their raw form straight out of the camera:

ISO 100, 1/100, f/2.8

I chose this spot because there was even shade that wouldn't cast shadows on his little face. I chose this angle because I would get a nice blurry line of pumpkins fading off into the background. If possible choose shady spots for photographs especially when the sun is high in the sky (like it was for this picture). Survey your background and choose the best angle.

ISO 220, 1/250, f/3.2

When photographing little ones try to have someone else with you to help coax smiles. For this picture my MIL and Aunts were over my shoulder jiggling keys and saying "peek a boo!" The keys worked to grab his attention from the squirrels that kept running past us. I can generally get pretty good smiles by myself, but boy is it hard work. It is so much easier when there is someone there to help!

ISO 100, 1/250, f/3.0

Get down low, squat down and get right in their faces. Avoid standing over them to take photographs. Turn on continuous shoot so that you can take tons of snaps and capture all of their movements and facial expressions.

Hope these tips are settings are helpful. Sign up for for the next workshop to learn more!! WAY more!!

Basics of Manual Mode Workshop- Saturday Nov 12, 2011

{Perfect timing to improve your picture taking skills for the Holiday Season!!}

-Learn the basics of shooting in Manual Mode using natural light-

-Learn about composition-

-Learn some simple editing tips and trick-

Location: Downtown Dallas

{The address will be emailed to those who enroll}

Time:3-5pm

Length: 2 hours

{with a an optional half hour after the class to practice and ask questions}

Price: $30 per person
{Refer a friend and get $10 off}

The first 10 people to email me will get into this session.
katieabowman@gmail.com

The 9th Month: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

2011-10-25T05:55:00.000-07:00

When Grey was a few weeks old a couple people threw out the saying "The days are long but the years are short." I remember thinking it should be the NIGHTS are long but the years are short. Either way, they were right. Time is flying by and I am enjoying mommyhood more and more every. single. day.

So here is what has been happening over the past month:

The Good: OH MY GOSH is Grey not the best ever?! Seriously. He is. He is the most cuddliest little boy in the world. He started crawling the day after he turned 8 months old and I thought with all that new found freedom he wouldn't cuddle with me anymore. Nope! Still my cuddle bug. His first few days of crawling he reminded me of a puppy that just found his legs, now he is an expert. He is pulling up on anything and everything that is within his reach. He cruises around furniture like it's his job. He is just the coolest little guy out there.

The Bad: Two words- Dairy Allergy. We realized he was allergic to yogurt on day 4 of me shoving it down his little throat saying "Come on Grey, it's yummy and oh so good for you!!" He broke out in hives and threw up three times that night. I felt terrible. If he even gets a droplet on him he breaks out in hives. Poor little guy. I will keep you updated on what we learn once we visit the pediatric allergist. In the mean time, pray he outgrows it quickly!!

The Ugly: So, last night I woke up to Grey talking to himself. I turned on the video monitor to see what he was doing and there was no Grey to be seen. Did he crawl out of his crib? Did he get raptured and we were left behind? I ran into his room to see him on his tippie toes in the corner of his crib talking to his mobile. GREYYYY! It's 3:30am. This is NOT the time to practice standing and it's definitely not the time to talk to the skunk on your mobile. SERIOUSLY. I laid him back down and after a few minutes he was asleep again. It's fun when they learn how to pull up, but 3:30am practice sessions are not working for me. Calm it down buddy. Calm. it. down.

Grey, my little nerdy allergy baby,

You are my sunshine on a cloudy day. I love watching you grow, learn and explore. And let's be real, even if you really do end up being a nerdy allergy boy that is not what is important. That is not what will define you. Your heart is what is important. Your love for the Lord and for others will define you. I am praying that you outgrow these crazy allergies but more than that I am praying you have a heart that is sensitive to the Holy Spirit, that desires to serve, and that is quick to give grace.

Love,
Your Nerdy Allergy Mom
Together we will make allergies look cool!

Fair Food & Fun in Instagram

2011-10-22T18:27:00.000-07:00

The Texas State Fair is in town. It's one of those things that you just don't want to miss. The food, the livestock, the rides, Big Tex... Amazing. The iPhone is my new BFF so my bulky dSLR stayed at home and I relied on my Instagram app to capture all the food and fun!!

Let's talk fair food for a minute. The morning of the fair we went for an extra long walk in preparation for what was to come. Deep Fried PB&J, Fried S'mores, Fried Ding Dongs, Corny Dogs, Flap Jack Wrapped Buffalo Chicken, Chili Dogs, Fried Salso and Fresh Potato Chips were in our future. Yep. All of those were consumed by our little group Friday night at the fair. Our favs? The PB&J and the fried s'more. To. Die. For.

Fair food is definitely a once a year affair. Anymore than that and you would be the size of Big Tex.

Now on to the fun. We went to the world's WORST puppet show: the World on a String or something like that. If you want a good laugh you should definitely check it out. The only good thing about it was that it put Greyson to sleep. Our city boy saw his first cow and rode on his first John Deere. Everything is more fun with a baby. A John Deere tractor never looked so cute!

We didn't ride the Ferris Wheel because it costs an arm and a leg and we missed out on Randy Travis because it was Grey's bedtime, but Grey is more fun than a Ferris Wheel and his voice is so much sweeter than Randy Travis' so in the end our Fair experience was perfect. Yummy food, great fun, our favorite people.

Failure

2011-10-20T11:44:00.000-07:00

I share my victories with you, so why not share my failures as well...

I recently tried my hand at turning a men's plaid shirt into a throw pillow slip cover. I failed. Miserably. I completely stink at sewing and the top was totally jacked up, it was floppy and just straight up U-G-L-Y. Nope, no alibi for this guy. I ended up with an ill fitting slipcover that looked something like this:

As bad as it looks in this picture, it looked worse in person. Adam came home and was all like "WHAT is THAT?!" But this project definitely has potential. I am going to try my hand at it again. I think that plaid throw pillow slip covers will kick my Christmas decor up a notch.

Luckily, the shirt was free so I am not out any money... plus I have a few more back ups in stock so I can try again soon. If at first you ~~totally make something UGLY~~ don't succeed, try try again!

I was going for something like this look, just in plaid...

{source}

So we will see how they turn out on the next go around. I'm hopelessly optimistic.

And now.... proof that the correct angle and lighting can make anything look decent:

Have you ever totally screwed up a DIY project? Please tell my I'm not the only one!!

xoxoKtB

Making Room for Ohio

2011-10-16T18:56:00.000-07:00

A sweet thing began arriving at the Bowman residence a few weeks ago: letters from Ohio. Our two nephews, Ethan (8) and Connor (6), are now Adam's pen pals. Adam draws sweet pictures of Phineas and Ferb and other cartoons for them and writes to them about what is going on in his life and they do the same. The letters and pictures are frame worthy and oh so sweet. The kids get so excited when a letter from Uncle Adam arrives, and Uncle Adam get pretty excited himself when one from the kids shows up in our mailbox.

Check out E's Spongebob! Those are some mad drawing skills. And Connor's letter on the bottom right just made my heart melt. The one backwards N in Connor is what did me in. Love.

I was at a loss at what to do with all the letters and pictures that were arriving in our mailbox. I couldn't throw them away {OBVIOUSLY!!} and I didn't want them tucked away in a folder quite yet but there were just too many to stick on the fridge {as you can see it's kinda chaotic already}. They deserved a place of honor. Since we are on a bit of tight budget I came up with a $3.50 solution.

Yep. There they are. Below the chalkboard. The clip boards were a little over a dollar each and allow us to add more to the pile as new letters arrive. A super simple, super cute DIY kids art display. A little bit of Ohio right there in our kitchen.

And... I must admit, I am a sucker for a 30 year old man who is working full time, going to school full time, has a 9 month old, and a needy wife but still has time to take a minute and write to his nephews. I think I hooked a pretty good one :)

xoxoKtB

P.S. Yes, that is the fall garland from a few posts ago. It has found a new home because I am working on a special project for my Greyson boy where the garland once lived. It did get shortened, but I just loved it too much to put it away. I am sure I will let you all in on Grey baby's project once it is completed!!

Heartshot Headshots

2011-10-14T10:59:00.000-07:00

My friend and fellow blogger Samantha recently asked me to take some headshots for her. She is an amazingly talented writer and has been a contributor to many Christian magazines, websites and blogs. She wanted her picture to reflect her personality. She is godly, approachable, easy to talk to, and real. If you start to follow her blog, which you should totally do, you will see very quickly that she is not afraid of telling it like it is.

I seriously had so much fun taking these. We giggled the whole time... especially when we were taking pictures in the middle of a coffee shop (me standing on top of a chair). I'm sure all the hispter's reading philosophy books and sipping on their americanos thought we were so lame. Whatev's hipster. Whatevs. WE. ARE. AWESOME. Truth.

Here are some of my favorites:

Samantha writes a lot about marriage. I love how this shot highlights her ring and the commitment she made to her husband, Jeremiah.

Couldn't you totally see yourself having coffee with this girl?!

Samantha, you are gorgeous inside and out! Thanks for letting me have a small part in your ministry. To find out more about Samantha and what she is writing about check out her blog www.samanthakrieger.com read her latest article and leave her a comment!!

5 Ingredient Meal

2011-10-14T10:39:00.000-07:00

Since starting back to working part time, my time has become more precious. Many nights I just don't have the energy to think about what to do for dinner. I love to have recipes in my repertoire that require only ingredients that wont go bad quickly/I normally have on hand.

I will be the first to admit, I am no top chef. I'm not even a middle of the road chef... but I am learning.
Which is why I was super excited the other night when I MADE UP a recipe and it actually turned out yummy!! Yes, it's true. Adam even went back for seconds. I wanted to share it because it is so stinkin' easy... believe me, if I can do it, you can do it!

All you need are 5 ingredients:

Caramelized Onion Jambalaya

What you'll need:
2 Onions- Cut the onions in half. Lay them cut side down and slice the onions lengthwise to desired thickness.
Turkey Smoked Sausage - sliced (you can use any kind of sausage you want, but we are trying to be reasonably healthy so we chose the turkey variety)
2 cups Brown Rice
2 Chicken Bouillon Cubes
1 tsp balsamic vinegar

Over medium low heat, caramelize onions*. This is what gives this recipe so much yummy goodness! Remove from pan. The secret to the recipe being super yummy are the drippings. Use 1/2 tsp of balsamic vinegar to de-glaze the pan and scrape up the drippings, but leave them in the pan. Cook turkey sausage in the same pan until browned. Remove sausage from pan. Use other 1/2 tsp of vinegar to de-galze the pan AGAIN and scrape up the drippings but leave them in the pan. Add 3 cups water and bouillon cubes to the same pan. All your drippings should be floating around in your water at this point. YUM! Add the rice and cook on medium low for 14-16 minutes or until done. Add sausage and onions to the cooked rice, mix and enjoy!

*If you are like I was a month ago and thinking ummm sounds great Katie, but how the heck do you caramelize an onion? I went to this site and followed her step by step instructions.

Hope you enjoy it as much as we did!! Have you ever made up a recipe with things you had on hand? I would LOVE to hear how it turned out!!

Keep Calm and Carry On

2011-10-12T05:02:00.000-07:00

A week ago this phrase annoyed me. I didn't understand it. Keep calm about what? Carry on with what? Dumb. Cliche. Trendy. But a few days ago it hit me the face like a ton of bricks.

I looked up the origin of the phrase and found out that the poster was originally printed in England during WWII while the people there were being bombed by the Germans. Keep calm and carry on took on a whole new meaning for me.

I am not being bombed, but I feel like I'm being bombarded...with mommyhood (Grey is needing more interaction and more attention) wifeyhood, work, housekeeping, bible studies and play groups. I am a homebody. My favorite thing is to at home with my boys, so when I sat down and looked at my calendar for October I was overwhelmed. I believe God brought this phrase to mind to give me comfort.

Katie, keep calm and carry on.

My husband needs me to keep calm. My baby needs me to keep calm. My work needs me to keep calm. And carry on. Take it day by day. Breath in and breath out. I think I can. I think I can. And God will give me the grace to get what I need to get done, done.

As I was researching Keep Calm's origin I stumbled upon some funny takes on the phrase. They made me laugh, hope they make you smile too!


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So, if you don't see as much of me around the blog in the coming weeks, know that I am just trying to put first things first. I will definitely continue to post weekly, but anymore than that will be a bonus (for me...because I really do love blogging)!!

Keep Calm and Carry On,
Katie

I Heart Bokeh

2011-10-10T19:51:00.000-07:00

Bokeh: the way the lens renders out-of-focus points of light.

I was photographing some recent thifty/yard sale finds for a future post when I noticed something. Some legit bokeh was going on in the background of my shots.

I have a gorgeous view from my apartment. God has blessed us so much with where we live. It is such a neat place to be during this season of our lives. At night there are city lights as far as the eye can see and as I was shooting I started to notice the lights were blurring out into something beautiful. I shifted my focus and started shooting out my window. This is what I saw...

Yummy. It was about 7pm. The sun was almost set and the city lights had just switched on. I felt inspired. I had seen tutorials on making your own bokeh and this felt like the perfect time to try it out.

All you do is grab a piece of construction paper and cut out a shape that you want your speckles of light to transform into. I chose a heart because I am a hopeless romantic like that... and because they are cute.

Once you have your cutout just tape the construction paper over your lens, point, shoot and...

HEART BOKEH!!!

I seriously didn't think it would be so easy, but it really is! I can't wait to try this out in a portrait setting. Who knew bokeh could be so cutesy?!

Handmade Gift Guide: 2nd Edition

2011-10-04T17:32:00.000-07:00

This post is the second in a series I am doing on {quality} handmade Christmas gift ideas for everyone on your list. I chose projects I felt like anyone could achieve and that would easy on your wallet but high on style. Tutorials are linked up for each project so there is no excuse not to get your DIY on this holiday season!

This particular post is all about the littles in your life. Maybe it's your son or daughter, niece or nephew, grandson or granddaughter. Whoever it is, you should be able to find a DIY gift that suits them perfectly. If not, I will be posting more ideas for the bigger kids on your list soon. But if you are going to be DIYing all your gifts for this year, you better stop pinning and start creating! There are only 80 days until Christmas!!

1. Letter Writing Kit- The art of writing letters is going to be lost on the next generation, but how fun is it to send and receive letters in the mail?! Adam and his nephews recently became pen-pals and it is the sweetest thing ever to receive updates on their little lives in the mail along side a recently colored picture. Let's bring this art form back one Christmas gift at a time. Stuff a box with fun envelopes, stationary, stamps, coloring pages, and a personalized stamp.

2. Rosette Headband- Have a little girl in your life that you just adore? If she is at the age where she really doesn't care about hands on gifts or maybe she is just an uber girly girl... if so then this is the perfect DIY gift for her! If you so desire, try your hand at a matching pillowcase dress. But, if sewing evades you {like it does me} then just snag this ready made version.

3. Fort Kit- What little kid doesn't love building a fort? This kit cost about $13 {according to the source} to make and they will get hours upon hours of enjoyment out of it. They will love it and mom and dad will love how it occupies their little's time.

4. Stunt Man T- Perfect for the most rambunctious little boy on your Christmas list. Include an Indiana Jones Lego Set and you will be a gift giving smash hit!

5. Doodle Place Mats- These free printables are great for starting dinner conversations or keeping that wiggly worm occupied. Just print & laminate. Help family dinners make a comeback. They are so important and now they can be fun too! Include washable dry erase markers in fun colors.

6. Dress Up Suitcase- This one has thrift store written all over it. I kind of made this one up, so the picture doesn't quite get the message across, but use an old or thrifted suitcase and fill it up with all sorts of dress up items. Here are some suggestions. Keep your eyes peeled at garage sales and thrift stores for crazy/out there pieces. DIY some pieces if you so desire {here is a super simple tutu tutorial}. You can even personalize the suitcase with the child's name.

7. Memory Game- Follow the tutorial and use the free printables to make this A-dorable memory game for your favorite little. Gift in a mason jar for safe keeping and cute containing. Give this along side this awesome brain teaser book to stimulate your favorite little mind.

One Thousand Words

2011-10-04T06:08:00.000-07:00

Anyone good at writing captions?

Handmade Gift Guide: First Edition

2011-10-02T20:26:00.000-07:00

This post is the first in a series I plan to do on {quality} handmade Christmas gift ideas for everyone on your list. I chose projects I felt like anyone could achieve and that would easy on your wallet but high on style. Tutorials are linked up for each project so there is no excuse not to get your DIY on this holiday season!

This particular post is all about the lovely ladies in your life. Maybe it's your mom, your sister or your best friend. Whoever it is, you should be able to find a DIY gift that suits her perfectly. Not only will these gifts make her feel special, they will also be {very} kind to your holiday budget. But if you are going to be DIYing all your gifts for this year, you better stop pinning and start creating! There are only 82 days until Christmas!!

1. Pillow Case Tote: Salvage an old pillowcase or thrift for one in a vintage pattern for this easy breezy catch all. You could fill it with it with little things you know she will love. And let me tell you, the tutorial looks easy enough for even this non-sewer to follow.

2. T-shirt necklace: You already know that I love these, but this braided version was just too charming not to add to the list or add beads like this one to kick it up a notch. Who doesn't have an old t-shirt laying around that they can breath new life into?

3. Cake Stand: You could make one out of tea cups and saucers like the one pictured or go for the more traditional cake stand look with a thrifted plate atop a candlestick holder like this one. Her next dinner party will be a bit more chic thanks to you.

4. Braided Headband: These are super easy to make. There are so many options: ribbons, lace, scrap fabric. The tutorial is so easy to follow. This is a craft for the non-crafter.

5. Picture Holder: All you need is a block of wood some paint and a clothespin and you have a quirky cool picture frame to put your favorite picture of you and her in. This could also double as a kid's art display. Because of the clothespin, coloring pages and drawings are easily switched out weekly!

6. Statement Necklace: This little piece of loveliness is crafted from washers and embroidery floss. Perfect for that friend that is not afraid of statement pieces.

7. Pretty Dry Erase Board: Turn a boring picture frame into a fun dry erase board that your favorite friend could use in their office, kitchen, or craft room.

8. Wordle: Wordle.net allows you to type in words that describe something or someone to create a beautiful word cloud. This would be perfect for a mom, sister, grandmother, or best friend to tell them just what you value most about your relationship. The more times you type in a word the bigger it will get in the word cloud. Choose your font and color scheme to suit your taste. It is FREE to print and will look beautiful framed.

9. Cookies in a Jar: This is for the foodie in your life. What girl doesn't love cookies. And these have pink M&M's! This recipe is from Bakerella herself so it has to be good, but just in case try the recipe out yourself before giving it as a gift. {I say this from personal experience. I had a jar recipe go horribly wrong two years ago. Not cool.} You could also do cocoa mix or soup mix in a jar if you prefer. I usually do cocoa and give it out to coworkers and neighbors.

10. Silhouettes: This one is for the grandmother on your list. I wish I would have seen this tutorial before I made Grey's silhouette for his door. This is 100x's easier than the way I did it. What a beautiful keepsake!

A Creative Halloween

2011-09-29T19:05:00.000-07:00

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In a former life {before Grey baby} I had a blog. It fizzled out. I quit writing. Not sure why. Life got in the way. I probably thought I was busy... silly me...

But before the old blog died, I wrote a post about creative Halloween Costumes for the non Halloweener. I was looking back at the ideas and still love each and everyone of them. I have never been one to go all out costume wise for Halloween, but these ideas are funny and take minimal effort.

Here they are:

1. Serial Killer: Tie an empty cereal box around your neck and put a plastic knife through it.

2. Static Cling: pin a few socks and some used dryer sheets all over your clothes. (If you pin on unused dryer sheets, the smell will overwhelm you. I know from personal experience. Save a few used ones to use if you are going to try this one.)

3. Smartie Pants: Glue rolls of smarties all over an old pair of pants.

4. Breaking News: Tape torn newspapers to your clothes

5. Stick in the Mud: Wear all brown with a stick taped onto you.

6. Gum on the bottom of shoe: Wear all pink and tape a shoe to your head.

7. Ceiling Fan: Carry a sign that say "Ceilings are #1"

8. Facebook: This one was done by Jim on the office. Just write the word book on your face. Done and done.

But it's true what they say... "Babies change everything." I am going all out for Grey's Halloween costume this year. His costume is boarder line politically incorrect, but I think it is going to be hilarious once I get it all together. I'll just apologize ahead of time if I offend any of you :) Just to keep you on the edge of your seats I will reveal it in a picture when he wears it.

If you are looking for ideas for your little one's Halloween outfit this year Pinterest is chocked full of {non politically incorrect} ideas to get your creative juices flowing. Here are some of my favorites:

This one is super DIY friendly. Just hot glue some feathers to a blue onesie and voila!

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How many times have you said "You are as heavy as a sack of potatoes!" to your little one? Well to be honest that would be zero times for me because Grey is in the 11th percentile.... but for the chunkier variety of babies this is a perfect costume!! You can buy yours here or DIY your own version. Looks pretty simple to me!

{source}

I'm sorry but this is my favorite. If I thought Grey would keep glasses on his face this would 110% be the winner, but alas he would rip them right off. How funny is this though. Seriously.

Fact: Bears eat beets.

This one is WAY out my league DIY wise, but I was pleasantly surprised by the cost. Get yours here and be the belle of any Halloween ball.

And then there is my personal favorite {made up by my mad creative hubs}

LADY GOO GOO GAGA. There is not picture for this one because Adam made it up like a month ago.... BUT someone with a little girl PLEASE please do it and then send me a picture!! Here is a tutorial for a $2 Lady Gaga headband and for the rest of the costume the crazier the better!!

Halloween is a great opportunity to get those creative juices flowing. Get your DIY on!!

Chivalry is Dead

2011-09-27T15:53:00.000-07:00

...and I killed it

Feminism has brought us some good things. Equality in the workplace. Equal pay for equal work. A woman's right to cast her vote.

I believe a woman has so much more to offer than just cooking and cleaning.

I also believe that God is a God of order. When he created man and woman he created them equal but different. He ordered them in such a way that within marriage and within the church, the man should take the lead. This is not to say the woman is any less, she just has a different role.

Sometimes what you believe is really hard to live out. This is one of those times.

I notice in myself that often I do not want to let men,
specifically my husband, take the lead. I want to be in control. I think my ideas are best. I think I should be the one making decisions. I correct my husband. I push until I get my way. I nag until my to do list is done.

Is this really what I want? Is control worth making my husband feel like I don't trust his judgment? Is my to do list worth the resentment? Is the nagging worth the fight?

I am winning the little battles, but deep down am I really winning the war? My little victories are discouraging the very thing I want from my man: chivalry.

Ephesians 5 teaches husbands to love their wives and wives to respect their husbands. I am really good at loving my husband, but not so good at respecting him. I believe that is why the passage is worded the way that it is. Women don't need to be told to love. We have that down. We do need to be reminded to respect.

Maybe you are struggling with respect just like I am. Here are a few things I am doing to nudge myself towards showing Adam unconditional respect {yes, I said unconditional. More on that later} this week:

1. Write down each day things I genuinely respect about my husband in place where he can see them. For example: I respect that he is working full time to provide for our family and going to school full time to provide for our future. This makes it possible for me stay home with Grey.

2. Pray for him. Daily. With fervency. If you aren't lifting up your husband, who will?

3. Practice allowing him to take the lead in every day things. Trust his driving directions. Trust his instincts as a dad. Give him the benefit of the doubt... love believes the best.

Feminism has attempted to redefine what it means to be a woman and in the process has redefined what it means to be a man. But manhood and womanhood are not up for reinterpretation. Our identity is rooted in the image of God.

Gen 1:27 So God created man in his own image, in the image of God he created him; male and female he created them.

We were fearfully and wonderfully made. If we try to look at our spouse or our coworker or our enemy as one created in the image of God, love and respect will begin to define those relationships, taking the place of control, rivalry, and selfish gain.

Autumn's Simple Joys

2011-09-25T19:02:00.000-07:00

And even when the trees have just surrendered
To the harvest time
Forfeiting their leaves in late September
And sending us inside
Still I notice You when change begins
And I am braced for colder winds
I will offer thanks for what has been and was to come
You are autumn

-Seasons by Nicole Nordeman

Fall deserves to be celebrated. Unfortunately, I woke up on the wrong side of the bed on Saturday...I was downright grumpy which is not typically my celebratory mood. I was up all night with a sick baby. Sad face. When baby is sick, momma is sick. But I knew one thing on my agenda for the weekend was going to cheer me up: decorating for Fall!!

After digging through the storage unit and finding my box of ceramic pumpkins, I decided to add a few DIY projects to pump of the volume on this year's Fall decor.

First on my list was a Fall table runner. I decided it would be a good project to use up my left over burlap from the Fall wreath giveaway project {still going on... to win the wreath enter here}. I also pulled out some lace crafted by my great grandmother that I thought would look great on the runner. I love the dainty paired with the rustic.

Anyone who has ever worked with burlap can attest it is hard to cut a straight line... or maybe I am the only one. Either way I figured out a little trick to make it easier. Pull one of the strands of burlap out like so...

This will leave a straight line across the burlap. Just follow the line to get a perfectly straight cut!!

I decided to tack on the lace {I was going to use the sewing machine to put it on, but decided I didn't want the lace to be permanently attached to the burlap so I just tacked it on with a few stitches so I could take it off later if I wanted to}. I also pulled out a few strands of burlap on each end to give it frayed edges. Here is the finished product all dressed up for Fall:

The glass vase is from Marshall's, I just added some twine and rick rack around the top to make it more appropriate for Fall. The acorns were a Marshall's find as well and they usually live in Grey's room.

Apparently I am on a burlap kick because I also made some garland for our entry way... using the words entry way very loosely here. I am really loving how it turned out though. And, I was able to use some more lace that my great grandmother crotcheted to tie off the ends. You might remember the garland from my recent Pinterest post... again Pinterest is the ultimate crafty-ness motivator. Checking this little project off my to-do list.

This little leaf dish was thrifted and this candle was snagged in a giveaway from this little lady.

My obsession with ceramic pumpkins is borderline insane. I am unable to resist their allure. Maybe I am just attracted to short fat things... who knows. I have upwards of 10 which is a little ridiculous for my tiny little apartment. BUT THEY ARE JUST SO ADORBS!!!

That last one is a soup urn that will soon be filled with broccoli and cheese soup. My tummy is growling just thinking about it.

But the ultimate simple joy of Fall?

Luckily, Margie sent me some Keurig PSL pods so I can make them at home. Thanks for saving me $3.50 a day Momma!!

Happy Fall Ya'll!!

Giveaway: Fall Wreath-CLOSED

2011-09-23T05:25:00.000-07:00

WINNER- #1 Ashleigh Lankford

Congrats girl!!!

*** Due to overwhelming confusion, I have changed my comment form. If you had trouble in the past, it should be vastly simpler now.***

I love making wreaths, they are my favorite thing to craft, but I definitely don't need anymore so.....to celebrate the first official day of Fall I am hosting another giveaway! I guess I am just feeling super generous lately or something!! Even though I have been pretending like it was fall for at least two weeks, today is really the day that Fall officially starts...FINALLY. Now, I will begin to wear sweaters and scarves in protest of the 90 degree weather, though after living through the HOTTEST summer in the history of Dallas, 90 degrees feels like the dead of winter.

This wreath is wrapped in burlap and has thick burnt orange yarn wrapped around to add a shot of color {the picture below is a truer representation of the color of the yarn}. The rosettes are made out of book pages and chocolate brown felt. The wreath feels rustic and homey. You will love seeing it hanging on your door, wall, mantle, bookshelf... to be honest I almost want to keep it myself, but then I might end up on an episode of hoarders wreath's edition.

Here is how to enter:

::::GIVEAWAY ENTRY::::

{You must be a public follower of this blog to enter this giveaway. If you are not, just click the "Join this Site" button to the right}

1st Entry- Leave a comment telling your favorite thing to craft/DIY.
Additional entries:

2nd Entry- Share via facebook - and then come back and comment that you did.

3rd Entry- Share via twitter - and then come back and comment.

4th entry- Share via blog - mention this giveaway on your own blog and then come back and comment. Make sure to leave a link to your blog so I can check it out. I love finding new blogs to read!!

::::GIVEAWAY DETAILS::::

a) It is possible to have a maximum of 4 entries total per person.
b) Please make sure to leave each entry as its own comment.

c) The giveaway is open from friday, september 23 @ 8 a.m. CST until friday, september 30 @ 8 p.m. CST.

d) Using random.org, 1 lucky winner will be chosen on friday, september 30 @ 8 p.m. CST and subsequently announced.

e) Open to U.S. residents.
f) Please be sure to leave me an email where i can reach you if your account doesn't link to one. Thanks.

Good luck!!

diy showoff

The 8th Month: The Good. The Bad. The Ugly.

2011-09-21T07:10:00.000-07:00

Grey baby turned 8 months over the weekend. It has taken me that long to upload the photos and edit them. This week has been crazy... in a good way.

8 months:

The Good: Grey learned to wave! He waves at everything and everyone. I turn the TV on, he waves. We see a dog on our walk, he waves. A car drives by... you get the picture. It's adorable. He is starting to get brave about standing. He will be standing up, holding on and then suddenly let go and then catch himself. He is still super cuddly and loves to be in mom and dad's arms. I love that about my Grey baby. He is still not really crawling in the classic tummy off the floor hands and knees sense, but boy does he wave :)

The Bad: We are still having nap issues. He sleeps in our bed for naps {thankfully in his crib at night}. He only takes one nap around 10:30am, usually 2.5-3 hours in length. He really won't sleep anywhere but home, which is rough if I have anything planned during his nap time. He gets too nosy to sleep when we are out and about and then I have a grumpy baby on my hands. We push it when we have to, but mostly, my day is planned around his nap.

The Ugly: TEETHING. Teething is from the devil. He still doesn't have any teeth popping through which makes me very nervous about how he is going to be once that starts to happen. It is already affecting his sleep... and mine. It comes in waves, but I am convinced that teething is a result of the Fall. Way to go Adam and Eve. You stink!

Oh my goodness. If you would have told me at 3 months that he would only get cuter and sweeter I would have said hogwash.

I just discovered JJ Heller. Her lyrics are beautiful. I cried when I heard this song... So thankful I get to be the one...

"I get to be the one to hold your hand, I get to be the one.

Through the birthdays and broken bones I'll be there to watch you grow.

I get to be the one."

-JJ Heller

Love you Grey!!

A Very Pinteresting Fall

2011-09-19T06:42:00.000-07:00

I owe a lot to blogging. I feel like it has made me a better mom and a better wife in many respects. It has motivated me to try new things and given me an outlet to get things off my chest. My ambition in blogging is not to make my mark, but to share my gifts, talents and thoughts. I want this little corner of the internet to be glorifying to my Creator. When I lose sight of that I start to feel burned out on the whole thing. When my eyes turn to numbers and followers and stats something that started out as a lifeline and creative outlet for a new mom feels empty and vain.

I owe a lot to Pinterest. It has given me endless inspiration. I have never been so inspired by one website. The never ending eye candy screams at me to get off my but and get to creating. Creating gives me a buzz. A natural high. It's that same high that I get when I am speaking to hundreds of high school students about purity. It's the feeling that I am doing what God has created me to do.

With a new season comes a whole slew of new projects. As Adam begins a new semester in Seminary, I am finding the need to busy my hands with projects that will occupy my mind and my time after Greyson is in bed. Here is what I have been pinning for fall:


{source w tutorial}

I am loving burlap right now. It's super cheap and has a well worn farmhouse vibe. PLUS it transitions well throughout the holidays. It will look great with pumpkins and with Christmas fare. I am heading to Joann's tomorrow to pick up a truck full.

{source}

We had a real pumpkin fiasco a few years ago. Since we live in an apartment and our front door opens up to an indoor hallway the pumpkin rotted super fast and rotten INTO the carpet. It was disgusting with a capital D. This year I am opting for a fake pumpkin, spray painting it gold and stenciling either a B or 910 on the front. Simple, chic and I can use it for years to come. Ok, I just decided on B, because we will hopefully not be in 910 for years to come!!

Again with the burlap! This is such a beautiful Fall wreath. I am thinking of making one similar and doing another giveaway right here on the blog. Stay tuned.

I always make my classic Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Muffins, but this year I am going to try these babies too! Pumpkin Cheesecake Muffins. Commence tummy growl.

{source}

One of my favorite things about Fall is the clothing. This photo is from one of the fashion blogs, Sunday Crossbow, I stalk on a regular basis. I love all of her looks. She mixes thrifted and consignment items with new to make adorable ensembles. Fall means I get to pull out sweaters and scarves and pretend like I just got back from a shopping trip, when in reality I just I just dug around in my own closet.

What are you planning and pinning for Fall?

And don't forget there is a little giveaway going on through Friday. Only a handful of people have entered so your odds are pretty stinkin' good!

a.GIVEAWAY.kinda.DAY- CLOSED

2011-09-16T10:38:00.000-07:00

Winner: #3 Kerry Haley!!! Congrats Kerry!!!

There are 99 days until Christmas! Yes, the countdown has commenced in the Bowman home. I am over the top excited this year because we will celebrating with 3 members in our family instead of two!!

In honor of the cooler weather that is making its way into DFW and turning my mind towards the holiday season I am hosting a tiny little giveaway. {Stay tuned there will be more!}

What's at stake? A small {6"} embroidery hoop crafted by yours truly. With it's red rosettes and green backing, it will be a great addition to this years Christmas decor!! {But it's sweet enough to find a place to live in your home year round}.

::::GIVEAWAY ENTRY::::

{You must be a public follower of this blog to enter this giveaway. If you are not, just click the "Join this Site" button to the right and you are good to go!}

1st Entry- Leave a comment telling me your favorite thing about the holidays.
Additional entries:

2nd Entry- Share via facebook - and then come back and comment that you did.

3rd Entry- Share via twitter - and then come back and comment.

4th entry- Share via blog - mention this giveaway on your own blog and then come back and comment. Make sure to leave a link to your blog so I can check it out. I love finding new blogs to read!!

::::GIVEAWAY DETAILS::::

a) It is possible to have a maximum of 4 entries total per person.
b) Please make sure to leave each entry as its own comment.

c) The giveaway is open from friday, september 16 @ 8 a.m. CST until friday, september 23 @ 8 p.m. CST.

d) Using random.org, 1 lucky winner will be chosen on friday, september 23 @ 8 p.m. CST and subsequently announced.

e) Open to U.S. residents.
f) Please be sure to leave me an email where i can reach you if your account doesn't link to one. Thanks.

Good luck!!

Kurtz Corner
DIY Showoff

Shades of Grey

I Just Realized...

A Day in the Park

Carter is One

Etsy Shop Grand Opening + Giveaway

Connecting in a New Way

Bows Before Hoes

Our 4 Cents

Spreading V-day Cheer

A Valentine's Day Short Story

New Endeavors

Will You {Make} My Valentine

Frameworthy + Camera Settings

A Little Quiet Around Here

Blank Wall Woes

He Knit Me

Grey's First Birthday in a Nutshell

Precious Cargo

A Swinging Pendulum

Photobooth Printables Roundup

Basics of Manual Mode Photography Workshop: Second Edition

Time Flies When You're Turning One

The 11th Month: The Good, The Bad, The Ugly

The Horse Whisperer

God Will Give You More Than You Can Handle

Baby Lee

Top Posts 2011

The Great Photo Dump Continues: Melissa's Family

Homemade Resee's

The Great Photo Dump of 2011: Families

My Favorite Christmas Carol

12 Christmas Traditions

Carol, Hay Bales, and a Country Road

Christmas Card Mini Session: Yeehaw

Christmas Cheer from Dallas

The In Between

Last Night & a GIVEAWAY: CLOSED

The 10th Month: Good, Bad, and Ugly

Can I Get an Amen?!

He Wants You

$1 Christmas Craft

Christmas Card Sneak Peak

Baby Pie

Overflowing

The Classic Christmas Tree Shot

Photography: Samuel

Good. Better. Best.

The Little Things

DIY Almond Butter

Pinterest Challenge: {Thankful} Tablescape

A True Story About Sleep

DIY Gifting for Every Occasion

Etsy Love

June Bug

Cutest Homeless Baby on the Block

Fall Favorite: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Tis the Season

Basics of Manual Mode Workshop + Settings

The 9th Month: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Fair Food & Fun in Instagram

Failure

Making Room for Ohio

Heartshot Headshots

5 Ingredient Meal

Keep Calm and Carry On

I Heart Bokeh

Handmade Gift Guide: 2nd Edition

One Thousand Words

Handmade Gift Guide: First Edition

A Creative Halloween

Chivalry is Dead

Autumn's Simple Joys

Giveaway: Fall Wreath-CLOSED

The 8th Month: The Good. The Bad. The Ugly.

A Very Pinteresting Fall

a.GIVEAWAY.kinda.DAY- CLOSED