Growing Up

In our efforts to keep up with the blog over the past couple of years, we too often have failed to capture some of the basic growing up moments. Things tend to be a bit busy around our house, and the blog has been a great way to capture the big events. So it is high time that we took a moment or two to reflect on some of the ways that Callie and Reese are just getting older.

This is one of those pictures that demands to be included on a blog post. Reese is truly a spitfire, and this picture captures some of her mischievous/cute/feisty attitude. She is not a shy and retiring wallflower, that's for sure. And she can definitely hold her own with her sister and all the other big kids who adore her and want to pick her up. As her parents, we see her ability and willingness to say no as both a blessing and a curse.

One thing that Reese loves is to be with her sister when Callie goes to dance class. The one week Reese did not get to go, she literally tried to climb the back door so that she could get out of the house and make her way to the class. And yes, we mean literally. And Reese doesn't just want to go to the class, she wants to dress the part. We must admit she looks pretty cute. Meanwhile, Callie is happy to be back dancing again and doesn't mind that her sister wants to tag along.

The next photo is one we hope to use for some PSA campaign in the future. November marked Callie's second presidential election and Reese's first. They earned their "I Voted" stickers by standing in a very short line with John and hanging out behind the curtain with him while he cast his ballot.

It is fun to have them come along for the voting. It'll probably be even more enjoyable when they have a better sense of what is going on. However, we must say that Callie is very aware of who the President is and we are very proud of that fact.

Callie is in a very good cycle of visiting the dentist every six months. Fortunately she has no cavities and her teeth look good. But we still never know exactly how she is going to react at her appointment. This time was an okay visit, but we had to have a discussion about the next one. She is going to have to be the perfect patient so that she can show Reese how it is done. And based on how tooth brushing goes every morning and evening here, Reese needs all the good role models she can get. At present it takes some professional wrestling skills just to get Reese's teeth somewhat brushed. But we are persistent, and one of these days our efforts will pay off. At least that's what we tell ourselves each time we are sitting on top of her and trying to brush her molars while she screams. Good times.

But nothing says growing up like the first haircut. In this picture we see Callie's long flowing locks. Not one scissor blade had touched that hair in the first five years of her life. Her parents were too afraid to lose those cute curls that had been growing most of that time. But it was going to have to happen, if only so John wouldn't have to spend 20 minutes every morning fighting through knots just to get a ponytail in place.


Based on Callie's attitude towards change, Sarah had done a great job of prepping Callie for this big event for at least a year. And the key element of it all was that Callie was going to be able to donate her hair to a child in need through an organization known as Locks of Love.

We knew we needed at least ten inches, but we are happy to report that in her hand, Callie was holding twelve inches worth of fine Kentucky bred hair.

Of coures, Reese didn't want to miss out on the fun. She enjoyed capturing the moment with her iPhone. This is something that she has taken a special liking to. It is difficult for Sarah to go anywhere without Reese demanding access to this piece of technology. Sometimes we are amazed at the pictures taken without our knowledge. Highlights mostly include interior shots of Sarah's car and Reese's shoes. At the moment it appears she has the passion for but not the skills necessary for a career in photography.

Callie had no problem embracing the full salon experience. She particularly enjoyed reading the gossip magazines while the stylist took care of her. The funniest part about this experience is that we went to Sarah's hairstylist that she goes to once a year. We'll have to see if Callie will demand more frequent visits. John still thinks everyone in the family should cut their own hair with clippers like he does, but that probably won't happen.

As Reese would say, "Ta daa!" Below we have the finished product of the hair cutting and styling session.

It is amazing what one haircut can do. When we go back and look at Callie with long hair she seems so much younger. Her shorter, more mature look is one we are still trying to get used to. Callie is a big fan. She spent the first week afterwards flipping her hair around every chance she got. It was pretty cute. And John is happy to report that her hair is much easier to do in the morning. And that is especially good now that it is necessary to spend a little more time with Reese's hair before she leaves the house every day.

The girls are growing up fast, that's for sure. We are just doing our best to embrace every moment, and them, as much as possible.

Cinderella and Her Mouse Entourage

There was a lot of thought put into Halloween this year. First of all, Callie's first hair cut was going to have to wait until she could use her long locks to be a proper Cinderella. Second of all, we had to get Reese acclimated to her mouse costume. Believe it or not, this took several weeks. Heading into the big night we were still a bit unsure about whether or not the mouse would be wearing the proper headgear.

As you can see in the picture above, however, it all turned out well. Both Cinderella and her mouse escort took the neighborhood by storm.

What we mean by taking the neighborhood by storm, of course, is that they looked the part. This was Callie's third year walking around the neighborhood. Unfortunately, this wealth of experience has yet to lead to a well developed approach to the craft of trick-or-treating. Put simply, Callie still refuses to say trick-or-treat to the generous person at the door. She does a very good job saying thank you, but has no opening game. But her energy and excitement going from house to house is a lot of fun to watch. And she certainly made a great Cinderella.

Then we have Reese, who certainly benefited from looking cute and rambunctious. We have high hopes for her as the opening act since she caught on quickly to the appreciation part of the evening, saying "thank you" at each stop. We should be clear, however, that Reese's thank you's come across clearly in tone and not necessarily in words. She has the right intonation if not the pronunciation. However, it was obvious that she was having fun and that our neighbors appreciated her energy and effort.

Callie was quick to let people know which princess she was and what mouse Reese was. They made a good team. And they were troopers, especially since it was a pretty cold and slightly rainy night.

Their parents held up pretty well themselves, although it must be said that they had some help. If you look at the picture above closely, you'll see a cup in John's hand. Trick-or-treating goes so much better when you are carrying something that looks like coffee but tastes like a nice pinot noir. Whatever it takes to keep you warm, especially if you are not the cute one getting loads of candy.

When done right, Halloween doesn't have to be about only one night. And the girls love their matching skeleton pajamas. The bones also glow in the dark, which makes them even cooler. Callie still does a great job naming her bones and we encourage you to test her whenever you get the chance. Her favorite bone remains the femur.

As is evident here, Callie and Reese continue to love to play together in all sorts of ways. Jumping up and down on their parents' bed is only one source of such enjoyment. And Reese just wants to do everything her big sister does, from drinking out of a cup to posing in her PJs with her arms raised. it is cute and dangerous all in one little package.

Grandpa Dan Visits Kentucky

After Callie's birthday it didn't take us long to get back to Evan's Orchard. It just so happened that Grandpa Dan was able to pay us a visit out here in Lexington, and so we wanted to make sure that he got to see all the sights on his very first visit to Kentucky.

Callie's birthday was obviously full of activity, so we didn't get a proper picture of the two sisters with pumpkins on that day. The above picture turned out just right and was well worth the wait. By the way, take note of the fact that Reese is not wearing a jacket. It was cold that day, very cold. And she refused her jacket until she was literally shaking. This is a new "fun" phase that she is currently going through. We hope that it ends before the truly cold months arrive.

Grandpa Dan arrived only six weeks after his hip replacement surgery and illustrated very well how amazing modern medical technology is when it comes to such procedures. He even went down the big slide with Reese in his lap. Nothing was going to hold him back from spending some quality and fun time with his granddaughters, that's for sure.

Once we visited the orchard and drove through the beautiful horse country, we had no choice but to make a stop at Keeneland for the fall meet. We quickly managed to demonstrate why none of us will ever make a living betting on the ponies. But it was a beautiful day and we had a great time enjoying the crowds and the horses. Reese in particular liked to watch the horses parade around the paddock. This allowed her to get a closer look at the "neigh-neighs" she loves so dearly.

All in all, the visit went well. The girls even got to stay home from school one day so that they could just hang out and play with Grandpa. And on another day John and Dan traveled to Louisville to check out the Muhammad Ali Center, which was well worth the trip.

The smiles in the picture above say it all. The girls can't wait until the next time they get to hang out with Grandpa Dan.

Callie's 5th Birthday

It's hard to believe that October 2, 2012 marked Callie's last day as a four-year-old. She had been looking forward to her birthday for quite some time, so it was easy to get her to smile for a picture the night before she turned five. Fortunately she did not decide to wake up at 5:58am on October 3 to commemorate the actual five year mark.

What has become a nice tradition is that on Callie's actual birthday we bring cupcakes to Callie's class so that she can share the big day with her friends at day care. Of course, that especially means sharing her special day with Maddie, who has had the honor to celebrate every one of Callie's five birthdays with her. It still is pretty crazy to think about.

But this birthday was going to be much different than previous ones. No longer would Callie's birthday be marked by a simple family gathering.

Instead, we decided that the time had come to have an actual birthday party. And what better place to celebrate a fall birthday than at an orchard? So we rented a spot at Evan's Orchard here in town and got ready to have some fun. Once the tables were decorated, Callie and Reese were ready to welcome the guests.

We had a lot of activities planned. To kick things off we let the kids decorate their own individual pumpkins. They had a number of sticker options and could make their pumpkin into a cat, a monster, or your basic old jack-o-lantern. We figured handing out stickers to decorate would be much safer than handing out carving knives at a children's birthday party.

Callie was pretty proud of the cat she had created. And at this point, she was having an absolute blast knowing that all of this was for her very own birthday party. And of course, that made her parents happy. For the rest of the month we had a reminder of the day since the cat pumpkin sat on the front porch right through Halloween.

In fact, all of the kids seemed to enjoy their pumpkins and were more than willing to pose with their respective creations.

As you can see, we had quite a crowd at the party. But all in all, the kids were extremely well behaved and the orchard provided a perfect setting for Callie's first big party.

The next activity was a private wagon ride through the orchard. Here we see Callie posing with her friends Claire, Elizabeth, and Murphy. We were pretty impressed with Callie's ability to manage spending time with all of her friends who came to the party. It is not an easy thing to do, and she did a great job making sure to hang out with everyone who came...

...fortunately that also included her parents. As many parents are quick to tell us, these years go by so quickly, so never pass up the opportunity to snuggle with your kid. Done and done.

Once the ride through the orchard was complete, the time had come for the big event. Dessert. Instead of an elaborate and beautiful cake made and decorated by Sarah, Callie chose to celebrate her fifth birthday with elaborate and beautiful cupcakes made by Sarah.

The birthday girl handled being the center of attention quite well and did a very good job handing out the cupcakes. And once the cupcakes were consumed and the presents were unwrapped, everyone could still run around the orchard. Once everyone had gone home and we packed up the car, Callie was tired but happy. She told us that it was the best day ever. It is safe to say that the day was a success all around.

Callie's First Soccer Season

Fall 2012 was a big season for Callie because it marked her entrance into the wonderful world of rec soccer. We signed her up for the U-5 league and were very pleased when we met her team and coaches. She was on the Sting, and her seven teammates included Janey, Finley, Julian, Solly, Mac, Dean, and because we were able to make it happen, Callie's best friend Maddie. They are a great bunch of kids, and what made the season even better is that they came with a great group of parents. So we bought all the soccer gear, including pink shinguards, socks, and soccer ball. This picture, taken the day of her first game, shows that Callie was very excited and ready to go.

Looks, however, can sometimes be deceiving. A running theme of all eight games was whether or not Callie would agree to play when her coaches wanted her to go into the game. In fact, at the very first game, she refused to step on the field until the second half. Poor Coach Patrick did his best and even came over to us to see if we had any advice. We simply shrugged our shoulders and told him not to worry too much about it. We certainly were not going to get upset at him if Callie refused to play. Over the course of the season, though, Callie warmed up. Coach Ramsey was especially good at getting her ready to go in the game, and by the end of the season Callie was usually playing half of the game, just like she was supposed to. Now, that didn't mean she was an aggressive player. In fact, the only time she kicked the ball was when it was either a goal kick or a kick off. She ran around and was usually in a good position, but she never went out of her way to actively compete for a free ball. Callie has a lot of skills to pick up before the Women's World Cup of 2027.

Callie was also fortunate to have her California aunties present at her soccer debut. Few other kids had the kind of paparazzi following that she did on the sidelines.

And the aunties had a lot of fun watching Callie dance and skip around the soccer field on a beautiful fall day. And we'll never know if the skipping was Callie's natural go to move or if it was inspired by Auntie D's pre-game pep talk.

Of course, when Callie was not skipping or dancing around the soccer field she was holding Maddie's hand or talking to Maddie all while the game was going on around them. These two couldn't get enough of each other and had an absolute blast being on the same team. We were very happy that we had worked with Maddie's parents to make it happen. The season was a good one and even though we had no goalies and did not keep score, there was a big difference between Game 1 and Game 8. The kids definitely looked like they had a better idea of what to do by the end of the season. They did still run the wrong way sometimes, but these things happen. Now it remains to be seen if Callie will want to play again. She has said she wants to, but you just never know.

Ashland - Jazz in the Park

We are very fortunate to live in the neighborhood we do in Lexington, and it is always fun to be able to walk a mere five minutes to get to Ashland, the Henry Clay Estate.  But only once in the past six years have we been able to get to the Jazz in the Park concert hosted at Ashland every Labor Day weekend.  

This year we lucked out, because a rainy Labor Day weekend led to a rescheduled concert that we were able to attend.  We packed up a picnic dinner and headed down the road.  

It only took a few moments for the girls to start enjoying the idea of eating outside and listening to some good tunes. And it only got better when they got to know a little girl one blanket over from us. As the band played on, Reese, Callie, and this little girl played a fun game of catch and chase with a ball the other family had brought. A good time was had by all.

As the days, weeks, and months of 2012 have gone by we have often caught ourselves looking at Reese and Callie in wonder.  Individually they are amazing little girls and we are truly blessed.  However, we could never have imagined how their relationship would grow and develop into what it is today.  Callie knew she loved her little sister from the first moment she met her, and it is super fun to watch Reese imitate her big sister with such affection.

The conversations they have are somewhat unintelligible to us, but it is obvious that they care immensely for each other and whatever it is they are saying, they usually find it to be pretty funny.  We love having the giggles in our house.  

Sarah Bowes is 40!

It is not every day that we have the opportunity to celebrate a milestone birthday. Therefore, it was only fitting that we were able to stage a three-ringed fiesta for Sarah's 40th. (And what made it all even better was that Sarah only really knew about one of the three rings in advance)

In fact, Sarah and her friend Kelly Abraham decided to pull together a last minute party train because their respective 40th birthdays were only days apart. You only enter a new decade every ten years, and they decided it was only proper to make the most of it. And so on a Friday night a group of about 20-25 Lexingtonians hopped aboard the free local trolley and attempted to hit three of the city's finest beer distribution establishments. The night began at West 6th Brewery, transferred to Lexington Beerworks, and ended at the Beer Trappe. The picture here was taken toward the end of stop number two. It was a whole lot of fun and a great way to kick off the celebration of Sarah.

They say you have to kiss a lot of frogs before you get to the prince, but no one ever said anything about penguins.  John certainly hit a home run by surprising Sarah with an overnight trip to Louisville while the girls stayed with our good friend the Abrahams.  Sarah knew only that it was going to be an overnight trip, and was excited when the car stopped in front of Hotel 21c in Louisville.  

It's a boutique hotel known for many things, but especially for the three-foot tall red penguins that migrate throughout the hotel on a daily basis.  As a special guest, (and because John sprung for the birthday package) Sarah was lucky enough to have one waiting with balloons in the room.  We had a phenomenal dinner at the in-house restaurant, Proof.  And perhaps best of all, we slept in, watched a little of the Today Show, and went for a run together.  Those three things probably haven't happened on the same day since we left California.

But just when Sarah thought it couldn't get any better, it did.  The very next Friday, Sarah pulled into the driveway and came into the house, expecting only to get John so they could go grab some dinner.  Then she walked in the door, and much to her shock, saw her friend Denise standing in the living room with a glass of wine in hand.  As Sarah's brain attempted to process the fact that Denise had somehow gotten to Kentucky, three other figures came into view.  Denise had traveled east with Gretchen, Lauren, and Lauren's daughter Kate.  A surprise that had been in the works for months had finally come to fruition.  And it was glorious to behold.

Of course, the months of planning could not take into account that the California girls would arrive on one of our usual jam-packed weekends. So after a fun first night it was time to hit the ground running.  The first stop on Saturday morning was Starbucks, quickly followed by the PB&J concert put on by the Lexington Philharmonic Orchestra.  John once again came through and had pre-purchased four additional tickets for the out of towners.  The concert was fun as four members of the orchestra introduced all the kids to their instruments.  Reese especially enjoyed the post-concert instrument "petting zoo" with Auntie Gret.


Lauren not only got down front and center to enjoy the performance with Kate and Callie, but afterwards she also showed off her musical talents by playing the trombone for the girls.  It was so nice for Sarah to be able to watch some of her closest friends play and interact with Reese and Callie.  And it was just as, if not even more, special to watch Callie and Kate play together.  But we digress, because this was only the morning activity, and the afternoon brought us to Callie's very first soccer game.  No pictures are included in this post, but fear not, we shall devote an entire post to Callie's soccer season.  In any case, her first game was attended by numerous California based paparazzi who took photos of every skip, jump, and kick they could capture on their cameras.



Of course Sarah had to take her girlfriends out for a night on the town so that they could see all the best that Lexington has to offer.  And another side note here, this night out was made possible by John's willingness to try and make two four-year-old girls fall asleep together in the same bed.  It's unclear which came first, last call or the two little ones finally falling asleep.

In any case, the fearsome foursome had a great night at Table 310 and Parlay Social, just two of the newest hotspots in downtown Lexington.  If Gretchen had it her way, they would have gone to a third mysterious place called Truth, but she was outvoted.  Oh well, the night was still a success.

Auntie Gret has a special touch when it comes to the little ones, and she definitely came prepared to entertain and spoil them all. She had a bag full of arts and crafts and head full of great ideas. But perhaps more than anything, the girls loved her willingness to sit down with them and act silly. Oh, and they loved her willingness to play with her iPhone. They had a great time together.

On the third day of the visit we did our best to impress our guests with some of the things that make the Bluegrass very special.  It was a Sunday, so we decided not to go with the bourbon.  Basketball season hadn't started yet, and we aren't at a point yet where we can just drop by Coach Cal's house.  However, we were able to secure a private tour of Three Chimneys Farm, one of the premier horse farms in the region.  Among other things, they are known for stud breeding.  

One case in point is shown above with the statue commemorating the one and only Seattle Slew, who spent a few years at the farm.  Not pictured, because we couldn't take a picture, is Big Brown, who you might remember won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness a few years back before having to withdraw from the Belmont.  

It was another beautiful day, and we enjoyed both the horse farm and the lunch that followed at Wallace Station on Old Frankfort Pike. If you are in the area this lunch place is definitely worth the trip. It was nice to show the girls the rolling hills of horse country. Just as a warning, however, it might be best to experience those rolling hills before a night out on the town as opposed to the day after. Just a suggestion.

Unfortunately, Gretchen had to leave late Sunday afternoon.  But since Lauren, Kate, and Denise didn't leave until the next day, that left open one more night for the girls to go out and for John to see if he could improve on his babysitting skills.  The smiles below make it clear that the evening out at West 6th was yet another success.

Throughout most of her actual birthday weekend, Sarah kept hoping that her girlfriends would suddenly pop out from behind a door and shout surprise.  Unfortunately, it didn't happen, and it didn't seem real or right to celebrate her 40th without them.  Then came the following Friday and the surprise that Sarah will never forget.  With moments like this, Sarah would happily turn 40 every year.

Boyds Orchard

As fall approaches we get the opportunity to head back to the orchards that have put the summer berries and assorted other goodies behind them and put all of their efforts into apples and pumpkins. It is a very fun time of year, that's for sure. This year Callie needed no coaxing to take the plunge down the biggest slide at Boyd's Orchard. She and Vivie Ann raced to the top of the stairs and came flying down with huge smiles on their faces. They couldn't get enough of the whole affair.

Believe it or not, Reese was a little more hesitant and found excitement in the activities closer to the ground. She was particularly happy sitting behind the painted peach and sticking her head out for a picture or two. She also enjoyed the hay ride and running around in the maze with the other kids. It's amazing how well she keeps up with everyone. We have to keep reminding ourselves that she is not even two yet.

Although it was only September we couldn't leave Boyd's without a couple of pumpkins.  So each one of the kids got to select one to take home along with a tasty apple slushy.  It was a great day hanging out with the Johnsons and the perfect welcome to fall.

Of course, this by no means would be the only orchard visit.  But it was a great kickoff event.

Art, Music, and Dance

 Although summer was coming to an end, we still had quite a few activities up our sleeves. In fact, John's parents sent the girls finger paints a while ago and we had not managed to find the time or the space to fully indulge. You will soon find out that Callie and Reese approach painting the same way that they approach life. Callie tends to be neat, thoughtful, and organized in her approach. While on the other hand...

Reese has a tendency to throw herself headlong into whatever is in front of her. It was only a matter of minutes before we were able to capture the picture seen below.

We knew that the finger paint was supposed to be washable, but we weren't going to take a chance. Hence, Reese got to spend a little time outside sporting the latest in diaper fashion. The interesting thing is that this is just the aftermath of just painting a piece of paper. She never intentionally tried to paint herself.


The afternoon was a lot of fun just hanging out with the girls in the driveway creating some timeless art. Not pictured is a cool family tree that we painted with the girls also using the finger paint. In an elaborate process that Sarah enjoyed and in which John was a reluctant and nervous participant, we used the finger paint on the girls feet and then placed their footprints on paper to make leaves on a tree. It took some time and paint, but the end product was good and no paint ended up on couches or other household goods.

The girls truly do enjoy art, music, and dance.  In fact almost every morning includes all three in some manner, shape, or form.  Callie's love of dance in particular has often been a subject of posts on our blog.  But what has been increasingly evident is that Reese also has a strong desire to follow in her big sister's footsteps.  And like her sister, as you will see in the video below, Reese has a flair for the dramatic.  This is not your average dance routine.  There is clearly a lot of emotion that these dancers are seeking to convey.  And it is emotion not adequately captured by their music.  You'll understand when you watch the video.

Of course all of the above only hints at the numerous ways in which Reese and Callie have expressed their artistic passions throughout the course of the past couple of months.  Needless to say, they are fun to be around.