Thanksgiving

Travel for the Bowes never seems to be easy.  However, our family seems to always take it in stride.  Sarah and the girls headed out to California early on the Friday before Thanksgiving, excited to know that they would get extra time with the folks on the West Coast.  Unfortunately their travel time included far more than they bargained for, starting with a cab ride from the Louisville airport to the Cincinnati airport Friday morning because of a mechanical problem.  Then after delays in Cincy and a few hours on the ground in Albuquerque they missed their final flight and were stuck in Los Angeles over night.  But boy was it fun once they got to Sacramento more than 24 hours after their trip began!

Grammy Gayle was quick to pick the girls up bright and early in the morning and our adventure started in Old Town Sacramento.  It included lunch, a trip to the park, and some cool old ships.  Sarah had to bribe the girls to take this photo which has become a much more common occurrence these days.

One benefit of spending more time in California is getting to arrange time with Auntie Lo, Kate, and Ashlynn.  This year we met up at the Jelly Belly factory where we took a tour and enjoyed tasting a variety of delicious candies.  It only took the girls a couple of minutes to get reacquainted, then they were off getting into trouble together. It means so much to Sarah and Lauren that these four get along so well.

After a wonderful lunch Sarah and Lauren didn't want the day to end so we looked up an indoor trampoline park so the girls could burn some energy and we could continue our great conversation.  If only we lived closer to the Perrones.  As you can see from the picture, the girls had a great time.

Then John arrived.  His travels were smooth, however, he was sick as a dog.  He self-diagnosed a sinus infection and we finally decided to give in to the fact that Reese's cough that had been around for more than a week was not going away.  John showed Reese how to cooperate with the doctor. His diagnosis was on point and it turned out Reese had bronchitis.  The Wednesday before Thanksgiving not only included a visit to the Urgent Treatment clinic but also the local pharmacy to get the medicine necessary to get us all back on track.

Grandpa Dan now lives in Sacramento as well, so we had a number of opportunities to spend time with him.  Grammy Gayle was gracious enough to offer up her kitchen for a playdate so the girls and Grandpa could bake some cookies.  A fun time was had by all and the cookies were pretty darn good.

Thanksgiving morning was filled with good intentions that crashed on the rocks of misery.  We signed up for the Run Against Hunger 5K in downtown Sacramento.  Who knew it would be the coldest day ever for that, and so we were not all that prepared for the 30 degree temperatures.  Nevertheless, attitude is everything is our motto, so we always expect the girls to get it together.  As you can see from this picture, that was not happening.

Zac and Brandi were doing their best to inspire Callie to tackle the course with some joy in her step.  And because nearly 30,000 people were doing this, we were walking the whole course.  That's a lot of inspiration required.  Needless to say, I guess we should at least appreciate that Callie actually walked.  Reese, on the other hand, insisted on being carried the whole way.

Fortunately, we did not have Thanksgiving dinner outside.  Instead we were hosted by the ever generous and loving GA and GU.  We can never say enough how much we appreciate the efforts they put in to creating opportunities for the family to get together.  It was a wonderful day!

There are a lot of kids at these gatherings now - seven kids ages eight and under to be exact.  What is great is some of those kids are now involved in the preparation for the feast.  Callie, Reese, and Skyler were happy to help decorate the tables and get ice water for each setting.  We look forward to day when they will be involved with the clean up as well.

Great Grandma Hazel was there as well, and like always she was game for whatever we wanted to do.  This year Haley outdid herself and not only got the girls birthday presents but also brought a family gift.  That gift was a game called Pie Face, which is essentially Russian roulette with whipped cream.  Almost everyone tried it, but Hazel was a fan favorite without a doubt.

With such good times comes exhaustion, but Great Grandma rallied when the girls came and surrounded her with smiles and cuddles.  Unfortunately this was only four of the seven little ones because Tyler and his family had already headed out.

Before the day ended, Ryan was kind enough to take some pictures of our branch of the family tree in the great setting behind the house.  This was the one thing that Grammy Gayle had requested we do on our visit and we were more than happy to make it work.  It only seemed fitting to put Brandi, Zac's girlfriend, and her son EJ in the picture.  This was great forethought since Zac proposed to her on Christmas day and now we will get to attend their wedding in September 2016.  And with all that said it is a pretty good picture that captures another great Thanksgiving.

Halloween

Halloween is not just for kids.  Finding costumes is a little bit trickier, and ultimately it comes down to what we can find in the boxes down in our basement.  Fortunately we had enough to make it a blue-collar Halloween with a car mechanic and beer delivery guy.  We didn't say we were going to be overly creative.

We got all dressed up for another night with our wine group, who happen to be a bit more creative than us.  Bob and Tracy came as Maverick and Charlie from Top Gun, and boy did they look good.  Kirk was Anger while Kelly was Joy from the movie Inside Out.  You can also see their daughter Claire was Sadness, but they could not talk their almost teenager Ella into being Disgust.  Brian was an old man while Jen was a Minion.  Needless to say we had a great night.

Reese insisted on being Princess Elsa for Halloween, and when the night arrived she apparently decided to be Elsa with an attitude.  She was very excited to get out in the neighborhood and put some candy in her pumpkin. This would be round two for Reese because she had hit the downtown area with her preschool class the day before.

We somehow convinced Callie to be a cat, which meant that we didn't have to get a new costume this year.  The power of persuasion/manipulation is a wonderful thing.  We do feel lucky that she still leans toward the sweet and innocent when it comes to ideas for Halloween.  She certainly did not express any desire to be a zombie cat, for instance.

This year we had the good fortune to make it a trick or treat extravaganza by having Kennedy and Harper join the crowd.  Their mother Laurie does some incredible work with make-up and costumes.  We will have to remember Laurie's skill set when Callie and Reese outgrow Pottery Barn and the Disney Store.

Rounding out the crew was Cooper, who came as Kylo Ren from the new Star Wars.  All five kids were eager and independent, which made the night even more fun for their parent chaperones who could simply walk along, monitor manners, enjoy their drink of choice, and chat along the way.  This year also marked a milestone in that Callie and Reese, with the encouragement of their friends, were willing to partake in the neighborhood haunted house.  It's an awesome neighborhood tradition, and you can even tell the person in charge what level of scary you want.

At the end of the evening it was all smiles as the kids sorted, counted, and traded their candy.  The parents taxed the children appropriately and everyone came out a winner.  And since it was a Saturday night we didn't have to break up the party early so that kids could be up for school the next day.  Now that is a fantastic Halloween!

Reese Joins Callie on the Soccer Field

Reese has never been more excited to follow in her sister's footsteps. She tried dance and that didn't really take. But after many seasons spent watching Callie from the sideline she was ready to join in to show the world what she could do on the soccer field.  Reese couldn't wait to put on her new uniform and get the soccer ribbon in her own hair.  She was looking good!

Her team was the Rapids and her coach was the same man who coached Callie during her first three seasons.  Coach Patrick is a great guy and his son was on the team as well.  The U5 games are definitely a sight to behold.  They have throw-ins, corner kicks, and goal kicks, but outside of that it is a bit of a free for all.

Reese showed early on that she had learned a thing or two from watching all of the games over the past several years.  That's not to say that she played flawless soccer, but at least she understood the basic concepts that Coach Patrick had taught - make goals, take the ball away from the other team, and have fun.  And she was a strong player.  In fact in one game she scored four goals.  And if you ask her she will be happy to tell you about it.

Reese also had an important and somewhat unique trait among players this age.  She always wanted to be in the game.  Sarah, who was the Assistant Coach for the Rapids, knew that Reese would be the first to jump in the game if one of her teammates was bored, tired, or crying.

As is the case with all five-year-olds, the post-game snacks and the end of the year medal were the highlights of the season.  Reese was extremely proud that she got a medal and not a trophy.  She probably would have worn it for days if given the chance.

All in all it was a great first season for the Rapids.  We tried to get a full team shot after the last game, but as you can imagine this was next to impossible.  We can't wait to see what the spring season will bring.

Meanwhile, Callie took the field for her third season with the Sharks. She has come such a long way from her days playing for Coach Patrick on the Sting, when she was one of the players whose legs were tired after two minutes and who often had to be coaxed to even get on the field, much less to try and get the ball. Now she is all over the field and always wants to play.

This season she too had a couple of goals, but that doesn't really tell the kind of player she is.  Her coach, also known as Dad/John, knew that no matter where he put her on the field she would know what to do and would do it well.  She played hard and is getting a feel for the game.  Now if only she would get more serious about using her right foot and not just relying on her left.  But that will come with time.

So here is a picture of the Sharks, version 3.0.  Our third season together and this time we brought in six new players, some of whom were playing soccer for the first time ever.  It was another character building season, that's for sure.  But the girls are gaining skills and truly enjoy the whole experience.  John feels very lucky to get to work with all twelve of these characters, and is hoping that all twelve will come back in the spring.

Pumpkins, Orchards, and Leaves

For the first time since it started in 2011 we managed to take an up close look at Pumpkin Mania on the campus of Transylvania University in downtown Lexington. On the steps of one of the oldest buildings on campus sit hundreds of pumpkins carved by students. It looks cool here, but amazing at night when the candles are lit.

Sarah is always on a mission to find the perfect picture and kept trying to convince the girls to get up on the steps in the middle of all of the pumpkins. John and Callie had to keep reminding her of the signs that specifically said, "Don't climb on the stairs!" So we had to settle for a family selfie in front of the sea of orange.

After we visited Transylvania we headed towards Evans Orchard for our annual pumpkin picking and apple fritter eating.  The girls are also well aware that this also means more pictures and more demands that they look natural and smile.  They do their best to comply but their learning that they can make demands for more treats at the country store.

There is always something new at the orchard, and this year one of those things was a photo opportunity that fit this threesome quite well.  Sarah had no trouble getting everyone to participate in making appropriate faces for their particular role.

Of course there are some things that don't change at Evans Orchard, and they also never get old.  The girls love racing down the slides.  And because the weather was a bit dodgy on the day we visited they didn't have any problems with lines.  They could just slide down, run back up, and do it all over again.

This meant that they also had one of the two bouncy trampolines all to themselves.  They certainly enjoyed jumping and being silly.  Reese was having so much fun she didn't even fake any arm injuries this year.  She's really growing up, isn't she.

If not for the fact that we had other things to do, the girls probably would have stayed and jumped for hours on end.  And we didn't mind watching them go crazy in the midst of such a beautiful fall setting.  But as is the case with every fall weekend, there are too many things to do, places to go, and people to see.  The bouncing finally had to come to an end.

We did manage to get one last great picture in before we left the orchard, however.  The genuine smiles must have come from the joy from all the bouncing.  We figured this particular picture might have a good chance of serving as the photo for our Christmas card, but we shall see.

Falling leaves are the quintessential symbol of fall.  And while they are less enthusiastic about making the piles, Callie and Reese love to be part of spreading the leaves back over the yard by running and jumping into the piles their father has so lovingly crafted.  There are few things cuter than seeing the smiles and pure joy that comes out of a pile of leaves.

The Louisville Zoo with the Johnsons

The Louisville Zoo does a great job of celebrating Halloween during the month of October.  The whole zoo is covered with decorations and although we did not take part in it, at night they apparently have the biggest trick or treating venue in the region.  Yet while we didn't collect any candy we had fun poking our heads through the various character cut outs they had set up throughout the place.

We made this trip with the Johnsons, and it was especially fun to see Emerson react to the animals. Reese, Callie, Vivie, and Mason ran around from exhibit to exhibit pointing out new animals to Emerson.  This little guy certainly does not suffer from lack of attention.

All the kids jumped at the chance to ride on the carousel.  In fact, because we went in the middle of the week there was no line and instead of having to get off at the end of the ride we all got to pick another animal and take another spin.

These four certainly seen their share of adventures over the last five years and they get along really well together. They all seem to keep each other in check while insuring no one is left out. It's the perfect balance of siblings and friends.

With that being said, Emerson only adds to the fun. It will be interesting to see how he pushes his way into the mix as he gets older. And all signs indicate that he will have no problem pushing his way in. So we mark another fall celebration together and look forward to more fun times with the Johnsons in the seasons to come.

Bourbon Chase

For the fifth time in the past six years, October has also sent John running along Kentucky's back roads as part of the Bourbon Chase, a 200-mile relay race that takes runners on a tour of the beauty of Kentucky and its bourbon distilleries. John runs with a group of professors and former students from EKU and Transylvania University. Their team name - Intellectual Pursuits. This year John was in Van 2, which means his chase started in the afternoon at the Maker's Mark distillery. The whole set-up creates a wonderful environment, with runners from all around the country excited to run a lot and get little sleep.

The way it works is pretty simple. There are 36 legs of the race and 12 runners on the team. You run 3 different times, and those times depend on which leg you are and how fast your teammates run. For Van 2, when you finish running at 5:00am or so, you find a Waffle House in Danville and sit down for a good meal. Here is one of John's teammates, Kelly Abraham, in perfect Bourbon Chase apparel. It's whatever is warm, dry and doesn't smell.

Obviously when you are running at night the scenery is not so incredible. But when the sun is shining you often have to pinch yourself. You are tired, sure, but you are running through the heart of horse country, and the farms are beautiful. The back roads of Kentucky, especially on a crisp fall day, are something to behold. And when you are lucky you get to run by horse farms where the horses out in the fields will run with you for a little bit. It's cool and very humbling all at the same time. Here we see Kirk Abraham, Kelly's husband, finishing strong on one of the more picturesque transitions.

This is John at the end of his final leg, a 6.7 miler that ended near the Kentucky Horse Park. This wrapped up just over 19 miles of running over the course of the previous 24 hours on about 2.5 hours of sleep. And John can't wait to do it again. There are 12 legs on the Chase and John has now run 5 out of those 12. He has to do it at least 7 more years.

And this is how we finish. For the last 100 yards we don our academic robes and bring it home. It's a great feeling and just a great deal of fun. For nearly 30 hours you share an experience with a group of folks who are as crazy as you are. This picture, it should be noted, was taken by Sarah, who should also receive credit for her accomplishments. Every year during the chase she takes the Abraham girls while John, Kirk, and Kelly run and then brings everyone to the finish line. Can't wait until next year!

Callie Turns 8!

We tried to talk Callie into a birthday celebration rotation. One year she has a party with friends and the next year she has an adventure with her family. So far it has worked out pretty well.  So this year we packed our bags and headed north to Great Wolf Lodge near Cincinnati.  We had heard some good things about it but still were a little wary.  The big selling point is the indoor water park, pictured here.  The girls were drawn to it from the moment we checked in right up to the last minute before we left.  It was a big hit.

Because Callie's birthday fell during the fall break for Fayette County, it was not surprising to run into someone we knew. However, it was very cool for Callie to have that person be Lydia, one of her good friends from school. It was like she had the benefit of a birthday party with friends and an adventure. The girls had a great time together and even rode one of the biggest water slides together with John and then with Lydia's dad.

Great Wolf Lodge certainly has a very good read on their target audience. When we checked in both of the girls got wolf head bands and the birthday girl received a special one. She also received a distinctive wristband that gave her access to a free scoop of ice cream whenever she wanted one. This is one of the things that definitely helped make the weekend extra special for Callie.

Grammy Gayle got in on the action by paying for Callie to take part in the Quest Adventure that is another part of the Great Wolf Lodge experience. Any time you need a break from the water you can roam the halls with your magic wand searching for clues and coins that help you complete the quest and become a more powerful wizard. Callie was intrigued with the game and enjoyed leading the charge up and down and all around the lodge.  It was fun and occupied us all for a couple of hours before it was time to head back to the water park.

The folks at Great Wolf Lodge also make sure that Halloween is not just for October 31. All month long you can trick or treat, which worked out quite well for us. Luckily, Sarah had researched ahead of time and knew that we should bring costumes for the girls and because it was inside we didn't have to worry about the weather. The girls took advantage of this and requested their princess/ballerina costumes. We had a lot of fun walking around the halls getting candy and seeing all of the other kids who were dressed up.

The girls could not get enough of the different parts of the park. However, their favorite parts didn't always converge. Reese loved the wave pool and had to jump in every time the waves started up. This was balanced with her love of the lukewarm hot tub that she liked to visit every 20 minutes or so. Callie loved the lazy river and the water slides. She tried out just about every water slide they had and clearly had a blast doing it.

It was fun to watch Callie take it all in. We were there for less than 48 hours, but we had a great time as a family and enjoyed the whole experience. All the fun allowed us to forget that we were celebrating the fact that Callie turned 8, which just seems ridiculous.  How is she getting so old so quickly?  We love her to pieces and are very proud of the girl she is becoming.

Of course Callie is not the only one in our family who is growing. Reese continues to make her presence known in our lives.  She is full of personality and loves her sister more than anything.  It was fun to watch them both run around and make the most of their time at Great Wolf Lodge.  And Reese was especially willing to help Callie eat her free ice cream all weekend long.

Even when we go on an adventure we do make sure to have our home birthday celebration with Sharon and Chris. This year it involved Gigi's cupcakes, which allowed all of us to have a sample of three or four different cupcakes. It was a great way to top off our celebration of a wonderful young girl!