Bowman West

Well, I've been a bad blogger lately. I don't know why. I guess I'm just in a slump. Really I'd just rather be watching cheesy Christmas movies on Falalala Lifetime. Blame it on them. I can't believe it's almost Christmas. Just two days ago I was thinking that it seems like this Christmas season has lasted forever (which I love) but now Christmas is almost here and I feel like it's too soon. For some reason this year "feels like Christmas" more than in recent years. Maybe it's because Charlie's into it now. We talk everyday about Baby Jesus and the meaning of Christmas. It's so great to see everything through his eyes. He loves everything about Christmas...playing Mary, Joseph & Baby Jesus, singing and listening to Christmas songs, the lights, the smells, the food, everything. A man after my own heart!

I think one thing that has really helped us enjoy the season this year is the lack of busy-ness for us. We've had a total of two parties to go to (which we missed for lack of babysitter). Since we just now committed to a church home we had no small group, youth group, Bible class, etc. parties to attend. While this might sound depressing to some, it's actually been nice for us. We've had nothing but time to enjoy this season with just the three of us, when usually our time would be spent bouncing from obligation to obligation. God is truly blessing our time here.

Speaking of blessings, one of the best things about living in Cville is our neighborhood. I randomly found our townhouse on craigslist one morning in April and everything just all worked out. Since then we've made some wonderful friends in our little neighborhood. There are eight families with small kids and we moms and kids get together every Friday for a potluck lunch. Since all the husbands are doing some sort of graduate or professional school we're all sort of on the same page. It's a lot of fun and great to have good people to hang with. On Saturday we had an impromptu afternoon Wii session and just today a few of us went bowling. I mean, what else are you gonna do when all the men have the day off? Seriously, God must know how obsessed Andy and I are with being friends with our neighbors because He continues to bless us in that department (shout out to the Velardez & Lowe families who we miss like crazy!). I pity any future neighbors who refuse to be our friends. That just won't cut it.

Speaking of neighborhood fun, everyone in tha 'hood seems to have some craft or talent. I'm thinking of trying to develop one so any suggestions would be appreciated (and don't say scrapbooking, stampin' or knitting...they've got that market cornered). I tried gingerbread house construction but we can clearly mark that one off the list...

Poor Charlie. He should get used to this kind of disappointment from his non-crafty mom!

Charlie's house turned out much better...

Partyin' it up at his preschool holiday party. He was singing Jingle Bells.

Charlie's been having a hard time going to sleep lately. This is where we often find him when we head upstairs to bed. It's a little scary. I hope he doesn't roll down the stairs at some point.