It's About Time

OK....It has been long enough I need to catch you all up on our lives. We last left off at Erin's birthday...After Erin's birthday and before school started we decided to go on a little vacation. We got a free Condo in McCall Idaho. So we loaded up the mini van with Eric, Terri, Katie, and Erin and headed north to Idaho.
Now you might ask, what is in McCall Idaho? I know we were asking...Here is what we found.
First of all they drive funny in Idaho......This picture was taken through the windsheild of our car. It was a little weird to look up to see a truck heading toward you...





Erin and Katie bought Crayons and Coloring books and those fuzzy marker posters to entertain themselves on the almost 6 hour ride.

This is what we found in McCall. It was beautiful. We had so much fun. I think we were all sad when we had to come home.






We rented a kayak and a canoe, we went swimming and we skipped rocks











The next day we got a wave runner and we went to the beach.











We played all day and we watched the Olympics at night and then when we got home it was time to do the Corn.


Eric and the Kids video of doing Corn...It's almost as good as being there.

After the Corn was all done, it was time for school to start. Erin and Katie looked very cute for their first day of school. Then it was Katie's 17th birthday. I don't know how that can be. It seem's like just a few years ago she was just a little baby in my arms. She is growing up into a very lovely young lady. (That is what her Dad would say)

Then all the kids went singing in the rain. We have been blessed with children that usually really like each other. And they find creative ways to entertain each other.










So I guess if I tell you that Eric and I are still alive and well, Brandon is staring in "Twelve Angry Men" at the theater (it was hard to picture Brandon as an angry man), Heidi and Katie are still playing softball, and Erin might get to dance with the Junior's group this year, you will be all up to date with the happenings of our family. We will now go and do more stuff to blog about.
See you later.

Birthday Bash!!!

It's Erin's birthday. She turned 15 today. We had t-bone steaks and cream peas with potatoes. We all got on our party hats and wished Erin a very happy day.






We made a german chocolate cake and we all sang a roaring rendition of the Happy Birthday song. Then she blew out all the candles. Erin got a new digital camera for her birthday.




Erin is growing into a beautiful young lady. Her eyes sparkle with a bright light. She always keeps us laughing. We love her very much and wish her a very happy year.

High Aventure

The other night Katie and Erin decided to have an adventure. They climbed in the van and went to Walmart at 11:00 at night to get cookies and strawberry milk. Then they came home to sleep out under the stars. They slept out in the front yard.

I can only guess what the paper boys thought in the morning when they came by. As far camping out goes I guess they felt like they were really on a high adventure.

Like Mother Like Son

When our oldest daughter Betsy started driving we were always looking for her keys. We even had to hire the locksmith to make molds of the key hole in her car because she had lost all the keys. Well, Charlie came to visit last weekend and guess what he left behind. You guessed it!! His keys. He is getting an early start. But then practice does make perfect.

Moose on the Loose

A few days ago we had a Moose come to visit our neighborhood. He found a nice shady spot in our neighbors front yard by the pond. He was the neighborhood entertainment for most of the morning. Then the DWR came and tranquilized him to take him back to the mountains. Erin got to help load him in the trailer. It was very exciting. I love living in Mendon. We are so close to the mountains we get to have wild visitors every now and then.
It is almost like living in a mountain cabin all year long.

I think I need to figure out a way to not be so busy and spend more time enjoying the place we live. It was a very good day when the Moose came to visit.

Some Fun Came to Our House

Eric is always working so hard and he hardly ever

takes time to have some fun. So I bought him a

motorcycle. We suprized him with it a few weeks ago while he was calling play by play at the softball games. I think he was so shocked he didn't know exactly what to do. I hope he gets to have many hours of fun with the wind in his hair and the bugs in his teeth.

I think Charlie was born to be wild.

Manna from Heaven?????????

Yesterday morning as we were getting ready for work we loaded our last roll of toilet paper in the bathroom. We then talked about stopping at the store on our way home from work to buy some more of said toilet paper. Then we hopped happily in the van and headed off to work. We got to the bottom of the street where we had to stop at the stop sign.

We looked left, there were no cars coming...

We looked right, and there were still no cars coming...

But there were white blobs on the green grass about every 20 yards going down the street.

We turned to see what it was.

We found rolls and rolls of toilet paper left by the side of the road.

Some people get manna from Heaven and some people get toilet paper.

Happy Birhtday to Heidi

Happy Birthday to you, Happy Birthday to you,

Happy Birthday dear Heidi, Happy 24th Birthday to you!!!!!!

I took 3 dsays but we finally got to eat the German Chocolate Cake her mom baked for her.

It was "Knee High by the Forth of July

Look how his garden has grown. We were going to take a picture of the corn being knee high on the forth of July like the song says but we got busy and forgot. So a week after the forth of July this is how tall it is. My mouth is starting to water for corn on the cob.

Eric does such a good job in the garden. It is looking beatiful. He even made purple flowers grow on our vines.

Usana beckoned... What a "Journey"!!!

Well... I don't even know where to start.... but it has been one fantastic weekend...

We had a really good time last Friday night celebrating our daughter's birthdays (Betsy and Heidi) on July 11th at the Usana Amphitheatre...

Oh by the way, Happy Birthday girls!!! They weren't there... Heidi was in St. George at a softball tournament and Betsy was being pampered by some "maid" named Daveed.... see her blog for details... it is in my list here in my blog...

Anywho.... We went with some friends (Phil and Karen Zobell) to go see a really great concert that featured...

and.....

Can I just tell you what a great concert that really was??? Other that it was really loud, it was a real treat to see these bands... And as I mentioned in my last blog... I will report on this using my new good buddy.... yes.... youtube..

The first band was Cheap Trick... and I have to admit that I remember them but wasn't too sure what some of their songs were... so I looked up some of there music on the Internet and wow... I remembered some of the songs but never was a real fan...

During the concert, the lead guitarist, (on the left) blew two amps and boy was he loud!!! They played hard and long and occasionally I even recognized some of the songs.... For example... this one was probably there most famous...

Check it out!!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1sCOf6MsH0o

The lead singer was very entertaining and the the lead guitarist was really a clown... and boy did he have some cool guitars!!!

Well, I waited patiently for my new favorite song and lo and behold... here it came... It was entitled, "The Flame" and other than it was too damned loud, it was still a treat.... Well here... you listen to it!!! Lord knows, I've wore it out!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vBbnYdVaj8E

Then here they come... One of my favorite bands was next.... Yep.... Heart.... Growing up, I was really a big fan of them because they had such a variety of hard driving stuff and great ballads. These ballad were often the creation of some even better music videos which resulted in my falling in love with Nancy Wilson, the red-headed guitarist (especially 12 sting) and singer!!! She was a looker with a even better chassy!!! Whoops, my inner self slipping out there.... my apologies. The lead singer, her sister, Ann Wilson had put on about a 100 pounds but she still had a great voicea and belted out those old time favorites... like this one the someone turned in to youtube from the Salt Lake concert... Listen!!! It's called "Alone".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LhjsJQXhdc4

And then they got into classics like "Magic Man"...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lduWkKFqA8I&feature=related

And then they played my favorite... "These Dreams"... I wonder why??? I pull up the original "ballad video" for this one...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7LLaeRUsWr0

And what would this blog be without noting one of my favorites...

Barracuda...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KgGdMHXIQJI

Whew! I am exhausted!!! We really need to move on!!! We still have to talk about the creme de la creme... Yes the next feature on this night of rock bands and good music...

The feature band was Journey... But where was Steve Perry, the salty tenor voice who sang all of the those beatiful ballads and great songs??? My brothers and sisters of the blog world, and family and friends... He has been replaced!!! His name is Armel Pineda... a 40 year old Phillipino lad... Let's listen to his story as was shown on CBS's Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tqux8KYyJac&feature=related

There... now that you have mopped up your pride, lets listen to some of the new star's sound... Hmmm... sounds alot like Steve Perry, eh??? Don't get me wrong, I AM A STEVE PERRY FAN... I love his voice... but Armel may have taken over....

It was amazing to watch the energy he had throughout the 1 1/2 hour concert... he sang his heart out, he ran ALL over the stage, jumped from the drum platform, spun piroettes on the stage and on and on and on... he was amazing...

Let's check out a few things by the New Journey... who coincidently now have a new album... entitled "Revelation".

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lUkksIV8dC8

This video came from the Salt Lake concert again...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UgEc-LORc2c

And then there were the ballads.... how about a little bit of Lights followed by Open Arms and Only the Young.... oh yea....

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xUWJ8bf09BU&feature=related

And then I was nearly moved to tears by the last encore song... He was incredible and was so full of passion... ya know... like Steve Perry...

You will see what I mean from this video from Chile again... Here is the last one.... Enjoy... Tonite I told Marty Knowles (him being a tenor and from the famous May Day Barbershop Quartet) that I wanted him to sing at my funeral... The Flame by Cheap Trick and this song...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9aCBB670Kwg

Good night all!!! Enjoy the music again... Journey is back!!! What a "Revelation"!!!

The Rest of the 4th of July. . . . . .

One of the Bowen traditions is to make ice cream on the 4th of July. We have missed a couple of years so this year we were determined to bring back the old tradition. We got out all the ingrediants and got to work. We always like to keep the flavor a secret until the ice cream is ready to eat.

Charlie stopped by to help. He was working very hard helping his Pampa....

This year we made "Butterfinger" ice cream. It was delicious.


Since Charlie is eating real food now, we thought he should try some.

He Loved It!!!!!!

An then he took a nap. . . .

What an exciting 4th of July

Styx and the Fourth of July...

Let's see... you think of the 4th of July and you think about cookouts, parades..(I don't), watermelon, 90 degree heat and fireworks... right???

Boy did we ever see some fireworks on the Fourth!!! And we didn't even see a spark!!!

For the Cache Valley Cruise In.... (and yes... I still haven't been to one), the fireworks came in form of a very special occasion... one I thought that I would never see or even had a chance to see... Styx... yes, the rock group, was at Logan at the rodeo grounds... What a treat!!!

We heard about this concert several months ago and bought 4 tickets the first day without really a regard as to who might use them besides Terri and I... Well here are the tickets and my "wrist band" and we casually mentioned it to my good friend, Rick Shelton and his good wife Karen, and they were excited to go...






















The concert was excellent, by Logan standards and I was jumping out of my skin throught the whole concert!!!

I took several short video clips with my cell phone but they didn't do any justice and so I have gone to my friend YouTube instead so you can see what we saw and feel what we felt... It was GRRRRRRRRReat!!!

The energy was incredible... the musicians were absolutely outstanding.... the atmosphere was electric... Dennis DeYoung, who was the original lead singer for Styx until 1999, wasn't there, but who cared... Lawrence Gowen more that made up for his absence in my opinion...

Listen to this YouTube clip of Lady... It was incredible live...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3q80A3a188&NR=1

And Tommy Shaw???? Out of this world on lead guitar and high vocals...

Check out Tommy Shaw along with his fellow Styx - James Young in this rendition of Renegade in this YouTube clip... This was from Texas about a week and a half ago and so you can see what we were treated to!!!

Enjoy this one... Click on the high quality version of the video... under the video when it comes up...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQaQXQQHA8Q

I have to tell you that I enjoyed this concert so much that I dreamt about the concert all night Friday AND Saturday night.... I was exhausted!!! ha ha... but it was just as good the second and third time...

Well I was going to wait and post this with the rest of our Fourth of July experiences but I promise there will be more to come... We did have a busy day.... and it is forth coming...

So enjoy the clips and enjoy this mini concert because we sure did... In fact, we liked it so much that we are going with our friends, Phil and Karen Zobell to the Journey / Heart / and Cheap Trick Concert at the Usana Amphitheater this Friday the 11th... and I will once again will report on this events of that day...

This is Eric Bowen... signing off...

You bet your bottom dollar...

FINALLY A VACATION FOR ERIN!

Yes, that's right Erin finally got to go somewhere while the family got to stay home. A couple weeks ago my friend Paige and me went to Farmington, New Mexico to watch her horse A.P. Chicks Dig Me (aka Chickie) race her trials. He ended up doing really well with a time of 17.50, he won first in his trial and fourth overall out of the quarterhorses. It was very exciting and really cool to see how the races worked, i even learned a few betting tricks along the way.


This is our star palamino boy, Chickie, getting pumped up for his races. He's such a stud, and he even won just about 5,000 dollars for his trials, we'd like to thank him for our lobster meal that night.

Throughout this trip i learned a lot of things about horseraces. Oh and as you can tell by the picture above, there was a great tailwind(evidence that i learned horse talk) on the track, and i also learned that for two dollars more you can box your bets and could possibly win yourself $450, if only we would have known that five minutes earlier...

The most exciting, and creative time of our trip was the eight hour drive down there. But we kept ourselves busy by...drawing cartoons...listening to Bennie and the Jets by Elton John one too many times...playing twenty questions about anything and everything...and we even managed to meet a few boys....everytime we stopped the car. ...Our hotel had very nice decorations around the outside...it really took Paige a long time to notice that there was a bear statue, and it wasn't a pig no matter what the nose looks like...

Aside from the horse races, we found a lot of other things to do in Farmington. After a long search we found there MALL!!! Lucky us, there was huge sales throughout the whole place. We also went and saw a lot of tourist spots, some famous restaurants, and tried to enjoy the whole ten minutes of sunny weather we got to experience.

On our way home, we stopped in Moab to check out the Hole in the Rock house. It was actually a really cool spot. We didn't actually go inside the house, but around the outside there were lots of little decorations and funny statues around, there was even a petting zoo with ostriches, wallabees, and donkeys. Somehow we didn't end up getting pictures of anything too interesting...except the old gas pump...

All in all the trip was really fun, and they are even going back this weekend for the finals, so wish Chickie luck!............on a side note, I would also like everyone to know my driving skills are not as frightening as led on from previous posts thank you!