Girls camp is a comin!

So LEPOARD is SO in right now. The girls picked this theme and it has been so fun to work with. Paper, fabric, and everything else makes it so easy to come up with fun projects that the girls will really enjoy up at camp. We have 10 girls going with Jessi and I as leaders. We are small but can do so many more fun projects for camp! We are the lovely leopards at the joyous jungle. All of camp has a theme of virtue no matter what. More pix to come! These are pillow cares that my mom made as well as some boxed candy with each of the girls names on them. We have lepoard take-out boxes with tiny handouts on them. Jungle creatures with thoughts on them, AN amazing camp sign that my family ended up painting and some other tricks up my sleeve.

Happy Mothers Day MOM!

Happy Mothers Day MOM!

Mom seriously is the best woman at almost everything she does(except throwing a frisbee) Raylene has been working on a collected scrapbook for over 6 months now from all of us girls. The book has several titles in it like: Moms the best becauses, most embarrassing moments with mom, advice mom ALWAYS gives and many more. Ray made these yummy jello's in tiny triffle dishes which are AWSOME! and I gave her some new teflon pans. Dinner was better than normal and overall we had a great time spending it with the family who was all here! Mom has been on this extreme diet and had lost 15 + pounds. She looks and feels great.

Lake trip- First of the year!

Lake trip- First of the year!

Lake trip- First of the year!

Lake trip- First of the year!

We had such a great time for our tradtional first lake trip party of the year. We always take the boat out and have dinner on it usually for FHE. Before the new TIGA it was always an ADVENTURE because the sunny mesa never worked. After a year in the barn we would always have mechanical problems or whatever going on with it. This year we all had a great time. We had subs and everyone boarded and Raylene even surfed. No worries she is having a baby in 3 weeks. This was the first time for Brookie to go on the boat and we also brought the dog of coarse. All did specatular, and we missed DAD and Kelsey who had the SWINE flu. Pretty bad stuff. JK. just the regular flu I guess. Mom was always watching brooks last year so it has been two years since she has come. Mom is amazing, she drives the boat and even boarded!

So proud of my girls!

Really these signs are so cute in person, this past mutal we had an activity for camp prep! We made our signs, and worked on a ward banner as well as got our cheer ready. Way to go girls!


I had to share this pix. My boys sleeping in. Really, Brad goes off to work and then the dog usually is all over my face instead. So either way know that before long we will have a HUGE dog sleeping with us unless we teach it to sleep else where!

Happy Birthday- Calli trip

Happy Birthday- Calli trip

Happy Birthday- Calli trip

Cornado- Happy Birthday to me!

Brad's singles friends from Provo- Kristine and Clint flew down to CA for a weekend away to Cornado. Kelsey and Christi are home from BYU and were bored so we all met up for a fun weekend of hanging out at the pool/beach, eating at fabulous restaurants and having a blast at 6 flags magic mountain. Really, it is so amazing to me that we were really the minority by far in the park! I was constantly reminding myself that we were in LA and not on the beach in MEXICO or on the African plains. The rides were awsome, and the $ for the fast passes were well worth it. Really, waiting in line for hours just is not okay with me. We had to bring the puppy to CA he had his first walk on the Beach and slept the whole diving time. I did loose my cell phone as it fell out of Brad's cargo poket on one of the wicked flipping rides. Oh well. Really I hate the dependency of having a cell phone. Brad met up with one of his single friend from High School, they had fun catching up, and I am always impressed with my hubby and his ability to drive in all the craziness of CA. Thank you hubs, for the AMAZING birthday and all the fun times we have together.

Swine flu info- We just got back from Calli. pix to come.

Swine flu info

Friends, this is from an ER doctor, DR. GITTERLE, in New Braunfels, sent to me by Mark Lundy. (via Karen Johnson and Lisa Tetreault)

It is more comprehensive than other things I've seen.Date: Wed, 29 Apr 2009 08:55:31 -0500

Subject: Flu Update from Dr. Marcus Gitterle

After I returned from a public health meeting yesterday with community leaders and school officials in Comal County, Heather suggested I send an update to everyone, because what we are hearing privately from the CDC and Health Department is so different from what you are=2 0hearing in the media. Some of you know some or maybe all of this, but I will just list what facts I know.- The virus is infectious for about 2 days prior to symptom onset
- Virus sheds more than 7 days after symptom onset (possibly as long as 9 days) (this is unusual)
- Since it is such a novel (new) virus, there is no "herd immunity," so the "attack rate" is very high. This is the percentage of people who come down with a virus if exposed. Almost everyone who is exposed to this virus will become infected, though not all will be symptomatc. That is much higher than seasonal flu, which averages 10-15%. The "clinical attack rate" may be around 40-50%. This is the number of people who show symptoms. This is a huge number. It is hard to convey the seriousness of this.- The virulence (deadliness) of this virus is as bad here as in Mexico, and there are folks on ventilators here in the US, right now. This has not been in the media, but a 23 month old near here is fighting for his life, and a pregnant woman just south of San Antonio is fighting for her life. In Mexico, these folks might have died already, but here in the US, folks are getting Tamiflu or Relenza quickly, and we have ready access to ventilators. What this means is that within a couple of weeks, regional hospitals will likely become overwhelmed.- Some of the kids with positive cases in Comal County had more than 70 contacts before diagnosis.
- There are 10-25 times more actual cases (not "possible" cases -- actual), than what is being reported in the media. The way they fudge on reporting this is that it takes 3 days to get the confirmatory nod from the CDC on a given viral culture, but based on epidemiological grounds, we know that there are more than 10 cases for each "confirmed" case right now.- During the night, we crossed the threshold for the definition of a WHO, Phase 6 global pandemic. This has not happened in any of our lifetimes so far. We are in uncharted territory.- I expect President Obama will declare an emergency sometime in the next 72-96 hours. This may not happen, but if it doesn't, I will be surprised. When this happens, all public gathering will be cancelled for 10 days.
- I suggest all of us avoid public gatherings. Outdoor activities are not as likely to lead to infection. It is contained areas and close contact that are the biggest risk.
- Tamiflu is running out. There is a national stockpile, but it will have to be carefully managed, as it is not enough to treat the likely number of infections when this is full-blown. I don't think there is a big supply of Relenza, but I do not know those numbers. If I had to choose, I wo uld take Relenza, as I think it gets more drug to the affected tissue than Tamiflu.- You should avoid going to the ER if you think you have been exposed or are symptomatic. ER's south of here are becoming overwhelmed -- and I mean that -- already. It is coming in waves, but the waves are getting bigger.
- It appears that this flu produces a distinctive "hoarseness" in many victims. The symptoms, in general, match other flu's; namely, sore throat, body aches, headache, cough, and fever. Some have all these symptoms, while others may have only one or two.
- N-Acetyl-Cysteine -- a nutritional supplement available at the health food store or Wimberley Pharmacy, has been shown to prevent or lessen the severity of influenza. I suggest 1200mg, twice a day for adults, and 600mg twice a day in kids over 12. It would be hard to get kids under 12 to take it, but you could try opening the capsules and putting it on yogurt. For 40 pounds and up, 300-600 mg twice a day, for less than 40 pounds, half that.- Oscillococinum, a homeopathic remedy, has been vindicated as quite effective in a large clinical trial in Europe, with an H1N1 variant. You can buy this at Hill Country Natural Foods, or the Wimberley Pharmacy.I will try to keep everyone posted if I have any new information. Meanwhile, don't be afraid just avoid infection. The=2 0fewer people infected the easier it will be for our public officials to manage it.
Marc

50 bucks is fifty bucks!

VOTE FOR BROOKLYN B.!

(the picture we entered)

Okay everybody, I heard about this radio contest from my sister so I thought I'd send a picture of Brooklyn because I know I think she's stinking cute. Mix 96.9 is doing "Baby Idol"-Season 3 and the top 200 contestants will battle it out in round 2 where they will then narrow it down to the Top 50 finalists. The Top 50 will then compete in the Finals Round where the Grand Prize Winner gets $2000.00 and the title of Mix 96.9 Baby Idol.

This is where I need everybody's help. Today, Friday May 1st starting at Noon, people can begin voting for their favorite baby. Her picture is located in Gallery #2 (I think like the 10th baby) but here is the direct link to make it super simple for you to find it. (Click here.) Just click on "Vote for me" and enter your email address to vote for her. You can vote for her everyday from a valid email address. To make it worth your time, I'm giving away a $50 dollar Gift Certificate to any store/restaurant of your choice if Brooklyn becomes the next Baby Idol. All you have to do is cut and paste this post onto your blog and then leave me a comment on my blog (or email me at bradbowles3@gmail.com) telling me you voted for Brooklyn and also that you posted this post on your blog too (to help spread the word)! If you have a facebook account, you can also upload this picture of her and tell people to vote for her there as well....and then you will have double the chances of winning the gift card. (send me a message on facebook if you do, so I know to enter your name twice into the drawing) Since this is an ongoing contest to try and narrow it down to the cutest baby...every time/day you vote for her send me an email or comment, and you'll have an even better chance of winning the 50 BUCKS!

If Brooklyn does happen to be the next Baby Idol, I'll be using a computer program my friend created to randomly choose a winner out of all the comments left on my blog, email, and facebook. There are tons of cute babies entered in the contest, but if you think Brooklyn is cute too, she'd love your vote every day....! It's never to early to start saving for your kids college education...and to help pay for the next baby on the way....(40 DAYS left!) Thanks for everybody's help! You rock!