Snapshots From Our Iowa Winter

Little blue farmhouse. Warm and cozy inside.

Campbell and his very loved ducks before the cold officially hit!

'Tis hard to fathom, but yes...these are full of the stuff with no home in our house.
Perhaps you heard the howl when we realized most labels
fell off as an unidentified brother lined them up? Oh the joys. :)

Familiar scene in rural Iowa!

These fellas had a marvelous day on a demo job with an Amish friend.

Leaf collecting by the littles. Quite the production line with Crockett at the wheel. :)

Gathering together with our dear ones!

Blessed when I get to have my wonderful girls back in the kitchen!

Quick trip to take care of my sister Rebecca after her surgery. 

Manee (our amazing missionary Mom) was also there,

 so we had tea, green smoothies, bone broth and catching up time for an entire weekend!

Also squeezed in a quick visit with these longtime friends at Homeschool How-To's.

Post on their materials forthcoming!! The way they consolidate facts on EVERYTHING into easy to read, no nonsense booklets for busy Moms in phenomenal! 

I have personally learned so much from them and even had a piano lesson. :) 

Crosby and Campbell decided to start tree decorating at the front door. :)

Sometimes the Bowers men just have to BAKE!

Many a weary soul is revived by something from the grill.

And we love brunch!  

Family walk on a nearby trail with the girls! The best!

Piled everybody in for the ride home. Behold the wonders of the 15 passenger van! :)

Classy scarf.

Dear little friend we got the chance to watch during Christmas Play recordings.

Loved our time with these TN friends who stopped by for supper.

Campbell, Chap and Daddy had a few days off in Destin, FL.

Uncle Dave was there, too. Very fun. 

Early morning view.

 The boys loved catching things.

Death defying moments with your Uncle Dave don't just happen everyday. :)

Daddy was recruited to cook a fabulous Bowers+Bontrager Fondue Dinner.

We did fondue restaurants before politics, AGENDA, and bus traveling.

Cheese fondue is fantastic. Chocolate fondue is fabulous!

The most pots Daddy had on his stove at one time was 30. THIRTY!! :)

Sweet Rebs is an almost sister.

Carver+Joshua in full concert. :)

Things to dip in dark and milk chocolate made us SMILE!

Practically everyone.
Grateful to the Bontragers for their lovely kitchen

 and LOOONG table.

What they don't tell you before moving to Iowa: 

Sub-Zero is not just a fridge! 

We have NEVER been this cold. :)

Precious friends from Romania joined us for several days of singing
and fellowship as they wrapped up a tour of the US. Their stories of God's faithfulness were such an inspiration! We pray for them often as they minister in a very difficult culture.

Their dear baby was in the states for open heart surgery 

and is doing great! Praise the Lord!

Our AGENDA shipping world.

Charlie's local hay business. That is ALOT of breakfast for farm creatures.

Our friend Wyatt, who came for a dose of Bowers life. :)

 Chick-Fil-A on a marvelous trip to Alabama with Daddy.

Happy, happy, happy!


This is very serious, y'all.  :)

The extra brother we found at church one day.

 Always more books to read, 

bigger words to spell and fantastic things to look up.

This wonderful family of 13 piled in with us for several days. Temp outside was -17.

 'Twas a most delightful thing to get my girl fix as their 4 oldest daughters sang and played and baked and gave me good recipes with VINES drawn on them. Perfect. :)
We loved our time with them all.

Charlie's shoe shine service for boot wearing sisters and brothers.

"Morning by morning, new mercies I see!
All I have needed, Thy hand hath provided,
Great is Thy faithfulness, Lord unto me."

Scenes from September!

Sending the girls off into the sunset with two practically perfect farmers has caused JUST a few ripples at our house. But we are learning as we go. :)

First Principle of Life with Many Boys:
 Keep cooking, and make sure there is ALOT of meat involved!

Working on Zucchini Fries. Crosby loves veggie things. :)

Immensely blessed by loads of fresh things from Charlie's fantastic garden!

Crosby's turkeys leaving home. 

And after several hours, they returned. :)

Campbell. Thrilled about his duck eggs 

and quite happy to let Chap know that all eggs are NOT equal. :)

We are supposed to look them in the eyes to see if they're poisonous. Seriously?! :) 

The good news is...sometimes things that seem big and awful are not! 

Boys thoroughly enjoy every encounter with the creatures we find. 

Charlie has sided barns, demolished houses, driven the Amish, milked cows,
put up fencing, trimmed trees, washed hog barns, delivered calves and hauled hay. 
Blessed by wonderful opportunities for him to work on local farms 
and learn really good stuff!

Christian started a business this summer called The Lawn Boy. 

His motto is "YOU GROW IT, I'LL MOW IT!" This is one of his very lovely yards. :)

Daddy visited with our friend from Iowa before speaking in San Jose 
and then filming an interview in Berkeley.

Twenty five years ago was the meeting that started all our AGENDA projects!

 Folks have NOT gotten more level headed around here since then. :)

One of Daddy's great friends and encouragers! 

Good time catching up after working on the interview.

Family Camp at Village Creek in Lansing Iowa!

We love the preaching, fellowship with other families, yummy meals (huge break for Mommies), 

topical projects, teaching and much to do outside in the water and beautiful mountains.

Getting ready to tube...

...and off they go!

Music by lots of different families. Not just ours. :)

 Love this lake! Vigilant lifeguards, swimmers and paddlers abound. 

Tree climbing optional. :)

Our favorite speaker again. :) 

Amazing message on homeschooling, family and being purposeful.

Archery. Very fun. :)

Breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks! 

Just knowing good things are in the works helps everyone relax more. Especially the guys. :)

LOVED that our dear ones showed up from their honeymoons in 
Wisconsin and Colorado for the last day or so of Camp! 
Bible time in the bus altogether.

Return to the Mississippi! :) 

Last year on this trip our brides and grooms were just barely visiting. 

Praise the Lord for His entirely marvelous plan!

Josh and Cassidy graciously invited their 9 groomsmen up to Wisconsin 
to have church and help "clean out the fridge" before they left their 
little honeymoon cabin. :)

Sweetness abounds! What groomsmen get to show up for fellowship and good cooking at the end of their sister's honeymoon?!! 'Tis why we love our Cass and her new husband SO MUCH!! 

Carver used his amazing carpentry skills to transform our cargo trailer into the boy's dorm.
 This will be their rustic headquarters as we travel this Fall.   

Thrift store dresser became a permanent part of the scene.
Storage section and hanging closet space is perfect! :)

Love these boys! They are beyond energetic and ALWAYS up to something. Can you tell? :)

  It was a whirlwind month but we're getting the hang of it!
Grateful to the Lord for all He's teaching us along the way.