5 Minutes with a Mom: Skyler Bowman

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Name:  Skyler (Beebe) Bowman

What are the names and ages of your kids? Oliver B is 11 and Evan is almost 7 mo!

Where are you from and how long have you lived in Southwest Missouri?  I am as local as they come! I have lived in Cassville all my life.  Sure, I’ve tried to venture off a few times but you always come back to a good thing.

What is your favorite thing to do with friends in SWMO? We enjoy Branson.  Our family loves Silver Dollar City and it’s always fun to meet up with friends there and let the kids go nuts.  Also, we love Roaring River.  As I get older I appreciate the park more and realize there really is lots to do there.

Was there anything you wanted to do before becoming a mom? Did you do it?  I had loads I wanted to do before becoming a mom!  Maybe that is why I waited until I was 35 to have my first baby!  I was 31 when I began to practice my mom skills with Oliver B, who was 6 at the time.  I wanted to travel the world,  do wild and crazy things and blow my money on senseless purchases! Yes, that is exactly what I did before becoming a mom.

We understand that you love to travel! Now that you have a baby, do you plan to continue to travel? Any ideas you could share with other moms when it comes to traveling with little ones?  I want so bad for my kids to crave new places and to appreciate this wonderfully massive world we live in.  Books are amazing to spark the imagination but my plan is to impress upon them the desire to touch it, see it with their own eyes, smell it and taste it!  I am excited and maybe a little nervous for our first trip with Evan.  We are heading off on a road trip to Mt. Rushmore and the other sights South Dakota has to offer!  My plan is to see how this goes and then graduate to a destination that requires a plane ticket.   I already plan to make goody bags to pass out around us on our first plane ride to explain and apologize for what may happen during the flight (ear plugs, Tylenol, mints, gum ect).   I think Evan will do good, it’s me I’m worried about.  I never imagined how much “stuff” would be required to get around with Evan.  I’m already trying to figure out how to condense my own bag and I am already a carry on only person!  I have done plenty of research on our itinerary so there will be plenty of stopping and stretching our legs and picnics along the way.   I figure that Evan is just like me and snacks make anything better so there will be plenty of food!

One last important thing, I realize and expect the trip to not go according to plan.  Things will change and we will just go with the flow!

How has parenthood been different than you imagined?  I had no idea it would be like this.  I thought I would just magically know what to do since Evan and I are bonded, we share DNA, we are in tune with each other.  I would be able to calm him with my soothing momma voice and simple touch!  I imagined during nap time I would develop the most beautiful artistic baby book ever. I would take my own monthly pictures to save money and they would come out frame worthy every time.  I now know there is so much wrong with those ideas!  I can remember him crying in the middle of the night and I had tried everything to soothe him.  Finally, I just sat in front of the dehumidifier (for the white noise) and we just cried together.  Everyone told me I would be tired and get little sleep.  I wasn’t scared, I have been up for 48+ hours on long layovers with uncomfortable trains, planes and cabs, I have been tired.  This, being a parent to a newborn sweet tiny human, is something else!  This is Exhaustion beyond comprehension!  I didn’t even know I could function on such little sleep.  I cherished the little things, taking a shower eating an entire meal from start to finish without microwaving it.  But, I also never imagined I would love it so much either.   Now with Oliver B, I never imagined having the discussion of “Why do I have to wear a coat when it’s snowing outside?”

How has it been better than you imagined?  I wish I could put into words how happy and fulfilled I am with being a mom.  I didn’t know how good it would feel when I walk in a room and Evan lights up and starts kicking his feet because he recognizes me or how fun it is to see him experience something for the first time and be amazed.  Hearing Bye love you from Oliver B is always wonderful but when it’s yelled while running off with his friends or around witnesses it’s amazing!

You have such a happy, fun demeanor. What is your secret to having such a positive attitude? We know you have to have hard days too!  I wish I could expose a secret but it’s simply because I have so much to be happy about!  I have been so blessed in life with amazing family, great friends, good place to work, incredible good looks (I’m kidding!) that it just comes easy to be happy.

Being positive is a choice and I just try my best to always choose to be happy.

It does help that I am naturally an excitable person.  I do have hard days and since they don’t come often they come hard.  I’m sure, to my husband, I over exaggerate the severity of those bad days.  I find a good cry in the shower and box of cookies will usually do the trick to get me back on the happy train.

What’s something your friends might not know about you?  That I am extremely claustrophobic.  I blame this for the fact that I never could swaddle Evan tight enough because it stressed me out thinking of him being so tightly bound!

One word that describes your parenting style:  Engaging.

Mom Talk: Preserving those childhood memories

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With technology ever present in our lives, it’s doesn’t take much effort to snap pictures on a smartphone and store photographs and milestones. But what about the funny things they have said or done? How are you preserving those memories?

Some of you might keep a journal, write letters to your children to open when they are older, or you may even email them. I recently created email accounts for my daughters to preserve their childhood memories. I started out with journals and when something amazing or silly happened, I wrote it down. Then I would forget to do it and it was a cycle of continuing to forget.  I didn’t want to forget how awesome, silly and amazing they were so I thought an email account might be easier. I am on a computer all day anyway.

Creating an email account for your kids is a great idea for several reasons. By creating an email early you get to reserve their name hopefully before it’s taken and you have to add those silly underscores, symbols and numbers.  It’s also, for me, the easiest way to keep an online journal for them to read when they are older and can appreciate the memories.

Now, you might want to create two email addresses for them. I know you are questioning this, but hear me out. Go ahead and reserve their first and last name at gmail.com. This account can then turn into their daily account for school and friends. Then create a second account titled dear, with their name, for example, dearfirstlastname@gmail.com. Make sense? You can also give this email address to the grandparents or other family members. When your child is old enough, tell them about their email address and let them read the emails they’ve accumulated through the years.

Can you imagine the impact this will have in your childs life when they are adults and their grandparents, parents, or friends have passed? They can relive their words as often as they wish.

Here are some other great ideas on preserving childhood memories:

  1. Question them. Write out a list of “interview” questions for your child such as their favorite food or their favorite holiday memory. Collect their answers yearly and keep them in a binder or album.
  2. Organize it. It takes a considerable amount of time, but albums that chronicle each year of your child’s life are beautiful keepsakes that can be placed on a shelf or coffee table. There are countless websites to make your own albums. MyPublisher creates exceptional, high-quality albums.
  3. Online Scrapbooks. Scrapbooking is fun, but it can also be expensive and time-consuming (not to mention that not all of us have been blessed with the creative gene!). Sites like ScrapBlog (www.scrapblog.com) and SmileBox (www.smilebox.com) let you create unique scrapbooks featuring your best baby and family photos.
  4. T-Shirt Quilts. Your child is going to go through a lot of clothes during his or her lifetime, and instead of throwing these items away or donating them, you can use them to preserve your child’s memories. Keep shirts or other articles of clothing that can help jog a memory for your child, and then use these items to create a t-shirt quilt.
  5. Keep a video diary. You don’t have to be a show producer to keep a video diary. Record the moments you never want to forget and always be ready to capture the moments that might end up being a little funnier than you expected!

5 Minutes with a Local Mom: Angela Rose (Liv’s Run for Life)

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repost

 

We wanted to share this amazing story with our momma’s once again. The Liv a Life of Love Foundation has such meaningful, heartfelt and emotional story behind it. This year marks the 4th Annual Liv’s Run for Life 5k. This will be held on Saturday, April 21st.  Thanks for sharing your story with us Angela!!

familyName: Angela Rose

Kid’s names and ages: Olivia Lauryn 17, (7.4.96-6.27.14), Alexander Lee 16, Emilee Grace 13, and Stella Rose 3 1/25

Where are you from and how long have you lived in Southwest Missouri? A lifelong resident of the Show Me State. I was raised in Springfield and moved to the community of Republic in 1999.

8What is the most enjoyable thing about being a mother? What I enjoy the most about being a mother, is the front row seat I’m blessed with to observe the successes both great and small of my children. Watching them grow into determined, creative individuals with a great sense of humors reminds me that the blunders I’ve made and will continue to make in raising my kids will mean very little in the end.

What is the most challenging part of being a mother? As a mother to both a preschooler and teenagers I have to remind myself, and be willing to, let go as they grow from needy toddlers who attach themselves to my pant legs, into capable self sufficient adolescents.

Loving abundantly while simultaneously giving them the freedom to experience their own life lessons.

We understand you have established a 5k run to remember your daughter Olivia. Tell us about Liv’s Run for Life:  Liv’s Run for Life annual 5K event will be held on Saturday, April 21st in Springfield. The run was created to help fund both the Liv a Life of Love Foundation promoting organ donation awareness through community outreach and offers financial support for transplant recipient families.

Liv a Life of Love Scholarship Fund annually offering  a one time financial gift to deserving graduating seniors.

How can others get involved in Liv’s Run for Life? Register to run/walk at this year’s upcoming event, sign up as a volunteer, sponsor with a tax deductible monetary gift or in-kind donation. If you know a donor or recipient family, encourage them to participate in honor of their loved one.

Click here to learn more about the fun on Facebook.

Click here to register to run.

rose friendsHow does this run inspire others to sign up for organ donation? My hope is that by bringing our community together, sharing Olivia’s gift of life story, educating and dispelling the myths behind organ donation others will choose to follow Liv’s altruistic lead. I believe as she did, that each of us has the power and potential to save a life.

livWhat do you want the world to know about Olivia? Olivia lived a life full of purpose and exuberance. She was genuine, kind hearted, and no respecter of person. Liv was uninfluenced by consideration of someone’s popularity, but was rather a friend to all. Those blessed to know her, love to recall memories they shared and have spoken not just of her outer beauty but also of her contagious laughter, sweet spirit, and vibrant personality.

She made the personal decision to register as an organ donor at age sixteen. In her passing she selflessly saved the lives of five individuals. That precious gift required  monumental heartache for those who knew and loved her in exchange for joy to those she offered life.

The unfathomable grief of loosing a child holds as much power in it’s ability to change our lives as love. I’m forever grateful for Liv’s selfless decision to be a life giver. By choosing to Liv(e) Twice she afforded me the opportunity to channel my personal heartache into hope for other families. Remembering daily that her big beautiful heart continues to beat, helps mend my own that is still broken.

7Advice for other moms and families that may be dealing with loss: There is no time limit on grief. Don’t let anyone tell you how to feel, and don’t tell yourself how to feel either. Don’t stifle it, but allow it to heal you and make you stronger.

One word that best describes you: Unwavering.

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How to find the perfect bra

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Do you struggle to find the perfect bra? Do you constantly tug on it throughout the day? Is it the first thing you take off when you get home and breathe a sigh of relief? *sigh*

Let me ask you this question: Would you wear a pair of shoes that didn’t fit? NO! Then why do you were a bra that doesn’t fit?

Well, we feel ya ladies. But! Have no fear we do have some tips on how to find the perfect fitting bra.

A lot of you probably don’t know this but I, Kelli, used to be a store manager for Victoria’s Secret. So you could say I know a thing or two about finding the perfect fitting bra.

Let’s dive into the mistakes most of us make when buying a bra:

  1. You’re choosing the wrong band size. The myth is that you are supposed to wear your bra on the tightest fitting hook. FALSE. You actually want to wear your bra on the middle hook. This allows for you to have slack if you ever gain weight, the bra shrinks or you lose weight.
  2. Choosing too small a cup size. Stop worrying about the size ladies. Who cares what letter of the alphabet you are wearing. Just worry about if it fits. Most women are wearing 3 cup sizes to small. You might actually need a larger cup size to avoid unattractive lumps.
  3. Tightening your straps up to high. Yes, we do need to tighten the straps up once in a while. However, if the back of the bra isn’t centered on your back, you’re wearing it wrong. You have the straps way to tight girl.
  4. Choosing the same style. Venture out. Try new styles. You may have once hated a push up bra, but you may just surprise yourself and fall in love with it. Also try different brands. Bras are always changing as the styles and seasons change.
  5. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. Yes, it can be embarrassing. But, take it from me no one cares but you. Ask for a measurement not just once in your life, but often. You change bra sizes quite often throughout life. Who out there has had a baby? Hello! Umm those ladies aren’t the same as they once were. So don’t be afraid and ask for a measurement.

Are you ready to go out and try on new bras? I know I am! A new bra that fits perfect can be a game changer ladies! Let’s ban together and say NO to the ill-fitting bras. Let’s lift our ladies high and be proud of what our momma gave us!

5 Minutes with a Mom: Jill LeCompte (Valentine edition!)

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This month, we wanted to feature a local mom with a neat love story (in honor of Valentine’s Day, of course!). Meet our friend Jill LeCompte!

Where are you from and how long have you lived in Southwest Missouri? 

I was born and raised in Cassville, Missouri where I also attended school.  I was senior class president and cheerleader captain.

Kid’s names and ages: Victoria is 25 and teaches kindergarten at Eunice Thomas Elementary in Cassville.  Zane is 24 and is finishing up at Missouri State University.  He works at our hardware store, Michael’s Hardware, in Cassville.  Jillian is my youngest child and she is 13.  She is a seventh grader at Cassville Middle School.

When did you and your husband, Michael, start dating?

Michael and I were in band together when we were in junior high.  I played trombone and Micheal played the trumpet in the row behind me.  After Christmas of my seventh grade year, I noticed that Michael, who is a year older than me, was constantly blasting his trumpet in my ear.  I told the teacher/band director and he got in trouble, however he continued to play his horn as loudly as he could without getting caught.  I just thought he was a really poor trumpet player.  One day, after band, I was turning the corner, heading to math class and Michael came up to me and knocked my books out of my hands…laughed and ran away.  The next thing I knew, Carol came to help me pick up the mess and handed me a note stating: “Michael wants to know if you will go with him.  Yes or No?.”  I have been in love with him ever since.

We were boyfriend/girlfriend until he went to ninth grade and then he broke up with me.  🙁  We both dated other people, but remained, “friends.”  We really just annoyed each other and we were really unkind to each other.  We were both very active in student council, band, jazz band and he was in football and I was a cheerleader, so were were together several periods of the day because of our class schedule and activity choices.

My junior year/his senior year, I was on a date with someone else…at a party….with other kids who were doing things they shouldn’t.  Well, my date became extremely intoxicated and was sick in the restroom.  Michael came to the party.  He began teasing me about how well I picked men to date… and I said, “I don’t care what you think… I’m just worried how I am going to get home….  Michael instantly said, “Hop in my car.  I’d love to take you home.’  I left my date puking on the bathroom floor and got in Michael’s car.

We have been together ever since.

How long have you all been married? 

On May 15th we will be married 31 years.

What do you and Michael most have in common?

Being from Cassville is probably the thing we have most in common…The people, the community, and  the community’s  well being is a huge part of our lives. Of course our three children consume nearly our every thought, decision, and lots of energy…we have that in common since 1992.

We both attended the University of Arkansas, so we both love the Razorbacks and we love to go to our old “stomping grounds,” visit friends and eat out.

We both love to drive.  We love to get in the car, and drive around and explore other towns and look at the scenery!  Family is HUGE for us!  We have monthly birthday parties we attend and all holidays are spent with them!

What do you and Michael mostly disagree about? And how do you work through that disagreement?

Michael and I are different.  I go to bed early and he goes to bed late.  I get up really early and hit the floor running…he barely climbs out of bed and stumbles around lost.  I am a strong republican and he is a strong democrat.  We really don’t disagree much.  We are both very easy going.  I think we know each other well enough that we can read each other’s body language and we have enough respect for each other to not push buttons, provoke or intimidate.  We learned very early on that outside influences like politics, family, religious affiliations, and money can KILL a marriage and we both REFUSE to let any of those affect us.  I approach “problems” as questions to him and we work issues out together.  I respect him and he is ultimately the boss.  Folks may think that I run the show, but NOTHING going on unless he knows and approves.  AND he is the same with me.  We don’t bring up silly issues to get a rise from one another.  IT’S not worth it to us!

When we don’t communicate; when we try to hide problems from each other; when we don’t spend enough time together, our relationship gets very volatile. We try to get away…date night… once a week or every other week to visit, recap, and discuss what we need to.  We will drive to Rogers, Shell Knob, or somewhere to eat and talk the entire way there and back.   God has been very good to Michael and I.  We have so many blessings we don’t really even realize what they are!  When we get overwhelmed, we turn to our Lord and he never fails us!  He is good to us all the time, even when Michael and I don’t deserve it…  We realize it is HIS plan and HIS control….. not ours.  Communication between us and communication with GOD is the  key!

If you could have an entire day with just you and Michael, how would you spend it?

Spending the entire day… We were so fortunate that last summer we celebrated our 30 years of marriage by a 12 day road trip that took us 5000+ miles west!  We visited 8 national parks.  It was the best time EVER.  Just he and I driving down the road, making comments about scenery, making plans on where to stay, what to eat, what to see, listening to old music!  THAT is my perfect day… just driving around, visiting, holding hands and just being with Michael.

 

Any advice you could offer to a fellow momma that may be experiencing a “bump” in their marriage?

Michael and I have had a couple of bad bumps in our 30 year marriage.  I blame it on ego, lack of communication and a lot of disrespect.  When we got to those places in our relationship, we looked to GOD to guide us; we put our egos aside, we spent LOTS of time together and we BOTH had to give in!  Compromise is HUGE!

Reflecting over the span of your dating and married relationship, what memory do you treasure the most?

Favorite moment… there have been SO many good times with Michael LeCompte it is really hard to pick!  It sounds sappy, but my wedding day was probably my favorite.  I had waited for eight years to marry him and I was so happy on that day!  We even honeymooned at Disney World… we were just kids I guess!

A dating memory that stands out is when I was a senior in high school and he was at the University of Arkansas… with a great amount of begging and pleading, my parents finally allowed me to travel to Little Rock to watch the Razorbacks play football. Up and back in one day of course!  It was just Michael and I… I felt so special and grown up!  It was a wonderful day…I ate Mexican food for the first time…LOL!

Another awesome time was just this past December when he took me shopping, but had secretly made arrangements to go to Kansas City for the weekend.  It was so nice to DRIVE up there, and just be with him.  NO kids, school or hardware store bothered us!  Before we had children…married 5 years before Victoria came along,… we went on long driving vacations to Texas, and Florida.  Those were awesome and special times for us as a couple!

Do you and Michael have any special Valentine’s Day plans or traditions?

Valentines day for us is usually busy…  I am queen of Christmas, so Michael is “in charge” of Valentine’s day.  He tries to purchase something for the kids and make arrangements for dinner… whether it is a meal out or he might cook and he is an EXCELLENT cook!!!!  He cooks and I clean up the mess… It works out really well!