Bowman Family

Thanksgiving in Jacob Lake, Arizona

2012-01-15T23:01:00.000-08:00

If there was an award for the most terrible blogger in the world, I think I would win. :) Brett calls this the "blog I update once a year". Blogging is just so darn time consuming. Anyway, way back in November we went to Jacob Lake, Arizona for Thanksgiving with the entire Bowman clan...this included not only all of Brett's siblings and parents, but also all of his dad's siblings and their children and grandchildren. We were quite the crew. Brett's dad, Harold, grew up in Jacob Lake and has so many fond memories from his childhood. This was a once in a lifetime experience for us and we had an absolute blast meeting new cousins and eating delicious food. Here are some pics from our fun trip!

Kent, Harold, and Genene

North Rim of the Grand Canyon

Handsome Cousins: Brett, Brian, Jeff, and Brad

Right before Thanksgiving dinner

Kate wanted to learn how to balance something on her head. She's so stinkin' cute!

Navajo Bridge

Brian and Heather with Jack

Kena and Kate at the lake

Us at Billy Sink

Duke...Our Next Adventure!

2011-10-25T22:30:00.000-07:00

This last year, Brett has been busy taking the GMAT and researching various MBA programs. The program we instantly fell in love with is Duke University’s Cross Continent MBA. The program is extremely unique because it would allow Brett to continue working here in Utah at American Express, while obtaining an MBA with an international focus.

Brett was a little skeptical about applying because he was already accepted to the University of Utah's MBA program...we had already paid the seat deposit. He also wasn't quite sure he would be accepted to Duke (he scored above the 90th%tile on the GMAT, so I knew he had nothing to worry about). Anyway, about a month ago, Brett was invited to travel back to North Carolina to interview at Duke.

Although the weekend ended up being slightly less than enjoyable (we flew standby, were bumped from a flight, had to fly into Vegas, rented a car, and drove back to Salt Lake to get back in time for work on Monday....but that's another story in and of itself), we absolutely loved everything about the Duke campus and North Carolina.

We were able to meet several other prospective students, including a few that were LDS. We were very impressed with the Duke program and got our hopes up...extremely high. Brett kept telling me not to get too excited, just in case. :)

About two weeks later, we received “the call” from his admissions counselor, informing us that Brett was accepted to the program! Needless to say, Brett and I were ecstatic!!! I am so proud of my amazing husband... that is the best husband ever… even better than Tom from Desperate Housewives. Ha! Ha!

The Duke Cross Continent MBA is pretty innovative; each semester is broken up between distant learning and classroom learning, which takes place during a two-week residency in a different country each semester. Brett will have the opportunity to travel to Durham, North Carolina; Shanghai, China; New Delhi, India; St. Petersburg, Russia; and Dubai, United Arab Emirates. I won't be able to travel with Brett to all of the residencies, but spouses are allowed to tag along on 1-2 of the residencies...and Brett won't have to ask me twice to come. :)

Here are some pictures of the beautiful and prestigious campus from our short, hectic, interview weekend.

It's so beautiful and green!!!

This one is for Brian.

Lucky

2010-11-06T01:30:00.000-07:00

I won 2 free tickets to Thriller this year through a facebook contest!

I was so excited!!!

Before the show...

Afterward, we were able to go backstage and meet the dancers!

Gev from SYTYCD Season 4 was awesome as the Ghostbuster, especially with his fancy break-dancing skills.

We got a picture with the entire cast!

Introducing...

2010-11-02T10:00:00.000-07:00

Sulky! The newest member of our family, well...for the next two years. Brandon and Lindsy didn't want Sulky to endure the 12-hour drive to Seattle, so we offered to tortoise-sit Sulky while Brandon is in PA school. I was ecstatic! Brett was agreeable at first, but I think Sulky's cute-ness is finally starting to grow on him.

Sulky is an African Spur Tortoise. He is currently about the size of my hand, but they can grow to weigh 80-100 lbs. as adults.

You can see he is about the height of our baseboard.

The nieces and nephews all LOVE to see him, so hopefully he helps us become the favorite aunt and uncle.

Here is a fun slideshow of our Halloween fun at Gardner Village this year with my family.

We also got to go camping with Brian and Heather. Luckily, it was right before the weather turned cold.

We love hanging our with those two...and their friends Brock and Jessica White, who made our camping trip possible. It was so fun!

Weddings Galore and More

2010-10-27T09:54:00.000-07:00

My brother, Brandon, married his darling wife, Lindsy, over Labor Day weekend in the Mount Timpanogos Temple. We are so excited for them! Brandon started Physician Assistant school at the University of Washington this past spring, so Lindsy had to plan the wedding in Salt Lake while Brandon lived in Seattle. Here are some fun shots from their wedding:

Brandon and Lindsy with my parents

The Entire Group

Me and Brett with Brandon

Rachel Jolley got married in August!

I can't believe we have been friends almost our entire lives.

It was a beautiful day and she was a beautiful bride!

And...we have a new nephew, Tyler Bowman Freebairn, born October 20, 2010!

Summer Re-Cap

2010-09-14T20:44:00.000-07:00

Brett and I had an extremely busy summer! I completed my final dietetic internship hours with Intermountain Medical Center's Nutrition Support Team and was hired on as a member of their team. I also took the RD exam and passed, so I am now officially a Registered Dietitian. School is finally over for me! Brett worked full-time and went to school full-time summer semester. In addition to his crazy schedule, he also studied for and took the GMAT. Needless to say, he was quite busy!!! All of his hard work paid off and he now only has three classes left for his bachelor's degree in finance. He also scored above the 90th percentile on the GMAT! I was so proud of him!!!

Both sides of our families have also been very busy! Jeni was crowned Miss Bluffdale in May and spent her summer doing service projects and participating in several parades. Kari came home from her mission to Washington D.C. in June and we have loved having her home, especially having all of her cake-decorating skills back! We are so proud of these cute girls!!!

At the MTC with Hermana Bowman (January 2009)

Brett and I were asked to attend Stake Youth Conference and be in charge of some of the games. We had a blast, especially because Brett's parents and Jeni and Jake were all up their with us.

The second day of Youth Conference, my sister-in-law, Nina, gave birth to a darling and healthy little boy, Aiden. That makes number four for my brother, Cody. Congratulations to them!

Brett and I went to Boca Raton, Key Largo, and Key West for a week in August to celebrate our one-year anniversary (a little late) and the fact that we were both graduating this year.

Here is just a small glimpse of our trip:

Scuba diving in Key Largo at John Pennekamp

Right before parasailing in Key West

Parasailing = Amazing

Our lovely hotel right on the beach.

Southernmost Tip (continental)

The Everglades

And of course...the beach!

Graduation!

2010-07-23T12:21:00.000-07:00

I finally graduated from the University of Utah with a Master's Degree in Nutrition and Dietetics! Now I just have to pass the exam to become a Registered Dietitian.

Division of Nutrition Class of 2010

Graduation ceremony at the Huntsman Center

The three of us graduated from SUU in nutrition and then came to the U to do the CMP program in Nutrition and Dietetics. Our SUU professors would be proud.

My cute little nephew sat through the entire graduation...he was such a good sport!

Family Pictures

2009-12-22T15:55:00.000-08:00

Hermansen Family Pictures 2009

The Four Kids: Cody, Me, Sarah, Brandon

My Parents Kissing

Brett and Me

Cody, Nina, their kids (and one on the way)

The Entire Hermansen Side

Our Engagement: One Year Ago

2009-12-06T17:03:00.000-08:00

It's crazy to think that exactly one year ago today, Brett proposed. Brett made the night very special by taking me to some very sentimental places. We began the night with dinner at Macaroni Grill. Heather and I had planned a surprise birthday party for Brian and Brett at Macaroni Grill just a few months earlier. Next we went downtown for Brett's "family Christmas party"... or so I thought. Brett actually surprised me with tickets to see Odyssey Dance Theater perform "It's a Wonderful Life". Brett knew that I loved Odyssey and he had already taken me to see them twice before.

Afterward, we were supposed to end the night early to get some homework done (since finals were just around the corner). On the drive home, my little sister, Sarah, called frantically explaining that her car had just broken down in Daybreak. So, Brett willingly offered to go and help her. Brett pulled up to the lake and helped me out of the car. He apparently knew where he was going. I was so confused as we crossed the candle-lit bridge (where we had gone on our second date) not knowing why my sister would be across the lake. Then, to my surprise, as we came to the look-out point, a table with two dozen roses, a lantern, candles, and a perfectly wrapped gift appeared.

As I opened the gift, which was a book filled with eleven things that Brett loved about me and pictures of all of the fun things we had done together, my eyes began to fill with tears. The next thing I knew, Brett was on his knee asking me to marry him. It was perfect!

This past year has been full of many exciting adventures, with the best being our sealing in the Salt Lake Temple. It is crazy how fast time flies and we love having these special memories to reflect on as we begin the holiday season. We know that for us, this fun time of year will always begin by watching "It's a Wonderful Life" and reflecting on how blessed we have been.

Our First House

2009-11-15T16:05:00.000-08:00

Brett and I closed on our house this week! With all of the tax credits and low interests rates, we knew it was the perfect time to buy. We offered on several "short sale" homes back in June because we had heard that the process was often difficult working with both parties (the seller and the bank). Anyway, we practically gave up on our #1 choice home in the Bluffs. Knowing that we needed to close by the end of November to get the tax credit, we decided that if we didn't know if our offer was accepted for the Bluffs home by October 20th, then we would purchases a different home in South Jordan that we liked almost as much. Well, to our surprise on the morning of October 20th, we received a call saying that our offer had finally been accepted by the bank, and even better news....they wanted us to close by November 14th. We signed all of the paperwork Thursday morning and received the keys Friday. Needless to say, we have been quite busy this weekend packing, planning, cleaning, and getting ready for the big move, which will take place next Saturday, November 21. We have been so blessed these first few months of marriage and we are excited to live in our very first home!!!

Cornbelly's

2009-10-31T14:01:00.000-07:00

Last weekend we went on a double date with Rachel Jolley and her boyfriend, Jon. We went to Cornbelly's at Thanksgiving Point and had so much fun! We saw the pig races, got lost in the corn maze, went on a hayride, and even jumped on the enormous pillow. We felt just like kids again!! Afterward, we went to Brett's favorite ice cream place, Smart Cookie, in American Fork. You can make your own ice cream sandwich with their homemade cookies and Dreyer's ice cream. What a great October activity! We hope everyone has a safe, fun, and HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!!

La Caille

2009-10-24T14:39:00.000-07:00

The four of us.

The two of us.

Brian and Heather

Brett's Parents, Lori and Harold, with Brett's uncle Kim

Creme Brulee on the right

Brett, along with his dad, brother, uncles, and cousins, is a member of the University of Utah Sigma Chi fraternity. Sigma Chi held a benefit in order to raise money for cancer research with the Huntsman Cancer Institute. The event was held at La Caille and was such a neat experience! The food was absolutely delicious!!! We had filet mignon and griled shrimp, along with many tasty desserts. The creme brulee was my favorite. Yum!!!

Mystere

2009-10-16T09:51:00.000-07:00

Fall Break

2009-10-15T13:05:00.000-07:00

Scary decorations inside the Bellagio...

Las Vegas Temple

Yummy gelato!

Such an amazing show!!!

Our fun hotel room...Brett envied the plasma. :)

The restaurant Jordan recommended. Delicious!!!

Brett and I went to Las Vegas for Fall Break and had a blast! We drove down early Monday morning and stayed until Wednesday evening. We had tons of fun sightseeing, swimming, shopping, eating good food, and hanging out. Plus, Brett and I listened to the new Dan Brown book, "The Lost Symbol" on the way down and back so we wouldn't get bored by the monotonous drive. :) Brett also bought tickets to "Mystere" by Cirque du Soleil for Tuesday night. The show was awesome! It is a combination of gymnastics, amazing dancers, acrobatics, props, costumes, and unrealistic stunts...needless to say the most amazing display of artistry and athleticism that we have ever seen. This was a great time to go to Vegas because most of the hotels and casinos were all decked out in holiday decor for fall and Halloween. So fun!!! Brett and I also stopped at the Las Vegas Temple on our way home. Even though we weren’t gone long, we had so much fun getting to spend every minute together. We had a great break and were so sad to come back to the cold Salt Lake weather!

Triathlon

2009-09-19T16:42:00.000-07:00

Brett, me, my brother Brandon, and Chad Frost

Brett and I competed in our first triathlon together on September 12, 2009. Brett watched me compete in my first triathlon exactly one year before. The triathlon took place in beautiful Bear Lake! The water wasn't nearly as cold this time around, but we still needed our wet suits. :) Brett competed in the most difficult category, Men aged 25-29 (since they have you compete for the age that you will be by the end of the year). He did awesome for his first triathlon!!! Brett finished in 1 hour 35 minutes. During the 5K, Brett wasn't feeling very well. He finished the run in 26 minutes (which is slow compared to his usual 19 minute speed) and placed in the top third of his category. I finished within 1 minute of my speed from the previous year... 1 hour 48 minutes, and I took 6th place again. I guess top 5 will have to wait until next year when I can really train. Brett and I love being active and practicing our racing skills together. He motivates me so much to do my best! We look forward to many fun-filled years of swimming, biking, and running together, along with all the other fun and exciting things life will bring!!!

The Married Thing to Do :)

2009-09-19T16:18:00.000-07:00

Brett and I have been told numerous times that facebook is the "single" thing to do and blogging is the "married" thing to do...so, here it goes...our very first blogging experience.