Young House Love

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Bowers In Da House

I promised more Bower visit deets on Wednesday when we dorkily spilled the beans that Katie B and I had been together in a series of photos that can only be described as awkwaaaard (get to the root of that joke here). You know we love a good Bower Visit Breakdown (like this one, this one, this one, and this one of yore). But before we get to all the stuff we did together, we’ll share the little video that we made for ya. Because KB and I always get the same few questions:

  • how did you guys meet?
  • are you real friends or just blog friends?
  • how long have you been friends?
  • what were your first impressions of each other?
  • what surprised you about each other?
  • what do you like to do together?
  • how are your styles similar? how are they different?
  • do your husbands really get along?

So we thought we’d answer them all on film for ya. Warning: you’re about to lose 12 minutes of your life to two giggly girls who incessantly say the word “like” and perform incredibly terrible impersonations of each other).

When it came to the stuff that we did together this time, here we go:

  • filled our bellies with a ton of favorite local food (Bottom’s Up, Q BBQ, Carytown Burger & Fries) along with enjoying a few home cooked meals together in our torn apart kitchen courtesy of chef John
  • did fun stuff with the kiddos like going for a walk near the river (where Katie snapped some family photos for us), hanging at the playground (where Clara & Will had some quality sandbox time), and even attending Clara’s weekly music class with Will in tow (he fit right in)
  • checked out a few Saturday morning yard sales and even found a Goodwill Outlet (where they sell things by the pound in giant bins – it was like nothing Katie or I had ever seen)
  • strolled around Carytown (where we did some browsing at a few thrift shops and consignment stores) and shopped at Stonypoint mall (where Jeremy got the same jeans as John, I’m telling you our men are hilarious together)
  • hung around the house while our kids napped (Clara slept from around one to two thirty, and Will would sleep from two to five… so we were house-bound for a good chunk of time each day- which we used to do some synchronized blogging, talk about future projects, debate the merits of certain paint colors, take naps on the sofa, etc)
  • rented a few movies after the kids went to bed for the night (X-Men: First Class for the boys and Bridesmaids for the girls) – we also watched a lot of Bang For Your Buck on HGTV since we liked betting which room got the most bang

In summary: good times. Katie even used her photog skillz to take some sweet pics:

Clara Smile

Wide Eyes

At River1

At River2

At River3

Cutie Clara

Park1

Park 4

Park 2

Park 3

So thankful for good friends, good weather, and sweet babies. Er, I guess they’re technically toddlers now. Sniffle. Did any of you guys hang with friends this weekend? Or have a weird feeling that KB and I were together? One commenter totally guessed that we were visiting each other while it was happening and we had no idea how they knew about it (maybe they’re psychic? or they saw us around town together?).

Psst- Check out Katie’s sweet post about everything. She even dug up our first email exchange. Love that lady.

Comments

  2. Jessica G in NN says

    Not gonna lie, John & Jeremy made me laugh out loud at my desk. My kids were at P.E. so I took a “Friday break” and read you guys at work and then laughed out loud in my room alone like a crazy person.

    Glad you guys had such an awesome time! :)

    Next time you’re together, go Colonial/historical and head down to Newport News/Williamsburg & we’ll show you some local goodness! :)

    Reply

  3. Kristen says

    Where did you get Clara’s hat? I’m looking for a cute one for Madison this winter and love that! Looks like you guys had a blast!!!

    Reply

  5. Christy says

    You two need to do regular videos together! You just perked up my bummer of a day! I have to say that I liked you both via your blog for a long time. Your video makes you real people to readers. I love it! I wish I lived in your neck of the woods so I could be your new stalker friend. haha

    Reply

  6. Whitney Dupuis says

    Love, love, love the pictures! What a fun weekend! I am looking forward to spending time with my best friend and her family too. We have the same dynamic. She has a little girl, I have a little boy and they are 20 days apart. Our husbands are friends too. So much fun!

    Reply

  8. Katie V. says

    Oh, my gosh, the shiny gold purse part had me in tears!!! It’s so fun to see the two of you together. The pictures are awesome, as well! That’s wild you only have one bra! We definitely need a count from Katie now. :-)

    Reply

  9. Ruthie says

    You guys are hilarous! You need to do more collaborative features since you complement each other so well. Hint Hint
    Also, What is this Goodwill by the pound you speak of?!

    Reply

    • Mary@The Good Life says

      Okay I really wish I had a photo of this, but years ago my friend came over after a visit to the Goodwill Outlet (we have one in Santa Maria, CA I think) and she found this one piece grey pajama thing- I think it was perhaps the missing link between blanket and Snuggie- and it had sleeve cuffs on the ankles and no pantlegs. Like, the fabric just connected from one ankle straight to the other. EVEN BETTER… the fabric went straight down from each wrist to each ankle… result- FLYING SQUIRREL.

      Therefore, I will forever have a love and respect for Goodwill Outlets everywhere. LOL.

  13. Heather says

    I was SUPER excited to read that Clara goes to a weekly music class! Is it kindermusik? Love those. I have thought about getting certified a zillion times. Music is SO important to development with young minds…so glad you are enriching Clara in this way! My parents had us all taking piano by 1st grade and my brother’s and I also played suzuki violin (so adorable when your younger bro is playing a 1/4 size violin…tiny!) LOVE your blog! :o)

    Reply

  14. Andrea says

    I only have one bra too and its black (not counting a sports bra) ever since my nude-colored bra lost its ability to keep the wire in place. Really need to get another, but I’ve got big boobs and I have to spend about $70 to get one that fits (weird thing to complain about, but thats a lot of $!).

    On a completely different note, you know how YouTube shows recommended videos when the current one is done playing? Well this had something called Katie Bower modeling, and I thought oh this will be something funny with Halloween costumes or something. No. Its a tranny modeling lingerie. Sad thing is, he’s not even pretty. Sorry Katie – but you might want to know these are out there with your name! yikes. I can’t be the only one seeing this right??

    Reply

    • Tia says

      Try Soma (either in person – part of Chicos) or online. GREAT bras for us “well endowed” girls, but very reasonable prices and sales all the time.

  15. Mary@The Good Life says

    YOu guys are deadly funny together. And sweet. Man I totally need a good night of hair braiding and Disney sing-a-longs. I would give anything. Makes me miss my awesome sister and my BFFs. But ya know, they come visit all the time it just never seems like enough! While its happening I’m always thinking “Time needs to go slower!” I too have a deep appreciation of waffles. Blankets, shower curtains, and food. Hard to not love waffles. And bacon. In fact… a marriage made in heaven, that’s what I think.

    I had a sneaking suspicion that there was a visit happening- I read both your blogs every morning and I always kind of feel it when there is a trip or something in the works, don’t know why… maybe just the tone of voice in your Friday posts? Maybe its that energy connectness thing Oprah is always talking about in Lifeclass. TELL me you’re recording Lifeclass, I know you love you some Oprah. What’s your favorite so far?

    Reply

  18. Jessica says

    I loved this post!! You two are so fun to watch. You remind me of my sister and me (or should it be I? never quite sure) We are funny on our own but together, absolutely amazing!! Our combined genius has come up with some pretty fantastic ideas. Of course they only seem to be fantastic to us! I love the husbands clip!!! It is great that they get along. It can be a challenge to find people both my husband and I like to hang out with so I really think you struck friendship gold!!

    Reply

  19. Gretchen says

    You girls are hilarious. What was even more funny was at the end of the video, it pops up 6 other video options — some of Clara and Burger, the stenciling tutorial….and a Katie Bower Modeling video. Hmmm??? I clicked on it and well, happy I was not at work. Wow – that was NOT Bower Power Katie Bower!!!!

    Reply

  21. Maia says

    i’m at work so i decided to skip watching the video until later. but i really wanted to see it. luckily i found headphones. and i literally had to stop myself from laughing so hard when you were doing impressions of each other otherwise people would have wondered at work what i’m watching. you two are hilarious!

    Reply

  23. Rebecca Pearce says

    i think my favorite part of that video was sherry telling katie “you dont look like a lollypop”… tee hee!

    Reply

  25. Sarah @ Redhead in Ruffled Flats says

    So cute! It’s weird how much we all love your videos but I can’t help smiling and laughing along with you both. I learned some new things (like Sherry only has one bra) haha. I haven’t bought a new bra in forever and wear the same two (black and white) if that helps you feel any better. Never thought there would be bra talk on YHL but we’re mostly women anyway, and usually we are okay sharing!

    Reply

  27. jaime says

    I LOVE that there are moments in this video where you guys will get that i-need-to-tell-something-but-im-laughing-too-hard stutter. My friend and I will do that, start talking about one thing, crack up over something the other said, then make fun of one another through a fit of laughter…girls have hard times totally completing conversations sometimes. But to sum things up. Your babies are adorable (pre pre engagement photos), I cant believe how blue Clara’s eyes are and im so happy you guys got to hang out with one another.

    Reply

  28. Erin says

    Awesome pics!!! wow! I want to learn how to do that SOOOO bad! Do you think Katie (or John) could do a post on photo tips for creating those great pictures? I just bought a Nikon D3000 and have no idea how to get the backgroud to be blurry and keep the child crisp in the front. I love the three dimension she has in the sandbox picture too. they are so proffessional. Great Job!

    P.S. Clara is so pretty :) Who do you think she looks more like?

    Reply

    • YoungHouseLove says

      Katie took these pics with her good camera (which she knows how to use like a pro!) so I would defer to her tips. We wish we could get the background blurry like that (and know that lowering the aperture has something to do with it) but John and I just can’t master it!

      xo,
      s

    • Ruth says

      Sherry is right that the aperture (sometimes people call it f-stop) is the way to get that blurry background. You want to turn it to lower numbers so that the zone of focus is smaller. (i.e. things that are further away will get more blurry) The downside is that if you are close to your kid, you have to be careful because you could end up with their nose in focus and their hair all blurry.

      This site is SUPER helpful if you have some time to play around because you really get the hang of how the settings affect your picture. Pick some settings and then just click “snap photo” to see the result: http://camerasim.com/camera-simulator.html

  30. Laura says

    Wait . . . is Will wearing a Max from Where the Wild Things Are outfit? Because if so that is the cutest thing I have ever seen in my life (and if it is available for purchase I would love to know where).

    Reply

  33. Suzanne says

    Did Katie per chance take a “professional” picture of your office so we can see the stencil more accurately?

    PS still need some saturation in that room, spray paint those frames orange stat! ;)

    Reply

  38. Kelly says

    Aw, you two gals are the cutest.

    Sherry – I basically have two bras. Well, technically I do own a few more, but there are only two that I wear every day except once in a blue moon. One is black, and one is “nude.” That’s all ya really need. Bras are expensive! Of course, then there are sport bras, of which I have several and you probably do too… The point is I don’t think your bra situation is weird. But now I’m feeling kinda weird for writing about bras.

    Reply

  40. Jennifer says

    Yeah for friend visits!!!! My best is on an airplane as we speak on her way here!!! We can’t wait. not sure if we will get more or less house stuff done?! I know I say this all the time, but Clara is too stinking cute. I can say that, I have boys…for 10 more weeks, then Clara may be the 2nd cutest girl in Richmond!! Huguenot park is great. We really are lucky to have so many great parks here!!

    Reply

  41. Ashley @ Lewis in Love says

    Haha I loved the video!!! Can I join your brunette brigade?!

    Sherry, I loved how I could hear the jersey in your voice on certain words. I’m not making fun (I’m from Long Island so my accent is WAY worse), I genuinely thought it was cute!

    My favorite part was the John/Jeremy cameo at the end. I literally laughed outloud!!!

    Reply

  43. Ashley W. says

    I had fun stalking your friendship history! You two seem like a blast! I wanna join ya next time you’re in Atlanta :)

    Reply

  45. Kylie D. says

    i just watched this twice. made my day. the “cla-ssy” purse is my favorite part. you girls rock. make more videos :)

    Reply

  46. Andrea says

    Uhm, just bee tee dubs, I love both you guys and we could totally have a fabulous three person BFF snuggle fest. I live in SC so it’s totally convenient. Just throwing that out there.

    Reply

  47. katherine says

    Love this! Hahahaha!
    Here’s a quetion out of left field. Where did you get Clara’s turquoise cardigan? I’m looking for one just like it, but can’t find one anywhere!

    Reply

  48. Mandy says

    I think my fav part about the whole video is Jeremy and John at the end!!! I think its so awesome you guys are so close, and I love me some YHL and Bower Power!!! Makes me want to start a blog of my own, but I don’t think my life is interesting enough

    Reply

  49. Meagan says

    This might be my favorite video you have ever posted!!! You and Katie B together is just too much! and those jersey accents…just too much for this girl who has lived in the south for 90% of her life haha. too funny. (i also love that everyone is commenting on their bras…i techinically have like 5 but i only wear 2 of them. all are neutrals.)

    Reply

  50. KLL says

    You know how when a video is done, the video server will show you other videos available in the same ‘family?’ There are really strange videos that popped up — including one called Katie Bower Horror Shoot and another called Katie Bower Modeling…and it’s most definitely NOT ‘our’ Katie Bower. So strange!

    Reply

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