Ten Things About Me.

Hi.  My name is Katie.

I thought since I have been writing this blog for a very VERY long time, that some of you might be new here and it was high time to reintroduce myself.  Some of you might be like “Oh Bower Power….I heard of that blog…it’s by that weird girl that tries really hard to make jokes and do DIY projects, right?!” and that’s pretty much the truth.  But I figured, I could tell ya a little bit about myself….and maybe reveal some things that nobody really knows.  Let’s do ten things…that’s a good round number.  And then maybe at the end, in the comment section, you could do the same.  Let’s go….

Jeremy & I circa 2006

#1…..My name is Katie Bower and I have been married for seven years to Jeremy Bower.  He and I have three boys with another baby boy on the way (due in two weeks!).  I love DIY projects, crafting, cooking, photography, shopping for good deals, home decor, art and candy.  I am obsessed with my family and with learning new things.  I believe the Bible (even the crazy bits) and think that the greatest trait in the world is to love well.

Me eating a pretzel in 2008

#2….If I had a signature food, it would be soft pretzels.  Jeremy’s would be ice cream.  I used to make a lot of bacon jokes….don’t get me wrong…I love me some pork….but I can’t possibly eat the other white meat every day.  Soft pretzels I eat every day.  Every.single.day.  The Atkins Diet would be a complete joke in my life.  My favorite way to eat a pretzel is with cheese dip but the pretzel must be salty and buttery and not over cooked.  That’s the right way to do it.  That’s the only way to do it (enter drooling emoji here).

#3….I am not a fan of technology and resist it at every chance I get.  I often let my phone die just so that I don’t have to answer it.  I don’t do Facebook (except to post the new Bower Power posts), don’t understand Twitter, never even attempted Snapchat and have 9,526 unread emails in my inbox.  I don’t even know how to turn on our thermostat.  I barely know how to turn on the tv.  Phone apps blow my mind.  The repercussions of this fact is that I am blissfully ignorant of current events, celebrity news, and social media trends.  In general, I find out most ‘world’ stuff about a week to two after everyone else.  Jeremy thinks I am ridiculous because I am.  I know that.  If I had time and energy to keep up with news….maybe I would….maybe not….but all I know is that I don’t have time for laundry and my baseboards are a hot mess.

#4….My biggest dream is to watch my sons follow Jesus in their lives.  If they loved others and loved God….that’s it for me.  I don’t need anything else.

My McDonald’s pins from 1994

#5….My first real job was at McDonalds.  I was thirteen and was only allowed to work 45 minutes per day….except on Saturdays when I could work eight hours. My first paycheck was just under $20 and I thought I was the richest person in the world.  I said (and I quote as indicated by the quotation marks) “Now I can like buy like two things at like Old Navy!”.

#6….I met Jeremy on a blind date where I told him that I wasn’t the kinda girl that dates boys like him.  When I did finally agree to date him, I wasn’t physically attracted to him until a year later.  Now….I can’t keep my hands off the man.  Obviously.  Also…he’s hot

#7….My most embarrassing moment was when I was 20 years old and a swim instructor at a country club.  I started my period unexpectedly while I was standing on the steps of the pool and my student, a seven year old boy, screamed, pointed and yelled out loud “MISS KATIE YOU ARE BLEEDING EVERYWHERE!”.  I grabbed a towel, ran for the bathroom and then I had to inform the lifeguards who had to shut down the pool to shock it and send the hundred plus people home due to pool contamination.  I ruined a sunny Saturday for a lot of angry people.  Needless to say….I never miscalculated my ‘day’ again.

Sherry Petersik & I in Nashville 2009

#8….The best thing about blogging is that I met my best friend through it.  Yes…there are a ton of perks to blogging.  But six years ago I met a gal named Sherry Petersik who wrote a well known blog called Young House Love and fell in love with that girl.  She and I are incredibly different yet we share so much of the same passions (DIY, our kids, our family life just to name a few) and if the internet exploded tomorrow, I would be grateful because I got the best gift ever from starting Bower Power….her friendship.

#9….When I was in middle school, I got detention twice.  Once for cutting a girl’s hair in home economics.  And once for writing on the girl’s locker room bench “If you are looking for a good time, call (Craig Willingham’s phone number).”  A fellow gym mate said that I would get in trouble because she would tell on me.  I said “No $#@* Sherlock!  Of course I will get in trouble if you tell on me!”  And then I got in double trouble for cussing at school.

#10….If I could go back to college, I would get a degree in art or marketing….or I would get my contractor’s license.  Or some kinda certification in being a survival expert.  That would be cool.

Okay….so that is ten things about me!  What about you?  I wanna know you!  Any quirks, passions, moments you must share with the world?  I wanna hear them.  You can post and link up or just put em right there in the comments.  If you can’t think of ten, just give me one.  One golden nugget is better than zero golden nuggets…..says the ex-Mickey D’s employee