I promised more details about our Bower visit after we shared those delightfully awkward photos of Katie B and me together. We love a good Bower visit breakdown, so here’s a clearer, more polished version of what we did, how we spent our time, and the little moments that made the visit so memorable.
Before we get into the day-by-day stuff, we made a short video to answer the questions we get asked most often whenever we’re together. People always want to know:
- How did we meet?
- Are we real friends or just blog friends?
- How long have we been friends?
- What were our first impressions of each other?
- What surprised us about each other?
- What do we like to do together?
- How are our styles similar and how are they different?
- Do our husbands really get along?
We filmed candid answers to all of those questions—warning: it’s a lighthearted, giggly twelve minutes filled with “likes,” terrible impersonations, and plenty of honest conversation. It’s the kind of unpolished footage that gives a real sense of who we are as friends instead of a staged interview.
Video: candid Q&A where we talk about friendship, style, and family time.
Now for the visit highlights. We packed our days with a mix of family-friendly outings, neighborhood exploring, thrift hunting, and low-key at-home time. Here’s what we did together:
- We ate a lot of locally loved food. A rotation of favorite spots filled our bellies and gave us a great excuse to try things we both love. We also enjoyed a few home-cooked meals in our temporarily torn-apart kitchen, thanks to our resident chef, John.
- We did lots of kid-friendly activities: walks near the river where Katie took some family photos, playground visits that included sandbox time for Clara and Will, and even attending Clara’s weekly music class with Will tagging along—he fit right in.
- We hit a few weekend yard sales and discovered a Goodwill Outlet that sells items by the pound in large bins. It was a new kind of thrifting experience for both of us and pretty entertaining to explore.
- We strolled through Carytown, browsing thrift stores and consignment shops, and spent time at Stonypoint mall. There was a funny moment when Jeremy ended up with the same jeans as John—our husbands really do share a similar, amusing sense of style.
- When the kids napped we stayed home and used that quiet time productively and pleasantly. Clara tended to nap early in the afternoon while Will took longer naps, so those overlapping quiet hours were prime time for synchronized blogging sessions, planning future projects, debating paint colors, and even sneaking in short naps on the sofa.
- After bedtime we rented movies and settled in. The boys watched X-Men: First Class while the girls opted for Bridesmaids. We also spent time watching design shows like Bang for Your Buck and making playful bets on which rooms would win for the best value.
Overall: good times. Katie brought her photography skills and took some lovely pictures during the visit, which we’ll treasure. The visit felt like a perfect mix of productive, playful, and peaceful moments—family time balanced with grown-up conversation, local adventures mixed with cozy home life.
We left feeling grateful for good friends, clear weather, and the funny, sweet way our toddlers are growing up. They’re technically toddlers now, which sneaks up on you and tugs at the heart a little.
Were any of you spending time with friends this past weekend? One reader guessed that we were visiting each other while it was happening—maybe they were psychic, or maybe they just saw us around town. Either way, it was lovely to be together and to share bits of the visit with you.
P.S. Katie wrote a sweet post about our time together and even shared our first email exchange. It’s one of those reminders of how friendships grow from small beginnings into things you really appreciate.