Good Food

Our family loves to eat!!! And boy can we. We had steak and lobster the night before last (we were celebrating Brian's birthday), and beer can chicken last night! Pot Roast tonight, and tortilla soup on Friday! I made my own broth by boiling the chicken carcasses. The meat just falls off the bone and gives me the best meat for the soup. Its going to be really good! Cooking dinner has become the best outlet for me! I love it!

Crazy Fish Story

While I was in Arizona last week, some how this story was brought up, and every time it gets told, I end up in tears from crying so hard. So I thought I'd share it with you guys, even though it shows me at my craziest! So if you know one thing about my husband, its probably how much he loves to fish. During fishing season, he ALWAYS has a pole with him. Well, about 5 1/2 years ago, he went fishing with a buddy. He took his pontoon boat, and got a ride with his friend. The deal was: that at some point I would stop by and pick him up, we were going to a big family bar-b-q later that evening. So after a bit, I get little Kristian ready and baby Bella, too- and we head off to get him. I head over to Star Lake, where I find the truck at the launch. But the best way for me to spot Brian on this lake, is for me to drive a block back to the tavern that sits above the lake on a clearing, so thats where I spotted Brian on his blue pontoon. So naturally, I yell for him. Brian, like most fishing fanatics, always have this one last cast, issue. God forbid they get a fish on that last cast, because, that always leads to another last cast. One last cast, on a good day, can take HOURS!!! So, naturally when I see him cast again. I was going to have his head on a platter! I scream at him to real in, and to get his butt in, only to have him attach his pole, and row towards the boat launch. So I drive down to the boat launch. He sees me and turns around!!! I was so mad, I honked and yelled at him....nothing! He just keeps going. I get in my car and could kind of follow him by watching through the clearings. We went past the tavern, so I had to drive down a drive way (obviously I didn't have to, but my mind was gone at this point, and rage had taken over). I got out and went down on to someone else's property to scream at him from there. That didn't work! He just kept moving spots. I finally just parked at the tavern, where I could pretty much watch him from a far. Occasionally, I would blow the horn or get out and scream at him. But mostly I just sat in the car and cried. And after 2 hours, I get a call on my cell- it was Brian wondering where I had been! He was at Lake Geneva! I had chased this poor guy for hours! In the last hour, I am pretty sure that I told him that I was going to kill him! He was probably so scared to come in! He had the exact same truck, and was in a blue pontoon boat, just like Bri's! Poor guy, I still feel bad. If he was married, I quite possibly got him in big trouble with his wife. Now way she would believe that a crazy lady kept him from coming in! Woops!

Milestones

I had a doctors appointment a couple of days ago and somehow we started talking about Bryce and why he was placed on his feeding tube. As we were talking a couple of things came up, one was that it has almost been 2 years since the tube was placed, and the other was why he needed it. We never really got an answer to the second, but I think that there is a muddle of reasons that could be considered. The emergency surgery I had while I was 3 months pregnant with him, could be one, his early birth and the way he was born another, but the other reason- is the fact that he is extremely stubborn. He has to do everything himself. He does'nt ever want any help. I'm sure that being the youngest creates an, "I can do it myself" attitude, but he is so funny about it. And after leaving the doctor's office I started thinking about the fact that he hates being held down and the fact that the ONLY person he lets wipe his nose, is his daddy. (Mommy always put the tube in) People think its crazy when he flips out about getting his nose wiped or when he doesn't know whats going on and someone is holding him down, for example, to get his shoes put on. Our lives are dramatically effected by our actions and experiences, even at such a young age. For Bryce, the cause is pretty dramatic, but it just got me thinking about the little things that influence our children's lives and how I can create beautiful results by influencing my kids in a positive manner. Any ways, I just wanted to share with everyone Bryce's milestone. He had the tube for 7 months and while he still won't let me help him with his spoon, he eats great!

What we've been up to!

The kids are keeping us busy, Bella has an art fair going on and Kristian is starting his science project. Damian is wrestling and I haven't even been able to watch a meet! :( The little ones are busy bodies, but don't have any activities to speak of, unless food fights and unrolling the toilet paper counts as an activity! Right now Bryce is taking toys and throwing them behind furniture. We went bowling last Sunday after church. My dad took us, my sister's family, my nephew Rowland, and Rose's friend Shea. We had a blast, the kids had so much fun. Kristian beat Rowland and Damian, Hunter threw his ball over hand, Bryce wanted to bowl for everyone, Bella wanted only to play the machines, and Damian learned how to cheat the pop machine and got in trouble for not stopping after being told to. I was sweating by the time we left. We had people assigned next to us, who saw our group, and moved lanes!!! What an experience, I think in another month, I'll actually be ready to do it again; Whats wrong with me??? Now Bryce is unloading the books, got to go! Love to all, Bree

Christmas

I can't believe I talked about New Years and I never mentioned how amazing our Christmas was!!! A week before Christmas, Brian planned a big date for us. He took me to dinner and to the Micheal W. Smith Christmas concert. It was amazing, we both dressed up and just as we were walking in it started to snow! He even set up a date for the kids. Grandpa and Grandma took them to the Spagetti Factory and then off to a Christmas light show in Tacoma. Then it snowed and it snowed and it snowed! We had so much fun sledding with the kids. My sister stayed home with us and our friends brought their kids down to sled, too. We spent Christmas Eve with Brian's parents, Bobby and Julie and their family. Christmas morning there was still snow on the ground! It was a special morning: Bobby and Julie came over to watch the kids open presents...and brought really good coffee- and it was just beautiful. The kids were so happy! The best part is that I finished everything I needed to do so that we could have all of our family over for dinner. We had around 40 people in our little living room. It was a special night and we were so happy to have everyone together. The perfect way to lead in to the New Year. Love you all, Bree

New Years

I hope everyone had a great New Years! We went out and rented a ton of movies, planning on staying home with the kids, but our neighbors got mad that we weren't coming to their party, so like usual our plans changed. We had a really good time, though, so now- tonights movie night! My sister is on a ski trip with friends and states away, my mom is as well. We're jealous!!! Dan and Melissa wanted to do a BYOL (bring your own lobster) dinner, but we already had our movies and didn't want to spend the money on lobster, so now I have guilt over going to the Pigg's. We love all of you and hope that 2009 is an awsome year for all of you. Love, the Vance's