The Vance's: September 2015

Do the Puyallup 2015.

>> September 26, 2015

I know they changed the name of the fair a few years ago to the Washington State Fair but it'll always be the Puyallup to me. We took the kids last weekend and completely lucked out on the weather. The forecast called for rain but we ended up with a beautiful morning.

We left Simon at home with Grandma and Grandpa Vance so we could devote our full attention to Carter and Lucy, especially with all the rides. The kids were pretty excited for fair day.

The morning started with our traditional breakfast of fair scones. I've been dairy free for the past 2+ months so I brought my own special treats (aka granola bars and apple slices) while the rest of the family enjoyed the fair food. I'm not gonna lie though, as much as I love some greasy and not-so-good for you fair food, I didn't really miss that sick feeling you get in your stomach at the end of the day. But, scones are always a family favorite!

We then headed over to the barns to check out the animals. The kids love looking at all the cows, goats and sheep. Carter found a cool wood carving exhibit too, which he loved when he saw the giant pirate.

Then we headed over to the rides. I must be getting old because we both found it ridiculous how much it cost for small kids to go on rides. Like 8-9 tickets for each ride! That's at least $4.00! Next year we are either going on a weekday to get the kids a ride bracelet or skipping rides altogether. We spent so much money on tickets and they were gone in less than 15 minutes. On a positive note, they never had to wait in line for anything which was awesome.

And I love that they are both at the age where they enjoy the same rides. I know there will be a day when Carter thinks these are too "kiddie" for him so we enjoyed the fact that both of them got so excited to be together.

The one ride Lucy was too short for was the scrambler so Matt and Carter went together. Oh my goodness! It was so fun/funny to watch Carter's face beam with joy as that silly ride went around and around. And then Matt felt sick when he got off. Ha!

I didn't get a picture of the kids on the giant slide but it was such a cute moment. We didn't want to spend the extra $4.50 for Matt or I to ride down with Lucy so we asked Carter if he would go down with her. He proudly said he'd protect and watch over her so we watched the 2 of them climb up the steep stairs together (while Carter held her hand....so cute), sit down on the burlap mat and watch Carter wrap his arms around his little sister to hold her as they went down. It was so fun to watch their faces as they went down the slide.

My little ninjas at the end of a ride. I have no idea why they wanted to put their hands up like ninjas but I just went with it. It's a rare moment when they both want to take a picture with me.

We took a quick break for lunch before wandering through the Hobby Hall, Dairy Barn and Pavilion.

And finally ended with the petting zoo! I remember a time when the kids were smaller and we had to tower over them to make sure they didn't squeeze the life out of the baby chick or chase the goat around. It was so nice to see them patiently wait in line and gently pet each animal.

After about 4 hours the kids were exhausted and their sugar filled bodies had had enough. Another fair day in the books, see you next year!

life with some cute kiddos.

>> September 25, 2015

We are starting to get used to our new routine. Kindergarten 5 days a week. Preschool once a week. Swim lessons on Fridays. Me back to work 1-2 days a week. Plus play dates, bike rides, meal prepping, grocery shopping and a continued list of house projects. Whew. But, life is so good and I'm loving my time with these 3 kiddos.

Simon is SO close to rolling over. The kids want to help him so badly but I said they needed to cheer him on (versus the other option they gave which was just flip him on his stomach). He's not there yet but getting so close.

Matt was gone for a boys weekend a few weeks ago and I somehow managed to get all 3 kids up, fed and dressed for church. It might be hard some mornings but it's worth it to get out of the house. We love our church and have met so many wonderful friends there. This was Carter's first day in his new K/1 class and Lucy got to leave the nursery and start the preschool program. A very big deal!

Simon turned 3 months old last week. He's still a happy, mellow, drooling, smiling, cooing, chunky baby and we just love him to pieces.

I got him a warmer hat for those cold mornings when we are out at the bus stop or choose to walk to school. I think it's pretty darn cute.

I try to walk to school any morning that isn't too cold or wet. I know the weather will be changing soon so I enjoy it now. It's nice to get some fresh air, talk to Carter about life and let him get some wiggles out before school starts. He's always so amazed that there aren't more people walking instead of riding the bus. He tells me, "mom, it's such good exercise and SO beautiful outside. Why would people want to miss out on this?!?" Love my sweet boy.

Lucy got to start preschool last week and she was so excited! We've had a lot of focus on Carter and all of his big changes so this girl was ready for her own special day. She looked cuter than ever in her new apple dress and marched right into class like she owned the place. Of course, she then got a little shy but Carter reminded her where to put her backpack and then she felt better, kissed me goodbye and told me to leave right now. Haha! So glad we get to enjoy the same preschool for the next 2 years.

She was looking so grown up that day. Sigh. My little girl just isn't so little anymore.

While Lucy was at preschool Carter and I ate lunch at the nearby bookstore before getting a special treat to celebrate some mama/son(s) time (Simon is always with us, of course!). It's nice to have a little extra time alone with each kid during the week. We found a cozy corner and read books for over an hour together.

Besides Simon trying to roll over he's also trying to army crawl. Tummy time is usually spent with him stabbing his feet into the ground to push himself forward. Or this particular night he was planking. Slow down Simon!

Last weekend I had the chance to go visit my sweet friend Sarah who is battling breast cancer. I wrote about her on my previous post. I was amazed at how healthy she looked after her 1st round of chemo, what a positive attitude she had and how brave she was and continues to be. We introduced Simon to Harper and they instantly fell in love. I was able to donate about 80 oz of breast milk to Sarah for little Harper and plan to continue as the months go on.

He's just so handsome!

And one last cute moment. The kids are enjoying the piano at the house as long as they follow the rules (no playing when Simon is asleep and no pounding the keys). We are learning those rules slowly but the other night they did such a great job taking turns and making up new songs. It was all about Halloween and the lyrics were just hilarious. Can't wait for another Vance family sing-a-long!

blessed.

>> September 13, 2015

My heart is heavy right now. Usually this blog is reserved for fun, sweet memories of my beautiful family so we can look back years from now and remember these years. But right now I need to take a moment and stop to remember how incredibly blessed I am. I have an amazing husband who works so hard to provide for our family. I have 3 great kids who challenge me every day, make me laugh and have taught me how to love unconditionally. I have a job that I love and has given me the flexibility to be home more with my kids but still push me to grow in nursing and education. We have a new home, that although still has an endless list of projects to be completed, provides a roof over our heads to keep us warm and safe. I have friends, so many friends, who are thoughtful, kind, loving and so generous. The kids have great schools, we have cars, toys and so so much more. I am blessed.

And yet, some of my closest friends aren't so fortunate right now. This past week I have had two friends find themselves in unthinkable situations and another who continues to fight after years of dealing with a debilitating illness. So this post is for them. It's a reminder to us all to count our blessings, because you never know what life will bring.

My friend, Suzanne, has been fighting Lyme disease now for almost 5 years. She struggles daily with nausea, pain, fatigue and a host of other unimaginable issues. She has 2 young kids who have literally grown up watching their mom be sick, nearly every.single.day.

My college roommate, Meagan, is pregnant with her first baby and has just this week been put on bedrest at UW to be monitored for IUGR. Her sweet little girl Olivia will most likely be born prematurely and spend time in the NICU. Meagan and her husband live in Yakima so they are now away from friends, work and home.

And just yesterday I learned of my close high school friend, Sarah, who just delivered her 4th baby 1 month ago. After having 3 boys she had a baby girl, Harper, who is beyond adorable. During her pregnancy she discovered a lump in her breast, it was biopsied when Harper was 2 weeks old and she has been diagnosed with Grade 3 Invasive Ductal Breast Cancer, which her oncologist has said is very aggressive. She starts a long treatment of chemo in 3 days.

And as I watch these strong women, these moms fight for their lives, I am just amazed by their strength and hope. For the few people who read this blog, please consider visiting their GoFundMe pages, learn more about their story, pray and consider donating. I just can't imagine being in any of their shoes right now.

And I'll continue to remember how blessed I truly am.

apples.

Last weekend we headed up to the beach for a much needed enjoyable long weekend. With the new house and new baby this summer we didn't get to spend as many weekends as we usually do relaxing by the beach. The kids just love it up there and we have our usual routine of things we like to do. Saturday started out with a trip to their favorite "junk store" aka local thrift store to hunt for new books and toys. We then headed to the local grocery store to pick up a few things for dinner and ride the horses. These metal horses are so old but so fun and the kids love them.

In the afternoon we ventured down to the beach. Matt was still back home working on the house (always another project!) so it was just Grandma Kathy, me and the kids. Carter and Lucy spent over 1.5 hours just walking and exploring on the driftwood. I was so proud of how well Lucy kept up with him, climbing over trees and stumps without any fear (of course I left my camera at home so just imagine 2 cute kids on the beach!).
We got home and Simon had a little tummy time on the floor. He's getting so big and strong and I just love this phase. He's more expressive, smiling and cooing all the time. I have a feeling he's going to try and keep up with his older siblings pretty darn quick.

Matt met us up at the beach house Saturday night and took over Simon duty for a bit so I could relax.

On Sunday we made our traditional trip up to Bellewood Acres to go apple picking. There are some great places closer to our house but I'm a huge fan of traditions so we drive north. The kids look forward to it every year and I think it's a great lesson in teaching them more about farm to table eating. It felt like our first fall day too, which was perfect for the setting. Crisp air, sun breaking through the clouds and a little big of mud in the fields.

We played for a bit in the kids area before boarding the apple train out to the orchards.

The kids got right to work searching for the perfect apples.

Usually honey crisp apples aren't quite ready for u-pick when we go but with our warm summer they were just right for picking and snacking. So, we all found a giant one and had a snack, right in the middle of the orchard.

After picking a little over 40 lbs we went back to the farm to play and have a snack. The kids could have really stayed here all day.

Simon finally woke up from his long nap to look around too. He wasn't too impressed. Next year buddy, I promise, you'll love it.

On Monday we came home and set up the kitchen for a giant applesauce party. It's so fun now that the kids are a little older to help with some of the jobs. Carter was on peeling duty and did so great! Matt and Lucy tackled the chopping and I did the cooking and canning.