The Christmas Tree Saga

We have a yearly tradition of going out the Saturday after Thanksgiving with the Vice family to get Christmas Trees. We always have a great time hunting for the perfect tree and waiting to hear Bing Crosby's Mele Kalikimaka on the radio during the drive there and home. Last year we made a new tradition that if that song comes on we all stop the cars, jump out and do a Chinese fire drill. So far we've yet to hear the song, so Travis has decided next year if any Bing Crosby song from the album White Christmas comes on it warrants the "Christmas tree drill." After finding the perfect trees we head back to Pop and Mima's house to have homemade chili.

Nehemiah enjoyed the mud puddles!

Love this picture: "Uh Oh!"

This year we actually put the tree up in our house the day we got it. It wasn't decorated yet, but even to get it inside was amazing. Usually it sits in a bucket of water for 2 weeks before making it in. Unfortunately, our tree died within a week. The guy at the tree farm said to put Caro Syrup and a splash of bleach in the water to help it live long....WRONG! He should have said KILL IT! So, our perfect tree had to be replaced with a new tree from the tree lot down the road. We just couldn't handle the never ending pile of needles below the tree that were being tracked through our entire house. But we love our new tree....a noble. I told Travis when he got back from getting the new tree that he saved Christmas!

The tree that saved Christmas!

This is the way we eat spaghetti...eat spaghetti, eat spaghetti

Pumpkin Carving

Nehemiah wasn't too into helping carve out the pumpkin. He did carry the bag that had the seeds in it all around the house and made a little mess. Maybe next year he'll enjoy it more.

9 Years!!!

Today Travis and I celebrate 9 years of marriage! I am so thankful for him and these years we have spent together. This week we were at a church leadership assessment and part of one of the exercises was to describe our spouse with 5 adjectives and explain. I had a hard time only sticking with five. Here are just some of the reasons I love my husband!

Honest Wisdom

Travis is sincere and truthful and is always willing to listen when people want to share a problem or need advice. He has Godly knowledge and gives a fresh perspective to people and doesn't just give his own ideas but what He feels God would say.

Generous / Altruistic / Sacrificial
Travis does things for others purely out of love without expecting anything in return.

Humorous – Lighthearted – Fun
Travis makes life fun and a place you want to be. He likes to laugh and make people laugh. He always has a positive attitude.

Love for people

Travis genuinely loves people and is friendly, welcoming and makes people feel loved and included, even when in random public places. I also appreciate his passion to show Christ's love to others.

Humble
Travis doesn’t seek fame or to be known even though he is extremely talented and likeable. He doesn't think of himself as better than others.

I am so thankful for the way that Travis loves Nehemiah and I. We couldn't ask for a better father and husband!

Happy Anniversary My Love!

Autumn Fun

This October was full of harvest parties, Halloween parties and fun events with family. My sister lent me a pumpkin costume for Nehemiah, but he absolutely hated it and screamed whenever I tried to put it on him. So, we went and bought him a dog costume. I guess it was worth the money since he wore it five different times. He's the cutest puppy dog ever.


We visited the pumpkin patch at Sauvie Island. Even got to ride the cow train- what fun!
We went to a harvest party at our church and a halloween party at Travis' grandparents house and another one at Riverside Country club with my Aunt and my cousin and her daughters.
We went trick-or-treating with cousins Asher and Phoebe. Nehemiah actually loved walking up the stairs to people's houses and would grab into their bowl of candy.




The Vice Fam at Pop's and Nana's Halloween party.

At the church harvest party.

Handy Mandy and Wags the Dog from The Wiggles (according to Asher).

Ezzie loved the puppy!


Neezers hitting the pumpkin pinata.

Had to put this one on here. Notice Nehemiah already has an affection for Volkswagons. Travis is working on getting him to say Volkswagon.

Old News...An Attempt to Catch Up

Well, it's been crazy around the Vice household! I'm back to teaching after a whole year off and this is Travis' busy time of the year at church getting the cell group season off the ground. Somehow, posting on the blog becomes one of the things I keep thinking about, but putting off. I'm the type that doesn't want to leave anything out, but then I get too far behind and just stop altogether. So, in an attempt to start to catch up, here are a few pics of our camping trip to Silver Creek Falls for my Mom's birthday. We went in August, even though her birthday was just a few days ago. So, I guess that's my excuse....couldn't post it until her real birthday. Happy birthday Mom! We love getting to celebrate by spending a weekend camping with you and Steve and look forward to many more years of the same! Here are some shots of everyone doing what they do best.

Nehemiah being cute.

Travis building a fire.

Steve cooking us all tasty food.

Mom supervising and looking for something to clean up.

Jen making coffee (This really could be Mike's job too. He's the true barrista, but I guess the job fell to Jen since we didn't have the Starbucks espresso machine.)

Mike helping with the kids, and Phoebe just checkin everything out.

Asher asking to try just one bite or saying "Ummmm, I'm still hungry."

And camping wouldn't be camping if Travis didn't spend at least 2 hours to hunt for Crawdads.

And of course, no pictures of me.......hmmmm, I wonder why?!

He's back.....Fancy Boy!

This last weekend Nehemiah made his ring bearer debut in our neighbor's wedding. He did a great job. Walked down the aisle about 3/4 of the way, threw the pillow, turned and gave someone a big smile, turned all the way around and started walking back toward me, then headed down the aisle once again after being redirected by me. At that point I went to the outside aisle to go get him, however, he had never quite made it to Dada who was up front because he was officiating the wedding. So then I had to chase him up the main aisle and grab him just in time to slip into a pew halfway up to watch the bride walk down. He enjoyed it, but loved dancing during the reception even more.

Fond Fair Memories

I definitely have fond childhood memories of visiting the Clackamas County Fair. A few years ago we started the tradition again of visiting every summer. Believe it or not, we even had fun in the 100+ degree sunshine. You know it's hot when Nehemiah drinks 2 glasses full of water within a matter of a few hours. The kids enjoyed digging in the corn pit. Asher was a farmer in a little theater performance, but quickly became too hot and decided the overalls needed to go. Phoebe looked cuter than ever with her little pony tail on top of her head. Nehemiah enjoyed seeing all the farm animals. I'm not sure he recognized all of them...you know he's used to seeing them in books. He did moo like a cow though. I ate teriyaki chicken and noodles and a real Hawaiian shave ice. We were then rescued from heat exhaustion by the marvelous air conditioning where the pie is sold. Can't wait to return next year!

Vice Beach Trip

Earlier this month we took another beach trip, but this time with Travis' side of the family. We stayed in Gleneden Beach near Lincoln City. It's always nice to get some quality time with the whole family. Highlights were eating smores by the firepit in the backyard (too windy on the beach) and playing Rockband on Playstation.

Nehemiah saying "cheese"

About to get shaken on by a wet Peach

Burried by Grandma

Then Grandma gets burried


Storytime with Uncle Tim


Beach Boy

Getting ready to fly a kite

Grandma's famous pose - always with the camera!

Sandy Peach kisses!

Jealousy

It's just not fair. My cousin Phoebe has more hair than me! Mama can't do anything cool like this to my hair because I have hardly any (I have grown a whole lot more though these past few months). Phoebe is younger than me and still has more hair. Girls...they always have better hair. But you know, boys always get the good eyelashes.