The Reason

I know...I know...

Let's just skip all the stuff about us not blogging like we want to.

I guess I would say it's 50% because we are busy and have so much going on, and 50% because we don't really have anything going on. At least not a whole lot that is going to keep you (and us) coming back here for more to read every week. Mostly I started this so when we were pregnant or when we had kids we could keep up with all our big family all over the place all in one spot.

Well folks.

It's time.

Early, but time! That's right - baby Bruce is making an entrance on November 11th! We are 5 weeks and 3 days right now and so excited/totally overwhelmed at all the big changes coming up for the growing Bruce family as we break ground on our new house in 2 weeks and grow a baby for the next 35 weeks!

Pictures will start coming soon, for now I'm pushing through these rising hormone levels accompanied by some serious nausea. Can't really call it morning sickness since it lasts all day, what a misnomer! That and the fact that I'm already more clumsy - I know, as if that were possible...and it's only 5 weeks. I might need to start wearing some body armor or protective padding at all times!

Grow baby pea grow! We'll be back in a week with more news. Really this time.

Snow Day

Is there anything better than staying up late to watch the news in hopes of snow and waking up the next morning to find that it really did come? It's almost better than Christmas as a child. And that's what we got last Tuesday. A snow day.

Monday we stayed up watching the news (read: I fell asleep on the couch while Terry watched the Lakers game and talked to his brother on the phone) Monday night. He came and woke me up at 12:30 to tell me it was here! Not sticking yet, but here. So I got up, we bundled up and went on a midnight walk in the dark to watch the snow in the street lights. Salem even got to walk around off her leash to frolic in the snow with us! As we walked back towards the house, I told Terry, "I will remember this always." When we first walked out, with my sweatpants tucked into my socks, I was bummed that I hadn't brought my camera with me. As we kept walking, I was glad, because there are some things I am happy just keeping in my head.

[insert your own photo in your head of a favorite time in the snow]

When the alarm went off Tuesday morning, I rolled over and peeked out the blinds and was so excited to see snow covering the back yard. I called into work and found out we weren't opening until noon. With a little coaxing, I even talked Terry into just going in a few hours late so we could snuggle in. Here in Charlotte, NC, you have to take what you can get for a snow day since we don't get them often. So we snuck around outside before the street was awake and I made Terry be careful not to mess up the snow in the front yard (you know, because when that happens, the magic of the snow is instantly gone). But he did put on an ice skating show on the street.


Then Salem got to run around in the backyard. She hasn't been in the snow since 2007 and we lived in Durham; so it took her awhile to figure it out again and ran all around trying to figure out where to pee - hilarious.

(first photo is 2007; next one is 2009 - maybe plus a few pounds in 2 years!)

We came back in, made eggs and 'fausage' (Terry's word for 'fake' sausage) on English muffins, some yummy juice and tucked in on the sofa until it was time to get up and get back to the real world of work, watch the Inauguration and keep on going. WE LOVE SNOW DAYS.

Favorite Things

Here are a few of my favorite things in 2009:


This book that my brother gave us for Christmas. I was sure it would be cheesy even though he assured me it is not. He was right. Man... Anyway, it is FABULOUS. If you are married, you need to read this book. It makes me love being and becoming a Bruce more and more every day. And I already loved it.









This journal. Alli has had one for the past two years and keeps talking about it. Some of the rest of us from our Bible Study finally went in on a big group order of them because it sounded so great. Each page is the same day for 10 years; each day has 4-5 lines where you can write in whatever you want. I write prayers, praises, and any big events of the day. I am really looking forward to looking from year to year at what I had been praying for at that same time the year(s) before and how the Lord has answered those prayers! It sure will beat the hours I currently spend from time to time pouring over years worth of old journals where I can easily get lost. Though that is sometimes needed and cathartic.


This vacuum cleaner. We got it for Christmas. I must interject a disclaimer here. I would have never been allowed to spend this kind of money on a vacuum cleaner. This was not in the budget. I am financially wise and know we are trying to save money. We got an amazing deal on this! Over the holidays, Lowes gives employees an additional 10% off equaling out to a whopping 20% off. But then, they also do a coupon book with 10-12 items that are an additional additional percentage off. Dyson vacuums were in the coupon book this year and were an additional 20% off. 40% off folks, FORTY PERCENT. That's almost 50, that's almost half. That is a deal that is not coming around again any time soon. If you have met this dog (let's pretend she is still this small, calm, and snuggly) you know she sheds. And if you have met me, you know I don't deal well with that. So this vacuum is straight from heaven. I spent an hour using it the first night we got it. Sorry Laura, I am not as cool as you think I am, sometimes, I return to my nerdy roots!

This is why...

This is why I didn't tell anyone about this blog.

Pressure. And I cave under pressure. My mind screams "Abort! Abort! Abort!" I'd rather not write than write a pointless blog. When there are babies and things there will always be fun things to write about. But for now, it's just me and the Mr. And not to say that life isn't exciting - but all of you that read this blog are probably part of most of the exciting things we do!

Since I last wrote, we've....
Finished my girls' Bible study for 2008 and had a pot-luck dinner at our house to wrap up - YUM -

Let's look at how beautiful these girls all are again [I love and need and am beyond thankful for these girls - WHAT a blessing, I cannot imagine our life in Charlotte without them - you all are my sanity and saving grace on a daily basis]:

Had some hilarious times at mom's house on Christmas Eve with a family jumping contest - who do you think won? I really hope our kids get my hubs' athletic genes...CLEARLY they do not come from my side of the family!



Santa came to visit (his belly even shook like a bowl full of jelly!)
Went to Kenny & Holly's wedding and had an intern reunion at our house. You know how I feel about these people. Heart. (Clearly) I got to help take pictures for the wedding, good fun challenge , beautiful wedding. Look - they threw ping pong balls as they left their wedding! OUCH, but it looks cool in the pictures!
We threw a big New Years' party at Andrew Blair's with 360 of our closest friends [and made the news for being the best deal for NYE in Charlotte!!!] Don't be afraid of my crazed face (Kat, this one's for you!). We had a stinkin' blast at our own party - I was even the designated driver because I was driving to Knoxville early the next morning for a weekend with Molly (hi pea, love you!)

And speaking of our house, we close at the end of the month on our own little piece of the earth to start building a house. I guess if that isn't blog-worthy news, what is?!?! It is very fun to own a part of the earth. I think our piece of earth needs a name. Ideas?

Thanksgiving

The Thanksgiving review is going to happen in picture format this year - too many fun pictures, too many fun things. This year's Thanksgiving included LOTS of family time for the Bruces, just as it should be! We had 5 out of 8 Bruce siblings together the week before Thanksgiving and got to hang out with them all week. (Somehow I have no pictures of our time together; I think I must have been hugging on or playing with a kid the whole time!) We started our travels by heading up to the lake Wednesday night to spend the night at Chris & Jen's where we had breakfast Thursday morning to kick off the official holiday. Then we headed to Winston for lunch at my mom's house.

My mom decided not to have turkey this year because (a) no one at my house really eats it anyway (b) she's nice and didn't want all of us who were traveling to have to eat the same meal 5 times in two days (thanks mom!) So instead we had another delicious meal and then walked it off around the neighborhood.

Here we are, the Bruces before the walk - I realize there aren't many pictures of us together on here and thought you all might need to see our faces together! [sidenote: see that 'wear & tear' on my jeans - my mom still can't believe they came that way - which made me think...I guess it is kind of silly that I bought them like that...and like them...]


Ah, and here is the monkey/bean/Caleb while on the walk. LOOK at those little cheeks and sweet face. He was great and so sweet the whole weekend - barely made a peep the whole weekend. Which gave way to finding my sister's secret talent which is that she can imitate a baby's cooing better than an actual baby!
This is an annual picture, somewhat of a tradition that Laura & I take at Thanksgiving - how cute that we match. Except aren't you jealous of her blue eyes like I am? She's beautiful. And great. Laura, Terry & I went to see Four Christmases on Thursday night, which I was excited about...and was again let down! Are my standards too high for movies these days or something? It was short and not great, and call me old and whatever, but I couldn't believe it was only rated PG-13. Ugh.


Be still my heart. Friday morning we headed up to Emory to do Thanksgiving with my dad. We bundled up and walked up to the cemetery (I know...unless you know Emory, just don't ask - who hangs out in cemeteries anyway you ask? - Us, we do. We even took a picture of Caleb by the Hillman headstone but I realize maybe that is just too weird for the average person!) So I put this one up instead because it's precious, and it makes me feel like I am still snuggling his sweetness.


We took Christmas card pictures for Adam and Ashley which of course Adam thinks is hokie, but Ashley says that now that they have a 'real' family, she wins and they get to send one out - who doesn't love a good picture Christmas card? Now. I do not lie. Caleb smiled like this in every single picture. Every single one. My dad stood behind me and would say "1..2..3..blast off" and would jump up in the air - Caleb LOVED it and we all could not stop laughing!


He also makes these funny faces - actually he was trying to sneak in some sucking on his hands; but mom & dad fight him hard to make himkeep his hands out of his mouth - but it's so cute, doesn't he look so sneaky and realizes he has just been caught?


After dinner we sat out on the patio in the freezing cold, made a fire and sipped on yummy hot apple cider that I brought to make for the App football game the next day. This was great and cozy and very festive.

Don't you wish that you were sitting here by this fire?

Saturday morning, we got up early and tip-toed out of the house while everyone else slept to head to the first playoff game for App. The high was 42 in Boone that day and we came prepared. Natalie & Dave were coming to the game with us - which was big, in fact, HUGE. Huge because Natalie grew up in New Zealand, has been living in Hawaii & now LA, and has never been to a football game. When we told her we would tailgate before the game, she said ''what's that?" Oh America. I love you. She was great, took it all in 100%, tailgating, first game of corn hole, hot dog at the football game, sitting through the rain/snow and all!

18 layers, spiked apple cider and a blanket are bound to help anyone stay warm and enjoy wherever they are!
We had such a great Thanksgiving this year and are so thankful for all of our family and friends...no matter how crazy we all might be! And now our Christmas tree is up, our house feels so crazy, and we will be watching at least one Christmas movie a week - one of our favorite traditions we are creating for ourselves! (We did this last year, our first Christmas together - does that count as a tradition already?) Oh well, so fun for us all the same!

Good thing I have a conscience

Alright Becky, this one's for you. Becky 'tagged' me on her blog - and though I willingly and without guilt or remorse feel no obligation to do these things when they are forwards that promise luck, love, and wealth over email, I'll play nicely for you here Bec!

So tag, I'm it: For the love of all that's holy...
Here are the rules: Go to your fourth picture folder and then go to the fourth picture in the folder. Write four things about the picture and then tag four other people. You never know what fun will follow...

Tag you're it, you have to play along!
1. Rebecca
2. Adele
3. Katie Kate
4. Amy

1. This picture is of Kaden and Natalie -
Natalie is my sister-in-law and is married to Dave, Terry's brother
2. This was on a trip to visit Terry when we started dating and we were in Hawaii,
it was Kaden's first trip to the water
3. Kaden is now a 3 year old child-prodigy drummer
(I have probably mentioned this before in previous posts)
4. I love this kid. Dave, Natalie & Kaden happen to be in Charlotte
this week and we hung out with them last night.
Kaden and I were playing last night while the band was finishing up,
and we sat down to take a break and he looked at me and said
"so, how's your day going?" Melt. My. Heart.

Team Edward

Every Thanksgiving and Christmas after filling our bellies full of good food, my family goes to see a movie together. We decided that this year's movie would be Twilight since we have all (minus the husband) been totally hooked on the books.

So last weekend at my surprise birthday dinner when the girls all announced they wanted to see the midnight showing of it [yes we know the target demographic for these books and the movie are teeny-boppers but we were not ashamed], I fell right into the peer pressure trap and agreed to go. We talked about getting some of these hilarious Team Edward shirts but couldn't decide which one to get decided to pass. Terry couldn't believe I was going to sell my family out like that, but I assured him I would just still go see it on Thanksgiving. Plus, I'm still working on my boring factor over here and going to see a midnight premier of a movie has to give me some points in that category (nevermind that I went in my sweat pants, tried to take a nap before going and had a venti cup of tea with me...)

Now I didn't expect the movie to live up to the book, because movies NEVER live up to books, and this one especially was so relational that I knew that would be hard to convey on screen. But I was excited all the same and had relatively high hopes!

[insert sound of a plane going down and crashing]

Surrounded by hundreds of 13 year old girls squealing and clapping as the lights went down I knew I was in for a ride. It was not long before I knew this was going to be a huge disappointment. The acting was terrible, the special effects were lame, there was not character development and no plot progression. I laughed out loud several times when things happened that were supposed to be amazing and captivating fell so short that they were instead painful and humorous. I can't decide now if the movie would have been worse if I had or had not read the books. If you haven't read the books, I don't think you will get 90% of the underlying points in the movie, and since there is no character or plot progression you will wonder how on earth Bella went from meeting Edward to wanting to die for him in what the movie made seem like .2 seconds.

The movie was a huge let down and I cannot believe the author put her name on it and likes it. I felt it was my DUTY to my family now to tell them I had seen it without them and was trying to save them from pain and torture by telling them they should not go see it. You would all be better off not seeing it. Adam hung up on me, and Laura went to see it afterwards but called me hysterically laughing afterwards. I think we'll be going to see something different over Thanksgiving either way.

What a let down. And as Alli said, by the end of the movie, I was kind of glad I wasn't wearing our Team Edward shirts. But don't worry, despite the movie, the book series still ranks highly among my favorites. And if you haven't read it, put away your pre-conceived notions about vampires, do not - I beg of you DO NOT - go see the movie, and I promise, you will love them!