chris.reese.girls1.2.3.4

thanks for all the notes of love and comfort about my arm. it's been a rough week, but i am gaining some independence and have a husband that has not complained once. To answer a few questions: yes, the rod is permanent; i believe i will set off metal detectors for life; and brynn is going strong on formula for now, but i'm hoping to nurse again once i am off the narcotics. since i cannot type well, this is a mostly pics post. thanks to my sister-in-laws for stealing my camera and capturing the memories while i slept in a drugged state. we are home now, but headed south tomorrow for a new years gathering with the dalleys...can't wait!! me and chris on the lift pre-crash...it was a really awesome day...i am so thankful i wear a helmet. i get a lot of flack sometimes, but i know it prevented more injury than i could have had!! paige and grant did so well playing together!! she has really been missing him! Crazy family... chris and paige...uncle lane and joci paige, j...

Before Surgery: After Surgery: A trip snowboarding in the most fabulous powder of my life at White Pass on Monday brought an unexpected Christmas surprise: a six-inch titanium rod and three screws in my fractured left humerus bone. A collision with an overzealous boarder sent me down the mountain in an ambulance.  I'm looking forward to being discharged from the hospital in the morning and spending Christmas with family in Yakima. This Christmas I'm grateful for a good surgeon, a full-time personal assistant (in the form of my faithful husband), and lots of family helping with the girls. Blogging will be abbreviated for the next few weeks as I only have use of one arm and can only beg the occasional transcription session from Chris.

I awoke this morning to Chris' hoarse voice screaming with joy at the top of his lungs - it was an interesting sound considering he has been bed-ridden all week. He learned this morning he had passed his tests to become an official Certified Public Accountant (CPA)! I shed a tear or two before getting out of bed because I knew before I saw him what the excitement was about. About a month ago he used his paternity leave to study for three of the four tests: Business Environment, which he had already passed twice, but it had lapsed; Audit, which he'd also passed previously but had lapsed; and that darn Regulation exam, which he had yet to pass. This has been a long haul...and during that week of paternity I tried to be a happy wife while he ignored us for 8 long days to study, but let's be honest, I did have my moments. Looking back it was completely worth it! I'm so proud of him. This is a great accomplishment. His resume, signature line, business cards, etc. will fore...

I sewed the bells for Christmas 2008 on our stockings tonight. Each bell represents one Christmas celebrated. My mom has my stocking with 20 bells (pre-marriage) and my married stocking now has eight bells. The years are already starting to blur together! Paige now has four, and Brynn, with a brand new stocking, has one. I still smile when I glance at the fireplace and see four stockings hung with care!

Pictures from our tree venture last Saturday. I love going and cutting down a tree and the smell is so yummy in the house. We returned again to the Red Barn and rode the train, picked a tree in record time and managed it all without any rain! Chris did say I picked the perfect tree this year. It's a bit smaller than I'd like, but it's super healthy, really straight and full, has great symmetry, and awesome strong branches. I desperately hope I can remember to water this guy so it can thrive and bless our eyes and noses throughout the whole month of December. What wonderful memories serve to decorate our tree: ornaments from mine and Chris' childhood, along with ornaments from our 7+ years of marriage, and even more as we now add our children's ornaments. I love the history a Christmas tree can carry; and it still looks good with the star we bought for $1.99 our first year of marriage!

Paige is progressing quite well in swim lessons. I love that she's made measurable progress over the last two months. Her teachers are wonderful and it's great she's getting semi-private lessons. Last Wednesday she finally put her head all the way under the water to retrieve those bright orange rings. I was so proud! Enjoy the videos!

We had a great Thanksgiving with my sister and brother's families. Thanks to my older sis for hosting our big group! We had a great time with awesome food...and tons of it. I enjoyed trying some new recipes this year for snack-type stuff, but I was also in charge of mashed potatoes (you can't really mess those up) and frog eye with pomegranates (yum!). I even came through with my husband's request for a homemade banana cream pie. I managed to drag myself out of bed, drive down to Puyallup, and join my sister and sis-in-law for Black Friday shopping. It was early, but we had a fun time and I crossed most of the things off my list! (Chris making gravy, and Rochelle and Beck getting the last of the dishes ready for the "consuming of mass quantities!") Paige with her cousin, Addy. Paige loved being with all her cousins, but she especially clings to Addy. These two are so funny! Paige keeps saying she wants Addy for Christmas...not sure if I can convince my sister to...