DeBritz Family

Christmas Time 2012

2012-01-11T14:45:00.001-08:00

We had a great Christmas. We had fun at Grandma and Grandpa's and then at Nana and Papa's. The boys got to play with their cousins and eat lots of sweets.

Playing in Oroville

2012-01-11T14:13:00.000-08:00

We had time to play in Oroville this past fall while Brandon was hunting. Papa and Nana showed the boys how to pick apples in Papa's orchard. They also gave the boys a chicken which they named Shedrika. We took her home for a few months but ended up taking her back to Oroville at Christmas when the boys didn't want to take care of her anymore.

Jackson's birthday and fall adventures

2012-01-11T13:31:00.000-08:00

The summer ended with us taking a trip to Point No Point in Hansville, WA to play on the beach. Brandon buried the boys in the sand, made sand castles, and found treasure on the shore. It was a great way to end the summer and begin the new school year. Jackson started Kindergarten this fall and turned 6 years old.

10th Anniversary Cruise to Mexico June/July 2011

2011-08-04T15:41:00.001-07:00

Brandon and I went on a 7-day cruise to the Mexican Riveria. We were on the Carnival Splendar. We had a very relaxing time and are thankful to our parents for taking such good care of our boys while we were gone.

Fishing with the Boys

2011-08-04T15:21:00.001-07:00

The boys love going fishing.
They have had great luck catching fish...or should I say skill.

Jackson's Preschool Celebration June 2011

2011-08-04T14:56:00.000-07:00

Jackson had a great year of preschool. He loved his teacher Ms. Jen. His class was full of friends from church. He is looking forward to going to kindergarten next year. He ended the year knowing all his letters and letter sounds, and has a good grasp of number recognition. He has started reading consonant/vowel/consonant words and some sight words.

2011-08-03T16:05:00.000-07:00

Preston had a great 3rd birthday. We went to the Little Steamers in Port Orchard and rode the trains. Many of Preston's friends joined us. Aunt Carrie came to the party too! The weather was great. We borrowed tents in case of rain but thankfully, the sun was kind to us.

Easter Fun 2011

2011-08-03T14:32:00.000-07:00

The boys had a good time this year coloring and hunting for eggs. We had friends and family come over for a yummy Easter dinner. The fire department came by for a visit when our oven coil caught on fire. It was an exciting day!

Family Fun in the Winter of 2011

2011-03-03T11:30:00.000-08:00

This winter we have had a few snow days. The boys have loved playing with the neighbors in the backyard, sledding, and making snowman and snowforts. We went to Spokane for our annual trip to visit Uncle Roy and cousin Dylan. Jackson and Preston loved riding in Dylan's new power wheel. We also enjoyed staying up at Grandma and Grandpa's house while they were in Arizona. It snowed so of course the boys had to got outside. We look forward to when we can share our fun times with Nana and Papa and Grandma and Grandpa this spring.

Outside Adventures Fall 2010

2011-03-03T11:14:00.000-08:00

Jackson and Preston love to play outside. We spent most of our fall riding bikes in our cul-de-sac, swinging on swings in the backyard, and visiting different parks. We attended Oyster Fest again in Shelton, WA and the boys rode a little train around the fairgrounds. We also enjoyed throwing pinecones on the lake at Grandma and Grandpa's.

Jackson's 5th Birthday and the First Day of School

2010-10-26T14:37:00.001-07:00

Jackson had a memorable 5th birthday at the Bremerton airport. The kids got to sit in an airplane and walk the runway. Then, we enjoyed lunch and cupcakes. The theme was Hot Wheels. In August, Jackson learned how to ride a two wheel bike and for his birthday he got a green Hot Wheels bike.

Jackson also started preschool in September. He goes three mornings a week. Many of his friends are in his class. He is having a good time.

Summer with Friends 2010

2010-10-26T14:19:00.000-07:00

What a summer! We had many fun day trips with friends and family. We roasted numerous marshmellows and ate a ton of hot dogs and hamburgers. Some our most cherished times were spent playing outside with the neighbors. Never a dull moment in our cul-de-sac!

Spring Misc. 2010

2010-06-05T21:59:00.001-07:00

What a great spring we have had. The boys have had lots of fun playing with friends and family. We went and saw Nana and Papa in May. They enjoyed lots of cuddle time and pampering. We will be traveling more this summer visiting family and friends. We are hoping to do some camping too.

Preston's 2nd birthday

2010-06-05T21:58:00.001-07:00

Preston had a great 2nd birthday. On his actual birthday, Grandma and Grandpa took us to Chucky Cheese. For his party, we had friends and family over to eat doughnuts and play games. His party theme was Barney. One of his presents was a Thomas train set given to him by Nana.

Jackson Fishing 2010

2010-06-05T21:57:00.002-07:00

Jackson went fishing with Grandpa and Grandma for the first time this spring. They caught 5 fish. When we took him out we caught 3 fish. He enjoyed taking the fish in and out of the water. He also liked dissecting the eyes and making the fish poop.

Arizona 2010

2010-06-05T21:57:00.001-07:00

We had a great time visiting Brandon's parents in Arizona this year during spring break. Jackson was only sick for 24 hours with the flu and then we were all well the rest of the week. We went to the zoo, swam almost everyday, and the boys played mini-golf for the first time. It was very relaxing and the sun was refreshing. It was hard to find any reasons to come back home.

Family Day in Seattle

2010-02-22T14:39:00.001-08:00

We enjoyed a fun family day in Seattle at the beginning of February. We spend some time at the Science Center and at the Space Needle. Jackson thought the Space Needle was a rocket that would take us to space. Preston liked the water tubs at the Science Center. We look forward to our next trip to Seattle!

Christmas 09

2010-02-22T14:28:00.001-08:00

This Christmas, Jackson was into everything. He loved the lights, music, food, and presents. We spent time at Rodger and Shelly's house and at my mom's in Oroville. We enjoyed our visit to Tacoma for the Zoo lights. It was so busy when we got there that they had to shuttle us to the park in a school bus. On the way back to our car, Jackson had everyone on the bus singing one Christmas song after another. I was so proud of him.

Family Pictures 09

2009-11-23T13:48:00.000-08:00

We had our family pictures taken in October. The first time we scheduled the pictures to be taken we were all sick. The second time we scheduled them Preston wasn't feeling 100% but we still went to JCPenny's. All Preston wanted was to be held so what you don't see in the picture of the brothers is Brandons legs under them, and his arms around them. We love getting pictures taken! :)

Children's Museum

2009-11-20T15:04:00.000-08:00

For Brandon's dad's birthday we went to the children's museum in Olympia. It was a lot of fun. The boys played dress up, climbed tree houses and drove ferry boats, played in water tubs, drew pictures, and made tunnels using magnets. The place was pretty big. I wouldn't attempt it by myself because the boys wanted to go and do different things. It is a place for two parents! I would like to go back again sometime. Don't worry we didn't put the ducky back in the water!

Halloween Adventures

2009-11-20T15:00:00.001-08:00

We had a great Halloween this year. Jackson enjoyed picking out his costume and decorating pumpkins. I learned that I will never pick out a costume two months early. Jackson wanted to wear it all the time and then on Halloween he could have cared less. We went to a birthday party in the afternoon of Halloween, then trick-er-treating, and then to our church's harvest party. We were all tired by the end of the night. Brandon and Preston stayed home for most of the activities because they both weren't feeling great. I don't think Brandon was too sad about that.

Fall Happenings

2009-11-20T14:50:00.000-08:00

We have had a very memorable fall. We went to two different pumpkin patches. One was at a friend's house and the other one was Hunter Farms outside of Belfair. This is our favorite patch. The first two pictures are at our friend's and the third picture is Jackson stuck in the mud at Hunter Farms. We were laughing so hard and he was not happy!

We spent a lot of time with family this fall. My mom has been over numerous times and we have been planning play dates once a week with Brandon's parents. The kids love spending time with the grandparents. Brandon and I also got to go to a Rascal Flatts concert in Tacoma late October with our neighbors, the McCarty's. It was a lot of fun. The picture of us was taken at the dome. This is the first concert we have gone to since Jackson was in my belly. It was fun to do fun couple things. We even went to dinner at the Spagetti Factory. The only hitch was that both Brandon and James were running fevers, I had a cough, and Ally was all stuffed up! We did it anyways and now we have a story to tell!

Oyster Fest and Ocean Shores

2009-10-13T14:37:00.000-07:00

The first weekend of October is always Oyster Fest in Shelton, WA. This year we went with my mom, brother, nephew, brother's girlfriend, and Brandon's parents. We enjoyed wonderful weather and ate lots of yummy seafood. Jackson got to ride his first horse and he took a trip around the fairgrounds in a little train attached to a mower. Preston fished for the first time (in a kiddy pool). He almost fell in once but Grandpa saved him. In the afternoon, we headed down to the ocean. We flew kites and played on the beach. My mom, I think, flew her first kite. Jackson and Brandon splashed in the water. I am thankful I brought another set of clothes for Jackson. We ended the day at Brandon's parents eating pizza. Good Times!

Jackson's 4th Birthday and Fair Adventures

2009-10-12T15:12:00.001-07:00

In the past few months we have attended numerous fairs over Washington State and celebrated Jackson's 4th birthday. We attended the Kitsap, Walla Walla, and Puyallup fairs. The pictures are from the Walla Walla fair. I wasn't feeling well so Preston and I stayed back at the house but Corey, Jillian, Brandon, and Jackson had a good time. Jackson had three fun celebrations for his birthday. The first one was at our house with 15 kids. The second was with Grandma and Grandpa at Chucky Cheese, and the last one was with all of my family and Brandon's parents at Oyster Fest and the ocean. He keeps asking if it is his birthday again. Too much of a good thing I guess!

Summer Play 09

2009-09-01T15:27:00.000-07:00

We had a great summer with Brandon home from school. He painted houses most of July but we did get to squeeze some day trips in. We went to many parks, ate at lots of BBQs, visited the town of Forks, drove to Oroville and Spokane to see family, and painted our house. We even had a wedding in our backyard. I guess we can check that off our list. When we were visiting Nana and Papa in Oroville, Jackson learned how to trust the lifevest in the pool and swam around without our help. We were very proud parents. We look forward to more adventures this fall.

Thomas the Train

2009-07-13T15:40:00.000-07:00

We went to Thomas the Train in Snoqualmie on July 9th. The boys had a great time. Jackson loved riding Thomas and getting Thomas tattoos. Preston liked playing with the Thomas trains set out for kids. Grandma, Grandpa and Nana came with us. Afterwards, we went to Snoqualmie Falls. What a beautiful waterfall. The day was full of fun times and tired boys!

Preston's 1st Birthday

2009-05-28T09:29:00.001-07:00

It is hard to believe that a year has come and gone. We just finished celebrating Preston's 1st birthday. We celebrated in Oroville with all the grandparents and then we had small gatherings with friends and family. Preston is a busy boy. He is crawling and crusing everywhere. It will only be a matter of weeks before he is walking. Jackson and Preston love playing together and causing trouble. What a fun time we have with them.

Arizona Firsts

2009-04-08T16:01:00.000-07:00

Our family was able to experience a lot of firsts on our trip to Arizona. Preston got his first hair cut, Jackson was in his first official Easter egg hunt, Brandon and Elizabeth played mini-golf without kids, and Brandon danced with his boys...in public. We made a lot of fun memories that we will enjoy revisiting for years to come. Rodger and Shelly spoiled us and we soaked it all in. We had lots of cuddle time with the sick kids. What a fun vacation! The boys did great on the airplane. This was Jackson's second time flying and Preston's first. What great boys we have. We sure enjoy spending time with them.

Swimming in Arizona

2009-04-08T15:51:00.001-07:00

Over spring break we headed down to Arizona to visit Brandon's parents. We had a fun time but we all ended up getting sick. It's hard to believe we went swimming twice even though the boys were sick most of the week. Jackson and Preston loved the pool. They enjoyed kicking and splashing around. The adults didn't have such a bad time either. We can't wait for more time in Arizona in the future!

Fun in the Sun

2009-03-06T15:32:00.000-08:00

To our sadness we had to return Jackson's John Deere Gator he got for Christmas. Pieces were already falling off of it. Instead of getting another Gator we got him a small four-wheeler like Grandpa's and Papa's (aka The Grasshopper). He loves to ride it and Mommy and Daddy are enjoying it too. There have been more opportunities for us to play outside lately. We can't wait to visit Brandon's parents in Arizona at the end of the month. Brandon will have turned in his National Board's portfolio! It will be a much needed rest time for him.

Tis The Season

2009-01-06T15:24:00.000-08:00

We had a wonderful time visiting family and friends over Christmas. We spent a few fun and relaxing days with Brandon's parents before Christmas and then ventured over the pass to my mom's Christmas Eve. It took us 10 hours to get over there when it normally takes 7- 7 1/2 hours. Brandon finally got his Power Wheel after 31 years...well actually Jackson got it but Brandon is living his dream through Jackson. Preston had a great 1st Christmas. He loved all the lights and paper he could get his hands on. We look forward to all the adventures our family will have in the New Year!

Winter Fun

2008-12-10T15:02:00.001-08:00

We roasted hot dogs the other night in the fire place. Jackson had a lot of fun...and so did Daddy! The boys are getting so big. Where does the time go?

Christmas Fun

2008-12-10T14:49:00.000-08:00

We have been enjoying the Christmas season with all its parties and food. Thanksgiving weekend we went and cut down our tree at our favorite tree farm in Seabeck. We go every year with Brandon's parents and our friends the Jahn's. Then we brought it home and decorated it. It stands nine feet tall. It looks a little taller in the picture because we have cement blocks under it. We can't seem to ever find an eleven foot tree. We decorated the house that same day. The next day, I decorated the tree by myself because the joy of Christmas had temporarily left Brandon. Jackson is loving all the lights and sounds of Christmas. It has taken three years to get to this point. He is a little scared of Santa, but loves the candy canes. We can't wait to spend some quality time with family and friends over the Christmas season!

Pumpkin Patch

2008-10-27T13:51:00.000-07:00

Last Friday we went to the pumpkin patch with our friends the Sages. The weather was beautiful and Jackson loved the hay maze. We spent a lot of time going down a slide made out of a large pipe. The pumpkin patch is called Hunter Fields Farm and is located outside of Belfair. This is our favorite pumpkin patch. We also got to ride in a carriage pulled by a tractor. Every year it gets more fun watching Jackson run around picking out the perfect pumpkin and jumping into every mud puddle he can find. We can't wait to see what next year will bring!

The Hunting Man

2008-10-20T16:03:00.000-07:00

Brandon decided it was finally time to take the plunge and go deer hunting. He went with Gordon (Elizabeth's mom's husband) and 2 other friends. They didn't get anything but had fun seeing the beautiful countryside.

Brotherly Love

2008-10-20T15:46:00.000-07:00

Jackson is very proud of his baby brother Preston! The first thing Jackson does in the morning is ask what Preston is doing. He is getting better at not yelling in his face when he talks to him.

Ocean Shores

2008-10-20T15:42:00.000-07:00

Here are a few pictures from our recent trip to Ocean Shores. We celebrated Jackson's 3rd birthday with Brandon's parents. The weather was perfect. We had a wonderful time.