Madame Lou Bunch

So, last weekend I went to Central City to work a beer tent for their annual "Madame Lou Bunch Day". It was pretty fun but I felt like I was in the backwoods. For everyone that doesn't know, Central City is a small town up in the mountains where all the casinos are. It missed being Colorados capitol by 1 vote. Thank goodness for that. The whole city is so old that if you were to see cowboys having a shootout in the street you wouldn't think anything was out of the ordinary. It's a pretty cool place though. All of the buildings are OLD, OLD, OLD. Anyway, Madame Loue Bunch is a historical figure for some reason, I'm not really sure why, so they hold an annual celebration where everyone dresses up as cowboys and mineworkers and prostitutes. It's very odd. They have bed races, which are pretty funny, and lots of stage performances. I was working the beer tent with my friends from Old Chicago, Holly and Chandra. I was hoping to make some money, but that didn't really happen. So, I partook in some free beer to make the day and the experience worth my time. Needless to say, I got a bit drunk and fell asleep at 5 o'clock, not to awake until the next day. Here's some pics:
Picture didn't turn out too well, but here's my next car. Just kidding. Mr. Bean.

Some of the "ladies" standing in front of the bed used for the bed races.

Break time.

My new best friend. Kinda the silent type though.

Oh man. These ladies stripped at the end of their performance. BARTENDER!!!

The Devil went down to Georgia, Hey so did my family!

How sweet.

This kid was so cute.

Partaking in a local beer, brewed by the mayor himself.

My tent. We also sold pink boas, tiaras and sherriff badges for the kiddos.

Anyway, all in all it was a fun day. I think Kaiti and the babies would enjoy it so we'll probably go up their next year.

As for my time alone, it kinda sucks. I miss my babies and my wife VERY much. I never feel like I get to talk to them enough and I am very lonely. I could go out with my friends but all they do is drink so I'd rather not. I'm trying to get this house clean and the bills paid so when they get back they'll have something nice and stress free to come home to.

They say absence makes the heart grow fonder and that is so true. I can't wait to squeeze my babies and give Kaiti a big ol kiss.

But for now, I'll just have to wait. I'm sure time will go by faster after this week, knowing that there's only one more to go.

Anyways, back to work for me. I owe, I owe, it's off to work i go.

Favorite movies

This may be a short post, but it's something that means alot to me. Movies. Or should I just say, "Movie". Everyone has their favorite movie. Alot of people love many movies just the same. But there is always that ONE that you could watch over and over. Guess which one is Kaiti's? Lets see, a 20 something year old female these days. Could it possibly have Patrick Swayze in it? Is there dancing involved? Is it dirty? Ok. That's so unoriginal. So what does that mean? Are all the boys my age infatuated with Star Wars or maybe even Ghostbusters or Indiana Jones? NO. They are all great movies, but guys tend to move on. Yeah, whenever we watch them it brings back memories and we get a little soft, but we accept the fact that something wicked this way comes. MY favorite movie is called "Cinderella Man". I can't get enough of that movie. In fact, I'm watching it right now. If you haven't seen it yet, I encourage you to rent it, or even BUY IT. We are all family people and we know what it's like to struggle. This movie brings out every breathing part of your soul and lays it out on the table. As a man with alot of pride who has had to accept charity in his struggles, this movie breaks my heart. During the part where he's asking everyne for money so he can turn his heat back on so he can get his children back is all too familiar. The fact that he keeps his head down and apologizes to everyone for asking reminds me of myself. At one point, his wife and his agents wife are talking and they say,

Agents wife: "Can you ever stop yours? When he sets his mind on a thing?"

Mae Braddock: " I wish I could."

Agents wife: "See, I never know who it's harder on. Them or us. We have to wait for them to fix everything. And everyday they feel like they're failing us. But really, it's just the world that's failed, ya know?"

If you have a child, this movie will tug at your heartstrings. I like to look at myself as "James J. Braddock", the main character. He is my ideal role model. His nickname is "the pride of New Jersey". The movie takes place during the depression and it shows the struggle of life and trying to keep your family together during times when you can't afford to keep your own children. This movie makes me cry everytime I watch it. Everytime I see the part where he gets hit in his broken ribs or hits the guy he's boxing with his broken hand, it tells me, Just keep fighting Micah- keep fighting . I want everyone to watch it at least. Kaiti is yet to watch it with me because it doesn't interest her at all. But seriously guys, let me know what you think of it.

It's a sad day

Hello everyone!! Sorry I have been missing for a little bit but my internet got shut off temporarily. It's back on now, so I will be more present.

Today has started out as a miserable day. My babies and my beautiful wife have gone to the airport headed for Georgia where they'll stay for about a month. I knew this vacation was coming, but I have been dreading it the whole time. I know that most of you have been away from your loved ones for long periods of time, especially Abby, but we have never been apart for more than a week. Even when we were seperated, we still lived together.

I am a sad man this morning. Crying like a baby, I squeezed my babies tight and gave them kisses and told them how much I love them and how much I'll miss them. Kenzee understands what's going on and she is very comforting. She said,"Don't worry daddy, we'll call you every day." I hope so. Yeah, they are bratty at times and loud and they fight and they make horrible messes and poop on the carpet, but they are the best part of my day. The sweetness in their sleepy eyes when they wake up, or the way they curl up in my arms when I'm taking them into their room to go to sleep. The cute little things they do that make your heart melt. All of that is temporarily away from this house and held only for telephone conversations.

I always tell Kaiti that my favorite part of my job is clocking out and coming home to her. That is so true. We sleep awkwardly in our bed, with one of my legs twisted so that it fits between hers. It's really not comfortable, but its a little bit of security and a connection while we sleep. I can't even imagine spending all this time without her. She is the most beautiful woman I have ever laid eyes on. We fight with each other because we love each other so much. Thats all there is to it. It's been almost 4 years and we are still very much in love. She is what makes me- well, ME.

Back when I was really screwing up with drugs and alchohol, I could have never imagined my life this way.

I didn't care about anything.

For those of you who don't know how we met, let me revisit it for you because it's really kinda cool.

I was working at my old restaurant when there was a huge car accident out front. A car ran a red light and smashed into another literally right outside the front door. Everyone went outside and it was just a mess. Ambulances, cop cars and medics taking people out of the cars and glass shards everywhere. I got up close and saw this girl completely knocked out inside the car. She was taken by stretcher and put into the back of the ambulance.

A couple months or so later, I was at work and this girl and her mother came in. I was in love at fist sight I think because I would flirt with her and tell everyone she was my girlfriend, even though I didn't even really know her name.

They came in like once a week or so to visit me and everytime I saw her I was just blown away. I conned her phone number from her eventually and we bagan to talk. Although, I was too shy to call her, so i just texted her.

We started hanging out and we decided to become "boyfriend-girlfriend". After talking, she told me about this big car accident that she was in right outside my restaurant. She was in a coma and hospitalized for a month and it turned out that she was the girl that I saw in that car.

So, we like to say that where her life almost ended, is where it truly began.

I love you Kaiti. More than you'll ever know. I'm going to miss you guys so bad but I know it'd be selfish to keep our amazing babies from their grandpa Jay and grandma Sondi.

I know they'll be back and I will look forward to that day. In the meantime, i am going to work myself into the ground so I can have these bills paid off.

Safe flight family!!! Daddy loves you.

Oh boy. I love the ER

It's always fun waking up early in the morning to a very large CRASH!! coming from the childrens room. It's nerveracking because your mind races a million miles an hour like, "What could that have been!!?!!" So, we jumped out of bed and wiped the crusties from our eyes and ran into their room.

It was one of two things, I knew, for sure. Madden has been getting good at partially climbing out of his crib (which I've been meaning to lower) and I was afraid he had fallen out. OR, my sweet little Kenzee loves to pull the drawers out of her dresser so she can stand on them to reach the little TV that sits on top of it. I wanted to put those safety things into the dresser that don't allow kids to open them but they split the wood. So we repeatedly say "NO, Kenzee. That's DANGER. "
Anyway, when we got into the room, Madden was just fine, holding his bottle and looking down at his sister who was being trapped by the dresser. I quickly pulled the dresser off of her feet and tended to her. One foot was bleeding and the other was a dark purple color covering the top of her foot by her toes.

Every parent in this situation enters a frantic mode, like, "What to do, what to do?". You want to yell at them, but they are already screaming their heads off and know that they made a mistake. So, you just hold them and inspect the wound and calmly explain to them what happened and how it happened and try to calm them down.

Thankfully she was still alive. That was what really mattered. It could have been ALOT worse and she is a lucky little girl that she didn't have to find that out. The dresser is about 4 1/2 feet tall and pretty heavy, and the TV could have come crashing down on her little head causing some very real damage.

We packed her and Madden up and rushed them to the ER. Just a sidepoint: NO MATTER WHAT IS WRONG, WHETHER IT BE A BUMP OR A BREAK, YOU WILL BE THERE FOR AT LEAST, I MEAN AT LEAST, TWO TO THREE HOURS. She had X-Rays taken and all that stuff, and it turns out it's just badly bruised and her other foot wasn't going to need stitches (although the bill will most definately top the $500 mark). They cleaned her up and put a band-aid on her foot and eventually sent us on our way.

Thank God for that.

SO, while they are gone, dresser situation will be modified and TV will be put up on a tv stand on the wall, out of reach.

This is how I wanted to spend my morning, I swear.

Welcome, Ethan!!

Is anyone else "Hip to the Hype?"




Let me just start by clearing a few things up. First of all, I'd like to welcome Ethan to the VanSciver blog world. It's good to have him here. The relationship that I have had with Ethan has been practically non-existant in the past and I have always wanted to fix that. Ethan to me is sort of a hero, but more of a myth. I brag about him to friends and show off his artwork, but have no contact to speak of with him. It's not that I don't care or that I'd just prefer to complain about it instead of getting in contact with him, it's just that I wouldn't no where to start. I admire the man, and think he is amazingly talented, and I look up to him as an artist and a brother. Hopefully, this is the start of something. Maybe I'll be inspired for once to do something with my artwork. Uncle Lauren wants me to do a portrait of Sophie, but I am yet to be contacted by him for the follow up. My life is a busy life. Alot busier than I'd like it to be. I'm not even doing something I love to do. I work from 3 in the afternoon- 2 in the morning. It's not fun. It's hard, as you all know, trying to be the provider and keeping lights on and food on the table. I wish I could do something with my art but I don't know where to start. I have also been able to rekindle a relationship with Amanda after all these years and that has been good. It's like a weight has been lifted. The only one left is Dad, really. I've had time to think about everything and I am getting alot older now and gray. Maybe I should move in that direction before it's too late. I'm more open now than ever. Whatever happened between our Mother and Dad was devastating to the younger VanScivers and we have been affected extremely. We have had to cope with some hard times that we felt weren't warranted, but we got through them and we are all grown up now. I mean, Jonah is 22 now. As we get older and we become parents and husbands and wives, we get a chance to see firsthand the hardship and the struggle that is involved in raising our little ones and keeping our better halves happy. It's not an easy task. So, maybe I don't know everything about what really happened, and really, I may just not care anymore. My mother is my hero. She always will be. She is the very definition of "strength". I dare anyone to say the opposite. You'd just be full of it. My father on the other hand was a hero to me when I was a youngin. I'd always look forward to when he came back from court and I'd run outside yelling. "Did you win? Did you win?" Or remembering my dad as my coach in baseball and how I always seemed to be on the AllStar team, whether I deserved it or not. He was a good man. He did make mistakes. I too have made mistakes. I, however, would not like to be punished for them for the rest of my life. I guess I have some more growing up to do. As for the rest of my family....I have to say how (expletive) impressed I am with you all. So much talent. I let alot of time go by without speaking to Jenna, Amanda, Hannah, Ethan and Josiah that it mades me sad. We are all so much alike, although we range from blue to red in societies spectrum. I guess we have our parents to thank for that. They made some good kids. I want to be closer with my family. I have realized my flaws and I am going to do my best to remedy them. I hope I get the chance and that next year, we can ALL be together.

Settling back in

So, it's been a week since our return and we are settling back in to Colorado. Don't get me wrong, I LOVE Colorado. It's by far my favorite state so far, besides the cost of living and all. I have a soft spot in my heart for Arizona though because it's always so beautiful. The same goes for Jersey, where I wish I could visit soon, but definately not for the same reasons. Merchantville is charming though. Camden, not so much. I would love to sit down at Vincents again and enjoy a delicious panzarotti, or take the kids to Aunt Charlottes. We should consider a Jersey family reunion sometime. That'd be fun. Maybe to see Grandma VanSciver and the cousins and aunts and uncles on dads side. Just a thought. Anyway, Kaiti and the babies leave again in 2 weeks to Georgia to spend some time with her father and stepmom. Kaiti has sorta recently rekindled a relationship with her father after a long time of not speaking and they have become very close since. It's been a few years now and they are making up for lost time. Her dad, Jay, and his wife, Sondi, are absolutely wonderful people. They take such good care of our babies and always have us in mind. They will be gone for three weeks or so and I'm very sad about it. But, I know Kaiti loves spending time with her father and he usually comes out here for the visits, so this time it's her turn. That means three weeks without my children or my wife. That sucks. I am gonna miss them so bad and may even break down sometime, but they'll be back. And I'm gonna surprise them. You see, Kaiti is an expensive girl and the babies aren't cheap either. So I'm gonna do an extreme makeover of the house while they're gone. At least I'm gonna try. I should have some extra money left over to do a few things without them being here. I'm not looking forward to it, but it's coming up soon and I just have to deal with it. Anyway, I was getting rave reviews from friends and customers about this movie calles "The Strangers". I was hearing it was the scariest movie ever and some people even said they had to leave the theater because it was too scary. SO.... I took my beautiful wife out and we had a chance to see for ourselves. Let me just say that I would not go out like that. There is no way I would have done a single thing the same way as those sorry pups in that movie. I don't want to spoil the movie for you, but it's a classic Dad movie. You know what I mean. Remember Dad watching scary movies? "Don't go into that dark room......Awwww he went into the room..." I guess you'll have to see it for yourself. I'm just saying, if I had a shotgun with a ton of rounds and the killers were like a 25 year old guy and two girls, one of them like 13 years old, I think I could hold up a fight. Anyway, I got your letter today Jenna and it was very sweet. The sentiments are shared on this side. We love you all and hope we get to speak with you all soon.