Me & Monkey

Oh my goodness...look at how much my baby has grown!
You will probably want to click on the picture to enlarge it.
You can see my cutie bigger and clearer that way.

I was trying to find all of the monthly 'monkey shots' I've taken of Barrett...
and then I just started playing around with them in Photoshop. I plan to make a final one of these with his eleven month and one year picture. BUT I just had to share this. He's turning into such a little man already! Look how BIG the monkey's head looks in the first one compared to the last few!

Sprinkles of Christmas

Slowly, but surely...we are sprinkling our home with the decorations and traditions of Christmas. With each new addition, I get a little more into the spirit! Last night we finished stringing our tree with lights and adding the decorations.

The other day I was surprised with a wonderful treat from my {super sweet & creative} sister-in-law, Kim. It was a handmade Advent calendar! She made it by altering the back of an old cookie sheet and creating adorable little magnetic numbers.

Each day we take one of the days off and put it in a little glass jar...
counting down the days till Christmas.

I have always loved advent calendars. Growing up, my mom had one that hung on the wall and held tiny trinkets inside little pockets. Each morning in December, my brothers and I couldn't wait to get up and pull out the days' trinket. Above the rows of pockets was a felt Christmas tree with gold balls to hang the trinkets on. We would take turns...there were instruments, angels, Disney characters and more! On the 25th, it was always a sparkly gold star for the top of the tree!

The tradition of the Advent calendar will always be special to me. A couple years ago Mamo bought us our own felt advent calendar with little pockets and trinkets. I've kept it packed away, waiting for our children to use. I can't wait to see the same excitement in my own children, as they count down the days to Christmas and the birth of Jesus.

Advent (from the Latin word adventus, meaning "coming") is a season of the Christian Church, the period of expectant waiting and preparation for the celebration of the Nativity of Jesus.

We're also having another countdown at our house this season. We're trying to save a little money this Christmas. So, instead of buying gifts for each other this year, Justin and I are going to try something a little different. More meaningful. More creative.

We saw this idea on tv the other day. We're going to have...
The 12 dates of Christmas

Starting on the 14th of December, we'll take turns planning "dates" for the two of us. So we'll each be planning six dates. I can't tell you my ideas, because Justin does read my blog! But some of the examples we thought of were: making cookies together after we put Barrett to bed; playing a game of Uno & drinking hot chocolate; dropping Barrett off with family, and driving around town to see the lights. We both have some thinking and planning to do. Not all of the dates will be completely free, but we're going to try to keep them as inexpensive as possible. I'll have to share some of our dates with you later! Maybe you will want to start this new tradition too.

p.s. I have Christmas music in the cd player in the kitchen, on the tv (Music Choice, Sounds of the Season), and in the car...so I thought I'd have it here too! Breath of Heaven -Amy Grant and Mary, Did you Know -Clay Aiken, are two of my favorite Christmas songs. I sung Breath of Heaven at church with the youth choir when I was in middle school, and still think of that every time I hear it. No, I can't sing...but somehow I was in the church choir for several years. We thought we were pretty good, huh Amber?!?

HaPpY BiRtHdAy!

Today is my little brother, Brandon's 24th birthday!

Our birthdays are only a few days apart, so we've always celebrated together. We won't be able to see him today. He lives in Nebraska now, so Barrett sent him a birthday card in the mail with these pictures...

A little history on names in my family:
For some reason, my niece Emma started calling Brandon "Uncle Bobby" a few years ago and it's kinda stuck! So he's Uncle Bobby to Barrett too. Our family loves nicknames. I think they show how close-knit we are, and how much fun we have together. It started many, many years ago with my great-grandparents (my mom's maternal grandparents). We called them Mammy & Papa. Then when my older brother (first grandchild on my mom's side) was little, he started calling my mom's parents Mamo & Bapo. That's what they've always been to us. Even my friends call them Mamo & Bapo. When my brother's daughter, Emma Jean (first grandchild for my parents) was old enough to talk, she started calling my parents Gigi & Papa. My little Brother is Uncle Bobby, Justin is Uncle Wheat (a nickname he got from his grandpa when he was little-buckwheat), and I am Aunt Lala. Brian and Sarah are the only ones without nicknames, so I guess when Barrett starts talking, we'll see what he calls them. Whew...are we crazy or what?!?

Brian, Brandon & me
In the family camper...we went on so many fun family trips in this camper!!
Look how blond we all are

Brandon is a graphic designer for Cabela's in Sidney, Nebraska. He is all grown up with a career and he just bought his first house. We are so proud of him. We hope you have a great day, Brandon!! We love you!

Last Wednesday, we took Barrett on his first trip through the Isle of Lights! It is a huge drive-through Christmas light display in Island Park. It started 15 years ago, and new displays are added every year. After we pulled into the park, I climbed in the back, got Barrett of out of his carseat, and handed him up to Justin. Then I climbed back up front and held him on my lap so he could see all the lights. He LOVED it! This is him leaning on the dashboard looking out. Don't worry...the cars go 3 miles an hour in there and he was back in his seat before we were out of the park ;)

On Saturday, we hung our outdoor Christmas lights and decorated the front porch! This was the first year Justin didn't grumble while doing it. Not a single ba-humbug word was uttered out of his mouth!! I think his baby boy has changed him! Now he does everything for him.

It was too cold outside for Mr. B, so we did most of the work while he took his morning nap. After he got up, he helped us untangle the last string of lights.

Thanks for doing such a great job with the lights Daddy! You do pretty good at putting up with your perfectionist wife! Tonight, we'll put up the tree after Barrett goes to bed! I'm giddy with excitement!