Meet Our Family

Day to Day

2012-02-03T12:51:00.001-06:00

Here is a little snap shot of what has been going on with us the past month.

Hanging out with friends at our "mom's" preschool. Making the Letter O.

Finding the turtle hiding in the pond at the zoo..Oooh, there it is.

Mommy and Brandt after a fun day at the Zoo.

Can't decide which Toy Story character to be...go with both...introducing Woozzz (Woody and Buzz, for those that are not Toy Story enthusiasts)!

Andrew went and helped with Tornado Clean up, after it went through an area North of us.

Daddy and Brandt coloring together. Brandt loves to color a lot right now.

Talking to his sweet little cousin Abigail. This boy LOVES her.

We LOVE adoption!

2012-01-04T17:12:00.002-06:00

As we begin the new year, I am very hopeful that we will get to add to our family again through adoption. We are trying to spread the word that we are hoping to adopt, so if you are new to our blog, or considering adoption, welcome! Please, check out the links to our adoption profiles on the right side of the screen. If you have any question please email or give us a call!

While the wait for our new little one is sometimes HARD, I have faith in the process. There are two reasons my faith is so strong. One, is an amazing girl named Jessi. She placed our little boy in our family, so I know adoption works, and is a blessing beyond description. She has become one of my best friends, and gives me the added strength I need, right when I need it. Two, I know our Heavenly Father knows our family and has a plan for us. So while I will be patient, I also want to do all I can to help find our little one. I often talk about our desire to adopt with everyone I meet. We have cards that have all of our information on them, and I pass them out on a regular basis. I would love for you to join me in our search. If you would like some cards, I am happy to get them to you. Talk to those you know about us, maybe you are the connection we need.

If you have ever wondered what an open adoption looks like, I want to show you. It is wonderful and we love it. We went camping with Brandt's Jessi and her family this summer. (I blogged about it earlier in the year.) While there Jessi's Aunt and Uncle took some family pictures for us (they are great photographers). And yes, we are all really that happy when we are together.

Christmas Time!

2011-12-25T15:20:00.000-06:00

Brandt was so excited to see if Santa had come during the night. And can you believe he did! We had one happy little boy. Mommy and Daddy sure loved watching the excitement in his face.

Mommy was surprised with a nook! Yay!!!

Dixie wasn't forgotten either.

Daddy even found a few for him.

The biggest surprise was waiting at home, his very own train table and trains. He loves spending time playing with his trains, it is really cute.

Christmas Eve Night

2011-12-24T14:48:00.000-06:00

In the evening we went to a pretty park that is all decked out for Christmas and has some water fountains in the middle of a pond. The fountain sprays are set to Christmas music and lights. It is always really neat experience and this year was no exception. We got to feed some hungry ducks too, and in the background of the picture you can see some of the pretty lights.

Brandt has a good time, I think he was making a dinosaur growl when we took the picture.

After we got home we got ready for bed and left a treat out for Santa. Brandt got to pick out what to leave and he chose a donut and orange juice. He loved it, and was so excited for Santa to come.

Christmas Eve Hike

2011-12-24T12:49:00.000-06:00

The day before Christmas was beautiful, and we headed over to some trails to do a little hiking. Brandt is a great hiker and we all had a fun time. Andrew's brother Wayne and his family went along too, it's always more fun with cousins around!

Wayne, Fauna, Ian, Cali, and Bruce

Boys will be boys! Apparently while hiking big and little boys must climb on a big rock and make faces. Glad we didn't miss that! Love those two!

Hanging with Family

2011-12-24T11:43:00.000-06:00

We headed to North Alabama to spend Christmas with Andrew's family this year. We went up a few days before and had a lot of fun with all of the family there. We always take a family picture, but somehow forgot! Here is the most recent family pic, from Ian's baptism

Hanging out with Molly and Lauren! CRAZY balloon fun!

Family Breakfast at Grandpa's house! The Grownups discuss upcoming events! :)

The kids play, so much to do!

Eating dinner at Red Lobster on Christmas eve with Grandpa and Nanny Doris and Wayne and Fauna. A tradition they started many, many years ago.

The Nativity

2011-12-21T10:48:00.000-06:00

One of my favorite family traditions is acting out the Nativity at Christmas. The family all gathered, costumes were adorned, and we began. The excitement was bubbling as everyone got ready and in their costumes. We had Mary, Jospeh, baby Jesus, Inn Keepers, Wise Men, Shepards, Sheep, And the Narrator.

The Angel came to Mary...

The Shepards with their sheep. (and a king)

Everyone came to see the new baby.

Christmas Cookies with Grandmom

2011-12-20T10:35:00.000-06:00

The last few years my (Rheanna's) mom has invited Brandt to come to her house for a Christmas cookie making date. She is such a great Grandmom and we love her lots! Brandt loves to spend time at Grandmom and Grandpop's house! They made some wonderful creations and had a great time too!

Finding the Perfect Christmas Tree

2011-11-28T21:06:00.001-06:00

We have the tradition of cutting down our Christmas tree each year at a local Christmas tree farm. It is so much fun to hunt for the perfect tree.

Brandt was running from tree to tree

He found one "Brandt Size"

Great family picture! And this is the best out of 8 we took. Brandt was acting silly on purpose.

Daddy and Brandt cutting down our tree together

We LOVED the whole experience!

Pumpkin Patch!

2011-10-20T14:37:00.000-05:00

Our annual trip to the pumpkin patch was a big success! We had such a great time going and picking out our pumpkin, running through the field and riding a pony.

2 year olds!

2011-09-30T13:07:00.000-05:00

We went to a flag football game of my nephews, which was so much fun. Brandt loved watching his cousins play. I thought it was cute how he was watching them and I wanted to get a picture. You know, a cute picture of him sitting in his camp chair with his shades on. Here is an example of what it is like trying to get a picture of Brandt, who is very TWO. But I gotta say, his faces sure do make me laugh! This is what it takes to get that one good picture.

This one works, I'll take it!

Just Keep Swimming!

2011-09-16T13:39:00.001-05:00


At the beginning of the summer Brandt took a few swim lessons. Thanks Miss Samantha!

He LOVED it and it made him more confident at the pool.

By the end of the summer he is jumping in like a pro! This is his Buzz Lightyear jump!

The underwater view...I love that he is smiling as he jumps in!

Throughout the summer we were able to go swimming most days, we love having a pool!

It's been a great summer in the pool, and we can't wait until next year!

Baking Cookies

2011-09-09T21:46:00.001-05:00

Today Brandt helped mommy bake some cookies! He is such a good helper. His favorite part was "testing" the cookie dough.

And now to test the final product...

That is one happy boy!

Last Bit of Summer FUN!

2011-08-26T18:03:00.007-05:00

We were excited to have Jessica (Brandt's birth mom) come and visit us at the end of the summer. We tried to fit in as much as we could and had a great time. Andrew was around too, but most of the pictures were during the day while he was at work. We went ice skating, to the zoo, the science center, the splash pad, and the little lake near our house. We all love to cook, and we had several new recipes that we tried, and lots of yummy treats! SO MUCH FUN!!!!

Jessica, Brandt, and cousin Rachel getting ready for an adventure...can you tell we are from Alabama with all those layers. Jessica is from Michigan and was not cold even in just a t-shirt.

At the science center, Brandt and Jessica's faces and hands.

It is Jessica's Birthday at the end of the month, so we got her and Brandt matching t-shirts...they both love Dr. Seuss.

Andrew smoked some tasty ribs, he is becoming an expert!

Jessica teaching Rheanna how to make chimichangas.Reading bedtime stories

Zoo sand dig...this boy loves sand!

Ice cream stop, yummy!

Visit to the lake to feed the duck and turtles.

My other favorite of Brandt and his Jessi.

Camping in Michigan!

2011-08-25T14:08:00.008-05:00

This summer ended with an awesome camping trip in Michigan. We have an open adoption, and this means that we maintain contact with Brandt's birth family. We love them and love the relationship we have with each of them. Brandt's birth mom, Jessica, invited us to join her family for their annual camping trip. We were so excited to go and had so many neat experiences! We take tons of pictures, and it is really hard to decide which ones to put up....but here are some of my favorites!

There were some awesome water falls we all got to play in.

Christine, Me, and Jessica

Brandt thought those deer looked nice...

Nose to nose with a baby deer.

Learning to cook bread with his Jessi.

Reading a book with Grandma Christine.

Getting a ride from Grandpa Patrick while we were shopping.

Jessi and me...I really can't tell you how much I love this girl! Best friends....not just birthmom and adoptive mom.

We went on little adventure and did some rock climbing, and a zip line.

My all time favorite picture!!! Brandt and his Jessi!

Summer Trip...Coming Soon

2011-08-15T15:26:00.003-05:00

Pictures to come!!!!! We had an awesome camping trip and visit with Brandt's birth mom, Jessica. SOOO much fun, many great memories, and LOTS of pictures! Here are a few to get you started.

Jessica and Brandt were spinning around in circles and the picture turned out really neat!

Jessica, Brandt, and me at the Zoo, riding the train.

Blueberry Picking!

2011-07-04T18:42:00.004-05:00

We went blueberry picking as a family a few weeks ago. After 2 hours we came home with 3 gallons of blueberries. We will freeze them to use in pies, pancakes, muffins, blueberry-o cream cheese pie topping, adding to cereal, yogurt, and to enjoy eating!

The best part about picking blueberries, is the eating them as you pick. They taste so good right off the bush! Brandt ate blueberries for about an hour, and as we were walking to the car to take one bucket back, he said his "belly-belly" hurt. Luckily it was just a tummy ache for a little while, and he didn't get sick. It was a good day!

Beach Bash!

2011-06-25T22:50:00.005-05:00

We recently had a family reunion with my (Rheanna's) family. There were 31 of us, 2 big condos, and one wonderful beach! We love spending time at the beach, and it was extra special having all of the family there too. We spent most days hanging out at the beach, running in the ocean, jumping the waves, and playing with the sand. We also got to go on a boat ride and watch dolphins jump in the waves next to the boat.

Our Garden

2011-06-19T13:46:00.006-05:00

We have enjoyed a little gardening throughout our marriage. We have always had a few tomatoes and peppers in small pots. Last year was our first year in our house and we tried a very small garden, and it went pretty good. This year we decided to try a bigger garden.

We cleared an area and planted at the beginning of May.

Last week we got our first veggies from our garden, and they just keep on coming!

We have enjoyed cooking our squash, zucchini, and green beans for our dinners each night.

Last night I made zucchini bread, and it is so tasty! Brandt had 3 slices, with a little butter.

Look at our garden grow!

Easter!

2011-05-17T17:26:00.007-05:00

We had a fun Easter, filled with decorating eggs, Easter baskets, lots of egg hunts, great times with cousins grandparents, and lots of memories together as a family.

Our Cruise, Part 1 - The Big Boat

2011-03-15T22:13:00.008-05:00

We just got back from a wonderful family vacation, celebrating our 10 year anniversary that will be later this year. We had a fantastic time, and we love to take LOTS of pictures, so I have divided them up into 4 parts.

While on the boat they have photographers that will take your picture any time you will let them...we really liked this one!

Our cute niece, Alex, volunteered to go with us and help out with Brandt. It was so much fun to have her with us. It also allowed us to do a few things on our own, while she hung out with Brandt. The big boat (as Brandt called it all week) had so much for us to do...

we went on walks,

played mini-golf,

swam in the pools,

zipped down the water slide,

met towel animal friends,

played basket ball,

played more mini golf,

watched beautiful sunsets,

and learned to make towel animals.

Fun was had by all and it was one memorable week!

Cruise, Part 2 - Excursions

2011-03-15T21:19:00.006-05:00

During our cruise we traveled to three beautiful places.

First was Belize, where we went to a TINY island and got to go snorkeling (look at part 4 for underwater pictures) and play on the beach.

Our Second stop was Rotan, Honduras. We got to do some neat things while traveling around with our private guide for the day. First we went to an iguana farm, where we got to feed and pet them...Alex wasn't too sure about those big lizards.

Next was probably one of the best experiences of the cruise. Getting to hold and play with a baby capuchin monkey. His name was Jerry and he was very friendly. Brandt loved having the monkey on his head. This is also my favorite picture of Brandt from the trip. The monkeys really liked Alex, and at one point she was holding one and the other was sitting on her foot.

Then we got some lunch and went snorkeling at this beautiful spot.

Our last stop was Cozumel, Mexico. We have been here before and still enjoyed ourselves. We did some shopping, ate lunch, and went to a beach. We ate lunch at Pancho's Backyard, we went there on our honeymoon. It was fun to be back with our little one, now for our 10 year anniversary. It was a fun day, and we were all a little silly.

Cruise, Part 3 - The Food

2011-03-15T20:36:00.005-05:00

One of the things that Andrew was looking forward to the most on our cruise was the food. That being said, we have lots of food pictures.

Andrew eating his Reuben sandwich after boarding the boat. (He talked about how excited he was for this sandwich weeks before we left...can you see the excitement on his face?)

I even branched out and tried chilled soups for the first time. Strawberry was my favorite.

He often got 2 entrees each night, this one was lobster and prime rib.

All 4 of us eating in the dining room, we ate there every night. It was tasty.

We got a few treats too, chocolate covered strawberries...yummm.

Andrew enjoyed some blackened grouper at a local restaurant in Rotan.

So Andrew looked forward to the food, and I looked forward to the ice cream. They have wonderful machines around the boat and you can help yourself whenever you would like. Alex and I took a picture every time we ate an ice cream together.

We totaled 8, and let me tell you, each one was delicious.

Every night for dessert Andrew got a warm chocolate melting cake.
Let me just say, they are soooo good!

Cruise, Part 4 - Underwater

2011-03-15T18:28:00.007-05:00

We went to some beautiful beaches and got to do some fun snorkeling. The first two pictures are from Belize, where the water was the clearest. There was some very neat coral and lots of fish. We even got to bring back a large conch shell as a souvenir from here.

The rest of the pictures are in Rotan, Honduras.

Yes, that is a barracuda in the center of this shot. I (Rheanna) was out a little ways by myself snorkeling, when I was following a fish and then noticed directly below me was THIS nice little fish. After taking a quick picture of the fella, and while trying to quickly swim away, I then got a cramp in my foot. I slowly swam away holding my cramped foot in one hand (to try and stop it from cramping worse) and swimming with the other arm and leg. All the while praying that the barracuda didn't notice all the sloshing above him and decide to come and take a nibble. I decided to come in at that point and only went back out with a buddy!

Andrew

Rheanna

Washing the Car

2011-02-24T09:29:00.004-06:00

Brandt got to help Daddy wash the cars this week. They had a great time, and both got soaking wet in the process!

Scrub, scrub!

Spray the water to rinse.

I'm gonna get you Mamma!

He got a little curious, and then he got WET!

Christmas Time!

2011-01-26T12:54:00.004-06:00

It has been busy around here, but I wanted to get in some pictures from Christmas. We had a great Christmas! It was a memorable one, as we spent time together and with our extended family.

Brandt really likes Santa and always wants to know "where did the Reindeer go?" He thinks Santa should have his Reindeer with him at all times.

Grandmom invited Brandt over for a Christmas cookie date. They had a fun day creating wonderful and yummy cookies together.

On Christmas eve we had a wonderful Christmas program with my family (Rheanna) including a present exchange, talent show, acting out the nativity, and a delicious dinner. Brandt sang Jingle Bells for our family's talent.

Santa didn't disappoint, and came to our home Christmas morning. We all had some presents to open. Brandt loved opening his presents (and ours) and getting so many wonderful surprises.
We feel blessed to spend this time together!!!

It's Beginning to look a lot like Christmas!

2010-12-12T14:22:00.006-06:00

Every year we go to a christmas tree farm to pick out our tree, cut it down and bring it home.

Brandt was a big help and wanted to touch every tree he walked past. It was a good day and we found the perfect tree!

When we got home, we put the tree up, and got out the decorations. Brandt could not believe all of the things that were in the box!

It is always neat to see the ornaments!

It was fun hanging them on the tree.

Daddy lifted Brandt up to put the star on the top! We are ready for Christmas!

Brandt turns 2!

2010-11-28T17:20:00.005-06:00

Brandt turned two a couple of weeks ago. We had a great time celebrating!

Mommy and Daddy took him for a pancake breakfast on his birthday.

Then we went to chuck e cheese for fun and games that night.

A few weeks before we had a party while spending the weekend with his birth mom and grandparents. So much fun!

We also skyped with his birth mom and grandparents to eat cake on his birthday.

Lots of fun presents from friends and family!

Two parties with both sides of the family too!

We love everyone who made our cute boy feel special on his birthday.
Happy 2nd Birthday Brandt!

Happy Halloween!

2010-11-08T11:38:00.003-06:00

We celebrated Halloween in many ways this year!

Yoda at kindermusik

Haunted houses at play group.

Cowboy at church Tunk or Treat

Mama with a cowboy Trunk or Treating

Dada with Yoda Trick or Treating

As a family we all had a great time, together!!!

Fun with Pumpkins

2010-11-08T11:14:00.005-06:00

We had a great time exploring pumpkins over the Halloween season. Brandt liked getting his hands squishy with the pumpkin guts and seeds. It was an all new feeling and he would say "sticky". But it didn't bother him too much as he kept going in for more. We carved a face in the pumpkin too and Brandt laughed when we showed it to him.

We also got some smaller pumpkins and Brandt got to paint them. It was fun to see him be creative and use all the colors cover his pumpkin with paint!

Camping!

2010-10-29T12:49:00.004-05:00

We went camping last weekend with some family and had a great time. Brandt is at a great age for this! He loved being outside, playing with his cousins, and was a very happy camper.

We went camping at a place we hadn't been before, but will definitely be going back. We had some great camping weather too!

Andrew is the master chef while camping! He made us pizza in the dutch oven for dinner and french toast, bacon, eggs, and sausage for breakfast. It was all so tasty!

We all enjoyed a yummy breakfast.

We roasted marshmallows and stayed warm by the fire in the evening.

Hanging out around camp.

It was a beautiful place and we had fun on our nature walks around camp.

Mommy was teaching Brandt the fine art of deflating an air mattress. He loved it!

Pumpkin Patch!

2010-10-18T13:58:00.008-05:00

Going to the pumpkin patch is one of our favorite family traditions. We all go on a hay ride, pick a pumpkin, and play in a hay maze. Brandt even got to ride on a pony. It was much more eventful this year chasing after Brandt, he loves to run, and there was a huge field awaiting his adventures. We love taking pictures, and tried to snag him for a few family shots, but this is as close as we could get with the busy boy! Many of our pictures were of Brandt running by or of his back, just a few seconds too late. But we did catch some great moments too.

While riding the pony Brandt said over and over, "YEE-HAW, I a cowboy!" It was so funny.

Fire Station

2010-10-02T20:31:00.002-05:00

We went to the local fire station this week with our play group. Brandt loves pointing out Fire Trucks when we are around town, and he was very excited to get to play in the truck!

We recently got some fireman rain boots, which he loves, but they are a little too big and kept falling off his feet.

Male Bonding

2010-09-07T14:16:00.003-05:00

Brandt got a lawn mower just like daddy!!! He LOVES it. They spent a long time "mowing" the lawn together. Anytime we go outside now, we have to take both lawn mowers out and mow together.

He is so happy!!! He's almost skipping!

Andrew told Brandt to just wait 10 years, he can mow all he wants. Hopefully he will still like it this much.

These two just make me smile!

Pool Party!

2010-09-01T14:26:00.004-05:00

As the summer is starting to wind down, the pool water is getting colder. We have loved swimming this summer and spending a lot of time in the pool. Brandt gets so excited to get his suit and vest on so he can get in the pool. Fun times and happy memories!

Family Reunions!

2010-08-16T13:48:00.006-05:00

While we were in Utah we were blessed to attend two wonderful family reunions. We had a wonderful time with Rheanna's family and then her extended family on her Mom's side. Here are a few shots of some of the great times we had.

Going on a hike, beautiful view.

At a water park in Lava Hot Springs ID. Andrew and our nephew just jumped off one of the High Platforms at the same time.

On our morning walks we found a few horses and cows. This one horse was nice enough to let us feed him every morning.

Andrew went on a 50 mile bike ride around Bear Lake with about 15 members of my extended family. He spent about 4 weeks training to get ready. This is not something he normally does, but he really enjoyed it, and is hoping to continue.

Here I am making Breakfast for the family one morning.

This was a special day. Brandt got to meet his Great Grandma and Grandpa for the first time. This is the Grandma I am named after...her name is Rhea and I am Rheanna. We were excited for Brandt to meet them. My Grandpa is standing in the background, they are the best grandparents ever, and I love them dearly. Brandt was happy to take her finger as we went inside.

Daddy and Brandt saying hi to the pigs. They were excited to see us at first, but not so much when we didn't have any food for them.

Brandt loving the water and sand, plus he had a shovel, which makes for a happy boy! We also took him for a ride on a jet ski. He kept saying "WHEEEE!!!!" Life doesn't get any better.

Summer Vacation!

2010-07-21T13:14:00.005-05:00

Our family went to Utah for a couple of weeks for our summer vacation. We just got back and had a wonderful time. Here are a few shots from our trip.

We had a great flight, and Brandt loved seeing all the planes at the airport and riding on the plane!

Brandt is making sure Elmo is safe too!

Here we are standing on the roof of the Conference Center with the Temple behind us.

It was fun being at the Salt Lake Temple together. It was a year ago that Brandt was sealed to us, and it was special to spend our first anniversary as a forever family there.

We got to got to BYU's campus where I graduated from. It was fun to walk around and take our little boy there.

Our cute family on the roof of the conference center after our tour. It was a beautiful day and we had such a fun time being together.

Cheetos!!

2010-07-20T22:11:00.003-05:00

While on our recent family vacation Brandt tried Cheetos for the first time! He LOVED them and ate one after another...after another.

Deliciously Messy!!

Strawberry Picking

2010-06-19T11:30:00.007-05:00

We recently went to a U-pick farm and picked our own strawberries. It was a nice day, with plenty of strawberries to enjoy along the way. After we picked them we ate them in cereal, made strawberry freezer jam, strawberry pies, and sauces. Yummy!!

Brandt loved this kitten and was so excited to hold him.

First bite, so tasty!

Look at all this!

We found one, mommy!

I think this one looks just right.

Mmmmm GOOD!

We did it! We're a great team.

Our Silly Family

2010-06-18T15:25:00.006-05:00

We are a family that really cares about each other, and have such a good time being together. We take a lot of pictures to capture our many adventures. Often, when we look through our pictures, we realize we caught one of our many silly moments on camera.

Brandt and Daddy mid tackle while wrestling at our science center.

We were going for a cute Easter picture....it's cute, but if you look closely BOTH of their tongues are sticking out!

Nice hair during bath time, he looks like a little Cherub.

Speaking of hair, we were taking a beach picture when Brandt grabbed my hair and YANKED it hard. Andrew on the other hand is just happily taking the picture.

Dixie, where's Brandt? He's so good at hiding.

Lookin' good in our hair nets and plastic aprons. We were working at a food bank for the day.

From the look on Rheanna's face you would think it was pretty intense sledding, Brandt on the other hand looks like it's no big deal. He would be right, it was a small hill, Rheanna was just getting into it.

A good disguise for Brandt, you'd never know it was him!

Like Father--Like Son!

Dixie

2010-06-17T15:04:00.006-05:00

As we are updating this, we thought it would be fun to include our puppy Dixie. Dixie is a 5 year old Shih Tzu. She is a very sweet and loving dog, who is maybe a little spoiled. She loves her boy Brandt, and they often run and play together. She is a small, soft, cuddly, lap dog. We love our puppy!

This is the first time we saw her, look how little!

Dixie in her teenage years

Dixie even received her canoeing merit badge

Dressed up as a black cat for Halloween

Helping Brandt open presents.... she always wants to know what is happening

She is very curious....

Dixie bad hair day... you can see why it is always up in a bow

Dixie likes to run along with the kids while they search for Easter Eggs

Our adorable puppy!

Happy Easter!

2010-06-17T14:32:00.004-05:00

Easter was so much fun for us this year. We were able to enjoy egg hunts with cousins on both sides of the family. By the end of the weekend Brandt was really good at finding eggs and putting them in his basket.

He LOVES balls, so the Easter bunny was kind enough find ball eggs for him to find.

I think we found them all!

Two cute boys having fun.

My puppy Dixie and I are best buddies. Look at all we found!

Brandt's First Birthday!

2010-06-16T22:47:00.006-05:00

As I am catching up this blog, here is Brandt's first birthday in Nov.

To celebrate we had a party with family and friends. He loved everything about it. The people, presents, and the cake. What an experience for our little guy! It is hard to believe that turning one came so fast! We love every minute with our sweet Brandt.

He loved tearing the paper, and all of his fun presents.

He did a little finger painting at first, and then tasted a little frosting, then some cake, and loved it!

He thought Daddy might like a taste too.

So good at sharing, mmmmm...so tasty!

Yep, he liked it a lot. After this picture he went straight into the bathtub.

Taiwan Trip!

2010-06-15T13:08:00.008-05:00

In Aug 2009, Andrew, Brandt and I went on a family trip to Taiwan. My parents were there serving a mission, they are now back home. It has taken me a while to get this updated, but here is our trip!

We were so excited to introduce Brandt to Grandmom and Grandpop for the first time!

Taiwan was a wonderful place to visit, with MANY amazing sights.

Taipei 101 is the tallest building in the world, and we walked around the top of it!

Scooter anyone?

Being with my Mom and Dad was so much fun!

After reading the sign and a little prayer, we were ready to go. Taroko Gorge was breathtaking!

Our cute Brandt in Taroko. This bridge was really long and really high, and fun to walk on.

In our week there we saw it ALL (at least most of it)!

We had some unique experiences, like getting our hair done and eating at Ice Monster!

These neat rocks were made by the ocean washing over them.

It was fun to share this experience with Brandt, he was so good!

Little beach baby, he loved splashing in the water. The locals were taking pictures of this cute blond boy all through out Taiwan.

What a pretty spot, with a cute family too!

Let the food experience BEGIN! Andrew tried some very interesting local cuisine. Brandt and I stuck to rice.

Octapus.........Rice

Whole fish......Rice

Stinky tofu, grilled squid on a stick......he was adventurous!

Headed back home, Brandt even got to sleep for a while in a bassinet on the plane. 24 hours of travel, no big deal. We'd do it again for all the memories we made!

If you made it through all of those...way to go. It really was a trip of a lifetime!

Happy Halloween!!

2009-11-05T22:35:00.001-06:00

Here are all of our October Halloween pictures. First, we took our annual trip to the pumpkin patch. At the pumpkin patch Brandt took a hay ride, picked a pumpkin, rode a pony, and had a great time!

We had fun going to Trunk or Treat and Trick or Treating in the neighborhood. He was a great little Duckie and Taiwan prince.

Don’t worry he never got the paper off that sucker.

That monster can’t scare me…it’s just Daddy being silly.

He really got into seeing the candy in his pumpkin bucket. He even warmed up and grabbed some for himself.

9 months, 10 months, 11 months!

2009-10-19T09:15:00.001-05:00

Wow...time sure flies when you're having fun!! Here are some pictures from the last few months.

9 months old! silly face

He loves playing with the paper. At his 9 mo. visit he was 21lbs. 3oz, 30in long.

He turned 10 months while we were in Taiwan! More to come from our trip...

Friday, he was 11 months old. We went on a camping trip.

He loved playing in the tent.

Feeling the warmth of the fire just like daddy.

Dancing to keep warm with mommy.

Playing Peek-a-boo in the tent!

Why we've been busy!

2009-09-09T12:35:00.000-05:00

We bought a house!!! We moved in last weekend but things have been crazy busy for the last few months. House hunting, closing, packing, moving, unpacking...but I think we made it! We are excited to be moved in and getting settled!

Leaving our Apartment after 8 years!

Our new backyard....LOVE IT!!

Doing some work on the house.

Packing helper!

Havign fun painting and decorating Brandt's new room!

8 months♦

2009-09-09T12:23:00.000-05:00

The last few months have come and gone. We have been a little busy, but I wanted to try and catch up a little. Here is a little recap. He got two teeth this month and crawled around everywhere! He was 19lbs 9oz. He got really sick for the first time and we took him in to the doctor. It was eventful, but he was okay. Here are some pics from 8 months!

Special Day!

2009-07-22T11:22:00.000-05:00

Here we are at the temple on July 11, 2009. It was a beautiful, very BRIGHT, sunny day. Brandt was a perfect little boy and it was a special day for us. We found his little outfit at one of the malls and he was so cute in it. After the temple we went to the Chapel next door and had a little blessing program. All his cousins sang I love to see the temple and Families can be together forever. There were over 20 of them and he watched them and smiled and laughed while they were singing. It was sooooo cute! Then Andrew gave him his blessing. Brandt did a good job and didn't fuss too much. After that we showed everyone a video that we put together of him. Everyone loved seeing all the pictures. It was a great day.

Final!

2009-07-01T11:37:00.001-05:00

Here we are at our Adoption day! Court went well, short and sweet! His adoption is now all official. Thanks to the family support we had that day! My brother and sister and their families were with us. We head to the temple in a week and a half, and get to have another Celebration. Yeah!!! Most of my family (minus Mark, and mom and dad...we love you!!!!) and Andrew's family will be in town. We are so excited to have them with us to celebrate our family being forever!! What a fun time...we have the best, cutest, most wonderful baby boy, and all of his amazing birth family! Our family has grown, and we feel so blessed!

Seven Months

2009-06-29T15:41:00.000-05:00

This month is a big one! He is still our happy boy, but he definitely has an opinion. He is very vocal, and loves to laugh. His first tooth came in and it looks like number two will be popping in any day. He has started to pull himself up on everything...we might have an early walker!

seven months!

How do you get a good picture of that first tooth? Wait until he goes to sleep!!

sweet boy

Little Ladies Man!

2009-06-19T14:25:00.000-05:00

Look how grown up he looks in this little suit. Some friends of mine gave me this outfit at my baby shower, and it is fitting him right now. I love it! He showing off his good looks!

Great Wolf Lodge

2009-06-19T14:01:00.000-05:00

Hey everyone check out my friend Shanna's blog! 3cutekids.blogspot.com She is hosting a giveaway for a vacation at The Great Wolf Lodge in North Carolina. One of the kids I nanny for stayed at one of these earlier this year and LOVED it! It's basically a water park hotel....fun stuff!

6 months!!

2009-05-27T08:54:00.001-05:00

Brandt is 6 months old now! Here are the pictures we had taken. He did a great job and we got some more great smiles. He is pulling himself around these days in an army crawl and we are having to baby proof very quickly. He also got to start solid food and LOVES it. So far he has tried rice cereal, pears and squash. Brandt has also mastered sitting, and has realized that Dixie (our puppy) is so fun to watch. He will laugh and laugh at her.

His stats for 6 months are: weight 18lbs 1oz (65%)
height 27 1/2 inches (80%)

Sun, Sand, Sea!!

2009-05-14T17:42:00.001-05:00

We took a trip to the beach for Mother's Day with my sister and brother and their families. We had a great time. Brandt loved exploring the ocean and especially loved the pool. It was his first time in a pool and he would kick, splash, get himself all wet and keep smiling. It was great! We love the beach and are excited for this trip to become an annual tradition. The pictures are self explanatory. Enjoy!

Five Months!

2009-04-30T10:21:00.001-05:00

Brandt is 5 months old now. He is getting so BIG! He is starting to sit up on his own for a few seconds at a time and he is rolling all over the place to get where he wants. He are a few pictures from the last few days. It is summer time here now and getting hot!

Enjoying the sun at the park.

Looking good in his new hat.

I am BATMAN! Yipee!

Reason for Easter.

2009-04-13T17:12:00.000-05:00

Happy Easter!!

2009-04-13T16:50:00.000-05:00

We had a great Easter weekend. It was great getting to spend it with both of our families. Brandt really got into grabbing the eggs when I would point one out to him.

Look I found one!

I'll look low and you look high~together we'll find them all!

I love it when a plan comes together!

A Camping We Will Go!

2009-03-30T14:25:00.000-05:00

We went on our first camping trip for this year! It was fun to introduce Brandt to one of our favorite things to do! Andy's 2 brothers and their families went too. We went on walks, had a good fire, and great food! Brandt did great and liked being outdoors so much, and of course playing with his cousins! Here are some pictures of our adventures!

Having a laugh with Mommy!

Taking a moment to ponder life.

Helping Daddy get things set up.

Our little family having a great time being together!

Month Four!

2009-03-20T10:38:00.001-05:00

Our little boy keeps on growing! At his four month visit he was 15lbs 4 1/2oz (80th %) and length 26.4in long (98th %). He was a good sport until he got his shots...that wasn't so fun. He is now rolling over and is a little wiggle worm. He loves to look at people and things around him, he is very alert. We love our boy!

Cute tummy rolls!

Yeah! I'm excited to be 4 months old!

It's a beautiful day in the neighborhood!
Do you love the hat? I do!

Enough Said!

2009-03-10T10:47:00.000-05:00

I know I'm his mom, but does it get any better than this?

Love the sun glasses!

Not too Cool for a Paci!

Snow!

2009-03-06T09:42:00.001-06:00

Ready to go PLAY!

Last Sunday it snowed. We couldn't make it to church, so we went out and enjoyed the few inches we got with Brandt. He seemed to like looking around, but he really didn't like the wind. It only lasted until about 2 in the afternoon, but it was fun while it lasted.

I like it!

He kept trying to eat the snow flakes...notice the tongue.

Month Three!

2009-02-24T16:18:00.000-06:00

Here are Brandt's 3 month pictures. I told him all day that we were going to get his picture taken and he needed to smile. I was worried he would be sleeping or not smiling. No need to worry, we had so many choices. He smiled like the cutie he is and we got some great shots.

We love this look on his face!

He loves to stick out his tongue!

This month he is laughing more spontaneously. He has also become very aware of his hands...he likes to look at them, grab toys with them, and pull out his passie and suck on them. He is also growing like a weed and already wearing 3-6 month clothes!

Having Fun!

2009-02-19T10:04:00.001-06:00

We are having lots of adventures! Brandt likes to spend his days being entertained by mommy and daddy and we love it!

It's SUPER baby!!!!

It's a Giraffe at the zoo...be careful they drool!

Story time...he is so intent at looking at the pictures.

Going for a walk. It is becoming our Sunday tradition to go for a family walk.

All Smiles!

2009-02-12T10:53:00.000-06:00

Our little boy is a very smiley guy! Here are some of his latest and greatest smiles!

Second Month

2009-02-02T15:08:00.000-06:00

Here is our little Chunky Monkey!!! At 2 months Brandt is 13lbs 8 1/2 oz and 24.3 inches long. He is growing so fast! He coos, laughs, hits at his toys, and is sleeping really good at night. We enjoy going to the park and running errands together. What a cutie!

First Month

2009-01-27T13:06:00.000-06:00

Here are a few pictures our friend Jaclyn took of our precious baby. She is a professional photographer and did a great job capturing our little Brandt.

These were taken Dec. 11, 2008. At one month he was so fun...he weighed 9lbs 5oz and was 22 1/2 inches. He is such a good baby and has a great disposition. He was starting to be so alert and it is fun to watch him grow!

Our life!

2009-01-20T09:49:00.000-06:00

Here is my first attempt at our new blog. I am excited to share pictures and stories of our little boy and keep everyone up to date! I thought I would start out with a few pictures of our little family. We feel so blessed to have him in our lives and are enjoying every minute with him!

Our first family picture right after he was born.

All dressed and ready to leave the hospital.

What a cute little bear all bundled up!

Adorable duckie after his bath.