Macklin's Christmas Gift

Macklin's Christmas gift from us this year was this sweet hat! You have seen it in other posts already, but I just think it is the sweetest little thing! I custom ordered it off of Etsy from this store...MadAboutColour

There are many shops on Etsy that sell these similar hats. I think they make great gifts for baby showers, birthdays, etc!

If you look around Etsy too long, you will end up buying something as there are so many fun things that people make and sell there.

Sometimes he doesn't always like it as much as his momma does!

Ugly Sweater Xmas Party

Yes, I know, still back-tracking, but I wanted everyone to see pics of this fun day!

Wow, how our lives have changed! Now that we are in the "couple with baby" category, we have to plans things a bit differently. This year, instead of our traditional night time party, we went for the open-house idea on a Sunday afternoon. We were still super happy to host our 4th Annual Ugly Sweater Christmas Party even though we missed the presence of some friends due to the weird timing. The White Elephant exchange still happened and we got to eat lots of yummy foods. The best part....we had a handful (or more) of kiddos running around our house!

Carden eating down his present!

Sweet sweaters!

Even our little man had a sweater!

YL Christmas Party

December 9, 2010

The Giovagnoli's hosted the second annual Young Life Committee/Leader Christmas Party. It was a ton of fun even though we had to leave early. The Committee is doing a great job of "loving on" us (especially Jeanne Stough with me :) and they have planned a couple of fun events! We had to leave early due to Macklin's bed time and Justin being tired, but here are a few pictures from the night. Just an FYI: everyone else missed the memo on the Christmas attire. If there would have been a best outfit contest, we would have won!

Date Night

I surprised Justin with a date night the day before my mom came to visit. We had one of our high school friends come over to play with Macklin and give us a couple hours away. When I went to pick up Justin, he was surprised to see my by myself. I brought him lots of winter gear and we took off for a snow shoe in the mountains around Gypsum. I have a new friend from MOPS that has access out of her back yard and is gracious enough to allow us to park at her house and hike out of her yard! It was a great sun set hike where we hiked up to the top of a little peak and enjoyed the chicken noodle soup I had packed for us. It was a special time for us to be around just each other and get out and enjoy the snow! The way back was a little bit adventurous as we made our "own path" back, but we did make it!

Macklin Visits Santa

While my mom was in town, we got to go to the Eagle's (Town of Eagle, next to Gypsum)"Christmas on Broadway" event. It is a super fun event in our little town where all the businesses stay open longer on a Saturday (used to be a Wednesday night, not sure why they changed it this year) and offer lots of sales. They also have different events and a parade (small but fun). The highlight of the event is, of course, seeing Santa! In our little town, they put Santa in the middle of the street in Eagle. I have said that "only in Eagle" could this happen. Macklin did surprisingly well. He was a little timid at first, not letting go of my sweater. But then he let me leave, but didn't smile a ton. I think it was a great first experience! Best of all, they let you take your own pics so you don't have to pay for anything!

Christmas Time!

It was an enjoyable Christmas time around the Brandt home. After getting our tree around Thanksgiving with Justin's dad and Kathy, we got to hang it up and decorate the house before my mom came in early December. We put up a few strands up lights on the tree along with a lighted door wreath. We had our snowman in place and stockings hung! I love the Christmas season!

As for our tree....it was probably the saddest looking tree around after a few days. We kinda forgot to water it for the first few days and then it ran dry in the house for another few days. All of the needles would fall off if it got touched and we had to take it down before leaving for St. Louis last week. Here are some pics of it when it looked nice.

One last thing....guess how many strands of lights are on our skinny Charlie Brown tree???

1? 2? 3? Maybe 4? .... NO! Eight!!!!

Attempts at Christmas Card Pics

Pulling Up

Macklin is a moving boy! No stopping him now!

Lowered the Crib

We had to lower Macklin's crib when my mom was in town at the beginning of December because Macklin was pulling up on the rail! It was so fun to see my little Mack getting so big! It is funny how these little milestones are so exciting! Now Macklin looks so far away!

Mom's Visit

From December 1st through the 6th, my mom came to visit us! This is the second time that she has come in the early winter to enjoy the Colorado snow. Last year she came early when she found out we were pregnant.

The purpose of her trip was to go snowshoeing and enjoy hanging out with Macklin...mission accomplished! We went for a hike (with Macklin on my back) in Gypsum. We did some shopping for Christmas gifts in Grand Junction. We took Mack to see Santa (future post). We went snowshoeing in Minturn at night. And we definitely played with Macklin a lot! Mom realized how slow I really am with getting things done with Macklin as it took us a while to get places!

It is so special to have my mom come out to see me. Sometimes it gets tiring to be a stay-at-mom home (totally worth it, but tiring some times), but to have her come visit is totally refreshing! We get to laugh together when I would normally just be talking to Macklin. We get to talk lots and share stories. She gives me advice on different things (but not too much). And we just get to be together. It is so fun! I am so grateful to have such a loving, supportive, caring mom who loves to serve me and do special things for me like come visit!

Here are a few pics of our time together.

Greeting Mimi at the airport and showing her his first tooth!

Our hike

Macklin being a cutie!

Macklin's surprise kiss attack!

Just playing with Mimi!

Our Nighttime Snowshoe Adventure!

(check out our new skis for Mack that Grandma Kathy gave him as an early Christmas gift!)

Mack is all bundled!

Mom pulled him for a bit...but then fell! She was a great sport!

First Tooth!

First Tooth --- December 1, 2010 at 8 months old!

Now I know what all that fussing was about the day before!

I tried to capture it...but my little man wouldn't let me.

Let the Bloggin' Begin!

After a month break from blogging to focus on getting my Christmas presents complete (which, by the grace of God, all WERE indeed completed!), I am excited to post the last few weeks of adventures from the Brandts.

I am going to back track and begin where I left off! So enjoy the fun!

I gotta get caught up, this Christmas time is just too fun with our little man!

Not Gonna Happen

Here are two pics to tide my readers over until we see most of you in STL soon!

The present-making is going well, but not over yet!

One last project and hopefully I can finish it before Mack wakes up!

Still have to wrap presents, pack, clean, and load up the car before our 9am departure tomorrow.

Oh yeah, and my team is working the concession stand at the bball games tonight so I will be gone from 5-8pm. Yikes! Pray for me :)

2 Corinthians 12:9

The Lord says, "My grace is sufficient for you for my power

is made perfect in weakness."

Amen!

Planting, Watering, and Growing

I had some thoughts this morning while I was reading that I wanted to share.

I was reading 1 Corinthians 3 today and came across these verses...(6-8) Paul is talking to the Corinthians about their spirituality and that they were young in their faith. He was also discussing the fact that different people play different roles in peoples lives. "I planted the seed, Apollos watered it, but God made it grow. So neither he who planted nor he who waters is anything, but only God, who makes things grow. The man who plants and the man who waters have one purpose, and each will be rewarded according to his own labor."

This passage really made me think this morning. Who "planted" the seed of Jesus in my life? Who has "watered" my relationship with Christ? Have I been blessed to play those roles in other peoples lives? Wow, how great is our God that he would allow us to be a part of his plan!? It is awesome to think that God doesn't need us to draw people to Him, as He is so attractive in and of Himself. But God invites us along for an incredible journey where we can deepen our faith in His Son if we allow God to "grow" us.

I am thankful for these people in my life that have been used by God to "plant"

and "water" my walk with Jesus.

(not an all inclusive list as I have only been thinking about this for the past 1/2 hour)

"Planters" in my life:

my parents

former Kanakuk counselors (especially the summer of 1997)

former Sunday school teachers

"Waters" in my life:

Justin

my parents

former Kanakuk counselors, directors, and peers

Morgan Martin

Mrs. Bowers (middle school bible study leader)

Tiffany Rowley (YL)

Chip and Karen Buck (YL)

Brandon Grant (DRL)

Doug and Kristin Rowland

Tracy Felton

Chris Schumacher

Christina Brotherton

Sabrina Smiley

Alana Kaddatz

Abbie Rittmiller

Jen (Schlenker) Bryce

Kari Bangston

Cory Strickler

Eric Collom

Delay on Blogging

Blah....no new posts.....just lots of Christmas project making! I am working on Year 4 of our scrapbooks and I have to start and finish it in the next three days (normally about a 12 hours process!) in order to get a buy one, get one free deal. So, I am focused on that for now. When that is done, I will go back to blogging. But, I will be up to date by the time we head to STL next Saturday so everyone can be up on our news!

Love from Colorado

PS - I am so stinkin' in love with my boy :)

Update for the Week

Hello friends and family, just wanted to give you a little update!

Don and Kathy's visit was a fantastic one and sadly ended last Saturday. We really enjoyed our time with them and can't wait to see them again in three weeks.

We had a few hang out days Saturday-Tuesday (even a date night on Tuesday night) and then my mom arrived on Wednesday!

It is worthy of noting that on Tuesday Macklin got his first tooth! Woohoo! It just poked right on through. I will have to get a pic when I can. I noticed at story time when he was chewing on my finger. Just when I had stopped looking every day in hopes of a tooth, it cuts through.

Since my mom has arrived, we have eaten yummy Heidis for lunch, played with Macklin lots, baked multiple items, cooked more baby food for Macklin, gotten Christmas supplies (we are doing a "homemade" christmas this year!), and slept a little :) It is so fun to have her around. Justin has had a lot of basketball lately (and the varsity team won their first game today...way to go team!) so it has been nice to have my mom to hang with!

Update more later.

PS-Macklin is 8 months old today! Woohoo!

Gingerbread Houses

Last post of my posting marathon....this one is for my mom!

We went to Beaver Creek last night and they had a Gingerbread House Competition.

There were amateur divisions, kid divisions, and professional divisions.

Here are a few things that I liked from the houses that I thought I would pass on to you, mom!

These little reindeer are super cute

(couldn't figure out how to turn my pic, sorry)

Love the shredded wheat roof

This one was just cool

The little old lady that lives in a (gingerbread) shoe

Nightmare on Christmas House

(I think that is what it is called..that old movie...???)

I liked the fence on this one

Grand Professional Champion

(4 stories tall!)

Just thought this one was nice

Cool idea for trees

Lots of little sugar people

Last Day with Don and Kathy

On our last day with Don and Kathy, .....

-Don, Kathy, and Justin hit up some Black Friday sales in Glenwood

-We all went to the Beaver Creek Tree Lighting fiesta (and missed the tree lighting)

-Saw special fireworks (Macklin loves those)

-Saw some super cool ginger bread houses (see next post)

-Went out to eat at Don's favorite Mexican place in town

-Gave lots of hugs and kisses to Don and Kathy

Thanks so much for coming you two! The time went by too fast!

Candles lit and ready for the ceremony

(too bad we got too cold and had to go inside for most of it!)

Cutie boy

Loves his grandparents!

Hugs!