Brenna's Favorite Things

It has been quite awhile since our last posting, but instead of just another update I decided to list some of Brenna's favorite things because she is so dang cute and seems to be the center of what we have been doing lately. She is getting so big. We spend a lot of time chasing her around the house and hearing her laugh. It is the best sound in the world. She loves to talk and babble all the time. She is learning new words everyday. We love her so much!!!

Brenna's Top 10 Favorite Things:

1. Her Minnie Mouse stuffed animal she calls "Ni-ni"

2. Yogart (she can't get enough of it)

3. Playing outside (bring on the good weather!)

4. Climbing up on and rocking herself in the rocking chair

5. When Daddy comes home (she runs and gives him a big hug and a kiss)

6. Necklaces and jewlery (she is a girl through and through)

7. Taking a Bath (whenever we say bath Brenna runs into the bathroom and waits for the water to turn on. She loves playing in the water)


8. Shoes (Brenna will spend hours trying to put on her own shoes. She has yet to accomplish it, but she is very determined.)

9. Kissing everything (from our cheeks to our knees, or her book or the wall or the broom, everything is loved with a kiss.)

10. Books, books and more books! (Ever since she was little Brenna has loved looking at books and she still spends most of her time with book after book.)

Drive in Movie

This week has been full of fun memories for us. Brandon and I are now serving the singles ward in our stake and on Monday we had a "drive in movie" for Family Night. Last week each member in our ward painted and decorated cardboard boxes to be cars and then this week we all sat in them and watched an old black and white movie. We even had car hops come around and deliver hamburgers and hot dogs and popcorn to us in our cars. Our family made a fire truck we all could sit in together. We won the "lifesaver" award. Brenna had so much fun looking out the windows and eating the popcorn. It was a blast. We are really enjoying being in this ward.






Here are a few of the other awesome cars!

A Winter Walk

The other day we took a little winter walk as a family. It felt so good to be out in the fresh air, even if it was cold. Brenna loved walking around on the sidewalk. Everything was so interesting to her. She loved feeling the snow on her mittens and feeling the bark on the trees. I can't wait until it warms up so we can spend more time outside. We walked down to the ice rink they have made down in Merrill Olsen Park this year. We didn't have any skates but we walked around and enjoyed the view of the temple and watched others skate. It was such a fun winter scene.

So many Holidays...so little time!

This year the holiday season was packed full of fun. We celebrated Christmas, a couple birthdays, New Years and took a getaway vacation all within just a few weeks. It has been crazy but we have loved it! We couldn't have done it all without the help from our families. Thank you!!!

We spent Christmas with Brandon's family this year. It was great to have all this siblings and their families together. We even had a visit from Santa Claus on Christmas Eve. It was a fun surprise. It was a delight to watch Brenna enjoy her first Christmas. She loved opening presents and was completely spoiled by all of us. I think our little apartment will soon be getting too small for all her toys. Uh-oh!

While we were on Christmas break Brandon and I took a little relaxing getaway down to Las Vegas to spend some time with just the two of us. We left Brenna with her Grandma and Grandpa Monson for a couple days and had a great time seeing all the beautiful and over the top casinos/hotels there. We had a lot of fun. This is a picture of us inside the Paris. The ceiling was amazing! We both missed Brenna a lot, but it was really nice to have some time away together.


We also celebrated Brandon and Brenna's birthdays. I can't believe it has been a year since Brenna was born. It seems like forever ago, but I remember it like it was yesterday. We had Grandma Nilson, Aunt Kati, and Grandpa Nilson over for some cake and ice cream. Brenna throughly enjoyed her cake as you can see. She is so full of energy and is a total ham. She loves to make us laugh and has made this whole year so memorable and bursting with joy!



We hope 2009 will bring even more happiness and incredible moments and memories as we have had in 2008. We have so much to be thankful for!

Christmas is Coming!!! Hooray!

 

This time of year sure gets crazy doesn't it?  We have been so excited for Christmas this year.  I love the lights, the tree, the carols, the gift giving, the family time, and the focus on the Savior's birth and His life.  It truly is "the most wonderful time of the year."  

Brenna has been keeping us busy too.  She is such a funny little girl.  She is very close to walking.  She has taken a few steps on her own and can stand for a few seconds all by herself.  She loves to entertain people with her hilarious faces.  She loves it when she can get you to laugh.  She is also talking quite a bit.  She loves to jabber to herself constantly.  She says words like "baah" for ball, "wa-wa" for water, "bye-bye", "rrahht" for light, and "tu-tu" for "thank you".  Hopefully she will have more of her teeth for Christmas this year.  She has been battling some awful teething troubles lately.  She has had three teeth coming in all at once and one of them has caused a blood blister on her gum.   The doctor said is is normal, but it sure has been painful for her.  We will all be grateful when they all finally break through.  Other than that we are all doing well and look forward to seeing our families and friends for  the holidays.  It will be a fun first Christmas for Brenna.   

We wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!  

We Love Halloween!

We had a fun Halloween this year. Brenna dressed up like a little tiger for her first Halloween. I dressed up like a queen and Brandon went all out as Dracula, face paint and all. He looked very spooky. It is becoming a tradition for him to transform into a Halloween creature. Last year he and I were mummies, and the year before that we were Frankenstein and his bride. Lets just say we love dressing up for Halloween around here. We spent the day making some more spooky pretzel treats to take around to some friends and then we went to a spook alley up in North Logan that my mom's cousin puts on. It was really creative and fun. Grandma Nilson and Great Grandma Barton and Aunt Kati came to visit too. Brenna entertained us all with her rocking horse and her funny faces. It was a "spooktacular" weekend.

Creepin' and Crawlin' through October

Well it has been a while since our last post. Here is what we have been up to for the past few weeks at the Monson's.

Brandon has been working hard teaching seminary and doing his marketing job. I have started baby-sitting a little one year old here every weekday. She and Brenna get along really well and it is fun for here to have someone to play with besides me. We took a trip up to Idaho to visit my family during General Conference weekend. It was such a treat to spend some time with my mom and my dad and to hear the prophet and apostles speak. It always makes me feel so refreshed and motivates me to set new goals to be better. Over UEA break Brandon's family came up to Logan to stay with us. We took them to a corn maze and spooky barn ride out in Wellsville. It was really fun to have them here. We sure are thankful for our families and for the time we get to spend with them.
Brenna has now figured out how to crawl and is all over the place. She can pull herself up to lean on and cruise around the furniture pretty well too now. She is very curious and loves to make us laugh by making faces and funny sounds. She is looking more and more like a little girl and less like a baby everyday. She is a sweetheart.

I think October is one of our family's favorite months. We love the cool fall weather, the leaves changing and falling, the pumpkins, and Halloween. We got some fun new Halloween decorations this year and have them up all over the house. Last week my sister came up and we made these cute spooky treats. They were so much fun to make and tasty too! I love Halloween!



Last night we had some friends over for a Murder Mystery dinner. It was set in a New York Italian Restaurant so we decorated the dining room and everyone dressed up as their characters. Brandon was an Italian soccer player / waiter, and I was a psychic gypsy. It was a blast. Thanks to everyone for coming and playing your parts so well.