Hello 2009! Nice to meet ya.

Happy New Year to all my bloggy friends!

This post shall be quick because I must get back to my hectic schedule of watching movies with my husband, lounging in my pj's and making my son giggle. [Giggles! that's his new thing] Then off to Missy’s to ring in the New Year with my family. It doesn’t get much better than that!

In saying goodbye to 2008, I thought we’d take a stroll down memory lane…

January 2008.

Our 1-year wedding anniversary.
We made it. Whoo Whoo!


January-September 2008

My 1st pregnancy.

I got large, larger...largest!

August 2008

Goodbye Grandpa Breden.

We miss you.

September 2008

Welcome Colt.

Life is so great with you in it!

You might ask...

What does 2009 have in store for the Bredens?????

Well, Andy turns 26. He’s over the 20’s hump and quickly approaching 30!! Yikes. I still feel like a teenager! There will be a few anniversaries to celebrate…our 2nd…my parents 25th and my grandparents 50th. Andy might just complete his first ever triathlon. I’m sure there will be the biggest birthday bash, for a 1-year old, the world has even seen…and perhaps…just maybe…in the latter part of the year… I might become pregnant for the second time. BUT you’ll have to stay tuned!

Happy New Year!!

Becuase I cannt spell (sp?)

While writing a note in a Christmas card a few days ago I stopped on the spelling of a word I wasn't sure of. Andy was sitting right by me doing the crossword puzzle so I asked him if I was spelling the word right. In this particular situation I had spelled the word correctly. Go me. A few seconds later, after I had licked another nasty tasting envelope, Andy said, 'You can't spell. You need to start reading. It will help'.

WOE IS ME. It is true! After many years of being out of the classroom my brain has decided to put my knowledge on the back burner of life. WORDS WORDS WORDS. Why must you fail me brain?

SO...in an effort to get smarterer I'm going to start reading.

Any suggestions on what to read?

Here's what I like/dislike in a book:
a. Easy reads. Long books scare me. Boo.
b. Readings similar to The Five People You Meet in Heaven. I love Mitch Albom.
c. Nothing gory.
d. Nothing too loveyish. No Danielle Steel.
e. Readings similar to Dr. Suess, There's a Wocket in My Pocket.
f. I like things I can relate well with. I read a Fire Fighters Wife book once...I think I would like things about Moms.

Help.

Shut up about Dave Ramsey already...

I know many of my close friends have probably wanted to tell me to 'Shut up about Dave Ramsey already...' because since march (when we started taking Dave's Financial Peace University) it's all I've been talking about. Cash. Our struggles. The budget. Yada Yada.

I got my mind of my money and my money on my mind. What can I say?

So just hear my out one last time and I promise I'll stop talking about it.

Dave's method of madness is to cut up all credit cards, live on a budget within your means, pay and live by cash only. The hardest part of this whole transformation is the written budget. It's the hardest part because you have to have some self control...which I dont have much of : ) When we wrote down how much we made each month, what came out for bills/tithe ect... we realized that with our left over money we were just plain 'blow it' on nothing. We had nothing to show for the extra hundreds of dollars we had left over each month. I'm pleased to say that we've been credit card free since Spring. We'll have one vehicle payed off after the 1st of the year and our debit will be in the Pilot and our home. Which I think is pretty good!

In September, after seeing Colts little face and sensing the fear of seperation anxiety, I was blessed with the opportunity to stay home. I still work a few hours a week, but my main focus in life is being a mommy and it is what I've always dreamt of. At this point, with me bringing in almost no money we really had to be faithfull with the money we did bring in. It has taken major discipline and self control. I remember sitting on the couch one night last month crying because we looked at the numbers and after putting money away for a few months in a "Christmas Present Fund" we only had a few hundred dollars to spend on christmas presents for all our families, friends, bosses...everything. I was so upset because I lovvvvve to give! That is the best part of Christmas and that wasn't the number I had in mind...we have big families and I was just hoping we would have more. We devoured the sale ad's each Sunday looking for the best deals and actually did a great job at getting the most bang for our buck. It's going to be a really great Christmas.

Without plastic money you're reminded of what really matter around the holiday season. It's not all about presents and gifts. Even though their great, it's about God's love and being with your families. It has been long 'cash' journey. We're still adapting to me not making very much money but I get to see my babies face all day everyday and that is something you can't put a price tag on.

We're reminded of Gods promises and his faithfulness everyday. About a month ago Andy received a Advanced EMT bonus from the Fire Department that we weren't expecting and just yesterday we received a check from the hospital for a hefty ammount. Aparently our insurance covered some things that we had already paid for and after the hospital received the check from our insurance company they cut us a check for that ammount! You don't even know how excited we were yesterday. I was jumping up and down in the kitchen like a crazy person...and the 1st thing I said to Andy was 'Guess who's watch over us????' God knows the desires of your heart...all you have to do is be faithful.

Um...Hi.

Hi my name is Mo and I rarely post.

I'm going to try to start posting more often. I've done a horrid job so far. Even if I feel like I'm out of anything cool to say...I'm just gonna say it anyway.

So...let's see here...

Today, Eh...what did I do today?

1) Woke up to my baby's voice coming from across the hall! Yes, that's right ladies and gents, my son has been upgraded to his OWN crib, in his OWN room. Which has it's pro's and con's. Pros: Andy and I get our room back...and I sleep more soundly...and we put him to bed eariler and have civil adult conversations over a glass of wine. Cons: My child is no longer under my nose 24/7...if I want to touch him I can't just reach over into the play pin...he wakes up at 3am everynight looking for his paci and now I have to walk across the hallway...I have to swallow the fact that my baby is growing up and in only a few more blinks of the eye he'll be sleeping across the state in a dorm room. All in all, I am proud of the little booger.

2) I dropped the baby off at Mom in the afternoon and than I ran errands...baby free. It's much quicker that way. All our Christmas gifts are now offically bought and before I sat down at the computer I was on my way to being done wrapping them all too! It's going to be a great christmas. [** I'd like to pat myself and Andy on the back because we have sucessfully completed our 1st ever 'pay with cash only' christmas. All the gifts are bought...and we've got no debt to show for it. I was worried, but I must say we saved for a few months and was still able to get all the gifts we wanted for our friends and family. It feels quite good and empowering!**]

3) After tieing up the Christmas shopping I hung at Mom and Dad's house for a bit and helped them christmas decorate. My mother has 3 silk Christmas tree's and 1 real Christmas tree....all fully decorated!! She's crazy. 4 Christmas trees! I told her she needs to have some people over to enjoy the decorations with...if not it's just for her, Dad, Spence and Max to enjoy. It really is beautiful though...she even said that she's getting another tree from Rose so next year she'll have 5! I think she should hang one upside down. I always think those tree's look so cool.

That's about it for today. Pretty low key. Baby is now sleeping like a good boy [in his own room]. Copper is being annoying and laying by my feet...poor dog can't get enough of me...but she's driving me crazy. I can't stand when dogs lick, and she can't stop licking me. In her doggie world their kisses...which is sweet...but still. I love you Copper, but not that much.

And that's all folks...
Peace, Love and all of the above.

Logan Chaput is the man!

Last Wednesday our good friends Nic and Jen celebrated the birthday of their new boy, Logan. He weighed in at a healthy 8lbs. We we lucky to get to see him today and he is awesome!

Colt (I...) was excited that his first buddy was finally born. Today they played turtles-in-a-half-shell and just layed on their backs...helplessly...like babies or something. It was cute.

Colt looks like a giant and already seems more than just a few month old to me! Time is flying guys. We're looking forward to the days of little league. Logan is the pitcher and Colt, the catcher. We need some infielders and a few outfielders too...ANGELA?? KALEY?? BROOKE?? C'mon friends. Hop on the baby band wagon! It's so fun. Wheeeee!

Winter

I took this picture just a few days ago when we had our real first snow fall of the season. I've heard people all my life complain about snow and the weather getting icy cold and for a quick moment I was to say 'So MOVE', but I hold in my true feelings and the urge to kick people out of my state slowly passes.

I love snow. I love to get bundled. I love my fireplace. I love warm coffee. I love Christmas music before Thanksgiving [What? Me? No, I don't do that].

Sometimes I just stick my head out the door to my backyard and listen. It's so quiet and beautiful. I feel like it's God's way of saying to me 'I'm still here'. I love winter.

Happy Bday Mom & Dad

Mom and Dad celebrated their birthday's together this year since they're only a week apart. And let me just say, Mom...the forties are the new twenties and Dad...the fifties are the new thirties. Andy made them dinner. I made...I mean, Martin's made the cake. And Spencer brought the comedy.

Spencer always likes to be tricky with his gift giving. He bought Dad a random coffee mug from Walgreens and put a $50.00 gift certificate to Granite City inside the mug. Dad held the coffee mug in his hands and looked at it like it was the best thing ever. He was like 'Wow Spence...cool, a new mug!' [You could wrap up a bag of dirt and my Dad would think it was great...he's the easiest person in the world to buy for. Which makes him wonderful]. Spencer was like 'Ya dad...check out the inside...it's thermal and really cool!' - After a few moments of twisting the cap and having no success...Dad sets it aside, says 'I'll look at it later' and moves on to opening my card : ) Backfire! Spence grabs the mug, opens it up for Dad and reveals the real gift. We all laugh...mostly at Spencer's failed funny.

Here is a picture of the cake that Spencer plopped a large votive candle in the middle of because we couldn't find a birthday candle. I was mad because the votive ruined the beautiful cake. Another 'Spencer Moment', not to be confused with a 'Senior Moment' although they're one in the same...was when he picked up the votive candle to lick the frosting off the bottom and poured hot wax all over his hands and the table. Laughs for days.


Andy and I got Mom tickets to see the midnight showing of the play Dracula at the South Bend Civic Theater. We bought them four tickets so they could invite Grandma and Grandpa to join them in a date night to the Theater. They had a great time. Which they all deserved! It was a great night. Another year has passed and they went from a Mom and Dad to a Grandma and Grandpa. We're having fun making memories.

Flashlight Teether?

Today Mom and Dad babysat Colt for a a few hours. Dad was the 1st to get his hands on my little bundle of love. He layed him on a blanket and started to talk all goo-goo gaa-gaa baby talk. My dad's version of baby talk sounds exactly like 'dog-talk', ya know the squishy, lovey, raspy voice that Max [the dog] and Dad speak to each other in. Well, now Colt [the baby] and Dad talk the same way. Dad was 'baby-talkin' it and it went a little like this:

Dad: Lookie Colt. Lookie what Menard's sent me for my birthday? A flash light! - Here Chrissy, get me scissors so I can open up this flash light.

Mom: Why do you want to open it now?

Dad: So the baby can play with it. He can hold it. It's clean. He'll like it.

Mom: The baby's not playing with a flashlight! That's what toys are for.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Mom quickly swept the baby up in her arms and plunged in the leather sectional of love keeping the baby far from the arms of the dog-talking-flashlight-man.

The dog-talking-flashlight-man was not happy & jealous.

The End.

All the love in my heart.

Tonight as I cleaned up the dishes and waited for my brownies to get done baking in the oven...I looked over and on my sofa was my husband and my baby. They were both napping and Colt looked so comfortable in his Dad's arms.

I just stood there and my life sort of flashed in front of me. I live with a man who makes me happy everyday. He once was just a good friend and now he is the love of my life. It's insane what God can do to a heart. I never knew I could love someone like I love Andy.

I'm feeling really blessed.

Love changes everything.

I picked the one in the middle...

AND he was only $3!

Last year Andy and I went to the pumpkin patch together and spent a whole ten minutes there. We scanned the rows of pumpkins, grabbed one that was semi-round, tossed it in the back of our car and we were on our way. We later had my family over to carve pumpkins and we spent hours doing so.

Pictured below is my pumpkin. I must have had nothing to do because I really did spend hours carving this pumpkin. I was proud of my work though. Especially the spider. I am awesome. Go me.

Dad celebrated his birthday that night last fall with, of course, a candle over pumpkin pie. My Dad is a really funny funny man. He can whistle well and knows a boat load of useless information that he loves to share with everyone, even strangers. I love him.

This year on the other hand was much more fun! We were able to pose our own sweet little pumpkin in the midst of gourds, goats, hay, and of course, pumpkins. Some may call it baby tourture...we call it just enjoying the Pumpkin Patch : )

He needs to be able to sit up straight to really make this magic moment happen : )

Goats & White Pumpkins.

Andy goes, "He won't sleep in his crib, but he'll sleep on a hay bail" - He really did doze off. Crazy Baby.

Yay for having a family & Yay for fall.