Happy Birthday Brandon

Happy Birthday Brandon!

We are all so happy that you are part of our family. You will be the best dad to baby Max. Hope you had a great birthday! Love you!

Happy Anniversary Kristin and Brandon

Happy Anniversary to Kristin and Brandon! Hope you two are having a great time in the Minch Family home away from home, Mexico!

You two are such a great couple, it makes all of us so happy to see you so in love! We love you. xo

We couldn't forget the Uncles!

Even though they aren't Dads, we have two really super Uncles in the younger generation. Brandon is so great with Elle, Ambrose, Ava and Allie. Here he is "rescuing" Elle from the waves in Cancun.

Matt loves Lily, Luke and Liam all so much, he is so good with all of them and is even teaching them to play video games :)

Happy Birthday Brandon

Happy Birthday Brandon!

You always have so much fun & make everything fun for all of us.

We are so happy that you married Kristin, you are the perfect addition to our family.

We hope you have an awesome birthday.

Our Basement

I realized that I never posted anything about the MAJOR change to our house last year! Better late than never right? Unfortunately I don't have pictures "before" shots of the basement. So, picture a huge area with nothing but cement...cement walls, floors, etc. It was a completely empty space :). On February 14th 2009 we began renovations on our basement. Brandon designed the layout and the work began. Brandon was super dedicated and worked really hard to finish this huge project...he was awesome :). We owe a HUGE thank you to all our friends and family that helped us during this process. Our basement was unofficially/officially ready in August 2009. We have been adding some finishing touches (door knobs, paint touch ups, etc) but I wanted to show some pictures of the "final product".

I tried to match up some "before" shots with pictures I took today. These before shots were taken after framing, electrical work, insulation, dry wall, taping, texturing..... but still give an idea of how different it is now :)

Here is a shot of the hall way going to the bedroom

Same picture taken today.

This is the main area of the basement. Much like a living/family room.

This is where Kaitlin and I play Mario Wii ... best game ever :)

We have a wet bar complete with sink/faucet and a wine cooler.

This is a small area hidden behind the "mechanical room"

We put an air hockey table back there ... you can also see the closet to the mechanical room.

Brandon designed these archways to match the upstairs

We have a full game room...air hockey table, pool table and poker table

One of my favorite additions...a bathroom!

Spare bedroom. This room is almost bigger than our room upstairs :)

This was taken standing in the spare bedroom. It shows the closet and "secret" storage room.

It is awesome because this spare room has a huge closet and then behind that is our storage closet. You can't see the storage crap unless you open the closet door and the storage door:)

Buon Anniversario Bacas!

Salute! Today is Kristin and Brandon's third wedding anniversary. I thought to mix it up a little I would hijack Kristin's Facebook pictures of their fabulous Italian vacation for the family to all see.
Here are the Bacas having a drink in Venice.
In the water taxi in Venice.
Brandon with the gondolas.
Outside of the Doge Palace in Venice
On the Rialto Bridge in Venice
Last night in Florence at Trattoria Za Za
Walking over the bridge in Florence
Fiesole...small town above Florence

On top of the Vatican...the highest point in Rome

Throwing two coins in...one for a wish and one for a return to Rome :) I bet Kristin's wish was to always be with Brandon :)
At the Trevi Fountain

Brandon inside the Colloseum
In the Roman Forum

Inside the Colloseum

Kristin and Brandon,
You two are such a great couple. You always love and support each other, just like you should for your best friend. Matt and I have so much fun with you both. I hope we can all take a vacation together someday like our parents do.

A man at work, who has been married for 55 years told me that you think that you love your wife so much when you get married but that as your life goes on and you love each other more and more, until you think you can't love her anymore then you do at that moment. And then you wake up the next day and you love her even more.

We hope you have a really great anniversary together and that you will continue to love each other more everyday!

Happy Anniversary!

Happy Birthday Brandon

Happy Birthday Brandon! I am so lucky to have you as a cousin. Kristin and I have always had fun together, so it was really awesome when Brandon and Matt met, that they got along so well and we could all hang out and have a great time.
Brandon, we have so much fun when we are with you. But that's just you, everything is fun.
I love the way you are big brother to Kaitlin, you really treat her like a sister. I'm so happy you and Kristin make each other so happy. Here's to your birthday being as awesome as you! If you were here we would toast that with a drink!
Happy birthday!
Love,
Jessie and Matt

Cancun Thanksgiving- Family Picture Night

Nana showing Lukey the nativity.
Jessie and Donna
Jessie and Matt
Cousins, Kristin, Beckie, Jessie and Kaitlin. Does anyone else think we look like the Fanta girls?
The Johnsons
Minches
The Greens
Johnsons