2010 in Review

Another year comes to an end.

Wow!

What a year it has been?!

(hey... that kinda rhymed?)

This year has been good to us.

A wonderful growing toddler!

A new beautiful baby girl!

Lovely!

I put together this little photo slideshow after seeing one my dear friend, Gina, put together!

I beg you to forgive me for the ridiculous over-abundance of pictures.

Please don't feel you have to watch the entire 7minutes, but be proud that I

chopped it down from it's original 15!

Seriously, I have WAY TOO MANY pics to choose from!

This is our year in review!

Happy New Year from our home to yours!

May this year bring peace, joy, love, and happiness!!

Make an on-line slide show at www.OneTrueMedia.com

The pups 10 days

All the little guys are doing well and getting cuter by the day!

We have appropriately and affectionately named them... as follows...

Frank (the tank) - our resident monster!  Over a pound bigger at birth and hasn't slowed down yet.  He's just a big ball of chub and love!

(your average) Joe - our middle child (actually he was the first born, but you know what I mean.)  Our only brown and white boy, cute as a button, and super snugly!

He was only a few days old here, but the picture is just too cute!

(tiny) Tim - our little man.  He got off to a rough start, didn't even gain an ounce of weight in the first week.  He had an infection in his left eye that with a little antibiotics and some TLC, is clearing up great.  Vet said there shouldn't be any problems with his vision.  He's now growing quickly, although still quite a bit smaller than his brothers.  He's the feistiest one of the bunch, however.  Lil' scrapper I tell ya!

They are SO cute!  Lila is in love with them and I think we are going to have Major issues when these little guys go to their new homes.  :(

Brothers love each other!

such a good mama!

Christmas photos

Christmas is over and I am, as always, amazed at how quick it has come and gone.

We had a very enjoyable Christmas.

Family filled our home for most of the holiday.

We ate, LOTS, and enjoyed the good company.

We watched our children open gifts and play with their new treasures.

We spent time with those that matter the most.

Now, I'm sitting here looking through pictures and I have mixed emotions.

Being a person who likes to get that perfect photo, I'm a little dissapointed.

I don't feel that I captured the true joy in Lila's opening gifts, or Ellie's great giggle while watching her sister. 

I didn't get that great group/family photo. 

Honestly, I didn't even get one single photo of Ryan and I with the girls. 

:(

Being a mother, wife, daughter, sister.... I'm delighted!

I spent the holiday being PART of the holiday, not just behind the camera. I spent my time enjoying the company that filled my home.  Watching my children be loved and adored by grandmas/grandpas/aunties, etc.  This makes me happy!  I will appreciate the photos I have, and I will watch the clips of video I took, and remember what a great Christmas it was!

Thank you so much to all our family that made the trip to our house!  We LOVED having everyone here!  And thank you for all the wonderful gifts, we are so blessed!

Now.... prepare for the crazy amount of pictures!

1) Christmas with Papa Dave and family!

2) Christmas Eve

helping Daddy unwrap his present!

... the stockings were hung

Lila took this picture!

Bedtime stories

3) Christmas morning with Grandma Barb and Papa Rich

4) Christmas Day with Grandma Brenda and Grandpa Alan (Auntie Brent too!)

Lila eating our traditional Potato soup for the first time!  She loved it!

Some of the great homemade gifts we were given!

I unfortunately didn't even get my camera out one time at the Bongard Christmas, so I'm going to rely on my aunties to help me out with some photos of the day!  I come from a long line of avid shutterbugs, so I KNOW there were at lease a "few" pictures taken!   Ahem...  Dolly?  Becky?  anyone?

What a blessed Christmas indeed!

Peace, Joy, Love this Christmas

Luke 2:9-11
And an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were filled with fear.  And the angel said to them, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good news of a great joy that will be for all the people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.

Merry Christmas to you all!

May your hearts and homes be filled with Peace, Joy and Love!

PW printer giveaway!

Check it out! 
P-Dub's giving away a great printer!

http://thepioneerwoman.com/cooking/special-offers/2010/11/name-your-favorite-holiday-recipes-and-enter-to-win-a-printer/

Some photos for me to look at while at work!

Delicious!

So sweet!

CHEESE!

Hi Boone!

I can braid her hair!  Such a big girl!

In 2 days, for 3 days

our home will be filled with family,

and food,

and love.

( and probably some more food)

I'm filled with anticipation for this Christmas.

To share the joy of the season with my family is something that warms

my heart and brings a smile to my face!

My girls, still a little too young to understand the "true" meaning of the day,

somehow knowing that it's a very special day!

They will love and enjoy having people around to "play" with.

(well, Lila will.... Ellie will just cling to my shoulder and watch everyone for awhile).

Both Thursday and Saturday will be spent with extended family in the house.

Friday will be just the 4 of us.

Me and the people I love most in the world!

Can't wait!

My hubby

Ryan has been wonderful to me the past few days.

Sunday he took the girls to our God-daughter's birthday party, since I had to work that night.

When he came home, he proceeded to scrub and mop the basement floor, which was supposed to be my job. Tonight he scrubbed the carpet on the stairs (Rio has made a disaster of our house). and gratefully accepted my lazy-woman dinner of turkey and cheese sandwichs.

He's in the process of building me a lovely end table for our living room, so I know he was down in the shop working late on that tonight too, after the girls went to bed. Add all that to the fact Rio and our little runty pup are needing big-time attention overload, basically Ryan didn't sit down all night.

Ryan... THANK YOU!

Ryan... I love you!

Happy Birthday Landree

We wanted to wish our sweet Goddaughter, Landree Isabelle, a very HAPPY 2nd BIRTHDAY!!!!

Have a Wonderful day sweetie!  

Heather, I'm so sorry that I wasn't able to make it to her party on Sunday, 

but I'm glad you got to see Ryan and the girls!

Miss Elaina is 8 months today!

I normally try to get a picture of her each month on the couch, but alas, have not acheived that yet.

However, I did snap the pic of her in the carseat this morning as she was headed out the door with Daddy and Lila! (Not quite awake yet.)  

Ellie is now crawling like a pro! No more walrus-flop! She also pulls herself up on EVERYTHING, including your pant legs, ha!  She is babbling more and more and this weekend I heard the lovely phrase of "Da-da-da-da"!  She continues to be our snuggle-bug; loves to be held, rocked, all manners of cuddling! Such an opposite of her big sister.  Mmmmm, I love her!

~all warm and sweet in sleep, snuggling her blankee = melting mommy's heart~

Today is my day to clean, Clean, CLEAN!

I am working tonight and tomorrow and we're hosting Christmas  on Thursday for my Dad and step-sisters!!

It's a little crazy and I'm sure I'll be completely wiped out, but I'm so excited to have everyone to our house this year!
So, today will be the day to scramble and clean while the girls are at Miss Nicole's house. (daycare!).

I'm getting more and more excited for Christmas this year!  Lila is starting to understand what is going on and I can't wait to experience that childhood joy again through her!  Last night, she was out on the porch and wanted me to come out and sit and "watch the tree, mama".  Then of course, once I was out there, she called for Daddy too!  We talked about the tree a little, then she started playing with her little nativity set.  I was just melting, listening to her talk about Baby Jesus and Maron. "aka Mary". Then before bed, she grabbed one of the Christmas book I have out and we read some Santa stories. How does it get better than this? Honestly?

Mmmmm... Love!

Okay, I'm off with my dust-rag in hand (coffee mug in the other!)

And Becky, if you're reading this, don't you worry.... I Promise I'll take a nap before work. 

Lord knows I don't want any "I told you so's!"

3 Boys!

Okay, that was a long day.

But they're here!

3 Little Boys!

Actually, 2 little boys and 1 Big boy!

Rio did a great job, but unfortunatley, even her best efforts weren't enough to get out #4.

We did end up bringing Rio to the vet and had to have the pup extracted.

Sadly, it didn't make it :( :( :(

But we are very happy with our 3 little guys and Rio is being a great mama!

Whew!