Cheers!

Happy New Years Folks! Hope you are having fun ringing in the new year. We toasted with sparkling cider and went to bed early. Good times in the Bong house tonight!

Christmas Card Rejects

Every year all I really want for Christmas is a great family photo for our Christmas card. Anyone with kids will know how elusive this is! This year we took about 200 shots... but I like what we finally ended up with. The 199 pictures that didn't end up at the printers are pretty amusing. Here's a little sample...

Keeping Busy

We've been busy little elves this month doing things for Christmas. I've been trying to stay sane by keeping things low key and fun! We have been listening to Christmas music in the car- Isaac's request: anything by the Beach Boys and "Rock 'n' Roll Rudolph" (this means Chuck Barry's "Run, Run Rudolph.") Delia's request: "Strawbie Daw" (this means "Feliz Navidad.")

The kids decorated a gingerbread house again...

It turned out beautiful, don't you think?

At church our family took a turn lighting the Advent candles up in front. The kids were great- no one cried or knocked over anything or lit anything on fire. Success! Delia is anxiously awaiting lighting the PINK candle at home.

I love watching the Nutcracker every year, but I think the kids are still a little young to sit through a whole production of it. So I recorded a production on PBS, and we've been watching it for the past two days. I love sharing this with the kids! So far I can't get them interested in watching White Christmas, though...

Isaac had his annual pre-school Christmas program this week. He did a great job singing and looked so sharp in his tie. I don't know how it happened, but we made it out the door with three children-fully dressed in nice clothes plus snow gear on top for the sleet that was falling, a crock pot full cocktail meatballs, platter of cheese and crackers, diaper bag, and camera with long lens and flash. And we kind of got there on time. We are amazing!!

What an angel!

We are hoping to take Isaac & Delia ice skating next week, and they can't wait to bake more cookies to leave out for Santa. Oh yeah- and more trips past "the crazy house." This is a house in our neighborhood with more lights than the Vegas Strip. Fun!

Hope you all are enjoying the season, too!

Miles at 3 Months

This kid is getting bigger, stronger, and cuter everyday! We all love making him smile and laugh- it's the best. Miles is pretty much happy and content for the most part. He's working on turning over and almost slept through the night last night. I didn't know what to do with myself- Isaac and Delia were both at least 2 before they slept all night. We'll see if he can keep it up, it's such a nice surprise for us!This picture is pretty uncharacteristic of Miles- he's not a big cryer. I think he still looks cute pouting like this!

Oh snow

We got our first snow last week, and the kids could NOT wait to get out and play in it. This is a rare moment of sibling harmony in our house lately!

Fa la la la la la la la la

Time to get decked out for Christmas...

This is the pink tree Oma bought Delia a couple of years ago. Usually we put it up in her bedroom, but this year she decided it was "the baby tree." And the baby tree needs it's mommy, so she put it up next to our big "mommy tree." So cute!Watching The Polar Express...

Miles slept though all of this, just in case you thought we forgot him. We could never forget him!

Craft Bazaar

For my Durango friends...

Come and see me at the Main Mall Craft Bazaar from 9-4 on Saturday! I have great things for little kids: ballerina tutus, LOTS of felt food, Christmas stockings, boxy bags, superhero capes, doll carriers, apron sets, felt barrettes, embroidered t-shirts and onesies, crayon rolls, race car crayon sets, blankets... so many things for little ones!

Happy Thankgiving

Happy Thanksgiving friends! We just finished a wonderful turkey dinner and are ready to sleep for a couple of days. We are so thankful for all the good thing God has given us, especially these three crazy kids.

high FIVE

Isaac turned five this weekend! He had an awesome Lightning McQueen birthday party with five of his friends from school- he had so much fun playing with his CARS race track, watching Mater's Tall Tales, eating pizza and cake, jumping in the bouncy house, and he scored a bunch of fun new cars! (See my crafty blog for all the crafty details- I was so proud about how this party turned out!)
He got a new big kid bike and spent the morning riding around our street with Delia...

We also celebrated with my family and another round of cake and presents...

His new remote control dune buggy- he's only been talking about this for six months...

Happy Birthday Isaac- we love you SO, SO much!

unbunked

We are moving everyone around in our house! Miles has outgrown the bassinet in our bedroom. He'll now be sleeping in a crib in Delia's room (it is PINK, like the inside of a Pepto-Bismol bottle pink. Not ideal for a little boy, but I think he'll survive.) Delia is sharing Isaac's bedroom for the moment. We unbunked his bed and stuck them in there the other night. It only took then 2 1/2 hours to fall asleep. Last night I found them nose to nose in Isaac's bed. Isaac was fast asleep and Delia was screaming at the top of her lungs for Isaac to read her a book. This should be an interesting chapter for us.

Here they are jumping on their beds and sharing a chat...

Miles at 2 Months

Miles Smiles!

Our littlest has finally starting smiling- it is the best. He's definitely more alert and engaged and so much fun.

Dancin' at the Zombie Zoo...

Happy Halloween folks! We had a great Halloween this year- the kids are getting old enough to realize what a fun holiday this is- playing dress up and getting lots of CANDY! Here's our pumpkin Isaac and Delia carved with Pop... And the costumes! Isaac was a motocross racer...
Delia was a kitty cat. Again. She changed her mind a LOT this year and finally landed on her costume from last year. Meow...

The cousins. "J" was a state trooper. Too cute...

In honor of his middle name Miles went as Moses...And here's Mom and Pop. Can you guess who we are?

Recipe for Destruction

This boy...

+ this hopper ball...
+ this stair case... = this gouge in the wall!

Delia just got this hopper ball as a bribe, I mean reward for potty training (yeah! finally), and Isaac thought it would be a good idea to ride it down the stairs. Apparently when he lost control he grabbed the gate we have screwed into the wall at the top of the stairs. He tore the gate out of the wall, leaving giant holes in the drywall, and crashed into the landing leaving the giant gouge pictured above. Thankfully he wasn't hurt too bad, but isn't this stuff supposed to happen when my kids are older? Adding lots of spackling to the weekend to-do list.

You Say It's YOUR Birthday...

Since Delia's birthday Isaac has had a hard time keeping his mitts off her presents- we keep having to remind him he can play with his sister, he just has to use his own toys. Here they are riding bikes... And playing Rock Band. The White Stripes watch out!