BINGO

Each year it is a Bolles Family Tradition to play Bingo! We all have a great time playing as Grandpa hollers out "G- 50... FIVE... OH" (I know you Bolles are saying it in your head just like him!!!) There are so many inside jokes with our Bingo game... the rest of the world would think we were crazy :) But playing this many years, they add up.

Here's the Family... Grandpa and Grandma with...

Three "Kids"

Craig, Carmel & Paul

Six "Grands"

Patti, Scott, Jenni, Candi, Tony, & Keri

Six "Greats"

Allivia, Riley, Treyton

Reese, Hallie & Alex

Five "In-Laws" (Ryan missing)

Jimmy, Alissa, Lesly, Pam

The WHOLE Family (minus Ryan-- had to stay home and work to pay for the "wrecked up car"!)

Welcome to the family Treyton! (Tony's new baby boy- a fourth generation Bolles)

Hallie always looks forward to playing with her "friends" Alex and Allivia...

Another year of food and games!

New Year's Resolutions...

Another fresh new year is here,
Another year to live!
To banish worry, doubt, and fear,
To love and laugh and give!

- William Arthur Ward


I read this quote today and it was perfect. I already made up my mind on my New Year's Resolutions a while ago...

*I am going to focus on what makes me HAPPY...
-I am going to play with the kids more (ya know the real playing and interacting... on the floor playing, making a mess, having a good time, PLAYING) NOT the half playing as I do three other things!
-I am going to scrapbook what I want, using the supplies I want, and the ideas I want. I find myself scrapping EXACTLY what the calls are for... the pages aren't as great, and I don't get fully creative doing them. I am scrapping what makes me happy and if it works for something... hurray!
-I am going to spend one-on-one time with my husband, Ryan. Ya know "Date night"?? Since I can honestly say the last time we went on a "date" was our anniversary... TWO years ago!! The date we decided to try and have another baby... hope that doesn't happen again or I will have to cancel date nights!! {wink, wink!!} (Hope you are reading this honey!)

So I just thought the quote was great... I am going to love (my family), laugh (having fun along the way), and give (myself & my time to the people who mean the most!)

Oh, and if I could get skinny along the way that would be a plus!! {hehehe}

What are your resolutions???

It's not just the gift... it is the thrill of opening!

Reese's reaction to opening gifts was too cute! This was a snuggley stuffed animal/heat pack... so she had NO idea what it was and she still had a great reaction!

Merry Christmas to All

We had a great Christmas! (after the Eve was over, of course) The girls woke up about 5:30 am and were ready to go for the day!

We tiptoed downstairs to see what Santa had brought... Hallie ran as fast as she could and grabbed "Elfie" the little elf that had been living with us this holiday season (reporting back to Santa each night) She hugged him and loved him like she had never seen him before. Later it all clicked... I asked her if she had a good morning and she said "Yes, my Elfie stayed." I had told her that he had to go back to Santa that night, but Santa must have seen how sad she was... we are so lucky he gets to stay a little longer.

Then Hallie went back and grabbed her scooter, did a couple laps around the couch and returned to ride her pony. About 10 mins later she noticed her stockings were full! :) Fun morning!! Here are some fun pics from the morning.

Hallie was so excited to get her new pony

and Reese wasn't quite sure about it.

Scooter Rides

What's inside the box??

Who needs toys... when you've got a box???

Merry Christmas!! 2007

T'was the Night Before Christmas

We had a yummy supper, took baths, got all ready for Santa to come and headed out to look at Christmas lights...

When what to my wondering eyes should appear, but a big white Explorer coming out of nowhere!

And this is the situation we found ourselves in...

We are all okay and so are the people in the other car. But both vehicles are "all wrecked up" (as Hallie keeps saying) Ryan had run a red light and ran into the back passenger side wheel.

Needless to say after sitting there for about an hour and a half waiting for the police to fill out 10 minutes worth of paperwork we drove home (with a rubbing/scratching/crunching sound) without seeing the lights.

Wasn't our ideal Christmas Eve... but could have been a lot worse.

.... as we drove out of sight, Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night!

Ladwig Family Christmas

This weekend we headed back to Ryan's parents for a little "Home for the Holidays" celebration. It was a fun weekend packed with activites! Thank you Ron and Tricia for everything!!

Make a scrapbook - it's easy!

First Annual Ladwig Gingerbread Party

On Monday we hosted a little Gingerbread House party. I pre-made the houses (out of Graham Crackers) and we had lots of candy and fun stuff to decorate with. Of course, Grandma Tricia's famous FROSTING!!!! YUM! (by the way, the moms discovered it is delicious to dip pretzels into the frosting!! So, Tricia if you have any left over frosting from cookies ya might have a daughter-in-law headed your way with pretzels!) Enough said... the pictures say it all!! FUN, FUN, FUN!!

(Hallie & Elli)

(Reese)

(Aunt Jess)

(Paula & Jess)

(Grandma Carmel-- yes, for those of you who know her... you would never believe the cute little house (and yard) she made. Maybe the creativity is coming out as she gets older???

(Kim & Ella)

The Girls worked so hard on their houses. They were very serious about it!

This is Jessie's house... the picture does not do it justice! It is a Masterpiece! She will have to come get it after Christmas... 'cause I won't be able to throw it out! She made a dog, a tree, a dog house, a blow up in the front yard... the works!! (Click to make it bigger... you gotta see this!!)

Merry Christmas!!!

A week in review...

Wow, a whole week... sorry! I can't believe it has been a week since I posted last! We have been doing some serious holiday fun!! I will try and keep it short...

I last left you iced in... we have since thawed out and haven't slowed down since. On Wednesday was the annual Scrapaganza Christmas party. Here is the ornament I made for the exchange.

It was a pretty quick little get together. Eat.Play.Leave.

Thursday I taught at Scrapaganza... but not before making the BEST dinner... My Dad's Famous "Cowboy" and biscuits. I LOVE IT!!! {basically a sweet chili type dish}

Friday, the girls finished their Christmas Lists {after looking through magazines}

(It was just too cute, had to get a picture!)

Grandma Carmel flew in for the weekend & took us out to dinner to the "Fire Place" {Japanese Steakhouse}

Reese loves the Edemame (soy beans)!!
Then of course we were off to show Grandma the "Blow up house"!!!

Saturday was PACKED full! (and of course we needed another blizzard to top it off!) We got about 6 inches of snow Saturday.

The day started off like any other Saturday.... SOCCER! (vs. the Orange team this week)

I met some friends (Kim and Lynn) for lunch and a trip to a favorite local store. Then we met out at Lynn's for a bit of a holiday get together. Thanks so much Lynn, it was lots of fun!

Saturday evening my neighbor Paula had a Ladies Get Together/Cookie Exchange. She had games and everything. Very fun and festive and yummy! (it was like a shower... only no babies or brides!!) Why didn't I think of that?? Jodi, this was totally up your alley... we'll have to have one!! Thanks Paula!!

Sunday Jessie came to visit!! It is always fun when Jess comes! First things first, we had to check out all the new snow we had gotten!

This is the proud owner of a blow up! Hallie has had one Christmas wish this year... a blow up. She even said "Let's just set it up and when daddy comes home we'll just say, Wow a blow up in our yard, I don't know how that got there!" Well, I caved... we decided not to do lights this year, so Hallie picked out a blow up. Seriously, talk about one proud owner!! And we are the house that leaves it blown up around the clock. You will never drive by and see a pile of stuff in our yard... Hallie wouldn't have that!!

Okay, one more funny story... Hallie has also been playing "blow up" She lays on the floor and make a blowing sound and slowly stands up and at the last second sticks her arms straight out. SO FUNNY! I will have to video it later!!

It was a bit too cold for Grandma and Reese, so they went in after about 2 mins. and watched from the window.

So that was our week. I will post about this week next... I will try and stay more current!! We have a lot of activities going on!! Only 7 more days until Christmas!!

Ice, Ice Baby

We are iced in.... Hallie's school and dance were canceled today. Tomorrow isn't supposed to be much better... but we'll see. So I got my Christmas Cards all finished today!! {yipee!} Also, Hallie and Reese made Rudolph shirts. {using their feet, hands, thumbs & fingerprints)

That's all for today... we were pretty lazy!!

Make a Zoe

(Hallie's Zoe)

(My Zoe)

I ran across this blog and it is too cute!! If you have little girls they will love it, too! {I love it!}

Make your own Christmas Zoe!

My Bitty Ballerina...

An everyday trip

I just wanted to post two pictures I took on my way to & from work. I dread the drive to Davenport everytime I have to go... but when I really look at it, it is a beautiful drive, with lots to see!

Exploring the *MAGIC* of Christmas!

Last night Reese was checking out the tree. It was so sweet I just sat back and snapped pictures! She carefully looked at ornaments, explored the gifts, and just sat back in amazement. Her face says it all... This is the true spirit of the holidays.... watching through the eyes of a child.

Super Saturday...

We had a SUPER busy Saturday!! It started off with Hallie's soccer! She does great. Gets distracted a bit, but is the most aggressive girl on the team.

Next stop... Hallie's dance performance. Dance Works performs for the nursing homes every Christmas. Guess who was there?? Cousin Tony :) (his wife is Hallie's teacher) Nice seeing you! The little girls did a great job, it was so sweet!

After dance I was off to teach a class at Scrapaganza! Then I headed home for a Christmas night with the Garner Girls. Kim and her girls came over and we headed up to Geneseo for a Victorian Christmas walk. They had lights and live window displays, horse drawn carriages and the works. I am sure it was fun... but we only made it about 2 blocks! We were so freezing! Hallie and Ella had fun making snow angels in the yards. We got enough pictures to blog and we were out of there!! :) We stopped off at Dairy Queen for some Blizzards {crazy, I know!} and headed back to our house. I helped the kids (and Kim) make shrinky dink charm bracelets. Festive and fun! Thanks Kim, Sydnee & Ella for joining us. Thanks Daddy for getting everything in order for us to go while I was at work!

(Kim & girls)

(Me & Reese)

(Hallie & Ella)

(Yummy Blizzards)

(Best Friends!)

(Making bracelets!)