Happy New Year - 2009

Another year has come and gone. They seem to go faster and faster with the passing of time (no pun intended). This Christmas break we had our friends kids for a week. Because of that we were planning on a very low key New Year's Eve. Is that what happened?? No, not really.


The day before New Year's Eve I decided I wanted more. I asked Josh if he would be interested in hosting a party. He told me he would be game for whatever I planned. I called up a few friends and invited them over for a family party. I just told them to bring the kids jammies and we would put them to bed here and party the New Year in.


It was an amazing night with friends - the Browns, Shumways, and the Willard children. I asked everyone to bring an appetizer of some sort and a desert to share. All of us ended up with a Mexican themed appitizer - so much so that it went with Nachos or Burritos. It was funny that we were all on the same wave length. We had cookies, more pumpkin rolls and candy bars for our sweet treats.


Once dinner was over and the kids had played a while we started getting everyone wound down and ready for bed. Around 8:30 the Shumways left. That was sad. I wished they could stay longer, but they were preparing to leave for a week long vacation. We got all of the kids down upstairs with their pillows, blankets, and watching "Horton Hears a Who." The four adults that remained stayed downstairs and played a few rounds of BANG!! The Bullet Edition. This is one of Josh and my favorite games. It was fun. Lance and Sharon are so like minded that it was just fun and laughter for hours.


I "died" out of the game just as the movie ended upstairs. I moved already sleeping kids to their beds and moved the awake children to Josh and my room with another movie - "Nancy Drew." The adults then went upstairs and had a Wii-athon. We taught the Brown's how to box and golf - since we are now experts of a whole week!!!! Sharon is vicious at boxing - watch out for her!


About 5minutes before the new year, we ran down stairs to get out all of Lance's "toys" - fireworks. And not the pop on the ground or sparkle kind. These were the all out, blow up in the sky - looking like 4th of July kind!!!


We ended up being the hit of the neighborhood! After the massive one went off and ended right at midnight, people had opened up their windows and/or came outside and were shouting "Happy New Year. Give us more!!!!" Believe me - Lance was in heaven. In their neighborhood people shout to stop or they are calling the cops. Not in ours. Many others were also shooting off a much, much smaller version of the fireworks. It was such a blast! I think Lance had enough fireworks going that they went pretty much non-stop for about 30 minutes.


Great times!!!!