Rockin' New Years Eve

In years past, Kendrick and I would normally pass out before 11:30 on New Years Eve and then wake up in time to see the ball drop and hurry and put the cartons of take out food in the trash before falling back into a food induced coma. Some years we would sleep right through the New Year celebration and wake up to a house that smelled like whatever we ate the night before. We are party animals aren't we?

This year we decided to take a different approach to New Year's and make it a family night. So we let the kids stay up with us (after making them take 4 hour naps in the afternoon) and we invited Richard and Tiana over.

We still pigged out on Chinese food, but at least this year we ate it around a table. We played some games and then Tiana made us some yummy chex mix and we watched The Odd Life Of Timothy Green (so cute...and weird. But cute! I cried) with the kids while we waited for it to be late enough for us to all bundle up and go outside. Yes, outside! It was like 18 degrees here on New Years Eve night. But we bundled up anyway so that we could light off some fireworks and let Taylor bang some pans together while we hollered and screamed and gave kisses and hugs. Then we booked it back indoors for a toast with mini Martinelli's and some pictures.

I am glad we let the kids stay up and be involved, even if it did make the night that much more exhausting. Richard commented that he'd never had a longer New Years Eve before in his life. I'm guessing that's because he's never spent New Years Eve with four energetic kids, a Mexican hyped up on sugar and his bossy older sister all at the same time. I'm also guessing that that might be the last time we celebrate New Years with Richard and T for awhile...;)

I love this! Easton was so tired and he didn't understand why any of what we were doing was supposed to be cool. He just kept looking around like he was so confused by it all and like he might pass out at any moment!

Hope you all had a fun New Years Eve! Let the resolutions begin!!!