Bring on 2014!!

I think this was one of the first years I wasn't mourning my past on NYE. There is a tiny part in this extrovert's body who wants a huge celebration on New Year's Eve. I want to be in a crowd of people dressed up in fancy NYE clothes (not NYC crowd, but a large group) shouting the countdown, dancing to bad music and laughing with complete strangers. To my husband this sounds like a complete nightmare. His worst dream. If I plan on torturing him, I would ask him do this.

After kids, it wasn't so much the getting a babysitter that was hard, it was the going to bed at 1am or later and getting up at 6am with a headache. Or, if I am honest, actually making it to midnight. And most years I have to be back at work on the 2nd. It was just a recipe for a bad couple days. Even though I knew this was just a short phase in my kids life, each NYE I would be a tiny bit sad I wasn't at some big shin dig, dressed up, counting down to midnight. Just a tiny bit....that 6am wake up made me feel smart for my decision.

So this year I decided to have a 9pm countdown. I knew my kids could stay up for that and my eldest loves a good party. We invited the Californians and the Lawsons over for a cookie decorating, balloon dropping, noise maker having New Year's Eve party.

My boys love a good cookie decorating party!

 

I have no idea why I am the only one at the table laughing...

Gemma the Cookie Monster!!!

Then came the 9pm (...it might have been 8:45...) balloon drop. Hey - the kids had no clue and still had fun! I had a plan. I worked on this plan for a while. I cut garbage bags. Missy, Angela and I (more them than me) blew up balloons. I rigged a drop system. I recruited Terry and Ian to help me hang it. I planned, I schemed....for a big fat fail. There was no way I could keep the weight of the balloons on the fan, I was running out of time...blah blah blah. So I ripped the contraption off the fan (still laughing at myself) so I could just take them upstairs. Well, John was upstairs doing something with the kids. As I pulled, off came the varnish to part of our cherry wood fan. riiiiiippppp. Ian, Terry and I start investigating the damage.  I hear John coming down the stairs so I hiss, "turn on the fan!!" Someone hits the fan switch and I skip over delightfully to John and give him a big hug and kiss...ya know...to distract him. He's a guy, come on, it's not that difficult. I did a great job, but John looks up and sees Ian and Terry just staring at him. He looks at me, back at them, then at me and says, "What? What is going on?" I said, "nothing!" and mentioned whiskey and we were good again. I wasn't be deceitful...I just wanted to wait until after the party. If I would have told him right then he would have obsessed about it all night, mumbling under his breath how to fix it, staring at the fan, not having fun. So I made the thoughtful, kind decision to spare him that stress and let him have fun!! Aren't I a great wife???

Imogen was our official balloon dropper. The rest of the kids were more than excited to have the balloons drop (or float softly down) on their head. 

I love how blurry, chaotic, loud these picture look! It was totally the feel at that moment.

Then the other kids wanted to get in on the drop! Imogen did a great job playing the part of 'girl who gets balloons dropped on her'. 

PARTY ANIMALS!
 

Happy New Years everyone!!! I can't wait to see what this year holds for my family! God has big plans for us and I hope I can step up to meet fulfill them.
I hope 2014 brings you all happiness and contentment!!!