New Year's Eve

We didn't really have any plans for New Year's Eve. I was fine with that. Stay home. Watch some movies. Wait for the ball to fall in Time Square. But Earl got a text from a friend inviting us to dinner and games, so we joined in. That was the best decision because we (our children included) had so much fun. The adults went to dinner while the teenagers watched the younger kids. We went back to our friend's house and discovered many of their family traditions. First, they have fondue on New Year's Eve. I was loving this - dipping brownies, marshmallows, pretzels, and bananas in chocolate. Yum! I think I will be adopting that tradition from now on. They also blow up their gingerbread houses on this night. They stuffed the house full of fireworks and lit it outside in the backyard. Our kids loved this! Sparks were flying, the kids were screaming, the adults were videotaping. So fun! I didn't think our kids would make it until midnight. Tyson hadn't napped that day and was a little cranky from the get go. Once we put a movie on for the kids while the adults played cards I thought for sure my kids would crash. They didn't. We watched the 10 minute countdown on tv, got out hats and noisemakers, and served some sparkling cider. We even got out pots and wooden spoons and the kids went out the front door and made a bunch of noise at the stroke of 12. I remember doing that as a kid. On the ride home, I told my kids they couldn't get out of bed until at least 8am. I was worried about having sleep deprived kids on New Year's Day. Fortunately, they listened. Tyson even slept in until 10am! Happy New Year!