New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve, at least for the past 6 years since we became parents, is a pretty uneventful and unanticipated holiday around our house. I actually think that we haven't even stayed up past 11pm since before Wyatt was born, learning that we'd still be getting up early with kids and it would be January 1st, regardless of whether or not we were up for the big 'ball drop'. But this year was a bit different.
My friend Julie and I had talked about getting our families together for awhile since we both do BSF together. (Her 2 youngest kids and my 2 youngest spend every Tuesday morning together while we are at our leaders' meetings for BSF). And our husbands both do BSF, but aren't in the same group. So we figured it was about time to get everyone together....and what do you know, but neither of us had any plans on New Year's Eve!! (Does that tell you a bit about the stage of life we are in?) So we headed over to their house for dinner and then games afterwards. (Sadie was over the top excited when Julie called me earlier that day asking if the kids wanted to do a 'pajama party'--the girl was dying to show off her new footie PJs.)

Julie made a WoNdErFuL meal for all of us and after putting the two youngest boys to bed, we put a movie on for the 'big' kids and enjoyed some peaceful conversation for a bit. Afterwards we had a rousing game session (involving two very competitive mothers), complete with prizes for the kids. We had such a great time and headed home around 9:30 (not before Jamie lead us in an 'early' countdown....can I say how thankful I am that my kids can't tell time yet and really thought it was the real thing?!)

Parker and Sadie

(These two have so much fun and really look forward to Tuesday mornings together)

Mason and Wyatt

a little premature celebration

Game time!!

Sadie loved helping Jamie call the numbers

Jamie had to help Sadie out with some of the numbers :)

Mr. Smiles

Soooooo close.....

the anticipation was highly palpable

Comparing prizes to see if a trade was in store

THE BIG COUNTDOWN!!

It was such a fun night and possibly a new tradition for us! The kids loved it and are still talking about how much fun it was. And we loved being home and kids in bed by 10pm...and they ALL slept in until 8am! Happy New Year's to us!