New Years Eve

The New Year's Eve's of my youth were (in my mind) legendary!
  We would stay up late eating our weight in Oreos and ice-cream while watching movie after movie after movie until our bodies ached and we wanted to puke.  Or maybe that was just me.  I remember Dad would take us to the video store (not just on New Years Eve) and let us pick out movies.  I always wanted The Three Stooges or Apple Dumpling Gang and Stephen would always choose a National Geographic film which would make me so mad because they were sooooo boring!  One New Years Eve 100 years ago we watched an animated version of The Hobbit, perhaps next year we can go see the newest version!
     As I grew older the night progressed to a Fancy Sea Food, Fondue, Appetizer meal with all our favorite things.  We would play games, watch movies and actually make it to midnight.  I think it was the year of Y2K that a friend Amber Ahrens was over and we sat at the table playing with candles and ribbon until a molten piece of curling ribbon stuck to my finger, giving me a scar I still have today on my ring finger knuckle.
     Then I got married.  Since our marriage Tyler and I have celebrated officially 0 New Years Eves.  We have either been traveling from Montana to Utah, Sick, both, or just been boring with kids.

Right now we are stuck in a limbo for the next few years where there is no way we are letting our kids stay up past their bedtime, nor are we willing to pay anyone to babysit so we can go out like the rest of the world.  Besides, I think we are holding strong to our tradition of being sick on New Years Eve.  I had the wonderful 'clean you out' bug yesterday and I think Tyler might have caught it just in time for the festivities!

 When I'm sick, anything goes.  As long as the kids are in the house I find I'm not super worried.

 This is how we spent a good chunk of the afternoon.

 For two girls who love dress up, and a mommy who just wanted to lay down.  It was heaven.

 This is how Heidi spent most of the day.

That evening we did venture out to a friends wedding reception.  We have found that toys are not needed to entertain kids, instead invest your money in an exercise bike.  Not only will the kids want to play with and climb on it constantly, but you can also use it every now and then for yourself.

       In other news, Alex loves to draw.  Whenever she finds a pen and some paper she leave her signature drawing of a little girl.  Whether it be on papers, in books or on the wall, she is always so proud.