New Year's Eve!

This New Year's Eve was a little different for our family.  We had some sickness running through our family and while we all felt pretty well on this day, it was just too close to risk sharing it with friends.  So we celebrated with just our family this year.  

Some things were the same.  We still had bags to count down the hours.  This has been such a fun tradition and its one that we all really love.

The kids take turns opening the bags and this one made me laugh as you can see that someone can be a little bossy.  

Some of the items in the bags are the same from year to year.  Making noisemakers.  

One that we added last year that was a HUGE hit was silly string.  We definitely kept that one!

Lined up and ready to go!

It was hard to get pictures with all of the running around.

You can still see some of the fun that we were having though.

The laughter and the mess.

Everyone got 2 cans this year as we found that one can was just not enough!

We didn't decorate houses this year, but did finally pose for pictures.  This is Daniel and Rebecca's creation.

And here is Christopher and Isaiah's train.  

Sometimes a girl just has to find a quiet space to hang out with her ipad.  

In the past we have done pizza which we all love, but its just really hard to make GF pizza so we opted this year for a less labor intensive meal ... taco bar!  Yummy and pleasing to everyone!

We played a game of Quirkle.  Rebecca won easily.  

One of my favorites is the questions that are asked from year to year including a favorite trip and hopes for the upcoming year.

I like getting a family photo on New Year's Eve.  Its a fun way to start the new scrapbook each year.  This year, since it was just our family, we took the pictures using a timer.  Since nobody was watching our group, we couldn't see what was going on.  Two people were being silly.

Then it spread to two more.

They aren't coordinated yet though.

Then the word spreads and its most of us now.

Well, a majority at least.

Silliness is abounding and we are all laughing so much.

Eliana is not quite sure what is going on and Roger never did any of the silly faces.

The rest of us were quite tickled though.

OK, lets try to get one regular photo.

Everyone cooperating?

Now its back to silliness once again.

I loved this part of the night.  Maybe one of my favorite memories of the evening!  Just lots of laughter. We'll definitely have to do this again!

We watched the ball drop.  It was even more fun this year since we had been there just a couple of months earlier!

Holding onto our bubbly drinks and waiting for the clock to strike midnight.

Cheers!

 Happy New Year!

Praying that this is a year in which you know God's abounding love, grace and peace.  Praying that you would know His perfect plan and that you would follow His leading and call on your life.  Praying that His love would shine through in your words and actions.

Blessings
Leslie