Since I am writing this post, AFTER New Year's Eve, I'd first love to wish ALL of my readers a HAPPY NEW YEAR! For years, we didn't really do too much on New Year's Eve because well... we were parents of VERY young children, who didn't get it and had a bedtime. On a few occasions, we were able to go out to a nice dinner with our small group or to a special friend's home, but as the kids got older and realized what NYE was, we have chosen the safer route, by staying home and celebrating with our kiddos. I think it was just over the last three or four years that I chose to try and make it a little special.
I collected some adorable decorations from Target and other stores. With no major plans in place, I began decorating!
We had party hats, beads, party blowers, napkins, and faux champagne, glitter glasses.
I also made a fun countdown "clock" with white balloons.
All that is needed to create the countdown clock is white balloons, packaging tape, a free digital clock printout from the internet, and either black paper or white paper and black paint. Blow up the balloons. Stick the balloons in a circular motion by using the packing tape. Print out and cut numbers 1-12. I used foam board and black paint to create the clock "hands". Finally, tape numbers to balloons and wala!
I planned for champagne with floating gummy bears. So fun!
We made it until about 11:40 p.m., but then we moved our party up to our bedroom.
Sadie didn't seem thrilled to enter the New Year. I joked and said, "Maybe it's because she eats the same thing 365 days a year!"
And my Heidi Swapp letter board, below, screams volumes about HOW MUCH I cannot stand New Year's Resolutions. People!!!!!! Just make yourself better when you feel convicted, feel fatter, when it's needed, when it's wanted etc, etc, etc... Don't wait until December 31st to make changes. My husband's FAMOUS line, "Start your someday I wills... TODAY!"
I do LOVE a fresh start. A new year. I have even been told that a new year is like writing a new book. I pray the way your NEW YEAR begins and ends creates a great novel!
Here are a few videos I was able to document or saved on accident. I posted so many cute instgram stories, but forgot to save them... I am hoping I can find the archive and post them below when I find them.
I have YET to post on Christmas, but today, I am sharing our fun and safe New Year's Eve with you. I also posted about our New Year's Day directly before this. I truly do NOT make a BIG deal about New Year's Eve. Sure, to many, ahem- the drunks - it's exciting, but to me, it's a night to prepare myself for the new year that I have been granted and focus on rest and relaxation, after a few hectic weeks of holiday chaos. BUT...inevitably I feel so much pressure to conform to celebrate the occasion. Ty usually doesn't allow me to forget it either and that's where I guess the real pressure comes in. I had NO plans of shopping for decorations or anything, but after running into Kroger, I spotted some cute "Happy New Year" napkins and then decided, "What the heck, ugh, okay-okay, I'll pick up some napkins and sparkling red grape juice too!"
Start every NEW YEAR off with cupcakes! It's a must.
Darren started the party off right...with a pre-party! Haha. He played a few tunes on Jax/Ty's miniature drum set.
Our dogs were quite excited about the celebration and dressed for the occasion. Haha. Tiara's and...
....Bow ties! Poor photography MUST MEAN it was taken with the iPhone.
I picked up these adorable photo props, LAST year, at Kirkland's at the "After Holiday Sale".
Jax said, "I can stay up until midnight NOW because I am a man!" I guess having a mustache makes you a man. Lilah and her daddy were standing underneath the "mistletoe" that read "Kiss me"
We sold our dining room furniture, right before Christmas. We are turning our dining room into a family media/office/work room. So in the meantime, I put a disco ball in their for Lilah and I to enjoy on New Year's Eve night.
I was reminded about this game, that I purchased last Easter, for Ty's Easter basket and decided that NYE night would be "THE NIGHT" that we would break it out.
This game is really gross, but oh so funny! Basically, inside the container are jelly belly candies. These jelly beans may look alike, but could NOT taste MORE different from each other. Be careful! You will either choose:
Stinky Socks or Tutti-Fruitti
Lawn Clippings or Lime
Rotten Egg or Buttered Popcorn
Toothpaste or Berry Blue
Barf or Peach
Canned Dog Food or Chocolate Pudding
Booger or Juicy Pear
Moldy Cheese or Caramel Corn
Baby Wipes or Coconut
Skunk Spray or Licorice
So, we shook the container, poured out a jelly belly into each of our hands AND held onto it tight. We counted to 3 and opened our hands. Then, we were put to the test. WOULD we take the dare? Oh by the way, DARREN/DADDY R.E.F.U.S.E.D to play. WIMP! LOL!
I thought video clips would be much more interesting to watch than to just KNOW what challenges we had to take on. Ty was the first to go. He got a white jelly belly. So, it was either baby wipes or coconut. He got...
Lilah was the next one to go. She had either lawn clippings or lime. She ended up with...
Jax went third. I was unable to capture it on video because I was capturing it on camera. Pictures are worth a thousand words in this photo. He got a green, speckled jelly belly. So it was either a juicy pear or a booger. Jax got... BOOGER. Jax was sincerely mad.
I also picked a green, speckled jelly belly. Did I get a juicy pear or a booger? NOW, I have never eaten a booger before, that I recall, so I probably could have chewed this up and swallowed it and been fine, but it's a total mental game. If someone tells you that's what a booger tastes like, your mind will lead you to believe that you are chewing a booger.
Ty stopped recording, to re-record me in slow-motion. Thanks Ty! I really wanted to make my memory of BOOGER eating last as long as possible. Also, please excuse my ugliness. I
had been cleaning for 4 straight hours.
Rotten Egg or Buttered Popcorn???
Baby wipe or coconut? Oh my Jax! He thinks he's so funny sometimes, but I am not a huge fan of that goofy act he performs in the video below. LOL! This video looks funny, but after I turned off the camera, he was so mad that his mouth tasted like a baby wipe and started crying. I'd say Jax was the WORST person to play this game with. He either gave up his turn or was mad/cried at each wrong bean he got.
In between preparing for our uneventful evening, Darren and I spent 4 hours putting away all of the Christmas decorations. I refused to wake up in 2016 with decorations all over the place. Our goal was to be finished by 11 pm so we would have ONE hour to relax and enjoy the evening with the kids. Things definitely started getting very wild around 11:25 pm. I was stunned the kids were so wide awake. Darren, Ty, and Lilah were making some music with the NYE instruments we had. I absolutely LOVE Lilah's smile here. It's so real and so genuine. She was having the time of her life.
Cheers!!! Love her!
There's no one better to ring in the New Year with than this handsome man! I am so blessed to have him.
Daddy and Lilah got down to the beat!
You would have thought that sparkling grape juice was REAL!
Guess what time Jax AND the dogs fell asleep? NO LIE: 11:55 pm. I tried to wake him up, but he wasn't having it. Poor thing.
We really did make it until midnight AND we really did have a nice time together despite our lack of planning. I know you would NEVER be able to tell we didn't have these plans ALL along, but we really did NOT. I guess we really do know how to wing it! Happy New Year!!!
For Christmas, I purchased Darren a Ruger Icp and a Glock 21. Well, let me rephrase that...I was supposed to purchase him a Glock, but he decided to get it for himself before Christmas. So...I purchased Darren a Ruger instead. Our friend Aaron and I planned a grown-up playdate, at his house, with 10 guys from church. Aaron supplied the "shooting range" and I supplied the food. I made (2) pots of Italian Chili and (1) pot a unique chili with Ditali pasta, cornbread, and most any chili topping you can think of. I had quite the task. Originally, I thought I was cooking for 5-10 men. It turned out being that 10+ men, their wives, and children. Ahhhh!!! I have no evidence of the final outcome. Just a quick photo of some of my store bought items.
I cannot wait to share how I presented this gift/event to Darren, but until then, PLEASE KNOW, my man was so excited. He loaded up his "gun bag", the night before, weapons, amo, and a few targets. His bag weighed about 80 pounds
I didn't want to be the annoying photographer, so I left my camera bag in the car. BUT...here is ONE video clip and ONE photo of their fun. While the men practiced shooting, the women stayed warm inside and chatted. The girls played with their American Girl Dolls.
The bear that they were trying to "KILL" was a bear that was given to me, by my father. Sadly, after 15+ years of having it, my one year old puppy decided to use it's nose as a chew toy. Ugh. We were going to throw it out, but instead, Darren brought it to Aaron's to use as Target practice. A special thanks to Thomas Chaffin for recording this intense moment of "Kill The Bear". I have to say, I feel pretty darn safe having all of these men in our church.
After some shooting fun and a hot meal, accompanied with some delicious dessert brought by Allison and possibly Lisa, the guys completed their push up contest that they had been planning on for several months. Everyone gathered around and watched 4 or 5 of the guys compete against each other.
It was very fun/funny to watch, but as you can see from the guy's face, this was no joke to them. PRIDE was at stake here. LOL! It was taken very seriously and it was a pretty fierce few minutes. The room was getting hot. Hehe.
I am proud to announce my man did the most push-ups. I believe he did 73 or 78.
Then the little boys wanted to give it a try. This was so cute. First up, little Hank.
Then, Watson!
The bigger-little boys and girls went too. Gabe, Ty, Lilah, Kate, Vivian, and Ansley!
We are always so thankful to get to spend the day with Church family. You never leave a church function thinking, "I should have never went!" Darren and I really admire both Aaron and Lisa's willingness to show hospitality. We are continuing to be a witness to it. I am hoping that it will rub off on us more and more. I have a feeling, although this was the FIRST time shooting at Aaron's it will NOT be the last. Happy New Year!
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