....And A Happy New Year

Happy New Year Dear Friends and Family!! Here is a peek into our first new years eve together:

We decided to start preparing for my birthday Casino night party (Jan. 3rd) so Jim and I worked on setting things up since it requires a lot of prep. The kids ran around yelling, playing, and laughing for hours. Around 8 PM we gathered everyone up and taught them how to play roulette. We learned that our buddy Andrew is a BIG better.... keep him from the Casinos Mom and Dad! He's sleeping over with the kids for a couple of nights and it sure made our time even more special to spend it with him.



Around 10:15 we decided to be spontaneous (big surprise, right?) and head out to the hot tub to splash around for a while. Everyone got on their swimsuits and we were quickly on our way. We got there too late and the club house was closed. Being spontaneous means you have to learn to expect that it will not always work out the way you think. However, being someone all too familiar with that I came prepared. The kids did not know that I had snuck jackets and glow sticks in the car in case we needed to go to plan B. Off we headed to a nearby park. We love to play sardines in the dark at a park~ so fun!



When I parked in the parking spot and got out I heard a hissing sound and looked around to find the source. Someone broke lots of glass in the parking lot and I of course happened to pull into the one with the huge chunks (couldn't see it in the dark).

Jim jumped to work and was our hero! I was terribly annoyed for a while that we need to go buy a tire because someone else chose to do something so senseless. Oh how I hope it's not a sign of things to come in 2009.

When I do a job I do it well. The tire has a HUGE gash. Jim just couldn't believe how big it was or how far the glass was jambed in there and kept pointing things out to me until festive me was gone and cranky me insisted I didn't want to see it or hear it any more. Jim's so patient and such a trooper. He was cheerfully changing our tire in the cold and even making bad jokes while at work. He's amazing!
We lost Lovenie around 11:00~ So close to making it! She fell asleep in the back of the SUV while the other kids played on.

Then we watched the ball drop and toasted the new year with our glasses of sparkling grape juice.


And now I'm signing out and off to bed. We hope that your 2008 ended beautifully and your 2009 starts off sweetly!