Ringing in a New Year

Our final day of 2011 was spent wonderfully.  We slept in late, took our time getting ready, ate a very late lunch of sushi with my mom, and then as night descended the real party began.  Chris' Mom had a  house full of grand kids and earlier that day we had let her know that we would keep the kids entertained for the evening.  First up on the agenda was saying goodbye to 2011 in style.  Before we had left Alabama we had stocked up on fireworks.... BIG ones... the kind that give off a big BOOM and light up the sky in beautiful colored fountains.  And although the tips of our noses all the way down to our toes were burning from the cold we all had so much fun.  So much fun in fact, that at one point all the kids spontaneously started singing the National Anthem.  I guess fireworks will do that to you. 

After the firework show we all headed back for the next fun activity.  We played BINGO!....... lots and lots of BINGO.  

And then the time came to officially bid farewell to 2011.  Linda provided all the kids with a "noise maker" and poured the sparkling cider and then the countdown began.

After all the little ones were snug in their beds and fast asleep, Chris, Bo, Braden, and I decided to play one last game......  Monopoly.  We started playing around 1:00am and didn't end the game until about 4:30am.  The long day and late hour made us all pretty delirious, which made the game hilarious!

My favorite moment:  When Braden paid Bo rent by handing him a wad of one dollar bills and while he's handing it over he tells Bo that Bo owes him a $1.  I cried I was laughing so hard. 

Chris' favorite moment:  When he somehow talked Bo into paying him to take Bo's properties.  Classic.

This is our first picture taken in 2012.  Just a couple seconds after midnight.

2011 was quite the bumpy ride for Chris and I.  It had a lot of downs and it really wasn't until around the end that we finally found ourselves making the climb back up.  But lessons were learned and for that we are the better.  I can't say we will miss 2011 but it is one that we will most definitely remember.