Party Like It's 2012!

We have awesome neighbors.  Since we've lived here in D-town, John and Michelle have thrown a New Year's Eve party every year.  Not being a party thrower myself, I admire their generosity, sense of fun, and inclusion of so many different people and ages into their home.  I didn't go last year because of Daniel, but didn't miss out this year.  Maureen, who spent the Christmas break with us, had a headache and didn't feel like mingling with new acquaintances all night so offered to watch Daniel at home while we went.  I hope we didn't abandon her or take advantage of her generous offer but it was so nice to have an evening with friends without chasing after a toddler with mad new walking skills!





The party starts at around 7:00 pm and guests are asked to bring finger food to share.  I always bring something that Sam and Jay can eat, in case it's the only thing they can eat, but couldn't find any shrimp rings at the grocery store that day.  Apparently, shrimp rings are a highly popular New Year's Eve food.  Instead, I got Little Smokies and put them in a crockpot with barbecue sauce.   Jay didn't say anything but when we got to our friend's house, there was already another crockpot full of them with barbecue sauce.  And a whole tray of them in croissant roles.  Apparently, Little Smokes are a highly popular New Year's Eve food.  

Turns out, Jay doesn't even like Little Smokes but, thankfully, there were other options for him there.  I think the reason I enjoy this New Year's party so much is that it's full of families and there are lots of friends for my kids to play with.  Again, this is enjoyable because it is not at my house.  I have learned that I have neither the patience nor the sense of fun anymore to enjoy lots of other people's children in my home. It's with a sad awareness of my own hostessing shortcomings that I envy John and Michelle their hot-spot house.  You know how some people proclaim that they want their house to be the house that their kids and their friends want to hang out at?  That is their house.  It is fun.  They are fun.

At 8ish, all the kids under 12 took turns whacking a pinata.  Everyone wore a blindfold, got turned around a couple of times by John and then had to find the pinata on their own.  It took quite a while for it to break.  Eventually, John let them hit it without the blindfold as everyone was ready for the pinata part of the party to be done.  That was one tough piñata!






Henry cried, of course, because he didn't get as much candy as he thought he deserved, meaning most of it. The adults chatted and snacked for a while longer until the awesome fireworks show started.  This show seriously out-wowed most fourth of July shows.  John was like a dancer out there, lighting and replacing fireworks while waltzing between rows (not really waltzing but it was something to watch!)  I stayed inside as it was freezing outside but Jay went and stood with Seth, Sam and Henry and, later, launched Roman candles with them.  At 10:00 pm, or midnight in New York, we did a countdown and had horns, hats and bubble wrap to ring or blast in the new year.  I had my mustache free man to kiss and after toasting in the new year with cherry 7-Up in plastic goblets, we were all rung out.



I used the HDR setting on my phone so you can see how John moved.






There had already been about 10 minutes of fireworks before this Grand Finale!



Fun and noisy!






You have to watch for about 20 seconds before you get the full effect of the noise.




My friend Lori with Jay trying to photobomb in the background.




It's a lot of fun to ring in the new year with my kids!




It's also fun to ring in the new year with friends.  Here is Lori and her husband, Dave.


I always assumed the boys knew we went by New York time but when I was tucking Henry and Sam into bed, Sam saw his alarm clock and thought it was wrong.  "Mom, it's off.  It says it's 10:42pm."  "It is 10:42 pm, Sam," and I showed him my phone with the correct time.  "What the..???  I thought it was midnight!  I thought I was not tired enough for it to be midnight.  You guys tricked me!"  Whoops!

I fail most years in my New Year's Resolution but this year, I have two that seem keepable.  First, I resolve to write a book review within 2 days of finishing a book.  I have 50 books over the past two years that I have read and not written about.  I hope to review a few of those 50 but I doubt I'll get even half and that makes me sad.  It makes those books feel unread.  My second resolution is to never, not once, read any kind of article about any Khardashian family member.  I have never watched their show but being a digital news reader, I feel like I know way too much about any of these narcissistic and fame-hungry people.  I almost clicked on a link today so this resolution, unfortunately, isn't as easy as it seems.  I'll be so pleased with myself if by the end of 2013, I know no details about any of them (I'd make the goal complete ignorance, but headlines give so much away and are so hard to avoid).

Here's to 2013!!!!!!  And thanks, John and Michelle for such a fun ending to 2012!