So, what do you do for New Years Eve?

Ove the years our New Years Eve's have changed. We used to go out to a dance or a party and not get home until the wee hours of the morning. We also used to go to Rusty's oldest brother's house for a party. But then Bobby got more involved with bands and he stopped having his party. When I was growing up we always had a party at our house. Not some wild party, but a party with family and friends that involved lots of food, lots of food and alot of fun games. It's alot of fun to watch people play charades and make fools of themselves. Rusty and I started having his other brother and his wife over. We would play games and eat. Then they would spend the night. When my parents and Steven moved back they started to come also. As time went we added a couple friends and the party seemed to kind of grow on it's own. Then Gary got involved with Bobby's band and they were all busy on New Years Eve. This year my parents and Steven were in North Carolina so it was just Rusty, me and the kids. We still had lots of food, that we have been eating on all day today, and we played games. I grew up playing games but Rusty didn't. We had a really nice time but we really did miss my parents and my brother. It didn't seem like New Years Eve without them. I spend all day today cleaning and packing decorations.



Lilly enjoying the Christmas tree that we had to pull her out of too many times to count.





Blake and Grandpa enjoying the Christmas pillows.






Aspen

Abby

This is Abby (our dog) and Aspen (Mom and Dad's dog) ready to be one of Santa's reindeer if they are needed. Well, Aspen was not exactly as excited about being a reindeer as Abby.

Blake got a visitor on Christmas Eve. Our neighbor Virginia and her brother in law do this every year. I love it, there's nothing like getting a visit from Santa when you are still awake and can see him. I still remember being little and going to my Grandparents at Christmas time. We got the biggest surprise. Santa Claus came to their house and we got to visit with him. I guess that will always stick with me. I can also remember being really little and hearing Santa's sleigh bells on the roof of our house. Actually what happened was I woke up and had to use the bathroom right in the middle of "Santa" putting the things under our tree. My Mom took me to the bathroom and on the way back down the hall she kicked my Fisher Price school house and the bell rang. She told me their were Santa's bells and I had better get back in bed and go to sleep because Santa wouldn't stop if I was awake.

Our first year in our house Ashleigh woke us up all excited because Santa was sitting in the living room and our dog was barking at him. I don't think I've ever seen Rusty move so fast in my life. When we came into the living room there wasn't anyone there but the dog had been barking and Ashleigh said he went downstairs. Rusty went downstairs, with a gun, to check for Santa. He didn't find anything or anyone, thank God.

I love Christmas and I love the decorations, but when it is all over, the decorations are put away and the tree is gone, it's almost like the house seems bigger and we have more room. Maybe that's a sign that I have too many decorations. Nah, I don't think so.

Now, the holidays are over and everything is back to normal. Well, as normal as this family gets anyway.

Good night and here's to a good New year.