Impromptu New year

Happy New Year to everyone! It's funny, as we were watching the ball drop and counting down to the New Year, my son was dancing around and flinging his arms in anxiety. I asked him what he was so excited about and he said he didn't know. I asked if something was supposed to happen (felt like I was waiting for the Y2K "thing" all over again). But, the New Year came in without a sound (other than everyone yelling, "Happy New Year" at the top of their lungs) or any other "mishap". We sent and received text messages from family and friends (gotta love modern technology), and afterwards, I asked my son if anything happened or was different, he simply declared, "No."

Speaking of bringing in the New Year, I mentioned that we would most likely be sitting at home playing board games. Well, that was what we did ... we just had a few unexpected, but well received, guests. We always enjoy company! Anyways ... we were sitting here around 6:30pm or so when my mom called to ask what we were doing. I told her we were just hanging out and she stated that they were coming by after dinner. So, she, my dad and my aunt showed up just as we sat down to the delicious quesadillas my hubby made ("chef" was one of his three jobs he held at one time this past year). So, we sat and ate and talked a bit and then decided to bring out some board games. With Clue being our current favorite, my mom and aunt agreed that would be a good one to start with. We played 4 games of Clue, my aunt is a better analyst than I am at this game, and then moved on to "Are You Smarter Than a 5th Grader?" after my sister and her family showed up. We had not even opened this one yet. Man! You have to be "smarter than a 5th grader" to figure out how to play it! Now, I understand that if we actually watched the game show ( I detest game shows because I get too emotionally attached to the players and feel just awful when they lose), it might have made better sense, but the directions out of the box are not much help. Jeff Foxworthy should have written a "redneck version" of the rules to go along with the game ( "You might be a redneck if" ... you can't figure out how to play a game intended for 10 year olds)!! Nevertheless, we figured it out, somewhat, and played that into the New Year. My aunt with all the college degrees was the only one "almost" smarter than a 5th grader. Those questions are pretty intense. I was just the EMCEE, but WOW!! 1st graders nowadays have some pretty hard math questions to answer according to this game!! WHEW!!

We finished just in time to count down the last minute of 2007. After the big "hoopla" of the clock once again striking midnight into a new year, we decided to try a little Singstar 80's. Now, since most of the crowd was a bit "older" ... we really needed like an "oldies" version or at least some "country" songs here in Texas ... something the majority of the crowd might know? But, we were still able to at least talk my mom into trying a few songs! OMGoodness! If the artists could hear my mom butcher their songs! We were rolling on the floor!! Try "It's Tricky" by Run DMC ... rappers we are not!! Thus, after ripping through a few songs it was time for everyone to go home. Amazingly, all the kids there were still awake, except my Princess JF, she had tapered off right after midnight. My parents and aunt had not "brought in a New Year" in several years (we actually had to wake my dad off the couch to do the count down). We sat and played a bit more of Singstar after bidding our good-byes. My hubby and I sang a few duets and tried to become "rising stars" but weren't much more than "wannabes" most of the time! I was able to get Princess JL to sleep as my hubby lulled us with a solo and then we decided to put in a movie and settle down for the rest of the night/morning.

My son had just received a Jeff Dunham DVD for Christmas from my parents, so the kids talked us into watching that ... 20 minutes into the show they were both asleep. Now it just became a struggle to keep my hubby awake to watch it with me. It was pretty hilarious. My favorite joke was when the puppet "Walter" was asked how this man could get his wife to go out and get a job ... "You'll have to die," he proclaimed! OMGoodness! Funny stuff!!

After getting the kids upstairs and turning off the lights, my hubby stumped his toe on a chair and then proceeded to do a "jig." I don't know if it was sleep deprivation or what, but I was thrown into a fit of hysterics about it! I couldn't breathe I was laughing so hard. My eyes were in tears and my stomach was cramping. I couldn't even stand to walk! I had not laughed that hard all year! ; ) I thanked my hubby for a great laugh (he didn't find it quite as amusing) and we went to bed around 4:30am.

It was truly a perfect night and the perfect end to 2007 ... and an excellent beginning to 2008! I LOVE my family!