Happy New Year!

Happy New Year!

Yesterday we had girl's day out while Matthew and Braeden were with their Dad. We went to Dallas and had lunch ... on the way we were discussing different things, not sure what exactly we were talking about at the time but Allison said, "I like living at Grandma's cause we have rules and we stick with them." I think it proves the fact that kids thrive on rules and structure. They want to know what to expect and what is expected. It creates a comfort / safety zone for them. Too many parent's today I think feel like rule's and structure inhibit their kids. Or maybe they hesitate to do that because they are so busy they feel guilty and so to make it up to the kids they just let them have free rein ... they do not want to structure the limited amount of time they have with the kids. I think the structure makes it possible to maximize the time you do have with them. And besides all that we had a GREAT time!

We played grandparents and kept the kids while Jen and Megan went out. We got snacks and movies, party hats and noise makers, sparkling grape juice and champagne ... we were ready! So we popped in a movie and I did the usual, about the time the movie was 5 minutes in I was asleep. Oh my gosh, I would just love to stay awake for a movie.

The New Year's Eve celebration was also the usual ... at 5 minutes to 12 Louis wakes me up and I say okay ... at 3 minutes til Louis says "you are going to miss it", I say okay ... I watch the clock on the TV with one eye open and at 15 seconds til jump up, throw on the party hat, grab the noise maker, 5,4,3,2,1, Happy New Year, clank the glasses as we toast each other, give kisses!! Whew made it through another New Years celebration. I am going to bed!

You see some people say they just go to bed at their normal time and if I did that I guess my New Year's celebration would not really be any different than the way I do it now but there is something about being awake and cheering at that second when we cross from one year to the next ... I just have to do it.

The kids loved it ... the snacks, the movie that we all watched together, the hats, the noisemakers ... oh my gosh, it was the best party for them. They really got into the idea of the "new year" and what that meant. And then after all the Happy New Year wishes it was so sweet hearing Braeden tell Matthew on the way up the stairs, "this is a happy day Matthew".

Also, we made the Please Knock signs for all bedroom and bathroom doors, we decorated containers for the boys to keep their special things in, and we decorated the talking stick. Check out the pictures!

Oh and we did have the traditional blackeyed peas on New Years with cornbread. It was great but Matthew did the usual stare. The one where he just looks at his food intently as if he is thinking, "If I stare at this food long enough maybe I can will it to disappear without it ever having to pass my lips". That is okay I helped him out. I said, "It is okay Matthew if you do not want to eat that (his face lit up). We can just put it in the microwave and when you want a snack later we can heat it up for you" (the light in his face went out). I think after this happens a few times he will figure out we are serious about eating meals.

School is just around the corner ...