New Year's Eve

New Year's Eve was tons of fun this year.  Jana and Rob were still here and Shay and the Kosters also came over.  Kosters brought their cotton candy machine, which they just got for Christmas, as well as their chocolate fountain.  We also had bean dip and egg rolls, so we ate more than just sugar! 

Cotton candy is one of Jacob's favorite treats.  The peppermint cotton candy was my favorite.

We also played a few games to pass the time till midnight.  My sister introduced us to BeanBoozled.  It's a box of Jelly Belly jelly beans that contain normal and disgusting flavors that are the same color so you don't know what you're getting.  We played with a partner.  One person closes their eyes and picks a jelly bean out of the bowl and their partner grabs one of the same color.  Then you both eat your jelly bean at the same time and see what flavor you got.  Our first round I lucked out with coconut and Jacob got baby wipe.  The worst ones I had were dog food and skunk spray.  I think I had the least bad flavors of anyone.  

Rachel and Shay both picked the barf flavored jelly bean on their first round!  They were about to die.  They said it was really hard to swallow since it tasted exactly like vomit.  It was hilarious to watch them.

I think Jana was eating a booger jelly bean here.  Everyone but me ended up picking the barf bean.  Rob had it twice, poor guy, and the first time it actually made him puke!  Luckily the bathroom is really close. :)   We already want to play again with more friends.  Who's in?

We played a couple other fun games until it was time for the countdown to midnight.  We grabbed the sparkling cider and grape juice to celebrate.  Our neighborhood went crazy with fireworks so we went outside to watch for a few minutes.  2012 was not the best year for my family and we were ready to ring in the new year!  Here's to a wonderful 2013!!

Family time

One day with my family we drove down to the NASA Space Center.  Jacob didn't get to come since he was working, but we had been a couple years ago.  My brother, Will, wanted to go the most since he's been obsessed with anything to do with outer space his whole life.  He was in heaven.  The rest of us had fun too. :)  Here are a few pics from our visit.  

Waiting in line for the tram to take us on a tour of the astronaut training facility.

Katie spent much of the tour running away from me or lying on the floor.  Museums are so much fun with a toddler (sarcasm). 

This was the only nap Katie got that whole day - about 45 minutes - while I pushed her around the museum in the stroller.  I was grateful she slept that much since she wouldn't fall asleep in the car.  

We also visited Old Town Spring one afternoon.  We ate at Puffabelly's so we could order their not-good-for-you-at-all-but-yummy fried pickles and tomatoes.  Somehow it's become a tradition to eat there whenever my family is in town.  

Jacob's sister, ShayNiel, came too

After lunch, we walked and explored the little shops including a requisite stop at the candy store. :)  It was actually cold here that day!  We had to bundle Katie up in her stroller to stay warm.  

One night we played a new game called Quelf that Heather had brought.  Well, I was too tired so I just watched, but it was hilarious.  I don't really know what the point was, unless it was doing stupid things so the rest of us could laugh.  Seriously, you'll just have to play to understand. 

Jana had to smell the shoe of the person to her left. :)

As you can see, most of our time together is spent goofing off and having fun.  We also watched several movies and clean comedians that had us crying from laughing so hard.  I love making new fun memories with my family.

Merry Christmas 2012!

Christmas Day I woke up excited for Katie to open gifts.  I knew this year she'd be aware of what was happening as opposed to last Christmas where she just wanted to eat the wrapping paper.  We looked in our stockings first then ate a yummy breakfast casserole we had prepped the night before.  Finally it was time to open presents!  

Looks like Santa came to our house!!

ready to open presents

Katie was excited about her new coloring book and crayons.  I was happy about the chocolate and the Barnes and Noble gift card I found in my stocking. :)  Jacob received new workout socks (he asked for them) and some of his favorite treats (sixlets, kit kat bar, gum).

Katie was overjoyed with all the new things she opened!  She'd get excited and hooked on one new toy and then hurry to play with another one after a few minutes.  She received new clothes, toys, books, and puzzles.  I have since put several of the new things away for her to enjoy in a few months. :)

I know this is blurry, but she LOVES her new broom she got from Aunt Rachel and Uncle Todd.  She has always liked "sweeping" with our broom when she can grab it if I've forgotten to close the pantry door.  So I'm happy she now has one just her size.  

Here's Jacob with his "manly" apron that I asked my friend Shaela to make.  Isn't it great?  He put it to use helping with Christmas dinner.

My sister, Jana, with a favorite childhood toy that my brother had secretly been cleaning and restoring for her.  She was so surprised and happy to see it again!  Brought back fun memories for all of us who remembered playing with it.

Favorite moment from Christmas Day:

Jacob and I gave these special ornaments to each couple.  They are an engraved crystal ornament so we have a way to remember Anna at Christmastime.  I had Jacob read a poem entitled, "To My Dearest Family", while everyone opened their gift.  We all cried and everyone loved the ornaments. 

We also gave everyone this Willow Tree ornament called Angel of the Heart.  We thought it represented Anna well.  I also like that I can leave it out year round.  Mine is on our mantel now.

My gifts

My favorite is this initial necklace Jacob gave me (via therhouse on etsy).

A few more pictures from Christmas Day:

scrumptious breakfast of sausage and egg casserole, cinnamon rolls, orange rolls, and fruit

Rob and Jana brought their Wii which resulted in some friendly competition.  

Another notable thing was that we had a tornado warning around 11:00.  We got the emergency alerts on our phones.  It surprised us because although it had rained quite hard that morning, at the time of the alert, it was sunny and calm outside.  The wind did pick up and the sky became overcast pretty quickly, but nothing else happened.  When we looked up the weather online it showed the tornado was about three miles southeast of us.  My sis-in-law, Heather, was pretty scared, but the rest of us reassured her everything would be ok.  (She's from CA.)  We've lived through plenty of tornadoes in West Tennessee!  

In the afternoon, we had a Christmas dinner of glazed ham, cheesy potatoes, corn, rolls, and salad.  Everything tasted delicious!  We had a few visitors later in the day.  Our friends, the Cheneys, stopped by with Stacie's parents for a little while.  Then the Kosters and ShayNiel came over to play games.  We had a fun night eating treats, playing games, and talking.  Hope you all had a wonderful Christmas too!

Christmas Eve

All of my family except for my sister, Louisa, and her husband, came into town for the holidays.  We were excited to host Christmas and have all of them here.  Christmas is my favorite time of the year, and it's even more special to be surrounded by family.  Christmas Eve is sometimes more fun than Christmas Day because of the anticipation and preparations for the next day.  Jana, Rob, and my parents were already here.  Will, Heather and Liam arrived on Christmas Eve afternoon.  We spent the day preparing food, wrapping a few last minute gifts and enjoying each other's company.  That night we ate our traditional meal by candlelight, followed by singing Christmas carols and performing a talent.  It's what we've done for as long as I can remember and I love it!  We ended the night by listening to Jacob read 'Twas the Night Before Christmas and the story of Christ's birth in the New Testament.  It was definitely one of my favorite nights of the year.

Jana and I made a few treats, including Ritz peanut butter chocolate cookies.

 (I really don't know their name, but they are delicious!)

Liam snuggled up to Jacob, which he never does with people he hardly knows!

Heather, Jana and me after preparing food for dinner

Rob and Jana

Heather, Will, and Liam

my parents

cute cousins (hope we add more this year!!)

Jacob sang a solo :)

Katie with Pap-pa and Grandma

What is your favorite Christmas Eve tradition?