New Year's Eve 2013

For New Year's Eve, we invited two families over to celebrate with us: the Miners and the Ortons. We had a cheese fondue potluck, played Pictionary, did some leftover fireworks from the 4th of July, and had an early countdown complete with sparkling cider and poppers!

I made this sparkly ball with a bouncy ball and jewels. It lasted the night, at least.

Playing Pictionary. The girls won! :)

Everyone was into it and involved. It was a lot of fun!

Trying to light up the sparkly ball like a disco ball.

The kids went outside and ran right into the snow!

Sparklers!

It kind of looks like Wes is yielding a sword.

Sydney getting her sparkler lit.

Our friend, Naomi, and her sparkler.

Our early countdown happened around 9:05pm. Kinda just when we were ready to do it.

Apple juice toasts!

Fancy plastic stemware.

Dessert of cookie bars and ice cream.

Post countdown decor.

The girls played with the dress ups.

We did the countdown early so everyone could go home at the leisure, but the Miners ended up staying all the way until midnight! Even the kiddos were up (except Ruth, of course) so we took a picture with the "12:00" time on the TV to prove it.

The Miners and the Hanks when it's officially 2014!

Random Pics from December 2013

Here are all of our random pictures from December 2013!

Ruth's my first baby to take a pacifier beyond three months. Even still, she's not that good at it. :)

Wes thinking about his next move in Chess while playing with his dad.

I can't remember why I took this picture, but here's Ruth!

One of Wes' letters to Santa this year. It continued on the back as well.

And one of Sydney's letters to Santa. I like the picture of her saying, "Thank you," at the bottom.

First time with pigtails!

With each of my kids, I've found it fascinating that fingers grow proportionally to nostrils. Ruth went through a couple week stage where she was discovering that.

Sibling love.

Ruth checking our her new ornament that Grandma Swensen sent her.

Happy baby sneaking in to play the piano with her big brother! This happens daily.

Ruth was trying to get the channel changers of the side table and got stuck in the diaper basket.

The older kids thought this was funny and really wanted me to take a picture of her like this.

She's a good sport to brave the cold twice daily to take her brother to and from school!

Wes had made salt dough ornaments at school and thought it would be fun to do some more.

I was just happy to not have a bunch of sugar cookies to have to eat!

Ruth was very excited to play with the wrapping paper. It's always exciting to have "new toys" to play with!

This was our neighbor gift this year. Not edible but still useful. I was happy about it!

Ruth's first time at the mall play place.

Brian took the older kids bowling because they finished a bunch of Kahn Academy goals Brian had challenged them with.

We went to eat at Cafe Rio and Ruth was enjoying drinking from my straw like a little bird.

We had some family over for FHE and Brian had the kids play "Sumo" as part of the lesson.

My sweet niece, Ruby Lyn.

Sydney had a little preschool Christmas program. This was a video where they asked the kids some questions. She was asked what her mom and dad would want for Christmas. She said a new computer for me and an iPod for Brian.

The preschoolers singing one of their Christmas songs.

It's kind of amazing what weather can do.

I don't remember why I took this picture either, but here's Ruth again!

Grandma Swensen sent us some Little Debbie treats with the ornaments and Wes was very excited to get to take one in his lunch!

One cold evening, the kids got out their energy be hurdling the ottoman.

They just took turns jumping over and over.

This is a note Sydney left on Brian's door. It says: "You are the awesomeist dad i no."

I took a picture of my December calendar because I knew when I erased it my January would look much less busy.

Wes went Home Teaching with Brian (not in his pajamas) and helped him by doing a magic trick as part of the lesson.

They're so stinkin' adorable.