Happy New Year, 2009!

As if we don't already have enough women in our house, on New Year's Eve we add 4 more to the mix. Our good friends, the Lightburne's, have 2 daughters (14 and 10) and a granddaughter that is just a few weeks younger than Tasha. These kids get along so well together, in a way that just makes their parents crazy, but happy. We used to see them all the time, when we lived in Scottsdale and Bill and Dave worked together (me too, for a while), but now we are lucky to get together for this one night. It is always a blast!


They come over in their pj's around 7pm and we do fondue around 8 or 9pm. It's always a wonder if we get rice crispy treats or not and the cheese fondue is always a mystery (but this year I think I've got it figured out).

Upon their arrival we quizzed Dave and Sue on their card playing abilities. I had almost lost hope, but after fondue I gave it one last shot. I brought out a couple decks of cards and Wizard. If I didn't play something I was going to fall asleep. Bill went right for Wizard and started explaining. Another couple sucked into the game. Yipee! We'll have another reason to call them up now. (Sue even suggested we leave all the kids at their house and play at our house! HAH!)

A year would not be complete without a few things happening:

• A good car story from either Dave OR Sue
• A good sports story from Bill
• Morgan's fun laugh, usually at herself
• An incoherent sentence from Kendra
• An incoherent sentence from Kyra
• Something getting hurt on Tasha
• Something being tattled by Angelise
• Me be reminded that I am still banned from picking movies
• Sue being reminded that she can't make rice crispy treats
• Their girls being the first to say goodnight and wander out the door with droopy eyes and dragging feet
• The parents continuing to talk because the last 4 hours weren't enough and there was just one more story...

But this is the first year that we have had any good rowdy neighbors. We go outside and bang on pots and pans and scream, but usually we are the only ones. As we exited the front door at about 11:59, we heard a ruckus coming from a back yard across the street, followed by a small spark flying through the air. Yeah, more crazies! That also reminded me that we had sparklers so I ran in for them. This was a fun treat that we've never had before. No burnt fingers, tears, or fighting over anything because there were plenty to go around. The girls were great and the house survived. Until next year dear friends. We love you and cherish you always! (LOVE the haircut Dave... ooh baby!)

Now if I could just get to sleep...