A Quiet Family New Year!

While we love celebrating holidays at gatherings & parties with friends & family, sometimes with all of our going-going-going, it is a nice change of pace to enjoy a "quiet" celebration together at home...and that's just what we decided our family needed this year to ring in the New Year. Our "lazy" week between Christmas & New Year's, when I had visions of SO many home projects getting completed...well, of course, it turned out to be a little less productive than I had envisioned...though Jeff did make awesome progress on our garage...I can actually park IN it now! And he finished working on the antique mantle to go around our living room fireplace! (Pictures soon!) 

Our New Year's Eve day got off to a rather bumpy start with Drew waking up screaming (he generally wakes up SO happy) and with Darcy's on & off cough having worsened over the last couple of days...so after 45 minutes on hold with the Peds office at 8:00 am, I was able to get them both scheduled for a sick visit at 9:30 am. Jeff took them to the doctor where both were found to have ear infections...Darcy in one ear & Drew in both ears (hence the screaming!) So after getting prescriptions filled & such, it was after noon by the time they returned home, but thankfully everyone was in good spirits! The older kids enjoyed the day jumping on the trampoline or playing with new toys & games. And I spent a bit of time organizing tidying up around the house...finding homes for all the new little Christmas odds & ends toys & gadgets! 

After a quick trip to Costco & Trader Joe's for supplies, our evening of family fun was able to commence! The New Year's Eve Family Night agenda included make-your-own pizzas, homemade Chocolate Peanut Butter ice cream & reading from C.S. Lewis's The Magician's Nephew (which we started over the summer & had not had a chance to return to it since school started!)  

Three adorable pizza makers...

...busy at work on their yummy creations!

Drew enjoyed just walking around & sitting down on the dog's head!

Pizza's ready for the oven!

Viola! 

We kept the pizzas simple with sauce, cheese, bacon, pineapple (& diced tomatoes & fresh mozzarella for Mommy & Daddy!) and they turned out great! 

Mmmmm, Sophie's was first out of the oven & she dug right in!

Drew saying "Pee-za!" It is one of his favorite foods!

While Jack was waiting for his pizza to cook...

...he was determined NOT to smile for the camera!

And, Darcy, well she's a whole 'nother story!

Somehow Drew had the ice cream scoop & felt it was a handy tool for eating his pizza. I think this is his 2nd or 3rd piece, at least!

And then the silly faces started...

...and more silly faces...

...and Drew joins in by making his "cute face"!

Jack eating his pizza with his silly face!

Mommy's pizza!

And the silly faces are really sooooo much more fun than a normal smile!

Hey, Jack smiled!

When everyone had their fill of pizza, we brought out the ice cream! WOW, can I just say YUM!! I had been wanting to try out my new Christmas present from my mom, an ice cream maker. My favorite flavor is chocolate peanut butter, but the included recipe book didn't have that flavor. So, I did a quick online search & found a recipe here. And I must say, it did not disappoint!!!

And the crowd says, "mmmmmmmmmm!"

Sophie's chocolaty face!

Drew loves anything "choc-at"

This ice cream even made Jack smile!

Aha! The ice cream scoop will work way better than a spoon!

You disagree?

See, I told you so!

Maximum chocolate goodness!

After everyone's tummies were sufficiently filled, we got cleaned up & PJs on and settled in for a little reading.

 And even though the kids were sleeping soundly when the New Year actually rang in, we enjoyed a wonderful New Year's Eve Family Night celebration together! What a great way to end the year!