New Year's Eve Party!

We had the New Year's Eve party at our house again this year.  I made meatballs and dips in my triple crock pot cooker and everyone brought other snacks to share.  Our main activity was playing the new Kinect that I got for Christmas.  We started out letting everyone take turns playing Kinect Adventures, but then it turned into a Dance Central party with everyone joining in on the dancing.  I had other activities planned, but everyone had so much fun with the Kinect that we didn't do anything else.  The kids did play in other rooms and then we turned on a movie on the big screen in the basement for those that just wanted to relax.  Later in the night, we played Kinect Sports in party mode which was a blast!  At midnight we banged pots and pans and went outside for fireworks.  It was a great end to 2010! 

Merry Christmas!

Christmas was amazing!  We love Christmas so we always go a little crazy on presents.  As the kids get older it is getting harder because the things they want are more expensive.  We are just about out of the toy phase.  Everyone got a lot of great gifts from their lists and even a big surprise!  Maddy got a Nintendo DSi XL and a Flip camcorder, Keegan got the Lego Millenium Falcon, Tara got an XBox with Kinect and Bart got a new suit.  After we opened presents and ate breakfast, both sets of grandparents stopped by to see what we got and give the kids their gifts.  Craig and Linda gave them each a game and a puzzle cube with $50 cash inside.  Rick and Myrna gave them each a DS game.  We played with our stuff for a while and then went to the Julien's for dinner.  It was a wonderful day! 



Note:  Keegan has wanted the Lego Millenium Falcon Ultimate Collector's Edition for many, many years.  Every time he got a Lego magazine in the mail he would say that he wants it, but he knows he'll never get it because it costs too much ($500).  We always joked that when he was 16 he could choose between the Millenium Falcon or a car. 

Early last year I received an email saying that they were discontinuing production of the Millenium Falcon and it was limited to the stock that was left.  About 6 months before Christmas, I got an email about a 3-day sale at Lego Shop online - 25% off and free shipping.  I talked to Bart and we decided to buy.  We were very happy to get it for only $375.  That weekend it sold out - forever!  Not long after that, they were selling on Ebay for a minimum of $1200 and sometimes much more. 

We thought about giving it to Keegan for his birthday, but decided it was too big and we should wait for Christmas.  We saved that present for very last.  I was so excited to see the look on his face when he opened it.  It brought tears to my eyes.  I'm glad we were able to give him something he had wanted for so long. 

Christmas Eve at the Bruces

Every year we spend Christmas Eve at the Bruce's.  We started with a delicious dinner - chicken cordon bleu (chik-fil-a chicken nuggets for the kids), baked potatoes, salad and more.  After dinner, there was a surprise in the basement for all of the kids.  Wiggle cars!  There used to only be a few for the kids to play with, but now they all have their own.  While the kids played in the basement, we cleaned up dinner and put away the extra table and chairs.  Then the kids had a program with Maddy and Lauren playing the piano and singing, and then all of the kids singing.  Keegan played his recorder and then Chandler read a Christmas book.  Then the grandkids exchanged presents.  Then they all got to open presents from grandma - PJ's and Zhu Zhu pets!  Then all of the kids changed into their PJ's and had a Zhu Zhu pet war on the kitchen floor.  Then we gave our gifts to Rick and Myrna.  We gave Myrna cash to buy books for her new Kindle.  Bart gave Rick some miscellaneous things that he knew he would like.  Then we had a dart gun fight with the kids and adults shooting darts all over the living room and kitchen.  It was crazy!  Lastly, we played the present game with the adults.  We brought a Bath and Body Works gift pack in a nice tote bag thing and a DVD/popcorn bowl pack.  We won a nice skillet and a perplexus.  Then finally it was time to go home.  It was a great night!