New Year's Eve

We spent a few nights over New Years at the lake. 

 We were trying to decide last minute what was something we could do fun as a family before Ben started his new job right after the new year. 

 We finally just decided it would be fun to just get away at the lake for a few nights. 

 We spent one day and night just the five of us. 

 We grocery shopped, rested, watched movies and just relaxed by the fire. 

It was so fun. 

 Ty even fell asleep on me and I didn't want to move a muscle. 

 

Then over the next two days a few friends decided to join also. I brought a few decorations from our house to liven up the lakehouse a little but, thankfully Stacee and Lindsey they brought the fun this NYE. 

 Stacee had blown up balloons that had the time written on them in 30 minute increments for each of the kids to pop. 

 Inside each one was a fun activity for them to do to pass the time before "midnight." 

 I say it like that because our 9:00 balloon we started at 6:00 so midnight was really 9:00pm for the kids. 

 But, that was plenty late. 

 The activities were things like, play glow stick simon says, write your name with sparklers, take a selfie with all your best NYE accessories, have a silly string fight and things like that.  

Silly string fight wasn't Dylan's favorite.

 

A pudding treat while watching daddies do fireworks!

 

Some group pics with all our NYE flare  

Dylan's mustache selfie is just too much.    

Kinley's name was drawn to pop the 12:00 balloon and they all yelled "Happy New Year" and drank sparkling cider. 

 Then it was off to bed. 

 

The adults played a little catchphrase and took a midnight selfie with our favorite 2016 glasses.

   

The next day brought more friends and more indoor and outside fun. 

 We played in leaves, cooked good food, played games and roasted marshmallows.

   

I didn't quite realize Ross's dedication to catchphrase until this weekend despite any and all distractions.

 

Little babes.

 

Never too young to learn to prep a fried turkey 

 

There were dance parties, log climbing and ipad watching. 

 

And some mom selfies.

 

Oh my word..this kid in his Aggie jumpsuit!

   

It was low-key but lots of fun. 

 I love having getaways at the lakehouse. 

 It gets hard to do because it is small and there isn't a ton of space or unlimited beds. If we could, we would have every friend we know come every time. 

 We wish we could. 

We are just most of all thankful for the blessing of time we do get there away from the normal fast pace of life and technology. 

 So thankful the Harrison's decided to put roots down for our family in a small town on a lake outside of town. Where we can just be. 

 Thankful God has blessed us with friends who love quality time and don't need lots of space or fancy things. It's not even ours, just a place we have the opportunity to be sometimes, and it is hard to manage and balance, but we never lose sight of the fact that we are thankful. 

We are appreciative. 

 It is a blessing and one we want to bless others with too. 

 A great way to celebrate the end of one year and the start of the next.