Happy New Year!

Since half of us were sick for Christmas Eve, it only seemed fair that the other half of us got sick for New Year's Eve.  Thankfully it was just the miserable cold variety, so we were still able to have plenty of fun.   

First up- mermaid bowling, complete with mermaid makeup!

We timed our arrival poorly, but it was worth the two-hour wait to get two hours of bowling, two pizzas, and two pitchers of lemonade.  

 It was such a fun gift- thank you Grandma and Grandpa! 

Back at home we had an incredibly low key New Year's Eve celebration- we played a few games, ate a few tasty foods, and didn't even make it until midnight.

 We told the kids we would be celebrating a New York New Year's, and some of us didn't even make it that late.

 Emma and Noah tucked themselves in on the couch while the rest of us quietly rang in the new year.

 With butterbeer- a tradition from last year that has stuck. 

We all went right to sleep after that, except for Adam, also know as He Who Never Needs Sleep.  He informed us that he stayed up until well after midnight reading just because he could.   

On New Year's Day we invited all of the missionaries in the Des Moines area over for the afternoon/evening.  They don't go home over the holidays and it was fun to have them all here for the day.  

Minus the fact that I couldn't really talk, thanks to my cold.  It was mostly Jason's party, really, and the kids and I had to get ready to go back to school the next day anyway.  This holiday break was over much too quickly, and we are very slowly adjusting back to the school schedule once again. 

So here's to an exciting 2019!  2018 felt like a HUGE year for our family- Disney Cruise, finishing the basement, Jason's new calling, a ski trip and family Thanksgiving, and paying off any and all debts (minus the mortgage), surviving another two rounds work layoffs, plus lots of months of family visitors, healthy days at home, and so many wonderful memories made.  Honestly, we look back and aren't sure how we accomplished all that we did in 2018, and we don't fully know what 2019 will look like just yet.

But we do have we do have a few fun things on the horizon this year- a 15-year anniversary trip for me and Jason, a fun spring break, and we are anxiously anticipating Emma's baptism this summer.  It's going to be a great year!