Heck Of A New Year - 2022

I semi-sorta dressed up for the evening.

 

playing a Saran Wrap Ball game

New Year's 2022 was a blast!  It was low-key, with several campground friends.  Woodyz Acres owners have a large home not far from the campground and invited us over.  Kasi and Marty are some of the nicest, most fun people you'll ever meet but not a lot of people have been in their home, so it was cool to hang out with them for the night.

Before we went to their house, a few of us got together beforehand at another friend's place for a few drinks and to get ready.  I curled the hair for myself and two others.  Jason went all out, dressed as the New Year's Baby.  Notice his glasses are the wrong year!

Their bonfire was contained in an old washer.  #Upcycling

While at Kasi and Marty's place, we gorged ourselves on a spread of food, played several Saran Wrap Ball games, set off fireworks, played Left/Right/Center, shot off confetti streamers, and sat around a bonfire.  

some of my Saran Ball loot

These were the fireworks set off at midnight.  Many more were shot off before and after.

We all set off for Tammy and David's around 1 am, with our DD.  Jason and I spent the night there, and headed home the next day.  Good times!

I can't go without mentioning it was Bristol's second birthday on New Year's Eve.  We brought him with and he behaved quite well.  

How did you celebrate the New Year?  

Heck Of A Christmas Eve - 2021

Christmas tree cheese and meat platter made by my niece

 

candy sleighs, also made by my niece

Christmas Eve was celebrated with family at my niece's house.  It was probably one of my favorites because of all the quality time spent together.  Most everyone stayed for several hours.

James and Jason with the folded flag

We first stuffed ourselves with food...lots of food.  Then we opened gifts.  Every year, at Thanksgiving, we draw names and then get a gift for that person for Christmas.  That way, one person buys a gift for another with a spending average of $25.

my brother unwrapping the Saran ball

I drew my great-nephew's name and gifted him with several goofy gifts, including a toilet brush, Chili Fritos, a bulldog bobblehead ornament, and a dung excavation kit.

The weather was surprisingly decent so we spent a lot of time outdoors as well.  The kids played the Saran Wrap game, and the adults had one as well.  Towards the end, several of us got together and played Left Right Center with lottery cards.

At one point, Jason and James properly folded an American flag that was presented during my step-father's funeral in 1982.  My brother's wife then put the flag in a shadow box and gifted it to him on Christmas day.

My nephew, sister, and brother-in-law

#Twinsies

Brandon was the latest recipient to wear the Santa outfit.  Two others of the family have worn it before him.  It's become a tradition for one of the youngest to wear this outfit for Christmas Eve.

The hostess with her pup, Buster.  I don't think he was too keen on wearing a reindeer sweater.

On the day of actual Christmas, I got up early and worked at 9-1-1.  It's the one day a year we get double pay, so I wasn't gonna let that go.  Then me and Jason went to a friend's house to play Left Right Center and spent the night there.

a cheese and pinwheel tray I brought to the gathering

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Christmas with the Kids - 2021

 

Notice how Juliann and Emma are flipping me off?!  Looked through the pics the next day and realized it wasn't the only one.  They were following a Tik-Tok trend (aye, aye, aye!)

December 23rd I hosted a Christmas gathering in my home for the kids and grandkids.  Adam couldn't attend because he was sick and Shelby wouldn't come because she's mad at me for the second Christmas in a row, but the other four olders made it.  So did the two grandsons, Waylon and Henry.  Jason's mom also showed up, as well as Waylon's mom, Nicole.

Allyson and Henry

Juliann and Emma (one of the few where their middle fingers weren't up)

Because the kids are older, my original plan was to only get them a couple of gifts.  THEN I joined a few "Amazon sales" sites on Facebook and went buck wild.  I was like Oprah:  "You get ten gifts.  You get ten gifts.  Everyone gets ten gifts!"

Logan holding his nephew, Waylon

We celebrated the evening with a baked potato bar, opening of gifts, and lots of games.  We played Left Right Center, Pass Present to Left or Right, and two Saran Wrap Ball games.  Seems the kids like playing the games for gifts a lot more than just unwrapping presents.

Sabrina and Logan....the next to be parents

My kids may be older but I absolutely enjoy the quality time.  And, spoiling the grandkids is so much fun!

Drive-Thru at the Festival of Lights

For several years, our town was host to the Avenue of Lights, an animated light display over 1.5 miles long.  Due to budget cuts, it was put on hiatus for a few years.  We were lucky enough to have it come back last year, renamed as the Festival of Lights.

obligatory selfie

The night after Thanksgiving I hopped in a car with one of my sons, a friend, and my niece to check out the displays.  It didn't disappoint!

Admission to Festival of Lights is $15 a carload and it takes little over half an hour to drive through the entire park.

Adam's entry/exit driving skills were a little off!

We watched in awe at the animations, laughed till we cried, and even created a little confusion when we couldn't find the exit and Adam weaved his way around other cars to get us out.  Good times!

Did you check out any Christmas lights this year?

Blessed By These Babies

This last year has blessed us with babies...and more on the way.  

Our first grandson, Henry, will be 1-year old in January.

Henry praising the Lord that he made Santa's nice list!

Our second grandson, Waylon, is almost 3 months old.

Waylon posing in plaid

My nephew, Brandon, just turned 1-year old in November.  I'm lucky enough to get to babysit him every Wednesday evening.

Brandon in his 1st birthday outfit.

After 17 years, I no longer work full-time as a 9-1-1 Dispatcher.  I went down to part-time (still raking in a lot of hours) and babysit for my supervisor's little one, Jonathan.  He is 3-months old.

Jonathan wearing a onesie made for his older brother almost 17 years ago.

(Yep, you read that right. Almost 17 year age difference between Jonathan and his older brother.  It's like starting all over again!)

Logan holding his first baby's ultrasound pics

AND (drum roll please) Logan is going to be a first-time daddy.   He and his lady are due in early July.  Yay, another grandbaby on the way!

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 PAW Patrol: Pups Save the Alien is available as of December 7, 2021, rom Paramount Home Entertainment and Nickelodeon Home Entertainment.

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 PAW Patrol: Pups Save the Alien fast facts:

Street Date: December 7, 2021

Running Time: 1 hr 36 min

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*This is a Rafflecopter giveaway open to residents of the USA.*

I received no compensation for this post.  This post is in partnership with PR firm.  Please do your own research before purchasing products or using services.  Your opinions and results may differ.

a Rafflecopter giveaway