Started off right

There are only a handful of New Years Eve's that I can remember.... I remember Mom waking me up when I was 8 or so to go bang pans, I know there were a few Jr High/High School parties at Steph's, getting a Hershey's kiss as we rang in '99, a newlywed fight the next, and a few mediocre/last minute parties we have held here and there...but this year will stand out for years to come.

We decided to make a long weekend of it and headed to the cabin. Nothing beats 4ish days of good friends, food, fun and relaxation after a very busy holiday season.

• Winning the dance contest, entertaining and laughing my guts out top my list!
• Mike loved the "big boy" dare-devil sledding, not so much being de-throned in GH.
• Adilynn will long remember the late night slumber parties, singing Hannah Montanna, sledding on her own and being run over by her dad.*
• Luke also braved the sleds alone and became quite the gamer.
• Paislee loved playing with the big kids and eating treat after treat after treat...

So, here's to keeping 2009 on the same track it rolled in on, it'll be our best year yet!

*Our only mishap came when Adi's sled slipped and she slid under the 4-wheeler just as dad was driving away. Luckily, she was a brave little one and after some ice and a short rest she was up and going like brand new. Plus, how many kids get to write about getting ran over by their dad in their Weekend Review at school?

New Year's Day tradition

Yesterday, we had the annual Cox Christmas party. Each year we get together at Grandma and Grandpa Cox's house in Tooele on New Years Day and have a party. This always includes a huge lunch and then {as long as I can remember} the kids break a pinata that Aunt Jan has made, followed by some sort of a gift exchange and yummy beef jerky from Grandpa and Grandma.

This is them, Grandpa is looking pretty good considering he had a heart attack the week before Christmas and is just home for the holidays as he awaits triple bypass surgery.

As I said before - there is usually a pinata {it went away for a few years when all of us cousins had grown up and were starting to have kids of our own} but as of last year it is back in full swing! {there are 14 great-grandkids now!} Look how adorable it was this year - a penguin, with a heart on its butt! There was tons of anticipation as all of the kids anxiously watched them hoist it up.My kids enjoyed this SOOO much and it brought so many memories back to me. The best was that Adi was the one to break it! {something I never accomplished in my 15+ years of participation} It was stuffed with small toys and candy so they all made quite the haul, Adi's bag was overflowing! Luke and Paislee didn't have the "scoop" down and were pretty particular in choosing each piece of candy before it went into their bag. Their uncles were frantically trying to help them grasp the "more is better" concept. Silly Paislee wouldn't let go of her bag once it was full and insisted on carrying it all on her own up the stairs.
I am so grateful that my kids can participate in these traditions so many years later! Fun times!

From our family to yours...

We tried to party it up last night...
I think we just look tired!
The Pickles joined in the festivities

{missing - Ike, asleep in my bed}

and so did Jeremy, Brett, and Chaddy

{also VERY tired but we made him stay up}

This was as close as these kids got to bed until after the ball dropped! {Ike and Paiz both headed out around 9}
The highlight of our night was the wii...
the kids even joined in - they liked playing the "BURP" game - it was an absolute blast to watch their faces!

First on our list for 2008 - catch the kids up on their sleep. Second, find ourselves/Pickles a wii before Jeremy moves out!

Happy 2008 everyone!