It's a New Year (2016)

 Not everyone made it til midnight ...

It's become an annual tradition. We invite my folks over on New Year's Eve for a Grandparents and Games night. Maga Pam has attended a time or two as well. The little boys really enjoy playing games with the grandparents, and sometimes the older boys stick around too. This year, Callahan was working (until a little after 11:00) but Keaton graced us with his company. We missed Landon. Landon is great at games!

We tried out our new game Tapple  (Cooper got it for Christmas)... it's a bit like Scattergories, thinking of things to fit a topic that begin with a certain letter. It was fun (silly Grandma ... something green that starts with K ... "kangaroo"??) We also played Speed RummiKube, which my parents introduced to us a couple of years ago. We do have our own set, but we rarely get it out unless the grandparents are over. Keaton rocks, but Colton, with Grandpa giving tips, did really well too! 

Then the "grownups" moved onto Progressive Rummy, which was a little too slow moving and complex for the boys. We actually played all seven hands (usually we skip the 5th/6th ones), and although Gray won the final hand, I won the game! Yea me! Colton and Cooper fell asleep. 

 We gathered around for a family picture ... and Cooper woke up.

Grandma is saying "close your eyes, go back to sleep"

Last year, my dad brought out a big box of "new year" stuff. Hats, tiarias, horns, etc. Then he gifted us with said box. I did store it for the year, but brought it out and gave it back to him! After we adorned ourselves in our New Year attire of course. We put a tiara on the still sleeping Colton, and Grandma couldn't stop giggling (she'd gotten a little silly during rummy too, I think it was past her bed time!) The little boy stirred and shifted, but slept on...

... even after I blew the horn in his ear!

Once the ball dropped and we got our smooches, the folks headed home and we headed to bed. It was past MY bedtime too. But with the holiday, we could sleep in.  Maga doesn't sleep in though, and she was busy working last night, making her famous pastry wreath.

We headed over to Maga's house around noon. She said this was the last year she was going to make the wreath ... it's just so much work. Of course, she's said that before! We'll see, and we'll eat it while we can!  Clay made his yummy pulled pork, so we all ate and ate, then came home and took a needed nap. Happy New Year. Welcome 2016!