Happy New Year!

 WARNNG: This post will be long!  I said I wasn't going to blog until after the new year, but I feel so blessed to have had so much fun over the last week that I have to share every minute of it with you.  Look at the kids above- they had just completed the best ever game of BINGO- all of the prizes had been unwrapped.  I think it was even more exciting than a sugar high!  It was so fun to see them being so excited. :)  Oh to be a child again.  It was my last day of work before a GLORIOUS 6 day vacation.  I enjoyed my time immensely!

It's almost time to crack open the 'Good Things About 2013' jar.  I cannot wait to see what is inside!  I feel like they are all mine, but I know that the kids snuck some stuff in there, too.  I am hoping that when we read through them it will motivate them to participate more this next year.

We had the annual Christmas Eve jammies photo shoot. :)

Christmas Eve was spent at our house with my side of the family.  ♥Here are my parents. ♥  They played Santa Claus this year. :)

 My dad brought me over some new guitar strings and put them on for me. :)  For those of you who don't know, he is an amazing guitarist!  

My mom had been busy sewing beautiful aprons for all of us girls!  (I LOVE aprons, especially hand made.)  SO special!!

Here is my sister opening up her apron. :)   That's my sweet Grandma Audette on the right.

Stephanie tried her apron on!  

♥My little sister and I sporting ours.♥

Did I mention that there was food galore?

Just when I thought I wasn't gaining any weight for Christmas--

The food was never ending- I indulged. 

I put out some shrimp just for my handsome hubby- two days in a row.  He loves shrimp.

That was all on Christmas Eve! 

Christmas came to our house!  It was really a miracle, we had limited funds.

Stocking time!  (Yes, I do actually feed my shirtless ribs boy. ♥)

Ethan has a lot of building to do!  He was so excited!

The partying continued Christmas day. :)  Round two of food, drinks and family!  We played a fast paced game of White Elephant that involved dice.  Send two or three plates around the circle, each with a pair of dice.  When you get the plate, roll.  If you have doubles, you choose a gift or steal someone elses, but you HAVE to trade.  It was very fun!

My food baby is growing... (Thanks for the term, Tasha!  There is nothing else that describes my over indulging so perfectly.)

Our niece!  More presents, so much fun!

Adams sweet Grandma Thurber. ♥

There was a great bar going on over there. 

Our niece! 

This morning I got up and made some New Year hats for the kids to wear.  We were going to make them, but I realized that it would be just ME doing the work.  I decided to just assemble them and be done with it.  Want to make some?  Here is the link.  Just print out the template and you are ready to go!

Happy New Year to you and your families!  Thank you for reading this blog.  Prayers for you as we kick off 2014!

♥♥♥Happy Tuesday♥♥♥