Celebrating the New Year in Pocatello-Style

Grandma Peggy and Grandpa Bob had a small window in the holiday schedule when we could come visit for a few days. They're popular. The most popular, maybe. Our expectations for celebrating the new year were kind of low because it's Pocatello and also we have three young children. This holiday had everything, though! Danger! Noise! Dip! The Muppets! It ended up being the most fun.

Early in the day, Bridget and I went to see Grandma Shirley. I knocked loudly several times without getting an answer, so I called Dad. He helped me find the hidden key and stayed on the phone with me while I went in to see what was going on (danger). Whew! Grandma was in the back bedroom on the phone, so she couldn't hear me and she wasn't answering the phone. Grandma Shirley told us fun stories and let us sit on the rabbit fur bench to play the piano.

Bridget was caught off-guard by the request to play something. We'll be ready next time!

A baby photo of Grandma and one taken professionally when she was 15 and a half. She got the second picture taken to give to her boyfriend, but she didn't tell her parents that. :)

A wedding picture with parents of the bride, Milton and Bessie England, and parents of the groom, Rhoda and Edward Lee

I'm laughing here because Grandma kept looking away from the camera at the last second. Grandma Peggy was behind the camera for this shot. My office is exactly that shade of blue.

After a nap, Grandma Peggy surprised us and the kids with a 4:00 box. What?! I thought we were just going to hang out. This was the most fun the kids have ever had on New Year's Eve. I'm so doing it next year.

We decorated gingerbread cookies and made chocolate cookies with peppermint kisses in them. Fun! Then we took some of the cookies to my cousin, David, and his family. The kids found their age-appropriate friends and played hard for a few minutes, then it was back for the 6:00 box.

"CHEESE!"

We ate dinner, mostly hors d'oeuvres, which is a dream of Brian's. :) Then it was time for the 7:00 box.

It was a movie they've seen a hundred times ("The Muppets") and popcorn, which we've done many a Friday night at our house. But because it came in a box and we were at Grandma's, the kids FREAKED OUT with happiness. Everyone take note.

The final box, at 9:00pm, was a party box. Kids don't know when it's midnight! We can jump on bubble wrap and blow into horns and yell any ol' time on New Year's Eve with kids!

The boys jumped like they were wind-up toys. It was so cute and loud and funny. Afterward Mom asked if I'd videoed it. Why would I do that? I only have an amazing camera in my hands that will do videos. Duh! Oh, well. Once again I didn't make it until midnight to ring in the new year, but I had a lot of fun watching my kids have fun. (I'm also stealing Ashley's year-end slide show idea for next year.)

We were pretty lazy on the first day of the year. Brian and I took the kids to the fun, cold park for a little while. When we got back to Grandma's we fed them a sad lunch and put them to bed for naps while we ate an amazing early dinner. Perfect! We could have a conversation and everything!

Bridget is holding my Mandy doll, which she's named Anna. Grandma Peggy has sleeping bags for all the dollies and fun clothes to dress them in. At bedtime Grandma asked Bridget if the dollies were in pajamas and ready for bed. The look on Bridget's face is still making me smile. Dollies are so much work! :)

It was fun to start 2014 right. Thanks, Grandma and Grandpa!