New Years Eve With the Kids!

Back in the day (translation: pre-kids), my husband and I would plan a fun night out for New Years Eve.  It would be composed of dinner at a nice restaurant (usually overpriced) followed by either a club or party of some sort.  I’d even stay up until after the ball dropped!

Wow have times changed!  With infants, we could’ve opted for a babysitter and paint the night red like the old days.  Mostly, we would end up eating at home and trying to pry our eyes open to at least see the ball drop on TV.  One year we thought if we invited another family over, we’d gather the energy to stay awake.  Both husbands were snoring before 11:15pm, and by 11:30pm my friend and I looked at each other and decided not to be martyrs.  We called it a night.

Now that the boys are a bit older, we thought we could all go out for NYE.  Last year we were invited to a close friend’s house – parents and kids,delicious home cooked meal, perfect right?  My youngest fell asleep on the floor of their play room by 8:30pm (takes after his parents).  My oldest – well, we couldn’t find him at first but when we did, he apparently found his way into the guest bedroom and made himself comfy on the bed.  That was before 10:00pm.

This year we figured that it would be better to plan for early festivities and then cozy up at home.  It’ll be OK if we fall asleep before midnight…as long as we are all together.

The hubby is in charge of the dinner menu and I have been researching some cool activities to do, maybe start a few holiday traditions…

Balloon Countdown – Craftibilities

I am loving this idea to keep the excitement going throughout the night…

Crafty Countdown – One Artsy MamaAnother way to countdown to the New Year, craftily, without the popping of balloons.Time Capsule – Come Together KidsHow much fun will it be to open this next year, or even in 5 years, to see what was written and how much they have grown?Such a great idea, right?Here’s an undated version of the printable…for free from Wonderful Joy Ahead! You can complete the same one each year.Scavenger HuntPick up some inexpensive gifts from the dollar store or dollar spot for the kids and hide them throughout the house…with clues to each of them planted with the “gift of 2014” before.Cheers!Want to cheer in the New Year with the kids, in a super fun way?  Fill champagne flutes with milk, or ginger ale, and pair with a cookie!