Goodbye, 2010

And hello 2011!

We started off our New Year's Eve by answering two very simple questions...

First question: My parents asked if we would like for Charlotte and Jensen to attend their first sleepover at Grandma and Grandpa's house. Um...let us think...yes, please!

Of course, when we dropped them off for their slumber party, I could not resist getting one last family picture of 2010. But why are Brian and I in our pajamas? See next question...

Second question: The Wrens asked us if we would like to come over for a low-key New Year's Eve dinner. And they asked us if we would be okay with wearing our pajamas. Hmmm...get all dressed up in uncomfortable party clothes, or throw on our PJs? Pajama Party it is!

So we spend NYE 2010 with the Wrens and the Samuels, enjoying a delicious pork tenderloin dinner, good conversation, and of course, pajama-wearing. Cristi is a hostess extraordinaire, and left no detail unattended. Observe...

Festive table (complete with her mom's china)!

I love these huge ornaments hanging from the chandelier.

Party favors at each place setting (tiny candles that look like champagne bottles).

The piece de resistance...butter in the shape of a rose! I would not in a million years think of doing something like that!

Chris doing his best butler impression and Kristen looking slightly alarmed. Cristi had also frozen cranberries into the ice cubes in our water!

 But the evening was not completely formal...

We were, after all, in our pajamas!

Pajamas and champagne...not too bad.

Fun with the camera's automatic timer!

Fun with Bobby's new toy (can you see it?).

There it is! Allie wasn't too sure what to think. (Yes, it's a remote control helicopter...and yes, the boys thought it was pretty much the best thing ever.)

Hmmm...not entirely sure about this one.

Miss Allie made it until midnight!

Cristi was extremely offended that the Big D NYE special we were watching did not play Auld Lang Syne at midnight (they were playing Metallica!) so she had to find and listen to it on her iPhone so she could properly ring in the new year.

A good time was indeed had by all! We made up a new word (Buellin': to do something that is Ferris Bueller-like), enjoyed a delicious meal, and even found photographic proof that Kristen and I did not meet just a couple of years ago like we originally thought...she has a picture of us together at the same birthday party in elementary school. Too funny! We also entered the planning phase of Brian and Cristi's 30th Birthday Celebration (they were born on the same day, in the same hospital!).

We headed home fairly early (at least by NYE standards) and enjoyed sleeping in until 8:30 before going to my parents' house to pick up Charlotte and Jensen (who, by the way, had a pretty good night...I think they might get invited back some day for another sleepover!). New Year's Day was all about tradition...we watched a few bowl games and Brian made us eat black-eyed peas (I even mashed some up for the kiddos, and Bailey got a few as well). I pretty much never make resolutions, but I made two this year (no, one of them isn't losing weight...I figure that one should go without saying.). Resolution #1: De-clutter! The walls are really starting to close in on us around here. The babies have a lot of stuff--that's inevitable and their stuff isn't going anywhere. But I am terrible about never throwing anything away, leading to our house being full of junk that we never use. The first order of business: cleaning out the pantry. Here's the "after" shot:

I know it still looks fairly full, but I think that's because we moved all of our cleaning supplies from under the kitchen sink to the top shelf (babyproofing!).

In addition to the pantry, I've also cleaned out my closet (Charlotte "helped" me decide which shoes to donate to the thrift shop) and dresser...it's a start, right? Next up is our junk drawer...yikes. Kind of dreading that one. Resolution #2: Put a bit more effort into my appearance. I have been terrible about having days when I don't even get out of my pajamas, and if I do, it's to change into ratty sweatpants and one of Brian's old t-shirts (he's a lucky guy, huh? Haha!). I'm not saying I'm going to start wearing dresses and heels around the house, but there's no reason I can't take ten minutes or so to slap on a bit of makeup and clothes that match. I think making the effort to look better will make me feel better as well!

Saying goodbye to 2010 is strange. Since Charles Dickens probably has some kind of trademark on the whole "best of times, worst of times" phrase, I will say this about 2010: It was, hands-down, the best year of my life...but also the most challenging, rewarding and life-changing. When 2010 began, we were immersed in baby name books and nursery plans. Then Spring came, and so did weeks of bed rest, worry, and prayers that Charlotte and Jensen would be born healthy. April 22 found us in the hospital welcoming our two beautiful children, and the next few months were a blur...was there even a summer this year? It's honestly tough to remember anything besides feeding babies! Fall and winter flew by in what seems like one "first" after another...every day held new challenges and rewards. I truly feel blessed to have had a year full of more awe-inspiring moments than I could possibly count.

I hope that everyone has a safe, happy, and healthy 2011!