HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!!!
We got together with friends last night and went out for the yummiest pizza in Chicago - Lou Malnati's. We used to go there for New Year's Eve, but we hadn't been there for several years. Last night, we remembered why. Imagine walking into a restaurant filled with families. Imagine noisemakers at every seat in the restaurant. Now imagine clowns walking around making squeaking balloon creations for the kids. Ugh! Next year, we'll bring ear plugs. Or have pizza delivered.
Know what I did first in 2008? Kiss my husband? No. Hug the kids? Nope. Wish everyone a happy new year? Huh-uh. I cleaned sparkling cider that had spilled all over my kitchen floor. I think it's an omen of things to come.
This is when the kids crashed after the chocolate extravaganza. Yes, there are ten.
And for those of you who miss seeing snow, you're insane here are some pictures for you. We got a snow storm yesterday and I thought it looked pretty as it was falling. It looks quite different after it's been on the ground for a day or two. Gray snow just doesn't have the same effect. Of course, I could do without the snow all together. Personally, I think white sand would make a nice replacement.
I hope everyone has a wonderful, blessed, fun-filled 2008!
first comment hopeful? anyway I was wondering what you were going to do on new years. I was wondering in chicago is there a big party like in new york? just wondering.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Years! Keep the wonderful stories coming.
ReplyDeleteHow did you get your fountain working so well?!?!! I have used 2 different brands on a few different occasions and I can't ever make it look as even as the pictures!
ReplyDeleteAny secrets??
The first thing I did for 2008 was indeed kiss my wife - right on the lips, I did.
ReplyDeleteTHEN I went back to my computer and worked on completing my New Year's post. I suppose that's an omen too.
http://organizeddoodles.blogspot.com/
P.S. Jan. 4 will mark one year from the day that I started my blog. Thanks for the fun.
A very happy and healthy new year to you and your family! And thanks for your enjoyable blog!
ReplyDeleteI'll take some of your snow if you take some of our heat ......42°C the other day yes that's right CELSIUS .... 100°Farenheit is around 38°C Glad your New Years Eve was good (apart from the spilt cider of course) I'll come look at those snow pictures again in a couple of days when it will again be nudging the old 100°F
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year to you too!
ReplyDeleteI vote for cheese in the fountain!
We just had a few flurries but it was pretty. I like the snow. At least for now. I feel differently if it snows in April. But it does certainly loose it's appeal after all the dirt, footprints and animal help!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!!!!!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year! Great pictures; looks like everyone had fun... except whoever had to shovel the walk. ;)
ReplyDeleteMy son was given a globe that tells the time around the world as you spin it. We live in GA, and discovered that the South Georgia Islands would be celebrating at our 8pm. Many heads in thought....
ReplyDeleteMy husband googled and found the Times Square ball drop from 2007. We set the globe at S. Georgia Is., called the kids down, (another family was with us), poured bubbly beverages, passed around hats and horns and then counted down the minutes when we were ready. One child wanted to do it again, so we did.
Gotta love naive children and the internet!
They were in bed by 9pm.
Happy New Year to you and your family, Dawn! Thank you for making me smile everyday!!
ReplyDeleteDonna :)
Yes, I only like fresh snow. And you're such a nice mom, letting the kids stay up. I made all my kids go to bed by 10. Because I was tired. And then I stayed up blogging until midnight. That's sort of pathetic.
ReplyDeleteI feel the same way about the snow - it's pretty while it's falling, but then not so much. And I hate being cold. This is why I live in Florida now. :-)
ReplyDeleteThe chocolate fountain with cheese - I think how well it would work may depend on how hard it would be to clean it. Chocolate will come off with just hot water, but cheese? Unless you clean it the second you're done using the fountain, I think it would be ruined. Unless the fountain comes apart well for cleaning. If you want melted cheese for fondue, you can use a 1 Qt crockpot, if you can find one. I do that. Works well, and is easy to clean.
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year to you and yours! I have to agree that everything is better with cheese or chocolate. And don't forget, there is actual scientific research that chocolate can be good for you! He he!
ReplyDeleteAmen, sister. Dreaming of white sand, while buried in snow in LaPorte, IN.
ReplyDeleteWe have a lot of snow in Nebraska too. It was a tough December weatherwise. I'd love to have the chance to miss snow. Happy New Year. May your days be filled with noncidered floors!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, and send some of that snow to Florida!
ReplyDeleteAny new family additions this year? Another baby(twins, perhaps?), or maybe a dog or a cat?
ReplyDelete2008 will be gr8.
Wow, what great displays of photographs you have on your wall!
ReplyDeleteSnow is nice to visit on rare occasion, and it's okay to look at, but I'm glad I don't live in it. Shoveling sidewalks and scraping windows in freezing weather is not my idea of a good time.
ReplyDeleteActually, I DO miss snow - but not much. We'll get a taste of cold weather tonight in SW Florida - the overnight temps w/b below freezing. Dawn, you might want to rethink that white sand wish for a few days, anyway.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean with the pizza parlor thing! Our kiddo is with grandma this week, so hubby and I got to go out for an adult meal, to an actual restaurant that didn't contain a playground. Looks like you had alot of fun with the chocolate fountain, and hope you have a happy and blessed 2008!!
ReplyDeleteMarcy
Hmmm. Sand is only good at the beach. My husband is in the army and sand gives me nightmares. I wish we got snow on Fort Lewis Wa like that. But, I suppose the grass is always greener.
ReplyDeleteSand is alright as long as it stays put. I guess its small advantage is that it's not cold and frozen. Honestly, I would visit the ocean much more often if it was surrounded by cement. After living near the beach my entire life (I know, I know, poor me) I really don't like sand. It gets everywhere and in some of those places really hurts. I once knew a kid who ate sand and when it arrived in his diaper caused him much grief. Ugh!
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on the snow. I'd trade snow in for sand any day living in Western MI! I have to laugh every time my brother who lives in AZ asks if we have snow.
ReplyDeleteOh I SO agree- white sand would make a wonderful replacement for snow!
ReplyDeleteWe have an abundance of snow here too (northeast Saskatchewan, canada).
Happy new year!
I feel your pain. I cleaned up cat barf first thing New Year's Day. But since I do that nearly every day, maybe it really isn't an omen.
ReplyDeletethe countess formerly known as Janet
Happy New Year! I'm with you on staying home--at least with kids.
ReplyDeleteWhite sand is only pretty in places like....White Sands, New Mexico, or the Bahamas maybe. I am from West Texas, and currently reside in Eastern New Mexico. Therefore, I can tell you that sand, well, more like DIRT, can and does blow and accumulate just like snow and is not any more fun at all! It gets in your eyes, it gets in your mouth, it gets in your house and it doesn't melt and replenish the water table. I like the idea of white sand on beaches, where it belongs. I'll go visit the sand there, as long as it doesn't come visit me! The same goes for snow, I like to see it, taste it, take pics of it, then go inside and hide from it till its gone!!
ReplyDeleteHappy New year to ya Dawn, and I enjoyed your pictures!
ReplyDeleteWe have white sand where I live... having lived up north, as well. I prefer the sand anytime of year. We even hit the beach on New Year's Eve!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year Dawn, I'm impressed you stayed up til midnight. I choose not to. I have a question. You having 6 children, I watch 3 boys plus two of my own and since its Christmas break I have 5 boys in the house. Ages 2-9. I'm going through chips. Do you shop for that kind of thing by bulk? Have a great New Year, I look forward to your book coming out.
ReplyDeleteI read over your blog, and found it so funny. I can definately relate, even though I am not a mom (a teacher instead). It is always important to find the humor in life and I sense that you do exactly that. My blog is about the crazy things I encounter as a teacher, newlywed, and recent college graduate (lovinglifeleahstyle.blogspot.com)
ReplyDeleteOh I'm sitting here with my fingrs and toes crossed that it snows tonight. The weather forecast says it will and the gritters have been out on the roads so it's looking good. Thing is we live right on the coast so If we do get it, it doesn't last long!
ReplyDeletelooks like you all had a great evening!
Who knows what 2008 will bring for you and your family? It must be very exciting for you all.
Best Wishes
Gail
Those chocolate fountains look like a mess waiting to happen. Looks like you avoided that, more reason to be happy!
ReplyDeleteYes, I had one at the New Years party I went to.
Happy New Year, Dawn! My husband's family lives about an hour south of Chicago and she said they got SIX INCHES! We live a little south of St. Louis, MO and we got ABSOLUTELY NOTHING! I'm sure if the kids knew about it, they would be jealous! We have 5 children and I really enjoy reading your blog, it's always nice to know you're not alone!
ReplyDeleteGod Bless you and your family in the New Year!
A MAYONNAISE fountain? Um...GROSS. Guess that's why us women are usually the ones who make the menus when we entertain. We had lots of snow here in MI, too - my sister in law from CA is thrilled, as this is only the second time she's seen snow in her life. I, on the other hand, am not so impressed with it anymore.
ReplyDeleteYou all actually stayed up until midnight? I don't think I've made it past 11:30 in the last few years...how depressing. Maybe next year I can come to your party and get hopped up on chocolate? I promise I won't even spill any sparkling cider!!!
HAPPY NEW YEAR!! May God continue to bless you and your family in this new year as he did in the last one...
I pray that the only omen in the cider incident is that this is your year to sparkle! Keep the humor flowing cause you often make my day! God bless you.
ReplyDeleteI am WITH YA on the White SAND instead of SNOW!
ReplyDeleteAlthough the Mojito MAMA CAP from my last post would come in handy, sand OR snow!
:)
Love to ya!
HAPPY 2008!
Mmm...Lou Malnati's...mmm... Thanks, now I'm hungry. The Uno's chain or Old Chicago chain just doesn't do it for me. Bleh. ; )
ReplyDeleteI am apparently insane because I do miss snow. I moved from Connecticut back home to Texas, although I do agree it's only nice when falling or immediately after and only if you have nowhere to go or do that week (it's awful cold after those snowstorms!) Anyway, I just wanted to comment because I never have, actually I found this blog during the e-bay hype, but never read much past the one blog. Well My new Year's eve was spent reading your December blogs. I am impressed that you wake up each day. I am now working on back reading all your blogs in my spare time. I do have one semi-serious question, but financially we are getting drained with one child and me staying at home (well sort of I teach at our Parent's Day Out/Preschool) how do you make financial ends meet, that is before the blog? I don't think my boring little blog could ever generate more than 10cents a month. Anyway I look forward to keeping up with you and your children's antics, but never let my husband read this I want more kids!
ReplyDeletetwo things...
ReplyDeletefirst, I had to laugh at your turning over the new year an immediately cleaning...I was the only one awake when the year turned...and I was up folding laundry. Pathetic.
Next, you say that you think sand would be a nice replacement because you don't live in the desert...6 kids...sand...not a good combo...my 3 kids and sand makes enough mess...I clean sand out of EVERYTHING!
You may want to check the directions for your fountain-if you still have them. You may be able to melt cheese and put it in there if you add enough oil to make it a thinner consistency and they may have a recipe. Not sure that salsa or mayonnaise will work though... :)
ReplyDeleteWow I love the chocolate fountain and I can honestly say that I would have it on every day I think,that is why I dont have one lol.
ReplyDeleteI would much prefer snow than sand because snow would dry up and its only water right, where as sand doesnt break down you are stuck with it forever. We bought our Tarago last year from a family of surfers and I tell you I am still vacuuming out sand from the bloody thing.
I need to know though what did you have on that all the kids including the younger ones were all sitting still? Or was that a split second thing?
Happy New Year. You are truly blessed.
Awww, look at the little footie pajamas...so cute. Happy New Year!
ReplyDeletehappy new year! hope to see you in my neck of the woods (my blog) one day :)
ReplyDeletePOSSIBLE SUNDAY QUESTION...But I was wondering what game/games the kids got for their Wii?
ReplyDeleteoh, what a week! It sounds like you had a fabulous NYE. We watched movies with our boys, and ate! Then, we crashed!
ReplyDeleteI do have a question for you though. My son got a rootbeer off of the shelf this evening, dropped it to the floor, and puncturing it so that it spewed. EVERYWHERE. I don't know how to get it all cleaned off. I had to redo all the dishes in the drainer. I had to wash off the entire outside of the fridge. But, it's also all over the stuff that was on the fridge, on the textured ceiling, the shlelves, the cabinets, and more. (My hubby was oh so helpful in directing Jackson to dump it in the sink, as Jackson stared at it in shocked, and walked across the floor THREE times with it, and then dropped it in the sink, where it continued to blow.) As you can tell, I am very frustrated. Sigh. I cannot imagine this times six. David and I are going to buy a new house when the boys are grown, and burn this one down. They are doing a great job of destroying it at this time. My question is, HOW am I going to get all of this stinky stuff cleaned off of everywhere? I am going to be smelling rootbeer for a decade.
Hi Dawn!! Just wanted to let you know that cheese works great in the chocolate fountain, you just have to add some white wine to smooth it out. Yummy! love your blog, I read it every day.
ReplyDeleteLove your blog. Love Lou's!! However, having just moved away from Chicago pizza...I have to say I really miss Aurelio's!!! My absolute favorite pizza! Happy New Year!
ReplyDeletehttp://shugfamily.blogspot.com
i see you're getting used to your camera- the shots keep looking better and better!
ReplyDeletei'll take snow over weird bugs and crocodiles or rats. no rats where i live. no cockroaches. you can swim in the lakes and ponds and not worry about being eaten. yes, i'll take the canadian cold anyday! lol
ReplyDeleteHey Dawn--My questions for Sunday Shout-Out:
ReplyDeleteWhat were the kids watching on TV NYE? Baby Einstein? That's the only show that ever glued my kids like that to the TV!
When you all go out for pizza, how do you decide what to get on it?
If you were to do a Mayo Fountain, what would you use to dip into the fountain? My college roommate used to dip Doritos into mayo, so maybe that?
Who were the four lucky other kids who rang in the new year with your six, or am I counting wrong and were some of yours in bed already and were there more than four extras in the pics?
And finally, are these questions too confusing?
Happy New Year!
Found your pokemon story on stumbleupon tonight. That is definitely the best ebay auction I've ever seen! Made my night :)
ReplyDeleteWow you live near Chicago?!? How cool is that! I have in-laws that live in Naperville and Crest Hill! Very cool! Thanks for the entertaining blog. I can only hope that one day, I, too will have 51 comments on my blog . . . . :-)
ReplyDeleteLooks like the kids had a ball!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, Dawn!
Happy New Year to you! I'm in Florida, where we MIGHT see flurries tonight! If I manage to see any, that will mark the first time I've seen snow -- do flurries count? I also wanted to mention, from a Floridian, I can tell you white sand wouldn't be much fun either -- it gets stuck in the craziest places on kids and moms alike!!
ReplyDeleteI have not been over here to catch up on you lately! I started my own MESSAGE BOARD on my scrapbook website and have been insane busy with it. I hope your holidays were wonderful. Ours was quiet and nice this year. I need to go now and catch up on all the crazy things I am sure you have had going on.
ReplyDeleteStacey
Hi Dawn
ReplyDeleteA very Happy New Year to you and your family.
I love your sense of humor, and on more then one occation you have lifted my spirits(which takes a lot when I get in a funk), weakened my bladder (cause I didn't want to stop reading makeing me almost pee my pants from laughing so uncontrolably), and made me think of all the happy childhood memories being raised in a large family.
Thanks for shareing your little corner of the universe with all of us.
Hugs
Tonniece
Cheez Whiz might work.
ReplyDeleteHey! You gotta take a different view of the beautiful iced branches.
ReplyDeleteThey are a great substitute when you run out of ice and stirrers for those party drinks.
Happy and healthy blessings for a great New year.
To all:
ReplyDeleteMay peace fill all the empty spaces around you
And in you, may contentment answer all your wishes.
May comfort be yours, warm and soft like a sigh.
And may the coming year show you that every day
is really a first day, a new year.
Let abundance be your constant companion,
so that you have much to share.
May mirth be near you always,
like a lamp shining brightly
on the many paths you travel.
May you be true love.
Author Unknown
I am surprised that even the littlest ones made it to midnight. WOW!!
ReplyDeleteEnlighten me, How do you do the cross through when writing on Blogger?
Wow -- what a new year's!!
ReplyDeleteBest wishes in this new year...
SAND?? You'd rather have white SAND than snow? Now think about that, really think (who's insane?). I'm just picturing a foot of SAND on the ground instead of snow. Ouch. Painful when it's coming down - especially if the wind is blowing.
ReplyDeleteGah. You might be sick of snow, but surely it's less painful!
"Yes there are ten"
ReplyDeleteBWAHAHAHA! BUSTED. I did count them LOL
We have the same fountain and yes, cheese does work. I'm right there with you on the snow. I'm in Colorado and we've had plenty of it lately. I'd like ONE day of not cleaning the snow drenched floors in my house.
ReplyDeleteWow what a crew! Happy New Year! Yeah, I hate snow too. Thankfully, the snow came to my old house after I moved and it hasn't snowed here at all! Yippee. Hope the new year is great for you, you deserve it!
ReplyDeletewww.kathy-iamwhoiam.blogspot.com
thanks for the snow pictures. I am crazy and do miss it. My mom keeps taunting me with phrases like "we got 5 inches of snow!"
ReplyDeleteI also miss me some good Chicago pizza.