This is a quick pocket page of our New Year's Eve celebration.
The last couple of years it's really hit home, that our new years eve's, spent together as a family of four, are dwindling...
By grade 12, I was no longer hanging out at home...
All good things must come to an end...
I don't know if they 'must', but they do. And that's okay.
This year, we made the decision to spend NYE at home. Just the four of us. It's the first time, since 2007 that we were alone for new years. [We were home in 2007 because both kids had ear infections. Fun times...] We have always done something on new years. Usually it's been a get together with friends. We spent a few NYE out in Kananaskis in the past, we have never mindfully decided to stay home.
This year, I was looking forward to fun food, a crackling fire, board games and just hanging out with my people.
All was good, until about 5 pm that afternoon. Madelyn saw on the news, that there was a party happening downtown at Olympic Plaza. Suddenly our staying home seemed to come as a total surprise to her, and all she wanted to do was: Go. To. Olympic. Plaza...
She finally realized that her begging was futile... I mean, it wasn't ridiculously cold, like it had been last year [when I believe the Olympic Plaza festivities were cancelled] But we'd already decided to stay home. She ranted quite a bit. More than I'd have cared to listen to. I honestly thought the whole evening was going to be derailed... At one point, I thought maybe she's going to remember this as the NYE she spent in her room... At one point, Mason looked at her and said "You're acting like a toddler..."
Somehow we managed to pull it all together, and have a fun, quiet evening at home. We had favourite snack foods. We played games. [The kids received Ticket to Ride this year, and we've had a lot of fun playing it] We also played Settlers of Catan, which is a crowd fav around here.
We celebrated at midnight with milk and chocolate chip cookies... [that particular toast almost didn't happen, because when I was making the cookies, Madelyn got angry and said, 'to cheers that way was a dumb idea'] At that point, she was still trying to convince us to head down town. I just about said "Fine." And didn't make the cookies... But then I would have been the one acting like a toddler...
One thing I'm working very, very hard at doing is this: not reacting.
And believe me, there is loads of room for improvement here. But I'm trying. I'm conscience of my reactions, and I'm really trying to not react immediately and say things out of hurt feelings. Because that's really what it's about.
The reacting me would have said "Fine, I'm not making cookies". Chances are pretty good there might have been a slight hissy-fit involved on my part. Then come midnight I would have felt guilty, because I'd wanted to do something special for my family but didn't see it through.
Instead, I made the cookies, realizing that she was just frustrated with the circumstances, and it ended up being awesome. I highly recommend toasting in the new year with milk in fancy glasses and chocolate chip cookies. Too bad we haven't done that before.
This year, I was looking forward to fun food, a crackling fire, board games and just hanging out with my people.
All was good, until about 5 pm that afternoon. Madelyn saw on the news, that there was a party happening downtown at Olympic Plaza. Suddenly our staying home seemed to come as a total surprise to her, and all she wanted to do was: Go. To. Olympic. Plaza...
She finally realized that her begging was futile... I mean, it wasn't ridiculously cold, like it had been last year [when I believe the Olympic Plaza festivities were cancelled] But we'd already decided to stay home. She ranted quite a bit. More than I'd have cared to listen to. I honestly thought the whole evening was going to be derailed... At one point, I thought maybe she's going to remember this as the NYE she spent in her room... At one point, Mason looked at her and said "You're acting like a toddler..."
Somehow we managed to pull it all together, and have a fun, quiet evening at home. We had favourite snack foods. We played games. [The kids received Ticket to Ride this year, and we've had a lot of fun playing it] We also played Settlers of Catan, which is a crowd fav around here.
We celebrated at midnight with milk and chocolate chip cookies... [that particular toast almost didn't happen, because when I was making the cookies, Madelyn got angry and said, 'to cheers that way was a dumb idea'] At that point, she was still trying to convince us to head down town. I just about said "Fine." And didn't make the cookies... But then I would have been the one acting like a toddler...
One thing I'm working very, very hard at doing is this: not reacting.
And believe me, there is loads of room for improvement here. But I'm trying. I'm conscience of my reactions, and I'm really trying to not react immediately and say things out of hurt feelings. Because that's really what it's about.
The reacting me would have said "Fine, I'm not making cookies". Chances are pretty good there might have been a slight hissy-fit involved on my part. Then come midnight I would have felt guilty, because I'd wanted to do something special for my family but didn't see it through.
Instead, I made the cookies, realizing that she was just frustrated with the circumstances, and it ended up being awesome. I highly recommend toasting in the new year with milk in fancy glasses and chocolate chip cookies. Too bad we haven't done that before.
Who knows, this may have been the last time we celebrate the arrival of a brand new year as our family of 4.
As these kids get older, it just gets more and more fun.
The following Sahlin Studio product was used:
As these kids get older, it just gets more and more fun.
The following Sahlin Studio product was used:
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