NYE 2009, Slaughter Style

It's New Year's Eve 2009, and we decided to spend it together as a family. Shocking, right? To be honest, Matt and I normally try to at least go to dinner by ourselves on NYE, but this year, we decided to hang out with our babies and just bring in the new year together. And I'm just going to tell it like it is... it was stressful. And hard. We tried to do dinner, but it was just really bad. Jeb hadn't taken a nap, so he was having none of the high chair or his chicken. The girls were fighting across the table over Barbie doll shoes. Belle dropped an entire bowl of ketchup in her lap. Jeb hit Estella in the eye with a plastic motorcycle. Afterwards, I really wanted to go to Barnes and Noble--yes, I'm a glutton for punishment. After an exhaustive search, I couldn't find the book I wanted. Matt asked someone who worked there, and they told him in .2 seconds that they didn't have it. Hmmmm? Why did I think of asking? Everyone piled back in the Jeep. The kids began chanting for ice cream. Of course. Again, Belle spilled hers in her lap. Jeb threw his in the floor board, and it landed on top of Estella's boot then dripped slowly to the floor mat. I was never so glad to see the inside of my garage as when we pulled back into it. After they had a bath, they helped me make some sweets, then we sent them off to bed... all begging to stay up longer. I sat down on the couch next to Matt, relieved, and seconds later, I missed them (just a little). So, yeah, it was the perfect evening. I wouldn't have it any other way.

Before we left on our little NYE outing we took some "last of 2009" pictures. Here are some of them, ending with a few after we made it home--one of Jeb eating cookie batter off my finger (which he did about 100 times) and the last one is of the kids after their bath and before we herded them off to bed. HAPPY NEW YEAR, EVERYONE!