Life's a Beach Part 6: Happy New Year!

We are now up to New Year's Eve. Hang in there, we are almost done.

My dad and Linda have recently moved to Utah, but they drove down for a few days and we were able to meet up on New Year's Eve for breakfast. We did also get to see my dad one other day for breakfast, but we are hoping they will come out here for a visit soon because it was not enough. Alyssa saw them at GK's funeral but between living in Germany and moving to Utah, my two younger kids had not seen them in 3 1/2 years and that is way too long. I am very happy that we were able to sneak in a quick visit.

 
Alyssa and my mom went to see The Lion King at The Panteges on the afternoon of New Years Eve so that left just Seth and I and our little kids for a few hours. We drove up the coast and got out and hiked around at these cliffs. Seth took the camera from me, which I always wish he would do but then when he does I go in to a please don't take my picture panic. Does anyone live in this contradictory state where you wish there were pictures of you but you hate to see pictures of yourself?




 
Pretty, right? But if I am being honest I think Door County is just as pretty prettier, although not nearly as warm.


 
When we got back to the house for the evening. the New Years celebrations began with a hot dog cookout and kiddy champagne, AKA cotton candy with Sprite poured over it.




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The kids made hats out of paper and Alex's said, A New Day in the USA, which we thought sounded like a campaign slogan.

 
There was a lengthy dance party and I recorded some of it but my HD videos never transfer well here.


 
We made s'mores out on the patio.




 
Alyssa snuggled with Sybil. Sybil is 17 years old. She is down to skin and bones and is blind and it is heartbreaking to watch her even if you are not an animal lover. Alyssa is so sweet with her. Every day she went on the patio and spent time petting her and holding her, dressing her in a coat and wrapping her in blankets. She wanted to bring her home, but Sybil is way beyond where she can control her bowels and bladder and she would also freeze to death if she tried to go outside. Bernie is a young healthy furry fellow and even he had some trouble with the cold this last week. I had never before seen him look cold but when he came in from peeing on the 50 below days his back legs were frozen and he could not put them down. He was walking only on his front two legs with the back ones sticking up like chicken wings. It was hilarious and I wanted to take a video but instead I was nice and rubbed his legs so they would work again. But now I am off topic. The point was, Alyssa is a true animal lover.

 
Kelly stuffed a pinata full of noisemakers and party poppers and silly string and all the goods that we would need to successfully ring in the new year. Luke was so intense.






 
When the pinata finally broke, poor Audrey was devastated to find that none of it was candy. She opened up the bottom of one of the party poppers and was about to eat the confetti. I guess it may have been cruel to do a candy free pinata, but they got over it.

 
Running out at midnight.
 
I don't know why this is the first pic of Valerie that night, but she is wearing footed pajamas with Boston Terriers for feet. I have some footage of her dancing but I guess I didn't get a very good picture of them.


 
I love this one of Luke and Chloe, because they have an ongoing dramatic feud between them.



 
On New Year's Day Jeff flew in from Utah, so we finally did our siblings gift exchange and Valerie got roller skates from Steven and skated downtown with Luke as her coach and it was pretty entertaining. Somehow I did not get a single picture of Jeff this trip, but for the record he was there and we were glad to have the whole crew together at last. 



Happy 2014!!! Just one more post to go!