NYE Family Style

What's the best way to celebrate New Year's Eve?  

As I finish cleaning up from our evening in, I have to say that I am happy with staying in just as much as I enjoy going out.  I will admit that I was a bit sad that we had to cancel our plans at the last minute due to Sanders being sick (it's strep -- we confirmed that today), but if she hadn't been sick, Brad and I wouldn't have spent tonight with our three favorite people in the world:

We spend so much time rushing around and going from function to function that it is nice to have something to make us stay home and enjoy each other -- although I am ready for poor Sanders to feel better because she still has some pretty miserable moments.

We made tonight all about celebrating.  Brad got a whole prime rib from someone who hunts on the farm for Christmas, so we cooked part of it tonight using this recipe from Pioneer Woman.  Oh my gosh, it was good.

We all ate our dinner on trays in the living room (something we never do) as we watched a cute movie, Monte Carlo.  It was definitely more of a girl movie, so the boys pretended not to like it.  After the movie was over, Brad took the Tyler and Gibson outside to shoot off a couple of fireworks, and then we ended the evening with homemade hot chocolate.

Now everyone, including Brad, has been sleeping soundly for about an hour, and we haven't even made it to 2012 yet!  I think I am off to follow suit and will ring in the new year with my eyes closed.  Maybe next year we'll get to dress up and go out...then again, if next New Year's Eve is anything like this one, it will be perfect.

Happy New Year!