What are you doing for New Year's Eve?

[Pennylane]

Anything special with your children? We were supposed to have friends come over, but they just cancelled :( I feel like I want to do something for my children, any ideas?

Ann

[g-mama]

Unfortunately, nothing. My 8 year old has had the %@&% flu since Christmas Day and my 3 year old just finally recovered from it a few days ago. It had a hold of him for 10 days. Dh and I both have colds. We are all so wiped out and there's no way I can stay up til midnight!

Hope others are in a more celebratory mood!

Oh! But I did open the door to a Fed Ex delivery today that contained a gift card for an 80-minute massage at Red Door Salon to ring in the new year from my hubby! Happy New Year to me!!

[bubbaray]

Nada, zip, zilch. We never do anything (New Years or otherwise). I'm so sick and tired of being boring. Yawn. I need to get a life. DH and I need to go out WITHOUT the children. Its been years. Its not healthy.

I found a number of bottles of champagne in a cupboard. I wonder if they "keep"?? I may just drink my way through them. LOL. JUST KIDDING. I do wonder if they are still any good, though.

[carolinamama]

Oh! But I did open the door to a Fed Ex delivery today that contained a gift card for an 80-minute massage at Red Door Salon to ring in the new year from my hubby! Happy New Year to me!!

Now that sounds wonderful. I would take that any day over a New Years Party. Sorry to hear you are dealing with being sick though.

We are hanging out at home with dc and doing the boring married with kids thing. Maybe some sparkling grape juice for DS1. I will probably even go to bed pretty early since DS2 will likely wake me several times throughout the night to eat at my full-service restaurant.

[Happy 2B mommy]

I saw this in Parents or Family Fun. Make breakfast for dinner and put stencils of 2009 on pancakes or french toast. Sprinkle with powdered sugar.

For little kids, throwing confetti and blowing horns is a blast. If they like dressing up, dress up!

[ChefGirl]

Nada here...I did tell my kids that we would go to Party City today to get some silly hats/tiaras. I may get them a few balloons....and maybe a special dinner (special take-out?) at home tomorrow night..... We went away last year to a resort for a couple of days...and the hotel had a lot of things planned for the kids, etc. But, we are trying to save some $$ this year so I can spend it all at Target for their clearance stuff.... heee heee....

[trales]

We will be doing nothing as usual. I would love just once to have plans and do something cool. I don't think I am that cool kind of person though.

Tell me your wild and crazy stories and I will live vicariously through you.

[MamaMolly]

I totally splurged on a tiny Honey Baked ham for our dinner. I love them but almost never buy them. I justified it buy promising to use the bone for soup. Gotta go to the store tomorrow for collards, black eyed peas are soaking now. Oh and instead of champagne I got a bottle of Raspberry Lambec.

We used to go out or have a party before DD. I'm sick and tired of being boring, so I'm taking baby steps towards fun!

[Babywhite]

We have been doing a potluck and fireworks with family for the past few years, so I suggested doing something different this year.

We are going to a "nicer" restaurant and then to a drive-thru holiday light show. There also have a fire and hot chocolate, a lighted holiday path that you can walk thru, and a carousel. The kids should enjoy it.

Also, our best friends are coming, so it should be fun. We just hope that it won't run so late that the kids start getting grumpy... :)

[SnuggleBuggles]

We will be going to a family event from 6-9:30 (countdown at 9). I may go to dinner w/ dh before that since that's the only time we can get a babysitter. I haven't decided yet if I will let ds1 stay up till midnight like we did last year. It's nice to have quiet time w/ dh but last year it was neat for ds1 to ring in the new year with us. We do own some champagne already.
Beth

[happy2bamom]

For the first time in our 10 year relationship, we are going out for New Years! My DH surprised me with concert tickets to see Bare Naked Ladies on New Years (they were my favorite band in college). I"m so excited!

I am planning to get some special snacks ready for the kids and the babysitter.

[citymama]

We're having a few friends over for dinner, and if we're lucky, we'll stay up long enough to ring in 2009! :p

[gatorsmom]

Usually we have my brother's family and kids over and have a party with noise makers and sparkling apple cidar. They aren't coming this year so I think we'll just allow the boys to stay up as long as they want and drink the apple cidar and run around yelling Happy New Years! The funny thing with kids this age is that you can make cupcakes and call it a party and they get all excited.

Honestly, I"m burnt out. I'm so glad we aren't doing anything. I"m just not in the mood.

[Pennylane]

For the first time in our 10 year relationship, we are going out for New Years! My DH surprised me with concert tickets to see Bare Naked Ladies on New Years (they were my favorite band in college). I"m so excited!

I am planning to get some special snacks ready for the kids and the babysitter.

So jealous! They are mine and my DH's favorite band. Hope you have a blast!

Ann

[Corie]

We've been doing the same thing every year since we had kids.

We go to the party store and pick out balloons. Each member
of our family gets a balloon. Each person picks their color.

Then, we also pick a family balloon.

Later that night, we all put on our pajamas, wear our party gear
and go outside with our balloons. We each make a wish on our
balloon for the new year. Then you let it go.
The family balloon is done together. We make a wish as a family.

It's fun and the kids like doing it. We are going tomorrow to
iParty to pick out our balloons. :)

[Wife_and_mommy]

I'm taking my kiddos to the zoo tomorrow for a special NYE event. DH might meet us there.

In the evening, both kiddos are going to bed early. They've had cousin festivities the last couple days so need the extra sleep. My mom is coming over to sit while they sleep while we go to the movies. I can't wait to see the Will Smith movie. We'll probably get ice cream too.

I let DD stay up the year she was one. She did great but I prefer the date night we've had the last three years. ;)

[pb&j]

I am too tired to even consider it! Between the new baby, Christmas, my bday (a few days ago), DS's bday (a few day from now), and daycare having been closed since Xmas eve, New Year's is the last thing on my mind.

[shawnandangel]

We're having a party. We figured we didn't want to take DD out with all the drunks on the road so we would bring everyone to us! Rules - don't come if you're sick we've got a newborn and if you've been drinking you are not allowed in the nursery.

Also it's byob because we're trying to save money. The last time we had a new years eve party we spent like $500 after all the alcohol, food and decorations. This year we are providing food and silly hats. Of course, that party was a lot larger than this one is going to be. Maybe 10 people at this one. That one was huge. OMG we were finding glitter for the whole year afterwards.

We're gonna watch The Dark Knight and maybe some other films, maybe play some card games.

[lilycat88]

I have a date with my couch. I'm so excited. I'm serious.

[elephantmeg]

we're having a dozen or so people (mostly families with small kids) over for a party that lasts til midnight! Whoot! It should be a lot of fun. We're doing snacks, make your own pizzas, sodas, chips, salad and a friend is bringing desert. I figure we'll play blokus and our new wii/wii fit and the kids will play and we're breaking out all the pack n plays for extra kids to sleep in.

[elephantmeg]

We've been doing the same thing every year since we had kids.

We go to the party store and pick out balloons. Each member
of our family gets a balloon. Each person picks their color.

Then, we also pick a family balloon.

Later that night, we all put on our pajamas, wear our party gear
and go outside with our balloons. We each make a wish on our
balloon for the new year. Then you let it go.
The family balloon is done together. We make a wish as a family.

It's fun and the kids like doing it. We are going tomorrow to
iParty to pick out our balloons. :)


I love this!

[elektra]

I may go to a friend's house since my aunt is in town and can possibly babysit. However, I am pregnant, and I can just see myself wanting to leave the party early as I won't be drinking and I can see it getting kinda boring for me pretty fast.
I will more likely stay home with DH. Maybe we can make it a more fun night than our usual watching TV/ computering in separate rooms.

[srhs]

It's suddenly apparent I will be sleep training DS--by myself. Just got home from our sleep-schedule-sabotaging-Christmas-trip-to-Grandma's last night, and we restarted Ferber tonight. I gave DH a big lecture about being consistent so it'd be easier on DS to adjust, so I can't exactly drag him out.

DH has to work his company's formal NYE party, which I used to attend.

Guess you could say I'm getting the knot-building-guilt-in-the-gut-feeling for NY!




I found a number of bottles of champagne in a cupboard. I wonder if they "keep"?? I may just drink my way through them. LOL. JUST KIDDING. I do wonder if they are still any good, though.

On a lighter note, BC in Dec. never sounded so good. ;)

[mommyp]

Nothing...home relaxing. We think we will stay up until midnight at least though. I got some nice food and snacks and we'll just hang out and maybe play one of our new board games after DD goes to sleep. Yep we're exciting!

[amandabea]

Hmm, nothing. Even if we had been invited to do something it's unlikely that I'd be able to stay up that late and even less likely that DH would want to do anything anyway. He's antisocial (is that one word?).
Ho-hum. I'm so boring.

[sdjeppa]

We are going to the Legoland Kids New Year's Eve party. We have passes, and went last year, and had a blast! They have Justin Roberts playing for hours, and the "brick" falls at 6 PM, so we are home by 8 or 9, put DS down and then DH and I watch the New Years shows on TV. :).

Jenny, Mommy to Z 9-27-03

[giavila]

New Year's Eve is my dh's birthday so we always do something. Every year is different. Tomorrow we are going out to a nice dinner with my in laws then going home to put the kids to bed (his parents are gonna babysit). We are then gonna go to a small gathering with a few friends. We will probably just be out for 2 hours or so. I don't have the energy to stay up too late these days.

[maydaymommy]

For the first time in our 10 year relationship, we are going out for New Years! My DH surprised me with concert tickets to see Bare Naked Ladies on New Years (they were my favorite band in college). I"m so excited!

I am planning to get some special snacks ready for the kids and the babysitter.


We did this!! It must have been 5 - 8 years ago (I should remember). We went to see Bare Naked Ladies on New Year's Eve somewhere in Philadelphia. It was SO fun and a great show.

We had such a great time that we said we wanted to see a concert every New Year's Eve.

Now we go to a party at a friends house. This will be the 5th year. Somehow everyone gets a sitter or has g'parents watching kids. It is mostly DH's friends, but we have gotten close to two or so couples who go.

Enjoy the concert!

[rlu]

After dinner (I think DH is planing something different) we'll watch "a family movie with popcorn" (probably Curious George or Cars) and then at DS's bedtime we'll tromp out front with pots and wooden spoons, noisemakers, NYE hats, and cameras and bang in the New Year. That way DS gets to go to bed "after his bedtime". He'll most likely be in bed by 8:30pm. We learned this from our long-ago neighbors who did this with their kids.

Our niece is visiting and she brought Momma Mia Sing A Long so we'll watch that after DS goes to bed, which thrills DH to no end. I don't actually know most of the Abba songs (I was into country during the disco time - other than Andy Gibb of course) so the lyrics will be useful.

We have Martinelli's on hand for midnight.

[Pennylane]

We are going to the Legoland Kids New Year's Eve party. We have passes, and went last year, and had a blast! They have Justin Roberts playing for hours, and the "brick" falls at 6 PM, so we are home by 8 or 9, put DS down and then DH and I watch the New Years shows on TV. :).

Jenny, Mommy to Z 9-27-03

How fun! Hope you have a great time!

Ann

[elliput]

We know several families who have pre-schoolers and at the urging of some other friends (who have grown children), we are hosting a kid friendly NYE party. It will be open house style. Doors open at 4pm and our friends are welcome to stop by at any time for any length of time. We have lots of board/table games, will have Guitar Hero going on the Wii, plenty of toys/crafts for the kids, and lots and lots of food. DH picked up a box of party hats, confetti poppers and glow necklaces for added fun and silliness.

[brittone2]

Not doing it this year, because we're all recovering from being sick, but a friend of ours has hosted a "family sleepover" in the past, which is really cool :)

This year I'm taping the ball drop so we can use it next year to celebrate at noon with the kids...that way they can participate.

In recent years (including this year), we just get together w/ my parents at home and have some appetizers and drinks all evening. Totally not exciting but I'm looking forward to some bubbly :54:

[mommylamb]

We're getting together with some of the moms and babies (and dads) from the moms group I was in when I was off on maternity leave. We'll probably sleep over at the hosts house, so no need to drive and we can put the kids to bed and then hang out with the adults. I'm a home body anyway, so I have absolutely no interest what so ever in going out for real.

[Percycat]

We are celebrating new years early. In a similar vein as another post about not socializing any more (or differently) now that we have kids, we decided to host new years at our house. DH and I debated about inviting "all of our friends with kids" or keeping it small. We decided to just invite one or two families (partly because we are too tired to host a big party and partly because I really don't want all the rejection from people who already have other plans.... (I know... pathetic). One family could come; the other family could not. Then last weekend we were at a birthday party for the family who is coming and she wanted to host at her house. At first I was dissappointed and wondering why her house and not ours..... STUPID ME.... I now get to go somewhere else, where someone else is making dinner and getting the house ready, and I just get to enjoy the evening with friends and family. Thank goodness, because we still have Christmas china, presents, and empty boxes that have not been put away and probably will not be until tomorrow or this weekend.

I hope you all enjoy the evening in which ever way you celebrate. We are blessed.

angela

[vonfirmath]

Sleeping. We've been sick this week and my sister and parents took the baby so we can have time to sleep and recover and I plan to take full advantage of it!

[StantonHyde]

Let's just say that DH being an Emergency Med MD puts a damper on New Years--even when he is not working, the most we do is go to an early dinner and *get off the road* early!!

I quit needing to party on NYE a long time ago. It's just not a big deal for me--especially since I like to go to bed early. We are going to a fun sledding bday party on NY Day, which is great since DH is working that day.

I just overheard one of my co-workers describing an evening that sounds so heavenly I almost cried: One son is going to a party, one is in Las Vegas, her husband is at the Sugar Bowl and she is all ALONE and will get to sit at home, by herself, drink and eat what she wants, sit with her dogs, and read a good book. I just want to throw myself on the ground and cry. That would be heaven. (can you tell DS has been out of school for over a week now ;) )

[MommytoEliana]

We're going to go hang out with some friends at their new house for a while. We've all got young kids, so we're going over after naptime, having supper and playing for a while, and heading home whenever the kids need to go. Given how mine have been acting today, I'm guessing we'll be out the door by 8 at the latest.

My favorite thing to do, and what I would have asked DH for had our friends not invited us over, is to make fondue and play board games. Making it to midnight isn't a big deal for me, especially since having kids.

ETA: The idea of staying home by myself and eating/drinking/doing whatever I wanted would be fantastic! Hmm...wonder if DH would take the kids to our friends' house by himself? :-) (J/K...but I would love an evening home by myself with no responsibilities.)

[Tondi G]

I have Lasagna in the oven so we'll have dinner at 6 or so. We're on our way out the door to buy some stuff to make a fun breakfast at home with the boys for New Years Day. I suppose we'll celebrate at 9pm with the kids and attempt to get them to bed before midnight.... my 7 year old says he is staying up! We'll see! DH and I both are in the middle of colds so we are not planning on doing too much! Our neighbors may come over for a bit with their 3 kiddos so the kids can play/celebrate.

[Emmas Mom]

Nothing & loving it. I'll be asleep if I'm lucky. We rented Eagle Eye & will put that in once the girls go down, then MAYBE watch the ball drop at midnight but we'll both probably be asleep. I do have some Martinellis Sparkling Cider that I'll open & we'll have that with popcorn during the movie. lol We sound so boring but I like being in on NYE. ;)