A "New" New Year's Eve Tradition!

The last few years we've spent New Year's Eve very simply with a few friends. This year it was my turn to host and I wanted to help the kids (well more like myself) stay awake until midnight!
 
I turned to Pinterest for some help and found several ideas on creating a balloon activity time countdown and thought the idea was fun and simple enough to try. The idea is to write an activity on a piece of paper, put it in a balloon, blow up the balloon and then write a time on it. When the time comes one child pops the balloon, reads the activity and the group sets out to do it!

We had 5 kids with us ranging in age from 3-11 and decided to start our countdown at 7:30 with activities every 45 minutes until 11:15. Here are the activities we decided on:

7:30 - Puzzles

8:15 - Board Game 

9:00 - Make your own sundae

9:45 - Glow Stick Trampoline Jumping

10:30 - Wii Dance Party

11:15 - Go outside and wish the neighbors Happy New Year with noisemakers 

We finished off our evening ringing in the new year with a balloon drop and a sparkling cider toast!

It was quite a bit of fun and will certainly be added to next year's celebrations!

Happy New Year everyone!
~Michelle Battitori

Hello 2014...

Happy New Year to you!!! Yesterday I posted two questions on my Facebook page:

1. Do you make New Year's resolutions?
2. Do you document them?

To answer my own questions: kind of, and yes!

The definition of resolution is "a firm decision to do or not to do something." To me that just seems unattainable. Instead, I try to focus on goals. Are they same thing? More or less, yes, but my simple brain thinks there is a difference. I guess that word "firm" plays tricks in my head. It's too black and white for me. Goals on the other hand seem more like a plan. They have a little wiggle room and don't seem so rigid. I feel like goals imply a plan of attack. It gives me a way to analyze and assess my progress to make changes as needed. Does it make sense? You tell me.

Last family photo of 2013

Either way, I wanted to share my goals for 2014. It's my way of being accountable. These will inevitably become part of my Picture My Life Scrapbook this year so be prepared to see them again. Oh, and feel free to call me out if you notice I've dropped the ball a bit (especially on #3, 4, and 6).

1. Exercise 4 - 5 days a week. If I lose a few extra pounds great. If not, no big deal. I need it for mental clarity and sanity. 
2. Run a race/obstacle once a month. I'm already signed up for the Frozen 5K on the 5th so check that off my list for January!
3. Take pictures of the projects I make and blog about them. I can't even begin to tell you the projects I've made in 2013 that never got photographed or posted. Why, I have no idea. I guess I'm just being lazy.
4. Finish my kids 1st Year Albums. My oldest is 10 so it's about time I get it done! Thankfully the other two albums are much further along!
5. Date night with my hubby once a month. 
6. Participate in more crafty blog challenges...this goes along with #3 (and I need to use up my stash of papers!)

As a family we'll sit down and write some family goals a little later today. It's always fun to see what the kids come up with!