The Best Way

We got to ring in the New Year in the Best Way!!

First: Since it was a big deal to both Keilie and Caden, we decided to stay up with them.  We rang in the New Year on Eastern time with all of the kids playing games.  For the record: after we all got tired of Keilie and I winning Apples to Apples Jr., Randy and I lost to the kids at Beat the Parents.  The tensions were high enough for one of the kids (we'll call him C. Dirks-- no, no Caden D., to keep his identity anonymous) to actually shed some frustrated tears.  He could.not.stand that we were winning because of the "easy" questions we were getting.  They won us, fair and square, but only because of the timing of one of the cards.  And maybe because I gave a few hints, or gave some extra time for them to answer, or didn't answer cards I knew the answers to.  In all honesty, there is no one that can best Caden at trivia.  He remembers every little thing, stupid things even.  So they were "easy" because he knew the answers to most of the Parent questions. 

See... I can put aside my competitive compulsions for the greater good of the home.  (Cough, cough) And tender, competitive feelings of the teenager.

Once the younger kids were in bed (after Sparkling Cider toasts, or course) we pulled out the Big Kid Game...

 {Risk}

(a.k.a: I would rather get a cavity filled without anesthesia than play this game)

Caden had recently played at a late-over with friends, so he was on a Risk high.  And let me just say, we were going for blood this game.  There was anger, there was yelling, there was crying because of said yelling, there was cheering, there was victory claps and dances, there was FUN!  

Yes, I can admit it freely, I actually had fun playing Risk.

Second: Before the end of the game, something even more magical happened, something that made the night even funner.  No, it wasn't the moment we remembered the delicious junk, the $80 worth of carbohydrates, sodium, and glucose that tasted like a dream and added love handles to our bellies!  It was the news that my sister, Danielle, was in the hospital, awaiting the doctor's arrival from another delivery in another hospital, to deliver her son, Drew.  As it turns out, this cute little prince...

was the first baby born in Northern Utah (that was not induced or scheduled c-section, cause those shouldn't really count, even though Davis Hospital seems to think they should, trying to pass off the twin boys born at 11:59pm and 12:01am due to a schedule c-section. Psh, please, we know you timed that because you wanted -not needed- to!), welcomed into the world at 12:04am, weighing 8 pounds, 4 ounces, and 21" long.  She would have gladly had him in 2016, but the on-call doctor got there just a few minutes too late-- arrival at hospital to birth was less than four hours, including wait time to push.

Welcome to the Wayne and Rachelle Burrell extended family, Drew.  We are a wildly crazy bunch that already love you fiercely.  

Congratulations Danielle, Taylor, Payton, and Audrey Johnson. 

Happy New Year 2017!!!