Up All Night

Well, 'til 3:00 AM, anyway. What a hoot. Kids, adults, games...Big fun. It all started at 6:00 or so, when I went out to put up the little "casitas de luz" that Janneke suggested we make. We'd read about them in a book that one of her TA's had brought back from Spain for the kids. They're pretty easy to make - a little nuclear power plant-looking tower of snow, with a hole down the middle, and a candle in the bottom:



I did ten in all, atop the snow bank lining the driveway:



So that led folks in, where they were greeted by a punch bowl that Janneke had improvised out of a cheese dish cover, and which she and Q had filled:



Not to mention all the appetizers Janneke had whipped up. Which were fantastic. Thereafter, there were just kids all over, playing games, squealing, shouting, and adults enjoying an adult beverage or three. It was just great excitement to see our friends Brad and Betsy bringing in all their overnight gear. It made me feel like I was 12 again. Well, make that 10. 12 kind of stunk for me.

The kids all sat down to supper at the big people table:



While the adults retired to the little kids' table in the living room to partake of the mucha comida that folks had brought to contribute to the potluck. Post-dinner, the kids wound down and were in bed by 11:00 or so - early for us, but monstrously late for them. All but Benni, the oldest, went out like lights, while he bravely waited until the other boys had fallen asleep in Q's room before sneaking out to come downstairs and play ping-pong with the big folk:







Upstairs to watch the ball drop and be horrified by the spectre of Dick Clark, risen from the grave, propped in front of the camera for his yearly ghoulishness. Such a bad move to have their entire audience staring in open-mouthed terror every time the camera went back to him. I mean, hey, it's great that he's still doing as well as he is at his age. But at some point, television hosting stops being the best idea for all of us. He had a good run. He should leave it to the youngsters.

Conversation and laughter therafter:



Post-ball-dropping, we played the Celebrity Game, our secret weapon, guaranteed to bring out the yuks, known by all who have ever attended a social function at our house. Much more laughter, helped along by the giddiness induced by exhaustion, ensued. (Another guaranteed party-enhancer, by the way: A slow leak of nitrus oxide from a tank under the coffee table. Ask about it at Home Depot.) And Benni made it all the way to 3:00 with the big folks before heading home with Magnus and Margaret. (They left Karin here, asleep as she was in T' room.) Kids were up at 8:00, expecting pancakes and a movie. First the movie:



And then the pancakes. No pictures thereof, unfortunately. 'Cuz they were spectacular. As was the fruit salad that Brad made, and for which he sacrificed his left thumb on the knife whose sharpness I was so proud of. Which is just like me: What I do well causes pain and suffering to those I care about. Me and Peter Parker, man. Same situation.

Gonna have to figure out what those spots are on some of the night shots - starting to irritate me...To quote Betsy: "HAPPY NEW YEAR!"