new year's eve isn't what it used to be...

... but sometimes I think it might be more fun now than it once was.

It is 7:00 now, and the biggest boys are outside shooting hoops. When they finally come to their senses and figure out its too freaking cold to be playing outside in the dark, we'll start our annual New Year's Eve Bash.

The ten year old and I spent the last hour prepping our New Year's Eve play list, which includes such requested tunes as Eye of the Tiger by Survivor, Let's be Friends by the Sesame Street Gang, Stompin' at the Savoy by Ella Fitzgerald, and 5 piece Chicken Dinner by the Beastie Boys. We also threw in a little Scissor Sisters, Beatles, Ike & Tina Turner, and Dan Zanes among other things for good measure.

We have been stuffing ourselves with almonds, beans and rice, kale salad, cheese, and chocolate all night. ( And I have been drinking coffee because I am unable to stay up until midnight without some help anymore.) We'll bust out some grapes soon, thanks to learning the tradition of counting 12 wishes for the new year while eating grapes from Sesame Street Celebrates Around the World.

Also keeping with tradition, we'll wash them down with some wine. (grown ups only of course)

And to further publicly embarrass myself and my children, at some point tonight we will retreat to our closets, only to emerge in creatively silly outfits, or in my case the bridesmaid dress I never get to wear any other time. What can I say? It's a tradition.

Oh, and Desi will be referred to as "Rostov" for the remainder of the evening, once the silly outfit dance party begins, as we pretend we are drunken Russian sailors on a boat.

Is that bad role modeling? hmmm. It may be.

If we get bored we always have board games and Singing in The Rain to revert to.

Last year, the then 9 year old punked out at 11:48. We'll see what he is made of this year. Shoot, we'll see what I am made of this year.

Evidence from last years family style debauchery:

And speaking of Singing the Rain, I saw this yesterday at Stroller Derby:

So, in short, HAVE A HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!!

We'll be off to St. Louis tomorrow for a couple of days.

Maybe a New Year's Resolution post when I get back?
Is that too cliche?

What the heck, cliche is practically my middle name.