Ringing in the New Year in downtown Louisville, KY

Downtown Louisville Waterfront

For New Year's Eve this year we had a wonderful time playing with our good friends the Holt's and Allen's. 

The kids had a great time together, and it was fun having Brittney back home for the holidays.

Kentucky Science Center

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Merinda is posing in front of one of the fun attractions at the Kentucky Science Center.

We watched an IMAX moved called The Arctic, about Polar Bears, which was visually beautiful, but I think the kids had more fun just visiting, and well, being kids.

Lazer Blaze

Our next adventure was "Lazer Blaze", a miniature-golf, laser-tag play center. Some of us girls played a quick game of miniature-golf while Brittney and the guys did laser-tag. The rest of us joined in on laser-tag for a final game.

Don't let this picture of Christina Holt's good form fool you, this was the only time she actually held her club correctly (Christina and I tied for last place).

Since Aubrey missed miniature golfing with us in the summer, we just had to give her the experience (this was her first time miniature-golfing). She was a natural (she came in first), but not a fun team-player--she kept rushing us, and wouldn't let me take thousands of pictures (the whole glow-in-the-dark space theme was too cool!). 

Beautiful "girls" Bridgette and Lauren. Bridgette came in second place and we all decided that I should stick to laser-tag and Bridgette with miniature-golf!

Ichiban - Japanese Teppanjaki

After all the play, we were starving and decided to eat dinner at a Japanese teppanyaki restaurant downtown called "Ichiban". Here is a picture of the girls.

And a picture of the guys.

The kids were very entertained, even if Japanese cuisine was not their favorite food.

Why are they all giving each other messages you ask?

I really don't know, but over the years I have learned not to question many of the things they do, especially since they all get along so well, and have such a good time together. 

Here, are the adults sitting at our own table.

We too were entertained by fire...

but not quite as impressed (Bridgette doesn't care to watch at all, and Mark finds a practical use for the fire - warming his hands). This is an example of why it is good to stay a kid as long as possible.

Marriott Residence Inn

Our last and final stop was the "Marriott Residence Inn" in downtown, Louisville.

After a huge dinner the kids chose to play water games and swim in the hotel pool (yes, Mark was the biggest kid in the pool!).

The rest of New Year's Eve consisted of girl-talk and games,

boy-talk and games (this is how boys communicate isn't it?), 

and pinata breaking. Random, I know, but that really seems to be a central theme in Brittney's life (it was Brittney's pinata given to her by her good friend Kate, again, I try not to ask too many questions).

I do have to say that there is something very therapeutic about punching a pinata as hard as you can (especially for Christina, who packed the hardest punch),

and something as equally therapeutic about eating it's contents! 

We then all watched the ball drop in NYC (one great thing about living in Kentucky is that we are in the same time zone as New York),

  kissed our loved-ones (Brittney didn't want Aubrey to feel left-out),

and toasted in the New Year with sparkling cider, grape, and cranberry juice delicately poured into plastic cups. I think we finally collapsed into our beds around 3:00 a.m., except for the boys who had to talk for another hour or so (at least we know they too enjoy a little boy-talk).  

Every New Years Eve celebration deserves a day-after photo, and this one does not dissapoint: Brittney is still eating, Lauren is painfully attempting to smile, and Merinda's expression says it all. We did have a wonderful New Years Eve celebration though, and want to thank our friends who made it all possible--you guys are the best!