Celebrate New Year's

Marissa decided to invite her friends to a New Year's Eve Party at our house!  I was so excited!  I love hosting parties and want my kids to have friends over all the time, but they are very busy with work, XC, track or homework that they rarely have the time.  Finally XC season was over, track hadn't started and Marissa isn't working so she finally decided to have a party.

Amber, Mallory, Makenzie, Caroline Marissa, Paige and Kelsey
Friends since 6th grade

First on the agenda was to arrive at the house by 4:30 to get all dolled up for a night out on the town.  Everyone looks so nice.  Betsy loaded them into the Lowe Limousine (my Honda Odyssey) and off we went to Ceddar's for a delicious dinner.  

Makenzie, Marissa, Kelsey, Amber, Paige, Caroline and Mallory

After dinner they were going to go shopping at St. Matthew's Mall but realized the shops probably closed early due to the holiday so we decided to hit Target!  We went to the clothing section, the shoe section, the sock section, videos and movies area, toys and season sections  before finally checking out.

The girls in their VERY high heel shoes!
Look how tall Marissa is !!!

Marissa is taller than mom - how? - she is in 4 inch heels and I'm in flats

Group pictures are very popular with this group!

Back at the house the girls changed into comfy clothes and hung out down stairs in the basement for the longest time.  At 11:30 Betsy invited them up to find that she had made special "cider" drinking flutes for each of them.  Each had a different color ribbon so each girl could remember their flute.  

They were very cute enjoying their sparkling grape juice  as a pre-celebration.  Then at 6 minutes before the ball drops, they went downstairs to get ready to do the count down.

This tray was filled with candy and treats.  They also had Sour Punches, chips & dip and Sprite, Dr. Pepper or water.

Marissa and Caroline!

They were so loud counting down the last minute I thought my ear drums were going to burst.  I video taped the whole thing.  Here they are a minute after the ball drop!

Back:  Makenzie, Marissa and Amber
Front:  Paige, Mallory, Kelsey and Caroline

Then the girls went outside with confetti poppers, confetti guns and a plateful of confetti along with noise makers and "their very own" loud voices.  They had a ball throwing the confetti, blowing their horns and screaming.  I hope all the neighbors were up anyway!

Happy New Year from Marissa and her friends!

The next morning they didn't wake up until around 11:30 am BECAUSE they stayed up until 5:30 am.  CRAZY girls!  Betsy had cinnamon rolls, fresh fruit and juice and water for the girls for breakfast!