2012 Friday Flashback

I thought since I pretty much missed the entire year of 2012 that that I would use Fridays this year to look back.  I cant talk about 2012 without telling about how it started out.  My lovely husband turned "40" on New Year's Eve.  It was actually 2011 but oh well.  Anyway, every year we go to the big shindig at the Ellis house.  We were all excited.  I ordered the obnoxious cake below.  And then the walls came tumbling down.  The assisted living facility that Steve oversee's was hit with a terrible flu.  When I say terrible, I mean the entire facility was quarenteened.  This included staff.   

 

 

 

So take a look at what Steve looked like celebrating his 40th.  Yep.  We decided we could not go and possibly infect every friend we know with the virus, if Steve was a carrier.  This man literally for a week, came home from work, stripped his clothes off in the gargage, ran and took a shower and wore this very trendy mask to hopefully protect us from getting it.  Although at the time we were all very upset that our New Years Eve and daddy's 40th would be spent at home, looking back it is quite funny.

 

 

So what do you do to try to make the children happy and forget they are missing out on a great time???  You play Disney Headbands of course! 

 

 

I mean really.  Steve took this whole "protecting the family" to a whole new level. 

 

 

 

Thankfully, I was able to still surprise him with his big gift from me!!  I rented a cabin in Gatlinburg for FOUR days just THE TWO OF US!!!!!  Never has that happened in 13 years!!! :)  He didn't get the flu and we had a wonderful, relaxing mini vacation just the two of us.

 

 It was an interesting way to start off the year but definately one we will remember!!! :)

Let the New Year Begin

Lucky for Steve, his birthday is New Year's Eve and every year he gets a party with all his best friends. I mean, really. How many people can say that? Last year was the big 40 and unfortunately a yucky flu hit the assisted living facility that he runs and all of the residents and staff had to be quarenteened. It was so sad. Because of that, we were not able to go last year. So, this year we were excited to get back to the Ellis home and party like it's 1999. :)

Steve always requests a cookie cake and so that is what he got. He can always count on some hilarious card's and this year did not disappoint. The Wood's and the Jones families rocked it out with them this year. :)

He was also serenaded by this crew. I'll just say, you had to be there . . .

We tend to bring alot of kids with us to the big party. Believe it or not, this isn't even all of them! Its crazy to see how they have grown year after year. When we first started doing this, they were all tiny little ones running around and barely able to stay up all night. Now so many of them are the big "teenager" word and well, its just yucky. It just needs to stop!

But my favorite tradition of all, our girl picture. No matter what happens. No matter what a year brings. No matter how much older we get. These are people I want around me as I ring in each year. The conversations get funnier. The things we vow to do show our age. And no matter what, 2013 the pyramid is coming back. We may all end up at the chiropractor or in the emergency room but by golly, we will not surrender!!! Happy New Year! (I have some learning to do on getting the pics to turn around again.)