New Year's Eve 2K14

Do you want to build a snowman?  Well, not really, but Mikayla and Ellie did.  Where's Nati you may be wondering?  Well, her and Michael took off around 10am for the hunting trip that they had previously planned.  I think Michele and I were a little in awe of Nati in being so gung ho to go - that sure says a lot about her desire to spend quality time with her dad....way to go, Michael.  (And, word just in - she was successful in her elk hunt!).  

Interesting note about the accessories on this snowman - they were in a set we gave the kids last year.  However, there was no snow last year, so we re-wrapped it again this year.  =)

He needed a scarf and hat...

Meanwhile, Whitley was sporting her own "appendage" pictures with a Tootsie Pop she asked for, but never finished.  ("Here, you hold this for a minute"....) 

That evening, we all congregated upstairs in the game room (aka "Man Cave").   The pool table had been a big hit with the guys and kids all week, so Mikayla and Ellie practically pulled Michele and I out of the hot tub to come join everyone.  Well, everyone except Whitley - she was already asleep for the night at this point.  

When I arrived, it was this team....

vs. this team... (Ellie named themselves the "Flamingo Ninjas"...and yes, they tended to win). 

Ah, what a crew...

After the above picture was taken, Michele and I played on teams with our daughters.  We tried to demonstrate all the skill Grandpa Alexander taught us over the years ("Bottom English"), but we are really out of practice.  There was definitely NOT a dominant player among our group...

Steph and John opted for this mode of entertainment.  After the bowl games, we tuned it into the action movie, "Red".   (If I were to turn around from where I took the shot at the pool table, this is what I would see, to the left is the "Man Cave" from the previous picture).  

This was the scene at about 11pm.  No, I was not fully asleep...but very close.  Traig took the picture.

But, I managed to get a "Second Wind" - we all did - and in the nick of time, tuned into the station showing the ball drop for the last ten seconds of 2014....I couldn't get everyone in my selfie shot, so I cut out my face, but that's my arm!

And there you go - now we are in 2015!  Unbelievable.  The year of the future in "Back to the Future 2" - (Where's our hoverboards?).  2014 started out rough but steadily climbed to become one of my favorite years....hopefully this year can be a steady favorite throughout!