Goodbye 2017, Hello 2018

How do years pass so fast? Time passing is just such a crazy, contradicting things sometimes. Things/experiences feeling so long when you're in them, but then they're over in a flash, i.e. 5 years of schooling coming to an end here pretty quick, having a newborn baby, sending a child (or a boyfriend) on a mission...anyways, it seems like we were just at the Hatch's ringing in 2017, but yet again another year has come and gone and luckily we got to ring in 2018 with the same great people! The only damper of the whole night was knowing that ringing in 2019 would not be the same.

We got to the Hatch's around 7pm after letting Eve nap until 6:30 and making lots of yummy food to bring! The boys had been asking frequently after church when we were going to be able to go to the Hatch's and they were so happy to finally be there! We talked, ate all the delicious appetizers and desserts and chatted for a while before we started playing Card Bingo! Grandma Cindy started making it a tradition to play as a whole family when the Wilsons from Boise come to Utah between Christmas and New Years and I wanted in on the action because we haven't been there for it, so I thought it was perfect to play on a holiday with some of our favorite people!

Team 1-

Wes, Lizzy, Houston and Stone (last two boys not pictured, oops!)

Luckily Lizzy had a couple friends come play so we had enough for three teams of four people.

Team 2-

 Thad, Carter, Audrey and Chris

Audrey's neck and arm were really bothering her (note the ice pack), but she was so kind to still host our family! She knows our time is running short on having these family get togethers and all our kids were looking forward to it, so I'm so thankful she made it happen even if she was raising her hand like she had a question most of the night to relieve some of the pain!

Team 3- 

Marian, Brian, Eve and Elliot

Elliot was one of the first to pick a prize and he is a big, athletic kid and he picked the nail polish and file that was wrapped up and we all got a good laugh! It was the only girl gift in all of the gifts and the toughest guy in the room picked it! Haha! Luckily Marian traded him a couple cans of root beer for it.

The loot- 

Wes picked this gem-

And we had to stop him from eating too much of it, but he was a happy camper chomping into that giant Crunch bar! 

I have to say that Card Bingo was a major success and may have to become a New Year's Eve tradition. Only time will tell!

After the game we tried to go outside for a preliminary round of fireworks, but it was not much fun and we didn't last long because it was SO COLD!! The temperature kept dropping that day and it was windy and wet and leaving some soggy snow on the ground. Eve snuggled up to who she could, we did a couple sparklers and headed back in to warm up! 

Wes still isn't the biggest fan of booming fireworks.

After our attempt at fireworks we just hung out inside and had a quiet, fun evening chatting and playing and waiting for the ball to drop. I love when we get opportunities to spend one on one time with families that we are usually in some sort of group with, it really makes a difference on getting to know them better. And Eve is just all sorts of obsessed with the Hatch ladies! 

Chris had a fun card trick and then it was time for the countdown! 

3, 2, 1...HAPPY NEW YEAR!! 

  

Goodbye, 2017, from the Monsen family!

You were a really good year, we couldn't have had a better last year in Texas. From Disneyland, to Utah, to Waco, to pool days, to 3rd Grade and Kindergarten, to days spent with our favorite Texans. There will never be another year like you!