Happy New Year!!

New Year's Eve is different when you are almost 30 and have 3 children, but doesn't mean you can't have just as much or more fun.  This year was the first time that my oldest two stayed up until midnight.  I knew that I would have to keep them occupied if I didn't want them turning into crazy purple minions from exhaustion and sugar overload.  

Here is what I came up with:

1.   Balloon Countdown.  I didn't use the clock printable here, but with permanent marker I put the time on the outside of the balloon.  You can get really creative and decorate plain balloons with paint markers, glitter, or stickers.  Also, let your kids in on the fun and have them decorate the balloons however they want.  I strung them up with leftover sparkly Christmas ribbon and each our one of my children traded off who would get to pop the balloon. 
2. Made New Year's Resolutions.  I usually don't make resolutions, but, I found an awesome printable here.  We then went around and read aloud what we hope to be in 2014.  
3. Along with the balloons as decorations I made confetti out of construction paper and utilized leftover Christmas bows by taking them apart to create a table scape for dinnertime.  I also used these materials to put into the final balloons to pop at midnight.  I might even add candy or tiny trinkets next year!
4. To bring the in New Year's Day with some style, I made the boys sparkling Jello in "fancy glasses."  I got a box of regular Lemon flavored Jello and added 1.5 cups of boiling water.  Then I refrigerated it about 15 minutes.  Finally after 1 cup of ginger ale or club soda to get the bubbly effect; I poured it into whatever wine or champagne glasses I had and let them set in the fridge for a couple of hours. 

Happy New Year, 2014!!!