Mile High Hamiltons: Ringing in 2012

It's funny how our New Year celebration evolves a bit year after year. Gone are the days of ringing in the New Year with a bunch of other people crammed in a room with loud music, horns to blow, confetti flying through the air and that someone special to smooch as the clock strikes midnight. Instead, we opt for an early dinner surrounded by some great friends, our adorable kiddos, fried chicken and some music with a twang. You guessed it, we met the Stack's, the Stack's neighbors (who's last name I don't know so we're rolling with it), the Metzger's and Bost's at White Fence Farm! Everyone had an excellent time and we were home in time to get the boys to bed and watch a movie!!

Mommy and Kellan chillin' before dinner in the upstairs kiddie play area.

Jen reading a story to Parker and baby #2.

Sometime during the course of dinner with our sixteen sweet friends, I looked over to see Kellan giving a stack of cheerios the vacuum treatment. Since his 16 month old hands aren't coordinated enough to stack cheerios, I credit his father with aiding in this super human trick. The encore of laughter from Daddy and Oliver wasn't helping to instill good manners. Well, it leaves Table Manners as something to tackle for Kellan's New Years resolution.

He was SO proud of his new found super human trick.

Can't quit get an imagine in your head of the super human vacuum trick? Click play for an instant replay.

Charlie and Oliver had a great time celebrating New Years together, even if Oliver didn't want to smile for a picture.

Kellan found himself two random balloons that some other kiddo had left behind and after dinner these balloons kept him entertained for quite some time. At one point, a much older girl (all of 5 or 6) tried claiming the balloons but Kellan swooped in to reclaim them and quickly trotted off toward his Daddy who was nearby chatting with the guys.

Kellan also found that an evening chat with the cow was quite entertaining as well.

Many moments later, the balloons are still proving to be entertaining.

Meanwhile, Oliver had found the game room with the Metzger boys. It's amazing how entertaining video games are, even without quarters to put in them.

Oliver and Peter racing to win the race, even if the destiny was predetermined by the race game programmers.

Charlie and Oliver taking the race game so very serious. Who will win?

Just as the Stack's were heading out, I got a quick photo of their last New Years as a family of three. That's right, Short Stack #2 is well on the way.

You just never know what you'll find at White Fence Farm. Sometimes, it's a belt of bells that are waiting to be rung for all to hear, whether they want to hear them or not.

Happy New Year. Yee Haw!

It's a bit of a bummer that this photo is blurry but it does capture the fact that they paused for a split second for a photo. These two buds are like peas in a pod. Just after New Year Charlie is starting in Oliver's Pre-K class and the two of them couldn't be happier to be together again. The teacher... well, she knows she might need to keep these two at separate tables.

On the way home Oliver chatted and chatted while Kellan ooed and awed over the nights festivities.

Keith and I realized that we didn't get a single picture of ourselves together. After many many many attempts, we finally turned the flash off for a photo. Crazy Keith kept closing his eyes with the flash!

Happy New Year Baby! Thanks for another great year. Now lets get these kids to bed before the clock strikes 8:00!

Even thought Oliver filled up on White Fence Farm, he still requested a Little Cutie night cap. We're convinced this kid is about to have another growth spurt, or he has a hole in his stomach. Hungry or not, the New Years celebration may have tuckered him out.

Who? Oliver? Tuckered Out? Never!

On New Years Day we were busy cleaning up the house, watching football and playing a bit of Ham Fam football ourselves. The boys have discovered that it's fun to tackle each other. Oliver is a sport and (usually) let's Kellan get the best of him. The house rings with laughter from these two crazy kids.

How can you not laugh when your little brother pops up from behind the couch with Mom's lotion bottle between his teeth.

Once in a while Oliver will whip out a random phrase, song or dance move.

New Years Day he had his "Hands on the Roof".

(Mommy tried teaching him "The Roof, The Roof, The Roof is on FIRE!". In return she got a side ways look and Oliver went back to "Hands on the Roof". Kids these days! :)

The weather was awesome so we took the boys outside for some fresh air and sunshine with NO COATS! Oliver also got to take his NEW remote control car outside. Since Santa didn't know that the car his elves made wouldn't go across the carpet and was not a good match for the outdoor world, Mom and Dad had to help Santa out and pick up a new car that was on clearance at Best Buy. Maybe next year Santa will be a bit more in tune.

Oliver took his bike for a spin. He's still trying to figure out the pedals, but he'll get the hang of it before we know it.

Kellan worked on impressing the neighbors with his new walking skills that he has mastered while we have all been inside hibernating. He LOVES LOVES LOVES to walk around and be outside.