gratitude.

it is my word for the year. totally fits with this project.
and i love this quote.

"Gratitude unlocks the fullness of life. It turns what we have into enough, and more. It turns denial into acceptance, chaos to order,confusion to clarity. It can turn a meal into a feast, a house into a home, a stranger to a friend. Gratitude makes sense of our past, brings peace for today, and creates a vision for tomorrow."  Melody Beattie

and since webster defines gratitude as 'a feeling of thankfulness and appreciation' i'm going to reflect on last night and ringing in the new year with family and friends. ;o)

started the night out with our second annual house of kobe dinner. had a great time. lots of sake bombs. lots of being rushed out of the restaurant. ben chilled the entire time. only cried once and i think it was because we didn't get another spoonful of rice into his mouth fast enough! did great with all the fire and loud noises.

then headed to mr. and mrs. coopers. i think that nick and i have missed two years in like the past 9. such a fun and laid back evening. really nice considering ben has been sick and we didn't want to travel too far away from home.

nick trying to get ben to take a nap. we finally gave up. i think he took two power naps of like 10  minutes each. thank goodness that he wasn't a crabby lil man the whole night because of it!

braiden trying with all of her might to not grab the broom out of ben's hands. she loves her cleaning toys!

ben playing with dad. he loves being thrown in the air! my timing was a little off after a few sake bombs at houe of kobe and followed by some coke and cuervo tattoo!

got it!

a happy family shot sometime around midnight.

jason being jason. ;o)

better...

the cooper family.

doesn't wynn look like a flower or something with that bib. and braidy wants to be dancing not posing for pictures. and i apologize for the butt in the background. nick was the photographer....

time to venture outside for the fireworks!
and a quick shot of the 'blue' moon. not so blue, is it?!

aw...
10 years ago he was proposing. xo.

the obligatory robin and shannon photo.

the boys and their fireworks. normally, it's just ry and nick. ry's cousin ian joined in on the fun this year.

rob and i trying to make '10' with the sparklers. i think we did a great job... just not the best photographing it. wasn't dragging the rebel out for pictures. the trusty point and shoot was going to have to do the trick. might need to make colleen come and teach me her awesome sparkler photo tricks! ;o)

those not brave or stupid enough to go outside! {or old enough}
usually it's just the four of us: rob, ry, nick, and myself. and the police officer who stops to visit! didn't have one stop us this year though!

and here's to an amazing 2010.