Uncle Frank and New Years Eve

This is Uncle Frank. We like him a lot. He knows a lot about everything. And I mean that in a good way. Bo took this picture. I think it is the greatest.

Uncle Frank is Corey's sister's husband. They got married when she was 4o and he 52. It was both of their's first marriage (did I say that right?). I always tell people that Sherri loved Frank her entire life. I think it is true too. She first started loving him when she was 15 at his 26th birthday party. He was kind of foxy back then.

And she loved him all that time until they finally got married. Before they got married they were sort of on again off again. They were often buddies and would do lots of things together. But then there were times they weren't friends.

I remember when Sherri's dad died though. Frank came to the house and Sherri sobbed big gigantic sobs in his arms. I remember him wearing a brown leather jacket. It didn't matter that they were "off", he was there for her.

Frank is always up for a good session of teasing the kids and they love it. We have to watch him though. He says a few curse words that he swears aren't real curse words. But they are, Frank. They just are.

Anyhow, we love them both. Sherri knows how to make things nice. THAT.IS. FOR. SURE. And she has mad cleaning skills that would make any OCD person jealous.

So... about New Years Evening....

I loved that when I was growing up, on New years eve my family would hang out together and watch movies and have snacks. Which ALWAYS included Spanish Olives, which I ADORE the taste of, oysters, which I totally adore the taste of, and Vienna Sausages, which I really liked.

My brother and I would sleep on the hide-a-bed couch. If both of us sat at the back where our heads would lay, the whole end of the bed would rise all the way up. We thought that was great and then we would crawl to the end and the bed would fall back down. So exciting back then.

When I was a teen and the hide-a-bed days were over we would still celebrate Family New Years Eve. I liked it that even as a teen. I really had a HARD choice deciding whether I wanted to hang out with friends that night or hang at home with my parents. I was always so torn.

This year, I felt like our family must be doing something right that Kassidy had plans to go to a dance New Years Eve but changed her mind to stay home and party with the family.

We had tons of food and tons of games. Which is just as it should be...
Shermiester!
New FIL Dale, Kassidy, and new Nephew in Law, Jason. Our family is GROWING huge lately!
I love that Aunt Sherri and Grandpa Dale took time to play with the littles.
Aren't they darling? Bo, Kate, and cousin Macie.
Bacon covered chestnuts are Justine's favorite!
Stuffed Mushrooms? You know it! Justine will only eat the stuffing because she hates mushrooms. Ha Ha. The inside is mushed up mushrooms! I love it.

My cute boy! (Sorry Dave, I should have edited you out.)

Head Bandz. You know it!
Bo loves cousin Ethan. All the boys do. Glad they have such a nice cousin who still will spend time with them.
We LOVE Clue! Corey and Uncle Dave like to psych us all out like they know stuff we don't about who it it. It annoys me! Because I get sucked into believing them. And I don't think they even know more either!

I thought this was a cute picture of my Kate and her cousin Aubrie. Kate loves people so much! She just does. She is so open and loving. Aubrie was carrying her downstairs for some reason and she just snuggled right into her.
Little Niece, Ellie
My BIL Dave and SIL Tracy
Justine and cousin Aubrie
Isn't that a beautiful picture of my MIL? (Secretly she has food in her mouth. Hee hee. I made her pose anyway. I didn't have time to wait.)

My new FIL Dale always has sea food on New Years Eve.

Because we wanted him to feel happy, I wanted to make him homemade oyster stew. But the recipes all looked like too many steps for me.

So Frank(who knows a little bit about everything, remember?) said it was easy and he whipped it up right there. It was great! And I think the pictures I took make it look so beautiful! Don't you? I totally should be a food photographer.

He's a Silver Fox.

It was yummy! And a tiny bit yucky. Those were some big oysters. For a minute I thought I was eating poop! But Frank assured me it was seaweed. Phew. See? A little bit about everything.

I was so happy when Ethan had to try a gigantic oyster. He cracked us all up. "It's chewy. And Gritty" Bahaaaa. If you eat them you'll know what I mean.

My boys LOVED every second of it!

And....Baby New Year made it. Yay for Baby New Year! Come on! Everyone should do it.

Kassidy only got some left over party poppers. I totally messed up and didn't buy enough color wonder sets. I wrote her an IOU. She was a great sport about it. I told her ahead of time. I figured she was the oldest and would be the least to care. Thanks, kid!

More to come later this week about my crooked little Bo. It was so sad.