ringing in the new year

new years eve was friday. that's what i just had to tell myself. and then i had to think really hard about how long ago that was and what i did. what the heck? well i was off work. major bonus. i am thankful that i have a job that provides for our little family {certainly a blessing} and i am also thankful for holidays, where i don't go to the office. bliss. i slept in. i actually slept in all weekend long. so much longer than my normal sleep-in of 9 or so. i woke up after 11 every morning. what's happening to me!?

anyway i woke up with a pounding headache...not the best way to start off your holiday weekend. i took medicine and medicine and rested and rested and by evening i was healed. benny & i watched the cats dominate and that was really fun.  i also got to gchat my sweet friend shan for about 2 hours.  treeeat!

celebration benny!

definitely a lazy day but nonetheless the day was enjoyed. i got cleaned up & fancied up. i got a little too fancied and had to unfancy a little. benny was so cute in his new Christmas gift vest.

we went out to dinner with 5 other couples to a thai restaurant. it was ben & i's second go-round with thai. his first time he got some nasty milk tea and i accidently ordered a whole chicken. this time things went a little more smoothly since we had experienced thai diners as company. i felt fine about the food but really loved our time with our friends. they are really fun. i didn't take a picture but i really wish i would have.

from here we headed off to our friend doni's. this pic, though not from new year's seems appropriate:

and today is her birthday!  happy birthday donielle!!!!!!!!

her & her roomies were hosting a lil partay to ring in 2011 and we were obliged to join. i ate too many snacks and had a great time. the boys all weighed themselves and measured their heights {boys are strange}. i guess you gotta get those 2010 stats outta the way. and then they had the girls get in on it too; not the weighing but the heights. i'm happy to let you know that i was the 4th from the shortest girl there {aka not the miniest}. boo-ya! and no, my post-it does not say "jenna tools" written by derek, which would be dirty.

ryan lit sparklers at midnight which he "innocently" thought were "indoor sparklers".

we visited and laughed and had a grand ol' time. i really did enjoy it. i hope to reflect more on the year that just past and dream about what God has planned for us next but that will follow later. for now i'll just smile about how ridulously blessed i am with dear friends and a super fun partner!