Ahem

Seems like my little New Year's tradition list already needs some heavy revising. Our original ideas are in black; what we really did is in blue.

1. Eat black-eyed peas (bacon-seasoned) with collard greens and cornbread. It just has to be done down here.
We did this. I spent hours preparing the dishes. It's just that, as Erik pointed out late in the dinner preparation phase, it's supposed to be done on New Year's Day, not New Year's Eve. Fine, we have about 5 pounds' worth of leftovers for today. Not sure I liked my black-eyed peas recipe but the collards and cornbread were superb!
2. Drink Tom and Jerrys--eggnog for Xander. We never got around to making Tom and Jerrys during Christmas since it was so busy, so maybe we'll make it a New Year's tradition.
Erik picked up bourbon for them, we had powdered sugar and two cartons of eggs...but I didn't know both cartons were almost empty. No Tom and Jerrys for us. We drank bourbon-laced eggnog instead (Xander's was virgin) which was great but gave me a stomachache.
3. Buy a lottery ticket.
No lottery ticket, at least not yet. They weren't selling them at the liquor store Erik went to to pick up the bourbon.
4. Decide on a new midnight-hour that can be celebrated by Xander, too. Around 7:30, we'll turn out the lights, light the candles, and share our thoughts about: (we did this)
5. What we would do with the lottery money if we won with our ticket. (Erik and I think it is very fun to talk about this subject, but suspect it would be a headache and a nightmare if we ever actually won.) A couple wishes or hopes we have for ourselves in the coming year, and a wish or hope we have for each other member of the family for the coming year.
We did this, too, and it was nice. Xander would buy Hot Wheels cars with 10 million dollars, if he won. What a lucky boy he is--Daddy bought him cars earlier that day. Erik and I thought maybe a tad bigger house... Our hopes for each other were really neat. I'll just share the one I had for Nick and me: That I train him into not becoming a holy terror. 
6. We'll fill out pages in our brand-new Time Capsule notebook. I plan to bring this book out every New Year's. There's a page for every member of the family to record things like height, weight, special skills, characteristics, funny stories, physical characteristics, and hobbies. We can help each other fill out everyone's page.
I think this is going to be a really great idea. Of course it wasn't mine; I got it from a blog called Children's Learning Activities. Leslie had this idea, too, for recording the Christmases when the kids get older, but for now she does a spectacular job with the Christmas scrapbook and I am so thankful for that. Thank you, Leslie!
7. Countdown to 8:00, turn on the lights, and celebrate the new year!
Did this. All Xander really wanted to do the whole time was blow out the candles, so he was thrilled with this part.
8. Bedtime for Xander and Nick. Maybe some TV for Kristy and Erik, since it's our TV Night.
Nick was long gone to bed; Xander protested but was in bed to stay by 8:30; we watched Rescue Me. Later, while we were sleeping, we were treated to fireworks, hoots and hollers, and car horns honking.
I also have an idea for a New Year's Day tradition, but doubt that Erik will be on board. Buffy the Vampire Slayer marathon! Or Lord of the Rings marathon! Even if I get Erik on board, those particular DVDs will have to be saved for when Xander's a bit older. So just keep it in mind, family...
I'm totally overruled on this one. Erik said, "Every year??" And I overheard him talking to Justin on the phone and realized his major tradition is channel-surfing on New Year's Day to watch all the football games. I doubt the boys will be on my side in coming years. I said I would go into the bedroom with the laptop and watch them by myself. Somehow, Erik seemed to think this would be pathetic. One man's pathetic is another's heaven.


HAPPY NEW YEAR!