No fancy sequin cocktail dress with matching heels, a killer clutch, professionally done hair and makeup, a glass of champagne in hand dancing the night away….well not really when you’re a parent to little ones. I have 4 kids, ages 3 to 11 but I don’t completely do without all the glittery crazy fun, just slightly modified.

I love Targets New Years party kits. This year we bought a back drop with hand held champagne glasses and sunglasses, bow ties, hats and had fun in our mock “photo booth”. I also spent $10 on the party in a box with top hats, tiaras and blow horns, all in New Years colors. And I bought several $3 confetti cannons. All in all I spent about $25 in decorations and props. We’ve spent several hours taking photos and making some great memories so it was well worth the money.

We made prime rib, lobster and shrimp for dinner and finished it with chocolate cake. The kids have been sipping their “champagne” and we have our bottle of Veuve ready to pop at midnight. I make sure the music is turned up and we sit and laugh, together, as a family, with our kids, and I wear a sparkly JCrew top and lipstick. It’s fun. And I know in 20 years I’ll give anything to go back to this moment when I have my house full of kids celebrating the new year, new beginnings and fresh starts. Hope you all are having a blessed New Years….I have to head back to my crazy family now.