Happy New Year!

Happy New Year! Well, Jeremy and I really know how to close out a year with a bang and while we held out for a week, we finally succumbed to the stomach flu. This way we could make sure we made this rolling flu drag out from Christmas day aaaaallll the way to New Year's Eve. :) Woo hoo! Despite Jeremy and I laying around on death's door for a full day, the kids stepped up and fed themselves and did their best to take care of Ireland. We rallied at night because they were SO EXCITED to finally stay up until midnight for the first time ever. We let them watch a movie and then draw and read until midnight figuring they would fall asleep before then, but no! They made it. Which turned out to be wonderful because we had such a great moment when they snuggled in our bed just before midnight and then we counted down and ran out to the porch and watched all the fireworks in Melbourne from the deck. It was pretty great. :)

There is nothing like the day after the stomach flu to remind you of how amazing almost good feels! Jeremy and I woke up feeling oh so much better so we jumped up and remade our lunch reservations and went down the street for lunch on the beach, a walk on the pier, icecream and general celebratory behavior. Yay for all of us feeling better and health and happiness in 2017!!

 Waiting for lunch and the kids ran down to the beach to play in the sand. We took a selfie with them in the background. Yay for sandy entertainment!

And guess who is a big girl and gets HER OWN CONE and who FINALLY STARTED WALKING!! This girl! Big strides for this "toddler" in the week that took the rest of us down! :)