It’s still so weird to think about Jacob being twenty years old.  Ah yes, young moms, the days are long but I am here to tell you that what *they say* about the years flying by is true.  It’s not depressing news, it’s actually very ENCOURAGING!  Whatever days you have going on right now are going to rapidly pass.  What a blessing.  Jacob was QUITE a handful for many years and now look at him, I barely have to parent him anymore.  He’s all grown up and just needs a minor parental adjustment once in a great while (considering he does still live with us and all).

Jacob’s birthday is New Year’s Eve, so for the last few years it’s been a tradition for him to fill the house with his friends and stay up all night to celebrate his birthday AND the New Year.

PICTURE ALBUM:

Rich had his laptop connected to the TV so he could watch some of the wrestling matches from that morning.  Zak (the one making the face) had hurt his lower back during his match so they were trying to figure out what happened.  You can see the laundry I was still working on folding….after all these years of having people over to our house I’ve gotten gotten over the feeling that “it must be clean”.  I have gracious friends.

Ethan and his girl.

They are soooooo cute.

Kylee was trying to braid Grace’s hair and Sarah was watching intently because she wanted to learn to braid.  You can see the braids in her hair, I had done them a few hours earlier and as I was braiding, Sarah was saying she wanted to learn…..so it was providential that Kylee decided to practice on Grace, and Sarah could get a lesson.  🙂

Playing “SORRY”

And UNO

Caleb and Jacob; Caleb is Grace’s boyfriend, Grace has a brother named Caleb and Caleb has a brother named Jacob.

three of my boys (two are missing)– Ethan (18), Jacob (20), and David (14)

And one with their Dad, too.

Time for the cake!  Dixie cups making things easier.  And please notice my stack of small fiesta plates.  🙂

I can’t get over it.

Look at all these wonderful people.

I LOVE THIS PICTURE SO MUCH.  Grace is so cute!

Sherlock’s favorite place to sleep these days.

best friends

Downstairs in the basement….we got a new couch for Jacob.  Seats 10.  I love how Seth (the little guy) stayed right with the bigger kids all night.

my Caleb

And Sarah (despite the face) LOVED being able to spend time with the girls.

Parker the Dog was in heaven (and spent the night trying to steal food and chew things up in order to get people to notice him).  He was resting his chin on his stuffed animal in this picture.

I went to bed at 11 and when I got up there were kids sleeping all over the place.  Ethan eventually made pancakes and then everyone left and it was just our family again.

And time to take the college boy back to Vermont.

*****