Catch up: New Year's Eve 2011

On the last day of 2011, we kinda just sat around looking at each other, and realized that we didn't have any plans for New Years Eve of any kind. We felt totally lame. But then, out of the blue, we called our super awesome friends Cody and Amanda on the outside possibility that they didn't have plans yet, either. Or maybe hoping that we could invite ourselves to whatever they had going on.

Turns out that they didn't have any plans either, and had been wondering what they were going to do. So on the spur of the moment we decided to go bowling. We went to the Pinnacle, which is a cool little bowling alley close to our house. 

Every time we hang out with them it turns into a fun night, and this was no exception. Probably the most fun we have had on a New Years in a while. It isn't possible to hang out with Cody and Amanda and not laugh until your face hurts. They rock.

And of course, Dana has never, nor will she ever, shown any mercy while bowling. Cody gave her a run for her money, but in the end, the German's were victorious. Or rather, the German was victorious.

Amanda was still working on cooking up an adorable little baby, didn't feel very good, but was still a great sport. Cody was gracious about taking second, and Dan pouted all night.

When we were done bowling, the night was still young. So on the spur of the moment we stopped in at a fireworks tent and bought ourselves a pretty awesome selection of fireworks to ring out the old year with.

I dunno what it is about fireworks, but they never get old, and you never get too old for them. This one is the rocket we launched to celebrate selling our house in Denver on the last business day of the year. Since it was such a nightmare and took more than a year, we were having so much fun blowing off some steam to celebrate. ;)

Some of the ones we got were pretty spectacular, but none of our photos did them justice.

We love this picture. Not just because it looks like Cody's thumb is on fire and that he is screaming in pain. But also because of the fact that nobody knows what was burning in his hand at the time. He had just lit a firework that flew up and exploded, and was watching it. I think he literally said "Ooooh! Pretty!"

We all had a lot of fun lighting the fireworks, throwing little firecrackers around, and generally being goofy to celebrate the holiday.

Louie, however, did not enjoy the holiday. All the flashes and bangs and laughing got him pretty wound up, and by the time we were done, he was exhausted. He had is own little puppy version of a hang-over. Poor guy.

It was wonderful to spend the holiday with such good friends, and to actually do something more memorable than watch Ryan Seacrest on TV.  Thanks Cody and Amanda for making it such a great night!