2011 - Starting off with a BANG!!

New Years in Germany is a bit like the 4th of July in the US - only with more fireworks, which are shot off by everyone in the streets, and starting at midnight and continuing for at least an hour if not longer - so really its not like the 4th of July at all.

Our stash of fireworks that Jer purchased at the local grocery store a few days before New Years Eve...looks like fun!

These fireworks were BIG - were talking monsters compared to some of the little firecrackers I was use to as a kid. With names like "Headbanger" - what do you expect -but them to be LOUD! And they were...

We were invited to a small party with our friends Sergey and Lilianna and their boys. We arrived at 9pm. At midnight we went out into the street and let off our fireworks. Everyone else was - it was loud - it was constant - it was AWESOME! HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

Sydney and Shaylee prefered sparklers - Silas wasn't too sure about the whole thing - and Shelby, she was in the house and amazingly SLEPT through it all.

I wanted to post a video - because it captures the experience best - but for some reason blogger doesn't like me when I try to upload video...so I guess my few pictures will do.

After fireworks we headed back inside for more festivities - we headed home about 3:30 in the morning. This is the longest we have EVER let the kids stay up! We were all tucked in and sonked out by 4am...thankfully it was Saturday and we all slept in til about 11am. What a way to start the new year!