New Year's Celebrations

(Photos: Scene at the chuch celebration, The Haden's, and Zackary at Boy Scout lock-in)

Byron, Zackary and I and my Mother-in-Law, Linda and her best friend, DeeNell, headed to our Cowboy Church for their New Year's Eve Celebration.

The celebration kicked off with a Chili Cookoff between the different teams at the church. If you can imagine...our church is a big barn like structure with concrete floors. The chairs were moved out of the way and the floor sprinkled with some sawdust to create a dance floor. Each team had a table or booth set up along the walls all around the church to entice guests to try their chili.

As I was scooping Zackary a bowl of chili, which had meat, beans, tomatoes, etc. in it, he asked me, "What is that?" I said, "It's chili," not really sure yet, what he meant. He looked at me kind of funny and said, "But I thought chili just had chili in it." It was then that I realized the only chili he has ever really eaten is Wolf Brand out of a can - LOL! I said, "Baby, this is REAL chili...not the stuff we eat out of a can." "Ohhhhh", he said. I thought the lady behind the table was going to fall off her stool laughing.

We listened to the church band play, watched the kids and adults two-stepping and line dancing (because my husband NOR my child would dance with me!), then went outside to check out the bonfire which was quite large and VERY hot!

We then took Zackary to his Boy Scout (Indoor) Camp Out over at the Methodist Church. The Boy Scouts have a Derby Car that they build and race with other Boy Scouts troops during the year. However, the rules state that they are not allowed to start building or working on the cars until January 1. So...Zackary's troop has a "lock-in" and asks the boys to bring their tents and sleeping bags to put inside the church fellowship hall. They play games, watch movies and eat until midnight and then begin working on their derby cars.

This was Zackary's first time to stay overnight, away from home, without a parent or grandparent. I didn't go to bed until after midnight but once I did, I still didn't sleep. So...around 2:15 a.m. I headed up to the church. I honestly had a reason....we wanted to take pictures for the paper of the boys making their cars but I had my own motives too. Zackary was still awake and laying on his sleeping bag watching a movie. I didn't stay long at all, just took a couple of pictures, gave him a hug and kiss and left. He made it through the night. Byron picked him up at 8:30 and he came home and went to sleep and slept til 12:30.

Linda then made pork chops, black eyed peas, cabbage and broccoli cornbread. It was delicious!

I hope you all had a fun and safe New Year's Eve and I wish you blessings in abundance in 2009!

Happy New Year