 I don't know how many times I spent New Year's Eve with my Mom staying up waiting on the ball to drop. We would sit on the couch, occasionally getting up to pop a popper or refill our glass of child wine (sparkling cider). She spent so much time trying to make sure that the experience was amazing. She never wanted me to be bored with life. We'd watch old time movies or how New Year's was celebrated around the world. One year, she filled our hallway with balloons full of paper punch outs- you know from when you are making a 3-hole punch. I held my nephew in my arms, he must have been 4 or 5 at the time and he tightly clutched a sewing needle between his little kid fingers. The balloons dangled from the ceiling, awaiting their moment of ultimate destruction. I walked him around the tightly enclosed space. POP! POP! POP! The balloons exploded in a musical rain of paper and balloon parts. The downstairs neighbor came up and pounded on the door with his meaty fist. Apparently we had woken him up. But it didn't matter, no, we were busy enjoying the passing of the old into the new.  Especially as we watched the clock tick closer to midnight. So many memories of years drifting into the history of my life, but none of them would be what they were if it wasn't for my mom and her always trying to make the moment memorable. I can only hope to be as cool a mom as she was to my kids... Maybe this year we'll create our own holiday to honor the silly antics of our parents as we were growing up! Now for the interesting part... You've read my memory or at least skimmed it...I want you to leave a comment with the best silly antic your parent/spouse/sibling/friend ever did that when you look back, it makes you smile. At the end of the day I will giveaway 3 digital copies of Bella Notte (or you could opt for a digital of Brody and the Skypirates, but it's best shown in color) and ONE special person will get their name featured as a character (not necessarily a large role) in my third book in the Bella Series, Bella Tristezza! Have your namesake immortalized! Follow the blog to remember to find out if you're one of the winners! Please take a moment to 'like' me on facebook Follow me on Twitter Everyone that makes a comment on ANY blog also gets entered into the grand prize drawing which is for the 1st prize of a Kindle Fire and 2nd prize of an $80 gift card for Amazon! Get commenting! Make sure to check out the main hop page to see all of the prizes and contests going on! You'll want to enter for the GRAND PRIZE too it's AWESOME! CommentsMegan G. 01/04/2012 10:56
My sister planned a mini bar crawl for me where I had to take a shot at each bar she drove me to, so I got drunk and she got the memory of laughing at me. Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/04/2012 11:45
What a great memory! Thank you for entering! It would be worse if she had pictures of you kissing the local statue. ;0) It wasn't on New Years but something I look back on and always makes me smile was when I was younger my brothers & I ran around outside butt naked with our underwear on our head in the pouring rain. It was in the country of Carolina so we called it the Carolina MoonShine.. My parents still have the picture of our bare butts running down the lane.. THE LANE thats how country haha Happy New Year Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/04/2012 11:45
Great Memory! Thank you for entering! Those photos are something to be shared for MANY generations! Christine T. 01/04/2012 11:21
My New Years are mostly quiet with a nice glass of something yummy.So I'm usually alone. Thanks for the giveaway! Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/04/2012 11:46
Sounds like a nice quiet time! Thank you for entering! I'd go for cocoa. JeanP 01/04/2012 11:39
Not a new year's memory, but an Easter memory. My mother told me that she had spotted the Easter Bunny tracks through the house, so that was to help me find the easter basket that she had hidden away. Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/04/2012 11:47
Great Memory! Thank you for entering! Our Easter Bunny always eats the carrots we set out for him! ;0) June M. 01/04/2012 12:18
My New Years are all spent with family. This year was fun. I spent it with my sister & 2 of her kids, watching a zombie marathon on tv. Goofy but fun! Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 08:36
A zombie marathon sounds like fun! I'd hide under the bed, but still fun! Thanks for the memory and entering! Jennifer J Saracino 01/04/2012 12:32
All my favorite new years memories are the same; it doesn't matter were I was as long as i'm with friends and family :) Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 08:37
Family is important during the holidays (whether they are your blood or made family) :0) Thanks for sharing and entering! Gena Robertson 01/04/2012 12:55
What a great memory you have of your mother! I wish I had some fun ones of my parents, but they didn't celebrate New Years at all. So it's never been a big holiday for me. But when I was 21 years old, my best friend drug me out with her husband and friends to a pub to a New Year's Eve party that was really quite fun, so I'd have to choose that one, since it was my only experience *chuckle* Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 08:38
It always great to look back and smile about a memory! Thanks for sharing and entering! 01/04/2012 13:03
It sounds like you have some very special memories with your mom! That is wonderful!!! Thanks for sharing one with us! Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 08:39
It seems that you're not alone in that case where you didn't do anything until you left home. Thanks for sharing and entering! Ash Breen 01/04/2012 13:03
I don't get sick often but when I do it's like having the plague or something. I hate it. The last time I got sick my husband had to take me to the ER because it was the weekend and it was almost 1am. I'm miserable and tired and hating life. They gave me an iv and I almost passed out then felt like I was freezing to death because it was two units of saline. So I'm laying in this bed freezing half to death and hating everything when the husband finally stands up out of his chair and comes over to my bedside. I was frowning and hating life and he puts his coat over me to keep me warm and smiles down at me and goes: 'Well at least we know it's not herpes, the gift that keeps on giving.' And of course a nurse comes in to check on me right then so we're both cracking up like idiots. Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 08:40
My husband is like that too. I'm sure that the nurse thought that it was just your illness causing you two to be insane! :0) Thanks for sharing and entering! Savannah miller 01/04/2012 13:04
What a great prize!!! thanks for the chance to win! Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 08:41
Thanks for entering! Vojalyn 01/04/2012 13:38
I usually have great time at new year's eve, and I remember of my best one: it was when I stayed up with my first boyfriend who kissed my for the very first time at midnight :) It's a nice memory :) Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 08:41
Now that is a great memory! Thanks for sharing and entering! StacieD 01/04/2012 13:59
Your mom sounds awesome! My mom brought me 16 pink roses at school for my Sweet 16. I was shocked. I don't think I had ever received flowers before. I still have some of the petals pressed in a book. Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 08:42
My mom was the kinda lady that would do something like that. When my sister turned 16, she hung lots and lots of dollar bills from the ceiling! Thanks for sharing and entering! Sherry S. 01/04/2012 14:15
Most of my memories are of being home with my family. This year I just stayed home by myself reading. Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 08:43
Having a nice quiet evening works too! Thanks for sharing and entering! Amber 01/04/2012 14:39
Well my birthdays New Years eve so I could tell tons of stories from that! LOL But one of my most memorable would probably have to be last year just for how funny it was. My friend was 9months pregnant. Due any time and she decided that she wanted to play 'Just Dance' on my wii. So she seriously got into it. It was insane watching her dance with her big belly. I have it on video. Probably the funniest thing I've ever seen. :) Thanks! Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 08:44
Having a 3.5 month old, I understand the idea of a HUGELY pregnant woman doing something like that. I am sure it was terribly funny and you are quick to remind her of her pregnancy insanity! Thanks for sharing and entering! Joanne B 01/04/2012 14:47
My then BF started drinking in the early evening. You all know where this is going. Needless to say, we spent NYE at the police station. He ran out of the house taking his clothes off as he ran. We can laugh about it now. Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 08:45
We all need a few good naked stories! Thanks for sharing and entering! Maria 01/04/2012 14:51
I almost always spend New Years with family and we have a pretty quiet night, eating, playing games or watching movies, toasting in the New Year. But a non-holiday antic was was when one of my younger sisters found a couple of tubes of my mom's lipstick and went crazy smearing them on herself, my other sister, and my parents bedroom furniture. My parents were mad but also had to laugh and then they put both of my sisters in the tub to bathe them and dad snapped a picture of them looking like clowns...to this day they pull out the picture to show it to friends...lol...of course my sisters didn't think it was funny when they were teens...lol Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 08:46
Something about lipstick and little girls... it just equals trouble! :0) Thanks for sharing and entering! 01/04/2012 15:10
Happy New Year! It looks like you have some great memories with your mom. Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 08:47
Thanks for entering and Happy New Year to you too! SiNn 01/04/2012 15:12
when w e were kids we used to bang pots and pans out side at midnight and my oldest brother always always put one on his head while he did it was soo funny Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 08:52
Brothers always do silly things like that! Thanks for sharing and entering! Bre A. 01/04/2012 15:30
My favorite new years memory was about three years ago. Nothing special I just spent it with my best friend and her family. It was the best. XD. Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 08:53
It doesn't have to be special as long as it means something to you. :0) Thanks for sharing and entering! teressa oliver 01/04/2012 15:57
One of my fav New Year’s Eve was when I was in the Navy and me and my roommates invited about 100 people over and they all showed up and brought more guests. It was everything you can imagine it would of having that many sailors in one place. It wasn’t much longer after many of us shipped out to Iraq. Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 08:54
I can only imagine what chaos was created! :0) Thanks for sharing and entering! Gloria 01/04/2012 16:29
I just love the times when the family plays cards all night for new years. Thanks for the giveaway! Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 08:55
Playing cards with family seems to be a good way to bring in the New Year to me! Thanks for sharing and entering. chey 01/04/2012 16:33
My sister used to make up swear words when she was mad. Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 08:55
I bet you have a favorite too! Thanks for sharing and entering! desi reilly 01/04/2012 16:36
the hop and t hen i would love to read any of the book that are offerd Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 08:56
Thanks for entering! Hops are quite fun! Shadow 01/04/2012 16:41
My family always stays home and watches movies. We eat snacks and we had a drink or two. It was nice and quite. Thank you for sharing your memory with us! One silly memory...hmm. My mema (grandma) wanted a pop when my parents were going to the store. They were pulling out of the driveway when my mema ran out the house yelling at them to stop and get her a pop. She was waving a dollar bill and clutching her robe closed. Did i mention my mema is a nudest and was very naked under the robe? When she ran down the porch stairs, she hit wet grass and her feet went out from under her. The robe flew open and she was spead eagal in the front lawn. She was laughing so hard, she couldnt get up, let alone close her robe. My dad (whose my memas son), was driving, he just took off, he wouldnt even stop to see if she was ok. lol So funny! Talk about seeing more of your mom than you want to. He still claims mental scars. lol Thank you! Happy new year! I follow your blog through networked blogs- shadow kohler, liked on fb- shadow kohler, follow on twitter- LuvToRead09. Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 08:57
That is a GREAT memory and made me giggle! Thanks for sharing and entering! Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 08:58
Thank you for entering! Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 08:59
If it works, why change it? Even if it sounds odd. :0) Thanks for sharing and entering! Ljay Harris 01/04/2012 18:23
I remember getting body slammed by my brother in the snow when we all decided to go out and play! It was funny to them..lol! I had snow oozing down my back! Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 09:00
Ouch and Brrr, but it seems to be a memory that causes you to smile. Thanks for sharing and entering! heather cox 01/04/2012 18:30
thank you so much for being part of this giveaway!!! Happy New Year! Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 09:00
Thank you for entering! Happy New Year! Barbara 01/04/2012 18:38
Great story/memory! What makes me smile is the memory of seeing my mom and dad dance. They slow danced beautifully...but fast dancing...I'd have to leave the room. *shaking my head with a grin* Happy 2012! Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 09:01
We all cringe at the thought of our parents doing something out of the norm, or what we think they shouldn't do. :0) Thanks for sharing and entering! Meagan B 01/04/2012 18:44
My mom would make shirley temples and snacks for new years eve celebration- loved it! Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 09:02
I love Shirley Temples! Yum! Thanks for sharing and entering! Theresa Newbury 01/04/2012 18:45
Was leery of reading your blog. Scared it would bring tears, but thankfully it just brought a smile. My Mom also tried to make New Year's eve special for us with staying up, Dick Clark/ball drop, games and wine(grape juice). Unfortunately she passed on New Year's Eve 2002 and so that day has since been a hard one to face more years than not. Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 09:03
Death leaves a scar when it happens, but by remembering the good it makes it easier to deal with. Or so I think. I lost my mom last September- just over a year ago. :0( Thanks for sharing and entering! cathy m 01/04/2012 18:46
The silliest I ever got was a girl's weekend at Vegas. The New Year's events were a blast and we laughed and talked like magpies the whole time. Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 09:04
What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas, right? :0) Thanks for sharing and entering! Juliana 01/04/2012 18:59
Shooting champagne out of my nose the first time I accidentally tasted it when I was 10! Thanks for being part of the blog hop! Happy New Year! Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 09:05
Ouch, that must have burned! Thanks for sharing and entering! Catherine 01/04/2012 19:10
I don't remember any specific New Years antics. However, I do remember an antic that my dad did on a non-holiday, normal grocery store visit. Like most teenagers, I would joke with my dad, when we were out in public, "Don't embarrass me." WELL, on this occasion, he swept me up, tossed me into the cart (half full of groceries, and ran down the aisle yelling--at the top of his lungs--"WHEN DID I EVER EMBARRASS YOU????" We were both laughing hysterically...and I still smile at the memory to this day...especially when I see some over-dramatic teen rolling her eyes at her parent(s). Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 09:05
Ha ha ha! That is a great story and one to tell for generations! Thanks for sharing and entering! Anne R 01/04/2012 19:41
My favorite NYE memory is the one I spend with my now husband. We went out with my best friend and her (then) husband. It was horrible. They fought the whole night but at one point during all that craziness he leaned over and told me that he loved me. Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 09:06
The magic of those words. :0) Thanks for sharing and entering! Elizabeth (BookAttict) 01/04/2012 19:45
My kids getting me to play Dance, Dance Revolution one NYE -- and getting it on video!! Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 09:07
I'm sure that video is buried in a locked box, with a sticky note saying not to watch. Well, it would be if I had. I suck at DDR. :0) Thanks for sharing and entering! latisha depoortere 01/04/2012 19:52
I didn't do anything this year stayed home! My favorite was when I spend New years eve at Disney world was so much fun was in 2000 ! Thank you very much for taking part in this fun blog hop! Happy New Year too you! Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 09:07
I've not been to DisneyWorld yet, but one day! Thanks for sharing and entering! JoAnna B 01/04/2012 20:33
When I was a kid my mom would give us her pots and we would bang the pots with the spoons outside and make lots of noise to ring in the new year. Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 09:08
I'm sure your neighbors loved that! LOL! Thanks for sharing and entering! 01/04/2012 20:37
My favorite New Year's memory is when I was around 7 year's old and my best friend and I stayed up through the New Year all the way up until around 4am. We were the happiest 7 year old's ever! Our parents were too wasted to even notice! lol Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 09:09
4 am for a 7 year old! Wow, I would've been out! Thanks for sharing and entering! Kim S. 01/04/2012 20:59
The best I have is what the hubs does every year....he shoots his home made cannon off at midnight. Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 09:10
That is cool, I wanna homemade cannon! Thanks for sharing and entering! It wasn't during New Years, but one of my favorite memories was when my siblings and I used to crawl under the living room table with crayons and drew all over the bottom of the table. My mom didn't know about it for a few weeks, but when she found out, we were surprised that she wasn't all that fussed. In fact, she crawled underneath with us and created a few drawings herself! Happy New Years! n.dematos@gmail.com Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 09:10
We used to do the same thing! Although my mom never crawled under it with us! Thanks for sharing and entering! Donna B 01/04/2012 21:26
Watching my grandchildren running around in pyjamas and snowboots with their sparklers to bring in the New Year. Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 09:11
That sounds like fun! Thanks for sharing and entering! jeanette8042 01/04/2012 21:34
My friend last year decided that he would make a champagne fountain to surprise everyone but it didn't turn out very stable and we ended up with a champagne river! Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 09:12
A champagne river! What a bubbly mess that would've been. Thanks for sharing and entering! Lori Zalewski 01/04/2012 21:39
Well it's not a NYE memory, but when I was dating the guy who became the husband, we were walking back to my dorm and he pointed to a birds egg in the grass. He picked it up and threw it at me. The shock of it caused me to drop the egg. Well, the egg turned out to be a golf ball. The jerk. I was so mad at him and then he had the nerve to tell me I would laugh about it someday. I, of course, told him I would never laugh about this. Of couse he was right. I'm chuckling thinking about it as I type this. Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 09:14
Isn't that the way it always is? :0) Thanks for sharing and entering! 01/04/2012 21:59
Mom would let us stay up late to bring in the new year. I know fire crackers were part of the celebration. Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 09:15
I'd love to blog there, just let me know the info! I love your memory too! Thanks for sharing and entering! Eva P. 01/04/2012 23:03
I can't say that I've done or had done anything funny or silly like that. I usually have just spent them with my family, we watch the countdown on tv, eat snacks and play games...pretty boring, but fun all the same! ;) Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 09:16
Not boring if it brings a smile to your face! Thanks for sharing and entering! Gayle Oreluk 01/05/2012 01:48
My family parties at home with lots of good food and we watch the ball drop in Times Square. Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 09:17
Thanks for entering and sharing! Jesse Kimmel-Freeman 01/05/2012 09:17
It's good to remember those that aren't near us. Thanks for sharing and entering! Leave a Reply | Jesse Kimmel-Freeman
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