Feliz Ano Nuevo

After scoring on after Christmas bargains of gift wrap, cards, obnoxious Christmas inflatables for the yard, and (get this!) Burt's Beeswax lip balm (which a use all year long! Woohoo!), we were ready to pack up all the Christmas décor and ring in the new year. 

We are haphazardly studying Mexico with the kids right now and we found out that in Mexico at midnight, it is a tradition to eat 12 grapes and make a wish after each grape.  So because our kids can't tell time and because we don't want to torture ourselves with overtired children, at 7:25 pm we counted down from 10-1 and shouted our New Year welcome!  We enjoyed sparkling apple cider which the kids were pretty happy about because it was like soda, a seldom enjoyed beverage in our family.  Then, again, to move things along, we decided to eat 3 raisins each because 1.) we did not have grapes and raisins are grapes, just in a sad state, and 2.) waiting for each of us to come up with 12 wishes, especially the kids, would take forever.  It still was 12 and promoted team work! So we each took a turn eating a raisin and make a wish until there were no more. 

As parents, we wished for the obvious and well appreciated good health, employment, and increased spirituality, among a couple other things.  Sophie's first wish was to be a mermaid and Rhys wished to be a Daddy and "do a lot of shopping" which paradoxically is one of his least favorite activities.

The point is, all were happy as Sophie and Rhys went to bed and we parents stayed up watching the U.K.'s Top Gear reruns which were new and quite funny to us.

In the morning, Sophie tried to keep aligned with Mexico's traditions, as she wore underwear with a bit of yellow detail and a red shirt.  We had read the day before that some people in Mexico wear yellow underwear on New Year's Day for good luck with money, while others may wear red underwear for good luck in love.  It was fun to read about some of Mexico's traditions mostly because the kids would laugh every time the word "underwear" was mentioned.

That morning we continued to put the house in order and watched the Rose Parade. I lived in southern CA for 30 years and never attended the Rose Parade or the subsequent float viewing.  Neal did attend the parade when he was a kid but remembers nothing of it but getting up early to get there.

Happy New Year to all!  We hope that this year brings all many blessings and strength to endure any adversity that may come.