Happy New Year!

Happy New Year everyone! I have to admit, I was kind of sad for 2012 to end. 2012 was a really amazing year. We got engaged, got married, moved into a house together, and as you've read we've gotten to see and do a lot of fun things since then. Then again, the fun doesn't stop in 2012 and 13 has kind of been a lucky number for us. We started dating on Friday the 13th when Jonathan and Ana came up to Austin to surprise me. People think we're crazy when we tell them that, but for us it turned into a good luck thing and we get excited when another Friday the 13th is coming up. That's why we wanted to get married on April 14th: it was 5 and a half years since we'd started dating. Plus it was a bonus that our rehearsal dinner was on a Friday the 13th. So bring it on 2013! I'm sure it will be another amazing year!

For most people, New Years isn't a big holiday. At least, for me it wasn't before I started dating Jonathan. I quickly learned in our first year of dating that for Venezuelans, really all Latin Americans, New Years is a big celebration. Every year it is a very elegant event and it is very important to ring in the new year with your family. This was quite a big surprise to me because I had never thought of New Years as very important in the past. It took me awhile to get used to it but now I look forward to the big dinner celebration every year. This year we wanted to host New Years at our house. We love to have people over and cook for our friends and family so we were really excited to host our first holiday dinner. Both of our families came so it was great to ring in the new year with everyone.

Jonathan having some yummy cheese. Our homemade Christmas goodies are on the far end of the table too.

Clockwise starting in top left: kale, potatoes and vegetables, pork loin, and sweet potatoes!

Unfortunately those were all the pictures I took of the night. Everything was so delicious so I got a little distracted. We finished dinner with a rocky road pie and champagne to toast the new year. Then we went to a family friend's New Years party where we had more champagne and of course 12 grapes as the clock struck midnight. It's tradition to have 12 grapes at midnight on New Years. It is for good luck in the new year and you have to eat 12, 1 for every month. It's kind of a funny sight to see a big group of people trying to drink their champagne, eat their grapes, and hug and kiss each other all at the same time haha. I assure you, I am the least graceful one out of everyone. Nonetheless, it's a very cute tradition.

I hope you all had a very good New Years! What did you do to celebrate?

- Chelsey