New Year's Eve in Santiago de Chile

We are old.  Viejo.  Sometimes we feel it more than others.  New Year's Eve was one of those times.

New Year's Eve was at Cecy's apartment because she has a wonderful view of the fireworks at the base of the Andes.

Sometime, I will try to capture just how huge the Andes are.  I live in the Rocky Mountains and the Andes impress me - they are massive.  They are the longest mountain chain in the world and the second highest.  They are so dramatic, I think, partially because treeline is lower and so you have bigger chunks of rock going for miles up into the sky, and also because you are at the ocean in about an hour and a half and then, boom!  You are in the Andes.  Regardless, they are actually massive mountains, whatever is causing the perception.

Another thing, do you know those little Andes mints?  They don't have them here.  How ironic is that?

Back to New Year's Eve and my oldness.

We made the dinner items pretty early in the afternoon and set the buffet up.  This was so lovely.  And gave me the impression that we might have dinner at an hour I am more accustomed to.  It also fooled my children into the hope of a meal before their usual bedtime.  Nope.  We got to see the lovely food on the lovely table set so beautifully for many hours before we got to eat said lovely food.  I am going to start catching on sooner, I hope.

Another nap for the kids and most of the grown ups (I am drinking so much coffee here to try to stay on Chilean time that I am rarely able to take a nap).

Then it was party time!  Pao and Coke and the kids came over (Vale, Fran and Martin).  The cousins have fun together!  We ate, drank and laughed until the fireworks.  Then lots of kisses and hugs all around.  In Chile, you spend midnight with your family - youngsters go out afterward, but rarely before.  It's a family-centric culture.

Kiko was meant to go out with friends after midnight celebrations with the family but Andres went to Concon to celebrate and Sapo was too tired as well.  So we went to bed!

Enjoying dinner on New Year's Eve.

Valentina and Tata Enrique.

 Lots of cuddles with Cecy and Tata and the grandkids.

 The fireworks over the city viewed from outside on Cecy's balcony.

 One tired little toddler.  Can I sleep now, mama?

 Pao serving up the desserts!  Tres Leches, fruit kabobs and another Chilean dessert with manjar that I don't know the name of.  Manjar is a thick caramel from milk and sugar and is delicious, however, it's in just about every dessert here and is very sweet.

 Relaxing after dinner and waiting for midnight to come!

 Strike a pose, girls!

 Coke, Kiko's brother in law.  He's crazy.  Crazy fun!

The tired, old, happy couple.  We are looking forward to a wonderful, beautiful, prosperous 2013 and believing our Father in Heaven for riches in love, life, mind, body, and business.  How He loves us!