On New Year's Eve, the boys went and worked on the ranch again, and the girls
and I went to the grocery store (we have a Wegmans now!) and got all the
delicious food for our New Year's celebration party and charcuterie board.
I gave Jane a book for Christmas called On Boards.
Each month features a fun board with foods associated with that month.
I think my favorite part of our New Year's board was
the beet relish with pumpernickel bread and sharp cheddar cheese.
Lottie bedazzled our Martinelli's bottle with confetti and glue.
Jane and I made paper cranes out of our Olivia Kudnusen 2021 calendar
and added gold foil to the wings.
I hung them up around the dining room table.
I also used about 50 pounds of gold streamers to cover my
already droopy Christmas tree.
It actually turned out magical.
I'm going to do it for reals next year.
Jane and I planned on serving three different mocktails at different times
of the evening while grazing the dinner table, playing games,
and watching movies until the blessed midnight hour.
Our first drink was a classic Sangria, and was served at 7:00.
The second drink; a Pina Colada served at 10:00:
Our final drink was served at 11:55; a classic Martini with olives
and sparkling Martinelli's from Lottie's decorated bottles.
After midnight and the kisses and tears of joy that 2021 is FINALLY OVER,
we broke open last year's goals tucked inside an old Martinelli's bottle.
It was fun reading what we had hoped for our 2021, and what
we'd hoped for ourselves personally and for our family.
All I am going to say is that 2021 was one of the
hardest on file for the Nielsons.
It was so challenging in so many ways.
But it was in retrospect, it was a very stretching
year full of growth and change.
I'm always grateful for that because it means I can progress
and become more and more (hopefully) like the Savior.
But boy, am I so ready for 2022!!
(Between you and me, I hope 2022 brings me a white kitchen again!)
