As 2023 comes to a close, it’s fun to look back on all of the memories I made in the past year. As I write this, I’m re-watching (for the who knows how many times) one of my favorite memories of 2023, The Eras Tour! It’s such a fun thing to have on in the background as I reflect on what feels like one of the fastest years of my life. Anyone else? Just me? I hope not. Anyway, I thought I would compile some of my favorite memories from this year. I went through my camera roll and thought I would just pick a few photos. I was wrong. Please enjoy going through 99 (yes, 99) photos of the memories Annie, Stanley, and I made this year!
January:
In January I got to take a work trip to San Diego. I had never been so it was pretty cool to visit a new place. The first stop I insisted we make was In-N-Out, of course. The rest of January was spent outside as much as possible anytime it snowed!
February:
February was spent with family and even more outside time. Annie and I took a trip up to Neenah to visit my sister Amy and her family, taking walks in the Wisconsin snow and on the frozen lake (people set up TENTS and ride FOUR WHEELERS on this frozen lake). Annie and Stanley also got lots of naps in, clearly.
March:
March was a little bittersweet as I said goodbye to one of my closest friends. What started out as a nutrition coach/client situation in the beginning of 2021 quickly turned into one of the best friendships I have ever had. Between all of the margaritas, chips, queso, and gringo dip that was consumed, we got to know each other and form a bond that not even the distance between Illinois and Florida can break. March was also spent relaxing, as Stanley has shown you.
April:
April was a busy one for us! We moved into a rental home that was perfect for the time we needed it. Annie and Stanley fell in love with the yard! So much so that I don’t think Stanley has stopped yelling at me since we moved in if he’s inside because all he wants to do is be outside chasing squirrels and birds. I got to try my hand at gardening which was a nice little hobby for a minute. I think one plant might still be alive? We also celebrated Stanley’s 2nd birthday with toys only fitting for the psychopath he is, haha. We got family photos taken for the first time since my sisters and I were children and I got to go see Wicked with my bestie. At the end of April we had to say goodbye to our Tatum who was our family dog for the last 15 years. I got Tatum between my sophomore and junior years of high school as the tiniest little 2lb puppy. He grew up to be the best grumpy grandpa we could have ever asked for!
May:
May was a great month! As mentioned above, I got to see one of my favorite people in the whole entire world who doesn’t know I exist with two of my other favorite people in the whole entire world who actually do know I exist. Thank God because that car ride to and from Nashville would have been a little awkward if they didn’t. Also in May? Stanley learned how to get on the little roof of the house we live in, I went to two Cardinals games, got two new tattoos, brought Stanley into the office (he hated every second), and got to hang out with our boy Sullivan some more!
June:
June was all about the social outings! My Mom and I went to a candle making class brought to us by The Happy Elephant (IYKYK) and we both loved the experience. So much so that we’ve attended a fall themed class and will be attending a Christmas themed class this month. I also got to drag one of my best friends with me to sit front row and experience a really great VIP experience for one of my absolute favorite podcasts. If you don’t listen to I Think Not! you should be. I also got to celebrate Taylor Swift yet again with co-workers by going to (and winning) Taylor Swift trivia and a Taylor Swift themed cyclebar class. We also celebrated Father’s Day with my Dad and got to take lots of walks and naps!
July:
Because I love a good theme, clearly, July was spent celebrating Taylor Swift even more with a trip to see a Taylor Swift tribute band AND I threw my first party in the rental house for Taylor Swift’s re-release of Speak Now (Taylor’s Version). We also got to see the Barbie movie and attend our first Drag Bingo!
August:
In August the focused shifted to my favorite kid named Sullivan! Our buddy turned 1 and we got the privilege of being in Neenah on his birthday and then celebrating back down here with family. Watching him grow has been top three highlights of 2023 for sure. We also celebrated my Mom’s birthday, decorated for Halloween, went to a Frankie Valli concert, a Jonas Brothers concert, and said see ya later to another one of my closest friends as she went off to be stationed in Japan for the next few years. Not pictured was watching Ja Rule, Ashanti, and Nelly in concert at the hottest concert I have ever been to and going to the Muny to see Sister Act with my Mom. In August we also lost one of the greatest women I have ever and will ever meet. My Grandma Barb was one-of-a-kind. My Aunt put it best when she said that my Grandma was able to make every single one of her many many family members feel important and loved. She just had a way of making sure we were all given attention from her. She was the best.
September:
September was spent exploring a couple new cities and watching two different cousins dominate in their sports! I got to spend a whole Saturday watching my little cousin Reese kill it in volleyball and another Saturday watching my little cousin Ethan and his team place at state for baseball! The family and I also went to the east coast (my first time there!) and explored Boston, Martha’s Vineyard, and Salem. It was a very busy few days but we saw a lot!
October:
Time to recap the best month of the year! Which is why there are so many photos, oops! Where do I even start with October? I got to watch one of my friends start his own business, went to quite a few fall festivals, made friends waiting to buy The Eras Tour Movie popcorn buckets, went to see The Eras Tour Movie twice, spent even more time outside, got to sell merch with my Mom, got another tattoo for my birthday, went to another candle making class for my birthday, went to Halloween trivia with friends, handed out candy to our first ever trick-or-treaters (even if it was only 6 kids) and forced Annie and Stanley to dress up many, many times. Phew, it really was a great month!
November:
November starts the winding down of the year so it might have been a little slower than October but that doesn’t mean the memories don’t mean just as much. Our girl Taylor Swift re-released 1989 (Taylor’s Version) so of course I threw a party. I even invited the doll I bought for Halloween to the party. My friends were all sooooo excited about her attendance, lol. I also got to hang out with Sullivan even more, spend Thanksgiving with my family, and turned me, Annie, and Stanley into a Disney Pixar movie poster. Remember that friend I talked about leaving for Florida in March? Well I got to see her AND our friend who lives in Houston/Nashville/Mt.Olive (LOL Kate) for an evening of catching up, eating chips and queso, and watching them drink some margs.
December:
December is only half-way over and it’s already been filled with so many memories. My family and I went and escaped not one but two escape rooms because we are that good! One of those rooms was Elf themed, of course. I also talked my sister Amy into taking photos for the Christmas card, went to a winter market with family, did the Taylor Swift challenge with Stanley, and hung out with Sullivan some more. In case you’re wondering, and I know you are, December will also involve going to see Aladdin at The Fox for my sister Carrie’s birthday, taking Annie and Stanley through Christmas lights, and going to Christmas trivia. My Mom and I will also be going to another candle making class with some friends and my sister Amy, we’ll be spending Christmas together, and I get to see my friend that got stationed in Japan!
Going through my photos to put in this blog post blew my mind because I honestly feel like it’s still January. Actually? I feel like it’s December of 2019. Where in the hell has the last four years gone?! 2023 was one for the record books and I’m so excited to see what 2024 has in store for me, Annie, and Stanley!
If you got this far, thank you so much for looking back on this year with me. I hope your 2023 was just as magical and I hope your 2024 is even more so. Happy Holidays to you and yours! ❤️
