Tuesday, March 7, 2023

2022: A Year of Firsts


2022 was a pretty awesome year for me. I tried a lot of  new things and experienced a lot of personal growth, I like to refer to it as a year of firsts.

Here's a list of some of the things I did for the first time this year:

Solo traveling
Visited Key West
Holotropic breath work 
Roller Skating
Dyed my hair pink
Attended the Flower and Garden Festival in Disney World
Tried Voodoo donuts
Got a professional tarot reading
Relaxed in a salt cave
Dined in alpenglobes in Midway
Tried Gideons famous cookies
Visited Bear Lake
Went Kayaking in the Ocean
Got cartilage piercings
Participated in a bike race solo
Stayed at the Grand America
Kayaked the Provo River
Got tested for ADHD (negative)
Contrast therapy at a nordic style bathhouse 
Hiked the riverside trail in Zion National Park
Backyard camping
Had mono
Tried an açaí bowl
Hair analysis for health
Got a Brazilian wax
Visited San Luis Obispo
Stayed at the Madonna Inn 
Started doing morning sunlight viewing
Walked the boardwalks around Silver Lake
Did a photo op at Fan X (Cary Elwes!)
Rode the Halloween lift ride at Sundance
Had an energy healing session
Did a Parasite cleanse
Attended the witches tea at the Grand America
Visited Arizona for Christmas
Roasted chestnuts
Got Covid



Such a wonderful year of growth
 I'm hoping to take the momentum I gained in 2022 into 2023!





Monday, March 6, 2023

New Years Eve


On new years eve, I was finally able to join in on the family celebrations! Everyone was nice and let me come even though I hadn't officially tested negative yet. But I had quarantined for 10 days and I hadn't had any symptoms for several days. 

I was so excited to be with my people again! I was also so excited to enjoy moms cooking, her food is  so delicious.






Dad knows I love peppermint chocolate cakes, and I had told him all season long, don't make your chocolate peppermint dessert when I'm not there! So he made his special chocolate peppermint ice cream cake just for me! Except, he couldn't find any peppermint ice cream so he used mint chocolate chip instead, and it was so yummy. I really appreciated his intention to make me my favorite Christmas dessert for my grand introduction back into society.


After dinner and dessert it was time for our annual white elephant gift exchange!


Dad went first



Grass covered flip flops! The griffins brought this gift and they told me they were hoping  I would get it since I have a serious aversion to walking on grass with bare feet. Thinking of wearing these shoes gives  me the cringy shivers.


Ricky got a blue and white plate and at first we were all confused why this was part of a silly white elephant gift exchange. Beth told us to look closer, the pattern was actually flying monkeys and other silly things.




V got this hilarious eye mask, that she wore all the way up until it was stolen.





Mom got a light up scarf, hat and gloves and she was actually pretty thrilled about it.




Karin got this hilarious octopus beanie. We all told her we expect to see her wearing it on the slopes next year, and she said it would actually be pretty awesome since her face always gets so cold. 



John got a snail soap dispenser and green soap to use with it. This was a pretty hot item and it got stolen a few times.




Thomas got a talking face piggy bank that "eats' your money, the kids were so entertained by it.


When it was my turn I picked the other present that was labeled "fragile" and was wrapped like Ricky's blue and white plate, hoping I would get one too.


I did! Mine had giant robots taking over a village.



When John's snail got stolen, he picked the gift I brought which had canned river otter in it...


It was actually  a super cute stuffed river otter that V and Thomas loved. John loved the candy I included in the gift.


Jenny stole dad's grass flip flops because they came with some pretty adorable guinea pig things.




Dad's new gift was a grinch face pan and a green pancake mix.




Sam got "ohhhh fffffudge" and he was pretty excited about it.



Andrew stole V's eye mask and the worst alphabet book that came with it.


Her replacement gift was a ginormous candy cane.



After everyone had opened their gift, Thomas did some major negotiating with John to get the canned river otter and the cat vs. pickle toy that also came in that gift.


Then it was time to head upstairs and get ready to countdown to the new year!




Happy New Year!!!





Dr. Nog (Dr. Pepper + eggnog) has become part of our new years traditions. The boys love it and look forward to it every year. They love experimenting and finding the best ratio of soda to nog.



After ringing in the new year at midnight, our family doesn't go to bed. We stay up and puzzle. we are a family of night owls.




Cheers to 2023!!