Thanks to Elisabeth for the inspiration! All in all, 2023 has been a wonderful year. The country had peace, clean streets, and taxes. We had medical care, heat, days off, money, and plentiful food. Like, what else do we need?
As I look through my camera roll, I notice so many great memories, wonderful moments, changes of seasons, growing, aging, learning, and teaching. Looking at a big picture, our lives are pretty darn good. So then I struggled with “what do I include????” So I decided not to overthink it. Rather, I am rolling with whatever comes to mind.
Favorite Meal: Mosárabe salad in Córdoba. Oranges, olives, lox, avocado, walnuts, onions, etc. So, so good!
Favorite TV Show: Yellowjackets- it’s the only one I watched this year. What can I say, I don’t watch many shows.
Favorite Movie: Eileen. There were others, of course, but Eileen is fresh in my mind. Just saw it last weekend.
Favorite Song: That That by Psy and Suga or anything jazz.
Favorite Purchase(s): Plane tickets! Leggings. Inexpensive golden hoop earrings. Two dresses from Marine Layer.
Favorite Decision(s): 1. starting this blog in March of 2023. 2. Our trip to Denmark, 3. Our trip to Spain and Portugal. 4. taking charge of my own retirement planning.
Favorite Book(s): I honestly don’t know how many books I read in 2023 and how many books I did not finish. But two books stand-out: “Overwhelmed” is non-fiction and “My American Life” is a fictional novel but deeply based in reality.
Favorite Beauty Products: in October I had a little bit of a revelation. And that revelation was that I need to invest more in quality skin care. Pretty much everything I got from Sephora was top-notch. Even the eyeliner and lipgloss! But three products kind of stand out: face cream with plant squalene, honey mask, and a scrub.
Top Favorite Moments of the Year:
- Walking in Alcazar of Seville and holding hands with T, while the kids ran ahead and played in the Alcazar mazes.
- Sitting on a bench in La Alhambra gardens while the kids played nearby in a fountain.
- Our Copenhagen Airbnb host giving the kids and I warm coats out of his own closet because we were freezing in Denmark in April.
- Student tearing up when I gave them a birthday card for their birthday
- Rainn potty training! YES!
- Decorating my own classroom at the end of August and making it all MINE.
- Watching my kids roam the ancient streets of Spanish towns
- Hugging my friend Joanna in Poland
- R falling asleep at the beach in Portugal, I can’t even!
Mom of Children 