Wishes for 2024

🎉2024🎉

Twenty Twenty Four....

I am ready for you... 

I am ready for all the joy, hope, love, excitement, challenges, hard work, good things and comfort to come to me. 

Twenty Twenty Four...

2023 was another rollercoaster kind of a year and to be honest, I would love it if you were more of a merry go round- small ups and down not the highest highs and lowest lows (literally and figuratively) 

Twenty Twenty Four...

Please mind yourself and let me have the year, we both know I should have and I deserve. 

Love you lots and can't wait to meet you, Twenty Twenty Four!

[[Cheers to the New year and another chance to get it right]]

Dear 2023

 

Dear 2023, 

What in the world happened? We started off so strong this year and then summer came and we fell apart. By the fall we put ourselves back together and by winter, I was stronger than ever. 

2023, you taught me so much this year! Some of the stand out things you taught me were: 

Listening to my intuition 

Exercise is so important for both my mental health and physical health

Speak up even when your voice shakes

Continue to act with grace 

Own up to your mistakes and ask for help 

Friendship bloom in the most unexpected places

Sometimes the fairytale you thought you wanted takes a turn and it's not your forver

Walking away is hard but living a life that you are not happy with is worse. 

Romanticize your life

Find beauty and humor in the every day 

Get outside more

Don't hide your whimsy, wonder or childlike joy

Thank you for opening my eyes, letting me make these mistakes and guiding me along. 

2024, I have high hopes for you this year! Let's see what you have in store for me! 

[[Celebrate endings because the precede new beginnings- Jonathan Lockwood Huie ]]

Friday's Joy

 

Hi friends!

I'm linking up with Erica and Andrea this week for Friday Favorites! I can't wait to read your posts:

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How true is this?!

Week in Review

This is the last Friday's Joy in 2023! I wrote 28 Friday's (Favorites) Joy's this year. Weirdly enough, I also wrote 28 Friday Favorites last year too!  I will take that as a win this year! I love linking up with all of you and I can't wait to continue into the New Year! 

I have been all confused with the days this week. For some reason, with Christmas being on a Monday, it completely threw me off. Christmas was lovely. We went out for brunch on Christmas Eve to our favorite diner and then we stayed home on Christmas Day. It was low key and relaxing. I am really happy to celebrate the holidays this way. 

I took two days off this week (my last two personal days) and Tuesday I spent it in my pajamas catching up on all the back posts I have been meaning to write. It felt so good to be able to finish those up and start 2024 with nothing pending from 2023.  

I went out to the Office Lounge on Wednesday night with two friends for our monthly girls dinner. We laughed and ate and drank and stayed out way past my bed time🤭 I love this monthly tradition we have. 

Staying out so late on Wednesday meant absolutely no gym before work. I needed my sleep and I figured I could go to the gym the next few days. I learned this year to listen to my body, and not push myself. 

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New Year's Eve Plans

Snuggled up in my bed, listening to music and probably working on my blog. 🤭 my New Year's Eve tee and sparkly sweater will make an appearance too! Oh, you can't forget snacks! 

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Looking Ahead 

2024! 2024! 2024! 

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Links

Red Nail Theory/// To end the year, I am trying out the Red Nail Theory. My nails don't always love nail polish so this will be interesting. Have you heard of the Red Nail Theory?

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Posts 

Did you miss any of my posts from this week? Find them below:

My Christmas Wish | 2023 Christmas Card Reveal | Merry Christmas | WGJ vol. 48 | Diary # 48 | Dear December 

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[[You can never have too much happy]]

Dear December

Oh December, you were good to me! You were full of friends, joy and laughter. Lots of holiday parties and fun surprises, like the above Christmas tree. I felt this month, I had a new lease on life and I was ready to tackle anything put in my way. Boy, there were some obstacles in my path that were HUGE but I was happy to say, I got through them with grace. 

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Here are some words that were prominent during my month:  

Relief/// I know this will be an unpopular opinion, but I am happy the holidays are over. 

Spirit/// along the lines of relief , I didn't feel too much in the spirit this year. For example,  I didn't want to go out of my way to do anything Christmassy. It was weird BUT I'm happy to say others who I chatted with felt the same way! Also this made me giggle because it was soooo true. 

Ready/// I am very ready for 2024 to start. I always feel ready to start the new year around this time. 

Joyful /// driving home from work each night was more joyful than normal due to all the Christmas lights out. I felt like I saw something new every single night on the drive (could be the fact my neighbors kept adding to their display LOL) I'll miss the lights come January. 

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Emoji of the month:

🥰

Of love; express feelings of love or strong liking of someone or something. 

I definitely used this a lot during this month, in real life and online.  I think I have a loving outlook on life and sometimes I feel like I'm a walk heart eyes emoji LOL 

I'm going to do this again through 2024. It's like a fortune teller for the year. 

To play along, on January 1, send yourself a text message with the 1st 12 emojis in your recent emjoi section. Each emoji (1st for January,  2nd for February,  etc) will representa month and 'predict' how your month should go. Sometimes its spot on, sometimes it's really wrong. Something silly and fun to look forward too.  

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Flashback

in 2022, I was full of Christmas spirit and still saving money; in 2021, I went on a few Christmas adventures and spent a quiet Christmas at home ; in 2020, random acts of kindness were on full display also my anxiety and non-Christmas spirit; in 2015, I posted some gift guides, a Christmas themed workout and some holiday adventures; in 2014, I shared my goals for the new year; and finally in 2011, I shared some silly snippets of life working my first full time job.

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Gym Update

I went to the gym 18 times this month. 90% of them were early morning sessions (before 5 AM) and they were my absolute favorites. Nothing beats feeling like you accomplished something before going to work. My 4-8 before my 830-5 has been created and I'm still fine tuning it BUT it has become one of my favorite things to come out of 2023.  

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Looking Forward

New Year, New Start. My birthday! Girls dinner. More early gym sessions. New intentions and new goals. 

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Posts

Did you miss any of my posts from this month? Find them below:

Random #23 | Hot Takes | Spotify Wrapped | Wake Up Call | Note to Self: Look for GLIMMERS | Till You Can't | My Christmas Wish | 2023 Christmas Card Reveal | Merry Christmas | WGJ Vol. 48 | Diary #48 

Best of 2023: My Favorite Posts | My Favorite Photos | WGJ Favorites Playlist | Thoughts on 2023 

Fridays Joy: 1 | 2 | 3 | 4

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[[December is a month of twinkle lights, laughter, and warm memories that will last a lifetime]]

Diary #48

Four years of sharing my favorite photos each month. This has brought me so much joy over the years and I cannot wait to continue to share my photo diary in 2024. 

#OOTD for family photos

Unreal sunset at Bamber Lake

SANTTTAAAAA at a Mexican Restaurant

Love how Jeep owners decorate their Jeeps

Still romanticizing my life

Google Lens said this is holly.... how festive

Good lighting requires you to take a selfie

Alright Ocean County, you did okay this year. 

Magical

Christmas Traditions!

This is how I feel life has felt since 2019

Big smiles for Santa

Goofy smile after the dentist

Same sewing machine, almost 20 years later

20 year friendship with Ms. Singer, the sewing teacher

Golden Hour you're so pretty

Found in Pine Beach. 

Found in Ocean Gate

I've been saying this often  lately

That one little leaf is holding on for dear life

Ocean County you look so pretty for Christmas

Updated my outfit 30 years later
PS: I made my skirt on the RIGHT

Love a good personalized gift

Sometimes you stumble onto a really beautiful morning

This is real life

Miss Mel working with you has been always an adventure!

Office photo

LOVE them! 

If you missed any of my Diary posts this year, you can find them below:

| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November |

[[We didn't realize we were making memories. We just knew we were having fun]]

WGJ vol. 48

We have reached the end of December and you know what that means: PLAYLIST day!

I love this month's playlist (I know! I say it every month BUT this month's playlist is truly amazing!) I also love that we have reached another year filled with playlists. With this being playlist #48, that means I have been sharing playlists for FOUR years! 

WGJ Vol. 48

Fearless- Jackson Dean
Shot With You- Jake Slaton
No Tomorrow- Heartland
Things I Take For Granted- Larry Fleet
Lotta Bit Of You- Drew Green
bad idea- Owen DiNapoli
Dare You To Move- Adam Doleac
Breakin' In Boots (Stripped)- Matt Stell
You'd Look Better With Me-  Brandt Carmichael
Anybody But You- Lauren Watkins
Leave Right Now- The Kentucky Gentlemen
Louisiana- Reyna Roberts
Luke Combs- Tanner Adell
Get 'Em Together- Logan Mize, Clare Dunn
Country Boy's Dream Girl- Elle Langley
How I Learned To Pray- Charlie Worsham, Luke Combs
Tall Boys- Josh Ross
Whiskey Weak- Jordan Davis
I Can Be That- Dylan Raymond
Where It Ends- Bailey Zimmerman
Miss Summer- Redferrin
Life Lessons- Wyatt Flores
Dirt Cheap- Cody Johnson 
Life With You- Kelsey Hart

Listen HERE.

If you missed any of my playlists this year, you can find them below:

| January | February | March | April | May | June | July | August | September | October | November |

[[Even on the hard days Man, I can't complain- Larry Fleet]]

Merry Christmas

 Merry Christmas to you and your families!

I am oh so thankful for you taking time out of your busy schedule to stop by my slice of the internet. 

Wishing you all the best today and every day!

[[Christmas magic is silent. You don't heart it- you feel it, you know it, you believe it.- Kevin Alan Milne]]

2023 Christmas Card Reveal

Every year, my parents and I take photos specifically for our Christmas Card. It has been a tradition since 2015. I love how these photos turn out each year and its a nice way to end the year- taking family photos. Without any further delay, here is the 2023 Spano Family Christmas Card.

 2022 Christmas Card | 2021 Christmas Card | 2020 Christmas Card | Christmas Cards of Years Past

Merry Christmas Eve to you and your family!

[[May you never be too old to search the skies on Christmas Eve]]

My Christmas Wish

 My Christmas wish is to be happy and healthy..... as always. 

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Real talk (holiday brain): Honestly, I don't remember my reason for title. Here I am, 5 am at the gym, walking on the treadmill trying to rack my mind trying to figure this out. 

Did I mean, what I am hoping to get for Christmas? Did I mean, my delusional Christmas list full of things that are only possible in my dreams? Did I mean a general wish for peace and prosperity for all? Did I want to just post that adorable photo as my header? (Partly yes) Did I want to reshare all my Christmas themed posts from years before? (Partly yes) 

This is par for the course lately, having a great idea then poof! It flies away. I blame my brain stuck on Christmas. Ha 

Thank you for getting this far in the post. I will take the time to thank you again for stopping by my corner of the internet. I work hard on these posts (well perhaps not this particular one) ha ha ha.  I can't wait to see what I come up with in 2024. 

Here are some past Christmas posts: 

Christmas Extravaganza | Christmas Playlist 2022 Version | Christmas Lights | Christmas Movies part 1 & 2 | Christmas Funnies | Christmas Past Adventures | Christmas Playlist 2020 Version | Christmas Themed Workout | 

[[I like smiling; smiling is my favorite- Elf]]

Friday's Joy

Hi friends!

I'm linking up with Erica and Andrea this week for Friday Favorites! I can't wait to read your posts:

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The dreamiest view yesterday morning

Week in Review

What a week this has been! 

I took last Friday off and I spent the day doing errands and then stopping by the high school to meet with my sewing teacher to have a refresher sewing course.  I couldn't believe that even after 20 years, she has the same sewing machines I used back when I was a student. 

It was SO weird to be back at high school almost 20 years later. I don't feel like I've been out of high school that long BUT things have changed so much that after seeing them I'm 100% sure I've been out of high school for that long 😅 

The work week has been odd! We had a bad storm Sunday night into Monday. There was so much flooding and with it being high tide, it was a mess Monday morning. 

Another mess this week, my mind. I couldn't keep the days straight and I kept looking at the calendar in disbelief it's so close to Christmas. 

I also picked up my last gifts this week now to wrap everything and I will be done! So excited about that! 

Work has been winding down and I'm getting ready for 2024. To me, its still 2019🤣 

I had 2 Christmas parties to attend this week. One with an office I work closely with and then the other one was with my office. Lots of holiday cheer and surprise Christmas gifts. I just love this time of year! I am looking forward to slowing down and getting back to normal life. 

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This and That 

I finished my Christmas skirt just in time for our office Christmas party. I felt like I looked like CHRISTMAS! Ha. I was so excited to tell people that it had pockets AND I made it. I also loved showing them the inspiration photo of baby Gabby! Onto my next sewing project!

An updated look
1993| 2023

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Looking Ahead 

In order: Christmas, some days off, my favorite co-workers last day, and girl dinner. Also 2 four day weekends coming up. 

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Links

Aldi's and Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes/// anytime I think of Christmas, I think of Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes. A women found them for 49 cents and bought them all. I don't blame her at all!

150 conversation starters /// anyone else sometimes struggle with keeping a conversation going/starting a conversation?! No, just me? Cool. 🤣

Home Alone Package at the Plaza/// LOVE this! Ha you get to live like Kevin McCallister and go on his Christmas Adventure. Bonus: this package runs all year long. 

Tree Skirt Skirt/// I love this tutorial from Cassie Stephens. I'm adding this to my list for next year for an outfit to one of my Christmas parties. 

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Posts 

Did you miss any of my posts from this week? Find them below:

Till You Can't | Best of 2023: Favorite Posts| Best of 2023: Favorite Photos | Best of 2023: WGJ Favorites Playlist | Best of 2023: Thoughts on 2023 

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[[It's not how much we give but how much love we put into giving]]