2018

New Year's Eve. I'm ready. Well, I am sort of ready. My brother and I have decided to channel our Southern roots and we are doing our first ever "low country boil." I have text directions from my southern cousins, my father has texted about the importance of finding a good sausage, my brother and I ran up a large Costco bill (and we didn't even buy alcohol), we have food prepped and we are ready. Except we may or may not be waiting on the boil equipment to arrive from Fed Ex. 
We totally are, waiting for it to arrive.
And our children may or may not be tired of us saying (multiple times), "Does everyone know we are having a New Year's Boil? Is everyone coming to the New Year's Boil? Who's excited for the New Year's Boil?" 
They totally are, tired of us saying theses things.

Not only are they tired of us saying it, they are  completely unimpressed with it at all. But that is my life with teenagers, completely unimpressed with anything I am doing. It is also the first year where we will basically have only one kid home for New Year's Eve. My fourth grade nephew stands alone. All others from age 10 to 19 have found plans and excused themselves from the Low Country Boil.

New York girl is home. So I feel like our TV runs Sex and the City and Gossip Girl on loop. I am worried as I write they will both take over my writing voice causing me to ask and answer questions in Carrie Bradshaw style as well as end the blog with xoxo Gossip Girl.

Is it harder to say good-bye to the old year when the year has been good? (There's Carrie)

2018 was a really good year for me, for us, for our family. I find myself looking back on so many amazing (and surreal) milestones and looking forward to some big ones still to come. It was a year with no regret that lived up to the promise it had for us on New Year's Eve last year. In fact, it has far exceeded it's promise.

Highlights include:
A college graduation, 21st birthday and engagement for our oldest. That's a lot. She can slow down in 2019.

A year and a half of successful life in New York City for our college girl. While school is not her favorite thing,  she is getting it done and she has a work ethic like no other. Great jobs and a hard worker. 

Senior year progressing and college applications completed with a couple of early acceptances. She can breathe easy as she awaits the rest. 

And as always...and then there's Mary. High School started and studying reluctantly, and competitive dance daily with great dedication. In 2019 she will be an only child.

I cruised into 50 on a ship with my Southern Auntie and Cousins. It was amazing in every way. Another thing that far exceeded any expectation I had. Blog on this to follow.

Corey made a small, but significant change with his business. 

We we were blessed.  2018 was just an amazing year. Possibly our best in the last decade.

I find myself tentative about sending it off. How can 2019 fill such big shoes?

In November I saw To Kill A Mockingbird in New York on Broadway.  It also far exceeded any and every expectation I had. And as a lifetime To Kill a Mockingbird devotee as well as lover of all  things Aaron Sorkin, my expectations were extremely high. It was three hours long and felt like ten minutes. Jeff Daniels was superb. He made Atticus his own, but you still left with a soft spot for Gregory Peck and his Atticus. Aaron Sorkin was true to Harper Lee and the original story, but subtly kept it relevant to today, as well as adding his talent for masterful, quick dialogue and humor. It was a masterpiece. 

And that's really what 2018 was for us. It was To Kill A Mockingbird on Broadway. A masterpiece that far exceeded every expectation I had, and felt like it went by in ten minutes.

While writing Fed Ex delivered. The sea food boil now waits on the ability of my husband and brother to put the burner together. I have steak to bar b q as a backup. 

Happy New Year to you all. May 2019 be your To Kill A Mockingbird on Broadway and far exceed every expectation you might have. 


xoxo Gossip Girl