hello 2024

 so here we are in a new year - it's 2024!

sometimes i feel like all i do is complain when i'm writing (but to be fair, that's kind of what i use this blog for so that i complain here and don't do it in real life) but when i posted something on facebook about my life in 2023, i was mostly happy with how the year turned out and couldn't even think of any regrets...except for giving some people a 2nd (100th) chance and finding out they were still the ungrateful, irresponsible people they'd always been. LOL

so i'm going into 2024 with hope and optimism. i worked really hard last year (not always succeeding) to make me a priority and not always give up my own wants and needs just to make my family happy and i'm going to continue that in 2024.

i always like to reflect and make promises to myself so here's what i hope to accomplish in this new year:

1. make time for my hobbies - chris spent most of his christmas and new year days off moving j into the back bedroom so that the middle room could become a craft room for me. i have dreams of making jewelry (and some other home decor items) and selling them online and in those vintage fairs that i love. now, to be fair, i've never really been all that crafty and i'm learning jewelry making from the ground up but i just feel like i'd be good at it once i get past that awkward learning stage. we'll see.

2. read often - that was a goal from last year that i really nailed and i want to continue. i'm a happier jonni when i get time to read.

3. travel - also last year's goal that i don't really feel i reached although we did take a family 2 day (cheap) cruise to the bahamas so that fulfilled a goal of going somewhere i'd never been and i often think back to that day on that perfect beach where i felt totally relaxed and happy.

4. vintage fairs - i just love visiting a good vintage market and last year's goal was to attend every single fancy flea. i almost made it, only missed one, so this year i'm going to try that again plus add in a few new markets. chris only kinda likes the markets, c loves them and j gets bored so sometimes i feel guilty hijacking weekend plans but i do enjoy going as a family and even j would rather do that than stay home and have to help with his dad's home improvement projects.

5. spend more time with my family - i got to hang out with my sister several times last year and we're planning on making it happen even more in 2024. she has plans that might allow her to live even closer to me and that would be the best. i have some lovely friends all over the world because of the internet (we were all internet pioneers 25+ years ago and made lifelong friendships) but it's still not the same as being able to hang out in person and my little sister (who is really my niece but we're close in age) is my best friend and partner in crime so to be able to be face to face every month or two would be heaven. i love the rest of my family too and hope to find a way to see each of them in person this year.

6. sing - i sang a lot last year but ended up having to drop out of chorus in order to attend c's middle school basketball games which was a sacrifice i was willing to make but it was still a sacrifice. i hope to find a way to sing a little closer to home and something that i can make a commitment to. i love to sing and i'm even going to explore doing it solo as opposed to a chorus; no matter what, i don't want to live a life without participating in music.

7. be adorable every day - i nail that one every year

christmas was good to us, we had the kids for the day and everyone enjoyed their presents. i made the whole dinner myself but didn't work too hard at it so i didn't end up feeling exhausted and resentful. i did a little extra for the day by baking cupcakes for breakfast and setting up a hot cocoa bar because, for the first time in 5 years, i was feeling a little more of the christmas spirit.

chris worked hard to build an organizing unit for all the beads and jewelry findings that i'm going to need to make jewelry. i appreciate the fact that he really wants to encourage me in this project. he ordered a bunch of beads for me but they won't arrive until next week so he spent all day christmas eve building so that i'd at least have 1 present on christmas day. i'm eventually going to paint it, probably pink.

we got the kids again on new years eve and we'll have them until they go back to school on january 9th so i planned a little new years eve surprise for them - we attended a party at a local water park. the swimming part was, of course, closed for the evening but they had music and firepits and cornhole and bounce houses and food for purchase and it was a fun time for all of us.

it was the kids' first time staying up until past midnight to welcome in the new year and, quite frankly, it was the first time in a long time for me too.

my parents and i always were up at midnight, watching the new york city ball drop on tv. taz and i used to get a hotel room and attend the hotel parties and dress up and it was so much fun. the last years we just partied at home with the tv and always drank a toast at midnight but ever since 2018, i haven't wanted to be awake when a new year (without taz) happened so this was the first time in 5 years that i stayed awake. it wasn't too hard to keep from snoozing though because it was DAMN cold out there. we were all freezing so at 11:30 pm i suggested we watch the fireworks from the car and everybody jumped at that suggestion. it turned out to be a great idea because we had a perfect view and the fireworks were quite nice. we watched the ball drop from new york city on youtube and participated in the countdown and it was kind of the perfect new years eve with kids. next year we will be without kids so i'm hoping it'll be somewhat more romantic but this was nice.

so here's to a healthy and happy 2024 for everybody out there - may the new year bring you closer to your dreams.