Wednesday, January 10, 2024

This post is all in good fun, but I hope you have also taken stock of your year. What are you proud of, ladies? Yes, you absolutely should be proud of your accomplishments – big and small. Also, this is just my way of re-capping 2023! 

Here we go!

That I could go viral on Tik Tok as a middle-aged Spanish teacher! Yup, this will still go down as one of the biggest surprises of my life. I posted Spanish learning videos from January until May and then took a break. My students want me to start back up this month so I am going to see if I can do it. I just feel that I have “used up” most of my good material, but they say that I can re-do things? I still have over 200, 000 followers even though I haven’t posted anything new since May. Honestly, it made the first part of 2023 really fun for me. 

Very cringey, but I am proud of how much I learned and how my videos improved as I went on. 

This is my “2 lls make a Y” chant and dance that started it all: 

At the end of January, Ernie was acting lethargic so we took him to the vet and the vet told us he was bleeding internally, did an xray and ultrasound and found what he thought was tumors all over his spleen. He said you couldn’t be sure without cutting him open and that he did not recommend that for a 10 year old dog. He told us we could buy some Chinese herb powder to help stop the internal bleeding. We did and he perked up! Since January, I have boiled Ernie so much chicken and I rush home most days to walk him and spend time with him. He is still doing well and this is a recent picture of him: 

So grateful for this extra time with him. We love him so much!

That I can hang with girls 20 years younger than me at a bachelorette weekend and say yes to being in a wedding. This may sound silly, but I really questioned if I was “too old”. I felt proud of myself that I not only could hang, but that I had a really good time and made some connections. Both weekends were really fun!

The bachelorette party:

Tom took me down to the hotel and dropped me off on the wedding day and I hung out with all the gals and got ready with them. We met at the wedding later and I thought he looked so nice. 

That I really enjoy seasonal clothing and earrings! I added Derby earrings and enjoyed wearing my St. Patrick’s Day beerrings (beer earrings) for the second year. 

That press on nails really work for me and I am having fun with them.

That I really love good white wine. I started spending a little bit more per bottle and now I love a Pinot Gris, a Sauvignon Blanc, a white Bordeaux and a few more. 

Gin sucks. I am going to finally stop ordering gin cocktails in an effort to like gin. 

That Walmart has some really great clothes – Free Assembly has become a favorite! I think this is my favorite Free Assembly dress. I am still mad at myself for not getting this dress in solid black, too. 

That I can’t walk in mules – love the look but just can’t keep them on! I was so sad about my Olukai mules. I may just wear them when not much walking is required. I also have the cutest black bow mules. 

That sneakers are the key to a good day at school. I’m just over my feet hurting. Can’t do it anymore. 

How strong my mom was and is after her stroke and how amazing modern medicine is!

I tracked my own discretionary spending for 11 months of 2023! I learned so much! I learned that I was spending way too much on groceries and little things to treat myself. 

I still love gold shoes and they feel very “me”. 

I also grabbed any outside time I could in 2023 and it really made a difference. 

I learned that Donna Karan Cashmere Mist is absolutely worth it and the Lume is horrible. Lume worked for me for a bit until it didn’t. I hated the smell putting it on, too. It ain’t cheap, either! So, for now, I am loving Donna again. 

I learned how important your hamstring is to any basic movement. I pulled mine slipping on water on the kitchen floor in August and had the bruise of my life. I think this was also the first sign that our refrigerator of 23 years was going to go kaput. The freezer was leaking water and not fully freezing anymore. This was as the bruise was healing, so you can imagine how bad it looked at first. 

I learned that I can be a more chill hostess (and that I have stressed too much in the past) when I hosted our German relatives for over a week in August. I had a really nice time and did well with my hosting duties if I do say so myself. One of the things we did was tour a distillery: 

I learned that communication is key and was so appreciative to start most days September through December with a What’s App message from Mason in England. 

I learned that my Diva laundry detergent is absolutely worth it and I only add a capful to my liquid laundry detergent and it gives me that wonderful smell I want. I didn’t let myself refill it for several months and really truly missed it. 

I also learned that Dawn dish soap on my stains works better than anything made for laundry! Game changer!

I learned how much I need a fridge after living that cooler life for a few weeks in October! We had to wait for our new one to come in and it was a pain. 

I learned that if I see something being influenced or advertised constantly to be very wary. Yup, I fell for a couple brands and learned my lesson. Merit Beauty is one that I don’t love, but I plan to use up. 

I learned that it’s on me to create work/life balance and to keep my boundaries. It was really hard in August to change my school schedule to 8:30-3:30 from 7:30-2:30 even though it was only an hour. This is a work in progress, but I am getting more used to this schedule. 

I am sure I could write several more words on this topic, but what did you learn in 2023? 

Amy

24 thoughts on “What I Learned in 2023”

  2. Such a good idea to look back at the year like this; I should start jotting things down in my planner.
    I love a good gin & tonic but I think I need the right gin. I also want to try those press on nails!
    xo,
    Kellyann

    Like

    Reply

    1. I just looked back through my camera roll. I don’t save my planners – I just throw them away! Ha! Maybe there is a gin I would like? Now you have me worried that I spoke too soon!
      If you do try press ons, go with short length – still pretty long, and try Impress brand – can find them at Kroger, CVS, Walgreen’s, etc.
      Make sure you do the alcohol prep and let nails dry, press and let them dry, then do the cutting and filing. You will at least need to file because the tips can be a bit jagged.
      Let me know what you think if you do try them!

      Like

      Reply

  3. Hi Amy! Do you use a regular or unscented detergent when you add a capful of Diva? I’ve been wanting to try this but just bought the mega size Tide at Costco!

    Like

    Reply

    1. I use Tide liquid with my Diva but you can also put a capful in with a pod and you still get the light Diva smell. I currently hate the smell of whatever pods I bought – Tide something but my boys and Tom all use them. They prefer a pod. I prefer a liquid because I wash all my clothes in cold and I was getting the pod stuck to some clothing – it wasn’t fully melting or whatever in the wash! Eek! You will be fine with your pod and the Diva combo, though. I have done it.

      Like

      Reply

  4. I loved reading this, friend! You learned some great and valuable lessons. One thing I said about last year that was huge for me was that I remembered that I can do really hard things. I learned three different job skills in the course of one year, and I am still very proud of myself! It’s been great recognizing my abilities to do things that are difficult and out of my comfort zone.

    Like

    Reply

  5. I love this! ❤️ Lots of great things you have learned. Thanks for the review of Merit. Don’t think I’m even going to try it. A few things I’ve learned in 2023: I have plenty of clothes (and makeup) and don’t need more. I am too influenced by the influencers! 🤣 I need to get more exercise and eat better. I’ve gained too many pounds in 2023 and the year prior. I have learned that I enjoy selling things and have started a small Poshmark business.

    Like

    Reply

    1. Thank you! Boy the Merit tutorials are really good that pop up everywhere for me, but I find the product to be too creamy if that makes sense. I can’t wait to order Seint again. Yes, me too! I treated myself and had too much fun in 2023. That’s great! I really know nothing about Poshmark! What is your name on there? Or, how can I see your wares?

      Like

      Reply

  6. I loved your list! I think my fave is that you learned that you are not too old to hang with younger people and have a good time. Sometimes I feel like being 50-something is just OLD, but then I need to remember that age is just a number. I had a great time going to see the Taylor Swift movie with G and her friends! Also, that is such a good lesson about influencers and products. It seems like all the big names start using something all at once…and there’s a reason for that, they’re getting paid ha! Great post today!

    Like

    Reply

    1. Thank you! I agree – I think that lesson really empowered me for 2023! Exactly! It’s so nice when your kid includes you with their friends – the ultimate compliment! Exactly – I am learning, but I am still so swayed by them!

      Like

      Reply

  7. I love gin! I make gin and tonic slushes constantly in the summer. Also, yes to white wine. Cold white wine is the best. I don’t get the hype about red wine. I want to like it but just can’t.

    Like

    Reply

    1. Well tell me your fave brand of gin? Maybe I haven’t had a good one! I did drink g and t in my early 20s bc I thought it looked cool! Ha! Yea to cold white wine! I’m moving more that way than red now so maybe I’ve changed! You would need to find the red you like – have you tried Lambrusco?

      Like

      Reply

  9. You’ve learned so much! I love how real and honest you are! I learned that it’s okay to take risks. I also learned to prioritize my mental health, that I have limits. Last school year was really hard and negatively affected my mental and physical health. Changing schools and going to high school took a lot of bravery that I didn’t think I had, but life is so much better. I finally saw a rheumatologist in 2023 and got a fibromyalgia diagnosis; I’m learning to live with it and speak up about medication adjustments. I also learned that it’s not healthy to carry everyone’s sorrow in my family. I can’t fix everything and just have to trust that they can figure it out. I learned too that I want to travel more. We went to Asheville in November, and it was a great trip. My sons love hiking and were so happy to do that. I’m happy when they’re happy. Have a great 2024!

    Like

    Reply

    1. I have! I am a work in progress as we all are. Yes to mental health! I am so happy you made that change. Yes to all of that – I am so glad to hear about the changes you have made and are making.

      Like

      Reply

  10. This is such a fun post to read & an amazing way to reflect on the year. I’d forgotten about your bruise, and I’m so glad your mom is doing well. I hope you have a great 2024…& you should definitely try tik tok again! 🙂

    Like

    Reply

    1. Thank you! It was also fun to write. You got to see my bruise again! Ha! Thank you! I just am not feeling TT – I am so busy this year at school – more than last year – for some reason and just don’t know that I have it in me.

      Like

      Reply

  11. That is a lot of learning, Amy! How did you keep track of all of that? I’m thinking about writing something in my editorial calendar for next year. And, 200,000 followers on TikTok is pretty cool. I really love reading about your interactions with your students. I’m really glad your mom is doing well.

    Have a wonderful week!

    https://marshainthemiddle.com/

    Like

    Reply

    1. Too much – my head hurts! I really just looked through my blog photos and my camera roll and it was fun. Thank you! I always struggle with how much to share about my “real job” but people seem to like it. Yes, me too!

      Like

      Reply

Leave a comment