Happy end of the year!
So hard to remember everything that happened. Good thing we take so many pictures now that I can go back and look at everything and make a comprehensive list. And so much changes so fast, it is so interesting to go back and look at a year ago and where were vs. were we are today. I have split this into categories and each category has its own gallery! So feel free to peruse the pictures! Click to enlarge and click through.
zora
Zora is always and ever better and better. This year she graduated 4th grade and started 5th grade. She got her first set of official acrylic nails. She started field hockey, which she is incredible at of course. She did dance! She really started to get into reading(here and there). Had photo shoots with her friends, hung out during 4th of July. SWAM of course, got the sportsmanship award for the summer season. She tried out and made the Willow Grove Swim team and then decided not to swim, I am proud of her for knowing her boundaries and abilities for the year. She made lots of videos, did photo shoots, played with her friends, she turned 10, ate lots of sushi and went to Dorney park.
mom
I had a fun year! I started traveling more and more for work, moved from creative strategy and coaching with BxB Media to sales and business development. My company was acquired by a larger company called Business Development Resources. This led to more opportunities for me career-wise and travel-wise. I am happy to say I was able to take advantage of one of these trips and take a solo trip to Universal Studios in May. I worked on another production doing costumes, props and assistant producing. This means I got to pick through the 4th floor costume room of the Walnut Street Theater back in August which was super fun. I worked at the General Church assembly, feeding 1000 people for three days with the team there. I bought myself my first luxury bag, which felt incredible. I have been working for 25 years and am blessed to have been able to gift it to myself. What else? I met my amazing boyfriend, Nicholas.... so.... it's been a pretty good year!
See other modules for additional details.
mom & zora
Zora's feet are nearly the same size as mine! She is the love of my life. We have the most fun going out, staying in, being mostly friends. We love Gilmore Girls and Bluey and Dance Moms (unfortunately). Zora got her first pair of Converse(nearly the same size as mine) and her first real big girl heals(nearly the same size as mine).
disney
We have turned into a full on Disney family and we love it. This was our second year meeting up with Rachel and Tom Sweeney and Lisa McSwiggen and spending a week with Tenebrae and Mason at the Magic Kingdom. We are prepping for spring break already and going to up the ante this year with staying on property!! I am so blessed that I get to do this with Zora the last few years, with hopefully more years to come.
This year we drove down (16 hours!). We missed the Stitch meet and greet but next year we are going to catch him at O'hana Breakfast. This year we did Pirates of the Caribbean 3 times in a row, at the end of the day and closed the park in the rain! Zora was too nervous for the Slinky Dash but fingers crossed will do it this coming up trip. She did Rise of the Resistance and the Millennium Falcon. At Animal Kingdom she even got on the Avatar Ride (even though she kept her eyes shut the whole time). Here's to trying again next year! Zora sold bracelets and worked to earn nearly $200 for Disney shopping. She bought her and Tenebrae matching jewelry and spend the majority of the rest of it on a GIANT Stitch stuffy. Next year we are going to hit up the water park, where the kids can swim all day and the moms (and dad) can sit in the cabana and eat snacks all day!
family
Just a peek at our family adventures this summer.
We took our second annual Lake Wallenpaupak family trip. Zora learned to kayak and we saw two nesting bald eagles and a baby! We made a paddle raft and towed all the little kids around the inlet. We spent time with the Bdeirs: Magid, Lauren, Leena and Noor. We went down the shore. Teri and Jordan came to visit and we hung out with Grandpa. Kelsey came to see Zora swim.
pets
ellie
Ellie the dog joined the family in October 2023 so this was our first full year with her and she grew, learned like 1.5 things because mom is so busy, she has a hard time as a consistent trainer. She is a ball of fluff and we love her very much.
kitty
Kitty (Peanut) has been in the family since October 2019. This year was a big year for her. She went from being and indoor/outdoor cat to being a fully indoor cat because she BROKE HER LEG in July. She basically shattered her knee joint and had the equivalent of a torn ACL in a kitty. We don't know what happened, she was outside and suspect she got it caught in something and fell or was being chased. There was no superficial wound, and the break was not consistent with being hit by a car.
Anyway, after costing me $1,000,000 in vet fees, she is FINALLY this month walking almost normal again. We are so grateful that she is okay and will be around for a while more.
jelly
We lost our sweet Jelly this year. She had been here since 2021. I am still V. SAD about it. She was one of my besties. Apparently reptiles hide their sickness incredibly well until is almost too late. She was visibly sick for a few weeks before she passed.
RIP WE LOVE YOU JELLY.
