Welcome to 2018

Happy New Year Everyone!!

2017 is finally over and thank goodness! I gotta say that 2017 may have started off well, but it sure didn’t stay that way for long. It’s been a roller coaster of a year! So, what did everyone get up to on New Years? I don't mean to be a bummer, but I have always thought of New Year’s as overrated. There is so much hype and expectation built up around that one moment when the clock strikes midnight and a new year begins. So many thoughts crossing through your mind…

Who will I kiss at midnight?

2018 will be my year!

What will be my new year’s resolutions?

Tomorrow my diet begins!

It is way past my bedtime!

OK, maybe that last one is more something that crosses my mind. I mean, midnight is about 2 hours past my usual bedtime. What did I do for New Year’s you may ask? Well, I worked the whole weekend including overnight call; so sleep was definitely my main priority. It gave me a lot of time to think of the highlights of 2017 and I’d like to share some of them with you all.

1. My Dominican Trip: For the past 2 years I have gone on vacation with my parents. I am very close with my parents and we always have a great time together. Usually Blake accompanies me on these vacations, but he had just started a new job and was unable to go. Luckily, I had a week off before transitioning jobs and got the opportunity to have Mollie come with me on the trip. We figured that since we work together and it is so rare that they let 2 people off at the same time, that we would never get another chance to go together, so we took it! I know what you’re probably thinking … your friend doesn’t want to go on vacation with your parents, that’s lame. You … would be mistaken. My parents are awesome and we all had a blast. We definitely made memories that we will never forget.

2. Permanent Job: From May 2016-May 2017 I was full time while covering a maternity leave, so it wasn’t a guarantee that I would have a job once the year was over. I was so blessed to have such a strong work family that fought to get me a permanent job. I currently work part-time (about 70-80% full time hours) and I love it. The extra day off a week gives me more time to work on my blog, run errands, and I even get more chances to visit Blake now that we live apart again.

3. Quit Alcohol: I was never a big drinker. I really had to be in the mood to go out and party. I didn’t like the idea of casually drinking … if I was going to drink, then I was going out and getting drunk! Don’t get me wrong, I have had some awesome nights that I will never forget. I wasn’t really planning to quit alcohol, but it was something that I felt I needed to do for myself. I will still have a mimosa or drinks with low alcohol, but I do my best to stay away from alcohol.

4. Paid off my OSAP: Not really much to say to about this highlight besides that fact that I worked hard to save money and was able to pay it in one big lump sum before the year was over.

5. Read a lot: I never read a lot when I was a kid and it's something that I regret since becoming an adult. I enjoy reading now and have tried to replace television and computer time with reading. Studies have shown that you should stay away from electronics at least an hour before going to bed. By doing so, you will have a better night's sleep. Therefore, every night I would make sure to read for at least an hour. I read a lot more books and enjoyed every moment!

That's it! I know that it doesn't sound like much, but these small moments have been proud highlights of 2017. I can't say that 2017 was the year of big changes in my life, but I'm still proud of the changes that I have made and will continue to work on. It's only 3 days into the new year, but it already seems like it will be the year of obstacles that will challenge me and ultimately make me a stronger person. Bring it on 2018!

*Edit* I totally forgot to mention this blog as a highlight of 2017! I'm so proud that I've been able to maintain a blog for once and that I'm able to share my life with you all. It's been a lot of hard work, but it has definitely been worth it! **

What were your highlights of 2017 and what are your resolutions for 2018? Let me know!

Happy New Year!