It’s been a good year and it’s also been a strange year. We entered into 2021 with the pandemic still in full swing and so much uncertainty in the air. Luke and I both became fully vaccinated in April but still followed all of the safety precautions to keep ourselves and others safe. In some ways life slowly feels like it’s getting closer to “normal” and in other ways it doesn’t. This year we experienced more travel, more time outside of the house and more interactions with friends and family. Overall it was a more uplifting year than the previous one with so much hope on the horizon. When I take the time to write everything down and reflect on the past twelve months, I’m reminded that there is so much to be grateful for. Here’s my list of highlights from 2021:

Best Purchase: A drone. I’ve had my eye on this drone for a long time and one day I just decided on a whim to buy it, haha. It’s been so much fun learning how to fly it and get more comfortable with it. The pictures and videos are just unreal. I couldn’t be happier with this little gadget.

Best Meal I Made: Whipped feta. A few months back when we were in Nashville we had the famous whipped feta from the Butcher & Bee. We instantly became obsessed and sought out to recreate the dip at home asap. I think I’ve landed on a good attempt. It’s so simple yet tastes so complex.

Best Travel Experience: Lake Tahoe! Luke and I visited in July and fell in love with the beauty and charm of the lake lifestyle. I’ve always been a lake over beach kind of girl anyways. We found great restaurants, breweries, hiking, viewpoints, you name it. We’re already dreaming of our next visit to the lake.

Best Thing I Watched on TV: This was an easy answer for me last year but I can’t decide what I liked best this time around. Some of my favorites this year were: Curb Your Enthusiasm (newest season), Succession, Ted Lasso, The Morning Show, Only Murders in the Building, Cruel Summer, The Other Two, The Sex Lives of College Girls, Euphoria, Mare of Easttown, The White Lotus… They’re all so good that I couldn’t pick just one.

Best Song: Cold Heart (PNAU Remix) by Elton John and Dua Lipa. If you haven’t listened to this jam yet, do yourself a favor and do it now.

Best Personal Accomplishment: I started seeing a therapist. I’ve been wanting to find a therapist to connect with for a long time and I finally decided to make it happen. I meet with her monthly and it’s been such a positive experience for me. Investing in your mental health is important and I’m glad I finally prioritized this.

Best Professional Accomplishment: About halfway through the year I got a new job. I’ve been working towards this goal for a long time and it feels so good to know that all my hard work was recognized and rewarded. 

Best Thing to Look Forward to: We booked a trip to Italy in April/May 2021 and we could not be more excited! We’re keeping our fingers crossed that the ever-changing world of travel logistics stays in our favor because Positano has been on my bucket list for as long as I can remember.