Happy New Year’s Eve, friends! I hope you are all enjoying your holiday season. We have the most wonderful houseguests – our dear, dear friends from Calgary – who arrived Thursday and are staying to ring in the New Year with us tonight. I can’t tell you how fun it’s been! In addition, we hosted an open house for around thirty people on the 23rd, Christmas dinner for eight, and on Tuesday, my husband’s cousins – who I love and enjoy so much – are in town and we are having a lunch for between fifteen and twenty of his extended family. It’s a lot of hosting, but fortunately, I like to do it. I may collapse on Wednesday, though.
Every year I do this summary, and every year I marvel at all the things that happened. This year was one for the books, though. At this time last year, I had two unstated, but constantly on my mind, New Year’s goals; one concrete and one subjective. The first was to just make it through the move without having a complete breakdown. The second was to navigate this year of massive change with grace and calm and acceptance. I accomplished both of these goals; it wasn’t always smooth and easy, in fact, I had many moments of panic and stress and worry, I cried a lot and had doubts, but I made it through, and I am proud of myself for doing so.
So much changed! As a person who thrives on routine and ritual, I think that just moving houses is a stressful thing, but we moved to a different province, to a completely different living situation; my husband retired, my son graduated high school and my other son moved out and went to university. We had some medical things to deal with and I said goodbye to my longtime yoga students, my neighbourhood, my friends, my easy proximity to my parents. I said hello to a beautiful new home in a gorgeous climate, to new friends, to new experiences. It’s been a rollercoaster of a year, but I’m finishing it sipping coffee in the company of our dearest friends – later, swapping that coffee for wine – and feeling at home, at peace, and very happy. I hope you are too.
Here’s a summary of the rollercoaster year I had! I hope you enjoy.
Boyhouse Year In Review 2023
January
I talked about goals and my daily routine, and although I didn’t mention my big goal of, you know, moving, I did vow to bake more cakes. I detailed five favourite authors and the books I love, I talked even more about books and if/ what I recommend, I talked about my past career and various other jobs, I started my huge decluttering and house purging project, and I answered questions about food, karaoke, and dancing. I also talked about all the wonderful pleasures that is living in Calgary in the winter, and although that sounds sarcastic, it actually was earnest.
February
I took you on a week-long tour in my kitchen, my sons and their friends drove through a school field in the middle of the night and got their friend’s mom’s car stuck on the local outdoor skating rink, I celebrated Galentine’s Day, my phone stopped functioning as an actual phone, I brought up massively controversial opinions, and I talked a lot about skincare (what else is new?).
March
I answered an assortment of Ask Me Anything questions, I talked about snow and NYPD Blue and Pulp Fiction and my beloved Barkley, it was three years since the pandemic started aieeee, I talked about female friendships and the patriarchy, and I recommended everything from a local place for salad to my favourite things on the internet. In March, we took a family trip to Maui, and it felt like our Last Big Family Trip for a while.
April
I talked about mini-eggs, pot, and the medical emergency on our plane home, told you about vacation reading, and being sensitive. I turned 48 and talked about a variety of my favourite birthday-related things.
May
I talked about yoga and also bear pornography, bloodwork and bloody heels, and my son’s terrible experience with getting his wisdom teeth extracted. We had dreadful amounts of wildfire smoke, I had an insanely frustrating day, my younger son graduated high school and I was extremely emotional, and I confessed that I was losing my hair and talked about the mitigation strategies I have been using to reverse that.
June
This was the month I finally revealed to my dear readers that I was moving, which maybe explained the massive amounts of cleaning, purging, and general emotional rollercoaster of the previous six months. But before I revealed that, I talked about crying in Superstore because every single male in the house had a medical issue, Rex’s issue happening on Barkley’s birthday, I cried on Peloton while listening to Miley Cyrus, I finally started not crying due to a mental shift while doing yoga, I celebrated the Summer Solstice with new jeans, and I talked about all sorts of things from my youth (California Raisins! The Ogopogo! GRIMACE!).
July
I tried to visit all of my Calgary friends before leaving and frantically worked to get ready for the move, I went through all the boxes that had been sitting in my storage room since the last time we moved, I said goodbye to Calgary and told you all my favourite things about it, we moved and I did not die, and I unpacked.
August
I talked about books and my complete breakdown due to not being able to get a library card and losing my beloved bookmarks, I acclimatized to my new surroundings, I talked about all the little things that we all do but in different ways, like cooking or washing our faces, I met new friends, there was a terrible fire in Kelowna, things got VERY STRESSFUL, and I gave you all a tour of my new house.
September
There was a bear in our yard, aieee, a friend sent me a photo of my old house in Calgary, which had an errant shopping cart in the front yard, evidently waiting for me to return it, I talked about children and my social life, my husband retired and I went back to Calgary for the retirement party, and I showed you all my favourite fall things.
October
I found a hair stylist, which, as we all know, is a very important thing when moving, we drove ten hours to visit my parents and also had our one-year Rexiversary, I asked if it was just me or everyone, I talked about body image, food, the most depressing Weight Watchers book ever, and cake, I went crazy over fall foliage, and I dressed up as Cruella DeVil.
November
I had some great conversations with perfect strangers, I had a variety of small grievances, my son’s friend came to stay for a week and we had a houseful of boys, I talked about important things like jeans, we decorated the house for Christmas, and I celebrated Gnomevember!
December
We got a little bit of snow and I found out that I listened to over 93000 minutes on Spotify, I talked about my favourite five-star things in 2023, we lit all the lights because hoo boy, it’s dark, I took a deep dive into Charlie Brown, I found poetry in the grocery store, and I celebrated Winter Solstice.
I can’t believe all this happened in the space of one year. I have a few big goals this year, one which will remain unstated, again, for the time being, but my stated one is to get my new veggie and flower gardens organized and planted. I have all the usual soft goals of living well with grace, acceptance, patience and calm; I think 2024 is going to be a year of more travel and adventure as well. I hope you all have a very Happy New Year tonight, however you ring it in, and I look forward to sharing with you in the year to come. You are all such a gift to me, friends, and thank you for being here. xo
What a year, Nicole! So much uncertainty and hard work, but how beautifully you’ve come through it all. And I loved seeing your radiant smiles from month to month.
Enjoy your guests! Happy, happy new year!! And all best wishes for your big, small, and “soft” (I love the term!) goals. XOXO
Thanks Maya, Happy New Year! xoxoxo
Wow, that was an amazing year, filled with both wonderful and extremely stressful things, and you got through it with charm and grace! I love seeing all the pictures of you throughout your recap. Thank you for sharing the stories of your life all year long. You’re such a good writer, and I’m always so happy when there’s a new post from you. I’m looking forward to reading more of your adventures during 2024. Happy New Year, Nicole!!!
That’s so kind, thank you so much Michelle!!
It is so good to see these recaps. You had such an amazing 2023! ❤️😘
Thanks Kari xoxo
What a year! I love hosting big parties. I mean, I’m most likely going to be tired and have a messy house anyway so why not have a blast and end up in a total collapse with a messy house.
Cheers to 2024 and the adventures that await! I can’t wait to read about them <3
I like the cut of your jib, Birchy! I’m a big fan of hosting!
I love your soft goals and love you.
Happy New Year, my friend. I’m looking forward to following along with all your adventures in 2024 and can’t thank you enough for all the support you’ve provided me this year <3
Let them eat cake and drink champagne/wine, I say!!!
Thanks so much, Elisabeth! Love you too!
Happy New Year, Nicole! Thank you so much for sharing your life with us; I, for one, am grateful to be along for the ride!
Thanks Gigi!
What a big year! I hope you have a great 2024.
Since you mentioned it, I am ringing in the new year by reading your blog and eating Nutella straight out of the jar.
Oooh Nutella – not a bad way to ring in the New Year!
I found your blog after you moved to Kelowna, but I am looking forward to reading some of your posts from 2023.
It sounds like you experienced a lot of growth this year and that everything that happened made you wiser and stronger.
I wish you a healthy and kind 2024, full of adventure and amazing food! ❤️
Thanks Alina! I hope the same for you!
Oh Nicole, what a YEAR! You bring me so much joy and inspiration and it is so wonderful to read about your experiences. I hope this year is filled with so many amazing things for you and your family!
Suzanne, what a wonderful thing to say! Thank you! xoxoxo
Fabulous recap! I had fun clicking back on some of these even though I think I already read most of them. This is such a cool way to recap your blog posts for a year! You had a big year!
Thanks Kae, I sure did! Happy New Year!
What a year you had! So much change between moving, your youngest graduating from high school, and your husband retiring! Change, even good change, is stressful! I’m looking forward to following along on your adventures in 2024. You’ll have so much freedom to travel when and where you want now that you aren’t beholden to your husband’s job or school breaks! Wheee!
2023 was a hard year for me, too, for different reasons – mostly related to work, allll the kid viruses and typical toddler shenanigans which push me to my limits. But there was a lot of joy, too, like travel and time at my parents’ lake home and watching Paul start kindergarten where he’s thriving!
Good luck with all the hosting and house guests!! That is a lot but it is really fun to host! But I would be exhausted come Wednesday when it’s all behind you and you can collapse in a heap on the floor.
You had a very hard year, especially this fall! May 2024 bring you lots of health and happiness!
What a year you have had Nicole. A lot of challenge and change but you powered through. Sometime tears are ok, sometimes very necessary and cleansing – I know I had a few weeks like that in 2023. Thank you for keeping us entertained, stimulating some thought, and lots of great book recommendations. Now that we are in Mexico for the winter there is lots more time to read!!
Thanks so much, Pat! I’ll have lots more books for you coming up!
I’ll echo all the other commenters and say, what a year! I think if I were you I would just want to sit in my beautiful new house, with Rex, and never go anywhere. But you say you have a year of travel and adventure coming up, which I can’t wait to hear about! I’m also intrigued by this mystery goal you have, but I guess we’ll find out about that in due time.
Happy New Year, Nicole! You definitely deserve a day to collapse in a heap after all this celebrating!
Thanks Jenny! I hope to have a year balancing cozily staying at home and also travelling and adventuring!
I had a lot of fun clicking on some of these, and realizing that I had already read them but remembering all the things!! Like I think I mentioned in a prior comment, I think when I first started reading your blog it was kalette season, so it must have been Dec/Jan!! So we have been together a year now! What a fabulous year it has been.
Here’s to many big adventures in 2024, with lots of travel, activities and new things for the both of us! 🙂 Happy New Year!
Happy anniversary to us! I love that kalettes were one of the first things you read about!
2024 is going to be a big year for you, I just know it!
Happy New Year! 2023 was such a crazy year for you, full of huge changes. I hope 2024 continues to bring you happiness and many good books!
Thanks Engie! Right back at you!
Happy New Year Nicole! What a year you had and you did it so well. Have a great 2024!
Thanks Anna! Same to you!
I would love to hear your thoughts on pajamas. I haven’t worn real pajamas since probably childhood; just old t shirts. But I want to up my game this year. You seem like a lady who either wears nice pajamas OR doesn’t but for a very good, well thought out reason.
I have so many thoughts on pajamas that I am going to write a whole post about that, so THANK YOU for the excellent content idea! (tl;dr, I am a lady who wears nice pajamas!)
This was so fun. I felt like the driving of the car into the field was last week. How could that have been February? You had a very big year. Thanks for sharing it here. Your blog is always delightful and entertaining. All the best in 2024.
Thanks so much, Ernie! It was a huge year!
I loved following along in 2023 through all the big life changes and the move and you’re right you did handle it with calm and grace. I am so happy you arrived in your new home and are so happy and content to be where you are. You’re always so witty when you share your life with us here and it always lifts my heart.
I cannot wait to see what 2024 has in store (for you and all of us, and hopefully good things for the world globally!).
Thanks so much San! I hope for good things for all in 2024 as well.
Such a BIG year for you! I’m so glad to have found you and your blog and I look forward to reading all that’s in store for 2024! XOXO
Thanks so much, I’m glad we found each other!
Nicole, your ability to navigate all of this year’s ups and downs (and my goodness, there were so many of both!) is astonishing. I am so happy you’re settled in your new home, learning the ins and outs of your new life (goodness, what on earth is it like having a retired husband, now? I hadn’t even thought about what a change that is!), and still connected (of course) to those you hold most dear. You are beloved for a reason. <3 Go well into the new year. I am so glad to have the opportunity to check in on your life periodically. <3
Having a retired husband is definitely a change!
This is such a kind and lovely comment, thank you Anne. xo
You had such a big year, Nicole! So much change and newness to get used to. And I think you have done an admirable job of handling it all. I hope 2024 involves a lot less stress and tears!
Gosh, me too. ME TOO, STEPHANY!