2024 Goals and Year In Review- Transform & Emerge 🦋

It's been a while since I've done a year in review post.  (I think the last time was all the way back in 2021...😳)  Eliot and I were traveling to Walt Disney World for New Year's Eve of 2022 and I ran out of time.  And I just stopped blogging all together after my Dad died in August of 2023.  So now I'm back in what feels like uncharted territory.

After quite a few personal gut checks, I don't think I want to do a year in review like I have in the past.  In years before, I would share highlights of each month with you, linking back to previous blog posts.  There aren't many blog posts to link back to in 2024... and to be honest, I would rather forget a good portion of this year.

But something is calling me to write this post, and I believe that I've finally figured out why.  I think it's because I learned a lot and grew a lot as a person.  So here goes... 

I'm going to to be 100% transparent, I spent the majority of 2024 pretty much miserable and wallowing in my own puddle of feelings.  The emotions I've experienced vary from the highest of highs, to the lowest of lows.  It was a year of transition for me, as my family still had a lot of "firsts" to go through without my Dad.  We had more birthdays, anniversaries and other holidays to navigate.  For the most part, I'd like to think that I went through them with as much grace as I could muster.

I didn't share my 2024 goals or my words of the year at the beginning of 2024, but I still wrote some down.  I knew 2024 was going to be a year filled with a lot of change, so I chose TRANSFORM and EMERGE for my 2024 Words of the Year.  I've never chosen more than one word before, but I felt it was necessary this time.  All I could picture was a butterfly.  It starts out as one thing, and then transforms into something completely different.  It's still the same little caterpillar that formed it's chrysalis, but it emerges as a butterfly, new and beautiful in it's own way. 🦋  This was what I hoped for myself.

And I honestly didn't think I was going to get there.  I was running out of time... 2024 was rushing past me and the end of the year was sneaking up on me.

But Eliot's and my two week vacation, our trip to Walt Disney World, spending time in my favorite place, being surrounded in holiday magic and voyaging on the Disney Wish sparked something in me.  I left for that trip a caterpillar, somehow I unknowingly put myself into a magical Disney chrysalis, and I returned home a butterfly. 🦋

I actually feel like me again.  And it's been a long time since I've felt like myself.

The mental and emotional toll of the things I've experienced over the past two years would be a lot for anyone.  And it's just an unfortunate part of life that I've experienced all the things that I have... right about at the same time.  I know that there's still a lot of emotions and feelings left for me to navigate and process through.  And that won't change... emotions and feelings are a never-ending and ever-evolving process.  

But I feel like I've finally transformed and emerged into the new version of myself.  The version who has been through some pretty intense stuff the past two years, but is ready and more equipped to take care of herself moving forward. 💖

So I guess if there's any goals that I'm glad I accomplished this year, it was this one. °o°

Final Recap of 2022 Goals

Another year is drawing to a close.  It never fails; they seem to fly right by.  Of course, with the end of another year... brings another recap of how my goals turned out.  This year, I think that I did pretty well with them overall.

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I always love looking back at how the year went.  Making goals and seeing how I did is something that I've always enjoyed doing.  And tt's been a tradition here on my blog ever since I started!  (You can read my past Disney goal posts at the following links: 2014 goals, 2014 recap, 2015 goals, 2015 recap, 2016 goals, 2016 recap, 2017 goals, 2019 goals, 2019 recap, 2020 goals, 2020 recap, 2021 goals and 2021 recap.)

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I went into 2022 optimistic about how they'd go.  And for the most part, I was able to achieve quite a few of them.  Here are my my 2022 goals if you need a reminder:

Melissa's Blog and Disney Goals for 2022

1.) Go to Walt Disney World for the 50th Anniversary

2.) Get Two Puppies

3.) Work on My Scrapbooks

4.) Decorate the House for the Holidays

5.) Celebrate our 10th Wedding Anniversary

6.) Make Disney Home Decor for the House

7.) Use My New Disney Planners and Journals

8.) Make Disney Decor for the Holidays

9.) Make Disney Accessories

10.) Have Disney Movie Nights

11.) Have Disney Board Game Nights

12.) Disneybound/Themed Outfit Challenge

13.) Have a Disney Themed Party

14.) Take an Online Class

15.) Design an Imagineering Project

16.) Read Disney Books

17.) Paint Disney Art

18.) Decorate House with Disney Touches

19.) Launch My Clothing Line

20.) Launch Our Home Decor Business

21.) Create New Products for Happily Ever Hatter

22.) Be More Creative in the Kitchen

So, without further ado, let's jump in and see how I did!

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Melissa's Blog and Disney Goals for 2022

1.) Go to Walt Disney World for the 50th Anniversary

I just squeaked by with this one.  Eliot and I are literally at the Magic Kingdom today, and this is the first time we've been able to be at Walt Disney World for the 50th!

2.) Get Two Puppies

This didn't pan out this year... but I'm hopeful for next year!

3.) Work on My Scrapbooks

I didn't even have space to attempt this.  Maybe next year!

4.) Decorate the House for the Holidays

We didn't get the inside of the house decorated.  But Eliot and I were able to get quite a few of our decorations up outside in our front yard and on our porch for Christmas.

5.) Celebrate our 10th Wedding Anniversary

This didn't exactly go as planned since we cancelled our 10th anniversary trip to Walt Disney World and then Eliot was very sick on our actual anniversary.  But we've made up for it since then and we still have a lot of time to celebrate this entire year!

6.) Make Disney Home Decor for the House

I've been working on a few personal projects.  I don't think that I've posted about any of them on my blog, but I'll definitely be trying to share more of them when I have time to!

7.) Use My New Disney Planners and Journals

This is a disaster and I haven't bought anything for next year.  I've gotten really good at using my computer and my phone but I've totally failed at using a physical planner.

8.) Make Disney Decor for the Holidays

Just like the home decor, I've been making stuff behind the scenes.

9.) Make Disney Accessories

I did make myself a few things this year... no where near what I'd love to.  But I did make myself a few hair clips and brooch pins from our Happily Ever Hatter supplies.

10.) Have Disney Movie Nights

Ok, so I didn't have formal "movie nights" but I did watch a bunch of movies.  I've realized that Eliot isn't home when I want to do many of these things, so a girl's gotta do what a girl's got to do.  I was my own movie date with my couch and the donkeys.

11.) Have Disney Board Game Nights

Like the movie nights, we didn't have game nights.  Although, Eliot and I did go over to my cousin's house to have game night.  They just weren't Disney games.

12.) Disneybound/Themed Outfit Challenge

This is another disaster.  I have so many clothes and I never seem to wear them.  I did make more of an effort this year though... Hopefully I can get our master bedroom straightened out this winter so I can easily get into my outfits, accessories and jewelry!

13.) Have a Disney Themed Party

We still really aren't in any shape to host a party, but hopefully that will change sooner than later.  (Right now, our house looks more like a workshop than a house...)

14.) Take an Online Class

I did take a few online classes this year.  They aren't the super exciting creative ones that make sense to share a lot about here on my blog... but I did enjoy them.  Maybe I'll take some crafty classes next year!

15.) Design an Imagineering Project

I didn't even think of this... I'd love to design something though!

16.) Read Disney Books

I did finally read a book this year!  And when I started it, I devoured it in like 2-3 days.  I want to read it again, and dive into a few of my other Disney books.  I have a ton!

17.) Paint Disney Art

I didn't even think of this either... although I have a bunch of great ideas!

18.) Decorate House with Disney Touches

I'm slowly working on this... at pretty much a snail's pace.  But it's slowly happening!

19.) Launch My Clothing Line

Blah, this is just getting embarrassing at this point.  I really need to get this done!

20.) Launch Our Home Decor Business

Oie... let's be real with this one.  Eliot and I can't seem to agree on a starting point for this business.  He has ideas, I have ideas and we haven't been able to pick a direction to go in.  I think that I finally found the perfect project that combines both of our ideas though... so I'm hoping that I can get something drafted out in the coming months!

21.) Create New Products for Happily Ever Hatter

I was able to make some new products in the form of mouse ears.  It wasn't exactly what I had in mind at the beginning of the year... but I am making some progress towards that with gathering supplies.  I also thought of many ideas for even more new products this year... so there's a lot happening behind the scenes!

22.) Be More Creative in the Kitchen

I was definitely a bit more adventurous in the kitchen.  I haven't really played around with baking and desserts much, but I have cooked more.  Hopefully I can keep making progress with this next year!  I love experimenting!

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And there you have it!  Overall, 12 out of 22 isn't awful.  It's not as great as I wanted to do, but I definitely way better than the 6 out of 20 that I got done last year.

I also continued to do the seasonal bucket lists that I started last year.  I've made a lot of progress on those.  So if you include all of those, I've gotten a ton of goals done this year.  And this is the first year that I actually felt like I made decent headway on not only my goals, but with living the type of year creatively that I want to.

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Finally, I also made sure to really focus my energy towards my 2022 Word of the Year: BALANCE.  I've been struggling with trying to balance our work lives and our business lives.  This year, I really focused on it, and for the first time since we started our Etsy shops, I actually feel like Eliot and I had some balance in our lives. 

I didn't stress out when I didn't get blog posts done on time.  I didn't stress about orders that were late.  (Ok- so I did a little, but I also acknowledged that I'm a human and that I can only do so much.)  Eliot and I took time to enjoy each season.  We took time to enjoy each other's company.  And I really feel like I was fulfilled in my personal life... which is something that I've struggled with for years.

So overall, 2022 was a wonderful year.  I definitely feel life I'm going down the pathway that I'd like to be heading in.  Thank you 2022 for the memories and love.  °o°

Hocus Pocus 2 Review

Another glorious morning... makes me sick!  

It's already been 10 days since Hocus Pocus 2 premiered on Disney+ on September 30th.  Since then, it seems like it's all anyone is talking about online.  I have seen so many mixed reviews, and I haven't wanted to write anything sooner since I wanted everyone to have a chance to see it and make up their own mind.  But since it's been a week and a half now, I figured it was high time that I finally add my thoughts to the mix.

Honestly, I really loved the movie.  I thought it was funny, silly, just the right amount of spooky, and fun.  And before I say anything else, here's my warning about spoilers!!!  

Continue reading this post at your own risk...  

Don't say that I didn't warn you... 

Seriously, this is your last chance to turn back... 

Still here?  Ok, let's dive in!

I should start by letting you know that I've watched the movie 2.5 times now.  I watched it the night it came out, then watched the second part of it a second time when Eliot got home from work that night.  He was only able to watch part of it during his lunch break, so I agreed to watch again so he could finish it.  We watched it again this past Friday night, but I still haven't watched Hocus Pocus and Hocus Pocus 2 back-to-back yet.

The second thing you should know is that I've been really excited about this ever since they first announced that a sequel was actually happening.  Hocus Pocus is a classic for us.  I was never really into it as a kid, but it's become a must watch for me as an adult.  I couldn't wait for the Sanderson sisters to return to Salem!

The thing that I was most excited for was the storyline of the movie.  Obviously, I had seen the trailer so I knew that a new group of teenagers were going to summon the Sanderson sisters using a black flame candle.  But I didn't know what the rest of the story would be.  I thought it was clever to show the flashback of the sisters when they were younger.  I think it set up the part about the reverend really well for when his descendants were living in today's Salem.  I also like how it included a young Billy Butcherson and included his backstory a little.  And the addition of Gilbert and how his story tied back to 29 years ago worked out well too.  I think that's the tie that really makes the second story make sense... and work with the first one.

The story was helped along with the music.  The music from this film reminded me a lot of the soundtrack from the first film.  And of course there were musical numbers.  I've seen a lot lot of people complain online that they were disappointed there were any original songs in the movie... but I disagree with that.  "I Put a Spell On You" was made iconic from Hocus Pocus, but it was originally sung back in 1966 by Screamin' Jay Hawkins.  Yes, Hocus Pocus is how I know the song too, but it wasn't an original song for the movie back in 1993.  I think Hocus Pocus 2 and the soundtrack were perfect, and a great nod to the original film.  Plus, it still had an iconic Sanderson performance, with an iconic song that you can bet people will be bopping along to.

Another part of live action movies that always catches my attention is the costumes.  I didn't really notice them much in this film, and I think that's probably a good thing.  In period pieces (Beauty and the Beast) or places far away (Aladdin), I always notice the clothing because it's so different from what everyone wears today.  Since the movie is set in 2022, the clothing of the majority of the characters is literally what we'd wear so it didn't jump out at me.  However the Sanderson sisters iconic costumes were just as amazing as always.  And Mother Witch had a great look too!

Another thing that impressed me was the Old Salem set.  I was very much paying attention to the details of Hocus Pocus 2 filming.  I'm actually in a Hocus Pocus fan Facebook group and people who were local to Rhode Island, where the sequel was filmed, where posting photos of the sets.  I was really interested in the Old Salem set since it was literally built in a giant field.  None of the houses were fully built, only their fronts and part of the side.  Then, they were artistically weathered to make them look old.  I couldn't wait to see how it actually looked on film and I was absolutely blown away at the before and after movie magic!

Something else that I was excited to see how it played out was the humor.  Hocus Pocus always makes me laugh, no matter how many times I've seen it.  There are so many funny and iconic lines in it.  I was really happy with how the humor was injected into this movie.  There were still some of those same funny lines and sayings from the first film, but there were a lot of other jokes as well.  I also think the second film did a great job of poking fun of the first one... like the kid asking Gilbert what a virgin was.  I think that's an awkward moment many have experienced after the first film's release so it was definitely relatable and amusing for those of us watching who are adults now.  

For me, some of the things that made me giggle the most were courtesy of the 29 year time jump between the two movies.  Obviously, none of us would have known what a "selfie" or a Roomba were back in the 90's.  Mary flying on her "broomies" was one of my favorite parts of the entire film.  And the Walgreen's scene with all of the beauty products also had me completely in stitches laughing.

At the end of the day, it's the characters that make the movie, and these ones didn't disappoint.  I was excited to see the Sanderson sisters again after 29 years.  I was also happy that they included Billy in the sequel.  I won't lie, like many I was also wondering what Max, Dani and Allison were up to nowadays, but I understand why they didn't include them.  These new characters were a great addition to the story.  Now that they have introduced them, there might be more places the storylines can go as well...?

I think there are definite possibilities.  If you saw the movie, you probably noticed that there was a bird just like Mother Witch following the girls as they walked off into the night.  I was excited about that addition thinking that there might be another part to come.  Then, I mindlessly had the credits on while I started doing something on my phone or computer.  But I'm glad that I didn't turn it off though... because, if you watch until the end, you saw another short scene.

Cobweb, Gilbert's black cat, jumps up to the bookshelf where there's a box that says B.F. Candle #2.  There's another black flame candle!  The Sanderson sisters could come back one more time even though it appeared they were gone for good!  Both of these subtle hints leave enough of a door open that Disney could potentially make another movie in the next few years.  And it seems as if the three Sanderson sisters themselves would be on board if the right script came along!

It appears that there are a lot of possibilities for the future, but right now I'm just really grateful.  Bette Midler is 76, Kathy Najimy is 65 and Sarah Jessica Parker is 57.  These three wonderful actresses came back to give us, the fans of the first film, one more chance to see the Sanderson sisters running amok in Salem.  They gave us all an incredible gift, and if this is the end of the films, it was a wonderful adventure.

But, I'm sure that Disney will come up with something, if not another full length film, then perhaps a show series.  Maybe they will go into more depth with the new coven of teenage witches in Salem.  Or, after the rave reviews from the sequel, maybe they'll go back in time again... because I have to say it... 

My favorite part of the entire movie was the beginning with the younger Sanderson sisters.  Those young actresses had their mannerisms down perfectly.  And I think that young Winnifred completely stole the show!  I've read so many comments online about people hoping that Disney makes a follow-up Disney+ series (or even a full movie) about them in their youth and how they started practicing magic.  I count myself with the masses, because I would love to watch something with the three of them!

Whatever Disney has in store for the future of the Hocus Pocus, I'm on board!

Overall, I think Hocus Pocus 2 was a wonderful sequel and a great nod to the first movie.  It was nostalgic for those of us who loved the first movie, and it was also a great film for today's generation being introduced to the Sanderson sisters.

If you haven't seen the new movie yet, give it a chance... and go into it with an open mind.  It will never be the original, but I really did enjoy it for everything it was.  And speaking for Eliot and me, watching Hocus Pocus 2 is going to become another annual Halloween season tradition in our house.  °o°

Photo Credit: All photos are from Disney's official Hocus Pocus Facebook page.

Encanto Movie Review

This past Sunday, Eliot and I finally sat down and watched Encanto on Disney+.  

Honestly, I wish we'd watched it sooner.  Jeremy and Eliot really wanted to watch it when it came out on Christmas, but since it was Christmas Day I had insisted that we watch a holiday movie, so we watched Noelle.  Everyone enjoyed it, and I don't regret not watching Encanto then, but I wish we'd seen it sooner.  Between Christmas and leaving for Pittsburg a few days later, Eliot and I have been too busy to watch movies.

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This one was incredible.  I wasn't really sure what to expect.  Everything that I had seen regarding the movie had kind of flown out of my head, so I was like a clean slate- free from expectations.  I knew the music would be incredible because Lin-Manuel Miranda wrote it, but other than that, I was going into it with an open mind.

I could not have been more impressed with Encanto.  The animation was so beautiful and detailed.  The colors were fun, bright and vibrant.  The characters were all well-developed.  The story had me completely entranced the entire time, needing to know what happens next.  And the music was everything I wanted and more.

After watching it Sunday, the songs were stuck in my head.  Late Monday afternoon, I wasn't feeling very well and Eliot still had to be at work for a few hours.  I decided that I needed to watch the movie again and I was just as entranced as the first time.

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I really love the magical house.  Obviously, as an interior design major, the house is something that I'm paying attention to.  But this was also a magical house that could move and I loved it.  The house was it's own special character and the animators did a great job of bringing it to life.  No spoilers, but I was so happy at the end of the movie!

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I also liked getting to know each of the characters in the Madrigal family.  In so many movies, it feels like you get to know the main character but not the others.  In Encanto, each of the characters' relationship to the main character was very much a part of the story.  I also really liked how there was no traditional villain in the movie.  The real villain was intergenerational trauma and family expectations.  It felt more realistic.

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The attention to detail was also astounding.  I read something that said Dolores claps with her fingers because the sound of herself clapping is too loud for her ears.  Now, I'm dying to watch the movie again so I can look for that part.  There are also reports that you can see the character we don't talk about in the background of many of the scenes.  (If you look closely on most of the movie posters with the family, he's there!)

Of course, as a Disney nut, I was also keeping an eye out for the Easter eggs.  I was so enthralled with the movie that I didn't really think about them the first time I watched it, but the second time I caught a few.  I swear I saw a young Mama Coco walking into the casita, and I definitely caught the "Let It Go" reference both times.  I missed the Wall-E boot with the plant, but I'll be looking next time!  (Read about more here.)

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I also loved the symbolism with the butterflies throughout the movie.  I don't speak Spanish, but I looked up the English translation of "Dos Oruguitas" this afternoon and it tells the story of two caterpillars who have to separate and make their own paths; then, they turn into butterflies and still have to make their own way.  It was so beautiful, yet heartbreaking, much like the story of Alma and Pedro in Encanto itself.

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The music will stay with you long after the movie ends.  I knew it would be amazing, and it definitely was.  After listening to Hamilton so much, I could definitely hear Lin-Manuel Miranda in certain parts of the songs.  I knew there would be a great variety of styles, and speeds to the songs.  Much like Hamilton, it didn't take long for the medleys to get stuck, even if I had no idea what the lyrics were.  (More on that later this week.)

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Overall, I was deeply enchanted by the magic that is Encanto.  Honestly, the only thing that I'm really disappointed about is how Disney hasn't realized that we'd like an adult size skirt like Mirabel's.  Maybe one is coming soon and they're all stuck out on a ship somewhere, but if not, get on that Disney!  There are a lot of ladies in my Dress Shop Facebook group ready to shell out for our own Mirabel skirts!

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If you haven't seen Disney's Encanto yet, do yourself a favor and go watch it.  I'm sure you will absolutely love it!  In the meantime, I've gotta restart the soundtrack!  °o°

Final Recap of 2021 Goals

Another year is drawing to a close.  For me, 2021 went by quickly.  At times 2020 felt like it was dragging along, and 2021 certainly made up for that.  

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Back in January, I posted my 2021 goals with the hopes that this year, I'd make a lot of headway on them.  After the disaster that was 2020, I assumed that I'd have all the time in the world to be home to working on my goals.  But after Eliot and I were both fully vaccinated back in May, I naturally wanted to get out of the house more.  Thus, I didn't get as much done as I'd hoped to with my goals this year.  

If you want to read up on previous years, you can find my past Disney goal posts at the following links: 2014 goals, 2014 recap, 2015 goals, 2015 recap, 2016 goals, 2016 recap, 2017 goals, 2019 goals, 2019 recap, 2020 goals and 2020 recap.

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For those of you who are new readers here, or for those who need a quick reminder, here is the short cliff notes version of my goals for this year:

Melissa's Blog and Disney Goals for 2021

1.) Celebrate Walt Disney World's 50th Anniversary

2.) Get Two Puppies and Give Them Disney Names
3.) Work on Disney Scrapbooks
4.) Decorate the House for the Holidays
5.) Rebrand Blog and Social Media
6.) Make Disney Home Decor for the House

7.) Use My New Disney Princess Planners and Journals
8.) Make Disney Decor for the Holidays
9.) Make Disney Accessories
10.) Have Disney Movie Nights
11.) Have Disney Board Game Nights
12.) Disneybound/Themed Outfit Challenge

13.) Have a Disney Themed Party
14.) Take an Online Class
15.) Design an Imagineering Project
16.) Read Disney Books
17.) Paint Disney Art
18.) Decorate House with Disney Touches
19.) Launch My Clothing Line
20.) Launch Our Home Decor Business

21.) Create New Products for Happily Ever Hatter

So let's see how I did with my 2021 goals!

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Melissa's Blog and Disney Goals for 2021

1.) Celebrate Walt Disney World's 50th Anniversary- Goal Met

I was careful with my wording on this goal.  My first goal for every year is to go back to Walt Disney World.  However, with the ongoing pandemic, I decided to change it to celebrate WDW's 50th, whether I was there in person or at home.  Instead, I hosted my own personal celebration in the form of a bunch of blog posts, watching videos, and celebrating from afar.  It wasn't the same, but it was still magical!

2.) Get Two Puppies and Give Them Disney Names- Goal Not Met

Eliot and I wanted this to be the year, but it wasn't in the cards!  Hopefully next year!

3.) Work on Disney Scrapbooks- Goal Not Met

After the disaster of Squirrel-Gate, I haven't had a chance to finish cleaning my office in order to get this stuff out.  Hopefully I can start chipping away at it next year!

4.) Decorate the House for the Holidays- Goal Not Met 

I really wanted to get our decorations out this year, but we decided to keep them packed away safely.  However, we were able to organize some of them!  Progress! 

5.) Rebrand Blog and Social Media- Goal Met

This has been a goal of mine for a while.  I'm not 100% where I'd like to be, but I made a lot of improvements this year and it makes me really happy to see them on here! 

6.) Make Disney Home Decor for the House- Goal Met

I haven't really posted much about it on here, but I was able to work on some home decor pieces this year.  I'll be sure to share them once I start putting them in our house!

7.) Use My New Disney Princess Planners and Journals- Goal Not Met 

This is probably my biggest disappointment on this list.  Eliot and I got so much planning stuff for this year and I definitely did not do it justice.  However, I am not one to waste anything, so I'll happily use the calendars and stuff that I can't use next year in my scrapbooking projects!  Nothing will be thrown out!

8.) Make Disney Decor for the Holidays- Goal Not Met 

I love making holiday decorations, but this year I didn't really have much time to!

9.) Make Disney Accessories- Goal Not Met 

I also didn't really take time to make myself any new accessories this year.

10.) Have Disney Movie Nights- Goal Met

This year, I made an extra effort to use our Disney+ account more often.  I watched a few movies, but what I really enjoyed were the series and shorts.  I loved watching Pixar Popcorn Shorts, Monsters at Work, Dug Days, Doogie Kamealoha, M.D., and Olaf Presents.  Eliot and I I really love the Disney+ original content!

11.) Have Disney Board Game Nights- Goal Met

Eliot and I didn't have as many game nights as I wanted to, but we did get to play Disney Uno a few times over the past few months.  We also played Villainous with Jeremy over Thanksgiving.  Hopefully we can keep playing more next year!

12.) Disneybound/Themed Outfit Challenge- Goal Not Met 

I didn't even make much of an effort with this.  Honestly, I spent most of this year in my pajamas and lounge clothing.  Although, I started to put more of an effort in around the holidays so that's definitely a step in the right direction!

13.) Have a Disney Themed Party- Goal Not Met 

With COVID still raging on, having a party at our house was not something I wanted to do.  Hopefully, 2022 will be safer to host people and parties!

14.) Take an Online Class- Goal Met

This did not go as planned, but I did attend quite a few online classes and seminars.  I found a few different things that interested me while scrolling on Facebook... and I'm happy to report that I found them really inspiring!  Hopefully I can take more next year!

15.) Design an Imagineering Project- Goal Not Met 

Eliot and I love talking about Imagineering ideas.  I had one that I really wanted to work on, but with COVID still happening, the design seemed a little out of touch.

16.) Read Disney Books- Goal Not Met 

I'm a bit disappointed about this one too.  I really need to start making time to read!

17.) Paint Disney Art- Goal Not Met 

I also need to make time for myself so I can paint!

18.) Decorate House with Disney Touches- Goal Not Met 

One of Eliot's and my main goals is to finish our house.  Unfortunately, this year we weren't able to do that.  Thus, I didn't really do any decorating.  Hopefully next year!

19.) Launch My Clothing Line- Goal Not Met 

This was something we planned to do this year, but the year went by so fast.  By the time I was preparing to do it, we were approaching the holidays and I decided to wait.

20.) Launch Our Home Decor Business- Goal Not Met 

This was another big goal that we decided to hold off on.  We're still tweaking a few things with Happily Ever Hatter and Snowblade Creations, so we held off on the home decor for now.  But we are getting closer to finally launching it!

21.) Create New Products for Happily Ever Hatter- Goal Not Met 

I ordered supplies for a few new ideas, but I never put anything together.  Next year!

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And there you have it!  Six out of 20 wasn't exactly what I had planned, but it's still better than how I did back in 2020.  Plus, I also started doing seasonal bucket lists this year- which is a totally new thing for me.  Basically, on top of these goals, I also gave myself a bunch of other goals to accomplish each season!

Taking all of that into account, I'm really happy with how everything ended up.  I feel like I got a lot of stuff done in 2021, and that I had a lot of fun too!

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Finally, you might recall that my 2021 word of the year was PURPOSE.  This year, I really wanted to focus on that, and I definitely did.  Throughout the year, I reminded myself of the word's two meanings.  As a noun, it means "the reason for which something is done or created or for which something exists."  As a verb, it means "one's intention or objective."  Both of those spoke to me and I got really confident in what that means to me.  After losing my purpose a few years ago, I reignited the light inside myself and proclaimed my status as a Magic Maker.  And if that alone was the only thing that I got out of this entire year, it would 100% be worth it.

Thank you 2021 for the memories, laughs and magical moments!!!  °o°