Happy 2023 Everyone! I've gotten on the cynical train and I'm like 'if you've seen one New Year countdown, you've seen them all'. I think that means, I've officially gotten old. I didn't even plan on staying up to midnight. I ended up staying up, but didn't even watch the ball drop. Instead, there we were at midnight watching Ohio State miss their winning kick to head to the National Championship (which, I'm totally ok with- I certainly didn't want an Ohio State/Michigan one, because that's all anyone would talk about. So, the fact that neither won and it'll be TCU vs. Georgia is a good way to start the New Year).
2022 wasn't bad. In fact, it was pretty decent- sure we got covid, but the rest of the year certainly had it's highlights. Peyton finally got to travel to the UK- twice! Asa and I got to travel to the Bahamas-twice! We made it to Ohio-twice! We went to see Hamilton- twice! (I'm seeing a theme here for 2022). We've had Universal stays, Disney stays, got to swim with pigs AND do the Wild Africa Trek. So, a good time.
Lets rewind to the last few days of 2022 for the first blog of the New Year though, because we also got to finish out the new year in a nice fashion.
We finally got around to taking a walk to see Christmas lights in the neighborhood. We didn't do the Connerton loop- but we did make it down to Grasmere. There's always some good houses down there.
I was taking pictures for inspiration for our neighborhood lights for next year. So, here's the blog if you're coming back to look for things, future Corinne. First, I totally think I could build this pvc pipe tunnel.
And they hung projectors up from the top. I'm wondering if we can string some projectors up in the trees so it hits our driveways, or maybe even the road (if we can make it so it isn't distracting). Still, I feel like this one is total do-able.
I love the idea of stringing things between houses. This is a pretty easy idead with a lot of lights just sitting on the ground. It's also cool just sitting on the ground around the edging of the front flower beds.
These little railings seem like they'd be easy to do. Grasmere had them along the road, but you could also do them along the sidewalk.
I love the idea of big ornaments or snowflakes hanging from the trees like they had over on kickliter. Pinterest has lots of diy ideas for this.
Mailboxes decorated is a nice touch too. I feel like we could pull this off all up and down the street.
And finally, we think this might be a homemade "snow" (aka snoap) machine. Either way, I've heard you can make your own, and I'm totally down to try.
Obviously we loved our decorations on blue spring drive this year, but we're already all talking about how to do them bigger and better next year. I did snap a picture of mom and Hayden under our lights, but judging by people we saw out and about, a lot of people have pictures under these lights this year.
Thursday, we were off to see Hamilton. Yes, we've seen it twice before- but never in Tampa. And when it was coming at the end of December/begining of January I knew we had to get Hayden tickets for Christmas. It was just the second show of the Angelica tour being in Tampa but the cast was absolutely amazing. I particularly enjoyed Hamilton, Burr and George Washington. But everyone was stellar. It was the best cast we've seen so far.
We might have been way up in the gallery, the last row in fact (I tried for hours the day the tickets came out to get my hands on whatever I could). But the Straz is one of those places where there just isn't a bad seat in the house. We got in there and Hayden was like 'how'd you get such good seats' even though we were literally on the end of the last row. Still, the stadium seating is exaggerated making it easy to see, and the acustics in there are just killer. I love the Straz, and I was so excited to finally see Hamilton there, in my home city.
After the amazing performance of Hamilton was over, we headed over to Curtis Hixon Park to check out the Winter Village. It's a whole pop-up Christmas attraction they do every year. We get real life ice skating (ice and all!), all kinds of shops and lights- and it's just a cool place to hang out.
We told Calib (who didn't go to Hamilton) he could meet us down there to go to Winter Village and dinner with us after the show if he wanted (we invited Peyton too, but she declined). Everyone was so sure he wouldn't come into downtown by himself, but I held out hope until the very end. And then, there we were at Winter Village and Calib just showed up out of nowhere. I'm not even sure how he found us so easily.
Mostly I went down there because I wanted to play Curling! Ok, so not exactly curling in the traditional sense- but "Street Curling". Anyone can play on the courts and it's first come, first serve. It's totally free, you just check out the "Stones" with an id and get to playing.
I mean, who gets to play curling under palm trees? That's pretty unique!
Asa and I made for a killer team. Probably due to our shuffleboard experience on cruise ships. I really like shuffleboard these days- I really want it to make it to "Shuffle" a shuffleboard/bar combo in Tampa. They're actually the ones who sponsered the curling lanes at Winter Village. (Although there are curling classes at the ice center in Wesley Chapel, and I wouldn't mind doing that either).
After curling, we grabbed ourselves a strawberry mango Whatever Pop at their Curtis Hixon Park shop. You can't go wrong with whatever pops. They're the best popsicles around.
We had gone to the 1:30 show of Hamilton, so by now the sun was begining to set along the Hillsbrough River.
We walked back along the river, enjoying the decorations and the view- not to mention the lovely weather (warm with a light breeze- my favorite!)
We decided to grab dinner at Armature Works, a lovely food hall you should totally visit if ever given a change. Though, we did not pick the best time to go. Not only was it right between two Hamilton shows (so you got people from both), but the Lightning we're also playing at home so there were people heading to the game everywhere too). But we divided up and managed to get all kinds of goodies for dinner.
The BBQ places was out of brisket, but their chopped pork is pretty good too. Their fries are some of my favorite (though not nearly as good as the fry room at the Grove). The onion rings are pretty great too.
We nabbed some chips, salsa and queso along with a Tampa Gril Empanada from Empamamas (that booth has taught me I am in fact an empanada fan.)
We hit up the Mexican place for the Quesatacos- probably the best thing at Armature Works, and then tried out the new pasta place. It was decent- but I wasn't blown away by it or anything.
After dinner, we headed out to find it had gotten dark enough for the lights to come on along the Riverwalk.
And we were treated the the very end of a lovely sunset. All around a really nice day. After the cold weather I had suffered through for the previous week, it was just what I needed!
When we got home, we finished out the night with a game of Villainous.
Usually on NYE if my mom is here, we head down to Venice. It's about an hour and half or so from here- and it's where my grandparents used to live. We would go down every Christmas to visit them, and were usually there for NYE growing up. So, it's become a little tradition. However, the weather didn't look like it would cooperate for NYE so we headed down the day before.
The beach was crowded, but we found ourselves a spot.
I present to you the sequence of Asa trying to take a nice picture with Calib.
The water was pretty chilly. Lots of people on the beach, not so many in the water.
When we go to Sharky's, we don't go just for the beach- we also go for the food. While it was quite a wait, at least we got to wait out on the beach. Mom was treating, so she got us all some drinks.
And who doesn't love eating outside along the beach. I got the lobster roll with sweet potato fries, which I just love (they serve it will a little cinnamon sugar- so good!)
Asa got the lobster stuffed flounder upon Calib's suggestion, and was not disappointed.
Calib got a fish and chips thing, and mom got a shrimp pasta. Big portions, good food, great company and amazing scenery. Nothing to complain about here.
After dinner, we walked out on the pier for some good views.
And we couldn't leave without taking a good dip kiss picture under the pier.
Of course no trip to Venice is complete without a stop downtown for some ice cream. Overall, you couldn't detect too much damage. Hurricane Ian hit south of Venice, but there was a decent amount of damage in the cute little coastal town. You could tell there was less trees, some of the bigs ones were gone- or much smaller (clearly losing a lot of limbs), there was a spot in downtown where they clearly lost their "porch" or breezeway or whatever you want to call it- and you could still see the sposed stone. A handful of places were still boarded up- clearly never coming back after the Hurricane, and the theater which basically collapased on one side is still open to the outside, though clearly under construction. We also noticed lots of tarps still on roofs, and a few signs still blown out. Overall though, it was still the same old place we know and love.
Since we had been to Venice the day before NYE (and it was a good decision, because it rained most of NYE here), I was trying to come up with something fun to do for everyone on actual NYE. I decided since we had never gotten around to a Christmas Open Bar, I would make one for NYE. I could not get the formating right from my old open bar menu, so finally I just gave up and printed it out. I'm confident I'm the only one that noticed.
I even forgot a few things, so I just listed the specials on an index card. I love a good presentation, but sometimes I just have to realize nobody else here will notice (or care), so I need to just accept non-perfection and move on.
I got out all the stuff for various drinks.. and my air fryer and other kitchen gadgets to make things easier for cooking (that air fryer is amazing!)
And then I opened the bar. I had lots of business, but I failed at taking too many pictures.
Calib had way too much food, and then insisted we all stay up to midnight. I went to bed, but then ended up staying up for the game, where we all watched the kick at midnight. (Man, it was a bad kick, too).
And just like that, the calendar changes and we're into 2023, which started with a football Sunday. Only one week left to go, and it looks like we'll go over 500 tacos one more time. I'd like to thank Costco Street Tacos (for the kids, when we were gone), and the tiny street taco flour tortillas for making it all possible.
I will note the Bucs won on Sunday, making them 8-8, and locking them in to win the abysmal NFC South. I'm not sure how I feel about this. I know we're going to lose in the first round of the playoffs- and we'll be at Disney to see (or not see, depending on our time slot) it all happen. Plus now we just get a worse draft pick. But, we lost a lot- like, a lot- since we've been fans, and a tiny part of me is happy to have won.
And, it's hard not to be a little excited about making it to the playoffs. Even after a terrible season, these guys are pretty happy.
I will note, Sunday was the last day for our tree. It was REALLY leaning by the end there (I took these pictures 12 hours apart and it seems like it maybe went even further to the right in those 12 hours). I did end up taking the whole thing down on the 2nd. Calib said if it fell, it was on me, so I wanted to make sure I got it before it hit the ground on its own.
After lunch we went outside to take down the lights outside. We didn't even really coordinate it, and everyone ended up out there helping. It didn't take too long at all. We had them all down at everyone's houses, off everyone's trees in about two hours.
Which was good, because Asa had to take Ellie to the vet. She's had an ear/eye infection and been on antibiotics and pain killers, which has made her very sleep as of late (and sleeping HARD- check out the pictures I took of her). But Dr. Daniels was very happy with her progress. Ellie is staying on her stuff for the next couple weeks, and then we'll re-evaluate (turns out, she might need a tooth pulled too!) Fingers crossed the antibiotics clear it all up.
After a long day of lights and vets, mom treated us to dinner at Hungry Harry's BBQ. I know the name doesn't sound like it's amazing, but it's one of the best bbq places in the Tampa area. Nothing beats their sweet corn casserole.
Thanks for the dinner, and the leftovers, grandma!
With grandma here, we might be getting take out- but the kids are also getting dispersed into their non-usual places. I present to Peyton and Etta asleep on the couch in the family room mid-day...
...and Hayden out in the blanket fort studying (ironically studying Native Americans for his US History class at WGU Academy while watching Pocahontas)
And that's it from here. I packed up the rest of Christmas today, though the blanket fort is staying up for Hayden until his room opens up again. Asa and I are already packing in the January plans, with Jake coming to visit after mom leaves. Though, we're hoping to get in at least a date day- our "new years resoltuion" (if you can call it that) is to make sure we visit at least one new place a month. It could be as simple as a resturant we've wanted to try, or as big as a vacation. So stay tuned.
Next up: We have plans to hit up the Budhist Temple, the library, and go to lunch with my moms friend Jane- oh and maybe get to Top Golf. But, I might not get back to the blog till we're back from our Sattler family vacation to Disney World. Until then, Happy New Year everyone!!
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