8 things I enjoyed in 2023

I got married and introduced people to berries 🌟

Hi! It’s been a minute. How is everyone? 👀

I’m writing this as I sit near the happiest corner in our apartment. Our Christmas tree is a 7 foot conglomerate of pine needles and sparkles and wool and every hue of cheer. Some of my favorites dangle from its branches: a glittery hedgehog, glass pencil the size of my hand, saxophone-playing sheep, and Hopper from Stranger Things. We tried something new and placed a galaxy projector behind the tree, so the whole corner up to the ceiling is aglow. I’m sure you’d smile if you could see each detail in person.

The colors and lights are a true contrast from the last several months over here. Much of life has been so chaotic and difficult it’s almost absurd. We’ve had too many appointments, decisions, meetings, and payments for problems I’m not ready to talk about online and honestly, maybe never could. It’s not only chaos or all difficulty, but it really is more than two adults (who’ve faced a hell of a lot before) feel equipped to take on. Even when they have each other and are the best of friends.

I’ve been trying to finish the second part to my last essay, but for reasons mentioned above, I haven’t had the motivation to get there yet. That story requires a substantial part of my emotional energy, and my low battery sign is still blinking. So instead of forcing myself to write it (or say nothing at all), I’m going to share something better for my soul right now—a list of eight things I enjoyed in 2023. If you’d like, let me know in the comments what those were for you!

And if it’s too tricky to find merriment right now, that’s okay. I’m thinking of you and hope you can find a safe space to just be this season.

Thank you, reader, for supporting this fun little endeavor.

See you in the next year! ✨
—E.T.

---

8 things I enjoyed in 2023:

Photo by Stephany Barboza

Getting married 👰🏻‍♀️

Our engagement was less than two months long, surprising even us! After white-boarding how and when we’d merge our lives, we realized marrying sooner than later made the most sense logistically. Everyone close to us gave their emphatic support, so we went for it. We wed exactly two years from the day we met, and our mini ceremony was everything we’d hoped it would be.

Blending a family holds complicated dynamics, and I’m under no impression that Aaron and I are super humans who will always get it right. But we’re committed to building a beautiful life and family together, and I feel lucky to be with someone who paints the world with goodness. (Aaron, if you’re reading this… happy nine months, darling! ❤️)

Mantis 🌈

I’m a big fan of games by Exploding Kittens, and I think Mantis is another smashing success.¹ First of all, the product design and color palette are delectable. It’s fun enough for two, so Aaron and I have welcomed some friendly competition on date nights. Since it’s a card game, you can easily take them when you fly (which we’ve done) or set up at a coffee shop (which we’ve also done). We’re extra nerdy and created additional rules, and that’s the only version we teach our friends. We call it Advantis.

Other games we’ve liked this year:

• The Mind by Pandasaurus

• Ransom Notes by Very Special Games

• Taco Cat Goat Cheese Pizza by Dolphin Hat Games

Our Planet II 🌏

When my mind was frazzled and I wanted to watch something wholesome, Our Planet was the right choice. I watched each episode of the series in awe. The second season focuses on animal migration, and I can’t tell you how many times I asked Aaron if these stories and shots were real. It’s kind of unbelievable. Especially when you’re on the couch eating takeout pizza, and at some point, elsewhere on the very same planet, terrifying locusts are swarming and matriarchs are leading their elephant families onward. The creatures that inhabit the earth are more powerful, peculiar, and precious than I ever knew.

Bonus: the film crew has a behind the scenes documentary which is intriguing as well!

Gooseberries ☀️

See those luscious, perfectly sunshiny berries? Those, my friends, are gooseberries. Or, if you’re picking them up from Trader Joe’s, you might refer to them as golden berries. I think they taste like a blend of kiwi and orange, but have heard all kinds of fruity comparisons made.

Anyone who has come to an event we’ve hosted in the last year would’ve seen these magical berries set out. I made it a goal to introduce 40-50 people to them, and I’m currently at about 35. The reaction is always the same: what are these and why are they so good??! They’re a crowd favorite, trust me.

YNAB 💸

I’ve been using YNAB and following its main rules for two years. With their approach, you assign money you currently have rather than forecasting based on what you think you’ll make. After trying a handful of apps and tricks to stay on top of my finances, YNAB has been a godsend!

This year, I’ve taken on the title of resident budget nerd in the family, and I’m loving it. It’s genuinely fun optimizing our spending, watching the wish farm grow, and picking cute emojis for every line item. Plus there’s onscreen confetti when the accounts are reconciled… and it always makes me smile.

If you’re curious, I recommend exploring the YNAB YouTube channel. The tutorials and conversations helped me revamp my budget from a single gal to two adults and a kiddo with ease. I’m not getting any pennies from this, I’ve just enjoyed working on the budget this much and wanted to share. 😂

Photo by Stephany Barboza

Wedding decisions 💐

We planned our wedding in about five weeks and the reception in four months. It was a bit wild, but our creativity and my project management skills came in handy. After deciding our priorities, we made a lot of unconventional choices along the way that either felt more like us and/or helped keep a modest budget. I wanted both events to reflect what we cared about and be memorable without being fussy. In the end, I was delighted with how they went.²

Camping with friends 🏕️

Some of our dearest friends live in Virginia, and we’ve started a tradition of meeting halfway-ish to camp together! This year, it happened to be a rainy, windy weekend with lows of 40°. Our digits were numb, but thankfully we didn’t hear any trees snapping in the woods.

We played games, enjoyed steak from a camp stove (Aaron’s culinary skills shine anywhere), hiked, attempted to slackline, had vulnerable fireside chats, then ended up laughing over who knows what. We adore Leah and Megan, and we feel their love even 467 miles away.

Mikaela Santos in Atlanta Ballet’s The Nutcracker | Photo by Kim Kenney

Atlanta Ballet 🩰

I’m over the moon whenever I get to see Atlanta Ballet company dancers perform. They give painstaking attention to both their technique and artistry, creating a gracefulness that seems unmatched. I’ve watched hundreds of strong dancers from companies and studios all over, and I mean it—Atlanta Ballet is a sure standout. I’d mostly seen them perform original choreography (with the exception of Firebird) till recently, when my mom surprised me with tickets to The Nutcracker.

Some of my most beloved childhood memories are from dancing in The Nutcracker, so I imagine I will always see the performance through a lens of nostalgia. But y’all. This version was a sort of magic that left my mom, husband, and me with eyes glued to the stage, trying to take in every ounce of elegance, brilliance, and humor that flashed before us. The production quality and set design felt otherworldly, and now I’m not sure I want to see this Christmas classic anywhere else.

---

Want to show your support?

Nōto is free, but it takes time to create! Feel free to click that little heart below or share the post with a friend. 💛

Thanks again for being here!!

1. Pun intended. Do you know about rainbow mantis shrimp?? They’re known as smashers and are wildly powerful with a “punch” of 50+ mph.

2. Maybe I’ll do a post about those decisions and share some tips if anyone is interested. I know I would’ve liked to see more pressure-free wedding planning ideas out there.