Best of 2018

I've decided to take inventory of some past lists I've made, and do some updates. Hoping for more fun and entertainment in 2019!

Top Five Best Movies that I saw in 2018
You can see how many movies I watch with my kids these days...(and how few I get a chance to see in general. I'm sure Bohemian Rhapsody would be on this list if I had the time to see it!)

1. Mamma Mia: Here We Go Again (I saw it twice in the theater and cried more than I expected to the first time)
2. Ralph Wrecks the Internet
3. Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle (this was really funny and I enjoyed it more than the original movie)
4. Paddington 2
5. Mary Poppins Returns 

My favorite new TV shows (shows I started watching in 2018):

1. Manifest
2. A Million Little Things
3. You
4. 90 Day Fiancé (it has become more of a train wreck, but it's fun to talk about with friends and has generated some inside jokes)
5. Rise (So sad that they cancelled it after one short season.)
6. Cobra Kai


Top Ten Favorite Books I read in 2018. (Some may be from previous years or publishing in 2019.)
I've shared my top five chick lit favorites at Chick Lit Central (as Melissa A). I read so many amazing books this year (go to my Goodreads page and see all the 5 star books) and am sad to have to narrow it down at all. Links are to reviews.

1. The Wartime Sisters by Lynda Cohen Loigman
2. The Girl He Used to Know by Tracey Garvis-Graves (review coming soon)
3. Simon vs. the Homosapiens Agenda (I enjoyed the movie version, but the book was just so wonderful)
4. The Alice Network by Kate Quinn
5. A Spark of Light by Jodi Picoult
6. Little Fires Everywhere by Celeste Ng
7. Everywhere You Want to Be by Christina June
8. The Stolen Marriage by Diane Chamberlain
9. The Bookseller by Cynthia Swanson
10. The Way of Beauty by Camille DiMaio

Ten good things that happened in 2018:
1. My older son's Bar Mitzvah.
2. Jen Tucker moving to Maryland.
3. Going to NYC with the kids to see Wicked (my third time, their first).
4. Seeing Something Rotten with Adam Pascal as Shakespeare.
5. Seeing Waitress.
6. Making some new friends in the neighborhood and through Girlfriend Circles.
7. Trying my hand at canvas painting. I went to a few paint nights and enjoyed the experiences. I liked how my paintings turned out too.
8. Seeing my older son perform in musicals from his camp.
9. My BFF coming to town for a visit (it's our annual end-of-year thing)
10. My younger son getting into honors chorus and my older son getting into Tri-M (music honor society).

Wishing you a happy, healthy, and prosperous new year!