It's been a long time since I've done a year in review post. Things have drastically changed in the blogging world since the pandemic, but I'm still here! And I still believe that the written word is not dead. 2023 marked The Jersey Momma's tenth anniversary, and I am proud of how far this blog has come. As I said back in my 2018 Year-End Review, it has always been my greatest wish to help others with this blog. My goal is to provide honest opinions and a safe resource for readers to come to when looking for travel advice, reviews, recipes, and more. The honesty of the written word can never be replaced by influencers and social media reels.
I created a little review of 2023 in case there are some posts you haven't read or some recipes or reviews you want to revisit. I can't wait to see what 2024 holds, and I hope you'll stick around for the ride!
2023 Jersey Momma Milestones
-I continued on as an Ambassador of Play for The Toy Association, helping to spread the word about Genius of Play and the importance of play for children (and adults!) of all ages.
-I continued serving on the HP Smart Moms Panel, assisting Hewlett Packard with opinions and ideas along with other moms around the globe.
-I attended Kids Week at the Intrepid Sea, Air and Space Museum with three generations of my family!
-I attended The Play Date in New York City to learn about the latest and greatest toys for Spring with The Toy Insider: Hot New Toys for Spring and Summer: Fun Finds from The Play Date
-I celebrated 100 years of The Madame Alexander Doll Company at the iconic FAO Schwarz store in New York City.
-I celebrated my 50th birthday at Hershey's Chocolate World in Hershey, PA. And guess what? They were celebrating their 50th Birthday, too! It was so special to share this milestone with one of my favorite places on earth.
-I attended a preview launch of the amazing Pier 57 and Market 57 along the waterfront in New York City. Getting a sneak peek of this unique community space was an amazing experience and I was so proud to be a part of it.
-I took a thrilling ride with my sister at the Camp JEEP Experience at the New York International Auto Show in New York. I highly recommend it if they offer this again in 2024!
-We visited Disney 100: The Exhibition at Franklin Institute, and I was so excited to see some rare Disney artifacts and memorabilia.
-I was beyond honored to attend Camp Travel Mom, an incredible travel event with Emily Kaufman, The Travel Mom, in San Diego. I was so excited to attend with my partner in crime, Kid Congeniality. This event helped me write some important posts, including A Weekend Escape to San Diego: What to See, Where to Stay, How to Get Around: 5 Day Itinerary, and A Weekend Getaway is Good for the Soul: Reflections from Camp Travel Mom.
-I attended The Toy Insider's Sweet Suite at Pier 60 in New York City to learn about all of the hottest new toys of the season. Read: The Best of Sweet Suite 23: Fun New Games, Toys and More from the Biggest Night of Play
-We took a ride on an authentic diesel engine train in Flemington! You can read all about it here: All Aboard! The Jersey Momma's Review of Black River & Western Railroad.
-I finally returned to Toy Fair New York (after its 3 year hiatus) to find the best and brightest toys. Many of these toys wound up in my Ultimate Holiday Gift Guide as well as my 10 Favorite Finds from Toy Fair New York.
-I saw a sneak preview of WONKA at Hudson Yards in New York City. It still remains my favorite film of 2023. You can read my spoiler-free review of Wonka here.
-I previewed The Omni Berkshire's famous FAO Schwarz Stay and Play Suite at Rockefeller Center in New York with Kid Congeniality. It was a magical place!
-We closed out the year at the Sweetest Place on Earth and had a blast at Hersheypark's Christmas Candylane.
Momma Musings Highlights
Momma Musings is a new addition to The Jersey Momma blog. These are posts that I write from a more personal perspective, and they include subjects from my own life. Some of the Momma Musings posts that I was most proud of this year include:
I'm With the (Marching) Band (about my son's experience in the high school marching band, and what I learned from it all)
Farewell to the Empire (about the closing of a beloved New Jersey diner)
And my most popular Momma Musings post to date is Ode to the Joes. Read it to see what it's about! Perhaps you will relate.
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Top 10 Most Popular Posts of 2023
In no particular order, here are 10 posts that readers enjoyed most and returned to often.
Jersey Momma Popular Pins for 2023
Pinterest is a great reminder for me of how much people still love cooking, baking, crafts, and collecting. Follow me on Pinterest: @TheJerseyMomma
Social Media Highlights
And here are some fun places we visited, trips we took and events I attended that were featured on my social channels but not necessarily on the blog. You can follow me on Instagram (@TheJerseyMomma) and Facebook to see my most recent social media shares.
-I attended The Toy Insider's Holiday of Play in New York City to get a sneak preview of the best toys for the holiday season.
-We visited Blast 7D and Nickelodeon Universe at American Dream, both of which we enjoyed immensely and have returned to many times since.
-I attended The Toy Association's Summer Cocktail Party to kick off the season!
-We visited Pocono Raceway for Nascar Cup Series in the beautiful Pocono Mountains
-I welcomed Manhattan Bagel to Flemington with a delicious breakfast and treats.
-I attended Nintendo's Holiday Showcase in New York City to see what new games and products Nintendo was offering for the holidays. Did you know I'm a die-hard Animal Crossing fan?
-We took a fun ride on the 300 foot tall Dream Wheel at American Dream in East Rutherford.
So Happy New Year to all! Let's see what 2024 has in store!
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