2017: Year in Review
By Christine Petralia

Created by Christine Petralia

Fun engagement photo

Family photo at a wedding

Met Jimmy Fallon again!

Just hanging with the Backstreet Boys
December 31, 2017
I don’t care what anyone says. 2017 was THE year. For me at least. So many amazing things happy this year. I got engaged!!! And I met the Backstreet Boys and Jimmy Fallon!!! What can top those three things? Honestly. I guess going into 2018 know I’m getting married can top that. But I’m getting ahead of myself.
2017 started off to a bad beginning. I was laid up with a bum toe through the beginning of February. Once my toe healed, I got back into the gym with a vengeance. At the end of that month, Dave and I went to see The Lion King on Broadway. A week after that on March 2, we traveled to Venice Beach in California for a long weekend, where Dave surprised me at the Venice Canals and proposed!! Of course, I said yes, and we proceeded to celebrate our engagement in San Diego.
Once we got back, we quickly set a date for 9/9/18 and then focused on other big things for 2017. At this time, Dave also found out he was getting laid off, but he was quickly hired back by the outsourcing company and then got another job offer and a completely different company, where he is very happy.
In May, Dave and I dressed up to attend the New York Emmy Gala, where I was nominated for Interactivity. In June, I attended KTUphoria at Jones Beach, where I worked on the red carpet and met the Backstreet Boys, fulfilling a dream of mine since I was 17 years old! Also in June, we traveled to Seattle for my brother and Roxanne’s wedding, where we witnessed one of the largest Pride parades in the country! And as the kids finished up another year of school, Ashley graduated eighth grade, while David was inducted in the National Junior Honor Society.
In July, I found myself at yet another New Kids on the Block concert. Toward the end of the month, we headed down to Hershey, PA for Ashley’s national dance competition, where she placed in a bunch of routines, and I joined her on stage in a Miley performance. We enjoyed Hershey and Dorney parks, before visiting Dave’s friends for a few nights. August was busy with some News 12 events, my brother’s New York wedding celebration, and Dave’s cousin’s wedding – all of which were lots of fun. We also attended a Billy Joel concert at the Garden, an event I never thought I’d go to but had a lot of fun.
In September, our wedding planning ramped up again, where I found an amazing dress that I can’t wait to wear on my wedding day. We attended an Islanders pre-season game at the Coliseum in a suite, where we met some Isles’ legends, and we attended some more great concerts. In October, we hosted another epic Halloween party with lots of family and close friends. November was busy with birthdays and the start of the holidays, which lead into December. We headed to Montauk for another cousin’s wedding, as well as a meeting with Jimmy Fallon!!!
I cannot wait to see what amazing things will happen in 2018! Besides our wedding day, we plan to head to Las Vegas in January to see the Islanders play the Golden Knights. We are also heading to DC in March to visit Debbie and see the Isles play the Caps with the kids. The summer will be full of wedding events, such as a shower and parties galore. I’m sure we’ll host another Halloween party after our wedding too. What sort of things do you have planned for 2018? What things are you looking forward to?
Below are my 2017 resolutions, and if I actually achieved them, along with 2017 highlights and 2018 resolutions.
2017 Resolutions:
-Read more! - NOPE
-See more movies. - NOPE
-Start writing more. – Does BuddyTV count?
-Lose weight!!!! - NOPE
-Do one project on the house. – NOPE (we got engaged)
-Visit another state. – YES!
-Meet a famous person. – YES!
-Update my website. – NOPE
-Go see The Tonight Show. – Does meeting Jimmy count?
-Keep my DVR at 50 percent. – It’s currently at 41%
-Cook a new dish at least twice a month. – NOPE
2017 Highlights:
-Got engaged
-Met the Backstreet Boys
-Met Jimmy Fallon
-Went to the Montauk Lighthouse
-Went to the Venice Canals
-Went to San Diego and stayed in the ‘Kapua Suite’
-Ate at James’ Beach (and the fish tacos were the tits)
-Met Isles’ legends
-Saw the New Kids on the Block
-Saw Billy Joel and Ed Sheeran
-Went to Hershey and Dorney parks
-Attended five weddings
-Dave got a new job
-David made National Junior Honor Society
2018 Resolutions:
-Lose weight for real.
-Do one project on the house.
-Read.
-Start up Penny again.
-Don’t stress (too much).
-Think more positively.
-Plan for the future.
-Get more creative in the kitchen.
A lot of my resolutions are carried over. What are your resolutions? Do you ever achieve the resolutions from years’ past?
Check out my rants in this ninth installment of the Festivus celebration.
See the highlights and my resolutions for 2016.