#38 Starting the New Year Off Right : Wedding Crashing, Spa Serenity and Hysterical Laughter

My badass tribe took over the Safety Harbor Spa and Resort to ring in the new year, and I don't think I have ever had a more fun New Years Eve celebration in my entire life!

And now I can say I started 2022 with an official Badass Adventure by adding "Wedding Crasher" to my resume. In the wee hours of the new year, we belly- laughed our way into a private wedding reception.

Oh my head....we had so much fun listening and dancing to the music of the DJ (and climbing on top of pianos... but that's a story for a later time). The people at the reception were having a great time and so were we. After a bit, we left to find our way back to the hotel room. But somewhere along the way, Ellen's phone got displaced, and we had to return to the scene of our crime to look for it.

While Ellen was retracing her steps, I suddenly noticed a regally-dressed woman approaching me. "Whoopsies", I thought, thinking she was coming over to kick us out, realizing we were imposters.

But suddenly, she looked me square in the eye and with tears in her own, starts repeating over and over "He's married. Oh God, he's married. I knew it would happen but I can't believe he's married". So dear reader, I'd like to introduce you to the Mother of the Groom. Who knew that I would start out 2022 hugging a random stranger at her son's wedding, reassuring her that he will still love his mama, even though he's married?

All this while I was sportting silver holographic 2022 paper glasses. With really, really sore stomach muscles from laughing out of control a few minutes earlier from post-midnight schenanigans with Ellen.

This year is going to be flipping amazing!

Too many stories to share and too many private jokes that would only make sense to those there, but let me put these past 24 hours into bullet points :

• Swimming in mineral spring pools and relaxing in hot tubs.

• Getting a personal training session in the pool.

• Having my first ever facial.

• Relaxing with infused water in lavendar scented rooms.

• Enjoying a refreshing spa lunch.

• Gabbing at the pool discussing vision boards, art classes and Chakras.

• Toasting the new year at sunset with champagne on the balcony overlooking Tampa Bay.

• Getting ready sorority - style with primping, pre-game and makeovers (hey, yo... My first time wearing fake eyelashes. My lids kept gluing themselves together all night. Them puppies take skill to wear!)

• Playing Truth or Dare with lemon drops and boozy dessert martinis.

• Watching a late night screening of Rocky horror while being served a four-course gourmet dinner (we were warned when to cover our food to keep thrown rice and confetti from landing in it)

• Scoring bonus points for hiting the back of the head of the girl in the front row of the theater with my toast.

• Watching the ball fall at midnight and celebrating with champagne, confetti poppers, and hugs from dear friends.

• Doing fancy struts down the street

• The afore mentioned wedding crashing and piano dancing.

• Watching Ellen forget she had a glass of water in her hand while putting on her 2022 glasses, then protecting the bride from falling in the pool of water on the floor.

• Room 254.

• The late night lost phone search realizing too late that if we had just looked at our photos, we would have seen where the phone was hiding all along

• Early morning deliciousness of coffee

• Watching stingrays and dolphins in the bay

We took a million photos. Scroll to the end of this post to see the best of the best! Each one makes me smile (or laugh...or both).

I do not know how I got so lucky to get this badass group of incredible, beautiful, caring, and intelligent women in my life. Cindy, Ellen, Gwen, Jennifer, Zee, and Carole, thank you for making 2021 such an incredible year for me. It will be hard to beat it in 2022 but we are already well on our way! I love you all so much and can't wait to have more adventures all year long.

For everyone else, I wish you the very best of your own badass adventures in 2022. Please keep me posted on what you do, send me recommendations for new Badass Challenges, and let me know if you ever want to do an adventure with me!