It’s been about three years with the pandemic and things are slowly feeling more regular as we adjust to Covid being endemic. It’s wild to believe another year has flashed by —it feels like I just wrote the last 2021 annual reflection a short while ago.

2022 was a year of self-growth and family values. I was able to spend more time with my parents and family compared to past years and I successfully got pregnant. Unlike previous years, this year wasn’t just about checking off the bucket list, trying new things, or seeing new sights, it was about getting past medical roadblocks and focusing on myself and my family.

2022 Goals

Last year’s goals were pretty loosely defined and ambiguous. I wrote it that way to allow for my interpretation and flexibility to modify as the year went on.

[X] Self-care – Loosely defined but I did focus on my mental health, pregnancy, and my passion for travel
[X] Spend more time with family – Visited LA family, Toronto friends & family, and went to Banff with my parents.
[X] Travel if safe, maybe Hawaii, Alaska, or Toronto? – Travelled a ton and to Northern Europe!
[X] Grow & improve our two cabin rentals – Small projects but reached 1-year ownership, made a website, and tackled some small projects. Still lots to do…
[X] Try to have a baby – It was too early to broadcast this last year but it was our goal to have a baby or closure that we’d be a childless couple.

2022 Moments

Los Angeles, Palm Springs & Joshua Tree, California

While this visit was to attend my grandma’s funeral, it was paired with a short sunny break to Palm Springs and Joshua Tree. It was wonderful to see my LA family for a short while and catch up with my cousins. One of my favorite days this year was e-biking riding around sunny Palm Springs and just hanging out with my cousins at this random park.

Toronto in the Spring

I went back to Toronto for about 5 weeks in April to support my Dad during his cancer treatment. It was a relief to spend this tough time with them. His recovery is going well and he is on maintenance. It really makes you reflect on life and also recognize how limited our time is on earth.

Pregnancy

We’re going to have a baby next year! I spent half of 2022 pregnant and it’s unbelievable that our lives will be forever changed as parents soon. Everything will change… it’s exciting but also terrifying.

Los Cabos, MX

This is where I first told Chi that I was pregnant. I spent most of the time lounging and doing nothing (dealing with the first-trimester exhaustion). It was a nice sunny beach break at an all-inclusive resort.

Toronto in the Summer

Chi and I visited Toronto in Aug for his Mom’s birthday. We got to spend time with long-time friends and family. We also told our parents and best friends that we were expecting in person. How we do miss these people.

Banff, Alberta

This trip meant a lot to my Dad and I could see it in the way he anticipated this trip. It was so fulfilling to take my parents to Banff with my sister so they could enjoy the mountains and spend time with just us four.

Scandinavian Trip (Denmark, Norway, Finland)

It’s been a while since I went on an international trip (besides Mexico and Canada). This trip rejuvenated and reminded me of my passion for travel, food, visual/UX design, and interior Scandinavian design. It might be a while before we can travel outside of North America but hoping it’s not too hard with a baby.

Oahu, Hawaii

It’s always a fun time in Hawaii and this trip was no different even though we were limited by my pregnancy. It was a great babymoon to spend time with Chi.

2023 Goals

It’s going to be a transitional and transformational year with a newborn baby in our lives. My focus will be survival and caring for our baby.

[ ] Survive Childbirth & Newborn Baby Stages
[ ] Travel to Toronto & hopefully somewhere else (i.e Adjust to travel with a baby)
[ ] Adjust to return to work after maternity leave
[ ] Stay active as much as possible (Walks & workout 2+ times a week)
[ ] Finish estate & guardianship planning
[ ] Tackle 1-2 projects for our Airbnb rentals
[ ] Make time for my parents and help their goals
[ ] Update this blog theme