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Monday, January 2, 2023

Year in Review: 2022



There's that popular parenting quote "the days are long but the years are short". It feels so true as I look back on the crazy and fun year we had as a family. I'm freaking exhausted and parts of the year were really hard but when I look back 2022 was such a great year for me, professionally, personally, and with my family.  It looked a little different than other years as we navigated life with a busy toddler and towards the second half of the year, a pregnancy. My business grew and it was the first year I saw a really positive growth and income as I built up my client base. Adam had a busy year at work as well but per usual, we made time for some fun. We managed to squeeze in an international trip, a ski trip to Colorado, and New England getaways and adventures. 

It's my favorite post to write every year and you can read my recaps for the last eight years (2021, 2020201920182017201620152014). Let's take a look at 2022, month by month and adventure by adventure. 


Ascutney Mountain, Vermont
Ascutney Mountain, Vermont

Ascutney Mountain, Vermont
Ascutney Mountain, Vermont

Ascutney Mountain, Vermont
Ascutney Mountain, Vermont


January

We started the year off with a ski weekend up in Vermont with Adam's parents. We stayed at the Ascutney resort in Vermont where we enjoyed the slower change of pace at the resort, went out cross-country skiing, and snuck off to Okemo for a day of skiing. Back home, the month was filled with a lot of snow. I went snowshoeing with Whitney, cross-country skiing in the neighborhood with Whitney, and bundled up for winter walks with the dogs. 

Winding Trails XC Skiing
Winding Trails XC Skiing

1 Year check-up

Winter barn adventures 

Winter hiking

Whitney's First Birthday

February

In February, I took the cross-country skis and sled set up out of town where we checked out the wonderful cross-country course at Winding Trails. We celebrated a YEAR of Whitney and through a winter ONEderland first birthday for our son. We had quiet cozy moments at home, sledding in the preserve and getting through the snowy winter. 

Whitney and Bradley

Frisco, Colorado
Frisco, Colorado

Beaver Creek Ski Resort
Beaver Creek Ski Resort

Beaver Creek Ski Resort
Beaver Creek Ski Resort


March

The snow melted and we spent the sunny hours hiking in the preserve or at the barn with Bradley. Adam and I left Whitney with my parents and took off to Colorado for a few days of skiing. We skied Vail, Beaver Creek and Breckenridge and enjoyed some time away. 

Tiered vegetable garden
Tiered vegetable garden

Reima Toddler Rain Gear
Reima Toddler Rain Gear


Easter 2022

Wicked Tulip Farm in Preston

April

Typical spring in New England joy. I snuck out for hikes and trail rides and we even started building raised garden beds on our property. Whitney took his first trip to the aquarium and we went on many bike rides down to the barn. We spent easter with family and watched the bulbs pop up in the garden. We ended the month with a trip to the tulip farm to give spring a full welcome back. 

Running path in downtown Boston
Running path in downtown Boston

Farmington Canal Bike Trail
Farmington Canal Bike Trail

Chesapeake Bay, Maryland
Chesapeake Bay, Maryland

Chesapeake Bay, Maryland
Chesapeake Bay, Maryland


May

May was a busy month for work and I went on day trips to fun places like Boston. We took our bikes and the bike trailer up to Farmington to bike the canal trail and focused on projects at home. We built an outdoor fire pit (we have yet to use) and planted veggies in our brand new garden. We took Whitney on a road trip down to the Chesapeake Bay area of Maryland in preparation for baby travel on an international trip in June. 

Trail riding 

Stroller running 


Algarve, Portugal
Algarve, Portugal

Sintra, Portugal
Sintra, Portugal

Azores, Portugal
Azores, Portugal

Azores, Portugal
Azores, Portugal

June

June started off with trips to the beach, trail rides, and bike rides. In the beginning of the month, we found out I was pregnant and knew our lives were about to change in a big way.  In the middle of the month, we packed our bags for 10 days in Portugal with my parents and Adams parents. We spent 3 days in the Algarve region, 3 days in Lisbon, and the rest of our trip in the Azores. We had a fun trip abroad and the morning sickness settled in right in the middle of our trip. 


Splash Pad Trask Park
Splash Pad Trask Park


Friday Night Beach Concerts

North South Lake Campground - Catskills, NY

North South Lake Catskills, NY
North South Lake Catskills, NY

North South Lake Catskills, NY
North South Lake Catskills, NY

Summer Beach Days in Old Saybrook

July

July was full swing New England summer. The weather was hot and sunny everyday and we spent a lot of time at the beach and splash pad. My morning sickness was raging and I ended up feeling downright awful until about 17 weeks. We worked in the garden and ended up heading to the Catskills for a camping weekend with Whitney's cousins at North South Lake

Summer Ice Cream Evenings 

Fall Fairs

Summer Watermelon


Adam's High School Reunion


Guilford Fair
Guilford Fair



August

August was quiet and we soaked up every aspect of summer. We went to concerts on the green and at the beach, ate lobster rolls, went out for ice cream often, went to the beach and playgrounds, and kicked off the New England fair season. 

First day of "school"

Guilford Fair with "Grandpa" Jack 

Adirondacks Balloon Festival 

Hackensack Mountain, Lake George
Hackensack Mountain, Lake George

Hackensack Mountain, Lake George
Hackensack Mountian, Lake George

Carousel, Lake George
Carousel, Lake George

Beardsley Zoo
Beardsley Zoo

September 

September was a big month as we sent Whitney off to his first day of school (daycare at 18 months). We also visited "Grandpa Jack" at the Guilford Fair and Whitney went on his first ride (the carousel). We took Whitney up to Lake George and went up to the balloon festival for the second year in a row and squeezed in a great hike to Hackensack Mountain in Lake George. We went to Bridgeport for Whitney's first trip to the zoo and I spent as much time at the barn as I could. 

Essex Steam Train
Essex Steam Train

Essex Steam Train
Essex Steam Train

Bishop's Orchard
Bishop's Orchard

Soapstone Mountain
Soapstone Mountain

Horseback riding at home

Halloween
Halloween

October

One of the best months in New England arrived and we enjoyed every moment of fall.  We took Whitney on his first train ride on the Essex Steam Train where his "choo choo" obsession was born. We went to Bishops Orchard for some fall fun, picking apples and pumpkins with family. There was some local hikes with the dogs including Soapstone Mountain in Somers and Sleeping Giant in Hamden. We enjoyed sunny days at the barn where Whitney's horse and riding obsession grew. We enjoyed Halloween with Whitney's first time trick or treating in the neighborhood and a trunk or treat event at his preschool. Thanks to the help of our fathers, we kicked off the big master bathroom renovation with hopes to have a new bathroom by the end of the year. 


Christmas Card 2022

Whitney and Bradley

First wedding of 2022

Great Grandmother at Thanksgiving 

Christmas Tree Farm 

November

November slowed down as we navigated the continual onset of daycare illnesses. Constant colds, hand foot and mouth, fevers, vomits, rashes, oh my! Our pandemic baby was thrust into the world of germs and we spent a few months adapting to our new normal of Tylenol and snots. We made it out to a few fun events like the lantern/light display at the Beardsley Zoo, Water Fire in Providence, my brother-in-law's wedding, and Thanksgiving with family. We ended the month with our yearly tradition of cutting down a Christmas Tree with family and started to soak up the joy of the season. 

Christmas Season 2022

Christmas Season 2022

Berkshires, MA
Berkshires, MA

Winter Lights Stockbridge, MA
Winter Lights Stockbridge, MA

Winter Lights Stockbridge, MA
Winter Lights Stockbridge, MA

Mystic Aquarium
Mystic Aquarium
Christmas Eve 2022

December 

December marked Whitney's second holiday season, but really the first where he had any idea what was going on. At 22 months, he understood presents, loved the light displays, and soaked up every second running around with his cousins. We celebrated a late Thanksgiving with Adam's family and our old neighbors, Jack and Gloria. We spent time with the neighborhood at our yearly Christmas party and again at a cookie swap. We packed our bags and headed north for a long overdue weekend away to see the Winter Lights in the Berkshires of Massachusetts. We joined friends at the aquarium, went to Holiday Lights at Lake Compounce with Adam's family, and jumped right into Christmas. We spent Christmas Eve with Adam's family in Norwalk and enjoyed a slow quiet Christmas here in Old Saybrook with my family. 


We knew this year would be special as it was our last year as a family of three. As the months ticked by, our excitement grew for the 2023 arrival of the most perfect addition to our family, a little girl. We are anxious and excited to see what 2023 brings and while we know it will be a blast, our word of the year just may be "survival". 

Happy New Year, 
Katie 

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