I love looking at my year in review so I can reflect on what I’ve done and where I’ve been. 2019 was a great year full of new adventures!
Here’s my timeline of 2019.
JANUARY
- We just moved into our new home in Virginia
- We experience our first snowfall in Virginia
- California natives adjusting to new life in the East coast (weather, culture, etc.)
- Took some time to settle in especially since we drove cross country in terrible weather to get to Virginia
- We attended a local vegan festival which was small, but had good food
- Started our debt free journey. We are determined to reach FIRE (Financial Independence Retire Early)
FEBRUARY
- Birthday month for my daughter and mom
- For my daughters birthday, we woke her up with cake and presents We went to a bookstore, ice cream shop that was library themed and had a movie night
MARCH
- Celebrated my 34th birthday
- Traveled to the Bay Area to photograph a wedding.
- Explored vegan restaurants
- Worked out using the 5×5 app (weightlifting)
APRIL
- I entered a worldwide PETA contest
- We visited the Science Museum of Virginia
- Explored new bookstores and libraries
MAY
- I won PETA’s sexiest vegan next door 2019.
- Celebrated my wife and Dad’s birthday.
- Explored tons of local places: Virginia’s State Capitol, Virginia Beach, Maymont Park, Downtown Richmond, Midlothian Mines Park.
JUNE
- 7th grade graduation celebration in NYC
- Surprised our daughter with tickets to see Hamilton on Broadway
- Explored NYC and Brooklyn
- Released my first ebook
- Went on live tv to do a cooking demo
JULY
- Celebrated 4th of July by watching Stranger Things with the Fam.
- Found a hidden lake near our house where we could watch the beautiful sunsets.
- Lots of evening walks together
- Explored Carytown
AUGUST
- Family came to visit for a month from Okinawa. I missed them so much!
- We visited so many places: Williamsburg, Washington DC, Pocahontas park (where we got lost for a few hours in the woods), Carytown, State Capital, lakes
- Tons of swim time at our clubhouse
SEPTEMBER
- First day of 8th grade
- Visited the lake to watch the sunset
- Family goes back to Okinawa
- My uncle passed away this month
OCTOBER
- We went to Maui. It was a free trip from PETA. My cousin flew into Maui from Oahu to visit and adventure with us
- We went apple picking for the first time ever
- Our neighborhood hosts a haunted trail and we volunteered to pass out candy. Hayley dressed up as the black swan and Kris and I dressed up as scarecrows
NOVEMBER
- We visited the Site Of The First Thanksgiving
- Volunteered at a local soup kitchen and served Thanksgiving meals for a few hours
- Celebrated Thanksgiving at home with a yummy vegan feast
- We got a fence installed so our fur babies can run around freely
- We decorated for Christmas on Black Friday
- Baked cookies and watched Christmas movies
- We donated tons of items to a local animal shelter
- We adopted a beautiful cat. Say hi to Gus!
DECEMBER
- Our daughter participated in a local parade which was televised on CBS 6. It was her first time in a parade. Her and her dance troupe were elves and they danced to Santa Clause is Coming To Town by Mariah Carey. I too was in the parade, I was holding the dance school banner LOL!
- Tacky Christmas lights tour in Richmond VA
- Enjoyed a Christmas concert at the beautiful Jefferson hotel
- Donated a bag of food to a local food bank
- Completed 30 day cold shower challenge. I hated every minute of it LOL!
This year was transformational.
I pushed myself out of my comfort zone emotionally, physically, mentally and spiritually. I was scared shitless to move out of California. I left a familiar place, familiar people, and I quit my job as a Nurse to be a stay at home mom. My wife and I embarked on debt free journey and along this journey I experienced mixed emotions of hope, joy, fear, anger, and tears.
Life is too short to stay stagnant.
You have to make sacrifices to get to where you want to be. Push yourself out of your comfort zone and challenge yourself. That’s what I did and what a ride it’s been. 2019 was amazing.
Cheers to more health, wealth, happiness, and new adventures in 2020.
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