Happy New Year, everyone! I hope you all had a lovely holiday season and a wonderful start to 2025. Now that we’re officially 1 1/2 weeks into January, it’s time for my annual New Year’s post! For those of you new to the blog (welcome!): every January, I like to reflect on the highlights from the past year – a 2024 Wrapped of sorts – and share my plans and goals for the year ahead. This past year was a busy one – it honestly flew by! – so I thought it’d be fun to take a month-by-month look at everything that happened in 2024.
But first, I want to draw your attention to a new feature on the blog! I’ve created an interactive map containing every location I’ve written about and recommended in Ontario. Now, in addition to being able to search my posts by specific locations and categories via my header menu, you can use this map to do both at once! Simply zoom into whatever area interests you, and toggle the filters to search within a specific category (e.g. restaurants, spas, parks, museums…) Each location pin contains a link to its associated blog post. I always use custom Google Maps for my own trip planning – whether it’s an overseas vacation or simply a local daytrip – and find them so helpful for plotting out the best itineraries and routes. I hope this map is helpful for you too!
And now, time to refresh myself on what exactly I got up to over the last twelve months. Thank goodness for time-stamped photos… it’s amazing how much you can forget in a year! (For the TLDR version, click here.)
January is typically my quietest month in terms of plans and social events, and January 2024 was no exception. This time last year, we were gearing up for our trip to the Bahamas! We were there from late Jan to early Feb, and we had an amazing time – it definitely ranks in my top five trips of all time. My biggest highlights from this trip include swimming with nurse sharks, feeding wild iguanas, exploring the beautiful and vibrant city of Nassau, and enjoying the all-inclusive resort experience for the first time ever. Click here for all my Bahamas travel guides!
February was a busy travel month for me! After returning from the Bahamas, I went on two work trips: first to Vancouver, then Calgary. Of course, I always prefer a side of leisure with my business, so I stayed an extra day in both cities to have some time to sightsee. My favourite parts of Vancouver: the naturally stunning Stanley Park, the historic Gastown district, and the iconic Granville Island market – a foodie’s paradise! My Calgary highlights include walking the glass floor of the Calgary Tower, snowy strolls along the Bow River, and taking a trip back in time at Heritage Park. You can read my Vancouver and Calgary travel guides here and here.
March was filled with holidays and celebrations: Easter, my dad’s birthday, and Tania’s and my belated anniversary celebration. (Our actual anniversary is in February, but between all the travel – Tania was away on work trips too – we were pretty much ships crossing in the night that month!) I planned and hosted a work event at the St. Regis, then I went back out west for another work trip, this time to Edmonton. While it doesn’t get quite as much buzz as Calgary, I actually really loved Edmonton! Click here to read all my best recommendations: my must-sees include the Muttart Conservatory, Government House, and Louise McKinney Riverfront Park.
April brought the first real feeling of spring, with our city of Burlington’s Spencer Smith Park bursting with beautiful cherry blossoms. We celebrated Tania’s birthday at J’s Steak Frites, witnessed the much-anticipated solar eclipse, and – perhaps most momentous of all – on a weekend shopping trip to Buffalo, Tania and I went to Olive Garden for the first time. (Yes: the unlimited breadsticks are worth the hype!)
May was both a productive and fun month! We planted our summer gardens, got busy planning our upcoming engagement party, and I started wedding dress shopping. We celebrated Ukrainian Easter and the arrival of lilac season at the Royal Botanical Gardens. I organized a successful work event at The Well’s gorgeous Aera restaurant, cheered on the Blue Jays with my dad, and spent a fun-filled cottage weekend up in Bancroft at my friend Katie’s bachelorette party.
June brought our long-awaited engagement party! Tania and I had spent months planning to host ~100 people in our backyard, and despite the stress of endless checklists and setup and booze hauls and food prep, it all turned out beautifully. It was such a joy to celebrate our engagement with all of our family and friends; this may just be my favourite memory of the entire year! June also brought two more celebrations: my friend Katie’s wedding and my mom’s birthday. This was also the month I said yes to the dress! (More photos/details on that process to come.)
July – my birthday month – was filled with lots of fun summer activities. Tania and I picnicked in the lavender fields at Hereward Farms, frolicked through the sunflowers at Pingle’s, and sipped wine from 1000 feet up at Windrush Estate Winery. We took fun daytrips to Durham Region and Orangeville, and had lots of patio date nights. I went to another Jays game (they lost again!) and had a cute tea party with some girlfriends at The Tea Room in Mississauga. Turning 31 wasn’t as exciting as turning 30, but was a good time nonetheless!
August brought an exciting collaboration with the Mulberry House On The Grand, a luxury bed-and-breakfast in Paris, Ontario. My best friend Victoria and I spent a fun-filled weekend exploring the beautiful town of Paris, and enjoying all of Mulberry House’s fabulous amenities. Tubing down the Grand River was an experience I’ll never forget! I also did a fun collaboration with Brantwood Farms, where Victoria and I got to pick our own flower bouquets, and with Chocolate Tales, where Tania and I learned all about the art of chocolate and wine pairing. Tania and I also did our engagement shoot this month, with our wonderful wedding photographer Jenna of Niagara Wedding Co. – I’ll be sharing the photos from our shoot soon!
September was one of the busiest work months I think I’ve ever had. From photo shoots to networking dinners to trade shows, it was go-go-go, but in between, I still managed to find time for some fun! Tania and I spent a beautiful day in Niagara with my parents: we took them to our wedding venue (Honsberger Estate) for lunch, explored the gingerbread cottages of Grimsby Beach, strolled through charming Jordan Village, and indulged in peach fritter cocktails at Back 10 Cellars. This month, I also worked on collaborations with Pür & Simple and Vineland Estates Winery, which has to be one of my favourite collaborations I’ve ever done – I’m still dreaming about that divine meal!
October was an actual whirlwind. It started off with me and my two best friends, Victoria and Sandra, taking a girls’ trip to the incredible city of New Orleans. I’ll be sharing my travel guides to New Orleans over the next few weeks… I hope you’re as excited as I am! I got back just in time for Thanksgiving weekend and our friend Katherine’s wedding. Then it was Victoria’s birthday – she hosted a paint-your-own-pottery party at Play With Clay in Guelph (so much fun, highly recommend it!) – and our friends Elli and Paulina’s baby shower (update: we just met said baby last night, and he’s adorable!) I attended my company’s annual corporate offsite at the St. Regis in downtown Toronto, and worked on a collaboration with Cox Creek Cellars, a fabulous local winery. Tania and I wrapped up spooky season on an appropriately spooky note: with a daytrip to Elora to check out their famous Monster Month.
After a few very busy months, I kept (only half-jokingly) referring to November as NPN: No-Plan-November. I did keep my promise and have more of a low-key November, but made exceptions for a couple of fun outings here and there. One of those was a family girls’ day at the Distillery Winter Village: this was our first Christmassy activity of the season, and it definitely helped get us into the holiday spirit. Another was a family Christmas bingo night (I may be only 31, but there’s nothing I love more than a good bingo game… and I won a poinsettia!) We wrapped up the month with a festive road trip to the charming town of Stratford, a definite highlight of the 2024 holiday season. This road trip also marked an exciting partnership with Ford Canada, my biggest brand partner to date!
December closed out the year with lots of holiday festivities and quality time spent with family and friends. Tania and I spent an illuminating evening at Casa Loma’s Holiday Lights event, and saw Moulin Rouge at the Ed Mirvish Theatre, which was absolutely incredible. We did a family fun day at Canada’s Wonderland WinterFest, where we enjoyed Wonderland in all its holiday glory: festive decorations, rides, food, the works! I met up with two of my best friends, Katie and Bethany, at Niemi Farm for their annual Christmas Market. Then of course, there was Christmas itself: a cozy and cheerful few days spent celebrating with our families. The holiday break was nice and relaxing: I met Victoria for brunch at Milton’s adorably retro Troy’s Diner, Tania and I finally saw Wicked (SO good!) and we celebrated the New Year at The Lord Nelson Steakhouse in Burlington, known as much for their delicious steaks as for their dazzling ornament ceiling.
Well… that’s a wrap on 2024, and now I’m thinking 2025! At the start of each new year, before making any sort of resolutions, I always revisit my goals from the year before and reflect on what I was able to accomplish. Some of my 2024 accomplishments, in no particular order…
- Work-wise, I grew a lot this last year. I took on many more responsibilities, started managing a team, and achieved some big professional wins.
- I moved my blog from wordpress.com to wordpress.org (with the help of a talented web developer… I’m not that tech-savvy!) That said, I did teach myself a lot of back-end website stuff that I never knew how to do before, and learning it has been empowering. This transfer had been a goal of mine for a long time, and I’m glad I finally crossed it off!
- I created a media kit – another first for me, and something I’d been meaning to do forever. To request a copy of my media kit, please email me here.
- I gained over 1500 net-new Instagram followers. Currently sitting at 9266… only a few hundred away from my big goal of 10,000 (if you want to help me get there, please consider throwing me a follow – it would be much appreciated!)
- I worked on more exciting Instagram and blog collaborations than ever before. Some of my favourite partnerships from 2024 include Ford Canada, Vineland Estates, Mulberry House On The Grand, Pür & Simple, Hereward Farms, Cox Creek Cellars, Windrush Estate Winery, Casa Loma, Chocolate Tales, The Cobblestone Public House, Daily Blends, Polar Ice Vodka and Brantwood Farms. If you’re interested in working with me on a collaboration, please feel free to reach out – I’d love to hear from you!
- Tania and I made significant wedding planning progress. Don’t get me wrong, there’s still a lot… and I mean a lot to do (just ask my never-ending checklists and chronic insomnia) but we both have our dresses, have booked pretty much all our major vendors, and are now moving towards details like seating charts and table settings.
- I read (and listened to) the entire Bible. This is something I’ve wanted to do for a long time, and I’m excited to say I finally completed it! I did this two ways: each day, I did the daily reading from The Bible with Nicky and Pippa Gumbel, which features a passage from the Old Testament, one from the New Testament, and a reading from Proverbs or Psalms. I also listened to The Bible In A Year podcast, which features daily episodes with readings and commentary from Fr. Mike Schmitz, who’s honestly a joy to listen to. The podcast is more chronological, in that you read the entire Old Testament first (about ten months of episodes) before moving onto the New Testament for the final two months. Whether you choose the online readings or the podcast, they’ll both take you through the entire Bible, cover to cover, by the time the year is up. I liked combining both, as I got different – but equally valuable – insights from both reading and listening. Reading the whole Bible seems like a daunting task, so I love how these resources break it down into manageable, bite-sized pieces. It definitely requires diligence and a daily commitment, but it’s so worth it! I learned so much, and I always looked forward to starting my day with it.
With our upcoming nuptials in June, my best friend’s wedding in May, and a honeymoon in Greece sometime in the fall, 2025 is going to be a BIG year. On that note, I’m trying to be realistic and give myself grace when it comes to goal-setting. While 2024 was absolutely wonderful and filled with amazing memories, I’ll be totally honest: it was also a year of stress, busyness, late nights and a whole lot of hard work. I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Instagram is a highlight reel! For every picture-perfect, flower-wall-framed, champagne-clinking engagement party photo, you don’t see that person in their kitchen at 1am the night before, stress-crying while frantically making salami roses (you know… just speaking in hypotheticals…) Between my full-time job, Instagramming and blogging, planning our wedding and honeymoon, maid-of-honour responsibilities and keeping up with our friends, families and social engagements, I’m trying to be kind to myself and not add too much to my list this year. That being said… here are the key things I would like to accomplish:
- Plan an absolutely amazing wedding and honeymoon (duh!)
- Finally reach 10,000 followers on Instagram (so close!)
- Post consistently on the blog – my goal has always been once per week, but last year got so chaotic that it sometimes fell by the wayside. Blogging is my creative outlet and the hobby that brings me the most joy, and those are the things I want to prioritize this year.
- Work on some more exciting blog and Instagram partnerships (I’ve got a particularly fun one coming up… stay tuned!)
- Spend more time with friends I haven’t seen in a while, and put a more active effort into maintaining those friendships.
- Meet my financial savings goals.
- Start each day with a Bible reading or devotional. This made such a positive impact on my life last year, and I want to continue the momentum!
- Finish decorating our house. This was a 2024 resolution and I accomplished… well, pretty much none of it. Here’s to try, trying again!
One last thing I want to prioritize this year: creating healthier habits. This is so important to me. I already have some healthy habits that I maintain pretty consistently, because over the years I’ve learned what’s realistic and manageable for me. I don’t belong to a gym, I don’t do crazy workouts, I don’t drink green juice, I don’t meditate, and you won’t ever find me anywhere near a cold plunge tub. For me, I’ve found the habits I can reasonably and consistently accomplish include walking 10k steps a day, 20 minutes of weight lifting 4x a week, eating healthy the majority of the time (I try to follow the 80/20 rule), intermittent fasting, and drinking a gallon of water each day. I definitely fell off track over the holidays – way too much wine, cookies and not moving, which was honestly lovely – but have been enjoying getting ‘back to it’ because I genuinely feel better when I do! When it comes to creating new habits, there are definitely some areas where there’s a little (okay, a lot!) of room for improvement. This year, I plan to:
- Get 8 hours of sleep a night and maintain a consistent sleep schedule. I’m admittedly terrible at this: some nights I go to bed early and get my full 8 hours, other nights it’s more like 5. My goal is to be in bed by 8:30 or 9 every night, and up by 5 or 5:30.
- Limit Instagram scrolling to 20 minutes a day. This is one of the reasons I end up staying up late – social media is so addictive! My new rule is that aside from time spent ‘working’ on Instagram (i.e. drafting and publishing posts, engaging, answering comments and DMs) I’ll limit my time on the platform to 20 minutes a day, max.
- Drink less alcohol. I only drink alcohol about once a week, but would like to reduce that to twice a month or so… especially as I get ready for the wedding! (On that note, I’d also like to give up – or seriously cut back on – soda. I’m a Diet Coke fiend and I know it’s terrible for me!)
- Cut back on sugar. I’m not talking about indulging in delicious desserts once in a while – in my opinion, that’s an essential part of enjoying and celebrating life, and I have no plans to stop doing so. (Just look at the photos above and see how many of them feature chocolate, ice cream and cake!) I’m talking about the sugar that sneaks into everyday life: iced coffees, sugary salad dressings, pasta sauces, cereals… I know I consume too much of it and when your taste buds become numb to it, you need more and more. The same thing happened when I seriously reduced my sodium intake a couple of years ago – it took a good couple of months for food to start tasting like anything again! My goal is to reduce slowly (e.g. by adding less to my coffee and tea) and retrain my taste buds.
- Stop stressing, people-pleasing and over-committing. Let go of the perfectionism. Manage the anxiety. I know… easier said than done. But I’ll try my best!
On that note, I look forward to reporting back in 2026 and seeing what I was able to cross off the above lists. Hopefully at least a few things… but again, giving myself grace this year!
To those who are still with me, thanks so much for joining me for this look-back and look-forward… 2025 promises to be one heck of a year! Here’s to slowing down and savouring as much of it as I can… and I wish the same for all of you too.
What are your favourite memories from 2024? Do you have any big goals or plans for 2025?
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