Hi friends, welcome back and a belated Happy New Year! I’m excited to be back for my eighth year of blogging. I started this blog a few months before I moved to NYC and life sure looks a lot different now. 2026 is looking like an exciting year ahead. We’ll be celebrating our five-year wedding anniversary, heading back to Italy for my sister’s wedding in the Dolomites, and possibly making the move to the suburbs. With that in mind my goal for the year is to explore more of the city on the weekends. This should make for some good things to blog about too. I’m aiming for two posts a month the first half of the year and then it’ll pick up with my trip and the holidays.
Goals
- Take Violet to the Natural History Museum, Aquarium, and Zoo
- Visit the Frick Museum
- Ride the Roosevelt Island Tram
- Read 12 books
- See a Broadway Show – Chess is on my radar
What I’m Excited About
- Hiking in the Dolomites
- Visiting Bend, Oregon for my sister’s bachelorette party
- Watching the Olympics
- Celebrating our five-year anniversary
- Seeing the Cherry Blossoms in Central Park
What are you looking forward to in 2026?
A great year ahead to look forward to Lyssy. I’ll look forward to following along with your days out and travels! Marion
Lots to look forward to this year!
Sounds like an exciting year, both for you and for your Little. They grow so quickly and soak up so much knowledge. Our kids are in Japan right now with their little one. Vancouver is going to seem awful boring after that. Looking forward to your posts Lyssy. Allan
It’s crazy! She is walking now and really keeping me on my toes. We are trying to decide if we can survive a long flight with Violet. Japan is quite the change from Vancouver, I bet they’re having an incredible time!
Here’s what I’m looking forward to in 2026: your blog from the Dolomites! Oh my, talk about a choice wedding destination. I hope you’ll take the time for Venice, Verona, and the surrounding area as well. I’d ask for daily blogs but then I’d scold you for the time you’d be in front of your computer instead of out in Italy – ha. And thanks for the reminder about the Olympics (less than a month from now – wow) Nice coincidence they’ll be taking place just a few hours from the wedding venue.
It’s the least prepared I am for an international trip because we can’t decide whether to bring Violet or not, which impacts the length and itinerary. We will be flying into Venice and spending some time there. Have to see it before it’s all underwater. NBC won’t let you forget about the Olympics soon.
It looks like you are going to have a wonderful year, dear Lyssy. I am also looking forward to the Winter Olympics – Latvians in general are huge fans of winter sports, and there’s just something incredible about witnessing peak human performance in harsh conditions, with stories of dedication. My husband was lucky enough to snap up a few tickets through official online platforms, so he’ll be travelling to Italy with friends while I stay home with the girls. Thanks for sharing, and have a good day 🙂 Aiva xx
It is amazing to watch peak human performance! My favorite activities are the figure skating and snowboarding. Neither of which I’ve ever been good at. That is awesome, your husband is going to have a blast and you’ll have special time with the girls 🙂
Have a great 2026 ! I look forward to reading about your adventures.
Thank you! Hope you have a great 2026 too!
That sounds like a wonderful year! Your photos is breathtaking! I am not a huge fan of winter and snow but even I can’t deny it is just beautiful when it coats the trees like that.
Thank you! It’s a foreshadow of my next post 🙂 That fresh snow is very pretty! Even better when I don’t have to shovel anything although it makes life with a stroller tough.
It’s good to start the year with such specific goals to achieve. The move to the suburbs will certainly come in due course, but there’s still a little time left to enjoy New York to the full. The photo of frozen Central Park is stunning. The trip to Italy will surely be one of the highlights of this year. For my part, I’m going to focus on trips to Asia for the next couple of years.
It’s strange I never imagined living here, but now it’s hard to imagine not living here. More space becomes more appealing by the day though. Thank you, frozen Central Park is up next 🙂 That sounds like a great focus!
Happy New Year!
Happy New Year!
A very happy New Year, Lyssy! Sounds like 2026 will be a promising year. Can’t wait to hear about your adventures throughout. My partner loves the Frick Museum when she lived in NYC for school, so I hope you enjoy it. Have a wonderful year ahead 🙂
Happy New Year to you too! They renovated the Frick Museum the last few years so I am sure I’ll love it!
Lovely capture. Best of luck with your goals for 2026!
Thank you!
Happy New Year! So envious of hiking in the Dolomites xx
Happy New Year! We are looking forward to heading back to Europe!
You have to go cross country skiing at Mount Bachelor in Bend, it is truly incredible!
I’ll be visiting in July but I’ve heard the cross country skiing there is amazing!
What a list for the New Year! Always enjoy the winter Olympics. It’s a bright spot during those gray days. You will definitely be traveling a lot between your sister’s bachelorette party and wedding. And, let’s not forget hiking in the Dolomites! I’m envious of the Italy trip. It’s the one place I would have no problem visiting again! The Broadway musical, Chess, sounds incredible and somewhat sinister. Between flights and traveling will you be “listening” to any of those twelve books on tape? The decision on whether to bring Violet or not is no doubt a very tough decision. Waiting for that frosty “Central Park” blog.
I am happy they are 6 hours ahead so I can watch the finals/important things during the day. I am very excited to head back to Europe and be back in the mountains! I haven’t gotten into the audio books yet, but I know it would double my reading list. Violet is usually good on planes, but over nine hours is a long time.
Aww what a great plan for 2026! I’m excited to see some of the Dolomites, and if you make the move, I can’t wait to see where you end up 🙂 I will miss seeing you so easily in NYC when I visit though!
I’m very excited for the Dolomites too, I need some nature! I’ll miss seeing you easily too when you’re in the city! That was so nice.
Look me up in Bend if you have any time whatsoever! I also understand if u don’t have any free time!!!
Will do!! It’ll be the end of July.
Shoot! Of course we will be in Colorado! I hope you have a great time!!
Happy New Year, and 8 years blogging too!
Happy New Year, Lyssy! So many great things to celebrate in 2026! I’m excited to read about your trip to the Dolomites and to keep discovering more of NYC through your words and photos!
Exciting year ahead Lissy – best of luck with all the plans. XXXMarie
These both seem like wonderful places to explore! And that photo of the Fig Tree heavy with fruit is absolutely stunning