
Monday, May 23, 2022
Horseshoe Bend and my experience with Antelope Canyon tour

Friday, May 13, 2022
Junior Prom 2022
Tuesday, May 3, 2022
A beautiful Spring day
Sunday, April 17, 2022
Happy Easter!
Friday, April 8, 2022
Spring Break Recap :: Zion National Park
We were able to accomplish what we set out to do. Angel's Landing and the Narrows are classed as strenuous. We were exhausted at the end of the day but it was totally worth it. Next stop - Arizona! Stay tuned =)
Sunday, March 27, 2022
Recent purchases
Thursday, March 10, 2022
Monthly Recap (Jan & Feb)
Hightlights:
- Madelyn's competition season started the first week of Jan and it's been non-stop. We travel basically every other weekend to her meets. 5 down, 2 more to go. Ohio State meet will be the last one. She's doing amazing. Lots of practice and hard work, long hours at the gym. I am very proud of her wonderful achievement and dedication.
- Celebrated Lunar New Year with our dear friends: Very grateful to have these ladies in my life. They are good people with kind hearts. We hosted at our place. Each family brought a dish to share. It was crazy with 25 people in the house but the kids had fun playing together and the adults had a great time catching up.
- Madelyn's braces are off: After one full year of wearing braces, they're finally off! What a big difference. She still has to go through another round of braces in a few years to correct her overbite.
- Courtney's prom dress shopping: She's going to prom this year!! We started looking for dresses a few weeks ago and let me tell you, I was shocked. I had no idea how expensive prom dresses are. Talking about $500 - $1500 for a dress that she only wears for a few hours. Since prom didn't happen for the past 2 years, kids are going crazy this year with prom dress shopping. They grab whatever available. I wanted to stay around $400 but it was difficult. At last, she said yes to the dress (not pictured)! She looks beautiful in it. Sharing a few dresses that she liked but did not get.
- Our annual ski trip: We went on our annual ski trip with friends and had a blast. I got this ski suit right before the trip and wasn't sure what to expect. The suit turned out amazing! I was outside for 8 hours and it kept me warm the entire time. Highly recommend this shop if you're looking for a high quality snow suit. They're taking a break right now due to what's happening in Ukraine =( Similar suits available here.
- Valentine's Day is not something we typically celebrate but I wanted to mention it here because Madelyn made me an amazing gift. I teared up when she gave me a handmade book. It's called "100 reasons why I love you". This is the most precious gift a Mom could ever ask for. It will treasure it for the rest of my life.
- Trip to Boston: Courtney and I took the first mother-daughter trip to Boson
Looking forward to:
- Celebrate my Mom's birthday: My Mom will be 67 this month. We are looking forward to celebrate her
- Our spring break trip: Very much looking forward to our Spring break trip out West. Can't wait to connect with nature in its most majestic forms.
- Our floor remodeling starts next week: It's been a long process working/interviewing different contractors. We finally signed the contract and ordered the material. The contractors will start next week!
Tuesday, March 1, 2022
Officially back to the office
1. I got to walk the little one to/from the bus stop every single day. Before the pandemic, I never had the chance to do so. She hugs me every morning before getting on the bus. I will always treasure those sweet moments.
2. I was able to fully train my dog. Before the pandemic, he was only 8 months old. I worried about him every day at work. Now, he's fully trained and can be on his own during the day without us.
3. Costs associated with commuting whether it's gas money or car maintenance has reduced quite a bit. I used to spent $75 per week on gas.
4. Time is a big factor. Working from home saves me so much time. I was able to eliminate the daily commute (between 1 - 1.5 hour a day). I got to sleep in until 6:30 every day
5. I was able to run errands, do laundry or walk my boy during lunch. It was great.
It'll be an adjustment going back to the office after 2 full years but I am looking forward to in-person meetings, interacting with my team and enjoying downtown vibe again.
Thursday, February 24, 2022
Our first mother-daughter trip to Boston
- Boston University
- University of Pittsburgh
- University of San Diego
- University of Santa Barbara
- Northeastern University
- Ohio State University
- Case Western Reserve University
- University of Cincinnati
- Campus safety: The BUPD is located in the heart of campus. We had no concerns walking around at night. Public transportation is great and easy to navigate.
- Diversity: BU is a diverse institution that caters to the needs of students from all over the world. 24% international students for the class of 2021. 450+ clubs allow a creation of smaller groups with the larger community
- The opportunities are spread over many different colleges and majors and this is probably the best thing about Boston University. Internships with local hospitals are integrated in pre-med tracks.
- First-Year Student Outreach Project (FYSOP): Provides first-year students with the education, connections, and resources to responsibly navigate the transitions.
- With the acceptance rate of 20% and the cost of $80K per year (including room and board), it's a reach school for Courtney (both academically and financially). I told her up front that we just simply cannot afford the sticker price. Definitely chasing after merit but how much? I have no idea.
- High-achieving college = higher rates of stress and anxiety. Perusing a medical career is a rocky and full of challenges journey. I don't necessarily want her to compete with a group of high achievers. I want her to have the best college experience while persuing her career.
Lots to consider, lots to think about – One school down, seven more to go =)
Where we stayed: We stayed at Boston Marriott Copley Place, located in Back Bay. I really love the location. It's so convenient and close to everything. We were on the 22nd floor. The room was a decent size and really quiet. Our room has amazing views. The hotel connected to Copley Shopping Center and the Prudential Mall. There are tons of high end stores (Dior, Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Christian Louboutin) as well as department stores (Neiman Marcus and Saks). If you like to shop, this is the place to be. I had a chance to try on the Prada Re-Edition 2005 and the Dior book tote. Love both bags but I couldn't justify another bag right now. There is a grocery store right across the street and endless restaurants. I would definitely stay here again when we're in Boston.What we did: I had a list of places that I like to explore but unfortunately, the weather was brutally cold that we didn't want to spend much time outside. We did visit the Boston Public Library (10-minute walk from the hotel), visited the Boston Museum of Fine Arts, did some shopping on Newbury St, Chinatown, Beacon Hill, Seaport area. Did not make it to the Boston Public Garden nor walk the iconic Freedom Trail. Courtney and I really love the city. We felt safe taking public transportation and walking everywhere. Can't wait to go back in the summer so we can enjoy the outdoors more.
Where we ate: There are endless places to eat if you're in Chinatown. We tried Coco Leaf (boba tea place - che Halo Halo was amazing), Shabu Zen (hot pot), Spring Shabu Shabu (all you can eat hot pot), Hei La Moon (dim sum). A few small places in Chinatown that I honestly don't remember the names.
It was a quick but memorable trip for us. I am so thankful for the time I had with Courtney. I want to spend as much time as I could with her before she's off to college.

