My 2023 in Pictures

It has become a tradition now to create the "My 202x in Pictures" blog post and it's a pleasure for me to go over my camera roll and revisit all the great memories I made this year. If you haven't seen my previous ones, here's a sneak peek of "My 2018 in Pictures", "My 2019 in Pictures" and "My 2022 in Pictures".

Looking at the positive aspects of your life does not mean that you are ignoring the less positive ones, but you choose to be grateful for what you accomplished rather than thinking only of those parts in which you did not succeed at your fullest potential. And that's fine. You can take all those and transform them into lessons learned for the next year when you can use your wisdom to improve them.

January

January started at a slow pace, as usual. We spent some time making plans for the upcoming year, but we also left room for spontaneity. At the end of the month, we were fortunate to have a public holiday in Romania. My husband and I took advantage of this opportunity and decided to take a short city break to Sibiu, a medieval town located in central Romania that is well-known for its rich culture and history.

During our stay in Sibiu, we enjoyed the convenience of being situated in the heart of the city, in a cozy rented apartment, allowing us to take leisurely walks around the streets and appreciate the beautiful surroundings. We also made sure to visit a good friend of mine before leaving. We spent hours chatting, laughing, and reminiscing about our sweet old memories together❤️.

February

In February, I faced a professional challenge where I had the opportunity to undergo training and become a professional trainer. Towards the end of the month, I had to prepare some small projects and attend the final exam, which I successfully completed, and became a certified trainer💪.

As if that wasn't enough, in February I also attended training on coaching and mentoring, which had a huge impact on the way I communicate with people at work and how I help them find solutions to their challenges.

During February, our family together with some dear friends and their kids went to the mountains to enjoy the snow and recharge. Our kids had a blast building snowmen and playing in the snow.

March

In March, I attended a conference exclusively for women named "The Woman". It was an enriching experience listening to inspiring speakers, successful women who shared their views on how age is just a number. I also participated in the event as a partner, where I offered handmade scented candles made by myself through Macle Concept. These candles were included in the goodie bags given to the attendees.

During the event, I met Alexandra, a talented styling advisor who studied Arts and Design. She offers tailored advice on how to define your personal style and create a wardrobe that reflects it and I knew that our paths were going to cross again.

April

Last April, my husband and I decided to escape the cold weather in Cluj Napoca and travel to Ayia Napa, Cyprus. The weather was not great in the beginning, a bit too windy for my liking, but it improved later on and we were able to sunbathe and take long walks on the deserted beaches. It was a very relaxing and enjoyable experience, much needed by our souls.

At the end of April, we were thrilled to celebrate the baptism of some of our dear friend's son. The party was lovely, and we continued the festivities with an after-party reminiscent of our college days 😅.

May

In May, we came to the realization that our daughter was no longer a baby and was ready for her first trip outside the city without us. The journey was a few hours long, and during those hours, we couldn't help but wonder if she was enjoying the trip and if they were safe there. As parents, these thoughts naturally crossed our minds. Also, in May I took our daughter to the theatre for the first time and she was amazed by all the decorations and curtains.

June

After spending a few months thinking about Alexandra, the styling advisor I met in March, I decided to invite her over to my house to help me organize my wardrobe, put together some outfits, and sort out the clothes I wasn't wearing anymore. The experience felt like a therapeutic session, as it helped me let go of the items that no longer served me. A few days after this, my husband and I drove to Bucharest to obtain our visa to be able to travel to the United States. During our stay in Bucharest, I visited an Ikea for the first time and we spent a great time with one of my husband's friends in Bucharest.

Also in June, after we received our visas, we flew to Miami🇺🇸 We had a marvelous time there, you can find here more details about our trip.

July

As our daily routine became less hectic, we realized that we had more quality time to spend at home with our daughter. To make the most of it, we decided to introduce her to new and exciting experiences. We took her to an adrenaline park for the first time and she became fascinated with all the different paths among the trees. We bought a tent and set it up in our yard. Our late afternoons were spent inside the tent reading fairy tales, listening to music, and sipping lemonade.

July was a month of socializing with friends, enjoying dinners together, and allowing the kids to have fun together.

August

In August, my family and I flew to Zakynthos, Greece 🇬🇷 for a relaxing vacation. My daughter had a great companion to play with, which made it a stress-free trip for us as adults. We savored delicious Mediterranean cuisine including tzatziki, gyros, and fresh fish.

September

In September we have been in a festive mood. At the start of the month, we attended the wedding of one of my husband's friends. It was the first wedding we attended with our daughter, and she had a lot of fun. As September came to a close, we celebrated our daughter's fourth birthday with weekends full of family, laughs, hugs, friends, neighbors, cakes, and rivers of lemonade🥳.

October

In October, I attended a lovely event organized by my daughter's kindergarten. The event was for parents and kids to create fall decorations together. After we finished up, we spent the rest of the time outside, sipping hot tea and indulging in the delicious treats that the parents brought along, such as pumpkin pies and apple crumbles.

My daughter surprised us with her adventurous spirit by fearlessly riding a pony. She's definitely braver than I am around them☺️.

Also, by the end of October, I took the challenge to hold a workshop with the theme "How a manager sees the employee from the IT industry". The audience was a group of people eager to start a career in IT and I was giving them tips and suggestions on what to focus on their professional and personal development.

November

November slowed us down and found my husband and I facing new opportunities and new professional challenges, we spent hours talking and making plans for the future, trying to put every piece of the puzzle in its right place for the coming year. November reminded us how important it is to work together and rely on each other when making decisions🫶.

The month of November brought a much-needed break, and we drove to the mountains with some of our closest friends. We spent our days there talking, laughing, eating delicious food, playing board games, and drinking good wine. We stayed close to the fire pit, enjoying the warmth and the company.

December

The jolly season is just around the corner and all I can dream of is a snowy Christmas. Our only plans for the holidays are to spend as much time as possible with our loved ones, relax, and unwind after a year full of work. I also look forward to reflecting on the valuable lessons I have learned throughout this year.

Have a joyful winter and Happy Holidays 🎄

Love, M.