HNY 2026!

2025 was a beautiful year. I celebrated five years cancer-free — a milestone I don’t take lightly — and I am deeply grateful to continue my healing journey. During this time, I’ve also lost dear friends to cancer, and I miss them more than words can express. There is no magic wand, crystal ball, or fairy dust that explains why one person survives while another doesn’t. Survivor’s guilt is real, and I’ve faced it many times. Still, each morning I wake up thankful to be here — to be alive, to love, and to share life with the people who matter most.

This year, my travels started in January with my travel crew with an epic swing through SE Asia to Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos. There was so much fun had and many memories made … and we walked with Elephants!

Then my travels were beautifully family-focused. IN March, we took the boys to Disneyland for Spring Break. In April, I went to Montana to give many hugs and lots of love to one of my best friend’s mom when she went into hospice. Next, Sam and I went to Arizona to go on some college tours and we ate some amazing food along the way. In May, our oldest son Mak graduated from college in Los Angeles, which was a highlight of the year! In May I also went back to Austin, Texas for the first time in forever to visit one of my best friend’s daughters. We walked everywhere and tasted so much of what Austn has to offer. In June we went to Bellingham to watch my nephew graduation from high school. In July, we celebrated the Fourth of July at the beach with family. In August, we escaped to Ponce Inlet, Florida for a beach week. And I went back to LA for Sam to attend a camp at UCLA and I got to visit with Mak. In September, we went to Sun Valley, Idaho for my Mom’s birthday celebration. And I experienced a true trip of a lifetime to China with my parents and we sailed the South China Sea. Plus I was able to venture up to British Columbia, Canada for the Vancouver Christmas Market, which was such a fun experience!

I also managed to sneak in a few National Park units along the way — Montana’s Grant-Kohrs Ranch National Historic Site, Arizona’s Casa Grande Ruins National Monument, and California’s Channel Islands National Park. Although my NPS count was low this year, I consider my mission to visit all of them a marathon and not a sprint. So the that more I add, along with the memories I make, are the true benefit of my overall goal.

With all of those adventures, I’ve now visited 7 continents, 33 countries (with 4 new!), 42 states, and 206 NPS sites (3 new!), including 43 National Parks (1 new!).

Happy New Year to you and yours — and I am forever grateful to be part of this beautiful journey we call life. Cheers!