This month...

 I will:

* listen to new music

* go to the gym

* eat better!!!!

* go to the beach

* meet our friends in Abu Dhabi

* finally, post on the blog

* shop at sales

* visit the Louvre in Abu Dhabi

* buy new boots

* finish Christmas shopping on time

* go to the cinema

* visit Abu Dhabi landmarks one more time

* take pictures
* get Lightroom&Photoshop and learn to use them
* ship our belongings to Europe
* go to Elton john concert

* travel to Munich

* buy a Christmas tree

* meet friends in Munich

* have some Glühwein 
* search for a home
* finish Christmas shopping o time

* celebrate Christmas

* travel to Romania

* meet friends in Arad

* celebrate the New Year

* be patient

* be kind

* be aware

START - CONTINUE - FINISH 

Moneasa

July, 2017

from home

This month...

I will:

* work out

* meal plan

* quit eating sweets!!

* buy new jeans

* pack our things

* ship our things to Europe

* sell all of our Abu Dhabi belongings

* go to the beach 

* teach Nalia to swim

* go to the cinema

* dye my own hair :D

* take more pictures

* post on the blog

* make more family videos

* go to Pink concert
*go to Ed Sheeran concert

* have a dinner date
* buy a dress

START - CONTINUE - FINISH

Rome trip

     A while back... (*as in back in June) we took a short trip to Rome. Booked an Airbnb near Ostiense which turned up to be a great spot for our little family. Easy to reach the city centre with public transportation, cute restaurants and a playground nearby and of course, the best Gelateria in town right at our doorstep! :D

     This is our transition year...or at least that's what I've been calling our gipsy, live-out-of-a-suitcase kind of lifestyle we are having. I can't even count how many trips and flights we've been on since May, but it's been a good, interesting summer so far. We are excited for what is to come next year as we are planning our move back to Munich, but more on that in another post. What I meant to say is that we were really happy to check Rome off our bucket list and get a taste of a family vacation while we were at it.

     We tried to keep it relaxed since we were traveling with our little one and didn't want to hit the ground running, but instead chose to discover by just walking around, checking recommendations from locals and fellow bloggers who raved about this or that spot.  The only place we pre-booked and visited was the Vatican museums, everything else we will surely return to see in detail on another occasion... I personally enjoyed it so much and consider it a perfect city-trip! Also...did I mention the gelato?! :D

This month...

 I will:

* travel back to Abu Dhabi

* prepare for the move

* go to the park

* continue working out

* eat healthy

* read 2 books

* take pictures

* re-think the blog

* post on the blog

* have a proper date night

* try out new places

* take vitamins

* bake

* research places to live in Munich

* get a massage

* go to the beach

* go to the playground

* buy new work-out clothes

* go dancing

* meet friends

* meen Nina & Ismael in Abu Dhabi

* try to find a better routine for Nalia

* have a Dr. check-up

* dentist appointment for Nalia

* ship our belongings to Europe

START - CONTINUE - FINISH

This month...

I will:

* take more pictures and videos

* bake

* go to the gym

* print pictures

* clean up laptop

* read

* organize an educational schedule for Nalia
* hang prints on the wall in Nalia's room
* organize closet / summer clothes out!

* re-think blog

* post on the blog

* get my hair dyed 

* find a purpose

* go to a concert

* find a good beauty salon in Arad

* book flights for the rest of the year

* search for apartments in Munich

* search for kindergarten in Munich

* work more on potty training

* visit a museum

* visit another town in Romania

* travel to Abu Dhabi

START - CONTINUE - FINISH

This month...

I will:

* get my hair dyed in a brighter colour

* research tattoo 

* go to the cinema

* go to the pool

* go to a concert

* improve at the gym

* take more pictures and videos

* print pictures

* finish Nalia's room

* return my attention to the blog

* try to be more creative

* study

* travel to Germany

* meet friends

* have a picnic

* go to a museum

* see the surfers in Munich

* dress better/nicer

* play more with Nalia

* take care of myself

* read parenting books

* be more comfortable in my skin

* get a tan

* celebrate my husband's bday

* plan a small trip somewhere

* enjoy summer 

START - CONTINUE - FINISH

P.s. I swear I can't understand how time went by this entire month. We are currently in Romania, enjoying ourselves quite a bit, being spoilt but I just didn't have the frame of mind to focus on this little space here... Will try to catch up and do a better job this month! :) 

This month...

 I will:

* return my attention to the blog

* post more, more, more...

* follow my own instincts

* start studying

* wake up earlier

* take more pictures

* be more creative

*dare more

* catch up with life :)

* get my hair properly dyed 

* be active
* read parenting books

* continue working out

* eat less sugar
* meal plan

* take care of myself

* go out of my comfort zone

* fly to Romania
* make a room for Nalia

* eat all the tomatoes and cheese and 'salata de vinete'

* buy a car

* travel somewhere

* take vitamins
* buy workout accessories at home

* find a spot in kindergarten / activity for Nalia 

* edit home videos

* plan for the (near) future

* meet friends

* print photos
* get a tan

* enjoy summer

START - CONTINUE - FINISH

The green countryside

Spring in Romania!

      We were so excited to start our transit year (as I've been calling it ). We traveled to Munich, celebrated my birthday there with friends, visited the countryside, then we were off to Romania. I wrote many times about the joys of returning home. The comfort and familiarity are like nowhere else we could be...

This month...

 I will:

* travel to Rome

* spend time outside at the playground

* read parenting books

* take more pictures

* book photography class

* travel back to Abu Dhabi

* catch up on my blog

* work on my blog template

* meet friends 

* go to the beach

* eat better

* pick up the workout again

* have a date night(or 3)

* go salsa dancing 

* take vitamins
* edit home videos

* organize our little home

* watch movies

* learn something new

START - CONTINUE - FINISH

We moved!!!

      Ever since leaving my hometown in 2009, my attitude towards moving and changing homes was always pretty relaxed... I thought, once I have left my mother's home I could practically live anywhere. So we stayed in Munich for about 3,5 years until our move to Abu Dhabi. As of this April we have officially lived longer in Abu Dhabi than anywhere else. And we are still going to be there probably until we reach our fifth year of expat life. 

This month...

 I will:

* travel to Europe

* celebrate my bday with friends in Munich

* buy rain boots

* take better pictures

* finish the blog template

* set clear goals for the blog

* go salsa dancing

* keep working out

* enjoy spring weather

* visit family

* go to the museum

* teach Nalia

* go to Aerosmith concert

* get a proper hair dye

* learn something new

* read 2 books

* create better content

* get in touch with content creators

* stay positive

* listen to new music

* watch more movies

* plan for our trip to Rome

START - CONTINUE - FINISH

Easter in Ajman

   
     As you might have guessed from the title... We have just returned from a lovely Easter weekend at Hotel Kempinski in Ajman.  It was such a great mini-vacation. We spent most of our time there at the beach or at the pool... took turns lounging in the sun and we went all out for the best massage ever!

January visitors p2

      ^^ the Burj Khalifa is unmissable... 

This month...

 I will:

* improve my cooking skills

* go to the beach as much as possible

* keep up my workout sessions

* eat clean(er)

* dive into the world of Photoshop

* wear more dresses

* take more pictures

* have more pictures taken of me

* finish packing and move

* set out clear goals for the blog and follow through
* finish the blog template

* get a new iPhone 

* read

* start potty training

* be more positive +
* plan things to do in Europe
* meet someone new
* celebrate our 8th anniversary together
* go salsa dancing
* go to the cinema
* donate

START - CONTINUE - FINISH

January visitors

      We had the most amazing time here in Abu Dhabi the past 4 years... One of the things that made this time in our lives so special was being able to share this place with friends and family. I am proud to say our door was always open and we were always happy to show people around. Maybe I will make a post with everyone that has ever visited us here...

     Going back to January, our godparents finally let themselves convinced to come over. It was a big deal as they have never travelled this far from home, some never been on a plane before. We promised them it will be worth it and (I hope) it was!

And then she was 2

     I've put off posting any of this because... well... bad quality pictures... but  I know it is not always about that perfect light, perfect setup, perfect angles, perfect decor. This is about love and the joy in our hearts in celebrating our wonderful two-year-old with family and our closest friends! :D

This month...

I will:

* work out

* eat clean

* sell camera

* book flight tickets for Europe
* book a small trip (to Rome)

* pack up our apartment

* move

* meet new people

* go to the beach/pool 

* see Guns'n'Roses live

* read

* catch up on the blog

* have a photoshoot with friends

* book my photography classes

* have a staycation

*skype with family and friends

* bake 

* spend less

* have a date night (again)

START - CONTINUE - FINISH

New Year's 2017

    I remember a time when New Year's Eve was such a big deal... We would plan for months in advance where to go, what to do, what to wear... Now it only makes me smile... As much as I love any reason to celebrate and show your gratefulness, it seems like such a small moment now... Crossing from one calendar year to the next... This may have something to do with the fact that time seems to be having a completely different relevance and sense of measure since I have become a mother.

From January...

     Every time we go back to Europe we realise how happy it makes us to just be outside... It may have to do with the fact that living in Abu Dhabi offers a completely different kind of 'outdoors' experience... Over here we spend most of our time in the mall, indoor playgrounds, different activity classes for Nalia and slightly less time outside at parks, open air playground areas, etc. This is strongly conditioned by the weather in the hot months, as well as the fact that we need to drive to get to the parks, which is not always so practical...

    That is how we ended up going to the nearby park every other day, no matter the temperature, just because it made us feel so happy... It is a 2 minute walk from our home and it is the same park I spent my time in when I was a child. Our little one just discovered the magic of going on the swing and she giggles and laughs the entire time, so that is what we did. The fresh air and all the running around picking leaves and left over chestnuts was also getting her very tired right before her nap, so it was a win-win for everyone! :D

This month...

 I will:

* go to the beach

* go to the waterpark

* find classes for our little one

* have a game night

* start a workout programme

* get a new phone (switch to android?!)

* sell camera

* eat clean

* read

* catch up on the blog

* have a date night

* keep house clean and organised

* create better content

* book photography classes

* start photo-shooting friends

* book flights for summer

* decide/plan our vacation

* meet friends

* spend (much) less

* dress up more

* try new things

START - CONTINUE - FINISH

Do you want to build a snowman?

     On Christmas day we headed out of the city and to our surprise, what we found there was about 3 hours of pretty decent snow that we took fully advantage of before rain came over... And I mean sleigh pulled by a car on the white, frozen streets, a quick snowball fight and a wanky little snow man...

Christmas, at home

     Christmas was a wonderful affair  this year. There is nothing that compares with holidays spent at home, with all your family around, lots of laughter and the truest happiness, gift giving, story telling, special moments shared with our loved ones, that we will remember forever! :)

This month...

I will:

* detox

* read (more) about raising a (good) human

* learn about nutrition

* go where the snow is

* plan and take action

* go to the cinema

* take more (and better) pictures

* fix up blog template

* fix up Pinterest page

* put on lipstick and a fresh face

* cook / bake

* flat-lays 

* create better content

* visit family

* walk

* drink lots of tea

* plan things to do with our guests

* sell camera

* travel back to Abu Dhabi

* Elton John concert (<3)

* use planner

* try a new cafe / restaurant

* buy less

* be more mindful

START - CONTINUE - FINISH

This year...

 I WILL:

* travel (a lot!)

* go to some pretty amazing concerts

* accomplish dreams

* detox

* learn 

* make myself proud
* play more

* create

* read

* keep close to my friends

* give

* be kind(er)

* take action

* choose the more difficult path

* improve 

* go out of my comfort zone

* fight my fears (and win!)

* make a choice (or more)

* move
* consume less

* live the moment

*laugh (as much as possible)

* watch movies (many good movies!)

***

Happy New Year!