2015 Review

2015 was a particularly big & full year. This is to help me remember moments that shaped who I am today.

JANUARY

• I launched Snowqueen & Scout - It was in its infancy still, but I finally put out into the world something I'd dedicated a lot of time and energy towards
• Started supper club - Weekly(-ish) dinner with neighbors
• Hosted: The Kims - So much fun to have family visit during the winter to partake in all things wonderfully cold and snowy. It really deepened our relationship with the Kim family. (Ps. This is my middle sister.)

FEBURARY

• Started my Wilderness EMT course with Aerie - I invested $2500 in taking this course and learning a huge deal about wilderness emergency scenarios.
• Began reaching out and meeting women in the outdoor industry - Met Alyx of Shoestring Adventures which eventually lead to creating Wild Sage Summit with her (see September)
• Began working on freelance graphic design projects for HopeLab and Humanity United
• Hosted: Michael & Meredith

MARCH

• Mothers Symposium's first artist. Created this video for the event and realized I love the challenge and energy by creating creative and emotional experiences for people
• Started the process for going on Discovery's Naked & Afraid
• Spent 24 hours in the Emergency Department at St. Pat's as one of my clinicals for getting WEMT certification. Helped bag someone who died; saw someone stabbed.

APRIL

• Lots of new conversations that lead to future experiences: Roe from YWCA GUTS!, Niki of Bold Betties, Korrin of Wild Wilderness Women to name a few.
• Studied studied studied.

MAY

• Created Frank's Little Farm website
• Took and passed my WEMT certification test
• Met Tae Kim of Alite who gave me very helpful insights/advice/feedback
• Celebrated Pat - who has influenced me what leadership can look like.
• Special time with Sheri in SF 
• Reconnected with old college friend Chanell over some amazing shrimp & grits
• Quicky bike tour from Idaho to Spokane and back with Samuel
• Conducted user research for Snowqueen & Scout
• Backpacking in Sweeney Creek (Bitterroots) with Samuel and Vlad
• Hosted: Vas & Al

JUNE

• Participated as a patient in my first MCI (Mass Casualty Incident) with Aerie; idea planted for possibly teaching with them
• Teaching collaboration with YWCA's GUTS! program: Taught young high school girls how to build proper fires and demoed how to make friction fire using a bow drill 
• Collaboration with Bold Betties: Took a group of women on their first backpacking trip in the Indian Peaks Wilderness in Colorado
• Traveled to LA to visit family
• Hosted: Sophie, Lucas, & Alice

JULY

• Traveled to LA to visit my mom
• Went camping at Glacier National Park with the Ongs
• Spent two days in Ennis at 9T9 Ranch with Ongs and Kims
• Fly fished for the first time ever on the Madison River
• Amber & Sam in town?!?! A huge surprise to see these two!
• Got to celebrate Sage turning 8 years old in Montana
• Hosted: The Kims
• Hosted: The Ongs
• Hosted: Nate & Sarah

 

AUGUST

• Road trip to Canada with Ongs + AMAZING CHINESE FOOD in Calgary
• Bike tour from Jasper to Calgary 
• Backpack the Wonderland Trail in Washington; trail magic from April and her entire family.
• I let myself get LIVID and ANGRY and YELL. Wow. I rarely ever lose my cool these days and I let it all hang out. Lizzy was a very messy Lizzy this month. 

SEPTEMBER

• Hosted Wild Sage Summit with Alyx - Met amazing ladies Jaymie, Korrin, and Steph for the first time!
• Stayed at the the Morgan Case Cabin with the Jarvis'
• Caught my first brown trout (and ate it)
• Solo 24h backpacking trip where I realized I just wanted to be back home with Samuel!
• Hosted: Matt, Wild Sage Summit ladies

OCTOBER

• Cut my really short for the first time in 10 years!
• Attended Outdoor Blogger Summit / ShiftJH conference in Jackson, Wyoming; Met Kenji
• Celebrated my 2nd anniversary sitting on a flight to LA
• Hosted my first giveaway on Snowqueen & Scout. Learned how to organize and promote a giveaway (from overseas, at that). 
• Went to Korea with Samuel, my mom, the Choi's
• Introduced Samuel to my great grandfather, who's a wax figurine at the Independence Hall. He was one of the founding members of the Korean provisional government. (See pic below with the circle around a face.)
• Found my favorite new shirt. Can't stop wearing it. 

NOVEMBER

• Still in Korea!
• Went to Atlanta to present at the AORE conference with Sasha and Kristina
• Stayed in a dry tiny cabin with Michael & Meredith in Georgia. First time experience. I was amazed at how few resources they use. Amazing.
• Coordinated the meal for our first all-family Thanksgiving gathering in 10 years! What a gift to be with family. I've missed them all quite a bit, and I realized I've changed a lot too. Not as awkward and insecure as I used to be. Haha :-P 
• Skyped with Torea and was totally energized by our conversation!
• Oh, I turned 33
• Reconnected with my oldest childhood friend Annette, visited her mom in the hospital. Remembered the gift of old friendships.
• Persimmon picking. It was heaven. 
• Hosted by: the Kim's, the Choi's, my mom, my aunt, 

DECEMEBER

• Annual photoshoot with Joanne & Conor
• Got super into Shark Tank 
• Finally got into Taylor Swift! She's wowow.
• Gained more clarity on where I want to take Snowqueen & Scout.
• Watched Star Wars Episode 4 for the first time (I think)
• Started Strength Swap - an exchange of strengths with my sweetheart Samuel. (Didn't mean for so much alliteration in that last sentence.) I'm good with ideation, and he's good with structure and systems. We decided to start giving feedback on our ideas/plans/execution. So helpful!
• Started Konmari

As I reflect on this past year, I have so many people/things/experiences to be grateful for. And at the same time, I've finished out this year feeling like it was a bit too full and a bit too rushed. This year, I've felt the sting of not living close to family after getting a taste of what it might be like to live closer to them during the month of November.

Also, I've become more clear that I have no idea what I'm doing in life. Wow. I haven't felt that as sharply as I did in 2015. And yet, I feel more comfortable in who I am than I ever have before. How is that possible? Is this just what happens with age?

Well....I'll leave it at this: Thank you. 
Thank you to everyone who touched and shaped my life this past year. I am who I am because of every person who crossed my path and reflected back to me ways I need to grow and ways I am loved.
Thank you.

2016. You scare me. But here you are. Let's get it on.