A Look Back at 2017
Like many of you, I’m spending today reflecting back on 2017. At this time last year, our family was trying to balance a newborn and toddler while settling into our new home. We also were nervous for our first family trip. To say that it was a stressful time would be an understatement!
However, today I’m feeling very thankful that my kids are healthy and usually have a smile on their faces. My boys have developed a special bond and that makes my heart happy! My youngest is not quite walking, but he is a stealthy crawler and will dart across the room if he thinks food might be available.
And in terms of my blog, things are going great! If you haven’t already, follow me on Instagram and Facebook. It’s the best way to find out about upcoming giveaways. And subscribe to my blog!
Here are some of my favorite posts from 2017:
Pacific Northwest Adventures
San Juan Island, WA Trip with Kids
Washington State is known for the gorgeous scenery. San Juan Island is one of our favorite places in the Pacific Northwest.
We brought our baby and toddler there last year to explore the island and look for whales!

Our baby made a fantastic sea captain on a family trip to the San Juan Islands in Washington State! Photo credit: Darren Cheung
Semiahmoo Resort & Spa in Blaine, WA
For our first adventure with a baby and toddler, we headed to Semiahmoo Resort & Spa near the Canadian border.
We were thoroughly impressed with all the amenities for families with young children. We’re hoping to head back with other families for an epic trip later this year!
Long Weekend at Seabrook in Washington State
Our family had been hearing about Seabrook for the past few years. It’s the new “it spot” for Seattle-area families. Let me tell you, it lived up to the hype!

Located just a few hours from Seattle, Seabrook is an ever-growing community featuring vacation homes, shops, restaurants, outdoor fire pits and more! Photo credit: Marcie Cheung
Oregon Zoo in Portland, OR
Have you ever seen a Rhino? We got to see 2 Rhinos for the first time in our lives at the Oregon Zoo. They are currently expanding the exhibit area, so we can’t wait to go back!
Girls Trip to Bellevue, WA
I grabbed some of my closest Mom friends for a weekend getaway to nearby Bellevue, WA. We stayed the W Bellevue and watched a Bad Mom’s Christmas.
It was the perfect way to bond before the holidays!
Top Family Trip Experiences
Paris, France with Young Children
My favorite trip from 2017 was our trip to Paris! I spent my 18th birthday there and hadn’t been back since.
The trip was everything I had hoped it would be (except for the biting cold) and we made the best memories!
The highlight was watching our son play with the toy boats at Luxembourg Gardens!

One of our favorite memories of our trip was getting to play with the vintage toy boats at Jardin du Luxembourg. Photo credit: Darren Cheung
Disneyland Resort with a Baby & Preschooler
We had a family wedding in Malibu, CA last summer so we decided to head down a few days earlier to hang out at Disneyland!
We brought my Mom along for her first family trip to the Most Magical Place on Earth and it was the smartest decision!

My oldest waited in line twice to meet Moana and she was by far his favorite character! Photo credit: Darren Cheung
Hawaiian Cultural Tour on Maui
I’ve taken my kids to Maui 3 times and by far the coolest thing we’ve done on a family trip is the Maui Nei Tour of Old Hawaii.
My kids got to make their own ink for wooden stamping, pound taro root to make poi and weave their own lauhala bracelet. Well, we had to help our baby quite a bit, but our preschooler held his own!
Warehouse 3540 on Kauai is a Hot Spot for Moms
My Mom lives on Kauai and I’ve visited 30+ times. Just when I think I’ve been everywhere, she suggested we check out the fairly new Warehouse 3540.
Let me tell you, I was blown away! Not only did I get to peruse the adorable boutiques set up for Moms and kids, but I devoured the tastiest burger I’ve ever had.
Plus there was amazing shave ice and they offer story time for kids!
Coolest Products
Panda Village Bamboo Blocks by Lakeshore
Lakeshore sent my son this set of Panda Village Bamboo Blocks for him to try out. It quickly became his favorite item.
We ended up donating it to his preschool so even more kids could benefit from learning spacial awareness. It’s at the top of my list for preschooler gifts.

My preschooler was simply giddy while he created his ideal Panda Village. Photo credit: Marcie Cheung
Inglesina Travel High Chair
With my oldest, I tried feeding him on my lap when he was a baby and we were traveling. That was messy and quite frustrating for both of us.
This time around, I tried out Inglesina’s travel high chair. It’s amazing! Not only does it fold up to make it easy to pack, but it’s good for babies AND toddlers!
Gunapod Luxury Bamboo Duvet Sleep Sack
If there was one product I’d encourage any new parent to get, it’s this sleep sack. My son has used it every single day for the past 8 months. We just upgraded to the next size up.
I kid you not, he holds perfectly still when I zip him in it. I think it’s because it’s incredibly soft and cozy. We always pack it for our family trip.

I love this gender-neutral sleep sack design because it makes it easier to pass along to another family! Photo credit: Marcie Cheung
Board Books for Your Tiny Globetrotter
I love kid books. We may have a problem at our house of too many books.
However, the ones I reach for the most are the My Little Cities board books. We have the San Francisco, Paris, New York, and London books in the series. They are brightly colored with fun graphics and simple text.
My preschooler likes to “read” them to his baby brother.

My favorite part about the My Little Cities series is how my oldest was able to “read” the books to his little brother. Photo credit: Marcie Cheung
Lumaprints Metal Photo Print
We love displaying photos of our family trips around our new home. Out of all our photos, this metal print from Lumaprints gets the most attention. And it’s not just the family trip photo in front of the Eiffel Tower.
I’ve had friends take this print off our wall so they could marvel how lightweight, yet durable it is. People love the crisp/clean look. And we love it, too!

This metal print from Lumaprints is easy to hang and looks great on a gallery wall. Photo credit: Darren Cheung
Did I miss one of your favorite posts? Tell me in the comments below!
Mel Butler
Friday 5th of January 2018
I can't wait to have children and take them travelling with me and my husband. Sounds like that you had a great year and that everything worked out and that your young children are bonding how sweet. It is good to have some time out to and glad to hear you go to the away with your friend and saw Bad Moms Christmas movie.
marciecheung
Friday 5th of January 2018
I'm really glad my kids are pretty adaptable to new environments! We've been having a lot of fun exploring together!
Abhinav Singh
Friday 5th of January 2018
I am happy to know that your kids are doing great health wise and are bonding. This is all that matters! I am against captive animals so the zoo doesn’t excite me. San Juan island is my kind of thing. I can laze all day here.
marciecheung
Friday 5th of January 2018
The San Juan Islands are simply gorgeous!
Shaily
Thursday 4th of January 2018
Wow! Beautiful memories from amazing trips! Travelling with two little ones is not easy but I’m glad you’ve made it so much fun. This is a very helpful post for people travelling with kids. I loved reading your thoughtful reflections on 2017. Your family photographs are equally beautiful. Love the cute little sea captain. :)
marciecheung
Friday 5th of January 2018
Thanks for your support! It's a lot of work, but I look back on last year and it makes me smile!
Neha
Thursday 4th of January 2018
Its such a coincidence that I just returned from my trip to Portland and now I see some more options to go back. Congrats for awesome 2017 and best for 2018. The zoo looks like a great option, I am surely visiting it the next time. Just to share I saw snow in Portland this Christmas and we went upto Mount Hood . I love pacific northwest :)
marciecheung
Thursday 4th of January 2018
We had our first White Christmas in the PNW in years and years! It was quite magical and I'm so stoked you got to experience it!
Julie I Aloha Lovely
Wednesday 3rd of January 2018
Looks like your family had some amazing travels in 2017! I look forward to traveling more this year :)
marciecheung
Thursday 4th of January 2018
I can't wait to read about your adventures! You always have such beautiful photos :)