2024! What a full and blessed year. We were able to see each of our sweet kids grow and become a year older. I read lots of good books, homeschooled Sadie, baked a whole bunch, and wrote all sorts of random posts here on the blog!
Here are some reflections on 2024!
Books read I read 37 and Sadie and I read 42 kids chapter books together.
Best fiction reads Tangled Up in You by Christina Lauren, Funny Story by Emily Henry, and Sadie liked all the books from the Adventures in Fosterland series, Diva and Flea, and the World of Emily Windsnap series. Mordecai’s favorite books of the year were Robot Kitties and Jonah and The Great Big Fish Adventure.
Best nonfiction reads Be Ready When the Luck Happens by Ina Garten, The Unhurried Homeschooler by Durenda Wilson, The Brave Learner by Julie Bogart
Travel The Outer Banks in June and September/October!
New Things Expecting baby #3, doing a year of therapy work with Niva, Sadie’s first haircut, having the homeschool room at Jimmy’s work, having an iron dextran infusion, and being back on Etsy + selling my baked goods locally.
Different things We got a new car, stopped attending the homeschool co-op we were part of, and also considered moving (jury’s still out on this decision!).
Top five Amazon purchases Electronics organizer, super strong magnets, stress relief gummies, simple dinner plates, and washing machine cleaner.
Recipes and baking Best ever gluten free brownies, Miss Laura’s Kielbasa Butter Beans, Highland Cow Cupcakes, strawberry smash cake (and strawberry-themed chocolate covered oreos!), Minnie Mouse smash cakes, Tuscan Tortellini Soup, Simple Lasagna, cat cake, race car cake, and a million cupcakes and chocolate covered Oreos!
Hard stuff My sister and her husband losing one of their twins, Sadie’s ER visit, morning sickness, gestational diabetes, and any time the kids were sick.
Joy Climbing the Bodie Island Lighthouse, running a 5k, our 10th wedding anniversary (and failing at stand up paddle boarding 😂), finding out baby’s gender, meeting A Grad Girl, Sadie’s sixth birthday + party, getting into loom knitting and embroidery, Mordecai’s second birthday + parties.
Books I want to read in 2025 The Burnout (fiction), Unhurried Grace for a Mom’s Heart (nonfiction), A Shark Ate my Bagel by Elyse Oleksak (nonfiction), A Million Tiny Moments (nonfiction), and Flatshare (fiction).
Things I want to do in 2025 Learn to make shower steamers and hot cocoa bombs with the kids, go on more dates with Jimmy, take each kid out on their own more, and have monthly special family dinners or outings.
Thoughts 2024 was so blessed! I honestly didn’t think I would be pregnant in 2024, and it was a joyful surprise that we are praying will result in a healthy baby in 2025! I’m amazed at how busy Etsy got for me around the holidays. It was great and a huge challenge for me to manage everything (especially housework!) when it got so busy. Sadie and I worked hard at homeschooling and both love it! Mordecai grew into an amazing, talkative, fun, sweet little toddler and Jimmy continued to grow at his work as well. I learned what is too much for me and how to try and cultivate a slower pace that matches my personality and me valuing the blessings God has given me.
Looking forward We have a huge change on the horizon for our family in 2025: a new baby! This being the third time we’ve brought home a newborn, I know not to make any big goals or plans because all of my time and energy will be devoted to keeping us all fed, bathed, and content! While I would love to work on growing my business or writing more… I know to keep my expectations in check. God has me right where I am for a reason and there are always more years in the future to work on other goals. In 2025, my main focus is caring for my family, homeschooling Sader Tot well, and serving God!
Living My Full Life 
I enjoy Christina Lauren books, and I recently read one of Emily Henry’s. Funny Story is on my list! Way to go on all the books this year. I hope you perfect the shower steamers and share a recipe! That would be a great thing to homemake.
2024 was a bit of a slower year for me, but that’s ok. I learned how to have more patience and prioritize what’s important (my cat!!) and what can wait (travels!!)
Ooo, both Christina Lauren and Emily Henry are great authors! I find their books light and fun, but also deep at the same time?! I haven’t read one that I was like “I didn’t like that book” you know?
I will definitely share a recipe if I figure out shower steamers! I can’t wait to experiment 😬
I love that 2024 was slower for you! It sounds like you recognized you’re right where you need to be AND you’re happy with that and can look toward the future with joy while enjoying the present because you’re where you’re supposed to be!
Wow! Busy Year! I’m so proud of you being able to prioritize your life with the things that are most important and letting go of things that are just not necessary!
Love ❤️ You
Dad
🙂
Thank you sooooo much! I love you!
you had an amazing and busy 2024, that’s for sure!! So excited to meet baby girl this year, and to spend time with you and your growing family.
I’m ready to read the Ina book!
My favorite part of this post (among many- but this one really struck me):
I learned what is too much for me and how to try and cultivate a slower pace that matches my personality and me valuing the blessings God has given me.
I Love you with all my heart, and I’m so proud of the amazing Christian wife, mama, daughter and sister you have become.
love, Madre
Very busy and amazing! I can’t wait to meet her, either! I still can’t believe she’s real?!
I can check the Ina book out of the library if you want! Let me know 🙂
I did have a lot of learning (about myself and how God sees me and how He made me) this year and while it was HARD, it was necessary because I’m in a much better place emotionally!
I love you SO MUCH!