I finally emerged from the fog of post Christmas chaos and I’m ALIVE! I can’t believe how hard it is to get back on a schedule! I feel like its the world’s most benign hangover….so much drunkiness on Christmas spirit and then you finally pass out for the seven days till New Years….finally to emerge in a completely different year and wearing who-knows-what and eating things in weird combinations. Also you will be suffering from a sinus infection….because that is what is trending in 2018. So now that you know what I’m doing right now (coughing up a lung and blowing my nose), it’s time to review some of the favorites from the past year.
2017 was a rough year for me….I was pregnant, overwhelmed and constantly feeling stuck. I had ‘morning sickness’ for the first time which translated into some weight gain and that affected me a lot more than I expected. I really was OVER the summer since I was ridiculously hot and miserable. Then Ella was born and I felt like life was on fast-forward since that. I kinda lost track of the fourth quarter of the year! All that to say…I’m very excited to share with you what we did blog about in 2017….and to tell you that I think 2018 will be even better! Let’s get to it!
BEST TRANSFORMATIONS
These reveals are some of our favorite things and the thing that we live for! We had a personal goal of TEN transformations this past year and I am so happy that we actually did accomplish revealing over ten spaces! Here is what we did manage to tackle or share in 2017…
2017’s FURNITURE BUILDS
Twenty seventeen was a year full of new builds for us…with one major one outside….our garden fence. We had a lot of goals to build more in 2017 but sadly they got pushed to the back burner with my pregnancy. In the past, I always prided myself on being able to push through the discomfort in order to do what I loved….I don’t know if it’s because this time the hormones were all different or what….it was just not happening. But that’s okay! Those builds (and the need for them) doesn’t disappear! So definitely stay tuned because I need some big pieces for my first floor like pronto!
- Building my second door (it’s got herringbone!)
- Building a broom closet
- Building a rustic vent hood
- Building a garden fence
- How to make a table longer
- Building a sweet little hook wall
- Making a faux stacked wood fireplace insert
- How to build board and batten
PHOTOGRAPHY POSTS
Photography was one area that I seemed to fall away from this year. The pictures I took were majority with my phone and I must confess I hate that this happened to me! My mobility decreased but I think that was just an excuse. I saved up and replaced a lens that I used all the time (my 24-70mm) so that review will be coming at you soon. And I did manage to squeeze in three photography related posts so definitely check those out.
- How to take family photos on vacation
- List of photos you should take of your baseball player
- 75-300mm lens review
TRAVEL & TRIPS
We did a little bit of traveling at the beginning of 2017 and it was so refreshing to see old friends and meet new ones! We generally do most of our adventures at the beginning of the year and we already have two planned for the coming weeks. I think it would be amazing to do a snow vacation this year and I know the kids want to go to the beach. Stay tuned to see where we explore next!
- Gatlinburg & Pigeon Forge travel diary
- Our Mothers Day vacation
- Trip to Jekyll Island
- Haven Conference in Atlanta
PERSONAL POSTS
I love personal posts and I know many of you come here for nothing else. You want to follow along our family and see these boys grow and celebrate life along with Jeremy and me! We love sharing little bits of our life with you and we truly feel blessed to get to do our days with these kids and with you. Here are some of the highlights we shared!
SPONSORED POSTS & BRAND OPPORTUNITIES
I have said it before and I’ll say it again….I have the best job in the world. And I am ridiculously humbled by the fact that so many of you come back every day to check in with us and read all my crazy non-cohesive thoughts jumbled up on your screen. I am first and foremost a hot mess express….a mom of five little ones that works with her camera and her keyboard. The fact that you support me, encourage me, come visit me, send me notes and gifts…..IT IS MINDBLOWING. I can’t express how much I love what I do – travel, build, renovate, style, and mom those little nuggets…but it makes it so much sweeter that you guys support me in that. I am enormously grateful. I am truly truly honored. And along with that, I get to work with THE BEST brands out there….reviewing and testing and using the most innovative and beautiful and functional services and products out today. Thank you for supporting me and supporting the brands that we partnered with in 2017. Here are some of my very favorite posts made possible by brand relationships…
- DIYing vases with Bouqs
- A Valentines day photo plaque with Canon Printers
- Cooking with kids and Blue Apron
- Tool review with Home Depot
- The Importance of sleep – and our perfect mattress with Sleep Number
- Decorating a mantel and Christmas Tree with JOANN
- How to Tailgate like a pro with Ryobi
- Faux tile with Smart Tiles
- Supporting Veterans at Camp Southern Ground with Home Depot
- An affordable baby clothing line with Kmart
- Creating a bump book with Canon
- Saving on gifts with RetailMeNot
- Decorating our front porch with JOANN
This post doesn’t even touch on the craft and decorating and DIY projects that we posted this year! It was less than what we had done in the past but that doesn’t mean that it was slow! Not by any means! All that to say…it was a wonderful break from our back-breaking pace and energizes us for the coming year! BUT I would really love to hear what you want to see in 2018. We have a site redesign in the works….and we are gonna start sharing some more room reveals as the rooms in our house are finishing up. Oh and we are finally starting some real progress on Big Red (our trailer) and The Monroe House (paying for things with cash means that we have been saving!)….both things are REALLY exciting.
But most importantly I want to say thank you and then also if you have any post suggestions….mom stuff, diy stuff, decorating finds, style deals, anything goes!
Great recap!!!! Can’t wait for the 2018 posts!!
Ahem *bows head and arms chanting “we’re not worthy!” I love round ups – I remember your goal of 10 reveals last year and thought that was crazy, but you did it all! I would love to see a few ‘day in the life’ posts scattered throughout the year – I’m always so curious to know how and when things get done, especially with all the kids around! (And how do you have time to do the InstaStories?!?)
Also maybe how IG has changed blogging…I think that would be interesting for sure. Thank you again for another year of sharing your family and life with us!
So happy to be following along and learning so much from all your posts! Thanks for sharing everything! I would love to see more family/momma posts this year solely because I am a momma of 2 boys and we are contemplating a third baby. How do you make your days/routine work? How do you feel you are able to give all the boys enough attention? ( I have struggled with feeling guilty over this!) How do you budget for food? How do you not lose your patience and not go crazy with so much chaos?? You are an amazing momma and role model- thanks for the daily inspiration!
New reader and first time commenter here. I started following you on Instagram shortly after your pregnancy announcement with Ella, and then this fall, started reading your blog here and there. I loved the post about getting those baseball player photos. 🙂 I am glad you linked it here, so I got to see it. Best of luck to you in 2018!
You did so much! I don’t know how you find time for all of that. I feel so lazy. 🙂
Looking forward to what you do in 2018!
Love the recap, Katie! And what a smart way to incorporate your brand relationships… I think that was just really well done. We don’t get to see all of your wonderful creations without them, and it is such a good reminder. And your brand sponsored posts for the most part have all been relevant to me which is why I keep on coming back LOL! That… and #allthebabies #ellabower #hearteyesemoji
And I just want to give you a big CLAP CLAP CLAP for doing the Monroe house in cash. So nice to hear about a blogger who doesn’t rack everything up on credit cards to improve their space. Cash is King and debt is dumb as they say LOL. be well, enjoy those babies, and I am looking forward to a great 2018! Especially all those projects that are coming down the pipeline!
P.S. My fave is that blue doorway. No my fave is the broom closet because we need to do one. No my fave is the homemade vase. No, my fave is the reminder to take more pictures with my DSLr. I don’t know I guess I will have to come back to see LOL!
I would love to see some daily life stuff. Schedules, how on earth you are so amazing and get stuff done, what you do with the kids during the day, etc. I come here to see your beautiful family – I’m not at all crafty. 🙂
Really enjoy the building posts, especially as we just bought our first house and now I want to build all the things 🙂 Love the flips too. And really appreciate the honesty about life, the birth stories (as we think about starting a family), and your family.
Cheers to 2018