Here we are! The last day of 2015.
Like so many of you out there, I like to take some time to reflect back on the year with gratitude for the opportunities and experiences that it held, thinking about how they've shaped me and how I'll expand on and grow from them in the year to come. And, let me tell you, this year has been one HUGE learning experience for me both personally and professionally!
My friends at Stonyfield, with whom I've worked throughout 2015, asked us to ponder "the best gift we've ever received", and it just so happens that this year-end wrap up post was the perfect place to give it some thought.
There are certainly dozens of tangible gifts I can think of that I count among the "best" -- namely my DSLR camera, my KitchenAid stand mixer, and a handful of other things that make daily life more efficient or enjoyable. Then there are the gifts like our children {furry and human}, friendship, a supportive family, etc. that fill you from the inside and make all the other things worthwhile. Though they might be a bit cliche, those are the best kind, in my opinion.
Gifts are an interesting thing, because sometimes you can receive them without even knowing that they're being given. This year, YOU were one of my most generous gift-givers, which is pretty incredible because I've never met most of you! But nevertheless, you gave me the extraordinary gift of being able to work from home.
While I'm still flabbergasted that I get to do this as a job, the rewards I reap from this blog go far beyond "employment." With this blog, I gain a community. A creative outlet. A sounding board. A challenge. It's become part of my identity.
This year hasn't been easy for me from a blog perspective. I had to re-learn how to work from home with a growing little guy who needs my attention 95% of the time. I stumbled over the type of content I want to share and grappled with writer's block {for the first time ever, I think!} while I settled into my new role as a mother and dealt with personal issues {that I decided to make public}. I had to learn how to say "no" to some things because I simply couldn't do it all, and evaluate how to make my "yeses" worth my {limited} time and {extensive} effort. Most importantly, I had figure out how to make it all happen without sacrificing my relationships and sanity!
I'm going to be honest: I haven't done it all gracefully and I have a LOT left to learn. Earlier this year I told a friend that there are some days I'm a great blogger and a so-so mother and wife, and others where the opposite is true. I haven't figured out how to give them both 100% effort. I've had to accept my limitations and push my own boundaries at the same time. My husband has dealt with more ugly-crying this year than I care to admit. My professional contacts have probably gotten accustomed to my down-to-the wire submissions {though I always meet the deadline!} and my delayed response emails. I'm working on it. All of it.
But getting back to the gift thing... without you, there would be nothing to work on at all! So, thank you for being part of something that is so important to me and for forgiving me when I don't do it well and encouraging me when I do. Thank you for being kind to me when I share things that are hard to share and for getting excited over food with me and for laughing with me {and at me} at how ridiculous it all is sometimes. Your gift doesn't need a big, fancy bow -- it's too big to wrap up anyway.
And with all that sentimental mumbo-jumbo out of the way, let's get back to business and talk about the things that made you hungry in 2015. Here are my top 10 recipes, as decided by the best gift-givers ever!
1. Chocolate Peanut Butter Pretzel Pops
2. Pimento Cheese Biscuits
3. Iced Almond-Lemon Loaf Cake
4. Baked Churro Dulce de Leche Ice Cream Sandwiches
5. Baked Rosemary Parsnip "Fries"
6. 4 Ingredient Breakfast Cookies
7. Easy Smoked Ham, Broccoli & Cheese Pastry
8. Graham Cracker Latte
9. Hummingbird Cake Smoothie
10. Roasted Apple Bread
Quite a mix of sweet, savory, healthy and decadent! The perfect balance if you ask me.
Happy New Year from my kitchen to yours. Let's make 2016 the best year yet! xo
