2024 was quite a ride- it was a busy year, but a fantastic year. We were very blessed and we got to do so many great things. Each year, I like to look back and recap all of the things we did and the things we learned along the way. I like to think of it as a “count your blessings” post.

January 2024

We unlocked a new favorite pastime- hiking with our dogs. We built a new chicken coop, and we lost our pop-up polytunnel to a windstorm.

February 2024

We dove into duplicating recipes from our favorite restaurants at home, my youngest and I sang a duet together at church for the first time ever, and we found a wonderful selection of hiking trails within 30 minutes of home.

March 2024

We celebrated Easter in March of this year with our wonderful church family. Our farm became “business card official,” and competition season pushed our girls to new heights. My alma mater NCSU became the ACC tournament champions for the first time since 1983, and my youngest’s spring concert resulted in one of my favorite pictures of my girls.

April 2024

I finally got a new, permanent greenhouse. My oldest received a dance solo in which she portrayed Dolly Parton, and my youngest danced a tap solo. My coworkers threw me a surprise birthday party.

May 2024

My children prepared for their first recital with their new studio. I resigned from my job to accept a job at my children’s school. We traveled to Greenville, SC for a dance competition, and I met my friend Rachel in person for the first time. She gave us a tour of the city and we had a blast.

June 2024

My oldest turned 13 and we had a surprise party for her. She went off to Centrifuge Camp at North Greenville University in South Carolina. She sang her first duet at church with our friend Jamie, and our StellaBelle had surgery. Our youngest was the best doggy nurse ever.

July 2024

We went to Nashville, TN for dance nationals, where the girls competed in the opening number, and the team won third overall. We celebrated July 4 with some friends and family, and we visited Buc-ees and a local alpaca farm.

August 2024

The girls began their third grade and eighth grade years, while I began my 16th year in education, and at a new school. We re-organized our mudroom/laundry room and Hurricane Helene flooded our pasture and toppled some trees. Side note: the news has forgotten about WNC, but please continue to remember these people in prayer. It’s going to take more than five years to fully complete the clean up, and many people are still without homes. We are hoping to go assist with clean up this summer.

September 2024-October 2024

My oldest ran cross country again this year and was recognized at eighth grade night. My oldest and I went to the Women of Joy Conference in Pigeon Forge with some sweet ladies from church. We were so blessed by this conference and I can’t wait to go back next year. I made and sold a lot of soap, and we went for a hike at Cedarrock Park. We also had some beautiful fall pictures taken by our friend Hillary. We also went on a hayride through Tribulation Trail with a lot of people from church. Unfortunately, we also hit a deer and damaged our van (though we thankfully didn’t total it).

November 2024

Our youngest turned 9 and we celebrated with a little party at the house. Our oldest found a new passion for cheer and we went to WV to see family for Thanksgiving. We got to see some snow while we were there. Our kids their studio’s annual holiday showcase. We also put up Christmas decorations earlier than we ever have before.

December 2024

Our December was a flurry of parades, church play, basketball games, dance practices, family get togethers, etc. We also went to The Nutcracker with our dance team and went to a living nativity with our church.

What a quick, but busy and blessed year. We look forward to what the new year holds- God has been good to us.

We hope you are all blessed in 2025- we appreciate your readership and encouragement throughout the year.

We will see you next year!