Year Eight. (& a Giveaway!) {CLOSED}
{Thank you all so much for entering the giveaway! The winner is commenter Beth Cook who said “I think the most memorable moment was my father moving into an assisted living home with hospice services. You just think your parents will be around for a long time to enjoy their retirement years and their grandchildren. It’s hard on my mom going back and forth despite him not really knowing when she’s been there or the last time she came. It’s hard emotionally and financially. This is NOT what they wanted to spend their retirement money on. My guilt is living three hours away. Close enough to visit, but far enough away to have to balance family life/plans.” Congrats Beth!}
This week marks my eighth year of blogging.
Which is totally insane. EIGHT YEARS?!
That’s almost ten years. Ten years is a decade. I still feel like I’m 17 so how on earth this has happened… I have no idea.
I wish that I had the words to tell you just how much I appreciate you being here and visiting the site. I know what it is like to read the same blog for eight years. You are only reading one voice. It gets repetitive and sometimes boring and it is a lot of the same thing, because it’s written by one person. I’ve come and gone and come back and re-fell in love with many of my favorite bloggers over the years. I can’t really offer you anything other than myself (okay and maybe a plethora of trashed up recipes) who might occasionally change or stay the same or repeat herself or still think that she’s 17 years old inside.
So it means the WORLD to me that you have stuck around, read these rambles, been so kind and wonderful and shared your own thoughts in our little community here. Means seriously everything to me. I actually think of you all as friends, my invisible but real BFFs.
I hope you can see that I (still!) do this because I 100% OMGloveitsomuch and even though it became my job a really long time ago, I do it as authentically as I can and because I love it and so I can share things with you in this wacky internet world.
To celebrate these eight years and frankly, to celebrate YOU who has given me the chance to do this for so long, I’m giving away a $1000 amazon gift card to one lucky reader. This giveaway is not sponsored and given by me to show my appreciation for you. Giveaway is open to everyone and anyone!
To ENTER:
- Leave a comment on this post telling me a memorable moment you’ve had so far in 2017.
- For an extra entry, I would love if you’d preorder a copy of The Pretty Dish and leave a second comment saying you did so. You can preorder the book on amazon, barnes and noble, indiebound or books a million! I cannot thank you guys enough for giving me the chance to write another book. If you’ve already preordered, THANK YOU SO MUCH and be sure to leave a comment telling me you did so. If you decide to preorder, this is just the first of many exciting things we’re giving away!
And who knows, maybe if the internet is around, I’ll be here in another eight years! xoxoxo
2,292 Comments on “Year Eight. (& a Giveaway!) {CLOSED}”
And….just pre-ordered your new cook book. Can’t wait!!
My most memorable moment was spending my birthday snorkeling in the Galapagos Islands! I feel so incredibly lucky to be able to type that out. Been reading & cooking along since the beginning as a fellow Pennsylvanian (in Philly, but that’s neither here nor there. Pittsburgh salads >>> )
My most memorable moment so far was my sister’s 50th birthday over the July 4th weekend. We were able to go out on Lake Sunapee and see fireworks and it was a spectacular weekend. We’re taking a “sisters and cousins” trip to Chicago in October so hopefully I’ll have more memorable moments this year.
My memorable moment this year was a trip to the UK with my husband (the first vacation we’d been on in awhile!) Thank you so much for giving us readers your blog to enjoy and discover wonderful recipes on! Happy 8 years!!!
I think one of my more powerful memories of 2017, so far; is going to the Women’s March. It was an empowering experience!
My most memorable moment of the year was moving in with my new, wonderful boyfriend! Love your blog–it’s a daily read for me!
Ooooh LA LA <3 soooo lovely! I'm dying over that cover image. My most memorable moment of 2017 so far was opening my nursing school acceptance letter in July: the feeling was a culmination of excitement, relief, nervousness and just pure JOY! It's tear-stained and still sits on my desk where I see it daily. It's the beginning of one of my dreams coming to fruition. Thank you for hosting such a LOVELY and GENEROUS giveaway, so fun! Cheers! xx
I’ve also pre-ordered your book! #stoked
xx
Our first baby was born at the end of July! Definitely the most memorable moment of my life so far :)
My memorable moment was getting a positive pregnancy test after a miscarriage earlier this year -I’ll be 16 weeks tomorrow with my rainbow baby :) Have been hooked on your blog for years – I love your recipes!
Also, I preordered the book!
Congratulations! I am older than you, but love your style of writing and the way you put ingredients together. Most memorable moment this year-my first niece starting to college and the University of Arkansas! Go Hogs!
Just pre-ordered your book too! And I have the first one you wrote!
I am a fellow Pittsburgher and have been addicted to your blog since 2013! Thank you for brightening many of my days. I love your writing style and amazing recommendations! My most memorable moment this year was spending time in Folly Beach, SC with my parents, brother, and boyfriend. We are all so busy and living in different places. There is something magical about drinking a cold beer in the sun with those special people. I haven’t pre-ordered your book yet, but can’t wait to do so <3
I preordered the book and I’m so excited!
2017 has been a crazy year so far, but one memorable moment was my best friend got married in an old theatre and it was so much fun!
I got married this year! That was pretty great.
Thanks for hosting the giveaway! I got to go to Drag Con in NY and it was pretty awesome. And earlier this year I got to see Katya and Bob the Drag Queen and Sasha Velour perform. It was epic.
Most memorable for 2017 is a trip to New Orleans with my sister. We saw all the things and I laughed so loud and so often it was a wonderful trip. Congrats on 8 years that is amazing and thank you for all those wonderful “trashed up” recipes for me to enjoy!!
My memorable moment is the birth of our second child- a girl in August! My oldest was born just a week before Max and with your second due soon, it’s been fun to have “virtual mirror” pregnancies with you!
My most memorable moment was my twins’ third birthday. It was the first year they really got that it was there birthday, and it was just so much fun to celebrate them!
Most memorable moment was walking across the stage after 3 years of grad school and receiving my degree… done!!
One of my favorite moments was going on an international trip to introduce my 4yo where I was born. It was tons of fun and he was a very good little traveler!
A memorable moment for me is when we got to bring our new puppy home in April. She was so tiny and fluffy. And she’s brought so much love into our home. :)
Most memorable: falling, breaking my foot and being housebound/unable to work. Result: evaluating life. Not liking what I saw. Making changes I know I should’ve made a long time ago. If you drag your feet, the loving Universe will give you a little push! Literally :)
Memorable moment(s) are babysitting my grandchildren full time! Enjoy your blogs!
My memorable moment was celebrating my second set of twins’ first birthday! I made it a year with 2 sets of twins and while it was challenging, I couldn’t be happier!
My most memorable moment this year so far is spending time with my new great nephew. Although I don’t comment much, I really enjoy your blog. Thank you!
I pre-ordered The Pretty Dish. Can’t wait to get it!
Finding out we are expecting our sweet baby #2 in January!!
I haven’t preordered (because I sneakily told my husband how much I wanted this cookbook, and I saw him do it later :) )
Memorable Moment in 2017? Watching my nephew turn 1! He was a very welcome and happy surprise to my sister’s family (9 years after my niece) so being there (I live several states away) was the BEST! Yay for babies and family!
My memorable moment was leaving my miserable job last week and starting a job that I actually love!
Congrats on 8 years! I started reading back in college (probably around the time you started) when we had a blogging project. Yours is one of the only blogs I’ve continued reading this whole time!
The hubby and I celebrated our 15th wedding anniversary this year. It’s definitely my most memorable moment of 2017!
My memorable moment has been the beginning of homeschooling my 5 and 3 year old boys (how can they possibly be so old already??)
Can’t wait to get your new book! :)
I got engaged on January 2nd of this year!
My most memorable moment was a trip to Napa – and all the moments spent wishing we could go back!
My most memorable moment of 2017 was sitting on the rocky beach of a local island with my two little boys and husband. My oldest was born around the time when your son was born and my younger son is turning one next week.
We were camping in a cabin and it takes so much prep and STUFF with two little guys but watching the August sunset while tossing rocks and shells in the water made it all worth it!
One of the most memorable moments was buying my home with my boyfriend that loves me and my children beyond words!
My most memorable moment of the year was surviving my first year teaching! Having my own classroom was something that I’ve dreamed about for a long time, and walking out of the building on day 180 was such a rush of emotions!
Bringing my little girl to her first 4th of July fireworks was easily one of my most memorable moments of the year – I’ll never ever forget the way she just lit up and oohed and aahed and danced around!
Buying my first home was the greatest thing ever this year :) And graduating from pastry school!
My most memorable 2017 experience was going to NYC with my husband in April! So many delicious meals were eaten and I am already ready to go back!
my most memorable moment of 2017 was getting my kitten
My memorable moment was surprising my husband with a weekend trip to celebrate his 60th birthday. Congrats on 8 years!
My memorable moment was going to hometown market with my 90 year old mother.She loved it so much we go regularly now.
My most memorable moment was passing my comp exam for my doctoral degree, one step closer to having that degree..
I’ve already preordered your book, can’t wait to own it! I love your blog!!
My memorable moment so far in 2017…so many good ones but the one that is coming to mind currently actually happened only a few days ago, and it ain’t pretty but it happened – I walked outside of the building I was dropping something off at in downtown Austin to a bike cop writing me a parking ticket. I had been inside for like 3.2 minutes! I started crying. No, SOBBING…openly, loudly, publicly…and pleading with him that I didn’t mean to illegally park and I would never do it again and it had been a long day already and I just needed to drop something off inside and and and….
IT WORKED!! He let me off with a warning. That has NEVER happened in my 7 years of driving. I ALWAYS end up with the ticket (oops..moving on). I mean sure, the lunch rush of professional business people and other randoms in downtown freakin’ Austin saw and heard the whole ordeal, but I just got a warning!! Miraculous. And now seared into my memory. Hope that works for a memorable moment LOL.
Definitely my most memorable moment this year was riding out Hurricane Irma in Sarasota. Days of worry and wondering if we were making the right decision to stay, the day of the storm making a safe room with my kids, watching Marvel movies until the power was off, then witnessing the power of Mother Nature. The next morning we were all in a bit of shock, but we and our home made it! Congrats on 8 years, I love your blog!
My most memorable moment so far is finding out we were expecting baby #2!