2014 - it's a wrap

I love looking ahead to the possibilities of a new year, but not before I look back and think on the moments that made this year good, and the ones that made it bad too. The ying and the yang, so to speak.

Time goes faster and faster every year, doesn't it? I remember being a kid and thinking the summer lasted for an eternity. As an adult I know it's two shakes of a lamb's tail. The same can be said for a year.

I like to do yearly wrap up posts so I can look back and see my year at a glance. For you, dear readers, maybe there's something you missed along the way. You can click on anything underlined and it will take you to that post.

Some favorite posts - mine and yours
Reflections from 37
bitches eating crackers
why I don't want to hear anyone bitching about how other people act like their lives are perfect,
Romance is dead because that's how I like it
Do what you can
In our house, Buddha wears rosary beads
 the ways I love Dirty Dancing
when I was in high school
Mae's blog post was the most popular and loved. Sorry boys.

MFD said a lot of shit and you guys loved it all. The latest Shit MFD Said is Vol 13 and the links for 1-12 can be found on the bottom of that post.

Cooking: recipes I laid on your table this year
Mac & cheese please - regular & brie with bacon, Berry Cobbler, Turkey Rice Soup, Snow Day Stromboli, Ga-gung Ga-gung Chili, Damn Good Crescent Roll Jalapeno Popper Bites, Heyohhh Queso, Pancake Bites, She-Ra Power Breakfast Muffins, Zucchini Pie, Greek orzo cold salad, asparagus corn salad, macaroni salad, Baker's one bowl brownies from scratch, unconventional barbecue chicken, lightened up shrimp & corn chowder, avgo-lenono soup, spinach muffins, spinach & artichoke dip, spinach casserole,

Hausfrauing/Organization
10 things I do to make life easier in the kitchen, 10 tips on decluttering, 10 Things I do to make daily life easier, spring hausfrauing tips, Organizers I love, Let's talk about vacuums, How I use essential oils, Five best organizing resources, My top five organizing tips

I also let myself off the hook and got an awesome cleaning lady to come in once a month.

Recommended products: Mr. Clean with Gain and OdoBan (especially if you have a dog that marks)

Goal Check
winter, spring, summer, fall

Reading
This year, I read 64 books. My top books seven of this year, in no order...except that #1 was definitely my favorite book I read all year.
1. Shotgun Lovesongs by Nickolas Butler
2. Saving Francesca by Melina Marchetta
3. The Promise of Stardust by Priscille Sibley
4. Tell the Wolves I'm Home by Carol Rifka Brunt
5. The Storyteller by Jodi Picoult
6. Lost Lake by Sarah Addison Allen
7. Z: A Novel of Zelda Fitzgerald by Therese Ann Fowler

I also wrote these book related posts: some of the best friends I've never met and started a monthly Show Us Your Books link up with Jana of Jana Says. You can always find those posts in my Reading tab at the top.

Travel
Mexico, Chicago, Disney Cruise, Disney at Christmas

MFD and I also had a lovely long weekend in Salem, MA for Kim & Steve's wedding; an April weekend in Cape May; a few trips to Lori & Jack's, and a weekend in Ocean City with Laura, Chris & the boys. Solo I enjoyed a weekend in Boston for Kim's shower and girls weekend in OCNJ in June.

I also gave you the lowdown on my cruise essentials, why you should put your toiletries in test tubes, and my Philly Favorites.

Music
Not typically a concert-goer, MFD and I saw Bruno Mars in Hershey, PA, in July and Fleetwood Mac in Philly in October. Both were excellent. Stevie Nicks and I are now best friends. Just thought you should know.

Big Life Things
Both of my Kims and my brother and Aubrey got married this year. We had a blast at all of their wedding events.

Miss Eva the Diva came roaring into the world in April.

Firsts for me
This year, for the first time I...
-Saw a concert in a club box
-Flew first class
-Saw a game at Wrigley Field
-Went to a horse race
-Saw a shore sunrise in the fall
-Took a vacation in December
-Finished Christmas shopping in October

2014 was full and good. I always like the Zora Neale Hurston quote, "There are years that ask questions and years that answer." This year was a year that answered after a few that questioned.

Before we close out 2014, I need to wish my good friend Angie a happy birthday today.

I'm pumped for 2015 because like a true psycho I already have our big vacations booked for the year, and both include places we've never been and things that have long been on my life to do list.

If there's anything you'd like to see on this blog, I'm always open to suggestions. Likewise, if there are any questions you have, you can always email me (lifeaccordingtosteph@gmail.com). Thank you so much for reading this year, but even more for interacting with me, be it by commenting on posts here, via email, on Instagram, Twitter, or Facebook.