Year In Review: 2013

It has become my tradition at the end of December to post highlights from the past year. There’s a linky at the end of this post for anyone who wants to join me! Last year over 30 of you linked up with me to take a little walk down memory lane. I love to see this tradition catching on!

It’s easy to get excited about a new year, setting new goals, and getting a fresh start, but I never want to move on too quickly. It’s nice to take some time and reflect, treasure the memories and remember how far we’ve come.

Here is the button with the code, if you want to use it on your own post!

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Musings of a Housewife by the Numbers

1.3 million people visited Musings of a Housewife in 2013. That’s crazy, right!!???

600K arrived via search. 340K came directly to the site for one reason or another. 170K came from Pinterest, 30K from Facebook, 26K from Stumbleupon and a measly 7K from Twitter.

4K subscribe to Musings of a Housewife, either with email or RSS. Thank you!!!!!!

4 press trips (Target, Lake Naomi Club, Bosch and CVS)

3 celebrity meetings (Chris March, Kate Young and Giada DeLaurentis)

2 conferences (Mom 2.0 and Type A Advanced Philly)

1 children’s story (The Uninvited Houseguest)

2013 Recap

January started out with a renewed commitment to healthy eating and my 10 Healthy (and Gluten Free) Dinner Recipes was a popular post.

My Jalapeño Popper Dip was also a popular post that month. This post has been pinned 3,500 times!

Back in February, I got sassy with some businessmen in the airport. Not one of my finer moments!!

I always wanted to be a teacher and played school from the time I was old enough to know what it was, and my dream came true when I landed a 3rd grade teaching gig back in 1997. I came Full Circle when I got to stand in front of a classroom of 6th graders for the first time in 15 years. This time I wasn’t the teacher, but I got to share with them what it’s like to be a professional blogger.

How to Wear Necklaces was my most popular post last February. I still have a lot to learn when it comes to styling necklaces, but I think I’m getting better at it.

Easy Wintertime Crafts for Kids was another hit. This is a good resource to take another look at right now!!

My Non-Candy Easter Basket Fillers for Tweens was a popular post in March, and we celebrated Easter by going to church and hosting my inlaws for dinner.

I participated in the Unedited Project with Sony where I got to capture the essence of Philly with the Sony NEX-5R.

I got some amazing shots, which were on display in the Center City Sony Store for several weeks last spring. Check out this post for a peek.

And I set some new running records. Looking at these pictures makes me so homesick for running. I hope I can get back out there again soon.

In April, I got to attend the launch party for the Kate Young for Target collection, thanks to my affiliation with the Target Inner Circle.

It was a fun night for many reasons, but the highlight was meeting Giada DeLaurentis.

And getting to share the experience with a good friend.

In May, I attended the Mom 2.0 Conference in Laguna Beach, CA. It was an amazing venue. Running on the beach was a highlight of that trip.

As was spending time with my good friend Trina.

We celebrated Mother’s Day, and I posted my ritual Mother’s Day Through The Years post.

Later in the month, I set a new PR, thanks to some much needed encouragement in the home stretch. I love this picture, taken by my friend Colleen‘s husband.

In June, we visited Longwood Gardens and ate at the acclaimed 1906 Restaurant.

And I placed second in my age group in a verrrrry small 5K race on a verrrrrry hot summer day.

10 Delicious Kale Recipes was my most popular post back in June. Clearly it was CSA season and everyone was wondering what to do with the obligatory proliferation of kale.

And my 16 week half marathon training schedule for beginners is actually gaining popularity right now. I guess a lot of people are gearing up for spring races!

In July, after a horrendous flight home from a press trip with Bosch, I turned 41.

And I attempted to wear a different outfit for 30 days straight. Here is the final result.

My post on shapewear created quite a stir.

And at the end of the month, we spent a week in the Poconos.

In August, we had an amazing experience at the Four Seasons in Baltimore.

And my 10 Steps to Organize Your Closet for Fall was a popular post.

We kicked off September with one last hurrah — a weekend trip to the Jersey Shore and the Blogger Beach Bash. Never a dull moment, I discovered upon arrival that my suitcase hadn’t been packed so my dear husband drove all the way back home to retrieve it while I sat on the beach in jean shorts.

The kids went back to school. (No, they’re not all mine.)

And I victoriously completed my first (and perhaps only) half marathon. It was, without a doubt, the biggest achievement of my adult life aside from birthing three children.

I got to visit my friend Mel at her new home in Rhode Island.

We closed out the month with a visit to our favorite local farm.

October was a crazy month. As I look back through my blog, I realize how much I had going on!!! Between a medical crisis with my son and the organizational projects I had going on here at home and the sheer amount of blog content I produced . . . I can’t believe I survived.

My daughter turned 8.

I did a Color Run, and it was just meh. I probably wouldn’t do another one, but it made for fun photos!

I’m pretty proud of this post I wrote On Being Busy.

My How to Use Google+ post was well received.

This post on Why You Have To Be Your Own Advocate is near and dear to my heart.

My most popular post of the month was our Laundry Room Makeover. It was such a big project, but I am thrilled with the results.

At the end of October, I hung up my running shoes for a while. I’m still trying to heal this ding-dang plantar fasciitis. I will fill you in on that soon, as I have had a few requests for an update.

November brought surgery for my son and a long arduous healing process.

We had to cancel our plans to travel for Thanksgiving but we were able to celebrate with family nearby. We were especially thankful this year for my son’s return to health.

By his birthday, he was pretty much feeling like his old self again.

Grace’s post on How To Wear Leggings was a popular post.

And my Thanksgiving Recipe Roundup got a lot of attention, thanks to Udi’s pinning it to one of their boards. It is my most pinned post EVER with over 5,000 pins!

Colleen’s Decadent Gluten Free Cookie Recipes was the most popular post in December.

And this gluten-free Hershey Kiss Cookie recipe was another hit!

I finally posted my long-awaited eye makeup tutorial.

And I put my daughter on a plane by herself to visit her Grammie. We both fared better than expected.

My holiday house tour was a popular post.

My older daughter turned 11.

And my children’s book was published! The Uninvited Houseguest is available for 99 cents via Amazon Kindle Store and the Barnes & Noble Nook Book Store, and it’s free on iTunes!! (If you have an iPad, it formats better viewed on iBooks. You can download the story via iTunes and then put the iBooks app on your iPad if you don’t have it already.) I hope you’ll grab yourself a copy and share it with your kids.

Experiencing my daughter reading a story I wrote myself is absolutely surreal.

We had a lovely Christmas at home this year.

And I’ve been spending the last few days putting the house back together and getting ready to kick off 2014 with gusto!

2013 has been a series of highs and lows, but even though we’ve had some struggles, I’m extremely thankful for our overall good health and well being. Reading through this recap has reminded me how truly blessed we are.

I hope you’ll join me! Use the widget below to link up your 2013 recap posts, and I’ll be sure to stop by and say hi!