Saying Goodbye to 2015, and my Top 5 posts

I started this little blog of mine in November of 2014. I did a few posts, not really knowing where I was going with it or what my plans were. What I did know was that I wanted to organize my recipes, work on a cookbook, and also fill a void that needed filling. Prior to food blogging, I had a photography business, specializing in newborns.

Photography was a blast, but a lot of work. It was also very time consuming and I quickly realized that “being at this point” in my life, I didn’t want to be tied down to a set schedule. I wanted and needed the flexibility to travel with my husband and visiting our grand babies was always calling my name. I emptied my studio and stored all my props.

Back to the beginning of Joy in Every Season. After a month of posting, I took a little time off to enjoy the holidays (not a big deal as no one was reading my blog yet). As I welcomed in 2015 I realized I really enjoyed blogging. I’ve always loved cooking and entertaining and taking the photos kept my camera dusted off. As 2015 comes to an end, I feel incredibly blessed. I went from no one even knowing that I had a blog, to hearing, “I love your blog” or “I made your {insert recipe name here}” or “thanks for inspiring me.”  Somewhere in about mid July, something clicked. Instead of just plodding along with very few pages views per month, I began to see real growth. I’m humbled (and honestly a little giddy) to say that December tops my monthly page views with over 40k page views this month. Compared to the “big boy” bloggers, that is small, but for little ole me, it’s huge. Thank you to each and every one who has ever stopped by my blog!!

Onto my Top 5!!

1. Without a doubt, my Baked Spaghetti & Meatballs was my most viewed post!

2. Cookies are popular during the holidays, and my Potato Chip Cookies jumped to the #2 spot.

3. Only a few views behind, my Sweet Potato Chili takes #3.

4. White Chicken Ravioli Bake a.k.a. Mock Lasagna

and, last but not least….

5. Baked Four Cheese Gnocchi w/Broccoli

As I wrap up the year, I’ve also realized that I’m ready to officially take down my photography site. It’s crazy, but saying goodbye to that little part of my life is harder than I thought. I’ll leave you with a slideshow that I put together to close out 2013. Aside from the occasional family or good friend session, it’s officially been two years since I’ve shot a session. It’s bittersweet for sure, but time to continue on with Joy in Every Season. And maybe the occasion photo session 😉

**Slideshow takes a few minutes to load, please be patient.

I’m ready now for a new and exciting 2016! I’ll be starting off the year with a few healthier recipes, but more about that in a few days. And, in case you’re wondering about the cookbook……well, I’ve made a good dent in cooking up a lot of my recipes, but the actual book is nothing more than digital images and recipes. I am, however, committed to it being a real book by the end of 2016!!