2017 Blog Report & 2018 Goals

Happy New Year, friends! I hope you had a great holiday with your loved ones. It was so nice to take a break from everything after such a busy quarter! I’m love reflecting on the previous year and setting intentions for a new one. I really want to thank you for reading and for your encouragement and support over the last year. I am so blessed by this blog and the opportunities it affords me. Thank you!

My family in St. Louis for Christmas and New Year’s.

5 Most Popular Blog Posts in 2017

1. 8 Things You Should Never Say to Your Friend Going Through Infertility

2. My Favorite Bible Journaling Supplies + A New Layout

3. Tips for Visiting Walt Disney World with a Preschooler

4. 48 Hour Guide to Free and Cheap Fun for Kids in Orange County

5. 6 Favorite Preschool Podcasts

2017 Recap & Highlights

Personally, 2017 was tough for me emotionally due to my PCOS-related infertility. Despite that, we had a very enjoyable year as a family. Benjamin and I spent 2 weeks in California, visiting friends and family over spring break. We spent another week or so in Southern California over the summer, where Benjamin had his first professional photo shoot with June & January. From there we met my husband in St. Louis, where we attended a gorgeous reception in celebration of my in-laws 20th wedding anniversary. We spent Christmas through New Years with them as well.

Professionally, it was one of my best years yet! In addition to this blog, I continued writing Atlanta-family content for the ATL Insider Blog on Atlanta.net and Mommy Nearest. I also wrote several articles for 365 Atlanta Family. My number one goal and dream as a blogger in 2017 was to be invited to the Disney Social Media Moms Celebration. I focused a lot of energy in sharing quality Disney content and interacting with Disney as much as possible across social media. I was in St. Louis over the summer when I received my first Disney SMMC invitation to attend the “On the Road” conference here in Atlanta.

It was a one-day conference at one of my favorite hotels in Buckhead. We were treated to breakfast, and received some pretty fun swag! There were so many inspiring and informative speakers, who spoke not only about Disney but content development in general. It was such a great experience!

Imagine my delight to receive pixie dust again in October, with an official invitation to the BIG DisneySMMC! It takes place next month and I can hardly contain my excitement! I’ll be sharing TONS!

Overall, I’d say it was a pretty great year. I am proud of the work I produced and feel so blessed for the opportunities I have been provided. 

My 2018 Goals

I have pretty lofty goals for 2018! My dream, of course, is to be blessed with another child so I would happily adjust these goals accordingly, if I was so blessed. 😉 In no particular order:

• DOUBLE my 2017 income! (A big one, I know.)
• New website: re-branding and integration. 
• Get new equipment to help me be more productive; camera with video capabilities for vlogging, etc. 
• Develop at least one 5-figure blog partnership. 
• SAVE money!!! Spend less. We’re saving for a home, with our eyes set on 2019!
• Read more books. My goal for this year is to read 25+ books. I also want to read at least 12 chapter books aloud to Benjamin.
• Say “yes” to scary opportunities! Do more events. 
• Give more—specifically of my time and talents.