Welcome to Carrots! I'm so glad you're back. You can sign up for my email newsletter here to stay in touch, or look me up on Instagram!
Happy Feast of Mary Mother of God and Happy New Year! I’ve been pretty disappointed that since I’ve been sick since Christmas Eve we haven’t had the chance to do all the fun Christmastide things we planned. But I can still drink tea from my Christmas tea cups! You can’t take that away from me, tonsilitis!
Tired eyes and messy counters, my friends. Anyhow, we let the kids stay up an hour past bedtime to watch Wall E last night and then we were all asleep by 9pm before the fireworks started. New Year’s Eve success! (And now you’re wondering why you would read the blog of someone so boring.)
Which brings me to: THANK YOU. Carrots has grown so much this year because of you. Thank you for reading. Thank you for sharing, tweeting, and pinning posts. Thank you for letting me get to know you in the comments. Thank you for buying our first book. Thank you for being here this year and for your encouragement, wisdom, and friendship. I am so grateful for each one of you and am indebted to you for helping me make this space into something more than it was in 2010 when my mom was my only reader. Thank you for making it possible to stay home with my kids and write. (At this moment, a cute little two-year-old gal is combing my hair, the baby is playing at my feet, and my preschooler is asking me questions about figgy pudding. It’s a little crazy, but it’s also pretty amazing.)
I thought I’d kick off the New Year by looking back at the posts from 2013 that my readers liked best. So without further ado, the most popular posts of 2013!
2. How My Kids Didn’t Ruin Mass
3. Six Reasons to NOT Send Your Son to College
4. I’m Trying Not to Be the “Just Wait” Mom
5. Can You Fit Three Car Seats in a Camry? (From the Growing a Family on One Income Series, Part II)
6. A Letter to My Former Self on the Day I Became a Mother
7. Women Speak on NFP: A New Series
8. I’m a Mother, Not the CEO of my Household
9. Being a One-Car Family (From the Growing a Family on One Income Series, Part I)
10. So, You’re Thinking of Converting to Catholicism
(You may have noticed if you follow the Carrots FB page that you’re not seeing any of my posts. Facebook is making it more difficult for posts from pages to reach your newsfeed unless we pay them each time we post. Consider signing up to receive Carrots posts in your inbox (on the right hand sidebar) or through feedly or bloglovin readers so you don’t miss anything! Thanks!)
And it never hurts to start off the New Year with a cute baby photo, right? Oh! And don’t forget to enter the Usborne Books and More giveaway!
(You can also read the most popular posts of 2012.)
Haley,
I truly enjoyed so many of these posts, in addition to others off the list. Thank YOU for sharing advice, commentary and inspiration throughout 2013. It is such a privilege to be welcomed into your lovely family life through this blog.
A very blessed and happy new year to you and yours!
-(the other) Haley
Thank you, Haley! You’re one of my first longtime, faithful readers. It’s been such a joy to get to know you and see your engagement and conversion. Lots of love!
I’m so glad I found your blog this year, I’ve enjoyed every minute of reading your blog
I got your book for Christmas by the way and it’s AWESOME:-) God bless you and your family this upcoming year!
Thank you, Rachel! I’m so glad you like the book!
I’ve been very blessed by your blog this year, so thank YOU!!!
Aw, thank you, Rachel!
Your blog has been so influential in my life and my husband’s life. We are a relatively newlywed (2nd anniversary was yesterday) couple and both being very new converts! Every time we see a new post, we both get so excited to read good, edifying, writing on REAL family life.
And also, my husband bought me “Feast!” for Christmas and I squealed when I opened it. Tonight when we went on our monthly grocery shopping trip, we picked up some ingredients to make the recipes for the feast of St. Thomas Aquinas at the end of the month. We are so very excited to have that resource to help us learn how to celebrate the liturgical year and have very much been enjoying the reflections from you and yours! Thank you for writing such an awesome book! Please write more!
I’m so glad, Hannah! Thank you for your sweet words of encouragement!
I’ve very much enjoyed your blog this year. Thank you and happy new year!
P.S. Gwen is getting so big… can’t believe it! She is adorable!
Cutest kids. Coolest blog.
Can’t wait to check out a few of these posts I missed the first go ’round. Haley please get well soon. We have an overdue playdate to make up and the puppy gets bigger every day!! Ack!
<3 jeni
It is just so easy to get sucked into the vortex of guilt, isn’t it? When I’m not over-thinking every action and finding ways to feel terrible about hurting another person’s feelings, I find myself feeling so guilty about the silliest things.
When it comes to raising kids, I can see myself feeling guilty a lot. We don’t have children yet, but I’ll have to bookmark this post for later!