Year Five.
Five years ago there was this girl that had no idea what to do with herself.
Like really, no idea. Five years ago to this day. 1826 (.2) days ago. She felt bored and incomplete and like the future was a million miles away but at the same time flying by her eyes and that she would NEVER find her place or happiness in everyday adult life in a way that only overly dramatic, internet-generated twenty somethings feel.
So one day she did something truly horrific and… STARTED A BLOG. She told no one for a few weeks because she was embarrassed and mortified that she was writing things on the internet to this invisible space of nothingness. She wrote about her first crush on Patrick Swayze and her second on Zack Morris and attempted to take photos in the yellowest kitchen to ever exist on a three-year-old camera that had been dropped thirteen times (margaritas were involved) and produced the blurriest jpegs known to man.
Years prior, she had massive fights with her parents because no, she wouldn’t study creative writing or journalism or ANY type of writing in college because WTF was she going to do? Become an English teacher or finish writing the stories she had filled notebooks with when she was ten years old? She was soooo far over that stage and had pushed it out of her brain and moved on to more important things like, well… nothing.
It wasn’t until that girl fell in love with that blog and realized that writing things on paper or screens (preferably paper) was what she really wanted to do, no matter how ridiculous her made-up words sounded or if she could only write like she talked or how much she loathed every single thing that landed on the lined page from her pen or the screen from the keys.
She went through incredulous moments of self-doubt and comparison and confusion. And also big fat moments of self-realization and growth and happiness. She made actual invisible friends that were real. And LOTS of mistakes. She made accidentally phallic sorbet and went through multiple pizza, taco and burger phases. She wrote a book! She hated the book, but then she loved it. She had one goal – to remain genuine and keep the people that read it her number one priority.
She wants to thank you! For an awesome five years and for placing your eyeballs on her words everyday even when they don’t make sense or have anything to do with salad or cheesecake. For continuing to read even when she writes annoying stuff in the third person. She loves you bigtime.
160 Comments on “Year Five.”
You and your blog make me happy everyday. Thank you. <3
ᴍʏ ʀᴏᴏᴍᴀᴛᴇ’s ᴍᴏᴍ ᴍᴀᴋᴇs $76 ᴇᴠᴇʀʏ ʜᴏᴜʀ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɪɴᴛᴇʀɴᴇᴛ . Sʜᴇ ʜᴀs ʙᴇᴇɴ ʟᴀɪᴅ ᴏғғ ғᴏʀ ғɪᴠᴇ ᴍᴏɴᴛʜs ʙᴜᴛ ʟᴀsᴛ ᴍᴏɴᴛʜ ʜᴇʀ ᴄʜᴇᴄᴋ ᴡᴀs $21457 ᴊᴜsᴛ ᴡᴏʀᴋɪɴɢ ᴏɴ ᴛʜᴇ ɪɴᴛᴇʀɴᴇᴛ ғᴏʀ ᴀ ғᴇᴡ ʜᴏᴜʀs.
Lᴇᴀʀɴ Mᴏʀᴇ Hᴇʀᴇ…………………………> ᵂᵂᵂ.ᵂᴼᴿᴷ-ᵂᴵᴷᴵ.ᶜᴼᴹ
Congrats on making it 5 years!
I’ve been reading your blog for a couple years now and it never fails to impress. Keep going at it, you’re doing great!
Congratulations on 5 years of keeping it going! My stomach is very icky you rediscovered your passion and stuck with it! :)
“Lucky” autocorrected to “icky”!! That is NOT what I was going for….I’m blaming the fact that it’s not 6AM yet.. I love your stuff <3
Well lucky me. I just found your blog and I’m glad you stuck around so I can get to know you too. I may have to go find that phallic sorbet. Too funny
See? I’m enjoying this already. Thanks
Congratulations on your 5 year anniversary. I, for one, am glad you found your creative energy. I’ve been reading for probably 2 years now, and I love to see my email from you. It’s the first (or maybe second) thing I read the morning it arrives. More preggo stuff would be good too. I love to hear you talk about how it’s going…………..congrats again!!
Even though I only discovered your blog a year or two ago, it is a constant go-to and source of inspiration.. Congrats on 5 years!
PS – I have a list of about 127 recipes from your book on my “to-do” list.
So glad you made this decision 5 years ago. Happy anniversary!
Congratulations! I have been reading your blog from the beginning, and I will continue! Celebrate big time!
Congratulations! Five years is an incredible milestone and you’ve got so much to show for all the hard work and effort you’ve put into How Sweet It Is!
Congratulations on your 5 year anniversary! I have recently discovered your blog and love it! I just love your writing style and recipes. By the way, I made the grilled cheese with fried zucchini this past weekend. Sooo good! Thanks for making me smile!
Congratulations on 5 years!!! More so thanks for being an inspiration to all of the blogger out there like me! You are proof that one day I can do this for a living! You are so raw, so real and so authentic that I cannot get enough! XOXO!
You are the bestest girl!!! Love you!
Love this! I’ve been following your blog for years, and your recipes, humor, and zest for life never cease to entertain me. :) Congrats on all of your accomplishments! So well deserved!
The truth is, we love her.
She’s pretty stinking amazing.
Congratulations!!
You’re so cute. Congrats on doing what you’re passionate about and making it work for 5 years! I’m glad you embarked on your journey — I love your food love. (And I really love your cookbook, too — I’ve been working my way through it, and you probably would be surprised to know that your hummus toasts have been the biggest hit with the whole family!)
yay! congratulations :D
xo, cheyenne
Wait, there’s phallic sorbet?!
Also, yours is one of a very small handful of blogs that I have become devoted to and stuck with over the years. I truly enjoy your writing, on both the food and personal stuff. It’s like getting caught up in a good book. Thanks for all your hard work, honesty and bravery.
Also also, high five on your new book! I have an order in and can’t wait to see it.
You are amazing!!! My favorite food blog :)))
I just recently found your blog and I am literally in.love. Thank you for making the most awesome cheesy goodnessy everything. I made your butternut squash baked penne, to say it was a hit in my house is an understatement as I’m pretty sure we devoured it in one sitting. awesome. But really when something is that good, why not just finish it ALL?! Now I’m recipe “stalking” to see what to make next! THANKS!!!
Happy birthday to you and your phallic sorbet!!! What an amazing celebration.
http://www.ohheyblog.com
Reading this post has given me hope that I might eventually figure out what I want to do with my life, even in my mid-40’s. Congrats on everything!
Happy Anniversary! Thank-you for creating your delicious blog and sharing it with the world!
What attracted me to your blog in the first place several years ago? The sense of humor in your writing and our common love of sprinkling those sprinkles! Wishing you continued success.
I love you and your blog. Congrats on 5 years!
Thanks for being so awesome!
You’re dope. And I can’t wait to give you a hug in person! :D
Congratulations!!! Everytime I read your blog, I chuckle out loud to myself. It is really fun to read your blog posts and also trying out, LOVING and talking about your recipes. It brings a smile to my face everytime I am on your blog- really wanted to make the NYC book signing, but couldn’t make it. Planning to buy your cookbook soon! Cheers to you!
Congrats on your 5th year anniversary. Not sure how long ago I joined your loyal readers, but I do know its been several years now and have enjoyed all of it. So glad you found your true calling. Looking forward to the next milestone anniversary
Thank you so much for you entertaining blogs, your delish food and your beautiful pics. Can’t wait to see you in Philly! Congratulations on 5 years! Quite and accomplishment!
Congratulations on such an important milestone! You’re an amazing blogger and a true inspiration.
I’ve been following your blog for a couple years now and have loved every second of it. One of my closest friends sent me this post before I had a chance to see it on my own and I’m so glad she did – I started blogging about 6 or so months ago and am eerily familiar with about 99% of what you wrote in this one. Congratulations on 5 years and thanks for sprinkling my life with inspiration and a dash of hope. Can’t wait until I settle down from my travels and have use for that book of yours. :]
xo,
Paola
Awww I love you and your blog. I have been reading since summer 2010!!! I found your chocolate cobbler and well- the rest is history (and I have made it about eleventy billion times!)
Your unbridled enthusiasm is so refreshing and such an inspiration! Even more than providing excellent recipes that make my stomach happy you make me smile every post (to date only my dogs have been able to rival that!) Thank you!
Congratulations on all of your success and thank you for making How Sweet It Is a really fun and uplifting place to be!
Awww, congratulations, Jess! I feel like we’re buddies..
Due mainly to you and a few others, I started a blog. In a slightly different niche, but thank you, nonetheless for your perseverance. You’re truly an inspiration!
Philly
http://togetherinitaly.com
http://togetherinitaly.com/about-our-family/
Phallic sorbet? Do tell!!
You are a very talented writer. Not only do you share creative and interesting recipes, but you make me smile and laugh in the process of reading your blog. In a world filled with lots of evil and bad things that happen to good people, it is nice to read something lighthearted, fun and entertaining. Please keep up the great work. And congratulations on your little boo to come!
I discovered your blog maybe two years ago. Wrote to you faithfully ever since. You are our, morning sunshine dear Jessica.
Keep posting. And make us smile with your crazy ways of explaining things and situations.
We love you, Eddie, the dog, and the little one to come too!
I just wanted to come say Thank You. This post touched me so deeply, you have no idea. I have been feeling so lost as a writer, so stopped up, so self conscious. This meant the world to me and now I am tearing up like a little girl (which inside, maybe we all still are, lol). Anyway, you have truly inspired me. And I am so grateful for that. I will keep reading, and congrats on such a prolific and momentous event :D
Congratulations on FIVE years love!! And congratulations on your book!! It looks DIVINE!! Can’t wait to get my hands on one!
You and your food- your words- ALL make me super happy. Look forward to reading everyday! and now with what the future holds- SO excited for you. Continue doing what you love- it loves you too!
This blog rules!
You, your words, your recipes and picks and especially your trashed up sprinkles, none of us would have ever known the beauty that is you if you hadn’t been bored as hell at work and taken the leap. Congrats on 5 years, and thank you for ALL of your inspiration!
Congratulations. Thank you for sharing about yourself. It was tender, funny and quite vulnerable. Hugs on your success.
Very cool. Congrats! As a new blogger approaching the one year mark, I hope to be where you are one day. I really do hope I am still blogging and enjoying it 4 years from now. Thank you for inspiring others!
Time flies!! Thanks for a being a great part of my online journey. It’s a strange world where we put so much of ourselves out there for (hopefully) hundreds of people to view and critique. We make mistakes, we win, we cry but hopefully we are always authentic.
Well done on fiver amazing years and such a wonderful story. Here’s to many more for you, me and everyone else who is strong enough to put ourselves out there. I am still trying to find my passion and I know my journey is going to be a long one. But as a silent part of your journey, know that you are part of many others’ journey too.
hugs
Emily
What a beautifully written post. <3 your blog and all your amazing recipes…and your book…just got it and it's fantastic!
Well thank God you did what you did because you are GREAT at it! You’re amazingly talented and I’m so glad you share all that with us! You’re my fave :)
I’ve been coming to this site for years. Truth be told, you’re one of the reasons I thought blogging was possible (I even spoke with you about it, about two years ago, looking for advice!) and I’m happy to say my little dog and pony show (er.. almost literally) of a blog is doing great. Thanks for being an inspiration, and best of luck in the future!
Love your blog. Congratulations on 5 years. Good on you for following your heart!!