Year Eight. (& a Giveaway!) {CLOSED}
{Thank you all so much for entering the giveaway! The winner is commenter Beth Cook who said “I think the most memorable moment was my father moving into an assisted living home with hospice services. You just think your parents will be around for a long time to enjoy their retirement years and their grandchildren. It’s hard on my mom going back and forth despite him not really knowing when she’s been there or the last time she came. It’s hard emotionally and financially. This is NOT what they wanted to spend their retirement money on. My guilt is living three hours away. Close enough to visit, but far enough away to have to balance family life/plans.” Congrats Beth!}
This week marks my eighth year of blogging.
Which is totally insane. EIGHT YEARS?!
That’s almost ten years. Ten years is a decade. I still feel like I’m 17 so how on earth this has happened… I have no idea.
I wish that I had the words to tell you just how much I appreciate you being here and visiting the site. I know what it is like to read the same blog for eight years. You are only reading one voice. It gets repetitive and sometimes boring and it is a lot of the same thing, because it’s written by one person. I’ve come and gone and come back and re-fell in love with many of my favorite bloggers over the years. I can’t really offer you anything other than myself (okay and maybe a plethora of trashed up recipes) who might occasionally change or stay the same or repeat herself or still think that she’s 17 years old inside.
So it means the WORLD to me that you have stuck around, read these rambles, been so kind and wonderful and shared your own thoughts in our little community here. Means seriously everything to me. I actually think of you all as friends, my invisible but real BFFs.
I hope you can see that I (still!) do this because I 100% OMGloveitsomuch and even though it became my job a really long time ago, I do it as authentically as I can and because I love it and so I can share things with you in this wacky internet world.
To celebrate these eight years and frankly, to celebrate YOU who has given me the chance to do this for so long, I’m giving away a $1000 amazon gift card to one lucky reader. This giveaway is not sponsored and given by me to show my appreciation for you. Giveaway is open to everyone and anyone!
To ENTER:
- Leave a comment on this post telling me a memorable moment you’ve had so far in 2017.
- For an extra entry, I would love if you’d preorder a copy of The Pretty Dish and leave a second comment saying you did so. You can preorder the book on amazon, barnes and noble, indiebound or books a million! I cannot thank you guys enough for giving me the chance to write another book. If you’ve already preordered, THANK YOU SO MUCH and be sure to leave a comment telling me you did so. If you decide to preorder, this is just the first of many exciting things we’re giving away!
And who knows, maybe if the internet is around, I’ll be here in another eight years! xoxoxo
2,292 Comments on “Year Eight. (& a Giveaway!) {CLOSED}”
my most memorable moment was ziplining in Alaska! (in the pouring rain!) it was beautiful and terrifying. I definitely ran into a tree on the first zipline. thankfully, they’d padded the tree. so, i guess i wasn’t the first to do this:)
I absolutely love your blog and have made so many of your recipes! they are always fantastic!
Congrats on 8 years! My most memorable experience this year was probably getting to travel to Eastern Europe – I just got back a couple of days ago from a trip to Prague, Vienna and Budapest!
Thank you for such a wonderful place to come and enjoy good food and fun conversation! Our trip home to visit family this summer has been the best part of 2017, but I’m hoping we’ve got more excitement to come. :)
Having my little boy!
My favorite memory so far off 2017 was going to the beach for vacation with my family!
My most memorable moment of 2017 was visiting St. John earlier this year. It’s a special place for my husband and I (we got engaged there), and little did we know it was going to be absolutely destroyed by Irma; which may keep us from visiting for years while they regroup and rebuild. It was a special trip to such a happy little place.
i feel like i’ve been blessed so much this year with memorable moments! – starting my amazing new job, starry evening nights on a summer camping trips, wonderful family/friend visits. the list goes on :)
CONGRATS TO YOU!! Here’s to another 8 years!
Love the blog! So nice of you to have a giveaway! My most memorable and best moment of 2017 was the birth of my second child in June.
I’ve loved your blog for years. It’s one that I visit everyday. I’ve recently gone back and reread a number of your pregnancy posts because my biggest moment of 2017 is finding out that we are pregnant with our first little boy!!
8 years? Wooo congrats! So many more amazing years to come ;)
Most memorable moment? Hmm, I turned 21 and now started my senior year of college :O
hurray!!!! have been reading for almost as long! Keep it up girl, you’re killing it :) great moment from 2017 – buying a new house
Spending the summer in Israel is my favorite memory! Love your blog!
Highlight of 2017 was marrying my best friend!
The birth of my beautiful second child was a wonderful memory from 2017.
Thanks for giving us great recipes, witty remarks, and for keeping it real. And thanks for such a generous give away!!
Jessica, as a professionally trained chef (I’m working towards taking a test to become a Certified Research Chef) your blog is the only blog I follow religiously. And I’m talking the only blog I’ve followed religiously, EVER! I discovered you about 5 years ago and I’m so happy I did. I know how it is to think, talk and eat food alllllllll day and sometimes you get stuck in a rut. Your blog and cookbooks have given me inspiration for my own recipes and ideas at times when I was in a total funk. You really do feel like a friend!
2017 has been filled with challenges, triumphs and lots of fun, so far. One exciting thing about this year so far is that I found out I am going to be an Auntie for the first time! Keep on writing, we love you!
I have pre-ordered your book and hope you come to Boston or NH for a book signing again! I was living in PHX at the time and missed out! XO
My most memorable moment this year was giving birth to my baby girl in March. Congratulations on eight years! XO
Congrats on 8 years!! A few weeks ago my oldest started middle school and my youngest started kindergarten, and that was a big day for us. =:-O
Your blog is great! So glad my sister recommended it. I have too many favourite moments from this year to choose just one… but a great one was running my first Tough Mudder with my boyfriend :)
Hi Jessica! Love your blog :)
My favorite memory so far is becoming pregnant with our first babe!
i graduated and became a doctor this year!
Getting engaged!
i’ve been a huge fan/follower for yearsss. i plan on ordering your book later today!
At 57 years old I took an 8 class course online to receive a certificate in Library Science!
I just want to say that I LOVE your blog! Every single recipe I’ve made from here has turned out wonderful. Congrats on 8 years!!
My favorite memory so far is getting engaged to my best friend in July, in Colorado, on a mountain :)
My son was born in June!
my most memorable moment of 2017 was when my husband was declared cancer-free. it has been a tough few years for us, but we all survived! thanks for giving me such a beautiful and lighthearted blog to read!! it has brightened many of my mornings which were otherwise pretty gloomy!
My memorable moment of 2017 so far has been experiencing a tropical storm. In Georgia! We are on day 2 of no school due to the power outages and trees down everywhere.
I preordered your book from Amazon the day you posted about it!!
I would say the most memorable moment if this year was our family’s 3-week road trip to Washington State to visit the last of the national parks in the lower 48 (for my husband and me).
Happy blog birthday! My most memorable 2017 moment was buying what we hope will be our forever home with my husband. To make it more exciting, we closed on our house only 4 days after I had my third major hip surgery! Gotta keep things exciting.
Congrats 🍾 on 8 years!! I’ve been along for many of those years and love reading all your posts! My most memorable 2017 memory is graduating with my second master’s degree in Eduction Leadership! It was a long road but so happy it’s done! Best wishes on many more years!
Most memorable part of 2017 so far has been moving in with my boyfriend and getting a second person to try to recipes on!
I got to swim in the Pacific Ocean for the first time!
Best memory: getting pregnant with my first baby!! LOVE your blog, it’s my very favorite!! xoxox
My favorite memory(ies) so far in 2017 has been all the amazing vacations I’ve been fortunate enough to experience! I’ve traveled to Patagonia, Peru, NYC, Charleston, Monterey, Vail…and more to come!
Your blog is one of my absolute favorites so you better believe I preordered your book the first day you posted about it!
I think celebrating with my little brother, his partner and my mum with fancy cocktails on the 32nd floor of the Shard after he got engaged will rank pretty highly on 2017’s top moments :)
My most memorable moment of 2017 so far has been the short vacation to Greenlake, WI with my husband and our 2 year old. It’s the 1st trip we’ve taken as a family and it was one of my favorite trips ever! The perfect amount of relaxing and play!
In 2017 (last week actually), I finally became a Midwife! Excited for the big changes to come!
Your double fudge Oreo crunch cookies brought me to your blog back in 2011 and when I made them I immediately went back and red every single one of your posts and have been a daily reader since. I love your blog, recipes and getting to read about your daily life. My favorites were reading about Mother Lovett and when you and Eddie first got married. Such funny and touching stories! I hope you continue to post for a long time because I would definitely miss you and my first food blog experience!
Oh I forgot to mention I havent done anything memorable this year which is why I just chose to talk about your blog!
Pre-ordered The Pretty Dish! So excited!
Congrats on 8 years!!
I traveled to Hong Kong and Chiang Mai in February this year, which was my first foray into Asia. I absolutely loved both places (especially the FOOD) so I have to say those collective 10 days have been my favorite “moment” from this year, at least thus far.
Having my new baby girl.
Happy 8 Year Blogging Anniversary!!! My favorite and most memorable moment this year has been learning that my husband and I our pregnant with a baby girl!! We lost our daughter when she was an infant and went on to have two boys, so finally knowing that I will have a girl is a dream come true!
Most memorable moment(s): seeing my brother after rehab and as he is a recovering alcoholic now – hearing how much better he feels. It is an overwhelming feeling to see him physically changed and I am so proud that he had the courage to do so!
My most memorable moment so far of this year would be visiting Napa Valley with my husband!
I recently won a free loaf of bread for a year (!) from the bread outlet store I shop at. Memorable because, as both my sons said, “We never win anything!”
I definitely pre-ordered Pretty Dish!
My favorite flip out she actually is my internet friend moment was your laughing emojis on my instagram post when I made a Swiss chard dish of yours and clearly did not use the right size pan. I squealed when I got the notification. You rock! So happy to have found your slice of the Internet!!