What a year it has been. We celebrated the joy of becoming grandparents twice, welcoming Forrest and Lila into our family, and we also experienced the sorrow of losing our beloved pup Jack. Amid the heartache, we found comfort in the memories and in welcoming a new dog, Finnegan, into our home. These moments — both joyful and tender — have shaped our year and filled this house with new stories.
Reflecting on 2024 brings a deep sense of gratitude: for family, for this home, and for the many moments we’ve shared over the past year and during the three years we’ve lived here. The loss of Jack remains a soft place in our hearts, but we are thankful he didn’t suffer long and for the countless happy memories he gave us. He was treasured by our family and by friends online, and his memory always brings a smile.
Welcoming two babies in one year brought enormous joy to our family, including my parents — there’s my mom with her two great-grandbabies. Their first Christmas at our house produced priceless memories that we’ll treasure forever.
If you missed our Christmas house tour and video, check those posts to see the holiday decorations and how the house looked for the season.
With two new babies and a new pup, the renovation we completed last year proved its worth. At Christmas we hosted nine adults, two babies, and four dogs — and it still felt manageable. The main-floor improvements made the layout function much better for people and pets, and we’re grateful for the extra space the Tiny Cottage provides for my parents.
We didn’t tackle any major new remodeling projects this year; after wrapping up the renovation, 2024 was about settling in and living with the changes. That process will likely continue for a while, and that’s perfectly fine.
Our backyard garden work continued to be a challenge. Several plants didn’t survive, and much of the yard needed updating after the renovation. We made progress on decks and walkways, but the planting phase didn’t go as planned. The photo above shows the yard mid-project — a messy but necessary stage — and I plan to share more garden updates in the coming year.
We’ll try again this spring with new plantings and also tackle the front yard. We’re no gardening experts, and this season has been humbling, but we’re planning to learn and improve so the outdoor spaces flourish.
Inside the house, I’ve been thinking more about furniture and better room arrangements for the year ahead. After Christmas we did a bit of furniture swapping between the Tiny Cottage and the main living room. I’m excited to show those changes and share plans for new arrangements and styling in the coming months.
When we moved in, we gave away a lot of pieces so the house wouldn’t feel cluttered; most of that furniture went to our kids. I prefer to use what we already own when possible, keeping pieces that fit and giving ourselves time to decide on longer-term choices. That gradual approach helps the home evolve without feeling rushed.
We completed several small projects and lots of organizing this year. Some of those updates haven’t appeared on the blog yet, though I’ve shared progress in HomeBody Gathering Place. Focusing on smaller improvements has been enjoyable, and I plan to continue organizing and refining the house throughout 2025.
I have many ideas to make the house function even better day-to-day, especially when it comes to storage and organization. Since this is our plan for a forever home — at least for now — we’re content to enjoy the ongoing process of making it ours. It’s rewarding to make spaces cozier, more welcoming, and more practical over time.
I’m a firm believer in decorating with what you have and collecting pieces you love gradually so a home always feels personal. When your home evolves with you, it never feels stuck or dated. I’ll be sharing my step-by-step decorating method for making the most of what you already own and improving rooms over time in HomeBody Gathering Place next year.
One furnishing highlight this summer was finding a new-to-us bed on Facebook Marketplace that I absolutely adore. Scoring a dream piece secondhand always feels like a win, and I shared that story on the blog. We also added a new rug that I love and made a few other small updates in the bedroom; more refinements will continue into the new year.
The Snug is feeling more settled now, using furniture we already had along with some new lamps, a rug, and an end table. My husband and I spend many evenings there watching TV, so it’s nice for the room to be cozy, functional, and comfortable. I have bigger plans for the space, but for now it serves us well.
Although our house is modest in size, there are always more projects and ideas to explore both inside and out. I don’t expect to run out of things to do — and I wouldn’t want to. Progress, not perfection, is part of the joy of making a home.
Thank you for your support throughout 2024 — here’s to a hopeful and creative 2025!