What a year it has been. We welcomed two grandchildren—our first and second grandbabies—Forrest and Lila, and while we celebrated those joyful moments, we also experienced heartbreak when we lost our beloved pup Jack. Alongside that loss came the happiness of adopting a new dog, Finnegan, and many small ways we continued to make this house feel like home.
Reflecting on 2024 fills me with gratitude: for family, for this home, and for the many memories made during the year and in the three years we’ve lived here.
The loss of Jack remains tender; we miss him deeply. Even in sorrow, we can be thankful he didn’t suffer long and that we shared so many wonderful times together. He was loved by our family and by many friends online, and he will always be remembered with a smile.
Two new babies in one year brought immense joy to our whole family. My mom was especially thrilled to meet her great-grandchildren—this was their first Christmas and the memories we made in our home are truly priceless.
If you missed our Christmas house tour or the video tour, those are available on the blog.
With two babies and a new pup, we appreciated the renovation we completed last year more than ever. Over the holidays we hosted four dogs, nine adults, and two babies—our main floor arrangement made it possible for everyone to be comfortable. It’s still not a huge house, but the renovation improved flow and function. We also have the Tiny Cottage for my parents, which has been a lovely addition.
We didn’t begin any major projects in 2024 since the renovation only just finished the year before. Instead, this year was about settling in and finding what works for daily life—an ongoing process that will likely continue for a while.
Last year we worked on the backyard garden, but we lost quite a few plants and didn’t make as much visible progress as we hoped. The backyard required updates related to the renovation, and while some decks and walkways were installed, many plants didn’t survive. The photo above shows the in-progress stage before everything was in place. I plan to share more garden updates and projects in the new year.
We’ll be planting again in spring and have plans for the front yard as well. We’re not gardening experts, but we’re determined to learn how to keep our plants thriving.
Inside the house, I spent time thinking about furniture placement and room arrangement. After Christmas we did some impromptu furniture shuffling between the Tiny Cottage and the main living room. I’m excited to share plans and changes to furniture arrangements in the coming months.
When we moved in, we pared down much of what we owned so the house wouldn’t feel overwhelmed—many pieces went to our kids. I prefer to use what we already have when possible, keeping items that work while taking time to decide on longer-term pieces.
We completed a few small projects and some organizing this year. I’ve been sharing behind-the-scenes organizing updates in our community, and it’s been rewarding to focus on smaller improvements. I plan to continue organizing throughout 2025 and to implement many of the ideas I’ve been collecting for daily living and family-friendly functionality.
This feels like our forever home for now, and we’re enjoying the ongoing process of making it our own—making spaces cozier, more welcoming, and more functional. I believe in decorating a home with what you have, gathering pieces you love over time, and allowing your home to evolve so it never feels stuck.
I’ll share a step-by-step decorating method for working with what you already own and making gradual improvements in the new year.
One furnishing win this year was finding a lovely bed on Facebook Marketplace. Scoring a dream piece secondhand feels like a small victory, and I shared the full story on the blog. We also added a new rug to a bedroom, which refreshed the space and led to ideas for a few more updates I’d like to make.
The Snug feels more settled now, using existing furniture supplemented by a few new lamps, a rug, and an end table. It’s where my husband and I spend many evenings watching TV, so having it feel cozy and functional matters. I have big dreams for this room, but for now we’re happy with how it feels.
Even though our home doesn’t have a lot of extra rooms, I’m full of ideas for both interior and exterior projects. Progress and small changes are part of the fun; I don’t expect to finish everything, and that’s okay.
Thank you for your support in 2024. Here’s to a joyful and creative 2025!