RECIPE OF THE YEAR 

I have loved using this sourdough pizza recipe often. If you already have a starter, it’s fairly simple and hands-off as long as you think of it ahead of time. It makes a shareable amount, especially if you double. Our favorite is sort of a “meat lovers” with red sauce, sausage, bacon, chicken, pepperoni and fresh basil leaves. 

BOOK OF THE YEAR 

Becoming Elisabeth Elliot gave my husband and I lots to talk about and set me on a trajectory to read more about and by Elisabeth. I boiled down my most impactful takeaway from the book in “For whom did you carry the rock?”  

THRIFT OF THE YEAR 

If I wrote and showed you everything I thrifted this year, I’d have to make this a full-time thrifting blog. But I think my two favorites were a lamp, lampshade, and this dress (which conveniently hides coffee stains).  

FREE THING OF THE YEAR

A giant fiddle leaf fig. It seems to feel at home with us, though I heard a large leaf flutter to the floor today. Send non-fiddley energy and plant advice my way. It was so tall Luke had to play Mr. Willowby and trim off the top.

TEA PARTY OF THE YEAR 

Well, there’s two tea parties of the year. One was the annual mother’s day tea with scones, pear/goat cheese sandwiches and lemon curd on our wood table in the back patio. Second, was when our sister in law could join us, which made the sister set complete!  

VIEW OF THE YEAR 

The cabin always takes the cake, but in order to not be redundant I’ll choose the one where we could see the cutout of Seattle and Mount Rainier in one scan. Washington, you are beautiful and rural and oceany, and mountain meadowy. Also, a shoutout to Kansas, you never disappoint with your predictable horizons and shimmering sunsets. I’ll let you guess which is where.

SONG OF THE YEAR

As someone blessed to be surrounded by THREE brown-eyed loves in my family, this song feels like mine.

“I didn’t know you’d have brown eyes
Like to pray to Jesus, spendin’ Friday nights at home
Didn’t know you’d be the strong kind
Deeper than a coal mine lovin’ with a heart of gold

And you’re everything that I’m not, everything that I want
There’s a God, and baby you’re proof
In those brown eyes, I know that I got to find
A better me for you.”

—A Better Me for You, Max McNown

VERSE OF THE YEAR

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them.” Now imagine that in the voice of a 3 year old on repeat, eager to recite it at Cubbies. I’m sure this verse will always endear me, and I happen to be studying its full context, John 10, right now. How awesome that we have a Shepherd who knows us, who protects His sheep, offering abundant life in a green pasture. His sheep can weed out the stranger’s voice because of their intimacy with Him. 

“When he puts forth all his own, he goes ahead of them, and the sheep follow him because they know his voice. A stranger they simply will not follow, but will flee from him, because they do not know the voice of strangers.” John 10:4-5