I’m rounding up a Best of 2025 – top favorite posts from the year, my unofficial uniform (because you know I love a good repeat outfit and when I find something I like I buy that same thing in all colors), and a few media favorites that made the year even better. It’s part reflection, part greatest hits, and very much a love letter to 2025. I’ll be taking a short break over the holidays, but before I go -thank you for being here all year long. Truly.
Blog Stats – I thought it was a slower year because I took some natural breaks (like when we went to Seattle as a family or during the summer, but still, look at these stats!)
- 36 New recipe posts
- 44 Love Lists
- 12 Book recap posts
- 10 Blog posts (like 14 years blogging, green family room, what to cook for a new mom)
- 3 Family meal plan diaries
- 1 Catching Up With The Kelnhofers
Favorite things:
- 5 Minute Journal – I use this every morning!
- YSL loveshine lip oil stick – this stuff is (yes, a little pricey) but is so incredible, it hydrates your lips and doesn’t make your lips peel! I use shade 214 wet guava and I got another red shade…both are amazing!
- I just cannot say enough about this purse. It’s everything I’ve ever wanted and needed in a purse. It has a zip on the top (which is a must if you have kids lol) and is big enough for snacks without being too bulky, and is crossbody.
- This Canon SELPHY printer – it’s incredible, it prints 4×6 photos from your phone! It’s been so great for school projects and also for me to print photos after our vacations and put them in an album, very low stress and easy.
- This snack plate is perfect for after school snacks and when guests are over!
- My kindle paperwhite – why I waited until this year to get one is beyond me. It’s incredible. So lightweight! And it came with 3 months Kindle Unlimited, so I’ve been reading books left and right. It’s small and fits nicely into my purse.
- My scent on repeat – got this set because they have the little travel one so I can have it on the go! And a new to me perfume that also has a mini size: Glossier perfume.
- I wear these pants every day with a fun reading sweatshirt. My faves: reading is my favorite sport, and bookworm
Favorite recipes from 2025 (I wish I could just link them all because omg there were so many good ones!):
- Fluffy pancakes – we make these every weekend, we make a double batch and then freeze for the week ahead.
- The kids loooove these Serbian crepes, we fill them with jam or nutella, Nicks grandmas recipe!
- I had this chickpea salad for lunch more times than I can count!
- These salmon bites with avocado cucumber salsa were a surprising one – the whole family loved this meal!
- This wedge salad with blue cheese dressing – wow – a salad I’m obsessed with and actually eat!
- Lasagna made with cottage cheese – this is an easy delicious recipe, what I make when we have friends coming over!
- Marry me meatballs – such a simple delicious dinner, can be served over mashed potatoes, noodles or rice!
- This sheet pan meal is super good, the cilantro sauce is where it’s at!
- 5 ingredient bbq cheddar apple sliders – this recipe is in my cookbook and my kids have started requesting it on the regular!
Favorite books:
- These Summer Storms
- Broken Country
- The One
- We All Live Here
- Every Summer After, One Golden Summer
- Wild Side
- Listen for the Lie
- Summer In The City
- The Road to Tender Hearts
- Till Summer Do Us Part
- Blue Sisters
- Savor It
- Home the American Circus
- Book Lover
- The Return of Elle Black
- The Night We Lost Him
I’d love to hear in the comments: what were your favorites of 2025? See you in 2026!!
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