2023 was a year of major life transitions for myself and my family. In 2022, after years of discussions between me and Danny, we finally took some steps to actually make a possible move a reality. We made spreadsheets, narrowed down our list to a few different cities, and took trips to places we thought would be a good fit for us. At the end of the 2022, we both agreed that a move to Seattle was the right next step for our family.
And so began a very stressful year of preparing to move and then moving our family and our entire lives halfway across the country to a new city where we knew almost no one. Moving is not for the faint of heart!
We spent every spare moment the first five months of 2023 organizing, packing, repairing, and purging in order to sell our home of four years. Every minute of everyday was filled with some task and every weekend included a long to do list. Danny was (and still is) going through health issues that limited his ability to help so many of the unfamiliar handy work type tasks fell to me. It was exhausting.
But we did eventually get our house sold (with 17 offers!) packed up everything we own in a glorified box and had it shipped across the country along with our car (we sold our second car to lower expenses.) We said teary goodbyes to family and friends.
And so we arrived in Seattle to sunshine and perfect humidity-free 70 degree weather, unpacked all our belongings into our rental house, and attempted to settle into a new routine in a new place.
Summer felt like one long vacation as we explored Seattle. We took ferries everywhere. We saw unbelievably beautiful places as we took three camping trips to Olympic National Park, Mt. Rainer, and the San Juan Islands. I met some new friends (through Instagram!) We had many summer picnics at the park, visited the zoo, the aquarium, the Seattle Art Museum, and Pike Place Market. We went to the beach almost every weekend. It was a long summer, (Seattle schools release the end of June and start after Labor Day) and we tried to fit in as many fun activities as we could while also simply hanging around home and getting to know our new neighborhood.
Fall saw the start of school and routines. My youngest started kindergarten, and I said goodbye to my role as a stay-at-home mom to fully invest my time and energy into this blog. We entered the holiday season, trick or treated in our new neighborhood, celebrated Thanksgiving with new friends, and made new Christmas traditions here in Seattle. I volunteered my time in my kid’s school more than I ever have in hopes of making them feel more comfortable in an unfamiliar place. We received our first visitors and enjoyed showing them around Seattle.
And as happy as we are to explore and find our way in a new place, I am still sitting with the guilt of leaving our entire family back home. It’s been hard when your happiness is tampered by ongoing feelings of doubt. But even still, based off my feelings as of this moment, seven months into our move, I would say we will not be moving back to Kansas City. If anything this move has unlocked the need for change within me. I am the type of person who loves routine, but at the same time, I crave new experiences. Who knows where we will end up as the years continue, but I’m excited for movement, for exploration, and for growth.
That’s not to say that this move has been easy. There were many times where I questioned our decision and craved the familiarity and comfort of home. Life isn’t black and white.
In my business, my blog has grown exponentially in the last year. I’m so proud of where I’ve come in the last three years of Stitch & Salt. I started this blog as a hobby when my kids started preschool, honestly thinking that I would work on it in my spare time for a couple years then likely put it away when both kids were in full time school. But now, here we are.
This year, I had partnerships with so many exciting brands including Madewell, Frēda Salvador, Sézane, ABLE, Nisolo, Sheena Marshall Jewelry, Sela Designs, and Darling. My affiliate revenue and blog traffic grew. I started a newsletter and gained a subscriber list. I am now able to bring a viable income in through my blog. Multiple times, I’ve looked at Danny and said, ‘I love my job.’ I used to dread Sundays, knowing that a full week of work was ahead of me, but now I LOVE Mondays. I get excited to write blog posts, edit photos, and share my finds with you all. It’s not all easy (I have no idea what I’m doing half the time!) but for the most part, it’s been so fulfilling. It’s brought out the ambitious side of me that laid dormant while I was a stay-at-home mom.
The most popular published posts on Stitch & Salt this year were:
Fall Capsule Wardrobe 2023
Winter Capsule Wardrobe for 2023
Parisian Spring Capsule Wardrobe
Casual Chic Spring Capsule Wardrobe
Fall Capsule Wardrobe 2023 Outfit Ideas
Sézane Gaspard Jumper Review
Fall Capsule Wardrobe Week One Outfits
Sézane Betty Cardigan Review + Outfit Ideas
Everlane Fall Haul
As we head into the new year, I have BIG goals. Now that we are settled here in Seattle, I’m fully ready to buckle down in 2024. I’m ready for consistency, for growth, for getting uncomfortable, for putting myself out there. I’m so excited for it!
So with that said, thank you for being a small part of my journey. Thank you for reading this blog, for liking my posts, for shopping through my links. I know your time is so valuable so when you take the time to do these things, hopefully because you find what I share helpful, it honestly means so much to me.
So cheers to a new year, to embracing the unfamiliar and finding joy in the journey. All my love to you and yours!
7 comments
Glad you had such a good year. I feel happy for you!
Thank you, Whitney!
I’m a newbie to your blog and have enjoyed reading your posts. Just wanted to say keep up the good work mama! It takes time getting used to living in a new city but you’ll get there. Wishing you & yours all the best in the new year.
Hi Liz! Thank you. This year has been a big change, but I know we are in the right place for us. All the best to you, too. 🙂
I am new here and just came across your blog. I am loving it! You have such great style and going in the direction I am wanting to head. In fact, I live in Oklahoma and moving to Vancouver Washington in about 5 yrs if all goes well. Moving to be closer to our only son that lives in Portland Oregon. I am excited and scared at the same time. But, you have inspired me to look at the big picture and what life has to offer . Thank you for putting into words how I feel. 🥰
Hi Karen! Thank you for the kind words! Moving is hard, but it’s so worth it. I hope you make it out to the PNW; you’ll love it here. 🙂
There’s something so freeing in untethering from a place, and there’s nothing quite like those first few months of bobbing about, a little lost at sea. It’s a beautiful time of personal exploration!
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