• Skip to main content
  • Skip to header left navigation
  • Skip to header right navigation
  • Skip to site footer
  • Shop
  • Get The Email
  • Work With Me
  • About
  • Search

  • DIY
    • DIY Home Decor
    • With Power Tools
    • Renovation
    • For Kids
    • For Parties
    • Wearable
    • Organization
    • Cricut Crafts
  • Home Decor
    • Room Reveals
    • Kid Friendly
    • DIY Home Decor
    • Renovation
  • Lettering
    • Hand Lettered Printables
    • Free Practice Sheets
    • Handlettered DIY
    • Free Brush Lettering Quickstart Guide
Lemon Thistle

Lemon Thistle

Rad DIY, Lettering and Design for Real People

  • Printables
    • For Cricut
    • Party Printables
    • Home Decor Printables
    • Bachelor Bingo
    • Handlettering Practice Sheets
    • All Free Printables
  • Entertain
    • Party Printables
    • Party DIY
    • Tablescapes
    • Kids Parties
  • Blog

2014 Year In Pictures (And a Giveaway!)

Jan 16

So I know that 2014 is gone… and that January almost is too. But I wanted to sneak this post in before it’s absurdly late. Last year I did a year in review post using my Instagram photos and I love looking back at it to remember the year. I use Instagram daily, so it’s a great way to reflect on how our year was spent (psst… are you following me yet?)!

This year I wanted to do the same thing, but had such a hard time choosing so few photos. So I chose more photos and made them smaller… because I’m a good negotiator with myself. I know a lot of you are new to Lemon Thistle- so I’d love if you got to know me a little bit better!

Before I do that… it’s time for another giveaway! I’ve never had this many giveaways going on at one time- but I’m so thankful for you guys and want you to know it! So here’s to free stuff! Today’s giveaway is from the Pretty Providence Contributor Team for a $100 Visa Gift Card (who couldn’t use that?). If you missed it- I also have two $15 Target Gift Cards as a giveaway if you complete my 2014 Reader Survey, AND I’m giving away a Light Rust Studio print with my Office Update!

give-01give-10The Little ThingsMy Life As MayagivefsgMandy's Recipe BoxTips from a Typical MomWhile Camden Sleepsone creative mommyWhistle and IvyThe Wells Collection

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Now on to my year in review!

This year has been a crazy year… a year of so much good packed in to so little time. I’m amazed at what we’ve accomplished, and how time has flown. Our babies are toddlers- our fixer upper is a home. Anyways… let’s get started! Each row kind of has a ‘theme’ if you will… The top one here is the beginning of our year- we started it off the way every married couple with kids wants to. Living with my Dad. We sold our apartment in the fall of 2013 and when the house we were negotiating on foreclosed- we moved right in with my Dad. It’s near impossible to find a place over Christmas- especially when your list of needs is long. We wanted our own place more than ever, but looking back, it was such a fun time. Our kids got twice as many cuddles, and I only had to worry about dinner half of the time- that left lots of time for play and this blogging thing.

Lemon Thistle- My Year in Review

Then we found our place! We bought an old cathedral entry- old not in a charming way, but old in a ‘nothing has been done since built’ way. We got busy tearing the inside apart to make it liveable for our family. Helloooo Demolition. See the before photos here, kitchen *that room that’s down to the studs* here, and the post on our crazy floors here. We also put in a basement suite! You can read about that here.

This year was full of ‘unfinished living’. The kids spent a lot of time in the yard with myself or family while we renovated. Those curtains? They still aren’t hemmed, but at least they’re up- and they provide hours of entertainment, so I’m in no rush. Unfinished living has it’s perks (curtains to play in!) but sometimes I had to get out. I took frequent ‘sanity drives’ this spring and summer- I’d grab a coffee and drive until the kids fell asleep. And it was my favourite hour or two of the week. My kids won’t nap in the car now, so I’ve switched to walks (if only it wasn’t so freaking cold!).

But living outside (because inside was in upheaval) meant lots of time splashing and exploring. I’m so thankful my kids love to play in the grass, water, and mud. They’re such explorers

Lemon Thistle- My Year in Review

It was definitely a year of changes. Shane and I had to work harder than ever to find time for the two of us. Between babies, renovations, general home ownership, and new jobs… we only managed a few real date nights (and more netflix nights). But when we did, they were so enjoyed! I chopped off my hair in 2014. I know, random… but I have had long hair since high school so it was a BIG change for me! Learning to manage two running babies was probably the biggest change- I could never have imagined how busy they are! Oh… and teeth! that was a change too. A change that means a little less sleep, but it’s worth it for this tooth brushing photo.

It was a year of giggles. Seriously, I don’t think I can explain how cute their giggles are! It’s contagious and I die inside (in a good way) every time I hear them.

Growing babies means lots of ‘help’. They help sort the cupboards, vacuum, unpack boxes, unload the dishwasher, install hardware, collect crumbs, measure flooring, and pick out outfits. It’s the best… even if that help means more work for us.

We definitely got home ownership when we asked for it. The yard work was a *mostly* welcome change from our apartment. On top of our interior renos, we Shane managed to stay on top of mowing the lawn and building us a shed for all of our tools! Our neighbours also put up a fence… we’re thankful but also a little offended. We’re still needing to stain it. And just last month… we lost half of our tree! That was the first branch that came down from snow- more has followed and it’s all still sitting where it fell. Maybe this is why our neighbours built a fence!

Lemon Thistle- My Year in Review

This year was full of mess. Other than renos… babies are SO MESSY! Our kids love to eat (the tears are because the food wasn’t coming fast enough) and they love to make a mess of their food. I was one of those crazy people who thought my kids would be different… I’d teach them to keep their food on their plate, so help me. If you don’t have kids, my only tip for you is to never make promises about how you’ll parent. You will eat those words!

It was a year of cuddles- Shane and I gush about how cool it is to have them call for us and give us hugs and kisses. Up until this year, we got cuddles because they were babies, now they choose to and that’s the best. thing. ever.

With everything going on, we didn’t take any real vacations- just two nights camping (ahh, tents with babies!). We used vacation time for ‘staycations’ and enjoyed getting out in the sun, taking the kids boating, to the beach, and on day trips. We enjoyed walks, trips to Home Depot, and the pumpkin patch. We really hope to have a ‘real vacation’ next year (like somewhere more than 40 minutes away), but for this year, at this stage in our lives, this was perfect.

Even though we didn’t get a real family vacation… I managed to get away! My husband’s the best… just saying. My sister and I signed up to do the Sea Wheeze- that didn’t quite work out, you can read the whole spectacle here. I got to visit friends, explore and enjoy photography. I also took on a new job teaching at the University and helped coach a research team (to a win!) for a case competition out of town. Lastly (but probably best yet) all the girls from Shane’s family took off on a wine tour through the Okanagan and left the kids with the boys. It was such a nice break! I was spoiled guys, really.

Lemon Thistle- My Year in Review

This was the year that blogging became part of our lives. I have fallen in love with blogging… thank you for the support! My kids love to help as well, whether they help on the computer, try to help set the table for parties, or help with confetti.

One of the coolest things… this is the year my babes became best friends. They just adore each other! Hugs, kisses, cuddles, and sharing have become an every day occurrence and it melts my heart. It has really been a year of fun and games- they have such personalities! One of the things they love to play is dress up… especially with their outdoor clothes. Snowpants are their total favourite. They liked their Halloween costumes too- they would bring them for me to put on until I finally boxed them up a couple weeks after Halloween.

Lemon Thistle- My Year in Review

The fall was crazy busy with me teaching, us renovating, and wrangling these little ones. But we loved getting outside and enjoying the fresh air- nothing makes these kids happier. This year we also learned about ‘getting stuck’. They love to climb in things, on top of things, and over things. This means lots of getting stuck. Like, a lot. We finished up the year with fun in the snow. Our littles LOVE to shovel snow… I can’t wait until next year when they can really put those shovels to work!

Lemon Thistle- My Year in Review

All in all… to wrap up this million picture post: it was a year of late nights, hard work, confetti, and lots of coffee. And then lots of smiles and laughs from Emmitt and Aubrey to make it all incredibly rewarding. Thank you for being a part of our year! Here’s to an even better (is that possible?) 2015, friends.

Category: Giveaway, LifestyleTag: About Me, Babies
Facebook0Tweet0Pin0LinkedIn0
Previous Post: « DIY Wooden Calendar Holder DIY Rustic Calendar Stand
Next Post: DIY Felt Animal Masks (6 Templates!) I love these DIY Felt Masks- 6 Free Printable Templates! »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Christine

    Jan 19 at 10:46 pm

    Goodness! It has been a busy year! And your babies are too adorable for words!

    Thanks for sharing the past year with those of us who are new around here :) It’s great to get to know you :)

    Reply
    • Colleen Pastoor

      Jan 20 at 12:52 pm

      Aw thanks so much for your sweet comments Christine! They are making my day! It has been SUCH a busy year, I’m looking forward to a little quieter of a 2015. I’m so thankful to have you as a new reader!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Sidebar

WOOHOO!

Check your email to confirm!

(+ get your freebies + discounts)


Thanks for dropping by!
I’m Colleen: wife; mom to 4 wild ones; and DIY blogger behind Lemon Thistle. You can expect to see rad DIY, modern home decor, renovations, hand lettering and the occasional party on Lemon Thistle. Read More…

email facebook youtube instagram pinterest

Unless otherwise noted, all content and images are mine. Full posts may not be shared without express written consent. But I love when you share! Feel free to share, without altering, one image with proper credit and a link to the original post. All free printables are for personal use only.

Everyone loves proper credit- if you ever notice something improperly credited, please please shoot me an email and I’ll fix it lightning fast.

Find all my policies right here.
This includes my privacy policy, info on the GDRP compliance and information on affiliate links (Including Amazon Affiliates).

Visit Colleen Pastoor’s profile on Pinterest.

colleenpastoor

My house is never this clean
-
DIY + Home Decor Blogger
Mama of 4 👶🏼🧒🏼👦🏼👧🏼
Renovating our 🏠 the DIY way
🖤 Lettering & ☕️
-
✉️[email protected]

colleen pastoor/lemon thistle
I’ve been doing some polls in my stories (thank I’ve been doing some polls in my stories (thank you for your responses!) and one that totally surprised me? 
Almost half of you don’t know I blog! That’s my job, guys 😂 IG is just a fun little part of that! So tell me... is this new information to you or are you team ‘knew that!’? 

Also... Should I do a blogging Q&A? 🤷🏼‍♀️
Happy Valentine’s Day, friends 🥰 Happy Valentine’s Day, friends 🥰
Anyone else feeling the balance between work and f Anyone else feeling the balance between work and family and rest and keeping your house liveable has all just toppled this year? I keep seeing articles about pandemic fatigue and long term stress and burnout and while it’s totally relatable, I really just want tips on how to actually deal with that. I thought I’d share some things that are helping me if you’re in the same boat... and I’d love if you shared your tips in the comments! We could all use them 🥰
-I’ve been going for a walk every day by myself. Even when it’s freaking cold like today, I just bundle. It’s the only time I get truly to myself with no kiddo asking for something and that I don’t have to try squeeze in an email or something else.
-I’ve been putting the instant pot to work and leaning on cheater meals (local soup mixes are amazing), Costco dinners... whatever
- I’m prioritizing friendships with phone calls, zoom games nights and group chats about the bachelor (with matching snacks!)
- I’ve given myself a schedule that has downtime to play with the kids and to read... even when there’s things I feel like I ‘should be’ doing
- I’ve realized exactly how much time I’ve been spending on my phone and that it’s become my response to stress. Have you ever looked up your screen time analytics? 🥴 look at how many times you pick it up in your day. I’m setting app limits for myself and trying to break this habit, but I’d really love tips!
Can you believe that address sign is a DIY?! I'm s Can you believe that address sign is a DIY?! I'm sharing the whole tutorial in partnership with @OfficialCricut today over on my blog! I'd originally made it as a place holder for a metal one but after having it up for 4 months... we totally love it long term! What do you think? Would you try it? #cricut #cricutmade #ad
What are your Sunday plans? Mine are to sit right What are your Sunday plans? Mine are to sit right here for the first half of the day drinking coffee, then the second half of the day it’s to clean this house so it looks like my Instagram feed again 😂
Who has DIY projects on their mind this year?! 

👏🏻CLOSED 👏🏻 congrats @kelseycford ✨
@ryobi_canada and I want to help you start knocking those projects off your list by giving away a new nailer and battery set! #ad 
This tool is what we used for this accent wall and all the trim in our home. It’s the one I used to trim out my built in shelving and add the decorative moulding to my geometric barn door. What I’m saying is this thing is a workhorse and I want you to have one too 😉
To enter:
✨Follow me @colleenpastoor and @ryobi_canada 
✨like and save this photo 
✨ tag some friends who’d love to win in the comments! One tag per comment, each is an entry. 
✨ share to your stories for a bonus 5 entries!

Open to Canadians only this time (sorry US friends!) and not associated with Instagram. Closes Friday Jan 22 at noon PST!
Let’s talk about coffee! This is my coffee ‘st Let’s talk about coffee! This is my coffee ‘station’ and the second photo is my dads! I’m talking aaaall about them over on YT today!
Also... see how nice that fresh silicone looks?! 😉 IYKYK
The hallway is finally finished and I’m so stink The hallway is finally finished and I’m so stinking happy! 

It’s felt like such a long time coming for such a small space. Since we moved in 2.5 years ago, this space has seen new doors and hardware, new trim, new floors... twice😅, we changed the boob light to a pot light and I hated it and now it’s got the most beautiful flush mount fixture I’m in love with (thanks @mymitzi!). It finally got some fresh paint and now frames on walls and last but not least... After this weekend, the new floors look like they were here all along (no door jamb gaps!) which was the last thing really bugging me since our flood last year. 

All this to say that home takes time and sometimes getting it right might take a couple tries. Also- the spaces we don’t really think about (hallways) can totally help a house feel like home with some love (and family photos 🥰)
ps. I partnered with #mymitzi to create a tiktok for This makeover... are you following me over there yet?! I’d love if you popped over and said hi!
It’s done! It works! And I’m calling it a grea It’s done! It works! And I’m calling it a great use of my afternoon the other day. Did you catch the stories? These projects both cost me under $10 by using pieces I already had in my home (yay for scraps!) and one package of drawer slides).
You can find the full video about these two kitchen organization projects over on YouTube in collaboration with my friend @love_create_celebrate and her #scrapsmademodern challenge! But for now... I’m rejoicing this coffee maker is off my counter for good 🎉
Load More... Follow on Instagram

Copyright © 2021 · Lemon Thistle · All Rights Reserved · Powered by Mai Theme