Anyway, since then, my yearly post count climbed, reaching its highest level since 2010 last year with 193 posts. This year's count is down a bit thanks to that mid-year career change. I'm still working on balancing blogging on a teacher's schedule without sacrificing family time or that all-important me time, but despite the drop in posts starting in August, I think this year was a good one for the blog.

This year, I've managed to grow my email subscription list (if you haven't joined it yet, you can do that here) and modestly grow my social media following. I also implemented a way you can instantly shop my Instagram posts, though I must admit to that falling to the wayside in recent months (I promise to get back on track with it in the new year).

Overall, I think page views were down for 2022, but that's not too surprising. Things have mostly gone back to normal since the introduction of Covid into the world. Plus my post count dropped when I started teaching, so all to be expected I think. That said, I still like to look back to see what posts you guys responded to the most, and these are the 10 Most Popular Posts of 2022.

This year's number 10 spot is a two-fer. An Honest Review of Chippin Dog Treats was actually the very first post of 2022. I partnered with a woman-owned, all-natural dog food company to test some of their treats with my very own pup. Sharing the first spot on our countdown is this Calcean Play Sand Review post. Calcean sent Alexis a huge box of their Baha Play Sand in three colors. It was a huge hit, and I encourage anyone with young kids to give it a try!

Coming in at #9 is my January post on 10 Easy Outfits to Copy with Chelsea Boots. Chelsea boots are some of the most versatile boots I have ever owned, and it's a trend I hope stays in style for years to come (although we all know I don't really follow trends). If they're a style you've been wanting to try or one you did try but need more ideas of how to style them, check out the post!

This year's top eight spot, 14 Facts About My Relationship, is surprising to me. This post was literally a Valentine's Day questionnaire I found on Facebook that I turned into a blog post.

My 2022 Swimsuit Picks + 4 I Ordered from Amazon was the seventh most popular post of the year. I posted this right before our Spring Break, and I still love all of these suits. I managed to even wear all four that I ordered this year, and I do not regret making those purchases at all!

Every so often, I post an updated list of my To Be Read pile. My What's New on My TBR List for June caught y'all's fancy for some reason and snags the top six spot for this year's most popular posts.

We've reached the halfway point, and I'm not surprised in the least that this post, Monday Motivation + A New Beginning, made it into the top five. This is the post where I announced to the world that I had resigned from the magazine and the reason behind the decision. I wasn't given the opportunity to write a final publisher's note for the magazine, so this post served as a final goodbye.

The post in which I announced my new teaching gig, Monday Motivation + A Big Announcement, takes the number four spot.

The top three post for 2022 took me by surprise. I had a lot of fun putting this 15 Green Fashion Items to Inspire You for St. Patrick's Day post together, but I truly didn't expect it to be so popular with all of you!

The second most popular post of the year was also pretty surprising. Monday Motivation + 5 Things I'm Loving Right Now was kind of all over the place. Not only was it my usual weekly check-in (featuring an accident involving my cat and a bubble bath), but it also listed five very random products I was enjoying that month.

And claiming this year's top spot for Most Popular Post of 2022 is An Honest Review of Il Makiage. Talk about a decision that I have not regretted! I am still using all of the products featured in this post today, plus added a couple more from their lineup. If you've been curious about this makeup, check out my experience and then give them a try!