Welcome to volume 68 of the Week in Rewind with Midwest Life and Style. In each recap, I’ll share my most recent posts, favorite finds, and a collection of ideas, tips, and inspiration from other bloggers around the web.
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Week in Rewind Volume 68
Happy Sunday, friends!
After a looooong (and unplanned) break, I’m excited to bring back my Week in Rewind post. Life felt more than a little overwhelming throughout most of the fall and winter, so, to keep my sanity, something had to give – and that something was this blog series.
I know many of you enjoyed our weekly sit-downs and sneak peeks of all the happenings behind the scenes here at MWLS. Now, I’m thrilled to be sharing once again and catching you up on everything that’s been going on lately – starting with the BIGGEST news!
New Year, New Adventures
The new year marks the beginning of a new adventure for me – I’ve quit my job! After seven years as an event planner at a local university, I’ve decided to bet on myself and chase my dreams.
So, what will I be doing now? Starting next month, I’ll be diving into full-time blogging! When I launched Midwest Life and Style three and a half years ago, I never imagined blogging could become my career. But here we are!
None of this would be possible without your support and, of course, the encouragement from my amazing husband and girls. I’m incredibly excited for this next chapter and can’t wait to see what the future has in store.
More Tidbits from Home
We’re still catching our breath after a busy holiday season spent on the road visiting family.
We began our travels by heading west to Colorado to spend time with Kirk’s family. We were thankful for good weather, clear roads, and lots of quality downtime.
While there, I was blessed to sneak in a coffee date with my blogging bestie, Kelly at The Tattered Pew.
We spent the new year back in Nebraska visiting my family for a belated Christmas before settling back into our post-holiday school and work routine.
After a mild and dry December, winter finally caught up with us, bringing frigid temperatures and an abundance of snow. We’re talking more than 12″ from back-to-back storms. But we made the best of it, by soaking up some extra snuggles thanks to a few snow days with no school.
And we had a big birthday to celebrate this week – Harper turned 10! We enjoyed pizza and cake, with plans for another celebration later in March, including a trip to see Shrek the Musical and a shopping spree.
My Favorite Finds
Did you know that every time you click on a shoppable link in my posts and make a purchase, I earn a small commission – even if it’s not the specific item I’ve linked?
Your support means the world to me, and I’m genuinely thankful when you shop through my links. It allows me to keep sharing free content with all of you here on the blog.
Here are a few of my favorite finds from around the web this week.
This gets a lot of use in our home and is perfect for making all your favorite cozy soups!
These are beautiful, functional, and ideal for coralling all the clutter.
This gorgeous piece has been on my wishlist for quite some time! It would be perfect in our living room.
I just bought two of these to help make my least favorite chore a little more bearable.
We have had these for more than two years and love them!
Want even more favorites? Visit my Amazon storefront to check out my latest curated collections organized and linked for you in one spot!I
Books to Buy
Are you looking for a good book to banish the winter blues? Then don’t miss out on this gorgeous gardening book from my friend Stacy at Bricks ‘n Blooms.
If your dream is to infuse your garden with country charm and create a tranquil space, Stacy’s book is a must-read.
Be sure to pre-order your copy by February 5th and discover her easy-care, low-maintenance approach to growing flowers in any space, big or small.
This Week on the Blog
After a short holiday break, I’m easing back into the blog routine. While I’ve been busy with some behind-the-scenes “house cleaning,” I did take a moment to highlight my top ten posts from 2023.
I always enjoy discovering which posts resonated most with you. There were definitely a few surprises in the mix!
Valentine’s Day will be here soon, so I shared my latest recipe: a decadent mini brownie trifle with fresh strawberries and whipped cream. They’re easy to make and guaranteed to steal your heart—and your special Valentine’s too.
If you want to celebrate your gal pals this Valentine’s Day, discover the art of hosting a stress-free Galentine’s Day brunch with my practical party planning tips.
Get ready for a good time filled with laughter, delicious food, and quality moments spent with your best friends celebrating Valentine’s Day!
Coming Soon to MWLS
Next week I”ll be sharing more Valentine’s inspiration, including a curated Galentine’s brunch menu. I look forward to sharing more with you then!
More Tips, Ideas, and Inspiration from Around the Web
DIY Valentine’s Day Wreath
Looking for a way to add some simple Valentine’s touches into your decor?
Don’t miss this post from my friend Rachel at The Ponds Farmhouse and see how to quickly transform inexpensive frames from the dollar store into unique, romantic Valentine’s Day Decor.
Homemade Honey Glazed Granola
I love a good granola, so I couldn’t wait to share this mouthwatering homemade granola recipe with you from my friend Renae at Peacock Ridge Farm.
Packed with wholesome ingredients like oats, cashews, almonds, dates, dried cherries, and more, it’s perfect for snacking or topping your favorite yogurt parfait.
DIY Valentine’s Day Garland
To round out this week’s features, here’s another festive Valentine’s DIY craft courtesy of my friend Crissy at First Day of Home.
Visit Crissy’s blog to find an easy step-by-step tutorial on creating your own Valentine’s heart and pom-pom garland.
Even More Ideas to Inspire You
You’ll love this copycat Starbucks white hot chocolate recipe.
Don’t miss the tutorial to make this adorable DIY Valentine’s Day porch sign.
Create a morning routine following these 4 easy steps.
This recipe for chicken broccoli ziti is the perfect hearty weeknight dinner.
Check out these tips to add coziness to your home during the winter months.
The Week in Rewind Volume 68
As always, thanks for following along! If you enjoy these posts, you can find past Week In Rewind posts here.
And… If you are catching up on blog posts you may have missed, be sure to sign up to get all of the latest recipes, DIYs, decor tips, and more sent straight to your inbox.
Xo,
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So, so, so excited for you Jen! I know making the jump to blogging full time is no easy feat and I’m not only proud of you but I’m proud for you too. You create beautiful things and I can’t wait to follow along on all your adventures. I don’t even know how you guys make it in all that snow. It’s totally bananas! I’m excited that you got to make some fun memories over the holidays. There is nothing like it! Happy Birthday, Harper. I hope your celebration was a special one and you felt loved and treasured all day. You are such a cutie pie! Sending you tons of hugs and thank yous for sharing my post this week. I really appreciate it, CoCo
Thank you, CoCo. I don’t mind the snow in small quantities, but I think I’ve had my fill now for the winter! We had so much fun celebrating Harper and have another big milestone birthday coming up! And I’m always happy to share.
Jen, I am so excited for you. It will be amazing to focus just on your blog and not work another job. I look forward to that day. Thank you for sharing my DIY porch sign, sweet friend. I was very tickled that you shared it with your readers. It sounds like your trip to Colorado was wonderful visiting family and friends too. I bet Kelly was happy to see you too. Love it!
You are so very welcome, Tammy!
Jen! I’m super excited about your switch to full-time blogging! I’m confident you won’t look back with any regret, though I’m sure it was a hard decision. Thanks for the sweet feature of my Valentine’s Day garland! I always appreciate that. XO
Thank you, Crissy. Yes, it is bittersweet for sure. My work friends have become like a second family, but I know it is not goodbye, just see you later. I’m sure it will take some time to find my new routine, but I’m looking foward to what lies ahead!
Congratulations, my friend. What a fun adventure this blogging world is. You are one amazing lady. Thank you so much for the feature. Hugs and blessings to you.
Thank you, Renae. I’m looking forward to where this new adventure takes me!
Jen! What exciting news! I’m so happy for you and know you are going to have much success! Congrats my friend! 💗
Thank you so much, Kim. I’m grateful for wonderful friends like you who are cheering me on!
I was popping in to see what your winter was looking like and am so surprised to see you linked up one of my winter posts. Thank you sweet friend! I love the photos of your beautiful family and it sounds like y’all had a great time. And how fun to meet with Kelli. One of these days, I’ll head up your way and we can have lunch or something. Stay cozy!
You are very welcome, Cindy! I would love to meet up sometime for lunch or coffee. If you every head north, be sure to let me know!
Congratulations! So exciting and how great that you got to meet up with Kelly! I pre-ordered Stacy’s book a while ago so I can’t wait for mine to arrive. Enjoy your week!
Shelley
Thank you, Shelley! I’m so excited to be able to pursue blogging full-time. I can’t wait to read Stacy’s book. I’ve thumbed through it and it looks beautiful!
Congratulations Jen! I’m so excited for you!!! Thank you for sharing my white hot chocolate recipe!
Thank you, Heidi. I’m so excited to get started. And, I can’t wait to make your white hot chocolate recipe. It has been SO cold here in the Midwest. It would be a perfect way to warm up in the mornings.
Thank you so much for sharing my book this week Jen! How fun that you and Kelly got to meet up – I love it!!!! And love that precious picture of you with your family and sweet pup. Happy Sunday! xoxoxo
And HUGE CONGRATS on going all in on blogging I’m super proud of you!!!
Thank you! It’s a big change, so I’m a little nervous but mostly incredibly excited!
You are more than welcome, Stacy. I can’t wait to read it. Especially right now while it is so cold and snowy here…it’s a great reminder that spring is on the way!
Jen,
What exciting news!! Congratulations! I can’t wait to see what the new year brings you. xx
Thank you, Libbie! I’m looking forward to chasing my dreams and to new adventures!
Jen congratulations!!! I am so excited for you and this new journey. I love that you are taking a risk on yourself…I promise it will be worth it! Praying for you and cheering you on every step of the way!☺️ Love you and so glad we got to sneak some time in together!💓
Thank you, friend. I am so grateful for your friendship, support, and encouragement. I don’t know what I would do without you in my corner cheering me on! I’m so glad we got to catch up over the holidays. Hopefully, we can sneak in another coffee date soon!
Yay!!! How EXCITING and so happy for you!! Wishing you the best week ahead!
Thanks so much, Rachel! I can’t wait to get started on my new adventure!
Jennifer!!! Congratulations!!! I am so excited for you and your new venture! You are an inspiration my friend. And thank you for sharing my CBZ recipe 🙂 Have a great Sunday!
Thanks, Nicolle. I am so excited about this change and to see where the journey takes me. I’m adding the ingredients for your ziti to our online grocery order. I can’t wait try try it.