Happy Blogiversary!

I can't believe that its been a year since I started Small Home Big Start! I've enjoyed it so much and I thank every one of you who comes to visit my blog. Not just those who follow or comment, but all the "silent readers" too :) Checking my stats in the morning to see all those who've read about a recipe I've posted or what Whiskey and I have been up to really motivates me to keep going. So, from the bottom of my heart: THANK YOU :)

The great thing about having a blog is that you can go back and see the things that you have done and how you felt about them at the time. Last night I started looking back at some of my previous posts and I realized that I've been a busy girl the past year:

- Started Small Home Big Start
- Broke up with my boyfriend of two years (On this day. Funny to go back and read how I felt that morning) Don't worry, we stayed good friends. All is well.
- Made Whiskey his first costume: a Taco!
- Went to the Royal Winter Fair with two of my favorite people in the world.
- Celebrated the 20th Anniversary of Save the Oak Ridges Moraine on a Historic Train Ride

- Got up ridiculously early to make 163 boxed lunches for said Train Ride.
- Made Homemade Applesauce. Frozen it. Enjoyed it all winter. Can't wait to do it again this week.
- Met the cutest Weiner Dog in existence.
- Showed the world what Baby Werewolves look like. (Okay, they are really racoons)
- Killed a plant. Unintentionally. I swear.

- Played Paintball for the first time...and had the bruises to prove it. For weeks.
- Made my first Christmas apron. Its saved my pants from many a flour handprint.
- Did holiday shopping at the Toronto One of a Kind Show
- Finally went to the Dark Side and got a Blackberry. (And, yes, I am addicted)
- Ate my weight in Peppermint Bark over the Holidays.

- Celebrated our first anniversary of having Shadow, the crazy rescue doberman, in our life.
- Cheered on all the Olympic Spirit!
- Got back into swimming after a three year hiatus.
- Helped my parents renovate their kitchen and nook.
- Said goodbye to a good friend as they moved on to new adventures in British Columbia
- Enjoyed Winterlicious in Toronto, including a Morrocan night!

- Visited Unionville, Ontario (where they shot part of the first season of "Gilmore Girls"!)
- Shared an Evening with Kevin Smith.
- Put on my best cowboy boots and went to a hoedown.
- Welcomed a new member to the family :)
- And celebrated the 90 years that another family member has been making us laugh.
- Christened my long awaited Le Creuset Dutch Oven with amazing Chunky Beef Stew.

- Shoveled an ice rink on the river and played our country's national sport - Hockey!
- Escaped the winter blues for a little getaway in Florida
- Went through the memories of kitchens past.
- Spend a lot of time playing with puppies. Here, here and here.
- Attended the 10th Kingston Canadian Film Festival
- Walked through my old university campus.

- Visited my sister at university and remembered what it was like to be a student again.
- Celebrated St Patrick's Day with leprechauns, friends and Irish Soda Bread.
- Went on a road trip to Boston to watch the Toronto FC
- Remembered the importance of spending time with family. Especially when there is good food involved.
- Shared my office with this pup.
- Used Cinco de Mayo as an excuse to eat copious amounts of Tex Mex.

- Attended a bridal shower in my hometown. And remembered why I've been friends with these ladies for so long.
- Reminisced about my time at the Cannes Films Festival
- Celebrated my Quarter Life Crisis (25 years old! Yikes!)
- Enjoyed the Victoria Day Long Weekend with friends.
- Played hooky for cupcakes.

- Went on a Girls' Road Trip back to Kingston for our faculty's 40th anniversary.
- Dealt with Whiskey and his need to attack small animals in the city. (Its an on-going battle)
- Attended not just one, but two gorgeous weddings.
- Drove to the biggest car show in Canada and watched American Graffiti at the drive-in.
- Celebrated my one year anniversary with Whiskey.
- Learned how to run.

- Failed at making a chocolate cake.
- Survived the G20 Summit in Toronto
- Celebrated Canada Day with an extra long weekend at the cottage, including cliff jumping.
- Road-tripped down to Philadelphia to watch Toronto FC and run the steps like Rocky.
- Saw my first Brad Paisley concert and fell in love.
- Spent many lazy Summer days out in the boat.

- Went to the Shaw Festival in Niagara-on-the-Lake and found the joys of roadside stands.
- Enjoyed a concert in the park.
- Started the Fall Fitness Challenge.
- Maintained the small town tradition of going to the Fall Fair.

- Worked and played at the Toronto International Film Festival
- Walked through the Queen West Art Crawl.
- Found a new boyfriend :)
- Celebrated a big Thanksgiving feast with the family.
- Ran my first 5km race. (More on that tomorrow during my weekly Fall Fitness Challenge post!)

Phew. Thats alot. But I'm looking forward to continuing on and improving as I go! So thank you again for stopping by :)

On a final note I had to show you this picture, but its the love and bane of my existence right now:

This morning I made French Toast again using the Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread I made. There are two reasons why I can justify this:
1) I wanted to celebrate one year of Small Home Big Start
and...
2) How can you resist having fresh Whole Wheat Pumpkin Bread in your cupboard? I sure can't, as evidenced by the crumbs all over me. Its just too dang good!

Hope that you all have a wonderful day :)