Kimberlee K.

One of my goals for this year was to make a “Joy Jar” that I read about here.

The idea is to write down joyful moments throughout the year and collect them in a jar, so at the end of the year you have a jar full of joy to look back on.

About halfway through the year, I decided to add peaceful moments as well, so it became the “Joy and Peace Jar.” Admittedly, I started stronger than I finished, but after reading through the moments in my jar I will undoubtedly be continuing this next year.

I poured out the jar the other day and I had almost 50 folded up pieces of paper, many with moments I’d nearly forgotten about. Small glimpses in time that made me smile to remember them, and things that made me laugh out loud for writing down.

I’m so glad I did this challenge, and I can’t wait to continue it next year. May the jar get fuller and fuller every year!

Here are some of my favorite moments from the jar:

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1) Pieces into Place is out!

After two years of hard work, Pieces Into Place, a book I wrote with a group of people from my church, was released into the world. It was very intimidating to let people read it, and to be honest it made me nervous every time someone brought it up to me because I kept waiting for someone to tell me it wasn’t good enough. But everyone has been so kind, and I feel blessed to have been a part of such a meaningful project.

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2) Natalee and Will are pregnant!

My sister is going to be a mom! I’m going to be an aunt! The definition of joy!

And now she’s here ❤️

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3) Meeting Izzy for the first time and hanging out on the couch all day

Speaking of babies, my friend Nicole had her baby and one of my favorite days of the year was getting to visit her for the first time and hangout on the couch and chat. I wrote this blog post about it.

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4) I got a new hanging plant!

And she is still thriving!

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5) Everything in my Stitch Fix fit!

Is there anything better than having new clothes fit you perfectly?

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6) “Next time remember everyone at this table loves you.”

A very very cozy, sweet thing my cousin Taryn said to me that inspired this blog post.

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7) Hobby horsing with Natalee, Rachel & Amanda

This YouTube video where Cody Ko learns how to hobby horse is easily one of the funniest things I watched this year. And after having some friends over for dinner, I showed them the video and was delighted to have them laugh just as hard as I did, before we paraded around my apartment trying to mimic the movements.

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8) Circus animal Crumbl cookie

My sister called me one afternoon and told me I had to go to Crumbl after work to get this particular cookie. She was right and I still think about it all the time.

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9) “Do you remember the part about the coconut?”

My cousins live in North Carolina and on one of their visits to California this year we all got together at my parents’ house. I was sitting on the couch next to my cousin’s three year son Easton and we brought up his favorite movie, Moana.

“I love Moana!” I said, and he leaned forward, tapped me on the arm with the back of his hand the way an adult might playfully nudge their friend, and said, “do you remember the part about the coconut?!”

It still makes me laugh.

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10) Listening to Taylor Swift, drinking a seltzer, and doing my puzzle

This was one of my favorite things in the jar because I have zero recollection of this, but 1) I can definitely picture myself doing this, and 2) I will 10/10 do this again.

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11) The Florida Atlantic University Owls

I know nothing about college basketball, so when I was invited by my cousin to join a March Madness bracket I went in absolutely blind. I picked teams solely on their mascot, their personal meaning to my family and friends, and whether or not they were an underdog.

I picked the FAU Owls to win the tournament, and while they didn’t, I won the bracket, much to the shock of the other participants. I then bought FAU merch and still wear it proudly.

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12) “I needed that”

My mom had the idea to take my uncle to Disneyland this year since he hadn’t been in decades. So a few of us went and had a lovely, cozy day that included one of the best churros I’ve ever had. On the drive back home, my uncle sighed contentedly and said, “I needed that.” It was a good reminder to look out for your friends and family and to follow those nudges and ideas that will make them feel special.

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13) Making the cooking video after having a terrible Friday

I don’t remember why this Friday was terrible, but I remember sitting in my living room as the sun went down, letting the room get dark and feeling like a blob. I wanted to spend the remainder of the night being a blob, but I decided to peel myself up and try a new recipe for dinner. I ended up filming this video and laughing so hard that it turned my entire night around.

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14) Watching The Mindy Project

I watched The Mindy Project all the way through for the first time this year and it made me laaaaugh.

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15) Finishing my Maid of Honor speech at the wedding

I was incredibly honored to be my sister’s maid of honor at her wedding, and to be a small part of what made it such a fun day. Leading up to my speech, I did get nervous, but finishing it and then being able to dance the night away was one of my favorite parts of the year.

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16) Pop up + UCLA gymnastics meet + Kings game

I often get overwhelmed with back to back to back plans, but this was such a fun day spent with my mom. We went to a local pop-up market where I bought a blissfully fluffy coat, and then attended a UCLA gymnastics meet before heading downtown for a Kings game, which was also Dustin Brown’s jersey retirement night.

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17) My hikes on peaceful weekend mornings

I made a point to go hiking on most weekends this year because I always felt good after I did it. And since I live in Southern California, I’m very blessed with good weather pretty much year-round. So it was always nice to decompress from a week of work and start my weekend off right with a slow hike. I’d put in my headphones and listen to a podcast, I’d wave to all the familiar faces on the trail, and I’d reach the top and feel powerful!