We are quickly winding down our blogiversary series here at CWC. The month of March will kickoff a whole new series for y’all, but I’ll be getting to that a little later on.

I’ve been having so much fun with this series; I hope y’all are enjoying it as much as I am! I have thoroughly appreciated taking a look back at the history behind CWC, the story of our launch, and sharing some lessons learned over the past year, as well as a few of my favorite blogs to boot.

I still can’t believe it’s been one year. The time has gone by so fast. I feel like we’ve covered much ground over the past year, yet I feel like I have even more to share!

I’ve experienced so many firsts as a newbie blogger. I sometimes feel like my head will explode with all the information I’m gathering as I go!

The fact that I’m sitting here today writing about CWC being LIVE for one year…I just can’t. This is crazy. Craziness.

What started as a vision of a country wife, has become a reality. God is good.

God is so good, y’all.

Ok, back to reality, daydream believer…

Those fellow bloggers I shared with you last week, they truly inspire me. Most of them have been at this much, much longer than I have and I feel like they all emulate where I want to take CWC in the future in some way or another.

Now, last week I really stuck to blogs that are in similar niches as CWC, thinking they may be of the most interest to you as a Country Wife Chronicles reader.

However, I also follow a few blogs in other areas and I thought it might be worth sharing them with y’all as well. Maybe we’ll have more in common than I thought!

Health & Nutrition Blog Faves

Change is hard. Especially when it comes to health. One thing that has been helping me to make changes on the health front has been finding resources like these blogs to help me through. They offer tools, recipes, workout programs, tips and real-life advice to help smooth the transition. Here are a few of my favorites in the health and nutrition field:

• Coconuts & Kettlebells: Noelle’s site is my go-to for so many health things. She has a wonderful workout-at-home program and a freebie you can try out, too. She shares recipes and many tips and resources for natural skincare. And her podcast with Stefani from Paleo for Women…I listen to it every stinkin’ week. The Well-Fed Women podcast speaks truth in dieting, real life struggles, and self-love. By far, my favorite in the health and nutrition realm. 
• 100 Days of Real Food: The 100 Days of Real Food cookbook instigated my change of heart towards processed junk. Goodbye Hamburger Helper, hello pastured beef and whole-wheat noodles. Lisa’s site elaborates on the concept of real food and there are just so many incredible resources, as well as a great support network for anyone trying to make the shift to real food.
• Wild + Whole: This is a relatively new site I stumbled upon via Instagram, and while it isn’t solely a health and nutrition blog, it takes real food to the next level, err, to the wild level. Danielle and her husband hunt, a lot, and she shares the most amazingly beautiful recipes for wild game and fish. There really aren’t a lot of bloggers like her and finding her was a nice surprise. My ultimate desire for our real food lifestyle is to harvest all of our own food, whether that is from the garden, the chicken coop, or the creek and fields. If you are a hunter or huntress foodie, this blog is a must-see!

Blogging Bloggers

Being consumed in the blogging world has led me to quite a few bloggers sharing their secrets in this blogging industry. If you are at all interested in dipping your toe into the blogosphere, be sure to check these blogs out:

• Living Well Spending Less + Elite Blog Academy: Ruth, the gal behind Living Well Spending Less and the Elite Blog Academy, has so much knowledge to share with fellow bloggers! And while I have yet to enroll in the Elite Blog Academy, I do utilize her free resources often. And I’ve been eyeing her planner as of lately… 
• Chalene Johnson: You may know Chalene Johnson from her fitness fame, founder of TurboFire and PiYo. But Chalene is a business pro, and a master at goal setting. I’ve listened to her podcast, read many-an-article, and even signed up for her newsletter to get her entrepreneurial inspo regularly.
• Melyssa Griffin: Melyssa is always sharing free resources and workshops for the entrepreneur/blogger. I love her topics for Pinterest marketing and I just signed up for her latest tool, a blog business plan. I love her straightforward approach and willingness to share what works.

Financially Savvy Bloggers

And finally, I’m always learning when it comes to finances. I wouldn’t say math and/or financial intellect comes naturally or easy for me. And the world of finances is constantly changing. So while Wildland Man is really the finance guy, both behind CWC and in our personal life, that doesn’t mean I don’t do my due diligence in learning what I can. These are a few of my favorite finance bloggers:

• Money Saving Mom: When I first had to make some budget cuts in our shift from our professional careers, Crystal Paine gave me a crash course in budgeting, meal planning, and couponing/deal hunting. Her practical tips are legit.
• The Busy Budgeter: Rosemarie shares budget tips, grocery and meal planning hacks, blogging advice, and real life organization ideas. And her library of freebies galore is super helpful!
• Christian Personal Finance // Seed Time: This blog falls under more of a financial planning category than the others. Bob, the founder of Seed Time, is a Christian finance coach with incredibly helpful blog articles and even several courses to check out to get your finances in order with a Biblical perspective.

Now, Your CWC Favorites!

All right, well, now that I’ve got you clicking away on all of these other bloggers’ links, I need to bring CWC back into focus for a quick minute.

I want to share with you some of your favorites, at least when it came to Country Wife Chronicles, over the past year! In celebration of our blogiversary here at CWC, here’s a brief recap on the top 5 posts from 2017. If you missed any of these you can just click on the link below and check out what all the fuss was about!

1. 1) Planning Ahead Series {Part 2}: Meal Planning Basics: This post walks you through the basics of meal planning and was a hit with hundreds this past year! Plus, it includes a freebie to make your meal planning easier!

2. 2) Indoor S’mores Casserole: One of my very first posts here on CWC and a stowaway from my 3-6-5 Casserole Creations days, the Indoor S’mores Casserole recipe was a hit! Not for the health-conscious, this ooey, gooey chocolatey marshmallow mess will be devoured in minutes!

3. 3) Lessons Learned After 5 Years As A Wildland Firefighter’s Wife {Part 1}: I’m guessing some fellow wildland fire wives helped make this post so popular on the blog. And I hope it brought some encouragement and support to you!

4. 4) Strengthening Your Marriage: DIY Marriage Retreat: Being intentional in my marriage has been a fulfilling investment of my time. And while marriage retreats are worth their weight in gold, when you have a hubby like Wildland Man, it can be like pulling teeth to get them there. Hence, a DIY Marriage Retreat. Check this post out, grab your freebie, and start strengthening your marriage today!

5. 5) Wife On Fire Challenge {Week 1}: Introducing The Wife on Fire Challenge: The Wife on Fire Challenge was honestly one of my very favorite post series that I wrote. I loved coming up with ways to inspire other wives to be intentional in their marriage. And creating a community of wives to support one another along the way is my greatest desire. I’m so happy it was popular with my readers as well!

The Country Wife’s MVPs

I was pleasantly surprised by the stats for the most popular posts over the past year here at CWC. But of course, as the author of these posts I have a few favorites I feel got left out of the mix.

Let’s call these the MVPs of CWC:

1. How to Walk Away From A Career…In Search of Your True Calling {Part 1 & 2}: This blog post series is a cornerstone here at CWC. It is the pivot point that led me to blogging. And for this reason it will always be a solid favorite of mine.

2. Drawing Nearer to God in the Stillness {Part 1 & 2}: These two posts came from the depths of my heart and really speak to the foundation behind CWC, Psalm 46:10. If you are searching for stillness and yearning to grow closer to God, please, read these posts. Cuz I’ve been there, more often than I’d like to admit.

2. Choosing an Intentional Marriage: This post uncovers how I fell in love with the idea of intentional marriage. It shares my heart’s desire for everyone I know to seek out the joy that intentional efforts can bring your relationship.

4. Life Lessons from Man’s Best Friend: This post was a love sonnet to our girl, Belle. And now that we are relishing in the simple joys of our new pup, Lune, these words are ringing true once again.

5. My New Year’s Resolution FAIL: This more recent post on CWC is near and dear to me because it is quite possibly the most real/raw article I have written to date. It has exposed my struggles as of late and I believe it is the post that is igniting a shift in gears here at CWC.

Well, what do you think? Was your favorite post on the blog featured? I’d love to hear what some of your favorites have been over the past year! Please share in the comments below!

Be Still & Know…