Two Years Blogging 🎉 Q&A

Aww TWO whole years of The Riddick Family Blog!! 

I remember clicking publish on my first post on February 28th, 2021 and sending the link to my mom and sister, thinking they would probably be the only two to ever read it. I started out just posting once a week, challenged myself to blog every day one month in the summer, and then posted here and there throughout my last year of teaching. Then my challenge to blog every day again in the month of July turned into many months of being here every morning, and I love it so much! Thank you for following along and for all of your encouragement, comments, emails, tips, advice and insight! This is such a fun little place for me, and I can't thank you enough for reading along!! 

When I made it to 100 posts, I did a little Q&A that you can read here, and since today is a fun day to celebrate two years and we're just a few posts away from 200, I thought it would be fun to do another one. They are always some of my favorite posts to read, and I hope today is fun to get to know us a little more as well! Here is just a little random assortment of questions and answers for your Tuesday!!! 

How long have you and Pierce been married? 

We will celebrate five years in October!! So crazy!! You can read a little more about our wedding here and our first four years here. 

What is your biggest long-distance dating tip?

Aww Pierce and I dated long distance for about a year and a half, and I think the biggest piece of advice I can give is just plan something fun to do even far apart. We had a "date night" every Thursday and that was so fun to be creative and just be "together." We'd go the grocery store, shop for same things and cook the same meal via Facetime, we'd play a board game online, watch and start a movie at the same time, or just make tea and chat. It was fun knowing we had that set aside time for each other each week though! And of course, the spontaneous road trips and surprise trips are just something fun that long distance gives the opportunity for! But I'll be the first to tell you I know those goodbyes are hard!! It's a sweet and hard season, but so very worth it. I wrote a little more about our dating years here as well. 

What is your favorite hobby? 

Aww this is a fun one... I would probably say something that provides a creative outlet. I love blogging, I really love design projects in our home, I love little fixer-upper projects or creating something. Probably where I lose track of time and forget to eat the most is rearranging/painting/designing/creating a room in our house. I really do love that. 

What is your favorite season?

This is a hard one... And I feel like a cop out would be to say I love each of them for their purpose and what they bring, but it's kind of true!! When I was little, I would always say spring, because it was starting to get warm, school was almost out, trees and flowers were blooming, and it was always my birthday. I still feel that way about spring. Plus now it's Pierce's and Jane's birthdays too, which is so fun. But boy do I love summer too!! I always say I think the Riddicks thrive the most in January and summer. 😂  It's when we most feel like we're living life to the fullest. The sunshine and the pool? You can't get much better than that. Add watermelon and 4th of July and family and vacations, and sheesh, maybe summer is my favorite. Hahaha But then fall....who doesn't love every single thing about fall?! And winter is basically Christmas to me...and January, which we love as a good reset. So, I think I'll go for the middle child answer here, and truly just say I like them all for their very specific reasons and purposes! 

What made you want to start a blog?

I had always wanted to start a blog. I've always loved following blogs for as long as I can remember, and it was always a dream to have a little blog that was like a little scrapbook for our family. I remember seeing one of Shay's Life Lately posts in February 2021 and just thinking, "That is so fun. I need to do that." So, here we are two years later, and I still just love it so much. I'm so grateful for all the posts that are on here. Even going back to look at a few when it was just me and Pierce is so sweet because it feels like a lifetime ago already haha I think the hardest part was just getting everything set up and ready to go for a post, but if you're thinking about it and it's something you think you would love, I can't recommend it more! 

Do you and Pierce ever pray together?

Aww, YES! Definitely. All the time. I would say prayer is huge for both of us, and it's a huge piece of our marriage. We started praying together every night before we fall asleep when we got married, and I'm not sure we've ever not done that since. We pray before we start our day or Pierce leaves for work. We pray with Jane now before she goes to sleep. In the car before something big...and really, anything small too 😂  It's a sweet thing and has kind of just become a habit and a foundation of our family. I can't recommend it enough...a cornerstone that will get you through all seasons!! 

Where are you all from?

Pierce is from Dallas, TX! (Although he was born in Houston and lived in Virginia for several years when he was little!) And I am from Louisville, KY. :) 

What's been your favorite part about being a mom?

Oh goodness. Sometimes I feel silly because Jane is only 11 months, but really and truly, I love being a mom. I held and took care of baby dolls since before I can remember, I "taught" my dolls and then real students for several years and have always prayed that one day I could be a mom. It truly feels like I get to live out a dream and an answer to prayer, and these days, it just feels like it's exactly where I need to be doing exactly what I was made to be doing. I love every part. And my "favorite part" I think has changed with each little season of Jane's year. I could hold and "cuddle" her all day though, even though now it only lasts for a few seconds before she's off on her next adventure hahaha I really do consider it the biggest gift and blessing! I wrote a little bit more about that recently here. 

What's been the most challenging part of your all's new season?

Oh goodness. We would probably direct you to approximately October to December of 2022. Hahaha I think at the end of last fall is when we started realizing that life looked so different with Jane, but we had tried to continue at our old pace, routines, habits, rhythms, etc. that we had before her and it was getting harder to keep up. Once we took a step back and shifted a few things around to more match our season of life now, it really helped and felt way more steady and sustainable and honestly just helped us enjoy this season that we are in right now. 

What is your favorite household chore?

This one makes me laugh. I read Shay's Top Five Bottom Five Household Chores post not too long ago, and it really got me thinking on something that is such a hilarious topic to me. I don't know if this one technically counts, but I would say without a doubt, tidying up is what I really love. It pretty much just brings me joy to tidy up and have a space that's clean and put away and ready for a fresh start, or in most cases these days, a new mess. 😉😂 

And there you have it...just a few random assortment of questions and answers! These are always some of my favorite posts to read on other blogs, so I hope it was fun getting a little insight into our little world. I'm sure there will be more to come in the future because they are just so fun! 

And thank you, truly thank you, for coming each morning and following along with our little family! It is such a joy and a blessing to me!! Happy two years and here's to hopefully many more!! 

I'll plan on seeing you back here tomorrow!!!
Sending lots of blessings, love, and thankfulness,

Tabitha (And Pierce and Jane)