Celebrating 10 Years of Sunshine and Munchkins

If you follow me on Instagram, you might have seen my Story earlier this week talking about an amazing milestone that I hit: 10 years of blogging! It’s not often that I do a personal post on my blog, but I feel like my 10 year blogiversary calls for it!

p.s. I still want to make this post helpful for you, not simply reflective, so you’ll find my top post from each year included a little further down. There are a lot of posts in my archives (562 as of this post), so it’s possible you’ve missed some really good ones. *wink*

Why I Started Blogging

My first blog was a personal one I started shortly after my husband and I got married in 2008. I posted on it sporadically, being busy with trying to balance full time college, a part time job, friends and just being married. It was more of a journal than anything.

It wasn’t until 2015, when I was at home full time with two young kids that I felt the desire to start up a new blog. This one would be public and would include almost anything I thought would be helpful to moms like me: recipes, crafts, book reviews, travel tips, DIY, organization and more.

Not only did I want to help through what I shared on my blog, I also needed an outlet that challenged me in a different way. I love my kids and am so grateful my husband and I were in a position for me to be able to stay at home with them. But the days could feel draining more than fulfilling at times and turning my experiences into something that others might find helpful felt like a way to fill my bucket.

Where Did the Name Come From?

I decided to name my blog Sunshine and Munchkins. “Sunshine” because I love so much of what that word implies–warmth, light, bright, happy–and I wanted to share that with others. “Munchkins” because that is what I started calling my kids when they were young and still do. (It has nothing to do with the Wizard of Oz.) I loved the name when I came up with it and I still love it 10 years later!

Reflecting on the Last 10 Years

It hasn’t always been easy. Or maybe it never has been, but when you believe in something, you take the hard and make it happen. I have made the choice to stay the sole writer, editor, photographer, marketer and graphic designer on my blog. With that comes challenges and at times, a feeling that I am behind other similar websites. It is helpful to remind myself that I am not competing with anyone and I am exactly where I need to be, especially as my kids get older and need more from me.

One thing I did not expect from blogging was how many real life friendships would form as a result. When I joined the online world, opportunities to go to influencer events, such as grand openings and conferences, opened up and I have met so many amazing women as a result. I have traveled with them, talked to them on Marco Polo, texted them, asked them for advice, shared my wins/losses/challenges with them and built deep and lasting friendships. That is better than any brand deal or partnership.

Top Posts from the Last 10 Years (2015-2024)

Along with reflecting about how I’ve grown, both personally and professionally, it’s fun to look back and see the progression in my blog posts. The organization of them, my photography skills and writing style have improved. And over the years, I’ve gone back and updated older posts to make them more reader-friendly.

In preparing for this post, I went back and looked up my top visited post from each year, 2015-2024, and am sharing them below. Funny enough, it’s been a different post each year that’s hit the top, but they are all great posts!

2015 – Non-Candy Alternatives for Halloween

I know my kids are going to get a lot of sugar on Halloween. Between class parties and trick or treating, it’s just… a lot. Some years, we give out candy and other years we change it up and give out some kind of non-candy alternative. Check out the post if you need some ideas!

2016 – FREE Thanksgiving Coloring and Activity Pages

Waiting can be hard, especially for kids. So every year, I print out a variety of Thanksgiving themed coloring and activity pages for them to do in the time before the meal starts. (I also save a few and keep them in my Book of Thanks to look back on.) You can find a good assortment of options for younger and older kids in this post.

2017 – Best Snacks to Pack for Disney Parks

You probably know you can take snacks into Disneyland and other Disney Parks. But what should you take? I have a huge list of the best snacks to pack for Disney parks in this post, as well as information on cooler sizes and what isn’t allowed.

2018 – 5 Fun and FREE Disney Printables

My family loves quoting Disney movies at each other. Our current favorite one liner is “I don’t make deals with peasants!” (Name that movie.) I made 5 Disney quotes in an easy to print 4×6 size that you can download for free.

2019 – Quick and Easy Applesauce Muffins

To this day, my kids equate applesauce muffins with the first day of school. I always have them waiting when they walk in the door so they can sit down and tell me about their day. But these muffins are perfect year-round and only take about 20 minutes start to finish. I also love that it is a small batch of just 12 muffins.

2020 – St. Patrick’s Day Joke Decoding Printable

Oh, 2020. Just before St. Patrick’s Day, schools closed due to COVID-19, leaving parents and teachers scrambling for how to adjust. This free St. Patrick’s Day printable went crazy and remained the top post of 2020. The jokes that need to be decoded are cute and funny and my older kids still love this activity.

2021 – Andes Mint Hot Cocoa Bombs

Hot cocoa bombs gained in popularity during 2020 and are still a fun treat/gift to make. I love mint chocolate together so I created a how to post for making an Andes Mint version of this cold weather treat. It also includes tips on the right temperature for melting different kinds of chocolate.

2022 – Where to Buy Souvenirs on Kauai

My husband and I went to Kauai in 2019 and it is still one of our favorite vacations we’ve taken together. Of course, I was on the lookout for where to buy souvenirs on Kauai that we could take home to our kids and as a thank you to our parents who watched them while we were gone. I found some great options on this beautiful island so if you are planning a trip to Kauai, check it out! (And if you need food recommendations, I have a post all about what to eat-and not eat-on Kauai.)

2023 – Easy Yarn Pumpkins (from a Pool Noodle)

Do you have pool noodles laying around from the summer? Maybe they are a little broken or you just don’t want to store them until next year. Either way, I have the craft for you! My daughter did this at a friend’s house and when she came home with them, I immediately texted the mom and asked for a supply list. Since then, I’ve made many of these cute yarn pumpkins to give as gifts and put around my house as decor.

2024 – Roasted Potatoes, Carrots and Sausage Sheet Pan Dinner

Our family has this meal at least twice a month, sometimes more when it’s colder since it requires the oven. Sheet pan meals are perfect because there is little clean up required which is a win in my book. But roasted potatoes, carrots and sausage is so easy and delicious that I’m honestly not surprised it is a top post. (In fact, it’s in the running to be one of the top posts for 2025.)

A Huge Thank You

Lastly, thank you for being here! I hope that whenever you visit Sunshine and Munchkins you feel like your life is just a little brighter as a result. If I can solve a problem, answer a question, or simply give some reassurance that you are doing a great job, then I have achieved my mission for this blog. I’m looking forward to many more years here with you!