2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (2025)

While I’m taking a little social media break this week I didn’t want the turn of the new year to pass without expressing gratitude for 2024. Over the past couple of years I’ve done a recap blog post to touch on some of the things life events that don’t always make it into a full blog post.

This includes my trips, family events and all the parts of life that aren’t just outfits! While I love sharing fashion I started this blog over 6 years ago about all areas of my life. While I’ve continued much of my home and beauty content I just couldn’t keep up with the travel posts seeing that I went on 13 trips this year alone!!

https://bit.ly/49Xg4eoNow as I’ve hinted 2025 will also be a crazy year of non fashion content because are are MOVING (again)! My husband just received a huge promotion to Albuquerque, NM but before we deep dive into all of that let’s recap 2024…

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (1)

JANUARY

Last year like this we rang in the New Year at our beach house in Galveston, TX. What y’all didn’t know at the time is that I also was photographing for my beach inspired collection with Victoria Emerson. Since I was getting photos taken it was also a great time to get family photos at our favorite place.

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (2)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (3)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (4)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (5)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (6)

Additionally I partnered with Beddy’s to outfit our bunk room with zippered bedding for our extended stays so it feels more like home! Use code RECRUITER for 20% off your Beddy’s purchase, since these we have replaced my son’s room and our primary bedroom with Beddys!

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (7)

Then to celebrate my birthday and my husband’s 45th birthday we took a quick trip to Las Vegas! I love Vegas and funny enough this year I went 3 times!!

When I get the choice I love staying at the Cosmopolitan and my husband and I had a great dinner at Don’s Prime in the Fontainebleau Las Vegas just a few weeks after they opened. We also had the most amazing sushi experience at Mizumi in the Wynn. It was crazy luck because I had accidentally booked the following night but that had availably for Sansui Dining on their idyllic koi pond. This chefs menu style dining was incredible not only for the ambience but also for the food.

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (8)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (9)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (10)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (11)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (12)

FEBRUARY

In the shortest month we did a ton of firsts! From hosting friends for the most epic Super Bowl ever (grew up a 49ers fan but went to Texas Tech so also a Chiefs fan) to my daughter’s first Valentine’s Dance, my son playing on his first basketball team, first Avalanche game as a family then hitting 200k followers on Instagram it was a whirlwind.

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (13)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (14)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (15)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (16)

We ended the month with a family ski trip to Winter Park. We stayed at the incredible Devil’s Thumb Ranch where we were able to rent a cabin that allowed dogs. Also on this stunning property they raise American Wagu Beef and the Ranch House restaurant was an incredible dining experience with the views and delicious food.

While in Winter Park my kids took their first ski lesson, did the tubing hill but the overall hit of the trip was PowPow Donuts at the base of the slopes.. omg I dream about these mini donuts.

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (17)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (18)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (19)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (20)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (21)

MARCH

In March we escaped a HUGE snow storm the weekend of my daughter’s 12th birthday. We had plans to visit her best friend and cousin back in Texas and all flights were getting cancelled. We made a last minute decision, left the night before and missed the snow so that we wouldn’t miss the trip. It was kicked off with Ashlyn and her best friend MEETING and talking with Colleen Rothschild at her Dallas headquarters. We had sushi at her favorite restaurant The Blue Fish and ended the trip with a St. Patrick’s brunch with her bff cousin.

This was also the trip that I started dropping the idea for my cousin Erin to come join the TRM team and in July she came on full time as my virtual assistant! She is incredible and has taken a huge weight off me by linking blogs, helping with Facebook posts, collages and like a million other things! Erin and her family is also who we cruised with the last 2 Spring Breaks (see those trips here).

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (22)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (23)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (24)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (25)

Towards the end of March my daughter and I headed back to Winter Park for a quick weekend choir competition and hit the slopes for a day. Of course we had to hit up the Pizza Peddler and Pow Pow Donuts while we were there!

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (26)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (27)

APRIL

We started April back in my happy place, the beach! It was our first Easter in the beach house and what a fun way to kick off spring. While the water was still pretty chilly my kids still played in the sand for hours and we explored more of Galveston had to offer like the incredible rolled ice cream at Cordray’s Drug Store made famous on the show Restoring Galveston.

At the end of this trip my mom came to Galveston for the day to see the kids then I went with her to Houston for her hip replacement surgery. I had no idea at the time the annoying process of getting a family member medical care in a town you don’t live in but luckily the surgery was a success and she is doing great!

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (28)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (29)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (30)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (31)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (32)

MAY

In early May I headed back to our beach house to host my 3 BFFs Kelly, Regan and Kenna. If you have been around a bit you have seen my travel adventures with these girls in Nashville & Vegas but this time we wanted a low key couple days at the beach. It was wonderful to take them to my favorite places, hang out and RELAX (and laugh a ton!)

Since this was a new time of year for me to be in Galveston I was shocked to get the most enormous local oysters at Katie’s Seafood House. Also don’t miss the cheesy bread and Golden Tile Italian style (they took this away for a bit but looks like it’s back!) We also visited Cordray’s for rolled ice cream, Copper’s Landing for amazing fresh fish and mussels and finally a upscale dinner at Number 13 over looking the marina.

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (33)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (34)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (35)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (36)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (37)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (38)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (39)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (40)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (41)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (42)

JUNE

On June 1st my family took me out to dinner to celebrate hitting 300k on Instagram to the sushi restaurant that we loved from DFW, The Blue Fish at their new location on downtown Denver! We enjoyed our favorite Ahi Tower (my daughter and I ordered our own lol) and a dirty martini, my fav. Unfortunately I guess not enough people came to this location because I just found out that it closed!!

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (43)

We then went into final end of school year celebrations and my daughter’s week of dance recital before packing up for two weeks back in Galveston (if you haven’t seen a theme we spent a lot of time at our new beach house this year!)

The first week we invited my best friend Missy and her family (they also live in Denver area) to stay with us. Then the next week my husband and his parents joined us just in time for Father’s Day. To surprise the guys I reached out to Island Time Cabanas and had the party cabana package set up for the day.

This summer week at the beach with my family is so special and every year as we head home I think that it wasn’t enough time! Maybe in 2025 we will stay for 3 weeks.

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (44)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (45)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (46)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (47)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (48)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (49)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (50)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (51)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (52)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (53)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (54)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (55)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (56)

JULY

Many of y’all might not fully be aware of this but July is one of my craziest months for content creation all year and since it lands right in the middle of summer break for my kids this is also typically the month they spend some time at camps! This year my daughter went to her first overnight camp with Avid 4 Adventure sleeping in tents while hiking, biking white water rafting and kayaking. During the same week my son did a day camp with similar activities (but no rafting).

When they both came home they then did a half day camp at Top Golf which they both loved! My son finished his baseball season, we attended our first Rockies game as a family and ended the month seeing Olivia Rodrigo. Oh and in-between all this was Nordstrom Anniversary Sale and Amazon Prime Days!!

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (57)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (58)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (59)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (60)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (61)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (62)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (63)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (64)

AUGUST

Mid August the kids started back at school and man I love getting back into a routine! My daughter started the 7th grade and my son started 4th grade. I made my annual chocolate chip pancakes in the shape of their grade and every year I think the numbers get harder lol!

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (65)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (66)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (67)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (68)

SEPTEMBER

Labor Day weekend we decided to check out the Denver Museum of Illusions which ended up being so fun with tons of photo opportunities. It has a ton of life-sized optical illusions that you get to be a part of and because they are franchise locations there are a ton across the nation and our cousins went to the Dallas location the same day!

My son started his fall lacrosse league with his firest time in full pads and I started my crazy traveling for about a month kicking it off with LTKCon in Dallas.

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (69)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (70)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (71)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (72)

One of the best parts of LTKCon is reconnecting with friends that I haven’t see in person but talk to online almost daily! It was the first time I got to meet my friend Kristy in person but also enjoy downtime with my favorite girls. While in Dallas I typically end up being much of the cruise director so I planned dinners at Truluck’s and Mexican Sugar.

All of these ladies I’ve “known” for over 5 years and over the years have traveled to Mexico, Utah, San Diego and Dallas (see many of those trips from last year HERE) together so Jen and Heather were in charge of the Vegas bookings later in the month!

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (73)

@midwestmoneysavingmommas, @fitmomming, @teachinginheelsblog, @hipmomshops, @styled.by.luxe, @thesemerrillydays, @lovelylifestyling, @justpostedblog

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (74)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (75)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (76)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (77)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (78)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (79)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (80)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (81)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (82)

To decompress after the conference 8 of my friends and I jumped on a quick JSX flight to Houston then drove down to Galveston for a few days at the beach. It was also the first time I used a concierge service, Above & Beyond Concierge to set up a few gifts for the girls and stock the fridge for us so we could immediately go into relax mode!

We all got a few questions on this pic and no it’s not a private jet! It’s a small regional airline that is “semi private” where you can show up 20 minutes before your flight and take larger dogs in cabin with you. We have loved having this airline have a hub in Denver but their flights are pretty limited.

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (83)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (84)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (85)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (86)

We were all home for about a week before it was time to head to the Amazon Creator Summit in Las Vegas. This conference was held at the Conrad Hilton, a hotel I had never stayed in and honestly I wasn’t super impressed. It has a lot of meeting and conference rooms so I can understand why the event was here but not as tourist and shopping friendly.

The first night theme was “Creator Stars” so sequins and bling were out on night one that was held on the rooftop bar of the Conrad Hilton hotel. The next day was lots of presentations focused around Amazon Big Deal Days and holiday shopping. During these conferences the speakers are good but it’s always the networking with other creators I find the most valuable. This is one of the hardest conferences to secure an invite to, the guest list is pretty small compared to the amount of creators on the platform so it’s always an honor to secure an invite.

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (87)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (88)

Alissa from @fashionably.late.mom, me, Candace from @justpostedblog, Angela from @teachinginheelsblog, Kati from @midwestmoneysavingmommas, Heather from @hipmomshops, Lauren from @midwestmoneysavingmommas, Jen from @fitmomming

Now the best part about traveling with these ladies is we all love great food, shopping and just enjoy being with each other like we are family. Jen, Alissa and Candace also brought their husbands on this trip so we did a few dinners and shows all together. The first night Jen got us reservations at Toca Madera near Aria. The food was incredible and loved the upscale Mexican vibe (so much that I went back on my next Vegas trip) we celebrated Lauren’s birthday that night!

Then after dinner we went to Absinthe which was described to me as one of the funniest, most raunchy cirque de soleil style show and OMG it is hands down one of the best shows I’ve seen in Vegas! So much so that we went again the 2nd night and it had completely different acts so it’s a type of show you can see over and over again and get a new experience each time.

The final night Heather secured us reservations at the nearly impossible to get into Carbone. Let’s just say now I understand the hype! The food was incredible and it was so fun to experience it with great friends on our last night together.

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (89)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (90)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (91)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (92)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (93)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (94)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (95)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (96)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (97)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (98)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (99)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (100)

OCTOBER

The crazy travel schedule did not stop for October! I was home for about a week after Amazon Creator Summit where I was up around 4am for a few days to prep content for Amazon Prime Big Deal Days. Then I took my daughter and her best friend to the Megan Trainor concert at Red Rocks.

It was my first time to Red Rocks and the venue is so beautiful and more intimate than I could have imagined. Megan Trainor put on an incredible show and so happy we were able to see her there.

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (101)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (102)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (103)

Then a day later headed back to Vegas for my friend Kim’s 40th birthday celebration. While in Vegas for this trip we stayed at the Cosmopolitan Hotel (my favorite) had meals at Catch, Toca Madera, Momofuku and Beauty & Essex. The big event though was seeing Maroon Five in concert with the most amazing VIP seats where Adam Levine came into the crowd just feet from us!

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (104)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (105)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (106)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (107)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (108)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (109)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (110)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (111)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (112)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (113)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (114)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (115)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (116)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (117)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (118)

Once I arrived home from Las Vegas I had 2 days to re-pack and head to Miami for my husband’s officer’s meeting. Just writing this re-cap I’m exhausted from all this travel I really have no idea how I made it through all it! This conference was much more business professional and while I was there as the “spouse” since I had previously worked for the same company for 15 years it was so much fun to see former co-workers I haven’t seen in over 10 years.

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (119)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (120)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (121)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (122)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (123)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (124)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (125)

Most of the days were spent at the hotel and I was so disappointed that the weather was windy and cold since I was hoping for a little beach time but it wasn’t great for that. Instead we did a boat ride to see the area and my husband and I explored South Beach where we had the best Cuban food at Esquina Cubana. Highly recommend the Mojitos, Empanadas, Paella Habanera and Cuban Sandwich!

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (126)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (127)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (128)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (129)

Now what I was REALLY looking forward to and helped me get through all the travel was staying an extra day to see Taylor Swift on her night 1 of Miami and WOW am I so happy we made this happen. This was the night with the new reputation costume, Florence Welch surprise guest and rain! Y’all it was magic and I’m so happy I was there.

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (130)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (131)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (132)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (133)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (134)

Once we got home it was time to prep for Halloween and enjoy being home for holidays!

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (135)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (136)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (137)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (138)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (139)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (140)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (141)

NOVEMBER

November brought our first big snowstorm which my son loved building his family of snowmen. My daughter competed in her first dance competition and I tried to read as many holiday romance books as possible!

We hosted Thanksgiving at our house with my Dad and best friend and her family. That week was pretty busy with content for what felt like 2 weeks of Cyber sales but my daughter and I went to the mall on Black Friday for our annual mother/ daughter shopping trip.

After Thanksgiving we also make our family Christmas Wine and this year was the first time my son helped as well!

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (142)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (143)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (144)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (145)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (146)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (147)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (148)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (149)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (150)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (151)

DECEMBER

This month I try and slow down and spend quality time with friends and family but this year it also brought the news that my husband could get promoted and we would be moving. It was about a 2 week process in which only a few people knew what was going on. Unfortunately he had to miss one of our daughter’s holiday dance performances but he did make it back for her Nutcracker performance.

We still enjoyed seeing Christmas lights in our neighborhood and I took the kids to see Ice and Cirque: Frost at the Gaylord Rockies hotel in Denver.

After all the gifts had been opened on Christmas Day we told the kids that we would be moving. I was so proud that both of them had pretty positive attitudes about our family’s next adventure. As we had started 2024 we left shortly after the holiday and headed back to Galveston to ring in the New Year.

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (152)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (153)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (154)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (155)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (156)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (157)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (158)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (159)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (160)
2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (161)

I am finishing this post sitting in our beach house in Galveston during my what I’m now calling my annual break from social media I reflect on my incredible blessings. I’m so thankful that I have a job that allows me the flexibility to travel and still be available to be with my kids. I’m forever grateful that I have a healthy body that can get on and off planes, stand for concerts and hug my family.

I’m thankful for this community that without your support I would not be able to have 2 employees, all these opportunities and the ability to give back throughout the year.

So here’s to new adventures in 2025!!

The Recruiter Mom is participant in the Amazon Services LLC Influencer/Associates Program, an influencer/affiliate advertising program designed to provide means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to https://www.amazon.com/shop/ryannejanca

The Recruiter Mom LLC uses affilate links on this page. Purchasing an item through a link may result in a commission. Merely clicking on a link does not result in a commission, but if a qualifying purchase is made, a comission is earned.

Read more about my site, privacy, and disclosure policies here.

2024 Year in Review | Life & Travel Recap (2025)
Top Articles
Latest Posts
Recommended Articles
Article information

Author: Gov. Deandrea McKenzie

Last Updated:

Views: 6033

Rating: 4.6 / 5 (66 voted)

Reviews: 81% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Gov. Deandrea McKenzie

Birthday: 2001-01-17

Address: Suite 769 2454 Marsha Coves, Debbieton, MS 95002

Phone: +813077629322

Job: Real-Estate Executive

Hobby: Archery, Metal detecting, Kitesurfing, Genealogy, Kitesurfing, Calligraphy, Roller skating

Introduction: My name is Gov. Deandrea McKenzie, I am a spotless, clean, glamorous, sparkling, adventurous, nice, brainy person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.