We love this Cup of Jo community, so we asked readers on Instagram to send us their favorite personal snapshots from 2023. We received hundreds and wish we could share them all, but here are 12, including a tiny nephew and a pasta tattoo…
Above: “Vermont got a lot of rain this summer, but on my birthday it was finally sunny, so we went for a hike and swam in a swimming hole. It was one of my favorite memories of the year.” — Chelsea
“I’m absolutely devouring a hot malasada donut right after getting engaged. We’d spent the morning visiting different beaches and savoring quiet time together. In that moment in the car, we were the definition of pure happiness.” — Tiffany
“After spending eight years looking after small kids and staying home during the pandemic, I went back on tour with my orchestra. You can see how euphoric I was in the Royal Albert Hall, loving my job and about to play one of the best concerts of my career!” — Neela
“At my sister’s wedding, my son requested a quick feed before the ceremony. My sister has a baby, too, so she specifically told the photographer that if there was an opportunity to get any breastfeeding photos, take them. I treasure this shot.” — Mon
“A group of 15 friends went camping in Santa Fe. I’m the one with the camcorder, running towards the camera, giddy and overwhelmed with gratitude.” — Elizabeth
“My aunt and I visited my sweet 96-year-old grandmother, as her health was quickly declining. We all needed a pick-me-up, so I went out and bought nail polish (she loved burgundy) and we had a few moments of joy and laughter. My gram passed just a few days later, so this is one of the last photos I have with her; I will always cherish it.” — Jenn
“My fave shot is eating pasta in Italy with my first pasta tattoo.” — Kim
“I took this selfie while trick-or-treating on Halloween, and it captures my older son’s endearing expressiveness and my younger son’s ‘I’m also here’ vibe. Plus, proof of mom and dad!” — Tasha
“This is me about to cross the finish line of my second ever marathon in Loch Ness, Scotland. The reason I love it? Because of the handsome guy next to me. My amazing husband agreed to take on the marathon with me, despite not loving long-distance running. He never once complained and cheered me through every mile. I finished with a huge PR and a massive smile. I have never felt so supported and lucky.” — Rebecca
“I got divorced three years ago and was stuck in an old job when my sister pushed me to take a fun new work opportunity. So, a week before her baby was born, I moved 500 miles away from her in India. I love everything about my new city, but had I not moved when I did, I never would have, since my nephew, Jordan, now has my whole heart. You think you love your sister the most — and then her baby comes along and shows you who’s boss!” — Roxana
“I’ve never commented on the blog (sometimes I’m surprisingly shy) but decided to send you a snapshot because this was the year I found the love of my life through Bumble. I had never thought I would find the one on a dating app and yet… Here we are in November, looking and feeling very happy.” — Agnes
“This year has been a doozy, but I got to spend two weeks in Montana with a friend. We were driving down a road in Glacier National Park and saw a grizzly bear! He was so chill eating moths and just being. We kept driving down the road and saw this cut out. I had to take a photo with my new BFF.” — Riana
P.S. More reader comments, and 12 readers share their cozy corners and how to stay cheery in the winter.
