Holy wow! Just like that, we are already finished with another year. I’ll have to admit, this one really snuck up on me. I’ve been blessed with a lot this year, including finishing up the first year as the mama of sweet Banks. In all honesty, finding balance has been a total struggle and I hope that 2018 has a bit more of it. I’m also realizing that maintaining perfect balance of work and home life may be a unicorn and my life is probably okay with some chaos. One of my favorite things to do at the end of the year is come up with a “top 10” list. It helps me to be grateful for the incredible experiences I have and also to relive some of the year’s greatest memories. Cheers to you, 2017. I can’t wait to see what the future holds.
The 2017 “Top 10”:
1. The countless days we spent at Crystal Mountain starting when Banks was just under 2 weeks old. Passing on my love of snow and the mountains is something I love sharing with my son.
2. Celebrating my husband’s birthday with a huge group of friends snowboarding at White Pass. Complete with a ridiculous scavenger hunt. This little mom-and-pop resort holds a special place in my heart and I believe this will be an annual tradition now!
3. I planned a ladies backpacking trip with some of my dearest friends in August. It was many of their first times going backpacking and it was an incredible experience to share!
4. Taking my son, Banks Jackson, to Jackson Hole. His middle name is after all of our amazing years spent there and I was so proud to show him the Tetons.
5. My husband’s family celebrated their grandparents’ 60th wedding anniversary with a large reunion in Maryland. It was my first time to the state and we got to introduce Banks to his great grandparents. Banks is the first of his generation to carry on the family name so this was an extra special meeting!
6. Surfing in La Push! Hands down one of my favorite trips of the summer. BBQ, beach, waves, and sand. I still didn’t get much better at surfing but the time spent with friends is all I really need.
7. Visiting Winthrop and the Methow Valley. This place reminds me so much of Jackson Hole. Thanks to a wedding we photographed there, we got to spend a weekend there in a little cabin in the woods and enjoyed every minute of it.
8. I took a trip to Prosser with my sister-in-law and friends, where we got to wine tasting via horseback riding. We slept in a teepee, sipped rose in the summer heat, ate some amazing fresh pizza, and watched the sunset so golden over the Washington wine country. A trip I won’t soon forget!
9. Visiting San Francisco for the first time! I photographed a wedding in Oakland, and my parents met me there so they could watch Banks while I was working. We made a trip of it and I got to explore that amazing city for a bit!
10. Celebrating our baby boy’s first birthday! Due to his holiday birthday, we held a party earlier in the month at a brewery with 20 of our friends. Family came to celebrate and witness the cake smash on his actual birthday, December 26. The holidays really are truly a time to celebrate even more now!
No, there aren’t a ton of photos of my family in this post. Stay tuned for a full post of what it’s been like to be mama/business owner for a year. I hope you enjoy some of my favorite captures of 2017. Happy New Year and THANK YOU to everyone who has supported us throughout the year. We can’t thank you enough!
