Some Favorite Photos of 2016

After showing off some of my favorite landscapes from last year, I decided to go through some of my family photos and snapshots and choose some favorites from there. These are definitely not chosen because they are my best work, but instead, for the moment they capture or the story they share.

Rather than try to narrow these down or rank them, I will just show a few from each month and share why I love them.

January

This picture, taken while rockhounding on the way to California, is so typical of the relationship between these two. Katie is loving and always wants to show it; Harmony is less happy with the competition her younger but same-size sibling represents. They were sharing a room and clothes for a time, but partway through the year, we divided up the clothes and then switched the rooms around so that Cami and Harmony share and Katie shares with Benji. It has worked out amazingly well. Cami is so much younger than Harmony that she happily takes on a big sister role to her, reading to her and playing with her. And Katie thrives on being the big sister important enough to share with Benji. This summer, she was in charge of getting him up if he woke up while I was out for a run. She'd bring him to Sarah to take care of until I got back.

We just love this happy, cute boy who has stolen all our hearts!

This picture is just so typical Cami. She is so full of energy and delight. At Universal Studios, she was thrilled with all the minions.

Same as above. Typical, happy, delighted, energetic Cami, this time at the beach.

February

Creative Valentines' boxes. What I love most about this photo is that I was not involved in any way in the planning or creation of the boxes. I love that big art projects, science projects, animal reports and the like are big collaborative efforts in our house now. The kids naturally help each other and work together.

Cami on her birthday. Happy as ever and loved by everyone, including Michael.

This was the first time we took Benji to the pool dressed to go swimming. This photo captures the way he is the center of the world for everyone around here. Everyone delights in every little cute thing he does. I also love that most of the time when I took the kids swimming this year, one of the big kids, usually Sarah, will take care of Cami voluntarily. The rest (except Benji, who didn't always go) can swim, leaving me to relax poolside and catch up on reading. I also love that Cami is very, very close now to being able to swim!

Our friend Hailey stayed with us for seven weeks and we got the privilege of helping to plan and carry out her wedding on a shoestring budget. I loved all the wonderful crafts that my girls helped create for the reception. This was an early draft of the clay creations Sarah made for a cake topper. The final was a bit more polished.

This is the closest we got to a real family picture after attending the Provo City Center temple open house. Cami was throwing a major fit (remember how awesome and happy she is? Well, that's about 90% of the time. The other 10% she's writhing on the floor screaming something like "I can't do it!") We are so thrilled to have two temples in our city now, and this building, rebuilt after a devastating fire, has a lot of meaning for us.

March

Cami created toothpaste murals a couple of times this year. Here she is cleaning one up!

Nothing special or fancy about this picture, just Cami and her best friend playing with Benji. I love the many happy moments that make up my life.

DH taught Harmony to ride without training wheels. Later in the year, he did many of his long runs with Harmony, Eliza, Sarah, or Allison by his side on their bikes. I love the good man I married.

Setting up for Hailey's beautiful reception.

Hailey's wedding was a magical day. This couple is now expecting a little girl!

April

Fun day at the park with my friend's kids. We love it when friends come to stay with us.

Not an amazing photo, but typical of spring at our house -- our trees shed sticks and branches like crazy, and keeping our yard clear(ish) is a duty I always think we will get on top of.