a look back on 2016.

i literally got half way through the year and already had 9 [hundred] pictures that meant so much to me.  it has been a HUGE year for us.  a big, giant thank you to everyone who made it so meaningful.  it's been the best year yet. 

a few highlights:

finding out about baby girl. // bff reunions. // baby showers with so many favorite people. // family temple trip. // finishing up three amazing years at orem junior. // packing up everything we own and moving to texas. // buying our first house. // weighing in at the highest i've ever been. // swimming all summer.  // welcoming emery to the world. // becoming the "mom squad". // blessing day. // family visits. // being this girl's mom!  

feeling very grateful and very blessed.  

...and here is our kid crew for our new year's eve celebration.  

pajamas and bedtime by 9.  

a walter christmas.

my family was able to come down to spend christmas with us.  

it was a fabulous [warm] texas christmas. 

 we spent a night in downtown grapevine looking at the lights.  

matching pjs for us all.

somebody was a little spoiled...

but the absolute best part was making our family music video.  

i told them it was the tradition i wanted to start.  

they delivered. 

[watch it here.]

other things of note...

 tennis on christmas eve.  in t-shirts. // mommas holding babies holding babies.

little ems is so loved.  // grandma, grandpa, & uncle add. 

we love having visitors.

all the christmasy things.

#lighttheworld. // arboretum 12 days of christmas. 

the tree and fireplace.

SANTA! // all the babies. #momsquad 

friends, ugly sweaters, and gingerbread houses.

 carollton nativity.  // favorite view.

mary & joseph - "a night in bethlehem"

our church christmas party this year was a special experience.  derek and i were asked to be mary and joseph [and baby jesus] in our live nativity.  emery was the perfect baby and fell asleep as we entered the stage.  the half hour before she was blabbering away.  what a powerful and humbing experience to feel, maybe just a little, what it would have been like on that first christmas night.  

family theme.

i have been inspired by nienie to have a "family theme" each year.  

[made on rhonna designs app.]

derek and i discussed what we wanted our theme for this year to be.  

{and being the teacher i am, we're doing "years" by the school calendar.}  

we discussed for family night how we can "be fully present."  sometimes it's hard to put the phones down and just live in the moment.  but this year we are going to be more conscious of it.  

good day songs. [2016.]

it's time again for the "back to school" playlist.
here's what we'll be listening to this year.

up & up - coldplay

day to feel alive - jake reese

try everything - shakira

dance like yo daddy - meghan trainor

can't stop the feeling - justin timberlake

latch - disclosure & sam smith

everything changes - sara bareilles

four walls - broods 

home - edward sharpe

mom - meghan trainor

drag me down/as long as you love me - vocal point

send my love - adele

lost boy - ruth b

strong - cinderella soundtrack

incredible - celine dion & ne-yo