Of all the posts I’ve written on this blog (more than 1,200 over the last seven years!), the ones I most love to look back on are these year in review posts. John, too. Seeing all of these beloved memories and people in one place laid out so neatly never fails to make me feel like helium is filling me up inside!

I am really grateful for this year, and know it will be one I’ll always look back on with joy. Here are a few of the highlights of the year on Em for Marvelous and in our lives!

We started off the year by celebrating Christmas with my family in Connecticut over Martin Luther King, Jr. weekend! The highlight was roasting marshmallows over the smoldering coals of our beloved childhood playground. We slowly added several new pieces to our home over the year, starting with this pretty vintage rug. Best of all, we celebrated our ten-year dativersary by recreating our first date: ice skating!

We got our annual dose of snow in February, which meant, much to his chagrin, John’s year once again included shoveling. I wrote about our strategy for replacing paper towels (one of the small things that made me happiest this year!) and preparing financially for a baby.

March was a great, full mix of some of my favorite things! John and I flew to NYC for an extended weekend so I could do a speaking thing for work and we both could visit with his family. We got to worship at Hillsong. Then we squeezed in a camping trip with friends, I flew to Austin and Houston for work, and I hosted a baby shower for Nancy! I also posted a few of my thoughts on camping.

We really maxed out our travel budget in 2015, which both at the time and in hindsight, I am grateful for! We visited Savannah and Beaufort, SC over Easter weekend. We also planted a blueberry bush in our yard, and finally ordered our wedding album!

Another month, another weekend trip, this time to Wilmington and Bald Head Island! My Dad also came to visit, we did projects around the house, picked strawberries, went to an outdoor concert and a Bulls game, and I traveled to Charlottesville and Charleston for work. I also wrote about my water drinking game, which is still holding strong! AND, we found out I was pregnant!

Good golly, June! The highlight was without a doubt our trip to France – our first trip to Europe, and one I covered in five posts (Paris, Versailles, Provence, Cassis, and the Côte d’Azur). I also flew to Connecticut to see my family and help my parents clean out our attic, my younger sister came to visit us, and I traveled to Richmond and Kentucky for work!

In July we threw a baby shower for Natalie and Joe in NYC, and got to tell the Thomas side of the family our happy news! I also spent the next week working remotely and hanging out with my Mom in Connecticut, which was really wonderful.

We had one of our best weeks ever in Maine in August, where, among other things, we got to tell my side of the family our news! At the end of the month we took a weekend trip to Greenville, and found out we are having a baby girl! I also wrote about deciding to have children (one of the most popular posts of the year) and our car fund. Also took my first bump photo at 18 weeks! :)

In September we flew to Nashville to visit my younger sister, and we did a lot of good eating :) Also took another bump photo on one of our runs – 22 weeks! I wrote a post about the best way to reheat pizza, and if you haven’t tried that tip yet, you are missing out.

In October we headed to the mountains for a weekend trip with John’s parents and aunts. Took another bump photo (26 weeks!), made some biscuits at our church’s Fair booth, traveled to Charleston for work, my Mom and Dad came to visit, hosted the third annual pumpkin and soup party, shared nursery plans, and posted a third trimester update!

Bump’s getting bigger (33 weeks here!). I was lucky enough to have three baby showers in November, one of which we traveled to Connecticut for and one for which my Mom and sisters flew into NC. We celebrated Thanksgiving with dear friends and finally pulled the trigger on new dining room chairs!

And finally, December. We were so happy to host John’s family for Christmas at our home, something I’m considering a little gift from our baby girl since it wouldn’t have happened without her due date aligning!

Friends, thank you for reading. I just love y’all – sharing with you, hearing from you, getting your opinions, and seeing what you’re up to. It is a joy to write here, and I can’t wait to see all the adventures 2016 will hold!

2014 year in review
2013 year in review
2012 year in review

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I loved our five Christmas card finalists so much that I would have been thrilled to send out any of them, but in the end, we went with the design that y’all loved best, and that was so undeniably perfect for our upcoming year:

It’s the Wonder Filled design by Baumbirdy from the geniuses at Minted. Our photo was taken by the talented Perry Vaile!

Since our card design was simple and black and white, we didn’t add any color to the newsletter, either. It’s crazy to think of all the milestones we’ll have to squeeze onto the 2016 version!!

I love that many of our news items aren’t news to y’all, like our dativersary, Articles Club, pumpkin and soup night, and of course, our trip to France! It really is a joy to share with and learn from you all, and, in turn, to be invited into your lives! Which brings me to your very own handwritten note, because no Thomas Christmas card would be complete without one:

Thomas Christmas cards are also not complete without recognition of why we send cards at Christmas in the first place. Though sometimes it seems unavoidable, we don’t want our cards to be all about us. We send them out at Christmas to share our joy at the birth of our Savior with the people we love the most, and we want to remind people of that in a personal way. So, we’ve taken to including a few thoughts on what Christmas means to us, and a favorite piece of scripture. We went with a classic this year :)

I’m not sure if I’ll be back between now and my annual year in review, as we have lots of family arriving shortly for an extended visit (YAY!). But, I’m already so excited to share a look back and a look forward to what should be a very interesting year… I’ve been working on my goals with the PowerSheets, and I can’t wait to discuss!

P.S. Our cards from 2014, 2013, and 2012!

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Way back in January, I traded some graphic design work for a photo session with our dear friends Sam and Graham Terhune. I’d do anything for them, of course, and would also do just about anything for some of their beautiful photos! For several months afterward, they pestered us to set up our session, but I always evaded them with vague excuses – because I had a very specific use for this session in mind, and that was newborn photos! :) Though I think some maternity photos can be lovely, I would choose a newborn session 1000 times over if I could only do one. About a year later we’re finally ready to cash in on our end of the bargain, so I thought I’d share some of the inspiration I’ve been collecting!

From top to bottom and left to right: unknown, both by Cassidy Brooke, @themamacircle, Cassidy Brooke, DeFiore Photography, Nicki Sebastien, Elate Photography via 100 Layer Cakelet, Petite Sweet Peas and Me, unknown, Amy Frances via 100 Layer Cakelet

I still don’t think all babies are that cute, but these photos sure make them look good :) The newborn photos I tend to like best are simple, understated, quiet, and intimate. That’s right in line with Graham’s style, and I know he will do an amazing job!! I’m also super grateful to be able to work with a dear friend on these, since I doubt we’ll feel like we have anything together after just a few days of adjustment.

Since I am relatively hopeless with hair and makeup under the best circumstances, I’m considering hiring a pro to give me a little extra boost for this session. I can’t think of a time I’ll probably need help more or be more grateful for a little pampering, and I can’t think of anyone better than Sam of Lula Hair + Makeup to lend a hand. I have been lucky enough to have her do my makeup a few times in the past, and in addition to being incredibly talented, she has the sweetest and most peaceful spirit — probably the only type I’d be able to tolerate in those vulnerable days! Contacting her is on my to do list for this week.

Finally, I think we’ll do the majority of the session in our guest bedroom – the duvet cover is white and the headboard is solid gray, so it will be a nice, simple background. Plus, that room gets some of the best sunlight in the house. We have lots of sweet blankets and swaddles to play with if we want to add a little more color!

As with most things about labor and the first few weeks (and months!), I’m trying to keep my expectations for our session low — not with Graham or our photos, of course, but with how I’ll feel and how baby girl will behave! If you’ve done your own session, feel free to share any tips with me, or even links to favorite sessions, in the comments!

P.S. Want to see the finished photos? Here they are!

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Friends! Wow! I kind of thought you might be excited to hear our announcement, but as usual, you bowled me over with your enthusiasm and good wishes. We kept the news to ourselves for so long that I was a little nervous about finally having it out in the open, but you all more than put me at ease. Looking forward to chatting more :)

But first, let’s return to France for the final installment of our trip: the Côte d’Azur! This post will be short and sweet.

On the final two nights of our trip, we stayed in the tiny town of Mougins at La Mas Candille. We were happy with this choice, but if we were to return to the area, we probably would try a different property. It was nice, but didn’t blow our minds. We did enjoy lounging in Candille’s many small pools, but let me tell you: the French and Americans do NOT have the same definition of “hot tub.” The French seem to think a lukewarm tub is “hot” (disappointing).

However, one thing we loved about the hotel was that it was within very easy walking distance to Mougins’ town center, and we loved Mougins! The three business categories in Mougins seem to be restaurants, art galleries, and real estate offices. The views over the valley were beautiful! We ate at a yummy Indian restaurant one night and Le Clos Saint Basile the other. (One note on Saint Basile: it was one of the only times when we found it difficult to communicate, and we do know a good bit of French. Maybe not the best option for those who do not know ANY French.)

Aside from lounging at our hotel and strolling Mougins, our main outing was to Chemin des Douaniers. This is a beautiful coastal walk along a stretch of sea wall in Cap d’Antibes, and I would highly recommend it!

And that’s that! I hoped you enjoyed following along with our France adventure, and that our experience might be helpful for those of you planning your own trips!! In case you missed a post…

Paris
Versailles
Provence
Cassis

P.S. I swear I own more than one shirt.

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