Upon watching this video for the first time, my brother-in-law said, “it looks like there’s nothing wrong in the world.” This video was filmed in June 2020 when, to be clear, there were many things wrong in the world (as there always are). But isn’t it a gift to give our little ones a world that is safe and good and kind and lovely? To imprint on them the things we hope they’ll seek out for themselves, and create for other people, for the rest of their lives? I think so. Consider this volume of our annual video a compilation of everything good in our world. I hope you enjoy a peek at our life together! June in June: 2020 from Emily Thomas on Vimeo. The password is JUNE. Ready for a walk down memory lane? See Volume 1, Volume 2, Volume 3, and Volume 4. (And just try not to cry a little bit.) P.S. If you want to make your own video

At long last — the 2019 installment of June in June! I delayed and delayed on editing this one because life is busy, yes, but also because I had this little voice in the back of my mind saying “you didn’t get that many good clips” and “there’s no way you’ll top last year’s.” (To be fair, last year’s was really fun. One whale!) Filming was particularly challenging this year, as we struggled to hold a phone and a wiggly baby at the same time (and navigated a subject that is increasingly aware of the camera). But once I finally pushed through and just did the thing, this fourth installment came together easily and quickly, as they always do – because while our life together is messy and ordinary, it is also beyond precious and perfect to us. This little girl fills every day with sunshine in a way that’s hard to even think about without tearing up… so instead, I invite you to simply enjoy this peek into one month with our favorite three-and-a-half-year-old. The password is JUNE. Ready for a walk down memory lane? See Volume 1, Volume 2, and Volume 3. (And just try not to cry a little bit.)

Over the last three years of making (and sharing) June in June, I’ve had many questions about how we film and edit these yearly movies of our daughter. It’s surprisingly easy to create a really fun and halfway decent finished product if you have just a few tools and tips, with the end result being something you’ll treasure forever. Today I’m sharing our best practices, if you’d like to try it yourself! TIPS FOR FILMING: — Pick one month where you commit to having your cameras more readily at hand and filming multiple clips a day. The idea of capturing everything all year is daunting and overwhelming to me, but one month I can do! Even though kids change so much month-to-month, when we’re looking back from the vantage point of an eighteenth birthday, I think 18 mini movies will be enough for us :) –We shoot almost all of our clips with my iPhone. (I have a 7 Plus – John has a 5S, so we don’t use his too often, ha!) The quality it produces is pretty incredible. We also have a GoPro, which we’ve used for underwater and action shots in a few movies! Very important: don’t forget to shoot horizontally!! — Always film slightly longer than you think you need to – you never know when an extra half second will help you time something with the music, and it’s always better to have more footage rather than less. — To help with editing, aim for variety in all ways! Film some scenes where your child is aware of, and interacting with, the camera, and some where he or she is not. Film multiple versions or angles of the same scene (like I did to create the opening montage of June watering flowers in Volume 3),

I have to say, making these little movies is one of the more brilliant ideas I’ve ever had, truly! The way they capture the mundane moments of our life together is already so precious to me, and I know it will only get more so as the years go on. From the way she wears her hair to the way she runs (those swinging arms!!), to her obsession with smelling flowers and picking up as many things as she can at once, it all changes so fast… And though we don’t necessarily need to mourn the passing of time, I do want to remember: her tousled bedhead first thing in the morning, our camping trips with friends, Target runs, dinners in the backyard, evening walks — everything that makes up our ordinary and beautiful life. Here’s a look, if you’d like to see… P.S. I have been looking forward to using this song in a video since we found out we were having a girl. It didn’t disappoint :) June in June: 2017 from Emily Thomas on Vimeo. The password is JUNE. She’s my best girl :) And John is just the greatest, yes? xo! P.S. Volume One