• ABOUT
  • Shop
    • Shop Our Amazon Favorites
    • Shop Our Presets
  • Contact
    • Sponsorships
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Bloglovin
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
    • YouTube

Oak + Oats

A Colorado Lifestyle Blog

  • Motherhood
    • Oh Baby
    • Mama Buys
    • Pregnancy
  • Marriage
    • Date Night
    • Wedding Anniversary
  • Lifestyle
    • Family
    • Friends
    • Holidays
    • Photography
  • Home
    • Before & After
    • Yard & Garden
    • Recipes
    • Hosting
  • Travel
    • Travel Tips
    • Snapshots
    • Disney
    • Colorado
    • Colorado Springs
  • Ask Elizabeth

January 8, 2021
COVID-19, New Year

Looking back on 2020

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine.

I’ve started these last couple of recaps with my top 9. And while I love doing that, I don’t feel like it truly represents my year. Yes, the most people liked those top nine photos on Instagram more than any of the other photos, but I don’t necessarily trust Instagram (or the algorithm) to give each of my photos a fair shot 😉 While the top nine include some great moments, I also wanted to add nine more that represent the year more than just Millie being born (as great as that was!) I am glad that our 8 year anniversary pic from August snuck up in the mix or else all the photos would have only been of the first quarter of the year PRE COVID!

One. Two. Three. Four. Five. Six. Seven. Eight. Nine.

Ta-da! Here are the nine more (all post-COVID!) Those 18 photos together really sum up our year 😉 HAHA! Jk. I always find recap posts a bit hard. So many of those little moments make a year – not just the vacations, milestones, or picture perfect photos BUT it is always fun to look back on the photos of the year before.

So here comes the recap (although I already did the Instagram side of things!) In a similar format that I did in 2019 + 2018 because I’ve grown in my recap knowledge and skill since my 2017, 2016, 2015, 2014, and 2013 recaps 😉 Although, there is something nice about the month by month of 2013 so depending on how the rest of this post shakes out, I may bring that element back one day! In other news, can you believe that I have so many recap posts?!?! Like where do the years go?!?! And clearly I am finally getting a consistent look and feel for my photography! Look at how all these photos over the year go so well together! YAY me!

Now we move onto the blog where I share my most viewed posts from 2020…

  • My Maternity Leave Plan – This post is less of a plan and more of a compellation of thoughts, but maybe that is why it resonated with you! Or maybe it is just the great photos! Still some of my favorite photos!
  • Our favorite places to shop for Outfits for the Girls – Yes! I took weeks on this post (because I only get like 10 minute spurts to blog 😉 and I was so excited to put it all together for you guys! Plus all the photos!!
  • Millie Bea’s Birth Story – We are days away from her first birthday and I cannot even. Forever thankful that we brought the camera in with us to get the photos of Millie during my c-section!
  • The Nursery Reveal – It was so fun making a room for the girls here in our new home!
  • Baby #2: What we are doing the same and what we are doing differently – Looking back on this it is funny to see how already things changed. And COVID had a lot to do with it! I only pumped ONE TIME this year! lol!!!
  • Aveeno Baby Eczema Therapy – Hilde has such sensitive skin and I am SO glad we found something that works for her!
  • Bringing Home Baby – These pictures will always be some of my favorites.
  • How to Make a GIF for Instagram – Because everything is better in GIF form!
  • Quarantine Photo Challenge – I did this for that first “2 weeks” of flattening the curve. Guess it is a popular post because we can still technically do this challenge!

Next up, MORE BLOG POSTS! 😉 Apparently I am all about not trusting the stats this year because I’m sharing my own favorites for the blog too. Heck, it is my recap so I figured you would like to see what you think are the best posts and what I think are! Full disclosure, I love all the posts from above! It’s my blog and I kind of love it all. So these next nine are just nine more posts that I really liked from this year that stand out to me and I want to share with you!

  • Giving Thanks in 2020 – This is one of my favorite posts because I shared a lot on my heart about this year and the goodness of the Lord.
  • Traveling to Disney World during COVID – I was so scared this trip would be not fun because of all the mask wearing, rules, and closures but it ended up being SO sweet and I am so thankful I got the opportunity to be with my whole family!
  • Eight Years Together – Very thankful to be celebrating our 8th anniversary together!
  • Back at the Pool – We lived at the pool this summer and it was THE BEST!
  • Should you start a Blog in 2020? – Yes, the answer is always yes 😉
  • Getting out with my Girls – Love my girls and love Colorado!
  • I am not Enough – This is a good read.
  • How to Achieve Consistency in your Photography – Sharing about my presets and how I take and edit photos!
  • The Entryway – The last Before + After of 2020!

Moving on… more blog posts! JK! Not more blog posts, just some of my most shopped products that I shared with you (that I can track based off affiliate links!) These were some of the most popular according to the numbers:

  1. I’m pretty sure this photo is what made so many of you buy a Bumbo Seat too!
  2. We love these lovey blankets for the girls! We also have matching toddler ones that they sleep with every night!!!
  3. This Big Sis shirt is still popular even though it is from a post last year!
  4. The Pineapple Hamper has been a big hit since I bought it in 2018!
  5. This adorable Bow-Tie Beanie that the girls have worn all year!

Lastly, I wanted to share some of my favorite brand images. I’ve been able to work with brands both as a photographer and an influencer so not all my collaborations make it to you. I’ve been working on building up my brand photography and it’s honestly been super fun for me to see my style change and evolve as I have grown!

Alright, this is another one of those posts that took me entirely too long to put together but I just felt like I needed to do the year justice. 2020 was hard, weird, and unlike anything I would have imagined our planned but God is good, so faithful, and on the throne. I’ve been hurt, worried, offended, anxious, overwhelmed, annoyed, discouraged, by some of the trials that I have walked through this year BUT WOULD YOU LOOK AT ALL THE JOY?! The beauty, the fun, the peace in the midst of it all?! 2020, you were not a wasted year. I’m still thankful for you because each day is a gift.

Related

Spread the love
Previous Post: « Christmas Eve
Next Post: 2021 Photo Calendar »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

Hello + Welcome!

I’m Elizabeth, a Colorado photographer and blogger. I’m also a wife, mama, sister, daughter, and friend! Welcome to Oak + Oats! Here we look for the remarkable in the every day. We love photographing our daily moments, making memories, and sharing our favorite places here in this space.

Our happiest days are spent together – many of those with a camera in hand! My free time (ie: Nap Time) is spent behind my computer screen sharing our tips and stories with you! I’m glad you’re here!

stay up to date

READ MORE ABOUT

  • Motherhood
  • Marriage
  • Home
  • Colorado
  • Travel
  • Holidays
  • Ask Elizabeth

OLDER POSTS

Siesta Key Beach

Great Grandma’s Dress

Happy Baby Booties with Triple Paste

Our Valentine’s Day

Cozy in the the Stroller

A Treasure Box of Goodies for My Toddler

A Snow Day

One Year of Millie

My Word for 2021

Cheers! Themed First Birthday Party

2021 Photo Calendar

Christmas Eve

Oh Christmas Tree

The North Pole

A Christmas Tour Of Our House

FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM

We LOVE the Lamplight album scripture songs from @ We LOVE the Lamplight album scripture songs from @johannamusgrave ❤️ We have the CD in our car and listen to it while we drive around town. Hilde is only 2 but I hear her singing along with the songs in the back of the car - already hiding the Word of the Lord in her heart! But the girls are not the only one benefiting from scripture memory! This mama has all the songs memorized now which means I have 26 more verses memorize + all of Psalm 23! Scripture memory has never been easy for me but song memory has always been ridiculously easy - making this such a gift! ❤️
⁠
Colossians 3:16 tells us to “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God" and Deuteronomy 6:4-9 tells us to take His words to heart, talk about them, live them, write them, and teach them to our children! Scripture memory keeps us rooted and focused. And it doesn't have to be a chore. ⁠This album is just a simple way to make a big impact in our hearts and the hearts of our children! ⁠❤️
⁠
And make sure you check out #FaithFilledFridays where you are invited to share what the Lord is teaching you. And also check out these lovely ladies who posted today!⁠
⁠
@nurseryrhymeville⁠
@kirklandmeadowsfarm⁠
@bethanykimsey⁠
@shannacrowell⁠
@oakandoats⁠
@anndunagan⁠
@thecashells⁠
@mrsquinnkelly⁠
@atwinkleintheireyes⁠
@ardentarrows⁠
@heidi_postier
Looks like a classic case of Sisterhood of the Tra Looks like a classic case of Sisterhood of the Traveling Dress 😂 This dress was my Grandma Lauretta's when she was a baby in 1930 making it nearly a hundred years old! My mom took photos of my sister and I in this dress 30 years ago and I borrowed it for Hilde in 2019 and now Millie in January😍 I don't know how much more life this dress has in it but we're hoping to get all of the great granddaughters! I wrote a post on the blog today with more pictures and lots more thoughts but I'm just so thankful for this heirloom and the ability to capture these moments in time! My daughter's never got to meet my grandma but they did get to wear her baby dress!
Really excited about our Easter Baskets this year! Really excited about our Easter Baskets this year! I saw these baskets on @potterybarnkids and I knew they were perfect for the girls!😍 I love the smaller size because it helps me keep their Easter baskets intentional and curated 🙌🏼 We always include a book and some kind of stuffed animal / doll. This year we are doing custom verse dolls from @babybeblessed and I'm just so excited! I'll be sharing our final Easter basket when I have all of the items together!💕 Do you do Easter baskets each year? 👇🏼
Another photo of these two best friends! 😍 To b Another photo of these two best friends! 😍 To be honest, I've been a bit overwhelmed lately with feeling like I need to curate everything and have perfectly captioned posts. With thoughtful thoughts and helpful tips and deep feelings and memories I want to hold on to. Post with photos that show brands that kind of work I do. Captions and photos that resonate with people and encourage them. Pressure to make sure each photo is edited perfectly. And I do, I really do miss being able just to post a picture. back in 2012 I didn't even use captions half the time 😂😂 I don't really have a point for all this I just wanted to post this picture. And it may or may not perfectly match my feed. And it may or may not be the best photo I've ever taken in my life. And it may not have great advice or inspirational words that you the reader can take to heart. But here it is for what it is and I'm okay with that... I think 😜
Talking baby bums! #ad Our littlest is teething wh Talking baby bums! #ad Our littlest is teething which means she's more likely to get diaper rash 😭 That's why we have @triple.paste_summers.labs in our nursery to soothe + heal those rashes fast! Sharing more on the blog today! #triplepaste #babieslovetriplepaste
Afternoon hangs 💕 Afternoon hangs 💕

Footer

MOTHERHOOD

Oh Baby
Mama Buys
Pregnancy

COLORADO
Colorado Springs

HOME
Recipes
Hosting
Before & After

MARRIAGE
Date Night
Anniversaries

TRAVEL
Travel Tips
Snapshots
Disney

SHOP
Shop our Amazon List
Shop our Presets

Copyright © 2021 · OAK + OATS