It is nearly the end of December.
It is nearly the end of December.
One more time for the people up the back: IT IS NEARLY THE END OF DECEMBER.
Holy cow.
What a year, huh? The world went nuts. NUTS. Satirists and comedians had a great start to the year, but now real world headlines have stolen their best material. I can’t believe some of the things that have happened! But we’ve made it. We’ll keep on keeping on.
Our family certainly kept on keeping on this year, particularly over the past month. We’re in our third week of mum-back-at-workdom, and we’re doing okay. Well, the kids are doing okay. I’m doing fabulously. It feels so good to immerse myself in the corporate world once more. And even better to do so within an industry I adore, and for an organisation that I believe in. One that understands balance.
So, as I said, it is nearly the end of December. It’s time to reflect on the year that was (and still is for the next 12 days).
Here are emhawkerblog‘s greatest hits of 2016.
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DECEMBER
I shared some Photos of my family in December. You all loved it. Nawwww, you guuuuuys! Thanks. Both for liking the photos, and for not judging me for copping out by not writing a real post in December.
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NOVEMBER
Thought I was lazy in December? At least you got photos. In November, you got nothing. NOTHING!
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OCTOBER
In October, I saw something very unfun unfold on the Facebook. Forget the word unfun – it was downright awful. And it prompted I thought a thought.
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SEPTEMBER
We have a tie in September! One with more shares and views, the other with more comments and interaction.
One was a post for my blogging audience: Seven things I learnt from the ProBlogger conference. Blogging friends, rejoice! The other was a highly personal reflection on how stroke has affected my life: Strobe.
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AUGUST
I entered a competition in August, sharing Why I blog and creating a slideshow to better demonstrate those reasons. I didn’t win the competition, but this post won my blog for the month. Hooray! Everyone gets a trophy!
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JULY
I don’t usually go for a lot of mush here on emhawkerblog. But judging by this post, I should up the mush factor. Significantly. Because in July, you were all incredibly supportive of Stepping milestones. Thank you. (And thank you to my other – better – half. You are still the cutest guy in school.)
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JUNE
Who likes to sing songs with kids? Who likes teddy bears? If your hand isn’t in the air, you’re possibly one of very few people in this country who hasn’t seen my post Toddler music group – bear songs. This post doesn’t just win June – it wins 2016. And almost my entire blog. (Second only to How to win 25-words-or-less competitions.) Thank you to everyone who has ever shared it!
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MAY
I am not a fashion blogger.
I am not a fashion blogger.
One more time for the people up the back: I AM NOT A FASHION BLOGGER.
So here’s the first of two fashion-related posts that were a complete success for me this year: How to fake being stylish with Instagram.
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APRIL
More reflection. More personal. More ouch. Thank you, everyone, for your amazing response to You’re doing grief wrong.
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MARCH
I love getting my rhyme on here on the blog (more to come soon!), and I love my blogging community. So combining these loves for Oh, the Blogs you’ll Blog! was a hoot, and I’m glad it’s as fun to read as it was to write.
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FEBRUARY
Another rhyme for the win in February, with Mirror, Mirror giving us all permission to reflect (ha!) on our relationships with what we look like, who we are, and what we all see in ourselves.
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JANUARY
I started the year with the best of blogging intentions, and the jam-packedness of January shows this. So it’s another tie this month, with Competitiveness and success and The week my five-year-old was my stylist (summer edition) sharing the honours.
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The end! Ta-da! Woohoo! And other assorted finishing statements.
I hope you have a wonderful Christmas break. See you in 2017.
What was your favourite blog post in 2016? Whether it’s your own, someone else’s or one you’ve seen here, please share!
Oh Gosh!! So many faves of yours, Em. Your grief post had me a wet mess, your family posts had me feeling mushy and your clever, witty poetry had me thinking how gosh darn lucky I am to know someone as smart as you. Merry Xmas, lovely xx
Thank you for the beautiful comments all year round, Renee. The feeling is mutual. Glad to call you friend. x
Great round up!
Merry Christmas. See you next year x o
See you next year. This year. Wow, that happened fast!
Loved all of your posts Em – so glad to read that work is fulfilling and manageable. The dream team.
Yes, it is so far! Thank you x
Merry Christmas! I’m so glad you’re loving your job
Thank you. Me too. Thanks for all the advice along the way. x
I loved it when you thought a thought. That was my favourite thing of yours this year I reckon! Always so much good stuff here 🙂
Thank you. I only wish that I had never had to think that thought. But I guess we all learned something. x
So many great posts. Love your humour and your writing (and even your photos with no writing or humour). Xxx
Haha, thank you! Even better when those photos are taken by someone who actually knows what they’re doing with a camera! Happy New Year x
I love your posts Em, I love the way your write and your witty humor. Have a wonderful Christmas. xx
Thank you! I hope you had a fab Christmas, too. x
I just read and commented on Strobe. Tears in my eyes. Gosh Em…please keep writing when you can. I love your words and how you tell your stories. Much love to you. Denyse xx
Thank you, Denyse. The words will keep coming, no matter. Hopefully they’ll even land here occasionally! x
Nooo, not a fashion blogger, a not-chocolate blogger! Here’s to 2017!
Not-chocolate blogger. Brilliant. On the business card, stat!
What a great bloggy year it’s been for you Em. Loved some of these posts. Looking forward to a huge 2017 from you. No pressure or anything. 😉
Haha, no pressure at all! Thank you, Jodi. Fingers crossed x
Great blog year, Em! I have no idea what my favourite would be, I spent most of 2016 in a weird personal fog. In fact I’ve only written 59 posts this year, which is the least amount of posts I’ve ever written in 7 years of blogging! The only thing that has kept that number up has been taking over IBOT and the commitment to blog every Tuesday. Hoping next year will be better and I’ll actually have some decent posts to put in a post like this!
I did enjoy having the Tuesday deadline this year. But even that wasn’t enough to keep it up towards the end! Can’t wait to see you take IBOT and soar this year. x
I got completely stuck when you said 12 days left of the year. I was like, “what? this must be an older post”. See for me, in my head, Christmas day lasts 168 hours. 😀
Haha, I know! AND I’M REPLYING TWO DAYS INTO THE NEW YEAR. Mind. Blown.
2016 has been a really weird year. But at least you got some great writing out of it! I loved your article on Strobe. Cheers to a good year ahead, Em. x
Thank you. I think that’s my fave for the year. Happy New Year, Bron. Happy to know you x
I loved the week your 5 year old was your stylist!
She’s so good at it! I should get her to do it every day. (But I’d never get to wear pants again.)
Love your work Em! And love the idea of doing your recap of 2016 in reverse order. Toddler music time was a great post – and the blogs that you’ll blog. So many great one! Love seeing your everyday style “pinspiration” posts on insta too (I’m not a fashion blogger either lol) Merry xmas love xx
Thank you, Lauren. Love your work on Insta, too, as you know!
That’s fantastic that you are so happy with your work. It’s such a great feeling doing work that is fulfilling. I’m off to read some of your other posts!
Thank you! I hope you enjoy them. Still loving the work – back in the office tomorrow, in fact!
I love your sense of humor, Emily! Keep it up. xx
Thank you so much! I’ll try. x