Happy Thanksgiving! I am bursting with gratitude today as I look back on the past year and everything I have to be thankful for. This past year has quite possibly been one of THE busiest years yet, but it has also brought some of the sweetest opportunities and plenty of “firsts” that I will remember forever. I can’t wait to share a few things that have been at the forefront of my mind this season, so I hope you’ll read along for five things I am grateful for below. I hope all of you are having a wonderful Thanksgiving, filled with friends, family, and food! (And lots of it.) But aside from that, here is what I am truly grateful for this year...
## A Growing Family
At the top of my list this yearis,of course, two little twins that are making their way to our family this December! This is a huge “first” for us and we could not be more eager and grateful to add peanut butter and jelly to our lives. You can find the whole backstory here, starting from the day Jeff and I met during the Boston Marathon 12 years ago, but in short, we’ve dreamed of this milestone from day one and I’m still pinching myself that it’s happening in less than a month. It has been a serious whirlwind putting together their nurseries and getting ready for their arrival. Let’s just say it feels fitting that they will be here this Christmas, because PB&J are our greatest gifts to date.
## Shooting at The Beverly Hills Hotel
Like I said, this year is all about firsts—and creating a series at this iconic location (and to be the first fine art photographer permitted to shoot a collection at the hotel!) is another “pinch me” moment. After a year in the making and a multi-day shoot, my series Gray Malin at the Beverly Hills Hotel came to life! I’m still so thrilled to have this collection under my belt, and I hope you all have enjoyed it as much as I have. The entire experience has made me feel so grateful. It’s almost two months later, and I still haven’t come down from cloud nine.
## Opportunities to Travel to New Places
Earlier this year, I shared my top bucket list travel destinations, and I’m pleased to say that I’ve already checked some off my list by the end of the year! Of course, traveling is the norm when it comes to my career, but I’m so grateful that over the past few months Jeff and I were able to experience a couple brand new places together for play, and not just business. But my favorite had to be our Baby Moon… We headed to Japan for one last trip before the twins arrive (I also shared my travel guide to Japan on the blog here), and it was a once-in-a-lifetime trip filled with sushi, art, and sightseeing. Our travels will slow down a tad bit after we bring home the babies, but I’m so grateful we had this opportunity to visit a location that was at the top of our list, and I have no doubt that there will still be more travels to look forward to in our future as a family of four.
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Lake Michigan
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Lake Michigan has held a special place in my heart since I was young, thanks to countless summers spent at my grandparents’ summer home on the lake. I picked up many odd jobs as a teenager there, and made life-long traditions that I’ll always hold close. Not to mention, it was also the place where Jeff and I had our wedding, surrounded by friends and family. And just this year, we started a project that has been a dream of mine for years—our very own fixer upper on Lake Michigan! (We’ve dubbed our little getaway the #RainbowRidgeReno.) Needless to say, Lake Michigan is about to become an even more special place for us, and for that I am endlessly grateful.
## Making Our House a Home
Last year, we moved into our dream home and it was easily a highlight of our year. But, as you have clearly seen if you’ve been following along, we’ve been doing A LOT to make our house into a home that is quintessentially “us.” We overhauled what feels like every element of the house, from the living room to the guest bedroom to the master, and even the rooftop deck. It has been hectic, to say the least, but after a year of redesigns we finally feel like our new house has become a home.
What are you grateful for this year?
And of course, I can’t end without saying how incredibly grateful I am for all of YOU! None of this would be possible without your support for my business, so from the bottom of my heart, thank you.
xx
Gray
Photos: @graymalinpersonal on Instagram, GrayMalin.com