Top Photos from 2017

I have really come to look forward to this post as each year comes to a close.  It gives me a chance to go through every single picture that was taken over the past 12 months.  This past year our family was fortunate to travel to some pretty cool places.  We took a family trip to Upper Michigan to see Pictured Rocks National Shoreline and then a couple months later we went out west to South Dakota.  For whatever reason, as I was looking through the past years pictures, it hit me that we are extremely blessed and fortunate to have the opportunities that we do.  I am one lucky guy.  I have an awesome relationship with my wife as we let each other have our freedom all while taking time to enjoy each other's company.  I have three beautiful, unique daughters, who inspire me and bring me joy nearly each and everyday.  And I have a great supporting cast including parents, in-laws, brother, and my brother and sisters-in-law.  Sarah and I also have great friends that we try to spend as much time with as we can.

So without going on and on....here are my top photos from 2017.  All of these photos were taken by me and most (if not all) were on my iPhone 7.  Some of them have been edited, but no filters, or anything like that.  Not all the top photos are not necessarily the most photogenic, but all of them have some meaning to me.  Below the top photos are the honorable mentions from the year.  This year, I narrowed it down to 12 photos.  In order starting at #12....

#13

Back in January we had a short stretch of warm weather which allowed me to get out in shorts.

#12

Although autumn in Wisconsin means winter is not long off, it sure is beautiful.

 #11

This past year, I made a concerted effort to run on more scenic routes, which includes running along the Fox River.

#10

This was my first year going to the Green Bay Botanical Gardens for their Christmas light display, we went early, right as the sun was setting, which set up this shot.

#9

While in South Dakota, we took a day to drive into Wyoming to see Devil's Tower.  It was a lot bigger than I expected.  Native Americans still worship the rock formation and tie bandanas and flowers around the trees.

#8

Our home in Hill City, SD, was right on a 100 mile trail that ran through the mountains.  The scenery made these runs easily my favorite runs ever.

#7

While in Upper Michigan at Pictured Rocks National Shoreline, we did more hiking in three days, then the girls have done in their short time here on earth.  I was proud of them for not complaining (too much).

#6

My father, brother, and I made it back up to Eagle River, WI for the second year in a row for our annual musky fishing trip.  Again, this year it was rainy, even more rainy than last year.  This was the sunrise on our final day.

#5

This was taken along an overlook on a cliff side.  The pure beauty and magnitude of these shorelines is just not captured in photographs.

 #4

Another picture from Pictured Rocks, and probably my favorite.  It reminds me how lucky I am to be a dad.

#3

These two burros were on the rode side along the Wildlife Loop in Custer State Park.  All the other burros would come up to your car to sniff for treats.  But these two stayed side by side.

#2

Although I Bella is my favorite pup, this one is growing on me.  Her gentle demeanor and her strange love of the camera is hard not to love.

#1

This burro fell in love immediately with Delaney and Delaney immediately fell in love with it.  It probably didn't help that she named it Winter.

Honorable Mention