Year in review

I think it is that time of year to do my year in review. I am still standing by the fact that if I make goals at the beginning of January I am automatically setting myself up for failure. So here we are getting ready to start February, so I think it is time to review last years goals.

Here were my 'wants':
Get off of the phones at work - switched departments. Check and check! I have to cover phones every once in a while for 'breaks' It comes down to twice a month. can I tell you that I absolutely hate it! I do not miss that job! Every time I have to go up there it is a nice gentle reminder to be grateful for what I have.

Go back to the Paiute.. yep! We did that. Paiute - 2 us - 1. We will be back with a vengeance this year. Paiute will not kick our butts!

Go back to Island park.... did that too! It was such a great time, yet a harder time leaving. I'm considering moving up there.

Do something fun and different for myself. As I stated last year, I took a cake decorating class last year. I also helped my sister photograph a wedding... quite an experience. I also took my friends family photos... Cherry hill, Moab by rzr... I am sure there are many more things to add to that list but that will make one very long post!

Get back to grocery shopping bi-weekly. I did ok on that. It made it extremely difficult not having an oven. I got a new stove the week before Christmas. it wasn't a complete fail but it wasn't a complete success.

Now on to my goals:
I want to lose 20 pounds and keep it off. What I didn't know was that about a month after that I went to the doctors for a routine check up. Sad to admit that the year prior I gained 20 pounds. Can I say emotional eating. Do we need to mention work??? Yeah - scary point in my life. It was awful! I made myself an agreement that I wanted to drop that 20 pounds before island park. I did it! It was a success. I was hoping to kick another 20 by the end of the year. I have not done that. but I have kept off the 20 that I gained...

Get back to kickboxing - not to lose weight but to enjoy myself. Check! It was the best thing I did last year. I love kick boxing and it has helped with my stress levels. There are weeks that I don't want to go, there were weeks that I didn't go... but I went on a regular basis.. enough to say that i did it!

Wear make up once a week. I tried that, I did really well at the beginning of the year - then I forgot about it and once again, that 10 minutes extra of sleep became more important.

Start 'my favorite things' post. Yep! did that too... I still have more coming, don't worry!

Buy a new pair of shoes every other month. I got through 4 out of 6. 4 great pairs of shoes... but I sucked at taking pictures.

Try a new restaurant every month. FAIL!

Goal as a couple: Dress up, get out and do something together. Last year was a tough year for us and we did not do this. Kinda sucks to look back on that goal and realize that it was probably the most important and we failed miserably.

Now for the past month I have been racking my brain of new goals that I want for the new year and only one comes to mind.

Be Happy

I spent far too much time last year stressing and worrying about the 'what ifs' and 'could bes' It effected me personally and professionally. There are things that are out of my control and at the end of the day it is up to me of what I make of it. This year I am not going to worry about the small little things. I am going to embrace life and enjoy it as it comes. Sounds pretty easy right? Well only time will tell.

Now that I have that out, here are a few things I am going to do this year:

Bi-weekly lunches with my dad
Island Park
Piaute
Cut back on hair - just cut back on days
Kickboxing
change my hair style (just the way it is colored....)
facials
Get my first hand gun (pink! nothing wrong with being powerful yet girly there)
massages
spend more time with my sisters
More niece/nephew dates (scary frankweenie was a HUGE success)
get a new car (SUV actually - already in the works. SO. FREAKIN. EXCITED!)
rzr trips
camping
backyard bbq
redo the kidney bean out front
Last but not least... love my man and spend more time with him.

Sounds like lots of fun??? Yep, this year is going to be epic.

My new favorite...

Wow I need to catch up on this blog. I have so much going on lately that it is impossible to catch up. I have been working some long hours lately so when I get home I just wanna relax.

I have spent many many many many hours researching photographers. Since the day I knew there was a chance that I could have got married I have researched them. My siblings have all gone through the same photographer for all of their wedding spreading apart over 17 years. I look at the pictures now and they are all the same! BORING!!!!! The photographer never updated her stuff - It happened to be the same photographer who did our family pictures year after year ... again - all the same - BORING! I knew from that time when I turned 19 that I did not want that same photographer. Period! Since then I have had this fascination with photographers. I never thought I was a beautiful person - I was just your average joe... Then I meet Laine Images - or Beckah, the master mind behind the camera. She changed my life forever. I am not saying this because she is my friend I am saying this because she made me believe in myself over simply taking a picture of me. I am HOT!!!!!! I know I have gushed over her time and again but she has some amazing potential, and she has a knack for photography. I adore her...

I know Chad's graduation has come and gone but before he got his first glimpse of reality I called up Laine Images to capture his childhood one last time (can you call it childhood??? Or simple sass teenage awkward years..???) I now have a new favorite photo from Laine Images...





AMAZING!!! that is all I can say. Thank you laine images for taking priceless photos that I will cherish for the rest of my life. You gave me something I didnt have before. Not just one thing.... Many.

Something we both enjoy....

Bryce and I have had it with the weather. We were like bears in hibernation. I spent 90% of the winter bundled up... in blankets sitting on the 90 degree angle of our couch. I found a new love for netflixs and I didn't care to change it. I like mocking a bear. but now the bears are coming out of hibernation and I suppose I should too. It is not warm enough to hang out outside but it is time to accomplish SOMETHING. Bryce and I have decided to take a photography class. We love taking pictures and spending time together so what a better way that to take on together. We are already a few weeks in to our class and have learned so much, coming soon will hopefully be some great pictures but for now I thought I would post some of my favorite pictures/photographers....

Laine Images

Thomas D Mangelsen

D'Andrew International

Coming soon: Hardman wannabe's

Devil Princess????

A few weeks ago, my friend Beckah asked me to help her out with a fun photo shoot. We had a blast. I was very excited to be able to help her out. It was very much out of my element but anyone who knows me, knows I like a challenge. I know these were posted on facebook but since I am in facebook-aholics-annonymous I thought I would post them here. My brother even said on facebook that I was a princess... ok ok - he was wondering if I turned into the devil princess. BUT a princess no less. Thanks Beckah for the amazing photos! If you would like more info you can contact her here.

Here are my favorites:




Here are the rest: