BEST OF 2014

This year was one for the books.  I photographed 25 incredible couple’s weddings–a few of those being intimate elopement ceremonies. I travelled more than I ever have in 365 days.  Brendan and I visited 15 states, 13 countries, and rode on 74 flights. There were so many amazing memories this year. I remember swimming in the Caribbean with Casey + Matt; capturing happy and sad tears at Katie + Ryan’s wedding after her twin had passed away only a month before; freezing in unexpected fog with Janine + Bence for their elopement; photographing Henry + Leah’s wedding in the middle of the Mediterranean Ocean on a yacht, just off the coast of Santorini; watching Raquel tear up after she saw how beautiful she looked after she put her wedding dress on; witnessing 80 people from around the world celebrate and dance all night with Katy + Patrick; singing with Cayla + Thomas as they rocked out with her dad’s band at their reception; avoiding snakes + ticks with Lucy as we photographed her boudoir photos in the middle of NOWHERE…and then she got poison oak afterwards (t0tally worth it!); watching two insane rainbows appear in the sky during Fabian + Angela‘s wedding in Cancun; photographing so many of my sweet friends’ families in their homes.

I could go on and on, but looking back each year I always feel nostalgic and honored to have been a part of these moments.  My weekends are spent with each of these couples and their families, and I absolutely cherish the hours I get to know them and do what I love.

2014 was the year of intention.  I left 2013 wanting to move into the next year making decisions that mattered.  One of the biggest decisions was changing Lime Green Photography to MORNINGWILD Photography (you can read more about that here). Travel was a priority this year, as we have a few places we wanted to check off before starting a family. We were able to visit three big places that were on our list:  Vancouver, Greece, and a European road trip (blog post coming soon).  I had a blast attending Photo Field Trip and creating my first styled shoot that was published on Green Wedding Shoes! I also started freelancing for The New York Times and a few other local publications. Eating “clean” was something we started last year but had wanted to evolve into other areas of our life.  We replaced cosmetics, soaps, cleaning supplies, as well as miscellaneous cooking items this year to continue the quest.  I never knew that when we started cutting out processed food it would grow into a total lifestyle change.  It’s been one of the best decisions we’ve made in our adult lives, and I hope we can continue to live better and healthier.

Per tradition, here are last year’s goals and what was accomplished:

1.  Finish Decorating The House
Paint hallway.  Paint kitchen (and cabinets…yikes!).  Finish furnishing living room.  Make curtains.

2.  Be More Intentional About Spending
Plan meals better with less waste.  Give more.  Be less impulsive with spending.

3.  Be Content With What We Have
Shop less, save more for trips we want to take to Europe and Africa. 

4.  Be Adventurers
Make time to go back to the Northwest.  Explore Charlotte more.  Keep up with whole food eating and new recipes.  Be creative with training Poa (agility? sled dog racing?).  Skydiving?

5.  Take Reigns On Health
Start taking vitamins.  Drink more water, less caffeine.  Set realistic fitness goals.  Go to bed earlier.  Eat less dessert.  Make time for yoga.  Take at least one day off a week.

6.  Cut Down On Technology Use
Read more, watch TV less.  Do quiet time first thing in the morning instead of checking phone.  Set office hours.  Be present, off phone.

I’m proud to say that we FINALLY painted the hallway and finished the living room.  Our kitchen is a big to-do for 2015. I think we did a good job overall with our budgets this year, but we can always give more and be more intentional about where our money goes.  I hope that we can keep saving for another big trip in 2015. We did adventure more around the world than I expected to at the end of 2013, but we weren’t home enough to explore Charlotte or to be creative with Poa training.  Maybe next year. 5 & 6 need some work. Segue into this year’s goals…

PERSONAL GOALS FOR 2015

1.  Organization
Paint kitchen. Organize kitchen shelving. Organize/clean attic. Rearrange/freshen office. Make curtains. Organize storage.

Our house needs to be re-organized + purged, since our storage space is so limited in our 1930’s home.  This is an off-season project :)

2.  Health
Drink more water. Consistent gym routine and sleep schedule. Set normal work hours and reserve at least one day off a week.

I’m really great about creating a gym routine through June, and then it drops off into oblivion.  I need to find a way to keep it going through wedding season.  Any tips?  Drinking more water is the next step in “clean living” that also needs to happen.

3.  Artistic Growth
Take an art class. Start a personal project. Shoot and develop more film. 

I’m determined this year to make time for some new artistic endeavors.  I’ve wanted to learn to draw for quite some time, and I have a few personal projects up my sleeve.  Hoping that Feb/March might be a good time to focus on these.

4.  Travel
Check off another bucket list place (South America? New Zealand?). Revisit Portland/Seattle this summer.

South America and NZ/Australia are the last two big places to check off our bucket list.  I have a free companion ticket from Delta that we’re hoping to use to explore the Northwest next summer.

5.  Be Present
Take more photos of our life. Print our photos. Less phone time, more reading. Be creative with date nights. Thankful project. 

The theme of 2015 is to be present. I’m guilty of packing my schedule with things that make me busy but not always full.  I’m wanting to prioritize shutting off technology more and getting out in nature with Brendan + Poa.  As we talk more and more about having kids in the next couple of years, I know that time with just the two of us (well, three with Poa) is limited.  I want to cherish and soak up these days more than I currently am.  I’m also starting a thankful project, per recommendation from a friend. I’m going to start writing down five things each day that I’m thankful for–big or small.  I want to return to being more aware of how God is working in the day-to-day moments of my life, instead of just existing.

Samm Blake said something at a workshop earlier this year that has stayed with me.  She said, ” Show photos that make your heart beat faster.”  Without further adieu, here are moments and people that do just that:

Thank you to all of my couples and families that allow me to create photographs that memorialize this time in their lives.  Angela + Karl, Janine + Bence, Nicki + Brian, Danielle + Todd, Kelsey + Blake, Michelle + Ryan, Mandy + Josh, Caroline + Zac, Ashley + Jake, Melanie + Ryan, Hannah + Eric, Laura + Chet, Casie + Mayson, Kate + Brendan, Raquel + Cameron, Shayna + David, Katie + Ryan, Leah + Henry, Jaimie + John, Katy + Patrick, Lisa + Menotti, Kaitlyn + Jeff, Blaie + Brad, Cayla + Thomas, Fabian + Angela—thank you for the honor.