Friday, January 17, 2014

Folsom Lake

I had a family session with some awesome friends out at Folsom Lake and I brought the kiddos along.  The lake is at it's lowest in a very long time so it makes for a LOT of beaches all around.  So gorgeous there at dusk.

sm1-17-14-1

sm1-17-14-3

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

Annual Park Bike Ride

Before we had kids Mike and I were at this park daily walking the dog.  Then along came Cole and I was still here daily with Cole and the dog.  Once Siena came along I had to stop coming because Cole refused to sit in a stroller.  So even though I am still at this park daily (actually twice a day during the week to drop Cole off at school) this was one of the first times we took both kids with bikes.

Cole lapped us at lightening speed and rode 11 laps ( 5 1/2 miles) while Mike and I walked with Siena while she completed 2 laps or 1 mile.

Here she is taking a "break"


sm1-1-14-12

waiting for Cole to arrive

sm1-1-14-27

sm1-1-14-29

sm1-1-14-33

sm1-1-14-37

Around the house


Cole loves to work in his workbooks.  This kid loves school and I am so thankful there has not been 1 day that he hasn't wanted to go to school!



sm1-1-14-44


sm1-1-14-45


Little peanut is a bit addicted to Curious George.....

sm1-1-14-42



2014

Well here we are again.  Another year and another realization that I am light years behind on my own personal blog, photos and photobooks.  I feel guilty about this.  In fact it kind of makes me sick to my stomach when I think about the last book i made was in 2008.  :-(

2013 exhausted me.  Mostly the second half of it.  Of course we are though the bulk of the stress and are just tying up the loose ends of a MAJOR remodel and I know 2014 (at least the second half) will be much easier on us.

A few goals I have for this year are designed to help me document our life better and not be so stressed out over everything else.


1.  blog at least once a week on the family blog
2. dedicate a day to just work on my personal stuff
3.  blog from my phone more (i kind of feel instagram is like doing this but I'd like to have it all one place too)
4.  focus on myself/family first and clients second.  This means making time in the day to actually exercise.
5.  create office hours and stick to them.  They might be odd hours but that's what going to have to work so I can take care of my family
6. take photos of the kids every single day.  It is not that hard to keep a camera with me.  My kids don't dress like they are in a magazine.  They are kids who get dirty and I just have to accept that some of those daily photos will have bed head, boogers, and dirty fingernails.
7.  Manage my business time better so I can stay caught up (no facebook and pinterest during work hours unless it's for work display)
8.  eat out less, cook more.  I have an amazing new kitchen.  I need to use it.
9.  stop extending myself past what I can do.

Today I wrote out 5 daily schedules starting from 6am to 10pm and holy crap when you actually write it all out I began to realize I have no idea how I manage 3 different jobs (full time photography, very part time veterinary hospital management, and of course my number 1 job as a wife and mom running this house.   I think the schedules will help keep me on track as far and not going crazy and they will change monthly based on sports, school, etc.....

10.  try stress over things.  people understand if you just explain the situation.  Sometimes it just seems like excuses but shit happens.
11.  have more fun with the kids.  do more activities.  take them more places.
12.  NEVER live in a remodel again.  holy cow that has been one of the most stressful and time consuming things we have ever done


I may add to this list as I think of more things but this is it for now.