Happy New Year my friends! I hope everyone enjoyed a wonderful holiday, spent with family, friends and loved ones. Like most of you, I’m sure, December is just really, really busy. Wonderful and full, but busy! On top of all things holiday, we have the added bonus of birthday celebrations for both of my girls (I finally allowed them to have their OWN parties this year – I usually make them combine! :) so add multiple parties/celebrations, class parties, Christmas programs, fun family time and traditions….and come December 26th, I’m pretty sure I was ready to settle in for a long winter’s nap. Anyone else there too? So tired, but so loving the lack of routine, time home with my girls, spending time as a family, and just creating new memories. As I make my way back into the office for this new year, I thought I’d start by blogging some Everyday Moments from my own family, followed by a huge, HUGE thank you to all of my clients.

Starting with my family…I know my goal is to get those monthly Everyday Moments shared, but I’m going to start by feeling good about just getting them taken! :) And processed, and organized and ready to share. My love for this business truly started with love and desire to tell the story of my own family through pictures….and capturing these moments is so important to me. For this post, I’ve decided to share some Everyday Moments over the past several months….but as I started to prepare these, I realized that it’s been SIX months since I posted my last personal post. Yikes. Hmm….well, I guess that will go on the list of goals for the new year! :)

Starting waaaaay back in July….. :) This month is one of my favorites. Since we moved into our neighborhood almost 13 years ago, before we even had kids of our own, we LOVED the tradition of the neighborhood 4th of July parade, followed by frozen treats. It’s so fun to see the grandparents, families and friends come out to line the driveways and cheer on the kids, and we could hardly wait until our kids were old enough to participate. It will always be a favorite tradition & fun memory!

It was just a beautiful summer….we spent as much time on the water as possible. The girls love to kayak together, and we all love to paddle board…but the big camera is rarely around for those outings!

And another big moment…my quiet observer, slow-to-decide-to-try-something-new, girl got up on the wakeboard for the very first time! So proud of her!

Another favorite summer tradition is for each of the girls to get their “Special Days” with my mom, where they get a multi day sleepover & fun activities. The plus for me? I get my own special days with each girl…and I treasure the one on one time together. My youngest was SO excited to go see the cheetahs at the Woodland Park Zoo, and my oldest and I did some pottery/painting together, and we celebrated her getting new braces! (she’s in the phase of excitement about those!)

Moving on with September, and the amazing fall weather we had. Thinking back on it – it really was amazing, wasn’t it? So many dry and warm days…rare and appreciated!

Halloween, the pumpkin patch, and fun times with friends!

Some quiet time at the library…one of her favorite places.

Many Saturday mornings spent watching my youngest play soccer, and my oldest at the pool.

And December was filled with so many fun memories and traditions…baking, decorating, reading our favorite books, wrapping, and just enjoying everything magical through my girls’ eyes.

And back to my thank you….2014 marked my 5th full year since starting my photography business, and this year was nothing short of amazing. So many wonderful clients, new families & connections, returning families (LOVE watching the little ones grow), and so many impressive and fun seniors. I’m just so incredibly grateful. To my clients, friends, followers, supporters…and everyone in between… thank you. Thank you for making 2014 so wonderful in so many ways, and I cannot tell you how excited I am to see what 2015 has in store. Wishing a very Happy New Year to everyone!! xoxo