I finally have my goals set for the year! And here is a little bit about life lately…

Valentine’s and Family Day

Valentine’s Day was pretty low-key at our house. My husband was working until late but he brought each of us a rose. He gave me a Sephora gift card and my favourite chocolates! The girls loved making cards for us, and getting valentines from friends. I gave Clark new shoes, that he picked out himself. Seven years in, but we’re still romantic like that!

This week is reading week in our school division, with Family Day being yesterday, and I am loving a week of no commitments! Yesterday we got some things done around the house, then I took a nap (So rare! It was heavenly). We ended up taking the kids to an arcade, doing a little shopping, and eating at iHop. My husband and I would not have picked pancakes for the evening’s meal (healthy eating goals!), but the kids love it so to iHop we went! As we were walking back to the car, our oldest exclaimed, “This is the best family day ever!!” so it was worth it!

 

Personal Goals

At the beginning of the month, I finally got my 2017 goals written down. A little behind maybe, but I was trying to make them achievable, broken down into action steps, and I was probably overthinking it a bit! Or a lot. 😉 January was a nice, quiet month after the craziness of the Christmas season. I loved just taking time off of work and spending it with my littles. These years are passing by so quickly – my oldest is already 5!

My personal goals this year include healthier eating (my husband is on board and we are doing pretty well!), decorating my house, fun family activities, quality time with my kids, getting some quality “me” time in, taking time to be creative, and implementing a better morning routine. I sometimes get to sleep through the night now (my baby is almost 9 months!), so I have started getting up early more mornings than not to get a workout in, do some reading, and get ready before the kids are up. I love mornings, when I get enough sleep. 😉

 

Professional Goals

My professional goals include improving my marketing, improving my client experience, and submitting for publication. I also want to take on a project or two that is just for practice and growth. Last year I had a baby in May, so I took some time off but then went right into wedding season when she was still tiny. Taking care of a new baby and keeping up with weddings and sessions was almost all I had the time and energy for, so this year I am excited to be getting a little more sleep and to be able to carve out some time for more things that will help me provide an awesome client experience and grow as a photographer!

I am still booking weddings and a limited number of other sessions for the year and am excited for the ones I have coming up! I am working hard at creating new guides and revising existing ones. I want to make sure I’m helping my clients with every bit of info I have gleaned over the years, so they know what to expect in booking with me, things they can do to prepare for their session/wedding, etc. I want my brides and other clients to really have a great experience and enjoy their wedding day or session. And I want them to walk away with images they love! If you are interested in wedding photography or family/newborn sessions (limited), email me for your guide. 🙂

Just for Fun

In line with my goal to take on some side projects, I had a lot of fun taking photos for a friend of mine, Sarah from thesarahnicole.com. A little different than weddings and couples in that I didn’t have someone for her to interact with, so it was good for me! I am so glad she asked. Go check out her blog for fashion and beauty posts and tutorials! She is a mother of 3 and as sweet as she is gorgeous.

 

Other than that, I am hanging out at home raising my three littles! Lots of snuggles and messes and fun. 😉 And I wouldn’t have it any other way. They are 5, 3 and almost 9 months now. My three-year-old keeps me on my toes – she loves to explore and experiment. If only I had her energy! Hope you are having a great week! 🙂

 

Love morning snuggles!