2016: a look back, and a little peek forward.

Every year I think I say the same thing; this was the fastest year of my life! But truly, I think this was. 2016 was pretty incredible all in all. Some parts were difficult, others were rewarding, but all in all? I'm extremely happy with 2016. 

This is always one of my favorite posts to write because I get to reflect on the last year and really take at the things we went through, our memories, the things we learned (both good and bad) and to make some loose goals for the new year ahead. I always love doing that!

Here's a look back at the past year:

-We rang in the New Year with our best friends doing what we do best; playing board games!

-Took Emily Ley's Simplified Challenge and cleared up some serious house/mental clutter!

-Found out Erin and Jared were having a BOY! We love that little man to death.

-Becky came to visit me again!! I love that blogging brought us together!

-Angie and I went to visit Lyndsie in Nashville and ate WAY too much food!

-I got into my first car accident (not my fault, luckily) but ended up driving my DREAM CAR for a week, so it wasn't all terrible.

-Celebrated Easter weekend with family and brought treats to share!

-Wrote my first "things I'm loving" post which quickly turned into a favorite prompt of mine!

-Helped throw Erin her first baby shower!! That was such a blessing for me! Being Aunt Kayla is seriously one of the coolest things in the world.

-I found an old letter my Grandpa, who had passed away two years prior, wrote me.

-Ran and finished my 3rd half marathon with my husband by my side!!

-Wrote a heartfelt letter to my younger self that really opened my eyes.

-Watched my brother graduate High School in May! *cue the tears*

-Caleb and I celebrated 3 YEARS of marriage with Mexican food!

-Met our first INCREDIBLE baby nephew and snuck in as many cuddles as we could!
-Successfully photographed another week of our church's annual Sports Camp!

-Enjoyed a couple of obligation free weekends with friends/family over the Summer!

 -Got a little frustrated that we're still in debt but realized we're still making serious progress and to be proud of wherever we are in life!
-Turned 25; Caleb threw me the most quaint little surprise party ever! He's the best!

-Spent an amazing week with the teens in Cleveland, TN for CIY! Hearts were changed!
-Stepped outside of my comfort zone BIG TIME and visited my first Tuesdays Together meeting (where I knew no one) and WOW, it's made a huge impact on my life! So thankful!

-Hung out with the Bengals on field, NBD!

-Photographed one of my favorite weddings to date and made some new friends!
-Had a ladies night with two of my favorite ladies!

-FINALLY GOT A NEW CAMERA! Haven't put it down since ;)
-Celebrated Caleb's 28th with a week off of work and lots of tasty food and good movies!

-Spent Halloween handing out candy with family! No fun costumes this year, sadly!
-Enjoyed a fun paint night with the ladies!

-Photographed our first out of state wedding, in Nashville, TN!
-Caleb and I followed God's quiet whisper to start a young adult group in our church and it's been a HUGE success!

-Enjoyed an incredible Thanksgiving with all our family and then decorated for Christmas. YAY!
-Got spontaneous dinner with my bestie because she was in town and I miss her way too much!

-Successfully photographed 31 whole weddings this year. WOW! We're exhausted, but feeling SO proud!
-Tried to soak in as much of the Christmas decor as we could. Feeling so thankful for our tiny town home, even through the days of annoying maintenance, noise complaints, etc.! We're grateful, especially this time of year, to have a roof over our heads and warm feet before bed.

STARTED OUR BUSINESS!!!! Omg. Still amazed at this one!
Celebrated Christmas together!

Caleb and I have quite a few big goals and big wishes for 2017, which (hopefully) include...

getting out of debt (finally)...
beginning the process of finding/buying a home...
spending a LOT more time in prayer...
saving more money...
...truly enjoying every bit of free time that comes our way.

Next year isn't near as booked up as the last few have been, and I have to say that was pretty intentional. Caleb and I are so excited about our new business, and can't wait to book up like crazy in the next few years, but next year we're REALLY trying to enjoy the time we have together more intentionally. More unplugged date nights, more cuddles on the couch, more time with friends. I am excited to have a better workflow system in place to cut time down behind my computer screen. After all, I didn't pick up a camera in the first place to be stuck behind my computer half my life.

I hope 2017 is amazing for ALL of us! Any big moments from 2016 you want to relive? Any fun goals for the New Year you have? Tell me about them!

December {goals}

The fact that we're in the last month of 2016 is mind blowing to me! SO much has happened this year! I'm always so thankful when I write my year-end post, to be able to look back and re read memories that I've documented over the course of the last 11-12 months. I can't wait to write that one, but for today I have some goals I'd like to accomplish before next year!

I'll go ahead and skip details on my November goals recap because basically everything is 50% complete, but hey, that's life, and I'm okay with it! ;)

Run. No specific set of miles or anything, though. I want to ease back into it. I've run here and there over the last few weeks, and while its come back quite naturally, I miss being in a weekly routine. I'll be honest, too, I like running in the cooler temps! Caleb and I always have. We just both get so overheated in the summertime heat while running, so cooler temps make us happy (as long as there isn't ice on the roads).

Lose a few lbs. This will kind of go hand in hand with running/exercise, but I've really been trying to eat healthier the last few weeks overall and I've noticed its paying off, but I need to get more serious about it. I don't like being uncomfortable in my own skin.

Do my nails. My nails are seriously neglected. I keep them trimmed and clean, but never polished. I don't necessarily need to go pay for a manicure, I'd just like to spend ONE night soaking them, clipping them, painting a few pretty coats on!

Just be. Caleb and I have so much time over the next few months to just BE. Be together. I want to date

Launch our photography business!!! We legitimately only have a few minor things to tweak and we'll be ready. We don't want to rush into it, but this is also something we've wanted for a while now so we're excited to get it going!

Finish a book, finally. I am knee deep in one that I'm loving (titled The Year of Fog), and I have a few non-fiction books I'd like to pick up next, too. I feel like my "books to read" list is so long I never know which to go for next!!

Step up my digital organization. I need to continue weeding through my old photos and deleting a lot of them. Do I really need a photo of my Thanksgiving plate from 4 years ago? No. I need to pick the best ones, keep them, and put them on a new safe hard drive. I can't imagine ever losing old family photos, or photos of Caleb and I from our first year of marriage. Those are things I want/need to protect!

I hope everyone has a lot of FUN planned for the month of December! What's one thing you'd like to accomplish this month?

2015: A Look Back

Here we are, another year to look back on. It's always one of my favorite blog posts I write, to look back at my year in reflection. It's one reason I'm insanely thankful for this blog of mine...I can always look back and read about things we've done that I would've forgotten about otherwise!

2015 was definitely a memorable year. It was the craziest, busiest, most challenging year I've ever had, but I'm better because of it, and had an amazing time! So in order, here are some of the top moments from my last year!

Caleb and I rang in the new year at one of my best friends weddings...

I set my 2015 goals, and we did a fun DIY project!
Our out of town friends came to visit and we adventured through our city!

My friends and I celebrated one of our besties at her baby shower!

Photographed our first wedding of the year, and loved it! We had 29 total!
Really learned how important "me time" is and took advantage of the time I got!

Ran 7 miles with my man in preparation for my 2nd half marathon!
Worked my butt off with an exercise challenge (and rocked it)!

Celebrated my Great Grandma Agnes' 85th birthday and Easter all in one weekend!!

Visited Becca in the hospital the night she had Norah!
Watched my brother in the Red's Opening Day parade!! Such a proud big sister moment!

Ran my 2nd half marathon with my husband and brother in law!

Enjoyed our SECOND (whaaat?!) anniversary with a trip to Pittsburgh! We ate way too much food, and had way too much fun :)

Had a blast at our summer kick-off and got SUPER burned the morning of at the "largest yard sale" ever.

Photographed one of our favorite weddings to date and met the real Buckeye BRUTUS!!!!
We paid off two loans by June and are still hitting it hard!
Shot two weddings the 4th of July weekend - and enjoyed the coolest firework show we'd ever seen!

Spent a life changing week with the teens of our youth group in Tennessee...
Finally got to white water raft!!!!!

Shared the best, easiest dessert recipe EVER...
Spent my 24th birthday with our best friends in a new city!!

Ordered my first Erin Condren planner -- yes, this tops the "big moments" of 2015.
Rediscovered my love for family photography!!

We even moved to a nearby town to save some monthly cash - and even got more square footage!

Celebrated Caleb's birthday - he turned 27!!
We went to one of the best Bengals games of our lives!

Found out we're going to be an AUNT AND UNCLE! Coolest day ever :)

Enjoyed a bonfire, lots of birthday celebrations with family, and Thanksgiving all in November.

We spent an entire week off work together doing whatever our hearts desired - no work allowed!

We enjoyed our 3rd married Christmas together and are ready to ring in a new year once the clock hits midnight tonight. I'm so thankful to be able to look back at all of these memories! I hope you can do the same!

Bring it on, 2016!!