What I learned in 2015

When 2015 started I thought it was going to be the best year ever - the hopes I had for this year made last Christmas and New Years such a joyous time.
Here we are on the last day of 2015 and I realize that {for me} it wasn't as joyous this Christmas and I have decided to not get my hopes up for 2016 since I feel so let down by 2015 ...so to agree with Casey I've lost my Fa La La La La

I won't be making any resolutions this year or trying to plan around things that are totally out of my control. Okay wait I take that back, I guess a resolution of sorts I want to make is to live in the moment - let God lead and I will do my best at following the plan he has laid out for me instead of getting mad when things don't go my way!

So if I learned anything in 2015 it is that He has something better in store for me than I could ever dream up, so I'm not dreaming up much for 2016, just praying for good health, love and laughter!!

Thanks for reading this little slice of internet - I hope you have a great end to 2015 and I will see you in the new year with a full month by month photo recap of 2015.

 

Grateful Heart : Christmas Edition

I am not sure how it is the week of Christmas - I feel like advent was just upon us and now the most joyous time of the year is knocking at the back door.

This past weekend we finally got our home all decorated, we are ready for it to be filled with laughter and love. We also had a test run with our Christmas meal and our family is in for a treat and full bellies.

This year for Advent I had full intentions of keeping up with a devotional every day and I failed miserably!! I got to about day four and then it just wasn't something I made time for - sad, because that is the reason for this amazing season and I can't even make time for it! {Yes, I understand I can catch up now but it isn't the same as actually making time for it every day leading up to the celebration of The Birth}
Does that happen to anyone else? You have every good intention of reading the Bible every day or doing a devotional and in the beginning you start out strong and determined but then, you lose steam halfway through {however you probably make it past day 4} and you just stop all together. It makes me realize how Human we are and how we needed someone like Jesus to be born to save us, to keep us on track, to follow… someone who didn't lose steam and always stayed on the destined path.

I hope this Christmas Season you remember why we celebrate, remember what the hustle and bustle is REALLY for and even if you stray remember that Jesus is there for you, waiting to help you get back on that destined path.

He was sent here to save us, so this Christmas: 

:remember Him

:thank Him

:praise Him

:REJOICE in Him!!

Follow along on Instagram with all the Christmas Cheer >> @mrslaurabeth

Client Thank You

I have a special treat for my photography clients this year and I can't give it totally away incase some of them read the blog but I had fun browsing Minted and Artifact Uprising for their special gift. My one hint is this sticker might make a debut - with a different photo of course!!

I love getting Christmas cards from clients that feature photos I have taken - it is like a thank you to me and they might not even know it. Just a 'feel good' thing seeing your art proudly displayed on their card!!

This year I have been having a hard time trying to pick out our Christmas card, so many pretty options out there I. WANT. THEM. ALL {especially the foil ones} ... I just love our photos from my college friend Caitlin!!

All designs above from Minted

... and if we had littles I think these cards that use their artwork would be perfect and then add a photo on the back - can you tell I'm obsessed with Christmas Cards?!

If you haven't got yours yet head over to Minted because they have extended their Cyber Monday deals until Thursday the 3rd, plus I just found out they have this new feature where you can buy the product you want and personalize it later - talk about handy, I know I'll be doing that today!!

 

Artifact Uprising is also one of my favorite new sites {if you are a photo client get prepared for something pretty} unfortunately their sales did end yesterday but even without a discount it is worth it because the quality is AMAZING.

 

...

So tell me, do you send your photographer a Christmas Card?
If you are a photographer, do you send clients a Thank You during this Christmas season?

*I was contacted by Minted to write a post, all thoughts and comments are my own

grateful heart

i am grateful for...
Best Friends. Sisters. Husband. Home. Coffee. Jesus.

Photo Cred: Caitlin Killoran Photography

 

From The Farm Friday : n u m b e r 14

My computer and I were fighting last night so I didn't get a post written but in all honesty the farm has been pretty quiet - except for some calves getting out this week!!

Here are some posts that I enjoyed this week:
Ashten on Starting Over
Amber on "You Are Welcome"
Erin on Living Thoughtfully

I have been an editing fool this week and my computer was telling me it wasn't havin' it last night - one of my worst fears is my computer crashing so I just left it alone not wanting to piss it off haha Here are a few of my favorite photos from the shoots I was editing!!

Hope ya'll have a wonderful weekend - I have my last photo sessions of the year and I'm excited to be done with that part time job for the winter!!

From The Farm Friday : n u m b e r 13

Oh Hey Thursday

This is my Thursday edition of 5 for Friday since I will have From the Farm Friday tomorrow.
Here are 5 things that are on my mind, with some lovely images that really have nothing to do with this post!!

1:: I need less screen time in my life - seriously my eyes hurt from looking at a computer screen all day at work and then coming home and sitting on my computer and/or watching TV

2:: I get stressed thinking about the first one so I think a bubble bath and a good old fashioned hard cover book is calling my name - oh what the heck throw in a glass of wine

3:: I am getting excited for the Holidays and need to get our Christmas cards ordered

4:: I need to write so many blog posts - like a FULL Norway recap, and about my sister getting engaged, and one about our NY trip and meeting Casey…

5:: My best friends baby shower is this weekend and I can't wait

…insert random photos from last weekend…

From The Farm Friday : n u m b e r 12

I felt like I was hardly at the farm this week even though I live there & was home every night - funny how that happens!!

The follow things filled Steven's days at the farm this week:

Fencing

Burning Sloughs

Book Work

Feeding Cattle

… and other random crap that I'm sure he didn't tell me about haha
One downfall of working off the farm is I don't know much about what goes on unless Steve tells me!

I hope you all have a great weekend.
I am meeting up with some high school friends who are visiting from Alaska. Saturday we have a wedding to go to and I foresee Sunday as a lazy couch day, which I'm totally okay with!!

What do you have planned for the weekend??

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From The Farm Friday : n u m b e r 11

HARVEST IS DONE!!

The guys finished up with corn harvest on Tuesday! This seems like one of the quickest harvest seasons we have had in my {almost} 9 years being around this farm. Maybe it is the fact that I went on two vacations during the really busy time so I wasn't moping around the house waiting for Steven to get in - I'll keep that in mind for next year!!

Now that harvest is done they will be busy with ground work, equipment maintenance, fencing and a bunch of other miscellaneous things that get put on the back burner during harvest.

Hope you all have a wonderful weekend - farm ladies link up below!!

Those What if Days

Last Friday I changed my cover photo from one of our sweet Brea babe to a photo of Steven and I.

My eyes filled with tears.

Yep something as simple and superficial as changing a photo on Facebook … but it made me feel like I was saying goodbye again, it made me feel like I would forget about her because she wasn't on my FB profile.

Silly right?!

Silly or not it felt like very real guilt, like she was sitting in doggie heaven looking at me with those puppy eyes saying "don't you want me there anymore" {I over analyze things and pretend my dead dog is watching me - don't judge}

I knew changing my photo wouldn't make me forget her but there was that tug on my heart that made that day just a little harder. In loss and grief there are days that are easier than others and then there are those like last week when I was reminded of what could have been - and the days that we try and live in the "could have beens" with the "what ifs" those are the hardest days!

I love sleep and...

I woke up this morning thinking about a nap after work - okay that isn't entirely true because I was thinking about taking a nap today before I even went to bed last night!! That is a sign of a good weekend right?! or just a sign that I LOVE my sleep...

Here is a quick Monday list of some things {besides sleep} that I'm loving::

:: Jack Johnson Radio

:: COFFEE

:: Tall Boot & Leggings & Sweater Season

:: Essential Oil + Tea

:: My new iPhone

:: Fall Jamberry wraps

:: New Thirty-One products

:: Our Family photos {by Caitlin Killoran}

From the Farm Friday : n u m b e r 10

corn harvest is almost over {typing that is crazy because it is super early}
we are praying for rain that amounts to something

Is it dry in your area? How is corn harvest going at your farm?