Love, Life, and Everything Else

I can't believe Ryleigh is turning one on Saturday! This year has flown by so quickly! I was wishing the wedding to come so quickly that I didn't even realize I was wishing the whole year away!

Holidays are finally over! Although I had a wonderful Holiday season I am happy to see it gone and things getting back to normal... whatever that is! :)

So, Saturday my little niece is turning one... it makes me tear up a little thinking about what a great little girl she has become! She is just the cutest thing ever! She just got her 1 year birthday photos done with Cody Smith, and they are AMAZING! I'll post a few on here that my sister sent me this morning!

Speaking of photos, I was fortunate enough to be able to take photos for the Watkins for Christmas! They needed photos of Ryleigh in her cute Holiday outfits, and I needed some practice, so it worked out great for both of us :)

Right now I am creating a playlist for the Birthday party this weekend, I have created a slideshow of Ryleighs journey up till now! And let me tell you... it was quite a journey! There are over 1,600 photos to prove it, I hope my sister loves the presentation!

Saturday night is a celebration for Ryleighs dad's Birthday, my brother in law Kyle is turning THIRTY!!! That's a Huge milestone!

And then Joey's birthday is Sunday, so I get to take my handsome husband out to dinner at Olive Garden! I can't wait, they have the best Ravioli with Braised Beef EVER! And their St. Michelle Reisling is to die for as well!

Also, on the 20th, Joey and I will have been together for 4 years now! I wonder if we stop on that anniversary, now that we have our wedding anniversary? I suppose so, no need to celebrate in October and again in January... hell, I'm always lookin for a reason to celebrate, so maybe we will!

What a busy month this has been! I'm looking forward to things calming down a little more next month!

Here's a few of the Watkins Christmas photos!

I forgot to mention... I'm an AUNT again. Joeys sister had a beautiful baby boy. His name is Baron James Witcher and he melts my heart! I am so happy he is finally here! Here's a few photos from our visit with him!

And also, my best friends Danielle Wood and Andy Kuszak had a beautiful baby girl! Her name is Rosanna Laine Kuszak! What a doll!

In case you haven't noticed... I LOVE taking photos! If you need any or know anyone that does, tell them I'm available! Since I'm still so new at this also I'm very cheap!

HELLO friends and family! I hope everyone is having a wonderful Holiday Season. Can you believe it is 11 days till Christmas? It doesn't really feel like it's almost here since Joey and I aren't doing much for gifts for everyone this year. Usually I like to go all out for everyone, but with the wedding being a couple months ago, it's much more difficult. What we are doing instead is giving everyone a 4gb jump drive with all the wedding photos on there. I think that's a good gift!

So, I was watching a movie this weekend "Julie and Julia" an realized I hadn't written a blog in so long and there has been so much going on.

Recently I have taken to photography. I have always been really interested in it and I think I have finally taken the first step to having it be a much bigger part of my life. My younger sister, Tabitha, and her friend, Lindsey, asked me to take some photos of them for their Christmas cards. That was the first time I have actually been paid to take photos! And it was sooo much fun, I couldn't believe someone would want to pay me to take their photos! I get all excited thinking about it! So, after seeing what I could do with their photos with my dinky little Nikon Coolpix P80 camera I wanted a much bigger camera! I got the itch! haha

Although Joey wasn't thrilled I'm sure, I got a new camera with my Christmas bonus!! This camera is so great! It's a Nikon D3000, with 2 different lenses, and a carrying case. I'm not gonna lie... I feel pretty cool having it! haha

So, if anyone needs photos taken just let me know and I would love to shoot you! The only thing I am really hesitant about is that I have friends that do photos as well. I just don't want to step on anyones toes....

This is so exciting to me though. I have had 4 photo shoots in 2 months and I know I can just get better from here with practice!

So, besides that, I've been trying to get the house in order from the wedding. I still have sooo much wedding stuff to sell, including vases (if anyone needs any). I sure wish I could get rid of everything, mostly so I can have my 2 spare bedrooms back!

I'm ready for the next home project... I really want to expand my closet all the way down one side of our bedroom, add curtains instead of doors to hide all the shoes and clothes, and then paint our bedroom! I'm thinking a medium gray color! I just ordered our comforter online... thank goodness for wedding gift cards :)!

Joey and I have been talking more and more about having children. We both decided to wait AT LEAST a year until we "stop trying to not get pregnant". I'm wondering if we'll make it the full year :) Somedays I'm really anxious and excited and want to have children now, and others.... not so much! I wonder if I will know when the time is right, or if at some point I just jump in with both feet holding Joeys hand VERY tightly! I know Joey is ready to have children, he is going to be such a wonderful father. I'm tearing up just at the thought of it now. He's such a wonderful man, and I'm so lucky to have him as my husband.

And yes, that's still weird to say... husband. Will that ever get normal, and will I EVER be able to sign my own name again? I need to sit down and practice.... I look like a spaz when I sign anything. I actually introduced myself the other day as Courtney Ralston, then quickly corrected myself, the man I was introducing myself probably thought I was a schizophrenic! hahaha

Well, right now, life is good. Christmas is fast approaching, and next thing you know it will be 2010!! Merry Christmas everyone! Have a wonderful Holiday!

Here is a few photos from the Fayetteville Square Christmas Light Display, where Ryleigh kept calling the mini horses DOGGIES... and loved it!