The Daily to do list for now: http://www.aholyexperience.com/2011/12/free-daily-planner-new-habits-free-daily-planner-printable/

The Workout: http://www.bodyrock.tv/2012/01/02/day-1-of-our-30-day-challenge-fit-test/

Happy Bethany!

Jan 23: The managers talked with us about the future of our jobs.

Jan 24: Dan fasted and we fought. He had decided to move to Maine and then prayed and found peace with staying here. We celebrated over dinner.

Jan 25: Lazy day @ home. Dan talked to the managers.

Jan 26: Morning @ the grocery store and picked up Flameing June at the frame shop

Jan 27: Celebrates Marks birthday at work but it wasnt actually his birthday. Zach and Jody on creative live.

Jan 28: Zach and Jody on Creative live again. Watched it again.

2. Did you keep your new years’ resolutions, and will you make more for next year? 
“Learn to cook” was my new years resolution of last year and I really think that I did a pretty good job. My number one accomplishment was cooking Pork Wellington, which was amazing. Thanks to my Nana, Mom, Aunt Julie, Annie, and Dan, things are looking up in the kitchen.

Of course I will make more for next year. Are you kidding me?

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? 
Kacie. The third baby! Wild.

4. Did anyone close to you die? 
No.

5. What countries did you visit?
No new ones. We will see what 2012 brings.

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011? 
Maine.

7. What date from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? 
3.14.2011 It was the day we moved to Massachusetts.

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year?
Feeling like a professional photographer.

9. What was your biggest failure?
I dont fail… or not enough to dwell on it.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury?

Nope. Dec 28, 2010 I sprained my left ankle, and Jan-Feb of 2011 I was off my feet, but that was not an injury of 2011.

11. What was the best thing you bought?

Hattie, our Cavalier King Charles Spaniel

12. Whose behavior merited celebration?
Huh?

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? 
Not that involved.

14. Where did most of your money go? 
House and Home.

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about?
HATTIE!!!!

16. What song(s) will always remind you of 2010?
Love in a Hopeless Place, The Civil Wars (stark contrast i know… but just the same)

17. Compared to this time last year, are you
i. happier or sadder?:  Happier
ii. thinner or fatter?:  Plead the Fifth
iii. richer or poorer?:  Richer

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? 
Exercise. Depressing I know.

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? 
Unlocking my iPhone, and logging into the internet in all forms.

20. How did you spend Christmas? 
Raleigh. 919 Ya’ll! It was sweet.

21. Did you fall in love in 2011? 
Yes. Of course. Dan ROCKS!

22. What was your favorite TV program? 
Mad Men

23. Do you hate anyone now that you didn’t hate this time last year? 
I’m leaving this one alone.

24. What was the best book you read?
Harry Potter!!!!

25. What was your greatest musical discovery?
The Civil Wars

26. What did you want and get? 
A Home.

27. What did you want and not get? 
A bikini body

28. What was your favorite film of this year?
Soul Surfer

29. What did you do on your birthday, and how old were you?
28. Holla Back! I touched the Pacific Ocean for the first time.

30. What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying?
Being a full time wedding photographer. ONLY. and Living in Maine.

31. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 2011?
Lame. Insecure. Lonely. Boring. and Boring…

32. What kept you sane? 
Dan and Hattie. I wouldnt call myself sane though.

33. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most?
Matthew Mcconaughey. Always.

34. What political issue stirred you the most? 
Occupy Wall Street

35. Who did you miss? 
“All of my friends who live far away. You know who you are ” and I quote.

36. Who was the best new person you met? 
Casey. She is a dear and I really am thankful I met her.

37. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011: 
It’s worth it.

Dan and I are getting all our ducks in a row for our big move to Boston. It’s wild looking for an apartment from 12 hours away. Who knows about Boston neighborhoods and railway routes and so on? Not i. We are just so stinkin excited. I know that waving good by to the ocean will be hard, (like the pun?) but it’s not like we cant get to the beach pretty easily in Massachusetts.

We are also feverishly working on our business and its really official kick-off in January. I can use the photos I took while working for the photographer i worked for all year and our website will get a lot more goodness added to it. Ive been spending practically every hour working on the newly redesigned website, getting it ready for it’s January launch too. I feel like im always working. Its ok though. its all for the good.

Its hard to believe that 2010 is over. Its been so wild for us. Here’s a little re-cap:

January: Got back from the Kayak Trip, moved into an apartment in Cary, Started work for Raleigh Parks and Recreation

February: Kept working

March: Got the internship with the photographer i worked with all year, started aquiring the gear i would need

April: Wedding work begins

May: Job ends in raleigh, working like crazy with photography

June: Move to the outer banks, working like crazy with photography

July: boredom. jobless. no weddings

August: get job at a restaurant, more weddings

September: wedding wedding wedding, start work on own wedding photography business

October:  working, weddings

November: We do our first wedding as bethany and dan photography, more weddings, work

December: get jobs in boston, Christmas, ankle sprain

Hope 2011 blesses your life, as 2010 has blessed ours. Jobs and homes and moves galore!

We wont move until March but we are looking for a 2 bedroom apartment so you can start planning your visit!

in other news… o wait. there really isnt any other news other than moving to the beach and working working working. its all consuming.

it will be very very nice when we finally get to slow down a bit.. but we never really do that honestly. thats ok with me.

I guess things are moving right along aren’t they? Dan and I were contemplating our next few months and wanted to make sure we set ourselves up for the best possible situation for our future goals. We thought about all the places we could go, and we thought about staying here in the triangle. As we were undecided, Dan was asked to take on more hours at his job here. When he thought about the prospect of doing that, somthing clicked. “No more office work,” was all he could think about. Why stay here in a job that doesnt stir his soul, live in a pretty apartment and watch Survivor on the computer at night? We could be somewhere else doing something we love.  Makes total sense. We realized that if we could get jobs at the beach, and live RENT FREE in the trailer by the sea, (think Matthew McConaughey) our lives would be greatly improved!

The conversation went something like this:

B: We should sign the lease if were going too. It ends on June 16.

D: Sigh. Are you sure? Maybe we could move to the beach.

B: Im sure we could live in the trailer. Can you work for Joe again?

D: I call him. Do you want to move there? You sure?

B: Sure. Call him. Call you mom and nana too. Im all for it! Lets go!

D: Alright then!

And so we decided to move to the beach a few days ago. We will be moved in and settled no later than June 16th! Come visit if you want. Theres room and itll be awesome!

Kitty Hawk and the OBX, here we come.

Ever since we finally got all settled in our apt here in the triangle, we have been feverishly making plans for the future. We just cant be settled yet. I guess we are simply planners and goal setters. Conversation after conversation led us to the conclusion that we would go for opening up our own business in January.

drum roll please

<><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><><>

WEDDING PHOTOGRAPHY!!!

That gives us 7 months to get on the ball. We have to decide where we want to launch this bad boy, where we want to live, a name for the business, logo, personality, branding, and everything else that goes along with it. I want to do this right, straight out of the starting line.

To prepare, i have been interning under the phenomenal Tracy Turpen. Her work is banana’s, as you will surely discover if you hit up her website and/or blog. No really. She will blow your socks off. I have already been to 3 weddings in this position and I am LOVING it. There is just something about a bride. I dont know what it is yet, but i have been teary eyed at each one so far. It’s hard to describe how blessed i feel to be working with her. I have been a huge fan of hers for at least 2 years now. Dan and I talked about how ridiculously perfect it would be if i could only learn from her. We dreamed about it the whole kayak trip even though she never announced the possibility of having an intern. It felt like fate when she made the announcement 2 weeks before we landed in Key West. Applying for it was my only motive when we got home. . and, like a gift from God, i got it! It’s a lot of work but it’s going to be so worth it. It already is. We’re going to rock this!

Suggestions for names for the photography business are gladly accepted. Dan and I are really excited.. obviously.

Ideas as of right now include: d&b, d&b imagery, daniel rose photography, in cahoots photography (with an owl as the logo), daniel gray photography, bethany gray photography… and so on.

Thank you God for spring.