Wow, this year was wild! When I sit back and reflect on the year, it truly was such a huge year of growth for David and me, both personally and professionally. I often find myself in a state of constantly pushing forward, but I rarely sit down to actually reflect. What can I say, it’s the enneagram 3 in me! So, I wanted to share for myself and for anyone interested, 2019 in review! I think it’s so important to take time to reflect on the past in order to set new goals for the future. It’s also really cool to see what goals you had set previously that you reached or even surpassed!
Trips
2019 was full of so many fun trips! David and I love to travel, and if it were up to us, I think we would leave town at least once a month. We started the year off with a trip to Phoenix with David’s family! What better way to escape the January blues than to go enjoy some warmth, golf (for the boys), and sunshine!
In February, we went to visit my sister and her husband in Seattle. They had recently bought their CrossFit gym, and it was so fun to see them coaching and in action! We also got to see Drew & Ellie Holcomb perform live together which brought me to actual tears nearly the entire concert!
We took off in June for the annual Corbett family Oregon coast trip. It was sandwiched between wedding weekends for us, so it was quick, but so fun! It’s been my family’s tradition ever since I was little to go to the quaint little town of Manzanita for a week and relax, play cards, read books, and have a restful vacation.
At the start of September, we went to Iowa and Minnesota to visit David’s extended family. His grandparents celebrated 65 years of marriage with a great party that was well attended and full of Costco cake! If you’re an Elliott, no trip to Minnesota is complete without the Vikings! We got to visit the Vikings museum and tour the amazing U.S. Bank Stadium!
In October, we embraced all of our childlike hearts and went to Disneyland with my family! We had a blast fitting in as many rides as we possibly could, people watching, and taking in all the sites. Our all time favorite was the updated Guardians of the Galaxy ride (previously the Tower of Terror).
Finally, in November, David and I took a trip just the two of us to Mexico. We honeymooned in Cancun and loved it so much, we figured we had to go back! Shoutout to Costco travel for helping us find a steal of a deal on a week in paradise that was so refreshing!
Business Milestones
I started 2019 hopeful that I would be able to leave my part-time job taking newborn photos for another photography company sometime within the year. It was such a great starting point for my photography career and taught me so many valuable skills! At the end of June, I was able to say goodbye after over 2 years and dedicate all of my time into running my business! This was a goal David and I had talked about time after time, and to actually reach it felt so surreal.
Over the course of 2019, we shot 24 portrait sessions, 18 engagement sessions, 5 styled shoots, and 10 amazing weddings! I could write paragraphs and paragraphs about the amazing people we get to meet through this business and the significance of the days and events we get to be a part of, but know this: I couldn’t imagine doing anything more rewarding and life giving than this!
In 2019, my business income nearly tripled (say what?!) largely thanks to investing in education (huge shoutout to Amy and Jordan Demos) and diving head first into my business. I spent the larger part of “off season,” building a new brand and an entirely new website. Running a business is not for the faint of heart, and it truly has it’s daily challenges. Like really, don’t even ask me about taxes, I may just have a panic attack thinking about it! I’m continually learning the balance between giving my clients the best experience possible, while also taking time to put my phone down and live life in the moment. I am so thankful for the way my business has been blessed this year!
Life Milestones
We helped my parents set up a home gym in their garage, which we have the privilege of getting to use! Fitness and health has always been a part of David’s life, and over the last couple years, it has become a part of mine too. We love challenging and pushing each other in the gym!
In July, we lost Lucky, my family’s 7 year old labradoodle. He was our first ever family dog, but really, I claimed him as my own. We found out earlier in the year that he had cancer, and he stayed with us much longer than anticipated.
Which, leads me to the next milestone! I always knew I wanted to get a puppy of my own, but originally, had planned on doing so after buying a house. But when we lost Lucky, I couldn’t help but want a new dog best friend! I had also been working full time from home for a few months and realized how lonely it can get. I pulled and yanked David’s arm, and somehow convinced him into getting our sweet boy Murphy! My parents also got a puppy from the same litter. So now, Murphy gets to play with his brother Ollie all the time. They get into endless trouble…but that’s what brothers do, right? Murphy has taught us so much and brought so much joy into our lives.
If you know me, you know I am constantly scouring Zillow. My dad is in real estate, and I have always been interested in it. So whether my excuse is, “watching the market,” or searching for a new rental, I love spending free time perusing houses! We absolutely loved our first apartment, but after a year there, we started to dream of letting Murphy out of the back door instead of taking him outside on a leash. I, personally, also dreamt of having an office that wasn’t the storage space for our skis and Christmas decor! One morning I was perusing Zillow, and the perfect townhouse popped up! Within a week, we were moving. It was weird and sentimental leaving our first place ever together, but we love the new home we have made here!
In 2019, we also celebrated our first year of marriage! I can’t even quite remember what life was like before marrying David, but what I do know is that life with him is the best thing ever. We compliment each other so well even when it comes to running a business. I am the dreamer, the motivator, and the creative, while David is the level headed, the peacemaker, and the logical thinker. Though we sure aren’t perfect, we love navigating this crazy life together!
In all, we are so thankful for this past year and the blessings it brought. We look forward to what this next year will bring us, and we wish you all a Happy New Year!
