I wanted to recap this last year and post some of the highlights and memorable moments we shared in 2009.
I started the year off by attending the annual Craft and Hobby Association convention in Anaheim with my mom. She owns a scrapbooking magazine and goes every year, this year was my first year attending. I had the duty of interviewing companies at the convention and got to meet and photograph Paris Hilton. Though I'm not a big craft person, or scrapbooker for that matter, it was still fun to spend the time with my mom and it turned out to be a good networking experience.
February being in my slow seaon, was somewhat uneventful other than the holiday. Rob and I spent Valentine's Day by taking a horse drawn carriage ride through memory grove and temple square and I photographed a beautiful Valentine's wedding.
In March I attended PMA in Vegas, which is an annual photography convention my mom and I go to. It's one of the things I look forward to the most every year.
Later in the month I got my wisdom teeth out and consequently suffered from dry socket and a severe infection that affected my entire lower jaw bone. Definitely NOT a highlight of 2009, but memorable none the less. I don't think I've been in that much pain in all my life. In late March, (while still recovering from my ordeal) Rob and I went to San Diego to attend our first Temple Sealing in the San Diego Temple (My favorite and the temple I wanted to get married in) of my good friend Maurice and his beautiful wife Tasha. Afterward I had the privilege of photographing their wedding at the Temple, group photos at La Jolla Cove, ring ceremony at Seal Beach and the reception in Huntington. It was a gorgeous wedding, and Rob and I really enjoyed being able to be a part of it together.
April was the 2 year mark of owning our first home and we went against all odds and decided to put it on the market. We had no idea the ride we'd be in for.
May was probably the best month of 2009 for us as we spent a week touring the Northern Region of Italy. We saw Milan, the fashion capital of the world, the leaning tower of Pisa, the famous home, and balcony, of Romeo's Juliet. Saw Michelangelo's David in Florence, walked the streets of Siena, toured the many incredible ruins of Rome including the Colosseum, the Vatican, and St. Peter's Square. Spent two amazing days and nights in the rolling hills of the Tuscany region, and took a Gondola ride through the canals of Venice. We topped it all off by spending our last night in Montreux, Switzerland, which has to be the most beautiful and peaceful place on earth. To get there we drove through the Swiss Alps and were completely breath taken by the amazing scenery. It is to date, the best trip we've ever taken together.
June was a highly successful month as it is the month we sold our house and one of my busiest months for photography. Exactly two months from the day we listed our home, we had an accepted offer! June was also the month of our wedding Anniversary and we celebrated 2 years of marriage by replaying our very first date. Rob even reserved the exact same table we sat at, at the restaurant we ate at the day we met. It was very romantic.
July we moved out of our home and into my in-law's basement. We hadn't found a new house yet and were closing on our home so we bunked in their very comfortable basement for about a month while we looked for a new place.
August was a busy month, Rob turned 32, I was finally able to make it back to Lake Powell for the first time in 2 years and we found our second home on the beautiful mountain side of South Draper. After a very bumpy ride on the real estate rollercoaster, we closed on our new home on August 24th. It is much nicer and newer than our previous home and in a much better area. We love our ward and our neighborhood and couldn't be happier here.
In September, after painting, cleaning, staining, repairing and furnishing our new home, we finally got to move in over Labor Day. It was also a good month for photography as I participated in two wedding expos. I also celebrated my 26th birthday with 3 of my best friends.
In October I had the amazing opportunity of photography the Miss Utah USA Pageant. I met a lot of awesome girls and had a really great weekend. It was a great experience and opportunity in my photography career. Rob and I celebrated Halloween as Napoleon Dynamite and Katy Perry and I have to say, we made a pretty hot couple! ;)
November was a very busy month for my photography and I also got hired to go to Las Vegas to take some family portraits for Rob's sister and some of her friends. While there we went to a couple of shows and of course, hit up the buffet for all you can eat crab legs! We also went to Red Rock for the first time. Thanksgiving was really nice for us as we were able to have everyone over to our new place for dinner.
Aside from Rob almost breaking his ankle, December was a pretty good month. We got to spend Christmas with both our families and rang in the new year with some old friends.
We are so grateful for all the ways we were blessed in 2009 and all the amazing people we got to spend it with. We are looking forward to 2010 and all the new memories waiting to be made.
