It is no secret that I have been excited for 2014 for a while! Excited and scared, because time seems to be passing so quickly. I keep thinking that 2013 was a hard year, and it did bring many challenges for me, but I also saw an exponential amount of growth. The old adage that struggle brings growth definitly has some truth to it.
In 2013 I got clarity on my own personal passion and the direction I want to head creatively. I shut down my jewlery business and changed my enitre focus to photography. I started this blog, and embarked on a 52 week self portrait project. I also had the pleasure of taking photographs of two of my dear friends pregnancies, another friends engagment and family portraits of both mine and Will’s family.
I have a lot to learn, but I am excited about the possibility that 2014 holds for this endeavor. I hope to be launching my studio website soon, and can gaurantee that you will be the first to know.
The deli also experienced a huge amount of growth in 2013. We expanded to breakfast and in doing so watched our lunch business boom. Running a small restaurant with your partner is not for the faint of heart, and it has certainly provided us with a lot of lessons. But according to our lovely and loyal customers, we are doing a great job.
We closed the deli on Dec. 28th, with a plan to re-open on Januray 20th. Originally we were going to go on a lavish Caribbean holiday, but our pocket books and over whelming todo list instisted we stay home during this time and get stuff done. We are doing yet another major renovation at the deli, which I will be sharing all the details with you here in the coming weeks. We are changing our POS system and ordering protocol, into what we hope is a much more efficient system for the upcoming 2014 season.
To still feel as if we were getting away during our time off we are taking two small ski vacations. The first has already come and gone. We spent New Years Eve and day ski/snowboarding Saddleback Mountain and Sugarloaf. It was beauitful and these pictures are of our time in Rangley watching the last sunset of 2013 set over the beautiful snow covered lake. We both love spending time on the mountain, and have a dream to be ski bums when we grow up (if we ever grow up). I was scared to snowboard in Maine for the first year due to stories of frigid tempuratures and icy conditions. But I survived this week, and feel like I strengthened my resolve to be up on the mountain in less than perfect weather. It was cold and beautiful. The mountains of Maine are carving a special place in my heart. Next week we head to Vermont and New Hampshire to explore new mountains and have birthday adventures.
The hardest part of my life adventure out here in Maine remains the distance I am from my family. The fact that I don’t get to babysit my baby cousins or watch them open Christmas gifts. The fact the I want to wake up and meet my mom for tea many days of the week.
For now I will remain grateful in the fact that I have a phenomenal family and fantastic friends who love and support me over any distance, and that I have a wonderful family here who loves me like their own.
As far as resolutions, I’m setting more intentions than resolutions. I want to be happy and find joy in my daily life. Life is never perfect and it is often very stressful, so I hope to be able to choose happiness more often. I intend to get way more consistent with writing this blog. I want to drink more water and spend way more time in Savasana. I hope to be a more loving partner. And as always I want to spend more time on the west coast… or perhaps more time with my west coast people on the east.
Wishing you love, adventure and joy in the coming year.
