december goals

 

HELLO DECEMBER!  Where did you come from?  We are back in our house after two weeks at the inlaws because of a broken furnace and one week at my parents in STL for Thanksgiving.  It felt so good to be back in our warm house and bed Saturday night but we had a great week full of family.  I was sad to leave it all.  But now it is back to routine and real life.  And I don't hate it.  How was your holiday?

While away I did some thinking about how I wanted to spend the last month of 2014.  As much as I have enjoyed coming up with a blogging schedule and blogging on a regular basis, I decided to take the month of December off to refresh a little and enjoy the season.  And by enjoy the season, I mean watching Elf and Love Actually as many times as I can.  However, there a few goals I would like accomplish in December. 

blog related.  I would like a more clean and simple blog design.  I want to start sponsoring other blogs but need to do some research.  Any recommendations on who I should sponsor in 2015 who has helped your blog grow?  Read and take notes on all of the articles on blogging that I have pinned lately. 

health related.  Go to the gym and lift 3 times a week.  Also, continue to walk and run with friends even though I will want to stay inside and snuggle all day.  Eat a more strict paleo diet and limit my alcohol intake.  

photography related.  Update Etsy.  Explore Etsy for ideas on how to network and get my shop out there.  Post on Alyson Cornman Photography.  Start another 365 photo project.  Get prepared to bring back #capturingmymoments in 2015.  

and last but not least, be in the moment.  I love the holidays and really want to enjoy them this year.  They always fly by.  But if you miss me too much, be sure to head over to ACP, Etsy, Twitter, and Instagram to follow along. 

What are your goals for December?

What are you most looking forward to this month?

What are your favorite holiday movies?

Linking up with Melyssa, Leeann, Bre, Elizabeth, and Meg today!

Sneak Peek - Jacob

This cutie (even though you can only see his back side) is a re-occurring photography subject for me.  I love being able to spend time with him and his family.  It has been so great to see him grow up over the last 2 years.  He is seriously the sweetest, cutest, funniest 2 year old I know. 

And he was such a sport!  Seriously!!!  Since I was indoors and wanted to really get the ambiance of Christmas in this shoot I had to use my tripod and a really slow shutter speed.  In order for me to get photos of him that weren't blurry I asked him to stay super still for me.  And he did!  Something you really can't say about most 2 year olds.  

Without further adieu,

Isn't Christmas through a child's eyes one of the sweetest things ever?

Christmas in da 'Burgh. N'at.

One of my fondest memories of childhood during Christmas time was piling in the car with my family in our PJs driving around where ever we lived at the time (Birmingham, Memphis, Mobile) to look at the different Christmas lights.  In fact, I remember one year my dad voted in some kind of competition.  I am not really sure what city we were living in at the time but I do remember him asking me and sisters what our favorites were.  Amazing what memories stick with you, huh?  Anyway, the love of Christmas lights has stuck with me.  I love driving at night and seeing the different light displays (of course some better than others).  It just makes me happy :)

I have been trying to convince Chris for the past five years to drive around with me to look at lights.  And every year he has laughed at me.  Except for this year.  When I told him I wanted to go downtown to see the Christmas lights he said, "okay."  After the initial shock of his answer I asked him what changed his mind - he said, "my heart has grown a few more sizes this year" hehe.  I am not quite sure what it has been about this holiday season but I have felt very home sick and being able to capture a little bit of my childhood with him this year has helped.

Here are a few of the photos I took while I was down there.  We did not spend as much time as I had hoped as it was the first really cold day/night this season and were both not prepared.  Plus, we had to get back to watch Elf and Love Actually (holiday favorites) with good friends Timmy and Martin.

 It has become a tradition to have ice skating open to the public during the holidays for ice skaters to skate around the Christmas tree in Market Square.  Kinda like Rockefeller.  Kinda :)

 I have been dying to try bokeh photography.  This was my result.  Not what I had in mind.  Regardless, I still do like it. 

For this photo I hoped to get something similar to this photo of the Eiffel Tower!  Again, not what I had in mind.  But I still do love the colors.  

Thanks for stopping by to take a look at my photos.  I hope you enjoyed them.  Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to you and your family!

Love,
Alyson