Happy New Year.

It's crazy how much change one year can bring.

This year both Kev and I graduated from College, and just moved back to Salt Lake so we are no longer living in our little town of Logan. It has been a very exciting change, but also sad to know that my life in Logan is over. Sometimes I can't believe how fast life goes by.

We are hoping to hear back from an apartment complex this week and move out of my parents basement this next weekend. We are so excited to not be living out of suitcases and actually have a place for all of our things! 

I have never been one for New Year Resolutions but I have been reflecting a lot on what this new year is going to bring and what I want to accomplish.

This is going to be my first year not being in school since I was in Kindergarten. I might go crazy not knowing what to do with all my spare time. But what I am most excited about is finally having the TIME to put towards my dream career....and that is my photography business.

People probably think i'm crazy, sometimes I feel like i'm crazy too, and ask myself "what in the heck  am I doing?"

 Photography is such a fad right now. It seems like everyone and their dog who own's a DSLR is starting up a photo business and doing wedding pictures for people they know. But I think there is a difference between someone who owns a nice camera and someone who has a passion for photography and really wants to capture images that you can cherish forever.

I have wanted to be a photographer ever since elementary when I would take pictures of sunsets on my little automatic film camera. That is why I went to school and got a degree in Photography, I wanted to learn everything that I could about it. But these last six months that I have been out of school and have had the opportunity to shoot my first few weddings, family portraits, and childrens portraits. I have learned as much if not more then I did in all four years in school.

 I love photography, and I know I have a really LONG way to go in order to be at the skill level I want to be at, but I am going to make it. I know I am, because I don't want to just be a good photographer, I want to be great. I am in it for the long hall.

So this year I am dedicating myself to my dream.

I feel like winning my D600 from Pictureline was my big break. And I am going to do all that I can to put things in to full swing this year.

I am working on getting a website and a new blog design for my business.

I want to photograph weddings and I mean a lot of them. Weddings are my passion and what I want to have the majority of my business to be.

(So if you know anyone getting married this year I would love for you to refer them to me!)

I also want to thank everyone who has hired me to take their wedding or family photo's this year. I learn something new each and every time I have a photo shoot and wouldn't be progressing without the business and referrals you have given me this year. Thank you so much!!

So here is to the year that gave me the start to my dream, and also to 2013 where I hope to become 50 times better then where I am right now. I am so excited for what this next year will bring and wish you all a very happy New Year!

A merry little christmas.

So if you haven't heard or couldn't guess from my last post I got a new Nikon D600 this year for Christmas! But that isn't even the best part. I got it for free!!!!!

I know. Unreal right? 

I entered into pictureline's christmas giveaway of the D600 on Facebook, and by some twist of fate they pulled my name as the winner. I don't know if you know what this means to me. This has been my DREAM camera. As in the one I have been saving up for, so I could officially start off my business!!! 

It has been such a HUGE blessing, and I definitely have shed a few tears over it. Oh my it still hasn't really hit me yet. 

The last few days have been so fun trying to figure out how to use it, because it is just a little ginormous upgrade from my d5000. 

We had our traditional Hillam Family Christmas Party where we eat Chinese Food and open each others gifts on Sunday.

This year we also went Caroling around my parents neighborhood. It was such a fun night! 

 Christmas morning we spent with my parents and the Stott's. It is so fun to have little kids around when you are opening presents, it makes it ten times better.

(and i just realized I didn't take any pictures of kevin and I on christmas. i hate when i do that.)

 And of course I had to do a little photo shoot of the cutest christmas present of all. haha She is such a good dog, little to say we love her just a little bit.

best christmas ever.

You guys. I have THE most incredible, exciting, mind blowing, miraculous, unreal news in the world.

Can you guess what it is??

I'm turning into one of those people.......

You know the people who take a million photo's of their pet or pets. And post them all over the internet? Welp.....I think I am becoming one of them. Sorry.

But seriously. 

How could you not want to take pictures of this girl?

So there you have it. We are kind of in Love with her....If you couldn't tell. 

Also...guess what? Big changes are in store for us these next few weeks. I will tell you in the next post what these huge and exciting changes are. Because I'm sure you are just dying to hear them.

Happy Halloween and end of Fall!

 Our little Ellie stealing the Loot! We trained her well!

  

Last sunday Kev and I got to go visit my Grandma down in Orem. She hasn't been doing to well the last few weeks, and since we live in Logan we don't get to go see her very often. So we made sure this last weekend we got down to see her. She was in such high spirits when we went to see her, it was so great! We had such a good visit and got to take her on a beautiful fall evening walk. I love her so much, and am so sad to see her getting to this stage in her life, but am so grateful for the example she has been to me in my life.

our newest edition. goldendoodle style.

So....Kev and I had a pretty spontaneous purchase last Monday. And it was the best purchase we have ever made. 

We bought a puppy!!!!

We named her Ellie. 

And she is the most precious, happy, fun puppy in the world. I seriously already love her so much. 

I will post more photo's later. Probably so many you will be completely annoyed with me. But until then enjoy looking at her cute sleeping face.

Don't you just want to cuddle with that soft squishy face?!

 I do.

Seeing Red.

So I have some exciting news.

I finally found a job! 

Can I get a Hallelujah!? 

It is an awesome full time position as a cashier/ice cream scooper/bulk packager at a brand new little store called Apple Creek Bulk Food Company. 

In fact we are having the grand opening this coming Monday Oct. 1, 2012.

The only downside to this job is that it is located exactly 35 minutes from my house in Willard. But the perks to having a job on the other side of the canyon is that I get to drive through the magnificent thing twice everyday and see sights like these below.

Seriously, you can't complain much about this.

 

 Sardine Canyon is the most red I have ever seen it. It is gorgeous. So gorgeous in fact, that I am not missing summer one ounce right now....and that is saying something, because I am in love with summer. 

But for now this crisp fall air is making me one happy girl. 

Bring on the boots, blankets, and trick or treaters!

Our Labor Day Weekend in the Woods.

 We had a very fun Labor Day. We went camping with my family up Big Cottonwood Canyon. I loved being up in the mountains and not having anything to worry about other than sitting around the camp fire and stuffing my face with sweets. 

 I love my family so much and even though sometimes our family get togethers are crazy and loud, I would not trade them for anything in this world. Love them so much.

A few photos of my Mr. and I to send off the summer.

Can you believe summer is over!!!

Where did it go!?

We moved back up to our little Logan today, and Kev had his first day of classes.

I think that poor boy is already fed up with the semester and he was only at school for two hours today.

I think its going to be a hard last semester on him...

Being that its the close of summer I thought I'd share a few photos of us two that we had snapped while we were in Park City a few weeks ago.

I just thought I would share a few photo's of the two of us because heck. I like them. Enjoy your week of Back to Schooling. And feel free to cross your fingers that I can find a job up here in this tiny town.