Goals, Not Resolutions

I've made a list of talking points for this entry.  That's how scatter-brained I am these days.  I can't even remember what I want to say long enough to say it.

Anyway.  I've been thinking about what I'd like for myself this year.  I'm about a month late for this kind of post, but I don't care too much about that.  It's taken me this long to come up with what I have so here goes.

First off, I want to start on a quilt this year.  A full blown fabric-scrap-pieces quilt.  I don't know when, for what, or for who (whom? those will never make sense to me), but I do know that I want to start on one.  If I thought I'd realistically get close to finishing a quilt this year I'd go for that, but I'd rather not be that big of a failure.

Back on the topic of me and exercising.  I started the 30-Day Shred by Jillian Michaels on January 2nd and stopped on the 15th because my knees were hurting.  We've since had a talk, I told them that they were being big babies and they've gotten better.  Yesterday I restarted the workout in hopes of not hurting myself so I can actually finish the 30-day challenge.  Here's to hoping!  I've made a few goals for myself that are basically dependent on me finishing the shred, so maybe those will keep me going.

I want to be able to wear pants like these and have them look cute:

Specifically I want to wear them for family photos.  We didn't get a chance to do any photos this fall, so I've told Miles I want to do some this spring.

Another goal is that I want to be able to wear a skirt that I've made myself.  Now I don't have to be in shape to do that, but for it to fit correctly, I think I might.

That's the pattern that I have.  Joann had a 99 cent sale on all Simplicity patterns, so I bought a few.  I think the top left skirt could be cute.  I wish they had a real picture of it, though, instead of a drawing.

Another pattern I bought was for this dress:

I think it's way cute.  The bad thing is that I'm not very good at sewing, so this one will have to wait.  Let me make a few skirts before I try tackling something like that. 

Other weight loss goals I have include being comfortable in a bathing suit (or as comfortable as possible), fitting in jeans that I've never been able to wear, and wearing actual shorts this summer.

I do have some other goals that are not centered around losing weight.  Those mainly focus on photography.  I'll be getting a Nikon D7000 (which I'm way too incredibly stoked about, but I won't get into that) when we get our tax refund back and the cameras are in stock.  Seriously, no one has them in stock...what's the deal?  Once I get that camera I'm going to try to book a few weddings.  I have one booked in August, one in September, and a possible wedding in November.  I'd like to get maybe one for June and one for July.  June would be hard to plan for though, since our family will be going to Colorado for a week or so somewhere in there.

Anyway, I've decided that once I get the camera I'm going to try to do a photo challenge.  I've attempted one before, but I lost interest in the challenges, so I'll either have to find a good one or make one myself.  We'll see.

Oh!  And, I've decided that I should change my photography business name.  If I'm going to actually make money I need to make it an actual business, right?  Alysa Ramsay Photography just doesn't work.  I have way too many syllables in my name for it to flow.  Also, not that I've had any unsatisfied customers, but in the even that I did I'd rather them be made at my business than my name.  Does that make sense?  I think so.  Anyway, the name that I'm thinking about now is Bountiful Eye Photography.  It's not really much shorter, but it is one syllable down.

Here's my potential logo:

I like it right now.  I may hate it tomorrow, but hopefully not.

Oh, and here's a cute baby:

Her hair is barely long enough for pig tails so I had to take advantage of it.  Seriously, how cute is she?!

Tomorrow I am taking some family/maternity pictures at 2.  It should be a good time.  I'm bringing a small yellow rocking chair I bought for Anna, a small chalk board, and a couple of blankets.  Maybe some bubbles, too.  We'll see.  If only I had my new camera for that shoot!  Come on government and camera places!  Work together on this!

Exercising|Knee Pain|Photography

Well, I've started my 30-day shred!  Today was my 10th day, and my first day on level two.  My goodness, I got used to level one that level two was super difficult.  I was feeling pretty good until I started...then I realized that I'm still completely out of shape.  Soon it'll get easier then I'll have to move to level three and be back here again.  I'm probably more surprised than anyone that I'm still doing it.  I've always given up a day or two into the workout.  I took before photos and took some today as third-of-the-way-through photos.  I don't think there was much of a difference if any.  But, hey, it's only the 10th day!  Hopefully the 20th and 30th will show something.
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Okay, I started writing this post a couple of days ago.  The story is a bit different now.  As of today it's been 14 days since I've started the 30-day shred.  Sadly, I've taken two days off (one was only three days into it and it was just because I was terrible about setting aside a time to do it, and the other was yesterday because of knee pain).  On Friday I did a workout from a weight loss yoga video I bought before I got pregnant with Anna.  My knees have been hurting pretty badly for the passed few days.  I assume it's caused by a combination simply working out and doing so in bad shoes and on thick carpet.  I figured the yoga workout would be less impact for my knees but apparently it wasn't a good enough break for them, so I just had to refrain from it all yesterday.  Maybe I should have done that today, too?  I don't know, but my knees sure do hurt.  I did level one again of the 30-day shred workout, and I plan on attempting level two tomorrow if my knees feel better at all...or maybe I'll go back to the yoga workout.

My left knee feels like it wants to pop off my leg.  This is another reason I want a one story house instead of two.  Upstairs is so far away...and so many stairs away!

But, I guess it's safe to say my 30-day shred will be more like a 35-40-day shred.  But, I don't mind.  I'm in no rush.  And the good thing is that now I feel bad if I don't do any workout at all.  And, I kind of like feeling the mild soreness that comes from exercising.  That's an accomplishment in itself, I'd say.

That's my baby in the bath.  She's way too sweet/cute/funny/silly everything nice. 

That's the Badlands.  It was pretty there...but it's not related to the post.

I think that's enough for now.  Eventually I will finish the pictures from Christmas and New Year's Eve and post some of them.  I've been spending my editing time on some family pictures I took a couple of weeks ago.  But, I should be finished with those tomorrow or late tonight.  Really, I only have about one or two more to do, then I need to put a quote on one.  That shouldn't take too long.

Also, I've decided that if (I hope, I hope, I hope) I get a Nikon D7000 (please, please, please) then I would try to book more weddings.  I'd definitely keep my D80 and bring either Miles or Aimee along to help me.  I don't think I'd loathe wedding photography so much if I had a better camera and help.  A wedding is HUGE job for one person to photograph.  So, here's to hoping!  Of course, if that happened I'd need to actually make my photography business an actual business, which it's currently not.  Oh, to be able to charge $1200 for a wedding and not feel like I'm overcharging!  Oh, to feel like I'm actually getting paid enough to photograph a wedding!  Oh, the joy!

Okay, now I should shower...and take ibuprofen...yep.