2009

At the end of 2008 I reflected on my year over and over, and I was so amazed how blessed I have been. With the health of my family, the love of my husband, and the ability to wake up and do what I love each and every day. I am so thankful. The thing that I am most amazed by though is how much my business has grown just in the past six months. On any given day, it feels like I am only moving inch by inch, but looking back over the whole I have moved miles.

So when 2009 arrived, I had no idea what was going to be in store for the new year. And to my surprise, I am already blown away. My business is already in an entirely different place than it was even two weeks ago. I just keep shaking my head in amazement. One of the most exciting things that has happened is that my website is a finalist in the Showit Sites of the year contest! WOW! If you are an Open Source Photo member click here to vote, or if you just want to take a look at the other websites that I am honored to be associated with click here.  I cannot wait to see what 2009 holds for me and my business!

And on a side note, my biggest New Year's resolution is to do everything that I want to do. There are always those things that you think, "Someday I would love to..." but you just don't do it. I want to do it all! There is always the fear that it is stupid, or it won't turn out the way you think it will, or that you might fail, but I keep saying what is the worst that could happen? One of the first things that I did was take a Surrey Ride (horse drawn sleigh ride) on the top of the hill at Crystal Mountain on the little trip we took for our second wedding anniversary last weekend. Sounds romantic right? That is what we thought, but as it turned out it was us with three other families along with their screaming children. We laughed the entire time! It wasn't what we thought, but we did it and had fun.

And, so you get a good Friday laugh, here is a few pictures of me in front of an extremely large chicken! It is one of the things that I just wanted to do, for no reason really, just that I wanted to do it. And I am so glad I did! I have wanted a picture of me beside this chicken for years! Enjoy!

Website is Here!

Here is a very special Christmas gift for all of you, and you're even allowed to open this one early! L Renee Studio website is officially launched! I am more than thrilled! Words can't even describe this heart pounding, butterfly filled stomach, jump up and down feeling. This is such an exciting time for me, my family, and all of you who have supported me along the way. I hope you all enjoy and share it with all of your family and friends.

Click here to view!

Leah's List #1

I love making lists. It is one simple way that I feel I can organize my life. Whenever people ask me if I am a list person I always respond by saying, "I make lists of my lists." It basically explains how crazy I am about my lists. So, I decided that I should bring my love of lists to my blog and to all of you. At the beginning of each week, I am going to write a quick list of what is on my mind, what I am doing (or hoping to do), etc. It is a quick way for me to let you see what is going on in my life. Let me know what you think. Hopefully you will all enjoy.

1) My weekend went way too fast. Why, whenever you go away for the weekend, it feels as if you never had one?

2) The amount of work on my To Do List looks daunting! Not only is there my normal workload but also all of my Christmas Preparations.

3) I had so much fun meeting the entire Short family yesterday!

4) Even with so much to do, I would love to start setting aside time each day to read. I absolutely love to read, but it is usually the last thing I do because it doesn't have to get done. It should just be like my daily workouts that I fit in somehow - a workout for the mind.

5) So looking forward to seeing where the new year takes me and my business. I can't imagine where it'll all end up. Especially after seeing how much has happened this past year.

6) I love finding new music and new artists. It has become a recent passion of mine. I am obsessed with iTunes! I think I am going to start buying myself gift cards for music each month.

7) A new favorite quote I found - "Worry is like rocking in a rocking chair; it gives you something to do, but it doesn't get you anywhere." Great words to live by. I definitely need to store this one in my memory bank.

8) So glad that Trevor isn't traveling this week! It will be so nice to have him home.


I hope everyone has a great week! Last full one before Christmas!!

Surf's Up!

If trying on swimsuits in the early spring is torture then what is like putting on a swimsuit mid-December? Excruciating?! Well I'm about to find out. Trevor and I are headed to Kalahari with his mom's whole family. And it just isn't any waterpark, but America's Largest Indoor Waterpark - according to their website. It is surely going to be a ball! I am just excited to get the Christmas Season started!

The End of Perfection?

Why has it been so long since I blogged? One quote explains it all - a quote that is now posted on my computer monitor, most likely permanently.

"The path to perfection leads to procrastination." - Harry Beckwith

This describes my life in so many different areas. For example, this is exactly why I haven't blogged. First it was because I couldn't think of something perfectly entertaining to write about. Then I got sick over the weekend and all I could think to write was that I was sick. Then I was done being sick, and I still didn't have anything perfectly hilarious or brilliant to write. So, as I usually do, I just kept putting it off. But, why? Sometimes, probably most times, things just don't have to be perfect. (Things are never absolutely perfect.) It would be much better to get it done, maybe not completely up to my top standard, but done rather than put it off for weeks hoping I will get it just right. Some things just need to be let go.

This is a lesson that I will be teaching myself over and over again. Probably my entire lifetime. But, I am definitely hoping to improve on it. The post-it should eventually ingrain in into my brain.