When I look back over this past year so many emotions come up. We had good and bad and scary. Honestly, it was a hard year. But we learned a lot and we've been blessed with some amazing things that have come our way. My word last year was intention and it was really wonderful to watch how my life unfolded when I lived with intention and not just day to day. When pregnancy and hyperemesis hit I stopped posting my intentions to the blog but I kept journaling them and sharing them with myself. Even though I didn't complete every intention I set, it was huge for me to see the way each of them developed. It made all the difference in the world. This year my word is...

magic.

I've thought a lot about this word the past few days. Picking a word is hard! But no matter what else I considered, I kept coming back to magic. It followed me around and insisted this was the year that I focus on finding the magic in my life. So that's what I'll be doing this year.

Aaron and I have two big plans for 2015. We're going to have our second child and become a little family of four (I say little because I come from a family of eight) and we're going to find a space to call our home. I'm excited for both of these endeavors and I hope the second comes before the first, though I'm not placing restrictions on myself. I've learned my lesson there.

I also have a few small intentions for the year (because intentions rock even if it's not your word for the year).

• one family picture each month - I did this in 2014 and it was one of my favorite things I did. The progression of our family month to month is so fun, especially as I watch Everly change!
• read at least 2 books each month - Last year I wanted to read 1 book a week and it got overwhelming pretty quickly. I got off track for a bit and then got back on course  a while later. It was a huge thing to undertake. But I love reading so I'm making the intention smaller but still relevant. Hopefully it helps! 
• have an outing with Everly once a week - This can be big like taking her to an amusement park for her first baby roller coaster (I'm excited to do that this summer!) or small, like a trip to the zoo or local park. At least once a week the two of us will leave the house to do something just for her. And in July we'll add a third wheel who will sleep while we play.
• cook one new recipe each week - This might be my favorite intention for the year. I cannot express how much I love cooking and (not to brag too hard) I'm very good at it. I read far too many food blogs (if there's such a thing?) and pin amazing recipes all the time. I'm going to try at least one new recipe each week so my family and I can all enjoy the benefits of my cooking skills. 
• date night with Aaron - Is once a week to much to ask for a date night with my husband? I hope not, because I am. I want to go on a date with Aaron once a week, even if that date is a trip to the store without Everly in tow! We can grab some coffee and call it a romantic stroll.

Cheers to that wild, crazy, beautiful 2014 and lets bring on the MAGIC for 2015!

PS How adorable is that photo? Everly thought Christmas morning was the most amazing thing ever and all she wanted was to go play with her toys.

Everly is going to be a big sister! If you follow along through social media this isn't really news to you. And if you've noticed my absence from blogging you probably guessed before I even announced. Aaron and I are thrilled to be expecting our second child. Everly is excited, though she doesn't completely understand. She thinks the baby is in her belly, just like mama. It's adorable.

I'm about 12 weeks along now and it's been a hard one. I had hyperemesis with Everly and it's reared it's ugly head again. If you've never had it... there's just no way to explain. I've lost quite a bit of weight along the way but I'm surviving. Everly and I weaned her from nursing last week. It was heartbreaking because I wasn't ready and I'm not sure she was either. I had to think of my health and the health of this new baby and though I wasn't ready, I know it was best. Everly's taken it all in stride though. She really is the sweetest, happiest, brightest little lady I know. I can't call her a baby!

We are SO excited for this new little soul to be added to our family. 

A few weeks ago I wrote about the Sacred Pregnancy Retreat in Toronto that I was able to attend. To make it even better I was able to attend it back-to-back with a Sacred Doula Retreat. All I can really say to that is WOW. It was an honor to attend two retreats together, to photograph both retreats, and to share the experience with some amazing women.

Sacred Doula is a one-of-a-kind training for doulas. Lorie McCoy is a brilliant teacher, infusing modern day doula techniques and knowledge with the beauty and reverence of Sacred Pregnancy. She brings to life the meaning of living the Beauty Way. We trained in practical, hands-on techniques for assisting our clients during labor and learned from our very experienced doula guru! Having been to two previous doula trainings (through different programs) and practicing as a doula for over a year, I wondered how much I would really learn at Sacred Doula. I was very happily surprised! I received so many valuable tools and techniques. This training is so well rounded and comprehensive and gave me a confidence in my doula skills that I didn't have before. And after four days spent living, learning, laughing, and even crying with these women, I walked away with a new circle of sisters who love and support me even from far away. If Sacred Doula calls to you GO! It's truly a life changing experience. 

The first pic was July's. The second was in August, right before I left for Canada for 10 days. It feels like another lifetime. The last photo was September, we went to a high school football game. Everly thought it was the most fun ever. 

August was crazy. My intention was to get through the month with my sanity and we almost didn't make it. September we fell into recovery mode and near then end I came out of it with more than just survival instincts. Life happens, right? But this month I've set intentions for myself again and it feels so good. And can you believe it? We've had 9 months of family photos. Yes, they're almost all iPhone photos, but still. Pictures. Of all three of us.

I've started a new online training course that has ignited a fire within me. As part of the course I've been tracking the moon across the sky and it's led to a place of curiosity and a desire to learn more. I'm so excited for the blood moon this week! I don't care that I have to be awake at an undesirable hour to see it and photograph it. I'm just ready to do it. Life has been intense and scary, but it's getting better. And I'm so grateful for this little family that I get to go through it all with! 

October Intentions. I will...

• Track a full moon cycle, observing my ebbs and flows and understanding a tiny piece of the universe just a little bit better.
• Make our family's Halloween costumes. I started this tradition last year with our lions. This year is going to be even more fun. I love the idea of a group costume and until Everly is old enough to revolt, I'm going to make our costumes and have a great time doing so!
• Complete my rebrand of my business. I finished my all-encompasing professional website a few months ago. I created my photography website. Now I'm working on my professional doula website. I've wanted to rebrand for a while. I've renamed by business Sacred Feathered Nest and I'm working with Amira to create a fantastic logo for it! I love it already, and I'm not even finished. This month I'm going to have that website beautiful and thriving. 
• Attend a small business training. I need this for myself. I have big ideas, beautiful plans, I just need the support of a mentoring group and a training to take the big jump to the next new thing! I'm going through Sacred Biz and I'm very excited for this.

I'm also going to create some projects with my sister, but that's more for fun than an intention. Hopefully they'll turn out great and then I can share them with you! I'm also going to watch my lady turn 20 months *sob* and try not to make a big deal about it. It's such a gift to watch her grow. She's learning new words and she talks all the time. But it's so bittersweet. She's amazing, she's brilliant, and she's growing so quickly. And last (but definitely not least), my lover is turning the big 2-9 this month. That's right friends, Aaron is entering the last year of his 20's and he's doing it handsomely. He's like great wine and cheese, only getting better with age! I am really looking forward to October.