My January Journey as a Momtographer: Embracing Life's Simplicities

I’m trying something new. For the past year, I’ve been diving deep into my calling as a mother, a homemaker, and a photographer, but I never truly understood how I could share my journey with all of you in a way that represented how I felt in my core. The 5 Instagram stories I would post a day started to not feel like I was able to express myself in a way that felt true to me and I knew I wasn’t at a point in my life where I could find time to interrupt our daily flow 5 times to sit down and intentionally unpack what was going on in my heart. So, with that, HERE WE ARE. A new journey.

Every January I crave a break from the social media world. I’m not sure if it’s because we enter a new beginning or if the emptiness of my calendar inspires me to do the same in all aspects of my life. The snow is falling from every direction as I’m writing this. It’s a season of tranquility, where the coldness outside mirrors the calm within, and the absence of online noise creates time and space for personal reflection and rejuvenation for the new year. This month has been filled with creativity, warmth, and slow inspiring moments, and I can’t wait to share the highlights with you since I haven’t been able to post on social media. Here we go!

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What's Inspiring Me

Sourdough journey – obsessing over the way you can create something so beautiful and tasty out of just air, water, flour, and most importantly….time.
Cold Plunging & Coffee – our benefits of doing this for 2 months have been insane
Home Remodel – remodeling our Spanish inspired home will always be a passion of ours
Favorite Quotes

Sourdough Journey

As I’m finding the right balancing act of photo editing deadlines and the laughter of my little ones, I’ve discovered the art of making sourdough bread this month. It’s not just about the delicious and healthier outcome that I’ve loved, but it’s a reminder of the beauty found in the process, the patience it requires, and the joy that comes from investing time and passion in creating something out of literally air, flour, and water.

Sourdough follows a predictable routine of feeding the starter, mixing the dough and allowing it to rise. And as all of you know, I’m big on routines. The predictable routine that comes with making the bread allows you to embrace the beauty in life’s simplicities.

Cold Plunging & Espresso

Exploring the benefits of cold plunging has become a weekly ritual for us. We’ve noticed better sleep, more energy, and an overall sense of being able to enjoy life in the present moment. I’ve always been a coffee lover, but a hot latte after a cold plunge makes you appreciate the small luxuries we have daily that are easily taken for granted. It’s a dance of opposites, cold bath and a hot cup of joe, mirroring the rhythm of life itself.

HOME UPDATE

As most of you know, we purchased a home that has been in the family for over 3 generations. I’ve always been drawn to the way a space makes you feel. I feel your home is a way to express yourself and it’s important to create an atmosphere that makes you feel happy, safe, and cozy. I tend to obsess over textures and making small happy corners throughout our home. I would describe our home style to be more earthy, vintage, and Mediterranean, but I’m not afraid to mix and match if it’s something that brings us joy and comfort.

I’m in the depths of choosing another paint color and of course, it has to be one that can be a sage color. I want something warm with more green than teal because our entire vanity, floor, and shower are grey tiles. I’m trying to balance out all of the undertones.

a vintage green bathroom with brass sconce

I love how green pulls in such calming vibes into a room and also pairs so nicely with antique woods and brass accents. It’s the perfect balance of rich and inviting, which is what i’m looking for in regards to this bathroom. Of course I had 6 green paint samples downstairs I had to go try.

Here are my finalists:

Favorite Quotes

30 Day Social Detox as a Photographer

Taking a 30-day break from social media as a business owner has brought newfound joy and simplicity to my life. Real-life connections are more effortless, and small pleasures are no longer overshadowed by the constant craving for social media validation. This break has allowed me to fully embrace daily joys, making my natural rhythms for living flow more smoothly. If you’re feeling overwhelmed or disconnected, consider stepping back – it might inspire positive changes in your life too.

I wanted to share a little bit of my journey with you on everything I’ve noticed these past 30 days. I guess you could say this is a glimpse into my personal journal. My hope is that it inspires you to do the same if you’re feeling overwhelmed, or maybe just out of touch with present moments happening.

Going out of my way to whip up a sourdough starter last minute and take it to a friend, saying yes to an invite for dinner with another family, or meeting my sister for pottery seem like much less of a chore when you’re not filling your brain with so much clutter from social media. My real-life connections seem effortless instead of something I feel like I have to cram in. I crave it more when I’m off social media.
All the dopamine you get from social media sometimes creates a world where you crave more of that, allowing small, simple pleasures to go by unnoticed. I notice when I’m not on socials, my daily cup of coffee, a clean room or even a simple candle brings me so much joy. I feel like I’m fully living instead of avoiding.
Your natural rhythms for living flow so much more smoothly. Less interruptions between doing laundry, dishes and pickup up allow you to freely flow from one thing to the other. It’s hard to be productive when your mind is scattered between 4 apps and nonstop notifications.

Photography Business Updates

The Fall 2023 wedding season has come to a close, which means my computer waits for me at the wee hours of the morning before the house wakes waiting for me to sift through, edit, and reminisce on images from the month before. I’ve been doing wedding photography for over 6 years now and it never fails how good it feels to open up a fresh, new gallery. Every wedding is unique and it is so fulfilling to work on something that will bring joy to others. I wanted to share a few of my favorites from this month that I’ve been working on. Being able to freeze such precious moments that tend to go unnoticed is one of the most fulfilling parts of my job.

I’m excited to dig in and add new modules to my photography courses, The Wedding Light Masterclass & The Emotional Editing Masterclass, by adding new modules. Photography has transformed my life, bringing balance and fulfillment, and I’m passionate about sharing that with others. Beyond teaching techniques, my goal is to inspire and connect with fellow photographers, creating art that blesses others. Stay tuned for a course covering all aspects of the photography business!”

January 2024 Wedding Photos

Kicked off the 2024 season with two beautiful weddings. One took place in Wichita, Kansas and the other in Hays, Kansas.

Seven Joys for Jan

In the spirit of joy, I want to share the seven things that have have been my go-tos this January:

1. Barefoot Dreams Robe: The cold weather partnered with this robe is a way to romanticize long winter days. Trust me!

2. Breville Espresso Maker: I use this beauty every single day…and have for 4 years now..I rarely have to go to a coffee shop now

3. Turmeric Golden Latte: Just go ahead and google the benefits of what Tumeric can do for you. Start implementing this in your evening routine with some collagen.

4. Bend Soap Goats Milk: My favorite is their shaved goats milk for bubble baths. It has helped calm my eczema.

5. Earthley Vitamins and Teas: From magnesium on my feet, to loose leaf teas, to daily vitamins – we’ve tried it all and I’ve yet to be disappointed.

6. Aerie Sweatshirts: I own SEVERAL, and they last years!

7. Old Navy Linens Pants: I LIVE IN THESE YEAR ROUND!

Most Used Apps

Copilot – My go-to app that I use daily. I truly believe that if you feel you have control over finances and you know where you’re money is going, you will feel like other areas in your life are in more control too. They have a desktop app too which is more of a plus. Use my referral code NCADH3 to get 2 months free.

Medium – I started using this when I started drifting away from scrolling social media. Writers on Medium cover diverse topics, from technology and science to personal development and culture.

Honeybook – If you’re a wedding photographer, this business management system is a must.

Goodreads – Think of this as the social media for book lovers. Follow close friends and see what they’re reading or how they reviewed books. You can discover so many books and add them to your bookshelf for future reads. I also love how your Kindle automatically syncs everything for you.