It seems like 2018 was over in a flash. It was a mix of family and travel and it ended with buying a house and moving. It was a year of less photography for a lot of reasons but at the same time it contains some of my very favorite photos of my kids. And South Padre Island, our first vacation as a family, was the high point of my year.

I’ve been more mindful about turning the camera in, toward the small everyday things, and making sure I capture how quickly my kids are growing up. Even in twelve months they’ve changed drastically, my daughter turning four and my son turning six. At the beginning of the year they were still babies and now I’m sharing a house with two little kids. It’s a crazy wonderful thing.

Darrell and I had the opportunity to travel for work to California again which made three years in a row for us. It’s a beautiful state, the sunlight is like no where else, but I’m looking forward to the adventures waiting for us on the east coast this year. But seeing Hearst Castle and hiking Santa Cruz island, part of the Channel Islands National Park, were things I was able to cross off my bucket list.

I glanced through my favorite photos of 2017 and it’s funny to compare the two. There are cemeteries and distant places, my kids and the reminder that I need to get back to creating and not just documenting the places and people we see. That’s another thing to look forward to in 2019; unusual and interesting photography with lots of color.

2019 is going to be the year of good things and happiness. It’s a done deal, I’ve already decided. And I know it’s going to be good for you too.