I have so many plans for 2012 that I really feel like my head is going to explode! If you look at the picture below, it looks like my head is really big doesn’t it?!… its okay, you can agree! I have to give this photo credit to my mom! She loves my big head!

To start setting the goals for 2012, I need to figure out where I went right and wrong in 2011. Last year was equally one of the most thrilling and difficult years of my life. A few big things were knocked off my bucket list, but then a few thing made me feel like I was knocked into the bucket. Kerplunk! As they say, what doesn’t kill you will only make you stronger… even though somedays you kinda wish it would just kill you!  So you take the good and the bad… learn from it and get stronger. Stronger. Stronger. (yes… okay… I chant to myself… whatever works right!?)

2012… Let’s do this!

First things first… learning to prioritise. Not an easy thing to do when there are so many demands but also many wishes and dreams on the new bucket list!  My life constantly feels like being forced to choose boring broccoli when all I want is delicious chocolate and am secretly eating the chocolate every sneaky chance I get! Somewhere there must be middle ground and it must be more successful than chocolate covered broccoli! Oiy!

This year, my first priority is to slow down and to make more time to be with family. Last year was my most ridiculous juggling act of my life. I was trying to fit in time with family, travel, a full time job, my passion for photography, our building project, and somewhere in there try to have a social life!  It might surprise some of you, but I don’t get out much! I lost two very close family members in 2011 and have had this nagging feeling inside that I didn’t spend enough time with them to let them know how much I loved them and how important they were to me. I would rather eat the chocolate covered broccoli every single day for the rest of my life than lose another loved one and have this nagging feeling inside that I didn’t try hard enough. Family is the most important thing we have in life. Treat them well!
Now that my full time career is my own photography business, I am able to make more time for loved ones and for myself as needed! The re-prioritisation is already working!

Second priority is health and try to get my family healthy. I have slowly gotten over my fear of the gym and have actually started to use my membership on a regular basis, which is kind of a big deal! Somehow I felt kind of healthy just knowing that I had a membership in case I ever decided to use it… which I never did!  Health apparently doesn’t work like that! Once upon a time I was tipping the scales at an unhealthy 200lbs. I worked very hard on my own to drop off 60+ of it but still have some work to do. That damn ‘plateau’ gets the best of us! I would like to be able to jog for miles and miles and actually feel alive at the end! I would like for Ryenne to understand that what you put in your mouth is SO important and that being active throughout your life is such a crucial part of life’s happiness. For the rest of my family, they are all working very hard to quit smoking while trying to not eat everything insight. I can’t express how happy this makes me! One hour at a time… Just don’t give up even if you slip up a little… you can always just jump back on track! I might even broaden the scope of this and drag a few friends into my new health kick!

The next few priorities include building a stronger brand and more successful photography business. More time behind the lens and less time behind a computer screen. I feel like it’s time to open the calendar to more wedding photography; it must be all the love in the air with Valentine’s day around the corner. I would like to officially open the studio for in house photography all year long which means no more cancellations because of cold or bad weather!
I would like to start knocking off a few new bucket list items including new international travel destinations with photo shoots along the way, a wedding for me and Max, and possibly start building on an already fantastic family!  I might get a book or two in this year.

Every once in a while, a blog posting is just about me. Now… let my blog postings be about you and your family or your business! This is my chocolate!

I’m not entirely sure when we are going to be able to fit a wedding into our busy schedules… or what side of the world our wedding will be on, but I’m super excited and honoured to be apart of the Girardo family. (I’m hoping they are just as excited!)

Now… who will be our wedding photographer!?!?!

Another beautiful place ticked off of my bucket list and another history lesson for Ryenne!

I’m sure many of you have seen Sofia Coppolas version of Marie Antoinette, but until you have actually seen the beauty of Versailles with your own eyes… its incomprehensible. The fine fine details in every inch of the palace is astonishing. Chandeliers, candelabras, fine textiles. I was in absolute princess heaven!

Once we got past the well manicured gardens and ponds we reached Marie Antoinette’s getaway village which isn’t anything like I expected. I knew about her senseless spending, so I expected glam and sparkle, a private palace spilling with royalty… but I was wrong! Very wrong! Her getaway village was very calm and quaint with farm animals and thatched roofs.

Not only was I impressed with the little details of Versailles, but the enormous property itself is fascinating.  I took a LOT of photos while I was there and couldn’t possibly post all of them on the blog,  but I didn’t even get to some of the main areas before it was time to leave. I could spend days there! Apparently… so can many other locals who use the property for their daily jogs!

Thank you Mr. Romantic!

Our next stop: Italy!
Don’t worry France… we will be back! Versailles is calling me!

Lake Geneva

A holiday with Max wouldn’t be complete without taking a vintage beauty for a drive through the country side. I think driving around in the Beatle was one of Ryenne’s favourite parts of the trip! Next Stop: Italy! 

Thank you Russell and Vibeke for letting us stay with you in your beautiful home! Hugs and kisses to you and sweet baby Alice!

I felt the need to go out for a walk tonight, maybe because the sidewalks are still clear and the weather is still fairly mild considering it is December. I felt a little guilty for not going out to enjoy it while I still can! Thankfully I had my iPhone with me to help me capture a little cheer that our quaint village has been spreading around. I could hear some Christmas music off in the distance as I walked which got me thinking about the celebrations…  I started wishing that Chatham had a winter festival with hot chocolate, mulled wine, roasted chestnuts booths… winter crafts for kids… maple candies… lights… games… WAIT! Could it be? Could I be wanting winter to happen!? Hmm… Interesting. Perplexing. Astonishing even. Santa Baby, have you put me under your spell?

I don’t think that this will last long my friends… so you had better soak up Festive Veronica while you can!

Once again, photography has made me change the way I see things… so therefore the way I see things change.

Two of our friends surprised us with the amazing gift of a relaxation getaway to this amazing hotel. A gift we won’t forget!
I can’t even begin to describe how how beautifully elegant the hotel is or how great the service is. Every detail including the immediate greeting by name from the valet attendants, to the couples spa treatments, to the champaign and chocolates waiting in our room was certainly deserving of its 5 Star reputation.

Our very large room was located in the main building and was definitely fit for royalty! We even entertained the idea of being able to live in a flat this size! With someone to make our bed and clean our washroom daily… why not!
The well manicured property includes ‘cottages’ (which are actually bigger than my current home), horse stables, polo grounds and a large spa with a fabulous view from the ‘relaxation room’… sigh. We also had an exceptional dinner in the John Campbell Restaurant which even surpassed Max’s expectations! It was so good in fact, that we had full english breakfast there as well!

I know this will be a special place to come back to again and again… if not for ourselves, then maybe to shoot a wedding!

A special thank you to Don & Nina and Donnie & Renee for this amazing gift!

On a side now, I was only traveling with my 50mm lens therefore all of the below shots were done with just one lens! Have you ever challenged yourself  in such a way!?
The hotel has the largest rosemary garden I have ever seen!
Its very therapeutic to walk through, especially if you have stuffy sinuses! It’s a nice touch to add to a steamy bathroom!
The bathroom was one of my favourite parts… the  bateau bathtub was big enough for two… or just one with room to swim!

I couldn’t decide if I liked it better in colour or in B&W… The only thing missing is a bride and groom!
I don’t know what this flower is, but it is so beautiful!This place is very classy but very cheeky too!Relaxed to the Max! 

Today started off with a little less morning drama… just a little dusting off of my gym shoes, a rub of the eyes and off to ‘the club’ I went, waving at the drive thru as I passed by. Truly… this has to be the GoodLife (wink wink). What I didn’t expect from my Monday morning was to be faced with those feelings of being the ‘new kid’ all over again! It seems as though “the club” actually refers to all of the stay at home moms with mini vans who stylishly occupy the elliptical machines at top speeds. How is it possible that at 9am on a Monday morning the gym is packed?  I was hoping to slip in, take my choice of machine and breeze through my work out like a pro. Again… WRONG! Not only should I have taken a closer look at the fitness class schedule (it’s probably best to avoid going in 15 minutes before a step class begins… apparently I came in during prime warm up time!) I should have also taken a refresher course because there is nothing more embarrassing than standing completely still on a treadmill for 5 minutes trying to figure out how to turn in on while all of the pro moms watched from the row of ellipticals behind me! Oiy… Clearly I am bad at the gym!

I won’t take the experience as discouragement… I will make it my next challenge!

So what will fill my days now?
Not to worry friends! I have a list of 101 things to do and I want to share it all with you though my photos on this blog.
One of the big jobs to tackle is our building project. Sigh… BIG JOB! I had better clean off my desk for this one! Oh, and shop for new gym attire!