To quote Dolly Parton: time marches on and it’s marching across your face!  All’s I know is that twelve months went by in a blur and now it’s 2010 and that means I just turned 29, which means I’m almost 30, which means I’m practically 40, and that means I’m turning into the crazy cat lady, only without the cats! I want to slow things down a little and think this through, where DID the time go? How did I spend my year? Better yet, how did YOU spend your year? I just re-read my 2009 recap and it’s like no time has passed, but I know it has, ’cause it marched across my face.

A lot happened *last* year and to prove it here’s my 09 Top Ten List:

10. 29. Aging sucks but breathing for another day really is the cat’s meow.

9. 5DMII. He’s my new mantoy who never complains about all the work I make him do.

8. My Client Experience space. It’s going to be pretty radtastic, but I’m not finished so you have to wait for the final reveal! Let’s just say it went from ‘where brown goes to die’ to a little bit of girly heaven.

7. Jamaica me crazy!  My first destination wedding was in Ochos Rios last April, I like to think I’m still tanned but who’s kidding who? A terrific experience tan or no tan.

6. Canmore. I lived in Alberta for years but getting paid to go back and shoot in an unreal location like the Silvertip Resort and to also visit family is mind-blowing.  Oh and I never did get around to doing the full blog post from Canmore, should I add that to my 2010 to-do list???

5. Daytona, Florida. This trip was just for fun and I didn’t blog about it, but heckya it was a good time. It really got me pumped up (and tanned up!) for an awesome summer of shooting weddings in NL!

Fourth place is a tie:

4. Tennis.  I haven’t blogged about this either, but Charla’s hubby Ryan is a tennis couch at a local club and I’ve been playing with him now for three months. Love it!

4. Workshops. Charla and I had a great time putting together and facilitating a slew of different classes for various photographer experience levels;  our FREE workshop is coming up very soon so check back in a few weeks for my post about the up-and-coming photographers who are attending!

Third place is a tie:

3. No more brace face!  Getting my braces off was so freeing. Thanks to mom and dad for paying for them; I’ve been extra careful not to fall on my face and smack out my front teeth this year.

3. Elim. Although I’m not Pentecostal, I’ve spent a long time searching for a church that was uplifting and involved in the community, for me, Elim is it.  My cousins and I go quite often and, although we don’t agree 100% with the doctrine, we do believe God is present there and is blessing their efforts.  If you feel like showing up you can meet me there on Sundays at 11am

2. Sydney. When I prayed for an answer to my ’should I get a dog?’ question I don’t know if I was anticipating this little savage, but she certainly makes life interesting! I love her like crazy and she even loves me (I think, maybe I should ask her to write her own blog post on how life has been for her lately).

First place is a tie:

1.  NYC.  Hands down. Best trip of my life.  Best city I’ve ever been to.  Best company I could ask for!  On a whim, Charla and I trekked off to New York at the end of October to have our lives changed not just by Mike Colon (who was our ‘official’ reason for going), but by this magnetic city. New York City, I dream of you. Oh and you too Edward Norton, though I suspect you do not dream about me.

1. The best wedding clients a girl could ever ask for!

Michelle & Trent, Jenn & Craig, Leah & Mark, Ashley & Steve, Tiffany & Justin (best speech ever!), Sandra & Sean, Rachel & Chad, Allison & Ian, Steph & Colin (chuffed!), Jillian & Chad, Karen & Greg, Beth & Andrew, Dianne & Leo, Bita & Richard, Melissa & Justin, Christy & Glen, Kiersten & John, Dawn & Leon, Jenine & Robin, Allison & Gerry, Andrea & Justin, Janelle & Andrew, Steph & John, Suzanne & Terry, Adrienne & Sean, Nikki & Chris, Leanne & Ian, Andrea & Brad, Kim & Steve, Jo-Anne & Trevor, Renee & Martin, Beverly & Jamie, Lisa & Peter, Angela & Todd, Amy & Kris.  You guys are more than just blog posts or names on a file folder, you are awesome!

THANK YOU TO EVERYONE WHO PUT UP WITH ME AND MADE 2009 A ROCKIN’ GOOD YEAR!