Happy February, guys! I hope you've been staying cozy this winter. We've been vacillating between having a great time being holed up inside and cabin fever. But the best thing for me? January was a successful month of margin in my life!

It helps that my work slows down in the winter. While I've shot a couple sessions and even a wedding, I've also been able to keep up with editing and behind the scenes things that are largely ignored during busy season. PLUS, I read two books (one and two) as a start to my #18booksin2018 challenge, spent lots of time with my little guy (he even started gymnastics classes, which is just hilarious), had a couple dates with Nathan and caught up with a few friends.

It feels SO good to be balanced.

One other huge positive to having margin in my life this month? Nolan hasn't been able to go to daycare for the last couple weeks (hello flu season!), but I haven't been stressed about trying to juggle work and having him home with me. It's official. This slower lifestyle is here to stay!

Are you experimenting with work-life balance this year? How's it been going so far?

Here's to hoping February is just as balanced for all of us.

February Goals

Read two books (The Forgetting Time by Sharon Guskin and A Simplified Life by Emily Ley)
Send 2017 vendor galleries
Create newborn guide
Complete 2017 taxes
Organize personal photos
Work on 2017 personal video
Create 2017 personal album
Plan and go on a date night
Celebrate Valentine's Day!

Logging in to my little corner of the Internet felt oddly strange. That last post from September? It was the last time I logged in to my website, which seems like something I probably shouldn't share with you but I think we're beyond all that at this point.

I've missed blogging. I have. But I feel like I'm wearing so many hats right now that "blogger" had to come off. At least for a little bit.

You guys, parenting is hard work. It's FULFILLING work, but it's hard and time consuming. I want to be there for all of my little guy's milestones. And I don't just want to physically be there, but I want to be fully present, which means that other things have to make way for this season of life.

It's hard for me to admit that because I see so many people juggling so much more than I am, and doing it so seemingly effortlessly, but I've had to be honest with myself over the last few months about what I want and what I'm willing to give up for something else.

2018 will be the year of MARGIN for me. After talking with friends, reading books and listening to podcasts on the subject of hustling vs. simplifying, I know that this is what I need. I need a reduced workload so I can 100% focus on work when I'm working and family when I'm ... familying. ;) I need to say no so I can say YES to the things that really and truly matter.

Keeping margin in my life is my one and only overarching goal for 2018.