Hello Friends,

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   Wow, what a year.  I just looked back at all the photos we took this year.  We typically take about 100,000 photos per year for our business and about 10,000 personal photos.  Looking back on these family images has done one important thing for me.  It has opened my eyes up to how much we've done this year.  Nelli is by far the more optimistic piece to this relationship.  I usually feel like I haven't done quite enough.  I would encourage you to go back and look at your year of photos to get a glimpse of how far you've come before you speculate how far you will go in 2016.  

   The story starts with our move from Ohio to our original home of Missoula, Montana.  We lived in Ohio for 11 years and had some amazing relationships and built a successful photography studio.  The move was a novel in itself, as we road-tripped 2,000 miles with a cat, 7 kids and a 24 ft trailer.  ​I'll leave the details of that event to another post.  For those of you in Ohio, I want you to know that our time with you has become more precious as we look back.  Relationships are the most important thing in life.   Though we are reconnecting with old friends and making new friends, we are not sure we will ever experience what we had with you again.   We think back on the real friendships we had there - deeper and more loving than any we have ever known.        We remember fall evenings of outdoor volleyball and winter basketball games at CCS.  We felt like when we looked into the future of our family that Montana was home, and it is a place we want to raise our children.  We gladly will be welcoming visitors from our beloved region of Northeast Ohio for tours of Glacier Park in the coming years.

The Kitchen

When we first arrived in Montana the first order was not starting a new business.  It was getting a kitchen.  We purchased a big fixer upper for several reasons.  We loved the location and the land.  We loved that it had 6 bedrooms.  We also knew we wanted to make it our own, and to be there for a long time.  When we moved in, we did not have a kitchen and that doesn't work for a mother of 7.  With the help of Nelli's mom and dad along with our Renaissance handy-man neighbor, we built our dream kitchen.

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We also added 2 new bathrooms, re-modeled the master bedroom and living room, finished the flooring and painted the outside.  We will be posting an update on the entire project with more photos on our blog later this month.  

Trips

Nelli and I were able to attend the Connect Retreat for couples in business for the second time this spring.  The WinShape Center in Georgia has become a favorite place for Nelli and I.  It's a place we count on for quietness and restoration.  It also a place that we have been able to meet like-minded creatives.  We also were able to see Bob Dylan play at the historic Fox Theatre

This was also a year where I attempted something I've never done before.  My friend Jeff and I spent about a year working on our Photo Gift Registry platform as a side project.  In the past, my perfectionist side has kept me from getting projects to launch.  Making the mistake of working on things until it's perfect is common for me. I get a better idea, then I move on to something else.  This was the first year where I was able to work consistently.  This time, as soon as it was ready, we went for it.  We launched a beta program in two stages in the Spring and Summer and are planning a full version 2 launch of the crowdfunding platform in February.  It was my first SaaS app, so I quickly realized that this was different than launching a local photography business.  I quickly assembled a team of some of my favorite people and Alicia and headed to Las Vegas for the official launch at the photography tradeshow.

Vegas with dad, Alicia, Thad and James.

Nelli, Lydia and Alicia gave my sister a surprise visit to meet the twins in Ohio.  I was able to take the boys on trips to Glacier and Portland.

We photographed some amazing weddings in Cleveland, Montana, California and Idaho.

We discovered an amazing swimming hole just down the road from our house.

Josh started making his own pickles from the neighbor's garden.

They are amazing.​  I also was able to coach his basketball team this past year as they went undefeated.  

   For Caleb's birthday we gathered at a park and watched two rainbows fill the sky.  We are very happy for the type of man Caleb is becoming.  He is considerate of his role as a leader in our family and has helped us with our house every step along the way.  He is also working to become a good basketball player and is playing AAU as an 8th grader.

   Caleb was also able to play in the Adam's Center for his league's basketball championship.

Jude is along for every outdoor adventure, and we've tried to make that a regular practice since getting back to the mountains. He is super energetic and makes Nelli and I laugh on a daily basis.  He is a loving boy with a great sense of humor.

He is learning the basic things of life with the utmost passion.

Siah learned how to fish and loves to hike and spend time outside.  He also is a big fan of Minecraft.  He very intelligent for his age, and loves to read.

Siah became a puzzle master.

Lydia has been a creative force and one of the most amazing people I have ever met.  She is also our only home-schooler this year.

Zoe also enjoys outdoor adventure and treats us to exceptional amounts of love and kindness.  She often remembers to express her appreciation to us.  Zoe lost both of her front teeth and started kindergarten.

Alicia had a big year.  She got her driver's license (practicing with us in the car!).  She also placed 7th in State Speech & Debate...as a 10th grader.  Now, as Junior, she has decided to join our new portrait business and is already impressing our clients with her artful eye and attention to detail.

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We found out were having another, our 8th baby.

We started a portrait business and Nelli photographed some very popular Holiday Mini-Sessions.  It was the first time we had ever done mini-sessions in over 10 years as photographers.

We went on a camping trip to Glacier.

Painted our house.

Nelli was diagnosed with thyroid cancer.

I've spent a good portion of the year working on computer projects.  Josh and Caleb have both started to help and are learning about web design.

It has taken us a while to settle in, but we all feel like it's happening.  We bring traditions from Ohio and together we are forming new traditions here in Montana.   We take one family device-free day of relational connection each week. We eat dinners together daily.

Nelli met Shaq while I was grabbing coffee.

I'm closer to my brothers.  And we kept the Turkey Bowl snow tackle football tradition alive and well.

We are settling in. But as we settle in, we still often look back. We look back in photo albums. We look back into our memories of Ohio regularly. The experience of the last year has confirmed to us that a happy life isn't so much about where you live, it's about the people you have in your life. For over 11 years we had some amazing things in Ohio. We had an established creative business. But the thing we think of the most is the people we had in our lives at different stages. So much of who we are is based in that. You know, we all rub off on each other and make each other who we are.  If you are getting this email, you are likely one of those people and you are in our hearts in Missoula.

View from the "M" in Missoula.

And then, right when we thought this already eventful year was almost over, along came Ela...