One of those year review thingy's

I figured I had better write my year in review because I am obviously the worlds suckiest blogger, and if I don't write at least once a year, I won't ever remember anything I did.  2013 was probably the shortest year of my life.  Lets just put it this way....my life is going by so fast I honestly thought I was 22 this entire year.  No joke.  It's pretty pathetic I can't even remember my own age.  I'm 23 for those of you who were wondering. I'm pretty sure that's right.  Oh well who cares. Not me apparently.  Ok...

2013...

January thru April is pretty much a blur.  Between working at the flower shop, teaching my clogging kids in Almo, and photography, I definitely kept myself busy.  The biggest event took place on March 28th.  I was in Almo doing a senior photo shoot and I get a phone call from Casey saying he burned himself while at work and went to the hospital, BUT I'M OK he says.  I of course don't believe him and think my husband is dying and I'm not there to be a part of it.  I sped a little bit that night.  Turns out he was fine.  I mean, other than burning the piss out of his arm and face, he was good.  No big deal.

I had a birthday in April.  I turned 22...again.  My cousins made me a wicked awesome movie.  You should definitely watch their amazing vocal talent.  They are my favorite singers EVER! Click this link and see for yourselves.  It's the one titled Keely's Birthday Song!!  Its the link after that one that's highlighted in blue.  Keely's Birthday SONG!!! Sorry if I confused you there.   I had to work that day, but it was fine.  I remembered it snowed huge quarter sized flakes that morning, and I got a ton of phone calls from my long distance friends that I never get to see anymore. It was a good day.  A birthday should be a good day, and mine was.  

May is also a pretty exciting month.  Case and I celebrated our 2nd year of forever.  Forever is a way long time, so I am way way glad I picked the right man to spend it with.  So February April and May kind of got rolled into one because my Valentines gift to Casey was a weekend stay in Jackpot which didn't take place until the end of April, which we kinda ended up tying my birthday and our anniversary together, so that just shows you how amazing we are!  Killed 3 birds with one shot.  You could probably even count it as part of Christmas too.  But we had a great time in ol Nevada.  We always do!   My clogging recital for my students was a big success.  I'm still working on uploading the videos so stay tuned for those to come up.  I was pretty proud of my little cloggers.

June, July, & August were pretty quiet.  We made a few trips down to the river to "try" and wakeboard.  I feel like I suck worse every time I strap in, but Case and I made it a goal that in 2014 we will become pro wakeboarders and dominate the river.  (Stay tuned for that adventure)  Oh, and we bought a semi: A semi-trailer truck is a large vehicle that consists of a towing engine, known as a tractor in the United States and truck in many other places, attached to one or more semi-trailers to carry freight.  Call it an 18 wheeler.  It's quite a thrill having control over 18 wheels rolling over the pavement, or gravel, or cornrows.  It's a rush.  Especially when you have no clue what you're doing, but I'll get to that later.

Casey turned the big 27.  Buffalo Wild Wings, and a night with friends made it a pretty good day I think.  

September....this was the most insane month of my LIFE!  We went to Camp smokey for a week.  I'ts right by Alturas Lake, if you don't know what I'm talking about.  It was nice and relaxing.  It was also one of those times when it seemed like everybody was upset over nothing, which then made everyone upset over everything, and then it just made us all dazed and confused, and it was kind of a blur for a bit, but Alturas Lake is beautiful, and I love the mountains.  It was a great time spent with family.  So as Casey and I are on our way home we get a phone call saying there is work for our semi in corn harvest and we can start tomorrow.  Which, tomorrow technically was less than 5 hours away.  The plan was to have me, Keely, miss chicken, drive the 18 wheeler for corn.  I however did not expect to start for another 2 weeks and instantly went into shock.  My brother was super nice and took me out on my first grand adventure of corn.  The worst thing that I did was left my gate open while I was getting loaded with corn.  It only took one time though.  I never left it open again.  Corn was fun.  I learned how to drive a semi, went to work with my husband every day, and gained a better appreciation for all the truck drivers out there.  It was stressful at times, and I whined a lot, but I got through it.

October November & December-  I started up teaching clogging in Burley with Shaundalee & Melissa.  I am still working at the flower shop and taking photos. December flew by.  Casey got hurt again.  He took a pivot to the face, and lets just say the pivot looked better than Casey did. Casey was torching it for scrap metal and well...the pivot hit him, knocked him out, and cut his cheek pretty good, but luckily that was all that happened.  We really have been blessed with our injuries.  Things could have been a lot worse, but we have been watched over and protected.  Casey got to spend a week in Germany at the "John Deere Factory."  His first adventure with International Travel.  He left me for an entire week, and I somehow survived.  I guess distance makes the heart grow fonder. I was sure happy to see him when he got back.  He struggled with Jet lag for a few days, but finally got back into the swing of things.  Christmas this year was really sad.  Casey and I both got really sick on Christmas eve with "Strep Pneumonia" so we were quarantined in the house and finally resurfaced on Friday.   Christmas just isn't the same when you aren't spending it with family.  But Case spoiled me rotten, and made me feel a little less sick.  

This year Keely Richman Photography had a total of 43 photo shoots! 16 of which were during the month of October.  For some of you that is a small number, but for a newbie who is just starting out, and has no clue what the heck she is doing....October was an insane month.  I don't know how other photographers do it.  I hope practice will make it all better.  I have been really blessed with all of the clients I have been getting for photos.  I have gotten to meet some pretty wonderful people this year, and gotten to know some of you better than I already did. I have had some super neat and understanding clients, and I have had some not so understanding clients.  I am slowly realizing that I can't make everyone happy.  Although I try my hardest, I am always going to tick somebody off.  I guess that's the joy of owning my own business.  The hard part about it is my lack of self confidence.  Oh yes....I fooooled you all! You think I have it all together huh?  Well I am a great fibber.  Turns out, I have hit a few ruts in the road this year, and it's a lot harder than you think to get back on track.  

I tend to take things wayyyyyyyyyyyy too personal.  In a few instances I have given an inch and people have walked all over me.  It hurts....a lot.  It is really hard owning your own business.  People think you charge too much, when in all reality I haven't pocketed as much as you think I do.  It makes me feel awful when people make rude comments towards me and my work.  I know I am not perfect.  I am far from it, but that's why I am constantly practicing to get better.  I made a new friend this year who has made a world of difference in my life.  She has been nothing but supportive to me and my work, and has been slowly giving me confidence.  If you're reading this missy, you know who you are.  I can't thank you enough for believing in me.  I am always looking to learn new things and improve myself and the best teachers for the job are other photographers. Thank you thank you thank you for all your help.  I couldn't do it without the support of my amazing husband either.  He is my #1 fan and believes in me.  I couldn't do it without you babe. Thanks Mom and Dad for your love and support as well.

This new year is going to be bringing new things to my business.  Keely Richman Photography is making a few new changes.  My goal is to simplify my life.  I have been caught up in doing way too many things.  I am going to focus all of my attention on my photography to try and improve my work well as myself. 

 So here's to a new year.  To new adventures.  To simplifying life. To being a better person.  To having more self confidence.  Goodbye 2013.  I'm ready for new things in my life, and hope 2014 has good things in store......to be continued.....

Extreme Makeover...(Richman Style)

So I finally buckled down and finished my before and after pictures of our house.  There are still a few things that need some work, but for now, I am sitting back and enjoying it.  It may not look like much, but redoing wood floors and painting every room takes quite a bit of work.  Thanks Mom for all your help, and Cade for helping Casey with the floor and trim.  Hope you all enjoy!

I hate to whine, but sometimes you just gotta cut the cheese.

I have been wanting to write a post for the month but just haven't felt like I've had much to say.  I have refrained for fear of getting too worked up and saying some things I might regret but I think now..."it is time." (as rafiki would say)

I absolutely hate those people that seem to have everything figured out. (You know the type I'm talking about) they go to college and know EXACTLY what they are going to major in, get married, have a kid, and still go to school, and manage to have a life on top of everything.  Or there are those that get to live off of Mommy & Daddy's money and everything is figured out for them.  This hate monster got fired up over a conversation I overheard at Taco Bandido last night that went something like this....

Person #1- "Hey!....How is Rebecca doing? I haven't seen her since we graduated high school."

Person #2- "Oh she is doing great.  Her and her husband are both finishing their Masters degrees at BYU, and they are expecting their first kid in a few weeks."    

Me thinking to myself- (HOLY S***! How in the heck are they still married!!? I know for a fact being a full time student would add a little...no a lot of stress in my life, plus being a hormonal basket case would be the breaking point. And a Masters degree?....COME ON!, I couldn't even figure out what I wanted to major in for my stupid Associates degree let alone 8-12 more years of school.) Needless to say, I rolled my eyes and was a little peeved at this couple I didn't even know.

The two men visited a little longer, but I lost track of the conversation due to the jumble of chaos that was enveloping my brain.  

I am a person that thrives on goals.  I like having things planned out to work towards, and I'm sure most of us are like this.  When I hit high school my goal was to graduate.  After graduation, it was attend college.  I had no clue what I was going to do at college, but everyone around me told me it was what I needed to do, so I just went along with it.  I loved college life.  Hated classes, but the atmosphere was exciting, busy, and full of friends. I hit college and my next goal was an associates degree.  I was thinking a mission would be in line next, but a certain boy came along that set my eternity in motion.  Then of course my goal was the wedding and getting everything planned! It was the most exciting time of my life!  (If some of you that are reading this are not married, I strongly encourage you to do it!)  

Marriage is the best thing that has happened to me.  I don't know how I could have gotten through these last two years without Case by my side.  After the wedding excitement was over, I figured I'd go back to school.  Everyone kept asking me when I was starting back up, so I just assumed I had to go.  I registered for online classes, and instantly hated life.  Casey asked me if I was going to school for me, or for somebody else.  It was that moment I realized I wasn't making myself happy.  I was doing it to please other people.  I didn't enroll in classes after that, and instantly felt like the world was judging me. 

I guess the reason I'm writing this post is to stand up for myself.  I am happy being a clogging teacher, and doing a little bit of photography here and there.  (By the way, if you think my photography isn't the best, it's not.  But practice makes perfect and I'll keep practicing until I get better.  I appreciate constructive criticism, but certain people need to keep their opinions to themselves)  If my husband died tomorrow I am completely capable of going out and getting a job in Burley, Idaho.  True, it may not be a money maker, but I'm not the type of girl who wants to live in a $500,000 house and drive ridiculous vehicles, and go shop at the buckle every day.  I'll manage, because I'm strong, and was raised right by parent's that taught me the meaning of the word "work."  

So this is to all of you that think I'm stupid for not getting a bachelors degree.  Turns out, school isn't for me.  But I can guarantee that I am going to be better off than half of you out there with your fancy pieces of paper and student loans to pay off.  I am doing what makes me happy.  That is right...ME and no one can take that away from me!

2012...a good year gone

As I'm sitting here on the couch watching Netflix with Casey asleep on my lap, I thought it would be a good time as any to reflect on 2012....

I took a photography class from CSI / had an amazing teacher that inspired me to do something I never thought I could / worked my 3rd season spraying weeds for the county / spent spring break in Vegas / celebrated the big 22 (sick) / celebrated our first year of marriage (Case, I love you more and more each day you sexy beast) / started "Keely Richman Photography" / spent the whole day on the river for the 4th / got to take every 4-H kid's picture at the fair (I would rather shoot myself in the foot) / learned how to water ski / celebrated the big 26 / took a road trip to Coeur D'alene Idaho for Casey's birthday / discovered Kellogg (the place, not the cereal) /  started teaching clogging lessons in Almo / had the garage door fall on our car / had an amazing week at Alturas Lake / had to deal with the worlds worst neighbors / kicked them out / decided to move upstairs so we deep cleaned and repainted every room (thanks Mom) / saw the baby boom of 2012 (27 of my friends were prego at one time) / saw some friends go through some hard times, and others good / had my first experience with online classes uh...NEVER AGAIN! /  Casey and I joined a gym / started work at a flower shop / and spent dang near every day with the love of my life.  What can I say...I am one lucky girl.  I am so grateful for all of my friends and family that support me in all I do.  Here's to you 2013, may you be full of happiness, joy, and blessings for all.