Happy holidays! If you don’t know what day it is, neither do I 😂

What I’ve Been Up To

December was slower, but that allowed me to tackle a whole bunch of office work!

I’ve redone several of the guides that I send out to clients as well as my second photographers. I re-upped my drone license. I’m so excited for this!! One of my goals is to use my drone more and more, so I’m excited that this allows me to continue using a camera in the sky for the next two years.

I’ve also been busy booking weddings, which is always so exciting! Hosting consultations and hearing new love stories is just as exciting as a wedding day for me. We’ve been in engagement season for about a month, and once the holidays pass, lots of couples start planning. I’m looking forward to hearing more love stories soon!

We recently celebrated Dillon’s birthday, and I’ve reflected on just how special it is to be married to him. Many people are okay with accepting life for what it is. Dillon is always reaching for growth. He has a soft, gentle, and kind heart. He makes me laugh like no one else can. I’m excited that I get to spend another year by his side.

And like so many of you, we had an amazing time celebrating Christmas! My brothers and sister-in-law are all in the military, and all three of them were able to visit for Christmas. If you have military family members or siblings, you’ll know how much of a planning feat this is.

My dear friend Stephanie hosted a celebration for all of the amazing photographers and support people that help in her business, and I’m continually touched by her intention and generosity. It’s been an honor working alongside her and learning from her. We found each other in 2020, and I’m so grateful we’ve stuck together this long!

I’ve been reading a bit more than usual during the off season, which as I’m sure you know is such a treat for me! I’m also squeezing in more Lagree workouts on my long neglected micro. Before having Redlen I couldn’t get enough of these workouts, so it’s been fun falling in love all over again.

What I’ve Been Reading

Dark, creepy, and good!

Notes on an Execution Danya Kukafka is a crime novel, or what I like to call faux forensics. It feels like true crime, but it’s fictionalized. And good thing too; I often feel stressed that this happened, and then I feel relief that it never did. And then a little bit horrified because even though this story isn’t true, there are too many like it that are.

If you like true crime, Notes on an Execution will (most likely) be a slam dunk for you. I haven’t finished it yet, but it’s been well written and enjoyable so far. It focuses on Ansel Packer, a man living his last day on death row, and the women that make appearances on the periphery of his life. The story is told in a non-liner fashion with focuses on different characters, but everything always comes back to Ansel. We see the way he grew up, what he endured, and the horrors he commits. There are some sexual moments (not meant to be like a romance novel, but still graphic and meant to be disturbing due to the men committing them) that I’ve had to skip. They are pretty short (about a paragraph each time it’s happened), but worth noting going in.

What I’ve Been Watching

It’s been sporadic over here!

Dillon and I finished Great British Bake Off for the year. We have about an episode left of The Summer I Turned Pretty, but we haven’t actually finished it off yet. I started We Were Liars. This used to be a summer reading book when I taught freshmen, so I wanted to check it out.

It’s got that whole ethereal, billionaire, owning a private chunk of the Elizabethan Islands lore down, so visually it’s such a treat. It’s super dark and depressing. If you read the book, you’ll know what I mean.

The tv adaptation feels darker than when I read it; they definitely lean into everything E. Lockhart went for. I think seeing it play out on a screen is more disturbing than when I read it in my own head.

I think the show drags a bit. Each episode could be cut in half and accomplish the same goal. But it sure is pretty to fold laundry to! Also, Cady’s funeral outfit… Imagine being a teenager and having such fashion sense. I can only aspire to have her wardrobe, which won’t happen without the fictional Sinclair money. But a girl can dream!

What I’m Excited About:

-My photography class starts soon! For one semester only, I’m teaching a high school elective for a homeschool co-op near me. I’ll be teaching students how to use their cameras! I think it’s going to be a blast.

-We’re taking the kids to Framingham High School’s Frozen! Do not let the words “high school” deter you. This is my old school, and let me tell you, the theatre program is so intense there. Forget the football players–the drama kids are the cool kids. And for good reason since their acting skills are insane. I will never not talk about the one year when they performed Mary Poppins and a student tap danced across the ceiling. Yeah, you read that right. The musical is a serious highlight for me!

-We learn more about Esmie’s toe. We’re hoping that this will be her last appointment and that she’ll be fully healed.

-I’m the second photographer for a winter wedding! I will for sure be bringing the biggest jacket I have, but it will still be fun! The lead up to the first wedding of the year always feels weird for me. There’s an irrational part of my brain that acts like I will forget everything if I take a few months off. So I’m extra excited that I get to start the 2026 season nice and early and get rid of that crazy train right away.

Until next time,

Christine