2008 in Review

I don't even know where to begin on all that has gone on in the last year.

My progress on goals made for the Great 2008

Steady the scripture study - Didn't really get this one down, but it's a continual process eh?
Be less negative (which I guess is already pessimistic) - I'm a realist is that negative?
Start my Etsy shop and sell some of my new creations - Started it and sold nothing, I'll be revisiting this in 2009
Produce one photograph a week - I'm pretty sure I came close to this and will continue
Decorate at least three rooms in my new house - I'm almost done with the living room and bedroom but the office is only half done and the guest room is, well, a mess
Make a delicious meal 3 times a week or more - I was doing great for a while and then I started hating life and cooking was the first thing to go. I'll be pushing this one in 2009
Buy a Wii and beat Luke at tennis and/or boxing - Done and done
Join a gym in Las Vegas and go 4 times a week - Didn't join a gym but I did get really good at exercising consistently, and then I lapsed. It's a goal again
Type emails and chats with correct capitalization and punctuation - I have to say that I worked hard on this and still have to make a conscious effort. Now capitalization and punctuation stick out to me more with other people.
Finish statistics (I don't want to hear about this from anyone) - yeah...
Travel outside the country - Didn't make the necessity list this year. But we did travel a lot and I feel blesed.
Spend more time with my family - Most definitely did this! I liked this goal

So what have I in store for the Fiiiiiiine 2009? Let's see

Re-brand my business, market, network, and promote my photography all the live long day
Shoot at least 5 weddings
Touch up all the paint I never touched up around the house and finish painting the kitchen and bathrooms
Decorate the guest room on a shoe string budget
Don't be such a consumerist, AKA be more DIY and re-usable
Get myself into a work at home routine to include exercise, reading scriptures and making dinner.
Have more faith in people and judge less
Volunteer more (I think I want to work at an animal shelter once a week)
Donate blood every 8 weeks
Help Sir Luke fix up my bike so I can ride it
Take more walks and be outside more
READ BOOKS!
Landscape our front and back yard before it gets wicked hot
And finish freaking STATS!!!!!!!!

What goals do you have for the FIIIIIIIIIIIINE 2009?

Merry Christmas Eve

I don't know if any of your saw the sliver of Santa hat on yesterday's post. But here is the meet and potatoes of the event.

Sir Luke and I went to document the Las Vegas Santa Run 2008 on December 6th. It cost $35 to enter (you got an entire Santa suit with admission) so we didn't actually run. But filming and photographing was really fantastic. At one point I actually thought I might die in a sea of Santas.

We parked and entered at the Plaza (read some of the reviews, they're amusing) down on Fremont Street. It's probably the most old school hotel I've been to, a little on the filth side. We passed an award ceremony for Judo on the way through. Once we reached the admission table the red never ceased. Sigfried and Roy started off the race sitting atop a convertible and waving to a few people that were there to see them. It was one of the most fun things I've done this Christmas season. There were over 6,000 Santas in attendance. I would recommend it to anyone. There was a surprising amount of alcohol given the time of day. But then again, it is Vegas.

I think I'm going to try and run next year.

Get ready for a photo mother load, here it comes.

A Little Preview

Can you guess where this is going?



There's a little hint in the picture. Do you see it?

Christmas Faves

We were in NYC over the weekend. (Unfortunately, this is false. We were snowed in in Boston...)

For now I'd like to share my favorite Christmas time things.

Favorite Christmas Song: Mariah Carey "All I want for Christmas is You"


Favorite Christmas Album: Sufjan Stevens "Songs for Christmas"


Favorite Old Time Christmas Movie: White Christmas


Favorite New Christmas Movie: Elf


Favorite Christmas Eggnog

Christmas Cookies

Heidi and Dan invited us all over to make Christmas cookies after the visit to the Cactus Garden. I haven't made Christmas cookies since I was a little kid so I was pretty excited. Evidenced by the full plate of cookies I took home.

Cactus Garden Holiday Style

You may have seen some photos from the summer on my blog before, but there is nothing like Ethel M's Cactus Garden at Christmas time! They actually wrap almost all of the cacti with Christmas lights. It's really a sight to behold. Nothing like Las Vegas for Christmas.

Jenna & Steven Smith along with Heidi & Dan Goodrich and baby Austin joined us for an evening of fun. There was even a bit of free chocolate too!

Merry Christmas from the Stays

We're off to Boston today for Christmas. I will do my best to keep this blog going over the holidays, but I am making no promises as I fully intend to spend all of my time frolicking in the snow and snuggling with Sir Luke.

This is the Christmas postcard I made this year. I think it's fairly awesome. Hopefully I have your address and I'm sending you one. If you'd like one shoot me an email and I'll get one off to you ASAP! meganruthstay (at) gmail (dot) com

We've had issues with Overnightprints.com in that our postcards arrived totally mangled and we still don't have our replacements. So you might not see these until after Christmas...

Phylum Kingdom

One of the many shoots I did over Thanksgiving included one for my friend Adrienne. She's starting a gorgeous new jewelry line called Phylum Kingdom based around nature. We shot in the Bean Museum on BYU's campus.

Being that I have an intense fear of taxidermy I was a little concerned about how I would do for hours being surrounded by stuffed animals. But after a lap around the museum clinging to Sir Luke's arm I was able to muster my courage and got through the shoot unscathed. And on top of that I think we got some really great stuff.

Here's a little preview. You can purchase Adrienne's jewelry on Etsy.com















You can view the entire shoot's photos here.