{cb}h in the new year

2010 brought so many changes and exciting opportunities to us here at the Hicks' Ranch. I am excited to see what is ahead for us.
I'm also excited to see what 2011 has in store for {cb}h. What started as a hobby for me, has turned into a business and it is very exciting!
When I started, it was (who am I kidding... it still is) difficult for me to not do photos for free for everyone. While I did several (and that's an understatement) free sessions, I got to a point where I finally had to stop. Photography is an expensive undertaking and it is very time consuming. While it's something that I LOVE to do, it is still work.
Alex from M Studios said that they made the choice to not offer any discounting to family and friends to make it easy. She pointed out that they are friends with their friends because of who they are and because they like to hang out with them, not because they can (or cant) afford their photography services.
I have to say, I completely agree with her!
The other side of it is that not all of my friends like my photography style. And that's okay! I also don't have the same clothing choices and taste in decorating as most of my friends. That doesn't mean I don't love 'em! I would never want for someone to feel obligated to give me business just because we are friends. I have friends/family with long time photographers they've been using. I have friends that prefer Portrait Innovations (well I don't really know of any that do... I'm just giving an example). And it's really okay. Just like I can't afford to do free sessions for everyone, I don't expect everyone to be able to afford or even want a session with me.
So while I wont be doing free sessions in 2011, I will be offering a few special deals available to friends/family only. Most of them I'll email out- let me know if you want on that email list! All of them will be first come, first serve. And, of course, I'll still be having client specials on the {cb}h page that you can take advantage of!
Thanks so much for your support in 2010! I'm so excited to work with you (or not- we can still be friends!) in 2011!!

525,600 Minutes

2010 in review.

Family. Friends. Love. Lots of snow. Drs appointments. Budget cuts. Pictures. Spring. New business. Garage sale. Saying goodbye. Saying hello. Laughter. Wisdom teeth. Tears. Great Plains. Knoxville. UT. Smoky Mountains. DI. Surprise Birthdays. KC Trips. Cousins. New bike. With a basket. Hay bale jumping. Sleeping outside on a blanket. Junk repurposing. Farmers Marketing. Porch swing sitting. Las Vegas. Wedding. Down home reception. Visiting friends. Flooding. Editing. Tree cutting. Website building. Painting. Basement. New family room. New home studio. Niece. Nephews. Jokes. Corn. Junk Bonanza. IKEA. MOA. Bike rides. Crafting. Serving. Playing. Faith. Growing. Persevering. Praying. Surviving. Finding joy. Looking life in the face- ready for more. Hoping.

Talk to Me..... Thursday?

So I'm obviously enjoying my break..... I've officially lost track of what day it is.

I was taking a break from editing today to catch up on blogs... and noticed Feisty's new TTM post. But she was obviously ahead of the game because it couldn't be Tuesday yet..... right? Uh.... oops.

Break is obviously going way too fast because apparently Tuesday has come and gone and tomorrow is the last day of the year. Yikes.

Today's Talk To Me...(Thursday) is:

What's something you're hopeful for in 2011?

I ditto what Feisty said. We've been praying about it for forever awhile.

I'm also hopeful about {cb}h. I cant wait to see what He has in store for {cb}h this year. I have some big ideas of where I would like to be with it by the end of 2011.

I am looking forward to the start of the new year. I'm thankful for the growth 2010 brought but I'm ready to see what 2011 has in store for us! I'm looking forward in Hope. For us and for you, too!

Next week's:
What's a verse that you are leaning on right now? (Could be your all time favorite but doesn't have to be.)

Next, next week's:

Readers choice. Comment, inbox me, facebook me- leave me ideas for some 2011 Talk To Me Tuesdays. :)

Hope.

photo credit: manywallpapers

Alternately titled valleys.

"You're in a valley right now. We don't know for how long, but you're in it and you're in deep. You have to keep going through it. It seems daunting but you will make it through. And while you're here, God is going to teach you about yourself. He's going to teach you about your marriage. He's going to teach you about patience, about perseverance, faith, love, hope, goodness, about life- and you better be paying attention."

The valley.

Are you in one right now?

Is it dark? Daunting? No light in sight?

Are you questioning why He has you there? Are you trying to make sense of it? Are you losing heart? Are you ready to give up?

At one point or another (or many), we're all in a valley and it can be so. so. hard. It can be so hard to keep. going. through. it.

Psalm 23

A Psalm of David.

¹ The LORD is my shepherd;
I shall not want.
² He makes me to lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside the still waters.
³ He restores my soul;
He leads me in the paths of righteousness
For His name’s sake.

⁴ Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death,
I will fear no evil;
For You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

⁵ You prepare a table before me in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
My cup runs over.
⁶ Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me
All the days of my life;
And I will dwell in the house of the LORD
Forever.

As we look at Psalm 23, it can be comforting. He reminds us that it may be hard, but He's with us in the valley and that we will get through it.

But what if.

What if we looked at the valley differently.

A valley is defined as lowlands (usually in between mountains and along a stream). Sounds like a place where the grass would be growing green.

In Psalm 23, the valley is being walked through by 'sheep' led by the Good Shepard. 'Sheep' walking through the valley in the foot of mountains. 'Sheep' in the valley of green grass. The green grass that feeds them. Unlike the surrounding mountains.

For the sheep, the valley is probably not a bad place to be.

What about for us?

What if we held on to the truth that we are going to come out of the valley well nourished? Fed by Him? Stronger. Healthier. Wiser. Better.

Knowing more about ourselves, our marriage, patience, perseverance, faith, love, hope, goodness, life and Him.

Would it be worth it?

Would the valley still seem daunting or

would the valley be

hope-filled?

Before the Morning

A & I were talking about this song and how it can be so hard to believe even when you know it as truth. Glory is coming though, A. Hang in there!

Do you wonder why you have to,
feel the things that hurt you,
if there's a God who loves you,
where is He now?

Maybe, there are things you can't see
and all those things are happening
to bring a better ending
some day, some how, you'll see, you'll see

Chorus:
Would dare you, would you dare, to believe,
that you still have a reason to sing,
'cause the pain you've been feeling,
can't compare to the joy that's coming

so hold on, you got to wait for the light
press on, just fight the good fight
because the pain you've been feeling,
it's just the dark before the morning

My friend, you know how this all ends
and you know where you're going,
you just don't know how you get there
so just say a prayer.
and hold on, cause there's good who love God,
life is not a snapshot, it might take a little time,
but you'll see the bigger picture

Would dare you, would you dare, to believe,
that you still have a reason to sing,
'cause the pain you've been feeling,
can't compare to the joy that's coming

so hold on, you got to wait for the light
press on, just fight the good fight
because the pain you've been feeling,
it's just the dark before the morning
yeah, yeah,
before the morning,
yeah, yeah

Once you feel the way of glory,
all your pain will fade to memory
once you feel the way of glory,
all your pain will fade to memory
memory, memory, yeah

Would dare you, would you dare, to believe,
that you still have a reason to sing,
'cause the pain you've been feeling,
can't compare to the joy that's coming

Would dare you, would you dare, to believe,
that you still have a reason to sing,
'cause the pain you've been feeling,
can't compare to the joy that's coming

com'n, you got to wait for the light
press on, just fight the good fight
because the pain you've been feeling,
it's just the hurt before the healing
the pain you've been feeling,
just the dark before the morning
before the morning, yeah, yeah
before the morning

BEFORE THE MORNING - JOSH WILSON

Merry Christmas.

I've been terrible at taking pictures of life lately. The last few years I've put together photo albums from our Christmas get togethers and I just realized I have no where close to enough photos for an album- and barely even enough for a blog post. (And what's worse is the ones I have for the post weren't even taken by me!)

But we did celebrate Christmas (of course) and I do want it documented (at the very least in my blog scrapbook). We had round 1 of Christmas two weekends before with my dad's side and 'the Oklahoma cousins' (you also know them as Amy's family). We were so excited to have them over (even Junior the elf found them all the way here and came to visit).

That Saturday, we had Christmas at Hillary's house. Mo & Madd sang carols to us and we tried to get the grandkids with great grandma shot. Not too shabby....

The next weekend we had Christmas at the cabin with R's mom's side. Other than the pictures of R and Colson and the cabin itself (from my 365 blog), I didn't get nearly enough pictures!

Once we were out of school, we headed south. They were still in school on Christmas Eve eve so we were able to get Mo & Madd after school and spend the afternoon with them. We even got there in time for some of Madd's school party. Lucky us. :)

They were shocked at their videos from Santa. Mo decided that Santa must have cameras EVERYWHERE watching EVERYTHING. "Pretty much like God." Umm.... or not. :)

That evening, we went caroling and handed out some goodie bags that Mo and Madd (mostly Mo) put together. We decided that next year we should include earplugs in the goodie bags. (We need to recruit more singers as well!) :)

Mo got to hold a REAL candle at candle light service this year- she was excited to hold a candle for Jesus' Birthday party.

Christmas day we had Christmas at mom's house. I think the kids made out pretty well in the gift department though Mo was worried about her new Baby Alive. Now that she was two she asked, "How am I going to take care of TWO babies???!?" Todd kept us pretty entertained in the dancing department. (Someone got Just Dance 2 for Christmas.)

Here is R&my Christmas photo for the year..... we're beautiful, huh? :)

The following day, we had R's family over for Christmas. It was the perfect laid back, relaxing Christmas to end all of the celebrating on.

Our nephew was on clean up duty....

Dakota is now Mal's buddy. He talked her in to staying and watching a movie with him (his favorite thing to do now is watch tv- we think with the new style now that he can actually see what's going on). We watched Inception. Have you seen it? What do you think of the ending? Is it real?

And that sums up our Christmas celebrating for 2010. It was a great time with family and one of our most stress free Christmases ever. Hope yours was the same!

Love.

Red Velvet Cake Balls

Here's another recipe (again from Amy). I'm including it here because I tried doing a blog search for it and realized I didn't have it. (Yes, I'm treating my blog as an online cookbook that I can always access in case I'm at the store and don't know what to get.... )