my e and the end of our 2009

We tend to bicker a lot.  It becomes quite public… on Facebook, during weddings, sessions and whatnot.  Sure we can drive each other crazy. We are married, work together, take care of the kids together, shop together…everything is always done together.  The times I do go out with my mom, sisters or friends, I just kind of feel sad–like it isn’t the same without him.  Yes, he gets in my shots (those of you whom we have photographed can definitely back me up on that one!) and, yes, he still plays video games (which drives me mad), and, yes, if our gps says we will get there in 45 minutes, we will more than likely get there in 15 with Eric driving… and of course we tick each other off at least once a day–but I sure don’t know where I’d be without him.  We have the same style, share the same dreams (seriously… not in a dumb, romantic sort of way)… we love the same things.   I’m so blessed to have this man as my husband, best friend and business partner.  What a stud.

December 13th was our 6th anniversary (as far as marriage goes), and I never got around to posting about it.  We shot an Engagement Session all day in Chicago.   Eric was entertaining me by blowing some bubbles while we waited for the couple to change into their second outfit.

We did get a chance to go out for a very quick dinner… so that was nice : )  So quick that we didn’t even get to take our bags off our shoulders.  Eat and run.  I ate french onion soup, and it was deeelish : )  Eric probably ate 5 burgers or something… I don’t remember.

December 21st was Eric’s birthday, and once again, no posts.  We had weddings the 19th and 20th, and once again ended up in downtown Chicago.  We had to stay overnight for work… but I suppose it was to be in a hotel and all on his “birthday eve” and birthday morning.  It might have been better if we weren’t starving to death and half dead form the back to back weddings.  This hotel gives you chocolate chip cookies at check-in…. let me tell you–mine was finished before I even got off the elevator.  It was 6pm and we hadn’t eaten since 6pm the night before and had been working non stop with 3 hours of sleep!  That was the best chocolate chip cookie ever.  I would have taken a photo, but I ate it before I got the chance.

We went up to the room, and Eric decided to go get us some dinner at a deli… so I sat on the couch and passed out a couple times.  Utter exhaustion.   I took a picture of the cool artwork/headboard.  Anyone could make this!  And I just might : )

So this is kind of a hotel tradition of mine.  The situation always seems to present itself, so naturally, I take advantage.  I’m sitting on the bed (camera nearby, of course), and Eric is playing with cords + plugging things in + so on around the desk area (you know, man things).  I always get a pretty nice view during this time… so I snap a photo to remember it by.  He will appreciate these images when he’s old and jolly… and by jolly, I mean fat.

So we were in Chicago, and we could have celebrated by going out on the town, seeing a show, shopping… whatever, but we both agreed staying in sounded a whole lot better than anything else.  So we laid in bed and watched “Where the Wild Things Are”.

While laying in bed, I told Eric a story my grandma told me about my grandpa just before he passed away.  I will tell it to you.

They were at a restaurant that overlooked the water, I’m pretty sure… or at least someplace where they were able to look out the window and see the storm clouds rolling in.  The had finished dinner already, but decided to stay and have coffee until the storm passed.  They didn’t want to drive in it.  He said they would order coffee and dessert.  When the waiter came to take their order, he told her that they would have one of every kind of dessert they offered.  He told my grandma they would eat what they wanted to there, and just take the rest home for later.  My grandpa didn’t strike me as the type to do something that sweet and …. romantic!  It seemed like a movie or something.  I love that story.

That being said, we proceeded to order one of every type of dessert on the room service menu to eat in bed while we watched the movie.

I felt pretty dumb getting my picture taken while eating junk food in bed… but, oh well.  So that is me… in desperate need of rest, makeup smudged, in my pj’s, hair in need of some attention, eating pie in bed… and I post in on the blog for all to see.  I’m insane.  And, yes, I’m rockin’ a concert tee from a Hanson show.  : )

Just a side note in case you ever stay at the Wit Hotel and order every dessert off their room service menu… skip the s’mores ice cream sandwich.  Seriously.  I can’t believe they sell that.  It looked like something I “created” and heated in the microwave when I was 8 years old.  It was soggy and tasted disgusting.  Can you guess which one it is in the photos above?  Yuck!

So Eric had a decent birthday, I think.  Then, of course, it was time for the Christmas celebrations.  Those photos will come some other time, but here is something I thought was quite adorable.  Ella got window markers from my dad.  We were all busy talking and eating while she went straight over to the glass door to start coloring.  I went over to check it out later, and this is what she drew:

Special, huh?

We’ve created life, created a business, and continue to create beautiful photographs while we work as a team–playing off eachother’s strengths.  I love Eric more than I even know, I think, and  I can’t to see what we create in 2010.

I’m working on some different “best of 2009″ posts.  Eric and I are also going to be doing reviews on most of the vendors we worked with in 2009, along with all of the different reception halls we have photographed at.  Hopefully you will find the info helpful!  We wish everyone a very happy 2010!!