Wrap it up. (2011)

11 lessons from 2011: (with memories woven throughout)

Disclaimer: this is a huge post - you may want to make yourself a cuppa before you read and scroll - enjoy!

wrapped up in purity

kate in the sun

1. Year 12 will not kill you.

2011 was my 'senior year.' A year ago I would cringe at the thought of everything there would be to do all year. A year later and I'm done. Yes, there were tears. My God, let me tell you, I remember one night in particular; i had a Biology report to be written, two maths tests and an assignment due in the coming week. I was leaving soccer training, reached into my pockets and my car keys were nowhere to be found. I recall standing in the school car park, angry at the world, when in actual fact it was my own fault. And then it started to rain (literally.) By the time i had got home, i was muddy and cold and car-less and the last thing i wanted to do was begin my mountain of study and assignments. When i finally gathered up the motivation, i opened my bag to get out my reading glasses but alas, they were not there. Joy. The tears fell. I lay on my bed in the dark and let myself be serenaded by Ellie Goulding's 'Nobody's crying' until my very own tears had run into my ears and my eyes were so puffy they were barely visible anymore - pathetic, I know. But I remember this day so clearly, it was one of the 'bad days.' You'll have them. Year 12 or not, you'll have them. Everybody laughs, everybody cries.

rosie in her school uniform, in the middle of may, doing homework on my dining room table

me dressed as a cave woman for our year 12 dinner in february. image: ella

hannah at another school in dinner in august

izzy at the dinner in august

2. Shopping right after payday is not a good idea.

I would know. I didn’t even last a day before I was squeezing through my front door with new shoes, and a skirt, and a top and an over-priced-but-I’ll-take-it-anyway-because-i-love it dress.

izzy, the day i finished my final exam: november 9th, 2011

alex holding a flower in the garden in the middle of october

3. Fate works in mysterious ways.

Another story i never shared (and it's such a good one.) Merely weeks after final exams, i was sitting at home doing absolutely nothing when my lovely friend Lucy called me. It was just after eight and she explained she had two free tickets to see Stevie Nicks. Long story short, we arrived and didn't have to pay $10 parking, we ran giggling into the concert and took our seats in the centre right as Stevie came on stage. Thank-you Lords of good Karma.

ella in the middle of june

sophie after her new haircut

ella finding an orange butterfly mid-shoot

4. Practice does not always make perfect, but it does make improvements.

Perfection is an incredibly unrealistic goal. I realized that this year both in academics (I am definitely not one of those 100/100 Maths test girl) and in photography. Every time a photographer shoots something different, they are improving both their knowledge and skills.

kate cameron-smith lying on the ground at the skate park in the middle of nowhere

beautiful kate

5. Adele is perfect photo editing music.

Nothing too much to be said about this one, other than I freaking loooove Adele. Seriously. In case you wanted to know. Things like ‘Don’t you Remember’ and ‘Turning Tables’ goes down well with some late nights and a new batch of photos and

the beautiful little one i photographed in early december

6. Don’t overcommit

Would have saved myself so much hassle had I listened to this one at the beginning of the year. You are one person, don’t underestimate yourself but don’t overwork yourself. Fine line, people, fine line.

the richards triplets (grace, ruby, pearl)

7. Mum will always find out

Learnt this one the hard way. I backed out of the drive way in my mother’s car a couple of weeks ago and took down our poor mailbox, which was cemented into the ground. In my defense – it was dark and I was doing it backwards! Yet, she still found out, and safe to say, I have not driven her car since. They always find out.

alex, just days ago

ella on top of a hill

8. Be there, always.

This is so damn important. When your loved one, or friend needs you, just be there, plain and simple. Your presence means more than you think.

the two boys isaac and solomon

beautiful eyed boy

9. Time stops for no one.

This year flew past in a manner that leaves me wondering just how fast next year will go, and the year after that, and so on. For that reason, it is crucial to soak up each day and find the time to do something you love in each day.

alex, before the rain came, mid-september.

10.Bubble baths make everything better.

Tis true. Nothing more, nothing less.

kate cameron-smith aka the twin to gemma ward

11.And finally:

the quote that sat on my desk all through final exams

It can be applied to life itself, as well. There is no use wasting energy on what you do not know or cannot control, instead continue to build on what you are sure of.

took us half a day, but we made christmas cookies. then the dog ate half of them.

with love from all of us xx

Thank-you all so much for an incredible year...

Enjoy the final eve of 2011, I’ll be back in 2012.

With so much love.