This is gonna be a good life…

Remember this teeny tiny little preemie? Well, he’s a big boy now and he’s absolutely thriving! I was blessed to have the opportunity to photograph my brother and sister in-law with little Shep last month. I can’t believe how quickly he’s growing!

 

And I must say, I might be a little biased, but he’s a pretty good-lookin kid!

 

Not surprising, considering he’s parents…

We had a great time running around my dad’s field and snapping photos of Shep being… well, Shep. The usual little boy stuff- running around, picking up sticks, rolling in the grass, eating ladybugs….

Apparently they don’t taste very good :) I can’t wait to see them again! Love you guys!

xo,

Chels

New Talents: Acquired.

After Baby Shepherd came into the world, I wanted him to have something very special from his Aunt Chels, so over the holidays, my wonderful mother in-law taught me to crochet! (yep, my sister in-law taught me photography and my mother in-law taught me to crochet. It’s a talented family, I tell ya!)

Surprisingly, I picked it up very quickly and finished Shep’s blanket in no time! But in true Chelsea fashion, I didn’t make it to the post office to send it off until this past weekend! But now it’s on it’s way to keep little Shep warm!

Halfway to the weekend, kids. Hang in there!

xo,

Chels

Baby Shepherd Update

On December 22, I shared with you that my nephew, Shepherd, had been born nearly two months early. Since that time I have received a few emails asking how he is doing, so I thought I would give you a quick update!

Shep has been making slow and steady progress! He’s gaining weight and getting closer to coming home every day. He’s still got a long way to go before he can be home with my brother and his wife, but we’re all praying for his strength and growth and I know he’ll be home before we know it!

Thanks for all your support, concern, and prayers! You guys are truly the best.

And now, I hope you all have your last will and testament written up, because you’re about to die of cuteness… CUE SHEP MONTAGE!

This kid is gonna be varsity in no time!

p.s. more baby cuteness is on the way. I had another nephew, Asher, born on January 6th and he’s oh soooo cute and chubby!!

xo,

Chels

A True Christmas Miracle!

I'm breaking my internet "fast" to announce to birth of my nephew! My brother, Erron, and his amazing wife, Allie are filled with joy!  He was born quite early, but he is breathing on his own and doing well so far. Please keep him in your prayers!

Shepherd James

Born December 22, 2010 at 6:04 p.m., 3.5 lbs, 15.5"

"Then I will give you shepherds after my own heart, who will lead you with knowledge and understanding." Jeremiah 3:15

Little Shep,

Oh my darling nephew... I have so anticipated your arrival! Of course, I thought I had more time to stock pile presents for you, but in true Weig fashion, you could not wait to make your mark on this world. You are one of a kind, little boy.  God has made you the way that you are for a very specific purpose, and as your aunt, I cannot wait to be a part of your life as you grow into that purpose and find the path which God has laid before you.  It makes my heart swell to hear your Daddy talk about you as though you were a precious treasure, hidden from the world, and now discovered.  And you are exactly that- precious to all of us.  Right now, you are so small, but I have faith that soon enough your body will grow strong.  You are, after all, your father's child.  Some day we will recall this time with fondness and gratefulness to God.  We will watch you grow and surpass each and every milestone with flying colors. We will observe your many "firsts"- first steps, first day of school, first kiss, first love, and so on.  We will also see you fall, and help you to rise again and again until you can stand on your own because that's what family is for.  You will grow before us in the blink of an eye- But not too fast, sweet boy. Take your time.  For now, you must simply be the perfectly formed, sweet baby boy that you are. 

I promise to be the best aunt I can possibly be. I will show you all the tricks to getting what you want (I am, after all, an expert in this art), but most of all I promise to stand behind you, encourage you, and love you. You have me wrapped around your finger already, little Shepherd Boy. I love you forever and always.

xo,

Aunt Chels

(p.s. tell your Mommy and Daddy it's not too late to change your name to "Chelsea". I think it's a good strong name for a young man...)

My life in iPhone photos

Here’s a bit of my life as of late:

What’s that? 111 points for the word “handout”?! Yes I did.

Perusing the dollar store, I found this Lisa Frank gem which brought back memories of scrunchies and ruffled socks with my over-sized sweatshirts. (I seriously didn’t realize LF was still around!)

My dress form came! She’s perfect. My friends and family are a bit creeped out by her. I haven’t named her yet. Any suggestions?

My V-day loot including my favorite mug from this post! I bagged a winner, ladies. He’s all mine!

My first time to hold my precious nephew, Shep. Can you tell I’ve been bawling? *sigh* it was magical.

Snowpocolypse 2011: apparently peanut butter m&ms make for good rations around the office. Those folks get HUNGRY! Less than 24 hours for this giant bag to vanish!

I saw a pillow that I wanted, but I didn’t want to pay $30 for it, so I just made one instead! Want to learn how? I’ll teach you!

And love notes from my husband, written on my hand during church. I like how he had to include our wonder dog too. <3

Life looks pretty good through the lens of my iPhone these days. It’s even better in real life!

xo,

Chels

Top Ten of 2010

Oh, 2010... I have mixed feelings about you. It's not that I didn't like you, I mean, look at all the wonderful things you had to offer (below)... I'm just SO excited about what 2011 has in store!

Here is my Top Ten of 2010 (in no particular order):

Elsie's Indie Biz Class

The Indie Biz class hosted by Elsie, LA, and Jill really encouraged me to pursue my dream of being and independent business owner in a creative field! I learned so much!

Started Red Dirt Revival

Red Dirt Revival officially launched a blog and shop on June 13, 2010 in honor of my mother's birthday.  I previously blogged at The Vintage Chair- a blog I started in 2008 while my husband was deployed. I knew that making the switch to a new blog URL and an entirely new venture would cause me to lose some readers, but it's been more fun and fulfilling than I ever could've imagined! I've made so many fantastic friends along the way, learned a ton about myself, but it's also been a lot more work than I ever thought possible- but I enjoy it so much, that it feels more like playing.  I see great things to come for this little labor of love and I hope you'll be along for the ride!

Celebrated 24 years

In March of this year I celebrated my 24th birthday with a rousing rendition of "Happy Birthday" by this little guy!

Celebrated 3 years

of Marriage to my wonderful husband who always makes me laugh. He's my best friend...

Started new job in the corporate world
In January I began a great job. It's truly been a blessing to work with people I care for! Plus, I get to wear dresses and heels a lot :)

Began working towards becoming a photographer
I haven't been completely transparent about this yet, but within the past few years I've found myself drawn more and more to photography. This year, I invested in a DSLR camera and made the decision to begin working towards becoming a photographer!  It's been so fun to learn all the tricks of the trade. I obviously have a long ways to go, but I'm thrilled to finally be on the path to a happy entrepreneurial future!

Went to Tennessee for a little vacation
Gatlinburg was a breathtaking experience. The colors and quiet serentiy of the mountains were exactly what we needed to recharge- some time with our beloved nephews didn't hurt either!

Ryan got a great job!
Ryan has been working towards getting his degree in construction management for a couple of years now, and this year he got a really fantastic job doing home renovations here in Oklahoma City! They do outstanding work and Ryan really loves it and takes pride in it. If you need anything done to your house, he's your guy! {shameless plug}

Baby Shep was born
We had quite a scare earlier this month when my sister in-law, Allie, went in for an ultrasound and was told that Baby Shepherd wasn't getting enough nutrients to survive in the womb. Even though she was still about two months out from her due date, a C-section was performed two days after that ultrasound and Baby Shepherd was born! He's still trucking right along, making progress, and trying to put on some weight so that he can go home with Mommy and Daddy. He's an absolute joy!

First photo shoot ever/ Christmas in Indiana!

I was so blessed to be a part of Laura's pre-wedding prep shoot! Here's to many more to come in 2011!

I also loved spending the holidays with my in-laws in Indiana. It was the best way I can think of the end 2010!



Thanks so much for being a part of my little world in 2010! I can't wait to see what 2011 brings for all of us! Have a fantastic New Year's Holiday! I'll see you back here on Monday for some Resolution goodness!

xo,

Chels

The Makings of a Weekend: The SJ Love Edition

The theme of the weekend was love. Obviously, it’s Valentine’s Day so love is everywhere right now! But I was mostly focused on loving on this little guy this weekend:

I finally got to meet my nephew, Shepherd! We had our first snuggle on his due date! (you’ll recall that he was born nearly two months early!) We’re so very blessed to have such a precious, tiny little boy in our lives!

xo,

Chels

OH and p.s. these are the AMAZING letter canvases my mother painted for Shep:

I LOOOOVVVEE them!!

how was YOUR weekend?!