Elizabeth

A Day With Syd

2012-01-23T12:52:00.001-06:00

Zach was in Missouri this past weekend, spending some time with Sydney. He went to two of her games, and then took her and her best friend, Taylor, out for the day.

They had such a good time!

Date Night

2012-01-23T12:50:00.002-06:00

Zach and I had our first night out this past week, since Eli's been born. I am so lucky to have this man as my husband!

iPhone Love

2012-01-23T12:41:00.005-06:00

It's pretty sad that I have to look back at my iphone pictures to figure out what's been going on in our lives. For the most part, once we got through the holidays and the traveling, we have been trying to get adjusted to life with two babies, and enjoying family time before I start working again this weekend. I have snapped a LOT of pictures over the last few weeks, so here are just a handful of some things that have ended up on my instagram account.

Eli: One Month

2012-01-23T12:36:00.002-06:00

Some things to note about my sweet baby at one month:

-Eli LOVES being held... and if you try to sit him down, he lets you know it
-He is tracking REALLY well. He makes really good eye contact.
-He is a REALLY good, but REALLY loud eater. Nursing in public is quite funny (and at times a little embarrassing).
-He is sleeping pretty well. He wakes up once or twice in the middle of the night to eat, but then goes back to sleep pretty quickly. He started sleeping in his crib, in his room, ALONE on New Years Eve. That was Mommy's New Years Resolution.
-His eyes are still a little blue, but I think they're starting to turn brown.
-Seems pretty laid back so far.

Eli's First Bath

2012-01-23T12:34:00.002-06:00

I have to say, I was actually pretty impressed. He seemed to actually like it, until he realized he was uncomfortable. Overall, I think this kid is going to make the bath time routine much easier than his brother.

Christmas Day

2012-01-23T12:15:00.003-06:00

This was the first time we've ever opened gifts with Zachary where he seemed like he understood what was really going on. He turned one last February, so we haven't had the chance to open gifts with him again until now. It made Christmas morning so fun.

Family Vacay 2011

2012-01-23T11:59:00.010-06:00

The day after Christmas, we left for Gulf Shores for a vacay with group of people...

I have to say, I love my family!

Here are a few more pictures from our Christmas together, taken with my sister's iphone. Thanks, Tori!

Merry Christmas From the Wiggs

2012-01-23T11:55:00.001-06:00

Our 2011 Christmas Card/Birth Announcement

Wiggs Family of Five

2012-01-23T11:53:00.002-06:00

Our First Family Photo of Five. I feel SO grateful to have this family.

Our Christmas With Syd

2012-01-23T11:00:00.003-06:00

Our Christmases with Syd are filled with traditions that I will always cherish. One of my favorites is our pajama party/movie night. We all buy new pajamas and make hot chocolate, Christmas cookies, and popcorn and spend the night in our new pajamas watching movies. I LOVE it.

Then the next morning, we exchange gifts. Syd cracks me up. She is not a morning person and always has the hardest time getting out of bed, so she always asks us to put a present in her bed in the morning so that it will help motivate her to get up. So that's what we do..

Here are some pictures of Syd opening her gifts.

Sydney Meets Eli

2012-01-23T10:51:00.005-06:00

I was feeling so sick and sore, I barely picked up my professional camera when Sydney was here. Luckily I was able to get a couple good shots of the three kids together, but just used my iphone to get her meeting her little brother for the first time.

Zachary pretty much wanted NOTHING to do with his brother until recently, and even now, he will only glance in his direction now and then, so it was pretty difficult to get a picture of all three kids together, and IMPOSSIBLE to get one of just the boys together, so I was pretty happy to get this shot.

While Syd was here, I was able to get a couple really sweet shots of her and Zachary too. I LOVE how they're playing together these days.

Way Behind

2012-01-23T10:24:00.004-06:00

So it's been nearly 7 weeks since my last post. I've had the best intentions of blogging so many things, but obviously, life just slipped away from us.

The first three weeks of Eli's life were quite possibly the most exhausting days I've experienced in a long time. It was the three weeks before Christmas, but for us, was filled with lots of sickness and trips to the hospital/doctor.

When Eli was 6 days old, he started having bad diarrhea, which ultimately caused him to get dehydrated. After a trip to Lebonheur Urgent Care, the doctor there decided Eli needed to be sent to the E.R at Lebonheur downtown via ambulance. So, that was my first, and hopefully my only, ambulance ride with one of my children. After we got downtown, they hooked him up to an IV, got plenty of fluids in him, and then he started feeling better.

About a day after that, I noticed my episiotomy wasn't healing, and was actually starting to hurt worse. By the time I realized how bad it was getting, it was the weekend, so I decided to wait until Monday to see a doctor. Well, Sunday night, I got a fever and was in so much pain, I could barely get off the couch. I had apparently gotten staph in the hospital. Luckily the antibiotic worked, and they didn't have to put me back in the hospital.

Since that day, Eli has had two colds, both of which caused small fevers that sent us back to the doctor. And one of those caused him to spend an hour and a half throwing up, which also sent us back to the doctor.

SO- needless to say, we're looking forward to a season of health around here. BUT- besides that, we've REALLY been enjoying getting to know our sweet baby boy.

Eli Samuel Wiggs

2011-12-10T22:40:00.002-06:00

Let me introduce you to Eli Samuel Wiggs, born on December 7, 2011 at 2:59 p.m. He is 8 lbs, 3 oz, and is 21 inches long.

He has the most beautiful dimple on his right cheek, loves to be held or laying on a boppy. He does NOT like to be left alone. He is a VERY natural nurser, and loves his pacifier. So far, he seems to be a good sleeper as long as we don't leave him alone.

He is absolutely wonderful in every way...

Eli's Birth Story

2011-12-10T22:30:00.003-06:00

One of the things I love most about photography is its ability to capture an event or memory and allow that experience to live on forever. After Zachary was born, I forgot so many of the small things that happened, so knowing that this would likely be my last pregnancy, I asked Tori and Zach to try their best to take as many pictures of the whole experience, so I could remember all the details. Between our iphones and my camera, these are just a few of the pictures from the day.

In case you're wondering, I had the mask on because Eli's heart rate kept dropping and we were trying to get him more oxygen.

RTR!

2011-12-06T16:50:00.001-06:00

It's a very exciting time around here now that we've learned that Alabama is playing in the National Championship against LSU this year. We know there is a LOT of controversy surrounding the picks for this game, but we are regardless, very excited.

Here are some pictures from the big game earlier this year. This is also another tradition we love! Let's just hope the outcome this time around is a bit different!

Halloween

2011-12-06T16:48:00.002-06:00

So, I realize that my post are all sorts of out of order, but I keep realizing things that haven't been posted. These were our kiddos on Halloween this year. Let's just say we had NO idea Sydney would look this grown when we saw the package with the Halloween costume on the front.

Thanksgiving With Syd

2011-12-06T16:42:00.004-06:00

We were so blessed to have Syd with us the weekend before Thanksgiving, for the third year in a row. It's a tradition we've come to love SO much. Here are a few pictures of our Thanksgiving with her.

A Danley Thanksgiving

2011-12-06T16:38:00.002-06:00

I LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. our family Thanksgivings. It's the one time a year that everyone from my mom's side of the family gets together. This year, it was even MORE special since my brother and his family were in town.

We have one very large family!

Tomorrow is the Day

2011-12-06T16:32:00.004-06:00

We are scheduled to check into the hospital tomorrow morning at 6:00 for Eli's induction. I don't know if there are any words to really describe the feeling just hours before we are set to meet our son. We obviously covet your prayers.

This is the only picture we have of him so far. I have to admit I think he looks a LOT like Zachary. I guess we'll see.

Thanksgiving Day, Zach and I went out and he took some last minute maternity pictures for me. Here is me with Eli at 37 weeks.

Sydney's 5K

2011-12-06T16:26:00.002-06:00

We are SO proud of Sydney. For the last couple of years, she has competed in the St. Jude 5K in support of a classmate of hers who was treated at St. Jude's Children Research Hospital.

This year, she did SO good!!

We couldn't be prouder, sweet girl!!

My Big Boy

2011-12-06T16:15:00.003-06:00

Around the time I was turning 30, Zachary somehow got Hand, Foot, and Mouth Disease. I'm not sure if any of your kids have had this, but it is HORRIBLE. Ever since he was just a few months old, Zachary has always sucked his two middle fingers. I figured that one day we would have to get creative to make him stop. BUT, apparently, if you have a mouth full of blisters for two weeks, then you won't want to suck your fingers anymore. I know I should be happy that he's not putting his germy fingers in his mouth anymore, but I still miss my sweet baby boy that loved those fingers.

Here are a few pictures of him sucking those fingers so I don't forget.

Turning 30

2011-12-06T16:01:00.004-06:00

I turned 30 back in October, and Zach did an AMAZING job at throwing me a surprise party. I never saw it coming, which is unusual, since I usually figure out EVERYTHING. My sister, mom, and great friend Jenn all helped him out and made sure I didn't have a clue. I loved having all my friends and family in one place. And as far as turning 30 goes, I haven't batted an eye. I love everything about where I am at this milestone. I have the most wonderful stepdaughter, a beautiful baby boy, another on the way, and a wonderful husband. I couldn't be happier to say hello to the next 10 years.

New Home

2011-12-06T15:49:00.005-06:00

It's been forever since I've updated this blog, mainly because of the INSANE amount of things going on these days. I'm going to do my best to update the major things I don't want to forget. We sold our first home last week and are currently living with my parents. We had to take quite a hit to get out of the house, so we're staying here until we can make our money back, and get Eli here and settled. We are SO very grateful we have family who is so generous and giving. It's actually working out much better than any of us could expect.

While we are grateful to be here, saying goodbye to our first home was definitely bittersweet. It was the home we came home to from our honeymoon. It was the first place Sydney came to stay with us. It was the home we brought Zachary home to. It was where we shared our first Christmas, our first baby, our first anniversary. It was the home that captured the first five years of our family. While we know it's just a house and that our true home lies within us, it will still always be a very special place to us. Here are a few pictures over the past five years in our home in Oakland, TN.

Five on Friday

2011-10-14T07:02:00.002-05:00

1. I turn 30 next week. Zach keeps asking me how I feel as I approach 30. And my answer is "GREAT. This is exactly where I'd always dreamed I'd be at 30-- in fact, it's more than I ever could have asked for." Looking forward to spending some time with family and friends next week!

2. I'm counting down the days until my brother and his family come home for a few months. They'll be home late Tuesday!!!! I CANNOT WAIT! Best birthday gift EVER.

3. We had an offer on our house last night. We countered, and will hopefully hear something today. If we sell, then we will have to be out by November 16th. We're taking a big hit to make this happen, so my parents will be gaining quite a few house guests for a while to help us make up the difference.

4. Have you started pinning yet?? I can't get enough of it! I've put myself on restriction of how much I'm allowed to pin in one day.

5. The stomach bug is finally on its way out of our house. It took about 2 1/2 weeks to make it through all three of us, but we're all feeling better.

HAPPY FRIDAY!!

Zachary's Favorite Place

2011-09-22T11:02:00.003-05:00

A few weeks ago, I set up a little table for Zachary in my office. It's his place to color and draw. I had no idea he would love it as much as he does. If it was up to him, he'd stay there all day.

If I turn my head for a second (like this morning while cleaning up the kitchen), this is what I'll find.

Cotton Fields

2011-09-20T12:51:00.004-05:00

Here are a few pictures of my big 19 month old boy in the cotton fields near our house...

Waiting for Eli | 28 Weeks

2011-09-20T12:35:00.008-05:00

Things happening at 28 weeks...

-I really can't complain. I am pretty comfortable most of the times. I have to use a pillow while working on my computer for long periods of time, but nothing compared to with Zachary at this point.

-I have had PLENTY of energy lately, so I've been taking advantage of it.

-No cravings at all this time around..

-I've gained about 20-25 pounds thus far. Ugh.

-I LOVE LOVE LOVE feeling him move. This is quite likely my last pregnancy, so I am soaking in all those little kicks and movements.

-I stole a body pillow from my parent's house, and it has become my new best friend at nights. I'm not sure I'm going to be able to give it up in three months.

-So far, Eli's been doing perfectly. This pregnancy is much smoother than with Zachary. We've only had two ultrasounds, compared to about 15 with Zachary at this point. It's kind of nice being able to relax and enjoy feeling this sweet baby boy growing inside me.

Sydney is Nine!

2011-09-20T08:25:00.017-05:00

This post is way overdo, but it still hasn't sunk in that our sweet girl is nine years old. She was in town the weekend of her birthday to celebrate, so we had a little birthday party for her, and then took her to Sweet and Sassy with her good friend, McKayia. Later that night, McKayia spent the night and they had a sleepover, where Zach and I were their servants for the entire night. We made them popcorn, got them their drinks, and brought them food whenever they requested it.

Things I love about Syd at this age...

1. She is beginning to enjoy trying new things
2. She is still as sweet as ever, and truly has servant's heart-- she is quick to share and include everyone in whatever activity is going on. She loves to help out.
3. She TRULY hates to see people suffer.
4. She works hard
5. She loves reading
6. She loves school (Social Studies is her favorite subject right now)
7. She loves sports, but also loves all things artistic.
8. She has SO much joy in her little personality.
9. She is nine, but is not too cool for build-a-bear
10. She loves all her brothers and sisters, and is SO good with them.

Here are a few pictures from the weekend!

First up, Syd's birthday pictures. Syd and I stayed up the night before making her headbands and necklace.

Here are some of the pictures from her party... Her dad made a jellybean field day for the kids.

And here are some pictures from McKayia and Syd's day at Sweet and Sassy.

Happy Birthday, sweet girl! We love you SOOO much!!

Mrs. Flora Lee Whiteside-Looney: March 10, 1935-August 4, 2011

2011-08-26T15:16:00.003-05:00

One of the things I'm most grateful for is the pleasure to have met and have formed a relationship with Zach's Granny. I met Granny for the first time at my college graduation in 2004. She was SO proud of Zach and his accomplishments. I will never forget that proud look on her face when she hugged him after the graduation.

Not long after that, I started to make regular trips to Guntersville, Alabama, several of which, we slept in Granny's guest bedroom. I will always remember Granny's signature meal she made for Zach every SINGLE time we came into town: pinto beans, cornbread, potatoes, some type of southern cooked meat, extra sweet kool-aid, and usually much more.

Granny was always in the kitchen, or walking around the house cleaning. I rarely ever saw that woman sit down. She was constantly doing something, talking the whole time she did it. She always asked about my family and grandparents. She always asked about more babies. Granny always had an opinion on almost any subject, and was always quick to tell you what she thought-- even if it was about the weight that Zach and I had put on since our last visit. :)

I loved her from the minute I met her. Ever since meeting Zach and learning about his childhood, I have always known the roll that his grandmother had in who he is today. She introduced him to Christ, she was his biggest fan, and believed in him more than almost anyone else. She encouraged him to be the best man he could be, and to always strive for greatness. I thank the Lord every day for this woman. I truly believe that my children are reaping the benefits of this woman's hard work as a grandmother.

I could go on and on about why Granny was an extraordinary woman, and the legacy she'll leave behind her. But instead, I'll share this letter that Zach sent to her, months after learning of her cancer. I'm SO grateful he had the chance to share these things with her. Granny, you will forever be missed. We love you!

Letter to My Granny
-by Zach Wiggs
Granny, I don’t even know where to start. I wanted to write you this letter and tell you how much you mean to me and also let you know that it is because of you I am who I am today. Looking back on my childhood I could not imagine life without you in it. I remember the nights that you started keeping us on Saturdays so that Josh and I could begin going to church with you on Sunday morning. I loved coming to your house and hanging with you and Paw Paw. Neither of us will ever forget watching the TV shows like Hee Haw and eating your wonderful cooking on those Saturdays nights. I will always remember those nights that you would stay up with rollers in your hair and prepare for the lesson that you were going to teach the next day in church. You would always make sure that we were focused and that we knew how important God's word is. Smiles come to my face as I think about you teaching us The Lord’s Prayer. I will never forget those nights.
I remember the afternoons that you would come and pick me and Josh up and take us to go on walks with you. I will never forget why you would you would even take us on these walks. It seemed as if we slowed you down more than helped! Josh and I were always amazed with how fast you could walk that levee. I remember how sad I was once when I lost some money up there. We spent the better part of that afternoon searching for that money than we did walking. You even pitched in to help. I remember your patience with two goofy grandkids who wanted to find that money! Thinking back to those times being with you and getting to be close to you are memories that I will keep forever.
Your cooking will also be something that I will keep with me. You know that I would travel for miles to get to eat your food. My family will always be reminded that Granny’s cooking is what kept me going. I will never forget or let my family forget my favorite meal. Pinto beans and corn bread. That combination will be one of my favorites forever.
As I got older and began playing sports you supported me. You began to see that my interest in sports could lead to a better life for me. And although I couldn’t see it, you begin to assist me in preparing myself to move on from my small town that I love so much. I remember that as I began my senior year in school that you always said that I was going to have to leave Guntersville to find better work and start my family. Though I was thinking that I would always be back there by now, I think you knew then that I wouldn’t be.
Then I graduated high school and moved to Tennessee to attend Union University. The one thing I will remember about that school dorm is the weekly phone calls from you early in the morning asking me how things were going and making sure that I was doing what I needed to do. I think that my roommates even knew that it was you calling so early! Those calls kept me grounded and focused.
Moving on past college with kids and family, I hope that I have made you proud. I hope that I have embodied the heart and soul that you seem to carry so well. You have been with me and have helped mold me into someone who is capable of being anything I want to be. You showed me that it was possible.
Granny, you taught me about God. You showed him to me by the way you lived and how you cared for us. You showed me how to care and love a family. I want you to know that you have your fingerprints all over my life. From the time that I was a little boy all the way up to now. The way that you have lived your life for others is something that I want to continue. Granny I know that you are very sick. I wanted to write this to you so that you could know fully that you are so amazing to me. You are such a hero to me. Strong, solid, dependable, constant, my rock!
I love you grandma! You will always be so special to me. And no matter what happens with this cancer you will always be super woman to me. May the God that you introduced me to, be with you. Love you so much lady.

ZW

Five on Friday

2011-08-26T14:58:00.003-05:00

1. Zachary has been sick with a cold the past couple of days. He's working hard to give it to his Mommy and Daddy, but we're working hard to fight it off.

2. Zach is on his way to pick up Syd for her birthday weekend here. She is turning 9!! We have lots of exciting stuff planned. Can't wait to share! They'll be back around 7 tonight! I cannot wait to see that girl.

3. I've been gaining too much weight this pregnancy. I assume that's the case since I've been eating whatever I want, whenever I want. So, after the doctor called me out on my weight gain, I decided to start keeping up with how much I'm eating. She gave me a recommended calorie-per-day intake, so I downloaded the livestrong app to my phone to help me track it. I'm actually quite addicted to it.

4. Zachary started Mother's Day Out last week. He's been doing SO good. He's really tired at the end of the day, but his teachers say he seems to love it. Isn't he the cutest little school boy??

5. Zach and I got dressed up for Marcus and Carmen's wedding a couple weeks ago. It was a black tie wedding, which was fun since we rarely ever get to dress up these days. This was the first wedding I haven't "worked" at in a while, and I have to say, it was quite nice! My mom took this picture with my cell phone.

Table and Chair: Distressing Project

2011-08-04T14:52:00.005-05:00

I have a list of things I've been wanting to learn how to do. While I've started a few projects in an attempt to learn, I have a LONG way to go.

A few things on my list:

1. Knit
2. Sew (I want to make patchwork quilts)
3. Make Incredible Cookies (the really pretty, painted kind)
4. Distress Furniture
5. Upholster furniture

A couple weeks ago, I decided to attempt my first distressing project. I got online and found a tutorial, and went to work. A couple years ago, someone gave me a Strawberry Short Cake table and chairs for Syd's room, and I've been meaning to paint them for a while now. Well, now that Zachary is getting older and will be doing more coloring, etc... I decided to give it a gender-neutral look.

There are several things I didn't love about it, but I was pretty satisfied for my first attempt. Here's the before and after.

Zach was freaked out with me doing all the sanding and painting while pregnant, so I took this photo to assure him that I was behaving. We both agreed this is about as hard core as I am capable of looking. :)

Zachary: 18 Months

2011-08-04T14:36:00.005-05:00

My sweet boy turned 18 months old yesterday, so I decided to do something fun, considering how insanely hot it was. I think it neared 110 yesterday?!?!

Some of the things to mention about Zachary at 18 months: This week he LOVES fruit. He loves bananas, grapes, and watermelon. He's still not wild about berries. He likes green peas and carrots, but that's it for veggies. He still likes meats and breads... sometimes.

He's REALLY starting to show his stubborn side. I feel like we're entering the twos early. He has meltdowns on a regular basis... mostly when he can't figure something out or doesn't get his way. He is still napping twice a day, but starts Mother's Day Out in two weeks, so I'm hoping he will slowly start to adjust. He is still as cuddly as ever. He loves cuddling and hugging. He is obsessed with his Daddy and his Aunt Tori. I mean... OBSESSED. He LOVES to dance and will dance to anything... even the dogs' tails hitting up against a wall.

Things that make him laugh: peek-a-boo, being tickled, the dogs or cat, when mommy and daddy kiss, when we laugh.

While his little attitude is getting challenging and we're having to implement time-out here and there... I have never loved him more. I am SO proud of him every minute, watching him figure out something new, or accomplish something on his own. It's so wonderful watching him grow. I love you, sweet boy.

Here are a few of my favorites from his 18 month old session. Love this kid.

20 Weeks

2011-07-31T20:33:00.001-05:00

I guess we can call this the halfway point...

For Sale

2011-07-29T11:30:00.002-05:00

Our house is officially back on the market. This time, we're prepared to take the hit we've been dreading, which means we hope we can sell it fairly quickly. Right now, it's been on the market for a week, but we still haven't had any calls. For now, I'm keeping it clean and organized.. which is a very strange process for me.

Wish us luck.

Wiggs Family Vacation: Northern Style

2011-07-29T10:39:00.015-05:00

This past year, we decided to try something different and vacation up north, instead of doing our regular beach thing. We started our vacation in St. Joseph, MI, where my life-long friend, Jessica lives.

It's a BEAUTIFUL beach town with a lot to do with young kids. Syd really enjoyed it and I LOVED having a few days with my best friend and getting to be a part of her life.

Here is Syd's self portrait during the road trip.

On our first day there, the girls decided to have a spa day, where we got our nails done. I wish I had taken a picture of the crazy-cool flowers Sydney had painted on her toes.

Our girl picture:

The boys' picture:

The next day was Father's Day, so we got up and did our traditional Father's Day breakfast: Beignets and Coffee. Here's a very proud Daddy:

A few other things we did while in Michigan.. PLENTY of time at the fountain area (Syd's favorite place), the beach, a Kid's funhouse and some shopping around the downtown area.

While we were still in St. Joe's, Zach and Josh drove over to Chicago, where Zach got to check something off his life's to-do list... go to a Cub's game.

Syd lost her first molar while we were in Michigan. She was very excited to see what the Michigan tooth fairy brought.

Jess is pregnant with her first baby, a sweet boy, so I had to take some maternity pictures while we were there.

So, after we left Michigan, we went to Chicago, where we spent a couple days. The biggest reason for our Chicago trip was so that Syd could visit the American Girl store. We stayed at the Wyndham, and spent a LOT of time at the American Girl store.

The rest of time we were in Chicago, we hustled to make sure we could see everything we wanted to. We went to the Navy Pier, Gino's Pizza, tried Chicago-style hot dogs, took a boat tour and much, much more.

Here a couple of my favorite family pictures from the trip:

Back At It

2011-07-29T10:29:00.003-05:00

After a lot of thought, I've decided to dust off this old blog and start it back up. About 6 months ago, I turned this blog into a book with blog2print.com, which got me to thinking that keeping this blog updated would be the PERFECT way to document the major things (and a lot of silly insignificant ones) going on in our life.

I have no idea how much I'll blog or how much I'll update... but with our house on the market, a sweet girl that lives three hours away, a boy that's about to turn 18 months, a baby on the way, an international adoption in the works, and a husband I'm madly in love with, I decided I need to get better about keeping up with it all, because I don't want to this special time in our lives to pass us by.

So, that being said... feel free to follow it, or not. I can't promise it will be that exciting. I just need a place to record all the moments I don't want to forget.

Merging...

2009-08-12T12:31:00.003-05:00

After a lot of thought, I've decided to merge my personal blog with my photography blog. I will no longer be updating this one... From now on, you can read all about our lives HERE.

I'm embarrased to say I feel like I'm saying goodbye to an old friend or closing a big chapter of my life. It's now painfully obvious that I'm a BIG, blogging geek.

Sleeping Dog

2009-08-10T12:31:00.003-05:00

I'm sitting here on my couch, doing some editing. My 70-pound lab is laying across my lap, sleeping. He just started dreaming, because he's shaking and twitching rapidly. It always makes me laugh, especially after coming across this video last week.

If you haven't seen it, it's TOO funny!!

12 1/2 weeks pregnant

2009-07-30T10:02:00.000-05:00

I can't even count how many people have asked me to take a picture of my growing belly and put it on my blog. I'm all about documenting, but I have to admit, I've kind of been fighting this "gaining weight" thing. I may be living in denial, but I really think people are noticing "the wrong thing."

It's funny. My entire life, I've had "the pooch." The one that sits right below the belly belly button and protrudes a bit. But, it seems that it wasn't until I announced my pregnancy that the entire world seemed to notice. Unfortunately, right now, I can't tell where the "I eat too many burgers and cheese fries on a regular basis" pooch ends and where my sweet baby bump begins. My family says they can tell a difference, the scale can obviously tell a difference, my pants seem to notice a difference, but I'm still skeptical.

So- I guess I'll leave you to draw your own conclusions.

These are my first pregnancy pictures, taken at 12 1/2 weeks.

Sydney: An Inside Look

2009-07-27T21:04:00.003-05:00

Needless to say, I am much more of a photographer than a videographer- something I hope to get better at. I always post pictures of Sydney that I hope capture her personality, but with a personality as large as hers, that's something that's hard to do.

Sydney was in town for Father's Day Weekend. We had the BEST time- so much that I didn't have time to pick up the camera. It was nice to put work down and just enjoy time with the three of us.

Fortunately for us, Sydney got a hold of our point and shoot camera on her ride back to Missouri with her dad. She found the video feature and was pretty much unstoppable. I just now took a while to look through all FIFTEEN videos, and could NOT stop laughing at her silliness.

I posted a few of my favorites below. Also, just as a disclaimer... we took Sydney swimming before Zach and Syd left for Missouri, so try to overlook her wild hairstyle she was sporting. I'm about 100 percent positive she's going to hate me one day for putting these videos out to the public.

This one cracks me up. I like to call this one "Theology By Sydney":

Sydney also LOVES to sing along to the radio... as well as she possibly can. Unfortunately, I don't know that she's ever taken time to learn ALL the words to this Britney song. I also like this one, because you get a good 30 second look at my husband's "dancing in the car" skills.

And lastly, here is Zach and Syd saying goodbye to their video audience. It felt like a nice conclusion.

Weekend in Guntersville

2009-07-27T20:11:00.002-05:00

Zach's 10 year high school reunion was this weekend in Guntersville, AL. We're still trying to recuperate from the busy weekend, but it was SO great. We got to spend a lot of time with friends and family. We had a small bit of alone time (with our dogs) tucked away in a cozy cabin on a ranch. It was the perfect weekend, but we're definitely happy to be home.

Baby Wiggs!

2009-07-22T09:29:00.002-05:00

My first trimester has officially passed and it looks like Baby Wiggs is doing good- healthy and growing! We couldn't have been more thrilled! I have to admit, I was much more emotional than I expected when I saw his/her little body, fully formed. This whole process is still a little surreal to me.

Random updates from our 12-week appointment...
1. Baby Wiggs had the hiccups which was HILARIOUS. I wish I had the capabilities to show you what a baby this small with the hiccups looks like in the womb. I could NOT stop laughing. He/She reminded me of a really funny wii character.
2. I'm RH Negative
3. I'm NOT immune to rubella and I can't be vaccinated until after the baby comes, so if you hear any word of the measles or anything related to rubella- send me a big warning so I can go into hiding. :) (By the way, my mom SWEARS I was vaccinated as a child, but I guess in some small cases, the vaccinations can wear off)
4. So far, Baby Wiggs has long legs (which isn't surprising to either of us).

Other baby randomness... we've decided on names for a boy or a girl. If it's a boy, it will be Zachary Allen Wiggs, Junior and we will most likely call him Zachary. If it's a girl, she'll be Marlee Elizabeth Wiggs.

Vacation Help

2009-07-14T09:26:00.002-05:00

Zach and I are planning a 4 day getaway in November, before the baby comes. Fall is our FAVORITE time of year, so we're looking for something kind of cool, with mountains and maybe even the ocean. We're wanting something nice, just the two of us... but have no suggestions.

I suggested Missoula, MT- a small mountain town where I spent a summer in college. We are also looking at Cape Cod. Seriously, we need help. Anyone have any ideas???

Behind on Blogging

2009-07-12T18:19:00.002-05:00

I am SO behind on blogging. I have SO many things I want to update- Father's Day, Sydney's Visit, Etc...

Unfortunately, my busy summer schedule is keeping me from doing that. For example, tonight I blogged SEVEN shoots on my photography blog. The crazy part- I still have about 10 more family shoots and a wedding before I'm caught up. CRAZINESS- but I really am enjoying it!

I promise to update more soon.... even if I am talking about Father's Day in August. :)

I'm a PROUD big sister

2009-06-30T08:57:00.002-05:00

Every day, I'm thankful for the relationship I have with my little sister. She is one of the most amazing women I've ever met. Although, I'm sure I'm a little biased, she really is one of the most tender hearted, compassionate people I know.

Personally, she knows everything about me. I can tell her anything and know that I will never be judged. She's THAT great.

Several months ago, she started working for Crossroads Hospice in Memphis. When she took that job, she lit up in a new kind of way. It is her calling to serve people... and when she is serving, she radiates. I've been SO happy for her and for the people she's called to serve. I can tell that even though her job is to help others, those special people are teaching her new things every day. It's SO great to watch her blossom. I've been SO proud of her, but apparently I'm not the only one who's been noticing the change she's making.

THIS was an article in today's Commercial Appeal, featuring Crossroads Hospice and my sister (Tori Smitherman). You can read it here.

I love you sis, and am SO proud of you!

Should I or Shouldn't I????

2009-06-21T17:49:00.003-05:00

I've been deciding whether or not to post about this for awhile now, but obviously I've decided I will. ...

On Wednesday, Zach and I attended my first ever prenatal doctor's appointment. I am apparently a little more than seven weeks pregnant and have a beautiful, healthy baby growing inside me with a strong, healthy heartbeat.

I debated whether or not to post about this since it's still so early, but after hearing the heart beat, I have already started to feel connected to the little guy... and I figured if something were to happen, I would need the support.

I have our baby's "first photo" that I will post later, but for now, "I'm pregnant!" I feel absolutely perfect so far, except for having to lower my caffeine intake each day. My official due date is February 6. We're really excited and will post much more along the way.

Random Things

2009-06-16T16:46:00.004-05:00

It's been FOREVER since I've updated, for a LOT of reasons... mainly busyness. So, here's a very brief and organized update.

1. I'm privileged enough to get to have a three hour road trip this weekend with the most beautiful little girl in the entire world. Syd's coming into town and for the first time ever, the two of us will get some one-on-one girl time in the car when I go pick her up. No doubt, a cherished time.

2. I shot my first three weddings in the past two weeks, one of which was my grandmother's. The third was the night of Memphis's big storm. We lost power all night at the ceremony and reception, and it never returned.

3. I received a letter from the TN Dept. of Safety this week warning me about my number of "points" on my driving record. Apparently, I can't get too many more.

4. I'm now working part-time for my salary job, and working full time as a photographer. My last day at my salary job will be October 30.

5. My sister-in-law will find out tomorrow whether or not she's having a boy or girl. One of my best friends, Katie, found out today the sex of her baby- but she's being stubborn and won't tell me until tomorrow. It's KILLING ME!

6. I've fallen in love lately with taking naps. 2-3 hour naps. I try to take them at least 2-3 times a week.

7. Sydney and I are throwing Zach a birthday party this weekend at my parent's house. It's a swimming party/cookout... SO excited.

8. I've developed a crush on zuchinni... grilled zuchinni, brushed with olive oil, salt and pepper, to be exact. SO GOOD this summer!

9. I hate Memphis's humidity in the summer, but I'm LOVING the thunderstorms and cool breeze that follows.

Overall, there's not too much to report right now. A LOT of big changes in our life, trying to figure out what the future looks like professionally, personally, and spiritually. I'm really focusing on simplifying and worshipping. I've really been convicted lately about my "busy body personality."

I'm sure I'll have pictures to post from this weekend.

Fayette County's Farmers Market

2009-05-19T10:19:00.003-05:00

Last week, I received the following announcement in an email.

Ribbon Cutting/Grand Opening
Fayette County Farmers Market

Wednesday, May 13, 2009
1:00 PM

Located in the Parking Lot at Dan Buckley Gym
Hwy 76, Somerville

Please join us as we celebrate the Grand Opening of the NEW Fayette County Farmers Market. Made possible by a USDA Grant, this will provide a permanent place for local producers to sell fresh fruits and vegetables in Fayette County, benefitting farmers, consumers and our community.

Hours of operation for the Farmers Market will be Tuesdays, Fridays and Saturday from 7:00 AM - 1:00 PM. For applications and policy/guidelines, farmers may go to the Extension office located at 302 Midland St. or call 465-5233.

I love all things fresh and locally grown, so I was instantly excited. I even twittered about it. I called my friend, Jennifer, who also lives in Oakland and made plans to get up early Saturday morning to drive into Somerville for the Fayette County's Farmers Market. She was as equally excited as I was. Before we left, Zach warned me not to get my hopes too high. He said "I know you're expecting lush flowers and tons of fresh food... but I would hate for you to wake up early and drive all that way, only to be disappointed."

I told him I would give whatever they were selling a chance... even if it was just one man selling fruits from his truck. Turns out- I lied. I did not give it a chance. I was too busy laughing hysterically at what we found when we arrived at the market. When I say I was laughing, I mean, I had to pull over the car because there were tears streaming down my face and I couldn't see straight. Of course, Jennifer had her camera and took these pictures for proof.

"The Fayette County's Farmer's Market...."

I'm hoping the market is still new and will continue to grow over the next few months. However, I think it is safe to say, I'll be waiting a while before going back and probably won't be waking up so early to get there.

My Family

2009-05-19T09:02:00.003-05:00

I have this dream that one day my husband is going to love photography as much as me, and he's going to become addicted and start studying it as much as I do. In my dream, we ultimately both quit our jobs and run our own business.

There are a couple of problems with my dream, however.

1. While Zach appreciates a good photograph, he gets very bored with things like ISO, Shutter Speed, and Aperture. He also is overwhelmed at the editing process and the all the things photoshop can do.

2. I'm pretty sure if aforementioned dream DID happen, we would probably drive each other nuts. We do pretty well to have our own time with our individuals passions. It makes us better for each other.

All that to say- he is one of the most creative people I know and is always up for learning new and random things.

Last night was the first night in weeks that I didn't have work or some sort of plans. It also happened to be one of the most gorgeous nights of the year, with beautiful light. So Zach and I decided to grab our cameras and our dogs and go for a walk. My goal was to get a picture or two of each of us with our dogs (something that is not easily done). Bear never did cooperate with me, so as always- I ended up with a few sweet pictures of me and my baby... When I got home and looked at the pictures- I was OVERWHELMED by my husband's skills. Maybe there is hope for my dream after all?

Zach is always able to get the dogs to cooperate. I don't know how he does it.

Zach snagged this picture during our walk. I was so impressed with it (the light, the exposure), I've actually updated my website with it.

Thanks for such a great night, sweetie!

Happy Mother's Day!

2009-05-10T20:19:00.004-05:00

Happy Mother's Day to you all!! Here's a few pictures from today with my mom on Mother's Day and her birthday! I love you, Mom!

Mom, with her new birthday/Mother's Day present.

Weekend With Sydney

2009-04-27T08:23:00.004-05:00

There are really no words to describe the awesomeness of this past weekend. My husband summed it up best when he described it as "the best weekend of his life."

We laughed, we played,... we enjoyed every second of it.

A few things we did included cookie-making, swimming, wii-playing, a slumber party, movies, reading, ice cream, and cooking out. This weekend will be, by far, one of the most memorable of my life.

Yes, Syd LOVED her new room. I think she really feels like she has a place here in Memphis.

I decided not to pull out my big camera this weekend so I could enjoy every minute, but here are a few photos we took with the point and shoot this weekend. We also have a couple of videos, but I'm still in the process of trying to figure out how to load those, so hopefully I'll post those later.

I took Caleb's pictures this weekend at Faith and Jason's home. While we were there- Faith grabbed this picture of the three of us. Thanks, Faith!

Tagged

2009-04-23T07:41:00.002-05:00

Well, Renee tagged me, so here goes...

8 Things I look forward to:

1. Sydney's visit to Memphis this weekend
2. The day I can quit my 7:00-5:00 job and be a full-time photographer.
3. Having someone calling me "mommy" every day (and no, Zach... you won't suffice).
4. My first cup of coffee- every morning
5. Sinking into bed every night curled up against my husband
6. Seeing me by brother, sis-in-law, and nephews this weekend
7. My grandma's wedding
8. lunch :)

8 Things I did yesterday:

1. marketing stuff at my M-F job
2. a photo shoot at Collierville Town Square
3. Small group at Kyle and Elyssa's- and got WAY too emotional while saying our goodbyes to J.R.
4. gave the dogs a bath after Bryant got sick (again) in his crate.
5. went to the doctor for a routine check up
6. Edited pictures from Grace's photo shoot
7. helped Pat find a way to break into our house (over the phone) after we forgot to leave a key for her. Thank goodness for removable screen windows!
8. Had Church's fried chicken for lunch! Mmmm...

8 things I wish I could do:

1. Quit my day job
2. Get pregnant
3. travel anywhere I wanted, whenever I wanted
4. Be around Sydney on a daily basis
5. keep a cleaner, more organized home
6. have more free time
7. live in the same city with ALL my nieces and nephews
8. cook every night.

8 shows I watch:

**This part is going to be EXTREMELY embarrassing... but I can't help it. I have a need for mindless, pointless television after long, exhausting days.
1. American Idol
2. One Tree Hill
3. 90210 (the new one)
4. New Adventures of Old Christine
5. Grey's Anatomy
6. Private Practice
7. Desperate Housewives
8. Brothers and Sisters

Now I tag 8 bloggers:

1. Mom
2. Mandy Upchurch
3. Jennifer Lajeunesse
4. Jennifer Shackelford
5. Tami and Dan
6. Katie Cordell
7. Melissa
8. Anne Camille

I've Caved

2009-04-19T18:10:00.001-05:00

http://twitter.com/LizWiggs

Before/ After

2009-04-13T14:53:00.003-05:00

Ok, so Zach was right and I was wrong....

Sydney's room turned out GREAT!!!

Here's the before:
Here's the "in between":
And here's the After:

For some reason, the green in these pictures is turning out to be a yellow-ish color, but in reality, it is much more of a "green apple" color and it looks FANTASTIC with everything. The paint color was "plantain" from Color Match, a Wal-Mart paint brand.

The curtains, shag rug (which I just realized isn't showing up in the pictures), wall decals, side table and desk are all from Target. The bedspread and sheets came from Wal-Mart. The headboard is the same one from the previous room- we just painted it white.

The pictures above the wall are mounted on foam board. I drilled holes in them and tied ribbon through them and hung them on wall pegs that I also bought from Target. The pictures are alternated between 18x12 and 8x12s. I really can't take credit for this idea AT ALL. I pretty much stole the idea 100 percent from Life in Motion Photography.

Record-Breaking Snowfall & Jess's Bachelorette Party: Better Late Than Never

2009-04-10T08:01:00.006-05:00

It's been exactly one month and 13 days since Jessica's bachelorette party, but I've put off blogging about it, because it is a post that DEFINITELY needs pictures, and I didn't have my camera with me. BUT, Martha Jo just released her pictures today, so I'm stealing them.

Jessica lives in Knoxville, but REALLY wanted to have her bachelorette party in Memphis, where she grew up. Months in advance, I kicked it into gear and tried to get the details ready for February 28th. Our plans were to meet at Crystal's house for a lingerie shower and games, then head downtown to Rio Loco, a great Mexican restaurant in Downtown Memphis for dinner and margaritas, and then we were going to do a little dancing downtown. Almost a dozen girls were expected in from out of town for Jess's party.

About 5 days prior to the party, the forecast said snow was a possibility for that night. If you're from Memphis, you know that whenever snow is a possibility, it almost NEVER happens. Not to mention, even if it did happen, there was nothing we could do about it. Jess was getting her party! Our plan was to meet at Crystal's at 6:00. At about 5:00, the snow started coming down pretty hard. The snow moved through Memphis that night, dumping about 4 inches on the ground. BUT, in a weird, freakish way, the snow system made a big circle, and came through Memphis AGAIN... dumping another 4-8 inches on the ground.

We perservered and made sure Jess had an amazing night, but there were NO shortage of stories from that night (girls sliding all over the street in their heels, cars spinning out, the people we ran into downtown, etc.). Downtown Memphis felt like a weird snow day in college. There were very few people around, everyone looked rough after getting caught in the snow, but no one seemed to care. Note to self, if the forecast even remotely calls for snow or ice, do NOT wear peep toe heels.

That night, at about 1:30 in morning, I decided to make the trek from Downtown Memphis back to my house in Oakland. I had photo shoots scheduled for that next day and all my contact information and camera equipment were at the house. I finally got home at 4:30 AM, 3 hours later, after driving 10 miles an hour the entire way, spinning out at least a dozen times, and at one point getting stuck on the road and having to flag down a nice man in Oakland to help pull my car out of the ditch. On the way home, I saw at LEAST 30 cars abandoned in the snow and ice.

Of course, I didn't have much time to sit back and enjoy the snow or take any pictures, but according to the news, Oakland received about 11 inches of snow, the most in 40 years!

Overall, I don't think anyone will forget Jessica's bachelorette party. I'm SO glad Martha Jo finally released these pictures.

What in the Shrek is Going On??

2009-04-06T11:11:00.002-05:00

We've been planning for Sydney's first visit for a LONG time. Most of you who know us, know that Sydney's regular visits to Memphis will begin in a couple of weeks. From this point on, she'll be spending weekends with us every few weeks, and will be with us on or around certain holidays and will have a week of vacation with us every year. This is something we've been praying for forever now.

Ever since all these developments came about, I jumped into action, trying to turn our guest bedroom into Sydney's PERFECT room. My top priority right now is making sure Sydney feels at home in our house and has a place she can call her own.

BUT- I'm REALLY starting to second guess my paint choices about now.

This was the guest bedroom about two weeks ago.

We asked Syd to pick our her bedspread and told her we'd surprise her with the rest. This is the bedspread she selected. When I started shopping for her room and all the accessories, EVERYTHING was pink, so I did NOT want to paint a pink room. But, I also didn't want to paint it white, so I decided to paint the room a NEW shade a green. I matched it to the green in the bedspread, thinking it would look fantastic.

This was the picture I took last night, with only one coat of paint on the walls. It looks like Nickelodeon slime green or, in my words, like Shrek exploded onto the walls. Zach keeps telling me it will look great once we're finished painting and everything is in the room and in place.

So... stay tuned.

2009-04-03T16:04:00.002-05:00

I SWEAR this will be my last Snuggie post... BUT, my friend Angie sent this to me this week and I couldn't help posting it.

April Fools

2009-04-01T07:45:00.001-05:00

IF ONLY IT WERE TRUE

Thanks, Dan for sharing. Whenever I get over this state of nausea and depression I'm experiencing, I may share my thoughts on this whole thing.

My Punks

2009-03-25T07:54:00.002-05:00

This is Punk A:

And Punk B:

Most people who know us will tell you how much we love our dogs. Zach is much more of the disciplinarian, laying down the law. The dogs are fully aware that their Dad means business. I'm much more of the nurturer. I'm always looking for an excuse to sneak the dogs into bed with me or just spoon with them. There's something about their big heavy weight that just melts my heart. It's actually pretty shameful how much I love them. But sometimes (just sometimes) I think to myself "what were we thinking?"

Exhibit A: Our patio furniture. This was the second chair that took a hit from our beasts. The first one has already found a home with the city waste department. You can still actually sit in this one, so we've been holding onto it until we get the money to replace it.

Exhibit B: Our screen window. Our dogs can definitely be defined as "needy." They are loved on and cared for and they LOVE being around us. BUT, this is what happens if you leave them in the backyard while you're cooking dinner. This was Bear's attempt a few months ago to make his way back into the house. Spoiled much?

Exhibit C: The holes in the backyard. And when I say holes, I mean HOLES. There are about 5 or 6 of these babies throughout our backyard. One hole is SO deep that I am convinced someone is going to fall in it and sue us soon. These holes are on our to do list for this week to get fixed. OH, and that drain you see used to have a cover on it that has gone MIA somewhere in our backyard (or our beasts' stomachs).

Exhibit D: Last, but certainly not least: Our shower door. This was our most recent incident (and the motivation for this blog post). Apparently Bear was very excited as his dad was getting out of the shower yesterday... so excited, in fact, that he took the door off its hinges!

It is very important for me to stress again that I LOVE my dogs so much and I really do think they're worth it. Does anyone have any ideas on how to calm these beasts down?? Shock collars? Obedience school? We'll try anything!

Happy Anniversary!

2009-03-24T09:19:00.002-05:00

Two Years and Counting...

It has been an amazing ride, Wiggs. Every day, I am in awe of how far we've come and where we're headed. I thank God every day for allowing me this journey with you. I couldn't be more proud of you for everything you are.

I love you! See you tonight. ;)

Weekend With Sydney: Part 2 (Lots of Pictures and Even a Face-Making Contest)

2009-03-23T15:12:00.006-05:00

Saturday morning, we woke up to get Sydney to her early morning soccer game, where she scored the ONLY two goals for her team. She made the winning goal within seconds before the game ended. She was SO proud of herself, as were we!

We went back to the hotel, where we swam in the indoor pool and goofed off- A LOT. It was kind of cold, so we stayed inside most of the day, making up games. For example, one game was to see who could make the silliest face. We all thought we made the silliest, so we decided we'd post them on my blog and have a contest. Who's face is the silliest?

Here's a lot more pictures from our weekend together. I've also got some up on my photography blog.

Zach and I are getting new pictures for our house, and we wanted some updated pictures of the three of us. This was our HORRIBLE attempt at using the self timer. FAB FOUR GIRLS, do I have any takers for a trip to Memphis OR Cape Girardeau the next time we're with Syd for a day????

Weekend With Sydney

2009-03-21T09:03:00.001-05:00

We're here in Missouri for a weekend visit with Sydney. This is my favorite part of our visits. I got up before Syd and Zach this morning to go ahead and use the shower. When I came back into the room, this is what I found. I LOVE it.

I'll have many more pictures from the weekend. For now, we're out the door for Sydney's soccer game!

Memphis

2009-03-19T16:02:00.003-05:00

Things I'm loving right now:

-Memphis during March Madness. The signs are up and the brackets have been filled out. There's more spirit around this town than during the holidays.
-Memphis's win today.
-At Chick-Fil-A today, everyone was wearing Memphis apparel and serving blue lemonade and ice cream.
-'Lil Rounds on American Idol- making Memphis proud.

Things I'm hating right now:

-Memphis's scary first-round performance.
-The fact that the Chick-Fil-A employee said "yes, maam" to me about 10 times.
-Alexis Grace being sent home on Idol last night. That's one Memphis girl down, and hopefully one to make it to the end...

*Overall, the temperatures are warmer, I've been driving with my windows down, March Madness is underway, my anniversary is 5 days away, and I'm gearing up to spend an entire weekend with my beautiful stepdaughter. It's a good day!

Happy Birthday, Dad!

2009-03-03T08:31:00.002-06:00

Dan and Tami sent this video this morning to our Dad, of Zeke wishing him a happy birthday. I couldn't have said it better.

Happy Birthday, Dad! We LOVE you!

Asher Kerrigan

2009-02-27T07:48:00.002-06:00

Our church community has a new addition!

Every Wednesday night, Zach and I meet with our church small group. I love that Living Hope is a church made up of small groups. In fact, a few nights ago, Zach and I were discussing how blessed we feel that God has given us this special group of 14-15 people. I don't know where we would be or how our marriage would be surviving without each and every one of these people. This group provides so much accountability, support, wisdom, and encouragement. We learn together, teach each other, and grow together.

That level of support played out this past Wednesday night. Early Wednesday morning, we all received word that Elyssa's water had broken. We immediately started sending out emails and making phone calls, quickly changing our routine Wednesday night plans- so that we could meet as a group in the Kerrigan's hospital room. When we arrived that night, Elyssa's contractions had just started and you could tell the anticipation was building. It was like most other small group nights- with everyone laughing and goofing off. The only difference was that every few minutes, we would stop so Elyssa could survive another contraction in quiet.

Within a few hours, Asher Kerrigan entered the world. Elyssa bravely gave birth with no drugs. There was not a doubt in our minds that she could do it. This morning, Elyssa and Asher are both healthy and happy. We couldn't be MORE thrilled!

I hope to have a picture of Asher up soon! In the meantime, here are a few pictures from Mandy's camera taken throughout the night.

Very Scary...

2009-02-25T07:32:00.002-06:00

I woke up to this story this morning. This plane followed the same path we took on Saturday, from Istanbul to Amsterdam.

It's devastating for the lives lost, but amazing at the same time that more people were not killed. Our hearts go out to everyone affected by this crash.

Visit msnbc.com for Breaking News, World News, and News about the Economy

Zeke Says Hello To Memphis

2009-02-22T19:46:00.003-06:00

I'm definitely much more of a photographer than a videographer. Luckily for me, though- I have a husband who is in love with his video feature on his Blackberry and happily takes up for my slack in that area.

Here's one of my favorites that he captured of sweet little Zeke during our trip. Hopefully, I'll be able to post a few more of his clips soon.

Istanbul Wrap-Up

2009-02-20T12:52:00.002-06:00

We're just a few hours away from boarding our plane and heading back home. We've had such a good time and will miss Dan, Tami, Zeke and Kaiyah SO much, but it will also be great to see our family and friends again.

You can get all our final updates on my photography blog by clicking here.

Istanbul: Day 3

2009-02-16T13:27:00.002-06:00

Today the sun came out a little bit and we were able to go around and tour some of Istanbul's most famous places.

But at the end of our active day, this was still my favorite picture. Tami took this of Zeke and me playing doctor. I was trying to fix his hurt finger. I love these kids!!

You can see a lot of today's pictures on my photography blog.

Istanbul: Day 1-2

2009-02-15T10:57:00.001-06:00

Day 1

Day 2

Randomness

2009-02-12T08:28:00.001-06:00

1. As long as I can remember, my Mom and Dad have always given me a Valentine gift of some sort. Today, they gave Zach and me our Valentine's Day surprise a little early! This picture was taken with my cell phone- so the quality isn't that great- but you can imagine how excited I was!!!!!!!!

2. Mandy finally posted her pictures from our Girl's Night this weekend. We all got together with Katie's new fire pit. We roasted hot dogs, marshmallows, and played Dance Dance Revolution (DDR as Anna refers to it) all night long. I'm constantly in awe of the support I have with these girls.

3. Zach and I are leaving tomorrow on our trip. I have a to do list staring at me right now with at least 30 things on it before I can leave. One of those things consisted of getting all my pictures edited from the weekend. I've finally posted those on my photography blog. You can check them out here.

4. My new addiction: Sugar-Free Vanilla Latte with Fat Free Milk from McDonald's AND Lipton's DIET Green Tea, Citrus Flavor (cold in the bottles). I'm in NO WAY a health nut. Seriously- in NO way. I love all things sugary, buttery, salty, and filled with fat. I sometimes think I could survive on nothing but meat, potatoes, and cheese. HOWEVER- I try to find some good healthy alternatives when I can. My health nut of a brother suggested the sugar-free, fat-free vanilla latte from McDonald's. I almost gagged at the thought- but surprisingly it is SOOO good. I have had to stop myself from getting one every single morning. In Tennessee, the small one is $2.50. Not Bad.

5. I'll have internet access from Turkey- so I'll be posting regularly, I'm sure.

2009-02-11T15:40:00.003-06:00

In exactly 48 hours from now, Zach and I will be on an airplane, headed to see my brother, sister-in-law, niece and nephew.

I'm SO excited.

We'll be meeting up with them in Istanbul for the week. There is SO much we're dying to do and see. But most of all, we can't wait to see these faces!

In the meantime- here's a little special put together by The Today Show about Istanbul.

Zach's Day with Syd

2009-02-09T09:47:00.003-06:00

On Friday, I woke up with the crud that's been going around. On Saturday, it got even worse. We were supposed to go visit Syd that day, and Zach thought it would be a good idea for me to stay home. I took him up on his offer and stayed in bed until almost noon. I spent the rest of the day doing absolutely nothing, besides sleeping here and there. I'm trying to get myself better before my big trip this weekend (which I'll be blogging about later).

Also- I think it's good for Zach and Syd to be able to spend some time alone, anyway.

Zach took a few pictures of Syd during their day together. These are SOOO her! She's such a goofball- I LOVE IT!

2009-02-02T10:23:00.004-06:00

It feels like these past few weeks, I've needed a weekend to recover from my weekends. This weekend, I had 5 photo shoots (2 of which were out of town), a party in Nashville for one of my best friends, and a superbowl party with friends.

Because I was completely wiped out and exhausted by photo shoots, I did NOT do a good job of taking pictures this weekend. I did, however, steal a few off of Martha Jo's facebook page of Jessica and Josh's fiesta in Nashville. Jess and Josh are getting married in March, and in their honor, a few of Jess's college friends threw them a couple's fiesta. They're such a cute couple!! I'm literally counting down the days until their wedding!

2009-01-27T08:52:00.003-06:00

I LOVE to sing, but I am absolutely HORRIBLE at it. Insanely horrible. So bad, in fact, that when it comes to worshiping and lifting our voices to God, I often wonder if God means "everyone but you, Elizabeth." I'm kidding, of course, but I am THAT bad. My inability to sing or do anything that requires vocals or tone has always been a subject for entertainment for my family. I remember my brother Fred, standing in the kitchen with me once, saying "Ok- Elizabeth- you can do it... just sing after me." We stood there for about half an hour, as he tried to get me to follow the notes, but for some reason, I was physically unable to do it.

I've always said that coming from a large family keeps me grounded. My brother, Dan, recently filled out one of those "25 things about me" on Facebook. This was his number 11.

11. On American Idol last week, there was a really really awkward moment with this girl who was voted funniest person in her high school, and Kara, the new judge, thought she was trying to make a joke out of the audition. When I think of it now, it still almost makes me sick to my stomach on her behalf. I think mostly because she kind of reminded me of my sister, Elizabeth.

I haven't been following Idol much, yet, so I had no clue what he was talking about. I look it up and found this.

Lovely...

This also makes me think of another time. My family and I all went to see a movie years ago. When one of the scenes started, I quickly noticed EVERY member of my family snickering, trying to hold their laughter in. The more the scene went on- the harder they laughed, glancing over at me with an "I'm sorry, but can you honestly say this doesn't sound like you?" kind of glance. I'm sure you all remember the scene.

We're Back...

2009-01-25T17:16:00.003-06:00

We're back from California! I've posted all the details on my photography blog. You can also check out Anne-Camille's blog and Jamie's blog for more pictures as well. It was an extremely quick- but motivational trip. I'm SO excited for 2009!

But right now, I'm just happy to be home, in my sweat pants and curled up with my husband. It's nice to be home!

More to Come...

2009-01-24T12:13:00.002-06:00

4 hours and counting...

2009-01-23T08:51:00.005-06:00

Until our plane takes off for Costa Mesa, CA!

I'll be spending the weekend with these crazy girls as we get some one-on-one advice from the talented Drew Bittel.

Jamie and Anne-Camille are on their way to Memphis right now! I'm SO excited!!

You can read more about our trip here.

JAREN, WE'LL MISS YOU!!!!!

5 Years

2009-01-19T10:35:00.002-06:00

I cannot believe it has been five years since our first date. I have a lot of completely gross and PDA-ish things to stay, but I guess I'll refrain right now out of respect for my blogging friends.

Just know that I love you so much and am happier now than I ever could have imagined 5 years ago!

(2004)

(2009)

The Scandal

2009-01-17T10:07:00.003-06:00

It started as a surprise party, my Grandma was throwing for her new beau, Ray. Ray came, acted surprised, ate and opened gifts.

As soon as he finished opening his gifts, he turned the tables on the 30-40 people who had come.. He pulled out one of the most eloquently written poems I'd ever heard, got down on one knee, and read it for my beautiful grandmother. She smiled in a way I've never seen her smile before; Nervous and glowing, all at the same time.

As soon as was finished, he folded the poem, put it back in his pocket and asked her to be his wife. She said yes, as they kissed and hugged.

Then he placed the ring on her finger.

Nothing could ruin my day today. I cannot think of two other people who deserve this more than these two. I'm SO glad God blessed you with each other!

Oh, and Ray, for future reference- the engagement ring is the one with the large diamond on it. The band is for the wedding day. Ha! I love you both!!

Sydney

2009-01-12T07:24:00.004-06:00

Zach and I got to spend another day with Sydney in Cape Girardeau this past weekend. She is getting SOOOO big. It was a fairly quick visit. We had about 6 hours to eat, go shopping, go bowling, and just hang out.

One of Syd's favorite things is having Zach read to her. We always try to stop by a bookstore at least once during our visits with her.

Zach destroyed me and Syd in bowling. I tried to even use the bumpers to my advantage and it wasn't working. That's ok- we took our revenge during the Lunchtime Trivia at Buffalo Wild Wings. Zach asked Syd why she chose to be on my team, and she said "because I want to win." Smart girl... :)

Sydney L.O.V.E.S taking pictures. In fact, I almost always have a hard time getting her picture because she is wanting to be the one taking them. This time, I brought my extra camera up so we could go take pictures together. It was FREEZING outside, so we made a quick stop by the park for a few pictures.

This is one of my favorites... a few visits ago- we let Syd pick out $5 worth of stuff at Claire's in the mall. For some reason- she HAD to have these glasses. She calls them her "inside glasses." Her mom says she wears them everywhere.

Syd in action- I LOVE it!

More From Our Photo Shoot With Jaren

2009-01-10T20:57:00.004-06:00

So, Jaren has been INSANELY hard at work- working on our pictures from our photo shoot with her in Jonesboro. Have I mentioned how amazing she is??

We received our "part 1" CD in the mail today. Here are a few of my favorites. Thank you so much again, Jaren. You helped us capture a very special and treasured time in our marriage.

Seriously??

2009-01-09T10:37:00.001-06:00

The Snuggie People sent me an email! Is it possible they saw my blog post?

Guntersville

2009-01-05T09:51:00.004-06:00

Zach and I are back in town after a weekend in Guntersville, AL- visiting Zach's parents. I only took my camera out a couple of times- mainly to get pictures of Emeron and Kaya. I swear- I've got the coolest nieces and nephews on both sides of my family.

On Saturday night, Zach and I went down to the lake- just us and the dogs. It was so nice being able to hang out with him and talk. Guntersville is SO gorgeous.

Our Photo Shoot with Jaren

2009-01-02T16:59:00.003-06:00

So, my amazing photographer friend, Jaren, agreed to take pictures for me and Zach. I think it's so important for couples to capture every aspect of their life. I specifically wanted some professional pictures at this stage in our life, as I our life is just beginning, before we start having children together. It's absolutely NO surprise that Jaren rocked the socks off this photo shoot. I love learning from my network of amazing photographers.

She's still working on the pictures- but she's put up just enough up on her blog to tease me! You can see more of the pictures here.

Randomness

2008-12-31T11:42:00.003-06:00

I guess things are slowing down for me a bit after the holidays- I've seen yet another movie that I LOVED.

I rented this one last night- and it was so good! I will warn you- there is not a single man in the movie. Not even in the background- it is 100% women! I watched it with Zach, who was a good sport about it, but I kind of wished I had seen it with one of my girlfriends. Seriously, ladies- go rent it!
Next, anyone who knows me well knows there are few things I love as much as being cuddled up under a blanket. In fact, I have often wished that it would not be socially awkward to keep blankets in your offices and work places. If I had it my way- I would be under a blanket all day long. It doesn't matter what time of year it is- I LOVE them.

So- when I saw this infomercial, I got SO excited. When it came on, I grabbed the remote and turned up the volume.. and I must have had a look of excitement in my eyes- because Zach just looked at me and simply said, "No, Liz... No."

Marley and Me

2008-12-28T20:07:00.000-06:00

I think it was good that Zach and I went to see Bolt last weekend- it geared us up for this movie...

If you have a dog, have ever had a dog, want a dog, or have ever loved a dog- you MUST see this movie.

You Can Take the Girls Out of 7th Grade...

2008-12-28T19:30:00.003-06:00

... But you can't take the 7th grade out of the girls!

A few months ago, I posted a blog post on my relationship with these two girls. At least once a year, Laurie comes in town from Seattle and we all try to get together to catch up and talk. It's always so interesting to see how far we've come and where life has brought us individually. It's pretty cool how we all know that no matter how different we may become or how far we may end up- the three of us will always share something so uniquely special. I believe these are the kind of friendships that don't come along often enough; the kind that defy location or circumstance. This year, Laurie couldn't make it to Memphis, so Joanna and I took a short roadtrip down to Grenada, MS.

It was INSANELY windy all day long and Jo and I had to weather through tornado watches and thunderstorms on our way home- but it was worth every second. Of course, it didn't take much to get in touch with our inner 13-year-old selves... as can be seen from the pictures below.

These pictures crack me up! We found the most hideous, painted wall in Grenada and set the tripod up in front of it. We REALLY wanted a jumping picture. I don't know if you've ever tried to jump to a 10-second timer- but it is apparently NOT easy. Here are 3 of our 10-million attempts.

"I think we jumped a little too early that time, guys"
"Oh, Liz- you had it, but we were too slow. Let's do it one more time"

"Ok, that's just going to have to work."A few more pictures of our dorkiness..

Shackelford Family Christmas

2008-12-26T10:40:00.003-06:00

Some pictures from the Shackelford Family Christmas...

I LOVE this picture of Tori and Lee- opening their Christmas present from Tami and Dan. A date on the Memphis Riverboat!

A Better World

2008-12-23T10:29:00.002-06:00

So, my friend, JR, posted this on his blog earlier and it was news to me- so I thought I would pass it along to my network of people.

If you're consistently spending time on Amazon, or buying books online (like me), check out this website.

A Better World provides you with most of the books you'll find on Amazon- but will also send a portion of your money to address literacy problems around the world.

The following part is from their website...

"Better World Books collects and sells books online to fund literacy initiatives worldwide. With more than two million new and used titles in stock, we’re a self-sustaining, triple-bottom-line company that creates social, economic and environmental value for all our stakeholders. "

My new favorite movie

2008-12-22T07:49:00.002-06:00

Sydney really, really, really, really wanted to go see the Movie "Bolt" this weekend. I'm not much of a cartoon movie kind of person. I generally tend to lean more towards the Hannah Montana and High School Musical scene (I'm not kidding), so I, of course, did not have my hopes up high.

But, this movie was SOOOOO good I haven't been able to stop talking about it. If you have a dog, want a dog, or have ever loved a dog- you need to see this movie.

Oh, and if you do see this movie and then you start to think you're completely lame because you actually tear up at the movie- don't worry- you're not alone.

Christmas in Cape: Part 2

2008-12-21T22:34:00.004-06:00

Some pictures from our weekend trip...

Ok, so I know that Syd will probably KILL me in a few years for this picture, but I couldn't resist. When Zach put her to bed on Friday night, she asked if she could wake up with a present next to her. We laid this Hannah Montana outfit next to her early that morning. This was her as she woke up to her new gift from Tori! One thing we learned this weekend- Syd is most definitely NOT a morning person.

Our big gift to Syd this year was a guitar. Syd rocked out for us all weekend.

Zach took this picture this afternoon with his new Blackberry Storm. I was actually really impressed with the quality of the picture. I loved the light coming through the window.

Syd's Design Her Girls

2008-12-20T09:36:00.003-06:00

So, Syd and I stayed up late last night, plaing around on the design her girls website, designing people on the computer. Sydney wanted me to blog about her images, so here they are!

This is Sydney with her Dad. Syd thought it would be funny to put a blonde beard on her dad!

This is Liz and Dad. Syd picked out our outfits. She said we were going out, and that Daddy wanted to dress up and Liz wanted to stay casual.

Sounds about right. This is Syd's teacher, Mrs. Seavers. Zach and I have never met Mrs. Seavers, but Syd says this looks exactly like her.

Christmas in Cape

2008-12-18T16:02:00.003-06:00

I have officially started counting down. Ok, well technically, I started counting down two months ago when we set the date for our Christmas with Syd. But right now, we are 27 hours and 53 minutes from the beginning of our Christmas Slumber Party Weekend with Sydney!

Zach and I are leaving immediately after work tomorrow night and will spend Friday-Sunday in a hotel in Cape Girardeau (with Sydney) to celebrate Christmas. This trip is MONUMENTAL in so many ways.

This is the first time Syd will be sleeping over with Zach since she was a baby. This trip is one of two weekend trips that we will be taking before Syd starts spending periodic weekends with us here in Memphis!!! This is something that Zach and I have been praying for, and praying for, and praying for, and praying for FOR YEARS now! Her first weekend visit to Memphis will be in April.

It's been a long journey to get to this point, with plenty of ups and downs- but Zach and I know now, more than ever, that God answers prayers.

Ready or not, Syd... it's going to be a FANTASTIC weekend!!
A lot of people have been asking about the weather in Cape, ever since the miniature ice storm earlier this week. I've attached the forecast for all the mothers and grandmothers out there who have expressed concerns. It looks like we don't have much to worry about.

The Love Dare

2008-12-10T12:31:00.003-06:00

Zach and I went with a group of friends to see "Fireproof" on Saturday. My thoughts on the movie:

It was a little cheezy and the acting was pretty bad. I also thought it was a tad one-sided, indicating that it is mostly the husband's responsibility to change the tone of a marriage. However, that may have just been because of this specific plot.

BUT- once you get past that, the wisdom that is offered to married couples is much-needed in today's society. It serves as a reminder that marriages are often idealized into someting that was never intended by God. It's a reminder that marriages can't be successful without patience and selflessness... two things I need to work on badly.

All that to say, Zach and I have decided to embark on this 40-day journey... The Love Dare.

Here's is what is on the back of the book...

"Unconditional love is eagerly promised at weddings, but rarely practiced in real life. As a result, romantic hopes are often replaced with disappointment in the home. But it doesn't have to stay that way.

The Love Dare is a 40-day challenge for husbands and wives to understand and practice unconditional love. Whether your marriage is hanging on by a thread or healthy and strong, The Love Dare is a journey you need to take. It's time to learn the keys to finding true intimacy and developing a dynamic marriage. Take the dare!"

Well, Zach and I are FAR from "hanging on by a thread," but we are also far from perfect. So, today- we're on Day 1. Our challenge today is avoiding saying anything negative to your spouse. So far, so good. :)

I'm eager to see what the next 39 days bring!

2008-12-03T07:41:00.003-06:00

This is my my first Holiday Season as a photographer- and I'm definitely feeling what all my photographer friends have been talking about! I am swamped with tons of last-minute sessions, editing, Christmas Card Designing, CDs-- Aghh!! It's a little overwhelming, but I actually am LOVING it!

I'm doing my best to keep up and PROMISE that all of my clients will have their stuff on time, but unfortunately- my blogging is taking a little hit.

I just had to pause for a brief minute to show a little love to my hubbie who has been SO wonderful these past few days. He's been cooking all week long, cleaning the house, washing and folding clothes, grocery shopping, and even breaking to give me an occasional footrub (ok that happened after massive amounts of whining and begging on my part- but hey, I'll take what I can get).

I love you baby! I know this picture is old- so I'm thinking we should get out our Christmas decorations this weekend after Bama beats up on Florida.

All I want for Christmas is YOU! :)

Gas Prices

2008-11-26T07:50:00.002-06:00

I'm always on a hunt to save money, so I was extremely happy when I found this website. If you live in the Memphis area, this may come in handy.

http://www.memphisgasprices.com/

2008-11-24T11:14:00.003-06:00

I've mentioned this several times before. My siblings and I were much cooler than your average kids. In fact, we redefined the word "cool" as children. There's really no way to define the coolness that encompassed our home. It was a combination of the clothes, the hair, the wit, and just the plain "coolness." See here for more examples.

My sister tells me that I conveniently put "cute" pictures of myself online when posting old pictures of the family. I tend to argue with her, and I think today will prove that. I came across this picture while digging for some old files this week.

Yes, that's right. Complete coolness. This is the result of a 10-year-old makeover birthday party at a salon. And if you're asking yourself, "Is that arm hair?"

Yes, my friends... it is.

Zach and Sydney

2008-11-21T11:39:00.007-06:00

A couple of weekends, ago, Zach went to Missouri to see Sydney. I had a couple of appointments I couldn't get out of, so I wasn't able to go with him. Selfishly, I was disappointed I couldn't be there- but I think it was nice for them to have some quality daddy/daughter time.

The only requirement I had before Zach left was to take the camera and get some GOOD pictures of their day together. Not too shabby if I say so myself. You make me proud, honey. :)

I think this is my favorite picture of the day!!

Sydney wanted to go Christmas Shopping for Bear and Bryant, so here are some of the things she picked up for them.

Random Things

2008-11-19T16:31:00.004-06:00

I've been a terrible blogger lately- mainly because I've been too busy to think straight.

But, here are a few brief, random things I thought I'd share.

1. I purchased my first Christmas gift this week AND I bought my first half gallon of egg nog last night- so I guess that means I'm officially in the Christmas spirit.
2. I stopped by this random hole-in-the-wall convenience store today, to find the most wonderful, Memphis-spirited store I've ever been to. It's called Gary's market (near the intersection of Holmes and Getwell). They sell authentic, freshly made soul food (jumbo turkey legs, roasted chicken, fresh cabbage... the list goes on...) AND have a marketplace- similar to that of Charlie's Meat Market. They sell fresh vegetables and produce, along with all kinds of meat. While I was walking around, the store manager (Marvin) came over and introduced himself saying "I have never seen you in here before. Please, make yourself at home." SO NICE. Oh yeah- and I filled my car up at Gary's for $1.75 a gallon.
3. I'm having a coffee date with my husband in about an hour before heading to small group tonight. VERY EXCITED about that!
4. I had a nice, long talk with my sister this week about life and love- a HUGE highlight of my week. I'm so happy God decided to give me her 24 years ago!
5. I threw away an old bowl of chili in my office garbage can, and now all I can smell is some sort of sour, moldy concoction (I know that's disgusting and completely inappropriate, but it's sort of all I can think about right now).
6. We went Downtown to Rio Loco on Friday night to celebrate Katie's birthday. Here are a few pictures from the night.