Willow

I can not say enough about this wonderful photographer that I am so lucky to call friend. I met her less than a year ago. She took the most beautiful pic of Stella Marie I have ever seen.

 I had gotten her name from a friend who had the best newborn pics in the world. I was having our fourth and last baby Ronald Capshaw. I wanted to capture every bit of the magic that happens with a newborn.  Willow came to our house and took just beautiful pics that will forever remind me of those first couple of weeks that Ronald joined our family and made us complete!

Needless to say at the first meeting she felt like a part of the fam. The kids adore her and I just think she is cool. I used to be cool once. Willow reminds me of those days. She loves hip clothes, has a great hair cut that she is always playing with and has a creative job that she loves.

She inspired me to do the blog, she inspires me to be creative and has helped me so much with taking pics. She is a giver. She has no problem helping me with learning about photography which is rare.  Most people that are so talented are not so giving and free with their gift.

I am so lucky to have met her. She not only takes the best pics she is unbelievably kind. She came by today spent three hours helping me understand photo shop and went over my camera settings.

I can not say enough about how thankful I am.
Love you Willow

Here is the link to the newest pics she has taken of Ronald & Stella Marie www.willowsphotography.com/ronniewiggins1/index.html.

Evy's Tree and other things

I got one of the most wonderful items in the mail today!

I found these adorable hoodies on my friend Jenni's blog Dearlillie.com. Her cutie had this exact hoodie on in a blog post and I had to have it for Stella Marie.

The fun part is she also makes my size too and that is not always the case as a plus size mama!

Well they came today! So nicely packaged with a wonderful smell coming from the box! I took Stella Marie right outside and took some pics! She loves it and mine! She gets a kick out of us matching!

I really can not say enough about this hoodie it is just too cute. You can find it at www.evystree.etsy.com.

The designer also has a wonderful blog too. I read her post today and it just struck me right at my core! I grew up with an over achiever mom and our house was always spotless. Well I just can not do it! My house is a mess and very very cluttered. I just can not even get a handle on  the kids art that I want to save. I have good intentions but it just starts to pile every where and I mean EVERY WHERE.

Oh well there is two good reasons to check out her store and blog. She posted on her blog that she will be doing spring cleaning and posting one of a kind hoodies on her blog. So catch one if you can . They are lovely!!!!!

The other news is Stella Marie and I picked up some flowers the other day at the craft store and the clippies etc. to make flower clips. I actually made a couple last night!  It was so much fun doing something creative. Here is a pic of the one I made last night. Stella Marie was so excited. She kept saying thank you mommy. I love it!

The cute dress is from www.pishposhgirls.etsy.com and the ruffle pants are Matilda Jane!

TUTUS

                                                      
Can you ever have enough TUTUS? The tutu dress above comes from http://www.littleboogaloo.etsy.com/ . They are just so awesome! Great for special pictures or just to wear with a pair of jeans. 

Miss Stella Marie loves tutus. She really wants to be a ballerina these days so tutus are a must in our house. She likes to pick them out and tell me which color she will be wearing either for the day or to her class.  Etsy is a great place to find special tutus for every little girl's taste. Dearlillie.com even makes tutus for adults by custom request.

I thought I would share a few we have discovered along the way:

                                             http://www.kirrasboutique.etsy.com/

                                             http://www.dearlillie.com/

                                            http://www.sochicbabyboutique.etsy.com/

                                        http://www.littleboogaloo.etsy.com/

Amazing Gracie

I LOVE Amazing Gracie http://www.amazinggracieinc.etsy.com/ and the woman behind the designs Christa has become a treasured friend.

She is a mother to three gorgeous kids and her youngest daughter is her model. I bet if we lived closer her daughter and Stella Marie would be giggling up a storm on a regular basis.

Her clothes are original and come from her heart and soul. She learned to sew by her Grandmother and still uses her Grandmother's sewing machine to lovingly make each piece of clothing from her home to yours.
Her clothes come beautifully packaged with tags. They are ready to give as gifts but I have had a hard time parting with any of her designs.  I just can not get enough of her wonderful designs.

She also sells her clothes on Ebay as well. She starts her bidding low although they don't stay low for long you can always check her listings on there as well. 

You will fall in love with Amazing Gracie just as we have I promise!

Ears and the Wiggins

Well tonight I am exhausted! Our fourth baby boy Ronald Capshaw is sick once again with an ear infection. It had just been a couple of days since his last one but once again he is sick!!! It seems to be the year of ear aches for the Wiggins Henry our oldest is still finishing his antibiotic for his ear infection.

I didn't sleep very good because Ronnie couldn't sleep and then today I had a scheduled dentist appointment to fix 4 old fillings. I am so old that my fillings need to be replaced! So needless to say I am tired. 

I just have so many things I want to write about but at last they will have to wait for another night!

Happy Birthday Mom!

Happy Birthday Mom! Sixty years ago today my Mom was born. They do not make moms like mine anymore. She took raising a family very seriously. She had me at 20 years of age. My sister and I were (are) her everything. Although she always had side jobs, her main job was being a stay at home mom. She made the best meals, kept the cleanest house, always had our friends over, volunteered for everything at school, always made sure our teachers had gifts, bought us anything we wanted, sewed the cutest clothes, taxied us to every sport or dance, made the best nurse ( still to this day I want my Mom when I am sick)  and constantly told us to go to college and not be like her.

The funny part is my mom wanted us to be anything other than like her. My sister and I both went to college and could of had any jobs we wanted and Mom we choose to be just like you. We valued what you gave us. We valued your hard work as a stay at home mom. I know we don't tell you that enough.  Although I feel like I fall short of your standard everyday, I strive to provide my children what you gave me and that was everything you possibly could. I am forever thankful!!! Happy Birthday MOM! I love you!

Notes: My top is from the wonderful Dearlillie. http://www.dearlillie.com/, Stella Marie's clothes from http://www.edensbouquet.com/.

Eden's Bouquet

After having my third child, Stella Marie I found myself in over my head. I didn't get out much at that point. I had a 3 year old, 18 month old and a new baby. I basically just gated us up in the basement and let them play around me while I searched on the computer. While searching one day I came across this wonderful blog Eden's Bouquet http://www.edensbouquet.com/. The designer Jennifer had only 8 children at the time but I was amazed by this woman. I could barely get us all dressed, fed and she was raising eight children and running a business.  I was addicted. I would read her blog daily and sometimes more. By reading her blog you feel like you are part of the family. She mostly keeps it light but she has also talked about postpartum and other hard subjects too! I just really love her and I have never actually met her!

 Not only does she have a blog but she makes the most beautiful clothes you have ever seen.  I love dressing Stella Marie in them. Granted they are not cheap but they are worth every penny! I have kept everything I have purchased over the years and placed them in my hope chest for Stella Marie so that someday she can use them for her own little girl!

While reading her blog I would click on the people who would leave comments on her blog and from there I discovered Etsy. I believe the first person I discovered on Etsy was Angie the designer of Prettyme http://www.prettyme.etsy.com/! I  purchased a dress and the rest is history. Although many of you that have seen pics of Stella Marie in her beautiful clothes may find it shallow for me, it was something that I was able to connect to as a stay at home mom. I admire these women for having jobs that allow them to stay at home with their children. I started making friends with the designers and reading their blogs and getting to know their families and they started to know mine as well . All of this being done without me ever leaving my home which can be difficult for me with three and now four children.

I had no idea I would be taking pictures of Stella Marie modeling clothes or that all the kids would be modeling for Etsy sellers. But that goes to show you that you never know where life will take you! Life is a journey that I am so glad to be taking with a wonderful husband and four beautiful children.

Note: All the beautiful flowers in Stella Marie's hair  and tutu come from Dearlillie.http://www.dearlillie.com/ . The top in the second pic comes from Sweet Plume http://www.sweetplume.etsy.com/ Everything else is from the beautiful Eden's Bouquet!

Zozobugbaby

This blog thing is much harder than it looks. I have tried to photoshop pics to post and for some reason they do not up load. I have so much still to figure out with this blog thing.

I love ZOZOBUGBABY.etsy.com ! I discovered this artsy clothes store last year. She was having a sale and I was afraid to leave my computer so that I didn't miss a cute outfit and a great deal. Since then I have been hooked. Julie the owner is so real! She is like a friend you have known since childhood. She is constantly helpful. Always responding to her email etc. I emailed her in March when we were headed to Oregon for the kids spring break and she emails back saying I want to meet you and photograph Stella Marie. This is like meeting a real life artist to me. She wants to meet me and take pics of my girl in her clothes. Needless to say I was excited. She made Stella Marie the prettiest red dress pictured above and Stella Marie is in her store right now with this gorgeous dress. I was so proud of my baby girl.Because of Julie I have had other Esty sellers contacting me to have Stella Marie model for them as well. I am forever thankful to Julie for being so kind and helpful to me on so many levels.

She does trunk shows too. Kinda like the tupperware parties of our mom's generation but just cooler. I had planned to do one but backed out because I had a new baby but I plan to do a Zozobugbaby trunk show. So you never know you might find yourself being invited to a Zozobugbaby trunk show in the near future.

I get this email this week saying can she come to Tacoma and take pics of Stella Marie and the boys for her Fall line. I was like are you serious. Tell me when and where we are there! The Wiggins family loves Zozobugbaby! You can follow Zozobugbaby on facebook and get the latest info on her wonderful store.

My first post! I am a little nervous but excited at the same time. I have so many things to write about when you are a mom to four beautiful children.

My first born is Henry named after his Dad. I was so excited to have him. I met his Dad when we were both in Law School. I never thought I would get married at that point and really thought I was never going to have children. I was so happy to be having a baby. I never even took the bar. I just focused on having this little guy and never looked back. I have been a stay at home mom every since.

Dylan came along in 2005. He is just a lover. I call him my love bug. He tells me every day that I am beautiful. It doesn't get any better than that.

I was so excited to have Stella Marie. I wanted a girl so bad at that point. I was on bed rest with Stella Marie and that is when I discovered blogs and Etsy. But I will leave that for another post.

Lastly was my baby boy Ronald named after my Dad. I wanted to give Stella MArie a sister so bad because I love mine so much and can not imagine life without her but at last he was another boy.

So this blog for me is going to be a place that I share my daily life as a mom, post pics of Etsy clothes that I just love and share pics I have taken of the kids as I explore photography. I hope you will enjoy.