Hello, Anyone there?

So... does anyone still read this? Life has been too busy to blog, but I wanted to 'stop by' and let my non-facebook friends know that I've been a busy bee with photo sessions! I have several more sessions booked and my calendar is filling up, so if you are interested in booking or know someone that is, please contact me at rwiegman@gmail.com! Fall is the perfect time to get those perfect shots for your holiday cards!

Also, please visit my very generic blog (I really need to get a real website!!!) to see some of my recent shoots! rachelwiegmanphotography.blogspot.com

My local, outdoor sessions are $85 and that includes all edited photos for you to do as you wish!

 

 

Making a Choice for ME

This blog post is a little different from the posts I usually do. I am usually updating about my kids...what we've been doing, where we've been going, my journey through motherhood and the occasional post on my new venture in photography. But this post is all about ME and the things I've been doing to improve ME. EEEEEEEK! As uncomfortable as it is, I've decided to document this journey through self-improvement. So, here it goes. 

After returning from an amazing vacation with Matt and some friends to Key West, I decided ENOUGH IS ENOUGH. I was sick of not wearing the clothes that I so badly wanted to wear. I was sick of being fat and unhappy with myself.  I am a true lover of shopping. I love clothes.  But, I was finding that all the clothes I loved so much were just a little too snug and showed just a little too much back-fat, rolls, and my personal favorite....my "butt in front" otherwise known as my big ole' tummy.  I was drowning in a sea of empire style shirts (aka maternity shirt look-alikes) that provoked total strangers to ask the most humilating question, "Awe, when are you due?" I dreaded the days I had to squeeeeeeeze into my blue jeans and longed for the very moment I would be home to change into my comfy pants.

I HATE exercise, I LIKE food, and my husband LOVES to cook.  See the problem?

So, I had to make a choice.  I had tried diets before. Most of them just weren't for me. No one can tell me I can't eat carbs. I love fruit and I love all things carb. Sorry I'm not sorry. The challenge was to find a "diet" that allowed me to still enjoy the foods I loved but to figure out a way to be healthy. I decided to join Weight Watchers. I did a little research and decided to go all in (well...not all in, I don't go to meetings. Just not in me to do that.)  But, I log EVERY thing I eat. I quickly realized where I was going wrong.  FAT RACHEL = EATING OUT AND SNACKING (oh, and booze doesn't do much for the waistline either). I basically stopped both. As the pounds began melting away, I found myself with more energy.  With that, I found myself WANTING to go to the gym. It was simply amazing. 

I am 3 months in and have lost 20 pounds!!!

I am bummed I didn't take a before picture (I honestly thought I would be gorging on Portillos cheese fries a couple days after my commitment to Weight Watchers. Even I didn't believe in myself). I am in shock and awe of my own will-power and determination. It's amazing what a few "You look great" comments and slipping into your "skinny" jeans can do to one's state of mind.

I don't have many pictures of myself. Apparently, I am the one and only person in the family that knows how to work a camera??? Here is a poor quality selfie.
**Sorry, I refuse to take a shirt in my spandex and sports bra like on the Biggest Loser. 

I still would like to lose another 15 pounds.... I'll let you know when I meet my goal!
 

The O'Wiegman Kids

Busted out the camera and took a few pics of the O'Wiegman kids on St. Patrick's Day! 

I am up and running on my new editing program and look forward to some Spring photo sessions! If you know anyone needing spring pics... send them on over to Rachel Wiegman Photography! ;-)

My Gorgeous Girl and Mr. Blue Eyes 

My Valentines...

I'm trying to push my way through this horrendous winter by focusing on the next holiday which happens to be Valentine's Day. What a fun day to show some L-O-V-E! I decided that this year we would S-K-I-P the cheapo Valentine's for classmates and do something a little more fun! Not to mention I am totally bored and sick of being home bound during this nasty winter! What better than a little crafting project! ;-) Thanks to a combination of Pinterest and my own imagination, I came up with (what I think are) some super-cute Valentines!

The kids and I had a fun little snow photo-session for my Valentines idea! When I say fun, I mean I had to bribe Mya with money and Luke with ice cream. Oh and it ended with both kids crying! FUN FUN FUN! ;-) Happy Valentine's Day (early) to all my Blog Loves!

The kids' Valentines for their classmates. Cute??

Some pics from our little photo session:

And just a fun shot of our Valentine's Day mantle! <3 nbsp="" td="">

It's a heatwave....

When going through my pictures from 2013, I realized I had more pictures of other families than my own! With the convenience of our cell phone cameras, my "good"  camera just doesn't make an appearance very often. So when the kids begged to play outside today (37 degrees felt like a heatwave compared to our recent 10 degree days), I thought it was the perfect opportunity to snap some pics and not freeze to death! AND... I even got the little stinkers to stop and look at the camera a few times! 

A Little Over a Year....

These two pictures were taken a little over a year apart. I love to watch them grow.

 

Who's changed the most?

Busy Bee That's Me!

I've been a busy bee!

It's been a long time since I've hit the Pinterest site up for DIY ideas. I suppose I get a bit restless on these cold, gloomy days and search out things to keep me (and the kiddos) busy. I had lots of little odds and ends that I wanted to fix up but didn't have much $$$ to do it. Fortunately, in most cases all it took was a little fabric and ta-da it was much much cuter!  Unfortunately, I did ALL my projects in one day and am now "hunting" for more projects to do! ;-)

top row:
~An old chair with a ratty ole' leather seat just needed a little fabric with pizzazz to freshen it up!
~Not sure if I already posted this adorable letter frame I made for over Mya's bed with a CHEAP mirror from Ikea!   One of my favorite "accessories" in Mya's room!

middle row:
~Some cute pink polka dot fabric gave this "curb desk and chair" a new ultra adorbs girly look! That's right... I have NO shame in being a garbage picker!

bottom row:
~ I got this chalkboard idea from Pinterest. It is actually a large $24.99 frame from Ikea. You just chalkboard paint the backing board and you have a fabulous chalkboard. I think it's days of having my "positive" saying is limited. Mya is DYING to use it to color on with chalk!
~The middle picture took me almost a year to figure out.  I got this fabulous wooden frame at a sale I go to twice a year. The back of the frame is in pretty bad shape and the size of the frame is so odd that I couldn't get a picture printed to fit. I have been brainstorming for almost a year as to what to use it for. Tray? Frame? Mirror? I finally decided to cover a piece of foam board with some fabric for Luke's room. My initial thought was to put an "L" on it and hang over his bed. For now, I decided to hang some snapshots of our little guy on it! I'm kinda liking it this way for now!
~The last picture is my mini-me! Of course when Mommy is DIYing, Mya has to have a project to work on too!