I’m Baaaaack!

Hey hey everyone! I’m back, and a WHOLE lot has changed during my brief (turned pretty long) hiatus! Sorry to leave everyone hanging for literal years, but I promise there is a bit of an explanation. I started the blog because it was something my heart felt called to do, but having a certain schedule I tried to uphold and a million things going on, it occasionally began to feel like a chore; I didn’t think that was fair for you or for me…so, a break it was. I appreciate you guys for being a part of XOshelby back then, and I appreciate if you are still here today 🙂 I can’t wait to share more and more of my life with you guys, but for now let’s get started, with a quick rundown of 10ish things you need to know to understand who Shelby is now, in December of 2021:

I am now Shelby Bourgeois Coleman (once the social security administration decides to get their act together)! I married Jesse, my high school classmate turned husband, back in October 2021 over a really fun weekend that I can’t wait to share more about with you! He’s the best, most level-headed, loving man I’ve ever met and he is truly everything I’ve ever prayed for ❤
I got a puppy! Well, he’s not a puppy anymore, Ollie’s a 3- year- old 60 pound Goldendoodle, and if you meet him, you will fall in love with him, no question. He’s lying on my lap right now, making it VERY hard to type, but don’t worry, like always, he seems 100% unbothered.
Jesse, Ollie, and I live in Covington, Louisiana as of June 2021! We LOVE it here, on the Northshore of Lake Pontchartrain. It’s close enough to New Orleans that we can still go explore but far enough away that life can feel a little more relaxed.
I graduated OT school in 2018, worked as a Pediatric Occupational Therapist in Baton Rouge then New Orleans for about 3 years, but I am now on a little break to see where the world takes me- maybe together we can figure out where I should be and what I should be doing! OT may be in my future again, but I’m blessed with some time to truly decipher the callings of my heart ❤
Baking has become my new favorite hobby, so this time of the year has been extra fun! I’m still trying to perfect the art (and learn to actually preheat the oven) but it’s been really exciting finding new recipes, making them my own, and taste testing until they are just right!
I chopped my hair off recently; not a super big change in the grand scheme of things, but my long hair kind of became a security blanket, so post wedding I said “see ya” to about 8 inches and am LOVING it
No, I still don’t eat fruit or vegetables or drink coffee, tea, beer, or wine- but I’m making progress on the veggies and can certainly enjoy a good glass of champagne now, so I consider those a skip in the right direction
Traveling is still one of my favorite things to do, especially with people who can make any location feel like an adventure- I know it’s pretty cliché, but Paris may still be my favorite place in the whole world, especially at Christmastime!
The more the world changes, the more I realize the joy it brings me to just talk to people. So seriously, never hesitate to reach out about recipes, or gift ideas, or outfit questions, or seriously anything- I’ve thoroughly enjoyed the conversations I’ve had with new friends (because yes, if you are reading this I consider you a friend) over the last few weeks of me posting this type of content on my social media again. I am seriously always down for new friends, trying new things, and merging the two into a day of new fun 🙂
Between trying new recipes and working hard to make our house feel like a home and trying to capitalize on the time we’re blessed with while meeting our hearts’ needs, life gets busy, and I hate disappointing people. With that being said, I’m not going to make any promises on how often or on what schedule I’ll post, but I will promise that I’ll be back soon and that I will slowly but surely catch you up on the past few years and take you along with me as I continue to navigate this wonderful but sometimes crazy life of mine!

In the meantime, drink some hot chocolate, watch The Holiday, squeeze your pups, and tell everyone what they mean to you ❤ this time of the year is my favorite, so full of love and warmth, but what is that love if not shared?! So spread some cheer, everyone could use a little extra! Love you guys ❤