Life

My how time passes so fast, esp when you are busy!

I just realized that I have not posted here in FOREVER!!! I have the best intentions of posting to keep current, but it just never happens.

Summer was great! I loved being home with all 3 of my kids. School started and both of my boys started school!

Here are a couple of layouts that I have created over the past 6 months. Now these are not the only ones I have done!!!




I did join a scrapbooking Meetup group!! Before being introduced to the group, I had not scrapbooked in almost a year! It is crazy going from scrapping almost every day to never! WOW talk about major withdrawls!!

The group that I am part of have become some of my greatest friends! We get together ALL the time. There are crops just about every weekend. As much as I wish I could get together with them every weekend, I have to have balance in my life. HA HA HA, if you believe that then you do not know me very well! Actually I have to give my hubby his time with his buddy's so I do not feel so guilty!

I host a crop here at the house once a month and go out to a crop once a month! So two nights with my scrappy friends seems to work so far. I sure wish is was more because I miss them dearly in between crops!

Other than that, there is so much that has happened since May, but this post would be a mile long if I tried to tell all! So, I will just leave it as my life has been EXTREMELY interesting! I will post some of the important things tomorrow along with pictures. As for now, I am TIRED and headed to bed!! Night night everyone!

Military Ball

I am just soo proud of these pictures. This is my oldest son, Shaw, and my best friend's daughter (Katie). Don't they make a cute couple. They were headed to his Military Ball.

This was such a stressful day getting ready for it. First the ball was supposed to be on Saturday, but Shaw called me this morning from school and informed me that they moved it to tonight. AURGH! I called Katie's mom, Jodi, and told her. Katie did not have a dress yet. That was on their agenda for tomorrow!!! Needless to say Katie got to skip the rest of the day to go pick out a dress and get ready.

She looked absolutely beautiful and he looked very handsome. I just hope that he was the gentleman I brought him up to be!!!

Photography

I am finally learning how to use my camera on Manual Mode!!! Wow, what a difference it makes in the pictures. It was so hard for me to grasp all the bells and whistles, but with the help from my dear friend Cindi, (who is a professional photographer) it finally clicked! I also love the book Understanding Exposure. I now take my camera and the book everywhere and practice in all different settings and lighting.



My oldest son just joined the Army and we are proudly displaying the sign for the neighboorhood to see. Well, my youngest son is all into the Army clothes and wanted his picture taken with the sign in the yard. This was my most favorite of all! I have a feeling that he will be following in his brother's footsteps.

MIA

I had no idea it has been so long since my last post! There is absolutely no excuse for not making time to keep up with my blog!!

There are not scrapbooking updates since I have not scrapbooked in ages. I am having HUGE withdrawls but just can not find the time. Actually, I am sure I could find the time, it is that I am not making the time! I have been focused on my newest little one and my Mary Kay business.

As for my newest little one. Well, Kaylin is 3 months old and boy is she awesome! Neither one of my boys were nearly as chubby as she is and it is great. We have nicknamed her Cricket. She makes the cutest sound when she gets really excited and it sounds like a cricket. Of course, when my mom and sister try to get her to make it she won't and well they think I am making it up! I just can not get enough of her!!!


Riley is home with me most of the week. We have moved him to just 3 half days at school so that I still get my mommy time with him and can get some things done here at the house. I love that he is still getting the interaction with his friends so that next year will not be a shock for him when he starts Kindergarten. He is getting so big and smart of course.


Other than that, Shaw is joining the Army next month. Oh my I am so proud but yet still so scared. He will be in the reserves the rest of this year, take boot camp this summer and then finish his senior year in the reserves. When he graduates he is theirs. Wow, my baby is all grown up! I can not believe that he is almost 17!!! He got a truck for Christmas and that has really changed him in some amazing ways. The responsibility that he has acquired since the truck entered his life is wonderful. Thank you Stoney and Debbie for the Christmas Present!!


Hopefully I will start making the time to get back on here and keep up with life!!!

Picture Perfect

A very dear friend of mine is an amazing photographer. She can capture the most precious moments on camera. When my Kaylin was 8 days old she did a photo session for us. It was so much fun to watch her work. I could not believe that baby's are that flexible still! She was bending and moving that little body into so many cute positions! She has posted some sneak peaks of my angel on her blog!!! You can check them out here. Selah Studios

I started crying when I looked at these photos for the first time. I still can not believe that God has blessed us with this precious little angel!!!!!

Still in awe,
Lori

Domino Necklaces

We are getting close to Christmas so, I am posting examples of the necklaces that I can create for you or for that special someone in your life!!! These necklaces make great Christmas gifts and are fully customizable! If you are interested in purchasing a necklace, please send me an e-mail: scrapangeldesigns@yahoo.com. Include your contact information and I will call you to get details on what you are looking for!!!!!

Thanks for looking!!!
Lori

SHE'S HERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Kaylin Reese Watson was born on October 26th at 5:56am. She weighed 6lbs 14oz and is 19 1/4" long.

This was the easiest delivery!!! I had been feeling just "not right" all day on Saturday. I was very uncomfortable walking, but my contractions were not consistent. We got out and ran a couple of errands then went to the movie store and ordered a pizza. Everyone was getting situated when I called my mom and she was helping me monitor my contractions. They were about every 7 - 10 minutes apart and were lasting about a minute and 15 seconds each. So, I went in and told Michael that we probably needed to go to the hospital and just have them check me out.

I had been to the hospital the Wednesday before and was dilated to a 4.5 and was told to come back when I was having consistent OMG contractions. Well, in the past I have only had those type of contractions when I was already under the epidural.

So we headed to the hospital around 10:30pm. I was almost dilated to a 5 but they wanted to watch me for a couple of hours and see if anything changed. When they checked again I was a border line 5 so the nurse called the dr. She said to go ahead and keep me and watch me through the night. So Michael took Riley and Lauren home and my mom and I walked the floors of the hospital to try and get my contractions to progress.

Around 4:45am my dr came in to deliver another baby and so she checked me while she was there. During her exam she broke my water! That was all I needed. They immediately gave me my epidural and got the room ready for delivery. I was in a race with the other person there in labor. She and I were both at the same place in labor. When she came back in around 5:45am the baby was crowning and I won the race!!! She had me push twice then STOP! Kaylin just slipped on out! It was so amazing.

I felt wonderful the rest of the day on Sunday. I had a day of visitors and really enjoyed showing her off. I was in disparate need of sleep and was able to take some short naps here and there. It was so great to have Kaylin with me all the time. (Both my boys were in NICU, so I did not get to hold them for their first week)

On Monday I had a tubal done so most of the day I was drugged up and just slept. I was not excited about that but I think 7 kids is plenty for us!!!! I was in some pain as soon as the surgery was over but after a shot of Demerol and Fenagrin I was just peachy!

I did have a small complication on Tuesday. I started getting "Spinal Headaches" during the night. I could not lift my head at all without it feeling like it was going to explode. As long as I was laying down I felt great. So, I received an Epidural Blood Patch on Tuesday morning. That is a miracle cure for the headaches!!! It was definitely scary but worth it!!!

We were released on Tuesday afternoon and have been home adjusting well! She is a good eater and sleeps great at night! The kids love her and I just can not get enough of her! She is usually awake for a couple of hours first thing in the morning then naps the rest of the day and night. I have had the wonderful privilege of having Michael home with me to help out. My mom brought us meals last week and my amazing friends from Bible Study are bringing meals this week.

I am just sooooo blessed with an amazing family and the best group of friends. I could not do it without them!!!!!!! I LOVE YOU ALL!