A Year in the Making...

Hello everyone! Long time no talk! I've been MIA for almost a year now. I took a time out for me and my family. Concentrating on us and trying to reconfigure me and my thoughts. I was getting burned out on paper crafting. After 6 months of not creating a card. I went to my stamp room, sat down and tried to make 2 birthday cards for my niece and nephew. The factwas, I had no creativity. No mojo. So then I figured 6 months wasn't long enough. After 9 months of stamping celibacy, I tried again. No such luck. I figured out that my heart and soul is not in the cardmaking and scrapbooking ventures anymore. I just plain stink at it. Seriously, I know it sounds strange, but it is very true!

So now, after nearly a year later, and several attempts to get back into my crafty side, I've come to the conclusion that I have to give that part of me up.
So over the past year, here is what's new, what I've discovered and what my plans are.

The same day I stopped my crafting ventures, I found out I was pregnant with my 3rd child. This was a complete and total surprise to us because we were told we could never have children the old fashioned way. Our first 2 were conceived on fertility and the last time we got pregnant the old fashioned way, it didn't stick. So I tried to eliminate all stress. I stopped working out (which I did virtually everyday sometimes twice a day). I stopped all things that were starting to stress me. No crafting. I even stopped illustrating for a little bit.

When we found out we were pregnant, I was already 2 months along. That was new because with the first 2, I knew before my 4th week that I was pregnant (fertility narrows down a date!)...I just didn't want to jinx this pregnancy. We weren't sure we wanted a 3rd child, but after finding out we were pregnant, we got over our fears pretty quickly and decided God wanted us to have a miracle baby! And boy did I baby everything about this pregnancy. I knew it would be my last if I carried to term. So I cherished every bite of food, every pound, every flutter, every kick, every inch, even every ache. I was in love and the baby wasn't even here yet.

In December, we found out we were having our 3rd boy. Was I disappointed? A tad. I had dreams and visions of prom shopping, wedding shopping, weekend shopping, phone calls, doing hair and buying dresses. I was scared to death of having a girl, but I never had a mother to do these things with, so I thought I needed a girl so I could have what I never had. So when we found out we were having a boy, I wasn't convinced, but I was over-joyed.

So finally, this past May, when we delivered a healthy bouncing baby boy (Jack Mathew, born May 18th at 7 lbs. 5 oz. and 20.25" long), I was in total awe of him and the fact that I had ever wanted to go prom shopping! Those thoughts left my head and I knew it was soccer, football, camping, fishing, hunting and all those boy things from there on. I've always been more of a boy in hobbies anyways. Lance & Adam were also in love right off the get go! They have been on baby Jack like glue since the day he was born! He is one spoiled baby with all the love they give him! Here are some pictures of our new family taken by my fabulous SIL Marissa!


Anyways, after finding out that my hobby in the crafting industry was at a pass...I found some new loves. Family. Reading. Baking. Cooking. Illustrating. So, I'm re-purposing my blog to better fit me and my new loves. I understand if some of you leave, but I appreciate even more those that stay. I love writing and hope you will enjoy all my new found loves and listening to me ramble. Weather it be with inspiration, new genius ideas I've found and want to share with you all, or pictures of cakes I've designed for people or a new recipe I've tried out or can't wait to try out...It's just me and my everyday normality's...That's the new me...