{discovering} life

Jaxon and a giveaway...

I wanted to get the cutest baby announcements made up, but with Jaxon sick shortly after his birth, I never had the time. So, I just sent this out to family and some friends that I'm not sure read my blog. I love this photo of him that my sister, Shannon and I took when he was 5 days old. So precious!

Yesterday, Jaxon turned one month old! One month!! I felt like the time was going by so slowly (in a way) and yet here we are, one whole month later. Kinda bitter/sweet! No smiles yet - although I think I got a half smile a few moments ago. Those smiles and laughs in his sleep are the cutest thing ever! I love it!

I made this little onesie for him yesterday and took some photos of him on that polka-dot blanket that I got him from the Gap awhile back. I plan to do this each month - I think it will be fun to look back on them all! :)

I laughed today as I was going through the photos and saw this one of him yawning...

that's about how I feel after one month! :)

Also -as a huge THANK YOU to all of you for your support, prayers and friendship this past month, I want to give away two copies of the new Autumn Leaves book, Designing with Recipe. It's a fabulous book! So totally inspiring and I can't wait to share it with two of you! So thanks so much for coming by and posting - I love to hear from you all and have been so appreciative of each of you this past month especially! :)

SO, just post - I'll draw a winner on Saturday - leave this open for awhile since I haven't been great at posting lately! And, still need to take that Sketch book photo - I'm so lame! :)

I'm super busy this week with assignments and getting this house cleaned up for this weekend. All of my family is coming down becuase we are blessing Jaxon at church on Sunday. I think this will be the first blessing that my whole family has been there - I'm so excited to have everyone here! So, if I don't post before Saturday - have a great week! I will get back to regular blogging soon - promise! :) Hugs!

This cutie...

I can't get enough of kissing every little spot on him - there is nothing like a newborn...the soft skin, the silky hair, the sweet innocence...I love him! Completely love him!

With him being sick so soon after he was born...I selfishly, feel like I missed out on some of those newborn photo opportunities. I need to get some more of him now that he is feeling better. But those two weeks - I was just holding the little guy! :)

I feel like he's already starting to change - he was the 'same' to me all this time, but this week...I see the cheeks getting chubbier - I notice his clothes getting tighter - all too soon!

I've been so tired lately - I seriously feel like I could sleep for dayyyysss! :) I've also been trying to still work on my studio (cleaning up) when I can at night and today - I'm trying to complete some assignments that are due. So much to do! The funny thing...is that I want to do it all but I find myself just shutting down at night. So tired! Oh well!

I'm gonna go take a photo of my sketch journal and post that next - and we'll do a drawing for the new Designing with Recipe book on my next post too so be sure to comment. Be back shortly! Hugs!

What a week!

Thank you to all of you for your sweet thoughts and prayers for Jaxon. Thankfully, he is doing much better. We spent the week getting him better and I don't think I left the sofa much-just held him and helped him as much as we could. Ironically, my parents came down last Friday cause my Dad had a Stake Conference to attend in Cedar City so they stayed here for the weekend. It was great to have some more support and help with the kids so that we could focus on getting Jaxon better. He's breathing and eating and the congestion is gone - thank heavens for blessings and prayers! Thank you!

Today, the kids are at their grandparents and I'm working on some BHG assignments and cleaning up my studio. My hubby brought in some large storage containers yesterday and we went through my closet and put things in there that I will never use. My room is such a disaster and I need to get rid of all the old to make room for all the new (that I can't stop buying! LOL!). I plan on having a Scrapbooking Sale this spring so I'll let you locals know when it is if you want to come. It feels good to purge all that old stuff though - my whole closet is full of things that I don't think I'll ever get to using - so I'm trying to fill it with the buckets of rubons and chipboard and fabric that are sitting on my floor taking up space. It'll be so nice!

Here is that layout that I said I'd share...it was in the February (current issue - which is awesome!) issue  of BHG Scrapbooks, etc. The 2008 Creative Team was announced in this issue and unfortunately, a few pieces of my layout must of fallen off and so it wasn't photographed the way I had created it. So, here is the correct version. We all had to use the same papers & circles from Technique Tuesday - and then add other things that we wanted. I love how it all came together and it was so fun to see how the other fabulous team members put their layouts together. Be sure to check out the issue!

CHA (the large trade show for the craft industry) - Wow! Lots of amazing products coming out that I cannot wait for! Seriously!! There are photos all over but somethings that I am so excited about: 

Karen Russell's New Narratives line - so so beautiful! I just wish that I didn't have to wait until May to get it!!

Autumn Leaves - ummmm...hello! Did you see that Heather Bailey designed a paper line for AL?? I've known about it for awhile and have been dying to see the complete line - sooooo many embellies and those papers - they will be mine and I will create lots of pages with them! I love her fabric line and that she created a line with AL - so perfect! Plus, the other two lines are amazing, the new stamps - wow!, ink pads...I cannot wait for this release! Seriously!

And...did you see the ad for Rhonna's new book? I cannot wait to see it! The last layout at the bottom is mine - with the silly face photo of Hudson in the middle. One of my favs that I did for that book! I loved working on this book - I can't wait to see everyone's work!

Ok - other things I loved at CHA:

12" scalloped edge die cutter from Quickutz - yum! :)

All new Making Memories - loved everything they came out with!

New Jenni Bowlin - love it all! I got her February kit this month and that Tangerine Dream line is to die for - love the colors! And anything with butterflies will steal my heart!

New Sassafrass Lass looks fun!

New Cosmo Cricket - way impressed! Gotta get it!

New Basic Grey - two or three of those lines I totally like!

I know there is more - so much good stuff! I can't wait!

Ok - gotta go help the little guy! Thanks again for all your prayers for him to get well! Giveaway for the Designing with Recipe book coming up this week! :) Hugs!

My poor little boy...

Baby Jaxon has RSV. He'll be two weeks tomorrow - I can't believe it! Poor poor little boy!

Please keep him in your prayers. Tonight was the first time his nose was suctioned at the hospital and I'm hoping that this is all that we'll have to do. Please pray that we won't have to admit him to the hospital - he's pretty yucky. So sad! I hate to see him hurting so much!

Be back soon! :) Thanks in advance!

Such a sweet pea!

I love this little guy!! Totally smitten' with him and just soaking up all the baby love! What a first week! My Mom was here and that was wonderful! She helped move the kids rooms around (again) and organize like crazy! I feel so bad that she spent so much of her time cleaning my house and organizing the kids rooms...they look wonderful though! My sister, Shannon, came down too with her little boy and we had fun taking photos of Jaxon one day. This is one that we did - on my coffee table. I love how they all turned out - I can't wait to use them up on some fun pages!

We took Jaxon to the Dr. yesterday, Friday, when he turned one week old. It looks like he has reflux and I was so happy to get some meds to help him out. He's been so sad and uncomfortable the past few days and nothing has been helping. So, I hope that the meds will help him be happier! He was 8 lbs. 3 oz. so he dropped a little, but still a healthy little dude!

My Mom and sister left yesterday (so sad...I cried) to get back for President Hinckley's viewing last night and the funeral today. I watched the special on tv before the funeral and it was a bit crazy to see my mom and dad driving behind his car to the conference center and to see my Dad standing there with the other apostles as they brought his casket in to the conference. I can't imagine what that must of been like for him. Such a tender day. It was amazing to be able to sit in my home and watch all of the events of today unfold...I'm so thankful for technology. I was overcome with emotion when they showed President Hinckley's chair...empty. It was such a powerful visual and I couldn't hold back the tears. He was an amazing man...I'm so thankful that he was my prophet while I was in my youth and today...our kids love him and were saddened to hear of his passing. We loved him dearly and he will be remembered...and missed.

More photos to share soon...and yes, I still need to share my sketch journal and my AL calendar thing. OH...and guess what came in the mail yesterday??? Designing with Recipe Book!! BLISS! It is fabulous! I've looked through it a few times - all those girls did awesome work for this book and it was put together just beautifully! Love it! I'll be giving one or two away hopefully this week!

Hope your all well! Hugs!