Lots to talk about!

Things have been really busy lately in my life. On the stitching front, I have been getting a bit done. Almost have all my deadlines met! I have been designing quite a lot too. As a matter of fact, my model stitcher's are stitching them faster than I can design. I am NOT griping though!! I am also working toward releasing several new colors of Blended Cording within the next couple weeks.

Guess what else. I am going to be published this year 2 times in The Cross Stitcher. I am so excited about it. As it stands now, I will be in the August and October issues.

We have also made the BIG decision to start homeschooling my daughter. She is in 9th grade and has been wanting this for a couple years. We have finally decided to make this decision due to her health and stress levels. School is so stressful due to all those darn tests that they make the kids absolutely goes insane over. It seems that all the school system is worried about is their scores on the state tests and not about the quality of over all education. The pure pressure is horrible as well. Every week there is a new girl showing up pregnant at school and there is so much drama. Candice has always been an excellent student but her grades have suffered way to much to keep her in those circumstances and let her future suffer. I have joined the local home school group and they are amazing!!! This group is going to be such a huge support system for us. Now that I have talked to other parents who home school and have gotten a curriculum together, I think this is going to be an awesome experience for us all!

I have such great kids. My son is a bit crazy at time though! It is a wonderful thing when your kids let you know that you are doing a good job. My daughter is always telling us that we are the best parents ever and we are "cool". She says that most of her friends wish their parents were like us. And a couple have actually asked if they could live with us and they are serious!! LOL She always tells us that she knows she can talk to us about anything and most of her friends can not do that with their parents and feel comfortable doing so. And NO we are not the type of parent who tries to be "best friends" with our kids. Our kids know that we are the parent and that is that. But we are close family and it is a wonderful thing!

There is a Christian song out that talks about there not being any such thing as perfect people or a perfect life. My son (7 years old) always says "YES there is, because I have the perfect life!"

Now, to me . . . both kids are saying that even though we struggle financially and have a hard time making ends meet at times, our kids know without a doubt we love them and respect them and will ALWAYS take care of them no matter what!!! They understand that material things are not what it is all about, LOVE is what makes our family work and work so well. We don't get hung up on what other people think about us. The only one we have to please is GOD and that is what we strive to do better each and every day!

Well, I think that is enough rambling for today. Sorry I don't have any stitching pics, but I will soon, once people start receive their packages from me. Thank you all so much on your comments on my new releases. I hope those who have purchased them enjoy stitching them as much as I enjoyed designing them!!