Checking In!

Hello all my dear stitching friends. I hope that you have had a wonderful and Blessed week and weekend!

This week was a bit of a tuffy around here. My great uncle passed away Wednesday morning and we had his funeral on Friday. He lived a long and wonderful life. He was 96 years old and one of the most sweetest and God fearing men I have ever known. The service was very nice and I enjoyed seeing some family that I don't normally see. It is sad that it has to be something like a death in the family that brings us together but that is just the way it is sometimes. Anyway, I know that Uncle Cecil is in a much better place now with no pain and he is with his wonderful wife now.

On a happier note, I have done a bit of stitching the past couple weeks and even though it is not a lot of progress, I will show an update pic anyway.I have not done any stitching on my Christmas Designs SAL though. I have made a couple decisions about my stitching this past week. Except for the ATC Birthday Exchange, I will not be participating in any exchanges for a while. I will also not be participating in any SAL's either. Since I don't have a lot of time to stitch and many times my hands are just hurting to badly when I do have time, I can not allow myself to have any deadlines right now. I do not want to commit to something that I can not stick to! ATC's are so small and simple and fun, they will not be a problem.

Speaking of the ATC birthday exchange group . . . it is sign up time for the next year's round. We will begin in May 2010 and run through April 2011. All that you are required to send to each person is an ATC that they must receive in time for their birthday. You can visit the group blog for more info! There is a post to leave a comment on if you would like to join the group for this next year and anyone is welcome to participate!!

Let's see . . . . . what else . . ? Oh ya, that is right! Tomorrow is the last day of the special at Cindy Mae Designs. Make sure and take advantage of this special offer before time is up. If you spend at least $10.00 in purchases of either patterns and/or cording, you will be entered in a drawing to win a $20 gift card to 123stitch.com! So make sure and make that purchase in time to be entered in the drawing.

Well, I do believe that is all I have at this moment. I will stop rambling your ears off! LOL Thank you all so much who leave comments every time I post, I truly appreciate it. I appreciate all of you who just stop by for a visit without comments as well. Thank you!

More Snow in Texas!!

Yep, we had more snow here in West Texas. We actually got more this time around than the rest of the times. We were actually able to go out and have several snow ball fights, make snow angels and build a snow man and there is still snow on the ground! John was out of school due to the weather and we decided that as long as John is still in public school, Candice will follow that schedule including bad weather days. So they were both excited to have no school today. I must admit, Dad and I were excited to have them home today. We all love the snow so much! Anyway, here is a couple pics of our snow art from today! LOL
I want to say thank you to those who left comments on my last post and wished me well on my hands. You mean so much to me and your comments are true blessings in my life! I will be going to the doctor soon and will keep you all up to date about it. I have several theories running around in my head after doing research and we will see what the doc has to say about it all!

I received my LK exchange package from Jan today! She stitched up and finished this lovely Christmas Pinkeep and I just love it! I can not wait to put it on display at Christmas time. Thank you Jan!As for me and my stitching, I have not gotten hardly any done this past weeks time, so there is nothing to really share there. I am hoping that I will have more time to stitch this week and my hands will allow me to stitch during that time! LOL So, I guess that is about all for this time around! Hope that you all have a wonderful hump day and rest of your week!

New Releases (Patterns and Cording)

Check out my shop to see my new releases for February! I have released 4 new patterns as well as 4 new blended cording colors!! Stop by and check them out.

Included in the patterns is the Easter Quaker Ornament Set and a Mother's Day Sampler.

Picture Heavy Post

I hope that you had a wonderful Valentine's Day that was full of romance and relaxation!!

I know, I know . . . I have not updated in what seems like forever nor have I stayed caught up leaving comments on your blogs as I said I would. I try to stop by and visit quickly when you update your blog but just don't always have the time to leave those comments. I know it sucks; as I love getting comments and I have seen my own drop down lately. I start to think that no one wants to visit me anymore but then I think about how it is with me and I just have to realize that we all have life other than our blogs! LOL

Homeschooling my daughter is going great but it takes time and planning and then of course doing the work. I am LOVING it though and she says that she is as well. I feel more connected to my daughter than I have in a very long time. I love being more involved with her life. Education is a HUGE deal in our lives and being such a huge part of that huge part of her life is absolutely wonderful! Did that make sense? We are already looking at home school for my son next year!

I have seen women who blog about their home schooling in the past and seen them talk about always searching online for more info and things like that. I always thought to myself . . . "well what else is there to look at once you have a curriculum". Well, I have already figured that one out. I am totally addicted to shopping online and trying to find new FREE things to use for my daughter and for my son next year. As well as things to add to my daughter's education now. There are SO MANY resources out there to explore. YES, I will admit that is part of the reason that I don't have as much time to blog. LOL

Ok, so now on to stitching news! I actually have some! First of all there will be several new releases coming to Cindy Mae Designs this next week! There will be at least 3 new designs as well as 4 new Handmade Blended Cording colors!!!!! So be on the look out for that! If you want a notice in your email box within just a few minutes after they are released, visit my shop and sign up for the newsletter!!

I found out that Jan received her Lizzie Kate Exchange from me. I used one of LK's newer freebie releases and stitched up 'Whatever' and made it into a pillow. I received a great surprise from my dear friend, Lisa. She sent one of the model pieces she stitched to me and added in a great Valentine Surprise. The pics shows part of what she sent. The little box had candy in it but that did not make it to the picture appointment for some reason! I love it all, Lisa! Thank you!
I have been getting a little stitching done myself. My hands hurt me so much lately that I don't get a lot of stitching done. But I will be going to the doc for that sometime soon and hopefully get some relief! Anyway. The first pic is "This Too Shall Pass" by Count Your Blessings. I am stitching this one just because I really want to! I have not stitched anything just because I darn well wanted to in so long and I am really enjoying it. The second pic is of my Christmas Designs Stitch Along (which I am doing an ornie a month) for January. Yes, you read that right . . . I said January. LOL Since I did not get that one don, I will stitch two this month.
Let see, what else! Oh, I do have a couple pics to share of a few of our Zoo members! I am not even going to list our animals as it is getting to the point of being embarrassing! LOL Between dogs, cats, hamster's and birds . . . we do have quite the zoo! Anyway, here are a few of them!

Ratty Cat
Belle
One of our newest members of the family, Skittles. (Chinese Dwarf Hamster)I will stop all this rambling on now! Hope you are have a wonderful and Blessed week!!!

Finally, Pic's of Stitching!

I want to thank you all so much for your kind words and words of encouragement about the decision to home school our daughter. Let me tell you, the first week went awesome! We learned a few things and have made a few changes, but it is going well! My daughter has had a great attitude improvement as the stress of everything has been put to rest and she has not been sick!!! So, so far, I am thinking even more so than before that this is absolutely the right choice for our family.

Now I want to truly apologize to you all about my blogging habits here lately!! I am not going to lie, I have not even had a chance to drop by and visit you all, let alone leave any comments. But I have just cleared my list and hope that I am able to stay caught up, at least mostly!! LOL Hopefully, I will be able "get caught" with you all through your next several post!

I received a great package in the mail today from Ellen for the Valentine Holiday Exchange. I just simply love the Biscornu that she stitched. It is simply gorgeous and she does just wonderful work. She included some awesome extra's as well. Thank you so much Ellen, I love it all!!

I heard from Becky K that she received my Holiday Exchange package today! This what I sent her. By the way, Becky, I am using your pic because it looks better than mine! LOL

I would also love to invite you to visit my husband's new blog. He just got a new camera and he just LOVES it and has started a photo blog. You can GO HERE to visit him. There is only a couple pics at this time, but he will be adding more all the time!!

Well better go for now. I promise I will do my best to do better with my blogging and visiting you all!! You all rock and mean so much to me!