Wow! I can't belive I haven't blogged in almost 2 years! Does that mean I've been busy?? Sometimes I am, sometimes I'm not! But I try to stay busy. I've been trying the "stay-at-home" mom thing.... and I do love it! But I think it's time to get a part-time job. I do love being around people. I had a "phone interview" today with a Dr.'s office and will probably have a real interview next week. I hope it works out. It's close to home and only part-time!

Over the past 8 months I have been handcrafting jewelry at home. I started my business in December 2006. I have been very busy crafting inventory, and now it is coming to the point of selling. I have a website, but it is still under construction. I still need to upload pictures and set up a checkout. I'll let you know the website later when I get more put on it.

Christmas was great! Tom's son & daughter-in-law came over the the baby, J.J. He's still a baby to us, but he's a big 2 year old now! He's so cute and knows who is MoMo and PoPo are!

We also spent Christmas with my brother and his family. My great niece, Bailey, had a great time opening her presents. She was a little cranky and tired, but soon got into the swing. She will also turn two in August.

Back in February we scheduled another cruise for August. It is set for the week before school starts. Steven will be walking down the halls of school like he's still on the ship! We are going to Progresso and Cozumel on the Carnival line. (third time to Cozumel). We like Royal Caribbean better, but this cheaper and will probably be the last cruise for a while. We don't care too much about the shore excursions, we just love being on the ship! But we'll do something when we get to port.

Then 2 weeks later we go to Oklahoma for our annual family Labor Day trip to Seqouyia State Park. Our friends who live in Arkansas and Missouri (they used to live in Garland years ago) always meet us there for the long weekend. We swim, go horseback riding, lounge around, eat out in town one night, and just mainly relax.

Steven has been sick all summer so far. He's better now and is in the "I'm not sick" stage and is getting out more with his friends. He had Mono at the start of summer, and we go back on Monday for additional blood tests to make sure he is not positive for Lyme Disease. Lyme Disease is caused from a tick bite and shares alot of the same symptoms of the Epstein-Barr viurs he got that gave him Mono. So his positive result for Lyme's is hopefully a "false-positive".

Tommy broke his ankle last year and is still having some burning sensations and soreness, but he still manages to work extra hours in his furniture business. He refinished wood furniture on the side in our shop, but works for Kraft Foods, Inc. full-time. He's a good husband and a great stepdad to my son. Next month we will celebrate our 3rd wedding anniversary! (while we are on our cruise).

Steven will get his driver's license this year...eeks...in September! We bought him a truck already. It's a 1996 Dodge Ram 1500 Truck ... "The Silver Bullet", as he has named it. It's a perfect 1st truck. It's already got some scratches and dents on it!! Hopefully he won't put anymore on it himself! Despite it all, he loves his truck. It is a silver single cab (keeps all the other kids from asking for rides, hopefully), with a kicker sound system and 300-watt speakers behind the seats. I have to ride with him since he has his permit only right now, and it gives me a headache after a while. So, we have been taking Tommy's truck or my Tahoe where ever we go. He still drives, but it's much more comfortable! He even drove our van last weekend. He said he'd NEVER drive the van. Huh, too "old" for him! But he loved it! haha... I told him he would.

Tom and I took a trip with another couple to Tunica, Mississippi in April. It was pretty fun, but we got a sad phone call from the vet. Tacobela, one of our chihuahua's passed away. She had been sick with heart failure, but was doing really well on her medicine. But we still have Minnie. She's getting alot attention now that she is an only child ... i mean dog.

We had alot of our friends over for a fish fry a few weeks ago. Tommy, Coy, and Ron all went fishing together and had a LOT of catfish. So we had a party in the backyard! It was fun to get together and just hang out.

A little more about my new business venture.... As I said before, I'm handcrafting jewelry from home. I'm hoping to sell it online soon, at jewelry parties, and to boutiques. A friend who quit her job to do this full-time got me started. I wasn't too sure about it, or even sure that I really wanted to do it, but she was persistent. I finally tried it and now I find it very relaxing and fun making jewelry. I don't think I have any 2 pieces that are exactly alike. Each design is unique and is made from the heart. I used Sterling Silver, natural stones, Swarovski Crystals and Pearls, and Freshwater Pearls. I hope that you will check back and visit my jewelry website when I finish it.

I'm still a Mary Kay Consultant and am in the process of becoming a Notary Public for the State of Texas.

Hope I didn't bore you on all the updates. Hope you have a great evening! Good Nite!
Liz