The World According to Leslie

Yesterday, on Black Friday, instead of Christmas shopping, Tony, the Princess, and I went to WalMart and Sam’s Club to get all the things we needed to get for the party today. We still had plates, forks, spoons, and all that to get. We also had to get all the food.  We knew we wouldn’t have room before yesterday to make a place in the refrigerator for it, so we had to wait until yesterday to get it.   We didn’t leave the house until about 4pm. So….all the crazy Black Friday shoppers were already at home, asleep!      We got into Sam’s Club, got all the stuff we needed, and checked out in less than 2 hours.  I was suspecting about 4.  Then we got in and out of WalMart in about an hour.  That’s a new record for us.    Today, all I have to go get are the balloons for décor. We aren’t doing much, but I would like to have some balloons to make the room more festive. So, I have to get those.    Today, we also have to get all the stuff from last night’s shopping back in the v

I’m a little behind on here posting my “Thankfuls”.  I have them all on Facebook though.    Yesterday, we went to Mom and Dad’s house around noon. We were supposed to eat at 1pm, but someone ALWAYS has to be late! lol  This year it was my sister.   We had about 20 people at the house.  It was crazy.  After lunch, the guys all crowded into the living room to watch football!      My sister-in-law took a nap. My sister laid down with her two babies (foster daughters) to get them to sleep.  Mom and I worked on sewing things that the Girl Scouts are going to sell next weekend.    Then…once everyone finally woke up, we finished discussions for Mom and Dad’s anniversary party. The party is tomorrow. I’m just hoping I can get everything I need done by then so that I can get some sleep!  I need REST!  But….  I’m thinking I won’t get any of that until January!

Wow!  I can’t believe it’s been 5 days since I’ve written anything.  So, I’m going to try to catch up all the things I am thankful for.  I posted them on Facebook, so if you are my friend there, you already know these things, but I guess I just didn’t take the time to do it here.   Day 22: Thankful for Fridays. For some reason, this has been an EXTREMELY long week. Tonight we are going to the tree lighting and hanging out with family.   Day 23: I'm thankful for family time. Today, I got to sleep in....all the way to 8am! We may be heading to a Craft Bazaar at Hickory Ridge High School. We will be going to the Christmas parade in Concord....family tradition! We will be having fun knowing that the HOME team (CONCORD SPIDERS) are still undefeated for this season and moving on in the playoffs!   Day 24: I'm thankful for my nieces and nephews. I really do have a LOT of them. Mariah Rayne will be graduating this year! (How did I get so old?) Dorion Parker has a birthday

Wow!  I totally didn’t post yesterday. That means I didn’t tell what I am thankful for.   Day 20—I’m thankful for my friends. They are always there to help when I need them. I’m pretty sure that some of them are “sisters from other misters”.   Sometimes, they are my therapy sessions.   Day 21—I’m thankful for 2nd chances. It’s the little things that count. I forgot to post yesterday, but I have a 2nd chance to do it today. I have had many 2nd chances for big and little things in my life. With Christ, I’m thankful that He keeps giving me 2nd chances every time I mess up.   Yesterday, during my planning period, we had a meeting. It was only the 9th grade English teachers in it. We were discussing pacing, and how far along we should be in the curriculum already. Then we talked about the fact that next week, we have 2 days. When we come back after Thanksgiving, we have 3 weeks in December. Once we come back in January, we have 2 days the first week because we return on a Thurs

Today, I’m thankful for sleep. Although I don’t get to experience it as much as I would like, I know that it is a great thing. Sometimes I just wish I could interact with sleep a little more!   (That really sounds lame, but it’s the little things that I’m thankful for!)   Some days, I feel as though I could sleep forever. Then, like this past Saturday, when I had the chance to sleep until 10am or so, I woke up at 6:30am. What’s up with that!?!   I really am exhausted, and I just need some sleep. However, that time has passed for right now. I will be trying to meet up with sleep later on tonight. 

Day 17—Yesterday was my mom’s birthday. So, naturally, I wrote that I am thankful for mom. She puts up with me even when she probably shouldn’t.   Day 18—I’m thankful for my computers. My computers keep me in contact with people I probably would have lost a long time ago. I have friends/family who live far away. Since no one has time to sit and write 20 handwritten letters a month to people who are not near you, it’s so nice to have computers that can help you.  I love sending emails, tweets, and Facebook messages to friends/family just to say “hi”.   Operation Christmas Child is something we have done every year since the Princess was born.  We do boxes for girls who are about the same age as the Princess. So, this year…. we saved our actual shoe boxes from shoes we have purchased throughout the year. We had 6 boxes between the three of us. So last night, we got 4 plastic shoe boxes to go with it. I have three that are pretty big, so I need to get some other things to go in it

Thursday, I spent the entire day in training. Because of the class that I teach, there are special trainings I have to attend for strategies to teach the students. I could probably do it without the trainings, but for the school district to “allow” me to do it, I have to be trained.  (But…they pay for the training, materials, and my time!)   Obviously, I had a sub on Thursday. I got to my room yesterday only to realize that all my desks had been moved. They were no longer in the cool zig zag pattern my overly excited brain had designed.  No! They were in boring rows. ARGH!!!   I asked all three of my classes if they had moved them. When I got to 4th period (my 3rd class), I was informed by several students that the substitute said that my desk design was “bothering” her and she didn’t want it to “bug” her any more. So…. she rearranged my room! She also didn’t give the students all the assignments because she “talked to them”. (She left a note to that effect.) She also went thro

Day 15—I’m thankful for teachers. There is a saying that “Teachers teach all the other professions.” Think about it. It’s true. Most things that people learn for their jobs come from teachers. I’ve had good ones, bad ones, and GREAT ones. The Princess has too. I’m thankful for the people who sacrifice to be teachers.   Yesterday, we learned that The Princess’s teacher is leaving. She is supposed to call every student’s home to speak with the parents about it. When I first got the information, I was furious. I’m still mad. But, I have been given more information that tells me that she is doing the right thing, but I can’t bring myself to think that she couldn’t have waited until Christmas or the end of the year to do it.   Either way, the Princess will be saying goodbye to her teacher today. They are still working to hire a new teacher. Someone will fill in until a replacement is hired.

As I’m typing this, I haven’t had breakfast. I have been awake a couple of hours, and my stomach is growling.   Today, I’m thankful for food. I haven’t always liked what was on the table in front of me, but I have always had food.   God is good!  He always provides.

Today, I’m thankful for our health.   Tony is tired. That could be because he works to hard.   I have allergies. But… well…I’m used to those.   The Princess has an ear infection. We got the antibiotic yesterday. It started on Saturday. She was screaming in pain then. Now, it’s just eewy-gooey stuff that’s draining from it.  In a couple of days, she will be back to normal.   I’m glad that for the past couple of years, we have not had to worry about flu, colds, or any of those big illnesses that have gone around. The LORD has been good to keep us healthy!

Today, I’m thankful for my job. Yes, I’m a teacher. Yes, I would love more pay and more respect. However, I never started teaching for the money. And, teenagers aren’t being taught respect; so I don’t expect any from them. (I try to gain some, and it is possible!! )   Two school years ago (2011-2012) I had my first teaching job. The students threatened me. They cursed at me. They had gang fights in the hallway every day. The question was never, “Was there a fight today?” The question was, “How many fights were there today, and how many of my students were in it?” We had a 6 hour lock down one day. (That’s a different story for a different day!)   Now, I’m at a great place. The staff love me or at least act like they do. The PTSO is awesome! The kids are great. The parents, for the most part, are involved in the education of their children.    I love my job! I’m thankful that I was given this opportunity last summer!

9500?  That’s an odd number out of context. Right?  However, in just a day or two, that is going to be the number of page views I have had on this blog. I know…for some people, 9500 is a month. I never thought anyone else would read what I am writing, so I’m excited that I have gotten this in the years I have been blogging.   Yes, I would love to be able to make money from my blog. Yes, I would love to write something that would have thousands of followers. Yes, I would love for something I write to go “viral”. For now, and forever if need be, I will be content with my 9500 pageviews and the consistent readers that I have.       Day 11 of Thankfulness:  Today, it’s really the little things that I’m thankful for. I’m thankful that I got to sleep 3 extra hours this morning. (Sounds pathetic, but I’m a little more rested.) I’m also thankful that the girls that the Princess and her friends are all still sleeping!!!!   Yesterday, I handed out probably 30 of the 200+ invites fo

Today, I am repeating something I am thankful for. I probably should have waited on this one until either today or tomorrow to start with, but it’s OK to be extremely thankful for something…right?   Again today, for day 10, I am thankful to/for the men and women who put their lives on the line serving our country. They put their lives on hold and go to places that I can’t even pronounce the names of so that all of us can sleep in our beds peacefully at night. Today, as we remember the veterans of the United States Military at our churches and in ceremonies around the country, I hope we all take just a moment to stop and say a prayer for each of the people who is still out there fighting for the freedoms we love. They give up their families, give up their time, and in many cases lay down their lives for the love of our country.   If you haven’t already, stop to say THANK YOU to a veteran or soldier today. Do it every day, not JUST on Veterans’ Day!  They do not get the thanks, l

Today, I’m thankful for my cars. That’s sounds selfish and materialistic, but I am. Every day, I get to drive my minivan to work and get the girls from carpool. (I pick up 5 girls including the Princess.)    Before we got the van in March, it was hard to function without two cars. Now that we have the van and the Monte Carlo, we hardly ever use the 2nd car.    We have been blessed with being able to pay the Monte Carlo off (a little early). Now we have the van, and it is awesome. I don’t have to rent a car when I’m taking my parents on vacation with us anymore!

Ten years ago, Tony and I were blessed with the best kid ever. Today, I am more thankful for her than anything.   She’s an awesome kid. She laughs. She loves. She’s passionate about the things that she loves. She keeps me on my toes. She also keeps be extremely busy.    I love my Princess!

Tony is an awesome person.   I complain about his job, but he is a great provider for our family.   I complain about a lot of things, but Tony puts up with it.   The running joke in my family is that my parents should have “paid” him more to take me off their hands.   Of course, he says that he will give them their money back if they will take me back too.  I’m so glad they all love me!     Tony is the best person I could imagine spending the rest of my life with.

Today, I’m thankful for my siblings. Donnie and Lisa are awesome people. They are always there when I need them. We have a lot of fun together, when we actually have time to be together.   Donnie is 3.5 calendar years (4 school years) older than me. In some ways, until I graduated,  I lived in his shadow. That made me a better student. I tried really hard to prove that I was just as good, if not better than, he was.   Lisa is 9.5 years younger than me. She’s very different than the rest of us. She “marches to the beat of her own drum”. But, most of the time, I actually like her.   Growing up, there were days they both got on my nerves. Now, I don’t know what I would do without them.

Yesterday at work, we had a “suspicious package” scare. Turned out that it was only a briefcase that a kid had brought in on Friday for a project; it was probably at the school all weekend, but no one noticed.    We had the “fun” of first loading into the gym. Then we went to class. Then we were evacuated.  (All of this was done on the advice of local law enforcement and the bomb squad.)   Finally, after TWO hours of being outside in the wind and cold on the metal seats of the stadium bleachers, we were released to go back into the school and have a “normal” day.   It was far more interesting than it should have been, but in these days and times….. well, you never know what *could* have been in the briefcase.   So, today, I’m thankful for the men and women who put their lives on the line for me every day. They work as part of local law enforcement, firefighters, EMTs. They also serve as part of the US Military. Every chance I get, and I try to get the Princess to do it

Every year, I see friends and family tell on a daily basis through the month of November what they are thankful for.  Every year, I say, “I’m going to do that!”    So….this is the year I’m going to try.    I’ll start it here, but I’ll have to copy and paste it to my Facebook page. I haven’t started it there yet.   Day 1: I am thankful that I have life. Although everything doesn’t always go the way I plan or wish that it would, I am still happy to be alive.   Day 2: I’m thankful for health. There are always things that could be better, but there are also people who are suffering. I’m thankful that God has blessed me with my health.   Day 3: I’m thankful that I still have my grandfather. Papaw Paul is getting older, and I know he won’t be here forever, but he is here now. I’m really happy that we still have him to be here, and that he is healthy enough to still live on his own and have fun with us as a family.   Day 4: I’m thankful for my parents. I still have bot