The World According to Leslie

As I write that, I am fearful of what October will bring! In 2008, Dad had a wreck and we almost lost him. In 2012, Dad had an infection in his leg and we almost lost him. Could we just skip to November or stay in September (but still move to cooler weather) this year?   October is also my Blog-a-versary month. My first post was Oct. 25, 2008! That’s FIVE years! WOW!   I am excited for cooler weather. Girl Scouts. Fall Festivals. Halloween. Just about anything that has to do with FALL! I love it!   What’s your favorite season? Why?

So…I’m a day late on Father’s Day.  But….that’s because I was with my Father!     There is a running joke in our family.  I have an older brother and a younger sister.  We tell everyone that Donnie is the favorite.  DUH!  We all know that!  Then Lisa and I “fight” for favorite daughter.    Since I do a lot of stuff for my parents, more than my siblings, I tell them I know I’m the favorite.  I don’t do it because I want the attention.  I do it because I know they need the help.  I get a couple extra drinks at the store and take them over because I know my parents can’t carry them.  Mom’s knees are bad, and Dad is on a walker. (But…that’s a different story!)   So yesterday I posted on Facebook a Happy Father’s Day message to my dad and said it was from his “Favorite” daughter.  One of my friends accused me of trying to start a fight in the family.  I had to explain that it was all a big joke...

You know how people always say that as their parents get older, they have to take care of them.   Well, today, I have to take my daddy to the doctor.  He hasn’t been able to drive since he was in the hospital in October.  So, since I will get off work before Mom today, I have to take him.  I don’t HAVE to, but I will.   How many times have they done stuff for me that was inconvenient or not what they wanted to do?  It’s payback time.  I’m okay with that!

Right now, I have two songs (actually more) stuck on repeat in my head.  My family (not just Tony, me, and the Princess) are going through some things right now.    Some of them, I will discuss later.  Some I will have to wait until they are absolutely finalized before I can share anything.   Right now, the songs stuck on repeat are:  God Will Make a Way and Got Any Rivers? (or, at least I think that is the name!)   God Will Make a Way God will make a way When there seems to be no way. He works in ways we can not see. He will make a way for me. He will be my guide, hold me closely to His side. With love and strength for each new day, He will make a way. He will make a way. There are more words to that, but these are the ones on repeat!   Got Any Rivers? Got any rivers, you think are uncrossable? Got any mountains, you can’t tunnel through? God specializes in things thoug...

You know how sometimes life gets a little nuts? You know how sometimes, as women, we don't take time for ourselves? Well, I have found a group of women to hang out with, and it's better than therapy! I have been scrapbooking for about 3-4 years now!! (WOW! Time has really flown!)  Anyways, I started very simply.  I put pictures on a page and made sure there was pretty paper behind it.  Now, I take a little longer because I have been doing it longer and I like to embellish.  A year ago, my friend, who is a  Creative Memories consultant, got a group of us together.  We did not know each other.  The only common thing was our friend.  Now, three of us, "The Triplets" are best friends.  We call each other, have "Girls' Night", and help each other out! When we arrive at the crops, sometimes we have had a hard week (day/month/etc.).  After about an hour, these women have me laughing and crying and everything else.  With my dad ...

Here is Part 1 of this story. Now we are up to May. In May 2012, Tony and I celebrated our 11th wedding anniversary. The last time we really went anywhere (like a trip) was in 2002—our first anniversary. The only reason we went anywhere then was because my best friend was getting married the day before our anniversary. So Tony and I took off to Kentucky (or West Virginia, I can’t remember). Anyways, we haven’t been anywhere since then for our anniversary. So this year, our anniversary fell on a Saturday. That was the first time it has been on a Saturday (since we got married)!!! So after the softball game that day, we left for the beach. We took all the stuff with us in the car. We changed clothes in the bathrooms at the ballfield. We left! The next morning, before we headed home, we walked on the beach for a while.    School let out on June 8th. On June 14th, we had to take Chasity to the ER. She couldn’t breathe. She...

Dad finally came home from the hospital on Saturday.  He still has some recovering to do, but he's at home and feeling much better. Only a few more softball games until the season is over.  We play this weekend, and we have a game next weekend.  Then next Saturday afternoon the tournament starts.  So we could have as few as 3 games, but I guess we could have as many as 5 games left! :)  I guess we will see after Saturday! I only have about 6-7 weeks until GRADUATION!  I graduate on December 15th!  I'm excited!  We are supposed to close on the new house on November 12th!  I can't wait!  Tony has to decorate the outside for Christmas!  He said that if we got in before Thanksgiving that he would put lights outside for Christmas!  (He never thought we'd actually get in before Thanksgiving when he said it!  lol I'm so excited!) I have an idea for a book I am wanting to write.  I just need to get the approval of my ...