The World According to Leslie

I remember as a child how much I loved Christmas. I remember loving parades and lights and Santa and gifts and family. I remember as I got older how Christmas became more hectic. It seemed that the wonder I had as a child started to fade. I started to see the hustle and bustle. I started to feel the stress. Now, as I sit here a little more than a week before Christmas, I have only purchased a few gifts (all for the Princess). I stress out because my Christmas village isn't up yet. I hate that part of my lights on my house aren't working. (I am thankful that Tony and my nephew, Dorion, put them out over Thanksgiving weekend for me.) I don't really feel Christmas-y. I feel sad because I can't do all the things I want to do for others and for myself this Christmas. I worry because I know what the Princess wants for Christmas, and I'm afraid she'll be disappointed if it's not under the tree. I wish I really still believed in Santa Claus and that he could...

Check out links to all of the Writing Challenge posts in Day #8 . It's kind of fitting that I'm doing this challenge. It's starting to ask questions about Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years. Since tomorrow is the last day of the posts I'm doing about the Writing Challenge, I think it's going to be a good way to end it. Don't forget to leave the link to your post of the writing challenge in the comments so I can come check it out! Today's Challenge: "What's on your Christmas wish list?" I have a lot of stuff on my Christmas wish list; don't we all? I want things that can be bought: Clothes Shoes Camera Pots and Pans Silverware Mattress/Box Springs Fitbit Laptop I want things I know I can't get: Pay off my bills (all of them--including house, car, and student loans) before Dec. 31 Win the lottery (except I don't play) I want things I have to work to get: Health Happiness Love Peace Get my house decor...

If I want to write over the summer, I need to find clients now.  Why is it that I am having such a hard time bringing myself to apply for these positions?    I see jobs that I can do.  I know that I can do it. I put the jobs on my “watch list”.  Then I watch them until they have been taken by other people. I just need to work up the courage to apply for the jobs I know I can do.  I may see if I can work for the people I wrote for last summer.  If so, I could totally make some serious money this summer.   I found out yesterday that my oldest nephew made the JV baseball team at his school.  I also found out that he plays his first game today against the school where I work.    So….what’s any good aunt to do?  I’m going to go back to watch him play after I pick up the Princess at school and drop off the other girls from carpool.  Then, at 5:30, I’m going to work the ticket gate.  It only makes sense to get pa...

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 P...

I have always hated making decisions.   Last night, I made a great one!   After being broken-hearted that I could not make it to scrapbooking, Tony actually got off work in time that I could go. However, after going by my Papaw’s how to get my mom… (She takes his car to him on Fridays.  That’s another story. )…I decided that I would not go scrapbooking. I could have made it for a couple of hours. I decided to spend time with my family.   We haven’t done that in a while. So, we went to the Chinese buffet. After dinner, we went to watch part of the race that is in town this weekend on my dad’s huge TV. My brother and two nephews were there. We stayed until about 9:30pm. Then we left and came home to get some rest.   I wrote my article about my Interpreting career. (When it is posted, I will link it here.)   Then we were all in bed by 11pm.   Now, Tony is already at work.   The Princess is eating breakfast and getting ready...

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...

So tonight we have softball pictures and practice if there is time (and an open field)! Then I’m going to join the Scrap Happy Divas for some late night scrapbooking!   It’s our NATIONAL SCRAPBOOK DAY celebration….24 hours of cropping, scrapping, and talking!  (I won’t get to be there the whole 24 hours though. )   Tomorrow morning, we have the Girls on the Run 5K.  We have to be there at 7:30am!  SO glad Tony will be driving!   Our softball game is at 2:15pm.  Then my nephew plays at 4pm.  We will stay to watch him, I’m sure!  I owe him some pizza.  (I’ll tell that story soon!)   Today is Friday.  We only have 25 days left of school!  I’m getting excited, but still worried that I won’t get it all in!     This is going to be another of those BLUR weekends!