The World According to Leslie

Over the past few days, the temperatures here have been colder than normal. They have been in the single digits in the mornings and barely above freezing (if at all) during the day. The schools have been delayed twice this week because of the cold temperatures. They knew they would probably have bus issues; plus it was just too cold, especially with the wind some days, to have the kids standing outside in the dark waiting for the bus. In downtown Kannapolis, we have a park--Veteran's Park. There is a fountain there. It has been frozen this week.  The water that is moving isn't frozen, but the water that is not moving is.  We stopped by today, after bowling this morning and I got some pictures of it.  I think they are really neat!  One of the spouts looks like an "ice volcano" when the water shoots out. This is the view of the fountain from the park, toward the street. This is the view from the street.  Both sides of the fountain are frozen....

Since the year The Princess was in third or fourth grade, every year, about this time, I start looking at options for school for her. I have friends and family who homeschool. I always peruse that as an option. I have gone online and figured out what subjects we would need, where we would get them from, and (unfortunately!) the costs. There are some places I can get things online (like secondhand) but I won't start looking in earnest until we make a decision. Homeschooling (probably) gives us the most flexibility with subjects and schedules. When she is listed as a Junior, she can start taking Dual Enrollment classes at the local Community College for high school and college credit (for FREE!!)!!!!  Her fifth grade year, she was at a local Charter school. It didn't work out so well. (We went through 3 teachers and 2 principals in one year.)  I guess we could always look at going back there (now that they have been open and running for a few years) as an option. It's n...

Last week I got older. I guess that's not really crazy.  We technically get older every day.  Then this week, in ONE day, I got 430 views on my blog!!  That's NEVER happened before, but I could get used to it! ****** We are still in the middle of Girl Scout cookie season. If you haven't gotten yours yet, let me know. I can either deliver them (if you are close enough) or give you the website where you can order them. ****** On Sunday, the stuff for Vacation Bible School came in! I'm so excited!  I'm the director this year, but I am going to need a TEAM of awesome people!  We have a church full of awesome people!  I'm going to get the recruiting video ready so that the pastor can show it before we have the volunteer meeting!!! On Sunday, the pastor also announced to the church that we are doing toys for 500 kids this Christmas. We are going to be collecting toys and money. If you have new/gently used toys that you'd like to donate, please let me ...

All week, the weather forecasters called for snow. Some called for 4"; others called for 8". In reality, according to the weather reports this morning, we got about 2-3". A "cone of warm air" snuck in and pushed the higher totals of snow to the north. Surprise! Surprise! It snowed more to the north than at my house!! Well, at least we got snow! It's beautiful outside! It is still snowing a little bit now. That will all be gone before noon today. I went out on the front porch earlier when I got up to get some pictures. It never fails when it snows that someone decides to walk through MY snow!!  It's MY yard! It's MY snow!  But, someone always walks through it before we get outside. That's why I went out earlier for pictures. :)  I got ahead of them this time. :) I am a "snow-fectionist".  I want the snow to stay pretty and pristine without footprints in it. I always ask Tony and the Princess to walk only on the sidewalk ...

I live in NC! I live near Charlotte.  Sometimes we get snow.  Sometimes we get ice. Sometimes we get rain. Sometimes we get nothing! For the past week, the forecasters have been predicting snow. It's supposed to start late this evening and go into the morning tomorrow. Some say 2-4". Others say up to 6". Me? I want as much snow as possible!  :)  I love snow!  The only difference in this year and all the previous years is that I get cold now. Actually, I stay cold now. I wear hoodies and long pants all the time. I wrap up in blankets when I'm on the couch. I freeze often!  I used to make fun of people who were cold all the time. My sister is one of them. I think I may still be warmer than her, but I'm cold all the time. That does NOT mean I don't want snow!! Living in NC, people go nuts when they hear about snow!  The hardware stores have lines of people getting ice melt, snow sleds, and shovels. Grocery stores have people lined thr...

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...

I guess since we didn’t have school on Monday, this week has flown by.  However, since we have to make up two of the snow days, we have school tomorrow.  It’s only for 3 hours, so I’m good.  (Just wish it would be later in the day….lol  I’m not fond of mornings!)   All of the girls have come and got their cookies from my house.  The Princess should be able to get her cookies delivered to people this weekend.  Last weekend was crazy and still had ice on the ground.  Yesterday was almost 80 degrees.    Yes, I do live in NC where you can have a snow storm and 80 degrees all in the same week!  The funny thing is that there is still some snow on the ground.  People (including the city and major shopping centers) plowed snow into huge mounds.  It’s melting, but only slightly every day.   We only have two booths this weekend, so it should be an easy weekend.   Countdown Updates: 22 days until the Art ...

In the state of NC, we rarely get that BIG SNOW. They used to be more common.  We used to get one huge snow a year.  Now, we are lucky if we get one every 2-3 years.    However, schools are cancelled, delayed, or let out early for weather all the time here.  We haven’t heard anything today about our schools, but we shall see.    It’s all about waiting to see what happens.  Sometimes, I think that God is sitting up there showing us HIS sense of humor.  He lets the weather people tell us whatever they want to tell us.  Then HE decides to have some fun with the weather.  (That’s just my 2 cents!)   Countdown Updates: 0 days until I pick up cookies!  TODAY is the day! They are still calling for “weather,” but they are pushing back the start time to later today. My scheduled pick up time is 6pm. So, we shall see.  It should be fine. Tony is going to drive me there so I’m not having to do it alone.  Then ...

Sometimes, I feel like it has been forever since I have written here.  I wish I could get my fingers back in the habit of writing ever day.   On top of that, I wish I could get a few writing jobs going so I’ll be set up for this summer.  I don’t want to have to scramble for jobs this summer.  I have some applications in, but I’m just waiting.    Here are my countdowns: 1 day until I pick up about 1000 boxes of Girl Scout cookies—It’s tomorrow.  However, the weather people are calling for snow and ice.  We have been told that we have to pick up cookies no matter what, but I’m not sure I’m “risking my life” to get cookies to my house! (LOL ) 4 days until cookie booths start (2.14) 5 days until my birthday (2.15) 32 days until the Art Gala and Auction at the Princess’s school ~11 weeks until Spring Break starts (April 18th) ~11 weeks until Easter ~14 weeks until EOGs start for the Princess ~16 weeks until Memorial Day ~17 we...

I guess it would be more accurate to say 9 to 70.  (No! I’m not talking about speeds in a new car!)   During this past week, those have been the temperatures here.  YES! I realize that is a huge gap. YES! I know it sounds crazy! But… YES! I do live in NORTH CAROLINA! You see, in NC, we wear snow boots and shorts in the same week.  We wear sweaters and sunscreen in the same day (sometimes). It’s crazy.   However….  I wouldn’t live anywhere else! I just wish it would level off somewhere in the middle.  I LOVE LOVE LOVE L.O.V.E. LOVE 50-55 degrees.    I guess we shall see what the rest of winter shall hold for us.  I’m hoping we get a REALLY GOOD snow this year.  I’d love to have 4-6”, but I know that everyone will be complaining about when we have to make up the days at school.   For this week, we will stay above freezing (except for a couple of morning lows); we will have lots of rain. We will have a couple...

Today, since we are giving new state tests (Common Exams/Measures of Student Learning) in NC, the English teachers at my school are all going to be in one room all day.  (That should be fun!)  We have to grade the tests.    YES!  You read that right!  The teachers are grading the state required tests!    Each test had multiple choice and a written part.  The MC is being sent off to be graded—that’s easy!  Each of the written responses is going to be read by at least TWO teachers today.  Then we will give them a grade.    Does anyone else see an issue here?  I grade differently that other teachers at MY school.  I know that teachers at other schools grade differently than we grade at our school.  So the test results (other than the MC) will be biased/skewed at each school…. or so I fear.    I guess we will see.  I hope that this works the way the state has planned, but we will s...

So... I have two classes left (if I survive the current ones) before I am licensed to teach High School English. So.... what did I hear on the news yesterday? Our wonderfully stupid NC Governor (for whom I did NOT vote) is cutting teacher salaries. To be fair, she's cutting all state employee salaries by something like 5%. So...does that mean SHE is getting a pay cut too????? (Doubt it!) Anyways... I'm just a little aggrivated that NC teachers don't get paid anything close to what they are worth and now the stupid Governor (for whom I did NOT vote) is cutting more money out. Let's just say that I'm looking into other states as an option when I finish my Masters' degree!!! Until next time........