The World According to Leslie

I'm getting a little (sometimes a lot) slower with age. I didn't forget that my child had a birthday. I just didn't post anything here about it. On Friday, August 18, The Princess turned 14. She stayed up until midnight on Thursday just to be able to say "It's my birthday!" NO! I can't believe she's 14! What did we do for her Birthday?  EVERYTHING she wanted to do!! After getting up later than normal (she wanted to sleep in), we ate pancakes for breakfast. We went bowling. She's in a bowling league now and wanted to practice before the first games on Saturday morning! We met my parents at Sweet Frog for fro-yo. (YES! She got Birthday Cake flavored fro-yo!) Then we picked up her best friend to spend the night (after she got out of school). We picked up my parents. We went to Remedy Church for Kidz Krusade.  At the end of the night, they silly stringed her as everyone sang Happy Birthday to her!  (It was AWESOME!) Then we all (my...

Some decisions are easy. Some decisions take a lot of prayer and consideration. Easy decision (most of the time).... what to wear. Hard decision.... where to go to college, who to marry, where to live. Sometimes, you get to make decisions for yourself. You get to decide alone or you can talk it out with the other people involved and make a decision. Sometimes, decisions are made for you. Either circumstances beyond your control or other people take the decision away from you. I have talked many times about decisions I have to make (or have recently made). Tony and I are going tomorrow to the homeschool conference in Winston-Salem. We are going to be checking out information and curriculum for homeschool. We still have not made a complete decision. This is still part of the research. However, we still have to do the research together to be able to make an informed/educated decision. We have to make one soon, but we want to be sure it's the best thing possible. Becaus...

Have you ever been on "autopilot"? For the past couple of weeks, I have had so much stuff to get done. I just feel like I'm on "autopilot" trying to complete stuff. I am still working on VBS.  While I have a core team of people, I still need about 15-20 more volunteers. Plus, we have to do volunteer training (May 20th) and get all the supplies together for everyone!  While we have a good bit of stuff already for The Princess's Silver Award, we still need a lot more stuff.  As of today, she has been approved to have a yard sale on May 27th and to put up wish lists on Amazon and Dollar Days.  I will post the details of those here when we get them set up. We are still working on getting stuff collected and raising money for the Better to Give project at church. I have a Wish list set up through Dollar Days for that, and I will post that information here ASAP! It's also the end of the year--school year! Next week, the final progress reports for ...

I guess it's better late than never, right? HAPPY EASTER! Spring Break started here on Friday.... Good Friday.  The day care was also closed, so the Princess and I didn't even have to set an alarm!  IT WAS AWESOME!  She's out all this week.  That means NO ALARMS all week!  So nice! It also means that when she goes back to school on April 24, there are only 34 days of school left! You all know how I love my countdowns!  (Yes! I still do them...even though I'm not in a classroom full time!) I may even put it up on the wall in the house.... this has been a tough school year! Anyways.... Saturday, we went to a few yard sales. Then we went to find the Princess a semiformal dress for some stuff she has coming up. Sunday, EASTER, we went to church. Since everyone was all dressed for Easter, the pastor had it set up for one of the ladies at church to take pictures of families. Since my parents and my sister and brother (and all most of our kids) we...

I need help! Those may three of the hardest words to say together in the English language. The other hard three word combos are "I am sorry" and "I was wrong". I've said all of these three word combinations so many times in my life, but for me, personally, the hardest three to say together are "I need help!" I'm a very, very, very (did I say VERY?), type A personality. According to Wikipedia (which is not always right, but can be used for fun information like this), a Type A person can be: "rude ambitious rigidly organized highly status-conscious sensitive impatient anxious proactive concerned with time management People with Type A personalities are often high-achieving "workaholics" They push themselves with deadlines, and hate both delays and ambivalence." Except for the "rigidly organized" and "highly status-conscious," that's pretty much me!!! I work best in stressful situa...

Last Friday, Tony and I checked the Princess out of school early. We had the car loaded up, and we headed to Pigeon Forge. The Relentless Youth Group from Remedy Church left earlier that morning for Shabbach Youth Conference 2017. We didn't want her to miss an entire day of school, so we checked her out after 1/2 day. That means that Tony was off work on Friday. We drove up on Friday. We dropped the Princess off with the group just in time for church services on Friday night. We hung out with the group at the Alpine Coaster , where Tony's cart got stuck on the track in the pouring rain! (That's a completely different story!)   We also went to ride go karts and play at the arcade! Sunday, after the morning services, we collected the Princess from the group. We hung around and did some things together as a family. Then we headed home. Tony had some vacation days to use, so he also took Monday off of work. We went grocery shopping (which we normally do on Sun...

As you can probably figure, my brain is cluttered with stuff.... lots and lots of STUFF! So, in order to clear my mind, I'm writing out some of the weird things from our house. Have you ever had ants in your bathroom? I can understand them in the kitchen if you leave out food overnight or something, but we have them in our MASTER BATH! Hello???  That's the farthest room from the kitchen.  And, as far as I know, no one is eating in the bathroom!  :)  Sometimes, it's one or two ants (the little bitty ones). Other times, it's like a whole army!  It's been that way since we moved in about 3 1/2 years ago, but it's just weird.... or so I think!! Do you know how I can tell who did the dishes last in our house? It's by the silverware in the dishwasher! If I do them, all the silverware is turned down (like the pointy part of the forks, the spoony part of the spoons, and the knifey part of the knives) toward the bottom of the silverware basket thingy! On...

As I've said before, my church, Remedy Church , is planning to help 500 families this year at Christmas. YES! It's only MARCH! But, we have a big goal because we have a BIG GOD! We have broken down how we are collecting toys (new or gently used--aka like new) for the kids. You can help in a couple ways.  1. You can donate toys to the Better to Give Project . 2. You can donate money to the Better to Give Project . The information needed for doing either of those things is on the Remedy Church website . Here is the breakdown for the Better to Give Project ! March --Girls 0-3 years April --Girls 3-5years May --Girls 6-12years J une --Teen Girls July --Boys 0-3years August --Boys 3-5years S eptember --Boys 6-12years October --Teen Boys In November, we will be organizing everything and getting it ready for the delivery. We are also accepting donations of travel-sized hygiene items. While the kids/teens in the family will get toys, the adults are going t...

Yesterday went well.  I didn't cry when I dropped the Princess off at the high school for Transition Day. (I'm not promising I won't cry when I drop her off for the first day of school next year!) I didn't cry when I picked her up and she was wearing the new shirt they gave all the students that said the school name and "Class of 2021"!!!  (So unreal!) I made it through my speech last night. It was very laid back, and I'm not sure why I haven't been going to the support group over the past two years!  I may start going.... although I'm almost 2 years out from surgery. I may go just to have the group to help keep me motivated when I need it.  Plus, in April, they are discussing smoothie and protein shake recipes.  I need help in that area anyways!  There were two other people on the panel last night. When we finished talking, the group could ask us questions, but there were only like 3 questions. I really thought there would be more!  Eith...

Today is the last day of February!  How is February over already? Is it REALLY possible that 2017 has conquered 2 months this quickly? I think about January and February right now. I feel like I haven't really gotten anything accomplished. I have big goals for 2017. I have big projects for 2017! I feel like I haven't gotten ANYTHING done toward them! Last night, my co-leader for Remedy Kidz, our children's church at Remedy Church , and I got together. This year, our church has a project called "Better to Give". We are planning to collect toys (all ages--new or GENTLY used) for 500 kids. Remedy Kidz are going to be preparing stockings for the parents. Each stocking will have hygiene products and snacks in it. (Everyone loves getting something for Christmas, right?) Last night, we sat down and made a list of items we are planning to put in the stockings. We are planning to do travel-sized items so that they will all fit. The list: toothpaste toothbrush...

Somethings just don't happen the way you hope/wish they would. For example, last Wednesday, the Princess had her Battle of the Books competition. Out of  schools, they came in 4th. Of course, I was HOPING for 1st..... but.... it doesn't always work out that way! :) Wednesday evening, I also didn't win the 7th largest PowerBall Jackpot.  (Of course, to be considered, I'd have to buy a ticket, and I didn't do that either!) Thursday, I went for my follow-up with my neurosurgeon. He re-did my CT scan and determined that my aneurysms have not changed. They haven't grown, but they haven't gotten smaller. In all honesty, I was hoping God would just take them away--since my Doc said that they never go away without surgery. I was hoping God would prove him wrong. The good thing is that I'm healthy and don't have to go back until next February. (I am thinking about changing to a doctor closer to home. I'm not sure I want to drive to Charlotte just to...

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 ...

Happy Valentine's Day!  OR as the Princess informed me this morning.... "Happy Singles Awareness Day!!" Either way, I hope your day is happy!! Today is my last day to be 38 years old. At 2:45am tomorrow morning, I will be 39! I will be starting my final year of my 30s!  OH MY!  Where did the time go? This year has been interesting!  At home, I have been able to do more. I've cooked more (and everyone survived!)!! I've gotten outside more--and consequently sneezed more! I even coached the Princess's rec league softball team last Spring!  I've been happier, mostly! At church, I've been more active. I'm working in Children's church. I'm singing on the Praise Team (in rotation). :) I'm heading up VBS this year. (That will technically be when I'm 39,  but I've started plans already.) I'm helping head up the 500 stockings for families this year. (That will also be when I'm 39.... but still!) At work, I'...

I had planned to say something about the ban on travel that President Trump put into place over the weekend. I had planned to say something about the anniversary of Trayvon Martin's death and what his parents are now doing to help us remember him. I had planned to talk about a lot of things that happened nationally over the weekend. However.... I have decided that it's not time for me to talk about that yet. It's time for me to talk about what happened to my family over the weekend. First.... On Friday, the Princess had an ear infection. We know this because the stuff was draining from her ear. She has a hole in her right ear drum from when she had tubes from age 2-6. (It wouldn't come out and they had to go back in to get it. It left a hole.) Anyways, I dropped her off at school and called the doctor. They told me they didn't have anything available for us to come in on Friday. I wasn't very happy (or polite) when I asked them why they even tell peop...

One day.... 24 hours.... 1440 minutes.... 86400 seconds..... No matter how you figure it, one day is not that long. It really is amazing how so much can change in 24 hours. About this time yesterday morning, my mom called me. The she was a little frantic on the other end of the line. The conversation went something like this.... Me: Hello Mom: What are you doing? Me: I'm at home. (Said because she called my cell and not my house phone) Mom: I was on the phone with Lisa. She said she was in the middle of the road. I heard a noise. I yelled 'Lisa, Lisa,' and she didn't answer. Finally, she said, 'I've just been hit.' She was at a meeting for work at the DSS place on Cabarrus Avenue. You know where that is, right? And she was going to get food over by Big Lots. I don't know where she is for sure. Can you go find her? Me: I'm gone! I'll call you back. Then I grabbed my water and ran out the door. (I try to never leave home wit...

Yesterday, I totally forgot to write. Well, I did write, but not here. I left for church at 9am and with everything I had to do yesterday, I did not come back home to stay until almost midnight. Hey! Some days are like that! So Writing Challenge Day #5 is today! Go back and check out Day #1 , Day #2 , Day #3 , and Day #4 . Then write your own and leave the links in the comments sections on the pages. Today's Challenge: "What does your last text message from someone else say?" The last text message I received says, "I'll call at nap." Yep! That's from my mom. She's a day care director. Last night, my brother was telling us about the awesome turkey that was catered in for the Thanksgiving meal at his job. He had just sent us the information for their contact at the restaurant. If my mom had not responded to him, the message would have been much longer and would have been a free plug for a local restaurant!!  I guess Mom is going to call...

The doctors told me to "return to normal" so I have been doing everything I normally do.  Almost everything.... I haven't had a chance to get back to the gym. I'm still trying to work that into my strange schedule.  I get the Princess off to school in the mornings. Then I head to the daycare to help my mom, since my friend who really works there is still out on medical leave. After I leave there, different days are different times, I head home for just a little bit before heading to get the Princess from softball practice. Two days a week, she has games. As of last Wednesday, the first game, she is the starting first baseman! Last year she only got to play in 2-3 games because she was in 7th grade. This year, as an 8th grader, she's a starter!  She got her same number too!  #18!!!! We have school stuff, like meetings and stuff to handle in the evenings. We have church stuff. We also have Girl Scout stuff. We stay pretty busy!  However, it's nice to be ...