Madison's blog comments!

The granddaughters stayed with us last night and Madison has figured out how to check the blog and make comments! She has commented on my blog and Conner's blog.

Grace is here looking over my shoulder and she wanted to change the color to pink. We have had a fun day. We went to the animal shelter and picked out a little playmate for Chloe...a kitten named Zoey. Chloe is not real happy about this intruder right now....lots of hissing going on.

Now my favorite color...blue! Grace wanted me to tell you that she helped me make stuffed manicotti for dinner. She mixed the cheese stuffing all by herself then helped stuff the noodles. It was yummy!!

I still haven't downloaded the Christmas pictures. I'll try to get to those tomorrow!

love to all....
Leslie, Madison and Grace

Madison's Trip to the Emergency Room....

We received a phone call last week that Madison was heading to the emergency room with a cut on her head. She had fallen off the back of the couch and hit her head on the foot of the new piano. Through her hysterical crying, she said "I know if I hadn't been on the back of the couch this never would have happened!" I've heard her parents tell her dozens of time to stay off the back of the couch. Hopefully, this is a lesson learned the hard way. She has a staple in her one inch cut.

Val had to wake her up every hour that night to watch for signs of a concussion. During one of the "wake-up" calls, Val asked her "Madison, do you remember what happened to you tonight?" Madison replied in a very concerned tone...."Mommy, I remember that I fell on the piano but I can't remember the names of all my aunts and uncles at Thanksgiving. There were a lot of them so that is okay, right?"

Hope everyone had a wonderful Christmas. Chad and Keri just left for home. It's Wednesday, 2:30am. It all goes by so quickly! I'll download pictures from the camera and give you some of our Christmas stories very soon. In the meantime, Valerie goes back to work today at 8am and Mike had to be at Owens Corning at 3am this morning. I'm alone for the first time in several days and I can't get back to sleep. There is something about loved ones being on the road in the dark that is unsettling to me even as I prayed for safe travels for everyone. I'm sure they will all be fine but I will feel better when Mike calls from work and Chad and Keri check in from the road or from home.

I'm going to watch a little tv and hopefully get very tired.

love to all...
Leslie


This is the picture of Madison's injury on the back of her head. You can clearly see the staple. It looks like she could have used another one or two but Val said it is fine. Aunt Ginger is doing staple removal this week!

Thank you!

Thank you to whoever fixed my Christmas picture! I know it had to be one of my children!

I am blessed with tech savy kids!

Happy Birthday Chad!

Chad turned 32 years old on December 19th! He was 6 days old on his first Christmas and I remember dressing him up and taking him everywhere! We went to visit all the Grandmas and Grandpas then out to Aunt Sharon and Uncle Junior's for a family gathering. We were so proud of our firstborn! (we got pretty lucky with our second-born too!) I remember Chad wearing the cutest little baby work boots. The years went by way too fast!

Chad is an attorney for a law firm in Cary, North Carolina (sorry, I can't remember it's name). He will be home for Christmas...we can't wait to see him!



Christmas 2006...Chad and his dad...
Chad and Keri being silly in the birthday scarves I made for Keri!
Uncle Chad brought the girls these Rudolph noses for Christmas last year!
In between races at Mid Ohio...his hobby..racing vintage British motorcycles! I miss the days of model rockets and coin collecting!



Chad & Matt on Christmas 2006 wearing the PJ's I got them! The things my boys do for me!!

Blog picture...

Okay...I got the picture on but you will need a magnifying glass to see it! And I can't get the header picture off.

I thought I had this blog thing all figured out!

OOPS!

I tried to put this cute winter picture of Mike and I on the blog...changing out the Air show picture that has been on there for several months. I have no idea what I did wrong but the picture is now background on the blog title! lol

Help, children! See if you can figure out what I did wrong. You know my sign-in...maybe you can fix it!

Hope everyone is ready for Christmas....I'm planning to start the baking process on Friday. Whatever sweet treats I can get done in 2 days is what we will have!

Thinking of you all during this wonderful season of family, friends and lots and lots of love....
Leslie

North Carolina Christmas Trees....

Only Chad could mix decorating the Christmas trees and power tools! These must be the magnolia leaves that he and Bella painted for the tree! I'm not sure where the power drill comes into the picture! Looks like fun!!Our Bella is ready to put the star on the top! Two beautiful stars....
Mom is going to have to lift her high....
Almost to the top....
I love this view through the branches! How cute are they!
These two look pretty proud of themselves! I'm proud of them too...wish I could be there to see it in person!
Finished tree...absolutely TREEmendous!
A tired Christmas Tree Decorating Elf named Bella!
This is the tree in Chad's house! I recognize some of the ornaments! The Raggedy Andy was from the year he was born...it was his nursery theme. He got the Pooh bear in YMCA Preschool. Seems like yesterday....
Stockings were hung by the chimney with care....Merry Christmas to our North Carolina Family...we can't wait to see y'all!

Pray for Conner

http://connercrabtree.blogspot.com





We have been babysitting Conner since he was 7 months old. He will be 6 in March. Conner has brought so much joy and laughter into our lives. He will be having brain surgery on January 8th. Go to his blog site and read his story as told by his mom, Michele.

Thank you for the prayers.....

http://connercrabtree.blogspot.com

Okay.....I've Updated....no more leaf pictures!

Valerie emailed me last night and said "okay mom...enough of the leaves...UPDATE YOUR BLOG!"

I did some quick downloads and uploads and some quick typing and I'm updated!....(it has actually taken me a few hours to do all this)

I am feeling good. A couple of complaints....I am tired. Around mid afternoon, I could fall into a deep sleep if I sat down for any length of time. I'm told that is normal. My back aches. After I stand and do anything for what seems like a short time I get a terrible backache. It's really annoying when I'm cooking or baking. I'm told this is normal.

I was to go to the doctor on December 14 but I really need to finish my Christmas shopping so I changed it to Friday, January 11. I got an okay from the doctor to do it so don't be upset.

I'm looking forward to seeing the family during the holiday. Chad and Keri are coming in on Saturday, December 22 and staying until the 26th. We can't wait to see them but disappointed that Bella isn't coming too. We will be sending lots of love and gifts to her in North Carolina and she will be missed! My mom, sister, brother and I are doing the lighting of the Advent candles in Church on December 23rd. We will head to the Millers for a gift exchange that afternoon and our annual viewing of Christmas Vacation. I think Cousin Eddie might even come (aka Mike....it's the funniest thing you have ever seen!) Christmas Eve at my parents with lots of family and the White Elephant gift exchange which got quite rowdy last year! Candlelight service 6:30pm then home to wait for Santa.

It's been a wonderful year for us. I know we had this cancer thing in the middle of it, but honestly, I think this could have been my best year ever! Full of love, God, family, friends, prayers, hope, faith and a fearless anticipation and readiness for the rest of my journey....no matter where it leads, this was the year that made me truly understand and ready for God's plan in my life. What a gift!

Merry Christmas to you all....
Leslie

Christmas Party Time!

This past weekend we had the Given Dawson Christmas Dinner at The Sports Zone and the Millers attended the Santa Party at the Coffman's. Everyone had a jolly time!

This could be your Christmas card picture!Roxanne took this picture of Santa and Madison. I think it could be a Norman Rockwell painting!
Grace had lots of things to discuss with Santa this year! I think this might end up costing Santa some big $$$.
I am sure Santa is trying to get Andrew to look at the camera for a picture and I'm sure Andrew wants nothing to do with a picture of him on Santa's lap! It's a 14 year old boy thing!
When we left the Millers on Saturday night, Andrew did not want to attend the Santa Party. He must have changed his mind for his favorite mom! (and maybe to get the present Santa had for him!)

Given Dawson employees have dinner together!

Let it Snow!

We have already had 2 snow days and it isn't even officially winter yet!
This is a picture of Matt with the kids home from school last Wednesday. Val said they rode those sleds for 6 hours! They had a 2 hour delay on Thursday and another Snow day on Friday!
This was Grandpa Mike's snow creation on Saturday.
Our Deck man! (and a Buckeye fan)
Grandpa Mike, Andrew, Madison and Grace came up with this "Golf-man"..it's a little warped version of the snowman...love the golf glove for a better grip!

Oh Christmas Tree..Oh Christmas Tree...

Kali and Lexi think the family got this tree just for them!
This was one of the funniest Christmas email albums I've received. Grace actually called me that morning to tell me they were decorating the tree. The Christmas music was playing loudly and they were very excited! Val had packed them each a box of their own personal ornaments last year anticipating this moment. They were thrilled to have their own boxes of ornaments! You will notice that Andrew disappears from this Norman Rockwell moment pretty quickly and the cats are just hysterical! I hope you enjoy this Christmas tradition as much as I did!Andrew must have put his ornaments on in record setting time!
Grace and her peace sign with attitude..

Madison with her softer, kinder version ....Grace's year to do the star...
Kali relaxing in one of the empty ornament boxes..
Lexi too....just waiting for the family to finish the decorating..

A beautiful completed Christmas tree!Now the fun begins.....enjoy!

Back with my kids!

I was back with my children's choir in November...KOPS...Kids Offering Praise & Songs! We are working on our Christmas Concert for December 16th. (I'm not sure what the mysterious glow is on my forehead but, otherwise, I love this picture of the kids.We performed "The Party's Here" on November 25th. IT WAS AWESOME!

I'm also back with my daycare gang! I only have one or two each day but this was Ohio Deer Hunting Monday Holiday! It was wonderful!
They voted for Leslie's homemade pizza that day....and they got it!