New dinner recipe!

Onion-Crusted Fish. So good!!


On to other news. The new IKEA will open on Wednesday, but Lawrence's job was given sneak peak passes, so we got to go yesterday! It was so great. I love IKEA, even though they didn't hire me. I even saw the guy who interviewed me, and told him I was mad at him (lol).


Tomorrow the kids have school, because they didn't go to school on the bogus snow day. I don't mind, more alone time. Nate has basketball and karate practice, so I can rest before I have to do any running.


We're in the middle of cleaning the garage, it's SOOO junky. It should be done by next weekend.

I'm completing applications for the two younger kids to go to a performing arts school. Renee wants to sing, and Nate wants to act. Kinda happy. They're both good, and this will just help them along.


I don't think that I have anything else to talk about right now.

God Bless!
Leslie

Okay, I'm sick of the "snow" days.

This is the snow we got today. At 5:30 am, they announced there was no school. There was NO measurable snow. Our development doesn't get plowed, there was just NO snow in the street. I don't get it. There should have been a 2 hour delay or something, but to cancel school over this?

What's been going on? Well, I took my test to work at Lawrence's job, and I got a 96. I have an interview next Monday, so please pray.

I signed Renee and Nate up for a performing arts school, and they have to audition. I wanted to make an appointment for them today, but schools are closed...

Nate's basketball season is over at the end of the month, and he started taking karate on Mondays. He's going with Nicole's youngest son, and there are boys from his basketball team that are in his karate class. He should have fun.

There's not much more happening - I will let you guys know about the job situation as soon as I get an update.

Thanks, and God Bless!

Leslie

It's snowing...

Renee's friend was way too excited. Those are his tracks in the snow. He knocked on the door at 8:20am, jumping up and down, shouting "It's snowing, it's snowing, it's snowing". The same thing Renee did on Saturday. Now we know why they're friends...
There's no school today. I wish the house was empty again...

Yesterday was Renee's birthday, and we went to Ray's Splash Planet. We had lots of fun. The water temperature was great. There was lots for all of us to do, and even if you didn't want to get in the water, they have a fitness center at the facility. We're planning on going again next month.

For the first time in years, I'm excited about the Inauguration. I was excited about Bill Clinton, but not like this. I'm going to be glued to my tv. Gotta make sure my kids watch, too. They don't really get the significance of it right now, but in years to come, they will.

Well, I'm going to have my morning coffee, will talk later.

Thanks, and God Bless!
Leslie

I can't watch!

Okay, so I had to turn the game off. Lawrence is screaming at the tv in the living room, but I couldn't watch anymore. Man, so close. We'd have to be on POINT the next half to pull this one out.

Anyway, on to other non-depressing subjects. Nate's game was yesterday, now they're 2-1. They did a great job playing, and because the other team only had 4 players (others couldn't make it), one of the boys on Nate's team played for the other team. We thought that was great sportsmanship. Nate scored 4 pts, and had lots of rebounds and steals. He's turning out to be a very good defensive player.

Bri and I signed up to volunteer at the snack stand. They sell candy, popcorn, drinks, etc.. Since Nicole's son plays at 1pm, and Nate plays at 3pm, we're going to start at 1pm. Then I told the ref/minister that the kids would help after the game cleaning up.

Last night we took the drive down I-85 to the Kevin and Nadine's. Made a great dinner. The recipe is on the side. I got it from a message board I frequent.

Lawrence is still screaming at the tv. He was clapping, and I was going to turn back to the game, but he started screaming again, so I'm going to leave it alone.

Well, I'm off. I have to get our things together for swimming tomorrow. I'm still debating if I'm going to get in the water...

Thanks all, and God Bless!
Leslie

Baby, it's cold outside!

I need to warm up! It's going to be below 30 degrees today, and tomorrow it's going to be 34. Man, I'm actually missing the heat of the summer...

Tomorrow, Nate has a basketball game. He's also taking pictures with the team, so you know when we get those, they will be posted on the board.

Monday's Renee's birthday. I will have TWO teenage girls in my house. Please PRAY for us!! Lol! Nicole came up with a great idea for us to go to this indoor pool/waterpark that's in the city. So we're all going, as well as Renee's friend, Marco. It should be fun. Then she's going to get a manicure, and she wants another earring hole. I'm not sure if we'll really do that, because she doesn't wear earrings now. Maybe we'll revisit that next year. It should be a fun day. I'm glad that the stores here have bathing suits out for sale already, because she needs a new one.

We're going to check out another church on Sunday. Providence Baptist Church. It's up the road from us, close to the first church we visited. We'll let you know what we think.

Sunday I will also do my second week of the Grocery Game. Had to wait until we actually had money...

Well, laundry's calling. Talk to you later!

Thanks, and God Bless!
Leslie

Good morning...

Just wanted to update folks on the 'happenings' of the week:

There wasn't really much that went on this past week. I had a cramp in my leg that would rival almost any childbirth experience (well, any of mine, anyway, they were pretty easy), and when I went to the hospital, they thought I was 'crazy' again, gave me Valium, and sent me home. I went to my doctor, and was given actual pain medication. Nothing too strong, just some Celebrex and Flexeril (muscle relaxant), and took more blood from me. I swear I'm going to just run out of blood one day...

Bri had an ROTC event on Friday. I'm glad it was boring, because she doesn't need to have fun for a while (she's had enough fun). Nate had another basketball game - they won this time. They even started giving the other team points when they were fouled, just so they can have points on the board. The score was 22-6. The other team made one basket. Nate had 4 points, 5 steals, 12 rebounds, and forced 5 or 6 turnovers. He reminds me of a mini Charles Barkley on the court. He'd just better not get the attitude.

Renee is wavering with her pescaterianism. I found out from the Today show that she's not a vegetarian, she's a pescetarian. She still eats fish and eggs, so that's what puts her in this class. Thanksgiving, she ate something that had meat in it. Christmas, she had to try the ham. Last week, I made mini meatloaf, and she had to have one. She actually asked for more. Don't know where it's going to go from here, but whatever she decides, we'll just roll with it.

Today, we're going to Nicole's to watch the game. Well, ME going is still up in the air. I still can't put pressure on my foot, so I'm not sure. Lawrence and the kids are going, though. Nicole's husband is barbecuing, and we're bringing snacks. It should be a good game. I'm kind of upset that the Panthers lost, because they would have been here next week to play them, and we definitely would have at least sat outside the stadium. Would have been a HUGE tailgate party!
Oh well. Now I'm just hoping there's a PA Superbowl.

Well, I'm off. Gotta get drugged up, and lay my butt down.
Please continue to pray for us.


Thanks, and God Bless!
Leslie

I added a new recipe

I made it today. Even Renee ate some!
They are so easy to make, and I think this may be a regular on our menu.
Just thought I'd share.

That's all!

Thanks, and God Bless!
Leslie

The Grocery Game

So I tried it today. We needed certain items; staples, mostly. I was watching a show on Food Network that showed the Grocery Game, and the lady Teri who started it. I tried it before, but I didn't give it my full commitment, so it didn't work as well as it should. Today I saved $47.00, and for a start, I don't think it's that bad. You have to clip coupons every week, so if you're not a coupon fan like me, it may not work for you. There is also a fee to get the lists for your area, but I think for the savings, it works out in the end. I'm going to try to update you guys every week.

Well this is the first post of 2009, and I think this year is going to be pretty good. I'm hoping I can either start school, start work, or both. I need a job. This year, we are also going to work very hard on finding a church home. Lawrence's work schedule is going to allow us to go to church every Sunday, so we have no excuse now. The kids have resolved to keep doing good in school, and Bri, who has been dealing with lots of peer pressure and identity problems as of late, said she wants to focus on responsibility and respect. I feel good about that.

Nate had his first basketball game on Saturday. It was fun to watch, I thought it was going to be like watching paint dry while someone scratches their nails on a chalkboard, but it was actually okay.

This is both teams, the cheerleaders, coaches, and referees in a prayer circle before the start of the game. One of the cheerleaders led the prayer.

The kid wearing the white is Nate. He scored the first basket of the game, had 6pts total. He did very well, until they put a taller kid on him.

This is the end of the game. They tried hard, but they lost by two. All the kids gave great effort, so it was a good game, no matter who won. All of the parents were pleased.

We did record it, I'll post the link when I upload it.

I think that's about it for now. Talk to you all later!

Thanks, and God Bless!

Leslie

2008: Our year in review

Well, it has been a different year for us. Excitement, disappointments, changes, happiness, sadness, and struggles.
Some notes: Our move to Charlotte. That was the highlight of the year. Lawrence has a good job, and we are living in a nice house in a nice neighborhood. We have been blessed with this great change, and God has guided us to this place so that we can grow.

Nate had to start 5th grade again, however, it was good for him. He needed that wake up call to get himself together. Now he has As and Bs, and is loving his new friends and classmates.

Renee is realizing how easy school can be now, if she just does the work. She is excited because this is her first time ever being on the Honor Roll. She has always had the potential, she just never wanted to show it. Now that she's had the 'taste' of success, she's high on it. We want to keep her that way!

Of course, everything isn't going as planned. I haven't been able to hold a job because I have been stricken with strange illnesses. I thought it was just maybe stress or depression. I started trying to get treated for depression, hoping my brain would 'stop making me sick'. Now I have more issues. This time, I'm keeping on top of things, and the doctors I'm seeing have their eyes open to what's going on, and their minds are working overtime. They know it's something - some auto-immune issue - just don't know exactly what. We're working on it.

Also, one of the main reasons for the big move was to give Bri a better chance at being a responsible teenager. There were people in Philly that we just didn't want her to be around. I was worried about her schooling, and was also worried that although I was able to send her to a good school, where would I send Renee and Nate? Her school was good, but they still had their fights, and the area it was in was dangerous. Red Lion Road and Roosevelt Blvd. is the worst intersection anywhere! It always worried me that she wanted to cross that street to hang with her friends. I tried to give her freedom, however she took it for granted.
Moving here, I thought things would be different. However she is falling. And as a parent, I feel I'm failing. I'm not sure what road God is going to lead her on, however I am trying my best to keep her on a straight path. Pray for us.

And now, with this recession looming on the world, it's getting harder and harder to make ends meet. I need a job, and we need help. Food shopping is dwindling, clothing and shoes are being put on the back burner.

2009 is going to be better. I may start working part-time. We're waiting for Lawrence's job to let me know if I will be hired. Nate and Renee are still going to do great in school, and Bri is going to realize that the choices she makes not only affect her, but everyone around her, and that if she makes the wrong choices now she can possibly ruin her future. I want her to see that before it actually happens.

So, please everyone, keep us in your prayers. ANY help you can offer would be wonderful!

Thank you all, and God Bless!
Leslie

All I want for Christmas...

There are so many times when we all get caught up in the hustle and bustle, and commercialism of the holiday season that we forget what's important. We as a family know that the true reason for the season is Christ, and the gift we were given when he came to redeem us.

That being said, it is our tradition to have the children write out a list of what material things that they wanted for Christmas. Each child gave us a list of 4 or 5 things they wanted, nothing too ostentatious. We have been struggling financially because right now we only have one income. So Les went to the kids individually, and explained That we may not be able to get them everything on their lists, starting with the youngest. Nate looked Les in the eyes and said "That's ok. Just get me one gift.". Their responses were all the same.

We were both so moved because all we really wanted was for them to have a good Christmas. And, since Les really knows how to stretch a dollar, not only did they have way more than they expected, we also had a Christmas feast that we still have some leftovers from.

Bottom line, we got to spend a joyous, loving, sharing holiday at home enjoying family. By the way, this was Leslie's first attempt at baking a ham, and she knocked it out of the park! That's the only thing that isn't left over. We'll post some pictures later.

Good Morning!

Good morning, everyone!
Philly is having a good time here, she's loving the rubs and all the love she's getting. She's having a ball going outside with the kids, and she's warmed up to Charlie quite well. Can't say the same for Charlie, though. He's scared of the big bark!

Today we're going to take Bri driving again. We drove around the development on Saturday, to help her with her turns. Today we're gonna try some parking techniques. I can't park well myself, so Lawrence is gonna show her that.

The kids and I decided what we're going to make for Christmas dinner. Something small, but special for Lawrence, because he has to work all this week.

If you have little kids, KB Toys is going out of business, and they still have some good stuff. At least the one around here does. I did find something for the family, but all the stuff they had was for little kids. Lots of dolls, and I don't have any that play with dolls anymore. Man, I remember the days when they did.... memories.

Well, I'm going to go. I'll blog later!
Thanks, and God Bless!
Leslie

A house full of canines

For some reason, we have 4 dogs in our house right now. One of the dogs is just visiting with his master, the other is Nicole's dog that we're watching until Saturday, and Charlie. Then there's this other dog, a yorkie that we found. He followed Nicole's dog, and he is very friendly.

We put up "found" signs in the neighborhood, and we're just waiting for the phone to ring. He's well groomed, and he gets along with the other dogs. We'll see who claims him.

We had a good time yesterday. The kids made us breakfast and dinner. We had pancakes and eggs in the morning, and steak, mashed potatoes, veggies, and rolls for dinner. Very good food. They gave us dinner by candlelight, and turned om jazz while we ate. So cute!

Anyway, I'm gonna look on craigslist and see if anyone listed their dog.

Thanks, and God Bless!

Leslie

Do you know what today is?

It's our anniversary!

Today we celebrate our 11 years of wedded bliss. (Pausing for the laughter of all married couples worldwide) Like anything worth doing, marriage is alot of work. The notion that "all we need is love" goes out the window when true adversity arises. It takes no small share of trust and communication to make a marriage succeed. And don't forget, if you leave out the author of marriage, the tale can't possibly be written properly.

I love Les in a way that I have loved no other. The chords of love that bind us are strong. But without working on all the other aspects, our marriage would wither away. So like a tender vine, we must care for it daily in order for it to thrive. This unfortunately was not always my attitude. Along the way we've encountered many setbacks and stumbling blocks. Our marriage has been tested on every front. Some battles were lost, but we've kept fighting none the less, and our marriage is stronger for it.

We thank all of those who have loved, supported and prayed for us through the years. We couldn't have made it without you. So, DON'T QUIT NOW! And hopefully 11 years from now, we'll still be thanking you.

10 years and 364 days ago...

Lawrence and I were married.

We're not doing anything special, we don't have any money!! But we're happy, and that's all that really matters.

Anything else going on? Well we wrapped presents today. We're going to have Nicole's dog for the week while they go to Philly. The dog's name is Philly. Yes, I know. She's a cutie, and she loves me.

Lawrence is cooking tonight. He's making catfish. The kids are being crazy in the living room - Nicole's youngest son is here, and he and Deven are VERY talkative. I think they just like the sound of their own voices. Charlie stole one of his Christmas presents. It's a fuzzy squeek toy, with a tug rope going through it. He loves it, so the $2.99 toy was a great buy!

Anyway, I'm done for the night. Going to go eat soon, and then go to sleep!

Thanks, and God Bless!!

Leslie

Just more pictures from Friday and Saturday...

Oh, Christmas Tree...

Pictures, Pictures, Pictures!!

We have our tree, and it's finally decorated! We did it last night. The pictures don't really do it justice. It's really nice. We do still have to add our truffles; we put them on the tree instead of candy canes. Here are some pictures:

Renee and Lawrence decided to decorate themselves:

Today, we decorated the front of the house. We didn't go crazy, just some ribbon, a couple of bows, and some lights:

So, what else - we took pictures for our Christmas card, and we'll send those our this week. I hope I have your address - if not, email it to me!

I had went to a couple of interviews and two open houses, but I was rejected on 2 of the jobs, and IKEA didn't call me. I'm still waiting on a couple more. I haven't given up yet.

The kids got their progress reports, and as expected, they did drop their grades a little, but not like they did in Philly. I'm still satisfied.

The girls wanted to put an end to the bunk beds, so we took them down today. They're now decorating "their side" of the room. Nicole suggested that we get different bed frames, instead of having the bulky wooden ones in the room, so they can have more space. We'll get some after Christmas. Probably after I get a job...

Anyway, I don't think there's much more to post, so I'll talk later!

Thanks, and God Bless!!

Leslie

I've applied to everything under the sun...

... and no one has called me yet. I'm tired of looking for a job, and I'm tired of waiting for the phone to ring. But enough about my depression, let's talk about the kids:

Nate has basketball practice today, and he's really excited about it. Lawrence takes him at 7pm, and he practices for 1hr. I think Lawrence is more excited than Nate sometimes! Nate's doing a good job. Last week he went for the first time. They ran different basketball drills and played a couple of games. We have to get him sports goggles, but without his glasses, he played pretty good.

Renee is so into "Twilight". She just got finished reading the second book. We also took the kids to the movies to see it. Bri, Renee, Nate, and one of Renee's friends went, and they loved it. Well, not Bri - she thought it was a pretty stupid movie. While they were in the theater, Lawrence and I walked around the mall. I was not wasting $5.00 to see that movie! She wants the third book now. I was able to get the second one on a great sale ($8.00!), but I think I can find the third at a good price.

Bri is having boy trouble. I'll leave it at that, don't want to embarrass her. I don't miss these teenage years!

We're probably going to get our Christmas tree tonight. There are a couple of markets that have trees for $30, so we're going to check there. We pulled out the decorations and started planning what we're going to do. I'll try to post pictures later.

Well, that's about it. Please pray that I find a job soon.

Thanks, and God Bless!
Leslie

So today's my birthday...

... and as much as I like to celebrate everyone's birthday, I don't like to celebrate mine. I try to get in the spirit, like we're going to breakfast today. Normally though, it's hard. Because it's right after Thanksgiving and at the start of Christmas shopping, I never have a good time. I had 2 parties when I was a kid, and only one birthday that was actually fun (28th birthday bash). My husband tries his hardest every year, but it seems to come up short. Like the time when he tried to have a surprise party at my favorite resturaunt. It was a bad idea, because it was black Friday, so everyone is spending money on Christmas. Also, everyone is still into their leftovers, so who wants to spend money on food? 5 people showed, and he had reserved space for 20. It was a little embarrasing, they had to allow others to sit at the table after waiting for about an hour.

So anyway, I tend to dread the day. I don't like getting older. Don't get me wrong, I'm grateful that God has given me another day to celebrate. I guess that's how I need to leave it.

Well, we had a good time at dinner this Thanksgiving. We went to Nicole's friend's house. She has lots of space, and everyone was able to enjoy something. The teen girls (3 of them) were in their room or with the adult women. The men and younger boys were playing video games in different rooms, so they were happy. I'm going to post pics later.

I think we're ready to go eat now. The kid who sleeps all day is now dressed, so we're going to head out.

Thanks and God Bless!
Leslie

The holidays

This seems like it's going to be a nice holiday season. Yes, we don't have much money, and I don't have a job, but God has given us peace, good friends and a very helpful family. He is taking care of us, and that's more than enough to be thankful for.
My kids, who were never into big Christmas lists, gave me a list of what they want. Without us even saying anything, they all decided to only choose 3 or 4 things.
Bri's list:
A pair of cute heels
A new digital camera
One of the new Guitar Hero games

Renee's list:
Ice skates (unlikely!!)
Some type of MP3 player
Demi Lavato's 'Don't Forget' cd (or Jonas Bros., Twilight soundtrack etc.)
Sim City Creator (a game)

Nate's list (it keeps changing):
Spore Creatures (a game)
Star Wars: The Force Unleashed (a game)
Alvin and the Chipmunks Undeniable (unlikely!!)

I'm praying that I can get a job before the holiday so I can at least get a couple of these things.

My interview for IKEA is tomorrow. There was alot of people interviewing today, and they're going to be interviewing for the next few days. I hope I get the job - I really like IKEA. About 75% of my bedroom is IKEA stuff.

Bri is in Philly for Thanksgiving, and her dad is going to take her to visit other family. I hope she has a good time.

Well, pray for me tomorrow.

Thanks, and God Bless!
Leslie

Why Type

Hi I have'nt blogged until now because I don't really like typing. Everyone else obviously likes to type but, don't blame me typing is just too boring for me. I don't understand why people type so much. Is it even a hobby? Someone needs to tell me because I'm clueless. Anyway you'll at least hear a little more from me from now on.