Easy Cake Topper

This was not the cake topper I had planned for Paul's 25th Coaching Anniversary Cake but time was running out and I thought it turned out so cute.

Raffia Ribbon and Mesh were designed for people like me! As crafty as I am, I can't make a good looking bow to save my life. Maybe, it's a left handed thing.

Take a wooden skewer, clothes pin, a photo, scrapbooking stickers, and raffia ribbon, assemble and stab your cake.

I also had a banner with clothes pins used to attached photos but failed to take a photo of it.

If you had smaller skewers and photos, this would be really cute for cupcakes too. 

Five on Friday -- Big Girls workout too!

I've always exercised in some form or fashion. In my single days, it was a daily occurrence and in married life, it's been and on and off again problem. However with new found free time on my hands, I've hopped back on the exercise wagon. So, here's my Five on Friday Workout Edition.

1. My biggest pet peeve is that there are NO PLUS SIZE workout clothes. Thank you Lane Bryant for bring a few pieces, two of which I own, for us ladies' that aren't small, medium, large or even x-large.  I own the top and a black pair of pants. They are sturdy and made well. The top is $24.95.

2. Best $5 purchase ever! The Gold's Gym Waist Trimming Belt. Picked this up a Wal-Mart for only $5. Put it on underneath your workout top and go! Results are amazing. 

3. Go ahead and spend the extra money on a good sports bra. Under Armour makes a great one and it's breathable material helps me from getting breakouts. $25-$29.

 4. I bought this from my bestie in 1996 for $50 and they still exist today. Great workouts happen with this machine. Makes those crunches a little easier to handle. The AB ROLLER!

  

5. The best for last -- PINK SHOES! If I had it my way, everyone would have a pair of pink Nikes. Pink makes every workout a little more fun! 

Fruit Smoothie

When you wake up after 8 a.m., I think this is best for breakfast and it's yummy and healthy.

Fruit Smoothie
1/2 c. milk (any kind but I used one percent)
1 small container of fruit on the bottom blueberry oikos yogurt
6 ice cubes
6 strawberries, with stems removed and cut into halves.

Throw in the blender and serve immediately in your favorite football tumbler! Geaux Saints!

P.S. My smoothie was a little tart and fruity. If you want something sweeter, add to teaspoons of Splenda or a little honey.

Letters to Coach

I'm thankful that L.D.'s mom, Marilyn, snapped this photo of all of us after his last game.   

As I mentioned Friday, this year marks 25 years that Paul has been coaching in both the private and public school systems and it should be celebrated. And I got decorations, made a photo collage and baked a cake but that wasn't the best surprise...I got his former players to write him letters, sharing their memories and letting him all the things they had done for them.

My plan is to give him one each football Friday for the rest of the season. He chose to read former South Pontotoc QB L.D. Gillespie's first. Paul coached at South for 11 years and was the head coach for 10 years. L.D. graduated in 2005.

Knowing L.D. as I do, I know he wouldn't mind me sharing a portion of his letter.

Excerpt from L.D.'s letter: 

"As I reflect over those years, I am so thankful I had you leading me and the South Pontotoc Football team.  Your goal as a football coach was no doubt to get the best out of the guys on your team and ( I have always said) you did a masterful job of adapting your system to fit the players dealt to you. 

As a product of your system, I think you did a wonderful job of those two things. However, that wasn’t your only goal; you also were a great Godly/Manly/Fatherly role model for your players. 

There are 1000’s of people out there that can study the x’s and o’s of the game, but in my opinion that isn’t was what makes a great coach. The role model you were for your players is what made you a great coach and few people can put those two things together. 

You stood behind us, motivated us, and believed in us, which I am grateful for.  Coach, I would like to thank you for being the example you were to me.  There is zero doubt in my mind that you had a major role in shaping me to the man I am today. 

Going back that my last play, I remember you and Coach Waldrop came to me and instead of being mad that I made a mistake, yall both told me if there was one player that played their heart out the entire season it was me and to keep my head up and be proud of a great season. 

Moments like those are why I still, to this day, think the world of you. 

Coach Dees….. Thank You and I Love Ya…." 

Five on Friday -- The Football Edition

Tonight kicks off the Ethel Tiger Football Season and I thought it was fitting for my first Five on Friday to be about the sport I so dearly love and hate as a coach's wife. I mostly love it.

1. Tonight marks my husband's 25th year coaching football. It takes a lot of hard work and time away from me to get the job done right and he does it year in and year out. He is an awesome father to the fatherless, a role model, God-fearing man and most importantly "my coach" in life. This is the start of my 10th season by his side. Can you tell, I love him a little bit?

2. Put glitter on it! It's not "glitter" but Cake Mate Cupcake Gems in glittering gold. It's one of our school colors and I was so excited to find it at our local Wal-mart. I am sure there are a variety of colors. I hope a get glowing reviews on my cake after the game tonight. Food is better when it sparkles, right?

3. Decorations! Decorations! Decorations! I love to plan parties and organize all the little details. For our Fifth Quarter gathering in the field house with other coaches and their families, I found some darling table decor and paper products from The Dollar Tree of all places and Party City. Below is the Dollar Tree purchases.

4. Photo collage for the big 2-5! He hasn't seen this yet but since I take photos all the time, I thought it would be nice to do something to commemorate 25 years of coaching. The 2 was a little more challenging than the 5. I found this on Pintrest and a childhood friend Cameron Stimson did this for her mom's 60th birthday.

5. Football toes. I found this on Pintrest but my nails are a mess right now so I'm going for the toes tomorrow with gold glitter instead of green.

Football photo day!

The day that coach's love to hate -- photo day. It's not only for their keepsakes and the school photographer but I take them for our annual football program. This year it was more work than any other year because I had to re-set all the ads and learn a new program.

It's done and at the printe'rs now. Hopefully, everything will be okay. *Fingers crossed*

I'm starting to realize how stressed out I was...

I had big plans after my position was eliminated at The Star-Herald. Blog more. Clean out the closets. Exercise more. Our house would be so clean and organized, it would look like one of those in a magazine.

And while some of those things have happened, our house is still not perfectly organized and clean and I haven't blogged as much as I like I've actually been busy.

I didn't take into account that I was be busy selling antiques in shops, at the auction and on Ebay. Oh yeah, there is this little thing called FOOTBALL that starts on Friday night.

It's easy to forget how I juggled reporting duties and photography outings at all times of the day and night and on the weekends while maintaining a household, running errands and selling antiques on the weekend. While I loved the photography, design work and sometimes the writing, the inter-workings at my job were not always the best and I would bring home those problems nightly. Of my six years, the last 1 1/2 to 2 years was very stressful to me and now I'm free.

I'm learning how to be Leslie and not Leslie, the Newspaper Editor. Trust me, I'm finding out there is a difference -- a slight difference. People more freely speak to me and I'm happy and stress free.

It's also interesting being out in the community and having "readers" tell you the opinion of the newspaper. And, while I have my opinions, I just says "thank you for the kinds words" and I keep my opinions to myself.

I do miss my co-workers dearly. It's hard to talk to them right now -- The biggest reason is that they are still at The Star-Herald and I'm not. It's an added strain on friendships right now. Over time, I think that will pass.

I'm still job hunting and without must success. Something will turn up.

Flashback to June

I'm a little bit behind on my blogging. June was filled with vacationing in Virginia and getting watch Morgan walk down the aisle in her new life with Jesse. Both are definitely worth mentioning.

A month after we booked our Blue Ridge Mountain Vacation, the Miss. State Bulldogs head to a regional an hour away from our resort. Cheap tickets and a little drive we watch the Bulldogs WIN WIN WIN! I'm not the world's biggest baseball fan but I love my alma mater! One day, we burned up in the sun and the next day, it rain but we still had fun.

The big day finally came on June 22. I just adore Morgan cause she's is who she is all the time. We had so much fun taking their engagement photos and I had offered to help with the reception. I didn't know that they thought so much of Paul and I that we were going to be seated right behind the grandparents along with Mrs. Combs and Jim and Jenny. Special Day. Special People. Special Time.

Except til father figure #2 and #3 got tired! Just kidding.