21 things to be thankful for...

I've got a running list in my head of what I'm thankful for. I looked at my list from last year and decided that I'm still thankful for all those things but there is much more.

So in addition to god, my husband, my family and friends, a job and a roof over my head, etc. ...here we go in random order...I'm thankful for...
1. Being able to have a grandpa my entire life up until a week ago when he passed away. Most people don't get to have one that long and he was a pretty great one.
2. Becoming more self-aware of who I am as a person, both good and bad.
3. Text messages that make me smile and chuckle.
4. The unique traits I've acquire from my family -- my black curly hair, all those pesky freckles, my tiny teeth and my lone left dimple. I've come to realize we are all strange and unusual.
5. My BFF. We are quite the odd couple and as bad as I hate to admit it a lot alike. It's nice to have someone else to vent to, trade smart ass comments with and In this day and time -- it's nice to have a friend who doesn't have some underlying motive for being your friend.
6. High heels -- nothing says girly like a pair of heels. Didn't realize how much I missed them until I pulled my boots out of the closet. Plus, I like being tall.
7. Christmas treat baskets (which I haven't done in several years) -- I just like cooking it all and then packaging it and giving it to my friends. I love making happies.
8. Smurfs -- there is something magical about that cartoon. Why else did get up at 7 on Saturday mornings as a kid.
9. Being able to stay in my pjs all day. Well that's on a rare occasion but when it does happen it's awesome.
10. For my allergy shots -- it's helped my immune system tremendously!
11. Ability to sleep anywhere. Give me a blanket and a pillow and I'm out like a light.
12. To be a high school football coach's wife -- I've learned who my friends are this year and that I'm a lot tougher than I think.
13. Being an aunt to the cutest, giggly little girl in the whole wide world -- Landry Rose.
14. Hysterical giggling with my sister. No one else thinks its funny but we do! It's a sister thing some wouldn't understand.
15. That I wasn't a boy cause my name would have been Olan Griffin ( totally my dad's idea). Leslie Michelle sounds oh so much better.
16. Dancing lessons. Oh I love my ballet, tap and jazz classes growing up. Also helped me with my shyness and my coordination.
17. Being left handed -- learning to do everything was a struggle -- tying my shoes, writing, using scissors -- but when I got it, I got it.
18. Being able to carry a tune in a tin bucket. Who doesn't live jamming out in the car?
19. Twinkly lights and shiny things. Why do we love that stuff so much?
20. Hot chocolate mix and marshmallows.
21. Hand sanitizer -- do you know how many germs are out there???

Halloween treat!

I love making this every year to take to my parents pumpkin patch and the Ethel stew fundraiser.

Halloween mix
1 bag of brach's autumn mix (candy corn and pumpkins)
1 large bag plain M&MS
2 cups of nuts (I prefer cashews)

Mix and eat!

Long time no blog....wrapping things up

It has been a very trying football season and it has nothing to do with the players. It's just the nature of the coaching profession. I like to keep my blog up "positive" so hence why I haven't blog.

We close out the football season on Friday night! It will be sad for Paul and I to say goodbye to our "babies," that were in the 7th grade when we arrived at Ethel.

But before we get to all that -- Here's a little bit about what's going on in the Dees household!

The construction  next door to my office has lead me to inhale mold, mildew and dust mixed with my all ready highly allergic nose and two sinus infections later -- Here's the lady in the The Star-Herald wearing the MASK! It's so awful!

Isn't this a great fashion accessory? It's a must have item. Put it on your Christmas list! 

We live in a County that has TWO Paul Deeses. They are 6 months apart in age and are distantly related. The other Paul Dees passed away several weeks ago and there was some confusion that my Paul had passed away. We've gotten phone calls, a sympathy post card and information on the tombstone mailed to our house. I tried to see the silver lining in this -- At least people care about us! 

It is my hope that the other Paul Dees' family was contacted by this church.

I've learned very easily that as your grow older and become a grown-up  -- Friends aren't plentiful -- especially if you are a newspaper editor and your husband is a football coach. With that being said, I have some truly AWESOME friends that I consider like my family right here! Thank goodness for our little dysfunctional coaching family and our Friday night gatherings. They make me smile!

Snapshot from the Ethel//Pelahatchie game -- Velvet, Jenny and Michael. 

They all are so thrilled when I take their photo too.

Last night was Senior Night, a big final showdown with Weir Lions (which we lost 29-20), and the annual stew fundraiser.  Six football players and their parents walked out on to the football field. I just can believe these boys are so grown up. I thought I would cry but I didn't have time...thank goodness. 

 Your EHS coaches and principal de-boning chicken for the stew 

sans Coach Wood, who was there earlier.

Prior to the stew cooking and Friday night football, Paul traveled to Jackson for the press conference to announce the Mississippi All-Stars. He is an assistant coach and will be coaching wide receivers at the game in December against the Alabama All-Stars. The press conference was streamed to the web so I got to watch it. He gets to coach with two of his longtime friends. 

That's the short version of what's been going on with Paul & Leslie! :)

It's all a blur...

The last few weeks that is! This usually happens every football season as we head into the mid-way point. It's been a hard road -- two division losses (one being from the defending 1A state champions) and the loss of our 14-year-old cockerspaniel, Rock.

We had to put our sweet puppy to sleep on a Friday afternoon. We believe he had cancer. Paul says before he and I got married, he had Rock -- his companion, friend and roomie. We miss him very much and I've shed many tears and I'm not a dog person!

So last Thursday, Paul found a 14-week-old black and white cocker spaniel and we took him home. We named him Scout. It's been a long time since I had a puppy and I think it's worse than having a baby! Scout thinks I'm his human chew toy!

Week 4: Region play begins

What a game! We lost our region opener to West Lowndes 27-14. We didn't win the ball game but we put in some solid effort. It's been a long time since I've seen an Ethel team with that much "want to."

Then, as after all home games, we had a time of fellowship with our coaching family. As always, we had too much food. I got Paul a birthday cake.  His birthday is today (September 12).

Week: 3 County Clash with McAdams

We took on the other county high school, McAdams and won easliy 57-0. Paul said in 24 years of coaching, he's never score that many points in a game. And, as a rule, coaches don't typically run the score up and he really didn't try too. We are no 2-1 on the season with our first divison game tonight against West Lowdnes.

I actually didn't take photos for The Star-Herald of the McAdams game. So all I had to do was sell football programs and watch the game for a change.

Week 2: And so we went back "home."

We traveled to South Pontotoc for our second game of the season. Last year, I was a nervous wreck over the game. I even became a girly girl and shed a few tears. (Yes, I'm a girly, girl most of the time. I guess cry baby would be a better term.)

Paul coached there for 10 years and we lived there as a newlywed couple for the first two years of our marriage. I miss our friends there terribly but the Lord works in mysterious ways!

Denise Chism, wife of SP head coach Roger Chism (both are our dear friends), and I have agreed that this game is not going to take place again. It's just makes us sick all week.

We held on until the 3rd Quarter. Final was 34-20 South Pontotoc. I was proud how hard the boys played against a 3A school.