All-Star coaching

Paul might have gotten a week out of school but he worked his butt off to get ready for the Alabama-Mississippi All-Star game in Montgomery. Not only did he get to coach the best players in the state but he got to coach with his best friends -- Junior Graham and Kenny Burton. He said he considered it a blessing and one of the biggest coaching experiences of his career. He was in charge of coaching special teams and wide receivers.
Two practices a day, team meetings, film study and a event each night plus more coaches meetings made for a busy week. So busy that for the first time since we were dating and/or married that he didn't call me hardly at all or tell me goodnight.
I went down on Friday for the banquet where the recognized the teams and got to spend time with Jenny, Suzanne and Logan. Coach Wood spent the week down there as one of the administrative coaches. On Saturday, the wives, and Logan got some breakfast and went to the Cramton Bowl and it was a great game even though we didn't win.
And we celebrated our 8th anniversary a few days early with dinner at Wintzel's. It was delicious!




The river view from my room.




Paul at the banquet




Logan eating at McDonald's




Paul with Charleston's Kameron Myers.








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Location:Montgomery, AL

And then came the kidney stone...

We prayed that Paul would pass it but it was to large! So, Paul and I traveled to Starkville to Oktibbeha County Hospital for his outpatient surgery and all the nurses and Dr. Castleberry were great. He was a pretty good patient and even had a cheeseburger on the way home. This all happened a week before he was to leave for all-star coaching duties.




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Thanksgiving vacation -- Yes, we went to Disney again...

This was our 9th trip to Disney! Owning a condo there does have it's advantages. I love Disney at the holidays -- lights, lights, lights. We had a good time and I was still having some trouble sleeping and I missed my family so much. We left the afternoon of my grandfather's funeral.
I'm blessed with an understanding husband and BFF that dealt with it all. God bless them.








We also got to see the new Fantasyland with Goofy's Barnstormer (kiddie coaster), Ariel's Grotto and in the distance the castle where Beauty and the Beast can be found.












We even did some Black Friday shopping in Orlando and saw the final Twilight film.




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Location:Pinecrest Dr,Kosciusko,United States

Missing my grandpa

I wrote my grandfather's obituary the day after he passed away. T.A. Heath died November 14.
I've written at least a 100 through newspaper career but there was much more to be said.
He was 93 at the time of his death.
I plan to write something soon to honor him. He was the best grandpa one could ever wish for and I sure miss him a lot. It's just hard to write about rig now.

Grandpa with my uncle Kelly's boys -- Robbie, Grant and Glyn -- about 10 years ago.


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Location:Pinecrest Dr,Kosciusko,United States

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! :)