Back in action...

We have been out of blogging commission due to all kinds of fun stuff going on.

First of all, my sister got married this past weekend, it was such a beautiful wedding and Jeremy and Katie are such a beautiful couple. I hope Jeremy feels welcome in our family, I know we will do all that we can to make him feel that way. Trust me, some families do all that they can to make you feel like an outsider... Lets just say, I have a friend who knows someone who has a family like that..... HA!

The holiday was this weekend. Our pool in the neighborhood opened, that was super fun, we have been every day since it opened. Mason loves to swim, he has water wings and he actually kicks and moves his arms, he thinks he is a pro. Curt and I have to keep our eye on that little stinker, he runs and I just know he is going to think he can jump right in as soon as we turn our backs, that is why the water wings will not come off.... I hope I can teach him some of the skills I learned from teaching swim lessons. We are already working on blowing bubbles. I had a class of 1 year old's, so I know it is not too early to work on the fundamentals. I wish I could get him to listen about NO RUNNING.... Fat chance on that one, right...

We enjoyed some vegging time with each other and it was worth every penny. Curt and I are always saying (hi, honey... bye, honey) our schedules are so crazy and to have down time with out worrying about other people was very nice...

The kittens are going to be 6 weeks old next Wednesday. They are so cute. I wish I could keep them both, I still might keep one, not sure, still thinking on that one.... In case you do not know while I was in Dallas, 3 kittens died. It was very sad. Curt found them before he was going to pick me up at the air port. I think they had some sort of infection, or they just were not meant to be. I still have the white one and a black tiger looking one. The white one looks like a peach and white colored Siamese, with giant blue eyes. The black one is black with grey stripes. I am still not for sure what sex they are, i change my mind every day. We shall see...

Mason has some new stuff he is saying....
"Daddy, my Daddy" and the is normally when Curt is driving off in the car or he knows that Curt is in the garage or working in the yard.... What about, "Mommy, my Mommy???" We are still waiting on that one.
"Ane" Plane. He love them, he noticed them yesterday while spotting some birdies and now every time we go out side he thinks he sees one, and he is normally right.
"Burdy" Birdie... Mason see them all over and is always pointing to them. When you say "what does a birdie say?" he says, "cheep, cheep, cheep..." So cute, I just love it.
"Caaandy" Candy, you cannot forget to pronounce it with a long "a" sound. Because that is how he says it. Mason talks about and asks for candy 500 times a day. He loves anything sweet. He is cursed because Curt and I both have a very big sweet tooth.
"kee, kee" Kitty, kitty . He sits down on the floor and calls the kittens to come over to him, and they actually come to him. He really is very good with them, we have only had a few scary moments.

I think that's all of the new stuff for now. I will post more pictures later, I only have a few more minutes left of nap time and I have to use it wisely, maybe some laundry....

What do you think?

I found this quote on-line while I was pretending to work.... I think it is a great point.
I am going to try and remember this the next time Mason is yanking on my pants leg. I can get all that I need to get done during nap time and after bed time. I hope this quote makes you remember to "stop and smell the roses."


"If you're a stay-at-home mom or dad, the main point to remember is that you're staying home to raise children and spend quality time with them, not to have the perfect house. With toddlers, a perfect house is an oxymoron!"

Let me know what your thoughts are or what you do to "stop and smell the roses..." I would love to hear from you!

5 Days and Counting.....

Mason has been off the bottle for 5 DAYS! Yes, I know he is 19 months old, but the time is right now and it has worked. He has not even asked for the darn thing. I was worried because he was really into the bottle for quite a while and he asked for it several times a day. I should have done this sooner.... He loves his sippies and since I packed all of the bottles up we are going today to get a few more sippies. Also cleaning out the bottles and packing them up for a few years has freed up some space...

Yay Mason, I am so proud of your new-found Independence...
This means that you have found yet another way of growing up....

a BIG FAT....

...THANK YOU...

to those of you who have put the Kiki & Lele button on your blog or your web site. Kacey and I truly appreciate the support. You most likely do not know that just by adding our button to your site you are boosting our traffic and thus helping us get our name out there. So, if you do not have the "button" yet, please e-mail me, the address is on the side bar at the top, and I will sent you the HTML code so you can join the growing group of Kiki & Lele fans.

Thanks,

Leslee

Commitment

Since I got back from Dallas I have been tackling a new project every day. Today is the kitchen cabinets. I know they will be messed up in a few weeks or so, but I cannot stand it. Good thing my cabinets have locks on them or they would probably fall open for all the crap crammed in them... My house looks orderly, but don't you dare ever open a door or a drawer... You will be sorry!

Make for sure to look at all of the posts. I have made about 6 in 2 days. I was a serious procrastinator for 3 weeks and now I am back and I have a lot to talk about.... I have been making a list of things to blog about. I will not do it all at once because I do not want to overwhelm you....

Late but worth every picture

Mason and I recently had the opportunity to go and visit Amanda, Cole and Joe. We had a great time. We went to the zoo, the park, the mall and had the most fun. It is so great that we have families to share with each other and our kiddo's are the same age. Cole and Mason had a great time exploring, sharing, not sharing, hugging, not hugging and hanging out with there two super cool Mom's. It was great hanging out and catching up. We made a pact to see each other once a year, I am making it public so I make for sure that it happens.. I was sad to leave because it was so fun, but Mason had such a great time with "Aunt Amanda" that he cried when she left us at the gate.

Amanda, Joe and Cole,

Thanks for letting us visit your home and showing us such a great time. We will never forget the fun we had. See you next year....

Love,

Leslee & Mason

Leslee & Amanda
Mason & Cole
Big Tough Guy
Amanda helping Mason put on a back pack
Russell's Birthday. He was 24, the yellow candle was a 2 and the pink candle was a 4.

Animals at the Zoo
Mason really liked the goats and did not want to leave them...
Mason petting the goat, black eye and all.
Cole showing Mason the animals.
Mason wanted to clean the iguana with his wipes.

The boys after we got picked up from the air port... They actually held hands on the way to Amanda's house.
Sweet Cole, this is such an Amazing kiddo. Amanda and Joe are doing so well as parents. He is always so thankful and has great manners. He never lets you forget to say your prayers.
Mason sure loves to swing.
On the se-saw. Mason and I were on the other end.
Playing hide and seek. Funny kid...

On the Carousel at the mall. Mason's first carousel ride, he loved it.
Cole, Me, Mason
Cole and Amanda
Amanda and Mason.
My little spit-fire

A friend visits...

She is here, yes she is... I hate to love her visits, at least for now. She has evil powers and really only comes around every month or so.... I would hate to see her go for 9, but I might enjoy the break. For now she keeps me in tune and keeps me doing things like this....

... My favorite bad girl treat right now is Kettle Corn and M&M's. I started out with plain but have evolved to peanut butter M&M's. It is so yummy. If you make it just right, the peanut butter and chocolate are melted bu the heat of the pop corn. Delish..... Make some for yourself and don't feel bad about it, we all need a treat- even if our friend is not in town...

I have to give credit to Amanda for this yummy concoction.... She is the master mind behind all of the yummy goodness...

Don't Forget

Lovlies....

Kiki and Lele has so much going on right now. We are getting ready for two really HUGE shows coming up. If you talk to me on a daily basis, you know this is what is on my mind. I know we will do great. We have some new designs coming out soon, so make sure to check in with us HERE... Also, do not be afraid to leave a comment on what you think about our jewelry. We would love feed back.

Leslee P.
Kiki & Lele
kikiandlele@yahoo.com

Right before my eyes....

I have said it before, and I will say it again, "Mason is growing up way too fast." I am coping fine and dealing with all of this growing in my own way.... No really, I am so happy for all of the mile stones that Mason has made. He can now say almost anything I ask him to say. He is starting to put together sentences... Yesterday, I asked him if he wanted to go to the park and he looked at me and said, "uh uh." He really meant it too. He wanted to play with his cars not go to the park... I also taught him to say poo poo for poo poo. I did it all yesterday. So, this morning, he went poo poo and came to me and said, "poo poo." Can you believe it?! I have to wait for the afternoon poo to see if he will do it again. I am actually very excited about all of this poo talk...

By the way, these pictures are courtesy of CWB Photography. Well, it is not actually a business yet, but I know one day Dad will start a photography business. He has captured some of the most amazing moments with our family. Thanks Dad. I know it is no big deal for you to take these because you love to do it. Love you.

By the way, the hat is Mason's new favorite piece of clothing. He wears it all of the time and when he gets mad, he takes it off and slings it on the ground... Very comical.

Oh Blogger.... I missed you...

Mason looking at the lake, wishing he could take a swim.... He got to, but not by choice.... Funny story, more on that below...
I love my boys, they made my Mother's Day the most WONDERFUL day.... How could I ever get by with out them???
I love this picture... They are always playing around....
Mason's new favorite thing; throwing rocks into the lake and making a SpLaSh!!! The bigger, the better...
This is Uncle Cliff, Curt's brother. I have never had him on the blog before, he is a first timer.... We do not get to see him too often. He is still in school in West TN, so seeing him is a rare treat...

Mason fell in the lake with his gran. Mason convinced her to let him put the dead minnow's back in the lake... So she went along with the plan, how could you resist the cutest red head in the world jibber-jabbing to you and holding dead minnow's, I know I could not have resisted.... Gabby apparently thought they were wanting to take a swim. She knocked Gran in, who was holding Mason.... Gran held her own, Mason was a little stunned, but Gran took the brunt of the fall.... Thanks Gran, I know you are banged up a bit, but Mason sure appreciates it...

Mother's Day was so fabulous. I had Curt and Mason what more could I ask for...??? Nothing. Mason got me a singing card that sings "you are my sunshine" which just happens to be the song I sang to him almost every day while he was in my belly and a little baby. Mason even did his own signature, it was very authentic.
Curt got me a ring from Red Envelope that signifies our family it has three pearls on it. He is so thoughtful....

I promise to put up Dallas pictures soon, I am procrastinating.... BADLY! u

I hope you all had a great Mother's Day
God Bless

We are back....

Hello, we are back form Texas. I have had my hands so full becasue Mason has been super sick. He got sick on Friday and Today is his first day well. I promise to post some pictures tonight or tomorrow. We had a fabulous week in Dallas thanks to the Drysdale family.

ps- Amanda, I have had popcorn and M&M's already.... Love that snack...

Texan for a week

i am in texas until tomorrow.  i will post pictures when i get home.  we had some great outings and some great girl time, and the kiddos had a great time as well!  I know you cannot wait to see pictures......  they are cute.  one bummer though, mason got his 1st black eye at the play ground.  i must say it goes so nicely with the red hair.....

Be looking for new pictures next week.....

New Stuff

If you frequent my blog but I do not have you address, you might have missed the e-mail that was sent out today about our new stuff about Kiki and Lele... Hop on over to see the exciting new stuff we have. I know you will just love the cuff, it is my favorite.

If you would like to get on our mailing list just send an e-mail to kikiandlele@yahoo.com to sign up...

Have you noticed....

that I have had nothing better to do lately than blog while I am at work.... Fortunately the boss is out of town. He will be back on Monday, so look for a lull in traffic on my blog. Also, I will be in Dallas Tuesday through Saturday! I will have lots of fun pictures in 2 weeks... I wanted to post some fun pictures for your pleasure....

This is Shelly and Kacey on our girls night. Such a cute picture. These ladies are a blast and I will never go out on the town with out them again... Fun, fun, fun.... I did not end up with a picture of Michelle and myself, my dang camera died... Oh well...

This is a picture from our first event. (always a stab in for the business)

This is my baby girl Beesley and her new babies. They do not have names yet, but they are adorable. The white one that is stuck under her arm, is HUGE. He was the first one born and the biggest of them all. The little dark one on the left is the runt and normally needs my help. She normally does not get milk because the other ones are bigger and stronger than her. She is really sweet like her mama. I can tell she is going to be a snuggler just like Beesley... I would love to keep one, but we really had a great thing going with one cat, one dog and one kid. I really do not want to mess that up...

Have a great weekend.

Dear Mason,

You have been such a sweet little snugly, cuddly bug lately.

Some fun things that you and Mommy have been doing lately:

1. Getting the car washed... You love to see the big brushes washing away. The whole time you point and speak in Mason language telling me all about it!
2. Seeing the new baby kittens. You are not really sure what to do, you just stare at them and say "kitty" while patting there bed a little too hard. Mommy has to tell you to do it "easy..."
3. Helping vacuum the floor. Mommy bought you a vacuum of your own and that is not really good enough, you want to use the big one just like me... It really is the cutest thing.
4. Trying to go down the stairs all by your self. I do not know how you do it, but every single day you find ways to grow up and it is very bitter-sweet for me. Pretty soon you will be driving... OK, lets not get dramatic...
5. Trying to ride Gabby. She is not really too much into this, but you think it is pretty fun. It is a good thing that she is very patient, because you have put her through the ringer...

Fun things you have been doing with Daddy;
1. Wearing a hat. You just mastered it. Daddy is stoked that you like to wear a hat just like him. It is just one more thing that makes you just like him.
2. Working on stuff. You would work on anything you could get your hands on and so would Daddy. If he is working on the car, you want to be right there with him... Cute
3. Playing hard. Because that is what boys do best, right? You and Daddy are the best at playing, I know you two will have so much fun in the future playing with all of your toys...

I love you little man. Do not grow up too fast, there is no rush, I am enjoying you just the way you are...
Love Always,

*MoM*

Borrow Our Button

Okay, I know you love Kiki and Lele so much that you are dying to help us advertise our newly started buisness.... Well, Kacey and I have a great way that you can help. You can copy and paste the text below onto your blog side bar (HTML/Java Script) or you can also put it on your MySpace page as well. If you are family, you have to do this. If you are a friend, you do not have to, but I still might bring it up the next time I see you....LOL! The finished product will look like this:

Everytime someone clicks on this cute little picture from your site, they will go directly to our site.

.

Thank you so much for your love and support, we greatly appreciate all of it!

New Members....

So, as of 5 am this morning we have 5 new members of our family. Beesley was busy licking my face around 3am, which she never does, and so I put her in the floor... I still needed to sleep. Around 5 I heard some extra meow's, and I started looking for Beasley to see where she went to. I looked under the bed and she was having her kittens. To my shock Gabby was laying there staring at her. She was actually helping Beesley. I am not sure if she thought she was going to be getting something out of this or if she really is a great big sister. I made her go out side and I finished helping Beesley have her babies. I must say she is a natural. She knew just what to do. She was so tired so I set her up in the guest bathroom and let her rest with her babies. I tried the laundry room but she thought that was way too loud and definitely not safe enough for the new babies. She made me move them and we settled on the guest bathroom. I am not sure if they are boys or girls, but we have 2 orange, 2 black with orange stripes that look like tigers and 1 completely white one. I will post some pictures later.... Sadly we did have one still born kitten. That was pretty sad for me. Mason will be very excited to meet his new friends. I am still thinking on how I will do this. He is pretty rough.... Maybe I will show him after we get back form Dallas.

Kiki and Lele

Hey Ya'll-

Just a reminder to go and check out http://www.kikiandlele.com/. We have some new cute stuff on our site as well as some new designs to come. We are also having a sale for Mothers Day, take advantage while you can. Make sure to check in regularly to see what we have been up to.

Have a great day!

Update

Feeling much better today. Yesterday I went over to Kacey's house and played with the twins, Mason and Ryder and magically my head ache disappeared. So nice the effect that little munchkins have on people, almost magical. We walked around the neighborhood and gave Ry and Mason snacks. They had pop corn and loved it. Ruby Jane snuggled me and little Linc squealed a lot. He is very vocal. I just love babies, we had a great time.

Today is BEAUTIFUL. I am going to get off of work and go home and spend time with Curt and Mason. Curt leaves for PCB tonight. My soon-to-be brother-in-law is having his bachelor party over the weekend. I am so jealous of Curt, he will be at the beach and I will be in Murfreesboro... I will pay him back in a few weeks when I head off to Dallas... Ha!

I hope you all are having a great day as well. Let me know how things are going your way...

Head Ache

I have had a horrible, lingering head ache for 2 days now. I have done everything I can and it still will not go away. It stinks. If it is still here tomorrow morning, I guess I will see a Doc... I hope Mason uses his "inside voice" today.... Doubt it.

just a little piece of heaven....

Stinkin' cute
i cannot get enough of picnik.com

My favorite things...

MY FAVORITE THINGS around the house

My favorite thing in the kitchen is... Clorox wipes... not sure what i would do with out them... with mason always making a terrible mess, they are right there for me...

My favorite thing in the bathroom is... the bath tub... it is rather large... now that i think about it, it might be nice if i still ever got to enjoy. it currently is full of bath time toys... mason has taken over...

My favorite thing in the bedroom is... our snugly bed... it sure is nice to crawl in and snuggle up... and, yes, Amanda, sleep is awesome and it is a favorite thing.

My favorite thing in the bedroom closet is... nothing... i need (want) new cloths, and I have the smaller of the two closets... nice huh? the good part is that it is in the bathroom, so i do not have to run all around trying to get dressed... that is about all though...

My favorite thing in the living room is... my new shelves. i do have to finish decorating them... one thing at a time...

My favorite thing in the pantry is... chi's, chi's... that is mason for anything sweet. always good in a bind, like when i have to make a phone call or unload the dish washer... it keeps him occupies. currently he is in love with raisins... i can never tell him they are not made with sugar, he will definitely boycot for sure...

My favorite thing in the "office" is... well, the office has turned into the play room... so i guess mason's toys. he has just started really enjoying playing in there... My real office is the dining room. that is where i normally work on jewelry and get "kiki & lele" stuff done... (yes, i had to make a stab for the business....)

My favorite thing in the baby's room is... mason's rocking chair. it is priceless. i have rocked a sick, sleepy, snugly, mad, happy little man in that chair for countless man hours... i will keep that chair until, well, i will never get rid of it, i swear. i have some really great memories from that rocker. did i mention, i have been puked on it that chair....

Now I need to see these people do it: TAG you're it!! Kacey, you are my only blogger friend that i know will do this... . Go do it...now.

Job Description: Parent

POSITION: Mom, Mommy, Mama, Ma Dad, Daddy, Dada, Pa, Pop

JOB DESCRIPTION:
Long term, team players needed, for challenging permanent work in an often chaotic environment. Candidates must possess excellent communication and organizational skills and be willing to work variable hours, which will include evenings and weekends and frequent 24 hour shifts on call. Some overnight travel required , including trips to primitive camping sites on rainy weekends and endless sports tournaments in far away cities! Travel expenses not reimbursed. Extensive courier duties also required.


RESPONSIBILITIES:
The rest of your life. Must be willing to be hated, at least temporarily, until someone needs $5. Must be willing to bite tongue repeatedly. Also, must possess the physical stamina of a pack mule and be able to go from zero to 60 mph in three seconds flat in case, this time, the screams from the backyard are not someone just crying wolf. Must be willing to face stimulating technical challenges, such as small gadget repair, mysteriously sluggish toilets and stuck zippers. Must screen phone calls, maintain calendars and coordinate production of multiple homework projects. Must have ability to plan and organize social gatherings for clients of all ages and mental outlooks. Must be willing to be indispensable one minute, an embarrassment the next. Must always hope for the best but be prepared for the worst. Must assume final, complete accountability for the quality of the end product. Responsibilities also include floor maintenance and janitorial work throughout the facility.


POSSIBILITY FOR ADVANCEMENT & PROMOTION:
None. Your job is to remain in the same position for years, without complaining, constantly retraining and updating your skills, so that those in your charge can ultimately surpass you

PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE:
None required unfortunately. On-the-job training offered on a continually exhausting basis..

WAGES AND COMPENSATION:
Get this! You pay them! Offering frequent raises and bonuses. A balloon payment is due when they turn 18 because of the assumption that college will help them become financially independent. When you die, you give them whatever is left. The oddest thing about this reverse-salary scheme is that you actually enjoy it and wish you could only do more.

BENEFITS:
While no health or dental insurance, no pension, no tuition reimbursement, no paid holidays and no stock options are offered; this job supplies limitless opportunities for personal growth, unconditional love, and free hugs and kisses for life if you play your cards right..
Forward this on to all the PARENTS you know, in appreciation for everything they do on a daily basis, letting them know they are appreciated for the fabulous job they do ... or forward with love to anyone thinking of applying for t he job.

** AND A FOOTNOTE?

THERE IS NO RETIREMENT -- EVER!!! **

"No,Mommy!"

Ok, Mason told me yesterday, "no, Mommy!" It was actually pretty cute. It was not a rebellious No, it was a sweet one. I asked him, "Mason, do you want this blue chalk?" He looked up with his huge hazel eyes and said, "no, mommy..." It was so sweet... My big point is that he is now putting words together to make sentences.... Yay for Mason... I just knew that something about NO would be his first sentence. He is all boy and he goes constantly 90 mph all the time, he hears NO a lot. I wish I could day it less, but the facts remain that I cannot...

My days off get better every day. I am working about 20 hours per week. This makes it to where Curt and I are the only ones taking care of Mason. Things are so much better and Mason really loves it.

Kacey and I are rocking it out with Kiki and Lele. We have been a vendor the past two weekends at different sales here in the Boro. It was fun to make sales and get our names out there, but you better bet I am ready for the weekend off... Well, not really OFF, but kind of.... I am sure I will be busy making something as will Kacey. We actually have a couple of orders to get out... DO not forget Mothers Day is coming up... We are also getting ready Festival for Moon Pie festival. If you know of any other cool festivals this summer that we should be involved in, let us know....

Katie's bridal shower is this weekend, I am so excited.... I cannot believe that my little sister is tying the knot!!! Yay for Katie and Jeremy.!!!

Well that is all for now... I will post some pictures later....