T'was the Night Before Christmas......

And all through the house...not a creature was stirring not even a mouse....well maybe a cat! :)

As I lay here and watch the Christmas movies on TV tonight and my baby girl is asleep in her crib on her first Christmas Eve...I can't help but think what her Christmas would be like if my dad was here with us! This is really hard! Everyone said it would be hard and it is...I miss my dad so much! I feel bad as I have been a little irritable today and I really didn't want to be but as sad as it is and as hard as it is I am a little angry! I still don't understand why my dad had to leave us? I know God has a plan for each and everyone of us and I know God has a plan for my dad but I really miss him and I know it is ok to feel this way. I just remember last year at this time it was my Dad, Nick and I and we had a very simple Christmas and is was nice. If my dad was here tonight I would tell him I loved him and I would tell him what a wonderful father he is and was. Dad I love you! Merry Christmas! We wish you were her! XO XO

Kate & Ella

Kate & Ella Playing while the Mommies & Daddies have some eggnog!
It is hard to get a picture of two little girls! :) We tried! :)
Hi Everyone! Our Mommies are making us pose! Hmmmm let's open these presents! I love Ella!!!

XO

Kate~

Baking Cookies with Nana & Kate

Yesterday was Baking Day at the McLeskey-Dolata Household! Nana, Kate and I made some Christmas Cookies! We had quite the time!
Getting Started!
Rolling the cookie dough...
Nana...this sure is fun! Can't wait till I am older and can do this! I am sure I will make lots of messes! Wait....mommy says I already do!
These are our cookies! Notice the pre-made cookie dough in the background! We were going to hand make it however Nick went to the store and bought the pre-made and so we had to use it. Next year the cookies will be handmade!
DELISH~! I love being the taster!!! I love sugar cookies!!!

HO HO HO Merry Christmas!
Love,

Kate~

A Little McLeskey-Dolata Holiday Decor

Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas......

Tis the season!!

This year has been really fun celebrating Christmas with Kate! I have enjoyed so much all the little things we have done together this year! We went home to Yuba City for a few days and went to the Christmas Stroll on Plumas Street and then to the Childrens Christmas Party at Hillcrest Plaza! Kate had her picture taken with Santa and she just loved him! I actually have a cute photo and she is smiling!

We have been to church every Sunday to celebrate the season of Advent and Kate truly loves church! She actually tries to sing along to the songs! It is so cute!

Along with all the joy Kate has brought to our holiday season this year I still am very sad that my dad is not here with us! The holidays just don't seem the same without him! I miss all the things we would do together! I thought a lot about what we use to do as kids with dad around the holidays and here are a few memories I have of time with my dad at Christmas

1. Dad making the family eggnog and I loved to watch and pour all the ingredients (alcohol) into the bowl. He took such pride in making the eggnog.

2. I remember going to pick out the perfect Silver Tip Christmas Tree...I have a fond memory of going to the place in Marysville at the base of the 5th Street Bridge...the Levee House Restaurant was next door and it is that beautiful brick building next to Lucky's (at least it use to be called Luckys) Anyway...dad always had a great eye for the PERFECT Silver tip! He had to make sure there were no kinks in the trunk and that there were enough branches! It was always fun trying to get the tree home.

3. Dad never put a single thing on our Christmas tree except for this beautiful gold birdcage ornament that was his since he was a kid. He would sit there and tell my mom how to hang the lights and if she missed a branch and then he would tell us if our ornament was in the wrong place! :)

4. Even though I was asleep for this memory I still love my mom telling me the story of how dad put together our play house from the inside and could not get out. There is a photo of it and it really cracks me up! I love mom telling the story!

5. Christmas Dinner.....Mom and Dad both would make the best Christmas Dinner! We would always dress up so fancy for dinner and mom would bring out all her pretty china! I loved eating in the dining room with the Fancy Table!!!

6. I also remember our Neighborhood Christmas Parties and always had so much fun!

7. I think the thing that I remember the most about being a kid is that my dad would always take me shopping the day after Christmas to hit all the "SALES" this would be a trip that he would be so excited for and thought it was so great that we could shop and spend the day together....now you are probably wondering why I don't sound more enthusiastic about this shopping spree....well it was for HIM not me! We would go to The Men's Warehouse, Lohmans, Macys and Nordstroms and he would buy all his suits and clothes for the year and I got to tag along...now I didn't always enjoy this trip but now it is a priceless memory that I cherish so much. At the time I thought oh no another boring day in the mens department but what I wouldn't give to have one more of those days!

So since I have so many memories and I could go on forever....I thought that this year I would do something special to remember my dad and all the wonderful times we had together. So this year at the table for Christmas there will be an empty seat. That seat will be set for my dad and he will have a placecard and a special rose and candle so we can always remember him and know that he is with us this Christmas in Spirit!

Dad...I love you so much and miss you this holiday season!

XOXOXO

Sick

Well for the last 5-6 weeks I have been battling one heck of a cold. Just when I think I am getting better I am sick again! It has just been awful. I have never been sick for this long! I finally went to the doctor on Thursday and he put me on ZPAK I was hoping by today I would start to feel better but I feel about the same! :(

I am so sad to because tonight was Emily & Travis's Texas Christmas Party! Last year we had so much fun and I was so looking forward to it. Plus Kate was going to go and there were going to be about 20 other kids there and Kate just loves kids!!!

I really hope you all are feeling great and that you all are having a wonderful holiday!

XO

Kelly~

5 Years Ago Today

REMEMBERING MY GRANDMOTHER

Gladyce Irene Breedlove

5 years ago today my grandmother passed away. She is now in heaven and I know she is my guardian angel! My grandma and I were very close! I consider her my best friend! She was always there for me no matter what! We had so many great memories!

These are the top 10 wonderful memories with my grandma:

1. Late night uno/rummy matches

2. Watching Dallas & Falcon Crest on Friday Nights

3. Minestrone Soup at the Uriz on the wrong side of the tracks

4. Summers up at Lake Francis

5. Denio's Flea Market

6. Our cruise to Catalina Island and Ensenada for my 13th Birthday

7. She taught me how to drive when I turned 13

8. Grandparents Day at Lincrest School. I was so proud to bring her to school with me

9. My grandma got bit by a duck when I was about 2 years old when she took me to feed the ducks

10. The unconditional love she gave!

Grandma ...I love you and Miss you! Though you are not here in person you will always remain in my heart and my life in spirit! I LOVE YOU GRAND!!!!