tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-112929042011-11-12T19:10:19.780-08:00Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.comBlogger4161100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-71466639864654443622010-10-19T10:54:00.000-07:002010-10-19T10:54:38.119-07:00

Since we're now 4 Leonards instead of three, we've moved to a new blog address: http://4leonards.blogspot.com If you subscribe to our posts here, please re-subscribe at the 4Leonards blog.  If you read this through an RSS reader, please update that too. This site will remain up but I will no longer post new stuff here. Thanks!

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-4522330752843680272010-10-19T08:06:00.000-07:002010-10-19T10:15:14.062-07:00

Another tooth gone! That makes 3 baby teeth lost and all three have been on the bottom. She also has a molar coming in. Now that you're up-to-date on the status of Kait's teeth, you can proceed with your day.

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-1585409085968707852010-10-14T10:00:00.000-07:002010-10-14T10:11:01.678-07:00

We went to the pumpkin patch last night - same one we go to each year. And we had so much fun, as usual! Kaitlyn slid on the slides, rode the rides, and flew up high in the sky! Check out the video below. We also got a couple pumpkins and pet a baby goat in the petting zoo.

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-18247186411105208512010-08-07T18:07:00.000-07:002010-08-07T18:11:09.123-07:00

We're pretty much settled in now, so I thought I'd share some photos of our new home for friends and family who haven't come to visit yet.  Here's the living room, dining room, and office area: The kitchen: Check out the storage in this pantry! Off the kitchen, we have a half bath and laundry closet with stackable full-size washer & dryer. (The washer & dryer we had before was not

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-63551645105182928472010-07-01T22:59:00.000-07:002010-07-01T23:02:10.290-07:00

...so much has changed.  The Lord patiently - yet persistently - teaches me I can trust Him and He is in control.  I am so thankful. Right after Micah lost his job on May 24th, we applied for unemployment.  Together, we waged a massive (and, for me, frantic) job search.  In under two weeks, Micah had a full-time job.  In less than 4 weeks, he had another full-time job.  He had gotten only

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-4600336353400993882010-05-25T22:45:00.000-07:002010-05-25T22:45:16.151-07:00

What I Don't Know: The date of Christian's arrival in relation to our move & Kait's first day of school When I'll be able to go to the hair salon again When Micah will find a new job How our bills will get paid next month Who Ali will end up choosing on The Bachelorette (hopefully not the guy with the hair or the weatherman) What we're having for dinner next Thursday What I Do Know: My God: is

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-88716748807553848702010-05-23T09:05:00.000-07:002010-05-23T09:05:54.313-07:00

Some may think that our life is pretty boring.  For the most part, there's nothing super-exciting or new going on.  But I love the "mundane-ness" of our life.  It allows for more "let's make today SPECIAL" days.  Like yesterday... In the morning, Micah went to men's Bible study and then took the car in for a much-needed oil change.  While he did that, Kait and I went grocery shopping (I've been

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-77814052973869221672010-04-12T22:53:00.000-07:002010-04-12T22:53:25.311-07:00

This past week was my first full week at my new job as part-time bookkeeper for the US office of KarmelSonix.  My journey from full-time to part-time work has been amazing - miraculous even! - and I wanted to share the story with those of you who have not heard it yet.  WARNING: This story is a bit lengthy. :) Back in June 2009, I knew I wanted to stop working full-time soon.  Kaitlyn would be

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-66297186700232725952010-04-07T17:34:00.000-07:002010-04-12T21:41:41.101-07:00

Our Easter celebration was pretty low-key this year.  We went to church in the morning - the 11am service, which allows us time for lazy Sunday mornings filled with cartoons, newspaper-perusing, and big breakfasts. After a wonderful service, we headed over to my parents' house.  Micah's parents and Grandma Sophia were there too.  Kaitlyn even brought along her friend Halie so she wouldn't have

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-16057110958231353702010-04-02T18:29:00.000-07:002010-04-02T18:30:25.741-07:00

I cannot say enough wonderful things about Chick-fil-A, especially our local store near Victoria Gardens.  Their food is awesome, the service is consistent and unlike any other fast food place, and their Honey Roasted BBQ Sauce is to die for. So, last time I was there, I wanted to tell them about the special place they held in my heart.  I filled out one of those comment card thingies, expecting

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-31998705067367410982010-03-26T18:02:00.000-07:002010-04-02T18:04:30.828-07:00

Have you been keeping up with our other blog? Little Christian is due in August and we can't wait to meet him!!

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-32902457564910456102010-03-25T17:57:00.000-07:002010-04-02T18:16:16.133-07:00

Check it out!  Kaitlyn's first loose tooth: And one day later... She was so excited to get money from the tooth fairy that she pulled the tooth out herself! That night, the tooth fairy came and left her $2!  When she found the money under her pillow, she exclaimed (speaking of the tooth fairy), "Now I know she's real!" (Check out that bedhead too! LOL! Poor kid - I made her pose for a

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-8773802537525891652010-03-24T17:50:00.000-07:002010-04-02T17:57:17.094-07:00

While on Spring Break, Nana & Bapi (Micah's parents) took Kaitlyn to Universal Studios.  Since they're both teachers, they got in free that week!  Kaitlyn said she had a lot of fun - but Backdraft scared her and she cried. :(  She loved the special effects shows and got picked to be a volunteer helper in an animal show!  The black bird in this photo was supposed to land on her outstretched arm

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-50251927593703926152010-03-14T17:49:00.000-07:002010-04-02T17:49:32.993-07:00

Kaitlyn and her friend (and neighbor) Halie attended Glitter Glam this year and had so much fun! Glitter Glam is a girls-only event that our church holds annually.  Girls ages 3-13 go there to get all glammed up, have a bunch of fun, and then walk the cat-walk in a fashion show at the end of the night.  The Daily Bulletin newspaper even did an article on the event here. After getting their

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-87722908362978421912010-02-15T17:29:00.000-08:002010-04-02T17:40:38.044-07:00

Micah and I don't usually make a big fuss over Valentine's Day.  We'll get each other cards and maybe go to dinner but that's about it.  This year was no different. However, this year Micah also took Kaitlyn out on a date.  They had reservations at our local Chick-fil-A, where the restaurant was going all out for the holiday: reservation-only seating, tablecloths & fresh flowers, table-side

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-78681523296360929912010-01-29T17:13:00.000-08:002010-04-02T17:28:16.870-07:00

Micah and Kaitlyn took part in Flipside's Pinecar Derby this year and they had so much fun!  After they got their car kit, Micah took her to the woodshop where he works so they could properly prepare their racecar.  They sanded it and put the wheels on, then came home and painted it and decorated it with decals (stickers).  The LEGO people were Kait's idea.  Here's the finished product:

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-74655250688921010022010-01-18T18:33:00.000-08:002010-04-02T16:35:16.557-07:00

This photo just makes me laugh. :) Kaitlyn climbed inside Micah's shirt and was peeking out the top.

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-32487360217411611172010-01-16T16:22:00.000-08:002010-04-02T17:28:51.213-07:00

Last night, Kaitlyn and I got to go to the Disney Live! Rockin' Road Show at the Citizen's Business Bank Arena.  (Tickets compliments of LOC. Woo!) It was an OK show from my POV.  According to Kait, it was AWESOME!!  I just enjoyed spending the time with her. :)  We went to Wendy's for dinner before and then had fun in our nosebleed seats while we waited for the show to start. At

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-49501108713565523022009-12-15T08:00:00.000-08:002009-12-15T11:18:32.606-08:00

There are so many wonderful things about this time of year: colder weather, Christmas breaks from school, home-baked goodies, lights and holly, Black Friday shopping excursions... But what I think I love most of all are the simple things: family get-togethers and traditions.  Christmas wouldn't be the same without the faces of the ones we love, the breakfast casserole on Christmas morning, "

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-21621776440410645942009-08-13T16:19:00.000-07:002009-08-13T16:38:09.575-07:00

When you need someone to talk toI hope you will talk to meWhen you need someone to laugh withI hope you will laugh with meWhen you need someone to advise youI hope you will turn to meWhen you need someone to help youI hope you will let me help youI cherish and love everything about youAnd I will always support youas a parent, as a personand as a friend.- Susan Polis Schutz

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-1476242136403025822009-08-05T14:21:00.000-07:002009-08-05T14:27:40.930-07:00

I'm waitingI'm waiting on You, LordAnd I am hopefulI'm waiting on You, LordThough it is painfulBut patiently, I will waitI will move ahead, bold and confidentTaking every step in obedienceWhile I'm waitingI will serve YouWhile I'm waitingI will worshipWhile I'm waitingI will not faintI'll be running the raceEven while I waitI'm waitingI'm waiting on You, LordAnd I am peacefulI'm waiting on You,

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-26621042138331351962009-07-30T23:18:00.000-07:002009-07-30T23:27:15.253-07:00

Ain't he a pritty kitty?I would be remiss if I neglected to comment on my absence from the blogosphere... I haven't been posting to my blog very much lately because I've found it so much easier - and quicker - to just post to Facebook. I feel slightly guilty about ignoring my blog...but then again, I harbor guilt about a lot of things... actually, my therapist wants me to work on that. But I

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-7265667341821206692009-06-26T10:08:00.000-07:002009-06-26T10:11:00.828-07:00

This wonderful man and this sweet girl......have completely,irreparably,undoubtedly,FOREVER...stolen my heart.

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-54704457063586128282009-06-06T15:18:00.000-07:002009-06-06T15:32:37.051-07:00

Last night, we finally decided to do it...we got another car. YAY! We'd been talking about it for a while and decided now was the right time. We headed down to MK Smith Chevrolet in Chino and got a great deal on this 2007 Honda Civic EX. We LOVE it!We did the one-car-thing for over 2 years and, while we feel blessed to have had the ability to go that long without another car, it was

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-18823881073069339032009-05-27T09:51:00.000-07:002009-05-27T10:33:35.843-07:00

I received this email from my sister last night:You need to freaking post a new blog already!!!! Blog about not blogging or something! Here's a list of ideas...married lifefriendsKait's haircutcell phonesschoolAfrican American hairthe number 7heartburnsummer and sweaty pitsLong Beach 5KSo, for many reasons (among them: my sister is very persistent, I feel guilty, I'm bored, it's Wednesday, I

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-1352392918224706172009-04-16T15:16:00.000-07:002009-04-16T15:32:00.649-07:00

MAY 24, 2008At the shelter (in the blue collar)MAY 28, 2008Officially part of the familyJULY 5, 2008Getting used to life with a 4-year-oldSEPTEMBER 1, 2008Getting bigger and biggerOCTOBER 27, 2008From our "Little Man" to "Mr. Mittens"NOVEMBER 23, 2008Waiting [im]patiently for Kait to feed himTODAYWe love you, Mittens!

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-66060627575679287902009-04-08T14:07:00.000-07:002009-04-08T14:46:33.056-07:00

So... here's what's been on my heart as of late... Wait, let me first give you some scriptures I've been meditating upon and that will be an excellent prologue for what I've got to say type.The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD: and he delighteth in his way. Psalm 37:23 (KJV)But all who listen to me will live in peace, untroubled by fear of harm. Proverbs 1:33 (NLT)Delight yourself in

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-87032816067741185382009-04-06T19:15:00.000-07:002009-04-06T19:43:03.610-07:00

I'm in a list-making mood. Here's what's been going on with us lately:1. Work...work...work - thanks be to God that we have jobs2. School - I have to start a research paper soon... gotta pick a kinesiology profession to write about first3. Grocery shopping with The Grocery Game4. Kait had photos taken by Tara Sos Photography (Check out a few of the proofs below.)5a. House hunting - new offer in

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-88024527043002723822009-03-25T10:19:00.000-07:002009-03-25T10:29:12.769-07:00

In hopes of us having lots of do-it-yourself projects soon for our new house, I have been scouring the internet for sweepstakes to enter for Home Depot or Lowe's giftcards. :) I'm just industrious like that.And, by the way, we received responses on our two offers. The offer we made to the seller-owned house came back and they countered at $10K more. Umm... no. We were going to counter again

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-12070837596650204342009-03-21T20:53:00.000-07:002009-03-21T21:01:15.515-07:00

This morning, I was checking my email and one had the address of "my first love" in the subject line. I quickly realize it's a message from the listing agent that had been sent to our realtor, who in turn forwarded it to me. I open it in anticipation...only to read this:We put the home back on the market yesterday anticipating cancellation instructions to come through. We are still in escrow

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-32960495377551601312009-03-20T13:31:00.000-07:002009-03-20T14:11:04.990-07:00

I've been hearing a lot about churches giving away spectacular gifts (prizes?) to people who attend the service. The gifts range from mortgage/rent payments for a year to a Harley Davidson motorcycle to a Nintendo Wii (no link for this one but I got a postcard in the mail from a new local church that's giving away a Wii). Sometimes the stipulation is that you have to be a first-time attender,

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-58626981080162325372009-03-20T13:21:00.000-07:002009-03-20T13:31:07.294-07:00

The house that we first put an offer on is the house Micah and I affectionately call "my first love." It was our first purchase offer and it was rejected. I was heartbroken. Now, we're still waiting on a response for offers 2.5 and 3. However...enter again my first love. I got an email from [the AMAZING] Redfin this morning notifying me that it is BACK ON THE MARKET!! Why? Who cares! All I

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-432470465608967812009-03-17T21:51:00.000-07:002009-03-17T22:06:46.398-07:00

Well, we submitted TWO more offers today! Yes, TWO! We decided to try one last time on the house we last made an offer on. We really, really like the house so we submitted our best and final offer.The other offer we made was on this house. It's an REO and has been on the market for a while with no offers yet. So we may have a chance. (In my head, I just heard Lloyd from Dumb & Dumber say, "

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-88977904273814116362009-03-13T13:49:00.000-07:002009-03-13T13:57:01.352-07:00

We've been house-hunting for 13 days and have submitted 2 offers. Neither have been accepted. Bummer, huh?Here’s the story with House #2:We submitted our offer last night and, although it was low, we expected a counter. We didn’t even get that! Whether the agent decided not to present it to his clients or the sellers saw the offer and said “no way” – I don’t know. But there was no counter

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-29677786038504399572009-03-13T08:50:00.000-07:002009-03-13T09:08:33.593-07:00

I found this cool website through The Pioneer Woman's site. Three gals started this t-shirt company called Wild Olive (the name is derived from Romans 11:17). Their t-shirts are funky, cool, and super-cute. They also donate 10% of the profits from sales of their products to Christian-based charities and non-profit organizations like Shaohannah's Hope. So check 'em out! There's a new button in

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-70149206965904627902009-03-04T09:50:00.000-08:002009-03-04T10:31:20.896-08:00

We're only been house-hunting for a little over a week but I've learned a few things so far... Among many other lessons, I now know for sure that searching for a home to buy is not for the impatient, easily-excitable, or overly optimistic. So, basically, house-hunting is not for me!But I am persistent, which is a good thing in looking for a house. However, it may be slightly annoying to my

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-20788017146935031632009-02-23T14:41:00.000-08:002009-02-23T15:10:55.297-08:00

Our sweet girl got a new haircut this weekend! She wanted to be "twins" with her cousin Abby so she wanted short hair and bangs. We took her to the same place where she had her first haircut, Great Clips in Rancho Cucamonga. Her hair was long enough that we could donate the portion they cut off to Locks of Love! We were excited to do that and found out when we went to pay that donating to

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-68479296714441506542009-02-15T13:59:00.000-08:002009-02-15T14:33:04.944-08:00

For Valentine's Day, Micah and I went out on a date to TGI Friday's, where we had our very first date in January 2000. As we were being seated, we walked past a table where Ryan & Jane were sitting. What a small world! Before they left the restaurant, they stopped by our table and took a pic of us.We also found out they were going to see the same movie as we were, Slumdog Millionaire. (GREAT

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-88093609336548710522009-02-11T12:29:00.000-08:002009-02-11T12:45:40.888-08:00

...but I saw this on Stef's blog and I'm gonna play anyway because it looks fun. :)Here are the rules:1. Go to the folder where you store your photos.2. Go to your 4th folder.3. Go to your 4th pic.4. Post it and tag three more people.This photo was taken at the Borders bookstore in Victoria Gardens when Kaitlyn was 3 years old.I'm tagging:GinaB-DogJenn

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-32000947418278475372009-02-07T15:41:00.000-08:002009-02-07T15:42:48.131-08:00

I absolutely LOVE LOVE LOVE this song! Jake Owen   More CMT Music   More CMT Music Videos

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-54192397721582024242009-01-29T13:15:00.000-08:002009-01-29T13:15:58.875-08:00

Lately, life has consisted of: work, school, eat, sleep... with a grocery store or bank errand thrown into the mix. But nothing really exciting.Because I have nothing to really talk write about, I'll post some [random-ish] pictures. Don't pictures say a thousand words, anyway?Kait likes to pose for pics with random things. On this day, her fellow photo subjects were her friends Zebra, Gazelle,

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-85822806921304640492009-01-13T16:09:00.000-08:002009-01-13T16:31:58.192-08:00

My sister rocks. Check her out...I'm so proud of her and can't wait until The Big Day on March 8th. She's training hard and still working towards he goal of raising $3,200. If you are interested in helping her out, that would be AWESOME! Visit her TEAM webpage to donate. Whether or not you decide to support her financially, please keep her in your prayers.

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-60418370847969903712009-01-08T14:00:00.000-08:002009-01-08T14:05:35.523-08:00

It speaks to me.Sometimes I shave my legs and sometimes I don'tSometimes I comb my hair and sometimes I won'tDepend on how the wind blows I might even paint my toesIt really just depends on whatever feels good in my soulI'm not the average girl from your videoAnd I ain't built like a supermodelBut I learned to love myself unconditionally...My worth is not determined by the price of my clothes...

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-24700877543514360042009-01-04T18:02:00.000-08:002009-01-04T18:20:51.700-08:00

Micah got new tats - Kaitlyn's handprints on his chest.(I took this photo with my new 50mm lens. I love the shallow depth of field I get with this lens but find that sometimes my subject - as in the pic of Micah above - is not as crisp or in focus as I'd like. Anyone know what I'm doing wrong?)We went to Red Hill Park today for a picnic and Kait was cold so Micah gave her his sweatshirt. She was

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-57091925299606946692009-01-03T09:19:00.000-08:002009-01-03T09:19:00.549-08:00

If you're like Micah and I, we have a few extra Bibles lying around the house. I got to thinking how it was a shame that the Word of God was sitting there, not being read, when there are hundreds of thousands of people worldwide who would LOVE to own just one Bible.So I set out on a search for organizations that would accept used Bibles and send them to those in the world who needed them. I was

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-18821206062526079872009-01-02T09:56:00.000-08:002009-01-02T10:00:21.853-08:00

Every new year, I can't believe yet another year has flown by! Does that mean I'm getting old because I actually think that? Hmmm...Anyway, our New Year's celebration was pretty low-key. However we managed to have a great time and laugh a lot. Our friends Josh & Angela came over and we had pizza together. Josh & Micah played Madden NFL 09 on the PS3 and I introduced Angela to the wonderful

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-82432790070882739722009-01-02T08:42:00.000-08:002009-01-02T08:43:56.697-08:00

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-57912935776377578032008-12-24T09:59:00.000-08:002008-12-24T10:33:09.269-08:00

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-73802395899761263622008-12-22T14:14:00.000-08:002008-12-22T14:34:50.522-08:00

This past weekend we went to Victoria Gardens for the Magical Snowfall in Chaffey Town Square. Kaitlyn was very excited because she thought we were going to be able to make a snowman - and she's never been in the snow before. (I know... poor kid. What kind of parents are we??)Anyway, we had a nice time despite the cold. Kaitlyn was a little unsure about the "snow" at first. (On close

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-33713423631918078492008-12-20T12:20:00.000-08:002008-12-20T12:27:24.767-08:00

Only 5 days left until Christmas!!We're going to go to the Christmas Eve service at Micah's parents' church and then spend the night at my parents' house. We'll do presents with my side of the family on Christmas day and then hang out with Micah's side of the family on the day after. I just love this time of the year. What are your plans for Christmas?

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-61182315199793950732008-12-19T23:03:00.000-08:002008-12-19T23:13:21.175-08:00

The preschool Christmas program this year was in the morning. My mom and I attended, cameras in hand. Mom was in charge of video and I took still shots.Last year, Kaitlyn stood motionless and did not sing throughout the whole program. So this year, when her teacher told me she had been selected to lead the Pledge of Allegiance at the beginning of the program, I was wondering how she would do.

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-29837583876111391242008-12-17T21:51:00.000-08:002008-12-17T21:54:50.684-08:00

This video was shown in church this past Sunday and I thought it was worth sharing. It's only a couple minutes long but very poignant. I was shocked by the statistics.This video and more info can be found at the Advent Conspiracy site.

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-25567085434930270492008-12-17T11:35:00.000-08:002008-12-17T11:47:33.163-08:00

...Internet Explorer is CRAP!Check out this article. In short, it says:Microsoft will release an emergency patch on Wednesday to fix a perilous software flaw allowing hackers to hijack Internet Explorer browsers and take over computers. . . . attacks based on the vulnerability in the world's most popular Web browser are spreading "like wildfire" with millions of computers already

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-79601955516869468162008-12-16T20:41:00.000-08:002008-12-16T21:11:51.006-08:00

On Sunday, we went to Red Hill Park to take some (long-overdue) family photos. (We haven't had professional family pics since Kait was about 1 year old.) I was thrilled to have Tara take our photos - I've seen her work and she's amazing!I told her I didn't want the pics to look so Red-Hill-y. (If you live in the area, I'm sure you know what I mean.) And she delivered big time! Here are a

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-8300965209093144912008-12-15T21:52:00.000-08:002008-12-15T22:02:38.560-08:00

I have a trial version of Adobe Photoshop CS4 on my computer and I'm having so much fun with it. CS4 coupled with my new dSLR... I'm one happy girl.While Kaitlyn was getting ready to take a shower yesterday, we had an impromptu photo shoot. (Only a five-year-old sits on the couch watching cartoons in only underwear and shoes...but I digress.)I used some of P-Dub's awesome actions on these

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-46829954085121098042008-12-08T23:27:00.000-08:002008-12-08T23:34:44.758-08:00

I usually start decorating for Christmas the weekend after Thanksgiving. But since I was in Hawaii, I started a little late. (I also missed Black Friday. *sigh* I'm still bummed about that one.)This past weekend, Micah pulled all our Christmas stuff out of storage (all two bins and the tree in its sorry little box). We decorated and set up the tree. Kaitlyn was so excited to help put up the

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-89011609892944939322008-12-07T23:00:00.000-08:002008-12-08T23:27:10.727-08:00

Mahalo is Hawaiian for "thank you."I owe a HUGE mahalo to B-Dog, my friend I love to hate. :) Love ya, brother!

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-61890468230291496452008-12-06T10:46:00.000-08:002008-12-08T23:17:06.840-08:00

So this is how my last day in Hawaii went...In the morning, we got ready and stopped at Micky-D's for a quick on-the-run breakfast. I decided to skip the spam and just go for a good old-fashioned egg McMuffin. We were headed for the Dole Plantation.First on the agenda was the beautiful and HUGE gift shop. Everything pineapple-y was at our fingertips. We browsed for quite a while, made a few

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-1827707337004029372008-12-03T10:58:00.000-08:002008-12-04T16:35:24.336-08:00

Awww... the last couple days in Hawaii. Although I loved spending time in such a beautiful place and with such wonderful friends, I must admit I was really beginning to feel homesick by this point.Tuesday, we drove out to Pearl Harbor to visit the USS Arizona Memorial. What an amazing experience. For those not familiar with the memorial, it is "ground zero" where World War II began for the

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-83911558417726573252008-12-02T00:56:00.001-08:002008-12-02T16:36:30.026-08:00

Today was such an awesome day. We drove out to Lēʻahi, or Diamond Head, which is about 45 minutes from Darrick & Jenn's house. About Diamond Head, Wikipedia says:A 0.8 mile hike leads to the edge of the crater's rim. Although not difficult, the trail winds over uneven rock, ascends 74 steps, then through a tunnel and up another steep 99 steps. Next is a small tunnel to a narrow spiral staircase

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-44274772235879206242008-12-01T00:46:00.000-08:002008-12-01T01:36:05.947-08:00

We got home late last night and I was too pooped to blog. So here's a recap of yesterday and today.After a quick breakfast, we headed to the Polynesian Cultural Center about an hour from the Hays' home. The Cultural Center is an amazing place and I found out why the Hays' take all their visitors there.Seven native villages (Tahiti, Hawaii, Fiji, New Zealand, Samoa, and others) are featured in

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-42973749562652758272008-11-28T23:22:00.000-08:002008-11-28T23:30:09.539-08:00

We were out the door by 5 a.m. to make it to the airport by 6:00. My flight was boarding at 8:00 so we wanted to play it safe. At the terminal, I gave Micah & Kait hugs & kisses and headed for the curbside check-in. Of course, I was prepared: I had printed my boarding pass the night before, I had my ID out, I was ready to pay for my checked bag. I walked through the security checks, down

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-5245888731966640362008-11-27T22:55:00.000-08:002008-11-28T23:04:47.171-08:00

Tomorrow, I leave for Hawaii. My first time ever and I'm thrilled! I'll be staying with the Hays family. How did this trip come about, you ask?It was a gift from God. Really! Well, God and B-Dog. A few weeks ago, Bryan stopped by our house to talk to us about something that he said had been heavy on his heart. He basically said that he felt that God was telling him that I needed to be in

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-24855132258218132962008-11-26T09:43:00.000-08:002008-11-26T10:02:36.588-08:00

US1Photo.com sucks. Prices may be good but customer service, shipping on time & accurately... THUMBS DOWN!!!!!!Grrrrr.....

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-77838237566945337992008-11-17T13:39:00.000-08:002008-11-21T13:24:14.173-08:00

I just finished up an invitation job for a birthday party for 3-year-old twins. I was happy with the final product - but more importantly, the client was thrilled!I also just finished some save-the-date postcards but I haven't formally "delivered" those to the client (it's B-Dog's lovely sis Lisa) so I can't share them yet...I updated my portfolio on my Papercrafts by Nicole site so check it out!

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-53852504605744809992008-11-13T18:27:00.000-08:002008-11-13T18:38:53.906-08:00

I subscribe to Inland Empire Magazine. Each month, they have a section called The A List where they list a bunch of subscribers and if your name happens to be on the list and you're the 3rd person to email them, you get a free dinner. So I scanned the list for this month and whaddaya know...Both my mom and I are on the list!!! Isn't that crazy?? So I called her and told her to email. We'll see

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-31023864482121895962008-11-12T09:22:00.000-08:002008-11-12T14:18:12.374-08:00

Kaitlyn turned 5 years old on Monday. I can't believe my sweet girl is 5 YEARS OLD!! I can still remember when she was an itty bitty baby...*sigh*The celebration for Kaitlyn's birthday ended up spanning 4 days. We went to Santa Barbara over the weekend to visit Micah's sister & her family, on Monday we had dinner at our house with Adriana and Matt, and last night we celebrated with Kaitlyn's

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-21682267183837177102008-11-06T15:14:00.000-08:002008-11-06T15:53:44.971-08:00

I know... Halloween was almost a week ago. Oh well...Here's what we did.At Kait's school, they have Pajama Day every Halloween. So here's what she wore to school:On the way to school, it was raining a bit and there was a BEAUTIFUL rainbow - we could see the full arc (although it's a little hard to see in the pic).In the evening, we headed over to CBC for their October Family Carnival. Kait was

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-8030391280281541802008-11-05T10:28:00.000-08:002008-11-05T11:09:16.124-08:00

I didn't vote for Obama but I will support him because he will be the new leader of this great country we live in. With that said...I'm just annoyed by one thing: Why does everyone keep saying he's our first African American president? He's not black! He's half-black, half-white...equally! Just like I am. I don't consider myself "black." Nor do I consider myself "white." Because to call

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-15956442330409616252008-10-25T15:19:00.000-07:002008-10-25T15:47:49.898-07:00

Yup, it's that time of year again! Kait's been asking about the Pumpkin Patch since summertime. And we went this past week. She had a blast on the slide, the inflatable obstacle course, and the carnival swings. We picked out some pumpkins too. And it was all FREE! (Definitely a perk of working where I do; we lease the land to the pumpkin patch/tree lot people so we get gift certificates every

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-92187722260482456792008-10-23T09:40:00.000-07:002008-10-23T09:59:06.653-07:00

Here are a few more pics of Micah's workmanship...Now, on to the harassment...We decided to close our bank accounts at WaMu JP Morgan Chase and switch to another bank. I went in to close our last account yesterday and was totally harassed! What the heck?! I was asked:Which bank are you switching to? (By two different people.)Why? (Also twice, and with a ridiculous incredulous tone.)Do they offer

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-21404372178513588812008-10-21T09:42:00.000-07:002008-10-21T09:50:03.645-07:00

I've noticed that my blog header shows up differently in Firefox and Internet Explorer. This could be because my computer at work has IE6. Or maybe it shows up like this in IE7 too? My header now is a PNG. Maybe it would be better to have it be a GIF. Hmm... I just want to be considerate of those of you who have not yet seen the light and switched to [the far-superior, safer, more wonderful]

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-7916473744717588312008-10-20T09:42:00.000-07:002008-10-20T10:19:50.903-07:00

1. I changed my blog design. It's a little very much on the girly side but I love it. :) It's from thecutestblogontheblock.com. I heard about it from Gina.2. Micah finished our new TV stand. It's GORGEOUS! It was so cool to design the furniture ourselves, pick out the stain and hardware, and then see it completed!(BTW, the photo above isn't very high quality because I took it with my phone.

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-65910163694500028002008-10-06T18:20:00.000-07:002008-10-06T18:28:22.284-07:00

My sister Ashley is fortunate enough to be working for a friend (his name is Johnny) who owns a business doing something in the film industry. It has to do with purchasing the rights to sub-titling movies and selling them to different countries, I think. But as his "personal assistant," Ashley helps with lots of administrative stuff and gets to go on really cool international trips to film

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-57078387481780588172008-09-29T16:18:00.000-07:002008-09-29T16:50:40.748-07:00

...I registered at Chaffey College. I'm a student again! I'm working toward my AA in Art/Digital Media with an emphasis in web design. I'm only taking one class right now and it's all online, which is nice. I'm loving it!...our fridge died. It wasn't cooling properly so we had a technician come out to take a gander at it. Bottom line: $464 to fix it. Crap. So we found a nice used one on

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-795536093850180262008-09-16T11:41:00.001-07:002008-09-16T12:03:46.560-07:00

Kaitlyn started gymnastics last week. She LOVES it! And so do I. :) It's once a week and we (me & her daddy, her cheerleaders) get to go watch her during the class. Here are a couple pictures from her first class last week:I was really impressed by the facility (it's at Precision Gymnastics) - it's HUGE and has lots of cool gymnastics stuff. Plus the coaches were very entusiastic, great with kids

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-36459330363219387592008-09-09T22:42:00.000-07:002008-09-09T22:58:58.200-07:00

We went to Big Bear with Ady & Matt.Kaitlyn & Abby played together over Labor Day weekend (in their new matching outfits from Nana).Mittens watched Kait play computer games.We went to Hermosa Beach.Micah was the Best Man in Derek & Cristabel's wedding.Kait & I painted stuff at Color Me Mine.

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-37791673070857787102008-08-24T22:15:00.000-07:002008-08-24T22:21:31.222-07:00

Tonight after I we said our bedtime prayer, Kaitlyn asked me, "Why did God have to die on the cross?"I was surprised at her question but was excited that she was thinking about these things. I explained to her that because we're all sinners (we do bad things), we don't deserve to go to Heaven. But because Jesus died on the cross for our sins, it allows us to go to Heaven when we die. She said,

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-61016905075894131252008-08-23T19:51:00.001-07:002008-08-23T20:06:16.920-07:00

If there's a grocery bag left on the floor, you can be sure Mittens will find his way inside it. He hides in them as if he's an army soldier preparing to ambush. And he likely will ambush your ankles when you walk by!

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-2781092967487519102008-08-14T14:36:00.000-07:002008-08-14T15:16:58.203-07:00

This morning, I awoke to the sound of a baby kitten meowing very loudly. I could tell it was outside near our apartment so I went out to investigate. The people that used to live below us recently moved out so I felt comfortable walking through the bushes to get onto their patio. In the water heater closet I found this baby kitten. He was crying as loudly as he could but when I opened the

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-7062668786530440892008-08-13T10:56:00.000-07:002008-08-14T15:22:49.831-07:00

UPDATE: The TV isn't for sale anymore. The picture has been flickering and going out and Micah thinks it's going to go completely pretty soon. So unless you want a TV that has no picture, we're going to trash it. Where does one take a TV? The dump? Will the trash company take it?We're selling a solid oak entertainment center and a 36-inch Toshiba television if you or anyone you know is

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-29694684540674606462008-08-08T10:14:00.000-07:002008-08-08T10:21:04.430-07:00

It's time for healing, time to move onIt's time to fix what's been broken too longTime to make right what has been wrongIt's time to find my way to where I belongThere's a wave that's crashing over meAnd all I can do is surrender(Chorus)Whatever You're doing inside of meIt feels like chaos but somehow there's peaceIt's hard to surrender to what I can't seebut I'm giving in to something

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-30077538852949273982008-08-07T12:56:00.000-07:002008-08-07T13:10:51.003-07:00

I have to write 5 random facts about myself and then tag 5 more people to write about themselves.The Rules1. I have to list the rules first.2. I have to give 5 random facts about myself.3. I need to tag 5 people at the end.4. Each person I tag needs to blog 5 random facts about themselves.5. Don't forget to let the tagged people know they have been tagged.5 Random Facts about Nicole:1. I have a

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-29160153988817597202008-07-30T15:50:00.000-07:002008-07-31T14:40:40.481-07:00

...so please be patient. It's a work in progress right now. :)I'll let you know when I have everything working properly.**UPDATE 7/31**New design is up & running. What do you think?BTW, I got all the images from ShabbyPrincess.com. I used the "Sun Porch" kit. :)

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-5299393575246254312008-07-26T16:55:00.000-07:002008-07-26T17:19:41.744-07:00

Being a working mom is tough. So often I come home from work and that's when I think about what we're going to have for dinner that night. Nothing is defrosted and we don't have all the ingredients for a particular meal... so we'll order in or eat something quick like a frozen pizza or cold cereal. I'm ashamed to admit that I don't plan ahead for meals like I should. So I've decided to start

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-89156033071027390272008-07-24T14:56:00.000-07:002008-07-24T15:06:17.278-07:00

(In case you're not familiar with lolcats, here's a simple guide and here's the Wikipedia article.)(A note about the above pic: I just about died laughing when I saw this one but I didn't understand it. Later, Micah told me this is from Monty Python & the Holy Grail. Who knew? Not me, obviously.)

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-7927906351074589322008-07-18T11:42:00.000-07:002008-07-18T11:44:45.500-07:00

On Tuesday, we went to Chick-fil-A with Jenn and the boys. It was Kids' Night (yay for free kids meals!) so they had a special guest: Cinderella! Cinderella painted faces, read stories to the kids, played games with them, and made balloon animals. Kaitlyn and Jacob enjoyed participating in the activities but Micah (Jenn's, not mine) kept a safe distance. Apparently, 7-year-olds are waaaaay too

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-7576598873209027392008-07-17T09:12:00.000-07:002008-07-17T09:38:44.395-07:00

...about Micah'sjob search, here's a little info about what's been going on.After Micah was disqualified from Riverside Sheriff's, Fontana City PD, and LA Port Police, he was feeling a little discouraged. OK, a lot discouraged maybe. He was frustrated because the only thing these departments were seeing was who he was and not who he is now. Eight years ago, Micah was a very different man than

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-28699097110666062912008-07-16T09:47:00.000-07:002008-07-16T10:03:35.455-07:00

July 30th is National Cheesecake Day. (But doesn't everyone already know that?) In honor of the day, The Cheesecake Factory is offering all their cheesecakes at $1.50 per slice! (They're usually about $7 each.)Yum.

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-80637032675364170962008-07-14T14:14:00.000-07:002008-07-14T14:27:38.307-07:00

What a great reminder from Stormie Omartian's The Power of a Praying Wife Perpetual Calendar. :)And because I feel like it, I'll allow myself a slight digression...My husband is awesome. I mean, really. I don't deserve him. He is so sweet and gentle and patient and loving. He watches I Love Lucy and The Bachelorette with me when I know he'd much rather be watching Family Guy or some guy show

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-35565001560588870472008-07-11T09:12:00.000-07:002008-07-11T09:33:05.754-07:00

Last night, of course, I watched my favorite show SYTYCD. (You did too, right?) :)I was shocked by a couple things:1. Who knew Cat Deeley was capable of wearing a decent outfit?!?! Wow! She actually looked CUTE last night!2. Even more shocking was live performance by a (new?) singer named Katy Perry. She sang a song called "I Kissed a Girl." It was a girl singing about how she kissed another

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-49170768148339468712008-07-08T10:58:00.000-07:002008-07-08T11:04:08.799-07:00

Did anyone watch The Bachelorette last night? (I usually don't but I totally got sucked in this season! And Micah won't admit it, but he did too!!)Can you believe that DeAnna picked Jesse?? I was in shock! From the first day she met all 25 guys, I thought Jesse was the first one going home. I thought there was NO WAY she would keep him! Boy, was I wrong! :)By the way, DeAnna's proposal dress

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-46489863256086900972008-07-05T21:18:00.000-07:002008-07-05T21:35:48.288-07:00

We spent the Fourth with our family at Micah's parents house. My parents, grandma, sister, and sister's friend joined us. We feasted, played Balderdash, watched a TiVo'd So You Think You Can Dance, and saw a few fireworks. The fireworks were not that big of a deal to the adults so we thought we'd forgo the activity but then Kaitlyn said, "Aren't the fireworks starting soon?" So Micah and I,

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-87598417646847466582008-07-01T23:09:00.000-07:002008-07-01T23:15:48.128-07:00

Last week, we spent six days at the Worldmark Resort in Indio with my family. It was super-hot but we had such a great time! Most of our days were spent in the gorgeous pool or in our massive 2,500-square-foot condo!I put together a Scrapblog ( I love this website!!) of our vacation. Take a look:

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-33298835548842350052008-06-22T08:04:00.000-07:002008-06-22T18:59:37.930-07:00

I just realized I did not blog about 2 very important recent events: Ashley's graduation party and Father's Day!My sister Ashley graduated from Cal State San Bernardino with a degree in Kinesiology. We're so proud of her! My mom and dad had a big party for her at their house. I helped with cooking some of the food and Mom & Ashley had a bunch of tables set up in the backyard. Tons of family

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-32713588025983891402008-06-20T08:36:00.000-07:002008-06-20T08:54:17.327-07:00

Last night, our little baby kitty had quite a lot to get used to. We got him a new collar (complete with tinkling bell). He gave us all a good laugh as he rolled around on the floor with that new collar on. :)Later, we decided to put some claw covers on him. That was quite an ordeal: picture Micah sitting on the kitchen floor holding Mittens and me trying to put the claw covers very quickly

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-45155586817270986252008-06-13T11:28:00.001-07:002008-06-13T11:29:57.064-07:00

I am thinking about taking a course in medical billing with the ultimate goal of working from home as a medical biller. Do you or does anyone you know currently work in this profession? I want to ask some questions and get advice from somebody "in the know."

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-3692285416779474782008-06-09T09:20:00.000-07:002008-06-09T10:07:52.169-07:00

This weekend was a busy one for us! But we had a great time. Friday night, the gals ditched the guys to go hang out at the bar. Sort of. :) Micah and Todd hung out at with the kiddos and I went with Gina, her sister-in-law Lindsay, and in-laws to the dueling piano bar where Lindsay's husband Scott is the door manager. It's called Rock the Keys and we had so much fun! We made lots of song

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-27552097720524932982008-06-05T10:11:00.000-07:002008-06-05T10:24:00.131-07:00

Our super-kitty, Mittens, playing with his feather toy thingy. Isn't he cute?Kait & her crazy hair jumping on our bed.Kaitlyn + Mittens = BFF.I got to go see Wicked (again!) a couple weeks ago with my mom, Grandma Sophia, and Mom2 (Micah's mom). It was lots of fun!

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11292904.post-67578656296943767322008-06-04T09:43:00.000-07:002008-06-04T09:56:35.333-07:00

I just finished Firefly Lane by Kristin Hannah. I mean, literally just closed the book and dried my tears with a tissue. I know I'm not supposed to read at work but I just had a few more pages and I had to get to the end.This book leaves me with that cliche warm & fuzzy feeling inside... but in a more beautiful and poignant way. It's the story of two girls that become best friends in the 70s.

Nicole Leonardhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11302331697681166310noreply@blogger.com5