Holidays

Lame, Loser, Slacker…

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 1 Comment

Who is Dawn?  Yes. 

Okay, so I’ve been a little absent lately.  I miss you all.  There are so few of you left still checking in, but that’s okay.  I love those of you who are left. 

Can I just say one thing–it is frickin’ cold here.  It was 2 this morning when I went to the gym.  Too cold to be outside and too cold for there to be no snow in sight.  The cold sucks, but it really sucks without snow. 

I am looking forward to Christmas this year.  It should be pretty exciting considering that Noah actually knows who Santa is this year.  We have a busy few days going from family event to family event on Christmas Eve and then on Christmas day we do breakfast for my dad and dinner with my mom–so that keeps me in the kitchen much of the day. 

We are all doing well.  Zoë is weaned from the bottle.  She now uses a pacifier for sleeping but it’s going pretty smooth.  We hope to get her off the pacifier by spring.  We are hoping to get Noah to leave his for Santa–we’ll see how that goes.  The kids are keeping us busy and I have been pretty busy with my photography.  I have done quite a few shoots since the end of October and it’s nice to reach a little bit of a lull. 

Well, I’m off to do some Christmas cleaning and make a few cookies for Santa.  I’ll be back more regularly.  Hope everyone has a safe holiday.

Our First Mall Santa Experience

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 5 Comments

 and I have to say it went well.  It wasn’t my idea.  We were at the mall blowing off some steam as Bill was working from home and had two hours of meetings.  So how else was I going to keep the kid quiet and away from dad for two hours other than to leave the house.  We went to the mall and played and wandered around.  Noah spotted Santa from the second level and asked to go see Santa.  I couldn’t deny my little 2 1/2 year old boy the joy of being scared by Santa now could I? 

Well, Noah runs right up to Santa–as there isn’t a line.  Gives him a big hug and asks to sit on his lap.  It was quite cute.  Zoë was a bit more skeptical but she didn’t flinch when I put her on his lap and walked away.  Noah smiled and Zoë studied.  It was cute.  Santa gave Noah a sign that tells “Santa Stop here” and Noah couldn’t wait to put it up on our window at home so Santa knows to bring him trains. 

Good thing, Santa knows he wanted trains. 

Holiday Recap

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 1 Comment

Well, the holidays are finally over.  I am certainly happy for things to return to some semblance of normacy.  Travelling is done and now we can just hang out and enjoy life again.  Minnow was spoiled with 4 days of Christmas fun and now I am ready for him to settle back into our family routine.  This year Christmas was much more fun with the little guy, but I know that it will only get better. 

Minnow cleaned up at this first Christmas celebration with my bonus mom’s family.  He got this really great chair and books, and ornaments, etc.  It was really really great. 

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tuckered-out.jpgHe was exhausted by the end of the evening. 

The following day Minnow got to go ice skating with his uncles for the first time.  My mom run’s an outdoor ice rink so we felt it was time to get Minnow out on the ice.  He wasn’t really a big fan of the whole ice skating idea. 
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Christmas eve brought 2 celebrations and a lot of gifts and merriment. 

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Christmas day brought with it more fun.  Minnow loved many of his presents but on Christmas morning the clear winner was the wagon…
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We went to visit family the day after Christmas and Minnow had a lot of fun with his second cousins. 
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We spent our New Year’s up in Indiana at my brother’s house in Beverly Shores (on lake Michigan).  We had a great and relaxing time.  We played with our new Wii, Minnow played with his uncles and we even got some New Year’s Snow. 

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Now we are home and tired and ready to relax. 
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Well maybe not all of us are ready to relax. 

My Modem Hates Me

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 1 Comment

I get this fabulous new computer for Christmas and my modem decides it no longer wants to work and offer me internet service.  So here I am at Panera using its free wi-fi and rue the day.  I just want to be able to play with my new computer and check my email.  I love email.  I miss email.  I have gone for nearly two days with limited internet connection and I am going to go crazy.  I am going out of town tomorrow so won’t have much if any internet access and that just frustrates me more.  UGH!!!!

Things have been crazy at home.  We are working on Minnow’s fifth day of Christmas.  The presents just keep coming.  I am ready to be done with wrapping paper and putting things together.  Have I said how much I love my new laptop.  It rocks.  It has a raised battery so that it is nicely propped for easy use and the keyboard slightly rises for more comfort.  Hubby is the best. 

I promise to post some pictures from Minnow’s Christmas extravagance as well as some video.  Did I tell you all that my little 20-month-old can play the harmonica?  Well he can and he is pretty good.  This boy’s talents never cease.  My MIL leaves tomorrow and I am so sad for Minnow.  He is smitten with her.  He follows her around everywhere and wants to be with her all the time.  It is awesome.  I am sad she is leaving and that she lives 2000 miles away and only sees Minnow once or twice a year.  That just totally sucks.  It has been great having her here. 

Well, I am off to get back home.  I have one more chair to put together and a babysitter to line up for tonight.  Hope everyone’s holiday season (whatever holiday you celebrate) was great.  See you all soon. 

Someone Was Good This Year

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 4 Comments

Merry Christmas Internets.  I am posting from my new and awesome HP Laptop.  I have been a “good” girl this year.  I have been wanting a new laptop because my laptop is about 4 years old and in technology time that is ancient–the “t” key has been missing for nearly 2 years and the “e” is hanging on precariously by sheer hope alone.  Now that I am embarking on the long road of earning the dear little letters “PhD or EdD” after my name, Santa thought I deserved a new laptop.  I love Santa.  I also got an awesome flash for my camera–which will take me months and months to learn how to use and a digital picture frame from Santa’s mom. 

Santa brought hubby a golf gps thingy…in the golf world I hear it is pretty cool.  Santa also got hubby a much covetted Wii.  He was very surprised and is very very excited. 

Santa also brought us a 5-pack of baseball tickets for the family–even Minnow got a ticket.  Minnow got a wagon from my dad and bonus mom, an easel and lots of art supplies from Santa and he got lots and lots of other things.  Too much that I would bore you all to pieces with the long list of things that Minnow got–I am glad he isn’t really old enough to understand this whole getting presents thing; otherwise, he would be completely ruined for ever!

I am thankful beyond all belief that I am lucky enough to have the great family I am.  This holiday seaon has also been one of great saddness for me.  I am sad that Minnow’s mom does not have the great pleasure of raising this amazing child.  I am sad for all that has been lost and cannot be regained.  I wish I could in someway repay her for the amazing gift she has given not only us but this world. Those of you who know Minnow know what I mean.  My wish for her this holiday season is that she somehow senses and knows what an amazing little boy he is and I hope she knows how much he is loved by everyone.  I will do my best to honor her gift to us by raising the best little man that I can. 

Merry Christmas.