Life In The Fast Lane

September 17, 2009 / Dawn Kasal-Finley / 1 Comment

I feel like I am on the track at Talladega and there is no pit crew and no end in sight. My life feels like a bit of a rat race. My calendar is packed and I am pretty much over booked each day. Life is crazy. But there is an end–December 9 is going to be a beautiful day. I can’t wait for it. Until then I will struggle with homework, grading, family and self. I’ve been so busy this past week I haven’t been able to fit going into the gym in the morning because I have been up working instead. I feel like crap and am getting a little crabby. Bill can’t wait for me to be done with this semester. And I have to say, I can’t wait either.

Enough of me complaining about the life I have chosen at this point. Really, I shouldn’t complain. No one is making me get my PhD or send my kid to private school (hence the working of several jobs), etc. I have made these choices and if they don’t kill me life will once again be sunny and happy.

Here is the much delayed family vacation post. Highlights and lowlights via bullet points. I know, I know–but bullet points is all I have in me.

Cruises with kids good. Babysitting watches them while you can get off the boat. I know awesome. We had 4 hours in Key West and 4 in Cozumel w/no kids. AWESOME.

Snorkeling in Cozumel–Awesome. Must go diving there.

Miami–ridiculously expensive. Drinks in SOBE–$25 a piece but they are buy one get on free (for the same person–they only tell you this after you have finished your huge pina colada and margarita and bring you your $125 lunch bill. Yes, I said Lunch and neither of the kids ate because they fell asleep.

Boat drinks…mmmmmmm….

Room service–awesome

Pizza delivery in Miami–Pizza Rustica. It rocks

Kids spending time with their uncles–awesome.

Tacos in mexico on the beach–rocking

Tearing swimming suit bottoms while jumping off boat into ocean to snorkel–funny for some–Not for me. Noah thought it was hilarious and because I only brought on swim suit he kept wanting to see my ripped pants. Then he’d laugh hysterically.

Listening to Noah correct anyone other than me who said Miami w/the following–“it’s not your ami it’s mommy’s ami” Hilarious. He still thinks it My ami. Love him.

3 hour delay at Miami airport–sucks. Tired kids who slept on plane ride home–awesome.

Water wings rock–Noah finally tried them and he loved floating and “swimming” on his own. guess it is time for swim lessons.

Seaweed–Z loved the seaweed in the Atlantic–spent a lot of time collecting it.

Playing in the finals of the blackjack journey–doing better than my bro.

Losing the blackjack tourney–sucked but fun

The best thing of all–Time with the family w/no computer, phone, internet. It was great.

Tomorrow Is The Big Day

August 26, 2009 / Dawn Kasal-Finley / 2 Comments

Noah starts school–five days a week–full days. I am certainly more excited than he is but he is ready to go and I think he is getting a little nervous as he is behaving a little obnoxious.

I still haven’t scheduled my MRI–haven’t heard from the scheduling office yet. I am feeling better. My eyes are still skipping every once in a while but other than that, I feel great.

So, we’ll see. Will post an update tomorrow.

Not Feeling Like Myself

August 17, 2009 / Dawn Kasal-Finley / 5 Comments

So, I just want to say that I don’t often get sick or feel off. But yesterday I didn’t feel quite myself all day. I really noticed it after I gave the kids the bath yesterday and stood up and got a little light headed. Then it went away but then yesterday late afternoon I started feeling a little light headed again. Not dizzy but just a little off balance. Last night I woke up in the middle of the night–but Noah–and walked him upstairs. I was wobbly. I could feel my muscles shaking a little as I took each step. It was weird. This morning, I was still a little wobbly but now I just feel a little weak and slightly light headed. I am also hungry. I have been eating well. I know that I am a little dehydrated, so I am working on drinking lots of water today. But I just don’t feel right.

I’m going to see how the rest of the day goes and then try to get in to see the doctor if it doesn’t go away.

Any ideas on what might be wrong with me????

Musing Of A Three-Year-Old

August 10, 2009 / Dawn Kasal-Finley / 3 Comments

This weekend marked a moment in Noah’s life. He had two birthday parties to attend for his friends. These parties were not the first he has been to but they are the first where he really understood what was happening. On Saturday, we went to the Magic House to celebrate the the birthday of one of his future classmates. We have already been invited to another party for another one of his future classmates and school hasn’t even started yet. Crazy. The other party was for his “best” friend who lives next door. They hang out all of the time and really really like playing together.

So, he got to pick out what to buy for his friends–

Me: Noah where should we go shopping for birthday presents?

Noah: Target.

M: Okay, sounds good.

N: I have an idea Mom.

M: What?

N: I could by my birthday present and you could keep it for me until my birthday.

M: Noah–you know your birthday is really far away. Like in March–which is 8 months away.

N: But I really want an Ironman and Batman for my birthday and you could keep it.

M: Well, that is a good idea. But we are going to buy presents for Dayton and for Elizabeth. Not for Noah.

N: But you could keep it until my birthday.

Yeah, I so know how that would work.

At Target.

M: Okay, Noah so what do you want to get for E and D?

N: Spiderman. I think they would like Spiderman.

M: Maybe. But let’s try something else.

N: Batman?

M: Well, another good idea. But E and D are both girls what do you think we should get them?

After thinking–which includes putting his index finger on his cheek and say “mmmm”

N: I know. Princess stuff.

M: Excellent idea.

He finally decides on a tinkerbell something for E and for a Snow White Tea set for Dayton–because “maybe Dayton and I cam play tea party together.”

After successfully shopping for the birthday party presents. Noah manages to navigate me down the Car aisle. He looks at some of the Cars action figures (if you can call them figures) from the movie.

N: Mom, I don’t have these.

M: Noah, we aren’t shopping for you. You don’t have any money.

N: But Mom, I have been sleeping in my bed all night and the sleep fairy hasn’t been leaving me money. If the fairy left me money, I’d have some to buy this.

M: Yes you would.

N: How come the fairy stopped leaving me money?

M: So, this is what you want to get?

I hate it when the 3-year-old wins.

For That Hard To Buy For Person

July 15, 2009 / Dawn Kasal-Finley / Leave a comment

My colleague pointed me to this great website. It has something for everyone. I have spent a huge part of my day browsing the site and here are a few of my favorites…enjoy and go buy a custom made calendar or mug or shirt for that special impossible to please someone–we all know who they are and so do they.