Out With The Old

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / Leave a comment

Good-bye 2010.
The highlights bullet style (in no particular order):

  • Dance Party w/DJ Lance courtesy of Micah
  • Spring trips to the Zoo
  • Hawaii (with hubby sans the kiddos)
  • Celebrating my 10 year anniversary
  • Noah learning to ride a bike (with training wheels)
  • Noah learning to play tennis and basketball
  • Noah turning 4
  • Zoë turning 3
  • Easter in Kansas City
  • Lasik
  • The way my kids have grown to really love each other
  • Noah and Sophie (they are so cute together)
  • Jumping in puddles
  • Spring roses blooming in honor of the kids’ birth mothers
  • Watching the kids play together
  • Noah ripping up the t-ball field
  • Weekend trips to Beverly Shores
  • Noah learning how to swim and excelling at it
  • Disneyland
  • Legoland
  • Santa Barbara–tri-tips at Cold Spring and seeing old friends
  • The sheer joy of the kids as they grow and learn
  • Celebrating Halloween twice
  • Watching my hubs do the flow rider in Grand Turk–awesome
  • Watching my kids grow and become amazing little people
  • Both of us having jobs
  • Passing my comprehensive exams
  • Spending all my days with my awesome kids and amazing husband
  • That I get to do it all over again in 2011

Happy New Year Everyone.  May 2011 bring you all the joy and happiness that you deserve

Grossology–Zoë Style

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 3 Comments

Zoë:  Mom, I farted (she laughs)

I try not to respond because that really only encourages her.
A minute or two goes by.

Zoë: Mom, something stinks in  your car.

Mom:  That is your fart baby. (Ah the joys of parenting–these are things that you never are told you’ll have to explain.)

Zoë:  No mom.  My fart is in my butt.  Maybe it was you. (Parenting is so glamorous)

She is lucky she is so cute.

Do Or Do Not. There Is No Try

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 2 Comments

I’m channeling my inner Yoda.  As 2010 rolls to an end, I am faced yet again with the failure of achieving a more healthy weight and lifestyle.  It is what it is and I kept thinking, I’ll try.  I’m trying…Well, as this years ends in a ball of failure on that end, I am celebrating my successes and there have been several this year–passing my comprehensive examines, getting a full-time job, loving my kids, etc.  I know there are more, but these are what stick out.

But now it is time to stop trying and to Do or Do Not.  I have decided that not doing isn’t an option.  In 2011, I will turn 40.  It’s a bit of a milestone birthday and I want to celebrate it in great shape.  I certainly am not looking to be unreasonable, just healthier.  I got a FitBit for Christmas from my mom (she got all of us one).  It is really cool and I plan to use it religiously and to really pay attention to my health and choices.  I am doing it for me and that is what I need to do.  So, as Yoda has said–Do or Do Not.  There is no try.  I am no longer trying to be healthy–I am doing healthy.

My Life Has Become A Bad Holiday Drama

/ Dawn Kasal-Finley / 2 Comments

on lifetime no less.  Why do some families have to be so difficult?  Seriously?  This is suppose to be a happy, joyful season.  Well, when your family is frickin’ insane, it’s really the season for insanity and crazy.  I love my family, but they can totally drive me crazy and are such drama queens.  So, Christmas is always a drama of some sort as is anytime there is a holiday and we have to all attempt to juggle our lives and what we want to do.  Everyone has their own ideas and we are all very independent but we like to do things together yet we don’t often want to do the same things.

My mom and youngest brother run an ice skating rink–it’s outdoor and it is only open from mid-November to late February.  So 3 1/2 months is all the time they have to make a years worth of $$$.  They often can’t do much over the holidays as it’s their busy time.  I totally understand that and I think we all do.  But my other brother and partner are coming down and we all want to go to dinner.  We were nice enough to include my mom and brother in the invitation and OMG–was that the totally wrong this to do.  It has totally blown out of proportion and gotten insane.  I feel it’s a bit like that seen in Home for the Holidays and they all explode at each other at the dinner table.  Now, all I am wanting for the holidays is for them to be over so I can enjoy some peaceful time with my hubby and kids and without all the crazy.

Thank goodness for wine.