May 23, 2010

So as you have probably gathered by the lack of posts on this site, I've changed to WordPress. Please change your address that you visit me at to: www.caskal.wordpress.com

Or, follow this link

April 5, 2010

I had a whole post written. Then my internet browser decided to update and I lost everything I had typed. (enter cursing under breath here)

It is now 12:15 in the morning and I really need to get some sleep. Therefore, I'm going to try to upload some pics and I'll work on the real post tomorrow.

The girls in their Easter dresses. I like the simple springy dresses.

Ya know...so they can wear it all summer.

Kalli took a moment from hunting for eggs to pose...Just for YOU!
Actually she just loves to pose like this. I don't get it either.

Cassie flying her kite while Kalli watches.

Getting a little artsy. Because, ya know, that is how I like to roll.

Also...today is my brother-in-law, Tim's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY TIMMY!!

And also...yesterday was my friend, Bill's birthday. HAPPY BIRTHDAY BILL!!

Promise!

Working on post that should be up tomorrow. It shall include...

• Cassie's allergy appointment results
• My new problem
• And how we are spending the girls' Spring Break.
• And maybe more....if I can think of anything else to talk about.

For now, I'm off to bed. Ya know....before Andy heads up without me. Yes, we are those sad people that go to bed each night at the same time and together. It is really the only time we get to talk without children interrupting.

NaBloPoMo - Day 30 (The End)

Hurray! Hurray! The last day of November...

Yeah I have no clever way to end that statement that would rhyme. However, it is the last day of November and that means that NaBloPoMo is over until next year. And now I feel like hibernating until spring. Thirty days of blogging, in a row, is exhausting.
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Today was a quiet day for the most part. The highlight of my day was early in the day when I was able to spend time with Becky. She is now off from work and waiting for her baby to be born. A while ago, we nicknamed her unborn little boy, 'Sir Fabulous' and after seeing Becky today it doesn't look like Sir Fabulous will be making an appearance for a while. Becky is due this coming Thursday, but I must report that 'Sir Fabulous' seems to be very happily wedged up under her ribs and has no intent of coming out anytime soon. Sorry Becky. (mind you that with pregnancies things can change quickly)

Not only did I get to spend time with Becky, but she also let me touch her belly a bunch (I'm weird like that, I know) and I was able to feel 'Sir Fabulous' moving around. I haven't even seen him yet, but I'm in love already. He is part of Becky and a baby (that I'm positive will be drop dead gorgeous) so how could I not be in love with him?

To put the cherry on top of my happy sundae, Becky let me take belly pictures. Throughout her pregnancy I've taken a bunch of side view pictures with some complaining from Becky. (I keep telling her she will appreciate this pictures later in her life and 'Sir Fabulous' will want to see pictures of his mommy while pregnant with him - just smile darn it!) Now that she is full term, I was wanting to get some belly photos without the shirt in the way. I wasn't sure if she'd go for it, but she let me and I got a few shots that I really liked. And though I'm sure Becky will give me a death glare, I'm going to share one that I especially like.


Becky has the basketball belly that every woman wants when pregnant and no stretch marks. And I personally love her belly. Okay, that sounds way more weird then I meant. Let's just say her belly is beautiful and full of a little boy that I hope to get to meet very soon.

And to give credit to the mommy.... Becky, thank you for sharing with me everything that you have. I've loved every moment that you have shared and I'm ready to help with any back massages you may need. Just call. :)

NaBloPoMo - Day 25

It is the 25th of November. This means two things. First off, it means that I have posted for 25 days in a row without forgetting. Trust me, I am just as shocked as you are. The hardest part is trying to come up with something to write about. Sure things happen during the day but most aren't noteworthy. And then to try to take something more mundane and make it sound more fun and interesting really is not an easy thing to do. Either you end up rambling (like I am now) or people quit before they read the entire thing.

Still there? Cool.

So yes, I'm shocked to have made it this long. Also today marks the first birthday of my littlest niece, Kaitlynn Bella. Or as I like to call her...My Bella Bean. This morning she woke up here at our house, I brought her into bed by me and called Cassie up from downstairs. (Kalli was already laying in my bed...she came in sometime after Andy left for work.) We then all sat on my bed and sang 'Happy Birthday' to her. Kaitlynn just looked around at us probably thinking that we were nuts, but that she still loved us anyhow. She actually hugged each of us as we sat there talking about how she was born one year ago and how hard it was to believe that she has part of our lives for a whole year already. I know that when she was picked up this morning, and went home to her parents, they probably were thinking the same thing.

This morning as we were relaxing (the girls didn't have school) Kaitlynn decided that she really wanted to watch Cassie playing on the computer. For the most part she did very well sitting next to Cassie and watching. However, she also had issues with touching...and let me tell you this little one is a stubborn one. Her parents will have fun when she gets to be a teen.

I was able to get some cute pictures, between stopping her from touching the laptop.


I have no idea what she is doing in the above picture, but she kept doing it. She would lean in real close to the screen staring at it while making her lips in a circle as if she were saying oooo. It was so flipping cute. Yet confusing.

Now let's compare those pictures to those of exactly a year ago when she was born.


What a sweetie. It is hard to remember her that tiny. And to Trina and Tim....thanks again for letting us share in her life.

I'll end this post with this thought.... Only 5 days left to NaBloPoMo. And then I'll be taking a week or two off. I've earned it.

NaBloPoMo - Day 12

Sing it with me.....

Hal-le-lujah. Hal-le-lujah.

As of 10:18 tonight my calendars are complete. This is to say that I have 5 calendars with all the months, numbering, topper, little details, and holidays on them. And I am thrilled!

I can now work on a cover for them, decide who gets which, and put in birthdays. Then once I get the rest of the year's pictures picked out and ordered, I can just attach them and...ta da. They are done.

The relief that this brings is something that I don't even think I can put into words. I feel like I'm ahead of schedule and can breathe a little bit.
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Today I was volunteering at school...pretty much all day. From 9-1140 I was in Kalli's classroom and then I was in the library from 1140-3. I really do like being there and helping out. The teacher told another volunteer that I'm a life savor because I am able to be there so much. And the librarian is thrilled with me because I work hard and get things done correctly yet quickly.

When I went to sign out for the day the secretary looked up and asked me if I had been there all day. I laughed some and said that yes, I had been...but that I had been in two different areas. She just shook her head and told me that there was a cot and blankets in back for the kids when they need to lay down, but if I wanted I could just move in. I'm still thinking about it. I have to say I'd miss my family, but I could live without the whining and fighting that goes on pretty much daily.
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The Body Parts Against Paula (BPAP) is again holding meetings. Today while in Kalli's class, I was sitting on the floor with some of the kids and went to move one of my legs slightly and it caused pain in my ankle. I then moved it back and again there was pain. The rest of the day I was careful, but it continued hurting and anytime I had to bend it there was pain. Ps...you have to bend your ankle anytime you walk. I haven't missed the BPAP meetings and anytime they want to move on, it would be great.

I would like to note that I took socks off and pulled up my pants legs to have Andy look at my ankles side by side and his exact first words were, "wow...it is swollen". Most of the swelling is behind the ankle bone so we are thinking that I must have somehow pulled a tendon or ligament, but I have no idea how.
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One last thing. We are now 12 days into November (just about half way through the month) and I'm still blogging and have posted every day. I know, I'm impressed too. GO ME!

September 29, 2009

Yes it has been quite a while since I've posted. Yes I owe you a post. However...It is 9:00pm, Andy has to get up at 3:30 am for a reason I'll explain later, and since I've been taking these new meds I hit a wall by 9:30 pm and I'd like to make it up the stairs before that happens.

I'll explain more tomorrow when I hopefully get a chance to sit down during the daytime hours to post. <>

Lost....and found

Tonight Cassie had a baseball game and when we got home we were getting the girls ready for bed when Andy mentioned that he hadn't seen Lightning all night. We started searching for him, going from floor to floor. I was looking in closets, cupboards, under beds and was having no luck. Kalli was assisting me as Cassie was getting ready for bed. I was really beginning to think that he had snuck out somehow and was lost when finally Kalli opened the linen closet upstairs...the one place I hadn't looked...and he came running out. I grabbed him, hugging him, extremely relieved. Cassie started crying, as she had been very scared he was lost. I had to cuddle her to calm her and then sent her off to bed.

After Andy tucked the girls in and checked in the linen closet to be sure he hadn't made a mess in there (we figure he was in there since about 9 this morning) he came down to watch some tv with me. He informed me that while I was looking for Lightning and he was sitting with Cassie, she started talking about having to put up 'lost cat' signs and maybe never being able to find Lightning.

I hate that she was so worried. Though, honestly, so was I. I can say, though, that we will all be very careful when going out of the house for a while. And when closing closets and such.
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Alright, I'm sure that no one has noticed that I haven't changed my banner yet. I am working on this, but between the move and such, I haven't gotten a chance to finish up the banner I'm making and put it up. Also, I figure I've blogged everyday this week, so I should get a pass on the banner for a little bit longer.

May 3, 3009

New banner up. A couple days late, but better late then never. I had it finished two weeks ago, but wasn't really on the computer at all this weekend to change it. Like it??
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This weekend was opening weekend for our local amusement park, Bay Beach. And because we are complete crazy, we (the girls, my baby niece, my parents, Andy and I) went. I'm blaming this fact on my mom who told Kalli that we could go on Sunday. Let's just say that Kalli woke this morning and the first words out of her mouth were, "We get to go to Bay Beach today." That girl forgets nothing.

I have to admit that the crowd wasn't nearly as bad as I thought it would be. The girls had a blast and the weather was absolutely gorgeous. Even Kaitlynn enjoyed being outside and people watching.

Cassie and Kalli went on tons of rides including the fighting planes... where they look very Charlie Angels.

They also went on the Ferris Wheel with daddy. While I watched on with extreme anxiety. At one point I actually was having trouble breathing. Have I mentioned how much I hate heights and Ferris Wheels in general? Add the fact that my bay-bees were up so high and not with both feet on the ground and you'll understand why most of the time I was turned with my back to the enormous wheel with my hand to my chest reminding myself to breathe and concentrate on this cute little face.

You'll never catch me up there with the girls. My poor brave bay-bees! Instead I went on the Tilt-a-Whirl with them. Something you'll never catch Andy doing. I'm glad we each have our areas of expertise.

Once home tonight we hung out outside with the girls. Cassie and Kalli played with their moon sand, brought some stuffed animals outside, and even ate dinner at their little picnic table. I know that there is rain on it's way later this week so I'm trying to be outside with the girls as much as possible to suck up that vitamin D and enjoy the spring sites.

New Banner

Second post for the day, though it is a short one. I just wanted to point out the new banner. The 'Boing Boing' has a story behind it, which I'd like to explain.

Once upon a long time ago, I was little. Shocking, I know. One Easter Eve I was laying in bed talking with my mom when suddenly she said, "Did you hear that?" Hear what, I asked? "It sounded like bouncing....like a 'boing boing' " I listened intently and my naive ears did hear a boing boing. I. Heard. The. Easter. Bunny. I ran off to bed because, like Santa the Bunny doesn't come if you are up and about.

Looking back, sure I was naive, but when you are young you believe so hard that even the sound of the bunny coming is feasable. Boing Boing!

March 22, 2009

Yes, I am still alive. No, I still have nothing to say. Please come back tomorrow. Hopefully by then I'll have shook this writers' block and will have found something witty to write about.



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No? That doesn't cut it? Well, boy, you people are sure demanding.

It's been a week since I've posted anything and honestly, I don't know what to write about. The girls have been spending more time outside because of nice weather and are on 'spring break' this coming week, however other then stating the previous, I don't have much to say about it.

Maybe it is the fact that I've been more tired lately or maybe I have a case of cabin fever, but I just don't want to sit on the computer much at all lately.

I'll work on a better post for tomorrow, but as of for tonight....this is all you get. Hey, at least you know I'm still alive :)

March 1, 2009

Ok...yes there is no new banner for March yet. And yes, there is only this uncool post. BUT.... I am making an promise, here and now, people. Tomorrow I will do an actual post and maybe, time permitting, get a March banner up.

Until then...

I want to wish my sister-in-law, Trina, a VERY happy birthday. Sorry I didn't make it out tonight to help you celebrate. Something about having to get up with the kiddos in the morning to get them off to school. Stupid school.

Also, to increase the suspense until tomorrow's post, I wonder what this is about.

February 9, 2009

Why yes, I am a slacker. Thanks for noticing.

Posts have been slim lately because by the time I get to the part of the night where I usually sit down to write them, I'm too tired to care about writing them. For some reason by 8:00 rolls around and the girls are in bed, all I want to do is play a game or two on the computer before crawling into bed to watch a little tv with the hubby. Lame excuse, huh?

How about the fact that I got too cocky telling people that we haven't been sick yet this winter and it bit me in the arss. Saturday night, much to my dismay, my throat started feeling sore. That night I didn't sleep much as I was up blowing my nose in hopes to be able to breathe every half hour. By the time we got to church Sunday morning, all I wanted to do was lay down and sleep. My throat was hurting and I was feeling congested and out and about with live people was the last place I wanted to be. Sunday I took care to drink more water then usual, avoid things that would hurt my throat, and took an extra vitamin C before bed. This morning, my throat still sore, I sucked on a Halls as I got the kids off to school. Then I headed for a hot shower to hopefully steam the ick out of me. I'm happy to report that my throat isn't as bad, but I'm still draining. More vitamin C tonight and I'm hoping that tomorrow the sun is out with the warmth we are suppose to get (it's suppose to get up to 51. Woo Hoo!) and I can get outside for even a little bit to soak up some vitamin D. Maybe a bombardment of vitamins will make this cold leave my house. A girl can hope.
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I haven't decided if it was my talking about not being sick that jinxed me or if it was the fact that we spent 3 hours on Saturday at The Building for Kids. Not that I'm saying there is anything wrong with The Building for Kids, in fact the girls had an absolute blast. It's just that when you go to a place where young children run around wiping noses, sucking thumbs, coughing and then they are playing with the things that your family is now walking around touching and playing with....it's bound to end with someone getting sick. I have to admit that there was part of me that, as we were walking back to the van, thought about getting out my spray hand sanitizer out and disinfecting us all before heading home. But I didn't want to be that mom. The one who is just a little too germaphobic.
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Lastly, I uploaded some pictures to my picture site...they are from November 2008 until present. Here they are. Enjoy!

More then all the stars in the sky.

I am still alive. Barely. I've been trying to catch up on sleep, but don't feel like I'm having much success. I'm still exhausted. Even Cassie is working on catching up with her sleep. Sleepovers are physically and mentally tiring. It sounds sad, but when is the last time you had six 8 year olds stay at your place? I have to tell you that they don't like the "going the sleep" part of the party. However, at bar close the TV gets turned off and everyone needs to go to sleep.

It is because of my need to catch up on sleep that my banner is late getting changed. It so happens that I had the banner done over a week ago and was waiting to get a nice picture of the girls to add to it. However, my loverly daughters didn't cooperate with photo shoots and I am left with a beautiful banner minus their faces adorning it. In the words of Kalli Jean....Deal with it.

The words on the banner "More then all the stars in the sky" is something that I've said to both the girls since they were very little. It started when Cassie was just a baby and would be up in middle of the night. I would hold her, cradled in my arms, swaying with her and whisper to her that she was very loved. I would go through all the people that loved her...animals, grandparents, aunts and uncles, daddy, and I'd always finish with, "But mommy loves you most of all. I love you more then all the stars in the sky."

When we went camping with Cassie once, we took her out to see all the stars that you can see when away from the city. As we were out there I told her again that I loved her more then all the stars in the sky. And now that they are getting a little older, every now and again when I tell the girls that I love them, especially when I feel that they really need to know how much they are loved and appreciated, I'll tell them that I love them more then all the stars in the sky.

And I do. I never knew that you could care about someone this much. I never knew that you could wake each day loving them more. I didn't realize how much their pain/worries/happiness would also be my pain/worries/happiness. I love my girlies with every molecule in my body. I love them more then all the stars in the sky.

Randomness

Notice anything different? Look up at the header. Looks a little nicer then the other one. At least I think so. My brother is over tonight playing XBox with Andy and he fixed it for me. Nice of him, isn't it. Let's just say that I feel so much better with Photoshop working. It was like having a limb cut off not having it. I like being able to play with pictures and make pretty banners.
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So it is 12:15 AM right now and the guys are still playing on the xbox. I'm tired and ready to head to bed, but Andy has told me that they are almost finished. And I hope so. I feel strange going to bed with people here. Especially since one of my brother's friends is here as well.

Nice thing about them being out in the living room though is that the girls know that someone is still up and have stayed in their room so far. Though they did call me in there a bit ago saying that they couldn't sleep. Ugh!
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Tonight we had the Girl Scout meeting in which we talked about the rules for selling cookies. Know what that means, folks? It's almost time for those wonderful cookies!

January 4, 2009

I apologize for the kinda icky looking banner. My Photoshop program is having "issues" (meaning it is being a pain in the ass) so I had to use Paint. I'm working on fixing Photoshop, but am having troubles. (meaning I have no idea what is wrong with it.)
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This morning I woke to my van being encased in about one-eighth of ice. As I had to go out because my girls were not here, Andy and I spent about 5 minutes, each with scrappers in hand, chipping ice off the windows. Even the tires were coated with ice. Luckily, though, the roads were pretty good.

When I spoke with Kalli this morning, before heading out to see the ice, she told me to be careful and keep my balance on the ice. She really is a sweet girlie.
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Tomorrow is back to the grind for Andy and the girls. Kalli is already talking about how much she is going to miss me when she is at school. I foresee tears tomorrow morning.

It has really been nice having everyone home. I had thought that it would be more of a headache then pleasant, but I was mistaken. Makes me think that maybe this coming summer will be tolerable with the girls home. Maybe they will get along more then not and they won't say that they are bored a thousand times.

A girl can dream....right?

You lucky people

You are so lucky. Not only did you get a post today, but I also changed the banner. A day early, mind you. Impressed, are you? Me too :)

November 13, 2008

Holy Crumpets!

As I went to write this post tonight I saw that this is post number 501. GO ME!!
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Tonight was our first Girl Scout meeting. First thing on our agenda was to talk about things the girls would like to do during this year. After that we went into earning a badge...on manners. Thought that we'd start the year with manners in hopes to make a impression.

It seemed to have worked on Cassie some. Either that or she was abducted by aliens.

After all the girls were gone Cassie cleaned up the living room, her bedroom, and asked me to "please put her shirt in the hamper". Andy and I found ourselves just staring at each other blankly.

I may have lost my mind though as I agreed to have another sleepover with the entire troop. That would be possibly 8 girls, including Cassie, sleeping over. I'm glutton for punishment, I guess.

November 9, 2008

Yes...I yet again made some changes to the site. I'm trying to find something that I'm happy with. And I'm finding that it easy thing to make me happy. I'm kinda picky and not really happy with anything. Hmm...
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So today, with proper lighting, I played video photographer with the girls. I'm going to warn you that this is from my old point and shoot camera and therefore the picture kind of sucks.



Here is another little video that was too cute not to post.

Site Changes

So I'm making more changes to the site. Or working on it. Expect more changes to come. We'll have to see how it ends up.