Tuesday, May 12, 2009
Sunday, May 10, 2009
Mother's Day 2009
I was woken up this morning by my little man, Mr. Aidan David saying "happy mothers day mommy" with a giant smile and a bouquet of my favorite flowers, lilacs, lavender and daisies (ok no lavender but I got lavender soap so that counts lol). I then went on my annual shopping day with my mom this year we hit the Christmas Tree Shop which was severely cut short by me not being able to breath or be at all comfortable so we high tailed it home and I took a much needed nap when Aidan took his.
With Ben working today Aidan had to put up with a sick mommy so I got Lady and the Tramp and
we snuggled in my bed and watched that while we ate pasta dinner and then he headed off to bed while I stuck my head in super hot water trying to clear my sinuses out. After a call to Women and Infants hospital they said it would be ok to take a cold medicine made by Tylenol as long as it wasn't maximum strength. While I wait for my loving husband to come home from work with some meds I willed myself to do my homework so that I don't fall behind and took my exam for this week, shockingly scoring a 90 dispite not being able to concentrate.I took the kids for what I think is going to be annual pictures this year. Meg took them last Mother's day time so I thought I would treat this time. Here are some of the proofs. Can not wait to pick them up on Thursday.
Happy mother's day mommies!!! We survived another year!!!
Sunday, May 3, 2009
My 101 List
Original Date Januarty 13, 2008
This idea was borrowed from my sister-in-law Kristen, it was too good to NOT do!
Thanks girl!
The Mission: Complete 101 preset goals or tasks in a period of 1001 days.
The Criteria: Tasks must be specific (i.e. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (i.e. represent some amount of work on my part).
Why 1001 Days? Many people have created lists in the past - frequently simple goals such as New Year's resolutions. The key to beating procrastination is to set a deadline that is realistic. 1001 Days (about 2.75 years) is a better period of time than a year, because it allows you several seasons to complete the tasks, which is better for organizing and timing some tasks such as overseas trips or outdoor activities.
Some common goal setting tips.
1. Be decisive. Know exactly what you want, why you want it, and how you plan to achieve it.
2. Stay focused. Any goal requires sustained focus from beginning to end. Constantly evaluate your progress.
3. Welcome failure. Frequently, very little is learned from a venture that did not experience failure in some form. Failure presents the opportunity to learn and makes the success more worthy.
4. Write down your goals. It clarifies your thinking and reinforces your commitment.
5. Keep your goals in sight. Review them frequently, and ensure that they are always at the forefront of your thinking.
My start date: January 13, 2008
My end date: October 10, 2010
Not yet completed.
In progress.
Completed
1. Gain 15 pounds (Pregnancy does not count) [15/15] COMPLETED 7-15-08
2. Take vitamins daily for at least six months. [5/6]
3. See four broadway shows. [1/4] STOMP
4. Skydive.
5. Return to my first love, dancing.
6. Learn French.
7. Go to bed before midnight 5 nights a week for 6 months straight [0/6]
8. Bachelors Degree
9. Write letters each month to anyone I've lost touch with in my address book until I reach 100 snail mailed [35/100]
10. 3 times in one day ;) *good one kaycee* COMPLETED July 2008
11. Try real sushi COMPELTED 7-26-08
12. Visit the spa six times [3/6]
13. Boston Children's Museum/Cheers
14. Don't drink coffee for 5 weeks [5/5]COMPLETED 4-8-08
15. Don't eat Fast Food for three months [3/3] COMPLETED 6-8-08
16. Get straight A's
17. Attempt to give church another try and keep an open mind.
18. Create & Finish a wedding scrapbook.
19. Go to one dance weekend.
20. Play in a Texas Holdem Tournament at Foxwoods
21. Audition for a musical.
22. Complete tattoo on my arm COMPLETED 2-23-08.
23. Buy a house
24. Adopt a cat COMPLETED 4-10-08
25. Buy a dog
26. Save $1000 and invest it [$0/$1000]
27. Knit an entire wardrobe for our new baby of at least 10 pieces [0/10]
28. Buy a pair of designer heels COMPLETED 6-10-08 and one designer bag COMPLETED2-22-08.
29. Print all the pictures on my computer and make albums.
30. Send 10 surprise packages to friends [10/10] COMPLETED 7-23-08
31. Quit Smoking COMPLETED 9-16-08
32. Find my signature drink. COMPLETED 3-30-08 (Pinot Grigio or TUGD)
33. Hangout with my sister Marissa 20 times for longer than 3 hours without getting into an arguement [9/20]
34. *get the secret gift* COMPLETED 8-7-08
35. Do one charity walk/run Registerd for this http://cfsri.org/events-walk.html
36. Get my picture in my wedding gown in front of Cinderella's Castle
37. Learn how to make wedding cakes CLASS COMPLETED 5-1-08
38. See fifteen movies in the theater. [15/15] COMPLETED 6-25-09
39. Get credit score above 700
Teach Aidan how to play baseball COMPLETED 4-17-09
41. Open my own business COMPLETED 12-7-08
42. Volunteer for 3 non-profit causes and donate 20 hours of time
Families First of RI[20/20][0/20][0/20]
43. Learn how to sew/quilt
44. Get Ben, Me and Aidan annual passes to Disney
45. Buy a one scratch ticket everytime I go into a gas station until I have 50, THEN scratch them all [50/50] COMPLETED 3-4-08 I won $41 back
46. Try Yoga COMPLETED 7-26-08
47. Get a karaoke machine
48. Go on 5 weekend trips. [4/5]Orlando, Orlando, Vernon CT, Albany NY
49. Grow my hair down to the middle of my back
50. See the Grand Canyon at Sunset
51. Go to a dude ranch
52. Confront my Dad on our issues 9-03-08
53. Learn how to make the perfect girlie drink COMPLETED 3-8-08
54. Limit internet time, outside of schoolwork, to 1 hour a day for 6 months [0/6]
55. Get Cable COMPLETED 7-16-08
56. Make and organize a housewife schedule and follow through, can say completed after 3 months and its a habit [0/3]
57. Make scrapbook for mom that I always said I would
58. Teach Ben to lindy hop COMPLETED 7-26-08
59. Get membership to YMCA
60. Throw away everything in the apartment that is not coming to future home COMPLETED 12-22-08
61. Go to NYC with Ben
62. Go on the Disney cruise
63. Bring my own shopping bags to the grocery store until its a habit. COMPETED 4-30-08
64. Read ten books, based on true stories or events [1/10]E.D.
65. Stay in a cabin in Vermont and come home with maple syrup
66. Take an American History/Government class (that is not needed for my degree) COMPLETED 12-9-09
67. Send Christmas cards in 2008. COMPLETED 12-23-08
68. Vote for president COMPLETED 11-4-08
69. GimmeYourStuff.com swap COMPLETED 5-16-08 (FRANCE!!!)
70. Take a class with Aidan COMPLETED 3-12-09 ZOO CLASS
71. Go to Bloomingdales with Jessica and make our first purchase COMPLETED 11-19-08
72. Take a voice lesson
73. Go to at least one Red Sox game. COMPLETED 4/19/08
74. Own the complete FRIENDS DVD collection. COMPLETED 2/8/08
75. To the the top of the Empire State Building or Rockefeller Center.
76. Actually wear my sexy lingerie for Ben at least once. (lol Kaycee we are so alike sometimes)COMPLETED 3/2008
77. Have all christmas shopping done by October COMPETED 10/18/08
78. Open a life savings account at a credit union. COMPLETED 4/22/08
79. Run a mile in under 10 minutes
80. Get a medical dictionary COMPLETED 2-14-08
81. Go to an Amusement Park that is not owned by Disney or Universal COMPLETED 8/24/08.
82. Have at least five 'Girls Night Outs.' [4/5] COMPLETED 11-19-08
83. Learn how to prepare 10 new meals [1/10].
84. Drink boost or ensure everyday for three months [3/3] COMPLETED 9-22-08
85. Beat the Normans at Scrabble. COMPLETED 4-12-09
86. Buy the perfect LBD (Little Black Dress) COMPLETED 8/18/08.
87. Learn the roads in Providence. COMPLETED 1-21-09
88. Visit every place to eat or drink on Federal Hill.
89. Play paintball.
90. Go ice skating at Kennedy plaza.
91. Take my cousin Sherry out for a day/night she'll never forget COMPLETED 11-22-08
92. Stretch everyday for three months [0/3]
93. Whiten my teeth
94. Learn 5 new dinner dishes [0/5]
95. Write my life story
96. Learn sign language
97. Redneck Yacht Club for day
98. Visit a brewery and discover a new favorite beer COMPLETED 4/19/08 Buckeye Oatmeal Stout from Boston Beer Works
99. Plant a garden 4/25/09 and keep it alive
100. Document as many of these 101 tasks as possible and make a scrapbook.
101. Make a new 101 list before this one ends.
Updates
Aidan helped me purge through his toys this afternoon as well limiting what we will be taking on the move. He is such a good little helper.
We are at pregnancy week number 23 and my back is killing me and I have a feeling I will be unable to move by this evening. The other day when I packed all day that is what happened and since I've been packing nonstop for 4 hours now I am pretty sure I am going to end with the same result tonight. I have currently put on twenty pounds with Savannah, which is still WAY better than I did with Aidan. I am sure I will plateau now especially with our family membership to the YMCA coming so I can swim and do laps while they watch Aidan.
Last Wednesday I participated in RI Idol at a really nice place in Cranston, I had to leave before they gave the results because I had to go get Ben at work and apparently this cost me a spot because me and two other people scored the same score and they needed us to have an additional round of singing and I wasn't there to participate for that. I was contacted by them and told to please come back this Wednesday for the semi-finals and they will decided then if I go on for the finals and the $500 prize but I can not find a sitter. Of course, this is always the way. If they weren't having it on a friggin Wednesday it wouldn't be that big of an issue but no one is ever free when we need them. $500 would allow us to furnish the nursery...but I can't think about it cause I'll cry. I just love how everyone tells me to try for Idol and blah blah blah and then when I do it locally no one can watch Aidan. Ben can not take a night off work because he already has Monday and Thursday nights off for his class so as usual I get to sit home when there is something I want to go to. ok ending that vent.
Tom is going to get de-clawed tomorrow at 8am, I am so nervous for him. I feel so bad but it was that or get rid of him and I absolutely love my cat, he is part of our family and I am not getting letting him go that easy!
I finished my fourth class at Ashford University and received another A bringing my GPA wonderfully high so that I can attempt to get a scholarship for my Masters after this in March 2010. I started the fifth class this past Tuesday and I think this professor is the most insane yet, and has no regard for my life outside of school. The most work assigned yet with a one we
ek deadline.Oh what I wouldn't give for the Summer off...or a family vacation to Disney. I still can't beleive we aren't going this year...the first time I've missed Mickey in 28 years.
Friday, May 1, 2009
Lets get excited!!
WOO HOO!
Here it is: http://thecakebiz.vpweb.com/default.html
(Right now it has /default.html at the end but after 30 days that drops off.)
So excited and proud of me!!
Tornado hits Rhode Island
I love both of these children more than I can express or they would be dead right now. I know it was a tornado because it took all of five minutes. I love being a mom, sometimes you just have to laugh.
Poor Tactical Decision Land
Ben and I made a goal for ourselves in 2009 to not make anymore "poor tactical decisions". With our expanding family we have made new private goals for our family and ourselves and work on a daily basis to meet them. Today is a momentous event in the Norman household, we are about to pay off the debt we developed over the past year. Not all of our debt but such a sufficient amount that for the first time in almost a year we can breath again. This is mostly in thanks to my amazingly dedicated husband and he relentless mission to set us up for a better future by the end of this year. I took over managing the money again in late February and he feverishly works 7 days a week to cover ground I can not by staying home with Aidan. I just wanted to remember this day. The day when all our sweat, tears, misery, lonely nights, despair, hope, fears and dreams were worth it. The day we completed something we set out to do together.
The day we can look at our bank account and know without doubt, it can only get better from here.
I love you baby, and I am so proud to be your wife.