The Kassel Family Project Life 365

I had forgotten about this picture until today when I was downloading pictures from our family website so I could upload them to Facebook.  I just started laughing remembering that day.  It was July 2007 and we were driving home from daycare.  We had the windows down on the car and Laura’s hair was just blowing all around.  We just laughed all the way home.  I think it was the *last* time she liked her hair being blown around!

A conversation with Laura this morning went like this:

• Laura:  Mommy, is it Gymnastics Day at daycare today?
• Me:  Yes, Laura it is.
• Laura:  Yay!  (She said this while jumping up and down).
• Laura:  Mommy, I have a headache.
• Me:  I’ll give you some medicine.
• Laura:  OK.  Mommy, I’m going potty now.
• Me:  You do that Laura.
• Laura:  Mommy, Jessie (her Toy Story doll) fell off my bed this morning, but I rescued her.

Now, notice that none of those 4 things she told me about have anything to do with anything else.  She must be my daughter, because I do that all the time!

OMG!  My Black Dress Pants are loose!  I can’t believe it!  I’m so excited!  I’ve put on a large amount of weight over the past couple of years.  While I *could* blame it on a female problem that I was having (corrected with surgery in May 2010), I won’t because it was more than that.  I’ve been lazy.  Just plain lazy.  Eating a lot and whatever I want.  Throw in zero exercise and that equals weight gain.  About 5 months ago, I read somewhere to use a salad plate for dinner instead of a regular plate.  I tried this and what a difference it makes.  I eat much less for my meals.  In the past couple of months, I’ve really been paying attention to how much I eat.  I’ve made a conscious effort to not take second helpings (though I still do at times) and to make sure that I still have space on my salad plate even when the food is on there.  Apparently, it’s working because I put on these black dress pants that I have actively avoided for over two months because they were so tight that I couldn’t breathe and they are loose!  Loose!  Loose!  Now, if this weather would stop so I can get back to walking every day…….

….will always work for the people who know why.  That was the quote from a serious discussion at work today regarding my long-term future.  I can finally relax a bit about the possibility of my office closing.  It looks as though we will finish the year in the black, wiping away last year’s deficit.  Over the years and I’ve worked there since October of 1997, my job has gone through multiple transformations.  At times, I felt unneeded there.  Other times, I felt like nothing would get done without me.  Most recently, I feel a bit lost.  Like I’m somewhere between caring and not caring with a side of burnout thrown in.  I’ve done some looking for a new job, but there is nothing out there right now and I’m really not sure that I want to give up everything I’ve worked for in my current position.  I’ve been a person that “knows why” for a long time having been part of management since 2001.  My Director and Assistant Director would like to increase my “knowing why” to include some other areas of the office besides just Development.  While I like the idea in theory, my current mood makes it difficult to want to try it.  I have gone through periods like this before, but this particular funk has been more difficult to work through and ignore.  What’s sad is that I’m very fortunate to have a well-paying job with loads of flexibility, yet I can’t seem to pull myself from the funk to truly appreciate that.  Ironic that as a person who “knows why” regarding my organization, I can’t seem to “know why” I can’t work myself out of this funk.  Maybe this change in direction to include other things will be the jumping off point that I need.  All I know is I certainly need something.

Well, John woke up in the middle of the night with a fever AGAIN.  Since he finished a course of antibiotics for strep throat yesterday, I’m guessing it’s viral and it’s a wait and see.  Both Laura and I had something similar last week.  Coughing, snotty nose, and feverish.  Hopefully he’ll be doing better tomorrow.  I’m really tired of sick Kassels.  I’m ready for a period of well Kassels!

On the first Saturday of every month, we try to make it to The Home Depot for Kids’ Workshop.  It’s a building project that kids can make.  We’ve been taking Laura for about two years now and recently started taking John.  This morning was a special project because not only did they get to build a heart shelf, but they also got to paint them!  Well, Laura did anyway, because John attempting to paint his shelf would have been a disaster!  She chose the dark pink color.  On a side note, I used to *hate* pink.  Now, I kind of rather like it…..

Laura is so proud of her finished project!

Upon completion of his shelf, John had to pound with the hammer a bit more….everything *must* be secure!