101 in 1001 challenge

I have been thinking a lot about the things I'd like to accomplish in my life. Now that I'm in my 30s and Caden seems to be growing up a warp speed, I want to make sure I'm living my life, not simply going through the motions. So I have challenged myself to complete my 101 things in 1,001 days (see complete list on left sidebar). I found this particular idea on this website. Wish me luck and if you're so inclined, ask me about my list and/or start your own list.

The Mission:Complete 101 preset tasks in a period of 1001 days.

The Criteria:Tasks must be specific (ie. no ambiguity in the wording) with a result that is either measurable or clearly defined. Tasks must also be realistic and stretching (ie. 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.

Christmas Day

We had both sets of our parents over to our house for Christmas Day. I made brunch (including a new coffee cake recipe, Thanks Lisa!). While I was making the coffee cake, Caden kept asking me if that was Jesus' birthday cake. We spent a lot of time talking to him about the real reason for the season. After brunch we opened gifts with my parents.

Caden loving up both grandmas
love this expression

very happy with his blue M&M's tin

helping Cane Papa unwrap

me and my favorite boy

making Cane Grandma proud by

sporting his new Jayhawk Jersey and hat

Chritsmas Eve

We spent Christmas Eve with Doug's parents, Tim, Melissa, Tegan, and Jensen and Doug's parents' house. We had a yummy dinner and opened gifts. Caden and Tegan were quite spoiled with loads of new toys and games. The highlights of the evening included hearing Santa and his reindeer on the roof (the daddies throwing old potatoes on the roof to make it sound like hooves) and holding Jensen on his first Christmas. He is so cute and snuggly! Doug and I also got many wonderful gifts from his parents and Tim and Melissa. I know I'm loving everything I got this year!

Tim opening Jensen's first OU Sooners blanket
Caden opening a gift

sporting his new spiky hairdo

Tegan with Kerplunk (very fun game)

happy with a new 4-wheeler

pretty girl

Papa's excited!

Aunt Melissa and Tegan

our first gingerbread house

A few days before Christmas Cane Papa (my dad) came over to help Caden and I decorate Caden's first gingerbread house. Papa did the icing (glue), Caden did the decorating, and I supervised (kept Caden from eating the decorations).

a messy, but very fun project

frosting on the nose ~ Caden thought Papa was hilarious for

doing this very "un-grownup" thing

happy decorators

mostly finished project ~
except for the chimney and mini candy cane sidewalk

Happy Birthday!

The newest Livesay is here!!

Jensen Riley Livesay greeted the world at 5:32 p.m. today.
7 pounds 2 ounces
19 inches
LOTS of dark hair

Mommy Melissa and Baby Boy are doing great!

We are so excited he's finally here safe and sound!! CONGRATUALTIONS Tim, Melissa, and Tegan!!

Jensen came a week before his scheduled delivery date, but I'm extra glad because now I have all of Christmas break to hold and enjoy my new nephew and he'll make this Christmas even sweeter!

ADORABLE & SWEET

Caden holding Jensen for the first time.

Caden practically swooned over Jensen,

smothering him with lots of hugs and kisses.

As we were leaving the hospital, Caden says,

"Baby Jensen is nice. I love him!"

the new big sister

Tegan couldn't wait to hold Jensen, show him

the birthday card she made him, and proudly

sport her new pink T-shirt announcing,

I'm the BIG sister!

I just can't wait to hold this sweet new baby some more. You can count on lots more baby pictures in the next few days!

tagged

Amy tagged me last week and I‘m just getting around to answering the questions about Doug. Life has been full and very busy lately. So here goes . . .

His full name? Douglas Charles Livesay (or when was little Doogie Poogie or Dougy Chucky when I want to bug him)

How long married? 8 years as of July 8, 2008

How long dated? We had our first date (a blind date) on May 8, 1998 and we got engaged on July 18, 1998. So about 2 ½ months, but we were engaged for 2 years then until we got married in 2000.

How old is he? 30, but quickly approaching 31 on January 15. He’s about 10 weeks younger than I am and he likes to rub that in from my birthday in late October until his birthday.

Taller? He is by a long shot, maybe 6 or 7 inches.

Who can sing the best? I would say that I enjoy singing a LOT more than he does, but he probably sounds a LOT better than I do.

Smart? I would say equal, but about different things.

Laundry? 60/40 me. He helps me quite a bit and I’m teaching him to fold. This is has been good because his help (we usually fold together) has really cut down on the time it takes, plus we have the added bonus that since Doug has been helping me, Caden has been VERY interested in helping fold laundry too. I’m hoping this will make some sweet girl a very HAPPY wife some day, but not for at least 20 years or so.

Paying bills? ALL Doug. Money, paying bills, writing checks TOTALLY freaks me out. I do constantly pester him about if he’s SURE we have enough in the bank.

Who sleeps on the right side of the bed? Facing the bed, he does because if the bad guys come in the middle of the night I think Doug will scare them away faster than I will.

Mows lawn? He does most of the mowing, but I help some. We also mow my parents’ yard and I do their yard quite a bit. So I’d say probably 65/35 Doug.

Cooks dinner? 80/20 me now. Doug used to do most of our dinner preparations, but now I’m usually home awhile before he is. Doug is a fantastic cook and we both enjoy cooking and love to try new recipes. I will say that Doug does 97% of all the grilling we do, but that’s mostly because I’m absolutely TERRIFIED of fire and can not light matches or start the grill without having a mini panic attack.

First to admit they are wrong? Without doubt, Doug. I’m very stubborn, strong-willed, and bull-headed when I think I’m right. Perhaps that comes from being an only child. Plus I’m a lot more intense than Doug is. He’s very laid back.

Who kissed first? Doug.

Who wears the pants? My in-laws would say Doug does, but that I tell him which pair to put on. But seriously, we both make decisions for our family and we try to work major things out together.

And here he is...

Santa according to Caden

In case you need to know, according to Caden, Santa keep his cell phone under his hat or in his boots. Don't you love the way children think?!? :)

Caden's questions

I share with you the deep, thought provoking questions Caden asked me this afternoon as we were driving home.

1) "Mommy, do you think the Sun has a blankie when he goes to sleep?"
2) "Where's the Sun's bed?"
3) "Why don't the stars and sun and moon have eyes and faces?"

If you have answers beyond
1) Yes, I bet so and he probbaly has a teddy bear to snuggle with too.
2) I'm not sure. I've never been to the Sun's house.
3) God didn't make them that way.

Please let us know.

sigh of relief

At Caden's 4 year well child check, his pediatrician recommended we take Caden to a pediatric gastroenterologist at Children's Mercy Hospital in Kansas City because she was concerned that the hole in his back he was born with might be interfering with the sensation to have a bowel movement. He has never been able to tell us when has to poop. That is until this evening. As we were getting ready for his bath, Caden told me he had to poop and then he did so in the toilet!! A first mini sigh of relief for Doug and me. Maybe, just maybe, this means we won't have to see the specialist in KC in January.

in case you wanted to know . . .

According to Caden . . ."Pink piggies can't dive cars."

Big 12 Champs

Tim and I (Doug) drove to KC yesterday to watch the Sooners claim another Big 12 Championship. Of course I'm thrilled that the Sooners will be playing Florida for a chance a national title. Here are just a few of the 73 photos I took at the game last night.

at least we were invited

the view from the not so cheap seats

play action

Boomer Sooner!!

62-21! Big 12 Champs! Make some room in the trophy case!

consecutive games with 60+ points . . .5

points scored this season so far . . .702

on the road to Miami . . .priceless

Gators, here we come!

Caden quotables

When Caden tastes something he doesn't like (especially toothpaste), "That's tasty!" I think he means nasty, but it's so funny to hear him say tasty when his face is all wrinkled up in disgust.

Tonight during his bath, "Mommy, my juice is going to melt."

After a not so delicious dinner at the new Chinese restaurant in town, "Umm, that was a gooood dinner!" Doug and I beg to differ.

sweet treats

This is how Caden, Doug's mom, and I spent our afternoon yesterday. Baking, baking, baking! Thankfully, we all love working in the kitchen, me especially. It's fun to see Caden developing an interest in cooking, too. Are you hungry, yet?!? :)

custard pie

pecan pie

Toll House pie

dirt cake

pumpkin pie

random picture of Caden modeling

the new scarf my mom made me;

just because he's cuter than anything

else in our house

We hope everyone has a joyous Thanksgiving!

We have so much to be thankful for!

school pictures

Here are Caden's first "school" pictures. Tony, the photographer, did a great job and Caden thought he was very cool!

like it, but it seems far away

love, love, love the grin

I know I'm partial, but I think this kid is darn cute!!

I am in love with this photo.

It's so him ~ happy and full of life and orneriness!

family pictures

The photographer, Tony from GS Memorymakers, who took school pictures at Caden's preschool, also offered an evening sitting for family photos. Here are family photos. I don't think they're great, but at least they're current. Sadly, Caden is the only one who looks that good.

my least favorite, but I love Caden's grin

my 2nd choice


our favorite

mini chef

Lately, Caden has taken a real interest in cooking. He always wants to help us make dinner. He likes to pour things and stir. He especially likes cracking eggs and using the hand mixer and my Kitchenaid mixer. Thankfully, he's quite scared of the stove ~ hot or cold. In the pictures below we are making homemade chicken tortilla soup. Yummy!! One of our family's favorites.

bowling party

We celebrated Caden's birthday with a party at the bowling alley. We invited his cousin, Tegan, and 4 friends, Brock, Grayson, Luke, and Tanner. Tegan and all the boys, but Brock, go to preschool together. The kids all bowled and then we sang the obligatory Happy Birthday song, ate cake, and watched Caden open presents. It seemed like the kiddos all had fun bowling and I was relived that no one got hurt and there were almost no tears or hurt feelings. And the added bonus that I didn't have to clean up our house before or after the party.

the infamous bowling cake ~ chocolate of course

party table with party favors
We found these cool water bottles shaped like bowling pins online that we filled with candy and then tied on a miniature bowling game (from the dollar store!) and trophy to each one with each child's name written on them to make them extra special and personalized. We got several compliments from other parents and the kids seemed very excited about them. Definitely something different in the way of party favors. I was pretty proud of them, though they were quite simple to assemble.

our family watching the bowling action

Tanner and Luke waiting to bowl

Grayson and Tegan having fun bowling

The floor was a bit slippery and the kids fell a few times as they tried to bowl with all their might.

serious concentration; gotta love the tongue action

too heavy??

The bowling alley made this special message for Caden on the score screen and gave him a real bowling pin with his name and "Happy Birthday" written on it and a balloon tied around it. Caden was thrilled and we thought it was the extra special touch that made the day for the birthday boy.

the whole party gang

L to R: Luke, Brock, Caden, Tanner, Grayson, Tegan

blowing out the candles

What a great day for Caden! Thanks to everyone who helped make our birthday boy's party one to remember!