Katie Lou

nEw bLoG

2009-07-17T21:05:00.001-07:00

www.gideonandkatie.blogspot.com

2009-06-17T14:43:00.001-07:00

2009-06-17T14:32:00.000-07:00

2009-06-17T14:30:00.001-07:00

2009-06-17T14:29:00.001-07:00

http://www.etsy.com/view_listing.php?listing_id=26592511&ref=sr_gallery_1&&ga_search_query=veils&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=8&order=date_desc&includes[]=tags&includes[]=title

For Caitlin

2009-06-17T14:27:00.001-07:00

To Grandmother's House We Go

2009-06-17T08:49:00.000-07:00

So this is a little late. Oh well. In April, Gideon and Naomi and I all drove to eastern Idaho to drop Naomi back off at school at BYU-I. It as such a fun trip! Gideon graciously rode in the back wit his work buddy who rode along, while Naomi and I had some girl bonding time up front, making secret wedding plans (neither of us was engaged yet...), eating dried mangos and then dealing with what happens after you eat your weight in dried mangos. Don't ask. Gideon and I stayed with my grandparents and had a blast. They just loved him to death. We wrote our names together on the "wall" in my grandparents basement (see previous post). We took a nap in the basement, looked at old pictures of my grandma and grandpa as little kids, I tried on my grandmother's wedding dress (which I couldn't zip up), ate pickled beets and even took some home, and Gideon even wore my grandpa's shirt to church because he forgot his. It was a wonderful little get away weekend, and so great to see my grandma and grandpa.

thoughts about my friend

2009-06-17T08:32:00.000-07:00

I am getting MARRIED in 22 days. How did that happen? I am so excited I can hardly stand it. We snuggle and smooch and hold hands in front of everyone. I am responsible for mass nausea of the public as of late. We love to be romantic and we love to laugh. We laugh when one of us farts. We brush our teeth together and end up rolling on the bathroom floor because someone drooled or gagged or something equally funny and gross. We smile at each other from across the room while I'm cooking dinner and he's writing a paper...always makes my stomach flip. He snuggles up to me when I feel like pouting or got my feelings hurt like only a moody, stressed out girl can. We ask each other for fashion advice, and we make fun of each other to no end sometimes. We talk about money and then give each other neck massages from the stress of all the money talk. We chat for hours about what to name our babies, why scary movies aren't allowed, what we should make for dinner tomorrow night, where we would like to serve a mission together one day, and how cute we think each other's funny faces and quirky habits are. Right now he's in class for ONE HOUR and I miss him.

Remember This Anyone??

2009-05-25T17:49:00.000-07:00

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6j8EiWIVZs

Still Alive

2009-04-12T15:03:00.000-07:00

I apologize to all of the naggers for neglecting my blog for so long. Life is just so so so busy. And in spite of what I would like, I don't think it ever really slows down. SO...I promise (mostly to myself because who really cares if I blog regularly or not) to do a better job of posting on a more regular basis. So, to kick it off, I have some pictures of the sweetest, coolest, funniest person you'll probably ever meet. Gideon performed for open mic night a few weeks ago. He practiced his song for me, but when he got up on stage, he surprised me with "our song." If you want to know the song, you can ask me. But it was so cute and I sat googley-eyed with my hands on my cheeks, grinning ear to ear and telling everyone around me, "aw, this is OUR SONG!" They all told me I had the cutest boyfriend ever. I'd have to say I agree with them.

NEW

2008-12-09T09:08:00.000-08:00

Hey music lovers.
.Mark Pattinson.
check him out.

A Good Day

2008-12-03T22:38:00.000-08:00

Oh, it was a good day.

Today was wonderful because:

I went to the temple

I slept in 15 minutes later than I should have

Free Cafe Rio

I managed to pull off an ADORABLE haircut on this cute girl who looked 10 times better when she left than when she sat down in my chair. mmm. Good feeling.

The "runner's high" hit me around mile 3 tonight. . .LOVED IT.

And The Number of The Day Is . . .

2008-12-01T20:34:00.000-08:00

59 people. 59.

The Family

2008-12-01T14:56:00.000-08:00

I found these quotes on the Church's website (www.lds.org). There are so many more wonderful statements made in the media if you want to check it out. These two just really lifted my spirits and gave me hope that we live in a world where there is still some tolerance and respect for others and for a difference of opinions.

Beliefnet.com — Rod Dreher: Stand By the Mormons

“Now is the time for traditional Christians — Catholic, Protestant and Orthodox — to come to the aid of our Mormon friends. They put themselves on the front line of the traditional marriage battle like no other church group. And now individual Mormons are paying a terrible price for standing up for something we all believe in. I don't know how we can stand with them from afar, but at least we can thank them, and speak out when we see them being abused. We might also think again about how we view them. … I have deep disagreements with Mormon theology. But they are our friends and allies and fellow citizens, and they deserve our thanks and support.”

John Mark Reynolds, Philosophy Professor at Biola University – California and Thank-a-Mormon Day

“In the battle for the family, however, traditional Christians have no better friends than the Mormon faithful. It would be wrong if that support were taken for granted. We are intolerant of the false attacks on Mormon faith and family. We stand with our Mormon friends in their right to express their views on the public square. We celebrate the areas, such as family values, where we agree. A heart felt thank you may not win points from other friends who demand one hundred percent agreement from their allies, but it is the decent and proper thing to do. Thank you to our Mormon friends and allies!”

Things I Live For . . .

2008-12-01T11:38:00.000-08:00

Running
My Family
Brand New Books That Smell Delicious
Sunday Naps
The Gospel
Laughing Till Your Stomach Hurts
Warm Summer Rain
Going Out To Eat (Preferably Sushi)
Puppies
Friends Who Put Up Endlessly With Your Annoying Habits
The Mystery of Tomorrow
Babies
Amazing New Music
Holding Hands With That Special Someone
Chocolate
Making Someone Smile
A Night At The Movies
Learning Something New

Wedding Day

2008-11-23T23:17:00.000-08:00

So Erinn got married. . . so I jumped in the car with my roommate and our friend Rob and we drove to Idaho for the weekend. Great trip! Everyone can use a little N'Sync and Britney Spears mixed with some good techno and a little bit of KC and Jo Jo. Let me tell ya, that makes for some GREAT dance moves.

The Beautiful Bride

Marjie and I Singing In The Car

Gettin' All Cozy

Rob Got To Ride With Us For 4 Hours!

Oh Road Trips. . .

The Wall

2008-11-23T22:58:00.000-08:00

Deep down in the corner of the basement of my grandparents house, lit by the perfect pull switch light that just adds that little something, rests THE WALL. Ever since I can remember, whenever we had a family gathering, we wrote on THE WALL. The cousins would sneak down and write funny things or a little memory of the event which was currently taking place in bright markers or crayons we found in grandma's kitchen somewhere. There are little pencil marks to show how tall each of the cousin's were each year. Little notes adorn THE WALL, like "Josh is a weenie" or "Family Reunion '99. So fun!" etc. I was back at my grandparents house a few weekends ago for my dearest cousin's wedding. We are only a year apart; we have always been so close. It was so strange to watch her take this big step in life; I couldn't help but wonder, "does this mean we're grown up now? If we can get married and be away from our families and our wall with all of our special notes on it?" So that night I crept into the basement to read the wall. There were scribbles and markings I hadn't noticed before; ones from my parents, my grandparents, aunts and uncles, that were so grown up from our little kid scribbles. It was such a contrast of adulthood and childhood all meshed into one big mosaic. I guess it just got me thinking about how much we all change and grow and learn, and that even though we sometimes don't think it will or can, things somehow change and we make it through the hard times and pass through the happy times even faster, and life just keeps on keepin on. But the one constant thing we have is our families. As the day of giving thanks approaches, I feel especially grateful for all of those people in my life who I am blessed enough to call family.

SICK

2008-11-20T11:31:00.000-08:00

What NOT To Eat When You're Sick:

*Brownies

* A Milkshake (even if you are burning up and it sounds so wonderful. It's isn't.)

*A Hot Dog

These are the only things I've tried in the past few days, except for homemade chicken noodle soup from my roommate which was delicious. And Orange Sorbet. That was sweet relief. Oh and my friend Rob sometimes comes over and shares his clementine oranges with me. THose are fabulous. I Think I'm stickin' to that combo from now on.

Also noteworthy: The FOOD Network has this really cool cake cook-off show on every day that is so entertaining, and if you're ill to the point of delirium, you can still handle it. Also, Paula Dean's Southern Cookin is the best cooking show on the planet. I felt a little bit closer to Gideon as I watched the plump southern belle tell the whole network "And Mamma's Wearin FLip FLops!!" As she waved her furry flip flops on the front porch of her Savannah Georgia home.

TINY TINY TINY!!!

2008-11-13T17:47:00.000-08:00

I found an article in PEOPLE magazine and it made me so so so happy. This girl is TINY!!! Her name is Jyoti Amge. Can you guess her age? You won't. This little Indian beauty is 14 YEARS OLD. I keep the article in my purse all the time in case I need a good laugh. So next time you think your life is hard, just think: At least I can reach the toilet seat.

Halloween

2008-11-13T14:50:00.001-08:00

Come on now people. Those of you who really know me. . . I'm sure you're not surprised that I was prego for Halloween. Truthfully, I just didn't feel like dressing up, so I shoved a hoodie in my shirt. But I did get more doors opened for me!

Me an April

Me, Em, April

We had a fashion show competition at school; the theme was THE GOOD, THE BAD, AND THE HAIRY. Our group won 2nd place! But these are some of my friend's work. Brilliant girls!

I almost ate Michelle's poisoned apple . . .

Edward Scissor Hands--They won 1st Place!

If you think this is scary . . . she was a boy for a dance party and actually looked legit. Creepy.

My HILARIOUS instructor Carolyn. In case you can't tell, she's princess Fiona as an Ogre.

Me and Baily! She's a gem.

Home Sick

2008-11-13T10:15:00.000-08:00

So. . . . I'm home sick. Sort of. It's complicated. Which means, time for a post. First on the agenda of important things to shout to the online world:
GIDEON COMES HOME IN 11 WEEKS. E-L-E-V-E-N. When he first left, I made a jar full of M&Ms (730) and I was supposed to eat one every day until he came home. (That was TOTALLY Gideon's idea by the way-he said his uncle did it??) Anyways. About 3 weeks after he left I couldn't look at that stupid jar FULL of millions of M&Ms, so me and my roommates and Jared ate them all in one night. Now I can't believe he is coming home so soon. The whole situation is kind of. . surreal. . .

In my head, it's like I had this awesome dream one time that I met this amazing guy, and he was my best friend EVER. Then I woke up from the dream, but I couldn't forget about the boy in my dream. He's like my imaginary friend. Sometimes, when I get a letter, it's like he's alive and real. Then he's jut pretend again. And I keep hoping he'll come back to life but it feels like he never will. The idea of seeing him and talking to him FACE to FACE is unreal. Don't get me wrong; this is all a very good, happy, excited wierdness that i'm feelin'.

11 weeks is . . .

1 MORE OIL CHANGE

2 MORE FAST SUNDAYS

3 MORE VISITING TEACHING VISITS

6 LAUNDRY DAYS

2 MORE RENT PAYMENTS

5 MORE PAYCHECKS

1 MORE BIRTHDAY

1 MORE THANKSGIVING

1 MORE CHRISTMAS

1 MORE NEW YEARS

Asleep at Hannah and Sean's

Mission Call. . . I'm on the phone.

Our date night right before we cleaned the boy's apartment for hours!

My house for Christmas!!

Mission

I think me and Gid probably have some of the funniest memories ever. Can't wait to get that kid home!!!

BREAKFAST!!

2008-11-03T20:57:00.000-08:00

So in an effort to ditch a couple of pounds, I have been eating these actually WONDERFUL frozen meals called Smart Ones. They're from weight watchers. And although I don't do the whole points thing, I feel healthier when I stick with these. But I have been living off of oatmeal every day for breakfast. It's GOOD, but I needed a little change. Well, these babies changed my life!! They taste 10 TIMES BETTER than the Egg McMuffin from McDonald's. (The only thing I eat there BTW, besides the yogurt which is not made there and is therefore safe.) Anyways, they're only 220 calories apiece and So YUMMY and FILLING! Try em!!

The Truth About Barack Obama and Babies

2008-10-24T14:55:00.001-07:00

PLEASE WATCH THIS VIDEO BEFORE YOU VOTE.

If you aren't already aware, Barack Obama supports abortion rights and infanticide. I'm not sure why we would elect him to run our country, but I won't be surprised if he wins. He is a very smart, articulate man. In other words: He's a smooth talker. Who does that remind you of? Perhaps the one man who managed to single handedly lead a country into years of mass murder and destruction; also called the Holocaust. Just something to think about.

What a Weekend!

2008-10-20T11:40:00.000-07:00

Friday was our competition day at school . . .

My group consisted of myself, my friend Baily and Christian. The theme was Disney/Pixar, and we had to dress up one of us like the character of our choice. So we chose the little old man (Jane's Dad) from Tarzan. We won second place! I think we did a pretty good job, he looked so real!
Friday night. . .

Zach and Caitlin and baby Jonah were in a super bad car accident. It was so scary waiting to find out if they were all ok or not! But luckily, they were all safe. It's always good to have things put into perspective for you a little bit. Love you guys!

New Hair

2008-10-20T11:34:00.000-07:00

I only made it 6 weeks into school until I couldn't fight it any longer; I had to cut my hair. I'll probably end up putting extensions in soon enough anyways. :)

I Quit Life Day

2008-10-07T21:00:00.000-07:00

Last night I was so discouraged and stressed out, I decided I was going to steal a day for myself! I literally don't even have enough time to do my laundry. I go to school every day, 40 hours a week, and I work about 20 hours a week, and then church keeps me busy as well. Oh and Saturdays? Nope. I work 12 hour shifts EVERY Saturday. So today I took matters into my own hands, and let me say it felt so GOOD!!! My roommates were so worried about me; they haven't seen me sleep past 6 a.m. ever. EVER. So when I slept in until ten o'clock this morning, they woke me up because they were so worried. I just rolled over and mumbled to them that it was "skip life" day. So I did whatever I felt like doing today! It was a beautiful sunny, chilled fall day. I did things I haven't had time to do in SO LONG!!!

Things that I did that I have missed:

*Slept in! No alarm clock. My eyes weren't the lease bit red today! Awesome.
*Woke up and walked around in my pajamas and actually checked out the news while I ate breakfast!
*I ate breakfast SITTING DOWN, not while I curled my eyelashes and straitened my hair all at once.
*Went to the gym, and ran until I couldn't run anymore, instead of running as fast as I can for 30 minutes so that I can get home to finish whatever I'm doing.
*Did my laundry!!
*I shaved my legs in the shower, BECAUSE I HAD TIME!!! Loved it. I even stood under the water for a minute and relished in my own thoughts!!
*Obviously, I had time to post 3 times on my blog!
*Went to check on a job I really want at William's & Sonoma, and while I was there, as I was rushing back to my car, I remembered I had time to kill! So I slowed my speed walk to a stroll, and wandered.
*I walked through a painting gallery and stopped at every wall and thought about what the artist must have thought when he/she painted it.
*Went to the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory and bought a caramel apple! To celebrate fall. MMMM.
* Bought myself a diet coke. TREAT.
*Downloaded new beautiful songs from iTunes.
* I cleaned my bathroom and my kitchen!
*Went for a bike ride!
*I went out to eat SUSHI with friends.

*Watched the debate

And now it's over and I am going to bed early because I got everything done today that I normally squeeze into 3 hours. Tomorrow I have to go back to the real world. But today was WONDERFUL and I highly recommend it to anybody who's stressed! Just put the things that can wait on hold and enjoy what you WANT TO ENJOY. Your baby. Your family. Your favorite book or movie. Just soak it in, breathe it in, swim in it. It's called LIFE. Don't miss it!

General Conference

2008-10-07T15:29:00.000-07:00

Conference was AMAZING this weekend! We are so blessed to listen to the words of prophets! My mom sent up tickets (Thanks Mom!) so a couple of us went to the Sunday afternoon session. We got up there early, so we decided to take some fun pictures. My friend Josh and I decided it would be funny to take mock engagement photos. HILARIOUS. Anyways, it was such a neat experience to be there. I always love walking around Salt Lake with so many members parading around everywhere! It's such a nice feel. And of course, temple square just has a special place in my heart. LOVE it there. I can't wait for the Christmas lights to go up!Friends! Rob, Me, Marjie, Linda, and Josh

A good heal-clicker jump

Ha ha.

Medley's understand this pose.

This pose is harder than it looks!

Linda, Me, and Marjie

Jumping Pictures! Linda didn't quite get up there.

Two Abuelitas.

Toilet Paper In My Room

2008-10-07T10:01:00.000-07:00

FALL IS HERE!!! There is nothing that makes me happier than the long anticipated arrival of Autumn every year. I just love the golden leaves and the crisp air and the smell of firewood burning, and the fact that now you have an excuse to drink hot chocolate for every meal. But this morning, as I looked around my room, I thought to myself: Winter must be coming. Why? Here are a few tell tale signs you can all be watchful of to let you know the cold times are creepin' in.

*There is a roll of toilet paper in your room from all of those blow-your-runny-nose-200-times nights.
*You find a sock in your sheets from being so bundled up the night before.
*Random hot cocoa stains show up on your kitchen counter. All the time.
*Leaves get inside your house and even though you'd assume they'd just stay in the entryway, they end up in your room, in your bathroom, in your freshly washed laundry even!!
*Your hair gets frizzy from your heater turning on
*Not to mention the arrival of your beautiful pasty skin.

Hello, winter. Come on in. I've been waiting for you.

My First Haircut!

2008-09-22T20:37:00.000-07:00

So I started the cosmetology program at Bon Losee Academy a couple of weeks ago. . . and after many cut fingers and chopped up manequin heads, they finally set us free and let us cut a REAL PERSON'S hair!! My beautiful sister in law Caitlin was SO great and let me experiment on her. Her hair was super long and she let me cut it into an ADORABLE A-Line. (Technically called a graduated cut.) Not too bad for my first time! Never thought I'd say it, but I must admit I LOVE HAIR SCHOOL!

So Long, Sweet Summer

2008-09-15T16:48:00.000-07:00

A couple of things I am going to miss as the summer fades, and we all get too busy to play and relax. Hopefully we still find time to enjoy the little moments and recognize the humor in our busy crazy lives!

Sushi Night! Every Tuesday night, we all went to institute, then we all met up at Demae, a cute little sushi joint on Center street in Provo. It was only $3.50 for any roll! One time, we laughed so hard the waiter had to tell us to settle down. So many good memories there!

Breakfast Club! A bunch of our close friends all took turn hosting breakfast club, every Tuesday and Thursday in the summer. It usually consisted of the girls showing up at the guy's apartments, waking them up and demanding breakfast. When it was the girl's turn, things were a little more organized. Good food, Good friends, Good times!

Linda and I at wal-mart. We found these amazing Batman masks and decided they were photo shoot worthy right there in the middle of the store. We ended up buying them. The best 2 dollars I've spent all year! Not how they make my cheeks look just gorgeous.

Emerald and I. The night before my bestie got hitched. It was a fabulous trip out there, and an opportunity to grow as I let my friend go!

This picture was taken at my FAVORITE burger joint; Burger's Supreme. That day, we slept in, layed out by the pool all day, only to leave for the divine juicy burger that you see in this picture. Then it was right back to the pool and our iPods and good books. It was a good day.

My good good friend Melissa. We work together; in other words, we live together. She always takes care of me; even when I wear shoes that hurt and attempt to walk barefoot over thorn infested dirt roads. In a dress.

My amazing ward this summer was definitley one of a kind. Every sunday afternoon, a bunch of us would go to the nursing home and sing hymns to the residents. This cute lady is Norma. She was a favorite, and always left us smiling.

After School Snack

2008-09-15T16:32:00.000-07:00

Today was a good day, but a long day. Stayed up too late last night talking and giggling in my bed like a little girl with a dear friend. Woke up missing someone so much my chest actually hurts a little. I wish I could tell that person good morning, and wish all of my best intents for the coming day. I went to school; a new adventure that has completely taken me off guard, and redirected what I thought was a sure course. But the new course is an exciting and beautiful one; adorned with mystery and anticipation and fulfilment. One of my best friends came to school with me; we smiled and shared thoughts and she gave me the courage to speak kind words where harsh ones would have been easier. Today I forgave someone who has needed forgiving for quite some time. A little bit of hurt has been taken away from me, thrown out into the world to dissolve into nothingness. I layed in the grass, arms spread wide as the sun beat down on one side of my face, a brilliant contrast of warmth and coolness. I fought off a nap; another victory! Finally the day relented and let me go home, home to my beautiful bathroom that my roommates FINALLY decided to clean (I'm taking a stand). I strangled the urge to spend money on silly things that I won't remember or care about in 5 years. I didn't feel frustrated that my cupboards are full of random college food; a million little things you can't eat unless you buy a million more BIG things. I was content and happy and soothed my grumbly belly with the comforting warm toast with soft butter, some grapes, and a long-awaited Diet Coke. From the can. Sometimes it's just gotta be from the can.

I Am My Mother's Daughter

2008-09-09T16:54:00.000-07:00

When I was 13 years old, my dear dear mother decided to take advantage of a free afternoon (as free as it can get with 6 teenagers running around) and clean out our freezer. It was the second freezer, the one in the garage; the one with the endless supply of frozen goods which is completely necessary to feed 4 growing boys and a husband. Anyways. So while my mother was cleaning out the freezer, she dropped a 20 lb. frozen turkey on her foot. I remember the wailing and the contorted face as she writhed in pain; I felt bad. She ended up shattering her big toe, was in a boot for what seemed like forever, and to this day her toe still bothers her when a weather front moves in. I remember thinking, oh, poor clumsy mom. Always hurting herself with something bizarre like dropping a frozen turkey on it. Don't get me wrong; I've had my share of injuries. I broke my pinkie in a soccer game, sliced my arm nearly off, cut open fingers, broken elbows, wrists, had my share of concussions, thanks to soccer and 4 brothers, and other various minor ailments/misfortunes. But nothing as bizarre as dropping frozen poultry on myself. Well, there is a phrase that has come to my mind lately: We all turn into our mothers. In my case, this would not be so horrible as many people make it out to be. But there is one specific trait that I seem to have inherited as of late. Some of you have seen the photos that Jared took of me the other day. They were taken on a railroad, inside/around an old abandoned rail car. Well, the little photo shoot was going well on Saturday. I was standing on the car's hitch, and Jared had just finished shooting a certain pose. I turned to grab my purse, when out of nowhere, SMACK. I had managed to turn smack dead into a huge piece of the steel train, which caught me right on the forehead. I tried to play it off like it was no big deal, but after a minute I started to cry. I decided I'd bring out the boy in me that has learned to suck it up, but I think Jared noticed a couple tears and my quivery lip. We hurried and finished before my face swelled up too huge. And so the headache began. That was Saturday. I've had a headache for 3 days straight. But don't worry, that's not the end. Monday afternoon, I returned home from a tedious 12 hour shift, tired and worn out,my head still bruised and aching. I decided I would go to the gym to release some stress. I thought I'd make a harmless pre-gym visit to the restroom in my apt, but no no. As I shut the door to the bathroom, (we have to shut it pretty hard to close it all the way,) the vent decided to jump out of the wall. Yep. I shut the door and the vent fell out of the wall and landed SMACK on my head, just so happening to hit the exact spot that the stupid train got me. So as I sat on my toilet with my head in my hands, sobbing the sobs of a girl that has had long day, a girl that has reached the point of breaking, I didn't feel much like laughing. But, I never fail to find the humor in any situation. As I walked to the gym a few minutes later, still drying my tears, I couldn't help but laugh aloud at myself. What a funny story. I could just hear the conversations I'd have:

"Wow Katie, what happened to your head?
"Oh, nothing, I just walked into a train and then a vent fell on my head. You know. The usual."

Dropping a turkey on your toe sounds pretty good and normal, now, doesn't it?

Family Togetherness Time

2008-08-27T10:21:00.000-07:00

My brothers are here!! My younger brother Alex moved here while I was gone, Zach and Caitlin are back, and Ben is here too. I am a happy girl to have my brothers here with me. It's so fun being able to hang out with my best friends all the time! Sunday night I made cookies and they all came over for games. We played PIT. It got a little bit out of control, and my throat was so sore from all the yelling the next day. Together again. I Love it!

And Some More For Dessert. . .

2008-08-26T17:57:00.001-07:00

Yep. That's a dead King Cobra. This is one of the last days. By the end of the trip, I was poking at dead snakes!!

This is the last island we stopped at Island Hopping. This sand bar went out forever!!! I got stung by a jellyfish here. None of the boys were brave enough to pee on it, so I just manned up and dealt.We found this starfish on the sand bar; he matched us.

On the last day, we went back to Cebu and went island hopping. We snorkeled and went to a couple of different islands. This is me sailing on the boat-they all have those things on the side to balance. PS: on the way back, a pod of 5 or 6 dolphins came soaring out of the water right next to our boat. Very Seldom!!!

And in case you've ever wondered how you go the bathroom on a boat that's not exactly a yacht, this is it! A little box in the back of the boat. Everybody was eating lunch when it hit me. Don't worry, you just pee in the little hole while everybody sees you squatting and knows exactly what you're doing. I think I'm actually peeing in the picture, in fact. Never had more pride in my life, let me tell ya.

My best friend Jesse, Me, little Randy and our friend Jasmin. She lives in Behind the Clouds. She has two kids; Randy and a darling little girl, Kelsey-Jane. ( Note: They think any english word is the most beautiful name. At church, we actually met a girl named Jingle Bell. Yep.) Jasmin's husband left her, and she lives there and teaches the children at school. She calls us Auntie Katie and Auntie Jesse. We exchanged addresses, and she hugged and kissed us and cried when we left.

We ate hardly anything for the first three days. So when we finally went to eat somewhere where the food wasn't staring at us or still crawling, we were SO HAPPY! This place, ironically enough, is called JOE'S.

The owner of our hotel also owns this AMAZING resort and invited us to enjoy some "leisure time" there. Private beach. Private island to go with it. Private boats. Swim up bar. Full Spa. Possibly the best Sunday afternoon I've EVER spent.

Need I say more?

The Loboc River. So beautiful! We stopped the boat at these amazing waterfalls coming off a little island in the middle of the river. Everybody got out and swam in the river and jumped off of them. No big deal.

This just might be the funniest memory of my entire existence. This is a man. He is perhaps the most eccentric cross dresser I have ever seen. He just hangs out by the snake cage and "performs" for tourists. He lip synced (very poorly) to an Aretha Franklin song for us. When I asked IT what it's name was, It said "Jeniffer Hudson." Last year he said Jessica Alba.

PRONY the python. "The biggest and longest in captivity!" They fed him a goat two weeks ago, so he was too full to eat for us. Shame.

A woman watching us curiously as we drove past in the Jeepney. (The Cebuano word for our bus).

The beautiful kids at the school at Behind The Clouds. And, in case you were wondering, this picture was right before I met a man with leprosy. I put my hands all over his infected paper before I realized what he was trying to tell me in visayan (a dialect of Cebuano). When he showed me his disfigured hand, I got the point. Thank goodness for SANITIZER.

The Philippines

2008-08-26T15:52:00.001-07:00

The most fabulous place I have ever been: The Philippine Islands.

I don't even know where to begin. I find myself avoiding sharing details of my trip with others, simply because, A) There are too many to share in a one timely conversation, and B) No matter how well I explain what I experienced, it cannot be fully understood or comprehended. The FEEL of that place is amazing. The SMELL is NOT amazing. (Lots of pollution; dead fish; rotting animals, homeless people. . . you get the idea) The People are amazing. I missed it as soon as I got home. I still long for the sticky heat and the incessant ache after a hard days work. It was quite the journey there; the flight from LAX to Manila was 16 hours alone; not to mention our 7 hour layover in manila, the flight from SLC to LAX, the flight from Manila to Cebu, and then the 2 1/2 hour boat ride from Cebu to Bohol. All I can say about it: It was well worth the disgusting airplane food (Philippine Airlines feeds you fish with the fins still on it for breakfast. . .) and the lack of hygiene ( you smell pretty good after 2 days of non-stop airport. Mmm.) Thank goodness for sleeping pills.

But nonetheless, I LOVED it over there. You see National Geographic articles and watch CNN, but until your feet smear across the soiled ground, until those starving people actually share with you their meager meals, until you look into the eyes of someone who only dreams of having what you have and living like you live, it can never truly pierce your heart the way mine has been pierced. On the Island of Bohol, where all of our aide took place, there is a tiny little village called BEHIND THE CLOUDS. It is found far into the deepest jungle, encircled by what are known as "The Chocolate Hills." During WWII, when the Japanese invaded the Philippines, a tribe of people retreated to the mountains to hide themselves from their enemies. They hid themselves so well, that the Japanese never found them. So, the villagers decided to make this place their new home. It was so high and secluded, that they named it Behind The Clouds; the name is self explanatory. Most of the villagers there have never seen a white person in their lives. They build houses out of bamboo and palm tree leaves. We built three houses there with cement floors and brick walls and a bathroom and a kitchen. We held three or four medical clinics, where we handed out antibiotics and other medicines to eager hands. Even taking people's blood pressures was amazing; you'd think I was handing out gold bars by the way they crowded in and lined up just to watch in wonder and amazement as I pumped and pumped the little cuff, and listened to their heart beat again and again. It was amazing. Words can not describe the way it felt to be touched so strongly by the people there. They have nothing; and yet they have everything. Mothers walked around barefoot, in dirty old clothes, holding their babies, as the loving husband walked along side. I looked at them one day as I was building them a floor, and realized that they have everything we need; family. love. the simple joys of life. And in that moment, I envied that woman.

The people follow you everywhere and just watch you. They call every white person, male or female, Joe. Everywhere you go, people shout at you, "Hey, JOE!" and then they wave and smile, like you're Katie Holmes. The girls dressed in their school uniforms scream and giggle with their hands waving frantically in the air as you pass; if you wave back at them, they almost faint with glee.

We would work all day in the scorching sun, and the people would find coconuts for us. First you drink the milk, then my favorite part: They cut it open and you eat the fresh coconut meat from inside.

A group of kids who came and watched us build the houses in Behind The Clouds. They taught us dances and played games with us. They even helped haul bags of rocks and cement!

This little abuelita sat in her house all day like that and watched us. The picture isn't distorted; she's that small! She kept that face the whole time and didn't speak a word. But when I showed her this picture, she burst out laughing. Priceless.

Doesn't this look like a postcard?! We hung out on this beach all day after church one day. We caught crabs, caught starfish right off the ocean floor, and we even got mobbed by a crowd of Korean women who thought we were "Hollywood Actors! Ahh!"

We toured the Loboc River on a little boat; but first, we stopped to see the monkeys. This little guy isn't being as friendly as he seems. . . he was growling. . .
And then he sprang. The "tamer" tried to get him off of me. . .it was. . . exciting? But mostly hilarious.

Vanity, Say Hello To My Friend, Vanity.

2008-08-16T04:06:00.000-07:00

Today I had an interesting moment of reiteration; reiteration because it was simply another example of a long standing truth of which I have been well aware of for years. I was busy. I was in a rush. I had spent the normal amount of time getting ready in the privacy of my own apartment, but somehow that never quite seems enough. The car mirror check/final primping session always seems to follow. So as I sat at a red light on the constantly-crowded university parkway, I decided to flip open the mirror and have a little looksee. I zeroed in on a little white monster sitting on my chin almost immediately. Without thinking, my fingers rose to my face to get rid of the dirty little confidence killer. It was quick and simple; no big deal. I sat there for a minute, feeling slightly disgusted and ashamed of myself; like I had committed some social sin. I quickly glanced over to the car sitting next to me to make sure no one had witnessed my less than prideful moment. The lady in the car next to me was all hunched up in front of the mirror, foofing and fluffing and poking as well; far too busy to notice me. My mother always taught me, "Take as long as you want to get ready at home, but once you leave the house, don't focus on what you look like any more." Here's the moral of the story: In case you do, chances are everyone else is equally obsessed with themselves to notice your flaws.

My Best Friend's Wedding

2008-06-23T15:03:00.002-07:00

It happened again. . . my best friend got married. I seem to have a knack for being the supportive friend, wishing congratulations to the happy couple, helping pick out lingerie, making sure trains don't drag, and telling the bride she does NOT look fat in her wedding dress. My sister in law says that I am like the girl on 27 Dresses. I don't think it's gotten to that point, but it's pretty close!
My roommate Emerald got married in her hometown just outside of Sacramento, CA this weekend. So I made the 10 hour drive with our other roommate Lindsay (who is also engaged; the big day is Aug. 22). We had a blast driving down just the two of us girls, listening to everything from cheesy romantic songs to Journey to The Backstreet Boys to Celine Dion. We sang so much that I still have a hoarse voice today! When we got there, her parents Bobo (our spiced up version of bob) and Mayloni put us up in a hotel and treated us to pedicures and lots of food. They were SOO generous! We had the best time, and the wedding was BEAUTIFUL. Emmie's friend said it best when she walked into the backyard and saw the gorgeous set up: "It's Jennifer Aniston's Wedding!!" As sad as it is to see your best friend drive away with her new best friend, it was such a happy event! Emmie and Josh are so happy together and I'm just glad that they're sticking around Provo for another year before Josh starts law school.

Just a few hours into the trip, my car came un-duct taped, so we pulled over and I reinforced it. Yes, the fender is currently held together by some very trusty duct tape. The same thing happened again on the way home...I wasn't a happy camper.

The beautiful Bride and her roomie

The Bride's maids. . . Michell, Mikey, Me, and Kristy

The beautiful dessert. I spent a lot of time around these platters!

My Best Friend's Wedding

2008-06-23T15:03:00.001-07:00

Somebody Call the Wambulance

2008-06-12T11:09:00.000-07:00

Saturday night was quite the adventure. Dave and I doubled with our friend Rob and a friend in our ward, Maelyn. We decided to "do the canyon." Dave and I were on longboards and Rob and Maelyn were on razor scooters. We knew from the beginning that it was a cursed night--Dave biffed it as he was telling me to watch out for a bump. I thought for sure he had broken something, but after a few minutes of me holding him in my lap on the ground, he was fine. So on we went. Dave and I were pretty are ahead of Rob and Maelyn, when we get a phone call from Rob asking us to come pick them up because Maelyn fell. We had no idea how bad it was. . . but when we got there and saw her face, we were pretty concerned. She couldn't remember where she was, what she was doing in the mountains or anything. We were pretty nervous so we drilled her with questions as Dave drove us to the hospital. We sat in the ER waiting room for a few hours, and finally we got sent back to a room. They took Maelyn to get a CAT scan and an X-Ray for her wrist; meanwhile, Dave and I took a field trip to the cafe for some 2 am snacks. We ended up waiting in the ER a grand total of 5 1/2 hours, from 12:30 to 5:00 a.m. But let me just say, that was probably the most fun ER trip I've ever had (and I've had a LOT). We all played games and told jokes and stories and chatted for hours. It was like a sleep over party! Although we were all so tired to the point of delirium afterwords, it was quite the memorable experience!

Dave's elbow after he fell. . . not so bad compared to Maelyn's face.

After the adrenaline of the nights activities wore off. . .

The clan waiting in the ER for Maelyn to be seen

Feel The Love

2008-02-13T09:49:00.002-08:00

These old pictures of my parents when we were little kids are so adorable, I had to put them on. Props to all the parents who emulate this same behavior that my parents taught us so well: Enjoy your kids, exercise a LOT of patience and kindness, and just teach them how to LOVE; both themselves, and others.

Today I have been pondering being a parent. Although I am not yet a mother, I can't help but watch as people my own age start having kids. I watch all of the sacrifices they make and all of the effort and patience that goes into caring for little children. I have always known this fact: Kids are hard work. But I never quite realized what a true labor of love it is until I started watching it first hand. And although I still can't quite fully appreciate it since I don't have any kids of my own, I just keep having these thoughts of awe and reverence towards my parents. I can already tell that I am going to be a paranoid, overprotective mother (pray I marry someone who will fight for my kids' rights to have some real fun). So I can't blame my parents when they would get upset when I didn't come home on time, or when I wanted to do something that I thought was a brilliant idea, but was in actuality ridiculously stupid. I think they did a pretty good job of not freaking out about all the many stupid things I did! I suddenly have so much remorse for my completely-selfish-bratty-stage. And for all of the times I bathed myself in vaseline, tore the cupboards apart, called 9-1-1 for fun, and countless poopy diapers, I should probably say "Thank You" to my parents and also throw out an "I'm Sorry". (For the rude teenager phase; I couldn't really do anything about the poopy diapers.)

Cousin Reunion!

2008-02-04T16:16:00.000-08:00

Mark, Ben, Josh, Barrett, AJ, Zach (with Jonah), Matt
Jana, Me, Erinn, Brekke, Caitlin

So after much orchestrating and schedule rearranging, we finally got together with almost all of the cousins from the Christensen side of the family that are living in the Provo/Salt Lake area. It was such a wonderful reunion! My Uncle Steve and Aunt Linda are mission presidents in the Salt Lake South Mission, and they were kind enough to let us all gather at the mission home for our little shin dig. They bought us all pizza which was well enjoyed and we spent the evening talking and catching up with each other. I have to admit, it is was very strange as I realized that we are all the "younger" cousins, now at college and all living on our own, whether single or married. Time has gone by so fast! I don't know when we all grew up. Mark is leaving on Wednesday for his mission. A mission!! I feel like we were all just little children, jumping on Grandma and Grandpa's amazingly bouncy trampoline and watching movies with popcorn in her basement. Those were the good ol' days. As fun as the memories are, it is fascinating to watch as we grow up and make choices that lead each of us down such diverse paths in our lives. As different as we all are, it is so wonderful that we all share the common thread of family. Erinn and I were saying that although we rarely see each other in spite of the fact that we are all so close, it is such a wonderful feeling to know that we have that network of people who love and accept us no matter what, and who would be there in a second if any of us were ever in trouble. Family is a wonderful, special thing and it is so important that we keep the ties strong between all of us!! Love you guys!

Vegas and a Marathon

2008-01-28T12:58:00.000-08:00

Ok, so it was only a 1/2 marathon.

Last weekend I ran the Painter's Half Marathon in St. George. I've been training for the past few months for this, and it felt so good to finally do it! I hit my goal of running it under two hours; my time ended up being 1:53:47. It was a tough 13 miles, but the atmosphere was so pumped and it was a really fun course. I ran it with a group of kids from my ward, so it was fun having a bunch of us spread out along the course. Since my Bishop was running the marathon also, we all rode down together in 3 cars and spent the night in my Bishop's condo. Bishop Beckstead is 70 years old and still runs half marathons a couple of times a year. He is so great! So we all ran the marathon Saturday and then that night about half of us drove to Vegas to hit the strip. I've never been to Vegas so it was fun to finally get to see the sights a little bit! Although I wouldn't recommend walking the strip after running 13 miles, it was so much fun. We ate ice cream in the Paris Hotel and watched a couple of the fountain shows in front of the Bellagio. Plus half of the fun was just watching the people who populate sin city. So interesting/hilarious/wonderful!

All of us with our wonderful Bishop Beckstead after he
finished the race. What a champ!!

Don't Worry. . . I couldn't figure out how to pull the slots.

Dave, Nat, Scott, Jamie, Trent, Connor and Me post-race

A New Year

2008-01-03T14:48:00.000-08:00

So I've been thinking. Life is wonderful. I mean truly, it is! Who can dispute it. I just turned 20. This is strange because I somehow still feel like I am that little girl who sat on her grandpas lap and told him stories. But I think I really must be getting older because the other day I had a thought process that really surprised me. In light of recent events, I was having a sit-and-feel-sorry-for-myself-moment. But then I thought, well, Katie, If you could change something about this, what would it be? And you know what? I realized that I wouldn't change a thing. Granted, sometimes life is so frustrating and so hard, but I am so glad that it is filled with ups and downs rather than a plain old boring level of bliss!! Trials are interesting. They give you something to look back on and laugh about, or maybe even cry about. But nonetheless, they keep us alive; thriving; feeling. They help us remember how to breathe. How numb we would all become if all we ever experienced was happiness. Anyways. Since this little epiphany cheered me up, I figured I would share it with anyone who is experiencing something of the sort. Don't worry. Just smile and make it through, because every experience is truly changing us for the better. We all change, we all grow and move on. And most of the time, we never end up where we thought we would. But I think that's ok; because usually things are even better than we could have pictured.

Auntie Katie

2007-12-24T16:18:00.000-08:00

Just a couple of pictures of sweet baby Jonah being kissed to death by his favorite aunt. Auntie Katie always knows how to get him to zonk. I am either a very good sunngle-to-sleeper (that's an official term. . .) or either very boring. Lets go with the first option. He is such a little angel! And probably the cuddliest (is that even a word?) baby in the world.

Don't Judge Me.

2007-12-20T09:24:00.001-08:00

So don't worry. I'm not engaged. Or married. Nor do I have a boyfriend. But who really needs a reason to take pictures in a wedding dress? I sure don't. These were actually taken for two portfolios: My friend Sarah's photography business and my bestie Emerald's hair stylist portfolio. Those two are fabulous.

A Traveling Day

2007-12-20T00:28:00.000-08:00

So in honor of finals being over, I made this post a bright and happy PURPLE, as you can see. So it's been well over a month. How does that happen? I used to pray (literally PRAY) that the time could just please please please go a little bit faster. Just a hare. Now I can't keep track of where it's gone! Anywho. . .

Today I traveled. . .

Really Long Blurb #1
I finally got to the airport after ending up somewhere near bountiful (when you take the freeway from 400 north, you can't keep going north. It is already past the exit you want, just an FYI). Since I had just taken my last final, all of the stress had magically left my body in a state of bliss and content. It didn't matter that I missed my exit or that it was FREEZING outside or that I had to go through the entire parking garage only to find I couldn't park there. Check in was quick and easy and I didn't leave anything in my car. Check. Security lines were short. Check Check. Since I was in such a wonderful mood, I somehow got a little sentimental/emotinal about life in general and the billions of people we just pass by while living it. I was in line for security, and was noticing how adorable this young (or so I thought) girl was in front of me. She was the trendy/emo kind. You know. Skinny jeans that looked perfect on her skinny legs. Shoes your mother owned when you were born that just happened to look dashing on her. A cute black cardigansweartthingIcan'thinkofanamefor. Even her little braided rose headband screamed "i'm cute and innocent! Smile at me!" So I did. She glanced at me. I had literally just opened my mouth to compliment her on how darling she looked when it happened. A panicked, worried expression washed suddenly over her face as she realized she was missing something that was apparently extremely vital. How do I know this? The not so innocent girl uttered (or rather, hissed) a word that shall we say was less than dignified. Not classy. Not cute. Not innocent at all. I think my face was probably all smooshed and twisted in a strange way in surprise. Good thing she was too busy being crude to notice me.

Really Long Blurb #2
Then as I was sitting at the terminal waiting for my plane to arrive, I started to notice all of the different people sitting around me, sharing the same space for just a brief moment. I started to have some . . . gooshy? . . . thoughts, which were probably due the the Rachel Yamagata playing on my ipod. Nonetheless, I wondered about those people. The girl with the old, tapered jeans from 1984 who looked like she had never seen a brush in her life. She was smiling and laughing with her friend who seemed so opposit from her. They laughed light heartedly as they snapped shots of themselves with their camera, tilting their faces and pursing their lips with each new click. I wondered what is would be like the be the girl who sat accross from me, with her camo hat and her longboard glued to her foot. Behind her light, optimistic eyes there seemed a story of stress, emotion, longing. Then a very large but kind looking man asked if he could sit next to me in the only open seat. Of course, I whole heartedly encouraged him to sit down, flashing him an encouraging smile. Encouraging for what reason? I don't know. He just seemed unsure. Then about twenty minutes later a small boy came out, escorted by a flight attendant. He shuffled awkwardly toward the man, head down and hands in his pockets. The man bounded over to the boy with a grin as wide as. . . someone really happy. As the two embraced, something between them tugged at my heart strings that made me actually tear up. In the middle of the Salt Lake Airport. Then I got on the plane and this really friendly boy wouldn't stop talking to me. He was nice. So I ate my Ms. Vicky's Salt N Vinegar chips just in case he got a little too friendly.

Sorry these were so long! But hey. It's my blog. :)

Feeling Like I Want to Be a Writer

2007-11-13T09:47:00.000-08:00

An anxious feeling starts to churn deep in the pit of my internal reservoir, rising up to the surface, ready to burst forth with creativity. Some genius of which I am yet unaware yearns to be harbored within the pages of some great work, a work that some ordinary and yet all too extraordinary individual will connect with. To inspire, to encourage, to harvest the raw emotions of this fragile human existence which we call life. This is my ambition.

A little bored in biology last week. . . this is what my thoughts wandered to. Sometimes I want to spend the rest of my life sticking people with needles and setting broken bones, but then every so often I think I could enjoy a life of writing strange little blurbs like this one that no one would ever read, but I would feel better having gotten that strange urge out of my system and out into the world. or at least my own piece of paper.

A Little Similarity?

2007-08-08T10:12:00.000-07:00

So I was looking through some recent pictures of myself, and I couldn't help but think of this picture when I saw some of the pics. Yes, I stole this picture from another blog (thanks Sarah) to illustrate the fact that it's no wonder why Gideon and I (and all of the other medleys I know for that matter) manage to have a ridiculous amount of fun together. Both slightly nerdy, a little rowdy, and definitely both love to dance. I thought the comparison was pretty funny.

I Want to Fall in Love with a VAMPIRE.

2007-08-02T09:38:00.000-07:00

To everyone who has yet to read the most amazing books on the face of the planet: Do it now. The TWILIGHT series, by Stephenie Meyer, are seriously the best books I've ever read. I know what you're thinking. "The Vampire book? Sounds retarded. Stupid. Won't read it. Nope. Don't wanna. You can't make me. NO." But come on, just give in the the hype that is going on all around you and pick up the book that will soon take over your life. I read the second book in about 2 days, I couldn't put it down. I actually lost 3 pounds reading this book! I didn't stop to eat, sleep, (barely stopped to work. . . I read every spare moment at my job, much to the disapproval of my co-workers.) Vampire love story you say? Yes. Cheesy? No. Yes, a vampire love story does sound somewhat juvenile, but it truly is presented in such a unique and beautiful way that you find yourself wishing it could be your life. Not because your real life is empty or lonely of unsatisfying- none of that. Simply because you will get drawn into the outstanding character development and the beautiful world that is Stephenie Meyer's amazing novel. The first book is called TWILIGHT, and the second is NEW MOON. (Yes, I totally put on the fake tattoos that come with the second one -but so did 4 other grown women with me. . . it helps to justify.) The third book, ECLIPSE, is being released on AUGUST 7TH. A couple of us girls are going to the release party at Border's and are getting the book at 12:01 a.m. Sick? No. Unhealthy obsession? No. Completely entrapped in the most amazing fictional piece of literature I have ever picked up? Yes. Read the books. Do it. All of my married friends have made their husbands read the books so that they can discuss it together. All I can say is it's a good thing I don't have a husband. . . .

This is the author, Stephenie Meyer. Sheer brilliance.

Reflections

2007-07-16T23:49:00.000-07:00

For those who are unaware, I work at a Dialysis center. . . which is basically a temporary/long term deal. See, the only way you stop coming to dialysis treatments is to get a new kidney, or the other option. . . you die. We see our patients 4 hours a day, 3 days a week. That a lot of hours together with someone. When I first started working there about 6 months ago I honestly didn't think I would see very much death or that I would build such strong and close relationships with my patients. But as I have spent more and more time there, it has been amazing the events that have taken place. Over the past 2 or 3 months, we have lost about 11 or 12 + patients. Some went unexpectedly while others, it was a long time coming. Still, I was not prepared for the depth of emotions that come when you watch someone's existence slip into that strange sphere of time and space that you know to be our eternal place in the universe. This past Friday, one of my dearest patients with whom I was particularly close, passed away. He decided to stop coming in for treatments (which we call "signing off") and enjoy his remaining days pain free at home with his family. This man was one of the sweetest, dearest human beings I have ever known. He was always in ill health, and yet he was one of the most optimistic, happiest patients I've encountered. He would bring his family in and introduce me to them as his friend, Katie. Not his dialysis technician, not his caregiver, but his friend. As I read about his astounding life in his obituary today, so many small, inconsequential moments kept flooding into my brain like water running over the edge of the bathtub. A tiny touch on the hand, the way his face would light up when I saw him, his cute little cane, a simple thank you that was so sincere and heartfelt you just wanted to break all professionalism and hug the sweet little old man. I guess the point of this long, somewhat scattered mass of words is that life is amazing, and the only thing important in it is the relationships that we have, the lives we enrich. I don't remember what clothes he wore, I don't know what kind of car he drove. I remember the way his spirit touched mine and those small moments of two kind hearts connecting in service, in charity. I love my line of work. To be able to be with someone through a painful ordeal and to have the opportunity to make it just a little less terrible, to bring a smile where there once was a grimace of pain and fear, is the greatest joy I have ever known. Never underestimate the power of kindness and giving of ones self.

Perfect Day

2007-07-09T17:01:00.001-07:00

American Fork Canyon. So Beautiful.

We had to crawl on all fours to get around
the hillside, which was pure dirt.

The roomies: Emerald, Me, Marjie

It takes a buff woman to hike Stuart Falls.

Saturday was the perfect day. First of all, I haven't had a Saturday off from work in who knows how long. So sleeping in until 11:00 was simply amazing. Especially because normally I am awake by 4:30 ready for work. Guh. It was a productive day and also a super fun day. Perfect. I got my car washed. . . and vacuumed out inside. (which I had to do because there were 5 whole blades of grass on the mats. . . now that I've bought my own car I suddenly understand why my Dad always bugged me to keep the car clean! Sorry Dad!) Then I went for a scooter ride and ended up rolling down a hill for about an hour-which may sound lame but was actually incredibly fun! It's surprisingly relaxing to pretend like you're five years old again. Then was the best part. . . My roommate and her boyfriend and I and some other friends all hiked to Stuart Falls in American Fork Canyon. So fun!! It was a perfectly warm summer day, and as we hiked up the not-too-steep-trail, surrounded by aspen's, evergreens, ferns, and lots of beautiful flowers, it was so nice to enjoy nature. We finally reached the falls, which were BEAUTIFUL. In spite of being covered with dirt, having extremely bad hat hair, a few bugs in my hair and being a little overly sun kissed, it was one of the most fun things I've done thus far in Provo. Gotta love summer.

One Year Ago . . .

2007-07-08T01:49:00.001-07:00

Hooray for a new computer! I finally got it set up thanks to my brother who is slightly more electronically inclined than myself. Thanks Alex!

One year ago, Caitlin and I were roommates in University Villa just south of BYU campus. She and Zach were engaged and Caitlin and I survived on corn dogs and the Wendy's dollar menu. (Some things never change . . . ) It's crazy how fast time goes! Now, Zach and Caitlin have been married almost a year and they are expecting a little baby boy in October. Everything in my life has changed completely, too much to list it all on a blog. The point is, things change and it's crazy how fast it goes sometimes. It's amazing how life never turns out the way you expect. . . it somehow manages to be better than you'd hoped. Anyways this is somewhat of an abstract thought but I guess I have just been pondering about how truly wonderful life is. These pictures capture last summer all in one brief moment.

It's Poetry

2007-06-25T21:53:00.000-07:00

I found this picture the other day and it made me feel a little sentimental. Slightly cheesy to put on a blog, but what the heck. How many people are really going to read this anyways, right? Well today I went to Barnes and Noble (the best place on earth. . . I am like a kid in a candy store in that place), and I bought The Collected Poems of Emily Dickinson and happened to stumble upon a poem that I thought went oh so well with this picture. So here you go. And again, I apologize if this caused anyone a slight spell of nausea.

If you were coming in the fall,
I'd brush the summer by
With half a smile and half a spurn,
As housewives do a fly.

If I could see you in a year,
I'd wind the months in balls,
And put them each in separate drawers,
Until their time befalls.

If only centuries delayed,
I'd count them on my hand,
Subtracting till my fingers dropped
Into Van Diemen's land.

If certain, when this life was out,
That yours and mine should be,
I'd toss it yonder like a rind,
And taste eternity.

But now, all ignorant of the length
Of time's uncertain wing,
It goads me, like the goblin bee,
That will not state its sting.

-Emily Dickinson

Thoughts on Food

2007-06-15T23:39:00.000-07:00

So it's about one a.m. I am starving to death I think. Kind of funny how when you're away from home at college, you budget out money every month for food and you go grocery shopping at walmart and smith's so you don't have to eat out all of the time, and yet somehow you end up sitting staring into the fridge and all of the cupboards are open and you still haven't found anything to eat. Isn't it strange how you go back to the fridge time and time again, like you just expect a beautiful plate of leftovers or a really yummy sandwich to just pop onto the shelf? I wish I was at home and my mom would make me a grilled cheese cut nicely in half and bake me some cookies (real ones; not the frozen kind that are pretty good, but just not the same)Figures that the only thing I can think of to blog is about food or the lack thereof. Something better coming soon, I promise. . .

Violins and Nostalgia

2007-04-16T18:20:00.000-07:00

This is a picture of my cousin's kids that I took last spring.

So this weekend I went home to visit the family in AZ. I forgot how fun and interesting family wards can be! The first funny thing I saw was a cute little blonde boy sitting on the other end of our pew. All of a sudden he looks at his mom and shouts, laughing,

"Mommy, your toes tickle me!"
"What honey?" (as she tries to make him whisper.)
"You're toes tickle me mommy. They tickle me!"

I got to help my mom in primary and be in charge of the Sunbeams. Little kids are so adorable! I love the cute little fluffy dresses and the teeny tiny ties that you don't have to tie and little loafers. It's all just so cute, it makes you want to talk in the high pitched voice and squeeze everything. So the lesson in sharing time was about sin and repentance. When the question was posed, "what is sin?" one little sunbeam with bouncy red curls and a daisy covered dress raised her hand and tried not to leap out of her seat as she shouted "I know I know!"

"Ok honey, what is sin?"
"Sin. . . it's a kind of violin, right? Ya. It's a kind of violin!"

I tried to hold it in but little bursts of laughter kept creeping out. That just got me thinking about how simple life is when you're little. Remember the days when your biggest worries were which barbie you were going to play with, or what flavor of teddy grahams you should pick for a snack? I love how amazing and beautiful and thoughtful and kind and gentle little children are. We all need to be a little more like them.