tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-371792412011-12-07T10:58:58.785-07:00Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.comBlogger5951100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-11685181507214608412011-11-29T15:01:00.001-07:002011-11-29T15:02:05.678-07:00

First it was unintentional, but now it's official. I'm taking a break from blogging. See you in 2012!

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-74531449460659723782011-11-13T18:53:00.001-07:002011-11-13T23:17:00.758-07:00

I've been obsessed of late with making recipe books. I've been making them for a few years now to give away as gifts - the first recipients being my nephew and niece, Brian and Jessica, on the event of their marriage. I've made many since then and they have gradually changed into something completely different from the original. Over time my books have gotten smaller but more ornate. They now

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-12073041229194501632011-10-19T22:20:00.003-06:002011-10-19T22:22:39.630-06:00

Remember that one day when I had a ginormous headache/borderline migraine, and I had to stay at work because no one else on my team was there, and my head was pounding, and my eyes were watering, and the overhead paging was incessant, and the lights were horribly bright, and I had no choice but to put on Ryan's sunglasses from the car and zone out to Disintegration with my ear buds in so that

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0Salt Lake City, UT, USA40.7607793 -111.891047440.664341300000004 -112.0489759 40.8572173 -111.73311890000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-51966244387543630832011-10-18T16:01:00.000-06:002011-10-18T16:06:34.329-06:00

cjane captures a lot of my thoughts and feelings about infertility in this post. I love it. I think I am going to send her a thank you note! How did she do this without a direct portal into my heart and mind? I've been trying to figure this out... Life without kids. I'm done having a broken heart over this. I can't do it any more. I'm wasting time, and it's time to move on. So where does this

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com4Salt Lake City, UT, USA40.7607793 -111.891047440.664562800000006 -112.0489759 40.8569958 -111.73311890000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-67788142866719535732011-10-17T09:46:00.000-06:002011-10-17T09:46:07.422-06:00

Cathita and Curtessa at Yellowcard (inside joke!) My tender heart has needed some TLC lately, so Ryan and I did a few fun things last week. Thursday we met up with Brett, Cathie, and Cathie's new boyfriend at the Yellowcard concert. Brett was my roomie for about a year, and Cathie and I have friends for a loooong time. I just love that family! It was fun to see Cathie with her new BF... he

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com1Salt Lake City, UT, USA40.7607793 -111.891047440.664562800000006 -112.0489759 40.8569958 -111.73311890000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-75036409937619419422011-10-10T10:34:00.002-06:002011-10-10T10:34:43.841-06:00

Thanks for hanging in there with me, friends of the blog, while I work through this blue funk I've been in. I got some nice emails since my last post and they really lifted my spirits. I honestly think it's the chronic pain I've been dealing with, but who knows. I want to count my blessings because it really could be worse... much worse. Sorry for being such a whiner. This weekend I did some

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0Salt Lake City, UT, USA40.7607793 -111.891047440.664562800000006 -112.0489759 40.8569958 -111.73311890000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-40556183810142615832011-10-06T18:00:00.000-06:002011-10-06T18:00:05.639-06:00

Our new car So I'll admit I've been doing some adjusting as of late. ***** On the A side: We are thrilled to have Ryan back at work. He likes his new job. It's interesting and challenging and something completely new. It's so nice to have him happy about work again. On the B side: I have become very dependent on Ryan being able to help me immediately during the day when I'm busy at work or

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com3Salt Lake City, UT, USA40.7607793 -111.891047440.664562800000006 -112.0489759 40.8569958 -111.73311890000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-14766324569307409702011-10-05T20:02:00.000-06:002011-10-06T15:54:16.214-06:00

Dad and baby Jon How great is this picture? Dad's outfit is so sweet! Those pants, that belt! Jon was so tiny. And who smokes around babies? Dads in the year 1972, that's who! Times sure have changed. Today is the anniversary of Dad's death. 17 years now. My, how time flies. I love you, Dad.

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-85368995649147700882011-09-20T12:20:00.000-06:002011-09-20T12:21:52.845-06:00

I love to cook! I'm someone who follows recipes to a T. I just don't experiment much in the kitchen - I enjoy finding new recipes, reading the reviews online, and then trying them for myself. I've always felt like there are plenty of good cooks out there who have already gone through trials and errors, so why not take advantage of their hard work? Well, last weekend I decided to break free of

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com1Salt Lake City, UT, USA40.7607793 -111.891047440.664562800000006 -112.0489759 40.8569958 -111.73311890000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-21270716573930059232011-09-14T09:00:00.000-06:002011-09-14T09:00:01.530-06:00

Finale! At this time last year, this was my favorite song. Back then, I was enjoying seeing Nathan and Abby at least once, sometimes twice, a week. I was also recovering from my accident - which was very difficult and painful - but I was starting to feel a tiny bit better. I had even returned to work for a few hours a day. Ryan, Nathan, Abby, and I played a lot of board games as a family - I

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com1Salt Lake City, UT, USA40.7607793 -111.891047440.664341300000004 -112.0489759 40.8572173 -111.73311890000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-57789006797957240222011-09-13T09:00:00.000-06:002011-09-13T09:00:03.960-06:00

Sorry, folks, but they didn't make videos back in the day. You had to listen to the record and look at the cover! And that's what you'll get to see today! This is obviously a very early memory of mine, considering The Doobie Brothers released What A Fool Believes in 1978. That would have made me... what... 4 years old. Really? I was 4? Wow. I remember our babysitter (one of the Thompson girls?

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0Salt Lake City, UT, USA40.7607793 -111.891047440.664341300000004 -112.0489759 40.8572173 -111.73311890000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-34464431505592611142011-09-12T10:07:00.000-06:002011-09-12T10:07:28.450-06:00

When I hear this song, I feel guilty. And I'm not telling you why. I loved this first Maroon 5 album, Songs About Jane. I've hated everything they've done since then. Bummer. Maroon 5: Shiver. Great song.

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0Salt Lake City, UT, USA40.7607793 -111.891047440.664562800000006 -112.0489759 40.8569958 -111.73311890000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-15420372983556143712011-09-11T16:21:00.000-06:002011-09-11T16:21:30.820-06:00

I loved this song the moment I heard it. I loved learning the alto part and singing it with my friend Michelle when we were in high school choir together. I wish I could play this on the guitar... in fact, I wish I knew how to play the guitar even just a little bit! Lovely, lovely Indigo Girls - Closer to Fine. I just adore their harmonies and their guitar work. It never gets old. ♥ The less

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0Salt Lake City, UT, USA40.7607793 -111.891047440.664341300000004 -112.0489759 40.8572173 -111.73311890000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-68909158179179106472011-09-10T10:26:00.001-06:002011-09-10T10:26:39.116-06:00

I can play this on the piano. Ryan can play it on the guitar. We both can sing it. We haven't played it in a few years, but right after we saw the movie Once, we played it a lot. Rent this movie today! It's so moving. It's a musical, but it isn't. I especially love the song Lies. Glen Hansard and Market Irglova: Falling Slowly.

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0Salt Lake City, UT, USA40.7607793 -111.891047440.664341300000004 -112.0489759 40.8572173 -111.73311890000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-52054759118626684932011-09-09T08:00:00.000-06:002011-09-09T08:00:12.333-06:00

This song rocks the house... and it also cracks me up! I love aliens. I love extraterrestrials. I love the X-Files. I love ET. I love The Killers' song, Spaceman! Just listen to the lyrics. You'll smile, too! It started with a low light, Next thing I knew they ripped me from my bed And then they took my blood type It left a strange impression in my head. You know that I was hoping, That I

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0Salt Lake City, UT, USA40.7607793 -111.891047440.664562800000006 -112.0489759 40.8569958 -111.73311890000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-66412815719448870402011-09-08T09:00:00.000-06:002011-09-08T21:18:18.682-06:00

Since last summer, I've thought about dying quite a bit. It's a bit sobering to have such a close brush with death. Now I wonder how I'll go since getting hit and dragged by a truck didn't do me in. At the same time, I don't really like to dwell on it. I almost skipped this part of the challenge. I don't think I'll say much more on this subject. R.E.M. - Nightswimming. Now it's on the record;

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com3Salt Lake City, UT, USA40.7607793 -111.891047440.664341300000004 -112.0489759 40.8572173 -111.73311890000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-59329815983333504312011-09-07T09:00:00.000-06:002011-09-07T21:41:35.948-06:00

When Ryan and I started talking about getting married, it scared me. I'd done it once before and it wasn't that great of an experience. I said to him, "I am not getting divorced again. You're going to be stuck with me, no matter what. You'll either have to die or kill me to set yourself free." He answered, "Well, I'm not getting divorced again, either. So you'll be stuck, too." I felt a lot

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0Salt Lake City, UT, USA40.7607793 -111.891047440.664341300000004 -112.0489759 40.8572173 -111.73311890000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-6896475160447424552011-09-06T10:00:00.000-06:002011-09-06T10:00:08.090-06:00

Oh, Cure, you are so delightfully depressing! I've been such a longtime fan and I've never tired of your sound. If I ever want simply to wallow, I turn on the Cure's album Disintegration. It's one of my all-time favorite albums (definitely a desert island CD). Many people are familiar with Pictures of You... such a gentle, sweet song... and sad, oh so sad. I love the original song from the CD

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0Salt Lake City, UT, USA40.7607793 -111.891047440.664341300000004 -112.0489759 40.8572173 -111.73311890000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-16893409384560759582011-09-05T14:36:00.001-06:002011-09-05T14:36:52.472-06:00

Beautiful beat, get me out of this messBeautiful beat, lift me up from distress Nada Surf's song Beautiful Beat, from their album Lucky, is such a happy song. At the drum beat and the riff down the keys, my heart quickly speeds up until it almost bursts. Ryan and I went to see Nada Surf a few years ago. It was such a fun show! They played outdoors at Salt Lake City's free Twilight

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0Salt Lake City, UT, USA40.7607793 -111.891047440.664341300000004 -112.0489759 40.8572173 -111.73311890000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-91232357035437145532011-09-04T08:00:00.000-06:002011-09-04T08:00:01.785-06:00

Honestly, I'm not angry about this anymore. It's been a long time and my dad is dead and buried. It took a while, but I have forgiven him. Forgiveness is a wonderful feeling. There was a time that I was very angry with my father. Very, very angry. I didn't speak to him for 9 months when I was 17 years old. Making that break, however short, something I needed to do... but it wasn't easy,

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0Salt Lake City, UT, USA40.7607793 -111.891047440.664341300000004 -112.0489759 40.8572173 -111.73311890000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-51592534766424556402011-09-03T08:00:00.000-06:002011-09-03T08:00:01.073-06:00

Dammit! but I love Radiohead. Ryan and I joke that we have "desert island" albums - what if you were stuck on a desert island with only 10 music albums for the rest of your life? What would you choose that you could listen to over and over and never tire of? Yes, I do have 10 of them. Radiohead's album In Rainbows is one. I can listen to it over and over without a break. I love every

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0Salt Lake City, UT, USA40.7607793 -111.891047440.664341300000004 -112.0489759 40.8572173 -111.73311890000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-78073473421994924962011-09-02T08:00:00.000-06:002011-09-02T08:00:06.239-06:00

So what? I lied... I lie to me, too. So what? Tegan and Sara - they're kind of the modern-day Indigo Girls, right? There are so many things to admire about their music: their honesty, their grit, their great guitar work, their heart-felt lyrics, and their gorgeous harmonies. Back in the day, I was obsessed with Indigo Girls and their strength; today I love Tegan and Sara just as much for

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0Salt Lake City, UT, USA40.7607793 -111.891047440.664341300000004 -112.0489759 40.8572173 -111.73311890000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-14510062469861213672011-09-01T08:00:00.000-06:002011-09-01T08:00:09.616-06:00

I guess this choice of song will show what I am through and through: I'm a listener of "alternative music" - I always have been; I always will be. I like a little bit of everything, but my favorite music remains that which never quite makes it into mainstream popularity. My favorite radio station here in the SLC is X96 - they're "Local, Independent, and Alternative". No ifs, ands, or buts!

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0Salt Lake City, UT, USA40.7607793 -111.891047440.664341300000004 -112.0489759 40.8572173 -111.73311890000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-53068464028113448792011-08-31T08:00:00.000-06:002011-08-31T18:14:52.956-06:00

I actually don't hate this song - I still love it. I just feel a little melancholy when I hear it because Abby loves this song and it reminds me of her. Rooney is her favorite band and she listens to them non-stop when she's with us. I liked Rooney anyway, but it makes me love them even more, because it reminds me of her. Love and hate, so close together! Click here to see pictures of us

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0Salt Lake City, UT, USA40.7607793 -111.891047440.664341300000004 -112.0489759 40.8572173 -111.73311890000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-6648056056469118292011-08-30T08:00:00.000-06:002011-08-30T08:00:04.909-06:00

YouTube has disabled embedding on this one, so click here to see Jane's Addiction's video for Classic Girl. It's hard to choose a song that describes myself. I have a hard time knowing how other people perceive me; I'm not privy to that view. So many of my thoughts and feelings are shared with only my (very small) inner circle or not at all. I wonder sometimes if anybody really knows me at all.

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-42501791748393047652011-08-29T08:00:00.000-06:002011-08-29T08:00:01.792-06:00

People always seem surprised when they find out I like Nine Inch Nails. It's true that I'm not a big fan of industrial music, but there's something really gripping about Nine Inch Nails' music. I love the energy and lyrics the songs push forth. Plus, I totally have the hots for Trent Reznor. Only describes exactly how I felt after I got divorced. I played it once for a friend of mine and

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com2Salt Lake City, UT, USA40.7607793 -111.891047440.664341300000004 -112.0489759 40.8572173 -111.73311890000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-10974249324222871082011-08-28T12:42:00.001-06:002011-08-28T12:42:54.672-06:00

In high school, this song used to make me melt. Melt, I said! So romantic! Such handsome singers! Such gorgeous guitar strumming! Take me now, I thought! (Of course I would have needed a boyfriend for that... and I was a total goody goody so that wouldn't have happened anyway, but one can dream!) These days I hear this song in department stores like JC Penney, in grocery stores, and on

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-43862297702385721462011-08-26T08:00:00.000-06:002011-08-26T08:00:00.767-06:00

OK Insane Clown Posse, are you guys for real? Really? You are? And those people who follow you around... are they for real? They are? You really dress up like this? And your followers (excuse me, the juggalos) do too? And you all take yourselves seriously? Oh geez. Wow. This song equally fascinates and repulses me because this band is obviously so insane. At the same time, Miracles is

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0Salt Lake City, UT, USA40.7607793 -111.891047440.664341300000004 -112.0489759 40.8572173 -111.73311890000001tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-18700128221954100742011-08-25T08:00:00.000-06:002011-08-28T14:58:38.153-06:00

Whoa. My favorite band? This is a huge honor! I had to think long and hard about this one. Who is my favorite? I've already blogged about REM and The Cure in the past. They're some of my all-time favorites, along with Midnight Oil. It's time to bestow this upon someone else. And who is it... The Jayhawks! A Minnesota band, the Jayhawks have naturally been on my horizon since I was in

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-30523005871914440402011-08-24T11:11:00.002-06:002011-08-28T14:59:03.888-06:00

This lovely song by Sigur Ros is called Glósóli. I wouldn't say it makes me fall asleep as much as it helps me fall asleep. Since my accident I have had a lot of trouble sleeping. Many nights when I am in pain, I turn on this CD and it lulls me to sleep. It's so gentle and sweet. It takes my mind off the burning in my spine and sends me beautiful Iceland with its oceans and cliffs and

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-68056480149752287152011-08-23T08:15:00.000-06:002011-08-23T08:33:07.091-06:00

Get More: The B-52's, Music, More Music Videos Choosing a song other than the B-52's Love Shack would have been a huge betrayal to the high school- and college-aged Kate. This is the danciest song ever written and it fits me to a T! Hearing the opening drum beats of this song sends me running to the dance floor in a dead heat! Nothing can stop me! I always requested this at high school

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-14129118080434326792011-08-22T09:00:00.000-06:002011-08-22T23:05:26.449-06:00

I know every word to this song. In fact, I know every word to every song on this album! They Might Be Giants' album Flood was released in March of 1990 - my sophomore year of high school. I had it on cassette tape and practically wore it out. A lot of my friends had it, too, and it was a favorite to listen to while driving around in our parents' cars with the windows down, using our newly

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-6185353273792617412011-08-21T09:48:00.001-06:002011-08-21T09:48:18.830-06:00

Kids of the 80s, remember the scary communists? Remember how USSR was the evil enemy? Remember how Reagan and Gorbachev were always having talks? Remember how we used to fear nuclear war? Remember the Berlin Wall? Remember how our grandparents were still recovering from World War II? Remember how people feared a World War III? I watched TV with my dad, in complete awe, as chunks of the

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-52423914146603805522011-08-20T12:15:00.002-06:002011-08-28T14:18:41.549-06:00

I can't help but think of my little Helpdesk home at Ultradent when I hear any song from Jimmy Eat World's album Bleed American. I worked with such a fun group of people - Jason N., Joe, Nate, Mike, Sam, Jason W., Clint, and Tracy (honorary helpdesk employee). We had a lot of fun together sitting in that open room and taking helpdesk requests. We all got along really well and we

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-10243122791032169102011-08-19T09:15:00.000-06:002011-08-19T09:15:01.368-06:00

It's funny that I would choose this person and this song because I hardly know him; in fact, I don't think I've seen or talked to him since my senior year of high school (19 year ago now!) and he was just a little boy then. But Rob Wudlick, this song reminds me of you. I know Rob because he is the brother of my dear friend, Marta. I've been friends with Marta since we were about 5

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-62690471623859804122011-08-18T12:15:00.088-06:002011-08-25T17:56:52.537-06:00

The Scientest was everywhere in 2002. As I embarked on a new beginning - buying my first home with my then-husband - those chords played steadily in the background, quietly insisting that something was amiss, bringing a ringing sadness to my breast, and springing hot tears into my eyes at odd times. I didn't know what was wrong, but I felt mournful every time I heard these words: Nobody said

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-40906468918533027112011-08-17T12:15:00.015-06:002011-08-18T10:35:14.565-06:00

Ah, pop punk: you make me so happy! While it's not my favorite genre, pop punk has a special place in my heart. I love the upbeat tempos. I love the enthusiastic drumming. I love the earnestness of the lyrics. I love the talkiness of the vocals. It all puts a spring into my step! What song always makes me happy? Everything's Magic by Angels and Airwaves! You may

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-66823773387815165532011-08-16T12:45:00.003-06:002011-08-16T22:46:59.001-06:00

Yes, I know, this song is 10 years old. That's OK - I still hate it as much now as I did back when it was released. I'm sure there are newer Toby Keith songs that I would hate just as much as I hate this one... but this one probably tops them all. I have no idea what album this song is from. I will make no effort to uncover this information. All I know is that at the time this

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-41022713869749545532011-08-15T12:20:00.002-06:002011-08-15T15:45:10.898-06:00

My favorite song? This is so subjective! How can I choose only one? My current favorite song can be vastly different from my all-time favorite song... and the all-time favorite song is subject to change, too. Well, I'll settle on just one for now that I've been obsessed with lately:  Under Cover of Darkness by The Strokes. It's on their album Angles. Seriously, I love this song and I

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-60694146371577934352011-08-15T12:04:00.006-06:002011-08-15T14:00:53.811-06:00

Over the summer, two of my cousins participated in a 30 day song challenge on their blogs. I found it pretty interesting to read and listen to! I learned that we have very different music tastes so it was fun to experience their choices.  I've decided to embark on this challenge! I hope you'll enjoy my choices over the next 30 days. Challenge Info: Day 01 – Your favorite song Day 02 – Your

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-50139291715674543822011-08-07T13:36:00.001-06:002011-08-17T17:11:46.519-06:00

I've been playing around lately with everybody's favorite iPhone app, Instragram. It's fun to take random pictures and make them look vintage. It reminds me of the boxes of pictures I inherited from my mom when she moved to an apartment. They have that grainy, old-timey feel to them.  Without further ado, here's what I've been up to lately. Relaxing in the grass with my favorite summer

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-83377665027224831232011-07-27T17:58:00.002-06:002011-07-27T18:55:33.705-06:00

Sometimes you start out the day in a bad mood, even though you are on a super cool vacation at Lake Tahoe, and you're driving around in a boat, and you're with fun friends. Your parents think it's just because you're 14, but you will neither confirm nor deny. Sometimes when you're forced to do such horrible things, it's nice just to sit in the boat and watch the wake and think about things

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-90361849378599013272011-07-26T22:05:00.000-06:002011-07-26T22:05:28.308-06:00

I've been going through our summer pictures and these three pictures made me laugh out loud. On a day that Nathan was totally camera shy, we got lots of pictures of Dad, Abby, and me. Apparently Abby didn't know that Dad and I were goofing off. :) These were taken on our way back from visiting Vikingsholm Castle - a very cool place to visit.

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-53920260599816178052011-07-21T15:56:00.003-06:002011-07-21T15:56:52.803-06:00

My, how time flies. Is it really July 21 already? The summer is cruising by. I realized today that we have gone on four vacations this summer... yes, four! We have traveled to Escalante, UT; Garden City, UT to hang out with family at Bear Lake; Rexburg, ID for Ryan's 20th high school reunion; and South Lake Tahoe, CA with our friends the Ethingtons. I have lots of great pictures and maybe one

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-78024546663932308022011-06-23T19:00:00.009-06:002011-06-23T19:00:03.128-06:00

I didn't want to forget to post a picture of Ryan's Father's Day card. It's not my finest work, and yet I like it just the same. Ryan loved the tool box. The messages inside from the kids are priceless.

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-79569195631814542022011-06-20T10:00:00.001-06:002011-10-02T20:17:53.425-06:00

Yesterday was a peaceful Father's Day. I made a fancy brunch to celebrate Ryan - blueberry pancakes, bacon, eggs with Irish cheese, grapes, raspberries, and more fresh blueberries. The kids and I gave Ryan some gifts and we made a card for Ryan. Nathan and Abby each wrote a short little letter to Dad about why them love him and they each thanked him for being a good dad. The kids have

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-38528335571224146632011-06-16T18:00:00.011-06:002011-06-16T18:00:03.313-06:00

Yesterday I got felt up. By my doctor. Let me amend this... I got felt up by my hunky doctor. Who I am pretty sure is 100% gay. Which makes me 100% comfortable. Because these days, there is only one person whom I really want to feel me up. (You know who I'm talking about.) Friends of the blog... if you are female... I really hope you get these yearly check-ups. They are "free" with your

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-31159704708331292252011-06-15T18:00:00.034-06:002011-06-19T21:57:33.578-06:00

Don't kill me... but we went to Escalante last weekend with Nathan and Abby, and we took a bazillion pictures, and I really must post all of them. They are all too awesome to be cut from the finals! I'm sorry if this takes forever to load! Ryan and I took a trip to Escalante shortly after our wedding in 2008. The entire time we were there, we kept saying how much we wanted to return with Nathan

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-29098023872380843292011-06-09T10:09:00.001-06:002011-06-09T10:09:37.997-06:00

This morning I woke up confused. My alarm hadn't gone off. It was 8 am. I don't normally sleep until 8 am on weekdays, so my confusion centered on what day it really was. When I realized that it is Thursday, I leapt out of bed. My second bout of confusion was in regards to who was in bed next to me... it was Abby, not Ryan. Huh? When did that happen? How did I not wake up when the switch took

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-4797395855940136822011-06-06T14:00:00.011-06:002011-06-06T14:00:01.528-06:00

It's fun to drop off little surprise gifts to friends and family. I like to have gift tags, cards, and wrapping handy in case a moment like this arises. I made these quick little cards with the Punch Bunch set from Stampin' Up. (I wanted to link the set like I usually do, but since it's a Sale-A-Bration set, it's not available on the website anymore.) I love the cheery colors and it almost makes

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-63485002853047425432011-06-03T19:00:00.000-06:002011-06-03T19:00:00.741-06:00

Once a month, I meet with the ladies from card club to exchange hand-made cards with them. We decide upon a theme beforehand and it is always fun to see what everyone comes up with. June's theme is baby or wedding. I decided to make a simple, yet sweet, card using Lizzie Anne's set Follow Your Dreams. I can't wait to see what cards I'll be getting this month! I have lots of friends getting

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-53761961850606943202011-05-31T13:38:00.001-06:002011-06-15T23:44:19.156-06:00

We had a fun Memorial Day weekend with the kids. We did yard work (actually Ryan, Nathan, and Abby did - my back is still not well enough to participate in heavy activity like that), we played games with our friends the Ethingtons, we had a visit from my Aunt Carla, we went to a cookout at my cousin Leanne's house, and Abby rode a horse! Leanne's and Ashley's house in Heber City is really cool.

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-29022930341515910112011-05-27T18:02:00.000-06:002011-05-27T18:02:34.429-06:00

I seriously love these guys. Ryan and Nathan are my favorite men in the world!

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-34839583157342399062011-05-27T15:24:00.000-06:002011-05-27T15:24:17.700-06:00

Caught on gchat today: Kate: Honey! Ryan: what? Kate: Did you hear that? Ryan: what? no Kate: I just heard it again! You didn't? Ryan: hear what? a ufo? Kate: It's the front yard! It's calling you, nathan, and abby! Ryan: ? ahh... very funny Kate: "Come work out here! I'm waitinggggg!" Ryan: thought you had something exciting to say Kate: You don't think that' s exciting? I do! It's like The

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-71540829409567555632011-05-23T07:00:00.000-06:002011-05-23T07:00:15.149-06:00

Today is Celebrate Kari Day! It's my dear cousin's birthday, so I made her this card. I used the Lizzie Anne set Vintage Birthday. I thought it was perfect for Kari. She is always reaching for the sky in all she does. Happy birthday, dear cousin!

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-9583135031872718502011-05-20T22:45:00.001-06:002011-05-20T22:47:48.653-06:00

We love Chris! No really, we do! Last week he married his sweetheart, Jillian, in Scranton, Pennsylvania. Christopher asked Ryan to be his best man. Ryan was so thrilled! Chris was Ryan's best man when we were married. It was pretty neat for Ryan to return the favor. We adored Jillian the moment we met her. What a delightful person! Chris took his time choosing his wife... as one should! Rumor

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-33863761051915681212011-05-18T15:21:00.002-06:002011-05-18T18:08:25.938-06:00

Has it really been 20 years since Ryan graduated from high school? Has it really been 19 years since I did the same? My, how time flies. I always used to laugh at my parents when they said things like, "It seems just like yesterday..." but seriously, it does feel like it was just yesterday. Ryan's 20 year reunion is this summer and he's been going through old pictures to submit for the party.

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-1703356667017687292011-05-10T14:53:00.003-06:002011-05-10T22:52:51.723-06:00

So many things to laugh about in this picture! ...Carmen's glowing demon eyes ...Nathan's hair (dare I compare it to Justin Bieber's coif?) ...Abby's look of intense concentration and sticking her tongue out ...Ryan picking at his teeth ...catching Nathan using the pink controller when he swears he never uses the pink one ...my pillow in between Nathan and Abby (I had been sitting between them

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-20826772358164387052011-05-04T22:53:00.000-06:002011-05-04T22:53:09.954-06:00

I've been suffering from a bit of writer's block lately. I honestly thought it didn't exist until now. Many times I have sat down to blog; yet the moment my fingers touch the keyboard, my mind goes blank. When I go to bed at night, many clever thoughts and original insights swirl through my head and make it to a virtual screen... but if I slide quietly out of bed without waking Ryan and tiptoe to

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-91033698012685543402011-03-26T15:25:00.001-06:002011-03-26T22:52:59.225-06:00

Last Wednesday marked 9 months since I survived my accident. Needless to say, those events have been weighing on my mind. One of the things I have wanted to do is to track down the people who helped me that day so I can thank them. It's been a hard task, as there were so many people there at the accident and I have no idea who most of them are. I've sent thank you cards to the doctors and nurses

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-79398869296959880472011-03-22T22:26:00.004-06:002011-03-23T20:24:30.388-06:00

Tonight I brushed my teeth in my bathroom. By myself. Ryan always brushes later. But when Abby is with us, she brushes with me. For the last 7 nights, Miss Abigail has been brushing along side me. Nathan brushes in the "kid bathroom" and Abby brushes in "Dad and Kitty's" bathroom. Nathan always wanders into the master bathroom while Abby and I are brushing. He tells us stories. He laughs. He

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-56555914809378891092011-03-03T14:00:00.001-07:002011-03-03T14:00:45.255-07:00

Oh, my. My my my. Friends of the blog, how I have loved REM throughout the years. I have remained a loyal fan through thick and thin. It's hard to say who is my all-time favorite - REM or The Cure. I don't know if a proper decision can be made! The universe might implode! But I digress. Anyway. I am super excited about the album they're releasing next week - Collapse Into Now. Well, good news!

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-76754902841159753092011-02-21T09:40:00.000-07:002011-02-21T09:40:05.315-07:00

Periodically Abby asks to look at my jewelry. It's cute because she thinks I have lots of fancy and expensive jewels. Though I have a few nice pieces, little does she know that most of what I have isn't worth much money. Mostly I have jewelry inherited from my two grandmothers and some hand-me-down pieces from my mom. While looking for something else (the jewelry I earned while in the LDS

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-35709946637417745472011-02-20T20:51:00.000-07:002011-02-20T20:51:07.193-07:00

I am a super proud mom right now. Nathan had his first swim meet on Saturday and he did really well! He placed first in one of his events! We were all cheering and screaming like crazy while he competed. Nathan has always loved swimming. I blogged about it here in 2007 and here in 2008. Looking back on these posts, I realize that he's just not that little boy he used to be - the one who always

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-6084586472746890872011-02-13T19:35:00.003-07:002011-02-14T09:40:38.311-07:00

So there was this time that Ryan went winter camping, and he snowshoed for miles and slept in a yurt, and the girls came over to play dominoes, and brought fantastic treats, and I made caramel corn, and we got a sugar high, which led to some of us abandoning the dominoes, and I got out the Rock Band paraphernalia, and then everyone defected from dominoes to RB, and eventually we visited the

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-15233296513048914102011-02-07T22:13:00.000-07:002011-02-28T17:11:31.361-07:00

Crafty came for a visit tonight and I made 4 cards! I can't post them all - it would spoil the surprises that await some friends! But here is a picture of my favorite creation. I made this card for this week's Lizzie Anne Designs Weekly Sketch Challenge. Its sentiment fits the mood I've been in lately: "Music washes away from the soul the dust of everyday life." Isn't that beautiful? Since I'm

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-30922209610540965622011-01-21T01:45:00.000-07:002011-01-21T01:45:21.157-07:00

Insomnia, take that! I have a new attitude about my insomnia. If I can't sleep, I get up and do something fun! Tonight I channeled my inner Crafty and made a new insert for my coffee mug. This was such a fun project to do! Ever since I got the Warmest Wishes set from Lizzie Anne Designs, I have been wanting to use this stamp and the accompanying saying. I love how it turned out. I use this mug

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-33675084870627232422011-01-20T21:08:00.002-07:002011-02-15T21:09:37.260-07:00

Every time I use a certain notebook at work, I come across these treasures drawn by Abby. One Sunday she took my work notebook to church and drew pictures of us while she sat quietly through Sacrament Meeting. She drew them sometime during the summer of 2009. I've left this in my notebook all this time because I love being surprised by them from time to time. I'm amazed at the details she

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-18030957474174834702011-01-17T10:45:00.000-07:002011-01-17T10:45:40.215-07:00

So... life goes on. I bucked up and dried my tears. We're having a fun time with Nathan and Abby this weekend. They'll be with us until tonight - hooray! I've been teaching Abby the art of the self-portrait. I thought this one was cute. Abby & Dizzydoggy I liked this one, too, taken by yours truly. Kate and Carmie Jones We watched some fun shows on TV, played games, got dinner at Applebee's

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-75952757622963408502011-01-13T18:52:00.000-07:002011-01-13T18:52:06.259-07:00

I have been trying not to tear up all afternoon. Now that I am finally home and able to relax, my tears have flown freely. We learned today that Nathan and Abby will be moving at the end of the school year. Their step-dad was accepted into a residency program in another state. Ryan and I are heartbroken to say the least. We knew that it was very likely they would only be here a year. Still, we

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-68011862738428434442011-01-09T21:00:00.005-07:002011-01-09T22:19:42.929-07:00

I'm having a few green moments. Green Moment #1 I'm back on a veggie kick. For some reason I am constantly craving vegetables. I especially crave green salads. Hey, if my body is asking for it, then I'll comply! Thank you, Bountiful Baskets, for making it so affordable. Green Moment #2 After almost 3 months of a completely liquid diet (with my broken jaw and having it wired shut), I was 299%

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-41862777876893011962011-01-08T18:54:00.001-07:002011-01-08T18:56:50.381-07:00

I promise I haven't been drinking. Do you see this picture? I feel like it hardly looks like me. I had a self-indulgent moment and took about 20 self portraits. Pretty much every single one looked exactly like this, no matter what position I was in or what lighting was shining on me or what expression I had on my face. I look like this. T.I.R.E.D. I think I slept about 4 hours last night.

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-73228139691485759892011-01-05T21:13:00.001-07:002011-01-05T21:17:35.992-07:00

Since last June, my dear friend and former roomie, Ginny, has been faithfully writing me letters and sending them to me in the mail at least once a month - sometimes once a week. Yes, you read that correctly. She sends me real letters, real cards, written in her real handwriting, sent in the real mail, with a real postage stamp, that make it to my real mailbox. I can hold them in my own two

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-16542261273755068662011-01-03T22:31:00.000-07:002011-01-21T01:47:11.299-07:00

It's been awhile since I participated in a Lizzie Anne challenge. I based my card on last week's challenge. I love this cute little gnome from the December 2010 Monthly Mix! He is so chubby and cheery! Abby thinks he looks like Santa in his "work clothes." I used up some Christmas paper that is more wintry than Christmasy. On the inside, Abby wrote a thank you note to my mom, who sent Nathan and

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-25169994958593041102010-12-28T23:58:00.000-07:002011-01-08T18:58:08.724-07:00

As I was lying in the endodontist's chair today having a root canal, I admitted to myself that I have been feeling quite blue lately. My numbed mind drifted through the events of the last year, flitting briefly through different occasions and on different people, and suddenly my numbed brain came to rest on Pollyanna. You know whom I'm talking about. Pollyanna, of the book, of the Disney movie,

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-80068931831791878972010-12-19T20:43:00.000-07:002010-12-19T20:43:31.527-07:00

My stars! I spent all day today obsessively tracing, cutting, scoring, 3D-ing, and gluing stars. After reading this tutorial from Little Birdie Secrets, I just couldn't help myself. I simply had to make this wreath! I loved using up my Christmas scraps and old buttons. The wreath now hangs cheerily in our family room. I can't wait for the kids to see it.

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-89532208142127043082010-11-30T21:02:00.000-07:002010-11-30T21:02:00.684-07:00

A Photo Essay Fridge with Christmas magnets made by Abby and me, plus the new prayer chart so the kids won't argue anymore about whose turn it is to pray before we eat. Announcing to Facebook what my evening entails, plus my realization that Rudolph is on tonight, and Cheryl's proclamation that we need to hang out more. "Sure, Kate! I'll watch your all-time favorite Christmas movie '

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-63803511159309305832010-11-19T23:00:00.000-07:002010-11-20T00:10:06.396-07:00

Tonight I went to a bachelorette party for my friend, Uyen. It was a lot of fun! She is getting married tomorrow and we couldn't be happier for Uyen and her fiancé, Jay. I came home from the party and realized I still needed to make a card. I used the LAD Monthly Mix set from last January, From the Heart. I love all of the sweet, romantic sentiments in this set. I coordinated with their wedding

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-32058314788028516542010-11-18T22:45:00.000-07:002011-01-08T18:58:39.516-07:00

I owe you all a blog entry. I do. Suffice it to say, I had good x-rays and a good visit with the doctor today. I burst into tears in the elevator after we left the doctor's office. Ryan held me and I cried and we both rejoiced that finally, the summer is over. Upon arriving home, I called my mom. We drank champagne and went to dinner at MacCool's to celebrate. Even though I laughed all night

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-91581708928605038872010-11-12T16:45:00.002-07:002010-11-12T17:05:51.993-07:00

I love Thanksgiving. LOVE IT! I am running a little countdown in my head! Less than 2 weeks now until our home is descended upon by the loving Boyles. (Anita and Beth, a special shout out goes to you two!) I've been getting the house ready bit by bit. I am still slow as a turtle in getting things done with my broken (but healing) back and all... but gradually my house is looking quite festive.

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-35283614893428810292010-11-04T21:10:00.001-06:002011-02-15T21:11:53.020-07:00

Abby and I love reading the blog Nie Nie Dialogues. The blog is written by a woman named Stephanie Nielson, the wonderful mom of 4 fun kids and the wife of the handsome Mr. Nielson. Abby really looks up to Nie Nie, who survived a plane crash and yet who continues to live the good life. Her confidence, faith, and perseverance are very inspiring! Nie Nie has been inspiring to me, too, as I have

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-83315189708304086732010-11-04T21:10:00.000-06:002011-02-15T21:10:48.266-07:00

Tonight Nathan brought his mini-poster of the Wright Brothers to our house so we could see it. He did a fantastic job! Nathan said it was fun to make. He has always loved art and being creative. We were proud of his hard work.

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-19257546849307741102010-11-03T15:02:00.000-06:002010-11-03T15:02:13.775-06:00

Remember how I had to give an etiquette lesson about not asking women in their 30s if they plan on having children? Friends of the blog, the time has come for me to give another etiquette lesson. I will call this Etiquette Lesson  Part Deux. So. Suppose... just suppose... that you know someone who has survived a terrible accident. Suppose that person suffered serious injuries, including 3 broken

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-49194779941546340642010-11-02T21:11:00.000-06:002011-02-15T21:13:31.482-07:00

Happy Halloween from the House of B! This year we observed Halloween on October 30. Here in Utah, when Halloween falls on a Sunday, most families celebrate on Saturday. If I am calculating correctly, this only happens every 8 years or so. I'm sure some kids take advantage of the situation and go trick-or-treating two nights in a row! Our kids were happy with going out just on Saturday. It was

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-65037262082938301852010-10-29T22:48:00.000-06:002011-01-08T18:59:04.200-07:00

Tonight Abby, our friend April, and I ditched our boys, ate dinner at Sizzler, and participated in some Halloween activities at Gardner Village. There are a lot of cool shops there and they go all out on the Halloween decorations... so charming! We wandered through the shops and looked at pretty trinkets, handmade clothing, delicate jewelry, greeting cards, decorations, furniture, quilts, etc.

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-64475024640569560692010-10-29T21:14:00.000-06:002011-02-15T21:14:37.899-07:00

"Farmer Girl" Dad has been super excited about Halloween this year because we have the kids with us for Halloween weekend. He keeps bringing it up in excited tones and planning things to do and saying how it has been 8 years since he last had the kids on Halloween due to logistics. Abby's school had a Halloween parade on Thursday and of course we were all over that. We showed up shortly before

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-62554709070888502632010-10-24T19:35:00.002-06:002010-10-24T22:20:14.840-06:00

All summer long I have been saying that when I am able to be free of my brace for at least a few hours a day, I wanted to go somewhere to stay in a hotel and sit in a hot tub. Last weekend we did just that. We took the kids up to Boise, Idaho, where we stayed in a nice hotel, saw the sights, and sat in the hot tub. I even went in the "big" pool for a few minutes! It was fantastic. We went to the

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-25103541267893687462010-10-18T21:14:00.000-06:002011-02-15T21:15:33.359-07:00

Dad and I love helping the kids with their homework. I know, this probably sounds weird. But when your kids live across the country and you don't get to do those little everyday things with them, then getting the opportunity to do them again becomes a thrill. We've said it before, but we are soooo happy to have the kids in Utah again! We are enjoying every minute of it (even when the kids fight!)

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-30126912512025334202010-10-11T21:16:00.000-06:002011-02-15T21:16:49.988-07:00

We are so lucky this week... we had Nathan and Abby with us tonight for Columbus Day, plus they'll be with us again this Wednesday through Sunday for UEA break! When we see the kids during the week, it's usually for a 3-hour block of time. We spend our time doing homework, eating dinner, and playing a few games if the kids have done their homework and taken care of the dishes. Tonight Dad

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-32952993924166438162010-10-10T19:08:00.000-06:002010-10-10T19:08:44.430-06:00

It seems that banners bare all the rage this year. Everyone is making them! I decided to jump on the band wagon and make one for our house. Never before has my home been so decorated for Halloween! All of a sudden I have candles and knick-knacks and banners. Crazy. First I searched for just the right banner to make. I simply Googled "halloween banner tutorial." I found lots of cool stuff, but I

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-52347556175881845322010-10-08T11:45:00.000-06:002010-10-08T11:45:21.001-06:00

When I woke up yesterday, one of my teeth hurt like a mofo. Yep, you heard me. I just said mofo on my blog. I called the dentist and they got me in right away. It's one of the two teeth that anchors my new dental bridge. The minute the dentist touched my tooth with his pointy little instrument, I thought I would explode from the jolt of electricity that seemed to be running through my body. I

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-79161085462140094942010-10-06T23:37:00.000-06:002010-10-06T23:37:59.275-06:00

I'm going to pay for this tomorrow, but I just had to stay up late tonight to do some stamping. I couldn't wait any longer to try out my new stamps! The new Monthly Mix from Lizzie Anne Designs is called Sweet & Spooky - aptly named! I took an image from each category and made a card. I'm not sure which I like more! I know, I know, I need to take my pictures in better light. It's just that I

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-14213011869625539602010-10-05T21:17:00.000-06:002011-02-15T21:18:09.605-07:00

I forgot to post about the cake I made for Saturday night's activities. I browsed the Kraft Recipes website and found this tutorial for a pumpkin cake. It was so cute that I had to make it! Nathan helped me with the frosting and Abby made the leaves for the stem. The cake is made from a white cake mix and the frosting is a delicious cream cheese frosting made from scratch. We only have a few

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-20780083991650567752010-10-05T07:00:00.001-06:002010-10-05T07:00:07.466-06:00

My mom loves sending me little surprises in the mail. She found this darling Halloween cat and shipped it off to Utah, STAT! I think the cat is so cute - I especially love her fur collar. Can I find one in my size? My friend Janica brought me some baby pumpkins from her garden. I loved this idea from The Crafting Chicks so I tied some Halloweeny ribbon around the pumpkins and set them on our

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-10467558717667087302010-10-04T21:19:00.000-06:002011-02-15T21:19:43.961-07:00

This weekend was the semiannual General Conference for the LDS Church. During this conference (which lasts all weekend), LDS Church leaders speak to the public 5 different times throughout the weekend. Here in Utah, all you have to do is turn on the TV or the radio to participate.  On Saturday we turned it on for Nathan and Abby. We watched all of the morning conference and part of the afternoon

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-61979883167204776442010-09-28T23:38:00.000-06:002011-01-21T01:47:11.299-07:00

Enough serious stuff! I need to post about something fun. This is my submission for this week's Lizzie Anne weekly challenge. I recently purchased Vintage Birthday with its matching digital paper. I haven't done much with digital paper in the past so it was fun to print out exactly the pattern and size of paper that I wanted for the card. I'm all ready now for the next time I need a birthday

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-44987423328076495002010-09-26T20:25:00.004-06:002010-09-26T21:03:05.358-06:00

I thought I'd give you all a little peek at Bracey. She is with me roughly 16 hours a day - all of my waking hours. She comes apart like a turtle shell and fastens together with velcro straps. Here are some pictures of her put together (but not on me). I had to put a band-aid over one part. It ripped holes in the majority of my shirts before I realized what was happening. Now I have about 6

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com10tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-64209632026327536882010-09-14T23:21:00.006-06:002011-01-21T01:46:25.787-07:00

It's time again for the Lizzie Anne blog hop! I will apologize up front for the terrible picture. It is so late! And I am so tired! And my back hurts! I just can't bring myself to take another picture. I hope you can enjoy my latest card, anyway. This card features the September 2010 Monthly Mix, Treasured Trinkets. I was so excited to open my new set and find this quilt stamp. I have been

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-24099930132699778382010-09-11T21:49:00.003-06:002010-09-11T22:00:21.135-06:00

Lori & Lambie Today my friend Lori turned 32 and we have spent the last 2 days celebrating! Last night we had a girls only get-together and today we went to lunch at The Red Iguana (guys included this time). Happy birthday, Lori! I made Lori her own personal lambkin. I called her Lambie-3 while she was in the works, but Lori has christened her Marshmallow, so Marshmallow she is! This lambie was

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37179241.post-76294426018179028162010-09-03T10:08:00.000-06:002010-09-03T10:08:47.259-06:00

The weekend has already started for us and we are celebrating! Mom and Jon are here until Monday morning. My aunt Josephine, her friend Wendy, and my cousin Carly are coming tomorrow. And my two awesome kiddos are coming this afternoon! We're not just partying because family is town. We're partying because I received such good news at the doctor's office yesterday! Ryan and I spent the

Katehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07656190953152074988noreply@blogger.com9