I Can't WAIT For Summer!

Carter has been taking lesson's at the Lehi Swimming Pool and has been asking for us to all go together so that he can show Kindra the pool. He was soooo excited to show off :) In high school, one of my best-friends father was the, still is the, manager of the pool facility so we were there quite a bit! Now this was back when it was an outside pool so it was nothing compared to what it is now. He hired us to be the "cleaners" so many a night was spent with a hose spraying it down. The thought of that now, wants to make me gag....all that wet, disgusting hair... :(


Kindra was very excited to go to the pool for fun....not for lessons....but for fun at this new pool but was still a bit nervous! :)
Carter and his "chin smile" ... not so cute!?!

OK...I had a moment at which I felt like I was in Jr High all over again! A time when you are embarrassed to take off your shirt at a swim party because you are insecure about your body...but I was not insecure about that, it was about the fact that I was wearing the "skanky Mom" swimsuit! I am fully admitting it I guess but it's what I have always done, but every other Mom was wearing the full piece with shorts on or with a tank top on top of so you all tell me. I know that it's the whole modest issue so I can understand but ........... I hate those claustrophobic full pieces!?! WAAAAAAH!!!
I love that my camera is water proof and I can get the best pictures of the "splashes"!
Another fun night with the kids at the pool though it made me miss the summer time that much more! I can not wait to play with them outside! I must also thank Trev again since it would be near impossible to have done this without him. This is one of those activities in which my control and accessibility is limited and it would make me way too nervous to do it by myself! I realize more and more how lucky I am to have the "divorced relationship" that we do.....

I Have Been Called Alot Of Things But Betty Crocker Is Not One Of Them!?!

Is it making any sense yet as to why I don't cook??? Need this pic say more??? stove circa 1960...The kids have been begging me for the 3 of us to bake some cookies so I finally gave in tonight. I should, however, re-phrase my last statement about us "baking some cookies" because we really did not "bake" them...more like "made" some or, the first batch, "burnt" some!

Kindra was cracking me up because she was so adamant on watching them melt down to actual cookies! She just haaaaad to watch it happen for herself!
Here is the second batch, though still a little burnt, not nearly as bad as the first! I am actually proud of this go around :)
How fake is this smile....?!?

Kindra is a very imaginative little girl and her mind is constantly going and creating new thoughts and activities. She was just a thinkin' and a eatin' and a hummin' to herself....:)


The proof is in the garbage that I DO NOT COOK ! I would much rather put my time, thoughts, and energy into other things but I also don't want the kids to grow up not doing the "bond with Mom as she cooks" thing like I had. I would feel like I am cheating them out of something especially when they are always asking for it! So here it is! I have to laugh though because they still tasted burnt and like total crap but the whole time I was trying to talk the kids into eating them and trying to convince them that they were awesome! It's pretty sad when the first thing that comes out of Carter's mouth is "Don't burn them Mom" and what did I do....Yep...burnt them! hehehe A classic Katie move!!!

A Few Quotes That I'd Like To Not Forget.....

I know that I have heard these before but I need to be reminded of them occasionally---


***He who keeps emotional control will always win in all circumstances...

***It's not how you feel that determines how you act but rather how you act that determines how you feel...

***Do a little bit all of the time, instead of a lot a little bit...

That Is One UGLY Horse But That "Black Beauty" Is One GOOD Entertainer!

My family will appreciate this one.... Thanks to Grandma, Kindra added one more horse to her collection! It is the ugliest horse that she's got but right now it is the most loved! However, Grandma did manage to also give us our FHE activity for the night...the movie "Black Beauty". I knew Kindra would be glued but was happy to see that Carter also enjoyed it which can be very hard to do when it comes to Carter, love, and horses?!? :(

PS I was even surprised to see a very young Sean Bean in this movie! For those of you who are not as obsessed with the movie "Lord of the Rings" as our family is, Sean Bean is the actor who played "Boromere", the good guy gone bad who was killed in the end...so sad :( but still so hoooooot! :)

Vantage Point

Even though there have been mixed reviews for this movie and even though there were some laughs heard in the theatre, I actually enjoyed it! I even thought that it was intense at times though Dennis Quaid looked like death! It was unrealistic but sometimes it's fun, no, all times it's needed to just sit and stare at Matthew Fox for 2 hours! :)
.....if only I could get "Lost" with Jack!!!

"The Dumpster Dance"

This is the best tag, or dare to divulge that I have ever been given so here it is Amanda and I hope that you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed remembering it!...............
Looking at this picture, my sophomore year of high school, you'd think that I was an angelic and innocent youth who could do no wrong! I was not a horrible teenager, but was an impatient 15 year old whose friends were older and who "hung out" with boys because she was too young to "date". RIIIIIIIGHT!!! I have to comment on how sweet my bangs are! :) Come on...it was the fashion, I promise?!?

At that time, the crush of my life was Richard "Pete" Peterson. Even though we went to different high schools, it was a big deal to be "dating" one of Lehi HS's "Fab 5". Now the "Fab 5" was just a group of cocky and arrogant jocks who thought that they were awesome in every way! Every school had some and every girl loved one...come on, admit it girls...we did...even if it was in secret! I will admit it...Jennie and I had our "drive by spytech" route and we became really good at tracking them down :) But this is not about Richard being dishonest, though he was. This is about me being dishonest. I could not stand the thought of my friends going to this dance without me or the thought of Richard going to this dance with some other hootch and so I planned and pulled off the "Dumpster Dance". I used the "I am staying over at -----------house and will call you in the morning" trick, packed my bag, and waited for Jennie to come pick me up. But we did not drive to her house, but instead drove to the dumpster that was in the Highland Elementary School parking lot. I hid behind and changed into my borrowed dress, shoes and jewelry and got ready for one of AFHS's formal dances! I would have gotten away with it too had it not been for my clean freak Mom changing my bed sheets which enabled her to discover my dance pictures neatly hidden between my mattresses!?! I sound like a bitter villain after an episode of "Scooby Doo", huh?!? So...here is my proof of one of the many stunts that I pulled just so I could be with my crush, Richard "Pete" Peterson!

Just one word....................classic.................

PS.....look at those skinny bird legs :(

The "Friday Funny"

Carter and Kindra were watching cartoon's this morning on my bed when Carter started to bother Kindra. She said the funniest thing to him that I thought was also very clever and witty......

Kindra "Carter, are you a stranger?"

Carter "No?"

Kindra "Well, be one and leave me alone!!!"


It was what I needed to start the day off with a laugh! :)

100 Things.....

I have seen this done many times so I thought that I would try it out....Here goes nothing!?!



1. I love having fun and crazy adventures

2. I can communicate with just sounds alone

3. I love to sit, imagine, dream, and to fantasize

4. I love to laugh and when I am laughing hard, I clap and people then call me "hercules" :(

5. I can and will talk to anyone

6. I create entertainment for my kids that in turn, will create memories...good ones I hope!

7. I am very emotional

8. I have a hard time remembering and using "commen words" that express how I really feel

9. I miss kickboxing

10. I miss running

11. I miss basketball

12. I miss working out, sweating to death, and getting my heart rate really up :(

13. I love to travel

14. I love my family...they are my best-friends!

15. I love to decorate

16. I love Halloween

17. I love Summer

18. I love New Zealand and would love to live there!

19. I am 1/2 of the BFSS combo (Best Friend Spinster Sister)

20. I loved living back East

21. I love to Scrapbook

22. My daughter is dramatic just like her Mom

23. I hate to be selfish

24. I love taking care of people

24. I love checking things of my lists!

25. I loath the Winter

26. My favorite family vactation is when we went to Prince Edward Island, stayed in a beach house, and went to every "Anne of Green Gables" spot possible

27. I love to read and right now it is the "Twilight Series" for fun but I also love anything by Lucy Maud Montgomery, the original "The Boxcar Children" series by Gertrude Chandler Warner, and the "Betsy-Tacy" books by Maud Hart Lovelace because they remind me of my childhood

28. I put medicine bottles upside down so that they are more "balanced"? Don't ask....

29. I am anal

30. I have a silky from as far back as I can remember aka blanky

31. My son is very obediant and my daughter is very mischievious! Bad combo most times :(

32. My son will either become a famous chef or a landscape artist

33. My daughter loves horses

34. I don't hate but I strongly dis-like animals

35. My car is filthy mess on the inside

36. I love chocolate chip cookies from McDonalds and their yogurt parfaits :)

37. I choose restaurants by their dessert selections

38. I love, love, love chocolate

39. I love the clothing stores Anthropologie and JCrew

40. I love perfume

41. I love simplicity though my life is not :(

42. I love road trips that you fly to! hehehe

43. I can talk for hours

44. I will never let anything stop me from doing anything that is possible

45. My dream is to be on the TV series "The Amazing Race"

46. I love to wear hats

47. I hate doing my hair and putting on make-up so I usually don't!

48. My kids have gorgeous brown eyes and my green eyes change shades with what I am wearing!

49. With my career, I tell it how it is though it can get me in trouble at times :(

50. My thumbs always pop like I am cracking them but it does not hurt

51. I have pierced my belly button 3 times in the same spot cause I never keep a ring in

52. I love my abs

53. I hate to cook because I am so tired once I get home

54. I eat like crap

55. I love all music except for country

56. I love to drive fast and weave in and out of traffic like a race car hehehe

57. I LOVE movie nights

58. My secret obsession is MTV's "Real World"

59. My true obsession is the TV series "LOST"

60. I am very routined at night

61. I love to sing...ok I love to sing when I am by myself :)

62. Every night I have to sit in front of my closet, look at my clothes, and decide what I am going to wear the next day. My morning's are too hectic to decide then!

63. I love Indian food

64. I hope and pray that I am a good Mom

65. My office is full of clutter but my home can only be organized and clean

66. I miss feeling the grass between my barefoot toes

67. I love feeling the sun's warmth on my face

68. I LOVE basketball and could sit forever and watch great games!

69. I miss being in a healthy and honest relationship

70. My true desire is to be a stay at home Mom

71. My favorite shrimp is shrimp cocktail

72. I need to work on having more patience

73. I love to "de-junk"

74. I love to shop

75. I hate my winter wardrobe but love my summer wardrobe :)

76. I am very blessed to have been given what I have

77. "The grass is not greener on the other side"

78. Every once in a while, I love to get into a good cat fight

79. I don't mind the commute to work because I pay $50/month to drive in the carpool lane :)

80. I love our backyard

81. We are saving up our money for a riding lawnmower that Carter can use to mow!

82. The first concert that I went to was with my family...The Beach Boys...

83. The first concert that I went to with my friends was...Kris Kross...I won the tickets on the radio :)

84. I am proud that I am on a first name basis at the stores "Anthropologie", "Slim's Full Service Gas Station", and "All My Memories" scrapbook store :)

85. My career has nothing to do with what I graduated in :)

86. I have passed on my "have to fall asleep with the TV on" trait to my kids

87. If you have all ready not figured it out, I am the worst speller and have learned to rely heavily on my spell check (which is still not working)

88. My life would shut down if I lost my cell phone :(

89. I love my Acura MDX but sometimes miss my Audi Wagon :(

90. My other personality is "Martha" when I am playing around with the kids

91. My favorite cartoon movie is "Toy Story" 1 & 2

92. I love to eat "swedish fish and sour straws" at the movies...ok...always

93. I love to tuck my hand barely under the pant line on the other person if I am cuddled up or I will even pull a 1/2 "al bundy" with myself...and not in a disgusting way...it makes me feel safe!

94. I am better friends with more guys than girls but have great "best friends" who are girls

95. I believe that Mentholatum is "the cure all" of all time and rub it on every wound/scar that cover's my body :)

96. I am full of trickery so look out and don't piss me off!!!

97. I love to buy shoes

98. I never wear a coat! Promise...I quickly go from one warm place to the next warm place :)

99. I love to use the word "mingin" which means disgusting/dirty in "England" talk

100. I am so happy that I can now check this off my list of to do's!!!

Happy Birthday Michael!

My youngest sibling, Michael, turned 17 today. He was born in Toronto so he is one of my true fellow Canadian's even though he has no memory of it since we moved when he was 3 months old. Growing up, Michael and I, did not "know" each other because I was pretty much gone. When we moved in with my parent's though, I was able to get to know him and John-Charles really well and for that I am greatful! I love Michael very much because........ -He has helped me with numerous, and I mean numerous, projects!
-He is very witty
-His sense of humor is hilarious
-He is the best example to my kids
-He teases Kindra like no other :( :( :(
-He is very obediant and patient
-He is my "Michael Smichael"
-He takes great pictures hehehe
-He is going to travel the world one day with John-Charles and I :)
-He is very, very, very smart
-He is very faithful, sensitive, and kind-hearted
-One word "Warcraft"
-He carries the "daily suitcase" out to the car every night even when it's a complete blizzard
-He always says to me " I love you, Katie"
-He has my parents wrapped around his finger! (good job, Mike) hehehe
I love you Michael very much and am so happy that you are part of our family. You are the best big uncle-brother to Carter and that means so much to me. Thank's for always being patient with me and helping me out when I need something (unless it's downstairs hehehe)! I hope that we find you the smallest mouse possible for your B-Day!
This pic is for Lyssa and John-Charles to see so that you both feel included! :)

Carter fell asleep on my bed just like this because he did not like the "light shining in his eyes"! Too classic---
Kindra wanted to have a sleepout night on the couch so if she's ok with it, then I am! I would have been scared to sleep out on the couch when I was her age but power to her :) She, ofcourse, had to have one of her horses join her...oh boy!?!

Camp Corbridge

I could hear the kid's downstairs laughing to themselves (and we all know the bath incident that happened the last time they were laughing together like this) and so the panic set in a bit sooner! I asked them what they were doing and they told me to come down and see their campground...huh? So I went down and this is what I found! Honestly...I love it! I love that their minds are always going! For you parents out there...You may know of the show "Higglytown Hero's" on the Disney Channel...We had just watched an episode of their camping experience so the kid's obviously decided that they wanted to go camping too!

"SSSSSHHHH Mom...we are sleeping!"

I pretended that I was "Higsquatch aka Sasquatch" and they thought that was prettey funny but it is one of those "had to be there" moments! :) But I still thought that it was clever..not me but them!!!

My Favorite Picture of Carter

As I was creating my "tag" masterpiece, I came across this picture that I had forgotten about. This is one of my favorite pictures of Carter! I took this right after we brought Kindra home from the hospital which would have been the summer of 2003. If I could, I would let his hair grow so that I could have his curly locks again but his Dad would never allow it! :( This will just have to do!

Oh Mom---Come On!?!

Carter was so excited to show me what he had gotten in his Valentine's box but I just had to have a picture so this was the best that I got! I am so happy to still have them naive and innocent so I will take it!
.....I got this and this and this and......

I've Never Claimed to Have Self Control...

This post has been created just for you Mistie :) Mistie "tagged" me last week and the 1st question is What were you doing 10 years ago? As I thought about this question, my mind began racing! 10 years ago sounds like such a long time ago and yet when I think about the things I was doing then, it seems like yesterday! Unfortunately it did allow me to think, look in the mirror, and then to recognize just how old I really am becoming :( Now, those of you who know me real well, know that when I get an idea in my mind...there is no changing it or telling what may just come of it...hehehe...which is how the following post came about! The ladies over at Inkley's may be sick of me but I had fun doing this...pulling out my box of organized pics, scanning them, and putting them onto a disk.
So to answer the first question...10 years ago I began my first year back east attending Southern Virginia College. I was 21, had attended other local college's but could not pass up the chance to attend once I had received an athletic scholarship playing for the Woman's Soccer team. As hard as it was, I packed up my parent's minivan, hopped in for an adventure with my Dad and my brother's, and headed across the country.
This is a pic of Tiffany Dunn and Keriann Wall. They played Soccer with me as well as befriended me right from the start!
Me...playing soccer :) If you did not know me pre-accident, I bet this is weird to see me but here I am! This is proof that it was not all made up :) #22
There I am front and center...I mean front and right:)
This is a picture of the field in Asheville, North Carolina...
Our team won the NSCAA National Championship...once again, here I am front and left this time...
Nancy Baxter, Audrey Young, Becca ?, me, and Tiffany

Here we are before a guy's ball game...our "boy's" played too! :)
My scholarship was to play soccer but through a series of events, I was able to "walk on" and play for the Woman's Basketball team. This is a pic of yours truly and Nancy Baxter. Nancy and I were tied at the hip and we pulled off a way that we were also able to become roomates! hehehe Our "boys", now her husband, also were best-friends so that just added to the trickery!

For a tournament, we were able to go down and play on the same court that Michael Jordan played on so here I am sporting my hooooot, plaid pants!

This was taken before our end of the year dance...I was sooooo tan because we had just gotten back from a trip to Florida :) PROMISE!

Coach Mike Harmon, who is still the Head Basketball coach, me, Nancy, and Coach Deidre Dryden who was the Head Soccer coach

These were taken after our Athletic Banquet. I was so proud of myself that night because I was awarded the "Most Improved Athlete" award. I had worked my a** off, never complaining, and so it really meant so much to me and was just an added pat on the back :) Positive recognition, right?!? This is me and Sabre...
As we were on our way down to Kansas, where our playoff's were, we got out in the middle of the gas station parking lot, cranked the music, and had an 80's dance off ! I won since I was the oldest player on the team :( and speaking of, the nick name that I was given was "Sexy Grandma" :)

The girl between Nancy and I is Brittany Romito. She was tough and solid and had a temper like no other. I used to just do things to piss her off so that we could see it! One day during a road trip, driving in the practice van I flew from the first row bench to the third row bench so I could punch her! No lie and I have those who can prove it :)

For the last guy's home game...Nancy and I decided to dress up as cheerleader's for our "boys". We had fun doing it even though it was soooo obnoxious :) hehehe

For Spring Break, we all, and I mean all, went to Destin, Florida to stay at Spencer Kimball's beach house. Such a fun break and we were able to squeeze it between practice's and game's!

This is Nancy and I being daring as usual :) Going on the wave runner in the ocean is completely different than going on a wave runner in Lake Powell! You get going and if you hit one of those huge ocean waves, you are done for!

Look how tan I was....
I had the opportunity to attend a semester in Italy studying Art History. The best investment that my parents ;) made for me by far! I was worried since none of "our group" friends were able to go that I was going to be a total loner?!? That summer I learned once again how horrible and untrue stereotypes can be. Since I was an "athlete", I was "this way" and since they were "not", they were "this way"...SO NOT TRUE! Really, I had so much in commen and so much fun with these girls. Girls that I would never have thought that I would be friends with or share these experiences with...it was a summer that I will never forget. Not only were we mature at times, but we also were immature and obnoxious...the best way to be!

When in Rome.....

Me, just hanging out in my Southern Virginia ball shirt....

Trying to impersonate this sign....retards, I know!
This is in the city of Asisi which is a city which stands out among the rest. That top left window is our hotel room window and we are in the main square. This city is famous for "St. Peter's Basilica" and was your typical "hill town" and I loved it!

I love this picture...
The most random and oddest event happened as I was crossing the street to go back to our hotel (which you can see in the background and that is our hotel room window) I looked at this man and thought "He looks just like Bob Gilmour" who had been our bishop back in Toronto, Canada. "He looks like Darren Gilmour" who had been my serious crush of all time growing up! Sure enough, in the city of Florence, I ran into a family who I had not seen for6 years! Funny huh?

Every morning they brought us breakfast and if you looked out that window, right in front of us, and I mean right there across the street, is "The Duomo" and there were still ancient "fresco's" on the wall of our hotel room! I remember thinking of who else and what else had gone on in this room over time...hmmmm?Another one of my favorite pictures...Florence, Italy...The reflection is perfect...

Ms Barbara Crawford...She is, by far, my most favorite professor. She began teaching at Southern Virginia back when it was an all girls academy. She stayed on teaching and lived in Lexington, Virginia. Her husband was Italian and she was a romantic who loved what she taught. She was a wonderful artist and was in galleries all over the east coast but she loved teaching Art History.

This is one of my favorite pictures in Venice....

I remember thinking that this guy looked kind of like an "Italian Adam Sandler". He was pretty comical and played right into it....

...and then he began to attack me! I was laughing so hard! Now I really do think he is hoooot!

Getting ready to get on the train to head to Milan. We were such tourist retards! I just have to laugh! That's all I can do....
As we were going on one of our adventures, we ran into some missionaries! They told us where the local ward met so that we could go. It did not matter that we didn't understand one word of that meeting because the feeling was so reverent and comforting! I wonder why?!?
....and you can not go to the "Leaning Tower of Pisa" and not do this picture like the rest of the world! It's too hard to pass up!
So, that is pretty much what I was doing 10 years ago, even if you could care less, there you have it. One of the best year's of my life! To end the "tag" off right, I will finish doing it!

5 Things on my "To Do" list for tomorrow

1. - 5. nothing nothing nothing nothing nothing :)

3 Bad habit's that I have

1. Giving my kid's "Fast Food" for dinner because I am too tired after work to cook

2. Speeding

3. When I am surprised, scared, or REALLY angry...I can throw out swear words :(

Place's that I have lived

American Fork, Utah

Toronto, Ontario, Canada

Highland, Utah

Lehi, Utah

Sandy, Utah

Buena Vista, Va

Italy

Draper, Utah

Thing's most people do not know about me

I sometimes still sleep with my "silky"

I played college sports

My secret identity "Martha" that I have for my kids (for fun)

I fluently speak French

I am a BFSS (best friend spinster sister) :)

I love and listen to classical music and I love and listen to rap music

I have been to every state of the United States except for one...Alaska...

I officially "tag" Lyssa, Tiffany, Jaime, Amanda, Jenny, and Chantel (if you have the time to do it)