TOUCHDOWN!!!

It's official. Football season has begun. Trevor is a fanatic when it comes to BYU football and has been a season ticket holder for years. This year he was able to buy 2 more so his friends would use 2 and he could use the other 2 to take Carter. He searched high and low for Carter's new BYU football shirt and he finally found one at Walgreens? of all places.

I am so excited for Carter to spend some guys only time with his Dad. I have my own memories of being his age and going with my parents to the football games in that very same stadium. I can't tell you one thing about the actual games but I can tell you all about the treats that my Mom put together to keep Jake & I occupied.

"Rise and Shout
the Cougars are out
along the trail to Fame & Glory....."


There's nothing more memorable or better than the BYU Cougars fight song! :) rrrrrrrrright!!!

Our Mommy-Daughter Dates...

While Carter went on his own outing to the football game with Trevor, Kindra and I got to have another one of our own. We didn't do anything huge but we watched the movie "Ella Enchanted" and went down to China Isle for some egg drop soup and an order of cream cheese wantons...Kindra's favorite.

During the summer, my friend Amanda invited me to join in on her weekly play date activities that she'd put together with some other Moms. It was perfect because while Carter was at school, Kindra and I could have some one on one time and though we were only able to make it to a few of them, they were a lot of fun!

The day that we went up to Liberty Park was a fun one because my friend Misty was able to come with her 2 kids. A few months ago, Misty moved back to Utah from New York. She made the moves because of her husbands career so it's nice to have her back.

Misty and I first met when we worked together at Reagan Advertising in 2001. We quickly became friends because we have a lot in common. When my accident occurred, she was right there to support me. We've talked about this since, but that first year while not able to go back to work, I pushed her away because I was upset and jealous that she could work and that she had my accounts. Just one of the learning emotions and situations that we do in times of trauma though we don't mean to or know that we are even doing it. It wasn't until she moved away that I came to understand what I had done. We'd talk every few months and keep up on each others lives and I even convinced her to start a blog! I was so excited when she told me that they were moving back.

Misty is the most positive person that I know. She is a great Mom and a great friend. One of those that I trust 110% and know that she'll always tell me how it really is...even when I am wrong. The other night we went to dinner and I was telling her about something that I had decided to do. She gave me her honest opinion, her warnings, and then her support. She is always saying "I just love you Katie. You are hilarious!"

...this is Misty's son Ashton and her daughter Seneka...

Amanda put together the best activity! A tour of the Sweets candy factory and Kindra loved it, because of how much candy we got afterwards, but we had fun! ***thanks Amanda for letting us join in especially since you know how clueless and overwhelmed I was at the beginning of the summer when it came to the daily "keep 'em busy" activities! You are one of my mentors when it comes to being the best mom ever! Sounds a little cheesy but it's true! Thanks, Thanks, a million times Thanks...for everything from this to our "intervention" talks!
Kindra...I love you and I love the times that we get to hang out just you and I! Now that Carter will be going to the football games with Dad, we'll have our set times to make some more memories :)

The Best Way To Get Exactly What You Want...

When Sara was telling us about her 30th birthday party at lunch last week, I thought that she was kidding.

"I turn 30 only once and I want to have a party so I'm going to throw it myself! That way I'll get exactly what I want! We're going to have a band, a margarita drink tender, food, and a "writing reader", and whatever else I think of in the mean time."

As we entered their backyard, I realized that she had NOT been kidding and it was AWESOME!!! It was exactly what a birthday party should be when you're "our" age. She even had everything she'd said that she was going to. We had to give Jay a hard time because we knew that she had done it ALL herself which said alot for her skills and nothing for his :(The guys had me laughing hysterically because within .2 seconds of being there, they threw out numerous references taking me back to our high school career.

You see, I went to high school with all of the "hubby's" and have some pretty classic memories of them (most of which the wives told me never to reveal) Tara just laughed. "Now you know what it's like when we ALL get together. We have to listen to their stories and never get what they are talking or laughing about."

*going to Naugles after the football/bball games

*being called "Terry" instead of Katie

*Rustin's 1984 blue Honda

...just to name a few of the memories....

We had to capture the moment of Jay (Sara's hubby & my distant-distant cousin) and Cole (Tara's hubby) carrying me down the stairs after my trip up to the "writing reader". I told Jay that if they helped me out, I would cheer on the U of U Utes this weekend (Jay is the Special Teams Co-Or) and that's pretty much a never since I hate anything that has to do with the Utes :)

HAPPY 30th BIRTHDAY SARA!!! I can only wait to see what you put together next year.

Look What I Found Yesterday....

Picture #1... my Puma shoes that I bought 5 yrs ago. Still to this day they are my favorite shoes. they smell, they're filthy, they are stained, but they have love coming from their owner...ME! but look what I found today...and even on sale...really on sale like $19.95 at one of Macy's infamous sales! :)Picture #2 ...my new find! look how freakin cute they are! they are so clean and perfect. I just want to keep them in their box to collect and to stare at them.
PS notice that the rest of you are finding and bragging about your hot jeans, stunning dresses, classy shoes, exquisite home decor, gorgeous jewelry, etc etc and look what I am so proud of??? my new old school Puma's?!? hehehe how and what more Katie could you get!!! a classy tom boy at heart is what I like to call it :)

More Memory Thursday...Who Was Your Best-Friend Growing Up and Are You Still In Contact?

This "Memory Thursday" was perfect because I spent last week with my childhood best-friend...Charakie Mitchell Gines Gordon-Smith! We attended the BYU's Education Week and had a good time laughing at each other and laughing at the rest of the weirdo's :) that were right along with us!

The best part of the week would have to have been the reminiscing that we did. We talked about the old neighborhood...Shelley Elementary...the Mitchell's old red house...the apple orchards...the Gears...the pervert who lived on the corner...Charakie-Becca-Katie...but the best would have to be the story of when I moved away. Neither of us will ever forget the day that my Mom drove me over to Charakie's so that I could give her my most prized possession as a "moving away" present...my Barbie Motor-Home Van!

Now THAT sure dates us, huh?!?

Thanks for a fun week and for the numerous moments of laughter! I will never forget the story about the creature who stole and perched on our chair...or about the stinky box??? :)

PS Char...I felt way too bad putting those other pictures up! I would go straight to you-know-where! Seriously!

Memory Thursday---What does it mean to you to be a true friend and have you ever been betrayed by your best-friend?

I have had this topic of conversation a lot lately with a few of my friends. Granted, some friends change here and there depending on your time and season. I think that we all get from each other what we need at certain times of our lives depending on what we are going through. I would have to say that my best gal pals are those that I have met later on in life like after my "high school life". I still have a few friends from high school that are also friends who have matured and have found a secure place in their lives. That is the only reason and why that we are still friends...the fact that we can "really" be our "true" selves without feeling wrong/stupid/embarrassed for doing so.

It's a two way street. I invite them for get togethers, movie nights, and lunch dates. They call and invite me for get togethers, movie nights, and lunch dates. It's not just one sided and it's not fake hangout activities. They are not building up things in their minds to talk shi about as soon as you get out of the car. They really see me for me and I see them for them. Finally I have friends who accept what I bring to the friendship table and honestly take it or leave it. They don't just put you into the place that you use to belong in. With my group of college friends, I do have "my place" but it's a healthy place and it's a fun place.

I was betrayed once by those whom I considered to be my best friends and over exactly what, I honestly don't know. There are always two sides to every story but the issue just got all confused, mis-communicated, prideful, and over absolutely nothing. Those friends were very important to me and we did everything that was important in our lives together. Somehow, things ended up being portrayed completely different than what they actually were. I still get confused about what really happened because it doesn't make sense. Even if we tried to "fix" the friendship, I know it can really never be the same. Too many things were said that I don't think that we'll ever forget.

I've realized that I've got some true/real/best friends out there who value my friendship just as much as I value theirs. These friendships are built more on trust, self-security, loyalty and unselfishness. Looking back, thinking about the friends that I've had, shows me what it's like to REALLY be a friend (and of the times that I've not been!) and of the ways that I need to act in the future. PHEW!!! What a learning experience it's been :)

Viva Las Bachelorette...

I promised Stewart that I would not be an evil influence on Jenny since he has heard all about the "plans" that we can come up with :)
We took off Friday morning for Jenny's bachlorette non-party...Marci, Heather, Jenny, and I...to go down and meet Thomas for a weekend full of laziness. We tried to get Jenny to agree to us going to see "Thunder Down Under" but she was not having it :( Taking this picture was about as adventurous as it got! We randomly pulled in to this gas station, not knowing that this was the gas station which had the infamous rocking chair. This was a first for me so we had to take a picture. We had everyone laughing at us as Heather and Jenny lifted me up :) ...after this drive, the long walk-roll to the lobby, and the hauling of my suitcase, I needed a massage...a free massage :) JK and yes. Jenny tried!
...dinner at one of Thomas's favorite restaurants...

I had promised both Jenny and Thomas that I would not pull any stunts but I could not...could not help it. We tried to think of something that we could do. I know of a store in SLC that sells very, very, very visual cakes of "certain things" so we tried to track one of those stores in Vegas. We were able to find one but we had to supply the "certain thing picture". Since I don't have any pictures of penis's lying around (or do I?!?) that was not going to work so we had to improvise...
The last time that we came down to Vegas, we went to a way mellow club called "The Whiskey". Thomas wanted to go out so Jenny agreed to go there. I think it was fate because this is what we found when we got there. I will admit...deep down inside my heart...I was singing a song of joy and relief. We came to the conclusion that we are over that scene and have got that completely out of our systems. :)

...this was all the dancing that we saw that weekend...
This was the best part of the trip! Laying out all day at the pool and being obnoxious with Thomas. She got me swimming laps again but this time there was a definite near drowning experience because she always has me laughing! "Don't make me laugh...gurgle, gurgle...I promise. Don't make me laugh!!!" I promise. Notice I am the only one with wet hair??!!??
...and the monitoring of my "buoy ees" :)
No matter what...Something happens that takes the cake as being the #1 classic event of the trip. Unfortunately it usually involves me. This time...once again...it was me :(

It was 104 degrees which meant that you could hear your skin cooking. Since it is impossible for me to jump in and out of the pool like the other..."which of this thing is not like the others...", we devised a plan to put in a few of the chairs into the pool. That way I could get in and out and swim if I wanted to. After numerous up and downs from the chair to the pool...my arms gave up on me as I was lifting up the last time. Heather was there to help me because I was stuck halfway on my butt-bone (this is so hard to fully describe) I had my eyes closed and I yelled for Heather to help lift my legs up so I could scoot more on. "Heather...hurry...help me. huRRY it hurts! HURRY HEATHER HURRY LIFT UP MY LEGS." Since my eyes we closed, I could not see that she had lifted up my legs but of course I could no tell or feel. The best was that as I was yelling at her, she looked up at Thomas and Jenny with this look of "help me? what do I do? I am lifting up her legs!" So of course...after a lot more laughing and yelling because it did hurt, they took a picture, and I finally got back on. "Veronica...Vanessa...VALERIE" (that one's for you Thomas and Heather!)

This is what the rest of our day looked like. Doing absolutely nothing. Showering. Getting in bed. Watching movies. Wedding Date...Wedding Crashers...Wedding Singer hehehe
We got our lazy butts in gear for a little shopping and some Cheesecake Factory. Delicious as always and good times as usual. Thomas was her usual funny and witty self which always makes for a hilarious night. "I like sex on the beach...the drink...da ding!"
DO NOT ask me why but Heather was obsessed with my wheelchair and could not contain herself any longer. She had to take it for a spin and to master the act of wheely-ing?!? She pretty much disappeared as she went on a stroll around the apt complex trying it out. "Yeah Heather...I am so glad that I am in this...just for you to play with!!!" hehehe JK
I'm not surprised because we always have fun when we all get together. Though I wish that we had a video camera filming us 24/7 because we miss out remembering some of the funny things that we laugh at! Jenny, the tool onion order er and inhaling 5 huge appetizers between all of us. Like a said, a video camera and I know I will get crap for this after my video camera comment that I made about "putting it on me so I could check myself out" which was totally taken out of context :)

Lets plan a little better next time because I think that we're all over Vegas and it's time to move on to a new city with some new adventures and some new funny moments to create!

Love ya girls and love all of the crazy stuff that we get away with both in word and deed! We could only do it with each other!!!

"The Wedding Date" the movie

My "favorite movie of the week" is "The Wedding Date".
Not only does it cast more than one "hottie" but it said a few "duh" causing lines...


*do you honestly believe that i want to be miserable?...yes. i do.

*...every woman has the exact love life that she wants...

*...when you're ready to be un-single and un-miserable, you will but until then....

*i realized that i'm actually sick of our story. the kat-jeffrey story and it's time to move on. i'm ready to move on.

(my sister reminded me of another one that we laughed hard at)
*are you ok?...nothing that a little vodka and a straight edge razor can't fix.

perfect timing for exactly what i needed to hear.
perfect.

My 12 Weeks Are Over :(

Like for the rest of you parents out there, the past 2 Mondays were "back to school" days. I can not believe how fast the summer flew by and ofcourse, I have regrets on the things that we did not do...but there is always next year, right?!? :) Kindra was not so excited about school since that means that we actually have to do her hair! For my friends who have their daughters wearing the perfect hair do's (hmm hmm Chantel), I don't know how you do it. I will regretfully admit that have mocked you perfect hair doing woman because of sheer insecurity. I CAN NOT DO HAIR so this will be a learning experience for me too!
When Carter started kindergarten I was very proud and very excited for him because I knew that it would be good for him...and it was. There was not one tear shed from either of us. Honest. I trusted that his teacher would teach him a lot more than I would.
I thought that I would react the same way with Kindra when I said my goodbye to her. I was sorely mistaken! As soon as she realized that I was leaving, or tried to leave, the tears began to flow. From both of us. I don't know what came over me. I realized how fast the past 5 yrs have gone by. I realized that my youngest, my last, was entering into the big, scary school years. I realized that I was losing my protective parental control. All of these emotions came right at once. I became completely overwhelmed!
We finally pulled it together after trying to hide the fact that we were crying and she went on her way. She is my tom-boy princess and I am going to love and miss her very much!
...and now for my Carter...
Carter was so excited to get to his new school, his new class, and his new teacher. It was so easy on his big day because he loves to go to school and to get on a constant schedule. I still can't believe that he is in the 2nd grade! I remember those years and actually have some very vivid memories of them.
Check out this hot picture! Yes...the bus comes to our house bright and early(for us) at 8:45am. Yes...Kindra and I are still rockin the pj's. No...I am not an early riser anymore so to shower before he goes to school is probably not a great possibility. :) I am just being honest...
Looking back, the summer was great. We got a lot done and we learned a lot about how things work. I learned lessons on how to be a "stay at home Mom", both good and bad, which I will never forget or ever want to forget. They can only help.
I love you 2 and will miss you terribly but know that you will be learning lessons and creating memories that you will hold dear for the rest of your life. Pay attention and have fun...oh yeah...and listen to your Mother because she knows exactly what she is talking about. I'm not that old :)

S'more'in It Up AF Canyon---

Most weekends, when the kids are with Trevor, they end up planning and going on a camping trip. They love to have outings whenever "a tent" is involved. Trevor is always good about inviting me to go along with them but I'm not so into the camping thing anymore. For me, it's way too complicated trying to "rough'in it". However...since I got Trevor to go boating with me, he got me to go up AF canyon for a quick s'more trip.

That's one thing about Trevor that I will never not give him credit for...he's a great Dad and he loves his kids very much!

Since we did not have a "tent sleepover", I let the kids have a "bedroom sleepover" when we got home from the canyon. They were exhausted and fell asleep in point-two seconds!

***please ignore the background mess. we actually did a good-will gathering that day which, though it sounds like an excuse, is what you are actually seeing....riiiiight!! no really!!! :) ***

Recruiting For Southern Virginia University

Here we are again with another one of my infamous flashback pics. This is a picture of when I was back east attending Southern Virginia University. I am with my best-friend-roomie and our 2 B Ball Coach's...Coach Mike Harmon and Coach Deidre Dryden. They are 2 people who I looked up to and respected a great deal...both then and now. I have some pretty great memories of those years playing for them while I was at SVU.

So when I had the assistant coaching position at Lone Peak High school, I used their example's as the type of coach that I wanted to become.

Coaching that year at Lone Peak was a good learning lesson. After I'd graduated from SVU, I'd given up a coaching internship that I'd always regretted. In the back of my mind I'd always had the "what if...i wish" thoughts so it was exactly what I needed to finally know what it was that I really wanted to do...coaching or continue my career in sales.

Though coaching basketball was 100% different (and not in a good way) than playing basketball and though the female/wheelchair combo probably did not help, I am so glad that I did it. I made some friendships that I will never forget!One of these friendships would no doubt be with Amanda Prestwich and her mom Raquel. I just happened to have a conversation with Raquel one afternoon a few months ago right at the right time. Amanda was down playing at SUU and was not enjoying the team or the experience. My mind instantly came up with a new game plan. "Hmmmmmm SVU?"

I called Coach Harmon and learned that he was in need of a post player so told him all about Amanda. He had her put some tapes together, did a phone meeting, and the plan was in motion. They wanted her to sign if she decided that she could move back to Va. It sounds like an easy task but not when you're the decision maker. It's hard to drop everything, to move somewhere all by yourself, and to pretty much start over. I told her some words of encouragement and of some of my experiences hoping that it would help her decision.

She accepted and this week will be on her way. I am so excited for her! I know that she will go through things that she will never forget. She will learn tools and lessons that will always stay with her and that will help her in ways that will surprise her later on in life. After everything was said and done, Amanda shared with me something that coach had told her when he offered her the position. "Because I can only watch your tapes, because I can not see you play in person, because I know her worth ethic and the type of player that she is, the fact that she knows what I expect...I trust her recommendation and I know that we want you".

I felt like a dependant 20 yr old again, starved for direction from my coach. From someone who I looked up to and respected more than words can describe. That small compliment made my day and reminded me of how important this man had been in my life at that time. It always throws me off when at the most random time, something will be said or done that will take you back to remind you of an important part of who you are because of some event that took place in your life. I also know that we are placed in situations or that we do certain acts for a reason, to play a role in things working in a certain way for either you or for someone else. It is such a bigger picture than we understand. Again I will share my favorite Katie'ism..."It is not our job to understand, it's our job to just do"...I believe it's our obligation to be doing what WE EACH know that WE EACH should be doing so that we can be in the right place at the right time or to hear the right thing at the right time. You just never know who will be touched and of what will do down.

They threw a going away BBQ for Amanda last weekend so I stopped by to give her some more words of advice, some more well wishes, and (Raquel stop reading) to give her complete driving directions to Destin FL aka Panama City beach for spring break :) hehehe Amanda...I know that you will do great and that you will love Coach Harmon. If you give him the respect that he deserves, if you can give him some trust, and listen to all that he says...your experience will be better than you can imagine!

Now...go get that blog up so I can always see how your season is going and I will for sure push for a trip out there to come and watch you play!