Oh My! We're 1 Of The 10 Finalists!

remember when we did THIS for the "mormon messages" video contest???

well YES! we are 1 of the 10 finalists! i know. i am SO excited! (and my son at this moment is mimicking me and the words of the video, laughing hysterically! "mom,that drives me insane!?" well, sooooorry!?)

you'd have thought that i've played it a million times or something!? oh wait. maybe i have? and yes. i still even cry at myself. i know....

everyone has the chance to go on the site and vote for their favorite video so will you? and will you vote for me? even IF it's NOT your favorite? please....

(our video is under the "professional videos" and is called "the trial of adversity")

thanks. i mean THANKS!!!

xxxx

Good Call and Great Day...

remember a few of my besties back from THESE DAYS ?
and THEN when leslie moved to utah?
well yes. we had another rendez-vous for keala's birthday luah! (keala is leslie's daughter and they are hawaiin)

***this was how the day started***

Jenny (my sister)~~"you're going to be at my house at one, right?"
Me~~ugh. this cold is kickin my butt! if i can WILL myself up and in the shower?!"
Jenny~~so is that WILL yourself MENTALLY or WHEEL yourself PHYSICALLY? LOL"
Me~~"hahahahahahahahahahaha! good one. awesome and BOTH actually!Heather Butler..."what a fun day it is when i get to hang with both of the terry sisters. it always makes my day!"
Katie Terry..."Woot woot! And same here! There's just something about being with some of "the originals" that brings it all out! The comedy and laughter is endless! xxxx
Ps. boarding and river rafting....check!!!"
Jenny Terry Jaynes..."I find myself rather witty! hahahaha yesterday was a treat! And by treat I mean hanging out with Heather and you. NOT my binge at Chick Filet!"

"Unless you puke, faint, or die...KEEP GOING!"

~~~Jillian Michaels

I'm A Very Lucky Girl...

xxxx

my loves...

ahhhhh. but why do i love this so much? i love how excited the team gets. i love how excited the fans get. i love how excited he gets. i love the team unity. i love the humble look that he still gets on his face. i love the upset. i love the memories that it brings me. i love thinking back on what i learned when playing college ball and especially the lessons that came while sitting on the bench. i love how my son changes his name to "jimmer" when we're outside taking shots.

me..."carter. don't forget that we have scouts tomorrow night, ok?"

carter..."sorry mom but no. um. BYU game? it's on at 5 and i'm not going anywhere!"

me..."ok. good call. how did i even forget?!"


LOVE IT!!! the march madness is in HIS head too! woot woot! now if only i could get kindra on board...? hmmm?

enjoy watching the magic ;)

touche....

me..."come on you 2! please hurry! we just have to run in here real quick..."

kindra..."well you can't run."

i heard her comment but really wasn't thinking about anything else than the errand.

me..."seriously. i promise it will be fast. we just are going to run in and run out."

kindra..."mom! stop saying the word run! you can't run. roll. we're going to roll in and roll out!"

uh.

um.

touche. tooooouche.

Tomorrow...

yes. this is a word that comes out of my mouth quite frequently. and it's not even something that i'm happy about. especially when my 8yr old says...

"mom. i am so sick of hearing that! you always say tomorrow...tomorrow. we never do what you say we're going to do!"

ouch. snap. touche.

i admit it. i can make up a great list of daily "to do's" and then get only a few crossed off. it's not like i don't WANT to get to them, but it's more that we run out of time or that i run out of energy. plus, there is no way that some of these tasks can be done with 2 kids at my side. i've learned. it's too much and i end up getting frustrated which only ruins the mood.

sister wives. sister. wives. i'm starting to understand the benefits. when one steps down, another can step up. it's quite genius actually and at this point, you probably could have me sold. but so far i've not been offered so until then, i'll just keep on going.

"tomorrow. tomorrow. there's always tomorrow. it's only a day away..."
;)

The Luck of the Irish...

***some history for you first...if you care that is***

St. Patrick, the patron saint of Ireland, is one of Christianity's most widely known figures. But many of the stories traditionally associated with St. Patrick are false, the product of hundreds of years of exaggerated storytelling.

It is known that St. Patrick was born in Britain to wealthy parents near the end of the fourth century and he is believed to have died on March 17 around 460 AD. At the age of 16, Patrick was taken prisoner by a group of Irish raiders who were attacking his family's estate. They transported him to Ireland where he was held captive for 6 years. During this time, lonely and afraid, he turned to his religion for comfort, becoming a devout Christian.

According to his writing, a voice, which he believed to be God's, told him in a dream that it was time to escape and leave Ireland. After escaping back to Britain, Patrick began his religious training and fifteen years later, was ordained a priest. He was sent back to Ireland on a mission to begin to convert the Irish to Christianity as well as to also administer to those who were all ready Christians living in Ireland.

Familiar with the Irish tradition and culture, Patrick chose to incorporate traditional rituals into his lessons instead of trying to change native Irish beliefs. For instance, he superimposed a sun, a powerful Irish symbol, onto the Christian cross to create what is now known as the Celtic cross so that the symbol would seem more natural to the Irish.

The Irish culture has centered around a rich tradition of legend and myth so it is no surprise that the story of St. Patrick's life became exaggerated over the centuries, spinning exciting tales to remember their Irish way of life and of their history.

ok. now on to the good stuff.

i don't really have any memories of this holiday other than watching those poor kids who moms didn't put them in green (i am soooo kidding at this. i mean, who really cares?!?) get the crap pinched out of them.

but with that being said, i am one to make sure that they're wearing green, very visibly. and i lie. i just had a memory. those nimrods in jr high or high school who would say "i am too wearing green! there's green on my underwear! right here...." and then would make an attempt to pull down their pants. huh? why? parents. please advise your teens to NOT do this. wow....

anyway, back to memories other than green and pinching. i told my kids that we could eat "lucky charms" for breakfast AND for dinner. hahaha and with that, i am good and the fun mom once again! waaaahaaahaaa awesome....

i will say that the BEST memory that i have of st. patricks day would be 3/2000. all time best and worst. but one that i will never forget.

one of my best friends flew into washington dc for a little eastern road trip. i was living back east and he had never been so we had a little adventure planned out. dc, atlantic city, new york, and buena vista, va. quite the combo.

seeing that it was st patricks day, there was no way that we could miss out on finding the best pub in town. let's just say that i had way too much "green stuff" that night and the toilet became my personal st. patrick. barf. literally. food coloring is never good, in anything.

i will say that i love march.

1. march madness. woot woot tonight. that's all i am going to say so that i don't jinx it.
2. steve young ski classic that is this weekend
3. spring cleaning meaning de-junking
4. summer is right around the corner which also means that THIS is almost 3 wks away!!!

that's all but i do hope that the luck of the irish suits your fancy and that we all get lucky in one way or another! and in closing, i had to post this. i laughed hard then and i laughed even harder last night. please ENJOY, LAUGH or CHUCKLE as hard as i did!

seriously, WHO IS My Sister???

let me first start off my saying how much i love my little sister lyssa! (not melissa or alyssa just lyssa) she never ceases to amaze me with everything that she does.

i am 6 yrs older than she is so the memories of us growing up together, really aren't there. i mean a 16 yr old does not think her 10 yr old sister is very cool. i was out of the house at 18 so we never really "bonded" back then. aaaand she was a brat anyway so i never really bothered. (lol. just being honest!? aaaand i was an even bigger mean girl so it was not a good combo)

when i was married and having children, she was one of those sisters who would tell me all of the things that i should be doing as a mom though SHE DID NOT HAVE KIDS NOR WAS EVEN MARRIED YET so yeah.

and believe me, i'm not just trying to paint an ugly picture, i'm just laying the groundwork and explaining how our "relationship" or lack there of was.

then she grew up and realized what was now going to be required of her. it was not easy but she took LIFE head on. aaand you know, she has, in my eyes, perfected her own little world.

it was after THIS TRIP, that i saw her in a completely different light. i saw what she had become and i saw that this relationship could be changed into a friendship. i understood that there was so much that i could learn from her example.

now, i know that she has the same "chaotic moments" that we all have, her kids can scream, her house can be cluttered, she can be lazy, and she can feel like nothing is in control, but i'd say that she has done a pretty good job at creating a balance! (and those examples are mine not hers. lol)

anyway, i know i'm a bit behind when it comes to these "crafty" things that people can find and then transform but i think i've found what MY craft is going to be for my craft night responsibility!

please GO OVER HERE and meet my friend, who happens to also be my sister lyssa, the "born again crafter"....

fyi. when i wrote this post it was because of this and then look what she came up with today?! see. we're not from the same gene pool!?

(and i know, eh? what happened to me?! man. lol)
xoxo

Rock That Body

so. i LOVE this song. right now, this song depicts exactly how i feel about my body.

i have been freaking out about my weight. i have not been very happy at all about it. i have been busting my butt to get back down to my desired weight. well i just found out yesterday that it has paid off. i am only 10lbs away from my goal!!! you have no idea how happy this makes me. i can not even express in words...

while doing sit ups this morning, i was thinking about how much the numbers play on our self esteem and our self image. has anything changed? i mean, am i probably the only one who notices the difference? yes. yes. yes. but now that i know i weigh X amount, i feel like life is great. i feel attractive again. i feel that sassy-ness trait back again.!

when i found out that i actually weighed THIS amount, i died inside. all of a sudden i was THAT. i felt like crap. i was all depresso and miserable just because of THAT number. i will admit that my head can be a mess when it comes to how much i weigh. don't forget that when i graduated from high school, i weighed a mere 95 lbs. so yeah. that is what i think "normal" or "healthy" is.

it's sad how a number can have that much affect on your self esteem. that a number can make you feel so sad inside. it's just so blah!

anyway, like i said. just a thought.

can i say it one more time??? i weigh almost THAT again!!! woot...woot!!!

it's all mental...it's all mental...it's all mental

:)

I Can Not Even Comprehend...

my heart and prayers are with them...

The Reading Battle Continues...

when i was in the second grade there was a "reading contest" to see who could read the most number of books. the books had to be written down on a list and signed off by your parent. i wanted so badly to win! and for the record. YES i did win! i kept that ribbon in a very safe place to use as proof for my kids. (why can't they just believe us??? why do we need proof to show them that we actually DO know what we are talking about???)

i remember taking every possible book that we owned and putting them in a huge pile in the middle of the living room floor. i sat down on that floor every night and just read and read, writing down each book. i loved to read so this contest was cake. when i say loved, i mean LOVED!

i got this trait from my mom, who has the grandest library of books. piles and piles and bookcases everywhere in their home. she was always waiting for us every day after school in her favorite chair reading books. instead of trying to get her attention, pulling her away from the computer (like my kids have to do) it was a book.

i assumed that my daughter would be the same way. but remember what assuming can make you, right? one big ass. ;)

she hates reading. loathes it. she'll join in when i'm reading to her but when i tell her it's time for her to sit down and read herself, that's when the battle begins. booo! why? why did i get a child who hates one of my favorite past times? i try to tell her how much fun that it can be. how her imagination will soar. how much she'll learn about life. i've even tried to bribe her.

nope.

but don't worry. this is one thing that i won't give up on. i found THIS that i am going to try so we'll see how it goes. please cross your fingers for me because i need some strength on this one too. it can be so frustrating plus the yelling matches are never fun. especially while she's been home, i've wanted this to be a bonding time that is fun. (can i say it again...I HATE HOME SCHOOLING!!!) also, if you have any good ideas for me to use, please comment on this one! i need HELP on this, remember?!?

so yes. please send those positive vibes my way and we'll see how it goes :)

ps. on another note that has to do with "school at the school", i've been asked to be on the PTA next year. yes. ME?!? but honestly, these are projects that i actually LOVE so i'm excited and very honored to have been asked.

pss. and i'm still taking pledges for THIS too!

PLEASE Don't Forget That I'm Still Working On THIS That's This Wkend...

...And The Countdown Continues (and i still want and need those who can pledge! you can contribute at the "donate" link that's on the right side of my blog...and THANKS!!!)

i wish that you all knew exactly how much time was spent on my computer and phone last week. so much that it makes me SICK. and even though i had a really good reason still working on THIS , it was not my favorite thing to do. i hate feeling like i am harassing people or begging for money but unfortunately, there is no way around it. so once again, another week continues....

but let me give you some good news!!! it was a good week, a REALLY GREAT week and some awesome people came forward to help. like wow! some were close friends and some were complete strangers. and let me say just how much that all warms my heart. the love and compassion that comes out from friends and strangers when someone is in need! ahhhh i LOVE it!

so here is this weeks project that will go along with my master plan. this weekend, i will be doing THIS and have set up a "pledge" plan. it is a 10k so for every km that i handcycle, i am asking for an amount of your choice to donate. you want to do $1/km? great! you want to do $5/km? great! you want to do $10? great! it is totally YOUR choice. half of what i earn will go to the university's cancer awareness group and the other half will go to my handcycling efforts. i'm really excited to do this since it is for such a great cause plus it will only help me to get ready for THIS! (and for those who live in my little area, don't worry, you'll be getting a knock on the door just like our kids do with the walk-a-thons!?)

so please if you could help me out with this, go to paypal.com and enter in the email address kterry88@gmail.com and make a donation.

little by little, i know that i will achieve my goal and especially when i'm able to give back to the community!

xxxxx

***WANTED***

hi. my name is katie terry. the REAL katie terry. this is me below in my wheelchair....

sometimes i can look like this while being tan and having blonde hair...
or sometimes i can look like this while in my natural brown.
point is. THIS IS ME and THESE ARE MY PHOTOS!!!
why am i even writing this post? well, i just found out that i have a facebook stalker. someone who is impersonating me and using my profile pictures as her own. all of her photos are of me. i have harassed her to take them down, had my friends send her messages, i have reported her ten thousand times, and have filled out the huge complaint form.
can you say frustrated, furious, nervous, creeped out, livid, and scared???
i mean. who does something like this? more than anything it is either sad that they can't show their own face and real life or it is either some shim who is a pervy predator.
wow.
WOW.
it makes you think more than twice about facebook and what you put up on there!
so WANTED. all of you who find some time to harass AMY WEST with messages asking her to take down my photos! she can be found HERE sporting a picture of me and today it's one of me in my handcycle :(

anyway, HAPPY TUESDAY

...And The Countdown Continues

i wish that you all knew exactly how much time was spent on my computer and phone last week. so much that it makes me SICK. and even though i had a really good reason still working on THIS , it was not my favorite thing to do. i hate feeling like i am harassing people or begging for money but unfortunately, there is no way around it. so once again, another week continues....

but let me give you some good news!!! it was a good week, a REALLY GREAT week and some awesome people came forward to help. like wow! some were close friends and some were complete strangers. and let me say just how much that all warms my heart. the love and compassion that comes out from friends and strangers when someone is in need! ahhhh i LOVE it!

so here is this weeks project that will go along with my master plan. this weekend, i will be doing THIS and have set up a "pledge" plan. it is a 10k so for every km that i handcycle, i am asking for an amount of your choice to donate. you want to do $1/km? great! you want to do $5/km? great! you want to do $10? great! it is totally YOUR choice. half of what i earn will go to the university's cancer awareness group and the other half will go to my handcycling efforts. i'm really excited to do this since it is for such a great cause plus it will only help me to get ready for THIS! (and for those who live in my little area, don't worry, you'll be getting a knock on the door just like our kids do with the walk-a-thons!?)

so please if you could help me out with this, go to paypal.com and enter in the email address kterry88@gmail.com and make a donation.

little by little, i know that i will achieve my goal and especially when i'm able to give back to the community!

xxxxx

the story of my life...

i have never denied the internal struggle that takes place within my soul. and yes i'm proud to admit that i'm glad that it does. in all honesty, i never want to give her up. i never want to be that unmotivated woman who becomes ONLY a mom. i need more mixture than that. and i understand that this is a personal choice too. but i like being driven, having a passion, acting on those random ideas, and having those wild hairs that show up every now and then. anway, you get my point. enjoy reading this piece that my friend rebecca wrote and might i add, well said. very well said.....

xxxx

Alone Time With My Kindra...

1. i will never be a mom who has the patience or determination to home-school my kids
2. i feel like i have a baby again. not because she's needy but because i can't just come & go anymore
3. i love the "disney channel" and a yogurt in the morning
4. "the price is right" will never be the same though it gets me through my daily ride
5. we've come up with our own little "amazing race" stunts for kindra and her getting around
6. kindra's giggles are the best EVER!
7. staying home all day long really isn't all that bad especially when you have an excuse that allows you to stay in your pj's all day!
8. lots of organizing and projects have been checked off of the list
9. kindra loves the camera almost as much as i do :)
10. homework is very annoying especially the second time around!
11. "mom? i need to tell you something. can we talk?" has been my favorite line
12. kindra loves reading "the boxcar children" series
13. kindra is not a morning person!
14. kindra is so strong willed and does not let anything stop her!
15. croutons are really called cutips...lol
i was very worried that i would go insane after the first few days after kindra's surgery. i don't like to feel trapped, with anything. i had to have a little mini pep talk with myself to remind me that this too was all mental and that i needed to make the best and the most of it. i needed to have a plan and a schedule with how our days would be. so i did and it worked! the past 4 weeks have flown by so fast and i would never take this time back.
there was a while there when i was so worried that i was "losing" her. she expressed feeling like i was always upset with her because i always seemed irritated. no. no. no. not the case. more like being so stressed and very short with my answers. i was forgetting how to laugh and forgetting how i've been able to make it through life. my fun and random side and the laughter that comes with it. i needed this time to remember that and to remember the important things that i'll experience in this life. one day i'll look back and miss these days. i'll miss hearing her giggles as she is watching "good luck charlie" or "suite life on deck". i'll miss the funny comments about life that comes out of her 8yr old brain and i'll miss her innocence.
i'm very behind on my blogging when it comes to how well she has been doing so more pictures and stories to come....

love you "butchee mcghee" and i'm glad you're mine....
xxxx

Fundraising x Two x Three x Four x Five x.....?

one of the many things that i've learned while "doing" this project, is that there are so many great people who are willing to help me out and to give in the ways that they can! i'm so lucky to have such awesome people in my life!

facebook, blogs, tweeting, word of mouth, and in other ways that i don't even know of. it's been very humbling to say the least.

so to all of you out there, here is a big THANK YOU!!!

xxxxx

Fundraising...

i can not believe that we are already 6 weeks away until THIS! i am dying with excitement for what i will be experiencing!

then two weeks later, begins my summer of THIS. i should say i "hope" my summer of THIS begins because there's those dang things called money, cost, and expenses. i wish that i was worth a few million but sadly, i'm not.

with that being the case, i've had to turn to some fund raising efforts and maybe in a few weeks it will look a lot more like begging so sooorrrry. are my efforts perfect? no. do i hope that it will help? yes. every dollar counts and it all adds up, little by little. so take a look below and see what you think....


My Mission Statement...

To use the ability within my disability to be an example to those who may also be struggling with any type of trial and mostly to be an example to my children of a parent who did not give up.

Organization Name...

I am a member of the Utah Hand-Cycle Team and have the opportunity to travel all over the country competing on a National level. As an individual, I qualified and was selected to compete in the Boston Marathon in April of 2011.

Type of Support...

Financial costs of travel and race expenses

Timing of Support...

April 01, 2011 - April 01, 2012

Overview of Request...

My name is Katie Terry and I am a single mother of two children, Carter is 9, and Kindra is 7. I currently live in American Fork, Utah.

Nine years ago, I was in an auto accident that left me paralyzed from the hips down...and they discovered I was pregnant with Kindra. Let me just say that when it rains, it can sure pour! I played soccer in university and have what I call "the athletes mentality" which is "Go. Fight. Win!" I knew that everything somehow and in someway was going to be ok and I was going to hit this challenge head on and live a great life!

It took some time learning how to "re-live" again, one day at a time, but I did it. I made a list of all of the things that I was going to do again and one by one, I checked them off. I soon realized that everything is possible even if you have to be a bit more creative doing it!

It was then that I realized in the ability within my disability and that I could be an example of dedication, commitment, endurance, and hard work. And doing it with a fun and positive attitude made it an incredible journey. "It's all Mental" is another one of my favorite quotes.

3 years ago, I decided that I needed to find an activity that would help me with a great cardio workout. That is when I borrowed a hand-cycle from the "National Ability Center" and began riding 12 miles 2-3 times a week. During one of my rides, I decided that I was going to see if I could participate in the "St George Marathon". They gave me the ok and I did it! It is impossible in words to describe the emotions that occur when you've completed something like a marathon. It was awesome! I also found out that I was also the FIRST EVER FEMALE hand-cyclist to participate in this marathon. WOW! How great was that?!

That was when I was invited to become a member of "The Utah Hand-Cycle Team" which gives me the opportunity to race all over the country on a National level. It was great to meet others who had the same passion that I had. It also allowed me training tools that helped me to become better also being the FIRST EVER hand-cyclist in the "Ragnar Relay" series and to qualify to participate in the "Boston Marathon"!

With all of these awesome opportunities also comes cost for race and travel expenses. I thought that I had a sponsor all lined up but at the last minute, it fell through. So I am scrambling to find some additional funding. I also want to let you know what I've been involved with and with what it is that I am asking.

It has been awesome to also work with "Heart 2 Home" giving back to the community! To see the joy in someones face when they see the kindness of strangers. I love being able to serve others both with this organization as well as others that I have been involved with. Last summer I went with "Ascend Humanitarian" down to Peru on a service mission to teach them about dental hygiene, recycling, and some schooling. Again, an awesome experience!

I have been asked numerous times if I would ever take back this "trial" and after reflecting on all of the great things that I have been able to be a part of, my answer is simply "No. I really wouldn't. The example that I've been to my kids is worth it. The knowledge that I'm helping others to see what they can truly accomplish is worth it! The tears of gratitude make me understand that it's been a blessing. To realize the ability within my disability."

I am asking for donations, big or small, or for a company that would be able to become my sponsor for both races locally and nationally. It would also be a perfect way for a company to advertise. I would also promote this company in any way that they'd like.

I would be very grateful if this could be possible. Thanks for your time and for looking into this opportunity. If you'd like to donate, you can go to paypal.com and donate to the email address kterry88@gmail.com. And remember, now matter how big or small the donation is, it all adds up, little by little, and will make a huge difference!

Take care,

Katie Terry
www.hotwheels24.blogspot.com