Best of Life Video - March 2012

These continue to be fun to make although I agree with Jono that we need more video and you will be happy to learn in May I took a bunch more video. Hopefully in the nezt week or so I can get all caught up on these. As I look back on March I had such a great time. March was a great month for reconnecting with people and living in the moment.  Song is "Someone that I Used to Know" by Goyte which found itself in the playlist a lot in March. 

Crying over Spilled Milk or Wet Floors

Today started out great - I had lunch plans to meet with Kim Shrum - who I miss seeing like the sun misses the moon. I got in prayer time, a run and yoga all before 7:30. My new Kitchen Aid Mixer which is my corporate anniversary present arrived. It was all sunshine and happy faces. 

And then I noticed my new kitchen floor. Which has begun to warp. I immediately started to panic thinking that my house was melting or leaking or something. Upon closer inspection I determined it's actually my fridge - not the connection to it but something below that maybe the drainage leaking. Seems it's been leaking since we hooked up the water and thus it had the time to warp a good 5-10 sq feet of the floors. 

My frustration tolerance in this moment is at an all time high. This project has been going on for over a month. Its consumed the entirety of my house including the bedrooms. This project has made me frustrated with Jono who's one of my oldest and best friends not to mention champion helper. I was a grout fix, two boxes to be unpacked and some touch-up paint from completing it and now this. After advice from my "faux plumber" and shutting off the water I immediately burst into tears - uncontrollable tears. Nothing like being ridiculously frustrated at 8:30 in the morning crying like a baby on the floor. 

 And then a friend called and another one texted, they both encouraged me and offered their assistance. I stopped crying got myself off the floor and started to work from home trying to ignore this minor disturbance in my day/week/month. I was still annoyed beyond belief. And then another friend text me and another and another IMed each one offering encouragement and support in their own way and I felt better. 

After they lent me an ear I asked one of them "how's your day?" trying not to make things all about me, after I had been all complainy & his response was priceless... it really put my trivial life into perspective. Without telling you about his problems let's just say this - He has bigger sh%$ to deal with than refrigerators and kitchen floors much bigger. After briefly mentioning his problem, he did not whine or melt down crying he simply said something like "I can't really complain it doesn't really do any good. Because I have a job and gods giving me a chance to experience real life and I didn't do anything to deserve that." Which of course made me want to tear up again not because of my floors but for him and his issues.  But you know his response was right that is the right attitude.  So thanks for that.  Clearly I need to get my priorities in order when I cry over a wet floor.

Watch Out for Bears

This weekend I went camping at Red River Gorge in Kentucky which is part of the Daniel Boone National Forest - crossing off #8 on Da List.  Everyone was all worried about Bears.  There was even discussion of downloading a "bear bells app" for our phones (mind you that our phones had no signal in the gorge).  The closet we came to a bear was in the stuffed kind and well a random guy telling me about how he was "getting up on the bears".  

Anyhow we drove down on Saturday morning only to find like 3 campsites open in the national park camp.  So we decided to find another place.  The first place was not really what we wanted 20 other campers on top of you.  Then we found a site at pumpkin bottom campgrounds, which was more our style this was "rugged" camping as in no bathrooms at all - NOT really my favorite however it was close to the Gladies Center where we made friends while using their facilities and getting directions. 

Without cell signals the guys who arrived late had cryptic instructions to find us sent via crazy cell messages which might have dropped several times in the process of relaying the message; however they somehow did find us.   Anyhow we did some hiking and some climbing (Amy also did some jumping and injuring her foot).  We followed up with some tubing which turned out to be an experience - if you are going to tube down the river when the water is low you might want to make sure everyone has their own tube, nobody has a broken foot, and water shoes are a must.  Either way many memories were made and I would do it all again.  Thanks to Faith, Amy, Lynley, Dan, Dustin, Josh for being my companions and champions on this trip it was a great time and for sure a camping trip to measure all other camping trips by - I can't wait to do it all again!

Amy giving cryptic directions.

Lets build a campfire.

Poptarts over the fire - yes this works.

Hot dogs and eggs for breakfast.

Hey look a cave with a lizard in it.

Good hike but hey it's hot outside.

Dan on a rock.  I'm so glad I didn't let him stand on it.

View from the top of the cliff.

Angel Windows Cave.

Someone should have told us this sooner like before Amy hurt herself.  But thanks to the guys for carrying her all day.

And a group photo two + days in the wilderness and this is what we look like. 

Fav on Friday - Swimming

The city pools are starting to open with summer approaching and you know what that means? Swimming! It's one of my most favorite sporting activities. I just love the water even if it's not lake superior or the ocean anytime you can go swimming is good with me.  I actually am debating on getting a pool pass for the summer to the local pool or at least renew my YMCA membership (just waiting on word on the travel volume).  To see the other favs click here.

I so badly want to say "the kitchen is done man"

Okay so as you can tell from the photo not technically. 

However we are so almost there and I'm happy to say that everything that "functions" now works - I just have to say that my friends are awesome it seems like every day someone is in there helping me finish this project and it will be completed.    

This Weekend...

Heart shaped Rice, Vintage Baseball, Big League chew.

This weekend...

I caught an early flight home. 

I ate at a new to me Thai Place. 

I had brother sister lauren time. 

I went to the park with awesome people.

I went for a walk with awesome people. 

I learned that other cultures love holding hands. 

I ran around marsh.

I made french toast with awesome people sometime around midnight.

I laughed a lot. 

I winked like I have nervous twitch. 

I ran errands.

I went to 3 vintage baseball games.

I chewed Big League Chew (thanks Amy).

I got a ridiculous sunburn.

I took a nap.

I went to eat Ethopian. 

I went on a wild goose chase. 

I ate ice cream in front of Marsh.

I rode in the way back of my SUV with the real deal and far too much junk. 

I greeted at church. 

I contemplated gods community.

I thought about about togetherness.

I went had a Mexican picnic on the mall with some other awesome people.

I played football, euchre, and Frisbee.

I got a more ridiculous sunburn.

I went to citigroup for some fellowship with still some more other awesome people.

I had a good tea time with more awesome people.

I unpacked two kitchen cupboards (yes almost there). 

I spray painted laundry room doors.  

I had a good time. 

I had a great weekend. 

I have a fantastic life.

Indianapolis Blues, Ice Cream in Marsh.

Eating Ice Cream in Marsh (no we did not buy that lawn furniture (photo by Josh).

Yes that's Right I came to North Carolina to see baby cows...

Yes I know we have cows in Indiana. I've seen them. But sometimes you want to see baby cows in North Carolina.  And what's not to love.   Look at this baby sticking his tongue out to get me. 

Or this pretty jersey girl with her big eyelashes and intense stare.

And these Holstein's say "eat more chicken" or at least not veal.

I mean look at these baby cows they line up to see me.

They think my plastic bag boots are so fashionable.

There mama's keep their eyes on me as well.

Now back to the babies... there were infants (one born 2 hours ago and still wet).

And this little guy he just wanted to be up with the toddler baby cows.  his mohawk too cute.

Oh and just for good measure one more shot of baby cows.

Thanks to my friend Michele for taking me to see the tiny baby cows at the NC State Dairy.
 

#47 Document Life - Project Life

Project Life Cover Page

Many of you know some of you maybe don't but I'm a scrapbooker and in the last few years I've really fallen short in the scrapbooking of my life - although I still captured the moments.  So in 2012 I set in on a quest to at least do 1 page per week documenting life with the Project Life concept which you might have seen here, or here or even here.  I didn't opt to buy the kits because well I have a TON of stuff in the studio, although I did purchase some different kinds of page protectors from amazon. 

Much to my chagrin this is not as easy as I thought it would be.  I figured this was a project where I could pack some supplies in an envelope and take it on the road - HAH!  that has yet to happen aside from collecting paper in the envelope.  

However, I just completed week's 1-9 and I haven't even printed photos for 10-19 and we're in week 20.  But I'm hoping to catch up at some point, but I figured it was time to just share this project and hopefully continue to do so as motivation to finish weeks 10-19.  (sorry for the crappy photos it's annoying to photograph when it's in the binder.    Most of the photos used were taken with my iPhone and probably also retouched in Instragram I just love the square prints what can I say - I found Printstgram which makes the perfect business card sized print on a sweet coated paper and I love those (as see in the Week 8-9 pages).    Despite being REALLY behind I really like this project I can use up all those things I collect from activities like tickets, and programs and I also can just be old fashiony type scrapbooker taping things down and only using minimal embellishments. 

Week's 8/9 Page 1

Snippet of Week 3 created in baseball card sleeves.

Week 7 in Post Card Sleeves - Look at me reusing Coke Box too.

Week 5 created an actual 8x11.5 page

Snippet of Week 4 - I used more Business Card Sleeves and included things like tags from my new jeans and scrap ribbon.

This is also #47 on da list.

Dear Jackie and Lisa - Books 6 & 7

I am making a little more progress with my book reading I actually finished two this week and almost a third taking me to 7 of 52.  

The first one is called Made in America by Peter Ueborroth - it's about the 1982 Olympics and the guy who organized them.  After visiting the site of the 1978 Olympics in Montreal I have this sudden fascination with wanting to read all kinds of things about the former Olympic sites.  It was a pretty interesting book although pretty short.  Peter's story is definently an interesting perspective on the Los Angeles Olympics did you know that they didn't get any "government" funding or contributions to put the Olympics on it was all sponsorship and marketing.  Anyhow overall the book was pretty good and a quick read which is the opposite of the next book.

The Steve Jobs book by Walter Issacson seemed to take forever to get thru. I "read" it on audio book it's like 27 hours long.  It pretty much tells the story of steve jobs, apple, and pixar. I learned a lot about the guy that people seem to look up to so much.  I don't really quite see it - aside from being a guy who dropped out of college and founded one of the most profitable companies ever.  Ultimately the book didn't improve my impression of him however.  He seemed to be a manipulator, kind of a jerk, not father of the year, and he wasn't into giving to charity - heck he didn't even really "make" anything himself he wasn't much of a programmer.  However the book itself was well written, and it tells a real story about a flawed man who changed the world with technology.  Overall it was definitely worth the read. 

Onward to finish the other two books I'm reading right now as well. 

Happy Reading!

Katie

Tuesday 10 - Middle of May

Time for some Tuesday 10ing,  because I'm trying to get back on track with blogging. I love my blog and I really need to try and make more time to tell the stories of my life in more detail than a photo and a tagline this isn't Facebook - so look forward to more of that as summer progresses, and for now here's a little Tuesday 10 List:

1. Spring Weather (it's lovely here).

 2. Secret Agent Disguises for Mom's Day Priceless.

3. Quiet prayer and bible time by myself.

4. This teapot I'm in search of a yellow one for my new kitchen.  The one I found however was more "pumpkin".

5. Chevrons.  - this is such a lovely look no?

6. My Citigroup - it's awesome duh!

7. This photo of Jono it just seems so perfectly framed.

8.  The color peach or salmon it's never been a favorite but recently I'm feeling the love.

9.  Neon Running Socks (they almost make you want to run).

10.  3 day travel weeks!  Yes Please.