oh school, i did not miss you.

i am feeling soooo unmotivated right now, to do much of anything actually. the only motivation i feel is to climb into my nice, comfy bed and curl up for a nap. although, i know if i do this i will never sleep tonight. and i also know that i should be studying right now, and editing papers, and prepping for projects.... but alas, here i am. blogging.

i've started to develop a little obsession with a fabulous place called Medjugorje. :) my heart has felt completely drawn to it ever since this summer, but lately i'm falling more and more in love with it.

http://www.medjugorje.org/

i don't even know how to begin to explain this beautiful place, so if you want more info go to their website :) here are some pictures from there!



it is such a powerful place from what i've heard, and i am definitely going to find a way to get there if it is up to me! :)

so funny story...

last night my friend jen and i decided to go to olive garden for dinner! i was pretty excited (i always am when i don't have to cook, i love cooking but sometimes i am just so lazy!) so we get there and i decide to get my favorite, fettuccine alfredo. literally probably 5 or 10 minutes after we started eating our waiter came over and started packing up our food in to go boxes!

he asked if i was done (which i obviously wasn't) i replied (jokingly) with, "well...i guess i can eat out of the box.." i don't know if he took me seriously or was ignoring the hint of sarcasm in my voice because he packed up my pasta without even thinking twice! then he brought the check and said, "dont feel like you need to rush!" ummm right, after you already packed up our food. sure mister waiter. we won't rush.

it was so awkward! i'm sure he wouldn't have done that to us if we were our parent's age. boo. it was aggravating. oh well, it made for a great lunch today!!

oof, seriously, please pray i findthe motivation to get some work done. :) i should go at least pretend i'm studying. toodles!

oh how i love break!

it feels so good to be home! i can't even tell you how much i'm appreciating the little things like my bed, home cooking, baking with my parents, car rides to anywhere, and any form of procrastinating my work that i can find -- and let me tell you i've found a lot!!

tomorrow though. tomorrow is the day that i make myself do homework. heh... this better really happen.

so this weekend and today were good! friday i just relaxed at home with the fam. saturday i babysat my dog while these guys came to replace our furnace, then did a little shopping, mass, and reunited with some friends from home. we basically sat and talked all night long! it was great. then sunday i woke up early and went shopping once again with my mom - it's a little tradition of ours, waking up early and shopping together! then i came home, took a nap, and went galavanting around our town with my friends. we started off the evening with a gab-fest like usual, then went driving around taking pictures with christmas lights and drinking starbucks! then tooooday. i went to the dr -- blech! but it actually wasn't as horrible as i thought it would be. my mom had to go too. after we went to the dr., we stopped in the little chapel that was at the hospital and guess who i saw! st. therese of lisieux ;) in statue form obviously, but still pretty exciting.

after we left the beautiful little chapel my mom said one of the nicest compliments i've received in awhile.

mom: kate, it's amazing how much you have grown in your faith.
me: what do you mean?
mom: you just have this absolute peace about you that is so refreshing, it makes me so happy to see.

ah, i truly feel that peace lately more than i ever have-- even through the bumps in the road, so i am extremely happy that God is allowing me to radiate it as well! what a gift. i hope it sticks around for awhile. ;)

after that we grabbed lunch, i took another nap (bahaha did i mention i love being home??) then did a litttttle homework. then my fam and i watched dancing with the stars! i'm so tired so i think i'm heading to bed early tonight. i have these great new christmas books to read!

i love christmas! but i love thanksgiving, too. i'm so thankful to be home and to be enjoying my time with my family. my dad and i are going to try to cook some corn souflee this year. i'm sort of in love with it lately.

my brother comes home wednesday! i haven't seen him since august, holy cow!! he better be excited to see his fave (only) little sister. speaking of wednesday, my mom and i are having a "mother-daughter day" not sure what we're doing yet but i am excited!...i'm assuming shopping & food will be the main factors of the day.

did i mention i have the cutest dog in the world??

and did i mention i looooove being home??

;)

I AM HOME!

it's thanksgiving break! praise the lord that i survived till now. hahaha, sounds dramatic, but i've just been so overwhelmed with work! i still have a ton to do over break...but, the fact that i'm home for a week makes up for it.

i want to update, but, i'm just too lazy to be very creative right now -- so here's a little survey i stole from katie over at Loves of Life

1. What is your current obsession?
mmm.. let's see.. pearls! i've always loved them, but recently i've taken that love to a new extreme. also donuts. yes, donuts. oh and any fun scarf! :)

2. What are you wearing today?
a grey tank top and a light pink sweatshirt, skinny jeans and black boots.

3. What's for dinner?
well, i was absolutely craving wendy's! so i had that. a burger, chicken nuggets, and a baked potato. :)

4. What's the last thing you bought?
well, dinner. but... aside from that a smoothie yesterday!

5. What are you listening to right now?
my parents talk, and the tv...sort of.

6. What do you think about the person who tagged you?
well, i didn't get tagged. i stole it. haha - but! i just love reading katie's blog! - she has great stories about teaching, her little bundle of joy that's on the way, and just life in general!

7. If i could have a house, totally paid for, fully furnished, anywhere in the world, where would you like it to be?
i definitely think in the south - like north carolina, tennessee or georgia. i've always had a desire to live there. :)

8. what are your must-have pieces for the summer?
flip flops and skirts! :)

9. If you could go anywhere in the world for the next hour, where would you like to go?
i'm content just where i am!

10. Which language do you want to learn?
gee, i don't know... i'd love to be fluent in every language. i know a little of sign language though and would like to know more.

11. What's your favorite quote?
i love every quote. i'm a huge quote fan. but... i think one of my faves lately is:
"I know God will not give me anything I cannot handle, but sometimes I wish He didn't trust me so much."
-Mother Theresa

12. Who do you want to meet right now?
ummmmmmmm, i don't know actually.

13. What is your favorite color?
pink!

14. What is your favorite piece of clothing in your own closet?
this lace shirt i have - it makes me feel like a bride! ;)

15. What is your dream job?
being a FOCUS missionary. :)

16. What's your favorite magazine?
mehh i don't read magazines much anymore.

17. If you had $100 now, what would you spend it on?
i would put it towards conference!

18. What do you consider a fashion faux pas?
mehh.. people are entitled to their own fashion choices, but, anything completely in-modest is a big frown in my book!

19.Who according to you is the most over-rated style icon?
errr i honestly don't have the slightest idea.

20. What kind of haircut do you prefer?
well, since i have curly hair - long hair! but if i had straight hair i think i'd want a cute little cut. not sure. :)

21. What are you going to do after this?
maybe get together with some friends! or bake cookies. or both?

22. What are your favorite movies?
I have sooooooooo many.

23. What are three cosmetic/makeup/perfume products that you can't live without?
hmm, mascara, blush, eye-shadow?? idkkk.

24. What inspires you?
my faith. my family. my friends. :)

25. Give us three styling tips that always work for you?
haha i really don't know. you can pull off any style if you love the person working the style! baha so cheesy, but so true.

26. What do you do when you have nothing to wear? (even though your closet is packed)
try-on tons of outfits till i create something new!

27. Coffee or tea?
i'm not a huge fan of either! hot chocolate all the way!

28. What do you do when you are feeling terribly low or depressed?
pray. go shopping. talk to my friends. cry. eat.

29. What is the meaning of your name?
Kathryn means pure one

30. Which other blogs do you enjoy visiting?
hmm, i'm bad about reading too many blogs - but basically any that i can relate to!

31. Favorite Dessert/Sweet?
hahahaha try EVERYTHING. i have such a sweet tooth. but probably cookies. :)

32. Favorite season?
mm, i love them all, lately i've been loving Fall. but there is something special about each season!

33. If i come to your house now, what would you cook for me?
uhhh, haha, as long as i have a recipe i could probable manage...but i'd prefer to bake for you. :) maybe i'd make fish.

34. What is the right way to avoid people who purposefully hurt you?
love them. it's all we can do. maybe they need the love more than we realize. and if it is really hurting us, confront the person and talk it out.

35. How do you calm yourself down when you are agitated or angry?
definitely talking to my friends! they are so good at listening to me. :) i give them credit for putting up with me sometimes. haha

36. Who is the modern ideal girl: the one who knows how to shop, dress, and enjoy, or the one who is simple but manages the house, kids, and herself well?
i think the modern ideal girl is everything now adays. shes all of this and more. :)

alright, well that's all for now! i'll write again soon.

Blog Award!

Thank you so much to Emily over at show me Your way for this Blog Award!!! I just love getting these and really do appreciate them! :)



The directions are to post the award on your site, write 10 interesting things about yourself, and then pass it on to 10 other bloggers.

my ten things are:

1. I am extremely punctual. To the point where I am too punctual and am the awkward person sitting in the car because I'm a half hour early. It really bothers be when people are late, or when they cause me to be late for something. The other day I had to meet my friend at 2 for something... and i ended up leaving my apartment at 1:45 -- we were meeting 2 min away.

2. I absolutely adore my dog! He's part of my family (who i also adore!) I don't know what I would do without my little furball. He brings so much love into my life!!! Not only this but i love ALL dogs. I am a softy for every single one I see! :)

3. I am probably one of the most sensitive people you will ever meet. Everything effects me in some way. I am one of those people that feels emotions with all I have in me. This can be a downfall sometimes... I can be verrrry emotional! ;)

4. Audrey Hepburn is one of my favorites! I love her movies, her quotes, her style -- she is simply fabulous.

5. I'm a tad obsessed with weddings. I dream about the day when I'll finally get to plan my own, but for now I am content helping my friends plan theirs! I get so so SO excited for every little detail.

6. I set my alarm clock for strange times. 7:04, 4:47, etc. I feel like I am getting extra sleep that way.

7. Throughout the course of my day, I tend to change my clothes a lot. I get bored easily and like to change it up! People probably think I have a twin wandering around because when they see me multiple times in a day - it's always in a new outfit.

8. I am falling more in love with my faith and with our God every single day. I can always count on Him to challenge me, to love me, and to show me my way when I am lost.

9. Sarcasm is something I have a hard time understanding. Usually when people are sarcastic, I genuinely don't understand - and think they are being mean. :) Unless I know someone really well and understand their use of sarcasm... I don't suggest using it with me!

10. Cookies & hot chocolate can make my whole day better! I just love them. If I could I would have an endless supply at my fingertips all of the time.

I nominate...everyone reading this! Go ahead and do it. :)

"The Words I Would Say"

Best. Song. Ever.

Three in the morning,
And I'm still awake,
So I picked up a pen and a page,
And I started writing,
Just what I'd say,
If we were face to face,
I'd tell you just what you mean to me,
I'd tell you these simple truths,

Be strong in the Lord and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
God's got his hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why you're here,
Take your time and pray,
These are the words I would say,

Now the last time we spoke,
You said you were hurting,
And I felt your pain in my heart,
I want to tell you,
That I keep on praying,
Love will find you where you are,
I know cause I've already been there,
So please hear these simple truths,

Be strong in the Lord and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
God's got his hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why you're here,
Take your time and pray,
These are the words I would say,

From one simple life to another,
I will say,
Come find peace in the Father,

Be strong in the lord and,
Never give up hope,
You're going to do great things,
I already know,
God's got his hand on you so,
Don't live life in fear,
Forgive and forget,
But don't forget why you're here,
Take your time and pray,
Thank God for each day,
His love will find a way,
These are the words I would say
~The Words I Would Say (Sidewalk Prophets)


Seriously...youtube it right now! ready set go! i'll write a real update tomorrow sometime :)

Gifts. :)

last spring, one of my very good friends asked me, "katie...what do you think your gifts are?"

this question has made me think a lot ever since she asked me it last year. God gives EACH OF US, so many gifts. and it is up to us to acknowledge His gifts. when you give a gift to a friend, you want them to use it. right? you do not want it to just go to waste. that's how God feels about the gifts He give us. :)

So i remembered how i answered that question... "oh you know... i don't really know."

which makes me sad. i SHOULD know what my gifts are. it's not being prideful or bragging. it's just acknowledging what God gave me. what God gave YOU. :)

so. i think tonight, i am going to write about my gifts. please don't take this is a "YAY ME!" moment. just a me..being thankful moment.

Some of my gifts are:

I am kind to everyone - no matter who you are, I will see the good in you and be kind to you.
God blessed me with a HUGE heart. Sometimes I wonder if it is too big, because I worry so much about everyone, and care with all my heart's capacity and then some.
I am a good listener. I like to listen. people seem to come to me with a lot, and sometimes it is hard...but i really value that. i value what people have to say and do not like to break people's trust.
I know what it means to be a true friend. i feel like i have known this from a very young age.
I am very bubbly and friendly. Some may consider the 'perkiness' a bit much sometimes, but it's just who i am.
I have compassion and understanding.
i love to love.

what are your gifts? i'm challenging each of you to sit down and write a list of a few of the wonderful gifts God has blessed you with. we were all given some...so go ahead and figure out what yours are! :) here's the hard part though, once you figure them out -- start using them! after all, God wouldn't want us to waste them, right?! right!

Night everyone!

7 am?! Really?!

oh. my. gosh.

So, last night i was spending some time with my friends...i can't lie i feel a lot older than i am because i really enjoy going to bed early. however, last night i knew that i could sleep in this morning -- so i figured i'd take advantage of that and stay up late! :) keep in mind, this is my only day to sleep in during the week. so i value saturday mornings a LOT.

well, apparently my neighbors had something else in mind because they have definitely been blasting rock band for the past few days. so of course that is what i woke up to (scratch that, what woke me up) this lovely, saturday morning. but seriously... at 7 am?! they were(and still are) blasting it extremely loud.

goodbye morning of sleep. however, i have already taken my shower- and begun to get ready - so maybe it will be a productive day?? the sun is shining! it's going to be the warmest day we've had in awhile... i'd say there is potential!

last night my friends and i played this ridiculous game called: marry, date or dump? -- you pick a card with the names of 3 guys (for the guys there are girl's names) and you pick which one you would marry, date and dump. then the group tries to guess who you'd pick.

the first card i got said, "the beast, aladdin, & the hunchback"

Sooo. seeing as i have an obsession with the beauty and the beast, i naturally chose to marry the beast! (he turned into a sweetie at the end!), i chose to date aladdin (he can sing me beautiful songs, we can go for rides through the sky on his magic carpet, and he wears sweet pants), and i chose to dump the hunchback (only because i've never seen the movie, i have nothing against his hunched back like my friends accused me of!)

it was pretty funny...especially seeing the guys' choices.

Ohh.. also,
yesterday i had to go perform an assessment on a student i've been working with about 40 min from here. well, i had to pull her out of gym class to perform this test. in my head i was thinking, 'she is either going to love me for this, or hate me for this.' i personally would have jumped at the chance to skip gym when i when i was little... but for some it's the highlight of their week!

i found out very quickly how she felt.

m=her, k=me

m: I WAS IN GYM CLASS!!!!!
k: oh! so you must be excited then to leave so we can hang out!
m: well, NOT TODAAAAY. It's push-up day!!!!!!!!!!!
k: push-ups? and you like those?
m: they are my FAVORITE. *said with absolute frustration*
k: well... when we finish our test, we can do push-ups if you would like.
m: in the library?
k: why not?!
m: okay.

hahaha. she forgot about the push-ups. thank goodness! i can't even do one! it's more of a push-DOWN for me. seeing as i can never get back up. plus idk if her teacher would have appreciated us working out in the library...

well, i am off to finish getting ready... Hope y'all have a fantastic weekend! :)

thank you!

thank you ladies for all the encouraging words and WONDERFUL ideas. you all are so sweet. :) i am feeling a little better! but i still feel a little down, it will get better though -- i am sure of it.

so halloween was this weekend! did everyone have a good time?! mine was pretty good. friday night my church had a hoe-down -- complete with a square dance caller! it was a lot of fun. square dancing is HILARIOUS. and line dancing is a blast. i seriously want to do it again...pronto! i was going to be belle for halloween, but at the last minute i decided to dress up as a 50s girl! it made me realize how much i'd LOVE to live in the 50s! they had such fun outfits. plus, everything was just sweet and innocent back then; people just had genuine fun. i think we could use a little bit of that (a lot of that) in today's world.

saturday was pretty fun too. i spent some time in the chapel which was good. then i went to my friend's halloween party. i didn't dress up this time. i just felt like being me! :)

then yesterday was ALL SAINTS DAY! pretty much a fantastic day in my book.

guess what! my tuesday and thursday classes got cancelled for this week...a much needed break! too bad i don't really have time to enjoy it. i have so much work! although i'm not gonna lie - today was a beautiful fall day spent in prayer, pointless driving(we all could use that once in awhile, right?), a little bit of homework, a walk & hot chocolate with a good friend! pretty much a great day.

now onto that homework... maybe. :)

the other day i learned that my little first grader i tutor is "testing my authority." i need to learn to be more authoritative before i actually have my own classroom. that is definitely going to be my downfall as a teacher! sheesh!!

Hope everyone's week is off to a great start!
*edit*
yes justine is right..SUNDAY was all saints day. i keep thinking today is monday hahaha. thanks justine! :)