Monday, February 28, 2011

It's That Time Again!!!!

yep! it's that time again. sunday evenings spent watching THIS...THE BIGGEST DREAM we've got! we meaning kindra and i though it looks like we may not be competing on the same team?!? lol

Sunday, February 27, 2011

"Mom!? From Now On My Name Is Jimmer...."

my son LOVES to play basketball! every day last summer, he would spend hours outside just practicing and taking shots. it was so fun to see his ability increase little by little and the line that he would shoot from become farther and farther away from the basket. it gives me a little smile even as i write this. a few weeks ago when we felt like summer was right around the corner, that's the first thing he went out and did....



some of you may have already heard all about the "jimmer fredette frenzy" but for those that have not, here is one of his "videos". it really is amazing. he really is amazing and so humble which makes his character that much greater.
when i played, there were always those superstars who were awesome on the court but complete dicks off the court. they were arrogant, disrespectful, cocky, rude, and expected everything to be theirs for the taking. they let the "fame" and the "greatness" take over.
well, jimmer fredette does not and not only does his team mates back this statement up but also the opposing teams that BYU has played say what a great person he is.
point is, i'm glad that he is one that my son adores and looks up to. he loves to watch him play and wants to be as talented. one of the days while he was playing he said "mom!? from now on, my name is jimmer. my middle name is james too (jimmer's first name is james) so i can change my name to jimmer." i smiled and said ok. we'll see how long this one lasts but if it pushes him to work hard and to never give up, then fine. jimmer's his name! ;)
ps. i LOVE this video and song together. it reminds me so much of my college practice and game warm up days ;)

Wednesday, February 23, 2011

one of the favorites right now...

It Was Inevitable...

for 11 yrs, i have been waiting for an event to happen. well today it finally did. and it brought me both relief, joy, pain, and wonder. wonder meaning the "what if" or sadly put, the "regret".

regret sucks. there's no doubt about it. and even though i know there's no going back, that time travel machine is going to come about. i just know it.

i'm not even saying that i'd go back and do things different and i know that hind site is 20/20 but i do wish that i could go back and have handled things different. or communicated different. or have acted different. or had mostly given an "i'm sorry".

i am afraid that now it's too late. i waited too long for this event to happen. i didn't quite know how to handle it. i knew that one day i would see them though i've made sure to hide in those random locations where you see the person you least expect or want to. let me rephrase that. i'd want to see them but i knew that it would be very awkward.

mostly it makes me sad that someone who was such a huge part of my youth is no longer even an acquaintance. i can only assume that the acknowledgment did not even occur because of how much pain or loathing there is. that is what breaks my heart especially when it comes to this person. plus i hate when there is "long term conflict". i want things settled and over. but i get it. i can't always "make" that happen even when i want it to.

and yes. selfishly i feel "jipped"! i made some decisions based on the most information that i had, come to find out that most of which was untrue. (note to self...communicate. don't be quick to assume. let go of the pride. leave it all "out on the table")

blah. i know. it's a venting post but i needed to write this down so that i could get it out of my head. i also made a new goal. my laptop is on my standing frame so that i am more committed to standing. the battery has been dead so my blog has been somewhat neglected. but mostly because i have an 8yr old "infant" by my side. she's been awesome and we've had so much fun but life has been very different. no more coming and going as i please. but like i said, it's been fun and it's been a huge learning experience.

ok. i am emotionally exhausted and need sleep. but i can't end without saying how great it was this morning to see, hug, kiss, chat again, and say goodbye to some of the most influential people that helped form who i am. that made my morning to know that they still love me and understand me. going down memory lane was fun too. i was surprised at all of the random memories that flashed into my head. things that i had forgotten and hidden in my mind. i had a good time telling kindra some of my "stories" and showing her where i once spent so much time. see? the morning was a mixture of many emotions....

and what am i getting at by talking about "this event"? don't wait until it's too late to give an "i'm sorry" or to say something that is needed. don't take your loved ones for granted. you never know what the future holds and you never know when the opportunity will be gone. that way you'll never have the "what if's" or the "regret" because you'll know that you did all that YOU possibly could.

but if and when you do have the "what if's" or the "regret"? learn. all you can do is LEARN and move on.

xxxx

Monday, February 21, 2011

My Brain As Of Late...

Trials are mandatory.
Misery is optional
.

to be cont...
;)

Tuesday, February 15, 2011

An Adventurous V-Day...

***the edited version***

i always knew that i was in love with trevor. he was different and he allowed me to be myself. he was happy when i was with him but he was trusting and "allowing" when it was girl time (though i have no idea why because that was when i was such a gamer. no stories since that would taint my good name but a gamer? yes oh yes.)

back in my shallow and materialistic days, that was what drew me to him. young man, great money, nice things, and he wined and dined me. he cared about those things and he cared about making me feel like i was living the type of life style that i had been use to. he was the image driven prince charming and exactly what i wanted.

fast forward to now. it's a whole other ball game and that's not in a bad way.

on saturday night, trevor had this romantic dinner date all planned. he'd researched somewhere new to eat since he knows how much i like to try new things and to branch out. (fyi. he would kill me if he knew i was telling this story but i just have to) so we dropped the kids off at his parents for the night and we headed out to a new thai restaurant. i was shocked that he was actually trying something new that he didn't KNOW FOR SURE was good. i was excited because sometimes the "hole in the wall" places are the best.

let me just tell you that this place was so not the case. we were all fancied up, camera in hand to snap a v-day picture to remember, and the camera did not even open once. i promised him that i wouldn't. he was so embarrassed. if you know him, this is not his type of thing. we sat down and he gave me one look before he said...

"let's leave. please can we go somewhere else!? this is embarrassing. happy valentines babe! it's like we're in a cafeteria!!!"

i was laughing so hard and quickly reminded him that i was with him for his lol looks and his lol love not for his money...snicker snicker! but really i was being serious. it's the thought that counts and the actions that speak louder than words. we laughed, we ate, and we hurried off to the movie making sure that it would NOT be a place that we would "try" again.

very long story short. i am so glad that he was willing to try to be adventurous. i am so blessed that he accepts my attitude and randomness for what it is. i am so fortunate to know that we will always keep our relationship strong. i can't wait for our trip to boston for the race. we are going to have a blast...A BLAST!

anyway, just had to share this and had to recognize the growth that we've both made. money is nothing. it helps but it is nothing. it's all about the attitude and the rest will fall into place. i truly believe that thru experience. we've been on both ends of the spectrum and nothing really changes. there's never enough and you always want more. so oh well. enjoy life. love life. love your family no matter what. do all that you can and your family will always remain your foundation.

again, happy valentines day and i hope that your's was as good as mine :)

Monday, February 14, 2011

Happy Valentines 2011....

i love this picture of carter. this is what he does when he is so deep in concentration and i have to snicker because i do the exact same thing. not so much anymore but if i am playing a wii game or when i'd play sports people would always laugh at me and my tongue! it's funny the traits that are handed down...

the kids wanted to surprise trevor and made this little "ensemble" for when he got home...



remember this? yeah well the jokes on me because this was one of the surprises that i got for valentines day. more proof. i was still in denial about how bad that it really can be when it comes to my snoring buuuut here is some more proof!? waaaaahhhhh.....but atleast you know that i can laugh at myself and share the honesty with my friends! LOL!!! ;)

Advice For The SAHM...

would you like to read about my friend christy? if i were you, i would!

she came up with this GREAT IDEA for a blog post for those who are or will be SAHM's.

and if you want to know what a SAHM is, then GO OVER HERE and READ all about it!

you won't regret it! i promise. (and i even helped to contribute a tiny bit!)


ps---HAPPY VALENTINES DAY!!!

Sunday, February 13, 2011

“Live life fully while you're here. Experience everything. Take care of yourself and your friends. Have fun, be crazy, be weird. Go out and screw up! You're going to anyway, so you might as well enjoy the process. Take the opportunity to learn from your mistakes: find the cause of your problem and eliminate it. Don't try to be perfect; just be an excellent example of being human.”

Saturday, February 12, 2011

The KNEES---







GOOD NEWS!!! our doctor, who is awesome, did some extra research and discovered that they would not need to cut any bone to repair the hips, ankles, knees not being aligned problem! this was the best news. the surgery time was not as long, the recovery time would not be as severe, and her pain would be pretty much none. all that they needed to do was to loosen and tighten some ligaments and tendons. then the knee cap would have a proper groove to stay in and not pop out. we hope this will be the last of the surgeries but only time will tell. this was caused because she was born with club feet because she was bascially squished in the womb because of my accident/sitting aspect. my little miracle! (and here is the story if you're new)

















***if it looks like i'm being a horrible parent, as i sit back snapping photos of her while she is utterly frustrated, ok. i felt horrible. buuut i had to. she needed some time on her own to learn for herself that she could and can do it. would it be easier if i just "carried" her around? yes. would it just hold her back and never allow her to learn? yes. so here i sat. my heart was in pain. but she learned. and now. she getting on and off things by herself WITHOUT the chair and army crawling it. yeah. she's a tough one and yes. very prideful...just like her mom***


after all of that blaugh surgery stuff, it was time for some FUN!...


aaaawwww kin. what would we do without you?!
xoxoxoxoxo

Wednesday, February 9, 2011

I'm Honestly So Confused...?

do you ever feel like you are losing your mind? making up circumstances or phone conversations in your head? not able to recall what you did the day before?

yeah? well me too! seriously.

i swear that we have so much going on and i can't keep it straight! she needs this and he needs that. i called and settled this and you need to handle that. i have piles heaping everywhere in my house. notices. invites. homework. bills. statements. races. artwork. projects. the list goes on.

i told a friend the other day that i wish that everyone could leave for a week so i could get things organized again. it never stops!

today i got a phone call that a medical procedure that i had done in october was denied by my insurance.

"no. it's covered. i called before my appointment to get a prior auth and they told me it would be covered" i said.

i distinctly remember the phone call with ??? yeah. exactly. with who??? i swear inside and out, up and down that i remember the conversation that i had. i remember being relieved that it was going to be covered but who was it with? was it this company or this one?

i'm so confused and even now, as i am writing this post, i know DANG WELL that this phone call happened. i did not dream this or make this up! and yet i can't remember the proof! i'll find it but now i have to dig and that takes time. time that i don't have! blah....

on a happier note, the sky is blue and the sun is shining, half of the laundry loads are done, half of the rooms are clean, kindra happily did her reading, and i'm going to yoga tonight. it could be worse. much worse.

my mum came down today. i love when she does but i also hate it. she can read my face like no other and she knows when i'm stressed. i start venting to her and the words just keep coming. i find myself getting even more frustrated. i try to keep my business, my business and i don't want my family getting involved. it never helps.

"all i can tell you is to concentrate on the positive. focus on whats good and what makes you smile. i don't know what else to tell you except that", she said.

so here i stand. yes stand as i write in my standing frame. it feels so good! i can see the blue sky and the sun melting the snow...and it makes me smile.

standing and smiling. at least i know i can handle this!

standing and smiling. concentrating on the positive.

Saturday, February 5, 2011


Sometimes to get where you need to be you must go back to the beginning and start over, retracing the trail of bread crumbs until you arrive back at who you really are . . . and who you were meant to be all along.

Friday, February 4, 2011

The Mormon Messages Contest ---

i am sure that most of you know that i am a "mormon" or "lds" and for those of you that don't know, i am. some may question my actions or think that i don't "act" like one but oh well. my spiritual beliefs are between 2 beings...me and the lord. i am also very lucky that i have great parents who taught me to accept all, no matter what that "all" meant. but that's not the topic for today :)

a few months ago, a good friend from college, asked me if i would do something for them. her husband wanted to enter a contest. he wanted to put together a video for the "mormon messages" and he asked me to share my story.

i forget that i have "a story" because i just do it. it's just who i am and it's my life. i forget that what i've overcome is a great story that motivates and inspires. i myself hear others "stories" and am brought to tears forgetting that i've got one that i could and should share too. plus, i hate feeling like the braggart!?

anyway, excitedly i said yes. remember my thinking...

"we go through things to either 1-learn something for ourselves or 2-for our actions to help teach someone something they need"

we did two videos. one with the religion aspect and one without. here is the one that was entered into the contest. and either way, spiritual or not, i think it is a good story. one of strength, endurance, having a positive attitude, and determination.

anyway, enjoy.....

Thursday, February 3, 2011

almost but...

nope. not yet. in case you were wondering kindra and i are still alive and sane.....
;)

"Pregnant and Paralyzed" Do California...

mistie has always wanted to make a trip out to LA to be at a taping of "the ellen show" so who better to ask then her up for anything friend katie. plus when you're traveling with me there are some perks that you get to take advantage of. 1) you get to butt in line at the horrible airport congestion and 2) you get to enjoy the comedy of my traveling frisking and prodding. it's like second nature to me now but if you've never seen it firsthand, then you're just amazed at how close they get to a groping. ahhh it's no big deal. for all they know i could have a bomb shoved underneath my bum so what can it hurt?!
funny story. i noticed a man, a foreigner, watching intently at what was going on. after i finished and went over to retrieve my bag, in a very austrian like voice he jokingly grabbed his man boobs and said "well they didn't grab yours so now you know that you could hide some goodies up there!" um yeah. insert awkward laugh here. it was a perfect way to end the pat down ;)
we flew into LAX and this is where we were sent to retrieve our bags. yeah. can you say lost luggage possibility?! i had a mini flashback attack, panicking that i'd be suitcase-less for the next 4 days like when i went to peru. not to mention that i felt like i was right in the middle of the ending scene in the movie "adventures in babysitting".....
i've long since learned to know that there's never enough time and that things don't always run as smoothly as you think they will. with that being said combined with LA traffic and some poor directions from "elvira...the nav voice" we got to "the tonight shows" location within minutes of when we were due. we were so late in fact that i even had to introduce mistie to the infamous changing in the car maneuver. she was a little nervous about who was watching but i quickly informed her that she would NEVER see these people again. once i said that, it was game on. we were still a little nervous about being on time and i left her eating my dust, wheeling as fast as i could to beat out some other stragglers who had also arrived late. mistie was afraid that if she walked any faster, she might go into labor. i freaked out when i saw the hundreds of people waiting to get in but duh. "the wheel-chairers" always get the red carpet and always get in first! gotta just laugh at the comical ways that they "get" me in?! yes. a mini lift up the 4 stairs....
don't worry. we tried to use the ignorant card and take a few pictures but it was a no go. i forget how staged and fake these shows are. they had to fix their hair and makeup at every commercial, they had their joke and conversation cards, and it all felt so shallow. buuut it was fun being there, front and center. mistie's head was on tv and i got a shoulder touch-hand shake from jay! i know. who cares but after the show he walked across the stage and over to us and said "i'm sorry that i couldn't take your question in the beginning. we had to start taping but i wanted to tell you that i had noticed you and wanted to say thanks for coming." yep. promise.
so rewind, before they start taping, jay comes out and talks to the audience, taking questions. for some unknown reason, i was being timid, which i now regret and it wasn't until someone asked for a picture that i knew it was "allowed". then i tried to get his attention and i did but it was too late because it was time to start. he looked over but was hurried off to change. oh well. i didn't get a photo but i did get some words and a touch! lol...


now to the important stuff. the sleeping arrangement.
mistie can be a very light sleeper. the slightest noise wakes her up. she even busted out the ear plugs! plus she is pregnant so being comfortable and in silence is a must for a goods night rest.
katie. is. a. snore'r. yep. there's no denying it. just call me the lumber-jack cause i can sure saw big logs. once upon a time i was referred over to some "breath rite nose strips" and they worked like a charm. let's just say that immediately after dinner we went and purchased some. i even made mistie try one on and she's hooked! lol
oddly enough, as many times as i have been to LA, i've never been to downtown hollywood. i conned mistie into the adventure because there would be an "h & m" in the trip. hehehe




i wish, truly wish that you could have seen all of the many "characters" that were roaming the blvd. my question was why? why in the world would dressing up like "someone" and begging for money while your photo is being taken be what you aspire to do. to each his own but for me? there's always "sonic" or "mcdonalds"! haha and yes. i had to take a picture with "Yoda" since there is a family joke about him and carter. carter can give you the BEST "Yoda" voice EVER! no lie. it's creepy though hilarious just how well he can do it. but let me admit that what was underneath this mask was much more haunting than what was on the outside. i think he did it to get a rise out of me...and he did! i will forever be scarred! (mistie...you know you'll never be the same either! lol)
ahhh matt damon. our sundance film festival 10 minute bond will never be forgotten! hahaha

...and this lift was for a 2 stepper. yeah. lol :)

like i said anything and everything...

random picture? yes. biggest elevator ever? yes. by far.

our quaint and awesome hotel on catalina island. and yes i have to say that the only thing that i regret about this excursion is that the helicopter company would not let me fly because mistie, who is 32 wks prego, could not lift me up inside. boooo. i mean yes i understand the liability issues but still. booooooo! so we took the boat ever to the island...



it was gorgeous. let's say it again...GORGEOUS!!!

the next morning we woke up for a very much needed and anticipated massage...on the beach!!!

ahhhhh. best experience ever and a must to put on your "bucket list"! sooo happy that we did it! (though we did feel like we were also experiencing a "couples massage" and especially after we told them that we were in cali to go to an "ellen" taping. hahaha awesome)
yep. we're a couple...lol
loved the quaint little bed & breakfasts and san fran like streets...
for the total tour of the island we rented this golf cart to putt around complete with a wheelchair on the back! and a first for mistie...how to drive a golf cart :)





a 32 wk prego profile shot that was a must have...

a great sunrise on the ride back from long beach to burbank...
a lazy and early morning laying out, eating breakfast by the pool. wow. and to think that 24 hrs later we were back in the frozen tundra. waaah :(
and the "ellen" adventure begins...
coudn't pass up one of my favorites...
"the tonight show" only made us show up 30 minutes before the taping but "ellen" required us there close to 3.5 hrs before. barf. kt and patience are not very good friends. in fact, not. at. all.



sneaky sneaky shot #1 in 2nd waiting room...(make us wait that long and that's what they get...lol)
sneaky sneaky shot #2 just to show that we were front and center. look at how close that we were!!!

and in case you missed the episode, here is my national television debut! hahaha after regretting not pulling out "my silver hidden balls out of my pocket" (thanks jaime for that classic quote) i was not going to let any oppurtunity pass itself up. and they told us to have fun and to be brave soooo that's what i did! lol! awesome and every time i watch it, i still end it with a giggle and a smirk on my face :)

such a great trip and i'm so glad that i did this little adventure with mistie. she's one of my besties but i'd have to say that after this trip we're even closer. you're always worried to do these little excursions with friends before you know what kind of traveler they are and she had the same worries. but it's safe to say that she passed the test and so did i. phew. what a relief. and especially because she can handle my snoring, my bossiness, my "go with the flow" outlook, and my random desires of things to do!
until next time....
xoxo