Sunday, April 29, 2012

that kind of day


this was our experience today while teaching the sunbeams
(3 and 4 year olds) from jeremy's point of view:

So normally when we say the closing prayer in our primary class, the kids know that we wait for their parents to come pick them up and then they get to go home. Well today, we were asked to end our class five minutes early and have the kids meet back in the primary room, so they could say thank you and good bye to one of our great primary leaders who is moving out of the ward. Our sunbeams were so confused when we told them that after our closing prayer we were not done yet. While waiting in the hall our poor kids didn't know what to do. So they started running away to find their parents and playing loud games with the other primary children... basically, not being reverent. When it was time to go in the primary room, we were able to get all of them in except one. This poor child was not having it. He was done with primary and just wanted to go home. So when Katie was trying to help this cute little guy into the room, he just dropped to the floor and started crying. He was screaming that he wanted to go home and wanted his parents. As soon as he fell to the floor, Katie threw her hands up and looked at me while saying, "I'm done, I'm done with this!" She then turned around and went into the primary room with the rest of the children. So I was left to deal with the screaming child. Hilarious.

a photography project

about a month ago, i participated in a
photography project about mormon women in
massachusetts. i met with the photographer,
kate, downtown; she bought me some hot
chocolate, interviewed me, and took my picture.
she took it with this super old camera that i had
to hold still for a while and this was the chosen
shot. she compiled some of what i said during the
interview into a little narrative to put with my
photo and she did the same with other mormon
women for her senior thesis project. it was so
refreshing to meet with her and talk about my
beliefs. i came away feeling oddly re-energized
and more grateful for my knowledge of the
gospel. i enjoyed it. if you are interested in
reading my narrative and seeing the
pictures of the other women, you can
check it out
here.

Saturday, April 28, 2012

a little nature

i just can't

this week i decided, enough was ENOUGH!

i just can't eat another sandwich. i am so SICK of them. i have had a sandwich almost everyday for the past 8 months. yeah... you would be sick of them, too. my packed lunches have looked the same almost everyday: sandwich, mandarin orange cup, granola bar, banana, and a baggie of crackers or almonds. the sandwich rotates between turkey and cheese and peanut butter and jelly depending on who takes on the sandwich making task the night before for our lunches. i make the turkey sandwiches and jeremy makes the pb and js. but i just can't eat them ANYMORE! and i am not really sure why. is it because of the bread we purchased? have i just become so adverse to the dumb crust that i can't stomach it any longer? i don't know, but it makes packing lunches a little more tricky when i have no interest in the main course.

so rather than packing sandwiches in my lunches these days, i pack popcorn.
oh yes. isn't that the sweetest trade off. i bought the huge box of single serving bags at costco knowing full well that jeremy doesn't really enjoy popcorn and probably won't eat a single bag. so now at lunch i just claim the nearest microwave at work or at school for 2 minutes and walk away unabashed with my delightful treat. i don't even share after i have infused the whole building with the glorious scent. ok, i usually offer, but no one has taken me up on it yet.

since the switch, lunch has been way more exciting. i am not too certain about the nutrition level of my lunches, but i am certain of one thing: popcorn is way better than sandwiches.

Friday, April 27, 2012

wild and precious


today was the last class of the semester for two of my classes. in one class we were told we could bring something to share if we wanted. most people brought food, but we didn't have a box of brownies around, so i made these dorky handouts for my classmates. who knew saying good-bye to a class could be so hard? i will miss those great people. social work is the BEST! anyways...

i discovered this quote last spring and it has become my new favorite. to me it means to dream big and go after the things you have always wanted in life. be courageous. it means that your life is sacred. don't waste it. be thoughtful and be deliberate about your decisions.

wild and precious... what great words.
the original poem here

the ragnar

so i have been gaining interest in the ragnar races over the past year. and a couple months ago i discovered that there was a cape cod ragnar race may 11th and 12th. how amazing would that be???! that weekend wasn't going to work this year, because i found out about it a little too late to pull it all together and my mom is coming to visit that week and we have major sight-seeing to do. so i thought next year will be the year!

fast forward to earlier this week when i realized that i will be graduating may 10th of 2013. the same weekend the ragnar will probably be held, if they do it the same time each year. soooo i emailed the race director to find out the scoop and plead my case. (i NEED to know when the race will be, because i already started recruiting my team a month ago for the 2013 race. we were talking about vans, shirts, recruiting, and training. we are very excited!) here was my plea:

I just had a quick question for you... I can't do the Cape Cod Ragnar this year, but I am looking forward to running it next year. I have been dying to run a Ragnar. I just found out that my commencement ceremonies for grad school are on May 10th, 2013, so I was wondering... Will the 2013 Cape Cod Ragnar be May 10th-May 11th next year? I know you may not have this information yet, but I thought I would check to see if I will be able to run in it. Have a GREAT day!

Thanks!
Katie


he replied that they are indeed looking at that weekend or the next weekend and they will decide within a month of this year's race. this was my response:

Wonderful, thanks. I will be sure to check back later. If I had a vote, I would vote the next weekend!

Have a good day!
Katie


i wonder if he will take my vote into consideration. we will have to wait and see. anybody else want to email him and push for may 17th and 18th? but if it is the same weekend as my graduation.... do i run the ragnar? or walk the stage in a funny robe? (and wait a whole 'nother year?) thoughts?


Wednesday, April 25, 2012

one week left


in one week i will be all done with classes! YAY!

i have a paper due today, two due friday, and then one due next wednesday.

whew. i think i can make it... as long as my brain continues to function properly. i just want to be done with the papers. they can be soooo stressful! life a week from now seems so wonderful, calm, and stress-free... i can't WAIT!

Sunday, April 22, 2012

a pep-talk

from my cough drop wrapper.
my favorites: "impress yourself today" and "tough is your middle name"

Friday, April 20, 2012

a sick face


i have suddenly come down with something rather unpleasant.  

it is some sort of cold that i would prefer not to have.  you see, the weather is beautiful outside and what's worse than being a sniffling, red-nosed mess???  being a sniffling, red-nosed mess when it is nice outside.  when it's cold, it can be perfectly lovely to throw on some sweats and become a recluse on the couch as you watch your favorite movie over and over armed with loads of tissues, mentholatum, and hot chocolate.  but when it's warm outside, that does not sound perfectly lovely.  i want to be out and about in the sun working on my pathetic tan and enjoying whatever spring has to offer.  so in protest, jeremy and i played some tennis when i got home from school before the couch summoned me for some one on one time.  i am not letting this cold get to me.  i refuse!  it has only affected my face.

i am not sick... my face is sick. 

Thursday, April 19, 2012

cape cod, part II

cape cod, part I

tuesday we grabbed some breakfast at the guesthouse and hit the streets to see the ocean views.

we made our way to the pilgrim monument,
the tallest all-granite structure in the country, and climbed to the top.


the views from the very top were incredible.


then we walked around the streets a little more,
bought our traditional magnet, picked up some sandwiches to go...


and headed to the beach! we went to race point beach on the north side.


it was perfect weather - in the 70s with the slightest breeze - and the beach wasn't crowded at all... it was pretty quiet. we spent a couple hours just lounging in the sun. we even saw whales from the shore. it was awesome!

after we soaked in some sun (i barely got a tan... last time i use spf 30!), we headed over to the cape cod lighthouse!! i have never seen a real live lighthouse! it was a first for both of us.



then we headed home, back to real life. it was a perfect little sight-seeing trip!