tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5897465569295700702024-03-04T23:08:12.802-08:00Love You First!Katie & Ryunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17162882767579950795noreply@blogger.comBlogger31125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-589746556929570070.post-30421895227986633962015-01-25T20:23:00.000-08:002015-01-25T20:49:29.418-08:00Family History, Pregnancy Loss & Me<div style="text-align: center;">
Don't worry, everything with our baby is wonderful. </div>
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Still pregnant and happily gaining weight each week.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Don't mind the fan and humidifier at my feet. Just there to make sure I breathe at night!)</span></div>
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But not every pregnancy is so lucky.</div>
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In two weeks it will be the one-year mark since my first appointment with the OB/GYN. I was finally ten weeks pregnant and they'd see me and I'd get the adorable ultrasound showing the little human growing in my belly.</div>
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Except it didn't happen that way. </div>
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Instead we cried for what felt like weeks. I am still not sure if that was the worst day of my life, or if two days later when I had the D&C was worse. I think that traumatized me a bit more. I wouldn't wish that experience on anyone. Or the experience of receiving your first bill from the hospital where
they list your procedure as "abortion" because technically a miscarriage
is called a spontaneous abortion. If a woman already doesn't feel
guilty about her body rejecting her baby, telling her she had an
abortion will do the trick. </div>
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I don't think I could ever come close to an adequate explanation of how
heartbreaking miscarriage is. The initial shock and sadness is one
thing, but it feels like the pain will never go away because of the constant reminders. Seeing your friends announce their pregnancy's on Facebook is rough. Not really a jealousy thing. I was genuinely happy for my friends--but it's hard when being happy for someone else reminds you of the worst experience of your life. When you get pregnant, you're immediately inducted into this club and it is exciting. When you miscarry (or lose a pregnancy/child/spouse in some other way) you join a club that nobody wants to be part of. Fortunately, this club is full of incredible people that bring a lot of strength. I'm grateful to have found some of those people in my family history during this time.</div>
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I've mentioned before that my grandma has a little brother that died of diphtheria when he was 6 months old. The picture below is one of the only pictures of Joseph Hays.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Pictured with his oldest sister Dorothy)</span></div>
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This picture is so cute. Sleepy and having fun!</div>
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Based on his size, though, it probably wasn't much longer until he passed away. The next picture is of my grandma Katherine with her mother Grace in 1928. </div>
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I don't know Joseph's birthday, but based on when my grandma was born I'm pretty sure he hadn't been born yet. Still, somewhere around this time this young mother lost her child. The plans for her first son's life were gone. I've thought of her many times during the last year. As difficult as our miscarriage was, I cannot imagine losing a child that I had been able to meet and begin to raise. </div>
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Looking through pictures of her I wonder how she handled the grief out there alone in the country. I had people to talk to and the internet to read other peoples' experiences. When my body was freaking out afterwards, there were a ton of websites where I could look for answers. I feel like not having these things would have been unbearable. Even getting pregnant again was scary. Finding out I was pregnant brought on some pretty intense anxiety. Back to the internet and books and friends I went, trying to figure out how to manage the anxiety. I still have some anxiety every time I walk into my doctor's office, fearful of bad news. Grace had several more children afterwards. If I had anxiety after, I wonder what she felt? Did she fear every time one of her kids had a runny nose? With all the worries I'm sure she had, she was a strong woman. I have only a couple memories of her from when I was very small, but I'm told she was a wonderful woman who worked hard and loved her children.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Grace Hays. No year or location on picture.)</span></div>
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Grandma said that her mother never really talked about her loss very much, which doesn't surprise me. Her daughter Dorothy ("Dot") lost her first husband in World War 2 and her daughters and my grandma said Dot didn't talk about that either. I feel like back then people had so much work to do they couldn't take the time to grieve when something hard happened. It's good to not wallow in self-pity, but I think it's so sad that people frequently kept it all to themselves. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(My great-aunt Dot, her first husband Kenneth Atherton, and my grandma Katherine)</span></div>
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I think we can learn a lot from our ancestors and their grief. During the last year I've thought about Grace and Dot many times, both
admiring their strength to continue on and wishing they'd had people to
talk to so they didn't have to bear the burden alone. Before ours, I knew people who had miscarried and thought it was sad, but I never really considered the extent of that pain. As I reached out to a few people, I found out about others I knew who had gone through their own heartaches with starting a family. People served me and made a difference in my life, though most of them probably don't realize how much. The other day I glued into my journal all the cards people sent me after they found out. I went back and read my journal from last February and just bawled my eyes out. A year later and it is still so fresh. Reading those cards again brought comfort even now. </div>
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Because of all this I've felt a desire to be more actively compassionate towards the pain others endure, to be a little more careful of what I say on Facebook, and try to make myself more approachable when people need someone to listen. Hopefully I can be for some what so many others have been for me and teach my daughter the same thing. Loss can be lonely and isolating, but it doesn't have to be.</div>
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Katie & Ryunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17162882767579950795noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-589746556929570070.post-74298555001126573622014-12-07T20:32:00.000-08:002014-12-07T20:32:09.079-08:00Making memories...a litle late<div style="text-align: center;">
It feels like it has been forever since I worked on family history! I went to a Family History Conference in October and it was awesome! Then our scanner stopped working and my morning sickness started...that was fun. Now that I'm feeling a lot better and we bought a new printer/scanner, I'm ready to get back it! Though I haven't done a lot of research to report on, I did want to include a couple things.</div>
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I was looking through my wedding pictures a couple months ago and was reminded how bummed I was that my grandma was too sick that day to be able to attend any of the festivities. I was thinking how disappointed I was that I have no pictures of me on my wedding day with one of my favorite people. So a few weeks ago I surprised my grandma by showing up at her house with my wedding dress and told her we were taking pictures. She told me I was crazy, but she let me take pictures with her even though she said "I'm in my dungarees!"</div>
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My little brother Travis came with me too. He was in Paraguay when I got married, so he'd never seen me in my wedding dress either. We're such models, so we took a few pictures too.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">He's married now too, so he was showing off his bling.</span></div>
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It may seem kind of silly or pointless to do this almost three years after my wedding, but I loved it. I know family can't always be together for every big event, but I'm so glad that I have these pictures now. She has been part of my life for some pretty huge events and I'm glad I got to include her a little more in this one. Even if it was a little late and I'm somewhere around 8 weeks pregnant in it :) <br />
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Also, who doesn't love putting her wedding dress on?</div>
Katie & Ryunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17162882767579950795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-589746556929570070.post-75195265298400781522014-10-26T21:59:00.001-07:002014-10-26T21:59:53.805-07:00That one time my grandma told me to stop whining like a baby...<div style="text-align: center;">
Okay, so she didn't exactly say that. It was more like she unintentionally taught me a lesson that told me that.</div>
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My grandma has mentioned several times to me that her family was poor and her mom sewed all her clothes her entire childhood. I know she said she was poor, but I figured it was like how everyone thought our family was poor when we were kids. "We didn't go to California four times this summer like that girl at school--we're poor." Or, "We don't we have a pool like everyone else--we're poor." That kind of thing.</div>
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A couple weeks ago I asked my grandma about the Great Depression. She was a child throughout the 30's, so I asked if she remembered if it had much of an impact on her family. She said it didn't change a thing for them and I asked if it didn't affect her area very much. She said it did, but her dad had always spent their extra money anyways so they weren't any poorer than they were before. That's sad for a couple reasons, but the thing that stuck with me was realizing how poor they really must have been. My grandma's family was so poor that the Great Depression had no effect on their finances. Wow. Another thing that stuck out to me was that I'm sure it must have been very hard being so poor, but you'd never have guessed there was anything wrong based on my grandma's attitude. </div>
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Check out the smiles:</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Grandma's confirmation day. So cute! She kind of looks like my little brother in a dress, which cracks me up.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Grandma and Roberta Heritage</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Grandma and Joyce Blenco</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Grandma</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Grandma and Mildred Heritage</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> My grandma rocking a crop top. Work it ladies!</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Always having fun!</span></div>
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That's really how my grandma has always been. She loves life! She's never been a complainer, even though things in her life haven't always gone her way. She laughs and smiles all the time, which is probably why so many boys always wanted to date and marry her (True story, she's kind of a player). </div>
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This is where the "stop whining like a baby" lesson comes in. As 2014 was beginning, I distinctly remember telling my husband that this year was going to be the greatest--and I really believed it. That lasted for a month. Starting in February, this has become just the worst year. So many disappointments and heartaches. One of those years where you kind of dread something good happening because every time something good comes up, it basically gets stomped out within a few weeks. Honestly, I have not handled it that great. </div>
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Grandma grew up through some really hard times and yes, there are some
that she doesn't like to talk about at all, but she is one of the most
positive women I've known. I'm not one to believe that you should always, always put on a happy face. There are some pretty bad things that happen in life and I think it's healthy to let yourself grieve, be mad, irritated or whatever feeling you need to express. Her happiness reminds me that I don't want to stay stuck in those feelings. Tonight I was talking to her and she was telling me about some of her health issues she's working through and said "I just go to bed and think that it'll be better in the morning." Even though I know she's frustrated, I also know her positive attitude is sincere. </div>
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As cliche and Sunday-school as it sounds, the best way to have that is to remember the good and potential for good in my life. Through
all of the painful, frustrating things that have happened this year,
there has been a huge blessing--I have come so much closer to my
husband. I wish these things hadn't happened to us, but I am very
grateful for getting to know him in ways I think only trials can bring. I
think that makes 2014 still a win for us. Better yet, there are still 2 months left to go! So whether we have a good day or a frustrating day, my goal is to go to bed and think that it'll be better in the morning.</div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">My grandma, the awesomest lady that ever awesomed!</span></div>
Katie & Ryunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17162882767579950795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-589746556929570070.post-80698892714066311442014-10-19T19:00:00.000-07:002014-10-19T19:00:01.467-07:00Fun Research Databases<div style="text-align: center;">
I have found a few things that have made the family history research a little more interesting lately.</div>
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The U.S. School Yearbooks 1880-2012 database on Ancestry.com was really fun to look through. I found my grandma's senior year picture in the 1944. </div>
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And my mom's from the 70's...</div>
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(Don't be mad at me mom, it's cute!)</div>
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(one of my husband's relatives in 1933)</div>
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Luckily mine wasn't in the database yet. My senior picture had some unfortunate blonde hair going on. You can see from the pictures I did not inherit natural blonde, so it wasn't the most flattering color for my skin tone.</div>
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Looking through the yearbooks was cool! In my grandma's they listed activities students were involved in and what their plans were after graduation. My mom's didn't do that, but it was a larger yearbook with more information on the clubs and activities. I thought I loved the 40's, but as I looked through the 1933 yearbook I was in heaven. They were all fun to look through and see the styles and what was going on at the time. </div>
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Another cool database on Ancestry is the U.S City Directories, 1821-1989. This one gave me lots of really cool information. My grandma told me that her family lived in a lot of different homes in their town, but the directory gave me addresses!! I was able to googlemap some of the addresses and see the houses, though I'm not sure if they're still the original homes or if they were rebuilt at some point. I'm going to look them up with my grandma soon so she can tell me if they're still the same homes.</div>
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I thought I was really cool when I found out that my grandparent's lived within just a few miles from each other. They're about 8 years apart in age so they would have had no reason to know each other, but I thought that was pretty cute. While talking about it with my grandma, she told me that at one point my grandpa and his mom lived in the basement of the house that my grandma and her family lived in! They were dating at that point, so when my grandpa and his mom needed a new place it ended up working out that way. My grandma said it worked out really well for them. Haha, I bet :) </div>
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The directories also frequently said where they were employed or what their job was. My grandma couldn't remember where her mom worked, but the 1946 Binghamton directory showed me. She's Grace Hays and it shows her job, where she worked and her address.</div>
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Another year's directory (they came out frequently) showed my grandma's sister Dot and her husband Ken and then a couple years later in 1944 I found them again, but it listed her as a widow because he was killed in WW2. I thought it was interesting that they still listed his name on the directory even though he'd passed away. Maybe a show of respect?</div>
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What was really cool about these things was that when I brought them up to my grandma, she ended up telling me more about the areas and what was going on at the time. This is when I learned that my grandpa bought his mom a house right around the same time he bought his own house, among other cool things I was able to record. I'm really trying to focus on gleaning as much information from my grandma as I can, so using these random databases are really helping me out! Hopefully knowing about these will help you in your searches (even if it's just to make fun of your parent's yearbook pictures)!</div>
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No journal prompt this week, I've got plenty to write about already from last week!</div>
Katie & Ryunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17162882767579950795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-589746556929570070.post-10000947093917393422014-10-12T22:03:00.001-07:002014-10-12T22:07:08.441-07:00Changing Perspectives<div style="text-align: center;">
I've had a really rough week at work. People have been huge jerks. I
don't think I've ever sworn in my head as much I did this past week.
Definitely had to mute my phone a few times so I could make some
frustrated groans while people freaked out at me for no reason. Good
times. As I listened to them being completely irrational, I kept
thinking how I could never imagine anyone liking those people. <br />
Oddly enough, that eventually lead my thoughts towards family history.<br />
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My grandfather Norman passed away six months before I was born. From what I heard growing up, he wasn't always the most pleasant person to be around. There were some nice things I'd hear about him every so often, but not a lot to change my opinion of him that he was mostly just a grumpy guy.</div>
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Lately my grandma has been telling me about him and I have learned a lot! They were divorced for quite awhile before he died, but she still had plenty of kind things to say about him. He definitely had his faults, but she told me a lot about his good qualities. I learned that he bought his mother a house after his parents divorced, he made it to a lot of his daughter's school events, he was a very hard worker, he didn't like talking about his experiences in the Pacific during World War 2, he really loved cigars, and he was surprisingly goofy at times. She even told me some things about him that could have contributed to his more unpleasant demeanor, which made me question some of my previous thoughts about him.<br />
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I love how pictures can show you part of who a person was. I like him a lot just based on these. As I have looked through his pictures and learned a little more about who he was, I feel like my heart has softened quite a bit towards him. We all have our problems and times when even the people we love want to give us a slap, but it's good for me to remember that there's a lot of good in people too. Here's to getting to know my grandpa :)<br />
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Right around when they got engaged. Look at those two kids--lovebirds!<br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">I love how happy my grandma looks with him!</span> <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> I love that he's sticking out his tongue in the one above.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Okay, so I don't think smoking is cool at all and generally it doesn't look cool either, but come on--my grandpa kinda looks cool in this.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Grandma said the one above is from the picnic they took the day they got engaged. I absolutely love this picture. I wonder if it was before he proposed and what he was thinking. Or if it was taken afterwards and he's just looking at her thinking "I get to marry her." Either way, adorable and I love it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Another one from their engagement day. Side note, none of us inherited Papa Norm's legs. We've definitely got some Hays thighs.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Happy New Year!</span> <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Newlyweds. What goobers.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> Papa Norm is in the truck. He owned his own trucking business to provide for his family. Grandma said they always had enough, he worked very hard and supported her decision to work too.</span><br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">My great-grandma Jennie Catherine Krause Light. Seriously, who doesn't dream of buying their mom a house? I think it's really cool that he was able to do that for her.</span> <br />
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> He was such a cute little kid!</span><br />
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Journal Prompt:<br />
What is a characteristic you hope people remember of you? Why is that quality important to you? What are you doing now to become that </div>
Katie & Ryunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17162882767579950795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-589746556929570070.post-81100505488806475612014-10-05T15:08:00.002-07:002014-10-05T15:08:45.977-07:00Family history fashion finds<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: center;">
I've mentioned before that I grew up being fascinated by the '40's because of my grandma's photo albums. As I've spent time going through them again, my 1940's romanticism is in full force! If I had a time machine, visiting my young adult grandma in New York would be my first stop.</div>
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One of the things I love about the pictures is what they're wearing and how great their hair is. Some things are timeless and are still a presence in modern styles and some...well, they might take awhile for a comeback. My grandma told me that they were always pretty poor so her mother sewed all of their clothes. I'm so curious how long she did that and if any of the clothes in these albums were sewn by her.</div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">Picture taken at my great-Uncle Matt's wedding to Margaret. My mom's dad Papa Norm is on the right. Pretty sure the bridesmaid is my grandma's sister Margaret and her husband Walter is the far left. Look at that those dresses though! That wedding dress is gorgeous! </span></div>
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How cute is my grandma?? Classic A-line skirt and check out the saddle shoes!</div>
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Another of my grandma. I would wear that today!</div>
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My grandma is 2nd from the right. Hers is my favorite dress in this picture. </div>
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My grandma's friend Bobbie Heritage. This feels like she's on the set of "White Christmas." </div>
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My grandma as a bridesmaid in her friend's wedding. She said the ruffled part was baby blue. So cute! </div>
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This was taken during one of the summers where New York Bell sent a bunch of employees to Monticello, a small city in New York to work and had them live in an even smaller town called South Fallsburg. All of the pictures are either in work clothes or bathing suits. </div>
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Grandma rockin' a turban in South Fallsburg. There were a lot of these in pictures. Those shorts are pretty bomb too.</div>
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Grandma in the middle.I love the patterns and silhouettes of the '40s. Also, my grandma is the tallest of her friends--story of my life. Taken in South Fallsburg.</div>
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This picture wasn't labeled, but look at those shoes! Daang! Even in the country, this woman meant business!</div>
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As far as the men in the pictures at this time, they're basically all wearing military uniforms. I looove talking to grandma about all her boyfriends in the military. I somewhat imagine her life as one of the dance scenes from that "Pearl Harbor" movie with Ben Affleck. I like to tease her about being a player and I'm pretty sure she loves it, but those stories are for another post :) Going through those pictures is really inspiring, though. Here are some of these men in uniform!</div>
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Apparently this guy Carl had the hots for my grandma. </div>
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This is David Blenco, he wanted to marry grandma.</div>
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Grandma's sister Dot, John Yesinksi, and grandma. </div>
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Dot, her first husband Kenneth Atherton, Grandma. Ken died as a paratrooper during the invasion of Sicily. Grandma says he was the sweetest boy.</div>
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This is grandma with David Blenco and his sister Joyce, one of grandma's good friends. Saddle shoes and socks still holding strong. </div>
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Grandma's friend Karl Kinnon, who later died of Malaria.</div>
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Kenneth Atherton with his mother on the left and my great-grandma Grace on the right.</div>
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My grandpa, Norman Light. This is a great picture, what a stud!</div>
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Pvt. Samuel Bahr, Papa Norm's cousin. Taken November 1943 at 19 years old. </div>
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This wasn't labeled and grandma didn't know what it was. Maybe one of Papa Norm's pictures. It kind of looks like it's overseas in the action. If this is from the Pacific where my Norman served, I totally get why they aren't wearing their pants. Way too hot!</div>
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This also wasn't labeled and I think it's one of Norm's relatives. I did a quick google search and it looks like a WW1 uniform. Pretty sure this picture is begging to be found out who it is.</div>
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Okay, so this one is actually the 1920's and it's Papa Norm. How cute though! His hair is adorable! It took me a little bit to notice the gun and I bet it's real.</div>
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Ok, here's one more from the 20's of grandpa. Seriously, so cute. Also, pretty sure all three of my little brothers had that haircut during the early 90's.</div>
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I have loved looking through their clothes and seeing how they changed through the years. Especially seeing how pretty my grandma kept getting and how her confidence grew! Hopefully my kids and grandkids will have as much fun looking at the styles as I do!</div>
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My journal prompt for the week:<br />
"Describe some of your favorite pieces of clothing you've worn. Include a picture if possible. Why did you love this? Where did it come from/how did you get it? What happened to it? Was it in style for the time? </div>
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For my husband, it's his bomber jacket. He loves this thing and has told me repeatedly that our children will get bomber jackets. Agreed. </div>
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Katie & Ryunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17162882767579950795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-589746556929570070.post-60559760371817888982014-10-01T21:55:00.002-07:002014-10-01T21:55:51.076-07:00Phase 2<div dir="ltr">
I really liked phase 2, but I missed the fun cardio workouts from phase 1. This one used more weights and had less jumping around. It was fun to see how much I increased the weight I was lifting and I continue to feel like I'm getting stronger every day. I'm probably driving Ryun crazy with how often I say "Look, I have triceps!" I'm definitely checking myself out more in the mirror lately. <br />
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Which makes my results from this phase a little frustrating. I know I shouldn't be only focusing on numbers, but come on--who doesn't? I know I feel good and am even looking better, but I'd be a little more satisfied if I saw it in the numbers too! I'm not sure why my results seemed to stagnate this phase. I've been trying to pinpoint some potential reasons. </div>
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<li>We eat pretty healthy for the most part, though we did go to panda express last week after a particularly hellish work week. And I immediately regretted it, by the way. I think it was a huge sodium overload on my body. Pretty sure I'm still bloated from that! I also can empathize with this a little better now:<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<img class="rg_i" data-sz="f" name="jk8cP1Qr7gEpWM:" 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" 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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Or in my case, Panda Express in my body)</span></div>
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<li>I had to start taking a couple medications that both have a side effect of weight gain. Maybe I should just be happy I maintained weight instead of gained :)</li>
<li>I've been pretty stressed out the past few weeks with work.</li>
<li>Also, sometimes at 5:45a.m. Tony Horton reminds me waaay too much of Tony Perkis/Ben Stiller in Heavyweights. I swear in one video he calls himself Uncle Tony and I lost it. It was during a balance move too so I fell over laughing and couldn't put in my best effort because I was giggling the rest of the workout.</li>
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Still, I'm grateful for the results I did see. As I said before, I maintained my weight loss from phase one, lost 1" from my waist, 3/4" off my chest, and 1/4" from my hips. I know a quarter inch isn't much, but I will happily record that change. I feel like I'm losing weight from the top down. Eventually I'll lose some more off these hips and thighs!<br />
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Awesome news for the day, I did the Challenge workout today and did a total of 77 pushups--ALL on my feet, thankyouverymuch! I was even watching in the mirror and my form was good and I was going deeper.<br />
That's what I'm talking about!</div>
Katie & Ryunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17162882767579950795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-589746556929570070.post-49657487451952272202014-09-28T18:25:00.001-07:002014-09-28T18:28:44.790-07:00World Events Shaping Our Family History<div style="text-align: center;">
<a href="https://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=589746556929570070" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"></a>Sometimes I think about all that my grandma has seen in her lifetime and it cements in my mind that she is the coolest person ever. She lived through the Great Depression, World War 2, Elvis, the Korean War, the Beatles, the Vietnam War, the Civil Rights Movement, Women's Lib, our current war in the Middle East, amazing medical advances--we even put a man on the dang moon! Seriously, though, during the Great Depression do you think people were even considering that one day people would get in a huge metal box, basically light a fire underneath it to fly it to the moon and then get out and take a walk?<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX1Nx397w2cdGs6BR27OwyXDSeBuMmjqd1VBZy50u1Dm51Gg0JCc1z9Np6BXRugfK3LAmdvhH52difxXU3ti4b2OUeDTf4ciFB8DCJfKJqKoXaCWIjvQ-p_GcQ9iiudIusJkyxg-ILQ9sx/s1600/moon.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhX1Nx397w2cdGs6BR27OwyXDSeBuMmjqd1VBZy50u1Dm51Gg0JCc1z9Np6BXRugfK3LAmdvhH52difxXU3ti4b2OUeDTf4ciFB8DCJfKJqKoXaCWIjvQ-p_GcQ9iiudIusJkyxg-ILQ9sx/s1600/moon.jpg" /></a></div>
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Let's not forget computers! My grandma still has a telegram that someone sent letting her know she got married and would write soon. A telegram! Even sending an email to keep in touch seems kind of old-school to me since there are so many ways to send messages. Our grandparents went from sending telegrams to convey important news to hearing about their grandkid's engagement/pregnancy/moving/graduation/job offer/basically everything via Facebook, Instagram and maybe a text if they're lucky. </div>
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(Side note--quit being lazy and call your grandparents to tell them that stuff.)</div>
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My point is, my grandma's world is a million ways different today compared to when she was a kid. What I want to know is what she thinks of those changes and events and how they impacted her life. I don't need to know her thoughts about every political or cultural change that happened, but there are some fascinating things that have happened during her lifetime that shaped who she was and I want to hear about them. Equally interesting are the ones I don't know about until she tells me.</div>
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For example, she told me that her next younger brother died of diphtheria when he was 6 months old. At the time they lived way out in the country, but after he died her mother had them move into the "city." Her mom said they weren't going to be stuck out in the country like that again without quick access to help. I did a quick Google search on diphtheria and found that in the 1920's there were 100,000-200,000 cases reported in the United States every year, ultimately causing between 13,000-15,000 yearly deaths during that time. Most of them were children (reference at bottom). This was a pretty devastating illness at the time. I can't imagine how scary that must have been for my great-grandmother to be out in the country trying to take care of her sick baby while also trying to prevent the rest of the family from getting it too. Her decision to move the family affected all of us. Maybe I'd be a redneck out in the woods somewhere on the East coast instead of where I am now. Again, this was a big deal at the time, but not something I ever learned about at school. Yet it still impacted my family greatly.<br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0wbcK5nEe0U8YlxZO6Ziq6fR6H5c_W1PqCuxqeasaU4PaX4hsf1WigbGHVR95gNJZ5h9W5JpAV6xs_XMeiMa4rqAuLNtRzstssYrP0v9iVJiirYOrM4c3Lct3DTsNFAyumfKoc8Qsgv6G/s1600/From+Florence,+to+Mrs+Mabel+Garey.+These+are+both+Jennie's+sisters.+I+think+this+picture+is+of+florence.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi0wbcK5nEe0U8YlxZO6Ziq6fR6H5c_W1PqCuxqeasaU4PaX4hsf1WigbGHVR95gNJZ5h9W5JpAV6xs_XMeiMa4rqAuLNtRzstssYrP0v9iVJiirYOrM4c3Lct3DTsNFAyumfKoc8Qsgv6G/s1600/From+Florence,+to+Mrs+Mabel+Garey.+These+are+both+Jennie's%2Bsisters.%2BI%2Bthink%2Bthis%2Bpicture%2Bis%2Bof%2Bflorence.jpeg" height="320" width="201" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Seriously, do you think anyone wearing those clothes ever thought anyone would light a metal box on fire and fly it to the moon? Doubtful. One day I'll ask her, she's my great-grandmother Jennie Krause's sister Florence.</span></div>
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Here are some questions I hope will help me learn more about the world/country/cultural events that impacted my ancestors. I figure the more I talk to my family members, the more I'll hear about the events I don't even know to ask about!<br />
<ol>
<li style="text-align: left;">How old were you during _______ (insert event)?</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">What were your initial thoughts about it?</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Do you remember how it affected any of your daily activities?</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">What did your parents say about it?</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">What did your friends say/think about it?</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">How did it change your view about the world/community?</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">How were you involved in it? </li>
<li style="text-align: left;">Did your thoughts ever change towards it and why?</li>
<li style="text-align: left;">What lessons did this event teach you?</li>
</ol>
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Fun fact: This is also this week's journal prompt! Pick an event that you have been around for and answer these questions. It can be political, cultural, worldwide, or local--go nuts! <br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMoahtZYTJcpeHTUd-JJ56wj0LJGhNBJa2ejoEv_OQtilKEPFM2coIl8VbBPHtiqPcgvFFkZcYdPj_iwW-S8n_Y-RyF5kezb7cNkwnkZORz6-FC8ht3aJ1ftwz3ey8_gKBSJqA1fs-pEMm/s1600/Norman+Howard+Grant+Light+military.+To+My+Best+Girl+My+Mother..jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhMoahtZYTJcpeHTUd-JJ56wj0LJGhNBJa2ejoEv_OQtilKEPFM2coIl8VbBPHtiqPcgvFFkZcYdPj_iwW-S8n_Y-RyF5kezb7cNkwnkZORz6-FC8ht3aJ1ftwz3ey8_gKBSJqA1fs-pEMm/s1600/Norman+Howard+Grant+Light+military.+To+My+Best+Girl+My+Mother..jpeg" height="320" width="258" /></a></div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">This is my mom's dad during WW2. I don't know that anyone could fully explain how war impacted lives, even on an individual basis. Also, how cute is his inscription to his best girl?</span><br />
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Source: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diphtheria#History</div>
Katie & Ryunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17162882767579950795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-589746556929570070.post-9619409753192596702014-09-21T20:58:00.000-07:002014-09-21T20:58:28.806-07:00Journaling and Family History: Join me!<div style="text-align: center;">
I love stories. I love learning about people, their adventures, their struggles and the lessons they learn. I'm pretty sure some of that is due to my grandma having an awesome collection of pictures from her young adulthood. Black and white pictures of people on farms, visiting big cities in New York, old trucks, glamorous girls in very classy and modest bikinis, amazing hairstyles, big fat cigars sticking out of the men's smiles--oh man, I love it. Knowing that these people literally are my past makes me want to learn all about them.</div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZCkOG-bej_rhFyAgUzZlqf4QvZ9ZvJKO8CQn5To_8rfSu1tCjyAt8lDvmuf-Qly3uQgvgAAq_4nsnnNnyEclmmuGo0KXH7voX1lZjV7nmxYFJ93pQwipE0He24-89Bb9E82lh1E-IoA4N/s1600/LtoR.+Jean+Reese+from+Utica,+Marge+Cuyle+from+Elmire,+Jean+Job+from+Elmira,+Dorothy+Caddington+from+Elmira.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgZCkOG-bej_rhFyAgUzZlqf4QvZ9ZvJKO8CQn5To_8rfSu1tCjyAt8lDvmuf-Qly3uQgvgAAq_4nsnnNnyEclmmuGo0KXH7voX1lZjV7nmxYFJ93pQwipE0He24-89Bb9E82lh1E-IoA4N/s1600/LtoR.+Jean+Reese+from+Utica,+Marge+Cuyle+from+Elmire,+Jean+Job+from+Elmira,+Dorothy+Caddington+from+Elmira.jpeg" height="253" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(Seriously, what's not to love about the '40's? My grandma's coworkers for a summer)</span></div>
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Unfortunately, that's not always possible. I've been having a lot of fun searching through old documents trying to learn about my recent ancestors and have found a lot of cool stuff, but I want more. I want to know why there is a New York Census from 1892 that lists my 3rd great grandparents Charles and Anna Light with all their kids, then in 1900 a NY census says she's a widow, BUT THEN (oh, the intrigue!) the 1900 Pennsylvania census lists him as a widow and living with his cousin. Their towns are just under 50 miles apart. Charles' death certificate from 1912 in Pennsylvania says he was widowed. I know it was him because it was filled out by his son. You'd figure a son would know if his mom had passed away, right? So, were the census takers in 1900 just a bunch of dummies and screwed it up? Were my grandparents separated and didn't want to admit it? Did the kids think their dad was dead? Did she fake her and her last two kids death and run away from him for some reason? Was that really his "cousin?" You can see my imagination runs rampant if you don't give me an ending. Hopefully some of those scenarios aren't true, but seriously--I want to know why the heck these don't line up.</div>
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This leads me to my next point: why the deuce didn't anyone in my ancestry keep a journal? I want the dirt! Even if it was just that everyone knew the other was alive and they just preferred to say they were widows instead of divorced, that is still so interesting to me. And let this be a lesson to all that if you don't leave a journal, then your descendants are going to think crazy things about you. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">(My life journals, oldest on bottom to the newest on top. There are a couple other study journals I've used too, but ain't nobody got time to dig those out!)</span></div>
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I love writing in my journal! Over the years I've been awesome at it and I've been bad at it. And holy cow there are some entries that make me cringe to think my kids will read one day. I can already hear "Mom, you were so weird and boy-crazy." Yeah, thanks, I know. Hopefully they think that along with recognizing my cool moments, the things I've learned, the kind of person I tried to be, my adventures, my heartbreaks, and I hope they see some of themselves in me. Louisa May Alcott said,</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">"Preserve your memories, </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">keep them well, </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;">what you forget you can never retell."</span></div>
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So, write in your dang journals! It can be a notebook, hard bound journal, a blog, a word document--whatever. Just find somewhere you can preserve your memories and write. I have a goal to use a journal prompt once a week to help me think more outside the realm of "this is what I did today." Join me if you want! This week's prompt is:</div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"> What skill or talent do you wish you had and why?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: small;">Remember, without writing in your journal, you're giving your descendants free license to make assumptions about your pictures. Take this guy, for example: butcher, terrifying jungle surgeon, or a psychopath caught on camera? The world may never know... </span></span></div>
<br />Katie & Ryunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17162882767579950795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-589746556929570070.post-32688418091455452692014-08-31T20:44:00.000-07:002014-08-31T20:45:58.239-07:00P90x3 phase 1 progress<div style="text-align: center;">
Woohoo Phase 1 is done!</div>
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Sike! (or is it Psych?) </div>
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It's only supposed to be 3 weeks each phase and then 1 week "transition" before going to the next phase. but Ryun hurt his foot during the first week so I finished out that week and restarted with him the next week.</div>
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The verdict:</div>
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I love it!</div>
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I still do not like the Warrior workout, but I really like all the other ones so far. The Challenge is one of my faves because I feel like I've gotten way stronger because of it. It's the one where you just switch off between variations of pull-ups (a.k.a. the modified ones with the resistance band for me) and push-ups. </div>
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1st workout: 50-something pushups. On my knees and not very deep. Crazy sore afterwards.</div>
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4th workout: 78 pushups. All but 6 on my feet, thank you very much! </div>
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So those 78 weren't as deep as they should be, but considering I couldn't bend my arms at the beginning if I was in normal push-up position...I feel like a stud. </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;">Kip just gets me</span></div>
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I didn't see the scale move too much during this phase. I thought I saw in the mirror that my waist looked smaller, but I figured I had some wishful thinking going on. I did know that I was getting a lot stronger, which was what I was really hoping for during this first phase. We did our measurements and "after" pictures for the first phase.</div>
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I lost 5 pounds and a total of 4.5-5 inches. 1.5 inches off my waist, 2 inches off my chest, and the rest was smaller increments from my arms and legs. </div>
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All in all, pretty happy with the first phase!</div>
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Also, this is sometimes how I feel:</div>
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Katie & Ryunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17162882767579950795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-589746556929570070.post-27859115183962410902014-08-05T13:58:00.001-07:002014-08-05T13:58:51.681-07:00P90x3--day 6 the Warrior<p dir="ltr">I forgot to post this the other day. The Warrior is probably my least favorite so far. The moves I couldn't do weren't really modifiable for me so I felt like I was just missing out. Obviously I don't expect to be able to do it all right away, but it was a little frustrating not knowing how to adapt it. If you have good upper body strength I'm sure it's a fun workout. </p>
<p dir="ltr">The good thing about it is that I had "I am the Warrior" stuck in my head all weekend. We ended up pulling it up on youtube and it is a super weird music video. </p>
<p dir="ltr">I'm not planning on writing about every workout every day (no thank you), but I wanted to do my experience the first time with each video. Now I'll be able to compare how I felt at the beginning. We did agility again today -- pretty sure it's my fave. </p>
Katie & Ryunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17162882767579950795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-589746556929570070.post-92219408720182405852014-08-01T22:46:00.000-07:002014-08-01T22:46:17.524-07:00P90x3--day 5 CVX<div dir="ltr">
You know that scene in Ace Ventura 2 when Ace gets shot by darts and he's running through the jungle with his arms flopping around? </div>
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Let me remind you.</div>
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That's how I feel today. And the delirium at the end too. Flowers--for me?</div>
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The second I woke up today I felt my shoulders crying. If they've ever been this sore, I must have blocked it out as a bad memory. I whimpered the whole time I had to dress myself. And basically any time I've had to move my arms today. I feel like they're going to fall off. It's kind of awesome, though. Just trying to remember that if I have to lift my arms to just do it fast and not prolong the pain.</div>
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The CVX workout was a lot of fun. I don't ever feel like I need to throw up during workouts, but after about 20 minutes this morning I felt like it was going to happen. Fortunately I didn't, but I did position myself closer to the tile by the door--just in case. I liked jumping around and adding just a couple pounds to the moves made a big difference. I really do like that the workouts are hard, but I can get through them and can tell I'll be able to improve as well.</div>
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But until I become a ninja warrior from these workouts, every time I move and feel pain I'm just going to do this:</div>
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Katie & Ryunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17162882767579950795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-589746556929570070.post-85202763912472091742014-07-31T22:15:00.001-07:002014-07-31T22:15:13.866-07:00P90x3 day 4--The Challenge<div dir="ltr">
Well holy upper body strength. </div>
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By that, I mean I have no upper body strength. Which made the pull-up and push-up workout a toughie. Yay for modifying! I used a resistance band for the pull-ups and ended up doing most of the push-ups on my knees. I used push-up stands too, which I liked.</div>
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I did more push-ups today then I probably have ever done in a workout. Even though a lot of them were on my knees, I'm pretty proud of myself. </div>
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My bootie is a lot less sore than yesterday. I was waddle-free all day. I like these workouts because each body part takes a turn at being sore, so I'm not totally immobile.</div>
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Katie & Ryunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17162882767579950795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-589746556929570070.post-46867634317439475092014-07-30T22:06:00.000-07:002014-07-30T22:06:36.547-07:00P90x3 day 3--Yoga<div dir="ltr">
I wasn't excited for yoga. I kinda hate it. Not really HATE hate, but it's boring. I like to run around while exercising and yoga has never quite done it for me. I don't think I ever did the entire one in the first p90x video. Couldn't handle it for that long. I've always been pretty flexible so that wasn't the issue. It hurt my wrist too much so I never wanted to trigger the tendonitis stuff. Me and downward dog weren't friends. And...so boring.</div>
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I'm also not interested in being able to do this.</div>
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I'm flexible, but ain't nobody got time for that, amiright?</div>
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I was pleasantly surprised by the yoga video this morning. There was a lot of downward dog, but I tried to stay more conscious of not keeping that hand down at a bad angle. Overall it went pretty well. Wasn't nearly as boring previous yoga experiences. Some moves I was on top of right away and others will be a little challenging to get the hang of for a little bit. Even though I wasn't sweating much, I feel like I got a good workout in and though it may sound lazy, the cool-down was my favorite part. I was so relaxed by the end of it, I could've laid on that mat all day.</div>
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I'm going to be honest though, my butt hurts so bad. I don't think it's from the yoga--I think it's from the agility workout. Holy moly. I was waddling at work today and I'm pretty sure I didn't actually bend my knees while walking. I loved it, but good heavens.</div>
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Katie & Ryunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17162882767579950795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-589746556929570070.post-80506037394000624182014-07-29T21:55:00.001-07:002014-07-29T21:55:11.676-07:00P90x3 day 2--Agility X<div dir="ltr">
I really liked this morning's workout. Tons of jumping and running around. It felt like being in sports and some of the exercises your coach would make you do. I was able to do most of the exercises even though my wrist is pretty sore still. I stink at push-ups anyways, but tendonitis doesn't help. For the two push-up moves, I did them down on my forearms as best as I could. </div>
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I felt pretty good the whole day, but I was definitely sore. Have you ever felt like the fat around your ribs was sore? It was kinda like that. But in a good way...</div>
Katie & Ryunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17162882767579950795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-589746556929570070.post-89092591873520848932014-07-28T21:46:00.004-07:002014-07-28T21:49:44.544-07:00P90x3 day 1<div dir="ltr">
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So last night Ryun and I did our body measurements and "before" pictures. That was depressing. I love my body, all the things it does, my blood work shows that overall I'm pretty healthy, but I also know that I have more fat than is healthy. I'm not trying to become a model or some unrealistic weight --I just want to feel better and make sure I prepare myself to be healthy for life. </div>
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Moving to AZ has been great, but it has been a big lifestyle change for us. We still work out most days, but we're much more sedentary over all. In our Utah college town we walked all over and were in hiking areas within 10 minutes. In Arizona I drive 30 min to work each way, sit at a desk all day, and it's too freaking hot to go for walks anywhere. Even in nicer weather, the neighborhoods are just so ugly. The ones with nice houses are not as fun to walk around and look at as the old unique houses in Utah. </div>
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<br />
<br />
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
</div>
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(He's so intense)</span><br />
<br />
<br />
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Anyways, those are excuses I tell myself. Regardless of the reasons, it's time for us to get in better shape. This morning we did our first day of p90x3. It was fun! My tendonitis in my right thumb started acting up over the weekend, but I was able to do more than I thought I would so that's good. Some of the moves wouldn't be so bad on their own, but after doing a few other moves I felt pretty rubbery trying to maintain my balance! </div>
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<br /></div>
<div dir="ltr">
After we were home Ryun commented that he felt "stretchy." I agree, my muscles felt more elongated after the workout. It felt really nice. I never got so sore today that I couldn't move, which was a nice change from the first time I did plyometrics a few years ago--ouch! I'm looking forward to tomorrow's workout and to doing today's workout again next week and seeing how I have improved. And hopefully saying goodbye to all the weight I carry around in my legs. As much as I'm in this for better health, I'm also down for having better looking legs :)</div>
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Also, one fun Katie fact: P90X came out while I was on my mission and I heard a lot about it while I was gone, so naturally when I got home I borrowed my brother's copy before I went back to college. After about two weeks of doing it I had a nightmare that Tony Horton was trying to kill me. Here's hoping I have P90X3 on my mind that much again! </div>
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<span style="font-size: x-small;"> (Some people think he's a little annoying, I think he's hilarious)</span></div>
Katie & Ryunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17162882767579950795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-589746556929570070.post-19504164097173316072014-06-15T12:11:00.003-07:002014-06-15T12:11:32.842-07:00For the fellas<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Happy Father's Day!</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I am so grateful for the good men in my life. While none of you is my actual dad, you've done so much good for my life.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> Maybe you're one of my brothers, father-in-law, brothers-in-law, some other male relative, friends, Sunday School teachers, regular school teachers, a friend's husband, mission president, a senior elder from Nebraska, an old bishop, a great boss, a friendly ward member, one of my friend's dad, or maybe I just babysat your kids. Let's not forget my husband--he's going to be a great daddy one day.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Whoever you are in that lineup, thank you for </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">teaching me how to drive, </span>scaring my boyfriends, encouraging me in my school work, reminding me not to settle for anything in my life, having fun with me, being a soundboard for all my crazy ideas and not thinking I'm weird, </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">telling me that it was cool for me to go on a mission before it was cool,</span> making me laugh, teaching me the birds and the bees (you know who you are),</span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> reassuring me that I could wear the boss skirt and be good at it,</span> letting me cry on your shoulder for whatever reason (let's face it, there were a lot), inspiring me to know that I am a girl who can do anything</span>, <span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">calling me before a surgery I didn't think I could handle, </span><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">telling me I was beautiful on my wedding day, and always letting me that you're proud of me.</span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"><span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">I love all the men who have filled that role in my life at various times. </span>Because of you all, I rarely feel like I don't have a father. That means the world to me. </span></div>
Katie & Ryunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17162882767579950795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-589746556929570070.post-47764316417979680862014-06-05T21:24:00.000-07:002014-06-06T05:57:23.714-07:00Dealbreakers from a Married Persepective<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
<br />
Hey Zack, I recently read your blog post about <a href="http://www.bowlofoates.com/5-steps-to-deal-with-dealbreakers/" target="_blank">dealbreakers</a> and my married
20/20 hindsight kicked in. I've thought a lot about this over the last few weeks and had many different experiences come to mind. So even though I don't live in the dating
capital of Mormondom anymore and I've been married over two years and
have lost my single street cred, I'm going to share some thoughts anyways.</div>
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</div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
I do think it's important to be aware of relationship dealbreakers. There are things that nobody should tolerate. Like abuse in it's various forms. Or a liar. Or manipulation. Or someone who is unfaithful to you. There are many things that don't have a place in a relationship or marriage. Hopefully that's not the kind of things most of us are considering as "is this too much or can I handle this?" If you see those things in someone you're dating, I hope you don't question that too long and make the right decision to end it.<br />
<br />
Once you get through those things, dealbreakers can become pretty fluid. I don't particularly remember what all of my dealbreakers have been or at which age, but I'm sure they changed after each person I dated. What was important to me as an 18-year old was different than when I was 21, which was different from when I got married at 24.<br />
<br />
So, if we as individuals change from year to year, what makes us so confident in today's dealbreakers? Choosing to love someone for the rest of your life is a choice and it's one you have to make every day. <br />
<br />
After a couple months of dating Ryun I started faulting the heck out
of our relationship. Don't get me wrong, I had a great time with him and
I loved him and he's a wonderful person, but that didn't stop me from worrying about everything.
Was he making me a better person? Would we be able to make a long term
relationship work? Is he going to stay on the same spiritual path as me?
When I got worried enough I started praying that God would let me know
if I should continue this relationship. Either give me the green light
or let's end this thing before it gets too painful. And you know what?
Ryun is human and he did something that I didn't like, so I took that as
my answer and we broke up.<br />
Fortunately, I got some clarification a
couple days later. It was something along the lines of God saying "Okay
dummy, that was a little extreme. Why don't you think about what my
answer really was?"<br />
<br />
As I wallowed in my broken-hearted
break-up misery and talked with a few relationship geniuses (a.k.a.
people who'd been married a long time), I started thinking about things
in a new light.<br />
<br />
<br />
1) It is nobody else's job to make
me a better person. I am in charge of my own relationship with God, not
my boyfriend and not my future husband.<br />
<br />
2) Being with a
good person does make you a better person, but that's not something you
can always see right away, partly because we don't know what to look
for. A lot of guys complain that girls expect them to be their mission president. Without recognizing it, I was expecting that dating "the one" would
somehow turn me into my mission president's wife. Less obvious, equally
unrealistic.<br />
<br />
3) If I'm smart enough to make a list of dealbreakers, why wasn't I smart enough to make a list of his most winning qualities?<br />
<br />
That last one has become very important to me the longer I have been married. Of course we all have our faults, but my marriage is strongest when I see Ryun for all of his goodness. Since October our life has been a rollercoaster of emotion. Some of the most exciting things in our marriage have happened and then were followed by extremely painful ones. The nights when we've cried ourselves to sleep, the times Ryun has held my hand when he knew I needed it--not once during those times did I think about whether or not he had sworn that week, if he'd read his scriptures, or if I thought he'd really paid attention at church. I thought about how he intuitively knew the best way to comfort me, how I always felt comfortable to experience every emotion around him, how I always knew how he felt about me, and how I knew we were going to be okay because in the short time we'd been together I was a stronger person. Because I didn't marry my husband due to his lack of dealbreakers compared to other guys. I married him because of who we became and who we'll become together.<br />
{we're awesome by the way} <br />
<br />
<br />
Welp, there's lots more I could say in addition to the lots I've already said, but I'll leave it at that. Keep your eyes open for the things everyone should stay away from, but don't spend all of your energy looking for things you don't care for. You could miss finding out how great someone really is.<br />
<br /></div>
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<div style="text-align: center;">
<br />
**disclaimer** my insecurities while dating my husband were not because of him. Ask any boy I've ever dated :) My husband is awesome!<br />
<br /></div>
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Katie & Ryunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17162882767579950795noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-589746556929570070.post-18371587185438021932013-09-25T06:48:00.002-07:002013-09-25T06:48:41.093-07:00My Letter to Politicians on the Affordable Care Act<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">Well hello. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">There are lots of interesting things going on in the government right now. I'll be the first to say that I don't understand a lot of what the government does, but I am trying to learn. Since some stuff is about to hit the fan, I thought I'd post the letter I wrote and sent to my Congressman and both Senators. I'm not doing this to start a fight or anything, just to explain how my life has been affected by by the Affordable Care Act. I don't think it is all horrible, but I do think it needs to be looked at again and changed in many ways. </span></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;"> I really am proud to be an American and able to communicate with politicians and have a chance to be involved in the political process as much as I choose to be.</span> <span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">So this is me being an adult and writing letters to my local political leaders. Go democracy :)</span></div>
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Dear Congressman Chaffetz (and also sent to both senators),</div>
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I am writing in regards to my experience with the Affordable
Care Act. My background can help you understand why this is so frustrating to
me. As a college student I didn’t pay much attention to politics; everyone
involved seemed like a bunch of fighting teenagers. While I was away in
Nebraska for 18 months as a volunteer for my church, this particular act was
made a law. After I came back I still didn’t pay much attention to politics and
focused on my education. Since I was studying Psychology, my plans included
going to graduate school to obtain a Masters so I could get a job that paid
decently and would allow me to help people.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I have been assured since junior high that if I attended college and
worked hard to obtain a degree, I would be able to pay for the things I needed
and raise a family with a modest lifestyle. I want to emphasize that I am not
opposed to paying back my student loans. I am not opposed to hard work. I think
it is a privilege to live in a country where I can pay taxes to improve my
community and help people. What I am opposed to is being taken advantage of.</div>
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<br /></div>
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My college plans changed after I married my husband. He
wasn’t quite done with school yet so my goals of starting graduate school were
put on hold, which was fine. I had no idea how horrible the job market was (and
still is). I searched from Springville all the way to Salt Lake City and it
took me three months to find a minimum wage job. After spending thousands of
dollars on school, I was making the same amount I was in high school.
Fortunately I only spent three weeks there and was offered a job that paid
well, but was only 30 hours a week (a little over 1500 hours a year) with no
benefits. Since it paid so well I was more than willing to pay for private
insurance for my husband and I. Things were fine and we were able to pay for
our very modest lifestyle, keep my husband in school (though that still
required student loans), and save a little for future grad school applications
and flights to interviews.</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
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About twelve months later, in April, I was pulled into a
meeting with HR so they could explain to us some of the effects of Obamacare on
our departments and hiring processes. They said they received the regulations
in February and it took them a couple months to sort through it and figure out
how they were going to accommodate it. Here are some of the issues I have seen
since being informed of these “helpful” policies:</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>My company has reduced ¾ time employees to
working 28 hours per week instead of 30 hours—including my position. I don’t
blame them, they are a huge company and that would cost an enormous amount of
money to make all the ¾ time employees full time. The premise behind the law is
understandable, “yeah, it sounds great to make 30 hour employees get full time
benefits,” but who on earth thought companies wouldn’t reduce hours? For me, cutting
down to 28 hours per week is a pay decrease in just under $2,000 a year. </li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>In my budgeted world, that's a pretty big
decrease—a little more than 3 month’s rent or almost my entire year’s worth of
insurance that I pay out of pocket. So, I still don't get insurance from work,
but now I have less overall money to pay for my insurance. </div>
<div class="MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle" style="margin-left: 1.0in; mso-add-space: auto; mso-list: l0 level2 lfo1; text-indent: -.25in;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Courier New";"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;">o<span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";">
</span></span></span>But hey, Obamacare provides me with free birth
control, so I'm saving $84 a year on birth control.... With my job, that would
only be 4 hours of work that would pay for an entire year of birth control. I
would much rather pay $84 than lose $2,000.</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span>Another stipulation is that I can’t work two
part-time jobs for the same company or else they’d have to pay for the
insurance benefits still. Unfortunately, the company I work for provides a
massive amount of jobs in Utah. Again, with my hours being cut I would like to
find another part-time job, but I miss out on a lot of jobs that I am
well-qualified for because I would violate this rule. This leaves me with a lot
of mall jobs that I can apply for, but who won’t hire me because they think I
won’t stay long. </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span>A girl I work with is suffering from these
policies in a different way. She has a full-time position in our company, and
is currently expecting her first child. She didn’t want to work full-time after
giving birth and our boss was perfectly fine putting her at a part-time
position and hiring someone else for the full-time. Because of the new hours,
she would have to wait 6 months before she could come back to work—even for
part-time work only. Her options are to either work full time when she wants to
be able to spend time with her newborn, or she has to quit and have no employment.
For an administration who proclaims their love of women’s rights, that is a
pretty anti-woman and anti-family policy. There are more desires than simply
full time work or full time stay at home mom, but these policies don’t help.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span>At this meeting, we were told of these policies
and then told that we need to expect more policy changes, but that they have no
idea what they are yet because the government hasn’t given them yet. How is it
legal to enforce a law when the government hasn’t even told companies what all
the policies are yet? </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"> </span></span></span>Even though not every change in my company is
specifically stated by Obamacare, companies have to adjust so much in order to
comply. Those policies make sure the company is in accordance with the law, but
it’s at the expense of the employees. You know, the ones the president says
he’s trying to help.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span>Since my hours have been cut and our income has
decreased I have been looking for a full-time job. Since February I have
applied to at least 70 positions between Utah and Arizona, which I have been
well qualified for. I have had two interviews, one job which was offered to me,
but I turned it down because they went back on their pay. I would have earned
$3,000 less than what I currently earn. There are even less full-time jobs
posted and tons of people applying for them.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>My husband and I would like to start our family.
We would be great parents and raise our kids to work hard and help others. I
will not have a child with the insurance we currently have because we’d pay
tons out of pocket, and I will not have a child with no insurance. I make too
much money to qualify for Medicaid, so I would have to quit my job to qualify
for welfare. I am not going to quit my job in order to go on welfare to have a
kid. That’s a real lack of integrity, which our government may not mind, but I
do. Thus far, Obamacare has done nothing to decrease my insurance costs—but it
has successfully decreased my earnings.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: Symbol; mso-bidi-font-family: Symbol; mso-fareast-font-family: Symbol;"><span style="mso-list: Ignore;"><span style="font: 7.0pt "Times New Roman";"></span></span></span>These laws will only make it harder for people
who take pride in working hard to provide for their families and easier for
those who don’t want to work to justify going on welfare. I am very willing to
help out those in need and I donate regularly, but I don’t condone teaching
people it’s okay not to try to improve their own situation. It’s extremely frustrating
to not find work when you want it, it is depressing, and eventually individuals
will stop trying to find quality employment that provides for their needs. Then
those that are working will be paying even more for those who don’t work. I
think Obamacare and other policies from this administration do nothing to encourage
people to work hard, but they entice people to do even less. </li>
</ul>
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I like to think the best of people and their intentions. I
hope the administration isn’t intentionally putting the hard-working American
citizens at a disadvantage, but the more I see these negative effects, the
harder it is to believe. The name “Affordable Care Act” is an oxymoron. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>With all the suffering happening to citizens
because of these rules, our political leaders owe it to us to work to change
this. I am 26 years old and am learning how to be involved in the political
process and be part of determining what happens to my hard-earned money. I did
not vote for you—I still don’t even know when those elections are (a sad
commentary on American education in itself)—but I turn to you as my
representative in Congress. I hope this letter helps you understand some of the
effects of Obamacare; I’m sure there are thousands more stories similar to
mine. Ultimately, I hope this encourages you to do all you can to make necessary
changes so I don’t have to spend my entire life paying off bills for basic
care. Even if this gets passed, I hope you do everything possible to work
towards another resolution that would actually be affordable.</div>
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Sincerely, </div>
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Katie </div>
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Katie & Ryunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17162882767579950795noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-589746556929570070.post-35253723541449103922013-09-01T15:30:00.004-07:002013-09-01T15:30:52.203-07:00Ode to Pinterest<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I'm not going to lie.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I freaking love Pinterest.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I am doing some family history by scanning all of Ryun's mom's family pictures she took of the kids growing up. It's taking forever, but it has really cemented my confidence in Ryun and I having ridiculously attractive babies one day.</span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUyxZ4Ts4Psq-nt5cVUM5LHhy0I8ObP9S45T7WeMrrarJz7I3ry1Ja4sB6EmDWo1JGpCA7ofSQEyOGMa0q19a618eEcsexH_1G58QYBfduVfvnVyKXf95SbW-UCbjgbn2l3RQ9eTjfmdg/s1600/367--Kindergarten+Bacchus+Elementary+1990-91.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEigUyxZ4Ts4Psq-nt5cVUM5LHhy0I8ObP9S45T7WeMrrarJz7I3ry1Ja4sB6EmDWo1JGpCA7ofSQEyOGMa0q19a618eEcsexH_1G58QYBfduVfvnVyKXf95SbW-UCbjgbn2l3RQ9eTjfmdg/s320/367--Kindergarten+Bacchus+Elementary+1990-91.jpeg" width="216" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">( I mean, look at him!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Because it takes about 30 seconds for each picture to scan, I'm also on Pinterest looking up recipes. Now I know it's super easy to waste a ton of time on Pinterest, but today it has been time well spent. I found 11 recipes I'd like to try and three new food blogs to check out that look promising. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">I pretty much only pin things I'm actually planning on making. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(except dessert...I hope the images satisfy my cravings instead of actually eating that stuff. I've only actually made about 5-10 of the things on my dessert board. Go me.)</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"> <span style="font-size: small;">Anyways, I do a pretty good job of actually making things I find on there. So far, I have made and kept 73 different recipes. Many of them I have made five or six times. Like the <a href="http://www.budgetbytes.com/2011/08/cajun-pasta-salad/" target="_blank">Cajun Pasta</a>, homemade <a href="http://sallysbakingaddiction.com/2012/12/25/30-minute-whole-wheat-pretzels/" target="_blank">soft pretzels</a>, <a href="http://budgetbytes.blogspot.com/2012/05/mediterranean-quesadillas-1142-recipe.html" target="_blank">Mediterranean quesadillas</a> and <a href="http://www.cookingclassy.com/2012/10/caprese-lasagna-roll-ups/" target="_blank">Caprese Lasagna</a>. Yum. </span></span></span></div>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr6_yxUHm1-CMjAjC3G00Yuc3WS_T2fPohzy-csrsmOMcKL1SB8GePtRLFxWx7EwcHqg7D_3KFWIibRLX3bUR0-mf0AAXkTR3QL7SqjLwo6ZcGB285-jwhRHA4Qdj5JzPt2fIfEK2kh0wY/s1600/hoarding.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="224" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjr6_yxUHm1-CMjAjC3G00Yuc3WS_T2fPohzy-csrsmOMcKL1SB8GePtRLFxWx7EwcHqg7D_3KFWIibRLX3bUR0-mf0AAXkTR3QL7SqjLwo6ZcGB285-jwhRHA4Qdj5JzPt2fIfEK2kh0wY/s320/hoarding.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">I delete the ones I don't like so that I don't accidentally make them again and so I kind find the ones I do like easier. I have a separate board of recipes I haven't tried yet. There's about 140 on there right now that I'm making my way through. I will soon be trying <a href="http://www.eat-yourself-skinny.com/2012/12/olive-garden-inspired-minestrone-soup.html" target="_blank">this one</a>, <a href="http://aggieskitchen.com/2011/12/15/bowties-with-creamy-pumpkin-and-parmesan/" target="_blank">this one</a> and <a href="http://www.twopeasandtheirpod.com/grilled-zucchini-nachos/" target="_blank">this one</a>. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">This is all <u>very</u> exciting for everyone to read, but after realizing how many new things I'd found in about 20 minutes I was pretty happy. Ryun and I have a lot of fun cooking together and trying out new things and new restaurants (last night's new Mexican restaurant almost killed me), and I'm glad we can spend less time searching Google for recipes and more time actually doing the things we like. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">And Pinterest has pretty much taught me how to cook. Well--taught me how to cook more than spaghetti, hot dogs, PB&J, and lemon bars. I couldn't make a roux to save my life. I'm not an amazing cook now, but I'm good enough.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">Pinterest has also taught me how to <a href="http://www.designsbymeganturnidge.com/blog/?p=2114" target="_blank">sew some stuff</a>, how to do my wedding reception in AZ for under $1000 but still be a big party, how to get <a href="http://www.prettyprovidence.com/2012/04/never-pay-for-redbox-again.html" target="_blank">free Redbox</a>, and other things. It even gives me a head's up that some of my friends are pregnant by their sudden baby pins all over the place. It's also helped me realize that I do have priorities and some stuff just takes way too much time away from my family--even if it's cute/crafty/tasty/fashionable/etc. I will never figure out how to successfully braid my entire head and I'm okay with that.</span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(this will never happen for me)</span> </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">So this is my long-winded way of letting the world know that I love Pinterest. Thank you for introducing me to people who know how to do things that I don't who are willing to teach me for free. </span></span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"><span style="font-size: x-small;"><span style="font-size: small;">That's my kind of deal. </span></span></span></div>
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Katie & Ryunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17162882767579950795noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-589746556929570070.post-44564092985084023172013-05-26T10:22:00.001-07:002013-05-26T10:25:24.394-07:00Life Lessons from May17-25<div style="text-align: center;">
It's been an interesting past seven days. </div>
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Lots of learning. Some of it I wish I hadn't learned, but oh well.</div>
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1) If you drop your cell phone in the couch cushions, don't just stick your hands down the side and wiggle around. Stand up and take the cushion off, or you could get sliced by the nail that's randomly sticking out down there.</div>
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2) Only use a butter knife when slicing an avocado. If it doesn't work, then the avocado isn't ripe anyways. Remember, your hand is <i>always</i> ripe enough for a knife to stab through it.</div>
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3) If you ignore the previous two lessons, superglue is a decent alternative to stitches. Also, neighbors who are nurses is really helpful.</div>
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4) It's a good thing I have superglue, because Obamacare has required my hours to get cut. So now I still don't get benefits from work and now I have less money to pay for our crappy insurance.</div>
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5) Those of us who spent a lot of money on school, only to have our degrees rendered useless because Congress can't get their crap together, should be able to go back to school for free so we can learn something that will actually get us a job after graduation.</div>
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6) Reading a depressing book will remind you that life could always be worse. If you feel crappy, reading <i>The Glass Castle</i> will make you feel better. And horribly depressed. But mostly better.</div>
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7) I think it's okay sometimes to wallow in self-misery. Sometimes things just stink and you should feel free to acknowledge that.</div>
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8) If you're doing the wallowing thing while also praying to have more faith in God's plan, the wallowing will win. You can't actively be a big baby and pray for faith at the same time. It just doesn't work. You just end up being like, "Great, this happened <i>and</i> God is ignoring me!" Take the time you need to be a big baby, and when you're ready to receive more faith and a better attitude, then pray for it. </div>
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9) Taking a day off from cars and walking everywhere is pretty therapeutic. Mostly because you don't have to drive around Provo drivers.</div>
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10) Ryun and I really don't get the contemporary art at the MOA. I also believe people who say they get it are liars. </div>
Katie & Ryunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17162882767579950795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-589746556929570070.post-47676598595385998872013-01-28T21:05:00.000-08:002013-01-28T21:05:01.234-08:00oh, plans<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I'm kind of a planner. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Not all the time--but for now, we're talking about my inner Franklin Covey-esque brain. In 6th grade, someone from my future junior high came to orient us to the next phase in our education and helped us set up our schedule for the next school year. I think that's when I fell in love with planning my education. This is when I geek out and say that I <u>love</u> planning out school stuff. I am super good at it too. I think the summer after 8th grade I already had planned what dorms I wanted to live in at BYU (didn't happen, by the way), which classes I was going to take in each semester and when I would graduate. No joke--I'm a weirdo. I ended up going to community college and got all my gen-eds done in the four semesters the school paid for. I've helped my siblings figure out school stuff. I've pointed friends in the right directions for scholarships and grants. I'm basically a self-appointed high school guidance counselor.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I don't really know why I was so enamored with school plans. Maybe because my family was going through stuff that 6th grade year, so I felt like I could escape to college one day. You know how some people become anorexic because food is the one thing they feel they can control in their lives? I think I might have had some of that mentality going on--except with school. Anyways, it brought a great deal of comfort to me to have those things planned out. After I came home from my mission I was going to go to school for 3 more semesters and then start grad school a few months after that. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And then I met this guy:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxNCjnL2gYOx-3iTGJ_5d9LRGTuIEv7CX1uwwWG3DH2sJ5_1z-9FhgYJb6JpGlHhHllsXbV5s-KkvzEyyCx9eZ5ZYhjY2l7K-dpRrta6wZ-2HWpIl4iQ16lpZtixyZ4-IXGAXMMtB4nFj/s1600/DSCN0327.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhaxNCjnL2gYOx-3iTGJ_5d9LRGTuIEv7CX1uwwWG3DH2sJ5_1z-9FhgYJb6JpGlHhHllsXbV5s-KkvzEyyCx9eZ5ZYhjY2l7K-dpRrta6wZ-2HWpIl4iQ16lpZtixyZ4-IXGAXMMtB4nFj/s320/DSCN0327.JPG" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And he's awesome. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And caring.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And smart.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And hot. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And funny. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And I <b>love</b> him. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">So I married him.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Which was the best decision of my life.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">But, it did change my plans. I'd be a big fat liar if I didn't admit that it has been harder than I thought it would be to not be in school. I spent the majority of my life in school and loving it. Now I'm lame and work 40 hours a week. I won't lie, I'd go back to school in a heartbeat. And I know my husband would gladly trade places with me.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">So basically every other month I have a future life-plan freak out. I look up school info for both Ryun and myself. I freak out about the economy and if we'll even be able to live the modest life we are planning on. I find about ten different potential career paths I could take in case our situation changes. I make potential plan after potential plan. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And then I cry.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And Ryun gives me a hug.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And tells me it's all going to work out.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And reminds me that God isn't going to bail on us.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">And I believe him.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">Because, really, everything for us has worked out. The whole circumstances around how we met, started dating and kept dating still surprise me. The fact that I was able to overcome my marriage phobias amazes me. My being able to find a job that allows Ry to not work so he can completely focus on school was a miracle. We were able to go to Arizona for Christmas when I really missed my family, but didn't think we could afford it. Honestly, God's got our back.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I like this quote I found by George MacDonald:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">"<span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">Doing the will of God leaves me </span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;">no time for</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><span style="font-size: large;"> disputing about His plans</span>.</span>"</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">I'm glad that plans change. With school stuff, I loved the excitement that came with seeing all the different ways I could accomplish what I wanted. Instead of freaking out that I can't control this part of my life anymore, why shouldn't I be excited when I see all the possibilities God brings to my life? I have no idea what His plans are, other than he wants us to be happy. So if the greatest being in the universe is working towards making my life happy...</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;">then I think I'm okay with my weenie little plans changing.</span><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GMI1SGY9D6SPcSQDvgCBfk6qHX8vTTGKtplHlzn33N1KXLbj6Dz9OAOwFYO2qVfshi-1PjwRd4cMggP1kLhSqKmHgcc2SkGDoR4-dCfRMv7J4-9dfdNPbElCTuKY3928tsIRWL3su0xq/s1600/DSCN0455.JPG" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh0GMI1SGY9D6SPcSQDvgCBfk6qHX8vTTGKtplHlzn33N1KXLbj6Dz9OAOwFYO2qVfshi-1PjwRd4cMggP1kLhSqKmHgcc2SkGDoR4-dCfRMv7J4-9dfdNPbElCTuKY3928tsIRWL3su0xq/s320/DSCN0455.JPG" width="320" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: Georgia,"Times New Roman",serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">(sho<span style="font-size: x-small;">ut out<span style="font-size: x-small;"> for edumecation)</span></span></span></span><br />
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Katie & Ryunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17162882767579950795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-589746556929570070.post-10685836934265360062012-10-20T13:40:00.004-07:002012-10-20T13:40:52.838-07:00Yes, we are alive here.<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">So it's definitely been a long time since I've blogged. For a few reasons.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">1. Because we were busy going to Timpanogos caves with our friends, the Harris'.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">(ps..I still don't know how to rotate pictures on here. I suck)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">It totally rained on us the whole hike up to the cave and back down.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">2. Because we were busy celebrating my 25th and Ry's 27th birthday! Adults!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Mindi took me to get a facial. It was glorious. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> The extravagant birthday card I made for Ry.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">3. Because we were hiking some other trails this summer.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">4. Because I've been working my buns off! It's nice that I get to see my friends at work, like my mama Sister Tonga and the Holtry's (who are off to their 3rd mission now!)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">5. Because I made my first quilt. Booyah. Thanks for your help Janet!</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">6. We've been watching BYU get their butts kicked on most Saturdays. That's never pleasant.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">7. Ry keeps busy by totally dominating all of his classes. He's basically the smartest kid in all of them and he's doing awesome on all of his tests too! I'm so proud of him :)</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">8. I'm somewhat writing a book. Whether to try and make something happen with it or if it's just for me is yet to be decided. If you really want to know what it's about, you can message me or something. </span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New", Courier, monospace;">9. And, as usual, we keep pretty busy just being awesome together. </span></div>
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Katie & Ryunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17162882767579950795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-589746556929570070.post-89786732280769594432012-05-17T16:49:00.001-07:002012-05-17T16:49:41.799-07:00Why it's ok to break up. (Don't worry, we didn't)<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">The other night I had a dream. In it, I was dating a guy that I had dated when I was 18. I sat there thinking, "what the heck? why are we back together? That is the <u>last</u> thing in this world that I would want!" When I woke up, I looked over at my husband fast asleep and thought, "Oh thank goodness!"</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">And that sparked yet another reminder of how grateful I am for all of the breakups I've had with different boys over the years. That boy in the dream? Totally played me. Sadly, he was one that I was really upset about after we broke up. There are other boys that I was more upset about, others that it really didn't bother me, and a few where I mostly just thought, "oh boy, what was I ever thinking?" Some were very quickly forgotten and others took quite a long time to really get over.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">Now I'm not saying that I am a superstar dater, but I have definitely had my fair share of dating experience. That doesn't mean I'm cool, it just means I have a lot of experience with things not working out. Some things I've learned through relationships are:</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">1) I'd rather be with someone that pays attention to me than someone who works so much they could go days without remembering to call me.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">2) Any boy that tries to kiss your roommate/friend while still trying to date you is never worth giving a second chance. Trust me, it is never worth it.</span></div>
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">3) Sometimes, it really is your own fault that things aren't working out. Either grow up where you need to, or do both of you a favor and end the relationship. There's no sense in dragging things out.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">4) Spend time together doing other things besides kissing and cuddling. That will generally ruin the relationship. There's probably a ton of great reasons for you to be together, but if it's just focused on the kissin' then you'll miss out on all of the really great stuff. And it's usually too hard to go backwards in the relationship.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">5)Make sure you have fun together. There's good guys, and then there's good guys that you have a hilarious time together. I vote for the second type:)</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;"> There are a lot more lessons I have learned than these five. I'm betting that God had me learn all my lessons through dating because He's going to send me a ton of boy-crazed daughters. Yikes.Whether or not the breakup was my doing or theirs, I am grateful that those relationships ended. I don't remember who said it, but I love the quote, "The wrong one is the right one to lead you to the best one." Mostly, I'm grateful because I get to wake up next to this guy every day and think, </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "Courier New",Courier,monospace;">"Oh thank goodness!"</span><br />
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</div>Katie & Ryunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17162882767579950795noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-589746556929570070.post-6638097443549245492012-05-13T21:49:00.000-07:002012-05-13T21:49:01.330-07:00Busy Life!<div style="text-align: center;">
It has been a busy past couple of months! I've been working like crazy at the MTC, the whole schedule changed and I had to update a whoooooole lot of information. I'm not the typical girl of my technologically advanced generation...so having to update a bunch of stuff on different computer programs was quite an ordeal for me. But I am pretty impressed with how much I am learning about computers in general. There was one point when I proudly went out to the lobby and announced to the volunteers and employees that I had just given someone correct answers over the phone to fix <i>their</i> computer problem. It's the little things.... ;)</div>
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Ry and I moved out of the house were living in. It was a cutie little house with too many issues. It was a little sad because of the nostalgia factor, but from the second we moved into our new place we have loooved it a ton! It is really nice to live somewhere not being worried about if there will be hot water when you wake up at 5a.m., or if you'll be able to hear every word of the people's conversations that live upstairs, or if there will be ants, or more leaks, or a ton of other random stuff. The air conditioning is a huge plus too! I don't know why anybody in Utah would build a house without some type of cooling system! Anyways, we're loving our new place and our new neighbors (my friend Nicole who served in my mission is right next door)! </div>
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Goodbye old house! We realized the day we left that we had never taken a picture in front of it!</div>
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We also went to Missouri at the end of March. Ry's Uncle Wayne passed away after fighting cancer for around 10 years. I only got to meet him once before, but he was very kind to me and I could tell how much he loved his family. It was neat to hear so many stories about him, and I've never seen so many people come to a viewing; he was a very respected and loved man. Even though it was for a sad reason, we love getting out to Missouri to visit Ry's family. They are such great people! They make you feel so welcome and comfortable right away. And it's always fun to hear stories about Ry being a hell-raiser as a kid :)</div>
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This was the view from Aunt Tracy's porch. We sat on that porch for a majority of an entire day. It was awesome.</div>
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In April we went to Arizona to see my family. It was so great being home. I was so busy playing that I didn't snap that many pictures, but I did get some choice ones of this little girl picking her nose!</div>
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I still haven't learned how to rotate pictures on this thing.</div>
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Also got so see my grandma. She is awesome!</div>
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And one last awesome picture.....</div>
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"remember that gator that got your hand? well, I got his head!"</div>
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I love my husband! </div>Katie & Ryunhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/17162882767579950795noreply@blogger.com0