Christmas with Katie's Side

I hope that everyone had a lovely Christmas!

I am in process of going through many holiday pictures. It was easier to edit down the photos from Christmas at my parents' house, so that's what you get to see first. (The kids are so active that it's hard to get them to sit still. The adults are so busy chasing kiddos that they can't exactly pose for pictures, either.)

If you click on the collage, a bigger image will pop up!


We had a lovely visit. The kids are finally old enough to rip into their presents. Of course, they were just as excited about the wrapping paper as they were about their gifts! While little R ran around swinging a gift bag like a lasso, I managed to entertain his brothers for quite some time with a bear puppet.

It was good times!

A Midsummer Night's Flashback

If you're on Facebook, you probably know by now that I was involved in a theatrical production at RRHS. No, really. Having a few hang-ups left about the whole high school experience, I approached the entire experience with trepidation. (As David T. joked, "Your journey to the Darkside is complete. Indeed you are powerful.")

Actually, it was really fun--helped me clear a few skeletons out of my closet and reminded me of all the good times. I had some serious flashbacks. It wasn't just the theatrical rituals (like passing the squeeze) or the familiarity of the space (sitting in my old chair in the green room while doing makeup). It was the kids themselves... the flirting backstage, the obsessive analysis of what a boy's actions might mean, and the excitement of a show romance. There were kids making comments I actually remember saying (almost word-for-word), most noticeably "I can't wait to graduate and go to a college far, far away from here."

It made me quite nostalgic. It also made me quite grateful that I am an adult now, and have weathered some of those self-identity storms! I'm sure there are more on the horizon, but I know myself much better now than I did the last time we performed A Midsummer Night's Dream at RRHS.

Now, if only I could reconcile myself to how easy it was to make me look matronly for the show... :)

Big Brother

I love watching my brother with his kids. He is such a good dad! That's pretty much all I had to say... just needed to do a Dan shout-out (and really wanted to share this photo)...

Weekend Whirlwind

Recently, we had a whirlwind weekend full of amusing events. Thought I'd share... we've been so busy lately, if I don't blog about it I am likely to forget!

On Saturday, we went to our nephews' third birthday party. There were presents everywhere but, not surprisingly, the boys were most fascinated by a tiny tear in the window screen. They kept sneaking over to widen the rip and eventually tried to escape the house! They were quite miffed when Dan rotated the screen and the rip was out of reach. Luckily, distractions came in the form of many wheeled toys. The boys really love cars and trains (which makes my gift-buying life so much easier...)

Unfortunately, we couldn't stay long... though our reason for leaving was also fun. It was off to Mike's brother's house, to watch our nieces get ready for Homecoming. (Lie: Mike just wanted to intimidate their dates, especially since one of them is apparently nicknamed "the Stallion." He is an overprotective uncle... I weep for our unborn daughters.) Don't the girls look gorgeous?

We spent the night at James and Denise's and then got up early to head towards Seattle. We met up with T and K. It was off to the pumpkin patch with their adorable toddler. Little A is big enough this year to actually enjoy the art of pumpkin-picking, to say nothing for all of the farm animals she got to see. A gravitates towards piglets and kittens... good taste, I say!


We are so lucky to live in beautiful Pacific Northwest, near so many family members and friends. Reflecting back on that weekend makes me so glad that I moved away for college... and so glad that I moved back. Now I can really appreciate my good fortune!

The Great Gaming Weekend

I am lucky. I married into a great family, and I really enjoy my in-laws. James (Mike's middle brother) and his wife Denise host all of the big family holidays... as well as all of the not-so-big impromptu family weekends. I love those weekends. They usually go a little something like this: out for dinner, home for hours of board games and/or dominoes, and maybe a brief stint in the hot tub. Fabulous!

We didn't used to play so much, but then Mike and I discovered some great board games and decided to share the love. Now, whenever we get together we play one of the following:

• Mexican Train dominoes
• Carcassone
• Ticket to Ride

If you're pondering Christmas presents for the upcoming holiday season, might I suggest these as a fun gift for a whole family? And while we're on the subject... what kinds of things do you like to do with your extended family?

Wheels

Dear Ford Taurus,

I'm just writing to say that I loved you. You were my first car, and will always hold a special place in my heart. Forever will I remember your trunk space, your comfy seats, the cheap price at which I purchased you.

Unfortunately, my husband never fully approved of you. And so it is with heavy heart that I must bid you farewell. You were a great college car, but I'm moving on to a new phase in my life now. I'm no longer footloose and fancy-free, zooming cross-country while subsisting on peanut butter and jelly. Now I need a grocery-getter; something with luggage rails and a high safety rating.

I promise I'll never forget you! I'll think of you nostalgically, even when I'm driving my 2010 Subaru Forester. Her name is Babe, because she's my big blue ox of a family car!


Good luck with your next owners, Taurus. I'm sure they'll be wonderful. Maybe they'll even shell out the big bucks and fix your oil leak!

Fondly,
Katie

Goodbye, Summer!

Today I didn't want to get out of bed, because I was so nice and warm under the covers.

It's official: summer is over.

All the signs are there. It's raining (or drizzling) more often than not. I have to turn the heater on in the morning. It's dark when I go to work and dark by the time I get home. Sigh. Summer, you were gone so quickly!

Fall, of course, brings its own pleasures... heartier food, cups of cocoa, and plenty of excuses to cuddle under an afghan. No mistake, I'm going to enjoy the pleasures of autumn. And yet I can't help looking back on some of my summer enjoyments!

My favorite thing about summer: a free schedule, that I spend trying new recipes and puttering around my home. Here are some pictures from one of the last (and best) meals I made all summer: peach roasted chicken with jicama-avocado salad, followed by blackberry shortbread for dessert. Very Pacific Northwest! (Let me know if you want the recipes. Everything was actually quite easy to make.)

The Dan Show

Confession: I've been feeling kid envy. Yesterday I went to an open house for my cousin's third daughter (she is so cute and tiny--even more so in his gigantic, tattooed arms!) Then I hopped over to Tara's blog and read about K-Lady's first day of school.

It's official: the biological clock has begun to ring.

Unfortunately I have to hit snooze bar for the time being. Happy substitute? I'll share photos of my brother's adorable kids!

Here's my niece L-Pie, who observed Dan very closely as the first step to learning how to cross her arms. (And you've gotta love the Northwest look my brother's sporting--we're the only region that wholeheartedly endorses socks with sandals!)


And here are all the kids in the Alaska shirts I got them on my trip this summer (yes, they'd just woken up from a nap--can you tell?):


Woo-hoo! Doesn't my brother have a gaggle (posse?) of cute little ones?

Do the Puyallap!

Yesterday, we took a trip to the Puyallup Fair. Mike and I had a great time. As always, my favorite part had to be the barns full of animals (especially the piglets!) and we really enjoyed the food. It's a truth universally acknowledged that fair-goers must overload on all things fried. In addition to elephant ears and Krusty Pups, we snacked on fair scones, barbecue, and curly fries.

This was also the year I finally had the courage to do the Extreme Scream--what an adrenaline rush! The guys had wobbly knees for quite some time afterward. I was fine, though my palms were sweaty for the duration of the ride!

The best part of the fair, though, had to be hanging out with friends. T & K are our closest pals from my graduate school program. Seeing them, and watching their daughter A enjoy the fair, was totally awesome. A loved the petting zoo, and she really enjoyed the carousel. I can't wait until she's old enough to go on more rides!

(Very) Belated Holiday Cheer

Since I just bought my first round of Christmas presents for 2009, I figured it was high time to post a collage of last year's festivities! As you can see, it was the year of the baby. For the first time ever, all of the great-grandchildren were under one roof (and that roof just so happened to belong to my Grandma G).


A good time was had by all... but I'm guessing the triplets enjoyed themselves the most. After all, it's not every day you get to strip down and play with Swiffers!


I really enjoyed getting to see my cousin Rose. She's a chef (as is her boyfriend) and they live most of the year near Yellowstone, working the big resorts. When they're not in Montana they're off traveling to an exciting new job opportunity (last time it was a stint in Las Vegas!) Needless to say, it's always a bonus when I get some face time with Rose.

The Dark Lady

My husband knows better than to tell me what to do with my hair. He has, however, hinted rather strongly that he loves long hair and wants me to grow mine out. I've explained to him over and over again that this doesn't work--with thin, soft hair like mine it just ends up looking lank and disgusting.

His second desire is to see what I would look like with black hair (yes, in case you're wondering, Mike dated his fair share of Goth chicks before we got together). I can't do black--I think I'd look like a corpse. But I definitely went darker.

I also decided to do something drastically different in terms of cut. After all, I've had the same one for years now! So... here are some pictures of the change.


*Nerd question: did anyone get that my post title is a reference to Shakespeare's sonnets?

Love and Marriage

Today is my parents' 40th wedding anniversary. Four decades of marriage: pretty impressive, huh? Even more impressive when you consider that they're high school sweethearts. Yeah, they started dating back when my mother was 15 (or, as she likes to say, "we've been together since we were fetuses"). They've never been with anyone but each other!

Over the past few years, I've learned a little something from watching my parents. (Before that, I was a teenager and I knew everything.) I think one of the reasons they're still happy together is that they're not complacent about their marriage. They're not lazy about it. They don't take each other for granted.

Instead, they still find new things to do together--they vacation in new places or try new things. (Watching my parents try Moroccan food for the first time = priceless.) They laugh together A LOT and still create their own personal in-jokes with admirable frequency. They're friends as well as spouses.

I hope, in 40 years, that Mike and I can say that we happily followed their good example!

Super Special Travel Plans!

When I was an undergrad, I completed a Group Independent Study Project (GISP) on children's literature. What does this mean?

(a) I got college credit for reading Harry Potter
(b) I wrote literary analysis on Mary Anne Spier and Logan Bruno
(c) At age 20, I had a sleepover party and played the Sweet Valley High board game
(d) I made some excellent lifelong friends
(e) All of the above, and then some!

It was one of my best college experiences, mostly because I've stayed in touch with the other women in the GISP. After graduation, we continued to have semi-regular reunions. But then people started moving away from the Providence area. Now, we are spread throughout Boston, New York, Washington, and Alaska. So when we want to get together, we have to have a Super Special.

Those of you who read the Baby-sitter's Club books know the term "Super Special." They were the thick white books chronicling the club's group vacations. The GISP had our first Super Special last year, when everyone flew out for my wedding.

Starting tomorrow, we're on our next Super Special: GISP Alaskan Adventure! I can't wait. Everyone's been joking that, if our vacation runs true to the BSC model, we will care for adorable toddlers (and meet equally adorable men with accents) on our trip.

I am more than happy to do without both kinds of adorable. I am just excited to hang out with my friends and see Alaska!

I'm sure I'll have all kinds of pictures and stories when I return. For now, I leave you with an image from the first GISP Super Special:

Cute Couch Potatoes

The men in my life know how to relax!

Clearly, I need to learn from them.

Summer Breaking Point

Hi there!

After five months of neglecting this blog, I figured it was time to post something new. Rest assured, dear reader: my absence is not a sign of sloth. Rather, I've been running around like the proverbial chicken with its head cut off. The reason for this post? I've finally reached my breaking point.

Ah, break. It's such an interesting word. As a teacher, I am currently on summer break. But is that "break" as in "vacation," or "break" as in "to smash violently; to reduce to pieces"?

Good question. I'll let you know when I have an answer.

Here it is, only July 9th, and I already feel like summer has slipped through my fingers. All told, I've got ten glorious weeks to myself. But two of those will be devoted to teacher training. And I have tons of planning to do for next year.

That's right. I've got my dream schedule for the '09-10 school year. But with great opportunity comes great obligation: I've got tons of planning to do. Don't get me wrong: I'm really excited about next year. But I've been working every day and I still feel behind the eight ball. That closet picture? Yeah, those are the materials I brought home for summer review and revision.

And that's just the teaching job! Most of you know that I have a second ambition: to be a published novelist. Well, technically it's an ambition. At this point, I'm wondering if it's really just a pipe dream. I never seem to find time to write. I don't know whether that's because I'm lazy, busy, or scared. Maybe I just don't want to do this anymore, and I haven't admitted it to myself yet. Though I haven't been writing much, I have created an Excel spreadsheet to track all aspects of my non-progress. According to Excel, at my current rate of progress I won't finish my manuscript until March 18, 2010. Yes, I am an anal-retentive freak show: I've found a way to make computers criticize my snail's pace of composition.

So, we get to the crux of my breaking point: I want to hone better discipline as a writer. I want to feel further ahead in my planning for next school year. And I want, at some point, to relax. But I really don't think I have time to accomplish all of those goals, and I don't know how to pick and choose between them.

And oh, yeah. Minor detail: I'm a wife now. I hate the fact that this salient point comes at the end of the post. I don't want my marriage to be an afterthought. I don't want to hit my one-year anniversary (coming up soon!) and wonder why I wasted my entire honeymoon phase on lesson planning and creative angst. This is my summer break. I want to date my husband. I want to woo him with wonderful dinners and walks in Priest Point Park. I don't want him staring at the back of my head every night, wondering why I'm still busy writing vocabulary quizzes even though school's not in session.

When does it end? Better question: how do I admit that it never ends, so at some point I just have to take a break and/or stop?

How do women do it? How do we balance day jobs against personal relationships? When do we find time for our own individual dreams?

I've got a few weeks off from the daily grind, and I'm hoping to find a bit of peace. If you have any advice, I'd love to hear it.

Friends @ Wedding, Part II

And now for a video montage (so much easier to make on my new laptop!)

More Wedding Pictures

Yes, there are still more wedding pictures in the vault! You've yet to see the family photographs, and I'm determined to put together a Mike and Katie montage. But for right now, I'm going to share some great photo collages of our friends.

Here are the SU MIT graduates (and spouses):

Now for some of my favorite Eleise pictures:

And last but not least, the GISP (children's literature, Brown University... good, good times).

Our Honeymoon

I know this is ridiculously out of order, and that Mike and I have now been married for over six months... so it seemed like the perfect time to tell you about our honeymoon! (Does that mean that the wedding posts are over? Oh, no! That would be too logical!)

Mike and I did something lovely for our honeymoon: we took a whole week off, and we spent part of it at home. We got married on a Saturday, hosted a brunch on a Sunday, and didn't leave for Cannon Beach (Oregon) until Wednesday.

You don't need the details of our mushiness. Suffice to say that we had an excellent time. We spent a lot of it lazing around and just enjoying one another's company. There were also long walks on the beach and some truly excellent food. We took a trip to Astoria in search of Goonies memorabilia and ended up discovering the Lunar Boy Gallery. Artwork for our home--what a great souvenir! (Real paintings, not just poster prints sold in the college quad! It's like I'm a real grown up at last...)

Last but not least, what coastal trip would be complete without a stop in Raymond (Washington) to mock the rusty two-dimensional statues?

The Year Without Pants

Confession: I am absolutely infatuated with my brother's kids. Thanks, Dan and Renae, for giving me such adorable kiddos to spoil!

Yesterday was L.'s first birthday: cupcakes, party hats, and hours of play time! B. and I played "Toe Monster," a game that involves him running about and me crawling after him, trying to touch each of his tiny little toes. R. took a flying leap at me, and seemed pleased that I fully committed to rolling all the way back with him in my arms. At least, my assumption was that he was pleased--why else would he keep doing it until I was exhausted?

Meanwhile, Uncle Mike helped A. to compose a percussion masterpiece: yes, they were bouncing Mr. Potato Head parts back and forth off the top of a drum.

Niece L. watched all the crazy antics from the safety of her dad's arms, where she was glued for most of the party. I think all the birthday antics (to say nothing for guests) were a little overwhelming. That shy girl is such a cutie!

"Shy" is not a word I would apply to my nephews, especially since they've developed a delightful new habit. This involves stripping down to their diapers (although R. has grown adept at stripping completely, a habit that I'm sure his parents just love). I, of course, find this hilarious--especially when they grab the Swiffer after getting naked. These little guys could come clean my floor any time!

Zen and the Art of Knitting

Let it be known that I am not a knitter. I am, however, a grateful recipient of all gifts involving yarn, skill, and beautiful clothing. One of the coolest Christmas presents I got this year:

Thanks, Theresa! I love my new mittens! (Does this mean I have to stop wearing my PEI pair all the time?)