HAPPY VALENTINE'S -or not

I was eating some conversation hearts a few days after Valentine's day. One seemed to be extrememly crunchy. I thought, "that's weird". Later my tooth felt rough on the inside edge. Now that really was weird,, as it has a crown on it. Well, being the number person that I am, I put 1 and 1 together and figured out the crunchy conversation heart was actually a piece of the crown that had broken off. I had quite a 'conversation' with that bag of hearts. Either those hearts are a lot harder than they use to be, or, my crowns are getting weak. Anyway- Happy Valentine's day!!

Reliving memories

The other day we were putting Christmas decorations away. Yes, just the other day. As I'm handing boxes to my dad who then gave them to bean, then to mom, he handed me a tape. One of those tapes you put mini tapes in. This was like gold in my hands. Something we've been looking for. So I stop putting decorations away and leave that to the rest of the family. I pulled out the home videos :)
This is now a daily thing. All my sisters have gotten texts about some home video. They usually have no idea what i'm talking about, but, oh well. I have laughed to tears a few times over these videos. And I've also learned that none of us girls have changed. Just a few examples: The voice Nicole gets when someone challenges her or she's annoyed; how I HAVE TO know who every present is TO AND FROM; how Brittni loves every present she gets; how Eliza loves following her sisters around; the way moms voice changes when she tells us to get out of her room-she MEANS IT-, how dad always crumples the paper as soon as it's off the present, and how McKinna is so humble about her talents-her swimming: she kicked Butt.
These videos are all I have talked about since I first pulled em' out. They are my favorite things. Most of the videos aren't labeled, so when I pop it in I never know what one it is. But seconds into a clip I often remember. Like Brittni's JFK project, or me and McKinna doing the weather with a snowflake sheet as the "green screen thing" it was snowing in evey place she mentioned; awesome 3000- tons of people passed me and I searched the crowd for mom and dad; Nicole and McKinna's "food show", and so many more.
So far this post means nothing to anybody but me. And maybe a few sisters. But onto something you might care about.

Food.

I hate cooking. I really do. I don't even really enjoy making most desserts. But I helped cook tonight. I picked out a recipe and mom and I bought stuff for it last night. We made roasted pepper penne. Or something. But we used bow tie pasta instead. I love fun pastas :) I was pleasantly surprised because when this whole meal was cooked it didn't smell as delicious. But it sure tasted good! Anyways, this whole night was a miracle. I cooked, I liked what I cooked, and it was a new recipe. Those three rarely happen and never all together!!

Deep thoughts. What do I really need to say? haha
Sister Preece has recently gotten me hooked on these. They are poem like quote ish things they used to have on SNL. Except they aren't inspirational or anything. Just crazy. The other night Me, Sarah, Lizzy, Eliza, and Shayna were making movies and we wanted to put some deep thoughts in. Well there was one in particular I just could not get through. I cracked up every time! here it is...

Is there anything more beautiful than a beautiful, beautiful flamingo, flying across in front of a beautiful sunset? And he's carrying a beautiful rose in his beak, and also he's carrying a very beautiful painting with his feet. And also, you're drunk.
-Jack Handey


~your favorite blogger, Katie

Routine

I have a whole list of blogs on my computer favorites. Every once in a while I skim through them and see if there are any new posts on them. Our blog happens to be on the list also and never fails, I am going down the list and click ours. Always chuckle at myself that I absent mindedly check ours. It's not like a new blog will magically appear (just like the house doesn't magically clean itself or the laundry jump in to the washing machine by itself) if I don't do it.

Welcome 2009

Well, we all made it to 2009. The girls (KD & McKinna) had a New Year's eve party at our house. I, being the protective female parental unit, was all for it since I knew where they were, who they were with, and that they would not be out on the roads. Of course I was not ready for the noise level that would be in the house. But you can live through almost anything when you know it won't last forever.
I am not one for New Year's resolutions. If I have to say a resolution I tell everyone that I always live up to mine of not making any!!! Ya, I'm just good like that. There are things that I would like to accomplish, but I am not into setting myself up for a fall.
*I would like to try alot of new recipes from my new Taste of Home cookbook KD gave me for Christmas (Thanks Wendy for helping her with that purchase).
*I would like to figure out how to lift weights correctly and get a flat stomach.
*I would like to better my time at my next marathon (ogden in May)& qualify for Boston, even though I don't know if I would do Boston (hate hills). Although it would be a good excuse to go back East for a visit!!
*I would like to learn how to really use the Garmin 305 I just ordered from Costco.
*I would love to pay off my house, but I am afraid that one is not possible in one year.
*I would like to do a really long bike ride that would take a week to complete.
While there are a lot of other things I would like, those are probably top on my list. As for today - well I would just like to get a good night's sleep.
Happy 2009!!

Dashing through the snow...

It's finally here. The post you have all been axiously awaiting. (Ya, right.) The true Christmas weather decided to show up in Hillsboro, OR this year. While we mostly get the cold and rainy, we decided to join everyone else and get blasted with the white stuff this year.
Because of the snow, the kids missed the last week of the '08 school year. Yes, they thought it was fun, but I wonder how much fun it will be making up the school days this summer?
McKinna came home from college for the winter break. It was fun listening to her tell of all her "adventures" this first semester. She is busy trying to catch up with all her friends as well as the younger sisters that want to hang with her. Oh to be popular!!
We have a tradition that Grandpa Homer always reads 'The Littlest Angel' on Christmas Eve. Kaitlyn and McKinna decided that they would video it this time. If Nicole & Brittni are nice I might get a copy made for them.

The girls all slept in the same room on Christmas eve (tradition). If my ears heard right, they were up til well past 2 a.m. This ended up being nice for Alan and myself as they also got up late. And boy, was I tired. I know that I heard Santa down in the family room after 3 a.m. (of course Alan was fast asleep and missed all that ruckus).

Eliza was happy with all the Camp Rock, High School Musical and Hannah Montanna stuff she got. Also in her pile were some much needed clothes as she seems to have taken a growth spurt lately. For KD were clothes (could she be any more of a typical teenage girl?) and a football (?)

McKinna was excited to see more jackets for the cold Idaho weather she will be returning to. Alan got some much needed new shirts, and some walking shorts (hint, hint-they would be good for a warm weather vacation-signed, Judy), and Judy got another pair of running shoes (can you say-marathon) and another cookbook to add to her collection (no I don't cook they are purely reading material!!). Of course more DVD's were added to the collection as well as more games. The girls had a great time singing (is that what that noise is called) karaoke if front of the tv. Notice Kaitlyn's fancy microphone!! They even got their Dad to rock out with them. Yes, that is a Hannah Montana microphone around his neck, and guitar in front of him. And this time McKinna and KD both have fancy microphones. Can I just say I was happy to play photographer?!?
We did miss Nicole & Brian (in VA with his family), and Brittni & Jim (at home in MA), but did talk to them to find out how their Christmas went. Hoping another year we can all be together for the holiday season. We count our blessings that everyone has good health, and, all are making it through this not so great economic time. Hope yours was a Merry Christmas!!!

SWEET 16 FOR KAITLYN

My sweet 16- As told by me, Kaitlyn

My birthday really seemed to start on friday, the 5th. It started as a good day playing a game in seminary. We kicked butt until the end. We lost by one point :(
Then I got to school and had to wait forever for shayna to get there!! (Shayna is one of my bestest friends) You see, Mr Mahlum and I have the same birthday. So we just had to bring him brownies, a card, and a hat. As I was walkin around school waiting and looking for shayna I was all paranoid that he was gonna walk around the corner and see the brownies in my hand. Being all anxious made the ten minutes waiting for shayna seem like ten hours!! We went to class, gave him everything, made him wear the hat, he was super embarrassed, but loved it!
Now, I am not one to tell everyone it is my birthday, but everyone seemed to know this year. So people were saying happy birthday alllllll day! Which of course made me feel amazing.
Ms Arrigotti and Ava got me the coolest present! As I was opening it she said "it'll need an explanation" Well... Me, Ms Arrigotti, and Ava all come from all girl families and whenever their sisters come home, they watch pride and prejudice. So thats what they got me! I'm dying to watch it with my sisters!
My next birthday "thing" happened at lunch. Summer texts me and asks when my lunch is. I tell her I was already at lunch. My next class a note comes for me, but it isn't given to me. But I just KNOW it is for me. I wait over an hour til the end of class to get the note. It is telling me to go to the office. I get down there and there is a green bag with a balloon tied to it. courtesy of Summer. Inside there's a winter hat I've been wanting!! ya know those hats with the ears covered and strings hanging down? I really wanted one for the snow. She found one without strings. I didn't even know they existed!! If I had known I woulda asked for that instead.
That night we were chillin at Sarah's getting ready to go watch a movie at Crystals. Tj's like " hey I have something in my car for you" so we go out there and he's got a present in his car. I kind of freak out. so I open that and it's the most amazing sofestestest scarf in the world. It is amazing.
So, the day BEFORE my birthday, I've already got 3 perfect presents.
That night we watched the dark knight and Shayna and Sarah slept over. I don't even like batman, but it was fun. And I've convinced myself I havta watch it again and I HAVE to love it.
Saturday morning, my birthday, I sleep in til after 10. And I only woke up cuz my sistr called. I got the most hilarious card from my grandparents! And my dad and I went to prtland for my first date.
THE DATE
1st stop: a few pictures at the temple

2nd stop: The OHSU tram. Seems awesome, actually is way awesomer! My new favorite way of transportation.

3rd stop: hollywood burger bar. The tiniest lil place ever. Prolly seats 13. Best burger I've had in my entire life! and actually I think the best fries too. Besides curly fries :)
4th stop: festival of trees. Awesome christmas trees! Got me all inspired to decorate a tree and such
-come home, go to Alisa's baptism, come home, go to portland again-
5th stop: Todai sushi. Huge sushi buffet. Really expensive, but FREE on your birthday. The even have "orangey sauce." I've never eaten so much sushi in my life! It was absolutely delicious.

HOME: I walk in the door expecting a regular rectangle with "happy birthday" or sprinkles or somethin. NO. Castle cake!! and princess jewlery! ( wore it to church today)
I blew out every single candle :) Then had a tiny piece of cake cuz I was so stuffed. Ya, prolly shouldn't have had that. I was like afraid to swallow cuz I seriously thought I might pop! Then I opened a BUNCH of presents. Like four shirst, a sweatshirt, and..and..and... BABY JAMMIES!!!! :) my favorite jammies ever. And we tried to find some at kohls twice and they didn't have my size. Well sneaky lil mom found them and bought them WHILE I WAS THERE without me even knowing! I lined up all my presents and took pictures. only to finish and realize I forgot some!

Later that night I'm just chillin and Alisa calls to see if I'm all done with birthday stuff. I am, so I go help them decorate someones door. Well, Sarah and Lizzy came also and gave me their presents. And adorable shirt form Sarah and a bracelet with charms from lizzy. Of course its not just a bracelet. Each bead has a meaning and I'm sitting there bawling my eyes out reading it cuz its amazing and makes me feel loved.

I guess thats pretty much the whole birthday thing. I had people calling and texting me alllll day! It was insane, but awesome. And the Lee kids sang to me. It was so cute :) I think there are tons of details I am leaving out that I will have to throw in later. But for now you've got the basics. It was the best birthday. Ever. :)

P.S. I will havta have my mom put pictures on later seeing as I have no idea how to do that and I really don't wanna jack anything up.

P.S.P.S. oh ya. And I was happy alllll day except one time!! thats seriously a miracle.


* there are two alisa'a in this "story"

FALL COLORS OF NEW ENGLAND PART 2

The Adventure Continues
So the second part of our adventure starts on Wednesday a.m. Nicole had to go back to work, & Brian to school. The rest of us got up, packed our belongings back into the car and took off down the highway, back towards Boston. Along the way Alan stopped so I could take picture- he's good like that.



Now mind you, before we left home I had in my mind reflection pictures I wanted to capture. Up until today I had been very disappointed. As we were driving south on 89 through New Hampshire, I happened to take a look at the map and saw what appeared to be a lake between exits 12 and 12A. I asked Alan if we couldn't take an exit and see what we could find. We got off and wandered through an area that we thought would take us to the lake. As we passed house after house we could see the lake/water through their backyards, but it appeared that we couldn't get to it that way. So we got out of that area and moved on. We finally found a spot we could stop and I crossed the street and this is what I saw!!!


I was absolutely delighted!! There was a small stream across the road and Alan wanted pictures of that also. I was happy to oblige.

After that I wasn't worried about getting more shots, and I guarded my memory card with my life!! I had some of the pics printed up at CVS, but did not find their quality very great (had much better results when I got back home). But at least I could see them bigger than on the back of my camera.
We headed down to Boston and Alan bored Eliza with showing her places where Britt used to go to school (Boston University). I took Eliza to McDonald's (I do like their fruit n yogurt parfait). Kaitlyn & Alan did sushi. The we headed for Boston commons to start the Freedom Trail. After all one cannot come to Boston and not at least do some of the Freedom Trail.. This is a historic walk that one can follow to see the historic sites of Boston. The trail is a self-lead walk. It is designated by a red line on the ground (painted on concrete in some parts, inlayed in red brick in others).
Eliza was not all that excited for this particular activity. But I gave her the job of finding us a place to get an ice cream cone. She didn't really whine too much. She also had to keep us following the trail. We didn't find an ice cream cone, but we did pay an outrageous price (more than I think we paid in Italy) for a couple gelatos.
Some of the things we saw on the trail were the cemetery where Paul Revere was buried,

the Massechesetts State House
the Old State House
Faneuil Hall
The old North Church- one if by land, two if by sea.
A statue of Paul Revere behind the church-


Though it is not actually part of the Freedom Trail, along the trail is the New England Holocaust Memorial.



The following info has been copied from -http://www.nehm.org/intro.html

""Look at these towers, passerby, and try to imagine what they really mean - what they symbolize - what they evoke. They evoke an era of incommensurate darkness, an era in history when civilization lost its humanity and humanity its soul . . ."

"We must look at these towers of memory and say to ourselves, No one should ever deprive a human being of his or her right to dignity. No one should ever deprive anyone of his or her right to be a sovereign human being. No one should ever speak again about racial superiority... We cannot give evil another chance."

- Elie Wiesel

The New England Holocaust Memorial was built to foster memory of and reflection on one of the great tragedies of our time, the Holocaust (Shoah). The effort was begun by a group of survivors of Nazi concentration camps who have found new homes and new lives in the Boston area. Dedicated in October, 1995, over 3000 individuals and organizations from across the community joined in sponsoring the project.

The Freedom Trail location, in downtown Boston, is near Faneuil Hall and many other treasures of America's history. The site offers a unique opportunity for reflection on the meaning of freedom and oppression and on the importance of a society's respect for human rights.

The design utilizes uniquely powerful symbols of the Holocaust. The Memorial features six luminous glass towers, each 54 feet high. The towers are lit internally to gleam at night. They are set on a black granite path, each one over a dark chamber which carries the name of one of the principal Nazi death camps. Smoke rises from charred embers at the bottom of these chambers. Six million numbers are etched in glass in an orderly pattern, suggesting the infamous tattooed numbers and ghostly ledgers of the Nazi bureaucracy. Evocative and rich in metaphor, the six towers recall the six main death camps, the six million Jews who died, or a menorah of memorial candles."

While the freedom trail might bring an emotion of gratitude for the freedoms we have in this great country, the Holocaust memorial brought a sadness to my heart for the cruelties that human beings can bring upon one another. I felt like I spent more quality time, at that memorial (and more tears), than at any of the places we stopped on the Freedom Trail. I am so glad they had this memorial close to the Freedom Trail so that we would stop and look and realize that we do have great freedoms- ones we all too often take for granted.
We finished this day's Freedom Trail experience at the home of Paul Revere. Alan, Eliza & Kaitlyn did the tour (I had already done it) and just barely made it before closing time.
After having done the first part of the Freedom Trail, we called Brittni (who works in downtown Boston) and decided to meet her and then head home. We met her in this great little park somewhere in downtown Boston. It was pretty and unique, and warranted photographs. (Don't go there Alan)
Thursday found us trying to decide where to go next. We decided to head toward the Cape. We didn't quite make it that far, though, as we stopped in Plymouth. I am in love with all the little towns, even the touristy ones. I love to look in the shops and see what they think the tourists are going to buy. They all seem to carry alot of the same things, most of which I do not need more of at my house. We did buy Alan a long-sleeved t-shirt (he usually doesn't buy himself anything), and I bought Jim a new Boston Red Sox shirt. Eliza bought a gold colored coin like might have been used back in the days of the Mayflower. And Kaitlyn bought herself a shirt.
We did visit Plymouth Rock. We had heard that most people are really surprised at how small it was. I was prepared thinking it was REALLY tiny, so I was actually surprised that it was as big as it was.
We looked at, but did not go inside the replica of the Mayflower.


We had lunch in a small eating establishment, and then went back to Boston to finish the Freedom Trail that we hadn't done the day before. We started our second round with Bunker Hill.
The Monument stands 221 feet tall. Yes, I did take pictures of it, they have escaped my memory card, or else I have misplaced one. It is the site of the first major battle of the American Revolution fought on June 17, 1775. We climbed the the 294 steps that lead to the pinnacle. The site from the top was pretty amazing.


Then we were on to our final destination for the day- The USS Constitution.

Eliza listened very intently to all the things the guide told us. I think she really did like seeing all the canons and stuff that they used and the hammocks they slept in.

When we were done in the actual ship we had about 5 minutes to see the museum before it closed. Lucky it was small.
Headed home and tried to decide what our adventure would be for the next day. We decided to head up to Maine. Brittni likes lobster, and what better place to get lobster. Plus that would be another state the girls would get to check off their 'been there' list. So the next morning we headed to Maine. We weren't really needing to go very far into Maine to say we had been there, and, to eat lobster in Maine. So we went as far as Kittery. Just so happens there is an outlet mall there. So of course we had to check that out. We started at a candy shop and worked our way through some, but not all, the stores we would like to have seen (when I say 'we', I probably don't mean Alan and Eliza). Kaitlyn, Brittni and I were excited to find some great deals (for instance .99 shirts at Old Navy). I was able to get some Christmas shopping taken care of so I was excited. After we had exhausted our feet as well as our wallets, we headed to a restaurant where Brittni and Alan got lobster, I had shrimp (Eliza decided she liked it also), Eliza had chicked fingers, and Kd went for (wait for the excitement......) a hamburger. Then we made our way back to Britt's.
Saturday found us wanting to relax and not do a ton of driving in the car. Britt & I got up so she could take me to one of her favorite knitting stores. She is going to make me a red scarf and I needed to find the yarn for it. Found it!! Kaitlyn and Eliza stayed back and played on the John Deere.
Jim, thanks for getting some pictures for me. I am not sure if it is Jim's or if Brittni just lets him believe it is his. Either way the girls had a great time ridin' all over the back yard on it. We ran a couple other errands and then just hung out. Had a great time spending it with Britt, Jim & the boys (turtles-Sherm & Norm).
Sunday we all had to go to various airports and head for home. A great time had by all, but having to say bye is a bummer. Already planning our next visit!!