Mamma Mia!

Today is the day of birth for the woman who gave birth to me AKA - my mom's birthday!!!!!! I hope it is a lot more sunny for you in Washington today than it is in Utah Mom.

I just love this woman SO SO SO MUCH! She is seriously my hero. What a great example to everyone around her.

Things i love/miss about Living with Lisa....

1) OUR WALKS! Everyday around 10 or 11 at night my mom would come and find me and ask me to walk with her. I MISS IT! I miss our little chats about life while walking around the elementary school. Some of my best thoughts and ideas came from those little daily walks.

2) I miss having a diet Pepsi to drink at all times. They don't sell it on campus and I actually have to go somewhere and find one if I want to drink it. Usually I just mooch off my mom.

3) She is the cleanest roommate I have ever had, although little Miss Heather Mitchell DID give her a run for her money ; ) I always feel so cramped and pressed for space in my little Provo Apartment, but at home everything is organized and life just makes sense.

4) She is the only member of my family who is not ashamed of me and will always bust out in random cheers and songs while walking throughout the mall or in a store. She will talk to anyone. She is not afraid to ask questions or let someone know if they get her order wrong. She instilled this in me. My siblings have yet to learn this skill.

5) Bless her little heart, she tries SO hard to have everything perfect all the time. I blame her for my unrealistic expectations of other people. She is kind of a superhuman. I forget that not everyone can make things happen and make them happen well the way she can.

6. She is so witty and clever. She taught me to love books and be intelligent. Most people in high school outside my group of friends just saw me as quiet and nerdy. THIS WAS SO FRUSTRATING! Ok - i am a little bit nerdy, BUT THERE IS MORE TO ME AND MY MOM SAW IT! She always knew the real, determined, beautiful, and smart Katelyn. It was so nice to be able to come home from middle school and the early years of high school and have someone to have a real, clever, conversation with that went above and beyond the brain an 8Th grader.

7. I miss her enthusiasm and vest for life. Her pretty little eyes just sparkle. I need some of that right about now, as finals are quickly approaching.

8. SHE IS SO WISE. I don't have to say anything. I look at her and she just knows what is going on in my mind. I don't understand it. She can solve ANYTHING. It kinda freaks me out.

9. She is so classy. Despite my current slovenly appearance, I DO know What Not To Wear (even though I sometimes wear it anyways because I'm in college and it is easy and cheap), but my mom taught me better I PROMISE. - and just so she does not have a heart attack while reading this, I WILL clean myself up before i go out in public and fix my hair JUST LIKE SHE ALWAYS TOLD ME.

10. She is my best buddy ever and i miss just hanging out with her and going to town with her. NEVER A DULL MOMENT WITH THIS ONE!

CONGRATS TO THE SHAMIE!

SEAN AND JAIMIE ARE ENGAGED! Jaimie Jones is my roommate. I just love her to death. She is one of my favorite people - and she found someone who makes her smile, besides me, but it would never work out between us.I am still trying to overlook the fact that they didnt EVEN SAY ANYTHING when they got home last night and that we had to pry it out of them, but i will get over it. I adore this girl and i wish the happy couple all the best. CONGRATS GUYS! I love you! Have fun polishing your ring or introducing people to "your Fiancee", or whatever it is people do when they get engaegd James : D

I.AM.IN.LOVE.

HAHAHA! Made you look : D But seriously - TODAY HAS BEEN THE MOST BEAUTIFUL DAY!!!!!! I LOVE THE SUN!!!!!! I just found myself a warm, little, Katelyn-sized, piece of grass next to the Smith FieldHouse and put my "Mellilfluously Mellow" Playlist on my iPod. (Word Of The Day - Mellifluous:(1) Having a smooth, rich flow. (2) Being filled with honey or sweetness. Don't you sound smart?) Yes. I really do have a playlist with that word it in. Isn't it a great word? ANYWAYS I took off my shoes, which were FLIP FLOPS, and felt the grass with my feet. The sun shone beautifully down on me. The birds sang. The freshly cut grass smelt SO good. I was ELATED! EUPHORIC! It was a perfect little moment in my own little world and it made me SUPER excited for summer. Something about the sun just speaks to my soul and makes my heart sing!

Other Exciting News....
1. I am about to go take my LAST midterm of the semester. ITS ALL OVER BUT THE FINALS PEOPLE!

2. Mom and Lindsey come in TWO WEEKS!

3. Stephanie brought me a sonic cup filled with crushed ice. MY FAVORITE TREAT EVER!!! (well, one of them) Sonic has the best ice in the entire world. * CRUNCH CRUCNH *

4. I will soon be moving to a bigger apartment that HAS A WASHER AND DRYER IN IT!!!!!! THANK GOODNESS!

5. I have an appointment with my Bishop to open my mission papers!!!! I also have my mission physical appointment. This is really happening folks!

6. Stephanie has a dance recital this weekend. I have a poster and shirt to decorate and wear. She does not believe i have the nerve. WE SHALL SEE!

7. I cannot wait to stay in Provo this summer. I will actually get to breath and BE SOCIAL and not worry about school so much. GOOD TIMES!

8. I cannot wait to make a trip up to Washington and see my Daddy so he can take me BOATING! Ok - so i might possibly ski or something, but mostly i just want to go out on the water.

9. The library called and they FINALLY have The Book Thief copy that i have been trying desperately to reserve for weeks.

10.I couldn't decide which color i wanted to paint my toe nails, so painted each of my toe a different one of my favorite colors of polish. My mother would be horrified. I think it looks AWESOME

12. I am having a ridiculously good hair day, which does not happen often. Its so SMOOTH! LOVE IT! My mother would be proud.

13. CLEANING CHECKS IN THE MORNING! YAY FOR CLEAN APARTMENTS!!!!

Despite the fact that my father and brothers are ditching me and going to one of my absolute favorite places on the planet - HAWAII in the next few weeks AND that i miss Israel all the time i am happy as a little clam. Where did that expression come from anyways? Prize for the first person to post and tell me. I LOVE YOU ALL! MWAH! XOXO

P.S. ENJOY SOME PICS OF ME IN NICE SUNNY WEATHER. MAYBE IT WILL BRING SOME YOUR WAY

You will wear the crown, be the crown! YOU ARE the crown!

Ok so today my much younger, prettier, and more talented cousin McKenzie is participating (not competing, it is NOT a competition : D) in the Jr. Miss Scholarship Program (because it is NOT a beauty pageant ; D). I just wanted to let her know that i LOVE THE CRAP OUT OF HER! She is utterly adorable and i am sure she will do our family proud. Knock 'em dead kiddo! SPARKLE SPARKLE SPARKLE! Let the judges see the real you and they will be blown away. Just be confident and have fun.

Your cousin in UTAH in rooting for you : D YOU GO GIRL

You should know that being a Jr. Miss was awesome, but my favorite memory of the whole year is the night of the local program. It was one of the funnest nights of my high school life, not because of the outcome, but because all my friends and i were there together. We were all being waited on and we all looked drop dead gorgeous. We all got flowers and gifts and cards up the ying yang. I remember the second i answered my question on stage and the judging part of the night was over we all head right for the food table. We also had a dance party in the dressing room while waiting for the resutls.

I am, as you can tell, feeling a little nostalgic today. I just want to let my High School girls know that I LOVE THEM! KORI, KIYA, SHAYLENE, MORGAN, MELISSA, BRENDA, AND LITTLE MISS ASHLEY! Thank you for all the good times. I miss you and hope everything is going well in your life. I LOVE YOU!

25 THINGS

Ok - so since everyone else seems to be postig this on their blog here are 25 random things that you probably didnt know about me...

1. My favorite food in the entire world is pineapple. I crave Banana Joe's soft serve pineapple ice cream ALL THE DAY LONG. Unfortunately i do not live in Hawaii...its like an itch you cant scratch guys. I LOVE IT! IT IS SO YUMMY!

2. My Hair - I HATE IT! It decided to miss the first five years of my life, hence the reason my family called me Yoda. When it did come in it was a wavy, straw-like, rats nest. AND IT WAS BLONDE! EXCUSE ME - Belle has brown hair; as do my American Girl Doll Samantha, Princess Leia, and Kimbery the Pink Ranger. My sister at least got gorgeous red hair like Madeline and The Litttle Mermaid. I JUST WANT THICK, DARK, LONG, BEAUTIFUL HAIR! HAHAHA - now that i have that off my chest....

3. I am openly upset about the fact that i have not earned a tiara - I WAS A JUNIOR MISS! FOR THE LOVE!!! I got a medallion - it does NOT shine and it has NO diamonds. LAME! I was Queen of the Snowflake Winter Wonderland Formal Senior Year and what did i get? A GIFT CERTIFICATE TO La Cabana! Miss Shutes is CHEAP! Thats what happens when you go to a single A school i guess : D

4. I WILL stuff my clarinet case full of clothes and run away to New York, where i will live in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, sleep in Queen Victoria's bed, and bath in the foutain of youth - JUST LIKE CLAUDIA KINCAID in From the Mixed Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler.

5. Come to think of it - everything I want to do in life comes from my books - play Quidditch for Gryffindor in the House Cup at Hogwarts, jig down the yellow brick road to Oz, Have magical powers that move things with my eyes like Matilda, dance with Mr. Darcy....

6. I LOVE America's Next Top Model. It is my guilty pleasure. If i were a foot taller and quite a bit ligher i would TOTALLY BE ON THAT SHOW! I want so bad to strut my stuff on the runway! Im so sassy. I even was solicited by Matt Lauer and the Today Show to model Swim Suits on national TV! TRUE STORY! I was also on the cover of a magazine - THATS RIGHT PEOPLE! And Good News: Cyle 13 of ANTM is feature girls ONLY UNDER 5'7! I AM SO EXCITED!

7. My dorm room and everything about it is very....Elle Woods. Its fluffy and pink, but my favorite color is actaully green. My bedspread and sheets was a mistake, they sent us the wrong color, and i just went with it....everything had to match!

8. I LOVE to chew gum as loud as i possibly can and to pop my gum all the day long. This bugs the crap out of my family. All the more reason to love doing it!

9. I am super competitive. Dont let my sweetheart vibe and big blue eyes fool you. I can get down right nasty. I HATE TO LOSE! My roommates make fun of me because i get this determined little fire in my eyes when we play games and end up wacking people with Ensigns....truth. Not a good idea to play Jeopardy in Sunday School when i am there. The spirit will leave. Dont mess with me. I also tend to sometimes find creative and sneaky ways to cheat, which in my opinion, is just a better way to win the game. I feel sorry for those who were not smart enough to figure it out. HAHAHA!

10. I LOVE A GOOD ARGUE - You know, the debating kind - not fighting. My mother is the same way. i cannot tell you how fun this is. We get along so well. SHE MISSES ME YOU KNOW SHE DOES! : D I placed at state in Public Speaking for FBLA in HS. I should have been a lawyer...

11. Dont freak out - i am not anywhere near ready to be a mom, but i secretly want a little baby girl to dress up and play with and carry around. Would that not be SO CUTE???? I would love it. Thats why i live by my aunts.....they have babies. And they feed me, but that is a different story.

12. I was born with Turners Sundrome - a chromatic abnormality whose most common characteristic is short staure, hence the fact that i am 4 feet 11. I also gave myself shots everyday for six years...which is why i am not afraid of needles or blood.

13. I have a good memory, but it is honestly useless. I remember the dumbest, most random things. I know every word to every song and can quote a whole movie after watching it once. HOWEVER, ask me about algebra formulas for what i had for dinner last monday and i will have no idea.

14. Yes. I own the entire series of Gilmore Girls. In my opinion, which for the purpose of this post is the only one that matters : D, it is the sharpest, most witty and smart TV show ever written. I LOVE IT and i quote it all the time, only nobody ever knows what the heck i am talking about.

15. I wanted to be Nancy Kerrigen and figure skate in the olympics when i was younger. I also wanted to be Dominique Moceanu and be a gymnast in the Olympics. Mostly i just wanted to wear a cute sparkly outfit, look pretty, and GO FOR THE GOLD

16. I HATE SPIDERS!!!!! I am not scared of them. I just hate them. and i kill them dead.

17. I HATE WINTER!!!! I AM ALWAYS SO COLD! It makes my joints hurt! I think the snow is gorgeous and i lOVE to ski, but i HATE THE COLD!!!!

18. Yes, i own a quilt made out of the Minky Dot Baby Blanket Fabric. My grandma made it for me for gradutaion because i asked her for it and you know what? I LOVE IT! It is the softest, most comfy and amazing blankie EVER! Jealous of Katelyn and the AMAZING TECHNICOLOR DREAM BLANKET? As well you should be.

19. Dont you worry - At my house in WA I do own a black leotard from my glory days of Dance Team and Jr. Miss. I WILL look good enough in it one of these days to make a Single Ladies Beyonce music video with Linds. Thats right. I'm an animal. LOOK FORWARD TO THAT!

20. Despite the oft complaint - I <3>

Shout Out : D

I just wanted to send a little shout out to my mother. She is having Caterac Surgery today. She has needed a cornial transplant for a while now. Her eyes are pretty much messed up. The pressure in them has been high for some time. She has had eye surgeries before and i know how much she hated it. I just hope this one doesnt stress her out enough to give her a kidney stone ; ) Yes, that happened last time. I have been getting text updates from my dad and apparently she has made quite the impression on the nurses already because they are used to much older patients. I am so happy we have doctors that can fix her eyes! What a little beam of sunshine she is! I LOVE YOU BABY CAKES! BE STRONG! SEE BETTER!

Say a little prayer for her. Its not easy for her to accept help from others and take it easy.

P.S. This Song on my blog, "popular" was written about my mom. It makes me think of her all the time.

I Stand All Amazed....

Ok y'all - so the people who read this blog (Mom), and maybe an aunt of two, know that i am often sarcastic and silly; but i would like take this opportunity to be dramatic and serious for just a moment...

About a month ago my favorite mother introduced me to Baby Gracie's Blog. Gracie was born with a defective heart. She recently had a heart transplant and it did not work out so well. I have been reading her blog and checking it like a crazy woman for health updates lately. For some reason I just felt this strange connection to this little baby girl. Her big eyes just melted my heart. SHE IS SO SWEET AND CUTE! Maybe it is becasue i understand the smallest fraction of how she feels...a gigantic spirit born in a tiny broken little body : D although i would never even begin to compare having Turners Syndrome to Hypolastic Left Heart Syndrome. Gracie went through more these past few months than i will ever have to experience ( I hope). Long story short, after a long and difficult battle and doing everything possible.....today is Gracie Girls last day on Earth. They are going to take her off the ECMO and let her poor worn out little body finally rest.

When i read the latest blog from Gracie's mom saying what was going to go down today i was heartbroken. I know this is weird because I don't even know this family, but i was way sad. I have been in a bad mood all day because of it. I had fasted and prayed for a miricle for her yesterday and i really hoped that her new little heart would start beating and working all by itself. I just had to ask myself: "Self, if Heavenly Father can part the Red Sea for Moses and create the sun and the moon and stars...can't he fix Gracie's heart?" My brilliant self responded "OF COURSE HE CAN! He made her heart. He is God. He can do anything!" THEN WHY DIDNT HE??? WHY COULD HE NOT JUST GIVE HER A MIRICLE? I decided to ask Him in my morning prayers. I didnt get an answer right away.

When i walked up to campus I saw that there was a massive power outage. People on the computers were freaking out and it was completely dark. My Humanities 202 teacher decided to still hold class, suggesting that it would be fun. She said we could pretend that we were 19th century students. She is a little eccentric. ANYWAYS she preceeded to say "Isn't modern technology a miricle. What would we do without it?"

I thought about that....ALOT! I came to realize that YES, YES IT WAS! I thought about all the little mircles we see and all the wonderful things that happen everyday that we do not even notice. HEAVENLY FATHER DID SEND A MIRICLE TO BABY GRACIE! This girl was literally born with half a heart; however, because of modern technology she was able to live on Earth with her cute family for 11 whole months. That is a miricle! Heavenly father, through the direction of modern day prophets, restored the priesthood and built temples so that Gracie and her family can be together forever. HE SENT HIS SON TO DIE FOR US! Jesus loves each of us so much that he freely gave his own life so that we could all return to him. THAT IS THE GREATEST MIRICLE OF ALL! I truely do stand all amazed at the love Jesus Offers me and it really is wonderful that he should care for me enough to die for me. LOVE YOU ALL!