AH HA! I know you are all thinking I am going to come home from my hike and say I am glad I went!

Ask me next week. For now I am on my death bed. I had no idea the hike would be so hard. It was only like 2 1/2 miles one way, and I can walk that, so what is the big deal. Apparently hiking is HUGELY, MASSIVELY, MONSTROUSLY, GINORMOUSLY, different. And I was slowing the rest of our group down every 15 steps because I was dying. And that was embarrassing. Especially because my mother in law was kicking my can during the whole hike. And my sister in law, who had a cortisone shot in her foot for arthritis two days ago, was kicking my can too.. All the way up and back. Kick Kick Kick.

I thought up was hard, down was hard in a whole different dynamic. I would have quit on the way up but I just can't not finish a challenge. So during my hardest moments when I was going to cry, (truly, and just as Corey predicted, because it has happened before) I plugged in my MP3 player and my friends Celine, Jewell, and Rob helped me through it.

At this point....It's just not even funny anymore.

Also, I had this sweetie pie boy, who I am trying to raise as a gentlemen in every sense possible, sticking by me, holding my hand, pulling me, literally pushing me a few times, helping me, encouraging me, eating lunch with me, etc... and I wasn't going to let him down, that is for sure!

My main desire was to stand under the water fall, that we have video of Corey doing last year. I really wanted to do that. Apparently it is freezing and pelts you with hard water drops. Of course I had to experience that. While I don't love the mountains, I do love the water aspect of it. ( don't get me started on the water fountain I want from a local store in our town. It is to die for. It is like a large blue ceramic barrel type thing, and the water just dribbles out the top and down the sides. It is so cool. And peaceful. I love water. But of course, not anything deep or swift. )

Why are there no pictures of ME under the water fall when Corey had me stand under it TWICE to get a good shot???? I don't know. Ugh. But he did get a video, but I can't decide if I dare share it. It is a tad jiggly in spots. Okay, I will. But to all my high school friends, and people who haven't see me in a while, Please refer to my post "I'm fat get over it" Link . (Look, I made a link! WAHOO! Thanks, Texas Blu! It was easy!)

It really felt like I was way under the water fall. Disappointing. I really was getting pelted. It also felt like you were standing under there for a very long time.

Okay, anyways, stood under the water fall. Screamed my head off and got brain freeze from the outside in. But I did it, and I showed up that other cute little mom that was by us. She could hike better, but would not stand under the water fall. So I redeemed my self.

On the way down my knees where dying and I was getting so mad again so I had to put on music. The rest of our group was long gone but Corey stayed with me. He got me into this mess, he's getting me out! Finally I said I have to listen to my music to get me moving more. He made a joke about listening to "America". The best "get you butt moving" song ever. So I plugged in my ear phones and skipped the first song and randomly, "America" comes on by the astonishing, fabulous, Glenn Beck of music... Neil Diamond. LOVE him. Have danced with many a baby, in the kitchen to him. So "America" put a little pep in my step and I was shouting down the hill to Corey about how amazing it was that "America" just came on after we talked about it. He, of course, was his usual super impressed self. Ppppff.

Corey just adores the scenery

Me and my mom in law

Getting ready to begin

Kick my can Sis in Law, Sherri, and her studly, sweet husband, Uncle Frank!

Now I am hobbling around the house injured. I think my knee is inflamed.

Oh, yeah...

I forgot to mention hiking with Corey, means getting up at 4:10 am. I'm super happy.

Stupid mountains are annoying.

In case anyone cares I am being forced, against my will, to go hiking tomorrow. BLECK, BLECK, BLECK. But because I am a person who like to please other people... I am going. It is a terrible personality trait. I don't recommend it. It makes you have to do things against your will because your personality deems it. But I guess making Corey happy is the right things to do so I am going and I shan't utter another nasty word about it.

Except for this..... I was raised in the big city. I like it there! I am safer there! I feel better there. I hate the woods. It is scary and bad and unsafe. You can get lost, or hot, or cold, or lonely, or bathroomless. Not to mention tired and dirty and with ticks. Also not to mention...EATEN by just crazy animals that are running free in the woods able to think their own thoughts which just might be to hunt and kill you. ie:cougars. They do that for sport. It is true. I saw a guy on Oprah who said so. Also the wolves have gotten really bad and the grizzly have nothing to eat so they are attacking people. Nice.

Also, I like to wash my hand like 40 times a day. It makes me feel better. You can't get clean in the woods. You just can't.

Also you can't trust my husband when he says it is an easy hike. And also I was raised by an agoraphobic mother and I am a home body. I could stay home all the time. And be happy about it. I get nervous driving places.

So there. Sometime next week I will post pictures of what my husband's "trail camera" saw in the woods and then you will agree with me that being home is best.

And nicest. And safest. And has a bathroom with soap and a sink. And water you just turn on and it is there.

Speaking of soap.... my faithful blog follower and FB friend makes soap. Interesting, huh? She sent us some samples and they are yummy! I love the grapefruit and lemon ones. And oatmeal because that always makes you feel so natural. (that's ironic since apparently I don't enjoy nature...) Oh well. Be her friend on FB and check out her soap! I want to do something cool like make soap. Don't you? It just seems like a cool thing to do. Samish Bay Soaps.



Sorry. I don't know how to make a link.

Hello there, my Glenny!

Can't wait to dig into this little gem. Starting it tonight!

Ahh. Don't you just love that picture? He's so cute.

Last night our cousins came to visit. They are so funny! So funny. We were sitting around the table talking and we mentioned Glenn Beck and cousin Scott said, "Glenn Beck is a @%#^$&". I both squealed and suck in all the air out of the room, as I covered my hands over my mouth in horrified shock and disdain. Our closest cousins not love my Glenny?

Cousin Scott starts busting up. It was all a big joke to see my reaction. He does like Glenn Beck. Ah.... Phew! I was so relieved because I didn't want to have to ask him to leave.

After reading all my "Khronicles of Kate" can anyone blame me???????????????

I got in a little tiny bit of trouble this month for overspending.

Ahhhh.....Sweet Relief! Worth every penny!!

Now is a good time to mention a few things...

• We don't have any cartoon channels and the kids are SOOOOO bored with our PBS station.
  
• I know Calliou is the whiniest brat alive but refer to picture number four and five again...can anyone blame me?
  
  
• Yes I do use the T.V. as a babysitter. Don't judge.
  
• I love Amazon. You can get lots of movies and books used and new for cheap. I like it better than eBay. I don't enjoy eBay anymore. Everyone is just selling things they must have stolen from Walmart.

• I know that is the ugliest rocking chair alive but it is good strong sturdy wood and I love it. (Kelli.... That is the one I need your ultra wonderful interior design vision for.)
• The bullet points on blogger NEVER align correctly. Frustrating.

Have a good day!

Oh...P.S. Didn't anyone think my post from yesterday was funny? The one that said "why so serious?" from the movie Batman that Heath Ledger did where he was the creepy joker? I thought that was hysterical. Her cute little close up with all her make up on! It cracked me up.

Khronicles of Kate

Kate auditions for the part of "The Joker" in Batman.

"Why so serious?"

Baaahhhaaaa haaaaaa!

Khronicles of Kate which is really my fault for becoming too relaxed with her.

You might think I was crazy to be so relaxed and looking back I can see that is was crazy but when there is an awesome PLAY GROUND in the vicinity who would think wandering around lost would be more fun!

So.... Kate got lost on Pioneer day. I last saw her running to the park with a sibling and I ran to get something organized for dinner and when I went to locate her a very short time later she was gone. There was a large crowd of people and it was impossible to see one lost little person in the crowd. So I just kept circling and circling the area trying to find her. Slowly becoming PANICKED!!!!! And very heartbroken that I was going to have to miss my girlies marching in from the trek.


The whole group of people who went on the trek was going to march into the celebration, with us singing a pioneer song and waving the traditional white hanky at them. Be still my weepy soul. Doesn't that sound incredible? I gave my camera to my sweetie friend and left her in charge of taking pictures. I paused for a brief moment to cry and wave my white hanky and sing "Come Come Ye Saints" to the kids coming home from the trek and then I was off to find my baby again.


I finally enlisted help (couldn't find Corey in the crowd either) and just as my friend had it announced over the intercom I saw her sitting on the cement stairs in front of the building in the park. The outside world was silenced as she saw me and I saw her and it was so Savannah Smiles (Uhhh.... best movie in the PLANET!!!) where I said her name and she looked at me and in slow mow she ran happily to me and we hugged and she smiled not scared and if she could have talked better she would have asked if I was mad at her. Which I wasn't because I was so relieved to have found her and grateful to have a glimpse of the bigger picture and how important she is despite her wild child side.


Also those friends who follow my blog who were at the celebration were quite amused and knew EXACTLY whose "Kate" was missing. She has quite a reputation. Embarrassing.



Phew. So stressful. So sad to have not been able to enjoy my trekies coming home from trek but below are the pictures. They had a great, spiritual, challenging time. They told me interesting things all night long about their journey. How bad some of the meals were, how sunburned they were, how much they walked, how much they loved the families they were divided into, and how the girls had to pull the carts themselves while the boys watched. They said some of the boys said that was the hardest part of the trek. Watching the girls pull cart. I told Justine when you go to find your husband some day, I want you to ask them if the hardest part of the trek (assuming they went on one, which lots of youth are) was watching the girls pull the cart up the hill. If they don't think that was the hardest part of the trek then they aren't the boy for you. Don't you think that sounds like good logic? I do.


As they walked they also had station where people dressed up like pioneers told them real stories about some of the pioneers and things they went through.


I found it ironic that the next day in Sacrament meeting a youth shared one of the stories about a family who lost their son. The camp spent two days trying to find the boy but couldn't so they had to move forward. The dad decided to stay back on his horse and find his boy. The mom gave him a red blanket and said if you find him alive you can wave this blanket at me as you come back to the trek. If you find him dead you can bury him in it. For five days their was no word and the mom couldn't eat or sleep as she watched the horizon for her husband. Can you imagine how sick she must have been? Finally she saw her husband and the red blanket being waved and they were reunited. Happy day.


So grateful for the programs of the gospel that are helping me raise my children. Can you imagine how their lives have been impacted by this journey?


So grateful for the finding of lost children and the friends who love you and help you.


So amused that after I found Kate there proceeded to be about 10 more lost kids announced over the intercom, including a dog. It almost became a joke. Glad we could set the precedence.

Appreciation for husband Sunday the 28th

Every year, we have the best little community dinner and talent show for the 24th of July (Pioneer day). I always get the kids, who are still willing, to dress up and decorate their bikes. We love it! I think they look so adorable, especially the boys who happily wear mustaches and even choose the style of mustache they want. I use my eyeliner pencil and have been blessed not to EVER get an eye infection from drawing on their faces.

(Sadly, Nathan, in not so many words, informed me this will be his last year in this get up. Cry.)

I usually have a toddler to push in a stroller for the parade. I know it is crazy but all these little "extras" take energy and I get tired. Misc. activities on Sat, helping kids decorate bikes, getting pioneer clothes out of storage, dressing them up, getting their mustaches on, bikes loaded in car, dealing with little kids at the huge community dinner, going through dinner line, getting drinks...etc.... oh... and also walking our youngest in the parade. All my physical and mental energy is getting used to the max every day with the wonderful/hard task of doing the best I can with 6 children.

So when Corey volunteered to walk the toddler in the parade I was ecstatic!!!! Normally it is my job. But I was so happy so I could wait at the end of the parade and get my pictures. (I am also the ward historian) (aka: scrapbooker- yes it is a real church calling, who knew, right?)

Yea, Corey!!!!

Bo had such a good time decorating his bike. The tape got a little out of control.

Kaboom!

Today my dad was at my house for a little bit. Later when we were driving in the car together he, in all seriousness, told me he was sorry about the explosion that happened at my house.

It took me a minute to register what he was saying.

Then it dawned on me what he meant.

Isn't he hilarious? I think so.

Our first Chestnut rabbit! Very exciting color! VERY!

Justine's mama rabbit had a baby a week ago. We thought the baby had some kind of a deformity. It's head is wide and it's body is ginormous! My friend Alicia, our very own personal rabbit guru, insist it is just FAT! So fat that tonight it was on it's back and couldn't even get it self turned over! These rabbits can be hard to breed. They stomp their babies, don't get pregnant, eat their babies, ignore their babies, have their babies born dead, and now obesity is apparently a problem too! Rabbit guru says it's because it's an only child so it gets all it's mother's milk to its self. Some of it's siblings were born dead and one must have gotten stomped, so its all by itself.

I hope the ghastly, grody little thing lives.

Kate and Bo with cousin Macie and rabbit "Joey"

Lest my Glenny think I forgot him....

I just have to say really fast that I went to Salt Lake City to my Glenny Beck's American Revival Seminar. Do you all remember I adore him? ADORE! Luv, Luv, Luv him!



Well, about the seminar...how loudly and enthusiastically can I say INCREDIBLE in print? It was INCREDIBLE! INCREDIBLE! I adored it. I can barely describe it. But I really want to for my own sake. So it might take time but be on the look out for post in the future.




Isn't he such a cutie? Yes, this is the best my sad little pathetic camera could do. And that was off a screen. I don't care. I love him. He also has the cutest glasses now, too.

I was a little disappointed to see that his wife was adorably thin and petite and cute. Why couldn't she just be a little hefty like me. Sigh. But I love her too. For sharing him with us and letting him do the work we need him to do. I just wish she was fat. Is that so bad?