Glass Half Full

Well folks, we have reached the halfway mark to our week, and even though I have hit some rough patches {{i.e. crying what seems like all the time}} along the way it is still a good week!  You wanna know why?!

It’s almost the Fourth of July!

It may not be that exciting to you, but the fourth is my favorite holiday.  Seriously.  I just love the fourth.  I mean what other holiday can you wear the cutest red, white and blue outfit to?  Also, you spend the fourth by the water and/or the grill.  As a self proclaimed shoulda been mermaid, I love the fact that for the fourth families pack up and head to the pool, lake or beach and celebrate summer style.

My family always makes a point to remember that we get to enjoy our fun fourth of July holiday while there are thousands of soldiers fighting for our country that don’t get to be by the water, or spend time with their families.  So when you pack up and go on a fun vacation this weekend or whether or not you just stay at home, remember those that fighting for our freedom so you can drive down the highway to the beach or drive that boat full of family around the lake.  We are the land of the free because of the brave.  {{Just a little thought!}}

Now onto your regularly scheduled programing.

1. A secret project my mom has been working on that I just happened to stumble upon and decide to help her with.

2. The fact that I get to see my cousin Beth for the first time in four years TOMORROW!!! The only thing that could possibly try and compare to this excitement is if somebody gave me free tickets to Harry Potter World and told me I was going tomorrow.  Just a little perspective for you.

{{Beth and me back in the day}}

3. Starting Friday I don’t have to work for 4 days in a row.  I have been working non-stop ever since I got home.  Guarding, teaching group lessons, teaching private lessons… on and on and on, and I am just so happy to get a break.  Nine hour shifts in the sun, and going back and forth between home, the Y and Salem Glen are starting to wear me down.  I was beginning to think that I was getting sick from going, going, going, but this break is going to be so great. Just gonna relax.

4. The “K” I got for the back of my iPhone case.  I got my mom a “D,” and I would show you, but she is downstairs…

K, well I have to go and teach lessons now.

Katelyn

It’s Always Sunny In Blogland

Tori, from over at The Ramblings has awarded me with the Sunshine Award.

{{que applause}}

Now, Tori is in the big time over at The Ramblings, and it makes me so excited that she loves to read my little blog and that I make her smile!  It is funny though, because this woman has me rolling on the floor laughing on a daily basis.  Her sarcastic humor and quick wit always make me laugh.  If you like sarcasm and laughing until you pop an ab then go and check her out.  If you don’t, then…well you are probably type of person she would make fun of.   Thanks, Tori!

So the rules of this blog award are just like all the billions of other little blog awards there are out there.  Share some random facts about yourself and pass it on.

Random fact #1: I was totally un-sunshine like and cried for a whopping three hours this evening.  Welcome to the life of a sissy baby somebody that holds things in way too long, and then lets them all come out at once.

Random fact #2: I got a new planner today.  I am a planner freak.  Like I have three calendars plus a planner.  I have also been using the same planner for EIGHT years… they no longer make that planner.  Can you imagine the anxiety that was tearing through this OCD creature of habit?  Yeah. Contribute that to one hour of tears.

Random fact #3: Still haven’t unpacked.

Random fact #4: I am applying to Appalachian State University’s teacher certificate program.  Grad school in the mountains?  Yes, please.

Random fact #5: I slept for 12 hours last night.  Yeah.  I had a crazy migraine and when my friend Nicholas left after dinner {{at 9:45}} I straight up passed out and didn’t even move until 10 am this morning.  I guess somebody was tired.

Well, you typically share 7 random facts about yourself, and since I have issues with odd numbers {{except 3, or anything divisible by 5}} I just cannot do that. I loathe the number 7.  So you are just stuck with 5!

Those that make me happy!

1. Maura {{Like seriously, why do not live closer together?}}

2. Sally {{We will both get into App, and we will have the best time in Grad school, ever.}}

3. Chelsea {{Why have we lived in the same town, and walked the same path for um what 6+ years and JUST got to know each other?  So, wrong.}}

Katelyn

Unpacking

Y’all… I graduated well over a month ago.

I have yet to unpack my room fully.

I know.

I see the way you are looking at me.

This is a judgement free zone.

You all know how much it stinks to unpack from a great vacation.  While you are packing you have all the excitement of the upcoming week/s, and you get to envision yourself in every outfit, bathing suit, pair of sandals or hat.  {{As you can see the only kind of vacation for me involves water}}

“Oh, what outfit am I going to wear on this day out?” or “This bathing suit for Monday, Wednesday and Friday and these two for Tuesday, Thursday!”

And then you come home and you think, “I have to go back to work/real life after that?!”

Well, I figured out why I am having such a hard time unpacking…

I am unpacking from the most epic four year vacation, ever.

Don’t get me wrong, being back in Clemmons has turned out much better than I originally thought.  I thought I was going to be entering back into high school years, and that I would have some serious issues.  I have started making some great friends, I love my coworkers and my job as a lifeguard; I am finding my nitch in this little corner of Winston-Salem.

I have also been thinking heavily about what’s next.  I am seriously considering becoming a teacher.

gasp. choke. cough. what did she just say?

I have absolutely loved being a swim instructor over these past few weeks.  Yes, I know being in the water and teaching kids how to swim is different than being in a classroom everyday teaching kids English.  But, the concept is the same.  I feel so good after my little swim kids get the stroke down just right, or they jump of the blocks for the first time while I am holding there hand.  I just love watching these kids learn.  So, that is the career path I think I am going to start dabbling in.  {{It could change next week, but I’ll let you know if that happens!}} I am looking into entering the substitute teacher force before I fully decide on my possible career path as a teacher.  Any advice from all you teachers out there?

Katelyn

 

What Have I Done?

If you are new, or have forgotten, I had a serious Achilles tendon injury a few months back, and lived in a boot cast for 3.5 months.  I feel like it is strong enough to start running and exercising heavily again.  Ever since I have been out of my boot cast I have just been going to the gym a few times a week, or going on walks with Sadie.  Recently I have been going to the Y much more, and getting back into the swing of things, but I have just been so scared.  I am nervous that something will happen to my tendon again, and then I would really be s*** out of luck.

Well, yesterday I let one of my mom’s friends talk me into something… a little something called a sprint triathlon.

It is a women’s only triathlon, which I cannot tell you how excited I am about that.

This sprint triathlon is:

250 yard swim

8 mile bike ride

2 mile run

Now all you fitness people out there might be thinking that isn’t much, and to be honest I don’t think that it is that much either.  I could probably go out and do that right now, but my time would be slow, my body would ache like fire and I probably would not feel very happy the next day.  So when it says this is a sprint tri, I really want to sprint it.  I want to be able to do this as fast as possible, and the only thing that could possibly hold me back be my transition times.  I want to be able to go all out every length of the race.

It isn’t until August 21 so I have plenty of time to ease myself into the whole back to back to back aspect of it.  I am actually pretty excited!  I would much rather do a triathlon than a half marathon or any specific event.  I like the thought of “switching things up.”  My short attention span could not just run for 13 miles.  I would much rather get a little bit of this and a little bit of that.  Needless to say, I am excited!  Hopefully I will get my legs back into fighting shape!

I have also been helping my friend Nicholas {{I really don’t know how much I am actually helping him}} with baseball this week.  He is recovering from an injury and is hopefully going to be on the Liberty baseball team this coming year.  {{Make sure to keep him in your prayers!}}  At “practice” yesterday I really hurt my right elbow.  And by hurt I mean I could not bend/straighten it.  I can take a lot, but I was in some serious kind of pain.   It was not the best feeling in the world.  So I have been ordered to take a couple days off.  Which is probably a good thing, because this is what I looked like last night…

Gotta love them peas.

Katelyn

Happy Hump Day II

Well folks, we have made it halfway through the week!  This week has gone by terribly slow for me, because whelp, my entire family is on vacation without me.  I am pretty sure my mom is getting heavily annoyed with the amount of calls I make to her pleading for some conversation.  Don’t worry, I have been hanging out with great friends, working and doing fun things, but guys don’t really give you great conversation.  So, “HI MOM, whats up!” it is. {{again}}

1. My new car accessories.  I just don’t get why people don’t want to put fun things on their cars, it shows your personality!  Yes, it does get annoying when you see those mountain people with their cars so full of stickers they can barely see through the back wind sheild.  I don’t really need to see all 100 of your “save the earth” bumper stickers, your 1 Obama sticker tells me all I need to know.

It’s not mine without a monogram.

Or NCSU affiliation at every turn

2. My baby cousin, Jordan, throwing up his NC State Wolfpack wolf hands!  His father is a die hard WVU fan {{yeah, that team that State beat into the ground at the Champ Sports Bowl}} and him and I have been going at each other ever since.  He wrote “Go Mountaineers” on my graduation present, so I informed him that I used it to buy NC State season football tickets.  Oh, how sweet is the deepest rivalry as the rivalry between family.  But, I am one of the favorite cousins of baby Jordan and she does anything for his Cousin Kate!

3. These words I found on Pinterest earlier this week.  They fit my personality pretty well…

{{I need this last one in a giant poster}}

4. The boy I told you about earlier this week that wouldn’t even get in the water… well he is now JUMPING off the starting blocks.

5. My new Summer 2011 playlist on iTunes.  These are songs that remind me of summer, The Carolina’s, the beach and everything this season encompasses.  It also has songs that are going to make up this summers “soundtrack.”  I think I am going to make a soundtrack for each season… I like the idea of it.  Below are a few on my list, so you can get an idea.

Zach Brown Band/Jimmy Buffet: Knee Deep

Lady Antebellum: Just a Kiss

Chris Cagle: Little Sundress

Gloriana: Wild At Heart

Jake Owen: Barefoot Blue Jean Night

Eric Church: Homeboy

One Republic: Good Life

Rascal Flatts: Summer Young

Hope y’all have a great rest of your week!

Katelyn

 

 

Rewarding

As y’all know I am a lifeguard for the YMCA and a local country club here in Clemmons.  BUT, this morning I switched gears and was not on the stand spending my hard hours and abundant amounts of energy twirling my whistle; I taught swim lessons!

READ THIS POST

It was nice to finally get to do swim lessons.  I have had to sit and watch other girls teach for a few weeks now, and was totally craving getting in the water and teaching.  {{It actually is very hard to be a complete and total water baby, and then have to sit and watch other people swimming and doing what you love the most!}}

A group of little kids, ages 5-10, from Forsyth Country Day School came into the Y for swim lessons this morning.  They will be coming all week, and guess who is their teacher!?  Me! I had a helper this morning since there are 12 kids.  Unfortunately, 1 of them could not swim.  At all. The rest were like fishes in the water, screaming and begging for it to be their turn, and this little kid WOULD NOT even get near the water.

That was the kid I got.

At first, I was thinking, really?  I have to try and get this kid in the water?  Sometimes it is hard for me to understand why children and adults are so afraid of water, and fear the water, because I have grown up in the water.  I don’t see how it is terrifying, or how they think they are just going to drown if their pinky toe touches the water, but today I put myself in the water shoes of that scared little boy clinging to his floatation belt.

He begged and begged and begged me not to pull him in the water, and I am not going to lie, it was frustrating.  Kid, just get in the water, I will not let you drown.  I swear.

He wouldn’t get in willingly, so it is a good thing he weighed a whopping 25 pounds… because I just picked the kid up and jumped right on in.  Shreaks of impending doom sounding in my ear.  He loved it.

We started out learning how to blow bubbles out of our mouth, then nose.  He also floated on his back all by himself by the end of the lesson {{no floaty belt}}, and was JUMPING without his belt and submerging himself underwater.  The kid was fearless… once I got him in the water of course.  The other instructor was shocked beyond belief that the little boy was doing so well.  A little trust can go a long way.  I am really excited to see how the rest of the week pans out!  Hopefully I will have Jordan dog paddling by the end of the week!

The best part was when his older brother came up to me and said “Miss Kate, thank you so much for working with my little brother today.  He was so scared to swim, and now he isn’t anymore.  He wouldn’t even jump in for our mom.  I can’t wait to see you tomorrow!”  Well way to just break a big girls heart! It was so sweet!

On another note, {{if you know me keep breathing, I swear you will survive}} I willingly went to Calvary church this Sunday.  I have been going to church over the years in Raleigh, and I found a church that I loved so much there, but as many of you know I just have had some issues with Calvary in the past.  I threw those issues to the wind this Sunday and decided to go.  It actually was really nice.  I do have to say removing myself from Calvary for a few years helped out a lot, and as I grew up, it seemed that everybody else did too!

Now with that said, it was father’s day, and I was not with my father.  They all went on vacation without me.  Love you too, Dad! But the sermon was ridiculously aimed at me.  It was like freaky.  {{You know, me being the queen of anxiety disorders and all.}}  And if you are a Christian, or not, this list could help you out!

How to Fight Anxiety

1. Name the pressure.  Are you worried about money, clothes, your boyfriend/girlfriend, your job, etc.

2. Identify how you express your anxiety.  Do you bite your nails, twirl your hair, scream at people, have “rituals,” hoard?

3. Ask yourself why are you anxious?

4. Identify the promise of Jesus that speaks to you the most.  {{You can find those here, Matthew 6:25-24}}

5. Talk to The Man Upstairs about it.

6. Give.  In word or deed.  If you are worried about your possessions, give it away.  If you are worried about the clothes you are going to wear, donate some to Goodwill.  If you are worried about money, donate some to a charity.  Release the stress of it all.

Just wanted to share something that really will start helping me out with all of my anxiety issues!

Happy Monday to all!

Katelyn

Holding Down The Fort

While my family went on their weekly vacation… I am staying at home and being a grown up girl.

Now I am really hoping that I don’t have to set booby traps for freakishly terrible robbers.

{{I actually had my friend come and search my house after we got back from a movie…}}

I initially asked off this week, and was planning on going on family vacation, but when tallying up bills I realized that staying home and picking up a ridiculous amount of shifts is what was necessary.  And I picked up a ton of work.  Hopefully it will all pay off in the end, and my endless hours at the pool will count for something!

Now who wants to plan a party?

{{Just kidding, Mom!!}}

…Maybe.

Katelyn

This is a joke, right?

Y’all know all about my car troubles…

1. From when I originally wrecked Tercy.

2. To when we decided to have her fixed and I had to drive around a Mini Van {{and loved it.}}

3. And then Tercy died the night I graduated from college.

4. To car shopping!

5. And now to finally having a new car!

It is not the shiniest, newest, most hip and upcoming thing on the lot.  It is not a new Mercedes/Bimmer/Audi I drive around thinking I am so much cooler than everybody else in, but I love it none the less!  My new car is a 2001 Nissan Altima!

It has everything I could ever dream of having in a car.  After driving certified P.O.S’s for the past 6 years, I am in heaven.  The best part about it is that it just fell into my lap.  It was one of those meant to be type things.  I dragged my Dad to the Nissan dealership {{getting lost on the way}} after a 4 day car shopping blitz fest, and we were both exhausted and in that “I hate every car, do not make me look at another car” mood.  We kept going though and ended up at Modern Nissan.

The most precious old man, Ron, was our sales man and he was just so nice.  He wasn’t one of those I am going to guilt trip you into buying a car types.  He really wanted to help me find something in my price range, something safe and that I wouldn’t hang my head in shame to drive.  I swear I am his newly adopted granddaughter.  I feel like calling him up on the phone now just to chat.

{{No, really.  I love Ron.}}

My dad and I were about to leave the dealership because there wasn’t anything there for me, and Ron was like “Hey sweet heart check this car out.  Somebody traded it in a few hours ago.  Take a look and we will see what we can do.”  The deal was right.  The car was right.  Everything was right, except we had to wait a week and a half for all of the financial business to be taken care of.  Good ole’ Ron held it for me and made sure nobody else touched it!  {{I seriously love this old man.}}

It has power doors, power locks, power windows, a CD player, FOUR DOORS!!! {{I will NEVER drive a coupe again}}

I am a little excited for my drastic upgrade.

But, as always my luck with cars is short and sweet.  As I was driving to Raleigh yesterday morning to sell over the title to Tercy to a junk yard, where they will rip my beloved POS to shreds and sell her body for parts… My new car {{that I hadn’t had for even 24 hours}} decided to start making noises.  And not the sweet hum of country radio out of her speakers… crunching, crashing, horrid noises.  I pulled over on the shoulder and just laughed.  I just busted out laughing.

ARE YOU SERIOUS RIGHT NOW, GOD!?

Well, being me {{doing whatever my dad says to do that does not involve dishes}} I drove straight to the Nissan dealership and told them to fix it.  Now.  They did

But of course I left my purse there.  When they called to tell me I left it I told them to lock it up in a safe and I will be back tomorrow.

So now I am venturing to Raleigh this morning, after picking up my purse.  I am kind of glad my trip was delayed, because I get to eat lunch with my best friend Chris!  I miss him so terribly and am so excited to be able to see him for the first time in over a month!  The only bad thing is I have to be back in Clemmons by 3:30 for work!  So it will be just a short trip!

  {{I will come back for you Judi!}}

Katelyn

Happy Hump Day!

I feel good, because I am actually doing a link up for consequtive weeks!  I usually just find a fun link up for the day and think “oh, this would be cool, OK!” and just forget about it.  But, I am really loving some stuff this week, so I felt the need to share what I am loving this Wednesday.

1. Yesterday, I pulled a double and was outside at Salem Glenn for 8.5 hours.  It was the most beautiful day!  Not a cloud in the sky, 100 5th grade kids having a party, a lady cutting the artery in her foot on her kids toy, swim practice, being pushed in the pool fully clothed… sounds like a great day right!?  {{Well, most of it was}}  I also got a serious start on my Chaco tan.  I am pretty sure by the end of the summer I will look like I got a white ink tattoo of a Chaco tan on my feet.

2. This monogrammed lamp shade.  OMG, LOVE!

source

3. Tosh.0.  Seriously.  I just crack up when I watch this!  And Daniel Tosh is just so cute in the nerdy way.  I also started following him on twitter!  Fun times.

source

4. My new necklace from Vestique! I am hopelessly in love with anything and everything with anchors on it.

5. I get my car today!!!

Day 6: Something from a low angle

I call a free skip day.

Happy Hump Day!

Katelyn

 

Conjunctivitis

Conjunctivitis: is swelling (inflammation) or infection of the membrane lining the eyelids (conjunctiva). Symptoms: Blurred vision; Crusts that form on the eyelid overnight; Eye pain; Gritty feeling in the eyes…

AKA: What I have been dealing with for 2 weeks.

{{Left:what your eyes look like.  Right:What my eyes look like. But add in creamy sticky goop.}}

I always have a knack for getting pink eye.  No matter who has it, how long they have had it, or how bad they got it, I will always get it.  I had it a few weeks ago while I was at Camp Hanes, and thought I had kicked it for about a week.  Wrongo.  I woke up on Sunday morning with my left eye crusted shut.  Woke up Monday morning with both eyes crusted shut, and decided it was about time to go to the doctor… again.  I had been taking drops like a good conjunctivitis patient for the past few weeks, but apparently they expired in 2007.  {{Thanks, Dad}}  I also had a different type of drop I was using, but I decided to go to the doctor anyways.  I just needed to make sure I had a medication drop that was 1. up to date and 2. the right thing.  {{My family has lots of drops laying around.  I get eye issues a lot}}

I have the correct drops! YAY!  The only bad thing is that I have to wear my glasses to work.  And by work I mean sitting on a stand in the blazing bright sun twirling a whistle and yelling at kids to “WAAAAAAAAAAAALK!”  Hard life, I know.  I guess I kind of deserved pink eye for being paid to save lives tan.

Day 5: Something from a high angle.

I really don’t feel like doing this one, so I am just going to show you a really funny picture.

My brother Jacob is a complete dumb dumb.  He is so funny.  All he does is crack jokes, speak in accents, yell funny things drive me crazy and make everyone laugh at all times.  This was taken at Thanksgiving 2 years ago.  I am sure you can guess which one he is.

Katelyn