Galatians 6:2

I discovered this website last night and it was too precious not to share, especially if you turn to your iTunes library when you need a "song for your mood" like I do.

http://emotionalbagcheck.com/

Websites like this give me so much encouragement.  Please check it out and brighten someone's day with a song.   Maybe share some of your struggles and be blessed by a total stranger!

"Carry each others' burdens and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ"
Galatians 6:2

book worm

Say "Hello!" to my summer reading list! It's not much of a list because I don't have much time to read with a practically-full-time job...

Tina Fey's "Bossy Pants"

I just finished it and it is SO GOOD.  The woman writes like she talks and she talks like I think.  Soul sisters.  Plus, there's an entire chapter dedicated to her Sarah Palin character and y'all know how I just love Caribou Barbie!  She's teaching me that a woman MUST be everything, embracing your flaws is key and that motherhood is messy and fab-o, especially if you work for SNL.  Lorne Michaels, here I am!

Timothy Keller's "The Reason for God"

I started to read this last summer but never really got to a place where I allowed myself to focus on something so heavy and important.  I'm about 70 pages in and I'm absolutely loving what Keller has to say.  The book takes every argument about why Christianity is failing, frivolous, useless and harmful and turns it on its head.  He explores other options and arguments from alternative religions and his research is unbelievably extensive.  I recommend it to those who are looking to dive deeper into the faith and to those who are looking to be proven wrong about the Savior.  Such an experience!

Stephanie Meyer's "Twilight"

Just writing the word "twilight" makes me cringe... vampires make me want to throw myself under a bus.  It's not the fiction, it's not the romance, it's the vampire.  I can do books like Harry Potter- no problem! It's made up, it's silly, but it's SO well written and sucks me in every time.  All of my sweet girl friends have said that about "Twilight" so I figure it's about time to see what all of the fuss is about.  Besides, this way, if I hate it, I can criticize it whole heartedly!

George W. Bush's "Decision Points"

Half of you love this decision and the other half of you want to laugh in my face but hear me out: Bush was President for a huge chunk of my life and this is important to me.  I'll also read Obama's book (I'm sure there will be several...).  I'll never read Clinton's book because I don't have much respect for the man (his wife, on the other hand, has some serious guts, politics aside!).  So let me read my book about Bush.  I'm actually really excited about it, I think it will be a good transition back into academic reading for August!

Anyone have any suggestions?  What are you reading this summer?

the nanny diaries

This is my second summer as a nanny and I love love love the kids I am with every day.  They are funny and quirky and moody and smart and silly and wonderful.  I learn new things about myself, about this job, about people in general and about my future every day, so for the past week I wrote most of them down... enjoy a small peek into my day-to-day life!

these are in no particular order so that the identities of  children who are the subjects of the silly anecdotes are protected :)

• Always carry a book…. Always.
• Playing “Guess Who” alone is pointless
• Watching yourself grow up is unbelievably eye-opening… bossy elementary school sisters crack me up
• A well organized gift-wrapping station is priceless
• Sarcastically saying “You’re Welcome” to a child doesn’t always elicit a sheepish “…Thank you.”
• Staring at a child long enough will always get them to obey
• Making a “Room Cleaning Competition” is the best idea ever.
• I actually enjoy scrubbing dishes as long as they don’t have ketchup, mayonnaise or ranch dressing
• Having Dr. Seuss memorized is never a problem
• Taking naps in a fort is always more fun than in a bed
• Using words like “cannibalistic” is impressive when you’re 7
• Behavioral breakthroughs are the bomb
• Bargaining about TV shows and settling on “Cupcake Wars” shows signs of maturity in a child and a sweet tooth in an adult
• Never ever move up North.  Ever.
• Dirt pudding rocks at any age
• Invent something to peel kiwis
• Spa days > TV

• Girls rule and boys drool, but boys are better at kickball
• “Miss Katharine, this looks too good to eat! It’s perfect!” is the best compliment I could ever get
• Learn to perfect the “Sandwich Assembly Line”
• “I don’t eat vegetable” doesn’t fly with me
• Handling 4 kids is not a problem so my dream of a family of 6 can absolutely work
• Teach your son the difference between temples and testicles so as not to alarm the babysitters….
• Hammocks are always a good idea… until they aren’t

• Sometimes every body needs a sick day but Yogli Mogli can cure anything
• Lots of love + lots of rules = lots of respect and lots of fun

strength

"The Lord gives strength to His people, the Lord blesses His people with peace"

Psalm 29:11

I'm not neglecting the blog, I promise! I truly don't have anything super interesting going on in my life... I'm at the lake most every weekend and I work 8-10 hour days with kiddies so there really isn't much to talk about!  All of the fun lake pics are on Facebook though- they are a hoot!

I am in my beautiful town, Tuscaloosa, for the weekend and there hasn't been much progress made.  Driving by the destruction really took the wind out of me again.

I am so sure that God will use this destruction for His glory so that the nation will see Him in the rebuilding of the South (the South will rise again! haha....).

In other news, I spent this weekend with sweet Julia and Grace!  I loved seeing my precious friends again and it makes me so anxious for the fall.

camera shy!

we made DELICIOUS brownie sundaes! 

i got "creative" with a ziploc bag

the whole dessert cost under $5 for 16 servings... money well spent!

More entertaining things coming soon, I promise!!

the happy list

For high school graduation, Miss Audrey Marie Coots gave me a book (which I specifically asked for...) called "14,000 Things to Be Happy About" or "The Happy Book" by Barbra Kipfer.  The book is basically a list of random things that make her happy.  For forty years this woman kept a list of all the things that put a smile on her face.  FORTY YEARS!




Now, I'm a bit of a pessimist, mostly in my head.  I don't like the title "cynic", "pessimist" or "Debbie downer" so I try to stick to "realist" but, let's face it, I'm kind of annoyingly "realistic".  I never think my team will win, never think my plans will work out, blah blah blah.  It's annoying to listen to!


So I tried Ms. Barbra's trick for a week 6 and a half days. And I LOVED it.  It's amazing what little things make me happy! Dumb stuff like fuzzy socks and QuikTrip and 3rd grade homework.  But, I encourage all of you to do the same thing that I did.  Maybe not make an actual list but really pay attention to the things that make you smile.  It really gives you a new perspective and makes you appreciate all the little things and precious people that make your life worth it!

121 Things to be Happy About 

(katharine's happy list)

• Getting on the scale and seeing that you've lost weight
• Saturday Night Live’s “Weekend Update” with Seth Meyers
• Parents handing you money
• Adults struggling over the children’s bulletin at church
• Graduation Sunday
• Getting top picks in the Church Draft (congrats, Dr. Cyndi!)
• Wendy’s salads
• Braves games and Turner Field
• Dancing children
• The Home Depot Tool Race
• Will Manning and his sense of humor
• Molly Henderson and her hilarious honesty
• Michael Pfeiffer and his sense of direction
• Greasy Varsity food and cheating on diets

• Harper Lee and her impatience with tennis balls
• Saying something at the same time as someone else
• Short car rides
• The Social Network
• Koalas
• Stomach Butterflies
• Honesty
• Falling asleep as soon as you lay down
• Diet Mountain Dew
• Cute workout clothes
• All of my desktop pictures
• LuLu at the AT&T store who let me have a new iPhone on July 1^st for $50
• OPI Strawberry Margarita nail polish 
• Treadmills
• Watching the rain
• Strawberries
• Quick Trip 52 oz. drinks
• 3^rd grade homework breakthroughs
• Sidewalk chalk
• Training wheels
• Thespian Inductions and Roasts (we’ll miss you, Mrs. McCook!)
• Gossip Girl with Audrey Coots and Kaley Tolar
• Snickerdoodles
• Aiming to be Charlotte York
• Say Yes to the Dress
• Facebook notifications
• Surprises
• Wedding magazines
• Espadrilles and skinny jeans
• Chicken Caesar salads
• Playing with shelter puppies
• Alvin the Labrador
• Hidden kittens
• Singing loudly in the car (with hand-motions)
• Nerds Rope
• Gnomeo and Juliet and Shakespeare humor
• Yogurt Bars with sample cups
• Yankee Candle’s Pink Sand car gels
• Royal Wedding references
• Pretending
• Hiding in the bushes
• Katy Perry
• Heated blankets and heated car seats
• MHS Chorus Concerts
• Ukuleles
• Acapella singing
• Being an alumni
• Old friends
• My large DDD sweatshirt
• Having softer skin after crying
• Being in bed at 9:30 pm
• Patience and understanding
• Hulu
• Extra hours
• Organizing closets (seriously, I love it)
• Sitting on the porch
• The Nikon
• My tennis shoes and Old Navy leggings
• Feeling full
• Clear Sterilite boxes
• Working out while watching The Biggest Loser
• Sauteed mushrooms
• Rachel McAdams
• Stomach butterflies
• Modern Family
• Made Beds
• Bear
• Design on a Dime
• Target
• Label Makers     
• Scrapbook paper
• Sprinkles      
• My giftwrap holder
• Coupons

• New creative storage ideas
• Pants that used to be too tight that are now too big
• My white and gold Easter earrings (one of my favorite purchases)
• Putting on full makeup
• Barnes & Noble
• Sitting in the wedding section in B&N and not having anything to read because I’ve already read it all 
• Jihan’s NYC stories
• Chile’s appetizer tray
• Cake batter yogurt
• Finding phones
• Coming in the door with full arms from a day full of errands
• Bear
• Nice nurses
• Good drugs
• Wheelchairs after wisdom teeth
• Audrey Coots and her sweet cards and delicious gelato
• Chocolate mousse sugar free pudding
• Precious Facebook messages from favorites
• Taking 9 naps in a day
• Wheel of Fortune and Jeopardy sweeps
• Belgian Chocolate Gelato
• How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days
• Chicken ‘n Stars
• Sugar Free Cool Whip
• Michael Pfeiffer’s phone calls
• My pillow
• Harry Potter marathons
• My Hello Kitty blanket from 8^th grade? 7^thgrade? Help me out here, Anna and Lauren…
• Fuzzy socks
• No sugar added orange sherbet (it’s like my personal 1 quart Frosted Orange!)
• Funny puffy check pictures
• 2-year-old Darvocet
• My parents and their willingness to do everything and let me be lazy
• My little blue Walmart Fan
• Cleaning 

(i tried to add pictures to this but the formatting was all funky so you'll just have to use your imagination! xoxo)

surprises

"A joyful heart is good medicine"

Proverbs 17:22a

Precious Anna's 20th birthday is May 17th, which is why sweet Lauren and I decided to drive all the way to Jasper, GA, to surprise her a whole week before her big day... she never saw it coming!

We called her mama that morning to try set up our sneaky plan and when we arrived, Anna was already out of the house, so we decided to set up and decorate!

So we waited...... and waited.... and waited for Anna to show up.  Finally, she did!

It was so much fun seeing her face as she was COMPLETELY shocked (kudos, Miss Sandy, on keeping it a surprise!) 

Lauren was in charge of dinner and I was in charge of dessert, and I think it was a hilarious success.

Homemade Sushi for dinner!

this was the best one, made by the
birthday girl!

After dinner (which wasn't a huge success, but it was deliciously entertaining), we made RainbowCakeInAJar for dessert.  Once I perfect the recipe, I'll post all of the destructions on here so that you can have super cute cakeinajar, too!  Tell me if that's not making your tummy rumble right now...

After dinner and dessert we watched "Life as We Know It", that Katherine Heigl movie where she is awkward and quirky but then the unexpected guy swoops in and then they live happily ever after.  There's a baby in there somewhere...

In between all of this filling food and cheesy movies, we played with Anna's ADORABLE new guide-dog-in-training-puppy.  Meet Robbie:

Precious, right?! The dog's not too bad, either! :)

These girls have been my sweet sweet friends since middle school and we haven't lost contact.  Though we only see each other a few times a year, it's always entertaining and always warms my heart.  These ladies are so precious to me and I thank the Lord every time I spend time with friends like Anna and Lauren!