The past couple of months I have spent time quality time with family and it has been AWESOME. Did I mention I love my family! I took a survey and I got the results back and...yep...as I expected....I am a family girl to my core and I relish that time with my family. When I go too long without it something does not feel complete in me. I am beyond thankful and blessed.

With older sis Amy a couple of days before she had my newest niece Audrey Isabella Owens! She was literally about to pop.
I flew home to Seattle and surprised my mom (dad was in on it with me) and stayed for a long weekend. We decorated the christmas tree together too, our very first fake tree mind you. So, as a result it required that we buy a pine scented candle to fill in the real tree gaps the fake one was missing.
Other Sis Lizzy's baby shower (1st of 3, little Ashby Noel is spoiled and loved already). It was a fun mommy shower with all the SoCal friends and family.
Liz and I at the OSU vs. USC football game. We were literally in the nose bleed section but we had field passes prior to the game...how does that add up? We had fun and kept warm by eating all the vegan things we could find...corn on the cob, bean and cheese nachos (we eat cheese now, love it too much) and sweet potatoes. We pulled major fat status, literally we were eating the whole game:)
Andrew, Uncle Steve and Liz on the field before the game watching the players warm-up and hanging out with Dave (and Traveler).

Dreams!

I Love Traveling and Photgraphy. I want to do more of both of those! Something so fun refreshing about getting creative and also seeing new places and different parts of the WORLD! Where am I headed next...any suggestions?

A Few Fall Memories

Angels vs. Yankees game with good friends Allison and Ian Kennedy.

Weekend in Montana with sweet cousin Lo, only one more semester!

Riding cruiser bikes on the Strand with whole family when parents in town. We stopped here for popsicles!

Sunset at the Beach...I love the Beach!

Babies

I love all my nieces and nephews! Allison, Ella, Nolan, Elisha, Juda, Zacha, Jonah and now baby Owens and Ashby. I have a confession, I am slightly obsessed with them. I cannot wait for Ashby and baby Owens to be born. I know its not time for them to come out yet, but when they do come....I will be so so excited. I already am. That's what aunties do, they get excited to spoil the little ones and love them like crazy.

Training New Muscles...

So, you know when you start lifting weights/working out hard again and your body is tired and sore for a good two weeks straight, remember that feeling. I sure do. I am working a job that promotes healthy living and as a result I am staying fit and often times pretty sore. Now I'm talking the kind of sore when sitting down on the toilet hurts and walking up and down stairs is torture. Eventually, you build your strength and you begin lifting heavier and heavier and your endurance grows and you do not dread running sprints as much, and in fact you get into a groove and kinda cannot imagine not feeling this good....well, I paint you this picture because this is a lot how my life is. Yes, physically I am kicking but, but I am also mentally training my thoughts to travel different paths in my brain and right now it feels a lot like those beginning 2 weeks of getting back in shape. At the end of the day, I decide its time to turn my brain/heart off for the night and let it re-charge for the next day. I am so thankful for the ways I am growing, learning, and developing in this stage of life. Yes, it is tiring, but I find myself tearful quite a bit lately as I think of how faithful God is to me. It is hard to put words around how I feel. So I will put a period there.

The Pie Chart

This is a shout out to the 10%...you know who you are. All I have to say is I love my 10%. Where does Kuma fit into the pie chart?

Go Yankees

Went to Angels vs. Yankees game yesterday. So much fun! Talked, caught up, had serious girl talk and it was a great night with great friends. In this picture...Al and I are laughing at how huge Lizzy's you-know-whats have gotten:) xoxo

Greg Thompson Photography!

My good friends Laura and Thad got married this past Saturday and it was AMAZING. Words do not describe just how beautiful it was. I love them and am so excited for them to be Mr. and Mrs. Ewing!

Patience

p.s. I relate with this dried up tree looking out over the Deep/Huge (words cannot describe the majesty of this place) Grand Canyon looking out over all that is to come and all that has been. But the secret is the tree is not all dried up at all, in fact it is deeply rooted with the best view in the whole place.

I am sick of being patient. But I will continue to walk forward.

I Miss Europe

I want to go back and travel more...3 weeks was not enough. I want to spend about 6 months traveling. When can I go? Where do I want to go? What is next? ...

Haley

Remember this...we were pretending to be in actors in Broadway, actresses for Wicked I believe (Galinda & Elfaba!!sp?)

I love my cousin-sister! My favorite thing is picking up where we left off with no attention paid to the time passed in between. We are both training for a 1/2 Marathon (she way more organized and prepared then I) and it is great, I highly recommend training for one if you have yet to run one! I call her and elicit advice on my latest plan of attack and she of course fills me in on the most important things to be doing. It reminds me of college when I would send her my papers to edit because I knew she would not change all my words around but comment on how I could best communicate my idea without losing the integrity of my thoughts/ideas! HALEY you are so great at that/these kinds of things. SO, in 3 days you will run your 1/2 marathon.  Great preparation Hay. I can't wait to hear about how much fun you had and how good you felt! How many days til the Beach?...

153 W. 234th Pl. Carson, CA 90745

This is in Granada, Spain at the Alhambra (old fortress city) looking out over the city! I LOVED Granada, it was so lovely, everything about it!!!

I am living with my sister and brother-in-law right now and it is such a big blessing to me. I get to come home to 2 of my most favorite people and my favorite dog in the world. I will up-load some pictures of my trip to Europe. Everyone told me before I left that I would never be the same and quite honestly I was annoyed at the sentiment. I wondered, "what if I am not changed, then what? what if I come back from Europe and it is a terrible time? what if God tells me I have to move and change everything I am doing and start a new plan?" I have this problem with being afraid far too much in life and God gently reminds me (and sometimes with a swift kick) that I am ok, that He is far more in control than I give Him credit for oh yeah and that He wants the absolute best for me. That being said, as I have been home, I do feel changed. I feel like God has taken down some of my walls and said, "those were not bad walls, but now I want to show you some new stuff and you don't have to worry Katie. I am your God and I say we have some fun together today." Thank you for my trip to far away places and thank you for home (and all the things, people and places that come with that).  

2 other things...I am training for a half-marathon, and next a tri-athalon (ocean water swimming, CAPITAL SCARY LETTERS) and I cannot wait to have a dog someday. Soon I hope:) but not too soon. xoxo

Where does time go?

Approximately 24 years ago at 2:07 on 2/07...I am blessed and I am thankful for my mom who took on the JOB (i know she would say blessing) of shepharding me and being a full-time mom to me and my sisters. She is the one I really want to recognize today because without her I would not be the woman I am today. Thank you Mom for marrying Dad and for being such an incredible mom. For being God's hands and feet to me, for serving me and sacrificing so much to pave the way.  I know I am not as close as we would like but that has no bearing on how close you are to my heart. I would not have it any other way and I cannot tell you enough how important, how beautiful you are and how precious you are to me. "I love you forever, I like you for always, as long as I'm living, My Mommy you'll be." 

Papa and Liz...my two solid rocks! You have been my sounding block when life overcomes me, you are the people who's voice I can hear over the phone and instantly (not knowing why most times) cry and know its totally safe! Thank you for providing and protecting dad and pushing me to be excellent. I just love you. Liz you are one of my most favorite people, thanks for protecting me as big sisters do, for going before me and for being YOU. Family, I love you and I cannot wait to go on our Africa trip someday soon. 

All the rest of my peoples (and you know exactly who you are!) I love you and cherish you dearly. THanks for all your love and your friendship. I am one happy woman!

Long over due!

The Pictures are in reverse order....Chronologically the most recent are at the top and the older pics are at the bottom. 

Me and My sweet boyfriend. We went to a beach wedding (the wedding was planned in literally 3 weeks! Yeah, I know, nuts) and took time to snap a few sunset shots. He is the best. I learn a lot from this man about loving people and loving God. We flat out have so much fun together:)

Dana...AKA Flops. One of my dear friends. She came out to visit this January for a long weekend. She is one of those friends who after hanging out with you feel like you can take in a deep breath and sigh and no matter how crazy you feel or life feels, you remember it's never as bad or crazy as you make it in your head. Thank God for great friends

January 2, 2009 Rose Bowl Game USC vs. PENN ST. with my college buddies Ali and Ian. They are awesome and I love them. I told them to make a funny face in this pic. and they both made this face simultaneously, pretty classic for those two. Oh yea, they are married, I cannot wait until they have kids someday. 

The view from the cabin...on a clear day you can see Mt. Adams I believe, it is quite serene

Haley, Liz and Lo...three of my most favorite people and quite surely would be a crazy wreck without their love and friendship:) This is at the Glenwood, WA cabin after 2 days of food, cold snowy days, fireplace evenings, male and female snow people, Roxy, cooking vegan and good old family time!

Hola! So, I am terrible at being on top of this whole blogging thing. Mainly the reason why I am so slow to up-date is attributed to (in my mind) the whole writing what is going on. So, I am going to post a bunch of pictures and a few comments and hopefully that will give you an idea of what's gone on the past few months and I will write more from here on out! God Bless and MUCH LOVE! Today was a good day!