Long time no update!

Hello blogishpere!

I'm alive and well. Living in Haines is pretty much everything I missed about when I left a year ago. I'm subbing a bunch at the school, still working for the town handyman, and just loving life in general. Of course, the thing that I added on this year is camp stuff, which is pretty much my dream.

This summer was absolutely awesome. It was exhausting and challenging and frustrating at times, and I wouldn't change it for anything. I laughed a ton, cried (just once :)) and ran and played and spoke in front of kids about serious things.

Life now is pretty much whatever comes my way. I work when and where I can. I'm living with the Jones family until I can figure out a more long-term solution. So life in general is good... though I do miss my family (especially the little ones) a lot...

Grateful for Friends

There is nothing in particular that I am grateful for, so I'm going to talk about how awesome my friends are... and all the awesome places we go together. I went to Vegas with Beckie and Caitlin


I went to go see some pretty flowers with Jenna


And I get to go drive across the country with Becca soon. I'm pretty stoked. Not so stoked about trying to see a bunch of my friends in the next couple weeks before I take off for the forseeable future...

Grateful for Family

I got to spend a few days with my nephews this week. They pretty much make my heart happy...

Grateful for education

This week I'm grateful for the opportunity to continue my education. I finished up my student teaching last Friday, and I've been working on finishing up all the assignments that go along with that. That also means that I get to start working more hardcore and seriously on my masters thesis, which in a way, I'm grateful for as well. I'm grateful that God gave me this great mind and that I'm actually using it. And I'm super grateful that I get to take off with some good friends and just relax next week. :)

Grateful Heart Friday

Today I'm grateful for the sunshine. It's just so nice that it really feels like spring in the northwest. I'm also particularly grateful that my student teaching is done forever!
And I'm grateful for a niece that will go out on a boat with me :)

I missed one already...

It's grateful heart Saturday...
I'm grateful for friends to watch a Husky win with. And I'm grateful for an uncle who lets me take firewood from his house so I can stay warm. And I'm grateful for a house on a lake and sunny days.

Grateful Heart Friday

We'll see how long this one lasts, but I'm doing some blog-idea stealing... and from now until I either forget or am not near a computer, each Friday, I'll be posting something I'm grateful for...

This week I'm super grateful for my parents. As if living in their second house rent-free isn't awesome enough, they take me out to dinner. I got to go have sushi with my dad this week and have an awesome conversation. And after dinner he gave me $20 because I got suckered into a useless school fundraiser by the baseball team. I'm grateful for my cozy new(ish) mattress that I get to sleep on every night. I'm grateful for my core group girls who challenge me to be a better Christian without really even realizing it. I'm grateful for a half day at school. And, today, I'm particularly grateful for my onesie.

Life goals

Most of us have those bucket lists going... well, I crossed one off my list today...

Dumb things I've said recently...

Things I've said while teaching that should have never come out of my mouth....

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Student: "I get around"
Kate: "yeah you do"

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Kate: "I like white more" (talking about text, but worried about sounding racist)
Kate: "I mean, what I really like is white on black"

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Student wearing Johnsonville Sausage t-shirt that says "all we do is sausage"
Kate: "really, is all you do sausage?"

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Because I'm just that awesome. And I'll keep sharing more as they come up... because misery loves company.

Student Teaching

Well, it's really more of just observing. But it's been fairly entertaining. At least it feels good to know that I really am progressing toward a goal. Nothing too exciting this week... although, my host teacher did introduce me as his "teacher wannabee." Good times.

Haines and more

I realized that I've been slacking on my blogging lately. I mean, since I last wrote, I have been in Haines for ten days and back to Seattle. Alaska was awesome. Which, come on, we all knew would be the case. I decorated, hiked, watched football, ate... it was grand. And I realized that as much as I love that place, it's ok that I'm not there right now. Sure, I'd love life if I was living in Haines, but that doesn't mean that I can't love it since I'm living in the greater Seattle area. So I hereby declare that I am going to work on loving life more in Seattle rather than wishing I was somewhere else. You heard it here first.

Oh Seattle

I joked about dressing in all my Seattle sports gear and calling myself a masochist for Halloween. After this weekend, I kinda wish I had. I spent the weekend in Eugene with a bunch of Duck fans and went to see the Ducks slaughter the Huskies on Saturday. It was fun enough, but just about every time a Seattle sports team leaves the field/pitch/court my heart breaks a little because we usually just lost another game (of course our main court team got taken away, but don't even get me started on that...). It almost makes me wish that I lived in New York where I could cheer for winning teams and not feel like a sell-out. But then I remember that I will never be a band-wagon fan and maybe, just maybe, we'll do better next season. In a way, cheering for Seattle teams year after year is a little proof in my life that I really do have hope for the future.

October Madness

10 days ago I took off in the car with my mother. We knew a few stops, but had some playing to do in between. We ended up going to Eugene that first night, a place I hope to never see again. Then we went to San Francisco and played tourist for a few hours and hung out with Stefanie, the intern who lived with my parents my Freshman year of college. We were at a bar in downtown San Francisco when the Giants made it to the World Series. It was pretty sweet. Then we went to Huntington Beach via Merced. I got to hang out with Erica (friend from HS) and her husband Matt, which was fun. We went to the beach because my dad had a conference down there. Two nights in the Hilton on the beach? Yes please! My mom and I went out to a bar that night for dinner and I got carded, which led to me receiving a free dessert. Best getting carded that's ever happened to me. And as long as we were only 20 minutes away, we went to Disneyland for my birthday. 25 on the 25th, and I must say, my birthday was indeed golden. And I have pictures of me and many Disney characters to prove it. The next day we went to Ruby's on the pier. It's over 1800 feet from the road next to the beach out to the restaurant, and it's all alone out there. Pretty rad. Walnut Creek and my Godparents were calling our name, so next we headed back up to the Bay Area. It's always good to see Scott and Nancy. We spent a couple days with them then went on to Bend to see Scott, Alissa, Owen, and Josh. Those boys are super fun. And my brother and sister-in-law ain't so bad either. We were there for three nights then headed back to the Seattle area today.
My mom and I drove 2713 miles and spent about 42 hours in the car. Good times.

I just think this is cool

Because it's never to late to follow your dreams. check it out

October

October is nearly half over. I have done just about nothing exciting. I have worked on school and hung out with people. Maybe the second half of October will bring a little bit more excitement.* It is my golden birthday this year afterall...

*hint: I know it will :)