Halloween 2009

Well, our camera didn't work so I'll have to describe this years costumes

Kaitlyn-Cute Witch:
I wore a black hat with black feathers with little silver strings on it. I had a gray cardigan with a white shirt and a black full circle skirt and gray leggings with black ballet flats.

Steele-Jason:
I made his costume and I was so proud of how it turned out! I took a white tank and rolled it around in some dirt. Then I cut it up and added some "blood". We took a reddish blue plaid button up shirt and left it open so you could see the undershirt. Then he wore some old Levis, his hockey mask, and had a machete

Chloe-Dark Fairy:
We bought her costume at Partyland and it was black with gold star detailing around the bottom. She had on some black leggings and the costume originally came with some fabric for a choker but I talked her into wearing it as a headband for trick-or-treating, which I think looked too cute. We three-barrelled her hair and did "dark fairy" makeup (dark eyeshadow and mascara).

Ande-Tinkerbell:
She had on a purple/lime green tutu with a dark purple crotchet headband with a tulle circle thing that was a barrette, white tights and silver shoes, and of course a magic wand, that she thought really worked. She has just enough broken hair for some cute bangs, and we curled the back of her hair, TOOOO cute. She was a doll. This year Halloween was magical for her. She was running and skipping and talking about "spooky" things. She was soo excited for candy. She would basically go in the houses for it. If they put the bucket down for her to get candy she'd grab a huge handful and go in for seconds and when we'd tell her no the home owners would say "Oh no, she's alright" and give her some more! What a smile she had after that! She'd get scared at the creepy masks but she'd just come and hold our hand and be good. There was one house that was all decked out in zombies and strobe lights but she just had my dad hold her and she was happy, especially since you got a full size candy bar at the end! Towards the end of the night she got really tired and would ask my mom to hold her between houses and lay her head down, but once we got to the driveway, she was up and happy and showed no signs of tiredness to get that candy! Her bucket was the fullest and heaviest out of all the kids.

It was soo enjoyable to see the season through her eyes.
This day was truly magical.


P.S. I'm still doing the gratitude challenge, it's just been things I can't post about, and today's was write about one of your five sense you are thankful for, but I've pretty much already done that in my others, so I don't want to bore you.

In Honor of Halloween

Today's Flashback Friday is a very special post about one of my favorite Halloween events.

When I was probably in fourth grade my great-grandma was staying at a nursing home. That Halloween they decided to have a party, but for some unknown reason my great-grandma didn't have someone to attend it with her (maybe she did, but I was just lucky enough to just get to go, or maybe she requested I go, I don't remember). That year I didn't have a costume ready yet so I was feeling really bad. Right before the party we quickly threw together a witch costume and called it good. At the Halloween party I got to meet all of my great-grandma's friends while eating dinner and treats with them. I just remember the joy of meeting them all, even though I was wayy nervous before I went. At the end of the party they had a costume contest and I won for my age group (a space of five years...I think) and I was so shocked because the costume was so last minute. I remember going up and getting my prize (the Addams Family DVD) and coming back and all of my new old lady friends were clapping for me and saying they voted for me. I was soo happy. I don't remember what happened after this, but that was a pretty good Halloween in my book.

GC Day 7

I hope this isn't a concieted blog post, but today I'm supposed to take a picture of something that makes me grateful. Well, I'm getting some pictures I have on hand, me! I am really reallly EXTREMELY thankful lately for my body.

1. My Voice: I can sing, I can talk, I can bear my testimony

2. My Fingers: that play the piano for me

3. My Eyes: that let me see the world around me

4. My Ears: that help me hear the sweet works of others

5. My Nose: to smell the sweet smell of earth

6. My Body overall: I can run, dance, walk, move around, take care of myself

7. MY BRAIN: I can gain all the knowledge I was sent to earth to obtain

I'm so thankful to Heavenly Father for giving me this body so that I can do all these things, and for the decision I made to come here and be able to get my body again.

After thought:

This also makes me EXTREMELY thankful, just thinking about what gets done in these holy places of the Lord.

The BEAUTIFUL St. George Temple

GC Day 5

I was MIA due to no internet yesterday so here is yesterday's, today.

1. family (grandparents, siblings, etc)
2. church
3. friends
4. holidays/traditions
5. music/piano/my voice
6. senses (eyes, ears, nose, hands, etc)
7. school, education, good grades
8. health
9. my attitude
10. LIFE!

GC Day 4

To be honest with you, I can't think of one thing that is negative in my life that I can think of writing about. There's quite a bit of things that are not positive, but I don't want to share them with the internet. And some little things that are negative, well they'll pass, and I think that's positive in itself realizing that. I guess I just wrote/thought about it in my head for this one. So, this really is a pointless blog, but I have to write about it to stay with the program. Anyways, have a happy Monday!

GC Day 3

Today I feel grateful for......
Sanitation/ways to take care of myself.
I'm so thankful that I have clean water to drink, cook, shower with, etc.
I'm so thankful that I have disinfecting wipes to keep me healthy this flu season
I'm so thankful for brushes, toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, lotion
I'm so thankful for washing machines and dryers, and dishwashers, vacuums, and mops
I'm so thankful for living in a country where I can be clean!!

Gratitude Challenge Day 2

Day 2, use the alphabet to take note of what you're grateful for.

A-Angels. Beautiful spirits watching out for you, prepared to give you guidance and protection when needed.
B-Book of Mormon, the chance to hear testimonies of those before me I love it!
C-Chocolate, has to be there somewhere. Plus the joy Cooking gives me
D-Diligence, Determination, getting things done and being proud of what I've accomplished
E-Eyes! I can't imagine not being able to see this world. Trying to see without contacts and glasses makes me sooo sad, and I still can see color. Can't imagine being blind
F-Family, Friends love that comes from them
G-Grandparents, I learn so much from them
H-Home. A house where I can come home, relax, do my homework, and sleep safely
I-Inspiration. Just looking around and realizing what I can do, or recieving an answer to a prayer I've needed answered
J-Jesus Christ, his ultimate sacrifice and personalized love
K-Kaitlyn, I'm thankful for this body named Kaitlyn, so I can learn and grow and return to my Heavenly Father
L-Life, living, positive attitudes, knowing life is good
M-Music, I have to love the mood music can put me in. I love hearing hymns/calm music that makes me feel good
N-Nice people, they're just a joy to be around
O-(an) Open heart one that is ready to accept love and give love and not judge and give help where its needed
P-Prayer, this one is easy, the opportunity to talk to God
Q-Quiet moments to ponder my life and recommit myself to what I need to
R-Rain, for the kind reminder to be clean and pure
S-School. Did you know only 7% of the world population is educated at a secondary level (7th grade and up) That's something to be grateful for!
T-Temples, all that's done in them, and the beauty it brings to my little town
U-Unified families, friendships, schools, communities, states, countries, world. A dream I (and all of us) can hope for.
V-Vacations, being able to enjoy everyday no matter what and being able to be myself knowing nobody will remember me in the next couple of weeks. And the R & R.
W-www I love being able to stay in touch with family, friends, and meet new people. And being able to keep an electronic journal and find tips to help me in life
X-X-rays? Help get a bone fixed.....since there are only four words in the dictionary that start with that letter.
Y-You out there reading this, that means you care for me enough to read what I have to say, Thanks!
Z-Zippers, zoos, you can take your pick

As I was writing this there was soo many I had a couple for, and I wanted to add them, and for some reason I didn't. Instead I kept changing until I had the best one. This was a great exercise for me. I had an overwhelming spirit of gratitude come about me,
and it was a very pleasant feeling.

Gratitude Challenege

I'm going to take part in the 21 day gratitude challenge! I'm not sure if I'm going to start in now, or in November so that it will be during the month of gratitude, up to Thanksgiving, but here's me doing day one, making the commitment.
If you'd like to join me you can by scrolling down to the left and clicking on the link or I'll try putting it here. It looks soooo much better on some other blogs, because its like a slideshow and you can just scroll through each day on your own blog but I can't figure it out yet, so for now, here we go..

Gratitude Challenge

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tiny prints

More for Me then You

Shailynn and I were taking pictures in a field in my little town in Utah. And we were harmlessly by some sprinklers having fun as the sun went down. We started walking to our bikes by the street because Shailynn needed to get home. As we were walking two ladies drove up and I started to feel my heart beating faster (we were worried from the beginning that something like this would happen). The drove up to us and said
"Hey! What are you doing in that field?"
"We're just taking pictures"
"Well this is private property, you need to leave"
"All right! So sorry!"
It wasn't even the owners of the field, and I happen to know the owners, and they wouldn't mind if they knew it was me.
So we stayed for about 5 more minutes until we were ready to go.

Sometimes I hate having the title of teenager, because old ladies like these (or old men, or people in general) always think you are up to no good. We were being totally respectful and we didnt even hardly walk in the field, just went to the nearest sprinkler. Sometimes I wish people could just see that all teenagers aren't these loud obnoxious kids who think the world revolves around them. And I sure hope that I'm not going to ever become like that.

Conversation with a Two Year Old

It was 11 last night and Ande was sleeping with me so I was sitting on my bed and she standing on my bed dancing and jumping off and on.

Ande looked at me and said "I did it!" and after a couple of times I said "you did what?"

and she proceeded to tell me

"I did it, my shoulders and mommy said what you doing there" and finished with a laugh, (you have to hear her say "what you doing there" its hilarious)

Then she told me all her body parts from head to toe, she told me "Mommy's went night night in her room"

"Mommy was tired, huh"

"Yes, mommy tired"

Then she sang me a song something about her shoulder, her mouth, bapa, candy, being tired, mommy, her baby, etc

Then I asked her where the dog was.

"outside"

"The dog's outside?"

"yes the doggy oustide, sad"

"Why's the doggy sad?"

"Doggy has an owwie, foot, see?" (and she pointed to her foot)

Then she said

"mama [grandma] is sad"

"why's grandma sad?

"cuz bapa's sad"

"why are they all sad"

"they need babas!! They went in the car"

Then she realized that Chloe was in the room sleeping

"Hi Chloe! (waves) Hi Chloe! Hi Chloe! Chloe tired?

Then she saw a unicorn

"Unicorn night night. (grabbed a book and started reading it) then she layed the unicorn on a pillow and said

"unicorn bed, doggy (new stuffed animal) bed, night night."

Then I decided it was time for bed,

after a tickle war of course!

pretend the image is edited, I didn't have time to, but this is her smile, she has it perfected now, this was in May.

Mint Chip Rice Crispy Treats

Here's the first post! There's soo many people and memories that I could write about, but today I just wasn't feeling the blogging spirit, until I was making my daily blog checks and I found this. In case you don't want to look at the blog, its a recipe for Frakenpops, using mint chips. They are just like chocolate chips, only using mint, and they're green. So, after some background information here's the memory.

When I was 8ish I would go over to my Great Grandma's house. I would help her clean or we'd play connect the dots....or make Mint Rice Crispy Treats. One time is etched in my mind. I was sitting on my grandma's lap doing the connect the dots and she told me that we could make the rice crispy treats. So we get everything rounded up and start making them. She was so kind and patient and let me do most of the work, which made me feel so very special.
We could hardly wait for them to get done cooling and they were so good when done.
From then on it was our special treat, or at least I thought so. I must have made them with her more than once.
This isn't really a big memory, but it's etched into my mind of one of the best with my Great Grandma.
You can be sure more will follow about her.


If you want to make Mint Rice Crispy treats all you do is add a bag of the chips with your marshmellows while melting.

Goals for Piano

I figure that if I want to get this done, I'm going to need people monitoring me and giving support, otherwise I may forget my goals, or lower them, or just change them. So here they are;

1. Be able to play the accompianment to 2o hymns
2. Be able to play the top hand to an additional 30 hymns. (Making my grand total of playing 50)
3. Recognize a total of 100 hymns.

Now granted, if I recognize a hymn, I will probably know how to play the top hand, so I'll probably know how to play a lot.

I'm doing this for my knowledge personal progress project so it has to take me at least 10 hours, and I haven't started keeping time for it yet, so I'm going to start fresh.
Wish me luck!!!

Random Tuesday

Random Tuesday is getting really hard for me. And Random Tuesday just isn't random if it's planned. So I think that idea is going to be abolished. You'll still see random posts, just, most of my posts are random so they'll be different. Instead, the idea is going to be replaced with Flashback Friday. I'm going to post memories I have and hopefully it will help me remember them when I'm older, since most of my memories aren't in a journal. Hopefully that will be fun to see memories about people I love, maybe some will be about you, and see some of the fun things that has shaped my life today.

So on this Tuesday, here is the last random post.

I love rain.

I love how it cleans the earth.

I LOVE the smell. I love the look.

I think it's beautiful.

I love running around in rain, especially the warm warm rain of Southern Utah.

I love the rainbows and the pureness of everything after it rains.

I want it to rain on my wedding day. I know people think that's bad luck, but it'd be the best for me. As long as it was a light sprinkle, and not a downpour.

I think it's wonderful to wake up with a cloudy day, it makes me feel secure and loved.

I love watching lightening and listening to thunder (as long as I don't get woken up by it, then its scary).

I love seeing the sky light up and feeling the shake of the earth.

Maybe I love it because it's so rare here. It's like a summer treat, the August monsoons. A lot of people say they hate the rain, but they just don't appreciate the cleanliness and beauty of Mother Nature's way of purifying and washing clean our earth. I love the thought of naturally scenting the earth with clean earthy smells. I think this song puts it best.

I like to look for rainbows whenever there is rain And ponder on the beauty of an earth made clean again.
I want my life to be as clean as earth right after rain. I want to be the best I can and live with God again.
That's what rain reminds me of, and what's wrong with being reminded of living the best you can and living with God again?

Picture taken of a road in Snow Canyon Park after a storm.

Bangs

I'm ready for a hair change!


Now, there are a LOT of possibilities when it comes to bangs, and it's a fairly permanent transition (seeing as they have to grow out which can take years to make it look all normal again, depending on hair length and it just so happens mine is super duper long). So I need my fellow loved ones and blog readers to give me some suggestions.

Option A


I love her bangs, only I love to tuck my hair behind my ear, and I don't think I could stand that one little hair being in the middle of my nose. Although, that could just be the picture so I don't know. But I love the wispyness (is that a word?) of them, and how they blend into the hair.

Option B



I really like these, I love how they aren't thick like the bowl cut. But I don't know if my face shape would go with them, and I don't know if I want them, since everyone is getting bangs like these.

Option C



I really like this "peek a boo" style. It's kinda a mix of both. Only problem is, would my hair actually keep these in place. (Can I just add, you can totally tell her eye whites were edited.But she's still gorgeously pretty)

Option D


I really really like this whole hair do. It looks so fun. I like the bangs but I cant think of a particular reason why or why not.

After doing this, I'm pretty sure what kind I want, but I WANT YOUR SUGGESTIONS. So click right under here and leave me a comment and show me you care (:. Tell me what option you like/dislike or whatever else you want to tell me. And should I dye my hair a shade lighter/darker? Oh! Just so many options!:) Thanks!


I'll still love you if you don't help me out.

Beautiful Video

There's really no way around it, just watch it (:. Just kidding.
But, it's a breathtakingly beautiful video that made me want to cry. The images captured my attention, and gave an extra shove to my testimony. Truly lovely.
I'll probably watch it a couple times a day for awhile just to get that extra boost I need.

If you don't have anything nice.....

Some people were mean this week.
I noticed lots of disapproving glances.
One person told me "Your hair is greasy"
Another person told me that I needed to "humble myself"
One exclaimed to another girl "Why are you wearing that? You wear that ALL the time"
And another person seemed to find fault in everyone around her.

But there are some that were so very kind
One girl said to me "Kaitlyn, your eyes are soo pretty, they are my favorite shade of blue"
Another said, "Kaitlyn, I love how you randomly smile. Its so pretty and makes me smile"
I got countless compliments on my jackets this week.
And quite a few on my new hairstyle.
And during seminary a girl (who sits two rows over to my left) came up to me after class and said "you have such a beautiful voice, thanks for singing"

Those really made my day.

One does not know (okay maybe they do) the power a comment from your peers (or family, strangers, etc) can have. The compliment made me smile and it made me want to compliment others back. It made me want to make the world a happier place, one radiant smile at a time. The negative comments I heard made me miserable. It made me self consious and wonder what others were saying about me, and just not mean enough (or too scared) to say to my face.

The kind people are people I need to look up to. They are such good examples of positive feedback. I love seeing their cheerful attitudes and grateful outlook on life. I love seeing their light and example of Christ coming from within. And have you noticed, these people are SOO much prettier than those who sit there and complain all day about others?

It is REALLY hard for me to give a compliment. I'll tell my friends "Hey, she looks cute today" or even think in my head what a great person she is. And there's hardly an hour that goes by that one of these thoughts don't cross my mind. But I rarely if ever (1/1,000) tell it to the persons face. It's just really hard for me to approach someone to tell them that. Everyday I go to bed guilty of not expressing the positive attributes of those I see, and deserve to hear how great they are.

So I think that's going to be my goal for awhile. Speak less negative and recognize the beauty of God's creations.

Dream

If you don't like graphic or disturbing things, you probably won't want to continue. I just want to have this documented.

We (Chloe, Steele, and I) were at a park and there was a ride. It was a big red "couch" like thing that you sit on with a couple of people. It span you around really quick (in a full circle, going upside down) and so they didnt have seat belts, because of that law of gravity. I don't remember it, kind of like how you can spin a bucket and water wont come out of it. Anyways, so Chloe got on the ride and went around once and was having fun. Well it went to go around a second time and I could tell she was going to fall off but I thought to myself "Oh she'll be okay, she'll know to scoot back on" but then I thought more and more, "oh no, she'll fall off. No she'll be okay, No I better tell her."
Well, the ride started and all of a sudden you hear a body splat on the ground (we were standing on a "stage" so to say and the ride went out to spin, with about a 100 foot drop).
I immediatly panic and I look over and there is Chloe, her skull is crushed and you just see a steady stream of blood coming from around her body. I hurry and look away and scream and run away to my house (we were visiting somewhere, but it was kind of like Idaho. Only the park was were the blue hole was and then the house was like I was visting Celeste's, if that makes it easier to visualize for any of you).
My mom was working so I go and tell my grandpa what happened. We immediatly jump in the car to go get my mom and find out about the situation. I tell my grandpa I felt so bad because I had a feeling I should've told Chloe to move but I didn't. So he yelled at me and said "well that was stupid! You should've listened." (My grandpa would NEVER say this, don't worry).
So we head over and grab my mom, although that part of the dream is blurry, then we go to the park. The medical workers there proceed to tell us that it wasn't their fault, that Chloe had been reading and so she was distracted and she shouldn't have been doing that on a ride. I was furious.
I woke up crying, and then get teary-eyed quite a few times throughout the day. I cried writing this down. I don't know why I'm so shoken up about it. Maybe because it was in color, scientists always wonder about this, but I remember the vibrant reds of the couch and blood. And Chloe's blonde hair. But I think the biggest part about it all is remembering that I could've prevented it and the way she died. How horrible would it be to die while thinking you are on a harmless ride and then falling to your death? I kept telling myself in my head throughout the dream "it's alright, death is only a temporary seperation, I'll see her again". But I couldn't get over the fact that I didn't tell her and she had to fall.

I think the moral or this story is I need to listen to the Holy Ghost and remember how much I love Chloe.

Autumn!!!

YAY FOR AUTUMN!!! I love fall!!!! YAYAYAYAY!
It's the most, wonderful time of the year. In my opinion.
I love making my house smell like cinnamon (only not too overpowering) and berry spice.
I love cleaning and making it feel nice and clean and warm.
I love the crispness of the air.
I love the leaves, and the ivy on the side of my house that turns brilliant shades of orange.
And I LOVE BAKING!!! Oh my gosh, so many festive things to make this season. So far, I've made sugar cookies (ghostly shapes of course) and bread. Then on Tuesday, I decided to experiment. I made sweet and sour chicken. Let me tell you, it was tasty. Only we had brown rice, so it kinda made you feel sick. So I finished it off the next day, with no rice. I can't wait to make cinnamon rolls this weekend! YIPEE!
I'm such a horrible person though. I haven't made pumpkin cookies yet. Shocking, since it's been fall for two weeks now! Most of you probably don't know this, unless you are my grandma and mother, but last year I would make double and triple batches of this delectable treat and it would be gone within a day or two. We ate those like crazy. AND I don't feel guilty at all.
So, today I had the brilliant plan to go make pumpkin cookies. And guess what?!!? I used up ALL the pumpkin. Yes, we had about 10 of those HUGE cans of pumpkin last year. And sadly, I used them all up with those cookies and making pumpkin pies. Can you believe it?! You probably can't, unless you know my grandma, who keeps a very stocked pantry full of cans of food. Yup, I used all of those! So, now I'm gonna have to put pumpkin at the top of the grocery list.



Sorry, I tried hard to make this post funny, and I failed horribly. Please excuse it.