Creole Wisdom

help a sister out

Well, it's not official, but I am going in for a final interview for a nannying job Wednesday afternoon.

I'm excited, except for the fact that it's a little five month old baby girl.

Um.  My friends, that's like real, real small.  Eeek!

Okay, so I know how to:
•Feed a baby
•Burb a baby
•Change a baby
•Comfort a baby

Plus I am CPR/First Aid Certified...

But, what else are you supposed to do with a five month old?  I am scared friends.  I feel like I have all the information, but I would be spending 7:30-3:30 with this little cutie all day- what can I do for fun with a baby?

Where do you take a baby?  I know I'll be able to shop, but as far as going out- are there good/bad times of the day to take a baby for a walk?

LOL.  I'm sure you are thinking as you read this, "Katie you are so stupid," but in all honesty as much as I know I can care for a baby I am nervous. 

Five months old.  Wow!  I have been asking my mom, friends at church, and now you guys...

exactly where I'm supposed to be

I really do believe there is something to be said for knowing that where you are is where you're supposed to be. 

It is funny to me, and also telling that at some point in our lives we just have to stop and look around and say "yes." 

This is where I am supposed to be.  In the past few weeks I have received affirmations from my prayers.  I am certainly always willing to go where life takes me, but for now, my home is here.  I belong here.

I like this town, there is something so easy about it.  Yes, the winters are so cold, but during seasons like now, I cannot help but feel thankful.  The cold makes me appreciate spring more.

For a while I thought about moving, again, to an unmentioned school somewhere in the heart of Mormon country.  However, I don't feel that is the right place for me as of now (perhaps graduate school).  I love my school here, the singles ward (small as it may be), and my sorority.  I am thankful to be so close to family, to feel like I belong, to have a sense of place.

I'm clever enough, to make any place home, and the truth is- I like moving, but not now. 

I am confident that God always provides for his children, and I am sure that when that special person comes along I'll be in the right place, and for now that is here. 

And proof that nothing truly ever goes away, my mom has been having contact with the old landlord.  You know, the landlord of the roommate drama to end all soap operas from this past winter?  It is funny to me how lies catch us, and eventually, if we have a conscience, haunt us.  I'm not going into details, but it's safe to say that leaving justice up to the Lord is always the best decision (hard as it may be!)

Photo taken in Dinkytown. April 23, 2007.

a weekend of gentlemen

I am so tired out from this weekend, really, although perhaps one of the most enjoyable of the year it is safe to say that I am ready for summer vacation!  After all, socializing is a full time job.

•Friday
Our sororities spring formal, on a boat.  This was fun, I took Kent whose in a fraternity, and he picked me up around 8:30 and we drove to the dock area.  I've only been on a river boat once before, and I loved it. On the first deck they had food and upstairs was the dance area.  I wore a dress I got way back in November.  Mom added the black sash.   It was nice to get to know Kent better, spend time with my lovely sisters, and enjoy that superb weather!   There is nothing like the Mississippi River in the spring. 
Funny Quote of the evening:
"Is that a real pearl bracelet?" -Kent
"Nope"-Me

•Saturday
After an afternoon of shopping with mom, Ole and I headed over to his place to watch a few movies.  He lives in an amazing condo with his very nice brother.  Really, I need to be a major creeper and take photos of his place and blog about it (should I?)  This is not a "rich parent spoiling the kids" situation, as Ole started his own company and is working hard + going to school. It's got an amazing view of the city, and this is so silly of me to say, but friends, it's like a real apartment, not cheap student housing. 

Hm, did I forget to mention Kent has his own company, too?  Either boys are getting bored in high school or I just attract the motivated types.

•Sunday
Church in my new Anthropology dress I got on sale with mom.  I felt so pretty, and ready for some spirituality.  Then yoga with my sorority sisters at the amazing rec center, which of course involved me cracking up over my inability to do anything physical!  After, Andrew a guy in my ward, came over for dinner.  I fixed Shannon's ritzy chicken casserole, and he loved it.  We both had two helpings, and I felt so relieved that he enjoyed "my" cooking.

Needless to say, I'm tired. 

too blessed to be stressed

That's kind of how I've been feeling lately.  Our lives are full of yuck and on the flip side they are full of joy.  Lately I've been blessed with:

•Excellent weather.  Sunny and high 60s, thank you Minnesota!
•Listening to old No Doubt stuff.  Wonderful kidhood memories coming back when I hear "Simple Kind of Life." Makes me remember eating blackberries in the car on summer afternoons zipping around town with dad.
•My fabulous mother who I speak to everyday, who I see every weekend.
•Afternoon target runs with Ole
•Formal coming up on Friday and my lovely pink dress
•Reading about King Benjamin in Mosiah.  My favorite part of the BOM so far.
•My three year old jcrew flip flops being faithful and lasting through another wonderful warm season with me (thank you!)
•Getting a call from my old boss to do a small project
•Saving pictures from my computer to cds, keeping my memories safe
•Thinking and praying for my wonderful friends and sisters.  Praying especially for Jay who is sick.
•Munching on fresh mozorella and tomatoes

•I am also uber thankful that the bomb threat yesterday was just that- a threat. 

What are you blessed with?

"papa" clip

The past few days have just been a comedy show for me, and I have to say that I love it.  Spring is here and everyone is out and about.

Sunday evening my friend from last semester's science class, Ole aspiring chef, came over.  Only in Minnesota do you meet people named Ole.  He is the first boy I've ever met who likes to bake, and by like I mean actually help and not just go sit on the couch and wait for the cookies to come out of the oven.  Of course I had planned things out in my head and had the hand mixer, bowels, and eggs all set aside on the counter.  We had just gotten started and I turn around to find Ole's hands (clean, of course) mixing all the dry ingredients plus butter and saying "watch this!" as he cracked an egg on the side of the sink.  In my mind I was saying, "oh no- this is not how we do this!"  But I silenced by ocd demons and everything came out fine. 

Elder D and I have a joke about marriage.  Basically he tells me every time I meet with them that I will (someday) get married.  It has turned into a big joke, and today when I got my mail- it became even better.  I got my first LDS (green!) wedding announcement, and had to bring it to institute to show Elder D.  He said, "this is nice, and think- pretty soon you'll be picking out your wedding announcements" and the only thing I could say was "all I know is, I'm not doing forest green."

The crowning moment of hilariousness had to be my cupcake incident.  So, I decided to make cupcakes for the French party class was having.  I woke up an hour early this morning to pipe the delictable Ina Garten peanut-butter frosting on my chocolate cakes when I realized I had NO toothpicks.  Since I am not domestic enough to have a cupcake caddy I had to improvise.  Brand new (clean) paperclips were going to have to play my toothpicks.  Now, in order to fully realize the sillyness of this you have to watch "muffins" on youtube.

vintage dress-up

Had the best time gathering pieces for my costume tonight.  My singles ward had a massive birthday party (for about 4 guys) at their apt's community center.  It was great.  I found my dress this past summer at a thrift store, the shoes are just flats from the mall, and gloves, hat, and purse are from mom's collection.  I love this kind of stuff, and felt very 1960s-

And looking at these pictures I need to put the news out that I am SO cutting my hair on May 18th.  I cannot wait.  It won't be too short, but boy does it need some help!

words

I'm not quite sure what to say.

I turned on the news this evening and after scanning a certain scrapbooking message board I knew there was some information I needed to read up on.

I'm only twenty, and there are few things that I know well.  One of them is certainly my freedom of speech.  Now, there are certain times when certain words are appropriate.  I know from my studies in Journalism that in front of an audience is not exactly the correct place.  Never the less I'm not sure firing was the correct choice. 

On another note I have some issues with rap.  I feel unsure of how to phrase this but, some of it is funny, lighthearted and some of it is disgusting, repulsive.  There have been several times in my life when I have felt personally objectified as a result of rap.  I do not enjoyed being told (while shopping at a mall) to "shake my money maker."  A friend of mine, a black woman, was sitting in LaGuardia airport.  Two English boys started talking to her, and when she told them she was from Atlanta they asked her to, "drop it like it's hot."  Now we all got a good laugh about that one, but on one hand actually quite depressing.

I'm not a feminist by any stretch of the imagination, but I worry about the objectification of women.  For me, rap and Imus' words are much of the same- just another example of how our culture has watered down the seriousness of degrading women.

Perhaps it is my "gospel perspective," but when I think of the being a woman and what exactly that means I am full of emotion.  We women are of infinite worth and have such a priceless purpose here on earth.  I cannot imagine what my life would be like without the influence of wonderful, strong women.  I feel lucky to have many girlfriends I consider sisters. 

In the end the words do not matter much, but they lead to so many other things: attitudes, ideas, and even what is considered appropriate. 

Easter

Easter was a beautiful day.  Since I've been in college Easter has been far different from what I experienced as a kid.  Last year Jay and I went to church in the city and ended up eating at our favorite Italian place.  This year I had church at institute followed by brunch with family!

I got some nice goodies in my basket from the "Easter Bunny."  The basket is actually this adorable vintage sewing basket, not sure what I will use that for yet, but I love it.  I am especially thankful to the EB for picking up some of Aveda's soon to be discontinued elixer, the best stuff ever! 

true meaning of Easter

Easter has always been on of my favorite holidays, but until recently I have not really and truly contemplated the true meaning of tomorrow.

"Our willingness to sacrifice for this the Lord's work reminds us that this is the very essence of the atonement, the ultimate sacrifice made by the Son of God in behalf of each of us." ~Gordon B. Hinckley
Photograph and quote from LDS woman. 

Today was a busy day for me, I've been working on getting my weekend duties done by Saturday night.  But while I worked my mind was filled with so many great memories of doing eggs with my dad.  It had always been an Easter tradition, and typically consisted of several messes, but always a great creative outcome. I places these eggs on the front table, they're a nice reminder of all those great memories.

Oh man, check out that bottle with the hole in it.  Talk about vintage (er. 1988)!

In other news I did find a post-baptism dress, and another thanks to Dad for this one:

patterns

Having the chance to go to Archiver's earlier this week I was pretty excited to get some shopping done.  I have a sort of pattern when it comes to shopping there- Usually I only get patterned paper, cardstock, and a few letter stickers etc...  They  have lots of project kits that are quite alluring, but I know from experience that I'll never finish one of them unless there's a time limit (ex. Christmas, Mother's Day).   

I was happy to pick Ali's book up.  I've been eyeing it for quite some time, and was actually surprised at the price (only $19.99).  That's a big, thick book-

As you know, I am always trying to challenge myself scrapbook-wise.  I've been into the graphic, clean cut look for so long and that can get a bit boring, but it was a healthy change from my earlier style which was just full (way too full to be exact) of embelishments. 

I am trying to find some middle ground: keep it clean, but make it more creative, more me.  One of the things I've been pushing myself to do is use my handwriting, and Ali's book is very good about teaching you how to mix patterns.  It's so funny because my decorating style (French country) is all about mixing patterns (I have a toile duvet cover and floral lampshade).  However, I never felt brave enough to do so in my layouts.  Her book is also a good push to use unconventional photo sizes.  I am lucky to have finally figured out my printer (it's about good paper, not having the best printer).  This is what I came up with last night (see more in my flickr gallery, to the left)

Another good prop for Ali's book is that there are chapters about certains patterns (florals, stripes, etc..) and then a list of what words those patterns conjour up.  That is another thing to pay attention to when choosing paper for a page, what message are you trying to convey?

It's been nice to kind of set free and not feel "bad" that my photos were not all the same size or that my letters were not perfectly straight.  This could get fun.

Oh, and the paper I use for printing is the same I use for my photography class (another thing I learned, lol).  For matte I use: Ultra Premium Presentation Paper, Matte by Epson.  This is great paper, it looks like thick cardstock, but creates lovely prints.  Almost all the photos I print are on this.  Another nice thing is it comes in a 50 page pack.  For glossy I use this amazing stuff called Premier Photo Micropore Luster by Premier Imaging Products.  This is a bit pricey, but the effect is wonderful (I printed my GC photos on this).  Keep in mind I have a very economical printer/scanner by Epson.  So, after years of having photo problems I've sort of solved it.  Another think you must do is follow the paper company's directions for printing, a few simple steps ensures perfection.