25 Most Random Things About Me

Yeah, I know...it's been forever it seems! Don't worry, posts with pictures are coming soon. But for now, here you go...

It happened, again. I got tagged on here & on facebook. So here it is! Feel free to read it you feel so inclined & fill one out for yourself!

1. I might not seem very organized lately, but I really am an organized person. Hence the fact that I panic if I am without my planner or I can’t find something because things are disheveled.

2. I’m just a little OCD. Especially about germs & dirt. To the point that when I was really young, I would wash my hands & disinfect everything so much my hands would bleed. I know, weird.

3. I did Hebrew dance for several years & was on a swim team in grade school. I also figure skated for 11yrs.

4. I play piano & am a piano teacher (when I can find the time again!). I would absolutely love to own a harp so I could teach myself how to play.

5. I love music! It just makes me happy. You can usually catch me, more often than not, humming & head bobbing to some song in my head.

6. I got married to an amazing man just shy of my 19th birthday, & had Livvy just before I turned 20.

7. I love documenting things with writing & pictures. Family, church, etc. I love keeping a history.

8. I love the Lord with all my heart and I have a strong testimony of the gospel & His plan for me.

9. There are days I’m a total girly-girl (love mani-pedis), & others I just don’t care. I suppose I'm hard to define in that respect.

10. I dream of being a stay-at-home mom/housewife one day. Hopefully sooner rather than later.

11. I love old movies & music. I was quizzed as a child about the names & background info on the performers. Let’s just say, I can hold my own on the trivia stuff.

12. I am an only child. Although, I consider my best friend & her whole family my siblings.

13. I love & appreciate my family & friends more than they will ever know. I don’t do enough to thank them.

14. As a child my career aspirations where to be a bagger at Kroger’s, a pretzel maker at Auntie Anne’s, & a singer/dancer in a show (Dollywood, Broadway, etc.). I know, dare to dream big.

15. Eventhough I don’t to it very often, I love to read. But it has to be a book that I’m almost immediately drawn into.

16. Try as I might, I’m just not artistic. My crafts always look like a Kindergartener made them.

17. I am a huge klutz. This would explain the random statches, cuts, & bruises I always have.

18. I have never broken any bones. But I have “stoved-up” a finger so bad that it caused permanent swelling, dislocated my hip, chipped the hip-bone, eliminated the cartilage in my knees, & have arthritis is my hip, knees, & ankles. Graceful come to mind?

19. I'm a blogger. Just a little addicted to that, I'll admit.

20. I love Italian food.

21. I am addicted to texting. Sad, but true.

22. People say I was “born old”. Growing up I spent almost all my time with my mom, Mamaw, & great-aunts. I spoke & acted like I was much older & more mature than I was.

23. I love to travel. I love to see new places & things & love learning about the history.

24. I’m a talker. I won’t deny it. Even a motor-mouth. But I really am nervous the whole time I'm talking. That’s when the nervous ticks & stuttering come out. And there are times I’ll act shy if I don’t really know you. I don’t like speaking to crowds, but if it is important I’ll suck it up & go.

25. I love watching sports. Funny thing is, I enjoy it more than my hubby sometimes.

Hairspray!

That's right! My birthday present finally got here! Ok, let me explain. For my birthday Joey got me tickets to go see the Broadway production of Hairspray when it was planning to come to town in January. Well, they came. We went. We sang along. We loved! Ok, maybe I loved it more than Joey, but he still enjoyed it! It was amazing! If you have yet to see a production of it or the movie, you are missing out. It is definitely one of my favorites. I am a sucker for musicals though. Especially the corny ones. And this one is definitely that!

One thing I thought was funny was that while I was watching the cast perform on state, dancing & singing it reminded me. When I was younger, my family took me to Dollywood alot. We would watch the shows, & I would tell my family that my dream was to one day be one of those people on stage. Keep in mind that this is after my dreams of growing-up to be a bagger at Krogers (What? I was three & I loved the grocery store.) & becoming a professional pretzel maker at Auntie Ann's (I still fantasize about that one. Gosh, I love pretzels!). So, here I am almost 20 years later. I'm not a dancer anymore, or a singer. Things happen, things change, some dreams fade. But that one never did. I would still love be on stage in a show like that. Just for fun. But I'm afraid my Arthritis-inflicted joints would not thank me for that. Who knows though, maybe one day I'll be that woman who, when all her kids are grown, will take up dancing. But it will have to be before Joey retires & we sit in our rockers on our front porch all day. Haha....yeah, like we'll ever not be busy & have the time to do that! But who knows. A girl can dream! So now my question is, what have been some of your dreams? Feel free to share! And go ahead, laugh at my childhood dreams that for some reason revolve around food.

Christmas Eve 2008

This year Christmas felt a bit scattered. On Christmas Eve, my mom’s family all comes over to Mamaw’s for dinner & presents. This was the first year that not all of us were able to make it. My aunt & her family are in Texas preparing for a move to Saudi Arabia (& we all know how I feel about that) so they couldn’t make the trip up. And one of my uncles & his family was unable to be there as well. Although we were all there & my other uncle brought his family, it was just odd to think that things are changing. I always thought that I was open to change. But the older I get the more I realize how much I count on things always staying the same, & when they don’t I feel a bit lost & begin to fell melancholy. I don’t like that feeling. But I know that with change comes new traditions & memories to cherish. It’s just really hard for me to let go. But unfortunately, things don’t always turn out the way I would like them to. Although, I keep telling everyone if they would just listen to me & do what I say to world would run a lot more smoothly. (I know. Go ahead. Laugh. Ok, not that hard.)

So, now that that’s out of my system for another year….Christmas Eve we spent at Mamaw’s house with my Mom, Dad, Mamaw, my Uncle Vince, Aunt Rox, & my cousins Katie & Sam. A much smaller crowd that usual, but still very nice. The food was wonderful as always & we enjoyed opening presents, talking, & listening to Christmas movies playing in the background. After everyone left, we put Livvy to bed & finished up wrapping presents (See, I told you I was behind this year!). I didn’t take any pictures of that, but here are the pictures that we had taken of Livvy at the Fantasy of Trees with Santa.

Thanksgiving 2008- Livvy's 1st!

My little turkey!

Mom slicing the turkey. It's not just a man's job!

Mamaw preparing the table, while Dad hovers waiting to chow down. Haha!

Am I the last person to blog about Thanksgiving? Sorry, I told you this is our busiest time of year! Anyways, we had a very nice Thanksgiving. It was Livvy’s 1st! Livvy & I slept in on Thanksgiving while Joey went to our church’s “Turkey Bowl” to play & take pictures. When Livvy & I woke up we had fun watching The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day parade. She loved the music & floats!

That afternoon, we had dinner with my family. It was odd. It was only Mom, Dad, Mamaw, Joey, Livvy, & I. Normally most of mom’s side of the family comes over, but not this year. It was still very enjoyable & the food was amazing as always.
Livvy even had her own turkey dinner baby food which, as you can see, she did not like. She would much rather just have whatever is off of our plates. After dinner, we lyed around for a while & played with Livvy. I had a video, but it wouldn't upload...gr...

We had originally planned to go see Joey’s family after dinner, but they were all sick. So, we opted to stay home to keep Livvy from catching it. I felt so sorry for them & we missed seeing them! We’ll definitely have to visit soon & we’ll be there for Christmas Day.

Just like every year, I have so much to be thankful for. Our Savior, my faith, my sweet husband, my beautiful baby, my loving family, my caring family-in-law, friends, health, food to eat, a roof over our heads, medical care when needed, jobs, the country we live in, the children in my Sunday school class & all they teach me, the opportunities I have to share what I have with others who might not be as richly blessed. Every day, not just during this season, I hope I can recognize & appreciate all my blessings (even the hidden ones).

The 24th Annual....

It's that time of year again! This week kicks off what is usually my busiest & most favorite time of year (Thanksgiving-Christmas). Not only is it Autumn which brings Thanksgiving, but this week every year Knoxville hosts The East Tennessee Children's Hospital's Fantasy of Trees. The Fantasy of Trees is the hospital's largest fundraiser. This year, all proceeds go to purchase equipment and other needs for the hospital's inpatient units, Surgery, and Radiology departments. I love service, no matter what kind! But this fundraiser is particularly close to my heart. My family & many friends work the event as volunteers. I've been almost every year since I was born, & this will be my 11th year working the event. I have seen how many lives have been touched by this incredible venture. Including my own niece (by marriage), Jalene, who battled cancer at the young age 2yr old & won with the help of ETCH.
The event begins the day before Thanksgiving & ends the Sunday after (Nov. 26-30th). There are crafts for children(free & $), lively shows, beautiful displays, & even Santa Claus! Most definitely something for everyone...even the "Scrouges". Check out the links for more info, times, & prices. There will also be a link on my sidebar for information year round! I invite you to come kick off the holiday season with something you will never forget & is sure to become a family tradition.

I must admit, I do feel really odd this year. Normally, I start working as an recruiter for this event in August or September. But this year, things are so topsy-truvy that I haven't done any recruiting at all. Also, last year, pregnant & sick, & worked all but 4 shifts & loved every minute of it. This year, I'm working only 1. I keep being told I shouldn't feel bad, but I can't help it! It's odd, not like me, & definitely not my typical routine this time of year. I can only hope that next year will be more settled & I'll be back to my normal. At any rate, we will definitely be attending & working so expect pictures!

Have a laugh...

And a stroll down "Memory Lane"!
My uncle told me about this video the other night, & I thought it was too fun not to share. Everyone knows I love The Fonz!

See more Ron Howard videos at Funny or Die

Now, we all know I don't do politics. I'm not a democrat or a republican. I simply vote for who I believe will be the best for our country. I pray about my decision & if the spirit confirms it, then I go with it. So, I don't want to hear any bashing or belittling of any candidate. It only makes people lose respect for you if you have to stoop to the same levels that many politicians do. There are no high horses here. Everyone has their own opinions! I just thought you might enjoy how quickly time can reverse!

Husband Tags

So, here's tags from Kendra & Alli's pages. I liked both & couldn't choose, so I combined them. Have fun!




1. Where did you meet?: At a YSA activity at the Knoxville Zoo. Although, technically we had already met like 4 times though. lol!

2. How long did you date before you were married?: 4 days short of 13 months.

3. How long have you been married?: 1 year & 1 month

4. What does he do that surprises you?: Sending messages during the day that say "I love you!" or ones that make me laugh. He always knows how to brighten my day!

5. What is your favorite physical feature of his?: Probably his eyes & his smile.

6. What is your favorite quality of his?: How caring he is. He is SUCH a gentleman. Eventhough I tell him it's ok not to open my doors & such all the time, he still does. Even when I'm crabby. He's also an amazing husband & father. He amazes me everyday with how sweet he is!

7. Does he have a Nickname for you?: Katy, but that doesn't count. He calls be Beautiful. I don't think there's any others.

8. What is his favorite color?: Blue

9. What is his Favorite food?: Chocolate

10. What is his favorite sport?: Soccer & Disc Golf

11. When and where was your first kiss?: It was on our 2nd date, which was 2 days after our 1st! It was a Sunday afternoon & we were over at the house he shared with 2 other guys, sitting on the couch watching Monty Python & the Holy Grail. Tim scared him, so he put his arm around me "for protection". He was so smooth & romantic! :P

12. Favorite thing to do as a couple?: Just spending time together! We love to go out and do whatever. Movies, park, take pictures, go for a walk, travel, etc.

13. Do yo have any Children?: Just 1, Livvy is 5mo old.

14. Does he have a hidden talent?: Several! Only a few people know he plays the violin, he rode Dressage, & he speaks fulent French!

15. How old is he?: 26

16. Who said I love you first?: Joey, on our 3rd date a week after our 1st. We were up in the mountains watching the sunrise.

17. What is his favorite type of music?: All types really. He has very eclectic taste. But mostly alternative rock stuff, some bluegrass, etc.

18. What do you admire most about him?: His attitude & honesty.

19. Do you think he will read this?: More than likely! I love you, sweety!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Q: What is his name?
A: Joey

Q: How long were you engaged?
A: 4 mo

Q: Who eats more?
A: Probably about the same lately. But usually Joey. What? He's a guy!

Q: Who is taller?
A: Definitely Joey. By almost a foot!

Q: Who sings better?
A: No idea. Joey doesn't sing very much.

Q: Who is smarter?
A: Probably Joey!

Q: Whose temper is worse?
A: Haha...depends, but probably me! But I've heard that you don't want to make him mad either.

Q: Who pays the bills?
A: We do it together usually. But lately me while he's at school & work.

Q: Who does laundry?
A: I do. My mom helps out though, when I'm working.

Q: Who cooks Dinner?
A: We take turns. But since we're home for now, Mamaw cooks most nights. We're getting spoiled!!

Q: Who drives when together?
A: Joey most often.

Q: Who is more stubborn?
A: We both are!

Q: Who is the first to admit when wrong?
A: I honestly don't know. I would love to say "Me!", but I'm not really sure.

Q: Who wears the pants?
A: We both do. But when it comes to talking to people about finances & straightening things out, that's me.

Q:Who mows the lawn?
A: Joey

Q: Who proposed?
A: Joey. I knew he was going to soon, but I didn't know when or how. He totally surprized me! My family & best friend were even in on it! There was a big elablorate diversion that completely through me off, which ended in going to the park & planting a tree with Tara peeking out from behind a building taking pictures. Lol! If you want to know the full story, leave me a message & I'll post about it sometime!

Q: Did any of you ever come up with a TOP 10 list of things you looked for in a husband when you were younger?
A: I know I did in a church class one time. I tweaked it over the years & I have to say, Joey is everything I listed & so much more. I'm so blessed & thankful to have such a wonderful husband!

It's September!!

Which means soon it will be fall & getting cooler & the leaves will begin to change. Then before you know it, the holidays are here! If you can't tell, I love fall & winter & all it brings!

So, thus far September has been, well, a bit stressful. First, Joey had to drop back down to part-time at work. This means less hours, less money for bills, & no more set weekends off. More than likely he will not have many Saturdays or Sundays off. We're hoping something better comes along soon to remedy all the "issues", so please pray that if it's the Lord's will, it will happen soon! During this, another "crisis" evloved. Apparently, somehow someone hacked our bank account & got our card & PIN numbers. Having this info, they racked up a nice little bill causing all sorts of problems at the bank, not to mention with other bills & such. Needless to say, Joey & I both were pretty eager to get this taken care of. And, I'm happy to report, that as of Friday evening we are well on our way. The bank credited back half the money, now we just have to do the fun part of filing fraud paperwork for them to start an investigation. Yay! Also going on, was issues with Joey's student financial aid. They were trying to say he was no longer a student & that we were a few months behind on paying the loans back. "What?! They know you have loans for this school year! Right?" Yeah, that was my reaction. Apparently the school didn't send in the right info to them at the beginning of the year so it looked like he had graduated with just an associates. Again, as of today I am happy to report this has also been straightened out. Let me tell you, I was not a happy camper about all this. Just ask Joey! Or maybe don't... :o)
I swear, for a little while things were coming from all directions. We felt like everything & everyone was out to get us if they could. Our "attack mode" was turning on & I was ready to come out with both guns blazing (Figuratively. We all know I'm a bit afraid of guns.) But in the midst of pieces of the sky falling, we remembered to stop & say a prayer. Not a prayer of "Take this all away!", but a prayer for direction, peace, clarity, & thankfulness. I can't tell you how thankful I am for the gospel in my life; for the priesthood in our home; for the spirit that touches my heart & calms my worries; for prayer & communciation with the Lord; for loving family & friends who support & uplift with smiles & encouragement; & for my sweet little family, who at the end of the day make me smile & know it will all be alright.
No matter how stressed I get, I can't let myself forget how blessed I truely am.

Exciting News!!!

First, Tara had the baby!! David Walker Loveless was born yesterday (Wed, Aug 6, 2008) at 11:13pm. He was 7lbs 9oz & 19 & 1/2in. I haven't had chance to see him yet as we left right before they started prepping her for delivery, but Joey saw him when he took Tara something to eat. So not fair! Oh well, I am told he has a full head of hair & is the 2nd Cutest Baby in the whole world, Livvy being the first. Of course, that's not a biased opinion by any means...Joey's the one who said it. This is the only picture I have of him for now. But I promise to post more soon! So cute!He's not exactly thrilled to be out in the cold, air-conditioned world yet, but I hear he's adjusting well. Mommy is doing good also, after a long & taxing labor. I'm so proud of her!! And Daddy(B.J.) is fully enjoying fatherhood.

Second, Livvy finally slept in her crib all night!!! Yes, she has a crib in the room to sleep in now. She's too long for her bassinett.) After only sleeping for 4hrs over the previous 3 days, I got 5 glorious hours of sleep. Mom offered to take her for the night so we could sleep, but I said she was fine for another night. And it looks like it did the trick! Ok, maybe I shouldn't be celebrating too much because it could come back to bite me. But I enjoyed it since I didn't get sandwhiched in our double bed between a husband & baby that both like to sprawl out. Let's just say, I hope she continues to do this. To some, this might not sound like super exciting news. But you will learn one day it is the simple joys in life that make it so sweet. For me, this is my simple joy right now!

"Be the change you wish to see the world."

You can see where I'm going with the quote by Mahatma Ghandi.
Several people have noticed my mood on facebook over the weekend was set to "Katy has given up on trying to please everyone & is ok with it." I've been getting alot questions & I needed something to blog about, so I figured I might as well. What really kinda pushed me to write about it was the added fact that Savvy wrote on her blog about something that is related to what I've been thinking.

Anyone who knows me could probably tell you there are a few things I just cannot abide. Some of them are: those who do not care about others, who are self-absorbed, who find no purpose for sevice, who are "two-faced",who lie especially to those who care about them & when there is no reason to, who only see what they want to, who gossip,who judge when they know nothing about a situation, & who think themselves far better than others. I'll be nice about it, but I do not have any use for anyone who does these things. I try to avoid these people, usually because I feel that it robs me of the spirit because of the feelings I have about the situation. Granted, this is something I should rise above & be better about. But I feel that while I'm working on it, I must have the spirit with me.

Lately, I have found myself avoiding alot of situations. I know people who if I can't do what they want to do when they want to do it, I am no longer considered a friend. Other people, do not always understand that marriage & family change things alot, but they don't have to change everything. And yet others, who I constantly face in public & church, who form their own opinions about every aspect of your life whether they know anything about you or not. The last, is what I seem to have the biggest problem accepting & overcoming. Maybe because it includes most of the things I mentioned that I cannot abide. What makes it worse, is that alot of times it is not just people who don't know me, it's people who know me but don't know everything about me. But they pretned to & end up using it to their advantage. I don't know what they gain in painting me or those I love in a darker light, but they must feel they gain something from it. These people are no longer the children I encountered in middle & high school, but they are adults who know better. Many even have children. What kind of example does that set?

Now, I'm not saying I'm perfect by any means! We are all guilty of at some point passsing judgement on others that we have no business doing. We are not privy to all information & have no need to be. Things that are private, are between those that it involves & the Lord. No one else. No one is required to make things general knowledge if they do not wish to. Nor is it anyone's business to make it public knowledge or speculate on any aspect of anyone's life other than their own.

I have not been the only person plauged by feelings of hurt, betrayal, distrust, disbelief in the human race, etc. I know many others in my circle of family & friends alone who have either removed themselves from the situation, or have seriously considered it. What I don't seem to be able to understand is how this has a place in our society, in our churches, & in our homes? While I try to tell myself that it happens to everyone, I can't help but see & wonder why there are those who seem to be given more than their fair share or what they deserve?

But, alas, all I can do is my best to not be the kind of person I so strongly dislike, & to prove those that say things wrong. To show them who I really am. If they don't want to see it, then it is their loss. I'm not perfect, but I'm certainly trying to work towards it. So I, like so many others out there that we don't even think of, go about my business, smile, keep my friends & family close, keep the spirit close, try to remember to love & understand others & their situations, & try my darnedest(yes, it's a word) to be the better person I know I can be. I think alot of people could learn that & we'd live in a far better world. But at least I can start with me.