There and Back Again

Hold your breath ... make a wish ... count to three

2012-02-08T21:27:00.007-05:00

"Those who don't believe in magic will never find it."
~ Roald Dahl

It's easy to go through life only focusing on the bad. Sometimes, it seems as though hardship is the only constant. That happiness is a fleeting moment, not to be expected, and not to be trusted. We get caught up in the day-to-day tragedies and we think, "This is my life." And every time something else happens, it becomes that much easier to give up hope. To accept the fact that life sucks, and there is nothing we can do about it.

And with that kind of attitude, you are absolutely right.

Happiness is a tricky thing. It is all around us, just waiting to be noticed and loved, whereas tragedy strikes us whether we're looking for it or not. It is so much easier to see pain and suffering. Oftentimes it's all we hear about. But if you're looking closely, with an open mind and heart, you'll see how much magic there truly is in life. I see it every day. Even when I'm surrounded by tragedies, even when it seems as though everything is falling apart.

I see it in all the little princesses who come to see Mickey and his friends. Those little girls still believe in Happily Ever After, and Prince Charming, and dancing. I see it in the smiles of the grown-ups on their first visits, just as excited as their children to see their favorite character. I see it every time we have an anniversary couple come to visit, because I know how hard it can be to keep that kind of magic alive. And I see it in every single "Make a Wish" child, and the pure love their families have for them. There is magic in every one of their stories, if we look for it.

Someone else might see the screaming babies, the frazzled parents and the bored teenagers. I see a family who still cared enough to go on vacation together. You may see Christmas lights wrapped around trees, I see fairies coming out to play. A handful of glitter becomes pixie dust. A simple tiara hair clip makes a girl into "Your Highness."

And wishes DO come true.

Behind the Curtain

2012-02-01T21:08:00.000-05:00

Today marks one week in Orlando. One week of learning. Of training. Of bonding with my roommates and fellow cast members. One week surrounded by magic, and seeing it come to life.

Some people have (understandably) been somewhat disappointed to now be on this side of "the curtain." They see how the magic works, and they miss just watching. I won't go into the specifics, but I'm sure you can imagine.

I, however, feel completely the opposite. Stepping behind the curtain, and seeing how everything comes together is simply overwhelming, and my belief in the magic has only grown with each passing day. I can see the pieces, and I know just how many things can go wrong. But knowing that so many people have come together for so many years to put on this show ... they put aside their differences to create a dream. They build memories. They are a part of something bigger than themselves. In this world, how often does something as happy and beautiful as this really, truly survive?

Here, we believe in magic. And dreams. And pixie dust. And smiles. And happily ever afters.

That, I think, is the true magic of Disney.

"I only hope that we don't lose sight of one thing -- that it was all started by a mouse." ~Walt Disney

"We've Got Magic to Do"

2012-01-27T20:26:00.007-05:00

GREETINGS FROM ORLANDO FLORIDA!

As of 12:49 this afternoon I became an official employee of The Disney Company! Complete with employee ID and nametag! I am now a part of the magic :)

On a scale of 1 to 10, how excited am I? UM, ABOUT 70,000!

I have a wonderful little 3rd floor apartment with three amazing roommates. The weather is gorgeous here, and I start my official training tomorrow. In the meantime, I'm spending the night baking cookies and organizing the rest of my stuff ... cuz I'm just that awesome, and that's how I spend MY Friday nights!

The adventure has officially begun. Glad to have you along for the ride!

Send Me On My Way

2012-01-23T22:30:00.001-05:00

Current Location : Savannah, Georgia

This marks the halfway point on my trip to Orlando, and it is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever seen. Mom and I wandered around downtown a little tonight, and now I wish I could stay for a month.

We had dinner at this adorable little hole-in-the-wall called Vinnie Van Go Go's. It's a cash-only pizza place with slices bigger than your head. Indoor seating is cozy, at the tables or at the bar, and outdoor seating is perfect for people-watching. It's the kind of place that has bumper stickers plastering the back hallway and white twinkle lights strung up around the ceiling. A place where everyone knows the regulars.

And they deliver their pizza anywhere downtown ... by bicycle. Is it a little ridiculous how EXCITED I am by that?

If you're ever down in Savannah, take a walk around Franklin Square. You won't regret it. And stop on over at Vinnie's. Get a booth outside in the warm breeze and watch the world pass you by.

http://www.vinnievangogo.com/

F.R.I.E.N.D.S

2012-01-22T12:02:00.000-05:00

For Christmas this year, I got The Complete Series of F.R.I.E.N.D.S ! I had been wanting it for the longest time! It's one of those shows that always cheers me up, and always makes me grateful for the friends in my life.

Too sappy? Yeah, alright moving on.

The thing is, I think I just love the group dynamic in that show. I love that Monica's apartment is where everyone just goes to hang out, because that's what I always wanted my apartment to be. I love being the hostess, and just having people show up. I love when my friends are comfortable enough just coming over, and when everyone knows each other's stories and histories and fun little quirks ... When I finally grow up and I'm out on my own, I hope my life can be a little like that show :)

Today, I finished the last episode of the last season. I made my way through the entire series in just under a month, because I have no life ! It made me laugh, it made me cry, it made me want to start the whole process over again! And now, for your viewing pleasure and to make YOU laugh, one of my favorite gag reels from the show :)

Snails

2012-01-19T18:45:00.001-05:00

Snails never have to worry about packing. They carry their whole homes right there on their backs, and they never have to worry about leaving something behind, or bringing too much, or dressing weather appropriate ... or hotels ... making reservations ... having luggage accidentally re-routed ...

I've gotten carried away. Back to the point : lucky little buggers!

I pack a full suitcase for a weekend away. Two full suitcases for a week. This is not including the extra bag of shoes, and bathroom bag full of makeup and hair stuff. And then I have my computer, my purse, a book, an extra pillow ... So, basically, my car is packed to capacity any time I leave home for more than three days. I am a self-diagnosed over-packer. And every time I try to UNDER-pack, I end up leaving something important behind. Or, like one memorable trip last summer, I leave EVERYTHING important behind!

Problem : I am about to move down to Florida for an entire semester. That is FOUR months. You do the math people! My car can't handle it!

Solution : Become a snail. Or a turtle! Turtles have more space ...

This is why I need to learn to speak Spanish

2012-01-16T00:22:00.000-05:00

411 -- Directory Assistance.

I never use it, because it is $1.99 every time, and I just don't have that kind of money. (The sad life of a starving artist)

But yesterday, my mother needed me to use it. Said she'd pay that part of the bill, I just needed to get the number for the smoothie shop (Red Mango! Trust me, at some point it will get its own post ...) and we'd be on our way.

Dialed, got the robotic and only slightly terrifying "Press ONE for English"

... and I pressed two. Finger slipped, I have no excuse other than basic human error, but yes. I pressed the wrong number. And, apparently, TWO is telephone-speak for SPANISH.

I do not speak Spanish. At "Hola" I hung up. Panicked, and just hung up.

Dialed again ... and here's the fun part : once you pick a language, APPARENTLY you can't change it! They no longer offered me the language/number option, they just kicked me over to Spanish! And, again, I panicked. And hung up. SIX TIMES this happened!

I apologize to all of the Spanish-speaking operators that I hung up on yesterday, but I don't handle these things very well. Clearly.

Also, I apologize to my mother. Yes, you will be paying for each of those 411 calls. It was your idea, and now I can never use directory assistance ever again. At least, not until I learn to speak Spanish.

Bittersweet

2012-01-06T16:48:00.000-05:00

This is my last post from Buena Vista, Virginia. As of tomorrow, I'm gone, at least for the foreseeable future.

It's been the most incredible journey, right from the start. I met some of the most important people in my life here at SVU, and made lifelong friends. I found love, and music, and family. Southern Virginia University was the best place I could possibly be for the last three years, and I am so grateful that I had the opportunity to be here.

Thank you to everyone who let me be a part of your life, even for a little while. I will miss these mountains, this school, and this town.

"You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown"

Megan Klein -- You were my first friend here. You took care of me when I didn't know anybody, and let me crash at the mods with you so I didn't have to be alone :) Thank you for waiting to watch "Singing in the Rain" with me! And thank you for always making me feel welcome.

Watching the snow

Arielle -- You're my kind of crazy! I love that you got all of my little quirks:) Thank you for cake dates, and towel talk, and all the random little notes that let me know I was loved! I wish you all the best, always. Eeek Eek EEEEK!

Married Homecoming :)

Mariel and Erik -- I loved living so close to you guys, and I was crushed when you moved! Mariel, I always think of you when I start holiday decorating :) And Erik, the way you talk about Mariel is inspiring. I love how much you love her, and how perfect you two are together.

Spring Break -- OBX

Buck and Whitni -- Remember when we got snowed in at your place? Best. Night. Ever :) Thank you both so much for always being there. You were such an example to us, and I still miss both of you! Whitni, I still sing "I can't believe I called you FAT" whenever I sing "my own worst enemy" :)

Totally hot prisoners :)

Sarah -- I loved working with you in Man of La Mancha SO much! Really, we were TOTALLY the best part of the show ;) You can do anything you want, and I KNOW you can. I have admired your whole attitude and the way you view life from the moment I met you. Just be you: Nobody does it better.

Homecoming

Chase and Darla -- Best next-door neighbors EVER! Chase, you were a blast in Hufford's writing class, I was so glad to have you there! And Darla, thank you for always being there. I miss having you just a doorbell away. You're both going to be great parents! Congratulations!

Seriously??

Morgan -- My person! My corpse-dragging, getaway-car-driving person! I'm so sorry that I'm leaving you, but I have complete faith in you! You can conquer any dark-and-twistys that the world throws at you. Seriously ;)

Sexy with a tie ;)

Aubrey -- You've always been closer than a friend, you know that. You're an extra sister more than anything :) I loved having you right across the hall freshman year, and watching you and Patrick fall in love. I'm going to miss watching Seth grow up. You were always there no matter what, and you made me want to be a better person. I love you, always.

Best cake I've EVER had!

Kristen -- I know I haven't known you that long, but you've been such a wonderful part of my life. You and Bronson are such good people, and I admire your spirit and your heart. I really am going to miss you something awful. I'm always just a phone call away, remember that!

Princess Button

Greta -- One of my biggest regrets in all of this is that we will no longer be cousins. But I will always love you like family, no matter what. I am so proud of how quickly you grew here. You're going to set the world on fire. I'm going to miss you just showing up at my door, and keeping your extra pillow and toothbrush at my apartment. Your visits were never unwelcome, or too long. I absolutely adore you, dearest puzzle piece.

Shaving cream BATTLE!

Brayden -- Where do I even begin? You are my very best friend. I will always be here for you, no matter what or when or where. We might be ending, but our adventures are just beginning. You're going to be a fantastic doctor. And you made me into a writer. There would be no story without you. Thank you for helping me grow, and being my partner. Thank you for taking care of me even when I didn't deserve it, and for making me try fried eggs for the first time :) I'll never be able to tell you how much I appreciate you, so I'm going to stop trying now. But no matter where we go from here, thank you for the last three years.

I know there are people I've forgotten to mention. People I've been in shows with. Professor Stoddard, who it was always an honor to work with. Ashley Latta, who gave me the best soup recipe on the planet :) Sarah Friday, my stage momma. Alex Carter, who knows that "If you die in Canada, you die in REAL LIFE!" The entire Taylor family, every single brilliant one of them. I love all of you!

I'll miss you, Southern Virginia University.

Dear Winter

2011-12-21T17:08:00.000-05:00

UNACCEPTABLE

ACCEPTABLE

The Abbreviated Update

2011-12-18T16:24:00.001-05:00

ab.bre.vi.at.ed -- adjective

shortened; made briefer
constituting a smaller or shorter version of

The long and short of it is, things have changed. Life is changing, often faster than I can keep up with. So I'll try my best to get everything out as quickly as I can, before things turn upside down on me all over again.

Brayden and I are separated, and in the process of getting a divorce. Some of you have heard rumors, but now it's official. Let it be known that this is no one's fault. We both still love each other very much, and we're still the best of friends. But it wasn't the right time, and we will both be happier in the end. Morgan, Greta, Sarah and Chelsea, you have all been exceptionally supportive and helpful. Thank you from the bottom of my heart.

I'm living at home now, but not for long. On January 25th I'll be heading south to Orlando to work at Disneyworld! The silver lining in all of this is the wonderful new opportunities that are now in front of me. I've been offered a job with the Disney College Program, so my spring semester will be spent in the happiest place on earth!

I am actively working on my book, for once :) I'm on track to be mostly, if not completely, finished by the time I leave for Florida. If I'm not finished by then, I apologize in advance to my roommates. Listening to me complain loudly and vehemently about people who don't actually exist can be entertaining, but a little confusing :)

So that's done. Now we're all on the same page. Love to you all, and Happy Holidays.

If you give a procrastinator a Pinterest...

2011-12-17T13:32:00.000-05:00

... she will want some pins to go with it :)

And then any meager semblance of productivity she'd managed to cling to will go flying out the window.

Behold, a trend I didn't know I needed, but now can't go without :http://pinterest.com/shuttlebug/

Let it Snow! or "Twas the night before this morning"

2011-12-12T22:19:00.003-05:00

Twas the night before ... morning ...

And all through the house

Not a creature was stirring

Not even a mouse.

My parents were nestled

All snug in their beds

With pre-Christmas panic

Nightmare-ing their heads.

But with me in my PJs

And warm stockinged feet,

Downstairs I had crept

To prepare them a treat

While sneaking around

In the warm Christmaslight*

I hung flake after flake,

A snow paper delight.

*Christmaslight - n - Here defined as any light, glow, or reflection caused by objects relating to or in association with the celebration of winter holidays, namely Christmas. ex: candles, Christmas tree lights, roaring fires, the hazy glow from a streetlight partially obscured by falling snow or ice

The Little Things

2011-12-11T16:53:00.000-05:00

People say that it's the little things in life that can make you happiest. No argument there. However, what gets at me is how often the little things can also completely ruin your day. Or your week.

Why is it that in a life where things are falling apart right and left, the thing that brings me to tears is that there's not enough hot water for my bath? All I wanted was one hour to relax with a book, some good music and some foamy, scented, bubbly goodness! Is that too much to ask? Just an hour, so I can forget about everything else that sucks right now!

It's a mark of how close one is to the edge when it takes something so little to send one off into an emotional breakdown.

Words and Rhymes

2011-12-03T04:25:00.000-05:00

How did it get so late so soon?

It's night before it's afternoon.

December is here before it's June.

My goodness how the time has flewn.

How did it get so late so soon?

~ Dr. Seuss

Ok, just for a second, can we talk about what a perfect word "flewn" is? Thank you, Dr. Seuss, for such a beautifully absurd rhyme! It almost tricks your brain into thinking it's a real word for a moment. Clever little flewn!

Also, shouldn't the past tense of "spite" be "spote?" The past tense of "smite" is "smote," so it stands to reason ... Look, "spited" sounds ri.di.cu.lous. If you did something out of spite, or to spite someone, you should be able to say at the end of everything, "Yes, I SPOTE him!"

A Whole New Level of Awesome

2011-11-26T12:25:00.000-05:00

Cleaning products have now reached, as suggested by the title, a whole new level of awesome.

Ladies and gentlemen I give you, COLLECTIBLE TINS!

Yes, that's right, you can now purchase your "Finish" brand dishwasher tablets in a special "collect all seven" collector's tin! Why? Because we as a species are ridiculous! I mean, what a way to promote your item, but seriously? Are we really going to go out of our way to get all seven dishwashing tablet tins? (Gee, doesn't that just roll right off the tongue.)

I could understand when they started making jam jars into collectible glasses. They're already the right shape, and they add a touch of whimsical to your kitchen. But these tins? A foot tall, 7 inches wide and an inch deep? I'm racking my brains for a creative way to re-use them ... and believe me, I will find it. Because I am, in fact, in possession of one of these tins. I have NO idea how I'm going to make it useful, but I am darn well going to try! It's too good of an opportunity to pass up.

Ideas anyone?

Sunday Plans

2011-06-19T12:33:00.001-04:00

Eight AM church ... one of the less enjoyable things about visiting my parents. In "my world," church doesn't start until ONE PM!

However, the GOOD thing about having early church is that now, I can actually have a life after church, rather than getting home just in time for dinner. So I'm spending the afternoon re-learning to crochet.

I tried to learn once before. It didn't work out too well. But I'm optimistic this time, so we'll see how it goes! I can hardly be worse than I was last time ... can I?

On a side note, Pandora Radio is a beautiful thing. I sense another ode forthcoming. Stay tuned.

Ode to Netflix

2011-06-09T14:08:00.004-04:00

When, in the empty days of summer

My husband is away, in class, on campus

And my house is empty,

I turn to my trusty DVD collection.

But, alas, I have watched them all already.

Woe is me, for I am too poor to buy any more.

But hark, what's this?

Netflix Instant Watch, live from my XBOX?

Oh joy! Oh bliss! Free movies for me!

Thank you Netflix, you forever hold a special place in my heart.

TOAST!

2011-04-26T11:28:00.003-04:00

Welcome to today's episode of, "YOU KNOW YOU'RE MARRIED WHEN..."

Today, we here at YKYMW would like to focus on the joy of kitchen appliances. Specifically, the toaster.

Exhibit A: Behold the cheap, dollar-store toaster that the couple in question HAS been using. Only two slots, meaning if both parties have two pieces of toast, they can NEVER eat breakfast at the same time! This toaster is two years old and STILL smells like burned rubber every time it's used.

Exhibit B: The NEW toaster! Behold, this shiny temple of dials and wires. It was given as an Easter gift by the wife's parents just this past Sunday, and the excitement it has caused in this household rivals that of Harry Potter fans lining up to get tickets for the latest movie.

Ladies and gentlemen, strange things happen when you get married. Things that may have been important in the past suddenly cease to be quite as cool as getting a new gadget, or having all of your laundry done.

Disturbing

2011-04-20T01:58:00.000-04:00

Some friends of mine are co-directing a play at the local middle school. So, surrounded all day by 10-12-year-olds, yes?

Yes.

They discovered last week during rehearsal that none of them have ever seen CINDERELLA!

...

EXCUSE ME?!?!

I'm highly disturbed by this. Parenting fail.

Project Mode

2011-04-20T01:51:00.005-04:00

I've been getting that itch again. The need to create, to build, to MAKE something. Of course, the problem with my creative impulses is that I'm truly not all that creative. I don't have the natural gift for color composition, or beadwork or sewing or even cooking.
And so, I often find myself sitting amidst a mess of fabric, string, and hot glue, DESPERATELY trying to make something appealing, or remotely attractive.

It rarely works out that way.

So tonight, I decided to start small. I'm heading into summer break and, with the exception of one class and the Maymester Musical, I'm going to be relatively free. I've already decided to spend much of my time learning new recipes in an attempt to become a better cook, but now I've added the crafting aspect to my Homemaker Training.

Anyway, here was my project of the night. I don't have a "Before" picture for you, so you'll just have to imagine the lamp without fringe.

I think it went rather well. However, it's the only one of my projects tonight that did :( Since Brayden is off doing important pre-med homeworky things, I stayed in project mode. And now, I have to go clean the kitchen.

... Like I said, THIS was the only project that worked out ... Including my dinner.

Starving Bookworm

2011-02-01T22:44:00.000-05:00

Brayden recently finished reading a 1,000+ page novel that he got for Christmas. When he was finished with it, I finally had to undertake the daunting task of re-organizing our bookshelf.

Let me rephrase that : re-organizing ONE of our FOUR bookshelves! We are filled to bursting with books! Which is fabulous, believe me.

Except tonight, when it's not. Because as I was shifting and sliding and trying to fit all of our glorious tomes of goodness into their places, I realized just how many of them I haven't read. I used to read all the time. As a kid, I got grounded from reading when I was being punished, because it was the thing I loved most, and who cared if I didn't watch TV? No big deal. But when I couldn't read...

Now, I'm always busy. I have homework and rehearsal and cleaning and cooking and laundry ... and by the time I go to bed every night, a place where I'd usually read for a little while before going to sleep, I'm too exhausted to get through even one page.

So my point? I miss reading. I am a starving bookworm, desperately and selfishly hoping for a summer vacation that DOESN'T include me working, so that I have the time to read.

Ciera : A Haiku

2011-01-13T23:37:00.000-05:00

In honor of National Blog About Ciera Month:

to rock the cello

and T.A art history

takes mad awesome skills

The Recovery Ward

2010-12-23T10:45:00.001-05:00

A week ago tomorrow I had my tonsils out. Fantastic way to spend the Christmas holiday, right? Oh yes, it's been oh so much fun.

Let's see.

For starters, I had to spend the night at the hospital because I kept throwing up blood after the surgery. They kept me for observation and since I was hooked up to an IV machine AND drinking about a liter of water an hour, I had to pee about every ten minutes. Which meant that Brayden (who spent the night with me) had to unhook the IV from the wall, help me out of bed, follow me to the bathroom with the IV tree, wait for me to do my thing, then help me BACK to bed and plug the machine back in. Every. Ten. Minutes.

The next morning I got to go home, where I was immediately tucked into a large and comfortable recliner chair in my mother's "Christmas Recovery Ward." See, I've had to sleep upright for the last week, so I spent all day every day in the den, where the chair and the TV are. But the Christmas tree is in the living room :( So Mom turned the den into a Christmasy pocket of goodness :) She injured herself hanging lights around the window for me, and she's gone through a box of Duraflames a day, making sure there is always a fire going in the fireplace :) THAT part of the experience has been wonderful. My mommy is the best mommy.

The constant pain and inability to eat anything other than broth and jello is NOT so wonderful. Christmas is for FOOD! Candy and ham and, in my family's case, a Brazilian meat buffet! (Yes, they're going to just such a place tonight, whilst I stay home and listen to the Lord of the Rings audiobook.) This not being able to eat is driving me absolutely NUTS!

Dreaming of turkey,
Kaitlin

+1 and -1

2010-11-16T02:19:00.000-05:00

Failure first : I'm over 10,000 words behind on my novel. This may seem insurmountable, but I have recently discovered the major writer's block-inducing hump that was blockading my brilliance and I have since taken care of it. However, I still qualify this as a failure, since I'm disgracefully behind on my goal.

And now, for my SUCCESS!

Today, ladies and gentlemen, for the VERY FIRST TIME in my oh-so-lengthy career as a housewife, I have successfully managed to get each and every single part of dinner onto the table at the SAME TIME. Hot, ready, and food pyramid approved. This may not seem like a big deal, but trust me, it is. Usually one thing or another is either late or early getting out of the oven, or whatever's boiling on the stove is done WAAAAY before the side dish. But today, I had potato soup, made from scratch biscuits, and green beans. Three separate cooking appliances operating all at once with no help from anyone else and I DID IT! I am the kitchen QUEEN!

At least for today. Tomorrow, it is entirely possible that I will revert to my old cooking habits, wherein I can't even make toast.

NaNOWriMo -- The First Weekend

2010-11-06T14:35:00.001-04:00

I'd like to start this post by saying "THANK YOU WHITNI!" Whitni Watkins sent me a fabulous care package that arrived in the mail yesterday, and it had some of my favorite candy in it. (Kit Kats : VERY good call :)

With care package in hand, I am heading into this weekend intending to catch up on the last two days, where my word count was not nearly as impressive as it should have been. My goal by bedtime tomorrow is 12,000.

Although I fell a bit behind, I have very good reasons. Besides currently being in a show, I spent all of Thursday in Washington DC at the annual SVU art show. The choir always performs there, and while I'm not technically in the choir, the cast of Songs for a New World (the last show I did, not the current show I'm in) was invited to perform the opening number of "Songs." It was so much fun to be able to work with the cast again.

Anyway, back to the novelling grindstone tonight. And extra hour of sleep, OR an extra hour of writing. Hmm...

Current Word Count: 7,250

NaNoWriMo -- Day One

2010-11-02T13:31:00.001-04:00

http://www.nanowrimo.org/

For those of you who don't know, I'm currently participating in "NaNoWriMo," or "National Novel Writing Month." It's a worldwide writing marathon where you write a 50,000 word novel in thirty days. I've tried it every year for the past four years, but I've never even come close.

This year, I'm determined. I've spent the last month plotting and outlining and figuring out exactly where I'm going. For once, I actually have a beginning middle AND end! So here I go, off on another grand and slightly psychotic adventure. I've also signed off facebook for the entire month, and my husband has vowed to work out every day in November as well, so it should be an interesting month for us!

Care packages and well-wishes are much appreciated :)

Current word count : 3,351
Currently listening to: the Chocolat soundtrack

Paper

2010-08-17T08:25:00.002-04:00

Brayden and I recently celebrated our one year anniversary. As you may know, it's the "paper" anniversary. So, we spent it ordering books online from Barnes and Noble :) I simply cannot think of a better way to spend an anniversary, can you?

That night after rehearsal we were able to ACTUALLY celebrate. Bread bowl stew, just like we had a year ago (hotel room service absolutely rocks, by the way), sparkling grape juice compliments of Amaree (Thank you for the gifts! We loved them!), and the alcohol-free wine that we bought on the way to the wedding hotel and have been holding on to ever since because we never got a corkscrew.

And, of course, the traditional year-old cake, which had been sitting in my parents' freezer for a year and had been transferred to the Cluff's (while we were house-sitting) and then ours (in the new apartment, when we finally remembered to take it over there.)

We were frankly surprised at how fresh the cake tasted. It had been frozen and un-frozen and RE-frozen through the moving process and, after all, it WAS a year old. But it was delicious! I called my mom in the morning to brag about it. Turns out, the magical cake wasn't exactly a year old. Apparently our actual cake top got ruined somehow and so, loving woman that she is, Mom had another one made. Identical to the first, and picked up the day before they brought it to us. So, no, we did not have the traditional "anniversary" cake. But we thought it was, so that's all that matters :)

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

2010-07-16T10:50:00.002-04:00

If you've never read "The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society," not to fret. There's still time left. It is the perfect end-of-summer book, in this reader's humble opinion. It's written in a series of correspondences between a frustrated authoress (Juliet) and the colorful members of the above-mentioned society. Set in post-WWII England, Juliet learns through these letters how the Channel Islands were affected by the German occupation and how the members of the Society coped with it. It is a wonderfully warm and imaginative book, and it's gotten me back in the habit of writing letters (a dying art, unfortunately).

If any of you readers out there would like to join me in the noble endeavor to bring back letter-writing to our generation, I urge you to read this book. And write me a letter :)

And now, we come to the "In Other News" portion of our blogging.

IN OTHER NEWS:

Next weekend we're moving into a bigger, better apartment. It has two bedrooms and a full-sized kitchen and a REAL laundry room! No more of this shoving-the-washer-and-dryer-into-the-corner-of-the-bathroom business. And we'll have an office in the second bedroom, which is more conducive to focusing on homework and getting better grades.

And speaking of better grades, Brayden is going to need all the focus he can get. He has launched himself into the wonderful world of biology.

He's decided to become a doctor.

I'm extremely proud of him actually, and he's thrilled that his life finally has "direction." We're very happy with this decision, and we hope he is able to attend medical school somewhere in Virginia or North Carolina, so as to still stay close to both sets of parents (and the DC family. Hi Goesches!) Right now, he's leaning towards Chapel Hill, as it's one of the best med schools in the area, and has a GORGEOUS campus. It's also only thirty minutes away from the Raleigh temple! YAY!

We're both excited to start school again. This should be an excellent year.

Dear Greta

2010-06-28T12:18:00.001-04:00

Dearest cousin Greta,

I just HAD to write and tell you about the last few weeks. (Translation : you have lovingly coerced me into updating my blog, and I have finally obliged.)

So many things have been happening this summer that I should just start at the beginning and give you the highlights:

WORK:

Brayden and I are now both working at The Natural Bridge of Virginia. He is their graphic and web designer, and I am working as a historical interpreter in the Indian village. It is very hot and very sticky in the village, but even so you absolutely have to come see me sometime! My bosses and co-workers are all really nice, and I think it's a job I'd be glad to return to each summer.

HOME:

We're MOVING! Just across the parking lot, but our new apartment has two bedrooms and a bigger kitchen and a real laundry room! That's the thing that finally won Brayden over to the move. He gets so frustrated when I have to hang clothes to dry in our bathroom (which is our current laundry room) that he was thrilled with the idea of never seeing wet shirts hanging over the shower curtain again.

We move in on July 23rd, smack in the middle of our sojourn at the Cluff Family Proper's house. We're house/dog-sitting while they are gallivanting around London.

ANNIE GET YOUR GUN:

The Maymester show was an absolutely smashing success! I miss it already, and now I am anxiously awaiting the cast list for the summer show (Songs for a New World).

IN OTHER NEWS:

Brayden is still debating between about ten different life paths, so we honestly have NO idea where we'll be in five years (or even two years.) I'm still pursuing my writing/acting career and have recently decided that I want to put a laser tag arena in my basement.

Vacation this year was a blast. We had to run to catch a plane, we got to ride the L train (or is it "el train?" I'm never sure how to deal with slang) in Chicago and we went up the Sears Tower. I even stood out on "the ledge," which is this glass box they put up on the observation level that makes you feel like you're standing over nothing. Keep in mind that I am terrified of heights! But I'm trying to prove to Brayden that I can be an adventurous person, so I did it. And afterwords, he bought me a t-shirt as a prize :)

Cant' wait to hear from you darling. (Hope you liked the letter-like format :) Write back soon!

Much love,
Kaitlin

The Classics

2010-04-19T00:02:00.002-04:00

Last night at dinner Brayden asked me an almost impossible question.

"If you could, which one of these men would you dance with: Fred Astaire, Danny Kaye, Robert Preston or Gene Kelly?"

We'll ignore for a moment the fact that this is entirely hypothetical. We'll ignore the fact that all of them are dead.

I have been going over pros and cons ever since. Just when I thought I'd made my choice, something else would jump out at me. Fred Astaire owned a Thoroughbred breeding farm, so the big fat chunk of my heart that's horse obsessed is screaming "PICK HIM!" But Danny Kaye owned a professional baseball team, so there's another piece of my soul. Robert Preston is just, well, brilliant, especially taking into account the fact that before he was cast in "The Music Man" on Broadway he had never so much as sung a note before. And then there's Gene Kelly, who embodies everything I want to be in theatre. He directs, acts, sings, dances, choreographs, produces, and does all his own stunts.

Honestly, I haven't made my decision yet. In the meantime, I have provided samplings of these Classic Men for your consideration.

And, because of course Gene Kelly videos are far too important to allow embedding, a link to Singing in the Rain : http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p7QL46cK7B8&feature=related

Lengthen Your Stride

2010-04-15T23:05:00.000-04:00

http://www.lengthenyourstride.org/

This (see link above) is Zach.

Zach is doing big cool spiffy important things for the greater good.

Zach is saving the world one step at a time. Quite literally.

See Zach. See Zach Walk. Walk, Zach, Walk!

This is Kaitlin.

Kaitlin wishes she was doing something big and cool and spiffy and important.

Kaitlin wants to save the world too.

See Kaitlin. See Kaitlin Pout. Pout, Kaitlin, Pout!

In all seriousness, this guy is cool. He's doing something important and everyone should support him. I only wish there were more people out there like him. I wish I was one of them.

Day 19 -- No Comment

2010-04-14T15:12:00.003-04:00

Brayden looks oh so sexy in my black and pink apron, don't you agree?

The Problem with Storage

2010-04-14T12:17:00.000-04:00

I have just finished storing all of our winter things. Now, the weather has plummeted back into the low 50s and we have nothing to wear.

Reality Check

2010-04-06T12:08:00.002-04:00

Finite Simple Group (Of Order Two)

2010-03-25T21:55:00.003-04:00

For the math geek in all of us, even if we're ashamed to admit it.

Sewing

2010-03-23T22:30:00.003-04:00

I pulled the sewing machine out for the first time in months and I've learned that sewing is not my calling. However, I intend to get better. Here's what I got accomplished today :

The patchwork pillow -- made from a pair of old jeans

The Monkey Bag -- made from an old pair of Curious George pajama pants

I had a bit of an incident with the sewing machine and the handle of my monkey bag. Somehow, I managed to sew the handle to the machine.

Note

2010-03-17T00:21:00.002-04:00

I. Hate. Auditions.

That is all.

Life these days

2010-02-24T18:03:00.003-05:00

wake up
school
laundry
homework
laundry
dishes
homework
laundry
misc chores
homework
dinner
laundry
homework
rehearsal
homework
dishes
go to sleep

Busy days. About 32 hours worth of stuff I try to do in 18 waking hours. Mental note : use plastic dishes more often.

Suttlebug Boutique

2010-02-08T22:29:00.001-05:00

http://shuttlebugboutique.blogspot.com/

My new BUSINESS!

Three

2010-01-21T22:52:00.002-05:00

there, they're, and their.

Three different words.

Three different meanings.

Three different spellings.

Look it up.

It's not that difficult, people.

This is a story about Minnie the Moocher...

2009-12-28T21:41:00.002-05:00

Just a taste of my Christmas break :)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zwgS1ctxglw

Brayden and I bought ourselves the whole series of Jeeves and Wooster with a Christmas gift card on Saturday, and the whole family has been enjoying it ever since.

By "Brayden and I bought," I really mean I found it in the store and knew he wanted it and ran up to him while jumping up and down shouting "LOOK! LOOK! LOOK! We can get it we can get it we can get it LET'S GET IT COME ON COME ON LOOK LOOK LOOK!"

He looked. We got it. We love it.

Stephen Fry, you make me happy.

Hugh Laurie makes me happy too, but not quite in the same way.

FINALLY!

2009-12-21T03:21:00.001-05:00

FINISHED WITH FINALS! It's such a liberating feeling.

Now off to take a half-hour nap before I have to get up and go HOME FOR CHRISTMAS! WOOHOO!

Simple Little Things

2009-12-03T12:08:00.001-05:00

I put my slippers in the dryer before I put them on, so now my feet are toasty warm.

And that makes me very very happy.

Day 18 -- Organization

2009-11-01T16:17:00.006-05:00

After almost a week of slaving and sweating, THE APARTMENT IS ORGANIZED!

This is one of my favorite things. Our end table in the living room is now my personal wedding display. My favorite framed picture of the wedding, our scrapbook and autograph album, one of our wedding gift candle hurricanes, and a bowl of our wedding M&Ms. We have about 55 of the original 60 pounds left.

Day 17 -- Bride and Groom Chairs

2009-11-01T16:11:00.008-05:00

My chair and Brayden's chair at our dinner bar. We haven't got a table, and most of the time we actually eat dinner picnic style on the floor, but we like it that way :)

But, whenever we do eat at the bar, somehow I always end up on the left and he on the right. So I've formalized our chairs.

That was my fun decorative thing for the day.

Day 16 -- Whipped Cream

2009-11-01T16:07:00.006-05:00

I made whipped cream today! I'd never made it before, so I was happy when my adventures in cooking continued to progress successfully.

Here's the Deal

2009-10-28T09:36:00.002-04:00

As I sit here, curled up on the couch watching Miracle on 34th Street and drinking a cup of hot chocolate, frantically thinking of ideas for my NaNoWriMo novel this year, I realize that there is no way on earth I will ever be able to catch up on my "daily" blog without falling behind on what's going on now.

I am woefully behind on posting my "Project 365," so here's what I've decided to do. I'm going to catch up on it as I can, but I will be telling you the here and now as well. So keep checking up!

Now, back to feeling all warm and fuzzy :)

Day 15 -- Frills and Dip

2009-10-07T19:37:00.006-04:00

This was my first time cooking in the new apartment! I made my special seven layer dip, and I wore my super special apron.

Let me say right now, I love my kitchen. It's just so easy to move around in and find everything! I am having a few storage issues at the moment, but a couple of strategically placed command hooks should sort things out.

Day 14 -- Moving Day # 2

2009-10-01T20:44:00.007-04:00

Apparently, we needed a rubber mallet to put our dining room chairs together.

We don't have a rubber mallet.

So Brayden improvised.

1 regular hammer + a four-inch square of squishy plastic drawer liner held on with rubber bands = perfectly serviceable one-time use rubber mallet!

Today, I scrambled around trying to get as much unpacked as I could while Brayden was still off work. Tomorrow, he goes back to working full-time and I start rehearsals for A Midsummer Night's Dream.

Day 13 -- Moving Day #1

2009-08-28T17:00:00.007-04:00

Our first day in church as a newlywed couple!

Here's us, all spiffy and dressed up outside our new apartment.

Not much else to report about today. We went to sacrament meeting, went home and joined my parents in the unpacking process, and are now going to bed, exhausted.

Day 12 -- Happy Birthday?

2009-08-28T16:57:00.007-04:00

AUGUST 22nd -- MY 20TH BIRTHDAY!

WHAT WAS SUPPOSED TO HAPPEN:

Get up at 6 AM
Finish cleaning and last-minute packing
Get on the road by 9 AM
Be home to BV by 3 in the afternoon
Relax and start unpacking
Take pictures with the family at 6
Reception/Open House in the ballroom at 7
Go home and sleep in our own bed

WHAT ACTUALLY HAPPENED:

Got up at 8 AM
Had way more laundry to do than realized (required laundry. had to wash all the towels and dry and fold them for the next people who would use the beach house.)
Found it entirely impossible to get all the sand off of the hardwood floor
Ate cake for breakfast
Got on the road at 11:30 AM
Hurricane hit, flooding the roads
Two hours into our six-hour drive the truck broke down
Somehow made it to the conveniently placed gas station out in the middle of nowhere
Called AAA
Waited an hour for a tow truck
MEANWHILE : Nice young redneck named Bob inspects our engine and all of the trucks inner workings. He has no idea what's wrong with it, but suggests his friend Donny as a mechanic to fix it
MEANWHILE, BACK ON THE RANCH: The Bellamy and Cluff clans are circling the wagons. They call rental car companies, cab companies, airports, train stations, the national guard...
No luck
Got picked up by the tow truck. His GPS couldn't even find the street where this elusive Donny lived
Found it eventually
He was closed on Saturdays, but took it anyway
Aunt Kit called to tell me that her brother just happened to live in the town where we were stranded. So this uncle once removed that I had never met was coming to get us
He came to get us in his big yellow truck (the plan was that he would take us halfway. Then Buck and Whitni Watkins, who were conveniently in Roanoke at the time, would meet and take us the home stretch)
Rode about three hours
Got pulled over by a cop for going about 84 MPH
Cop let us off when he heard our story ("These kids are on their way to their wedding reception, officer. They've had a rough day.")
Five miles down the road, the truck stopped working. No, I'm not kidding
Pulled into a gas station
Buck and Whitni drove the extra miles out to come rescue us
We left "Uncle Ben" there, where he occupied himself with the beautiful Virginia scenery and a camera, until that same cop happened upon him half an hour later. The cop was amused, and they passed the three hours in friendly conversation while Ben waited for Aunt Kit's husband Scotty to come get him
MEANWHILE, BACK AT THE RANCH: The band that played at the reception was receiving updates of our status from my mom, and announcing them to the crowd
Rode with Buck and Whitni for a few hours
Were forced to go excruciatingly slowly on the mountain road into town
Hit EVERY SINGLE RED LIGHT when we actually got into town
Had to go to the apartment and shower and put on makeup
Rushed to campus and got changed into our dress and tuxedo in record time
Were announced and entered to standing ovation and a drumroll, a full hour and a half late to our two hour reception

Later, Buck and Whitni got their own warm welcome and were hailed as those who "rescued the bride and groom!" We mixed and mingled sort of like a blender, exchanging the most minimum of pleasantries before moving on with a "thankyouforcomingandhopetoseeyouagainsoon."

Crazy, crazy day. But, as Brayden kept reminding me while I was having hysterics about how many things were going wrong, "But just think of all the STORIES!" It does make a great story. Weirdest birthday I've ever had.

**PICTURES TO COME! CHECK BACK IN A DAY OR SO!**

Day 11 -- Aloe Vera

2009-08-26T11:20:00.009-04:00

Almost drowned today. Twice. We went to the beach, despite my ridiculous sunburn. The hurricane was only 200 miles off the coast, so the waves were crashing in from three directions at once and they were stronger than they'd been before. Apparently, I couldn't handle them.

After that, I finally succumbed to the agony of my sunburn. We went back to the beach house and watched movies all day.

It was wonderful :)

Brayden had never ever used Aloe Vera before Wednesday. But in the past two days, he's decided that it is a sacred nectar of healing. He's perfectly fine and burn free now.

I, on the other hand, am swollen and sick and can't sit back against anything or eat anything substantial. But, I slaughtered him in Scrabble!

We also went on a midnight beach walk. By this point, the tide was encroaching upon the boardwalk, which was a good 500 yards away from the usual shoreline. The whole thing was incredibly surreal. The sound of the waves and the wind. The city lights far off on the horizon.

Couldn't capture it on film. Need a new camera.

Day 10 -- Fulfillment of a Dream

2009-08-24T10:21:00.011-04:00

This day truly cannot be conveyed in words. So, the SparkNotes version:

I rode a horse on the beach at sunset.

I literally rode off into the sunset. It was Brayden's early birthday gift to me. It was perfect, wonderful, and amazing. Breathtaking. Beautiful. Thank you Brayden, for fulfilling a dream.

Day 9 -- Catamaran

2009-08-24T10:18:00.009-04:00

6 hours on the sea + no sunscreen = REALLY STUPID!

We're sunburned.

We can't even hug.

Moving in any way shape or form is excruciatingly painful.

And this is nothing compared to what we'll be feeling in the morning.

But there is no better way to get sunburned! We went on a catamaran cruise this afternoon, compliments of Aunt Beth. We sailed out to this beautiful little island where the surf was clear and the fish were bold and playful. We collected two bags of shells, then got to sail out to the Cape Lookout lighthouse.

And I saw wild dolphins! They were swimming and jumping alongside the boat! I couldn't get my camera out in time, but they were beautiful.

On the way back, Brayden got the hoist the sails (something it took two boys to do on the way there. He's so buff.)

I fell asleep for most of the ride back. This time, I stayed in the shade, instead of out on deck.

As we were pulling into the harbor, we saw wild horses. Brayden woke me up to see them.

THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU AUNT BETH FOR THE WONDERFUL WEDDING GIFT! The cruise was amazing.

Next time, I'll wear sunscreen.

"If I could offer you only one tip for the future, sunscreen would be it. The long term benefits of sunscreen have been proved by scientists, whereas the rest of my advice has no basis more reliable than my own meandering experience."

Day 8 -- Spork

2009-08-24T10:17:00.007-04:00

We had our fancy "One Week Anniversary" dinner today. And by fancy, we mean cheeseburgers. On plasticware. But the whole evening inspired a delightfully hilarious question.

"WHICH SIDE DOES THE SPORK GO ON?!?!?"

We were doing the whole dinner with paper and plastic, so that I wouldn't have to do dishes. We had plates and cups and napkins and knives, spoons ... but no forks. But, because I'm a rotten little thief, I'd rescued a handful of sporks from Taco Bell when we stopped for lunch on Friday. They were in the glove compartment in the truck. But when Brayden brought them in and started setting the table (trying to follow proper table etiquette) he got stuck. Is it a fork? Is it a spoon? In a proper table setting, where the heck do you put the spork?

In the end, he ditched the spoons altogether and let the spork fulfill its full potential.

Day 7 -- Julio

2009-08-24T10:14:00.007-04:00

Today, we had a race against time as we tried to build our sand castle. Brayden was on the front line, gallantly digging moats and ditches to protect our pile of sand from the rapidly rising tide.

Unfortunately, he put me on building duty. And I can't build sand castles. Instead, all I could come up with was this sand turtle.

His name is Julio. And he tragically perished just minutes after this was taken. But we loved him while he was with us. Even though he wasn't a castle.

Tide, you may have won this one, but one day, we will defeat you!

On a side note, Brayden is an awesome boogie boarder. I hope to achieve his level of awesomeness someday.

Day 6 -- SPIDERS!

2009-08-24T10:13:00.015-04:00

There are GIANT SPIDERS everywhere!!! Brayden says they keep them around to eat the mosquitoes. They must be doing their job, because I don't have a single bug bite. But ... I think I'd rather have the bites. *shudder*

This is one of the pictures I took of them. All of the little black smudges are actually 3 inch horrors. But I wanted you to see what I had to see every day when I walked outside.

So, I found this close-up online.

Absolutely nightmare-inducing.

Day 5 -- Stir Fry

2009-08-24T10:11:00.007-04:00

Today was a very special day for us.

*drumroll*

I prepared my first HOME COOKED MEAL for Brayden!

Now, note here that when I say "home cooked" I really mean "from a bag." But there was cooking involved! No fast food, no microwave. Me, with a pan and a spatula!

It was a very fulfilling moment.

Day 4 -- Mr. and Mrs. Cluff

2009-08-21T21:06:00.034-04:00

The Governor's Palace has a MAZE in the back gardens! And fresh fruit trees! And a room with leather wallpaper!

Brayden and I played hide-and-seek in the maze for a good while, but then, sadly, we had to leave Colonial Williamsburg behind. And we went on our way to Reception #1.

WHICH.WAS.AWESOME!!!

**Pictures below courtesey of Laura Johnson. See more at http://www.laurajohnson.smugmug.com/

From the bottom left going clockwise: Arielle Tanner, quasi roommate from last year. Zina Card, cousin and "little sister I never had." Ashley Colton, one of my best friends from church. Chelsea Smith, my best friend since sixth grade and maid of honor.

"DO NOT FEED THE ANIMALS" (those are grapes she's tossing, by the way)

Me with my maid of honor.

Cutting the

cake with a sword. Which Brayden promptly tried to

steal afterwards.

Our first dance! Ain't we cute?

Day 3 -- 1774

2009-08-21T21:01:00.023-04:00

Here we are (wearing completely authentic period clothing) in our CARRIAGE RIDE! I have the best husband, he spoils me. End of story.

Brayden and I spent today walking around Colonial Williamsburg. Lots of walking. But it was worth it. The weather was PERFECT. We went to another tavern for lunch, we saw the armory (much drooling from Brayden) and the stables (much drooling from me) and all these awesome little gift shops. We also got to spend some time with Brayden's sister Amaree, who works there as a historical interpreter. We got to see one of her scenes, which was quite amazing.

And then, that night, Brayden took me to the best store in the world. YANKEE CANDLE! It's two stories tall, and three buildings long. There are fountains and

lamp posts and a FUDGERY! You can dip your own candles.

And yes. This is inside. Where it snows.

IT SNOWS! In the back, there are about 10 rooms ALL of Christmas stuff. And it snows. When I finally own my dream house, we're installing a snow machine for Christmas.

And here's Brayden, with a life-sized Playmobile cop. It was basically a dream come true for him.

Day 2 -- In which everyone is well fed

2009-08-17T00:17:00.014-04:00

If you've never been to Colonial Williamsburg, I am telling you now : go. If only for the food. (I shouldn't blog when I'm hungry. Everything always comes out in cornbread and tacos. I should be telling you about the wonderful little town, but all I can think about is the Brunswick stew.)

Brunswick stew is possibly the most delicious thing I have ever had the pleasure of eating. Today we drove from DC to Williamsburg, and tonight Brayden and I went wandering about Colonial Williamsburg around dinner time. He took me to Chowning's Tavern. It was all manner of authentic. Candlelight, dark wood, musicians wandering around the rooms playing. And, poss

ibly the most interesting feature, "common seating." It's when they put you at a table with total strangers. We sat with another couple (Jeff and Heather) and had a remarkabley wonderful time. Brayden and Jeff found they had alot in common, and we all stayed for over an hour after we were done. The waitress brought us a game to play called "Shut the Box", which Brayden and I now have to get for ourselves, because it was a blast.

When we got home this evening, we discovered that our hotel has a 24/7

mini golf course on the premises. Brayden beat me 60 to 40. And then, when we got back to our room, we found that the hotel had left us a care package! Two bottles of this AMAZING apple cider, a bag of peanuts (from the tavern we'd just left) and a "Congratulations on your recent nuptials" card.

Tomorrow is the tour day. We're seeing as much of Colonial Williamsburg as we can before we have to leave on Friday morning.

Day 1 -- THE WEDDING!

2009-08-16T21:18:00.009-04:00

Today, Kaitlin Bellamy became Kaitlin Bellamy Cluff. Brayden Cluff was stripped of his bachelorhood. Another happy couple got to change their facebook relationship status to "married," and I got to wear a pretty pretty dress :)

All is well with the world. And here's the first day of our "Every Day an Adventure Project 365." Although I REALLY have to think of a better title for it. I tried "EDAP" for short but that just sounds weird.

Anyway, the first "adventure" (and I classif

y "adventure" in this blog as anything odd, o

ut of the ordinary, generally interesting, amusing, worthy of discussion, or possibly deadly) came when we got to the hotel and opened our suitcases.

This is what greeted us. Someone in Brayden's family had filled our luggage with rice. Thousands upon thousands of grains of rice. Instead of throwing it to send us off ... well, let's just say we'll be finding rice in our pockets for the next six years.

Project 365

2009-08-16T20:50:00.002-04:00

Project 365 : The task of taking one picture a day for an entire year. Usually a year of significance, i.e baby's first year, freshman year of college.

A large part of newlywed life involves creating your own family traditions. In the few days Brayden and I have been married, several have already sprung to life on their own. We also set goals (family prayer and scripture study, etc) and try to mesh our different lifestyles together.

This Project 365 is a goal established to solidify a tradition. The tradition of taking pictures. I took no pictures when I was younger, or even as many as I would have liked in high school and the first two years of college. So Brayden and I are going to have pictures. Every day for the first year of married life, we are taking at least one picture. Of anything. Sometimes it's a picture of us, sometimes it's a picture of the unusually large spiders nesting outside the beach house (trust me, you'll get that story later).

My hope is that we will get into the habit of taking pictures, so that even when we're done with this year, we'll be able to continue to capture our memories together.

And more important than the actual taking of pictures is looking for the right picture to take. Already we've learned that we go out of our way to make things adventurous if it's for the camera (especially me:) So we set out into this first year looking not only for a picture a day, but for an adventure a day.

Wish us luck!

~Katydid

P.S: These first few posts are me playing catch-up. I've only just now been able to find the time (and the wireless internet) necessary to post days 1-6.

Public Restrooms ...

2009-08-10T09:30:00.003-04:00

... are sleazy, slimy, smelly, crowded, cramped and all-around gross. And women are insane when it comes to restrooms. Every one of them seems to think that their needs are far superior to the needs of everyone else in the thirty-foot line. And they let their kids run around and look under doors and wreak havoc with the automatic dryers.

And really, how hard is it to keep the countertops clean and dry? You're grabbing a paper towel to dry your hands anyway. An extra second and a half and you can wipe up the soapy scummy wet mess you made while washing your hands.

Public restrooms are messy, and in constant disrepair. Why? Because they are built to be that way. I mean really, think about it. I can't speak for the guys (having only been in a men's bathroom on a few choice occasions) but when women's restrooms are built nicer, they stay clean. When they put wallpaper up and put a "lounge" area just outside them. When it smells nice, because the company has spent the extra three bucks a month and gotten automatic air fresheners. The purpose of the restroom hasn't changed, and yet no doors are ripped off hinges. Toilet paper isn't trailing all over the floor. The countertops aren't wet and gooey. But grey tile and grey doors and two inches of wiggle room in every direction, and no wonder the ordinary public restrooms are treated as they are.

The best public restroom I've ever been to was in New York City, at a restaurant called Mars 2112 . It was clean, it was "themed" without being glitzy and tacky, and it had an attendant. Someone who was paid to stay there and clean up after every single use. She refilled toilet paper the second it was out. She was constantly wiping the countertops and cleaning the mirrors, and she was actually pretty fun to talk to. For a position like that, you've really got to get someone with personality. But she had it, and she made going to the bathroom in a public venue, something I generally avoid, tolerable.

I'll be honest. The food itself was nothing to write home about. But I'd rather go to Mars 2112 again than some of the other places we went that trip. Not because of the theme necessarily (although it was cute and fun) but because I respect a company who cares about all aspects of its business. A friend in the fast food industry once told me, "You wanna know where to eat, you check their bathrooms first. Because I guarantee you they'll be cleaner than the kitchen." Now that is a scary thought.

Public restrooms freak me out. But the bright side to all this is that the particular restroom that triggered this rant was at Union Station. In DC. Which means, I'M IN WASHINGTON DC! Which means I'm getting married tomorrow. Which means that none of this is really important in the grand scheme of things, because tomorrow at this time I'll be at the temple getting dressed, about to marry the most wonderful man on the planet.

Seriously?

2009-07-09T17:26:00.002-04:00

What kind of world do we live in that the first time the ice cream truck comes around all season is on a cloudy not-too-hot day halfway through the summer?

Free

2009-07-09T16:18:00.006-04:00

As a poor starving college student, I am always in the market for free stuff. AND, add to that the fact that I will be getting married in a little over a month. Free is good. Freely given is always preferred to forcibely taken, or just doing without.

One of the blogs that I follow is having a giveaway. [[I do hereby present thee, dear reader, with a link.]]

Of course, one of the ways to enter is to post something about it on my own blog. I could just post something like "Hey, here it is, have a link and an info dump and I HOPE I WIN!" All of which would be true. But instead, I would like to take this opportunity to spotlight the blog hosting the contest and yes, perhaps suck up just a little bit.

Every newlywed couple has questions, and there are boatloads of answers out there for them. But you have to be careful on whose advice you take. I trust my parents (especially my mother), my grandparents, and all of my aunts and uncles wholeheartedly when it comes to marital and familial advice. But rarely would I go to a stranger, and follow her with the same sort of trust.

I think it has something to do with the values. I found this blog by accident one day, and have been following it ever since. Because the woman who writes it voices common sense when it comes to family life, alongside the exact same strong moral and religious background that I grew up with. I've read other "family" blogs, and I know how other families operate. But I like the LDS way. We specialize in families. So I would like to tip my hat to you Mrs. Mordecai, even if I don't win. Here's to you and your values. May my new family and I continue to honor them as you have.

And here's to my mother, and my grandmother. My future mother-in-law. All of my married and soon-to-be-married friends who have kept those values alive and strong in their homes and their families. To all of you, and your free advice. I am very greatful for it.

Downhill

2009-07-01T12:23:00.008-04:00

The thing about going downhill on a bike is this : Part of your mind is always going "Hey, I'm on a bike, so this is exercise! It's not as bad as I thought it would be!" Forget the fact that you're not pedaling, or even breaking a mild sweat at that point. It's all in your head.

But whether or not you chose to give in to this part of your mind and believe that you are becoming a more physically fit person by soaring downhill at incredible and sometimes psychotic speeds, going down is an important part of the biking process. Not only because it's a break from the painful uphill that threatens to kill you off, but because you did, after all, have to go up to reach it in the first place. It's not only your break, it's your reward. Somehow, riding downhill if you've simply walked your bike uphill is never quite as thrilling. I always feel a little bit guilty for wimping out, and I can't enjoy the ride down as much as I should.

At the risk of sounding incredibly corny, I believe life, especially student life, can be looked at the same way. Maybe it's just me, but I never trust something that comes too easy. Grades, health, physical fitness. Love. I think that if we succeed in these areas, it's because we've worked for them. Because we were willing to sacrifice more in the beginning to have more in the end. I went through six years of chorus line roles and bit parts before I ever got a lead, and I don't regret a bit of it. I never would have appreciated getting a bigger part if I didn't know what it took to get there, and if I hadn't been willing to work for it.

I'm getting married in August, and I'm facing all manner of sacrifices. In fact, Brayden keeps telling me, "Less now equals more later." I agree with him. Yes, the first year of marriage is the hardest. But the couples who make it through are even stronger. We're willing to work for what we have, because it's important to us. And every now and then in the uphill life, we get that breath of fresh air as we soar downhill. A break. A reward. But we have to ride all the way to the top of that hill first. Then, the downhill is truly worth it.

**image lovingly borrowed from http://mtnbikersblog.blogspot.com/

Fast Food

2009-06-15T15:04:00.006-04:00

Brayden and I swore off fast food this summer. We're trying to start off our new life together on the right foot. No fast food, no excessive spending, whole wheat bread, that sort of thing.

I cheated. I was on my way home from taking my bridals the other day and I was starving, so I swung by the good ol' fallback, McDonalds. I had half of a cheeseburger and about twelve fries. Not twelve orders of fries, twelve fries.

((We interrupt your current program to bring you this important background infor

mation -- my typical McDonalds meal is as follows:

one double cheeseburger
one large order of fries
a cinnamon melt
an m&m mcflurry
a chicken sandwich

And now, we will return you to your regularly scheduled blog.))

It made me sick. Really really sick. My body has gotten so completely out of the habit of eating anything fast food that I could hardly touch it. And now, we get to the heart of the matter.

I'd only gone about a month without fast food, and my body was already completely over it. I never would have thought that I couldn't go that long without fast food. I was sure that at some point in the last few years I'd gone without for a month.

I hadn't. I have been assured that it was an almost weekly thing. I never thought anything of it, because I shopped on the dollar menu. I grabbed a bite on the way to or from work, or rehearsal. Or when I needed a break from studying.

It's amazing how much a body can change just by getting rid of one thing. I imagine that principle goes for just about anything in life. Physical, spiritual, emotional. You can change one thing, and your whole lifestyle can alter for the better. As for me, not only am I significantly healthier, but I am saving so much money. (Yeah. I went back to my bank statements to figure out just how much fast food was costing me. I could have bought a new car by now.)

So that's my semi-profound thought of the day. Do with it as you will.

~Katydid

"Verily, this vichyssoise of verbiage veers most verbose, so let me simply add that it's my very good honor to meet you and you may call me V."

The Lost Days

2009-06-11T09:56:00.003-04:00

I know I've been sort of MIA the past few weeks. Therefore, I present you with an account of my summer so far.

MY SUMMER SO FAR:

Looked for a job. Didn't find one. Spent two weeks filling out applications and making follow-up calls. Nada. Walked around three shopping centers dressed in heels and a pantsuit and looking all professional. Found out exactly how long it takes to train in retail. Got turned away. Got laughed at for asking for a job. Was promised a call. Nothing.

Stressed about finances. Argued about finances.

Got a job. A wonderful woman in my ward hired me on as summer help. Includes babysitting, helping them move, yardwork, housework, and other miscellaneous assignments. Saved my life this summer. (Will be petitioning for her sainthood next week.)

Had long involved talk with my parents about finances. Argued with Brayden about finances.

Surprised Brayden up in Virginia. Spent a practically perfect week doing absolutely nothing productive. Revelled in the relaxation. Jumped off the rock at Panther Falls for the first time. Twice. Repeated experience fully clothed two days later, and on camera. Broke cell phone beyond repair. Got apartment. Mentally started decorating apartment. Saw Seussical the Musical twice (insert round of applause for cast here) and went home with a horrible allergy-induced cough. (The two are unrelated.)

Called Brayden. He was budgeting.

Called Brayden. Got into an argument about the constant budgeting. Told him to relax. Realized that in many ways he was right. Became unable to relax myself.

Worked. Stayed up late. Got up early. Worked. Looked for a second job. Worked.

Got new cell phone. Took bridal portraits. Was told I am a beautiful bride. Looked for a couch. Looked for a desk. Looked for anything cheaper than $200 that might look good in a 12 x 12 space. Worked.

Planned reception. Stressed about decorations vs dance floor. Stressed about making the reception hall look like anything but a reception hall. Thought about eloping.

Got a perfect silk flower bouquet that made every worry in the whole world vanish.

Fixed a few major financial concerns.

Called Brayden. He wasn't budgeting. Started crying out of complete and utter relief.

Add a couple of sleepless nights and a new exercise routine and this is basically my summer. But two months from today, I get married to the most wonderful man on the planet. All the stress just goes away when you measure it in the grand scheme of things. This summer will be hard. It's been hard. But now, everything is falling into place.

"Everything will be alright in the end. If it's not alright, then it's not the end." ~Unknown

Not Ready

2009-04-26T23:02:00.001-04:00

I am not ready for finals week.

I am not ready for vocal juries.

I am not ready to pack up and go home for the whole summer while Brayden is here.

I am not ready.

Writer's Block

2009-04-21T11:16:00.002-04:00

I have it.

And I have a story due in about 28 hours.

Kaitlin and The Awesome, Wonderful, No Bad, Very Good Day

2009-04-18T11:43:00.007-04:00

Top Ten Reasons Why Yesterday Was Perfect:

10) Brayden told me that he likes me best in jeans and a t-shirt. That makes me

extremely happy, because that's what *I* like me best in too!

9) Even after all of the crap we've been going through lately, we can apparently still have spontaneous shaving cream fights.

8) Brayden made us an appointment to look at apartments, all by himself. And once we got there, he was so CUTE! He knows exactly what he's looking for, and he asked all the right questions and it just made me even more excited about our future, knowing that he's just as excited about it.

7) We spent about two hours outside yesterday. On the trampoline. I've learned that I go flying when both of us are on it :)

6) The weather. Perfect.

5) I got to pull out short sleeves and flip flops. FINALLY!

4) We got to drive everywhere with the windows open, because of the aforementioned flip flop-worthy weather.

3) Brayden took me to the dance. And he didn't complain about it a single time. In fact, he wore me out by the end of it.

2) I made Brayden watch Sense and Sensibility after the dance. And he liked it! But now that I've told you, he'll have to kill you.

AND THE NUMBER ONE REASON WHY YESTERDAY WAS PERFECT:

1) I got a goodnight kiss from the most wonderful fiance a girl could ask for.

"We used to walk along the river/and dream our way out of this town."

2009-04-15T15:03:00.004-04:00

So I'm sitting here in the library, catching up on some homework, and Brayden is out cold on the couch beside me. Poor boy ... all of the stress is finally getting to him. He's got tons to do, but I think I'll let him sleep. Later, I may take him to Arby's or something. I have to make him eat.

He's so proud of himself, though. All of these shirts that he's had for so long that have apparently been too small are suddenly fitting him perfectly! He's trying so hard to work out and trim up, and we want to have a healthy household, so we're both watching our sugar intake and our "laziness meters."

But I would kill for a triple-decker devil's food cake right now.

In other news, I have no CLUE what to write my second story about. My first one kinda got torn apart, and I'm not exactly a fast writer. Brayden's been researching everything under the sun for his, and it has great potential.

Maybe I should write the soap opera that our life has turned into. I'm sure there would be a market for it somewhere ... I mean, we just had to essentially put a restraining order on our ex-best friend. How much more dramatic can you get?

Desperately seeking inspiration,

Katydid

Easter Basket

2009-04-12T21:20:00.006-04:00

I got the coolest Easter basket this morning :)

It was full of kitchen supplies.

Whisk

Kitchen Timer

Corn Stabby Thingies

Big Cookie Scoop

Little Cookie Scoop

Egg Separator

Ice Cream Scoop

Chip Clips

And Dan in Real Life just for fun

This was one of the most interesting and enjoyable Easter mornings I have ever had!

I also got a dress for the Spring Formal!!!

Life is good. I'm looking past all the drama. And Brayden is getting home tonight.

Life.

Is.

Good.

"I know that God will not give me anything I can't handle. I just wish He didn't trust me so much." ~ Mother Theresa

Love and Laughter,

Katydid

Here's Your Sign

2009-04-12T09:36:00.003-04:00

I really hate stupid people.

There was a woman in Berlin just recently who jumped into a polar bear enclosure at the zoo and (go figure) got attacked. What are people thinking sometimes?!?!?!?!? Honestly, at what point does jumping into a cage with four hungry bears seem like a good idea? And not only could she have been, I dunno, EATEN, but she could have drowned! Ice cold water + heavy polar bear = you figure it out.

My White Knight

2009-04-06T15:22:00.000-04:00

Ok, a new musical has come to my attention that I simply HAVE to share.

*drumroll*

SHREK THE MUSICAL!

Just ... wow. Everyone, go buy the CD and listen to the music. And if anyone happens to have tickets and needs someone to go with them, I'm just volunteering :)

When it Rains it Pours

2009-03-28T19:15:00.003-04:00

I won't go into a lengthy list of everything that's gone wrong lately. Just the highlights:

~Brayden and I will be unable to be RDs next year, because they have to move in a month before we'll even be married.

That's what Brayden and I were banking on for housing. Now, we have to hope and pray for the government subsidised apartments here in town. (Make a note: they are VERY hard to get into)

~Many of my friends are single or have recently broken up.

Meaning, I am no longer a part of that group. Most of the things people have been talking about lately are boys, and how

stupid they are. I can no longer participate in said conversations, and apparently have been bugging people with how happy I am. Yes, ironic, I know. One of the things going wrong is that I'm "too happy."

~A mutual friend of Brayden's and mine is making life ... complicated.

I won't go on about it. Suffice it to say that there are some people who don't want Brayden and I together. And that's just not cool.

~The economy SUCKS right now.

I know, that's very general and I can't particularly say it's happening directly to me at the moment. But because of it, Brayden is having a very hard time finding a job. And, because of some hostilities back home, I will be unable to go back to my job. So we're both out of work, both desperately looking for work.

There are many many pages to this list, but I haven't the constitution to write about them all at the moment. And I'd like to end this entry on a high note. So -

THINGS THAT ARE GOING RIGHT:

~We're still together

~We are temple worthy

~Our families have been supportive and helpful through all of this

~No matter what, we still love and support each other through these trials

~The sun is shining

~General Conference is next weekend

~I picked my dress :)

Love and laughter,

Katydid

A Weekend in Retrospect

2009-03-22T20:24:00.007-04:00

Friday -- DOUBLE FEATURE: Went to Brayden's house. Went on a long walk with the dog. Watched Sabrina (the new Harrison Ford version). Made dinner for his family. Watched Ever After. Jumped on the giant trampoline with Kinsey (Brayden's little sister).

Saturday -- WEDDING REGISTRY: Had french toast for breakfast. Went to Roanoke. Registered for wedding gifts at Target and Bed Bath & Beyond. (Available on line for your easy access.) Registered for color-coordinated wonderfulness :) Brayden enjoyed himself, and actually had valid opinions on things. Even if he won't admit it. We also both swore off fast food.

Sunday -- GROUP DATE LUNCHEON: Went to Kory and Rachel's house for lunch. Total of three couples (one married, one engaged, and one seriously dating with the intent of getting engaged). Participated in general bonding activities.

TARGET REGISTRY : http://www.target.com/registry/wedding/130CCQ8RBJK8J

BED BATH & BEYOND REGISTRY : http://www.bedbathandbeyond.com/regGiftRegistry.asp?order_num=-1&wrn=-549123244

Teaser

2009-03-22T00:17:00.000-04:00

Registration = DONE!

More tomorrow. I'm exhausted.

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

2009-03-17T11:37:00.003-04:00

On this 17th of March, 2009, I will start working out.

Why? Because I want to actually be able to FIT into my dress by the end of the summer, and I know that if I don't start now, I'll never be able to start during the break.

How? Ok, that's the tricky part. I have NO idea where our gym is, or if we even have one. I've heard rumors, but never found it. And this is a small campus. It's hard to hide things.

Plus, I don't really have TIME! I'm so busy and stressed out with school and the show (The Diviners, everyone come see:) that I hardly have a chance to BREATHE!

Wish me luck.

No Rain on THIS Parade!

2009-03-11T21:43:00.002-04:00

Today was a virtually perfect day.

Mom and I went to Dillards looking for shoes. While we were there, we happened to pass by the "Juniors Formal" section. On a whim, we strolled through it JUST IN CASE there happened to be any decent bridesmaid's dresses.

~and there it was~

The PERFECT bridesmaid dress. It was knee-length, so it worked for a summer wedding. It was the right color, and it was just the kind of shape that flatters ANY figure. And it was less than half the price of the one we HAD been looking at earlier this week.

Not only did we get everyone's sizes, we also found a place for one of the bridesmaids to stay, so now she can actually be at the reception! Then, we found the perfect shoes, so OF COURSE we got them for all the girls. When we finally went to buy my dress (my perfect, lovely, sparkly dress... *sigh*...) we found that it didn't even need to be hemmed! Only one alteration to the ENTIRE thing was needed!

Life is happy, life is good, life is wonderful.

Happiness

2009-03-03T21:02:00.001-05:00

I have perfectly ripe strawberries.

There is still snow on the ground that hasn't melted or turned to slush.

I've picked a color scheme.

Life is good.

The Difference Between Men and Women

2009-03-02T17:56:00.006-05:00

(OR -- Why LDS weddings come and go so quickly)

I came across something interesting in my planning. If you look up "bride check list," most of the results begin your planning at "12-18 months ahead." This is when you are supposed to set a date, a venue, a color scheme, etc. Now, look up "LDS bride check list." This begins at "4 months ahead."

I think I have found the reason for this. Below you will find my personal theory:

LDS BRIDE'S CHECK LIST:

8-6 months ahead:

Fall in love
Pick a date
Pick a temple
Decide on a venue for reception (aka: see when the stake center is free)
Begin compiling guest list
Select bridesmaids

7-4 months ahead:

Select wedding gown, veil, etc
Get temple recommend
Get measured for temple garments
Arrange for a photographer OR
Buy disposable cameras for the guests to use when a photographer is too expensive
Finish guest list and send out invitations/announcements

3 months ahead:

Register for gifts
Make hair appointments, nail appointments, etc
Make sure your bridesmaids' dresses fit
Plan honeymoon

1 month ahead:

Finish planning for reception
Arrange for time off work
Double-check all reservations

1 week ahead:

Go to the spa
Get manicure
Pack for honeymoon

On your wedding day:

Set five alarms
Don't forget breakfast
Remember, the Lord's time is not Mormon Standard Time
Get married, and live happily ever after

LDS GROOM'S CHECKLIST:

8-6 months ahead:

See beautiful girl across the room
Fall in love
Purchase ring
Learn her name

7 months ahead:

Work up the nerve to speak to her
Succeed

6 months ahead:

Work up the nerve to ask her out

5 months ahead:

Work up the nerve to ask her out
Succeed

4 months ahead:

Work up the nerve to propose
Work up the nerve to propose
Tell yourself all the reasons she'll say no
Work up the nerve to propose

3 months ahead:

Finally have a plan for proposing
Remember that you have to meet her family

2 months ahead:

Meet her family
Ask her father
Have contingency elopement plan in case he says no

1 month ahead:

PROPOSE!
Stand back in amazement as she magically plans the whole thing so quickly

1 week ahead:

Argue with your best man over the moral and ethical questions posed by having a stripper at your bachelor party
Realize that the tux from your senior prom does not still fit

3 days ahead:

Buy a new tux

On your wedding day:

Have "the talk" with your father
Try to think spiritual thoughts on the way to the temple, which is made difficult by the aforementioned "talk" that is still on your mind
Get married
Eat copious amounts of cake during the reception to keep your mind off "the talk"
Try not to have an aneurysm when she wants to stay afterwords and help clean up
Finally get to your hotel, and let instinct take over
Live happily ever after

What's this?

2009-03-02T09:20:00.003-05:00

"There's white things in the air."

SNOW DAY! ALL CLASSES BEFORE 10 AM CANCELLED!!!

... too bad my class today is at 11 ...

"This is the simple sum of me..."

2009-03-01T16:48:00.000-05:00

KAITLIN IS:

A freshman at Southern Virginia University
An actress
A writer
Recently engaged
Obsessed with all things aqua and dragonfly
Easily distrac... ooh, shiny!
In love
"A memorizing beast"
Perpetually hungry
Incapable of basic mathematic equations