Fat Free, tapioca pudding.

As I was sitting on my bed, eating some fat free tapioca pudding (it has replaced the chocolate chip cookies in my life) I remembered that I have a blog. So here we are.

I leave to Utah in 9 days... I have honestly have had a countdown from 40. (It was the first mentally comrehendable number) And let me tell you, I could not be more excited. I have absolutely loved my time in Virginia. I have just decided that being a live in nanny  is NOT a good future career for me. I feel like a got a small taste of how the real world lives, while out here this summer. I was away from family, away from the mormon bubbles (Idaho and Utah) and introduced to how the average human of this race lives. I also have come to an appreciation for missionary work, enjoying the little things and surrounding myself with family and good friends. My little sister gets married super soon, that's been the hardest part for me. Not being able to be there for all the little things. Bridal showers, picking out lingrie (em) and eating future being married ice cream. That girl, along with my older sister, are my best friends. HERE I COME SISTERS!!

Single people out here are successful. My singles ward has all sorts of professionals doing really professional things. It has been an honor for me to rub shoulders with some pretty cool accountants, political people and chefs. I love the east coast fashion, good thing everyone in Utah might judge me when I come home and wear my navy blue elephant blouse with gold buttons.

I have learned that little kids understand more than I ever thought they did. That dinner for four adults is really not that hard to cook and that this church is true. I have never interacted with missionaries before, really. Working as a member missionary myself. It's just never been needed before. I was always intimidated by them. But as my age is ever increasing, I find myself older and less intimidated by them and more grateful for their service. Two years is along time. The missionaries in the Langley ward are great and I have really enjoyed being able to go to baptisms of people my age and watch their faith grow after they are batpized.

I am excited, and nervous, to come home. I have just told myself, for so long that this whole nannying all day is life. Now, that it's not anymore... here I come real world. Hopefully some dating, some good guitar playing and peace comes from returning home. It will. But... I feel like I am going to miss those boys. Three little boys that never ceased to make me smile. I am grateful for them.

Also, on my list of grattitudes is a girl named Megan. My so called "roomate" the past 4 months. I have never met a more patient, funny, great girl... ever. I will miss her. And she still ceases to judge me, or that she has told me. But she has big things waiting her... GO MEGAN!

I will come back her some day. I will have my own kids some day... but not right now. My east coast/children cup is full for a good while.

Happy August! Next time I post, my life will most likely be quite different. Can't wait!

Pics from my adventure to the Library of Congress and the National Capitol.

I decided today... I will be an optimist.

I have been on search for the past couple weeks.
The search for what I think is important in life. Still finding it, but have discovered more reccently out here than I ever have before.
 I have been given so many oppurtuities out here: my most reccent happenings include going to Ford's theatre. I decided that I admire Abraham Lincoln so much. He had so much on the line and did his best. The was a quote from W.E.B. Dubois that said something to the effect of, "he wasn't perfect but he was triumphant", I decided that would be the definition of my life. My future son will be named Abraham. I have met some pretty awesome people. I have taken up reading and have fallen in love with running and keeping my room clean. I miss my family and friends a whole lot.
Life is too short. I am commited to making every day count. The babies in my life right now are the best. I don't go a day without a small headache or some baby barf on me. I love them and the West family for giving me this oppurtunity. There is so much ahead.

I decided that today I want to be an optimist. There is so much beauty and blessings to behold. I decided to stop looking for everything that is wrong. Life is full of adventure and is only worth living if filled with people you love. I have 3 short weeks left to be out in the Distirct of Columbia. I love the history out here, I love the philosophies and the Virginian skyline. Life is too short.

When I get back to Utah I am going to hug everyone of my siblings so hard, I am going to hug the mountains and I am going to sleep outside... on the trampoline. I am excited to go back up to school and learn as much as my little brain can hold. As for the next three weeks... I am going to hug those babies, go camping at the beach and live everyday with as much wonder as I can.

Love that mom. Love that dad. Love those siblings. Love those friends. I decided to shower more often ;) and have offically an east coast girl. I am so blessed to be here with so many great people. I am very blessed.

Love those books.

Ford's Theatre.

True about everyone who has conquered.

L.I.F.E.

So this one time, I have lived in Virginia for almost 3 months. I have finally gotten used to the Katie life as nanny.It seems like a couple of days ago that I was up in Rexburg and home for a couple of days.

 Here's how it's going right now:

Went to the nation's capital on her birthday to help her celebrate. Talk about a crowd of millions of people. Great people who know how to celebrate. I enjoyed monuments surrounding me, the people and the frisbee after the fireworks.

Realized after a round of mini golf in 100% humidity, that I have alot of golf skills to improve.

Decided that the card game "fact or crap" is someone's good itention of testing knowledge to really be statistics. (your best guess will really on let you win on average 50% of the time)

Missing the family a little bit. The seem to be just fine without me, yet... maybe when I get home they will realize how much they missed me :)

I attended the baptism of a girl on Saturday that I didn't even know. I realized that I am inspired by people who live their lives by simple faith.

I have taken up reading. Hunger games have been on my mind this week. It is a little bit of a stretch to be enjoyable, but hey... I have to figure out what happens!

I reccently survived a storm that took out trees that knocked the power out for 3 days. No power. No water. My little person that has never experienced a natural disaster maybe had a couple of rough days. Kind of felt like the world was going to end. It was probably a mixture of the heat, the no food supply and no showers... SO grateful for the modern conviences that I have grown so accustomed to.

Went to a Nats game on Saturday and baked in 104 degree weather. They won. I fried. And I definitly enjoyed it.

Life is good. Everything will be just fine. Crazy how time presses forward; it never stops.

Life isn't always what I expect. People change and curcumstances do as well. This happens for everyone. Yet, because I have chosen this gospel as my way of life, I know that everything will be ok.

One time, on the fourth of July I ate lunch at Panda Express. My fortune said this

"Don't count time, make time count."

That has become my philosphy. I live for crazy adventures, laughing alot and making sure life consits of the people I love. This life really isn't that complicated. I am trying to fill mine with so much good that there is no room for the bad. MUSH. as my sister would say. :) miss those girls. Miss those friends. miss those parents. even the dogs that annoy me and enjoy it a little too much.

I have one month until I am home in Utah. Crazy that this adventure that has been so real to me... will be over.

Baseball Girls. Love them!

Me and Megan, just being nannies.

My best little bud Spenc telling me how much he loves the beach.

Love this place. The place that feels like home, so many miles away.

 Megan's boyfriend Bryce Harper just warming up.

An early morning excursion to the temple, took 1 1/2 hours. Gave food to a hungry man. And had a really great day.

The life of a firefly.

Out here, on the east coast, there are these things I have discovered called fireflies.:) 

Everyone who is native the area, judges the fact that I am SO amazed by them.

Last night, I caught one.

 As I was doing so I was talking to a friend and asked him the point of fireflies.

My answer was simple, yet so profound to me at the time.

"To make your yard more beautiful",  was my answer.

I being selfish, applied this to myself. It made me stop and think. This beautiful creature has no other prupose on this earth than to make my life more beautiful. Then I was brought to the thought of flowers, and sunsets. Candles, laughing and color. Temples are beautifully amazing, I think because heaven is the same way.

There is so much in this life to behold. So much to enjoy.

The fact that there are fireflies is a testimony to me that God wants me to be happy.

He sends me fireflies so that I can make it through the tough times. Let me tell you, there are tough times. I am pretty sure anyone who has lived past the age of 1, knows this. There will always be tough times, but I  know that as I focus on the beautiful and good things in life, that they will pass through me and I will be better because of them.

Just some thoughts.

Yesterday, I went to the beach. In annapolis. Part of the Chesapeake. Then to a first day of summer BBQ with some really great people.

The Beach.

I love to shower. bananas. sun roofs and the windows down. i love classical music. running. bodies of water. and people who live life and don't care what other people think.

My life is great when I focus on the people I encounter on my way.

I miss my family a baby bit. I miss my friends back home. But here is where I need to be.

My new Philiophy in life is now: simplicity.

 Also, side note: I went to Arlington National Cemetary last weekend. I enjoyed it SO much. The whole time I was reminded of my Grandpa. I was inspired by the countless lives of courage. I loved every moment of it. I am grateful.

Classy.

So this one time, now, my day to day

 life vs. adventure ratio is higher than

it has ever been previously.

 I have done 6 things on my bucketlist I would like to share.

#1: caught a crab.
 This consisted of me using a rope with a raw piece of chicken on the end and waiting. Waiting, and waiting. Waiting for what you might ask? I will answer: waiting for a crab to attatch itself to my piece of chicken and then slowly pull it up. Once visible, it was caught with a net. Yes, this takes intense concentration and skill (not really any at all). Yet, I waited and pulled. Ending up with a baby crab. Had to throw that one back. I named it, don't worry. Benny.

#2: Slept under the stars on the bank of the Chesapeke Bay.
 It was such lovely night, I brought out a sleeping bag and watched the stars until I feel asleep. Running total of shooting stars:1. I woke up to the sunrise at 5:30. It is probably the best thing I have done since being out here.

#3: Jumping spontaneously into jelly fish infested waters.
Yep, I got stung. I wasn't thinking and thought a dip in the bay would be FUN. I realized that my implusiveness is not always the safest characteristic to have, but hey it only hurt for a baby bit, and then swelled. I was told at leas one million times that peeing on it takes the sting away... didn't try it, but thanks for the advice.

#4: Went sailing.
 This inpsired me to live in North Carolina when I get older. I love the east coast. The fashion, the architecture, the history: all of it. There are so many people out here, everything is so much more diverse than my life in the mormon bubble. I am not complaing, I am just grateful for the oppurtunity to rub shoulders with some amazing people that have different philosophies than I do. Oh right, sailing. Loved it, sooo relaxing. I am definitly more of a speed boat type girl, press down the peddle and go really fast... that's my style.

#5: Saw fireflies.
It was the best thing that has happened to me since I have been here. Fireflies are the most captivating bug I have ever met. I watched them for at least 10 minutes, in front of a strangers house. They had no idea what I was doing, but their fireflies where so great. It was definitly an indescribable moment. If I HAD to describe it in one word, it would be: classy. I have never seen them before and all I wanted to do was take them all home and put them in my room. Although, up close and without a light... not so cute.

#6: Gained a deeper testimony of the gospel and the church.
 Still in progress and will be the rest of my life but while out here I have had many times where I had no where to go except my knees. Sometimes God is the only one in whom comfort can be found and strength can come from. Life is hard sometimes and only focusing on that is not a very fun way to live. After a while I got sick of that view because I truly do have SO much to be grateful for. So I prayed to see the good in my, and my little Katie self has found she has no room to receive all the blessings God has helped me realized. I have gained a more real testimony of my Savior's love and reality. Despite how impossible someting feels, with God NOTHING is impossible.

 And that is why my life is beautiful today.

Some like it burnt.

Soooo, tonight I burned dinner.

 I was making chicken and rice burritos and the rice burned real bad to the bottom of the pan. I have yet to burn anything. Well, if grilled cheese counts, then yes.... once before. I was able to fix it and make it look like it never happend, there was just alot less rice than I started with. Yet, by the end of the summer, my cooking skills will hopefully be epic. I have gained a love for cooking and a million pounds. But hey, I feel like it is worth it.

Adventures of the week:

Tornado warning today. Absolute pouring rain. I amcompletly in love.  Summer storms rock my world.

On my run today there was a real live turtle crossing the road. Me and Megan named in Rodney.

On my run on Tuesday, I left and it was drizzling: 2 minutes later it was pouring. I came home 20 minutes later completly soaking wet... and it was beautiful.

I got to eat white chocolate popcorn while watching the TLC channel. 2 of the most grand things.

I love Owen, Olive and Spencer. Sometimes they drive me a little crazy, but the fact that they smile when I come in the room is great. I would consider them my best friends right now.

Whenever I go to institute it is exactly what I need to hear.

My little sister inspired me. I love her view of life and want to incoporate it into my life, I called it the plan of ulitmate domination.

My thought process went from "what is being out here preparing me for" to "what happened in the past to prepare me for this"and then I got inpsired. God is very involved in my life. I can't see any farther than next week, but he sees it all. He knows what I need.

He also knows that sometimes I freak out, he helps me through that. He knows that rain is my favorite weather and that sometimes frosted flakes are THE BIGGEST tempation for me to aviod.

My friend from the ward is getting baptized tomorrow and I am making brownies for it. Yep, it is what she requested. I have never been to baptism of someone my age, I find it super refreshing. I also really love missionaries. The 2 missionaries in my ward are super great. It's wierd that missionaries are my same age. For the longest time, they were real old. Now, I am older than most of them.

 I love how there are so many different people in this world all in search of  many different things. But we all want to be happy. Everyone is the sum of what they have been through and my goal is to understand that and enjoy the person they have become because of that.

I fell in love with bananas reccently and they are SO good. They go well in oatmeal, which is what has become a regular with my morning routine.

I am blessed. These are just a couple reason why life is beautiful. I am now going to go say goodnight to the cutest little boys and then spend my Friday night dominating pile of laundry that has accumulated ALL over my room.

These are the faces I get to wake up every morning.

My first Nation Baseball game... worst hot dog ever.

Went to the zoo with Tara's super cute nanny children, and we saw llamas.

Memorial Day Weekend

So Wesley is at the vet right now, for that I am gratefule. Wesley is the nanny family's cat who has been barfing all over the house for at least a week. He has made his mark in every room, I hope he feels better shortly- I have a phobia of barf. Yesterday I went to the cutest little town Memorial Day celebration. There's this classy town named Vienna and me and Tara went there to check it out. It was the epitome of summer. Kids laughing while eating cotton candy, good music and street vendors ALL OVER! Good thing I didn't bring cash or else I would have bought everything. After that I spent the day by the pool while conversing with 6 other nannies who are out here for the summer in my ward. I think it's funny that we spent most of the time telling stoires of the kids, or some ridiculous moments with the parent/nanny discipling techniques. Surprisingly, it was enjoyable- it was good to hear that this is not only sometimes hard and awkward for me. We THEN went to a park to play a friendly game of football. Yep, not a huge footballer; but the boys I played with persuaded me to join them- so basically that means I ran from side to side never touching the balls. Boys can be so competitive.

On Saturday my adventures led me to a town called Bethesda to watch the coolest documentary about people who dominate life and follow their dreams. I ate at 5 guys for the first time- not too impressed, and then ate THE MOST DELICIOUS cupcake from georgetown cupcakes, and then went home to spend the next 24 hours preparing a talk that I gave in church on Sunday.

Life is great: Current life lesson I am learning- the power of positive thinking. About life in general, myself, and other people. It changes perspective which then is a catalyst to almost every other facet in life. I have so much to look forward too, and and grateful for all that I am able to experience.