Because It's Sunday!

Who doesn't like to go back in time and remember what you were like as a lil' one?! Well, head over to A Complete Waste of Make Up and Link up to  share what you were like.

1. What do you miss most about being a kid?
I miss the sense of adventure. When I was little, I was basically fearless.  At the age of 4 and 5 I would wander off at the barn my dad worked at and be gone for hours. What was I doing? Splashing in a creek, swinging on a tire swing, jumped around on hay bales. If it looked kinda fun, I did it. Now, I think through all the consequences, do a pros & cons list, then thing. WWJD? (okay, that last part was a joke...)

2. Did you have a nickname growing up? What was it?
All my life, my parent, especially my daddy have called me Katie Girl. I love it and I hope that they call me that all my life.

3. What was your favorite thing to do at recess?

When I was in 1st-4th grade, I was really into the playground, playing pretend (i.e. house, stranded on dessert island, teacher etc.) but as I got a little older I like to play games like four square and basketball.

4. What did you want to be when you grew up?
I always wanted to be a teacher or an "Army Guy" For as long as I can remember, those were the two things that I wanted. No one knew that I wanted to be an "Army Guy" until my senior year in high school when I actually joined and followed my life long dream. And I might still be a teacher...

5. What was your favorite toy?

I really didn't play with a lot of toys. I had a cap gun that I really liked. And I always enjoyed playing Hotwheels, but what it came down to, was that when my parents got me some awesome toy, I usually had fun with it for like a week before I went back to spalshing in the creek or doing something that involved more imagination that toys.

6. What is the funniest thing you did as a kid that your parents still remind you about?

I was obsessed with tape, glue, and sciscors. I loved to cut stuff up, tape together toilet paper tubes and glue together anything that looked like it should go together. My mom washed some of my sheets a few different times to discover that I had cut a 100 little cuts into them. Lucky her, right? I also used big words apparently? I don't really know what my family means by that, but I was correcting them on their grammar by the age of like...7. Sad, I know

I'm the one in the chair. I still sit with my feet up like that...My mom gets so mad because I do it at the dinner table.

I was 3 years old in this picture (right) I remember getting dressed for this day and feeling like a lil' clown. I thought I was so cute.

I was a regular Picasso, no? Both of my sisters have pictures just like this one, and their teachers helped them. So there's are awesome and I have a lumpy face and crazy ears...(confession? I still draw about this well...)

1st grade...I was sooo proud of those missing teeth and was so excited to get my school picture taken without them. Check out my ears! They still stick out like that...

A List of Great Importance

I kind of want to talk about how I faced J last night for the first time since we broke up. But I also don't... So I'm kind to listen to the latter feeling and not talk about it. It was just...painful. If you're extra interested, you can email me and I'll spill. (but I'm guessing your not...)

Instead, I'm going to over-explain something that probably needs no explanation at all.
I have that list up there that hasn't got anything on it yet. There's a reason for that. I can't decide what the heck I want to do! What I have decided, is that it will be a list (hopefully finished by tonight!) that has a multitude of goals on it that I want to have accomplished by December 31, 2013. That means that I have 458 days from now to accomplish...however many things end up on the list. I have a feeling that it will grow and grow until it's impossible to finish by the dead line, but I've decided to take this approach:

"You are capable of more than you know. Choose a goal that seems right for you and strive to be the best, however hard the path. Aim high. Behave honorably. Prepare to be alone at times, and to endure failure. Persist! The world needs all you can give."
E. O. Wilson

source: brainy quotes

 

Basically, if there's a few things that miss, that's okay, but the world needs all that I can give, so I shall give it.

 

Each time I accomplish something or commence something that ultimately lead to the conquring of a list item, it will become a link on the master list to a post all about it.

 

It may not be all that exciting all of the time, but I hope that they might be something worth reading on occasion!

 

Wish me luck in all my endeavors. Things could get pretty messy!

 

P.S.--When labling this post, I used a trick I learned from Full House to remember how to spell "Success" now that is sad...

 

"...I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul."

I didn't have a computer yesterday, so today is "Thoughtful Thursday" on Friday...

In my 11th grade English class, we were required to memorize several poems.  It was not my favorite part of the class. No where near it in fact. I don't really like poetry. I can appreciate the skill it takes to write it, but I just always feel like the writers of it are trying much too hard to dig deep. Even though that's sort of the point of poetry; digging deep.

But there was one poem that struck a chord with me. It was "Invictus" by William Ernst Henley.  We were memorizing it around the same time that the movie Invictus was coming out in theatres so it was fairly familiar to us all.  Although then, I couldn't have known that it would be so important to me, I made a copy of it and I tucked it away for safe keeping.

Yesterday, I was straightening my room (that wasn't even messy!) and I pulled a blanket up from the ground and out came a sheet of paper from nowhere. It was Invictus. The poem that I just kind of enjoyed memorizing in high school so I made a copy. I read through it and I started to cry. Crying is definitely not strange for me. I do it on almost a daily basis, so I'm not sure why it was so different this time, but I stood up, wiped away my tears and I faced the day. All I thought about the rest of the day was that poem. "I am the master of my fate: I am the captian of my soul."  I can't give anyone else that position.

I make my fate. I am responsible for me and for the way that I feel and the way that I am. "I am the master of my fate:  I am the captain of my soul."

Invictus

Out of the night that covers me,
Black as the Pit from pole to pole,
I thank whatever gods may be
For my unconquerable soul.

In the fell clutch of circumstance
I have not winced nor cried aloud.
Under the bludgeonings of chance
My head is bloody, but unbowed.

Beyond this place of wrath and tears
Looms but the Horror of the shade,
And yet the menace of the years
Finds, and shall find, me unafraid.

It matters not how strait the gate,
How charged with punishments the scroll.
I am the master of my fate:
I am the captain of my soul.

Post #100

Well, I made it. Post #100. 

You know, I really like big benchmark posts. That way I can reflect on what my blog has been thus far. It has been a lot of things for being so young. I've been at it for a couple days over 7 months and things have changed....a lot.

My entire life is different from the day I started this blog...It even had a different name!  I've come so far...and I've also regressed a lot. I've made mistakes and I've done a few things right. When I started this blog, I was really excited about my future with a boy.  I couldn't wait to be one of those popular MilSO blogs that a million people followed and always had a zillion comments.

Well, 100 posts later, everything is different. I don't care about having a million followers (Although, I am always happy to see that there is another person on this planet who cares what I have to say!) and comments are nice and I really love to get them, but I'm not blogging for fame. I'm blogging to survive my life and maybe start loving it again...

It's amazing to have documentation of the person that you were and the person that you are becoming...

I think that is probably the best thing about this blog. It constantly changes with the person that I am becoming. Each day and each experiance is shaping me into the person that I will one day be.  Sometimes, I think that we have to be someone that we don't like in order the find the person that we do like. It's like...dating yourself. You've got to try the wrong things to know what the right ones are. And you've got to date (and almost marry apparently) the wrong man to know that he's not the right one for you...

Today, things are getting better.  I'm still...discontent. But I'm working really hard not to be. I think that eventually, I'm going to be okay and I'll be better for it...And hopefully, I learn from my mistakes.  I guess I have this blog to remind me how I felt/feel. 

Things will continue to change every day...and I guess I want to keep it that way.

And BTW, if you're visiting from the Walkabout, I recommend you visit the pages at the top so you can understand what on earth I'm talking about!

I'm actually starting to love my job...

If you've been reading for a while or you have read the "About Me" section, you know that I work in a call center. My center is a little bit different than most. We're not customer service or sale or anything. The company I work for provides phone service for the deaf and hard-of-hearing.  I work in a department that provides phone captioning for a maily hard-of-hearing users. (If you're someone who is hard of hearing or have family members who are, the phones are free! So send me an email and I can tell you where to go if you would benefit from this service.). What makes it nice, is we have zero after-call work. Once a call is closed out, my job is done and I wait for the next call.

Recently, I interviewed for a new position in my company and I got it. My official job title is "Mentor Assistant".  Basically, now instead of taking calls for 6.5 hours every work day, I get to take a few calls if I have time, I correct tests for trainees, I test people who apply, and I mentor any CAs who need assistance with their job.

Before, I was just taking calls. I stared at computer screen all day and basically had zero interactions with other human beings. That was not fun.  I was depressed because I didn't have any friends and I just...didn't want to be at work when 09 rolled around each day.

But now, it's a lot better. I get to chat with the people I work with and have awesome, intelligent conversation with them. I feel like a grown up with a big girl job and responsibilities. It's nice. It makes me feel a whole lot purposeless. And let me tell you, I have never had such a hard time defining my purpose in this world...

They say that 19 is just a hard age. You're transitioning into adulthood from a life in high school and it's just overall crappy. Well, they're just right. It's not fun..but I'm trying to make the most of it and I'm really glad that I'm starting to love my job. Hopefully it just gets better.

Sunday Socialosity

To avoid saying a bunch of stupid ranty stuff, I give you, the Sunday Social!

Head over to A Complete Waste of Make Up to Link-Up

1. What is something you have wanted to do but are afraid of?

I'm actually doing it right now. I've always wanted to be in the military. And I've always been afraid of it. But I really like to do things that I'm scared of. It makes me more confident when things actually work out when I was really terrified of doing it at all.

2. Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

I hope to be graduated from college and maybe even an officer in the Marines or the Army or something. Maybe I'll be happy then too. Guess we'll see in 5 years.

3. What are you looking forward to before the end of 2012?

I'm honestly just looking forward to 2012 being over...the past year has been so exhausting I'll just be happy when it's over and I can have a nice fresh start...

4. What are your hopes for your blog?

I hope that my blog will always be a place where I can go to express myself in any way that I want. I don't ever want it to be the type of blog that consumes my life. It's something I do on the side to say what I need to say. I hope it stays that way. And a gigantic following would be kinda awesome, but it's not necessary.

5. Do you always see yourslef living in your current city?

I don't know. I am definitely open to living new places and hopefully in my military career, I'll get the oppertunity to live a few other more exciting places, but I think Salt Lake will always be my home.

6. What is your morning routine?

07:00- Wake up...

07:15-Wake up again. Shower. Get ready for work.

08:15- leave for work (it's really too early to leave, but I still do it...)

08:35-arrive at work and play on the computer until I have to clock in at

08:55.

One Day You'll Wake up...

It's amazing how much things change.

 A year ago, Wednesday, last September 19th, I was laying in my bed, crying my eyes out because I wouldn't get to see the love of my life until who knew when...At that point, I had already written him a letter and was ready to send it off. I was missing him before he had even left the state.

I was looking forward to my chance to go to boot camp. I was excited for everything that was going to come and I could not have been happier

Now, here I am a full year later and I'm more miserable than ever. I'm working in a place where there's plenty of room for advancement.  I look better than ever, I'm running faster than ever, and I'm stronger that I would have ever thought was possible. I am back in the military against all odds, and I have a very bright future ahead.

Why on earth can't I just be grateful for it?!  There are so many good things in my life right now. What is it that makes me think that one person being in it or not makes it or breaks it...? It shouldn't. And, really, it doesn't.  But I'll tell you, today, I feel like this:

Beautiful Inside & Out

First and foremost, I suck at not washing my hair! I only made it two full days with no washing! This morning I woke up and my hair was all stuck to my head and I just had to wash it! This is what it looked like at the end of the day yesterday. Ga-ross. 

I'm sorry, but the Messy Challenge was too much for my grease-ball hair to handle! 

So this morning, I shower, blow-dried, and even straightened (I like...never straighten. I love that full just blown out look) and...

Voila. All Clean. 

But on that note, let's get down to the nitty-gritty.

Seems how I just finished (and was defeated by) the Messy Challenge, I figured it would be a good time to talk about self-image and why we do the things we do with our appearance. 

I think that, yes, often times the only reason that we get all dolled up is for someone else. Maybe we feel like we need to impress someone or that it's required of us to look a certain way due to the fact that we have a certain role or that we're female. But I think there's a lot of other reasons to get up in the morning with the intent to look fabulous. 

Being recently single, I've made it a point to dress particularly nice and look extra lovely each day. I don't do that because I want to catch the fancy of a new man (although, it would be nice...). I do it because it makes me feel good. It feels good to walk around at work and be confident in who I am. Sometimes it's really nice to show your confidence on the out side. Personally, it was something that I didn't care all that much about when I was in a relationship. It didn't matter to me if I looked nice because J wasn't around to care about how pretty I looked that day...

Things have changed. I look great because I want to look great. I dress up and put on some make-up because feeling beautiful makes me feel good. It's for me and for no one else. 

The Mess

I've decided to do something awesome.

I'm participating in The Messy Challenge.  That means, that I'm going to have some really gross hair for the next few days.

I have super oily hair. Lately, I've been trying not to wash it every day in an attempt to teach it not to produce so much oil. It has sort of been working, but I'm still a big ol' grease ball...

Here's what it looked like at the end of a single day without washing...

The idea behind this challenge, is that you shouldn't be required to wash your hair every day and do your make-up absolutely perfect so that society will accept you. It's about going against the grain and doing what you want to do with your appearance.

So I'm going to try not to wash my hair and let me tell you, it's going to get gross...

This morning I threw in this french braid and flexed for the camera to look cool.

That braid is my go-to "messy" hair-do

Messy.Dirty.Hair

And so it has begun. Day two with my greasy grossness. But isn't that muscle impressive? ;)

Insta-Tuesday

I've been wanted to link-up with Jane @ Taingamala for Instatuesday for weeks now! Seems how I've been doing a bunch of linking-up this week, I figured that I'd do that. 

1. I have been Cross Stitching a wedding gift that is giving me extremely mixed feelings, but I decided to try something new. Hombre! It's actually turning out really cool, and it's reminding me how much I love to cross-stitch!

2. I went to the Utah State Fair on Friday after work with my mom and aunt. I decided to try out a flexed arm hang at the Marine's Booth. I'm pretty sure I hung for around 50 seconds after not doing a hang for several months. BEAST MODE ;)

3. I've been going to the gym so much lately, that I'm starting to really feel it. I've been laying on the icy hot, scar cream and lotion for  all the chafing. It's getting to be quite the treatment.

4. A few nights ago my mom was busy with my little sissy. I made dinner from stuff we had laying around and it turned out being the a really awesome meal that I was so proud of!

Yay for Instatuesday!

Show & Tell

I've got a bad case of the Mondays, so I've decided to do some Show & Tell to distract from that. I loove this link up. Probably my favorite and I've only done it once.

Head on over to From Mrs. to Mama and Show and Tell!

1. Tell us what kind of student you were in high school {popular, nerd, sport obsessed, choir, etc}

I really didn't fit in any sterotype. I had a few close friends, did alright in school, and wasn't really that involved in anything. My senior year, I was on the Drill Team (competative dance team) which made my name known, but I wasn't like all the other "drill team girls."

2. Share with us some high school pictures. We know you have them somewhere.


I want to say this was my sophomore year at a bowling alley

Me with two of my High School Besties Post JR. year

I'm the one on the bottom right

Ice Skating my my Letterman's jacket. I loved wearing it. Such an honor right?

Peer Leadership team

Senior Dinner-Dance

Graduation!

I've got more somewhere, but I can't find them...Maybe I'll add more later!

3. Tell us about your school. Private? Public? How many in graduating class? Mascots? School Colors? 

I went to a public High school. There were over 400 students in my graduating class. My school had the IB (International Bacclaureate) Program, so we had lots of smarty pants that went to Ivy League schools after high school. Our mascot was the Husky and our school colors were Green and White. Back in the day, We also had orange. Some of the old school drill team costumes had orange on them. They actually look pretty sick too.

4. Tell us about some of your favorite memories of high school. Or what stands out the most? Any teachers? Specific classes?

To this day, I'm not one of those people that wishes she could return to high school. It wasn't the highlight of my life so far. I wasn't cool, I never got asked to a dance, and I really didn't have very many friends. I did have some great teachers though. Namely, my AP Art History teacher Ms. Bradley. She spoke in accents according to where we were learning about and made boring stuff seem so interesting. And my AP Lit. and Comp teacher. He sang folk songs for our starters that were usually songs I knew. It was awesome.

5. Tell us a piece of advice you would pass on to your children or any child entering high school.

Don't try to fit inot any specific mold or group, but get involved. Do things that look fun to you and try out for everything you want to. Never be discouraged by the things that you don't succeed at. You're still learning about who you are and what your strengths and weaknesses are. Chances are, you won't succeed at everything.  It's nowhere near the best time of your life, but you may as well live it up while you can.

 

Being Social

First of all, I recently updated my "About Me" and "My Journey" pages that you see above. Check them out while you're resting :) And if you're new to my blog, they will catch you up without having to read too much! Hopefully, I'll have "The List" posted soon. Maybe even later today if I have the time!

And now, to distract me from all the things wrong with my life, Sunday Social!

The Sunday Social is one of my favorite Link-Ups hosted by a Neely @ A Complete Waste of Make-Up. Head over and link up!



1. 5 items you can't live without on a daily basis(water, food, shelter, and clothes dont count) 

My iPhone, running shoes, Coke (a cola), Roku, and my "Forgetting Something?" notebook.

 

2. All time favorite book? Why?

The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen.  Although it's a book for teenages (technically, I still am one...so there.) I think that there is so much to learn from it. I got in from the library in 7th grade and I read all night until I had finished it and the sun had come up. I have never felt so close to characters in story as I did to those ones...

 

3. Something you'd like to accomplish before the end of 2012

I would really like to be...Happy. Truly genuinely okay with the place that I'm in and happy no matter what odds are against me at the time...

 

4. If you could go back and relive any year of your life which year would it be?

I would relive the year before my grandma died. I would take advantage of that last year that we had together...

5. What do you wish people knew about you without you having to tell them?

I wish that people knew how hard things have been for me... You never know what a person has been through, so you should always treat them like they deserve the best. Because they probably do...People don't do that enough. I think if they knew that I never ever get what I want or need maybe they'd understand why I am the way that I am.

 

A Letter To Me

Dear Katie,
I know that right now it feels like things are never going to get any better.
It might be a long time before things start to feel normal again, but I need you to do me a favor.
Please just try to keep your head up.
Stop blaming yourself for the things that happen to you. It's not your fault that things don't always work out.
Maybe give a smile a shot.
Remember that God doesn't allow trials to come your way that you can't handle.
There's so much more to life than this. I know that you are having a hard time right now.
I'm not going to give you a time line, and I won't sugar coat this.
It will not be easy. But you have to keep going.
Sometimes, things don't go as planned. Sometimes it seems like you just can't have anything that you want, but it will get better. I promise. Trust me...You have endured worse than this, and it will get better.

Yours Truly,

What if I wanted the extra large coke?

First of all, I would like to say welcome to my new followers! I hope you're enjoying what you've read so far! And onto the meat!

It's Thursday! You know what that means? I'm about to get all...thoughtful :) 

Today, my topic was handed to me while scrolling through my Facebook Newsfeed in bed this morning. I read an article through Yahoo News about banning "Big Soda" in New York City movie theatres and eateries. 

I have read several of the articles in that link to get as much information as I can before I get pissed about the fact that in New York City, they're telling me what size of drink that I'm allowed to buy.

Quick little summary of what is going on:

Soda is linking to child-obesity and is thought to be part of the reason that America is fat. (I drink at least one sugar soda a day and I'm 110 lbs. and a lean machine.... just BTW New York) So Mayor Blooberg decided to propose that the sale of drinks larger the 16 ounces be prohibited in theatres and restaurants...It was a pretty controversial issue but eventually, the Board of Health passed the bill. 

To me, the reason that this is so frustrating, is that a choice is being taken away. Sure, it's in a state on the other side of the country from me, and it doesn't effect me specifically, but what if it does some day? Why does someone else get to decide how much soda I can drink at one time?  Why don't they just grab all the people that are considered overweight and force them to start a diet?  

Basically, what I'm so annoyed at, is that soda is not alcohol. It isn't tobacco and it isn't drugs. It's a drink that people all over the world enjoy with their movie or their dinner or whatever. It doesn't need to be controlled...Sure, it has negative side affects, but so does running, lifting weights, biking etc.(remember how I broke my arm doing that?!) Everything we make the choice to ingest or activities we choose to pursue have side affects, but it's my choice whether or not I want to take that chance...Who are you to decide how much soda pop I drink? 

Okay, I'm done. I appreciate opinions and other points of views. Just remember, you don't have to be mean :) 

Frustration...

This is so very frustrating.
I get in this awesome mood where I feel like nothing can touch me. I look good, I feel good, and all the bad things in my life seem to fade into the background. It almost seems as if they aren't there at all. Then all of a sudden something small happens.  It's something completely insignificant that should not bother me, but it does. Then I'm a complete mess again.

I don't understand.

Right when things start to be okay and I don't want to jump off of a bridge anymore, something pops up that hurts me again...It isn't fair. I'm working really hard to be positive even though it feel like I haven't got a single reason to be. Why can't things just be okay and stay okay? At least for a while. I'm sick of losing sleep over matter that will never be resolved. :(

Yeah, I'm going to just pretend that post didn't happen. Instead, I'm going to talk about my favorite TV as of late. It's  How I Met Your Mother.  That show is pretty much the thing right now. Everyone knows about it, everyone loves it and it's constantly talked about. Maybe it isn't everywhere, but around here and among my Facebook Friends, it's all the rage.

I posted something on my persoanl facebook page that said something to the affect of "How I Met Your Mother gives me hope for my life. I feel like if Ted Mosby can figure things out after life gets stupid over and over again, I can to" It may have even said exactly that...

Now I'm aware that it's just a TV show, and for the most part, there's not gigantic life lessons to take from it like it's an episode of Full House or Sabrina the Teenage Witch or something.  I do however, think that there's plenty of good things to learn from it.

Yeah, I'm one of those people that digs for the moral of every story, but it tends to pay off, so I continue to do it.

What I learn form most episodes of this beautiful show, is that when everthing falls apart and seems like it's beyond repair, something comes along and makes it better. It doesn't have to be a permanant fix and it doesn't have to the end all be all of fixes, but things get better. Despite the fact that I have been down in the dumps for over a month now, I know that eventually, there will be something that will make this pain subside and things are going to be alright...

Thank goodness for How I Met Your Mother...It really puts things into perspective.

Oh Yeah! Don't forget to Link up with the Wednesday Walk About! With one of these lovely ladies!

Sarah - G.I. Joe's Wife 

Chantal - Scattered Seashells 

Jane - Taingamala 

Jamie - Handling With Grace

My First Drill

Oh my heavens...what do I say about my first drill with my unit as a "Pre-B" (that means Pre-Basic soldier, and I have been getting called that for two days)?

It was...interesting. First of all, I didn't know freakin' anything so I was ridiculously nervous. On top of that I was pretty late, but that was due to the whole not knowing anything. Then, they're like, "Hey, you're going to be here a while. Let's put you in a uniform. So they find me some ACUs that were thrown into a cage in supply. With some awesome ink stains, a gigantic cover, no boots, and the coat and trousers are about two sizes too big. Luckily, they didn't make me wear them yesterday.

I was just trying it out so I have in my earrings still...whoops

I just did a bunch of crap on the computer and wandered around trying to look busy. It wasn't all that exciting. Today, though, I learned tons of stuff. It was way fun. It was a really long day, but it was nice to be moving around and feeling like I had a bit of a purpose. A few guys took care of me and made sure that I had stuff to do. It was a lot better today.

Yesterday, though, I texted my friend and bitched like crazy...I was not a happy lil' camper. I was annoyed with like everything about the Army.  I'm so glad that today sucked a whole lot less.

Next drill, we're going to be doing a PT test. And I can tell you right now, I'm gonna pass that thing and prove that I belong there. And get this, I'm actually kind of excited about it!

P.S.--My blog design is sooo close to being so cool it's almost unreal so check back in a while and see if things around here have changed!

P.P.S.--If you haven't already "liked" my FB page you definitely should! I'm really excited to be expanding my blog to all types of social media. It's amazing to know that there are people out there are reading my words and appreciating my thoughts. It

Bloggy Stuffs

In place of Thoughtful Thursday, I've got some very exciting news! I got nominated for my very first blog award by Holly over at The Morrow.  Be sure to head over her way and check out her blog! Now, onto the big important stuff. 

I was nominated for the Leibster Award.

"The Liebster Blog Award is given to upcoming bloggers who have less than 200 followers. Liebster is German and means sweetest, kindest, nicest, dearest, beloved, lovely, kind, pleasant, valued, cute, endearing and welcome." - Says Holly's blog post!

I am sooo flatter to be recognized by another blogger! It's difficult to get noticed in the big-blog-world. It's tough for the little guys to find a place where we fit in. I'm really excited to be receiving this award!

 So here are the rules of this award:

- Each person must post 11 things about themselves.

- Answer the questions that the tagger set for you PLUS create 11 questions for the people you've tagged to answer.

- Choose 11 people and link them in your post.

- Go to their page and tell them.

So, here's my 11 People that I'm nominating for this award:
1.Amelia @ Hastings In Hawaii
2. Liz @ Liz's Diary
3. Katie @ Katers Potaters
4. Jamie @ This is Me; consequently
5. Sarah @ A Buckeye in Badgerland
6. Michelle @ You Had Me From Hello
7. Chelsea @ Diamond, Dog Tags & Diapers
8. Taryn @ From Here to There
9. Bri @ Tiny Texan
10. Mary @ This is How My Garden Grows
11.and I have to cheat because I don't follow another blog that meets these requirements

Eleven things about myself:
1) I am addicted to Coke(a cola).  I've tried to quit drinking it more times than I can count and I just can't do it. I love it way too much. 
2) The Beatles are my all time favorite band. They haven't always been, but sometime around when I was in middle school, I just fell in love with them and started listening to them all the time. At one point, I had 300+ Beatles songs on my iPod.
3)  I don't have any tattoos but I've been planning some since I was about 10. I'm too scared to actually go through with it...I'm hoping I'll grow the confidence to do it after AIT.
4) I only have one fear: Falling short and failing when someone is counting on me to succeed.
5) I refuse to say "Happy Birthday" to someone on Facebook if I didn't already know it was their birthday. Except sometimes if I only forgot. Then I will, but I won't just see that it's someone's birthday and tell them. 
6) I like change. When it doesn't feel like it's change for the better it can be hard, but for the most part, I'm really good at accepting new things and adapting my life around that change. It's unfortunate that that doesn't always work in my favor...
7) I hate to shop. I enjoy it when I've got a purpose and a set amount of money to spend, but I hate to just go and wander around the stores and look at stuff that I won't/can't purchase. So freaking dumb. It's probably one of the reasons I didn't get along with a bunch of girls in high school.
8) I think of myself as a bit of a loner. It may not seem like that to people who are only acquaintances but I feel like most of the time, I'm on the outside looking it. 
9) I hate to not be the best. This is a new thing for me. I used to be okay with doing my best. And now, I want to be the fastest, the smartest, the strongest...everything I can possibly be good at, I want to be the best. 
10) I am sooo cheap. I will do anything to save a buck. But I'll eat out pretty much every day. Food is the biggest exception to my cheapness.
11) I am so in love with blogging. I have always liked it, but I've never gotten so much satisfaction out of it like I have been with this particular blog. It's amazing and I love it. 

My questions for you!

1. Who was your childhood role model?

2. If you could trade places with anyone living or dead for a day who would it be and why?

3. Video games...Stupid or awesome?

4. If there you could relieve any moment in your life so far, what moment would it be?

5. What advice would you give to a brand new blogger?

6. Where is your dream home located?

7. Do you like to wear heels? Why or why not?

8. What is your biggest fear

9. You get to live inside of a movie. Which on would you pick?

10. When was the first big turning point in your life?

11. What would you eat for your last meal if you knew you would die tomorrow?

1) To you, who is the most inspiring person ever?

Tough question! I think that I would have to say my grandma.  She, although she probably rolled over in her grave when I joined the military, always believe that I could do absolutely anything I set my mind to. She would be so proud of me. Most of the things I do these days are fueled by her voice in the back of my head telling me that I can do it, whatever it might be.

2) What is the one thing you are most passionate about?
I have a passion for many things, but I would have to say that I'm most passionate about all things artistic (i.e crafts, paintings, sculptures, music, quilting...etc.) I appreciate all the things that I don't have the talent for and I pursue the things that I do. I love it all and I think that it has really enriched my life to have so much art in it. 

3) What is your favorite book of all time?
This is a very tough question. I haven't been reading much lately, but I have read more books in the past 8 years than most people do in a life time...If I have to pick one I'd probably say The Truth About Forever by Sarah Dessen. That might be silly because it's a book for teenagers, but when I read it, it changed my entire outlook on life. It took me about 9 hours to get through 300+ pages and I've read it cover to cover maybe 10 times. It's amazing and although it's tied with about 12 other books, in probably top 5ish.
4) What is the scariest thing to ever have happened to you?
My mountain bike crash was probably the scariest thing ever. I don't really remember it and that's what makes it scary. All I remember is flying through the air and waking up in the dirt very confused and in more pain that I could possibly comprehend. I looked down and saw my arm about 3x the size of a normal arm..You can read more about that HERE
5) Do you know how to use a gun/would you carry one? Why/why not?
I do know how to use a gun. I would definitely carry one, but alas, I am not of concealed-carrying-age...I believe that as someone who is able to shoot a gun well (I use that loosely...but I'm going to be an excellent shot one day, I swear it.) It's basically my civic duty to carry a gun. I would never dream of using it for anything but protecting my life and the lives of others when threatened. It's a right that I intend to exercise when it's legal for me to.
6) What is the best advice (in few words) that you can give to younger people?
Well, I'm a fairly young person my self at the ripe old age of 19, but if I was giving advice to someone in high school, my best advice would be "Have a back-up plan" and "It the grass is not greener on the other side, it's greener where you water it."
7) When did you really know yourself?
To be honest, I don't think that I do. I'm still kinda figuring that out. 
8) Do you think body builders are attractive?
Heck no! I think that muscles are attractive. but when your muscles have muscles and their muscles have children, there's a problem.
9) Worst injury so far?
The arm... (see question #4)
10) If you could go back and live at any time period, which one would you pick and why?
This question is really hard too! There's so many time periods I would want to live in. I would want to have lived through the British invasion (I'm in loove with the Beatles.)  But I also would want to go back to John Boy Waltons time and live through the 20s and 30s...I guess I wish that I was born in 1919 .
11) What is your greatest talent?
I'm a pretty good mandolin player. I took 2nd in the state mandolin competition and I'm pretty darn good at it. It's probably my most developed talent that I like to share with others. 

Big Things Coming

I'm doing this thing where I put way too much food on my plate and then I try and force myself to eat it all in one sitting...I decided that I'm going to have to get a doggy bag and finish when I get home. 

That was a terrible metaphor for "I have way too many things to blog about and not a clue how to get it all out in one post" I have decided to take this one post at a time meaning that I'm pretty much spreading one post into 2 or 3 days.

First of all, I was nominated for an award! Holly over at The Marrow has nominated me for the Liebster Award. 

I want to thank her so much for giving me my first ever award! It's tough to try and make a name for yourself in the Big-Blog-World but I'm doing my best and things like this really boost my confidence!   I will be responding to the award in my very next post! Watch for it! It's coming.

Also, my new blog design is getting closer to being completed!

We've had a few little technically difficulties that have delayed my design, but it will hopefully be all ready very soon! Are you excited? I'm excited!

In other big bloggy news, I have just created a "likable" Facebook page for Camo-Colored Chaos!

My new blog design will have a cute lil' icon that you can click that will lead right to the page, but until then, you can click HERE "Like" my page. Understand that everything I've got going right now is suffering from some...growing pains. Hopefully I can get the kinks worked out soon enough!

Don't forget that I also have a Twitter and Instagram account. Are you following? 

Click HERE to follow me on Twitter

And search @camocolored to find me on Instagram!

Happy Social networking! 

Up-coming Posts To Look Forward To:

Award Reception Dealy

Family trip to Lagoon Amusement Park

My first Yoga experience (Awesome BTW!)

First Drill

And much more...Stay tuned!

Wednesday Walk About

Head on over to Taingamala to Link up!

Although it's not required for the Wednesday Walk-about, I decided to do a short and sweet little "Meet Katie" post. Introduce myself to who might be dropping by!

I'm Katie, as I said before. I'm not yet 20 but sometimes, I think that I'm almost 30.

I recently joined the Army and my first drill is on Saturday.

I also recently broke up with my fiance and I'm basically a constant wreck pretending that I'm not.

I loove to work out. The gym is possibly my favorite place.

My blog started out as a way for me to document my engagement and then my life with my Marine...Seems how that didn't work out, my blog has taken quite a turn to a whole new world.

I have a lot of goals and aspirations for myself and for my life but for now, I'm kind of just working on being okay with everything the way that it is. I'm putting some things on hold and doing my best to just enjoy the things I've got going on right now and focus on the present...

If you'd like to follow my journey to being...more awesome? please follow my blog. You can also find me on Twitter and Instagram @camocolored.

I love to meet new bloggers so please don't be shy! Leave a comment or drop me a Tweet or something! I'd love to hear from you!

Wasted Day

Today turned out to be one of those wasted days. 

You know how sometimes you plan to get a whole bunch of stuff taken care of, then you look back on your day when it come to a close and you realize you only did the easy parts? That's happening right now. 

I planned to do a Blogstar post...I didn't.

I planned to bring some order to this crazy place I call my bedroom.  This too did not happen.

I planned to fix a nice dinner for the family...instead I got distracted by Grey's Anatomy and I again failed to accomplish my mission. 

I did, however, get my hair dyed. What do you think?

Before:

After:

I watched several episodes of How I Met Your Mother...I can't stay away from that show. 

I picked up my lil' sister from school and took tons of pictures of my hair while waiting in the parking lot

I worked out real hard at the gym.

I graduated to 15 lbs. dum bells! Woo!

And I mustered up the energy to take my sister out to dinner so that I didn't have to cook. 

All in all, it wasn't a bad day, just a waste of a day off that could have been extremely productive.  I guess that most days have the potential to be extremely productive, it just depends on how you feel when you get to the part where you actually get to the point of having to exert some energy to get something done...That's when the productivity dies. 

Wow, I sound lazy. 

First drill is this weekend! Stay tuned for that post...I'm sooo nervous!

Show & Tell!

I know I know...I'm posting twice in one day, but I saw this link-up and I had to do it. It is so adorable. Head over to From Mrs. to Mama and Show&Tell

1. Tell us what you are looking forward to this fall?

Fall is not always my favorite season, but I think this year it might be. It means a new beginning for me. That's what I'm looking forward to.  Fresh and crisp new start with hopefully some colder weather than last fall!

2. Show us your fall style. (head over to my Pinterest page for the sources!)

 

3. Tell us your favorite things to do in the fall. If you have children, activities to do with the kids?

Every October, my family takes a trip to a pumpkin patch. We all pick out a pumpkin (sometimes two!) and we carve pumpkins. Last year,I had a broken arm for this activity, so it will be nice to do it without any inhibitors!

4. Show us your favorite fall beverage.

You might call me crazy, but I don't like hot drinks...Not even hot chocolate. So, instead, I'm going to post a picture of soup...It's kind of a beverage, right? (Also linked to a source on Pinterest!)

Chicken Enchilada soup...Mmmm....

5. Tell us, how you will be participating in halloween this year. Plans? Costume ideas? 

Halloween might be my least favorite holiday. I don't like candy (I have majorly sensitve teeth that can't deal with the sweet) I don't like to dress up and I never had a party to attend...This year though, I'm going to try and look at it differently. I'm going to go to my grandpa's and eat chili just like I do every year. Maybe I'll find a party to go to and dress up as something inappropriate like all the other girls my age do! That would definitely be a change!

And there you have it. Maybe the cutest little linky party ever!