Season of Thanks... And Cuteness!

My wonderful mom and big sister stayed up till 12:00 making these with me. We decided ours were cuter than the etsy ones :) we used printed ribbon instead of the classic fall colors. Emma and I had fun shopping for it, but since there was so much hot glue involved, she just watched us :) I had so much fun with these, and I made enough for all three of my nieces, Emma, Phoenix, and Eva; my bff's little sis Kelsi;and the girls I babysit, Abigail and Sariah :) also made a couple tie tacks, one for my brother-in-law on Emma's request, and one for Bryan :) They're super easy and way cute! Here are some other DIYs and crafts I'm excited to do:) Enjoy :)

Georgia/Thanksgiving Craft with Emma

I'm down in Georgia for the weekend, and I got to start the day doing baptisms at the Atlanta Temple (a seperate blog post about it will follow-- all I'm saying is that something cool seems to happen everytime I go there!) Afterwards, I spent the day at the mall with Bryan and we had SO much fun! He loves Taylor Swift almost (if not more) than I do, so we sang along to her new album the whole way! I helped him pick out some new shirts, jeans, and a pair of shoes (his parents told me that I had to approve of it before he could buy it--haha!!) We got lunch, hit the Godiva chocolate store, and snacked on some homemade teriyaki beef jerky my dad sent down. It was such a fun, chill day :)

NOW, I get to spend some time with my niece... and since I love holidays, we're going to make a few of these darling little turkey hair clips for her and her friends:

 

 Cant wait!!!
Loves,
Kat

Thank You, Mitt Romney

I just want to express my love and gratitude for our republican candidate who ran against Barack Obama this year. Although I'm pretty disappointed to see our country turn down one of the best candidates we've had in years, I'm thankful to be a free young woman in the most amazing country in the world.
Tonight at mutual, Brother Payne read this message from the First Presidency:

We congratulate President Obama on winning a second term as President of the United States.

After a long campaign, this is now a time for Americans to come together. It is a long tradition among Latter-day Saints to pray for our national leaders in our personal prayers and in our congregations. We invite Americans everywhere, whatever their political persuasion, to pray for the President, for his administration and the new Congress as they lead us through difficult and turbulent times. May our national leaders reflect the best in wisdom and judgment as they fulfill the great trust afforded to them by the American people.

We also commend Governor Romney for engaging at the highest level of our democratic process, which, by its nature, demands so much of those who offer themselves for public service. We wish him and his family every success in their future endeavors.


I want to really make sure that I start praying for our country on a more regular basis, and for our president as well. I believe any man or woman who has the desire to take America's problems into their own hands is a hero, regardless of their political views. I'm so grateful that we are free, and that our country isn't ruled by some evil dictator.
I am grateful that Mitt Romney made it so far. I supported him until the end, watching the debates, listening to some of his speeches (including his wife's!!!), painted my nails with his R slogan, and even wore my Romney shirt to sleep on election night! Haha! Here's to the next four years. May the odds be ever in our favor ;)
Loves,
Kat

Happy Halloween!!

This Halloween hasn't been insanely fantabulous since it was in the middle of the week, not that theres much {fun, clean} partying to do for small-town high schoolers like me (unless your definition of "party" is the ward Halloween Trick or Trunk!! Party hard, face painting, getting big hugs from a snipe-hunting deacon, candy-greedy toddlers...haha)! But I DID get to go trick or treating for UNICEF through the Key Club. My friends Ella and Madison and I raised *drumroll* a little over NINETY dollars!!!! Felt so good to know we were helping people out :) Plus, I got to wear my cute Halloween skirt and headband I made:) it was a fun day, but I am def looking forward to next year (def dressing up-- Kate Middleton, hmm?) and then fun Halloween parties at BYU (check out my brother's sweet costume-- can
you guess?)the year after!! Woohoo!!:) Happy Halloween, y'all. :)
Loves,
Kat

Georgia Babyyy!!!

It goes without saying that I have just fallen in love with Georgia. I've been there so many times, but for some reason, this week was just more...magical!! It's been a couple years since I've gone down, so now that I'm {finally} sixteen, my sis Haley set me up on a date with a cutie from her ward.
Well, let me tell ya about him:
His name is Bryan. He's 17 and a senior in high school. Dark hair, dark eyes, thick eyebrows, cutest smile EVER. :) over 6 feet tall!! He has the most non-southern accent I've ever heard, yet he LOVES country music and fishing! He's in JROTC and has a twin sister who is the most gorgeous girl I have ever seen!! One of 6 kids in his family. He is THE Mr. Fancy Pants. We have this ongoing joke... I bought a bottle of the Essie Fall Collection and about died laughing when I saw the name: Miss Fancy Pants!!! Cracked. Me. UP!!!!:) It kills me how picky he is... Never tried a banana but says he hates them? Ordering fries and wings at a Mexican restaurant?? Waddup with that?? But his testimony is so strong, and he's such a spiritually-minded person that it makes up for it ;)
For our date, we went fishing :) He's like a pro. We had so much fun talking and getting to know each other!! We became fast friends :) we got fro yo and I made try kiwi for the first time!!! I went to his seminary every morning and he sat by me EVERY time :)
In the meantime, I LOVED going with my sister to take my twin nephews to preschool every morning. William and Jonathan are just the cutest little boys ever, and Emma is growing up WAY too fast!!
Haley and I went thrift store shopping at Goodwill and I found the tacky Christmas sweater of my DREAMS! We were cracking up at the hideous prom dresses from the 90's and full-body jumpsuits straight from the 70's! Talk about an adventure!! We did some REAL shopping at the mall and we both got a pair of cute leather boots for the fall! So excited to wear them!! We also HAD to hit the Godiva store... Our tradition :) my mom bought us each a Pandora bead, and I picked the "Journey" bead for all the places I love to travel to, and all the people I miss like crazy when I can't be with them! I feel like my sister and I became a whole lot closer this week.<3
The highlight of the week was most definitely the temple. I've seen pictures of the Atlanta temple and thought yeah it's pretty, it's a temple, all temples are pretty. But seeing it in person... It is absolutely beautiful!! It's amazing how all your worldly troubles just seem to melt away once you step on temple grounds.
In my session, it was only me and this older woman named Sister Smith. It was her first time at the temple and she was going to be baptized for her mother. Her eyes widened as we went into the baptismal room. During my baptisms, I noticed the Christening date for one of the names. It was October 18, 185-something. That day was October 18, 2012!! I felt so happy inside to know that this woman was being baptized on her Christening anniversary!!! :) back to Sister Smith. As I was back in the changing room, I was fixing my hair when I heard Sister Smith come in. The temple worker told her,"Now you can take a shower if you like." She said,"No thank you, I want to leave the water on me." In a dreamy voice, she sighed,"it's like a kiss from Jesus." Awhhhh!!!!!:):) I was so happy she felt that way in the Lord's house.
It was a wonderful week :) If I didn't have to go to a stupid football game, I could have stayed and gone camping with my friends!! But I'm going back tonight for Bryan's stake dance, and I thought I might as well stay for church tomorrow!! Tonight is going to be soooooo fun!!!:)
Stay tuned... ;)
loves, Kat

It's Feelin' Like Fall

FALL BREAK woohoo!!! :) I'm VERY excited to be going to Georgia next week to see my big sister, Haley and my sweet little niece Emma and twin nephews Jonathan and William. I miss them so much and cant wait to see them!! :)

I plan on going to the Atlanta Temple to do some baptisms (thats a new favorite must-do: visiting a temple when I go to a different place! So uplifting and sweet.)

I've never been, so that will be a wonderful first time experience!!

I LOVE shopping with my sister. We're going to go shopping (of course!) and I'm looking

for a new pair of rain boots that actually fit me haha :)

I'm after a pair of cute bright Hunters. Decisions, decisions...

I think its going to be a battle between the pink and the red. Looove the blue too :)

They're on the expensive side, but I would make them last through college and my mission :) I love this fall season, and love that I get to spend this break with my family <3
Loves,
Kat

Castles Fit for a Princess

This weekend I was so blessed to be able to go to the Nashville temple with my childhood best friend and his ward on Saturday. My ward was scheduled to go Friday, and my heart sunk because I have an obligation to be at every Friday night football game until November. Adam visited us over Labor Day weekend, and I discovered his ward was going the very next day!! Bishop Daddy called Adam's bishop and I was set :) I am so thankful for this tender mercy of the Lord, that He helped me to be at both the football game where I was obligated to be, and also at the temple, where I needed to be.  He knows how I love temples and how important it is for me to go whenever I can. Here are some snapshots from not only this fun weekend, but the other beautiful temples I have been so privileged to do baptisms in. :)

Nauvoo 2012

This summer went by so quickly!!! So much happened, but my week at EFY in Nauvoo, IL was definitely the highlight. :)



Cole and I were so excited the whole 9 hours driving from Tennessee to Illinois. watching the GPS  and the Mississippi River before we finally reached Nauvoo. We rounded the corner, up the hill, and this came into view:



That night, my parents, Cole, and I got to see the Nauvoo Pageant. It was so incredible, and the perfect way to start our time in Nauvoo!









One of many of the beautiful paintings in the hotel. This one is my favorite!

The next day at church, we went to the Nauvoo Ward building and it was PACKED! The bishop made an announcement that Sister Elaine S. Dalton, the Young Women president of the church, would be meeting with the youth that evening and that all the young men and young women were invited to come! Like, oh my goodness!!! I was super excited!! It was so cool to see her in person, and she was absolutely beautiful! I got a chance to meet her and talk to her. She said, "I saw you sitting there in the front. You are so beautiful! You just glow!" I noticed how she would stop and talk to each of us individually, giving us her full attention. I even met her husband, and he is SO funny!



I honestly believe I had the best company. I roomed with not one, not two, but SIX girls! I walked into the crammed room with four bunk beds, three outlets, and one bathroom wondering, "Is this going to work for a whole week???" Well, let me tell ya, those girls over the week became like sisters to me, and somehow we were able to make the lack of space work haha :)

Our games night was so much fun!! We were the John Taylor company :)







Yeah, we just had the temple right there, everyday :)


We painted John Taylor's pocket watch on our banner :) It blocked the bullet when he was shot at by the mob in Carthage Jail, and it saved his life!

First stop was at the Pioneer Cemetery.




Touring Old Nauvoo was wonderful. It was so neat to think that the Saints walked these streets, that this is where so much history important to the Church actually happened.

The Red Brick Store that Joseph and Emma owned. :) It's also where the Relief Society was organized and where some of the first endowments were done.

My friend Holly and I at the graves of Joseph, Emma, and Hyrum.


We walked the Trail of Hope...




And to the shore of the Mississippi where the Saints left Nauvoo. It was such a reverent moment to be standing there with each other.


I found these names in the pavilion by the river. I dont know if they were related to me, but they're just as good as family to me. Seeing this made the experience feel so much more personal.

At Carthage Jail.








The next day was amazing! We toured Old Nauvoo and did baptisms at the temple. :)



 


Excited about our bricks, are we? ;)


The Taylor Company in front of our namesake's home  and Printing Office:)



The story of this little wooden horse was so touching. John Taylor carved this rocking horse for his son when he was really little. He took this horse everywhere, and loved it more than anything. When the Saints had to leave Nauvoo, John Taylor's son knew better than to ask if he could bring his toy horse on the wagon. They could only bring the bare necessities, and although it broke his heart to leave it behind, he never said a word about it. As they traveled, John and his wife kept asking him what was wrong. He just shook his head, not saying a word.
As he put his son to bed one night on the trail, John asked him once more what was the matter.
"Please tell me what's bothering you. I can't help you if you won't tell me."
His little lip trembled, and he whispered, "My horse..."
Nodding his head, John Taylor kissed him goodnight. That night, he mounted his horse and rode for miles all the way back to Nauvoo. He quietly sneaked into his abandoned home, got the wooden horse, and rode back with it tucked under his arm.
The sister missionary who told us this story continued on to say," Our Father in Heaven is the same way. He wants us to ask him when we desire something that is important to us. He doesn't want us to keep quiet about it. 'Ask and ye shall receive'..."

The Printing Office :)

And this was a big letter!! In the Printing Office, you go in and learn where the phrases "Upper Case", "Lower Case", "Cut to the Chase", "Laid to Rest in a Coffin" and "Ding Bats" came from. Life made so much more sense when we left that place haha :)



"Ding Bats" are pretty things that take up space-- so next time you're called a "ding bat" you can take it as a compliment ;)




In the Cultural/Masonic Hall
Aren't we just super cute?:)


Talk about a Throw Back Thursday ;)


Hey, you gotta live life to the fullest, why not ride a fake sheep, princess-style? YOLO ;)

Pioneer girlies :)




Prairie Diamond ring from the Blacksmith :)


The girls decided just to wear our Sunday clothes all day, but the guys wanted to keep their white shirts and good shoes clean, so we helped them carry their stuff. ;)


"Guys, pretend like we're walking!!" Haha i love them so much :)




In the school house :) She was the cutest little sister missionary ever!!


This song was a big part of our time in Nauvoo. It seemed that we heard it everywhere we went, so we would sing and listen to it as we walked through Old Nauvoo :)


Found these two names in the list of missionaries at the Seventies Hall. I intend to do some family history research to see if I'm related to them (fun fact: one of my brother's name is Daniel Hitchcock!)
And for the highlight of the week: the temple.








I love going to different temples around the country to do baptisms. I've been inside some gorgeous temples, but Nauvoo has to be my favorite. There's just something about that place, something so special that makes you feel so much closer to heaven. Everywhere we went, you could see angel Moroni peeking over the treetops, a constant reminder to us of who we were in the Lord's eyes.



Last company devotional by the temple!


Free time!





This cracked us up ;)


Ze dannnce babeh! All the chicas in my company :)


One thing I've learned in my three years of EFY: you will say goodbye about 100 times to the same people before you actually leave!



Jeremie and Daniel were so sweet-- one last EFY escort, and to my gate before my plane took off! Such sweethearts, I miss them so much already! Jeremie has been in Ecuador for the past few weeks. Go check out his blog




My friend Holly went to a Church History museum and saw the actual pocket watch that belonged to John Taylor. How cool is that?:)

The best part about Nauvoo is the impact that it still has on me today. I had to jump right back in to school the week after EFY ended, and anytime I felt like the world was starting to have its influence on me,  anytime I felt sad, stressed, or even lazy, all I had to do was think about a moment from Nauvoo and I was immediately straightened back out. I have little reminders everywhere to keep me in that state of mind: a picture of the Nauvoo temple, my brick, a necklace with the blue and red star design that's on the temple, a piece of wood with "Nauvoo Pageant" burned into it, a small sunstone that resembles the ones on the temple, the EFY music, and allll my pictures :)
 Here are some of the lyrics to my favorite EFY song, "Best Days of Our Lives":
"I never knew
That the moments could get better
But they do.
'Cause He knows my story and what I'm going through.
I know the greatest days are waiting up ahead..
Waiting for me and you, and
Lookin' back
I never saw this in the future, but here we are
Now
Here with all our friends
And here we go.
But I won't say goodbye cause this won't be the end
To the best days of my life...
And now I see a bigger picture
From a place that I could never see before.
There's so much waiting up ahead
So many memories and I know that there were more...
But I won't say goodbye cause this won't be the end
To the best days of my life."

These days in Nauvoo were some of the best days of my life.


Love always, Katherine