I need a visit to my happy place.

There are some certain places that I would love to go to right now. They just always make me happy.... or they did when I was there.

Huntington Beach, California. So amazing! It was beautiful and I had never seen the beach before so going there was a definite treat!


Disneyland/California Adventure -More specifically the ferris wheel at California Adventure. I went on it with Spencer but when we were on it they were testing the Wonderful World of Color. That was a treat to see because they do it right by the ferris wheel. So much fun! That whole day at Disneyland was so much fun!

I would love to go back to high school some days. That is for sure! I need to get away from finals stress that will be hitting even harder at the end of the week... that is for sure. High school brought a lot of happy days to my life. I kind of want them back. This semester has been kind of a downer mostly. Fun, don't get me wrong, but kind of an emotional roller coaster.

Lifehouse... I love that place. Always. No question. It makes me happy

My happy place though is in my dancing mind. I can just go there and everything is hunky dory. Can I go there now instead of being at work?? or having to deal with finals or cleaning checks?? haha I love it but it can get overwhelming.

18 years come and gone

I was reading a blog that a friend of my sister's has. I read what she did when she had her birthday and I thought it was a great idea!

18

This year was full of so much jam pack stuff -good and bad.

18 meant me being a legal adult.

18 was when I graduated from High School

18 lead me to going on Choir Tour. We went to Anaheim, California. This was the first time I had ever been to California, seen the ocean, been to an actual beach, and been to Disneyland (which truly is the happiest place on earth)!

18 brought me to getting to know one of my best friends.

18 lead me to have a boyfriend that I had longer than two weeks, and am still friends with. I personally don't count the other two... Tyler Nicosia and Neal Pemberton only lasted about two weeks.

18 had me getting into BYU-Provo.

18 was when I got accepted into the Dance Education Major at BYU-Provo.

18 was when I finished paying off my first car by my self!

18 gave me my job at BYU Independent Studies.

18 was when I became a dance teacher at my old dance studio Lifehouse Performing Arts Academy.

I loved being 18, as hard as this last year has been on me emotionally, it really was a treat for me. I had enough bad/hard times but I would rather not look back on them.

19 what do you have to offer me?

Who am I to marry?

Well. This would be a whole lot easier if I actually was dating someone or if I was actually married.

I have a few people that I would love to marry but honestly, I don't know who it will be.

My Mom and my sister would want me to say a certain boy named *Nick* (name has been changed for my own good) but right now I just want to get through school. I am not really ready to think about marriage. I just got out of high school. Why do I feel like everyone is rushing me to start dating? I just got out of a relationship and I don't want my heart broken again to soon. Why would I do that to myself?

I don't know who I will marry. I guess I will answer that when I actually thinking about getting married... so in other words -ask me in a couple years.

Nicknames

Nicknames are fun. Some can be embarrassing but they are mostly fun.

Katy: All around nickname but not a lot of people call me it. It is mostly said by Lexi, Spencer, Ben, and my mom.

Katy-did: Jason, my oldest brother, started calling me this when I was born. We lived in Indiana where Cicadas are called Katy-did's out there. Katy came to Katy-did when he looked at me because I looked like a bug. haha

Wheeze: My papa calls me this all the time.

Squirt: Jason,once again, calls me Squirt. I am the squirt of the family so it makes sense for him to call me this.

Katybug: A few of my friends went on a stint of calling me this during jr. high.

I guess I don't have a lot of them. hm. haha

Plans, Dreams and Goals

I have a lot planned for this week! Actually for the rest of the semester in reality. :)

First up is driving down to Snow College tonight and then back to Elk Ridge tomorrow afternoon. I am watching the weather don't worry. The storm isn't supposed to hit the Nephi area until like 7 pm on Tuesday. It is clear for the rest of today and through the night. I am staying the night at Lexi Brown's apartment and we are going to party hardy all night long and then come back up in my car.

Next on the agenda is having a good birthday on Wednesday. I can't believe that I am going to be 19 years old. That just seems so weird to me. I don't know why but it is. After last year, I want to have a birthday that I won't forget! 19 feels like a big deal for some reason.

Thanksgiving! I am planing on it.

Friday is going to be a night with Celeste Lee, Christy Pray, and possibly Celeste's boyfriend Tyler. Christy asked Celeste and I to be her bridesmaids for her wedding and we are super excited. We are going to talk about her reception and catch up on each others lives and what not! I am longing for this night to come.

Saturday will be another girls night. This one will be two other friends of mine Ashley Smith, and Lindsay Fulton! We are wanting to get together because we miss each other very much. I love these two girls and can't wait to see them!

December plans and goals are to finish my FIRST SEMESTER OF COLLEGE!! Yahoo! That seems so crazy to me at this moment that I will be that much closer to getting my degree. Yeah I know I have like four to five more years here but I am taking it bit by bit and so far, so good.

Long term goals are things like getting my degree from BYU. I plan to make the Dance Education Major turn from a 5 year program to 4 or 4 1/2 years. I plan to take Spring and Summer classes to do my generals that way really. Another goal- find a rocking apartment that I love for the Spring/Summer terms to see if I want to live there for the Fall. I have a couple that are on my list so far and can't wait to keep looking and what not.

Getting married and raising a family. No not just married, but married to someone worthy of his priesthood. He will want to take me to the temple and start a family with me. That is my ultimate goal. I know that getting my degree is on the high priority list at the moment and that is okay with me. I don't want to get married super early. I want to get married to the right man who will treat me with respect and treat my children with respect as well.

Become a dance teacher. I am pretty much there on this one. I got a job at my old dance studio and I am loving every minute of it so far.

Last but not least- be financially stable for my whole life. I need to be better at managing my money. I am doing a pretty dang good job in my opinion but there is always room for improvement. It can only get better right?? Well let's hope. I want to be financially stable enough in my life, single and married, to be able to go on a mission.

Why switch lives?

Who would I want to switch lives with for a day? I have never really thought about switching my life to live in someone else's shoes. In reality this question wants me to say, I hate my life and I want to live this person's life because the grass looks greener. But it isn't the case for me. I think my grass looks greener at the moment.

Life is going so well.

I am turning 19 on Wednesday. As weird as that seems to me to be an adult (yeah... 18 didn't really count until I moved out) and as much as I am kind of fighting it, I am now starting to get excited. I get to be with my family and friends on my birthday. I am one of the lucky Freshman because my family lives so close. I can see them almost any time. Another plus about my birthday... It is around Thanksgiving so my friends will all be home! YAY!

I am dancing everyday. Not just three times a week for hours on end, but every day for hours on end and I love it! I can do what I want and I can become better in an environment that I grew up dancing in. How is that not lucky?

I am an aunt to 23 wonderful nieces and Nephews and still more to come. I love them so much- even the old ones aka Caleb, Daniel, and Jared. They are like my own children. Hopefully I can take the lessons of being around them as they grow and as my siblings teach their children into my own teaching as a mother.

I have the gospel in my life and have had the opportunity to be a teacher in Relief Society and have wonderful teachers and leaders that have helped me gain the testimony that I hold dear to my heart.

See these are just a few, literally a few, things that make me happy to live in my own shoes. I guess I wouldn't really want to switch lives with anyone for a day. Not even a celebrity because I think I have the better life.

Yet another side of me

I am supposed to put up another picture of myself? Okay then.

The last picture I put up of myself was just of me smiling... Here is one that says who I really am. A Dance Education Major in the making.

This picture was taken by Elise Williams. I was bored today during work so I took it and added my own little Photoshop flare.

Well, I don't have an ipod...

Well, seeing as I don't have an ipod, this is the closest thing... Grooveshark! Yay!

I am supposed to put my ipod (gooveshark music) on shuffle and put the first 10 songs that pop up. This will be interesting since I have a lot of two artists and then some random songs thrown in there as well.

1: Heart Cooks Brain by Modest Mouse- I was recommended to listen to this song by Spencer. I like this song a lot.

2:Sweet Chariot by Charlotte Martin- Danced to this song last year. Brings back good memories

3:Nemo Egg (Main Title) from Finding Nemo- This song has a meaning to me that I don't want to explain. It is very personal and I miss those days.

4:Let the Rain by Sara Bareilles- Love love love this whole album! (Album is Kaleidescope Heart)

5: Safety Dance from the show Glee- Yeah boy!!

6:Bluebird by Sara Bareilles- Yes I have a lot of her. She is my one of my favorite artists. Especially lately.

7:Float On by Modest Mouse- Also recommended by Spencer.

8: The Best Two Years from the movie The Best Two Years- I used to think about David when I heard this song but now I think about Joseph because he is out there as well.

9: First Train Home by Imogen Heap - Another great song from another great album and another amazing artist! (Album is Eclipse- her most recent album)

10: Better Together (Hawaiian Version) by Jack Johnson - I found this one by mistake and I love it more than the original.

:) There you go! A small look into what music I love to listen to.

Familie

James (papa), Christina (momma), Jason, Adam, Chelsey, Jess, Adrianne, Lindsey, Lance, David, Gillian, myself, and Ammon the stud.

That is my family for you.

The picture was taken at Gillian's wedding so this has her in her dress and her husband is in the picture as well.

Letter to...

Writing a letter to someone that has hurt me recently -I don't really know who I would write a letter to. I have had some things happen where I was hurt but I don't like to hold grudges. I guess this will help me let go of one...

Lindsay Chant-

You have hurt me in a way that is hard to repair. I felt emotionally abused in your class. You were a great teacher, but not for me. I did learn a lot from you but I didn't feel like you wanted me to learn. I don't know if you saw what I have to offer and how good I am. That doesn't matter anymore though, because I see it, the teachers there at Lifehouse saw it. Apparently I have talent because I got into the Dance Education major at BYU.

You made me feel like I would never get there, well guess what? I did. I have learned more about how to hold my core in a contemporary class than I have in your class for the past four years.

Thank you for those days where I would get something out of you. I know that I can turn and my turns, especially on pointe, got so much better because you helped me.

What I need from you now, is respect. I can only respect you when I feel like you have a shred of respect for me. I am at your level now as a teacher. I am no student of yours anymore and I need to be treated that way from now on.

I am letting go.

Kaitlin Clark

Why Blog?

My family lives in pretty different places.

We go from Elk Ridge, Utah, we extend to Provo; Salt Lake City; Iowa City; Dayton, Ohio; Cherry Hill, NJ; Fairfax, VA; Tampa, FL; and Weisbaden, Germany.

We started the blog as a way to keep in contact with each other and to know what was going on. We have a family blog and then we all have our separate blogs. I don't really know why I started one but I am happy I did.

Blessed with Friends

I have a lot of friends that I wrote down for this day. Pictures of my friends and I... Well I decided to mix it up a bit. Here are the friends that I have been close to for a while or are just getting to get to know them.

First up-

Trace Marriott.

He isn't that much of a Cowboy as he looks, I promise. ;) He is from Salt Lake City. He got his mission call to Argentina and goes into the MTC the beginning of March. I will miss him very much. He has become a great friend who I can tell anything to and I appreciate that. He is the 11th child of 11... Big family... sound familiar?

Next we have....

Joseph Mohrman!
This picture was taken (obviously) at our high school graduation.

He is currently in the Netherlands on a mission. He just got on Monday. I miss him dearly. He was one of those guys that made me feel so much better about myself no matter what. He always encouraged me to do what was right. He was actually the one that told me that I would be married before he got back from his mission. He then would add, "I hope not because you want to go on a mission, and I hope you can." He really has helped me get through a lot of things. We were able to go to the Temple and do baptisms. He did the actual ordinance himself and that was a day I will never forget. I can't wait until he gets back from his mission so we can play again!

My roommates!
Tiffany Yeates and Deanna Cardwell
This picture was taken during Halloween weekend. So much fun!
When I moved to Provo I had no idea what was going to go down between me and my two roommates. We never had met each other before but we clicked with in the first day! We have many many inside jokes and I love it! I will never forget these girls.They have been amazing.

Spencer Kearl Ericksen

This picture was of us during the 4th of July weekend.

Yes we used to date and things were hard after we had to break up but we are at a place where we are great friends. He makes me laugh all of the time just by saying little things. His friendship is more important to me than anything that we had when we were dating. I think he is a great guy. He is a percussionist and down at Snow College on a scholarship. So yeah, I am glad we are friends now.

Sarah Clark

This picture was taken in Seattle outside of the Museum of Flight. We were on Choir tour (junior year for me) and we were messing around with the bust.

What to say about this girl?! Sarah is a doll. She has helped me through so much. I have had a lot of things go down and she was there to help me every time. When Ammon (my brother) was going through all of the surgeries I had a really hard day where I just completely broke down and she was there to help me. I really appreciate her and all that she has done for me.

Rachel Ranae Fitzgerald

This is one of her Senior pictures. Beautiful right?

Practically my sister. We are best friends. Funny memories at dance. We have danced together since 2005 and loved it every minute of it! She wants to come to BYU as well. I am behind her 100% no matter where she wants to go. Though.... I hope she gets in because then we would be dancing together at college. She also wants to do stuff with a dancing degree. I am proud of her no matter what happens.

Jessica Purdy

This picture was taken at dance one day. I couldn't dance because of my walking boot and we just were having fun before class even started.

My Broken Ballerina. She is the other girl at Lifehouse that always got hurt. She is a beautiful dancer and I miss her guts! She is a Freshman in High School right now. haha Jessica. We have many inside jokes..... ex: I just kicked a box of babies. She is a sister of mine, not just some friend to add to the list.

Matt Doane

This was taken on Matt's phone. We had gone around making chalk drawings all over Wyview for FHE and we got each others faces with the chalk. That was fun. Very fun. you probably can't even tell that we are COVERED in chalk. I would not have missed this night for the world.

He is my home teacher and is in my FHE group as well. I feel like I can tell him anything. We go on walks all of the time. It is nice. I can just be open with him about anything. I cherish that in a person. He is hilarious! I don't know what I would do with out him as a friend.

Jerika Hiatt

My other Broken Ballerina. She is the one with the rib sticking out... it is called her Ezma (from Emperors New Groove) boob. Think about it.... it makes sense. I didn't come up with it either -some one else did.

Jerika is just like Jessica. We have inside jokes, we play, we laugh, we cry, we get hurt. haha She is a Sophomore in High School at Payson High (See, proof that Payson does have some good haha j/k ;D ) and is on the Dance Company there. I am proud of her accomplishments and hope for her to keep succeeding in everything she does. She is a sister not just a friend.

Celeste Lee

This picture was taken on our way to our competition in Branson, MO our Sophomore year.

15 years. Enough said. I don't know what else I would say besides that. We grew up dancing together and are now both in the dance majors at BYU. I am at Provo and she is at Idaho unfortunately... :( I am happy for her though, BYU-I is a good school and it is where she needed to be. I miss her very much.

Blaine Jensen

I don't know where this picture was taken. I just picked a random picture.

He is a kid I have gotten to know very very well, and I am so glad! He is from New York. He is in my FHE group. He is just such a great guy. He knows what is right. It is hard some days to accept things as they are and he helps me see that it is okay and that things are going to get better.

Ben Cowley

Yes I know there are three of us in this picture. I needed one of Ben so I picked this one. It is pretty much my favorite picture. This was taken at the Senior Dinner Dance we had last year.

Ben.... OH Ben! What to say about him. He became one of my best friends my Senior of High School. He was there for me when others were not. He is a good guy and wants to help others. He is brilliant! He is an amazing tenor. He goes to Snow College on a scholarship just like Spencer. He is there for a lot of things on a scholarship. Jealous. Very much. Love him to death!

McKenna Meservy and Adrienne Clark

They took this picture themselves... it explains so much.

They are my sisters as well. I miss dancing and goofing off with them. They have helped me get to where I am as a dancer right now. They have encouraged me so much to succeed. I can see them both having good futures in dance - actually in anything they ever do. They have the most determined minds. They can't be moved when they set their minds on something.

Lexi Brown

COLOR FEST!

Lexi has been with me since second grade. I am so lucky to have her. We always play when she is up in town. She goes to Snow College and is down there on a scholarship for singing. I am so happy for her to be down there. I love singing with her and just being around her. I am excited to go and spend the day at Snow this coming week and then spending my birthday with her. Thank you for always being there Lexi.

Those are just a handful of some of my closest friends that came to my head. Don't worry, if you aren't on the list, I promise I love you! Don't hate me. ;)

Day 10- What's Your Song?

What do I listen to??

Oh here we go...

Canvas by Imogen Heap: Feeling mysterious and want to just dance around.

First Day from Finding Nemo: Adventurous feeling

Uncharted by Sara Bareilles: Feeling determined

Aha! by Imogen Heap: Crazy and creepy days with the girls

More Than The World by Mindy Gledhill: When I need a spiritual uplift.

I Dreamed a Dream from Glee: When I just want to plain sing and belt it out! So pretty.

Bluebird by Sara Bareilles: When I feel lonely and heart broken. Mostly heart broken.

Nike Theme from Austin Powers apparently: When I am feeling saucy and want to just have it out in a jazz dance!

Gonna Get Over You by Sara Bareilles: The theme song of my life during September and October. Not so much now. Funny how things change and people change.

To Build a Home by The Cinematic Orchestra: Betrayed by some one.

Radiate by Flemming and John: FUN!

Yeah those are just some of the songs I listen to and what is going on when I want to listen to them.

Day 9-Proud Moments

I have had some obvious moments that I have been proud of myself this past week (i.e. Dance Ed Major acceptance and getting a teaching job at my old dance studio).

Some new ones are:

1-I woke up this morning and actually made it to my 8 am class. I think it will be a lot easier for me to wake up and go to a 7 am class (which I have next semester unless the music for dancers class opens up) because it will be a class that I actually want to go to. Getting up is hard for me most days...

2-I registered for my second semester as a Freshman this morning at midnight. I wanted to go to bed around 10:30 or 11:00 pm but I needed to get classes so I couldn't really do that. I got almost all of the classes I wanted though so it was worth it.

3-I felt really good about my Book of Mormon test that I took last night. I hope I got a good score. I studied for four freaking hours! It was worth it. I just need to keep telling myself that I only have McCarty (who isn't an actual Religion Professor by the way) for a few more weeks.

4-I am working really hard in my dance classes.

5-I finished my first dance performance at BYU. That is something I am very proud of!

I like proud of myself moments. I feel so much better about myself when I have them. I feel like I really can do anything when I have them. :)

Day 8-My Short Term Goals

Oh this is a bother. I am not that good at making goals. I usually just make a list of things I need to do or things that are going on that I would like to get done but it isn't a "I will get this done by this day because it is a goal I have." I do make goals but they are usually long term goals I guess. For example: Getting into BYU and then my preferred major. They took time. October was just a get ready for the Audition month. I focused a lot on finishing the goal I had wanted to accomplish. I don't really do goals I guess is what I am saying. I really only have three goals for this month: Turn 19 (Wednesday November24, 2010), get a really good grade on my Book of Mormon test (taking it today), and pay off my debt to Lifehouse by becoming a teacher (starting next Tuesday November 9, 2010).

So instead here is a list of things that are going on this month.

• I am going to go to the So You Think You Can Dance Tour with my friend Heaven.
• I will be turning 19 on the 24th of this Month.
• A good number of my friends are leaving on their missions so I will be going to their Farewell's (oh sorry, talks before they leave on their mission haha).
• There is a Dance performance every weekend this month. They started with the Faculty Works Concert last week. This week is the Ballet Showcase performance. Next week is Dance Sport as well as the DancEnsamble concert. The week before Thanksgiving is the Senior Projects performance. Crazy exciting! I want to got to everything so bad!
• I am going to be going to the Men's and Women's Choir concert this Saturday. I got the tickets for free from my friend Erik Ward. He got two for being in it and was going to give them to his parents, but they bought tickets already so he gave them to my roommate Tiffany and I. It will be very good.
• I will be starting my new job at my old dance studio-Lifehouse Performing Arts Academy. I just got the job today from Nesha (Artistic Director of the Company) and I am so crazy excited.

I don't really have anything else that I can really think of. Goals... Not really my thing I guess. It kind of makes my life more hectic to have them. I concentrate on them way too much when I have them.

Day 7- Brittany Moody Kuresa

Who inspires me any why.

Gillian kind of already took mine and I feel the same way she does. Ammon is amazing and I love him very much. Take a look at Gillian's blog for him. I will do another person because I can. haha

Brittany Moody Kuresa-

My old dance teacher. I had her for four years. I was blessed to have such a wonderful teacher. She has helped me along side of Nesha Woodhouse to become who I really want to be as a dancer.

I never really thought that I would be doing Dance Education as my major at BYU. Brittany helped me feel like I really could get somewhere with dance. I look up to her so much. Her advice and approval means the world to me. Her husband got a job at a law firm in Chicago so they moved out there. It was very bitter sweet to leave the studio but to leave her was even worse. I was leaving as well to take the next step in my life as a college student. I will never forget what she has taught me and I want to be just like her.

Thank you Brittany.

You have had a lasting impression on me.

Day 6-Iron Man I Guess

My favorite Superhero.... Oh my I don't really know.

I guess if I have to pick it would be-

Iron Man! He is the bomb.com. He shows that anyone can be super. He made himself super by using his brain...

I really don't know. I just like him. He is cool.

Day 5-Huntington Beach, California

I told you I would get better... I just have a hard time finding time to do this. :)

Huntington Beach, California. I went to California for the first time in March for Choir Tour. We went to Huntington Beach that Saturday. It was the first time seeing the Ocean-ever. It was fantastic and I loved every minute of it.