Oh the places we've been!

In the past year, I've been so many places. Matt's traveled even more with work, but as far as trips I've taken for conferences and together, I've been to: Nashville, Asheville, Barcelona (plus hours in the London airport), NYC, Austin, Jacksonville, Utah, and CA. A lot of this travel has been within the last couple of months! We're lucky to be able to do all this traveling and it always feels really good to come home.
So far next year it looks like we'll be going to Cabo San Lucas, Mexico for a wedding in February, Costa Rica in July for a conference I'm presenting at (hopefully with some fun travel with Matt added on to that since it's on our anniversary), and then to Wilmington, NC for our friends Lara and Bill's wedding in September. Who knows what else 2008 will bring travel wise, but it's exciting to think about!

And we're back...

Whew. Maybe that should be the name of this blog. I write this from a very weird state. Our power is out (has been for almost 2 hours but supposedly coming back on soon) and my ears are so stopped up that I can barely hear. But, first things first….

We arrived from Utah late last night after a very nice trip seeing family and experiencing some seriously cold weather. Skiing was good, although I learned that all intermediate slopes are not made equal…I felt ok on a couple I went on, but encountered one that I almost killed me (or my attitude I guess). I think I need to stick to the ‘green/easy’ slopes for a bit longer and I’m OK with that! Seeing family, relaxing after skiing, and playing with ‘the kids’- Matt’s second cousins Ella and Alex (you may know them as our ring bearer and flower girl) was lots of fun. On our last day, we went ice skating with them …photos to come soon.

On the way to the airport, my ears got stopped up but then popped when we got there. Then, in the air about halfway home, they did it again and my ears were hurting so bad- I was going crazy and felt so weird. It was so painful. Well….they are still this way- ringing and totally stopped up so that I can barely hear. They will pop every so often but then go back. I think it’s a sinus issue brought on by all the changes in the altitude and having a slight cold that Matt and I have both developed since last night. Sorry for all the details but it makes it so hard to hear- I feel like I’m in a bubble!

If I can see my way around to get dressed, I’m going to eat sushi soon with Laura P who is in town for one day.

We’re looking forward to NYE at Agave tomorrow night. It should be a fun crowd and the menu sounds awesome! Matt has to work tomorrow but I have until Jan. 6th officially until next semester starts, so before then I need to:

-clean the house*

-go grocery shopping and cook some good meals *

-finish my syllabus and course outline for the class I am teaching, finalizing all the readings

-finish reading a couple of books to prepare for exams

-write thank you notes*

-organize school stuff

-decide on photos to print and frame from the honeymoon*



*tasks Matt will be a part of :)



More later…when I can see and hear!

PS- Again, I love my Mac!!!!

Merry Christmas!

In a couple of hours, we're off to my parents to celebrate Christmas with them. Tomorrow morning, we leave for Utah with Matt's family. Since we won't be home, Matt and I exchanged gifts early....and I love my new MacBook!  It's really cool and I'm looking forward to using it for school and work stuff, and then Matt and I will use it for music and photos together.  It definitely takes some getting used to (for instance, I just deleted this original post by using a PC function) but it's so cool. And, I got a cute pink cover for it:)

Wish me luck on the slopes this week....I always just hope for no broken bones and major head injuries...that's the best I can do!

Merry Christmas to you all! Hope you enjoy this time with family and friends.  I am so grateful for the great people in my life.

xo,

Katie

freaks and geeks

Last night after returning from the mall for what I hope was the last time before Christmas, we watched the very last episode of Freaks and geeks in our DVD set of the show. This show lasted only one season in 1999, and was about what most TVs shows set in high school don't show: the reality of being someone other than part of the 'popular crowd', which I can relate to:) Matt had seen a couple of episodes, but I really didn't know about it until he suggested we rent the season and watch it. From the first episode, it sucked me in! It is funny and sad (bittersweet is the word I guess?) and so realistic. We ended up just buying the whole season and have been watching it for the past month or so. My favorite characters are Lindsay, the main character, Bill, one of the geeks that is so goofy and funny, and Nick, just because he's played by Jason Segel, who is on our other favorite show, How I Met Your Mother - he's just hilarious. It was sad to see the last episode and to think about why good shows like that are cancelled. Now, if How I met your mother is cancelled, I'll freak out...so start watching that if you're not already:)

Whew

We (actually I) got back Monday evening from CA. Matt had to stay at the airport and hop on a plane to Charleston for work a couple of hours later- he returned Tuesday. We had a really nice time in CA. Matt's cousin Mikey's wedding was beautiful and it was great to see family. It was really fun to stay in Santa Monica for the weekend, which allowed us to meet up with friends of Matt's who live in the area on Saturday for brunch and Sunday for lunch. We went to a really awesome French place called Amandine for brunch on Saturday with Matt's friend Melissa who just got married in Sept. It was fun to 'talk weddings' with another couple and to catch up with them.
While Matt was attending to his groomsman's duties on Saturday afternoon, I walked to get my hair 'done' (washed and blown straight bc I'm lazy). One of my favorite things to do is walk around a city by myself. I know it sounds weird (and of course I loved going places with others), but I like just wandering around on my own time. It was a little cold and windy for L.A., but sunny. I wish I had pictures, but my camera is broken:( Here's a shot from a wedding at the hotel from their website.
So, we're back for a short while...we leave early Monday for Utah to ski in Park City with Matt's family. We'll celebrate Christmas with my family on Sunday. I'm not sure that my bro will make it, but at least we can celebrate with my parents, sis, and grandmother that day.
Until then, I still some shopping to do along with planning and studying for exams next semester. I spent most of Tuesday being jet lagged and getting settled and yesterday I read one of my new 'study' books all day. Last night, Matt and I did a little Christmas shopping. Today, I'm having lunch with Sonia and Meg, followed by dessert at Chocolate Pink, a new dessert place in Midtown. I can't wait! Then, I have a meeting for school this afternoon.

Hope all is well with you!
PS- If you're in the market for shoes, piperlime.com is having a big sale...check it out!
*Just added- Check out Meg, Sonia, and I at Chocolate Pink yesterday..we're so cute:) It was SO good!

All done!?!

Whew, so this afternoon, I graded the last of my projects and turned in all my grades. I turned in my last paper yesterday, so that means I'm all done....for this semester at least! I have one meeting next week at the school my students will be at next semester. I also met with my advisor today and she came up with a list of books I need to read over the break to prepare for my comprehensive exams I'll take in March&April this spring....ahhh! So, I just ordered 3 books and lugged several big ones home that I need to review. I'll also have to read and plan for the class I'm teaching next semester, but I'm so excited to have some time off and at home!
We head to CA tomorrow night for Matt's cousin Mikey's wedding in Santa Monica. He's a groomsman, so we need to pick up his tux Friday and then there's the rehearsal and everything. It should be lots of fun to see family. I'm also looking forward to spending some time in L.A. I think we're going to try to get together with a few of Matt's Pepperdine friends on Sunday as well. We get back Monday night, and then I have all week to get shopping done before we leave for Utah on the 24th.
Lots going on....but for now...E News, how i love thee...

Holiday parties

Last night, Matt and I went to his company holiday party at an art gallery in Midtown. While it wasn't quite as much fun as last year's (meaning I didn't win an AmEx gift card for trivia), it was fun to get dressed up and see our friends that Matt works with. After that party, we headed to our friends' Lara and Bill's 80s Christmas party. Although we were not dressed appropriately, we had a fun time seeing everyone there. This meant that got home way too late last night and I haven't got as much work done as I should have, but oh well. Check us out last night....Laura did my makeup and did a great job. I love my new dress and red shoes- I'm also going to wear it the wedding we're going to next weekend in CA. The shoes hurt so bad, but they just look too good to make me not wear them!
Back to work...

Ahh!!!

That's really all I can say. Been here since 7:45am to meet with students for their final evaluations of their student teaching. Had 20 minutes to eat/break/bathroom from then until 3:30. Since then, I've been grading their portfolios...and now I'm going to class (7:15-9:45pm)....so tired!
If I don't post much anytime soon it's because 1. I've got two final papers to start and finish by next week, 2. 23 final projects to grade and submit grades for by next thursday, and 3. planning/book ordering for next semester to do before we leave for CA Thursday night.
Oh wait a second...I chose this, right?
Hope everyone is well...

post- austin

i got in from austin last night so happy to be home. it is such a cool town with an interesting mix of cultures, but still small enough that you feel like you can get around in one day. i could move there tomorrow. the shopping is so unique and the food is good. and of course, university of texas at austin is a great school too! i got an awesome quilt that was handmade in peru to hang in my office at a local store and matt a luchador mask from mexico, which he of course loves. pictures to come...

we stayed at the hotel across from the hotel where the conference was...and i have to say that the embassy suites rocks. free breakfast, a free shuttle to anywhere, and happy hour (which i should note that my professors got us involved in) every evening was great. we ate at some pretty good tex-mex places, one really cool cafe, a fast food Japanese place, and Amy's ice cream- a yummy local chain.

i have so many ideas and thoughts from the conference, but that's for a separate blog. i got to meet and socialize with some big scholars in my field and as i am now sick and losing my voice, literally was speechless when i went to meet an author of one of my favorite language books. oh well, i think he got the point.

so, now i've literally lost my voice - the result of a chest and head cold that has been coming slowly for the past week. today i slept in late, matt made me breakfast, and now we're chilling out and watching tv. i need to do so much work before everything is due next week (and as of tomorrow i have 23 final projects getting turned into me)....but today i need to rest!

hope everyone is well....may have to talk to you after the 13th when i finish the semester up! take care:)

austin

Tomorrow morning at 7:20 (ah!) I'm heading to Austin for the National Reading Conference. I'm going with a friend from school and many professors from my department will also be there. Although these things can sometimes be a bit overwhelming (too many smart people talking!), It should be a great way to make connections (possibly for jobs in the future) and learn a lot. I'm also excited to go to Austin again...I went once as an undergrad and loved it! I want to eat some good Tex-Mex too.
I'll be back late on Saturday...long time away from home :(
Talk to you when I get back! Thanks to those of you that have been reading and blog-stalking me (sonia!)

our tree

We just finished decorating our tree- check it out! We got it at Lowe's yesterday and then got some ornaments today at Target. It's the perfect size for our space and I love that it's the first real tree I've had in quite awhile. Of course, we had to get a photo ornament with our wedding photo in it...and it's even blue and brown:)
Good night!

grouchy

I'm sitting at a coffee shop feeling grouchy and trying to finish up one of my 4 or 5 final papers of the semester....everything is almost done (I've at least begun them) except for one huge term paper that I haven't even thought about. I'm stressed because I'll be in Austin most of next week and won't have any time to work. Once I get back, everything is due. Ah!
I'm losing my energy and motivation. I want to be buying and decorating a Christmas tree or doing something fun at least!

Happy Turkey Day!

Happy Thanksgiving! Hope it's filled with good food, family, and friends.

We're heading to my parents' house in just a bit, with our pumpkin pie and stuffing in tow. Last night, Matt fought a battle with homemade pie crust and lost...I finally went to Publix to buy the refrigerated crust to put him out of his misery. This is my first Thanksgiving in Atlanta in a couple of years, the first time my sister will be here in 2 years, and Matt's first spending it with my side of our family. Oh, and best of all, the first Thanksgiving married! I'm looking forward to my mom's cornbread dressing because even though I tried to make it in CA last year, I'm sure it wasn't as good as hers. We miss being with the family in California today- We're sure the weather is much better than here!

While Matt finishes the whipped cream for the pie, we're watching the Thanksgiving episode from the first season of How I Met Your Mother....it's so great!

Happy Birthday (Cubed)!!!

November is a big birthday month. Earlier this month was my mom's bday and in the next week, 3 friends' birthdays. Tomorrow is Sarah's, Thursday is Sonia's, and next Tuesday is Shana's. Come to think of it, November is a big month for S birthdays I guess! Happy Birthday to each of you. You are wonderful ladies and awesome friends.

Last weekend we celebrated Sarah's bday out at Limerick Junction, but I hope to catch up with her sometime this week to celebrate some more. Tomorrow, I'm meeting Sonia at Watershed for lunch to celebrate her bday. I'm going to be out of town for Shana's birthday get together next week, so I hope that I can take her out for a drink soon.

Here are some photos of these gorgeous ladies....Sarah with Matt & I at Limerick last wkend, Sonia looking like a movie star with Meg and I at her beautiful October wedding, and Shana and I at my bday party a few years ago (we looked so young!)

relishing the day

When you are wedding planning, people always say 'oh it will be so nice when the wedding is over' or 'what will you do with all your time?'. I definitely looked forward to the day, and when things got stressful, I imagined Matt and I dancing our first dance as motivation to keep pressing on.

Well, I was surprised at how crazy things were and still are even after the wedding...but in a good way of course! When we walked into our place after returning from Barcelona, it looked like a wedding bomb had exploded. Extra wedding things, my dress, gifts, and who knows what else was strewn about. There were also wedding photos to look through, send to people, and wonderful wishes from people who shared how they enjoyed the wedding.

The last few months have been spent writing thank you notes, organizing all that extra wedding stuff (what are we going to do with the extra program fans?), choosing photos to frame, and selling my dress. Yep, you read right. I've had my dress for sale on a few websites, and as of tomorrow, my dress will be sold. The girl lives here in Atlanta and is coming tomorrow to pick it up. I've met her once before and feel good that she's going to have my dress. It's a little sad (oh how I love that dress), but I promised myself that if I found a dress that was over x amount of money, I would sell it after the wedding....and of course I did find an expensive dress that I loved! I'm not very sentimental and the thought of it sitting in a box forever is sadder to me than passing it on to someone else who will love it. The amazing photos will last forever and keep me relishing the wonderful feeling I had wearing it.

We've also had some fun news relating to the wedding that allows us to reflect more on the day.....Our wonderful photographers Katie & Chris with 6 of Four Creations submitted our photos to some magazines and we were chosen to be the "Real Wedding" in Brides Atlanta magazine spring/summer 08 issue. A writer from the magazine called to interview me last week and they are using about 15 photos. Also, 2 other photos will be used in 2 magazines- 1 in the Best of the Knot 2008 magazine and 1 in a new magazine called the Atlantan Bride, which I have never seen before. Because I absolutely loved looking at wedding magazines for ideas, I really like that perhaps we can give someone else an idea for their wedding. So, look for us on the news stands:) Here are some of my fave photos from the wedding.....All by the awesome 6 of Four Creations of course!

Happy Monday everyone....I'm (obviously) decompressing after teaching a particularly stressful class (we're all ready for the break), Matt's making pasta for us and then 'How I met your mother' is on- yay! If you are not watching that show, you must start now- 8:00 on CBS on Monday.
Night!

trying this out...

Lately I've been thinking a lot about how I used to keep a diary to document all that happened to me. I can still go back to my old diaries, from elementary to college, and feel what it felt like to be in that time. My diary of the time I was living in Ireland was so detailed that lately I've been thinking of trying to write a book someday about my time there...after I finish my dissertation of course!

I know that blogging has been around for quite awhile and I'm jumping on a bandwagon here but I'm hoping that this will be a place for me to reflect and share with others who I may not be able to talk to a lot these days. I'm still a little unsure about all this technology:) but here I go!


Just to start out, this weekend has been busy but fun! Friday night, my sister and I took my mom to a movie to celebrate her bday which we weren't able to actually celebrate with her on her actual day because of school and work. We saw Dan in Real Life and I really liked it...it was sad but romantic and sweet. I love Steve Carrel and John Mahoney (I think that's how you spell it)- who played the dad in my all time fave movie, Say Anything.

Saturday morning, Matt and I woke up super early (6:45!!) to meet our friends James and Mark at their house to drive to Athens to attend a UGA football game. Some of you may know that I attended UGA and went to 2 games total while I was there, so you are going - really Katie? right now. But, Matt has never been to a game and being a lover of anything sports-related, I knew he really wanted to go when James invited us. We tailgated with James' dad before the game and really had a good time. The traffic coming home was terrible and we were pooped when we got back but it was worth it.

After a nap, we headed to Virginia-Highlands to Limerick Junction to celebrate our lovely friend Sarah's bday.....after 2 hours of waiting for her :) she arrived looking gorgeous due to 1. great genes and 2. my sister doing her makeup wonderfully, and we had a blast! Midnight struck and the craziness of the day hit , so we had to head home for bed.

Today has been all school related- had to deal with an unfortunate situation with one of my students and my boss (bad situation in her student teaching) and then have been grading papers all day. Soon, we'll have dinner at La Casita (yum) with my sister before we all head to Kroger to get supplies for our assigned desserts we are making for Thanksgiving at my parents this week (Us- Pumpkin pie, Laura- chocolate-pecan pie). Then, Amazing Race is on and more grading!

Happy weekend all and have a great week!