.:.

I've been a little negligent to this poor blog of mine, but honestly, my life hasn't been that exciting lately. I wish I had great, exciting, amazing stories to tell, but I don't. Sorry.

With nothing exciting going on... I'm just going to say this:
I'm so sick of winter. The end. Come on summer. I have plans for you. :)

KT

boston.

so i know this post has been a long time coming, and let me tell you, it could be one of the hardest posts to write because words cannot describe how much i LOVE this city.... so I won't use as many words and just post about million photos.... No lying.

so for those of you that know me really well know i love the movie fever pitch. SO MUCH! this is the park they're walking through when ben gives her the tickets to opening day. okay, i'm a nerd, oh and this park reminded me a lot of central park too. 

Flying all night to get to NYC to catch a connecting flight to the most AMAZING city ever!  I was obviously thrilled. props go out to Jetblue. Definitely flying with them again. :)

We were obviously exhausted, but oh so thrilled to be going to foxboro (foxborough?) i will never know the darned spelling of that city. to see two of my favorites EVER! Kenny Chesney and Tim McGraw together. it was AMAZING. hands down the best concert i've ever been to. Although getting there was tough (this was a thumbs down to boston's public transportation....) it took us a subway, a train, and a taxi to get here, and i wouldn't change a thing, except for... you know, boston's public transportation. :)

 Obviously these are just a few of the MANY pictures i took of this night. i couldn't forget a single detail about it. i wanted to remember it FOREVER!

 When traveling back east with a history buff, nerd, whatever you want to call her, there are some detours you have to take while soaking in all of the "fun" stuff. So you're welcome Jordin! and thanks for coming with me! :) the sight of the boston tea party, and the famous paul revere statue.


Now the good stuff:

 when i saw this sign i was literally freaking out. (hence why it's a little blurry.) this sign made me so extremely happy. :) oh, and at this point, i had learned to love boston's public transportation... a stop that literally lets you off AT fenway park?!?! i'll take that any day. Here's the lesson: go to fenway, never gillette stadium. which makes sense... red sox >>>>> pats any day. this is also a tribute the sox front office for getting their heads screwed on straight and firing bobby v this morning. this news made me so unbelievably happy.  i'm starting a twitter/instagram whatever you want trend. #bringbackfrancona.

 Yawkey Way. what a curious place, but yet, so amazingly incredible, wonderful, fantastic, words can't even describe how great this street is. Hello! a street that requires you to have a game ticket just to enter. Welcome red sox fans! we of course got there SUPER early. i couldn't miss a minute of the incredible environment there. i was in heaven, and this moment that has topped my bucket list forever was actually happening.

 Trust me, this park is just as beautiful in real life as it is in the movies, on tv, and obviously in pictures. i honestly couldn't have been happier to be there. i was afraid that it wouldn't compare to what i had imagined it being, and it did just that and so much more. :) i'm sold. fenway park, you are amazing!

surrounded by people that really love the red sox. not that i don't LOVE seeing boston in seattle every year. this was just a million times better. (except the people... we love will and anika way more than anyone in boston...)

 I couldn't help myself from taking what seems like a million pictures. this park deserves it. 100 years. really? you haven't aged a bit fenway. before the game started i obviously knew they would be playing the royals (almost as bad as the mariners... ;)) but i really wanted extra innings. i figured i'm here, so nothing would be better than to spend a little bit more time in this place. i got my wish. boston blew ANOTHER lead against a crappy team... (why this always happens to me, i don't know....) 6 run lead going into the 7th inning, i knew my secret desire for extras wouldn't be happening, and then in typical boston style they allow KC to tie the game. everyone else around me was ticked, but i was overjoyed hoping this would go just a little bit longer... and it did. in fact, it went to 12 innings, and resorted in a loss for boston. that part wasn't so great, but everything else was perfect! singing sweet caroline at the top of my lungs, chanting "let's go red sox" and it being completely acceptable, and eating the infamous fenway frank (really not that good, but when you're in the nation... do as the nation does.) fenway park did not disappoint, and it was AMAZING to actually complete the number one item on your bucket list. :)

 TD garden, home to my 2nd favorite basketball team. sorry celts, utah will always have my WHOLE heart. :)

all in all, boston was an incredible journey, and i'm so glad i was able to pull it all together! it really is one of the greatest cities around. i love it, and i can definitely see myself going back VERY soon. :) 

also, saw this article yesterday on the internet about the 10 best cities to live... 

1. San Francisco

2. Seattle 

3. Boston 

4. DC 

6. New York 

10. San Diego  

crazy to think that the top three cities i have actually visited within the last year, and trust me, it's truth. 

okay, i'm done with this excessively large post i've written.

thanks for reading!

kt. 

finding time for myself....

i know i use this excuse a lot, but i swear this is the craziest my life has been in a LONG time, if ever.... i love being busy, but it definitely has its disadvantages too....

Work:
going great.
still loving it
getting busier
getting promoted... (not sure if that's what i can call it... maybe just a change in responsibility?)
this is why life has been so crazy:
About a month ago, it was being discussed that i would be getting newer and different responsibilities.... .... it only became official last week of what those responsibilites would be. So for three weeks, i was doing things that i wasn't supposed to know i would be doing for the long haul. (if that makes any sense....) don't get me wrong, i LOVE my job, but at times i feel like i'm in adequate to do the things i'm doing.... i don't feel like i have enough experience, or that i'm old enough to have this much responsibility. im only 20 (21 in 7 weeks, random side note) and i'm the youngest in our office, surrounded by people that have way more life experiences than i do, and have more experience in the dental field. i'm flattered obviously that my boss trusts me with this much responsibility, but i'm a little intimidated...  i know that this is happening to me for a reason, and it's definitely opening my eyes to all the opportunities available to me in my life, but does this usually happen to people my age??

all of this has been such a learning experience for me, and i'm glad that this is happening, but right now it's all that consumes my life. when i leave work, i go home, talk about my day at work, think about how the day could have gone better, etc... basically it's all i think about anymore. it's all i talk about with my friends (thank goodness one of them is a DA and can understand what i'm going through...) and it literally consumes most of my time. this, along with my church calling (miamaid advisor) planning for school, looking for apts. and roommates, trying to find time for a social life, and all the other day to day encounters i find myself in, i have been feeling like i don't have time for me... just to hang out, do the little things i used to do before my life became this way. hopefully i will be able to balance all of the different places and situations in my life, and find time for me again, hopefully i find that when i take a "spur of the moment" DREAM vacation to BOSTON in two weeks. as i've been preparing for this trip, i realize that maybe this is why my life has been the way it is recently... APPRECIATION for "me" time. . before my life became hectic i used to waste my day sleeping in, maybe going to the gym, watching sportscenter for hours (and it repeats itself every hour!) hanging out in basketball shorts and a t-shirt all day, and maybe from time to time doing something borderline exciting. basically i was idle.. my time wasn't used effectively at all, and although at the time i enjoyed it, today it would be driving me crazy because i've turned myself into this person that i didn't think i would like, a busy person, but also a very happy person. i didn't realize those two could coexist. i've experienced both extremes throughout the last year, and now i'm looking for the happy medium. busy time AND me time. is it possible? we shall see....



Sorry for the ramblings, as you can imagine from reading the above, i have way too many things running through my head all the time.... it gets exhausting.


i seriously can't believe summer is almost over. school starts in 2 weeks (the day after i get back from BOSTON, great timing right??) and i'm not even the slightest bit prepared. honestly, i don't think i'll be ready for school to start when it's been in session for two weeks. usually i'm excited about starting school because it's an opportunity to "start over" to a certain extent, but i don't even want to think about finding a time or place to focus on school. i just don't know if my mind can handle THIS much. i might go crazy until i figure all of this out, so please stay with me, and don't pretend like you don't know me when i completely lose my mind...

anyway, back to summer.... it's been so great. although i haven't been able to do as much stuff as i have in the past, i have had some pretty cool memories and opportunities so that's always exciting. it's been spent with so much family time that it might seem overwhelming, but i honestly wouldn't have it any other way. my family is the greatest, and they're so supportive of everything i do all the time, even when we're doing nothing we are always having so much fun! this summer has also been filled with lots of time with extended family....

as i mentioned in the previous post, my cousin palmer came home from his mission in june, and just like i imagined, he hasn't changed a bit.

photo evidence:

this picture is like a before and after photo.... two years ago vs. two months ago.

after the crazy got home from his mission i was able to go to seattle and see my other favorite cousins.



Obviously we went to see the sox too, but mostly the cousins... :)

we went to a few softball games, and i'm proud to say that my little sister followed in my footsteps and became a city champ!! this was so exciting for me, because softball truly is my favorite sport. 



both of us sporting our champions t-shirts. so exciting. :)

this is basically my summer in a nutshell, and i can't believe it's over.

Sorry about the ramblings in the beginning, but at least you all could see some sense of normalcy towards the end.

oh and did you notice how i said i was going to BOSTON?? yes, this is happening. two weeks. Fenway Park and Kenny Chesney/Tim McGraw concert. :) i'll keep you posted.

kt

just because i smile...

...doesn't mean my life is perfect.
Although things seem to be going really well right now with all of the changes and opportunities I have had throughout the past couple of months, there are definitely things I would change, who wouldn't, given the chance?
I love my job, but I wish I worked more. (how often do people really say that??)
I love my friends, but I wish we had more time to be together...
I love my family, but we don't seem to see each other enough, even though we all live together.
I love school, but I'm glad I'm on vacation. 
I love summertime, but my schedule doesn't seem to want to cooperate with Utah weather.
I love my life, but it's not perfect.

These are just some thoughts that have been crossing my mind today. 
The new job is going great, and I really do LOVE it. here's some info. 

Some members of my family are going to Seattle in 3 weeks from today! I'm so excited! Pictures to come... obviously.

and....
in EXACTLY 2 weeks, yes, 2 WEEKS! the three amigos will be reunited once again.

 

allow me to introduce you to two of my favorite people EVER. Left: Spencer, Right: Palmer, Center: Me (if you didn't know that, you shouldn't be reading my blog.) 

Meet Palmer Louis:

 

This kid (guy?) is seriously amazing. He's spent the last two years in Guatemala. He's coming home on the 21st of June, and I'm seriously so excited. He's going to be attending UVU with me next fall, and it will obviously be a party. :) His brother Spencer (in the photo above) and I have had to have ALL the fun on our own while he's been gone, but TRUST ME- family parties will never be the same once we are all reunited. I can guarantee that. :) or at least until Spencer leaves in January.... :(

Okay, that's all I'm gonna say for now, and as my summer continues to happen, I promise I will try to be better. :)
-katie.

............

so i've been pretty lame when it comes to blogging lately. i'm pretty sure i'm the worst blogger EVER. then again, i think about some people who CONSTANTLY blog about EVERY SINGLE event of their entire lives, and i don't feel so bad.... haha.

okay, enough negativity aside.
life has been pretty great lately. i don't even know if i can tell you all the things that have happened since you all last heard from me.

- i got a job! this is probably the biggest news of all. i'm so excited to be able to start this opportunity in a brand new office! it will be a great for me to be in a job that I LOVE!!!

-along with the job comes some potential bad news: (anika this is mostly for you....) so remember when i went to seattle to see the red sox? this year they're coming in late june, on a weekend. shouldn't be a problem, right? yeah. it is. so probably no seattle for me. i want to come, but only time will tell. this job better be worth it. :)

-okay, more good. the semester is ALMOST over!!! not that this one has been such a big deal, but it will just be the collective sigh of relief in about two weeks that i survived my second year of college... (so unreal.)

-baseball season is officially back! after the red sox went 0-3 to start a win was definitely good tonight. i know it's early, but why play from behind all the time?
speaking of which:
- my jazz boys are SO close to the playoffs that i might cry if they're not playing basketball in three weeks. it's been a whirlwind season, and i can't believe it's almost over, and clearly i don't want it to end. for those of you who are facebook friends i promise sports aren't the only things that i ever think about, but it's the only thing i care about sharing with people regularly. fyi.

-as far as other areas in my life... mostly my personal life.... i can't really say anything too specific here, but let's just say it's going good. REAL good. ;) okay, i'm only joking. but only half joking. okay, never mind. random tangent. :)

- i'm off to san fran in 2 days, so you may be seeing another post from me pretty soon. :) i'm excited, and in the next couple of weeks, i can see exciting things happening for me.

thanks for reading!
-katie.

(sorry there are no pictures, next post i PROMISE there will be more.)

Moving on.

I just wanted to dedicate this post to someone incredible. It's been exactly ONE year today that my Grandmother passed away. I know I have written about this a lot lately, but it's definitely been on my mind.

When I think about everything that's happened in a year, my mind is just blown at all I've done. And the words "Move on" have been stuck in my head for a few days now. That's why I have chosen this as the topic of this post.

Starting with the loss of my grandma, "granin." Like I've mentioned before, her and I had a special bond, and she will always be one of the MOST important people in my entire life. She was one of the greatest people that ever lived on this whole planet. I credit her for raising my dad into the person he is, and for those of you who know him know that he's pretty great. She taught me life lessons that I'll never forget, and to this day, I can still hear those voices either chastising me or praising me, but always loving me. She had her way of proving a point, even if you didn't want to hear what she was saying. She was definitely a wise woman. You could always feel the love she had for everyone she knew. (this is definitely not where I thought this was the direction this post was going, and it's way more emotional than I had intended to write, so emotional in fact that tears are rolling down my cheeks as I'm doing this...) Everyone that met her called her a saint, and she left a great impression on everyone she met, she is truly irreplaceable in all of our hearts.

Last summer, we took on the task of cleaning out her home. Remember: she was 89 years old, had 7 children, and she liked to cherish everything. Needless to say this was quite a task. I wouldn't trade those 2.5 weeks we spent for anything. Her memory was still so strong, and so was the spirit of who she is. I learned things about her that I never even knew, and for me, all the long, tiring days were totally worth it.

Coincidentally (or not, because I don't particularly believe in coincidences,) we had a lesson in institute about death and dying. Yesterday, I got so emotional thinking about this process of life. We learned that it's okay to mourn. It's okay to always have those feelings in your heart, and always remember those people that have influenced you. This is okay, moving on is not a choice. That person died. You didn't.

Another big moment in our year was we've moved! This was something I definitely wasn't so hip about. I've lived in the same house for 20 years, and the same BEDROOM for 19. This wasn't something I was looking forward to, but as time moved on, and I was realizing I had no choice about the matter, I finally budged, and even though it's still so weird being here, it's something I had to do.

Although the year had it's ups and downs, and we shed plenty of tears. Some happy, some sad. Those tears didn't last very long, because eventually the bad stuff is replaced by something better, and these experiences are the ones that are helping me grow. I've learned so much about these two little words: Move on. Those are the words I'm thinking about today.

Moving on.

i can't think of a creative name....

.... I just felt like writing. Even though I don't know which direction I'm going....

So sister Christensen came home on November 16th. What a great day that was. Although it's great having her home, there are times when we wish she could just go back for a few hours, trust me, she feels this way also. :) Since most of you are friends with me on facebook, and I'm too lazy to find the pictures from that day, you can just look there. :)

Christmas happened, and it was a great time of year. Always my favorite. :) Besides the typical sleeping in, going to bed late, spending time with family, etc. This year seemed a little strange. We had our annual Christensen Family Christmas Party, and it just didn't seem the same. Obviously, we were missing our sweet Granin for the first time ever! It was definitely sad, but definitely great knowing that our family can all still get together even though she's gone. Some of my fondest memories from my childhood included my sweet grandmother, and probably the greatest of all was her last Christmas (2010) we got the awesome opportunity to postpone all of our Christmas morning traditions just to spend time with her. Although it was difficult to not start our "morning" until about 12:00, I definitely wouldn't trade that memory for anything. This season was hard, but we know that this was the happiest Christmas she's had in a long time. :)

Going on (sorry for the sappiness, but that was where my mind was all Christmas season.)
I got the new iphone 4s, and I honestly LOVE it. What did I ever do without it? kidding, but not really. It's so handy, and I feel so grown up! :) Plus, Siri is awesome.... we are definitely bffs.

The new year has come, and although I've already tditched my "resolutions" I'm excited for what 2012 will bring, and the opportunities in store for me!

Oh, and in other exciting news, in case you've been living under a rock... BASKETBALL IS BACK. It's been great. I'm actually going to a game tonight, and it's going to be great!! :)

Sorry it's been so long. I will try to be better. :)

kt