My race blog!!

I know, I'm pretty behind on posting.  I still haven't blogged about flowers, marshmallow fondant, or Charlie's Angels.  (now aren't you in suspense for those posts?)

I've been busy, busy on some other projects- one of them is my new RACE BLOG, which you'll just have to check out to see what it's all about. :)  I'm still working on it but it's together enough to start promoting.

http://supportkatiesrace.blogspot.com

Fruit Karma

Ahhh, summer time. One of the best things about summer is the fruit. Watermelon, nectarines, peaches, strawberries, blueberries, and it goes on and on.

But what I find so frustrating is how unpredictable grocery store fruit can be. Especially watermelon: you just never know what is underneath that rind until you cut into it. It could be grainy and bland or red and lusciously sweet. Even nectarines can be sneaky little suckers. The skin might looks okay and it might feel ripe to the touch but I have been fooled many times. Even within the same batch at the store, you might luck out and get one AMAZING nectarine and the next could be hard or dry. Such is life.

This week, I have been unusually blessed with good fruit karma. I got a watermelon at Fry's and it turned out to be so perfect. Dark red all the way through, sweet, and crisp. That's rare for a seedless one. Then I got some white nectarines. Again, total luck. I love a nectarine that dribbles juice down your chin when you bite into it. And then I got some raspberries at Costco that were quite nearly perfect as well. Good raspberries remind me of Grandma Shelley, who used to pick cases and cases of raspberries and make jam when she lived with us in Maryland. (though nothing really compares to the taste of berries picked straight off the plant)

I don't know what I did to deserve such perfectly delicious fruit this week, but I'm enjoying it while it lasts!

I have a crush on this guy.

His name is Dave Eggers. He writes books. Read one, you won't be sorry. (unless you hate awesome writing, in which case you shouldn't bother reading anything)

I suggest A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius.

I read it in 2001 back when no one had ever heard of Dave Eggers. Who am I kidding, I doubt anyone knows who he is still... you're welcome Dave, now that I've blogged about you you're going to be huge!

A message from my bananas:

How thoughtful.

Absolute Power with Absolute Control

That is how my favorite BYU religion professor, Brother Parker, defined "Meekness". I've always remembered that.

I get quotes from talks or articles by LDS leaders in my email every day, and this was today's. I just wanted to share. It's about meekness.

"Meekness will permit us to endure more graciously the cruel caricaturing and misrepresentation that accompanies discipleship—especially in the rugged last days of this dispensation. Remember the fingers of scorn in Lehi's vision which pointed and mocked at those who clung to the iron rod? (See 1 Ne. 8:26–33.) The mockers were not a small minority. And they were persistent and preoccupied in their scorn of the Saints. You will come to see that preoccupation."Meekness permits us to be prompted as to whether to speak out or, as Jesus once did, be silent. But even when the meek speak up, they do so without speaking down."I stress again that meekness does not mean we are bereft of boldness. A meek, imprisoned Joseph Smith displayed remarkable boldness in rebuking the grossness of the guards in Richmond jail:" 'Silence, ye fiends of the infernal pit! In the name of Jesus Christ I rebuke you, and command you to be still; I will not live another minute and hear such language. Cease such talk, or you or I die this instant!' (History of the Church, 3:208.)"Isn't it interesting that, in a world wrongly impressed with machismo, we see more and more coarseness which is mistaken for manliness, more and more selfishness masquerading as individuality?"

Neal A. Maxwell, "Meekness—A Dimension of True Discipleship," Ensign, Mar. 1983, 73–74

Happy birthday Emily! Yee-haw!

Dear Emily, inexplicably dressed like it's the dead of winter, turned 25 [again- how many times again I shall not disclose] a couple of weeks ago. She celebrated by going sky-diving a few months ago. (I think she's crazy, but this is coming from someone who has not shampoo'ed their hair in over a month) We celebrated by having a delightful dinner at Texas Roadhouse. Remind me never to have a birthday dinner at Texas Roadhouse because I really don't want to sit on a saddle in the middle of the restaurant while all the servers sing me a weird birthday song and all my friends coerce me into striking poses. But that's what birthdays are for, aren't they?

Love you Emily!!

This time, we didn't even plan it!

We own so many of the same clothes, we knew it was inevitable. If only K-Bad had worn a white shirt. It would have been a hundred times awesomer.

I guess this is a good time to tell the switching pants story, which I know you've been dying to hear ever since this post. One day, finding myself in a mini-predicament, I had a conversation with K-Bad that went something like this:

Me: Hey, I have a weird question for you.

K-Bad: Yeah?

Me: What size is your skirt?

K-Bad: I think it's a 4.

Me: Perfect. Hey, I have an even weirder question for you.

K-Bad: Yeah?

Me: Can I switch my pants for your skirt?

K-Bad: Ohhhhhhh kayyyyyy.... sure.

Me: YOU ROCK!


My predicament was that I wanted to go to the temple after work but I had worn pants that day. It wouldn't have been the end of the world to go home and change, but I really didn't want to have to do that. K-Bad and I are pretty much the same size so seeing that she was wearing a skirt that day gave me this brilliant idea. Thanks to K-Bad for being a good sport and though she was confused by me, even after I explained why I needed to wear a skirt, she was kind enough to switch with me. :)

What's even funnier is how the switch went down. We each went into an office while Maria, our helper, gave K-Bad my pants and gave me her skirt. It's nice to have friends who support my religious practices even while thinking I'm a total weirdo! They're the best.

Hair update.

I think it's time for an update on how my formerly-shampoo'ed hair is doing. The answer is spectacularly!! As you can see by my ticker, it's been one month, one week, and one day since shampoo touched my head and I am never (what never? no never. what never? well, hardly ever!*) going to shampoo again.

This was a couple weeks ago, but here is what we call super curly, thanks to Kate's tips for how to dry curly hair. It involves not combing the hair after getting out of the shower and not towel-drying it too much. I had to use my dryer with the diffuser because I just don't have time to fully air-dry. But I was surprised how much curlier it got. And look how short it looks!
Then we have the wavy look, below (different day; same backdrop; different white shirt, in case you were confused). No curling iron of any kind needed- this is my hair's natural wave, helped only by a little product and by pinning up the top half of my hair while it's still a tiny bit damp, blow-drying the bottom half with a boar-bristle round brush. My hair would never have this much body and wave when it was slicked down with cones and flattened by sulfates.


* Ten points to whoever gets the reference. Without google cheating! (and twenty extra points if you sing it to me next time you see me)

Get ready....

For a ton of blog posts. I am so behind, but I am vowing to work on it tonight. I have lots of fun pictures to share!