It has been a very long time since I have written a post, and my great convictions have quite dissolved. Well, such is life, I suppose. Recently, I've been enjoying talking like a character from Jane Austen's books, and removing the use of contractions from my life. I shall explain.

I've been on Christmas break this whole week, and it has been positively delicious. I've been rather lazy this week, reading, and lying about. I read Emma this week, and I really enjoyed it. I would suggest any Jane Austen book. Now I am reading Persuasion, and I just kind of started Paradise Lost. I doubt I'll actually read it, but I'm borrowing it from Elaina on my new iTouch :) We also watched the 4 hour BBC version of Emma, and I love that as well. The way they talk has quite enchanted me. Thus the rather fancy speech in this blog. :)

All this reading, and watching has convicted me that our speech is quite inadequate and ridiculous. So I am dropping the use of contractions. Take for example, this sentence: I don't know if I'll be able to run to the store with you. Then, change it to this: I do not know if I will be available to go to the store with you. It just sounds so much more nicer! ;)

Anyway, that was my random ramblings of the day.

I hope you all have a wonderful New Year!

Katie

P.S. It is funny to think that this year has blessed us, and blessed others in ways that we will never know!

The Pursuit of Writing

I am changing my blog.  I am going to use it to practice writing. Not writing stories, but writing well. So many people I know can write hilarious blog posts, and stories, and I would like to be better at it. But I know it takes practice. So I am making this blog a practice ground, a weekly attempt, a area for me to practice excellence in writing.

Practice makes perfect, write? Well, we'll see. So please, critique my writing, give me tips, and ideas to write about. Tell me what I could do to make my writing more impactful (is that word?) More meaningful, more enjoyable to read.

Because my creed for this blog is, that while enjoying writing, I may become more fluent and graceful in the way in which I weave words, and that even if it means nothing to other people, I attempt to better myself in the written english language.



:D

Jolly Joe, the Hillbilly Eskimo

Millions of fans are looking forward to the new book of poems written by Allison and Sarah Hammermaster. The release date is set for sometime around Christmas, but the fans wanted a preview.
 Jolly Joe
 (The Hillbilly Eskimo)

 Jolly Joe
 Lived in the snow
 In a cave
 Without a slave
 He did not play
 He worked all day
 He went on hikes
 riding bikes
 How could Joe
 be so slow
 When his feet
 were to the beat?
 He liked sheep
 to care and keep
 but not to eat
 with all his meat
 One day he said
 "My poem should end."
 So this is the end
 of my good old friend
 Jolly Joe.
 By, Sarah Hammermaster
 Edited/Illustrated by Katie Hammermaster
 Love by millions of fans and lambs around the world.

 Critics are raving about Jolly Joe, and are so excited for this book.

 Coming to Borders (hahahaha. There aren't any left!) near you Christmas 2011

Patience

I haven't posted in SO long, and I apologize. I've been pretty busy with school, and we just went to Portland to visit some friends last weekend. It was so much fun, and I had a great time.

I had a thought the other day which seemed kinda revolutionary to me. I'm sure it's been thought of before, but it really helped me to realize it for myself. I think I tend to focus a lot on preparing for marriage. Everything kinda seems focused on that. I practice being patient, and a good house keeper, ect. But really, that shouldn't be the point. I should be focused on being a better christian, following God's commands, keeping His law's. If I do that, it probably will prepare me for marriage, but that isn't the point. The point is keeping God's word, and glorifying and honoring Him.

The past few months I've been having a lot of headaches, and feeling really down. I'm not even sure why! It seems so illogical! But thankfully, it's gotten a lot better. I'm just having head-ache's now, and I'm not as grumpy anymore.


Well, that's all for now!

Weddings!

Yesterday was amazing.
Last names were changed
Tears were cried
New beginnings begun

Now I've had the time of my life
and I owe it all to you.

SUMMER summer summer summer

WOOHOO! What a crazy Summer! Camp was last week, my cousin gets married in about a week, my other cousins are coming out tomorrow. It's sunny, and God is good!

I'M DOING GREAT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Katie

Summer summer summer summer

Yesterday was the first day of Summer. And it was marvelously sunny. If I believed in omens, that would be a good one.

So, guess what! I like running! I've been doing quite a lot of it, and even though it is brutal and sometimes I think I'm trying to kill myself, it's not that bad! The one problem is my shins and knees don't do so well under all the impact . . . Anyway, it's really encouraging. Just being able to run, and actually enjoying it.

So, what have you been up to? What are your plans for the summer?

Where are we all headed?

I'm kind of wandering around pointlessly today. Summer has basically started for me, except for a little Chemistry that I have left. So I keep looking for some kind of project to do. I've already read a lot today, so I'm trying to find something . . . creative to do.

I have one year of school left at home, and then I'm going to Running Start. I'm super excited for Running Start, and all the exciting things that come with it. I'm excited to take the PSAT and start getting letters from colleges, and I'm excited to start moving towards my goal of becoming an RN, and I'm excited to be in a class room for the first time in my entire life. But, I'm also glad I have one year left at home, because lately I've been feeling really young. Which isn't a bad thing. It's probably a very healthy thing. Everyone needs a little dose of insignificance every once in a while. In the past, I've felt very defensive, and easily hurt about my age, maturity level, ect. I think it comes from being a younger sister, and being part of a big family. I tend to hang out with my sisters friends a lot, so I'm around people older than me most the time. And I guess I used to try and be like them. But lately I've been realizing that it is really OK to be 15. People aren't thinking less of me for simply being, well, younger.

Last Friday and Saturday we had two Fire and Ice Irish Dance Performances. They went really well. I'm really excited for dance class tonight, because after all our performances, we talk and joke, and practice some fun steps. There's no stressing about getting choreography done, and no craziness. Even though I enjoy that also.

I'm starting a quote book, which is going to be just a black journal, or art book with all my favorite quotes in it. If you can think of any good ones, let me know. I'd be glad to put them in!

Well, I'm off to go find something useful to do!

Nothing ventured nothing gained

OK, I have a lot to say, and I'm not really sure if ANYONE ever reads these anymore, but I HAD to post, because this is my 100th post! And any blogger should be able to say they got to 100 posts.

So, my cousin is engaged! We're so excited for her, and I'm really glad she's getting married. And the craziness that it will add to this summer is going to be exciting. THough I don't know if I'll be part of the actual planning much at all, I'll still be able to hear all about the changes, and everything. And honestly, part of me really wants to be able to help, the other part doesn't want to touch it with a ten foot pole. Emily has SO much family helping her, and they all are much more experienced at weddings than I am.

Because of the wedding (see directly above) our cousins from New Jersey are coming out! Now that is a cause to jump for joy! (so is the wedding. Lets just say there has been a LOT of jumping around here!) Last year, when they came out, right before they left, I said "I wonder how different we'll all be when we see you again." Well, my pessimistic tone was quickly smashed a few months later, when they came out for my Grandpa's memorial service. Though it was sad, it was a good opportunity to see each other again, and grieve together. And now they're coming out again! Let's just say, I will never assume I know the way God works.

The weather has been so nice this week! I think almost all week has been sunny, and warm. It even got into the 70s!! Yesterday, I did science outside, and now my legs are burnt, and my arms a little also, though they don't hurt as much. You have NO idea how delicious it feels to feel like summer. I don't even mind the little burn. Because the sun, and the wind, and the noises, and the feeling, and the freedom . ... well, lets just say, it's amazing. We're almost completely done with school, I only have Chemistry left! My younger siblings are going to be done pretty soon here, in fact, I think they're done with their main subjects already.

Because of the end of school (see above) Mom and I are thinking about Spring cleaning. We didn't get to do it very well last year, so Mom is REALLY eager to get it done, and do it well. So, we're going to start on Monday! I actually don't mind spring cleaning, and I'm glad to help Mom. We have a master plan all laid out, and we're going to crack down on it, and get it all done.

Bethany and Michaela have 3 weeks left of school, and then after that, Bethany GRADUATES! That's so weird, I don't even know what to say about it ... .

So, on the word of engagements (see above . . .. and I suppose the other aboves might have to do with it. Good weather, end of the school year, ect. ect.) Yesterday, a girl at our church announced her engagement to her boyfriend! (They've been courting for 3 years now, or something like that, and we're so excited for them! And, they got engaged in the Philippines! "So Mommy, tell me how you got engaged!"
"Well dear, I was staying with family in the Philippines, and my boyfriend came down to visit me, and then, he proposed!"

Well, I can't really think of much more to say. 100 blog posts. That's a lot of talking about me.

Live a life less ordinary

Life is so amazing, and crazy, and randomly something will happen that you didn't expect. And it is crazy, and exciting, and wonderful, and you can spend a whole day thinking about it, and at the end of the day you still can't understand how it happened, why it happened, but really, all you can feel is incredibly blessed. Yep, I very much so feel like that right now.

Sweet Summer Time!

So, not really summer. I mean, it's raining behind me, and it's cloudy and really quite cold. But, I'm almost done with school for the year! All I have left is All-American History, which will be finished sometime this week, Survey of the Old-Testament. Which is big enough that i am splitting it up in to two years. So I finish whenever I am done with school. And Chemistry. I fell behind in Chemistry, due to multiple things. But, we'll finish probably in May. So, I am very happy about all that. This is me, being happy!! When will you be done with school?
-Katie

Kettle corn

So, I have a few brief things to say.

1. Recently, I have been struggling with weight, but then, one night I realized how God made me exactly how I should be. I pulled out my journal, and wrote down everything about me. And how I look. And all these things I've always known about myself, but never thought about just . . . kinda came out. It was pretty awesome. So, if you're ever struggling with your body size. Just remember: God made you exactly how He wanted to. The End.

2. We're going to California!!!!!!!! We're leaving tomorrow, and I am SO excited. So yah, I'll see you'all later!!!!!

3. The title of this blog makes no sense to me, so don't try to understand it.

Forever yours,
Katie

P.S. I am a little hyper right now.

Hello World

Traffic cars, cell phone calls, top video screams at me
Through my tender window I see a little girl, rust red minivan
She's got chocolate on her face, got little hands
And she waves at me, yeah, she smiles at me

Well, hello world, how've you been?
Good to see you, my old friend
Sometimes I feel cold as steel
Broken like I'm never gonna heal
I see a light, little hole in the little girl
Well, hello world

Every day I drive by a little white church
It's got these little white crosses like angels in the yard
Maybe I should stop on in and say a prayer
Maybe talk to God like he is there
Oh, I know He's there, yeah, I know He's there

Well, hello world, how've you been?
Good to see you, my old friend
Sometimes I feel as cold as steel
And broken like I'm never gonna heal
I see a light, little grace, little faith unfurl
Well, hello world

Sometimes I forget what living's for
And I hear my life through my front door
And I'll be there, oh, I'm home again

I see my wife, little boy, little girl
Hello world, hello world

Oh, the empty disappears
I remember why I'm here
To surrender and believe
I fall down on my knees
Oh hello world, hello world, hello world

-Lady Antebellum

yah! I'm 15 now!!!!!

So, real quickly, I just wanted to let everybody (ha no-one really reads this) know what's going on in my life. Well, I turned 15 yesterday, I've been volunteering at the hospital a lot, because the new building is opening, and i have a cold now. That's all!

Hope you are all doing well!

Praise God from whom all blessing flow . . .

Wow. A lot has happened since I last posted. To start, on January 7th, my Papa died. I wish I could say it in some flowery, meaningful way. But I can't. Death is death, and there really isn't any way to spin it. On Friday, the day that he died, all our family came here. We cried and laughed, and talked together. The most exhausting day ever. I went to bed that night feeling . . . broken. Like a empty shell, that had cried itself out. The next day the Carlson's came. What a blessing! It was so good to be able to work through our grief as one family. It's amazing to me, how the death of one person can bring so many things together. So many people from church gave us food, and cards, and I felt so loved! I got hugs, and well wishes, and felt like people actually cared about my family, and my life. On Wednesday, a man from our church died of a massive heart attack. "Precious in the sight of the Lord is the death of His saints." Psalm 116:15 Mr. Johnson was a man of God, and will be missed. But again, it was amazing to see how we came together as a church to help his family. All of the teen girls at church took his daughter out to dinner on Saturday night, for some time to talk, and get her away from the house for awhile. On Sunday, we had a memorial service for him, and our church was filled with so many people. Later that afternoon, we had a gathering at someone's house. It was so many people, in one house, remembering, talking, laughing. It was truly amazing.

Death seems to be all around me. But I just feel very blessed by all the people in my life, and all the love around me. It's really truly amazing.

Soooooo

So, I really need a new name for my blog. The one I have right now, I'm not sure if I want to keep, but I just put it up cause I HAD to change the name.

My brother has a blog, on which he is doing Car reviews. Check it out! http://explodingcarz.blogspot.com/

Alright then . . .

“...I'd formulated a plan. Can you define a "plan" as 'a loose sequence of manifestly inadequate observations and conjectures, held together by panic, indecision, and ignorance'? If so, it was a very good plan.” -Bartimeous

Random quote, and I am done.

Cya all later!