Katy's Headshots

Here they are ladies and gentlemen! The moment you've all been waiting for....







I have to say that my favorite is the third one because it just looks most like me - laughing at myself. I think the photographer had just asked me to say the word "douche." WHAT?! EW! NO! Doesn't the fourth one just want to make you say, "Oooooh, she's so mysterious...and slightly scary. I'm afraid she'll hurt me"? I love the blue background. It's an old garage in the photographer's neighborhood and I was sitting on greasy cement. Soooo sexy! I had to use it. Go ahead, admit it, the second one tempts you to stroke my head while saying, "Pretty bird. Pretty bird."

I think I have a few different looks to work with in these shots. Now onto getting an agent...

Vote McFadden for Heisman

Do it! Vote here! Go Hogs!

I Have Funny Friends

This is an email I received this morning from a dear friend of mine. I absolutely love the honesty and visual pictures (and yes, I did get her permission...and no it isn't Becky). The funny parts are bolded for those of you who are lazy or may have a boss lurking around your cube:

Things are well and I am ready for some downtime. I just need to get through the next two weeks and then I am home free until January 3rd, 2008!! Uhhhhh...just the sheer thought makes me want to tee tee in my Snow White panties!! I am sitting in St. Louis wasting yet more of life in an airport. I have done quite a few things this morning that have made me quite productive. I am sitting close to the Starbucks in a booth and getting the smells of yum coffee and the sounds of great tunes. For free too! Apparently the booth phone tells me it is 72 degrees in here.
I beg to differ and if that's the outside temperature, someone needs to exchange the 7 for a 3. Not pretty out there. Luckily my plane is coming in from PHX, so no worries about weather delays there. I am headed to Orlando until Friday.

Someone just ordered a gran-day. That was painful, kind of like when smart people would order fa-gi-das from me. Uhhhhh, they are not relatives to the VA-gina. (sometimes I crack myself up...or it may just be the lack of sleep that has put me over the edge...and that I need to spend some one on one time with me a potty, but don't feel I have the privacy I need.)

I had a disruptive booger this morning. I mean, paralyzing booger this morning that made me stop mid make up application in the public bathroom and search out a Puffs. It was quickly resolved. But I was concerned to see so much blood, which always takes me back to the episode of Little House on the Prarie where the cousin had bloody noses all the time and they determined he had an inoperable brain tumor (like they weren't ALL inoperable back in the those days!) So I've always associated bloody noses with brain tumors since that life changing episode. It disturbed me inards.

Only true friends will tell you about their boogs.

The Marathon Doesn't End at 26.2 Miles

For anyone who has ever run a marathon and can relate:



My favorite is the very last scene. Thanks Beck!

On Camera Class

Last night was my first On Camera class at The Acting Studio. It was a small class of six people and our teacher was fun, knowledgeable and a little wacky (he said so himself). He began by telling us some rules of the business: be on time, always call your agent back ASAP (I'm going to get me one of those), get colored headshots (check!) and don't take yourself too seriously (Oh, okay). As any good student would do, I took furious notes, nodded my head and smiled at the teacher. All was going well until about one hour into the class.

He had each one of us stand in front of the video camera, one at a time, and interviewed us for a few minutes. We had to stare into the camera while he talked to us from afar. Not only is it awkward to talk to a camera and not a person, but the entire class was staring at your face in television. My horror ended as soon as it began. I immediately felt comfortable when I began talking. I sat down. No harm done. Easy as pie. I allowed a second for my armpits and upperlip to dry off. Next thing I know our teacher rewinds the video and has us WATCH OURSELVES! That's like taking a steak knife and stabbing me in the eye and then pouring alcohol in it. Not only do we have to WATCH OURSELVES! but everyone has a piece of paper where they judge you and write down things about you and scrutinize every little bit of who you are as a person and characters you might represent. Here are some of the questions:

1. Name that would suit this person?
2. Age?
3. Gay/Straight?
4. Married/Single/Divorced
5. What magazines do they read?
6. What is their occupation?
7. How much do they make?
8. Education?
9. What roles would suit this person? (girl next door, jock, etc.)
10. What actors are they similar to?
11. Give a line of dialogue that this person's character might say.

For a perfectionist, being judged is just about the worst thing that can happen.

I lived folks. I am here yet another day.

Some celebs I resemble according to my classmates: Kristin Davis (Charlotte from Sex and the City),




























Don't I look exactly like her?





















Sandra Bullock (my teacher asked the person who made this suggestion, "where?" Thanks teach.) and Juliette Lewis (I'm not a punk rocker but I still think she's a great actress).


























































She's incredibly versatile and I need to tap into that side of me. I should also start wearing canary yellow unitards.


One person wrote for a line of dialogue for me: "I hope I get this right." Have they been talking to my therapist?

Chit Chat

I would like to thank Megan for having a birthday work celebration yesterday because it gave me yet ANOTHER opportunity to stuff my face with birthday cake.

Quote of the day:

"I'd kick a baby if they tickled me."

That quote was made by me. Let that be a warning to all you babies who like to tickle people. I turn VIOLENT! Don't say I didn't warn you.

Braces Please

Will someone please do me a favor? Wire my mouth shut!

It's nearly impossible to eat right this time of year. Someone's always having a birthday and naturally that involves birthday cake. Someone makes you cookies and you can't turn down a gift...or cookies. You want to drink hot chocolate from your cute Christmas mug. A friend invites you to a steak house...for FREE...and you have to eat your weight in creamy mashed potatoes and carrot cake. I drink decaf coffee afterwards because that's what those skinny europeans do, at least I think they do. I'm assuming and praying that it will help with the metabolism. It isn't helping.

It's time for an intervention. You know what goes nicely with an intervention? Creme Brulee.

Days of Christmas

I can't believe one of my very own flesh and blood actually sat upon Santa's lap and smiled. We have a history of sitting on his lap and crying. I have proof! There's a beauty of a photo with Patrick bawling while sitting on Santa's lap. Send it to me Patrick!

Liam is doing nothing more than being Liam. He smiles and giggles non-stop.

Here's a happy picture Patrick found of us with a Santa doll. If he'd been real, we would have been crying.

Sweet Victory!

You can't get much better than the Cowboys/Packers game last night. It's just a shame most people didn't get to see it (NFL Network). It's great to see Romo living up to his new contract. And is it just me or does T.O. seem to be a whole new person - on the field and off the field? He did get a little of his show-boating in with the popcorn stunt, but it made me laugh...and really crave popcorn.

Poor Brett Favre. I had hoped he could play the rest of the game for two reasons. One - I like him. It's almost as if Troy Aikman was still playing. And two - AaronRodgers came in the game and almost scared me.

Speaking of Rodgers - the big talk of the game was that he looked almost exactly like the lead singer of Creed, Scott Stapp.

Am I right or am I right? (Note: this is a picture of Scott Stapp. I couldn't find the look-a-like picture to post). Then I found out why after reading Jaime Aron's article on the game:

Look for the shaggy-haired Rodgers to get a haircut soon. He vowed not to trim it until he threw a touchdown.

Go Cowboys! 11-1. Playoffs guaranteed!

Help America's Economy!

This morning I read this article about the top 10 stupidest gifts out there today. Stupid.com spent endless hours finding these priceless gifts. Personally, I'd love to see one or more of these in my Christmas stocking.


I have a few gift ideas for those of you who are having trouble making a Christmas list or for those of you who just don't know what to buy that lovely lady of yours.

1. Flat Wallet: These are all the rage these days.


2. Booties: No, these aren't for your baby's feet. These are for your Baby's feet! I love these grey suede Franco Sarto boots. Zappos ships for free!


3. Grey Shift Dress: Here's a cute one from Target. Throw on some plum or black opaque tights and you've got a cute outfit! Or here's another but more expensive option.


4. Dresses: They really are in this winter! I absolute LOVE this dress. I hate the price. Other dresses I have a love/hate relationship with can be found here or here . I'm beginning to think this should be called Katy's Favorite Things. But unlike Oprah, I don't own them.


5. Nail Polish: I am wearing this color right this second! You can't go wrong with Wicked! And it's a fun stocking stuffer!
   
6. Metal credit card/ID/gift card holder: I've had mine for almost six years and it's still holding up (thought barely)! It's perfect for sliding in your pocket when you don't want to carry a whole purse. And these are for the art lover in all of us.
7. Make your own calendar: Patrick made me one last year and I love looking at it! He used tons of pictures from our family over the past couple of years. You can make your own easily if you have a Mac (don't we all wish we did!) or you can go to Shutterfly or Kodak to order your own.
8. Life Magazine: Two years ago I bought my dad a Life Magazine from the month and year of his birth. It was so fun reading what was going on during that time period. Patrick once bought my mom a National Geographic from the birth month and year of all her kids.
9. Personalized Playing Cards: Check out PhotoWorks to make your own playing cards.
10. For the movie lover: 1001 Movies You Must See Before You Die.
11. For the kids: BabyWit.com has great stuff for babies and younger kiddos. And BabyLegs is also great for the cold weather kids.
12. TV fanatic: Don't have HBO and wonder what all the hype's about? Sopranos, Sex and the City, Entourage, etc. are available on DVD. Buy them for a family member, a friend or buy one and donate it to Heroes for Heroes.
13. Philanthropist: Make a donation in honor of a loved one. Heroes for Heroes, World Vision, Habitat for Humanity...find a worthy cause!
14. Scared of the Dark (aka me): These aren't just your average nightlights! I have two very similar ones.
15. Wine Lover: Wine opener gift set.

These are some of my favorites. Please share some of yours! I need ideas and I'm sure other people would love to hear them. Don't be shy! Leave a comment with some of your favorite gift ideas.

I Need a Moment

Katy sends her apologies for not having written sooner. She is currently in rehab for her addiction to ice cream, pecan pie, candied sweet potatoes, pancakes, bacon, chocolate something-or-other, pumpkin pie something made by her sister and trail mix consumed by the handful during the days following Thanksgiving.

She's currently in the weening process. It is a very dangerous time for her. Any minute now her butt may bust through her pants (except it won't because they're stretchy - that is her pants) or her brain may split in half due to the sudden lack of sugar. Pray for her.

Survey Says!

Who hasn't taken one of these surveys? This has been sent around today by my high school friends. Get to know me!

Type In Your Answers. Then Send This To A Whole Bunch Of People That You Know... And Send It Back To Me So I Can See Your Answers. The Theory Is That You Will Learn A Lot Of Little Known Facts About Those You Know. Remember To Send It Back!

1. WERE YOU NAMED AFTER ANYONE? My grandmother
was Mary Kathryn (or was it Mary Kay?)...hence my name. And my dad also
really liked the movie, "The Sullivan Brothers," about
5 brothers who went off to WWII on the same ship and
all died. One of them left behind a wife, Mary
Kathryn. Sounds promising.

2. WHEN WAS THE LAST TIME YOU CRIED? Probably
during some holiday commercial involving Folgers
coffee and Peter coming home from college.



3. DO YOU LIKE YOUR HANDWRITING? I do like my
handwriting but only with the Pilot G-2 pen. I'm a
walking commercial.

4. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE LUNCH MEAT? I'm not
a vegan because I am a Texan, an American and I love
Jesus. My favorite lunchmeat is an 8oz. filet mignon
on wheat bread with mayo. (This was said in jest as a response to a friend who claims he's a "vegan.")

5. DO YOU HAVE Children? Not that I'm fully
aware of.

6. IF YOU WERE ANOTHER PERSON WOULD YOU BE
FRIENDS WITH YOU? Absolutely. Everyone wants to
have beautiful friends.

7. DO YOU USE SARCASM A LOT? See above.

8. DO YOU STILL HAVE YOUR TONSILS? yes

9. WOULD YOU BUNGEE JUMP? I want to say yes.
But then the responsible side of me takes over and
then statistics and the words "health insurance" and
"deductible" cross my mind.

10. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE CEREAL? cinnamon
toast crunch - but I never eat it.

11. DO YOU UNTIE YOUR SHOES WHEN YOU TAKE THEM
OFF? Never. I'm lazy.

12. DO YOU THINK YOU ARE STRONG? You have
no idea the strengh these biceps hold.

13. WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE ICE CREAM/Sherbet/Gelato? Where do I begin! Today I
say I love Ben & Jerry's half baked.

14. WHAT IS THE FIRST THING YOU NOTICE ABOUT PEOPLE? Smile

15. RED OR PINK? Red - my favorite color

16. WHAT IS THE LEAST FAV. THING ABOUT
YOURSELF? perfectionism which leads to fear
which leads to fear of failure which leads to life
paralysis which leads to regrets.

17. WHO DO YOU MISS THE MOST? my family, no
doubt

18. DO YOU WANT EVERYONE TO SEND THIS BACK TO
YOU? Yessssssssssssssssss

19. WHAT COLOR PANTS AND SHOES ARE YOU
WEARING? a really fabulous gray pair from Express
that can be washed and dried...and don't need ironed.
And they are stretchy.

20. WHAT WAS THE LAST THING YOU ATE?
Chipotle...hence the stretchy pants

21. WHAT ARE YOU LISTENING TO RIGHT NOW?
other people typing and breathing

22. IF YOU WHERE A CRAYON, WHAT COLOR WOULD
YOU BE? pistachio green

23. FAVORITE SMELLS? My parents house. Warm
cookies. John Freida's Brilliant Brunette shampoo on
freshly washed hair. Babies!

24. WHO WAS THE LAST PERSON YOU TALKED TO ON THE PHONE? Mom!

25. DO YOU LIKE THE PERSON WHO SENT THIS TO YOU? I love you all!

26. FAVORITE SPORTS TO WATCH? NFL/College Football. And ice skating!

27. HAIR COLOR? Brown - Mahogany?

28. EYE COLOR? brown - Brown

29. DO YOU WEAR CONTACTS? No

30. FAVORITE FOOD? It's currently between Gold Fish, Ben & Jerry's and Guacamole

31. SCARY MOVIES OR HAPPY ENDINGS? I HATE scary movies. I have a crazy enough imagination as it is!

32. LAST MOVIE YOU WATCHED? At the movie theater - Into the Wild with Marissa. Whoa, is that intense. At home? Ahem...Ice Princess with some teeny boppers who are "hollywood IT girls" (whatever that means). It was the only thing on and I secretly LOVE teenage drama chick flicks.

33. WHAT COLOR SHIRT/BLOUSE ARE YOU WEARING? Light pink sweater

34. SUMMER/FALL/SPRING OR WINTER? Texas = spring, Chicago = summer, Colorado = winter (I love to ski)

35. HUGS OR KISSES? Can I say both?

36. FAVORITE DESSERT? Ben and Jerry's. Do I need to keep repeating myself?

37. MOST LIKELY TO RESPOND? I want each and every one of you to respond!

38. LEAST LIKELY TO RESPOND? No one will disappoint me!.

39. WHAT BOOK ARE YOU READING NOW? The Emperor's Children by Claire Messud.

40. WHAT IS ON YOUR MOUSE PAD? Dell something

41. WHAT DID YOU WATCH ON T.V. LAST NIGHT? I didn't watch t.v.! But if I could have watched anything it would have been Project Runway. I love that show.

42. FAVORITE SOUND? Babies laughing. They make my world go round!

43. ROLLING STONES OR BEATLES? Definitely the Beatles. I can sing them all. Has anyone seen Across the Universe? Quirky movie...which means I loved it.

44. WHAT IS THE FURTHEST YOU HAVE BEEN FROM HOME? Italy

45. DO YOU HAVE A SPECIAL TALENT? I can make my nose look like it's on the side of my face.

46. WHERE WERE YOU BORN? Atlanta, Georgia

Moisture is the Essence of Beauty - MerMAN!

By george I better have the bestest and youngest looking skin at the age of 73! A recent post unveiled the fact that I am currently suffering from dry, flakey skin on my face...hence the missing top layer of skin in certain sections surrounding my eyebrows. This just isn't working for me. My dermatologist, hot doctor, told me that my topical medicine that helps keep my face clean and clear is also supposed to be the best medicine out there for age prevention. Oh really doctor? Because suddently two short months after the dewey summer days, my face is cracked and looks 50 years older. Moisture is the key to healthy, beautiful, glowing skin! At least that's what my Aunt's recent issue of Reader's Digest told me.

So I went Nordstrom yesterday. Yes, I even go there on my days off. It really is a wonderland. I stopped in the makeup section to explore the shelves of moisturizers that promise to do everything just short of bringing world peace. My eyebrow girl told me that I should try this intense facial moisturizer by MD Skincare. I'll be bold and honest by telling you that a 1.7 ounce jar of this stuff costs $120. Do you need me to pick you up off the floor? I know, but I'm DESPERATE! And of course I couldn't just stop with the moisturizer, I also needed to purchase the exfoliator. As the salesperson helping me said, "Dead skin will just block the moisturizer from getting to where it needs to go." Wow, I do need an exfoliant. Show me more teacher!

One thing I can't stand when I go to the makeup section or skin care section of any store is that they automatically look at you and say, "Wow! Your skin is so dry! You really should take better care of it by moisturizing!" Well duh! That's why I'm here, in the moisturizer section! I'm doing everything short of selling a kidney to make sure my face doesn't crumble into pieces. And they always have just the product. "This ____ eye cream will help tighten the under eye area and remove any puffiness." "But you also need this ____ eye cream to protect it from free radicals." What exactly are free radicals? It sounds like some dangerous political sect.

Here are my moisturizing purchases to make sure I have the softest, youngest and most dewey face, lips and hands:

• MD Skincare Hydra-Pure Intense Moisture Cream
• Yves Saint Laurent 'Touche Eclat' Radiant Touch It's french so it's got to be good. And I quote "one of these pens is sold somewhere in the world every 7 seconds." I had to be part of that statistic!
• La Source Hand Therapy cream. This stuff saved my hands last winter.
• Bigelow Ultra Mentha Lip Shine so I can be sure to have the most kissable lips out there!

Isn't it just the way of the universe that everything tends to run out at the same time? And I want to just go ahead and say that I am totally pleased so far with the facial moisturizer. Moisture is indeed locked in on my face and I've got that dewey look (not to be confused with sweaty/greasy).

November Birthdays

First and foremost, I want to wish my wonderful dad a HAPPY BIRTHDAY! He told me he's celebrating by babysitting for Connor tonight. I guess that's what happens when you have grandkids. What do you get for the man who can't ever think of what he wants for birthdays and holidays? A Tony Romo bobblehead of course!

Secondly, many of my loved ones celebrate November birthdays. So here's a happy birthday to Mom, Dad, Chris, Becky, Russ, Shelly, Kate, Mandy, Kristen and ??? Forgive me if I'm leaving out your name. Just know that I'm celebrating YOU!

And finally, my theory on the numerous November birthdays: Valentines Day.

The Camera Loves You!

You can see an Anne Geddes look alike photo of little Archer on Paula's photography blog. I can't stop looking at it!

Epidermis

Winter can be a tough time for the skin. What was once dewy, greasy and could borderline cook french fries thanks to the summer months, is now scaley, dry and a little on the itchy side. If I don't carry around moisturizer with me constantly, my face shrivels up and cracks. It's all very attractive.

Today I went and had my eyebrows waxed during an early lunch break. It was time to tame the beast sitting just above my eyelids. My aesthetician took the normal precautions: vaseline and baby powder. After the first RIP I felt an unusual tingling/burning sensation. I do have sensitive skin so the redness/puffiness wouldn't be too alarming, so what's alarming are the two super-red strips on my forehead. One is just below my left eyebrow. The other is just a smidge to the right of my right eyebrow. This my friends is due to dry skin. Now I look like I've been in a bar fight. Well, someone with gorgeous eyebrows who has been in a bar fight. There is a difference.

Toy Recall

Since Christmas is being thrust upon us earlier and earlier, I thought I would urge parents to BEWARE of the toys out there. A non-profit recently put together a list of the worst toys available to children. Click here to read more about it. I need to return the rubber band shooter that I just bought for Connor.

This also reminds me of one of my favorite Saturday Night Live sketches ever starring Dan Akroyd and Jane Curtin. I wish I could find the video for it.

Radar Magazine also had an article about the 10 most dangerous toys ever. My parents were good because I never had any of these toys.

End Zone

I know that I cry easily. You know it. I know it. Anyone who has ever been to a movie with me knows it. But last Friday night when I went to my little brother's high school football game I was overwhelmed to the point of tears. Mom and I were walking up the stands to watch the end of warm-ups and as we turned to look at the field we saw all the players and their dads kneeling in the end zone praying together. Dads had their arms around their sons. Sons whose dads couldn't make it prayed with their friends and their dads. I don't see that every day and it brings me such joy to see it.

Tonight my parents are in Atlanta for a funeral of a dear friend and can't make Andrew's last game. My older brother and his family are out of town. My sister just had a baby so she's out. So my fabulous brother-in-law, Chris, just emailed me that he's going to Andrew's game and gets to pray with him on the field beforehand. Again, it makes me want to cry. I don't know. Maybe it's that dads, sons, and families are joining together and acknowledging the most important thing in life. When you think of teenagers, you typically think about the riff between them and their parents. You don't often picture dads with their arms around their sons, kneeling and praying. It doesn't happen that often in life.

Orender Family Turkey Trot

My trainer was telling me about the new Steve Carell movie, Dan in Real Life. She said that it was funny but a lot of it was totally unbelievable. She said that Dan's family gets together and plays games and has competitions with each other, "I mean, no family does that!" I just looked at her and she said, "I knew it. I knew your family would. Of course you do." I can't help it that we enjoy playing games, singing karaoke and competing in the Lindsay Family Beach Olympics. I like that about us.

This Thanksgiving we're taking on a new family adventure. For the first time in YEARS, and practically my whole life, we are not going to do the Dallas Turkey Trot. Instead, we're heading to our lakehouse in Possum Kingdom to enjoy the First Annual Orender Family Turkey Trot! We even have t-shirts! Check these out:












We only had a couple of hours to design them otherwise I'm sure we'd design a logo. Want your own Orender Family Turkey Trot t-shirt? Sorry, it's a limited print. Someday these things will sell like hot cakes on ebay.

I'm thinking that I could win this race. Finally! I WIN!!!!! I need to come up with a prize for myself. Perhaps a new pair of shoes? Yes, definitely a new pair of shoes. Speaking of shoes, I just bought a fabulous pair of flat knee high boots. I kind of look like a pirate. But I like pirates.

What's in a Dream?

Kellsey, a friend I've known since the 8th grade, left a comment not that long ago on one of my posts. I hope she doesn't mind that I post part of it here. I left out the part where she said we were engaged to each other. She's married so I'm not too worried.

I dreamed last night that I was at your parents house with you for a sleepover. We were hanging out and talking and dancing around (with your parents). When we went to bed we both slept pretty soundly. THen at 5:30 you all of a sudden sat bolt upright and said "I can't stand it anymore! I've got to get up. I can't stand to sleep late and miss half the day."

That is so me! Most people close to me know that I don't like sleeping late because I love the day time so much and who wants to waste some perfectly good daylight?

I've never slept past 12:30pm. And when I did that it was after prom and I didn't go to bed until 6:00 am. I am also pretty competitive. I used to get mad when my old roommate would wake up before me on a Saturday morning. How dare she get a start on the day before me! Maybe I felt guilty for wasting precious time. Guilt? Me? And you know what else makes me feel guilty? Watching t.v. when my roommates are busy doing something else. Automatically I feel I'm lazy. I'm sensing I have some issues here.

Anyone else have any dreams about me they'd like to share? Kidding! No, seriously. Wait, maybe I don't want to know them.

My First Visit with Archer

I am having major withdrawals now that I'm home. I couldn't stop staring at Archer's sweet little face and those tiny little lips! His dark long hair is amazing. We're thinking it will probably fall out and blonde little curls will come in its place, but you never know.

Erin is doing great. She is an amazing mother. Mom is staying at her place for a week helping her out. I helped out for two nights by sleeping on the couch and making occasional comments without opening my eyes. I don't know how she does it. I was so tired sleeping on the couch that the thought of waking up made me want to puke. Being a mother isn't for wimps.

Pole Position

Saturday I went to the Nascar Busche series race at the Texas Motor Speedway. I'm a fan. I loved it! Patrick answered all 1,425 of my questions with incredible patience and now I can speak the lingo.

I was looking at the huge pole by the track and noticing the positions of the drivers - their position on the pole - their pole position. I looked at Patrick and said "POLE POSITION! Oh my gosh! I'm 31 years old and have just realized for the first time that the arcade game pole position referred to 'POLE POSITION!' Seriously, my world was just rocked." I shock myself sometimes.

Curb Appeal

Today I found my co-worker, Donna, pulling me up from off the cement sidewalk. You see, I had just misplaced my wedge heel on a curb. Wedge heels, way-to-long pants, cement curbs, traffic, three good looking gentlemen across the street and me are a deadly combination. I felt myself falling backwards and just decided to go with it. I hear that it's better to fall than try to save yourself from falling - that's when you get injuries. I'm at that tender age where injuries are becoming more numerous; for example, the elevator breaks and you have to walk down 15 flights of stairs which makes your calves so sore that every little movement makes you vocalize your pain. My poor roommates - except they too have sore calves. Our vocalized pain together is harmonic.

So I just went with it. I fell slowly and thought to myself, "I'm falling, so I think I'll just do it with flare." My hands were full of bags so I cushioned the blow by landing on my butt - a cushion like none other. I could fall from 15 stories and still be okay as long as I land on my derierre. Of course I had to stand up dramatically and smile while laughing to let others know I was okay...and that I know I'm a dork who loses balance quite frequently in public. I hate it when people energetically yell "OH! ARE YOU OKAY?!" and then suck in their breath through their teeth and make that SHHHHHHEEE noise. I mean, it's not like I hit my head on something hard (like I did last week when getting into Christine's car....and the next day while getting into Gina's car. What is my problem?). Let's just all ignore the fact that I almost fell into traffic. Hello! Happens daily!

Archer Brennan McCroskey

Here's the little guy's first photos!

Brothers McCroskey

Connor has himself a partner in crime. Doesn't "Brothers McCroskey" just sound like trouble? Erin & Chris have a brand new little boy! He was born just a little while ago. We don't know the weight, height or name yet but I'm sure they'll let us know soon.

Everyone seems to be healthy and happy. Erin sounded so happy but incredibly exhausted. She worked hard there at the end. She said that he's beautiful!

I do know that he's slightly smaller than Connor was when he was born. He has dark hair and a different nose than Connor.

I heard him squeaking while talking with my sister. I cannot wait to meet him!

More updates soon!

Baby McCroskey

My sister, Erin, is at the hospital right now waiting to have a baby! She called me earlier today and was trying to decide if her water broke. She went to the hospital and they said that she was in the early stages of labor!

I'm sad that I won't be there for this but I'm going home on Wednesday and will spend a few days with my brand new niece or nephew.

Be in prayer for Erin and the baby - for their health & safety. Connor and Chris can't wait to welcome their new family member.

I'm expecting a call in the middle of the night or a phone call in the morning. I hope it's a smooth labor and delivery for her. They predict the baby will be a nine pounder. We like our babies big! Everything's bigger in Texas!

I'm Getting Married in the Morning!

Here I am in my wedding dress for Vanilla. Please God, don't let this be the last time I wear one!

Wise Words from St. Augustine

My friend Kelly sent me a devotional with this quote by St. Augustine:

Trust the past to God's mercy, the present to God's love and the future to God's providence.

My prayer is that I will trust God in all of these things. Choosing to trust, to believe and to have faith is so difficult! I KNOW God is trustworthy, believable and faithful, but believing these things requires an extra step of faith. I hope I have the courage!

Performance Tonight!

Vanilla by Kristyn Leigh Robinson will be shown tonight at the A Table and Chairs performance. We're performing at the Bailiwick on Belmont at 8:00 p.m. Tickets are $10. There are some really fun one acts and it should be a good time.

See you there!

Happy Early Halloween

Headshots

I had my headshots taken last Sunday. It was possibly the stickiest, most humid and steamy day Chicago has seen in it's history of Octobers. It also happened to be the Chicago Marathon...which got cancelled because of the weather. You know me with humidity. We don't get along or agree. They kept having to stop and apply more make up over my already pancaked face so I wouldn't keep glistening...and no I don't mean in that inner-beauty kind of way.

But it was so much fun and I had a great time. Kelly went with me and helped me be myself even when wearing pounds of make up and looking into a camera while being told to say "douche" or make sexy faces. I don't make sexy faces! I make fake sexy faces. There was a lot of laughter. Brian McConkey. He's the man.

And you know what? I just don't think I look like myself when I don't smile. So here are the pictures. (okay, link won't work unless your me. sorry!) I can't believe I'm letting the public see them. I could have at least picked a few of them out. But I like them. I can find a good three pictures in there that I can use.

And one thing's for sure, "Katy, you are in the running to become America's Next Top Model!"

Done and Done

The walk is OVER! I survived the mud and the rain to see the sun rise yet another day. And I was very bitter at that sun. Of course it wants to come out and play AFTER THE WALK! The weekend is a bit of a blur for me and I don't mind that at all. It was the toughest yet with weather, snafu's and other issues, but once again, God provided for my every need. And no one fell into Lake Michigan...another added bonus. Thank you everyone for your prayers!

I'm still in the process of recovering. It usually takes a couple of weeks. I hope to be back to my normal, energetic, healthy self soon. Right now I'm mostly lathargic and have a hard time forming complete sentences.

I'm in the midst of rehearsals for another one act play that will be put up next Monday and Tuesday at the Baliwick. I wear a wedding dress the whole time and basically call off my wedding. Good times. Playing her gives me a headache. Talk about tension.

My toughest line: "I had just ordered my two scoops of triple cherry chocolate fudge trifle..." Try saying that a couple of times. I also have a hard time saying "This isn't about the Hamptons, Adam!" It comes out as "This isn't about the Hantom's Dadum!" If I were taking cold medicine, I'd blame it on that.

I hope to be updating much more frequently in the near future.

Race to Cure Rabies

Event. Coming. To. An. End. Soon. Three. More. Days.

In the meantime, I'm going to go home and rejuvenate by watching a lovely show called The Office.

Race to Cure Rabies!!!

Happy Anniversary to Me

Today is my four year anniversary in Chicago. I still cannot believe I've been here this long. Sometimes it seems like minutes ago that my dad and I drove away with a uhaul attached to my car. Other days it feels like a lifetime ago. I've been blessed beyond my wildest dreams since I've been here.

This is a picture of me and my dear friend, Kathie, just a month or two after I moved. She let me sleep on her couch for four and a half months. Now that's a friend!

Four years. So much can happen in four years. High school lasts four years. College lasts four years (or five for some). I wonder what will happen in the next four years?

Four years ago the Cubs were so close to going to the world series. My friend, Chris Montgomery, and I wandered the streets next to Wrigley Field and saw the Cubs implode. Same thing happened this year. I need to find those pictures! I think they are on my other computer. I'll post them soon.


Tony Romo just threw an interception. DANGIT!

Update: Cowboys won in the last second! I was a complete wreck watching it. It took me a while to settle down afterwards. I think I'm still giddy.

Burn It!

Last night I went to a fun event for work. Unfortunately we had to wear the ugliest shirts I have ever seen. They were made of 100% polyester and were the shade of a flesh-colored band-aid. No one on the face of the earth looks good in this color. In fact, if you looked at me from far away I looked like I was walking around in black pants only.















Here's a picture of it. As you can see, the lighting isn't so great, but the company is! Those are former Bears players, Dennis Lick and Emory Moorehead (from the 1985 Superbowl Team). Oh, and Ashley too.

Disturbing

I saw stirrup pants at Nordstroms on Friday. STIRRUP PANTS!

Periods. They Don't Just End Sentences

Wednesday night was one of those perfect girls nights. Kelly picked up me and Alyson from work and we began our plans of dinner and a Target run. What girl doesn't need a black velour leisure suit to help her through the frigid Chicago winter?

Dinner was met with tears as we all talked about what's going on in our lives. We had to cheer each other up somehow, so the topic turned to when we started our first periods. The moral of the story is that if we could make it through our first periods in our pre-teen days, then surely we'll make it through what's going on in our lives now.

I detested any talk about periods when I was in those fragile stages of 10 and 11 years old. It had to do with the changing of my body and would eventually lead to "the talk." My mom tried to talk to me about it several times but I always cut her off with a "I KNOW ALREADY MOM!" It's true, I did know. I just picked up on things at school: discussions, stories, innuendos. I was a pretty perceptive child. I spent most of my time observing and listening to others.

I remember we had a special talk at school for girls only. The teachers gathered us into the auditorium and proceeded to tell us about the menstrual cycle and changes we could be expecting in the near future. You could order this neat little box filled with pads, pamphlets and a resourceful book on life changes. They must have sent a letter home to the parents because my mom ordered on for me and one for my sister. I remember getting the brown box filled with the goodies and being utterly horrified. Meanwhile my sister was giddy with delight and couldn't wait to read more about "life changes" out loud from the book. My sister was the kind of girl who couldn't wait to play dress up and wear my mothers heals and jewelry. I was more inclined to throw the football around and ask the boys at school to punch me in the stomach to show them I was tough. I wasn't an extreme tomboy. Most wouldn't have classified me as one by looking at me. My appearance didn't give me away, except for that unfortunate hair cut that left me with a mullet in fourth grade. Tragic and a story for another time.

First periods are startling, overwhelming, exciting and horrifying all at once. How are they exciting? I don't know. I just know that most mom's have an innate knowledge that tells them they need to act excited when their daughters tell them they started their period. It's a "My girl is so grown up!" "You're a woman!" But we all know now what our mothers were really thinking: "And here innocence ends and high-maintenance begins." Welcome to a life of water-retention, insatiable chocolate cravings, hot pads and maxi pads, midol and the fear of leakage. Goodbye white pants during certain times of the month. Hello mood swings.

If dealing with being a teenager wasn't hard enough, girls had to deal with their periods. I remember sixth grade being an especially rough time for girls who were new to menstrual cycles. Not everyone had started yet but it was obvious if you had. If a girl made the march to the bathroom carrying her purse, there were hushed whispers or unspoken thoughts of "she must be a slut." And heaven forbid that a guy got ahold of your purse and looked through it! What if he found a pad?!

Praise God for the day that I first learned how to use a tampon. It's been nothing but freedom ever since. Try going to a summer camp for 4 weeks during the summer and having to take swim class the first day of your period. How many excuses can one make up? You quickly learn to embrace the tampon. Some girls' mothers show them how to use it. Others just follow the instructions in the box and try to figure out the pictures. Most of our first thoughts were, "This can't be right. I'm supposed to stick this where?"

If only I knew back then that one day I would be laughing over dinner with my friends talking openly about my period, it wouldn't have seemed so daunting. I can't wait for the day when I can order a fun package for my daughter and explain the joys of womanhood. She'll probably scream back at me "I KNOW ALREADY MOM!" And I'll just think to myself, "That's my girl."

Restored

You know what? I have THE greatest family and friends. I have felt so loved over the last few days. I finally have my head on straight! My parents did a GREAT job of reminding me who I am and they broke the record of negative thoughts that were running through my head. So thank you for all of the prayers, phone calls, emails and encouragement.

Becky told me to ask people for help. I ask for prayers of clarity and direction over the next couple of months. More than anything I want to do what God desires of me. But I need to remember that that doesn't mean I should sit still paralyzed with fear that I'll do the wrong thing, or worst of all, fail. Failure haunts me. I don't fail often and that must be why it seems like a huge monster. I run from it sometimes. But isn't better to have failed trying than never to have tried at all? I should cross-stitch that into a pillow. It's sure to be a famous quote. What? Someone else said that already? Scratch that idea.

The posts are sporadic these days. Work is a bit busier than usual but it should only last for a couple more weeks. Then you'll have my usual array of daily commentary from yours truly.

Life's Hard Y'all...Sometimes

It's been a really long and hard week. How can a difficult time also be so cathartic? I cried so hard and for so long last night that I woke up this morning and looked like I had been punched in the face. I could really use some cucumbers on the eyes right now. And I have never used so many kleenexes in my life. When I was done with one I'd just throw it towards the trash can in my room. I began crying again because I couldn't even make a basket with my kleenex. It was a very pathetic couple of hours.

And you know I journaled like mad. I used BIG FAT CAPITAL LETTERS with lots of exclamation points!!!! and double underlining. Such release!

The good news is that my parents are coming in town tomorrow morning! What perfect timing. I could use some TLC from the parentals.

Lake Winnipesaukee Pictures

Here are a few lovely pictures from our trip. They basically tell the story of eating, sleeping, reading and talking.



Here we are snuggled up which was our nightly ritual.



And this was us all weekend. I finished Harry Potter by the way and cried like a baby. So good!



The storm was an added blessing. I could read all day and not feel bad about it.

This is our first day. We're soaking up the last of the warm sun.



I made fire! I am so proud!



At the boat races.



My own personal boat race. I won!



I have nothing else to say about this.

3-0!

My game time party was a huge success last night! What I mean is that the COWBOYS WON! It was a huge victory as well. I mostly celebrated with Texans last night and a couple of people who could have cared less about football (aka. What's the Heisman Trophy?). That win was HUGE! I felt sorry for the Bears because I do love them, but I have to cheer for my hometown team!

I heart Wade Phillips.


My dad and I IM'd each other throughout the game last night. Here's a sneak peek at our conversation:


Me: Romosexuals unite!

Me: Uh oh (Romo threw and interception)

Dad: Yippeekaiyeah (we got it back)

Dad: Oh sh-- (something bad happened. I can't remember. Oh wait! The blocked field goal attempt)

Me: Dammit to hell! (Grandma's favorite)

Dad: Jerkasses (Grandma's second favorite)

Me: Romo! Help us!

Me: Penalties! (could there have been anymore? I submit that there could not!)

Dad: Yankee devils!

Me: Aw Yeah! (probably scored)

Me: Eastern Illinois (dad and Romo share this place)

Dad: Cradle of Football!

Dad: Viva los vaqueras!

Dad: Any tears yet from the bear fans?

Me: They went to bed.

Dad: This game takes my mind off of Notre Dame and Arkansas

Me: We needed something

Me: This gets better and better (27-10 Cowboys)

Dad: Friggin Great! (34-10 Final)



Amen.

Signature Room

Sometimes my job has it's perks.

Recipe Time

For those of you who asked:

Texas Caviar
The best for nights at the ranch, holidays, or fun parties with friends…

2 Cans Black Eyed Peas, drained and rinsed
1 Can Rotel, drained
1 Red Onion
1 Green Pepper
1 Avocado
2 Roma tomatoes, diced
½ C Italian Dressing
Lime Juice to taste

Mix all ingredients in large bowl, then add salt and pepper to taste. Serve with tortilla chips.

HodgePodge:
Perfect for a cold day, party with friends and even best served as leftovers...

1 lb. ground beef
1 medium white onion chopped
1 can rotel (diced tomatoes and green chiles)
2 cans stewed tomatoes
4 cans minestrone soup

Brown beef & onions together in a large pot. Drain grease. Add all other ingredients (no need to drain cans) and mix together. Add water (1 inch above other ingredients or to your preference). Heat on high until it bubbles. Serve in a big bowl with grated cheese and crackers.

**You can also add other ingredients like corn, beans, etc.

Cowboys vs. Da Bears

Sunday is a BIG football day! It's even bigger for a girl with a Texas heart who happens to also live in Chicago. Sunday night the Dallas Cowboys visit Chicago to take on the Bears. We all know that the Dallas Cowboys are America's team. Oh don't dispute it. I dare you to say it to my face while I'm holding a picture of the late Tom Landry.











sidenote: I've met Tom Landry. He's a great man who did amazing things with his life and the lives of others until the very end. This man also made the Fedora what it is today.

Then there's the Chicago Bears who had a great 2006 season and came so close to bringing home a Super Bowl Championship. I'm a fan of both. So I'm a winner either way on Sunday. But I'd be lying if I didn't say that I'm a bigger Cowboys fan.

So here's my plea:

Does anyone have tickets to the Bears/Cowboys game on Sunday that they'd like to bestow upon me? Or how about sell me at a price of less than $250 (the going rate for the cheap seats)? I've never been to Soldier Field and this guarantees to be an awesome match up. If I don't go to the game I'm definitely having a party. Food will consist of my two favorites: Texas Caviar and HodgePodge.

Birthday Shout Out's

Happy Birthday to two of my favorite people in the world: Auntie and Andrew! So their birthdays were actually yesterday but I tend to hold the belief that people should keep celebrating the whole week!

I gave the most creative gift to Andrew that I've ever given. Well, creative might not be the correct word; it's more unusual. I donated a goat to a family in need in his honor. What 17 year old boy wouldn't want a goat donated in his name to a family in a third world country? Beats me! Now he'll have a story when someone asks, "What's the most unusual gift you've ever received?" I'm doing him a favor in so many ways.

17 years old! I still can't wrap my brain around it. It's hard to believe that this big kid is the same person as the little newborn I carried so slowly and carefully to the hospital nursery 17 years ago. He changed our lives that day in ways we never would have dreamed. The world is a better place because of him. I know, I'm gushing. I can hardly help myself.

Blaze of Glory

New Hampshire is gorgeous! My cravings for fall and all it's glory grew to an almost uncontrollable level. There's the smell and crunch of the leaves, clothes that make you want to snuggle, the smell of the fire place and crisp, cool mornings. I just described New Hampshire.

Our trip basically consisted of napping, eating, talking, reading, napping, laughing, talking, reading, eating, eating, napping, laughing, talking, and reading. Busy busy! I did find a little time to shower, kayak, and watch an antique boat race.

But my most proud moment had to be the fire I built! Saturday was really crisp and the lakehouse had no heat. The large fire place was our only source of heat except for the mounds of quilts we had piled on top of us. I reached back into the files of my days as a camper. Building a fire is a true test of survival capabilities. There were no Starter Logs to help this girl! Armed with some newspaper, a lighter and a pile of wood, I set to work to build one of the largest and most fantastic-blazing fires one has ever seen! Kristen and Kristin made smores from a hanger. It really was a beautiful thing. I couldn't keep my eyes off of it. It was my pet project. I patiently prodded the burning logs to make sure the flames would not die out. I carefully calculated the timing and position of the next log to be placed upon the fire. You would have thought I was a man.

I'll post pictures soon and you can see my pride and joy.

Boston or Bust

I travel more than most people I know. But it's one of my favorite things about my life so I can't complain.

Tomorrow morning I'm taking the first flight out to visit my friend, Kristin Adams. My other friend, Kristen, is going too. See how those names are the same but spelled differently? Yep, that's how we tell them apart.

We're going to Lake Winnepesaukee in New Hampshire. I don't even know how to spell it correctly. I'm pretty sure that's wrong but you get the point. Apparently Uncle Buck was filmed at that Lake. You know what else is a great movie with a lake? What About Bob?. Who doesn't love that movie?!

Update: My friend was confused when she said Uncle Buck. She was thinking What About Bob?. How can those movies be confused for one another? And I did indeed spell Lake Winnipesaukee incorrectly. But I just corrected it here. See?

Some of my favorite What About Bob? quotes: "I'm sailing!" "DR. MARVIN! DR. LEO MARVIN!" "Baby steps to the elevator. Baby steps to the..." "Mmmmm. MMMMMMMM. MMMMMmmmmmmm. Mm. Mm. MMMMMM!"

A Letter to Office Max

Dear Office Max,

You have really sturdy and strong bright red boxes with handles cut out and it makes it really easy to carry things. I know you ship us paper in them but I think they make transporting materials from meetings quick and easy!

I just have one complaint. Visualize with me for a second if you will. It's a beautiful day: cool, sunny, clear and bright. It's a perfect day for football, except I'm at work. I have on my favorite brown blazer jacket (but much more awesome than a blazer. blazer may be giving you a bad mental image. it's cute is what i'm saying.) from Anthropolgie. I wear it with my favorite off-white work pants that are too big but oh so comfortable. I'm looking sharp and ready to persuade people to raise thousands of dollars for a good cause. I get to my meeting location except they have me walking all over creation (it's a University Hospital). I finally reach my destination, give a presentation and reach home just in time to go to the bathroom. I don't want to go to the bathroom in a hospital, you know, sick people. So when I do it's the first time I notice the front of my pants. It looked like I had spilled red powder all over the front of my pants. WHAT IS THIS?!!! Oh my goodness, it's the red box! It rubbed off it's ink all over the front of my favorite off-white work pants! Did the people at the meeting recognize it? Is that why that cute guy at the back of the room was smiling at me? No one said anything! And then there was that girl when I was filling my car up with gas. She gave me a look like, "been one of those days..." I thought she meant her, NOT ME! And my doorman! He probably thought I started my period. It wasn't period! I wanted to shout IT'S THE BRIGHT RED BOX FROM OFFICE MAX!

Thankfully I have my self-esteem and a small shred of dignity left. I quickly changed clothes because I had a check presentation that involved a photo shoot for the newspaper! See what I mean? Need I say more?

Sincerely,

Katy

Patrick Going to Haiti...a Country That Rhymes with Katy

Please pray for my brother, Patrick. He is heading with a group of people to Haiti today for a week long missions trip. I pray for their safety, peace, courage and that peoples lives are changed.

Patrick checked the travel warnings yesterday and saw that Haiti was added to the list of cautionary travel. It was added a week ago. Patrick thought to himself, well isn't that just GREAT?! Apparently there have been kidnappings of Americans. But they aren't heading into those areas. Thank God!

I'm so proud of him!

Here are more pictures from my weekend home. You can see Andrew in his big bad football uniform. He's #66. I just love Texas High School Football. Friday Night Lights is for real y'all!

Technology

I found a new use today for modern day technology. We all know cell phones provide constant communication, immediate availability, music options, picture pages and style. But this Friday night I discovered that they provide oh so much more: Escape!

Have you ever been at a party stuck between two strangers on a couch who love talking about kickball? What about stuck between two kickball-loving strangers on a couch with no air conditioning on a steamy night? Sounding more familiar? Yes, I thought so. What great joy leapt in my heart when I received the following text from a fellow party-goer:

"We need an exit strategy fast!"

Praise God for cell phones!

Cousins

Classic sequence of events!