November

My November is shaping up to be THE BEST MONTH. Ever.

Let me tell you what I have planned (Jessica Lee, if you're reading this, you might want to cover your eyes and turn away. No? OK, I warned you): Italy, Spain, and the Alps.

What?, you say. Did you find some rich Austrian to buy you things? (Erm, no, no rich Austrian)

Then, how?

One word, or rather, website. www.RyanAir.com.

RyanAir.com is THE cheap place to book airline tickets here in Europe. How cheap you might ask? Well, let's take a look.

I knew I wanted to go to Barcelona (Spain) but the normal airline costs (around 300Euro) made me feel a little nauseous. Then I found RyanAir. RyanAir cost? 26Euro. ROUND TRIP (that's about $40US). Yah. I booked it. I'm not stupid.

After I booked that, I was happy. After all Barcelona was (other than Auschwitz) really the only place I *had* to go so I told myself that I didn't need to go anywhere else.

But I still kept my eye out. You know, just in case.

Last night my 'just-in-case' theory paid off. I realized I hadn't gone onto RyanAir for awhile so I was like, I should check it out. And I did. And I found this: Vienna ----> Bologna (Italy) 12Euro ROUND TRIP. That's less than $20US. Uh-huh. I'm booking it. My friend, Kaitlin, is there after all. I misses her mucho (Kaitlin is also coming to visit me -- yay! -- the week after I get back from Barcelona. We're going to go horseback riding. I can't wait).

And then, for Thanksgiving, my gift to myself: a 3-day all-inclusive ski trip through the school. So far, that's my most expensive trip - it'll end up costing over $200US. But I don't care. It's worth it.

(November 5-7 - Gonna par-tay. Italian style)
(November 12-14 - I'm getting my Espanol on)
(November ::sometime between:: the 16-20 - a visit from Kaitlin)
(November 27-29 - Skiing in the Alps)

You may now drool and call me names. But just a few. And not too much drool, k?

(and JL, I told you to look away)

It's Just Hit Me...

Monday is my marketing final.

Tuesday is my Art final.

Friday my law paper is due.

Saturday Robby flies in to help me pack and paint.

Sunday is my last day at Calvary Apostolic.

Tuesday I'll do a final walk through of my apartment and then Phil, Robby, and I will pile into the Kia and head out. Destination San Diego.

My first year at DU is almost over. I can't believe it. I can't believe I'll be saying good-bye to Denver until January. I'll miss the amber and gold of Fall. The first snow. Skiing the first run at A-Basin.

But there will be things to replace it. Reconnecting with family and friends in San Diego. Snorkeling at La Jolla Cove. Las Vegas with the Lopez's. Jaden staying for a month! And of course, Austria.

So yes, Denver, I will miss you. But when we meet again, oh, the stories I'll have to tell.

Last Weekend

So I picked up The Kid last Wednesday. His plane was about 10min late and I was getting antsy

but then he was there and all was good.

He even talked me into taking him right to KFC and then dessert at Dairy Queen. Spoiled? Where'd you get an idea like that?

On Friday, we went up to Arapahoe Basin and, after a little trial and error, he was skiing like an old pro.

Here's a video of our big day.

My View Right Now...

I'm up in the mountains at a friends "cabin" (this place is huge) for 3 days of skiing and fun. Just thought I'd make y'all a little jealous.

A Long Overdue Post

So yeah, I've been busy. I just wrapped up finals for our Winter Quarter and so far, I know two of my grades - Spanish (A) and Innovations in Mass Communications (A). I'm still waiting to hear back on Intro to Interactive Media (I think I'll get an A) and my wildcard class, Foundations in Sociology. I very much so enjoyed this class but the first test we took I got a 76% on. My second I got an 89% (so, so close!) and the third I do not know yet. I also turned in an extra credit assignment that is worth 7% so if I get at least a mid-B on the 3rd test and at least partial credit for the extra credit, I'll pull in at least a B and I'm really hoping for that A. I did a lot of work on the extra credit assignment and I hope that it shines through.

But enough about all that. I have NEWS! I am going to Austria. I decided a week before the applications were due that I wanted to do this and so I ran around like crazy last week to get everything in order. Of course, as soon as I did, everything started falling apart, which meant I was picking up all the pieces. Tomorrow, one of those pieces is ::::hopefully:::: going to fall in place and I can stop stressing but we'll see. I have every hope.

I've also taken up skiing in the time since I've been gone. One of my friends, Phil, was so very nice and offered to teach me. So up we went and after a bit of a rocky start (too much sun + too many clothes = Katrina almost passing out), I. Loved. It. See my smile?


I was ziggin'. I was zaggin'. I fell a few times but learned early on that falling in the snow was a lot less painful than falling in other places, so I was okay with that. And then I came to this hill.


This hill and I had a love hate relationship. At first, I hated it. I did not want to go down. I wanted to sit and scoot on my butt the whole way but Phil wouldn't let me. Every time I'd look down it, I wanted to puke. It's a steeeeeeeep hill. This picture is actually from the 2nd time we went, when I could actually stop and not be afraid to whip out the camera. That first time tho...let's just say that, had I been Phil, I'd of smacked me upside the head and/or pushed me down that hill. It seriously took me the better part of an hour. I'm proud to say that I whupped its butt the next time out though (multiple times).

And now, on to the boys.

I took these two pictures the day I first got back from CA (yes, that'd be in December). The boys were so happy to see me, they wouldn't let me out of their sight.


Some bubbah-love.

It's starts off catching them in a moment, where they pretend nothing is going on...

Then they're caught in a hug...

Before finally...they've given up hiding it and settle in for some real snuggling.

And to wrap things up, I had to throw in this picture of Tobey and my bear, Dumbell (don't ask. I still don't know how that name came to be).

C'mon, it's ok to say it: Awwwwwww.

Happy to Be Home

The bags are waiting to be unpacked.


The house sustained only minor damage.


And the boys survived being left alone for 9 days.


All is good.