Happy Christmas Harry! Happy Christmas Ron!

I gave Brendan and Karlie Snuggies for Christmas.

It's the blanket with sleeves!

You can talk on the phone!

You can hold a baby!

You can play water polo!

And of course you can have a wizard's duel!!!

"You're a wizard Brendan!"

"I'm a what?"

"You're a witch Karlie!"

"I knew it! Wanna see a spell? 'Sunshine daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow!'"

Oh boy! It's started!

Brendan must have been trained by Gildroy Lockheart! Look at that Disarming Charm! Expelliarmus!

Oh no! It looks like Karlie got the best of him in the end...

But its ok because I have this picture of him!

Frosting Fight!!!

For the past several years my siblings and I have made cookies with our little cousins for Santa. We go over for the day and cut out and decorate sugar cookies, and every year we get into a frosting fight. The whole frosting fight tradition is totally my fault.

The first year thinking I was being funny I started to smear frosting of Ryen and Peyten's faces. Of course they loved it and ever since part of the tradition had included a frosting fight.

This year we had a bunch more little kids who came to make cookies with us, so Ryen, Peyten, and I had a little frosting fight, but we didn't want to have a huge mess on our hands so I made them stop after a few minutes.

I only got pictures of Peyten and I after the frosting fight but Ryen looked pretty much the same.

Aunt Michele made a ton of cookie dough. The kids only actively made cookies for about 45 minutes and then went and played, leaving Kelsie, Karlie, me, and the other adults to finish the cookies with sporadic help from the kids. Brendan got there late because he was a practice, but then he pretty much became the punching bag for the kids and kept them busy. As soon as he walked in the door Camden was stuck to his side. It was very cute.

I love having little cousins. They are so much fun to be with and make you feel awesome when you walk in the door because they are so excited to see you.

Luckily I grew into my large forehead

I recently cut my bangs. Now bangs are not a new hair style for me. I rocked bangs pretty much from the time my hair started growing until 8th grade, with a small interlude in third grade. In general looking back at pictures of my bangs I guess they weren't that bad. But there were definitely times that I look back and cringe in horror at what I see.

8th grade is a perfect example. In 8th grade I was right in the middle of my awkward years, so luckily there isn't very much pictorial evidence, but the memories are bad enough. My hair changed from straight to curly around that time too, so instead of my bangs drying nice and straight and flat like they did my whole life they started to do funny things. Because of this I had to blow dry them and curl them every morning. To make matters worse if they got wet or if it was humid, my bangs would split in the middle and flip out. Like completely change directions of how I had curled them that morning. It was bad.

You would think that because of all that trouble I would just grow them out, right? Everyone was growing their bangs out, it was the cool things to do.

But see, I had a huge forehead when I was little.

No joke. I'm totally serious.

And someone who I love very dearly told me that I had to have bangs because my forehead was too big to not have bangs. (Recently I was showing my roommates some picture of me without bangs when I was little and one of them said that this was kinda true but that luckily I have grown into my forehead. I was very relieved.)

I remember being jealous of Laura Ingalls Wilder for not having to have bangs and thought that she was a complete idiot when she cut her bangs. I was internally indignant about this. I always thought why in the world would you cut bangs when you have a normal sized forehead!? Besides who wants to curl their bangs with a pencil that you heat over the fire? It was the one shortcoming I found in Laura. It almost ruined my hero worship of her. Just kidding, I don't think that was possible...

But anyways, like I said before I had bangs all growing up, expect in 3rd grade. Most people experience their rebellious streak in high school, but not me, I had mine in 3rd grade. And it was over my bangs.

One day I told my mom that I didn't care if my forehead was too big and that I was growing my bangs out and she couldn't stop me! I think she was tired of me complaining when she trimmed my bangs. Or maybe she just knew that this was going to be my one really rebellious fit.

This ushered in a period of my showing off my large forehead and pinning my bangs back with these heart-shaped glittery clips and way too much gel. I think I was too emotionally involved to make wise fashion choices and can't be held accountable. Eventually, sometime in 4th grade I realized my forehead really was too big and so the bangs made a return.

Now fast forward to right before 9th grade. After the huge 8th grade bang debacle where my bangs took over and grew a mind of their own, I was blessed my the popularity of sideswept bangs. Sideswept bangs solved all of my problems! They generally covered my forehead, but they were easier to control and if they misbehaved you just tucked them behind you're ear. Really, whoever made sideswept bangs popular deserved an Oscar, a Nobel Peace Prize, etc.

Sideswept bangs have been my go-to hairstyle ever since. Recently though I was feeling a little daring, so I cut my bangs again, and I have to say bangs and I have reconciled. I actually love my bangs, and I have gotten a lot of compliments so they might be here to stay awhile. Luckily I no longer have the desire to curl and tease them, and I can control them with a straightener.

As a reward for reading this very long post chronicling the history of my hair, here is a picture timeline of my bangs.

*Note: I could find very few pictures of my "no bangs rebellion" probably because my mom just couldn't bare to have proof that I walked around for several months with out bangs. I really don't blame her, my forehead was huge and probably took over the pictures. Also I refused to have my picture taken in 8th grade so luckily that AWKWARD time in my life is inadequately documented that we could all just pretend it never even happened...

They didn't start out too bad. In fact I really like them. If only I knew what was awaiting me... Eventually even matching Pochahantas sweat suits wouldn't be able cheer me up...

Don't the bangs go perfectly with the sponge-curler hair? It was all th rage among the 2nd graders.

Isn't my forehead HUGE?! If you don't think so, just wait till the next picture...

See what I mean? But its ok, Brendan's looks just a little bigger...

The return of the bangs. Notice the Winnie the Pooh jumper. I was pretty darn cool even then.

It is my personal opinion that from 6th grade through 9th grade the school photographer should just take a step back. We look funny enough without the camera close enough to see every freckle with our faces filling up the ENTIRE picture. See following pictures for further evidence.

I just realized that I also had this weird, reoccuring phase when my bangs just split in the middle. Kinda weird.

The infamous 8th grade bangs. There are no words.

The birth of the sideswept bang. It was a work in progress.

Sideswept bangs were a lifesaver.

And luckily I grew into my forehead.

Nothing Really Changes

It all started the first day of kindergarten. That's the day I met Alison. Ever since then we've been best friends. Throughout the years we've added to our group. By high school Emily, Melissa, and Melissa we're a part of our group and it became the five of us. The past three years I haven't really kept in tough with Melissa, Emily, and Melissa, so yesterday we all got together for lunch and it was like putting on a favorite outfit - comfortable, familiar, easy.

We shared so many experiences together growing up and were constants in each others lives during those years growing up. We may not have faced earth shattering trials, but we we're there for the small ones.

Even though I left and we've all taken different paths in our lives, its nice to know that we can all come back together and connect just like we use to. And to know that even though our paths have been different they were the right paths for us to take. Despite the new friends we make and the new places we go, all 5 of us can come back and know we have friends we can turn to who love us despite the time we've spent apart.

You can tell Alison and I have been friends for so long, we both have issues looking at the camera. It was probably a skill we were suppose to learn in kindergarten but we missed because we were talking. I don't remember this, but its a distinct possibility...

Did you know?

This painting is called The Holy Trinity with the Virgin, St John and Two Donors, it was painted by Masaccio in 1427. Did you know that?

Well neither did I.

It definitely would have helped if I had known this like an hour ago when I was taking my Italian Renaissance final.

One of the questions on the test was to identify this painting and the artist who painted it and then use it to explain the principles of Renaissance art. I killed the principles of Renaissance art part, but the identification part is a different story. Here is my response:

"Honestly I have no idea who painted this or what it is called. But it is a picture of Christ being crucified and was most likely painted by a revered Renaissance artist such as Maccachio or Titan."

Now in my defense I did get the artist right, I just spelled it so incorrectly that my teacher might not realize this.

What a great way to start finals week. But on the bright side I will be completely done with finals by 10 o'clock tomorrow morning!

On to physical science! ugh...

The WORST class I've ever taken

This semester I took a class about World War II history. Before school started this was the only class I was looking forward to. Now looking back at the semester I've decided it was the worst class I have ever taken and the worst teacher/professor I have ever had. And I do mean EVER.

This is the review I submitted for this class. I'm pretty sure it means that I'm a terrible person...

"I was really looking forward to this class at the beginning of the semester, but ended up being extremely disappointed. I was dissatisfied with the quality of the teaching, assignments, and overall class and feel like I didn’t learn very much. The class did not reflect the description of the class in the course catalog, which describes the class as looking at World War II in a global perspective, focusing on the “causes, flow, and consequences of World War II emphasizing the American experience at home and abroad.” This class was not what I was expecting; I could care less about how the war has been remembered, although it is important, it doesn’t need to be almost the sole focus of the class. I also was disappointed at how little the class focused on the European theater and especially the United States role in the war. There was so much reading for this class that it was often impossible to do, and the assignments were confusing and redundant. When writing the papers I felt like I was following the instructions, yet saying the same thing over and over. On a side note, why would you require that the Primary Source Analysis paper be singled space but then threaten to not grade out finals if our hand writing isn’t perfect because it makes them hard to read? Singled spaced papers are just as hard to read, especially when the reader is tired. One of the worst parts of the class though was the actual lecture. The lectures seemed unprepared because they were usually read straight from notes, and when he tried to lecture without them his points seemed disjointed and didn’t entirely make sense because he jumped around a lot. I know that this is a personal preference, but I would rather that the class involved more quality lecture and less class discussion. I would rather know the facts than debate “what ifs” and theoretical questions with other students who often have no idea what they are talking about because they don’t know the facts either. Finally, Pearl Harbor is an excellent movie."

Now the Pearl Harbor reference may seem random thrown in there at the end, but when we talked about Pearl Harbor the professor totally slammed the movie and made it seem like the worst historical movie ever made. I've heard other teachers say this before, but he was particularly harsh. Personally, I think that any historical movie is good, even when it adds, alters, or embellishes facts. Movies like Pearl Harbor make people interested in history and introduce them to topics and ideas that they normally would not think about. So when the professor started slamming Pearl Harbor it just really made me mad. Mostly because I love everything about that movie, and I just didn't like the teacher so half the things he said made me mad.

Just look at that poster, how could it be for a bad movie? It just isn't possible.

I love these pictures...

Today I got released as the Publicity Chair at church, which means that I made my last program! This is the picture I put on the front.

I almost put this picture on it though...

I love both of these pictures. They just make my heart melt; seeing the way that Mary cradles and loves the baby Jesus. One of my Young Women's leaders gave me the second picture in a frame for Christmas one year and I have loved it ever since. My mom hijacked it so I don't really have it anymore, but I get to see it on the book shelf in the living room every Christmas.

Of all the pictures and visual representations of the nativity, these are my favorite. The baby looks so innocent and precious, and Mary hold him so tenderly. You really get the idea that the baby is important. And he is. His birth was the most important things that has ever happened. Because of Christ we can be resurrected.

At Christmas time I always think a lot about my Grandma Reher and my Grandpa Stuart and all the wonderful memories I have with them. I know that because of Christ's sacrifice that I'll get to be with them again. Knowing that the baby Mary is holding will change the world just puts a whole new perspective on Christmas, and that is why I love these pictures.

Its been a while...

Finals start Monday.

Finals of the first semester of my senior year. It's pretty weird that I'm almost done, but really I'm so ready to be done with school. I'm especially ready for this semester to be over, I have had the worst classes ever. But on the plus side I finished my capstone research paper and most likely won't have to write another paper ever again!

Since finals are approaching its clearly time for continued procrastination.

I was blog stalking this morning and decided to look at my blog. This sudden impulse was followed by a wasted morning as I worked on my blog. First, I changed the name; "Katie's Boring Life" is just so boring and lame, I needed something clever and witty.

OK, short story. Earlier this summer Jess struggled for weeks to come up with a cool name for her Summer 2010 album on Facebook. Eventually she decided to call it "The sun is shining the skies are blue...it's SUMMER TIME!" High on her naming success I told her she should come up with a new name for my blog cause my old one sucked. Within 15 minutes Jess came running out telling me I should name my blog "Classy Information for Classy Citizens" because of my tendency to spout out random information that has nothing to do with anything. Hence the name of my blog.

Since its been so long and I feel like I'm starting a new stage in my blog I'm just gonna post a few pictures from the last little bit, well more like the past 2 years. Except I don't remember everything from the last 2 years so we'll go w

ith just since summer.

My family went on a road trip to Montana to visit Grandpa Reher and to camp in Yellowstone. Please notice our faces, apparently half of our family has some issues...

My dad got this hat somewhere on the trip and decided that it was "cool" and proceeded to try and wear it the rest of the trip.

We camped.

We had a gin tournament. Kelsie was losing.

We went to Old Faithful and a bunch of other cool places in Yellowstone.

We went to South Dakota and saw the Crazy Horse Monument and Mount Rushmore. Aunt Sue and Uncle Len were there too! I really wanted to go to De Smet and see Laura Ingalls Wilder's house but it was too far out of the way...

I freaking loved Mount Rushmore! Probably my favorite part of the trip. I guess that's the History major/nerd coming out in me.

So this was in July, and then when Kelsie and I went home for Thanksgiving we went to Disneyland. Now it may seem like "oh boy, those Stuart's sure go on a lot of trips!" but really its just since I see them so little now that I pretty much live in Utah year round that when I see them its a BIG EVENT.

This year Disneyland did a "Give-a-Day-Get-a-Day" promotion. If you provided a day of service you got a free Disneyland ticket. My family did this and over Thanksgiving we used out tickets. We were also celebrating my birthday. Yes, my birthday was in October, but I don't really care. Plus I got a cool Happy Birthday button to wear all day and everyone had to tell me Happy Birthday.

Disneyland was all lit up for Christmas. It was our first time being there at Christmas, and it was pretty awesome.

We took a pretty sweet family picture. Notice that Brendan is now taller than me. Also I got bangs, they are much better than my 8th grade bangs, I promise.

If I was a Jedi I would want a purple light saber. See Disneyland really is the happiest place on earth!

Little known fact: Brendan is a churro fiend. Towards the end of the night, all Brendan wanted was a churro, but all of the churro stands were out. He was disappointed, devestated, desperate, in denial, delirious. Luckily he found one stand that still had churros. He was much more pleasant after his churro.

So that's a little of what I've been up to, well at least the big things. Now I really have to go study, ugh I HATE studying! Also I have to make cookies cause its Christmas and that's just what you do, plus its fun.