August 31st, 2010 by Kateastrophe

Six years and 24 days ago I moved to Phoenix in the middle of the terrible, horrible, no good, very bad summer heat.  I packed everything I had into my little Corolla S and a small Uhaul.  I put in a mix CD of songs about “Breaking Away” and “Changing Lives” and made my way down the freeway, following love and a new job.  I cried because I was leaving home and scared that nothing was going to work out and I’d be stuck in Phoenix with nothing.

Lucky for me both the new job and the love worked out in a big way.

Matt and I were married ten months after the move.  He is my heart and soul and even though there are moments I miss my home town, being near him IS home.

The job I kept until a year ago today and I still miss it.  I think I truly grew up there.  I got my first big promotion, my first real title, went on my first business trip, earned the trust and respect of big important people and got my first huge, eye-popping raise at Vcommerce.  I made friends I’ll never forget, saw things that changed my life and learned things that have made me a much better person.  Walking out the door was one of the most heartbreaking things I’ve ever done.

However.

This year has given me a lot of new experiences and most importantly, new perspective.  Some crazy (CRAZY!) things happened recently that made me realize that being let go was probably the best “accident” of my life.  Not being at that company or affiliated with some of the people there right now is a really, really, REALLY good thing.  My new job isn’t “ideal” but it’s wonderful.  It’s low stress, secure and the people here are awesome.  I’m learning a lot about a new industry.  Every day it seems new opportunities, some a little more up my ideal career alley, are forming for me.  My expertise and input are valued and utilized here.  Plus, I’ve got a kick-a Assistant Vice-President title that comes with officer level stock match.  It’s awesome. 

This job also helped me make some personal decisions that I don’t think I would have made at the last job.  The baby we lost wasn’t planned but when I was pregnant I realized that if it’s something I choose to do, I can do this job and be a good mom.  I don’t know if I could have balanced things as well at the old job.  Now I feel a lot more comfortable with the possibility of (gulp) having a baby (shh don’t tell).  I have more time to try to be a good wife, sister, friend, chef, exercise junkie, house cleaner (ha! yeah right) or whatever I want to do after work.  I’ve read more books and I’ve spent more time getting to know wonderful friends from church and the neighborhood.  I might even have time to start teaching voice lessons and put that Musical Theatre degree to use!

Needless to say, this job has been a really good thing for me. 

So, as is always the (cliche) story with my life - anyone’s life, really - years later I can look back at the things which, at the time, seemed like the end of the world and realize that they were truly for the best.  Sometimes I look back and feel lucky to have been lead to where I am.  Sometimes I look back and am proud of the decisions I made to get to this place.  Sometimes I laugh at the follies that landed me here.  No matter how I look back at it, I have zero regrets. 

I love my family.  I love my friends.  I love my home.  I love my job.  I LOVE my life.

I can’t wait to see what happens the next 2,214 days.

August 24th, 2010 by Kateastrophe

My hottie-patotie of a husband turns 35 today.  It’s so strange to say that number because growing up, someone who was 35 was old and established and . . . old.  Now I look at Matt and he’s far from old.  One could probably call him established considering we own a house and have these weird career thingies and we almost had a baby and all that stuff.  But old?  Nah.  Just look at that face.

I remember the day I met Matt.  He was with his younger brother Taylor and at first glance I really thought that Taylor was the older of the two.  Matt was 28 at the time and I swore he was 23 or 24.  Matt has this gorgeous baby face that tricks everyone that way.  Plus he still had (and has!) all his hair.  Going to school at BYU where it wasn’t uncommon to find tons of 21 year old balding men, this in an of itself is impressive.  No one believes me when I tell them how old he really is.  In fact, he’s older than most of my close friends husbands which is even weirder considering some of them have 4 kids.  It just throws everybody off.  Anyway, the point of this long, rambling paragraph is that Matt doesn’t look his age.  At all.

In some ways Matt doesn’t act his age either.  His favorite outfit is a pair of Dickies shorts and a Cotton/Poly (MUST have polyester so it doesn’t wrinkle) button up PLAID shirt.  He accessorizes with flip-flops and a hat, usually of the Hurley variety.  Unlike many men I know, he thinks that getting tools as presents is just a way of asking him to do more work.  He wants toys.  4-wheelers, a RZR, accessories for the 4-wheelers or the Jeep . . . anything along those lines or something in the technology family.  We’re getting to the point where there’s not much left to buy him because he has ALL OF IT.  LCD TV, Blu-Ray, Surround sound, fancy computer and monitors, Xbox and accessories, iPod, extra TVs for the man-cave and his recent birthday gift of an iPad (which has caused him to stop sleeping because he MUST.PLAY.ALL.NIGHT!) has completed the technology takeover. I’m not sure there’s anything left to get him.  Next year for his birthday he’s getting socks.

Despite his being difficult to buy for, in everything else he is a self-proclaimed simple man.  I asked him what he wanted for dinner, expecting something along the lines of a delicious steak something involving a large slab of meat.  He surprised me with a request for 5 Guys hamburgers.  I was taken back because it seems like a $5 burger is something he could have every day but it’s what he wants for his birthday dinner.  I can totally deliver on that.  His other request is chocolate cake.  Without icing.  Another easy thing to deliver on!  At least his food requests are easy!

In the almost seven years I’ve known this man, I’m still surprised (and sometimes confused!) but him, but every day makes me love him and his gorgeous baby face even more.  I love the balance we have created in our life together.  Where I am complicated, he is simple and vise versa.  Where I lack adventure, he has it in truckloads.  He is the yin to my yang or the yang to my yin or whatever Confucious say.  He is a rock of stability and responsibility but he doesn’t let those things stop him from being hilarious and fun-loving and gruff and manly and everything a girl could want in a husband. 

Happy Birthday to the best man I’ve ever known.  I hope I can make your 35th year of life the best one yet!

August 5th, 2010 by Kateastrophe

So I have a question for you married peeps.  Did you cry at your wedding?  Or even on your wedding day?

See, I didn’t.  I got a little blurry eyed when the sealer in the temple pronounced us married for time and all eternity but I didnt’ get any real tears because I was just so HAPPY!  Now, I’m not saying people who did/do cry aren’t/weren’t happy.  I was actually shocked that I didn’t cry because I’m a HUGE bawl baby.  I cry a lot.  At lots of different things.  So my expectation was that I would cry all the live long day.  But that day I didn’t.  It was almost like I physically couldn’t!

I remember my sister-in-law bursting into tears of joy when she and her husband were married.  I don’t remember if my sister cried but I don’t think so.  I have been to several other weddings but not a ton and I’m thinking it’s about 50/50 but I’m curious as to what you think. 

Anyway my point in asking this was . . . well there was really no point other than to introduce my topic which was that my little (HUGE) brother got married this last weekend!  I cried like a baby when she came down the aisle.  My sweet brother got all teared up too.  I’m sure everyone in the room did.  It was amazing and gorgeous and everything a wedding should be.  My youngest baby brother was missing which was rough.  He’s finishing up his Army training and we didn’t think he could come but then his commanding officer told him he could come and there was much rejoicing in the land until there wasn’t anymore.  The commanding officer of the commanding officer caught wind of it and said absolutely not.  We missed him a lot all day long.

There was some . . . interesting family dynamics taking place so there was some tension.  My parents are divorced.  Have been for 23 years.  Dad remarried about 14 years ago and we love our “other” Mom, Lisa.  But they are getting divorced now and the term “messy” doesn’t really adequately describe what’s going on here.  Also, Lisa has a new boyfriend and Dad isn’t so peachy-keen on that.  My Mom remarried about the time Matt and I got married and there’s been some weirdness there.  THEN the brides parents are divorced.  Her Dad has also been remarried for a long time but it seems that might not be working out either.  Do you see where I’m going with this?  Lots of people who used to be married but aren’t and lots of people who are married but might not want to be all in the same room for a family event where we all had to behave.  HIP HIP HOORAY!  Lucky for us we only had one “incident” and it was between the least likely parties - the “other” Mom and boyfriend.  Interesting and strange all at the same time.  And it didn’t really affect anything substantial so we all came out unscathed. 

The person who didn’t come out unscathed was one of the groomsmen.  Long story short, his ex-girlfriend showed up as a guest of an invited friend and that was no bueno.  He proceeded to drink himself stupid, have a fight with his NEW girlfriend and somehow found himself on the 15th floor of the Marriott pounding on every.single.door then passing out IN THE ELEVATOR but with his head OUTSIDE OF THE ELEVATOR while the door tried endlessly to shut.  We shall just call it a party in a box.  Security wasn’t so happy and neither was my just married brother with the threat of everybody being kicked out of the hotel if he didn’t handle the “situation.” 

Never a dull moment, right folks??

My only personal complaint for the whole day was that my hairstylist personage didn’t quite understand what I meant when I said I wanted a loose, sideswept bun type thing.  I ended up with a huge mass of curls shoved to one side.  It didn’t look bad it just wasn’t what I wanted and it took FOR-EV-ER.  Also, I don’t know what in the hell she did with hairspray and a curling iron but my hair might never recover.  My pride and joy, my once silky locks have turned into course, puffy . . . something that’s not my hair.  I’m using massive amounts of conditioner (which I never ever use) in an attempt to repair some of the damage.  We’ll see how it goes. 

Small pieces of drama aside, Sean and Kristin were married and happy and gorgeous like Ken and Barbie and we’re expecting Malibu Barbie babies at some point in the future.  I’m super excited to have Kristin in our family even though she is tiny and tan.  I look like a giant pale and tragic vampire next to her but what can you do?  She’s Polish (I think?) and I’m Irish (I know) and that’s just the way it is.  At least somebody in our family is likely to have tan babies.  Mine will for sure be iridescent. 

Wait a minute . . . how did I get from wedding to babies so fast?  I must totally be Mormon.  Weird.

May 28th, 2010 by Kateastrophe

I’ll never forget the moment the sealer in the temple announced that we were sealed together for eternity.  I blinked back tears and looked up from our clasped hands and looked into Matt’s eyes.  They were practically glowing blue from the combination of the heavenly lighting in the room and I think he too was blinking back some rogue tears.  I think it’s a close to heaven on earth as I’ll ever come.  I wanted to take a picture and have it to look at forever and ever.  Luckily, it’s one of the moments from our wedding day that is still crystal clear in my memory.

Neither one of us broke down and actually cried, as I’ve seen many people do at that moment.  I’m not sure why.  I’m usually a big old bawl baby.  Part of it may have been my determination to keep my make-up intact, but most of it you can probably contribute to the happiness we both were feeling at that moment.  We’d found each other and we hadn’t screwed it up.  We’d done everything that had been asked of us and we’d followed the rules and we’d been worthy to be sealed in the House of the Lord - no easy feat when you’re madly in love and the hormones are raging, but we’d done it.

The rest of the day is a blur.  Things didn’t go perfectly with the ring ceremony or reception but it was an AMAZING day.  I wish my brain would let me forget about the speed-bumps and just remember the awesome things.  I want to focus on things like my Dad crying as he announced to our closest friends and family how proud he was that I’d achieved my goal of being married in the temple even though it meant he didn’t get to see us married.  Our first dance as a couple.  Our parents dancing.  All of Matt’s family being there and feeling so at home with all of them.  My hilarious family antics.  The delicious wedding cake.  My amazing friends.  The amazing man that picked me.  ME!!  This wonderful, kind, sweet, never-yells, always positive, gives-me-whatever-I-want man picked ME, this selfish, loud, boisterous, obnoxious, spazoid of a woman to spend forever with. 

These last five years have been the best of my life.  With Matt I found everything I had been missing.  He is truly my better half and I’m so lucky to have found him and to have somehow tricked him into thinking I was awesome, too.  We’ve had so much fun.  We’ve been places neither of us ever imagined we’d be, from the beaches of Hawaii to the tallest buildings in China.  We’ve laughed until we cried.  We’ve fought and loved as fiercely as any two people are capable of.  We’ve learned so much from each other and it’s been amazing. 

I cannot wait for the adventures of the next five years.  We’ve got big plans and surprises in store and I’m so excited we’re in on them together because our life?  Is going to be epic.

******

I know some of my LDS beliefs and jargon are foreign to many of you.  If you’d like to learn more about my religion and what I’m talking about, you can go to Mormon.org .  You can also go to this page to learn more about the temple specifically.

Update:  The Church has just announced the completion of a to-scale model of the inside of the Salt Lake Temple.  You can see pictures and read about it here.  This is the first time since the temple’s dedication in 1893 that individuals who do not belong to the LDS Church can see inside.  It’s amazing!

March 30th, 2010 by Kateastrophe

This is the time of year why us “crazy Phoenicians” live here in the hot place.  The weather in Phoenix right now is awesome.  AWE-SOME.  It’s been a balmy 70-85 degrees every day for the past two weeks.  AND I AM TRAPPED IN AN OFFICE NINE HOURS A DAY M-F.  Lamesauce. 

Our weekends are usually filled with cleaning and errands but this weekend Matt and I decided we had to get outside and do something in the gorgeousness, so we pulled the trusty Jeep out of the garage and went for a ride with the top off.  Not MY top off.  Pervs.  THE top off.  Of the JEEP.  Right.  Moving on.  To my hair.  My awesome, out of control Jeep hair.  It took me about thirty minutes to brush it out after we were done.  Isn’t it rad?  And this picture was early on.  You should have seen it three hours later.  HOT.

We drove toward the lake (there’s a LAKE!  In PHOENIX!) and then down into the city and then to a quaint little part of town with antique shops and furniture stores.  It was cute and quant and full of knick-knack crap that I just don’t really DO but we did get ice cream cones and that was totally worth it!  It was awesome to walk around town with a little breeze and shade trees (SHADE TREES!  In PHOENIX!). 

We ended our day with a fabulous Chipotle (a guy I used to work with called it Chi-pot-el and I laughed every time and now that’s just what I call it) burritos and a gorgeous sunset.  Phoenix?  Has AMAZING sunsets.  See?  (Disclaimer:  This was not a sunset from Saturday.  This was a few weeks ago.  But it might as WELL have been from Saturday because they’re all gorgeous.)

Sunday, as if we hadn’t had enough of the great outdoors, we decided to take advantage of the hiking trails our community so generously provided to us.  Granted, they only got us a few yards past the houses then we were off the beaten path.  It was pretty toasty warm, but the breeze felt good.  We were amazed at the wildflowers (WILDFLOWERS??  IN PHOENIX?) in purple, pink and yellow and the cacti are starting to bloom as well, and that’s always fun. 

As we started off the end of the path, Matt looked back and me and said “watch out for rattlesnakes (Seriously.  RATTLESNAKES.  In PHOENIX (getting old yet?))” and as if the rattlesnake gods heard him say that, immediately the bush next to me started making a noise that sounded suspiciously like a rattle.  Matt threw a few rocks at it (because he’s SMRT) but nothing ever came out to say hi, it just kept rattling at us.  I pray it was a big bug.  A little further down the path, I heard a strange rustling next to me again.  My immediate reaction was to scream but luckily I strangled that right in and look what we found!!

Yes, that is a desert tortoise.  IN PHOENIX!  He’s about two feel long and oh so cute.  I think he hated us because Matt kept trying to get closed and closer and then he told me to go nudge him in the butt.  I resisted for a bit but he finally talked me into it and BAM into his shell he went.  It was actually cute because I discovered that they pull their heads in and then cover their heads with their little front feet.  It’s as if he’s silently screaming and hoping his wee arms are enough to save his brain.  I guess luckily in his case they are.  In my case, not so much.

We hiked up for almost two hours and then we were like “screw this we’re going home.”  Which of course took us a long time because going down?  Sucks.  Lots of rocks.  Slippery suckers.  I fell down a couple of times.  Luckily not anywhere close to a cactus.  Which are also everywhere.

It would have been the perfect weekend if not for the GIANT CENTIPEDES WHO HAVE INVADED OUR HOUSE.  (GIANT CENTIPEDES!  IN PHOENIX!) The first one got sent down the bathtub drain, much to his chagrin.  The second one is probably freaking out in the canister of my Dyson as we speak.  I just picture him running around and around mixed in with the dust and red fuzz from our family room rug.  It’s actually sort of funny in my head . . . but probably not funny for him.

We finished our evening by watching Up! (yes, two grown adults with no children watched a cartoon for fun.  AND LIKED IT.  No judging) with the windows and doors open while I secretly freaked out that I was going to be eaten by a giant centipede.  Luckily that didn’t happen.  Yet.  Awesome.

June 12th, 2009 by Kateastrophe

So, Sunday begins my whirlwind of travel.  I’m basically gone for the next three weeks straight.  This is cool for several reasons:

• I get to see Boston for the first time
• I get to go to Dewey Beach with my amazing stepmother, Lisa
• Tax free outlet shopping
• I get to see my brother’s new house AND his fiance’s new bling!
• I get to go to San Francisco
• I hope to finally learn how to beat our new software (that’s seriously giving me a hernia) the beat down.
• I get to see my best college friend, Adrienne
• I also get to see my best guy friend, Dan and his gorgeous wife, Anne
• I get to shop at the H&M on Market Street
• I get to see my bestie, JoAnne, Alli and my baby birthday twin, Nora
• I finally get to see Moses Lake, Washington

This is not cool for several reasons:

• I will miss my husband terribly
• I will not be able to consistently work out
• I may gain back some of the 8% body fat I just found out I lost (but strangely gained five pounds??)
• I will be at a conference on the east coast that starts at 7AM.  That’s 4AM Arizona time.  OUI
• I will be at a conference and on my feet all day
• My stepmother will most likely be doing some complaining about my Dad and their upcoming divorce
• Beach+Kate=Sunburn.  EVERY TIME.

I’m already feeling exhausted, overworked and overwhelmed, and the next few weeks probably won’t help with that, BUT, I do love my job, my friends and my life so I don’t really have anything to complain about.

I’ll be reporting on my trips when I can and reading blogs during down-time via my Crackberry.

Now I’m going to get my adorable snoring husband off the couch and into bed.  Tomorrow is our last day together for quite some time.  Oh how I’ll miss him.

May 28th, 2009 by Kateastrophe

I was talking to a friend recently about how her husband grew up in hell and she grew up in Disneyland (it’s a whole other blog post subject, but roll with me here) and ever since then I realized how amazingly lucky I am to have married a man who makes every day like Disneyland.  And that’s saying a lot. I love Disneyland . . . and I love my life with my unbelievably amazing husband even more.

Four years ago today Matt and I were sealed for time and all eternity in the Salt Lake LDS Temple.  True to (my preferred) form we were married in my equivalent of a castle and it’s a day I will never forget.  We promised to love each other for eternity and I am so grateful to know that ours is a bond that will never be broken.  Not even by death.

My fairytale life continued that day with a wedding reception that was a dream come true.  We had perfect weather, in a perfect place with the perfect crowd of loved ones to celebrate our love with us.

I married a man who puts me above anything else.  Who laughs when I laugh, hurts when I cry and makes sure that I know I am the most important, beautiful thing in the whole world.  I have said it a million times . . . I don’t know what I did right to deserve him.

Every single day I marvel at the man I was blessed to marry.  Our separate lives have meshed into one and I cannot remember my life without him — nor do I want to.  He is my everything and I want him to know that this has been the four most amazing years of my life and our eternity is going to be even better than Disneyland.

February 17th, 2009 by Kateastrophe

Our weekend was simply delicious. Friday night Matt told me for Valentine’s Day he wanted me to go pick out a new pair of shoes. I squealed delightfully and we headed out to the mall . . . where I could find NO SHOES. I’m not sure what happened or what is missing from my brain, but I couldn’t really find anything GREAT. And lately? If it’s not great I’m not having it. So, we decided to go upstairs to the clothes . . . specifically the part where there was 70% off of my favorite brand of clothes. (Please recall my last post for reference to how excited this makes me.) I proceeded to try on everything they had in my size and made out like a bandit. My husband was quite a trooper and actually liked everything I picked out (we have very different taste in women’s clothing, to say the least.) We then ate at Matt’s favorite fast food joint, Del Taco.

I’m going to go on a tangent for just a second here to state, for the record, that I don’t get the fascination with Del Taco. Matt could literally eat it every single day. I can’t figure it out. Wavy cut french fries and tacos? How do those two go together? Call me crazy but I’ll take Taco Bell any day of the week. Tangent ending now.

Saturday I got a mad cleaning bug and spent THREE HOURS cleaning out our closet and drawers and then deep cleaning (and I mean DEEP CLEANING) the bathroom. One of the things I loved about our master bathroom when we bought this house was the clear glass shower door. Thanks in part to the hardest water IN THE WORLD, it is now what I hate most about our house. You can’t just wipe it down. OH NO! You have to get out the bathroom cleaner to get off the soap scum. THEN you have to rinse that off with water. HARD WATER. Which you then have to squeegee off. And THEN you must clean the glass with Windex and THEN, as a precautionary measure, get out the Rain-X. IT TAKES FOR FRICKIN’ EVER. Needless to say just the shower takes a long time and I cleaned baseboards and grout and cupboards and all that crap. The bathroom has never been so clean and I have never been so sick of cleaning.

We spent Saturday evening on a sort of couples date with our friends JoAnne and James. We made restaurant style (read: BOILED IN BUTTER) filet mignon, mashed potatoes and corn and then finished off the meal with warm molten chocolate cakes topped with strawberries and whipped cream. DEEELISH. Matt and I then went home and were the boring old married couple who fell asleep watching old episodes of Bones. Don’t worry though, we’re going to go out this weekend to celebrate Valentine’s Day sans the crazy crowd and impossible to get reservations. I’m thinking seafood.

Sunday was spent doing the church thing and then attempting to deep clean the kitchen and family room, at which point my totally awesome vacuum decided to bite the dust (pun intended.) The “won’t ever lose suction” SOB decided to lose suction. We’re having a fight right now, Mr, Infinity and I. I’m going to win by taking him back to his home and exchanging him for a REAL vacuum, most likely named DYSON. That’s what I get for trying to save a little bit of cash. A won’t ever lose suction vacuum that LOSES SUCTION. Bastard.

Monday, at my husband’s request, we did MORE shopping at the outlets in Anthem where there was more 70% off of my favorite clothes. I restrained myself and only bought three things, but my are they glorious. We decided to end the weekend on a high note by seeing Slumdog Millionaire. There are few movies I would claim to be somewhat life changing for me and this, folks, is one of them. It deserves all the attention and awards it’s been receiving. My suggestion is to run, not walk, to see it.

That brings me to today. Sigh. There is nothing quite as lame as returning to work after a long, relaxing weekend full of quality spouse time and shopping. It becomes lame-ER when everyone you work with is in Florida working and you are stuck in the office making solicitation calls. THIS IS NOT WHAT I SIGNED UP FOR WHEN I SAID I WANTED A MARKETING CAREER, PEEPS. However, appointments at our show are good for the salespeople and what’s good for the salespeople is what’s good for me. Or so I’ve heard.

As you can see, I live a pretty boring existence. Would someone please tell me something amazingly fun you did over the weekend so I can live vicariously through you? That’d be great, kthxbai.

October 9th, 2008 by Kateastrophe

We just got Rock Band.  FOR FREE.  I love “knowing a guy” and having “the guy” owe me one.

I told Matt he’d love it and laughed at him when he didn’t believe me.  He believes me now.  We just played for two hours straight. 

I have three blisters on my fingers from the drumsticks and I just discovered that Matt?  Can actually sing.  Who knew!

 My own little rocker.  How cute.

August 24th, 2008 by Kateastrophe

I would like to introduce you to Matt, age 4 months:

Could you DIE? Look at that little face and the button nose!!

Now, meet Matt at 1 year:

Stopit he’s so cute.

How about 2 years old? Wanna meet him then?

What a little gentleman, no?

Let’s see . . . is he still cute at 3?

Not just cute, he’s a SUPERPERSON!

Look at that protective older brother face!!!

And that SMILE!?

At four, I swear he’s the twin of my baby brother Patrick. While that is a little creepy, it’s also SO dang cute.

He just looks so sweet!

His fashion sense at five is awe inspiring!

Hello, my name is Mr. Dapper!

First grade . . . just starting school.

Makes my heart melt.

That’s not surprising though . . . he still does

Meee-ow

Today my sweetheart had a birthday. He got lots of junk food and his own fridge to keep it in, Mario Cart and a gluttonous dinner at Claim Jumper. During down time today, I kept asking him what he wanted to do, and, on his own birthday, he was concerned about what I wanted to do. That is the kind of man I married. He’d rather have me happy that do something he wants to do. (Don’t worry though, I forced him to pick what he wanted to do.) Thanks Janna and Steve for raising such an amazing person. I married way out of my league and I thank God every day sending this man into my life.

Matt, I love you more and more every day. Thank you for being so incredibly amazing. Happy Birthday!!!