A Nonsense Post...

Jake just finished his summer semester at CSI.

CSI, you ask? Well, heck, its about $1,000 cheaper than ISU.

So why not CSI. 

And guess what?

He got a 4.0.

Yep, a 4.0! 

Let's all jump for joy and shout hurray on three.

One...Two...Three!

//

Tyse has been giggling in his sleep since he was about a month old.

It is adorable.

Absolutely adorable.
Jake and I are positive he plays with his Big Sis in his sleep.
So he giggles. Of course. 

But he never seemed to understand how to do it while awake.

Until two weeks ago. 

Baby giggles? ADORABLE!
Awake baby giggles? Even better. 

//

Last week I was released as the First Counselor of the Young Women in our ward.
I thought I was be overjoyed when this happened.
I even secretly hoped for it!
[mutual/girls camp/teaching lessons with an infant...not fun]
But I was totally shocked and terribly, terribly sad that it actually happened.
Especially because Jake keeps insisting I am going to be put into Cub Scouts.
Gosh golly, I would die. Absolutely die.

//

Tyse got his shots two weeks ago.
Poor little man cried and cried.
But then I told him he made the 36th percentile for height.
And I mean, seriously, that's probably the highest percentile in height the kid will ever have.
So he thought that was pretty cool.
Poor guy has Short Parents Syndrome. [real thing, trust me.]
He was 11 lbs 4 oz and 23.4 inches long.

//

Jake brought me home a new car last month.
It was a very belated and much needed/coveted birthday present.
I am loving the fact that I don't have to stop on the side of the road to put back on my bumper.
My favorite part?
It starts with a button.
A button!
But ask me when I am finally going to stop reaching for the invisible key to start the car.
Never, probably.
Old habits die hard.

Really Random List of Ramblings [Take Three]...

Today I went to the Goodwill, my self-proclaimed happy place. 

As I walked out of the dressing room, a little boy said to his mom, 

"Look at that lady. Me don't like her. Die, die, die." 

Really. I kid not. 

Thanks little man. 

I appreciate your kindness. 

//

I lost my wedding ring. 

Seriously. I about had a massive heart attack.

I looked everywhere. 

I even came home from work at lunch to search a little more. No luck. 

Until I had an epiphany to look under my bed. 

Apparently I decided to forgo being married in the middle of the night.

 I just took the ring right off my finger.

All the while being dead asleep.

What the?

//

So I keep getting a call from this insurance guy while I am at work.

I can never say "I'm not interested".

I just feel guilty. And mean.

It's a curse.

So I have dodged his calls with "I'm headed to a meeting" or "I am with a client".

Until today. I couldn't think of an excuse.

So, I told him to call Jake.

Is it totally mean that I gave him Jake's old phone number?

Ha. Tricky tricky. 

//

I apparently have become addicted to The Bachelor. 

I have never seen it nor had a desire to.

But being home alone at night caused me to tune in.

And I am addicted.

The concept is stupid. The people are stupid. 

The whole thing is just ridiculously stupid.

And yet, I can't make myself stop watching it. 

Something about the complete stupidness of it just draws me in. 

What can I say, I get bored. 

Really Random List of Ramblings {Take Two}...

It's the week before finals.

I'm tired. 

And grouchy.

And dreading the next 10 days.

Believe me. 

I'm sick of reading.

And I'm really sick of writing. 

So ... I am about to ramble.

Just a warning.

....

 Meet the newest member of the Branch Family.

Miss Chloe Jane Branch.

Little girl loved by Alan and Jaelynn. 

Born on December 2nd.

I love all 6 lbs 14 oz of her. 

She probably has the cutest little chubby cheeks I have ever seen.

And, oh my goodness, her tiny tiny button nose.

It gets me every time. 

And her smile! 

Melts her Auntie Kate's heart.

Care to see her?

{Feel free to zoom in on her adorable little nose. You know you want to...} 

....

Marie and Brookie danced at the Festival of Trees this year.

I stopped by for a little dancin' before I had me some Chloe time.

They were oh so cute in their little outfits.

And oh my word, not only did they dance, but they sang their little hearts out too!

Marie had a solo.

Made me a little teary eye'd. 

You know, because I have a special tear duct. 

It's called the Marie tear duct.

Because, I will be the first to admit, 

She makes me cry often. 

And Brookie, what a little dancer!

Er, I think she is anyways.

Remember this?

Yep. It's true.

Turns out I may or may not have been watching a little Brookie,

Who might not have been Brookie.

The entire performance.

All four dances.

Whoopsies.

....

Good news though!

I got home and look what was in the mail for me. 

It's like the mailman sensed my anger at the girl who was impersonating Brookie.

I didn't take a picture of me wearing them though.

Because, well, I really look like a doofus. 

Sorry.

....

Jake and I decided to be creative this Christmas.

We bought "Kate" and "Jake" wrapping paper.

You know, pink and green for me. 

Blue for him.

Convenient, right? 

Or maybe we were just too lazy to write out our names on the presents.

Whatever. 

Anyways, this is the current standing of presents.

Uh, blue is slightly taking over pink and green.

Jake, you better get going!

Really.

Right now. 

GO!

....

Lookie what Jake brought home to me the other night.

This totally redeems him from the lack of pink and green under the tree.

I love me some Panda Express.

And I could not be more excited about one opening in Poky!

....

I think sometimes my mother misses me. 

Or something like that. 

Mom, once again, if I don't answer the first time,

you really don't need to call me in 5 minute intervals until I pick up.

 I will call you back.

Promise. 

....

Okay.

That's all the ramblings I have time for.

Until next time,

♥kate

really random list of ramblings...

Do you ever have one of those days where you just cant make yourself finish a full thought? Me too. And so, today I debut my really random list of ramblings. Stay tuned, I am sure it will make an appearance again soon. 

• Yesterday I had to get my blood tested. Don't worry...this happens like once every two months, I swear. {Downside of being a sick-prone person.} Now I have this lovely little friend. I hate needles. I especially hate needles that find joy in bruising me. 

• Pinterest wins again. Tonight we had yet another success with a Pinterest recipe. All that is left to show the evidence of this success is 3 little Ikea Tupperwares and a sink FULL of dishes {I made dinner, Jake gets the dishes!} Oh by the way. I made mashed potatoes tonight...for the first time ever. Don't make fun, but I seriously had to Google how to make them. Yep, that is bad. But like I said, I am growing up. Google and Pinterest are just assisting in the "growing up" process. 

• Sometimes I wonder how Jake and I ended up together. Or more like, sometimes I wonder how Jake puts up with me. This question ALWAYS pops into my head when I pass by the bathroom {yep, the bathroom}. Before your mind goes to far, let me show you what I mean. 

       This is Jake's bathroom {he did a great job decorating, wouldn't you say?}. 

All clean. Pretty, even.                

      No water spots on the mirror. No toothpaste in the sink. He is SUCH a clean freak. 

      This is my bathroom.  Need I say more?

• A few weeks ago the bishopric came for a little visit. They informed me that we were the sole family in the ward without children. Really. The ONLY ones! Then they proceeded to tell me they were going to make it their duty to change this statistic as soon as possible. This week they gave us a calling. Care to guess? I think they are a little confused though. Putting us in the nursery is probably going to have the opposite effect on us. Don't get me wrong. I LOVE kids. But taking care of someone else's kids {other than those related to me of course. Really, Kim. Keep those kids coming over!!} has always made me realize just how much I am not ready to be a Momma. 

• I think Jacob is getting a little sick of my new blogging habit. Or maybe just the fact that I insist on Instagraming everything now.

• Jake and I just gained new hobbies. I blog. Jake plays basketball at the church. Last week after Jake's new hobby, he came home with a cute little Kleenex stuck up his nose. After much deliberation, we have come to the conclusion that it's broken...for the 7th time. {He has the Schwartz Family Nose. It is an easy target after all☺} He now makes a very cute {ha} little noise when he breathes. Not too loud or anything though {um, slight exaggeration}. Imagine a train. Or a jet. Or a jackhammer. Only louder. It makes for a fun time trying to fall asleep at night. The bad thing is that he is not even snoring. JUST BREATHING! Needless to say, he will be visiting the doctor very soon to correct the problem. I am going to go ahead and say my new hobby is safer. And quieter. 

And that, my friends, is what I like to call a really random list of ramblings. 

♥kate