Childhood

Time goes by too quickly. It just seems like the other day James and I were playing soccer inside the house and jumping on the beds, or we would race our bikes down the street and go swimming all summer long. (We were always so competitive with each other when we were little.) He was my best friend...and still is. 

And then we grew up. Sometimes I miss being a kid with no cares in the world except counting down the days until your next birthday. I miss those days of long bike rides after school and playing street hockey across the street. 

Ah those were the days...

...& those fun memories will last in my memory for eternity. 

BUT these are even better days & they keep getting better and better.

Happy Halloween!

Happy Halloween! To get in the Halloween spirit, I thought it would be fun to post some old Halloween pictures, the ones that go wayyyy back and the ones just a few years ago. So many good memories...homemade costumes are seriously the best.

1995: bumble bee Katie/ 1998: Dorothy Katie with cousins/ 

1999: Mom & Katie 50s girls with rocking poodle skirts/ 2001: Farmer Katie and Ghost James

2008: Cami D, Katie, Madison's flower patch/ 2009: Crayons with my best friends/

2010: Hippie Katie, Emily, and Ashley/ 2011: Cowgirl Katie with roommates

BUT, my parents have taken the "most creative" costume award over the past couple years. Most of the costumes were purchased at  thrift stores.

Introducing...

Costume #1 (pictured below): 

A pregnant lady (dad) and his doctor (mom)

Costume #2: 

An old retired couple.

Costume #3:

Dad as a hunk-of-burning-love jock and mom as a disco 60s girl. What a hoot!

memories

I was scrummaging through some old photos 

this weekend and it brought back some fun memories.

From Miss to Mrs.

On July 28th, my lovely cousin and best friend was married for time and all eternity in the Idaho Falls temple. It was such a happy day.

It's hard to believe that she is a married woman. Katie and I share a special connection and friendship. We share the same name, Katie. Ever since we were little, she was Katie Boo and I was Katie Lu. We have had so many fun times together, from being little, to going to EFY, to college at BYU-Idaho together. Let's just say there is never a dull moment with Katie Boo. 

I love looking back at old pictures, such good memories. This one is my favorite. We were 14 years old:

Now here we are today. I had the fun chance to watch Katie and Landon during their courtship. I remember the night they met just like it was yesterday. They definately did fall in love in a hopeless place, Rexburg, Idaho.

We had a sleepover together for her last night as a single woman. SO MUCH FUN, and NO SLEEP! I just love her. 

We woke up at 5AM to drive to Rexburg from Idaho Falls to get her hair and make up done. It took 3 hrs, but by the time we were finished, so looked gorgeous! We then realized that it was 9:30am and she was suppose to be at the temple for pictures at 9:00. oops. Speeding down the freeway, we jammed out to her and Landon's theme song.

I loved being able to help her get ready for her special day (and take some cute snapshots as well.) These moments are so priceless.

All of my cousins and I couldn't help but think of the many, many more weddings that will be happening within the next couple years. 

In just a few minutes, Landon and Katie became Mr. and Mrs. Hillebrant. What a happy day it was!

Then & Now

4 years ago, I embarked on the Pioneer Trek with my stake. It was the summer before my sophomore year in high school. I did not know what was in store for me. All I knew was that I had to go purchase hideous clothes at Goodwill...and wear them the entire week. I also knew that I was going to have many spiritual experiences that week acting as a pioneer. Both assumptions were correct, I did have to wear ugly pioneer clothes and my testimony was also strengthened.

My stake presidency at the time was known for being hardcore. Everything they threw at us was intense. We roughed it those 3 days out in the wilderness. The hiking was very difficult and the food was minimal, very minimal. I nicknamed the pioneer trek FAT CAMP. (I lost just about 6lbs that week.) Our stake leaders truly wanted us to experience what the pioneers crossing the plains went through.

BEFORE:

 AFTER:

I was filthy, the kind of filthy where dirt is baked into the crevices of your skin, the kind of filthy where you have to take a shower for 30 minutes and that still doesn't get the dirt out of your hair. But it was all worth it because I had the best experience. I loved the close bond that I had with my trek family, I loved how close I felt to the spirit and I became I so overwhelmingly grateful for the pioneers sacrifice. I will never forget the experiences I had that week. All the dirt, sweat, and filth was worth it. every bit.

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James went on the trek just a few weeks ago. He is the same age I was when I went. Before he embarked on this adventure, I warned him of the dangers and also told him how much his testimony would be strengthened. I had prepared him! He was a bit skeptical because of the lack of food he would not eat, but went with a cheerful attitude.

BEFORE:

AFTER:

Are you kidding me? The kid doesn't even look dirty! Needless to say, this year's stake pioneer trek was a lot easier. They realized that last time was a bit extreme, so they lightened the load. James had a great experience as well, but...

...I am happy to say that I survived the hardest Higley Stake Pioneer trek on the face of the earth, blood, sweat, and tears. Allelujah.

Cousins by blood, friends by choice.

Gosh. I love my family & I love having so many cousins, both on the Coon and Dayley side. I've realized how grateful I am to have such a tight bond with all of my cousins. Being 4-16hrs away from family the past four months has made me notice how much my cousins mean to me. We have some very fun memories that I am very fond of.

-boating, tubing, snowboarding/skiing as a big family, doorbell ditching & getting caught, snowmobiling, family reunions, skit night, many family vacations to utah and california, jamming out to kelly clarkson in our own girl cabin, girls nights, endless hours spent making cheesy commercials, going to stake or institute dances, watching old movies at Aunt Catherine's house, sumo wrestling on the trampoline, playing barbies, pretending like we were Doris Day or Judy Garland or Debbie Reynolds, running 5ks, card games, sardines, dressing up as 80s girls, choreographing our own dances, photoshoots, Coon Marathons, geocaching, family pot lucks, jumping on the trampoline, pretending like we were mermaids while swimming, shopping, laughing so hard you pee your pants, efy...

the list goes on and on and on.

I will always be grateful for my cousins.

They are wonderful! (even if they steal your old crush/high school guy best friend from you. haha.)