"Never Say Never"

If I've heard that once I've heard it a thousand times. :D

While talking with my best friend a couple day ago (Rather my 'adopted' sister--I've known her longer then any of my siblings!). She started laughing at something I had said.

First what made her laugh was that it was--
"Oh, so something your mother would say!"
Second it was something I had told her one time a long, long time--
"I would NEVER say that to any of MY children or even someone I am babysitting, as it drives me nuts when mom says it to me, so why would I say it to other children?!?!"

Well, she caught me saying it to one of my siblings. And what's worse as I talked about it with her I realized that I had been saying both things for years and even said it to the kids I was coaching in little league (much to the pleasure of all the parents).

"This is not a banana in my ear it's a phone!"
and
Child: "I'm thirsty!" Me: "Nice to meet you! I'm Katie!"

States I've Visited

I found this interesting. I enjoy keeping count of all the states I've visited and always thought it would fun to go to every state. But until I saw this map I hadn't realized how many states I have been to. And the only state that I've have driven through and not done anything was my trip to California--We drove through Arizona and didn't stop. All the other states my dad has made a point for us to visit at least one historical or other site of interest.


visited 23 states (46%)

"So, College?"

"So? Where are you going to college?"
"What are you going to do after you graduate?"
"Have you thought about what you want to do in college?"
"What are you doing now that your finished with high school?"

Have you had any of those questions asked of you? Well, I have. I've been answer these questions for the past 4 years and am still get them all the time. At first I fumbled with the answer, as I didn't have one and hadn't thought to have an answer to that question.

At first I would answer with..."Well, I'm not going to college as I see no need to right not." as that wasn't the most tactful of answers and one that got quite a few raised eyebrows and arguments I slowly came up with an answer that would not offend, that would be honest about my views, and would not lead to very many more questions.

Now the answer has changed over time, as I used to take course online but am currently not doing so (even though I do plan to start again soon). But as a young adult who has her own business and is helping with the family business I don't have to say much past those two facts as it is amazing enough to most people that I'm not only doing those two things, but I am currently living at home as well. So my current standard answer amazes enough people that I don't have to expound further then....

"I'm currently helping with the family business and running Swede Farm Naturals, as well as helping with the children and home."

Now I do have those people who push further and would like to know why I didn't or don't go to college and to those people I kindly answer their questions....

"I am currently not going to college as I had no need to go and felt it wouldn't be a good steward of the time and money that God had given me to go to college without a reason. Yes, I have taken courses online and hope to take more in the future." and sometimes..."Yes, if sometime in the future I feel that God is calling me to do something that entitles going to college I will then pray that God will provide the funds and the time to do so as it is in his will that I do so."

Yeah, they are long winded answers, but the time that it took to come to that point in my life and realize that I didn't need nor want to go to college wasn't something that I decided the day after I graduated from High School. Rather it was a decision that took a few years and lots of praying to decided.

No, I don't think that's the answer for every female out there and I am NOT bashing those that have decided to go to college! I back Grace up 100% in her Vet tech dreams, which would mean two years of college and if she felt that God was leading her to be a vet then I back her up in that 110% and that means even more time in college. Same for Sara and her pursuits in photography! Or any of my other siblings, if for any reason they feel that they should go to college then I will back them up and help them in any way that I can.

I just feel that it's not the path for me. I love my jobs and the time that not going to college and helping the family has given me. I in no way, shape, or form regret the choices that I have made in furthering or not furthering my education in the standard way of doing so.

Trust me there are many things that I have learned in my life as the oldest to 11 siblings, product manage for Swede Farm Dairy, and sole proprietor of Swede Farm Naturals that I could NEVER have learned by getting a college degree!

Two Things That Make Me Scream

There are two things that my sisters know will ALWAYS make me scream and a third that will make me scream. (Which is something in their books.)

The first is mice, rats, aka rodents. If a rodent is sighted and I hear about I'm up on the nearest chair. Think Tom & Jerry--While Tom is chasing Jerry around the kitchen chair and the lady is standing on the chair holding her skirt up screaming. Yup that's me! There's nothing that can make me incapable of work then seeing or hearing about a mouse being within a hundred feet of me!

The other main thing being being tree roaches, not just any roaches. Roaches I can handle--Kill them and treat for them and your done with them. Not tree roaches, those things true to their name life in trees and as things go in Texas--"Every thing's larger in Texas" well, these things sure seem to prove it. Their HUGE! And you can't just step on them and have them gone, they are like tiny bombs if you do that. Emma thinks I'm a wimp, as she's always loving to do it while I'm running away and letting her deal with them. I've had more nightmares that center around these little, disgusting, bombs then anything else.

And the third thing, which sends my sisters into fits of hysterical laughing--Cat's jumping out of drawings at me. It started when a cat found it's way into one of my drawers under my bed and sprang at me when I opened, the girls thought it was hysterical and have on and off over the years they have put cats in drawers that they knew I was about to open only to hear me scream, as it's the only time that they get to hear me scream and really give me a fright.

"Katie Weirdness"

For years now when ever black eyes were mentioned or one of my siblings got a black eye there was bound to be one person who would light up and want to see it, while there would would be at least one other person who would shake their head and mumble something along the lines of...."Crazy girl wants a black eye, well I can help her with that!!".

Who was that crazy person who would light up and want to see the black eye? Why me of course! And who would the person be who would do the muttering? Any of the older girls, from Emma to Christin or one of my parents. Why?

Ever since I was a little tyke, I thought black eyes were the coolest thing. Don't ask me why I don't know , but I did. My mom thought I was weird and my dad thought it might have had something to do with my love of baseball. My sisters? Well, truthfully sometimes are all to happy to help me with my wish for a black eye.

I spent many hours walking into doors or running towards a mirror every time a toddler socked me good and hard while rough housing. It took months of walking into doors, years of rough housing, and one episode of being dragged by a 150 pound dog into a lamp post. To realize I do not bruise easily.

How did I figure that out? Well, when the dog dragged me into the lamp post I only bruised slight, never got a black eye, & was in an amazing amount of pain for the lack of bruising I had. Dad who watched it was surprised that it wasn't bruised more then it showed.

I have to laugh.....even with flipping a 4-wheeler, wrestling with 150+ pound goats, and being in more then my fair share of wrestling matches pitting me vs. three boys has yet to get me a black eye. I've even been elbowed in the eye once and only ended up with a headache!!

There have many many times where my big sister, know it all attitude, or bossiness has gotten so under their skin that my siblings offered to help my "dream come true".

Please don't ask what the fascinate with a black eye is about, as I wouldn't be able to give you answer other then "Well, it looked neat!". I don't know what I started wanting a black eye, I think it might have been when I was eight and two sisters had a nice shiner as well as two friends having one as well.

My mom chalked it up to being a "fad" and thought I would out grow it. She's still hoping that one day I will grow up and stop wishing for a black eye. Until then, if your ever around my family and here someone ask me "You want help with that black eye dream?" or "I can help with that goal Katie!" you know what their talking about and you can add one more thing to the every growing list of "Katie Weirdness".

O.K. so I lacked something better to write. (as if you couldn't guess) I'm having a combination of writers block and VERY busy week! Enjoy your Memorial day!

I am NOT....

Your typical female (or so I'm told). If you didn't know that, well then I guess your going to learn more about me in this post. :D If you already knew that, well then congratulations you know me as well as some of my 'real life' friends know me.

How am I different? Well....I hate shoes, I hate shopping, and I don't wear makeup. :D

I firmly believe that shoes are part of the fall. I am sure that Adam and Eve did not have to deal with these troublesome things called shoes that are supposed to protect our feet and that from what I've heard most females love to have many pairs of. Me? I own my two pairs of crocs, one for the farm & one for church & two pairs of cowboy boots, both for off the farm (and both of which are sitting in my closet waiting to be resoled yet again.)

I think one reason I don't like shoes is that I have the worst time finding shoes that fit well, having long narrow feet is a curse. Tennis shoes don't last me four months (and haven't for the past decade), cowboy boots need to be resoled every 12-14 months, and church shoes? Well, they have the life span of a pair of clothes on Judah at the farm.

Shopping, I don't enjoy it to much unless I have oodles of money (which doesn't happen all that often...As in never!) or if I am shopping for gifts. If I have a list, I don't mind it to much, get in, buy needed supplies, and get out. Now gifts are a totally different matter, I can spend HOURS trying to find the right gifts, because what's in my mind doesn't match up with what I am finding in the stores or online. And if I had oodles of money? Well, I wouldn't mind shopping in the least, but I sure wouldn't be doing it everyday of my life!

Makeup? Yes, I buy makeup. No, I do not wear it. When would I have the time to put it on? While I'm helping with farm life, family life, or business life? Oh, wait I could do it early in the morning, but then that might cut into my reading and coffee time. Ummm...I'm not going there! lol

So, if I don't wear it, why do I buy it? For the simple reason to torment my siblings. When they are peaceful sleeping with "visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads". I sneak into their room and put the makeup on them just to see how they and the family react in the morning. I've had a sister (who shall go nameless) go half the morning without knowing that lipstick was smeared all over her face and trying to figure out why none of us could keep a straight face or have a decent conversation with her in that time frame. It was WAY to funny!! lol

Oh yeah other ways I'm not 'normal'...I still live with my family, I don't go to movies, I am not dating, and I'm loving every minute of it!

Yes, I am mean. No I am not your typical female. But that's who I am and my family lives with me. Even though there are days when I know they would just love to send me packing with my tricks and book reading ways.

I've Been Tagged

Well, I've been tagged twice and since I've been a spoil sport with previous tags, I decided to do these tags. Esp since my siblings told me I was a spoil sport, stick in the mud, or any other such fiddle, faddle, & rot when I skipped over the last tags. So this post is to prove to them that they are wrong. :D

I'm to list 5 random things about myself
1) I do not like milk, not one little bit. And it's been that way since I was weened.
2) I am queen of getting words mixed up. It's been very embarrassing sometimes how my mouth goes faster then my brain.
3) My mom sometimes thinks I will never grow up as I am always crawling through windows and jumping in puddles.
4) When I leave the property I always carry a book with me, no matter where I'm going or for how long I will be gone, because you never know what's going to happen.
5) I twist my hair, have since I had hair. I've been know to twist the kid's hair when they are sitting in my lap and the only reason I have bangs is thanks to this little habit of mine.

These questions go with this tag....

1. Apples, oranges, or bananas?
Oranges, anytime and every time!

2. How many siblings do you have?
Eleven

3. How old are you?
21 I think or was that last year? Yeah, I'm that old for now.

4. Do you live on Prairie, woodland, swamp, city, or other?
Wooded, country

5. Scissors or glue?
Neither! Duct tape

6. Describe your dream house:
I ummm...Er ummm...Truth be told never really thought about a dream house, always wanted to keep my option open in case God had me living in a hut rather then a house.

7. Is your room clean?
The living & bed room part yes, the dinning part not really. It's more an organized mess and that's only counting my stuff, not the sister with whom I share a room with.

8. If you could be a movie character for a day who would you be?
Ummmm....Elizabeth from "Pride & Prejudice" probably, never really thought about it.

9. Italy, Greece, France, Spain, or England?
England, as I love it's history. But then that's hard as I also enjoy Greece's & France's history as well.

10. What denomination are you?
PCA

11. Do you sleep with a stuffed toy?
No, who needs to when you have siblings sleeping with you?

12. Gum, Chocolate, or Jelly Beans?
CHOCOLATE! All the time, every time!! What else?

13. What is your favorite book?
Ummmm....."Pride & Prejudice", No, it's "Emma", Oh, wait! It might "The Complete Guide to History". Oh, forget it! Trying to pinpoint my favorite book is about like trying to hold a moonbeam in my hand.

14. Favorite ice cream flavor?
Java Chocolate Chunk

15. If you had to pick one type of food to eat for two weeks, what would it be?
Mexican

16. What is your favorite Olympic sport?
Winter: What ever is on when I'm watching it unless it's ice skating or dancing.
Summer: Used to be baseball, now that that's out it would probably be swimming.

17. If you woke up and discovered you were Miley Cyrus for the day what would you do?
Scream & go back to sleep until it passed

18. Describe yourself in three words:
The eldest child

19. What chore do you positively hate?
Raking the goat area after it's rained or washing dishes, it all depends.

20. If Elmo came into your room with a gun, what would you do?
Laugh and tell the person who was in the outfit to get out & get to work.

There I completed the tags. :D

Ever Feel....

Have you ever felt like you had a ton of work to do and there was no time to do it?  Or have you ever felt like you had a million and one things to do, but could only remember one or two of those things? 

Well that's the way I feel today!  So far I've been to the Vet, called about a sign for one orf our Farmer's Market, Called the Rodeo to get some money refunded since they charged me a late fee that they shouldn't have.  E-mailed someone interested in buying soap for her store, helped a friend hitch up the trailer (they are taking an animal to the Vet as well).  All this since 9:45 when I had to leave Christin to milk by herself and leave. 

Now I am about to leave to take our neighbor to her therapy appointment (she was in a car wreck Christmas night and broke her arm) and Grace to her Dentist appointment.  And I have to be back in time to milk tonight, whew!!  What a day!!

Y'all have a nice day, enjoy any snow you might get tomorrow and Wednesday, while I freeze as I run around town today and at market tomorrow.  :D 

Another Addiction

I have already admitted to one addiction (and that was not even to its fullest extent!), so I figured I should admit to another (I have thfour major ones :D I'll let y'all guess the other two.). The one I am going to talk about is probably my worst addiction.

I'm addicted to coffee!  Sure, I know everyone thinks they are, and I am sure there is someone out there who is sure they are to. In fact I think Grace, might come on here and tell me that she is addicted and I have no idea what I am talking about. :D And no, I am not trying to demean anyone here;  I am just talking about what people tell me and what I have seen. :)

But, truth be told it seems that my case is bad if everyone notices it.  Other market vendors make jokes about it, family members laugh about it, friends think I am crazy, and I live with it.....One of our Honorary Dairy Farmers, has given me the nick-name MC Katie--Miss. Caffeine Katie.

My family has a saying, "Don't get between Katie and her coffee!” Well, really that is one of three, but this is what they say in the morning and the one that pertains to this case.

And friends have told me that it's easy buying me a gift, "If all else fails, get Katie a gift card to Starbucks." (Where I only buy Venti Caramel Frappuccino, or Venti Mocha Chip Frappuccino.)

In all honestly I have been known to go without coffee for days on end, due to being a coffee snob. Only the best, freshest ground and medium to dark brew will do for me!  No pre-burnt, pre-ground, pre anything coffee for me.

And right now I am moaning and groaning because our coffee grounder bit the dust this morning (before ANY pot was brewed).  No fresh ground cup of coffee for me until at least Wednesday, unless I want to go out and buy cup, at the local Tea house.  I guess I either need to check my pride at the coffee pot or suffer and not get any coffee until Wednesday.  Oh, the decisions!!

But something tells me that when Monday morning comes around and I am offered a hot cup of pre-ground Folgers, that my pride will not be laid down at the coffee pot, I will turn up my stubby little nose and decided that pre-ground is below me and I will wait for some fresh ground later on.

So, much for trying to best my pride and being addicted to coffee!!

I'm Addicted.....

To books!!

There my dirty little secret is out! lol

A while back mom, a couple sisters and I were filling out something, (I don't remember what or why) and we were taking turns answering the questions for each person. One of the questions was "Are you addicted to anything?" Mom (who was doing most of the filing out since she was the one at the computer) answered for me-chocolate, coffee, and books.

At the time we all laughed and told mom that chocolate and coffee might be true, but come on! Who is and can be addicted to books?

Well, in the past year I have come to realize, that like the other 99% of the time, mom was correct. I am addicted to books! I love to read, I love to flip through books, walk between bookcases and look at the titles, I get in more trouble reading then almost anything else and one of my favorite ways to spend time is in the Library. :D

When I walk into a book store I always walk out one more book richer. Now, I have gotten pretty good at not going into a book store when I don't have money or when I have books that I don't like or I am not going to read it any more I sell them (and 99% of the time I turn around and buy some more books with them). I once saw a T-shirt that said "Lead me not into temptation…especially bookstores." That is me. lol

Last weekend the Houston library had their annul book sale (why they would want to get rid of such great books I have no idea, but their loss is my gain!). The first two days are when the books are bought at the price on the front cover. The third day is brown bag day. That is where you get a sack and you pay $10 for how ever many books you can cram into the bag without it ripping or books over the top of the bag.

I bought two bags, and mom/family bought another bag. Going in I knew I was going to buy no less then two. Because I wasn't just buying for me, I was getting birthday and Christmas presents as well. :D

I bought 27 books!! All for my use and pleasure. (and no that is not counting the books I got as presents). Some books where on my wish list, some just looked neat, and others were books that covered an area that I have been wanting a book on, but didn't know what book to get (I have always wanted a book on Supreme Court decisions. :D ).

Now, to find a place on my bookshelves! LOL

"I Thought You Were 13!!"

Someone told me last Saturday at the Bayou City Farmer's Market. And three weeks ago at the same market someone thought I was 14! And here I thought I was growing up. lol

I know that I look younger then I really am. But I didn't know that I looked that young! I was hoping that I might look within five years of my age, but from what the last few people have said, I am taking it that I don't. :D

I will be 21 in less then three months and I have people telling me that they think I am the age of Linnea! lol And there is three sisters in between us two!

Oh, well. At least no one is think I am younger then Emma!! lol