illuminating kate

happy blogiversary to illuminating kate

2012-02-20T19:12:00.000-08:00

so even though i do realize i haven't been the best blogger this year, my friends are so sweet... they remembered my blogiversary! it's been exactly 1 year since i officially started being Illuminating Kate.

Its been a year of blessings. I have searched and found the college meant to be for me, i've grown as an artist, i've found more about myself and most importantly, i have come closer to God! I am proud to say it's been an amazing year since last President's day and the first day i entered the blogging world.

so i just got back from the most amazing church retreat and i am feeling so refreshed! (spiritually and physically since i slept for the most of my day today now that i am home).

today, as i was being a couch potato, i got a call around 3 from Brendan asking if i wanted to do a photoshoot for our photography class with him. so of course i was on board! but little did i know the surprise waiting for me....

we met at a park near our houses and when i got there he had invited our other best friend, lauren, to celebrate my blogiversary! i can't believe i had completely forgotten!

they are my number one fans and my number one friends. love them so much. afterall, they bring the adventure to this blog and to my life.

they made the most delicious cupcakes. seriously, they were so yum and the cupcakes spelled out "illuminating kate" awwwwww how special.... and the for icing on the cake (no pun intended), brendan used cursive lettering for spelling out the words. he said he looked back at my blog and tried to make the lettering JUST like the lettering of my blog banner....he knows illuminating kate so well!!

today made me realize how blessed i am to have these two people in my life. Brendan and Lauren are friends that will last a lifetime. the trials we've faced and the journeys we go through together are amazing. i'll always love these two.

we were talking about our futures today.... that even though college is just around the corner, and no matter where we end up going, we all share the same thing: our home. Carmel, Indiana is where i met my best friends. carmel, indiana is where fate happened. it was fate to meet these freaking awesome people.

even when we're forty and have families, the memories we have made and the friendships we have planted here will always remain in this special town. my heart knows we will still be just as good friends.

yes, i look forward to making new friends and starting new beginnings in college, but because of these two people and because of my family, coming back home for breaks will be that much more special ♥

today was a happy day and a perfect ending to a perfect weekend. i couldn't ask for more.

have a great week..... live it with bright color! (whatever that means, i can just imagine my art teacher saying something like that)

keep chasing the light

2012-01-08T20:33:00.000-08:00

don't lose it all in the blur of the stars
seeing is deceiving, dreaming is believing
it's okay not to be okay
sometimes it's hard to follow your heart
tears don't mean you're losing
everybody's bruising
just be true to who you are
-JESSIE J ♥

^i love jessie j! she's so inspirational. i always love a good jessie j sesh with my iPod. good times. but really, just like she said.... just be true to who you are. we're all on a different journey through life but we can only truly enjoy it if we can each individually be true to who we are.

eh. times are kinda not really goin the greatest right now.... i feel like they should be! its second semester senior year! but whatevs. im going into this week with a really positive attitude. nothing is gonna get me down. that is my goal.

i've been getting all in a tizzy over DUMB SHIT. (excuse my french) haha but seriously i need to stop. i just need to worry bout me and only me. so i'm just gonna try to be a happier person to be around! and that can only happen if i let the sun shine through my heart. just be true to me and thats my word.

i should be more grateful for everything i have! seriously, hello, katelyn!!!! you just got accepted into college! some people would kill for the colleges i just got accepted to. that is such an accomplishment for me and i need to be more graceful with God's awesome presence in my life. everything that's falling apart or coming together is exactly meant to happen in God's perfect plan for me.

i need to be more forgiving. less spiteful. more grateful. i've especially learned a lot of lessons this year. but one of the biggest lessons was to not compare myself. comparing only drives jealousy and bad things. there's no good in focusing on things that are out of your control. i've realized that social networks are the central hubb of showing off. yeah, i had to stear clear of facebook for a while during my "i dont know if i'll ever get into college" phase. and to all my twitter followers, im sick of all your negative shit!!!!! my biggest pet peeve is when someone tweets early in the morning, "this is going to be the worst day ever." UM. HELLO? IT'S ONLY GONNA BE A BAD DAY IF YOU SAY IT IS.

so in conclusion, to anyone reading this that may be a peer of mine: don't worry about what college 'that person' got into or "omg i cant believe 'so & so" got into that college... why didn't i?" LET IT GO. let it be. focus on the HAPPY. get all that negativity out of you!!!!! you are enough. OH! and one more thing: if ever you are scared, pray. Pray it out. God listens, and he understands what you are trying to say, even when you don't know how to say it. He's ALWAYS there to listen to you, even if it is just to thank Him.

i have a lot going for me and i believe in me because i am true to me. i believed in the beauty of my dreams and that is why i'm going to italy in six short months. keep chasing the light and you'll get exactly where you want to be.

well looky here

2012-01-03T15:31:00.000-08:00

omg isn't it so crazy!! haha so cray cray. Oh goodness, welcome to my world of crazy lingo. (or should i say cray lingo) My life has been pretty cray the past six months especially. And i have so me exciting news! After that last blog post, i ironically got some mail the next day. Hmmm...

omg CRAY!!!!!

woohoo! so far, ive been accepted into IUPUI, Indiana University, and Ball State University. Just waiting on one more. (they're saving the best for last)

God heard me prayin hard cuz i got a double whammy in the mail. i wasn't supposed to hear back from IU or Ball State but guess what! I got my acceptance letters from both in the mail on the same day! cray.

feeling very blessed and happy going into this last and final semester of school. i calculated it all up.... this is my 26th semester of school since kindergarten. #26 out of 26. i've come a long way. time to finish up strong. it's gonna be a great semester. on to day 2 tomorrow.

stay positive!!!!!!

you've got a lot goin' for ya

2011-12-30T21:35:00.000-08:00

before i get started, i'd like to say that i am so completely relaxed this winter break that i don't know what will get me to go back to school..... oh wait, i think i know.........

every day is a day closer to many wonderful happenings in my near future: spring break to Disney, my birthday, graduation, and ITALY. Yes, i said the "i" word. I'm going to Italy. No really, i don't know if you heard me.... I'M GOING TO ITALY.... THE BEAUTIFUL COUNTRY, ITALY!! Oh, and i'm also going to college. (lol, can't forget that one.)

Only one semester to go before my life changes in so many ways. It's really bittersweet though. Im super duper excited and happy, yet at the same time, i remember when i was just a little kid playing with my beloved American girl dolls. I dont really wanna grow up already. I'm gonna be 18 in a few months... like when the hell did that happen? Man, these happy 17 years sure have gone fast. I have a vivid memory of being in the 4th grade and we got track and field shirts with my class' graduating year on the back: 2012... back then it seemed like the space age. Yeah, well 2012 is gonna be here in 24 hours. haha.

Seeing time fly by so fast is why i'm gonna take a deep breath and just soak in every detail while things are the way they are right now.... before they get all weird when i go away from college. I know i'll come back to visit for breaks, but it just won't ever be EXACTLY the same. The thought of my family of 5 turning into a family of 4 at our dinner table next year makes me kinda sad. Sometimes being the oldest child kinda sucks. (Oh, but it does have sooooo many perks!) So let's make it an awesome 2nd semester of my senior year!!! And let's make it better than 1st semester!!!

So far this year, i've been bombarded with such crazy stress, i really dont know how i am staying sane. ha. Seriously though... college this, college that, college essays, college apps, college, college, college. If i hear that word in a stressful manner one more time...... haha let's just say by the time i finally get there, i will be MORE THAN READY TO PARTY!!!! (oh.....hey mom reading this!) Lolz. Im gonna embrace college life in the best way possible. Cant wait to meet new friends and really launch my artistic abilities.

Oh, yeah, the only MAJOR thing about this whole college topic making it kind of awkward right now is the fact that yeah, haha, i have no idea where i'm gonna end up yet! I'm still on that "getting into college" journey right now. So far, it's been a bumpy bumpy ride. But i'm trying to stay positive.

After finding out that i have been wait-listed at my top 3 school choices, it's been more of a faithful journey for me. I've gotten myself this far by working hard in school and staying out of trouble so now it's up to God from here. I've been praying that He will bring me to the right place and of course, i completely trust in His plan for me. It's very comforting to know i'm in good company.

2012 not only is my graduating year, but it is the year my dreams are literally coming true. Not many people can say they are looking forward to a trip to Disney World/Orlando Studios and Italy this upcoming year! I can say it though :o) hehehe.

I can tell it's going to be a magical year for me. A year of growth and happiness. And i am ready to embrace every part of my story to come. I totally cannot wait to meet 2012. She seems like a pretty cool year to me.

angel rays

2011-11-08T20:38:00.000-08:00

just thinking lately about how many angels i have that are watching over me and keeping me safe. whenever i feel scared or stressed or mad or happy or sad or confused..... i know i will be okay because i have my guardian angels. i believe i have already met some of my guardian angels. my nana and poppop and mimi and jae. i miss them terribly. especially my poppop. i cant believe its been almost a year.

i also have angels watching over me who i havent met yet but they know who i am. i never met a bunch of my great grandparents but they look so sweet in pictures. they are watching over me too.

but whenever i get sad about missing the ones who i have loved and lost, i just have to think about how i had lunch with them earlier or how they guided me to school or helped me take my test. they're always with me. even though they are in heaven and i am on earth doesnt mean anything.

the other day i found this on pinterest

so true. seriously though, it got me thinking... the concept of time is SO WEIRD. there really is no such thing as "time." We are living in the same time as 100 years ago... it just looks different. The time i've spent away from my passed loved ones is no time at all. It seems like just yesterday they were here. I'll see 'em later with God though.

they're (not so) grrrrrrreat

2011-10-31T17:35:00.000-07:00

whenever i was little, i used to love frosted flakes. well not anymore. i seem to be surrounded by them everyday and they're getting really old. i'd rather be surrounded by a buncha honey nuts... because at least they're better for you.

we all have those flakes in our lives whether we realize it or not. too bad i'm realizing it everyday. we've got the snow flakes, the corn flakes, and the dandruff flakes. but most especially, the frosted flakes.

frosted flakes. they seem so nice on the outside, but really, once you let them set in the milk, they get all soggy and limp and they break apart. they look very decieving. you think they're going to be there forever but soon enough they disinigrate.

tucan sam once told me, "be a fruitloop in a world full of cheerios."

you may say i'm a dreamer

2011-10-22T13:49:00.000-07:00

with so much going on, i've managed to get my college aps accomplished for the most part! it was not easy balancing studying for tests and doing homework for the next day while trying to apply to college (which seems so far away), but i did it!!
anyhoo... the essays i've written have me thinking about my future and my dreams. my dreams are pretty outlandish but my heart just knows. maybe i'm already living in my dreams right now. who knows. all i know is lately i've been daydreaming. my head has been in the clouds. the clouds of my dreams.

From solovelydecoration.blogspot.com

what could i do that would make a name for myself? ...a name that even the people in italy would hear of. but dreams dont even have to start out to be so extravagant. i could have a million little dreams. what is a dream even? i think it is just a snipit of your future. don't ignore your dreams, but instead, believe in the beauty of your dreams, even if they seems impossible. nothing is impossible unless you say it is.

wordz by Sarah Kathleen

i know some people who are afraid to dream or who are afraid of their future. who have also given up a lot of hope. i think it's just straight up stupid. and it makes me sad when people doubt themselves. seriously, just stop. there is nothing wrong with being a dreamer. really, all it takes is for one to believe in oneself and with true perserverance and passion, they can do anything. seriously, dreams come true everyday. what day is gonna be the day your dreams come true? in a year? when you're "older"? you don't know? for me, my dreams start today. and so could yours. dont let others getcha down.

From delightfully-tacky.com

remember this: the two most important days of your life are when you are born and when you find out why. rember that.

forevuuuuuuuur

2011-10-15T20:02:00.000-07:00

so my mom took me n lauren and brendan on a lil senior pic photoshoot today.

disclaimer: being serious is something us 3 friends cannot usually handle so that is why most of these pics are goofy-fied.

i mustache you a question.....

real laughter. lol.

my breathtaking, stunning, beautiful, illuminating best friend, lauren. aka my sissy from anotha missy.

aw my very handsome, funny, illuminating best friend, brendan. aka brother from anotha mother.

^that girl would be yours truly, me, illuminating kate.

haha idk just a random

............................

hahaha not to brag... but we are rediculously funny.

when you look at those 3 good lookin people, i dont know what comes first to your mind... but i think they look like friends forevz.

if my life had a soundtrack...regina spektor would sing it

2011-10-12T14:23:00.000-07:00

i'm so in love with regina spektor. her voice is amazin'. her lyrics are also the bomb diggity. i was totally inspired by this song. i think it is about two people who fall in love and their love is so grand that even when they are both gone, their love still lasts forever.

this piece is very symbolic. the roots represent how deeply in love they are and how woven into the earth their love is. the rest is pretty self explanatory. anyway, hope ya like the song. we all deserve to have love like this♥

always me

2011-10-10T14:36:00.000-07:00

lately, people in my life have been changing and it's been a little different. i dont really know if its good change or bad change but life isnt stopping so i'm just gonna keep on being me. i'm not gonna let others determine who i am. i really think its important to surround yourself with people who believe in your dreams and who support you all the way there.

i've been thinking about the people who are in my life at this very moment. are they all here for a good purpose? do they make me happy? do they distract me? do they ask me how i'm doing? do they even really care about me? or am i just that one friend who is always there for them only when they need me? yeah, i dont really know the answers to all those questions but i think i have an idea.

it's whateva, i guess. even if a friend changes a little, it doesn't mean you cant be friends with eachother at all anymore. just maybe not as much friends. high school is a crazy journey and its just the beginning of our life stories. we are just starting to create our wrinkles and scars. friends will come and go. i'm okay with that because those who matter will never leave.

everything was always meant to be.

while some people change to try to find who they are, i'm just gonna keep on being me. i'm not saying i'm never going to change because everyone changes. but what i am trying to say is... dont change just to be accepted by people who you barely know. dont change to be "cool." dont change your life based on the decisions of others. be you. be true to you.

yup. i'm kate joy mcd. and i'll always be true.

baby kate

2011-10-09T18:05:00.000-07:00

So here's a lil story for ya:

my dad is a freakishly amazing mathematician. he does math for fun.

my mom is the most awesome artist there ever was. she does art for fun.

mom♥ + dad♥ = baby kate

baby kate gets the best of both worlds and can do math and art. however, art is her passion.

math is not so much her passion.

math is easy in elementary school because she can do 1+1=2.

math is still easy in middle school.

she grows up and goes to high school.... is this a joke? she starts liking math! maybe she wants to do math for fun with her dad.

she goes on to geometry... eh ok maybe math isn't her thing anymore.

pinmarklet

then she gets to algebra 2 and gets the worst teacher of all time but she still pulls out a good grade.

senior year she has to take pre-calc................................................. "AW HELL THIS IS HARD!!!" she no likey math anymore but she is a really good student and doesnt catch "senioritis" and still does pre-calc homework for hours everynight so she can understand the lessons. she works so so so so so so so so so hard on pre-calc and what grade did she get?

a FREAKING 69.0%..........

baby kate gets her first D on her report card. baby kate is sad. but baby kate is so motivated to start fresh on the next grading period. baby kate wants an A.

baby kate is going to get an A next time.

**to be continued......................... dun dun dun

pinmarklet

portfolio day yay

2011-10-08T09:08:00.000-07:00

so excited... just got a few more college applications sent and feel a little less weight off my shoulders. i'm feelin purty good since the SAT and ACT are over... but still plenty of craziness to keep my senior year never at a dull moment!!

a couple weekends ago, i went to Herron School of Art for National Portfolio Day and it was seriously amazing and so encouraging. National Portfolio Day was held at Herron School of Art and Design on September 25 (open to the public) and it was a chance to meet college representatives from all over the country who gave helpful feedback to anyone's artwork.

Going to the portfolio overview definitely gave me the dose of confidence i have been needing for my art lately. I had such a successful outcome... every college rep i talked to gave me encouraging things about my artwork. they loved my art! It gave me a sense of accomplishment and i felt so proud of myself. really, i was on cloud 26 or something like that.

I've never actually "showed off" my art before. I mean, yeah, I show it to my family and close friends and stuff but never to strangers. It was weird just standing with my portfolio in front of a stranger who probably knows alot more about art than i do. i will admit i was shy at first, but it was so easy to overcome because my art is who i am and once they got a feel for my art, they knew who i was. it was seriously as easy as that.

I did get some comments of how i could improve my art and i am so grateful because i want to work on my weaknesses. I want to strive to become a better artist everyday. Overall, national portfolio day was a freaking awesome day. I am so so so so so happy i took the time to go.

Before i went to national portfolio day, i was deadset on going to a university for college. haha now i already have two art schools i am going to apply to. Who knows where i will end up.... God knows where i'm going and i'm just gonna follow his lead ♥ But for now............. i'm just going to be working on my portfolio and living up my teenage years. i don't know about you, but that sounds fun to me!

i am fo-sho loving my artsy, funny, studious, adventuring, happy, joyful, carefree, high-school, friendly teenage life. also, this is very random but i desperately need to make some pink hello kitty pumpkins for my frontporch. i'm sure my brothers wouldn't mind... hehe. she's just so cute.

crafts by Barbara Petersen

can't get enough of this everyday love

2011-07-24T12:40:00.000-07:00

friday night kicked off the soon-to-be best week of the summer!

we got a hotel room nearby to celebrate julia's 18th birthday! it was soooooooooooo fun!!

(i'm so mad at myself... we all got so dressed up and never took a group picture!!! arg!)

happy birthday julia!

for her present, we pooled 80 bucks and put it all in ones and then taped it into a long strand in a tissue box... when she opened it she had no idea that there was cash instead of tissues!!

next on the agenda was the RASCAL FLATTS & SARA EVANS concert!!! it was amazing!!

I went with one of my besties, tara, and her sweet cousins!! it was a girls night!

♥

SARA ON THE BIG SCREEN!! SHE IS EFFIN BEAUTIFUL!!

DA RASCALS ♥♥♥♥♥

IT WAS PACKED!!!! AND IT WAS A HOT SUMMA NIGHT.

just painted this because i was in the rascal flatts mood. i love their lyrics. and i love them outloud!!!!!!

it was a lucky day for me. on our way in the stadium before the concert even started... i found a 20 dolla bill just layin on the ground!!! thankyou very much!!

the luck doesnt even stop there!!!! rumor was that Gary Shirley from MTV's Teen Mom was at the concert. We looked for him the whole night and thought we would never find him.

But out of a huge stadium with 15,000 people... we happened to be walking right next to him on our way back to our car!! he was so nice! he let us take a picture with him and we told him we would tweet it and we asked him to retweet it! and guess what.... HE RETWEETED IT TO HIS 67,000 FOLLOWERS!!!!!! UM YEA.... THE PICTURE ALREADY HAS OVER 1,700 VIEWS!!!!!!!!!

EVERYONE SHOULD FOLLOW @ItsGaryTime

(.....and me @katejoymcd)

you could say i had a fun night!! the flatts and sara know how to throw a good party!!! country music is feel good music!!

many more good times planned ahead this week!! cant wait to share more adventures. im gonna hold on to summer as long as i can. only 16 days left or something crazy like that. not fair. i wish it could be summer forever.

totes AWK

2011-07-16T23:26:00.000-07:00

couldnt help but giggle from some funny/awkward pics i have found on my computer. you know... those pictures that were taken but never uploaded on facebook because they were too embarassing... or too weird. well here ya go.

welcome to my awkward life!!!

let's just pose by the pickles...

what was i thinking? cubed ham?

ya goofball

you gotta lil somethin-somethin on your face... but i probably didnt tell you at the time. hehe

oh ya know... just lauren awkwardly giving a nanoo-nanoo sign in front of a building. nothin new.

uhh..... dont even ask why i was posing with a bag of chapstick. probably just procrastinating my homework at the time. oh the things i find myself doing instead of homework.

did i mention how hot i am? just kidding. i was scaring the people at panera.

why did i feel it was necessary to take this picture?

mmmm calcium makes ya strong

hello julia's face

here kids, want some candy?

aw c'mon.... i got the good candy!!!!!

look at how awkward our stance is

ok last one... even though i could go on forever.

i love my life because i'm so glad that i can laugh all the time.

laughter heals the soul.

and it is contagious.

and it is free.

what could be better than to live a lifetime in laughter?

ARRY POTTA HANGOVA

2011-07-15T10:41:00.000-07:00

"Whether by page or by big screen, Hogwarts will always be there to welcome you home."-JK Rowling

Last night was splendid! Even though i wouldnt necessarily call myself a "die hard" harry potter fan... i was definitely in the spirit! My friends and i went ALL OUT.

Costumes. British accents. Butterbeer cupcakes. MAGIC.

Julia was Hermione! Perfect!

"I'm going to bed, before either of you come up with another brilliant plan to get us killed...or worse, expelled." -Hermione Granger

Lauren was Professor Trelawney!!!!!!! Love it.

Brendan and i were gryffindor students. He is not harry potter. fyi.

I solemnly sware i am up to no good...

Mischief managed.

sunshine, daisies, butter mellow, turn this stupid fat rat yellow!

Oh ya know... just having a wand dual in julia's backyard. #NBD

PETRIFICUS TOTALUS!!!!!!!!

We waited in line for an hour and a half! Lots of crazy times.

Julia dared me to run in and scream "THERE'S A TROLL IN THE DUNGEON!!" And of course i did. Everyone in the theatre stopped what they were doing and it got really quiet. Hehe.

LAST NIGHT WAS TOTALLY BARBARIC!!

This night sky picture was taken around 4:30 AM on our way home. SO WICKED LOOKING! I can just see professor loopin howling in the background.

Even though it marks the end of an era, harry potter will always be a special part of my childhood! Im so proud to have grown up in the harry potter generation!!! Cant wait to show my kids these legendary movies someday. JK Rowling, you've done good ♥

ello again

2011-07-14T13:29:00.000-07:00

so i've made myself a pinky promise to blog more. summer is here and i have no more excuses for being lazy. alot has happened since i've blogged in april. So far this summer has kicked ass. It has been a very magical summer.... and no, i'm not talking about Harry Potter magic even though i'm bringing my wand for the premier tonight!

First off, Im lovinggggggg my nanny job for 2 awesome kids 3 days a week ♥ $ ♥

I also went to Gulf Shores, Alabama. i love family vacations.

♥

I'm pretty sure I've seen every movie in theatres. I am finally old enough to see rated R but i've only been asked to see my ID once... kinda bummed, not gonna lie. I have kept all my movie tickets because i want to make something out of them.

I learned how to fishtail braid my hair!!

I got my cartilage pierced ♥

i've camped out in my backyard alot.

I got feathers in ma hurr!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Im tryin to be a little hipsta like my friend brendan.

Brendan is so hip.

I've caught up on all my sleep. ZZzzzZZZZzzZzZzzzzzzzzz.

I've tweeted ALOTTTTTTTTTTTTT #addicted

I visited my cousins in Georgia. I still can't believe they are so far away now. Still feels like they are just on a long vacation.

I've hung out with my friends everyday. Lolz luv them tew pieces... we always find something random to do like oh, wear wigs while driving around town.... hehehe

Or we just take pics on the couch and be weird

Luv my gurls

I got my new car!! Thanks to my nimi ♥ I miss her alot too.

Oh and I havent cracked a single book and it feels so goooooood!!!!! (even though i need to start studying for the SAT and ACT... oops sorry mommy)

But you know what i havent done enough of? I HAVENT MADE VERY MUCH ART... WHAT? Dont worry. Its all about to change. I have one month left and its gonna be full of art and creativity.

Yesterday i dedicated some time in the studio. I felt inspired by one of my favorite quotes in a painting that i found on my favorite website, Pinterest. I have blogged about it previously. I just love the meaning behind it. It makes me happy and so i decided to make my own version for my room!

(original)

(my version on a canvas)

AHhhhh im just in love with that quote!!!! Anyhooo.... today i was inspired again! Except i was inspired by one of my collages that i made a while ago. It is watercolor and very dreamy. I think i shall make an etsy account.... do i see prints of this in the near future? Of course i do. My mom cried when i showed her this. Love her. And this.

Bloody ell!! its time to go get my outfit ready for arry potta! but maybe i shall eat a buttabeer cupcake that i made the otha day first. talk to you lata my loves. toodles.

life is great

2011-04-21T20:17:00.000-07:00

Holy moly....

I've been missing in action on here for way too long!!! Where even to begin? Junior year is in FULL throttle and i seem to be suffering from a case of "junioritis." Hehe. Really, i need a good dose of motivation.... good thing i only have about 6 more weeks until i can enjoy a much-needed break off for the summer!!!!!!!

Anyway, i shouldn't be complaining because i just had the most wonderful spring break EVA. It was my favorite spring break by far. I was lucky enough to be invited by my friend, brendan's, family to go to Washington D.C. Our friend, Julia, came too and the three of us had such a fabulous time hanging with tha prez. (Shout-out to collin: we were all cheezin tha whole time)

We visited the mall which included the washington and lincoln monuments at night, and it was so cool. It wasn't too crowded so we were able to just roam around for a while. (Funny fact: when brendan said we were going to take the metro to the "mall" i literally thought he was talking about a shopping mall........ embarassing right? ......haha gosh i really have those moments too often)

Abe is my fave of all time. I never realized how huge he is! It was so surreal to be standin next to him... hehe. What a nice fella. (For some reason, i developed an obsession for abe a few years ago.)

A neat sign that i saw while scurrying to make it on our metro! DC love... its so true ♥

Aww (if you can tell, the cherry blossoms are in full bloom behind us! Incredibly beautiful)

I am in love with this picture of julia........ the hills are alive with the sound of music... This was taken in Monticello at some stop during our roadtrip to DC. We went on a tour of Thomas Jefferson's house!

Checkout that badass! Don't mess with the FBI...

This trip was seriously perfect. We were so crazy that strangers probably thought we had problems, ate a lot of yummy DC food, ran into some unforgettable situations and laughed so hard that we cried. I am so blessed to have such wonderful friends. This was also the longest i've been from home without my family! It was kind of taste of what it will feel like being away for so long in college, except not even close... haha :/

I will cherish the memories we made on Spring Break 2011 forever... this is just the beginning and i am totally embracing the future

i love shoes...

2011-03-13T16:32:00.000-07:00

I am a shoe-lovin' girl and as much as i HATE winter... the only thing i love about it is UGG BOOT SEASON!!!! i am in love with my uggs. Really, if i could marry them, i would! No joke! haha. My uggs are soo comfy and warm and soft and lush and snuggly.... ahhh ♥

I am lucky enough to be a proud owner of 2 pairs of uggs. I only get to wear my uggs during cold months from about october to march... so during that time you will only see me wearing my yummy lookin uggs.

A couple days ago i got my uggs all wet in the rain. It was a sad day.

Usually if i get myself into a predicament where i dont want to get my uggs wet or muddy outside, i will sacrifice staying inside than gettn my baby uggs all dirty. Thats how much i love 'em.

{look! our shoes are friends tooo! those would be ma uggs inbetween bren's moccasins and laur's converse.}

My summatime shoe loves are my sweet converse! I have them in pink, gray and black. I like to wear funky colored socks with them to make em pop out. In the summer im mostly wearing my converse but i do also wear my beloved flip flops on hotter days.

♥♥♥♥♥♥

Nothin screams carefree summa days than tan legs and polished toes with flip flops!

As happy as i am that winter is ending and it is gettn warmer out, i am starting to not wear my uggs as much. i will have to put them in a safe spot while i sport my chucks n flops ♥

mi familia

2011-03-11T16:46:00.000-08:00

i love my family. they are the ones who have always been with me and will keep being with me. my parents are my biggest fans and they have always taught me to be true to myself. even in my teenage years as i have discovered a new part of my life, i always love to be with my family. they are my best friends, too.

my family probably seems crazy to others but we seem perfectly normal to me.

Aww... this is me and my mommy love. (I'm way taller than her! Hehe.) She is thee best mama in the world!!! We have a very good relationship. We're best friends. Her genuine kindness spreads like wildfire. She is an artist too!! She inspired me to make a blog and she brings out the creativity in me. Plus, she is a pretty cool mom... not gonna lie.

I'm a daddy's girl too♥ I have an amazing dad!!!!!! We have very similar personalities and i look the most like him. We even won a look-alike contest in the newspaper when i was a baby! He is incredibly smart and i look up to him as my hero for many reasons. I'm so blessed to have him as my da-da-daddy-o.

I am lucky enough to have two baby brothers. They are so awesome and we have a lot of fun times together (even if someone ends up getting hurt ...or mad.) Haha. Gotta love sibling love! I've always been their big sis and up till recently i've been able to kick their butts but um.... Riley... yeah ever since he started playing football... i havent ever messed with him. Griffin is pretty strong, too! It's comforting to know that they will always protect me though!

My wittle bebe bwudders♥

We know the embarassing stuff about eachother and we keep eachother strong ♥ We annoy eachother but know our friendship will never end. Love these boys so much.

Always my Ri Ri and Griff.

"Families are like chocolate, sweet with a few nuts." Yep, me n my bros... we are the nutty ones of the fam. But i wouldnt change it one bit(e)! Hehe. Basically, my family is my strength and i am so blessed and thankful for them every single day!!!!!!

I would not be who i am without these very special people.

Oh, and this is random but i made a piece of art while i was home from school today. Just some words i was inspired by.... actually, its not random at all because my family has taught me how to be and do all of these things.

HOOORAY FOR THE WEEKEND! GET HAPPY, PEOPLE!

the plan for me

2011-03-06T13:28:00.000-08:00

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Yesterday lauren, brendan, and i went to the movie theatre since it was a rainy-yucky-blahhh-day in "bipolar weather" indiana. We had made some fun plans to go on more of an adventure about 40 minutes away but we decided not to go because the weather was so crummy. At least we have something to look forward to on a more sunny day though!

Anyway... the movie that we saw was "The Adjustment Bureau." The movie itself was pretty good but the messege it sent to me was much more powerful. It got me thinking pretty deep! The main story line was about a hard-working politician running for president who falls in love with a beautiful woman, an average citizen. However, he comes in contact with the people of the adjustment bureau. They have the power to control when and how things happen in his life (and every other person's, too) They make sure his "plan of life" goes as intended. He comes to find that the bureau thinks it is not part of his plan to fall in love with this woman but he believes in his fate differently. Through his fight to keep in contact with the love of his life, he somehow changes his life plan by dodging the adjustments the bureau tries to place to keep his love away from him. As his love grows more for her, his life starts changing paths to be closer to her.

The whole movie was eye-opening for me. It taught me to never lose hope and always fight for your dreams and for your love. Don't ever ever ever settle for less than your best. Also, trust in the Lord with all of your heart, because He is the only one who knows what is best for you.

I believe that every single thing that happens in my life is part of God's plan, not the adjustment bureau's plan! That is a lot to think about but it is so amazing, too! Its chilling to me to think about every person that has made an impact on my life. There is a reason for every annoying stop-light that pisses me off. There is a reason for being late (which i am most of the time.) There is a reason for waking up at a different time each morning because even a small difference of one minute could alter your path for the whole day. There is a reason for being at a certain place at a specific date and time. It is all God's fate. It is fate that my parents fell in love. It is fate that my ancestors immigrated to America many many years ago. It was my fate to meet my friends. IT IS ALL FATE!!! There is no irony at all. Only fate. My guardian angels protect me everywhere and they know what my plan is. I trust in God and in my angels because they keep me safe and they bring me to the places and people that i love the most.

It is also comforting to know that every mistake leads to a better thing. I do not believe in mistakes. It only helps you become more of you. The imperfections of life adds to our individualness. If we make the decison to put the question of "mistakes" out of our head, then we will live life with no regret. Its all in the way you want to make your life to be about. I've decided to live freely and accept everything for who i am!

The idea that my life alters just a little bit every time i make a decision is so crazy!!!!!!! It is not scary because i believe everything happens for a reason, but it is definitely thought provoking. Especially with all the change in my life right now.... change that i dont even really notice most of the time. Change in school. Change in my family. Change in my social life. Change in my hobbies. Change in the world.... change everywhere.

For some reason, God's plan for me yesterday was to keep me close to home. I do not know why He had to make it rain but i'm grateful for whatever the reason was. That is why i do not question His greatness. He kept me safe and He brought me to see this awesome movie. Not to mention, i had so much fun with my friends. I love them.

After the movie, we went on a photoshoot and had fun with some umbrellas in the rain. I always seem to be with brendan and lauren. Doesnt that mean their guardian angels and my guardian angels are friends with eachother too? God knows we keep eachother strong and we bring the goodness out of eachother. There is no doubt in my mind that God brought us together because he knew we NEEDED eachother.

"Best friends are the siblings God chose not to give us" -Unknown

They will be in my life forever... even in heaven. It was always meant to be.

I even named my sweet doggy "KISMET" because kismet means fate. It was fate for her to be my pupper love. Aww, kizzy... she's smiling at me ♥ (She is one of my best friends, too)

I cant believe i only have about a year and a half left here at home until i leave for college. Like seriously, where has all the time gone????? But the one GRAND decision of deciding where to go for college is still in the air. I want to go to a college that will make me happy. I want to meet the love of my life in college and i cant wait to explore a new chapter of my life.

God already knows where i am going to college and He knows who i am going to fall in love with. It all in His GRAND MASTER PLAN. Im so excited to be the main character in his story he has written for me. I love my story and i cant wait to learn more about me, every page of the way...

Laura Gorder

And let fate take care of the rest.....

world bound

2011-03-03T20:38:00.000-08:00

Right now I am just a teenager who spends her only income from babysitting on little things. I've never been out of the country and i've only seen the gulf of mexico. But don't get me wrong, the united states is home to so many wonderful places and I've had AWESOME vacations here... but i cant wait to travel the...
WHOLE WIDE WORLD.
Really, that is my plan. I'm gonna explore and see different ways of life all around the globe.

I'm hungry for aDvEnTuRe.

THERE ARE SO MANY PLACES I WANT TO DISCOVER!

Places I Want to See

I want to have this breath taking view.

Travel

I want to tour an old castle like in fairytales.

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I want to adventure through a cute little european village.

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I want to soak up some rays on a tropical island in the middle of an ocean.

London

I want to talk with a british accent in a pretty english phone booth.

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I want to spend the night here in Istanbul!!!!

Colours

I want to spend a few nights here tooooo! (Shout out to my friend brendan, we're staying in the yellow house high up on the right... next to the cliff.) Ahhhh...

Wanna Go There

I want to walk through this magical tunnel of lights in Japan.

Future Travel Destinations

I want to go on an african safari and wait for a giraffe to cross the road.

architecture paysage

Color

I want to find a quirky place that may not be important or famous, but somewhere that i'll always remember because of its "oddness" and "beautyness." (I would be such a happy girl if i traveled half way around the world just to see a wall of bikes because i think it is so cool! ...And the RAINBOW STAIRS! OMG! HOW HAPPY IS THAT!!?! haha)

I want to be where i've never been before.

I want to spread my life and intermingle myself in different places because i want to be apart of the rest of the world.

I believe in the beauty of my dreams. That is for sure. My dreams are realistic and they will happen. I am positive. In fact, i want to travel as soon as my opportunity comes. I want to be young on my journies so i can tell my adventurous stories to my children and grandchildren in the glorious future.

inspired by life

2011-03-01T20:35:00.000-08:00

just my style

I LOVE THIS LOVELY PRINT. MOSTLY FOR THE QUOTE. HOW INSPIRING!!

Lately, i've been feeling SUPER inspired. I'm also feeling more passionate about my artistic abilities, too. This means lots of doodling and daydreaming in class (oopsies!) Hehe don't worry, i pay attention most of the time...

Anyways... i usually start doodling subconsciously but it has become a habit that i am actually okay with having!! Below is one of my fave sketches evs.

One of my very favorite words of all time is "amore." There is something beautiul the way it sounds. Plus, it's extra special to me because it is the italian word for "love." Ahh if i ever got a tattoo (hypothetically speaking), it would have this word somewhere in script on it. I forgot about this doodle but when i found it tucked away in my sketchbook, it made me so happy. Couldn't help but share :)

It's been a pretty chill week so far... thank GOD tomorrow is hump day though!!!!!! Today was a gorgeous sunny day. Spring Break is approachin'. Homework is lighter than usual. My creative juices are flowin'. Man, life's pretty great, i'd say.

winter wonderland

2011-02-25T22:03:00.000-08:00

Ok so maybe i forgot about how much i love winter sometimes... (winter and i have a love-hate relationship if you can't already tell.) Today was a good winter day because i had a S-N-O-W-D-A-Y!!!! That means it's another three day weekend! Oh yeeeahh!!! Today I went adventurin' with my besties and then i came home early to hang with my wittle brudders ♥

Brendy took this cool pic. He is quite the photographer, i must say. I love it because the tree branches are going in all different directions. I wonder if the trees are embarassed because they are so naked without their leaves.... (that was an insight to one of the manyyyy random/wierd questions i ask myself on a day-to-day basis.)

I scored some pretty tight pics at a park we explored today. Taking pictures is my newest addiction. I'm still workin on improving my photography skills but im signed up to take a photography class next year which i am absolutely stoked about! Anyway... here is a glance at my fun and eventful snowday...

Aww... all of us! We were standing on a bridge and i put the camera on the other side of the ledge with the self-timer on. I was so nervous it would fall over!!! Luckily, watching my cam float down the creek never ended up happening. Thankyou, God.

Yes. This is lauren pretending to charge after me with a GIANT tree branch. Normal.

♥

^ lumberjack boy

I'd say my day was tightly packed with fun adventure and bonding siblinghood. So thankful and very blessed for all my family and friends. They keep my heart warm on cold days like today.

sweet summertime

2011-02-24T20:11:00.000-08:00

Today in class (as i froze my butt off) i started daydreamin about summer..........AHHH. It really can't come fast enough. But when it does get here, i will def be welcoming it with open arms. That's for suuuuure.

Summer 2010 was very good to me. Here are some of my fave summa mems that i've been thinkin about....

Spending 4th of July with my sweet family. (my mommy was takin the pic)

Ahh sunkissed.

Santana concert with Julia & Brendan!

All smiles with lo. (Those would be my sweeeet shades)

An adventurous day with my italy crew.

Bein silly with my friend, Tara.

We rented a 6-seater bike! Def gonna be on the to-do list again for this upcoming summer.

lake!

Justin Bieber concert with my cousins! Oooh baby baby.

So basically...................

I miss my tan and my crazy freckles ♥ I miss playing night games outside ♥ I miss fresh watermelon ♥ I miss wearing flip flops ♥ I miss the sunshine beating on my back ♥ I miss sleeping in everyday ♥ I miss everything in full bloom ♥ I miss swimming in my pool ♥ I miss my red sunglasses ♥ I miss wearing shorts ♥ I miss camping out with friends in my backyard ♥ I MISS EVERYTHING ABOUT SUMMER♥

Summer = love

Sadly, this blog post has to end somewhere. But looking through old summer pics has been quite good therapy... hopefully it will last me through the end of winter. Only 91 days until summer break officially starts for me! Bring on the heat! ...Too bad we are expected to get around 6-9 inches of snow throughout the night where i live. Buzzkill.

cut it out

2011-02-23T14:31:00.000-08:00

I ♥ my room. It is a place that i feel so comfortable in. I have filled the walls with happy memories from some of my favorite past times. Even though my room is usually very messy, i still love being in it because it is a place that reflects where i've been, the dreams i have, and the people i love to spend time with. I will admit that everytime my mother forces me to clean my room, the discovery of my floor surprises me everytime. Somehow, my clothes just cant seem to figure out how to hang themselves up. (My floor has a strong magnetic force that sucks clothes/other things down like a supermassive black hole.... that is my excuse, anyway. Hehe.)

Me studying on my dreamy bed in my spankin' clean room. I guarantee you it does not look like this right at the moment. :O

I hung photos of me n my fave peeps on my wall to look like the shape of a heart.

In addition to the many pics i've taken, i have my art on the walls, too. I enjoy collaging with all my heart. It is so fun. I could seriously collage all day long and not even know where the time went. Rainy days are my favorite time to collage because i like to find a cozy spot (usually my bed or the couch) and just relax while i am busy cutting out inspiring words, phrases, and pics out of magazines.

This is my bottom dresser drawer that i store my stash of magazines in. Lucky me... my aunt brings home the hospital labor and delivery waiting room (where she works) leftovers and gives them to me! ♥ I've also scored STACKS of mags from freecycle.com.

Wish i was collaging right now but its time to hit the books. Loads of homework ahead of me tonight. Blah.

turn up the volume

2011-02-22T14:24:00.000-08:00

Yes. I am an artsy girl but i have absolutely no musical talent what-so-ever. I think i might remember how to play "mary had a little lamb" on the recorder. However, music is still a big part of my life. I like blasting tunes with my friends with the windows rolled down in my car. Listening to music is a way to escape from my stressful-homework-studying-high school-life. My taste in music is kind of all over the place... I really enjoy any artist with creative lyrics. I ♥ OneRepublic, Regina Spektor, John Mayer, Train, Sugarland, Rascal Flatts, Joshua Radin, Jason Mraz, Mumford & Sons, MGMT, Coldplay, Michael Buble, Kenny Chesney... the list is never ending!!!!!!!

Taylor Swift is one of my faves of all time. Her lyrics are magical.

I also love her bubbly personality. She is a good person and i think it is so cool how she is the one writing all of her songs. Her songs are inspirational for me because they are happy and relate alot to my teenage life. Her new Speak Now cd is love. I have memorized every single song on it.

So, a few months ago I drew a portrait of her for my art class. I had to chose someone who inspires me and who i look up to. T-swift came first to my mind so that is why i drew her. (Plus she is so beautiful! Who wouldn't want to draw her luscious golden locks?)

P.S... I am lovin this whole blog thing!!! Finally getting the hang of it.

P.S.S.... OH! And i loooooooove getting comments! It makes me feel like im not talking to myself! Just sayin'. Over and out.

we've got sunshine on a rainy day

2011-02-21T21:40:00.000-08:00

It was a pretty yucky weather day... non-stop rain plus it was F-F-F-F-FREEEZING out.... but, hey, i'm not complaining because indy has had some beautiful weather the previous few days. Today was presidents day and i had the day off school so my friends and i decided to hang out and have some fun to celebrate our founding fathers (but mostly to celebrate the no school part). Hehehe. Somehow i feel like we had a pretty sunny day though! Lots of laughter and good memories.

(this picture pretty much sums up our friendship)

We are a pretty goofy crew and we can ALWAYS find something funny out of a sitch (abbreviation for situation). That's another thing... we shorten our words. Like for example, "I should probs start doin my math homework that i've totes put off this whole 3-day weekend." Our abbreviated dialect has become a habit but it just adds to our quirkyness i guess.

On sunday night, my friends and i went to steak n shake, our usual hangout. And we lost track of time.... i think we ended up staying there for almost 4 hours? But it was nice. We made friends with our waiter who even remembered us from the last time we were there (which was only a few days before that.) Obviously, steak n shake isn't fancy and its not gormet, but its cozy and fun. I am guilty of spending all my my money on food. Ha. But brendan and i took a silly pic. It looks like we are actually trapped in the machine!

My friends are wonderful. Like seriously, i don't know what i would do without them! I love hanging out with them because we always get along and we bring the happiness out of each other. My best friends and i even go back to elementary school.

Meet Lauren. I admire her kindness. Seriously, this girl doesn't have a mean bone in her body! We will be best friends forevs. I can picture the two of us as old ladies meeting together to have tea and talking about the fun adventures we had as kids.

Brendan. Brendy. Brend-0. Bren. He is the funniest person i know and his humor is effortless. I don't even kow how to explain it. He brings the adventure to my life! If it weren't for my awesome friend, Brendy, then i don't think my life would be as fun.

"This rat hurr be me n ma gur, jewleeuh!!!" In case you didn't understand that jibberish... Julia is my girl. I love her to death. We've got eachother's backs. Also, she has had lots of influence in my inspirations to make this blog!! She has good comedic timing.... I can see her on SNL someday... that's how funny she is. I'm gonna have to get her autograph before she gets too famous!

Car-Car (AKA Carly). She is awesome. She keeps all of us together. Her humor is hilarious. Her and I find ourselves laughing over nothing a lot. I love her because of her strength to overcome anything. She is the final puzzle piece to all of us. She is a genuine friend who is always there for me.

Without these four incredibly amazing friends, my life would be incomplete. They have helped shape my personality. I love you guys. Friends are the family we choose. And i would say i've picked a good family of friends. I know this kind of friendship lasts a lifetime.

sharing the light from within

2011-02-20T14:04:00.000-08:00

So....I am finally taking the first step by making this blog to start the process of finding out who i am and what i am going to do with the rest of my life. No big deal, right? I think it is a great way to share my aspirations and to journal every twist and turn along the way. Just a few days ago I had one of those "aha" moments. It was an epiphany. I decided that I will pursue art in college (which is only one and a half years away)... yikes! But knowing what path I am going to take is one of the most scary/exciting/happy feelings I've ever had. I AM SO FLIPPIN EXCITED! I am ready to embrace where life takes me and I''m not afraid of who I will become because God has a plan for me.

"Light tomorrow with today." -Anonymous

{Source: Tangled}

I love this quote because it applies to my life so much right now! I chose to name my blog "illuminating kate" for many reasons:

#1 Because illuminating is a happy, feel-good word.

#2 My name is Kate.

#3 The definition of illuminate is to enlighten, to decorate with colors, to display lights as in celebration, to supply or brighten with light.

#4 I am "illuminating" myself by keeping my heart open to all the possibilities of this wonderful life.

Let the adventure begin!