Day one in the 100 day challenge

‎1. My favorite color is currently green

2. My eyes are hazel, not brown

3. My mom died at age 55 & my biological mother died at age 52.…and that scares me

4. I rarely, if ever drink

5. I have never done illegal drugs

6. I talk to my pets

7. My best friend is a brown haired green eyed hunk…aka the hubby Ken

8. I smoke a swisher sweet on my birthday

9. I love my job as a domestic goddess

10. I oftentimes wonder what my calling in life is

11. I believe in forgiveness

12. I used to go to camp with my real dad on the weekends and we would munch on a tube of Pringles and squirt cheese on the way there.

13. I love to run & hope to do a half marathon this summer…as long as my shin splints behave

14. I have soil from Kens grandparents grave in a jar in our bedroom.

15. I’m no longer scared of going deaf

16. I have awesometastic inlaws that treat me like I am their own daughter.

17. I like to spin my own yarn

18. I would love to make or buy a kite and head to the park and fly it.

19. Octopuss’ scare the living shite out of me!!!

20. I actually have come to love how faduckled up my life has been & cannot imagine it any other way.


21. I pray every night

22. I am a firm believer that one cannot read too many books

23. I have never had a pedicure.

2011 in Review

1. What did you do in 2011 that you’d never done before? went to Grand Island, asked for help

2. Did you keep your New Year’s resolutions, and will you make more for next year? I don't make resolutions...I like to call them aspirations. I was able achieve most of them. I like to have many aspirations/goals

3. Did anyone close to you give birth? yup, my beautimus sister Elizabeth had my handsome nephew Asher
4. Did anyone close to you die? Yes. Aunty Ev & Most people do not really know or understand that my real mom and I actually had quite a nice relationship. She passed away on December 8th, 2011 & I sure do miss her silly self. I am very thankful that I had the opportunity of getting to know her.
5. What places did you visit? family & friends homes, Otter Lake, Lyman Lake

6. What would you like to have in 2012 that you lacked in 2011? I was not lacking in 2011. I have the most awesome friends and family and I HAVE enough. People need to quit wanting more more more and realize what they DO have is all they really NEED.

7. What dates from 2011 will remain etched upon your memory, and why? March 23~ our 15th wedding anniversary. April 30th~ We put together a benefit for our friend who had been involved in a car accident, November 8th~the day I thought my life was ending, December 8th~getting the call from my real mothers fiance saying my 52yr old real mom had died

8. What was your biggest achievement of the year? Organizing a benefit for our friend Steve and his family.

9. What was your biggest failure? I'm not a failure, I make mistakes and I learn from them.

10. Did you suffer illness or injury? Yes, gotta love being a woman

11. What was the best thing you bought? my hearing aids. they flippan rock!!! I swear I could hear a mouse fart =)

12. Whose behavior merited celebration? anyone who stood up for what they believe in and worked to make our world a better place

13. Whose behavior made you appalled and depressed? Not for me to judge or to advertise

14. Where did most of your money go? trucking stuff....

15. What did you get really, really, really excited about? Running races, golfing, camping, Lake Superior Adventures, being with family and friends, crocheting, saving our kitty Jade Noel from the Animal shelter, going to the Eskymo football games and watchign my lil brother play.

16. What song will always remind you of 2011? Eric Church's "Smoke a lil smoke"

17. Compared to this time last year, are you:
a) happier or sadder? I'm happy go lucky
b) thinner or fatter? same, maybe a bit thinner
c) richer or poorer? about the same

18. What do you wish you’d done more of? writing, learning, hugging

19. What do you wish you’d done less of? worrying

20. How did you spend Christmas in 2011? We went to Ken's grandparents for Christmas Eve, went to midnight mass with my brothers Mike & Kelly, opened gifts that night, slept in Christmas morning and then headed to the VFW for the Pepin Christmas shindig. After the hall several family members came to our house to watch the rest of the packer game.

21. Did you fall in love in 2011? I fall in love with my hubby more and more as time goes on. He truly is one remarkable nerd.
22. What was your favorite TV program? Big Bang Theory, Switched at Birth

23. What did you do for your birthday in 2011? Went camping at Otter lake and took a lil day trip to Grand Island
24. What was the best book you read?South of Superior was one of the many awesoem books I read this year.

25. What did you want and get? help

26. What did you want and not get? for all the homeless animals to be adopted

27. What was your favorite film of this year? "We Built a Zoo"

28. Did you make some new friends this year? I sure did!! I am sooo sooo blessed

29.What one thing would have made your year immeasurably more satisfying? I am quite satisfied

30. How would you describe your personal fashion concept in 20011? I wear what I am comfortable in

31. What kept you sane? a supportive and wonderful husband, family, my fab friends & our furry kids
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32. Which celebrity/public figure did you fancy the most? I honestly don't get into the whole celebrity thing

33. What political issue stirred you the most? I always get stirred about supporting our troops, gay rights and welfare reform

34. Who did you miss? Nana, Joy, Mom & Dad, Karen

35. Tell us a valuable life lesson you learned in 2011. To Love me for who I am. I don't ALWAYS have to be strong. I cannot change certain things about myself. I am beautiful in my imperfect skin and it's ok to think that.

2012 Aspirations

It's a new year & with a new year comes a new list of aspirations for the coming year. I look forward to what 2012 has in store for us and our lil furry family & I wish you all the love, light and happiness for a Happy New Year!!!


~Make butter
~Tap a maple tree and make syrup
~Lay in the back of the truck under lots of blankets and gaze at the stars
~Knit a project
~Try new recipes
~Drive across the Mackinac bridge
~Run 8 races
~Grow a successful garden
~Do something extraordinary for a stranger
~Forgive someone
~Milk a cow
~Ride a mechanical bull
~Sew 6 projects
~Clean & organize craft room…and keep it that way
~Repaint the craft room
~Print off pictures of family and put into an album
~Handmake gifts
~Plan at least two family fun days
~Go to a new campground
~Host 6 game nights with family and friends
~Make birthday cakes
~Stay on budget
~Hug more
~Make lip balm and other cosmetics
~Do something for charity
~Put up a new clothesline and use it often
~Decorate for all holidays
~Read as many books as possible
~Take a class (college, art center)
~Attend play performances
~Crochet socks
~Go hiking on Grand Island
~Go to a Packer game
~Do something that scares me
~Swim
~hand wax our vehicles monthly & get them serviced
~Go to a Hooters
~Simplify
~Learn how to cut snowflakes out of paper
~Make a huge snowman
~Wear a dress at least 6 times
~Change oil in our vehicle
~Ride in a taxi or public transportation
~Volunteer
~Learn something new
~Write
~Learn Yoga, Zumba
~Pray
~Visit where my real mom Karen’s ashes are scattered
~Visit our babies memorial twice
~Plant flowers at Mom & dads grave
~Adopt a family for the holiday
~Go to Massachusetts
~Learn to play an instrument
~Have my nieces and nephews and young siblings over for a slumber party
~Run in the rain
~Paint the garage
~Preserve food from the garden
~Buy locally
~Repair or make the items we need when possible
~Purchase as many of our necessities from independent businesses as we can
~Play Twister

Suicide Mud Plunge 2011

Our team "The Flying Feathers" participated in the first Mud Plunge last Saturday in Ishpeming, MI. It was a 5k run in mud pits with 6 different obstacles. I totally knew it was going to rock all sorts of butt when we signed up. This gal right here LOVES getting dirty!!

This is my Anytime Fitness family. Joining the gym last November was one of THE most rewarding things we have ever done. It's brought us closer, met new friends, not to mention the crazy amount of benefits it has done to our bodies. Have you seen my Ken lately??? Check out those guns!! Yum Ok, back to the race....

We ran through fields, the forest, muddy roads, over hurdles made of logs, through a rope spiderweb, through tires, climbed a 10ft wall, crawled on our tummies through a fantastic mud pit, stood in front of firehoses to rinse off.....ohhh I'm tellin ya, it. was. AWESOME!!! I was so completely terrified of the darn climbing wall. Remember, I can trip on my own shadow and my balance is super wonky. But I DID IT!!!!! CHAAAACHING!!!

Not only was it fun, but mud is good for your skin!! And who doesn't fancy a muddy hunky hubby...and firemen spraying you off with hoses. Man, that water was FREEZING!!!

Can't wait till next years event!! You can bet your buns we will be back!!!

Team Flying Feathers: Derek & Shelli, Kathy & Ken

I'm back =)

Summer will soon be turning into Autum here in the good ole Yoop. I am looking forward to the change in season. This summer was riddled with some pretty tough events. Events that kinda sorta stole my writing mojo.





On Father's day morning I was doing my hair and makeup in the bathroom. The phone rang and it was my cousin talking to Ken. I hear Ken say "no way, are you kidding, what???" Ken then proceeds to tell me that my cousin, the one next door hung himself that morning! That affected me big time & at times I still think about it. He was a troubled guy, involved in some not too swell stuff. But, he was a human, he had a heart, 5 kids...a family. Truth is, when he moved in next door we both realized we were cousins. We would have minimal conversations, I guess it was going ok. Then the fighting, cops there a few times a week, the staring, them telling me when I could let my dogs in my yard....basicly, our friendly chit chat, or any chit chat for that matter ceased. Oftentimes, I wanted to talk to him, like, sit him down and talk to him, try to help him straighten his life out. The other part of me was terrified to do so...So, I never did. I kept my distance...and he died...next door, about 3 feet from my home. I can't even imagine how his Mom, sisters, girlfriend...family felt. I was not able to bring myself to go to the funeral.


For weeks I had terrifying nighmares. Not the "oh, well that was spooky" type dreams. These were full fledged nightmares. Like the ones I had after my parents died. I spent a good few weeks on the road with my hubby because the thought of being home alone at night made my skin crawl.


I ran races, went camping with friends and the hunky hubby, immersed myself in books, wrote daily, cried, worked in the garden, changed the living room around by myself, cooked enourmous amounts of foods and crocheted. I was on a search for the old Kathy. A Kathy that was somehow lost early this summer....Well folks....I am back!! Totally ready to share all sorts of fantabulastical things!!! =)

A summer of running

Man, these races are addicting! After we did the Cellcom in Green Bay in May, Ken mentioned he wanted 5 race shirts by the end of summer. Well, folks, we just completed our 4th run on the 4th of July!! We are scheduled for another run on July 9th, another on July 30th and one more on August 27th.

Pictured Rocks Road Race for the American Red Cross. June 26th, 2011. Munising, MI

Freedom Run, July 4th, 2011, Munising, MI

I am struggling with shin horrible shin splints and the last race I was having a bad mm day....so I walked most of that race. Ken beat his previous 5k times on this last race. It's a race within myself. I want to do better, and I will do better...the next race.

Don't bother just to be better than your contemporaries or predecessors.
Try to be better than yourself.
--William Faulkner

John Laurin Memorial 5k run

On May 28th, 2011 we ran another 5k. Yuppers, two in one month! Ya know, about 6 months ago, we never thought doing this was possible. It was a challenging cross country course down country roads, fields, trails in the woods, but it was pure awesome! We finished this race in 5 minutes more than the one in Green Bay. Which is not all that bad when you take into account this was a completely different terrain.

Our next race is on June 26th in Munising, MI, then another on July 9th in Gladstone, July 30th in Flatrock, MI, and our final planned one on August 27th in Ishpeming, MI. There's a lot of training and prep work going on!!

Run on!!!

A dandy night for a bikeride

When there is not snow on the ground one of the activities the hunky hubby and I enjoy is to take bikerides to the lake. We only live a short distance (blocks) from the shores of Lake Michigan. It's one of the many reasons I love being a Yooper. On this night my lil brother and his gf joined us on the pedal. Fun times!!

The impact of hearing loss overcome

The impact of hearing loss overcome: "There are many types of hearing aids to fit a range of ages and lifestyles"

When dreams become reality...our 1st 5k

On May 14th, 2011 we embarked on the Cellcom 5k in Green Bay, WI. Let me tell you....this was a dream come true!!! We trained, and trained some more...and WE DID IT!!!

Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would attain the balance and endurance to compete. For months I spent hours at the gym on a daily basis, working on my balance that menieres had taken away. Ken worked his tail feather off too and built his endurance up. It was quite the preperation...even though it was only for a 5k.


It was a rainy dreary morning but our spirits were nothing but sunshine. We were doing our very 1st race, and we would be running on Lambeau Field, with the most fabulous peeps.

I started out strong and before long my shins were on fire so I walked at a fast pace until I could run again. Never going to give up. That first mile was the hardest. The remaining two just fell into place. Before we knew it, we were heading below the stadium and out onto Lambeau Field. I ran, swiping the grass, we looked around, took pictures and I even bent down on my hands and knees and kissed the tundra. Yup, I totally rocked that move. I mean, hey, how often am I going to be able to touch the field that my fave football team plays on. You know how many great athletes have played on that field.....amazing stuff folks!!

I can tell you this...this was our first run....but not our last! These things are addicting, much like getting tattoos. Ken said he wants to have at least 5 race bibs/tshirts by the end of the summer. As a matter of fact, we are doing another 5k on this Saturday in Carney, MI. There really is nothing that will 'distract' us, or I mean, ME this time. I lost a good 10-12 minutes taking it all in when we went onto Lambeau Field. This time, we are talking sheer focus, determination. Time to kick it up a notch and make some smoke!! Oh, and next years goal???? Half marathon!! YUP!!!