I'm still alive, I promise!

I apologize about not posting for a long time.  This has been kind of a crazy time for me.  Here is a quick review of what I've been doing:

1:  My sister Sarah came home from the Philippines on the 20th.  Post to come.
2:  Family Christmas parties.
3:  Spending time with the return missionaries
4:  Christmas!
5:  Playing with my new TABLET!!!!!!!
6:  Homework
7:  Watching movies with my siblings
8: Harmonizing with my sisters.  We finally have our trio back!
9:  Trying to stay warm
10:  Thinking of what I'll draw for 30 day drawing challenge day 3.
11:  Playing around on Odosketch!

Yes, this is what I've been doing.  I have to work on #6 right now, so I bid thee farewell!  Have a good day!

-Katherine Jan

Happy Birthday Dad!

Yesterday was my poppa's birthday!  He is almost half a century old, but not quite.  Haha.  Anywho, here is my dad.  He is pretty awesome!  Yes:

Fishing for my 12th birthday

 Goodbye pictures with Sarah, before she entered the MTC

 Fishing (again!) For my 13th birthday  (I love fishing)

Lookin' cool in sunglasses:)

 Helping Jake with the tiller.  He loves gardening

 Pointing in Monument Valley.  Yes

 Monument Valley

 Him and the Wife at Cliff Palace in Colorado.

 Pictures in the Canyon

 Him and his manly mooscles (said in Russian accent)

 Just looking good

Yep.  This is my dad!  He is awesome and I love him so much!  He is a spiritual giant, he loves my mom, he loves me and my siblings, and he loves the Lord.  He has a strong testimony and a firm handshake.  He takes me fishing every year for my birthday, and he loves nature.  He has taught me how to work hard and plant a garden, and he has been a great friend as well as Father.  I can't think of a better guy to be my dad.  I love him! Happy birthday (yesterday) Dad!

-Katherine Jan

Happy

Arg!  I am sorry about the drawing challenge.  I don't know what to draw!  Blah!  Oh well.  Day 3 of the challenge will come soon.  Anywho, this is pretty much the best picture of me ever!  My friend Madi took it yesterday on a bus as our choir went to the mall to perform.  I love it! I was playing Ferdinand, and enjoying talking to friends and such.  It was a lot of fun.  Just thought I would post another picture of me, because there aren't a whole lot that I like of me. 

Yes, I am awesome.

-Katherine Jan

30 Day Drawing Challenge: Day 2

Sorry I took so long to do the 2nd drawing.  I have so many favorites when it comes to animals, but here is the one I wanted to draw!  Click to make bigger:

DAY 2:  FAVORITE ANIMAL

If you cannot tell what this is, it is a fawn.  I think they are so pretty, gentle, and quiet.  That is why they are one of my favorites.  I will try to do better on keeping up with this challenge every day.  It was just kind of a crazy week.  Enjoy your life.

-Katherine Jan

Following the Footsteps

My goodness, this has been one of the most exciting weeks of my life!  Sad and Happy.  Wow, it really was an amazing week!

We took Jake to the Missionary Training Center (MTC) on Wednesday.  Sending a sibling away for two years is a really hard thing to do.  Here are some pictures from Wednesday.  Click to make bigger:

Saying goodbye to the Lone Ranger

 Saying goodbye to Reagan.

His luggage

 Goodbye to our grandparents.  We said our goodbyes at their house because they live about a block away from the MTC.  It was good not to just say goodbye in the car!  That would really have been hard.

Goodbye to Uncle John

 Last Family picture.  (Minus 2 current Missionaries)

Goodbye to momma.

A nice Elder who  helped him with his suitcases

Last picture.  He is starting his two year journey!

 

I am so excited for you Elder Christofferson!  You will have such an amazing experience!  Have a good two years!

We dropped Jake off at 12:40.  It was the exact minute that Elder Nate (in Brazil)  stepped on to his first plane of three to come home to us in Utah.  So, we dropped Jake off, cried, had lunch, and went to Office Depot to get supplies for some signs to welcome Nate home the next day.  

We got to the Airport.  Our grandparents and Uncle John came as well.  My uncle took most of these upcoming pictures.  We watched on an app that my dad had on his phone as Nate's plane flew closer and closer to us.  The nervous stomach and shaky feeling set in then for my mom and I.  We saw it land, and I admit I screamed a little bit then.  Then, at exactly 12:40, Nate's familiar smiling face appeared!!!!!!!!  ''I SEE HIM!!!"  I screamed!  He came down the elevator, and ran to my mom....  I don't think I've ever felt pure joy and happiness in my  life until that moment.  There are just no words to describe it.  Here are the pictures. Sorry, the order might be a little mixed up.  And brace yourself for A LOT of pictures.  (By the way, did you notice that Nate and Jake missed each other by EXACTLY twenty four hours?  That is so sad!)  Please don't skip any pictures, it would make me sad.  And some of the pictures have captions.  Anywho,  Click to make bigger

 This is one of my favorites!

 I've never seen my mom smile so much!

 Nate with his MTC companion, Elder Jones

 Yes, these are definitely tears of COMPLETE happiness!

 Great picture!

 Another great picture!

 3/5 siblings

 Hee hee!

 His first time driving in two years!

 Nate and Aunt Kim

Welcome Home!

 *sigh*  carpet!

 Unpacking

 A lady gave him an elephant statue.  That has always been his favorite animals!

 And by far the funniest part of the night, Nate dressed up in his Brazilian cowboy gettup, and spouted Portuguese while holding his shimaho (no idea how its spelled) cup.  It was awesome!

After that, Nate pulled out his Hymn book and sang (sung?) some Christmas Hymns in Portuguese!  It was so good to hear his beautiful voice again!  Thursday was so amazing!  It was so good to see ol' Naefi again!  I missed him!  I'm glad that you are back Nate!   I love you!

And on December 20, I get to do this all over again when my sister gets home!  Hooray!  I love being happy!  I hope your week was as good as mine, but I highly doubt it!

-Katherine Jan