joyful and triumphant

Is it honestly already December 28? Crazy! Well, it's certainly been a fantastic holiday season for me. Finishing up with school was a pretty stressful task, but once I had that behind me I was able to get into the holiday spirit and celebrate the season with the people I love.

Before heading down to Oregon for the holiday I spent an evening with my favorite Seattle niece and nephew. We ate peppermint bark and drank hot chocolate, decorated a paper Christmas tree and played hide-and-go-seek behind the real tree. It brought a smile to my face when my nephew told me that Santa was coming soon and that he'd recently sat on his lap and asked for a remote control race car for Christmas. It reminded me of the whole fascinating idea of Santa Clause, of the 'Santa myth', of the beloved figure who has withstood the test of culture and time. I find it utterly enchanting. Even in a child as young as my nephew, I can see that his firm belief in such an endearing and powerful figure is boosting his mental and social development. This belief is teaching him fantastical thinking, generosity and the advantages of good behavior. To a child, receiving a gift from Santa is far more special than receiving it from a parent because they've received it from this benevolent hero who uses his special power to give to every child in the whole world. This is so special! And someday, through his own investigation, reasoning and intelligence, Cam will discover the truth and his mind will no longer have the capacity for faith in such a fantastic manifestation. But I can guarantee that he will often remember the importance that Santa held in his life, just like every Christmas I remember the importance he held in my life.

Anyway, after I left the awesome state of WA I made my way down to Portland to visit my Dad. He actually just bought a house in Vancouver and it's absolutely perfect. Nice neighborhood, cute yard, hot tub, fancy new TV, etc. And in the two or three days that I was there I did so much shopping. It has become tradition that I help my Dad shop for everyone. He never knows what to get for his kids, grandkids, etc. so we always go together and I end up pretty much getting to pick out gifts for everyone without actually paying for them myself. Then, my sister came to down for a day to finish up her Christmas shopping. She ultimately drug me all over God's green earth, but it was so fun! I wouldn't have chosen to spend those days any other way. Plus, while we were out and about, my niece and I took a picture of our shoes and concluded that we are, in fact, sole mates...Eventually I made my way over to Astoria, where I spent the remainder of the week and weekend. I was able to relax, spend time with my mom and my nieces, eat lots of sugar, decorate the tree and just generally have a good time. Slowly, more family trickled into town until finally almost everyone was here enjoying each others company. Church on Christmas Eve is always such a wonderful experience. After all, Jesus is the reason for the season and if he hadn't been born we wouldn't be celebrating! I think it's important to keep in mind why we celebrate and remember the babe that was born in a lowly manger in Bethlehem some time ago. During this glorious time of year it's easy to lose sight of the important things, but going church on Christmas Eve always, without a doubt, reminds me of the greatest gift to mankind. "Suddenly an angel of the Lord appeared to them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them, and they were terrified. But the angel said to them, 'Do not be afraid. I bring you good news of great joy that will be for all the people. Today in the town of David a Savior has been born to you; he is Christ the Lord.' " Luke 2:9-11.

I'm so thankful for all of the wonderful gifts I got this year! Highlights: Ugg boots, so now I can fit in with the rest of the girls in my family. Glee season one soundtracks, so now I can rock out to some simply stellar cover songs. Some books (The Sociopath Next Door and Girl, Interrupted), so now I can assume my nerdy, psychology-loving identity during J-term.

<3>Cait

open letter to able-bodied people: stop using the handicapped button!

For those of you who don’t know, I work at the PLU concierge desk. I have a number of important jobs, one of them being sitting at the snazzy looking desk and smiling at the patrons as they enter the University Center. To my immediate left is a set of big glass windows and doors. It looks like this:When entering the building you pull the door, and when exiting the building you push the door. This is a very rudimentary process. Or so I thought. And to be in compliance with the "Americans with Disabilities Act," the doors are equipped with a fancy button that a handicapped person can opt to push. The button actives a mechanism to open one of the doors to allow easier access. (As a side note, pushing this button once requires the same amount of energy that it takes to operate a light bulb for 17 hours!) This button, as I understand it, was designed to be used for those who are otherwise physically incapable of opening the doors themselves. But apparently that is not the case according to the populace of PLU. Indeed, my fellow Lutes, it seems, have taken to pushing the button when they are cold. Yes, as in chilly. As in, ARE YOU FREAKING KIDDING ME?! Not only is it a disgusting display of laziness, but I don't think the buttons are designed to accommodate so much handicapped-ness. The school is going to have to replace the mechanism at a much faster rate if this continues. Personally, I really don't want my tuition bill to cover this. Also, I don't know much about the laws of physics, but I do know that the path the airwaves take when the doors are activated leads directly to the chair I sit in. Actually, I think I remember the law. It's called Murphy's.

Anyhow, so the other morning I opened the desk at 7am and after witnessing a number of seemingly normal, healthy, able-bodied people use the handicapped button I decided it was time to take a few notes. I figured this would be a much more constructive outlet for my frustration than these individuals themselves.

And so, for the duration of this blog, I am going to provide you with a catalog. A count of various elements of my experience with the door and its button, which should give you a feel for precisely how infuriating this was for me...

• Number of people who entered/exited the building: 423
• Number of people who pushed the handicapped button: 27
• Number of people who pushed the button who had a valid reason for doing so: 1
• Percentage of people who used the button for entry: 6.4%
• Percentage of people who didn't need the button, but used it: 96.3%
• Number of seconds the door stays open upon activation: 20
• Number of seconds I received an unnecessary gust of cold, freezing air: 540

You get the idea?

I'm not trying to be a baby. I don't like to complain. But I'm just saying, it was cold. In fact, it was so cold in my little area that my boss called facilities management and had them bring a space heater up:I'd like to conclude with a short and sweet letter to able-bodied people:

Please stop.

war of the roses

It is one of the longest-standing college rivalry football games in the United States. It is what every Oregonian knows at least something about. It is the Civil War. For the first time in the history of this ancient rivalry, which dates back to 1894 , this year's Oregon State vs. Oregon match-up will determine the Pac-10 champion, no matter who wins. This infamous game rarely has national implications, but this year it means everything to the BCS standings and to the Rose Bowl. Tonight, the Beavers and Ducks will determine their own fate. They hold their destiny in their own hands and don't have to rely on anyone else.

Gosh, I hate the Ducks. They're arrogant. They're famous for no reason. They have a rich Daddy (Phil Knight) who throws millions at their school. And so on. There are so many reasons why I don't like the Ducks, but I don't have the time nor the energy to list them all.

But no matter who we may choose to root for tonight, we can all rejoice in the fact that for the first time in years, someone other than USC will be representing the Pac-10 in the Rose Bowl.

Also, in the most adorable display of innocence ever, my sweet niece Claire gave her two-cents about the game the other day. As she was vainly playing with her hair in the mirror she made a comment, half to her-self/half to whoever was listening, that went something like this...

"It seems like the Beavers are always in the Civil War no matter what!"

I don't know what else to say other than,

Let's. Go. Beavs.

sparkly vampires are not my thing, here's why

Author's note: I don’t know everything there is to know about literature or writing. I don’t want to argue or debate with anyone. And I don’t want to get lambasted by angry Twilighters. I am merely an avid reader and student attempting to discuss my qualms about the ubiquitous franchise that is Twilight…

If, for whatever reason, you’ve been under a rock for the past couple of years (or have just been downright lucky not to have been exposed to the worst novel ever written), the Twilight series is a story about a teenage girl, Isabella, who goes to live with her inattentive father in Washington state and her classmate, Edward, who also happens to be a vampire. The story chronicles the relationship of the two—which is very dysfunctional and will be discussed in more detail later—and the struggle Bella goes through as her life becomes increasingly endangered when she falls in love with Edward.

I have decided to provide you with a few key reasons why I absolutely cannot stand this series, and why it has become increasingly hard for me to stay remotely calm when hearing about it.

Stephanie Meyer is a bad writer. Like, really bad. There are so many examples I could include regarding the general lack of quality about this book (like, I don’t know… the flawless characters, overwhelming use of clichés, repetitive plot structure, etc.) but I don’t have enough space. As I humbly admitted earlier, I’m not a literary genius. I do, however, know the tenants of creative writing and the dos and don’ts that go along with it. For example, every English teacher I’ve ever had explained to me that good writing is simple. It is unnecessary to add adjectives unless they do something to enhance the text or explain something otherwise not obvious to the reader. Stephanie Meyer thinks she is exempt from this concept, or something, because it is insane how much she loads her dialogue with adjectives that have no effect. I give you: He lay perfectly still in the grass, his shirt open over his sculpted, incandescent chest, his scintillating arms bare. Aside from making me literally laugh out loud because, well, it’s hilarious… this sentence violates the aforementioned guidelines for writing. Idiot.

The book has no substance. When it comes to the plot, there isn’t one. It’s shallow and nothing happens. At least, that is, until three-fourths of the way through the book. Quite literally, the first three-fourths of the book are spent unnecessarily introducing the static, boring characters and their inexplicable love for each other. There is absolutely no balance between rising action and falling action, because the climax occurs at the very end of the book and the conflict is resolved with no difficulty whatsoever. It goes as follows: Bella moves to Forks. She falls in love with Edward, (insert 400 pages of mush), and then Oops, I forgot a plot! Oh, I know what I’ll do… I’ll introduce scary vampires! Yeah, that’ll do. Perfect.

The entire premise is just disturbing. Edward is a creepy, emotionally unstable, obsessive stalker—yet Bella is ‘unconditionally and irrevocably in love’ with him, as are millions of oblivious teenage girls who wouldn’t know good literature if it bit them. Edward’s behavior is manipulative, predator-like and borderline abusive. Why anyone would want to be wooed by this creep is beyond me. He watches her while she sleeps, encourages her to lie, holds her against her will, eavesdrops on her conversations, etc. And yet- he is the perfect boyfriend. Why? Because he’s physically ideal in every way with no imperfections or limitations… duh. Also, Bella smells like food to Edward. I’m pretty sure that engaging in a romantic relationship with someone who makes you salivate is considered mentally unstable and would likely be reported as a disorder in the DSM.

I think what upsets me the most about this whole thing is the fact that we’re encouraging young girls to look up to the worst role model ever. Throughout the book and series, Bella becomes increasingly dependent on Edward. She willingly gives up her entire life just so that she can be with him and forgoes any life plans or ambitions because she can't function in his absence. Not only is this unrealistic, but what is this teaching girls? You need a man in your life. You can’t function without one. In the event of heartbreak, jump off of a cliff. This is going to be the first message I teach my daughter—what about you?

I would have thought that in this day and age (it’s 2009, folks… nearly 50 years post women’s movement) that girls would be reading novels about independent, strong, assertive female characters. But rather, they are idolizing a weak, submissive girl who has no confidence or self-worth. This is so primitive it makes me want to bang my head against the wall.

Perhaps the most disturbing element about this series, though, is its overwhelming popularity. Not only overwhelming, but unmerited and infuriating popularity. I hate walking in to Barnes and Nobel and seeing the displays filled with this garbage. It makes me weep and weep for those talented, aspiring authors whose work is now pushed to the back of the store, unnoticed, to collect dust while readers enjoy what those of us in academia refer to as soft vampire porn. Although—in some ways, this should be inspiring for these authors, who understand that if this bimbo can make it to the top, so can they. I’ve never experience a fanbase that is so blinded by the series they worship and who are so demeaning and rude toward those who dare to disagree with them or say that Twilight isn’t very good.

Stephanie Meyer is a conservative Mormon who thinks she’s high and mighty for promoting abstinence and purity. She’s not. She also promotes the notion that all women should want to cook, clean and stay at home, all the while being dutifully submissive to their husbands and answering their every whim. Please don’t misconstrue this point. There is absolutely nothing wrong with stay-at-home Moms. There is absolutely nothing wrong with wanting to care for your family (heck, I myself can’t wait to do this!), but it becomes unhealthy when girls are taught that this is their only route and they must forsake their independence, self-worth and ambitions in order to be loved.

Twilight is not a literary masterpiece. It irks me that people have the audacity to compare Twilight to JK Rowling's Harry Potter, a true classic of the time. People will not be reading Twilight in 200 years. It's going to fade away, just other cultish fads. I literally got teary eyed thinking about how the characters in Harry Potter are known for traits like courage, loyalty and love while characters in Twilight are caught up with appearance and lust.

In conclusion, I hope I haven't offended anyone with my evaluation. I just don't like the message young readers are left with. I think it's sad and unfortunate that the message ingrained into the brains of young readers is the image of a girl who gets everything she wants by throwing away everything that really matters in life. To me, this is more frightening than any vampire.

close call

I'm not sure where to start, but generally speaking, my laptop almost RIP'd yesterday. Yes, the unthinkable almost happened. And it was very stressful.

I was being a very productive student and diligently working on my detailed outline for a research paper (perhaps my laptop was not used to this scholarly type of activity) when suddenly it produced an unhealthy noise and shutdown without warning. It was connected to the power cord. I verified this several times. I must stress that there was no warning whatsoever. Did I mention there was no warning?

After that I couldn't get it to turn on, or even get it to generate the slightest bit of life so that I could at the very least say my goodbyes. It would pretend to power up and then I'd get the blue screen.

And as irony will, this occurred merely hours after I was thinking about the fact that I have so much stuff on my laptop and what would I ever do without it and I need to backup all my files onto an external something-or-other and lalala. So that in the event of global destruction such as this, at least I would have my pictures, papers, favorite name lists, etc.

Desperate and in tears, I did what made the most sense at the time: called my Dad. By the way, sorry Dad... I was a bit dramatic. He advised me to take it to the school and have them check it out. I followed suit and as luck will have it, I received a voicemail this afternoon informing me that it was alive and ready to be picked up.

In conclusion, I would just like to take a moment to appreciate the tech support group at my school for reviving my precious entity.





Thank you.

ponderings for a november night

These are the random things filling my mind tonight,

My thumb- I’m having a problem with it. What started out as one harmless hangnail has now turned into a festering wound. It never stops irritating me, sometimes it even bleeds. And I’m about ready to amputate it. Stay tuned.

Feminism- I just read a very graphic and disturbing comic for my feminist literature class. It was not okay. The hero, or heroin in this case, was a self-proclaimed homicidal lesbian terrorist who went around hating her life and condemning American society and the oppressive patriarchy that controls it. She ultimately ends up obliterating all men (who she dubs the enemy) and is then free to do whatever she pleases without the fear of male suppression. I’m speechless.

Thanksgiving- I can’t wait. I haven’t been home since I left at the end of August and I’ve really been missing my dog, the ocean, my nieces and tabloids. Plus, I always enjoy giving thanks and recognizing how blessed I am with my health, my loving and supporting family, and my opportunities… things that I so often take for granted.

Laundry- I need to do it. Also, fold the loads that have been sitting on my bed for days now.

Dentist- I was (not so) please to be informed that my Mom scheduled a dentist appointment for me for when I’m home next. Sure, it’s nice to have my teeth cleaned. But I hate the dentist; they always think I have cavities when I clearly do not.

Research- I really need to input all of the data I gathered for my research assistantship sometime this week.

Gummy bears- I just want some.

tragic hero

Before the splintering of American culture, before the rise of football, before the internet and before video games, baseball was America’s pastime. It was something almost every American knew at least something about. It's what kids did after school, on the weekends and during summer. It is what adults discussed on the subway on their way to work with friends, neighbors and strangers. Finally, and possibly most importantly, when it comes down to it, Americans genuinely care about the history, the accomplishments and the meaning of baseball.

It is for this reason that legends of baseball hold so much more grandeur than that of any other professional athletes. And it is for this reason that baseball players should, therefore, play the game with the greatest amount of respect, honor and fairness. And when they don’t, it’s an assault on the game’s integrity and pureness that makes me lose hope with humanity.

It is for this reason that I am pretty sure that I do, in fact, hate Alex Rodriguez. I realize that hate is a strong word that shouldn’t be used just whenever. I really do. I do. But when a person fails so miserably at any reasonable measure of being a human, I just can’t contain resentment.

If you’re unfamiliar with the loser, I’ll give you a to-the-point biography:

He was offered a full-ride scholarship to the University of Miami, but chose instead to sign with the Seattle Mariners in 1993. After a few successful years, his head got bigger than a circus balloon and he accepted a 25 million dollar (per year) contract from the Texas Rangers. But then, Texas couldn’t build a franchise when they were paying him so much so he…. Yep, you guessed it, demanded to be traded. Now he’s living in the Bronx.

I can think of so many reasons why I feel this hatred toward him, but I’ll limit my list to five key points.

Firstly, I know athletes are overpaid. That’s how it’s going to remain, whether we like it or not. And that’s fine, but this guy is obnoxiously overpaid. He makes more money playing baseball than anyone in the world. In 2008, he made more than the entire Florida Marlins team. Why? I don’t know, it’s weird… because the teams he’s on always seem to generate more wins as soon as he leaves town.

Secondly, my disrespect for him grew exponentially when he cheated on his (now ex) wife with prostitutes and strippers. But then, he cheated on the same (now ex) wife with Madonna while they were both still married with children, and is known for ditching out on the birth of his own child so that he could practice kabbalah with her. That is beyond despicable. My goodness, just ask for a divorce or something. Currently, he’s dating Kate Hudson. And rumor has it that other Yankee wives and girlfriends hate her, and have been warned about trash talking her. Yankee management fears that it would cause a whirlwind of unnecessary gossip and negative press for the team. Ha.

Thirdly, and possibly the most disrespectful assault on the game, is the fact that he took steroids after lying about it repeatedly and wholeheartedly. And how he chose to deal with it is why I truly believe he is a terrible person. He lambasted the person who caught him, as if somehow it was her fault. And then had the nerve to justify his consumption of them by pleading ignorant and saying he was ‘young’ and ‘under pressure’. That’s cool, Alex, but first of all, you were not that freaking young and second of all, your stats and accomplishments will now forever be viewed with skepticism and suspicion.

Fourthly, he’s a jerk. This isn’t breaking news. He’ll do anything, even if it means cheating (cheating!) to win. In 2004, he lamely slapped the ball out of a Red Sox player's glove while he was running to first base. Everyone has a lapse in judgment every once in a while. Surely he learned his lesson, right? Wrong. In yet another terrible display of sportsmanship, in 2007 he distracted a Blue Jay player with a timely shout when the player was camped under a ball at third base so as to have him give up on the play. Alex said he yelled “Ha” because he was excited about running around third base.” Pretty exciting those bases are, I tell ya.

Fifth, the guy loves himself. He kissed himself in the mirror for an advertisement, for goodness sake. That is just weird. He thinks too highly of himself, and I’m pretty sure his own teammates don’t even respect or like him. His trophy case is filled with MVP honors and individual trophies and lacks any type of team award. That has to mean something, doesn't it? It has to mean something that the team (his team) that has the highest payroll in baseball hasn’t won a world series in years. It means there’s more to the game than money. Alex doesn’t get that.

As a sidenote, what stupid sports writer dubbed him A-Rod, anyway? First letter of first name. Dash. First three letters of last name. Equals. The most uncreative nickname given to an athlete. Possibly ever.

I hope that his phony lies, childish behavior and egotistical salary have made him happy. I hope you’re happy, Alex. Because your legacy lacks splendor and mystique like true heroes of the game. Your legacy will forever be tainted by lies, steroids, infidelity, pride and injustice. If that’s honestly what you feels is the most important thing in your career and in life, I’ll just go ahead and add stupid to the list.

from the mouths of babes

The following is a potpourri of quotes by a toddler who talks a lot...

Cam: Cait, you need to take off your shoes while you are inside.
Me: Oh, sorry buddy.
Cam: Please put them in mommy's cubby.

Cam: Yay! Sawyer's awake... now I can play my drums!

Me: Cam, you're such a good older brother.
Cam: I know, I tackle Sawyer all the time.

Cam: I love you, Cait. Past the moon and the stars. I'm so glad you came here.

(In the car)
Sawyer: *Babbling* Hi Dada.
Cam: No, Daddy's not here, Sawyer.
Sawyer: Hi Dada.
Cam: No. Sawyer, Daddy's not here, he's at home.
Cam: Sawyer, maybe he'll come next time.

Me: I think we should go home, have a little bit of lunch and then take a nap!
Cam: (with the utmost sincerity and genuine agreement) That is a great idea, Cait!

(Anytime he puts an item of clothing on)
Cam: It fits me perfectly!

Cam: That was bad choice, Sawyer.

And a bonus telephone call from my niece today...

Kayla: Hey Cait, we found your shoe in the garage. So if you are walking around with one shoe, we have the other one here.
Ok, noted.

And just because they're adorable,

they don't know jack

Surely you’re familiar with the new Taco Bell ‘black taco’ commercial that has been dominating the entertainment ad-cycle? Well, if you are lucky enough to have been spared a viewing of this ridiculous campaign, I’ll give you a brief synopsis:

It begins with the most annoying, overly energetic techno-beat runway music that appears to cue a deep voice to suggestively murmur “black boots” as the camera slowly introduces a pair of glossy leather boots with stiletto heels. The aforementioned voice then proceeds to seductively coo “black pants” as a black lady appears in all her feminine physique. But then comic relief appears from the far edge of the set in the form of a white, middle aged male who attempts to crash the seemingly high fashion photo shoot by waving his “black taco”.

This pattern continues throughout the 60ish second [stupid] commercial as the voice resonantly draws attention to the “black dog” and “black sheep”… all the while the goofy white guy insists on the inclusion of his “black taco” in the fabricated world of high fashion black coolness. I kept waiting for him to say “black president” and was resentfully disappointed that he did not!

Apparently we’re marketing food by color now. But really, it’s just a standard hard-shell taco with (undoubtedly hazardous for consumption) black food coloring. However, apparently (and I’m taking this with a grain of salt because who really knows…) there’s a savory pepper jack sauce on the taco in addition to the usual ingredients of a crunchy taco… Oooo, ahhhh.

I can’t even imagine my reluctance at ordering such a lewdly-named item, especially considering that a lot of Taco Bells are staffed by those with a darker hue. Hmm.

I’m just kidding. I guess it doesn’t really matter. But something about this commercial really irritates me.

Really though, the taco did not originate or descend from Africa, so calling it “black” is simply inaccurate. And I think we need to dub it the ‘taco of color’. Or, if we flashed back to the ‘70s we could call it the ‘Afro-American’ taco. Either way. Something else.

this is a wonderful sign

Come on. If the federal government can fund an illegitimate war, tap into telephone calls of Americans without a warrant and spend billions of tax dollars on the CIA’s fun activities, then they can definitely bring Arrested Development back!

Needless to say, I think I’m going to send Obama some frozen bananas and cornballs and hopefully he'll listen to the cries of his people and sort out his priorities.

the auntie diaries

Not many people become an Aunt before they’ve started Kindergarten. Even fewer are blessed with the most amazing, beautiful, and smart nieces and nephew a girl could ask for. Being an Aunt has pretty much always been a part of my life, and I honestly couldn’t picture it any other way. Seeing the world through the eyes of my nieces and nephew has taught me so much more than I could ever attempt to convey. Seeing them appreciate and marvel at life’s simple treasures and seemingly insignificant objects really puts things into perspective for me. They have a beautiful innocence about them that makes me smile. They don’t run around worrying and fretting. They only know this moment; right here, right now. They have a firm trust that anything they want to do is possible and easy to accomplish because they haven’t been weighed down by limitations and impossibilities. They are all so special to me and I love them more than anything.

Jessica May

Jess is my oldest niece. I was only 4 ½ when she was born, so in a lot of ways she’s more like my little sister. We’re very close, but we never fight or argue. We have this amazing compatibility that I just love. We laugh and appreciate the same things, we share stories and talk about life and give each other advice. I think she knows me better than just about anyone. Jess is awesome because she is incredibly driven and focused. She wants to attend UW for college and I know she’s more than capable. She’s maternal and gentle, sweet and caring. Jess is also awesome because she is a high fashion diva extraordinaire. I’m fairly certain she’s going to be the next editor-in-chief of Vogue. Sometimes it irks me because I’ll see her wearing an old shirt of mine and think, ‘Damn her, why couldn’t I get it to look like that?

Claire Christine

Of all my nieces, Claire definitely reminds me of myself the most. We have a lot of the same personality traits and we process thoughts in similar ways. It’s adorable because I’m pretty sure that at least half of the clothes she wears once belonged to me. Claire is wise beyond her years. She’s incredibly mature for her age and sometimes I feel like she wants to grow up too quickly. She’s quirky, sensitive and very dramatic. This girl is hilarious and has the best sense of humor. Also, she’s possibly the biggest air-head I know. She forgets things she shouldn’t forget and asks incredibly silly questions all the time. Air-headedness aside, though, Claire is a very talented child. She’s been endowed with these natural gifts and abilities that are sometimes difficult to comprehend. She’s basically good at everything she does. She’s a spirited dancer, amazing actress and has a beautiful voice. She will probably perform on Broadway someday.

Kayla Faith

Kayla is going to be president someday. Some of the ideas and adventures she comes up with and executes are remarkable and revolutionizing. Ever since she was little, she’s had the greatest personality and wildest imagination. I love to hang out with Kayla because she has some amazing stories to tell and is always finding ways make me laugh. She probably has the most energy out of anyone I know. During the summertime she wakes up, goes outside to play and doesn’t come home until it’s dark. Kayla is the mastermind behind some incredible schemes and thoughts. I always look forward to seeing my sister’s status updates on Facebook because they often include a brilliant piece of insight from Kayla or a naughty situation she’s gotten herself into. I have so much respect for Kayla because she's strong-willed and sticks up for herself and what she believes in. She will chase her dreams and accomplish great things one day.

Cameron Zachary

My one and only nephew. I was so happy the day I found out I was getting a nephew. And he has definitely exceeded all my expectations. He is an all-American kid. He’s only almost three years old and can pretty much do any athletic related skill. Baseball, basketball, football, soccer, tennis, you name it, he does it. And he does it with gusto. His other favorite things include watching Elmo, listening to music, dancing, swimming, reading books, motorcycles, animals and watching the Mariners, Seahawks and Lutes. One of my favorite things about Cam is that he is incredibly loving. It warms my heart to know that in his short little life, he’s been raised in such a way that he feels love and feels comfortable showing affection and telling people he loves them. Cam is doing preschool this Fall all by himself which I think it’s pretty impressive. He has an amazing vocabulary and can carry on a conversation. He knows how to sing the alphabet, identify colors, count, and locate places on maps.

Sawyer Marie

Sawyer is my youngest niece. Although she hasn’t been around for all that long, I’m already so in love with this little girl. For one, she looks a lot like me when I was a baby. She has such a loving and sweet disposition that just warms my heart. One of her favorite activities is being read to. She will pick out a book, lug it around, plop down in your lap and open it up. She loves trying to keep up with her older brother. She loves to explore. She loves to smile and giggle and laugh. She loves to snuggle and give hugs. She’s learning to mimic behavior and repeat words and she knows animal sounds. Her brain is developing and growing every single day, and it’s awesome to watch. I predict that Sawyer is going to be an awesome athlete, and I can’t wait.

Being an Aunt and caring about my nieces and nephew the way I do has taught me that there are more important things in life than myself and what I have going on. They have taught me to focus on why and how something can be achieved rather than why it cannot. I think we would all benefit from this type of attitude. I feel like we spend too much time and effort trying to grow up and be responsible that sometimes we lose sight of some of the most important things in life. We are too weighed down because we anticipate life’s obstacles and challenges. I encourage everyone to develop a childlike sense of wonder. Don’t be weighed down by rational thought. Believe that anything is possible. Take the time to enjoy and appreciate the simple things in life. Embrace new experiences and live in the moment.