30 Things About Me LinkUp

In honor of my 300th post to this blog (which was actually a few posts ago), I decided to participate in this link up that my blogosphere friend Jessie at The Right Fits did. It's simple and fun-- 30 Things About Me!  I decided on 30 things because I'm 30 years old and it's ten percent of 300, to celebrate my 300th post.

1. I was born, raised, graduated high school and college in Ames, IA. Central Iowa, a bit north of Des Moines.  Both my parents were also born and raised in Iowa (but not in Ames) and both also attended Iowa State University.

2. I have one younger brother. He attends school at University of Iowa and is pursuing a PhD in Biomedical Engineering. His research involves developing treatment for Cystic Fibrosis patients. My brother is amazingly smart, and also really funny. We have a very similar sense of humor.

3. In college at Iowa State University, I was a double major in Apparel Design and French. In college, I did a summer internship in Outerwear Product Development at Burberry in New York City. I also did a study abroad in Lyon, France. Both were priceless experiences.

4. I began working in retail in 2002, right after graduating from high school. I worked at Eddie Bauer, and stayed with the company for ten years before quitting in 2011.

5. While working at EB, I began as a Sales Associate, then worked my way up to Assistant Store Manager.  I started working at the store in Ames, IA, and eventually transferred to Jackson, WY, then to Bozeman, MT.  The two years that I lived in Jackson, WY were a huge learning experience for me. I wouldn't trade that time, but I also wouldn't go back to it.

6. My name is actually Katie. Not Katherine, Katrina, or anything else. Just Katie. My mom calls me Kate.

7. It was while living in Jackson that I learned how to ski! Living in Jackson and learning how to ski, and also taking up snowshoeing, made me realize how much I really do love winter and snow.

Ski selfie, circa 2008.

8. While living in Jackson, I joined eHarmony, which is how I met the man who is now my husband Jeff!

9. When I first met Jeff, I was living in Jackson and he was living in Bozeman, MT. We would drive four hours one way to see each other. Thankfully, the drive was through some of the most scenic land in our entire nation, and the drive (usually) went by quickly!

10. The first time Jeff and I met was 4th of July. We like to joke that "there were fireworks" right from the start. Har har har!

11. When I moved to Bozeman and transferred to the Eddie Bauer store there, I moved in to a condo with Jeff's sister, her boyfriend (now husband), and Jeff's best friend. Meanwhile, Jeff moved up to the farm. At this point, we began to have to travel five hours one way to see each other.

12. Jeff and I never lived in the same place until we got married in 2011. This coincides, of course, with when I moved to the farm and also quit working at Eddie Bauer.

13. I really miss living in Bozeman, but we take many trips back there because Jeff's sister and her husband live there now. We also go frequently in the fall for MSU Bobcat Football! Go Cats!

Bobcat Homecoming 2011.

14. I have no background in farming or agriculture, but now I live on a farm in extremely rural Montana. The nearest town is a 25 minute drive away and the nearest grocery store is a 50 mile drive from our house.

15. My first job after moving to this area of Montana was working in Collections at the local clinic. I did not like that job much at all, but enjoyed many of the people I worked with.

16. I am now working in our local school. My official job title is Behavioral Intervention Specialist. What this means is that I work with kids to help build skills they need to succeed at life, sort of like a guidance counselor. I teach kids about feelings, how to express themselves in a healthy way, and I work with them to build confidence. My job is really tough some days but also extremely rewarding.

17. I also have the great fortune and joy of being an Assistant Track and Field coach. This is my favorite "job" I have ever had. I love being a track coach and I don't ever want to give it up.

Me (far left, in a hat) with the other coaches and the Girls team, which took third place at State last year.

18. My love of track began in 7th grade when I first participated in track in Middle School. I found that I was a naturally good sprinter and did pretty well in track all the way through high school. I was awarded "Most Improved Athlete" each of my four years as a high school trackster, and was nominated as a team captain my senior year.

19. My sophomore year in high school, I tried out for the swim team in effort to get out of being in fall semester P.E. I actually made the team, and again improved rapidly to become a pretty good swimmer and was also elected captain of the swim team my senior year.

20. As a kid, I also participated in softball and basketball through 8th grade. Ultimately, I let my own lack of self-confidence in those sports eliminate me from continuing on with them. I now think that if I had believed in myself a little more, I probably had enough talent and, most of all, ethics to work hard in practice, that I think I would have done well in either sport by the end of high school.

21. I transitioned to distance running in college as a way to stay in shape. In 2006, I made a goal to run in a 5K race each calendar month of the year. Iowa has A LOT of race opportunities, and I think I made my goal in almost every month. This is when I ran my All Time Best 5K time of 24:04.

22. I got away from running when I moved to Jackson in 2007, but that's when I picked up skiing, hiking, and snowshoeing to stay active.

23. In February 2009 I tangled with a tree in a skiing accident and tore my ACL. I had reconstructive surgery within weeks of when it happened and began physical therapy. This is when I realized how much I missed running-- it felt at times like I could never get back to running safely again.

This is the inside of my knee.

24. In the immediate aftermath of having knee surgery, I developed a very large blood clot in my left (surgery) leg. The blood clot was more painful than the surgery and was the most intense pain I have ever felt.

25. It took me years after knee surgery to get back into running. This past year, 2014, was the most running I have done post- surgery. I ran in 9 races in 2014. Seven of those races were 5Ks and two were 10Ks.

26. I don't have much of a sweet tooth, but am more than capable of taking down an entire box of Cheezits.

27. My Co-worker at school recently gave me a t-shirt that reads: Introverts Unite... occasionally...in small groups...for very limited periods of time. This shirt is perfect for me because I am definitely an introvert. This doesn't mean that I don't like people, it just means I need time alone to recharge and being around large groups of people can be draining on me.

28. My Instagram is filled with images of runners and running. I love Oiselle and their athletes. I also have more than a few Vizsla feeds that I follow. As well as some family and friends.

29. One bad habit I am trying to give up is being too hard on myself. That's why I do Thankful Thursday posts each week. I'm trying to re-train my brain to think positive thoughts!

30. Even though it can be a hassle to live so far away from town, my husband and I talk frequently about how there's no place either of us would rather be than right where we are!

Thankful Thursday: Practice Gratitude

Happy January 8, 2015, Everybody!

Today is an extra happy day for me because for the first time since I've started working in a school, we are celebrating a SNOW DAY! Woohoo!  School was mercifully cancelled today due to high winds, low temperatures and poor visibility on roadways. Highway 2 between Chester and Havre was actually marked for "EMERGENCY TRAVEL ONLY." Thankfully, someone in a decision-making position at our school agreed with that assessment. I got the automated call at about 6:30 this morning. Excellent!

So, in yesterday's post about hunting with Harvey, I hinted at a new series I'll be doing on the blog. I've tried to do a few series here and there in the past, with some success. Hunting on the HiLine is sporadic, but does happen each year in the fall to go along with hunting season. I also did one called Find it on the Farm, which was fun, but I fell out of doing it. Maybe I'll bring it back sometime though. Does anyone who remembers that series want to see it back?? Let me know what you guys think.

The new series corresponds with the new year and my New Years Resolution this year. Typically, I'm not big on dramatic resolutions. I'm not into fad diets or whatever the latest workout craze is. I just keep doing my thing, trying to eat intuitively and exercise in ways that work for me. When I think about resolutions and self improvement, I like to think about how I can improve my attitude, behaviors, or personality. Not always easy. This year, I'm rehashing an old favorite growth area for me and that's minimizing negativity.

Simply put, this year, my resolution is to practice gratitude. 



I really try to be on the lookout to avoid negativity, which again, is not always easy. I'll be the first to admit that I don't need any help being negative or overly critical all on my own, especially toward myself. So, I'm renewing my approach to think positive this year. The catchphrase I'm giving my own personal mini-movement is Practice Gratitude. This is the year I Practice Gratitude and continue to be a force for positive vibes toward myself and everyone I meet.

What this means to me is to look for reasons to be happy and thankful. It's easy to get lost in a spiral of negativity or self doubt. Gratitude is acknowledging and appreciating what is good in our lives. Whether it's something within ourselves, or a situation we find ourselves in, or the people we interact with, there's always something good to focus on, big or small.

My new weekly series on the blog will be called Thankful Thursdays. Each Thursday, I'll do a post about something that I'm particularly grateful for in that week. It could be one big thing or person, or it could be a list of several things. This is my pledge, and part of my resolution this year, though. To make a conscious effort to identify what I'm grateful for, think positive, and share it with everyone else as a way to hold myself accountable. Maybe you'll find something you didn't know you were grateful for, too?!

What am I thankful for today? The school cancellation, for sure! I've already had a productive morning. Over break, I finally cleaned off my desk that's basically been sitting and rotting and piling up clutter and dust for a very long time. So, today, feeling inspired and thinking about the Thankful Thursdays/Practice Gratitude launch, I dug out my old drawing supplies.

Gotta have coffee!

I haven't used this stuff in years. It's entirely possible that I haven't touched any of this since my drafting and sketching courses in college. Nice to feel the weight of a pencil and the soft, thick, smooth lead of a Prismacolor!

Anyone else use Prismacolors?
They're the BEST!

 What I came up with after an hour or so of drawing and coloring was the following poster:

This poster summarizes all the major themes I am truly thankful for in my life. Wedding ring for my husband and my marriage, Harvey, hearts to represent love and family, some wheat stems to depict our farming lifestyle and family land, and a running shoe for my love of running, coaching Track, and my health. Oh, and the handprint to represent my job (my company uses handprints in their logo) and the children I've come to know and love from working at school.

I would like to give some credit for this new series (and my New Years Resolution!) to Jeff, since we've both been trying to be more positive lately. And also to Amanda at the Runninghood blog. This post she did back in December (Read here: http://www.runninghood.us/2014/12/whats-up-running-parenting-life-goals.html) mentions something she is doing with her kids. She's encouraging them to begin journaling and taking one page each week to make a list of things they are grateful for. This is partly when the seed was planted for my new series, I liked her idea so much. Then, Oiselle started a Pinterest campaign/contest where essentially you post your New Years Resolution on their Pinterest board with the hashtag #theyeari and you can be entered to win cool gear and so forth. So that's when I really got motivated to finalize my resolution as Practice Gratitude and get this all started!

This is #TheYearI Practice Gratitude. In marriage, in life, in relationships with family and friends, toward my dog, at school, with my running and my health. All of it. 

So there you have it! The first installment of Thankful Thursdays on the blog! What would your Practice Gratitude poster have on it? What are you feeling thankful for today?  

Seven Things to Love About Winter on the HiLine

Sometimes we all get the winter blahs, but I actually really like winter on the whole. For those who are a little skeptical about winter and all that it entails, I made a list of seven things I love about winter on the HiLine. Some of them aren’t even HiLine or farm specific, so maybe at least one of them is something you could relate to or adapt to your life wherever you live. 

So, in no particular order, here are my Seven Things to Love about Winter on the HiLine:

1. Less Traffic (Yes, I’m serious!)  I know that seems laughable in as sparsely populated a place as where I live, but I’ve become quite accustomed to interstate-free driving on my morning commutes. In fact, this time of year I hardly ever even see another car at all between my house and town (23 miles away) when I leave at 7:00 a.m.  This is not always true. In the spring and summer, a person has to dodge large farm implements and grain trucks on gravel roads that were created in a time when machinery was much smaller. In hunting season, there’re always out-of-towners who don’t know their way around and are prone to stopping without much warning to scope an animal. In the winter, the roads are free and clear of cars and large vehicles.

Lack of traffic means unadulterated sunset/sunrise views! 

2.  Snow, Snow, Snow!    I love snow. I love the way it looks when it is falling and I love how it covers the land and everything all around just like a blanket. The dichotomy of snow is that it simultaneously obscures and reveals nature.  It covers everything up and muffles sound, but also shows paths animals have taken across it. I also love snow because it leads to…

3.  Winter Recreation  Whether snowshoeing, doing any kind of skiing, or just plain taking a walk on a cool day, I do enjoy being outdoors in the winter. I like the variation snow and winter activities offer in the face of my summer routine of alternating between walking and running.  I like going fast on skis or setting my own path on foot with snowshoes, perhaps contributing to the animal tracks revealed in the snow. It’s nice to mix it up. What’s not to love?

Looking up from the cross-country ski trail.

4. Quality Time with the Hubby  In the summer, there are days when I only see Jeff when it’s time to sleep and that doesn’t hardly count because we’re both asleep!  But in winter time, a farmer’s workday hours, which tend to follow the daylight hours, are much shorter. I actually get to see my husband every day and we even have time to do things together. Cooking dinner together or simply watching TV on the couch with the dog are possible this time of year. I’ll take it when I can.

Deep discussion... 

5. Animal Time Winter is also a nice time to reconnect with the animals on the farm. After all, this is when they need us most to provide food for them on a nearly daily basis. Regrettably, I haven’t had as much contact with the cows this year as I seem to have had in past winters. If you read my post from a few posts back, you know this is a situation I’m hoping to rectify.

I love how she's looking at me sideways like only cows do.
Also, she has only one horn.

6. Yummy Winter Food  Winter is the time for stews, soups, casseroles, and crock pot dishes. I enjoy the challenge of taking traditional recipes for hearty dishes and finding ways to make them a bit healthier.  There’s also absolutely nothing like coming in from a day of outdoor winter fun and sitting down to a bowl of hot soup.  I tried a new recipe recently for a simple, classic beef stew that I adapted from a recent issue of Cooking Light to use canned beef and some other ingredients I had on hand.If you're lucky, I’ll share that recipe in an upcoming post, so stay tuned for that!  

Ok so this isn't a photo of beef stew or hearty winter food... but it is a photo of hearty winter beer! yum.

7. “Cold is a Form of Apology,” is a line from a recent episode of The News from Lake Wobegon on A Prairie Home Companion,as told by Garrison Keillor. First off, let me just say that the slower pace of winter allows for much more frequent opportunity to listen to the show.  Second, I love how he always ties “The News” into what is happening with the weather, and really, Minnesota’s weather is not typically so different from ours here in Montana.  Anyway, the point of the line “Cold is a Form of Apology” was that it is so much easier to forgive people when the weather is confoundingly cold outside.  I suppose a cynic might change the line to, “Cold is a Form of Excuse,” but I agree with Mr. Keillor.  Sometimes the cold weather makes us all a bit more understanding and considerate of each other.  In the winter, we are bookended by holidays that celebrate love and family. All of these holidays are over-commercialized.  Maybe it would be just as good to simply celebrate the cold and appreciate what we have. 

View from the summit at Whitefish Mountain Ski Resort