karlie.

reasons i used to blog more.

2010-11-22T11:08:00.003-06:00

reasons i used to blog more:

1. i used to live in manhattan, college was easy.
2. i have very little to say to the web that doesn't just go on facebook (i do not twitter).
3. john buck got traded. oh wait, i never blogged about john buck.
4. i got married, and my husband and i have more important things going on.

-knc

"fruit" hammock.

2010-08-16T21:39:00.002-05:00

srsly?!

2010-08-03T18:39:00.002-05:00

my new backyard. complete with a pool.

a grandmother's gift.

2010-07-13T23:38:00.003-05:00

my (late) grandpa gave these to my grandma when i was born, i will wear them on my wedding day.

breakfast at wimbledon

2010-07-04T09:48:00.003-05:00

right now im sitting in my quiet, dark living room
with pillow, blanket, and coffee in hand
watching my favorite sports event of the year.

i've loved waking up early for the wimbledon final for as long as i can remember.
usually i fall asleep if i'm watching alone,
but the matches last a long time okay?

today i'm watching my favorite tennis player from my favorite country*
rafael nadal from spain.

i think my favorite wimbledon final i've ever watched was andre agassi and andy roddick.
i used to love andy roddick when i was younger,
mostly because he was attractive and dated mandy moore
but andre was my favorite player of all time.
it was a riveting match and i was on the edge of my couch the whole time.
anyway, agassi won - but that's no matter.

the point is. i love tennis. i just do. everything, all of it.
VIVA ESPAÑA!

*is that bad to say on my nation's independence day? oh well. i have spain fever.

HOLY. FREAKING. GOODNESS.

2010-06-29T15:07:00.001-05:00

this is hilarious.

2010-06-24T22:23:00.004-05:00

go here: http://www.sillof.com/Drawings.htm for more details. my favorite is yodawski.

2010-06-22T09:21:00.003-05:00

the other day i was hanging out with my 16 year old sister.
thoughts were racing through my head about how i needed to get the wet carpet out of the basement, finish a paper, pay bills, write a resume, plan a wedding...etc.
then i look at my sister and she says, "i wonder what color i should paint my toenails?"

ah, to be young and have few worries.

do worries keep growing as you get older?
i sure hope not.
i have all that i can handle right now.

2010-05-23T11:49:00.003-05:00

what makes you feel alive?

fresh cut flowers, slow mornings, burning candles, lunch with a good friend, time with my fiance, plotting my summer, sweet patty g music...

what makes you feel alive?

FIELD DAY 2010

2010-05-20T10:14:00.002-05:00

pay attention

2010-05-04T22:55:00.002-05:00

to what is true.
to what you love.
to the details around you.
to the 'impossible' dreams.
to what your hope is in.

this isn't a contest, but a doorway into thanks...

hello inspiration boards.

2010-04-08T12:21:00.002-05:00

oh heavenly day.

2010-03-28T11:22:00.001-05:00

i saw patty griffin last night in lawrence.
and even though i was totally sick -
it was INCREDIBLE.

she is so beautiful and fun and giirrrll can she sing.
she sang with buddy miller,
who was also so darn great.

the whole night was fantastic.
a dream come true, sincerely.

ready for a break.

2010-03-09T23:03:00.001-06:00

see you soon, colorado.

sweet treats.

2010-02-15T21:53:00.002-06:00

i'm ready

2010-02-08T12:09:00.003-06:00

i'm ready for the first signs of spring.

i'm ready for the perfect wedding i'm planning to happen.

i'm ready for an amazing house to be ours.

i'm ready to wear my brand new anthropologie dress in our engagement pictures.

i'm ready to become a teacher with my own classroom.

i'm ready for pain and suffering to not be a concern in heaven.

i'm ready. but i HOPE/WAIT (but i don't really hope in the dress...just to be clear)

God, the one and only—
I'll wait as long as he says.
Everything I hope for comes from him,
so why not?
He's solid rock under my feet
He's breathing room for my soul.

a dream come true.

2010-01-31T22:53:00.003-06:00

my eyes will see patty griffin in concert at the end of march. it will be a beautiful, life-changing experience. i feel like i'm back in 7th grade getting tickets to nsync. only, not like that really at all. slightly more mature.

speaking of nsync, happy birthday to the N (justiN timberlake) - for some reason his birthday is stuck in my head, and i remember it every year.

after i write about three sentences on my blog, i get bored and want to just hit publish post. i guess i've given up on coming up with great things to say, i'm not so cleaver anymore, really. or was i ever? it's hard to tell.

i guess i could talk about wedding planning? it's going great. i'm wishing october 2 would come WAY faster than 244 days from now. i'm ready to parrrrrrty! (in the usa!)

okay, that feels sufficient. i'm done blogging now.

anthropologie

2010-01-19T15:38:00.002-06:00

so i pretty much check anthropologie.com daily (okay, like 6 times a day) for new, beautiful, crisp spring dresses - hopefully for my bridesmaids. No such luck yet, but today i found a wonderful treasure. anthropologie shares my love for poms!

winter blues.

2010-01-16T23:46:00.002-06:00

on gloomy winter days, when i am wearing sweats, a huge sweater and slippers, wishing for some life and color and warmth - i am thankful for this:

i wish these filled my room, my house, and my life. how happy!

2010-01-13T22:38:00.002-06:00

"So here is what the Devil is really going to try to get you to do: Hate other people. Those conservatives, those Christians, those whoever…I think we’d be wise to watch out for that"

- Donald Miller (read this article.)

the one resolution i will stick to:

2010-01-02T17:43:00.002-06:00

shock me like an electric eel

2009-12-20T22:23:00.001-06:00

engaged!

2009-12-07T23:10:00.005-06:00

love.

2009-11-08T21:32:00.002-06:00

give & take.

2009-11-02T21:32:00.002-06:00

i like the fact that it's light out when i wake up and get ready.
i can open the blinds and pretend birds are fluttering around getting me ready
(like cinderella)
i can sing joyously on my way to work, with sunglasses on before 8 a.m.

BUT

i hate that i get to experience about an hour of daylight after work.
leaving for class as the sun sets is not fun.

i like that the holidays are approaching.
key suffix: S

the first holiday that comes is thanksgiving people.
you remember, the time you get to stuff your face with lots of food
and then take a nap after eating too much tryptophan-filled turkey.
the holiday when we celebrate white people that came to slay the poor native americans
and then tell our little ones that they loved each other and shared a feast.
i mean, we wouldn't have popcorn without the native americans,
and they wouldn't have diseases and reservations without us.
sharing is caring.

yep, that holiday comes first.

so, pleeeeeeease do not play christmas music so soon.
i'm talking to you 98.1 KUDL and STAR 102.1
i had to take you off of my presets today
because you no longer allow me my soft rock fix.
just 'santa baby' about three weeks too early. gross.

fay.

2009-10-30T11:09:00.003-05:00

fay. a special, sweet girl who - honestly - rarely makes sense. but that's why i love her.

she also says things like this: (when she saw me wearing a dress)

"miss mann, how you be lookin' like a babydoll today?!"

radinas & scrabble.

2009-10-25T22:41:00.003-05:00

the magnificant konza prairie.

2009-10-25T22:37:00.003-05:00

manhattan, autumn.

2009-10-25T22:34:00.002-05:00

manhattan, tree adventures.

2009-10-25T22:31:00.002-05:00

kids adelante

2009-10-25T22:28:00.002-05:00

manhattan scenic overlook.

2009-10-18T22:39:00.002-05:00

an education.

2009-10-13T16:41:00.000-05:00

i really want to see this.

autumn

2009-10-11T20:41:00.002-05:00

even though it's 30 some degrees out;
i am choosing to ignore the winter-feeling
which is a trick to get you excited about christmas.
because, people -
christmas is MONTHS away.
we just kissed summer goodbye.
don't give in to the winter!

even though autumn isn't my favorite season,
i feel like i am fighting to make it be here.
if it is going to be so finicky -
then i will just take summer back. gladly.

anyway.
i've been pretty elusive lately
with only pictures every once and a while
it's hard to stay up-to-date,
but i promise you i've been having fun.

i just wish i could see more people,
or just plain see people more.
i feel like i barely have time for anything these days.

however, thank the Lord i didn't have class this week,
so i've been feeling less overwhelmed.

i'm so ready to be done with school and be a teacher.

bigger or better?

2009-10-07T21:50:00.003-05:00

birthday cupcakes!

2009-10-07T21:47:00.003-05:00

2009-10-05T22:48:00.001-05:00

sometimes i feel like i've never been nothing but tired
and i'll be working til the day i expire.

sometimes i lay down, no more can i do
but then i go on again, because You ask me to.

mustard fail.

2009-09-30T22:00:00.002-05:00

mann ranch, nightfall.

2009-09-23T21:28:00.004-05:00

the shed adventures.

2009-09-14T20:32:00.007-05:00

new book.

2009-09-10T21:30:00.001-05:00

i definitely judged it by its cover. so far so good.

norma.

2009-09-09T21:07:00.002-05:00

the mann ranch.

2009-09-07T22:03:00.004-05:00

2009-08-31T21:56:00.002-05:00

my insane life doesn't allow for blogging. it just doesn't. especially writing long posts about interesting/insightful things or about dream jobs they have. i'm not feeling quirky or fun or entertaining. i work with amazing kiddos and go to school at night. i'm tired and i basically have no life. however, i do manage to do fun things sometimes, and with the inspiration of the amazing jelly donkey (t9 style...or as i like to call her k2d2) i have decided this season of my life will be reflected with photos. it will be simple and at times mysterious, but as you can tell with my epic blog fail, i'm not-a so good-a with time-consuming activities these days.

so i bring you: westside local restaurant & beer garden

we the ppl.

2009-08-20T13:41:00.004-05:00

i think i mostly love this because it is in alphabetical order.

andrea, gabi, gissel, & marlen.

2009-08-16T15:25:00.006-05:00

i'm too tired and have no energy to continue my spain, day two blog. well, for now. but this is what i will show:

i have had a bible study this summer with four beautiful girls from kck. we've met and talked about some pretty amazing things. i have learned more from them than they learned from me. i discovered the power of prayer through a ten-year-old's perspective, which seems to be more accurate than mine most times. these girls know what it's like to be afraid of gunshots in the night or to be ridiculed for praying before dinner. they know without a doubt that jesus hears them and that he loves them. sure, there's a lot about the bible and religion they don't understand yet, but if at age ten they can have as much confidence as they have, then i feel like the rest will come later. these girls are going to grow up knowing they are loved and cared for, even if they don't have the resources or advantages that other people have. they will know that they are known by a God who will never leave them or give up on them. to be a part of that is such a blessing, and to be able to provide them with fun opportunities like swimming is so cool. three of the girls didn't even own swimsuits and they all didn't really know how to swim. they slowly transformed into confident swimmers who couldn't stop jumping in and going under water. it took me about an hour to get them out of the water. they are so much fun to be around, i'm excited to form a long relationship with these girls and watch them grow up.

spain, day 1.

2009-08-09T06:55:00.003-05:00

other than hearing about a lost passport, nothing has really been said about our trip to spain. so i think i will try to go day-by-day to tell our tales. this will 1. give me more time so i don't have to do it all at once and 2. really boost my blog visits because you just won't be able to wait until the next one!

so here is day one in photos:

after our ridiculously terrible flight to madrid*, we arrived less than fresh-faced and rested in the capital of spain. after mastering the metro system but accidently going to the wrong place, we walked for about twenty minutes to our hotel, the westin palace (top right). i got a good deal on it online, and man was it worth it. beautiful and elegant and in a great location. so we get to the hotel, fight the calling of a nap and head out to explore. we vistied plaza mayor (bottom middle) for a sandwich and some sangria. instead of more energized, we were probably more sleepy from the sangria. but we continued on to two museums which we walked around half dead. we did manage to amuse ourselves slightly (bottom left, bottom right), and saw amazing picasso, velasquez, miro, dali, and goya paintings. my favorite was la guernica by picasso (top middle). once our eyes couldn't hold themselves open anymore, we went back and took advantage of spanish siesta time for a few hours, then went out to dinner and had some paella (middle middle) at a fun little outdoor cafe (top left).

all in all it was a fun day, hopefully we won't remember how tired we were for long and we can remember madrid as a fun and happy place.

next up...NERJA, the best beach in the world. stay tuned.

*all of our flights went wrong in one way or another, but this might have been the worst. behind us on our 8 hour flight were hundreds of loud, obnoxious, and rude high school Spaniards. they ran around, screamed, and were extremely disrespectful the whole flight. even though it was an overnight flight and people were trying to sleep (me, adam), these kids were the worst.

the great event in the year is tonight.

2009-08-06T14:19:00.003-05:00

so adam and i have had an amazing trip so far.
we've had lots of spanish adventures in big cities, beaches, buses, and today we got to experience a flight on ryan air for 5 euros.

i have been thinking about blogging about it all, but today just trumped everything.

we got on ryan air in great spirits. a flight to madrid for the price of a coke? yes please.
everything was fantastic until adam discovered (an hour and a half after the flight landed) that
HE LEFT HIS PASSPORT ON THE PLANE.

frantic. tears. helplessness. wanting to communicate in spanish but not really being able to. a lady said that the airline would have to find it, call when they landed, call the ONE lady that knew it was missing, and she would have to find us at our hotel to tell us IF they found it.

also the stupid shuttle didn't come so we had to pay TWENTY euros (which is like 35 dollars) for a five minute cab ride. come on personas.

so we're sitting in a room in a foreign country with NO idea what to do. seeing as we have to leave the country in like 15 hours we're a little upset. i probably would leave him we decided though. every man(n) for themselves is our motto. (our other motto is always take pictures in a photo booth.)

we start talking about how about 50 things need to go right for this passport to be found and how, let's be honest, it might not happen soon - BOOM the phone rings. they found it.

hallelujah.

so now we're going to go back to the airport to get it. the great event in the year is tonight!

we'll be home tomorrow. back in the united states, land that we love. especially because we don't have to split our brains to communicate.

salimos en un avion (leavin on a jetplane)

2009-07-28T10:43:00.002-05:00

well the day is here.

SPAIN.

we're leaving in a couple hours.
i feel nervous and flippy floppy (no i won't be on a boat).
but i've never been more excited to travel.
it's me and the cooper - takin over europe.

here we go, one more time, everybody's feelin fiiiiiine.

so for now, hasta luego estados unidos.

peaceful new york.

2009-07-21T16:37:00.004-05:00

hi!

2009-07-19T17:57:00.003-05:00

i'm HOME.
i've been to new york city & myrtle beach in one fell swoop (is that how you say that?)

anyway.
like i said before, i've done so much.
and when i think about blogging,
i feel like jasmine from aladdin when she's wearing that red outfit and is stuck in the sand timer thing and sand just keeps building up and up.

and i want to tell you everything, blog world, i really do.
but there's just too much sand.
(also there is a lot of sand on my bed from unpacking. beach sand gets everywhere.)

but here is my sorry attempt, so hold on. ( i don't even have pictures yet. but soon!)

new york:
so many impressions from books, movies, plays, pictures, tv shows, etc. i felt like i knew everything about the city before i even got there. it wasn't really much different than i thought it would be, but i didn't expect to love it so much. i decided while i was there that i can practically love anywhere i travel. i desire to be caught up in everything the place has to offer and to really dig deep to make myself a part of that. sure my big camera around my neck made me feel like a tourist, but walking around central park, battery park, rockeffeler plaza and times square, i really felt like i belonged. i got coffee at dean & delucca and felt like i would run into felicity, which sadly i didn't. i got to see my favs from the today show and even be on tv! (thanks amy for watching). we rode in taxis and on the subway and walked for miles. we went to the top of the empire state building and the rockefeller building and ate in a restaurant that rotated to see the whole city. i got to see two broadway shows (lion king and billy elliot) and loved them. if it seems like a whirlwind, it was. but it was perfect.

myrtle beach, south carolina:
this trip was a lot different than new york. i had never been to new york, but my family has gone to the beach every year of my life. since my grandpa died in 2005 we haven't been back until this year. it was strange to be there without him, but it was still fun to play in the waves, build a sand turtle, eat ice cream at painter's, and do all the things we normally did. myrtle beach is full of so many memories for me, it was good to go back. when we left we drove through charlotte and my family visited where my nana and granddaddy are buried for the first time. my brother wrote a poem that made me sob, and my family prayed together around their grave. it was a much needed thing and it was good. my dad, brother, sister and i drove home - all through the night. we got back at 7 this morning. i got into bed after having slept about an hour and then woke up at noon. i still feel terrible but hopefully by tomorrow i will be good.

and NOW i am back for 4 days and then leave again. i am going to iowa for a wedding that should be off the charts, then to SPAIN. holy cow.

not to wear out the hourglass analogy, but the sand of summer is falling FAST. when i get home from spain it's back to work already. yikes. where did the time go?

lastly, how amazing is harry potter 6? i've seen it twice already.

it's good to be home.

new york new york!

2009-07-12T22:46:00.003-05:00

so i'm in new york city.
the big apple.

i've done SO much since we've been here.
central park, empire state building, times square, etc.

and i could say a bunch about them
i really could.
maybe even show you some sweet photos
that my new camera takes,
because they are awesome - really.

but instead i will say this.
in approximately 8 hours i will be showing my shining morning face at the today show.
THE TODAY SHOW ON NBC.

so, if you happen to be up at 7
and love matt, meredeth and al....

WATCH ME!

and let me know if i get on the screen.

until next time,
goodnight.

you don't have to be coy roy.

2009-07-09T01:04:00.002-05:00

i'm so overdue for a post, geesh.
too bad i think of these things at 1 am
when i am ready to go to sleep.

instead of writing an actual post
i will just give you the table of contents
for what is to come in (hopefully) the next couple of days:

1. new camera. amazing.
2. hanging out with hispanic KCK ten year old girls.
3. trips (the lake, new york city, myrtle beach, iowa, spain - all in july.)

probably more will get in there somehow.
but, thats all for now.
i hope you're hooked,
i promise not to disappoint...actually no i don't.

if you want to make the world a better place, take a look at yourself and then make a...change.

couldn't afford a car so she named her daughter alexis.

2009-06-22T23:21:00.004-05:00

it's too bad that chrysanthemums are not very pretty.
because the name is amazing.
there's a children's book where a little mouse's name is Chrysanthemum.

i have no idea why i went through the trouble to type/link that.
it doesn't matter at all.
but my blog is BORING people.

i have nothing to say. i don't want to be one of those people who say
they have nothing to say,
but then they actually do.

but i will try my hardest.

i went to a wedding and saw lots of old friends.
i miss rachel and erica more than ever.
we shared some good laughs at QT.
laughs that i haven't had in a long time.

there are two more weeks of summer school left.
and i am BU-SY.
writing papers is practically my existence.
that and watching the o.c.

maybe that's why i have nothing to say anymore.
i write papers about who cares what
and then get caught up in fake fake people's lives. (fake = fictional, fake = shallow)

it's so bizarre how this summer feels SO much different than last summer.
like everything seems different.
and even though i am living in a place for more than a year
(first time in 5 years)
it still seems so different.
which isn't a bad thing i don't think.
just,
different.

that's about all i have.
except that it's the 22! greatest day of the month.

oh and amy, i'm going to bed now.

mannnnnn ranch.

2009-06-12T18:04:00.001-05:00

to see the latest mann ranch adventure, go HERE.

have a nice day.

summer.

2009-06-09T10:16:00.005-05:00

it doesn't matter what you say,
there is no denying that people are happier and more full of life in the summer.
sure, people can prefer cold weather to hot weather.
you can choose autumn as your favorite season,

but just look outside on summer evenings:
people together on driveways,
sunsets that will blow your mind,

fire pits and trampoline jumping.

not to mention sweet summer days.
swimming, walking, playing, gardening, worlds of funning, ranching, laking,
an infinite amount of possibilities.
if you have nothing to do,
go outside.
there will be something out there for you.

there is just a presence to summer
that no other season has.

i feel like it's here to say -

hey, sit back and soak up the sun
because
life is good.

adam 'big lips' cooper.

total eclipse of the heart.

2009-06-04T00:12:00.001-05:00

thanks to dave and jessi for showing us this HILARIOUS video. :)

SPAIN.

2009-06-01T11:44:00.002-05:00

adam and i are going to spain!!!!!!!!!!

july 28 - august 7.

i cannot believe it.

j.j. abrams

2009-05-31T11:34:00.004-05:00

i'm not so good with the one-topic blog posts, but i thought i owed some cred to j.j. abrams. him and his time travel ways...

first of all, he created felicity. i know this is probably somewhat embarrassing on his resume, but HELLO it's my favorite show. so get over it. everything about the show is so great. (yes, including the time travel...oh are you intrigued? you should watch.)

second, i will raise the spock salute and say that i have seen star trek. twice. j.j. has actually made trekies seem not so out there. while i realize j.j. abrams didn't create star trek, he turned it into something cool. the movie is pretty sweet, and also hilarious. and again, time travel.

also a sort of side note, i am actually watching felicity right now whilst eating cheez its. which has nothing to do with the story except it has everything to do with it. and by that i mean there is star trek on the back of the box. i could get the captain's tee for only $9.99.

(edit) how did i not even MENTION lost!? this is clearly a result of my blog sucky-ness. okay so lost is a crazy crazy show, and i love it. and not to beat a dead horse but: time travel. (p.s. i absolutely hate that phrase. terrible visual.)

okay, i suck at one topic blogs. i think i will just end it here? also i am missing a great noel and ben scene.

live long and prosper.

verano.

2009-05-27T14:48:00.002-05:00

so rachel is in sweden.
before she left i gave her a left over magazine, a book to borrow, and a few euro cents.
all in all it wasn't a fantastic present,
but hey.
you never know when those few euro cents actually buys a coffee in france.
the thought of that really makes me smile.

today was my first last day of school as a teacher.
i held it together during the kindergarten graduation
and even through saying goodbye to those same kids
i didn't even tear up when i saw a slide show of the whole year
(maybe because i was busy eating oklahoma joe's).
but today the whole school lined the hallways
and cheered for the sixth graders as they left elementary school.
after the crowd had gone through, a mentally handicapped girl named daisy
shuffled through the line,
and the whole school cheered.

that's when i teared up. and not even really for daisy,
although that was really special.
i think it was for the community i was a part of.
teachers and students and the actually building,
they have all grown to become a part of me.
they have changed me, challenged me, and made my passion for kids come alive.
i will miss my school a lot over the summer.

but summer. summer.
what a great feeling.
bike rides to the farmer's market, swimming and basking in the sun.
royals games and worlds of fun.
and hey -
spain.

here's to the best season ever.

amen.

busy and prolific; typically terrific.

2009-05-18T22:26:00.002-05:00

if i could sum up this spring with one word it would be this: ALLERGIES.

if i could sum up my life in pictures it would be here: flickr.

and that's really about all. pictures + allergies + busy.
i'm so ready for summer.
6.5 days left of school.

graduation.

2009-05-14T09:08:00.005-05:00

so this weekend, two very important men in my life will be graduating. one from high school, one from college. i think to me, graduation has become something that everyone does. for some reason it's lost its prestige and excitement for me. but in all honesty, it's a huge deal.

i stayed up late last night finishing a surprise video slideshow for my brother. the slideshow is filled with fun old pictures and good memories (and hopefully good music. that was the toughest part.) as i watched the final product this morning while getting ready, it struck me how proud i am of my little brother. throughout his life he has never been one to conform to those around him. he's completely his own person and does not care about what others think. on top of that, he's so so smart. he has helped changed my view of what being smart really means. i'm excited for him and his future and i know he will do great things.

tomorrow i am traveling west to manhattan for another graduation. this one is equally exciting because it feels like it's taken FOREVER. just kidding. but really, after nine majors and seemingly worthless assigments - adam is graduating from college. i have noticed so many similarities between my brother and him recently. both guys are super smart in their own ways, and both tend to hate how the education system is designed. even though on paper having nine majors looks like you wouldn't have much direction in life, adam has had more direction in his life than most people who never change their major (i.e., me this time last year). even though his passions and callings have always been outside of the academic world, he's stuck with it and gotten his degree. i'm so excited and proud of him!

well it's going to be a busy weekend, but totally worth it. two graduations full of feeling proud for two amazing people.

hopefully at some point i can get that stupid vitamin c song out of my head.

(i made these. yess.)

idyllic summer day, summer night.

2009-05-07T22:34:00.004-05:00

God bless the daylight, the sugary smell of springtime.

2009-05-05T21:36:00.002-05:00

lately i have learned how to:
get sore from the batting cages,
disc golf,
and sort of like watching baseball
(even on tv!)

i made a good play list today. lots of lively music. it's burning to a cd now to go in my car.
in fact,
that happy little blablablink just happened,
which means the cd is ready.

now i am getting up to enjoy a margarita
in honor of some little battle won in mexico
on a day that is celebrated more in the US than in mexico.
anything to drink, right?

all this to say: life is good. it feels right and i'm ready to keep going.

kentucky derby.

2009-05-02T16:19:00.003-05:00

the kentucky derby is the only excuse to wear hats like this:
(which actually i would do in an instant)

go General Quarters.

speaking of.

2009-04-26T21:16:00.004-05:00

oh hi there. i never have anything substantial to say, so i thought i would just write a little and see where it gets me. who knows if it will be worthless or not, we shall see.

speaking of worthless, currently i am sitting in my room with my window open, freshly showered, listening to adam talk about some statistical crap. little does he know i'm not really listening. sorry hon.

speaking of homework, this weekend has been pretty productive, for me at least. yesterday i built six catapults using popsicle sticks, masking tape, rubber bands, and spoons. and by i, i mean it was 100% adam's creative genius. this morning i had them all lined up on my floor and it looked like i was going into battle with my bed.

speaking of this morning, i went to the early service at jacob's well. it was actually wonderful. and ironically he talked about the importance of the morning.

speaking of the morning, i have to work tomorrow. which is okay with me. i love my jobs and those kiddos. then tomorrow night i am going to present my lesson plan on catapults to my class.

well that's about all i know. except for that i can't wait to read this book soon. i got it as a present from the catapult builder.

words like a love letter.

2009-04-21T22:12:00.003-05:00

i don't think i've ever really welled up from reading the bible.
maybe i have, but i don't really remember.
but tonight as i was perusing through romans 8,
tears were in my eyes.

The One who died for us—who was raised to life for us!—is in the presence of God at this very moment sticking up for us.

that last part is what got me.
i don't know if it was just how it was phrased,
but it seems so simple and beautiful.

tonight i found comfort
like i haven't felt in a long time.
even the hardest hearts can be melted.

Meanwhile, the moment we get tired in the waiting, God's Spirit is right alongside helping us along. If we don't know how or what to pray, it doesn't matter. He does our praying in and for us, making prayer out of our wordless sighs, our aching groans. He knows us far better than we know ourselves, knows our pregnant condition, and keeps us present before God. That's why we can be so sure that every detail in our lives of love for God is worked into something good.

this week will be great.

2009-04-19T17:46:00.002-05:00

let's do something outside.

animals + james earl jones + sigur ros.

2009-04-16T22:46:00.000-05:00

i'm so out of the blogging loop.

2009-04-14T15:50:00.009-05:00

here's what i've been up to:

- watching this all the time.

- dating this sith lord for 6 months.

- looking at old pictures of my family.

- hanging out with my family and taking current pictures.

tierra soñata por mi

2009-04-02T22:45:00.003-05:00

spain is practically ripping my heart strings across the atlantic and it's consuming my every thought.

so i'm going back.

this summer.

my lips get numb just thinking about it.

granada, te echo de menos.

dear april fool's day,

2009-04-01T07:03:00.002-05:00

i'm not a fool. and i don't like your jokes. just leave me alone and i will leave you alone, no funny business.

thank you kindly,
karlie.

i'm not kidding, i really hate april fool's day. let's see if elementary kids feel the same way, i sure hope so.

remember that time it was spring?

2009-03-28T19:01:00.003-05:00

irony, people.

more about my twitter hate.

2009-03-22T20:45:00.004-05:00

i feel that this video captures the satanic aspects of twitter quite nicely. is this REALLY all our generation can do? come on. (as i sit here blogging about it. sigh.)

"randomly bragging about your unexceptional life."

also, if you want to hear something AWESOME, go here.

top of the mornin to ya.

2009-03-16T23:10:00.003-05:00

happy st. patrick's day. mine will begin with some irish coffee and will probably end with some irish beer. however nothing in between those things will have anything to do with st. pat. but maybe i'll wear green. WHEN I AM LYING OUTSIDE IN 80 DEGREE WEATHER.

this is me, in ireland. at the guinness brewery.

also, i would love to see this: helvetica

chairs, humans, twitter, and things.

2009-03-12T22:33:00.004-05:00

once you begin to think about what i am going to say to you, you will never forget it. it will be something that will come up in your mind spontaneously for years to come. you will see new sides, get new ideas, maybe even flip flop your mind. you will think about it nine months later in ths shower. ready?

are there more chairs in the world than people? OR more people in the world than chairs?

thanks to mara, rachel, paul u., and ben - this will haunt the rest of my existence. and the world will never know. sure, ask cha cha - they have NO CLUE. it's annoying.

here's something else: i hate twitter. get a life people. no one cares that you...anything. get over yourself. (this is way harsher than i really mean. but srsly can't we come up with something else to fill our brains? it's such a fad.)

nextly (and lastly) i love florals. spring is upon my brain and i am addicted. bright colors, patterns, frilly dresses and shoes and shirts and purses and wall paper(?) and notebooks and candles.

spring break and all that it entails is welcome here. amen.

question:

2009-03-06T12:07:00.001-06:00

out of the million things i don't understand about the tv show lost, here is one question on my mind.

why does everybody speak english?!? this island is out in the middle of nowhere, not even close to the United States (right?). besides the french lady, eveyone just happens to be from the US.

weird. that's all. happy friday.

no time for a title.

2009-03-02T09:17:00.003-06:00

i need to write letters to the weekend more often, because this weekend ruled.

seeing ryan adams was a dream come true. sitting in the balcony with a perfect view of everything (including mandy moore!) was incredible. i'm willing to say that he sounds even better live than on recordings. it was amazing.

then i traveled to manhattan in the terrible weather. but after running out of a whole container of washer fluid and a quick cry, i was there and ready for fun. chipotle and the end of star wars, radina's seeing good friends, stuffing myself at hu hot, o'malleys with WONDERFUL friends, etc. and the best part was all of this was done with my best friend.

best part of the weekend was getting on the highway, deciding i didnt want to leave and turning around. i came back and went to java and played cards and laughed really hard. things are just better that way.

then on the drive home in the complete dark i had some time to reflect on life. my life is so good right now, there is nothing too hard or painful or life-changing happening. but its times like these when something life-changing is bound to happen. we are not promised an easy life, and that's what i feel like i've been living. i became so aware of our morality and how in one second life could change. it was almost crippling. i think i need to be aware that life is frail, and that when times are good i can't just settle in and get comfortable. i need to move and stretch and grow. it's going to be a hard thing to learn. but i need to do it.

anyway. here's to a good week that goes by quickly. i'm ready for friday already!

dear friday,

2009-02-25T22:45:00.003-06:00

i can't wait to see you. you are meeting me with a happy hour then ryan adams. how could i ever repay you?

also, tell the rest of the weekend i'm excited for it too.

sincerely,
nobody girl.

the wizarding world of harry potter.

2009-02-22T16:26:00.004-06:00

sometimes known to cry at harry potter previews, it's a pretty sure thing that i am obsessed with HP. books, movies, everything. and now...A THEME PARK!?

the wizarding world of harry potter is going to open in 2010 in orlando, fl. it will include a hogwarts castle, the village of hogsmeade, and the three broomstick pub.

i know i'm too old to still get excited about things like this, but oh my gosh. this will be like a dream come true. and i thought going to the great room in the library at k-state was exciting.

i will be there, opening day, ready for a butterbeer and a quidditch game.

oh hai.

2009-02-19T16:09:00.001-06:00

there are two shows on tv that i watch sometimes that are so interesting to me. i think it's because i was a psychology major and both of these shows have to do with some deception, and like 99% of psych experiments contain deception. it's so intriguing to see what people will do when they aren't aware something is going on.

the first show is called what would you do? this is a show basically about what people would do on hidden cameras. they set up situations that will basically test if people will exude helping behavior to strangers. after studying helping behavior in social psychology, my faith in humanity was not so high. however after watching this show and seeing how people will actually stand up for other people - it's restored just a little bit. some scenarios include a blind woman getting ripped off, an Arab woman being denied a purchase, etc. they interview the people afterward and ask what made them help, and it's always pretty charming.
* right now, they are making an actor look like a creepy stranger going up to children asking for help finding a lost puppy. they are looking for adults to get involved, and thank goodness people are. NOW they just did another experiment with a nice, clean looking guy. but people are STILL not letting this girl go with him. thank you human kind for not letting me down.

on a totally opposite note, there is a show called 'true beauty'. on the outside it looks like some kind of laguna beach, mtv sick show that i would never watch. BUT. they gathered up some hot people and told them that they were in a competition to become one of the hottest people. they would win a page in People magazine's 100 hottest people. so as they are primping and looking their best, they are really being judged on their inner-beauty. HOW FUNNY right? they set up situations where it seems they are doing things related to their looks, but certain people such as a loner high school kid, a homeless man, etc. come around and they see how they act towards them. most of the time they pretty much fail at being a nice, compassionate human being, but sometimes they shock you. every week they kick someone off and tell them the truth about the show and show them ALL of the ways they were a terrible person. for some reason i can't get enough of the show.

that's about all the time i have for tv, but i make it count. wheel of fortune is still number one for me though.

ch ch ch changes.

2009-02-17T12:07:00.007-06:00

if you work in an elementary school, you should probably not change your hair from blonde to dark brown. it's like headline news to these kids - everyone either comments, stares, or exclaims, "what happened to your hair?!"

here are a few quotes that really stood out during friday - the Day of Shock:

Hugo, kindergartner: "Miss Mann, are you wearing a WIG?!"

Aidyn, kindergartner: "Did you paint your hair with black paint?"

J'Nariea, kindergartner: "Where you get your hair lookin' so good?"

this is expected from kindergartners, but man some older kids need to learn some manners. when someone asks you what happened to you, it usually means they don't appreciate the change. thanks for at least pretending you like it. NOT.

sorry for the blog fail lately. it just doesn't seem to inspire me to write anything.

i'm busy. school's hard. work is time consuming but wonderful. Kids Adelante is tough but good. my weekends are usually full seeing adam. there's just not that much time.

i love rachel rianne bain. she is my favorite number today. happy birthday.

that's about it. i will leave you a picture of my new shocking look.

my heavy hopeful heart.

2009-02-12T21:57:00.005-06:00

there was a school shooting at M.E. Pearson elementary school in KCK on monday. a kid (age 14) was trying to switch gangs and his old gang came and killed him. the students at M.E. Pearson were inside, hiding with the lights out while they were being told what was going on.

hearing this i'm sure it seems far away, distant. sad, but is no more affecting than glaciers melting. i mean really, we live in a world where stuff like this goes on all the time? it's not that we don't care, but there is just so much we don't know what to do about it, so we move along.

tonight at kid's adelante (a ministry for hispanic kids in KCK) was somber. the majority of these kids go M.E. Pearson. i was met at the door with the bombardment of this news. tears in these kids' eyes explaining what happened, and that it gets worse.

tomorrow, the gang is supposed to retaliate. no one knows when or where, but the fear is there and it is real. a group of 4th grade girls i am close with don't even want to go to school tomorrow, but don't want to miss their valentines day parties. it isn't fair. they shouldn't live in fear like this.

my heart hurts for these kids. they are living this week in fear and anxiety, at the age of 10. i can't comprehend what they are going through. i came to kids adelante empty, hungry, tired. but i gave my all in prayer for these kids. i made sure not one of them left with the same fears. these kids have to know that they have a God who is fighting for them, and that there are adults who are fighting for them in prayer. i have been learning abut how powerful our prayers can be, and tonight i used it with everything i had.

God has the final word, the enemy will be silenced. i pray that he will be silenced tomorrow, and that my kids that i adore will get to love life and be filled with hope that God is faithful.

http://www.nbcactionnews.com/news/local/story/Teen-14-Dies-After-KCK-Shooting/yZEZfT7cTUuHLdfIsHaFSA.cspx

lookie here.

2009-02-05T12:12:00.003-06:00

i have a couple things to share with you. the first is this story on the today show this morning. i watch the today show everyday, and when i turned it on this morning they were talking about the same ol crap. the economy and how big businesses will never learn not to buy huge private jets. i am so tired for hearing about it. but then, then an inspiring story. watching this clip brought tears to my eyes - then once i was composed brought tears to my eyes AGAIN. it left me with watery, frozen eyes as i left for work. take a look:

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/26184891/vp/29030653#29030653

the senior who gave up his spot is amazing. he said for patrick's dream to come true, he would've done anything it takes. what a real example of love. blew me away.

the second thing i have to share is this, and there is one word for it. HILARIOUS.

it's groundhog day!

2009-02-02T21:55:00.003-06:00

oh hai.

2009 is not the year for blogging. but it is the DAY for groundhogs. but first let's clear this up. it's not groundhog's day. just groundhog day.

today is one of my favorite holidays, and coincidentally one of my favorite movies. bill murray is absolutely hilarious. quote after quote this movie is hysterical. i had one of the longest days ever* and i am still managing to watch it. it's that important people.

like look here:

Ned... Ryerson. "Needlenose Ned"? "Ned the Head"? C'mon, buddy. Case Western High. I did the whistling belly-button trick at the high school talent show? Bing! Ned Ryerson, got the shingles real bad senior year, almost didn't graduate? Bing, again! Ned Ryerson, I dated your sister Mary Pat a couple of times until you told me not to anymore?

*i got back from florida today. pictures/story to come. when i have time to catch up slash desire to blog again.

love,
50-yard-line-sitter-at-the-super-bowl.

dear blog,

2009-01-25T16:07:00.001-06:00

i'm sorry that we've become less than friends lately. i will attempt to be more involved sometime soon.
i start rockhurst tomorrow. i go to the super bowl on friday.
that's about it.

sincerely,
karlie.

let me update you.

2009-01-13T09:39:00.002-06:00

goodmorning. i would like to update you all on my life.

first of all, i have purchased 'a mom for christmas'. i found it on some shady website and bought it for $5, but it actually came and now i own it! i will treasure it forever. if you would like to watch it with me, i will watch it anytime.

my vitamin obsession is still going strong. however when paired with a complete lack of money, i am left with a few C's and some B's. maybe when i'm rich i will buy every vitamin ever. even rose hips, which i have no idea what it is but i am always interested. oh. and i bought a pill box. people, it is SO handy. it shaves hours off of my life, insteaded of constantly opening and closing bottles, i just snap open the day of the week and i'm done.

another tale from comanche:
kaiya: miss mann do you want to come to my chuck e. cheese party? you can bring your daughter.
me: i don't have a daughter.
kaiya: oh, you can bring your little boy.
me: i don't have a little boy either.
kaiya: your husband?!
me: nope, no husband.
kaiya: miss mann you're STILL not married?!

these things still inspire me. add to the list candles, spain, and cherry blossoms. and SPRING.

i got accepted to rockhust.
Master's of Education here i come.

good day to you.

just pay attention.

2009-01-08T10:52:00.007-06:00

this work week i've exuded great effort in the morning. i wake up on time, get ready efficiently and have time to sit and watch the today show while consumning my oatmeal and coffee. i leave at a comfortable time and get to work with minutes to spare. it's been a good, stress free week of mornings.

until today.

this morning went as previously mentioned. however. as i was leaving my house i ran through my mental checklist. coffee? check. lunch?* check. ID? check. good to go. i turn off the lights, make sure the door is locked (from the inside), and shut the door. as i do this i realize my car is locked, my house is locked. and my keys are inside. i whispered a quiet curse word into the cold stillness of the morning and freaked.

i call my roommate, who at 7:40 is already teaching, no answer. i call adam who i know is sleeping, but phew he answers. what do i do? no one knows. so i decide my roommate's parents house is close by, i'm sure they have a key. after walking in the bitter cold down to their house, no one is home. so i asked adam what i didn't want to have to ask; to come get me. what a great bf.

but here is the glass half full part, the silver lining if you will. as i sat on the front porch of a semi-unfamiliar family's house FREEZING, i decided this didn't matter. i would be a little late to work, i would be a little cold, but this is not life-threatening. i am alive and fine. as decide this, i look across the still, quiet street and see a huge red cardinal sitting in a bush that is just twigs. it was stunning. then i looked overhead and saw a flock of geese flying just above the tree line. it was so still and quiet that i could hear their great wings flapping. the beauty of the morning had captured me. the line from the mary oliver poem just pay attention came to mind.

if i had chosen to become worked up, frustrated and obsessed with looking at the clock i would've missed it.
but choosing peace, choosing to be in the moment, i discovered a bit of life that i wouldn't have disovered otherwise. i thank God for that. also coffee.

AMEN.

*after finally getting to work, i realized i only remembered a part of my lunch - forgetting my lean cusine has left me with a diet coke, an apple and yogurt.

so this is the new year...

2009-01-04T20:31:00.003-06:00

...and i don't feel any different.

blogging has been seriously slacking. blame it on my excess amount of time to make me too busy to blog. wait. that doesn't make much sense, but it seems true. too much time for other things.
like this:

i've enjoyed kansas city, wichita and cedar rapids. i've enjoyed movies and food and friends. i've slept less, watched wheel of fortune less, and worked less. all in all it's been fun.

tomorrow i go back to work, back to the real world, back to THIS.

something i learned at church today:
every gift you have is a spiritual gift.

amen.

a limousine and a piz-za.

2008-12-29T21:10:00.006-06:00

christmas was wonderful. it really is better to give than to receive. unless its receiving a book about patricia the sheep.

i went to iowa with madam pooper.
this is how i felt about most of the car ride:

but i had so much fun for all of the trip. i was actually having fun in these photos too.

hey, thanks to everyone for the advice on seeing slumdog millionaire. i went, i saw, i loved.

i've nothing more to say.
amen.

what a day.

2008-12-15T19:36:00.003-06:00

this morning i woke up and turned on the today show as usual...only to find that our good ol prez gw bush was almost pelted down with shoes. he was on his last visit to iraq when, in a press conference, some guy got away with throwing not one but both of his shoes at georgey porgey. hello, does he not have secret service to dive in front of him or something?

g dubs just laughs it off and says "so what if a reporter threw his shoe at me?" (i like to imagine that in a really mob-like accent.)

in other news, carl peterson decided enough was enough - he's saying goodbye to the chiefs. don't let the door hit you on the way out carl. we won't miss you.

a mom for christmas.

2008-12-10T20:33:00.002-06:00

steamed egg nog. who woulda thought? such a delicious treat. i miss going to coffee shops to see people i know working. thank goodness my brother is employed at homer's and can supply me with his free drink coupons.

so i used to watch this movie when i was little called a mom for christmas. it stars olivia newton john (but like i cared when i was seven). this movie was SO GOOD. we recorded it on VHS and i watched it so much the tape wore out. gradually as i got older, i forgot about the movie and the magic it held until LAST YEAR they played it on abc family. oh heavenly day! i got to rekindle my love for this mannequin-come-to-life movie. and usually childhood movies turn into one huge disappointment when you watch them again (i.e. the never ending story), but a mom for christmas just got better with age.

tonight while remembering my love once again for this movie, i decided to look it up online to buy for super cheap, just like the hanson christmas cd i bought for $.75.

the cheapest price was $40. FORTY DOLLARS. are you serious? half.com, ebay, amazon - nothing less than two andrew jacksons + shipping. i was so upset. how can they do this to me.

on top of that it's not coming on abc family this year. what will i do?

so i am begging you, if anyone out there owns a mom for christmas, please tell me. and let me have it. it will be the best thing you could get me. sort of.

.

2008-12-07T22:30:00.009-06:00

tales from comanche.

2008-12-03T14:43:00.004-06:00

"my chips are lapped" -aidyn, kindergartner. (my lips are chapped)

"how much do you like about it?" -kaiya, kindergartner.

me: "joey, you're in this group because you're smart. don't you want to be smart?"
joey: "not really"
(joey-with-a-mullet once ran square into a door and has also tied his shoe to his desk.)

anna: "i have a mexican on my tummy"
me: "um, what? how about you show me what you mean."
(go into the bathroom, she lifts up her shirt to show me a tiny little birth mark.)
anna: "see, i'm half mexican!"
(anna is completely white.)

my heart is in this job. these run ins are a definite perk.

ESPERAR.

2008-12-02T14:37:00.002-06:00

"Active waiting means to be present fully to the moment, in the conviction that something is happening where you are and that you want to be present to it. A waiting person is someone who is present to the moment, who believes that this moment is the moment."
- Nouwen

hope is a word that is deeply rooted in my heart. when i think about the word hope i become hopeful immediately. i love the idea of the word meaning to wait - not like in english when we say "i hope i win the lottery". the way we use hope means to wish. but it is so much deeper than that. it's to expect something to occur, and to wait on it.

in spanish, the word for hope is esperar; meaning both to wish and to wait.

this waiting is so important in the season of advent. it's so important to us. it's so important to God.

oh israel, HOPE in the lord.

a new posture.

2008-11-28T12:05:00.002-06:00

this season i have been inspired for change. not the change that comes from a new president and his cabinet; but real change. the kind of change Jesus brought when he turned reality upside down. He is constantly calling us into an alternate reality. a call to announce Jesus is lord in our hearts; not caesar.

yesterday my family drove to downtown kansas city to serve the homeless at hope faith. i've never felt more alive. walking in to a place i served all summer, it felt like home. a home i hadn't been to in so long. but i was welcomed back with open arms and blessings. my friend Roy gave me a deep smile from his eyes as he remembered i'd come to his bible study. he told me how good God is. i see more of Jesus in Roy's eyes than i've seen in a long time. my heart filled with so much joy and love for this man; poor but content. CONTENT. this man has his treasure in heaven, and i am so thankful how God chooses to reveal himself. not in the proud and intellegent; but in the lowly and humble.

from this experience i gather strength to enter into the season of advent. a season the world tells us is for consumerism and frustration. instead my posture will be of service. giving time and making gifts. and i tell you what, there is nothing the enemy wants more than for me to give up and go out and buy buy buy. target ads, cute clothes, presents that would be easy to get and check off my list. it's all there; all the time.

i am learning everyday how it is better to give than receive. the emptiness that comes from a holiday season of stress and frustration is not what i want this year. i am putting my time and effort into sincere gifts from the heart. it's a lot harder than i thought, but so good.

i encourage you to give. love. help. serve. conspire.

amen.

god put a smile upon your face.

2008-11-23T22:45:00.003-06:00

my weekend was nothing short of great for so many reasons. this includes but is not limited to:

1. friday night in (wheel, once, blue moon, chipotle)
2. cleaning my house from top to bottom.
3. sleeping in.
4. unexpectedly seeing the bf.
5. unexpectedly receiving a hilarious note from the paper delivery boy.
6. wonderful church.
7. pumpkin trail mix from target.

AND this. the amazing instrumental song WITH LYRICS. be patient, they happen towards the end.

coldplay is coming out with a semi-cd of songs that didn't make it on viva la vida. so far the two songs i've heard are amazing. the rest come out tuesday on prospekts march.

whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.

amen.

words to build a life on.

2008-11-19T20:45:00.001-06:00

hope-faith ministry is an amazing place.

vitamins.

2008-11-14T12:39:00.002-06:00

my name is karlie mann and i am addicted to vitamins.

i have never really taken vitamins regularly before (excluding my youth when i ate flintstone vitamins like they were candy) but recently, i have become nothing less than obsessed.

it started with vitamin c to kick a cold, and as i stared down the isle of vitamins i couldn't help myself. A,B,C,D,E, fish oil!? i settled for a multivitamin that solved everything. a quick pill that would give me everything i need.

until i read an article on cnn.com about the vitamins doctors take. their list always started with a multivitamin, but there were three or four vitamins on top of that that were highly recommended. B vitamins for metabolism boost, vitamin D for just about everything, iron, folic acid, fish oil, etc. so apparently the multivitamin is not so multi.

after reading up i decided to take a multivitamin, vitamins A, C, and D, and a B complex. but I WANT MORE.

truth be told, my body probably doesn't have a deficiency of any of those vitamins, so i will just flush them all out*, but you just never know. one doctor said taking vitamins is like having insurance. you might need it, you might not, but everyone has it just in case.

once i start using a pill box with the days on it, someone stop me.

*B complex vitamin makes you excrete blindingly neon yellow urine, in case you are interested.

what is love.

2008-11-10T21:38:00.003-06:00

life just seems unusually bright lately. even though the weather is cold and dreary, it seems like the Lord is showing himself faithful over and over. he's warming my heart and making me feel. i finally feel inspired again.

it must be november sizzler. the past few novembers i've gotten extremely sick. be it bronchitis, sinus infections, mono, or even pneumonia - november has never been on my side. except when bryce avery rode in the same car with me after using the bathroom at taco bell.

but this november is looking bright. especially when i see this commercial:

who would've thought eating mcribs would be cute? but it is.

my principal told me i am a natural teacher today.
affirmations mean a lot.