Ghost Adventures

Ghosts. Real or fake? I believe in them. I've been watching Ghost Adventures wayyy too much lately, and honestly most of them haven't been too freaky. Tonight though, I watched one that was really scary, and I had to stop watching episodes. I don't completely understand them, and I don't see how they can die & not go directly to Heaven or Hell, but I believe they are here.

I think I started believing when my mom, brother, and I moved into our 'new house'. It is a rental, and people lived in it before. I don't know who lived in there, or how many people had lived in it before, but I know I saw and heard things. I'm not crazy, and I know I didn't just 'hear' & 'see' things that weren't real.

One day, I was taking a shower in my bathroom, and I heard someone bang on the other side of the shower. I figured it was just my mom trying to get my attention and tell me to hurry up and get out of the shower. I finished up and got out as quickly as possible and then went to her room to ask her what she wanted. When I got in there, I realized that no one was even on that side of the house. I ran out to the kitchen and asked who knocked on the wall, and my mom and brother both said 'I thought that was you'.  That was just experience #1. Many other things happened. Another day, I was out in the kitchen cooking dinner after school, and I was the only one home. I heard the same noise coming from the same spot.

I heard things at night while I was sleeping in my room. I got so scared that I wouldn't go to sleep unless I had the christian music channel on all night on my t.v. Eventually, I opened my bible and set it up on my dresser. From that day on, I didn't hear or see anything.

When I got to college a year later, my roommate (Jordan) and I met V. He was our friendly ghost. He lived in Jordan's closet. He watched me sleep, and talked to Jordan. He cried in her closet, scratched the back of my chair, and talked to us through the Ouija Board. No one told me before using it, that the use of a ouija board was unsafe, so after someone finally told me, I freaked out and decided not to use it again. Luckily, Jordan bought it, and I didn't have to take it home. (sorry Jordan. :P)

Anyways, I wish I had enough people following/reading my blog to answer my questions. I want to know who believes in ghosts, and I want to hear what people have to say about it. I've heard plenty of people say that there is no way they can be real, and I've heard many people say they are definitely real.

- Katie

6/27/2010

My senior year of high school, I signed up for AP Chemistry, but they didn't have enough people sign up for it, so they stuck me in Biology II with a lot of juniors and a couple of seniors. To be honest, I hated the class at first because I didn't really like the people who were in there. Eventually, I realized I was just being a jerk & people can change, so I started talking to other people around me. Our teacher, Mrs. VanderHoek was probably my favorite teacher EVER. She always gave us group work, and at first I only worked with the people who sat right around me so that I wouldn't have to talk to other people..haha. Eventually, I got up and started talking to other people. One of them was Ashley, she was also a senior, and we'd known each other since like, middle school. She sat next to this girl named Whitney. Whitney seemed quiet and reserved, until you got her really talking. She was someone who laughed obnoxiously because she REALLY thought something was funny. She was someone you can't HELP but be happy around because she was always smiling.

The week after prom, Mrs. VanderHoek called Whitney out in class and said she had been dancing provocatively at prom. Whitney giggled and said that's how everyone dances at prom. This being said, just to show that Whitney was someone who was caring and happy, but could have fun.

*****

Today, one year ago, I was asleep in Morgan's bed. She woke up to a text and woke me up freaking out. She was upset and saying that Neil Morgan had been in a car accident the night before and he was in the ICU. Everyone was texting everyone and no one really knew anything. I told her to just go take a shower, and I went back to sleep for a little bit. I didn't want to have to think about everything. I didn't really know him, but I knew of him, and our school isn't so big...so it kinda hurt anyways.

When Morgan got out of the shower, I got up to brush my teeth. When I got back in the room, she was sitting on her laptop facing the door crying. I asked her what was wrong, and all she could do was point to the screen and say 'She's gone. I will never get to talk to her again.' I looked at the screen to see Whitney Newman pulled up on facebook.

They were in the wreck together. Neil was in the ICU and Whitney died on impact. Robbie, the driver, was the only one sober. Neil was goofing around in the car, and accidentally hit the steering wheel, sending the car into an uncontrollable frenzy. This goes to show that even if you think you are making the right decision, you need to STILL be careful. Our county has gone through so much this past year. We've had MANY other wrecks, including mine, one with another guy who passed away in Whitney & Neil's class, and another with 3 juniors. Valerie, Becca (?), and Logan. I didn't really know any of them, I knew Valerie the most...she lived like, 5 houses down from me, but Valerie & Becca are out of the hospital. Logan is still in a coma, and I believe its around day 45 for him.

Its hard, and Effingham has come together a lot to pray for him. Each wreck, we have hoped the person lived, and we have prayed & prayed for the victims. Now, we realize all we can do is drive safe, and keep praying for Logan. As Mrs. VanderHoek always said at then end of every class - The decisions you make today will affect you for the rest of your life so be safe in your adventures and choose wisely!  (I didn't forget. :))

- Katie

Goodwill & Sewing!

Today, Lisa moved Alissa's stuff out of this room Kaitlyn and I are now sharing, so I wanted some of my own furniture to hold my stuff. We ended up going to Goodwill and I found a wallet and a dresser!

Here's the wallet (brand new from Old Navy): $3.99

Here's the dresser: $24.99

Also, I started that sewing today...hahaha, and I found my dad's mom's sewing kit from the 70s! So, I am using her stuff until mine is flown to Washington. :)

Beach tomorrow, so I am gonna get some rest..or not. I'll probably end up just watching Glee. 

- Katie

GA Homies. :)

I've been on my little blogging kick lately, so I am sorry I'm posting so much. :P I wanted to take the time to write about all my friends because I know I love when someone has something to say about me, so I want to return the favor. (Sara...this is because of you! haha)

1. Sara Warren - I hate that we had that stupid fight at the end of the year, it ruined so much of our last time together at school. I know its partly my fault because I refused to make up, but I want you to know that I hate how it happened. I'm SO glad we are best friends again, because I need  you. lol You are someone I can tell anything to, and I know you will keep it to yourself and give me advice on it if I need it. I know that you are someone who is not going to just drop our friendship because I am leaving, and I know that it will NOT be awkward to come back and hang out after not seeing each other for a while. I loved the day we hung out at the mall over the summer because we acted the exact same as we did before anything happened. I love you Sara! :)

2. Morgan Zipperer - Cousins or not, you are one of my best friends. Our friendship is a lot harder than other people's because if we get in a fight, we HAVE to just get over it. I'm glad we figured that out early because I tell you EVERYTHING. Things that I can't tell other people because they just don't know the background to our family...:P You are so much fun to hang out with, and I don't want you to stop talking to me while I'm gone! We have so many frieken inside jokes, and I am already missing you because I'll say them sometimes...and no one knows what I'm talkin about. :/ (They have a cat named Baby, and I think about that 'goofy way' you say baby...haha. I don't care what you say, you DO say it funny. ;)) I love you, and I cannot wait until the day you are able to fly up here and visit! :)

3. Jordan Ford - Kat n Jo-ann, Kat n Jo-ann...to the rescueeee! I am going through JordanWithdrawals and its the hardest thing in the world. I miss living with you, and I miss telling you my entire day (and listening to yours of course). Its hard to know that we will never be roommates again. :( You have to keep me updated on life...since I know like, all of yours. haha I want to know how VSU is going and I wanna know about dem boys. ;) You gotta tell me what its like living in Hopper too! Honestly, I think I will miss going to Hopper with you at 3 am & screaming as loud as we can...LOL I was going through my videos on Photobooth yesterday, and I found all of our stupid wreck videos. There were those that too dumb to even put in our bloopers, and I laughed so much! I miss you and I can't wait to hang out when I come back in September. I love you Jordan!

4. Hannah Cooke - We have been through a lot of different things the past couple of years. We were best friends, and then we got in a huge fight, and then we were friends again, and then we were best friends again, and now, I feel like we are pulling apart again. I hope thats not how it happens, because I love you and I still wanna be best friends! Message me sometime, you said you had questions to ask. I want to know how everything works out with school and with Mr. Austin! ;) I love you, and I can't wait to see you when I come back for a week, so save me a day! :)

5. Zeta Tau - Sorry y'all, but I have to group you up...there are so many of you. :) 9 P.O.I - I am so lucky to have you all, I thank you for everything you went through with me, and for everything you let me go through with you. Everyone - I am going to miss you all so much. I think its the hardest for me to leave because I know I will be leaving y'all. Its hard for me to leave my friends, but its nothin' like losin' your sisters. I hope you guys don't forget about me, and i can't wait to come visit and see those new initiates when I come back. ;)

I am going to miss a bunch of people, but this is the last time I'll say anything about it on my blog. :) Don't worry, I will not babble on anymore, I just wanted to get that out so I felt better about it.

- Katie

Apartment for Two

Kaleb and I have decided to move up here so we can start our life together (and so I can live close to my dad for once...), but me and Daddy went to Ikea today to look at their beds, and I found some stuff I really like. I want to get thissssss stuff for mine and Kaleb's apartment (when we actually get it. :))


The bed I want is on the left and the right picture is the bedding I really like. (The bedding is from Target though.)

On the left is the wardrobe I want (except it would match the bed & dressers), and the dresser is on the right. 

 Here is the night stand that I want for each side of the bed!

On the left is the couch (there is also a matching love seat) & on the right is the rug (from Target) I want for the living room.

On the left is the coffee table & on the right is the end tables. 

I hope it all matches, I'm not really sure about that rug or the color of the living room furniture, it all depends on Kaleb...but I have a vision. ;) 

- Katie

And life keeps on going...

Even though I feel like I can just take a nice little break from life and leave Georgia, I do realize that everything is going to continue without me there. My friends are going to begin to shy away because I am not there anymore and I am going to feel disconnected because I won't be involved in anything anymore. I know that, but I also know that those couple true friends I have will still care. They will call me and ask how things are going, and they will want to hang out when I come back.

Since I will be 3000 miles away from my school, I will only be taking online courses. These courses are only going to be core, so I will also fall even more behind in my major (I'm already a year behind). As soon as I have enough credits to transfer as a transfer student and not a freshman though, I will definitely do that. Hopefully to UW!

I have been growing out my hair for like, 3 months now. Its been VERY hard considering the fact that I usually have no hair almost. haha First picture is now, second picture is from before and what I really want again!

I thought I could let it grow out long again, but it is just so hard. I get tired of styling it and drying it. When its short, I can just towel dry, run a hair dryer through it for like, 3 minutes...and I'm done. No straightening, no clipping up, nothin. Perfect hair. :) haha 

Tomorrow is house cleaning day because Daddy will have the car at work all day, but we are going to the beach again on Monday. I'm excited because I'm getting verrrrrry white. Like, more than usual which is already pretty bad. Ha! Yesterday, we went to the Tacoma mall since its got the H&M that I'm applying to and we just looked around. I also made a list of other stores I could apply to if I don't end up getting the job. Anyways, on the way there, we stopped by Target and picked up The Sims Medieval game. Its SO hard! You can't build houses, and the game is pretty much the same every time you play it. You know how usually you can make different careers and different people with different traits and all? Well on this one, you can give the people different traits, and that's about it. Everything is already kind of 'planned' through quests. Its weird. If you plan on buying it, I would wait to see if you could get it on sale somewhere...or just cheaper in general. I advise you NOT to pay $50 dollars for it.

I've decided to pick up my old hobby of... DUH DUH DUH... sewing. haha We will see how that works out. I asked Kaitlyn if I could use some clothes that don't really fit her to try it out on. I'm gonna try to resize some of her old clothes so that she can still wear them, or at least make them new like Disney at Ruffles and Stuff does. She has inspired me. :P 

- Katie

Its 4:30 here & 7:30 there.

Its been a while. Since last time I wrote, I went to Ashley graduation, got a kitten, went to Forks, WA & Leavenworth, WA and went to a beach here.

Ashley graduation was kind of weird...we really didn't know each other. I'm glad we've talked more though because she is pretty cool and it would have REALLY been weird if every time she came around we just stared at each other. phaha.

My kitten's name is Marley. The story behind it? She was super chill when we got her (not anymore though...hahaha) and I was like, well Bob Marley had to be chill 'cause he smoked weed, so I named her Marley...after Bob Marley. She's the absolute cutest thing in the entire freakin world. She's like, 5 pounds and fits in my hand. Tomorrow she will be 7 weeks old (and Ashley will be 18!). I was kind of nervous about taking her from her mom that early, but she seems fine. She eats hard food, and used the kitty litter box perfectly!

Forks was different. If you didn't know, they didn't film most of Twilight in Forks. They filmed most of it in Oregon, and the bare minimum in Forks. The only thing that was really in Forks that was also in the movie was the 'Forks High School, Home of the Spartans' sign in front of the high school. It was weird, but I'm still glad we were able to go!

I think Leavenworth was my favorite trip :) We stayed at a KOA in a little log cabin. Leavenworth is a little German-like town. They have restaurants, shops, and everything else. The shops are not just normal brick buildings though. Everything (and I mean everything...including Starbucks & Mcdonald's) is in the same Bavarian style. A picture of the 'town' is on the left, and a picture of the inside of our cabin is on the right.

I've decided I am moving to Washington. I was a little worried at first because I didn't want to just leave Kaleb behind, but he agreed to move up here and try it for a little while with me. I don't know if this is going to be permanent or temporary, but we will see how it all pans out. For now, I just know I can't wait to see my boyfriend. I have to wait 3 months! I am going home in the middle of September so we can pack all of our stuff, and so he can have a 21st birthday party! Then we are moving up here. 

Things are SO much different in Washington than they are in Georgia. Its going to be quite difficult to go back! haha There is absolutely no humidity here, the weather is always 30-40 degrees cooler, and its all big-city. There is no country here. My dad's front and backyard put together is like, half of my mom's front yard in GA, and even SHE has a small yard. Its just...different. I'm not complaining though, I love it here, and I think it will be good to get away from Effingham/GA for a while. 

People are sometimes so closed minded, but the way I see it: I am getting to experience new things & make new friends. I'd never met my stepmom & stepsisters before I visited up here this summer, so that's already 3 new people I got to meet. I can't even list all the other people, but I absolutely love being here. I am definitely already missing  my friends, and especially my SISTERS. Its hard here without them, and I wish there was at least a chapter close so that I could bond with them, but I don't think there are any chapters that are near here...so I will just suffer. :) 

I can't wait to go back and see everyone, but for now...I'm enjoying being on the West Coast. I'm still trying to get adjusted to the time change, and the tv channels. I'm trying to get used to having sisters and no brother here, and I'm trying to get used to the kitties (we don't have any back at home). Its different...that's all I can say, but I like change.

- Katie

Washington Part Dos.

I had my first experience with Jack in The Box today. It was really good, but they forgot to give me half my meal...haha, oh well. It rained for the first time since I've been here, and its freaking FREEZING. I've got on socks, pants, and a jacket...and its June. What the heck? Just last week I was asking Kaleb to borrow his fan because I couldn't fall asleep since it was so hot!

I have to say, I'm loving the family here though. Its kind of weird since I have stepsisters...but I don't really know them, so they're kinda like people I've never met that I am kind of related to? I don't know. Its cool though. Kaitlyn is so young, I kind of forget she is still in the questions stage. I like how they do everything together, especially meals. I think I'm starting to like cats...something must be in the water.

Oh my gosh, I just have to throw this out there - we went to Denny's yesterday for lunch, and I had the Slamburger or something like that. It had the burger with hashbrowns, bacon, egg, and cheese sauce. It was SO good. So, you should go try it.

I've only been here like, 2 days or something and my room is already getting messy, so I'm going to go clean.

- Katie

Washingtonnnnn :)

So, this trip has already been hectic.

I was supposed to fly out of Jacksonville Airport at 4:30 pm on Saturday. Instead, we flew out at 5:30 or so. When we got to Chicago, we didn't even pull up to a gate...we just sat there on the plane for like 30 minutes. Because of that, I missed my connecting flight. (It was originally at 7:40, but ended up moving to 8:30 or so because of a ground hold at Chicago Airport.) When I missed my flight, I tried to get onto the last one flying out to Seattle that night, but it was completely booked. I ended up having to spend a night in Chicago alllll alone. I was just going to sleep in the airport, but Daddy & Lisa wouldn't let me, so I stayed in the airport hotel.

I ended up taking a flight to Minnesota at 6:30 the next morning, and then had an 9:20 flight to Seattle after that! Once I got to Seattle, it took me forever to figure out where to go, and once I FINALLY found the family, we had to look for my bag (since I'd missed my original flight I had no clue where it was). American Airlines/Alaska Airlines SUCKS, so don't ever fly with them! After a lot of waiting and asking around, we finally found my bag, so we grabbed it and went home!

Today, we went to Mount St. Helens. It was so amazing. The view was so pretty, and there was still snow everywhere! The waterfalls from the melting snow were frieken amazing. I took so many pictures, I don't even know what to do with them. :P Tomorrow's pretty much a chill day I think. We are going to the mall to get Lisa an outfit for Ashley's graduation, and then Kaitlyn has a chorus concert (exciting! haha), but that's about it. I'm happy though, because I think my body is still getting used to going to sleep/waking up 3 hours later than normal! :P

Its 1:00 am here (4:00 am at home), so I think I'm gonna try to go to sleep now. :P

- Katie

NYC

Friday, May 27, 2011: We got on the bus at 5:30 and left for Orlando International Airport at 6:00 am! It was about a 4 hour drive, and once we got there, we had to check in, check our bags, eat lunch, and go through security for our 12:00 flight.

After arriving at LaGuardia airport in New York, we got our bags, and headed out to another charter bus to make our way to the hotel. Our 5 mile trip to the hotel took 30 minutes. CRAZY, hunh? We ate at Bricco's the first night, and it was ABSOLUTELY amazing! Seriously. I had this penne pasta dish with red sauce and cubes of mozzarella cheese. Tiramasu and a cup of coffee was for dessert, and it was amazing! After dinner, my group of 3 headed out to see Times Square. We got tons of pictures, and saw lots of people with questionable outfits!

Saturday, May 28, 2011: I woke up at 6:30 am and got ready for rehearsal, which started at 9 am. I found out that day that we were paying $23 a day for breakfast (but only the cold food...not the warm scrambled eggs with cheese or the nice warm french toast sitting right next to the cereal). Our rehearsal lasted from 9:00 - 12:30 pm. We rehearsed in the Alvin Ailey Dance Studio! How awesome? :) After it ended, we went to Bubba Gump in Times Square for lunch. I found it kind of funny that the waitress had trouble understanding something I said. :P I also rode the subway for the first time that day. Later on, we bought tickets for Phantom of the Opera on broadway, then wondered around Central Park for a while. After Central Park, we went to our show, which was AMAZING!!! Like, beyond words amazing. I found out that New York tax is 9%...when it applies. They only charge tax on certain things. 

Sunday, May 29, 2011: I woke up at 7 am and got ready to go downtown to SoHo. After getting ready, I found out that the people I was going with weren't ready yet, so I waited on them, and then we left. We ended up not going to SoHo, but we went to Ground Zero & Wall Street. I thought it was all pretty cool. They are now building 'Freedom Tower' and a memorial over Ground Zero. 

After we visited Wall Street, we headed back to the hotel since we had to be at rehearsal at 3 pm. Rehearsal was better on Sunday. After rehearsal, we went to the Empire state building. We waited in line for like, an hour or more. It was ridiculous, but the view was amazing, so I guess that makes up for the wait. :) 

Monday, May 30, 2011: In the morning, my group and I went to Ellis & Liberty Island. After that, it was time to head back to the hotel & get ready for dress rehearsal. We rehearsed in Lincoln Center where we performed, and then a couple hours later, we made our way back and performed in Alice Tully Hall. It was pretty cool. Afterwards, we went to a place called Providence for our dinner reception. It was probably one of the best parts of the trip. There was also a 'night club' downstairs that everyone went to after dinner. :P 

Tuesday, May 31, 2011: We just got up in the morning and finished packing up. We left for home around 12:30 and got back to V-town somewhere around 8! 

That was our whole trip, and it took me like 5 tries to write this blog...so I will probably go back and edit it with more things that I remember. :P

- Katie