hoppppy easter!

hoppy easter every bunny!

aren't overused puns the greatest??

isn't easter the greatest?

today was the kind of day that makes me want to kiss babies and write songs and do cartwheels and happy stuff like that. the gospel is so true and the love that Jesus has for me, and for all of his children for that matter, has become so apparent in my life the last couple of weeks. God is so good. 

and on that note, if you haven't seen it already, here is a video of an adorable little girl singing about 

Christ's atonement. just watch it, you won't regret it i promise. it's literally impossible to get through it without smiling or getting the chills or crying or all of the above.

i hope everyone had a great easter full of love and family and processed chocolate<3 love, katie jane

VALLEY OF FIRE

 today we took a spontaneous trip to the valley of fire!! and yes, it is as majestic as it sounds.

but due to the fact that we are on easter break right now, i don't really feel like writing about it, because, well, my brain is on vacation and typing takes brainpower. anyway, so here is our trip in a plethora of red-rock-filled pictures. if a picture says a thousand words, then technically this post is over 25,000 words and i am killlling the game. woot. enjoy!

powell squad LOL

hiking aftermath^^

i swear there was more sand in my shoe than actual foot.

happy hiker :-)

mk is a natural at posing with rock formations

my dad is hardcore pt. 1

my dad is hardcore pt. 2

my dad is hardcore pt. 3

i told you she is good at posing with rock formations!!

look @ my cute parents <3

oh hey cute mom

that texture tho

i wanted to bring home this plant to my room

BYE BYE

kp

you're gonna miss this

when life gets a little bumpy sometimes i have the tendency to just wish away my situation.

when teenagers get all uptight and judgmental i wish that i could rewind to 10 years ago when social status was solely based off of how short your pencil was… 

and other times when girls go insane i wish i could fast forward 10 years to when the only drama i'll have to deal with is convincing my 5 year old to wear pants to school instead of a tutu.

however, my future is extremely imitate, and frankly, that is terrifying.
so recently, i have become so so grateful for this beautiful phase of my life, however bumpy it is. i've started to realize how much i am going to miss high school and all the familiar comforts of living at home.  even the boring saturday nights spent trying to decide what to do no longer seem like "failures" to me anymore because of their approaching extinction.
i've started to realize how amazing the people in my life are and how much i am going to miss them. i am going to miss my parent's anxious love and the way my little sister belts in the shower.  i am going to miss my go-to girls and texting lyrics in all caps. i'm going to miss coming home to a full fridge on mondays and doing "hoodrat shiz" with my friends on saturday nights. bonfires in warner valley. ditching assemblies for mini ice cream cones at mcdonalds.  showing up to games an hour early to get a good seat in the student section. pulling in to the parking lot with your music blasting and your friends doing ridiculous dance moves in the back seat. the risk of parking in faculty. punching your nearest homie at the sight of a yellow car. dancing in the kitchen while you clean up dinner. slushy runs and soccer games. hiking "the D." staying long after school is over just to catch up with friends. getting your mind blown in physics. waking up at the crack of dawn to go to the gym with your gym-buddies. sharing clothes with your sister. the pride of running the aux cord. roasting your friend in the group message. first kiss stories. waffle wednesdays. caving. promposals.

all too familiar, yet gone all too soon.

as one of my favorite songs often warns me
"you're gonna miss this, you're gonna want this back, you're gonna wish these days, hadn't gone by so fast. these are some good times, so take a good look around, you may not know it now, but your gonna miss this."

you're right, trace adkins, i really really am gonna miss this.
but i don't have to worry about that right now, because right now, i get to live this.
life is so cool!

much love,
kjp

happy 14th, babygirl

My baby sister turned 14 yesterday!!! 

Although, unfortunately she's not very baby anymore :,( 

Anna used to be the most gullible child and the perfect accomplice to all the schemes that I would think up. Not to mention, me and my brother, Ben, really got a kick out of convincing her she was colorblind and adopted and stuff. HAHA. Sorry Anna!! But now you're getting older and it's getting harder and harder for me to convince you to do stuff (like for example do a photoshoot in a blizzard), which, personally, is really disappointing, but shoutout to you for being independent and growing up and all that jazz!

When I turned 14, my witty grandma powell wrote me a cute little poem that describes the age perfectly:

Imagine being just fourteen.

The year that is betwixt/between.

Wanting to be cuddled tight,

But knowing that it's just not right.

Wanting Mom still in the rear,

But hoping soon she'll disappear.

Holding to security of home,

But thinking it's okay to roam.

Leaving behind all dolls and toys,

Wanting time to flirt with boys.

Stay close by if I need a loan,

But I know I need a budget of my own.

Mom and Dad don't shed big tears,

But you come in second to my peers.

I need to try some things new,

Maybe bend a rule or two.

Here's to hoping folks can plainly see,

Just how grown up I've come to be.

As I go from child to adult,

It's sure to have a good result.

I know as the year goes by,

I'll daily change and here is why.

Because i'm turing to fourteen,

It is the year betwixt/between.

All year long it is a must.

Stand back all and please adjust.

-Mary Helen Powell

isn't my grandma a poem wizard?? i love that lady

happy birthday babygirl!!

ctr & watch for cars!!

<3

katie

SEVENTEEEEEEN (38)

HEY IT'S ME KATIE A 17 YR OLD. NO BIG DEAL.

actually ya, its a big deal.

because THAT IS SO OLD.

like remember when you were a kid and someone told you they were 17 and you were like
WOAH. RESPECT.

except kids still don't respect me... maybe i need to stop acting like a child haha.

anyway.

today was a great day to turn 17. 

80 degrees, slightly cloudy, with a chance of love and presents:-)

the day was spent reminding people it's my birthday and eating sugar with people i love<3

giving my birthday cake major side eye. it was goooood.

my little sister covered my room in balloons with really cute pictures of me on them<3

my grandma powell came for dinner!! she is so funny i love her.

oh hey (really close up) me. you're 17 now!!

 my mom is a master of cakes

now that i am one year older and wiser too, it is interesting to look back on my 16th year of life and think about what i would have done differently and how certain things played out. i can easily say that this past year has been theeee hardest year of my life. i did have some really high highs, but those didn't come without facing the lowest of lows. 

but when it really comes down to it, i wouldn't change a thing. OMG DID I JUST SAY THAT!!? 

yes. i did. 

because all of the experiences (the bad ones too, may i remind you) have brought me to where i am now. and i LOVE where i am at right now. i have good friends and family and hobbies that i am passionate about. i can genuinely say life is good. don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean i'm content. there are so many things i want to do with my life and i am so excited to keep learning and improving throughout my 17th year of mortality.

thanks for the good times my sweetie 16.

LETS DOOOO THIS 17.

<3

kjp

MEET THE MADSENS

this past week my grandma and grandpa madsen got home from their mission (see video of course) and the weekend that followed was filled with the beautiful chaos that extended family brings:-)

and now for exhibit b-z of my crazy family (that i love sososo much):

he's like 2 and can already make a basket. wut. i mean look at that follow through. flawless.

can we appreciate the chaos in this picture?^^   i love this crazy family of mine. kp