Katie Reads {2}

Summer!  Summer is for reading! I am sooooo excited to have a bit more free time and reasons to dive in and finish the (ahem) stack of unread books that have collected through the school year.  But before I do that, I should probably post some books I've read over the last couple of months.  (And here's my last Katie Reads post.) Sorry, this list is fiction heavy, but at the end of the school year I just couldn't buckle down and wrap up the few non fiction books I'm currently in the middle of. :)

(FYI- the links for the books are Amazon Affiliate links.  That means that if you click through and purchase something, I will receive a small percentage at no cost to you.  I will gratefully use it, probably to stock up on more books! :) )

Since I would rather be reading than writing long book reviews, I'll give you a grade and a quick run down.  Totally just my opinion based on what I like to read.  I'd love to hear your thoughts on these books or suggestions of what I should read next in the comments!

While You Were Mine , Ann Howard Creeel {B} (not pictured above- read through Kindle )

• I read this book from Kindle First and it was exactly what I needed during a busy weekend- a light, simple story.  It's not deep, thought provoking literature, and that is ok.
• Synopsis- New York during WW2, main character finds herself raising her roommate's abandoned baby.  Just as she seems to have everything sorted out, the war ends and the baby's soldier father shows up. Cue drama & love story.
• After reading this, I discovered that the author also wrote  The Magic of Ordinary Days, which is one of my favorite Hallmark Gold Crown Movies (also about WW2, a baby, and a marriage of convenience, coincidentally).
• If you like the WW2 era and are looking for a light, easy read, this book is for you.

The Moment is Now, Lisa Marie Hunt {B+} (not pictured above- read through Kindle)

• I think the subtitle tells the story- Do More Than Just Survive Your Single Years, Practical Tips to Live Them for God's Glory
• I don't blog much about the struggles of singleness (whomp, whomp), but this book is worth sharing.  It was floating around on social media one day for $.99, so I thought I'd give it a try and I'm glad I did.  It's a short read that was easy to get through, but will also be great to go back and reference as needed.
• The author and I have had so many common experiences that it was uncanny.  It was good to read about the honest struggles and successes of someone else who has been there.  
• Her practical tips for for thriving are actually just good, honest guidelines for the path to holiness.
• The thing that stuck with me the most from her book was a point that I have often felt but have never articulated or read anywhere else.  She tells a story of a personal friend who struggles with infertility and how the "parallel lives" they lead allow them to support and challenge one another.  This kinship of longing between single women desiring marriage and married women desiring children can form strong bonds and intentional formation.
• If you are a single Christian woman, or not a single Christian woman, this book is for you.  Seriously, it is about how the desires of our hearts can and should point us to Christ, so it is for anyone!

Ella, Jessilyn Stewart Peaslee {A-} (not pictured above- read through Kindle)

• One great reason to teach middle school?  No excuses necessary for getting to read Young Adult Fiction. :) 
• I loved this sweet, but original Cinderella retelling.  If you enjoyed the beauty of Disney's live action Cinderella or the unlikely heroine of Gail Carson Levine's Ella Enchanted (the book, for goodness sake, NOT the movie!), then you will love this Ella too.
• Definite Christian themes of forgiveness, truth, femininity, faithfulness, and charity that are prime for discussion with a preteen girl.
• If you (or your daughter) like fairy tale retellings and stories about virtue shining in dark circumstances, this book is for you.

Emma, Jane Austen {A+}

• I mean, it's Austen.  
• Emma is my favorite Austen book, and it had been a couple of years (during my Jane Austen Book Club days) since I had read it.
• Isn't Mr. Knightley enough of a reason to want to visit Highbury again?
• But really, it was Haley's post about being an Emma that made me want to read and hate and love the characters all over again. 
• If you are looking for a story of a flawed girl who is allowed to grow and change through the challenge and direction of someone who loves her, this book is for you.  And if you don't feel like picking up a giant book right now, at least go watch the amazing BBC miniseries version of the story.

Death Comes to Pemberley, P.D. James {A+}

• On the subject of Austen, this spin off takes the cake.  I read it several years ago and enjoyed it well enough.  Then I watched the miniseries last summer (so good!) and it helped the book come alive when I reread it this spring.  One of the few times that the "movie" actually helped me enjoy the book :)
• In this who-done-it murder mystery that picks up a few years after the end of P&P, one of my favorite parts is how the author gave insight into events from the novel (and before the novel) through different perspectives that help the characters' stories fit together in a tighter and more intricate web.
• It ties up loose ends and solves unanswered questions at the end of P&P, and even makes a few subtle connections with characters from other Austen novels.
• Again, don't feel like reading?  Go watch the BBC miniseries.  The style, casting, and costuming all fit in so well with the book.  The mini series adds in a little more drama at the conclusion compared to the book by slightly changing the timeline and characters to add suspense.  The ending of the book is more Austen, the ending of the miniseries is more entertaining to watch.
• Also an interesting observation- while the book was definitely Darcy driven, the miniseries is Elizabeth driven. 
• If you love Jane Austen or crime drama, and especially if you love Jane Austen AND crime drama, this book is for you.

All the Light We Cannot See, Anthony Doerr {A+}

• Considering that The Book Thief is one of my favorite books ever, this book has been on my reading list since it was first advertised.  
• It lived up to the hype.  WW2, dynamic, one-of-a-kind characters, rich rich symbolism, redemption...I loved it.  Gotta be honest, it was a hard read.  And it does not tie up all the loose ends in a pretty little happy bow.  But the ultimate story, which was always about the contrast of light and darkness, shows that the light wins.
• Either before or after you read (depending on if you like spoilers) watch the Word on Fire video and listen to the Fountains of Carrots episode about the book.  Love the conversation and details pulled out connected to the theme of grace.
• If you like rich, complex & interwoven stories about complex characters that point to truth in profound ways, this book is for you.

So there we go!  What have you been reading?  What should I add to my summer reading list?

Seven Quick Takes: All the Hearts and Things

~1~

Oh, it's Valentine's Day.  Here's my obligatory single girl song to tell you how I feel about that:

Some friends and I call this genre "depressingly hopeful."

~2~

Ok, ok, I'm not really sad.  Here's a better song that speaks truth about who I really am:

~3~

But for real, Valentine's Day doesn't really bother me as a single person.  Some things do, but this commercialized excuse for a martyred Saint's feast day that actually isn't on the Roman Calendar isn't really a trigger for melancholy.

~4~

Plus, who can be melancholy when you receive this bounty from your students?

~5~

Appropriately for Valentine's Day, however, my sisters and I discussed John 2 this week in our cross-country-video-chat Bible Study.  John 2=Wedding Feast at Cana.  We talked about it all while drinking some un-miraculous wine.

~6~

And speaking of weddings, my cousin accepted a fun challenge from me to embarrass herself and educate the masses about the style of bridesmaids dresses from the past couple of decades.  She is a very good sport and has three posts with some highlights from various weddings she has been a bridesmaid in.  Here is one beauty, and you can click on the pic to go read about the rest.

~7~

Typically, my Valentine's Day is a good excuse to have a girls night, which I guess I am doing this year as well.  I am watching this cutie so her mama and daddy can go on a much deserved date night.

Yay Valentine's Day!

Go visit Kelly for more quick takes!

7QT: I have been...

~1~

I have been listening...

Audrey's back with a five song EP.  It is this week's daily commute jam.

~2~

I have been reading...

Highly recommend all three.

~3~

I have been laughing...

Amen.

~4~

I have been wanting...

Sleep.  I just want to sleep in, or take a nap, or doze off while my students clean our classroom.  Late nights recently are catching up with me, but it is my own fault.  Give me a good book or a good conversation, and the next time I look at the clock it is 1:30 a.m.

~5~

I have been learning about...

The virtues.  My young adult Bible study is studying the seven virtues by tying them to the lives of great Saints and putting them into practice through challenges to evangelize.  It has been a phenomenal study.

~6~

I am longing...

 To have some time to craft.  I really have a craving to make some more stamped jewelry.  However, I don't know if my downstairs neighbor will be as excited about this loud endeavor.

~7~

I have been excited for...

 Going to Colorado in June!  Can't wait!

Go visit Jen at Conversion Diary for more Quick Takes!

7QT- Seven Things You Can Stop Saying to Your Single Friends

As if that title isn't long enough, the more accurate heading of this post would be-
A Public Service Announcement: Here Are Seven Phrases You Should Probably Think Twice About Saying Out Loud to Your Single Female Christian Friends Who Prayerfully Desire to Be Married.
But that seemed a bit much.

Found this Mister.  Not the one I was looking for.

I am almost 29.  I am single.  This tends to bring some interesting conversations into my spectrum.  Sometimes people say things that I know that they can't really mean, or words that they don't realize sound the way they do to single ears.  I am not upset, but think that maybe some people have been married too long to remember what it is like to be where we are at.  So for my seven quick takes this week, I thought I would put together the top seven things that we single people wish we didn't have to hear again.  I admit, I am a bit reluctant to pull this out of the draft folder because I don't want anyone to think this is written in anger (it's not) or about a specific person (most definitely not).  Maybe it will just start some conversations. 

Let's continue the discussion in the comment box.  Married friends, feel free to chime in with the things people like me need to forget from our vocabulary.  And single ladies, I'd love to hear the best quote meant to "encourage" you in your singleness! 

So here are my favorite lines, all real, all on the subject of my singleness:

~1~

"Don't worry, God has a plan for you."

Thank you very much.  I agree.  But I don't need it used as a platitude when I am being vulnerable enough to share my thoughts about the future.  Give me good advice, share your story, speak real truth, remind me to pray.  But don't give me lines from a greeting card.

~2~

"You are single?  Good for you.  Stay that way."

I am sorry that you are that bitter about the institution of marriage, but don't assume I feel the same.

~3~

 "It must be nice to have so much free time with no husband and kids to take care of."
(The negative runner up to this one is: "She can take care of it.  It's easier because she is single.")

Yes, being single usually gives us more radical availability than a woman who is married with kids.  However, remember that flexibility and free time are not the same thing.  Many of us single girls are trying to fill our time with good work and service, not soap operas and bonbons.  Don't look at our work and say, "Gosh, this girl needs to get a husband."

~4~

 "I just can't believe you're not married.  You are so awesome and wonderful and sweet and pretty!  
Why aren't you married?"

Good question.  Your compliment is appreciated and kind, but how am I suppose to answer this?  Maybe- "Thanks, I think I am awesome too, but apparently men don't agree."  There is no good way to respond.  We thank you for your nice words, but maybe think about how uncomfortable the conversation might be after you say them.

~5~

"You really need to try online dating/bar hop more often/lower your expectations/
meet my husband's-second-cousin's-neighbor's-single-son."

Know me well?  Recommend place that I could be socializing to meet new people.
Know me really well?  Set me up with a good man that has more qualifications for a date than "also single."
Know me really really well?  Call me out on the unrealistic things I believe or do relating to dating and marriage. Challenge me to be the woman I am suppose to be while waiting to meet the man God has in store for me.
Don't know me?  Maybe don't give me advice.

(A quick update- the same day that I posted this, a good friend who is trying out online dating through a Christian site was propositioned by a polygamist.  Yes, propositioned by a polygamist.  Online dating does not fix all woes.)

~6~

 "Sure you're not suppose to be a nun?"

This is for all the Catholic ladies out there.

For my Protestant sisters it might be something more like,  

"Might you be called to serve as a permanent  missionary at an orphanage in Uganda?"

The Vocation to Religious Life or other service is beautiful, and holy, and an incredible sacrifice.  I respect all who have given their lives over to Christ for the service of the Church.  However, remember we all have prayed and discerned and looked for the will of God.  You can invite me to consider Religious Life, you can encourage me to discern, but don't assume that being a Nun is some second-best life that I accept after not finding a man.  There is a lot more to it than that.

~7~

"Wow.  It must be awesome to have such a fulfilling career
/successful business/sleep through the night/time to travel/incredible hobby..."

Don't think we wouldn't trade it all.  In the end, the jobs, the hobbies, the travel, the recognition... they all mean nothing.  What will be lasting are the children created by a couple and God, the souls led to heaven within a family, the saints made by marriages.


Being single is hard.  Those of us that are honest know that marriage is harder.  But marriage is a work for sanctity, a pursuit of Christ that is done hand in hand with someone else.  The two become one with a single desire for heaven.  There is a great need for holy marriages in the world because the formation of the future takes place in the home.

So while I try to wait in a dignified and worthy manner, these common "single girl" comments and questions are hard to hear.  We single ladies are not all looking for Disney princes and Pinterest worthy weddings.  We are willing to make sacrifices and to model Christ & His Church within our vocations, just like you.  Hopefully, we can all work together for the Kingdom, even when as women (me included!), our words sometimes get in the way of our intentions.



For more Seven Quick Takes, probably all on a totally different topic, go visit Jen at Conversion Diary!

Oh, I Can't Resist.

You may have seen my serious post on St. Joseph yesterday.   I do love St. Joseph.  Husband.  Father.  Leader.  Guide.  Protector.  Model of virtue and holiness.  Patron.  Carpenter. Provider.

And Dreamer.

St. Joseph was a hard worker, and a man of few words.  God chose to speak to him through dreams, much like his Old Testament Joseph counterpart.

So in the spirit of dreamers, how about some funny dream stories? :)

I tend to have the strangest, most vivid dreams, and I often remember them in great detail.

Sometimes they are realistic and easy to explain.
-Opening my classroom door and finding that it leads directly to my apartment.  (A sign I spend too much time at school, I think.)
-Being late and lost and unable to find any help. (Didn't need to be a dream to be true)

Sometimes they are scary.
-Being chased by Nazis in war-torn Germany because I am Jew/am hiding Jews/my husband is a Jew. (This is a reoccurring one, and the plot changes.)
-Demonic possession of someone that I know.  (Don't even want to think about how scary that was.)
-Zombie apocalypse.  (In one version of this dream I was saved by a holy water wielding Bishop.)
-Witnessing the coming Angel-of-Death-Green-Mist while being stuck outside with no chance of making inside a safe door.  (I can thank the bad special effects from the Passover scene in the Ten Commandments for this one.)

Sometimes they are hopeful and about the future.  These tend to be the least vivid.
-Jesus' second coming.  (I always dream that this is happening on a beach, and even though there are millions of people, Jesus comes and walks with me personally. Also, everyone can walk on water after their personal judgement.  Pretty cool.)
-Waking up the day of my wedding- only I didn't know it was suppose to be my wedding and I don't remember anything about it.  I have a dress, and a venue, and friends and family who convince me the guy is stellar and I should go through with it.  Usually the best man is the one who makes me realize it will be ok, so I walk down the aisle, and the groom turns...and I wake up. (An indication that I am either in for an arranged marriage or a bout of amnesia?)

I know that they are just dreams...most of the time.  God can speak to us in anyway that He chooses and we are open to, so I am not going to throw all dreams out as meaning nothing.  Sometimes they could be a gentle nudge, or a reminder, or in the case of St. Joseph, a flat out sign.

These following dreams, however, are not anything but funny.  My sisters and I are close, so being in each other's dreams is nothing new.  However one day last week BOTH of them sent me these versions of dreams that they had the night before- the same night.  They are more than a little wacky.  The dreams, I mean, not my sisters.  However, you may have to wonder after you read these:


From Stephanie, via email:

I must tell you of the dream that I had last night. 

We were starting out on a road trip.  We were in the middle of nowhere, I really have no idea where this was to be honest.  Anyway, we were on a four lane and there was a bad storm.  As we were turning on to the highway, a plane landed just behind us. I think we thought it was because of the weather, but you kept driving like it was nothing. Then we approached a flooded bridge, you said it was perfectly safe and drove on it, then off the side of it. You jumped out of the car to save yourself. I was in your car and somehow pushed it out of the river onto a wooden bridge-like walk-way next to the bridge.  Then we kept driving like it was nothing.  I don't know how to feel about this.

I just don't know if we should continue with our plans for this adventure (note- we are going on a roadtrip to Colorado this summer), I fear you will be recklessly careless with my life.

From Emily, the same morning, via text:
I had the most trippy dream about you last night that involved a talking bear and Rob Lowe being your soul mate.  Your first date was a polo match on horses and you had a surprise for him which was introducing him to your talking teddy bear who was a 10 foot tall Pooh bear that was falling apart from old age and dirtiness.  A single tear ran down Rob Lowe's cheek as he softly whispered, "Muffin?"  You had befriended his childhood giant man bear and it was in that moment you both knew you were soul mates.

What?
Apparently I should load up my 10 foot tall living Winnie the Pooh bear, drive cross country avoiding bridges and planes, and meet my soul mate while playing polo.
Seems reasonable.

Got any wacky dreams you care to share? :)

10 Stories about the Werners

Well, my baby sister got married last Friday :)

The lovely Mr. and Mrs. Werner are off on a honeymoon sure to be full of adventure, and leaving shortly thereafter for their first post in Georgia. 
In standing tradition from my other sister's wedding, here are ten rambling stories from a day that we all will never forget.



1.  Em is an Army wife now, and she is excited to become a part of the military life and culture.  It certainly added some fun elements to the wedding, including (of course) all of the handsome young men in uniform, a saber arch exit from the church, wedding photos at the tank at our local courthouse, and a serenade Top Gun style at the reception.

2.  We just got Steph and Steve hitched last November, so essentially we have been planning two weddings at the same time over the past year or so.  People who had been at S&S's  wedding kept saying things about how they were so excited to see what the Bogner family had come up with this time.  I also heard Pinterest used as a noun, verb, and adjective while people commented at the reception.  As in,  "Wow, Pinterest has got nothing on them" or "You can just see the Pinteresting everywhere" and "I hope you Pinterested all of this because I am stealing all of your ideas for my wedding." 

3. Do people realize that it is possible to be crafty and creative without Pinterest?  What did people who were getting married do before Pinterest's creation a couple of years ago???  "Oh, I guess I will just print these programs in TimesNewRoman font on white computer paper.  And lets make sure there are no personal touches or beautiful things to add to the ambiance of the reception.  Everyone grab something comfy to wear from their closet in their color of choice, and make sure that your hair and nails look like you just ran 20 miles through a muddy forest dodging rabid squirrels.  However you roll out of bed should be fine.  Maybe the bride should carry something in her hands, so grab that ragweed and those cockleburs from that ditch over there- we can tie it together with some rusty wire.  Anybody got any half empty Yankee Candles lying around?  Let's gather as many different scents and colors as we can for the tables- that should work.  The bride and groom might want to know who joined the party, so let's have the guests register in a simple biometric computer program at the door.  And photographs?  No need to pose or plan.  Just take a few shots on your smart phone and upload them to facebook.  That should be good enough."  Seriously.  Lots of beautiful things happened before Pinterest.  Give humanity a little credit for being able to have creative independent thought! :)

4. One of the many hands on elements at the wedding was the wedding cake.  My mom made them, just like she made S&S's.  She has been decorating cakes for our family as well as lots of other people since we were all little, so it is no surprise that she wanted to make them for the weddings, both out of sentimentality and frugality. Look at how beautiful they are!  She does a phenomenal job, and was so selfless with her time and hours of sleep in the days leading up to the wedding.  I, however, being a brat, have told her for a long time that under no circumstances is she making my wedding cake.  First, I don't want her stressed about it, because cake has to be made just beforehand. Second, I don't even really like cake.  At all.  I would much prefer apple pie or scotch-a-roos. 

5. Anyways, S&S's wedding cakes went off with nary a hitch.  E&L's however...well, things got a little dicey.  Literally.  We had some cake catastrophes that my mom handled wonderfully on the outside, and she made the best of it, worked super hard, and ended up with these lovely and delicious cakes to show for it.  However, at around 1 a.m. the night before the wedding as she, Steph, and I all were working to repair and decorate the cakes, she very solemnly said, "You win.  I am not ever doing this again."  So mom, it is here in writing.  Published on the internet.  And hopefully in a year or two when it is my turn to plan, I can hold you to it.

5. Many people may be thinking, "Katie, it must be hard to be single and watch both of your younger sisters get married before you!"
Wait, people aren't just thinking that.  They are asking me. all. the. time.
The real answer is that of course I want to be married.  Unless God changes my heart, it is my desire to be a wife and a mom and I have prayed for years about His vocation for me.  It just hasn't happened yet, but I will be faithful to Him and will wait for His time.  The addendum is that I want  joy filled lives for my sisters and nothing has made me happier than to watch them find the men that God made for them, the men that will care for and protect them, the men that are leading them to be the best versions of themselves.  And I have loved adding two brothers to our close knit family.  I can't imagine us without them.

6. Along those lines, here is a story from the actual wedding Mass for you.   Em and Luke had a good Catholic wedding, and if you don't know what that means, it indicates that this first kiss, one of the last parts of the ceremony, didn't happen until about an hour and twenty minutes in.  After that there was a final blessing for the couple, and then the officiating priest said that he had a couple of announcements, typical at the end of Mass, and he was still being very formal.  This is a fairly accurate transcription of his announcements:

"First, Emily and Luke are so glad that you have joined in this special day with them.  After they process out of the church, please follow the directions of the ushers so that you can help send them off.  They look forward to seeing you at the reception in Peoria.  

Second, gentlemen, there is only one Bogner sister left, and they are going fast.  So- time to get to work.

The Lord be with you! (And with your spirit) May Almighty God bless you, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit."

no jokes. (The priest!  During Mass! In front of two hundred some guests!)

At the reception, I had several people comment that they were unaware that my face could turn that particular shade of red.  oh. my. goodness.

7.  I think that my dad would be perfectly content if I never got married.  He wants us all to come home and move back into our bedrooms upstairs.  No, I am just kidding- he loves having sons-in-law to come work in the shed or drive tractors with him.  Our 4 to 1 female to male household ratio is slowly balancing out- we are at 4 to 3 now.  And he has also commented that he is excited to be a grandpa (someday- no announcements in this post!), which I know that he will be great at.  The part of the day that I had the hardest time keeping my emotions in check was leaving Em in the back of the church with my dad, and then watching them walk up the aisle.  She had kept tears at bay all day until then, but she was all teary and choked up about five steps in.  Then my dad, being awesome, made a "hushed" whisper to her that there was still time to run, which made her laugh hard enough for the whole church to hear.  That got everyone smiling, and the wedding started without all of us collapsing into puddles of mush- Dad to the rescue. 

Stephanie later told me that she held it together using an interesting technique.  Every time she felt tears coming on, she sang Thrift Shop in her head, which stopped sadness immediately.  Everyone has their own coping strategies, I guess.

8.  Speaking of Steph, she was the MOH, and did a fabulous job.  However, she and I both gave the toast at the reception, just like Em and I did at Steph's wedding.  The speech would have been impossible to give if we got sentimental (Thrift Shop singing wouldn't have cut it), so we stayed on the humor side.  We directed our speech at Luke, and gave him tools and tips for taking care of our baby sister.  Lucky for him, the "Being Married to Emily Survival Kit" was packed in this fairly awesome Harley Davidson Craftsman tool box.  Everything had a story connected to it, and the items ranged from an "Emily Emergency Guide" with important phone numbers, to a fire extinguisher, spare keys, towing strap, tide pens, a blanket...and lots more.  I think that it was a fun way to tell stories and toast the new couple and it was also practical- they took the kit with them on the honeymoon! :)

9. We welcomed Luke into the family with this awesome circle of trust tshirt, which stems from a long running inside joke between all us siblings. Luke has drawn stick figure pictures of him struggling to join our "circle of trust" aka into our inner sibling closeness. He made Steph a shirt at one point, so we gave him this one as a wedding gift. We are glad to have another brother!

10. Undoubtedly, the most beautiful part of the wedding was the way that Em and Luke's faith shone through in all aspects of the day. They chose to not see each other before the wedding, but we coordinated for them to meet
to pray together just before. They closed their eyes and let us lead them each to one side of a corner of the church. They reached around the corner to hold hands and prayed together for the last time as single people. The Mass was richly full, from the stellar homily to the Marian offering to the obvious focus on what Christ had done for them. There were little touches of Scripture at the reception, and the music that they chose shared God's role in the love they share. It has been a privilege to witness the courtship and marriage preparation of such a holy couple, and I look forward to seeing God continue to work in their lives as they witness true Christianity to all around them through their marriage.

Em and Luke, I love you both!

There is a First Time for Everything

There is a first time for everything, so here are some stories from the past few weeks of my life:

1.  The first time I lost a bet with actual consequences- 
A couple of weeks ago I was on a retreat with kids from my youth group.  One of them came up to me very seriously at the beginning and said "I brought something with me, and I don't know if I should have..."  I, of course, figured it was contraband like alcohol, cigars, fireworks, or an ipod.  Turns out it was a deck of playing cards.  I told him that it was fine, as long as there was no gambling.  I should have taken my own advice.  Over the course of the weekend, they started playing  competitive games of speed.  The kids found out that I knew how to play, and wanted to play against me.  We took turns for a while, and I decided to make things a little more interesting.  I told the kids that if they played against me and I won, I would get to challenge them to do something on the weekend retreat.  If they won, they would get to challenge me to something.  All challenges would have to be run by the other chaperone to keep them fair.  I was looking for an opportunity to push the kids to grow while on the retreat, so this was a chance for me to challenge them.  They were very excited, and all wanted to try.
Katie vs. J- Kicked her butt, won a challenge.
Katie vs. T- Kicked butt and took names, won a challenge.
Katie vs. A- ...lost...by a lot.  She took her sweet time thinking of my challenge. 
So what do I have to do?  Sing.  In a public setting.  In the near future.  I am not giving any more details , because I do not need an even bigger audience when I make my debut.
Remind me to never trust teenagers again.

2. The first time that my mom yelled at me over the phone-
The setting: My mom had baked a new recipe for this delicious apple/butterscotch cake.  She gave me a chunk, and I put it into a container, apparently saying something about how it was just enough for four pieces, so it was perfect- I was planning on taking it to my friend's house for dinner the next night.
Fast forward to later that evening, around 11:30, when my cell phone rang.  It was my mother, and for your reference, she is a very polite person.  No conversation ever starts or ends without all of the basic sentiments (and then some).  So, when I answered the phone (at 11:30 p.m.), I was a little surprised when she yelled into my ear, "FOUR!?! What do you mean FOUR!?!"
I had no idea what she was talking about, so she had to rewind the conversation a couple of hours and ask why I was so insistent that four pieces of cake was perfect.
"What is going on? Are they setting you up with someone tomorrow night?"
It still took me a couple of seconds to register what she was talking about (she was certain that I was actually going on a date and not telling her), at which time I explained.  I was going to see my friends, who have four kids.  One is an infant, and their boys would be allergic to the cake, but their daughter might eat a piece.  Me + couple + daughter = 4 pieces of cake.
"Oh, ok.  Goodnight, then." she said.

3. The first time that I entered my home through a window-
I am not the best with keys, many people would tell you.  Yesterday, I was rushing from the church office to the 4-H office after a stop at my apartment, and walked out with my purse, sunglasses, phone and coffee...but no keys.  Usually, I have a spare key in my purse, but this summer that is the key ring that I have been taking with me when I walk or bike, so it was with my mp3 player.  Inside my apartment. 
Choices:
A. Walk to work.  Not a big deal, but I would be late, and I would still have to call my mom or sister to come and give me their key sometime throughout the day so I could get back in.
B. Call my landlord.  Didn't even consider this one.
C. Call my mom to come and let me in.  Didn't consider this one either.  She was at work, and I still had option D.
D. Take advantage of my ground level apartment and crawl in through the window.
I chose option D.  Fortunately, I live in a very safe town, so ground level windows has never bothered me before.  In fact, I frequently leave the windows open and they are always unlocked.  So, I set down my stuff, and went around outside to my bedroom.  There, I could pop open a window, crawl in, and land on my bed.  However, I discovered that the window was locked.  Then I remembered that as I have been cleaning & packing, I started locking the windows... Next choice, craft room.  Locked.  Living room windows are much smaller than the others with no furniture to step down onto, but it didn't matter.  Locked.  Last option, which was a long shot, was the window into my laundry room.  It was a long shot because I rarely open that window, so I assumed that it would be locked too.  However, amazingly enough, it was unlocked, so I proceeded to start jimmying the screen off, all the while praying that if anyone saw me, it would be one of my neighbors and they would not call the cops on me.  Actually I was praying that no one would see me, let's be honest.  The screen was rusted and stuck, so it took quite some wrestling to get it off.  I then got the window open. pulled up the shade, moved the flower pots on the sill, and crawled awkwardly though the window, landing on top of my dryer.  I had to jump over my recycling to get down, knocking it all over the floor in the process.  Regardless, I was inside, and I didn't hear sirens, so I considered it a success.  So, I turned to clean up the mess that I had made outside so that I could get to work...and found...that my back door was unlocked.  It had been the whole time.  I am just that awesome.