Some more!

Here's some more templates! Let me know what you think!

1. Click Here
2. Click Here
3. Click Here

I might be back later with some more!!
Bye,
Kathryn (aka Chatty Kathy)

Opinion Time!!

Okay everyone! I'm gonna keep showing y'all some templates. Let me know what yah think!!
Here is one I found. Tell me honestly if you like it or not.

btemplates.com/2009/blogger-template-wooden-fence/demo/

What's your thought? Cool? Awesome? Weird? Not for me?
I know it doesn't have to do with writing really, but I thought it was nice. Besides, I can't find anything that has to do with real typewriters or pencils or paper that I like... Oh, why am I so picky?!?  :-D
Later,
Kathryn (aka Chatty Kathy)

HELP!

Help, bloggers!!
I am getting sick of my current template... simply because it's just so...uh...boring? Yah, that's the word. It's one of the plain templates that blogger already gives you. Ugh...
So, here's what you can do! I want something that has to do with "Chatty Kathy" or "Words" or "Paper" or "Pencils" or "Typewriter". Things that have to do with writing. I don't really like animated stuff, and would prefer real pictures. If you think of anymore keywords that might have to do with writing, or something like that, yell! Or if you see any cute templates, let me know!  Thanks!!! Any help is appreciated!!!!!

Don't ask me why I picked this picture... I just felt this post needed something :-)
Later,
Kathryn (aka Chatty Kathy)

Some Old Pictures!

I thought I would post some pictures of when I was little :-)

Standing beside my Grandma's bus

At a park

Playing Dollhouse!

I got a Cinderella outfit!!

Princess Cinderella and Cousin Batman

"Watch out, I'm the Sheriff in these here parts."

Fiddlin' Cowgirl

See y'all later,
Kathryn (aka Chatty Kathy)

Awarded and Tagged!

Hey, everybody!
I was awarded and tagged by Ireland. This is what she awarded me:

Thanks so much!!!

Here's the Tagging Rules:
1. Post these rules
2. Post 11 random things about yourself
3. Answer the questions the tagger asked you
4. Ask 11 new questions for the people you tag
5. Go to their blog and tell them they've been tagged

Here's my random facts:
1. I have a Fine Arts Competition I'm going to in March
2. Right now my 4 year-old sister is like perfectly imitating Flynn Rider...
3. I'm wearing a purplish shirt
4. I have 4 siblings
5. I hate tea
6. I like funny movies
7. I watched Courageous
8. And I cried (which is so not like me during a movie)
9. I am running out of facts
10. I have never been stung by a bumble bee
11. I cringe when I see bad grammar LOL

My answers to Ireland's questions:
1. Are you ears pierced? No, but I plan to get them pierced when I turn 13
2. What is your favorite singer/band? Singer: Uh, Bing Crosby. Band: Glenn Miller, what else?!?
3. Do you prefer to wear skirts, pants, dresses, or shorts? I actually like to wear collates or another name for them is gaucho pants. But from those choices, definitely skirts. 
4. Are you into photography? Well... Uh.. Yes? I like to, but I'm not very good.
5. Do you have any pen-pals? How many? Yes! Uh, I would say about 5.
6. What is your favorite school subject? Literature!
7. Are you homeschooled? Yes, I and love it :-)
8. Do you like reading? Yes, if the book is exciting
9. What is your favorite book or book series? I really like the American Girl mysteries, but I would have to say the Life of Faith Elsie Dinsmore Series.
10. What is one of your hobbies? Writing!
11. What is your favorite animal? Ah, so hard! Either Elephants, Monkeys, Tarsiers (Uh, if you look this up, don't freak out at the picture... I think its kinda cute! Look at those big, adorable eyes!)







Now to tag some people...





Rachel@ The Story Blog
Kristie @ Every-Day-Me
Godsgirlz1@ Godsgirlz

Here's your questions:
1. When you were little, what cartoon did you watch over and over?
2. Favorite color?
3. How old are you?
4. What color is your room?
5. How do you like to wear your hair?
6. Favorite movie?
7. If you could be an actress, past or present, who would you be?
8. Favorite book of the Bible?
9. What does your calendar look like?
10. Do you play any instruments?
11. Are you glad this is over?

Thanks Ireland!
Love,
Kathryn ♥

A Snowy Christmas, Part 3

We left Mr. Stanley in his quiet office, and went back into the snow. We sank down in our fort.

            “Why is everyone around here so grouchy?” Robby sighed. I shrugged my shoulders.

            “I don’t know, Robby. There’s something strange about Mr. Stanley. Very strange,” I said.

Suddenly, the same black sedan drove into the slick parking lot. It parked in the exact spot that it was in earlier.

The lady got out carrying two bags of groceries. Robby and I watched as she pounded on the office door with her foot. The door squeaked open, and Mr. Stanley let her in.

            “The rest is in the back,” she told him. Mr. Stanley headed to the sedan and opened the trunk. He grabbed three bags.

            “Floretta? Come shut the trunk lid,” he called. I looked at Robby, who was bending down behind the fort walls. The look on his face told me that he was thinking the same thing I was. Floretta?

            The lady mumbled and came out and shut the trunk lid. They went into the office and shut the door.

            “Whose Floretta?” Robby asked.

            “Robby, I think she’s Mrs. Stanley.”

            “What? Mr. Stanley isn’t married,” he said.

            “Who said? Did he tell you that? I think he is,” I said.

            “I guess it’s possible,” Robby said, scratching his head. I smiled.

            “I bet Floretta does cleaning for the people who stay here,” I said. “She probably was taking out all the laundry when we saw her,”

            “Hey, that means in one of the apartments, there’s a little boy,” Robby said. “I don’t think that orange shirt would fit Mr. Stanley,” he giggled. I laughed.

            “You’re probably right. I-“ I was interrupted by the squeaky office door. Mr. and Mrs. Stanley walked toward the sedan again.

            “The groceries are in the back,” she said. Mr. Stanley opened the trunk again, and lifted out large brown grocery bags. He headed for the door. Suddenly, his foot slipped on a patch of ice. I shut my eyes as I heard him land on the pavement. Plunk! Food cans and boxes spilled out everywhere. The cans rolled under the sedan and boxes landed in the snow along the parking lot.

            “Ben!” Floretta stood in the doorway of the office. “You’re getting the groceries wet!” she cried. She ran and started gathering the things. Robby and I jumped up from the fort and chased after some cans that had rolled away. We grabbed them, and handed them to Floretta. She snatched them and stuffed them back into the bag without saying a word. Mr. Stanley stood up. He took the stack of boxes that Robby had picked up. Muttering, they both went back inside the office and slammed the door shut.

            “Well, how do you like that? We chase their canned vegetables and fruit all around the parking lot and not a word of thanks!” I exclaimed.

            “There was an awful lot of groceries,” Robby said. I looked at him.

            “There was, wasn’t there,” I said. Why would a couple buy so much food?

            “Maybe she does shopping for the people staying here, too,” Robby suggested. I nodded my head. But something told me that wasn’t it. And I was determined to find out what was.

                                                            ***

            “Regular, vanilla, peppermint, or raspberry,” Mom said, showing us the hot chocolate flavors. I took off my hat.

            “Definitely regular,” I said.

            “What? Why go regular when you can get awesome flavors?” Robby asked, picking up a cup of peppermint. I ignored him and sat down at the kitchen table. We had just stepped in to warm our insides with a steaming cup of hot chocolate.

            “Hey, mom?” I asked. She looked up from the cup of tea she was making for herself.

            “Mmm?”

            “Did a lady stop by for laundry or groceries?”

            “No, dear,” she replied, sipping her steaming tea. Robby shot me a glance. I grabbed his arm and pulled him out of his chair.  

            “Come on, Robby,” I said, giving him a look. “Let’s take our drinks outside.” He looked at me funny, but followed me out the front door and into the bitter wind.

            “It’s cold out here,” he complained. “What’s the matter?”

            “Robby, I’ve had enough of this strange things around here. We’re going to find out what’s going on right now!” I was a little surprised by my tone of voice. I guess Robby was too, from the look on his face.

            “Excuse me for asking, Mrs. Sherlock, but what exactly are you planning to do?” he asked.

            “Follow me, Doc,” I headed briskly down the frosty sidewalk towards the office. I rounded the corner into the grass.

            “Where are you going?” Robby asked, trying to balance his hot chocolate.

            “To the back of the office where that apartment is,” I replied. “Surely there’s some windows.”

            “Oh no.” Was Robby’s pleading reply. “You’re not going to peek in window’s, are you?” I said nothing. Maybe I shouldn’t have brought him along.

            On the backside of the motel, were overgrown bushes that now were covered in snow. I spotted a window that just had to belong to the small apartment. Setting my precious, warm drink in Robby’s other hand, I stood on my very tip-toes so I could see through the window. There were clouds in the sky, and it made it hard to see in. My eyes slowly adjusted, and I saw a small room. There was a dresser, a bed, and a braided rug on the floor. I gasped. A small boy of about Robby’s age was on the floor, playing with a truck. I sunk to the grass as he turned towards the window.

            “Robby!” I whispered. He bent down next to me.

            “There’s a boy in there,” I exclaimed. Robby looked puzzled.

            “I haven’t seen any children around,” he said. Okay. So now, I was completely and utterly confused. What was going on around here?

Lady

Here are some pictures of our dog Lady. She is a Cavalier King Charles Spaniel. She looks like a puppy, but she's actually full grown!

She loves the outdoors!

She can be quite lazy at times!

Lady loves to look out our window and watch the squirrels!

Have a lovely Saturday, everyone!
~Kathryn (aka Chatty Kathy)

A Snowy Christmas, Part 2

The building was long, and very narrow. There were doors all along the front. On the end, was a door that had a sign. It said, ‘Office’. Dad opened the screen door, and then the white wooden door. We walked into the tiny office. There was a desk, with papers and envelopes and just general junk covering the top. A filing cabinet stood beside it. One of the drawers was open, and papers exploded out of that, too. I could tell this was going to be a very interesting stay.

A door behind the desk flew open. A middle-aged man stepped out. His hair was a mess. His sleeves were rolled up to his elbows. A gold watch dangled from his vest pocket.

“You want an apartment?” he asked, gruffly. He narrowed his eyes when he saw me and Robby.

“Yes, we would. We’re on our way to Clarksville, but the roads aren’t plowed,” Dad replied. The man nodded. Dad paid him, and the man opened a desk drawer. He lifted out a pile of papers, some scissors, and other things. He mumbled to himself. Finally he found what he was looking for. He handed Dad a key, and told him it was five doors down.

“Thank you,” Dad said. We left the office, and walked down the sidewalk, past all the other apartments. We reached ours, which was apartment E. Dad unlocked the door, and we stepped inside. It was cozy, and definitely small. There was a fireplace, and a couch with matching chairs. There was a kitchen, which mom was pleased with.

“It’s dated, but it works,” she said. Down a small hallway, were two bedrooms. Behind the kitchen, was a small room with a folding couch and a TV.

            We unpacked our things, and headed sleepily to bed. Mom and Dad took one room, me in the other, and Robby chose the folding couch.

           

Later that night, I lay awake in my bed. I sighed and snuggled down deeper in my covers. We would have been at Grandma and Grandpa’s house by now. In fact, I probably would have been enjoying a nice thick, juicy piece of pie at this very moment. I stared at the ceiling. Now, we were stuck in some motel out in the middle of nowhere. I really hoped they would plow the roads before Christmas. I snickered. I couldn’t imagine having Christmas in a place like this. It almost seemed humorous. Almost.

                                                            ***

            It was the distinct smell of Mom’s peppermint coffee that I woke up to the next day. I was used to it, since Mom made it almost every day during the winter months. I got up and put on my robe. I walked into the kitchen, where Dad was talking on the telephone.

“Yes,” he said, speaking into the receiver. “All right. Thank you.” He hung up.

            “Who was that, Dad?” I asked, turning the morning news on the radio.

            “Mr. Haber. He’s the man who owns that general store,” he replied. “I called him to ask about the roads. He still doesn’t know when they will be plowed.”

            “Maybe if the sun comes out today, the snow will melt a little and we can get through,” Mom said, hopefully.

            Suddenly, the morning weather forecast blared through the kitchen. 

            “Cloudy skies, 30 degree temperature, and 40% chance of snow,” said the announcer. Dad sighed.

            “There goes that.”

            Robby staggered into the kitchen wearing his usual morning attire; wrinkled pajamas, messy hair, and an “I am so not awake, yet,” look on his face.

            “Morning, bud,” Mom said, handing him a box of cereal. He poured it into a bowl with some milk.

            “You sleep well?” I asked. Robby nodded his head.

            “That folding thing is pretty soft,” he yawned. “Except I fell off of it a few times.” I laughed.

            “How’d you manage that?”

            “I think I was dreaming that we were sledding at Grandma and Grandpa’s,” he replied.

            “Speaking of sledding, are there any good hills around here?” I asked. If we were going to be stuck in the snow, we might as well make the best of it.

            “I have no idea,” Dad said. “Why don’t you ask Mr. Stanley, the motel owner?”

            “Mr. Stanley?” Robby and I glanced at each other. Neither of us really had the desire to talk to him. But, our great want to go sledding got the best of us, and right after breakfast, we went over to the office. When we walked in, Mr. Stanley was not there. The door behind the desk was open, and it appeared to be an apartment. A lady in a pale blue dress and messy bun was in the apartment, scrubbing the floors. I walked to the doorway.

            “Excuse me, are you the cleaning woman? My brother and I are looking for Mr. Stanley. Do you know where he is?” I asked. The lady looked up. She narrowed her eyes.

            “Why do you want him?” she asked.

            “We want to ask him a question,” I replied. She started scrubbing again.

            “He ain’t here.” I was starting to get annoyed.

            “But do you know where he is?”

            “Look, I’m busy and I don’t got no time to be chatting!” She slammed the door shut. I just stood with my mouth open. Robby gasped.

            “That wasn’t very nice,” he said.

            “I’ll say! Come on, let’s go.” We left the office and headed toward our apartment. Suddenly, a black sedan skidded into the parking lot. It parked in the space in front of the office. The engine turned off and Mr. Stanley stepped out. We ran up to him.

            “Mr. Stanley!” He stopped and turned.

            “What?” he asked, gruffly.

            “Your cleaning maid wasn’t very nice to us,” Robby blurted out. Mr. Stanley looked puzzled. Then he laughed.

            “We don’t have a cleaning maid,” he said. I frowned.

            “Then who was the lady cleaning the floors in the apartment behind the office?” I asked. Mr. Stanley’s face turned from a laugh to snarl.

            “What were you doing back there?” he asked. Before I could answer, he dashed into the office. Robby and I stood there, dumbfounded.

            “Well, we got him to laugh,” Robby smiled. I just stared at the office door. Why was Mr. Stanley so concerned that we were in that apartment? And who was the lady?

            “Robby, I think we need to watch Mr. Benjamin Stanley. He’s hiding something, and I intend to find out what it is,” I said. Robby grinned.

            “Me too,” he agreed.

                                                                     ***

“Ouch!” I got bombarded with snowballs. Whack! One hit me right in the face. I wiped away the snow and glared at Robby.

            “Now you’re going to get it!” I grabbed a huge handful of snow and launched in into the air. Sure enough, it landed right on top of Robby’s head.

            We were in the middle of a snowball fight. It seemed like it was the only thing we could do around here. We had built a fort, out of snow and ice. It had walls, and a neat entrance. Right now, Robby was safely behind the fort throwing snowballs at me every five seconds. I had no idea how he could make them so fast.

            I was about to send him a whopper of a snowball, when the strange lady came out of the office. She was carrying laundry, probably to take to the nearest Laundromat. She went to the black sedan, and put the bags of laundry in the back. An orange shirt fell out into the snow. She picked it up. It was a child’s shirt. I thought that was kind of strange. I hadn’t seen any children around here.

            The lady got in the car and drove away. I suggested to Robby that we go ask Mr. Stanley our question. He agreed and we walked into the office. Mr. Stanley was at his desk, writing on a piece of paper. After standing there for a few seconds, I cleared my throat to get him to look up.

            “What do you kids want?” he asked, sounding very annoyed.

            “We were wondering if there were any good sledding hills around here,” I said. Mr. Stanley looked up.

            “I haven’t been sledding since I was 10 years old. How should I know?” He exclaimed. Frankly, I was a little surprised. I just stood there.

            “Well, I mean, you live here and-“

            “I have no idea,” was all he would say. I shrugged my shoulders. We would just have to find a hill ourselves.

 

Tane's Drawing Challenge!

I'm entering Tane's Drawing Challenge #3! It's for pencil drawings. You can enter here!
It's not very good, but I thought I might enter just for the fun of it :-)

Later,
Kathryn :-)

A Snowy Christmas

Okay. I know this is a Christmas story. But look, wouldn't you rather read it in Feb., than in April or something? So I decided I would get this one out of the way, and then do some other ones. This one is also the most recent story I've written (but I'm currently working on another mystery :-). So, here goes!

         A Snowy Christmas

                                                                                                                             Kathryn Henry

                                                                                                                                                                             2011

I smacked the beeping alarm clock. Why did it have to be morning already? Then, I suddenly remembered. I opened my eyes and jumped out of bed. Sure enough, the late night forecast had been right. Tiny snowflakes fell to the ground outside my window. I gave a leap of joy.

“Kalin! Breakfast!” I threw on my robe and bounded down the stairs. I ran into the kitchen and plopped into a chair.

“Did you see the-“

“Snow. Yah, we saw it,” Robby, my ten year-old brother finished. I shot him a look.

“Has it snowed up where Grandma and Grandpa are?” I asked, pouring a glass of milk.

“Yes, there’s quite a lot of snow,” Dad answered. “I just hope we can get there without any trouble.”

We were spending Christmas with my dad’s parents, who lived about six hours away. Maybe it would be a white Christmas!

“Cool,” Robby exclaimed. “Maybe we can build a snowman!”

“What time to we leave, Dad?” I asked. I waited as he sipped his coffee and put down his paper.

“As soon as we clean up breakfast, grab the suitcases, and warm up the car,” he smiled, tugging on a strand of my messy brown hair.

“Make way,” Mom said, setting a pan of bacon and a bowl of perfectly cooked eggs on the table. Robby grabbed a piece of bacon and tossed it onto his plate.

“Got any ketchup?” All eyes landed on him.

“On bacon?” we cried. He looked around.

“What?” he asked. “It’s good!” I rolled my eyes. Typical ten year-old brother. Always smothering something in ketchup.

After the dishes had been cleared, I headed up to my room. I threw on a dress, some socks, and grabbed my coat out of the closet. I brushed my hair and slipped on my shoes. I looked at the calendar that hung on my bedroom wall. Only one more week till Christmas. It would be great to see Grandma and Grandpa again. And to be able to spend an entire week with them!

I looked around the room, trying to think of anything I might have forgotten while packing yesterday. I ran through a mental checklist. Nope, I hadn’t forgotten anything. I grabbed my hat and gloves from my dresser. I looked at the calendar again. There was a picture of two kids sledding down a hill. Sledding. The word seemed to stand out in my mind. Sledding. Then it hit me like a bucket of ice. Duh! The sled! How could I forget such an important thing?

“Come on, Kalin!” Mom called from downstairs. I grabbed my two suitcases and headed out the door.

“Coming!” I called. I struggled all the way down the stairs, feeling like I weighed 200 pounds with my fluffy coat and overstuffed suitcases. I followed Mom out to the station wagon. Dad was in the driver’s seat, with Robby on his lap. They honked the horn.

“Come on, slow pokes!” Robby laughed. I piled my suitcases with the rest in the trunk.

“I forgot the sled,” I said. “I’ll go around and get it.” I trudged around the side of the house, and to the shed. I opened the rusty door and looked inside. Somewhere beneath all this stuff, was a blue sled. Somewhere. I sighed and started digging. I went through tons and tons of junk. Of course at the very bottom, I found the sled. It lay there, probably untouched since last winter. I grabbed it and threw everything else back in. I squeezed the door shut just as the Dad honked the car horn. I raced around front.

 After stuffing the sled in the trunk, Robby and I climbed into the backseat.

“Do we have everything?” Dad asked. There was a loud chorus of ‘yes’ and ‘yup’ and ‘I hope so’. Dad smiled.

“All righty. Well, thank you for coming aboard. We hope to make this a very comfortable trip, a trip where you can relax and forget about all your worries. If you have any questions, concerns, or comments, please speak now.” Mom rolled her eyes.

“All right, no questions, so lets go! Oh, and please do not exit until the ride has come to a complete stop. Thank you.” Robby exploded with laughter. Dad must of thought it was pretty funny too, because he was laughing just as loud.

And we were off! Dad drove, Mom held the maps, and Robby held the snacks. Typical. I stared out the window. In six hours, we would be at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. I could just see it now. The Christmas tree, the garlands, the lights. And oh, Grandma’s famous pies. The perfect thing on a cold winter night, sitting by the fire.

“Kalin! Kalin Johnson!” Robby shook me. “Wake up!”

“Huh?” I asked, turning away from the window.

“Want some crackers?” he asked, handing me the box. I reached in and grabbed a handful.

“What were you thinking about?” he asked, taking back the box.

“Grandma and Grandpa’s house, and all the decorations. I can’t wait!”

“And the food!” he added, with a mouth full of crackers.

“Robby, you are always thinking about food,” I laughed.

                                                ***

I lifted my head, sleepily. I looked out the car window and into the fields of snow. We had been riding in the car practically all day. But we were getting close. It was exactly one hour till we would reach Grandma and Grandpa’s house. I looked down on the slick road. There was melted snow and a little ice. I couldn’t wait to jump in the snow at Grandma and Grandpa’s house. I could just see the snowman that Robby and I would make. Or us sledding down the big hill.

Dad had decided to take all the back, country roads. He wanted to see all the scenery. So, for 5 hours, we had seen field after field after field. And an occasional small, country town. So much for the ‘educational opportunities’ of the country, Dad had been talking about.

           

                                                ***

It was beginning to get dark when it happened. Dad slammed on the brakes. On the road ahead of us, was a thick sheet of freshly fallen snow. It must have been a foot and a half tall. Mom turned to Dad.

“What should we do? This road hasn’t been plowed,” she said. Dad thought for a minute.

“Let’s ask if there’s another road leading to Clarksville,” he said.

He backed up the station wagon, and turned around in someone’s driveway. We headed back to the old town we had recently passed. It was really starting to get dark. Dad pulled into the general store parking lot.

“Dad, can I go in, too?” I asked. He nodded his head and I followed him inside. It was a tiny place, with racks of flour, sugar, and other things. There was a wooden counter, and an old man behind it.

“Can I help ya?” he asked.

“Yes,” Dad replied. “Do you know when the roads will be plowed?”

“Not for a few days, I reckon,” he said.

“A few days! Why so late?” Dad exclaimed.

“Only a few people ‘round here parts own themselves a plow,” he said, calmly.

“Well, we need to get to Clarksville,” Dad said. “We were hoping to get there by tonight,”

“Well, the main road won’t take ya there,” the man said. “It wraps around to Kingston. I’m afraid the only road that’ll take straight to Clarksville is the road by ol’ Jeffery’s place.” I could tell that Dad looked a little annoyed.

“Where is Jeffery’s place?” he asked.

“Ol’ Jeff’s got a barn that has an ad for Carnation Milk on it,” he replied. Dad looked solemnly at me.

“That’s the road we were on,” he said. “It’s not plowed.” Dad sighed. “Are there any hotels around here?” I gasped.

“Stay at a hotel?”

“There’s no other option,” he said. “We’ll just have to wait until the road gets plowed,”

“No hotels, but there’s a motel down the street a ways. Called Stanley Motel,” the old man said. Dad thanked him and we left the store.

After explaining to Mom and Robby, we headed down the road to find the motel. We finally spotted the old place. It was small, and frankly, a little run-down. But then, what wasn’t, in this old town?

Dad pulled in and parked. The moon shined down. I hopped out of the station wagon, landing with a crunch on the snow.

Ice Skating!

Yesterday, our Sunday School class went ice skating! It was a lot of fun. We usually go every year. Every year I forget that feeling of gliding across the ice with my skates. And every year I forget that feeling when you're sure you're about to fall over backwards. Well, you ask, how many times did you fall? Uh, I fell about 3 or 4 times. One of them was because my brother was lying on the ice in front of me and unless I was going to run over him, I had to go down. Yes, my brother falls more than anyone else I know. Personally, I think he enjoys it :-) Anyway, here's some pictures :-)

In the Church van

I love the country!

My brother, Andrew (I don't know what he was looking at, LOL)

Horses!!

Me on the ice

My skates!

The ice was really smooth after they resurfaced it!

 

Look, don't say anything about the outfit. I know its tacky :-)

Now we know why he falls so much... At least he's daring!

Afterwards, we had pizza and played games!

 Have a lovely Sunday, everyone!
Later,
Kathryn :-)

Your choice!

Okay, now it's your choice, guys! I hope I'm not boring y'all with these stories... This time, I'm gonna let you guys pick what story I'm going to post next. Here's some choices:

Adventures of Percy: A story about a kitten who gets into all kinds of trouble- including ending up in a strange house and a strange neighborhood!
Mystery of Lucky Shoe Ranch: Two teenage brothers (Like the Hardy Boys!)  help solve the mystery of sabotages in their uncle's ranch out west.
Every Step of the Way: A Historical Fiction on Catherine Willoughby and her husband as they escape England during the reign of Queen Mary. This was my Reformation Day project.
The Tudor's Faith: A Historical Fiction about William Tyndale while he taught the Walsh Children. This was my 2010 Reformation Day project.
A Snowy Christmas: I know, I know. It's a Christmas story, so you probably don't want to read it, since we're all longing for spring :-) But I thought I would throw the choice out anyway. I wrote this one for my parents for Christmas. It's about a girl and her family as they travel to their Grandparent's for Christmas. But unseen circumstances make them have to stay at a strange motel, where the girl and her brother stumble across frightening evidence, that may lead to the helping of a kidnapped child!

Now you tell me which one you would like to read :-) If any, LOL!
Have lovely Friday!!!!
~Kathryn <3

Trial by Fire, Part 4

“Oh, Alice. What will we do?

“Nothing. I don’t know where to go. You don’t know where to go. We’ll never find our way to the river.” Alice cried. Patches laid down by Alice. He closed his eyes. Would they ever find their way? Or would they wait until it was too late?



“What was that?” Patches lifted his head. It had been about five minutes. Alice had her head in her hands and was softly crying.

“No, that wasn’t the sound I heard,” He looked at Elizabet and Cora and Ada. They had their eyes closed and were leaning on each other.

“No, they aren’t making any noise. I head something, though.” Then Patches head it again.

“Alice? Alice! Where are you? Patches?” It was a faint voice. Patches stood up and wagged his tail.

Bark! Bark! Bark!

“Patches, be quiet,” Alice said.

Bark! Bark! Bark!

“Patches! Be-oh! Do you hear something, boy? What is it?” she asked, seeing the floppy tail.

“Alice, I hear something too! Listen!” Elizabet opened her eyes. Both girls listened very carful.

“Alice! Alice? Where are you?” Alice’s hear leaped along with her feet.

“It’s my Father! Father! Father! FATHER!” she yelled as loud as she could.

“Alice? Keep yelling, darling! Keep yelling! I’m coming!” she heard him call. She looked around the corner and saw him running toward her.

“Father! Oh, Father!” she sobbed. running eagerly to his open arms.

“Oh, my Alice, my Alice.” he cried, embracing his only daughter. He kissed her forehead and looked into her tearstained face.

“Come on, now. We have to get going. The fire is very close.” He turned to get Patches and was surprised to see three children standing there.

“Father, I’ll explain later. We need to go,” she said, eyeing the heavy smoke. Four children, one father, and one shaggy dog ran through the smoky streets leading to the large bridge across the north branch of the Chicago River. they crossed  and were finally in safety.

“Father, I have one question,” Alice said as they made their way through the thick crowds.

“Yes?”

“How did Patches get that cut?” she asked.

“Cut? Oh, is that why he has your handkerchief around his leg? All I know is that as soon as you left to find Irene, he dodged after you. I have no idea how he got it.” Alice only half listened to her father’s explanation. She was searching the crowds to find Mother. When she spotted her, Mother looked very sad. But when she saw Alice, a joyous smile spread across her face.

“You found her!” she cried. Once she had hugged her Mother and James, Alice told her Mother and Father all that had happened. Mother glanced over at Elizabet, Cora, and Ada.

“Wait right here,” she said. Alice watched her push her way through the crowds to a couple who were crying. She saw her talk to them. The couple looked surprised, happy, and excited. They followed  her back to where Alice was standing.

“Alice, meet Mr. and Mrs.-” before Mother could finish, Elizabet cried out.

“Mom! Dad!” and with that, the entire Hilby Family was hugging and crying in each other’s arms.



“This meat looks delicious, Nora,” It was October twelfth; two days after the fire had stopped. The Bakers were residing with Mother’s sister, Aunt Nora, and her husband, Uncle Benny, until they could find a place to live. They were now gathered at the dinner table about to enjoy a delicious meal.

“Joseph, would you pray for us?” Uncle Benny asked.

“Certainly,” Father replied. After he prayed, they began dipping roast, mashed potatoes, salad, green beans, and much more.

“My goodness, Nora, you are a good cook!” Mother exclaimed.

“Oh, thank you. It was fun cooking for more people than just Benny and I,” she laughed.



Later that night, Alice laid on her bed, thinking.

"You know," she said to herself, “I’m glad I was able to convince Mother and Father to let me go and find Irene. If I hadn’t, I wouldn’t have found Elizabet and her sisters. And if I hadn’t of found Elizabet and her sisters, I would’t have been able to become friends with them,” and with that, she fell into a deep slumber, dreaming of the friendships  the girls would build together, and the many years they would spend making memories.

The End


 Thanks for reading, everyone!!!
Love,
Kathryn :-)

Happy Birthday, Makenzie!!

Happy Birthday to my bestie, Makenzie!!! She is the best friend ever. I can't believe she turns 14 today... I'm still 12! Not fair! :-) We have been friends ever since I can remember. We have a lot of good memories :-) Like the time I went to her house and we made a box-mix cake and we were too impatient to let it cool before we iced it... Turned out to look like a casserole! But it was good, just the same :-D I can't wait to make many more memories together! I hope you have a really special day, Kenzie!!!

Together at my house :-)

I really like this one!

I hope your day is filled with poppy balloons...

And yummy cupcakes!!!!!!

BFF,
Kathryn :-)

Vote for me!

Hey, guys! Having a nice day? I am!

Would you please vote for me on Heidi-Mari's Baking Challenge? Thanks! Vote here!
 

Thanks everyone!!
Love,
Kathryn :-)

Ireland's giveaway and Valentines Day!!!

Ireland over at A Pearl of Great Price is having a wonderful giveaway! Enter now! She has some lovely prizes!!!!!!
I hope you all had a wonderful day :-) And have a happy Valentines Day!!!! And I hope it's filled with chocolate :-)

~Kathryn

Trial by Fire, Part 3

 Goodness, I did it again! Two posts in one day... Oh well! Enjoy!
Kathryn <3


“We have to go. Now.” was all she said. She turned, and picked up Ada. The four girls hurried down the steps and out the back door.When they reached the alley, that same strange light hat Alice had see earlier, hung over them. The light was now brighter and a smell that made Alice very nervous surrounded them. Smoke.

“Where is everyone? Where is everyone?” the words rang over and over again in Alice’s head. Alice and the girls raced down the alley and onto Townsend St. The smoke got thicker as they headed for Chicago Ave. As Alice passed Irene’s house, it was evident that Irene and her family had left. Looking up and down the street, Alice realized not one person remained. When they reached Chicago Ave., Alice looked far down the street, near her own apartment building. Bright orange and red flames leaped into the air. The buildings were all on fire sending thick billows of black smoke into the air.

“Elizabet, look! It’s the fire!” Alice cried. The girls started running the other way, toward the river. They ran past Bremer St. and finally stopped to take a rest.

“I’m out of breath,” Alice huffed.

“Me too,” Elizabet said.

“Elizabet, where’s Cora?” Ada asked, who was sitting on Alice’s shoulders.

“What?” Elizabet and Alice turned around and gasped. Cora was nowhere in sight!


“Cora?” Elizabet yelled. “Cora, Cora!” tears streamed down her cheeks. ”Oh, Alice! I told Mom that I would watch them! Cora’s lost in the city and the fire is getting closer! Look!” she sobbed. Alice looked down the street and frowned. The fire was gaining on them. They had to find Cora. Fast.

“Let’s not lose our heads,” Alice said, trying to sound like Mother. “We need to find her.” They tried to back track their steps on any side streets. They came across an alley they had gone through.

“Cora!” they yelled. Still no answer. Suddenly, Alice spotted something lying between some garbage. It was a grey shawl.

“That’s Cora’s!” Elizabet exclaimed. “Cora, where are you?”Alice wiped her forehead and looked upward. Smoke circled the sky.

“Elizabet, we have to fin Cora soon. The fire is getting to close for comfort.” Just then, they heard a faint bark.

“Was that a bark? From  a dog?” Elizabet asked.

“Yes, I think so,” Alice replied. Then, they heard a voice.

“Elizabet? Ada? Alice? Where are you?” It was Cora’s high pitched voice, yelling from the end of the alley.

“Cora!” the girl yelled.

“Oh, there you are! I’ve been looking for you.”

“You’ve been looking for US? Cora Francine Hilby, where have you been?” Elizbet waved her arms.

“I-I heard a dog bark. I thought maybe it was hurt, so I went down the street and found this dog. It’s bleeding.” she protested. Alice looked at the animal and gasped. It was Patches!

“Oh my goodness…You’re hurt. Patches are you okay?” she knelt down to the dog.

“Patches? Do you know him? Cora asked.

“I should say so! He’s my dog!” she cried. Alice looked at the dog’s leg and found a small cut. She reached into her pocket and pulled out her handkerchief. She wrapped it around his leg.

“There, that should stay tied.” Alice stood up and coughed. “The smoke is really thick,” she said, looking around. She ran to the end of the alley, to see how close the fire was. She turned the corner and suddenly, in front of her stood the wall of fire. The flames leaped higher every second. Alice screamed, frozen. Elizabet ran down the dark alley and grabbed Alice’s arm. Frightened, they ran back to the younger girls.

“Come on, Cora and Ada. We’ll go this way!” Elizabet choked. The four girls and dog ran to another side street and stopped.

“Elizabet, do you know where we are?” Alice asked, looking around.

“No, don’t you?” she said, eyeing her twelve year-old companion. The girls ran in one direction. Then another. And another. Finally they stopped. Alice sank to her feet and started to cry. Elizabet couldn’t comfort her. Her own lip quivered and finally she too, was sobbing.

God's Girlz Verse and Photo Challenge!

Hi! I just LOVE challenges, don't you! It's so much fun. I'm entering God's Girlz Verse and Photo challenge. You can enter here.

Here's my entry:

Verse:
Genesis 1: 25
And God made the beast of the earth after his kind, and cattle after their kind, and everything that creepeth upon the earth after his kind: and God saw that it was good.

Later,
Kathryn :-)