Journey to the Healthiest Version of Me

What I'm Loving Wednesday-Start of Summer Edition

7:20 PM

Guest Blogger, Danielle

6:58 PM

I saved the best for last...Danielle's blog sent me into a tailspin of tears immediately upon opening it. Thank you to my sister for not giving up on me and forcing me to love you...I love you forever.

When I first me Katie, she wasn’t exactly my biggest fan. I don’t think anyone was going to be good enough for her little brother. She was a very protective older sister, but I was going to win her over even if it killed me.

Flash forward a few years and a lot of persistence later, she was standing next to me in my wedding. She had no choice but to be my best friend.

I’ve known Katie nearly half my life and the one thing that stays the same is she is PRESENT. It doesn’t matter where we are in the world, she makes the phone calls and sends the emails. Katie makes connections with the people she loves and that’s what we all want, right? To be shown we’re cared about, that we matter and we are loved. She does just that and it means the world.

Because Katie is present, she has been there for all the major life events, good and bad. She was there for the birth of her nephew and niece and has tried to be a part of as many birthday’s and holiday’s possible. They will grow up knowing their aunt truly cares and will always be there for them. She was there when my Dad got sick and flew to be by my side until she knew I was strong enough to handle things on my own.

Some of my favorite memories have been our amazing girl’s trips, Mexico, sailing the Caribbean waters of Antigua and Barbuda TWICE, Florida, Disney, California, Sedona, RV excursion to Durango, Black Box, “Boots with the Fur”, the Plague, uniform leggings and Uggs, Thanksgiving dinners and endless nights of gossip and laughter. I wouldn’t trade any of it for all the money in the world. She is my sister and best friend who I laugh and cry with, dance and dream with, drink red wine with and celebrate life with.

Katie, you are so special to me and I thank God every day that he blessed me with not only a sister, but a friend. You are and will always be my person. I hope you have the best birthday ever and a year filled with love and laughter. I love you so much!

Danielle Cartier

Guest Blogger, Tom

8:27 PM

Kathryn Anne Cartier, my big sister, my sounding board, occasionally my biggest critic, but always my biggest supporter. Happy birthday Katie, I think the world of you. A few of my favorite Katie memories:

Riding in the backseat of the station wagon from Irvine to Phoenix on one of our numerous family trips we created an invisible line in the backseat to separate our respective sides. It was generally around Blythe when the boundary line became less of an agreed upon border and more of a demilitarized zone. The slightest breach of the DMZ was grounds for a swift and oftentimes violent rebuttal against the offending invader. The occasional slap sound delivered to the border crossing invader would be accompanied by yelps of pain and threats of reprisal. About this time the front seat would get sick of the bickering and declare the backseat a silent zone. At this point stealth warfare would be initiated over the location of the DMZ (which I still believe was around a 65/35 split in Katie’s favor).

Eventually an all-out offensive against her much younger, kinder and sensitive brother would involve Katie with her back against her door. She would use her freakishly strong legs to pin her innocent brother against his door and attempt to crush not only his rib cage, but his soul. Although they were traumatic to sweet, young Tom, these events inevitably ended in laughter. By the time we passed that weird old dog racing track on I-10 coming into Phoenix the backseat was once again peaceful and the DMZ had disappeared.

Then there was the great Cartier Family Reunion circa 1993 in Michigan. To Katie’s horror Tom had a great time at the reunion and was being his regular awesome self, having recently purchased most of a firework stand and a slingshot. Katie meanwhile was suffering the perils of middle school teenage angst and was horrified at what important details of Irvine life she was missing. I was not particularly fond of Katie during this trip and was not overly kind to her. As I mentioned, I was busy being awesome.

While swimming in one of the many lakes that we visited on our trip we encountered some kids that had a water slide on their dock into the lake. I asked if we could use it, to which the common lake trash made a snarky and annoying reply. After repeatedly making smart remarks to Katie and I, it became clear that the slide would not be shared. I started to swim away when I saw Katie’s hand shoot out of the water grab the boy by the hair and dunk his head under. She held him under long enough to make her point, only she was permitted to pick on Tom. The lake trash got out of the water crying and ran to their house. As we swam away laughing I knew my big sister would always have my back.

Amongst my favorite memories of my big sister, you know the school teacher, was watching her funnel Sparxx Malt Liquor through a beer bong in my kitchen. This type of debauchery generally only takes place on the first night of a vacation when Katie, Danielle and I forget that we are not 22 years old and make regrettable decisions. Katie, no school teacher in history parties as hard as you do (and is still in bed around 9:00 pm). My big sister can do it all, from kicking-ass at the school to partying in the kitchen, Katie you are a good time!

Fast forward through the years and my sister has been a constant in my life, through regular phone calls, visits, and FaceTime conversations she is always there. Katie, you are always available to listen to me vent, to provide both solicited and un-solicited advice and to share so many memories with. I value our strong relationship and think that you are an awesome human being. My children adore you and the relationship between you and my wife is incredible. You are truly one of my favorite human beings in the world and I am honored to call you my sister.

- Tom Cartier

Guest Blog, Lily

6:00 PM

Guest Blog, Philip

7:04 PM

For my birthday this year, I asked my brother and his family to be guest bloggers. I assumed that they would write one short blog but they went way above and beyond. Each person in the family wrote a blog.

First up is Philip. My favorite line is "I have known my Aunt Katie my whole life." So funny. This kid will always have my heart. I love you bigger than the sky my sweet, sweet nephew. Thank you for one of my four favorite birthday presents ever.

Enjoy...

My Aunt Katie is so cool. I have known my Aunt Katie my whole life. She came to see me right when I was born. She is so nice that all the times I go to her house it is super fun. She always wants to play “Sit and Cuddle”. It is kind of cute that Aunt Katie has a dog named Scout and I have a stuffed animal that’s a dog named Scout. What a coincidence!

Whenever I see my Aunt Katie we always play silly games like BeanBoozled and Chubby Bunny. During BeanBoozled we all ate disgusting flavor jelly beans like Skunk Spray and Rotten Eggs. The only bad one that was kind of ok to eat was Toothpaste flavor, it was real minty. When we played Chubby Bunny I put so many marshmallows in my mouth I kind of barfed them up. Aunt Katie didn’t make me eat those marshmallows.

One time there was a big celebration and Aunt Katie was the star of the games. We played a game where you stack up marshmallows to make a snowman. Whoever makes the most marshmallow snowmen before the timer runs out is the winner. I think Aunt Katie likes games with marshmallows.

One time we all went sailing in the Caribbean on GAS and GUB’s sailboat. I had so much fun with all my family on that trip! We slept on the sailboat for a few days, jumped off into the water and found a buried treasure. The plane ride to Antigua and back home was so long, but I got to sit next to Aunt Katie for some of it.

We went to Disneyworld once and me and Aunt Katie and Lily went on the Peter Pan ride together. It was just the three of us. Mom and Dad and Papa and Miss Sue didn’t come. It was special time with just us and Aunt Katie.

I love my Aunt Katie so much because she is nice to me and always has fun activities and great games to play with her. Happy Birthday to my Aunt Katie she is the bomb dot com.

- Philip Cartier

What I'm Loving Wednesday-Start of Summer Edition

Guest Blogger, Danielle

Guest Blogger, Tom

Guest Blog, Lily

Guest Blog, Philip

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