My heart was about to beat out of my chest. Answer. Answer. Please answer. “Hello?” “Dear, I can’t make it to lunch today — I just got a noon assignment for the Journal Sentinel.” “OK, I will just see you tonight.” “Sounds good, bye bye.” He bought it. My story was so typical, he barely […]

Thirty toes. A 5-year-old, a 2-year-old and a 2-month-old. (Ten toes are missing — the 12-year-old no longer thinks my camera is cool.) Today, I spent the day with my nephews and niece. We ate pizza, played Dora, checked on their brand new kittens, danced to a little music, wiped away a few tears, and […]

Oh my goodness have I got the baby to show YOU. The baby of all babies. The Derksen of all Derksens. The Rhett of all Rhetts. Say hello to … Rhett William Derksen! Born yesterday morning. 🙂 Tommy and I drove up late last night to see my newest little nephew. I fell in love […]

“I love you, Dad. I’ll see you tonight.” “I love you too, Kate.” Six years. But it feels like a lifetime. Engagements, weddings, babies, more engagements, more weddings, more babies. Happy times, sad times, milestones, big moments and small ones. Today especially, I remind myself: It’s not about the moments he’s missed since he’s been […]

Let’s talk a bit about how thrifty cheap I am. I’m so cheap that I pull into a gas station with my gas light on, and then I leave the station with my gas light STILL on. I mean, honestly. Who can fill up on $3.20/gallon without feeling like a total sucker. You know it’s […]

I guess you could say the ball is rollin’. I’m knee-deep in becoming Katie N. Gardner. No turning back now, my dear. 😉 As some of you may know (and most of you may not), I take photos for the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel and the Waukesha Freeman a few times a week. I am a […]