Hi,
Im Katie. I have 3 beautiful children, Lennon, Caroline, and Lyla, and the cutest dog, Rocky.
To really know me, we have to back up a few years (not that many, Im super young lol).
I grew up in Wisconsin and moved to Alabama when I was 16 because of my Dad's job. I have the best parents on the planet, and they really showed me what a true marriage looks like. My mom was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis when she was pregnant with me, so she faced many obstacles and challenges throughout my entire life. I learned how to be a caretaker from a young age by watching my Dad tirelessly care for her. She passed away in 2012 when my second daughter, Caroline, was 6 weeks old. My mom had an incredible determination to meet Caroline, so she stuck it out as long as she could. I learned a lot about being a strong and faithful Christian mother and wife from her.
I married my college sweetheart in 2007, and we soon had our first child, Lennon. Lennon is 13 now, and is super athletic, caring, and a total momma's boy. Shortly thereafter, I had a miscarriage that took a toll on my marriage and mental health. We were blessed to find out that we were expecting our Caroline a few months later. Life became more busy and hectic as the kids started school, so I decided to leave my career as a dental hygienist so that I could be a more present mother. I began selling real estate, so I was able to have a more flexible work-life balance.
I felt a stirring in my spirit that I wasn't done having children, and I desperately wanted a third. A few short years later in 2017, I found out I was pregnant with our third child, Lyla. During the 22 week appointment, my OB told me that she believed Lyla had hypo plastic left heart syndrome (I'll dive deeper into this later). Safe to say, her life has been full of obstacles, but looking back, I feel like the experiences I had with caring for my mom prepared me in ways for caring for Lyla that I would never have expected.
In 2020, my life took an unexpected turn, and I got a divorce. I started a new path of single motherhood. This was one of the harder journeys I have faced- trying to keep my head up for my children, but losing a relationship I had known for 16 years. Trying to navigate the balance of still loving my in-laws, even though they are now "ex-laws," while creating new boundaries, and of course.... COVID. It was interesting to say the least. Oh, and can't forget that I started a new business in the middle of it all!
Rolls originated from my grandmother's cinnamon roll recipe. I would make them for Lennon, and then my neighbors, and then my neighbors neighbors, and so on, until Kathryn Harris gave me the bright idea to start an Instagram page. I am so glad she gave me that advice, because rolls has now grown into something I never imagined it could be.
A while after my divorce, I started to date again, which was absolutely hysterical. I have too many horror stories to count, but those will have to be saved for a later date. Let's just say dating at 38 is a joke.
In my free time, we prioritize church as a family, go to every child's extra curricular (and there are many), cultivate relationships with my people, and exercise if I'm lucky! (Three15 is my fav)
A few of my favorites things are exploring a new city, quality family time, nap time, nail appointments, trying a new restaurant, and walking my dog.
Fun Facts:
- favorite food: anything sweet
- favorite restaurant: Gian Marco's
- favorite color: pink
- secret talent: I can touch my tongue to my nose. Oh, and do a head stand without using a wall
- guilty pleasure: watching Ginny and Georgia
- dream vacation: Costa Rica
- what's one thing on your bucket list? Parasail with Lennon
- a unique life experience: I got a parasite in Mexico and was sick (from both ends) while on a plane, and had to be wheelchair-ed off. It was my 30th birthday. I am sad to say this was not the last time I have ruined pants.
