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Read to While in Womb
While I was in the womb, I was read to by my mom and dad. Since I had two older brothers, I was consistently hearing them read to them. -
Little Katey was Born!
I was born. Almost a January 10th baby! (11:45 PM) My dad wanted me to be born on the 9th so 1/9/93 would also read my birth year! -
Looking at Books on Own
I started to look at the pictures in books and really pay attention to the details. My parents say that I would look at books for hours on end and spend up to ten minutes looking at one page. -
First Started Walking
I began to first start walking around one (although my dad was pushing for earlier)! -
My First Haircut
I got my first haircut! -
My First Word
Although my parents cannot recall what my first word was, I first started to speak and say actual words! -
The Last Hurley Arrives
My younger sister, Kelsey arrives! Making us a family of 6 with two boys and two girls (all within 5 years!) -
First Began to Draw Pictures
At this age, I first started drawing pictures and trying to illustrate parts of my life such as people, flowers, sun, etc. -
Speech Therapy Begins
When I was younger, I used to suck on my two fingers which did some damage to my speech. Also, my mouth was too small for my teeth which didn't help my speech complications. Doctors had me start young to help adjust and modify my speech. -
First Began to Scribble & Write Letters
I began to try and write letters to formulate thoughts and ideas. Although these typically did not formulate to much, it was my first experience with "writing". -
Began to Make Visits to the Public Library
I can recall making visits at as young as three. I got to experience books and readings by authors in the area. Since my mom was a stay at home mom at the time, it made it very easy for us to spend our days there. -
Case of the Chicken Pox
I had the chicken pox on my third grade. Still had a birthday party though! -
My First Stitches
My first stitches came from a silly three year old walking right into the corner of a dresser. -
My First Friend
My first friend is still my best friend. We met through our moms taking turns to babysit us while the other was volunteering in the school or running errands. -
Learning the ABC Song
In preschool, we were taught the ABC song. We even performed it for our parents. Although we were not completely sure of what these letters stood for, we recognized simple ones that meant something to us ex) K for Katey -
Move to My New Home
I moved from Geyser Crest into my new neighborhood. This had us changing schools (same district). I would now be going to Division Street Elementary for my first day of Kindergarten. -
Meet Bailey!
Our first family dog. Bailey was a yellow lab. Cutest and most well behaved dog we could ask for (still loved to play hide and seek!) -
First Experiences with Reading
I started to read simple books in my kindergarten years. I was not necessarily advanced in reading but a bit ahead of my peers in applying what I was learning to build the ability to read these simple books. -
Learning Phonics and Sound-Letter Association
This is one of my fondest memories of Kindergarten. I can recall the use of Blow Up letters being "found" or "left" for us in the classroom. This always meant that we were learning a new letter that day and that included what it looked like and the sound it made. -
My First Day of School
I went to Kindergarten when I was 5 years old. Of course I cried while getting on the bus! -
My First Writing Piece
Although it was only a couple of sentences, I wrote my first writing piece in Kindergarten. I remember being so excited that I could start to write cards and letters to mom and dad. -
Discover Favorite Children's Book
After being able to read and comprehend my reading, I discovered my love for Goodnight Moon by Margaret Wise Brown. I used to ask my parents to read it with me at bedtime over and over again. -
Worst Reading Experience
I remember being traumatized by the book A Bad Case of Stripes by David Shannon. It left me thinking I could actually change color when eating lima beans! Swore I would never eat them. -
Runner Up to Spelling Bee
In second grade, I was the runner up in my class to be in the spelling bee. I remember being so close to making the school one that I was bummed. Although I cannot recall the word, I remember thinking it was a silly word I misspelled to eliminate myself. -
My First Diary
I started diary writing! Such an important part of most children's lives. I was using my writing skills to write down my feelings and thoughts and daily actions. It became something I would do daily for years to come (into high school). -
Begin to Read Chapter Books
In third grade, I began to read chapter books. My first chapter book was one of the Junie B. Jones. I continued to read these throughout the third grade. -
Learned to Write in Cursive
In third grade, I learned to write in cursive. I remember specifically struggling with V and X. It's funny to think that it is not even being taught anymore! -
My First Play
I participated in my first play. It was Aesop's Fables. I had lines I needed to remember so this took time for me to continuously read over and over and develop comprehension and fluency of what I was reading. -
My First Magazine
I began to read my first magazines. It was so exciting that every time I went to the grocery store with my mom I begged her to let me get a magazine. Magazine of choice: Tigerbeat! -
Flag Day Essay
In fourth grade, I won the flag day contest. We were asked to write an essay on what the flag meant to us. This meant I got to present it to the whole school during our flag day ceremony. I remember feeling so proud of this accomplishment and putting so much effort into the writing. -
Fifth Grade Graduation
I was scared about turning double digits, I couldn't even imagine thinking about going to a new middle school! I was very excited but nervous also. -
My First School Sport
My first school sport ended up being field hockey. I thought I wanted to play volleyball but my mom knew better and pushed me to do field hockey. I ended up loving it and having a great 6 years playing for Saratoga! -
Brace Face Katey
Welcome to teenage hood! Braces, rubber bands, all the good orthodontist accessories came into the picture. -
First Time to Travel Out of the Country
First vacation was to Dominican Republic. We had a blast, although the food was not top of the line! -
Rudy & Gipper Come Around
After the passing of Bailey, we couldn't stand not having a dog around the house. We went to look for specifically yellow labs but I fell in love with Rudy (the black lab). Since we wanted another yellow, we decided on Gipper. My parents surprised me with Rudy! -
My Favorite High School Reading
I loved the book Speak by Laurie Halse Anderson. I found it so powerful and being in high school you foudn yourself sympathizing with the main character. -
My First Job
My first job was at the Saratoga Race Track selling lemonade. -
Purchase My First Car
I purchased my first car all on my own. I had saved up all my money from my summer job to make it happen! 1998 Green Dodge Stratus -
Reading of the Dreaded Shakespeare
I can recall struggling with Shakespeare and his OH so difficult texts to understand. I do remember feeling appreciative of learning and being proud of my understanding by the end of the unit. -
My License!
I am not sure who was happier; my parents or I. I no longer needed to be chauffeured around, I could drive on my own! -
Graduate High School!
I graduated high school in 2011. I was so nervous to be moving away from home and was not excited about college at all. -
Next Up: College
I went to school at SUNY Oneonta. I ended up falling in love even though I thought I was going to hate it! -
Favorite Young Adult Series
I discovered the Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins when I was a bit older than the typical reader. I still loved it! I was spending much of my "dorm time" reading this book. Then I got just as excited each year when the movies came out. -
William Comes Into the Picture
I started dating my boyfriend in our sophomore year. Time flies: 4 and a half years later! Fun fact: We share the same birthday! -
Discovered My Favorite Book Series
I developed my favorite book series after watching the famous show: Game of Thrones. I could not keep my hands off of them. They are long books and I would finish them in a month! I loved the detail and articulate writing by George R.R. Martin. -
College Graduation
The dreaded day of college graduation. This meant entering the real world and leaving all my friends. -
My First Big Girl Job
I started my first big girl sales job at Yelp. Although it was a great starting job, I ended . up discovering my true career path through this job: education! -
My First Real Apartment
After living with my brother for a month, I moved into my first real apartment in Queens outside of Manhattan. Although, it was not perfect, it did feel nice knowing I worked hard to pay for it. -
My First Educational Literacy Class
I took my first educational literacy class with Dr. Iasevoli. I learned a ton of beneficial information. This includes the history of reading and writing, strategies in the classroom and types of readings.
