5 Questions: Jillian Interviews Kara

We've had some rough weather over here on Cape Ann. Below freezing temps (way below), blizzards with the word "bomb" in front of them, and it's just WINTER! So we decided to sit down by a cozy fire, and give each other some interview questions. Except we are both busy mommas, so our fireside chat was actually a series of texts and emails. Enjoy!

Jillian Interviews Kara

J: What’s something you’ve won and how did you win it?

K: One magical day, my first time in NYC, friends of ours (Who we totally took advantage of and stayed with for almost a week when we originally said 2-3 days...I didn’t know I would love the city THAT much!) told us about the lottery system to try and get front row tickets to see Wicked. Ten years ago, Wicked was what Hamilton is now, so yeah. We didn’t want to just pay for a regular ticket, cmon! We paid $25 bucks each to have our name thrown in a hat along with 30-40 more people. We gather, they start calling names and they call Chris Gallagher. I lose all cool I might have acquired strolling the NY streets. I scream, Chris walks to the front, totally embarrassed of his freak out wife and we see Wicked that night. Front row. For $50. It was life changing. I still have Defying Gravity on my GSD playlist. (Read: get stuff done. Or on serious days: get sh*t done.)

J: What’s one fashion trend you hope never comes back? Which ones have come back that you wish hadn’t?

K: I hope to dig out a picture one day as proof, but back in high school, I owned a pair of JNCO jeans. Owned a pair and wore them. Yeah, sorry. Just go ahead and google those bad boys if you aren’t sure what they are. And what is happening with crushed velvet these days?! Nordstrom tried to tell me that crushed velvet socks with birkenstock-ish sandals was a thing this year. Nope.

J: What do you consider your best quality?

K: A best quality doesn’t mean a perfect one, right? I’m not perfect at this, but I’m real good at giving out grace. I was thrown into the world of triplets babies who were sick and it was scary, and then they came home and it was still scary because there were three of them and I just, wasn’t sure exactly what I was doing (still don’t) but somehow, despite my many flaws, and mistakes, we made it through night one, and then night two, and then they ate solid foods and then one day they’re going to kindergarten! And they love me! And they are really great kids! And then I had ANOTHER kid who is sometimes more work than the 3 babies were! Phew. My point is, my babies taught me grace, and I’d like to think that I am good at giving it to others. I like to give people room to make mistakes and I try to approach most situations with “everyone is doing the best they can with the tools they’ve been given” type attitude.

My little band of teachers back in 2012...always learning lessons of patience, grace and love from them.

J: If you were given $100,000 to celebrate someone or something, who or what would you celebrate?

K: Wow! This is a fun question and an easy one for me to answer. I would celebrate summer, here in Rockport. I would fly in all my family that lives on the other side of the country and invite everyone else in my life and have the biggest summer kick-off you’ve ever seen. A weekend of the beach, bbqs, coolers, paddle boarding, boogie boarding, sand castles, pancake breakfasts, more beach and lots of love sand. There would be live bands in my backyard each night and I’d hire an A-Team crew of babysitters to have on standby all weekend. (This is mostly for my own selfish reasons, but I’m sure the other adults would dig it!)

J: Tell ME why you are excited about 2018. What are your plans?

K: I love to stare a new year in the face and just be open to all its possibilities and just not knowing what is in store! But one thing I will share, a friend of mine introduced me to the concept of being a “redliner” in regards to the White Mountains. It entails hiking every single trail in the White Mountain Guide Handbook, about 1400 miles. I was so geeked out about the idea that I immediately texted him and said, “Yes! Redlining! Let’s do it!”. Being the friend that he is, I found the trail guide in my possession a week later. It may take me 30 years, but I am hiking every one of those trails dammit. So this year I hope to check off at least 5 trails, to add to my big total of 3 so far. I’m sure about a million other things will happen this year that will delight me or knock me to my knees, but that is the fun thing about life, you just never know what is waiting for you up ahead.