graduate with kate.

It finally happened. #6 on my 101 in 1001 days is officially completed!

All the handwork paid off and I wanted to just say thank you to everyone who stood by me. You listened to my trials and errors, you held me accountable, and you helped me reach my goals and I am so so thankful to you. 

Not everyone could make it to Augusta for the day, but Mom and one of my besties from 3rd grade came to support me :)

My best friends from school who've shared in the craziness over the past 16 months

My lovely Ma!

She was the one who pinned me during my nursing graduation Sunday morning. We got to choose someone important to us to present us with our nursing pins at the College of Nursing ceremony.

Feeling so thankful and relieved that it's finally done!!

decorate with kate

I don't particularly like to decorate. Or I guess, I don't like to take down decorations. 

exhibit a: 

In undergrad, my roommates and I left our fake Christmas tree up until June of the next year…now given it was only like 4 feet tall and the decorations were just neon poof balls, so it was year round…so to say…

exhibit b:

We had a halloween party after we moved in, which was about four months later…we got a 10ft black bat (that was made from black trash bags and balloons that filled the body) to decorate. We hung it in the corners of the vault ceilings above the television. I named him Gilbert. He became our 5th roommate. He moved out when we did…2 years later…

Anyhow, last year I got a real tree, which you have to get rid of in a timely fashion…otherwise it just makes a huge mess. This year, I'm debating about doing the same thing or doing something completely different. So to pinterest and google I went for inspiration…

 

For Fake Trees: I love the white look with bright ornaments!

For Real Trees: I love burlap and white for decorations.

This one caught my attention, but seriously…never gonna happen. It's hard enough trying to put up a Christmas tree the regular way with one person…(thankfully my landlord is amazing and helps with random things like bringing in and putting my Christmas tree in its stand)

Now this, this is me, to a T. I love this, minus the branch wings…

Seeing these totally made me want to create my own version…so here is what I came up with...

What do ya think?

xoxo, kate

12.1.13

It's going to be a big month…5 more days to the last day of the semester and then graduation (let's keep our fingers crossed on that one) 

xoxo, Kate

What I Know Now. Book Review.

What I Know Now: Letters to My Younger Self

Edited by Ellyn Spragins

 

I really enjoyed this book. It was an easy read. I could pick it up and put it down in between letters/stories. I picked out some of my favorite quotes and thought I'd share them with you all. Maybe they'll strike a cord with you as well. 

“Don’t be so quick to dismiss another human being.”

–     Barbara Boxer

“The rhythm of life runs in cycles. There are times in the darkness and times in the light.”

-      Olympia Dukakis aka Oly

“Oh, the comfort, the inexpressible comfort of felling safe with a person; having neither to weigh thoughts nor to measure words but to pour them all out, just as it is, chaff and grain together, knowing that a faithful hand will take and sift them, keeping what is worth keeping, and then, with the breath of kindness, blow the rest away.”

-      Ann Curry

“Please yourself first…Everything else follows.”

-      Macy Gray

“Learn to say no.”

-      Heather Mills McCartney

“Sometimes nothing is better than just anything.”

-      Shelley Morrison

“Seven Things You Need to Know

1.  The way you look matters far less than you think

2.  Asking permission to speak is never a good idea at all

3.  Don’t speak too fast because you’re afraid of wasting your listener’s time. Listening to what you have to say is the highest and best use of anyone’s time.

4.  Don’t edit what you say before you say it.

5.  Don’t hang out with anyone who doesn’t understand why you’re so wonderful, or who needs to be told, or who doesn’t tell you at regular intervals or when you forget.

6.  That little voice you keep ignoring is the only one you should ever listen to.

7.  Love.”

-      Lisa Scottoline

“Always follow your heart. If something feels wrong, it probably it.”

-      Vanna White

“ Don’t gossip; it makes you untrustworthy.”

-      Naomi Wolf

“Trust that if you take care of yourself on the inside, follow your instincts, and let yourself evolve naturally, your potential for happiness will be so much greater.”

-      Trisha Yearwood

xoxo, kate

11.1.13

It's nice to see you.

Get in my Belly.

Those of you that know me, or have met me just once...you know I don't cook. Or, in other words, cooking is not my forte. I am much better in other rooms of the house, the closet with insane amounts of clothing, being my primary place of choice.

However, pinterest showed me a recipe and it just seemed so carefree and easy that I figured what the hey, I'll try it. It was so simple to make and a lady at work actually saw me eating it and wanted to recipe. She loved it too when she made it the other night! I felt like a cook and it was actually kinda fun!

Anyhow, super simple, and tasty and I'll share the place I got the recipe with y'all too :)

Here's the proof that I actually did make it...

Looks pretty darn close to this...

Here's the recipe if you'd like to try it.

xoxo, kate

let me know how it turns out!!

Instruction Manual.

Some days I just really need an instruction manual.

[source]

1. don't fall back asleep.

2. get out of bed.

3. put clothes on.

3 steps...they are simple...

but really I just want to go back to sleep for a few more hours, you?

xoxo, kate

My Playlist.

What I'm listening to these days.

Royals

Brave 

(btw, diggin her outfit in the video...and I wanna learn the group dance!!)

Let Her Go 

love his accent, i melt.

Heart in a Cage 

fyi, a friend of mine, taught me how to play this on the banjo (he was better, of course)

You're the Reason I come Home

A thousand Years

Maybe you have the chance to sit back and relax this wknd...if so, enjoy a little music, on me ;)

xoxo, kate

Forever21 Finds.

I got the random email from Forever21 where they have this big graphic of 1000 new arrivals and it reeled me in. So far, the things in my cart look a little something like this...

   

    

   

If you like any of these and want to make a purchase, just click on the item and the link will take you directly to forever21.

I have a bit of a thing for animal print, and neon these days. And that safety pin necklace is unique, in a good way...I like it. :)

Time to break out the sweaters. I am EXCITED for some fall weather! It's my favorite season, now that I think about it. Not hot, but not really too cold. I get to use my fireplace, which I love...so yeah, it's def my favorite season.

xoxo, kate

Just a thought for Thursday.

So I've been thinking today...and this seems to really make sense...

[source]

I think I really want some salad right about now.

xoxo, kate

elephante.

Today is elephant appreciation day, and I love me some elephants. They are just so gentle even though they are humongous. So to share my appreciation with you all, I have collected a few of my favorite photos. Enjoy!

Elephants have the largest brains of any mammal on the face of the Earth. They are creative, altruistic and kind.

-Ingrid Newkirk

We are not the only animal that mourns; apes do, and elephants, and dogs. Yet we are the only one that tortures.

-Geraldine Brooks

We admire elephants in part because they demonstrate what we consider the finest human traits: empathy, self-awareness, and social intelligence. But the way we treat them puts on display the very worst of human behavior.

-Graydon Carter

Aren't these animals gorgeous? 

Enjoy the rest of your weekend :)

xoxo

Kate

Book Lover's Day.

I'm on break for one week, in between semesters! yay, one more semester until GRADUATION! What, What?!? And today just so happens to be "Book Lover's Day." Idk about you, but I have a guilt thing when I'm in school about reading. I never read what I want, or read just for fun because I always feel like I should be reading "what I'm supposed to" aka my textbooks. 

So since I have an entire week to do exactly as I please, here are the TOP 10 books on my Book's to Read List :)

1. Start Something That Matters by Blake Mycoskie 2. Roam by Alan Lazar 3. Confessions of a Counterfeit Farm Girl by Susan McCorkindale 4. Revenge Wears Prada: The Devil Returns by Lauren Weisberger 5. The Longest Ride by Nicholas Sparks 6. Let's Pretend This Never Happened by Jenny Lawson 7. What I Know Now: Letters to My Younger Self by Ellyn Spragins 8. Fifty Shades of Grey by E. L. James 9. The Duck Commander Family by Willie Robertson 10. Geek Love by Katherine Dunn

Have you read any of them? What did you think? Should I take the time, or no?

Self Revelations

I was sitting at home yesterday, doing some studying (as usual), and a couple of things just kinda hit me about myself. A self-revelation so to say. This might be a little personal, but oh well, if you aren't interested...forewarning...stop reading...at about...here... ;)

A few relationships I've had have ended in the exact same way. 

That's a little strange, right? It seemed a little odd to me until I really though about why. For the last several years (after each one individually), I went through the blaming myself part, and the racking it up to the guy just being a jerk part...but what it really comes down to is me, that's the part that I can control. I realized that I avoid confrontation, I avoid the conversations that have to do with how I feel, I avoid looking inward. I can help others with their feelings and emotions all day long, but when it comes to me...I avoid it, I think about it too much, I overanalyze it all. 

I realized I don't have a relationship with myself. I don't really know me. This kinda makes it hard to say how I feel, or to stand up for myself in any situation where I feel taken advantage of. I can stand up for others without any second thought. But for myself, it's a different story, unless it's with my mom, certain family members, or my best friends. (The unconditional love relationships that I've been blessed to have).

Hence,  I have decided to build a relationship with myself. To really get to know me. To enjoy spending time with me...not just in the introverted, self-replenishing way that I'm used to, but in a way where I venture out and do things, with just me. 

So I guess you could say that I've decided to date myself. haha. But not exclusively...I mean, c'mon. 

Anyhow, date one: I went to see Fast and Furious 6 yesterday...loved sitting in the theater by myself. Loved laughing by myself. It was releasing in a way. There was no one to impress, or to judge me about the things I laughed at. It was just me, being me with me. I liked it and I felt comfortable just being with myself in public. I know a lot of people don't like to do anything alone. Especially go to eat by themselves...but it's healthy to do things with yourself. 

The way I choose to look at it is you're spending time with yourself, you're going out with yourself...you're not doing something alone. You have yourself. To be alone sounds to me like you're not even with yourself...I think that's how I've felt for the last little bit and I think it's time to get back in touch with me. To get acquainted. 

So cheers! Here's to me and me...may it be a lasting relationship, filled with love and acceptance. :)

P.S. Yeah, the guys were jerks, but it came down to more than that. ;)

Twenty dollas...no longer in my pocket

Went thrifting today...figured I'd share some of my favorite finds with you! Most of what I got was home decor type stuff. I'm trying to make my place a little more homey. Anyhow, in the midst of making the video, the sun went down, hence the dark lighting. And I tried to make it shorter and more condensed, so it jumps around a bit...I'll work on that in the future :/

xoxo, Kate

Her life seems like a movie...

I read this article the other day about Jenna Lyons, who if you don't know, is the President and Creative Director of J. Crew. First off, her style. Love it. It has tailored, manly facets, but then girly, sparkly specs, and then on top of that, nerdy chic. It's so many things into one and it's just fun! She usually has one classic piece, with a girly piece, and then some random unique item. For example...a couple of her looks that I love. 

Instead of wearing a formal gown, she opted for this statement! She has the classic sweater, the girly clutch and earrings, then the unique skirt. For some of you, it might not be your cup of tea, but it's brave. 

This next look, once again a red carpet deal. But this time she chose a feminine hot pink skirt with an interesting cut and large side front bow, pastel heels, classic clutch with a classic white button down and blue jean jacket...then to top it off, just simple cascading curls. 

I won't analyze all of her outfits, but I'll just post a couple pics of my favorites...

 

She combines textures, maybe that's what draws me in. Also, she is like 6 ft tall and she kinda reminds me of Gisele Bundchen...idk if ya'll see it or not, it might just be my imagination...

Anyhow...she grew up with this medical condition that caused her to lose her teeth, so she has dentures. She went to design school @ Parsons and then got a job working at J. Crew as an assistant to an assistant's assistant...Now she practically runs the company. She was married, but divorced and is now with a woman...seriously, her life is like a movie...

Maybe I'll do a Jenna Lyons style week, and basically take on her style as a challenge...hmm...

Anyhow, hope you all are doing well! Click on the pic to see the sourcing sites and if you'd like to read the article on Jenna and J. Crew, it's here. 

xoxo,

Kate

So this seal walks into a club...

Today is World Penguin Day.

I, myself, love penguins. I think it's just because they always look so classy and put together ;)

Seriously though, are they not adorable. Especially if you've seen that movie with Jim Carey and the penguins...I don't remember the name but his dad ships him like 8 penguins in NYC and the whole movie brings his kids back into his life bc of the penguins and their quirkiness. It's cute. 

To bring a little penguin into your life today, here are a few of my favorite things...clothes, accessories, and bags, oh my!

Enjoy your day! Hopefully it is a little more colorful than black and white ;)

xoxo, Kate