One Two Buckle My Shoe. Three Four Sob Some More.

After an extended massage, my sweet nail technician was putting my shoe back on my freshly pedicured foot. Just as I was about to interject, she began to fasten the buckle on my sandal. I never bother to undo the buckle and usually the back strap doesn’t even end up behind my heel. Tears immediately arrived to this party. 

I was so overcome with how well she was taking care of me. It was just so nice to have someone do something for me. I didn’t have to worry about putting my shoe on. She completely handled it. I didn’t even have to lift my foot. More often than not, I have tons of people who are willing to buckle my shoes…to help me handle things…and usually it ends in me screaming at them. (You think I’m joking….) The nail tech was a small reminder of how nice it is to share a little bit of the burden. 

They say you get your needs met in 3 ways: from others, from yourself, and from God. When the distribution of these things gets thrown off, then it gets unhealthy. Too much dependence on others & you’re looking at  co-dependency. Too much on yourself & you’ve got my bestie boo: counter dependency. To quote Beyoncé, “All my ladies who independent, throw your hands up at me.” While I love my independence and it can be a great asset, my nail tech showed me today that maybe (just maybe) it might be okay to let people help me and I might even like it.  
Join me on the journey to figure this out and take the best care of ourselves that we can! Stay tuned for little ways that I take care of myself. 

The Case Against Being a Butt Baby

  If you’ve talked to me at any length in the past year, you’ve probably heard this story. I was sitting at the same counter where this all went down tonight & the story popped into my head. I thought it was time to share it here.

My 2015 sucked. The whole thing was just kind of a giant heart break. I cried more than usual. It was just hard.

One evening, I was crying in Shawn & Candi’s kitchen. I was sitting at the counter and just word vomiting everything I was feeling. As Shawn was encouraging me to ask Jesus what He had to say about the situation, Skyler runs into the kitchen. [Side note: Skyler is the most hilarious, adventurous, crazy four year old I know.] He said the most profound sentance to me. It was  a huge turning point for my year. Skyler screams at the top of his little lungs,

“Katie- stop being a butt baby and come jump on the trampoline!”

You know what? I was being a butt baby. Now, I am a huge advocate for walking through grief- you gotta feel your feelings, ya dig? But I was wallowing it. Focusing on it. Throwing a giant pity party. Mope city. Skyler nailed it on the head. 

So I ran with him into the back yard and I jumped on that trampoline. As we were bouncing and laughing, it broke something in me. It shifted my focus. It sent me in the direction that I wanted to go- back to joy and fun. It took the focus off of myself and on to something different.

It reminded me of Matthew 18:3:

“Truly I tell you, unless you change and become like little children, you will never enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore, whoever takes the lowly position of this child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven.”

Sometimes, you have to do something childlike to break out of our clunky adult mindsets. As an adult, I can be jaded or cynical. When I am childlike, I am full of wonder and joy and acceptance. The little things don’t matter as much. You can be a butt baby sometimes. You can have your moment. Take some time to process. But don’t stay there. I hope you have a good kitchen counter where you can spill your guts. When the time is right, look for an opportunity to get on a trampoline. I’m sure Skyler would love to bounce with you. 
Ps: Skyler got in trouble for saying butt baby. He’s not allowed to go around and say such offensive things…but I’m glad he said it to me. 🙂

Oh 14 Year Old Katie

This last week, Kelli and I went to see the first love of my life: Nick Carter. To say I was a fan of the Backstreet Boys is an understatement. I saw BSB live when I was 14. I cried/sobbed the entire time. In fact, I was in such a state of emotional upheaval that security came and asked me if I was okay. Yeah.

So when I saw Nick (my fav, btw) this week, all I could think was, “Wow 14 year old Katie would be dying right now.” I was so close to him I could see the sweat on his cute blonde brow. (That’s as much detail as I’ll get into. He’s married with a kid on the way. But I’ll just leave it at: #swoon) If 14 year old Katie could see me now- meeting up with a friend at a cool downtown venue to see the love of her life without having to ask permission- she would be so proud.

But there’s a lot more that 14 year old and 20-something year old Katie should be proud of. High School Freshman Katie was scared and insecure and weird and unsure. I think we all were.

Today I’m really proud that I’ve risen to the fight to figure out who I am. It’s really scary to face all of your rough edges that have protected you for so long.

I’m proud that I kept going after I fell down. There have been lots of times when I majorly messed up. Like when I lied to all the people who were nicest to me. Or when I’ve really hurt people because of my own hurt. Shawn said to me recently, “I think you think of your self as someone who doesn’t follow through or someone who quits, but you’ve really shown that you’ve kept going.” Whoa. Heavy. True.

I’m proud that I’m working towards a legacy of emotional health. I was having a late night conversation over eggs with Ginger. I was moping and venting and crabbing about feeling stuck and not knowing how to do things well. She said 2 things people always say that make me want to punch them in the face, “You’re never going to arrive.” and “Katie- you are healthy now.” Okay so I don’t really want to inflict pain on anyone, but it’s good to have a friend who assures you that it’s okay to be in the process and that you’re on the right track. (I still hate being in the process, for the record.) 

So while I may or may not be proud that I lost my voice & my hearing at a Nick Carter concert, I certainly am proud of moving forward. I’m also proud that I still knew every word to every Backstreet Boys song he sang. Old habits die hard- good ones and bad ones. 🙂

Gosh he is so stinking cute….. ❤

Good Eats: Republic Ramen + Noodles

  It’s official: El Niño is my sworn enemy. It has turned AZ into a wasteland of rain, clouds, & gloom. Along with all of that, it has stirred up something that I’m allergic to or something. I am currently going through round 2 of a lost voice. For a loud mouth such as myself, this is rough.

One particularly dreary evening, I knew I needed something that would warm me up from within. My normal choice in this situation would be pho- specifically at unPhogettable on Dobson in Mesa. But I decided to branch out and try something in my hood: Republic Ramen & Noodles!

I called them up & it was ready in less than 10 minutes. When I went to pick it up, the place was packed for a week day night. There was also a girl eating wearing cat ears. That has nothing to do with the food, but it felt worth noting. When I went up to the counter, they handed me my food and swiped my card through a square card reader connect to a phone that-you guessed it- had a cat shaped case on it. 

But back to the food! I ordered the Sapporro Ramen with original toppings & beef. It was brothy, salty deliciousness. The noodles were hearty. The spinach was fresh. I think next time I’d pick something a little spicier or add some chilli pepper or something. It was the perfect treatment for a stuffy nose & scratchy throat. 

  
They also had a great selection of boba. I got the Thai Tea with boba….it was great. People on Yelp were saying the boba was hard but mine was perfect.

  
I’m not sad because it was yucky. I’m sad because I felt like butt. Clearly also sick-loopy. 

I slurped that ramen right down. You read that right- slurping is the appropriate way to eat this dish. I read on Yahoo Answers or some other reputable site that slurping aerates the environment around the noodles and enhances the flavor. Either way, we can all agree that slurping is the grossest word ever. 

If you’re in Tempe, this is a great spot to check out. The inside had a cool vibe and there’s lots of options on the menu. Stay tuned for the next time I go and try out their karaoke rooms! 

Think Less. Risk More.

Today, Cailey gave us the opportunity to set an intention for 2016 at The Madison Tempe & put it on the tree. After sweating my life away through class, I decided on one:

Think Less. Risk More.

Now, I love a good plan. I love pre-Yelping every new neighborhood I end up in. I think plans are good- but sometimes I don’t do things because I spend so much time THINKING about possible outcomes. I can talk a good game- but what actions am I taking?

Here’s a small example (and a risk to share publicly): I follow this choreographer on Instagram. I secretly really want to take one of his classes. He teaches literally less than a block from where I live. But why haven’t I done it? Fear. And a swirl of over thinking. “Is it even appropriate to go if I have no skill?” “Will I be put on the spot?” “What do the cool kids wear??”

But I’ve resolved to take the risk and take his class this year. (I’m sure it will make it to the blog.) And now you can all hold me accountable.

With my new Facebook page, goals I’ve set for my blog, & plans for new ventures there is so much opportunity for risk in 2016. Risk means growth. I’m ready for all that comes with that! I hope you are too!

 

PS: Remember when I did the Summer of Risks? This is sort of that but 2.0.

4 Inspirational Instagram Accounts To Follow

I love all that Instagram has to offer. I follow my friends, bloggers I like to stalk, people I like to stalk, celebrities I like to stalk………….but I also like to follow a handful of accounts for inspiration. These four accounts have beautiful images, great branding, and something to hold my attention. 

  1. @wildfoxcouture

If you’re familiar with Wild Fox, you know they’re famous for their cheeky graphic T’s & high end fashion with a youthful twist. I love following them for feminine, fun inspiration….with some sass thrown in.

2. @sainthoax

I feel like I’ve written about them before on my blog, but I’m semi obsessed with Saint Hoax. They mix pop culture, Disney, history, and classic images in a really hilarious way. They call themselves “pop-litically incorrect” and I think that’s perfect. 

3. @vibes

Okay I’m not even sure what Vibes is or what they do- but I love their IG account. They post cool architectural pictures one day and then avant garde fashion photos the next. It’s definetly out of my box- but I think that’s why I like them.

4. @wildercalifornia

I love following Wilder for their beautiful botanical photos. The colors are soft & subtle. As a desert girl, I love their shots of succulents too. They sell prints too- absolutely gorg. 

Do you have any favs you follow?! I’m always looking for more! 

Good Eats: Darling Donuts

  
I woke up on January 2nd craving donuts. Like I had to have one or I was going to combust.  #NewYearSameMe. I had spent the night at my parent’s house in Gilbert and thought I’d Yelp a new donut shop near by. After a recent not-so-great experience at a trendy donut shop in Scottsdale, I didn’t have high expectations. 

I decided on Darling Donuts. They had great reviews- the only negative reviews complained that they run out of donuts! Uh, sounds like a good problem to me! If they’re selling out, I want them. Anything for the love of a trend….

I popped in and the girl behind the counter was the sweetest. She helped me  pick out a chocolate long john for Dad, a maple bacon for me, and a maple bar, chocolate sprinkle, glazed for good measure.  Oh! And a chocolate filled donut because those are my other fav. 

  
Say what you will about bacon & desserts but my response to the matter is “Yes & Amen!” I loved it.  All the donuts were fluffy & fresh. They even go my dad’s donut loving stamp of approval.  There was a sign for red velvet donuts….but they were all gone. ☹️ Guess I’ll just have to go back!

  
 
Who doesn’t love a pink donut box?! 😍 I got to enjoy their Boba Tea too- they also had smoothies and other fun things!  If you find yourself around Baseline & Gilbert road, I’d highly recommend checking out Darling Donuts!

PS: I can’t wait to share even more new (to me!) restaurants this year. I love trying new local places partly because I’m a bleeding heart millennial who loves to support start ups and also partly because food is an excellent way to bring people together. Let me know if you have any good suggestions! 😘

So You’re Going to Disneyland as a Non-Child….

We’d been planning Christmas at Disney since July. As I scoured what felt like the whole World Wide Web, there was very little about a 20 something’s trip to the Happiest Place on Earth. Most tips were for families with kids…..imagine that. 😉 I thought I’d share some things that worked well for me- a full grown adult- at Disneyland

1. Use a cross body bag. Fashionable, easily accessible, and hard to leave behind on a ride or bench. I had this one. My sister & my mom used this one.
2. Pack snacks. This one might be a bit of a “duh,” but we didn’t pack snacks because we thought we’d just buy them. We quickly realized we wished we had little snacks to munch on between meals. While we still heavily indulged in park food (#corndogsarelyfe), we didn’t always want to spend time hunting for the nearest snack stand. Things like almonds, non-chocolate granola bars, and cheese sticks would have been good to have.
3. Make use of the Magic Hour.                                                                           If you stay at a Disney hotel or have an Annual Pass, you get in the park a whole hour earlier than the rest of the crazed Disney fanatics. This allowed us to walk on to rides we expected to wait hours for.  I felt like it really enhanced the value of our park admission. We got on tons of rides and were able to have a leisurely afternoon on the busiest day of the year. The best tip I read was to get in line a half hour before the Magic Hour actually starts because you have to go through security and you don’t want to eat up 30 mins being “randomly selected” for a search. (FYI- our whole family was “randomly” selected.)
4. Make dining reservations 60 days in advance & do the World of Color Dining Package. We literally walked right front & center of the viewing area for World of Color because we did the dining package. While we were in the “splash zone,” we didn’t get wet at all. If you’ve never seen World of Color, it is so worth it. I am HARD to impress and I was awestruck. We did dinner at Ariel’s Grotto because the other restaurants were booked, but it ended up being great! Their dessert is delicious and (as far as a dinner at Disney goes) was fairly reasonable for a 3 course meal. You can find all of the participating restaurants here.
5. Flo’s V8 Cafe is the perfect oasis for indoor rest. This is actually a great tip for people of any age. While we were at California Adventure, it was FREEZING. While my sisters & dad went to ride Tower of Terror, mom & I sat at a table inside Flos. It’s in a good location, you can order hot coffee, and you can sit there for as long as you’d like.
6. Don’t buy bottled water. Any place that sells food will give you a cup of water with a lid & straw for free. It’s east to get dehydrated while you’re having the time of your life- pop in and ask any counter.
7. Surrender to the kid inside of you.  I don’t know about you, but Disney was a huge part of my childhood and it was so fun to revisit that. My sister and I sang our lungs out at the Frozen Sing-A-Long. I squealed when it started to snow when I was meeting Olaf. The Disney Cast members got excited along with me. I laughed, I skipped, and I screamed. Get lost in the magic of the world Walt created. It will enhance your visit- I promise!
8. Eat a Corn Dog. Seriously. You will never eat a more delicious food. I think they sprinkle magic in the breading. Or they fry them. Either way…..get one in your mouth as soon as possible.

That’s all I got for now! Disney really does such a superior job at creating a magical experience for every guest. You don’t need many tips to have a great time.

Disney Magic

We spent Christmas in Disneyland. I don’t use this word often, but it was truly magical. I’ll share in a post later on about tips that worked well for us and things we would do differently, but I wanted to put up a little recap for my own memory.

Ballin’ on a Budget: Drug Store Favs

I love luxury as much as the next girl. (See my love of comfort here.) Sometimes a girl’s gotta balance that with ballin’ on a budget. While I would love to bathe in Armani Liquid Foundation a la Kim K, that’s just not in my game plan right now. I’ve found a good mix of drug store & high end make for the best beauty regime. Here are some of my fav drug store go to picks that work as well as the fancy dancy things:

1. Milani Baked Blush in Luminoso If you’ve ever read any beauty blog ever you know this old classic. It’s a great dupe for Orgasm by Nars and about $20 cheaper. I notice it doesn’t last quite as long as Nars and I have to make sure I use a setting spray- but it’s still a great one! I love that it’s a little shimmery but not like Limited Too sparkle spray status.
2. Maybelline Dream Bronze BB SPF 25 You know when you have a spray tan and your normal foundation doesn’t match and it’s really frustrating? Enter this BB cream! It’s really like a slightly tinted moisturizer that gives even pale ol’ me a subtle glow. I used the Light/Medium shade and it was perfect.
3. CeraVe Cleanser & Moisturizer As I was explaining my skin care woes to the best brow artist on the planet, she was like, “Yeah you need something that’s like…nothing.” I have crazy sensitive skin that doesn’t tend to break out. My mom’s dermatologist suggested she use CeraVe and turns out it’s perfect for me too! I’ve used Cetaphil in the past and I feel like CeraVe leaves me feeling a little cleaner.
4. NYX Matte Lipstick in Siren I love this shade for winter! It’s like bright red’s cooler cousin. I actually love all of NYX’s lip stuff (esp the Butter Lipsticks and the Matte Lip Cremes). I like that these are so affordable that you can be as trendy as you want.

Those are my favs! For things like foundation, brows, & shadows, I like to stick to higher end items. Sometimes, I switch it up- I have an Urban Decay blush that I love. For the most part, though, there are some things I stick to. Do you have any secret drugstore favs? Those perfect little budget buys?! Let me know! I’m always looking to expand my collection.