Sugar Lows

Well, I will be the first to tell you that while I love sleepovers. I never function well afterward, which is why I don't go to/ host sleepovers very often. This is not to say I don't want to ever be invited. I just always figure if you're going to go through a sleepover, you have to do it right, which means junk food and late-night chatting.

I am currently coming out of a functioning (barely?) sugar-coma. I think. Had a friend spend the night last night, and not only did we stay up until about 2 o'clock (which is not late compared to past sleepovers), but I ate one bowl of the mac and cheese that we had for dinner, four s'mores with nutella instead of regular chocolate, half a bag of kettle corn, four pancakes for breakfast, and a cinnamon pretzel. Because if you're gonna go, you better go hard, right? Or not because this friend o' mine only had ONE s'more and ONE pancake. Kudos for the self-control.

I'm not going to beat myself up over the fact that I pigged-out, because I made the choice and it really is part of the experience. But I do question why I let myself eat like that when I know how it makes me feel afterward. This sugar overload combined with the variance from my normal sleep routine just hits me really hard, and builds potential for becoming grumpy Katie. You can even take out the sugar part, and just change up my sleep, and my body simply doesn't react well. Which is why i don't stay up late or eat tons of junk food. Don't keep questioning it unless you want to experience the aftermath yourself.

Because I love my friends and want them to stay my friends, I believe these sleepovers are a necessary part of good bonding. Which is why I will have at least a few more this summer. It is summer after all, so who cares if you're a little tired? Ugh, I care that's who. Anyway, I'm trying not to let myself feel as full and chubby as I should because that just makes me frustrated. Maybe I'll go eat some carrots. Lol.

xoxo,
Katie

Clothing finds

Hey there! So recently I have found some pieces of clothing that I've been looking for for a long time, and have finally gotten to cross-off my look-for list. Wanted to share:)

First things first: t-shirts. I love t-shirts. I found these two at yard-sales the other day with my mama. The striped one is actually a guys shirt, but I really love it because it's soft, slouchy, and super comfortable. And I love stripes. The second one is a plain black tee from Lands End. Can't go wrong there. 

I found a grey hoodie!!! :D Woo-hoo! I have been looking for/wanting a plain grey hoodie for such a long time but was determined to find one at a yard-sale. Welp, I found the perfect one at Forever 21 for $10 and bought it instead. This one isn't online but others are almost exactly the same. It fits perfectly, super soft and cozy, and I get to be the one who breaks it in. 

Also, I found a tee-shirt dress. I was kind of searching for one of these for a while, just keeping my eyes peeled. Confession: I bought this after my best friend got the same one because I really loved it.  It was exactly what I had in mind, so. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery. ;) I found it at Tilly's, and wasn't dazzled when I tried it on because of the awkward fitting room lighting, but decided to buy it and just return it if I still didn't love it at home. But I did love it at home! Yay! And there's two pluses: 1. It's not rayon and 2. It's made in America. 

Okay. I found this wonderful hat at Target, and tried it on just to see what it looked like. It was exactly what I've been looking for to replace my other floppy hat that is much too floppy.  This brim is wide enough to protect your face but not flopping all over the place when you're trying to enjoy your view.  And it's just cute. 

Product Review

Okay, I went to Target recently and bought a couple of products that are new to me. First, is the No. 7 Beautiful Skin Night Cream for Normal/Oily Skin. I'm not typically a person who will just pick out a cream like this for fun, but I figured I'll never know if something works for me unless I actually try it. I've never used a 'night cream' before, and figured if I didn't like it I can always return it. Anyway, I used it last night for the first time and was pleasantly surprised. The cream is pretty light and you only need a smidge for your whole face and neck, so the container should last a long time. It was refreshing on my skin, and when I woke up, my face still looked like it was freshly washed. My skin looked calm if that makes any sense. "Created to help your oily skin behave like normal skin and provide tailored skin nutrition for healthy looking, bright and beautiful skin... to hydrate whilst rebalancing oil production overnight and preventing breakouts." I do have to say, my skin is definitely more calm throughout the day, not so oily in the oily areas or dry in the dry areas. Happy with this. :)

I also grabbed some facial wax strips. Now let me explain: I wouldn't say I have obnoxious facial hair. But in some lights the bitty hairs on my upper lip become more visible. In addition to the fact that I have dark, thick hair genes anyway, this made me a bit self-conscious. So I thought I'd try these out. They were only $5 too so that's nice. Anyway I tried these out and I think I like them. Considering the fact that this was my first waxing attempt ever, it turned out pretty well- there was only a bit left-over for the tweezers. The process was super easy thanks to clear on-the-box instructions.

 

While I did like how effective the actual hair-removal was, I unfortunately developed an irritation/rash on my upper lip. Not happy about that, especially since it lasted like four or five days. And it looked like pimples. Personally I don't think that's worth getting rid of a few hairs for. I don't care that much. So I ended up returning these. 

Just Do It

Okay, so it turns out my mom and I were both a bit more sore than we expected yesterday morning, so we took the day off to prevent our eager selves from overdoing it. We did kill it today though. And are already noticeably more tender than Monday afternoon.

Because I tend to focus more on my lower-body when I exercise (I feel my legs are a lot stronger and have better endurance than my upper-body), today was almost entirely arm work. And the fact that my entire upper-body feels so heavy must mean something worked, right? Ugh. In addition to the arm work, I also did ab work, about 15 minutes on the elliptical, box jumps ( I LOVE box jumps), and some leg extension press thingies.

Any-hoo, I'm trying really hard to get some definition in my arms. This however is a struggle because the process makes my shoulders (my traps, primarily) super bulky. Do you see^^ what I mean? This picture is kinda awko-taco, but. I have thick, slope-y shoulders. And I have a feeling I can't do anything about them. Soooooo, I'm just gonna go with it, because embracing yourself is always a good idea. (P.S. If anyone knows how to minimize my shoulder-bulk, *please* let me know.  I will love you forever).
One reason I enjoy working out in the morning is because it keeps me from eating junk the rest of the day. When my body's a bit sore every time I get up to eat, I remember that I'm fueling my body, and that keeps me on the right track. I've noticed too that since I've been eating better, there's more of a visible difference (to me at least) in my thighs/quads than in my torso. But there is progress overall that I am happy to see. I love that when I eat well, my body feels better and tighter even if it doesn't look better.

Will either be back at the gym tomorrow or Friday depending on how much we're hurtin'. I'm planning on running whatever day we take off though, cause I still have to fit in some cardio.

Starting Strong

Today was my first free day since I officially finished school! Yaaaaay :) Let me tell you, the freedom of not *having* to do anything is just so wonderful. But, not to worry because I did actually do things today! I love getting to just see what the day has for me. And I plan on being relaxed-productive throughout my summer so it's gonna be awesome.

First: Woke up early to go to the gym with my mom. This happened because we had to get my brother to school anyway, and always figure we might as well make the most of the trip. I will say it was pretty great; I felt more productive than usual, and I am crediting this to the fact that I wrote down what I wanted to actually get through during my workout, instead of just winging it. Also, I haven't gotten to go to the gym since probably Spring Break, and it was nice to get back in the groove. I will, WILL, make this a regular occurrence. It's so much easier when I get to go with my mama, because seriously, how hard is it to get up and go by yourself.

    

Amusing attempts to take a selfie^ once I was almost finished working-out, lol. But my eyebrows look great, wouldn't you say? The middle picture is all I got done, with reps and sets. I'll probably be a bit sore tomorrow, but I can't tell yet because at this point I still feel fine. 

We then proceeded to go to Sam's Club- surprise, surprise. This is nothing new. After that, we went home where we had a yummy mid-morning-lunch-thing. Then I vacuumed the house because I was supposed to do that Saturday but was busy doing things out-and-about. Got the backyard mowed, and then showered, had lunch...I spent like an hour and a half on Youtube when I could have been taking a nap, but whatevs (will probably get back on again). Watched some t.v. and ate more food because my body is crazy and that's all I have to say.

At this point, I still need to have dinner, and will probably scroll Pinterest and maybe journal a bit. Should finish my library book because it was actually due yesterday...

I hope to do more quick, daily posts like this one, updating about my days and routines, and just talk about how life's going. I also need suggestions for future post ideas. Lemme know what you think.

XOXO,
Katie

Looking Forward

It's such a bizarre concept to think that I am no longer a high school student. For at least 12 years, I have been required to go to school; I've been guided, instructed, and told exactly what to do and how to do it, and now I'm allowed to make all my own decisions. I've  had to ask permission to use the bathroom since forever, and now I'm going to college, getting a job, and preparing to make my life my own. How weird is that?

It's hard to wrap my mind around. Like, what am I supposed to do? I can't possibly be qualified to make these decisions. Sometimes I get anxious about not having everything (everything meaning my whole life) figured out. I don't know exactly what I want, because I don't know all my options. And I get a smidge sad to think that I'm not a technical kid anymore. But I'm so thankful that God always reminds me that I don't have to have it figured out. And I have no reason to be sad because all of the friends I care about are still close to home. I know my short-term plans, which will have to do.

I've realized that whenever I am confronted with change, initially, I don't handle it calmly. I may look calm, but my mind is all over the place. I have mini mental panic attacks. I over-think. I hate not knowing what I need to do to make the transition as smooth as possible. I like to plan everything. Understanding this has made me realize that it's not always best to have time to prepare for change. Sometimes, like when you're learning to swim, you just have to be pushed in, and figure it out from there. In terms of graduation, I knew it was coming, but it wasn't real to me until it happened. Combine this with beginning college, and I am having to learn that I can't always get things done on my schedule- I will sometimes have to wait to get answers, schedules, costs, and permits until the designated time. It's weird not having any say in when certain things get done; if I could choose, all my college classes would be figured out by now, I would know all the materials I needed, and textbooks and school supplies would already be purchased (actually I did get some notebooks already). But that's just not how it is.

High school has taught me a lot about myself. What I learned in the classroom was not only academics- I learned a lot about my likes/dislikes, my need for acceptance, why people do what they do. I've learned that not everyone will like you, and not everyone needs to. You have to do you. Don't worry about what others think. Take the time to listen when someone speaks, because everyone can teach you something new. Be honest with your peers, and more honest with your friends; let people know when you're struggling with something. Don't change for anyone, because most of the time, people secretly love and want whatever you might change about yourself; people admire when you stand up for your likes, beliefs, and feelings because it shows confidence. Let people know how much they mean to you. Sometimes you have to fake it until you make it. And you just have to take things one step at a time.

I feel free and powerful. Graduation showed me that while I may not get along with or like all of my classmates, we will always be Vikings, together. The rest doesn't really matter.

It's been swell Parkview. Thanks for being a part of my journey.

Sew Sew

Ever since I began sewing in the eighth grade, I haven't been able to stop. I think I'm addicted- but that's not a bad thing! I love love love it. And I've continually gotten better (which makes sense) so I love it even more.

Personally I know that I value the pieces I make so much more than anything I could buy. Making something myself just makes it so much more special, and it becomes all me- no one else will ever have the exact same bag or dress again. ;) Being the one to create my projects makes me understand the work and effort it takes to make something all my own- I appreciate the process when I have to go through it rather than just spending money on things. I think that picking out fabric is my favorite part of the whole process; I can spend hours in Hobby Lobby and Joanne. Picking fabric is a process that cannot be rushed.

I have recently been in the process of sewing  MY PROM DRESS. I. Am. So. Excited.  Shout out to my mom for encouraging the idea :) I've never done a project this big or fancy before so it's completely new to me.

        This dress / silhouette was my inspiration. I wanted something classic, that I knew would be comfortable, and different than everyone else. I combined two different patterns to make the dress: I took the skirt and waistband pieces from the pattern on the left, and the bodice pieces from the one on the right, which really wasn't hard to do. I cut the pieces way bigger than I needed to just to ensure that I couldn't possibly make the dress too small. I did have to make it smaller as I went, and I made sure to put in the zipper last; even then I had to take it in because the top edge of the bodice was kind of poochy. 

I didn't take any pictures as I cut the pattern or the fabric, because that is the longest and most tedious part of the process, and trying to take nice pictures would have just frustrated me. 

I focused on the bodice first, since I figured that was really the focal point of the dress. Obviously it's black, and the bodice itself is satin, while the overlay is a netting. This style/bodice was totally new to me, but super exciting. Again, really not too difficult, but, more time consuming than I expected. 

The bodice was really fun to put together. It's cool to know now how dresses like this are constructed.

And then the skirt happened. Let me tell you, these pieces were massive, and I did end up having to redo the back seam and trim a bunch of excess off. The pattern called for a lining to go with the skirt, so I did both of those separately. The skirt is a gold/champagne satin, and the lining is a light cream something-or-other- it's very thin and swooshy. 

Long, long seams. Lots of gathers. Became kind of paranoid about the fabric folding on itself as I sewed, because it happened more than once. I had to gather the skirt and lining, then attach them to the waistband, which became a bit thick and awkward, but we all survived. 

Many pins were harmed in the making of this prom dress. 

I ended up having to do two hook-and-eyes, one above the zipper and the other at the top of the neckline. Mom helped out with the hem, because I can't seem to measure straight to save my life. 

I had a great time at Prom and am glad that I went. 

xoxo. 

Dear You,

Dear you,

I know right now you're feeling restless and even a bit scared, though you may never admit it.

You feel lost, like you're wandering around not sure which direction you're headed. The future seems so unclear and new, and you feel like you're going at it all by yourself. You don't understand what your purpose for life is at this point in time, but you're trying to figure it out. When someone asks about your plans, you can't give them a specific answer, and that's unsettling. It seems like everyone else has their whole life figured out.
I know you have some crazy things expected of you, and it's so much pressure trying to live up to all of them. But you don't have to. You are your own person, and you need to go wherever God Leads you; He will give you a direction, you just have to be willing to obey. You have so many talents and skills that will take you far in life, you just have to discover how to use them. You are incredible.

I know you're trying to keep it together so that it looks like you do have it figured out. You are hurting because you've been rejected and feel worthless and insignificant; you're wondering what you did wrong. You're trying to find healing and answers to all your questions, but I have to tell you: the journey takes time. It can be really frustrating, but you have to be really honest with yourself about the situation and your feelings. Don't be afraid to deal with it. If you've lost friends that you didn't mean to, fix it. If you've made mistakes that you regret, correct them. You only have to make the effort.

When you feel like you're about to bust because you need to just say what's on your mind, don't be afraid to let someone know. And if you can't talk to anyone, write it down. Get it out of your system. If you think that you can't talk to someone because it'd be awkward or embarrassing, or you think they don't care, try it anyway. You'll never feel bad for being honest with someone. It feels worse to keep things to yourself, and then wish that you'd have said something.

You really want to be content. You want to know where you're going, and what you're doing with this time. I know it's hard to wait. I'm waiting too. And I don't like it. It's confusing to have these feelings that you don't know what to do with. It almost feels like you're wasting time. But if you're giving it to God, and waiting on Him, nothing is ever a waste of time. Don't be afraid to go out and do what you want. Some people will not understand your need for things, but they don't have to. Some will be uncomfortable with your goals, and may try to stop you- don't listen to them. You won't be happy living the life someone else has planned for you. They'll get over it eventually.

Don't ever dismiss your feelings as stupid or unimportant. You are so valuable. You may not ever see how valuable, but don't forget the impact you can have on everyone you encounter. You are so loved. God has you right where He wants you; He's teaching you, and protecting you. He's preparing you for something you know nothing about yet. Don't be afraid to ask for help, or prayer.

You'll get there. Don't be afraid to take a chance; if you want something to change, you gotta make it change.

Don't get discouraged. You'll make it through; God will guide you and give you strength. You can do it.

You are loved.
Sincerely,
A friend