WHAT DEFINES YOU?

I don't post about religion on here. Mostly because I don't feel like I should have to. I go to church, you might not--it doesn't define who you are or who you aren't. It's a choice and one that every person can make for themselves. I am who I am and you are who you are. It's that simple.

That being said, I got a message in church this week that spoke to me in a way that sort of makes your heart and soul go "WOW! THANKS FOR THAT! Was that you talking directly to me?!"

I also think that it's a message that can be applied directly to all of our lives, something that makes us stop and think. Also, it has nothing to do with church, Jesus, or the Bible. So, if you're getting ready to click the 'X', I swear, you can keep reading!

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Who Tells You Who You Are?

You know, like, who has the right to tell you who or what you are? At first when you hear this, you think oh, don't be silly, of course, it's I who says who or what I am.

But do you, really?

Why is it that we wear certain clothes and wonder if they look okay? Would we do this if we didn't allow public perception to bother us? Probably not. But we're humans, we do. We need affirmation sometimes.

Why is it that we are bothered when someone says something negative about us? Is it because we know it to be true? Or that we care what other people think? Probably because we care what other people think.

I know, I know, enough with the philosophical questions. But seriously stopping to think about these opened my eyes. In this society, such an emphasis is placed upon what other people may or may not think. From subtle things like "Oh, I'm not going to have XYZ food at my party, because so-and-so will think it's weird." to larger, more pronounced things like "I want to stay home and raise my kids instead of working a job even though I have a degree, because it's what's best for my family right now."

The bottom line is that people are judgmental by nature and pleasing every single person is never going to happen.  Why should we follow constraints put on ourselves by someone other than us? It's not fair. We should all feel confident and comfortable enough in our own decisions to stand by them wholeheartedly and not cower in the face of society.

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But what happens when the "face of society" is a friend? A relative? Someone close to you making you feel like your decisions are not worthy? You stand up to them. Explain your reasoning and let it go, because those people have no rhyme or reasoning behind their statements than their own insecurities and personal battles.

I know this is sometimes easier said than done, but I think a good reminder from time to time is all it takes.

Are you rough and dirty?

Your skin, that is...

If your interest is at all piqued, read on.

I don't know about you, but no matter what the season is, I suffer from dry skin all over. My face, my hands, my legs...ALL DRY! I love The Body Shop's Shea Sugar Body Scrub, but money isn't growing on trees at my house right now. Something about them not being in season...

The other issue with body scrubs from the store is that they are sometimes filled with things like gluten--which is not for me. More on that here.

I kept seeing all these DIY body scrubs all over Pinterest and all of them called for olive oil. Every. Single. One. And maybe it's just me, but good olive oil is meant for cooking, not for body lubing.

So onward I went.

Last weekend my mom and I were hanging out and she was telling me about this recipe she saw that called for coconut oil, lime zest, and sugar. I kind of felt like I had won the sugar scrub lottery. So, I did what any rational person would do, which is drive to Christmas Tree Shops and buy as many mason jars as I could for cute packaging. Because seriously...

EVERYONE KNOWS A GOOD PINTEREST CRAFT IS ALL ABOUT THE PRESENTATION.

Am I right, or am I right?

Original Pin:

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My creation:

Are you dying to make your own yet?

You will need:

Zest from 1 lime (which also requires owning a lime zester)
1/4 cup coconut oil
1/2 cup sugar (I used organic cane sugar, because I like the bigger granules for more exfoliating)
Optional: lime or coconut flavoring oils (this was not optional for me--it was mandatory. I want to smell good, too!)

Pour it all into a bowl, mix well, and distribute evenly into jars. Find your fanciest Sharpie, write out the labels, and voila! Not only will your friends be impressed, their bodies will be as smooth as butter. Body butter. Ba-dum-bum.

Linking up with Steph and Katie for Saw it! Pinned It! Did It!

A day in the life...in photos

This is the first day I'm participating in Blog Every Day in May, but better late than never I always say. I'm also late to every trend, so there's that.

7:45a.m WAKEUP! There is nothing pretty or remotely engaging about this part of the day. It's hairy at best and don't even think about talking to me before I've had a cup of coffee. Usually I lay in bed and read through e-mails or surf social channels.

8:00a.m. Coffee. STAT.

And getting ready to start the day. Even though my schedule allows me to be pretty flexible, I am never productive unless I feel put together.

And yes, that includes putting my weave in.

 By 8:30 I'm in full work mode doing any number of things. Some days it's this:

Other days it's this. 

I can never be sure where my day will lead, so it's good to have trusty assistants.

In all reality, I spend a lot of time looking at my computer and writing a great deal. Writing keeps me fresh and excited about things and people that I'm working with.  At any given moment, I have about 15 tabs open and one of them is always HootSuite.

I might be a crazy person, but the highlight of my day is getting the mail. It's a huge deal around here.

Yes, we still write each other letters and it's actually pretty special.

Conscious Cakes

Mail from Hawaii and an enormous box of my favorite gluten-free cakes EVER--Conscious Cakes. Pretty solid mail day and certainly a very happy Tuesday.

Our engagement photo CD came as well, so I just can't resist posting another one of those, too. #shameless

By mid-afternoon, my eyes are getting a little droopy from staring at the computer screen and I need a little pick-me-up, ya feel me?

When my day is over, I'm usually pretty spent, so curling up with this face and catching some news is pretty high on the agenda. 

And when I'm away from my other favorite face, I spend a bit more time on the computer.

Because my schedule is so different day-to-day, I can't give a better timeline, so this is just more or less the flow of my day--and I kind of dig that. I'm much more of a flow type of girl, anyhow.

What does your day look like?

Do you like shoes?

I kind of felt like the TOMS guy when I was writing that title. I think TOMS is such a great cause and any campaign that allows me to get shoes and someone else, too, well--that's even better! Great enough, actually, that I'm in the process of convincing Dane he needs a pair just like me. Wish me luck with that one.  Today, I'm bringing you someone who likes shoes just as much as I do AND she's got some kickin' style. Pun fully intended. Shoes, kick, ha? ha? I'm just going to stop and let Samantha take it from here...

Hello GridIron Lipstick friends! My name is Samantha and I blog over at Hooah and Hiccups!

Kait is sweet enough to let me say hi today and..ask for your help and votes!! A few months back, Onlineshoes.com contacted me in regards to a Blogger Styling Contest! Of course, I was ALL over it!

How it works: myself and three other bloggers each received the same pair of shoes. We were all told to style it our own way and then the public would be voting on who styled the pair of shoes the best!

So here's how I styled them! 

The Naya Shoes are absolutely adorable! Not to mention they're super comfortable and perfect for shorts and a tee, a maxi dress, or really any casual look you want to pair them with. My Bubba Bear has been giving me a run for my money recently and these shoes are comfortable enough for me to chase him around! 

I also love that they are made using eco-friendly materials; cork, bamboo and chrome-free leather are among the materials used. 

So now I need your help!! These shoes are totally down my fashion alley and I hope that you love how I styled them; enough so that you'll vote for me to win!

Want to win a pair too? You can enter to win a pair on the voting page after casting your vote! (Hopefully for me ;))

So please, vote here! Leave me a little comment if you voted... I want to thank each and every one of you for your support and help! Love you ALL!

In case you missed it... VOTE HERE!

 

 

A Mash-Up

Hello again Monday!

I felt like this weekend was full speed ahead right from the beginning. I like to think that weekends that go by really fast do so because I have accomplished so much and I have been so busy working on necessary tasks to stop and realize OH HEY IT'S THE WEEKEND. These two days did not disappoint, let me tell you.

Friday evening I went on a blate (that's a blogger date, if you were wondering #bloggingnerd) with Courtney and Stevie. I always get nervous before these sorts of things..like, what if they think I'm a total loser in real life? What if I have on weird clothes? What if I eat too fast? Drink too much? Talk too fast? Too slow? WHERE IS THE HAPPY MEDIUM FRIENDS!

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Turns out, we chatted like long lost soul sisters. Which, when I think about, I believe the blog world is a lot of kindred spirits floating around. We all read blogs we are drawn to for various reasons and when we find those connections, it's because we clicked in some facet of life and were drawn to those individuals. I know REAL DEEP FOR A MONDAY KAIT. But seriously, think about it. Needless to say, Friday was great and I was so happy to meet two lovely PA bloggers.

Saturday was head-to-toe wedding planning. I had my first look at my dress (major squeal!) and we picked out our tuxedos. I say we, but really, I brought my parents and had a virtual fashion show for Dane. That 6 hour time difference all but killed us--thankfully we have some pretty dapper looks for the bridal party.

"All dressed up in black and white
And you’re dressed in that dress I like
Love is swinging in the air tonight"

I digress...

Sunday was all about the queen of the day--my momma! She's a real star. Don't believe me? Check yesterday's post. I knew I couldn't resist spoiling her for the day. We checked out a local brunch spot that we mightttt just have to book for our post wedding bridal brunch. It was amazing. Amazing food and amazing drinks makes for happy people.

Passionfruit Mimosas? Strawberry Basil Mojito? Bloody Mary? SIGN US THE HECK UP!

Two PSAs regarding Target for everyone:

1. The maxi dresses at Target right now are OUT. OF. THIS. WORLD. Go get some. Now. Plus, some are one sale.

2. The new Sam & Libby style shoes are just as cute as they look in photos. Sadly, my Target was already picked over in my size. BUT! If you have the chance, go take a peek for yourself. There's a large chance your Target is styled like mine and the maxis are right across from the sandals. Double win.

Any PSAs for me? Hope everyone is recovering from overindulging and spoiling MOM :)

Thank you, Mom

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there, but especially to my own mom. She is without a doubt the greatest lady in the world. Sorry for the rest of your moms. Just kidding. Being a mom takes a lot of strength and courage. I tip my hat to every mom out there. Sorry dads, your day is coming in June.

I don't ever get too serious around here, because life is too short to be serious all the time, but I wanted to pop in today to honor such a special woman.

Dear Mom:

From the time I was a little girl, you've always hoped and wished only the best for me. You've encouraged me to shoot for the stars, dream big and follow the path that made me happiest. You're my loudest cheerleader and my biggest critic. We laugh about it all the time, but I truly am your mini-me.

The truth of it is, mom, is that if I become half the woman you are, I will have succeeded in this life. You are an inspiration to me every single day. You're so strong and passionate in every facet of your life--home, work and in the community. Your heart's giving knows no bounds and your laugh is contagious.Your generous spirit leaves me in awe most days.

I think the nicest compliment someone has ever given me was saying I was just like you. I AM just like you--and I wouldn't have it any other way. Thank you for being my mom, role model and best friend. Thank you for loving me when I was not lovable. And thank you for being you. I would be lost without you.

You rock. A lot.

Love, Kait

I believe in LOVE

If you've ever read my love story, you know that I'm a sucker for a good one. I mean, the more unrealistic, fairytale-esque the better. When my good college friend Brianna texted me the other day to tell me THE MOST AMAZING LOVE STORY EVER, I couldn't resist not sharing it with you guys. Brianna and I met freshman year at Penn State and always kept in touch. We shared a lot of the same classes and always made sure to keep tabs on one another post-graduation. Fast forward to now and prepare yourselves for the cutest love story ever.

"26 years ago, my mom gave her two weeks notice at a hair salon in Las Vegas. She was ready to head back to her hometown in New York until a firefighter with dark auburn hair sat in her chair for a haircut. He warned her he was not going to let her go and after three days of coming back to the salon asking for her number, she gave in. They went out all night dancing and fell completely in love. The next week he learned that she had never been to Disneyland, let alone never had seen a Disney movie. He decided to take her to Disneyland for the day and open her world to fairytales, a place where dreams came true.  Seven weeks later, my mom did not move back to New York and my dad proposed while on a date with my mom seeing Lady and the Tramp. Needless to say, Disney magic runs through our veins.

"Now fast forward to April 11, 2013. I booked a last minute flight to Nashville for work and while most people hate the open seating Southwest offers, I have that to thank for meeting my own Prince Charming. Since I only booked my flight the day before and forgot to sign up for priority seating, I was left only with middle seats to choose from when we boarded. I sat down in the first middle seat I found open near the wing where I always try to sit as every manual say it is the safest! As soon as the pilot gave us the green light to use electronic devices, I was very focused on my computer working. It wasn’t until I put away my computer during our descent that this very good-looking man next to my left started talking to me. He asked me if I liked my MacBook Air, not your average pick-up line. I told him it was great for travel and for my job because I’m constantly on the go and was in the middle of traveling from Vegas to Nashville and then to Disneyworld, which led to us talking about where we work but also, but more importantly to me, Disney.

"He said parents were going to be in Disneyworld the following week and that his family was crazy about Disney. I couldn’t even imagine what my face looked like. My heart went to my stomach and I asked him what that meant exactly. He told me his parents were Disney Vacation Club members and that their whole house was decorated with Disney collectibles from cookie jars to figurines and limited artwork. I could not even believe this because even though we are not Disney Vacation Club members, my Mom works at the Disney Store, our entire house is fully decorated in Disney and for Christmas, we have a nine-foot, rotating Christmas tree with over 500 Disney ornaments. He saw my cell phone cover and recognized that it was the rose from Beauty & the Beast and said that Belle was his mom’s favorite character. That was the moment when I started looking around for hidden cameras because Belle is my favorite character and no way could this all be happening. As if we already didn’t have so many connections, we shared countless more. I learned he went to Lehigh University and I went to Penn State just a few hours away. We both interned for the Philadelphia Phillies farm teams (myself with the Lakewood Blueclaws and he with the Lehigh Iron Pigs). My birthday was coming up on April 26^th, his was on April 29^th.  It was such an amazing connection, or you can say a magical one.

"I needed to get going to my first meeting for work so once we landed, I headed for a cab and we both exchanged our business cards. The second I got into the cab I called my mom. I was ecstatic and she assumed since I was coming from the Nashville airport I was that happy because I had just met Luke Bryan or Kenny Chesney. I told her it was better; I just met the most amazing Prince Charming, Dan.

"I was in a meeting when I heard my phone buzzing and thought it was just emails for work and didn’t look at it until after. To my surprise, I had a text message from Dan which read:

"I know this might be weird to ask someone I just met but it is rare to meet someone who shares my views on Disney, along with other things. That being said, if you haven’t already left by Saturday night and don’t have clients to meet, I have an unused plus on to the wedding if you want to join. Again I know it’s a weird thing to ask but I enjoyed talking to you and thought it could be fun. Plus even if you say no I got the awkward first text after meeting someone out of the way so win-win.

"My face hurt from smiling so much after seeing that text. I was in a boutique in-between my meetings and showed the girls working at Blush the text and we were all in complete shock. I texted him back telling him I was just as crazy as him, and I would love to go. He left out the slight details that it was BLACK TIE and I am not sure what type of executive recruiter he thought I was, but I definitely did not travel with a gown. So, after my meetings, one of my good family friends in Nashville took me to the mall and we spent the night shopping which felt like a scene in Pretty Woman for a dress, shoes, everything! Every time someone asked what we were shopping for, they would say this is crazy, like a fairytale!

"The next day, Friday, I had a full schedule of meetings with a colleague and then we went out on Broadway in downtown Nashville to celebrate a great workday. We ended up running into Dan and all of his friends who were in town for the wedding. They were all so nice and we danced and listened to live country music all night. I LOVE country music so to meet this incredible man and sing along to country music all night couldn’t have felt more like a dream.

"The wedding was that Saturday evening at the Hermitage Hotel, a beautiful hotel in downtown Nashville where I had met Rascal Flatts and Kellie Pickler before, so it was already a place full of unbelievable memories for me! He was there waiting for me in a tux and when our eyes locked my heart dropped in my stomach again. I was just so happy to see him and be there with him.

"Since this was his best friend’s wedding, his parents were also there. They were so incredibly nice and we went back and forth talking about our love for Disney. It was so much fun to be with such a welcoming group of people I literally had JUST MET and we danced all night and rounded out the evening downtown singing along with a crowd a piano bar. I left with a permanent smile on.

"As fate would have it, we shared the same flight home to LaGuardia the next day so we got to sit next to each other (thank you again Southwest!) and even watched Disney/Pixar’s Wreck It Ralph together on my little MacBook Air which just started this all. We landed and I headed back to Stamford and he to Queens, but I am happy to say the fairytale did not end there. It has only been a month, but between the amazing conversations, romantic dinners, and the most amazing birthday weekend (he got me a single rose and a beautiful Belle vase, I mean come on!), I have fallen completely in love with this Prince Charming.

"My CEO gave me great advice a few months ago. He told me to let my heart be stolen. I think many people are so guarded that they can’t let the happen or they just settle for things in life. When you actually open up yourself and believe in the fairytale, magical things happen."

ARE YOU SWOONING YET?!?! Because I am head over heels for this story and so incredibly happy for my beautiful friend. In honor of such an occasion, it's only fitting I share with you this amazing sign I have. I love it for a lot of reasons, but mostly because it reminds me of my favorite movie ever Love Actually. 

The lovely designers behind this sign are Cider House Mill and for me, it was love at first sight. (HA!..the puns just keep coming) But seriously, they make adorable and uplifting signs that would appeal to anyone. Perfect wedding, anniversary, baby shower, or "just because" gifts, ours looks perfect on our photo wall amongst photos of all of our favorite times together and with our families. Besides looking cute, it's a great reminder of the love we share. After all, ALL YOU NEED IS LOVE ;)

Angie, the amazing Etsy shop owner behind these designs, saw how much I loved my sign and has graciously offered one to give to all of you! 

Good luck (and spread a little love this weekend!)

 

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