It's back

I recently got into a debate with one of my coworkers that fall things (including pumpkin things) should not be acknowledged until September. He disagreed and said the start of college football marks the start of fall for him.

You say Tomato I say Tomato.

My point is, for me September = Fall. I believe our calendars say that Autumn begins on Monday, September 22nd if we are being all official and stuff, but whatever.

You better believe I've already broken into some pumpkin beer.

Andrew had the brilliant idea that we should head to West Virginia after work on Friday and do some camping - something we had never done as a couple. The weather was perfect, our campsite was beautiful, I'm still so happy that he suggested it.

I snapped some cool shots, ate some s'mores, and we both tried hard to maintain an impressive fire which quickly became unimpressive.

The s'mores got cooked, that's all that matters.

While I sat there watching the sun fade and reflect off the water, all cozy in my sweatpants, I couldn't help but think about why fall is one of my favorites (cliche, I know, I know). I don't know what it is, but I feel a slight shifting in my soul with the onset of fall. It's a little bit of calming down as crazy summer starts to wave goodbye, mixed with excitement for the relaunch of football, beautiful colors, crisp cool runs, and of course the impending holidays.

Then there's the whole planning to switch from a Miss to a Mrs. That's pretty cool to look forward to I guess...

(263 Days. The Knot counts down for me I swear I don't have it memorized)

Anyways, this is just my obligatory "welcome to fall" post. We've got a busy three weeks coming up -we are traveling/on the road 8 of the next 18 days. It will be amazing to see my future bro & sis in law say

I do 

out in Cali, as well as to make a quick trip out to CO to do some wedding stuff of our own.

In short, hang tight. Fall is coming in hot (or hopefully cool, if mother nature figures it out) and it's looking to take our breath away.

Cheers - 

Kait

Wishing Time Away

The other night was one of those nights when I really needed a pep talk.

One of my BFFs Kar came to visit for a few days, and after a fun-filled weekend full of giggles and way too much pizza and country music, I found Andrew and I sitting down by the water, watching the sunset, eating peanut M&M’s, and having one of those deep life type of conversations.

It’s hard for me to grasp that it’s August. This summer has flown. Maybe it was getting engaged, maybe it’s been because almost every single weekend has been packed to the brim. August and September aren’t looking to be much different. I'm not complaining.

I came across this awesome picture on Pinterest the other day. And then I read the caption and realized it was Bear Lake up in Estes Park, where Andrew and I had snowshoed this past January.

I flipped back and forth between the two pictures for a while, and I became fixated on two thoughts.

1.  I’ve got to stop wishing time away. While I’m sad that the end of summer is almost in sight, I already keep finding myself babbling about fall and pumpkin and those stereotypical fall activities that all women seem to love  Time is flying. Flyyyyying. That hike in Estes Park seems like yesterday, but it was seven months ago. We already over halfway through 2014. What.

2.  I've got to do better at embracing change; all forms of it. Yeah... I don’t very well with it. I always have to sit and convince myself that it’s a good thing, and normally when something new presents itself, I have to drag myself to it/through it with dread. This summer has been a change kind of summer. For one, I’m preparing to change my last name… and that’s just scratching the surface. Yet when I look at both of those pictures – two completely different seasons, more changes in the scenery than we could list off - it’s beautiful right?  They are both beautiful. Change is good, it challenges us, and it almost always happens for a reason.

Time is flying, change is good.  I’m counting down to a wedding, but damnit I’ve GOT to embrace today, even if it’s just a normal Tuesday.   

That’s all I’ve got folks. Wait actually no, one more thing. I’m writing another blog. It’s not a life blog, it’s strictly a fitness blog, because what do ya know, I’m trying something new. And my friend over at Blue Crab Crossfit asked me if I was interested. So I said yes... I like to try to practice what I preach.

Check out the first post here.

Cheers –

K8

Makeup-less Mondays

I've never been a fan of the massive media endorsement of skinny little models who look like they are withering away to nothing. And I resent the fact that so many magazines still airbrush and Photoshop the heck out of advertisements, to erase every last bump and blemish.

That irks me.

That's why I love this whole 'strong is the new beautiful' movement. 'Sweat is the new black'... 'eat clean train dirty.' etc. etc.

I love that sh*t.

I love that Under Armour put on a 'What's Beautiful' challenge, and that women all over the country took part in it. Described as a "competition to redefine the female athlete" I found it incredibly encouraging.

Source

I specifically followed one participator in the challenge who has ended up in the Top 10 Finalists of the competition. In truth we barely know each other; I went to this camp with her, and of course Facebook friend-ed her afterwards because we possibly had more than five minutes of total interaction and were therefore best friends for life.

She's doing big things. Check it out.

Sarah's "Team Knoxville"

This is one of those mushy, feel good posts. But I don't care, because I adamantly believe that it's things like this that our country needs. A country in the midst of an obesity crisis, yet with an estimated 10 million women suffering from classified eating disorders (anorexia nervosa or bulimia nervosa).


Not cool.


Don't get me wrong, I'm just as guilty as the next girl. I find myself obsessing over a few pounds, and examining my acne in the mirror.


Which got me to thinking. If I'm going to sit here and run my mouth about how mad these things make me... why don't I do something about it too? Asides from just writing a blog and taking pictures of my food and all that jazz.

[speaking of, here's what I had for breakfast this morning. blueberry overnight oats with some coconut on top.... yummm]

Ladies & Gents, I present to you another addition to my strange, ever-changing blog.


Makeup-less Mondays.


I commit, starting today & every Monday here on out, to go 100% barefaced. Every Monday, my face will be butt-naked. Won't find any makeup on this bad boy.

6:30 AM. still confused as to what day it even is.

This won't be something I write about every Monday, because let's be honest there are only so many pictures of my pretty little face that I can post on here before even my mom gets tired of reading. 


More than anything, I encourage you women out there (or men... hey, that's cool too) to participate with me, and layoff the eyeliner for one day a week.

Off to work I go! Makeup free.

Maybe it will be liberating? Empowering? That's what I'm going for at least. Because we were beautiful just the way that God made us. And I mean that in the least cliche way possible... because it's true.

oh hey me.

If you want to join, let me know... or don't let me know, that's fine too! The more the merrier!


Cheers to a very naked, makeup-less Monday... and many more!