Blog Challenge, Day 7 & 8

Day 7: 10 Favorite Foods
1. McDonald's (Judge me. I dare you.)
2. Chocolate and Peanut Butter
3. Sour Creme and Onion Chips
4. BACON (Other than Chicken and Hamburgers, this is just about the only meat I'm okay with eating)
5. Hummus
6. Nutty Buddies (I think they are actually called "Nutter Bars", but my grandmother always called them Nutty Buddies)
7. Ramen (Who doesn't like this stuff?!)
8. Reeses Peanut Butter cups
9. Mr. Goodbar
10. Pasta
I honestly had no idea that so many things I like include chocolate and peanut butter. Not to mention, I'm very unhealthy, but I already knew that.

Day 8: Old Pictures of Me
I know, I know. I was a cutie pie.

Blog Challenge, Day 4, 5, & 6

I know, I know, I know! I started this challenge to keep myself honest so I would write every day. Hey, life happens! But I'm making up for it by doing a 3-in-one deal for you all today.

Day 4: Earliest Childhood Memory

My first memory is kinda blotchy--almost like a dream. I was probably 3 or 4 years old and I was playing "roll the ball" with one of my friends in church. WOW! Talk about a riveting first memory.

Since that memory is such a riot, I'll also share my most vivid childhood memory. This memory occurred was when I was on a plane with my family and my Dad was teaching me how to color the correct way. Maybe that's one reason why I'm such an obsessive-compulsive perfectionist. Who knows! But what I do know is that there is a correct and incorrect way to do everything. I strive my best to live my life in the "correct" camp as opposed the "incorrect". If you don't believe me, ask anyone who is close with me. They will all be 100% honest on how wonderfully-crazy I am.


Day 5: My Guilty Pleasure

This question is extremely easy to say, so I'll just show you.

Yes, I love all things Bachelor. The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, Bachelor in Paradise (I wish they would bring back Bachelor Pad!), you name it I like it. I have been known to pick up magazines just because The Bachelor(ette) and/or a contestant is on the cover. I know, I'm so strange! However, there are a few blogs that keep me entertained during the season as well as the off season: Reality Steve, and Sharleen Joynt.

Reality Steve is the official spoiler of all things Bachelor. If you're like me and can't wait till the finale, his site is the place for you. He doesn't only spoil, but he does so in such a unique way that it becomes it's own form of entertainment. I would recommend his site to anyone watching the show.

Sharleen Joynt is a previous contestant from Juan Pablo's season of The Bachelor. Her site has a strict no spoil zone, but she gives a lot of background information on the show that only a previous contestant would know.

If you're obsessed with this franchise like I am, give these two blogs a try. They keep me engaged during the season!


Day 6: Three Personal Traits I'm Proud of

I'm not gonna lie--it's super awkward for me to brag about myself.

I wear many hats well
Daughter, Granddaughter, Girlfriend, Sister, etc. I wear many hats with my family, friends, co-workers and I believe I do so very well. I try my best to give 100% to everyone in my life who needs me. Hopefully they feel the same.

I'm a leader
I've always marched to a different drummer and that's the way I like it. I have a different view on life and for some reason that's appealing to many people. I've never asked to be followed, but I have been told (on more than one occasion) that I'm a natural leader. Apparently that's appealing? Once again, who knows?!

I'm not afraid to speak my mind
This is a good trait sometimes. I have been known to take it to a level that it should go to.


I'll try to do better about writing consistently!

Blog Challenge, Day 2: 20 facts about me

Hola!

Hopefully you don't find my 20 facts aren't too dull!

1. My full first name is Kathlynn
2. I have a dog named Jewels aka Ju Ju aka Ju. She is a faux West Highland Terrier
3. I drive a 2015 Jeep Wrangler Sport
4. My Jeep's name is Eureka
5. I have one sibling, an older brother named Caden
6. My parents have been married nearly 26 years and are still madly in love
7. I live in Texas
8. My favorite candy bars are Reese's and Mr. Goodbar
9. I binge watch TV shows on Netflix constantly
10. I'm currently in the middle of The Office
11. My boyfriend, Evan, is a ginger
12. I call him Gingersnap
13. My boyfriend's nicknames for me are Kate, Katie and Kat
14. My Mom's nickname for me is Kake
15. I get very anxious at times
16. Cleaning, breathing exercises, writing, and someone rubbing my arm helps to calm me down
17. When I get tired I tend to get loopy and emotional
18. I have severe allergies in the Fall and Spring
19. My best friend and I have the same name
20. I'm obsessed with painting my nails

Blog Challenge: Day 1

Hey Everybody!

I haven't been very faithful with blogging recently, so I've decided to take on a 31 day challenge to help get myself motivated!

I'm not sure what blogger hasn't introduced themselves on their personal blog, but you can find out more about me here.  I'm looking forward to tomorrow where I will give 20 facts about myself.  Woohoo!

High Heels, High Standards: Boy vs Man

Good morning Chickies!

I've been on quite a few dates in my time and with that comes getting to know a lot of different types of guys.  Tall guys, short guys, blue-eyed guys, brown-eyed guys, meat heads, brainiacs--you name it, I've probably been out with the type at least once. (Looking through that list I'm not sure whether to brag or be embarrassed).  But through those experiences I've learned to differentiate between the bad guys and the good guys (although, I have been fooled quite a few times in the dating world).  So, today I'm going to combine two things that I love: lists and dating.  Enjoy!

I have personal experiences with some of these instances which is why I'm so passionate about this post.  And while reading, remember: these circumstances are based on committed relationships, not "flings".  

His Past:

Boy:
He revels in his past and stews in it. You look through his Facebook/Instagram/Twitter and all you see are pictures of him partying or hanging on girls (this makes him look good in front of his bros).  He is constantly trying to re-live his glory days and has no problem telling you.  Whether has past was good or bad, he can't seem to let it go.

Man:
He looks at the mistakes he has made in his past and learns from them. They aren't something he brags about, but things he looks back on as experiences that made him the man he is.  A man doesn't try to erase his past experiences; however, he is sensitive to your feelings in regards to his past (this goes for relationships as well as experiences).

It's your birthday:

Boy:
He probably forgot about your birthday and made a plan with his bros. What's important to you is never important to him.  Major holidays, anniversaries and birthdays constantly pass without him even acknowledging their existence.

Man:
He may not have planned a big, extravagant surprise or present, but he at least wants to spend the day with you.  He constantly wants you to feel special and makes sure you know you are (this doesn't just stop on your birthday). This could be something as simple as giving you flowers, making you dinner, giving you a back rub, etc.  If you're with a man he will know just what to do to make you feel special.

Family/Friends:

Boy:
He doesn't care to be around the people who are most important to you.  He would rather be hanging out with his own friends instead of trying to endear himself to your loved ones. Boys are very selfish overall.

Man:
He wants your family and friends to love him.  A man wants those closest to you to know how cherished you are. A man will put your family and friends' minds at ease and then end result will be positive.

"Feelings":

Boy:
He doesn't care how you feel and he doesn't bother telling you how he feels. A boy is very closed off and doesn't see the need to sharing feelings with you.

Man:
Men aren't "touchy feely", but a man tries his best to protect his woman's feelings. If she is hurt, he tries to find the root of the problem.  Men are fixers.

Future Plans:

Boy:
He has no direction for his life. He is constantly living in the "here and now" and has no goals in mind for his future. A boy does not have a five year plan, but will make you think he does. Boys are great at manipulating girls because they "only want one thing".

Man:
He knows just what he wants and he won't stop until his goals are achieved. He works hard at everything he does and puts 100% into his dreams. He won't jump into anything before he is ready because he wants to be the best husband, father, co-worker and/or boss that he can be.


Until next time,

Kat

The Holiday Express: Valentine's Day

Good Morning Chickies!

I'm very sorry for my absence, but between balancing school, work, family and my boyfriend, I've been swamped! My dear friend, Becca, reminded me I need to start blogging once again, so I've decided to oblige.

There are two people in this world: Those who love Valentine's day, and whose who hate Valentine's day.  Knowing I'm a huge girly-girl I'm sure most of you can guess which side of the fence I'm on when it comes to Valentine's day.  Of course I love it!  I love the colors, the season, the flowers.  You name it, I love it.  I just wanted to give a play-by-play of my Valentine's Day just so I could publicly give props to my wonderful partner in crime, Evan.  He knows how important days like this are to me, so he tried his best to make me feel special.  Here is what my day looked like on February 14, 2015:

Every Saturday morning I have breakfast with my parents and then I go grocery shopping with my Mom.  I'm a creature of habit, so there is very little elbow room when it comes to my daily schedule.  So, when my mom nudged me awake at 6:00 am on a Saturday (I usually get up at 3:30 every day, so sleeping in until 7:00 on a Saturday is what I live for) I was shocked, but I knew something was up.  "Why are you waking me up so early?  Are we not eating breakfast together?  What's going on?" My poor mom didn't want to ruin Evan's surprise, so she just said, "you're not having breakfast with us.  Just make sure you're ready by 7:30."

This is the moment where my anxiety starts kicking in.  Of course I know it's nothing bad, but the control freak inside of me keeps saying: you don't know what's going to happen today.  Evan knows you hate surprises.  Why would he do this to you?!  I know, it's stupid, but I always get overly anxious when I'm not in control of any given situation.  I like to know what's going to happen, when it's happening and what time it ends.  If I could, I would plan things a year or more in advance.  Yes, I'm that crazy.  Judge me!

Anyway, at 7:30 my doorbell rings and it's Evan.  He is sporting the matching Guardians of the Galaxy T-shirt I got him for Valentine's Day (yes, I love to match.  Once again, judge me!).  After I give him the biggest hug ever, we are on our way to the best Valentine's day I've had!  He starts driving back to his apartment so he can make me a homemade breakfast (he knows I love it when he cooks for me!  He is way better than I am!) of bacon and eggs.  Poor Evan has such a hard time pleasing my taste buds since I'm so picky, but he did his best trying to make me extra crispy bacon and perfect eggs.  While he is doing this, I'm instructed "to relax and watch whatever I want on TV or Netflix".  Without hesitation or complaints I flip on Hitch and snuggle under a blanket while Evan spoils me.

From there, we went to the Fort Worth Zoo and had a blast (the picture above is us driving there)!  It was really crowded because it was a very nice day here in Texas.  By 1:00 it was 85 degrees!  Here are some pictures of the fun time that was had at the zoo:

I just wanna say "thank you" to that wonderful lady who photo-bombed this picture.  You're famous lady. Enjoy your 15 minutes of fame on my page.  

This picture is us entering the zoo.  You can't see it here, but it was so crowded that we could barely move around.  Not to mention, my Map Genius didn't grab a map of the zoo on the way inside.  He felt so blind without a map. 

We got really close to a few animals, but they were all sleeping (except for the baby elephants and the giraffes).  That's what happens when summer comes early in Texas I guess!  I got lucky and Evan posed for a few pictures for me!  What a guy!

  

We even spotted 10 gingers while we were at the zoo.  TEN!  I kept telling Evan that gingers must be in season.  Or it could be that now I'm with a ginger I see them everywhere.  It's just like when I got my Jeep, now I see Jeeps everywhere.  Eh, food for thought.

That boy loves maps more than anyone I have ever met in my life.  The above pictures are some candid shots I took of Evan examining a couple of maps at the zoo.  If only we wouldn't have forgotten to get the map of the zoo itself.  *sigh*

All in all, we had a wonderful time at the zoo (other than the crowds) and I couldn't have asked for a better guy to go exploring with!  After the zoo we had a typical "Katie 'n' Evan day" at his apartment.  He pampered me with steak, potatoes and wonderful company.  At the end of the night I was so relaxed that I took a late night nap for two hours before he drove me back home.  He always knows just what to do to calm my anxiety and he tries his best to protect me from everyone and everything (including myself).

Thank you for an amazing Valentine's Day, baby! You're the best thing to happen to me in a long time!  I can't wait for even more days like that to come!


Until next time,

This Girl's awesome Valentines

High Heels, High Standards: First Date Awkwardness

Greetings Girlies!

In the High Heels, High Standards bit, I will focus on the wonderful world of dating and men. No, I'm not the best with men, but I have been around the block a few times. Hopefully you enjoy this segment because I have a wonderful time writing these little tidbits!


There is nothing more awkward than a first date. If you haven't been on a first date in a little while, let me paint the picture for you:

You meet him somewhere (or he picks you up) for dinner, the activity, etc. How do you greet him? Handshake? No. Way too formal. Kiss on the cheek? Heck no! Way too familiar. Hug? Maybe. So you think to yourself, I'll just follow his lead. But, he is feeling just as awkward as you are, so you end up doing a little "I'm not sure how to greet you" dance together. Step one, Awkward Greeting. Check. (Vote for and see the most Awkward greeting!)

Step two, awkward dinner conversation. What do you talk about? The weather? How awesome your food is? But don't talk with your mouth full! If you do, then you will probably spit lasagna all over the poor boy. So, the majority of dinner is suffered in silence or either of you barely touching your meal. He can obviously eat a horse and we all know that you're a closet snack cake eater, but to embrace the awkward, let's both just get a to-go box. Step two, awkward dinner. Check.

Our next stop is who pays for the check. This is a must for me. If he doesn't pay on the first date then he isn't worth my time. (Note: I said "pay on a first date". I have different views of who should pay when you're in a relationship with the dude, but this is solely for first date purposes). Even though I think the man should pay on the first date, you may not agree with me. So, I've attached a flow chart for your viewing pleasure. Step three, the "check tango". Check.

The last and final check: awkward goodbye. Do you kiss him? Do you not? Does he want a kiss? Does he not? When it comes to this, everyone will have a different view. Yeah, it's gonna be super awkward, but it always is. Not only was your first date awkward, but a first kiss is always awkward. Do you get that out of the way, or do you wait until date number two? That's your choice. Personally, I've only had one first kiss that was awesome and that was unexpected. Most of the time, this is what it looks like:

Confession time again! I think cartoons kissing is one of the grossest things ever. I would always cringe during the kissing scenes in Disney movies. YUCK! But this picture was a lot less awkward than some of the other first kiss pictures I found. Yes, your first kiss is awkward for everyone! Even the poor blogger searching about it on the interwebz.

The next question that comes to mind: how do you overcome the awkwardness of the first date? Honestly, I have no idea. The last first date I went on, the guy was perfect about making it less awkward. He looked me in the eyes and treated me like a lady. So, I think it doesn't just come down to you feeling awkward--you have to have someone there with you who makes you comfortable enough that doesn't make you feel the awkward for very long.

Not only that, but you need to decide if this guy earned a second date or not. Did he respect you? No? Then why waste your time? If he doesn't respect you from the first time you go out, he will never respect you. Don't toy with your heart and your emotions by allowing yourself to be vulnerable with someone immature and disrespectful. Remember, you deserve the best. You're worth it!

Every time you go on a first date, there is a potential for a relationship. You just need to be smart enough and strong enough to see if that potential could be a reality. 

This Girl's take on an awkward first date