i think i can. i think i can.

Can we stop for a second and discuss the fact that there are doughnuts in the break room? Doughnuts. DOUGHNUTS. They have been sitting there all morning and it's Monday and it's the first day of school and I forgot my lunch in the fridge at home and I really want one. And even though I keep telling myself that I don't need a doughnut. "It's just empty calories (and a lot at that). The sugar would not be good for me. I'll probably be hungry again in an hour. The sugar high would not be a great combo with the caffeine wave I am already riding. Etc. Etc." Despite all of the reasons, they are calling my name (almost audibly), as if they know me or can sense my ever growing want. They're not even the kind of doughnut that I prefer. (I mean once you have a blueberry cake doughnut, the rest pale in comparison). But still, I want. However, I am reciting to myself all of the reasons I should make the healthy choice and whispering "I think I can! I think I can!" every time I walk past the break room. Sure my coworkers are starting to question my sanity, but I am sure I will thank myself later... Or because I was so good this time, next time there are doughnuts in the break room, I'll be having one. Life is too short to go completely doughnutless.

In other news...
Did everyone remember that today is...
Meet-Someone-New Monday

For today, however, we will not be meeting someone, but more of a something... I am all about trying new things. I mean that within reason. I am probably not going to be the first one out of the plane, but if a group of people wanted to go sky diving, I wouldn't be a "no" right off the bat. I have one friend who is always up for crazy. She is completely nuts, but we absolutely love her this way and would never ask her to change. This friend adds a whole new level to life and even though sometimes her ideas are nuts, most of the time, she has enough energy and passion to get others on board. And I love that about her. Sarah has picked up a new hobby this summer and she has been begging me to come to the lake with her, but I couldn't make it happen until this past Friday. I knew she would jump at the chance to go paddle boarding because she's a member and she loves to take people for their first time. So Sarah, her sister, and I met right by the lake just after dusk. I am telling you I thought this was going to be super tricky. I figured I would spend 90% of my time frustrated or in the water or under the board or just laying on the board holding on for dear life, but it. was. awesome. Now just to clear up some common misconceptions, paddle boarding is not the boat that you sit in and pedal, Mama. Paddle boarding is where you stand on the surf board and use an oar to get around (think canoe). So we got to the lake, paid the rental fee, and were given a headlamp and a glow stick - The state of Texas deems a paddle board a boat so you have to have a light in front and back. Then we set out. And yall I was immediately a fan. We paddled around for awhile and then got our boards together, laid the paddles across them to make a raft type thing and enjoyed a firework show. I am not sure if I have expressed my love of fireworks, but they are my most favorite thing in the whole world. I love fireworks. My favorite holiday is the fourth of July and I prefer to go to Rangers games on Fridays; there is just something about them. *sigh* They never get old. So we watched fireworks and then paddled around a bit more. I was loving it and it was actually really easy...
....until I decided to show off my mad skills by jumping around on my board and simultaneously throwing myself completely off balance. I totally fell in and was laughing so hard I got water up my nose and down my throat. hahaha. Even now I am still laughing about it. I was flailing with the best of them.Once I caught my breath, I was back on the board and paddling as if nothing had happened. Except that every so often Sarah or Joy or I would giggle again. Such a fun way to spend a Friday night.

So in case you are thinking this is what you want to do for labor day, here's what you need to know: We went to Grapevine Lake, where they do fireworks every Friday from Memorial Day to Labor Day (so this weekend is your last chance to see them!). It costs $20 to rent everything, plus $10 if you need a lesson. If you go at night and you want to get a board that lights up, that is an extra $10 (and it's cool, but not necessary - we went with just the regular board...)

To sum up, GO TRY THIS!
And also go eat a doughnut for me : )

"you know there are those key moments...

in life when it's possible you can be really, genuinely cool and I'm going to fail just a hundred percent!"

Well it's days like today that really make me laugh at myself. I struggled earlier this morning as I thought about what to introduce you all to today. And I wasn't feeling super inspired. I had to fight with an insurance company and a car shop about fixing my car and the time at work has just been passing by so nothing was really coming to mind. So there I was shopping at my all time favorite, home away from home store when it came to me, but not before a stupidly embarrassing moment (don't feel too bad - this is pretty much par for the course...) I'm standing in the deli section intently reading every ingredient on the pre-made salad boxes (I started a new cleaner eating sort of thing today - more on that later) to make sure there was no sugar in the dressing when I heard a guy a little ways behind me telling a little girl that she was going to eat salad for lunch. The little girl responded that she didn't like salad - it was gross and she wasn't going to have any. The guy answered back again that she was absolutely going to try it. This went back and forth a few times as they approached the deli counter. The guy left his cart and walked up next to me to begin examining the salad as well. As he picked one up, he asked which one I thought was the best and commented that it looked like I had really done my research... haha. I replied "Not hardly, but I think I'll go with the chicken, apple salad." At that point, I looked up into a tan face and beautiful blue eyes and of course glanced at the left hand where no ring could be found. He made another remark about needing to pick the best option and sideways glanced at the little girl who was still pouting. And instead of being really smooth, calm, collected, quick-witted and confident (I mean let's be honest - even one of those attributes would have been great), but no instead, some sort of mumble jumble came out of my mouth about his hands being full - stuttering ever so slightly, my face turning redder by the moment. And that was it. I turned and walked away wondering why I couldn't get it together and furthermore why I would have chosen such a rude statement in the one moment I had. It would have been way too easy to light-heartedly comment on how important it was to choose the correct salad or to say something to the little girl about how she should give salad a chance. Or even if I had decided to go the "hands full" route, I could have at least followed it up with how cute the girl was... But no I just landed on "wow you've got your hands full." Ugh. Unfortunate for sure. And since that encounter all I can think of are better endings to that story.
But, as I was hanging my head in shame at the check out line and barely listening to the couple of beeps, it hit me!
Today's Meet-Someone-New Monday
has to do with my favorite store in the entire world,

Now, I know I have an extremely loyal tendency so once I pick something, that's it. And for me, Target has been the go-to for years. Some weeks I actually go to Target more days than I do not go to Target. Sometimes I go twice in one day. I go on bad days, on good days, when I need nail polish, a new shirt, shoes, a greeting card, or when I need to pick up lunch. I buy gifts there and almost never leave without something really fun in tow. Last week, after searching at several other stores for a certain type of battery, I thought I would just check at Target since I was already there anyway and low and behold, they had it. I am telling you I'm a believer. And today just confirmed it even more. So there I was, kicking myself for the lack of etiquette, as the cashier says "That'll be $6.75" ***Note: Never in my entire life have I made it through this store with a less than $10 purchase. I am telling you this alone is an absolute miracle! And then I swiped my Target Debit card and the amount immediately changed to $6.13. How could you not perk up after something like that. I just saved money! The great thing is that every time I go to Target this happens. You see over New Years last year, my Aunt Sheryl told me I just had to get a Target Debit card. I know what you're thinking. I was skeptical too! But ultimately her wise words won me over and I gave in. She told me and now I'm telling you that since this is not a credit card, you eliminate the risk of interest. You see, Target came up with an idea to create brand loyalty. They connect to your bank and have a debit card system that works just like your bank debit card, only at Target. So you swipe just the same, enter your pin just the same and the money exits your account just the same. The only difference? You save 5% on every purchase - did you hear me? EVERY PURCHASE! So when I bought my travel gear for Guatemala, 5%; when I needed new clothes for my birthday, 5%; when I'm in the mood to buy my nephew something (which turns out to be always), 5%. And the thing is, I would have been shopping there anyway because I already had that kind of brand loyalty. So thanks, Target, for giving me one more reason to shop at my favorite store - not that I needed it :)
I am passing on this information so that you (yes, you) will jet out to your nearest Target pronto. I can't promise a blue-eyed beau, but I don't think you'll regret the 5% savings, ever :)
Happy Shopping!

Erin Condren (and other fabulous designers!)

Okay so I wrote this yesterday and meant to post it yesterday, but I didn't... So pretend like my Monday post actually came to you on Monday...

Hello Friends! Today I will be introducing you to a few new "friends" of mine :) This weekend was absolutely wonderful. From just getting to hang out with my amazing friends and family to dancing, eating, opening presents and laughing, this was one of the best birthdays yet! Despite the fact that my family started to come down with some type of cold on Friday, we persevered and they made the weekend so special. Later this week (or next!) I will be posting a fashion segment about my outfit choices for this epic golden birthday weekend so stay tuned! Until then, I want you to meet some of my new birthday presents because you probably need to look into these for yourself... Or put them on your next birthday, Christmas, Labor Day, Random Tuesday(?) wish list...

drum roll, please... It's....
Meet-Someone-New Monday

To start off with, you should know that my mom is A-MAZING! She is the absolute best at listening ever-so-carefully to us and then snagging exactly what we want for our birthdays - it's awesome - seriously I don't know how she does it! And this year was no different. Other than the first listed below (which I picked out myself), she nailed it. And she finds such joy in finding the perfect gifts for her girls. :)

                   First up: my new Erin Condren planner!

This planner is the planner to end all planners. It comes with sections for keeping track of birthdays and anniversaries (which is a big struggle of mine!) and it is super durable. You can customize it yourself to put your name on it or a picture of your family or pretty much whatever you want - seriously if you need to get organized for the fall, go here: http://www.erincondren.com/store/ and fall in love with that cuteness!

Second: my new Vera Bradley Weekender Bag:

A few weeks ago, my mom and I were picking one out for her and I just fell in love with this bag! It is so practical and will definitely accompany me on all of my weekend trips! My favorite feature is that it has a strap on the back to slip over rolling luggage, for easy carrying in an airport - LOVE! This print is Summer Cottage - simply lovely :) There are several prints on sale right now too! Go get you one! :) 

Next: my new Scout Beach Bag!

In case you are not seeing a theme here, I just want to let you know that anything cute, I instantly think I need :) This Scout bag was SO unexpected! I bought one for my best friend Amanda in the Swirly Temple print *side note: The names of these prints, Vera, or OPI Nail Polish just kill me. I would love to meet the team behind that!* but I had no clue I would be getting one too :) They picked out the striped "Very Canary Island" print. I am not sure how they chose because all of them are super cute. 

I was so blessed to receive several other gifts (some will appear in my fashion segment :)  One gift, not pictured but SO loved, is a picnic blanket to keep in my car - this has been on the "wants" list for about 9 years, literally. Everyone should have one of these! This is a similar one, but not the exact same print as mine: The Best Picnic Blanket

This blanket is so great because it doesn't get grass and dirt stuck to it - you can just shake it off, zip it up and you are good to go - you never know when you might need one around - Thanks, Amanda! :)

I love when gifts are so thoughtful - like my roommate who got me a London pillow, or my sisters filling the beach bag with 25 things for me (including Shawn White gum and a stuffed llama from Guatemala)! Everyone really went above and beyond to make me feel so loved and valued - to the point that I was completely speechless (which doesn't happen often to me)! I could go on and on about the jewelry, clothes, sweet book from my Mama and Dad, figurine from my Granny, lime holder from my cousin, framed picture from a friend, cupcakes, cakes, dinners, etc, but I think it would take days for you to read through all of it. I am so grateful for the gifts, yes, but mostly for the time my precious friends and family put into making sure I felt blessed. They are wonderful and truly outdid themselves.

little baby Katie

Hi friends! I hope you have had a great week. It has been absolutely nuts for me, but as promised, I am keeping up with my new tradition of...
Meet-Someone-New Monday

For this week's edition, I have decided to introduce you to my roommate. She was among my first friends I made in college and pretty quickly I knew we would be friends - whether it was from the late night adventures or the constant smell of vanilla coffee coming from her room, I cannot be sure. But early on, her heart and love for people was evident and I was blessed enough to be on the receiving end of it. Now over the years, she has shown some more flare and sometimes her sassy tone is so thick it cannot be measured, but beneath all of that is a loving and caring and faithful friend who will stand up and fight for you regardless of the obstacles you face. She has a gift to see another person's needs and readily experiences heartache along with those she loves. She cried with me when my last roommate got engaged and she celebrated with me when my nephew was born. Though we disagree and have definitely gone to battle on opposing teams, we can most always move on and up and continue to walk closely through life together. Throughout college we double-dated to several date functions and formals and there is no one else I would want on my side through those events. We introduced ourselves as "Hi we're Katie" We dressed up like mariachi people. We have chased the sun.

She likes outdoor music and small town festivals. She loves coffee. She could play cliff, kiss or marry until the cows come home. She bakes a mean cinnamon scone and taught me how to cook homemade pancakes. She enjoys reading and can quote most movies from beginning to end. She keeps up with celebrity drama. She is great at painting her nails. She is frugal. She would post a selfie every day if I let her (but knowingly she asks my permission). She plans ahead to eat dessert by eating less at a meal. She takes care of herself. She challenges me. She wouldn't be mad if Adam Levine showed up on her doorstep with a bouquet and ring. She lets me borrow her jewelry, her dresses, her books, her coffee mugs, her advice. She is straight laced, but she takes risks. She knows she's beautiful.
She is definitely someone worth celebrating.
So today, I want to wish my sweet roommate a very, very...
Happy Birthday, Katie Lee!

I am oh so happy and thankful to know you!

poor Monday...

Happy Monday, Friends!
Dontcha just hate it when people say that - happy Monday? Is it even possible for Mondays to be happy? Well typically I don't think so but a few weeks ago, the inanimate Monday took on a whole personality that turned rather Eeyore-like when she heard that I didn't think she could be happy... I have a problem with inanimate objects suddenly having feelings and personality. Most days it's a curse (like when poor Dorie (my car) has a bad day, or when my straightener just doesn't feel like heating up, or when I apologize to the table I just ran into), but I will tell you that it does make life a little more fun and a little less frustrating :) So awhile back, I decided that I needed Monday to have more of an identity and since I enjoy writing, I thought it should also connect to my blog. So I have decided to do a weekly post.....

And that brings me to my point that today is (drum roll, please)...

Meet-Someone-New Monday!

Each week (or whenever I decide to blog on a Monday - let's not get crazy over-promising here...) I will be spotlighting someone in my life that I think you should meet or I will be introducing you to someone (or something) I just met myself.
Today I would like for you to meet Mr. and Ms. Starbucks Barista.
Very rarely have I ever had a bad experience at Starbucks. I mean sometimes all I need is to walk into a coffee shop and suddenly whatever mess I have found myself in seems a little smaller. This morning when I woke up it was strangely dark outside and it was absolutely pouring. Obviously I was going to need something more riveting than work to get me out of bed - I know you know what I'm talking about. Some days I just need a little extra encouragement to get the day rolling - and did I mention that it's Monday??? So I told myself that if I just got up, got ready and got in the car, I could go to Starbucks on my way to work. And today, that was enough motivation. So I got up, got dressed, got in the car (with my homemade coffee in hand) and drove to Starbucks. Since I had to run an errand for work this morning, my usual Starbucks was not on my way so I resorted to visiting a new one - luckily there is caffeine waiting in a white recyclable cup on just about every corner. This Starbucks (really it's more of a kiosk) is located inside of the Tom Thumb on 3040 and Valley in Flower Mound, TX. When I walked up to the counter, I was greeted by a huge smile and two people who seemed to be morning people. Both olderish (fifties I would say?), both seemingly happy to be there, both acknowledging and completely understanding that today is Monday, both hoping to wake up their few customers with light conversation. I wonder if "Are you a morning person?" is in the list of interview questions for coffee shop staff. Just by a person's facial expression, you could tell if you're talking to the bluebird of happiness or mr. grumpy gills. Now I know there are some of you out there who think that if you met the bluebird of happiness at 8 AM on a Monday morning, you might have to cause bodily harm to the poor guy, but that was the great thing about these baristas. They were calmly content, happily chatting with each other and those of us waiting, graciously brewing and decorating with foam, and purposefully connecting with each face. As I was left, I paused to consider that maybe for them it really was a happy Monday. And perhaps the rain wasn't so bad. And maybe I should just stop and recognize that five minutes can just be five minutes or it can be a chance to bring a little light, a little laughter and a little optimism. Funny enough, I decided Monday needed a little bit of a new perspective weeks ago, long before I had met Mr. and Ms. Starbucks Barista, but as I was leaving today, I thought it the perfect way to begin Meet-Someone-New Mondays :)

So, thank you Mr. and Ms. Starbucks Barista. I appreciate all that you do.