Things are Happening and it's Somewhat Crazy - Kathleen

Hey guys! This is just a quick-ish post to update you on things. I'm going to try and keep this pretty simple and not confusing.

So a few weeks ago I wrote a post about blogging and how I get my inspiration. I mentioned a bit about how blogger is an amazing way to start blogging and get a basic idea for how you want to go about it (what you want to post, who you are targeting, etc.) I talked a little about how Blogger does have a limited amount of freedom for the administrator to design. Emma and I want something that we have more freedom with. We also want to take a the next step for our blog to have more responsibility with it and also, hopefully, reach more readers.

Because of this we are changing platforms. We will be switching over to WordPress. We are having a blog planning "meeting" (I say that so I can sound fancy) this weekend to set up the new site and finalize Christmas designs. If we can't transfer posts from this site to the new site, there will be a link to quickly access all the old posts here, on this site. The link to the new site is in the signature, go check it out. Emma did a little editing and it looks great already! There are, however, no posts up yet.

If you have any questions, leave a comment!! Thank you so much and I really hope you like the new site!!!

Kathleen

twodorkswithablog.blogspot.com

twodorkswithablog.wordpress.com

Mental Health - Kathleen

Thanksgiving Break is started!!

Hi everyone! It's Kathleen here, and because I live in America, Thanksgiving is this Thursday! I'm so excited, it's one of my favorite holidays. We always have the most delicious array of food; Turkey, green bean casserole, sweet potatoes with brown sugar and marshmallows, green mountain fluff (sprite, marshmallows, pineapple, walnuts) gravy, fresh bread, cranberry sauce, apple stuffing, pumpkin pie, chocolate cream pie, pecan pie, and coconut cream pie. It's a bit much but it's delicious.

Pretty much all year round I'm stressed. This lessens during the summer and heightens right around this time of year. I don't really know why I get more stressed this time of year, but it probably has to do something with school and less time for me to pay attention to my mental state. So I'm going to share a few of my tips for combating stress and improving my daily mental health.

To start out, whenever I'm feeling down, I like to read a few quotes that help me re-focus and evaluate what I need to do to get back to myself.

"Be happy in the moment, that's enough. Each moment is all we need, not more." Mother Teresa

It's okay if every weekend doesn't lead to big moments and campfires and laughter that carries on for hours and hours. Some weekends might be quite, still, with plenty of room to contemplate. And in that contemplation room, there is room to grow. So hold those weekends dear. Don't see them as less or as threats to the more exciting times. There is beauty and truth even in the seemingly mundane." -Morgan Harper Nichols

"I think everything in life is art. What you do. How you dress. The way you love someone, and how you talk. Your smile and your personality. What you believe in, and all your dreams. They way you drink your drinks, How you decorate your home. Or party. The way your write your grocery list. The food you make. How your handwriting looks. And the way you feel." - Unkown (via awwyeahquotes)

"We rise by lifting others." - Unknown to me (hunting louise)

"Don't forget to love the way you want to be loved, listen the way you want to be heard, speak the way you want to be spoken to, give the way you hope others will give, care the way you want others to care because change doesn't start with them. It stars right here." - Madalyn Beck

"You think attention is love, and that's why you suffer so deeply." - The Better Man Project

First up: Self-esteem, because belief it or not, your self-esteem/body-image affects your mental health insanely. If I'm not feeling confident in my body, I think of one thing. If I'm not doing anything to change the way I feel about my body, then I can't complain, because complaining isn't going to do anything. Whenever I'm in a funk, I go on a run. I do try to go to the gym, or even just do a bedroom workout. Besides doing something about the way you feel about your body, exercising gets your endorphins going and that also makes you happier.

My surroundings also change the way I feel. I try and keep my room clean. Usually my to duvet makes me super warm at night, so I've started taking it off before I go to sleep and draping it over my desk chair. I still have 3 layers of blankets so I'm plenty warm. Then when I wake up in the morning, I have to make my bed because I literally can't do anything with this humongous blanket draped over my chair. Then once my bed is made I have to clean everything else up because otherwise everything looks out of place.

The next thing is so important, in fact, my mental state relies on this almost 100%. When I do my school, I make sure that I'm doing what needs to be done that day, and then working on anything extra. When I have a paper due and I would much rather procrastinate, I get to it and completely ignore the fact that I would much rather be on Pinterest. Then when I'm done, I feel so much better and my assignment is turned in. This honestly cures so much stress because the longer you procrastinate on anything, the more stressed you feel. That being said, another rule I have is that I never work past 8 P.M. This prevents me from working too late and getting a headache.

My last important mental health/stress-relief tip is to pamper yourself a little bit. I always take my time to wash my face with a scrub, cleanser, and moisturizer. I always do a lip scrub and swipe on so much chap stick. I use a homemade lip scrub; I made it a really long time ago, but I think it is coconut oil, sugar, and peppermint oil. I then use some Burt's Bees ( Beeswax Lip Balm with Vitamin E and Peppermint) then I use my Body Shop (Born Lippy, Strawberry) Lip Balm. If I have any chill time, I will light a candle and do a facemask. Sometimes I write a blog post, others I just lay down and not do anything. I love using the Yes To Tomatoes Charcoal Sheet Mask. It literally clears my skin SOOO well. It's also very refreshing.

That's it for my relaxing/Mental Health tips. Obviously this wasn't intended to help with anything serious; it's just how I keep my life relatively stress-free.

Tell me what your plans are for Thanksgiving this year, and I will see you next week!

Kathleen

twodorkswithablog.blogspot.com 

Two Dorks with a Blog - Kathleen

Hi everyone!!

I have a bit of a different post today,  so I'm just going to start right away.

I had a friend email me this morning and she said that she started a blog back in like 2012 or something, but only posted 2 posts on it. She asked me what my inspiration comes from and what my view is for the blog. So I'm going to talk a little about how I write my posts, what the focus for my posts is, (grammar?) some tips, and what blogs I often read.

#1
How did I come up with the focus for my posts?

Honestly, I just write what I think is fun and I would enjoy reading. I write about what is interesting me in my life and what is happening in my life. Even for the small audience we reach, I'm astonished and honestly kind of weirded out by the fact that people are reading posts about my life and such. I try and incorporate a little of my deep inner thoughts into my posts as well. Honestly, as an INFJ, I have so many deep thoughts and it's hard for me to feel comfortable talking about them with everyone, even my parents. This is one of the few reasons why I can't wait to move out: because I can live a life that I want without being judged. And the life I want to lead isn't necessarily one of partying. Honestly, I want to stay as far away from that as physically possible. I can't wait to have kids and raise them, and make dinner for my family and just live my life as quietly and gracefully as possible. Grace and mercy is my motto. Sometimes I'm not so great at the grace part though...

#2
How do I come up with ideas on what to post?

This is my favorite part. Like I said above, I take a lot of my inspiration from my everyday life. Those posts, I like to call Vloggy-Bloggies. (I made the name up myself :P) I normally write about what interests me, or something that I think about a lot and want to share with people. The other thing I do somewhat often is take inspiration from Pinterest. The daily journaling prompts are a somewhat useful way to go, but the daily blog post/YouTube video lists are even better. My favorite prompts are those by Hello Neverland. (Link under my signature) These make some great inspiration for seasonal posts. After this I take inspiration from YouTubers. But it rarely ever gets to the point that I need that inspiration. Not that YouTubers aren't great.

#3
Blogger: My Opinions and Advice


 I love using Blogger. It's a very simple way to start a blog and get your mind wrapped around how this whole thing works. You can even start earning money using Blogger. However, if you plan on going big with your blog, I would recommend starting your own website using something more like Wix. While blogger is great, getting your own website gives you a little bit of a boost. In the future (after college) I plan on getting a site through Wix and using that.

My cons for using Blogger is that the designing options only go so far, and that videos don't post very well, if at all. Wix is better for posting videos I've heard.

I will be linking all the blogs mentioned in this post and some of my favorites below so you can access all of them.


On another note, I have questions about festive posts!! What kind of posts do you want to see coming from us this season? Also, how do you readers feel about Christmas music throughout late November and throughout December?

Thank you so much for reading and I will see you next week!!

Kathleen

twodorkswithablog.blogspot.com

Hello Neverland

Candidly Keri

Zoella

Halloween!! - Katheen

Whenever I have exclamations in my title, there are always two of them...

Hiyo!!! Halloween is on Tuesday!! What are you guys being? I'm going to be Megara from Hercules...

I wasn't planning on being anything which was kind of a bummer because Emma and I were Thing One and Thing Two last year, and I couldn't just let that be my last Halloween costume because I feel like, even though I'm a little old to actually go Trick or Treating, I'm at the age when Halloween costumes actually get really good. When you are little, its a witch, or a princess, or Dorothy from Wizard of OZ.

Anyways, I went shopping and out to lunch with some friends lately, and we went to a thrift store in downtown Belleville. I found a vintage off-the-shoulder dress. I have been loving off the shoulder anything so much lately. It was the prettiest purple and it twirls soooo well. I can't wait to dance in it sometime! I tried it on and it fit perfectly, which rarely happens considering how short I am.

It was $36.

I bought it.

Sorry for the crappy portrait mode picture; I'll make it up to you.

I also got a super curly ponytail extension because Meg as super long hair, and I have relatively short hair. Do you remember those ponytails that were really popular a while ago, they were kind of like elastic ribbons? Some of them were glittery. I still have a rose gold one, but I don't use it, so I cut it in half and I'm going to fasten it around the top of the sleeve. That will give it a bit more of a Greek/Roman look.

We went pumpkin picking today, and I went on a photography spree, so I thought I would show the pictures to you. I got a really cool pumpkin; I love it so much I'm not carving it. I'm keeping it in my room as decoration.

This is my pumpkin.

I'm sure you all remember Braeutigams Orchards, we went there last year to get pumpkins. We got our pumpkins there this year too.

This is kind of a crappy picture, but Papi was being so cute with his pumpkin that I couldn't stand it.

Thanks so much for reading!! Comment below and tell me what your thoughts are on dressing up for Halloween, does your faith allow/encourage it?

Kathleen

twodorkswithablog.blogspot.com

braeutigamorchards.com

Let's Just Chat - Kathleen

Sometimes I feel like the posts I write, while very often on schedule and grammatically correct, they aren't very personal...

Hey guys!!!! How are you! I hope you are all having a wonderful month so far, we are almost half-way through! Comment down below and tell me what you are doing for Halloween or if you are dressing up. I am going to be Meg from Hercules.

Anyways, today I thought I would just kind of chat with you, I want to just talk and get to know you all, because you all hear from me pretty much weekly, but I never hear from most of you. (Some of us are actually friends who I talk to often)

So lately I been doing a lot of school and it's actually a little better than last year. To be brutally honest, last year I was a bit of a slacker, and while my Latin situation was not ideal, I can't blame all of last year on that. I had a pretty rough winter, what with my grandma dying somewhat unexpectedly and then a week after her funeral we left on a 4 day (round trip) drive to Washington DC for the March for Life where I think I hurt my knee and had a really rough time walking around DC. I'm so grateful for my amazing teachers who were all so understanding, however, I know I could have done better. Because of how behind I was, I started procrastinated on school (because I was lazy) then I got more behind and piled up, which resulted in me cramming on everything and just trying to pass classes, which by my standards is getting Bs.

So last year was a really crappy year, which scared me a lot. What with college prep coming up, I definitely feel the pressure to get good grades and stay on top of anything. So I resolved to take good, thorough notes and submit every assignment the day the assignment was due. I took that super seriously during the first maybe 10 weeks which resulted in me exhausting myself and, honestly, working way too hard. I laid of a little bit so I wasn't over-working myself, but still getting good grades and working hard. So this year has, so far, been much better than last year.

Speaking of college, Mom and I are going to Atchison, Kansas to visit Benedictine College. I'm interested in a major in Communications and they also have a minor in Film Studies. I'm also interested in Ave Maria (in Ave Maria, Florida) , they also have a major in Communications and also a minor in Family and Society, which I thought would be VERY beneficial for when I have kids/start a family. Lastly, St. Katherine's in St. Paul, Minnesota has a major in Communications and also Family and Consumer Science. That encompasses both the family and the blogger/I-don't-know-what-to-call-it-but-I-have-it-in-my-head. So those are my college thoughts.

I haven't been doing any activities outside of school for various reasons. I stopped taking piano lessons. It wasn't that I hated piano and it also wasn't because I didn't like my teacher. My piano teacher was amazing, and I love her teaching techniques. I honestly think, she is the best piano teacher I know and it would be hard to top her. The are a few, simple reasons why I stopped taking lessons. A) College is coming up. I'm not planning on majoring in any music, so I want to focus on getting ready for it. B) I wasn't feeling the motivation to keep working and pushing ahead. I was feeling like a machine plunking out notes and not feeling any passion towards the music. Many pianists (or any musician) go through this, but normally in phases. I've gone through phases of not enjoying it, but this one was lasting something around six months, which is crazy. I decided to take a break. I'm super glad I did. I still play a little here and there, in fact, because I took a break, I'm so much happier playing now than I was. I'm working on Perfect by Ed Sheeran. (but the piano music is by The Piano Guys) If any of you are curious about a good sheet music website, I can tell you about one.

So that's a little bit about my life right now; I hope you enjoyed it! Tell me a little about your life!


WAIT WAIT WAIT!!

I have an announcement to make.

So. Last year you may remember that we did Blogmas. This year we won't be doing it. It was so much fun and I loved all the festive everything, but it was sooooo much work.  I think with less posts, the festivity in each post will be upped a bit.

So.

Yeah.

My Nightime Routine - Kathleen

Fall is here and I'm soooooo excited I would type in caps but that kind of annoys people I've heard...

Hello my lovely readers!! I have come to grace you with another blog post. It's fall and I've been feeling very cozy lately. Watching people's nighttime routines always makes me feel even more cozy so I am sharing mine with you. Lets get started!

I know this may seem early for many people, but honestly I have a somewhat old soul/brain. I go to sleep at 9:30 and 5:45 is generally the time of day I either start relaxing for the night or I go to a friends house. So I'm either chilling out, or going crazy having fun with friends: one or the other, there is no in-between. So after I eat dinner and clean up my desk, I get in the shower.

 I have been loving the JASON Normalizing Tea Tree shampoo. It helps regulate dandruff and itch which I love. Whenever I rinse my hair I feel like I have mermaid hair, but I've talked about the shampoo a few times before. My body wash is Tutti Dolci Golden Honey Praline from Bath and Body Works. I got it right around Independence Day when they had a big sale, so it was three dollars for a full size and I was like, "Yes please!!"

After I get out of the shower I slather some of NIVEA's Post Shave Balm on my legs. Yes it is a men's product, no I'm not a freak, yes it works soo well. I don't have any poke-y hairs and it's been 2 days since I shaved. Plus it moisturizes and helps keep my skin looking vibrant and not pale like are in the fall/winter. I also put a little Alberto VO5 Conditioning Hairdressing gel in my hair. Guess what. This is a men's product to. But really it's not like it does anything special for men's hair that a girl wouldn't want. It helps prevent frizz, add shine, and makes your natural highlights stand out. I don't know if anyone has noticed, but I've seen an extra vibrancy to my hair and the red-ish highlights are standing out so much in the right light.

After this I put on some comfy clothes. This sweater is a pinky/beige sweater I got at Sears, but it's by Simply Styled. I love this brand, all their clothes are so soft and comfy. I also put on my floral drop shorts. I know you wouldn't normally wear a sweater with shorts but it is super comfy and sometimes long sleeves AND pants make me a little sweaty.

Mom just got back from the grocery store and she brought home a caramel-chocolate-pecan caramel apple so I had to have some of that. Let me tell you: this was the best thing I have EVER tried. You all should eat them, or make them or whatever. Just get your hands on them somehow!

Now. If you were here about a year ago, you will remember my obsession with all things Department 56. And if you were keen, you will notice above the picture of my chocolate-caramel-apple-pecan-delicious-diabetes-ness had a Department 56 house in the background. If you are KEEN (capital letters KEEN) you will notice that it had lights inside of it. You will then remember that I could not put lights in the Dept. 56 houses last year. Well I figured it out this time. That got me a little excited. So my project tonight was to make sure all the Christmas lightbulbs worked.

I pulled all twelve houses out.

All 12 houses worked.

It's October.

By now it was about 9pm so it was time for me to get ready to go to bed. I headed into the bathroom to wash my face. I have been using Biore's Pore Unclogging Scrub to gently exfoliate my face. I can't even describe why I love this so much. But give me time because it will be in my favorites. My skin is always soooo soft I literally feel like a baby. Then I cleanse with AVEDA's Botanical Kinetics Purifying Cleansing Crème. I've already said a lot about my cleanser so I won't say much about that.

So then I just get into my jammies and cozy in bed with a good book until I fall asleep.

I really hope you enjoyed this post because I had so much fun writing it!!! Leave a comment down below telling me what your favorite fall snack is!!

Kathleen Pederson

twodorkswithablog.blogspot.com

Would You Rather - Kathleen

I actually really love games like this.

Heyyy!! How are y'all, I hope you've finally gotten into some sort of routine with your back to school life...

Anyways, I feel like would you rather games really help you get to know a person. They kind of put you into hypothetical situations and then you get to see how the other person reacts.. if that makes sense. I have some Would You Rathers to ask my self thanks to Conversation Starters (Link in my signature) so let's get started!

Would you rather always be 10 minutes late or 20 minutes early?
I think I would always want to be 20 minutes early simply because being early is polite. Plus then I am situated. Especially with my anxiety, it is nice to get a grip on a situation/be prepared early so I don't get caught unexpected by something. Although it might be slightly awkward on dates and such I think it would be easy to explain.

Would you rather lose all your money and valuables or all the pictures you have ever taken?
I would much rather lose all my money/valuables. There is a quote I love, it says, "We take photos as a return ticket to a moment otherwise gone." This is so true. Money can't replace that. I always try to remember that when Mom wants to take a picture but I don't feel like it or something.

Would you rather be able to see 10 minutes into your future or 10 minutes into everyone else's future.
I would much rather see 10 minutes into everyone else's future. I just think it would be so much more interesting and less stressful and I would get to know someone better.

Would you rather be famous when you are alive and forgotten when you die, or forgotten while you are alive and famous when you die.
Wowza. I have no idea... Either way I would want to be famous for some good effect I left, not money or popularity or anything like that.

Would you rather live in the wilderness far from civilization or live on the streets of a city as a homeless person.
I would much rather live in the middle of nowhere. Not because being homeless sucks, but because I love quiet, and as much as I love shopping, I would totally love living in Maine or something.

Would you rather be alone for the rest of your life or always be surrounded by annoying people.
Alone. While living with so many annoying people would be great for patience, I really like being alone. Whenever Olivia is at dance, and Mom and Dad are out, it's so quiet, and I can just opera sing or bake or watch a movie or read, or basically do anything without being judged/embarrassed. That's when I take most of my blog post pictures...

Would you rather never use social media again, or never watch another movie/TV show again?
Well considering that I really only blog and use Pinterest, I would definitely choose no social media. Without a doubt. Emma's like, "No way crazy lady!" But yeah I don't really use it now so it wouldn't be that hard.

Thanks so much for reading! I hope you guys are having fun as summer turns into fall! Here in Illinois, it's still 90 degrees on average so appreciate your cool, crisp autumn air! Have an awesome week!

Kathleen

twodorkswithablog.blogspot.com

conversationstarters.com

Morning Routine - Kathleen

Wowza. School is not fun.

Hey guys! I just had a massively productive day and then I got a ton of ideas for blog posts.

Today I'm doing a Morning Routine post. Lets just get right to it!

First thing I normally do in the morning is washing my hair. It really helps wake me up if I do it with cold water. Plus this makes me shiny. I also really love this shampoo; it really cleans my hair and I can feel it freshened and clean. Then the conditioner makes my hair feel like mermaid hair. I love it. The tea tree makes my hair smell amazing as well.

Then I eat breakfast. I didn't take a picture of this, but I had cinnamon toast and melon. Delicious. Not necessarily healthy...

Right after breakfast, I take wash my face. This starts with me brushing my teeth and then using my mouth wash. Then I wash my face with the Aveda Purifying Crème Cleanser. It's moisturizing and cleansing, and also smells amazing. I use the coldest water I possibly can because it wakes me up and it closes my pores. I'm pretty sure everyone does that though. :D

After I finish washing my face and getting dressed, I put on some hand lotion and chap-stick. Now I'm ready for the day. Now that my morning routine is done I can start school.

I always make my bed before starting school because then my room is cleaner and my productivity goes wayyy up. So yeah.

Comment down below and tell me what your morning staples are. So, that's my morning routine, I hope you enjoyed it!

Kathleen

twodorkswithablog.blogspot.com

The Great American Eclipse - Kathleen

Hey guys!!!

So I hope you can tell what this post is going to be about. If you don't, I will tell you.

On August 21st, 2017 at 1:21 P.M. Central Standard Time, in Carbondale, Illinois, the moon covered the sun and blocked out 100% of its surface. The exact point of  the shadow reached earth and traveled over the United States of America. The 70 mile wide shadow traveled a path through Oregon, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Southern Illinois, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and South Caroline before ending at the Eastern most tip of Africa.

I was lucky enough to travel to Camp Ondessonk to view the Eclipse. Camp Ondessonk, a Catholic summer camp, is south of Carbondale, Illinois. Camp Ondessonk was directly on the line of totality which meant that we had 2 minutes and 39.7 seconds of totality.

First contact was at 10:45 am so we were out in the field with the astronomers at 10:30. It was incredible to be able to look directly at the sun through our glasses. At about 10 minutes to totality (1:11pm) the shadows became very sharp. Everything looked like a picture with the contrast turned up. Thunder clouds were illuminated on the horizon. It was incredible to see the orange sunset and then the thunderclouds.

This is essentially what it looked like minus the ship and the sun (or lack thereof, heehee) was bigger.

At 2 minutes until totality the light disappeared. In 30 seconds it went from mid-day light to about 8 pm dusk/twilight.

Then totality hit.

My words will be nothing compared to the real thing.

The first thing you see is the diamond ring. This is the last little bit of the sun's light escaping the moon's coverage. It actually looks like a massive diamond ring. Then you see Bailey's Beads. This is actually the last bit of the sun shining through the valley's and craters of the moon. Then the shadow of the moon races over you and 140,000 mph. It's so fast that if you don't have the right elevation and space you won't see it. All I noticed was that the dark sky, got even darker drastically. Then it all happened backwards. And it got brighter.

It's amazing how life changing two minutes and thirty-nine point seven seconds without the sun can be. All the night life came out, the horses went inside.

The next eclipse is in 2024. You HAVE GOT to find a way to get to this eclipse. Camp Ondessonk will be doing another session. My words mean nothing, that picture means nothing until you see it. You can google all the pictures you want to, watch all the documentaries on Netflix, and listen to all the stories, but you have GOT to have your own experience. And when you do, don't take a picture to post on Instagram. I know how many comments it will get and the likes, but it doesn't matter. Will you have seen it and taken it in?

Have an amazing Labor Day!!

Kathleen

twodorkswithablog.blogspot.com

Camp Ondessonk

Breakfast on the Go - Kathleen

Hi guys!!

This is Kathleen from the past because Kathleen from the present just got back from camping and probably horseback riding. I was at Camp Ondessonk for the eclipse on Monday.

Since school has started, (or is starting for some) I figured I would write a post about some on the go breakfast ideas. Insert a random mom talking about how breakfast is the most important meal of the day. But seriously, it is. Aside from breakfast giving you essential nutrients and vitamins (shouldn't every meal?) having a good breakfast can determine your mood for the day. For example: you are running out the door and don't have time for anything but a piece of toast. No butter, no jelly, just toast. How are you going to feel emotionally after that? Like a crab. On the flipside, if you got to sit down and eat a delicious meal (heehee, it only took you five minutes) that fills you up just enough and gives you key nutrients, one would probably feel much happier and awake.

So, today I am going to show you just how many breakfasts you can make and eat in 15 minutes. Let's go.

#1 Oatmeal

When I used to think of oatmeal, I thought of mush that didn't taste good without too much maple syrup. Now I really like it. I like putting strawberries, blueberries and chia seeds on it. Besides toppings, finding a healthy oatmeal to make is tricky. Lots of different oatmeals put too many sugars and sweeteners in them. I really like the Think Thin oatmeal. They come in portioned packages. They are super easy to make and are a quick, healthy breakfast that will keep you full and awake!

#2 Toaster Waffles

SHOCKER!!! Healthy toaster waffles!! Seriously, Kashi has Gluten Free/Vegan toaster waffles. Guys they taste delicious!! I like putting blackberries and honey on mine, but they have suggestions on the back as to other toppings such as peanut butter, bananas, and chia seeds. They are super easy to make and honestly guilt-free!

#3 Toast

Now I know what you are thinking, "Kathleen, you just said that eating a piece of toast on the way out the door is not good for you." But this is different. This is heaven on a slice of bread. People. Trust me. Toast a whole slice of bread. Spread peanut butter over it (thin layer) cut up any fruit, drizzle on some honey, generously sprinkle some chia seeds. Oh my Lord, it's so easy and soo good. Look at it like this, if you use whole wheat bread, (like I do) you get your grains, your protein, and your fruits, all on one piece of toast. What could be better?! And you can literally put whatever fruit  you want on it, it really is a seasonal thing. I love putting peaches on it. But you could use strawberries, kiwis, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, bananas, melon, or even cranberries. The options are endless. I highly recommend that you make this for breakfast tomorrow.

Now you don't have an excuse for not sitting down and eating breakfast!! And if you are so late that you can't even make these, you need to read my last post on school organization.

Thank you so much for reading! Tell me in the comments what your favorite breakfast item is!

Kathleen

Dog Photography -Emma

Hello everyone! I've been taking a lot of photos of my puppy, Sadie, lately and thought I would share them with you all! I know these are not anywhere near professional, but in the next few months I really want to get a DSLR camera and start taking professional photos of my pets! I think it would be so much fun and I'd be able to take my hobby to a whole new level.

I'm pretty sure this is my favorite photo ever taken of Sadie. I took it on Sadie's

first official hiking trip when my family and I went camping at Rend Lake for the weekend.

She's rocking the red bandana and looks super adventurous (and cuddly).

Don't you just wanna boop her nose? I know you want to.

I took this last Saturday at the farmers market. She had such a good time, and got tons

of attention. She's also modeling a bandana that I made for my Etsy shop, FureverFriendsCo.

This one was also taken while camping at Rend Lake. It was one of Sadie's

first sunsets. It's a low quality picture but I still think it's beautiful.

Sadie was all smiles because it's FRIDAY! 

(she actually just reallyyy wanted the treat I was holding up)

I bought her this new dinosaur toy the other day and let's just say she's absolutely 

IN LOVE with this dinosaur. It's her new best friend. She carries it around with her everywhere, sleeps with it, it's the cutest thing ever. Ugh. 

Lastly, a photo documenting the start of her first fall. So far she's loving chasing (and eating)

all the leaves falling off the trees.

That's it! I hope you all liked seeing all these photos! I guess you could say I'm a littleeeee obsessed with my dog. But that's okay, I have no shame. If you'd like to see more of Sadie, you can check out her Instagram account, @sadieonthemove. 

I'm planning some new back to school and fall related posts for these next few weeks, so look out for those!

Talk to ya'll later!

-Emma

Back to School Tips and Organization - Kathleen

Hi readers!!

Sorry for the late post, I've been a little busy and the bridal shower I was at yesterday ran a little late.

Anyways! School is starting soon and to be honest, I'm actually kind of excited!! It's been a great summer but I'm excited to have more of a schedule and a more predictable life. As much as a love the sun and extra exercise I get in the summer, leaves and sweaters and fall is my favorite season and school comes along with that. :D

So today I have some a list of some back to school tips and organizing that I like to do! Let's get started!

Tip #1
Have your backpack packed before you go to bed the night before school.

We all know it's hard to get up in the morning, especially on the first day of school. Have backpack ready to go in the morning. This makes you feel confident that you have everything and you are well prepared. And actually, if you do this, you are less likely to forget something because you weren't throwing stuff in your bag and then running out the door.

If you are homeschooled (like me!) you won't have a backpack. In this case I would suggest making sure you know where all your books are and know what the syllabus says the day before. Having all the books where you need them the day before is honestly awesome. It makes things so much easier.

Tip #2
Pamper yourself the night before.

Exfoliate, do a face mask, (nothing major maybe just a moisturizing or a little something to make you feel squeaky clean) and maybe do your nails just so they look nice. Pampering yourself the night before helps you feel confident. You will know you look good. Just make sure to clean of the zit cream if you used it. :P

Tip #3
Make sure you have any required work done before and that it is ready to turn in.

This is kind of a no-brainer, but how many times do you forget homework during the school year? Yeah. So just make sure its ready, and don't start the day before school begins.

Luckily for us homeschoolers, Required work to be turned in the first day of school is usually non-existent :D

Tip #4
Have an alarm set for the next morning.

Put it across the room from you. When you turn it off. DO NOT LOOK AT YOUR BED. Go to the bathroom and immediately make your breakfast. When you do this, you won't feel like getting back in bed because you are already awake!

Even though I'm homeschooled, I still wake up at 6 am. That way I have two comfortable hours to eat breakfast, take a shower, maybe go to the gym, and then get started on school. I highly recommend this even if you know you don't need 2 hours (I don't know when your school starts or when you have to leave) because then you could do something a little extra like eat your breakfast outside or something.

Tip #5
Don't look at your phone.

If you read the mindful eating tips, they say not to read or look at your phone while you are eating. This is because when you read or look at your phone, you aren't paying enough attention to the kind of food you are eating, how much you are eating, or your mental health. I like to take this a step further and not look at my phone until I'm completely ready for the day.

I've been doing this more often and I can honestly say that the extra time the adds, and the positive influence makes me so much more positive. When we look at today's society and think about how much of it is social media based or geared, it's kind of scary. People go places just so they can take a cool picture. The want that cool picture so they can get the views, the comments, the likes. Now I love to take a cool picture. But I won't take a picture and post it somewhere (if I had an Instagram... Mom...) just so that I can get big numbers. I will take it and post it because I like the way it looks and I'm proud of it.

Tip #6
Make sure you have one spot for all your classes.

As you can see, I'm taking four online classes this year: Bible Study, Medieval History and Literature, Chemistry, and Latin.

I use two binders a year. One for first semester and one for second semester. I always make sure to keep all my work for all my classes in that one binder that way I don't get lazy and stick an assignment in another classes folder. It won't get lost and I'm more organized.

Tip #7

Have your syllabi in the corresponding section of your binder.

By doing this, you always have your assignment schedule with your assignments and you will always know where it is. I like to put my teachers name, email, and the class link at the top of the first page of each syllabus. That way if the site isn't working I know the link.

Tip #8

Make your binders and notebooks look cute.

I just bought some cute scrapbook at Joann's fabrics and used double sided tape to apply it to the notebook. I wrote a DIY about it on International BFFs. (Link beneath the signature)

I really think that having your supplies look good really makes a difference in your attitude throughout the day and it just makes me feel like a happier person.

Tip #9

Keep your room clean.

This is incredibly important for me because I'm homeschooled. When my surroundings are a mess (bed is in-made, laundry in a big pile, and I haven't even gotten dressed yet) my school is usually a mess too. In the beginning, it's hard to get used to, but when you get in the routine it's easier. Your laundry doesn't sit in a huge pile because you do it every weekend. You don't want to have a big clean up session on a Saturday so you just start putting things away the first time. I adopted this policy of only having 15 minutes to clean up on Saturdays, and it makes me keep my room clean throughout the week.

Thank you so much for reading!! I hope this post helped you feel a little more ready

Kathleen

DIY Notebooks - Kathleen (IBFFs)

New Room Tour!! - Kathleen

I did a thing...

Hey guys!!!!! It's me again, back with another post!

A little backstory, a few Christmas' ago, my parents gave me a free can of paint. (It was empty, but it symbolized the paint they would by me to paint my room.) That was four years ago. Over those four years I could never decide what I actually wanted. That was probably just because my style identity was changing all the time and I had no idea what I really liked. Now, I feel like I have a better grip on what I like in my bedroom. Soooo, we went to Lowes and picked out a color.

I chose Valspar's Voyage (4006-1B) in the eggshell (I think) gloss "level." I did have to use a primer on the bottom half of my room because, in case you didn't know, it was pink and I think it did slightly change the color.

Anyways, I thought I would give you a new and updated room tour! Let's get started!

So this is my room. As you can see the color is a nice, light blue/grey color. It's very chill and relaxing. We also left my chair rail on just to break up the color. We gave it a fresh coat of white paint to clean it up seeing as it was 10 years since it was painted last.

This is my bed! I've had this mattress since I was big enough to sleep on a big girl bed. My throw blanket is my baby blanket. I think the colors in it look good with the color of my wall. My duvet cover and sham is from Aeropostale (I think, but it's not being sold anymore) and then the duvet itself is the Mysa Vete one from IKEA.

This is my beanbag. Emma loves it. Whenever she sleeps over, she doesn't bring a sleeping bag because this is squishier and comfier. It is from the brand Comfy Sacs and I think it is the small size. I have a pillow my neighbor made for me when I was little on it. The stars are pretty cute I think.

I have these Christmas lights on my window. They are bundle lights so there are more lights on a shorter, 12 foot strand. I got them at Walmart. I made my banner with some scrapbook paper from Joann's.

And then this is my desk. I got the actual desk as a bundle from Lowes. The legs came with the two pieces of wood. We painted it white with furniture paint. I highly recommend you use this over regular paint because this dries harder and won't be sticky. I just keep my laptop and school books on it. You cant really see my organizer/display area but I will go through it anyways. I have two mason jars. One I just keep knickknacks in and the other I sometimes put flowers in. I also have a candle in the scent White Gardenia from White Barn. Then I have my two succulents, I got those at Marshalls. (They aren't real but they look real.) I have my little earring box with my favorite earrings in them, and they my little Beethoven bust. I play piano and my piano teacher gave him to me. I think he fits my room theme well. Then I have my two perfumes. The tall green one is Sweet Magnolia and Clementine. It is my everyday scent and Emma got it for me at Bath and Body Works. The smaller gold one is the Jeweled Amber scent from Charming Charlie and it's my special occasion scent. Last but not least I have my alarm clock. I love it so much! I got it at Target. Its from the Capello brand and I am almost positive they still sell it because I just bought it in June!

Thank you so much for reading!!! Tell me about your favorite part of your room! Byee!

Kathleen

24 Deep Questions About Me - Kathleen

This is round number two because I accidentally published the other one...

Hi guys!! How are you? School is coming up and I can't wait for the back to school posts! Today I have something kind of like the 30 Questions About Me posts, but a little deeper. Lets get started!

1. When was the last time you tried something new?

I think the last time I tried something new was this past summer. We went up to Minneapolis for Independence Day, and while we were there we went kayaking down the Mississippi River. I thought the water would be rough with lots of rapids. Basically like the St. Louis part of the river. But it was actually really chill. I had fun and got a really bad tan line.

2. Who do you sometimes compare yourself to?

Honestly, I don't compare myself to people that much... Really I just admire people who I want to be like. Jess Conte, Collette Butler, etc.

3. What's the most sensible thing you ever heard someone say?

I haven't actually heard someone say this, but it's a quote that I try and live my life by:

"The secret is to never lose sight of the simple, everyday miracles of life. Good food, literature, laughter, music, compelling conversation, nature, and art. Look for them in every day, and even when it feels like your whole life is unravelling, you will never be too far from a needle and thread."

- Beau Taplin (Needle and Thread)

4. What makes you excited about life?

I am so excited to just live my life as gracefully and mercifully that I possibly can. If that makes any sense...

5. What life lesson did you learn the hard way?

I learned that you can't let yourself be shy and you have to get out there. I was not even that shy. But it was enough that I was afraid to speak up and now I have anxiety because when I get in an aggravated situation where people are angry, I have anxiety attacks because I feel like I can't do anything about it.

6. What do you wish you spent more time doing 5 years ago?

I wish I had spent more time getting out there and talking to people for the same reason I mentioned above. I also wish I worked out a bit more, but doesn't everybody? 😄

7. Do you ask enough questions or settle for what you know?

I think this goes both ways. Sometimes I ask too many questions and other times I assume things and end up messing up. Lately I've been trying to slow down and think things through, not only so that I don't miss something, but also so that I don't look stupid.

8. What do you love and what are you doing about it?

I really love photography... and to be honest with you, I'm not doing anything about it... I'm trying to find something I can do in college that helps me towards being a professional photography and having my own business.

9. What is a belief you hold to that most people don't agree with?

Yikes... Sorry Emma we might lose a few views over this...

There are two beliefs that I will always without a doubt hold to. Number one is about abortion. I am a whole-hearted Pro-Life supporter. The second is that I believe in waiting until marriage. I think I might even be taking a vow never to kiss until my wedding day.

10. What can you do today that you couldn't do a year ago?

I can impact so many other people's lives through this blog. That's so crazy to me (even though only six people follow us.)

11. Do you think crying is a sign of weakness or of strength?

It depends on what you are crying about. If you are crying about having to do the dishes, then darling, you're gonna have to toughen up. If you are crying about something you did wrong, then I think it is a sign of strength because you are able to admit that you did wrong and show how sorry you are.

12. What would you do differently if you knew that nobody would judge you?

I would probably become a vlogger... It sounds stupid but I really want to do that.

13. Do you celebrate the things you do have?

I certainly do, but I also realize that I do put a lot of value in material goods.

14. What is the difference between living and existing?

The difference between living and existing is simple. Living is loving, and learning, and experiencing new things. Existing is eating breakfast out of a box, going to work in a box, working in a box, coming back home from work in a box, living in a box, staring at a box for 5 hours a day, and then dying in a box.

15. If not now, then when?

Later. And this is why people aren't happy. Because they procrastinate their way through life.

16. Have you done anything lately worth remembering?

If you are answering by happy, life memories, at my cousins lake house on the 4th of July, we were in a boat parade. We went as Moana, and we danced around on a boat. We placed third. It was so much fun.

17. What does your joy look like today?

I think today, my joy is pink. Childish (finding happiness in everything) and simple.

18. Is it possible to lie without saying a word?

Totally. If you were cheating on your boyfriend you would instantly be lying about your relationship.

19. If you had a friend who spoke to you the same way you speak to yourself, how long would you remain friends with that person?

I don't know. Maybe like a year... I feel like I speak kindly to myself, but maybe I push myself a little to hard sometimes.

20. Which activities make you lose track of time?

Swimming, blogging, cleaning, shopping.

21. If you had to teach something what would you teach?

Probably history...not that I'm good at history, but it's the I would least likely fail at.

22. what would you regret not fully doing, having, or being in your life?

Doing: going to college.

Having: kids

Being: a mentor to someone

23. Are you holding on to something you need to let go of?

Yes. my dog. He's goin insane.

24. When you are 80 years old, what will matter to you the most?

When I am 80 years old, what will matter to me the most is how many lives I have changed.

Kathleen

My Night Routine -Emma

Hey everyone!

We're trying to get a bit more active on the blog again, so I hope you all are enjoying the new posts! :P

Today I'm going to be showing you all my night routine! I've always wanted to be one of those YouTubers who makes routine videos and things but I've tried, and it's just not my thing. So I figured I'd do my little version of my routine in a blog post!

Without further ado, lets get to it!

7:00-

This is the time of night I normally get done with dinner. After dinner I take my puppy, Sadie, outside and spend some time with her, feed her dinner, playtime, that kind of stuff. Some nights if it's not too hot or rainy outside I take her on a walk around the neighborhood.

8:00-

After playing with Sadie for awhile, I change into my pajamas. I usually just wear some grey sweatpants/joggers (I'm obsessed, I have so many) and a tee shirt. After getting changed, I do my nightly skincare routine.

I don't wear makeup everyday, but when I do, I start off using the Neutrogena makeup remover towelettes. Let me tell you, these are amazing. There are a lot of makeup removers that irritate my skin or don't take off makeup well enough and you just have to keep scrubbing away, but these are amazing. They are a bit on the pricier side, but extremely worth it.

Next, I cleanse my face using the St. Ives Green Tea Scrub. I just recently started using this and it is AMAZING. My face cleared up from having a lot of acne in just a few days. It's a must try! Makes my skin feel so smooth and refreshed, and smells really great too. It's also pretty cheap compared to other cleansers, at only $4 at Target. 

The last step in my skin routine is to use the Clean & Clear Dual Action Moisturizer. It's really difficult to find a moisturizer that is oil-free (won't cause acne), and this one is perfect. It not only is oil-free but also helps treat acne. It made my skin visibly clearer immediately. 

After my skincare routine, I also brush my teeth and put in my rubber bands for the night. Yes, braces suck.

8:15-

After getting ready for bed, I watch T.V with my mom and sometimes Sadie for a little while. Right now we're re-watching Pretty Little Liars. We LOVE that show just like everyone else. Watching T.V before bed really calms me down and gets me ready to go to sleep. I know some people don't recommend it, but it works for me.

9:00-

Once we finish an episode of PLL, I take Sadie outside one last time to go potty, and then put her in her crate for the night. 

Before bed, I read. First, I read my devotional and whatever verse goes along with that day in the bible, then I read a normal book. I'm currently reading "The One" which is in the Selection Series. I'm obsessed with this series. If you liked the show "Reign", you'll love this series of books. While I read, I sometimes like to light a candle just because it's calming and gives that "good vibes" lighting.

10:00-

Before going to sleep, I check my Instagram, @emmalacroix, and Sadie's Instagram, @sadieonthemove. I also send out my last texts for the night, and that's about it.

Thank you all so much for reading! If you'd like to see more routines/day in my life blog posts, just let me know! Talk to you all again soon! :)

-Emma

What's in My Travel Backpack & Steuby Pictures - Kathleen

It's been awhile... yikes...

I can't believe how irresponsible I am with this blog... I know I know, I keep saying that I'm gonna post more and get back too it, but lets face facts: I haven't. I've been taking drivers ed every morning at 8 am, and staying up late at swim meets, and traveling. (More on that later 😛) Now that isn't to say that I couldn't have written a post way before I left or before I got super busy because I could have. So. I'm taking responsibility for that and making up for it. I'm sorry.

So speaking of travel, I have a little list for you! This is what I travel with in my backpack!!

So this is my backpack...

I got this for Christmas in 2016. I don't know where Mom got it from. The one I originally wanted was from PINK but that one was pricey for a backpack. This one looks just like it and I love it!!! It has three little pockets in the front. The two on the side are smaller and perfect for chargers, lotions, or snacks. The bucket pocket is sort of rectangular and not as much of a cube as you might think. It has a small pocket on the inside that is perfect for your wallet.

The buttons are all made like this which, I think, makes it a lot easier to open and close the pockets. The buttons are also nice buttons. It won't be easy for someone to open your bag or pickpocket.

Let's move on to what I bring IN the bag.

Electronics

I can fit my laptop, tablet, and phone in this bag all at once. However, this bag wasn't made to protect a laptop. I also usually don't need to take my laptop with me very often. I usually just pack my tablet and phone here because that's all I will really need. I also make sure to pack my chargers. My phone charger used to work on my tablet, so that made it easier when packing, but I got a new phone and the chargers are just a little bit different. So now I have to pack both... what a first world problem! 😄

Hygiene

I always bring hand lotion, hand sanitizer, tissues, and chap stick in my backpack. If I think that I might have some anxiety wherever I'm going, I will bring a pack of gum as well. If you want a post on this (anxiety hacks/tricks) comment below and I will share my limited knowledge.

If I am going on a longer trip, sometimes I will bring a paper face mask to do or something like that.

Stuff to Do

Being a blogger, I have a notebook for ideas. That usually goes everywhere with me. I also usually bring a book or two for down time.

So this is really what I packed in my backpack for Steubenville, which I have pictures to show you! I'm not going to really explain most of them. You will be able to tell what/when they are based on what Emma told you.

Saturday night by the gym... getting ready for small groups

The sunrise Saturday morning

Waiting for Saturday morning session to start.

Saturday morning talk #1

Saturday afternoon talk #1

Vocation call (Priests)

Thank you so much for reading this post! I love you guys so much! I hope you enjoyed the pictures! Tell me in the comments if you want the Anxiety Tips/Tricks post! Thank you!

Kathleen

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