christmas day

is christmas really over? how did this happen?! i still haven't watched elf all the way through yet!

this year the holidays are really flying by. we didn't get a white christmas, so i found it really hard to get into the christmas spirit. then one day i woke up and it was christmas eve--not sure how that happened! regardless, i had a wonderful day full of food and giggles. 

christmas eve breakfast: french toast. yum. 

we had a crazy few days getting ready for christmas day; lots of last minute baking and wrapping!

the kids decorated the gingerbread house without me...but it is pretty cute...

baking. except all the cookies were in the oven before i could snap a picture.

prezzies wrapped and ready for my family to open :)

the altar at christmas eve mass. gosh darn, i love being catholic.

christmas dinner was at my aunt's & uncle's house this year, so we had a bit of a drive, but it was definitely worth it.

parcheesi is a tradition on my mom's side of the family, so my uncle pulled out the board. i played a game with conner, my mom, and my uncle--the sibling rivalry was strong ;) we also had it's a wonderful life on in the background--it was definitely one of the moments this year that i felt peaceful and joyous. the kind of memory i treasure forever. 

see the blue pieces? that's me. i'm not very good at parcheesi. i actually got pretty close to winning towards the end, until conner caught on and everybody ganged up on me.  conner won and i ended up in last place. haha

 the adult table at christmas dinner...that blur in the back is the chef/my aunt.

notice how my plate (to the right) is about 90% cheesy potatoes...yeah.

merry christmas & God bless!

xoxo, kate

haul out the holly

i can't believe we're already half way to christmas--this is crazy! i'm totally not ready. i've got 0% of my shopping done. no christmassy foods have been made. the tree isn't decorated, aside from the lights that i slaved away on. haha. oh, and i have no idea what i'm wearing to the vigil mass.

oh, and did i mention we have *zero* snow?! it's so hard to get in the christmas spirit without snow. how do people from california do it?

even though december if flying back waaaaay too fast, and i'm kind of freaking out, and i really need it to slow down a bit, i'm still excited. this christmas, we've hit a milestone.

we got a life christmas tree! for the first time since my parents got married (which is what, like 25 years? crazy.) we were able to convince dad that a live tree will *not* explode if left unattended with the lights on.

now if only we could slap some ornaments on there. haha.

i can't wait for the holiday prep to pick up a bit!

xoxo,
kate

thanksgiving 2015

happy thanksgiving everyone!

though the weather was grey, we still had a lot of fun. mainly cause food.

we picked up conner early this morning...like 1 am early. exhausting, but totally worth it. hehe.

  

after dinner my friend gina came to spend the night. we're getting up early in the morning to hit the sales. it's my first black friday shopping trip, and i'm not gonna lie, i'm irrationally excited. but also terrified that i'll get trampled. either way it should be fun!

i got this dress from the old navy outlet mall, 30% off! it's super comfy, swingy, and loose--perfect for stuffing myself full of delicious food :)

{ dress: old navy / shoes: target / necklace: target}

hope you all had a lovely day!
xoxo, kate

overalls + rose gold

i bit the bullet and bought myself a pair of overalls...

and i love them.

see? they're the best. it's like wearing denim footie pajamas, except this is fashion.

i've been obsessed with gold lately, and more specifically rose gold...good golly. i'm literally a sucker for anything rose gold. it's feminine, modern, and chic. and amazing.

{overalls: mossimo / sweater: mossimo / earrings: target}

xoxo,
kate

the perfect fall weekend

what a crazy + wonderful weekend...


friday i had a halloween movie night with a bunch of girls from school last year. nothing like cider and scary movies on a breezy fall afternoon :) then i left to meet some friends at a friend's football game. we've been planning and looking forward to this for months, and it was every bit worth the hype, but man was it *cold.*

^maggie doesn't like having her picture taken ;)

on saturday, a group of my friends (i'm gonna go ahead and call us the dream team) got together for a trunk or treat--we dressed up as scooby doo characters, decorated the car like the mystery machine, and passed out candy. it was such a blast, despite freezing my toes off. afterwards we went to mcdonald's for a late night snack, and we had multiple people ask us questions. not gonna lie, it was a blast :)

the face of an exhausted but happy girl. 

halloween is a week away...what?! where did fall go?!

xoxo, 

kate

my pumpkin obsession continues...

i don't know why, but pumpkins are magical. maybe it has something to do with cinderella? 

yesterday at lowe's i was supposed to be buying practical things, like bird feed and straw, but of course the magical pumpkins called my name and and i came running, chanting "pumpkins! pumpkins! puuuuuuuumpkins!"

Am I the only one?

i'm rubbish when it comes to making decisions, but i felt an emotional connection to a certain pumpkin, and let me tell you guys love at first sight is real. The beauty isn't pictured because he was already in my cart. 

^getting ready to carve me a masterpiece

i present to you, brad the winking pumpkin.

isn't he beautiful?

the halloween game is strong in this house. i'm so excited i can't even.

xoxo, 

kate

things I love about autumn

/ crisp air / tall leather boots / pumpkin spice / smoky bonfires / ripped jeans / hearty stews & pot roasts / fuzzy blankets / chunky knit scarves / warm knit hats / candles / spending time with family / sweater tights / new school supplies / country walks / baked goods / chill, jazzy music / clear, cool starry nights / crunchy leaves / warm apple cider / snuggles / dark, rich colors / carving pumpkins / harvest decor / big hoodies / everything halloween / 

early fall vibes

michigan is trying really hard to cool down, but for some reason summer just wants to stay...not that i'm complaining, but fall only comes around once a year, and now that school's started, i'd like a bit of a breeze to cool my psl :)

regardless, it's time to pull out the flannel and ripped skinnies!

^wonder why i have a pirate smile? yeah, me too :)

i love my converse so. much. they're like an old friend.

{jeans: mossimo / tshirt: mossimo / flannel: jc penny / shoes: converse high tops / earrings: target}

labor day fest

live music, carnival food, swing dancing, and friends. it doesn't get much better. 

xoxo, 

kate

summer's end, new adventure

the weather's been getting chilly here, and although autumn is an amazing time of year, i can't help but feel sad about summer's end. it's like an old friend has come to stay, and the reunion is so sweet that you forget that they're only visiting. and when it's time for them to leave, it's just as painful as the last time they left. it never gets easier. the end of summer will never get any easier for me.

and i'm not gonna lie, it's been tough. back in may when i graduated, the promise of an adventurous summer kept me hopeful. but now that the air is cold and summer is fading, it's harder to stay positive about all this change. my classmates have all left for college. in a new town, with new people. and yet i'm the one who feels alone.

as bleak as it may sound, God has shown His love for me in little ways. one of my friends just returned from a trip to ireland. She brought me back a claddagh ring--from ireland. how legit is that? i was so touched that she thought of me enough to bring me back such a thoughtful and beautiful gift, especially since i take such pride in my irish heritage. i wear it every day and every time i see it i think of her. i'm so incredibly thankful to have her as a gap year buddy.

it is then that i realize summer isn't a season. summer is a feeling; it's a state of mind. and just because the season of summer is over doesn't mean that the feeling has to be over, too.

the weather's getting chilly here, but i'm slowly becoming okay with it. i feel excitement in the cold. i see adventure in the turning leaves. i hear promise in the whistling wind. because when i realize that life is changing, and my old friends have gone their separate ways, and i don't have new classes to look forward to, it's not the end of summer. it's the beginning of a new adventure. 

here's to new adventures.

xoxo, 

kate

up north 2015 - lake michigan

Last week I spent three days camping up north by the shore of Lake Michigan. We were at the same campsite as last year, so we had the same beautiful view! Everything is so beautiful up north, it's like a completely different state. It's hard to believe it's only a couple hours' drive away from home.

family and the beach = peaceful.

Our first day we visited Mackinac Island. Despite the crowds, it's honestly one of my favorite places.

The ferry that took us to the island and back. We sat on the top and got soaked! 

The ferry took us under the bridge!

We saw so many cute cottages on the island, I didn't know what to do with myself.

We also saw Tahquamenon Falls--or, as my dad calls it, the upside down root beer float.

Lake Michigan at sunset...stunning.

The cutest little corner store we passed in the upper peninsula.

Nothing beats those sunsets.

xoxo,

Kate