California Dreamin'

Last week I got to jump on a plane and fly five hours west to LA and visit my favoritest Mexican ever!! (No that is not politically correct to say, but is nonetheless a true statement.) Back in February Spirit had a 90% off flights deal. NINETY. FRICKEN. PERCENT. Sooooo, I called my dad from school, told him I was going to California, and bought the tickets in the span of about an hour. As an anxious person, this is a huge deal for me. *Donald Trump voice* HUGE.

LA is so pretty at night...from a plane window...like wow. I literally got to hop off a plane at LAX. Hey, twelve year old Kate, see how cool you get to be? Dreams come true. 

for our first day, Christine gave me a tour of her hometown. We basically just drove around listening to music and laughing as she pointed at various places. 

We got acai bowls, which in hindsight was kinda dumb cause it was pretty cloudy and chilly BUUUT they were delicious. There was a man running sprints at the park where we ate, which was hilarious, so it was basically dinner and a show. Poor guy. We couldn't stop giggling. 

We went back to her house for an Office marathon...naps...and then we ventured out for In n Out. SO GOOD. 

Day two we journeyed into Pasadena to the Norton Simon art museum. Yes, we sound like intellectuals, but really we just took a bunch of pictures for snapchat memes. So sophisticated. Then we got Cheesecake Factory for lunch, which is always a yes, and headed back to her house to relax because honestly we're both lazy bums. Which is why our friendship works. 

Friday was beach day! I stepped foot in the Pacific Ocean and hot damn is it cold. I was terrified of getting fried, which is a long story, but basically it ended in me wearing a sweatshirt on the beach. Lol. 

We walked the pier, which gave an amazing view of the whole beach scene.

We packed a lunch, so the entire two or three hours on the beach were spent chilling and eating and taking Instagram photos. Literally three of my favorite things.

Saturday was Confirmation day for Christine's little brother, so all day I was meeting relatives and hanging with the family. In the evening Christine convinced her big brother to drive us into LA to the Griffith Observatory. After sitting through an hour of traffic just to park (yep, there was an hour wait for a parking spot) we finally made it. I kiiinda saw the Hollywood sign (because of the traffic, we missed sunset so it was pretty dark) But the lights of the city were *beautiful*

just casually lounging on the balcony edge, lol

Monday, my last full day, we went to California Adventure in Disneyland. I paid fifteen bucks for the Mickey ears hat and went all out. Christine even convinced me to ride California Screamin, which was high key a miracle. 

Tuesday we drove to Simi Valley to hang out with another college friend, and then it was off to the airport. My flight was delayed and I was a zombie by the end,  But I had a great time in California and I will definitely be back :)

Easter Egg Nest Treats

Easter Egg Nest Treats

{Ingredients}
1/2 cup Chocolate Chips
1/2 cup Peanut Butter (you could probably substitute any nut butter)
2 packages Shredded Wheat
1 package Robin Eggs Candy (jelly beans, m&ms, any kind of candy would work)

{Instructions}
heat chocolate and peanut butter in microwave until melted. You could also do it on the stove, but microwave is faster!

Crush up the wheat while it's still in the package, and add to chocolate. Stir or mix it up with your hands. This is the part where i eat half the bowl before it even makes it to the baking tray...

Take a nice sized handful onto the baking sheet. Smooth the edges into a disk shape, and then make a little well in the center...basically, form it into a nest shape. Lol.  Add three candies to the center and pop in the fridge until set.

Enjoy the peanut buttery/chocolatey goodness! I remember having these growing up, and They're still my favorite to this day :)

Just Say Yes

Today is the feast of the Annunciation, the day that Mary submitted to God's plan for her life and thereby, Christ entered the world. I've been pondering this feast for a couple days now, and just like that, I've fallen in love with it. I often think about the circumstances of the scene; the angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she has been chosen by God to give birth to and mother the Savior of the world. That's a LOT of responsibility for a fourteen year old girl, amirite? I think about how I would have reacted...fourteen year old me would have straight up had a panic attack if I heard that one. 

And she said yes. 

She said yes despite how crazy and impossible it seemed. Despite the shame and ridicule she would experience. Despite the fact that she very well could have been killed for being unmarried and pregnant, not to mention the unexplainable pain she would experience thirty-three years later when Christ completed His mission on Earth. But she enthusiastically and lovingly says yes. Mary changed the world in an astronomical way...simply by trusting in God.

In Mary's yes, two very important things were contained: trust and obedience. What are two things I struggle with? Yeah...you see where I'm going with this. Mary's Fiat sets off a beautiful chain of trust in and obedience to God; one that will play an enormous/astronomical/massive part in the redemption of the world. How can you NOT be encouraged by that? How can you not want to drop everything and run towards Christ?

This is why the feast of the Annunciation holds so tightly on to my heart. I struggle on a daily basis with trust and obedience, not only to God, but those around me as well. But what if it hurts? What if I look silly? What if I can't handle it? I know myself, so I know what's good and what's bad for me. I'm an adult now, I can make my own decisions. In my life, there are so many what ifs. So many I's. But today, I take a moment to refocus my eyes and heart onto the example that Mary set for me some 2017 years ago when she joyfully proclaimed "Behold the handmaid of the Lord, let it be done to me according to thy word." (Luke 1:38)

Now, I am by no means trying to hype up Mary and downplay Christ, or say that she is equal to or better than Him. I don't want to romanticize it or make it sound easy. I just think it's so important to recognize the magnitude of this feast. God's love for each and every individual one of us is so deep and so wide that He willed this beautiful miracle of self-gift to happen. Our mother Mary not only loves God, but also loves us so much that she wanted to participate in this gift. When I think about the amount of love that we celebrate, I have never felt more cherished in my life.

When I contemplate these truths, I feel so compelled to see the world with new eyes. To love the world with a new heart. To speak the truth with a new voice. I want to follow in the footsteps of Mary and Christ.

The lesson for today: When God asks of you, just say yes. I promise it will be worth it and more.

"My soul proclaims the greatness of the Lord,

my spirit rejoices in God my Savior

for He has looked with favor on his lowly servant.

From this day all generations will call me blessed:

the Almighty has done great things for me,

and holy is his Name."

(Lk 1:46-55)

Everyday Makeup Look

I'm slowly being sucked down the makeup rabbit hole, thanks to my favorite Youtubers and college friends.  Beauty is something I enjoy, but that I'm not very knowledgeable about, so here's to learning!! Today I'm sharing the makeup routine I use just about every day...unless I'm feeling crazy and I switch it up ;)

Products:
Maybelline Baby Skin Instant Pore Eraser Primer

Rimmel Lasting Finish Foundation in Light Ivory (091)
Maybelline Fit Me Concealer in Fair (15)
True Match Blush in Baby Blossom (C1-2)
elf Baked Highlight in Blush Gems
Sonia Kashiuk Eyeshadow Quad in Shimmering Sands (16)
Revlon Ultimate All In One Mascara

Milani Eye Tech Extreme Liquid Liner in Blackest Black
Burt's Bees Strawberry Lip Balm

Tools:

Real Techniques Beauty Blender

elf Blush Brush

elf C Eyeshadow brush            

Real Techniques Powder Brush

1. First I apply my primer (When I don't prime my face, my foundation creases and powders up really bad. ) Then for my foundation, I put some on my hand, then dab the flat side of my beauty blender into the product and apply to my face. Beauty blenders are *magic.* Concealer, my best friend. I apply over any annoying spot, down my nose, inner corners of my eyes, and sometimes forehead. Blend it out with your beauty blender.

2. Blush and highlighter, in that order. Blush should be on the cheekbones (obvs) and highlight slightly above.

3. For my eyes, it depends on the look I want to do. I always make sure to brighten the inner corners with a light matte eyeshadow. Then for lashes, sometimes I go a week straight doing a crazy cateye flick, and sometimes just a swipe of mascara is enough. Here I used a lighter, more natural looking mascara, and then went over and did a quick touch of eyeliner. Nothing fancy, just trying to darken up my blonde lashes, lol.

4. I'm funny about lipstick, so generally the extent of my lip look is some burt's bees. I always make sure to do something though--even the extra shine of some lip balm brings out the natural color of my lips and finishes the look.

Ta da!