Praying for Spring in a Skater Dress

It's been relatively warm this week (comparatively to the polar vortex), so I decided that I wanted to pull out a dress for work! I bought two of this dress, one in blue and one in this coral color, from Express last spring, and I've gotten a good amount of use out of them. They were pretty cheap, and they're super comfy. I'm relatively sure that they're still making them. This style has an exposed zipper in the back that I, of course, didn't photograph.

For this outfit, I paired it with a long sleeve ditsy floral button down, some burgundy tights, and my riding boots. This dress has a seam at the waist and it almost needs a belt. I was in a lot of distress because I don't have a dark brown belt to match my boots, so I decided that no belt was better than a mismatched belt. I threw the cardigan over top to kind of hide the need for a belt, though I liked the outfit better with the shirt sleeves exposed. I'm definitely adding "waist belts that match my shoes" to my shopping list next time I go out.

Coral Skater Dress: Express

Floral Button Down: LC Lauren Conrad for Kohls

Brown Cardigan: JC Penney

Burgundy Tights: Old

Brown Riding Boots: Gift (JC Penney?)

I guess my style icon for the day is Jess from New Girl, because my outfit was so whimsical and girly. I can't wait for spring, so I can buy more dresses and skirts!

2014 New Year's Revolutions

I based the title of my post on that silly AT&T commercial with the guy and the kids. I know it's resolutions, guys, come on now. Anyway,  I haven't written in a while, so I figured why not focus on my new years goals (since I keep talking about goals I'd like to achieve on here anyway). In no particular order, here they are:

• Work out more and eat better- I'd like to work out more because I've gained weight and gotten out of shape in the two years since graduation. I want to be the healthiest, most able me that I can be, and I'm motivated to change my lifestyle to enable this change. 
• Go out dancing again- A few months ago, I swore off dancing for a while (no stamina thanks to not being active, loss of my favorite people to go dancing with). Once I gave it up, I felt jealous of people who were going out, and I missed it. I'm going to try really hard to feel fulfilled after a  night of dancing, no matter who I dance with that night. Dancing has become a part of me, and there's no way I can just ditch it.
• Keep a journal- I love writing. Like, pen to paper writing. Blogging just isn't the same. I decided that I want to buy a journal for me to cherish and to write down memories, thoughts, and every day things that I can come back to in the future. I'm kind of sad I didn't do it earlier, but that's what these blogs are for, I suppose. I would also like to keep a "Successes and Memories of 2014" jar, though, along with this blog and a journal, that might be overkill.
• Save more money- Self-explanatory. I'd like to move out one day, buy a new car, a new phone, and a new computer. I'm not sure if I'm going to budget, but I'm going to figure out a saving system that works for me. Car troubles and student loans seem to keep kicking me in the shins, though. We'll see what more hours at work and less shopping can do for me.
• Spend less time on the internet and instead, take a walk, read, and play mandolin- I am SO bored with the internet. I'm tired of sitting and staring at a a screen all day. Instead, I'm going to get active, physically and mentally. I got a bunch of mandolin accessories for Christmas, and I intend to use them. I've also got a giant list of books on my Goodreads account that I'd love to chop down.
• Visit my friends in far off places- I've got friends all over: York, DC, Chicago, NYC, Florida, South Carolina, California. I'd love to visit them all. Even though I said I want to spend money, I'm going to try to visit as many people as possible, on as small of a budget as possible. Adding on to this, I'm finally going to get a passport. I bought a Kate Spade passport holder on sale, and now I need a passport for it. Perfect motivation!

2013 was a year of ups and downs, developments, plateaus, and learning. As I sit here with my new electric blanket, I'm inspired to talk about the things that this past year brought me. It brought me a year of dating my boyfriend, and another year of applying to grad school and being turned down. I learned a lot about myself, including that I'm willing to apply to jobs out of state because I'm so determined to develop more and to be a little adventurous. 2013 also brought me incredibly close to my love, Justin Timberlake. I finally got to see him in concert and my life is almost complete. 2013 made me second guess some of my life choices, and some of my pastimes. I eliminated some, and quickly realized how much a part of me they are. I also realized that I could probably be happy in more than one career, so if I don't get in to school this year, I am going to instead pursue a career as a child life specialist. I feel just as strongly about what the profession does, and if I feel so compelled, I could always go back to speech later.

This past year was definitely a learning and growing experience. A "rebuilding year," as we like to call it in Cleveland. I'm ready to grow and use 2014 as a pathway to an improved me. I'm only going to do things that are productive for my happiness and my future. I'm not going to linger on things. If something is meant to be, it's meant to be. Whether it's going to take a calendar, or a desk full of reminder notes, I'm going to hold myself accountable. If you'd like, you can hold me accountable as well! I'll try to post updates about my progress and any added goals that I'd like to achieve throughout the year!

Here's to the new year, and to electric blankets in single digit weather!

New Years Eve with this guy!

The Justin Experience!

Defeat

I've found lately that I've started to accept defeat. Aside from continuing to apply to grad school, most things that I like to do, or at least would like to do, have met a bump in the road. My problem is, these bumps really aren't that big, and I've started to easily accept this defeat, "Yup, this is it, oh well." For example, I was supposed to spend this entire weekend in Pittsburgh at PittStop Lindy Hop. I love this event, and I love all of the people there. I got out of a busy day at work Friday and I literally broke down because I didn't want to go anymore. I was tired, I felt like I was rushing myself, and I knew from recent experience that I am in no physical shape to expend upwards of 24 hours of dancing in one weekend. I felt like a let down to my friends, and like an incredibly important part of my life was just slipping away from me. In the end, I decided to go to just the Saturday evening dance to see my friends and my favorite band, Gordon Webster. I only danced three mid-tempo dances in the two hours I was there, and I still felt like I overexerted myself. At that dance, I decided that maybe it's time to take a break from seeking out dance. In college, I was able to do it at least twice a week. I was in shape, and I had people I wanted to dance with. After graduation, my dance friends are sparse, and I don't have as many outlets readily available. I've started to feel badly about myself when I feel like crap after one dance, and I don't like that. I truly do enjoy dancing, but lately, I don't like the way it makes me feel, and that's partly on me for letting myself go. Lindy Katie: Defeated.

Similarly, working out has taken a back seat. In high school I worked out twice a week with my mom. In college, I slacked, but I was dancing so I was getting good cardio. Now, I rarely go. I've felt the effects (gaining weight, not being able to last as long at a dance), but I'm relatively apathetic about these things. I'm pretty happy with my body image. I don't feel like I need to be skinny, or trim, though I sometimes do gripe about it. It's not enough to make me want to get up and go. Therefore, I see no reason to spend much time on working out, even though the health benefits are prevalent. Fit Katie: Defeated.

I've become incredibly apathetic about these things. I've fallen into a rut, where I'd much rather lay in my bed and watch TLC show repeats. I already know which dress she's gonna choose, and I know what she looks like after her makeover. But hey, what else is there to do? It's freezing outside, and I don't want to be out in that, so here I sit. I realized that I'm actually wasting my life away here in my childhood bedroom. I think if I had to be out on my own, learning on my own, supporting myself, I'd be much more quick to explore, work out, actually do something with my life. Motivated Katie: Defeated.

For that reason, I'm incredibly excited that I have a phone interview for a job in DC. I'm so ready to start over new, finally be on my own, and get my life together. I'm tired of laying here, and even though I acknowledge it, it's hard to move on when I'm in a setting where I'm so comfortable. I'm not complaining about this situation that I have complete control over, and I'm not sure that I'm trying to set goals, because honestly, I know that I never pull through with the lifestyle change goals that I set for myself. I just want to put it out there, so you guys can hold me accountable. I've become kind of depressed in my routine, but my apparent apathy and lack of motivation about most things lately just keeps pulling me back. Maybe it's the winter.

Sorry for the downer post. I'm not even sure that this evolved how I wanted it to. I just wanted to get it down in words, to help me see how much work I have to do on myself.

I came across this quote on another blog, and I've been trying to apply it to my life. Hopefully I can pull through soon enough.

If only...

(One of) My Best Friend's Wedding!!

This past weekend, Gordon, one of my best friends from college got married! When he introduced me to Sam during my junior year, I adored her from the moment I met her. We became quick friends and I'm glad to call both of them two of my closest friends.

The wedding was in Kalamazoo, MI, so I planned a mini road trip with my date Amanda. None of my guy dates, including Adam, were able to make it, so I figured a girls weekend would be great! The 4 1/2 hour drive there was quick and easy, and we arrived quite hungry! We threw our stuff down in our room (very stylish and nice for the price) and ran off to my fave, Applebee's.

For some reason, I thought that the wedding was at 2 pm. We drove to the venue, only to find no guests, and Sam's dad dressed in jeans. I asked if the wedding was still at 2, and he said it was at 3. Needless to say, I was embarrassed. I think I learned something about myself; that I can't remember what time something is if it's written out using script (Three O' Clock in the Afternoon) rather than (3 pm). I may have to work on that. Amanda and I decided to explore rural Pure Michigan, and we found a cool coffee shop to sit in for an hour.When it was ACTUALLY time for the wedding, we went inside and the venue was gorgeous. It was very rustic, with stone walls, branches hanging, and white string lights. We chose our seats, and patiently awaited the start of the ceremony.

I have to say, this was one of the more emotional and passionate ceremonies that I've witnessed. Though I must say, I'm very proud of myself that I didn't cry! Gordon and Sam have a very close relationship with and through God and it was very evident through the ceremony. Both of their siblings played music during the ceremony, and it was really nice how they highlighted how proud they are of their talents, not only focusing on themselves. The officiant, a close friend/mentor of the two was funny, endearing, and she taught them (and us) great lessons. Even if one wasn't as "into their faith" or identifying as a Christian at that ceremony, I still felt like it was inspiring, no matter what your views. 

The First Kiss!

Onto the cocktail hour and reception! The entire event was at a community center/museum and it works perfectly for a wedding since there are three different areas (ceremony, cocktail hour, reception). The cocktail hour was in the area known as the museum, where they had replicas of what the town of Lawton must have looked like back in the day. It was cool! We moved upstairs to the reception area where the same dim but decorative lighting was displayed. The tables had chevron tablecloths and red rose petals on them, very chic. I was really impressed. Amanda and I ended up sitting with some of Sam's mom's friends and they were HILARIOUS. All of the traditional things happened: speeches, toasts, first dance, and it was all so fun seeing two of my greatest friends at the center of it all. When the DJ announced that it was time for the single ladies to get to the dance floor, I ran haha. My efforts paid off, and I caught the bouquet! Watch out, Adam ;)

Bouquet! There are red Gerber daisies on the other side.

In the end, I had a wonderful time. This wedding was beautiful, emotional, and it was an absolute celebration of these two. It also reminded me how much I really love them, and how sad I am that they live on the other side of the country. Sam suggested, though, that if I ever need a SoCal vacation, they'd be more than happy to have me. I'll have to take her up on that! And thanks to Amanda for being an awesome date!

Amanda and I watch TLC shows (I'm not sure if she does as avidly as I), so we decided to rank the wedding based on Four Weddings. My rankings, out of 10, based on the four attributes are: 

Food: 8- It was SO good! Flavorful, and hot! 

Venue:  8- Like I said before, a beautiful, rustic venue, though the lighting was a bit dim, it set the mood.

Dress: 9! When she came down the aisle was the only time I almost cried. Her dress was GORGEOUS! All lace, sparkly, form fitting, and almost exactly what I had in mind if I were to get married (Thanks, Say Yes to the Dress).

Overall Experience: 9- I had a great time, from the company (I felt so welcomed), to the ceremony, to the (swing!) dancing. The only downside was they didn't play my ultimate party song, "Get Low" by Lil' Jon. But I really didn't mind because I got to swing dance with one of my favorite dance partners again.

The beautiful bride and her GORGEOUS dress

Reunited with the handsome groom

Fall Work Fashion

Fall fashion is here! Hopefully it stays for a while, because this is by far my favorite season. I recently went on a little Kohl's excursion with my mom and sister, and I picked up some new LC by Lauren Conrad pieces that I couldn't wait to wear. I had been wanting some more button down shirts, possibly to wear under sweaters, so I was really excited about this polka dot shirt. I've also never been able to buy corduroy pants because they don't usually come in "long," but I was happy to find these cranberry colored corduroy skinny jeans. Perfect for fall!  I paired the entire outfit with my riding boots and I was out the door!

Polka dot shirt and cranberry corduroy skinnies: LC by Lauren Conrad

How does one take a flattering shoe picture? Riding boots: JC Penny

I was really happy with this next outfit. My mom and I went on another little shopping trip about a month ago and I was just looking for some cute things to add to my wardrobe. We ended up buying this darker wash chambray shirt and this green patterned skirt that I'm absolutely in love with. I was nervous about adding black leggings to the outfit, but it was a little chilly out, so to balance it, I added a black cardigan and it all flowed together so well. I was very proud of this fashion blog inspired outfit. Finally, I paired it with my black Peter Pan boots for some color continuity.

Chambray shirt: H&M, Green Skirt: Francesca's, Black Cardigan: Express, Peter Pan Boots: Old

 Sorry about the blur!

I'm trying to stray away from the temptation of throwing on a hoodie or sweatshirt this fall. I have a whole mental list of fall staples I'd like to purchase, including but not limited to: More boots, more flannel/plaid, more sweaters, more scarves. You can never have enough layers! What are your fall staples?

Job Hunting Specs

Hi all! I'm in Washington DC visiting Adam, and I figured I should take a break from binge watching 30 Rock to do something productive. So here I am.

I'm at the point in my job hunt where I've basically lost count of how many resumes and cover letters I've sent out. It originally started out with me searching for SLP-A jobs, but then spread out into a more "full- time, better paying, whatever will utilize my bachelor degree" type of search. So far, I applied to, and interviewed with, a research position with Seidman Cancer Center. I felt like my interview went ok, but I'm just going to be neutral about it. I'm not freaking out like I do for grad school.

While I've been here in DC, I've also been looking at jobs here. I found one in the Washington Post that I can't even really remember what it's for. Something to do with editing articles for a medical journal, I think. I decided that I would actually love to sit at a desk and edit all day, though I'm probably not THAT qualified for it. So I applied for that job anyway. Just now, I applied for a job with the DC Public Schools in which I would coordinate with local healthcare providers in finding and screening children for possible admission to special needs educational programs. I think that job would be really awesome and a good shoe in for grad school.

 

Not that a full-time job necessarily needs to be a shoe-in. I got to thinking about these jobs I'm applying for. What if I really like them, and I make good money from them? Why go to grad school right away? Adam is in his masters program with a bunch of people who have families and full time jobs; they went back to school. I'm starting to see the other side of education, the part where you don't need to follow any plan, because there really isn't one.

I've got a few days left here in DC, so I'll probably write a small post about my time here once I get back. In other news, happy things have happened! My application for Appalachian State has finally been completed and turned in, and the Tribe clinched their first place Wild Card spot in the playoffs! Adam and I will be watching the game on his birthday at a sports bar, for sure!

Back to 30 Rock (I love this show)!

23 Reasons I'm Glad To Be Me: A Birthday Post

Today is my birthday, and this year I have turned 23. Although Blink 182 has constantly reminds us that "Nobody likes you when you're 23," I'd have to say I have many reasons to be happy to start out my 23rd year. I decided to compile a list, so please enjoy!

1. I've gotten two job interviews set up within this past week. My hard work at applying for jobs recently is really paying off, and I'm starting to get really positive about it. 

2. I'm able to live at home, for free. Although living at home isn't really idyllic, it's so free. Free housing, free internet, free electric, free water, free meals. My parents rock for letting me live at home until I'm stable, and I love them for that. I also love that my mom stocks the shelves with exactly the snacks that I want. I guess she always knows best.

3. I've gotten 100 posts on my Facebook wall today wishing me a happy birthday, and it's only 3pm. Although Facebook birthdays are definitely not a way to measure friendship, it shows that these people actually cared enough about me to click on the little link that says it's my birthday, to take a second and wish me a good day. I've got a lot of great people in my life, and they contribute to my happiness.

4. Whenever I've explained my graduate school situation to anyone who has asked, they've all been so supportive and insisting that I will succeed. Even strangers! I've found myself realizing so much lately how lucky I am to have support like this.

5. I have friends everywhere. Today, people have wished me a happy birthday from California, Ireland, Germany, and probably a bunch of other places all over the world. I love that I have great connections.

6. My boyfriend buys me flowers. They're my favorite thing, and he never ceases to remember that.

7. Speaking of, my boyfriend is so supportive, loving, funny, and intelligent. I couldn't have imagined anyone better for me. And his family is just as awesome, too.

8. I have opportunities all around me. The fact that I have a child next door with a language disorder, along with two other siblings gives me potential language experience, a babysitting job, and general joy whenever I'm with them. I've got opportunities at work, and opportunities through connections that I've developed. I even have a bachelor's degree to open up doors for me. I've got it a lot better than I've admitted in the past. For the past year, I've felt stuck, when I just needed to open up my eyes and see all of the opportunities that were in front of me.

9. My sister looks up to me. I try to be a role model, and when I can be that to the person who I feel closest to, it really makes me feel good. And we have a good relationship. Yeah, we fight sometimes, but we always go back to being able to giggle and ask each other for help, right away.

10. My cat likes to cuddle with me.

11. People in the swing dance scene tell me they miss me when I haven't been around. It makes me feel so good to know that my presence at a dance filled with hundreds of people can make someone else's night, because most of the time, they've got the same impact on me.

12. My cousin Alex always greets me with a smile and "Hi Katie!!" whenever he sees me.

13. I'm good at certain things like lindy hop, sudoku, parallel parking, editing, and maybe a few other things that people might envy.

14.I have the gift of  music in my life. I'm mediocre at playing musical instruments and singing, but I like to do both things anyway. As long as I've got music in my life that is moving to me, I'm happy. Right now, that's all of Mumford and Sons.

15. I have drive. Even if it doesn't last for long, I like that I'm motivated for things, such as learning, achieving the education and career that I want, playing mandolin, or learning a new language.

16. I like that I'm tall.

17. I like that I'm often positive and don't usually let things bother me, not for long at least. I like to try to smile.

18. I like my new found attitude of "do more and don't give up." I'm not going to quit on my mandolin, or my journey to grad school to be an SLP. I like both things too much.

19. I'm glad to be me because I can watch The Wedding Singer and Horrible Bosses as many times as I want and still laugh hysterically.

20. I have the ability to pay my bills on time. Even though it wipes out my savings and makes me sad, I can say that I'm kind of a successful adult at this point.

21. I own a working vehicle. Tommy makes noises every now and then and costs me some money, but he gets the job done. I can drive anywhere I need to with him, and even though I would love a newer, shinier car, my 2003 Mazda Protege makes me happy.

22. I have team spirit. I love that I have something to support, whether it be for the Tribe, or my D3 football team at Wooster, I love being a supporting fan.

23. I like that I get happiness from writing; this blog allows me to do that. I love writing, editing, anything that has to do with the written language. It's a hobby of mine that I'm always able to fall back on, and I love to do it.

TL:DR- I like being me.

There you have it, my list of 23 reasons that I'm glad to be me. These items were compiled randomly and off of the top of my head. Some are far out and random, others are very heartfelt. I probably could have thought of more things, or at least more detailed, but my mind is set on watching The Newsroom.

So far my birthday has been nice and relaxing. Tonight, I'm going out to watch some live Cleveland comedy with some of my best friends. Thanks for reading, and if you feel like you want to share any reasons that you like being you, or reasons that you like me for that matter, feel free to comment :) Happy September 16th, Katie Heugel Day, everyone!