2018 - is there anything to talk about?

I started this blog 6 years ago and to date have published 12 blogs. I'm doing awesome!

We will see if there is more to talk about this year!

The 2017 Purge

I intended to end 2016 with a household purge. Unfortunately, my extra holidays from work started with a different type of purge... 😷.

I started with my closet while still sick, I had to get a couple of deductibles to the Goodwill before the year ended. Each year, I try to pull out anything I haven't worn in the last year. This year in addition to the haven't worn rule, I pulled out anything I was keeping that I wouldn't realistically ever fit in EVER again. Each year that goal size seems to be going up. Lets be honest, if I hit my goal weight I'm buying new clothes anyway!

I have been holding onto a size 6 JCrew dress from like 10 years. I love that dress, but it was time to let it go - someone else can now enjoy it, that can actually fit into it!

In the last two days I have continued the purge to the bathroom and kitchen. Throwing out anything that was 1. Expired 2. Useless 3. I was keeping for no reason AT ALL! After a trip to the Container Store for some organizing material - I'm starting to feel better about the bathroom and kitchen. Today, I reorganized all of the kitchen cabinets, moving items I don't use to storage and making ones I do use more accessible. 

My Rumple trash bin is full and on the curb. I feel accomplished for now. Next, I need to put away Christmas decorations and start planning for my 21 Day Cleanse. 

Things I'm looking forward too:

- My Hydrate Spark Water Bottle (www.hidratespark.com). It's a water bottle that tracks your intake and alerts you with a light when you haven't drank in a while. I ordered mine in October and it is arriving tomorrow!

- 21 Day Cleanse beginning next week. I am trying the Standard Process 21- Day Purification Program that my awesome friend Christy (and Steve her chiropractor husband - my chiropractor who is amazing) has recommended. (Christy is also the author over at Eat Clean Live Simple) 

- Orange Theory - It's horribly addictive and tough, but I love it. 

- Chronicling my journey, even if no one reads it.

Here's to an exciting 2017!

Cycling Selfie

It took me four months but I FINALLY got the new bike out and went for a ride. My goal when I left the house was to ride at least two miles out and two miles back on the Loveland Bike Trail. Once I got out there and my legs warmed up, I just kept going.

Really, I was trying to find the Foxbower's new house from the trail and I kept going and going until I hit Milford, more than 3.3 miles from the car. As I headed back, I wanted to hit a round 7 miles for the day, so I passed the car and headed for the trailhead in Newtown. 

In the end, I ended up doing 7.54 miles in 47.37 minutes. Thankfully I took this screen grab. Because at this moment, Fit Bit decides to be an asshole and crash and refuse to turn off. I tried resetting my phone and closing the app. But I ended up recording the car ride back to Hyde Park. So, buy the time I got home I had cycled "15 miles" for the day. 

Lessons from the first ride:

1. Bring your inhaler, it does make it easier to breath

2. Sitting on a pew in church after riding equals NO FUN!

Cycling Selfie 

Adventures Into Lent (Part 1)

Each year those of us who grew up Catholic and still practice in some way "give up" something for Lent. I put a lot of thought into this. I really do! I want to pick something that is going to be difficult and make me think about why I am doing it each day. In year's past I have given up Starbucks, eating fast food, and Facebook.

This year I gave up Shopping.

My Amazon and Target excursions had gotten out of control. I have become too accustom to the quick trigger of the "Buy with One-Click", my door step sees an Amazon Prime Box more often than I would care to admit. Twice in a week last month I went to Target for one item and left with over a $100 in stuff I didn't really need. But I have a way of justifying it, ALWAYS. And don't get me started on the RueLaLa.

When you start taking photos of the packages on your porch -
You have a problem!

When a dress is cute and only $20, why not buy it? I needed new workout pants because the others were falling off when I did jumping jacks (it's a good problem to have), they are on sale, why not buy 3 pairs of the ones you really like?

Side note: a very lovely gentleman (I say sarcastically) followed me down several aisles and stopped me on that second Target trip while I was wearing said workout pants and I believe his exacts words were "Now that's what I'm talking about!".....Umm well, thank you kind sir, and now that purchase was totally worth it!

A week into no shopping I decided to chronicle this Adventure! My rules were pretty simple, if I didn't absolutely need it I couldn't buy it. A couple days into this I decided to add take-out and drive-thrus. My exceptions are groceries, other necessities, and the occasional dinner out.

Day 1 of 40 - Also known as Ash Wednesday - My tell tale black cross gives me away at the gym. My trainer tells me he is not a religious guy and only knows people give stuff up. I tell him what I am doing and he laughs at me. Is this a sign?

Day 4 of 40 - A trip home to Louisville- I wanted to stop by the WHY Louisville store on a trip down Bardstown Road after a visit to the Little Clinic to get T-Shirt I had seen on Facebook. Remembered my no shopping for Lent Pledge. Didn't Stop! (added Exception: when sick - eat where ever you want)

Day 7 of 40 - I discover via Instagram and @xublonde that Georgetown Cupcakes Delivers (click here). This will change the course of my existence as I know it. Almost as mush as when I discovered that Carlo's Bakery Delivered (click here). I don't need a dozen cupcakes to eat by myself, yet no one is having an event that I can purchase them for AND reasonably eat half of the cupcakes. This will have to wait until after Lent and I have a "legitimate" excuse to order them!

The remains of the Christmas Lobster Tails
and Canolis from Carlo's Bakery

Assorted Dozen from the Georgetown Cupcake Website

Day 8 of 40 - I have been saving since Christmas to buy a bike. My co-worker/bike expert says that now is the perfect time to purchase, but I'm torn - does this break my Lenten Pledge? It's shopping, but it was something I intended to buy before this 40 days started. I'm going to sit on it for now and see. I found this bike below on the internet ( I couldn't find the link again).

Hybrid Bike Smybrid Bike, I want this freaking horsey bike!

And on that note..... 

LEGGINGS ARE NOT PANTS

I'm struggling this winter. It's been cold. Beyond Cold. I HATE to be cold. In years past I have been anti-leggings, but after seeing Consciously Foxy rocking a pair of legging with a dress and boots, I thought this would be a suitable alternative to the tights I usually rock in the winter. Reluctantly, I bought one pair of leggings at Target and wore then to work the next day. At lunch time I went back and bought two more pairs. I was a little late to the trend and they only had two pairs left. I probably would have bought more if they had them. I LOVE LEGGINGS. they are so warm and comfy.

So, now that I was rocking leggings I became acutely aware of others wearing them and this one thing became clear quickly - LEGGINGS ARE NOT PANTS!

Leggings are:

1. Tights substitute 
2. Pantyhose substitute (who wears pantyhose anymore anyway)
3. Acceptable to wear to yoga if purchased at Lululemon

Please ask yourself - "If I take these off will I still be appropriately dressed?" If the Answer is "NO" - Don't leave the house!

Exceptions to this rule:

1. You are under the age of 10.
2. You are pregnant - I am very aware that pregnant women may wear whatever they want whenever they want. AND they always look beautiful! ( To be clear - I am not pregnant - just everyone around me)

At first I thought I was being teeny bit critical. This trend mostly has settled in with the teen crowd, I'm cool with that. I grew up in the 90s when we wore these things called "stirrup pants". That was until I travelled to Denver through Atlanta. I love the Atlanta airport. It's the busiest airport in America. I thought my head was going to explode. GROWN WOMEN wearing leggings as pants. not just one, but many, so many I was compelled to write a blog about it. I wish I wasn't carrying 3 bags because I would have totally taken pictures to prove my point.

I see women my age at bars wearing legging with boots and t-shirts. No ladies. We don't need to see all that. Leggings are not built to wear like that. (This also goes out to the chick at the gym who wears white legging to work out in and full make-up - who are you kidding? If you are not sweating, your not working - stop hogging the elliptical!)

To sum up this blog: LEGGINGS ARE NOT PANTS. LEGGINGS ARE NOT PANTS. LEGGINGS ARE NOT PANTS. LEGGINGS ARE NOT PANTS.

I can't say it enough.

My Guest Blog: A pound of fruit and blue moo cookie dough

I did a guest blog for my friend Consciously Foxy this week. You can check it out here:

http://69.89.31.206/~consciw8/guest-post-a-pound-of-fruit-and-blue-moo-cookie-dough/

My beloved NKOTB. It's been 21 years! - Updated

I'm getting too old for this kind of stuff. My ears are still ringing, my throat is soar, my feet are mangled and I feel like I was hit by a bus! But it was worth it! NKOTB, 98 degrees and Boys II Men were amazing. Here are my thoughts on the concert:

Boys II Men did not play long enough, but they were fantastic. 

98 degrees didn't fail either. I wouldn't expect anything less at their hometown show! 

Quick 98 degrees story: It is not uncommon to see them around town. but many years ago I was bartending at the East End Cafe, this guy always came in, and I said to him one night "I know you from somewhere", he just looked at me crazy, next time he came up for a drink, "Really, I know you from somewhere, where have we met" - nothing from him. This went on for what now seems like an uncomfortably long time, but I really felt like I knew him and he would remember from where. My friend, with much amusement FINALLY told me "Katie, that's the dude from 98 degrees"  (Justin specifically) My reaction was "oh, my bad" - I knew I knew him, he just didn't know me - AWKWARD!

My beloved NKOTB. It's been 21 years since I last saw them. I was 10, Donnie had set the Seelbach ablaze, and I think we had the worst seats ever! They definitely delivered to goods this time. Unlike most people there, I do feel that they may be a little old for the pelvic trusting and crotch grabbing in excess, it makes me a liiiiittle uncomfortable.

Quickie, Gamma, Martelli and Dickie - we had way to much fun, It was great to catch up and hang out. 

I would like to call this montage of photos : "The point in the night were you know you need to stop drinking because you have taken way to many selfies" (these were just the ones from my phone!- I'll add Martelli's if she hands them over - DONE!)

                 

Joey will always be my first love!