spring break road trip.

hello friends!

last week was my spring break from school and i thought i would share a little insight as to what is going on in the life of yours truly. my older brother, jackson , and i took a little road trip to neighboring states for a few days. with little to no expectations (and planning) those few days were one for the books. full of laughter, car jamming, city hopping, and way too much mexican food, it was a major bro/sis bonding experience. here are just a few snip bits of our travels. 

our first stop was st. louis. i have always wanted to visit this city and since jackson has a good friend who is in college there, we thought it was a good time to go. when we first arrived mid-afternoon, we met up with j's friend for lunch and a tour of washington university. later that night, we went to the city museum and let me just tell you: this place was ah. maz. zing. i didn't take many good shots, but it is basically a gigantic jungle gym. 

[ dare i say-- i got my chucks on with saint laurent... jk about the ysl part. ]

the next day, we got up early (the '9 o'clock' kind of early) and headed downtown to wander around the city gardens. these were seriously so cool-- over a dozen huge sculptures covering just a few blocks in the center of downtown. very interactive & photo-worthy.

[ no, thank you, horse & carriage for making this photo perfect. ]

[ st. louis skyline from 630 feet up in the gateway arch. we crazy like that. ]

then we walked over to the arch. after trying (and failing) to get a decent photo to capture it's beauty, we took a tram ride to the top. 630 feet later & hearing our fellow passengers life story (j likes to ask too many questions to strangers), we arrived at the top of the arch. this tiny room (with even tinier windows) provided us with the best view of st. louis. is there anything better than a city skyline?
hint: the answer is no.

the only downside to the arch, was that the grounds are currently in construction. so, it did not make for the prettiest photographs & left your shoes a bit muddy, but hey, even more reason to return!

later that afternoon we went to the st. louis art museum. short story: since there was no parking spot close to the museum and being the princess that i am, j dropped me off at the front while he parked about a half-mile away. i had no idea what this city's art museum was known for beholding, so i just went in with open arms. however, somehow i ended up paying $14 for just the exhibit that i was not even interested in while the rest of the museum was free. after probably complaining about the waste of money on the two-roomed show of river boat paintings (i am sorry, artist who spent hours working on these, i just do not care), i ended up in the comtemporary art room. ahhh, joy. happiness. love. all words that come to mind when i hear the words "comtemporary art". i was one happy girl.

afterwards, i grabbed a cup of tea and j & i walked back to the car. *here is where i tell you how scary it was walking within 10 feet of a man holding a very large snake. plot twist: i asked to hold the snake. wait... no, i actually did a mad dash down to the car and avoided any eye contact *

right before closing time, we hopped over to the missouri botanical gardens. i did not know what to expect, and was blown away. it felt as if we were in a safari. huge greenhouses adorned with the richest hues of green and vibrant flowers were everywhere you turned. i wish we could have stayed longer. 

the next day we drove two hours over to kansas city. upon arriving, we were met with some hotel complications. (apparently, you have to be 21, not 18, to check in at certain hotels.) so, we just adventured around kc for a few hours. we walked around the grounds at the nelson-atkins museum of art (again, the sculptures were to die for), ate too much cheesecake, and popped in urban outfitters (thank you j, for letting me "make the rounds one more time" 20 times). 

off to fayetteville, ar we went!

[ it wasn't even wednesday. (har-har) ]

being in the town where j lives, we had a slower couple of days, which was much needed. one morning we (me, jackson, and his friend) visited the gentry drive-thru zoo. you were suppose to keep your windows up at all times, but when a camel comes up to your window, you have to roll it down. call us rebels. ;)

then i had my 3rd meal of chicken tacos for the past 3 days thanks to a local taco truck. hey, not complaining. 

later that night, j and i went to a coffee shop that he has been wanting to take me to for a while now. we sat there and chatted about school, future, friends, and just life in general. very thankful for a older brother to talk with and listen to.

the next morning, all three of us went on a short hike in the fayetteville area. it supplied us with a vast overlook filled with trees ready to bloom. the weather was perfect and i only tripped once. i call that an outdoor-success for this one.

shortly after, we stopped for snow cones & headed home.

until next time, you beautiful open road. 

yours truly,

cate

happy list.

let's be honest: there are days (or weeks... or months) when life is just blah. it's true. i've been there more times than most, it seems. sometimes i just want to shout to the lady checking me out at target "hey guess what? i don't have my crap together!". then i realize that that may be intrusive and i just need to eat a piece of cake and get on with the day. 

however, the other way (and healthier way, i might add) to refrain from dwelling on these moments in life is to be focus on what is going right, what you do love, what does make your heart sing, and does what lifts your at-times dying spirit. here are a few of mine as of late:

1. card games // i may not be the most athletic, but give me a deck of (preferably cute) cards and i will take. you. down. 

2. the unexpected encouraging text // hey, friend who may or may not read this-- thanks for your sweet text last week. i needed it. 

3. one-on-one conversations // there is nothing that leaves me more renewed than long chats with friends. plus, food or tea is always involved. win-win situation, i guess. 

4. hugs. // there, i said it people! i like your hugs (even if i continually resist them). 

5. content that makes you think. // current favorites: this video containing ira glass' two cents on the creative process & this article on being a graceful woman in a gossip-filled world. 

6. sunflowers. // thanks, mom. you dabom.com/yourmom! (get it? get it? excuse me while i face the cold hard facts that i cannot say things such as this anymore since i am an almost 18 year old.)

7.  parks and rec season finale. // we laughed, we cried. and this "we" i am talking about is just me and my plate of waffles. all i gotta say is: treat. yo. self. 

8. advise. // so often we (me) get too prideful to listen to the advise of others amidst  hard situations. yet, so often we (me) can be reassured that we are not the only ones going through a circumstance. thankful for the advise from friends, family, adults, and random strangers that is meaningful and full of love. 

9. beginnings and ends. // there is something about nearing the end of the school year yet also planning for the next one that makes me do a little happy dance. 

*insert white girl dance moves here*

10. cats. // because, cats. 

what makes you joyful despite circumstances?

yours truly,

cate

3 years of blogging.

last week marked 3 years here on creating a lovely life, and what do you know- the day was forgotten yet another year in a row (remember last year?). no worries, though, i ate enough cake when i remembered to make up for it. you see, i am a big believer in birthdays, holidays, and other special dates that only come once a year, yet still seem to let my "bloggerversary" come and go without a thought each year. however, i got thinking (and got creeping) on my past posts. from my very first outfit of the day  (brace yourself, people) to the one time i posted a photo of Lauren Conrad's hair and it got over 4k repins on pinterest, to just last week  when i posted words that were more honest and raw than any post before, the special date for me on this site lies within every post. i can see myself growing, not just with better edited photographs or more complex wording (thank you, thesaurus.com!), but additionally growing as a person. 

so, let's get festive with looking back on a few of my most cring-worthy content in the past years...

(psst. hey you. just click the post titles in the following list & it will lead you straight to the post itself. you're welcome.)

1. my favorite spring shoes  (circa march of 2012) // oh dear, those edits. i am embarrassed to tell you that i thought saturation was the stuff back in the day. go big or go home, right? (for more saturation-filled photos & terrible fonts check out at the ballpark again.

2.  and that is okay (circa october of 2012) // this is when i reminded my readers that they are going to  fail a lot. i think there was more wisdom to it than that, but when i looked back and read the words "you are going to fail" it makes me wonder if this post is why i only have 75 followers. 

3. in a paint-y mood (circa may of 2013) // this post makes me laugh because, well, nothing has changed. my desk still has paint stains adorning it's once white surface from the hours of art that happens there, and not to mention i still take photos of my desk everyday (hello current post photo). however, i hope my painting has somewhat improved... i think i was going for a rifle paper company feel, and obviously failed.

4. our mediocre microcosm (circa september of 2013) // i actually really like this post, but i think i was stretching the whole alliteration thing with the title a little too much. again i say, keep it together, cate. 

5. crazy pants crazy life (circa april of 2014) // ah, my most recent embarrassing moment here on the blog. i am constantly apologizing for my model moves (or lack there of), but for these photos i think it is perfectly acceptable to. OH, and with the grainy iPhone photos... do not even get me started.

this year i am thankful for growth. and thankful that i can laugh at my past posts that helped me get to where i am today. who knows, maybe in another three years, i will cring at content that i was so proud of just last week. everyday is a new day!

yours truly,

cate

(p.s. remember when i went all gossip girl on you by ending by posts in "xoxo, cate". yeah, me too. )

thoughts on: perfection

the more and more i learn about myself, the more i realize what needs to stay and what needs to be gleaned out from my life. lately, i asked myself a few questions that all had something in common.

do you get genuinely upset when failing to do something? (yes)

do you feel a constant pressure to be the best at *fill in blank*? (uh, yes)

do you place all focus on the world's standards of success rather than true accomplishment? (...yes..)

do you feel discontent with your performance? (heck yeah)

all of these questions lead to the fact that, yes, in fact, i have turned into a perfectionist. and the perfectionist in me has been editing and rewriting this post for the past two months. jokes on me, i guess-- my life is just one big ironic happening.

though, i am learning one thing to be true...

perfection only steals your joy, your beauty, your creativity, & your personality. it morphs you into something that you were not created to be. it only provokes disappointment and setbacks. it places all focus on yourself and your ability. perfection, in short, is not a healthy state to be in since it increases your target to merely yourself while decreasing your awareness of all the beautiful happenings around you. it restrains you to a box of sole supremacy limiting you from what could be and what can be.

i find myself striving for perfection in mainly in my school work, my relationships, & my goals. i desire to have rewarding grades, consistent friendships and relationships, and to have my goals met. like, right now. though these desires can be pleasing, they only fulfill the soul temporally. we will always want more-- whether that be physical wants or internal/emotional wants. all of this leads to the dreaded place of discontentment. and ironically enough, a vital combat for perfection is contentment. contentment with where you are in life (yet continuing to grow and learn), contentment with who is in your life and who has left (seeing those who stays a blessing, and treating those who leave with grace), and overall contentment within oneself where you are comfortable saying "i am a person in progress".

and, i know one thing to be true...

one little thing that does not go according to plan is the end all, be all. and, we do not have to be in replete charge of "our plan". and thank you, Jesus, for that! seriously. i am so thankful that i have a perfect Saviour who loves such an imperfect human. excuse me while i overflow with joy and peace.

contentment and thankfulness-- that is how we fight perfection. to take the day one step at a time, and to keep growing, keep learning, and just keep on going. because, we are so loved and have such a beautiful life that offers abundance outside our need for perfection.

yours truly,
cate

snow day style.

we got a little bit of snow these past few days in my neck of the woods. and by "neck of the woods" i mean the entire US, and by "little bit of snow" i mean our 2 hours road trip this past weekend turned into 5 hours. ah, snow, you're a dream and a nightmare all in one. you see, first i go all Lorelei Gilmore on the first snow of the year-- you know, the jumping up and down, the happy tears, and the waking everyone up in the house kind of person. well, i may not be that intense, but i like to think that i am. although, i am not going to deceive you into thinking i am the girl who immediately grabs her sled and braves the elements. oh  no, i am the girl who eagerly fixes three cups of tea so that she will not have to get out of bed and interrupt her Carrie Diaries marathon. we all express our excitement in different ways, and mine just happens to involve an excess amount of pillows and chai tea. or is that just called hibernation?

nonetheless, this snow day style is what i would wear if i did  brave the elements. i do not sacrifice a good outfit for the sake of warmth or comfort any day. though, let's be honest: i am pretty comfortable. and cute. hey, it's a win-win situation here, friends. 

wherever you are, i hope the snow finds you well. i give you permission to wake me up in a dead sleep if you see a single snowflake any day.

yours truly,

cate

[outfit details:]

beanie: urban

sweater: urban

poncho: urban

jeans: american eagle

socks: j.crew

shoes: target 

a spur of color.

[ polaroids and peace signs. ]

[ coolest of chairs at the 21 c museum + hotel. ]

[ another from 21c museum + hotel. ]

[ at the contemporary art exhibit at crystal bridges museum of american art. ]

[ my new sneaks-- find them here. ]

[ from last autumn. my friend, alex, took this. ]

[ i was in a lovey-dovey it's almost valentines day mood when i took this. ]

[ a february full of florals. ]

 if i am being honest, it is quite hard for me not to put a black and white filter on every photo i take. however, as i looked through old and new photos today, i found that my current favorites are ones full of color & life.

"i have found i could say things with colour and shapes that i couldn't say any other way- things i had no words for." georgia o'keeffe. 

yours truly,

cate

to the tried & true

[ left to right: j.crew // american eagle // local shop. ]

you know in elementary school when the teacher would have you go around the room and say your name and favorite color? i would be the girl who said my favorite color was gray. wait, actually i wasn't. but i really wish i was. that would have made me a super cool kindergardener if i say so myself. imaginary scenario aside, if i were asked that question today my answer would most definitely be gray. let's just take a moment to think about all the pros and cons to this color.

pros:
1. it goes with black AND brown. (the ole fashion dilemma)
2. it looks good on all skin types.
3. there are so many different shades of gray to choose from (fifty, they say?).

cons:
there are no cons. my bad. 

anyways, these three tops are my current favorites of the moment-- here's to gray & cream, my tried & true. 

[ dainty jewelry for the win. ]

this is one of those shirts that i have worn so many times over the past year it almost needs to be taken away from me. but, when can you go wrong with black and white stripes? (rhetorical question. because you can never go wrong with black and white stripes. ha, gotcha. )

[ bandeau: aerie. // kimono: pacsun. ]

 this top is one of my recent favorites for it's peplum-esque style, pretty detailing, and high neckline. you can give it edge by adding black skinnies & killer booties or keep it girly with a floral kimono & colorful bandeau (shown). this top gets an A+ in versatility, fo sho.

[ necklace: j.crew. ]

this sweatshirt is the perfect balance between not wanting to look like you tried too hard but also not wanting to look like you did not try at all. girls, you feel? 

[ details. ]

gah, these cream ruffles are to. die. for.  

neutrals, baby.

~

may your week be full of color & life with a hint of gray (in your wardrobe, of course).

yours truly,

cate