sundays.

top: target// cardigan: target// scarf: urban// shorts: azwells// socks: jcrew// shoes: dolce vite (dv)

awk-o taco feet happening right here. 

watching the cars go by as they take a double look of two strange girls taking photos. not us, of course. 

more smiles.

my adorb photographer for the day (parker)

go parks. 

sundays are the best invention. i mean, a day to rest? i cannot be anymore thankful for them, especially after weeks like this one. with a little greek food in our stomachs, parker and i spent the afternoon at anthropologie. not buying anything of course, but acting like we could. it is truly sad when a sale room is too expensive. but it smells wonderful and the workers always compliment my outfit, so that makes up for all of their $150 t-shirts, right?! (no, but we can pretend.) 

illusions & light.

dress: forever 21// cardigan: loft // vest: ae// tights: francesscas // shoes: thrifted // necklace: mom's closet // watch: fossil// sunglasses: target 

oh oozing sunlight, how i adore you. 

fixin' the hairs. 

the wind verus cate aka holding down my dress at all costs. 

as i have said and will say too many times: my hair is too long. 

kitty party. (the best kind,  am i right?)

first, let's us talk about how beautiful the exude of sunlight is in these photos. light and warmth are such  wonderful things. i could go on for days. also, photos are a funny thing, you guys. they can (and in this case, do) give so, so many illusions that *sad face* are far from reality. just to name a few...

  example a:  this "long sleeved" black dress is actually not a long sleeved dress at all. i wanted it to appear that way, so i threw on a black cardigan underneath my vest. and volia, i have myself a new, winter-appropriate dress. 

example b:  when wearing somewhat of a heel and a dress, you can look and feel all together and clean. however, this week, my cleanliness has been quite the story. since it has been oh so cold in my neck of the woods, our water main broke and my household is currently undergoing many days without running water. (it just gets better) so that means showers at the gym, washing face and brushing teeth with bottles of water, and well... no laundry to be done for now. but the good news is, is that i look clean. and that is all that matters right?! (sorry fellow classmates)

example c:   my cat just adores me. people, the last photo in this post was taken many times. after attempting to get her (zooey) to stay in my hands and/or pet her, this image was the best i could get. let's just pretend she loves me for the sake of my cat woman ego. 

may your Sunday be filled with lovely happenings, friends. have a restful day to end the week! 

our mediocre microcosm.

in today's culture (uh oh, here comes one of those posts), we are expected to do most things without passion, intensity or even interest. we can get by without truly being fully invested in a project, in a person, or in a hope. it is average to half-way do things. and our average (and sometimes below-average) society is what we need to be fighting against. 

being normal, being average, being derivative is what most people strive for when "finding their way". however, the question that strikes my mind is "why?". why must we be constantly striving for mediocre when we can be magnificent? 

we are called to do more and be more than we can ever imagine. to think of the large, outlandish goals i obtain is difficult for me to understand most days. then to think of the plans (that are far greater than mine) that my creator has for me leaves me speechless and quite excited. let us strive for more. more joy, more peace, more hope, and more desire and dedication to live our lives passionately in authentic things. 

(okay back to doing things with intensity. whoop, whoop.)

something that i have learned that is accepted by humanity is so more than it used to (yeah, my 16 years on this earth. but still.) is weak hearts and minds. "oh, johnny hurt you? sure you can wallow in pity and do nothing with your life. i mean, it is his fault. " "oh you do not want to be kind to sally, then you do not have to be! after all, she deserves it." (johnny and sally are my go-to example-people names. classic right?) though most people would not come out and say straight-forward comments such as these, a lot of times this is the spirit of their words. caution, ladies and gents, our world is being more fragile and weaker than ever. we need people who are tough (still with a kind heart). we need people who are confident (still with a humble soul). we need people who are brave (still with a wise mind). 

this world is changing. and we are the one's who are changing it. quite fearful that these words will turn into the  cliche and overwhelming "change the world" speech, however,  i truly hope with all of my heart that someday our culture with be filled with tough, confident and brave people. people who are passionate and uncommon. let us try each moment to be this person, in hope that by our actions and words we (through Christ) will effect another. 

2014. (new year resolutions)

au revoir, 2013! (and au revoir to my oh-so-pretty calendar)

a list of things I want to accomplish in 2014. (dare I say, new years resolutions. there I said it.)

- find something that is enjoyable & active. because i do not think going to the gym will ever be enjoyable to me. ever. so who wants to be my yoga buddy?

-start painting and writing more. i have realized lately how therapeutic painting and writing are for me. it calms me down and gives me a minute to think throughout my weeks of chaos. plus, art and journalism are two things I want to pursue in life, so why not make them apart of my everyday life outside of school? I see no reason not to.
-read. (aka my "try something new, cate!" resolution) reading is something that I have never truly done out of enjoyment. and that, my friends, is going to change this year.
-be an optimist! sadly, at times, i tend to always look on the not-so-good side of things. everything. this year, i am choosing to be positive and look at life differently.
                 -because of this goal, I'm going to write down a joyful memory each day. simple as that-
                   i am going to make myself take a minute at the end of each day to reflect on the past 24
                   hours and see the lovely side of everyday. to live, not simply survive.
-work on my room. my room is one of my favorite spaces to be. toward the end of the year, i personalized and made it more of my own. because i have loved it so much, i want to continue to make my room as rad as it can be.

so, after much thought, my word for the year is share. last year's word was bold. (see last years resolutions here ). now that i have learned much about myself and grown in who i am (and continuing to do so), i need to share more of myself with people. more of my passions, my interests, my findings, my heart, and everything in between-- these are the things i need to be more open with people about. on a less serious note, i probably should start being more generous with my food and money as well. (however, do not dare take my lucky charms though, do not dare.)

i have said this, and i will say it again: no one can wake up on January 1st every year and be completely changed. no one can. i recently read a quote that states, "you should not need fireworks, the dropping of the ball in New York, a new year, to change the things you dislike about yourself." i adore how these words are so straight forward-- you do not need a certain date to start improving yourself! start today. so what if you waited until January 4th to write resolutions (coughmecough), and so what if you started them 2 months ago or in 2 months. so what? 

anyways, i do love a goal. i have many in my life, and i think it is perfectly okay to add plenty each year. happy 2014 and all that jazz, you people. let's all start changing ourselves today.

my un-sparkly self.

this is my "I do not own anything sparkly" and "I dislike new years eve" outfit. really though, I have realized that I do not own one top that has sequins on it. why this came as a surprise to me a few hours before I had to be somewhere one the 31st, I honestly do not know. and, yes, new years eve is my least favorite holiday. I just think people hype it up way to much and have such high expectations, when in reality, it is just another night. aside from my unnecessary negative self, I did have quite a fun night with fun people. this is what I wore to ring in the new year...

[top: local shop// necklace: Jcrew (borrowed)// skirt: loft// tights: ae // shoes: oldnavy]

I was partying even before I left the house. (ha... jokes.)

my hair is getting too long. long care don't care? no, I really do care.

this is my "I know I am not a model, but I am trying to be" face. whoops.

favorite photo from the night taken as the ball was dropping.

but hey, my somewhat-sparkly tights make up for the black on black outfit, right?! anyways, happy new year, friends.

reflecting on 2013.

everyone has said this, but it is quite odd that 2013 is over. if I would have been a good, on-top-of-it blogger, I would have had this post up prior to the start of the new year. but, look here you are reading this a few days late. eh, I am still figuring it out, friends. somehow the years seem to pass by so much faster the older I get. any who, here I go reflecting and reminiscing on the old so I can begin the new. to refresh your (and my) memory, these were my new year resolutions for 2013.

1. (fashion goal) spend more on clothing basics. I truly do feel as if I only bought basics this year for my wardrobe. with too many gray tops and neutral pants, maybe it is time for some more color into my closet?

2. (health goal) choose water over sodas aka one soda a week. for the most part I cut sodas out of my life this year- by choosing tea or water each day, getting to have my beloved diet coke at the end of the week was a treat. now I want to continue this into the next years of the life as well.

3. (blog goal) new design on blog. yay! I finally accomplished and announced this in November all thanks to the pretty cool design by Rose .

4. (other goal) call someone once a week. this, my friends, did not happen as much as I wanted to. I have called people more than I have in the past years, but not every week as my plan said. however, the main phone call I make is to my dearest friend, Sophie, who moved this past March. somehow this goal was a blessing in disguise.

5. (other goal) find something to look forward to every week. this goal is hard to say if I have accomplish it, since it is so broad. however, looking back, one thing I have looked forward to each week is getting to spend time with my wonderful youth group.

also, my word of the year was BOLD.

when choosing this word the describe my year, my thoughts went like this "I'm going to be more outgoing/crazy in my actions and words". however, what I have realized is that I am not that person and will ever be that person. I am not loud and crazy. I am not the girl who is the life of the party. it is perfectly fine if you are (and more power to you, girl), but it is simply not me.

 but, this does not mean I am not bold.

this year, I have been bold in my choices. I could have chosen to stay in a comfort zone, yet I decided to step outside that circle and try something new and scary. I have been bold in my speech. I have learned to speak truth to people despite my fear. I have been bold in my activities. the things I have chosen to take part in are not always the norm, and you know what, that is okay. because of this, I have tried new things (see here ). i have been bold in my heart. allowing to let certain people in, and to cull undesirable things out, has been difficult, yet worth it.

I have been bold, just not in the way I expected.

~

i would say that 2013 has been an adventure. with new paths and new people, it has taught me so much-- and that, i am truly so thankful for. however, i am ready for a fresh start (aren't we all?). so, here's to you, 2014. i am ready for ya.

on repeat.



[top: target // vest: ae // scarf: loft // leggings: ae // boots: some crappy site]

[my friend, anna bliss aka abd.]

over break, this outfit has been on repeat. want to know what else has been on repeat? going to the men's section at target (where i got this gray henley). despite the awkwardness and stares, i think for basic tees & tops, the men's section has a better selection. however, i do act like i am shopping for my non-existent boyfriend so that some of the looks will go away. "oh, yes, he would look just great in this", "his favorite color is blue, so i know he would love this", or sometimes "my guy is fine in anything he wears, so it doesn't matter"-- these are my go-to lines while browsing the flannels and henleys. i don't know if this is the cleverest thing i have thought of in a while... or the saddest. you pick.

new friend.

I received a camera (canon rebel T3) for Christmas this year, so Parker and I sipped some coffee this morning and tested my new friend out. I have a feeling this friend and I will come to best friend status soon. enjoy some of the photos we snapped of each other. also, I must note how awkward it is to take photos in public. for those of you who do not have your photo taken in public on the daily (aka this girl), imagine your whole town watching you take a yearbook photo. then imagine that yearbook photo taken at least 50 times with multiple poses. day in the life, people.

vest- ae // jeans- ae // shoes- urban// sweater- oldnavy

necklace from my dear friend, sophie.

this photo is for my mom. she enjoys long walks on the beach and posting zoomed in photos of me on facebook.

necklaces- Stella & Dot

bracelets- Stella & Dot

I cannot get over the quality of these photos. and how great my hair looks today. normally, I would not brag about such things but when you have used your Iphone for photos for years and your hair is a mess 99% of the time, I  do believe it is okay.

I hope you guys had a lovely Christmas shared with lovely people!

as of late.

when lights fill streets and smiles fill faces, it is obvious that it is the best time of the year. (plot twist: this is not going to be a sappy, cliché post.)

.... like 6 days near. with that said, what I really should be doing is buying/making Christmas presents, yet instead I write this post, watch the Christmas episodes of Parks and Recreation, and study for finals. wait, did I say study for finals? I meant eat and avoid people and books at all costs.

so here is a few bits and pieces that have been occurring as of late. this season is so grand.

it snowed over here a couple of weeks ago. like really snowed. it was an out-of-school-for-two-days kind of snow. however, I would be lying if I told you guys that this photo was amidst frocking in the snow. it went more like this: parker- "let's go outside!" me- "we are taking a photo and that's all." oh, childhood, return to me.

decorating the tree is such a sincere memory to me. from house to house, it is a part of Christmas that never changes. I love looking at the old ornaments and remembering where we got them or who gave them to us. it is quite special. however, I made my all-time record at how many ornaments I accidentally broke this year. I didn't chose the clumsy life, people, it chose me.

two of  my good friends (not those pictured) had a surprise birthday party. but more importantly, there was a photo booth there. yes, you heard me a PHOTO BOOTH. these photographs make me smile ... and laugh... and think "why, Cate?".

I had a winter formal last weekend, and parker was kind enough to come see me before I went on my way. I love best friends.

{dress- by BCBG// shoes- Mojo Moxy// necklace- Anthropologie// earrings- old navy}

my date (Elliot) and I. we look pretty spiffy, eh?

we are too much to handle. (:

I am that annoying girl at the grocery store who takes photos of pineapples. no judgment, friends.

lunch with dear friends (Claire) are wonderful and help me get through finals week. and duplicating a photo means replicating the great time we had together right? four times the fun.

~

I am enjoying this season and the lovely people that make me smile and the reg. (eek, did my Kim Kardashian voice just make an appearance in this post? uh oh.)

learning.

though school is not my favorite thing in the world, i absolutely love learning. the feeling you get when you finally get an algebra lesson, or have an "ah ha" moment (i get those a lot), or simply learn something new about a person... those are my favorite moments. i think that those small, random parts of a person speak so much louder than where they came from, what they are doing, & how they appear. those random facts about a person are so wonderful and special to me. it lets me know & understand a bit more into their lives & passions behind the ordinary.

(sidenote: props to you if you finish this post. i know it is long. you will have a special place in my heart.)

lately i have learned scads of things. aside from cramping every possible piece of information in my brain for finals, i have been taught so many things from people who do not have college degrees yet. and sometimes, those lessons are the ones that are most significant (but don't get me wrong, dividing polynomials is pretty important as well).  it truly amazes me that some humans are so wise. wisdom is a thing i strive for because it is vital to our lives, and it is a thing that money definitely cannot buy. and you know what, that is perfect, because i am broke. (;

one of the lessons that i have been taught lately is the "art of letting go". regretfully, i am a girl who grasps on to situations, people, & mistakes for way too long (stereotype, where ya at?!). however, i have learned that there are seasons for people in your life. not that one season is better than another, but that sometimes we must move on. life is all about moving on and continuing, yet still remembering the wonderful moments we had with people that have taught us so much.

another lesson i have been taught is joy. as stated so many times on this blog, i am a big fan of joy as opposed to happiness. however a friend recently told me that "happiness is the answer to the joy one is feeling". i really liked that. so i wrote it down, like i do with many other wise sayings. (you are pretty darn special if you make it in the book- and let's just say that "The Office" is pretty darn special) . anyways, i have always thought of joy and happiness being two separate things, one better than the other (joy). however, what i have realized is that that happiness is necessary. it is the outward reflection towards others of the joy you contain in your heart.

also, did any of you guys know that all babies are born with blue/gray eyes? i certainly did not. learn something new everyday, guys, learn something new everyday.

another aspect that has been added onto my knowledge is how much i have grown this past year. not height wise (i wish), but mentally and spiritually. something that i have been yearning for years is growth. however, until recently, the thing that i have not been showing is effort. the effort to get up everyday, do what needs to be done, & keep trying until i have reached my goals. i can now see the difference between last year's Cate & this year's Cate. i hope that this years is better, & i know that next year's Cate will be just wonderful. i love how i am typing this as i am in my pajamas in bed. but hey, it's a snow day, give me a break.

one of the last of many lessons i have learned lately is about this blog. rare i tell a friend about my blog due to fear of judgment and laughter, however i have realized that this blog is really important to me and captures my life. so why not share it? also, i have been holding back on writing posts such as these because i know that my outfits may be more interesting. however, in order to "create a lovely life", i do believe sharing what i have learned must happen. (:

my blog, in another's words, "is a collection of ideas, memories, thoughts, observations, feelings, perspectives, and conclusions." but come on, can we please use another word rather than "blogging"... i dislike coming off as a white girl writing her diary between tennis lessons.

what have you learned recently, friends?