Girl Talk: Big Hair

Calling all females! Calling all females! 

For the [three] men out there who read this, you probably won't get much out of this post. You may keep reading, but you have been warned. I won't take offense if you click over to ESPN..

Alright ladies. We need to have some girl talk. 

'Cause I want big hair. 

Lately I've been getting ready in the mornings, and I get to the hair portion of my routine, and it's like the sky turns gray, rain clouds roll in, and sad sad music starts playing on the radio. 

I may be exxagerating a bit. But in all seriousness, I need to pump up the volume when it comes to my hair. And I mean that in the quite literal sense.

 

 Don't get me wrong, I love my hair, but I want to spice things up - and I need your help doing it. I have pretty fine hair, but I have so much of it. I always giggle when I'm getting my hair done for a wedding. They grab my hair and guess that it'll take 30 minutes or so to curl, and then by the 4th or 5th layer they're sweating and wondering where it's all coming from. 

Speaking of weddings, I love getting my hair done for weddings simply because those hairdressers are all about the volume. At my friend Emily's wedding everyone joked about how I looked like I had Miss Texas hair, and every time people commented, I secretly rejoiced inside. I'm Southern. I drink sweet tea. I wear aprons. I want big hair. Help me have the big hair. 

This is me at Em's wedding. I sent this picture to Jeff right after they took my hair down from rollers. Obviously it's a bit overstated for every day life, but my point is...how do I get that volume?

So that's what I'm asking YOU fine folks. 

What volumizer/hair tool do you use? 

The only product I currently use in my hair is Kevin Murphy's Anti-Gravity Spray. And don't get me wrong, (when I remember to use it) I love it! But I need more options. Cause...

  Don't let me have boring hair. I beg you. 

You can comment on here, on facebook, you can text me, we can have coffee - I don't really care. But my inner product junkie just wants to know how do you get your volume?!

And, because when I googled "big hair" she popped up, I shall leave you with this:

Oh hey volume. Actually it's more like 'oh hey hair sylist.' Maybe I should just get me one of those....

Until next time,
Katy

August Books

Happy Wednesday!

Several blogs I read do a book review every so often, and I get a lot of author/book ideas from those reviews. So I thought I'd do a review of my own and give you fine folks some new reading material! :)

Word. This is so true. I love escaping into a book. It's like nothing else in the world matters. You're removed from your current surroundings and placed over in Nantucket or something. And the Nantucket in my head is often a lot more glamorous than this Texas summer. 

Here we go! The books I've been reading the past month:

The Rumor
by Elin Hilderbrand

 This book was this month's choice for my girls' Book Club. I'll have to say this was my first Elin Hilderbrand book - and I really really loved it! I read it in three sittings; it was definitely a page turner. A little predictable - but honestly that never bothered me. Cheesy love dramas are so my thing, whether I can guess the ending or it's a total surprise. And this book led me to....

The Matchmaker
by Elin Hilderbrand

This one took me a little longer to "get into" than the Rumor, but it also had less predictability. There were some twists and turns in the middle/end that I just didn't expect! What I did like about reading this right after The Rumor was that they were both based in Nantucket - so my "image" of the island was already established! The new characters just fit right on in :) Moral of the story: there are definitely more Hilderbrand Nantucket novels in my future.

The One and Only
by Emily Giffin

I was so stinking excited for this book. And so stinking disappointed. I have read and loved (and own) all of Emily's other books, so naturally this was a no-brainer when walking through Target. Plus it was centered around Texas college football, so the cities and schools I was all too familiar with. What I couldn't get on board with was the plot. I don't really want to give too much away, but you definitely have to think outside the box in this romantic relationship, and it was just a little too weird for me. 

Those are my three novels I've read, but I also have been doing a little "side reading" this month. Now, I was never one of those that could read two books at once, but the following book I've just been reading a chapter a morning with my devotional. And y'all - it is a must read. If you are dating someone, engaged to someone, or newly married to someone, I highly recommend this book. My mom gave it to me when I was home this summer, and my parents gave it to her when she started dating my dad. 

Letters to Karen

by Charles Shedd

Please note: this is what the book looks like NOW. My copy is worn with yellow pages....and really special :)

This book is a compilation of letters from a dad to his daughter. She asked her dad how to keep her future husband loving her for the rest of their lives, and these letters are his response. They're short, humorous, and real life. I look forward to reading a little tid bid of wisdom each morning with my coffee. I highly HIGHLY recommend it. PS - thanks, mom!

And there we have it! My books from August. I'm already onto my next novel for September's review, and let me tell you, it's a good one :)

OH - and all you females please check back tomorrow. We're having girl talk. Me and my hair need some help. 

Until next time,
Katy

Dark Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake

Guys.

This is a big day.
A big BIG day. 

A HUGE DAY.

I *think* I may have found a cake that takes the lead for my absolute favorite bundt cake. And that is a big deal, because I pretty much love all bundt cakes. 

I think this is attributable to two reasons: 

1) it's really just that good

2) I made it in my new, spiffy-shaped bundt pan (see below)

Nonetheless, here she is... the Dark Chocolate Chip Bundt. 

I know I say pretty much every cake is easy....but y'all. The basics of a bundt cake are repetitive and simple. So they're ALL pretty easy. That's why they're awesome and my favorites :)

I did some research and kind of combined several recipes into this version...

What You'll Need

for the cake..

1 box yellow cake mix

1 chocolate pudding mix

1 vanilla pudding mix

1/2 cup veggie oil

1 1/4 cup water

4 eggs

1 cup dark chocolate chips (I use Hershey's Special Dark)

 for the glaze..

2 tbsp butter 

1 tbsp Karo light syrup

1/2 cup dark chocolate chips

What You'll Do

Mix all cake ingredients (except the chocolate chips) with an electric mixer

Fold in the dark chocolate chips

Pour into a bundt pan

Bake at 350 degrees for 45 minutes

While the cake is cooling...

Melt all three glaze ingredients and pour atop cooled cake

You could honestly use whatever chocolate frosting you prefer, or just leave it plain and sprinkle chocolate chips on top. I probably should have done that with this one considering it was a weird shape and a little difficult to glaze. Which leads me to....

MY NEW BUNDT PAN!!

One should not get this excited about a bundt pan, but alas, I am. This past weekend I was just browsing around Williams-Sonoma, when I came across their new bundt pans:

    

Aren't they awesome?! They just make bundt cakes' hot points go WAY up.

I chose the Heritage bundt, and as you can see, it really does turn out in the shape. Which just makes cake baking way more exciting! I already told Mama Sue I could use another one of these under the Christmas tree this year :)

And when I say I was excited, I mean I texted this picture to Jeff right outside the store. That's pure joy, people. Boyfriend is such a trooper to pretend to get excited over things like a bundt pan. 

Okay, back to the cake itself. It honestly tastes like a chocolate chip muffin. Like the homemade kind you used to eat as a kid. The kind that gave you warm fuzzies and made everything better. That is this cake.

 I mean it's in the running for #1 guys. (throws hands up) That's all I'm saying. 

_________

Until next time,
Katy

I'm back!

Hellooooooo!

Man I've missed y'all! I have been all over the place the past 10 days, so this describes my morning. On cup three and counting. 

I got home at 3:30 last night this morning. Did you get that? Three:Thirty. SO, needless to say I took a personal day and slept in until 10 a.m. Charlie didn't even whine or wake me up to go outside. Best dog in the world. Also, shout out to boyfriend of the year, Jeffrey Daniel, for picking me and my sister up at the airport at 2 a.m. 

But let's take it back a few days. 

Last Friday, I took off to Chicago! I had training there all last week, so a group of us went up the weekend before to do all things tourist: 

Friday morning I had to leave Chicago and head to South Carolina to celebrate the life of my adorable grandmama (or as we fondly called her, "Gee"). She went home to meet Jesus and be reunited with her entire family last weekend, so we all got together to celebrate the wonderful and incredible woman that she was. 

The service was hard, but incredibly special. She was a true example in this world. An example of faith, of a mother who loves no matter what, of a grandmother who knows no distance, and of the sweetest commitment to the love of her life. PS - she surprised her hubs in Heaven on his birthday. Does the girl know how to make an entrance, or what?! :)

We will miss her dearly and think of her often, but I know she's having the time of her life up there on those streets of gold! 

OH - and she gave me my dimples. So I'll always have a little piece of her with me :)

And then there was yesterday. Amy and I got to the airport in South Carolina at 12:45, headed to Charlotte for our connecting to DFW, and then got delayed for SIX HOURS. Seriously, the pilot came on the speaker and told us "good morning." Not okay. Get it together airlines. Get it together. 

So that's what I've been up to! It's good to be back after 10 days of living out of a suitcase. I'm still sipping coffee, watching DCC: Making the Team, and trying to find my motivation to go to the gym and work off all that Chicago deep dish. Ah, routine. 

The rest of this week we have recipes, book reviews, favorites, and more! But until then, have a fantastic Monday! (Pssst, it's already half over!!)

Until next time,
Katy

 

Peek at the Week

Happy almost Friday, y'all! 

Here's a little peek at my week :)

Friday night Jeff and I met some people in our Company's suite for a little Rangers vs Giants action! Okay fine, and a few hot dogs. Okay alright, and a cap full of ice cream. And, might I add...a Rangers WIN!

Saturday was Miss Brooklyn's third birthday party, so I spent the morning baking (see yesterday's Strawberry Brownies recipe here!) and wrapping this beast of a present. No really. Jeff and I had to tag team this in his garage. It took some effort; we were sweating. But we got it done! And just for your reference... Jeff is 6'6.

Then it was off to the party! My sister threw her a gymnastics party with a Minnie Mouse theme. A good time all around (if you were allowed to play on the equipment...) #adultprobs

Jeff, Brookie, Katy, aaaaaand Minnie

The Reeves women - I just love these two. 

 My sister and her besties. I may not be a mom, but they still let me hang out with them :) 

 Then it was time for cake (Minnie Mouse themed, of course) and presents! I love the picture on the left. Sweetest mommy/daughter combo ever. Jeff and I went for the cool aunt/uncle gig and got her a big girl slide. That girl LOVES to slide - can spend hours sliding. So we thought it was time we upgraded her to a larger version. After the party she asked if she could take it home to her house. Yes, sweet girl. You certainly can! Sorry, sis :)

 Saturday night, dad and I headed off to the ballpark for our fourth annual dad-n-daughter Rangers Game! Every year for Father's Day, I treat my dad to an evening at the Rangers ballpark. Our past three pictures are in blue, so we decided we both needed to wear red this year :)

 

 (Side note: my dad bought that shirt because he wanted the T to be seen from the TV. Your odds are good, pops!)

Also, this night was a baseball game changer for me. At games I usually watch a little, talk a little, play on my phone a little, shop a little, etc., but this game? This game I actually watched the whole game. Why is that you ask? Because we just picked up this sexy beast new pitcher. Helloooooo Cole Hamels. 

He used to play for the Phillies, but now he's a Texas Ranger and I am all over it. Like went to buy a T-shirt with his name on the back but they were already sold out all over it. And I got to witness his first game! It was a moment. Can you feel the moment? I can feel the moment. 

Hey boy. I'm watching you. 

Sunday morning is kind of humorous. So Lisa and I have a favorite brunch spot: Company Cafe. It's where we had my birthday brunch and everything. Well, we found out they were CLOSING one of their locations on August 11th, so Lisa and I made a date to meet for Sunday brunch on the 2nd. Well - we roll up and guess what....they closed early. So we sat in the parking lot in shock/outrage for a few minutes, and then proceed to brunch elsewhere. ...We didn't even get to say goodbye. 

This girl will always and forever be a blessing to me. We love Lisa.

Then Sunday afternoon, I found out I was famous! Okay maybe that's an exaggeration. But when I was in the grocery store that afternoon I get a text message from my sweet friend Paige with this picture:

 

This is from the August issue of the Baylor Magazine! Paige got married this past NYE, and all of her bridesmaids were Baylor graduates! She got married in Waco so this picture was actually taken on Baylor's campus. .....in 30 degree weather. :) 

So I may not be famous, but I felt a lot cooler driving home from the grocery store than I did driving there!

Tuesday night: CMA Fest's "Country Night to Rock"" aired on television. Did y'all watch? Pretty entertaining. Or at least mine and Kristie's texts throughout the show were entertaining. So y'all know how I have a huge girl crush on Carrie Underwood, right? Like might pass out if I ever actually saw her type of crush? Okay. Let's just assess for a minute...

She had a baby end of February. This performance was beginning of June. Need help with the math? This is only three full months post-baby. Is that a joke? Did the girl do leg lifts while breastfeeding? Push ups while he napped? I mean good grief. 

Then last night Jeff and I went on a dollar-hot-dog-night-double-date with Emily and Landon! 

I mean, Emily and I totally had girl talk the whole time (though we did discuss Cole Hamels, as well) but it was such a fun night! I obviously love my girls, but I REALLY love when I also love their boys. And we love Landon :)

OH - and this was super exciting. Remember in my Nordstrom Anniversary Sale post how I was talking about these Kate Spade earrings and how wonderful they are? Well - great minds think alike. Emily and I were basically a walking advertisement last night :)

Seriously in love with these earrings. I have three colors and don't plan on stopping. There are over 12 choices after all... :)

And if you were counting....YES that was my third Rangers game in a week. 

 And that's a little peek at my week! I will actually be "out-of-office" starting tomorrow through next week. I have a training conference up in Chicago so I'll be taking a bit of a break and focusing on work/traveling. See you back here mid-August!

Until next time,
Katy

Strawberry Brownies

World's easiest dessert. Seriously y'all. Three ingredients, the thing cooks for 15 minutes, I mean what more do you want from me?! 

This past weekend sweet little Brooklyn turned three, so my sister threw her a Minnie Mouse birthday party! And as the baking aunt that I am, I brought a couple of desserts. And as the color-appreciative aunt that I am, one was black/white, and one was pink :) 

So where did I go when searching for the perfect pink dessert? Shay's blog. Duh. If you're a frequent visitor around here you know I'm a huge fan. If I could bake with Shay for a day I'd be one happy Katy. 

Okay, back to the brownies. Look at these! Light, summery, and sweet. Just what we need during a Texas summer.

Here's the recipe straight from Mix and Match Mama's website:

Shopping List

1 box of strawberry cake mix

2 eggs

1/3 cup vegetable oil

Preheat your oven to 350 degrees.

Grease (I used Pam) a 9x13 baking dish.  Set aside.

Combine all 3 ingredients in a mixing bowl with a spoon (your batter will be thick).

Spread batter across the bottom of your prepared pan and bake about 14 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean).

While the brownies are baking, prepare your glaze.  Combine one cup of powdered sugar with a splash of milk.  Add more milk if the glaze is too thick and more sugar if it's too thin.  Pour glaze down over the tops of your warm brownies. 

 

My one tip would be to not overcook the brownies. Dry brownies are nobody's favorite. 

 

My dad was a huge fan of these. Any leftover brownies were requested to go with him :)

I just love the pink color. A perfect goodie for Valentines Day or a sweet baby girl's baby shower. Keep it on the back burner, kids. You'll be glad you did.

 

Until next time,

Katy

KUWK: Looking Funny

Yeah. I'm addressing it. Because one, we do real life over here. And two, because sometimes it's hard. Some days are harder than others and I know I'm not the only one out there who may not look in the mirror and always think "yeah girl. You got it going on."

So let's talk it out. 

For those of you who don't know me, 5 years ago I was diagnosed with ocular melanoma (a really really rare eye cancer). If you have a good amount of free time on your hands you can read the journey here, but for purposes of this post you just need to know the following: I had two surgeries and five rounds of radiation. I lost all of my eyelashes in my left eye, it has a consistent level of red and puffy, and thanks to no longer being able to see out of it, it no longer looks center. 

I'm model material :) 

But this isn't a woe is me post. Cause here's the thing: it is what it is. I never really understood the phrase "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" until I had to learn to live with looking a little different. This is what makes me, me. This is my thing. This is my struggle. Everyone has one. Even those people you don't think have one. Some are on the inside, some are on the outside, but everyone has an insecurity. The fun part is learning how to overcome it :)

When I was first diagnosed, I was 21 years old and getting healthy wasn't my primary concern. I just wanted to look normal. I wanted to enter the post-college "real world" looking like a normal young adult. No one could guarantee that for me, but I took my chances. And guess what? It didn't quite turn out like I hoped. 

Y'all I prayed DAILY for my eyelashes to grow back. Every time I thought about it I prayed about it. For the 6 months after surgery I had to wear sunglasses day in/day out. For a year I didn't even wear eye make up. I couldn't understand why God wasn't listening to me. Why he wouldn't just let my left eye match my right eye....like it once did before. 

But alas, we're five years down the road and it's beginning to make sense. Some days I like looking a little different. It's like my trademark. I overcame something as a young adult that many people will never have to do in their lifetime. It's my battle scar. 

And then some days it's really hard. It still hurts when the grocery store clerk asks what happened to my eye. I cringe when I meet new people and they stare a little longer than appropriate. And it still stings a little when I look at pre-cancer pictures and "remember when." 

But you gotta remember this, people. You have to remember that your magnitude of beauty lies in your own perspective. It's hard to be a female in this world. I get it. I see the magazine ads, I watch TV, I understand what you consider your "measuring stick." To hell with it all. THIS should be your measuring stick:

 Word to yo mama. This is what matters. People only see what you portray. And if you want to portray that you are beautiful - then you have to believe it yourself. 

BECAUSE YOU ARE.

 I'm all kinds of on my soapbox right now. I just want to go talk to teenage girls all over America. I get it. I thought I'd never want to take a picture again. And have you seen my instagram? I'm such an overgrammer. I thought I'd for sure become a social recluse. After about 4 months of a pity party I was back to having zero free time. I thought no one would want me to be in their wedding like this. Been a bridesmaid seven times now. I thought I'd never find someone who would love me if I looked like this. Well I found one, and ironically, he didn't even meet me until after surgery. Hook, line, and sinker :)   

Again. It's hard. I get that, too. I'm not proclaiming to never be bothered by it. I am here to tell you that I am absolutely dreading the whole engagement picture/wedding picture situation. Instagram has some awesome filters, but a camera that close to my face? Gives me the heebie jeebies. 

You (and your negative thoughts) are your biggest obstacle. Well, negative thoughts and a negative attitude. No one cares how gorgeous you are if you're rude. I doubt you have anyone you put in your "hot and mean" friend group. I usually don't like to admit my mom is right, but she grew up telling me "pretty is as pretty does." Yeah. My future kids are so going to be hearing that phrase in their sleep. 

Plus from what I hear, as you get older things sag, turn gray, and get veiny. So you might as well fall in love with yourself now...cause it might be downhill from here :)

Five years ago I would have looked at this picture and immediately deleted it. Now I'm posting it on a blog for everyone and their third cousin to see. Because now I just see a picture of a really happy girl at a baseball game with her dad. 

Be who you are - just the way you are. Believe it, be proud of it, and no one else will be able to see anything else besides it. 

Until next time,
Katy