If you're reading this...

If you're reading this...

Know that

You are okay.

You have worth.

You are wanted.

You are needed.

You are loved.

You are thought of.

You are cherished.

You are blessed.

You are smart.

You are wonderful.

You are important.

You are special.

You are amazing.

You are love.

You are kindness.

You are forgiveness.

You are extraordinary.

You are exciting.

You are beautiful.

You have talent.

You have skill.

You have purpose.

You deserve happiness.

You deserve love.

You deserve peace.

You are brave.

You have meaning.

You are enough.

And don't ever forget, 

You are you.

& 

You mean the world to someone.

Stone Cold

Stone cold, stone cold

You see me standing, but I'm dying on the floor

Stone cold, stone cold

Maybe if I don't cry, I won't feel anymore

Stone cold, baby

God knows I tried to feel

Happy for you

Know that I am, even if I

Can't understand, I'll take the pain

Give me the truth, me and my heart

We'll make it through

If happy is her, I'm happy for you

Hmmmm

Stone cold, stone cold

You're dancing with her, while I'm staring at my phone

Stone cold, stone cold

I was your amber, but now she's your shade of gold

Stone cold, baby

God knows I tried to feel

Happy for you

Know that I am, even if I

Can't understand, I'll take the pain

Give me the truth, me and my heart

We'll make it through

If happy is her, I'm happy for you

Don't wanna be stone cold, stone

I wish I could mend this but here's my goodbye

Oh, I'm happy for you

Know that I am, even if I

Can't understand

If happy is her, If happy is her

I'm happy for you

Written by Demitria Lovato, Gustaf Egil Thorn, Laleh Pourkarim • Copyright © Universal Music Publishing Group

Summer Sun Protection

Well it's that time of year again! Who's excited? 

With all the fun activities that come with the sunshine and warm weather it's really important to protect our skin from the sun. I re-watched a video I seen last year about UV rays and skin and after watching it again I knew I wanted to make a post about the importance of sunscreen. Here's the video in case you wanted to check it out. It's about 3 minutes and trust me, it's pretty cool!

Did you watch it? What did you think? Crazy, hey?! 

So for those of you who don't know, there's a difference between sunblock and sunscreen 

 Sunblocks, such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide, are highly effective in protecting against both UVA and UVB rays, the types of UV radiation that cause sunburn and skin cancer. Sunblocks often appear white on the skin. Sunscreens tend to be less visible on the skin and absorbs UV rays and does not reflect them 

Here's an article all about it if you're interested! 

 http://www.news-medical.net/news/2007/08/07/28543.aspx

Sun screen is my ride or die. I wear it even in the winter. After years of trying different ones I found a few of my favourites and I'll share those with you later on in this post.

I'm going to cover just a few reasons why you should be wearing sun screen and it's importance so let's get right into it.

1. Sunscreen has proven to slow down the process of wrinkles and premature ageing skin.

2. Sunscreen has also been proven to decrease the growth of skin cancer.

3. Prevents sunburns and tanning -  I'm sure we all knew that. 

4. Helps even out your skin tone

5. Great for hydrating the skin.

I have three sunblocks that I use almost every day. I have one for my face and two others for my body.

So for my face I'll use Neutrogena Clear face SPF 30 

I don't know about you but I get a bit of anxiety putting new products on my face. I have pretty clear skin and would really like to keep it that way. I tried this sunblock while I was home alone one weekend and no breakouts or texture came to my face. I even put make up on over top and went outside. I had no signs of burning and it didn't make my make-up move which is just an added bonus!  I purchased this for $14 at Shoppers Drug Mart

 The next product I use is Sunbum SPF 50

First off, Yum! This smells so good to me! This product is a sunscreen and I use it all over my body if I'm going out. I've used this for years and I have no complaints expect one, I can only ever find travel sizes so I'm constantly repurchasing this at least 3 times every summer. Part of me doesn't mind because it works so well. I paid a little over $10 for mine. Give this little beauty a try. I'm sure you'l love it.

Last but of course not least we have Coola- sport SPF 30
This product is suppose to be organic but I don't care about that, yeah yeah shoot me. moving on.. This one is my go to mostly because it smells so fantastic but a little bit goes a long way which I love. I do find myself having to re-apply every other hour which isn't so bad since I do the same with my other block, I just find it wears off faster than the others but it's still my favourite! I paid $36 for this at Ulta online. Coola also has amazing lip balms and other great sun protection products. If you can, go smell a few haha you won't be disappointed. 

Alright that's it. Those are my must have sunblocks and screens. Don't forget to further protect your skin by wearing hats and keeping hydrated. Stay healthy this summer, everyone!

                                                                       Xxoo - Katie 

Long Distance Relationships. Do's & Don'ts.

 

If there's anything I know a little bit about it's  LDR's. (Long distance relationship)
 Now, even though I'd like to be, I'm no expert. I do what I can and I do what works for me and Luis and he does the same.

So for those of you who don't know, I'm from Canada. Luis is from Costa Rica. 

Despite the direct flight to see each other being a little over 5 hours, were still pretty far apart. and depending on the the time of year I'm only ever 1 to 2 hours ahead of him. Luis and I are pretty blessed being so close in time. It allows us to have a normal day and it makes scheduling dates and phone calls much easier.

Like every relationship, we figure things out as we go, what keeps up close, builds our foundation and what each of us needs to be happy within the relationship. 

So today while I was thinking about the fundamentals of a LDR the first thing I thought of was communication. I think we can all agree that no matter what kind of relationship you have, if you don't have good communication, you really don't have anything at all. That thought branched out into a few other important things one needs to have  healthy relationships and I decided to start thinking about the specific things a long distance relationship needs or at least what Luis and I think it needs. So That brings us to right now. Luis told me a few things he thinks are great ideas and things he enjoys within our LDR and I'll be including those with my own. 


So here we go. =)

Long Distance Relationship : Do's & Don'ts According to Luis and Katie.

Luis

♊ Don't be passive aggressive 

♊ Do work towards visiting your LDR at least every 6 or so months

♊ Don't get upset when the other person can't dedicate their entire day to you

♊ Do keep communication alive

♊ Do keep things fresh with video chats or online games

♊ Do have crazy late night chats

♊ Do have fun projects you can do apart and complete when you come together, it'll be an extra layer of fun that will keep your SO on your mind as an exciting partner and friend

♊ Don't bog each other down with uncertainties, but do discuss future plans and ideas, and work towards early first steps

♊ Do send fun selfies and pictures that remind you of your love

♊ Don't fill your every interactions with stress and negativity (of course people are emotional. and have bad days, and that's ok to talk about, just make sure not all of your interactions are negative)

♊ Do try new things like watching movie genres you normally wouldn't together, or try new foods while skyping, maybe do arts and crafts or doodle and share your drawings

Katie

♓ Get used to communicating. It's going to be the most important part of your relationship

♓ Get used to having your dates interrupted

♓ Internet and phone bills will be high. Budget for that

♓ Don't forget reality. It's so easy to think about how perfect life will be together and that's fine but don't forget to be realistic too.

♓ Have an open mind

♓  Trust each other or go your separate ways

♓ Take lots of photos and videos when you're together

♓ Use the time apart to build a better you

♓ Take interest in the things they love. It could be one more thing you can enjoy together

♓ Family is important and so are friends. Get to know them as best you can.

♓ Find a series you can watch together online. Save the finale for when you're together!

♓ Work towards closing the distance

♓ Don't rush. Enjoy the distance even though its the hardest thing to appreciate.



✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵✵


So those are just a few things we thought of this morning while talking. Hope some of you can apply these to your LDR or any relationship you may have.
 
Luis and I make a point of doing what we can to maintain our open communication and easy flowing relationship. But like every relationship, we have our faults and short comings but we work through them because we feel there are more important things to spend time our on and we value our relationship. We make a choice everyday to respect and understand one another and so far it's been great! =D

Do you have any do's and don'ts of your own? I'd love to read them and discuss them with you!

Happy Sunday, Everyone! Enjoy your week!



  Xxoo - Katie

My Hair Routine

Time and time again I'm getting complimented on my hair and people always have so many questions like, "Is it natural?" "How did you get it so long?" and "How do you keep it so healthy?"

First things first. Yes. =) My hair length is natural. The colour is not but it is very similar to my natural shade.

As for the next two questions, I've never really known how to answer them. I just let it do it's thing and wash it a few times a week haha! 

With so many people asking about my hair I decided why not make a post so people can refer to it if they want after they ask me questions. So let's get started.

First things first...When it comes to my hair I'm actually quite lazy. I go days without brushing it. Why? Because I can't be bothered. I throw it in a pony tail or a bun and I go on with my day.

Same goes for washing my hair. I wash it a maximum of 3 times a week, sometimes less. Now before you start saying "Ew" Hold on a hot minute and let me explain this. Haha

I have really thick hair. Now combine that with thick strands and the length, I'm going through shampoo and conditioner like crazy. It gets expensive, especially since my hair care products are not exactly cheap. 

My hair will start to look oily after 3-4 days and that is when I wash it. I shampoo right when I get into the shower and massage my scalp and hair for 2-3 minutes. I like to think the longer I take the cleaner my hair will be but I never have the patience. So, moving on. I rinse that out (Obviously) I wring out my hair to make sure all the shampoo has washed away and then I get my hair wet again. This is when I apply conditioner. A little conditioner with extremely wet hair goes a long way (Also reduces a wax build up on your scalp which can cause dandruff and other conditions) On that note, I never apply conditioner to the top of my head unless I'm dry, but the back on my head and the rest of my hair gets the product.

So at this point I let the conditioner sit in my hair and during this time I finish my shower. I don't need to explain that part do I?  Alright. 3-5 minutes have passed. I skip the whole rinse and repeat thing. Who has the time? Seriously...Who actually has the time for that!?

Boom. I'm out of the shower! Yay! (I hate showering. takes way to long and I see it as an inconvenience but I do it because well I have to lol)  I'm perpetually lazy so I wrap my hair in a towel and climb into bed and watch a few cat videos or online shop for up to 45 minutes. Then I brush my hair.

Yeah, I know.. "Brushing your hair when it's wet is sooo totally bad for it." Guess what? I don't care. I HAVE to brush my hair when it's wet, if I don't I'll have insane knots and as I mentioned above, I'm lazy. Don't have time for that. So I start brushing my hair, I brush my bangs first and then I split my hair on both sides and brush from the bottom to the top. 

Once all the knots are gone I fluff my hair so it's not all stuck to my head. At this point I'll add in a heat protector. (If I remember. I usually forget) Now I blow dry my hair. High setting on high heat. I dry my hair the same way I brush it. Bangs, bottom, then top. About half way through I'll switch the hair dryer to cool and finish my hair that way. 

I never completely dry my hair. I dry most of it but I leave a little bit damp in the length because A) I've been drying my hair for a half hour, my arm is tired. and B) I don't want to damage the hair that's already dry even more. 

Next I brush it and style it, this means moving my bangs to one side and smoothing out the lions main I just created. 

That's pretty much it. that's all I do.  

Sometimes if I notice my hair looking dull I will run a small bit of coconut oil through my hair. It adds a nice natural shine and makes my ends look extremely healthy.

If I'm in between trims and my hair is looking rather rough, I wait until I know I'm showering the next day and before bed I take a generous amount of coconut oil and saturate the last 3-4 inches of my hair in it. I put it in a secure bun, go to sleep and rinse it out when I wash my hair the next day. This gives my hair a beautiful shine and adds great softness.

As for haircuts, I cut my own hair. I stopped getting my hair cut professionally when I was 15 due to some awful experiences. Anyway,  DO NOT TRY THIS UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOU'RE DOING! Seriously the last thing you want is to make a mistake you can't fix. I'm self taught and took a hair cutting course in high school. With that being said, obviously  I'm not a hairstylist and I don't have the education of one but I do know enough to trust myself and my scissors. I'll trim an inch or two off my hair whenever coconut oil stops giving my ends the results I want when I saturate them.

I love my hair and try to maintain it as best as I can. Maybe my routine will help you achieve goals you have with your own hair! Let me know! =D <3

                                      Xxoo - Katie

New year, New blog.

New year new me? How about New year new blog?!

Welcome to my new and updated blog. Things got a bit different here. New colours and set up. Even a new name! 

I decided to make this change to make my blog a little more personal.  Don't worry, I'll still be posting the same content. I just wanted my page to have a new look that everyone could enjoy. Knowing me, I'll change a few things here and there to keep up with the seasons but the name will always be the same. 

Using my name makes it easier not just for me but for readers as well. Everything is all under one name which makes searching for things that much easier.

Anyway I really hope you all like the new look! P.S (TOMORROW IS FRIDAY!)

Happy new year, Everyone!

                                                                Katie - Xxoo

Happy Holidays!

  

It's Christmas Eve! Can you believe it's finally here?  I feel like this year went by so fast. Last Christmas seems like only a few weeks ago.


I just wanted to write a post wishing you all a great holiday season. Whether you're spending the season alone or with friends or family, make the best of it. Watch some Christmas films, and drink some cocoa. Hang out with people you love and eat all the delicious food you want. 

Remember to be safe after parties and while driving or walking home. Each of us have loved ones and ones who love us so lets make it through the holiday together. 

T'is the season for giving but that's not just limited to gifts. Give your time or give your kindness to those who need it. There are people in this world that have a difficult time surviving during the holidays. Your smile and your time could be just what someone needs to get through the day.

Family is more important than the gifts under the tree. Christmas isn't about the gifts to begin with so don't worry about what you don't have under the tree. Of course the excitement of having a tree surrounded by a mountain of gifts is great but being around those you love and creating memories with them will last much longer than a toy.


I know, Geeze what a preachy post... But I'm serious. Holidays have so much depth to them and can really be fantastic is you want them to be. So make this years festivities good ones. Enjoy yourself, be safe, and hold the ones that mean the most to you close. 


Happy holidays, Everyone!
                            
                                             Xxoo - Katie