2014

"Two posts in one week? What? That's just sheer craziness! What are you thinking, Kelsey? Can you handle that kind of pressure? HOW MANY SHOTS OF ESPRESSO HAVE YOU HAD TODAY?!?"

I know, I know. Two posts. One week. I'm out of control. And not just because I have had six shots of espresso today. (sorry not sorry like at all not even kind of okay maybe I'm a little jumpy whatever get off my back sorry that was rude kissSSsSsSses)

Today, I thought it would be fun to walk down digital memory lane. As I read through all of my posts from 2014, I realized just how big of a year it was for me. I meandered through the memories and felt very full. The last entry I read was entitled "2013". I wrote it at the end of December of 13'. It was sort of a last acknowledgment for all of the things I did, or at the very least tried to do, throughout that whole year. It served as a friendly nod to the past and an eager look towards the shiny new year in front of me. As I read it, it made me smile to think of a time when 2014 was just a little light up ahead, bright enough to be exciting but small enough to make me want to charge forward and just really ignite the damn thing.

That being said, I think I'd like to continue that lil' tradition. Every year I will do a  post at the end of the year that briefly summarizes and solidifies all that went down in one neat, tidy entry. This year did a whole lot for me, I can at least do that for it.

Here we go, y'all.

--To 2014, You Were One Bad Betch, Baby--

This year was pretty huge for me. I think I did more, in terms of "big things" in this one year than in any other in my life. I mean yes, big stuff has happened every year throughout my life, but this year had a lot of back-to-back Bigz. Let's review.

1. I participated in SETC, got myself a lil' slew of callbacks for various grad schools and even a couple theater companies. Most importantly, I was able to audition for the school that I really, reeeeally wanted, Texas Tech University. They liked me enough to call me back and I spent most of the rest of the trip in Mobile, Alabama trying to make myself known to this wonderful university. I think I did everything short of tattooing my face on their arms so that they'd remember me when they headed back to Lubbock to chat.

Mobile was really festive!

2. Turns out, no illegal tattooing was necessary. I got in to Texas Tech University. Come Fall, I would be living in Lubbock and beginning my path towards receiving my MFA in Performance and Pedagogy. When I got that wonderful email, I think I floated on a cloud the rest of the month. Hell, even couple of months. You guys, I may still be floating. :)

-I don't have a picture because it's hard to focus a camera WHEN YOU ARE FLOATING-

3. I finally, after five years, received my BFA from UCO. I put on my shiny cap and gown, I walked across the stage and grabbed that weird empty folder that we all pretend has a diploma in it when in reality those get mailed to us like an electric bill, I DIDN'T EVEN TRIP, and I did it. I graduated. I am Broncho, hear me make whatever appropriate noise that Broncho's do!

4. I went to England. I stomped around swingin' London, I visited Shakespeare's grave in Stratford, I walked the smarty-pants, truly beautiful paths of Oxford, and then I stomped back to London again. It was a fast, crazy excursion and I got to do it with some really lovely people. I miss it. I will be back. Me and the Queen have a tea date, no biggz, she wants me to tell her how to do a perfect liquid line.

5. I sold my house in Edmond (that actually FINALLY just went through-thank the Lawd) and bought a house in Lubbock. In July, my parents and their crew packed up all of me and Tyler's junk and hauled us to West Texas. It was a trippy change of pace. It was, and still is, hard to be away from the people that I love. That being said, I love and truly appreciate this time that Tyler and I have had thus far. I think living away from the everyday norm of our whole lives back in Oklahoma has just brought us even closer, which I didn't even think was possible. Man, he's a keeper, that dweeb.

 

 

 

6. I started grad school. AHHHH!!! YAAAAH!!! WHOAAAA!!! and a whole lot more words like that. All in caps, always. Staring grad school is like living in a land where lowercase letters simply don't exist, y'know?

7. I finished my first semester of grad school. AHHHHH!!! YAAAAH!!! WHOAAAA!!! (See previous statement regarding internet shouting.) This semester I completed my first 9 hours of classes and maintained a 4.0 average, I was a TA in a cinema class where I was responsible for grading roughly 68 papers a week, I was the RA to our departments Director of Theater, I was a box office employee AND I was cast in and completed my first show here at Tech. And that was just my load. Me and my fellow classmates and friends did so much, and when I think back on it all...I'm just like obnoxiously proud of us. Graduate school is very hard, but it is very rewarding. Every project I completed, every shift I worked, every paper I finished (writing or grading), every thing I did this semester, literally everything, was a lesson. A challenge that, if completed, gave me new insight, new experience that I didn't have before. As I said in my last post, I cannot wait to see what the future has in store!

8. I got cast as Mother Courage. Typing those words still doesn't even feel real. I can't accurately explain how excited I am to get started on this show. I feel kind of like this: ASLDKFJADFDJFDLKSASKJDKDKDFFF!!!@###3KDFLFJDKDK*((*(*&**&^&*irjEAKSDD

y'know? And notice-all in caps. Told you.

This was my Mother Courage makeup for my Stage Makeup final in undergrad!

So that was my 14', sweets.

It was big. It was bold. It was beautiful.

2015, Lets do the damn thang~*


xoxo,

Kelsey

"The General Specific" or "A Long Overdue, Somewhat Vague Recollection of the Past Six Months"

Well, hello there, my long lost lovelies!!! (And by that I mean, hey Mom! I'm finally updating my blog, aren't you pleased? By the way, your makeup looks flawless, remind me to steal that eye shadow when I'm in town next~*)

For real though, it's been a cool minute since I've had a chance to sit down and talk to myself on the internet. I'm glad to carve out some time. That may sound sarcastic, and a little bit it is, but mainly it's not. Mainly it's very true, actually. See, this little blog of mine kind of serves as my own personal newspaper, in which I am both sole writer and quite possibly sole reader. (Well, besides you, Deb! Duh! And seriously, LOVE that eye shadow! Just go ahead and ship it to me, thnxxxxxx.) It mainly documents big events in my life and occasionally has saucy articles on various cosmetic products. That's basically what a newspaper does, right? Right.

Anywho, I think it's about time I put out the latest edition of The Kosey Chronicles (patent pending)(just kidding, I don't even think I totally know what that means)(but if it means you can't name your newspaper The Kosey Chronicles, and I completely understand why you'd want to because it's like a really, really good title, then I'm sticking with it)(patent pending)(no take backsies)(for real)(sry)

Here we go, y'all.

As of a few weeks ago, I have successfully completed my first semester of graduate school at Texas Tech University. I could write a whole series of blog entries solely about that feat in and of itself, but that would take a lot of time and I really should spend said time like cleaning or doing laundry. I won't be doing either of those things, actually, but it's the thought that counts and it's the thought that will keep me from writing my aforementioned episodic posts.

So, instead of trying to time travel though all of the minute details of my first semester, I think I'll just say this:

Graduate school is the hardest thing I have ever done in my twenty four years of life. It is also the best choice I could have ever made for myself. Every day I am learning. Every day I am growing. Every day I inch, millimeter by millimeter, towards the goals I have always had, and what's even more amazing, towards goals I never even knew lived inside me. I am surrounded by people that make me better, people that simultaneously push and ground me. Everywhere I turn there is talent, intellect, dedication, and dreams that are so big and bright that they makes me want to dream bigger for myself. Yes, there are days that are so hard that I just have to sit down and cry on my giant to-do list and wonder if there is a way I can add an extra ten hours to my work day. There are days that I wonder "Can I do this?" or "Am I good enough? or sometimes, simply, "AAAAHHHHHH"....yeah, there are those days. And on those days...I try to remember that literally every person, no matter who they are or what they do, has those exact same thoughts from time to time. And on those days, I remember that old, dusty, wonderful phrase that goes something like "This too shall pass". And y'know what? It's true. Those days always melt away into the vast drippy world of yesteryear and a new day dawns and the smoke clears and I see clearly enough again to think to myself "I can do this" or "Hell yes, I am good enough" or sometimes, simply "AAAAHHHHHHH"...but like in a happy, squeal-y way. I think "This. This is exactly where I am supposed to be, exactly what I am supposed to be doing." I am, quite literally, living my dream. I am so, so very lucky. F'real, y'all.

I put that paragraph in italics so you could know it was meant to be read in a very introspective, thoughtful, touching, fancy way. Italics do that, y'know. Trust me, I go to grad school.

All joking aside, this semester has been a truly amazing, astro-rollercoaster through space and time. I have never felt both younger and greener AND older and wiser in my whole life. Every single day is a new adventure. Sometimes, I get my ass kicked. Sometimes, I kick ass. I'd like to think it's a pretty balanced ratio most of the time. I am in an amazing department with amazing professors and amazing students and amazing friends and an amazing on-campus wifi connection a decent amount of the time. I truly cannot wait to see what my next five semesters have in store!

What can I say, being a Red Raider is pretty Rad. :)

 

 

 

 

I promise to not let another half of a year go by without a post again, Mom. Also, I expect that eye shadow in my mailbox in 3-5 business days.

 

 

xoxo,

 

 

Kelsey

 

 

Vitality VoxBox Review!

Hey y'all! Hope all has been well. BTWz, you are looking ferocious today. Like in a good way. Like a lion model or something. But like a cute lion. Do you know what I mean?

Perf.

Anyways. So, since my last post I have begun my first semester in grad school. Cray, right? I'm still processing it all, it's all happening so fast! I'll blog about it once my brain stops spinning with newness, deal?

On to business. This entry will be me reviewing the Vitality VoxBox I received a little less than a month ago from this awesome site called Influenster. Basically, if you sign up and they select you, they send you really cool loot to review for free! Amazing, right?

I got the Vitality Box, so it was full of all kinds of neat stuff that lends itself towards a healthy, bright, festive life. Uh, yes plz!

Here's a pic of my box after I excitedly tore it open to see what was inside and then arranged the stuff back in there as cutely as I could...

So, let's begin the reviewing, shall we? We shall.

1.  Bikini Ready Energy Gummies

With Fall whispering to me right round' the corner, being bikini ready is (luckily) no longer something I'm thinking about. (Okay, I never really did. HOT CHEETOS ARE SO GOOD YOU GUYS!) However, what I really found intriguing about these little dudes is that they not only boost your metabolism but two of them is the equivalent of about 1/4th of a cup of coffee. Now more than ever, I will take caffeine just about any way I can get it, and popping two fruity gummies in my mouth is about as convenient as it gets!

2.  Softlips Cube Chapstick

Thanks to my mother, I was raised a lip product junkie (okay, just a product junkie in general...) and I gata' say...I've really been digging this cute little cube! It's stated that is a 5 in 1 Lip care (it hydrates, replenishes, smooths, protects, and adds shine) and I can absolutely say that...they ain't lyin. The second I glide this on my lips, I feel like I just did them a favor. We've all used chapsticks that are waxy, slimy, gooey, etc., right? Right. (Even if wrong, just go with right.) Well this product avoids all that residual gunk and just goes on light and sheer. Immediately I can feel it sinking in and doing some chappy magic. Plus, the cube I got is berry flavored! Who doesn't like berries?!

3. Elizabeth Arden Flawless Future Powered by Ceramide Caplet Serum

This was the product I was most excited about. As a self proclaimed bonafied beauty snob, this product was right up my alley. It's main use is to stop early signs of aging, give a little zest to a tired complexion, basically- rejuvenate and refresh. I have really enjoyed using it! I put one or two pumps of it on after I've washed my face in the morning. The product comes out a sheer, sparkly, lightweight serum. (Yes, sparkly. Love.) It also has a nice, clean, subtle scent. I have yet to see any real visible results, but it does make my face feel amazing, so that's pretty great! For more info on the line, go here: http://bit.ly/EAFlawlessFutureSerum

4. Pure Leaf Sweet Tea

Though I, myself, am not really a fan of sweet tea, I would totally recommend this to anyone that is! It's light, sweet and refreshing. My dad would love it! And what's good enough for the class act that is Randy Fisher really should be good enough for you...I mean...be real.

*The last two products, I have not yet had need to use. But I'm super stoked to have them in my cabinets when occasion may arise!*

5. First Degree Burn Cream

I am honestly very thankful that I can't review this product at this particular time...because that means I haven't gotten back into the habit of accidentally reaching into the oven to grab a hot pan without putting on mitts. When that inevitably happens again, I'll let you guys know!

6. Playtex Sport Fresh Balance

As a lady, it's always nice to have a good stock of feminine products! Woo!

PLUS: As an added bonus I got some coupons for $1.00 off my next Softlip Cube purchase! I can't wait to try the mint! (Man, I love mint.) 

I hope you enjoyed my lil' reviews, and I hope you check out Influenster! 

xoxo,

Kelsey



*I received these products complimentary from Influenster for testing purposes.

Livin' in Lubbock.

Confession time: I have been dreading writing this post.

Whew. Okay. I feel better. After all, honesty is the best policy, my babes.

I haven't been dreading writing it because I have bad news to report, nothing like that. I've been dreading it because I'm lazy and I know it will take a lot of focus to accurately catch y'all up on Life As Of Late, y'know? But I'm here now. And I'm here eating left over KFC macaroni and cheese as I type. I've hit lazy-rock-bottom...so I'm ending it here. Well, not the macaroni. I'm going to keep on eating that. YOLO or whatever. (Mom, that means "you only live once". It's an awful phrase that's way over used in todays society and you do not have my or Bubba's permission to start saying it, even if it's just to be ironic. Also, I love you. Your hair is looking fab right now~*)

---BREAKING NEWS: CONFESSION #2---

I WROTE ALL THAT LIKE TWO DAYS AGO. I GOT UP TO GET LIKE A DIET COKE OR SOMETHING AND THEN I THINK THE COUCH GODS CLAIMED ME. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES EXCEPT FOR WINSTON AND HE DOESN'T SPEAK ENGLISH. WELL, HE DOESN'T SPEAK ANY LANGUAGE HE IS A DOG. OFFICIALS ARE LOOKING INTO IT.

Wheeeew. Glad to get that off my chest. See, I could have just kept on writing as if there hadn't been two days separating the thoughts...but that's just not the kind of blogger I am, y'all.

Time to get down to business.

I live in Lubbock now. Tyler and I, we're Texans. Like baby Texans, but still.

Here's how it all happened.

Selling Our House

So, as I had been warned, we discovered that yes...selling your house is a big ol' pain in the ass. If you read my previous entry then you know the work we put into getting the house like minty fresh before we put it on the market and started showing it, so I won't go back into that. I'll move on to the "showings stage". Y'all. It's so hard/annoying/weird to keep your house looking like nobody lives in it for 80% of the day and to be at the beck and call of complete strangers. Tyler and I would get a call at 8:30 am saying "Okay, make your bed, grab Winston, and get outta' there. You have a showing in twenty minutes". We would groggily follow orders, pile into the car and make ourselves sparse. The first time we went to McDonalds to get breakfast. Why? I don't know. I have never not regretted a day that I began with a McGriddle. It's just not a good choice. But we did that. The showings were only ever supposed to be about thirty minutes. After sitting in the McD's parking lot for about fifteen minutes we decided to head back, pull around the corner from our house and just creep until the people left. It was like 9:20 at this point and to our surprise...we saw no cars in front of our house. NewbZ that we were, we just assumed the people hadn't come yet. So we sat and waited. Tyler, quietly and patiently. Me...not so much. Here's how it went.

9:24: "It is 9:24...like...where are these people?!"

9:26: "Like...do these jerks not realize that THEIR TIME IS UP IN LIKE FOUR MINUTES?! We     are headed directly back to bed at 9:30 sharp, I don't even care".

9:32: "LIKE OBVIOUSLY WE AREN'T GOING TO JUST GO BACK IN BECAUSE LIKE WE WANT OUR HOUSE TO SELL AND THESE PEOPLE MAY BE THE ONES TO BUY IT BUT HOLY SHIT THIS IS ABSURD. I THINK I'M ABOUT TO RAGE PUKE THIS MCGRIDDLE ON WINSTON AND HE DOESN'T EVEN DESERVE THAT"

9:38: "That's it. I'm calling Deb."

***Deb tells us she'll call our realtor and see if they were on their way***

9:40: "I don't even think I want people this freaking inconsiderate to live in our beautiful, glorious house. Honestly."

***Deb calls me and tells me that the people had already come and gone, left at about 9:15***

So. Yeah. After our first episode of house showing, I became hardened. I never wanted to sit and basically become Nicole Richie circa "Simple Life" just belligerently shouting at the window of my car again. Thus, the creeping spot was born. Anytime we would get the call to skidaddle, we would not roam far. We pulled into the location of my first melt down and watched from afar-saw the people show up, saw the people leave.

So life was like that for awhile. It sucked. I once left a City Bites cup on my counter before I rushed out to leave and had a panic attack in my car over it. Why? I don't know. That's just what showings do to you. They make you feel like if people see a soda from a sandwich shop sitting atop a counter then they will deduce that humans live in the home they are viewing and that if humans live in the home they can't. Also, maybe they hate City Bites. Which is ridiculous.

Another time, I was called at like 8 pm to leave. I had settled in for the night, diet coke in hand and Kardashians on the telly. (I'm allowed to say things like "telly"...I went to London. I'm basically British now, y'know?) A streak of sass ran through my veins and I deliberately left Kim, Kourtney and Khloe on the screen. I just wanted the people to know what they were getting into. A house that supports the watching of asinine but fabulous reality television.

We went to the lake for the Fourth of July and the house was shown a lot then, too. It was nice to be away from the fuss of it all. It was nice to not make a bed when we got out of it, to leave a fork in the sink, have a drink sit out. Well, nice for us...I'm sure my uber clean freak of a mother was in hell...but she allowed it. I think she knew we needed it.

We got back from the lake and life remained the same for a few days-cleaning, showing, sleeping, repeat. We were only a handful of days away from actually moving out of our sweet little house and staying with Rand and Deb before we made the trip down to Lubz. Then we got the call. A cute older couple had made an offer. We were under contract. The showings were done. I felt elated. Also sad. It was a bizarre cocktail of feelings. I'm almost glad that the house stayed on the market for two whole weeks (which in reality is like nothing) because the process of having to strip it down to basic décor, dashing in and out at any time of the day, all of it...made it a little easier to say goodbye. It didn't feel like home anymore. Just a really clean, super cute, giant trunk of memories that had been emptied out.

Moving Day

On the 15th of July, a Tuesday, we moved out of our house. It was a really weird day. Just seeing all that was left of our stuff be carried into trailers, seeing the rooms grow sparser and sparser until they were just four walls and carpet, was weird. What a juvenile choice of word, right? "Weird". But that's just what it was. I wasn't kissing every corner with sobs of despair like I thought I would. I wasn't dreaming up where all my stuff would go in our NeW hOuSe like I hoped I would. I felt like I was just trying to respect the time I had in this wonderful home. I mean sure, I'd be vacuuming or something and some tears would spring out...but I tried to recover and keep moving. All the chaos of the actual moving part helped keep me centered, too. As the day dwindled down, my parents, the glorious and hardworking people that they are, were buzzing around and finishing things up as their workers and Tim (my Moms cousin that works for them-he's always felt like more of an uncle to me) closed the trucks up, ready to head out after a job well done.

My parents had gathered up all the last minute stuff and they told Tyler and I that they would see us at their house, where we'd be staying for the next two days, once we had had a moment alone to say goodbye to our first home.

Me, being the psycho that I am, rushed through the rooms with blurred teary vision, and said my goodbyes quietly and privately. Lyler thoughtfully went room to room and bid his ghosts adieu. The emotion of the day, of the months, really, finally got to me and I just sort of snapped. I wanted to get out. I stood in the dining room and just angry cried at Tyler for being so damn thoughtful, for wanting to soak up our last minutes in this house. I didn't want to soak up anything. I was standing in a house that was so, so chalked full of memories of love and fighting and growing and learning and now it was all just so empty and echoey and I...I just didn't want to be in it anymore. I guess without ever realizing it, I had started to slowly say goodbye to this house when we taped up the first box weeks ago. Tyler, being the sweetheart that he is, let me be a freak. We had a snotty, cry-ey kiss in said dining room and then we said our last goodbyes to the home that had been so good to us.

Like Being in High School, but With Boys and Beer

Staying at my parents house was a great little vacation before the big, official move on Thursday. After weeks of having all of our stuff boxed up, of eating crappy fast food, of having to be up and out of the house at any given moment...we could finally just chill for a day. That night we had a steak dinner, I took a soak in my parents brilliant Jacuzzi tub, I looted my Mom's beauty cabinet, it was great. When my parents went to bed, Tyler and I stayed out on their beautiful back patio and drank beer and watched tv and it was just really nice. The next day Tyler was able to run to see his Mom again for one last goodbye and I'm so glad. Luckily, we got to have a lovely dinner with his fam a couple days before. They are such sweet people. I know he's really going to miss them all so much, so it was great that we had this bit of a "free day" to spend getting to do the stuff we wanted, not just "movey" stuff.

On my free day, I sat around with my own Mum (I'M BRITISH IT'S FINE) just letting myself be kind of raw and rugged-going from laughing to crying to trying to pry her Glam Glow face masks out of her hands basically every other second. That is something my heart already aches for. Sitting on the back patio with her, stealing sips of her iced tea, and just talking about life. Okay, I'm going to make myself cry (jk-I'm already totally crying) so I'm going to get back on track.

Mom and I made dinner and we all chatted and it was a really lovely last night. When the rents' went to bed, Lyler and I stayed up and made lists of all the things we would miss about Oklahoma. Tyler said he would miss weather and trees. I said I would miss family and friends. Tyler said he wanted a do-over because he thought we were literally just listing things about the state of Oklahoma that we would miss. I made fun of him. We looked at the sky and it was cool and clear. It was a wonderful way to spend our last night Home.

The Drive Down

I got up at about 7 am. My mom and I piled into her car to take her pups over to Sissy, my aunts, house. Sis was dog sitting Roxy and Jackson for my parents while they were moving us in. I was thankful that I got to see her one last time before we headed out, I love Sis so much. It was a mad dash in the pouring rain with two confused weenie dogs...but it was totally worth it.

We left, ran through Starbs, and headed back home to prepare for our 8 am departure.

I have to admit, I felt awful that morning. I think without realizing it, I had internalized a lot of stuff. On the outside, I was ready for the move. I really hadn't cried too, too much-not compared to how much I thought I would at least-I was good to go. On the inside, I felt horrible. My stomach was in knots, I was so tired, my whole body was sore and I just felt spent. Driving for six hours sounded like the worst possible way to spend the first part of my day...but what can you do?

We got our lil' cars in a line and headed out. My stomach gave me hell for most of the trip, at times it hurt so bad I thought I could pass out, but it subsided. Somewhere around hour 4 I started to feel a little better. Maybe it was all mental. Maybe my appendix burst. Either way, it passed and I was very glad.

Homecoming King and Queen

We arrived at the house, home, and it was all just kind of a blur. Tim and the workers had beat us there. They'd already started to get the big furniture in. My parents quickly joined in and before I knew it all the trucks had been unloaded and they were headed for a hotel. My parents and Tyler and I wearily grabbed some KFC (remember that mac? That was first-day-in-house-mac. I really should have probably thrown that away by now.) and plopped down on the willy nilly couches. (The furniture was in...it wasn't arranged.) The beds were just beginning to call our names when POP! The power went out. My Mom was ready to pack up and go to a hotel but they were all either booked or had outrageous pet deposits. (Winston, y'know.) About 45 minutes into she and I's mutual fits, the power came back on. Then about fifteen minutes later it went off again. Then about twenty minutes later it came on again. For good.

Weird first night.

The next day we went into beast mode. It was hard, guys. There were times when I felt like just throwing unopened boxes away and reconciling with the loss of whatever was inside BECAUSE I DID NOT WANT TO UNPACK ANYMORE. Luckily, I didn't do that.

My brother and Whit got there that day and my parents stayed at a hotel that night. When they left, my brother was like "Listen. I can tell you right now, Mom and Dad don't expect us to do much now that they're gone. So let's do this thang." And that's just what we did. That thang. In about two hours time we had hung about 80% of the pictures, did last minute arranging, assembled décor-a lot. The house looked great. I mean, yeah, there was still going to be a lot to do the next day but...hey...we made a dent.

The parents were pleasantly surprised. Then we got to work again. It was my family's last day of being here and they wanted to make sure that when they left, they were leaving Tyler and I in a comfortable, functioning home.

I am so thankful for them. Love and dedication seems to literally seep from their pores. Maybe that's why they all have such great skin. Or maybe it's the Glam Glow (gimmie the Glow, Mother) (just kidding) (maybe).

That night we made steak and drank wine and had champagne and it was just really nice. My parents headed back to their hotel to allow my bro&Whit and me&Lyler to have some quality time. We got a little toasty, watched some festive tv and had some patio chats. It was good. We stayed up too late, but it was worth it.

The next morning was the goodbye. I peeled myself out of bed and hugged and kissed my wonderful people goodbye. My Mom was thankful that it was quick, I think. We had both really, really been dreading this moment. With tears and sleep in our eyes, Tyler and I waved goodbye. Then we went back to bed. Then we woke up again many hours later. And though it felt strange to have the house be so still....no people racing around it with hammers or bed frames or caulking tools....no Mom chugging her 80th glass of iced tea while flying through boxes and cabinets and making it all look so lovely.....no Dad wearing his cute little polo's while busting his butt getting stuff done....no brother putting stuff together or making the yard nice...no Whitster helping me sort through all of my massive amounts of stuff and getting it put away.....just me and Lyler, a pitbull, and a really beautiful house. All thanks to these amazing people. If not for them, we'd be eating ramen on a table made of boxes wondering whether or not cable tv would just sort of...happen for us. We are so very, very lucky. If any of you are reading (besides Mom, duh) I just want to say it again- thank you. I love you.

Lubbock Livin'

It's been over a week since the big move, since we've lived in Lubbock.

Do we miss our families? Hell yes.
Do we miss our friends? Of course.
Do I miss Taco Bueno? All the time.

But if you made it through this very long post to find out how we really feel about living here...I am happy to report...that we love it.

We've been lucky to just have this week be kind of open for us. Sure, Tyler's had his job interview and little meetings and stuff-HE GOT THE JOB, YAY-but other than that we've just been kind of hanging. We've explored a bit, my friend KJ was able to show me around the campus a little, I've turned some of my own employment paperwork in and...yeah. Just slowly but surely we are starting our life here.

Things are about to get crazy for us both here in just a couple of weeks...so for now...like I said...I'm loving the lazy. I'm lounging around this new house of ours and just loving it. It feels like home. It really does.

I can't wait for you betches to come visit. Just make sure and bring me some Mexi Dip n' Chips and a muchaco-no tomatoes.

xoxo,

Kelsey

Plans, Paint, & Petrified Pit Bulls.

My house went up on the market today. Crazy, right?

Well, probably not that crazy for you. Very, very crazy for me and mine.

It feels like an eternity ago since we returned triumphant from Lubbock and began the process (the very fast paced process)  of getting this house ready to list. I didn't really know what to expect.

Luckily, Determined Deb had already begun planning her attack.

GETTING THE HOUSE READY TO SELL

Chapter 1: The Unfolding of the Plan

About three weeks ago my mom, aka Deb, informed Tyler and I that she would be coming over twice a week, at the very least, from 9 am until around 5 pm. Tyler and I, so young and unaware, said "oh, okay?" not really knowing why we were staring at 40+ hours of work looming ahead of us in the not so distant future. "Our house is so cute!" said we. "I think a good dusting should do the trick!" we offered. "We could vacuum once or twice and probably call it good!" we exclaimed.

With the confident smirk, Deb said "Uh-Huh. We'll see about that."

Actually, I think she said something like "WHAT, YEAH RIGHT! You guys are nasty little piglets, I just hope three weeks is enough time to clean that place up. NASTY PIGLETS!".

But the other way sounds cooler. And doesn't have the whole piglets part in it.

Chapter 2: "You Bettah' Werk"

I wish the actual working part was as fun and sassy as the title of this particular chapter (RuPaul inspired, OBVI) but sadly...it was less voguing and more crown molding. Don't judge me for that weak sentence, it's the best I could do.

Honestly though, when Deb unraveled her full To-Do list out I think my jaw may have dropped.

Here are some Disney gifs to give you an idea as to what I looked like in that moment. Why Disney? WHY NOT?!

 

 

 

 

 

Scuttle=Tyler

And Deb was all like

Okay, okay, she wasn't scary about it. But when Deb has her game face on you know shit is about to get real.

-----------------------------------------------------------------

The first phase was prepping for the staging of the house. Basically, what that means is we had to pack all semblances of Tyler and I actually living here away. Not only did this mean just going ahead and boxing the nonessentials to get out of our way, it meant paring down in general. Mainly for Yours Truly. I mean, I have a lot of stuff so...I get it. That didn't make it any easier though. There was a lot of

"C'mon, have you worn these shoes in the past two years? No? Then they don't get to come!"

"You're saving that blanket? I don't think the people of Lubbock will let you in with something that jank! Bye, blanket!"

"Tyler only has like 11 shirts, Kelsey! Stop making him give one away just because you have to! I'm so sorry, Tyler. You're a brave, patient man, huh?" While I'm over here all like

okay, enough Disney.

....etc. etc. etc.

In the end, despite how difficult it was to part with the knick knacks and baubles that have collected around this house over the past five years, it really is nice to finally be rid of some of the junk. All joking aside, I'm truly glad that in the "paring down" process, we probably eliminated the need to buy at least 10+ more XL moving boxes. Full of crap I wont even want to unpack in our new home.

After that first phase was finished, the second and most time consuming phase began- deep cleaning, painting, repairs and overall sprucing.

In like four days we had repainted the entire hallway, all of the doors, the baseboards, any necessary touch ups in literally every room, as well as most of the cabinets in the kitchen.

We vacuumed like 9,000 times and then shampooed the carpet in every room 2-3 times.

We shampooed the loveseat and the couch.

I repeat.

We shampooed the loveseat and the couch.

WHEN DEB SAYS DEEP CLEAN, YOU BETTER BELIEVE IT HUNTY!

We replaced the guest bedroom door (that Winston tore up in a needing-to-potty induced rage back when Addie lived here) and the backyard door handle. We re-caulked the guest bathtub and toilet. We used this incredible little invention named "Shop Vac", which is exactly what it says. It's a little tube of a vacuum used in like scene shops and construction sites and stuff. It has a thousand different nozzle heads and can freaking get just about anything up. I was amazed. I named him Steve. He is my new friend. Just kidding, I make Tyler use him. But he's my dudes new friend and I'm all about it.

During this time we also had the entire roof redone as well as the gutters. Plus we had two windows replaced. Plus plus, Deb planted some flowers out front.

A lot of stuff going on, right? Stressful, right? Could be a little overwhelming, right?

Which leads me to

Chapter 3: The Case of the Petrified Pit Bull

Winston. Is. Over. It.

Vacuums have always kind of given him the willies, so imagine what a regular vacuum, Steve the Shop Vac, AND  a carpet shampooer did to the poor guy.

Pair those three monsters with the fact that all of his parents stuff was getting thrown in boxes (and his stuff, too! We packed his wardrobe away! Even the tutu! What?!) and having to deal with a plethora of strangers in and out and on top of the house and whaddaya' get?

A shaking, shivering, immobile, pouting, won't-come-out-of-the-closets and/or corners, sad, sad pup.

To make matters worse, he stepped on something jagged outside and it cut his little paw so we've had to ghetto rig a cast on his foot until we get to the vet on Tuesday.

 

lol @ the pink and green duck tape, not lol @ sad Hoonst

 

 

Suffice it to say, Winston is ready for things to stabilize a bit.

 

We all are.

 

 

Chapter 4: To Market We Go

 

We had done it, y'all. We had accomplished the crazy list that my perfectionist Mother always knew we would. (Non negotiable, if Deb is committed to something, it will happen. She's pretty neat that way.) Though the days were long and the chores were tedious, it was all totally worth it. My mom was right. Yet again. Like always. We are little piggies, dammit. :)

 

After spending days being splattered with paint, drenched in sweat, and tackling dust bunnies (which, BTW, looking nothing like actual bunnies. Like. How rude.) we had done it. Okay, mainly my amazing parents had done it BUT Lyler and I helped as best as we could.

 

Today was the day. Our realtor, Karen, came over to check out the house and take the pictures for the listing. She was amazed at how much had been done, she actually hadn't seen the house since she sold it to us five years ago! Here's a little taste of the changes we've made:

 

 

Crazy, right? You can imagine her surprise!

 

Anywho, she went through and took the pics and just a few hours later sent me the listing.

 

It's up. We did it. The house is on the market. It's on effing Zillow and everything, so you know it's gata' be legit.

 

I'm not sad yet, just tired. And excited.

 

I know it'll hit. I'm not sure when or where, I'm not sure what will trigger it. But I know it'll hit and I'll probz be a mascara dripping, ugly crying mess.

 

For now though, I'm just proud.

 

So now I think I'll pour a glass of wine, sit next to my gimpy wimpy dog, and bask in the accomplishment of it all.

 

I'll leave you babes with a few pics.

 

Enjoy! I know we have.

 

 

 

 

The End

 

 

xoxo,

Kelsey

Beauty Bloggin'

Hey, y'all.

With times as crazy as they are now (actually, when are things not crazy...?) I feel like doing a totally fluffy post.

In my life, nothing says "indulgent" and "wasting my time but like in a fabulous kind of way" like browsing Pinterest or Tumblr or any other number of websites and reading makeup/beauty posts. Y'know the ones. They list off the "hottest makeup trends for year ****" or "the top twenty products you've been missing out on" or my personal favorites, "My top *** products". I love seeing the products or regiments people couldn't live without. It's absolutely fizzy and mindless but whatever. I've found some amazing products that I now use on the daily all thanks to those little babes. I love them so much that I actually did one myself a couple of years ago, read the post here! Forgive the really crappy quality of the pictures. And the rambly descriptions. But hey, if you're reading this you obvi don't mind my rambling, stream of consciousness style of writing. Check it out!

Anyways, I think it's time to do one again. Here's what I've been loving recently! The products range from Walgreens to Sephora to Whole Foods! Mhmm. Enjoy, betches!

My Top Eight (Because I Didn't Feel Like Doing Ten) Beauty Obsessions...Lately...In No Particular Order...I'm Starting Now

1.LIPPY Liquid Lipstick

In my last post I updated you all on the long trip to Lubbock to find ourselves a new home. Amongst the pictures and the details of how difficult house hunting could be...you probably just glazed past the whole "six hour car ride sitting in the back seat of my parents' truck" part. Let's go back to that.

After downing a giant red bull, berating myself for forgetting to bring a pillow, playing a level or two of candy crush and catching up on all of my social media sites....I was bored. What does Kelsey do when she's bored? She puts on makeup. Like yeah, I wear makeup pretty much every day any way about it...but when I'm bored I get like...into it. Like I'm auditioning for a MAC makeup girl position kind of into it. So I began digging through my giant Betsey Johnson makeup bag and applying various products (some that will show up later on this list!) I realized...shit...I had no lip gloss. See, I'm not normally a lip gloss girl, I'm a red and/or wine hued lipstick wearer. Solely. But MAC KELSEY decided that my 1,000 variations on the aforementioned two colors just simply wouldn't do with the palette I had so tediously crafted. So what did MAC KELSEY do to solve this lip gloss fiasco? She made her mom hand over her purse and she ransacked it. That's when MAC KELSEY found and stole this little beauty.

Stolen Color: Queen Vic

 

 

Y'all. Not only is this color like as fresh as a spring bouquet from like a really, really overpriced farmers market...but this stuff feels so great on your lips. Coming from a pretty anti-gloss gal like me...that's saying something. When this company coined it's name "Butter"...they weren't kidding. Not only does this gloss miraculously avoid the icky stick, it glides on like...well, like butter...and it's richly pigmented. Plus, it's has great staying power, too! This guy's price tag reads $18.00, which for some may be ridiculous to pay for lip gloss, but I must say it really is worth it. Also, it's easy for me to say that. Because I stole mine from Deb.

 

2. Activated Charcoal Capsules

 

If you have a Pinterest account then you've probably already heard all about these little wonders in a bottle. I won't go into all the details, y'all got google, but basically Activated Charcoal is the shit. It is good for pretty much everything. The reason it landed in this diva's house is because my mom heard from my sister in law who is as beauty obsessed as I am that it was a great natural teeth whitener. Deb bought some for herself and reported back that it made her teeth feel like she had just gotten back from the dentist. I was like..."okay well obviously I want some now" and true to Deb's giving nature (remember the lip gloss scenario?) she got me some and brought it over. Her instructions were as follows:

 

-Open up one capsule on a plate

-Wet your toothbrush and place it in the little pile of charcoal

-Brush your teeth for about 2-5 minutes

 

Simple enough, right? I, of course, went right to work. I was eager to see if this rando health food store item could really do anything that my toothpaste didn't already do. I followed the steps and...I'll be honest...I looked pretty scary doing it. The charcoal turns your whole mouth a goulish, Walking Dead extra worthy, dark black. Have no worries though, a few rinses with some water and you're de-zombified.

                  What?

 

So...was it really as cool as everyone's been saying? Y'all. Ask Tyler. I was amazed. I wish I would have taken before & after pics so I could show you. I mean the change isn't like BOOM WHITE TEETH HEY GIRL GET IT....but dude my teeth were at least a shade whiter and felt...true to Deb's words... like I had just gotten a thorough cleaning from the dentist. I was obsessed so I immediately went to Pinterest to see what else I could do with my new little miracle product. Apparently you can use it for all kinds of helpful, non-beauty related things because it naturally draws toxins out of the body. It's used for spider bites, for food poisoning, and all kinds of other health remedy stuffz. Though I thought all that was pretty awesome, I was on the prowl for another beauty use. I found about a zillion different charcoal face masks. I tried one yesterday and another one today. Though I didn't see any real noticeable results, my face did feel great! I encourage you all to go read up on this handy little product!

 

This is the one my mom ordered online. For like $4.64. Yep. Less than five bucks. GET IT!

 

 

3. Taylor of London Elegant Rose Luxury Talcum Powder

 

I found this festive little product when I was browsing through a local TJ Maxx (I'm a total Maxxinista.) and it triggered a memory of a passage from "To Kill a Mockingbird" that I'd always loved. Here yah go:

 

"Ladies bathed before noon, after their three-o'clock naps, and by nightfall were like soft teacakes with frostings of sweat and sweet talcum."

 

Something about it always felt so old school southern to me, y'know? I don't know, maybe I'm weird. It just always felt kind of lovely to picture a bunch of belles fanning themselves on their giant front porches, pale white with powder to keep them fresh and cool.

 

Long story short, I bought the damn powder in a Harper Lee driven impulse. I've got to say, what was originally purchased on a random literary whim has really become a favorite of mine. I keep it on my bathroom sink and pat some on any time I think of it. I pat some on my neck to add its soft and feminine rose scent to whatever perfume I'm wearing that day. I get a little on my hands and rustle it through my hair to dry up any oil and add a little hint of rose to my tresses. Sometimes when I get out of the bath or shower I'll just dust some all over my body to lock in moisture. Also, to feel like the before noon-bathing ladies of yesteryears.

 

Basically, it's a rich and silky powder that adds a little touch of floral to your life. Plus, as much as I've used it the past couple of months, I have still barely put a dent in it! Longevity and nostalgia in a cute girly tin container? I love it.

 

Though my Maxxinista price was only about $4 or so, I found it online for a mere $13!

 

 

4. it Cosmetics Heavenly Luxe Powder Brush

 

I got this little dude through a beauty mail service called TestTube. (It's basically a way more expensive but also way better quality version of BirchBox. Which I also get.)

 

This brush quickly turned into an every day must in my beauty routine. My whole makeup-wearing life I've never used a foundation brush. I just always felt like my makeup looked best when applied with my own fingers. Sure, I've experimented with using various brushes throughout the years (see: the disaster of 7th grade's Bare Minerals foundation trend. AKA- a bunch of 11 year olds with no concept of proper blending techniques attempting to wear a completely powder based, pretty pigmented foundation.Though some mastered this craft...I never did. It was a rough, blotchy year.) I've just never been sold on the whole brush thing. But with this brush...I'm a total convert. It's got the head of a basic kabuki brush but it feels like effing velvet on your skin. The dense, soft bristles allow for an almost airbrushed finish. It's amazing. I love it. Thank you TestTube. XOXO.

 

At $48, this guy is a little pricey. However, when it comes to makeup brushes...you really do get what you pay for and it can make all the difference.

 

 

5.  Vaseline

 

Yep. That's right. The stuff that, if  you were to open any grandparent and/or parents pantry like in the whole world, you'd find. It took me years to figure out why our elders coveted something as nasty sounding as "petroleum jelly". I guess it's that whole "with age comes wisdom" crap or something, I dunno'. Any way about it, they were right to be obsessed. It does so much. Dry skin patches? Vaseline. Want softer feet? Vaseline. Shinier eyelashes? Vaseline. Highlighted cheekbones? Vaseline. Keep hair dye from staining your skin? Vaseline. Keep nail polish from getting all over your fingers during a manicure? Vaseline. Remove stubborn eye makeup? Vaseline.

 

You getting the picture? Join your grandma, your mother and yours truly as a member of the Vaseline revolution! It's like six bucks and some change. Just do it.

 

*insert a chorus of angels singing harmoniously*

 

6. Mally Eye Shadow Stick

 

This was another TestTube win! TestTube is pretty expensive, I think it's around $40 a month...but man have I gotten some truly awesome loot out of it. The coolest part is that unlike BirchBox or other companies like it, TestTube will send you full sized products as well as the standard samples.

 

The Mally stick was one of my full sized product wins. Basically, it is what it says. It's eye shadow in the form of a stick. Though that isn't usually my kind of thing, I prefer the cathartic act of choosing shades of shadows and pairing them with appropriate brushes to get a lovely blend of carefully applied eye makeup, I must say it's come in handy. I am a girl that, as I'm sure you've noticed, really enjoys the art of makeup...but even I have days where I'm like "just don't look like vomit and we'll call it a win". Okay, sorry for the vomit visual, but you know what I mean! The days where you get up and the birds are not chirping for you they are screaming at you. The days where leaving your bed feels like it would be a real case of abandonment and neglect to both you and your mattress. The days where you look in the mirror and you're like "I AM NOT TRYING TO DEAL WITH THIS TODAY". On those days...my Mally stick is great. The hue I got was a soft violet. On my "eff it all" days, I reach for my pretty purple shadow stick and in one swoop my lids are handled. All I have to do is throw on a little brow highlighter and mascara and I'm done. I just saved myself an extra fifteen minutes. Saving those fifteen minutes bought me a spare ten minutes. I cash in those spare ten minutes at Starbucks and voila! Espresso in hand and I can now conquer the day! Hell, maybe I'll even add eyeliner at some point! Or not! Whatever! Thanks Mally!

 

$25 bucks can equal a trip to The Bux. I'm just sayin...

 

 

7. Clean & Clear Deep Action Exfoliating Scrub

 

This has been on my "top whatever" lists for years now. No matter how many fancy, high end face washes I buy...I always come back to this product. It's no muss, no fuss. Sure, there are days that I decide I'm gana be all spa-ey and I bust out the nicest foamy face wash I can find and pair it with my amazing Clarisonic and I do the whole exfoliation thing up right. Mostly though, I find myself reaching for my tried and true drugstore favorite. Throughout the years I have sampled just about every drugstore face wash they crank out. I figure "Hey. It's like four dollars. Why not?" In fact, that's how I stumbled across this particular face wash! But unlike it's fallen brethren, it has staying power. Why? Simply stated: my face feels clean after I'm done using it. I know, what an absurd thought! Face wash that washes your face! Good heavens! But like really though. I can't tell you how many times I'll use a face wash, despite whether it was from Sephora or Dollar Tree, and I still feel grimy afterwards. It's such an annoying, defeating feeling. I am a believer that a good face wash can turn your whole day around, so for me...I find it infuriating when the wash is a wash.

 

This face wash is tingly, but not too tingly. Scrubby, but not too scrubby. The smell isn't overpowering but it is kind of rejuvenating, almost like a spearmints second cousin that lives in Brazil, y'know? If you have combo-but-mostly-oily skin like me, I highly recommend this dude. The best part? Not only does it slough off oil and dirt with it's little micro beads....but it does so in a way that's so gentle that you can literally use it every day! YAS!

 

Head over to your neighborhood drug store and find this little lovely waiting on the shelves for under $6 bucks! Give him a good home, he deserves it.

 

 

8. Coconut Oil

 

Like its friends Activated Charcoal and Vaseline, Coconut Oil can be used for so, so, so many things. It is a natural way to: moisturize both skin and hair, soften hard cuticles, treat chapped lips, remove eye makeup, repel bugs, shine shoes, etc. Minus the hair masking, basically anything Vaseline can do, so can coconut oil. Plus much, much more. Where Vaseline can only multitask your outsides, coconut oil steps in and multitasks your insides as well! You can take a spoonful of it daily to help boost your immune system, you can cook with it, you can use it as a natural toothpaste, you can oil pull (google it, it's pretty amazing) and all sorts of other things! Seriously, just type in "coconut oil" into any search engine and you'll fine lists upon lists of things it can do and uses it has! When something has the abilities to do as much as this power product...why not invest?

 

This is the brand I use (pictured) costs about $10, but there are a bunch of different brands and prices. Explore. Invest. Enjoy.

 

 

 

So there they are, folks! The eight products I'm currently loving! Feel free to share your favs with me, I'd love to hear!

 

xoxo,

 

Kelsey