Random Thought Thursday | July 16, 2015

50 Things That Make Me Happy

1. When the sun shines while it's raining

2. A really great book

3. Ice cream

4. Tight hugs

5. Receiving snail mail

6. Organizing everything

7. My family

8. Crunching frosted leaves in autumn

9. High fives that have good sound with no pain

10. Finding a great parking spot

11. Strangers who smile as you walk by

12. When the radio plays great music

13. Seeing fawns and foxes on the highway

14. Genuine laughter

15. When people take the time to call 'just because'

16. Seeing balloons in the sky

17. The sore feeling of muscles after a good workout

18. Thunderstorms

19. Seeing adorable couples that are very clearly in love

20. Dangling my toes in the water

21. Alone time with my mom

22. Freshly washed sheets

23. Singing in the shower

24. Long walks

25. The smell of a bakery

26. Parades and community nights

27. Getting the perfect picture

28. When no one around me is on their phones

29. Breakfast for dinner (pancakes!)

30. Good skin days

31. The feeling of amazing health after being really ill

32. A glass of chocolate milk

33. Seeing nice things happen to the people I love

34. When babies smile

35. Freshly vacuumed floors

36. The first summer dress day of the season

37. Buying myself flowers

38. Seeing a film in the cinema

39. When something tastes good AND is healthy

40. When my Opa tells me old stories

41. Planning new things

42. My faith

43. Colourful sunrises and sunsets

44. Cold water on a hot day

45. Bonfires with special people

46. Feeling like everything will be okay

47. Trying new recipes

48. A great smelling candle

49. Looking through old photographs

50. Being alive

Thanks for reading, xo, Katelyn

Random Thought Thursday | July 9, 2015

My First Time

1. First tweet

Probably not the best thing to have as my first tweet, but at least it's honest ha ha ha. 

2. First blog post

I suppose I just couldn't wait to express my love for Clinique! 

3. First person you sub'd on YouTube

Ingrid... My absolute love!

4. First Facebook profile pic

Oh boy... do I ever look like a baby.

5. Do you still talk to your first love

Not on a frequent basis, but if we see each other in passing we stop to talk.

6. First alcoholic drink

I had beer and wine as a minor but legally my first drink in public was a strawberry daiquiri from Wacky Wings.

7. First job

I started working at the public library when I was 15 and stayed for 3 years. 

8. First car

I've never owned a car!

9. First person to text you today

My friend Amanda.

10. First person you thought of this morning

Umm.. I'm not sure, probably my mom as I heard her talking on the phone as I came to.

11. First grade teacher

Mrs. Hollingsworth- wonderful lady.

12. When was your first airplane ride

My Papa owns a two seater plane that I've been getting rides in since I was born but my first time on a commercial airplane was when I was 12 going to Edmonton.

13. Do you still talk to your first best friend

I do!

14. First sleep over

The first one I remember was when I was 6 or 7 and it was for my friend Kaitlynn's birthday party in the first grade.

15. First thing you did this morning

Go pee ha ha ha, TMI?

16. First concert

Hedley back in 2008 <3!

17. First broken bone

I broke my arm at camp when I was 11 or so.

18. First piercing

I got my ears pierced when I was 8- first and only.

19. First foreign country you went to

'Murica.

20. First movie you remember seeing

The Lion King I think!

21. First detention

It wasn't until high school- I got many detentions for too many tardies.

22. First roommate

I've lived at home my whole life thus far, but wait for September!!

23. If you had one wish what would it be

For a peaceful life.

24. First sport you were involved in

Gymnastics when I was 4.

25. First thing you do when you get home

Usually take off my shoes, hangup my keys and put my purse away.

26. First kiss

When I was 4 I used to kiss my best friend Spencer, but my first real kiss was in the 7th grade with a boy named Jesse from my camp.

Thanks for reading, xo, Katelyn

Random Thought Thursday | July 2, 2015

Photo Diary: Canada Day ft. Amanda & Samara

Thanks for reading, xo, Katelyn

Random Thought Thursday | June 25, 2015

Twelve Hours

11pm

A bowl of cheerios, a mug of tea

Pyjamas on, hair up, book open

The song on my iPod reminds me of you

I miss you.

1am

I can't sleep so I open a beer; I chug

A belch erupts from my hungry stomach

Everything reminds me of you and I hate it

 I miss you.

4am

A shot of whiskey, another, another

Lost count, I call you

The voice on the other end tells me you changed your number

I miss you.

11am

When I wake up I'm still drunk

The sun coming through the window is blinding

It's been twelve hours since that song

And I still fucking miss you.

Thanks for reading, xo, Katelyn

Random Thought Thursday | June 18, 2015

My Weight Journey

*Just want to place a little disclaimer here to say that this isn't me bragging in anyway, I've struggled with my weight for a while and I've worked really hard to get where I am. This post is designed to explain what has been working for me in order to get to a place where I'm more confident and healthy*

I began suffering from an eating disorder in the 10th grade. I was classified as having anorexia binge/purge type. This means that I would avoid eating at all cost and if I did end up eating, most of the time I would find a way to "get rid of it" as soon as possible. My bad habits were discovered near the end of the 11th grade when my swim coach noticed not only how thin I was getting in my swim suit, but also that my hair was thinning, my skin was getting bad, and my energy levels were very low.

 I am not going to post any body pictures from when I was suffering with this as I know that then (and even now) I would compare myself to these unhealthy images and I don't want to provide them for anyone else. I still have the mind set that bony girls are gorgeous; I admire thigh gaps and hip bones and cheek bones etc (Angelina Jolie though, am I right!?). This admiration doesn't overwhelm my life anymore though, and I can now realize that as long as I'm living a healthy lifestyle my weight and clothing size don't matter. 

January 2014

When I realized how unhealthy my life style truly was and how much weight I had put on after my recovery I was devastated. I went from not eating at all to skipping some meals and then binge eating to try to makeup my calorie needs. At my heaviest I was 153 on my petite, small boned, 5'2" frame. I wasn't by any means "fat" and I'm not claiming that I was, but I wasn't healthy. I was eating a lot of fast food and spending a lot of time in my bed. Recovery was hard and I just felt exhausted which left me depressed. I had to snap myself out of this funk and so began exercising again and eating healthy. 

January 2015

Only a year after the first picture you can see how much my body changed. All I was doing over this year was eating healthy foods and trying to be a little bit more active, opting for a walk on the board walk instead of a movie at the cinema. I went from 153 to 118. The weight loss wasn't a huge accomplishment compared to being 1 year anorexia free! Of course over that year I would feel the urge to skip a meal or purge after eating, but for 365 days I was able to suppress the urges.

June 2015

I took this photo at the beginning of this month. I am still anorexia free and I am so proud of myself. I found that I really love yoga, walking and bike riding and so I began doing those more and more often since January. My weight hasn't really changed but my body has. Just with the little bit of daily exercise I do my body has become a lot more toned. Places that once were jiggly are now a little more firm.

I think my biggest bit of growth over the last year and a half (besides overcoming anorexia) is I now have an appreciation for my body. 

I don't care to be skin and bones because my muscles are so beautiful.

I don't care to be skin and bones because my fat is so beautiful. 

I don't care to be skin and bones because I am so beautiful.

If you are suffering with an eating disorder please reach out to someone! My e-mail is katemcphee95@hotmail.com, please feel free to send me an e-mail at anytime of the day or night. You are not alone in your struggle and recovery is possible. 

Thanks for reading, xo, Katelyn

Chatty Tuesdays | June 16, 2015

Dear Future Kids...

1. I promise to always tell you that I love you even if I'm mad or upset

2. I promise to never say 'no' without a valid reason

3. I promise to never deny you what you deserve

4. I promise to never make you feel like your thoughts and feelings are wrong or invalid

5. I promise to never deny you creativity

6. I promise to never punish you without hearing your side of the story

7. I promise to listen to you when you speak

8. I promise to never let you feel like your accomplishments are irrelevant

9. I promise to never let you feel like I'm not involved in your life

10. I promise never to hold a grudge against you

11. I promise never to withhold an apology from you

12. I promise not to be too serious when it's not necessary

13. I promise not to cloud your decisions

14. I promise to always put you first

15. I promise not to be too involved in your friendships and relationships

16. I promise to never lie to you

17. I promise not to fight with your dad infront of you

18. I promise to always advocate for you

19. I promise to respect you

20. I promise to be open-minded to all your wants and dreams

21. I promise never to fail to meet your needs

22. I promise to never put you down or belittle you

23. I promise to be your rock and your home

24. I promise to be your best friend if you need me to be

25. I promise to always love you and to try to be the best mother I can possibly be for you

Thanks for reading, xo, Katelyn

Random Thought Thursday | June 11, 2015

Fav Reads

I will be the first to admit it - I read too much. My mom always said that when I find a book she loses me to it for a while, but that it could be worse because she could be losing me to cocaine. Way to stay positive Mom! What she means by this is that when I read I become really invested in the story and the characters. I like a book that takes me on an emotional journey. I tend to not be the most emotional person on a day to day basis but there is something about a well written book that can make me feel everything.

It was a hard task to narrow down my list of favourite books, but I think I have managed to create a list I'm really happy with. Please do keep in mind that this list is in no particular order as that would just be impossible for me to decide upon ha ha.

1. A Beautiful Mind - Sylvia Nasar

If you've read this book then you'll know exactly why it's on my list. John Nash is a mathematician, one of the smartest men around. His work is revered by many, but he has always been a little odd. It turns out that John suffers from schizophrenia. When this revelation comes about, we as readers are taken on the journey of his schizophrenic treatment as well as the journey of his delusions, love life, and eventually his self realization that the things he sees can't be real. This is a true account of the incredible life of John Nash (who unfortunately passed away last week), his struggles and his triumphs. 

2. The Fault in our Stars - John Green

I know there has been a lot of hype around this book, but I think it is all very much deserved. This is one of the most tragically beautiful novels I have ever read. The book is about the love story between two teenagers who happen to be riddled by cancer. They're journey takes them all the way to Amsterdam and back. Unfortunately it is not the ending we would all hope for the characters to receive, but it does end on a little bit of a heart warming note that allows the reader to walk away from the book feeling warm and content. I have never felt more emotions than I have whilst reading this book.

3. Starring Sally J. Freedman as Herself - Judy Blume

This book is one of my long time favourites that I can read over and over again and never get tired of (the first time I read it was 8 years ago when I was only 12 years old!). The book is about a ten year old girl, Sally who loves to make up little stories in her head. I love that this book discusses the real life problems of living in the 1940's - sibling rivalry, antisemitism, and racism - all through the eyes of a very innocent 10 year old girl. It's a peek into a sad and tragic history without the harsh realities of reading true life accounts.

4. Heaven is for Real - Todd Burpo 

Recently made into a movie, this novel has really packed a punch around disbelievers as of late. It is the true story of four year old Colton who experienced Heaven during an emergency surgery. The things he knows at four years old, and shares with his parents are things that no child could ever know. It is an enlightening and sobering read. I think if you aren't Christian or don't believe in God, Jesus, Heaven, etc. the story is still really amazing even with a fictitious interpretation.

5. Charlotte's Web - E.B. White

I feel like there is no need for me to explain what this little story is about as I'm sure almost everyone knows. However, in short, the novel is about a little pig named Wilbur who is at risk of going to the slaughterhouse. The barn spider, named Charlotte, uses her web to write messages about Wilbur so that the farmer will not send him to die. The pig ends up being a huge hit and lives a long, happy life with Charlotte by his side. Although this book is geared toward children, it's still one of my favourite little books and can always seem to get me a little choked up.

6. The Hobbit - J.R.R. Tolkien

The Hobbit is another one of those books that almost everyone has read, or at least knows the story of from watching the movie. Bilbo is a hobbit who is asked to go on a very unexpected journey as a burglar with 12 dwarves. Of course he is hesitant at first, but agrees to go on this journey not knowing just how much trouble lies ahead of him. The adventure in this story is like none other! Every page holds a new twist and it definitely keeps your mind very alert. There is definitely a reason that this book is still so popular after it's initial release in 1937.

7. Eat Pray Love - Elizabeth Gilbert

Eat Pray Love is an autobiography. It recounts a year of the authors life after her divorce where in she decides she needs to travel. The first section, Eat, is set in Italy where she rediscovers her love of food and learns to enjoy life. She then moves on to India to find her spirituality; Pray. The final section, Love, recounts her time in Bali, Indonesia where she intends to find balance of the two and falls in love with a Brazilian business man. The story is one of my favourites because not only is it reassuring to see that people really can, truly, start their lives over even in their forties, it can also be read as a self help book where-in as a reader we can learn from the experiences she had abroad that we may never be able to have.

8. Loser - Jerry Spinelli

Loser is another children's novel, but one that I still love to this day. The novel is about Zinkoff, a very socially inept boy who has no concept of how much of a loser he really is. I love the innocence of this book as well as the adventure Zinkoff is able to take us on through his light-hearted curiosity.

9. We All Fall Down - Eric Walters

We All Fall Down is an amazing story of Will and his father on a ninth grade school assignment where in Will has to go to work with his father. His father happens to hold a high up position at the World Trade Center. Can you guess the date this took place on? Yup, September 11th, 2001. We are taken through the emotional and suspenseful journey of before, during, and after the planes crashed into the buildings. Thankfully Will and his father both make it out of the building safely and Will is also able to have a new found respect for his father who is no less than a hero throughout the terrifying time.

10. The Last Song - Nicholas Sparks

The love story of Will and Ronnie is like none other. The Last Song is such a beautiful romance novel (Nicholas Sparks is the writer of some of the best romance novels of all time, but The Last song is my favourite), but beyond the romance the novel also touches on some very serious family problems. Ronnie has such a poor attitude when the novel begins, but as her heart opens to Will and she discovers the true secrets of her broken family's past she becomes a really sweet, and beautiful young woman. This book never fails to make me cry both from sadness and from happiness.

So these are my top 10 favourite books, in no particular order. If you have any reading suggestions based on what I enjoy reading please do let me know and I will 100% check them out!

Thanks for reading, Katelyn

Random Thought Thursday | June 4, 2015

8km

Yesterday evening was absolutely gorgeous here in SSM, Ontario so my brother and I decided to take advantage of it. I rode my bike and he used his roller blades and we did 8km of the Hub Trail around our city. 

I absolutely love living in Northern Ontario; it's so gorgeous every where you turn!

I mentioned the Hub Trail before in this post. Basically it is a paved pathway that goes around the perimeter of my city. It's so beautiful and I can always count on running into at least one person I know whilst out and about on the trail.

Like seriously guys, this can't be beat! As much as I would absolutely love to live other places in my life, I think my heart does belong here and I'd definitely end up back here when and if I settle down, get married and have kids.

The hub trail in my city was named after a mayor we had a few years ago who passed of cancer. The city adored him - I think he served 3 terms in City Hall - so the Hub Trail is in memorial of Mayor John Roswell.

The trail is lined with benches in the down town area as it is a very scenic area and probably the most used section of the trail. Pictured is my brother (who's making a face because he hates getting photos taken). We decided to sit down for about 10 minutes and just take in the view. It's crazy to me, living in a border city, that I can look out across a river and see an entirely different country!

The skies were such a clear blue and the grass looked so green in the sunlight yesterday evening!

While we were down town we actually saw a docked coast guard ship that is all the way from Ottawa! It was absolutely ginormous! The crew on the ship saw us checking it out and gave us a little run down of the boat, but unfortunately it's against the law for them to invite us on. 

And to finish it all off, I just had to prove my theory that life is better through sepia coloured glasses.

Thanks for reading, xo, Katelyn