Goodbye RTtA!

Hey y'all!

I moved the blog. I'm no longer going to be posting here, so please follow me at the new location!! It's

Katy Tackles Life, and I really hope y'all meet me over there.

It's going through some changes, but because Blogger seems to have gone crazy in the past week, I apologize in advance for any issues. :) I love you all, and hope you keep reading!

Road Trip Preparations

Sitting here painting my finger and toenails, while watching Desperate Housewives. I heart this show pretty hardcore, but I'm only just into the second season, so no spoilers!! When I'm finished I'll post pics of my home mani/pedi. I very rarely (aka never) get professional ones anymore. One, my nails always have to be boring colors for the fingernails, thanks to the Navy. Two, they always take y feet calluses off, and at the risk of being gross, I like those. They aren't large and gross enough to see, and it makes wearing heels really painful. Haha. 

One more month of boring nails, and it's back to fun flirty colors. I am obsessed with colorful nails. Black, navy, pastels, glitter. You name it, I love it. 


Tomorrow I start the trek back up to Virginia. I've never made this drive before, so I'm hoping it goes well, and storm free. Prayers and well wishes are welcome, as always! :) My last day here in Jacksonville (or as it happens about 30 minutes outside of it, since my mom lives way out in the boonies. Seriously, we hear banjoes way too often for my comfort....) was very quiet. It was Baby Bro's seventh birthday, but since we celebrated with a huge party a few weeks ago, it was just quiet family time. I bought an XBOX yesterday (seriously can't live without one.... I have issues, I know.) and usually BB is not allowed to play video games, but he was granted a reprieve for his b-day so he spent the majority of his day riding his new bike, or playing Lego Harry Potter. Kinda boring sounding, but we enjoyed it. 


We also went to his school yesterday and had brownies and cookies with his class. The kids were super excited to hear about Africa, and then we spent time helping the teacher. The school allows you to volunteer (after a background check, of course!) and you get to assist the teacher grade papers, make notes to send home to the parents, etc. It is fun, shows Baby Bro I'm interested in his life, and will look good on my college application! I know I'm considering a degree in nutrition, but teaching is definitely a consideration. I still have some time to think of it. :)

I charged up my camera so tomorrow I can take pictures of my long, boring, lonely road trip tomorrow. Maybe I'll stop for lunch at a wi-fi spot and read up on your blogs to keep myself from going out of my mind. I also have Pandora on my phone (and a car charger!) and loads of awesome cds. (I seriously need to get an iPod hookup in the truck.) I'll probably spend loads of time talking to myself, too. Haha. I love road trips, but not solo ones. 


Ok, time for some honesty. I have been S.L.A.C.K.I.N.G. in exercise/eating lately. That ends now. I am officially no longer on vacation (not that a month long vacay should be excused...) and it's time to get serious. Plus I really miss running, no lie. So I need to start. :) I also need to start getting some sun on this pale white girl body, and am planning on working on that also. Haha. :) Also, since my hair grows super fast, I need to get my roots fixed up. Four weeks, and my roots are where most people's are at 6-8. I've already had to trim my bangs once. 

Why I Love My Best Friend.

I'm in a gushy mood tonight, so I've decided to write a post about my BUFF (BFF sounded out phonetically!). So I'm going to sit here listening to my Breaking Benjamin Pandora station (seriously. Where has this amazing contraption been all my life?!) and drinking my Silk Pure Almond dark chocolate milk (an amazing find. Seriously. Go buy it!)


Reason number one I love my best friend?

No for realz. This is my baby girl. She lights up my life, and when I'm away from her I get sad and miss the crap out of her. I love her more than 99% of the people in my life. She's just full of spunk and life and amazes me on a daily basis. I know Ellie was really torn between her sister and I for godmother status, and I feel so blessed to have been given such a wonderful gift. Plus. The kid is like a supermodel. I fully plan on exploiting that. Aunt Katy needs a big house.


Reason number two I love my best friend?


Pssssssssh. She keeps me sane. I have no clue how two people who are like oil and water can fit as well as we do, but it works. El and I are as different as night and day. I think the only thing we agree on in this world is how different we are. Haha. But we will talk for hours and not get mad or offend each other. (A miracle in itself since El is so nice, and I'm super.... um.... we'll say.... direct and opinionated.) And I mean hours. The other night we started talking just sitting in the garage, and kept talking until 6am. And this is something we do on a regular basis. My throat was sore from talking so much. We've done that since high school. (Though back then, there would also be two packs of cigarettes gone.... But not anymore!!) I think we work so well because there is zero competition or jealousy between us. I see that so often in friends ('frenemies'?) and it makes me sad. I guess opposites really do attract? Plus she will have random 'dance parties' with me. :)

Reason number three I love my best friend?


Um, hello. She's gorgeous. Who doesn't like pretty people?! 

I personally like to surround myself with beauty, and I'm just lucky enough to have friends that are gorgeous inside and out!




Sorry for being sappy. Haha. I have committed to running four miles tomorrow. Keep me honest guys! (Had to throw in some exercise SOMEWHERE! Haha.)

Seven Year Old Prodigies

Ok, first off.... why are all of my blog friends Gator-haters?! This saddens me. Oh well. You'll have to get over it, since this is one proud Gator fan, and y'all love me! :)

Thanks for all the sweet words guys, and I am so glad to be back to blogging. It's such a great way to keep up with people, and y'all are amazingly supportive! 

Today was super fun. I hung out with my godbaby and my best friend's mom and sister. Said best friend was busy entertaining her out-of-town guest, so we were on our own. We went shopping, and I got a super cute outfit, but I still haven't mastered dressing room self-photos.. haha. I'll still show you the picture I did get, but I should be wearing it tomorrow, so I'll try to get more pictures then. 

Besties mom cooked this amazing 'Italian meatloaf' today. I seriously could have eaten my weight in it, but I only had one helping! Haha. I have definitely put some weight on since vacation started, and I'm trying to reign it back in. So I also had a huge mixed greens salad with blueberries instead of dressing. (Trust me. It sounds weird, but it's perfect.) And a smoothie!

After dinner, we all (me, Akemi, Karen -Ellie's mom, Bob -Ellie's stepdad, and the twins.) went for a walk/run. The twins are Ellie's seven year old brother and sister, and they rocked my socks off. The loop we went on was a least two miles, and they ran pretty much the whole time! Bobby was even in flip flops! I was super impressed. Emily is so excited for me to run with her from now on. (Of course I leave back for Norfolk this weekend...) 

All in all it was super fun day! Tomorrow I'm going to the pool with Akemi and Brandi, then heading back out to my mom's house. :) 

Playing catch-up!

Hey y'all! I've just come to the conclusion that blogging on vacation is complicated, especially when my mother has no wireless internet! Haha. I caved and went out and bought her a router, and now I can blog to my heart's content on my own computer, which is better due to the fact that that is where all of my photos are! 


Ok.... where to start... I guess with the really big news. I'm not getting married anymore. The circumstances are private and personal, far too much so for a public blog, but there all the same. I can't avoid sharing it anymore. Shane and I are still together, but there is no longer a wedding in the works. I'm also not moving to North Carolina this summer (I'm sorry Jenn, I so wanted to be neighbors!) So as you can imagine I have been stressed and upset. That's also all I want to say on the matter at this time...


SO. I'll get back to other news. Yesterday I went to The University of Florida (a.k.a. my dream school) to find out what I have to get accepted. I will be a Florida Gator. I will. So now I have to focus on taking my SATs and my ACTs (I'm taking both to see which one I'm stronger at. Let's just say my high school grades were.... beneath my abilities....haha.) I may have to end up getting my AA (or the equivalent which is 60 credits and then transfer), but I'd rather just start as a Freshman. I'm really leaning towards nutrition. So I will be applying this fall for next year, so wish me luck and say lots of prayers!!! 


I went to the beach with my cousin and her beautiful little girl and my momma. It was super cute, since it was Avah's first time to the beach. I KNOW. Major FL mommy fail, since Avah is four. I gave Amber such a hard time! Haha. But she had such a blast flying kites and running around. It was precious.

I bought the Jillian Michaels's Yoga meltdown video, and I love it! I have been super slacker on running, but I have been doing lots of videos (P90X and Yoga meltdown mostly!) Too much eating out for my own good, I think though. And wayyyyy too much Starbucks. Seriously. I'm addicted to non-fat Chai Tea Lattes. Which has  200 calories (thank you Droid app!). I only have one a day AT MOST, so I figure I could have worse addictions. 


Today Ellie has a friend visiting from Washington (the state!) so I'm excited to meet him, so I'm sure I'll be posting about that! I leave back to Virginia for my last month in the Navy this weekend, and then I'll just be using that time to play catch up on running and reading! I did finish reading the new Sweet Valley book (I was super addicted as a kid!!), and it was ok. Not great, not bad, just ok. Haha. :) 


Also, I'll be changing around the blog a bit when I get some time, and probably changing the URL for obvious reasons... Anyways I love y'all, and have really missed you!!

Lots of Baking.... Fail.

Boy oh boy. What a day! Today my best friend Ellie and I were asked by my mom to make cupcakes and cake pops for a party she is having tomorrow for Baby Bro. So we eagerly agreed, and perhaps a little too soon. Haha. Maybe it was because it is April Fool's Day, or maybe because we just aren't that experienced in baking yet... But it was an adventure. We sure did learn some things though....


First, just because you want double the amount of product a recipe produces, does not mean double the entire recipe... Second, when the instructions tell you not to overheat the candy coating... Do NOT overheat the candy coating! Haha. Third, baking with three small children is not preferable circumstances! 


But we finished, and hopefully they don't throw us out of the party with rotten fruit and vegetables tomorrow! Haha. Bestie and I are supposed to go on a run tonight, if we can find someone to watch the baby. I really need a run! If not, then we will P90X it up in the living room and she can just watch. Or join in, more likely! 


Today we pulled a fun April Fool's Day prank! At Ellie's house they have the 'man cave' (a.k.a. garage) with a huge flatscreen tv, an Xbox 360, a Wii, a Nintendo 64, NES, and SNES. SO we moved the tv and the Xbox, and messed up the rest of the garage and took pictures, and told everyone they were robbed. It was hilarious. Here are the photos..

I also have a few of the non-chosen dress photos! Here you go!

And here are some photos from when I took Baby Bro and Akemi to the zoo. (Or as Akemi calls it, the jungle!) 

Well, that's all for the day! Have fun everyone! :)