10.10.2017

Three Lazy AF Fall Recipes

fall recipes

I don’t always cook (read: basically never), but when I do you can bet that it’s one of these three recipes. They’re super easy, super good, and will last you for days on end. What more can you ask for? I found these gems a long time ago on Pinterest and they do not disappoint.

Slow Cooker Vegetarian Tortilla Soup                            Effort Required: Basically Zero

1 can of pinto beans

1 can of kidney beans

1 can of black beans

1 can of corn

1 can of original Rotel

1 can of diced tomatoes

1 can of hatch green chiles

1 packet of ranch seasoning

1 packet of taco seasoning

Directions: Dump everything into a crock pot, stir, and cook on low for 8 hours or high for 4 hours. It’s so easy an infant could do it. As it should be.

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09.30.2017

The Benefit of Being Someone’s Second Love

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Natasha doesn’t say what she suspects. That meant to be doesn’t have to mean forever. They kiss, and kiss again. When they do finally pull apart, it’s with a new knowledge. They have a sense that the length of a day is mutable, and you can never see the end from the beginning. They have a sense that love changes all things all the time. That’s what love is for. – The Sun is Also a Star

My most-viewed blog post ever is one I wrote 3 years ago – The Difference Between First Love and True Love. For some people there is no difference; they end up with the people they were meant to be with forever on the first try. But as for the rest of us, we are someone’s second (or third, or fourth…) love. That doesn’t sound as magical to the true romantic in us all, but it is. It’s the perfect combination of magic and practicality.

My husband and I were talking about past relationships last week. Somehow in the past 5 years, I hadn’t thought to ask him if I was his first love! It was pretty obvious what the answer would be given that we met when he was almost 25, but I wanted to know for sure. He said no…and I was happy about this. It sounds weird, right? You would think a wife would want to be her husband’s first love, but I’m glad I’m not. I’m his second love and he is mine. It’s just one more thing that we share, and one more thing that makes our relationship even stronger. Here’s why being each other’s second love is the best:

It’s scarier in the beginning, but gets smoother with time – When I fell in love the first time, it wasn’t scary. The thought of it not working out didn’t even enter my mind. It was like “oh, I love you. This is it. I’m done.” In my mind, that was just the way it was. If you love someone, it will work. If you don’t, it won’t.

That wasn’t true. The more time passed, the more difficult and scary our relationship became. I knew exactly what was at stake and had a looming dread that it would all end terribly…and it did. First love is almost always followed by first heartbreak.

With second love, the opposite is true. Falling in love with Worsham was scary for me, and it had nothing to do with anything he did. He was, and still is, as close to perfect as they come. He was always patient with me. But I was so hurt by losing my first love that I couldn’t imagine having to go through losing someone again. I was afraid it would literally break me if we fell in love and it didn’t work out. I had to remind myself constantly that Worsham was nothing like my first love – that he wasn’t going to cheat on me, wasn’t going to lie to me, and wasn’t an asshole. My mind was super irrational for the first few months that we dated until he finally gained my trust. From then on, things were smooth sailing. Second love is like good wine – it just gets better and easier with time.

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08.31.2017

My Favorite Self-Care Tools

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If your compassion does not include yourself, it is incomplete. – Jack Kornfield

August has been an emotional doozy with so many planets in retrograde and the Great American Eclipse taking place (which was so cool)! Everything has just felt a bit off. For me, some days have been super chill and content while others have brought up past hurt that I thought I’d already processed 5 years ago. So if you’ve felt extra teary, cranky, or just meh for the past few weeks, know you’re not alone. This too shall pass! I’ve always been a big self-care person and never feel the need to justify getting a massage every month or spending a night doing absolutely nothing. Here are some of my favorite tools for when I need to chill the eff out.

Journaling – This is the number one thing everyone needs to do. Writing is one of the most therapeutic activities on this earth. It helps you figure out what you’re upset about in the first place and get that energy out of you. According to researchers at the University of Texas, regular journaling is shown to strengthen immune cells and can even decrease asthma and arthritis symptoms. They believe this is because writing helps you come to terms with events in your life and therefore reduces the impact they have on your physical health. Plus keeping a regular journal is hilarious to look back at when you’re older! I’ve written in mine religiously since I was 13, so you can imagine the greatness that is in there. People always wonder what to write about, but honestly it doesn’t matter! That’s the best part – you can write whatever you want/need to because no one is going to see it. Sometimes I’ll just write about my day/things I want to remember and other times I’ll write letters or poems of sorts. You’d be surprised what kind of insight you get just from reading your own thoughts.

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08.03.2017

Essential Oils 101: Starter Kit Oils

starter kit oils

One of the best deals that Young Living offers is their premium starter kit! You get your choice of diffuser, 11 full size essential oils, and a bunch of samples for $160. It’s a huge savings when you consider that just buying those 11 oils by themselves would easily run you over $200. Here’s what I love about each of the oils included in the starter kit:

Lavender – Lavender is the OG of essential oils. Everyone needs it and everyone loves it! It’s one of my faves to put in my bath, on pillows, in my mascara (it helps condition your lashes), and on cuts/bruises.

Peppermint – Peppermint is a staple in my purse! It comes with me everywhere because of how versatile it is. Forgot to brush your teeth? Peppermint. Have a headache? Put some peppermint on your forehead, or if you don’t want to mess up your make up then put it on your neck and behind your ears. Feeling dizzy? Put a drop in your water. Peppermint is the ultimate ride-or-die.

Lemon – Lemon is another great one! If your allergies are bothering you, diffuse it with lavender and peppermint. I love to put it in my water too. It’s weird because I hate actual lemons in my water, but lemon oil tastes magical to me – probably because it’s a ton of lemons in one drop. It’s great for immune support since it’s high in vitamin C. If I feel like I might be getting sick, I take a few drops of lemon and a few drops of thieves in a capsule.

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07.19.2017

From Miss to Mrs: Name Change Guide

guide

It’s the final step in the annoying yet beautiful process that is getting married: changing your name – you know, assuming you want to do that. For me, I’d never considered not changing my name…probably because my given last name (Gwartney) is so weird. Then again, Worsham is right on par in terms of weirdness! It’s fine though…odd British names are my calling.

Here’s what to remember in the name changing process. The whole thing does take a little while, and will likely vary depending on where you live, but rest assured it’s way less annoying than wedding planning.

Things to Do Before the Wedding

  • Set up a new email – This is something fun and easy to do while the countdown to the wedding is on! You know you’ll need a new email eventually, so you might as well set it up now.
  • Change your social media handles - Most people wait until after they’re married to change their Instagram and Twitter handles, but I recommend doing it as early as you want! You would think I wouldn’t have any problems with a name like Kylee Worsham, but shockingly that handle was already taken on Twitter. I just used an underscore in between my name instead, but I’d imagine if you have a common name that might not be available either.
  • Get your marriage license – Duh. Not only is your marriage license what proves you’re married, it also proves to the government what your legal married name will be. Make sure you get several official copies – you’ll need them later. For Oklahoma, you can’t get your marriage license until the week of the wedding and then you have 30 days to turn it in. Make sure the person performing your ceremony can legally perform weddings in your state. We almost missed the deadline to turn our license back in because of this! Shout out to the State of Oklahoma for not caring that my cousin wasn’t registered here until after our wedding. People always say that the more problems you have during the wedding planning process, the easier your marriage will be – so far this is definitely true! ;)

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07.05.2017

Oily Living: Essential Oils for Hard Workouts

Photo Cred: Moi!

If you’re like me, going to the gym more than twice in one week means you’re about to be sore AF for a solid four days. Gone are the times when I could endure endless hours of pom practices, skill classes, and performances with minimal pain. And that’s how I know I’m getting old! It’s cool though. Here’s how I cope on those weeks when I’m actually on top of my fitness game:

1. Cool Azul Sports Gel - This is basically the essential oil equivalent of BioFreeze, and who doesn’t love BioFreeze? Like the name suggests, it’s a cool gel that feels amazing on sore muscles or even when you’ve just been in the sun too long. It has cooling ingredients like aloe, peppermint, menthol, and wintergreen. Aside from a long Epsom salt bath, there’s nothing better than slathering yourself in this after a super sweaty workout.

2. Deep Relief Roll-On – I’ve talked about this before, but I’m going to talk about it again because it’s one of my all-time faves. Deep Relief gives you that same cooling sensation as Cool Azul, but it’s way more convenient to carry around. It’s easy to toss in your purse or gym bag, and since it’s a roll-on you don’t even have to rub it in with your hands. It already has a carrier oil in it too (coconut oil), so there’s no need to dilute it with anything. My laziness really appreciates this fact. Deep Relief also contains copaiba resin, which is really good for muscle pain, joint pain, and headaches/migraines. Fun fact: copaiba contains beta-caryophyllene – one of the main chemicals found in marijuana that gives patients pain relief.

3. Panaway – Panaway is no joke! This is what I bust out when I’m extra sore and slowly dying. Something about it just instantly gets to those terrible sore muscles like no other. Fair warning: it does have a pretty intense warming sensation – thanks to the clove oil –  so a little bit goes a long way. The directions recommend diluting it with a carrier oil (like grapeseed or coconut oil) when you apply it. When I’m really hurting I don’t even bother, but I don’t recommend doing that unless you know you can take the heat! This stuff is so powerful that I’ve even heard of pregnant women taking it with them to the hospital to tide them over till the epidural. I’m not trying to test out this theory, but that’s what the word on the street is!

What are your post-workout must-haves?

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06.14.2017

6 Lessons I Learned Being 26

6 things

On Monday I’ll be 27! It doesn’t even seem possible that I can be this close to 30. Here’s what lessons really stuck with me this past year:

1. Love is Forever – This applies to so many different types of relationships. The most obvious for me: Worsham. Being married has just solidified even more what I already knew about him. He’s my ride-or-die BFF, my soul mate, and the best example of what true love really is. He’s shown me that easy love exists and that it’s the best kind. He’s so much more than what I prayed for, and I know that will never change.

This year is also the 10 year anniversary of my dad’s death. Even though it’s been so long since he was physically here, I still feel his presence all the time. He isn’t really gone, and neither is his love. As Sirius Black so eloquently said, “The ones who love us never really leave us, and you can always find them…in here.” Love transcends our perception of time and space.

This can apply to past relationships as well. Sometimes people feel weird admitting that, or believe that they should hate all of their exes, but I don’t feel that way anymore. It’s understandable to be angry after you have your heartbroken, but eventually you have to let it go. It’s much better to see that person with love instead and to appreciate the role they played in your life. No one is brought to us by accident. If you truly were in love with them once, the love doesn’t really go away; the nature of that love just changes.

2. Some Things are Worth the Stress - Yes, I’m talking about the wedding. When we first got engaged, I went back and forth with whether I wanted us to have a traditional wedding or just elope (Worsham always said he was fine with whatever I wanted). But I’m so glad we had the traditional “Cinderella” wedding I’d always dreamed about. Those 15 or so months of planning were definitely not fun (with the exception of cake tasting), however, even with all the unexpected mishaps, it was beyond wonderful. You can’t put a price on those memories. If you truly want that type of wedding, and can do it without ending up homeless, then you should go for it. The stress is only temporary.

3. People’s BS Says More about Them – I don’t know what it was about the end of 2016/early 2017, but so many people were shady AF. A couple of instances really did bother me until I remembered something that my mom and grandma have always said, which is basically that how people act toward you says more about them than it does about you. It can be easy to obsess about what you might have done to cause someone to be a douche, but at the end of the day, you can’t control anyone’s actions. If you decide something is not worth the drama or attention, then let it go and know that it’s their own issue to deal with. It probably stems from something they don’t even yet realize themselves.

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06.04.2017

Must-Have Products for When Your Skin is a Life Ruiner

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Just like Regina George, acne is a life ruiner that ruins peoples lives. Up until the past month, my skin had been pretty clear…until I ran out of my precious Rodan & Fields Unblemish. Being on an organic kick lately, I thought it wasn’t a big deal – that maybe since I’m almost 27, I could start trying natural products without turning into a 15 year old.

WRONG!

My skin hasn’t looked this ratchet in a good 5 or even 10 years. If I were still in school, I’d be hibernating until it goes away. But alas, I have a job and like money so I can’t do that now. I ordered some more Unblemish last week only to have FedEx delay my delivery 2 days and then lose my package. COOL. So WTF am I doing until my precious package is back in my arms, you ask? Kicking it old school with alternative products that I know work almost as well. Here’s what to do if you a) can’t afford the greatness that is Unblemish or b) FedEx decides to ruin your life.

1. La Roche-Posay Effaclar Duo – You know when it’s French that it has to be good, am I right? This acne treatment was prob my fave product before I discovered Unblemish, and I still love it. You can find it at CVS, Walgreens, and Ulta so it’s quite easy to get a hold of thank God. It will set you back about $36 but the tube lasts forever and it works better than any other drugstore acne treatment you’ll ever try. Dermatologists love it, medical spas love it, French people love it – basically all the people who matter love it. Just remember to use it sparingly because it will dry your face out. Your pimples will die though, so who cares.

2. Lush Cosmetic Warrior Face Mask – This is the best thing Lush makes! We all know some of Lush’s face products can be questionable, but this is not one of them. It’s hands down the best face mask I’ve ever used. It has natural acne-killing ingredients like kaolin, garlic, and tea tree oil that diminish breakouts without making you look crusty. And if I remember right, it even won some award from Martha Stewart Weddings.

3. Sea Breeze Astringent – This stuff has been around since God knows when. It’s been a staple in my mom’s bathroom as long as I’ve been alive, and with good reason. It’s probably the only astringent/toner I’ve ever used that actually gets all of my makeup off and kills acne at the same time. It does burn a little when it enters your pimples, but honestly does anyone care? Because I love it. #diepimplesdie #iwillkillyou #byefelicia

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05.16.2017

Oily Living: Essential Oils & Vitamins for Stressful Work Weeks

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It’s that time of year, people! When I was a student, spring/summer always meant winding down and enjoying some quality time doing nothing. In the world of government contracting, this time of year is when everyone likes to release EVERYTHING in order to use up their funding before the end of the fiscal year. AKA my coworkers and I are running around like psychopaths right now. It’s super fun.

I’ve found that the best way to deal with this insanity, aside from yoga (duh!), is with essential oils and vitamins. Here are the ones I rely on all the time:

1. L-Theanine – I think I’ve talked about this on here before, but this stuff is seriously ESSENTIAL! It’s a natural amino acid that helps you chill the eff out before you lose your ever-living mind. I was popping these like candy on my wedding day and I regularly take them anytime I’m stressed out. It also helps on those nights when you can’t sleep because your mind won’t shut off.

2. Deep Relief - This is probably my favorite product from Young Living right now. It’s amazing for sore muscles. I don’t know what has been up with my shoulders/neck lately, but I’ve been randomly sore for no reason. It’s a roll-on so it’s super easy to apply at your desk for immediate relief. It also helps get rid of headaches! It contains a combo of soothing mint oils, like peppermint and wintergreen, for a fab cooling sensation.

3. Stress Away – The name says it all! Stress Away is one of the best oils when it comes to getting centered and realizing your problems are only temporary. I like to wear it as perfume on stressful days, and it’s great to diffuse at the office…or anywhere really!

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05.05.2017

My Lazy, Everyday Face Makeup

Photo Cred: NARS

Photo Cred: NARS

Liquid foundation and I have a tumultuous relationship with each other. I want to love it, but 99 percent of the time I hate every single one I try! This is because a) nothing matches my face right (I DON’T WANT TO LOOK YELLOW OR PINK OR ORANGE!) and foundation makes it that much more obvious, and b) it usually looks ratchet by the end of the day. The one exception to this so far is Estee Lauder Double Wear, but honestly I can’t with that every day; it can be drying and smells way too much like paint.

So to combat my lack of success in this department, 9 times out of 10 I do my old school face routine: no foundation. It’s quick, fool-proof, and never disappoints! Here’s what I use:

Primer: I don’t always use primer, but when I do I typically reach for Monistat Anti-Chafing Gel (old makeup artist trick! And no, not the cream that comes in yeast infection kits) or Lush Grease Lightning. Both work really well even though neither one of them are real primers. Grease Lightning is better for combo to oily skin and Monistat for combo to dry skin.

Concealer: My ride-or-die concealer for the past year has been NARS Radiant Creamy Concealer. It’s so good! I keep trying to switch over to completely green beauty products, but let’s be real – I CAN’T QUIT YOU, NARS. I use the shade Vanilla as my base and put a little on my cheeks, nose, chin, forehead, and under eyes. Then I go back in with Chantilly to highlight. I put a tiny bit near the inner corners of my eyes, down the bridge of my nose, in the middle of my chin, and on my forehead. I love this stuff so much that I’m contemplating buying a dark shade to contour with. It’s just so easy!

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