12.18

After finally feeling a little more like myself from last month's cold, I was ready to bring on the holiday spirit. Several holiday parties were attended, and lots of relaxing ensued over a much needed week-long holiday break.

December 2018

Tommy's BIRTHDAY
Tommy's birthday falls right around the corner from mine, and as much as he doesn't really "do" birthdays, I always try to make the most of it. This year we celebrated with massages (for the second year now, so thinking this just may be a thing now which I'm 100% on board with), dinner at Q39 (never disappoints) and an ice cream cake with those big ol' numbered candles.

Holiday parties
Savannah and I attended the BBBS holiday party which is always fun. The KC organization goes all out, and their hard work is evident in the amount of smiles from all the kids that attend.

I attended my first holiday party with my new department which was fun and a nice way to get to know co-workers a little better. Plus it was at Boulevard so that's always a win.

Tommy's work holiday party was so much fun this year. It was a Top Chef inspired cooking challenge at a cooking school. All of us were split into small teams and were responsible for making a dish for the meal we'd enjoy at the end. It was so much more enjoyable than sitting around a big table making small talk.

Right before heading home for break, we finally made it to the pop-up Christmas bar Miracle downtown at the Rockhill. It was well worth the wait (and the bill) because it was the perfect send off for maximum holiday spirit.

Naperville
My family traveled to Naperville for Christmas. It was fun as always. Max even stayed for a few extra days! Tommy's parents and my parents were able to meet and have dinner together. I finally got to go to the Christkindlmarket, and we went to a brewery, a movie, and a fun tapas restaurant. It was just what I needed after a few very hectic months at work during our busiest season.


BOOKS

When Life Gives You Lululemons – Anyone who enjoyed The Devil Wears Prada in the slightest needs to read this. Of course you can't imagine Emily any other way than as Emily Blunt, and it's almost some much needed closure learning how her life played out post Runway.

The Hating Game – A classic love story between two people who seemingly hate each other. The dynamics of their workplace relationship is hilarious, and watching it unfold is both painful and sweet.

The Last Time I Lied – I was pretty captivated by this one. I basically finished it in a day, and was sure I had things all figured but was continuously surprised as the thrilling, eerie story unfolded.

11.18

I always have a soft spot for November. Maybe because it's my birthday month or maybe because it's the unofficial start to the holiday season. This time of year always makes me happy, and this year it was even sweeter than usual since it happened to include my golden birthday.

November 2018

Golden birthday
Tommy was so sweet and kicked off the month with "28 days of Katie" by surprising me each day with a small gift or act of kindness (cooking dinner, washing the dishes, etc). Each day was a gift in and of itself, but some of my favorites included a wine and painting date night, a six-pack of "golden" beer on the 6th, breakfast in bed, and a pottery date night class. How sweet is he?

Yoga
The only downside to this time of year is that the days are short, dark, and cold. Not ideal for maintaining a positive outlook on life, so I decided to indulge a bit by joining a hot yoga studio. Stepping into a heated yoga studio after a long, cold day is literally purse bliss IMO. Thankful for this luxury, though for me it's a therapeutic form of self-care (and therefore I am justifying the expense for now). 

THE WINDY CITY
Before heading home for Thanksgiving, Tommy and I flew to Kenosha for a quick weekend with his family. We had tickets to the Bears/Vikings game in Chicago, and somehow managed to dress in enough layers to make it til about the middle of the 4th quarter before heading home. It helped that we filled our bellies with Chicago-style pizza before and sipped on boozy hot cocoa during the game.


Thanksgiving in iowa
I was ready for a long weekend off work and at home, but got sick with a pretty miserable cold right before heading to Iowa. Luckily being at home meant lots of home-cooked food and not a whole lot of anything else so I posted up on the couch under a pile of blankets and books. Which really is about my ideal situation sick or otherwise ;)


BOOKS

You Are a Badass – This was one of those self-help books that isn't necessarily ground breaking, but offers bite-sized anecdotes to remind you that you really can do all of the things and get the things you want.

10.18

October was a month of change and transition – both good things. At the beginning of 2018, I set a few personal and professional intentions. On the career list, I wanted to ask for a raise, and find and apply for a new position. Check. On the personal list, I wanted to find a space that suits me. Check. It may have taken longer than I would have liked or expected, but I'm so happy I took the time to write those intentions down and let them manifest into the universe.

October 2018

NEW JOB
On October 1, I officially started in my new role. The transition period was pretty long, but it was well worth the wait. I am so happy to have a more focused role, and a small-but-mighty team to work alongside with.

NEW HOME
I also moved in to a new house! I'm still renting but having my own space (and no one stomping around above me) has been life changing. I love the natural light and am learning to love all the quirks of living in an older home (creaky floors, door knobs that get stuck or fall off - the yoozh). It's like a few little secrets the house and I are in on together.

Family in kc
My family also came to visit in early October. My mom ended up getting sick and stayed at home, but we still had a fun weekend. I got to see Donna's semi-pregnant belly, and hear about all the planning that's involved for expecting a little nugget.

We grabbed food at some of our favorite spots (Lidia's, Taco Republic, Q39, and Brown and Loe) and drinks at Tom's Town and Boulevard. The weather was pretty decent so we walked around the West Bottoms and popped in and out of some of the warehouses.

GENDER REVEAL
Later in the month Tommy and I traveled to Naperville to be there for the gender reveal party. Everyone (including me) assumed it would be a little girl, but we were all surprised (and still ecstatic) when those confetti poppers popped out blue glitter. I can't wait to be an auntie to that sweet boy!

BOOKS

Made in America – I picked up this one after briefly hearing Sam Walton discussed on one of my regular podcasts. I figured it would be fitting as I started my new role supporting the retail business, and was charmed by Sam and his passion for merchandising.

The Girl Before – Another thriller that kept me guessing. And also kept me wondering what type of people would be ok with filling out that type of rental application (face palm).

09.18

I love September. For whatever reason, the start of Fall always feels more like a time of change/refocus more than the start of a new year. Maybe because my birthday is near, or maybe because the visual changing of seasons signals something to me. I find myself wanting to organize, de-clutter and be more intentional in all areas of my life. Between all that, there was several fun weekends with family and friends. 

September 2018

MSP
We made it back to Minneapolis, and had the best weekend (plus great weather)! Saturday was spent walking around Apple Fest in downtown Excelsior, going for a boat cruise, and having a great meal at home hanging out. The Vikings played Sunday afternoon (and lost, boo). After the game, we went to Manny's for an early dinner before making the drive back to KC.

PARENTS IN KC
My parents visited, and we had a fun-filled weekend. Despite wanting to do all the Fall things, the weather was most definitely still Summer. Friday night we took them to the American Royal, which is an experience in itself. Saturday morning we went the furthest South I've been in Kansas to visit a Cider Mill. Naturally, we swung by the winery that was nearby before heading north. My mom and I walked around the Hallmarket (an art fair featuring Hallmark employees), and we all headed to dinner at Bluestem for an epic meal. Sunday morning was spent waiting in line at Messenger (worth it) and surprising not waiting in lines at Ikea.

Kenosha
Tommy and I visited his family in Kenosha. His sister planned a little surprise party for his dad Friday night, and the six of us drove to the city Saturday morning to go to the Cubs game Saturday afternoon. Luckily it wasn't nearly as cold as I had planned for (I was seriously concerned - since living in KC I do not know how to dress for temps below 70). Even though the Cubbies crushed our hearts, we still had a great time.

FUN
We had a relaxing Labor Day weekend, and met friends at Irish Fest. Tommy's company celebrated the grand opening of their new office. And I had my farewell happy hour with work friends before starting my new job. Savannah and I were lucky enough to attend KC Fashion Week, which was fun for both of us. I also found a new place to rent, and will be moving in October!

BOOKS

The One and Only – I never watched Friday Night Lights, but I imagine this is pretty darn close to what growing up in a Texas football town is like. 

08.18

More travel in August. All for fun things, though, which made all the long car rides worth it. I also accepted a new job within Hallmark - though the actual start date wasn't until October.

August 2018

ERIKA'S wedding
We made a quick trip to Iowa the first weekend in August to celebrate Erika and Brandon's wedding. The ceremony was beautiful, and all the little details were intentional to them as a couple. And small town receptions are always a hoot. However, I had a horrible experience with bed bugs at the little place we stayed at. Luckily enough time has passed that I can talk about it. It scarred me a little, TBH. (Gives me the chills just thinking about it...)

OZARKS
Finally! For the first time the weather cooperated for the annual Ozarks trip. The 10th annual "hawg" roast (my 3rd trip) is always a fun getaway, and it was by far the best weather. Lots of fun was had, lots of margs were drank, lots of conspiracy theories and drama around the paddleboat races (per usual).

MKE WEDDING
Another trip to Wisconsin! We spent one night in Kenosha with Tommy's family, and spent one night downtown Milwaukee to celebrate the wedding of Tommy's college friend. The reception hall was beautiful, and we stayed right near the Milwaukee Public Market so naturally I forced Thomas to wake up early with me so we could walk around a bit.

BBBS Match anniversary
Savannah and I celebrated our one-year match anniversary with Big Brothers Big Sisters of Kansas City. She continues to surprise me with how grown up she is at only 10 years old. We went to the Cubs/Royals game, and also the Chiefs pre-season game - both of which were firsts for her.

Fun
Celebrated Melissa's birthday at a (new-to-us) taco joint, had happy hour with some of Tommy's work friends, swam at the Y with Savannah, and went to several baseball games. Thomas and I also rode Birds for the first time and had our own mini bar crawl/scoot in the Crossroads. We even re-visited our first date spot.

BOOKS

I regrettably did not finish a book during the month of August. Unless you count Kristin Cavallari's book that I got from the library after binging her show on E! You can take the girl out of high school...

07.18

Weekends in July were spent traveling. Lots of downtime with family. (There's a whole lot of other stuff I'm blanking on, which is why I need to be more timely on getting these finished at the month end...not quarterly.)

July 2018

LAKE
I took some much needed time off to head North. The weekend was spent relaxing, reading, and recharging outside. We rented a paddle board after having so much fun on Lake Minnetonka. My mom, aunt, and cousin drank some terrible wine at an adorable small-town winery. It was a great a trip, and my last one at our little cabin on Cedar.

MKE
Tommy and I celebrated 2 years together. We spent the weekend at home hanging with his family, but made a trip to Milwaukee to celebrate. We had a great dinner (and service) at Harbor House, and ended the night sipping drinks on the rooftop bar at the Journeyman hotel.

BOOKS

The Good Liar – A story of three women with something in common. Thrilling, with plenty of twists.

Not That I Could Tell – Still on the thriller train. This one was like an episode of Desperate Housewives.

06.18

June was a really tough month. A complete 180 from the month before.

June 2018

Perspective
June started as a month of uncertainty and utter sadness. But, thankfully, as the days went on, it became a month of hope, strength, and positivity. Tommy's dad had a heart attack and was in the hospital for the month of June. It's not my place to share the details, but I am happy to report that he is recovering, and doing a whole heck of a lot better.

As I reflect on the month of June, it really puts life into perspective. You cannot have highs without the lows. Every day is a gift (cheesy, but true). Be grateful for moments and time with the people you love. Tell them you love them, and tell them often.

BOOKS

Then She Was Gone – This is one of those stories you might see on the news...one that you hope you never have to experience.

Final Girls – Another thriller that kept my attention. Part horror story, part mystery.