The Most Wonderful Time of the Year... Well Almost.

Happy Halloween! 

Halloween is one of my favourite holidays, rivaled only of course by Christmas. There is just this sense of joy in the air during the holiday season that I am absolutely in love with, and it makes it incredibly difficult to choose a favourite. Thus, they are both my favourite. Solid logic, I know. ANYWHO, in honor of the Halloween spirit I thought I would share these lovely photos from an Alice in Wonderland themed photo shoot I had with my brilliant friend Grace.

I followed the white rabbit and fell into a world of wonder.

"Drink Me... this bottle was not marked 'poison,' so Alice ventured to taste it, and finding it very nice, (it had, in fact, a sort of mixed flavour of cherry-tart, custard, pine-apple, roast turkey, toffee, and hot buttered toast,) she very soon finished it off." -Alice's Adventures in Wonderland.

TEA TIME...

...With the maddest of all Hatters. 

But seriously. 

I fit in quite nicely here.

Thank you my darling friend for taking these brilliant photos. I had so much fun.

A very big thank you to Charlie Evans for helping us out at the last minute and being the white rabbit. I seriously could not think of anyone more suited for the part, so thank you. He has a blog full of wise words and his musings as of late. They are definitely worth the read.

I hope you guys have a spooktacular Halloween!

xxCaitlin

Welcoming Fall

 

Texas. Enough said.

Random black & white photo...

Jessica was getting crafty.

This plant and I go way back.

Beanie Cap: Hot Topic// Flannel: Re-Sale (Plato's Closet)// Jeans: Forever 21// Socks: Target// Boots: Re-Sale (Amelia's)

Oh Fall, how I love thee. I have been anxiously awaiting the day that I could wear these lovely boots I got for a whopping $12 this summer, and now the weather is finally cooperating enough for me to do so.  YAY! Its hard to go wrong with flannel and combat boots, so I will definitely be keeping this as a staple combination for the colder months. Outfits like this provide style AND comfort (the next best combo right behind peanutbutter and chocolate), which in my opinion are the best. 

Happy Fall everyone! 

xx Caitlin. 

Spaghetti and Coffee

I had originally planned a fashion post for today, but as I sat down to write it, my hands took it upon themselves to produce something entirely different. Nevertheless, I hope you can take some meaning away from the words that follow.

I woke up this morning craving spaghetti. Spaghetti and coffee to be exact. However, out of laziness I opted for a quesadilla and cup of overly sweetened Jo. I should have known then and there that this day was going to go nowhere. I sat there eating my odd choice of breakfast food while catching up on some blog reading, neglecting the fact that I still hadn't showered. Don't worry, I eventually get around to that part. And it was nice... but something that I had been mulling over the past couple of days in my anything but average mind crept back into view, but I chose to think no more on the subject; pushing it aside for another day.

I managed to somehow pull my lazy bum out of my desk chair and go on run. The weather was beautiful, the overcast provided the perfect amount of chill to the air, perfect for sitting outside that is, not running. LET IT BE KNOWN: Cold air + running = a living hell for Caitlin's lungs, and it wasn't long before I was ready to keel over on the sidewalk. Once I eventually made it back to home base, I showered, and that silly little thought crept back into my head. I made some more food -let's ignore the amount of food I consume on a daily basis- and once again found myself in front of my laptop with every intention of writing a style post over a darling outfit I wore yesterday. Instead, this happened/is happening, what have you.

As of late I feel as if I hadn't been myself... and let me tell you that is a horrible place to be. I came to a slow realization of this, and today I think I subconsciously chose to remedy it. The blogging world is wonderful, but underneath all the "genuine" posts that are intended to provide some sort of answers to questions, that we as readers may have concerning a certain topic, there is something else at work. I hadn't really noticed it making an appearance in my life, until recently. See, when we open ourselves up to the blogging world we have the option to choose how we come across. "But don't paint me like the good guy because every I time I write I get to choose the angle that you view me and select the nicest light" (Watsky) Those words had never had such relevance. When was the last time you saw someone post their bad hair day? Or pictures of them in anything less than their best?

Now don't get me wrong, I understand why we do this. Why would we want to put something out there that we could be criticized for? We seek to be loved. Plain and simple. We put the best version of ourselves out there and pray that people acknowledge just how awesome we are. We hide behind these images and take on personas that never should have belonged to us in the first place. And that is what I mean by saying I haven't been myself.

When I read through blogs... I get the notion that I am not quite enough. That I'm not beautiful unless I contour my face this way, or unless my hair falls perfectly every single stupid day. I find new tips to make myself more attractive, and by golly I hop on them without a second thought because as I've learned from reading, I obviously haven't reached perfection yet. And it is exhausting. Yesterday I looked hella good, and I felt as if I almost achieved a look many of my favourite bloggers would be proud of, but I also had a hella amount of make-up on. It was so heavy and I felt tired all day, and I think that is when I began to realize I wasn't the Caitlin I once knew.

So here I am. Hair still wet from my shower, and nothing gracing my skin except for a bit of moisturizer and some acne medication for this mountainous pimple smack dab in the middle of my forehead. But holy crap am I beautiful, and I mean that in the least vain way possible. Seeing myself for the first time in who knows how long, in my own skin is so refreshing and I feel awesome. I'm getting nothing accomplished, and I'm eating my weight in food, but LA-DEE-FREAKIN-DA, I could honestly care less. Today I am not shaking hands and making plans. Today, I'm going back to my roots and taking in the Caitlin that has been absent for far too long, and putting away the guise that I had come to accept as myself.

Come to think of it, that is one hell of an accomplishment. I am me, and I am breaking every single rule I had put in place for myself over the past couple of months, and I'm rocking it. So it turns out this day has not been in vain after all.

Moral of the story, spaghetti and coffee can do a whole lotta good in your life. 

Like your face and wear it.

I am Caitlin Kline, and this is Walter the Poisonous Water Buffalo, and we approve this message.

Stay Golden,

Caitlin.

Vegan Pumpkin Muffins

Greetings! 

So just as I promised, here is the recipe for those scrumptious muffins I mentioned last week. If you missed that post, you can read it here.

The mix of pumpkin, cinnamon, cranberries, and cardamom make these muffins absolutely perfect for fall. And the flax seeds used as an egg substitute add an extra ounce of nutrition, which made me feel a teeny bit better about eating four *ahem* in one sitting.

Ingredients

1 box spice cake mix

1 can pumpkin

1 c. rolled oats

1/3 c. of dried cranberries (or your favourite dried fruit!) 

4 oz apple sauce

2 Tbsp ground flax mixed with 6Tbsp warm water set aside (egg substitute)

3 Tbsp chia seeds

1 tsp cinnamon

¼ tsp of each of the following – nutmeg, allspice, cloves, ginger, cardamom

1tsp vanilla

Splash of vanilla almond milk (if needed)

Directions

*Preheat oven to 350 degrees* 

Prepare muffins tins with paper liners &/or nonstick spray coating.  

Mix all ingredients until blended. Scoop into lined muffin tins about 2/3 full.

Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.  

Allow to cool. Enjoy as is (which is what I opted for most days)*, or to make it extra sinful top with vegan "cream cheese" frosting.

Vegan "Cream Cheese" Frosting

 Ingredients

           ¼ cup Vegan butter alternative

                 ¼ cup Vegan cream cheese

                 ¼ c. brown sugar

                 ½ tsp cinnamon

                 2 cups powdered sugar

                 2 Tbsp. vanilla almond milk

 Directions
 Mix together the butter and cream cheese until creamy and well-blended (no clumps).  Add brown sugar and cinnamon & blend. Add powdered sugar and blend until fluffy. Thin with almond milk if needed.

*Serving Suggestion: Best when served with hot tea and a good book.

Happy Fall, enjoy!

xxCaitlin.

Vanilla Bean Bake Shoppe

Good Morning!

A couple posts ago I told you guys about a little food truck filled with delicious sweets and vegan goodies that I stumbled across while at the Waco Farmer's Market. Well I finally located its normal location, so this is me reporting back to you just as I had promised! Vanilla Bean Bake Shoppe is located at 520 Franklin Ave. Waco TX, 76701 (on the corner of 6th and Franklin, you cannot miss it). They are there every Monday- Friday from 11-6, and at the Farmer's Market on Saturdays from 9-1. 

As you can see on the truck, their number is (254) 722- 1246 If you ever have questions for them, or are curious about their specialized options, then do not hesitate to give them a call.

Check out that pricing too! The treats are well priced, and you definitely get your money's worth.

I happened to catch them on Vegan Treat Day, where they were trying out some new vegan sweets recipes to potentially bring to their regular menu. They had vegan brownies, vegan vanilla cupcakes, vegan samoa bars, and of course, the vegan chocolate chip cookies I raved about in the last post. All of them looked so incredible, so I had to stand there like an idiot for a minute or two until I finally decided on the samoa bar (which was only after being prompted by the very friendly lady at the sales window). 

And holy nonsense, that thing was fantastic. I am not normally a fan of coconut (the texture just weirds me out), so I surprised myself when I chose this particular item from the lovely selection they had to offer. I am so happy I chose this treat though because seriously, it was so good. The blend of oatmeal, coconut, and chocolate was perfect, and the chewy texture was just the icing on the top. In other words, imagine how wonderful the legendary Girl Scout Samoas taste, multiply it by 100 and you might begin to understand how tasty it was. 

So beautiful... and so, so yummy. My tummy was praising me after eating this little slice of heaven.

 I believe that these items were indeed a hit, and they will now be rotated on the regular menu. HUZZAH! So if you find yourself in need of a sweet fix (there are other options besides the sweets to choose from as well), then I would definitely recommend you swing by this little hidden gem in the heart of Waco. You will not be disappointed, I promise. 

You can like them on facebook for regular updates and promotions, and make sure to pay them a visit soon!

Thanks for reading! 

xx Caitlin.

 

A Much Needed Break

Good Evening dearies,

This past weekend Jessica and I were lucky enough to be able to visit home, which was rather exciting for me considering I had not been there in quite some time. Even though we were only able to stay a day, it was still magnificent! I didn't think I would be quite as happy to see everyone as I was. It's funny how you never really realize how much you missed some people until you're finally standing in front of them again. Who would have thought that I could miss Magnolia? 

Friday night 

      Jessica and I attended the Magnolia Bowl, which is basically the most important football game in our town because it is between the two sister high schools Magnolia HS and Magnolia West HS. And may I just say, way to go boys for stomping Magnolia for what the fifth year in a row or something like that? 20- 0 was the final score, poor Magnolia didn't stand a chance. But hey, A for effort right? Anywho, on to the reason we really went to that game; the Wild West Marching Band. I'm starting to not recognize most of the band now, which is really unnerving... makes me feel old. (Sorry Mom, I know how this must make you feel.) Regardless it was wonderful to get to see my guard/band again. I've missed all of them so much. Kudos on your lovely half-time performance. I adored it, especially the secret message spelled out on the backdrops (BACON. Courtesy of Mr. Marquis and Mr. Gould), but seriously all of it was fantastic and I could not be more proud of each and every one of you.

The beautiful Kathleen Maxwell everyone. I'm so proud of you and I miss you more than I lead on. I remember when you auditioned and how silly you looked, and look at you now, one of the most brilliant guard captain's I've ever seen. Love and miss you pretty girl. 

Jessica and I at the game. Sic'Em West!

Saturday 

                    proved to be equally exciting. I slept in until 8:30 (what even is my life? haha) and was greeted with some truly scrumptious vegan pumpkin muffins, made by my marvelous mother.

                                                     

They were seriously the best. I'll do a recipe post within the week for you guys because you have to try these things. 

The rest of the day was filled with good company. I got to see my good buddy Andrew Donlon and he got to poke fun at me as I made a fool of myself while trying to eat a burrito. As much as I love burritos, I tend to have trouble successfully getting them into my face before they make it halfway down my arms. 

This is Andrew. He is rad and he is my muchness twinsie. 

After getting to wear my burrito, I was off to see my Grasshopper. By Grasshopper I mean my beautiful and very best friend Madison Anderson. Mads goes to Union University in Tennessee, thus seeing her is a rarity, but it really does make our time together so much more special. Check out some of her brilliant writing here.We watched Baylor take on Kansas State, and it was a delight to see that both of my teams won this weekend. Then we got to snuggle up as she read all of her favourite quotes from Ender's Game and When God Was a Rabbit. 

Doesn't that couch look absolutely perfect for reading? It was so cozy.

Such a beautiful smile.

"So the whole war is because we can't talk to eachother?" -Ender's Game

Sadly, all good things must come to an end, and before I knew it I was picking Jessica up and we were on our way back to Waco where reality was patiently waiting for us to return. The time served its purpose though, and provided a much needed break, which I couldn't be more thankful for. It was such a blessing, and I cannot express how happy it made me to be in the presence of some of the very best people again. So to everyone that made my weekend, here's to you. You are a treasure and I am thankful to call you my friend. 

Much love,

xx Caitlin.    

Playing with Light

Good evening! 

Sorry it has been so long, midterms are beginning, and well... you know how that goes. Best of luck to all of you that are starting yours as well! Please remember to take time to relax every now and then because it is so incredibly easy to let the stress pile up during these hectic times. 

Anywho! I figured I would take the time to feature some of the work my dear friend and fellow blogger, Grace Dalton has done. When she asked me to help her out with a project last Thursday morning, there was no way I could possibly refuse. She takes the most brilliant photographs and I seize every opportunity to be captured in one of her works of art. The object of these photos was to play with lighting, so what better place to go than a chapel with stained glass windows? She had me position my body in such peculiar ways in order to get the light to hit my face in just the right way, but hey they turned out great, so I cannot complain.

Alrighty, I'll stop rambling now. Here ya go!

I'll start it off with my favourite one.

There is something so haunting about black and white photographs. I love them. 

Dress: Lavo

Take some time to hop on over to her blog here, and check out some more of her work. She has a very uplifting and intriguing month-long series going on right now, so go show her some love!

Have a lovely weekend and until next time! (I promise it won't be quite as long this time!)

xx Caitlin.