277659884_5008737099172093_3868986562286064152_n

The one made fun of.

The one left a bit lonely.

But one day, something magical might just happen.

You find your people.

And you just click.

Then all of a sudden, all the past versions of you are celebrating.

You feel yourself come alive.

Opening up.

Becoming the most real version of yourself you've ever been.

Free.

It's so nice to connect with my OG social media self.

This is where it all started and it's so fun to try it again... it reminds me of some really great years of my life.

So now here's a peek into my life!

THIS.

I read it. And then read it again. And then took a screenshot.

Every word hit home.

I've chosen other people's peace over my own too many times.

But I'm realizing I don't have the emotional capacity to do so much of it anymore.

I need to choose my own peace.

We can love, we can give, but we need to love and give to ourselves, too.

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And I'm only 4 episodes in.

Yeah... it's that good. new-girl-deschanel

Although I think Rory and Lorelai will forever remain #1.

But Jess Day is the only one who could rival them. (And even be a really good friend of theirs, now that I think about it.)

If you don't know Jess, 'New Girl' is the show I'm talking about!

I've had this show suggested to me sooooo many times.

Like SO MANY.

But I was always trying to finish a different show or my reality shows were on and I was already behind on those. Can we keep those to just one episode one night a week, please??

So I decided it was finally time to start watching and I am glad I did!

And I now understand the "Jess Day energy" comments I get on my socials. Such a great compliment so thanks!!

Honestly can't wait for the next time I get to watch.

Netflix night, anyone??

But alas.

And I squealed and jumped out of my skin LIVE.

So now I will share these moments with all of you. You're welcome. lol

(Dad tried to scare me THREE times during this stream... so I got him back lol)

And in case you're wondering which game it is, it's Nancy Drew Midnight in Salem

(Yep, as an Amazon affiliate, I do get a lil cash money when you order... so thanks!)

Like really comfortable. 0A4B140C-A9A1-41F3-9B25-DE1BA07A85EE{"eId":"288722252165656","CameraPosition":2}

So let me introduce you to these bad boys.

Boy.

Whatever.

These are the Bose QuietComfort 45 Bluetooth Wireless Noise Cancelling Headphones in the shade White Smoke.

Everybody now: oooooh, ahhhhhhh

Cuz I was not gonna put some black headphones on and pretend like they went with my aesthetic.

What can I say?

I love them. I truly do.

They're wireless which is already a win and connect with Bluetooth which I know you already appreciate. They have two sound modes - noise cancelling and aware. I prefer aware cuz when I play a scary game, I want to know when my dad is sneaking up on me. It happened last night THREE TIMES.

And sometimes I even forget I have them on cuz they're so lightweight and squishy so my ears are like 'thank yoooou!'

Plus you can get them on Amazon. And prime. With free returns juuuust in case. 

But lemme tell you, once you try them, all of your other ones will just not compare.

You can check them out by clicking on the images above!

(I'm an Amazon affiliate so if you order headphones via my links, you'll make it rain just a wee bit over here. So thanks! lol)

When everyone underestimated her, she never believed it.

Not one of them.

For a moment.

She stood strong in what she believed and stayed strong. 241355932_4339062809472862_7879876551830169478_n

If you haven't watched Agent Carter yet, here's a slight spoiler alert...

This is her full quote from the Season 1 finale:

"I don't need a congressional honor. I don't need Agent Thompson's approval or the President's. I know my value. Anyone else's opinion doesn't really matter."

Can we just give her a round of applause please??

I wanna be like Peggy. Knowing my value and not listening to anyone who doesn't see it too.

We should all see the value in one another.

We should be cheering each other on.

We should be excited for someone's breakthrough, for their emotional healing, for their success.

And if you don't see your own value?

Spend time with those who do.

It'll make the biggest difference in your life.

And help you see it for yourself.

(I'm an Amazon affiliate so if ya pick up Agent Carter for yourself from my link, it's like you're giving me a tip - so thanks!!)
 

There isn't one thing I miss most.

It's just all of it. Photo May 13 12 46 50 PM

Hearing the music, walking along Main Street, running to get in line at a ride... it's the place I've always been happiest.

And this morning all I want to do is be there.

I want to leave my life behind and for a few days, escape into the magic.

Just envisioning myself hopping inside the Big Thunder train car and screaming my head off, queueing up for Star Tours and hearing about a fabulous trip I could take to Endor, cooling off with a Dole Whip and waking up José, freaking out and waving to Ariel as if I didn't just become her last weekend - it all sounds like something I kinda need right now.

So that's where I'll be mentally today.

If you need me, you'll have to come find me in Critter Country.

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Does to me.

And I'm having a blast.

Getting to play my fave video games while I hang out with my peeps? Nothing's better than that!

On Mondays, you can join me as I decorate my Animal Crossing island with elements of all my fandoms - Disney, Marvel, and Harry Potter! (I've already built Belle's book area and a Harry Potter wand shop... I reupload my streams to YouTube because they expire on twitch so even if you miss my live stream, you can still be a part of the fun over there!)

Plus I did a GRWM stream where we just played with makeup and chilled... and it went so well, you're now gonna get one of those every Wednesday.

And on Thursdays? It's voter's choice. You can vote in my poll on my IG story to decide what we do that day and what game we play!

I'm so glad I joined this community. I even have a new streamer buddy... from Norway. The internet is just so cool sometimes.

So if ya wanna come join me when I go live, check out my TWITCH!

Then you can join in on my brand new discord where I wanna chat about all our fave things. It's gonna be fun.

Here are a couple highlights from my streams that people got a kick out of on my new TikTok:

da1a29cbe4fe9d44192f86a238148b98 c13070d0493b4d878dff7e00cc0915b5

Jokes. 

Honestly though, I have felt some very deep sadness in these past few months.

I don't really like sharing the dark stuff and always want to keep my pages happy and positive and silly.

But I think it's really important that you know I'm human too. 275727391_511101200623912_876881347980481753_n

When grief becomes overwhelming and I feel like I can't make myself do anything, I bake.

I tried this for the first time a couple weeks ago because I was tired of just sitting and staring and bawling.

And suddenly a thought popped into my head.

Bake cookies.

I'd never done it before. On my own, at least.

So I decided to listen to that little voice.

And as I cracked eggs and laid out parchment paper and mixed the ingredients all together, my soul stilled.

I felt okay.

I could breathe and think about something else outside of me.

This has now become my go-to for those heavy, difficult days.

Two days ago, I made brownies.

I know this strategy works too because I get a sweet treat to reward myself for getting through and feeling and processing and healing.

Trust Lupin's advice: "Eat, you'll feel better."

So basically I tried them all so you don't have to.

I present to you my beauty faves that I use allllllll the time.

5. Charlotte Tilbury Matte Revolution Lipstick in Pillow Talk

Yeah, she popular. Ya wanna know why? Cuz she gooood. A matte lipstick that isn't drying? Check. A perfect shade for all skin tones? Check. (Don't believe me? See the fancy thing Google did right here.) Luxurious packaging that makes you feel like a Hollywood starlet? Check. I reach for this so often that all my other lipsticks are like "what about me?" and I reply with "what about you?" as I glide on this lippie... again.

4. Not Your Mother's Beach Babe Texturizing Sea Salt Spray

When I said I've tried a lot of products, I've tried a BAJILLION sea salt sprays. Because sometimes air drying my hair is the lazier quicker route I wanna go that day. And I got so tired of the crunchiness, the stickiness, and the not-working-ness of all the other sprays. But this one right here is the winner. Hands down. I spray it into damp hair, do the *scrunchscrunch* thing, and have perfect texture, soft locks, and no goopy grossness. Bonus points! It smells like summer. Like straight up beach.

3. Aveeno Ultra-Calming Foaming Makeup Remover Facial Cleanser

Picture this: you've had a long, stressful day. You come home and all you wanna do is put on your comfy jammies and snuggle in to watch a movie with popcorn and some peanut M&Ms. And then you remember, you have a full face of makeup on and you really, really don't want it on when you're chilling on the couch. Everyone, meet your new best friend. This gem of a product removes your makeup AND cleanses your face in one easy step (even waterproof mascara!). Slap on some moisturizer and you're ready to do the 'nothing' we all love the most.

3 1/2. Too Faced Hangover Pillow Cream

(Pssst. My fave moisturizer is this one by Too Faced. Had to sneak it in cuz it's related to the cleanser. Sorry. But also, you're welcome cuz it's amaaaaazing. And the whole "infused with mineral rich stardust" thing? Totally believe it. Just wait until you see what your skin looks like. Okay, back to the real list now.)

2. Buxom Full-On Plumping Lip Polish

Honestly the best gloss out there. It's long lasting, non-sticky, and the plumping is a baby tingling feeling but nothing (and I mean nothing) like other plumping glosses out there. One time, another product was so plumping I had a red ring around my mouth and I couldn't make it stop burning. I like to think I went through that to prevent you from walking through the mall looking like you're going to ask people 'why so serious?'... it was fun. This won't do that. Promise. Plus, there are sooo many shades to choose from but some of my faves are Erica, Emma, Dolly, and Sophia.

1. HOT TOOLS One Step Volumizer Hair Dryer and Hot Air Brush

YOU REACHED THE WINNER! This little dude right here is a hair game-changer. I used to hate trying to wrangle my hair with a round brush for that perfect blowout look. Now I give myself the 'hi I'm effortlessly cool with perfect hair and great style' vibe without stress. When I had longer hair this was super simple to use as well but for a bob? Yeah, it good. I've tried other one-step blowout brushes too but I keep coming back to this one because my hair is always shiny, smooth, and rolled under juuust enough. It's just *chef's kiss*.

So those are my top five beauty must-haves! But you can check out my entire list of beauty faves by clicking HERE

And yeah, I'll be sharing more of my fave things soon including video games, movies, books, and more!

(I'm also an Amazon affiliate so if ya make a purchase through one of these links, a little bit of moolah lands in my pocket. I help you look pretty, you help me continue chasing my dreams. It's a win-win. lol Thanks!)

And I got to sing with him.

Okay, okay. It's a TikTok duet but heyitcountsallright?

He posted a vid and I was like "ya know, this could be a duet".

So I did it. I made it a duet.

This is the result.

And you know, he's different. He's odd. He stands out. People don't understand him. And he's kinda lonely; he finds companionship in creatures more than he does with fellow humans. He's just... Newt.  274499847_4919921431386994_6646097443395046094_n

Sound familiar?

It does to me.

I relate more to him than perhaps any princess I portray (say whaaaaat? I know).

He makes me proud to be a Hufflepuff.

And proud to be brave in my weirdness.

And totally why I love cosplaying as Tina Goldstein.

Cuz I'm like a mix of these two characters... plus getting to play my celeb crush's love interest ain't half bad either.

So be more like Newt.

Forget what other people have to say or what their opinions are. If you're happy, that's all that matters. Plus they're just muggles anyway.

He's weird cool. You're weird cool.

Embrace your weird cool.

TW: Loss

If you didn't already know, I lost my precious mama last November... we were the closest of friends, more twins than mother and daughter.
(I want to dive more into this topic one day soon but not today.)

But ever since that happened, I didn't know what I was going to do with myself. 273012983_4851324601580011_6270588863459972109_n

All of my plans shifted, rearranged, or disappeared.

So I've been doing a lot of thinking and strategizing and planning in whole new ways.

And I think I've finally found a routine that works for me.

A life that still incorporates all of the things I love the most, while allowing me to heal and breathe.

It's taken many hours of, "What do I want to do?" and "What do I have to do?" to finally land here.

It got me thinking... what if I never asked myself those questions?

So this is what I want to encourage you to do.

Take an evening and think. Don't watch TV, put away your phone, grab a good old fashioned pen and paper, and just be with yourself for awhile.

Considering if what you're doing is really what you want to do.

And if it is? Keep on keepin' on, my friend. But also toss around a few ideas as to how you can do what you're doing better - how could it make you happier or make your job easier. I bet you'll come up with a few things pretty quickly.

And if it isn't? Change something. It doesn't have to be drastic, it just has to be. We all know the dramatic ways to make changes (moving, applying for a new job, etc.), but what if I told you it could be subtle?

Carve out 15 minutes each day to go on a walk.

Teach yourself how to bake cookies, like I did!

Set your alarm 5 minutes sooner to give yourself some 'wake up' time.

Splurge on a coffee just once a week to make it feel more like a treat.

Get a video game both you and your far-away friend can play together over FaceTime.

And then watch yourself change.

Just make a 1% change and you'll be amazed by how different your life can feel.

I can tell ya that I needed help sorting myself out. And I couldn't have done it without my dad's pep talks.

(I'll brag on him in another post.)

But he suggested that I start listening to/reading some books that might help me and the whole "1% change" thing came straight from James Clear's Atomic Habits: Tiny Changes, Remarkable Results. It made a huge difference in my life and I think it might help you, too.

I feel more ready to tackle life than ever before.

Ironic? Perhaps.

But here I am. Facing a life I never expected to be living, but ready to take it head on.

(Yes, I'm an Amazon affiliate so if ya order something from my shop, it's a mini gift to me! So thanks lol)

One moment, short hair. The next, Rapunzel. 6 x 11 in

I've been using Zala hair extensions for yearrrrs now and I'm obsessed.

They're such high quality, gorgeous, silky and thick, and look totally real.

And they're the only peeps I can find that even offer highlighted shades which is a super plus, lemme tell ya.

Ok so here's more info on the ones you see me wearing...

These are Sunkissed Highlights 16" clip-ins with the triple-weft lace. I got the 9 piece set which gives ya 200 grams of luxurious locks.

I also have their halos, their ponytails, and more clip-ins in both Snickers Highlights and Rich Mocha Brown. You can tell I've been a fan of theirs for years cuz I have so many shades!

(You can check out all my YouTube vids about them too HERE)

So it's pretty cool that I can tell you that I'm an official Zala Girl!

Which means that if you use code CAIT15, you can save some moolah and get yourself a free gift.

You're welcome.

And they're running a special right now where you can use CAITPROMO through March 20 and save even more!

If you get some, please tag me in your pics cuz I really wanna see your new look!

PS. I'm a Zala affiliate which means I do make a small commission from your purchases... so thank you for ordering via my links!

And it finally arrived two days ago!

But first, ya need a lil back story.

Meet Katie. 

TikTok star, fellow party princess, and one of the sweetest humans on the planet.

We connected over social media and quickly became friends.  275901794_659157651964735_7341945610582824550_n

Fast forward 3 years and one pandemic later, and we finally got to meet in person!

She came to visit Colorado this week and we had an absolute blast. At the Denver zoo, she saw a gorilla in person for the first time, we enjoyed the iconic chickie nuggies and fries, and I watched her jump about a foot in the air when a bird dropped his bowl on the cage and she thought something was escaping (I'm still laughing!).

At Cherry Creek mall, we got bubble bars from Lush and friendship necklaces from Claire's... like adults.

And then spent 9 hours - yes, nine hours - filming a whole bunch of videos for TikTok. 

And while I'm certainly the "big sis" here in terms of age, she's got just a few inches on me which made filming HILARIOUS at times!

But in all seriousness, this girl is simply incredible. She's truly the little sister I always wish I had.

And I'm so grateful and honored to be her friend.

While this whole friendship may have started with her being inspired by me to start her own princess party business, the truth is I'm now inspired to be more like her.

(And I totally think you should check out her TikTok and princess party business!)

But soooometimes it's fun to push the boundaries a little.

Especially as a Gwen Stacy cosplayer.

[SPOILER ALERT] video-1647106462

We all know her iconic ending... ya know the clock tower and the head smack and the heartbreaking sobs from Andrew Garfield's Spiderman.

So when I saw this trend and it involved falling?

It was basically a requirement for me.

But then I took it to the next step. 

Watch it and understand!

I love making vids like this. Dark humor is hilarious to me.

Sorry.

(But not really.)

And if ya wanna see more like this, come hang with me on TikTok!

Gotta say, it got mine!

One day I logged into Twitter and I had one notification.

One.

And this was it. 274480291_507878377625911_3266448944600191437_n

"Paris Hilton followed you"

My early 2000s pre-teen self nearly passed out.

She's the reason I wanted all the Juicy Couture velour track suits.

She's the reason I wanted a pocket dog.

She's the reason I wanted a blinged out Sidekick (how's that for a throwback??).

And now... she FOLLOWS ME.

If nothing else cool ever happens in my life, I'm okay with that.

This was all I needed.

A place where you feel relaxed. Where you can take a deep breath. Where you feel the stress just melt away. 274293116_733372128073766_1452748833470150741_n

I don't care where it is.

Your bed? Cool.

Disneyland? Hey, meet ya there!

But my local happy place just happens to be the Denver Zoo.

There's just something about it that speaks peace into my soul.

Was that a bit deep? Perhaps, but that's how I feel.

My days there are filled with laughing at animals being silly, the best French fries I've ever had, a leisurely walk, and sunshine - except that time my dad and I went and it started snowing. That experience was actually pretty cool. We got to see snowflakes falling on the penguins in their new exhibit... 'magical' would be a good word for it.

I'm so grateful we decided to become members because we support them and their great work taking care of these beautiful animals, including "all the little birdies and the little monkeys" (name that movie!). 274601837_357231636311130_9223196517089514977_n

But also because it grants me access to being able to go whenever my heart desires.

I can wake up one Saturday morning, think I wanna go to the zoo today, and just... go.

In fact, their Boo at the Zoo event is one of the most fun places to attend as a party princess. I'll go ahead and include a link to see pics from the times I've attended!

So visit your happy place. 

As often as you can.

Let your soul feel renewed there because I can guarantee you, in this very moment, it needs it.

All my other shoes get brought upstairs and put away in a nice, neat fashion... and these stay by the door.

Because I'm honest with myself. 271601100_4782177721828033_1052813137137042450_n

These were something I asked Santa for this past Christmas but I didn't know exactly which ones my little heart desired.

But Santa did good.

I knew I wanted Dr. Marten's because they always add such a cool edge to outfits but these. THESE.

Embroidered roses on the sides??

Gimme.

They look totally cool with rolled up skinny jeans but also with skirts and tights.

My girly girl, sweet, pink ensembles are given a cool pop.

Aaaaand if ya wanna get them for yourself, you totally can by clicking here.

Yes, they're on AMAZON. And PRIME.

You - and your Instagram - can thank me later.

(Yes, I'm an Amazon affiliate and make a small commission from your sales so thanks! lol)

I try as hard as I can to sound as much like the character as I do to look like them.

Little ones should see you and think "RAPUNZEL!" and then hear you say hello and think yup, that's her all right. video-1646750278

It's something that's really important to me.

So here's a wee vid for you all to judge enjoy and see if I got any of them spot on.

I'll be posting more on my new TikTok page - @justmecaitb

I have dedicated videos for just Ariel, Belle, and Merida already posted!

Oh and apparently Stitch is gonna have his own series... it's ridiculous and hilarious and I'm having an absolute blast.

Upon initial viewing, I was so into the costuming and aesthetic that I missed some key life inspo.

"From the very beginning, I realized I saw the world differently than everyone else. That didn't sit well with some people, but I wasn't FOR everyone."

Ahh yes, not being for everyone.

I know this all too well.

Growing up, I was bullied, lonely, and different. I never truly fit in.

But you see, I never really wanted to belong. 275439887_4950331735012630_25883733264119691_n

I wanted friendship - yes, that's true - but I never wanted to be like the people who were bullying me.

I chose to stand up to them and speak up for the underdog even though I knew I would be lonelier.

I'm proud to be me. Unique. Albeit still misunderstood. 

"Being a genius is one thing. Raising a genius, however, does come with its challenges."

You'll have to ask my dad about this one. ;)

But in all seriousness, I'm not calling myself a genius (or am I?? jokes). However looking at my own challenges I face being different, I can handle them. I'm strong enough to take them on. My dad though sees the struggle through a different lens. As did my mom.

They always wanted to protect my heart while allowing me to be exactly who I am... a unique set of challenges surely.

"Aren't they gorgeous? And vicious. My favorite combination." - Baroness

This one made me laugh! But I liked it. Sweet and kind yet strong and badass. I like this combination as well.

"Mum, I got my chance. The one I always wanted. Trust me, I’m going to keep my head down and make it."

This one really hits home for me. I can feel the shift in the force, if you will, for me and my dreams. Seeing them come to fruition feels so close I can almost reach out and touch it.

But there's a part of me that feels a tad bit guilty that I might be experiencing them coming true... but only after she's gone.

How badly I wanted her to be a part of it. Here, with me. But that wasn't a part of my life's journey, I suppose.

I do know one thing - I'm going to keep my head down and make it. You can bet on me.

So dye my hair black and white and hand me a leather jacket cuz this girl is channeling her inner Cruella to make it all happen.

"I'm just getting started, darling."

(Yes, I'm an Amazon affiliate and make a small commission from your sales so thanks! lol)
 

I love it.

I love every snowflake.

I wanna hug it and thank it for giving me so much joy.

Yes, I'm secretly Lorelai Gilmore loving the snow more than anyone around.

My dad recently asked me, "What do you love about snow so much?"

So I asked him, "Have you seen it?" 274526958_501942481376892_796174949325458173_n

Winter is my favorite season because that's where the snow is.

I don't ski or snowboard, I don't sled, I don't build snowmen, I don't make snow angels.

I stand outside and let it fall on me, sticking to my hair and melting on my skin.

I sit by the window with a hot cocoa and simply watch.

I fall asleep picturing it gracefully swirling through the air.

My love for snow cannot be explained. It just is.

Anything beyond that and I was a little zombie-ish the next day, regardless of wake time.

But in recent months, midnight has become my best friend.

Maybe it's the Cinderella in me - the clock strikes twelve and my body goes "hey go to sleep now."

In those extra two hours lie a peaceful time. 274295911_4905387336173737_2941291442077967772_n

As a content creator and small business owner, my hours are more commonly known as 'wake up' and 'go to bed'. But I knew that I needed some time to just let it go (it never stops, does it?) and rest.

I've rediscovered my love for reading. I put on a reading playlist on Spotify and go on an adventure (in the great wide somewherrrre ok I'm done now).

This book was one that made my heart so happy.

"So This is Love" is a part of the Twisted Tales series. It tells the story of Cinderella if she had never tried on the glass slipper and explores the idea of what consequences this one change would have had to the outcome of her story.

This series does exactly that: asks one question, makes one change, and sees what would happen.

I loved it. I really, really did.

So naturally... I bought the rest of the series.

Except three.

The three I couldn't find.

And I'm already almost done with Belle's.

I can't wait to read more tonight. Is it 10pm yet?

(Yes, I'm an Amazon affiliate and make a small commission from your sales so thanks! lol)

The game I've been playing since 2001.

Yep, probably longer than you've been alive.

(Not feeling old at all now all right moving right along...) 275003592_4931265480252589_6267622154353820178_n

But when I was doing a test run for my twitch channel before my first live stream, I needed to see what it looked like from the other side.

So... I handed my dad the controller and watched the stream on his computer.

And ya wanna know what I heard?

"This is fun. ..... I want an island."

And it was right then I knew.

He's watched me play for so long and has secretly loved the game the whole time; all it took was five minutes of playing to be hooked.

My dad.

Mr. Finance.

Professional photographer.

Graphs, numbers, and other things this English major doesn't know anything about.

So naturally, I ordered him a game.

And he now has an island.

He's Ansel from Bokeh.

The best of both worlds.

 - Welcome to island life, my dude. But just a warning, your life is now all about paying off a loan to a raccoon.
   So basically it's peaked.

(Yes, I'm an Amazon affiliate and make a small commission from your sales so thanks! lol)
 

Photo Jan 11, 4 58 30 PM

Yeah. Basically.

But this is me. My own. Mine. 

I want this to be the place where I share my random thoughts and funny happenings, things I've learned and quotes I've found, videos I've made and designs I've created, recipes I've baked and Starbucks drinks I've copied made at home.

Allllll my ideas, here.

So welcome. 

And to quote Ernie, "it's going to be a bUuUmPy riiiiiide!"