Reality Check

Hubs leaves early early tomorrow morning.  I have to drop him off.  I will probably cry.  I'm going to take our ever-dependable-always-happy puppy with me.  All I have to do is look at him and he makes me smile.  This month is not going to be fun and it's only a month!!  If I'm this bummed out about Hubs leaving for NTC, I can't even imagine all the emotions I will be experiencing over the next couple months as we prepare for his deployment.  

I'm trying to focus on the other things I have going on this weekend.  I have a Mary Kay marketing event on Sunday, I have to work at the Buckle on Saturday, and I have plans with friends on Friday.  I am hoping that I will keep myself busy enough that I won't feel the void of Hubs being away.  I thought I was facing the deployment head on.  Turns out, I'm just really good at distracting myself and not thinking about the reality of the situation.  

I recently started reading Nicole's Blog.  She is a gifted writer and beautiful Christian woman.  I've found comfort in the words she shares about the challenges of deployment.  Her blog has been both a source of information as well as encouragement as Hubs and I head into this crazy year.  Stop by her blog sometime.  You won't regret it.  

Love,

Kait     

NTC prep

I've officially worked my first week at the Buckle.  I love this job!  I've met lots of wonderful employees and have helped some pretty cool customers too.  I think this job will be this perfect thing to give me a routine and keep me busy while Hubs is away at the NTC.  Speaking of the National Training Center, Hubs leaves this week.  While he is away, he and the rest of his battalion will be simulating what it's like to be deployed.  They will receive lots of excellent training that will make them all the more ready and capable for when they leave for deployment.  They will be gone for about a month and they will not be able to communicate with their families during this time.  It will be hard not being able to talk to Hubs every day, but we've done this before.  I'm sure we will be able to do it again.  In the meantime, I plan on keeping myself busy training for my first 5k (see this post), working at the Buckle, building my Mary Kay business, hanging out with my new friends, reading some good books, and crafting my life away.  As long as I stay busy, I am sure the month will go by quickly!

Please keep Hubs and the rest of the 1st Engineers in your thoughts and prayers as they prepare for NTC and deployment.

Love,
Kait    

P.S.  I'm trying to come up with some cute/thoughtful ideas as a going away gift to give Jon before he leaves.  Any ideas?

Sunkissed

It's MK Monday again!  


With summer upon us, now is a great time to take a look at Mary Kay's amazing sun care line.  The sunscreen, offered in SPF 30, is a must-have product!  It's not your typical greasy, yucky sunscreen.  (I hate sunscreen.)  It feels like silk and doesn't have the normal "sunscreeny" smell. The After Sun Replenishing Gel makes your skin feel super soft. Put it on your legs right after you shave - you won't believe how soft your skin feels!  It's perfect for those days you forget to reapply your sunscreen and need some relief from the burn. My personal favorite is the Sunless Tanning Lotion. I get a beautiful, golden tan when I use it on my legs and it's safe to use on your face too!  You can glow all year long!

The Mary Kay Limited Edition Sun Care Collection

 

Order all 4 and receive $5 off, FREE shipping, and a FREE gift with purchase
Enter event code BLOG528 when you place your order at
www.marykay.com/kaitlin.chew

Art of Nature

Welcome to the first MK monday!  This is where I will share MK stories, thoughts, products, and inspiration from my business.

Since I started my business, I've made it my mission to slowly try all the Mary Kay products.  I am far from finished, but I love being able to share my thoughts about different products with my customers.  It's much better to say, "Well, I've tried this and I think this," rather than "Well, I've heard that this product is supposed to do this."

My favorite new products are from the Art of Nature collection.  These are from the limited edition spring line.  I love love love the new liquid eye shadow and dual lip glaze.  These are eyeshadows that work well together and can also be layered with our mineral eye color.  The lip glaze is perfect for the ultra glossy lip many of us crave.

I love layering these shadows.  I use pearl to cover the lid to brow bone,
then I use rainforest over the lid.  Finally, I highlight the inside corner
of my eye with Moonstone mineral eye shadow and I use either Emerald,
Sweet Plum, or Granite, to accent to outside corner of my eye.   

Here's a picture of the entire collection.
I absolutely love the bright colors! 

This beauty is wearing the Rich Rainforest look.
Click the link to see how you can achieve this for yourself!!

Feel free to check out my website at www.marykay.com/kaitlin.chew

I ship for FREE!  I also include a gift with a purchase of $40.  I hope you enjoyed the first MK Monday!

Love,

Kait

ColormeCHEW

Welcome to my first Fitness Friday post!  Today I just wanted to share some exciting news.  I will be running in the Kansas City Color Run on July 1st!  I'm not a huge runner, but I determined to make myself one.  I figured the Color Run will be a great way for me to get excited about running.  I've never run a 5k before, so I figured I should do a little training.  I can safely say 2 miles isn't a problem.  I'm a little nervous about that last mile.  Like I said, I am not a runner.  I think with adequate training, and the adrenaline that will surely be present the day of the race, I will be able to finish.

I know the Color Run is coming to many cities across the U.S.  You should definitely consider walking or running.  It's a for a great cause and it going to be a ton of fun.  And if anyone wants to join me in Kansas City, sign up to run on team ColormeCHEW.

Happy Running!!

Let's BUCKLE down

I have another job aside from MK.  I work at the Buckle.  Technically I haven't started yet, but I am already allowed to take advantage of my super awesome employee discount...40%!  Winning!  I officially start training on Tuesday.  I will be working 3 days per week about 20 hours total.  Once Hubs leaves for deployment, I will probably stack on the hours.  I will need to keep busy and the extra money is definitely needed.

Why do I need the extra money you ask?

Because...I am a proud owner of a beautiful, sparkling white Ford Escape.  I guess you could say some good came of the hit and run :)

love,
Kait

Pre-deployment Brief

I think today was the first time it hit me (and I mean hit me) that Hubs is deploying in September.  I don't think I've been in denial this whole time, but I know I've definitely been putting those thoughts out of my mind as much as possible.  I gloss over dates, times, and plans, saying things like "Well, Hubs will be deployed then, so...blah blah blah" or "When Hubs deploys, I will do a, b, and c."  Today I realized how sad I am going to be when he leaves first for the National Training Center and then for deployment.

I had my first pre-deployment brief today.  At the brief, the Lt Colonel and other important people shared lots of relevant, important information.  But to be honest, it was really difficult listening to them tell us about casualty and serious injury protocol for NTC and deployment.  Again, I know those things are a definitely possibility, but I have been choosing not to think about them for the past few months.  I found myself picturing different worst case scenarious.  I began to feel my throat tighten and I tried to stop thinking about what the men were saying.

 I have faith that Hubs will be ok, but that doesn't make deployment any easier.  He leaves for the NTC in two weeks.  Half of me wishes he were leaving tomorrow so that way we can get this thing over with.  I hate the anticipation of good byes or see you soons.   The anticipation is just as bad as the good bye in my opinion.

Hit & Run

Last night I had my first coffee group meeting with the wives of the 1st Engineer Battalion.  It was great!  I met lots of nice people and got excited about getting involved with the group.  Sadly, my enjoyable evening quickly took a turn for the worst when I walked out to my car.  As I approached I noticed something on the ground near my driver's side wheel.  I thought to myself, "Oh gosh, I hope I was allowed to park where I'm parked.  I hope they didn't lock my wheel up!"  When I reached my car, I saw that the "thing" on the ground was my mirror and my whole car had been side swiped.  I immediately went to my windshield hoping that whoever did this had left their information.  However, I wasn't all that surprised when I only found the information to contact the police department instead.  Frustrated and flustered, I called the police, filed a claim with USAA, and tried to maintain my composure.  

I am so thankful that I wasn't in the car when the person drove past my car.  I know it could have been a lot worse.  But right now I am angry.  I am angry because this person will probably get away with their crime.  I am angry because we have minimal coverage on my car (because it's older) therefore we won't be receiving any money for the repair costs.  I am angry because the damages will cost more to fix than the car is worth and we can't really afford to replace my car.   I am angry because I've only been living in Kansas for 3 weeks and something like this has already happened.  

I can't understand how things like this happen.  The person sideswiped me in broad daylight and ran away.  What a jerk...

I'm gonna keep praying the police find the person. 

love,

-k

The car was obviously quite a bit bigger than my car.  There's damage to the back bumper
all the way along the back quarter pannel.  There's a few dents, including one on the driver's
side door. That particular dent causes my car to make a nasty crunching sound when I open
and close the door.  

I found my mirror!  This makes changing lanes on the highway quite a bit of a challenge.  

You can't see it here, but there's even some damage to my wheel and hub cap.
 I really think the person drove through my car.  You gotta love Aggieville (college town) and K-State students celebrating the end of another semester!  It's sad, but many of the nearby restaurant owners said things like this happen all the time in Aggieville.

What's in a Name?

Lately I've been wondering if I should change the name of my blog.  On the one hand I feel that "Journeys" is quite fitting.  It encapsulates my life as one big journey, which it is.  As an army wife, I am constantly on a journey.  I'm constantly being stretched out of my comfort zone.  We always seem to be on the move, getting ready for the next big change or transition.  Those are the reasons why I think "Journeys" is a fitting name for my blog.

I really only have one thing against my blog's name.  I think it's it's boring.  I want something fun and clever.  I want a name that people read and say, "Wow.  That name is the pefect combination of fun and clever."  My friend Kate has a blog.  Its title is "Something Clever, Cute and Classy."  That's a perfect name.

I don't know, maybe my boredom will pass.  Or maybe I will name my blog "The Chew."  I mean there's already a TV show named after me, why shouldn't I name my blog after me as well? ;-)


-k

The Magical Mary Kay Office

Welcome to our home!  The first room I will show you is my office.  This is where the Mary Kay magic happens!

This is my office.  My beautiful desk was built by Hubs
and my step father in law.  

Prints from Naptime Diaries 

Mary Kay inventory

Getting artsy with some products

Check out the Ultimate Mascara and our Nourishine Lip Gloss

This is from our limited edition spring collection.
I love the bright colors!!

More to come!  Next up is the guest bedroom and bathroom.


Love,
Kait

Honest Home

Now that I've moved in and moved out of my house in Missouri, I thought it was about time I shared pictures.  This was our first semi-permanent home.  We lived on Honest Lane.

Living Room

Another view of our living room

My majestic green chair...I love this thing.
From Darvin Furniture Outlet
Orland, IL

Beautiful art from Hubs...he bought them in France!

Lovely Tiffany Lamp from the in-laws

Our "Chew Shrine"

Mini hallway into Master bedroom

Looking into 2nd bedroom.
(Not pictured: 2nd bath, laundry room)

Bedding from Macy's (Martha Stewart Collection)

Closet and door to master bath

Prints from thewheatfield and Naptime Diaries

I love this high top table from Darvin's Furniture outlet in Orland, IL
(Not pictured: Kitchen to the right and front entry way)

We really enjoyed this house and have lots of fond memories there.  Stay tuned for the tour of our bigger and better home on Brooke Bend in Kansas!

love,

Kaitlin