Spoiler Free Catching Fire Review

Yesterday (Friday) I had a "make up day" for school... did that stop me from going to see The Hunger Games: Catching Fire? Absolutely NOT! 

As far as book to movie adaptations go, this is phenomenal. It is phenomenal on its own, of course, but especially for an adaptations.

Fans of the book will not be disappointed.

As always, there were some things from the book left out and a little flexibility with the timeline of things but all in all, it stayed very close to the book. The actors dialogue was expertly lifted off the pages of the book   word for word. 

The acting was incredible. The main players (Jennifer Lawrence, Josh Hutcherson, Liam Hemsworth, etc.) were of course, fantastic. But it was Elizabeth Banks as Effie Trinket and Sam Claflin as Finnick Odair who really stood out for me. I think its because we see so much character development from them in this movie. They both seem like they are these simple, prissy, one dimensional characters, and then they surprise you.  They could not have picked a better person to play Effie, Elizabeth Banks just pulls it off beautifully. As far as Finnick goes, he is not exactly what I pictured in my head (looks or acting wise) but I still believed this character as Finnick. Sam Claflin did a great job of taking on this role and making it is own, especially with so many people up in arms about who was to play Finnick. 

The cinematography was spot on.

Even with the change of directors, this movie flows very smoothly from the first film. If I hadn't known before I wrote this that this film had different directors, I really would not have noticed. 

The pacing of the movie was also really nice.  You hardly have time to process things that happen before something else is going on. Usually I wouldn't like that as much, but it works for this because it helps us get into Katniss' head. That is exactly what is happening and it really sells the story line.

All in all, I give this movie 4.5 out of 5 stars. 

I would love to say more but I don't want to give anything away.

Fans of the book, Go see it now! 

Fans of the first movie, Go see it now!

Already seen it? Go see it again!

Stay Beautiful,

Kailey

Totally Toned: Workout Week One

First official week of my #TotallyToned series! 

So how did I fare on my first week of Barre and Yoga?

Monday: Free Full Length 30 Minute Ballet Workout - Finished very sweaty and feeling great! I was out of breath during most of it but not like I was running. Which I liked :) 

Eventually I would like to be as graceful as her and be able to lift my legs as high!!

Tuesday: Heavenly Hips- Well I was a little worried about todays workout and with good reason! It was a 60 minute intermediate yoga workout! I'm not very good at working out for over 30 minutes anyway and holding poses doesn't make that easier! Doing yoga I've realized I have very little upper body strength! I did this workout for about 20 minutes, got discouraged then skipped to the. end stretches. Next time around my goal is just to finish the workout!

Wednesday- Saturday: As luck would have it, I got sick this week! I'm totally planning on continuing with week 2 again next week though So... stay tuned. 

How did you do this week?

Stay Beautiful,

Kailey  

Bad Press Is Indeed Good Press... Wait, What?!

So... I saw an article today top albums of the week (or something like that, I was just glancing) and I saw something that kind of irritated me. 

What's irritating about whats popular in music? you may ask... or 

you may be thinking, "ugh, you're such a hipster". 

But I promise, I'm not a hipster (and yes, I know thats what all the hipsters say... but really, usually I like/love top 40 hits, popular movies and the like... even after they're considered cool).

But back to the point...

what made me mad was the person that was in the top 10 (currently 12).

I'm not going to name the person because I don't want to give her even more publicity but, if your curious and can't figure out who I am talking about just look up the Billboard Top 200 for this week.

It irritates me that bad press is good press.

Someone can do a hoard of inappropriate, gross, and/or "offensive" things and somehow they are suddenly the most interesting person in the world.

I feel like in this day and age scandals are only truly scandals if they happen to politicians. To celebrities, scandals just make you more popular.

Whats wrong with that?

We all make mistakes, don't we? 

Yes. Of course we all make mistakes and we shouldn't be forced to pay for them our entire life. 

But supporting these albums/songs/etc from people who have very recently done offensive things, it just reiterates the idea that not only is it okay to be offensive and inappropriate but that its desirable. Because if you create a scandal, even multiple scandals you will make even more money because people now find you just so much more interesting. 

I'm sorry. Is it such a bad thing for me to wish that the majority of people would support the ones that are trying to make it without totally loosing their innocence or at least realizing that they are a ROLE MODEL. 

Is it wrong of me to think we should be supporting people because of their merit and not because of how many shocking things they can do in a couple of months. 

Hope you enjoyed my rant.

I just needed to get that out.

How do you feel about this?

Stay Beautiful,

Kailey 

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My New Fitness Routine!

Hello there! 

So... as I've been thinking of blog ideas to help me get back in the habit of blogging, I've been thinking about doing some "journey" type posts where I take you along on my journeys of learning things or accomplishing things and the like... 

As you may have guessed most of these will be on my newlywed blog since they are more geared toward the house-wifery type stuff that I write on there (It's more than that too, I promise ;) ) 

However, my first "journey" series actually belongs on this blog.

Can you guess what it is?

Come on, you know this one.....

That's right:

My Fitness Journey! (#TotallyToned)

I'm very excited about this, as you all know I've had some issues with keeping active/healthy. So, I figure by making sure I blog about it at least once every two weeks (I'd like to do once a week) then I will keep myself in line. 

Also, this may be different than other Fitness Journey's that you have read because I will most likely not be taking "before" and "after" pictures. This is for two reasons: One- I'm not trying to loose weight and Two: the only way you'd be able to tell in a picture the changes is if I was in a bikini or something and I don't want to put pictures like that online. That is for my hubby's eyes only people! ;) 

So... since I am trying to tone, sculpt, get stronger, and just generally become healthier this will be more about how I am doing and how it is making me feel rather than "I lost x amount of pounds/inches/ whatever this week"
Also, I'm thinking about doing some other things pertaining to this fitness journey like healthy food/snack options, fit fashions, etc. 

Super long intro! Oops! So, further ado I have Included My Fitness Routine Below (w/ links)

It is all Barre and Yoga! I'm so excited!

 Beware: These workouts vary in length and intensity! 

*Also, this is split up in to two weeks but, I'm planning on just repeating until this all becomes super easy, then I'll switch it up*

Week One:

Monday-

-          Cardio-Barre:

o    Free Full Length Cardio Ballet Workout (YouTube)

Tuesday-

-          Flexibility- Yoga

o   HeavenlyHips (Doyogawithme.com)

Wednesday-

-          Sculpt/Tone- Barre

o   Barre:Full Length Ballet Workout- Sculpt Your Hips, Thighs and Butt in less than 15minutes. (YouTube)

Thursday-

-          Strength-Yoga

o    Level 2 Yoga/Pilates Fusion: A Core/HipQuickie (Doyogawithme.com)

Friday-

-          Cardio- Barre

o    Full Length Barre Workout Ballet Burn (YouTube)

Saturday-

-          Strength and Flexibility- Yoga

o   Beginners’Yoga for Leg Strength (Doyogawithme.com)

Sunday- REST

Week Two:

Monday-

-          Cardio-Barre

o   CardioDance Sculpt (YouTube)

Tuesday-

-          Flexibility- Yoga

o   Breath,Balance and Twists (Doyogawithme.com)

Wednesday-

-          Sculpt/Tone- Barre

o    Floor Barre OR Ballet Body Sculpt (YouTube)

Thursday-

-          Strength-Yoga

o   BodaciousBooty (Doyogawithme.com)

Friday-

-          Cardio- Barre-

o   Exercise,Ballet, Free Full Length Online Barre Workout: Ballet Body (YouTube)

Saturday-

-          Strength and Flexibility- Yoga

o   Back bendingfrom the Base: Intermediate Class (Doyogawithme.com)

Sunday- REST

 I'm very excited to start this. I started this program today (and it kicked my booty!) but, I'll start documenting on Monday!

Hope you'll join me, let me know in the comments below! :) 

Stay Beautiful,

Kailey 

A Modest Halloween: Vampire

Hello!

Welcome to my new series "A Modest Halloween"!

I'm here to show you that you can still look cute, have a rockin' Halloween costume and be modest!

See it on Polyvore here.

What other Halloween looks would you like to see?

Stay Beautiful,

Kailey 

Top Ten Glee Mash-Ups

Hello there lovelies! 

In honor of Season 5 of Glee starting THIS THURSDAY (9/26), I have compiled a list of  My The Top Ten Glee Mash-ups! 

I have added video for your viewing and listening pleasure. If you want the full song, check it out on Spotify.  

P.s. Two of these showed up in my Top Ten Glee Songs post, can you guess which two? 

10.  Start Me Up/Livin' On A Prayer- Season 2

9. Singin' In the Rain/Umbrella- Season 2

8. Don't Stand So Close to Me/Young Girl- Season 1

*I couldn't find the full performance. Sorry!* 

7. Bye Bye Bye/ I Want It That Way- Season 4

6. Happy Days Are Here Again/Get Happy- Season 2

5. Anyway You Want It/ Lovin' Touchin' Squeezin'

4. Old Time Rock and Roll/ Danger Zone- Season 4

3. Rumour Has It/Someone Like You- Season 3

2. Thriller/Heads Will Roll- Season 2

1. Anything Goes/Anything You Can Do- Season 3

Hope you enjoyed the list!

Let me know if you think I'm biased! 

Don't forget to tune in to Glee Thursday September 26th, 2013!

Stay beautiful,

Kailey 

Introducing... Pretty In Teal

Hello Beauties!

I just wanted to talk to you a little bit and give you an update!

So, most of you know that I stopped selling mark cosmetics (if you didn't and would like to know my reasoning, click here). 

So, since I've stopped selling that brand, I thought it would be silly to continue to blog under the name 

MarkRepKaileyMartin

so,

it would have been equally as silly for me to continue doing youtube videos under a similar name.

However, I still really want to do youtube videos so, I created a brand new channel!

It is called Mrs.Pretty in Teal 

                          

I'm pretty excited about it since this kind of gives me a chance to start fresh!

But at the same time, that is really daunting because I have a limited amount of time to make and edit videos.

Thats where you come in...

I need your help in deciding what to film!

Let me know what you want to see and I will do my best to make it happen!

My goal is to upload once a week but, 

it may be more doable to do once every two weeks.

At least for now!

Stay Beautiful,
Kailey

Pumpkin Filled Day

Hello All!

I have been crazy busy with school and work lately!

It's a mess over here but, I think its going to calm down a little bit... before it starts up again in a couple of weeks! lol. Sheesh, this will be my life for the next two and half years, at least. But, that's okay. At least I'm never bored, right? 

Anyway... on to the point of this post.

I don't know about you, but I love Fall. The colors of the leaves changing, the crisp cool (not cold) weather, hoodies, apple cider, Halloween... and of course all things pumpkin.

So, I have rounded up everything you need to have a pumpkin filled day. Or you know... a pumpkin filled week! 

Breakfast: 

How do you feel about Nutella-Filled Pumpkin Spice Muffins? 

and Cinnamon Rolls? Do you like those? Then try out Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls! (The best part? This recipe makes them healthier!)

Beverage: 

Pumpkin Hot Chocolate... Its like a pumpkin spice latte... without the caffeine

Warm Pumpkin Pie Smoothie... Its like drinking a pumpkin pie... or so I've been told. 

Lunch:

Question: What's better than chili on a cold day? Answer: Pumpkin Chili! 

Dinner: 

Feeling fancy? Try this Skirt Steak and Grilled Vegetables with Pumpkin Romesco on for size!

Dessert: 

Of course... you have to have pumpkin pie. But why not spice it up a bit with this Maple Walnut Pumpkin Pie?

Ice Cream + Pumpkin = Bliss (or this Pumpkin Ice Cream Recipe) 

I'm trusting you to find the fashion and decor on your own...

oh, but do check out Bath and Body Works if you want some good pumpkin candles! They have lots of new ones!!

So, what are you waiting for?

Go on with your pumpkin self, and enjoy!

Stay beautiful,

Kailey 

August Favorites

So, a lot of my favorites this month don't have anything to do with makeup, but that's okay right?

I do have a couple of makeup favorites though so lets start with those...

No Place to Run- Jet Set

I'm using this all day every day. It's great for a basic black liner and it last all day. The only bad thing about it is the fact that you have to sharpen plastic, which means sometimes you get this not so pleasant surprise of plastic poking your eye.

i-marks in shades Biscotti & Tiki

 

These have been my go too this month. Its a great neutral combo for the transition from summer to fall!

And for skincare, I've been loving mark's That's Deep Cleanser 

I feel like this cleaner does a really nice job of helping my acne stay at bay. 

All of which you can grab through my friend here.

As you can tell, I've been using up my mark stuff!

Okay so now for non-makeup or skincare favorites...

Schick Quatro for Women

I had a super crappy razor, so I decided to check this one out. I am so glad I did! It is super sharp and just amazing! Other great thing? It's not too expensive!

Suave Clinical Protection Deodorant 

So, we're going to be a little awkward here for a minute... sometimes, regular deodorants just aren't enough. In rolls, clinical protection. I bout Suave because it was the cheapest type and I actually think it works better than Secret's clinical protection.

Spotify

So, I LOVE Spotify. I pretty much listen to music all the time at work so, 8 hours... I love making and curating playlists. I also end up falling in love with people's voices. Such as Jeremy Jordan and Rachel Platten. 

Stay Beautiful,

Kailey

Back to School Basics

In honor of my first day of classes (yesterday),

I thought it would be a good idea to go through some

(Google Image Search Result)

I didn't really need to go shopping for school supplies this year, which kind of makes me sad because I LOVE back to school shopping, but, its also kind of a happy thought because it means being FRUGAL, which is always a good thing when you're trying to purchase a home.

Anyway...

Here is my list of my 

TOP TEN ITEMS FOR BACK TO SCHOOL

1. Binders- So, depening on what I have a surplus of, I either do binders and loose leaf paper or notebooks+ folders. However, I have come to the realization that I like binders much better. 

Really, its just a personal preference thing but I like that I can hole punch anything and keep it organized. I also feel like it stays more organized because I can rearrange notes and such.

2.Paper- This one is sort of obvious. I mean you need something to take notes on. While some teachers will let you take notes on your computer... which can help you to organize your notes better, I find  that when I use my computer to take notes in class I just end up getting distracted. I also don't read over my notes as often, for some reason. 

3. Multi-colored Pens- For taking notes, and even in-class assignments, I like using pens. Its just more festive and bright than using a pencil. I like to alternate the colors in my notes so that the different dates are clear but, again, that is a personal preference. These are also great to color code your planner!

4. Pencils- However dull they may seem, pencils are still an essintail part of school. Some tests require that you take them with a Number 2. What I end up using my pencil the most for is writing in books (gasp! I know), as an English major, its often necessary for me to write notes in stories or novels and I would rather do that with something erasable and faint.

5. Pencil Sharpener- This is a no brainer, if you have a pencil, you'll need a way to sharpen it! There is nothing worse than being in the middle of a test with no sharpener in sight!

6.Mini Stapler- These little babies are super handy to have around. Trust me, everybody will be wanting to use it in class!

7. Post It Notes- These are so good to have around! I'm not even going to begin to explain all the uses for post it notes... there are too many to count.

8.  Index Cards- I know there are a lot of flashcard apps but, to me, nothing beats the good old-fashioned index cards.

9. Big Pink Erasers- These are great to have around with your pencils for those bigger mistakes.

10.  Colored Pencils/Markers- These are great not only for projects but also for notes and coloring maps. 

Is Your Chapstick Drying Out Your Lips?

Well hello there beauties!

Remember last week when I talked about my Mary Kay Facial and told you that my Mary Kay lady said something interesting that caused me to do some digging? 

Well, this is it....

And what I found out? Very interesting! It's definitely made me aware of what is in the products I am putting on my lips! 

So, what exactly did I find out about if certain chapsticks actually dry out your lips?

Well, according to an article by America Now News, certain lip balms do in fact dry out your lips! Now, despite a little marketing deception, I don't think these brands are trying to swindle us out of our money by making us use more and more product. They use these certain drying ingredients to help get rid of cold sores. 

Wait, use chapstick to get rid of cold sores? Yup. Thats what some brands like Carmex and ChapStick were originally made for. 

Now, just what are these not so magical ingredients?

According to the article, the harmful ingredients are:

Camphor

Menthol

Phenol

OL (usually stands for some kind of Alcohol)

and

 Salicylic Acid 

Keep an eye out for these ingredients the next time you go searching for the perfect lip balm to keep your lips hydrated all day long. For your convienece, I've compiled a list of three lip balms to try for long lasting lip wear, and three to avoid.

Do Use:

Baby Lips- It has petrolum in it, one of the BEST things for lip moisture.

EOS- Was there ever any doubt? This doesn't have any of the drying ingredients listed above.

Burt's Bees- I love Burt's! None of the ingredients listed above and no active ingredients, which can only be a good thing!

Don't Use:

Carmex- This was made for cold sores so, its one of the worst offenders out there for using drying ingredients. This contains Camphor, Phenol, Menthol and Salicylic Acid. 

SoftLips- contains methol, to give you that "tingling" feeling.

ChapStick- Not too bad of an offender but, it does contain alcohol, which can be drying for your lips. 

Be sure to check the ingredients next time you reach for your favorite chapstick! There could be a reason you feel like you have to re-apply it 50 million times throughout the day. 

Stay Beautiful,

Kailey 

Mary Kay Facial Review

As you may or may not know, I recently "left" mark and I've been looking for a new direct sales company. Mary Kay was one that I was interested in but, had never really used their products before so, I didn't know how I would like it. Luckily, I know two people that already sell Mary Kay!

One of them just happens to be living in the same city with me so, I had the pleasure of getting a Mary Kay facial from her. 

Before I went I decided that I was going to take a before and after video, to show the effects and get my initial reaction...

However, I had to take the video on my phone because I still can't find my camera battery charger :( , and now I can't get it to process anywhere! I'm not really sure what the problem is so sadly, I'm just going to do this post without video.

My Mary Kay lady was kind enough to provide me with a list of products that she used so, here goes nothing!

Time Wise Miracle Set- Included 3 in 1 Cleanser, Acne Fighting Solution, and Night Solution. All of this stuff was great and felt really good on my skin but, I'm not sure how different it is from other products I've used since a one time use for face cleansers can't tell you a whole lot. One thing I did like was that all of these products had anti-aging benefits.

Time Wise Eye Cream- She did not specify in the list if she used the firming eye cream or the anti aging eye cream but I was really impressed by how quickly and how long it made my under eye circles appear lighter. Besides, its never too early to start the anti aging process! 

Acne Gel- This is a new formula, but, my mom would always only buy Mary Kay's acne gel because she said it was the best. What I liked about this product was that it didn't burn at all when I put it on. I also felt like it actually did help my breakouts a bit when I looked at them the next day. 

Satin Lips Set- These was by far my FAVORITE products. Its a lip mask and a lip balm and ohmygoodness were my lips so soft afterwards! My lips were chapped too so, getting all of that dry skin off and making them feel baby soft was no small feat. If you've never tried Mary Kay before, I would try this product first! Its cheap and amazing. (and no, I'm not being paid to say this!). P.s.While she was explaining this product she said something that really intrigued me and made me do my own research... keep a lookout for a blog post about it on Tuesday!

Foundation Primer- The last step was foundation primer. I know I need to use foundation primer in my everyday life but I think I don't because it always makes my face feel funny. Not quite oily but just heavy. This did feel a little strange because I'm not used to wearing primer but, it didn't feel oily or heavy on  my skin. It also did the job and helped my foundation look great. The only downside I can see is that you have to wait for it to completely dry before you but mineral makeup on it. 

As you can see, I was pleasantly impressed with my Mary Kay facial! I think I would have to try it out a bit more to get a clearer opinion about the TimeWise Miracle Set but, I definitely love the Eye Cream and Satin Lips Set. I also just want to mention that I had a really great time at my Mary Kay facial with Amber. She was great and made sure she told me all about the Mary Kay Opportunity because she knew I was interested. She was great! :)  

If you are interested in any of these products click here.

Do you like Mary Kay? Do you have a rep you love?

Stay Beautiful,

Kailey

John Frieda Luxurious Volume Touchably Full Shampoo & Conditioner Mini Review

                I’m one of those people that is a SUCKER for marketing strategies especially commercials. That’s why I’ve always been intrigued by John Frieda. Although, I’ve never actually tried it out because it’s a smidge expensive and I didn’t want to spend that kind of money on something I wasn’t sure about. Especially not on shampoo and conditioner which, lets be honest, don’t tend to last very long.

So of course, I was thrilled when I found a free sample from target. I received my sample of John Frieda Luxurious Volume Touchably Full Shampoo and Conditioner from Target a few weeks ago, and I have to say I’m not that impressed. I was able to squeeze two uses out of the sample pack and while I was using it my hair felt great. My hair felt clean and soft. A definite win. However, I didn’t feel like it did anything by way of volumizing. Honestly, flipping my hair over and blow drying it does better (and its less expensive.) 

It definitely did not weigh it down or make it limp and lifeless but I don't have a huge problem with that in the first place. 

However, when I went to get my haircut today, I told my hairdresser about the experience and she said “oh honey, you don’t need it.” So maybe the fact that I didn’t really see any results from this shampoo and conditioner is because my hair isn’t actually “flat” enough. That being said, I give this product a B-. It’s good, but it’s not great. Have you tried it? What do you think?

What Shampoo and Conditioner do you suggest?

Stay Beautiful,

Kailey 

Mythbusters: Makeup Edition!

Hello dolls!

Today, I thought I'd leave you with some great info! You may not know as much as you think you do about makeup! I'm here to bust those myths! 

(P.s. I created the pics and paraphrased from "15 Biggest Beauty Myths About Your Makeup" by Stylelist.com, in other words: all the actual info is from them, wording and mark suggestions mine! :) )

If you would like to order any of these products from me, you must do so by August 8th! Click here to order now. 

Why Did I Change My Blog Name?

I'm going to be honest here,

this isn't going to be a super fun post. 

But, I feel that my "followers" and customers need to know

what happened and why I made the decision to

no longer be a mark rep. 

It saddens me to write that. It really does. As most of you could probably tell, I loved being a mark rep. I loved helping people. I loved my mentor and my team. I loved the makeup.

None of that has changed. 

As some of you may know, on Thursday July 11th, 2013, we had our National Rep Webcast; a normal occurrence for a mag turn over. I was sad that I could not make the call, but now, I'm really glad I was not on the call when this all went down. 

From the other reps, I got the basic run down of the call afterwords. 

It was a ten minute pre-recorded video about how mark was merging with Avon, some basics, and a promise of an FAQ the next day. 

None of that sounds too awful considering that we always knew mark was a subsidiary of Avon and as a business decision it makes sense, and it might very well make reps more money in the long run. 

My problems then? 

1. They didn't tell the Mentors beforehand- This is my biggest problem with this switch. While I don't really like the switch at all, I would consider making it... if they would have handled it more gracefully. I know some of us reps didn't act very gracefully after the news, but that's because it was dropped on us (and the mentors) like a hand grenade. Why does it upset me so much that the mentors weren't told? Because this is their JOB. They made an actual base pay being a mentor... and they were pretty much fired with no real warning at all. Not only did they not tell the mentors, if they do make the switch, they will have to start from the bottom and work their way back up. 

2. They acted as if we could have never done this before- I'm all for trying to make a negative situation a positive one. But in this case they were just blowing smoke. They were saying that it was a never before business opportunity, which was/is a lie. We always knew that we could switch to Avon if we wanted to sell both. Pretty easily too from my understanding. 

3. Tearing Up the Teams-  One of my favorite parts about being a mark rep was my team. That was one of the main reasons that I didn't want to switch to Avon when my best friend would ask, I couldn't leave my team. And now...well, now officially we are no longer a "team" but, we are sticking together anyway. Which is good, because that is a group of amazing women.

4. Lack of Communication- They did end up getting the FAQ up the day the announcement was made but, they were going to post it the next day. Also, there were some things shadily not mentioned... like the fact that we wouldn't get 40% off of everything in the campaigns, just things without fixed commission.

The Bottom Line: I don't want to work for a company that I believe practices "bad business" and to me, the way this was handled was "bad business". Also, I don't want to be a part of a company that fires people without any notice... publicly.

I still respect those who have decided to make the switch, but for me, its just not worth it.

So, what does this mean for you? 

For Blog Followers: This means, a new blog title and less focus on solely mark products. It will still be a beauty and fashion blog, so not much has changed here. 

For Customers: I am currently looking in to other direct sales companies, but I want to make sure I'm making the right decision for me and for my customers. My current thoughts are: Mary Kay and/or Premier Designs... I'm leaning more towards Premier Designs but, we will see. If there is something you would like for me to sell or look into, let me know. I will continue to be a mark rep until August 8th. After that, my e-botique will no longer be available and I will no longer be a mark or Avon rep. 

In honor of that I'm having a going out of business sale: 

Order through me here

After that, I will direct you to my friend who sells Avon/mark. Don't worry, she will treat you well. 

I know this was long so, if  you stuck with me, thank you. 

And thank you to everyone who has supported me in my business venture with mark.

Here's to the next chapter. 

Stay beautiful,

Kailey

Why I'm Running...

As some of you may know, I have been doing Steph Hendel's Summer Challenge. In case you don't already know what that is, it is a 6 week challenge where personal trainer and health expert Steph Hendel of RawSistahs and FitBodyHealthyGlow provides motivation, workouts, schedules and recipes to help us (especially women, but some men too) get healthy and fit and love our body. 

Its a great program and I encourage every one to click the link above and sign up for the challenge. We are only on week 2 so there is plenty of time to jump in. One of the things she has asked us to do is set a Challenge Goal. I have two:

1. Run a 5K (Preferably Color Run)

2. Do a [pretty] handstand and stay up for at least 10 seconds. 

The second one seemed like a no brainer to me. I used to be in gymnastics and I wanted to gain a little bit of my old skills back. 

The first one took a little more self convincing. To be honest, I hated running. However, I have been really interested in running a Color Run and I know that it is a manageable goal, and something that will require me to push myself out of my comfort zone. 

To me, this challenge... exercising... eating healthy, its not about getting skinny, its about getting strong and fit. Because when I get strong and fit, I will be more confident, no matter what my size. 

Photo Credit: Corey Martin Photography

Yesterday in church, I looked across the aisle and saw this little girl doodling/writing in her notebook. It said: If GYMNASTICs was easy, it would be called football. 

While this is an amusing sentiment, it got me thinking about my time in gymnastics. I got to thinking about why I quit. I couldn't remember specifically when I quit but, I quit because it got too hard. 

My whole life, every sport I've tried, I've quit because it got too hard, it was too much work. 

But you know what? 

Life is hard. 

That's not stopping me anymore. I'm not going to quit things because they get too hard. I'm going to suck it up, put on my big girl pants and keep going. 

And I am going to be better and stronger for it. 

Physically, mentally, and emotionally. 

That is why this Summer Challenge is more than just a diet and exercise routine or fad for me. That is why it is so important to me. 

That is why I am running. 

Why are you running (or not running)? 

Stay Beautiful,

Kailey 

The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of Online TV Watching

In this modern age of technology, most of us know that we do not have to fret if we missed one of our favorite shows on television because, we can simply watch it online the next day. But at what cost? Is there a cost at all? That is what I want to find out as I reflect on my personal internet TV watching experiences. 

The Good: Currently, my husband and I are deciding whether or not to keep cable. I have no problem with this since I can still keep up to date with Pretty Little Liars and Vampire Diaries the day after they air on the internet. Even if the networks do not post a show that I want to watch immediately, I know sooner or later it will be on Netflix and I can just watch it then. So, in this way, internet television watching is great because it is a LOT cheaper than paying for a cable or satellite service and it is (usually) convenient. Also, there are generally less commercials, which is always a plus in my book.

The Bad: Networks can pull shows whenever they want, and it seems, they do not always put them up on time either. That is neither fun, nor convenient. At least with regular television watching (without a DVR) you have hopes of reruns. On the internet, if your shows network decides to take it off the site, your left to wander the sketchy back alleys of the internet to get your fix. 

The Ugly: Speaking of getting your fix, watching shows on the internet can be addicting. With normal television watching you get one or two of "your" shows on in the same night (unless its a marathon, then you're just as screwed) and then it's done. However, with internet/Netflix watching, there is the potential to turn into a computer zombie watching episode after episode after episode... you get the point. Trust me, I've been through it to. I watched 3 seasons of Make It or Break It in 2 weeks... while going to school! Its not healthy and is even worse than being a couch potato, yet its an addiction. So, until you are done with that show, you just keep going back for more. 

Bottom Line: Has internet watching affected me positively or negatively? Well, I think that while internet and on demand watching services are wholly a positive thing, it has the potential to affect me negatively if I let it. Too much of a good thing is not a good thing. So, if I set limits and stick to them and deal with minor annoyances from networks, I'd say internet television watching has and will continue to affect me positively. 

Summer Lookbook 2013

It was requested that I do a Summer Lookbook video so, here is my stab at it!

There are four complete "looks".

I had a lot of fun making this, even though I know its not the best quality, I think its pretty good for my first attempt! Also, disregard the pile of clothes on the bed! I was trying on half my closet and didn't realize you could see the pile till after I uploaded to my computer!

Just to say a little something about my fashion choices, I choose to be modest, and I like showing girls that being modest doesn't have to mean not having cute outfits! 

P.S. Go to my facebook page and sign up for mark email updates! :) 

A Butt, a Couch and an Eel: Met Gala 2013 Worst Dressed!

If you're confused about what the Met Gala is, read my last post first! :) 

Now, here are my picks for the Worst Dressed of the evening, in order! 

My main complaints? People looking like they should be cast as Finnick, and clothes that don't fit! 

All together now! (I made it extra large, even though it goes over a little bit).

*Photos above and below from Clevvertv.com* 

1. Madonna- While I give her props for taking the punk theme literally... Nobody wants too see her 50+ year old butt! Put on some pants! 

2. Kim Kardashian- Not even she can pull off looking like a couch. Who knows, maybe she was pulling a Slughorn right before the party. 

3. Katy Perry- I'm all for calling clothes an art form, but this is taking it a little too far.

4. Beyonce Knowles- I may get crap for this but I don't care. I think it looks like she's wearing a tapestry. And the matchy matchyness is killing me. 

5. Miley Cyrus-Hey look mom, I caught a electric eel! 

6. Mary Kate Olsen- Too much fabric! 

7. Kristen Stewart- I'm okay with the chest up and knees down, but the whole middle part is just a hot mess. 

8. Florence Welch-Just.. no. 

9. Sarah Jessica Parker- This could be okay but what the heck is on her head?!

10. Anne Hathaway- Oh with the feathers already! I appreciate the dress, minus the feathers at the wrists.Makes her look like a cracked out Cruella DeVil

11. Aubrey Plaza- Look Miley, something for you to catch in your giant fishnet! 

12. Rita Ora- This could be cute, but to me it just looks cheap (which I'm sure it wasn't). 

13. Nicki Manaj- Its not that the dress is bad... its that it makes her look frumpy. 

14. Elle Fanning- The makeup... oh the makeup. I don't like the dress either, I think its too boxy and distorts her figure. But, its not that bad. 

Hope you enjoyed? Do you agree, disagree? Who do you think should be on here? Let me know in the comments! 

Stay Beautiful!

Kailey