Forgiveness

Dear Friend,

Think about a time in your life when you've experienced getting hurt. It wasn't exactly fun, now was it? We don't mean to remind you of some terrible situation, but we thought it would be helpful to have a certain experience in mind as you read this post. Whether it was you falling off your bike and scraping your knee or something more complex like being betrayed by someone who you thought cared a lot about you, getting hurt is one of the worst feelings in the world. However, this post focuses on situations similar to the latter- ones that often bring about other negative emotions such as bitterness, confusion, and anger. As humans, one of our most instantaneous and natural reactions is to ignore these feelings and store them away. But why do we keep a bottle of negative thoughts inside of us? For safekeeping? No. It's because we don't want to face our problems and feel vulnerable in the process. Bottling up our feelings is essentially the same as holding grudges- we are afraid to let go. By refusing to let go, we are allowing ourselves to drown in negativity. But problems cannot fix themselves- we need to initiate the process. So how do we do that?

Forgiveness.

This is one of those topics that the two of us are just trying to understand and give another perspective to. So just stick with us and hopefully you'll gain something valuable out of it. When we think of forgiveness, we often think of the phrase "forgive and forget." However, forgiveness does not mean forgetting. Forgiveness involves reflecting on a challenging problem and learning how to handle it. In fact, if we spend all our time trying to "forget," we will probably end up feeling even more frustrated. We do not have to forget in order to forgive. Forgiveness may mean something different to everyone, so we can't give you an exact definition. However, below are our thoughts on forgiving others as well as ourselves.

Forgiving others
Depending on the situation, forgiving others may happen within a few days or it may take years. However, the longer you wait, the harder it will be to forgive someone because you've had time to dwell on all sorts of scenarios. Just do it- everything happens for a reason. We aren't saying that forgiveness will heal your relationship instantly, but it has the power to open doors to reconciliation. You and that other person will be able to mutually respect each other based off a foundation of forgiveness, which is very important in rebuilding a relationship. You or that person may have "changed" or "grown up," but don't allow that to be an excuse to avoid forgiveness. You just have to give each other a second chance to make things right.

Forgiving yourself 
We're sure there have been times in your life where you feel like you aren't good enough. But what exactly does it mean to be "good enough"? This vague phrase can mean a lot of things, but it should relate to you personally. You can't constantly keep comparing yourself to others and live by other people's expectations. Don't let other people influence you to be someone you are not. If there are people in your life who are doing this to you and making you feel bad about yourself, they are not good for you. By spending so much time trying to be "good enough" for them, you are forgetting those in your life who look past your imperfections. Stop shutting out those who already think you are brilliant. This is very important when learning how to forgive yourself. By surrounding yourself with those who lift you higher, you yourself will feel happier and more forgiving. As long as you do your personal best and meet your own goals, that's all that matters. 

Hopefully this post has given you insight on how to handle certain situations in your life. But before we end, we thought we would touch on a topic that goes hand in hand with forgiveness: grace. Sometimes there is absolutely no logical or straightforward reasoning behind forgiveness. But if you are able to forgive those who don't seem to deserve it, we have great admiration for you. You have found grace- and that can lead to healing. We don't want to take up more time writing about grace- we'll save that for tomorrow's post, but just know that your life doesn't have to consist of disappointment, it can be full of compassion and empathy.

Challenge: Think of someone in your life who you aren't on the best terms with and make the effort to make peace with them. Find that person and let them know you still care- simply through forgiveness. If they were important at one point in your life, they are still important today.

"Forgiveness does not change the past, but it does enlarge the future."- Paul Boese 

Yours truly,
Kylie and Catherine

Road Rage

Dear Friend,

Traffic is the worst. Regardless of if you are on time or late, being stuck traffic is never fun. Especially when you are driving in a stick shift which you still are not 100% comfortable with, it is pouring, and everyone seems to think that it is a wonderful idea to stop right in front of you, on a hill, for prolonged periods of time. In the midst of my annoyance, my friend told me that the reason for the month after month construction on our commute is because of salmon. Yep. Salmon. I'm all for preserving nature and what have you, but for a place on the highway that I didn't even know passed over a river, salmon construction should not take 3 months. This happened to me (Kylie) this morning. My carpool buddy was privy to my long rant that basically went something like this:

"Why are we stopping. No. You are dumb. CALM YOURSELF DOWN. Oh. FINE. That's a good thing to do right now. I love it when cars are--WHAT ARE YOU DOING OH MY LORD I HATE YOU I HATE RAIN I HATE SALMON I HATE PEOPLE I HATE AMERICA."

By the time I got to school, my left leg was sore from the clutch and my tea was cold. Not a very good way to start a Tuesday. I am usually an annoyingly positive person, but bad drivers on slick roads can turn my mood around. I don't have road rage like some people do. I won't start flipping people off, or making jerk moves. I just start talking and talking and talking. How do you handle your road rage?

Here are 10 tricks to help the next time you find yourself being stalled for annoying reasons:

1. Take a deep breath. Remember that things can always be worse. You could be on the side of the road in a ditch. At least you are still in a warm car. At least you are still alive. At least you have 5 fingers on each hand. At least you have an above average number of legs (Think about it. People with 1 leg bring the average down by some amount of decimals. Regardless of the amount, the average number of legs is less than two. If you are driving a car, you probably have two legs, meaning that you are ABOVE AVERAGE!). At least you have your license!

2. Remember something happy in your life. Sort of like when Harry Potter is trying to conjure a patronus charm. Imagine yourself being faced with dementors and every person around you is a muggle. In order to cast this spell you have to think of your happiest memory. What would you think of?

3. Listen to some music. Soft music is good if you tend to the angrier, more aggressive side, but if you choose the right song, you can imagine yourself in an exciting action movie. Try singing along.

4. Tweet about how bad your life is. Only joking. Never ever text and drive. Have your friend tweet about how bad your life is. Or start drafting the tweet in your head that you will write once you are safely parked about how bad your life is.

5. Play with all of the settings in your car. Calculate how many combinations of venting/temperature/circulation etc. you can have in your car. Challenge yourself to find one thing about your vehicle that you weren't aware of before.

6. Listen to NPR.

7. Try to convince the person in the car next to you that you are a CIA agent. Sunglasses optional. Note: remember that the guy next to you could be a loon with a gun. Use wise freedom.

8. Try to not stop. If the car in front of you is stopped, stay behind them far enough that you can creep up until they start to move again. Note: This may annoy other drivers.

9. Have window races if you are in a carpool. At random times yell "1-2-3 WINDOW RACE" and whoever rolls their window down all the way and back up wins. You can play this game by yourself as well, although that is sad and pathetic.

10. Think WWKCD? What would Kylie and Catherine do?

Best of luck on the roads! Stay safe!

"I also think stress is related to control. When you're in charge of your life, you tend to not care about losing control of things that don't really matter like traffic jams." -Marilu Henner

Yours truly,
Kylie and Catherine

Bucket Lists

Dear Friend,

Do you have a bucket list? If you don't, we highly recommend that you create one. Bucket lists can help you focus on what really matters to you in life. Instead of wasting your life on activities that don't matter at all, you should spend your life doing things that make you happy.

Bucket lists are constantly growing, so don't ever think once you "finish" one, then you're done forever. There are probably many activities that will somehow enrich your life- here are a few things from our current bucket list: 

1. Go canyoneering 

2. Graduate 

3. Travel to Europe 

4. Create a blog (check!) 

5. Finish a DIY from pinterest 

6. Go zorbing 

7. Learn another language 

8. Get into college 

9. Inspire people 

10. Go on a road trip together 

11. Carry out a successful prank 

12. Visit Hogwarts 

Those are just a few activities on our bucket list- we are constantly adding things every day. What's on your bucket list? 

The trick is to enjoy life. Don't wish away your days, waiting for betters one ahead. 

Yours truly,
Kylie and Catherine

Life is an Onion

Dear Friend,

The other day the two of us had the following conversation over IM:

Kylie: omg a world without *********.
Catherine: omg what if we jump worlds.
Kylie: what.
Catherine: Like time travel to different worlds. Like what if there are other dimensions?
Kylie: OH like a parallel universe? I follow. Like an onion.
Catherine: yes yes
Kylie: Like a really big onion.

So here we are. Trying explain to you, dear reader, how your world is like a really big onion. This is the first of a series of "Life is" posts, in which we will use convoluted metaphors to explain our thoughts.

Each person has their own life. Similarly, each person has their own world, and they are the center of it. This might seem selfish, but we are all the centers of our own worlds because if you think about it, everything happens around us. Your personal world is an onion. Each layer represents different things. Those closest to the center are those things which are most important to you: your family, your closest friends, your religion perhaps. The outer layers are the dried up, nasty layers. These are the layers of regrets, negative thoughts, etc. This is why the outside of your life onion is crusty.

The problem is, sometimes we get our layers mixed up. We begin to deviate from the center of our onion as the edges pull us farther to them. This happens by dwelling on the past, or hanging on to people who aren't good for us. Consequentially we get pulled from our true friends and values. The things closest to the center of our life onion are easy to see, as those layers have the smallest surface area. However, the outer layers have a huge surface area, which is why they wrongly take up much of our head space and time. When we give attention to these layers, we get pulled farther from the core, and we actually expand the bad layers.

In order to return to the center of the onion, we need to do one of two things. The first is to push back through the layers of negativity. This can be done, but, similarly to a real onion, this will cause tears because it is not always easy and the layers will still remain, pulling you back. The second option is to just cut away the bad layers. This will also cause tears, but it will decrease the size of the onion, which will bring you closer to the center and make it easier to stay there. As soon as we begin to pile on more and more layers, life gets more complicated.

We can always add or subtract layers. This is where the parallel universe phenomenon comes in. If you are living out on the farthest layer of your life onion, you are probably not a very happy human being. However if you strip away the outer layers, you will become a healthier, more well rounded and generally awesome person. No time travel needed, just some layer jumping. If you think about it, it actually makes sense.

We hope that you enjoyed the first installment of "Life is..." posts. Stay tuned for more in the future! Comment or tell us in person what you think we should compare life to. We are always up for a challenge.

If you want to know where your heart is, look to where your mind goes when it wanders.

Yours truly,
Kylie and Catherine

13 Things to Start and Stop Doing

Dear Friend,

Has that pesky little voice in your head ever said "Oh, I'll do that tomorrow" or "This is the last time...for real...". We all put things off, and we all continue to do things that we know we shouldn't. Newsflash: tomorrow is always coming, but will never get here. As soon as it does, it's already today, and we are already making more excuses. Below is a list of 13 things that you should start doing TODAY, and 13 things that you have to stop.

13 things to STOP doing
1. Stop being afraid to make mistakes
2. Stop telling yourself that you aren't good enough
3. Stop spending time with people who aren't good for you
4. Stop comparing yourself to others
5. Stop dressing to impress others
6. Stop trying to make other people be like you
7. Stop judging people before you get to know then
8. Stop regretting things you cannot change
9. Stop acting like the victim and being a martyr
10. Stop putting off difficult conversations
11. Stop making promises that you can't keep
12. Stop rushing through your day
13. Stop having unrealistic expectations of yourself


13 things to START doing
1. Start saying "I love you" more often
2. Start going on long walks
3. Start telling others how much they mean to you
4. Start giving people second chances
5. Start drinking more tea
6. Start reading before you go to bed
7. Start asking for help and advice
8. Start being the person that your dog thinks you are
9. Start thinking more positive thoughts
10. Start trusting yourself
11. Start going to bed earlier
12. Start forgiving those who used to be important to you
13. Start taking more risks

If you start/stop doing these 26 things, your life will improve. We guarantee it :) Don't put them off until tomorrow though, or they will never happen.

"Keep your thoughts positive because your thoughts become your words. Keep your words positive because your words become your behavior. Keep your behavior positive because your behavior becomes your habits. Keep your habits positive because your habits become your values. Keep your values positive because your values become your destiny." -Mahatma Gandhi

Yours truly,
Kylie and Catherine

DIY: Caramel Apple Spice

Dear Friend,

The other day, we participated in a 5k Heart Walk  in Seattle. The walk was extremely fun and refreshing, but after being in the cold weather for quite some time, we were in great need of a Starbucks run. Once we arrived at Starbucks, we decided to go out on a limb and try something new. We each ordered a tall, Caramel Apple Spice...honestly, that was probably the best decision we made all week. The drink was amazing. 

So naturally, we decided to try and make it ourselves. You may have seen a recipe for this on trusty Pinterest, but if you haven't, here's how to make the lovely drink:

What you need:
-a cute mug
-a packet of Alpine apple cider mix
-a can of Reddi whip cream
-caramel sauce
-hot water

What to do:
First, pour the apple cider mix into the mug. Add hot water and stir. Then, add some of the caramel sauce to the drink itself (add as much as you like). After, simply add the whip cream to your drink and drizzle the caramel sauce on top. Voila!

Although the Starbucks label isn't on your drink, we hope you like this little DIY. We love the fall and this drink (along with Pumpkin Spice Lattes) makes it even more enjoyable. What's your favorite drink to have during the fall?

"In the entire circle of the year there are no days so delightful as those of a fine October, when the trees are bare to the mild heavens, and the red leaves bestrew the road, and you can feel the breath of winter, morning and evening...no days so calm, so tenderly solemn, and with such a reverent meekness in the air."

Yours truly,
Kylie and Catherine

Things Kylie and Catherine Say/Don't Say

Dear Friend,

In an effort to help you get to know us better, this post is dedicated to our own version of "things people say/don't say." The first list are statements we tend to say quite a bit- if you know us personally, we're sure you've heard these many times before. However, the second list consists of quotes that we would probably never ever say. And without further ado, enjoy the lists!

Things Kylie and Catherine Say 

"Ruh roh!" 

"What's your coffee order?" 

"I am flipping a switch!" 

"Take me out of the oven because I am done." 

"Don't worry about it." 

"Don't die on me, kay?" 

"Stop the violence!" 

"Let's be honest..." 

"It's only 11:00? Wow, it's early!" 

"I'm turning blue again..." 

"So if we split this 5 hour energy drink, we'll each get 2.5 hours of energy." 

"We sent you an email." 

"Hey! We have friends!" 

"Let's think about this..." 

"Fear not." 

"Let's make some tea." 

"I'm cold." 

Things Kylie and Catherine Don't Say 

"I would love a marionberry!"

"Please scratch your leg louder."

"I bought a sweater from J-Crew today." 

"We don't like making new friends."

"Taylor Swift is getting old."

"All our friends are the same age as us" 

"What's pinterest?"

"Please don't respond to our email."

"I don't know that middle schooler." 

"Nice parking job, Kylie!"

"We haven't been to the library in forever."

"Don't be yourself." 

"Investigate self-hate."

We hope you found these statements amusing :) Let us know if there are other things we say/don't say that we forgot to write down!

Friendship is born at that moment when one person says to another, "What! You too? I thought I was the only one."- C.S Lewis 

Yours truly,
Kylie and Catherine

The Journey

Dear Friend,

What do you think of when you hear the word "Journey"? Some might think of a road trip while others might conjure up an image of a San Francisco rock band formed in 1973. Both are accurate images of "Journey", but in this post we're going to be talking about a less literal journey.

The journey of life.

This is a huge topic to try to tackle in one blog post. We won't cover everything, but we'll try to give you some things to think about. In an attempt to not just have large blocks of text, this post will be broken into three main points addressing three main questions.

1. What is the journey?
As stated above, the journey we are referring to is the journey of life. The journey begins when we are born, and ends when we take our last breath. Regardless of your ideas about life after death, this post is talking about life from age 0 to when your physical body stops functioning completely. The journey encompasses a lot. Not only does the journey include the people that we meet and the experiences we have, it also includes the trip that our mind takes as it transforms and molds throughout our life. Each moment helps to shape who we really are. Every time we succeed, every time we fail, every time we fall and pick ourselves back up changes who we are and how we will approach our next challenge. The connections that we make with other people helps create our road map. Some relationships are like places we will never visit again, while other relationships are places we often find ourselves returning to. On our journey from infantry to old age, we grow and mature physically. This is obvious. What is less obvious is our psychological maturity. Many people think that by the time they are about 19 or 20 they are all mature and set and dandy. However this is not true. Sure, maybe by this point our frontal lobe will have closed, but we continue to shape who we are until the day we die. You did not have the exact same views and ideas and dreams today as you did one year ago. They  might be very similar, but over the last 365 days, your mind has grown and changed in ways that we rarely think about. This transformation of mind and soul is a huge part of the journey.

2. Is each journey different?
Yes. Each person has a different journey. No two people are the same. Even identical twins are not the same. Heck, even the two of us aren't the same. We may think parallel, and have very similar morals, but we have contrasting dreams and ambitions. We have not been on the same journey to get to where we are today. Every person is unique. Unless we find a way to genetically clone a human, and then have these clones follow the same life paths, fall in love with the same people at the same time, and control their thoughts, no two people will EVER be the same. This is a miracle of human life. Even if you feel like a failure some days because maybe you didn't pass a test, or you aren't getting along with someone who used to be your other half, you can be proud that in this moment, you are the only one who is you. No one else has been through EXACTLY what you are going through, because no one thinks exactly like you. Often times we find ourselves thinking that we have experienced exactly what others have. This may be true on the outside, but rarely do we have the exact same mental experience as others. Especially since we cannot isolate an event. When something drastic happens, we cannot help but include all other events that have come before the current one, and this can either help or hinder our reaction to the event.

3. What is the destination? Is there one?
This is one of the main problems with our society. In grade school, we work towards college. In college, we work towards employment. Once we have a job, we work towards a promotion. We want a promotion so that we can retire happily. Once we retire, we start thinking about all the regrets we have and before we know it, we're being buried in the ground and that's that for our life on earth. Of course this is a dramatic and oversimplified version of life. Don't get us wrong, we're optimistic, but this is how society seems to operate. Another thing about society: we always need a solid answer. Wouldn't it be convenient if sometime in our life, the clouds parted and God looked down and was like "Kay! You're good! You have reached your destination!" That way we could relax and know with certainty that we have done everything we can to be the perfect, Utopian people. Unfortunately  this does not happen- at least not in this life. Again, believe what you want to believe, but this post is talking about your life on Earth. Anyways, there is not a "destination". Life is more of a really really long car ride and when you run out of gas, then that's it. From one person's perspective, this car ride could be tedious and drab, while another more positive person might make up fun car games, and stop along the way to take in their surroundings. Many people go through their road trip of life with their hands on their wheel and their eyes straight ahead, but the happier people are constantly taking side roads, and stopping to eat, and seeing everything they can before their gas light comes on. Their life may be the same number of years as the previously mentioned driver, however their spiritual and mental space will be full of fresh air and beauty right up until the day they die.

So there you have it. This is a topic that will probably be recurring, as there is so much to talk about. Share your thoughts in the comments, or just think about your journey. Life is not about seeking greatness, but rather choosing to be great in this very moment, and infusing that greatness into everything you say and do. So take deep breaths and calm yourself down, because let's be honest...in life, no one gets out alive.

The road of life twists and turns and no two directions are ever the same. Yet our lessons come from the journey, not the destination.

Yours truly,
Kylie and Catherine

Finding the Good

Dear Friend,

Imagine you have a banana as part of your breakfast each day. One morning, excited for your daily dose of potassium, you begin to peel your banana- only to reveal a rather unfortunate looking piece of fruit. It's not exactly rotten, but it's definitely covered with a couple ugly bruises. Not very appetizing, right? Disappointed, you think to yourself, "Darn, I was really looking forward to eating that banana. What good is it now?" Well, we're here to help you answer that question. Instead of throwing away the slightly mushy banana, you can use it to make some banana bread muffins. It's as simple as that. However, finding the good in each day may not be as easy as turning something unappetizing into a yummy dessert. How can we work on finding the good in our lives and what exactly does it mean to do so?

Finding the good in hopeless situations 
Changing your perspective is key in looking at the positive side of seemingly frustrating situations. We are often so stubborn and narrow minded that we forget to look at the bigger picture, which can be very detrimental to others and to ourselves. Here's a situation that can help us realize the importance of finding the good: In 2009, Catherine began a personal project (to learn more about her project, you can visit her site www.hopeforsisim.webs.com). For the last few years, she has been collecting backpacks and school supplies for the Sisim Elementary School in Ilocos Sur, an underprivileged province of the Philippines. Last summer, she had the opportunity to travel to the Philippines and personally deliver the supplies to the children. The trip was very successful and rewarding- Catherine was able to give a backpack to each of the kids in the school. But let's think about this situation...to many of us, these backpacks were simply backpacks. However, to the kids, they meant so much more. You could tell by their excitement and gratitude that the backpacks were a reason for them to stay in school and pursue a better future. Some of these kids are forced to quit school at an early age in order to work and yet they managed to find so much joy in something that doesn't seem important. These children have taught us a valuable lesson. By simply changing our view of a situation, we can find the good in desperate situations and turn things completely around.

Finding the good in people 
We encounter many different people throughout our lives and often times we aren't a fan of some of them. It's simply impossible for us to get along with every single person in this world due to different hobbies and interests. She may consider running a marathon the highlight of her week while your idea of fun is sitting at home reading Harry Potter. However, our dislike for people doesn't always stem from a lack of similarities. It can be so much more complicated than that- like someone hurting you in a way that seems totally unforgivable. Learning how to forgive them is a different story (which we will save for another post), but no matter what this person has done to us, we should not focus on all the negative qualities about them. We must learn to move past just "tolerating" those who we don't like and take a leap of faith by finding the good in them. It's not always easy to look past people's imperfections, but if you are able to find one good thing about them, we guarantee that you will feel a whole lot happier. Sometimes viewing someone through a different set of lens will help you see that person in a whole new light.

Finding the good in every day is really difficult to do and it takes a lot of practice. But no matter how frustrated or disappointed you are, remember to stay positive and change your perspective- we can guarantee your mushy bananas will turn into banana bread any day :)

We can't direct the wind, but we can adjust the sails.

Yours truly,
Kylie and Catherine

A Swift Post

Dear Friend,

So guess what. The new Taylor Swift album came out at 10:00 PM yesterday night. Naturally, the two of us were planning on staying up until midnight to buy it on iTunes but we forgot about time differences, so we got it two hours early. We basically have the album on repeat because it is SO GOOD. All of the songs are unique, and fun, and sad, and amazing. If you aren't a big T-Swift fan, that's your loss. She is a goddess. Some of our favorite songs on her new album are I Almost Do, Stay Stay Stay, and Treacherous.

The title of the post was a pun. We are sorry that this isn't a long, well thought out, deep, or particularly funny post, but we have a large biology test coming up, and priorities call. If we don't study, we might fail biology, which would crush our GPA, which would cause us to not get into college, which would make us homeless, and then we would starve and eventually die, thus not being able to continue the blog (THAT escalated quickly.)

As you can see, we're studying for you, friend. We promise to post a long and thoughtful post tomorrow once life settles down a bit. So you can look forward to a little bit of enlightenment :)

"I bet you're sitting in your chair by the window, looking out at the city and I hope sometimes you wonder about me" -Taylor Swift, I Almost Do

Yours truly,
Kylie and Catherine

How to Sound Pretentious

Dear Friend,

If you are ever in a situation where you are surrounded by people who think they are better than you, have no fear. This post will help you sound just as pretentious as they are. Below are a list of words, their fancy synonyms, and how to use them in a sentence.

Small= quaint
"Yesterday, I enjoyed a quaint cup of tea."

Good= quality
"The new Taylor Swift album is such quality." (it actually is, so you should check it out)

Wine= vino
"Sometimes all you need is a good glass of vino." 

Instagram= insta
"Did you see the picture I posted on insta?" 

Consider= ponder
"At nights, before going to bed, I like to ponder about my day." 

Therefore= ergo
"She went on a long run this morning. Ergo, she is fast asleep."

Bathroom= lavatory
"Excuse me, ma'am. Where might I find a lavatory?" 

While= whilst
"Whilst you spend time with all your new friends, I am home alone eating chocolate and watching the Seattle rain." 

I chose= I opted for
"Due to the peer pressure of my healthy friends, I opted for the gluten free cupcakes." 

Correct= valid
"That is a valid interpretation of that poem." 

There are many more pretentious words out there, but these are ones we've heard people say a lot. If you know of any other ones, please share them in the comments or let us know. We would love the entertainment!

"The limits of my language means the limits of my world." -Ludwig Wittgenstein 

Yours truly,
Kylie and Catherine

The Breakfast Club

Dear Friend,

The Breakfast Club is an amazing movie. Produced in 1985, it is about a group of five individuals from Illinois High School who find themselves in detention for different reasons. They all come from different groups, including a princess, an athlete, a brain, a criminal, and a basket case. Eventually they bond with each other. When you are stuck in a room with 4 other people for 8 hours with nothing else to do but talk, you form bonds. This movie is another example of our 'Being Kind' post series, which explains how everyone you meet has something that they are working through. Anyways, the movie doesn't have a perfect disney ending; the characters don't go on to live happily ever after, or stay friends for life, but they share a common bond in "The Breakfast Club". If you have not yet seen this movie, please do yourself a favor and go watch it.

We notice trends form this movie in our lives. At our school, pretty much everyone is nice to everyone else, but depending on the grade, you can definitely pick out the "cool kids", or the "nerds", or the "theater geeks" or "jocks". The two of us pretty much span the board and are friends with everyone, from fifth graders to middle school teachers. Like in the movie, sometimes it is really hard for people to break out of their groups and get to know other people. Our groups make us feel safe. We support our group, and our group supports us. Letting outsiders into the group is a rare occurrence, because we never know if they will throw off the dynamic. Humans have an automatic guard that goes up when meeting new people. Whether this is a fear of the unknown, or a fear of rejection or humiliation, or something else, seldom does anyone meet someone and automatically spill their entire life story. Even with people we have known and consider ourselves close to, it is still a big deal to open up and share our world with someone else. However, this is the only way to build true connections: through trust. Without trust, relationships of any kind are faulty.

Consider yourself part of your own breakfast club. Look around yourself while you are at work, and remember that everyone has a "thing". Try to build a connection with someone that you wouldn't have build before. Find something that you have in common with someone else, or ask how someone is genuinely doing.  We never know how events or words effect other people. A simple friendship falling out could be over and done for you, but for the other person it could still be devastating  Work on forgiving those that have done you wrong, and seeking forgiveness from those who hold any feelings of resentment towards you. Don't judge people based on the clothes they wear, or their weight, or their hair, or their first impression, but try to take the time to really get to know someone that you might not have if you hadn't read this post. Even if you have negative thoughts towards someone, replace them with positive thoughts. Find something good about that person that you can focus on, and before you know it, positivity will be in the front of your mind. This sounds cheesy, but try it for a few days and we guarantee you that you will feel happier and freer.

"We're all pretty bizarre. Some of us are just better at hiding it, that's all." -Andrew, The Breakfast Club

Yours truly,
Kylie and Catherine

11:11

Dear Friend,

Have you ever made a wish on a shooting star? If you have, you are very lucky! It's not every night you get to see something as magical as that. Wishing on a shooting star is pretty high on our bucket list (which we will talk about in another post), but for now, we "wish" on 11:11.

Everyday at 11:11, we try and put together a "list." This list often consists of people we are thinking about, upcoming events, problems we may have, etc. 11:11 is a time for us to reflect on such things. We aren't necessarily wishing for things to happen, but often we like to send good thoughts towards them. If someone is having a bad week or a big exam is coming up, we like to keep them in mind. You could almost think of 11:11 as a one minute prayer.

We have two chances each day to hit 11:11. To tell you the truth, we aren't able to catch it every time. We often try to contact each other in order to prepare for 11:11, but that's simply impossible to do each day. However, we try and make the effort to because it's a nice break to have. When we're up studying late at nights, 11:11 is a time where we can just put aside what we're doing and send good vibes and thoughts to people or certain situations. 11:11 may sound like a hassle to you- it could get tedious really fast, right? Well, actually, you would be amazed by the list of things you can come up with- it changes almost every day. If you happen to look at the clock and see that it's 11:11, drop what you're doing and focus on sending good wishes to others. What would your 11:11 list be and why?

11:11 is one of many traditions we share with each other. In a more formal sense, traditions are very important because they have the ability to bring people closer together and to make you feel like you belong. For us, traditions are not only constants in our lives, but a way to show the importance of community. Sharing a special day or event between ourselves as well as others is a way that reinforces the value of community in our lives.

No matter how big or small (like 11:11) a tradition is, it's the values behind them that count.

Yours truly,
Kylie and Catherine

The Quiet Place Project

Dear Friend,

Our lives are full of noise. The sound of our friend's constant commentary, the sound of keyboards, the sound of cars and doors and rain. Seldom do we actually stop, and just take a breath and enjoy the silence that comes with doing absolutely nothing. It is important to take time to just stop, and recenter ourselves before heading back in to the whirlwind of reality. One of our good friends sent us a website called "The Quiet Place". The link is below. If you click on this link, you can go through a very short mental exercise that will leave you feeling calmer than before. You can also click on "The Thoughts Room" (our favorite), or "90 Seconds Relaxation Exercise". Both will clear out some head space and leave you with a clearer view, thus making you more productive than before.

1. http://thequietplaceproject.com/thequietplace
2. http://thequietplaceproject.com/thethoughtsroom/
3. http://thequietplaceproject.com/90seconds

We highly recommend saving a few of these to your favorite's bar, for times when you are feeling anxious or stressed out. They are great short diversions during exam crams, mini breakdowns, etc.

Enjoy!

To experience peace does not mean that your life is always peaceful. It means that you are capable of tapping into a blissful state of mind amidst the normal chaos of a hectic life.

Yours truly,
Kylie and Catherine

Types of Drivers

Dear Friend,

People are very amusing to watch while they drive. They seem to take on a whole new persona that never comes out unless they are behind the wheel. Some are super casual, while others get uptight and nervous. We have outlined below 6 different types of typical drivers that we see all the time:

The "Yolo-er"
This is the person who runs through yellow lights when they so obviously could have stopped, makes a last minute decision to do a lane change, pulls a u-turn at random times, and makes annoyingly fast choices on the road. Why do they do this? Because yolo. Life is too shot for them to stop safely, or check their mirrors. They embrace carpe diem on a dangerous level but hey, at least they are always on their toes. Why be safe when you can live on the edge? You only live once, my friend, and that life could be cut short if you continue to drive this way.

The "Too Cool for Everything"
This is the windows rolled down, bass turned up, sunglasses wearing person. They will always have their music blasting, oblivious to the fact that people are watching them. They wear their sunglasses regardless of the weather, and think that somehow this makes them exempt from various road rules. Changing lanes? Who needs a blinker? They are clearly too cool to care about warning the car behind them before suddenly jumping ahead. Also, the rule about not texting while driving does not apply to them. It doesn't matter if there is a huge line-up of cars waiting for them at a light that has already turned green, they are too wrapped up in updating their twitter to worry about inconveniencing others.

The "Super Serious"
This is the driver who takes themselves way too seriously. Of course we condone going the speed limit, but honestly, you don't need both hands in a death grip on the wheel. It isn't going anywhere. When you pass the "Super Serious", they may give you a look like someone would give their ex-husband who took everything in the divorce. This person does everything with that stoic frown and god forbid someone cuts them off or you'll probably be dead. In their car, every day is a bad day, no matter what.

The "Happy Singer"
This is the person who doesn't have a care in the world. They will smile regardless of the weather or time. Stuck in traffic? Not a problem! Someone honking? Be yourself! They honestly could care less if they are going 10 miles over or under the speed limit, as long as they are having a grand old time. Often times you will find this type of driving singing along to the radio, dance moves included.

The "Didn't get the Memo"
This is the type of driver who clearly was not informed about speed limit. They will go 50 miles per hour on the freeway in the fast lane, but when you pass them, they will look confused as to why everyone is giving them dirty looks and speeding past. They don't really know how to read road signs, but they really are confident that what they are doing is the right decision. This can happen on single lane highways as well, which is probably the most annoying since you have no way to pass them without getting into a head on collision.

The "Oh, Honey..."
This type of driver is the old lady who can barely see over her dash board. When you see them, you are left wondering why they are even allowed on the roads, or how they are still alive. Keep your distance from the "Oh, Honey..."s, because you never know when they could make a sudden lane change, or have a heart attack. The name comes from the sympathetic looks they receive because although you look oh so sweet, oh honey, you should not have been able to even get yourself out of bed this morning.

As you can see, there are many types of drivers, and many more. Some people are combinations of these, some don't fall into any category. What category do you fall into? What about some of your friends? Comment and let us know, or share an experience you had with a certain type of driver.

Stay safe on the roads!

Yours truly,
Kylie and Catherine

Reading Into Things

Dear Friend,

Have you ever found yourself so wrapped up in your thoughts that you're even more confused then before? Well, that's called over thinking. In order to show you what "reading into things" really is, we've decided to interpret some song lyrics from "The Wind" by the Zac Brown Band.

The Wind (or The Spirit)

Thirty thousand feet above 
The city where I fell in love with you 

In this first two lines, we have come to the conclusion that the speaker is in heaven- sounds strange, right? Well, first off, the word "above" refers to the skies. Thirty thousand feet refers to fifteen thousand people, meaning that there are people in the sky, which essentially means heaven. In this "city", the speaker is falling in love with someone (as clearly stated above). If you think this is crazy, we suggest you stop reading this post- it only gets more complicated!

And the fading concrete skyline 
Brings an urban lullaby 
That still rings true

These next few lines show the speaker leaving earth, meaning that he is talking of death (this confirms the claim we made earlier- he is in heaven). The "urban lullaby" actually means the angelic choir welcoming him into heaven.

When I passed you on the street that day 
Should've let that red scarf fly away 
Like any chance I had of keepin' you 

The speaker begins by remembering the time he first saw his lover, which was also the day of his death. The "red scarf" line is where things get super complicated, but hang in there. So, we have interpreted that this man died by chasing after a scarf of a woman he passed on the street and consequently getting hit by a bus. By sacrificing himself for her and her scarf, he really lost the chance of every loving her. Depressing, right?

Like the Northern Wind a blowin' 
Yeah my lonely heart was frozen 
Never knew I'd find a way to break yours too 

First, we believe that the Northern Wind is the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is omnipresent, just like the speaker's "lonely heart." He is now saying that he is miserable without her and never meant for his death to leave her heartbroken as well.

Where the wind blows babe 
You can bet 
I'll be ridin' high with it
Holding on for my dear life 
Just like I always did 

Close your eyes babe
Take a breath, say my name
And I'll be there
My love will find you anywhere 
Anywhere my love

In the chorus, the speaker is saying that he "rides" with the wind, meaning that the wind is his spirit. He also reassures his lover that he'll always be watching over her and that he is willing to be forever in her heart. This is bittersweet, isn't it?

The city lights look like a country sky 
Like starin' at the stars turned upside down
I wish I may, I wish I might 
Find it in your heart to stick around 

Once again, the second verse begins with confirmation that the speaker is looking down from heaven. Then, he also mentions that he hopes she will never forget him by keeping him in a special place in her heart.

I hate it had to end this way
Tomorrow is a brand new day
And the chances of seeing love 
Are precious few 

If someone's out there waiting 
For a sweet good timin' lady 
To make you smile the way I always wanted to 

The speaker is upset that his sudden death ruined the chance of  him ever getting to know her. Even if he's gone, he hope that she loves him, although doing so may be rare. However, he also believes in new beginnings. He wants her to be happy and loves her so much that he is willing to give her up to someone else.

Where the wind blows babe 
You can bet 
I'll be ridin' high with it
Holding on for my dear life 
Just like I always did 

Close your eyes babe
Take a breath, say my name
And I'll be there
My love will find you anywhere 
Anywhere my love

(Chorus repeats...)

So I'll fly all night 
Our memory's my lullaby that love won't lie 
If it's love done right
You'll be waiting on the other side 
Arms open wide, if love don't like 
Lie, we can fly 

In the bridge, the speaker says that his thoughts and memories of her show him the power of love. If their love is so strong, she'll find a way to always hold him in her heart- arms open wide.

Where the wind blows babe 
You can bet 
I'll be ridin' high with it
Holding on for my dear life 
Just like I always did 

Close your eyes babe
Take a breath, say my name
And I'll be there
My love will find you anywhere 
Anywhere my love will find you anywhere
Anywhere my love will find you anywhere
Anywhere my love 

At the end of the song, the speaker reiterates his eternal love.

So we hope all of you are still with us after that extensive analysis. We're glad you stuck with us and our crazy thoughts. Our interpretation of this song is probably the most convoluted (and cheesiest) thing you will ever read on this blog, but we had a blast trying to read into it. Hopefully we did a good job. If you have another interpretation of this song, let us know. We'd love to hear it!

On an end note, don't feel bad if you like to read into things. Over thinking is just an exaggeration of curiosity, which is definitely not a bad thing. It's a common habit among a lot of people and we find ourselves doing it all the time. There have been many times where we've stayed up late reading into things. Usually our conversations consist of statements such as, "When she said ________, she really meant ________" or "No, that can't be right. She obviously is saying ________." When we over think, sometimes we're lucky and we reach some pretty awesome conclusions, but other times, we get absolutely nowhere. Reading into things is like digging for buried treasure. After a lot of work, you either hit the jackpot or you dig so deep that you can't get out of the hole.

Don't let anyone take your shovel and prevent you from finding that buried treasure- just don't lose yourself too far down in the hole and make sure you have a rope to pull yourself out.

"The important thing is not to stop questioning. Curiosity has its own reason for existing."- Albert Einstein

Yours truly,
Kylie and Catherine

Miracles

Dear Friend,

Do you believe in miracles?

This seems impossible to answer, right? It's not like you can just go around asking people that question in every day conversation. It's like asking "What is the meaning of life?" Along with many other concepts, understanding miracles is rarely brought up, simply because it's too complex to understand. Such concepts are like cookies in the cookie jar stored on the highest shelf in the kitchen- meant to be untouched. But naturally, here we are reaching for one of those chocolate chip cookies and attempting to make sense of a concept that is supposedly beyond our thinking capabilities. 

First, we need to figure out what a miracle really is. You've probably heard of the numerous biblical miracles such as the parting of the sea, feeding thousands with a loaf of bread and some fish, and raising people from the dead. But do miracles have to be that jaw-dropping? It's not too often that you're listening to the radio and a breaking news story comes up about a man walking on water. As entertaining and shocking as that may be, miracles can be as simple as finishing something that you thought would never get done. Regardless of how big or small a miracle is, they should be something that is worth remembering. They could be completely life-changing or a little something that makes you smile. All in all, miracles are memorable. 

But who is behind all this miracle business? Is it the Big Man up above? A greater power? Is it yourself? This is something that we've often found ourselves discussing. Although we don't know the answer, we believe that people are part of your life for a reason. There are people who lift us up higher and then there are those who challenge us. In a way, they are sort of guardian angels or heroes- honestly, they can be whatever you want them to be. For us, it's only recently that we've realized such people are present in our every day lives. Keep a look out for your guardian angels, heroes, or whatever you decide to call them- even if you can't see them, they are definitely there. 

So we have one final question for you: have you ever experienced a miracle? Don't be afraid to write your answer in the comments below. For us, if you are breathing and reading this post, we believe that as a miracle in itself :) If you have experienced a miracle, then congratulations! We hope it was memorable! However, if you have never experienced one, hang in there. No matter how tough things get, just be patient and continue to push through each day. You will find your miracle- sometimes all you have to do is wait. 

"The moment you're ready to quit is usually the moment right before the miracle happens. Don't give up." 

Yours truly, 

Kylie and Catherine 

Birthday Girl

Dear Friend,

If you were paying attention to our first post, you would know that today is Catherine's 17th birthday. This is very exciting, but also bittersweet as it is her last time spending it with friends and family...Yet another last...

Her day consisted of a pancake breakfast with family, a nice dinner, and Kylie braving the Seattle rain to deliver some gifts and wish her a happy birthday. Quite the blow-out party.

Anyways, since it is her birthday, why not dedicate an entire post to her?

10 Facts about Catherine:
-She recently reached 5 feet tall
-Last week she discovered that she can mimic a chipmunk
-She listens to fruit at the grocery store in order to judge its quality
-Her alarm in the morning is Taylor Swift's Enchanted
-Her coffee order changes between chai lattes and vanilla lattes (unless it is the summer, then she drinks iced tea)
-She can say the alphabet backwards very well
-Her skin sometimes turns blue but this is not a medical emergency (however we both believe that bad things happen following the change of color)
-She is sometimes deaf
-She ties her shoes at literally the most inconvenient times
-Her catch phrase is "Let me think about this..."

Catherine's favorites:
-Food: Grilled cheese and butternut squash soup
-Drink: Bubbly water
-Number: 14
-Time of day: 11:11pm
-Least Affordable Store: J-Crew
-Color: Light blue
-Sports Team: Huskies
-Place on campus: Campus Minister's office
-Starbucks: The one by Subway in Factoria
-Singer: Taylor Swift

Catherine's least favorites:
-Day of the week: Tuesday
-Person to see on campus: The Chef
-Store: *******
-Person: at the moment, ********* (Heath Ledger)
-Website: Google
-Color: Orange
-Plant: Laurel bush
-Number: 11
-Berry: Merionberry
-Food at the FRidge: The wrong type of kale

Hopefully I did okay :) Note: I didn't have any help from Catherine. I know her well enough it seems :)

I literally could go on and on about this girl. She is positive, friendly, and non judgmental.  We can talk about anything and everything. It isn't rare that we call each other just to talk about school the next day, and end up talking well past midnight because we are having such great conversations. We never hang up because we finish talking, most of the time it's just because of the time and phone bill. This post could get quite lengthy but I have to post it before midnight tonight so I'll wrap it up. I am so lucky to have this girl in my life because we can get through anything together and we really get each other.

WE ALL LOVE YOU CATHERINE AND WE HOPE THIS YEAR IS ONE OF THE BEST.

Yours truly,
Kylie

p.s. To whom it may concern: belated birthday gift idea...a certain quiz...I mean it is her last birthday at Forest Ridge...#JustSaying...#YOLO

Spontaneity

Dear Friend,

Everyone has routines. We wake up at the same time every day, we go to the same school or work, and we see the same people. Each day brings different ideas and conversations, but the general outlines are the same. Routines are good. They help us keep our minds on the right track, they help us get things done, and they help us stay focused. However, routines can easily become bad if we get so settled that we are afraid to do anything different. Our routines can begin to define us and make us predictable and boring.

This is why spontaneity is key. Once in a while we have to do something different from our routine. Whether this is something drastic like living in Italy for a year or doing a spur of the moment DIY, mixing things up really makes your life more exciting and fresh. Think about it. Have you ever said "Wow, remember that time that I did the exact same thing that I always do?" No. We remember the times that things didn't go according to plan, or we made a "yolo" decision. Life was made to live, not to just settle into a rut and not get out. Tonight we watched the movie 'Eat Pray Love' which we highly recommend. In this movie, the protagonist is faced with several problems, one of which is breaking her routine. This can be scary for anyone. The best metaphor we can come up with is standing on a cliff forever, which is extremely sedentary and boring, or taking the leap of faith and building wings on the way down. (note: we do not endorse jumping off of cliffs. This is a metaphor and not meant to be taken literally. Use your head).

Challenge: do something this week that scares you, or something you would never think about doing and tell us about it in the comments if you would like. For example, tonight the two of us did a late Safeway run. We bought a container of fruit, tortillas, hummus, mini Reese's cups, mini muffins, and an iced tea and had an impromptu picnic at 10 at night in the back of Kylie's car. Only we would be sitting alone in the Safeway parking lot in the rain, sharing iced tea in tacky plastic shot glasses, and discussing everything from friends to college to the exact meaning of "the sun will come out tomorrow", which was what the inside of our iced tea cap said. It's times like these that we're going to look back on for the rest of our lives and think about how truly blessed and lucky we were.

If it scares you, it might be a good thing to try.

Yours truly,
Kylie and Catherine

Coffee

Dear Friend,

Did you know that over 500 billion cups of coffee are consumed each year? Now that's a lot of coffee. Coffee has been integrated into many people's lives, including ours. To us, coffee is one of those little things that brings us a great amount of joy.

Coffee is one of the ways we start friendships. It's not like we're trying to get on the "good side" of people, we just think that bringing them coffee is a random act of kindness. In fact, we have a tradition called "Coffee Thursday." On the first Thursday of every month, we like to bring a few friends a cup of coffee. It's our way of showing someone how much we appreciate them in our lives.

We're actually becoming pros at ordering coffee. To be honest, our first ever Coffee Thursday was a bit of a disaster. We were buying coffee for seven people or so and we had no clue what we were doing. We had a disorganized list of orders we've never heard before, and we didn't know what sizes to get or how much half and half to add. As coffee spilled left and right, we frantically searched for the people we bought coffee for while having a bit of a breakdown because we couldn't find them anywhere. Although this could be defined as a coffee ruh roh, we managed to give our friends their drinks and get to class on time. But nowadays, we know how to order coffee in the most efficient way possible. We have come to realize that coffee cup stoppers are prime in preventing spills. Who knew coffee runs could be so complicated? The baristas at the local Starbucks we go to often give us the "Oh, it's you two again..." look and automatically assume we have a list of orders. Nevertheless, they are happy to see us every once in a while. We think it's safe to also call them our friends :)

Since we've started the "Coffee Thursday" tradition, we've been exposed to quite a lot of coffee orders. Some of them are as simple as an Americano while others are super convoluted like an extra hot decaf soy chai tea latte with just 2 1/2 pumps of chai. There are a lot of great coffee orders out there and we recommend you try the following:

-Simple black drip coffee with half and half
-Hazelnut Americanos
-Vanilla Lattes
-Tazo chai tea lattes
-Pumpkin spice lattes (perfect for fall!)

Let us know what your coffee order is! You never know, it may be one we've never heard before.

Got coffee? 

Yours truly,
Kylie and Catherine

Day of the Girl

Dear Friend,

Today is a double post day! This is the first annual 'Day of the Girl', organized by the UN. Day of the Girl is a movement to speak out against gender inequality internationally. At our school, we are having each student finish this equation:

GIRLS + EDUCATION = ________________

Some examples are:

GIRLS + EDUCATION = POWER

GIRLS + EDUCATION = OPPORTUNITY

GIRLS + EDUCATION = COURAGE

GIRLS + EDUCATION = SUCCESS

Visit http://dayofthegirl.org/ for more details on this event.

What is your equation? Share it in the comments, or with a friend, or on twitter, or with anyone who will listen :)

"Who runs the world? Girls." -Beyonce

Yours truly,

Kylie and Catherine

Being Kind- Part 2

Dear Friend,

Have you really thought about what it means to "be kind"? It sounds like a simple idea, but sometimes it can be tricky to understand. What counts as an act of kindness? Going back to the weather metaphor from post 1, how can we lend umbrellas to others during rainstorms?

You can show kindness in the smallest actions. Whether it's holding the door open for someone or a simple smile, random acts of kindness can be found anytime and anywhere. Such small actions may seem insignificant to you, but they could brighten someone's day. We know that when we are having bad days, or are in unhappy moods, certain people can simply wave and our day will go from a 0 to a 10. Even if you do not have the time or resources to do HUGE acts of kindness, a smile is free and can almost never hurt.

Planned acts of kindness are another way to show kindness. Catherine and I have put post-it notes with positive quotes around our campus, and every first Thursday of the month we bring coffee to people who brighten our day. Heartfelt notes are another thing that the two of us do all the time. Thank-you notes are usually expected for gifts, but we write them after conversations or simple things. You never know when your simple note will lift someone's spirits. And even if it doesn't, it's the thought and effort that counts.

Kindness is contagious.

Yours truly,
Kylie and Catherine

Being Kind- Part 1

Dear Friend,

"Be kind, for everyone you meet is fighting a hard battle."

Everyday we compare ourselves to others. We compare our weight, or hair, or intellect. Another major part of ourselves that we compare to others is our struggles.

As the quote above says, everyone is fighting a hard battle. It is not fair to justify our actions because "our problems are larger than hers", but it is also not fair to ourselves to downplay our own struggles. We guarantee you, even the happiest, most optimistic person on the planet has been through or is going through something difficult. If you find someone who has had no hardship in their life, please tell us.

But we digress.

Comparisons can sometimes be healthy. They can help us to strive to a higher standard, or inspire us to become "better" people. But, when comparisons start to become justifications for actions, they become negative. Theodore Roosevelt said that "comparison is the thief of joy". Unless you have lived in someone's life, you have no idea what they are going through. So often in our day we judge people based on what we believe to be the caliber of their struggle. Maybe one of your friend's biggest problems is her boyfriend drama, while you are trying to juggle a job that you hate, a death in the family, a heath issue, etc. Your problems may make hers seem petty. For this reason, you may begin to treat her differently. You may think to yourself "It's okay if I'm not perfectly nice to her today, I'm dealing with more than she is anyways." These thoughts do not do yourself or anyone else any good. Someone once said that we are the sky, and everything else is simply the weather. We have all had rainy days, and sunny days, and even torrential winds and thunder and lighting. How is it fair to anyone if we compare our skies to theirs? The best option is for us to lend them an umbrella.

On the other hand, it is not alright for us to think less of ourselves because we are not struggling "enough". Just because the two of us aren't starving or in a terribly uncomfortable financial climate doesn't mean that we should feel bad about ourselves because we are better off than others. One of the best things to do in this situation is to simply be incredibly grateful for what we have been blessed with, and use some of our time and energy devoted to helping other's with their hardships (be their umbrellas). We might not be able to change the weather, but even simply expressing interest in how their day is going, or a simple smile can bring a rainbow to the rainstorm.

Continued tomorrow in part 2!

Yours truly,
Kylie and Catherine

Pinterest

Dear Friend,

Did you know that teenagers spend an average of 30 hours per week on their computers? That means roughly 4.3 hours per day. Add a bit more for students at our school, since we learn via technology in almost all of our classes. We could go on and on about how this is detracting from family values, making teenagers afraid to express themselves after being limited to a screen, and making the world smaller while trying to expand our horizons...

But more on that later.

What we really want to talk about today is a particular website that we find ourselves spending much of our 4.3 hours on: PINTEREST. We fondly refer to it as the "classy tumblr". When we first heard of pinterest, it seemed like something that only pretentious housewives did,  but once we made accounts, we were addicted.

Basically, pinterest is what it sounds like. 'Pins' and "Interests'. Essentially each account is a series of online pin boards. These boards each have themes ranging from DIYs, to cute animals, to tattoo ideas. You can "follow" friends or other pinners, and their pins will show up on your dashboard. From there you can repin clothes you like, or recipe ideas for later, etc. Pinterest is a great place to browse for creative projects and ideas and plans. You never know what you'll find!

Follow us here:
http://pinterest.com/kmaberle/
http://pinterest.com/catherinehkuo/

Happy pinning!

Yours truly,
Kylie and Catherine

The Little Things

Dear Friend,

We're sure you have heard of the saying "Good things come in small packages." Whether it's a free muffin or making a new friend, something good can be found in every day. Sometimes it might be harder to find something to smile about, but we guarantee that it's there if you just look hard enough.

Here's a list of little things that make us happy:

1. Mini jam and butter packets
2. Coffee Thursdays (every first Thursday we buy coffee for a friend)
3. Making a wish on 11:11
4. Free songs from Starbucks
5. When someone remembers something you thought they forgot
6. Gummy Bear Vitamins
7. When a song on the radio matches the mood you're in
8. When a barista remembers your coffee order
9. When fortune cookies get it right
10. Orbit spearmint gum
11. Waking up before the alarm goes off
12. Taking the perfect "selfie"
13. That feeling of relief when a police officer passes you
14. When someone's face lights up when they see you
15. When someone says something you were just thinking
16. The after dinner mints at a restaurant
17. When someone calls you their friend
18. Finding money in your pockets
19. Doing something that would be found on Pinterest
20. When someone takes the time to write a thoughtful response to your email

The list could go on and on. As you can see, it doesn't take much to make someone smile. You never know what someone is going through and a simple "hello" could be the highlight of their day.

Don't forget the little things because they matter the most in the end. 

Yours truly,
Kylie and Catherine

And so it begins...

Dear Friend, 

Have you ever wanted to write a book? Something that would be so inspirational and life-changing that you'd become the next J.K Rowling and people would be flocking for your autograph? 

Yeah...so did we. 

But things happened (well, one main thing happened- we'll tell you about that later). We were able to interview one person, and write the dedication and  the first page before life got in the way and the book was put on the back burner. Our deadline was last Christmas and as you can see, we aren't infamous writers...yet. Let's be honest...we can barely afford a sock at J. Crew. 

So here we are, starting a blog. We're going to try to write once a day, but we aren't the type to make promises we can't keep, so a daily post might not always happen. In this blog, we'll share everything from DIYs to inspirational quotes to real-life situations. We are currently in our senior year of High School, but we hope this blog continues throughout college or perhaps until we're the two old ladies wreaking havoc in nursing homes. Yup, that's us for you. 

If you don't know the two of us, here's our life story (abridged): 

April 7, 1995- Kylie was born...with cancer- more specifically, a neuroblastoma the size of a fist in her chest. Doctors surgically removed the tumor, but a couple months later, it returned wrapping around her spinal cord, making surgery impossible. Meanwhile, on October 14, 1995, Catherine was born in California- happy and cancer free. Now back in Washington, Kylie was fighting for her life. But fear not, after many rounds of chemotherapy, the only evidence of cancer that remains are five scars and different colored eyes. 

September 2004- Kylie, a completely healthy little girl, decided to take a leap of faith and befriend the new kid at school. She began with a hello, but Catherine was clearly uninterested and ignored Kylie's gesture of friendship and ran away. Obviously their friendship was off to a great start.

Spring 2009- In 8th grade Geometry, Kylie and Catherine's teacher decided to create a new seating arrangement by randomly pulling names out of a hat. Naturally, the last two names pulled were Kylie and Catherine. After much deliberation, their teacher decided the best place for them was the only table in the back of the classroom, conveniently located next to her desk. That way, the two would stay on task and be productive...right? Wrong. They spent most of their time creating elaborate snack schedules and fake postulates. Their friendship had clearly evolved since that day on the playground in 4th grade. 

May 25, 2010- Kylie and Catherine experienced what it's like to get in trouble at school. What started as an innocent joke escalated quickly into a huge situation. The only people who know this story are those involved, the girls' close friends, and a certain middle school teacher. Although this situation caused a lot of tears and late nights, it also brought Kylie and Catherine closer than they'd ever been.

February 17, 2011- Kylie and Catherine boarded a plane to Jerusalem on the first ever Peace and Reconciliation trip organized by their school. After surviving long plane rides, taxi rides, and vicious ants, the two girls returned home, safe and sound. The trip was a great bonding experience for them.

May 1, 2012- Ready to finish up junior year in a positive attitude, the unexpected happened one afternoon while driving home from school. On the way down Somerset Hill, a beige car decided to pull an illegal u-turn, causing a collision with Kylie's car. Seeing this accident in her rear-view mirror, Catherine went into panic mode and pulled her own illegal u-turn to drive back up the hill to help her friend. Luckily, no one was hurt, but some damage was done to both cars. Standing on the intersection of SE 44th St. and Somerset Blvd. in their pajamas (as it was pajama day at school),  the girls couldn't believe what was happening. Conveniently, a faculty meeting at their school had just finished and all their teachers were driving by the scene of the accident- well, except for one very special adult who decided to take the time and stop to help the girls. Kylie and Catherine are forever in debt to her. 

October 7, 2012- Kylie and Catherine made the first of hopefully many posts on their blog. 

So, there you have it- our life story in a nutshell. Not every post will be this extensive, but we hope you stick around for more. Who knows, we may end up changing your life :) 

Until next time. 

Yours truly, 
Kylie and Catherine