The Newlywed Game {Link-Up}

Okay, so Chuck and I are not quite newlyweds, but I saw this fun link-up making its way through the Blogosphere and I just couldn't resist! Chuck was a great, sport about it (especially considering I interrupted his sacred guitar playing time with my passive-aggressive pleas).

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What do you think my best quality is?

She said: I love that you're a family man and how you're constantly overflowing with love. You'd do anything, not just for me, but for your entire family.

He said: Your charisma & smile. Love it!

What would be your ideal date with me?

She said: I would love to take a day trip to the beach. Tossing a Frisbee, playing in the waves and curling up with a good book under the summer sun.

He said: Dinner, followed by a walk on the shore at sunset in Cape May.

What was you first impression of me?

She said: I thought you were a little jock-ish. Your polo shirt fit tight on your big arm muscles and I was just praying you weren't a meat-head because I thought you were really cute!

He said: Quiet, shy, girly girl (hehe), but cute, and that smile!

What is your favorite memory of us?

She said: Over Christmas break after we had spent a good deal of time decorating & getting your parents' house ready for their Christmas party, we spent the rest of the day cuddled up on the couch together eating way too much Domino's pizza and reciting every line as we watched The Santa Clause. It was the simplest of days but I was so euphorically happy.

He said: The first time we went to Cape May. That's when I was sure you were the one. Meeting your friends, feeling the ocean, eating real seafood, road tripping. Definitely a memory stored in my heart forever :)

What do you see for us in the future?

She said: I see a life filled with hard work. I see lots of Sunday mornings at Church & brunch and lots of music. I see a big family with lots of faith & lots of love.

He said: I see four of the most adorable red headed kids playing in our backyard. I see a happy family. I see you and I loving each other just as much as we do now. I see us getting old & gray together.

I know I'm a little biased, but seriously, how precious is he?

Thanks to Megan at Mackey Madness for hosting this cute link-up!

Why Veg?: Part Two

I was so surprised by the flood of positivity I got in response to Part One of my "Why Veg?" series that it gave me that much more motivation to get on top of writing Part Two! I really felt it was important to discuss my reasons for going veg, 1) So that people wouldn't be horribly offended by my lifestyle choices and 2) So that people might further understand that what we put into our bodies matters. What we eat has an impact on our bodies, on our souls, on our world.

So without further ado, here is reason #2 for going veg...

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2. Concern for my Health

I'm not a health nut. I've tried wheatgrass...it ain't that tasty and I won't pretend that soy-based products taste anything like a genuine cheeseburger. But the truth is out there. While the USDA may not come right out and say it, there are plenty who will: we should not be eating meat and dairy three times a day. It's wreaking havoc on our bodies.

Did you know that the scientific community changed the name of Adult Onset Diabetes to Type II Diabetes because so many children started developing it in recent years? Why is that? Why are rates of cancer and heart disease the highest we've seen them?

Yes, red meat and pork are a great source of protein. But they come at a high cost. That cost is tons of fat that is clogging our arteries. Not only that, but ODing on protein can be incredibly damaging to your liver. Seriously, my step-brother nearly lost his liver from overdoing it on the protein powder (he's the same age as me!) and recently a former NY Times food critic admitted this his lifestyle centered around alcohol and red meat led him to a diagnosis of gout.

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Not only that, but if you recall my discussion from last week about factory farm conditions, why would you ever want to subject yourself or your children to the unsanitary and unhealthy things to be found in conventionally produced meat? E coli, mad cow disease, BGH (bovine growth hormone). These bactreia and viruses can be avoided!

Leaner meats such as poultry and fish are much healthier alternatives to beef and pork, but they're not free from similar kinds of bacteria, hormones and viruses that are found in their meat counterparts. I'm not a health professional, but the truth is out there. In the words of Michael Pollan, "Eat food. Not too much. Mostly plants."

It doesn't get much easier than that!

Sunday Blessings X

Another Sunday, another opportunity for some serious blessings-counting.

family

Kelly's coming to Pittsburgh! Kelly's coming to Pittsburgh! Okay, now that I got that out of my system. My baby sister was able to scrape together enough dough to come spend her entire Spring Break with me! I'm already envisioning vegan cooking, eating out, a trip to the Andy Warhol museum, window-shopping on the South Side. All the fun, touristy stuff that I've been waiting to do since I moved here, and of course, all with my favorite person in the world!

weather

Umm...hello?! It's been in 70-80's for the last week...in March! When has that ever happened?! I've been so ecstatic about the changing seasons that I've been slacking a little more than I should on schoolwork in order to play outside with my love. There's a nearby park that we've been visiting daily for some frisbee-tossing, tennis-playing action! I'm loving it!

school

Whine and complain as I may, I'm thisclose to completing my second semester of grad school! Two-ish weeks and two big papers to go and I'm free! It's not that I don't love my program or love being in school- but anyone who's done the college thing (grad or undergrad) knows that education=exhausting. I'm mentally drained and looking forward to a couple weeks of having zero responsibilities aside from loving on my hubby and getting my body in wedding-ready shape! C'mon, April!

love

My fiance is the cutest. Period. Every day he continues to demonstrate what a remarkable man he truly is. Exhibit A: Insisting on running to CVS at night to pick-up some aloe for my fake-bake burnt ass. Exhibit B: Totally going along with my crazy, vegan idealism and trying every new concoction I push his way. Exhibit C: Chuck- "Aww...did you see those little twins?" Kaity- "Yes, they're adorable." Chuck continues to watch them. Kaity- "Baby, do you have baby fever?" Chuck sheepishly responds, "Yeahh..."

Want to take part in some of your own blessings-counting? Grab a button on the sidebar and link-up below!

The End of SAD

I have self-diagnosed Seasonal Affective Disorder. Winter leads me to grumpy, hermit-like behavior brought on by severe Vitamin D deprivation. It's not that I don't like snow, or even the cold (okay, yes it is) but mostly, I just can't stand being apart from one of my greatest loves...THE SUN!

This 70-80 degree weather we've been having lately may have me wondering if the Mayans were onto something and the world really is coming to an end, but you know what? As long as we all go out with some brilliantly, beautiful sunlight, I'm going to call it a win.

With impending school deadlines, a wedding and job-searching, the past few weeks have had me in a funk! Today, on the other hand, I look like this:

A nice cold, beer on our back porch!

And I'm even getting some Food Writing homework done to boot!

 Happy Thursday everyone! Time to soak up the sun!

Why Veg?: Part One

I posted a status update on Facebook a few days ago about my excitement in preparing an all-vegan meal for hubby and I and got slammed by some dedicated meat-eaters. It seems every time I allude to my beliefs with someone as equally passionate about being a carnivore, I am met with someone uber-defensive and at times, rude.

While I believe strongly in maintaining a predominantly plant-based diet, I have never condemned anyone else for their food choices. It seems only logical that I would expect the same respect in turn. My only guess is that the reason for such hostility is based out of ignorance and misunderstanding. So for those who may be curious, here is the first of my reasons for going veg...

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1. Concern for animals.

Now don't get me wrong, I'm not going to throw red paint in your face for wearing fur. I'm not a PETA-fanatic and I don't believe that insects or vermin have the same feelings as people. I believe that humans have dominion over the earth and it is our job to care for it accordingly. However, this does not give us permission to do as we please and completely disregard the welfare of God's creatures.

The state in which animals are raised for slaughter is quite simply, deplorable. Pigs are confined to so small a space that they cannot turn around. They lie in piles of their own waste and develop sores from rubbing against the walls of their pen which leads to infections. To combat these infections and other diseases from such sad conditions they are daily fed huge amounts of antibiotics which make their way into our systems upon consumption.

Cattle don't fair much better. Rather than being allowed to graze on grass and a plant-based diet (which is what cows are designed to do) their meals are made up of a combination of corn, antibiotics and ground up animals that couldn't make it to market. Cows are herbivorous...they should not be eating any kind of animal! I won't even get into slaughter methods, but know that it ain't pretty..

Poultry, by far, has it the worst, however. From a young age birds are clipped of their beaks so they cannot injure one another when unbearable living conditions make them hostile and stressed. Chicks that are meant to lay eggs are separated by sex. The boy chicks which are utterly unuseful are disposed of in garbage bags where they either die by asphyxiation or by being trampled to death if they are unlucky enough to be at the bottom of the bag.

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Chickens meant for consumption are kept in wire cages stacked feet into the air. The wire cuts into the chicken's feet and those on the bottom levels are showered by feces falling from rows above. They have no access to fresh air or sunlight and the smell/air pollution is so strong that poultry workers have to wear gas masks. Once again, I'll barely touch slaughter methods but know that birds who aren't killed by the first slit of the mechanized throat-slitting are either electrocuted, drowned or simply bleed out.

My apologies to anyone whose breakfast I ruined. Know that I don't condemn eating meat by any means! I just believe in eating ethically and sustainably produced products. Unfortunately 99% of the meat produced and virtually everything found on supermarket shelves is produced under the conditions listed above.

If you want a much better intro to factory farm conditions, check out these authors who do these animals more justice than I have:

The Kind Diet by Alicia Silverstone

Skinny Bitch by Rory Freedman and Kim Barnouin

Eating Animals by Jonathan Safran Foer

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Goodbye 1%

This week, I'm going to forego counting my Sunday Blessings because there's something weighing heavy on my heart that I need to come clean about.

I've always been someone picky. Someone with high standards. Someone who carries the bad habit of pointing out the faults of others. However, my high standards and self-righteousness left me somewhat shielded from the fact that this is not a healthy way to live in a relationship. Needless to say, I was blindsided last night when I realized that this is exactly what I've been doing to Chuck.

Chuck is the model of what it means to be a good man. To be chivalrous. To be kind. To be a gentleman. He is so enamored with me that he has completely altered his lifestyle to ensure my comfort and my faith in him as my future husband. He has gone from steak and burgers to tofu and kale in .3 seconds. And from a pack a day to zero in an even shorter amount of time.

So why is it that this same man who exceeds 99% of my expectations is subjected to my judgement when he falls short in the 1% category? I think I have been so spoiled by his attentiveness and love that I'm thrown for a loop when he can't quite measure up to the pedestal I've placed him on.

This was an awful thing to learn about myself and I'm trying to figure out before I become a nagging wife how to let the judgement go and just bask in the beauty of the amazing man who is committing his life to me.

I'd like to ask for your prayers for me as I learn how to become a better person and a better partner to the man who has stolen my heart and instilled in me a faith in goodness, trust and love that no one else ever has.

St. Paddy's Memories

When my sister and I were just wee little leprechauns, St. Patrick's Day was a big deal in our household. My Mommy had been engaged to an Irishman in her twenties and fell in love with the culture. While her Gaelic fiance didn't quite make the cut, her love of all things Irish was translated into our childhood.

My Mom would take the day off of work to stay at home watching QVC and ordering Celtic goodies from infomercials. She would also make sure we woke up before school to pots o' gold filled with chocolate coins and little treats wrapped in gold paper. We would adorn ourselves with silly headbands whose glittery shamrocks would jiggle at the faintest of movements while singing Irish rebel songs whose meaning we wouldn't understand until years later.

Upon arriving home from school, we'd find our Mom where we left her, staring contentedly at the blaring tv while the smell of corned beef and cabbage wafted in from the kitchen. Once our meal was consumed, dishes were washed and homework completed, we'd all make our way to the living room to watch our favorite Irish film, The Secret of Roan Inish. The movie, based on Irish folklore, was probably the furthest thing from Pappy Land and The Big Comfy Couch that we were so accustomed to, but it left us enchanted time and time again.

Today, things are a little different. My Mom will not stay at home with QVC, but rather work the weekend she usually uses to recuperate from her 60+ hour work week. My sister will likely get glammed up in her Emerald green knee socks to celebrate the "Irish way" with her college roommates. And Chuck and I, being frugal and broke as we are, will sit at home, maybe drink a few beers and pop in The Boondock Saints.

Looking back on those traditions, I'm filled with a bittersweet nostalgia. But I'm so incredibly blessed to have such beautiful memories from my childhood and only can only hope to make St. Paddy's Day as special for my little ones as my Mom did for us.

Wedding Planning 101

Having been at this wedding planning thing for about 7 months and with the big day drawing closer, there are some things I've learned about wedding planning that no one really prepares you for. So for all my future brides out there, here are some tidbits I want to share with you.

1. Weddings are expensive. $1000 is pocket change for a good photographer and at the very mention of wedding, vendors will up their prices by about 20%.
2. The dress you thought you wanted, might not be the dress you end up with. I was adamant about having a clean, white dress. But like many other brides who've gone before me, what I thought I wanted was not necessarily the best fit for me. Be open to trying other colors, styles, etc. You might be surprised!
3. Your guest list will start to look like the devil incarnate. It has legitimately taken me a solid 3-4 months to arrive at a guest list, and we'll still probably have a few last-minute invites. There's always someone on the fringes of your life whose feelings have to be taken into consideration. 
4. Be prepared to negotiate. The truth is weddings are big business, so never assume that the price you're quoted is what you'll actually pay. Nine times out of ten, vendors want your business and will be willing to work with you to create something that's within your budget.
5. You make the decisions. Don't get me wrong, my hubby-to-be is probably even more excited about our nuptials than I am, but as a bride, I'm the one everyone expects to call the shots. No one is asking Chuck what he thinks the bridesmaid dresses should look like. He'll contribute an opinion, but like it or not, I have to make the final call.
6. The wedding isn't actually about you. This is one of the most interesting things I've learned. You and your spouse have the rest of your wonderful life together to celebrate your union. Your family and friends on the other hand, have one day. This wedding is for your loved ones to celebrate, so make sure they're a part of it.
7. Don't bite off more than you can chew. Chances are, there are a ton of people in your life who want to help make your day one to remember. Let them! I don't know what I would do without the help of my Mommy and future Mom-in-Law. I'd be pulling my hair out by now!
8. Manage your time. Time flies when you're having fun a wedding. Respond to family, friends and vendors ASAP. A lack of communication will catch up with you, so make sure you're not rushing around at the last minute!
9. Pool your resources. We plan to have our ceremony on a friend's farm, Chuck's former employer/friend is taking care of our entire reception, we have friends who are photographer extraordinaires. Access the talent you have in your life and ask around. You may know someone or know someone who knows someone that would be willing to help make your day great!
10. Enjoy it! As someone not exactly adept in dealing with stress, I've repeatedly caught myself completely overwhelmed and making the celebration of my marriage into a chore. When I've taken a step back to see what a blessing it is that I've found the love of my life and am preparing to commit my life to him, it makes the whole process much more enjoyable!

With 5+ months to go, something tells me, this is only the beginning of my wedding planning wisdom, but the most important thing I've learned is not to stress the small stuff. 

I found love and on September 2, 2012, in rain, sleet, wind, or sun, I plan to marry his ass!

Sunday Blessings IX {Link-Up}

I'm not exactly sure why, laziness most likely, but it seems I've gotten out of the habit of counting my blessings. The way I see it, a blog transformation is the perfect excuse to devote my Sunday morning to acknowledging the amazing grace in my life.

 

love

Praise be to God, we're not sick of each other yet! When Chuck officially moved in two months ago I was certain that we'd have a lot of laughs, a lot of cuddles but at some point we were probably going to want to strangle each other. So far we've maxed out our laugh-and-cuddle quota but haven't yet gotten under each other's skin. He's such an easy person to live with and I look forward to seeing his face every morning. (Insert *awww* here.)

family

My Mom and my sister are my best friends. Being able to go home for a few days and spend some one-on-one time with them was just what the doctor ordered. They have the ability to instantly put my soul at ease and have been so supportive of my love and my life.

school

Procrastinate and whine as I may, the truth is, my grad program is pretty awesome. All my classmates are some of the most passionate and kind people I've ever met and my teachers are so supportive and genuine in their desire to see each of us succeed. I only hope I can maintain this mindset as my semester becomes increasingly hectic!

blog

I realize how silly it sounds, but this blog has become my life. Writing is my passion, my talent, my lifeforce. The further I get sucked into Blogger Land the more grateful for how my writing has taken shape and the friends I've made through the process. I'm just so stinkin' happy!

What blessings are at work in your life? Grab a button and link up!

(Bee)autiful Blessings

It's a bitter sweet point in the life of my little blog. The time when I turn over a new leaf.

...and all these twisted thoughts I see, Jesus there in between... 

has meant a lot to me. It perfectly captured the spontaneous and random nature of my posts, incorporated my love of music through a beautiful lyric and made known to my followers my relationship with Jesus. It was a good fit and it's difficult to see it go.

But as my blog continues to evolve and as I invest more of my heart and soul in it, it's time for a change. Enter:

(Bee)autiful Blessings. 

Hubby was the deciding factor in this particular name selection. I tossed around several possibilities: shortening my existing title, trying to capture my gypsy spirit, but at long last, this one just worked. I've been Kaity Bee to my high school cheerleading team, my college friends and just plain Bee to my (bee)trothed (did you see what I did there?). 

I believe in seeing the beauty in the smallest of things and I absolutely believe in counting my blessings. My blog is a testament to that. So bare with me if things start to look a little different. This site is likely going to be a construction zone for the next couple weeks and I can't wait to boast of a blog that is a true reflection of my
 (Bee)autiful Blessings.

Bridesmaid Love

It occurred to me while stalking some fellow bridal bloggers that I have yet to even mention my bridesmaids on my blog. You'd think that with all the wedding talk I do, surely they would have come up by now! So here is my attempt to make up for lost time and introduce six of the most fabulous friends a girl could ask for...

joni

Joni is Chuck's closest sibling in age. She is one of the toughest girls around after surviving a household with four brothers. She's a nature-lover and a hard-worker. I'm going to be so blessed to soon call her my sister-in-law.

whitney

Whitney is probably my oldest friend. While we've known each other since sixth grade we became inseparable in tenth grade when I started attending Youth Group where Whitney's dad was the Pastor. She's always been someone I look to for spiritual support and is one of those people that I could never manage to shake despite our ups and downs.She is an incredibly Godly woman and a wonderful wife. 

laura

Laura probably knows my heart better than anyone. We met through her roommate whom I cheered with freshman year of college and initially couldn't stand each other. After I invited her to see Panic! at the Disco with me, we became fast friends. She is the absolute perfect person to go to when I need a vent session and has the ability to make you feel like you're the most important person in the world.

bekah

Bekah is one of those people who is loyal to a fault. She was Laura's third roommate freshman year and after hanging around each other long enough we decided we should probably be friends. Bekah is incredibly smart, ambitious and has the ability to turn any day into the most fun day ever! She is the easiest person to live with and has been my partner-in-crime through many of my random adventures.

dani

Dani and I met through cheerleading my junior year of high school. I spent nearly the entirety of my senior year with her and was quickly adopted into her family. She is one of the most crazy, fun people you'll ever meet and is one of those girls your parents worry is a "bad influence." She may have gotten me to come out of my shell, but it was her loyalty and good heart that won me over.

kelly

I've saved the Best for last. No, really, her last name is Best. My sister, my twinsie and my best friend for the last 20 years of my life. There's no way to adequately describe what this girl means to me. Everyone who comes into contact with the both of us swears that we're exactly the same person and they might be right. She's my slightly funnier, slightly chestier and slightly cooler other half and coincidentally, my Maid of Honor.

I'm so blessed to have these ladies standing beside me to say my vows and can't wait to see how hot they look in their bridesmaid attire!

Home Sweet Pittsburgh

I have approximately 10 minutes until hubby arrives home; at which point I will promptly tackle him and shower him with hugs and kisses. Suffice it to say that I have arrived back to Pittsburgh safely (after a 6 hour drive) from Small-Town, NY. The trip was much-needed and it was so nice to spend some one-on-one time with my Mommy and get loads of wedding stuff accomplished! My sister also took a couple days off from school so there was ample time for snuggles and Friends marathons. 

I'm currently in denial about the amount of work I've neglected that I'll have to catch up on bright and early tomorrow and I'm definitely going to devote some time to relaying all my wedding updates to my oh-so-loyal blog followers. But for now I've got a hubby homecoming to prepare for! 

I'll leave you with what I arrived home to...

As if I needed another reminder of why I'm marrying him...