Scotland

Long time, no talk, am I right? Sorry for the lack of posts this past week, but I have a good excuse… I was traveling all around Scotland. To say Scotland is the most gorgeous place I’ve ever been would be an extreme understatement. Every single place I visited in the country was beyond spectacular. It seriously felt like I was traveling in a dream. So, so beautiful. I actually went with my brother, four other people from school, and three chaperones. It was an Explorica tip through school and it was such an amazing experience. So, the first day we arrived, we got into Glasgow at 6am local time. We then hopped on our bus and traveled to these ginormous horse sculptures called Kelpies. They were absolutely beautiful, but I think we were all a little too jet lagged to fully appreciate their beauty. After we visited the Kelpies, we hopped back on the bus and traveled to a gorgeous church and cemetery. Next, we went to the city center of Glasgow to wonder around and grab lunch. We then traveled all around Glasgow learning about the history of the city and looking at the monuments from the comfort of the bus. Everyone in the group was trying their hardest to not fall asleep, unsuccessfully. Jetlag really sucks. We then arrived at our hotel, ate dinner, and passed out. I’m pretty sure everyone on the trip was in bed and asleep at 9pm.

So the first day was relatively uneventful, but got us all very excited for our next week in the beautiful country of Scotland.

Day two was spent driving to the Highlands where we would spend the next three days and two nights. The drive was absolutely spectacular and we stopped at a gorgeous lake and a few other pretty spots. I can’t even begin to describe how gorgeous Scotland is. 360 degree beauty, for real. We then arrived at the cutest little hotel and wandered around the tiny village that we were staying in. I swear, it was so tiny I probably saw four locals the entire time we were there. One of the highlights of the Highlands was definitely the chance to visit Loch Ness. I convinced our tour guide to let us take a ferry ride on Loch Ness and it was absolutely, hands down, worth it.

After three days in the Highlands, we traveled to Edinburgh. This city is absolutely gorgeous and if you have the chance to visit Scotland, I totally recommend it. The nice thing about our trip was that the counselors let the students wander around the city by ourselves (we just had the buddy system rule) and it really allowed us to feel immersed in the city and not feel like we were on a boring walking tour. While in Edinburgh we went on an underground city tour, climbed up the Gothic Rocket, ate at a ton of little restaurants, shopped in a ton of cute boutiques, and just wandered around aimlessly. I wish we had more time to explore the city because there were so many hidden gems.

On the last day of our trip, we visited St. Andrews. Home of the famous golf course, castle, gorgeous views, and birthplace of the meeting of Will and Kate. I was hoping to find my prince, but unlike Kate, I was unsuccessful. Like I mentioned before, Scotland is seriously the most beautiful country with the most beautiful cities, but St. Andrews stole my heart. It was seriously so beautiful, quaint, home-y, and beachy all in one. If I had a choice of any city to grow up in, I would definitely have picked St. Andrews.

All in all, my Scotland trip was an amazing experience. I wish I could put into words how awesome of a time I had, but I just can’t. It was too perfect. I’m so thankful that I had this opportunity and totally recommend Scotland as a place to visit. I’ll now leave you guys with a ton of pictures!

If you want me to do a post on the "must see" things of Scotland, let me know! Thanks for reading! xox Chloe

Scotland

Hello! Tomorrow I'm going to be jetting off to Scotland and I honestly can't even tell you how excited I am. I've only ever been out of the country once before and it was six years ago to Germany. I'm actually going with four other people from school plus my brother chaperoned by two of the most awesome teachers at my school. It's going to be an adventure to remember for years to come. We'll be visiting castles, and St. Andrews Golf Course, and eating tons and tons of fish and chips. I'm also going to try to find the Loch Ness Monster and spot a few unicorns while I'm there so I'll keep you updates. I don't know how often I'll have access to Instagram, but I'm going to try to post as often as possible (maybe even too often) so be sure to follow me! I will also do a trip recap on the blog so be on the lookout for that in about a week! photo via

In the meantime, I'd love to know what posts you'd like to see on the blog. I've been feeling a little uninspired lately (hence the lack of posts) so I'd love to hear what you want to see!! Thanks for reading. xox Chloe

Internet Black Hole

I have this whole week off from school. It’s like pre-spring break. The underclassmen have testing to do, so the Seniors don’t really have to come into school except if their AP classes have study sessions. I have three study sessions, one on Monday and two on Tuesday. They’re only an hour and a half long and one of the sessions on Tuesday is a pot luck brunch. Life isn’t so bad when a pot luck brunch is involved. A whole week off from school (basically) means that I have infinite time (otherwise known as 216 hours minus about 4 hours of study sessions) to do whatever the heck I want to do. My friends and I are planning on playing tourist in our city, I plan on hitting up the gym everyday, and every hour in-between I plan on spending my time scrolling through the black hole known as the internet. I started this plan this past weekend and I found a few gems that I want to share with you. I got deep deep down into the depths of the internet black hole, and I hope you enjoy my findings. You’re welome in advance, because I know you’ll love ‘em.

-How to do Instagram the right way. This video was created in 2012 but it’s surprisingly still relevant. If you have time to waste, watch every single one of Casey Neistat’s videos. That’s what I did and I don’t retreat a single second of my time spent doing so.

-Nineteen beautiful book cover designs. I recently had to do a project in my Graphic Design class at school where I had to pick a book and come up with a design for the cover jacket (both front and back). It took me forever just to pick a book and then once I did, I changed my mind a million times. I eventually went with Freakonomics and my design wound up making it to the city wide art show. I now have a whole new appreciation for book cover designs.

-8 yoga poses to do before bed. My friend recently dragged me to a yoga class with her. I guess I should’ve prefaced that with “I HATE YOGA.” Well I did. I hated yoga. And then, surprisingly, I fell in love with it. I don’t know why the switch flipped, but I just lost myself in it and liked it. I used to be afraid of what other people around thought of me and how I was (or wasn’t) pulling off certain moves, but once I stopped caring, I started enjoying.

-Tree branch photo hang-y thing. With college just around the corner, I’ve been brainstorming ideas to decorate my dorm. I want it to be simple but cozy, just like my room at home. I stumbled across this cute little tree branch photo thing and now I want one, badly.

-English bulldogs have stolen my heart. I want one. No, I need one. They are so darn cute and I can’t get over it. Someone buy me a puppy, stat.

That’s all I have for now! I hope you can get lost in internet black hole too so we can be lost together.

Thanks for reading. xox Chloe

FOMO

One of my bloggy besties, Caroline, from the blog Citrus and Style wrote a post recently that really resonated with me. It was basically talking about FOMO (fear of missing out) and how sometimes we have to make decisions based on what we need to do rather than what we want to do. As a senior in high school, going to a certain party or sporting event can seem uber important in the moment. If I don’t go, I might miss out on something big or exciting, I might not have a chance to flirt with the boy I’m crushing on at the moment or socialize with all my besties. However, sometimes it’s important to take a break from everything and just sit at home and catch up on Netflix and sleep.

My mom and I have been talking a lot about how I can’t do everything. I can’t have a sleepover on Friday night and then stay out until 12 Saturday night. I’m at the point in my life where I have to make decisions on what I want to do and whether or not certain things are as important as they are in my mind. FOMO is real, especially with social media, and it’s hard to make these choices. But I’ve realized, through missing things, that sometimes a night alone at home is better than staying out late at a party. Even though, most of the time, it’s hard to make the choice to stay home, when I do I really love it. In fact, I’m writing this at 9 o’clock on a Saturday night. In bed. With Netflix open. And honestly? I’ve never been more content.

I was supposed to go to a concert that a band from school was playing in, but because I had a sleepover last night, my mom said I couldn’t go. Was I mad that my mom wouldn’t let me go? Absolutely. Am I missing something fun? Yep. Do I have a lot of FOMO right now? Not a lot, just a little. Am I ok staying home? You Betcha. So, moral of the story? Sometimes a night at home is better than a night out. Sometimes it’s ok to miss “the biggest party of the year” or “greatest concert of all times” or “best basketball game of the century.” FOMO is real, but staying home is fun too.

Do you have a problem with FOMO? Thanks for reading! xox, Chloe

Pinterest, Lately

I've been so obsessed with Pinterest lately. When I'm feeling uninspired or bored  I find myself logging into my Pinterest account and pinning like a madman. I seriously think that I could work a 9-5 job purely pinning for companies. Like that would seriously be a dream. Coming up with boards to match a brand and then finding pins that match that board and that brand's aesthetic. Call me nerdy, but I think it's awesome. If you happen to know of any job openings, feel free to help a sister out ;) Anyway, here are a few pins that I've been loving lately...

an inspiring inspiration wall gorgeous beachy waves a girl as cozy as a i dream of being my dream home a little reminder 

Leave us a link to your favorite pin lately, I'd love to see what your source of inspiration is! xox Chloe

Morning Routine

My friends and I were having a conversation about whether we were morning or night people the other day, and it really got me thinking. What is is that makes us favor one or the other? I know that I love to wake up early, get my boring "to-dos" out of the way, and have the rest of the day left to diddle daddle and relax. Some of my friends would rather snooze all morning and then feel a sense of dooming pressure in accomplishing their "to-dos." I just think it's so weird how we're all wired so differently but all so similar at the same time. Anyway, this trail of thinking somehow got me inspired to share my morning routine with you lovely readers. I don't really think I do anything special, but I love seeing what products other people use so I thought, "what the heck."

And here we go..

+The first thing I do is lotion my body. I have extremely dry skin, and living in Colorado isn't doing my skin any favors. I absolutely adore The Body Shop's lotions and the Coconut flavor has such a subtle and clean scent. I would totally try this one out!

+Next, I apply deodorant. This might be TMI and you probably don't care, but I sweat profusely. I joke around and say that my armpits are geysers, but I'm not really kidding. They literally leak. This Dove deodorant works wonders and it smells great too! Plus, Costco sells it in a super size pack if you're into buying in bulk.

+I then move onto making my face look pretty. I usually start with curling my eyelashes, and I use the Shu Uemura curler. I swear it's the best eyelash curler out there. I'm clumsy, as you might know, so putting a metal clamp near my eye is dangerous, but I have yet to pinch my eye lid with this curler (I knocked on wood as I typed this).

+I then apply some eyeliner and mascara. Nothing too fancy happens here. I use Chanel's Noir pencil eyeliner. I change my mascara pretty often, but I love Maybelline's Colossal Mascara. +Next, I add a quick swipe of blush to my cheeks. I actually just recently started wearing blush and I feel like it makes my face look more awake and interesting. Dumb? Maybe, but whatever. I use Mac's Mable. If you have any suggestions for a good blush, let me know!

+The next step I take is spray a little splash of perfume on. I think if I had to only choose one of these steps to complete in the morning it would be this one. I don't know why, and I know it's weird, but I love smelling good. It's an instant confidence booster. Lately, all I've been using is this vanilla perfume from Anthropologie. My cousin and I tried it on randomly while shopping together and we both fell in love with it. Everyone smells something different when it's on, from marshmallows to hot fudge to fresh baked cookies. Everyone loves it though! This Anthro perfume is also a great option!

+Lastly, I brush my teeth because I'm human and I have basic hygiene. So go me, I guess. And that's all! I don't really do anything extraordinary different than the rest of the female population, I don't think, but I thought it might be interesting for you all to know what I do in the morning to make myself feel more presentable.

Do we use any of the same products in our morning routine? If so, let me know! What does your morning routine include? Thanks for reading! xox Chloe

Post Wisdom Teeth Removal | A Rambling

As I write this, it’s 6am on a morning that I don’t have to be up for school. Parent-teacher conferences are a life-line from above, saving teenagers from having to do their homework last minute on a Sunday night after a very short break from school. So why am I up, you ask? Because yesterday I was lucky (jokes) enough to get my wisdom teeth out. I’m post wisdom teeth rambling, blame the drugs. For those of you who have yet to endure this life altering process, have no fear. It took, what felt like, five minutes. I got to the office, they injected me with some “blissful sleep meds” (as quoted by my doctor), and then I woke up and was wheel chaired to my car. I was planning on having my mom film a video of me, but I wasn’t funny, which was a huge bummer because I really wanted to be on the Ellen Show. I guess I can’t count on drugs bringing me to my fame and fortune.

Anyway, it’s 6 am of the morning after, and I was doing my hourly scroll through Instagram and came across a guy’s post (@seanwes and the link to his podcast is in his Insta bio). In it, he mentioned how he has a podcast that talks about all things creative. Because I had absolutely nothing better to do, and I’m interested in the spike of podcast content recently, I decided to take a listen. I started with one called “Topic Ideas So You Never Run Out of Things to Write About.” It honestly couldn’t have come at a better time, because lately, I’ve been feeling like blogging but I’ve also been feeling like I don’t have anything to blog about. Can I blame my Senioritis on this too??

So as I was listening — at the time I’m writing this, I’ve only listened to about 15 minutes worth, but it’s already that inspiring — I decided that I wanted to write a post every day for two weeks. Sometimes the posts might be crappy. Sometimes the posts might reveal how amazing of a creative soul I am (right?). Sometimes the posts might be flat-out dumb, but I think writing one post for fourteen days is totally do-able. I’m not putting a length requirement on. In fact, the only requirement is that I have to make (not find) a visual to go along with the post.

So there you have it, a promise from me to you that I’m going to actually be blogging again. Hopefully I’m not writing this in a drugged state of mind — back to my wisdom teeth — but even if I am I hope to keep this promise. And with that, I guess, I’ll ask if you have any post recommendations. Feel free to leave a recommendation or piece of inspiration (ie prom, awkward stories, DIY). If I end up using your  inspiration, and you want me to, I’ll link to your blog and social media sites so be sure to leave those in the comments! I'm just that kind of a soul.

Thanks for reading! xox, Chloe

Behind The 'Gram

Hello! I hope you've all had a fantastic long weekend, thanks to the fabulous Martin Luther King Jr. Actually, before I write this actual post, I want to talk a little about Mr. King himself. I had an early release day at school the other day so my friends and I decided to go to the movies. We ended up seeing Selma, and it was absolutely amazing. It was a history lesson, but it made me appreciate and admire Martin Luther King on a whole new level. Being from the south, I had seen racism first hand, but Selma allowed me to further understand the issues behind racism. Anyway, what I'm trying to say is that a.) Martin Luther King Jr. is a hero and such a cool guy and b.) go see Selma! Ok now onto the real post.. Behind The 'Gram. I was just stalking my blog (please tell me I'm not the only one who does this...) and I stumbled across my first Behind The 'Gram post and it reminded me how fun it is to see the true story behind a pretty picture, because usually the story isn't as pretty. So I've decided to do a second post. Here we go.

What it looks like: Just casually entered a winter wonderland where the air is crisp, the people are joyful, and hot chocolate is waiting for me at home.

What actually happened: My family and I went skiing with another family this Christmas and we decided to all go out together one day. We started on a mountain called "Peak 8" and decided to venture over to "Peak 9." However, to get to Peak 9 we had to go across a very flat, very un-skiable stretch of land. Fortunately, I had enough speed to get me through most of the flat stretch, but most of the rest of the group wasn't so lucky. This picture was taken in the absolutely freezing temperatures while waiting for the whole gang to finally catch up. Not only was everyone exhausted by the time they finished skiing/trudging through the path, they were also extremely grumpy. We ended up having to ski to the bottom of Peak 9 so that we could sit in a little cafe and catch our breath and thaw out our hands and feet.

What it looks like: Sunday morning coffee date. And can we just take a minute to appreciate the RayBan / Coffee art combo? I lead such a fabulous life.

What actually happened: I procrastinated doing my homework all week so I frantically had to get it all done Sunday afternoon. I decided to go to a coffee shop so I wouldn't get distracted by the WiFi and food at my house. However, the coffee shop that I went to was so uber trendy that I didn't really know how to order, and therefore my coffee tasted gross and un-sugary. I then proceeded to make a scene while taking a picture of my coffee because for some reason I just couldn't get the angle or the lighting right. I was probably standing over my table while photographing for a full twenty minutes (that is unfortunately not an exaggeration). It'll be a while until I feel comfortable to show my face at this excessively trendy coffee shop.

What it looks like: Just a casual cone on a hot summer day.

What actually happened: My mom, brother, and I decided that it would be fun to bike to a cool ice cream shop. Turns out this ice cream shop was 6 miles away and it just happened to be one of the hottest days of the summer. I didn't even want to get my ice cream in a cone because I was trying to eat healthy and the cup was much smaller. I decided that I could splurge and eat a whole cone, 'cause #eatitforthegram. This picture took a long time to capture because I couldn't find the right background and the ice cream kept melting down my hand.. hence the lick marks on the ice cream. Also, my mom was disappointed that my nails weren't painted for this picture. Overall, a very stressful and unsatisfying experience.

What it looks like: Oh you know me, out for a casual walk during the gorgeous fall weather.

What actually happened: My mom and I walked over to the mall to check out the sales and on the way home I thought the leaves would make a good picture. I had never taken one of these kind of pictures (the cliche outfit from above shot) before so I was really struggling to capture my whole outfit while still including the pretty leaves. Unfortunately, this struggle occurred in front of other people who were very confused by my awkward "butt out, camera above the head, blind shooting" approach to photography. I almost got run over by two bikers and had countless stares from unlucky witnesses.

All in all, a pictures is worth a thousand words. Clearly, these words are much more interesting when describing the behind the scenes look into it. Now you'll never be able to look at our instagram account without wondering what really went on to capture the picture. Let me know if you'd like me to write a part three, but in the mean time you can follow us on Instagram and try to guess what the story is! xox Chloe

Life Update

Well hello beautiful people of the internet, long time no talk, am I right?I guess I have a little catching up to do so here’s an update on what’s happened in the past few months that I’ve been seemingly AWOL. I’ve been accepted into college (and rejected, but that’s a story for a different day), I’ve decided where I want to go (CU Boulder) and what I want to major in (Strategic Communications), and I found a roommate (she's awesome). Everything is going perfectly, and I honestly couldn’t have asked for a better Senior year. However, now that’s it’s second semester, my Senior-itis has officially hit. It’s not that I don’t care about my school work anymore, ‘cause I do, it’s just that I’m not feeling as motivated to do everything in a timely fashion. In fact, as I type this I should be doing my math homework... but whatever. Here are a few pictures so you can have a visual to go along with this update...

-My years has been filled with coffee dates with myself on weekends trying to frantically catch up with my school work. -My friends and I went on a mini road trip to a huge pumpkin patch this past fall to pick the perfect pumpkins. We then carved them together while watching cheesy Disney halloween movies. -Halloween was super fun this past year too. It was my first time going to a “real” Halloween party and I had an absolute blast. I wasn’t so original with my cat costume, but it was a last minute thing so I wore what I had on hand -For Christmas break my family and another family went on a week long ski trip together. It was an absolute blast and the mountains were just gorgeous. -I received a LifeProof case for my birthday and it has lead to countless swim team underwater photo shoots. -Selfies with friends occur on the daily, and we all know that everything looks better in black in white. -Over Christmas break I had a little photoshoot with my friend and she took some awesome pictures of me (at least I think so haha)

So there you have it, a little update on what has been happening in my life lately. I hope you all enjoyed this post and I’m going to try to keep up with this blog as much as possible! Let me know if you have any post ideas / requests!

xox Chloe

Ski Season Must-Haves

It's decidedly winter here in our new Colorado home, and as winter blows in I'm desperately in need of some new ski clothes and accessories to help keep me warm on our ski trip. I thought I was prepared for the Colorado cold, which is actually warmer than some of the winters I've encountered back east. Everyone raves about dry heat... I'll rave about dry cold! It still gets more than a bit chilly, but I'll be ready with these:

1. ThermaCELL heated insoles. My feet are always freezing. Always! But, I can't rave enough about these remote control heated insoles to keep my feet warm -- especially when skiing (although I've been wearing them in my shoes for walks on frigid days). I love the tiny remote control to turn them on and off, because cold feet in the morning does not always mean cold feet in the middle of the afternoon. And I can also turn off the heat on my few many hot chocolate breaks.

2. Mittens. Because I've never seen any so cute as these, and yes, these are for me. The more mittens, the merrier, especially ones that look rugged but have modern insulation and waterproofing.

3. Glasses. "What," you say, "what do glasses have to do with winter?" Well, they will help me see the slopes at my feet and ahead if I actually wear progressives under my goggles. I ordered this pair from Firmoo, which has shockingly low prices (without progressives they are $39!). I love that they are clear, adore the price, and am amazed at the high quality for the price. I'll be wearing these daily, and at this price, may order another pair so I can change my glasses as often as I want.

4. Sweater. Something about fair isle screams "ski season" to me. I find the updated colors more wearable than typical fair isles of the past and a lot more hip.

5. Helmet. Although I shouldn't admit it, I hate helmets. So much so, that I've always refused to wear one. This year, I'm thinking it's time to start playing it safe, and I'm on the hunt for one that won't give me a headache. This one's cute... I'm heading out to try some on this week!

6. Ski jacket & pants: I'm not quite willing to admit I don't fit in my ski pants anymore. I'm just going to say that I need a new outfit because fashion dictates an update. I'm sure my husband will believe me. I almost do.

xo ~Kim

Moments for Me

This post was sponsored by fruitwater through their partnership with POPSUGAR Select. While I was compensated to write a post about fruitwater, all opinions are my own.

It’s officially the holiday season, and I’m in decorating and gift-shopping mode. My head is saying “Woo-hoo, let’s go shopping, bake all day, and party all night!” but my body is already exhausted, and currently recovering from being sick. The struggle between moving forward and taking a break is so real to all of us, and I know I should find some time for myself and take the break I deserve, even if it’s just a few minutes to escape the swirling vortex of life in constant motion.

One way I chill and zone out is to listen to or watch something that makes me laugh. Like really laugh… the kind of laugh that embarrasses my kids because I can’t stop, can’t breathe, and can’t stem the flow of tears running down my face. I’m so glad I discovered the seriously hilarious Seriously Distracted, presented by fruitwater, a company that also believes we should take moments for ourselves! (Tune in Tuesdays on POPSUGAR to watch new episodes.) Along with watching and listening to funny shows, I thought of a few more ways I could slow down a bit and steal a moment for myself during this season:

• Work out. Yep, it’s my #1 escape, a chance to relieve tension and let everything go. Plus, I know it’s good for me… and my sleep.
• Take a photography class. Or any class, but right now I’m loving the photography class I take. My goal is simply to be able to take my camera off “automatic” and the challenge of learning a new skill is completely rewarding, even if my pics aren’t so hot!
• If I’m not in a working out mood, I always go for a walk. Sometimes it’s to discover a new area of Denver, sometimes it’s just to enjoy the stream by our home and be outdoors.
• Chill with a glass of sparkling fruitwater and savor every sip.
• Get lost in a really good book or tv series. (If anyone wants, or has, suggestions, let me know!)
• Escape with BFFs to another city for a long weekend of total me-ness. Hiking, good food, art, shopping, and honest conversations are my key to a complete mental reset.

By the way, stealing a moment for yourself can truly pay off! Follow fruitwater on Instagram at @fruitwaterbev and submit a photo showing the world how you make the most of your day by stealing a moment for yourself for your chance to win a $1,000 prize towards your next stolen moment! Make sure to include #stealamomentsweeps and #fruitwater in your Instagram submission.

I’d love to hear your favorite “me” escape too!

XO ~Kim

Fitness Motivation

It’s officially December, and you know as well as I do what that means…. food. Actually, food in excess. Thanksgiving is basically foreshadowing the way we plan to eat in December. Every meal is treated like our last, I’m talking breakfast, lunch, and dinner equates to full fledged feasts. Now don’t get me wrong, I love food. In fact, I love food so much that it’s starting to become a problem. I feel like, this past week alone, I gained twenty pounds. I might be exaggerating but I did eat a lot. It’s not that I regret it, but I do want to stay fit and fab, so balance is definitely key.

A little known fact about me is that I was on a club swim team from first through ninth grade. I took a little break but I’m now officially back to swimming on my high school’s swim team and it feels fantastic. I’m now totally obsessed with working out and all things healthy (even though I do eat in excess sometimes… *cough after swim practice bonding meals cough*) so here’s what I’ve been loving lately relating to fitness and healthy habits.

-Blogilates: it’s basically your own personal trainer. Casey makes videos at least once a week and they’re all fabulous. There are workouts for every part of your body, and some of my favorites include The Ultimate Body Workout, Lower Belly Flattener, and Perfect Legs Workout. The videos are super easy to follow and I totally recommend taking a few minutes everyday (right before I shower is the prime time for me) to do a little something positive for your body.

-lululemon has been on point lately. I know they had their see through legging scandal recently, but seriously go check out their new arrivals. They have some amazingly fab things. It’s like workout gear from the future. This tank is gorgeous,  these socks are too cute, and these leggings are way too cool.

-Drinking water is so good for your health, but sometimes it feels like such an inconvenience. That’s why having a cute and cool water bottle is so important. I was searching through my cabinets the other day trying to find a good water bottle for swimming and I discovered an oxo one deep in the darkness. I took it to school and then to swimming and got more compliments on it than ever. It was flattering and I now drink a bunch of water.

So there you have it, three ways to increase your fitness motivation. I hope that helps you stay inspired and energized throughout this fattening month. Let me know if you have any healthy recipes… I love discovering new ones!

xox Chloe

Creative Vibes

Hello, people of the internet. It appears as if, once again, I have disappeared down a dark hole. However, unlike the infamous Alice, I have yet to find the Mad Hatter. I have, on the other hand, gone mad. Not literally, but the stress of senior year finally got to me last week. Most of my college apps were finally ready to be submitted, my classes are feeling more complex, and I started my school’s swim team. It’s been a lot. Not that I’m complaining, I’m definitely not complaining. In fact, I love the business. I have things to do, things to conquer, people to mingle with. It’s awesome and exhilarating and I wouldn’t change it for the world. However, sometimes it’s necessary to take a break and take a moment for myself. My creative side has been lacking lately and Tumblr has been filing that hole for me... yay for creative vibes. I try to take at least ten minutes a day to rejuvenate myself creatively and Tumblr has been hitting the spot lately. Here are a few of my favorite pictures as of lately.

Be sure to follow us and feel free to ask any questions — personal or whatever, I just get excited when I see the red notification on my dashboard! I hope you enjoyed these creative vibes! xox Chloe

Update

Whew! We’ve rarely been posting on PopCosmo and for that we sincerely apologize. My mom has been crazy busy with life and dealing with the lives of two high schoolers, and I’ve been crazy busy as a Senior in high school. I have to say though, Senior year is so much fun. Being able to drive myself to after school events (ie sports games) and knowing that college is finally on the horizon makes high school so much easier. It’s been great. via

I just wanted to pop in an give you all a few updates on my life and what’s been happening. So here we go… 1. Homecoming is this Saturday and I’m super excited. I’m going with a bunch of friends so it’ll be nice and easy. Surprisingly enough, this is my first “real” Homecoming experience. My first high school didn’t have a football team and the Homecoming dance was kind of (read: very) lame. And obviously, my online school didn’t have a football team or a dance so there’s that. I’m still debating what dress I’m going to wear (I have two options) so we’ll see. 2. I went to a haunted corn maze this past weekend with a small group of friends and it was seriously so much fun. Well, the actual corn maze wasn’t fun because they had to shut it down for like two hours while my friends and I stood in line due to a few stupid people that attacked the workers with corn (yes, police and search parties were involved). By the time we could go through the maze it was like 12am and there were only three scarers left. We still had a blast though and I totally recommend going to one soon before the season is over! 3. I’ve been obsessed with going to the gym lately. I know this isn’t really earth shattering news, but the classes at the gym I go to are phenomenal. They have trendy cardio which is my favorite so I guess that’s why I’m diggin’ it so much.

That's all I have for now but I hope you all are having a great week! Let me know in the comments if you have any post recommendations — we’re in need of a kick in the booty with PopCosmo ;) xox Chloe

oh app-y day

Life is like the App Store, there’s a million options you just have to know which ones to download. If you don’t think that metaphor makes sense then we can’t be friends, just sayin’. Just kidding. Well half kidding. Anyway. Moving on.

I recently upgraded from the old iPhone four (sans Siri) to the brand spanking new iPhone 5. The gold one. That has Siri. I’m feelin’ fab. Since I upgraded to a new phone I decided that I should also upgrade my apps. Out with the old (ie Temple Run and Angry Birds) and in with the new. Today I’m going to share my top three new favorite apps. I’m actually obsessed with them and you will be too. Ok ready? Here they are in no particular order…

1. Evil Apples: If you’re an Apples to Apples fanatic like me, then this game is a must download. I have my seventh period off and my friends and I all go to the same room to “do homework” which usually ends up in us playing a highly competitive game of Evil Apples. It’s basically Cards Against Humanity in app form. Seriously the bomb diggity. 2. Riffsy Keyboard: I found this app through Man Repeller and haven’t looked back since. It’s basically a Gif Keyboard. It works like emojis so the gifs are always at your beck and call. They’re almost too convenient if that’s possible. Go read this post to find out more! 3. Yik Yak: As you might know, I’m a senior in high school and I’m in the whole applying to college process. It’s stressful, and it’s not fun. My future is literally on my kitchen table. However, the idea of college is fun. My cousin told me about this app called Yik Yak and it’s basically anonymous Twitter for colleges. It’s hilarious and it gives a behind the scenes look at what the college students really think and feel about their college. I highly suggest downloading it even if it's just for the laughs.

What are your favorite apps as of late? I'd love to know so I can download them! xox Chloe

12 dream home office ideas to inspire creativity

As I organize my desk, I think about all the knick-knacks I've collected over the years... and how they all meant something at the time. But right now, as I look around, all I see is clutter! I'm ready to do a clean sweep and organize for efficiency. But what style do I want? What style does my office lend itself to: open and airy, modern, rustic? To be honest, I'm not really sure. Without the furniture, I could go any direction, which leaves me in my paralyzed state of perpetual clutter. For now, I'll peruse gorgeous photos of a dream home office and pin, pin and pin some more. Eventually, the dream home office will make its way from my Pinterest page into my home. Right?

Contemporary Home Office by Other Metro Furniture & Accessories AVP ARCHITECT VIEW PRODUCTS BY IMASOTO

Contemporary Home Office by Vancouver Interior Designers & Decorators Maria Killam

Other by Perth Design-Build Firms Ventura Homes

Industrial Home Office by Other Metro Interior Designers & Decorators Vosgesparis

Modern Home Office by Santa Monica Photographers Izumi Tanaka Photography

Midcentury Home Office by New York Architects & Building Designers d'apostrophe design, inc.

Industrial Home Office by San Francisco Architects & Building Designers Todd Davis Architecture

Modern Home Office by Austin Architects & Building Designers Baldridge Architects

Industrial Home Office by Valley Village Photographers Chris A. Dorsey Photography

Industrial Home Office by Valley Village Photographers Chris A. Dorsey Photography

Transitional Home Office by Chestnut Hill Interior Designers & Decorators MANDARINA STUDIO interior design

Traditional Home Office by Larkspur Architects & Building Designers Polsky Perlstein Architects

Traditional Home Office by New Lisbon Media & Bloggers iheartorganizing

Which one is your favorite? Could you see one of these in your home?

xo~Kim

@popcosmo on Instagram

Choices, choices: phones and phone plans

DISCLOSURE: This post is sponsored. All products mentioned and reviewed on this page are compliments of AT&T. All opinions of the products are my own.

Chloe and I have both been shopping for a new phone since this summer, and I'm shopping for less expensive phone plans for me, Chloe, and my son. My son is always begging me to try Windows operating systems and being desperate for a new phone, when AT&T contacted me about trying their service and one of their phones, I was more than happy to try both. I've been thinking about finding new phone plans for a while, but switching carriers is sort of like moving to a new home: you don't know what you have until you're in it and the devil is in the details. And I'm such a stickler for details that I just stay and stay and stay. But a chance to try it before you buy it... well, why not!?

I unpacked my AT&T GoPhone-compatible HTC Desire 610, GoPhone card, and a SIM Kit with unlimited talk, text and 2.5 GB of data for the month and proceeded to set-up my phone, and quickly unlearned all my preconceived notions about pre-paid phones.

Misconception 1: this was not a cheap disposable phone! My phone was a super-nice smartphone. So nice, I'd often find my son on it. I found that it was easy to get through the set-up once I followed the instructions on the website. Unfortunately, the instructions on the phone left me hanging.  I entered my Google+ account when prompted and my entire Google history was connected. I played around on my phone and realized that being an Apple girl through and through left me with a steep learning curve, so I didn't think I'd be using my new phone for much more than, well, phone calls.

Misconception 2: I thought I'd use the phone for phone calls, and that would be it. A quick trip to New York opened my eyes to new possibilities. Somehow, and I'm a little frightened to figure out how, my phone knew my hotel. So instead of having to search for the hotel email and find the address and cross streets, etc., all the information was instantly on my phone as soon as I turned it on when we landed in NYC. Being the forgetful type, having the address always on my phone came in handy often during the weekend.

Misconception 3: Prepaid phones wouldn't have apps. My phone came preloaded with awesome apps and I could download tons more. I was able to use Google Maps so easily on this phone. My memory is always full on my iPhone, even when I buy more, so my maps don't work which has frustrated the heck out of me since I don't yet know my way around Denver and my maps typically get me 1/4 of the way to where I need to be. However, they worked like a charm on my HTC Desire 610. I love the coupon app loaded on the phone, since I never have coupons when I need them but always have my phone, and I'd use the AT&T DriveMode with my kids (I found it interfered with Google Maps).

All in all, I loved the phone I was provided, the service was exceptional and the photography was pretty good too. The biggest appeal was that there was never a dropped call & never a problem with establishing service. As I've said, I'm not sure I was the best person to put a non-Apple phone to the test since I haven't used anything since Apple products since, uh, forever. But using this phone showed me there's a whole 'nother world out there and my son is right: Apple isn't always the best. (case in point: iOS 8 + #Bendgate) But, if Apple fixes everything, I do like that I can insert the SIM card into any phone, because that learning curve was awful steep.

All in all, will I switch to AT&T GoPhone: maybe. Will we switch to our phone plans to AT&T: very high possibility. I'm looking into plans for the family. I like that I can just put the SIM card in any phone and be on the AT&T plan with NO contract! I'm a commitment-phone. I also like that the rate plans are flexible, and most have unlimited texting - if somebody is on vacation or traveling, I can up the amount. If we are all home, I can lower the amount.  You can view rate plans here.

What plans / phones are you using or do you recommend?

xo ~kim

8 College Tour Tips & Tricks

If you can't judge a book by it's cover, you can't judge a college by its brochure... although it sure would be a heck of lot easier and whole lot cheaper! But it's college tour time if you are a senior. If you're a junior, you may visit schools in the spring and start getting ideas about what type of school you are looking for to narrow down your options: big school v. small school; city school v. rural school; school with a campus or untraditional feel; etc. For me, when I was visiting schools, I kind of knew, at first, more what didn't feel right until I finally found the one school that just felt like "home." Since then, I've sort of been basing my idea of the perfect school around that one school. But here's a more defined list of college tour tips & tricks to help when you visit schools!

1. Always let the school know you are visiting, even if you aren't taking an official tour. Yes, they keep track of this stuff. Yes, it can really matter (depending on the school). Also, follow them on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, etc. But clean up your feeds first!

2. If you are taking a college tour, go to the website and sign up in advance. Don't just show up the day of and expect to join an official tour. College admissions are crazy busy, and tours are packed. Make the most of your visit and be sure to schedule an interview, wear something appropriate but comfortable, and meet with the admissions rep of the school you are interested in (i.e.,  Business School, Art School) so you don't have to return later. Also, check and see if there are any official tour dates with overnights coming up so you can get a feel for what the campus is really like and what the dorms, cafeteria and social life feel like when parents aren't around.

3. Get business cards from everyone you meet so you have them available when questions come up after your tour. And send thank you notes to those people. Handwritten ones on real thank you cards (we love the ones from Minted, they rock.)

4. During the tour, check out the cafeteria, gym, library, bookstore and bulletin boards. They have information you'll need for daily life - you won't be doing a drive-by, you'll be here for 4 years. Try to eat in the cafeteria and just sit back and listen to see what students are talking about, the more time you can spend on campus, the more of a "real" feel you'll get of what your life might be like. My mom says, "It's amazing how the weather and your mood that day can influence your decision, so we need to slow down and spend some quality time while we are here!" And yes, she's the one on the tour asking about safety, library hours, how many people have cars, what % are greek, etc. If you see us on a tour, run.

5. If you can sit in on a class in a subject area you are interested in, do. Find out about class size and whether or not students are able to get in classes they need for their major, especially a major you think you might be interested in at this point.

6. If you are interested in sports, talk to the coach of that sport. Interested in clubs or programs, visit them.

7. Another thing my mom always says: "Is this what you think college feels like?" If not, we move on.

8. Last, but definitely not least: take notes. You think you will remember everything, and maybe you will; but I couldn't. After tours were finished, everything was jumbled in my head and notes helped.

If you have any college tour tips to share, please do!

xo chloe

7 Best Household Products

As a mom who works from home, I spend a lot of time trying to simplify and better my home with products that do more for less. I'm all about spending less time doing things inside so I can spend more time outdoors doing the things I love, like working out, traveling, spending time with my family and generally avoiding the kitchen. I get so frustrated when I buy something and it doesn't work... like laundry detergent that cost less but doesn't clean, or paper towels that leave lint everywhere. Not a big deal, but just super-annoying when it necessitates a do-over. So, my list of the 7 best household products is purely subjective, but they do exactly what they are supposed to do extremely well.

image via West Elm

1. Bona - I was a fan of another quick sweeping and mopping system for hardwoods, but the smell always, always gave me a headache. So much so that I was reluctant to try another brand. When I was reassured that Bona had no scent, I gave it a try. And I love it. I am absolutely in love with how clean and shiny it leaves my floors.

2. Towels - You may not be able to judge a book by its cover, but I'm convinced you can judge a hotel by it's towels and sheets. And as I search for towels, I wanted 2 things: thickness and absorbency. Add 3 more and I'd have the ideal towel: colorfastness, organic and no shrinkage. I'm pretty close with my new towels from Lands' End. As you'll see from #3, I just went on a linen closet spree, but feel justified with the move!

3. Sheets - I've spent an absolute fortune on sheets and love the feel the crisp cotton and cool linen. I'm not much for a heavy flannel and always found that jersey was too skimpy and never held up like it was supposed to. But then I bought Lands' End Cotton Knit Bedding for my pickiest sleeper. And then for me, and then for every bed in the house. These are the only sheets we use now. They are heavy enough to be used in the winter, light enough to use in the summer, soft enough for my picky sleeper (and he is truly picky), and they never need ironing. Which pretty much makes them the perfect sheet.

4. Deo-Go - I was going to make a before and after picture of the t-shirts I tried this on, but didn't want to gross you out. And the photo would have. I took all my husband's tees and treated them with the sample Deo-Go sent me thinking "what do I have to lose." Well, we lost the underarm stains on even the oldest stains. I am amazed. And shocked. And pleased beyond belief. This stuff works. Get it.

5. Dryer Hedgehogs - We bought them because they were cute. We're keeping them because they work. I don't like dryer sheets because they are just putting chemicals on my clothes (yes, I'm one of those people), but I like them because they work. They reduce static and increase fluffiness. So I love these cute little hedgehogs because they cut down on the amount of dryer sheets I use and there is never any static cling, even on delicates when I use no dryer sheets. These two pets can stay!

6. Steamer - This might little steamer wins bang for the buck every time I use it, while saving me from most of the ironing I never like to do anyway. Who wouldn't like using a pink steamer! And can we say perfect graduation gift?

7. Scrub Daddy- I'm a Shark Tank addict but typically don't buy any products. But I saw this in a store after seeing it on Shark Tank, I decided why not give it a try. Our kitchen sink hasn't been without one since, and I may or may not have sent one to a few people. Use it cold on hard stains, use it hot for regular scrubbing, use the eyes to hold onto and the mouth for spoons. It fits in any size you need to clean. It's so much better than any sponge and the only thing that would have made it better is if I had invented it!

I'd love to hear your 7 best household products, or just your 1 favorite! Do you have a favorite vacuum cleaner or homemade cleaner you want to share?

xo ~kim

Links I love

photo via

Whew. Going to school by day and homework by night has me missing out on all my daily internet perusing. But, I made time this weekend to catch up a little, and here are a few links I love from this week.

How cute is this hair style? I wish my hair was a little longer so I could wear it on the daily! This is what I've told myself this week at my new school because this gold foil print is the perfect reminder. We all know I'm crazy about all things gold and I love the simple font. Wouldn't it look cute in an ornate frame. Check out more designs by Michelle Hopper she's super talented! I'm so happy that at my new school I'm allowed to a carry water bottle and we have the coolest drink refilling stations! This lightweight Sigg Water Bottle is perfect because when it's full of water, I have plenty to drink, and when it's not full, it's easy to carry. I love all the colors & my mom likes that it's dishwasher safe, BPA free, and recyclable. Ban.do has bee killing it lately. I want everything. This fabulous keychain is a the top of my "must have" list right now. I'm always on the hunt for the latest and greatest of nail polish colors, and I think navy and grey are the "it colors" for fall.  I'm currently rocking the grey so I'm already on trend ;) Now that school's back in session I have to stay super organized. This cute planner will solve all my issues... I can just feel it.

Let me know your favorite links from this past week in the comments below! xox Chloe