My 2013 had some insane highs and lows. Here are some of the best parts... this is not an all-inclusive list and is in no order, just some fun stuff that I wanted to re-live and get nostalgic about.

+ In the spring of 2013 I started working as a Program Facilitator at Project Footsteps! I have met and been inspired by so many kids since then, I worked hard to help them see their potential, listened to their stories and frustrations, and I'd like to think that I may have also inspired some of them.  

+ My baby brother went to Scotland and I was lucky enough to visit him.

+ A weirdly awesome exhibit featuring vagina knitting... yea.

+ all of this... (13 Women Who Rocked it in 2013)

+ Three of my favorite dudes (MG+MF+CJ) moved to Australia to pursue adventure, you can read about it here at CJ's travel blog.

+ My good friend AB started a new blog called The Travallure and it is an amazing collection of love, life, music, photography and of course travel. This labor of love will only continue to get better as AB leaves Minnesota with her boyfriend and explores Thailand! This girl knows how to write, how to laugh, how to think & question, how to love and how to party - I know from first hand experience. 

+ I was exposed to this... The Greatest Speech Ever & I will listen to it over & over for ever and ever. 

+ The support that I have received since starting this blog journey has been so inspiring and I can't wait to continue this adventure. Thanks to people like EB for their constant love and guidance!

And so you have it, some rando moments of happiness from my 2013. There were some moments of insane sadness and some times that I thought might break me but I am here, 2013 is over and I am still ok.

If your 2013 wasn't great, who cares? It's over, try to learn something, find the silver linings and starting dreaming of 2014 - the potential is endless.

xoxox, kp

I dragged my friend LB to the Holidazzle Parade and then Macy's 8th Floor Auditorium to see Santa Land! These are two things that I associate very strongly with this time of year. My holidays are going through a major change in that my parent's marriage is now over and things must evolve. I am doing my best to get into the spirit but honestly I am just not feeling it. So in an effort to ignite some sort of enthusiasm I bundled up, LB & I got coffees and we headed down to Nicollet Mall to see the floats, the lights, the smiling kids, and the Christmas characters. I had a great time at the parade, the ladies in front of us on the curb were there for their first times and had brought folding chairs, blankets and were doing it big. The ladies' comments were fantastic and made me giggle through the whole parade, which I had seen about 20 times before so I can almost give you a play by play 10 second before it happens. 

After the parade we flooded into the skyway with the rest of the freezing population, we made our way to Macy's. The line for the 8th floor auditorium was insane but LB and I were determined to have the perfect holiday Friday night. So we stuck it out and made our way to the winter wonderland that details the life of an elf. The walk through play is full of adorable characters, tiny hilarious details and holiday cheer cheesy enough to make any Scrooge smile. 

It was a very cute night full of red, greet and tinsel! Unfortunately for you guys my phone died early in the night so there are no pictures or adorable tweets. :( 

I woke up bright and early, well rested and made the snowy drive to Hudson, Wisconsin for Change Starts with Me day camp! I facilitated a scavenger hunt, laughed with a bunch of 7th and 8th grade girls. We talked about leadership, rode some beautiful horses and got inspired by one another. 

BRUNCH!!!!!!!! I love brunch and I love the people that I got to share brunch with this week. I met up with SR, RM and AW then later we were so lucky that LG joined us! Bar Abilene was our home for the better part of the day, I think we might have been there for over four hours! What's a girl to do when bottomless mimosas are so cheap? The five of us had an amazing meal, laughed a lot and talked about a range of inappropriate topics.

Then SR, LG and I visited JS & watched some football, followed by picking up dinner at Ginger Hop! If you read this blog consistently you know how much my soul needs cream cheese won tons! YUM.

There it is, a very full weekend that included so many things that I love. Sometimes I feel super lucky to be living this life, then I remember that I don't believe in luck, I believe in myself, true sustainable happiness and living a life that I will always be proud of.


xoxox, kp

1) I might fall in love (and or lust) with a Spaniard and I won't be able to impress him with my wit and charm if we don't speak a common language. (Definitely deserving of being the #1 reason.. hmm? haha)

2) Being bilingual (speaking two languages) is baller status.

3) Helps when applying for jobs. It not only broadens your search but it seems to me that it would make your work more meaningful, you'd likely be assisting two people who wouldn't otherwise be able to communicate, or helping someone understand something they would otherwise struggle with. Poetic. 

4) Make more money, when you do land a job most of the time you added skill can also mean added moolah on your pay check because it is one more way that the company will be able to utilize you. 

5) Speaking the language of the culture enhances your travel experiences 1,000,000% (DISCLAIMER: This number is based on no math whatsoever.) The more people you can have positive interactions and understanding with during your adventures the more memorable and special the trips will be. 

Además una cosa means, 'furthermore one thing.'

I won't be writing my blog in Spanish any time soon, in high school I only made it through Spanish level 2 but I have dusted off the old Spanish dictionary and I am trying to master this lovely language AGAIN. Anything I can pick up will be useful and if my plan works I will stick with it long enough to be fluent. Wishing for things that are obtainable with a bit of hard work is silly, wish for it sure, but then take steps and just-do-it, damn it. 

This idea is applicable to many different obstacles in our lives so whether you want to be a make-up artist, code websites, be a horse whisperer or better yet barrel racer in a rodeo, PLEASE get inspired to take action towards making that thing possible. Most of the time you are the only thing stopping your wishes from coming true. 


xoxox, kp

Up to this point in my life I have never consciously tried to lose weight but I do understand that it is a real concern for a lot of people. Personally I think that the focus should be more on living a well balanced, healthy, active lifestyle. Our culture, however, makes it incredibly desirable to be a sample size. Either way you see it, these things I've observed my mother doing can just be thought of as two new tips to add to your personal repertoire of healthy living knowledge.

Recently my mother lost a significant amount of weight and really didn't put THAT much effort in. If you asked her she probably wouldn't even know what to tell you. She has gone through some big life changes but from my careful observation (which is easy to do when you are roommates) these are two of her tried and true rules that make a huge difference.

The trick to this is to ask for the box right away when your server drops off the food. It might be annoying, your server might not love you for it, it's probably a little inconvenient and weird, but whatever. The portion sizes at a lot of restaurants are  out of control and we as humans are programed through evolution to keep eating as long as there is food in front of us. So tip well and take that other half for a snack later or lunch tomorrow. 

This is especially helpful for weight loss when you do it first thing in the morning, prior to eating anything. This is a sort of detox that will help cleanse the digestive system as well as your whole body on a cellular level, you have to get the toxins out so that they can absorb the nutrients more easily. 


My mother also does this at restaurants. I can just hear her, "I'll have a water, with lemon, no ice." Again your server will probably roll their eyes but who cares. Lemon water not only helps clean the toxins from your cells, aids digestion but the pectin fiber that lemons possess also helps bodies fight hunger and cravings.

Do with this information what you will, but once you have read this I would hope that you'd start thinking about how your purchases reflect on your ethics. It took me a while to understand this concept but when you spend your hard earned money, it's like voting, it says something about your character. I understand that dire circumstances call for different actions but educating yourself about what your money is supporting is something everyone has access to these days. 

Annie Lenard does an amazing job of explaining this concept in her The Story of Stuff video but I will give it a shot. When you pay someone less than a fair wage it means that you can sell that product for less than you should be able to sell it for. Because you aren't accounting for the entire cost of manufacturing. So when you buy a clock radio for the 'GREAT PRICE' of $5 it is not because it's a great deal it is because the person who physically put that radio together was paid peanuts, so really they are the people who are paying the full price so that you can buy an essentially discounted product. MOST big box fashion retailers are guilty of this offense. They protect themselves by being unaware, the same way that consumers are unaware. They deal with a nice person who tells them what they want to hear but they never set foot in the actual factories themselves. 


For some extra clarification here is the wikipedia version of externalization costs.

Retailers have recently been exposed for using dyes that are not only contaminating waterways but they are toxic and leaching these un-heatlhy chemicals onto our bodies and into our entire lives. 

ARTICLES:
General Info - Total Health
Formaldehyde 
Greenpeace's FInding - Natural News

Another thing that makes this all possible is that I dress for my body, or at least I am learning to do so, versus trying to stay up on trends. With the way that the fashion industry works today trends are changing every couple of weeks. Trying to always be ahead of the curve would be expensive, exhausting and wasteful. Instead of always looking like everyone else who thinks they are trendy why not wear clothes that flatter your body type and look timelessly, effortlessly, comfortable in your own skin.

When I was a Forever 21 obsessed high schooler I would buy so many 'perfect dresses' that I would wash once or twice and the garment would lose it's shape, get full of fabric pills, or have seems coming a part. I could shop at places like Charolette Russe, H&M and Zara and the clothes would always be cute but for how long?  Quality garments, clothes that last, have more value than a cheap trendy piece. Trends come and go. 

Thrifting is exciting to me. I am lucky enough to have a strong sense of my own style so sorting through the racks and racks of clothing is easier than for me than most. It gives an opportunity for figuring out what you actually like and dislike, when you shop in a department store you are only given a mirage of options. 

Being that there is no copyright in the fashion world no one can be punished for replicating another person's design. Big box retailers take trends that they see on  runways in Milan and NYC and create cheaper versions in their Chinese and Indonesian factories. 

OVERDRESSED: The Shockingly High Cost of Fast Fashion

An article in Grist

Ms. Magazine

Recovering Shopaholic

Global Post

Educating yourself is the key to making decisions that not only get you what you 'need' but also reinforce the goodness in your heart. 

This is definitely the abbreviated version of this specific journey in my life's novel but I hope it gave you something to think about. Think twice about buying that cheap crappy tee shirt, think about the full cost that it takes to make a product and the value of your belongings being ethical. 

xoxox, kp

RC, a wonderful girl that I have been lucky enough to be close with since the 3rd grade, visited me at home on Thursday night. We watched Sound of Music Live with Carrie Underwood, it was a serious mind-f*%$! I have been watching the Sound of Music with Julie Andrews for as long as I can remember, I used to sleep over at my grandmother's and it was one of the many musicals I enjoyed with her. Thursday was the first time I had seen the story in play-form, I have to say that like the movie better. (Probably just because I grew up with that version of the story, either way Carrie Underwood has a knack for theater, and cry at the drop of a hat. Not sure if those water works were intentional.)

Friday night I met up with a wonderful friend from college, we had drinks and cayenne cheese curds at The Depot. The last time I saw this dear man was at his wedding this fall, he is one lucky man and his bride is in for a lifetime of happiness as well - both intelligent writers who deserve all the best. Any way, it was fantastical to see and catch up with MP! 

Then I hung out with my bro at home and avoided the frigid temps by staying indoors and literally BRO-ING out. 

I spent the morning with a very sweet senior in high school, her brother and family have been friends of mine since I was in elementary school. It was my pleasure to style and shoot her senior pictures! I literally have the best time ever doing things like this, spending time with beautiful girls, helping them feel comfortable and creating inspiring images that capture the essence of their spirit. 

In my high school most kids had big budgets for senior pictures but I think that can be a little ridiculous. Yes, your grandparents would love a great picture of you to remember this great time of pride but it does not need to be a Hollywood production. I spent the morning driving around NE Minneapolis, laughing, chatting and taking pictures that will represent this time in this girl's life for endless years to come. It was an honor to spend this time, to have this opportunity to build my portfolio and make beautiful images. 

My uncle hosted around 30 of my extended relatives in his home for a tradition that we have celebrated my whole life. My family, my mom's siblings, all of their cousins and my second and third cousins are all invited. When my great grandmother was alive, we got this rowdy crew together on Christmas Eve. Some of us even went to midnight mass with her for year. We have started getting together further from the 25th as to allow everyone time with their immediate families, gatherings with the in-laws and such, but all the same it is still so special that I get to celebrate the holidays with so much family. There were sloppy joes, a lot of wine, and much laughter. I am blessed with ample family but that is not the best part, the best part is how much love everyone has for one another. We may not always show it in the clearest of light but there is endless, endless love.

Slept in LIKE A CHAMP! Then my bro and I went grocery shopping, BOOM! Food! And then the journey continued to Savers with a 20% coupon to look for pants to add to Kevin's wardrobe. We each found a few different gems and we spent the rest of Sunday night watching Parks and Rec. 

Sometimes I take a weekend off from being glamorous and I just live, get things done and be practical. Being comfortable taking each day and finding the joy in it, whether it includes glittery dresses or sleep, is how I keep cheesin' from ear to ear!


xoxx, kp

During the day I finished up a two-day contract at Talisman Design, where I was doing some painting for an upcoming trade show that they are in. Working with my friend KimMPLS was so much fun, not to mention the office was adorable.

was all about the Twolves and spending time with my spirit people! We got hella cheap seats, got hella dressed up and had a hella amazing time! For some reason the boys decided that they would dress up like anchormen in celebration of the new Will Ferrel movie, Anchorman 2. We are all very excited about the movie and very excited about life so it seemed appropriate.  

I spent the entire day with my family and loved every second of it. I ate food, took a nap or two, snuggled with cousins, watched football and saw so many faces that are near and dear to my heart. Family is a strong presence in a person's life and I have an amazing one. I have so much to be thankful for and my wonderful, loving, supportive, fun, family is just the start of it.

This sweater is 100% WOOL, hand knitted in Italy, found it at Unique thrift store last week! More things to be thankful for! haha. The boots are like 7 years old, the jeans thrifted, the tee shirt was actually cut off the top of a hideous dress. The whole thing just came together so well that I had to document it. 

I got up early and drove to Hudson, Wisconsin to the Healing Arts Wellness Center for Change Starts with Me - a program that Project Footsteps recently started with the generosity and help ofDr. Su. Any way, Friday was fantastic I had a great group of kids, they brainstormed characteristics of leaders: Honest, confident, trustworthy and the one that I thought was the best, careful.

I love working with the kids, facilitating a day of fun and learning, that is definitely my favorite part of working for Project Footsteps. But a close second is spending time with my spirit animal, horses. Being around them is good for me, their hugeness and ability to read people is wondrous. I can feel my energy brighten when I ride these beautiful, beasts.

Up early, worked & rested all day and then partied all night. MF rented out a private bar at Lyon's Pub and then it filled up with endless beautiful faces. I caught up with some people from the past, took a shot or two, danced for a moment and laughed a lot. And lucky for me I ended the night with a few fellas bro-ing out over a delicious pizza!   

Don't ever tell my grandmother this but Sunday, December 1st of 2013 was the day I ate the most delicious Thanksgiving meal of my life. My friends and I pulled off the craziest, biggest Thanksgiving style feast that I've ever seen. Literally there were roughly 25 people there and each person brought something to contribute to the meal, it was beautiful. There were three different kinds of potatoes, three kinds of salads, a few different hot dishes, gravy, turkey, ham, carrots, venison bites, bagel dips, breads, and much more. The spread was out of control. 

I am almost positive it is not politically correct to use the word gypsy, or to call yourself a gypsy if you are not one by the Romanian meaning of the word. BUT that being said.. I am not sure I actually care because my friends and I have started calling ourselves GYPSIES! Because we think that the nomadic lifestyle is an admirable one, we all aspire to travel endlessly and live a crazy unpredictable lifestyle. Soooo we named this new tradition... GYPSY GIVING! It was epic. 

Mashing potatoes on the ground was only one of the adorable nuances that took place on Sunday, there were adorable tea lights up and down the lengthy table, there were lemon/vodka shots passed out by the host on a tray, and of course football playing in the background. 

I have endless things to be thankful for and I can't believe that this is my life, so incredibly blessed. I am hopeful that you've counted your blessings and enjoyed time with loved ones, blood or choosen family, all that matters is that the people you surround yourself with lift you up and enhance you.

xoxox, kp