The Life of Katie – December 2025

December 2025 was a wonderful month for me! I enjoyed ALLLL of the holiday cheer that this month brings to us all. Whether it be a cozy night in watching a Christmas movie with a glass of wine or a night on the town enjoying some festive fun, December 2025 was truly one for the books! 

The Life of Katie – December 2025

Moving forward with The Life of Katie content, I plan to share it monthly in a more concise format. The posts will be formatted by Week Recaps, Highs/Lows, and On the Blog.

Week Recaps

  • December 1-7 – December kicked off with Papa decorating the outside of our house for the holidays and we enjoyed our first holiday snow that weekend. The first week of December was pretty lowkey, cozy, and close to home with many work from home days. That weekend, I enjoyed attending my *first-ever* Scottish Walk in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, where I got to see so many adorable dog breeds that are of Scottish heritage, families who are descendants of Scottish clans proudly sport their family’s tartans, and admire the holiday-filled cobblestone streets of the historic district. I went with my college friends Stephanie and Ashley! After the Scottish Walk, we enjoyed lunch at Barca as their pier was revamped in December as a holiday pop-up, which was ADORABLE! I *of course* enjoyed a holiday cocktail mulled wine!! That Sunday, my childhood friend Sarah and I went to the Gaylord at National Harbor to take in the holiday-filled ICE! Christmas display that was The Polar Express-themed and *of course* checked out the Gaylord’s gingerbread displays!
  • December 8-14 – The second week of December was *very* Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) and holiday-filled! My DAR Chapter had our annual Holiday Party where I found myself on Metro with 3 bottles of wine and, thanks to my Scout tote, I successfully carried home without much issue!!! The next night, the Daughters of the American Revolution hosted their annual Holiday Open House at Constitution Hall, which I enjoyed attending with some of my fellow DAR Chapter friends and members as well as seeing some DC area friends from the community there, too. Afterwords, I visited the National Christmas Tree beautifully lit up and then headed over to The Willard Intercontinental Hotel to admire their gorgeous Christmas tree and Gingerbread display! That Friday, I put together a Christmas tablescape to prep for my 3rd annual Christmas party that Sunday. Saturday, Haley and I embarked on Year 2 of volunteering at Wreaths Across America at Arlington National Cemetery and devoured a delicious brunch at the recently opened Homegrown in Old Town Alexandria. Saturday night, I baked M&M cookies and awaited for more snow! Sunday, my annual Christmas Party was a lovely gathering with several Christmas cookies, wine, cheer, and Spode champagne flutes GALORE. 
  • December 15-21 – I took the week off of from my 9-5, which was such a nice way to recharge before the holidays season (and a lot of changes to come in 2026). I spent part of the week at home resting with a daytime visit to the Downtown DC Holiday Market and my favorite Christmas tree in Washington, DC at Riggs Hotel, which was designed by David Laport this season with my friend Brittany and the other part of the week having a solo long weekend in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. I enjoyed a lovely time in Philadelphia, where I had a wonderful girl’s evening with my childhood friend Amanda enjoying pasta on the town before heading off to Philadelphia’s Christmas Village. Papa and I also enjoyed an evening stroll to Marshall Pond Christmas Village – a local Christmas tacky lights display in Burke, Virginia. 
  • December 22-31 – The 10 days between Christmas and New Year’s Eve truly felt like a BLUR! My Papa and Aunt Amy and I enjoyed our annual Christmas Eve Eve dinner on the town at Mike’s American Grill, I gifted a custom painted portrait of my dog Rosie to Papa, and enjoyed a weekend in Bethany Beach, Delaware with my Dad and Step Mom. For New Year’s Eve, my friend Haley and I enjoyed a lovely Italian dinner at D’Rocco’s in Occoquan which was delicious!

Highs/Lows

Highs

  • Christmas time is truly one of my favorite times of the year! I LOVE lighting my Christmas tree in the mornings and shutting it off at night. The cozy nights in by the tree were so wonderful, relaxing, and cheerful. Truly, Christmas time is the most wonderful time of the year!!!!
  • I love the slower pace in my 9-5 as the holidays are our slow time to recharge a bit while of course still being on the clock. 
  • I really enjoyed my time in Philadelphia visiting Amanda but also tons of solo time to recharge away from home, too!
  • I didn’t experience too much burnout this December 2025which I am *very* proud of, as compared to years’ past!
  • I had the opportunity to work with multiple amazing brands that reached out to me in December 2025 (and into January 2026!). 

Lows

  • To be completely honest and 100000% authentic, actual Christmas Eve and Christmas Day and the gatherings that follow REALLY overwhelm me with all the family dynamics and things. While I love my family, these days aren’t actually my favorite.
  • I feel really sad at the end of December that Christmas time is over and I knew I had to take down the tree and all the cheerful decorations in the next 7 days or else I never would …

On The Blog

What’s New

8 Chic Storage Solutions That Keep Your Home Organized and Stylish

How To Plan The Perfect Lisbon To Sintra Day Trip Without A Car

The Life of Katie – November 2025

What I Wore Out Of Office – November 2025

What I Wore To Work – November 2025

Your Guide To A Philadelphia City Hall Tour

Your Guide To Visiting The Royal Palace of Madrid

What’s Trending 

When Is The Lilly Pulitzer Sunshine Sale?

Christmas In Washington, DC Travel Guide

Casanel Vineyards & Winery Review

Milken Center For Advancing The American Dream Guide

ICE! At Gaylord National Harbor Travel Guide

Wrap-Up

To wrap up December 2025 with a bow, I found myself feeling tons of gratitude to end 2025. 2025 was not an easy year for many of us, but I feel lucky to have ended the year on such a good note. Honestly, December 2024 was a really tough month for me, having ended with me experiencing the most severe burnout I’d ever experienced. So, I feel extremely grateful to have had a great end to 2025, although it was a rough year overall.

XOXO – Katie <3 

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The Life of Katie – November 2025

From two weekends away in North Carolina, two day trips in Virginia, and several moments spent with loved ones, November 2025 was probably my favorite month so far this year! 2025 has been a tough year for me, like it has been sadly for so many of y’all too. However, I feel extremely grateful, thankful, and blessed to have had such a wonderful month in 2025!!

The Life of Katie – November 2025

Moving forward with The Life of Katie content, I plan to share it monthly in a more concise format. The posts will be formatted by Week Recaps, Highs/Lows, and On the Blog.

Week Recaps

  • November 1-7 – November 2025 started with a post-Halloween weekend post-a looonggg flight delay to Charlotte, North Carolina. I got to see some of my favorite humans while in the Queen City and had an amazing (but brief!) time catching up with some of my close friends and checking out some new-to-me spots (more to come in my Charlotte, North Carolina Travel Guide). I was SOOOO grateful after a long flight delay to Charlotte that my flight had NO delays coming home! When I got home from the Queen City, I put up my Christmas tree and decorations and went to a book signing where I got to meet Chelsea Fagan of The Financial Diet – a favorite channel of mine!! Red cups debuted at Starbucks and I enjoyed a cosmopolitan after what felt like a looonggg work week.

  • November 8-14 – I visited the Old Lucketts Store’s Holiday House 2025 and Casanel Vineyards & Winery to kick off the weekend – both of which were such a wonderful time! I broke out my Christmas Spode champagne flutes, which y’all have LOVED seeing my use over on my Instagram (let’s be friends @_thepinkchickadee). Mid-week, I went to Lowery’s Dial’s Holiday Open House to do some shopping and mingling and *of course* enjoying some champagne as well as visiting Boxwood – an adorable hostess shop on King Street. Friday, I found myself back at Dulles Airport for a spontaneous weekend away to Raleigh, North Carolina to visit some of my closest friends! Upon arrival, my bestie Alanna and I grabbed martinis and dinner at Firebirds in Raleigh’s North Hills!!
  • November 15-21 – I enjoyed LOTS of Starbucks, Aperol Spritz, wine, retail therapy (mostly browsing though!!) and friend time in Raleigh!! After a wonderful weekend which was very brief in the City of Oaks primarily in North Hills, my flight was delayed on the tarmac at Raleigh Airport due to winds. However, I am grateful that 40 minutes later, my flight safely made it to Dulles Airport. Papa and I ordered pizza when I got home and I broke out a Pink coaster that my bestie Shivani crocheted for me and gifted me over the weekend. On Tuesday, I dressed up for a night on the town for the Northern Virginia Content Creator Network’s first-ever event: a Happy hour at Inca Social!! It was LOVELY to get to mingle with fellow Northern Virginia based-creators and learn more about all that Inca Social has to offer, including table-side ceviche. Lots of Fall walks to enjoy the last of the Foliage were enjoyed with Rosie! And, Thursday, DC Preppies had a small gathering for our first-ever outing to The Phillips Collection in Washington, DC’s Third Thursdays event with free admission. Afterwards, I strolled through the DC Holiday Market and grabbed an amazing burger + cocktail at Doyle in DuPont. Friday night, I enjoyed a great dinner at Ozzie’s Good Eats – our favorite! – with my Papa, Aunt Amy, and her girlfriend Barbara. Before dinner, I checked out Creative Collective’s Small Business pop-up and was in AWE at all of the adorable finds that support local businesses! At the same time, I also got to style my gorgeous Lucy Jane Zoey bag which was graciously gifted to me by owner Cassie!! Thank YOU Cassie <3

  • November 22-30 – Saturday, I did some early Black Friday shopping + received some of my finds in the mail including Rosie’s brand-new monogrammed collar (!!!!) and hosted Friendsgiving 2025 where my two close friends Haley and Sarah and I enjoyed a nice meal together. Sunday afternoon, I went to the Southern Living Idea House 2025 at Keswick Hall in Charlottesville, Virginia and to my Aunt Amy’s Housewarming Party with kitty snuggles from Morty! Monday night, Papa, and Rosie, and I embarked on our annual tradition to Bull Run Regional Park’s Festival of Lights hosted by NOVA Parks. It was ADORABLE when Rosie was looking out the window at all of the lights!! All week long, we enjoyed some delicious slow cooker Ham and Bean soup. Thanksgiving week, my brother Will came to stay with me and Papa, which called for tons of relaxation, family time, and holiday cheer. Thanksgiving dinner was wonderful and held at my Mom’s house!! Over the Thanksgiving weekend, we went to my Aunt Alice’s on Saturday for wreath making and I went on a solo outing to visit the Christmas tree at the St. Regis and the Season’s Greenings Exhibit at the U.S. Botanic Garden in Washington, DC.

Highs/Lows

Highs

  • ALL of the holiday cheer!!!! It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas <3 <3 <3
  • I LOVED getting to go on more solo day trips across Virginia. I am proud to call this state my home <3
  • Rosie’s new Pink + green and monogrammed collar looks ADORABLE on her and (I think!) she loves it too!!
  • As previously mentioned, November 2025 has been my favorite month so far this year! 2025, like for many of us, has been a pretty hectic one for me. That all being said, it was so so so amazing to have such a great month to end a rather tough and crazy year for me.
  • It was such a treat to see many of my closest friends and family members this past month. Seriously, it was such a huge and unexpected blessing!

Lows

  • My allergies have been bugging me around the end of Thanksgiving weekend with the changes in the colder weather.
  • I’m already struggling a bit with end of year burnout, so I’m trying to prioritize self care during this time.
  • I wish I read more than I did in November.

On The Blog

What’s New

The Life of Katie – October 2025

What I Wore To Work – October 2025

What I Wore Out Of Office – October 2025

The Old Lucketts Store Holiday House 2025

Shopping + Dining at North Hills in North Carolina Guide

Katie’s Gift Guides 2025!

Friendsgiving 2025 Tablescape

When Do The Cherry Blossoms Bloom in Washington, DC?

What’s Trending

I’ve Tried 4 RH Restaurants: Here’s My Take!

Christmas in Washington, DC Travel Guide

Milken Center For Advancing The American Dream Review

ICE! At Gaylord National Harbor Guide

20 Brands Like Lilly Pulitzer

Wrap-Up

Nevertheless, I feel extremely lucky to have had such a wonderful November 2025! Thankful, grateful, and blessed is truly an UNDERSTATEMENT to how I feel about this past month.

XOXO – Katie <3

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The Life of Katie – October 2025

Whether it be leaf peeping strolls or drives, quality time with loved ones, a handful of day trips, one too many cocktails, or alll of the spooky vibes in between, October 2025 truly had sooooo many special memories! Over on my Instagram (let’s be friends @_thepinkchickadee), I shared a recap of my October fun and continue to share regular peaks into my life and all of the fun to be had into the rest of 2025 and beyond. In the midst of all of the spooky fun, I will also mention that October 2025 was a transformative month for me personally, and while I won’t get into that here, I am very grateful for the lessons I learned and realizations I had. I think it’s important to share that while a lot of what I do share does look like a highlight reel, it is not the reality of anyone’s day-to-day life, including mine. Nevertheless, let’s get into the October 2025 edition of the life of Katie!

The Life of Katie – October 2025

Moving forward with The Life of Katie content, I plan to share it monthly in a more concise format. The posts will be formatted by Week Recaps, Highs/Lows, and On the Blog.

Week Recaps

October 1-7 – I kicked off October 2025 with a happy hour with my Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) Chapter via Bingo Night at Problem Child and a vineyard day with my friends Stephanie and Ashley at Three Fox Vineyards & Brewery (see my review here!). I independently hung up my decorative plate wall (and created a guide on how to do so independently, too!) after MONTHS of planning it and curating plates for it via thrift store runs and celebrated with some Fall Chili and *of course* wine. My Papa and I celebrated Taylor Swift’s brand-new album The Life of a Showgirl and my vinyl came in the mail (!!!!!). The week ended with me getting some solo time with Rosie girl while Papa went on his annual hunting trip to Chincoteague. Rosie and I enjoyed several Fall walks, and I enjoyed a night of networking with Arlington, Virginia nonprofits at Volunteer Arlington’s Causes & Cocktails and afterwards enjoyed an incredible cocktail and sea bass at Bar Colline in Arlington’s National Landing.

October 8-14 – I enjoyed a solo evening at the ballet seeing the Stuttgart Ballet at The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC with happy hour beforehand at Circa. I hosted my family for a family dinner party and put together a Fall tablescape for it (check out my tablescape here!). My family brought over tons of wine with new corks to add to my ongoing wine cork collection! I also channeled my inner Martha Stewart and gave everyone homemade apple jam to take home. I caught up with my good friend James right before he moved to Mexico at my local Starbucks, which was wonderful! I went in-person to my first DAR meeting as an official member. My seasonal allergies got the best of me for the next few days.

October 15-22 – I went on a solo day trip to Colonial Williamsburg (see my guide here) aka preppy + grand millennial heaven (!!!!) and literally fell in love with this place. I will definitely be back! Two days later, Papa and Rosie and I embarked on our annual Fall day trip to Carlisle, Pennsylvania to visit my Great Uncle Mike. After our visit, I fell in love with the Hallmark town vibes of Carlisle’s Historic District and found heaven at the downtown Carlisle Antique Mall. One our way there, we stopped by Catoctin Mountain Orchard for some Fall vibes and jam. Saturday, I took a solo afternoon to Old Town Alexandria, Virginia for an amazing brunch at Vermillion where I got to see the incredible wine room upstairs aka a dream come true (!!!) and then strolled the town to enjoy all of the spooky fun and indulge in some retail therapy. Tuesday, I went on a lovely leaf peeping walk at Lake Mercer with my best friend Haley.

October 23-31 – Papa and Rosie and I went on our annual Pumpkin Patch visit to Burke Nursery and our annual leaf peeping day trip to Shenandoah National Park’s Skyline Drive (see my travel guide here). Saturday, I walked around the neighborhood and admired all of the spooky decorations close to home alongside hosting some friends for a casual happy hour. Sunday, my family and I as well as my best friend Haley set off for the day to Linden, Virginia to hike the Appalachian Trail and do some leaf peeping where my Uncle James volunteers. While on our hike, we got to see the end of the Rappahanock River – HOW COOL! Back at home, I continued to enjoy some Fall walks with Rosie and Haley as well as participating in my company’s annual Fall trivia event throughout the week leading up to Halloween. Halloween Eve, I went with some members of my DAR Chapter on a Booze and Boos Ghost Tour in Old Town Alexandria with Nightly Spirits and had a wonderful and spooky time! And, on actual Halloween, I spent the evening … at the airport due to continuous flight delays flying out to Charlotte to visit my best friends for the weekend. Through it all though, I was grateful to have made it in Charlotte and at Hannah’s house before midnight (and to indulge in a wine tasting Vino Volo at the terminal while waiting for my flight!).

Highs/Lows

Highs

  • All of my day trips and Fall fun around the Washington, DC area (and beyond!) were such a blessing and so memorable.
  • Independently hanging my decorative plate wall was a major accomplishment of mine!
  • My Dad and brother briefly spent the night and visited me at my apartment after going to the Washington Commanders game and it was lovely to get some time with them (even if brief!).
  • On my social media platforms and website, I had my highest performing month as a blogger since I began *cues the confetti*!!!
  • Through it all, I feel extremely grateful to have such a supportive network of loved ones <3

Lows

  • As a new and avid Washington Commanders fan, I feel sad seeing them continuously loss games this year and top players getting injured and having to be on the sidelines a lot, too 🙁
  • The flight delays on the way to Charlotte wasn’t the most fun. Honestly, it was a bit stressful, too.
  • So many people I know are going through a tough time right now including myself, government shutdown related or not. It’s tough to see so many people going through it 🙁

On the Blog

What’s New

Milken Center For Advancing The American Dream Guide

The Life of Katie – September 2025

What I Wore Out Of Office – September 2025

What I Wore To Work – September 2025

Hanging a Decorative Plate Wall Guide

My At-Home Two Grans’s Bar Reveal!

Christmas in Washington, DC Travel Guide

Visiting Colonial Williamsburg Travel Guide

Preppy Fashion Lover Gifts Guide

Fall Family Dinner Party 2025 Tablescape

Lucketts Holiday House Guide

Shenandoah National Park Skyline Drive Travel Guide

What’s Trending

When Is Shenandoah Peak Fall Foliage 2025?

Milken Center For Advancing The American Dream Guide

18 Pumpkin Patches in Northern Virginia

Christmas in Washington, DC Travel Guide

Bethany Beach, Delaware Travel Guide

Wrap-Up

October 2025 was truly a transformative month for me as well as a mega blessing filled with so many wonderful memories made. Til next year, October!

XOXO – Katie <3

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The Life of Katie – September 2025

Time goes by when you’re having fun!!! Full transparency over here, I have been sooo busy since my last Life of Katie post which I wrote before my end of August week in Rome that we are at the end of September AND I haven’t written another. This past month has been a whirlwind and so much has happened that I forget that it all was in the same month – LOL! Nevertheless, September 2025 has been the gateway of Fall 2025 so far, and I have been enjoying every single minute of it!

*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

The Life of Katie – September 2025

Moving forward with The Life of Katie content, I plan to share it monthly in a more concise format. The posts will be formatted by Week Recaps, Highs/Lows, Currently Eyeing, and On the Blog.

Week Recaps

September 1-7 – After landing back in the United States and enjoying 5 days in Rome to a gorgeous sunrise at Dulles International Airport, I enjoyed a restful few days at home with some running of errands and some beautiful false Fall weather before jumping back into work. I enjoyed kicking off and styling work wear via my daily OOTDs which I share over on my Instagram (let’s be friends @_thepinkchickadee) calling it “Back to Work.” I decorated for Fall and was the first customer according to the staff at my local Giant Food grocery store to buy a pumpkin for the season! Over the weekend, I *finally* received the amazing information that I am officially a member of the Daughters of the American Revolution (!!!) and went to my first-ever in-person event as a member in Washington, DC before. I, then, crossed off a major bucket list Washington, DC restaurant item: El Presidente. I also went to a church luncheon with Papa and celebrated the Commanders’ first win and game of the season!

September 8-14 – I baked peanut butter cookies over my lunch break and enjoyed a walk with Papa and Rosie one late afternoon to kick off the week. Mid-week was filled with some networking with The DC Influence’s event with Abigail and Chloe Baldwin – the founders of Buttercrumble who came all the way from England – spoke about branding and their book The Brand Power Manifesto at Friends to Lovers bookstore in Old Town Alexandria. I *of course* did some window shopping and made a purchase at some of my favorite shops in Old Town! Friday evening, my friends Haley and Sarah and I grabbed dinner at La Madeleine in Kingstowne and learned about the cafe’s happy hour. Saturday, I went on a wonderful Daughters of the American Revolution field trip to the National Museum of the United States Army in the morning and a solo tasting at George Washington’s Distillery in the afternoon. Sunday, my Papa and Aunt Amy and I enjoyed our favorite cocktails and salmon at Ozzie’s Good Eats at Fairfax Corner.

September 15-21 – I kicked off the week visiting my Dad and Step Mom who were in Washington, DC for happy hour at Chef Geoff’s West End and dinner at Osteria Mozza and afterwards a Daughters of the American Revolution wine tasting and service project in honor of Constitution Week. I baked manicotti for the first time ever for me and Papa, which was a mega cooking bucket list item of mine! My Labubu which I named Pinky arrived in the mail. Over the weekend, Papa and I visited Nalls Produce and got jam and apple cider donuts, I went on a solo food and cocktail crawl of Old Town Alexandria, and enjoyed a very restful Sunday watching the Commanders game and the Hallmark channel.

September 22-30 – My friend Haley and I enjoyed a nice neighborhood stroll to kick off the first day of Fall. I *finally* shot some content of my Two Grans’s Bar which I will share more on over here soon and have already shared over on Instagram. I hosted my first-ever Harvest Dinner Party (which I write more about here!), and it was such a success!! Haley and I had a wonderful Saturday brunch at Carnegie Diner in Vienna. Sunday, I took a solo date to Advancing the American Dream at The Milken Center (I plan to share more on this incredible exhibit in a future blog post!) and sushi hour + sangria at The Hamilton before dinner with my Mom, Step Dad, and Papa. To end the month, Papa made some beef stew which was delicious (!!) and he picked some pumpkins that he planted over the Summer.

Highs/Lows

Highs

  • Finally becoming a Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) member, which has been YEARS in the making!!! I have LOVED attending some super fun DAR events which I mentioned above. It brings me SO MUCH JOY to finally be an official member!!
  • During the Lilly Pulitzer Sunshine Sale, I reached a mega blogger milestone that I never thought I would achieve. Over the Summer and into September, I can officially say that I’ve started to grow my platform after feeling a bit stagnant for a few years. This is something I am really proud of.
  • In my 9-5, I am helping plan a few happy hours and taking part in some fun in-person networking opportunities with some of my coworkers.
  • My Harvest Dinner Party was such a bucket list tradition I have wanted to host and it *finally* happened. My friends all came together to enjoy a nice meal I cooked for them and it was such a lovely time. The conversations, the food, and the wine were all flowing. Just a joyful time!!

Lows

  • Having a lingering cough (not terrible now) from a sinus infection I picked up in August that stayed due to my travel abroad and the seasonal changes.
  • I have felt more overwhelmed adapting to the busier Fall schedule as compared to the slower dog days of Summer, but aren’t we all?!?!

Currently Eyeing

On The Blog

What’s New

What’s Trending

Wrap-Up

From happy hours to dinners with loved ones to cultivating new friendships and cherishing existing ones and commemorating the beginning of a new season, September 2025 was truly such a gift. Here’s to October 2025!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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The Life of Katie!

A weekend trip back down memory lane to the lake with some of my best friends, a quick 36 hours in Raleigh, North Carolina seeing some of my best friends and checking out some delicious new-to-me spots, and unfortunately coming down with a cold as I got home, the Life of Katie has been a lovely time to have an opportunity to rest and also look back with gratitude at the friendships I built when in college in Raleigh. Over the course of the last few weeks, I have been taking a break from posting as I have in the past due to burnout, with the exception of a few already scheduled sponsored content. I have enjoyed my restful time and have truly loved getting to savor the “dog days of summer.” Nevertheless, I have been excited to get back here and share a bit of updates, but in a new way!

In The Kitchen!

Every Life of Katie posts, I LOVE to share what I am cooking up in the kitchen for me and my Papa. I also share our dinners over on my Instagram (let’s be friends @_thepinkchickadee).

Honey Dijon Salmon with roasted broccoli & rice

Old Bay Baked Tilapia with Roasted Potatoes, Broccoli, & Mushrooms

Caprese Pesto Sandwiches with Prosciutto

Salmon marinated in soy sauce with broccolini, honey bourbon salad, and rice

Chickpea Noodle Soup

Marry Me Shrimp Pasta with Panko Caesar Salad

Honey Soy Ginger Salmon with Roasted Broccoli, Stir Fry Veggies, and Rice

Beer Battered Flounder with Roasted Broccoli, Green Beans, & Mushrooms + Mac & Cheese

Cod with Roasted Zucchini, Carrots, Potatoes, & Caprese

The Life of Katie!

  • A brief 36 hours in Raleigh – Ah! It was a trip down memory lane last week, as I went to my college town of Raleigh, North Carolina for a quick time before heading off to a weekend at the lake (more on that below!). While in Raleigh, I tried several different new-to-me restaurants (including Restoration Hardware’s RH Restaurant!) and did a bit of retail therapy and browsing at some new-to-me shops! I also had the incredible opportunity to catch up with some of my bestest college friends. I’m looking forward to sharing a bit about my dining experiences in the city of Oaks in a future blog post.
  • A lake weekend – My best friend Hannah graciously hosted some of us at her family’s gorgeous lake house in gorgeous Lake James in Morganton, North Carolina. While there, we went paddle boarding which for me was the first time I did so in about 10 years (!!!!!), visited a gorgeous brewery and saw a rainbow, and simply enjoyed time catching up with one another. Lake James is such a beautiful lake and made me realize how much I missed lake Summers, which I grew up enjoying in Northern Maine as a kid. Truly, I felt so lucky to be back lakeside and with those that I love and am lucky to call my friends.
  • Getting sick – Unfortunately, all of us from the gorgeous lake weekend ended up … sick. I ended up having to go to the doctor’s and wound up with a sinus infection. While an incredible weekend away and together, we all ended up parting ways and coming down with something. Luckily, we have each other in the group chat to support one another from afar as we all rest up. And, above all else, I feel grateful that I am able to go to Italy feeling mostly well for the next week!
  • Organization for Fall – I got a brand-new HP Chromebook laptop for personal use, and I am LOVING it! I have been organizing my Google calendar for the upcoming Fall season which is something that I am LOVING doing!! I have been adding in all of my social, professional, and personal commitments for this upcoming season. I have to say that I LOVE Google Calendar, especially since it syncs up to my iPhone’s calendar. Nevertheless, I am looking forward to what this upcoming Fall season may bring!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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The Life of Katie!

Through simply enjoying the dog days of Summer through a recent trip (2/2) to Bethany Beach, Delaware, hosting some great friends, prepping for the upcoming Fall 2025 season, and *of course* savoring the Summer 2025 season, I have been striving to enjoy every minute I can these days. When this post goes live, I will have officially wrapped up my second getaway to Bethany Beach, Delaware for the Summer 2025 season. I will be updating my Bethany Beach, Delaware Travel Guide soon, too, to reflect all of the wonderful things that I did, places that I ate, and shops that I supported during my time there this Summer 2025. SO, stay tuned!!! In other news, I have been enjoying the Summer 2025 season close to home and at Bethany Beach, Delaware with my amazing best friends Alanna and Amanda. Nevertheless, blessed is an understatement!!

*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

What I’m Eyeing!

My favorite things this past June 2025 have had a bit of a theme: lobsters! I’ve LOVED the lobster sweatshirt, dress, and pajamas I purchased on a whim and have worn on REPEAT!! At the same time, I have been excited to get my brand-new Lilly Pulitzer planner for the new calendar year as well as reusing my Barrington Gifts tote that I bought as a graduation gift to myself upon graduating from college in 2021.

Tap to Shop

As a proud Dog Mama, I adore browsing some adorable finds fit for any Dog parent!

Tap to Shop

J Crew Factory is one of my *very* favorite clothing brands to shop and eye finds from! Not only is J Crew Factory an affordable clothing brand to shop, but it also offers ultra-cute and preppy pieces at a fraction of the price that a lot of other preppy fashion brands are sold at. I adore browsing and sometimes purchasing many of the new arrivals that J Crew Factory has to offer, including these from their latest Summer 2025 drop!

Tap to Shop

Over the years, I have adored United Monograms’ customized tees and sweatshirts. Truly, there is something for everybody at United Monograms, whether it be monogrammed or not! I found myself admiring some of their many pieces recently, despite not being a big t-shirt girl myself!!

Tap to Shop

In the Kitchen!

My newest segment of The Life of Katie! Posts – titled – In The Kitchen! – will feature the meals that I have recently cooked and enjoyed in the comfort of my own home. For context, I regularly cook for my Papa whom I live with and I. I curate a weekly menu and have been trying several new recipes (with some previously loved crowd pleasers in between!!) for us with Papa’s approval, and, away I go to our local Giant grocery store to get the groceries for the week! Recently, I went to Trader Joe’s and stocked up on some wine, my go-to white cheddar popcorn snack favorite, candles, body butter, and several seasonal grocery items for us to devour which we did these past few weeks. Now, let’s get cooking!!!

Trader Joe’s Corn + Burrata Ravioli with Roasted Baby Broccoli and Caprese 

Surf & Turf Night: Steak & Old Bay shrimp with baked potatoes, roasted Brussels sprouts, sautéed mushrooms with blue cheese, and Caprese

Trader Joe’s Lemon Butter Salmon (delicious and found in the frozen seafood section and sold by the filet!!) with jasmine rice and roasted multi-color carrots, broccoli, and cauliflower

Shrimp lemon + kale linguine with Caesar salad (plus some fresh lettuce from Papa’s garden at my Mom’s house!!)

Breakfast for dinner!!

Our newest Fourth of July tradition: ice cream sundaes!

The Life of Katie!

  • The rest of Summer 2025 – Nevertheless, Summer 2025 has been an INCREDIBLE (!!!!!) season so far! I feel so so so lucky to have had a great Summer season so far, especially after a family emergency last Summer. So far this Summer, I have enjoyed 2 weekends away in Bethany Beach, Delaware, hosted 2 lovely friends each for a week, took weekly walks with my best friend Haley, enjoyed multiple outings with family and around the Washington, DC area, and several delicious home cooked dinners at home with Papa. Truly, I have been savoring all of the moments before the Summer 2025 season ends and things pick up and get busy in the Fall 2025 season. For the rest of Summer 2025, I have a weeklong trip to Italy and a long weekend trip to North Carolina on the docket – both of which I’m REALLY looking forward to! One of my most recent outings was a morning at the National Gallery of Art with my Uncle James — see more below!!
  • Prep for Fall 2025 – Alongside enjoying the Summer 2025 season, I have also been prepping for the upcoming Fall 2025 season. Things will get busy after I get back from my weeklong trip to Italy at the end of August, so I want to be sure that I have systems in places and schedules already aligned to allow myself to rest post-trip but also jump into the back to school for adults excitement that is Fall. This Fall 2025 season, I am going to be attending church regularly on Sunday’s and weekly church dinner and Bible study on Wednesday’s with my Mom and Papa as well as becoming an active Daughters of the American Revolution member via attending monthly meetings and book clubs. I will also be making time to walk with my best friend Haley after work weekly – something that we started doing this Spring and have LOVED doing – and some workouts with my Mom potentially in the mornings. Through it all, regular dinners with Papa throughout the week WILL continue, as I’m digging into cookbooks from recent times and decades’ past to find recipes that we can enjoy. As for this platform, I have also been planning out some fun content to share with YOU this Fall 2025 and into the holidays, too. Nevertheless, I am excited for the upcoming season but also striving to savor Summer!
  • Enjoying my rent – I have also been focusing on some super fun home projects this Summer 2025 and have gone thrifting wayyyy more than I’d like to admit – LOLLLL! On my Instagram (let’s be friends @_thepinkchickadee), I shared a recent reel (shop it here) of my apartment and am SOOOO excited to share many more soon, too!! I learned how to hang photos on a gallery wall recently – a special thanks to Papa (!!!!) on that one – and have finished hanging up the gallery wall by my bathroom (here). I have also purchased tons of fun new wine glasses from the thrift store that I’ve enjoyed using, alongside some home cooked meals via my brand-new series (up above) called In The Kitchen. Needless to say, stay tuned for more home projects to come!
  • A week with one of my best friends! – My best friend Alanna came to visit for the past week and I LOVED every minute of it! Alanna flew up a day before we hit the road to go stay with my Dad and Step Mom for a long weekend in Bethany Beach, Delaware. While there, we went out for dinner and drinks for an evening in nearby Dewey Beach, Delaware and caught an incredibly beautiful sunset alongside the Indian River. We also enjoyed two outings to the beach, lots of delicious meals, and many good laughs and memories made. We also enjoyed a lovely stroll and brunch with Alanna’s Aunt in nearby and ultra-charming Lewes, Delaware aka “the first town in the first state”! Nevertheless, I will be updating my Bethany Beach, Delaware Travel Guide which I published recently with all that I did this summer while there. Til next year for another bestie beach getaway!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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The Life of Katie!

A Summer Solstice weekend getaway to the beach, a bunch of admiring of the hydrangeas bushes in my backyard, tons of browsing with *a bit of* retail therapy, and several runs around the hamster wheel that is known as creative brainstorming and ideation! Not to mention, I experienced my first viral post on the LTK app (!!!!). The Life of Katie these past few weeks has been focused on all-things inspirational, relaxation, and moving forward. There’s lots of excitement to come in the near future and I’m excited to have YOU on the journey with me.

*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

My Favorite Sunnies + Going Viral on LTK!

If I put together The Pink Chickadee’s starter pack, the first item I would include would be my go-to sunnies. Every time I put my sunnies on and share a photo with them, I get SO MANY compliments!! These sunnies of mine went viral on the LTK app (connect with me there here!) and have been a FAVORITE of mine for the past few years when I scored them during a Tuckernuck Sample Sale. Since my first purchase of my coveted sunnies, I have snagged several different pairs to always have one in my purse! Shop them here and enjoy the viral LTK post.

The Life of Katie

  • Summer Solstice 2025 weekend in Bethany Beach – Recently, I published a travel guide to my favorite beach getaway spot: Bethany Beach, Delaware! Anddd, I spent 5 beautiful days (some of which were working!) including the Summer Solstice at Bethany Beach, Delaware. While there, I enjoyed dining at some new-to-me places alongside an adorable boardwalk cafe (!!!!) serving iced coffee, browsing and supporting local boardwalk shops and scoring my brand-new 2025-2026 Lilly Pulitzer planner at one of them, and enjoying some sunshine and good reads at the beach. My best friend Amanda who I hadn’t seen in almost a year came down for a day and it was LOVELY to finally see her again and catch up!! I will be traveling to Bethany Beach again with one of my best friends from college in July, and I cannot wait to enjoy part 2 there. I will also be continuously updating my travel guide throughout the Summer, too, to include new-to-me places to check out and support.

  • Hydrangea Girl Summer – Nevertheless, I am enjoying Hydrangea Girl Summer and the few moments each year that they’re in bloom. With the current heatwaves in the Washington, DC area and all across much of the United States, I am praying that my hydrangeas make it through. But, for now, I am going to savor ALL the moments that they’re in bloom!
  • Creative ideation + inspiration! – Recently, I have been focusing on some creative endeavors both on this platform and beyond. I’m excited to share more soon later this summer!!! But for now, I will share that I have been browsing lots of shops, whether it be on downtown Washington, DC, the thrift store, Home Goods/TJ Maxx, and the typical doom scrolling on social media. Yes, sometimes my favorite ideas come from doom scrolling!!

Happy Summer friends!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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The Life of Katie!

Summer 2025 has clearly entered the chat, and I couldn’t be happier!! Summer is my favorite season alongside *of course* the Fall/Holiday season which starts right after Summer, so I’m happy that we’re officially in the exciting time of the year. Due to some family emergencies, Summer 2024 was a pretty tough one for me and led me to experience extreme burnout throughout the remainder of the 2024 year, so I’m psyched to feel more rested and rejuvenated going into 2025. As mentioned in my most recent Life of Katie post (here), I have been focusing A LOT on self care and have continued to do so while at the same time finding some fun and low-cost local events to attend and enjoy while the warmer months are here. I also have a good college friend of mine, Claire, visiting in early June for a week which gives me the opportunity to be a tourist in my own backyard — something I LOVE to do and has inspired me to do this more so on a regular basis. Nevertheless, continue reading onto hear more about my Summer plans including some of my Summer 2025 travels!

*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is not sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

What I’m Eyeing

I feel as if *every* time I log onto Instagram nowadays, I spot something that I find myself tempted to add to the cart! One place in particular that I find myself eyeing things is Amazon! Amazon, as we all know, has definitely upped their fashion game, and I’m definitely very tempted over there. Alongside some fun and preppy Amazon finds, I have been eyeing some gorgeous lemon printed dresses from Chicwish and Old Navy. Andddd, I *may or may not have* purchased one of these pieces!!

Tap to Shop!

Tap to Shop!

Sea shells are EVERYWHERE this Summer 2025!!! I am adoring this popular and trendy print, as it feels very Coastal Grandmother and timeless in a way, too. I try to add a beachy, Coastal Grandmother feel to my apartment and have added some sea shell touches to it over the years (which I’m excited to share the updates with y’all, too!) and think doing the same with our wardrobes is super exciting as well.

Tap to Shop!

I have recently gotten into curating recipes and finding some delicious eats from cookbooks, Pinterest, and my family’s recipe archives. Two new cookbooks from B. Dylan Hollis and Meredith Hayden have launched recently and I definitely added both to the cart. I *even* went to B. Dylan Hollis’s cookbook event and chat at Sixth & I in downtown Washington, DC and got to meet him (!!!!) – see photo later on in the post 🙂

Tap to Shop!

Toile is a mega favorite pattern of mine! SO, when I see beautiful bowls, dresses/skirts, and more in these fun patterns and for less at stores like TJ Maxx and Walmart, I am immediately tempted to add to cart!

Tap to Shop!

As shared on my Instagram (let’s be friends @_thepinkchickadee), Summer in Lilly has officially entered the group chat!!! I adore all of the recent new Summer arrivals from Lilly Pulitzer aka my favorite fashion brand. I adore the bright colors and prints and I am excited to purchase some pieces shown below (and more!) later this Summer!

Tap to Shop!

The Life of Katie

  • Strolls + home-cooked meals – Recently, I have been enjoying weekly walks with my good friend Haley that have become almost like therapy sessions! It truly is a blessing to have those weekly moments with such a good friend. Also, I have been enjoying strolls with Papa and Rosie around local parks – Burke Lake Park and Mason Neck State Park. At the same time, I have LOVED getting to cook some meals for my Papa and I at home, which has truly been a mega blessing!
  • Happy Hydrangea Girl Summer!!! – Happy Hydrangea Girl Summer! I am LOVING all of the Hydrangeas blooming just about everywhere recently!!! Throughout my recent strolls in Washington, DC, close to home, and in Old Town Alexandria, Virginia, I have literally snapped photos of every hydrangea bush that I’ve seen. The hydrangeas bring me SO MUCH JOY!!!
  • Afternoons/evenings Around Washington, DC – Recently, I have been enjoying some beautiful afternoons and evenings in Washington, DC with friends. Some of the recent sights to see have included the U.S. Botanic Garden, dinner at Trummer’s in Clifton, Orange Crush’s at The Perch Rooftop in Tyson’s, shopping in Old Town Alexandria, watching B. Dylan Hollis speak and meeting him at an event for this new cookbook at Sixth & I, Bluestone Lane Cafe, a Washington Nationals baseball game with a Natasha Bedingfield concert afterwards, The Hamilton, Eastern Market, and Kramer’s Bookstore and Restaurant. I have felt so inspired to get out and explore outside of my own backyard more so!! Above all else, I greatly appreciate my friends that have wanted to do some outings together around the town, as it has been super fun to get out a bit more-than-usual after work!
  • Recent binge-watching – I’ve had *just* a few tags on social media about the brand-new Netflix show Sirens as some of the costumes include some iconic Lilly Pulitzer looks. These past few weeks, I have found myself enjoying the new Netflix show, Sirens, and am looking forward to watching some other newer shows, including Season 3 of the Sex and the City reboot And Just Like That!
  • Summer 2025 travels – Andddd, this Summer 2025, I am striving to spend a lot of time locally, whether it be enjoying family cookouts and home cooked meals, walks locally with or without Rosie, checking out new-to-me or some familiar local restaurants and shops, or hitting up some of the local thrift stores. While I am planning to spend LOTS of time close to home this Summer 2025, I am also going to visit my family/friends in Bethany Beach, Delaware (see my guide here), my friends in different parts of North Carolina, and am taking the last week of Summer for a solo week in … Rome, Italy thanks to some United Miles and flight credits. Nevertheless, I feel very blessed and am beyond excited for Summer 2025!

Happy Summer 2025!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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Transitioning The Life of Katie!

Hello friends! Over the past few years, I have shared a whopping 32 (!!!!) Life of Katie blog posts with y’all. These posts tend to be some of the most well-received and some of the quickest clicks y’all make whenever I share these over on my Instagram stories (let’s be friends @_thepinkchickadee). However, in recent times, I have been reflecting on my goals for this platform into 2025 and beyond and will continue to share personal updates with y’all, BUT in a different format than before!

Now, I will be sharing my Life of Katie updates over on my …

Substack called Happy Hour with Katie!

Yes, you heard me right: in September 2024, I created a Substack but didn’t publicize it a ton at the time due to my wayyyy too frequently talked about holiday season burnout (here and here). Happy Hour with Katie will share some personalized updates from me Katie and *of course* into the Life of Katie! I will be sharing my favorite things (whether or not recently purchased) on a monthly basis, a round-up of content that I share with y’all here on the blog, and a weekly happy hour where I will dig into the Life of Katie (!!!) and share a few topics that have been on my mind. There will probably be more topics and content to come over on my Substack, but for now, I will be sharing LOTS of personalized Happy Hour with Katie updates over there! Whenever I write a The Life of Katie blog post in recent times, I feel *A LOT* of pressure to make it into this super fancy blog post. And, while I LOVE writing about the ongoings and ramblings of my life during that time of which I am publishing it, it has come to be more pressure-some to me and consequentially less enjoyable. I adore sharing my ramblings and peak into the life of Katie with YOU and am excited to do so in more of a casual setting. Think of Happy Hour with Katie as a happy hour that we can have together on a weekly basis! Subscribe here!

Why Substack?! In late 2024, I have been daydreaming about starting a newsletter yet didn’t know where to start. And, at the same time, for YEARS, I have missed having the opportunity to connect with other bloggers on a regular basis via platforms that allow you to do so. Thinking on the lines of circa 2015 with Tumblr if y’all remember those days! SO, when one of my coworkers mentioned that she joined Substack, I knew I needed to check out what the hype was ALLL about! As I said before, I created a Substack in September 2024 and have been mainly procrastinating on using it until now. Soon enough, I realized that Substack would provide me what I’m looking for in terms of a place to connect with other bloggers and likeminded people in a newsletter-like setting! I could create a Substack to talk about personalized content and share things from my blog, connect with others, and share with YOU!

But Katie, I already get too many emails!! Yes, I have heard YOU all already! But, don’t worry! I will be sharing my Substack posts alongside my email newsletters to those of you that do choose to subscribe on my Instagram Stories once they are posted. I want to make Happy Hour with Katie accessible to ALL readers, regardless of if they choose to and/or have the bandwidth to subscribe or not.

What will be happening with the blog?! The Pink Chickadee blog is NOT going anywhere in 2025! In fact, I have been brainstorming LOTS of plans and ideas for 2025. Earlier this week, I published two travel posts and have several more posts to come and to be planned for the year. And, with the new content that I am aspiring to share with YOU here, there comes a time where I don’t want to publish as many Life of Katie posts within the mix, which makes Substack the perfect platform for that. And, at the end of the day, I will probably still post some personalized content here over on The Pink Chickadee! One of my goals is to share some of my local eats and activities more so on here and I’ll continue to share What I Wore to Work on a monthly basis here, too. There may be another Life of Katie post (or 32!) in the future!!

At the end of the day, I want to thank YOU for being here. To those who saw my little publicized announcement of Happy Hour with Katie and subscribed or provided feedback or how you want to receive updates, thank YOU for your support and for being here along the ride. Truly, having the community that I have in y’all is such a beautiful and amazing thing. Thank YOU!

XOXO – Katie <3

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The Life of Katie!

It’s been a HOTTTT minute since I last did a Life of Katie post. And, that is all for good reason, too! I have been on not one, not two, but THREE trips (more on that below!). When it comes to blogging while traveling, awhile back I made the executive decision to not post much on the blog and even on social media for that matter while I’m on the road. I like to truly be in the moment when not at home and have even added the same value to my weekends and other social outings, too, which is an additional time off for me. Rather, through it all, I’m preferring to share ALL types of content afterwards rather than while I am there. Now, enough of me rambling about my timing of posting content – LOL!!!! – and let’s get into some recent life updates.

*Disclaimer: Please note that this post contains affiliate links, which means that if you purchase through one of my links, then I will receive a small commission. This commission is at no extra cost to you. Additionally, this post is sponsored, and all opinions are my own.*

  • Trips to West Virginia, New York City, & Toronto – Over the November weeks, I have been on the go from wonderful Harpers Ferry, West Virginia (here) to the Big Apple (more on that coming soon!) and allll the way to Toronto to see Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour (more on that coming soon as well!). I had an amazing time on each trip, too! Needless to say, I have LOVED getting to visit several places both close to home and either a train or plane ride away. HOWEVER, I am SOOO glad to be able to be at home to ring in the holidays!
  • Decorating for Christmas – A few days after my final big travel hurrah of 2024, I decked the halls for Christmas 2024! Let’s just say that from now until January, I will be *very* reluctant to leave my cozy little Christmas pad!!!

  • Six The Musical + Additional Outings Around Town – Right after I got back from Toronto, I made my way into downtown Washington, DC to see Six The Musical at National Theatre. Six has been on my bucket list of shows to see ever since it came to Washington, DC in Summer 2022 (sadly I couldn’t score a ticket then) and discovered that it was about the 6 wives of Prince Henry the 8th. The musical is 100000% about women’s empowerment, which was truly felt through the audience. I am SO excited to see it again (perhaps in New York City’s Broadway next?!?!). In addition to seeing Six, I also enjoyed some dinner and drinks with my friend Celeste at Brass Rabbit Pub – an adorable bar in Clarendon in Arlington – alongside an adorable cafe outing with my friend Maggie to the super cute Rare Birds Coffee Roasters in Falls Church.

Rare Birds Coffee Roasters
Brass Rabbit Pub
  • Friendsgiving 2024 – Over the most recent weekend, I hosted Friendsgiving for the 2nd year (!!!!!) and enjoyed having many of my friends over. Everyone brought a lovely dish to share and I cooked a ton, too. It was such a great time to enjoy with one another and simply be thankful for our friendships over the past year (and beyond!). I also enjoyed getting to model my gorgeous Ritera – aka a plus-sized fashion brand that sells adorable pieces at an affordable price point – dress (here) for the occasion, too!

  • Planning for the Actual Holidays – As the holidays approach, the planning for the actual holidays also comes as well. I am planning to spend the actual holidays (Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Years) close to home in the Washington, DC area with family and friends with an additional post-Christmas trip to Maryland + Pennsylvania + New Jersey to see my family who resides in those states, too. I have proudly solidified all of my dates for where I will be and when (which is a MAJOR accomplishment for me to have done before Thanksgiving approaches!!!!). I am definitely celebrating that I have awareness of where I’ll be and when early on and excited for what’s to come.
  • Navigating ALLL the Upcoming Holiday Parties + Events – Alongside planning for the actual holidays and where I’ll be + when, I am also trying to navigate ALLL of the holiday-related plans, too. Whether it be a holiday dinner with friends, a holiday party, a work celebration, a family gathering, or an activity on my holiday bucket list, there is seriously SO MUCH GOING ON. It is tough to navigate at times, too, as I want to limit the amount of burnout I may experience from the heavier than usual social calendar. However, at the same time, I know that I will regret missing out on certain holiday gatherings as this time only comes once a year (and, I’m also super grateful that I am spending the weeks leading up to this crazy social time at home on my couch!!!).
  • A Beautiful Sunset Walk – Right before Halloween, my Mom and I went on a walk in her new neighborhood near the Potomac River. We *just* so happened to catch the sunset at the right time when we did (!!!!!). Luckily, I had brought my camera to capture the AMAZING sunset in ALLLL its glory, too!

  • Remember, It’s ONLY a Highlight Reel – Throughout the months of October and into November, I have been struggling mentally with some things in my personal life. While I won’t get into the details of it all, a lot of what has occurred has taken a toll on me. Stress and uncertainty can take A LOT out of any person! Needless to say, I am going to leave y’all with a reminder that social media (and most of this blog for that matter) is a ONLY highlight reel. Next time you go through something tough or less social media like, remember that all of us are going through similar things, too.

Happy Holiday season folks!!!

XOXO – Katie <3

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