WELCOME!

Hi, I'm Kaitlynn.

Many of you that have been with me for a while may be thinking "haven't we already done this whole introduction thing?" and truthfully, yes... we have. This blog and I became friends two years ago this month. I wrote, I photographed, I told, and I shared. Or at least, so you thought.

I created this blog as a way to hide from things that were happening in my life. Hard things. Tough things I didn't want to share or open up about. I lived in a place where the word enough didn't exist. Shoot... from my own fear of the outside world I hid my entire pregnancy until about a month after Alex was born. And from all of that hiding and invisibility, I didn't know what direction to take my writing in. So it stayed stagnant and stale, waiting for genuine feeling to come into play. 

I am proud to say - we are there.

Wholeheartedly. Truth. Honesty. It's all here friends. I have found my strength. I have found my family. And I can 100% say I have found myself. 

This blog will no longer be a single output. It's a lifestyle. A genuine lifestyle. My lifestyle.

So here we are... renamed. Rebranded. and recreated. 

Welcome to Life with Kait. Now let's get this intro done right.

I am a twenty-something year old woman with the ambitions of an entire Olympic athletic team. I wasn't lying before when I said I don't want to just be one thing. I want to try everything. To do everything. To be everything. My worst fear in life is sharks. Want to swim with them? I'm there. I have lived in the past with so many regrets that when I finally had the strength to let them go, I discovered the most exciting and invigorating person within myself, and I refuse to ever go back.

The best gift I have ever been given in this world is the gift of being a mother, and raising the most perfect and beautiful daughter with the most patient and kind man on this Earth. He gets me. He is the calm from the storm constantly moving through my mind. She is the breath of fresh air during those days that are tough to get through. I see their smiling faces and know I am home. They gave me meaning and hope, and God blessed me just when I needed it most.

Now, to peek inside my brain...

I'm a die-hard fangirl at heart. I will watch Harry Potter on repeat everyday, 52 weeks a year, and I will choose any Sci-Fi/Fantasy film over a Rom-Com any day of the week, and twice on Sundays. There is never enough coffee in the world and I can about a half gallon bag of sour candies in one sitting. I love photography and have been trying to teach myself to become more comfortable with, using, and in front of the camera.

If I wasn't a financial analyst by profession, or had any will whatsoever, I would spend my entire paycheck split equally between Home Goods, Target, Ulta, and the Container Store. Seriously. I love playing in makeup and organizing the house. Maybe even playing in makeup while organizing. Because, why not?!

I do find strength in being a mom, and I do feel that it's okay to sometimes want to feel sexy and bold. I think it's important to love your body, and not feel that just because you created this tiny human being, that now you're only allowed out of the house in sweatpants and turtlenecks. We are women. We are strong. We are confident. Remember that, always.

That being said, let's continue on with the honesty. Okay okay, I do mostly live in sweatpants. They're comfy alright! I do always take the time to put on a fresh face in the morning, but I rarely do my hair. Life is all about balance, right? 

I read to my daughter at least 3 stories every night before bed, make sure her and daddy are having a balanced diet, and wash the dishes that are always piling up in the sink. But I'm also that lady that's okay with having a drink when we're out at dinner, or spending my birthday with my honey tipsy wandering around every aisle at Target... just to end up testing out the throw pillows on the shelves.

And you know what the best part is? I'm okay with that.

I'm okay being the mom with tattoos, and the mom that will be angry when you break curfew, but also the mom that will check your homework each night and pack your lunch every morning.

I'm okay with being the woman that has made mistakes, but also the one who lived, learned, and gets back up again stronger than ever.  I'm okay with all of it. Because I found strength and picked what I wanted in this life. And with a little help from Fate along the way... I have paradise.

I'm me... and honestly, why would I want to be anyone else? I get to live this epic, wonderful journey of my own. And to you... if you made it this far...

Thank you for being here to share in it with me. It's nice to meet you.

The Perfect Cup of Coffee

Good morning!
It's early, and coffee is in hand. A normal occurrence in my day to day life. I live off coffee. I thrive off coffee. And quite honestly, I'm not sure if I could function without coffee.

While most mornings I throw a reusable k-cup into my Keurig and am on my way, I do like to indulge in the local shop coffees more than I'd like to admit. There's something just so succulent about that thick, foamy white layer of goodness nestled perfectly over your cup of joe. Mmmmm... hold that thought - I'm off to grab me a cup.

I have a sudden facination with coffee in all it's forms. In fact, I found myself watching Latte Art Youtube videos for about an hour the other night. #addicted. Along the road to coffee discovery, I've been toying with different ways to make my morning pick-me-up. Alas, I have finally nailed down my perfect, go-to, savory caffeinated deliciousness. If you, too, are a coffee connoisseur, you're in the right place... keep on reading.

I wanted to start by giving my coffee a little bit of a flavor boost, but without the added chemicals of your normal grocery-bought creamers. I decided to try my hand in making my own cinnamon simple syrup! First step was to gather my supplies.

For my syrup, I used 1 c. water, 1 c. brown sugar, 2 tbsp cinnamon, and 2 tsp vanilla. I added all my dry ingredients to a small pot first, followed by the water and extract, and whisked until full combined. (Note: This is a very cinnamon-y flavor. Half the amount if you don't like as much cinnamon, or emit all together for a different flavor. Add a different extract, use an essential oil, trade up the brown sugar for organic white... the possibilities are endless! Go nuts!)

I turned the stove on to medium heat, and brought my concoction to a simmer. I let the syrup simmer for 20 minutes, after which it turned into a thick, yummy mixture ready to be transferred to a container.

When the syrup got close to being done, I added milk to 1/3 of my mug and heated it in the microwave for 60-90 seconds. This warmed my milk, but also warmed the mug I would be using to enjoy my coffee, keeping my tasty treat hot longer. I transfered the milk into my french press and was ready to create my wonderful foam. To froth the milk I begin plunging the milk in the press rapidly for approximately 15 seconds, or until the milk have doubled in size. This can also be achieved with an electric milk frother, but I honestly prefer this method as it gives it a creamy, smoothe foam.

My syrup was now done simmering. I transfered it into a glass jar with an attached spoon and admired my creation.

Now it was time to put it all together! I added a spoonful of syrup to the bottom of the glass and brewed my favorite morning cofee right over the top. I gave it a quick stir to make sure the cinnamon was combined, and then poured in my milk and foam. I started by pouring the milk from high/far away which allowed it to mix more with the coffee, and then poured closer to the cup to add the foam. Lastly, I added a layer of caramel drizzle over the top, to give it that little something extra!

Perfection!

The last step of this process is I nestle on the couch in my comfy slippers and sip on my morning treat while I catch up on episodes of Shark Tank. 4:15am may come way to early every day, but at least now I get to enjoy it with a cup of my best friend, Joe.