Lately

It has been a crazy fall, y'all!  I don't always have time to make blog posts as often as I would like, but here is a post full of iPhone photos showing what I've been up to the past couple of months.  

I got to see the Foo Fighters with my dad and I saw The Avett Brothers (for free!) 

The leaves started to fall and change colors and I couldn't stop taking pictures of it.

Nathan and I celebrated our two year anniversary! 

I got to spend an evening at Flourish Supper Club (check out @flourishsupperclub on insta!)

I picked up an old hobby. 

I went to my school's homecoming dance.  

I went hiking at Radnor Lake in Brentwood.  

 


I have done a lot of homework (this is what life looks like the most.)

And to top it all off, this weekend was the best weekend in a while.  Nathan and I went shopping, we pet some animals, we got Jeni's ice cream and ate at Cafe Coco. It was just really good.  

 

These past few months have been busy and overwhelming and sometimes stressful but I'm learning how to appreciate the small, sweet things in life.  

-Keaton 

BIG TREE HOUSE

A few months back, Nathan and I sat down and made a list of goals.  This list consisted of many things we wanted to accomplish within the next school year, including "bucket list" things like places to eat and things to do.  

This past Monday I told Nathan to keep Saturday open because I was planning something.  Of course, he tried and tried all week to figure out what this surprise outing was... and he succeeded.  He totally guessed we would be going to "the big treehouse" and to be honest, I was really annoyed that he guessed, so I refused to tell him we were going until the morning of.  

So...Saturday morning, we got in the car and drove to Crossville, TN to visit The Minister's Tree House.  We drove up and saw this monstrosity of a tree house covered by a ton of leaves.  

Apparently, in the 90s this guy built this treehouse to serve as a church.  Can you even imagine going to church in a treehouse? However, the church closed and it was open to the public to visit for a while, but then it was deemed unsafe so they shut it all down and now I guess it is abandoned.  

I feel as if the pictures don't do it justice because this thing was HUGE.  As we went throughout the treehouse and explored more, we found a sanctuary and what looked to be "classrooms." The kind of creepy thing about it is that when it closed, it seems as if they left without removing anything.  There was a lot of furniture left and even picture collages with what I assumed where church members. Honestly, I thought that it was a little creepy!

Nathan was so excited to go up to the top that he made me take a picture, but was really disappointed when he couldn't figure out a way to get to the crow's nest on top.  Also, fun fact: I have learned to get really creative while taking pictures without a tripod.  

My favorite part of the entire trip was the view! It looked out onto a field surrounded by trees with turning leaves and it made me want to cry because I love fall so much!  

We had a pretty fun time exploring even though it was rainy and cold!  Plus, we got to cross off an item on our goal/bucket list!  That's a win in my book.  

Also, apparently yesterday was National Boyfriend Day?? so here is my favorite picture I took of him yesterday!

If you know of any other cool places to visit and explore, comment below!  Have a happy week everyone! 

-Keaton 

Back & Better Than Ever

It's been a month since I moved back to Nashville (time flies!) 

I meant to write this post weeks ago but my life has kind of been a whirlwind this past month.  I moved back to school and am living with two very good friends in an APARTMENT!  Even though this apartment is still on campus, it is not a dorm a room (praise God!)  I actually get to sit on a couch and have a kitchen.  I'm still really excited about it!  

I had a crazy first week of school.  I am a member of my school's Student Government Association and we put on a lot events and activities the first week of school.  So I was helping at those events, plus classes were beginning.  It was overwhelming and a bit stressful, but really fun! 

Now, I'm finally back in the normal routine of balancing class, work, and my social life.  I don't always do a super great job of balancing all of those things, but I try my best.  

I am just very excited about this new season of life.  I am excited to explore, learn, and experience this wild life! 

- Keaton 


P.S.  I've discovered the Juice Bar in Berry Hill and OMG.  If anyone ever feels the need to give me a Very Strawberry smoothie from there, I wouldn't decline.  

A Trip to D.C.

This past week I was fortunate enough to get invited on a trip to Washington, D.C. with friends.  We spent about six days in D.C. and surrounding areas and it was a lot of fun! 

We mainly did lots of touristy stuff so we went to a few museums and many monuments.  Below are a few snapshots from our little adventure! 

Macy, Emilia, and Liz eating lunch in the National Mall. 

Liz, Emilia, and I practicing yoga inside an exhibit.  

Posing in front of the Lincoln Memorial (right before I stepped in a bunch of mud!)

The White House (aka The Obama Residence)

The Technicolor Church!!!

Keaton by a Church in the Sun photographed by Emilia Carson

It  was a super busy week and it felt like we were always on the go. By the end, we were all exhausted, which can be interpreted as a sign of a good trip  As tired as I was though, I am super thankful that I got to go on a trip with such great people!
Also a big shoutout to Macy's family. Thanks for being so hospitable and generous to us last week!

Now that I'm back home in good ol' Winchester, I am just getting ready to go back to school in Nashville for another adventure to begin!

- Keaton 

Getting Fit!

One things I'm really not good at is being active and fit.  I normally gravitate towards sitting in my bed, watching Netflix, and eating snacks instead of being productive. 

Recently, my good friend Emilia started counting her calories.  It was interesting to see her scan in her food items and think about what she was eating.  I got to thinking, "Hmmm, I wonder how many calories I eat in a day??"

So I downloaded an app called MyFitnessPal and started counting my calories.  This app counts calories, keeps track of exercise, documents your nutrients, records how much water you have been drinking, tells your weight gain/loss, and more! (This sounds like a plug for the app but it really isn't.)

The first day I counted calories was just because I was curious.  I really didn't think that it would last after the first day.  But oddly, I really enjoyed it and decided I would stick this out for a while.  I like seeing how many grams of carbs I've eaten in a day (let me tell you, it's a lot) and what nutrients I have gained and other little facts like that.

Granted, I've only counted calories for like 4 days... but it really has changed my mindset already! I am not only more aware of my calorie intake, but I am aware of the stuff I'm eating and whether or not it is good for my body.  Since using this app, I have been motivated to exercise more as well! That's mainly because the more I exercise, the more I can eat... but hey, I'm still exercising!

I'm really excited about this and I am interested to see some long term results!  Woohoo, I'm gonna get fit!!! 

Are you trying to get healthy? If so, I would love to hear some advice and tips and experiences, so feel free to comment below! 

-Keaton 

A Post About the "F" Word

(Disclaimer: This is a long post!)


Have you ever seen those "I need feminism" posts? I know I've seen my fair share of people holding a sign with the words "I need feminism because (fill in the blank)".  I typically enjoy those posts, considering I myself am a feminist.  However, I never thought I would make one of those posts. Mainly because people think I'm crazy or radical when I tell them that I am a feminist (silly, right?).  Yet here I am with my own "I need feminism" post!

Today, I went to church with my family and had gotten to talk to a mentor and friend.  It was a very pleasant morning. As I was driving to church I noticed my gas light turned on and had made a mental note to get gas on the way home from church.  So I went to the Kroger gas station to fill my car up (gotta get those Kroger points!)

I walked up to the cashier lady to purchase said gas.  As I am standing there digging for money in my wallet a man around 45-50 years old walks up behind me.  I didn't pay him much attention until he said, "Good Lord, you make me think maybe I should start going to church!" followed by howling laughter.  (Seriously, he said that to me.  How gross!)

My heart rate immediately shot up and I could hardly pay the cashier.  What does one do in that situation?  What I wanted to say was "Yeah, you should be in church you sick pervert" or "What in the world makes you think you can speak to me in such a way?!"
But I didn't.  I felt as if I couldn't.  I was afraid if I said either of those things I would cause a scene (and that's unlady like) or I would get cursed out and called crude names.
So instead I hastily made my way to my car and sat there with the door closed until my car was filled.  

Unfortuantely, this is not the first time something like this has happened.  I've been disrespected like this other times. And I know I'm not the only one who has suffered through this.

It is situations like this that make me scared to go to gas stations alone.  It is situations like this that make me beg my boyfriend to come into Walgreens with me.  It is situations like this that make me nervous to grocery shop by myself.

I need feminism because of situations like this. 

 No one deserves to be treated in such a way! To all the men out there, please respect us ladies.  We are not here for you to say trashy things to.  We aren't here for your viewing pleasure.  We are people with feelings just like you.  To all the ladies out there, stay strong and help out your fellow gals. Stand up for one another!

Let's all just learn to respect one another, people! Remember to be kind and mindful! 

Golden Girl

Today I did something that I swore I would never do (besides that one time in 6th grade).

I went blonde! Like really. 

I had been thinking about it for a little while and then I just decided "Go big or go home!" and made an appointment and boom blonde.  Just like that.  

Needless to say, it is quite the change and will take some getting used to.  But I took a risk and stepped out of my comfort zone and that is a win in my book! 

- Keaton 

Music Monday: Lady Lamb

During the spring, I was listening to a generic Spotify playlist and heard a song that caught my attention.  It was upbeat, happy and I just really wanted to dance to it.  The song was "Billions of Eyes" by Lady Lamb. 

Later, I went and listened to Lady Lamb's entire discography and couldn't stop.  I was obsessed!  There is just something about her style. First of all, her lyrics are clever and quirky and unique.  Secondly, her aesthetic is spooky/quirky/femme/retro and that is my dream aesthetic. Some of her music is really dancy and makes me so happy.  Other songs make me want to scream the lyrics from a rooftop.  Lady Lamb just makes you feel!  I honestly cannot get enough of her music.

Please, do yourself a favor and click the link below and listen to Lady Lamb.  You won't regret it!

Hiking Adventure

Today Nathan showed up in good ol' Winchester and we decided to go on a hike.  We packed up our things and went on our way to Machine Falls!
Nathan and I packed a lunch and picnicked on a rock while watching families and friends come and play. There was lots of cold water to play in and it made for a perfect photo opportunity! We had a pretty good day.

-Keaton 

Book Review: Palo Alto

One thing I've always loved about summer is that it gives me an opportunity to read for fun, instead of just for school! 

At the beginning of this spring, I went to Barnes & Noble and picked up Palo Alto.  Admittedly, I had seen Gia Coppola's adaptation of Palo Alto (by the way, sooo good) before I had even realized that it was a book that was written by none other than JAMES FRANCO.  Like, what?!  So naturally, I dragged my boyfriend to the book store and purchased this pretty pink copy (it's the movie poster and I know that's "totally lame" but it was cute and I had to have it).  

Because I had seen the movie, the book had a sense of familiarity to it.  Palo Alto is filled with stories of young people just trying to get through life. Although my teenage years were nowhere near as wild as the characters' in this book, these stories are relatable and I found myself empathizing with the characters.

If you want to read a good read about life, love, and adventure, I would recommend this book to you!

I believe Franco did a wonderful job in reminding us that there is a young, angsty teenager in us all.

-Keaton

(Out)fit for a Queen.

I bought this shirt/dress/tunic the other day and am so excited about it! I am already imagining all the outfits I can put together with this tunic.
I have been crazy over the peasant shirt and dress trend. It looks so retro and fun and I hope it stays around for a while!

Necklace: Locket from Etsy (& a gift from my boyfriend)
Tunic: Forever21
Pants: Jeggings from Walmart
Shoes: Walmart

– Keaton

Hello friends,

Thanks for visiting my blog!

I created this blog with the intent to share my life with you.  I will be sharing my passions, likes, interests, and hobbies on this blog.  I hope that you are going to enjoy it as much as I will.

I hope that you will find this blog to be a plethora of goodness!

-Keaton