Knitting Projects!

So, lately I've been teaching myself to knit. Have you ever tried it? It's really not so hard!

I started off by watching free videos on KnittingHelp.com. They're really easy to follow, and the best thing is, you can rewind if you get confused--I know I have!

There's also a super stellar website called Ravelry that has a quatrillion free patterns that you can search according to difficulty level or even needle size.

I'd recommend starting with larger needles because it makes the knitting go quicker and easier.

And don't get discouraged if your first project is lopsided... mine sure was!

Here are some pictures of some of my favorite patterns on Ravelry...

Boys, Movies, and... Why Does It Have to Be So Hard?

Dear Kaitlyn,

Let me start by saying I'm a Christian, and I don't like watching bad stuff. This guy I like, though, invited me to a movie with his friends, and the movie is rated R. I know he's a Christian, so I don't know why he's watching that kind of stuff anyway. Oh yeah, I'm fifteen. Any advice?

Yours truly,

Cinema Challenged

Dear Cinema Challenged,

My youth pastor always says, "Show me your friends, and I'll show you your future."

I totally understand where you're coming from and how difficult these kinds of situations are. I still struggle with it all the time. You want to have high standards, but you also want to have friends, right?

My biggest suggestion is that you take some time to read verses like Philippians 4:8 that tell us the kinds of things we should be thinking about as Christians, and pray with an open heart about what that means in your life. Sometimes God convicts people in different ways. What I mean is, certain things, like a guy watching porn for instance, are always wrong. Other things are more grey, though, like PG-13 movies for instance. God might convict one person to never watch PG-13 movies, and might not give another person that same conviction.

The important thing is that you focus on your relationship with God rather than rules. Rules are very important, don't get me wrong, because they help us stay focused, but ultimately we should be motivated out of our love for God rather than because we have a desire to be a good person. If you are honest with yourself and live in surrender to God, you can trust Him to guide you. That's a skill you'll really need in the future. I'm trying to make decisions about colleges right now, and I'm so glad that I committed to trying to "hear" God's voice several years ago because I've started to get more comfortable with it lately.

Now, that said, let me address your actual question. Personally, I don't think R movies are ever a good idea to attend because there's a reason they got that R rating. A movie could be PG-13 and just be violent or deal with serious issues, but if a movie is R, it's got something very offensive in it, be it sex, language, or graphic violence, and I believe it's our responsibility as the body of Christ to guard ourselves against those types of things because they really do filter into our mindsets!

First let me say I think it's great that you're asking this question because it shows you have a sensitive heart and that you want to please God, but you also want to be honest about the fact that you like this boy. What I would do is try to figure out where this guy stands in his walk with God. Does he just call himself a Christian, or is he really following after God with his whole heart? Because if he's living completely surrendered to God (and if he's the kind of guy you want to stick around), then he will want to honor the fact that you want to live surrendered to God too, and being careful about what movies you watch is one way to do that.

Never compromise your convictions for anyone, friends or boyfriends. Not only will you feel crummy about it afterwards, but the kind of people who will ask you to compromise your convictions are not the kind of people you want as an active part of your life. They don't respect you for who you are and will only end up hurting you.

That said, maybe you could tell this guy you're interested in hanging out with his friends and you're happy that he asked, but you've made a commitment to God not to watch any movies over PG-13 (or maybe even PG!). If he's the kind of guy you want around, he'll respect that. Suggest another movie instead and ask if they'd be interested in seeing that one. Make sure you don't come across judgmental because sounding holier-than-thou won't help at all.

Hope it works out well for you, and like I said, I'm proud of you for taking a stand!

Sincerely,

Kaitlyn

If I Were A Millionaire...

... I'd buy a lot of vintage dresses.

This is what I'd wear:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/64553054/1950s-vintage-ruched-pink-chiffon-prom?ref=sr_gallery_36&ga_search_query=vintage+chiffon+pink+dress&ga_search_type=all&ga_page=&order=&includes%5B0%5D=tags&includes%5B1%5D=title

With:

http://www.etsy.com/listing/37405899/upcycled-vintage-chic-earrings-pink?ref=sr_gallery_34&ga_search_query=vintage+pearl+earrings&ga_search_type=handmade&ga_page=2&order=&includes%5B0%5D=tags&includes%5B1%5D=title&filter%5B0%5D=handmade

http://www.etsy.com/listing/55186071/vintage-pearls-and-rhinestones-cardigan?ref=sr_gallery_5&ga_search_query=vintage+fancy+pearl+sweater&ga_search_type=all&ga_page=&order=&includes%5B0%5D=tags&includes%5B1%5D=title

http://www.etsy.com/listing/63355778/vintage-1950s-green-tea-stilettos?ref=sr_gallery_6&ga_search_query=vintage+50%26%2339%3Bs+shoes&ga_search_type=all&ga_page=&order=&includes%5B0%5D=tags&includes%5B1%5D=title

Only one question.

Do millionaires shop on Etsy?

I certainly hope so. Because if I were a millionaire, I would.

What do you think of the Cinderella dress I found? If you were a millionaire, what would you buy?

What Not to Do In Disney World

Sorry for the delay in blogs, y'all... I've been in Disney World on vacation. (Actually, my author has too--Disney's her favorite.) While I was there, I realized that some people have absolutely no theme park etiquette. So I thought I'd write my own. Here it goes.

1) Do not cough, sneeze, smoke, or--perhaps the worst I experienced--whistle extremely loudly when people are walking by you. Very uncool.

2) Don't let your obnoxious kids chase birds to watch them fly away. Some people actually like birds.

3) Do not try to squeeze past people in line for Tower of Terror. I, for one, will pull out the elbowing technique I typically reserve for concerts, and you will probably not win.

4) Do not miss the Disney fireworks. They will change your life, like seriously.

5) Don't forget to be nice. You never know what people are going through, and a smile goes a long way. Guess that doesn't only apply to theme parks, though.

6) Don't yell at your kids to stop crying. They're probably only crying because you're yelling.

7) Don't try to eat a giant chocolate chip cookie, and ICEE, and a bag of cotton candy all within two hours.

8) Don't forget to check out the Disney hotels, especially the Wilderness Lodge and the Polynesian. Both of those are like attractions in and of themselves.

9) Don't walk around on your cell phone the whole time. You will trip and might fall on Goofy.

10) Don't wear stiletto's to the Magic Kingdom. Taylor Swift would've had a field day with some of the ladies I saw. Really, no one cares if you're the sexiest person on Splash Mountain.

Hope you all are enjoying your time off school (or work if you're already graduated) and having fun doing last-minute Christmas shopping!

Do you have anything to add to my list?

A Little About Me

Hi there--I'm Kaitlyn, and I'm so glad you stopped by my blog! I'm really excited about sharing my stories with you. Each week, I'll post a blog about my life. Kind of like a diary, only no little key necessary to unlock it--besides, we all know those little keys have a tendency to get lost in the strangest places.

Each week, I'll also answer one of your anonymous questions. To send me questions about life and relationships, just click the "Contact" button on the left. Then, Ashley (*ahem*--my author) will pick one for me to answer. I can't wait to hear what you come up with and what you're dealing with in your life.

So, let me tell you a little bit about myself. I love chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream. I mean, I know most people love chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream, but I really do. Almost as much as I love Caleb Martin. But that's another story. And by that I mean he has no idea I exist.

My favorite tv show is Gilmore Girls...my older sister has all the dvd's, and I watch them all the time. I also like Pretty Little Liars and Lie to Me. Weird, I just realized those both have "lying" in the title. Sometimes I watch Dancing with the Stars. I have this secret dream to be a ballroom dancer. My favorite movie is definitely The Proposal.

As for music, I pretty much adore Taylor Swift, especially her new album. I wish my hair were more like hers. Mine's long and flat-looking.

Things I don't like: people who are mean to animals, snobs at school, broccoli sprouts, televised athletic events, and ugly shoes.

So now that you know a little about me, I want to hear about you! Tell me about your favorite things to do, favorite music, that kind of thing. Anything you want to share. And don't forget to send me your questions by clicking the "Contact" button! Thanks for dropping by.

--Kaitlyn