Catherine, are you still blogging anymore?
A question I hear frequently, and am FINALLY getting around to answering!
It’s been quite obvious that I haven’t posted on my blog for the past few months, but I’ve definitely kept up with my social social media platforms. When I started my blog, it started out as a passion project. I loved creating healthy recipes and sharing them with the world. I didn’t expect my blog to become a full blown career, but it did and I absolutely loved it… for the most part.
My blog became more about just the recipes, it was then the ups and downs of my weight loss, weight gain, and even struggles with depression and body image issues. I’ve never held anything back and always tried to be transparent and real because I felt as if the blogosphere needed someone who didn’t just share all of the rainbows and gumdrops. Sometimes life isn’t perfect and we go through really crappy times and I wanted my blog to be an outlet for anyone going through something similar to be like “yassss, me tooooo! I’m not alone!”
I loved being able to write a post and say “yesterday, I went bridesmaid dress shopping and I had a complete meltdown. Why are the sizes so off? Are they trying to make us feel extra s#%*!y?” and just have someone else relate and understand. But fast forward 4 years and it’s not really like that anymore. There’s actual commenters who come here to write negative things about how I look, tell me that I’m fat, tell me that I’m ugly, tell me that I’m always looking for sympathy, and that no one should trust my recipes because I’m not a representation of what healthy is. It’s a bummer. I get so many amazing comments from readers who have been here since the very beginning who are so positive and uplifting, but wow… It’s amazing how negative comments outweigh the nice ones. Honestly, I got tired of waking up every morning to check comments only to read paragraphs about how I’ve gained weight and how awful I look. As if I didn’t already know I’ve gained weight or talk about it on my blog? I’ve talked about this very candidly. Some of my readers have also wondered why I have stopped posting on YouTube. Well, YouTube is a whole different animal. Every time I get an email from YouTube that I have a new comment on one of my videos, my heart races and Iactually start to panic and wonder what type of mean comment is going to be posted this time. It’s kind of disgusting the things that people say about my appearance. I’ve never been someone who deletes comments. If you’ve ever commented on my blog and said that you hated my recipe, I definitely approved your comment and responded asking what I could do to change it and make it better, but I’m at the point where I cannot handle the comments about me and my physical appearance. I’m a person on the other end of this computer screen. I’m not a team with a Manager, PR person, Community Manager, etc. It’s just me over here making recipes being a human being! Hi!
I’m not talking writing about this asking for anyone’s sympathy. I’m simply telling you why I have been absent on my blog. I just needed some time away from my blog to realize that I really do love blogging. I miss you guys so much! I miss my readers and your comments, I miss hearing about your progress on your own particular journeys, and I’m so excited to be back! Thank you for all of your patience, support, and kind words while I have been patiently away for a little bit! I just can’t get enough of you guys!
So a little update from while I was away:
- Unfortunately my beloved Corgi, Teddy passed away two weeks ago on November 7th. He was 14 years old and had terrible arthritis in back and hips. His back legs were completely paralyzed, so he dragged his back legs around to walk. We tried getting him wheels (literally the cutest thing you’ve ever seen) but he didn’t fully understand how to use them. After being on arthritis and pain medicine for over a year, we had to put my beautiful boy down. It was the absolute worst day, and so much harder than I had ever imagined.
- I did however get a new fur baby in August! An English Bulldog named, Potato. I knew that Teddy wasn’t doing well, so I thought it would be the right time to introduce a new fur family member to the household. He LOVED playing with Teddy, stealing all of his toys, and his fluffy bed! What a little pipsqueak! Having Potato has helped with the healing process of losing Teddy, and I feel very lucky to have him. Matt and I got Potato together, so he spends time at both houses depending on our schedule and if Matt is on tour or if I am at work.
- Matt and I celebrated our 1 year together.
- I turned 26 in August.
- I became the editor of Vans Girls. Instagram // Twitter // Blog
- I visited Tecate, Mexico, Chicago, IL, Jackson Hole, WY, Yuma, AZ, and Charlotte, NC.
- Matt and I won two costume contests on Halloween.
- I visited Matt on Warped Tour.
So nowwww I feel like it’s time to poll my readers. I’m literally back where I started on the weight loss journey. Sad to say, back at my heaviest weight. Although I don’t feel that I look it… I’m there. I’m thinking of getting back on the wagon 100% and going full force with this whole weight loss thing once again. But in a new way that I haven’t yet done on the blog. See, when I started my blog, I had already lost 80 pounds, and I basically used my blog to show everyone how I did it. I was posting meals that I would eat when I lost weight, and healthy meals that I was currently eating for maintenance as well. But now, I feel like I actually need the support of my bunnies to do this again! So what do you guys think? Do I take a starting point photo, post it, and then post my full day of Rabbit Food meals every day? It sounds scary, but maybe this is what I need to hold myself accountable, and maybe this is what some of you guys need to get back on track too? So many QUESTION MARKS!!!??? In the back of my mind I just know that this will open my blog up to even more criticism from mean people, but at the same time I just need to get over it because this is the internet and there’s just no way around it. And honestly, I really want to get back on track and feel better. And that’s what really matters!
Love you little bunnies and miss you so much!
Of course I had to wear my Minnie ears!
Matt’s family: Carlos, Matt, Olivia, Linda, Maddox & Nixon.
Maddox and uncle Matthew!
Olivia and the stroller baby haha.
Matt and I in front of Sleeping Beauty’s castle.
I decided to do a fun little giveaway while I was at Disneyland! I took a photo in front of the castle holding an “eat more rabbit food shirt,” posted it on 
Olivia and I were really pumped that we had matching ears, so when we were in line for Autopia I said, “we need a cute car to match our ears! Maybe a pink car!!! Anything but that poop brown one.” Guess what car we got? POOP BROWN. So disappointing! We were laughing so hard when it pulled up around the corner. Of course we Snapchatted the entire Autopia experience haha.
Matt and I on Splash Mountain, PRE splash… Probably the most soaked I’ve ever gotten on that ride!
Matt, me, and Olivia. Bless her heart for taking the front of the log on her birthday. She was DRENCHED afterwards!
Olivia, me, Matt, and Carlos on Indiana Jones!
“Tropical Imports” (next to the Jungle Cruise) is one of my favorite snack spots in Adventureland. You can fuel up with healthy provisions at this snack stand and find fruit in all forms: whole, cut, fresh and dried. Everything from tropical pineapple or mango, pickle spears, trail mix, and veggie snacks.
Since we first got in line for Splash Mountain (an hour or so prior), all Matt wanted was Dole Whip. That’s right, he was craving rabbit food (insert clapping emoji here)! After riding Indiana Jones, we made our way over to the Enchanted Tiki Room for some Dole Whip and Dole Floats!
Dole Whip is one of my FAVORITE sweet treats to eat at Disneyland. It’s also a great option for anyone looking for something vegan and/or gluten free! Dole Whip hasn’t always been vegan, but in 2013 the recipe was reformulated and sodium caseinate was removed from the recipe. Soooooo yes, Dole Whip is vegan. Enjoy!
Maddox (wearing his brother’s Mickey ears) and Matt walking to It’s A Small World.
Maddox and Olivia waiting in line for It’s A Small World.
While the rest of Matt’s family went on Alice In Wonderland, the two of us went on the teacups! Always a favorite place for me to photograph! It’s such a classic! His dimples kill me!!!! S’cute!
Bye bye Disneyland!
Of course, the second I took it home and opened it, it stopped working again. UGH! WHY WHY WHY! Plus, two out of three of my USB ports were completely smashed during the drop, but thankfully I was able to use the working one for my backup hard drive. I was able to get my computer to turn back on and stay on long enough (with a flickering screen) to automatically back up to my external hard drive once I plugged it in and then made another Genius Bar appointment (next available was Sunday!). Soooo long story short I went back to Apple and my computer was sent away to the apple gods for $600 (and that was with apple care). So the moral of this story is back up your computer weekly and put it in a soft case when traveling!!!
Natalie made these adorable 
We exchanged handmade valentines with each other, just like when we were younger. My friends are seriously so crafty! 
Laila lusted over the flower crowns!
Of course our mini gals Ruby and Laila got their own special lovey dovey Valentine’s from “Auntie Amanda!” Minnie Mouse plushie purses and heart shaped sunnies!
I loved Nat’s heart tipped nails! She said they were super simple to do, just two crossed brush strokes!
After mimosas and lunch, Natalie made us all her famous flat whites. She had been hyping them up to me ever since I tried my very first flat white at Starbucks in Seattle last month. Her husband, Jaxin is from New Zealand (home of the flat white) and she assured me that she had been schooled by Jaxin and all of his Kiwi friends on how to make the absolute perfect flat white. She did not disappoint! Girl’s got it going’ on!
Correction, you’re my cup of coffee!
Since I’ve been spending a lot of time on planes and in green rooms, I’ve been learning how to do all sorts of snazzy braids while I have free time to kill! This is a dutch fishtail crown! Maybe when I finally get brave enough I will do a youtube tutorial!
Gals and the little gals! Brett, me, Celia & Laila, Amanda, Ruby & Natalie!
And just the grownup gals! Amanda, Celina, me, Natalie, and Brett!
Laila LOVES dogs, and she was freaking out when Poppy came out to play! She lovessss Poppy!
Puppy love!
Auntie Amanda reading Ruby a story before all of the gals went home, such a sweet moment.
