Puppy Love

Puppy Love

Last week while I was scrolling through Instagram one night, I came across this account on my popular page that this couple had made of their dying dog’s last adventure. I proceeded to go through the page and read some of the posts that were up about the dog… well, let’s just say that that was the worst decision I could have ever made that night because, in true Kayts fashion, I burst into tears at this dogs story. And when I say burst into tears, I don’t mean a single tear rolled down my face, and I was able to compose myself real fast. No I mean I legit started bawling big ugly tears while blubbering like a baby over this sweet dog who had died after his owners took him on his last big road trip. I couldn’t tell you why I burst into tears; it might have been the fact that ever since I was little, I haven’t been able to handle when dogs die well or maybe it was because I never got to say goodbye my Sedona Arizona before he died last year. All I know is that it made me think about how I am forever grateful to have my three crazy puppies Bo Niall, Summer Lynn, and Koda Bear in my life. Each one of them has stolen a different part of my heart, and I don’t know what I would do if I didn’t have them to cuddle with when I was sad, drive in the car with me, or tan outside in the backyard with. So here’s a little shout-out  to the loves of my life: 

Bo Niall, 
 You are defs the alpha of the house and the cutest little shit I know. I would appreciate it if you didn’t pee on everything in sight when mom leaves.  With that being said I would also like to thank you for barking at me every time I come into the room. I love to hear about all your adventures that day and what has happened while I was gone. The fact that you think your part cat also always brings a smile to my face, sitting in my hair on top of the couch is not a typical dog move… just an FYI Bo. You have brought so much entertainment to the family, and we all appreciate that even though you are sometimes a little bit too possessive of Mom and feel the need to assert your dominance over Koda. Cuddles are always appreciated from you, and I love you so much Bo Niall even if I act like I don’t. So keep doing you, you fluffy little devil. 

Summer Lynn,
I’m just gonna take this time to give you a quick apology for bringing home two other puppies and ruining your life as princess of the house, although I secretly think you love having the boys around. Sum Sum you are the family rebel and certified ragamuffin. There was a time where we wouldn’t see you without your hair brushed and a bow in, but now there is hardly a time we can get you to stay out of the bushes and the mud. I think we have your brother Koda to thank for that, but don’t worry love, you are still the cutest princess we know. So thank you for being our princess for the last nine years and putting up with all the nonsense that Korts and I could throw at you. We all love you to the moon and back Sum Sum. 


Last but not least Koda Bear, 
What is there to be said about my cute little man other than the fact that I love you with all my heart! You have brought so many smiles to my face this past year and have just stolen my heart. I know Faja says that you are “his dog” but I hundred percent believe you are mine. So thank you for cuddles in your chair every night, long walks around the neighborhood, swims in the pool, being my tanning buddy, and for just being the cutest puppy I ever did see. I promise I will make you all the homemade whip cream in the world if you tell Faja that you are mine. Love you so much more than you will ever know Koda Bear. 

"Dogs are a girls best friend."

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To My Faja

To My Faja 

People say that the first guy you ever truly love is your dad, and for me, that is unbelievably accurate. My favorite person in the entire world signs his cards Love Dad, answers to text messages that say I love you with 2, lightly pats me on the back while laughing when I pull him into big bear hugs, teases me always, makes me watch Drumline every time it’s on, snores so loud I can hear him from my room down the hallway, falls asleep on the couch by 7 pm, wakes me up at 8 am on the weekends, and just so happens to be one of the people I love most in life. 

When I was younger, I always thought that my dad looked like Shrek, I couldn't tell you exactly why my little kid brain related my dad to a green ogre that lived in a swamp. I think maybe it was the fact that their hands looked similar, they were both tall, had no hair, and that they referred to themselves as onions with layers. I never really understand what my dad meant by his layers until I was a little older when I realized that he has so many different sides to him. Like he races off-road, sport fishes, goes hunting, can build an entire house,operate heavy machinery, change a tire, but at the same time can cook the most amazing food, loves to bake, can sew Halloween costumes, design the interior of a house, and has the best taste in almost everything. There are only a few things on this planet that my dad isn't good at, and one of which is making calzones.

 I have always loved all of my dad's "layers" and when I was little if you asked me who I looked up to most in life, I would answer my dad. For as long as I can remember I have wanted to be just like him, and not much has changed as I've grown up. I still answer my dad when people ask me who I look up to most, and I always think of dad when I see Shrek. The thought of making him and my mom proud is what gives me the motivation to live my life the way that I do. I am nowhere close to perfect, and I think I drive my dad nuts half of the time, but I know that at the end of the day he'll be there for me no matter what, cheering me on.  He has not only made me a stronger person but has taught me so many life lessons. Three of which are: 

• “No matter how many mistakes you make or how slow you are progressing you’re still ahead of everyone that isn’t trying!”
• "Your word is your word"
• And as my Faja would say, "Strong like bull, dumb like ox."

So Faja,  

I love you to the moon and back, 

Kayts, Boo Boo Bear, Ltlplmr

"NO! Layers. Onions have layers. Ogres have layers... You get it? We both have layers." -Shrek

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Take the Road Less Traveled

Take the Road Less Traveled 

For as long as I can remember people have been telling me that I walk to the beat of my own drum. It happened more frequently then not when I was younger. My friends and even their parents would comment on how I just didn’t care if I fit in or not, and for awhile I loved and fully embraced it. I’m sure my family and friends could tell you multiple stories of me doing crazy and weird things. Like the time I was at DQ with my family and some friends, and  I decided it was a great idea to pull the end of my dress over my head so everyone could see my underwear. Or the time in middle school I was obsessed with telling people how amazing my legs looked in my shorts and walking like I was on a runway. People change though, and I guess I kind of lost some of my spark to be the girl that didn’t fit into the mold. I couldn’t tell you exactly when I started to reign in the beat of my drum or why. Maybe it was around middle school, when I started high school, or even when a guy began to pay attention to me for the first time, but all I know is that now it’s sometimes hard for me to let people see every crazy part of me like I did when I was younger. Don’t get me wrong there are still a handful of people who see every piece of my heart, mind, and soul, who love me no matter how stubborn or quirky I get, but not nearly as many people see it as when I was younger. 

There is a big part of me that misses the confidence I once had when it came to not caring what other people thought of me. I never used to care if people thought the way I dressed was too out there or weird, or worried about what people might think if I said it out loud and I certainly never cared how many people liked my Instagram, or who retweeted my tweets. All these stupid things that worry me now are holding me back, and I think it’s about time that I change again. I know that it’s not going to be easy for me to step out of my comfort zone and put myself out there like I did when I was younger, but I want to try. I am so tired of being caged in by my own insecurities or anxiety, and watching things pass by that I would have loved to experience. So starting now I’m going to try to start saying yes I can do this, and stop telling myself that I shouldn’t do something just because I’m afraid of what others might think or that I might mess up and make a mistake. I want to make my life, a life that I am proud to be living, and I hope that I get lost a time or two because if we didn’t make mistakes, we would never learn new things and evolve as people. I was named “Miss Off the Beaten Road” by my NCL class senior year, and it’s about time I start living by that name, so here’s a list of things that I want to accomplish this year as a person:

• Don't let my anxiety stop me from missing out on something that could be an amazing experience 
• Learn that it's okay to do things by myself, it doesn't make me a loner 
• Road trip by myself with the windows down and music blaring 
• Talk on the phone to strangers, stop making my mom do it for me 
• Push myself to do things that make me uncomfortable 
• Say yes more 
• Go out with my friends more 
• Go to the gym alone and actually work out 
• Don't be afraid to fall in love again 
• Put myself out there as much as I can when I get to FIDM 
• Apply to be apart of MODE Magazine @ FIDM 
• Just really do anything I set my mind to

“If you trust your rebel heart, ride it into battle, Don't be afraid, take the road less traveled”- Lauren Alaina

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Once a River Rat Always a River Rat

Once a River Rat Always a River Rat

Have you ever had a place that just going there makes you smile and like nothing in the world could ever change how happy this place makes you feel? I have a place like that; it may seem a little odd that I love this place as much as I do, but one of my favorite places in the entire world is Parker, Arizona. This town on the Colorado River where the California border meets Arizona is my happy place. To most people it might seem like just another pass through town, to stop and get gas and eat on a road trip but this city in the middle of the desert is so much more than just that. It’s home to Blue Water Casino, the Parker 425, the Desert Bar, and for awhile my river house. 

I grew up going there, and I loved every minute of being a river rat. Some of my best memories as a child were in Parker with my family and friends. I can remember going on the boat with my family, floating the river, learning how to wakeboard, begging my mom to buy me wedge flip flops from River Rats, collecting rocks in the desert with my dad and sister, falling off of the golf cart cause my dad hit a bump too fast, doing donuts in the Rhino with Uncle Gary, riding my quad in the winter every chance I got, going to the Desert Bar in the Truggy, burning bushes with Avalon in the middle of the desert, or even watching my dad from a helicopter race his trophy truck at the Parker 425.

Parker is filled with so many happy memories for me, and there is nothing I wouldn’t do to have my river house back again. So I have decided that I’m going to start saving up now to buy a river place of my own… well, or I might just beg my dad for a new river house until he says yes… really whichever one gets me a river house the fastest is the plan that I will be going with… until then I guess I will just cherish the memories I have there and visit whenever I can… I don’t think I ever really got over the fact that we sold the river house and my mom always jokes that I’ll need therapy because of it. But like it was a really sad day when my parents told my sister and I that they had sold the Parker house and that Dad had already packed it up. To make things worse, we didn’t go back and visit for awhile. 

When we finally did go back, it was weird to see how much Parker had changed but still stayed the same. They had added in a Walmart, taken out Badenoch’s, closed Kahuna’s, taken out the area we used to ride our quads, and moved our favorite Mexican restaurant, but while things had changed it was still the place I knew and loved… It’s safe to say that Parker will always be my favorite place to go. 

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