Imma Sugar Addict

You've probably noticed by now but I love eating treats. My friends once bet me in high school that I couldn't last a day without sugar. Being defiant as I am, I boldly stated I could and would. So I quit eating my precious treats for a day. I made it, but it was awful. By that evening, I was on the couch with the chills and a major migraine. My mom brought me a glass of water and announced in wonderment, "Kelsey, I think you are experiencing sugar withdrawals." And then I probably cried and ate a candy bar.

I wish that story was a lie, but it's not. It's pure truth. My name is Kelsey Keller Weller and sugar is my crack. Needless to say, I like baking. Not so much baking, but just baking so I can have a treat to eat. And when I want treats to eat, I want them stat. So some of my favorite recipes are the super basic and simple ones. These chocolate crackle cookies became a fast favorite of mine. They also became a fast favorite of my nine to eleven year old Primary kids. Two of them even asked me for the recipe. That's why I love my Primary kids. They make me feel like a baking champion, even though I am usually making recipes basic enough for they themselves to master.

What you'll need:

Preheat the oven to 350. Combine brownie mix, 1 cup of flour, 3 eggs and 1/3 cup of oil. Set powdered sugar (around 3/4 cup) aside in a separate bowl. For each cookie, take a scoop of dough and place it in the bowl of  powdered sugar. Roll gently, coating with powdered sugar. Bake 11-13 minutes. Then devour.

Also, if you don't get a brownie mix that has chocolate chips already included, you'll want to add some chocolate chips. Just believe me.

And on a totally unrelated note, I want to point out that today is the annual "Spread the Word to End the Word" awareness day. Read more about their cause here. I feel very strongly about ending the derogatory use of the R-word. I worked with mentally disabled kids for two years and they left such a positive impact on my life. People with handicaps are often some of the brightest, most capable, sweetest people. They are just like us, they just might struggle in a different way. So please don't use words that mock or bring down my friends, okay? I'll admit that the R-word was once a part of my vocabulary. I was ignorant. Once I surrounded myself with these amazing people, I quit using the word completely.

So spread the word to end the word and bake some cookies. That's my life lesson for the day.

Truth Tuesday

• Sometimes we try taking outfit pictures, but then a blizzard shows up so giant snowflakes block my face. Evidence above. 

• I just got home from a blogger meetup. Aaaaaand now I am blogging. How very ironic. It was a wonderful time spent eating good food with some lovely ladies. I hope it can be a regular thing (hint hint, girls). 

• I am proud to announce that I landed myself a new job last week. I am now the morning co-host with Artie Fufkin on 94.5 and 98.3 VFX. Tune in if you live in the area. This job is such an answer to my prayers though. Over the last year, I haven't really had much of a job due to being busy with school and other extracurricular activities. And being jobless has made me feel so guilty. I am a person who thrives off staying busy. And of course, I have been busy even though I haven't been employed. But all the same, when people have asked me where I work in the past, I instantly felt ashamed. Starting this new job has been such an instant confidence booster and I am so excited to be doing something I love. This job is so much fun, I would honestly do it for free. So getting paid is just a major bonus! 

• The only downside of my new deejay job is that I go in the studio between 5:30 and 5:45 in the a.m. That's super early for me. I've never been one to really sleep in for a long time, but I've also never been one to get up on a regular basis before 6. I am trying to adjust but it's hard. Surprisingly, I feel great in the morning and during the day, but when I get home from classes at 4 or so, it suddenly hits me that I am absolutely exhausted. I am shooting for an earlier bedtime but it will take some time for my body to adjust. I've been going to bed at 10 or so and I'm hoping I can work it down to a 9:00 bedtime. Sheesh, I'll be going to bed before my grandparents. 

• I got pulled over tonight. Wanna know why? The reasoning is totally embarrassing. I only had my fog lights on, silly me. I felt like a total dork, apologized to the cop fifty times, and used the lame excuse that my car is new and I'm still adjusting to all the differences. He laughed, comforted me, and gave me a warning. Thank goodness. 

• I know nothing about The Bachelor. Except the fact that I've gotten several texts and comments from people about how much Bachelor Sean is like Brian. I'd say Brian is way hotter though. And he's not a man slut who runs around with fifteen women. He's just a man slut who runs around with yours truly. 

• My current favorite song. 

• I am obsessed with the goat remixes like everyone else. Check out this website for 23 of them. It's pure gold, I tell you. Brian and I watch them over and over and guffaw like immature children. 

Fighting the Winter Blues

It's a beautiful day. The sun is shining in through my window, warming my face, and we are supposed to have a high of a whopping 37 degrees! While I can feel spring in the air, I have a feeling there will still be a few blustery winter days ahead.

I always thought seasonal affective disorder was a myth until this winter. I have definitely felt myself dragging my feet and I don't really have a reason to. Now don't get me wrong, I love winter, but there comes a time when I am ready to move on to the next season! And that time is now! I've missed the sun and I've missed my outside time. So over the cold months, I've tried to find ways to fight off my cabin fever and stay afloat until spring finds us. Here are five tips I have tried and have seen results from.

1. Exercise and eat right 

We hear this all the time, but it can be hard to do. I absolutely love working out when I can do it outside. However, when I am confined to doing my cardio indoors or on a treadmill, I get a little bored and discouraged. There have been many days this winter where I think, "I'm cold. I don't want to change into my workout clothes and go to the gym." But on the days I do that and stay home, I regret it. I always end up feeling sluggish. I've found that fighting through the torture and starting my day with getting my body moving really helps my mood. Those endorphines can fight off any case of the winter blues. Eating veggies and fruits helps too, and drinking lots of water. I recently stopped drinking soda and replaced it with water. It's amazing how much better I feel!

2. Take advantage of the sun when it decides to come out

Winter doesn't mean the sun dies or goes away. There are still plenty of cheerful and sunny days during the cold months. When those days happen, get your tush outside! Your body is begging for that Vitamin D! Sure, you might have to wear several layers of clothes, but it's worth it to get numb fingers in exchange for a little soaked up sun. Brian and I have been good about taking lots of walks this winter. When the weather is nice, we pull our boots on and head outside like there's no tomorrow. We have really enjoyed taking winter walks along our favorite river trail in town. So take a walk, go sledding, build a snowman. Just get yo' bad self out of your house.

3. Play with your space

Since you are confined to the indoors a lot more in the winter, don't let your living quarters bore you. Be innovative and find ways to express your creativity in your home. Last month, I finally opened the door to that one room in our home. You know, the room where you throw all your boxes of stuff, lock the door, and pretend it doesn't exist? Oh, you don't have one of those rooms? My bad. Well, I finally cleaned that room out. Then I went on and made some wall art to hang, thrifted an awesome globe to set on an end table, made up our futon all cute, and now the scary room is a presentable guest room. It's actually one of my favorite rooms in the house now. It's funny how changing something up that you are around every day can affect your mood. So rearrange your furniture, get rid of that junk, and start the latest home decor project that you pinned on Pinterest.

4. Have something to look forward to

Spring break has often times been my saving grace when it comes to not losing my mind during this time of year. It helps to have a trip to plan for on those miserable and stormy nights. During the blizzard warnings, you can distract yourself by swimsuit shopping or finding the perfect pair of sandals. And when I say have something to look forward to, it doesn't even have to be a major trip. Plan on having a  themed party with your friends. You can fight off any winter blues with planning party treats, games, and decorations. Looking forward to something fun, no matter how big or small, is a good way to stay busy and happy.

5. Treat yourself

I think I've taken more bubble baths this winter than ever in my life (okay, slight exaggeration). But I'm fine with that, because those bubble baths have kept me sane. After a busy day of trudging through snow and ice, set some time aside for you. Light some candles, fill your tub with bubbles and bath salts, and read your favorite book while you soak the blues away. Buy yourself a new bottle of BRIGHT nail polish. Fun colors on my fingers always stop me from feeling depressed. Rent your favorite movie. Give yourself a facial. Take a nap if you need one. Rewarding yourself with little treats will help motivate you to take on the negative degree weather.

So there are my five simple things I've been using a lot since January. Hang in there friends. Umbrellas, tulips, baby animals, tan lines, and pastels are in the distance. We got this.