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What I Hate About Social Media: From a Blogger Perspective

January 17, 2017

hey all!
whats up? how is your life right now? its tuesday and i am crazy busy this week, i have been having exams on and off from last week, this week and next week. i have been crazy busy and was so glad that i had yesterday off of school and i hope that all y’all had a fabulous mlk jr day yesterday and a restful long weekend.
so today i want to share a not so popular opinion:
i hate social media
thats it, i said it. i know its a taboo for a teenager, and its also a taboo for a blogger. just because i am 16 i should just love everything about social media and just love it but honestly its just so much work.
social media is just so much work.
like so much work, and half of it is not even real. like most people show a happy experience, but its not as sunny as it seems to be in experiences.
like for example,
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this photo, i posted for christmas was a set of macaron ornaments that i recieved for saint nicholas day.
seems easy right, you know, just open the box and put it in between the tree branches right?
but in this photo taking experience, there is also this one
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yeah,

  • i took my tripod out, set it up to the correct height (1 minute)
  • brought my lamp out from my bedroom, plugged in and turned it on (5 minutes)
  • brought out a string of christmas lights and plugged them in (3 minutes)
  • set my ornament in the tree (1 minute)
  • taking my pictures, realizing they didn’t look good at that angle and then fixing the ornament and tripod angle (7 minutes)

oh yeah, then i decided oh i don’t like how that ornament looks in photos, so i eventually switched it to the other ornament that ended up in the image that was posted on instagram.
then it was another:

  • setting up the ornament in the branches (3 minutes)
  • changing the angle of the tripod (2 minutes)
  • and retaking the photos again (5 minutes)

but wait, there is more, you didn’t think i posted the image without editing it did you?

  • moved my photos from my camera to my phone (5 minutes)
  • edited them on the photos iphone app (3 minutes)
  • moved them to vsco and edited them (6 minutes)

so for a grand total of 41 minutes for 56 likes on an instagram photo.
now this seems really crazy, and i assure you this is crazy. like no one should be having to spend almost 3/4 of an hour ending up with only one photo that goes on the internet for not very many people even seeing it or let alone caring how long it takes you or what the image is even of.
now, this is sad because not only is it a time waste, but it also creates a sense that perfection is easy, just because we see it on our feeds. lmy photos should not have to be as good as a company who have hired many 8 people to make the same photo as i did in 40 minutes as a teenager, but you are expected to have good photos or no one will follow your instagram or care what you post.
its just sadness that the world has gone to this, that we just expect that it takes 41 minutes to make a photo, or 15 minutes to make a graphic which i use on every post, 3 days a week.  i also spend about 20 minutes each on my photo sets where i create outfits, and i honestly wonder if people even care, or just scroll past it to see articles about “free preppy stickers”.
okay thats all what i had to say and thank you for listening to my ranting!
xoxo
kwe monogram(aka kate wins!)
 

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January Workout Playlist

January 15, 2017

hey all
the other day i posted my workout routine, well what goes with workouts better than music! i made my music playlist that i love to listen to while working out. i run to this, do routines to this, golf or anything else using a workout playlist. i made a new one for the new year and basically absolutely love it.
so here it is!

you can listen to it, follow it etc. i love listening to it in order because it gives the perfect build up for me while running, but it would also be awesome in a shuffle order. they are mostly pump up songs with an awesome tempo that keeps you moving at a consistent pace.
xoxo
kate wins!

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An Update with Kate : Letting Go

January 12, 2017

hey all!
we are past winter break and i am back to school, and this week over the announcements i heard that my school’s basketball team has officially moved into their official season play.
not gonna lie, this made me a little bit sad. i miss my team, i miss being on a team. i mean golf is off season so currently i am not seeing the same group of people after school every day.
i mean there were a lot of reasons why i didn’t wanna play basketball this year. a major one being i am doing art after school on tuesdays and thursdays. i am doing an extensive art program for two hours after school (sometimes i admit, its a tad long) but we also watch movies, listen to music and talk while doing art. its super awesome because i am in this cluster of girls who are all creatives and we all influence each other, and help each other not only for ideas, but also in small ideas.
another reason is my knee, i mean basketball is more than just running. so my knee became really aggravated because of the fast stops, and dribbling and just like running back and forth. other people affect basketball, i mean the moves of others and just even making free-throw shots hurt because of my knees. so honestly i am saving my knee from more aggravation.
no longer playing basketball definitely has been hard because i feel like something is missing in my life. i mean, i totally thrive when i am totally over booked and over busy. like when i have nothing to do after school i totally flounder and have nothing to do, i put on the netflix because i have so much time. i am not busy enough, like i love having too much to do, which is why i have my workout rotuines which i do every monday, wednesday and friday!
so thanks for hearing me out today!
xoxo
kwe monogram(aka kate wins!)

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New Year Workout Routines

January 10, 2017

hey all!
continuing with my january new years resolution theme, i have put together a list of my favorite pre-made workout routines as well as ones that i have put-together my self!
here we go!
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#1:  in the park
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#2:  hit the barre workout
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#3: one song workout : sugar
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#4: kendall jenner workout plan
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#5: hiit workout
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#6:  tone it up weekly schedule 
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#1: run & roll out
i usually run or walk for about 1.5-2 miles depending on my daily energy. i go to run on a treadmill or run in my neighborhood. if i run in my neighborhood i usually run about 1.5 miles because its partly uphill but if i’m on the treadmill  i typically do the full 2 miles because i don’t have anything uphill. after that i either return home with my foam roller or i use the foam roller after the treadmill. at home this is my foam roller i use. i typically roll out my legs and my knee because i have previously injured my right knee.
#2: golf driving range
i actually haven’t been golfing in months, but i am planning on going back to the driving range soon. i am planning on going every saturday early in the morning for 30 minutes. there, my routine is typically i stretch out my arms, then get a medium bucket of 45 balls. i typically go from my pitching wedge, to a 5 iron, through most of my irons then to my driver. then after that i finish with the putting green.
thats pretty much it!
thanks for reading
xoxo
kwe monogram(aka kate wins!)
 

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Healthy Recipes for 2017

January 5, 2017

hey all!
one of my resolutions that i posted on tuesday is that i want to be healthier!
so of course i have been finding good recipes for this new year and my resolution on pinterest!
here we go!!
#1: zucchini noodles with creamy avocado pesto
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#2: skinny beef and broccoli 
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#3: baja chicken tacos 
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#4: chicken burritos
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#5: buddha bowl with peanut sauce
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#6: superfood quinoa bowl 
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#7: breakfast egg muffins
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#8: zucchini and sweet potato latkes
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i hope you enjoy and if you try any of these recipes, please let me know if you like them!
xoxo
kwe monogram(aka kate wins!)
 

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My New Years Resolutions 2017

January 3, 2017

hey all!
happy new year! its january 3rd and today i already went back to school!
man i totally miss break, like during break i could sleep in, and work out and it was honestly so nice!
so i wanted to share with y’all all of my resolutions for this year!!
lets go!
#1 : I want to be healthier.
#2: I want to volunteer more.
#3: I would like to have better self confidence.
every year #1 is one of my resolutions. i mean i absolutely since i was 12, like for sure. i feel like every year i will strive to be better, i mean of course i would like to eat more naturally and to work out more. this is just for my general health.
#2 is just for others. over christmas i worked with the pasadena jaycees (the junior chamber of congress) in their operation santa project. we drove around dressed as santa and mrs claus and delivered toys to needy children. i loved seeing the looks on their faces when the needy kids got their toys.
and the last one #3, is just i wish that i felt as good about myself as how others feel about me. my friends have such high views of me, and i wish i had the same about myself.
xoxo
kwe monogram(aka kate wins!)

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Happy New Year from Macarons and Must Haves

January 1, 2017

happy new year all!!
i cannot believe it is already january 1st, 2017.

2017

i can’t even right now!! like this is crazy because so much will happen this year. this year i will turn 17, become a senior in high school, start applying to colleges and maybe even hear back from a few before the year is over!
its insane right now, like this year will be a huge one, 52 weeks of busy!
i am nervous, but excited for all of this!
get ready all!
you can check my post again on tuesday for my new year’s resolutions!!
xoxo
kwe monogram(aka kate wins!)

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2016 : Macarons and Must Haves Year in Review & Welcome to 300!

December 29, 2016

hey all!
i cannot believe that 2016 is almost over. even though we only have two days left, it feels like we should have much longer left in the year i mean we are 364/366 (because we had leap year this year) so i don’t really know how its almost over. i mean time flies,
i mean time flies, this year, my sister graduated, i turned 16, became an upper classman, learned how to drive and my sister went to college. i mean i have basically had such a crazy busy year.
and do you all remember my last years review? well i am doing another one this year!
lets go why don’t we!

in january 2016:

i set my 2016 resolutions:
2016NYR
i also renamed my blog to macarons and must haves!
and that was very exciting!
also i decided to set an intention for every month, january, my first month, became ‘focus’

moving on to feburary:

i set my intention as ‘positivity’
positivity_feburary_2016
then i spoke about my planner.
i made a galentines day gift guide.
and made two posts about my yoga class, my yoga experience and my favorite yoga stuff!

lets go to march

meet_teddy
i introduced y’all to my dog, teddy
as well as sharing a march playlist  and created a macarons and must haves alphabet of all the things i talk about.

in april,

update_with_kate
i gave y’all an update on kate giving an existential idea on what i want to do with my life.
in april
i shared spring posts like what’s in my purse.
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i also shared my birthday wishlist!

may 2016:

in may i turned 16
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i also shared pictures from my 16th birthday party

now for june

june was  very summer-y month!
i created a sandal guide, and a father’s day gift guide
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i also posted about the jimmyCASE, one of my favorite iphone cases.

lets go for july

i redesigned my website in july! i had w completely white layout with my new logo
i also asked what you wanted to see on my blog!
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i was also able to show you guys what i loved from the nordstrom anniversary sale!

time for august!

dorm room design
i shared with y’all along the way my sister’s dorm room i helped with!
i also shared a post of my sister leaving me, and how i felt.

september 2016

i started my month with the word ‘routine’ and i made a monthly playlist for september
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i also went back to school and shared with y’all photos of me in my uniform.

lets go with october,

the month of halloween, so naturally i shared my halloween costume ideas for this year!
i shared two posts about my favorite products
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i wrote a review of thristymud, and i gave a list of my favorite stick highliters.
i also celebrated 2 years of blogging! how exciting!
now for november,
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i shared with y’all my plans for friendsgiving, and pictures from my actual friendsgiving.
i also shared photos from my retreat with my junior class.
in december, i mainly focused on my christmas as i wrote an extra post every friday!
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i made christmas wishlist early in the month,
then i made a lot of different gift guides, one for secret santa, one for stocking stuffers and one for prepsters.
then i shared with you all what i got for christmas 
i hope you enjoyed this whole year! i am so glad i got to share this with y’all.
also its my official 300th post! i can’t believe what amazing time i have had with all of y’all!
xoxo, i wish y’all well for the new year
kwe monogram(aka kate wins!)
 

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What I Got for Christmas 2016

December 27, 2016

hey all!
i can’t believe it’s december 27, 2016 and christmas is done and over.  kinda but not really, i mean christmas is basically over but hey we are still within the 12 days!
i am really annoyed though because i go back to school on january 3rd, literally the day after the rose parade! i am very upset.
but away from the upsetting points of life, lets get to the christmas gifts from 2016.
s0o this year my family was really great and got me things i all really liked. i do not mean to brag by any sense, but instead, to just display what i got!
lets go!!
i got :

  1. Hamilton, a Revolution Book
    1. Does my family know me or what? I mean i have been wanting it forever but…
    2. img_7872
    3. and thank god I was willing to wait for it! like it’s beautiful and so cool inside like bless Lin Manuel Miranda and his messy handwriting, like it’s a really awesome book all about the show.
  2. Elevation Highlighter Palette
    1. Y’all know about my love for highliters i mean I made a whole post about how much I love it. It’s super awesome because of the middle baked one with the blue and pink little blends in it! Plus it’s super ray to apply and looks great on my face!
  3. BP Boots
    1. i think these boots are super cute. i mean they have super cute heels on them, plus they are not too expensive!
  4. VW Hub Cap
    1. okay this one is funny because it goes with a story. It’s a super awesome gift because I have a bug with one missing hub cap. I mean it’s not that noticeable but it definitely looks and feels like something is missing when you look at the side of the car. but my aunt bought me this as a gift and opening it I was so confused but I absolutely love it and I am so greatful.
  5. Tea Yes, You Maybe Mug
    1. my sister got this for me. she knows that i love alfreds tea because not only do i love matcha green tea, but that store is literally so my aesthetic.
  6. Breakfast at Tiffany Nail Set
    1. okay, my nails are often my favorite beauty thing. i mean nails are super awesome because they are very versatile.
  7. ELF Nail Polish Set
    1. YAY! more nail polish, does my family know me or what. i love that there are so many shades and i love the glitter polishes with a few layers they look so good and i am so excited to use them!

i hope you enjoyed my post!!
xoxo
kwe monogram(aka kate wins!)

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Merry Christmas from Macarons and Must Haves

December 25, 2016

hey all! 

IT’S CHRISTMAS

finally! I am so happy that it’s christmas, I have kinda been waiting for this day for 364 days (or in the case of this year 365 days!) 
I just wanna wish you and your families and friends all a merry christmas and happy holidays!
yesterday I went to my grandmother’s house for lunch, and it was really nice.
today I am heading down to my cousins’ house for chrismukkah! which is a Christmas and Hanukkah combination where we will have both brisket, turkey and latkes! how exciting! 
I hope Y’ALL have a fabulous day! 
also don’t forget to check out my Instagram live story for all of my Christmas, in live time!!
xoxo
kate wins!

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