Weekly Gratitude

1. Thanks to this cute little dog for making me smile every time I look at it.

2. Thanks to the Carolina Cup for providing me a very much needed pick-me-up for the rest of the semester. I've been so busy with schoolwork and other stuff recently that Saturday was the perfect mini-escape from it all.

3. Thanks to my friends who like to eat dinner with me at night. All of our little chats about boys, snacks, dresses, banquets, homework, and everything else you can stuff into an all-you-can-eat buffet dinner from cici's.

4. Thanks to Wal-Mart for putting candy at such ridiculously low prices.

5. Thanks to TLC for running a Say Yes to the Dress Atlanta on Sunday morning when I couldn't move because I was so sleepy and allergy-ridden.

6. Thanks to my fabulous tutor who literally is changing my semester. From confused to little-bits-of-confidence in a class I perpetually struggle in is unbelievable. 

7. Thanks to the absolute pouring rain this past week. You have done wonders for my allergies. Now that we have nice weather again, my nose is stuffy again. I took you for granted.

8. Thanks to the fabulous boy from my shag class who said hello to me on my tour. I wasn't sure you recognized me, but when you did it was so much fun! #classfriends

9. Thanks to everyone's advice via twitter. I needed to know of a tailor here to drop a hem for me on a dressy dress and within 10 minutes I got 2 responses telling me the same place! Voila!

10. Thanks to all of my readers--700 fans this week and 200 facebook fans! Wow!

xxKatie

P.S. (literally P.S. not just an added note.) 11. Thanks to the wise wisdom and advice of a friend. She handwrote me 2 letters that changed my day. Annap sCe, I owe you so much--look for your return letter soon.

Allergies: How Nice to S(n)ee(ze) You.

Oh no. It's that time again--allergy season. What's a girl to do. My best pieces for advice for anyone suffering are the following. I stick to them RELIGIOUSLY during this transitional time of spring (since it's now officially spring!):

1. Invest in a good pair of sunglasses that wrap fully around your eyes. I love my Costa del Mar Isabella polarized sunglasses.

Sunglasses work in a two-fold way: they keep the pollen out of your eyes and off your eyelashes AND they keep you from rubbing your eyes if they were otherwise uncovered.

2. Take medicine. I know some people out there try to tough it out, but I bought the new OTC Allergra 24 hours and it's unbelievable. I've never found a good allergy medicine that I can rely on, but this is great. I got the 15 pack and I'll be on day 4 today. I also use Naphcon-A eye drops and they're the best. A little on the pricey side, but they work within 5 minutes of droppage and continue working for hours.

3. Keep tissues with you at all times. You never know when you'll need them.

4. Say thank you to everyone who says "Bless you". Even though us allergy suffers want to say, "you don't have to say that 6000 times in a row," recognize that they mean well. And don't want to be remotely close to you as you sneeze.

5. Don't drive with your windows down. This will get pollen in your hair, on your steering wheel, and on your car console. I think the steering wheel is THE most dangerous hidden pollen location. You never think about how often you touch your eyes while driving, but I'm convinced the steering wheel is COVERED in pollen.

6. Wear socks to bed. If you shower in the morning, then wear open toe shoes, don a pair of socks before you pop into bed. That way you won't spread pollen all over your sheets and your bed and make sleeping uncomfortable!

All in all, just make it through these next 3 weeks. We can all do it. Best of luck!

xxKatie