Kristi Politely

Can’t get enough of you!

Tue, 09 Apr 2013 10:14:48 -0700

Can’t get enough of you!

it’s been a while…but I’m planning a comeback! stay tuned! <3

Sat, 06 Apr 2013 19:22:48 -0700

it’s been a while…but I’m planning a comeback! stay tuned! <3

Cuz @jennaandthegiantappleblog never steers me in the wrong...

Tue, 19 Mar 2013 21:20:07 -0700

Cuz @jennaandthegiantappleblog never steers me in the wrong direction! 😉 Already obsessed!

This is amaze. HAHAHAHA wheninla: #WHENINLA

Thu, 17 Jan 2013 12:58:41 -0800

This is amaze. HAHAHAHA

wheninla:

#WHENINLA

Moooving on...

Tue, 27 Nov 2012 20:54:00 -0800

Hi lovelies!!

I know I’ve been completely slacking since turning 28. However, it’s for good reason, I promise!!

#1: I am currently developing a bigger better lifestyle blog with a dear friend that will be so exciting and something we are both really happy to be creating! I will absolutely share more when I can!

I totally appreciate all of you who have stuck with me on this space the short time I’ve been here! Kristi Politely isn’t gone for good. I’m sure she reappear in some way in the future!

Goodbye 27!

Thu, 18 Oct 2012 07:51:59 -0700

The picture above is from my 27th Birthday Happy Hour! 27 is my favorite number and I have been looking forward to being 27, for like, ever. I have to say I have had an AWESOME 27 year. In honor of ending my 27th year, I compiled a list of 27 things I did and love about this year.

1. Seeing Gotye on my actual birthday at the Satellite in Silver Lake, it was his first US show and a super small venue…unforgettable.

2. My 27th Birthday Weekend: Backstage Bar Happy Hour & Disneyland

3. Joshua Radin / Sara Bareilles concert in Nov. 2011, meeting Josh after and him recognizing me as “The girl in front singing all the words to my songs”. *insert swoon here*

4. Thanksgiving with my closests Matt & Julie.

5. SWEAT w/ Richard Simmons!

6. Indulging in candles, there’s something so special about a candle burning.

7. Leasing a BRAND NEW CAR! Judy (the Honda Insight) gas saving love of my life.

8. OVER indulging at Serendipity in NY and Vegas!

9. The sweetest package I received from Jenna and the Giant Apple consisting of my favorite blush from Tarte and an Keel’s Simple Diary which has been SO much fun to start using.

10. Seeing “Grease” at the Hollywood Forever Cemetery it was basically a giant sing-a-long of amazingness!

11. Reading lots of books - new and re-reads.

12. Watching my cutie cuteness nephew, Wyatt grow up! Auntie Tee Tee for life! ;) and having my quick and lovely phone chats now that he’s talking more.

13. Being a bridesmaid in Deanna & Mindy’s beautiful weddings!

14. Disneyland trips! (Thank you annual pass!)

15. Working on improving my relationship with my Mom.

16. The good & bad that has come from my dating adventures this year. *whew*

17. Finding love for a gym! Circuit Works, has made me love working out.

18. My photo wall expanding with so many great memories and captured moments.

19. Matching tattoos with Julie. A special bond I get to share with her for life.

20. Attending the Roast of Rosanne Barr…love her & SO fun!

21. Pretty Little Liars Marathon with Stephanie and Elissa - great day!

22. A late night catch up session in NY with my sweet friend, Michelle.

23. Enjoying every bit of my pumpkin obsession!

24. Joining the blogger community and some exciting upcoming changes.

25. Every minute I’ve had the chance to spend with new and old friends, rekindling old relationships that have strayed, strengthening existing ones, making new ones, and laughing, loving, and enjoying the amazing people I surround myself with!

26. ALL of my travels, taking me to Toronto, Milan, Idaho Falls, Michigan, Vegas, New York, and home sweet home, Washington.

27. Enjoying growing older and everything that comes with it! I’m ready for whatever you have in store for me, 28!

Dear LA, this is what Fall looks like & yes, I did take this...

Wed, 03 Oct 2012 16:45:23 -0700

Dear LA, this is what Fall looks like & yes, I did take this while driving in kilometers. PS: Canada has black squirrels!!! Dying to get a picture of one! Stay tuned!! (Taken with Instagram)

Quote of the Week! I’ve been doing LOADS of reflecting...

Sun, 30 Sep 2012 11:21:53 -0700

Quote of the Week!

I’ve been doing LOADS of reflecting lately. It’s so crazy how little or big decisions have brought me to this point in my life. Instead of looking back at things with regret, when you take in the bigger picture you see how everything brought you right here, right now. It’s a pretty amazing reality.

I’ve been feeling super guilty about my lack of dedication to this space, but “behind the scenes” I’ve been thinking about an even bigger idea, bigger than just myself and it’s one step closer to being something that could maybe someday change my life entirely. The anticipation and excitement of that seems to be outweighing my guilt. I can’t wait to have more info to share with you all in the future!

In the meantime, I’ll be updating when I can or have something to share. I appreciate you all for reading and keeping up with this little space.

Stay tuned!

xoxo,

kristipolitely

ps: Stanny sends hugs & loves to you!

Mid-Month Update

Sat, 22 Sep 2012 10:00:00 -0700

Okay Okay…I’m a terrible person and I have been neglecting this space a little as of late. I sort of feel like I’m taking advantage of this opportunity that I really cherish and want to be SUPER proud of.

I really want to make sure my posts are the best they could possibly be and be thought out and planned and not so “on the fly”…however, with that being said, I think I would contribute more if I wasn’t so stuck on being a perfectionist! So I am going to work on some sort of balance. Maybe we’ll both be happier.

This is my stop being such an perfectionist face…because let’s be real…nothing is ever perfect.

Speaking of happiness, granted nothing is perfect in my life, but I have been feeling overall “happier” with life in general, who my friends are, the amazing moments and fun I’m having, my quiet time and tv marathon veg sessions, seeing small progress at circuit training <even the small improvements make me smile. It’s just a great feeling over all.

I’ve also been swooning over every little thing that makes me feel like Fall is near! These 90 degree temps have GOT to GO! I have been indulging in lots of pumpkin spice lattes (my heartburn isn’t happy with this though), swooning over cute scarves, and dying to dig out all of my comfy warm winter clothes. *sigh it could not come soon enough!

More updates and ettiquite to come soon! Promise!

politely yours,

kristi

Quote of the Week! YOU decide every moment of every day: who...

Fri, 21 Sep 2012 18:28:41 -0700

Quote of the Week!

YOU decide every moment of every day: who you are & what you believe in. You get a second chance, EVERY SECOND.

This quote feels SO beautiful every time I read it and it really is true!

Something to think about…

xoxo, kristipolitely

QUOTE OF THE WEEK! I aspire to live every day of my life this...

Tue, 04 Sep 2012 18:57:39 -0700

QUOTE OF THE WEEK!

I aspire to live every day of my life this way… I hope you do too.

kristi politely

Sundays with Simba - guest post

Sun, 02 Sep 2012 09:59:58 -0700

Simba is filling in for Stan this week, Stan was having a hard time identifying with this weeks knowledge, since he’s very guilty of not doing this…

Never race toward anything unless you feel like getting some exercise.

All too often people are rushing toward their coffee, gulping down their food, hurrying through sex, and typing manically on their computers. They are often upset because they “never have enough time.”

Time is not something that you have more of when you are speeding everywhere. It just make life dizzily fast. If you actually breathe in each moment and focus on being relaxed wherever you are, time spent is infinitely more enjoyable and satisfying.

—

I found Simba in a box out in our back barn where I grew up. His mother had abandoned him and his little brother, the 3rd kitten didn’t make it. I bottle fed Simba and his brother (QT) and raised them like my own. :)

Simba has grown up to be a fluffy little resilient outdoor cat. I love going back and seeing him after all these years this rough and tough mankitty who was once this helpless little fluffball.

I love this message though. I am a total planner and I LOVE having things to look forward to, I schedule things weeks and sometimes months in advance and I notice my schedules fills right up! If I think I’m going to have a free weekend I make more plans, but I also try to allow “me time” in that, I need to keep up with this little baby of mine, relax, reflect, and give Stan time too.

I like plans because it allows me to mentally prepare and not get too stressed out, but I also understand the importance of spontaneity. I feel like time is flying by but at the same time, I’m definitely taking to the time to enjoy the moments and the fun with friends, family, music, and just wonderfulness I’m living in.

Hope you all are doing the same!

xo,

Kristi & Simba by way of WA

*Source: Lessons from Stanley the Cat by Jennifer Freed

I’m starting to fall into fall… this playlist is a...

Fri, 31 Aug 2012 19:00:40 -0700

I’m starting to fall into fall… this playlist is a little glimpse of my music loves / concerts (Kelly) / songs that are topping my playlists / future concerts (Carrie & Joshua)…

I’ve declared that EVERY playlist should end with Gotye’s song “I Feel Better”.

Enjoy!

Politely Yours,

Kristi

QUOTE OF THE WEEK! whew I had to stop everything and take a...

Tue, 28 Aug 2012 19:00:39 -0700

QUOTE OF THE WEEK!

*whew* I had to stop everything and take a moment to really take in what is being said here. I found this gem over at Fat Mum Slim’s website, with a great story too.

I just could not need this advice any more than these last couple weeks. Overall life is just WONDERFUL, but there are definitely things getting me down and I’m starting to let them chip away at the happiness and love I’ve been feeling in my life.

Must. MUST. Heed this advice.

xos,

Kristi

Sundays with Stan

Sun, 26 Aug 2012 12:07:10 -0700

Drink mostly water as that is the beverage you need, and it will keep you clear and youthful and bring a glow to your hair.

People are always taking a break to drink something. Coffee and Tea have become big favorites, along with wine and other alcohol.

Whereas variety is the spice of life, water is the eternal spring of youth. Water cleanses everything in your body. It is like taking a shower inward. Keep your water intake high and you will feel more truly refreshed.

—

I am the most guilty of this! Stan is stealing some of my water above, but I don’t drink that much of anything. I have to make a conscious effort to drink water. I think I’m getting better, but other than my 1-2 cups of coffee in the morning and a little water & protein shake after the gym…I’m good.

Ok, time to get stricter about my water intake, Stan says.

xo,

Kristi & Stan

*Source: Lessons from Stanley the Cat by Jennifer Freed

QUOTE OF THE WEEK! Truth be told, I’ve been a little moody...

Thu, 23 Aug 2012 18:53:32 -0700

QUOTE OF THE WEEK!

Truth be told, I’ve been a little moody this week. :( Mostly bad moody. Do you ever feel like sometimes it’s just one thing after another after another? I have been daydreaming of floating away on a magical hot air balloon where life is fun and stress free *sigh* c’est la vie.

Kristi

Hi loves! I had to share this AMAZING find by my friend,...

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 21:27:10 -0700

Hi loves! I had to share this AMAZING find by my friend, @christiethrifty (on Instagram). This is the OG people! So jealous! I now need to start actually LOOKING at the books when I see the old stacks… sigh… if you want to see more by my friend, check out her blog, buxomfashion, here.

Have you had any amazing vintage finds?

kristi politely. xo

Pop of Color! The finishing touches...

Tue, 21 Aug 2012 18:56:58 -0700

I’ve been in my studio apartment for almost 2 1/2 years now, so at this point, it’s sort of home.

This is the smallest space I’ve ever lived in and it’s hard to make it feel bigger than it really is (I may be slightly guilty of a little bit of hoarding), but I also strive to make the most of my space.

In 2011, I took a trip to Italy for work, my close friend and Stan-sitter, took the opportunity to revamp my apartment while I was traveling. I came home to the most amazing sight! I was literally speechless! He made some changes that I never would have thought of on my own. Since then, I’ve been slowly doing things to make my space even better.

I LOVE color! I did a little photo project (I’ll share more soon) to break up the dead space on the white walls, and as much as I love what I’ve created, there was still white EVERYWHERE! A few weeks ago, I finally decided it was time to add a pop of color! I spent weeks prior trying to decide on the perfect shade that I wouldn’t get tired of seeing, and voila!

I completely brightened up my space! I have a lot of black and dark colors - Stan and I shed like CRAZY, so darker colors are the most practical for me, but this change has literally brightened my world!

It’s the little things people! I can’t get enough of them! I have a few more little updates that I’m still working through but will share shortly!

What little touches make your home feel like home?

Politely Yours,

Kristi

Sundays with Stan

Sun, 19 Aug 2012 09:47:50 -0700

Take time out of your day to take time out of your day.

Sit quietly. Do nothing. Observe. Enjoy the scenery. Smooth your hair. Stretch your limbs. Look around and smell the air. Rub your body parts where they feel sore from working or playing. Lean back and breathe in with long deep breaths. Exhale with little sounds of relief.

You will be amazed how little it takes to restore yourself with a personal timeout.

—

So you may have noticed there was no Sunday’s With Stan last week. As Stan and I were pondering over this advice…we got so relaxed we ended up taking a LONG nap.

However, I really think this is something to think about. We are living in an information era constantly moving and buzzing and thinking about the next thing, the last thing, or anything! We all need to remind ourselves to step back and take a minute to rest and be truly present.

I sort of touched on this topic a few weeks ago (you can read more here.) but it can be so hard to disconnect from the constant movement and take in your current surroundings. This is something I’m trying to make a best practice and do for a period of time instead of just for a quick moment.

Do you have trouble disconnecting too?

xo,

Kristi & Stan

How To: tackle an office party!

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 19:22:10 -0700

This past week, we had our Summer Party at work. I went into the event thinking that this is a topic that I should definitely cover, but I already had a feeling my etiquette books & I wouldn’t be completely on the same page.

I am SO fortunate to work with an AWESOME group of people at Smashbox Cosmetics.

*it was a nautical theme yacht party (hence the stripe overload).

We used to be a smaller company but were purchased by “corporate america” two years ago. A lot of the people on our team have been with the company for years and we are overall a like little family. Plus, we all genuinely like each other for the most part, so we probably come with a little bit more laid back attitude than other companies might.

The best part about an office party is getting a chance to hang out and have fun with people you are around every day and may not get a chance to work with or see day to day. Catching up on personal lives, singing, dancing, drinking, laughing, just having an all around good time. I think almost everyone comes back to work feeling nostalgic about the fun had and it’s also an opportunity to get closer to people you don’t always interact with and even build new friendships.

So what could go wrong with all of those positive possibilities? I know you’re thinking it… and it’s really the BIGGEST no-no of any company event:

Don’t over indulge in the alcohol and act a fool. Period. The End.

I know that it can be easy to get wrapped up in the moment when you are having such a good time and leaving the office stresses behind, but this is one rule EVERYONE needs to abide by. The last thing you need is to be a complete disaster and embarrass yourself completely. These things find a way of never being forgotten.

If you are new to a company and aren’t sure what the situation is like, just ask a co-worker who’s attended a similar event and get the low down on what to expect, what to wear, and if there are any well known things to avoid.

I think we all know better than this…but it needed to be said…just in case.

One other thing, that I struggle with myself, is remembering that you are still with your co-workers and not to have a gossip fest (especially about anyone or anything relating to work).

Ok Ok…I know what you’re thinking…it’s not polite to gossip anyway, so this shouldn’t even be worth mentioning…but hey, we are all a work in progress here.

If you find yourself in a situation where you are talking about office gossip or other co-workers, it’s probably best to walk away, keep quiet, or politely say that you don’t feel comfortable discussing that here.

Can I reiterate that I can be guilty of this myself, so don’t feel bad, we all do it! I also know there’s nothing like connecting with someone over something you both can understand and maybe equally feel, but these types of convos are better left in a private setting - or not at all. The hills have eyes people!! You never know who could be overhearing what’s being said or any of the other possible disastrous outcomes that could occur.

The Wrap Up? Don’t get drunk. Don’t office gossip.

We can do this and I PROMISE it’s for the best anyway!

One last fun share: We had a mandatory BINGO game that was for some awesome prizes, but this was no ordinary bingo! We played musical bingo! Our beloved DJ would play a portion of a song, and you had to know the song and identify it on your board to mark the spot! (Everyone was on board and several sing-a-long’s occurred.

I captured my board shortly after we decided to play for blackout…but can I say is what a BLAST I had playing this way!

Hope you feel a little better prepared for your next office party, but I’m sure you smarties already have it under control! ;)

Politely Yours,

Kristi

Kristi Politely

Can’t get enough of you!

it’s been a while…but I’m planning a comeback! stay tuned! <3

Cuz @jennaandthegiantappleblog never steers me in the wrong...

This is amaze. HAHAHAHA wheninla: #WHENINLA

Moooving on...

Goodbye 27!

Dear LA, this is what Fall looks like & yes, I did take this...

Quote of the Week! I’ve been doing LOADS of reflecting...

Mid-Month Update

Quote of the Week! YOU decide every moment of every day: who...

QUOTE OF THE WEEK! I aspire to live every day of my life this...

Sundays with *Simba* - guest post

I’m starting to fall into fall… this playlist is a...

QUOTE OF THE WEEK! *whew* I had to stop everything and take a...

Sundays with Stan

QUOTE OF THE WEEK! Truth be told, I’ve been a little moody...

Hi loves! I had to share this AMAZING find by my friend,...

Pop of Color! The finishing touches...

Sundays with Stan

How To: tackle an office party!

Sundays with Simba - guest post

QUOTE OF THE WEEK! whew I had to stop everything and take a...