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in Lifestyle &middot June 30, 2014

June Lovin

I’ve decided to try and make a once-a-month post about things I’m loving that month. Here are the books, articles, website, products, food, and people I’m loving this month!

What I'm Loving in June

Read


– I’m working my way through the Outlander series, which I’m rereading because it’s coming out as a show in August. I’m currently on the fifth book and I can’t say enough good things about the series.

– Teachers: I’m currently reading Reading Reasons: Motivational Mini-Lessons for Middle and High School by Kelly Gallagher, and you definitely need to check it out!

Watch


– They released a teaser trailer of the next Doctor Who series! It comes back on August 23 and I’m so ridiculously excited!


Use

I’ve been testing out a fair amount of mascaras (from Influenster, Ipsy, samples from Sephora) from Covergirl, Smashbox, Maybelline, Mary Kay, and Bombshell.
best mascara

So I tried Maybelline’s “The Rocket Volume Express,” Covergirl’s “Bombshell Curvaceous by lashblast,” Mary Kay’s “Lash Love,” Smashbox’s “Full Exposure Mascara,” and Be a Bombshell Cosmetic’s “Last Out” (not pictured) mascaras. Without a doubt, the absolute best one was Maybelline’s! I have had people ask me if my lashes are real when I’m wearing it. If you are looking for volume and length, absolutely go with that one. 

Eat


– I’ve been super in love with quinoa “pizza” bites. Healthy, delicious, and gluten-free.
gluten free pizza bites

Check Out 


– Finally, I have to acknowledge my incredible sponsors. They have sponsored me over the past month or so, and I haven’t been the best and pointing out their awesomeness (I’m kinda dealing with a quarter-life crisis right now and have been kind of out of it). So, without further ado, go check out these awesome people. 
Marla – A Weekend Crossing

A Weekend Crossing

I’m just a California girl trying to figure out to do with my post-grad life. I have a boyfriend of six years who is pretty swell, two guinea pig children, an amazing family, and an adventurous spirit. I like eating out, reading books, and writing letters, and I’m a HUGE animal lover. My favorite movie hands down is Pride & Prejudice (the one with Keira Knightley teehee).

Angel – Sew Crafty Angel

Sew Crafty Angel

My blog is a variety that is my life.  I post about life, marriage, crafts, DIY projects, trash to treasure. 

I’m a huge Shabby Chic Fan.  I love fun, laughter, inspiration, creating and sharing life’s adventures along my journey.  I am a Christian who loves life and tries to find light in any situation. 

Lena – Shiny Stout

Shiny Stout
Lena over at Shiny Stout is currently reevaluating her blog and what she wants from it, but you should still check her lifestyle blog out!

Natalie – All Things Natalie Christa
All Things Natalie Christa

I started All Things Natalie Christa (ATNC) back in June of 2013 because I started reading other blogs and I saw how much they loved it. All these ideas began popping into my head of what I could write about and suddenly I realized how much I wanted to start a blog of my own. So, ATNC was born, and now a year later it has become not only my hobby, but also a full time job. People don’t realize all the work that goes into having a blog. A day doesn’t go by where I’m not writing new posts, responding to emails, replying to comments, or answering questions. It has been one heck of a roller coaster, with times where I’ve been in love with it and times where I’ve almost deleted the blog completely. But overall its been such a rewarding experience, that I wouldn’t trade for anything in the world. I’ve made friends who are literally on the other side of the world from me. I’ve learned about marketing and graphic design. Before I had a blog, I had no idea what I wanted to do as a career, or even what I wanted to study in college. After going through this whole experience, I’ve now decided that I want to major in marketing and get a minor in graphic design. I would of never decided those things or been exposed to either of those fields if I hadn’t started ATNC. This blog has opened so many new doors for me and I can’t wait to see where this blogging roller coaster takes me next.




If you want to be like these people, my sponsorship options are from $5-7 (other than the small free one). I swear, I’m usually better at sponsoring than I was in June. I’m also usually better at life than I was in June, soo …

Kate Mitchell

Kate Mitchell is a blogger, chronic illness patient, and advocate who helps people understand chronic illness and helps chronic illness patients live their best lives.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Kiki says

    June 30, 2014 at 12:08 pm

    I have seen those quinoa pizza bites floating around Pinterest and they look amazing, I need to give them a try soon.

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  2. Blogger Ash says

    June 30, 2014 at 12:26 pm

    Did you get your Bombshell mascara in your Ipsy glam bag? Does it smell terrible? Mine smells terrible! I heard the Outlanders series is awesome!

    ~Ashley @ A Cute Angle
    acutelifestyle.blogspot.com

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  3. Brittney, Breaking Free says

    June 30, 2014 at 1:50 pm

    I haven't had quinoa yet but I think I need to try that!

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  4. Sophia says

    June 30, 2014 at 3:24 pm

    I can't wait for Doctor Who to come back too!
    ~Sophia
    http://plaidismyfavouritecolour.blogspot.com/

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  5. Marla Rogers says

    July 1, 2014 at 5:16 pm

    Thanks for the shout out :] Those quinoa bites look really truly amazing, I'm going to have to try them out sometime! And I'm always in need of new mascaras…I've never tried the Maybelline one though! Next trip to Target I guess! And I've actually never seen Doctor Who…lol don't hate me. I have been meaning to watch it but I just never get around to it because it's going to take me so so so long to catch up.

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July is: ⁣ - Disability Pride Month ⁣ - Juvenile A July is: ⁣
- Disability Pride Month ⁣
- Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month ⁣
- the anniversary of when I was diagnosed with autoimmune arthritis at age 19 after 9 years of symptoms ⁣
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As you can imagine, that makes me very aware of my disability via juvenile arthritis⁣
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I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 10+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣.⁣
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There are a lot of reasons why you shouldn't doubt There are a lot of reasons why you shouldn't doubt someone's chronic illness, but this is one of them. ⁣
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I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 10+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣.⁣
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ID: Kate takes a selfie. A white text box reads "Chronic Illness Looks Different in Each Person"⁣
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This basically sums up my summer so far: Harley, a This basically sums up my summer so far: Harley, a sewing project, and my foot in a cast⁣
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I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 10+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣.⁣
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ID: Harley the golden retriever has his head on Kate's lap. Also on her lap is an in-progress needlepoint project and Kate's leg (in a walking cast) is elevated.⁣
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#Osteoporosis #RheumatoidArthritis #GoldenRetrievers #Needlepoint #Needlework
Week 28 of 2026 Weekly A very busy week! 1️⃣ Foo Week 28 of 2026 Weekly

A very busy week!

1️⃣ Foot checkup! Walking boot is on occasionally from now until September 
2️⃣ Boston 
3️⃣ IVIG
4️⃣ Dentist 🦷 All good! 
5️⃣ Not a filter - this was the Boston area the second half of the week 
6️⃣ Physical time!

⬛⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣⁣

I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 10+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣.

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IDs:
1️⃣ Kate takes a selfie in a doctor’s office
2️⃣ Looking at TD Garden, the bear statue for the Bruins, and Zakim Bridge in the background 
3️⃣ Looking at tubes coming out from under Kate’s clothes. There’s a Kindle on her stomach
4️⃣ Kate takes a mirror selfie before leaving
5️⃣ Medford Square looking like there’s a yellow filter over it
6️⃣ Kate takes a selfie in a doctor’s office

#ChronicallyIll #InvisibleIllness #AutoimmuneDisease #Bostonian #IVIG
Also, if this is how you’re finding out, I’m sorry Also, if this is how you’re finding out, I’m sorry. I’m fortunate enough to have a lot of people who care about me and this is the fastest way to tell everyone. 

Video: Kate talks to the camera while putting on makeup. There are captions. 

#RheumatoidArthritis #AutoimnuneDisease #ChronicIllness #Arthritis #ChronicPain
Week 27 of 2026 Weekly (Delayed because last Sund Week 27 of 2026 Weekly

(Delayed because last Sunday was baaaaad)

1️⃣ Due airport difficulties, we got a few more days with Emma. Harley was THRILLED!
2️⃣ Beautiful bird/squirrel visitors
3️⃣ A beautiful Maine summer day

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I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 10+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣.

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1️⃣ Harley the golden retriever putting his front legs up on Emma’s legs to demand hugs.
2️⃣ A bird feeder and hummingbird feeder on a deck. There is a hummingbird at one and squirrel at the other.
3️⃣ A barn, a pond, and the Maine woods

#207 #MaineLife #MaineTheWay #NewEnglandSummer #IGMaine
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I don’t know the exact date of my RA diagnosis, bu I don’t know the exact date of my RA diagnosis, but this is from right around then in July 2010. ⁣
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When I was diagnosed, I had been having symptoms for 9 years. ⁣
- 9 years of foot pain (partially from tarsal coalition)⁣
- Arthritic damage in said food⁣
- Carpal tunnel off and on for several years⁣
- And more⁣
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I was finally diagnosed because I woke up one morning and was unable to open my jaw more than 8 mm. It turned out that I had horrible arthritic damage to my TMJs, which got me off the waiting list at MGH rheumatology. I left that appointment with an autoimmune arthritis diagnosis. ⁣
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The fact that July is not only my diagnosis anniversary but also Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month has always seemed right. I may not have been diagnosed with JA, but given the amount of arthritis I had along with my many years of symptoms, it's generally accepted that I had it. ⁣
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This year marks 16 years since diagnosis and this fall marks 25 years since my symptoms started. It's pretty weird that so much time has already passed!⁣
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I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 10+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣.⁣
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Dos and don'ts for when someone in your life is di Dos and don'ts for when someone in your life is diagnosed with autoimmune arthritis! What are some that you would add?⁣
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I’m Kate, a chronic illness patient and advocate sharing what my life is like with 10+ chronic illnesses. Follow me for more and check out my blog at katethealmostgreat.com⁣⁣.⁣
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ID: "So someone you know was diagnosed with Autoimmune Arthritis". Under the Do column (indicated with a green checkmark) is:⁣
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Offer specific ways to help⁣
Treat them normally⁣
Ask follow-up questions⁣
Wear a mask around them when sick."⁣
Under the don't don't column (indicated with an x in a red circle) is:⁣
"Say “At least it’s not xyz!”⁣
Say that and not follow through⁣
Assume nothing about their lives has changed⁣
Conflate autoimmune arthritis with osteoarthritis⁣
Pass your cold to an immunosuppressed person".⁣
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