Friday, July 26, 2019


MMC and G$ checking out the re-creation NikeLab in Chicago

Me and My Pup Gus


Happy Friday! OMG, how is it almost the end of July?! Yikes. Summer is flying by - and it officially feels like summer here in Chicago. We got together w/ my mom and stepdad and crew in Lake Geneva the week of July 4th. Super fun time. Kids had a blast hanging w/ their cousins and it was great to catch up w/ all of my sisters and relatives. It's always so tough to get everyone together like that.

I've been following chef Jason Vincent for awhile now - and LOVED when he was at Nightwood in Pilsen. He took a little hiatus in 2014 and the restaurant eventually closed in 2015. So I'm really pumped to head to chef-owner Jason Vincent's restaurant Giant in Logan Square tonight for dinner w/ PFC and another couple. And perfect = where to have date night outside (in Chicago).

Tomorrow morning I'm going to be up bright and early (not only due to our new pup, Gus!) but to make sure I'm in line at Urban Pioneer Group for The Daly Bagel pop up shop. YUMMY! Hoping to swing by the Makers Market FP founded by the local gal behind Blend Earth-to-Skin - from 11 am - 2 pm at The Lantern Loft. And this weekend I know that MMC is looking forward to seeing her counselors from Actors Garden perform in Anne of Green Gables.

Late Sunday afternoon CMC gets home from overnight camp! GMC and MMC have been thick as thieves these last two weeks w/ CMC gone.

XO - d2

PS - Cheers to the weekend ahead and some of my latest faves...





Friday, March 1, 2019

My Latest Faves


2nd Grade Harmonica Concert




Happy Friday! Cannot believe it's the 1st of March. Come on spring...where are you?! Just need a few signs that you are heading our way. It's been one of the longest Chicago winters ever.

My aunt and cousin are in town visiting w/ my dad and staying w/ us. Been super nice catching up w/ them. Last time we saw them was when we were on the Cape two summers ago. Fun week ahead = Tuesday night - Tell Me More w/ Jen Hatmaker & Kelly Corrigan and Thursday - Dear Evan Hansen. Heard it's fab - has anyone been?!

Cheers to a fabulous weekend!

XO - d2


Some of my latest faves:

Thursday, January 31, 2019

My Latest Obsessions

On a hunt for our Christmas Tree

Christmas Card 2018
Photo Cred: Alma Veliky

So much fun hanging w/ my mom JuJu and youngest sister over Christmas

Escaped the cold for a bit - Cabo

Happy Thursday! I haven't posted in a REALLY long time. We've been hibernating at home for a few days - no school and below zero temps. So I decided to write a post! 

Cheers to 2019! Guess what?! We are adding a puppy to our family come spring. We cannot wait! We are getting a mini Australian Labradoodle. Kids are over the moon! We did a trial run of watching my mom JuJu's dogs when we were in Montana this past summer and have been talking about one ever since. The time has come! 

XO - d2
Some of my latest faves...





Friday, September 1, 2017

My Latest Faves


Chillin on Craigsville Beach (and looking oh so grown up)!

Matching Top Knots - we had to snap a pic! 

Niagara Falls - Canadian side 

Jetties Beach Nantucket 

Millway Beach in Barnstable - Cape Cod
low tide + sunset = amazing!

Biking in Nantucket

Sailing in Bristol, RI

Favorite Ice Cream shop on the Cape = Four Seas! 

First Day of School
CMC (8th Grade), MMC (6th Grade), G$ (1st Grade)
How is this possible?! 



Happy Friday! Happy Labor Day Weekend! Ok, so I haven't posted in a LONG time. It's definitely been awhile. I honestly cannot believe that today is the first day of September and that we are transitioning back to school and Fall. I adore fall and all that comes w/ it. Layers and cooler temps. Awesome sleeping weather. Leaves changing. 

We are saying goodbye to summer. Our summer was definitely a bit front loaded at the start activity/camp wise and we ended w/ our August family roadtrip. Our roadtrip gave us the chance to regroup as a family and the kids had the opportunity to see some new parts of the country that they have not seen before. We saw family and dear friends along the way and created some great memories. There were the typical sibling squabbles and arguing and good ole "are we there yet?!" question but all in all I think we would all agree that it was one of our best trips thus far as a family. 

And boom = school started late last week and we officially have an 8th grader, 6th grader and a 1st grader. It's also the first year that all three of them are in full day school. Wow! Bittersweet. 

Cheers to the long weekend ahead! 

xo - d2 

Some of my latest faves: 
  • Cannot say enough great things about the house we stayed in on the Cape. Plenty of room for the 5 of us to spread out. Loved the history of the house and the fact that the owners kept the original sink and pump in the house for decoration/conversation. 
  • Some faves from our stay on the Cape: Four Seas Ice Cream (favorite flavors: mocha chip and coffee oreo crunch); Crisp Flatbread (yum = caliente pizza - garlic-fennel sausage pizza w/ roasted peppers and banana peppers) in Osterville; day trip to Nantucket (biked around and hit Jettes Beach); lunch at the beach in Harwich (kids had special fluffernutter sandwiches made w/ love by my aunt); the drive back from Wellfleet to Centerville on 6A (scenic drive); misty afternoon spent at the cape cod chips factory (fun little self-guided tour!); lobster dinner and visit w/ our friends from hingham. 
  • Favorite adventures front/back end of road trip = staying in Brooklyn w/ our dear friends; seeing the Statue of Liberty; seeing my youngest sister for a moment in NYC (enough time to give her a big hug and a brief catch up); awesome overnight stay on the canadian side of niagara falls (hornblower cruise w/ fireworks was fab!); grilled stickies from the Ye Olde College Diner in State College, PA. 
  • Can't get this article out of my head = Have Smartphones Destroyed a Generation
  • Chicago's 25 Most Iconic Burgers - gotta say that the burger from Au Cheval is pretty amazing! 
  • Clare V. has wallpaper (didn't realize that!). 
  • Here's a list of ways to help out people affected by Hurricane Harvey. 
  • Started the book Quiet (the power of introverts in a world that can't stop talking) by Susan Cain to understand one of my 3 kiddos before. Just learned they have a kid version
  • Summer is coming to an end but I'm still drawn to this simple tank top
  • I decided that it's time I step it up and become more mindful of my summer feet. I've slowly said goodbye for now to my many pairs of havaiana slim flip flops (that have zero arch support). I bought these birkenstocks in silver. These two-tone ones are cute! The graceful orchid color is fun too. And so is the metallic violet
  • Lastly, here's an awesome Beautycounter Labor Day Weekend promo that includes one of my faves = the face oils! Spend $150+ and you can pick a face oil of your choice. My favorite = No. 2 plumping! 411 on face oils

Friday, March 17, 2017

My Latest Obsessions


A little Valentine's Day Action last month

Date w/ my two guys at Duck Inn
"Masking" around

Happy Friday AND St. Patrick's Day! Cheers to a great weekend. Hope you all are wearing your green! We watched our local St. P's Day parade a few weeks ago but the kids remembered their green this morning. We are in countdown mode until Spring break! We get to see JuJu and Grandpa T very soon in AZ. Super excited for a change of scenery and some warmer temps.

Some of my latest faves:






Friday, January 20, 2017

My Latest Obsessions




Fun family wedding


Happy Friday! So, it's Cate's Birthday today and we officially have a teenager in the house (and it's Inauguration Day). But hey, I would rather talk about the chocolate cake we'll be having tonight celebrating Cate's bday vs the latter.

CMC has requested a steak dinner tonight so we are heading to a local and old school steak house = Tom's Steak House. And tomorrow night we get to see a dear college friend of mine who is in town. Excited! A group of us is heading to Cold Storage for dinner.

Cheers to a fabulous weekend! And here's to hope and prayers for a peaceful transfer of presidential power.
XO - d2

Some of my latest faves...

Friday, December 16, 2016

My Latest Obsessions


Go Cubs!
Photo credit: Alma Veliky


Happy Friday! Countdown is on for the holidays. Some last minute shopping is on the list for the weekend along w/ some holiday parties. Fun!

Cheers to the last few weeks of 2016! Stay warm this weekend.

XO - d2

Some of my latest faves: