My Latest Obsessions

M in her pink cowgirl hat (a pic I found when scrolling thru my cell...must have been taken by CMC)

Another pic I found in my phone...looks like Georgie doesn't want to put on M's pink cowgirl hat!

Happy Friday! And Happy Eve of the Eve! Wow, I feel like I need a month to recover from this past month of holiday craziness. We had a wonderful Christmas Eve and Christmas Day. And now onwards...to the gals birthdays (mine included) in January and to a fresh start in 2012.

Tonight I'm heading down to Maude's Liquor Bar to catch up with a good friend of mine over dinner. Excited as I've never been to this spot and it is always on all the Hot Lists around town. And then tomorrow PFC/I are heading to a dinner party for NYE. I'm making and bringing these yummy Almond Florentine and Black Raspberry Chip Ice Cream Sandwiches for dessert. I'm cheating a bit and picked up the cookies from a bakery and using Graeter's Black Raspberry Chip ice cream (instead of making my own). But honestly, nothing beats Graeter's Black Raspberry Chip - it is OUT OF THIS WORLD! Excited to make these (and more excited to try them) = YUMMY!

And then next Tuesday we are heading down to American Girl for a lunch date w/PFC's Aunt, my sister in law and my niece. They are EXTREMELY excited for their outing as they received American Girl dolls for Christmas.

Some of my latest faves...

•  I love manicured nails. They make me feel more put together when I'm running around in workout clothes all day w/the kids. I thought I would be a little festive this NYE (in terms of nail color) and I did a variation of these Nude + Glitter Nails. C and M watched me paint my nails last night. They were in awe. They of course LOVED the gold sparkles and said that when I grow up I should work in a salon. I laughed...
•  And what are you doing for NYE? Check out my girl crush Zoe w/her song "What are you Doing for New Year's Eve?" And Joe Gordon-Levitt is a cutie too.
• A little teaser from TOMS = Spring 2012 ballet flats. They look adorable.
• Karma (continued...)'s post about Slow the Circle Down really resignated w/me, especially when reviewing the past year and thinking about 2012. Her post led me to another posted entitled The Gift I Wish for Most (so true).
• My favorite holiday card this year was from a dear friend who used Rifle Paper Co. to make a custom illustrated card. It turned out super cute and they included a pic inside of their latest love = their little guy. And how cute are these coasters - they would make a perfect hostess gift.

Overhead in the car this morning:

C: I cannot wait until Saturday. Our family tradition for New Year's Eve is to bang pots and pans to ring in the New Year.

M: Oh fun. I remember doing that last year!

C: Margaret, do you know what 'tradition' means?

M: Of course I do.

C: Are you sure you know what it means. I'll tell you.

  

My Latest Obsessions

The Kiddos

M and C

Georgie

Chilling in the backyard

Happy Friday and the eve of Christmas Eve! WOW, I've been living on COFFEE all week - lots of wrapping / holiday card stuffing / a caroling party / holiday programs for the gals at school / cookie baking, etc. Tis the season! Tonight we are off to an early dinner at Perennial Virant and then a holiday party downtown. Tomorrow we are heading to the Lake for Christmas Eve with all of the aunts/uncles/cousins and then off to PFC's parents on Christmas day. I will dearly miss my sisters who will be with my Mom/JuJu in AZ. Maybe they will photoshop me in this year (like they did last year!).

Our holiday card finally dropped and above are some of the pics we used. So cute! These pics were taken by our friend Alma and here is her post regarding the shoot. The gals and Georgie loved hanging w/her! It is amazing how quickly they grow up.

Hope everyone has a wonderful Christmas! And for those of you that are celebrating Hanukkah - Happy Hanukkah! M's favorite song these days is "I have a little Dreidel" and she said that if Santa happens to bring her the American Girl Doll Rebecca (who is Jewish) that next year we can celebrate Hanukkah w/her.

Some of my latest faves...

• PFC's cousin Julie recently had a double lung transplant. Julie is an amazing young woman - an inspiration for all. Check out the surprise she received last PM. And see if you can spot C (front and center in the baby blue coat and Santa hat) and M. A very special Christmas for the D'Agostino family this year. CMC is on cloud nine right now that she was on TV!
• Red Velvet Christmas Cupcakes = YUMMY! And maybe something fun to do over winter break.
• Reindeer Candy Canes - I'm saving this idea for next year. Too cute!
• I'm digging this vintage cupcake tin. It would be the perfect hostess gift - w/homemade cupcakes to boot. Love it!
• Lovely lace doily glass plates.
• What a rustic chic getaway = an elegant country home in SC. I could totally snuggle in there for the next two weeks - no prob!
• I so HEART The Pioneer Woman Ree Drummond. I watched her Christmas special the other day. I would love to hang w/her in her kitchen one day. She made some yummy looking cinnamon rolls and gave them out as gifts this year. She wrapped them in bandana hankerchiefs - ADORABLE. Here are some great hankerchiefs to use as wrapping. I made a bunch of Cookie Mixes this year and we passed them out to neighbors/teachers/friends. They turned out super cute! We bought some personalized labels and called them Carr Cookies!
• After the fact I thought of the perfect gift to give my youngest sister = Gift Subscription to Birchbox. Maybe for her bday in March!
• Cute booties at a great price.
• Vintage card jotters = such a fun project (and would make adorable gifts).

Again, have a MERRY CHRISTMAS!

My Latest Obsessions

Visit w/Santa

Happy Friday! The countdown is ON for Christmas! Each morning one of the girls announces how many days we have left. There is no getting around it!

I get to see a dear friend tonight who is in town from London. A bunch of us are heading to Farmhouse for a late dinner. It will be great to see her and her husband. And then on Saturday we have a lot of kid activities and the like. Tis the season...!

Well, I'm slowly but surely getting all my Christmas shopping done. Very happy about it. Online shopping ROCKS.

Some of my latest faves...

• I love Jo Malone cologne. Love that they are made to layer. This is such a great collection!
• Cute Glitter Salad Set. Great hostess gift.
• NYE is around the corner! Some cute dresses = Lace Mini Dress, Sequined Martine Dress, Winter Strapless Dress, Tibi Dress - Damask Jacquard Neck Dress, Twobirds Tea Length Convertible Dress, Milly Lotta Dress, Trina Turk Waldron Dress and Wendy Nichol Gauze Dress. Speaking of NYE, I saw the movie New Year's Eve. I enjoyed it. So many great folks in it. And OMG, cutie = Zac Efron. Such a doll in the movie. When did he grow up? Well, then again, he is only 24.
• And speaking of movies and the holidays, PFC and I had a chance to watch one of my holiday faves = Love Actually. My fave scene = Hugh Grant dancing to "Jump (For My Love)."
• I found a great seller on Etsy = Made by Michelle Brusegaard. I bought the following items for my Mom = Yellow Patridge Dishtowels, Feather Screen Printed Dishtowels, and some personalized feather notecards. Her screen printed jersey scarves are cute too!
• Skip Hop teamed up w/Jonathan Adler = adorable baby bags.
• Beautiful Smartphone Wallets = Brilliant.
• What a charming little hedgehog. So cute!
• I was at a fun holiday party last Friday evening. The hostess made one of these yummy Baked Bries. And of course it is Martha's recipe! SO darn good.
• We haven't had much (if any) snow yet. But how cute is this Snowman Kit?!
• Wouldn't these marzipan nutcracker characters liven up a holiday cake or buffet!? Too cute.
• Some old timey lights...
• And I think I find this gal's boots = Penpal Leather Ankle Boots. Love them!

My Latest Obsessions

 

 Happy Friday! We had our first official snow this morning. The kids were SUPER excited (me = not so much)! I guess it makes the holiday season feel more festive...! Lots of holiday parties this weekend and Breakfast w/Santa. And then on Sunday we are hosting Peter's extended family for a big holiday gathering! Should be fun!

Oh, and I love the above pics of the kiddos. Too cute! They are growing up so quickly. Crazy!

Some of my latest faves...

• Oatmeal Carmelitas = YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY! I made these for a cookie exchange last PM. The girls and George taste tested them and they got an A+. I was debating on making these Peanut Butter Monster Cookies - they are next on my list. And isn't this such a pretty and simple way to package up some cookies!?
• Cute stocking stuffer = Animal Hand Tattoos. The girls would love these.
• Perfect hostess gift = Peace Love Joy tea.
• Joanna of A Cup of Jo featured this necklace earlier this week. I bought it for my youngest sister. Loved the simplicity of the necklace and the angles reminded me of my budding architect sister.
• I LOVE wrapping paper. Love it. Cynthia Rowley has some wrapping paper out this year.
• Cate may find this cute journal under the tree this year. She loves writing - and how fun would it be to keep this for years to come.
• Pretty eye pallette for all those holiday parties!
• An adorable new TOMS shoe. Love it. Glamour and TOMS came together for a Fashion Gives back collection.
• Adorable Vintage Paper Placemats (printable). How fun! The girls would love decorating these for guests and their friends.
• Pretty beaded clutch that would give any outfit a little punch!
• Love this chunky knit dress. Pricey = Yes. Pretty = Yes!

My Latest Obsessions

Our Graham Cracker House

I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving. We have a lot to be thankful for this year. We are especially thankful that PFC's cousin's double lung transplant surgery was successful. We have been sending her lots of positive energy and prayers.

The day after Thanksgiving my sisters and I started a new tradition with my kids - by putting together a graham cracker house. My sisters and I used to always do this with our parents the weekend after Thanksgiving and it was one of those holiday traditions that we always looked forward to. It was pretty hilarious as the three of us got really Type A on the entire project and then realized...oh, we should probably bring C + M into the mix! The girls loved it!

Some of my latest faves...

• Speaking of Thanksgiving, I enjoyed reading Gwenyth's GOOP posting on Judgement.
• Luxuriously soft velvet flats - need I say more!
• I've been thinking about afternoon tea lately. Last year the girls and I went to a Mad Hatters themed afternoon tea with one of their cousins and their Aunt for the holidays. It was so much fun and festive. How fun does this impromtu girlfriends tea party look? We are thinking of having a tea party for both C and M for their January birthdays at our house. The guests would get to play dress up with a bunch of fun fancy outfits. Stay tuned...
• I've been into patches lately. I have posted before about the tights w/the patches. And doesn't this shirt look cozy?
• These Glittered Louis Heel Tags would add the perfect amount of sparkle to a gift!
• PFC came home from Target the other day with these adorable little chukka-esque boots for Georgie. Love them! Here are some on sale for little gals. Love the sand pair w/pink accents.
• Adorable Sock Monkey Cookies. I wish I had enough patience/time to make these for our cookie exchange. I've been told that I NEED to make these Oatmeal Carmelitas. They look YUMMY!
• Cute snowmen tattoos for the kiddos during the holidays.
• Fun twin sisters - for Madewell - they dish on their style and their travels.
• Check out J.Crew's Guest Edited Wish Lists. I've always loved Lauren Hutton - here is her Q&A and list.
• Even the lovely Mrs. O loves the heart sweater from J.Crew.
• I LOVE wrapping gifts. Here are some great and creative ways to wrap!
• One Christmas I would love to make an advent calendar as such w/these great iron ons - how FUN! And then there are these cute printable ones for boxes.
• Adorable Alphabet Bunting (printable).

My Latest Obsessions

Our First Dance

Happy Friday! Well, JuJu and Grandpa T have left - so sad. We always have such a great time when they they are here. Until next time! Speaking of guests my youngest sister Carrie is arriving Monday afternoon from NYC and will be in Chicago for a week - hooray! She is coming in for Thanksgiving and to meet our new nephew Graham. Hope everyone has a FABULOUS Thanksgiving. We all have a lot to be thankful for. Enjoy some turkey, cranberry sauce, LOTS of mashed potatoes and sweet potato casserole and save room for DESSERT. YUM.

Oh, and Monday, PFC/I will be celebrating our 2 year anniversary (hence the pic above - one of my faves). I cannot belive we got married 2 years ago (this upcoming Monday) - a lot has happened in that time (namely, the arrival of GMC), we renovated our house, the list goes on.

Some of my latest faves...

• I have been watching Zooey Deschanel's new show New Girl (love her - quirky, smart, funny). I have a bit of a girl crush on her. I love her wardrobe especially the red dress she wore in the Thanksgiving episode (desperately trying to find out where it is from). If anyone knows, please do tell.
• Avec is one of my favorite restaurants in Chicago. I must get there soon. Paul Kahan...you had me at chorizo-stuffed medjool dates with smoked bacon.
• Adorable Kids Thanksgiving Party. Too cute! Gobble gobble.
• Beautiful Penguin Classics (clothbound). Wouldn't one of these look FAB on your bookshelf or dresser. LOVE. Some of my faves = Alice in Wonderland, Emma, and A Christmas Carol (perfect holiday gift).
• Lovely Lyrics Top = just that...LOVELY.
• Perfect Accessory = adorable leather belt w/a bow.
• My sister's nursery for baby boy Graham is all things OWL. I seem to find OWLS everywhere these days. So cute. Wouldn't these fondant owl cupcake toppers be adorable (almost too cute to eat)!? And why not fancify (is that a word) some plain homemade cupcakes with some fun cupcake toppers?! Great idea. Cute rudolph reindeer for Christmas!
• Josie Natori for Target - very cute print cami set.
• Even your little toddler should be stylin with a pair of Converse.
• Not many folks can get away with hot pants...GO MADONNA!
• I have Snow & Graham coasters all over our house and they make the perfect hostess gifts.
• Back in the day I used to work w/Theresa of the blog Layers. She captures folks on the street - and takes a pic of them - fun. Loving this gal's knee patch tights! Here are some knee patch tights for little ones (and some for me).

My Latest Obsessions

Happy Friday! Wow, we had our first snow sighting yesterday (but then followed by sunshine = hooray)! JuJu is still in town so we are trying to see her LOTS before she departs. And tomorrow my cousin will be here with his wife and their two little girls for a lunch playdate. So fun. They are in town from DC. The gals are looking forward to taking out their dress up box!

• Layla Grace now has a new mod alter-ego website = Zinc Door. They are host to some of my faves = Dash & Albert, Pine Cone Hill (love my bedding), and Currey & Co. (speaking of which, our chandelier from here was just installed this AM in our breakfast room).
• I wear headbands ALL the time. Love them. They make me feel a little more put together when wearing a bun or ponytail. Cute sequin heart headband.  
• This little Crowned Rabbit Bust had me at HOP. Love it.
• Loving this Savannah Skirt - simple and pretty.
• FAB dress for holiday parties.
• Great post from Wit + Delight = Mix it Up.
• Need a cute gift for your little niece or nephew? These slippers are ADORABLE.
• Kate Spade's Holiday Gift Guide. Fun little sparkler. And here is GOOP's Holiday Guide. Gwenyth listed these retro handsets in her list - kind of fun! A friend of mine has one (this moshi moshi one) and it is pretty cool!
• I've never watched the Victoria Secret Fashion Show in the past. But I've seens lots of pics for it. Maybe this year I'll check it out. But one must always keep this in MIND.  
• I just bought my ticket to see Being Elmo: A Puppeteer's Journey. Rave reviews from Sundance.
• PFC always wears bow ties and I LOVE them. I'm obsessed with finding a holiday one for Georgie. Stay tuned!
• I bought the girls some adorable holiday outfits the other day which got me to thinking about things that I might be wearing this season. Wouldn't these shoe clips brighten up an old pair of BORING shoes?!

My Latest Obsessions



The crew Trick or Treating




Marlboro Man and Biker Babe


Happy Friday! I cannot believe we are already into NOVEMBER. Wowser. Yikes. And from now until January 1st time is going to fly by. That is always how it goes.

We had a great Halloween. C went as Dorothy and M went as a Cowgirl and little Georgie went as a Monkey. And then PFC/I went as Marlboro Man and Biker Babe on Saturday night to some costume parties. Very fun.

JuJu is in town!!!! She'll be here for 2 weeks (mostly staying at my sister's place to help w/Stephie's new little guy Graham)! She arrived last evening.

Some of my latest faves:

• OMG, this video is HILARIOUS! LOVE the reaction of the two little boys at the end of the video. Ummm, and yes, I've been eating all of the Almond Joys from the girls bags.
• Pretty engagement ring from bario-neal. Different and unique.
• I just received Anthro's November catalogue - IN LOVE w/EVERYTHING. Items that caught my eye = Hot Streak Clutch, Sullana Mini Dress (one of the items in the new Portland Collection, a collaboration between old school Pendleton and 3 young designers), Cheongsam Dress Coat, Tiered Stripes Dress (I remember the sleeveless version from the summer = fab), Split Diamonds Shift, Curious Dinnerware - collaboration w/artist Rebecca Rebouche (wouldn't these be lovely displayed somewhere...maybe our new hutch?), and of course, the Polished Platinum Dress (beyond LOVE). 
• TOMS to launch ballet flats come Spring 2012. Awesome! 
• I made this version of Chicken Divan last PM - anticipating JuJu's arrival. She used to make this when we were little. I found a 'skinny' version! YUMMY.  
• We knew Jessica Simpson was pregnant but we were waiting for her to confirm the news. And that she did - in a very cute and clever way.
• Wow, 72 days married and OVER. I'm not really sure what to say about Kim and Kris. Well, I guess I have lots to say but why waste time on them. However, I'm randomly addicted to the entire Kardashian Clan and their show...
• Salvaged Barnwood Headboard = FAB.

Have a fabulous weekend!

My Latest Obsessions

Miss Cate as Dorothy for Halloween

Happy Friday! WOW...I feel as though Halloween has been in full effect all week (and will continue through the weekend into Monday). I think we'll all be happy to see it come to an end! I love the above pic of Cate as Dorothy. So cute!

Lots going on this past week. My sister had her baby boy (Graham Norman) this past Sunday. He is such a doll. Love him. And then PFC's cousin had bilateral lung transplant surgery - quite a whirlwind. She has CF and it was a miracle that lungs arrived just in time. She is one special little gal and is an inspiration for all of us. We have been sending her positive thoughts and prayers all week long. We all enjoyed seeing her as the lead in Hairspray last spring and cannot wait until she is back on top once again!

Some of my latest faves...

• Okay, I'm obsessed with finding these candy corn hershey kisses so I can make these yummy shortbread candy corn kissed brownies. I'm on a hunt!
• I am IN LOVE with this Polished Platinum Dress. LOVE LOVE LOVE. And how great does Taylor Swift look in it?! Adorable and so chic. The same designer made the bib dress that I've seen a few times on various folks. LOVE.
• Say it ain't so...
• So many lovely liners.
• Townhouse Trench = LOVE (would love it in RED). Speaking of J.Crew, Jenna Lyons has been in the press lately.
• A friend sent these to me = peacock balloons. So lovely! And some other fun party ideas...
• What a great book, Let's Make Some Great Art - fab gift idea.
• Homemade owl halloween costume = SUPER FAB.
• I have a couple of favorite scarves that I wear as belts or as headbands. I came across some pictures of the Hermes scarf knotting cards (via Honestly WTF) = FUN! The knotted necklace is cute.

My Latest Obsessions

No longer a baby...GMC is officially a toddler (14 months)!

Happy Friday! I feel as though it has been a long week - maybe it has been the rain. I'm glad it is Friday. Last night I got to catch up with a dear friend of mine. We went to Arami (one of Gwenyth's faves) and chatted over sushi. I love when conversations flow from one topic to the next and then back to another, and then on to the next - especially when the topics range from the meaning of motherhood to the latest in boot styles. Speaking of friends, here is an article - 6 friends every mom needs.

Tonight PFC/I are heading out to dinner with one of our favorite couples - and hitting up the fairly new Autre Monde Cafe. It has gotten raves reviews and we have been meaning to try it for some time.

Have a FAB weekend!

Some of my latest faves...

• Love these star lanterns. FUN.
• IN love with the Doo-Ri Chung dress that Michelle Obama wore to the State Dinner the other evening. Beautiful color. And I love that the designer kept the material in jersey (just like the dress that inspired the custom one made for Obama). LOVE LOVE LOVE.
• Check out this great buenos aires studio (lula aldunate's place). My FAVORITE = the patchwork wall. LOVE IT. If I had a studio/office I would love something as such.
• Cute dessert plates for Thanksgiving.
• Pretty lace dress.
• Oh, and my gold metallic TOMS have arrived. LOVE them.
• A beautiful pitcher from Michael Aram's new Sleepy Hollow line.
• Some skull lollipops for Halloween. And don't these caramel marshmallows look divine. YUMMY. Speaking of Halloween - we have all figured out our costumes. M = Rock Star (cowgirl style - so, she'll be sporting her pink cowgirl boots) / C = Dorothy from Wizard of Oz / Georgie = monkey (and then PFC/I are heading to two costume parties and I'm pulling out an awesome costume that I wore once in college - I'll let it be a surprise for now - however, some of you will remember...it was a good one).
• I think I need to try this Pumpkin Nutella Swirl bread. I have made the Nutella Banana bread over and over again...time to try a new one!

My Latest Obsessions

Wedding at La Casa Del Camino - Laguna Beach

Happy Friday! Well, PFC and I just got back from CA - and we had a wonderful trip. We stayed in Santa Monica for a night and then headed to Laguna Beach for a wedding. It was nice to get away and recharge. JuJu and my stepdad flew here and held down the fort. They had a great time hanging out w/ C + M and Georgie.

Such a great trip = Viceroy Santa Monica for a night. We arrived around Noon last Thursday and walked down to Venice Beach and then did a little shopping on Abbott Kinney Blvd. We stopped in Lemonade for a blood orange lemonade (so delicious) and then perused some items in Steven Alan (cute dress). We had an AMAZING dinner at Capo. Both of us agreed that it was one of the best dinners we have had in a long time. Great atmosphere there too - warm and cozy (and it helped that we were situated next to a very chic parisian couple). I'm still dreaming about my rigatoni with truffle meat sauce and the white corn ravioli with truffle (I couldn't decide so the waitress gave me portions of both entrees = FAB idea)! And PFC had the filet grilled over their wood fired grill - so yummy. And we started w/the heirloom tomato vegetable with burrata cheese = DIVINE. We basically rolled out of the restaurant back to our hotel and sleep very well. The next morning we grabbed breakfast at Cora's Coffee Shoppe (so delicious). Of course we didn't leave the area without a celeb sighting - we saw Brooke Burke and David Charvet (remember him in Baywatch?)at Geoffrey's (killer spot overlooking the water in Malibu). And then we were off to Laguna to meet up w/the crew for the wedding. We stayed at La Casa Del Camino and the wedding took place on the rooftop overlooking the ocean (GORGEOUS). The evening before the wedding we had dinner at Las Brisas (which my mom informed me we had been to when we were little). Talk about amazing view...WOW. And now we are home!

Some of my latest faves...

• Martha Martha Martha - of course, she had a FAB birthday party! Pretty cool photo coasters.
• We know we need to take the kids to Disneyland at some point. Check out this hilarious video (her reaction starts around 1:55). Pretty funny!
• Chocolate black pepper cookies = YUMMY!
• Great dress (and doubles as a skirt too). FUN!
• Steve Jobs' speech from Stanford University - How to live before you die - excellent speech.
• I love quilts. Check out this paper quilt from Linda & Harriett.
• Grey Likes Weddings - a great site for wedding inspiration!
• A friend has this phone (that you attach to your cell) = SO FUN!
• Broiled grapefruit with brown sugar and ginger = perfect for breakfast!
• Cute top - snails and all.

My Latest Obsessions

Cowboy onesie for my sister's baby shower

Cowboy Cookies - Favors for the Guests

The Mother to Be

Happy Friday! My sister's baby shower last weekend was awesome (see pics above). She loved every moment of it and she had a blast celebrating with her friends and family. I found the onesies on Etsy via The Applique Finery. She was fantastic to work w/. And then I saw these adorable Cowboy Cookie Mixes on Bakerella and knew they would be perfect as favors. We are all so excited to meet the lil cowboy (very soon!).

A dear friend of mine and her husband are in town from London this weekend. A bunch of us are heading to a friend's place tonight for a dinner party (we are having burgers and a topping bar and I'm making this roasted beet salad). I heard a rumor that cupcakes from Sprinkles Cupcakes will be there for dessert = YUMMY! And then tomorrow night PFC and I are having dinner with my sister and her husband (one of our last nights out with them before the arrival of their little guy). We are heading to Prasino.

Enjoy the weekend. We are hoping to get a little apple picking in this weekend w/the kiddos as well.

And here are some of my latest faves.

• I've always loved owls. Here is my sister's owl bedding for their little guy. LOVE IT! And how fun is this owl wrapping paper.
• Caramel Corn Bars...need I say more!
• Great site if you are redoing a bedroom and need some inspiration.
• My wedding planner Katie of Dettagli Weddings posted this site called Plate (vintage plate rental). What a great idea!
• I love that the designers at Tea used Talavera Pottery as their inspiration for their latest collection. This pottery makes me think of my mom (who has lots of pieces of it) and their home in AZ.
• Happy New Year (Rosh Hashanah) to all my friends out there that celebrate it. Some notes from Gwenyth and some yummy recipes.
• My youngest sister and a dear friend of mine live in NYC. After seeing Joanna's (of A Cup of Jo) post on NYC's best restaurants I decided I need to book a trip.
• Very cute fondant cupcake toppers - beautiful.
• Pretty ribbon party ideas - love these!
• What a great bag!
• Kate Moss = such a Stylish Mom.

My Latest Obsessions

Happy Friday! Fall is definitely here and according to M and C it officially started on the 23rd. Lots going on this weekend - off to a dinner party tonight and then tomorrow I'm going to see a dear friend (who is in from NYC) for lunch and then a show/dinner tomorrow PM. AND my sister's baby shower is Sunday - so excited! We have a really cute cowboy theme going.

AND, exciting NEWS - Georgie is officially a WALKER! He has been standing and walking a step here or there but yesterday he took off! The girls were cheering him on - so cute!

Some of my latest faves...

• I used mason jars for the favors for my sister's baby shower and came across all things mason jar...!
• Interesting article on failure being the secret to success.
• The book Missed Connections takes classifieds from Craigslist. The author has a blog - and she illustrates various missed connections. Here is an example of one.
• I was chatting with someone about the Happiness Project. Interesting. Gretchen Rubin spent a year test driving various theories on happiness - the result = her book The Happiness Project. I like these ten tips for being happier. On a completely superficial note these cute flats would make me happy!
• I'm unsure how I feel about Rachel Zoe yet I find myself watching her show! She launched her own line - what did Women's Wear Daily have to say about it?
• I'm digging Pinhole Press. I used them to make a book with pictures from our trip to Montana. It turned out awesome. I think they may be my new go to for photo books.
• Some great coffee table books - love the colorful dictionaries. Speaking of dictionaries...M used the word chillax the other day (when describing what she and Georgie were doing). I laughed (out loud). What? Well, the word has made it to the dictionary.
• I kind of like these galaxy nails...may need to try them!
• Fall means new TV - I've been watching NBC's Parenthood - LOVE IT. Fun having John Ritter's son Josh back on the scene. Grandpa Braverman (Zeek) cracks me up!
• A pretty quilt.

Have a great weekend!

My Latest Obsessions

Happy Fall - Love, Georgie

Happy Friday (and Fall for that matter)! The temps have definitely fallen. The above pic was taken on our walk to pick up the girls from school. Love his new teddy bear fleece that he got from JuJu for his bday. We are seeing one of Peter's dear friends Saturday PM for dinner who is in from out of town and we are looking forward to a chill night tonight.

Some of my latest faves:

• Okay, I did snag the Missoni (for Target) flats just in time. This Missoni craze is NUTS. Amazing that their site crashed the day that they went live. I wonder if they are planning on restocking. I really wanted to try and snag one of the throws too but they are sold out EVERYWHERE!
• I LOVE calendars. I used to live by my paper calendar but in the last few years I have transitioned to Google's Calendar which keeps our schedule in check quite well. However, I still LOVE paper calendars. Linda & Harriett just came out with their 2012 letterpress calendar and so did Snow & Graham.
• This would make for a fun project - get an animal from Cardboard Safari and use some of Snow & Graham's pretty paper to decorate - to get something like this guy! Actually the wreaths are really cool.
• This gold Alice + Olivia dress would make quite a statement!
• I watched the premiere of Up All Night - pretty funny. LOVE Will Arnett from Arrested Development. And we watched the Series Finale of Entourage - pretty impressive that they tied everything up in 30 minutes! Here is a list of 20 cameos from the show.
• Pretty black tie dress from Orla Kiely for BHDLN.
• Even though it is getting cooler I thought this ice cream in a bag might be fun to make!

My Latest Obsessions

Happy Friday! Wow, FALL is definitely here. I love this weather. It is so nice to leave the windows open at night. Wishing you all a lovely weekend. And I'm thinking of all of those affected by September 11th. Amazing to think that it has been 10 years.

Some of my latest faves:

• My sister forwarded on this site - some beautiful scarves!
• I've been watching the Pioneer Woman's show on the Food Network. She talks about the Lodge a lot in her blog. How cool is the Lodge?! It would be perfect for guests.
• I'm kind of digging this dress from Anthro. Pretty color.
• These prosciutto wrapped figs look YUMMY!
• I'm making these Cowboy Cookie Mixes for my sister's baby shower (S - don't peak!). They are ADORABLE! Bakerella's How To is great!
• With the U.S. Open going on and all I stumbled across this article about some of the iconic tennis outfits of our time. How fun!
• It looks like Serena & Lily has teamed up with Hanna Andersson for a new line of PJs. LOVE THEM! Also, Serena & Lily has launched two collections for Entertaining!
• Interesting combo = Tom Brady + UGGS.
• And lastly, my good friend Jen has launched her redesigned website Blush by Jen. I love seeing a friend succeed and doing something she is so passionate about. She is super talented. Go JEN! Nicole of Design Womb helped design the new website.

My Latest Obsessions

GMC and a lil mohawk

M (kindergarten) + C's (2nd grade) first day or school


Happy Friday! WOW - the gals had their first week back at school and all is going well. We are just getting adjusted to our new schedule and new set of activities! We have GMC's first birthday party this weekend and the weather looks AMAZING.

Some of my latest faves:

• Wouldn't these shoes be FAB for your Something Blue??! Love them.
• Another mom shares my addiction to Words with Friends!
• Have you seen J.Crew's Fall Catalogue? It is gorgeous. LOVE IT. J.Crew came out w/their own Poppy King lipstick (perfect shade of coral).
• I saw Stupid, Crazy, Love with a bunch of gals - it was a GREAT flick! And wowser...Ryan Gosling was FAB (and those ABS...amazing). And I have a total girl crush on Emma Stone - she is adorable.
• A friend's sister used this Etsy site for her Save the Dates - such cute stuff.
• The lovely Ree Drummond of the blog The Pioneer Woman gets her own show on Food Network starting Saturday (here are the deets). My DVR is set! I'm so excited for the city gal turned country girl.  
• How cute is this little pirate shirt?!
• I love these hand calligraphed note cards. This stationery set would make for a cute little gift.

Enjoy the wknd!

My Latest Obsessions

View from my favorite reading chair in the cabin - Ennis, MT



View from our driveway - Ennis, MT

 Happy Friday! The girls started school today - a little bittersweet on this end but it will be nice to get started on a new routine/schedule. We just got back from our roadtrip to Montana. WOW - what a trip! We had a wonderful time and are already planning our trip back next summer. We had a blast and half of the fun was all of our stops along the way (= Wall Drug, South Dakota / Mount Rushmore / Yellowstone Park / Old Faithful Geyser / Sturgis Motorcycle Rally).

Some of my latest faves:

• I'm kind of addicted to Words with Friends - so fun!
• How cool is this DIY Fabric Chandelier - check out the video on this HOW TO. I would love to make one of these.
• I'm digging this sparkled lilac nailpolish - cute!
• How adorable are these back to school gifts? LOVE.
• We are having a little birthday party for Georgie next weekend and we are going to have a photobooth. I found these adorable items to print out and make - SO FUN!
• I LOVE LOVE LOVE these personalized party paper cups. I cannot wait to make these at some point!
• Pretty scalloped paper coasters. I'm a HUGE fan of coasters (probably from my mom JuJu always drilling home the need for COASTERS...even C & M have been taught to always use a coaster.
• LOVE Kate Spade's Westward Collection - great stuff.
• Missoni did a line for Target - out September 13th - Exciting!
• Kristen Stewart transforms into Brooke Shields for the cover of W - wow, she looks FAB!
• I just finished the book Room. VERY GOOD.

My Latest Obsessions

Happy Friday! I now have a new appreciation for power - as ours went out for 24 hours. So glad it is back on! Peter and I are off to a wedding (cousin of PFC's) this weekend in Lake Geneva and the gals are off with one of their Aunts and my sister and her husband are taking little Georgie for the weekend.

And GEORGIE turns 1 this Saturday! I cannot believe it. Time flies. I love our little guy. The day he was born changed my life in many ways. I love our little family of 5.

Some of my latest faves...

• How yummy do these cookies look?! Check out this Cardamon Caramel Macchiato. Or the Carmelized Banana PB cup!
• Before the end of summer I want to make these Caprese Fruit Skewers - yummy!
• I already posted about these yummy Nutella Banana Muffins but I've found a new recipe that uses light sour cream and brown sugar vs white sugar (and when you eat as many as I do the change is worth it). And the taste is still the same!!!! YUMMY.
• Aren't these scalloped platforms so pretty and feminine!? Love them.
• Trina Turk did a line for Schumacher. Fun colors and patterns.
• These Christian Louboutin love flats are A-D-O-R-A-B-L-E! They would be perfect for the bride looking for flats.
• I haven't tried the 2 week shellac nail polish yet but thought this flash mob by them was pretty good! Here are their new colors for fall.
• LOVE these bags! You could put a lot of stuff in the Scout Bag.
• Need a little shade at the beach - these are perfect!
• I wore a variation of this braided bun the other day - very cute!
• A friend of ours had a party last Sunday and the band The Way Much (from Santa Barbara) was there. They were awesome! Very chill. She also flew in mini cupcakes from Baked by Melissa - YUMMY! So many yummy flavors. My favorite was Peanut Butter Cup.

My Latest Obsessions



Homemade Fudgesicles from our Zoku


Happy Friday! WOW, what a HOT HOT HOT week. Brutal. At least it is raining now and cooling things down a bit. We have a busy weekend ahead. On Saturday we have a good friend's son's 1st birthday party (born a week before Georgie) and then a party right in our front yard (block cocktail party) and then another party on Sunday. Let's hope we see some good weather. And I'm missing a friend's graduation/going away party on Saturday - she is off to the big city (NYC)!

My latest faves include all things COOL (as it has been HOT here in Chicago)...

• 3 ingredient ice cream sandwich - YUMMY!
• Summer snack of feta + cucumber - good stuff.
• Salted Caramel Ice Cream - ummm, need I say more?!
• Let's have an ice cream party with these adorable cups - FUN FUN!
• Summer afternoons call for Izze - and I would love to try some of these tasty Izze Recipes!
• I could definitely chill on a Sunday afternoon in this Southern California bungalow - ummm, for sure!
• We are diggin our new Zoku Popsicle maker! C + M and I are having a blast coming up w/different combinations of popsicles. So far, our favorite one = classic fudgesicle! See above pic. Not sure how hard these rainbow ones would be to make - but how pretty are they? Good Housekeeping gave the Zoku the VIP (very innovative product) award!
• In the summer it is too hot to cook - loving this article on Recipes for 101 Simple Salads. YUM. Emily of Cupcakes and Cashmere made salad #2. Looks divine. And I think this weekend I'm going to try out her How To (Braided Bun).
• How fun are theses picnic boxes?! They would make for a very chic picnic!

My Latest Obsessions

GMC - chilling in his swing - 11.5 months

Happy Friday! It is absolutely gorgeous here in Chicago - finally starting to feel like summer! However, I feel as though summer is now flying by and we'll be back in school before we know it. Saturday PFC/I are off to check out the restaurant Vie (only suburban restaurant to get a Michelin star) for date night and then heading to a party.

Some of my latest faves:

• I saw Horrible Bosses this week. LOVED IT. SO hilarious. Jason Bateman is such a doll. Remember his days as Derek in Silver Spoons?! LOVE him. If you haven't seen it, pls go - you will laugh your a** off!
• Love this series from A Cup of Jo re: Balancing Work/Life/Motherhood.
• I'm kind of digging this party necklace from Cursive Design - very fun!
• Cool Eclipse Dress from local designer - LOVE it.
• Adorable antique bird mirror from Terrain. Cute! Pretty votives from there as well.
• Loving these kelly green jeans - super cute!
• Isn't this a darling little dress (love the cut out heart) - so sweet!
• These little skimmers would kick jeans up a notch!
• Ummm, don't these peanut butter pretzel bites look yummy?!
• My mom has these cute little mouse flats - aren't they adorable?
• Instead of a rocking horse how about a rocking rabbit?
• How about some dip dyed nautical bracelets? FUN!