My Latest Obsessions

Happy 8th Birthday, Margaret!

Happy Friday! GMC and I are heading to MMC's classroom later this afternoon to sing Happy Birthday to Miss Margaret. And MMC chose an old fave of hers = Miss Nelson is Missing for me to read this afternoon to her buddies in class.

Here's to hoping everyone has a fantastic weekend! XO - D2

Some of my latest faves:

• Our community lost a dear friend/mom/daughter/wife this week. Everyone has been grieving. She left behind a devoted husband and 3 young kids. Her story has hit home with many. She was an inspiration for all as she gracefully and courageously fought a long battle with cancer. She did so with an infectious smile. Unfortunately, her time was up. There was a beautiful picturesque sunrise the morning after she passed. I believe she was somehow a part of that. Here is a beautiful essay from the New York Times entitled, How Long Do I have Left (via A Cup of Jo). Another great piece on the art of presence. 
• I love miso soup. I always order it when I'm at a restaurant getting sushi. I've never thought about making it myself until I saw this post. I think I might test it out! 
• A little history behind the selfie. 
• I love ranunculus. They are such pretty flowers. Here is a beautiful valentine's day bouquet. 
• I wear flats all the time. I have a favorite pair of gold ones that I'm hopeful will never wear out! They go w/ everything. Yes, I have been known to wear flats (w/o socks!) in the winter. Here are some fun flats. 
• How cozy are these bedrooms?! 
• The kids were off of school on Monday and Tuesday due to sub zero temps. We made this sinfully delicious Warm Chocolate Pudding Cake on Monday. It paired well with vanilla bean ice cream. YUMMY! But oh my gosh, you MUST check out what the Trokhan family did to pass the time during the latest cold spell. They made an igloo! What an amazingly creative and awesome idea! The kids kept watching the video over and over again. 
• My favorite ice cream ever = Graeter's (black raspberry chip). They have come out w/ some less indulgent choices = HOORAY! 
• These salsa verde burgers would be perfect for Super Bowl Sunday! 
• Hilarious = Full House guys reunite on Jimmy Fallon. 
• I didn't grow up being surrounded by my cousins. We saw them a couple times a year. I'm so happy that the girls and GMC get to see their cousins on a more regular basis. 15 reasons cousins make the best friends. 
• This black quinoa chopped salad looks super yummy.
• 52 brilliant ideas for organizing your house. LOVE the vintage suitcase coffee table.   
• I bought my first pair of ankle boots. Finally! My two sisters rock them all the time. My youngest sister has a love affair w/ Rachel Comey's ankle boots. 10 ankle boot outfits for work and play.  

My Latest Obsessions

The Kiddos
(pic from Alma Veliky)

Happy Friday! I stumbled upon a pair of my flip flops the other day. Flip flop weather seems ages away especially when we are experiencing single digit weather w/ below zero windchill. One can dream about beaches, pool weather, and tank tops, right! Time to do a little day dreaming and check out the TripAdvisor Travelers' Choice Hotel Awards.

We've got a busy weekend ahead. I'm taking the girls to a swim meet tomorrow and PFC will hang w/ GMC. I bet an estate sale is on their agenda! And then tomorrow night we're heading to Chicago q for a big dinner w/ all of the adults on angel mom's side of the family. I'm already dreaming about q's mac and cheese! However, I've gotta admit that Trader Joe's frozen mac and cheese (cheddar, swiss, havarti, gouda) is pretty yummy! I always sneak a little bite when I give it to the kids. And Sunday we're heading downtown for a little more family action with the kids and their cousins.

Have a great weekend! Stay warm. XO - D2

Some of my latest faves:

• Monday is National Chocolate Cake Day. 5 ways to celebrate! This one bowl chocolate cake looks divine. YUMMY! Or what about this warm chocolate pudding cake?! Maybe I'll surprise the kids w/ a chocolate cake come Monday. That would be a super fun treat to start off our week. 
• Hunters Alley = vintage home lovers dream come true. Very cool! 
• The kids loved the movie Frozen. They saw it over Thanksgiving break w/ Grandpa T. 7 Moments That Made 'Frozen' the Most Progressive Movie Ever. 
• Every January I say that I'm going to start taking vitamins. Here is a vitamin and supplement cheat sheet. 
• Are you getting excited for the Winter Olympics? I love watching the ice skating. How cool that 3 sisters were chosen for the Canadian Olympic Skiing Team. Pretty amazing. Their parents must be thrilled and super proud. 
• 7 Crippling Parenting Behaviors that Keep Children from Growing Into Leaders. 
• How cute is this skater coat w/ peter pan collar?! Love it. 
• I've added this Crock Pot Chicken Taco Chili to my dinner list for next week. 
• WOWSER = another great episode of Parenthood last pm! 12 reasons why "Parenthood" is the realest show on TV. 
• This lemony kale salad is on my list to try. Does anyone have a fave kale salad they want to share? 
• I love these Wax Lip Valentines. The girls didn't seem to love them as much as I do! 
• The Super Bowl is coming up soon. A panini bar is such a great idea! 
• 16 signs you're a little (or a lot) Type A. Guilty! And how birth order affects your personality. 
• I've done this romantic side braid quite a bit. Love it. 
• Teddy Loafer = super cute. And an additional 40% off w/ code BIGDEAL. These would go w/ everything. 
• I love Jenna Lyons. How to Be Powerful, Likable, and Female: Learn from Jenna Lyons. Her direct reports seem to totally dig her as a boss too. Here are some pics of her fabulous Brooklyn Townhouse (that has sold). What a gorgeous kitchen. And I love the herringbone wood floors in the master bathroom. 
• Okay, w/ all this cold weather I started to look for homes via VRBO to rent in Santa Barbara for next Thanksgiving. We're heading there to hang w/ my sisters, stepsisters and my mom JuJu and Grandpa T. I think we are going to tack on a few days of Disneyland before Thanksgiving. I know tons of folks that have hit up Disneyworld. But any suggestions on Disneyland? I know they just opened up Cars Land. 

My Latest Obsessions

CMC's bday gathering w/ some of her cousins

Happy Friday! I cannot believe that it is the 17th of January. This month is flying by. CMC turns double digits on Monday (the big 10!). Nuts. Last Sunday we did a little baking action with some of her cousins on PFC's side of the family. And then MMC follows up with a birthday the last day of January. MMC will be 8. We have 3 Capricorns living under one roof (myself included)!

Earlier in the week I saw the movie August: Osage County. I thought it was very good. Talk about family dysfunction! The Weston family would give anyone's dysfunctional family a run for its money. Meryl Streep and Julia Roberts were fantastic. I love Meryl Streep. She is such an amazing actress. And last weekend PFC and I saw American Hustle and loved it. Amy Adams was fantastic and I loved seeing all of the different clothing of that time. American Hustle definitely won its fair share of awards this past Sunday at the Golden Globes.

Last night PFC and I met up w/ PFC's sisters and saw David Grisman at City Winery. What a cool venue for a show. David Grisman was excellent. His youngest son played bass w/ him. So neat that his son performs w/ him. We also had a great dinner there before the show. The fried risotto balls and the burrata were a hit. Yummy!

Tonight we are heading out to see a high school buddy of PFC's who is in from out of town. Saturday we are going to see my mom (JuJu) who is in town visiting my sister Stephie's newborn baby. Just yesterday we were talking about what a great time we had a JuJu's house for the holidays. We miss them! And on Sunday we are hosting PFC's family over for an afternoon of chili (Cincinnati style!) and catching up. Fun!

Have a great weekend! XO - D2

Some of my latest faves...

• We're in full on Girl Scout cookie mode as Miss M is selling them. Here are 12 ways to use Thin Mints in recipes. 
• Everyone feels as though they don't get enough sleep. An article on sleep. 
• Valentine's Day is just around the corner. Here are some awesome valentine ideas! I love You're Dino Mite for GMC's friends. However, I think my fave = this Love Bug valentine. Super cute! This "I'm stuck on you" card is fun too! 
• You can find some great Valentine's Day cards on Etsy. This Nuts about You card is adorable. And this You are Freaking Awesome card is super cute. Fave card = I Love You. End of Story. Another fave = I Heart You More than Coffee (this card is so me!). 
• This skillet lasagna looks super YUMMY! 
• Steven Alan partnered up w/ West Elm on some great items = FAB! Here is the full collection. 
• Don't chat w/ me yet about last evening's Parenthood. I haven't watched it YET! Yikes. I cannot wait to catch up. 
• This Easy Macaroni Casserole looks super family friendly. 
• I had to laugh earlier in the week when I saw Grant Achatz's tweet about a couple bringing a baby to Alinea. Their sitter cancelled. Wow, I guess he even responded on Good Morning America. It is a touchy subject for sure. However, babies and Alinea just don't mix. Speaking of kids at restaurants, here are 10 eating rules French children know (but most Americans don't). 
• 52 places to go in 2014. What's on your list? 
• Good advice = ask the right questions. And some pillow talk. 
• Some pics from a gorgeous wedding. 
• These pear and hazelnut muffins look super tasty. 
• You would get some great cost per wear out of this skirt. 
• Here's a little sneak peak at Peter Pilotto for Target. Peter Pilotto is quite the fave of celebrities. 
• A fun little quiz = what city should you actually live in? I got London! What did you get? I did study abroad in Bath for a semester and we went to London most weekends. Here is the description that I received for London = Let's be honest, you probably look pretty good in a Burberry trench coat. You're the type of person who loves city life, but without all the hype. Your ideal day consists of the Tate Modern, a pleasant evening at a nice restaurant, and a hot cup of tea before bed. 
• The next big ingredients of 2014. Pittsburgh folks - check out slide #4.
  

My Latest Obsessions

The 3 Amigos - Fall 2013 (GMC - age 3, CMC - age 9, MMC - age 7)
 (photo taken by Alma Veliky of Alma Veliky Photography)

Happy Friday! What a COLD week it has been. Our winter break was extended by two days due to the Polar Vortex that many of us experienced across the country. Here are some frozen pics of Chicago. It was insanely cold out on Monday and Tuesday of this week. Let's just say that come Wednesday the kids (and I) were very excited to be heading to school. You can only stay indoors for so long.

All the girls in our household have birthdays in January. It is the month of blowing out candles, parties, celebrating and cake eating. I kicked off the January birthdays this past Wednesday (along w/ Elvis). It was a low key day. I met a few friends at The Juice Joint for a juice (as I started a 3-day juice cleanse the day before) and then that evening CMC had her musical performance (High School Musical Jr.). It was very cute! This weekend PFC and I are going to celebrate w/ a date night of sushi and a movie. We are going to see American Hustle. Super excited. The cast is amazing! And then Sunday CMC has a little birthday gathering w/ her cousins. More cake and candles!

Have a fabulous weekend. Stay warm! XO - D2

Some of my latest faves:

• I tried two new recipes on the kiddos this week. They both received rave reviews. Last night we had this Cheeseburger Casserole and earlier in the week we had Chicken Pot Pie Soup. The soup hit the spot when we were experiencing below zero temps! 
• I have not watched the Bachelor or Bachelorette since the days of Trista and Ryan Sutter. However, I did watch the season opener w/ bachelor Juan Pablo. This is the 18th season - wow! People seem to be nuts over him. A little recap on The Bachelor. So far my favorite girl = Andi, a prosecutor from Atlanta. It will be interesting to see how the season pans out. Looks like there will be lots of drama! And here is some bachelor fashion for you. 
• I've always wondered why fountain Diet Coke tastes better from McDonalds. 
• Good ole Denison University was ranked one of the top 10 most wired colleges. Granted when I was there no one really even carried cell phones! 
• For those trying to work on New Year's resolutions = How Long Does it Take to Form a New Habit. 
• I booked our annual February weekend in Milwaukee (last year's trip here). So excited! We've been doing this for years now and always find that it is a nice little break after the holiday madness. I have two reservations booked for dinner Saturday PM = Ardent and c.1880. Check out this fabulous review of Ardent that just came out. Anyone have any other recommendations for dinner? Friday night we always hit up Five O'Clock Steakhouse (totally old school!). 
• Another great ad from P&G (Thank You, Mom) for the Olympics 2014 in Sochi. 
• 20 great calendars for 2014. I love my calendar from Linda & Harriett. I've been getting one for Christmas from PFC for years. 
• A little more insight in to the movie, Gone Girl, w/ Ben Affleck. 
• I didn't watch Parenthood last night. Saving it for tonight! I heard it was VERY VERY GOOD! Cannot wait to hang w/ my other family = the Braverman clan! So curious about the Julia/Joel storyline and how that will pan out. 
• Anyone watching the Golden Globes on Sunday? Here is the complete list of nominees. 
• GMC just received the most amazing book for Christmas from some dear friends = Out of Sight. The book is AWESOME. It would make a great gift for a little one. Let's just say that we're all learning really neat facts about various animals. GMC LOVES it! Did you know that marmots can whistle?

My Latest Obsessions

New Year's Eve fun

C + M finishing a long hike in Prescott, AZ

GMC sporting his Christmas Bow Tie

JuJu and Grandpa T 

We snuck off to Sedona for a night

Gorgeous red rocks - so pretty! 

Our pretty and peaceful view from JuJu and Grandpa T's house

Happy Friday! And Happy New Year! We just got back from a wonderful trip to AZ where we were visiting my mom and Grandpa T in Prescott. We were there for Christmas and New Year's. It was quite a treat to spend some quality time with them. And it didn't hurt that the temps were a bit higher than Chicago's chilly weather! The kids had a blast. They enjoyed swimming in the "spool" (spa/pool) every afternoon and hiking around the big boulders around my mom's house. And one day we went and visited Grandpa T's horse Rocket and the girls went horseback riding. All in all it was a relaxing winter break for all of us. Peter and I even got a chance to sneak off for a night to Sedona while the kiddos stayed with JuJu and Grandpa T.

We are now back to reality with school starting on Monday. And boy is it COLD! I'm admittedly not a cold weather fan. I would much rather swap out boots and coats for flip flops and tank tops any day. Well, that just means that my evening ritual of hot chocolate on the couch after the kiddos are asleep will continue for a bit longer!

Have a wonderful weekend. XO - D2

Some of my latest faves:

• I LOVED spending time w/ my youngest sister over the holidays. One night we had a bit of a Meryl Streep marathon as we watched both The Devil Wears Prada and It's Complicated. She is such an amazing actress. She has played so many different characters in her career. What is your favorite Meryl Streep flick? Speaking of movies I want to see American Hustle. The cast alone is amazing. Has anyone seen it yet? And lastly, the best movies of 2013. 
• I did a lot of reading while we were away. I finished Me Before You by JoJo Moyes in a day. I couldn't put it down. I absolutely loved it. I didn't want it to end! It was a beautiful yet sad story. Amazing character development. I also finished The Husband's Secret by Liane Moriarty. Great read. And I'm almost finished w/ Beautiful Ruins by Jess Walter. 
• I really loved the book Gone Girl by Gillian Flynn. Here is a first look at Ben Affleck in the movie. 
• I've already added a holiday event to our list for next Christmas. I would love to go as a family to see It's a Wonderful Life at the Music Box Theater. The kids would love it. C + M's fave line from the movie = "George Bailey, I'll love you till the day I die." 
• I have always appreciated turquoise jewelry. We saw so much of it in AZ. Here's some vintage turquoise for inspiration. Speaking of turquoise jewelry PFC and I stopped in Jerome en route to Sedona. Jerome is a historic copper mining town that now has lots of little jewelry shops. We had lunch at The Asylum in the Grand Hotel and then walked up and down their main drag and hit up some of their shops. I was even able to find the same jewelry store (Aurum Jewelry) that I went to 10 years ago. I was delighted to find it! I still wear the turquoise necklace that I bought there years ago. 
• This Spot It game kept C + M occupied on our flight. And MMC is obsessed w/ her Sleeping Queens game. 
• I love this = 25 manners every kid should know by the time they are 9 years old. I'm old school and wish that we sent more handwritten letters! 
• Parenthood was AWESOME last night. What a great episode! So many great story lines are going on. Erika Christensen Talks Parenthood. 
• PFC and I had a great time in Sedona. L'Auberge was perfect for our one night stay. We had a lovely and quiet dinner at Rene at Tlaquepaque. The scallops were some of the best I've ever had. However, next visit we want to have dinner at Elote. I understand that the chef gives Rick Bayless a run for his money! I've heard that we must try this appetizer from Elote. Here is another similar (yet lighter) recipe too. And wow = the red rocks = amazing. So beautiful. 
• I love the idea of one on one dates w/ your kids. Last spring I took an art class w/ CMC and every Sunday we went out to lunch and then headed to our class. It is so hard to get that one on one time. I need to look at the calendar and plug in some more of these dates! 
• Here are some secrets of the most fashionable women.