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.