My Latest Obsessions

Happy Friday! Fall is one of my favorite seasons in Chicago. Love! We had our annual fall pics of the kids taken a few weeks ago by the talented and lovely Alma Veliky. I use the pics to make photo books for all 4 sets of grandparents. It's now become a tradition. And we always get a a book for ourselves as it is so much fun to look back through the book over the years!

We're hoping to go apple picking this Sunday as a family. I made this apple pie a few years ago (after an apple picking trip) and I think we are due for another one. The caramel is what makes it super yummy!

Have a wonderful weekend! XO - d2

Some of my latest faves...

• I'm SO excited to watch the season premiere of Parenthood. I CANNOT believe that this is going to be the final season. A sneak peek of Max not wanting to go to his new school. I didn't get a chance to watch it last evening as I was out to dinner w/ some of my sister in laws - so it is on the agenda for tonight! How was it?! And Homeland season 4 starts SOON = October 5th! 
• I'm trying to make a new recipe a week so that we can add more dinners to our rotation. Last week's turkey meatloaf and mashed potatoes was a HUGE success. The turkey meatloaf was inspired by reading Jenny Rosenstrach's book, Dinner: A Love Story. Here are Jenny's Top 10 Fall Favorites. Sunday evening I made Skinnytaste's Chicken Divan and the kids approved. My mom used to make this growing up. This week I made Chicken Enchiladas = yummy (but I need to bring the kick factor down a notch for the kids!). I also made these PB2 flourless chocolate brownies. I had never worked w/ PB2 before = interesting for sure. 
• I want to try this casual side braid! 
• This Pumpkin Chocolate Chip bread w/ greek yogurt looks awesome! Ok, but don't these Pumpkin Ice Cream Snickerdoodle sandwiches look AH-MAZING?! 
• I love this = how to graciously say NO to anyone. 
• I love hot chocolate. When it starts to get colder out I have a cup of cocoa some nights when the kiddos are in bed. Doesn't this look like fun?! 
• TOMS is partnering up w/ Target on a limited edition line for the holidays = exciting! 
• This tasseled maxi dress looks super cozy! And I love this moto cardigan! 
• I loved Glennon Melton's post on How We Live a Life That's Hard and Good. Family routines come in many shapes and sizes and there are ebbs and flows to that as well. 
• 10 best vacation spots within driving distance of Chicago. I've been to many of them = gorgeous and better yet = close by! 
• I cannot believe that Halloween is around the corner! Don't these halloween witch hat cookies look super yummy (and easy to make)?! 
• So, we are heading to Santa Barbara for Thanksgiving to meet up w/ my side of the family and we decided to surprise the kiddos w/ a few days at Disneyland on the front end of the trip. So pumped! The kids are excited to be heading to CA for Thanksgiving - they will be in for quite a surprise when we pull up to Disneyland! I haven't been to Disneyland in AGES. Have you? And I booked a dinner reservation at The Lark for one of the nights we'll be in Santa Barbara. I'm hoping that Peter and I can sneak off for a dinner together one evening. 
• This shredded brussels sprouts salad looks awesome!  
• I don't like moths in the least but how cute is this DIY moth costume?! Love it! 
• Have you seen the Lincoln commercial w/ Matthew McConaughey? I was a little confused by it. Ellen Degeneres = hilarious = she inserted herself in the commercial. 
• I'm excited to see the movie Gone Girl. I couldn't put the book down! Local folks should go see it via Music Box Theatre. Afterwards there is a Q & A w/ Gillian Flynn. No Job, No Money nd Now, No Wife. These local Chicago writers are kicking booty. I just finished Traitor's Wife by Allison Pataki. Excellent book (especially if you enjoy historical fiction). The book is due to hit theaters at some point. I had the pleasure of seeing Barbara Rinella last week performing a book dramatization on Traitor's Wife. She has a great list of book recommendations - check it out. Next book on my list = Big Little Lies by Liane Moriarty. 
• It doesn't look like I'm going to make it to Hot Doug's before he closes down his shop. The 10 Types of People Waiting in Line at Hot Doug's. 

My Latest Obsessions

1st day of school pics for MMC (3rd grade) and CMC (5th grade) = time flies! 

1st day of preschool pic for GMC

Kinnikinnick Farm trip

Cowgirl Cate enjoying her homemade pizza at the Farm

Miss Margaret hanging w/ the chickens!

Taking in the gorgeous scenery at the Farm

Truly relaxed. When does that happen?! 

Farmer Dave taking some of the kiddos to help w/ chores

Add caption

My pizza =
AH-MAZING (olive oil, fresh mozarella, cheery tomatoes, arugula and basil)
= ate the ENTIRE pizza (myself)!

Happy Friday! Hope everyone had a fabulous long weekend. Most kids everywhere are back in school (even though the temps here seem to appear otherwise). Somehow we had a really mild summer w/ low temps and now are getting our indian summer. Over the long weekend we headed to Caledonia, IL and stayed at Kinnikinnick Farm. We had a BLAST! This was our 3rd trip out there and it is something that we looked forward to all summer. Check out our 1st trip there and then last year's trip. Rarely do we get a chance as a family to just do nothing and be and not have a schedule. I even snuck in some reading time and started the book, The Traitor's Wife, by Allison Pataki.

This weekend we are getting back into the groove schedule wise - MMC has her first soccer game of the season and CMC has a cross country meet. Last night we booked our flights to CA for Thanksgiving - wahoo! How is Thanksgiving around the corner?! And now we need to start thinking about halloween too!

Cheers to a great weekend! XO - D2


Some of my latest faves:

• We were spoiled this past weekend w/ fresh produce and amazing local meats on the farm. I'm still dreaming about our big breakfasts of pancakes, bacon, eggs and homemade bread (w/ yummy honey). Speaking of pancakes don't these sour cream pancakes look DIVINE?! Yum. Sour cream seems to be the key ingredient! 
• And speaking of breakfast, I FINALLY got to the Little Goat Diner for breakfast. A dear friend was in town from London w/ her husband and we met up for a little catch up session over breakfast. The parathas burrito (indian flatbread, sunny side eggs, avocado-bean salad, chili pepper sauce, sheep's milk cheddar) was super tasty and I tried some of G's yummy pancakes. 
• All of this food talk is making me hungry! Take a peek at this awesome Berkeley kitchen! Love it! And I was happy to discover this gal's blog, Yummy Supper. Don't these baked eggs and cherry tomatoes look awesome?! 
• Okay, how to eat clean all day long. I've gotta say that I'm really trying to make more of an effort to eat/drink more cleanly. I WILL NOT give up my coffee but I haven't had a diet soda in months. Baby steps. And I've been doing warm water w/ lemon in the morning (not everyday but adding it into the mix). And sadly, I think I need to say goodbye to my fall treat = pumpkin spice lattes from Starbucks. 
• I thought this was a great and interesting read = Share This With All the Schools, Please. PFC and I were just talking about teachers (past and present) our kids have had the other day. Our kids have been blessed with some pretty amazing teachers/mentors thus far on their educational journey. I cannot say enough about them! And 40 Things I Want to Tell My Kids Before They are Too Cool to Listen = a great list. 
• I'm a huge fan of the book, The Five Love Languages, by Gary Chapman. You have to get past the cover - cheesy = yes. The book though = extremely insightful and helpful with a multitude of relationships. I read the book years ago and it truly helped me understand the many layered and different relationships in my life. Cupcakes & Cashmere gal appreciates the book too. Take the test! Words of Affirmation = my primary love language. 
• Do or did you have a "If we're not married by..." pact w/ someone? I had one w/ my good buddy from college! Here are 10 pacts that actually worked out! 
• Okay, so it definitely doesn't feel like fall yet. But I would love to hang out in this blanket coat (pricey = yes) and make some amazing soup. How about this squash and bean minestrone soup, arugula salsa verde, and old school garlic bread?! 
• PFC and I are coming up on our 5th year anniversary this fall. I LOVED Joanna Goddard's post on 8 things she has learned about marriage. All SO true. 
• I've added 2 places to my Milwaukee trip file = the new restaurant All Purpose and Bavette La Boucherie. Fun! 
• We're all busy, right?! And we all seem to humblebrag about it! So true. I appreciate the article's #4 on the list of simple steps of being more of an essentialist = say no to a good opportunity every week. 
• And I'll leave you w/ this = the Friends Reunion on Jimmy Kimmel. Love that show. Next month marks the 20th anniversary of the show's premiere!