Sassy and Single (in the city) to Instant Mom

My Latest Obsessions

2012-02-10T21:11:00.001-06:00

Take me back = view from my Mom's front deck (good MORNING)

Anguilla = enough said!

Happy FRIDAY! WOW, I feel as though it has been awhile since my last post. When I start to feel frazzled or drained by the daily grind I think back to both of the above pics (and instantly I relax).

My last post was right before I left (alone = no kids and no PFC) to visit my Mom in Prescott, AZ. I was joking with friends that I stayed at my own private version of Canyon Ranch (and that I was the only guest). One of the ideas behind Canyon Ranch = revitilize your spirit. And honestly, that is exactly what I did. I relaxed. I ate great food. I was able to fully catch up with my mom (and sister who was there as well) minus the usual daily obligations and distractions. I slept in = PURE BLISS. Amazing how simple things (especially when you have young kids) like sleeping in becomes such a luxury. It was so nice to take some days off and just BE. Special thanks to PFC for making the trip happen and giving me some much needed mom/sister and alone time. He held down the fort at home w/the kiddos and that in and of itself was great (as it gave us both some perspective - especially for PFC as he caught a glimpse into my daily world).

And literally within days of returning from Arizona, PFC and I took off for a trip to Anguilla (w/ two other couples). We love Anguilla and got to know the island fairly well when we were there for our honeymoon a little over two years ago. LOVE LOVE LOVE. It was great to catch up w/PFC one on one and also hang w/our friends in such a gorgeous setting. And random, but I usually never wear hotel robes when on vacation (even though I love wearing my own robe at home). They always seem impersonal to me, but WOWser LOVED the robes while away = the Sferra Berkley (did a little digging and found the maker...). Honestly, the BEST ROBE EVER.

Now we are back to our daily GO GO GO. I missed the kiddos. It is interesting though when you step outside of your GO GO GO world for a bit and just BE you are able to introspectively look at your life and things w/ some perspective.

And lastly, I'll leave you w/some of my latest faves and findings:

Top Ten Sites to Help Develop Your Creative Side. For me, I find that my blog posts tap into my creative side and they have become a nice reprieve from the daily grind. LOVE.
World Happy Day = Tomorrow (2/11/12). Unfortunately, I'm unable to see the Happy Day movie tomorrow when it debuts but I DEFINITELY want to get my hands on a copy of it. Check out the trailer. Happiness is a choice.
Some Valentine's Day ideas - GOOP (Gwenyth Paltrow) style. CUTE ideas.
One of my dear mom buds passed along this great idea to make w/the kiddos = How to Recycle Old Crayons into New Crayons (V.Day style). We started w/step 1 yesterday = crayon wrapper peeling party! Tomorrow we'll start breaking up the crayons and putting them into our heart shaped pan. FUN stuff!
Speaking of Valentine's Day and all things sweet, check out these yummy treats = Knock You Naked Brownies (by the lovely Pioneer Woman). I haven't made them yet but they are on MY MUST BAKE ASAP list.
Oh, and I saw The Artist. LOVED it. I don't believe I have ever seen a silent movie before (maybe clips here and there from a Chaplin flick) but WOWser. AMAZING. And you can't go wrong in the eye candy department = Jean Dujardin (France's answer to George Clooney) and the gorgeous Bérénice Bejo (TOTAL girl crush).
And speaking of the French = Why French Parents Are Superior (interesting article). And here is a post that has been making the rounds = 2011 Lesson #2: Don't Carpe Diem = can totally RELATE.
And lastly, I'm signing off w/a video that makes me LAUGH so hard = LMFAO's Sexy and I Know It. ENJOY. I can honestly watch it over and over again. TOO funny.

And HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY next TUES!!!

My Latest Obsessions

2012-01-13T12:52:00.000-06:00

Pic of C and M in Fall 2008 (secrets over some Tea)

Happy Friday! Well, FINALLY we can say that we have seen some snow in Chicago. The gals and GMC seem thrilled by the snowflakes however, I could do w/o all of it - but I cannot complain as we have had a very mild winter thus far. We dusted off the snowblower this morning - fun times.

Tonight we get to see two dear college pals that are in town for the weekend and tomorrow I get to celebrate a dear high school friend's son's first birthday. And the snow has fallen just in time for C and M's first ski lesson of the season on Sunday!

This Monday we are having C and M's combined Birthday Tea Party at our house. They will be 8 and 6 years old this month - crazy! The gals CANNOT WAIT for all of their school buddies to come over for some treats / craft time / dressing up and FUN! The lovely Mrs. Newberry (of Mrs. Newberry's Traveling Tea Party) will be here w/her vintage china, delicious tea sandwiches and sparkling lemonade. We had so much fun working on the invitations for the party. After spending some time in Paper Source I walked out w/the following items = Cup and Saucer Stamp, Embossing Heat Tool (for heat embossing w/rubber stamps), VersaMark Watermark Inkpad, and some Queen's Gold Embossing Powder (which I will say does indeed look like liquid gold after heated). I used the above items to dress up the envelopes. Umm, so I'm now a bit obsessed w/embossing. I had NO idea how easy it was to do. LOVE. I holed myself up in the basement office and was totally in the zone while working on these.

Some of my latest faves:

The lovely BHLDN is holding a sale on top of their sale items = 40% off their already reduced items. Sale ends SUN. Cute bow-topped Bolero and pretty smoky Quartz Earrings. AND they are opening 2/14 (of course = Valentine's Day) in Chicago (their first one is in TX).
It is a new year - new start. Time for a new calendar. Some calendars (and cards) on Etsy. I'm loving my 2012 letterpress calendar from Linda & Harriett.
2 for 2: Pay it Forward - great post by the wonderful blogger Kelle of Enjoying the Small Things. I saw this post on facebook and had to put it out there again.
All week I've seen items about Michelle Obama due to the book The Obamas that is coming out. Some interesting articles = Michelle Obama and the Evolution of the First Lady, Jodi Kantor Goes Inside the Obamas' Marriage in New Book, Kantor on the First Family's Private Quarters, and More Details from Jodi Kantor's book.
Some healthy recipes from Gwenyth Paltrow.
I'm heading to AZ next week for some alone time with my Mom and sister (who is visiting our Mom w/her adorable little guy Graham). One of my goals during the trip is to read the Girl w/the Dragon Tattoo - as I want to read the book before watching the movie. I've heard awesome things about the main gal playing Lisbeth Salander = Rooney Mara.
C and M still have Bieber Fever (oh, and maybe I do too!). A friend posted this on FB = Justin Bieber Wedding Dance Video. OMG, hilarious. What a fun wedding!!!! And another one of my favorite wedding dances = JK Wedding Entrance (song = Forever). The gals love watching that one.
For my new mom friends = crib bumpers that breath.

My Latest Obsessions

2012-01-06T13:57:00.000-06:00

A pic from our lunch at American Girl Cafe - so much fun!

Happy Friday and HAPPY NEW YEAR! Wow - 2012! This past year has FLOWN by. Georgie is almost a year and a half and the girls turn 6 and 8 this month. Today is our last day of winter break and the gals head back to school on Monday - back to reality and our usual schedule. One of our favorite activities during break was heading to American Girl for lunch. We had a blast - such a rite of passage for girls.

A dear college pal and her husband are in town this weekend and a few of us are getting together Saturday evening for dinner. We are heading to Chicago q, a place that has been on my list for awhile. My sister has been raving about it and I just saw the Check Please! episode about it. This type of food is right up PFC's alley. And Sunday is my BIRTHDAY - which Elvis and I share together. I'll be playing tennis in the morning and then my tennis gals are taking me to brunch at Marion Street Cheese Market = YUMMY! Their brunch menu looks DIVINE. PFC asked what I wanted for my birthday dinner - when we'll celebrate w/the fam. I forwarded him this delicious looking recipe from Bon Appetit - Black Beans and Rice w/Chicken and Apple Salsa - excited to try it! YUM!

Some of my latest faves:

The Etsy world can be intimidating - where do you begin w/o getting lost in the shuffle?! Great article on 10 Great Etsy Shops You Need to Know. Ummm, check out the Skinny laMinx store = FAB. I see why she gets so many hits. Lots of press for this talented gal.
Big news in the restaurant/chef world = Charlie Trotter's is closing come August - and The Food Trends that Charlie Trotter Pioneered.
I have been holding Thank You Note writing sessions w/the girls over break. We try to get one or two done a day. I want the girls (and eventually GMC) to understand the importance of thank you notes. My mom drilled this into us as kids and I still do my VERY best to make sure that thank yous go out (even if some slip thru the cracks). Here is a post on the Anatomy of A Thank You Note. Cute vintage style thank you postcards.
Great article on a topic that I have been thinking a lot about lately - in relation to our kids = Roots and Wings: Giving Choices and Setting Boundaries.
I still love all things wedding related. FAB gown sale at BHLDN thru the 10th of Jan. The Metropolis Dress would be such a gorgeous dress for a non-traditional bride. And LOVE this couplet band - simple and sweet.
So, I did watch the season premiere of The Bachelor this past Monday. WOWser - there is going to be LOTS of drama!!!! Some Dresses from the Premiere. An employer of one of the gals - Jenna Burke - speaks out.
Crazy that we are already thinking about Valentine's Day = some fun valentine crafts.
FAB Bubble Necklace - love it in the turquoise. Great statement accessory.

My Latest Obsessions

2011-12-30T12:17:00.000-06:00

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

2011-12-23T09:39:00.001-06:00

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

2011-12-16T07:35:00.000-06:00

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

2011-12-09T08:55:00.001-06:00

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

2011-12-02T09:03:00.000-06:00

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

2011-11-18T13:03:00.001-06:00

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

2011-11-11T09:53:00.000-06:00

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

2011-11-04T07:38:00.000-05:00

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

2011-10-28T13:43:00.000-05:00

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

2011-10-21T09:47:00.000-05:00

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

2011-10-14T13:45:00.000-05:00

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

2011-09-30T16:26:00.000-05:00

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

2011-09-23T11:27:00.000-05:00

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

2011-09-16T11:00:00.000-05:00

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

2011-09-09T16:54:00.000-05:00

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

2011-08-26T13:17:00.000-05:00

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

2011-08-19T12:44:00.000-05:00

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

2011-07-29T10:03:00.000-05:00

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

2011-07-22T10:59:00.000-05:00

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

2011-07-15T13:43:00.000-05:00

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!

My Latest Obsessions

2011-07-08T18:06:00.000-05:00

Georgie - 11 months

Happy Friday! I cannot believe that our little Georgie is a little over 11 months old. We were totally in countdown this time last year (for the arrival of GMC and to get back into our house). It has FLOWN by!
And this summer is flying by - cannot believe that we are already in July. Nuts!

Some of my latest faves:

Love this gal's style - a little hampons beauty!
C + I made these yummy nutella banana muffins. They were a HUGE hit with everyone. The nutella takes them from yummy to FABULOUS!
What cute flats - LOVE.
I've been on a reading kick lately...and just finished One Day by David Nicholls. Good read! Last PM I started Room by Emma Donoghue - so far so good. A good friend gave it a thumbs up!
Sad that we are already starting to see all the summer clothes on sale...as that means fall is around the corner. But isn't this shirt cute (a newbie at J.Crew)?
Adorable owl belt - my mom would love this one!
The gal that I do my tennis drills with has a little feather hair extension. It looks super cute on her - however, I'm not sure how I feel about this trend!
I've always found Kate Moss to be so effortlessly beautiful. Of course, she looked stunning on her wedding day!
Great post on ettiquette - when it comes to traveling to friends homes and stopping by for a dinner party. Love GP!
I really want to look into this diary writing app for my ipad. Looks pretty cool!
I'm a big fan of Marshalls and T.J. Maxx...and I scored (for $16 mind you) this pair of super cute pjs. How fun are they? Love the elephant print!

My Latest Obsessions

2011-06-30T13:17:00.000-05:00

A gal at the pool was getting her 4th of July on EARLY! Cute.

Fourth of July is right around the corner. I cannot believe that the 4th is upon us - as it is just now starting to feel like SUMMER! We are off to the Lake tomorrow afternoon and then back in town for some fun festivities around here. Have a great long weekend!

Some of my latest faves (all RED, WHITE and BLUE):

Some fun ideas for the 4th - my fave = Fourth of July Cake! However, I think I may try these yummy looking white chocolate covered strawberries (look a bit easier than the cake!).
I adore these 4th of July inspired cupcakes in a jar - these would make a cute favor!
Some blue and red paper decorations - VERY CUTE!
LOVE this 4th of July Pinwheels party - so festive! Do it yourself with all these printables.
Here are some decorative flags...to put in cupcakes or attach to favor bags!
Check out these cute red, white and blue star printed straws - very cute!
Some yummy looking patriotic pops!
Some 4th of July Market picks!

My Latest Obsessions

2011-06-18T11:45:00.000-05:00

We took some pics (some of which are above) for a Father's Day card (from Tiny Prints) for all of the grandpas and PFC. Gotta love that you can drop in photos in a card and send them off via Tiny Prints - LOVE that site. It is especially nice when you have 4 Grandpas to be sending cards to! And we are still putting up our Father's Day Banner (early Sunday morning before PFC comes downstairs). But wow, who knew it would be so difficult to find good ole clothespins. But aren't these shabby chic ones adorable!?
So my sister is pregno (which is so fun by the way!) - and it has been fun checking out all things baby lately. Ummm, how cute are these little clothes from Pink Chicken?! ADORABLE. LOVE this little owl swimsuit. And what a cute little elephant dress!
C and M LOVE playing tic tac toe - I stumbled across these adorable tic-tac-toe stamps by the folks at Yellow Owl Workshop. What a FAB idea and they would make a really cute gift.
A friend of mine (who brought over these AMAZING oreo stuffed chocolate chip cookies yesterday) recommended this 3-ingredient pulled pork recipe (that she says is a MUST TRY). And OMG, love the fact that the prep time = 5 minutes = simply FAB.
How pretty are these mexican coverlets? LOVE THEM. More about them here...
Ode to a Post-it - Father's Day style.
LOVE THIS = Weekly Greens. These honey-glazed chicken, sweet potato and peach skewers look yummy! I need to take a better look at her prepared pantry list of items to always have on hand.
The Bixby Clutch = VERY CUTE!
Gwenyth's GOOP re: Father's Day.
I was looking for a fun appetizer to bring to a wedding shower last PM. Unfortunately, I needed something I could make super fast as our day was nutty with kid activities, but next time I head somewhere I really want to try these Deviled Strawberries (sent to me via a friend). Don't they look yummy?!

My Latest Obsessions

2011-06-10T14:52:00.000-05:00

GMC - 10 months old

Happy Friday! The weather around here has been NUTTY - super HOT and HUMID one day and then dreary and chilly the next. But bottomline, summer is HERE!

Some of my latest faves:

I LOVE the above pic of GMC. I cannot believe he is 10 plus months old. WOW - time flies.
Some cute temporary animal tattoos = FUN!
TOMS just came out with some eyewear. I love their give back concept when you buy a pair of TOMS shoes (every shoe purchase means TOMS will give a pair of shoes to a child in need) and now you can help someone's eyesight w/their one for one program. I like the natural burlap classic TOMS.
Some fun ideas to display your plates.
Such a fun necklace!
I LOVE ikat - here are some great ikat bags from Matt + Nat.
I wear dresses all summer long - here are some colorful ones!
We are ordering pizza tonight for dinner - how fun is this pizza cutter!?
Kate Spade's new arrivals = GOLD GOLD GOLD. FUN FUN FUN.
I think the gals and I are going to make a banner as such for Father's Day - CUTE!

My Latest Obsessions

2011-06-03T13:39:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday! The gals woke up this morning in such a great mood - and they were all about calling today FABULOUS FRIDAY! Their energy was very contagious and I have had this giddy "I'm almost done w/school" thing going on today too! M had her last program this morning and C has two more days of school next week and then SCHOOL IS OUT FOR THE SUMMER!

Sadly, JuJu and my youngest sister Carrie left this past Monday. I am still in mourning. Above is a pic of all four of us (my two sisters and JuJu) from last weekend enjoying brunch and chatting. The four of us have not been together as such in a LONG time!

Have a great weekend! Some of my latest faves...

OMG, this is FAB (and was forwarded to me by a friend that knows my appreciation of stationery) = Meeble Mail, a stationery touch to email. I haven't signed on yet but will circle back when I do! In the past I have had an account with Iomoi's e-stationery.
Cheese = LOVE. Gwenyth just did a Goop post on all things cheese. So fun. Speaking of cheese, I was at a picnic gathering for M's class yesterday and one of the mom's put together a FAB tray of adult yumminess = Trader Joe's wasabi arugula (yes, wasabi arugula...it is NEW) with some olive oil / some cracked pepper thin crackers / Sheep's Milk feta (from Trader Joe's) / cherry tomatoes cut in half (so you assembly all the stuff together and you have a very tasty and fresh treat).
It is National Doughnut Day - are you a Krispy Kreme or Dunkin Donuts fan?
My youngest sister sent me the book Clean and I haven't had a moment to read it yet or fully delve into the idea of eating clean. I know another friend who is working the clean program and really likes it. And then I noticed that a friend from high school was featured in an article about eating clean. Maybe it is time for me to look into it...and then of course, there is Gwenyth who has tried it! Anyone out there have any thoughts on it? Yikes...I would have to give up my MAJOR coffee intake. And I'm not sure if that (me giving up coffee) would be beneficial for our family at the moment - ha! Oh, the pros and cons...
When JuJu and my youngest sister were in town we stopped in Cotelac in Lincoln Park (a fave shop of my two sisters and my mom) = really pretty items! My Mom (thx JuJu!) bought me these adorable ballerina shoes (that have removable cotton laces) - so fun. They also have an e-shop. The french just get it...effortlessly chic.
Jason Bateman has been popping up lately here and there. He has a little 4 year old named Francesca. Love this interview with him (fave lines = When Francesca grows up, what do you hope she remembers? I hope she remembers the last half hour of each day before she goes to sleep. Talking about the highlights of her day and cuddling up and reading books before bed.I hope that as she gets older she will always be able to keep that feeling of trust with her, knowing she has a mother and father she can always run home to.
I am so thrilled with our wallpaper choice for our powder room and I just smile when I see it. LOVING wallpaper these days.

My Latest Obsessions

2011-05-27T10:25:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday! We have LOVED having my Mom (JuJu) in town all week - so much fun! Yesterday we went and took a tour of the Robie House built by Frank Lloyd Wright. It is inspiring me to read Loving Frank which I have had on my list for a long time! And last night my youngest sister arrived in town!
Some of my latest faves and finds...

Some fun animal prints from Kate Spade. Loving this iphone case! And how great is this cute elephant basket/purse?! Love it! And some pretty flat sandals.
It was super HOT last Sunday and we headed to the pool. You gotta love Chicago weather because yesterday it was in the 40s - ugh! The pool made me think of summer and swimsuits and flip flops. LOVE this suit bottom and suit top in navy. Sadly, they are all sold out of the color/size I need.
Cute ikat swim cover up.
This week JuJu and I have been making a list of decorating ideas for our house. She showed me a fabric that will be FAB in our living and dining room = LOVE! Speaking of ikat - ummm, how cute are these sheets!?
Oprah is DONE. 25 years. I have been DVRing all of her last episodes. I haven't had a chance to watch all of them but did see the one with Ralph Lauren. What a great interview! They seem like such a great family.
Love these little adorable canary tea holders - they would be very cute gifts!
I cooked a bit this week - 2 real dinners (big feat for me!) - and was inspired this week to look up a few more recipes to add to the rotation. I may be trying this garden lasagna in the next few weeks. I've been craving a burger lately...some burger recipes to try!
Essie's Spring collection = a French Affair.
A little tie dye action!
Last night my sister introduced me to theyskens' theory - pretty cool collection! Carrie and I were trolling around the net and she introduced me to Opening Ceremony. How rad is this handkerchief envelope? = LOVE!

Have a wonderful long weekend!

My Latest Obsessions

2011-05-20T06:46:00.001-05:00

GMC at 9.5 months (where does the time go?)

Happy Friday! I'm so excited...my Mom (JuJu) arrives Monday and she will be here for the entire week! My sister and I are fighting over who she is staying with and when. Ah sisters! We are all excited to get some JuJu time in (even if it means sharing her)! AND our youngest sister is arriving late next week for the long weekend! I cannot wait to see her either (as I haven't seen her since the week we had GMC)!

Some of my latest faves...

I was checking out a couple of items on BHLDN's site and saw these ADORABLE kerchiefs. What a creative and different way to ask a friend or family member to be a bridesmaid or maid of honor! And then I saw that they were made by lovely ladies at Bird & Banner (the FAB designers who we worked with on our wedding invitation / and also my personalized stationery). I'm so pumped to see their stuff featured in BHLDN!

Some beautiful giftwrap by Banquet Antelier & Workshop. And cute notecards. Aviary Heart = Fave.

There are so many fun and cute paper plates and napkins out there these days. We had a bunch of PFC's college buddies and their spouses over for dinner this past weekend and we used these adorable blue stripe paper plates from Caspari (but I bought them at the local Fitzgerald's in Oak Park). We used the coordinating smaller blue stripe plates as the dessert plate and I found 3 different types of red ribbon as an accent color (polka dot, paper ribbon, and paper wraphia) to tie the silverware together (in these napkins). Our theme = think chic picnic (however, we had to hold the dinner indoors due to CHILLY temps). Food was amazing (and from our friend Tracy of fab feasts). We had pulled pork sandwiches (smoked for 13 hours mind you = YUMMY), corn salad with basil and apple cider vinegar, beans with bacon and maple syrup, watermelon slices and homemade coleslaw (that you put on top of the pulled pork sandwich = beyond FAB). Huge success.

I also noticed that Waverly came out with some disposable plateware w/Hefty = Waverly Hefty.

I love navy and white together. So how great are these items from Serena & Lily?! Check out the spotlight on their new brand...very exciting!

How cute is this Envelope Surprise (from oh happy day).

My Latest Obsessions

2011-05-12T21:03:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday! Well, PFC and I snuck away for a few days to celebrate at dear friend's wedding. It was FAB! While we missed the kiddos we needed a little break from reality and I saw some of my favorite gals that I had not seen since our own wedding.

Being away allowed me some time to regroup and catch up on some mags and some other items. I feel very recharged for sure. Some things I came across while away:

Marimekko's exclusive line at Crate and Barrel = LOVE.
Zara's spring line of dresses = Cute and Colorful.
Top 10 Outdoor Dining Tables from Elle Decor - fave = Cargo Table by Fermob (love that it comes in 24 hues). Fermob has some great stuff!
Anthropologie Decorator Concept = PRETTY RAD! And I noticed that in the pic they are showing the wallpaper we used in our powder room (which makes me smile everytime I see it).
Kate Spade launched a bedding line for Bed Bath & Beyond = FUN.
Graham & Brown launched a paint line "The Colours that made Great Britain Great" = lovely. And how fun are the names?
Calypso for Target = take me away on another vacation please! A few days before we left for our trip I was on one of my usual Target runs and stumbled upon the collection. I bought the Embroidered Ruffle Dress in Navy. It is super cute and I used a silk hot pink belt that JuJu (my mom) passed along to me years ago (that I LOVE) = works well (as I wanted to cover up the high elastic waist). I also bought C this cute little dress.
Fun decorations from BHLDN and some you could definitely use for another event / party besides a wedding. LOVE. How cute are these lovely votives?!
Travel + Leisure just announced the 2011 list of 50 best new hotels.

My Latest Obsessions

2011-04-29T16:20:00.000-05:00

Georgie (almost 9 months) in between C and M.

Happy Friday! So, wow - what a DAY (or morning) for K + W. I was up VERY early watching all the happenings LIVE. I LOVED watching all of it! So fun.

Some of my latest faves...

I did really like Kate's dress this morning - designed by Sarah Burton, an Alexander McQueen designer.

Love the latest pic of our kiddos above. Makes me smile. 9 months is such a fun age and the gals are enjoying how active GMC is these days! He is officially crawling!

So fun - here are some wedding dresses of "American Royalty!"

So, I'm over my love affair with Easter candy. The Reeses Peanut Butter eggs always have me at the first bite but time to move on! I mean, come on, the proportion of peanut to chocolate is SO MUCH higher than the usual peanut butter cups. However, I'm LOVING these white and dark hearted brownies (via Smitten Kitchen). Don't they look YUMMY?!

I stumbled upon these adorable kits from Seedling. I'm always looking for more unique and creative gifts for the kids and for all the birthday parties they go to. Seedling has a blog too that is pretty cool - which then took me to little Willow's gift guide for teeny ones - 2010 (some CUTE stuff)!

The rain as of late is making me think about ALL THINGS BRIGHT and COLORFUL and SUNNY = Camp Cirrus (click here to buy in the US). LOVE the patterns and colors!

Love these Homegrown Monogram Mugs from Anthro! CUTE and would make a great gift!

My Dad's friend Bonnie was in NYC for the NDSS Spring Luncheon and got to hear blogger Kelle Hampton (Enjoying the Small Things) speak as well as a few other folks. Here is Hampton's post about NYC and the luncheon (she captured some great shots).

My Latest Obsessions

2011-04-15T12:50:00.000-05:00

GMC (8.5 months) giving a shout out to Daddy (a.k.a. Pistol Pete) by wearing some western gear.

Pistol Pete gearing up for the Desert Caballeros Ride in Wickenburg, AZ.

Happy Friday! Have a FAB weekend. We are anxiously awaiting PFC's return tomorrow from the 100 mile Desert Caballeros Ride that he is on with my stepdad. The gals and I thought it would be fun to dress up GMC in a little cowboy shirt and send Daddy a pic. And really, is GMC 8 plus months old!? TIME is FLYING! Last year at this time GMC was the size of a rutabaga! The gals are even more into GMC these days as now he is really responding to them and he LOVES it when they put on plays or shows for him. He sits there mesmerized by his older sisters!

I was at a dear friend's baby shower last Sunday (and btw, check out her great post on what she has learned so far). We were all asked to bring a book for the new baby to be's library. It was fun to see some old favorites and I discovered a new one to add to our own library at home = Quick as a Cricket (love that the book discusses individuality and feeling good about one's self). And total side note, but the gal sitting next to me was wearing such a fun shade of nail polish = Essie's Geranium (totally agree w/these thoughts - sassy and sophisticated, oh, and the fact that it gives you the illusion of a tan - bring it!).

Earth Day is coming up (April 22)! The gals keep me in check sometimes when it comes to the topic of recycling and so forth. The other day C and M were asking me about Mother Earth (and wondering who she is). I waited a bit to fully answer them and headed to my usual GO TO = GOOGLE - to get some answers (how do you describe a personification of nature to a 7 and 5 year old)? And then I stumbled upon a poem entitled Save Mother Earth by a 9 year old. And then here is Earth Day Anthropologie style!

C and M are all about butterflies. Butterflies on dresses. Butterflies on headbands. I stumbled upon these unique Butterfly Collages (via jaime mancilla's shop on Etsy). Wouldn't this be a great gift for a butterfly fan or to put in a little girls room?!
Gingham has been on my mind lately. How cute is this blue gingham and polka dot bunting!? And some gingham inspiration!

I was talking with a friend about the fact that I will sometimes start my to-do list with a task that I've already done. Yes, VERY guilty of doing that (why not feel as though you have accomplished something when the to-do list is overwhelmingly long?!). She later emailed me that she saw the exact thing on Glamour's Hey, It's Ok! section.

And I'll part with something a little bit old school = record player (kiddie style).

Later, D2

My Latest Obsessions

2011-04-01T12:19:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday! It is opening day for the Cubs here in Chicago AND it is April Fools' Day! I was curious about the origin of April Fools' Day - here goes!

PFC is off next Saturday for the Desert Caballeros Ride with my stepdad. Last year we welcomed the riders home as they rode back into Wickenberg, AZ. PFC and my stepdad hit up Alcala's a few weeks ago when he was in town. This year we will have to send JuJu our Welcome Home Cowboys sign as we will not be meeting them at the tail end of their ride!

Some of my latest faves...

Lately, I have been revisiting my favorite baby items due to some upcoming baby showers and friends that are prego! The Cribsie Awards were just announced and some of our faves were award winners as well, namely the following:

Sophie the Giraffe (scroll down to The Teething Toy Every Tyke Needs) - amazing to think that this little rubber toy is 50 years old! It is one of GMC's favorite toys. We refer to Sophie as his girlfriend! Wow - Sophie certainly has a lot to offer (no wonder she is GMC's fave!).
LOVE aden + anais blankets - listed in the Cribsie Awards under Best Sleep-inducing Swaddle blanket. We don't swaddle GMC anymore but these are still his go to blankets.

We have a few upcoming weddings (some we are able to make and some we will be there in spirit) and I still enjoy keeping up with all things wedding. I have enjoyed checking out BHLDN, such gorgeous stuff! Love the maids gift items section for gift ideas for bridesmaids. Fave = Lovesome Hoops (love the heart but it isn't so cutesie...). And I also came across Lilly Pulitzer's Wedding line = FUN for a preppy colorful wedding party! We have a wedding celebration coming up in a few weeks for a dear friend of mine (in Playa del Carmen). So it is time to start thinking about swimsuits, flipflops and warm weather! I always seem to pull out my trusty Havaianas summer after summer - the slim version. Comfortable and easy! Some advice from Gwenyth on prepping for the spring season = Goops's Get: Building the Ultimate Closet.

Have a fab weekend!

My Latest Obsessions

2011-03-25T21:18:00.000-05:00

GMC's first St. P's Day!

The gals getting ready to celebrate St. P's Day

Happy Friday! Wow, I cannot believe that March is almost over! Time flies. JuJu and Grandpa T were in town for a week and they left this past Sunday. We miss them already! It was so great to see them and JuJu had not seen GMC since Halloween - so she was amazed at how big he is getting and Grandpa T loved that GMC is doing the "worm" (which Trav himself has been known to do a variation of on the dance floor)! They were here during St. P's day so everyone got decked out in green and headed to Fitzgerald's. This year the girls were glued to watching the irish dancers.

Some of my latest faves...

We officially kicked off spring last Sunday. I love the color green and the color becomes even more alive during the spring when everything is thawing out (or trying!). And we all pulled out our green for the 17th. I came across this post from Janell Beals from the blog Isabella & Max Rooms talking about using green as an interior color. We used green as an accent color in GMC's nursery and I love it!

I came across Clarin's new instant smooth self tanner the other day. I'm curious. Not sure if I'll try it but when folks start coming back from spring break with a healthy glow I may look into it! When I think of anything self tanner-esque I ALWAYS think of the episode in Friends when Ross gets a spray tan. I truly think that this particular episode itself is why I'm still a bit hesitant about self-tanners. I need to get over it (as I know they have gotten remarkedly better than the days of the orange look). OMG, I'm laughing so hard from watching that clip again. Gotta love Ross when he repeats back to the guy, "spray, count, pat and turn; spray, count and pat."

Do you ever look back and wonder what you were doing the previous year on a particular date? I do that all the time. Around this time last year I was at the half-way mark carrying GMC. Crazy how time flies. I finally figured out how to be able to do just that = One Line a Day: A Five Year Memory Book. I started one for 2011! I now discovered that they have one entitled Mom's One Line a Day: A Five Year Memory Book. This would make a cute gift for a new mom-to-be.

I will say that I definitely use OMG and LOL a LOT. Well, they were just recently added to the Oxford English Dictonary. And then there is the word GOOGLE. I love it. I use the word all the time, as in "just Google it." Google (as a verb) has been added to the dictionary as well.

And lastly, I will leave with these fabulous Liberty Print rain boots that will carry you from the rainy spring right into summer! LOVE THEM!

My Latest Obsessions

2011-03-04T13:26:00.000-06:00

This image made me smile - 2 little gals washing clothes for their dolls (old school style).
Image courtesy of The Graphics Fairy

Dear Laundry: Can you come up with a way to fold yourself and then walk back to your appropriate drawer/bin/closet? I would appreciate it SO MUCH! I seem to now throw all the clean laundry in the guest room and shut the door (while wishfully thinking that upon opening of the door you will have disappeared!). However, the out of sight out of mind thought is not really working! Much Love, D2

Happy Friday! My latest FAVE would be a way to figure out the never ending laundry that seems to JUST THAT = NEVER END (and just when you put everything away and think you have checked something off of your list the process starts all over again). Dr. Laundry, are you able to help (well, at least you have answered some of my questions in terms of stains, etc.)?!

The two pics above made me think about an old post I did about allowing creative freedom when it comes to outfit changes (w/the gals) to the reality piece of the LAUNDRY ISSUE!

Do you ever watch TV and find yourself relating to the various characters in some way or another?! I do all the time! I recently stumbled across this list of 31 TV Sitcom Mothers of All Time. What a fun list! Maybe I could get June Clever of Leave it to Beaver to come on over and help me sort the laundry and make sure that we have a wonderful dinner on the table every night (if only that were the case!). And then you gotta love Debra Barone of Everybody Loves Raymond!

After sorting through the Lost and Found bin at school for yet another lost glove I thought - hmmmm, maybe I should have just bought NEON colored gloves for everyone (much easier to spot in the overflowing MOUND of all things LOST). And then a day or two later I saw the Trend Alert email from Gap = NEON!

My Latest Obsessions

2011-02-28T14:40:00.000-06:00

Dear Mom,
Thanks for explaining the ironic combination of my first and middle name of George Martin. I now get
all the Beattles references that folks have mentioned to me. Love, Georgie (almost 7 months)

Happy Monday! The gals had a couple of firsts last week (during the long holiday weekend) = skiing and staying overnight in a waterpark hotel (both of which they LOVED). Both PFC/I were pleasantly surprised at how long they lasted skiing. However, here I go again, Dear Winter, I'm REALLY and truly over you. I know I've been saying this for awhile. But I truly mean it now!

Some of my latest faves...

I'm trying to think spring. I came across Paper Source's newest color Clover. LOVE.

GMC's name reference. See pic above.

We love reading with the kids at night before going to bed. Lately I have found C and M reading to GMC (which is absolutely adorable!). C reads to GMC while I hear M making up stories to go along with the pictures! Here are 7 New Picture Books for Children from Daily Candy Kids.

You gotta love KidsSocks.com's motto of Happy Feet Make Happy Kids. I agree. If my feet are COLD I'm not a happy camper!

Ok, I gotta say that I LOVE the company Zappos.com. Seriously, their customer service is phenomenal. I cannot count how many items that have gone unreturned simply due to the inconvenience factor. However, Zappos makes things SUPER EASY! In some ways they remind me of Trader Joe's in terms of their customer service motto! Speaking of Trader Joe's, I was there this past Sunday picking up some of my youngest sister's faves for a care package (and I came across their dried blueberries). YUM and good for you.

What a great gift to give to a preschooler - A to Z Magnatab.

A good friend passed along this great blog entitled Not Just Cute. Love it! More about the blog and her reasoning behind the title.

And on to the Oscars from last PM = Red Carpet What we Loved. I loved Mila Kunis' dress. Granted, Black Swan was one of 2 movies that I watched that was up for a nomination so I was paying particular attention to the actors/actresses of both Black Swan and Social Network.

My Latest Obsessions

2011-02-18T18:10:00.000-06:00

Happy Friday! We are enjoying a brief reprieve from the COLD (and the blizzard from 2 weeks ago) here in Chicago. A nice surprise and much appreciated (from my end that is!). Hope that all of you were channeling some pink, red and all things lovely this past Valentine's Day. Seeing the gals come home with valentines from all of their friends brought me back to those days (the shoebox that you decorated that held all of your cards). PFC/I held to our annual tradition of heading to Milwaukee in honor of Valentine's Day and had a great 24 hours away!

I am someone who is always talking notes in various forms - mental notes, written notes on scraps of paper, while some land in my trusty moleskin notebook. So, my latest faves (topics / items / articles) stem from random streams of consciousness from various convos over the last couple of weeks.

Rosie Flo's Colouring Book - I ran into the gal that gave C & M this lovely colouring book (that I have used myself from time to time for cards here and there). LOVE this book. And who is Rosie Flo?
My love affair with Anthropologie is HUGE so I was excited to see the unveiling of BHLDN. So fun and flirty. Check out their gowns. LOVE. And how clever that they launched on Valentine's Day!
I stumbled across this great blog Apples & Onions that was featured in a Daily Candy post about their Dinner Party Blueprints. I can appreciate the post on Store Bought Appetizers!
I've talked about birth stories before. However, I don't think I've ever read one quite like the one from Kelle Hampton's blog about the birth of her second daughter. It is raw and touching.

Quote of the week:
C: Ummm, I need 2 more sips of water.
Me: Okay, why do you need 2 more sips?
C: Because we are supposed to drink 8 sips of water a day. We learned that in class the other day.
Me: That is great C that you are learning about water and how good it is for you, however, instead of 8 sips of water they really say we should be drinking 8 glasses of water!
C: 8 GLASSES of water. That is a LOT of sips!

My Latest Obsessions

2011-02-04T13:33:00.000-06:00

We made our Checker Tournament bracket yesterday and this afternoon we will see who plays Daddy/PFC!

Blizzard 2011 - Pic in front of our house.
Unfortunately, this pic doesn't show much perspective in relation to how much snow there really IS!

GMC chilling inside during Blizzard 2011 - 6 months old.

Happy Friday! I'm loving some of the terms used to describe this latest Blizzard. My fave = SNOmg. I have to admit, I'm not a HUGE fan of snow and/or of being COLD. So, I have had to really take some steps these last few days to turn some of my negative thoughts into positive ones.

And frankly that exact thought has been on my mind lately (taking any negative thought that pops up and trying to spin it into a positive). This same topic always seems to come up when I start to think about work-life balance (a topic that I touched upon in last week's Latest Obsessions). So, I'm going to reinstate my gratitude list again (which I seem to start at the beginning of every year but never seem to stick to). So, this week I'm grateful that we own a snowblower. Enough said.

Last year around this time I wrote about mini moments. Some of my "mini moments" and the "little things in life" this week are pictured above. I have to laugh as I was basically "called out" this past week by a bagger at the grocery store for picking up my cell phone when I was checking out. She looked at me after I had finished my cell conversation (which was under a minute mind you) and asked if I was talking with Obama or Clinton. I was so in my head (thinking about which kid had to be where and when and if I had picked up everything on my mental "blizzard is coming" grocery shopping trip and praying that GMC would hold out a little longer as it was time to feed him) that it didn't dawn on me that I was being rude. I starred at her for a moment and laughed (um, no, not Obama nor was I solving world peace) and apologized (and refrained from asking her if she wanted to stay home w/the baby while I ran some errands that needed to happen in a very short time frame...hello, I wanted to say, ummm, that phone call just saved me another 10 minutes because now M is being picked up and if I had not picked up the phone I would not have known that fact...blah, blah, blah). But alas, she was a bit of a reality check for me (to some extent). And then there is always Relativism!!! Which then brings me to some of my favorite lines from JuJu (my mom) = It is what it is, and it ain't what it ain't AND It is ALL relative.

I'm all over the place this week in terms of topics and things on my mind. A good friend sent me the following blog post entitled The Me in Mommy. WOW - this gal really summed up (very honestly may I add) another topic that has been on my mind (and one that I'll delve into later)!

My Latest Obsessions

2011-01-28T09:53:00.000-06:00

Happy Friday! Brrrr...it is chilly here in Chicago (and yes we are still ONLY in January). My flip flops are calling my name but patience is a virtue, right?!

Some of my latest faves...

OMG, I have fallen in LOVE with these adorable and super creative at that - Pantone Chip Cookies. I really want to try and make these. I have a friend going through a major rehab on her house - how fun would it be to bring her these cookies as a little housewarming gift (especially after months of decision making and color choices galore)?!

Lately I have been thinking a lot about work / life / balance and how one truly manages all the various aspects of one's pie of life. I read GOOP on a fairly regular basis and really enjoyed reading G.Paltrow's post on A Day in the Life. Now, granted I had to take the article with a grain of salt and also realize that everyone's day/life is relative. But then again, pretty much everything in life is relative. And then there are those mini moments in life that put a smile on your face.

For all of you that are trying to get HEALTHY in the coming year here is a good article that a good friend of mine forwarded me from Real Simple entitled 7 Secretly Unhealthy Foods.

And for all my prego friends out there Boden just launched a Maternity Line that is ADORABLE.

I think I may have found the perfect hybrid/marriage between the Hunter Boot and UGGs = Bogs. Here is the pair that I have been sporting on these slushy snowy/rainy days as of late. They are waterproof (when your UGGs get wet) and keep you warm up to 40 below.

My Latest Obsessions

2011-01-21T10:52:00.000-06:00

Cate's Cake (designed by Margaret)

Happy Friday! Wow, I feel like it has been a long week (even though it was a short one due to being MLK day on Monday). However, when you have 3 January birthdays in one household you are kept quite busy! I share a birthday with Elvis on the 8th and Cate's birthday was yesterday (see pic above). And we still have one to go (Miss Margaret turns 5 on the 31st) and we held her party with her school friends this past Monday. So, needless to say, there have been lots of cakes/cupcakes/candles floating about around here!

Some of my latest faves...
Speaking of birthdays - I immediately think of my love affair with cards/stationery. I stumbled upon this Art + Design: Letterpress Love post on Chronicle Books Blog. I may just have to get this book on letterpress that they mentioned. My friend Taryn (of sage & style) just did a give away with Dutch Door Press (one of the letterpress lines that is mentioned in this post's list of favorites).

I love simple wardrobe pieces that have just a little something that make them stand out (and make them anything but simple). And this adorable embellished tank top fits the bill (and makes me think of summer, the sun, and flip flop weather!).

Oh, and I cannot forget to mention how much I LOVED Michelle Obama's Alexander McQueen dress that she wore to Wednesday's state dinner.

One of the C and M's latest faves...
The girls received the Sound of Music DVD for Christmas this year. And OMG, they are OBSESSED. They are totally digging this old classic. I've found myself humming along to them singing Do-Re-Mi. For Cate's birthday she was able to present/share something with her class. She decided to tell the class all about her new favorite movie. She and PFC worked together to come up with 10 sentences/scenes to describe the movie and then she passed out kazoos and told her classmates to "Now, go ahead and make some music." It was a hit!

My Favorite Quote of the Week:
(Margaret) Mom, Georgie is kind of like a potato.
(Me) Ummm, why is that Margaret?
(Margaret) Well, his head kind of looks like a potato because he doesn't have any hair.
This totally made me laugh and think of the old school potato heads!

My Latest Obsessions (or my LATEST FIND)

2011-01-14T09:38:00.000-06:00

Checklist (by PFC)

So, my latest fave happens to be something that I found in the front seat of our car after my birthday weekend. I'm a HUGE fan of checklists - they get me through the day and keep me organized! I always have been someone that carried around a little notebook (or now, I use the "memo" function on my phone) so that I can jot something down immediately (for fear of forgetting!). Love lists!

So, low and behold Monday during my usual morning routine with the kiddos I found the above pictured checklist lying on the passenger side of the van! I had to take a picture of it. Too cute! PFC made the checklist last Saturday birthday for him and the girls. The girls too are really into lists. And the checklist listed some of my faves...

Wake Up. Now, while they all woke up I slept in. PFC asked what I wanted to do on my bday during the day. First on my list = sleep IN! Such a luxury these days.
Make Cards. Peter and the girls know how much I love cards/stationery (and the written word).
Get Present. They got me an IPad which I LOVE. So fun.
Pick up Cake. Ummm, have you ever had Portillo's chocolate cake? Believe me, the calories are worth it! I mentioned once how much I LOVE (and try to dislike at the same time...) this cake! Ummm, the cake mysteriously disappeared by Monday.
Potbelly's. LOVE LOVE LOVE. I have loved Potbelly's ever since my days in Lincoln Park living with my sister. We frequented the original one all the time.
Right before Peter/I left for the evening they all sang Happy Birthday and we cut into the yummy chocolate cake. We then headed to The Bristol for dinner. We had not been back there since our rehearsal dinner over a year ago. It was just as fabulous as I remember...SO GOOD. Their menu is fab. We had the following: Monkey Bread (OMG, so amazing, dill butter and sea salt...need I say more); raviolo (w/ricotta, egg yolk, brown butter...umm YUM); roasted half chicken (sounds boring but oh so good); grass fed beef (leaner than usual beef and so tasty).

My Latest Obsessions

2011-01-07T13:00:00.001-06:00

Happy New Year!! Wow. 2010 was such an amazing year and I'm looking forward to another fun-filled and busy 2011! A few close friends are having babies and some are getting hitched - which always makes for an exciting year!

So, Elvis and I share one thing in common = a birthday! I'm quietly celebrating with PFC on Saturday at The Bristol where we held our rehearsal dinner. We haven't been back since that night and we both fell in love with the food and atmosphere. I'm looking forward to catching up with PFC as it has been such a whirlwind from Thanksgiving to Christmas! Anytime someone talks about the "craziness" of the holiday season Peter loves to belt out the first few lines of "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year" and it had gotten to the point where I can hear it coming the moment someone mentions being frazzled/stressed or just plain exhausted from shopping/holiday parties, etc.

Some of my latest faves...
I might have to try one of these innovative sippy cups for little "GMC" (or "Georgie Porgie" as I seem to call him these days) in a few months. Interesting...the new sippy features a valve-free straw with a weighted end that allows babies to drink with ease from most any angle.

My youngest sister sent me the book Clean by Dr. Alejandro Junger the same day that I was reading Gwenyth's GOOP post on the program. I wonder if that means I need to check it out!!! Most people seem to list getting fit / eating better / sticking to a workout routine on their New Year's Resolution list. Gotta love how the gym is SUPER crowded for several weeks at the beginning of the new year.

Mini Boden is having such a fabulous sale. Unfortunately, I got to it too late and many of the items I wanted on sale were already sold out. But check it out - such great stuff and awesome prices too!

My Latest Obsessions

2010-12-31T14:00:00.002-06:00

One of my favorite pics of all three kiddos!

WOW, I cannot believe that Christmas is over and we are now getting ready to ring in 2011!!! New Year's Day last year we announced our exciting baby news!! Time flies!

We had a great Christmas and it was so much fun having little GMC with us - his first Christmas! The girls explained EVERYTHING to him from Santa and the cookies we leave out for him to how we open our stockings last!

Some of my latest faves...

Laura Cook of Laura Cook Photography did an awesome job this year taking pics of the kids. She ROCKS! I wholeheartedly recommend her if you are in the Chicago area!

Some of my favorite gifts from Christmas are as follows:
Lucky Brand slippers - cozy and warm - LOVE
My 2011 Linda & Harriett letterpress calendar - beautiful calendar
Gift Card to Lululemon - who doesn't LOVE Lulu???!!!! Seriously, Lulu and Anthropologie are my all time faves...!

I love the brand Splendid - super soft and cozy but not always so budget friendly. In comes Target...check it out - they just launched a line with Target for baby clothes. OMG, LOVE this little set for a baby girl. Love the little ruffle on the onesie!

I love the restaurant Graham Elliot - and fun, a newbie opened up called Grahamwich! I cannot wait to check it out!

Cute NYE bingo cards to play with the kiddos!

My Latest Obsessions

2010-12-17T15:00:00.001-06:00

Countdown until Christmas...crazy that the holidays are literally around the corner. Time is flying. It has been a week filled with school holiday parties and programs for the kiddos and lots of gingerbread houses were made and carols were sung.

I always love checking out the different gift guides out there. Some of my faves:

Dear friend Taryn's December Dozen on her Sage & Style blog.

Joanna Goddard of A Cup of Jo always has such fun finds in her Gift Guides. I love her guide for Beloved Husband Who Makes Peppery Eggs, Sings Rolling Stones to your Baby and Can Always Make You Laugh. Here is Goddard's Gift Guide regarding all things Etsy.

Gwenyth Paltrow's GOOP Gift Guide. For instance, how cute are these personalized recipe cards (would be fun to "gift" along with a homemade treat). And this season I'm all about cozy shoes (as it has been FREEZING these days)...so I loved her recent post on just that...cozy shoes. Totally dig the Ugg-esque bow boots.

Daily Candy always has great Gift Guides for everyone on your list. This is where I discovered Mast Brothers Chocolates (BEAUTIFUL packaging - which I'm always a sucker for...). I LOVE just looking at the wrapping of these chocolates. LOVE.

Enjoyed reading Elements of Style's Gift Guide for kids. So many fun items!!!

My Latest Obsessions

2010-12-10T13:00:00.000-06:00

Happy Friday! Winter is HERE - game on - trying to stay positive and remember why I live in Chicago...

My latest favorite pic of GMC is above. LOVE it. I cannot believe the little guy is 4 months old!

OMG, I love anything ikat print. The other day I received an email from Anthropologie featuring all things ikat. So fun! I think I may have to pick up some of these adorable ikat bowls. LOVE them.

I'm always looking for accessories to turn a basic black shirt into something more glam and fun. How about this great necklace?

How fun are these "city" blanket maps?!

Peter loves bow ties. I think they are so fun and he looks adorable in them. I hope little GMC takes after his daddy and wears them! Here are some fun bow ties.

How great is this "Darling" mug. The other day Margaret asked me what Darling meant. The little gal had overhead me describe something she had done as "darling." It's a shame that I cannot get away with throwing around "darling" as it sounds so fun...maybe if I were british!

My Latest Obsessions

2010-12-03T11:00:00.001-06:00

I'm still stuffed from last week's Thanksgiving. Hope all of you had a wonderful holiday. It was our first year hosting - LOVED having everyone over - so fun!

Are you looking for a super cute gift that has meaning behind it? Check out The Kenana Story and the hand knitted critters they are selling. Pretty cool.

I LOVE hot chocolate. The moment there is a chill in the air I start to end my evenings with a warm mug of yummy hot chocolate. Aren't these little Gingerbread houses a cute addition to a mug of hot chocolate? ADORABLE. And you gotta love this gal's not martha blog. Good stuff.

Peter's BIG 40th birthday was this past Sunday. He wanted to quietly slide under the radar and I promised no parties - especially a surprise party. So, the gals and I set forth and created a keepsake for him - we made a book (via Tiny Prints) entitled "40 reasons why we love you." We spent the last couple of weeks making signs and taking pictures and then this weekend we uploaded all 40 pics and created a book via Tiny Prints. The gift was a HUGE success!

And speaking of Tiny Prints...the gals made their debut in Minted's online 2010 holiday cards and can be found in an ad in Martha Stewart, Town & Country, US Magazine and some others (with this photo). Some other ones can be found online. Here is a cute one - and so is this one! How fun! We had no idea until some of our friends spotted them. Ha - and here are Peter/myself - as Liz and Alex. How funny!

During the holidays I am always looking for hostess gifts for all the holiday parties we attend. These cutely wrapped breads remind me of my mom and how she always passes out YUMMY lemon poppyseed breads (very cutely wrapped of course) to neighbors and take aways from their own parties.

Two of Peter's cousins just got engaged so we have some more fun weddings coming up this summer. Their engagement stories got me in wedding mode! How cute are these wallpaper napkin rings?!

What a fun idea - blackboard oil cloth...FUN FUN! That post led me to this adorable store = Bell 'occhio.

My Latest Obsessions

2010-11-18T18:15:00.000-06:00

Happy Thursday! I'm going to be running around tomorrow so I thought I would post my Friday Faves a day early.

OMG, crazy to think that Sunday is our 1 year anniversary! I cannot believe it! Time flies. It was such a wonderful weekend - I loved our rehearsal dinner (still have dreams about the "monkey" bread) and the wedding was exactly what we had hoped for! And I will always LOVE my dress. And yes, I wish I was heading off to another 10 day vacation with Peter...that was fantastic!

Lots going on...Sunday is our anniversary and we happen to be hosting a dinner party for our dear friend Val and her fiance James (who are in from London) along w/a bevy of fun folks from the city. Next week we are hosting Thanksgiving at our house. My Dad and Bonnie are making the trip out here - should be fun! They haven't seen GMC since he was about 5 weeks old - they are in for a "smiley" treat! George is "babbling" away and the gals are loving "chatting" with him.

Some of my faves...

First, one of GMC's latest faves = his friend Sophie the Giraffe. See pic above. He is IN LOVE.

Ummm, adorable Prince William is now officially engaged to Miss Kate Middleton. Everyone loves a royal wedding. Just before this was announced I read the article in Vanity Fair about the two of them (they seem very normal and cute together). Nice work Prince W.

Stella McCartney did a line for Gap and it was so popular that she started her own clothing line for kiddos. Very cute stuff!

This would be a fun skirt for all those holiday parties!

I'm always looking for ways to spice up an ordinary outfit or some of my staples. LOVE these shoe clips from ban.do. Super cute.

I think I found the perfect Christmas present for my mom (don't look JuJu!).

Dwell Studio just came out w/custom wallpaper for kiddos. How fun! I love all the great patterns. You can change the scale of the patterns = perfect! On Dwell's blog I found this great post on Thanksgiving - love the festive decor!

I LOVE creative people - especially those that take what they are passionate about and do something w/it. This esty site Pocketful of Posies is a friend of a friend's new endeavor. Pretty cute stuff. Check it out.

My Latest Obsessions

2010-11-12T11:00:00.001-06:00

Above is my new favorite picture of GMC - dressed as a lil cowboy! I cannot believe he is over 3 months old! Time flies!

LOVE Rachel Pally's stuff. She has a dress at Target that is exclusive to them (pretty nice because the price point is lower than her usual stuff).

LOVE all of Vince's sweaters - in particular I'm fond of the Drop Needle Cowl Sweater. Sweater season is upon us!

Aren't these Paper Turkey Pins adorable? Maybe I'll make these with the gals for Thanksgiving.

I love wrapping presents! Isn't this wrapping paper from Snow & Graham adorable? LOVE IT! These Elves are pretty cute as well. Their new tiny cards are quite cute as well.

Fun new Etsy find = Babette (handmade jewelry). Isn't this necklace unique and different?

Favorite Quote of the Week:

"Mom - who sings this song?" (while humming to 'Baby')

"Justin Bieber."

"Umm, are you sure, because it sounds like a girl!"

(LOL. Well, the guy is ONLY 16).

My Latest Obsessions

2010-11-05T08:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday! The temps are starting to drop a bit and now that chill is in the air. Time to bust out the coats! My mom JuJu was in town and she left Monday - slightly depressed as it was so much fun having her around (she loved seeing George and the gals and it was nice to have those evening chats with her after the kiddos went to bed). Until next time!

After the temps drop a bit I begin my fall/winter evening ritual = mug of hot chocolate. YUM!

CUTE gifts to keep your loved ones warm!

I saw this vest in Daily Candy's Editor's Wish List and immediately thought of my mom. She shops at Double D Ranchwear. Doesn't this vest look SUPER WARM and cozy. If only I was heading to AZ for the holidays!

My laptop seems to be on its last leg and lately I have been thinking about the I-Pad. Wouldn't this be a great case for it?

I'm digging this side chignon for the holidays.

Cute gingerbread men wrapping paper for the holidays!

Free People just launched a line called Wee People. Cute.

Lately I have been in "year" review mode (especially as we approach our 1 year wedding anniversary) and remembering that this time last year we were in major wedding mode. Sometimes I wish I kept a journal so when I get in "year" review mode I could look back a year and see what I was doing/thinking/feeling at the time. So, I looked back to my post from about a year ago - so fun!

My Latest Obsessions

2010-10-29T21:07:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday! Two days until Halloween! Cate is going as Velma from Scooby Doo and Margaret is going as Cinderella. So fun.

It has been a fun and relaxing week. My mom (JuJu) is in town and hasn't seen GMC since he was born. Peter and I were also talking today that 2 years ago this weekend (Halloween Weekend) he met my mom and stepdad for the first time and asked them for my hand in marriage. Crazy how time flies!

In honor of my mom = OMG, my mom would have LOVED these placemats for us as kids. She was always testing us on how to set a table.

Check out these Wooly Egg Box Toy Sets by asherjasper on Etsy. Pretty fun! Look at these cute little ocean creatures.

I've recommitted to trying a new recipe a week (or at least cooking an adult meal) for the two of us. One of our latest faves is a Green Chile Chicken Casserole - YUMMY. This one has been added to the rotation.

Love this merino ruffled strata cardigan. Very cute and one that I would wear all the time.

My Latest Obsessions

2010-10-22T10:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday! So excited - JuJu comes next Tuesday - and she is going to be blown away by how big GMC is these days. So fun. I have a date night w/GMC Saturday as Peter ("Howling Wolf) is taking "Little Dipper" and "Lily Pad" on an Indian Princess excursion. Super cute.

I love Snow & Graham - love all their letterpress stationary. How fun that Garnet Hill is selling cardigans with some of Snow & Graham's celebrated designs!

Every year I buy a Linda & Harriet letterpress calendar. I LOVE calendars and letterpress so her calendars are the perfect combo. Here are some other great calendars out there (via Oh So Beautiful Paper).

Yesterday I bought some more of my favorite tinted moisturizer from Laura Mercier. The gal helping me asked me if I had run out of my under eye concealer. I laughed. Ummm, I don't really use any. I guess my sleep deprivation has caught up with me (I'm not sure if my 11 week old baby in tow or coffee in my other hand gave me away)! So, I went ahead w/her suggestion and bought some concealer. I loved the nail polish color of the gal that was helping me - so pretty - the color fashion by Deborah Lippmann.

I'm excited for Essie's new Winter colors - out November 1st.

LOVE. LOVE. LOVE this coat from J.Crew (vintage inspired).

So fun - doesn't this baking mix from Vosges look DIVINE (Mo's Bacon Chocolate Chip Pancake Mix)? YUMMY.

My Latest Obsessions

2010-10-15T09:14:00.001-05:00

I love trumpette socks. I love giving them as gifts. So adorable. Love this little halloween set of socks. Cute. We received these adorable argyle trumpette socks.

I bought a pair of these city flats from Gap. LOVE them. I'm always looking for comfortable flats. These rock and the price tag is fab. And wow, what an outcry when they tried to change the logo - it is now back to the original.

These Lightning Bolts are cute - turn your little one's shoes into superhero shoes!

Confetti is fun. Just think about all the fun things you could do with this confetti garland!

Do you ever have a fabulous meal at a restaurant but just want to pass out in a food coma on the table next to you? Well, the restaurant Longman & Eagle brilliantly came up with a solution - 6 rooms above the restaurant to sleep. Interesting idea. I have not been to Longman & Eagle yet but would love to check it out - Esquire named it one of the top 20 new restaurants for 2010. Epic in Chicago was also listed. We have a few things to check out soon!

"Van" Confessions

2010-10-14T08:30:00.000-05:00

Monday evening I was in the car with the gals and George. We were in the car driving back from visiting their cousins that live about an hour away. I know how these (longer distance) car rides go - "How much longer until we are home?" and then again about 5 minutes later I get the same question. However, Cate now loves when I use the GPS to get home because she can read how much time we have left (on the screen) - which she then relays to Margaret.

I was in the zone driving and not really paying attention to Cate and Margaret's conversation in the back. I tuned in when I heard the following conversation:

"The 'F' word is really bad, you cannot say it," Margaret stated to Cate.

"I KNOW," said Cate.

AHHH. YIKES. I immediately tuned in to hear what 'F' word she was referring to.

"You cannot say the word FAT. Unless you are saying something is Fat Free." Margaret stated matter of factly. I almost burst out laughing. I honestly thought the four letter 'F' word was going to come out of her mouth (thank goodness it did not). I chuckled to myself because awhile ago I had spoken to both of them and told them that they cannot use the word 'fat' to describe a person. I explained to them that it was not polite to describe someone as such. I was laughing even harder because Peter is always saying, "really, you had to buy the fat free version of this/that." Phew...in the clear as I really didn't want to talk to them about the other 'F' word.

The conversation continued as such. "And Mom says we cannot say the 'S' word," Margaret relayed to Cate.

AHHHH. Yikes. Sh*t. And just when I thought I was in the clear.

"We cannot call someone skinny, but we can say 'skinny cow'" - OMG, I was laughing even harder now because yes, I did talk to them about not calling people skinny, but the fact that she was talking about my 'skinny cow' ice cream sandwiches (that I refer to as 'adult desserts') was pretty hilarious.

Good. I didn't have to figure out how to tell them what the four letter 'F' word meant nor did I have to wonder where they heard the 'F' word or the 'S' word. In the clear for the time being!

My Latest Obsessions

2010-10-08T12:00:00.002-05:00

Happy Friday! What a GORGEOUS fall day (warm too!). Little "GMC" is 10 weeks old today! Have a fabulous weekend. Tomorrow is the Chicago Marathon - good luck to all the runners! I cannot believe I ran the marathon years ago - what an awesome experience. Some of my latest faves...

I saw this post on Daily Candy about this "crafter" who makes pillows. LOVE this Lovebird pillow.

Great gift - Prudent Advice: Life Lessons for my Baby Daughter - by Jaime Morrison Curtis. I saw a Daily Candy on it.

Check out these 50 Best Design Blogs for Mom. Love the site BoysBeCool - finally a site dedicated to all stuff "boys." Here is another site dedicated to all things boys and stylish called coos and ahhs. I checked out Style Milk as well - good stuff and I also looked at Designing Moms.

Isn't this an adorable mod sheep baby blanket. LOVE it! Check out their other quilts, mats, dresses, blankets and more - adorable!

Check out these adorable little rain boots for a little boy. So cute!

Ummm...I think George needs this adorable military coat. LOVE it. I've decided that there are cute boy clothes out there...you just have to look a bit harder!

I receive Gwenyth Paltrow's blog called Goop and this week she listed some Food Blogs that she visits on a regular basis. I took a look at one she listed - Smitten Kitchen - pretty good. Doesn't this mushroom lasagna look yummy?

My Latest Obsessions

2010-10-01T10:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday! Have a fabulous weekend. The weather this week has been amazing - sunny fall weather. LOVE it. And GMC is 9 weeks old today - crazy!

I have always enjoyed HALLOWEEN. Last year both Cate and I were Snow White.

Here are some of my favorite halloween costumes around the web:

A little French Fry - super cute!
These Zoodies are great - love the ballerina mouse!
Adorable cupcake costume!
How cute are these costumes - Pebbles and Bam Bam! LOVE them! Would be perfect for adorable twins!
This little lion costume is so cute!
This otter hat is hilarious!

What are you being for Halloween? Your kids?

My Latest Obsession

2010-09-24T13:00:00.001-05:00

I love mums and fall weather. I have always said that I would try and make one of Paper Source's paper wreaths - love this one! We are hosting Thanksgiving this year - might have to pick up these adorable owl placecards!

Love this gold Linea Pelle leather bracelet

Umm, OMG, these clothes are adorable from Zara Kids. Too cute.

Fall is here (however, it doesn't feel like it w/this unseasonably warm weather) and this is when I start to think about coats. I LOVE coats especially since it is sometimes the only thing people see during the winter! I'm kind of digging this long studio waistcoat from Zara. Ohhh, and I love this dress with frilled shirt - LOVE ruffles!

LOVE this Loosely Looped Tee from Anthro. Adorable.

I love Mrs. Meyers cleaning products. I recently bought some of her Lavender Liquid Hand Soapfor the powder room. It smells SO GOOD! These Kitchen Basics gift sets are a perfect housewarming gift or hostess gift (and a steal for under $10).

I had diaper bag envy a few days ago when I had a bunch of new moms over...a friend had this diaper bag - LOVE it (hers was in black w/red interior). So chic. However, I will say that I love the Kate Spade diaper bag my mom gifted me.

Birth Stories

2010-09-21T09:30:00.003-05:00

I never truly appreciated Birth Stories before having George. To be honest, I thought they were a bit weird (why would anyone want to know the details of someone else's birth story). However, now I LOVE hearing birth stories. I love hearing the entire process and all the details leading up to meeting the new little guy or gal. While I have heard the story of how I was born I would love now to know more details.

I've contemplated writing out my birth story for George so that I can remember it down the road. I read Joanna Goddard's A Cup of Jo blog from time to time and yesterday she posted her birth story. She may have inspired me to write mine out as well! Stay tuned!

My Latest Obsessions

2010-09-16T15:30:00.000-05:00

Happy Thursday! I'm going to be running around a lot tomorrow so I thought I would send out my Friday faves a day early! ENJOY!

If you are going to wear a band aid - why not wear a super stylish one from Cynthia Rowley?

Love this Buffalo Check Boyfriend Shirt for the fall (and what great colors).

Love this striped scarf from lemlem. I also love this obi scarf! And check out lemlem's story.

How cute is this Pink Heart Sunglasses case by Jonathan Adler? And here is the blue Sunglasses case - cute as well. LOVE. This would make a great gift. I also love his monogrammed pillows - fun!

I keep one of these Shanghijava solid perfume sticks in my bag. I love the Musc and Patchouli scent.

Love the ruffles on these Pebbled & Primped Boots.

I saw this White Zoe Bow Short Sleeve Swing V-Neck Tee by Lauren Moshi on a few celebs - very cute tee! Love this Bunny on a canvas by Lauren Moshi.

I ordered these Sticky Bellies - to take pics of GMC - so cute! You get a sticker for each month. Great idea!

GMC is 6 weeks OLD!

2010-09-14T09:30:00.002-05:00

Happy Tuesday! All weekend we watched the US Open and I just finished "Open" by Andre Agassi. I couldn't put the book down! WOW - such an intimate look into his life. He was a huge part of my growing up - as we used to watch him play in Cincinnati.

I cannot believe that little "GMC" (George Martin Carr) is now 6 weeks old (as of Friday). Amazing how quickly time flies. He is getting so big. His sisters adore him and are taking their roles as "big sisters" quite seriously -- always hovering around the little guy to make sure he is all good. Very cute.

It has been a whirlwind 6 weeks - we moved back into our house / had George on his due date / the gals started school (first grade - HUGE / and pre-kindergarten). I've learned a lot in 6 weeks - patience being KEY! AND I think I have officially come to peace with my status as a SUBURBANITE.

My Latest Obsessions

2010-09-10T08:00:00.001-05:00

Happy Friday! Enjoy your weekend. I will be thinking about all those affected by September 11th. Some of my latest faves...

Summer is all about spending times with friends and family. I always like to have hostess gifts on hand. Here are some ideas from Daily Candy. These napkins are pretty hilarious (and practical) for messy ribs! Pretty cool heirloom recipe card box.

Hey there little "Cupcake" - too cute!

Check out these Henrietta birds - CUTE.

Very cool corsage - and one that you can keep forever!

Love these San Miguel Lanterns from Serena & Lily (part of their new fall items).

I have never been a huge fan of TOMS shoes but aren't these Tiny TOMS cute for your little one?

Check out these cute gold moccasins - adorable. LOVE them.

British Style Icon Alexa Chung designed some items for Madewell. Nice work. Love this cotton voile dress. The Annie blouse is pretty cute too.

My Status = Official Suburbanite

2010-09-08T11:46:00.008-05:00

I have been living in the suburbs for over a year now and have finally (and officially) accepted my status from "CITY" living to the suburbs. I'm a suburbanite and now can admit that I love it. Believe me, it took me a LONG time to get over the fact that I had left the city. However, now I cannot imagine raising a family of 5 in the city (yet I wholehearted appreciate anyone that does). Wow, how times (and thoughts) change!

Oh how times have changed (if only I have been keeping a journal about a year ago):

NEVER would I have been disappointed to have missed a block party (two weekends ago we were double booked but I still wanted to stop by the block party to say hello to everyone).
TARGET - is now my GO TO store for one stop shopping. My sister and I used to have a standing Sunday date at Anthropologie (lunch and shopping). Oh how times change...
I said I WOULD NEVER wear sweatpants or workout pants all day long. Ummm, well, I have. However, I will NEVER wear sweatpants that have elastic at the bottom (NO way) - as they still need to have some sort of flattering shape to them (something like these) and if I wear a "hoodie" it needs to be cute like this one. And yes, I have been known to wear my workout gear all day long - and I love anything Lululemon!
I love our van (yes, I did just say that). Sliding doors are key. And when given the opportunity to drive our other car I sometimes even prefer the Honda Odyssey over the "real" car! This reminds me of my From Cabs to a Van post.
And yes, I have recently purchased briefs after having George. Does that mean I'm a true suburban mom?

Don't get me wrong, I still love trying new restaurants and keeping up with all things hip/trendy but life has changed. I now know restaurants that are deemed "kid friendly" versus the latest ones to open! However, I wouldn't change any of this for the life I have now with Peter, Cate, Margaret and now our latest addition - little George Martin. All is well and life is good.

My Latest Obsessions

2010-09-03T08:30:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday! Hope everyone has fun plans for the long weekend. I'm so ready for a 3 day weekend as I feel like we have been going full speed ahead for several weeks now. My Dad (George's namesake!) and Bonnie are coming in to town this afternoon for the weekend. They are meeting the little guy.

Love these new jeans from Gap that have bird graphics on the cuff. I love birds. I saw these jeans in several ads in mags and I think I want to check them out in person! And how cute is their "American in Paris" collection for little girls? ADORABLE.

A friend of mine from high school lives in NYC and on the side is doing some stand up comedy. She is pretty funny - check her out.

We have moved back into our house however, there is still a steady stream of items still being worked on. Yesterday the painters put up the wallpaper in the powder room. It looks AWESOME - I'm thrilled with it. Here is a sneak peak of the wallpaper.

LOVE this Three Rivers Top from Anthropologie. I like the "sky" color.

This Silly Bandz craze is NUTS - these bracelets are EVERYWHERE. Why didn't I invent them? Seriously. Here is another bracelet craze from Jac Vanek. My favorite = the Let it Be bracelet.

Cute card.

Stumbled upon this Reluctant Father - via Anthropologist.

Fashion Advice - From a 4 yr old

2010-08-30T09:49:00.008-05:00

Happy Monday! "GMC" is just over a month old (as he was 4 weeks old on Friday). He is starting to smile which is so much fun. We had a busy weekend - two 40th birthday parties - which George attended.

Margaret has always been into clothes, accessories, jewelry and shoes. The term "girly" doesn't do her justice. I can NEVER get her to wear shorts or pants - she will ONLY wear dresses or skirts. And she definitely has her own sense of style and knows what matches versus her sister who really doesn't care.

Margaret LOVES being with me when I'm getting ready in the morning or when I'm getting ready to go out. She is one of my biggest critiques and picks up on the smallest details (if I change out a belt or wear unique shoes). I find it hilarious and quite endearing. So, of course, Margaret was hanging out with me Friday early evening as I was scrambling to get ready for a party. In my mind I had mapped out what I was wearing and thought I had it all figured out. However, I was a bit too optimistic when I mentally had planned on wearing some jeans that are probably more on the "skinny" side. Margaret was with me when I tried them on. I heard, "Mom, I think those jeans are too small for you, they don't fit over your legs." Ummm - true, yes, did I want to hear that OUT loud = NO. I smiled as she then said, "Maybe you should wear a dress, dresses are much prettier than jeans anyways. And Mom, I think you should wear this necklace." I didn't pull out a dress but I did change into some other jeans that did fit (and I was already planning on wearing the necklace Margaret had suggested). I chuckled to myself as a friend of mine had talked about the "fourth trimester" that no one talks about - where you are not at your pre-pregnancy weight just yet (so some of your old clothes are still a bit snug while you don't want to wear your maternity clothes anymore!). Sorry, not all of us can be like Gisele and appear in a Victoria Secret lingerie 6 weeks after giving birth!

I will be excited to fit back into those particular jeans and I am certain that Margaret will notice them! Patience...

My Latest Obsessions

2010-08-27T09:00:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday! George is 4 weeks old today and is getting bigger and changing by the day. The gals started school this week so we are back on a schedule! The weather has been fab so I haven't driven since the weekend - as we have been walking to/from school! We have two 40th birthday parties this weekend and GMC will be making his debut! The house is coming along - a few more weeks of little items - and as we speak I'm surrounded by workers doing some last touches. The house looks FAB!

I have always had good luck w/Rachel Pally's items. I love her dresses - comfortable and cute. Here is a cute dress from her fall collection.

I love this little coat - the ruffles are ADORABLE.

Don't these Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies with Cherries and Pecans look YUMMY? A good friend of mine forwarded me Bethenny Frankel's cookies - may make these!

Love this raincoat from Boden. Also, LOVE this giant houndstooth coat in the rose color.

Cate and Margaret already have backpacks for this year but aren't these puffer backpacks from Serena & Lily adorable? I love the carrot colored one!

Love this headboard. And the Bone Jaipur fabric would look great on it!

What I've Learned - Beating the CLOCK

2010-08-23T10:12:00.006-05:00

Wow, it is crazy how time flies. George is already 3 weeks old (as of this past Friday)! I adore the little guy and Cate and Margaret cannot get enough of him.

I have been home with Cate and Margaret for a little over a year - and wow - I probably have learned more in one year (about myself / parenting) than I have ever learned. I'll never forget when I pulled out in the mini-van for the first time (or the first time I found myself LOVING the van for the sliding doors)!

I am always trying to beat the clock and squeeze as much as possible in to small increments of time. I remember driving downtown for my doctor appointments and trying to strategically find a parking spot that didn't require me the extra 5-7 minutes of time in the maze of a parking garage. Those extra 5 minutes matter (as I was racing to pick up Cate or Margaret from camp / school / a playdate). Now, I'm even more buckled to a schedule - as George feeds every two hours during the day (and he is like clockwork - literally on the dot he will start to fuss). My mind is always racing - 8 minutes to shower and get dressed / 7 minutes to get the girls out the door / 9 minutes to make mac and cheese / 5 minutes to stop at dunkin donuts / the list goes on and on!

Time management gives new meaning to the luxury of time! Lucky for me that my mind operates like a calendar.

My Latest Obsessions

2010-08-20T12:00:00.001-05:00

George is THREE weeks today! Amazing how times FLIES!

LOVE all these items from Anthro - drapey and layered - perfect for the fall to come. LOVE. Oh no, my love of clothes is coming back...(after 10 months of being pregnant)!

Cute dress from ModCloth! Adorable mod flower canisters from Modcloth.

I spent the first couple of days home (w/George) chilling on the couch (something that I NEVER do, so it was a bit of a luxury). My youngest sister was here at the time and turned me on to Mad Men. Where have I been? Kind of crushing on Don Draper - umm, he is dreamy. And yes, I have been watching Bethenny Frankel's show...and yes, a bit addicted to that one as well (has been interested watching someone's unedited version of being prego and giving birth). Peter has been dying laughing at all the "series" I have gone through the last couple of weeks.

If I had a baby girl I would have jumped on this Paper Flower Chandelier from Pottery Barn Kids (as I LOVE anything paper). The gals already have an adorable chandelier (love that it looks vintage) in their room - so we are set.

Loving this heart pocket dress from Mini Boden. So cute. And this Stripy Long Top is ADORABLE. LOVE IT!

Check out Target's Newest Designer Collaboration with Gilt Groupe - starts today at Noon EST.

My Latest Obsessions

2010-08-13T10:00:00.000-05:00

I LOVE the image above (great colors). Happy Friday! George is 2 weeks old today. Amazing to think that 2 weeks ago at this time we had just met little "GMC" because now I cannot imagine life without him.

I love this pillow that my friend Cynthia Espy dropped off the other day for GMC (from her company Amenities Home Design)! ADORABLE. Pillow reads, "Party in my room 2 AM." And a little birdie (my mom JuJu) relayed to her the nursery colors. How perfect! Check out all the quotes - my fave = "Wear cute pajamas to bed - you never know who you might meet in your dreams."

My youngest sister forwarded me this article on Designer Diapers. Pretty hilarious.

A friend of mine turned me on to Pint Size Social - pretty cute online mag. Yesterday's post was about Bake it Pretty. I may need to try to make these Quiche Enfant - sounds YUMMY! And how fun to serve them in these fun baking cups! Love these pink peacock baking cups. Cute.

A friend of mine from the gym (we share a love of Anthropologie / blogs / working out) dropped off some AMAZING (divine and so YUMMY) snicker brownies the other day in honor of George. I read about these amazing brownies on her blog (that she and her daughter co-author). OMG - talk about FAB! The entire pan was gone in less than 2 days!

My youngest sister Carrie was here for a few days visiting and she introduced me to Yogi Tea's Egyptian Licorice Tea - love it! Carrie fell in LOVE with George (which was so cute to see - and she took tons of pics - check them out).

What I have learned...

2010-08-12T12:09:00.005-05:00

George is now 2 weeks old (amazing how time flies)! It has been an amazing two weeks - filled with lots of learning experiences and lots of smiles/laughter and JOY. Wow - having a baby is such an amazing experience. During my pregnancy Peter was super excited for me to experience giving birth and having a baby (he said - from his experience - that there is nothing like it). I now look at Cate and Margaret differently and our entire little family with a new level of love.

Oh, the things I have learned these last 2 weeks:

MODESTY - goes out the window when in labor. I now laugh as I honestly didn't care who was in the room at that moment (you forget what is truly going on and that you are in a compromised position). I now laugh that the nervous 23 year old medical student was holding one of my legs while I was pushing (poor guy looked like he was about to pass out and me asking him questions about where he was from was not helping!). And it is hard to be modest about feeding your baby when their are a million workers still working on your house!
EPIDURALS are a godsend. I respect and appreciate woman that decide to give birth naturally but OMG - once I received the epidural everything was serene/chill/zen. LOVED it! It allowed me to truly enjoy the moments up until I met George.
FAMILY/GOOD FRIENDS - I feel so grateful that Peter's parents live down the street and that his siblings live close by as well. One of his sister's was so helpful in the beginning when I was struggling with breast feeding. And my mom and stepdad have been AWESOME - they flew in the Friday that George was born and helped us move that next day back in to our house the next day. And my mom (who has been our chief advisor throughout our renovation) has been our designing diva and has been putting the house back together! Little sister Carrie flew in from NYC and now adores George and had a hard time leaving. And friends have been incredible - w/their visits / calls / cute gifts for George and the girls / homemade dinners (YUMMY!) and just overall thoughtfulness.
BRIEFS - I've gotten over the fact that they are not sexy and secretly (or not so secretly) have grown to like them!

My Latest Obsessions

2010-08-06T14:00:00.001-05:00

Wow, so little George Martin Carr ("GMC") is a WEEK OLD today. I still cannot believe we have our little guy home with us. He is AMAZING - super chill and so adorable. I'm SO IN LOVE. And I love watching Peter and GMC sleep together (their morning ritual after my last feeding before we officially get out of bed) -- see above PIC.

Some of my latest faves...

Some of my latest baby faves (tried out in the last week) =

Aden + Adais swaddle blankets (so soft and cozy and super CUTE)

Uppa Baby Vista Stroller (LOVE it) and GMC sleeps in the bassinet by our bed every night

These would make a fun gift for someone - cute Lacey Hooplets.

This would make for a unique gift - Made to Order Custom Graphic Art Typography Collage.

Love these silhouettes - Thanks Dear!

I discovered Smythson when I studied abroad in Bath, England. I have a few of their Little Books. How cute is this Pink or Blue Baby Notes book? Quite a stylish way to keep track of all those little notes about your wee one!

I didn't realize that you could customize one of Land's Ends signature totes with your kid's artwork. What a great idea!

Kind of a fun way to make healthcare "remedies" CUTE!

LOVE this new Rimini Cardigan from J.Crew - FUN!

My Lastest Obsession - BABY BOY CARR

2010-07-30T20:22:00.008-05:00

Pic = moments after "BBC" was born! Such a happy MOMENT!

WOW - so today was an AMAZING day! I delivered Baby Boy Carr this morning at 5:46 am and I'm now typing next to our beautiful little boy as we speak. Peter headed home for a bit to pack up our rental house as tomorrow we are moving back in to our HOUSE - hooray! Ironically he had taken the day off to pack - but "BBC" arrived just on TIME (his due date).

"BBC's" STATS:

FULL NAME = George Martin Carr

(George is my Dad and Grandfather's name and Martin is Peter's maternal Grandfather's name -- and also referred to as the "fifth Beattle")

WEIGHT / HEIGHT = 7 pounds, 15 ounces and 19.5 inches (love that day 1 in your life is the ONLY time that your "weight" is freely announced to EVERYONE)

PERSONALITY = CHILL CHILL CHILL (like his Daddy) and very expressive and prompt/calendar oriented (like his Mother!)

He met his Aunt Stephie and Uncle Sean / Aunt Michele / and Grandpa Carr today. Tonight he may meet JuJu and Grandpa T depending on their flight. And tomorrow George Martin gets to meet some of his so-called "Aunties" - some of my buddies that are making an appearance. The gals are at their grandparents lake house this weekend - and they will meet their baby brother on Sunday - cannot wait for them to meet him! We've officially gone from a FAM of FOUR to a FAM of FIVE!

I'm IN LOVE (with George Martin) and have an entire new level of love for Cate and Margaret as his big sisters. And I have this new level of love for Peter as the Daddy of our little guy. I melt everytime I see him hold little George. So cute!

Latest Obsessions

2010-07-27T15:00:00.002-05:00

Okay, so usually I post on Friday about my Latest Obsessions, however, I wonder if I'll be going into labor w/BBC...so here goes. My mom (fondly known as JuJu) and Travis arrive Friday and we move back into our house SATURDAY! SO excited for all these fun events!

Finally, I can start to think about wearing non-maternity clothes (soon, a couple days maybe) again - wahoo! Doesn't this cardigan look cozy and fun for fall? LOVE it!

I'm kind of obsessed with our master bedroom and bathroom paint color - Benjamin Moore's Palladium Blue which is one of their historical colors. And hilarious...if you "google" it, it seems to get quite the praise from others as well. Cannot wait to MOVE IN! The blue will look fab with our new bedding.

Ever since my mom (fondly known as "JuJu" - she self-named herself this after deciding that she did not want to be "Grandma" - name = Julie) and Stepdad Travis moved to the mountains in AZ...I've come to appreciate cowboy boots / cowboy hats / turquoise jewelry / rustic decor. I saw this post on Shopbop entitled "Boho Goes West" -- LOVE IT! These Zuni Pyramid earrings are cute.

I too am swooning over Caroline Seikaly's stunning pieces.

I just discovered a new blog that I think will become a new FAVE = Paper Crave. Trolling around on Paper Crave I discovered some fun items = Starshaped Press (who happen to be in Chicago and their tag line is something my mom always says "old - timey") /

LOVE these soda shop straws. Super cute. And LOVE these cupcake wrappers. Love these princess cupcake wrappers and toppers. FUN! LOVE this colored baker's twine - so many fun colors.

A friend of mine passed along the following article entitled "Tell Me About It" - definitely feel like it describes the moment at hand as a stay at home mom!

I love tea parties. Isn't this High Tea blouse from Anthropologie adorable? LOVE IT! Makes me want to plan a little tea party w/some gals!

My sister bought a Helen Ficalora necklace some time ago and actually met Ms. Ficalora when she opened the Lincoln Park store in Chicago. I LOVE her stamped initial charms. HMMMM. Maybe a prezzie for myself after "BBC" is born (w/his first name, M and C's).

Check out some of these vintage party goods for Kids! Super cute and different.

And a good friend of mine - Taryn/Brian - their wedding is featured on Martha Stewart Weddings. FUN FUN! And our wedding was featured in Brides Chicago - wow, that seems so long ago now that I'm on to all things BLUE and BABY!

39 Weeks - Our Mini Watermelon

2010-07-25T19:18:00.004-05:00

One of our last pics as a FAM of FOUR (before we are a FAM of FIVE)!!! LOVE IT.

So, we are in the final stretch for sure. Baby Boy Carr hit 39 weeks this past Friday - so any day now. One of my dear friends was two days behind me and had her baby boy this Saturday (so exciting). It has been amazing to share this experience step by step with a close friend who is having a baby for the first time as well. SO FUN. I never understood before the connection you have with other women once you are pregnant - this underlying sense of unity (amazing really). Everyone loves sharing their experiences of birth, babies and being a mom. Lots of perspectives, opinions and views.

"BBC" weighs a little over 7 pounds now (mini watermelon) and is about 20 inches long (according to BabyCenter). And he is ready to ROCK!

Latest Obsessions

2010-07-22T08:00:00.002-05:00

Happy Thursday! The COUNTDOWN for Baby Boy Carr is ON!

Tonight Peter/I are having one last Date Night before "BBC" is born - dinner and a movie. We are checking out Leo's new movie Inception. Anyone seen it yet? I cannot believe that "BBC" is due here in a week - wild. He could come at any moment! My mom (JuJu) and stepdad are heading into town next Friday (so excited to see them) to help us get organized and back into our house and hopefully meet the little guy SOON!

How fun are these alphabet bags! LOVE THEM. This "You Look Lovely" bag is fun. And then there is the "OMG" bag - fun!

Saw that Edun is doing something for Sephora. Nice work! And Julianne Moore partnered with Kiehl's on a Limited Edition Acai Damage Protection spray.

Love Egg Press' new Happy Birthday card - as I have a thing for birds on them!

I think I may do something similar to this in our master bedroom. LOVE it! This idea is pretty neat too using a salvaged window.

LOVE these reinterpreted classic book covers by Mikey Burton. Very cool!

Tie dye is back in - completely reminds me of summer and camp! My nephew had on the most adorable tie dye shirt (that he made in camp). I saw Joanna Goddard's post on Tie Dye = FUN! And here is Shopbop's Sophisticated Side of Tie Dye.

Cute blog dedicated to fun projects, ideas for Kids Birthday Parties. FUN FUN! For instance, check out this ADORABLE Wizard of Oz party - beyond cute. And what a great company - party in a box.

38 Weeks - Our little "Leek"

2010-07-19T16:44:00.003-05:00

So, this past Friday Baby Boy Carr hit the 38 week mark! Less than 2 weeks to go. The countdown is on - not only for "BBC" - but for our house (we move in the day after I'm due!!!). So many exciting things happening at the moment - hard to focus on just one or the other. According to Baby Center, little "BBC" has now plumped up to about 6.8 pounds and is about 19.5 inches long.

I cannot wait to meet the little guy who I have grown quite attached to - his kicking seems to be on a schedule (hmmm...maybe he will be a total schedule/calendar freak like me!).

So, now time to start thinking of what to pack for the hospital. Some items that will definitely go in my bag =

Smith's Minted Rose's Lip Balm (have always loved this stuff - cheap/and love the old school packaging)
Laura Mercier's Tinted Moisturizer
My Kindle and my i-pod

My Latest Obsessions

2010-07-15T16:30:00.000-05:00

HAPPY THURSDAY! Love the above image - Love Flowers and THINGS Yellow!

I love Minted for their unique Holiday Photo Cards and Birth Announcements. Randomly I saw an email come through re: a contest (Minted's Next Top Model) they were holding...and SO FUN = WE WON (scroll down to see the pic they chose - which is one of my faves taken by Pen Carlson - that will be in their holiday collection)! Kind of FUN!

I love this lantern - simple and different and LOVE the red.

I saw this Portable LED Lantern on Daily Candy - what a fabulous idea for when you are dining al fresco in your backyard.

I was in Williams-Sonoma the other day and love looking around at all of their fun items (note that my goal of learning to cook = 2012). Don't these Puffy Apple Oven Pancakes look YUMMY! I love Le Creuset iron cookware -- and they have so many awesome colors to chose from. We have a couple of pieces in the cherry red but how fun is the green kiwi. They have come out with a pretty new color Cassis (LOVE IT). I'm VERY tempted to buy the set of limited edition flame colored Mini Cocottes (would make the perfect gift) - okay, so maybe I'm just drawn to them because of the Mac and Cheese recipe or the Molten Chocolate.

LOVE these vintage lawn chairs from Anthropologie. Colorful, fun and different.

Love this handmade platter from Mud Studio. Pretty scalloped cake stand. And how fun - you can thread ribbon through the holes. Apparently their Mud Chandelier has won them much acclaim. And how pretty is this Versailles dinnerware.

Cute old school looking bikini from Rachel Pally. This parlays into the NY Times article about retailers looking to profit from last century's styles. Check out this past spring's Jantzen collection (inspired by the glamour days of the 50's).

Week 37 - Our little "stalk of swiss chard"

2010-07-11T20:08:00.003-05:00

I'm sitting down and getting ready to start another week. This past Friday I hit week 37 - so little Baby Boy Carr is officially considered full term, with just under three weeks left! According to BabyCenter "BBC" is about 6 1/3 pounds and measures a little over 19 inches.

Peter and I continue to wonder about "BBC" and what he will look like and what type of personality he will come out w/. I'm hopeful for a super chill little guy that goes with the flow (sort of like his Daddy!). If "BBC" stays put and arrives on or after July 23rd he will be a Leo and if he comes a bit early we will have a Cancer.

"BBC" as a potential Leo =

Warm of Spirit, eager for action, eager for a desire to be loved for what they bring to others.
Motto may be "What you see is what you get."

Greatest strenght is a playful and loving nature.

Party personality = Natural magnetism and flair for the dramatic gives the whole party a celebrity aura.

Famous Leos = Tom Brady, John Stamos, Patrick Swayze, Matthew Perry.

"BBC" as a potenital Cancer =

Fiercely loyal and has a difficult time letting go.

Greatest strength = ability to nuture others.

Favorite Ice Cream = Dairy products are a Cancer's favorite indulgence. And he likes his ice cream rich and gooey. Because he is security-oriented, vanilla is his favorite flavor -- Haagen-Dazs Dulce de Leche or Vanilla Swiss Almond. He may try making his own ice cream too, since he is handy in the kitchen.

Famous Cancers = Kevin Bacon, Chris O'Donnell, Matthew Fox, Tobey McGuire.

Soon enough we will see if we have a little Leo or Cancer on our hands!

My Latest Obsessions

2010-07-09T11:30:00.000-05:00

Happy Friday! Had an awesome dinner last PM at Enoteca Roma (their back patio is FAB - think "chill friend's back patio" w/dinner service) with some friends and my sister/her husband and Peter. Such a fun catch up session. And we get to see a dear college friend and her husband and their new baby boy - Saturday - looking forward to it. They are in town for a visit. Wishing everyone a FAB weekend...and here are some of my latest FAVES. Enjoy!

I love Dwell Studio and how nice they have partnered with Target. Love this Kitchen Set. These kitchen sets are cute as well; the Scroll set and the Damask Bird set. Love this Suzanni Blue and Yellow set too.

Cynthia Vincent did a shoe line for Target - so fun. I bought these white studded thong sandals

the other day - super cute.

I'm always looking around the house for a card or something to use as a bookmark. How fun would it be to give one of these cute bookmarks (from Greer Chicago) as a gift when giving someone a book!

This picnic blanket makes me want to head out to a park! And I love this matching shopper - the kissing bunnies are adorable.

I discovered this great blog (The Graphics Fairy) that has vintage images and crafty items - so fun!

36 Weeks - Our little "Crenshaw Melon"

2010-07-05T08:54:00.004-05:00

Happy Monday! I hope that everyone had a fabulous Fourth of July weekend! Peter/the girls and I decided to stay local and just have a relaxing weekend with not much on the agenda. It was the best decision ever! Peter and I woke up Saturday morning and looked at one another and said "what do WE want to do today?" - as we both realized it was the first Saturday/Weekend in our 2 years together that we didn't have an agenda or somewhere to be. It was so FREEING - OMG, the best feeling ever. We took the gals to the Oak Park Farmers Market in hopes of scoring some of their fresh (and highly talked about) donuts and some fresh veggies. We then hit the pool later that afternoon and ended up at a good friend's house for an impromptu BBQ with some awesome fireworks! Sunday we were at the tennis club for Fourth of July activities - the petting zoo, pie baking contest, pool games and a BBQ. The weekend could not have been more perfect and was just what we needed (for one of our last weekends as a Family of Four!).

This past Friday I hit the 36 week mark - wahoo - less than 4 weeks to go! I'm laughing as our move in date (back into our house) is scheduled for the day after my due date - why not do it all at once?! Ha! We are SO excited to get back into our house - cannot wait!

Little Baby Boy Carr is now the size of a crenshaw melon (which I had never heard of before) - per Baby Center. "BBC" now weighs about 6 pounds and is putting on about an ounce of weight a day. He is about 18 1/2 inches long. We cannot wait to meet "BBC" - I've grown quite attached to the little guy and his patterns of kicks. Being pregnant has been such an amazing and interesting process - and talking to other woman that have been through it has been so helpful. There are so many random things that they don't really talk about in books - and it has been nice to talk to other moms about the process.

My Latest Obsessions

2010-07-02T17:30:00.000-05:00

What a great kick off to the long weekend - a good friend of mine who lives in the city came out for breakfast and then hung out w/us at the pool this afternoon - we had a relaxing afternoon of catching up. And the weather has been FAB all day long. She is due just a few days after me and it has been so much fun exchanging emails/chats about our experiences during our first pregnancy!

I hope everyone has a great long weekend. Time to wear some RED, WHITE, and BLUE! We are staying put this weekend and going to relax over the long weekend. I'm looking forward to some chill time with the fam! I am jealous though of my two sisters who are in AZ visiting JuJu and T for their annual Fourth of July party!

I saw Bundlelove (tag line = unique baby gifts with personality) in Daily Candy Kids and think it is such a FAB idea - especially for someone who is hard to buy for. Apparently Nicole Richie was sent the rock star bundle, Kourtney Kardashian the shoe addict bundle and Bethenney Frankel was sent a foodie bundle.

I have a few pairs of Corso Como shoes and adore them (super comfortable). Corso Como recently came out with a new line - called "Ballasox Festive" flat. They have a soft, form-fitting sock sewn into the lining of a butter skin leather and cushy rubber sole. LOVE THEM. And they come with their own carrying pouch (perfect to put in your bag). And enter the code REALSIMPLE at checkout and save a few bucks.

I wish I never discovered Carol's Cookies - as I can never pass one up. And the cookies nearly weigh a half pound. They just came out with two new flavors - Kitchen Sink (slivered almonds, pecans, milk chocolate, semi-sweet chocolate, coconut and rolled oats) and Turtle Fudge Brownie (a combination of the toffee crunch cookie and the brownie cookie and some pecans). YUMMY GOODNESS! And here is a fun combo (Lou Malnati's pizza and Carol's cookies) to send to someone out of town - (my sister just sent one to a colleague that just had a new baby - perfect - dinner for the two of them and some of Carol's goodness!).

LOVE the new colors from Paper Source - persimmon, sunshine and peacock.

Here is a great idea to use a picture frame - as a vanity tray. I may try this and use fabric inside. FUN!

The Little Things in Life

2010-06-30T18:53:00.008-05:00

Peter came home from work today and asked if I remembered the couple we had met on our 3rd date at the restaurant Tallulah in Lincoln Square. Yes, I for sure remembered the couple -- as we ended up talking to them for quite awhile and somehow when I was in the restroom Peter's situation came out to them (when they asked him a question - as they thought we were married). Peter and the husband ended up meeting for lunch weeks later to discuss business and I think they touch base with one another every so often.

Well, Peter asked me if I remembered them because he received a note in the mail from the husband with a gift certificate to the restaurant LM (formerly Tallulah). His note read:

"Amy and I just had dinner at LM, formerly Tallulah where we met you and Dee Dee. They gave me a gift certificate and I thought I would pass it along to the two of you. Hopefully, you can return to the scene of the crime, where it all began. Congrats on all the big news at the growing Carr Family. Amazing."

All my best, Jay

I thought that was so nice that the guy took some time to write a little note and send us the gift certificate - very thoughtful. So, now I think Peter and I need to check out LM - new French Gastro Bistro in Lincoln Square!! And how yummy, just saw Time Out's 2009 Best Desserts - they listed the AppleTarte Tatin from LM.

35 Weeks - Our little "Honeydew"

2010-06-27T10:04:00.004-05:00

This past Friday I hit 35 weeks - so that means we have less than 5 weeks to go! "BBC" is now over 18 inches and weighs about 5 1/4 pounds - according to Baby Center. Most of his physical development is now complete and in the next couple of weeks he will continue to put on weight.

WOW, time is flying by. I really need "BBC" to stay put until the end of July as we have quite a few things left on our renovation (and will most likely be moving back into our house at the end of July). Gotta love it - when it rains it pours - so I could very well be delivering the baby the same weekend we are moving back in! Why not keep things exciting, eh!?

I think we have officially figured out what we are naming "BBC" - which will be announced on here at some point after he is born!

Craving of the week: Edy's Pomegranate Frozen Fruit Bar = YUMMY!

Dreaming of: Sushi, Potbelly's sandwiches (turkey, less bread, no mayo/oil, everything else), fully caffeinated skim latte (obviously not all together - but definitely miss all of these things).

LOVE: How excited Cate and Margaret are about the baby - it has been so much fun sharing this adventure with the two of them. I have overheard them telling people the four names in the running and what veggie/fruit that he is at the moment.

Cannot wait to see Cate/Margaret and BBC's new rooms (and our new room!):

Here are the colors...

Cate/Margaret = 2 different shades of PINK (specific colors TBD)

BBC = Hawthorne Yellow (Benjamin Moore) and Chocolate (Serena & Lily)

Our Room = Palladium Blue (BM)

My Latest Obsessions

2010-06-25T21:10:00.001-05:00

Three of my FAVES are in the pic above (we took this on our way out the door for Father's Day Brunch last Sunday). Peter and the two cuties!

I'm not sure how long I have loved ikat. I'm so drawn to anything ikat. Not sure why. But LOVE LOVE LOVE anything ikat. Love all of these ikat patterns from Madeline Atelier's fabrics. LOVE Pink Antoinette, LOVE Blu, Love Iris Daphne, Love Sunburst Luce. I didn't realize that Madeline Atelier had evening bags - love the ones w/ikat. Here is a fun one.

I love moroccan leather poufs - especially this one from Serena and Lily in lime green. FUN! And Serena and Lily has been so fun to peruse...especially when thinking about a nursery for "BBC."

I read a few weeks ago about Rubxin (new restaurant opening in the West Loop). I was immediately drawn to the fact that they used vintage cookbooks to make a decoupaged ceiling (so cool). Check out the ceiling process here! This restaurant is on my list before "BBC" arrives! Let's make it happen. Photographer Emily Johnston Anderson took pics of the restaurant - looks awesome!

Some fun tie-dye looks. Funny as I was just thinking about tie-dye as I used to make tie-dye shirts in the summer.

One of my favorite baby shower gifts are these bibs. I love ALL designs by Marimekko. We already have "BBC's" room figured out but how cute is this fabric by Marimekko.

A friend gave me this HILARIOUS and CLEVER baby gift - a shirt (in a secret pouch) that predicts the future of your child. I opened up the pouch and little "BBC" is apparently going to be a "Game Show Host" - how funny is that?! Makes for a super cute baby gift. This onesie is hilarious.

We have been thinking about lunch boxes lately...and I have a thing for these lunch boxes (especially the pink giraffe). Cate is so excited because this upcoming fall she will be able to have lunch at school! A HUGE deal in the life of a 6 year old!

34 Weeks - Our little Canteloupe

2010-06-20T22:00:00.007-05:00

This past Friday I hit the 34 week mark - so that means we have 6 weeks to go! I feel so connected to Baby Boy Carr - as he has been a kicking machine lately. We are getting so excited to meet him. According to Baby Center little "BBC" weighs about 4 3/4 pounds (average canteloupe) and is almost 18 inches long!

Peter's sisters and mom hosted a baby shower for me this past Saturday. It was ADORABLE. It was right up my alley in terms of creativity and color coodination - I LOVE the above picture of the favors ("Dee Dee's Little Bun in the Oven" - and inside the box was a YUMMY sticky bun) - such a clever idea. And one of his sisters also snagged my 20 week ultrasound pics and had them framed with decorative paper - so cute.

Today we celebrated Father's Day. The girls and I gave Peter a few gifts (a cute key chain that has a pic of the little gals and a travel mug with a picture of the two gals) and of course many homemade cards from Cate/Margaret. Even "BBC" wrote a little card for Daddy - a hilarious card I found of a Dad and a little boy both in their underwear and super hero capes. The card read: Are we a Super-Duo or What? Happy Father's Day. The card made me laugh. We then went to an awesome brunch at Maya Del Sol and indulged in lots of YUMMY food.

I have enjoyed talking to two of my college friends who recently had their first babies. I've been asking them many questions - such as "I've got 6ish weeks left...any ADVICE to do now until the baby comes." And I've also drilled them about the first couple of weeks afterwards - things to expect! They have been invaluable and so helpful. Motherhood is such an interesting "CLUB" -and being pregnant with some close friends has been so much fun. I have lots of veteran moms in town that I talk to about pregnancy/babies/motherhood (which I don't know what I would do without) and there has been something so special about connecting with my friends that are having a baby for the first time (as well) that has been so wonderful.

PS - I'm so excited about our wedding spread in the mag Brides Chicago!

Brides Chicago - Our Debut!

2010-06-18T13:29:00.008-05:00

Our wedding photographers, Brett and Kiri of Pen Carlson, emailed us a month or so ago and told us that Brides Chicago magazine wanted to feature our wedding as one of their "Real Weddings." So fun - and I found out today that the magazine is out and about! The gals and I stopped by the grocery store and picked up a few hard copies of the magazine (brides Chicago - Fall/Winter 2010, pages 132-133 and 264). Pen Carlson also posted the feature on their site as well.

Here is the article and overview of our wedding and here is "The Moment" that Brides Chicago featured.

I have to laugh...because I'm 6 weeks away from meeting Baby Boy Carr and it was fun to revisit our wedding through the magazine!

I'm so glad that some of our favorite vendors (and our venue) were featured! At times I forgot that our vendors were not on our guest list as I grew close to so many of them!

We loved holding our reception at A New Leaf.
We LOVED LOVED LOVED our wedding photographers Brett and Kiri of Pen Carlson. Totally rocked.
I MISS my wedding planner Katie Kozlowski of Dettagli Weddings. Seriously, I cannot imagine planning our wedding without her. The two of us worked so well together.
LOVED our cake by Amy Beck Cake Design - she and my mom totally jived from a design standpoint and Amy came up with such a special way to visually tie the details of my wedding dress into the YUMMY cake.
So enjoyed working with Nicole and Erin of Bird & Banner on our unique wedding invitations. Our invitations were featured in Real Simple as Out of the Box Ideas to Spread the Word and they were in a post on the blog 100 Layer Cake.
Appreciated the energy and vibe of our DJ gals from Toast & Jam.

Here are some past posts on our wedding - it was such a special weekend!