My Latest Obsessions

GMC waiting w/ Mommy to VOTE

Thought this was pretty funny! 

Happy Friday! What a week. The election is over (finally) and to be honest I'm thrilled. I was getting tired of all the political rants back and forth (hence the funny someecard above). Pretty funny. Everyone got a kick out of GMC as we were waiting in line to vote. They all loved his hat. He put it on that morning himself. Very cute. The election made me think of the election before last. I had just met PFC that spring. M was 2 and C was 4. Wild to think about it that way since GMC is now 2. It is crazy to me that GMC is the same age as C was when her angel mom passed and he is the same age that M was when I met her. That really puts things into perspective. Life. You never know what is going to happen.

Tonight we are heading out to dinner w/ some folks for dinner and then tomorrow PM we are having some of our city friends over for some chili. YUMMY. I love Cincinnati style chili which is a bit sweeter as it has hints of cinnamon and chocolate in it (and is served over noodles). We are serving honey cornbread muffins (best corn muffin recipe I've tried), Cincinnati Turkey Chili, and this super yummy apple pie with caramel (last time I made it there was not a crumb left!). And of course we are serving the pie with vanilla bean ice cream (from our local favorite Petersen's Ice Cream).

PFC/I are still looking for an evening to sneak away to see the movie Argo. Everyone that has seen it LOVES it. Have you seen it yet?

Some of my latest faves:

• I saw a little girl wearing the cutest little TOMS. I thought GMC would look adorable in these little Olive Cord Tiny TOMS. Speaking of TOMS here is a great DIY to waterproof those canvas shoes of yours. 
• PFC's sister and her husband just got back from staying at my Mom/Stepdad's cabin in Montana. It made me reminisce about our amazing roadtrip out there 2 summers ago. We had a blast! Some mountain inspiration = mountain screen printed bag, mountains are calling hoop art and let's move to the mountains. 
• I've been thinking a lot about the Hurricane Sandy victims out east. If I lived in NYC I would TOTALLY participate in this awesome bake sale w/ Dwell Studio + A Cup of Jo. And I stumbled upon this BRILLIANT idea on FB (from a gal I met on our honeymoon) = volunteers turn to wedding registries to help victims. And have you seen the cover of New York Magazine? OMG, it is an amazing picture of NYC taken from the air. And what an incredible story about how the photographer went about taking the pictures. 
• I LOVE butternut squash. Doesn't this butternut squash lasagna look DIVINE?! I'm putting this one on my list to make this winter! 
• I have yet to check out Giuliana and Bill Rancic's restaurant RPM but I LOVE following them via their show. PFC laughs at me. I find them funny and great (and fun that they live part time in Chicago). Windy City Live had Giuliana's mom (Mama DePandi) along w/ Bill and Giuliana on their show and she shared an italian favorite of hers (= Bucatini Pomodoro). 
• I'm in LOVE w/ this adorable and vintage inspired coat. Love it. 
• CMC loves pears. She would eat 2 at a time if we would allow her. I came across these yummy looking roasted pear and chocolate scones. She would GOBBLE them right up! I would too! 
• Very cool rustic wood box shelf.
• Thanksgiving is coming up SOON. I'm already thinking about sides. Here are 12 delicious looking sides. And how cute are these Turkey Cookies? The kids would LOVE them. 
• Peace, Love & Cupcakes = what more could you ask for?!
• A good friend of mine sent me this amazing DIY Owl Costume. I'm bookmarking this one for next year. Maybe MMC will go for it! 
• OMG, loving the new Made In Kind items for Anthropologie. Alexandra Grecoo's stuff is gorgeous. 
• Cute heartstripe sweater. 
• And I'll end w/ this great quote on friendship. Isn't that the truth?! 

My Latest Obsessions

Our "Bat"erina and Witch

Our Dino and Cowboy Daddy 

George-asaurus Rex

Happy Friday! What a week. Our thoughts and prayers are with all of those that were affected by Hurricane Sandy. Wow. Here are some amazing acts of kindness during Sandy.

My mom (JuJu) just left this morning. We are so sad. She was here over a week and we had the best time w/ her. She was supposed to fly out to NYC Wednesday evening to visit our youngest sister however, due to obvious reasons she was unable to make that trip (so she stayed w/ us a few extra days).

My mom has made a tradition of coming here for Halloween the last several years. It is crazy to think that she met PFC for the first time 4 years ago during Halloween weekend (when he asked both my stepdad and mom for their blessing). I'll always laugh remembering how he approached them - in between houses trick or treating! Cute!

We had a very fun Halloween - filled with lots of candy, costumes, trick or treating, and the parade at school. C + M were thrilled w/ their costumes this year and GMC finally got into the spirit when he saw everyone else dressed up. His favorite thing to do was to "rawr" at each door when he was Trick or Treating.

Tonight we are just relaxing. Much needed. We'll be up SUPER early to take the girls to their swim meet tomorrow. We'll be pulling out of the driveway before 6 AM (yikes = a large french vanilla coffee from Dunkin Donuts for me). And then tomorrow evening PFC/I are heading to a party at The Bedford. FUN!

Oh, and Peter/I watched Magic Mike last Friday PM. It was good - definitely not an Oscar award winner by any means but a solid flick and great eye candy for sure. Channing Tatum can MOVE IT! I mean, seriously!!!

Some of my latest faves:

• Yummy = Canyon Ranch's Pumpkin Crunch. 
• Love this clutch from Pendleton's Portland Collection! 
• These Parker House Rolls look amazing. I might try them for Thanksgiving. Don't they look awesome?!  Speaking of Thanksgiving wouldn't it be fun to make these Oreo Turkey Pops?! 
• I watch the New Girl when I get a chance to do so. I like Zooey Deschanel. She is cute, quirky and likeable. LOVED her latest love interest = hottie David Walton. Hopefully we'll see him around a few more episodes. 
• I would love to take a look at the Smitten Kitchen cookbook. Love her blog. 
• LOVE these fabric envelope letterpress wedding invitations. Gorgeous. Reminds me of our invitations! 
• When PFC/I wake up in the morning he always says, "Time to make the donuts." And honestly I have never known where he got that saying. So, the other day he showed me the old school Dunkin Donuts ad from 1983. I get it now! 
• How gorgeous are these bridal shower invitations?! So pretty. 
• These glittery pine cones are so pretty. Maybe a fun project over winter break!
• I LOVE Zingerman's Legendary Sourcream Coffeecake. It is the perfect gift to send to someone after you have spent the weekend at their home. So YUMMY! You'll be sure to be invited back! JuJu used to send this coffeecake to us when my sister and I lived together in the city. We LOVED it so much that we had to hide it. And one time we found it (weeks later) hidden in the oven. Tells you how much we cooked! 
• Check out this yummy Thanksgiving collection of ice cream from Jeni's. OMG, the pumpkin 5-spice sounds divine! 
• Cute Owl ornament. Adorable girls owl tunic sweater. 

Have a great weekend! 

My Latest Obsessions

Hooray - it's FRIDAY! 

Happy Friday! JuJu arrived Wednesday evening and we have been having a blast w/ her. It is always fun when she comes to visit. C + M had fun putting fake cockroaches and bugs in her bed for a little Halloween surprise! And Georgie brought her to school on Thursday and introduced her to his buddies. Very cute.

Last evening we had my mom's old design partner from Cincinnati over for dinner (along w/ her daughter). The two of them are always fun to see and visit w/. Per JuJu's request I made one of my faves = green chile chicken casserole. This casserole is always a crowd pleaser (and best part is that I can make the casserole the day before and pop it in the oven the next day). We had a salad of romaine/sunflower seeds/craisins/parmesan/avocado and caesar dressing. LOVE this salad! And for dessert I made Pioneer Women's Strawberry Sparkling Cake. It was super yummy. I ended up using a store bought angel food cake but next time I want to try and make a homemade angel food cake.

Tomorrow we are hosting my sister's little guy's 1st birthday party at our house. It should be lots of fun. He is such a cutie. Tomorrow PM we are off to a costume party - FUN! And Sunday I've got a tennis match. JuJu will stay w/ my sister and her husband downtown over the weekend and she'll be back w/ us for the beginning of next week! FUN!

Some of my latest faves:

• Adorable note of the day by a little girl entitled, "If I get a Boyfriend." 
• I'm a HUGE fan of exposed brick. Lots of great walls here. My favorite is the one w/ the wall behind the oven. 
• Cute tieback booties. 
• Pretty necklace (in lovely fall colors)! 
• I'm obsessed w/ owls. What a fun owl sweater! 
• I LOVE power naps, so I loved reading this article. 
• All this rain has me wanting to curl up w/ a good book (and wear these cozy pants). 
• If anyone needs a last minute halloween costume here are some adorable ones. LOVE the Morton Salt Girl = so cute! If you have a little more time on your hands this Book Fairy Costume. 
• I'm definitely going to make this personalized memory game for GMC for Christmas. Love it! This would make a great gift too. 
• Love this reversible ikat crossbody bag. Adorable! 
• Totally digging the new Mauve Metallic Linen TOMS. 
• How cute are these chocolate chip cookie party invitations?! Love them. And how FAB a printable template! 
• PFC and I really want to see the movie Argo. It looks great and is getting such awesome reviews. I did watch Butter and really enjoyed it. Jennifer Garner is really great in it. And you gotta love Ty Burrell who plays her husband. 
• I've always been a fan of Kate Hudson. Here are some pics from her photo shoot for Anne Taylor. 
• LOVE LOVE LOVE this birthday idea = Pajama Soiree. So cute. 
• I used to LOVE chai lattes but now I usually get order a skim latte. However, this How To on chai tea inspired me to make some Chai soon! 
• And lastly, some Parenthood fashion. Ray Romano and Lauren Graham discuss Will Sarah Leave Mark for Hank?! 

Have a FABULOUS weekend! 

My Latest Obsessions

LOVE LOVE LOVE this pic = My Favorite Boys

Happy Friday! For some reason this week has felt really long. Maybe its all the rain and falling temps that are dragging this week on and on!

Last Sunday we surprised C + M and I took them to Tour of Gymnastics Champions at the United Center. They were SO excited to see the FAB FIVE and others. The gymnastics was one of their favorite sports to watch during the 2012 Olympics. Unfortunately, 2 of the 5 girls was not there as they were hurt but all in all it was an amazing show. Nastia Liukin (2008 Olympics) was there and she was really great to watch. The girls LOVED it.

This week I met up w/ some of my girlfriends from the city and we went to Hot Chocolate. OMG, I forgot how amazing their dessert is = YUMMY! We splurged and split the following: malted chocolate milk shake, banana ice box cake, and some yummy doughnuts. And my burger wasn't too bad either!

We've been chatting about halloween costumes all week! I saw this pinata costume on pinterest and I cannot wait to start making it. I've ordered my leotard and the crepe paper! Peter and I are heading to a big halloween bash next weekend. PFC is undecided at the moment but he may try to pull off Mitt Romney's "binders full of women" comment during the debate. We shall see. Pics to follow! C is going to be a witch (a pretty one of course) and M is going to be a "bat-rina" (a scarier ballerina). And GMC is going to be a dinosaur!

I'll be flying solo this weekend as PFC is off on a guys weekend. Wish me luck!

And lastly, we are SO excited that JuJu will be here in a few days. She will be staying w/ us for a week. Hooray!

Some of my latest faves:

• Amazing fall recipes (all look AMAZING) = Pumpkin Spiced Oatmeal, Pumpkin Doughnuts (yummy looking), Pumpkin Pear Crisps, Pancetta, White Bean and Chard Pot Pies, and Garlic Sweet Potato Mash.
• Clever idea for a kids halloween party = Mask Bar. 
• Folks have been a buzz about Brad Pitt's latest Chanel no. 5 ad. Here is some history about the best selling perfume. 
• LOVE this grecian-esque dress = Marchioness Dress. Gorgeous color. 
• Every Christmas PFC gets me the new Linda & Harriett Letterpress calendar. I cannot wait to see the 2013 one! WOW, her new Quilt Calendar looks pretty spectacular. Some other pretty calendars. 
• I'm loving this Lace + Leather dress from Zara. It would be perfect for all those holiday parties! Here is a cute Sequinned Heart Dress from their kids line. C + M would love it! 
• Homemade Butterfinger, Snickers + Kit Kat Bars = divine looking! 
• I LOVE fresh flowers but wouldn't it be nice to have a bouquet that you don't have to throw away = Paper Bouquet. 
• A chevron party = WHY NOT! 
• Pretty vintage inspired dress (by Princess Catherine's favorite designer). 
• Cute Peplum Pink Dress. 
• A Starbucks OOPS! 
• Great tote. Love the pink stripe! Cute cross body bag. 
• Some cute DIY matchbook notebooks. Love these. 
• I saw these awesome little apple pie-lets on the Food Network. They look so yummy (and easy)!  

My Latest Obsessions

C + M's first swim meet of Fall/Winter season

Yummy apple pie (check out the little heart)

GMC enjoying a little airplane action

Happy Friday! Fall is in full force. LOVING all the gorgeous leaves that are changing. Fall is so pretty. Our pumpkins are on our stoop outside (yet to be carved) and our mums are out too.

Busy weekend ahead. Tonight we are hosting a cocktail party for folks to meet our new neighbors. And tomorrow we have our niece's 1st birthday party in the city. I'm also playing a tennis match tomorrow afternoon (FUN)!

Our dinner party last Saturday was a HUGE success. The menu was FAB and all the dishes were SUPER tasty. I will replicate this meal again for sure. Menu = grilled Ribeye steaks (that we got down the street from Kinnikinnick Farm this summer), started w/ pistachio beets (FAB), mashed potatoes (cream cheese is the key ingredient), roasted brussels sprouts, and for dessert we had apple pie w/ Petersen's vanilla bean ice cream (so yummy).

Some of my latest faves:

• LOVE this glitter crown tutorial. FAB idea. Would be cute for a girls bday party. 
• I really want to see the movie Butter w/ Jennifer Garner. 
• I'm more of a sweets person (than salty) but when I get a craving for potato chips I want to try to make some baked kale chips. 
• Here are some pretty fall flower centerpieces for your next dinner party. 
• My sister's little guy Graham's 1st birthday is coming up. I think I'm going to get him this adorable crochet owl hat. How cute! 
• What a gorgeous dinner party. I would have loved to have been invited to this one. LOVE it. 
• I'm currently sporting Essie's midnight cami on my nails. LOVE it. Saw it first on A Cup of Jo. 
• Interesting article entitled, "The Fine Line between Marriage and Divorce." Iris Krasnow wrote the book The Secret Lives of Wives. 
• Some great quotes from John Lennon. John Lennon would have been 72 yrs old this month. 
• Pretty ombre candy corn cake. I really want to make this! 
• How COOL = magnetic wallpaper. LOVE it. The kids would love this. 
• Zara Home has come to the states. Very cute kids stuff. 
• I've been wearing an oldie but goody lately = a caftan dress from Rachel Polly (mine is in red). I got it years ago at a boutique in Bozeman, MT. 
• Parenthood was great this week. I'm so curious how the Ray Romano and Lauren Graham relationship is going to pan out. Even Pioneer Woman is wondering what is going to happen w/ the two of them! I would like to see them together. Here is some Parenthood fashion for you. 
• I definitely want to try this Chicken Pot Pie soup. Looks so yummy. 
• Last night I made baked acorn squash - reminded me of growing up as my Mom used to always make it! 
• I've been told that I MUST try the new legging cords from Gap. I'm in! A friend said that the vamp red are FAB. 
• A friend dropped off some AMAZING chocolate chip cookies. HONESTLY one of the best chocolate chip cookies I've had. I HAD to get the recipe = Perfect Chocolate Chip recipe. 

My Latest Obsessions

GMC's fave = eating breakfast w/ his pal Elmo

Happy Friday! Wow, the temps have DROPPED. But I gotta say I honestly love fall in Chicago. So pretty. I don't mind the cooler temps. Time to layer up.

Lots going on this weekend. We have the girls first swim meet of the fall/winter season tomorrow morning. And tonight I'm heading out w/ some gals as one of our friends is moving soon. We have dinner plans at Paris Club and then who knows where we'll end up. And then Saturday night we are hosting a dinner party for a group of 12 (PFC's college buddies and their spouses). FUN! And here is a fabulous guide for how much food/drinks to serve at a party. And Sunday I'm hoping to snuggle in and catch up on some reading.

Some of my latest faves:

• OMG. I'm kind of obsessed w/ these crystal bulbs. They are so lovely. LOVE them (but not their price tag). Wouldn't they be pretty in a grouping. LOVE LOVE LOVE. 
• LOVE these tea towels. My fave = the bows. 
• I made these yummy Santa Fe Turkey Stuffed Peppers last evening for dinner. Delicious and so healthy. I doubled up on the jalapenos to give it a little more kick! 
• I'm TOTALLY loving Ray Romano's performance in Parenthood this season. Love him. And I kind of want him to end up w/ Sarah Braverman (yes, she is engaged but I think that this might be a better fit). He is endearing and she can get him to warm up. And seriously, when Peter/I have any serious conversations w/ the girls I think we need to call upon the writers of Parenthood. Jasmine's talk w/ her little guy was perfect. And here is some of this week's fashion from the show. 
• PFC/I officially started watching Season 1 of Modern Family and we LOVE it. I love all 3 couples. Hilarious. I now understand the hype! We are flying through the episodes and soon we'll be caught up. 
• I sent my youngest sister a care package awhile back and I think she is due for another one. How FAB is this one?! Everyone likes getting mail or packages in the mail! 
• This article is great - The Last Time. LOVED it. Makes you want to slow down. GMC started crying a few nights ago around 10:30 pm. Peter went upstairs to check on him. I was secretly hoping that he would bring him downstairs. He did. I laid him on my chest and snuggled w/ him. Reading that article made me think about when those little snuggles will end. 
• Nutella Krispie Treats = brilliant. YUM-O! 
• Chivalry Isn't Dead = LOVE this. And doesn't Dita Von Teese look amazing?! 
• Cute Peter Pan collar shirtdress. Love the color. And how exciting - Madewell has arrived at Oakbrook.  
• This Deep-Dish Pumpkin Meringue Pie looks so delicious. YUM! 

My Latest Obsessions

Georgie's latest faves = his backpack and straw fedora

Happy Friday! It has been such a GORGEOUS week - beautiful blue skies and perfect temps (low 70s but cool in the AM). Love FALL! The flip flops have officially been put away but that is okay.We are hoping to go apple picking this weekend but due to the drought the pickings are slim. We shall see!

Last night we hosted a little painting class/gathering. It was SO much fun! It made me miss creating art and being creative. Very therapeutic. So, Saturday night we have a toga party. Kind of hilarious, right?! I need to practice putting on a toga (haven't done so since my college days).

Hope everyone has a great weekend. The weather looks FAB.

Some of my latest faves:

• I took advantage of J.Crew's 25% off + free shipping (thru Sunday) and bought the schoolboy navy blazer I have been eyeing. Excited to get it in the mail! 
• Pretty table linens. And that cayenne color is PERFECT for fall. Speaking of table linens I'm thinking of our menu for an upcoming dinner party next weekend. We are hosting some of PFC's college buddies. We already bought the meat (XX) and I'm thinking of the following sides/items to go w/ the main entree: mashed potatoes (from my fave = Pioneer Woman), roasted brussels sprouts and pistachio beets (similar to the ones from the Purple Pig = LOVE LOVE LOVE). And I'm debating on what to do for dessert = apple pie (using the apples from our apple picking excursion) or Almond Florentine and Black Raspberry Chip Ice Cream sandwiches (w/ my fave = Graeter's ice cream). Thoughts? I'm leaning towards the apple pie but OMG those ice cream sandwiches are heavenly. Honestly. 
• Scarves 25 ways = awesome. I learned some new ones I want to try! 
• I've always been a fan of gold (vs silver). I'm more into warm tones. Some gold inspiration. My favorite pair of flats are gold. 
• Totally digging this hair tutorial. Speaking of hair I need to get a new braidband. Aubrey's braidbands were featured in Daily Candy. How fun! 
• Ever feel a bit overwhelmed? Loved this post from A Cup of Jo. 
• I watched Alex Guarnaschelli make these Raspberry Beignets with Vanilla Dipping Sauce on the Food Network the other day. OMG - they look AMAZING.  
• So fun = Kate Spade partnered up w/ Paperless Post. Cannot wait to use one of their invitations. LOVE. 
• Another great Etsy store = Burlap Art. A friend of mine sent me her shop. Love her stuff. 
• I'm a Mom - interesting article. And yes, I get it. 
• My sister and I have been chatting about her little guy Graham's first birthday party. I'm digging these owl cupcakes for the party. 
• Another great episode of Parenthood this week. Some Parenthood fashion. Curious what is going to happen between Heather Graham and Ray Romano - looks like it could get interesting!