My Latest Obsessions

Hanging out w/ dear friends at the fabulous Eden East in Austin, TX

Our menu from Eden East = OMG, Amazing!
Fave = the soft deep fried egg! 

Iconic 'I love you so much' mural next to Jo's Coffee in the
South Congress neighborhood of Austin =
had to take the pic! 

My latest favorite = Topo Chico (mineral water sold all over Austin, but PFC found some in Chi-town)

Hanging w/ my favorite peeps on Mother's Day

CMC's last lndian Princess Campout = IP Graduation Ceremony

G$ heading to one of his T-Ball games

Happy Friday! I haven't posted in several weeks = the joys of what I'm referring to as May Madness! PFC and I were away in Austin the first weekend in May visiting some dear friends of ours. We had a wonderful time. I hadn't been to Austin in about 10ish years (and wow, the city has changed so much = check out the skyline alone!). We then had a jam packed Mother's Day weekend and this past weekend the girls were w/ PFC at their Indian Princess camp out. Indian Princess is one of their all time favorite activities = love that!

Wishing everyone a wonderful holiday weekend! I'm excited that I get to catch up briefly w/ my youngest sister who will be in town = fun! I'm always revisiting memories from my solo trip out to see her two years ago around this time = must do again! And I'm looking forward to catching our local Memorial Day parade (w/ my middle sister and her crew) and the BBQs, parties and gatherings that ensue.

Cheers to a wonderful long weekend! Happy Memorial Day! XO - d2

Some of my latest faves:

• PFC and I had a really great time visiting our friends in Austin. Such an awesome city. We hit up some really great spots = Tacodeli (awesome tacos made w/ fresh and local ingredients), dinner at Eden East (ah-mazing super unique farm to table spot in the city limits of Austin where we were able to tour the farm grounds = loved it and had the opportunity to experience celebrity guest chef Georgia Pellegrini's fabulous tasting menu), fabulous breakfast at Snack Bar (= super yummy), stopped by Guero's Taco Bar and chilled outside listening to music, pit stop at Jo's Coffee (and photo op = 'I love you so much' graffiti), popped into The Continental for a bit (so cool!), browsed around Uncommon Objects (PFC was in heaven!) and then our last night in town we had dinner at Lamberts (= OMG, yummy!). I instantly fell in love w/ Topo Chico mineral waters that were at every bar and restaurant (so much in fact that PFC and the kids took a field trip to a Jimenez grocery store and picked some up to surprise me for Mother's Day!). But most importantly, it was so good to catch up w/ someone who I have known for so long and was w/ me though various chapters in my life (= college and then as roommates after college - my DC days!).
• Speaking of dear friends, I recently read some of A Cup of Jo's posts on friendship = interesting and so true = The Secret to Female Friends, If Guys Vacationed Like Girls (made me laugh so hard = so true!), and Making Friends as an Adult. Some of these exact topics have come up recently w/ some girlfriends.  
• Austin, TX has been on my mind this month = check out this awesome 400 square foot house. Adorable! Totally intrigued by the perforated-copper panels from Parasoleil. 
• Movie on my list  = Love & Mercy. It's been awhile =  need a John Cusack fix! 
• Two favorites = Rifle Paper Co. + LeSportsac = a gorgeous collaboration of bags! LOVE! 
• Cute jumpsuit for spring/summer. Love the pattern! 
• Can't wait until summer is here. I love peaches and I cannot wait to try out this Skillet Basil-Peach Chicken breasts. Yum! 
• These kid's party cups are adorable! So cute. Who doesn't love googly eyes?! I'll have to remember this idea. 
• As a family we are trying to be more conscientious of the filler word "like."  I caught myself a few weeks ago sounding "like" Cher from Clueless. Such a tough habit to knock.  What does your filler word say about you? 
• Love this = 20 soul building words for the ones you love. 
• Spring always makes me think about purging and finding ways to simplify. The book, The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, has been on my list for awhile. Right now it is sitting in a pile waiting to be read! Has anyone read it?! I understand that the author is a bit quirky but hey, who isn't?! And the other day someone mentioned that she enjoyed the book, The Rosie Project by Graeme Simsion. I'm adding it to my list! Looks charming and light yet offers up some thoughtful questions along the way. The running joke in The Rosie Project = "Humans often fail to see what is close to them and obvious to others" = we all fall victim to that exact sentiment at some point, right?!   
• Sunny days ahead = my go to guide for sunscreen (via the Environmental Working Group). I'm trying to stick to zinc based sunscreens these days. 

My Latest Obsessions

Monkey See, Monkey Do = "When do I get homework like the girls?"

Happy Friday! Tonight PFC and I are having dinner w/ some friends at one of our favorite spots = The Bristol. I'm always reminded of our rehearsal dinner when we head there (as we took over the 2nd floor of the restaurant the night before our wedding). Such fun memories!

Fingers crossed that it doesn't rain too much tomorrow so we can get through all of our softball and Tball games!

Have a fabulous weekend! XO - d2

Some of my latest faves...

• I love this = The Impact of a Positive Response. And the secret to not getting frustrated. 
• 5 ways to gift wrap for spring = super cute! My favorite = the monogram wrapping. 
• I think the kids would love this baked ravioli. Looks easy too! 
• The book, All the Light We Cannot See by Anthony Doerr, has been on my list to read. It just won a Pulitzer Prize for fiction. 
• Awesome news = executive producer for Parenthood would love to do a limited series. That would be amazing as I miss my Braverman family! And other interesting TV news = John Stamos confirms a Full House reunion (and 13 episodes) on netflix. Interesting! 
• This is fantastic = how to teach your child not to interrupt. 
• Love this downtown field jacket. It is Barbour-esque w/o the price tag. 
• I LOVE these spring wedding invitations. Gorgeous! The watercolor envelope liner = fab! 
• These pretty tea towels would make cute mother's day gifts. 
• One of my favorite people will be speaking at a local TEDx event at the end of May. Excited to attend! 
• In a few weeks I'm going to see Barbara Rinella's book dramatization of the book, The News Sorority. I'm picking up the book this weekend. Has anyone read it yet? 
• I love the soft edging cut of scallops. A friend's pretty scalloped Kate Spade bag caught my eye the other day. So cute! Here's a simple yet pretty scalloped hem tee. Here are some cute scalloped ballet flats (great price too!). Love this gold pair! 
• I thought this was an excellent read = the one question that can also be an answer. I need to try this more w/ the kids. Asking, "How can I help?" comes across with much more warmth than "What is wrong?"
• Interesting article = How Women Undermine Themselves with Words. I definitely had some "aha" moments myself when reading it. I have been consciously catching myself inserting just and actually and using qualifiers.
•  LOVE these metallic sandals (now if the weather would cooperate and warm up a bit)! Awesome color = rose gold! 
• We've all got a bucket list of sorts. But what about a Moral Bucket List?!  Fantastic! 

My Latest Obsessions

Easter 2015

Sisters! 

Happy Friday! I'm looking forward to a fairly chill weekend ahead = hooray. PFC and I are in spring cleaning mode and we are hoping to carve out some time to declutter. It is amazing how little by little things start to pile up over the long fall/winter. Sigh.

Here's to hoping you have a fabulous weekend! And the weather forecast looks awesome. Finally, some sunny skies and warmer temps.

Some of my latest faves...

• Here is a really cool industrial loft in Brooklyn. I love the look of it but not sure I could handle the completely open concept. LOVE this Portland farmhouse makeover. Awesome! 
• Adore these hand lettered invitations. 
• 7 fun ways to teach your child mindfulness. 
• I'm saving this awesome guide to LA for the next time I'm in CA. 
• I just bought a vegetable and fruit spiralizer and I'm excited to try it out. I'm either going to make Zucchini Noodles with Lemon-Garlic Spicy Shrimp or Kung Pao Chicken Zoodles for Two this weekend. 
• Smoking slipper season is coming to an end. I'm ready to dust off my flip flops but I still wear slippers all the time at home. How fun are these DIY smoking slippers?! Wouldn't it be a fun little gathering = DIY smoking slipper party?! Love this Heart Eyes iron on! Or this fox would be so cute! 
• I LOVE Rifle Paper & Co. Fun read = A Day in the Life of Anna Bond (of Rifle Paper & Co.). This floral coaster set would make a great gift.
• Fans of Scott Eastwood will enjoy this one = just click here (you won't be sorry)! 
• A good friend turned me on to HGTV's Fixer Upper. Love it! We watched an episode one night as a family (and we went back/forth between Fixer Upper and the Blackhawks game)! Joanna on the show has her own shop, the Magnolia market. Found this cute tray w/ assorted glass jars. 
• What a fabulous line up of 2015 graduation speakers. Honestly I cannot even remember who spoke at Denison University's graduation. Any '00 grads remember who spoke?! 
• I definitely want to make this kale salad soon. Looks super yummy. Speaking of Jenny from Dinner: A Love Story, I love her article on the Amazing Healing Powers of Mashed Potatoes. 

My Latest Obsessions

GMC making his fave muffins = banana nutella muffins!

Happy Friday! I feel as though March is always the calm before the madness of all things spring related (school coming to end, first communions, graduations, Mother's Day, and spring sport schedules). We're staying here during spring break and the girls have asked me to write up our staycation schedule. I'm still adding things to our list! We're kicking off the break w/ a cousin sleepover Sunday pm and I'm taking the older kids to see the musical All Shook Up at PFC's old high school alma mater. And the weather here next week might just be in our favor.

I'm SUPER excited to see my youngest sister this weekend. She is in town this weekend as she is part of The Graham Foundation's exhibition and publication project entitled, Why Write Alone? PFC and I are heading out to dinner on Saturday to meet up w/ my middle sister and her husband and then we'll catch up w/ the youngest pup. Pumped to check out Fig & Olive. The dinner menu looks fab!

Have a wonderful weekend. And safe travels to those who are going away for the week.

XO - d2

Some of my latest faves...

• I finished the book, Still Alice = loved it! Tough topic but great book. I just started The Missing Place by Sophie Littlefield. 
• We've been making nutella banana muffins for years = a great way to use very ripe bananas. The kids LOVE these muffins. And GMC loves helping me make them. He is the first one to tell me when the bananas are brown! 
• Alpana Singh's new restaurant, Seven Lions, looks really awesome. Early impressions.  
• PFC and I saw the movie, American Sniper, last weekend. Excellent movie. Bradley Cooper was excellent. My boyfriend, Scott Eastwood, was in a preview for the new movie, The Longest Ride. What a cutie! 
• LOVE this relaxed triple braid. Next on my list to try. 
• Great Vanity Fair article on Chicago's own, Mellody Hobson. She's a rock star! 
• Baked chickpeas with pita chips and yogurt = looks yummy! 
• Think summer = Tori Praver swim suit collaboration for Target. Entire collection here. Love the triangle print. 
• Pretty Woman turns 25 = no way! 
• Get your writing on = sign up for the free writing kit from Egg Press and others. FUN = some great reasons to write a letter. 
• Who doesn't love grilled cheese? Especially a grown up version! Yummy. 
• Very excited for Lilly Pulitzer's collaboration w/ Target. Awesome stuff. Check it out! Too many favorite items to list. 
• 10 ways to add unexpected color.  
• Cute cropped embroidered laser cup top. Love this long laser cut skirt. Awesome jacket w/ large patch pockets. 
• A friend was wearing some simple and pretty gold bar earrings the other day. Here is a pretty pair. 
• Easter is coming up soon. Time to think about easter baskets for the kiddos. I picked up initial logo loops headbands for both girls from our local toy store, Geppetto's Toy Box. And I picked up a Bunny Popper for G. Maybe the Easter Bunny will bring me this adult coloring book. Fun! 
• This slow cooker ham looks like a great option for Easter Sunday. 
• Favorite Jackie O quotes of all time. 

My Latest Obsessions

St. Patrick's Day - me & G$

CMC enjoying her St. Patrick's Day iced cookie from Kay's Bakery = YUM!

MMC and her yummy St. P's Day Cookie

Happy Friday! Hope everyone had a great St. Patrick's Day. Spring is in the air and the snow has officially melted = wahoo! GMC keeps asking when the outdoor swimming pool will be open. Not for awhile buddy but soon! Last weekend's warm temps were quite a tease.

PFC and I are heading out for a date night tomorrow pm = dinner and a movie. Excited for some uninterrupted time w/ PFC. I think we're going to see American Sniper.

Cheers to a great weekend. XO - d2

Some of my latest faves:

• Flared jeans are back! I wonder if I still have any that I could pull out from the 90s!
• Here's a pretty and simple braid.  
• Awhile back Joanna Goddard of A Cup of Jo shared an article her brother-in-law wrote for the New York Times last winter entitled How Long Have I Got Left. I was so utterly moved by his eloquent words. I've referred back to it a few times over this past year. And more recently he wrote an article for Stanford Medicine, Before I Go. Sadly, Paul Kalanithi passed away last week. Totally heartbreaking. What an amazing father, husband, doctor and person. 
• I made this chicken pot pie earlier in the week. Kids and PFC liked it = score! 
• Here are some cute Easter bunny treats. 
• Everything you need to know to find quality sheets and a stylish bed. I had not heard of Parachute Home before. Seems like the Everlane of bedding. Speaking of Everlane, I just saw that they came out w/ a new anorak. Very cute. I might have jumped on that one if I hadn't bought the drippity jacket last fall. 
• Pretty white lace dress. 
• Here's some fun wallpaper. This fox wallpaper would be adorable in a nursery. 
• I still remember my first pair of Birkenstocks. They were blue suede and I lost one of them at a super rainy and muddy outdoor music concert. I never replaced them. Last summer I saw a lot of folks wearing the Gizeh style. However, I think I would go w/ the Almere sandal. 
• This dance mashup is awesome! You'll recognize a lot of these famous dance scenes. It includes one of my all time favorites = Hugh Grant's dance in Love Actually. And this treadmill dancer is amazing! 
• I started the book Still Alice by Lisa Genova. Great so far. And Julianne Moore just won best actress at the Oscar's for her performance in the movie (based on the book). Heard that Moore was fantastic. 
• This weather has me thinking about spring/summer. Love these d'orsay flats, scaled cut out flats, and basketweave fold up flats (great neutral). 
• Some spring inspiration = DIY flower arranging, recipes and table settings. This coconut bunny cake looks yummy and is super cute. It reminds me of the lamb cakes we used to make w/ my mom for Easter. Here are some cute copper cookie cutters. I want to try William Sonoma's cardamom cutout sugar cookie recipe soon. And what a cute cookie jar! 

My Latest Obsessions

CMC + MMC skiing at Crystal Mountain

GMC's 1st time skiing = success!

Pura Vida - chilling in Peninsula  Papagayo

Happy Friday! I cannot believe it is March. We are just a bit closer to spring (even if it doesn't feel like it yet)! Over President's Day weekend we went skiing with several local families. It was a blast but FREEZING. And just last Sunday PFC and I got back from Peninsula Papagayo w/ 2 other couples. We had the best time and were grateful for some vitamin D and warmer temps. It was a nice change of pace. Pura vida!

This weekend we'll be kicking off St. Patrick's Day w/ our local parade and some parties. I've gotta start thinking green. These St. Patrick's Day clover crowns are super cute. However, there was some talk during dinner last night of us heading out Saturday to ski as a family (warmer temps and sun!). We'll see what we decide to do!

Have a fabulous weekend! XO - D2

Some of my latest faves:

• I read 3 books while we were away. LOVED The Girl on the Train by Paula Hawkins. I also read Liane Moriarty's The Last Anniversary and The Storied Life of A.J. Fikry by Gabrielle Zevin (great book!). Here is a list of 12 books you should read in 2015. Now I need a new one to read. Any suggestions? 
• White paint is so tough. There are so many different shades of white - some cool and some warm. 14 top designers share their go-to white paint colors. 
• PFC and I watched The Theory of Everything a few nights ago. Excellent movie. We both loved it. Eddie Redmayne and Felicity Jones were both outstanding. Oh, and it looks like Gillian Flynn's book Dark Places is going to be made into a movie (starring Charlize Theron). 
• Interesting articles = the Dangers of Being Agreeable and The Scary Power of Negative Words. 
• Some dinners that are on my list to make = chicken pot pie, pesto vegetarian lasagna, one pot orecchiette pasta, braised short ribs (PFC's favorite thing ever). And here are some crock pot meals.  
• I love George Clooney. Always have. Loved his days on ER. The Clooney Effect. 
• Totally digging Tom Odell's song Another Love. Have you heard about the basement tapes? They are some of Bob Dylan's never-seen lyrics that have been brought to life by Burnett, Costello, Giddens, Goldsmith, James and Mumford. Faves = "When I Get My Hands on You" and "Kansas City" by Mumford. 
• Summer will be here at some point, right?! Some pretty dresses = Pina Lace Dress, Parted Emerald Dress (pricey but LOVE the color) and this Verda Maxi Dress. And for a limited time enjoy 20% off dresses at Anthro. Fun! And this necklace from J.Crew Factory has become a staple of mine. 
• I like to mix and match bikini tops w/ bottoms (fave bottom = flounce swim skirt). I picked up this top before our trip to Costa Rica. Can't beat the price!
• I ordered a thank you gift from Heath Ceramics. If I'm out in Sausalito or SF I would love to go on a factory tour. 
• I read this post on Food Fantasies and laughed (out loud!). My sisters and I play this game sometimes - where you don't take into account calories or overall health factors. My ideal would be reese's peanut butter cups (standard size) and homemade chocolate chip cookies. Yum! 
• My favorite perfume = Jo Malone's Blue Agava and Cacao (layered w/ a bit of Pomegranate Noir). However, recently I discovered Lifetherapy's Pulse Point Oil Perfumes. I love the Calm scent. This would make a great gift! 
• These hugging skeletons have been trending online. Powerful message. The video will make you smile (and want to hug someone!). 

My Latest Obsessions

Annual Dinner at Five O'Clock Steakhouse in Milwaukee = old school, baby!

CMC is 11!

MMC is 9!

Valentine's Day Daddy Daughter Dance

Happy Friday! We're heading out shortly to Crystal Mountain to ski for the long weekend. We're meeting up with a bunch of other families. It is going to be a blast! This will be GMC's first time skiing - fun!

Wishing everyone a FABULOUS Valentine's Day weekend! Stay warm!

XO - D2

Some of my latest faves:

• PFC and I had a great weekend trip to Milwaukee a few weeks ago. I love our annual winter tradition of a weekend there. We always head to 5 O'Clock Steakhouse one evening for dinner and then try out a new restaurant the next evening. This year we went to All Purpose and it was FANTABULOUS. Loved it. The food was fantastic and the decor was spot on. And we love retreating back to our hotel = Iron Horse Inn = LOVE it there! And we checked out a new spot for breakfast = Engine Co. No. 3 = amazing food. 
• I LOVE all of these great Valentine's Day ideas = 3 easy Valentines for your coworkers and 14 ideas for non-candy Valentines. I LOVE Rifle & Co.'s Valentine's Day cards. And I got rid of my Otterbox iphone case for a new prettier one from Rifle & Co. 
• Jimmy Fallon is killing it lately on The Tonight Show. OMG, love him! My latest two faves = Jimmy Fallon + Nicole Kidman = classic and Jimmy Fallon goes to Bayside HS. 
• We met PFC's cousin's new baby girl the other day. She was wearing the cutest booties EVER. I've bookmarked this link for the next time I need a baby gift. 
• Some tricks for avoiding small talk. 
• News in the retail world = Madewell will be selling items at Nordstroms. 
• I made Jenny Steffen's molten cakes for Christmas Eve dinner. They were surprisingly very easy and a huge hit. Next time I might try them w/ these paper souffle cups. These would be perfect for a Valentine's Day dessert! 
• I've been eating this bruschetta lentil dip for lunch w/ cucumber slices. It is SO good and easy.
• The only 3 salts that you need.
• Okay, Parenthood is officially over. 6 seasons and the series finale was a few weeks ago. I cried and cried but they did a fantastic job on the last (ever!) episode. For sure. I already miss my Braverman clan.   
• Nashville is on my list of cities to visit. I'm saving this post on 24 hours in Nashville. And 40 places to visit with your kids before they are all grown up. 
• I snagged this pretty skirt on sale from Anthro. I wore it to a cocktail party last weekend and I can tell it will be one of those pieces in my closet that I will wear a few different ways. 
• Chicago now has a Shake Shack = awesome! Here are some insider secrets of why their cheeseburgers are so delicious! 
• PFC and I want to watch the documentary, Finding Vivian Maier. 
• I might have to make these Magic 5 Snack Bites! 
• Wahoo = Granville, OH made the top 10 list for best day trips. I spent 4 awesome years there at Denison University! PFC and I have said that we want to drive there at some point and bring the kids to show them the campus and town.