My Latest Obsessions

PFC + I chilling in the Iron Horse Hotel's lobby 2 weekends ago in Milwaukee.
Cozy perfection = Sunday New York Times read front to back (an extreme rarity these days), cups of Alterra Coffee in hand (need I say more), lounging on the comfortable couch (and forgetting that it wasn't our own living room).
Pure bliss.

The two of us at the old school time-warp steakhouse (Coerper's 5 O'Clock Steakhouse) that 5 yrs ago kicked off
what has now become our annual wknd trip to Milwaukee in February.

Happy Friday! I feel like it has been a SUPER long couple of weeks. Maybe part of that feeling is due to the immediate "re-entry shock" factor you experience after returning from a very different paced weekend than your usual norm. Two weekends ago we were in Milwaukee for a weekend (sans kiddos) and then this past weekend my Dad was in town for 3 nights and we hosted him at our place.

PFC and I almost had to laugh the Sunday we returned from Milwaukee. We high fived one another while pulling in to our driveway - "BAM" = reality (and unfortunately, the "BAM" didn't involve Chef Emeril Lagasse preparing dinner for us that evening). Our chill and rejuvenating weekend had quickly come to an end. I had a brief moment of mourning the quiet (come on now, just 5 more minutes please...) and the idea that our day was our own. And then "BAM" reality appeared, yet a good reality. Those giant hugs from the kiddos transitioned us back to reality. Game on!

I have to say I LOVE Milwaukee. Honestly do. People sometimes laugh when PFC/I tell them that every February we head up to Milwaukee for a weekend get away. Milwaukee, really?! Honest to goodness I totally and utterly dig that town. Love it.We have been heading up there for 5 years now. The first trip up there was Marquette related (PFC's alma mater) but we ended up turning that weekend in to a tradition, but one where we head to Milwaukee by ourselves with an agenda that is entirely our own. For us, that is quite a novelty and really a novelty for anyone these days w/ young kids at home. While both of us have the luxury and the wonderful benefits of being physically surrounded by so many family members (immediate and extended) and many dear friends it is nice and equally important for us to step outside of all of that and just BE. Be alone w/ one another. Just ask PFC about my momentary panic the first day of our honeymoon = OMG, ummm, PFC, I honestly don't think we have spent this much time ALONE (w/o kids, w/o friends, w/o family or w/o an itinerary) EVER. Will we survive this?! I was kidding (kind of!) but for us we had never truly had that "dating/courting" period of time where one gets to spend time w/ that person (w/o too many distractions or variables) or that simple idea of waking up and deciding what we wanted to do for that day (just because). Kind of a humorous thought on your honeymoon, right?! We definitely survived and even discovered our own version of how we enjoy to travel (as a couple) vs visiting my family (that is mostly out of town) or traveling w/ our kiddos. I laugh as sometimes when we wake up on a normal day we look at one another and say, "so, whatcha want to do today?" And we then rattle off our imaginary list (slightly different from the current day ahead, ha). A quick "high five," a mutual wink and a shared laugh together and then we begin our usual day. And that so called usual day ain't so bad!

PFC and I think we have finally perfected our Milwaukee weekend - w/ just the right balance of what I deem "anchors" (solidified items on our itinerary). Anyone that knows me (even just a wee bit) knows that I'm a bit of a calendar and details wh*re. Call it what you may - but calendars, details and research soothe me. They are my zen. So, for me personally, driving up to Milwaukee and having dinner reservations secured for both Friday and Saturday nights "anchored" me so to speak. I was zen. And then the rest of the weekend unfolded organically - which I so love. I love when one thing leads to another and then to another. For instance, we had this lovely conversation w/ a couple next to us at the counter of the Cafe at The Plaza Saturday morning. The couple also happens to live in a western suburb of Chicago and in true small world fashion we knew several people in common. We chatted and laughed w/ them as they were a window to our future. Most of their children have been launched so to speak and they were visiting their youngest son at Marquette. They too shared our affection and love for Milwaukee. One sentiment really struck a chord w/ me during our conversation w/ them = "We truly put our time and energy in when the kids were little and now have the time to enjoy things on a different timeline." We laughed as that timeline didn't involve 5 or 10 minute increments that parents w/ young children know so well. And that same sentiment led me to revisit an article entitled, The Last Time. The article reminded me to really hold on to some of those moments that I sometimes now take for granted w/ the kids.

Okay, so here are some of our faves from Milwaukee:

• Iron Horse Hotel = LOVE the story. Love the design and decor. Appreciate the history. They honestly had me at hello upon arrival. I even love the fact that the owner Tim Dixon is a carpenter by trade as it is quite evident in all of the details of the hotel. Here is a little chat w/ Mr. Dixon. We have stopped by the IH a few times during past visits to check out The Yard or Smythe but this was our first time staying overnight. One of my fave times during the weekend stay at IH was enjoying a leisurely breakfast in The Library at one of the communal tables and then retiring to The Lobby (to relish in our last few hours before saying goodbye to Milwaukee). Oh, and lastly and quite frankly very important and key to me = the concierge Kathryn. She set the tone for our trip. I love that. She was super fun to chat w/ about Milwaukee and scored us a res at the always packed restaurant Odd Duck. 
• Odd Duck = LOVE LOVE LOVED it. I'm a total atmosphere person and can sometimes get beyond not so great food when you are w/ fabulous company and in a spot that has just the right vibe. Odd Duck not only has an amazing vibe and feel to it the food was AMAZING. Enjoyed many small plates w/ PFC. Think Avec-esque (if thinking in Chicago terms). Speaking of Avec, I need me some Avec soonish. Oh, and the absolutely adorable co-owner and consummate hostess) Melissa was a doll and super helpful w/ suggesting some of her fave breakfast/brunch spots for us to try the next morning. And lastly, I was totally digging her turquoise tights. She had that vintage/bohemian/funky yet totally pulled together at the same time "look" that I so love. Kudos to both Melissa and her partner as they are getting rave reviews. And a special shout out to my HS friend who suggested we check it out!
• After a lovely dinner at Odd Duck we stopped by Bryant's Cocktail Lounge. In some bizarrely similar way it reminded me a striped down, time warp / vintage cocktail bar version of The Aviary (minus Aviary's sexy decor and high prices). The bartenders at Bryant's are what we now have come to call mixologists. Here is a bit of history. PFC remembers being there back in his Marquette days but it was fun for him to head back there. They don't have a drink menu per se and you just tell the cocktail waitress (doesn't that in and of itself speak old school right there?!) what you fancy and she asks you a few questions and bingo - your drink arrives shortly thereafter. It is one of those spots you would drive by and wonder what is up w/ the random white house. Random, yes. But oh no, head inside and you'll see for yourself. Even Esquire mag's 2012 Best Bars of America list digs it! 
• We had a great time at The Cafe at The Plaza. Melissa from the Odd Duck mentioned The Cafe as a great spot to have breakfast. We LOVED it. Think old school and cool 1920's era Art Deco decor yet with a very modern breakfast menu of fresh ingredients. And of course, they had me at "we serve Alterra coffee." I had one of the most unique breakfast items I've ever had = Sherried Black Truffle Eggs. They were FAB. Excellent menu. I still dream about my eggs. We chose to sit at the counter which was perfect. The newspaper was spread out between us (when does that ever happen?) and truly took in the leisurely pace of our morning. It was fun chatting w/ our waiter and then as we were leaving we starting talking w/ a couple that had just sat down next to us. Well, an hour later we were laughing and running through our Milwaukee faves and talking about life, kids and the pursuit of happiness. I was admiring the earrings of the lady we were chatting w/ and that led us to check out Lela Boutique (just outside of the Public Market in the Historic Third Ward). The owner of the boutique was expecting us as the couple we had spoken to at The Cafe gave her a heads up that we might be popping in. Love that kind of stuff! 
• During past trips I've always wanted to check out the Milwaukee Public Market. This time we did and I think from now on we'll add it to our list of places to stop by. We enjoyed strolling (yes, I did say strolling and not RACING) through the market and checking out all of the great independent food merchants (many of whom have Wisconsin roots). LOVE that. I did buy a great hand knit one of a kind scarf that reminds me of our weekend = cozy. 
• And last but not least we ALWAYS head to 5 O'Clock Steakhouse (formerly Coerper's) for dinner when in town. How can you not?! I mean once you dine at a place that has carpet on the walls you cannot NOT go back. Come on now?! Talk about time warp. Even Rachel Ray loves it! This was the restaurant that kicked off our now yearly tradition.

And here are a couple of places that I've added to our next weekend in Milwaukee. See you next February, Milwaukee!

• Koz's Mini Bowl, the Oriental Theatre (because seeing a movie in the afternoon w/ no where to go afterwards = pure bliss), Cafe Corazon (this article seems to truly capture the essence of the place) and Wolf Peach (we've been to the location's predecessor = Roots). 

And cheers to those of you who are looking forward to a long weekend. We certainly are taking advantage of the extra day off and heading up to Lake Geneva to what has now become an annual ski/waterpark weekend w/ some of our favorite local family friends.

My Latest Obsessions

Happy (SOON to be) Birthday, Margaret! You are almost 7 years old! 

One of PFC's FAB finds

Happy Friday! Whoa...WINTER is here. Am I happy about it? Truthfully, NO. But one thing I do love is the level of appreciation we (being one w/ the Chicagoans) have when spring officially hits. Once the temps rise folks start to come out of the woodwork (by dining al fresca, dusting off our flip flops, and leaving our windows open). We commiserate together in the dead of winter sipping hot chocolate by a roaring fire while wearing our UGGs and cozy sweaters and we then celebrate the spring + summer with much enthusiasm. This article on why Chicago is actually a great place to visit in the winter is great (and made me think outside of the "freezing" box).

January is our month of birthdays galore. I feel as though I've been eating cake on a daily basis. We kicked off the year w/ my birthday on the 8th and then Miss Cate's birthday was last Sunday and Margaret turns 7 (wow!) next Thursday. Time to detox on all sugar starting February 1st! Last year the gals had a combined birthday tea party bash with the lovely Mrs. Newberry at our house. She transformed our first floor in to a tea party wonderland w/ racks of dresses to dress up in. It was quite a party! The gals still talk about Mrs. Newberry and her british accent and amazing outfit. I still laugh because the gal would NOT step out of character and refused to call me by my first name. She was very good - I'll give her that for sure. So, this year we told the girls we were going to have a more chill and low key birthday. On Sunday the girls along with a friend each are heading to Moss Modern Flowers for an afternoon of garden making. Each of the gals will leave the place with their own little garden. They are SUPER excited. It will be fun to see how creative they get as the owner herself is quite an artist in her own right.

Our book club discussed the Steve Jobs' biography last evening. It was interesting to hear peoples thoughts on such a brilliant yet complex guy. We all laughed as pretty much all of us had our iPhones perched next to us throughout the evening (which is a normalcy these days, right?!). And yes, I did use the word "perched" as if my phone is a person or bird. Fortunately or unfortunately I'm attached (physically and yes, emotionally speaking) to my iPhone. Always. I have Steve Jobs to thank for that! You had me at hello for sure.

Saturday night PFC/I are excited to CHILL. It feels like we have not done so in awhile. We'll be watching the season finale of Parenthood that we DVRed and getting through some more Season 1 episodes of Homeland. OMG, I'm addicted. TRULY. FULLY. GAME ON. I GET IT. I GET THE HYPE. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE. Homeland is why I didn't even watch the finale of Parenthood when it aired on Tuesday (as all of a sudden it was midnight and we had watched 3 more episodes of Homeland after the kids had gone to bed). I cannot believe I cheated on my beloved Braverman family. Please forgive me. Brody has taken over my world.

Oh, and last thing. I FINALLY saw PFC in his "American Pickers" element this morning. If any of you watch the show you know what I'm talking about! OMG. Hilarious. My Mom JuJu would love to see him in action as the two of them chat about antiques and finds all the time. We cut out for a bit earlier today and headed to an estate sale in town. PFC found several old vintage pictures that will be perfect above my vanity (see example of one above). Ode to the proper dressing room!

Have a wonderful weekend. Stay warm.
XO - D2

Some of my latest faves:

• I'm making this Crock Pot Picante Chicken and Black Bean Soup for dinner Saturday evening. Give me a bowl of this soup, a cozy blanket and I'll definitely be ready to get through the season finale of Parenthood and some more episodes of Homeland. For sure. 
• I've taken knitting lessons in the past and can knit a simple scarf. Every winter I think I'll get back into it. This chunky cowl is calling my name! And speaking of the gal behind the chunky cowl, Danielle Henderson's book Feminist Ryan Gosling looks awesome. Must check out. Love what Paste Magazine has to say about the book. "It's more-or-less scientifically proven that no woman can resist the allure of Ryan Gosling's endearing ways, especially when he's saying things like, 'Hey Girl. I just really love Azealia Banks.'" And OMG, no way = 10 year old Ryan Gosling. Seriously. The cutest thing. EVER. 
• Neon flats. LOVE. Think spring. They remind me a bit of one of my favorite pair of gold flats. 
• I loved this post by a local friend entitled A Color Filled World. 
• OMG, a good friend sent me this hilarious look at What Your American Girl Doll Says about the Rest of your Life. I was laughing. Out loud. Very funny. 
• Cuteness = Geo Print Legging Skimmer jeans. 
• I loved the movie, Bridget Jones Diary. Circa 2001. There were so many great quotes and exchanges. And now, Living in: Bridget Jone's Diary. 
• And I'll leave you w/ a happy and upbeat song = Ho Hey by The Lumineers (it was fun watching them on SNL last Saturday). LOVE them. 

My Latest Obsessions

Happy Birthday, Catherine! Our Cate turns 9 on Sunday! 

Happy Friday! I'm thrilled it is Friday. I've already had a marathon day of errands and running around and I was even able to volunteer at C + M's school during Fun Lunch. It is always fun to see them in their school environment (as I know there will come a day when they don't want me to be there!).

Tonight we are relaxing. I still need to finish up Steve Jobs' biography for book club next week and I REALLY want to start Season 1 of Homeland. I want to see what all the talk is about! Tomorrow the gals are off to their ice skating lessons in the morning and then they are heading downtown (along w/ GMC) for their cousin's birthday party. They are super excited because they get to wear their costumes. PFC will be w/ the kiddos while I stay home to get the house ready as we are having some folks over for a casual dinner. I'm making Cincinnati Style Turkey Chili and some Honey Cornbread Muffins - a perfect cozy meal for this COLD weather. And I'm making Oreo Cookie Balls for a sweet treat.

I cannot believe that CMC is turning 9 on Sunday. Wow. PFC and I were just looking through some old pictures. She has grown up so much since I met her (when she was 4). We are heading to their swim meet on Sunday and then having a family dinner at home that evening. CMC gave me specifics on the cake she wants and I'm waiting to hear what she would like for her birthday dinner.

Have a FABULOUS weekend.
XO - D2

Some of my latest faves:

• It finally feels like winter in Chicago. LOVE these adorable fingerless mittens and matching headband ear warmer. 
• I LOVED watching the Golden Globes. One of my favorite dresses was the Alexander McQueen that Kate Hudson wore. She looked fabulous. LOVE her. And Kerry Washington looked amazing too. Here are some Surprisingly Delightful moments from the GGs. And wait, didn't Claire Danes just have a baby? She looks FAB. I heard she totally rocks it on Homeland. Cannot wait to start Season 1. 
• Michelle Obama's new do. Love the bangs! 
• Here are some rare and intimate photos from the Kennedy family when he was in the White House. 
• An embellished sweatshirt - perfect combo. 
• I was a psychology major in college so I love all things Myers Briggs related. I took the personality test in Joanna Goddard's Personality Test post. I'm ENFJ which is very spot on! What are you? I want PFC to take it. 
• 40 Top Bachelor's according to Town & Country. Quite a range of lads! 
• We went to a good friend's surprise Birthday party last Saturday. His wife arranged for The Slide Ride to stop by the party. What an amazing idea! Everyone loved it! I had The Cubano and it was super yummy. 
• 46 places to go in 2013. And 29 places that Refinery 29 is dying to see in 2013. All the warm spots are calling my name. A little fantasy = these Yoga Mat Sandals (how cute + comfy looking) and one of the beach locations. 
• I love hedgehogs. We even had some hedgehog letterpress coasters made for our out of town guest goody bags for our wedding. How adorable are these Hedgehog Valentine Cards?! Love them.  
• I love the new column that Design* Sponge just announced that they will be doing = Modern Etiquette. 
• I found a new Etsy shop that I'm in love w/ = Inkkit. So many fun items. For instance, totally LOVING these metallic gold doilies. A couple doily ideas here. So cute. And speaking of doilies check out this DIY Doily Envelopes. These are amazing. 
• Some of the best tables at restaurants in Chicago. I would love to snag table #40 at The Boarding House. Love the idea of a perch overlooking the dining room (perfect for people watching). And I'm so curious to check out Alpana Singh's new restaurant. Side note, Alpana's husband book, Vintage Attraction, looks interesting (due next fall). 
• Skinnytaste's top 25 recipes. This week I'm trying this Skillet Gnocchi w/ Chard and White Beans. I've been told it is very good! Last week I ended up making Skinnytaste's Fiesta Lime Rice and Cheesy Jalapeno Popper Baked Stuffed Chicken. Both were awesome! They were PFC approved. 
• SportsKids of the year. These two brothers are quite inspirational. 
• Only one more week left of Parenthood. I wonder who Sarah Braverman will pick (Hank or the teacher). Should be interesting! Here's some Parenthood fashion for you. 

My Latest Obsessions

The Carr version of the Partridge Family
PFC + GMC serenading me the morning of my Birthday

My 35th Birthday Dinner at La Sirena Clandestina

CMC + MMC at American Girl Doll Cafe (loving life)

Happy Friday! I had an awesome birthday on Tuesday. It started with PFC + GMC playing their guitars and the girls singing Happy Birthday. The pic above of GMC + PFC is priceless. I then met PFC downtown and we saw the movie Silver Linings Playbook and had dinner at La Sirena Clandestina. LOVED our dinner. Their menu is awesome. We had the empanadas, shaved brussels sprouts, hangar steak, whole red snapper and some amazing desserts. We'll definitely be back. We then walked across the street to The Aviary. I had a fruit swizzle and I can honestly say that it was the best fruit juice I've ever had. Like EVER.

A good friend of mine called me for my birthday and mentioned how much has changed for me in just 5 years (since my 30th birthday). And that is indeed true. Our group of college friends all went to Cabo San Lucas to celebrate our 30th birthdays. Not long after that trip I met PFC and the rest is history. And now I'm in the burbs and a stay at home with our soon to be 9 and 7 year old daughters (both have January birthdays) and 2 year old son. Crazy how things change. It is nice sometimes to take a moment and reflect on your last year or 5 years for that matter. Here's to another 5 years (and many more)!

I'm meeting PFC downtown tonight and we are going to see the movie Argo. I'm very excited to see it especially after seeing all the Oscar nominations it is up for. Tomorrow the gals have their ice skating lessons in the morning and some of us will be heading downtown to a dear high school friend's son's 2nd birthday in the afternoon. And then PFC and I are off to another party that evening.

And Sunday I cannot wait to get cozy and watch the Golden Globes! I think Tina Fey and Amy Poehler will be amazing hosts!

ENJOY! And have an awesome weekend.
XO - D2

Some of my latest faves:

• The most adorable and heartbreaking photos of Obama's Big Year. 
• I fell in love again with Jo Malone's scents. A few weeks ago I was at Oak Brook and picked up a few bottles and remembered how much I LOVE her scents. So, for my birthday PFC gave me both Pomegranate Noir and Blue Agava & Cacao. While alone they are great I love them combined. Jo Malone scents are meant to be combined. Love that you can create your own unique signature scent. 
• When the kiddos are finally down for the night and everything is straightened up I love heading to the couch. I cozy up w/ a blanket and read or watch one of my shows. How cozy do all of these blankets look? Totally digging the modernized Pendleton blanket from Dwell Studio. And I love these striped blankets as well. 
• I love this = Family Movie Celebration. Here's how to turn an average night into a Celebration! So fun. My sister and her family got us a Hot Air Popcorn Maker for Christmas. It is so cute and funny how retro it seems (since we are so into microwave popcorn these days). The girls LOVE it. It was a great family gift. 
• Speaking of family nights, one of my new year's resolutions is to have more family dinners together. The kiddos eat dinner super early (as they are starving) and most of the time they are done w/ dinner by the time PFC comes home from work. I love Jenny Rosenstrach's blog Dinner A Love Story. A dear friend of mine got me her book (which has been on my list) for my bday. I cannot wait to read it. She has gotten a lot of great press about it. I'm hoping her book will help me in my resolution for us to have dinner as a family more often. 
• OMG, doesn't this Grilled Fennel Flatbread look amazing? YUM. Um, and how about these yummy looking Butternut Squash & Kale Quesadillas?! And this Avocado and Watercress salad looks awesome (especially the dressing).
• I remember making a mental note about Joanna Goddard's relationship tip that she posted in her blog last winter. She said that she and her husband try to meet at the restaurant when they are having a dinner date. It makes sense. PFC and I did just that this past Tuesday. I will say that our date night felt different - more fun and exciting for sure. 
• LOVE these cute brogues! I just don't know how I would wear them. Here are some tips on how to wear brogues.
• Next week I want to make this Cheesy Jalapeno Popper Baked Stuffed Chicken for myself and PFC.  We love spicy stuff! Looks yummy. 
• My favorite wallpaper is on sale. This was one of my favorite additions during our big house renovation 2 years ago. We put this wallpaper in the 1st floor powder room. It makes me happy every time I see it. 
• Both C + M received adorable headbands from our good friends for Christmas. The headbands are from Audry and Ulric on Etsy. I've added them to my Etsy favorites so I'll remember them for future gifts. So cute and different. Speaking of great gifts here is another Etsy site that has great gifts for little ones. It is called Little Saplings Toys. 
• How adorable is this Owlphabet Print? Love it! 
• I'm plugging away on Walter Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs. I listened/watched Steve Jobs' commencement speech from 2005 at Stanford University. Very inspiring. 
• Some tips to a fresh start. And some Superfoods from Gwenyth's latest GOOP posting.
• I'm saving this article about a Mom that has her son sign an 18 point agreement regarding his iphone. Love this. The gals on The View even discussed this agreement. 
• And wow, Parenthood has been hitting a bunch of heated and intense topics as of late. Only 2 more episodes to go for the season. I LOVED Kristina's white belted jacket she wore 2 episodes ago. 

My Latest Obsessions

GMC = COOKIE MONSTER

YUMMY cookies!

Happy Friday and Happy New Year! Well, the girls go back to school on Monday. It has been a nice 2 week break but it will be nice to get back to our normal routine/schedule. C + M and I are heading downtown soon for a lunch at American Girl. The girls are super EXCITED! That place is a GOLD MINE. Seriously.

Yesterday I was able to catch up w/ a dear friend of mine. She brought over her adorable little guy who is the same age as GMC. C + M kept the two boys busy which gave us some time to catch up. And then we headed to The Junction Diner for some lunch. Perfect place for little ones (especially those obsessed w/ trains!).

We have a dinner party Saturday evening and are then hoping to swing by a friend's 40th birthday party on the way home. We are hoping to catch up w/ my sister this weekend as she was in AZ visiting our Mom over Christmas. And I'm looking forward to quietly celebrating my birthday this upcoming Tuesday w/ PFC over dinner at La Sirena Clandestina. The restaurant has been on my list for awhile. It has been getting great reviews. PFC went to college w/ the chef/owner so we are hoping to say hello to him!

Here's to a FABULOUS 2013!

Some of my latest faves:

• Last year around this time I vowed to keep up w/ my One Line a Day memory book. It didn't happen. I really want to make an effort to do so this year. I'm putting it by my bedside in the hopes that I'll do it right before I go to bed. Great post on The Secret to Keeping Track of Life. 
• 12 Step Program for an awesome 2013. I LOVE all of these steps. FAB. And here are 12 things that Lena Dunham learned in 2012. Here's 2012 Pop Culture Highlights. 
• Game Night of Tacos + Bingo = FUN! And what a fun idea to get some vintage bingo cards (from ebay). Love it. 
• I'm reading Walter Isaacson's biography of Steve Jobs. I found this article, A Sister's Eulogy for Steve Jobs, very interesting. 
• PFC/I always head to Milwaukee for a night in February. We started this tradition 4 years ago. I just booked the Iron Horse Hotel for 2 nights - very excited. Perfect get away. Close enough yet far enough away to feel just that = AWAY. I really love the design and interior of this particular hotel. Cozy for sure. We ALWAYS have dinner at Coerper's Five O'Clock Steakhouse. Love this place. SUPER old school. Even Rachel Ray agrees. We are debating on where to go to dinner our 2nd evening. Maybe Odd Duck. Any recommendations? 
• I picked up these multi-colored crocheted flower hand warmers w/ fleece from Anthropologie the other day. VERY thrilled w/ my purchase. My hands are free yet very warm. Love the fleece. 
• I would like to add more grapefruit to my life for 2013. I have forgotten how much I like grapefruit in the morning. 
• C + M LOVE Taylor Swift. Okay, so do I! I saw her talking about the music video she did in Paris for her single "Begin Again." Love the hottie stranger that falls in love w/ her. That just seems so French, right (= falling in love w/ a hottie in a small adorable cafe)?! She sang the song for the CMA awards. 
• PFC pulled up the Best Movies of 2012 list. We watched The Central Park Five about the 1989 case of five Black and Latino teenagers who were convicted of raping a woman in Central Park. Last night we watched Arbitrage. It was AWESOME! Honestly LOVED it. Richard Gere was amazing. It is up for a Golden Globe. Definitely one to see. 
• Cute Valentine's Day cookie cutters. I made some Oreo Cookie Balls the other day. OMG. They were AMAZING! The girls and I are going to make some for Valentine's Day and use these fun edible glitter hearts to decorate them. 
• I LOVE this list of 45 Life Lessons (from Regina Brett of The Plain Dealer in Cleveland).  

My Latest Obsessions

GMC Christmas Morning

M + C and a little ski lesson action

WOW! What a week. I'm ABSOLUTELY exhausted. So tired. I don't want to look at another cookie or anything that has sugar in it! We had a wonderful Christmas. We were up at the Lake Christmas Eve and the kids enjoyed running around w/ all of their cousins. Christmas morning the kids were up early and we headed downstairs to see if Santa had come. After opening presents we enjoyed some yummy amazing cinnamon bread from one of our neighbors (we look forward to it every year)! It is sinfully delicious. We then headed to mass and on to PFC's parents house for Christmas day dinner and more fun w/ cousins.

The last few days the girls have had ski lessons. It isn't Colorado but it is nice for them to get down the basics. The above pic is hilarious - green grass surrounds the ski hill.

We are having friends over Saturday evening for a casual evening in. I'm making my old standby = Green Chile Chicken Casserole (which is always a big hit). I might try to make this Kale Salad w/ Apples, Cranberries and Pecans as well. It looks YUMMY! Salads are calling my name these days after the all the food and goodies as of late.

PFC and I are heading out for sushi New Year's Eve and then ending up at a friend's house for party. Looking forward to ringing in the New Year w/ some good friends.

Happy New Year to all!

Some of my latest faves:

• It is hard to think about food but I thought this Easy Goat Cheese Appetizer (3 ways) looked easy and oh so YUMMY!  
• I did end up buying the Skaist-Taylor vest from the Neiman Marcus/Target collection last week on one of my Target runs. I wasn't too impressed w/ much in the entire collection but when everything was reduced 50% I took another look.   I LOVE the vest. I have already worn it 3 times and have received many compliments. Here is how one gal has styled it. And another gal. And one last look. 
• Wow. Snow Fall: The Avalanche at Tunnel Creek (via The Times) is pretty amazing (even if you aren't necessarily interested in the topic). It takes awhile to get through (maybe 12 minutes) but you'll experience some spectacular graphics and photography. 
• I LOVE these DIY glitter vases. EASY. Here's a DIY Sparkly Rustic Tray. And here are some chic ideas for winter parties. 
• Gwenyth on perfection. We try very hard in our house not to use the word perfect. 
• My youngest sister got me this great slate cheese board for Christmas. I cannot wait to use it! Here are 7 Secrets to a Beautiful Cheese Board. 
• And here is a pretty Spear Print Tray.
• Every once in awhile PFC makes big weekend breakfasts for our crew. Doesn't this star french toast look yummy!?  
• Wouldn't it be fun to have a fancy grilled cheese party?! Love this idea. 
• Some New Year's Eve fashion for you! 
• This Skinny Frozen Hot Chocolate looks yummy! And my good friend confirmed that Smitten Kitchen's Roasted Pear and Chocolate Chunk scones are amazing. I MUST make them soon! 
• I've added Les Miserables to my list of movies. It is getting rave reviews! 

My Latest Obsessions

GMC's school picture

Firstly, my heart goes out to all of those affected by the tragedy in CT. So very sad. I know that this has hit people very hard all over the world. I myself immediately thought about the tragedy close to home (being a mom to an 8, 6, and 2 year old) and have found myself quite emotional about it. I found this article entitled, "I am Adam Lanza's Mother" very interesting. And a HS friend of mine wrote this letter to her almost 6 year old son. Beautifully and eloquently written. I think we all (parents and non-parents alike) can relate to the raw emotions attached to what happened.

I woke up this morning super excited. C + M were up early and were excited to see the snow (the little there is) outside and they were excitedly running around getting ready for their holiday performances today. And of course they had laid out their festive dresses last PM before bed. The music teacher at their school is amazing so we cannot wait to see their shows!

Tomorrow we are heading to a family Christmas party. We are bringing jalapeno shrimp (amazingly good). Sunday I have tennis w/ my crew and then the rest of the afternoon will be spent baking some cookies and putting together our Carr Christmas Cookies that we give away to friends/neighbors!

Here's to wishing everyone a Merry Christmas! Safe travels for those of you heading out of town.

XO - D2

Some of my latest faves:

• PFC/I started a tradition this year w/ the kids. We are going to give them a new ornament every year that will be their own. I had my own box of ornaments growing up and PFC commented the other day on how nice it was to have my own box of special/meaningful and personalized ornaments. It was fun to go through my box as many of the ornaments were dated and each held a different memory. I bought their ornaments here. How cute is this recycled paper elephant by Cody Foster?! Love. Oh, and I LOVE these wallpaper covered deer ornaments. So cute! 
• Here are some great gifts under $50 for those hard to buy folks on your last minute Christmas list: Chevron Tea Light Votive Set; Glitter Round Buckle Skinny Belt (on sale too!); Alice in Wonderland book (fabulous cover); Multicolor Beanie and this Flavor Infuser Water Bottle (may even have to gift one of these for myself). 
• I sign many of my emails XO or XOXO. Interesting post on signing your emails as such. 
• I've added this Twine Star Decoration to my holiday decorating list for next year. Love it! 
• Love this Glamorous girly New Year's party inspiration! Show up in this sparkly number and you'll be all set to ring in the new year! Totally digging the back of the dress. 
• Every morning we all hug/kiss PFC goodbye before he heads out the door for work. Mornings are always very nutty around here but we NEVER miss our opportunity to get in our goodbye hugs and kisses. PFC and I have been holding our hugs with the kids and each other a lot longer the last week after the tragedy in CT. This article entitled XO Before you Go had me in tears. 
• We bought GMC his own Ukelele for Christmas. He is OBSESSED w/ guitars so PFC took him to the Guitar Center and they recommended a ukelele for him. We cannot wait to see his face light up when he opens it! I would love to handpaint GMC's ukelele and personalize it for him (if only there was more time)! 
• This article on Why You're Never Failing as a Mother has been circulating the world wide web this past week. It definitely resonated w/ me. 
• I love the festive and colorful designs that Jenny Bowers did for Bloomingdales. 
• One of my favorite bloggers Deb Perelman of Smitten Kitchen recently came out w/ a cookbook. I've already gifted it a few times (best price on Amazon). She feels like someone you would love to be friends w/ (and it would be fun to chill in her tiny NYC kitchen and watch her cook). I think I need my own copy! Here is a great NYTimes article on her. My good friend is making her Roasted Pear + Chocolate Chunk scones over the holidays. I cannot wait to hear how they turn out! They are on my list! 
• I started the long process of wrapping Christmas presents 2 nights ago. I started around 9 pm (ish) to make sure that C + M didn't wander downstairs and catch a glimpse of their items. Here is a How To on wrapping w/ scraps. 
• I LOVE all of these colorful bowls. 
• I thought these craigslist missed connections were hilarious. Gotta love work holiday parties! 
• I know that during the holidays I'm scrambling to put together different festive outfits. I strategically map out the various gatherings/parties and on many occasions wear an outfit twice (or more!) because I'm confident that I'm seeing a different set of people. I loved reviewing this 1 party dress done 3 different ways. Cleverly done. And they used such a cute dress to style different ways. 
• The Target + Neiman Marcus items are now all 50% off. I'm digging the Skaist-Taylor Vest.
• I want to leave everyone with some good laughs and smiles = 25 Funniest AutoCorrects of 2012. Mcdonkadonk = my favorite! talk about LOL. I was laughing so hard. Pee your pants hard! And here are some moments that restored our faith in humanity.