The Tuckernuck Finley Dress is on sale! (Generous. Size down.) / Naghedi Bag in Olive (Also via Naghedi website.) / Jack Rogers Sandals on sale (The comfiest pair ever! Padded + soft. They’re $51 here today!)
Aaaand we’re up and running again. :) It’s very stop-and-go around here, but ’tis the season of life. 😉 Here’s what’s on my mind:
- I’m back from Rosemary Beach! I went down to see my parents, brothers and nephews. Unfortunately, the trip and the girls’ fall break were one week off, but I went on my own. (We’re trying really hard not to unnecessarily pull them from school this year, as they missed quite a bit of school last year from transferring.) I loved spending quality time with my nephews. Rarely do I get to do that, since I’m usually caring for the girls. Conor is such a joy. He just smiles and laughs the entire day. Being his godmother, it was awesome hanging out with him and soak up his adorable personality. And Christopher and Patrick’s close relationship was just incredible to witness. And I didn’t think this was possible, but I’ve fallen even more in love with Rosemary. The weather was amazing—high 70s and low 80s, followed by a little cold front—and just roamed around a lot and relaxed. Can’t wait to go back to see my parents there after Christmas!
- You can’t make this stuff up: My family caught the stomach virus during their travels. Somehow, I was unaffected—first time for everything!—and I’m thanking my lucky stars for that. But… seriously? I throw my hands up in defeat. We are cursed, haha.
- We went indoor skydiving yesterday. I can’t believe I did it. It was crazy fun. And get this: Lucy did it. And was totally unfazed. 😆 Can’t wait to share the video/photos with you.
- The girls and I got Mitch this pair Red Wing boots for his birthday, which he’s always wanted and apparently has a cult following. To be honest, I don’t understand it. But men are crazed about these boots. And he was thrilled when he got them! The real question, however, is whether he plans on wearing them with pants—or shorts—this winter. ;) Btw: The sizing is weird! SIZE DOWN.
- Emma and I are working on making her room a bit more “grown up.” When we moved into our house, she was only two! But now she’s six, and she’d like things to look less babyish. And I get that. It does kind of look nursery-ish. Luckily, she does not want to get rid of the bunnies in her bathroom. Thank heavens for that. And she still wants “pretty flowers” (or “lots and lots of birds” 😂) on her walls! Excited to dream up some possibilities with her.
- One of my most-loved Tuckernuck dresses is on sale. It’s the one I’m wearing in the top photo! It’s such a versatile dress, it hangs perfectly, it comes in tons of colors, and it has pockets. I recommend sizing down. I love that I looked fall-ish when I wore it in Rosemary, yet stayed cool in that wonderful Florida warmth. :)
- Madewell is on fire! Above are a few faves from the current collection.
- I had the most perfect birthday with my little family a couple of weeks ago. It’s been a while since I’ve really checked in, huh? ;) But I don’t usually look look forward to my birthday. It’s not that I care about getting older—what a privilege! I just think that they usually come with a lot of “tasks” and obligatory stuff, and I’m not really a gift person. In reality, all I want is a relaxing day with my family and for my kids to be on their best behavior. 😜 Bonus points for a clean house. ;) And guess what? THAT HAPPENED THIS YEAR. We went out to brunch at once of my favorite restaurants, visited the playground, ordered in sushi, and watched a movie after we got the girls down. It was slow and lovely; the girls were perfect; and since we were out of the house all day, cleanup was quick and easy. Thank you, Fam!
- I love all the families in Lucy’s class. We’ve been putting together class get-togethers at a local playground, and it’s so nice to be getting to know each other! The moms are absolutely lovely, and Mitch really hit it off with a bunch of the dads. We’re very lucky to have such a great group.
- J.Crew Factory favorites are 50-60 percent off! No code necessary. And if you have a little girl, please get this ruffled coat. My girls have last year’s version and it’s just adorable!
- My parents gave me Maileg dollhouse furniture and I LOVE IT! Okay, this is a gift I really did get excited about, haha. I’m making the girls a Barbie dream house, and really wanted Maileg furniture for it but wasn’t thrilled about spending that much. It was the sweetest present from my parents—definitely something I wouldn’t have done on my own—and I’m so grateful! These are going to be some claaaassy Barbies.
- This Etsy seller recreated the famous Pottery Barn “Gus the Ghost” pillow, and it’s adorable. The PB one was something like $85, and that’s a lot for a pillow. The Etsy seller’s is considerably less, and you’re supporting a small, woman-owned business! I can’t get over how cute he is.
- We recently checked out a nearby bowling alley with friends and it was such a blast. I’d be lying if I said Mitch and I weren’t freaking out about the impending doom of another Chicago winter. One thing that really helps, though, is having a good number of family-friendly indoor activities in our back pockets. Adding bowling alley to the list!
- A ton of J.Crew classics are on sale right now. This sweater blazer is 50 percent off and an absolute must. I wear mine year-round! Runs very large. Go one-two sizes down.
- This is the most fabulous leather puffer coat I’ve ever seen! It’s wonderfully soft and cozy, and worth every penny. Also runs large! I went down one size.
- Mitch is starting a new (very creative and fun) business with his partner, and we’re all very psyched. They’ve been in the same business for over a decade together, and I think they just want to try something different. (While also continuing to run their original venture.) I’m excited to see—and share!—what they create.
- Amazon Finds:
- Fashion: This herringbone coat is stunning yet so affordable; these faux suede leggings are AMAZING, my cousin convinced me to get this $39.99 Amazon bag and it’s the cutest, and these super soft ballet flats require zero break-in time. (Order a half size down.)
- Home: These solar-powered outdoor ghosts are adorable, these floating witches’ hats are a must, these posable ghosts are really fun, this wooden bowl would look beautiful on a shelf, and this trash bag dispenser brings all the joy. I’m 38!
- Beauty: The only lipstick I wear is on sale, this magic towel cuts my drying time in half, and I’m obsessed with this electric toothbrush.
- Kids: These robust iPad cases are so good, Lucy’s $22 Liberty of London dress was restocked, and these $26 children’s Mary Janes are wonderfully comfy.
- One Home Project Every Day:
- We put up our Halloween decorations. Those happy ghosts are the cutest.
- We replaced our warped mirror with a new one. (It’s on sale today, btw!) I think it got warped in transit because the second one was perfect. So happy with it!
- I caught up on laundry from when our home basically turned into a tuberculosis ward. Feels really good to be one top of things again.
- Mitch hung the guitars in the playroom closet. So nice that they’re not falling all over the place anymore. (PS: No one in our family plays guitar anymore. It’s fine.)
- I switched my closet over to fall and winter and donated stuff I don’t wear anymore. I try to do this every season, and it keeps my closet tidy and unstuffed.
- I cleaned the house top to bottom before leaving for Florida. When I came home, the girls had done a number on it, haha. But I left feeling calm, cool and collected. ;)
- I found the most perfect armoire for Lucy’s room. In sage. Adore.