10+ Things 6/20 | Kelly in the City Living Room

Rug / Chairs / Coffee Table / Curtains / Side Table (More affordable version here.) / Lamp / Trailing Plant

Here are the first things that come to mind this morning:

  • I just learned about Better Streets Chicago. If you live in Chicagoland, please check it out! After two young children were tragically killed by drivers, over 300 people came together to push for better infrastructure and protection for pedestrians and bicyclists. So heartbreaking. You can sign up to learn more about upcoming meetings and ways to get involved here, and donate here. (We also recently re-thought our route to and from school, and now go a slightly longer—but definitely safer—way.)
  • Hope everyone had a happy Father’s Day! We had a great day out and about in the city, and hopefully I took some photos that I will be able to share this week. ;) Mitch, Dad and John, you guys are the best fathers and role models. I love you so much!
  • I upgraded my Vineyard Vines Shep Shirt. I feel like that just came to mind because my dad loves them so much, 😆 but yay! My original navy one had to have been 10 years old, and it was looking very tired. I went with one of the brand’s Dreamcloth ones, as the material drapes beautifully. A nice little upgrade! (Size down. Runs large.)
  • I’m writing this in advance, but I may have gotten to see Kira this past week! Things are always a little up in the air with her business trips, but the plan was to have her sleep over. :) Always so wonderful to see my BFF. ♥️ Couldn’t have survived the early years of motherhood without her constant love and help. What a friend.
  • We started locking up the stroller and scooter (both here) at the girls’ school and it’s provided us with a ton of freedom. Beforehand, we had to head straight back to the house to get rid of all the kids’ gear, but now we can take a moment for ourselves and grab a coffee or take a longer, more scenic route. Not sure why we never did this before, haha. (The locks we use are in here, btw!)
  • There is a giant condo building going up across the street from us, and I LOVE it. Listen, I know that lots of homeowners don’t like condo buildings. But they mean more potential friends. And I love the brick color that was chosen! I really do think the building adds a lot of character to our block, and even makes it feel a bit more “city.”
  • Have you seen this tiered chambray dress? I think I may have talked about it last week, haha, but it’s so good. Definitely the cutest chambray dress I’ve ever seen, and it’s such a steal. I’m wearing it for a collaboration soon and really excited about the images!
  • I’ve been taking 15 minutes to make the beds every morning and I feel a lot more collected. I’ve always made my bed, and Emma makes hers. (Lucy is a little too young at this point.) But now I go into the girls’ rooms before heading to my office and straighten things up… and I don’t know? I feel accomplished! Ha. It’s a good way to start the day.
  • I re-ordered the girls’ Liberty bows clips. These are the best. Little girls will only wear bows for so long, so gotta live it up while I still can. Of course, we leave them all over Chicago… but c’est la vie. Our favorites are the pink ones, and the maroon.
  • We had a crazy heat spell last week in Chicago, and enjoyed it so much. It was a shock to the system, that’s for sure! But it was lovely to be hot for once. We kept cool by visiting the beach, playing in the pool on the deck, and having basement movie nights.
  • I started using Ouai’s hair oil, and I’m impressed. BAH. Still working on getting some professional help with my over-processed hair, but for now, Ouai is really helping. I’ve always struggled with hair oil, but I’ve been working this through my hair while it’s still wet, and it doesn’t come out greasy at all. Just more hydrated! A great investment.
  • We missed the camp registration deadline for the girls but miraculously, THERE WAS STILL SPACE FOR THEM. What a gift. They love camp, and I was so nervous that we’d have to deprive them of the experience this summer. But praise be. It’s happening!
  • This hydrangea sweater is stunning. SO much money, though. 😆
  • We had a scary tornado scare last week. All that heat! The sirens went off right as we ordered at a nearby outdoor restaurant, and we had to grab + sprint home. (Paid before we did that, don’t worry, haha.) We made it, though, and got the kids in the basement as quickly as possible. Torrential downpour, lots of wind, and crazy loud thunder—but no tornado, thank goodness. Emma loved it since she’s very much into natural disasters!
  • My current favorite shoe company is French Sole fs/ny, which you can shop via Zappos, Tuckernuck, Ruelala and Gilt. Their Chanel lookalikes are amazing, and way more comfortable. A little hard to find, though. So if you see a pair you adore in your size, grab ’em! TTS.
  • While we’re on the topic of shoes, QVC has the padded Jack Rogers Caroline Sandals on sale. I have the padded Laurens, and they’re amazing; I’m assuming the Carolines are just as awesome. Great price, too!
  • “One home project every day” update:
    • Our living room chairs arrived! I’m in love. The room feels cozier and more homey, and the chairs are so much more comfortable. (No more sore backs!) My mother-and-I are doing some swapping of home stuff, and she’s taking the Ballard ones! Can’t wait to see how she styles them, as she’s an interior design genius.
    • We laid down the living room rug. I’m really happy with it. It’s kind of un-Kelly, but it balances out the otherwise traditional feel of the room very well!
    • I may have found outdoor dining chairs?! Mitch sold our last ones because he hated them. 😆 But I think I love these even more?!  I mean, they’re cane. And what a bargain.
    • I turned the girls’ very worn and tattered ballet leotards into cleaning rags. Resourceful! Haha.
    • I deep-cleaned the playroom. Oh gosh, it needed it. While the construction dust was nuts, I’m still embarrassed to say that I had to empty the vacuum twice. Might even go down there again for a final sweep…
    • I finished the trampoline panels! It’s a miracle. Now I just need to paint the frame. Wish me luck.
    • Speaking of frames, we ordered a couple of Framebridge frames for Mitch’s office. It’s going to look so good!
    • I parted with some old jumpsuits. Because I have a tiny bladder, and jumpsuits are simply not conducive to that part of my life. 🙈 TMI…