Missing a few gems, but Ravinia with my Chicago mom friends Nicki, Haley, Barbie and Alex! Wearing this lightweight Patagonia because I’m me, haha, and these stellar jeans. (Favorite in my closet!)
Let’s do it:
- My side of the family is celebrating (an early) Christmas in New Orleans this year! I really can’t tell you how excited we are. We’ve really fallen in love with NOLA over the past couple of years now that both my brothers are down there. It’s starting to feel like a second home. We’re going to get an Airbnb with my parents close to Patrick’s house, and plan some fun kid-friendly activities. Can’t wait to all be together—in the warmth 😉—for the holidays. (We’ll spend actual Christmas just the four of us in Chicago, and then head down to my in-laws the following day for a week!)
- My father-in-law sent along this Cheap Old Houses post, featuring a home in their town, and now everyone wants to buy and renovate it. My in-laws and brother-in-law gutted their old farmhouse a few years ago, and it’s absolutely picturesque. I actually feel like my mother-in-law should flip houses professionally. She has such an eye for design, and can truly see a property’s potential. (I, on the other hand, cannot. I’m always like, “GUYS. STRESS! NO!” 😆)
- I am the most relaxed I’ve been in years. The biggest change I’ve made is simply being good to myself. For the longest time, I was “go-go-go” all the time, feeling guilty if I wasn’t crossing tasks off lists or working toward goals. But I suppose the pandemic taught me that I’m not supposed to be “go-go-go” that much. Yes, once in a while it’ll likely be necessary. (#life) But not all the time. You can’t pour from an empty cup, as they say. These days, I accomplish less—and frankly, I couldn’t name a single real goal I have right now if you asked me. (With the exception of not having goals, haha.) But I’m happier. Like, a lot happier. Here’s to a much-needed, long breather.
- Our mornings are going a little better. Probably due to that long breather! ;) Yesterday, we got out of the house on time and had the nicest bike ride to school and peewee. We even stopped at a playground for bit. I WAS SO PROUD. I’m sure tomorrow will be a disaster, though. Anything can throw it off, haha. (Seriously, on Monday, there were tears because a tiny hamburger was missing from a toy set. Barely made it on time by car.)
- We got Lucy into a full-day preschool program two days per week! I think I talked about this last week, but she’d been on the waiting list for a while and we were crossing our fingers like whoa that she’d come off ASAP. And then lo and behold, it happened! We were hoping for more days than just two, but we’ll take what we can get. We know she’s going to love it, and we also know it’s going to be a great help with her speech. (Which is going a lot better, but getting her out of her comfort zone has proven to work wonders!)
- I really like this giant outdoor sign for our patio. We have these three very ugly windows that provide zero light—they just “shine” into the garage—and I’d love to cover them up. Just not sure what I’d put on the sign. “Chicago” is too short, and our name feels hokey. Actually, maybe it’s just hokey in general. NEVER MIND, GUYS. BAD IDEA.
- I’m saw my cousin Conor and his adorable girlfriend Megan this weekend! It was absolutely lovely. They were in town for one of the seven—yes, seven—weddings they’ve attended this summer, and were the cutest and grabbed lunched with us the day after. I can’t wait for them to move to Chicago, which I’ve been pushing for years. ;) Conor and Megan, SUNDAY FAMILY DINNERS. It needs to happen!
- My cousins Cassidy and Olivia just booked flights to visit in early November! Cassidy is Conor’s younger sister, and you might remember Olivia from how cute she looked in my red coat last year. I should note here that I feel extraordinarily lucky to have such wonderful extended family. My cousins have always felt like siblings to me, and I’m so grateful whenever they come out to Chicago to visit! (Most live in NYC.) This particular trip is going to be a blast. The girls are going to babysit one night so Mitch and I can have a date night, and then we’re going to get a babysitter for the other night so we can all go out. The best! (We’ll miss you, Brenna, Mackenzie and Delaney! Please come in the spring!)
- I also saw the Indigo Girls with my Chicago mom friends on Saturday night. WOW. If you’re in the Chicago area and haven’t yet visited Ravinia for a show, make it happen before the end of the month. And be sure to bring this “Table in a Bag” (which was originally named the “Ravinia Table” because Crate & Barrel started in Chicago!) and lots of snacks/wine. It was the best night, and my Chicago mom friends are simply the best.
- We are loving the outdoor movie theater that Mitch made. Here’s a little video of it in all its glory, and here’s the blog post on how Mitch did it. We’ve been using it a lot—even just to watch TV after the girls go to bed. And yes, the pumpkins are fake. You can find my favorites here, here, here and here. (They look JUST like the real thing yet are waterproof and pest-proof, and they’re meant for outdoor use!)
- “One Home Project Every Day” update:
- I ordered measured and ordered the living room curtains! Many thanks to my bestie Kira from Kira David Design for helping me with the measuring and decision-making. Love you. So excited about them!
- I plugged in Emma’s lamps. Um, this was SO HARD. I feel like I already wrote about this? Maybe I only did in my mind. 😜 Either way, I forgot to plug the lamps in before we had her bed delivered two years ago, and the bed is UBER difficult to move. Had been putting it off for (literally) years, but finally shimmied under there with an extension cord and sneezed a lot yet got the job done. The ambiance is so much nicer and reading books at night is a dream!
- I hung the new Framebridge frames in Lucy’s room. They’re prints from my friend Riley Sheehey, and they’re perfect. They somehow remind me of my little girls and my own childhood. So special.
- I washed the cushion covers for our outdoor couch again. I’m always amazed at how perfectly they come out! We don’t even have the Sunbrella Rain cushion covers. True magic, this couch.
- Mitch planted mums in the parkway garden. Real ones. From Aldi. They’re dying. It’s fine.
- I put pumpkins on the patio. As I mentioned before, my favorites are here, here, here and here. (They look JUST like the real thing yet are waterproof and pest-proof, and they’re meant for outdoor use!)
- Emma started up field hockey (with Rise Field Hockey) again and she’s thrilled. I’m so appreciative to the organization and sport as a whole for getting her into athletics. I don’t need her to be the best athlete, but I definitely think there is value in sports, and I’ve already seen the positive impact it’s made on her. Go Emma!
- I could use a pair of sneakers for biking, and I’m considering these. Does anyone have them?! Can I tell you that I don’t even own a pair of running sneakers anymore? I just use my Rothy’s washable sneakers or some old New Balances that I often roll my ankle in. These look like quite the upgrade!
- I sent out the invites for my cousin Sammy’s bridal shower last week! It was so enjoyable sitting down at our dining room table and filling them out. I turned on the tunes, let Noodle snuggle up behind me, and did ’em over coffee one morning. In hindsight the coffee part was kind of risky. 😬
- I also just found out that Sammy’s wedding is black tie optional and I’m pumped! DOES THIS MEAN WE CAN WEAR FLOOR-LENGTH DRESSES? I think it does. Though I haven’t Googled yet or asked around. Let me know what you think and if you have any dress suggestions. ;)
- I got new masks for the girls. Was definitely hoping that Covid would be truly over by Fall 2021, but here we are. We unfortunately lost some of our masks last year and over the summer, so it was time for a restock. These are our favorites! (Note: They’re not medical grade.)
- I’m very interested in visiting the restaurant River Roast on the Riverwalk. It overlooks the Chicago River and looks STUNNING. Funny story: Mitch assumed it was a coffee shop and was semi-devastated when he found out that “Roast” did not refer to roasted coffee beans. Alas.
- I’m into Pottery Barn’s new room decor section. Specifically this head (ha), which I think I’ve mentioned before. From years past, I also own these glass pumpkins, this ceramic vase, and this pocket watch clock. Adore them all!
- Holy smokes. Mitch sent me this house listing in Nova Scotia and I’m in LOVE. Like what?! I keep coming back to it for home decor inspiration. It’s exquisite. And also ridiculous. And also exquisite. ;)
- Have you tried the Verzenay in Lincoln Park? Run, don’t walk. Best baguette I’ve ever had—including those I had in Paris. (Don’t murder me, Francophiles.) The coffee was great, too. Want to go back this week for breakfast!
- We saw “Chicago Fire” being filmed the other day and it was pretty cool. At first I assumed there had been a tragic accident and was VERY relieved when I finally realized it was just a TV show. EVERYONE IS OKAY.
- This adorable sherpa pullover looks heavenly. Right? Getting punchy. Off to watch “Ted Lasso” with Mitch! Hope you guys are doing well. :) Bye!
