Weekend Recap

{this is kind of how I felt this weekend}

It was the weekend, now it's Monday, blah, blah.  I'm sad it's over and quite frankly I just want to fast forward to Friday.  I love it when weekends are filled with sunshine and warm temperatures, causing you to energize and conquer.  That is exactly what this weekend held for us.  Some highlights include ::

• Dinner + hot tub time w/the fam.  We brought Stevie over there for the first time and of course she figured out the only way into an area that left her trapped.  Her was rescued though, don't you worry ;)
• Can I just talk about how much I love, love, love Parks & Recreation?  Every new episode gives my abs a great workout.
• After breakfast on Saturday morning, I went out to buy more eggs to make the always delicious zucchini + blueberry bread.  I decided to stop at a new-to-me market and fell.  In.  LOVE.  They sell Intelligentsia coffe there!  And bulk bin everything!  I had samples galore!  And smelled so many flowers!  
• My husband's mom stopped by for a quick visit and we ventured down to the nursery at the end of our road.  We've been wanting an evergreen to plant in front of our neighbor's junk pile to block it from our view.  We came home with a Spring Grove Arborvitae and planted it right there in front of the worst view.  A belated Earth Day treat.
• Skyping with one of my bestests!
• After a pretty severe evening thunderstorm (that brought a lot of hail to Churchill Downs on opening night) we stayed in for the night and relaxed on the couch with the pup.
• Veggie Eggs Benedict, courtesy of the mister.  Followed by a trip to the Peddler's Mall.
• Finally planting all of our seeds, transplanting the tomatoes and making the garden a reality!
• Painting a spare bedroom this shade of gray, to match the print which resides over the fireplace

Accomplishing so much feels so good.  Getting time to relax afterwards before the work week starts again? Amazing.  

Here's to a great week ahead!

Friday's Fancies + Have a Relaxing Weekend!

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Well friends, I am so relieved to know it's Friday.  This week has been...weird, and I am glad for it to be over.  I can't wait to relax this weekend, break in our new grill with some friends, maybe watch some fireworks and possibly even plant some flowers.  What do you have planned?

One of the things I would love to add to my weekend is a picnic.  With the weather being as nice as it's been the last month or so, it's the perfect opportunity to do so day after day.  So what is stopping me? I even have an adorable picnic basket from a lovely friend, complete with the perfect plaid blanket to sit on.  I would pack champagne, cheeses, bread.  I would bring cards to play and a book to read.  And I would most definitely try to wear something like today's Friday's Fancies, that is for sure.  

Whether you're attending a picnic or not, I hope your weekend is wonderful! Until Monday...

P.S. - don't forget to enter the $50 Shabby Apple giveaway!

Weekend Recap

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What a weekend! I'm not-so-glad it's Monday again, because my weekend should have lasted forever.  Some highlights include ::

• Happy Hour @ Nachbar  - we met Raegan & Murphy (cute pups) for a drink and ended up being joined by all of our other favorite people
• Friday night in - we ate quesadillas, played with Stevie and watched TV all night
• Rainy Saturday - our garden plans were foiled but we made it out to a nursery to look for trees (didn't find any) in between the rain showers and also caught up on laundry/groceries
• The ballet! Raegan treated me to a date night at the ballet, which included dressing up and plenty of cocktails.  The ballet itself was a 60th anniversary celebration, taking the best of other stories and dazzling us with some of the most beautiful choreography + music you could imagine.  I loved every last bit of it! 
• After the ballet, we stopped for a fancy cocktail at Meat
• Sunday brunch - the mister's grandmother treated us to a delightful brunch at the Village Anchor.  It was sunny, the restaurant was perfect for the occasion and the temperature was just right.  It was so very good.
• Gardening - we got our soil, mixed it all up, planted some argula and lettuce and felt pretty good about our accomplishments.  Followed by mowing and weed-wacking, it felt like an incredibly productive day.
• Cards on the screened-in porch, followed by a fish supper, followed by an enjoyable and quiet evening together.

How were your weekends? As lovely as mine? I certainly hope!  Here's to a great and productive week ahead, my friends! And be sure to check back tomorrow for a very, and I mean very special post!

Weekend Recap

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What a beautiful weekend! It was so nice to just be at home, relaxing with my husband and the pets.  The weather was seasonal and the sun was shining.  Easter was a delight and as you can see from above, dessert was yummy.  Some highlights of the weekend include ::

• Dinner and drinks at home, followed by a lovely round of Yahtzee sitting at our kitchen bar, just the two of us.
• Going to bed early all three nights - we both needed it, badly.  I slept like a baby!
• Husband's dad came over to hang out with us and help finish the garden bed.  They did a wonderful job and while we still have no soil, the bed is finished and ready to start growing veggies!  Stevie and I did a great job supervising ;)
• Thai food! Lucky for us, the place down the street is delicious AND serves Textured Vegetable Protein in all their meals.  Hoorah!
• Another quiet Saturday night, spent drinking champagne (me) and whiskey (him) while catching up on last week's Mad Men.  The Betty storyline is out of nowhere, but packed with drama.  I like it.
• Sunday morning walk with Stevie.  She sucks at walks when we're both there.  Does anyone else have or had that problem?  Clearly the mister needs to take her on adventures just the two of them.  Yowzas.
• Carrot Cake - it's been awhile since I have either eaten or made anything carrot cake related.  Boy am I glad I did!
• We're total slackers and just now filed our taxes.  Oops! Nothing like waiting until the last minute...
• Easter get together with the family! Salmon! Doggies! Cake!  Pretty awesome if you ask me.

How were your weekends? How were your Easters?! Any cute egg hunts?  It was such a beautiful day to celebrate the holiday.  I hope you all had a lovely time and I wish you all the best for the upcoming week!

Friday's Fancies + Have a Cheery Weekend!

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Happy Friday, everyone!  I'm so glad it's the end of the week - my husband is finally home from all his travels (and I get to keep him here for longer than a few days this time, whew!).  I can't wait to rest and relax this weekend and spend some time with family on Sunday.  I'm pretty sure our plans are minimal but making this week's Friday's Fancies has got me craving a good fancy date with my main man.  Maybe I'll just get dressed up at home and prance around in heels and a pretty spring dress just for the heck of it.

Speaking of Friday's Fancies - this week's is centered around flowers, naturally.  With spring in full force it's only appropriate to dedicate a week to the loveliness.  Unfortunately, the flowers around here (daffodils and tulips) have already blossomed and gone away.  Plus it's going to freeze tonight.  So I have to be patient and wait for the next round of beauties to bloom and hopefully stick around for longer than the others.  

I'm head over heels in love with this floral shift dress from Oasis.  The print and colors are gorgeous and open up opportunities to play with bright accessories.  And I seriously want to be able to wear that Elizabeth & James blazer all the time.  Seriously.

What have you got planned for the weekend and for Easter? I'm excited to be spending Easter with family this year - it'll be the first time we've properly celebrated the holiday in years.  Although there will be no easter egg hunt (maybe the dogs could have one, haha) it will still be great to get together.  

Have a wonderful weekend, my friends!

Thursday's Randoms

If only I could drop the kind of money it takes to own this intimate set from Stella McCartney.  It's so gorgeous and sexy and I want to wear that bra all the time.  Via and Via

This is the kind of day I want to be having most days.  There was a strange cool-off for us here in the Lou, and I don't have a bike, so needless to say I won't be having a day like this.  But I want to.  And I'm assuming you probably do as well.  Via

I've been asked to bake something for our Easter get together with my mother-in-law.  I am excited to bake something but I'm not sure what I'll make.  I'm curious about these cadbury cupcakes.  Curious indeed.  What do you think?  Via

Just a few of my favorite things at Indigo Home.  I could seriously go nuts and buy everything they have.  I love their tips, too.  This new-to-me store is amazing, I tell you!

I am sorry, but I think it's impossible to not be in love with this handmade badger dress.  Maybe I'm partial, but it is adorable and that is that.  Via

What is inspiring you this week? Happy almost Friday!

Thursday Leaves Me Feeling Random

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I imagine whoever's office this is, gets a lot done on any given day.  I'm getting inspired just looking at it.

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We have 5 VERY special guests coming to stay with us this weekend.  3 of those 5 guests include my favorite children! I can't wait to have them here in our house.  I think we'll even be making delicious pancakes.  So exciting!

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The mister and I have been talking all things gardening this past week.  Wouldn't it be cool to create a teepee out of bean stalks?  It's probably not going to turn out that way for us, but I like the option.

Even though this dress appears to be sold out, it doesn't mean I can't lust over it all the day long.  It's so pretty and perfect for life lately.  Speaking of life, lately...spring is in full effect around these parts.  My tulips have almost bloomed (hooray, successful planting! *pats self on back*), our magnolia tree has beautiful fuchsia blooms opening up, daffodils are everywhere on our road, a pear tree came to life overnight and since our windows are open, all we can hear are the birds chirping like crazy.  I love it.  

Speaking of spring, wouldn't this salad make for the perfect spring meal?  Not only is it healthy and satisfies a lot of food groups, it just looks so fresh and vibrant.  I think I need to eat it, ASAP!

What's inspiring you this week?  And how are your weeks going?  Today is shaping up to be a nice day.  I'm not at work, March Madness begins and I've got a golden opportunity to get the house ready for our visitors!  Happy Thursday, everyone!

Weekend Recap

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Hello, everyone! How were your weekends?  Mine was lovely.  Spring is springing here in Kentucky and it's beautiful.  Yesterday's weather did wonders for my soul.  Some highlights of the weekend include ::

• Sol Aztecas - Holy yum, this place is good.  So was the company!  
• KU losing was a major disappointment, but Louisville winning the Big East championship PLUS UK losing the SEC championship pretty much made up for it.  Now, let the Madness begin!
• Flea Off Market - we briefly strolled through the flea market with Stevie in hand (which might have been a big mistake).  People loved on her a lot, which was totally cute, but man, she was annoying.  
• We spent the remainder of the day going in and outside, sipping brews and watching basketball.  Also, we may or may not have fallen asleep on the couch before SNL started.  
• Brunch, garden shopping and outdoor time - we planted a blackberry bush, bought starter seeds and wood to make a table (wood for the raised bed is next trip).  I'm so so so very excited for it all!
• Porch time - the critters are coming out and chattering up a storm.  It's so calming to sit on the porch and enjoy it all.

I've totally got spring fever.  It's bad!  With temps in the 70s this week, it's hard to not believe that winter is behind us, spring is here and happiness will seep out of every ounce of my being.  Here's to a great week, everyone! xoxo.

Friday's Fancies + Have a Sunshiney Weekend!

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Happy Friday, everyone! You may be wondering why I went MIA this week...well, needless to say, I've been internet-less for the last 3 days and it's been annoying.  But I unplugged somewhat, and enjoyed the unexpected break.  This week's Friday's Fancies is making me a little crazy.  The theme is spring break (as you may have guessed) and it's leaving me aching for a day on the beach.  If I had a spring break and could go anywhere, it would definitely be somewhere with a beach and crystal-clear water.  Since I don't have a spring break, I'll just enjoy the sunshine we currently have and continue dreaming of the beach.

I feel like I've missed so much this week.  How have you all been? And what do you have planned for the weekend?  Aside from basketball (hooray, March Madness is upon us!), we'll be taking advantage of the sunshine this weekend.  There is a flea market we're thinking of going to tomorrow, with Stevie! And we've got some garden projects to start.  It's shaping up to be a nice weekend, needless to say.

Whatever you get up to this weekend, I hope it's wonderful! xoxo.

Friday's Fancies + Have a Lovely Weekend!

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This week's Friday's Fancies is all about...you guessed it...tangerine!  Obviously I wouldn't take all this tangerine goodness and put it into one outfit (wouldn't that be silly).  I thought I'd do FF a little differently this time and just share my dream tangerine essentials.  That Essie nail polish just so happens to be on my fingers right now, and it's every bit as awesome as it appears.  If I could slip my feet into those awesome Diane Von Furstenberg flats, I would be prancing around all day long with a smile on my face.  Pair that TopShop sweater with some skinny jeans and flats and you'd be set for the early stages of spring!  What do you think, are you a fan of Pantone's color of the year?  I sure am.

What are you up to this weekend? I'd love to hear!  Our weekend plans are minimal, which is much to my liking.  I'm feeling a bit adventurous and am trying to talk the mister into a day trip to spend outdoors - weather permitting, of course.  And that is only if today's threat of tornadoes doesn't live up to the hype.  Fingers crossed.  Oh, and, I know it's so cliche, but today's weather is making me incredibly homesick for Kansas.  

Whatever you get up to this first weekend of March, I hope you have a great weekend!

I Can Feel It Coming in the Air Tonight

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Yesterday, Stevie and I drove past SO many daffodils! I could hardly believe my eyes.  It's February 29th, for pete's sake!  I also noticed that the tulips I planted last October have started to sprout.  It makes me happy that I successfully grew some pretty tulips for our front yard, but it makes me terribly frightened that they'll die off when mother nature decides to bring old man winter back.  Either way, I'm feeling crazy for spring flowers and thought you might enjoy my latest obsession.

Mixed Berries

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I want to take this color board and dunk it in a glass of champagne.  Anybody else feel me on that one? Also, is anyone else suddenly so ready for spring?  

Thursday's Randoms

How does your garden grow? Now that spring is inching closer, we're talking more and more about our soon-to-be vegetable garden.  Husband has it all planned out, to my delight, but I keep finding so many awesome ways to grow everything.  Our biggest problem will be keeping deer out of our stuff, not to mention the cat, dog and other animals wandering through.  But it's almost time to start! Via

Ever since I spotted these on pinterest last week, I've had an undeniable craving for them.  They look so perfect in every single bite.  How can one resist??  Via

Speaking of spring, this skirt would make a great addition to anyone's closet for the upcoming warm months!  I'm in love already.  Via

And wouldn't this necklace match perfectly with the warehouse skirt above? I do declare it would.  It would indeed.

I'm obviously in the bright-colored mood today, and when I spotted Essie's spring collection via Matchbook Magazine, my nails were all like, "hey, paint me that beautiful orange color at once!".  

The weather is warm today (70 and sunny!) and it's got me itching for sunshiny days ahead.  I hope you are getting a glimpse of spring this week as well!

Friday's Fancies + Have a Sunny Weekend!

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Happy Friday, friends!  This week's weather has been amazing - I've tried to enjoy it as much as I can.  Needless to say, Stevie has been enjoying it immensely.  Because of all the spring-like weather we've been having, this week's Friday's Fancies truly has a spring in her step.  All of the bright pops of color are leaving me craving a drive with the windows down with music blaring.  Are you getting that vibe too?

I hope you're all able to enjoy some nice weather wherever you are, even if Phil says 6 more weeks of winter.  Even though it's supposed to rain here this weekend (big shocker) I'm looking forward to a good time.  The bathroom project will be worked on and we're hosting a mini get-together for the superbowl (complete with a blizzard bar and feta onion tartlets, just to name a few).  Whatever you decide to do this weekend, I hope you have an amazing time!

Weekend Recap

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Spring finally seems to have arrived here in Chicago, but I hesitate to say it because I don't want to jinx it.  The weather was sunny and warm throughout the weekend, which prompted me to be outside as much as possible.  Instead of being a tourist in our own city, we ended up walking around our neighborhood and then heading up north for a random visit to Evanston.  The Museum of Science and Industry will have to wait a bit, I believe.  

How were your weekends?  Relaxing, sunny and pleasant? I sure hope so.  President Obama's surprise announcement really put the cherry on top of a pretty lovely weekend.  Some highlights include ::

• Post-work cocktails and wedding rehash with my favourite Brit!
• Black Swan! Finally we got around to seeing it - it was every bit as good as I hoped it would be
• Lunch at Rewster's Cafe - great tea and sandwiches
• Visit to Evanston - The Spice House, Happy Husky Bakery (I got to pet some pretty huskies!) and randomly running into some people we know
• Saturday night r&r - much needed for the mister
• Sunday brunch with girls, followed by a random trip to Target! Did anyone score anything good from the Calypso St. Barth collaboration? 
• Getting the mister to exercise with me outside
• Wine on our back porch followed by watching Close Encounters of the Third Kind 

Be sure to check back here in a little bit - I've got a wonderful surprise for all of you!

Looking Polished

I love painted nails - it's rare to find my nails naked anymore.  Not only do I enjoy the process of painting them (some times not) but I love the wide variety of color you can use to fancy em up.  Spring always leaves me leaning toward lighter colors - mainly of the pastel kind.  Last year, I practically went through the entire bottle of China Glaze's Refreshmint - a lovely shade of mint green that I'm still pretty into.  So I thought today I'd share with you some colors my hands are trying to grab onto for spring...

Butter - Teddy Girl

I've really been wanting to try out butter nail polish, mainly for the non-toxic aspect but also for their understanding of what a girl like me wants out of her polish.  Healthy nails, trendy colors and a fun description that makes me love my favourite Brit that much more.  This color in particular has a nice pastel feel, perfect for spring.

RGB - Coral

RGB is another one of those nail polish brands I've yet to try, but want to try for the same reasons as Butter.  It's free of harmful chemicals and it comes in a variety of awesome shades.  The coral shade above is a beautiful hue of orange-red that would look amazing on the hands of everyone.

O.P.I. - Funky Dunkey

I had a manicure last year and chose a grape color very similar to this.  It was really fun to wear and it constantly made me crave candy (mainly Sprees and Skittles).  Plus, it's fun to tell people the name of your polish is "funky dunkey".  You can say things like, "what the Funky Dunkey?!" and "who the Funky Dunkey is that?!"

Zoya - Christina

I've also never worn Zoya, but again, it's non-toxic.  This shade is one of those kinds of shades that is really perfect all year round.  It could be the best winter white, or a really soft spring shade.  It's shimmery with a touch of silver and gray.  Hooray!

Rescue Beauty Lounge - Starfish-Patrick

Did I choose this one simply because I love Patrick? Maybe.  But I also chose this unfortunately sold-out shade because it is the perfect blend of peach-meets-coral and my fingers long to be covered in it.

Essie - Da Bush

I saved the best for last.  This Essie polish (available in May) has stolen my heart...for now.  It's the perfect follow up to last years mint craze and I want to wear it NOW!  

What do you think, friends? What shades do you like to sport come springtime?  

Hello spring!

The temps outside are getting very close to perfection and it makes for a very happy Mo!  So why not turn to uplifting spring colors?  I'm really not a big yellow fan in general, I don't think I have any yellow clothes but I did sport some yellow flats last summer that I wore until they had to be thrown away.  What color is making you happy now that the weather is getting warmer?

Mellow Yellow by Meaganpie featuring a leather buckle belt

Wrap dress, $48
Kimberly Taylor silk skirt, $78
Wet Seal hipster swimwear, 13 GBP
Chie Mihara peep toe shoes, 390 CAD
Tarina Tarantino flower earring, $38
Jason wu, 179 EUR
J Crew leather buckle belt, 25 GBP
Vintage Jewelry yellow umbrella, $18
Sunglasses neon wayfarer sunglass, $8.99
Uslu Airlines Nail Polish - C.A.B., 19 GBP
I Will Survive Kit, $13

If you're in Chicago, what are you doing today to enjoy the weather?!

spring fever is so contagious

Holy Staghorn Ferns, Batman!  I've got spring fever like you wouldn't believe!  Can you tell??

Last week, I moseyed on over to Sprout Home (dangerous) and with a lot of willpower, walked out with only a single air plant that cost just a few bucks.  Hooray for that willpower, because I could have walked out of there with the entire populace of plants (and candles, pots, flowers, mats).  My love for Sprout Home is unconditional, who's with me?  After paying said visit to the store of all plant stores, it's been hard to get the green guys out of my head.  If it can't be spring (yet) outdoors why not bring it indoors?  Luckily, I have more than plenty of plants indoors to keep me trucking until everything turns green outdoors, and we've got plenty of helpful images right at our fingertips!

Are you a plant kind of person?

All images via Pinterest

Sweet Sandals

With every day that passes, my feet long to slip into a summery sandal.  It's getting worse by the hour.  My feet are so over wearing boots.  They want to be freshly pedicured and ready to rock the warm weather footwear.  Any of these sandals will do, especially those green ones from Kind Boutique.  Oh yes.  They're ready.  So very ready.

Marais Espadrille Wedge from Kind Boutique, Cooperative Leather Cross Strap Sandal from Urban Outfitters, Perlstein Sandal from Aldo, Criss Cross Sandal from Marais USA, DV by Dolce Vita Nyle Beaded Flat Sandal from ASOS  

Lusting for :: Toast's Salt Water Sandals

These Salt Water sandals from Toast's spring collection had me at first sight.  There's something about them that's fun and playful but also invokes memories of dressing up in my grandma's shoes when I was little.  I think that's why I adore them so.  

I'm itching for spring so badly and these 45 degree days we're having are only making it worse.  I'm enjoying the weather, I really am.  I've been wearing my jacket instead of my coat and even went for a brief jog yesterday (I can't jog).  But I know it's only a tease.  I mean, it is still mid-February and this is Chicago so it's only a matter of time until we're back to the brutality of winter, right?  Hopefully I'm wrong.  Because I really want to step outside in some sandals, like these from Toast as soon as possible.  Oh to walk around in them right now without slush getting all over my feet! Sigh.

I definitely reached the point where winter has completely worn out its welcome.  I need it to be spring!