March Updates

::: Spring in Chicago is so funky. We've seen great weather and some really shitty weather. Yesterday, the kids and I were having our lunch outside, had been to two parks, and I got sunburn - and today, it's snowing and I'm sitting at a wine bar with a sweater and boots on. 

 

 

::: Life's been great from all accounts. I'm finding less and less motivation to log on to this blog though. I feel like I don't have much to say or share that I'm not already sharing on Instagram. I feel the blog slowly slipping away, and that makes me pretty sad. 

::: We had the stomach flu hit our house last week and it was literal hell. We had been at a party and literally like contagion - SO many people got knocked down after 36 hours of being there - it was insane. It was the sickest Leo has ever been - and I just literally kept catching his puke in my hands. It wasn't fun but I was SO grateful that it was relatively quick moving and that everyone is back to normal. 

::: We didn't do too much for St. Patrick's day. We took the opportunity for a cute photo op on our holiday shirts, and shared corned beef dinner with both of our parents at dinner. It was perfect. 

::: Are you watching Summer House? I think it's a few years old but I just got into it, and I'm obsessed. Given the choice, I would totally rather watch Summer House over Real Housewives. I'm pretty much over NY and BH.

::: I've been hitting is SO hard at the gym lately. My girlfriends and I are on a text chain and since the gym has become such a social spot (and a day care option) I feel like I've been at the gym 5 days a week for the last 6-8 weeks. I can feel some of the strength that I've been working on, but not really seeing it - so I'm hoping that shift happens a little sooner than later here ;) 

::: Over Spring Break, we took a weekend getaway with friends to Galena - and we had the best time. For my own record keeping purposes, I'm going to back post and share some of our secrets to a successful weekend trip with friends.

::: I finally made dinner with the Trader Joe's cauliflower gnocchi - and holy cow it was so good. What a solid dupe! I will say - it's a little tricky to work with - but overall, especially considering what a light dinner option it is - we loved it. I used Liz Adams recipe from her "Cooking with Liz" instalive she does - and I can't wait to make it again.  (she doesn't have the recipe on her blog, that I can find! Check her instastories!) 

::: I bought these darling easter baskets from a neighbor and I couldn't be more obsessed! 

::: I think I've shared a bit that we are fixing up our basement a bit. Drywall finished this week, and next week the ceiling is getting spray painted black! I can't wait to see the space totally transform. When the ceiling is done, we are going to paint the drywall (revere peweter), do a deep clean, and rearrange bit here and there. I'm hoping to add a ping pong table down there, and eventually a TV, and try to make it as "industrial cool" as I can. 

::: That's it for now. I'm sitting at the cutest little coffee and wine bar that just opened in our hood, but the internet is painfully slow and I have about 15 other things I've got to knock out before I let the babysitter go home! Ha! 

Weekend Recap

We had kind of shitty week last week.

On Monday, I woke up, and instantly knew that I was barely going to be able to make it from my bed to the sink to brush my teeth. I felt like total shit. I begged Joel to stay home that morning, just to give me a few hours to see if I could power through it after dayquil and some extra sleep, but at 10am, I was still feeling like crud, so he took the whole day off to tend to the kids.

Thank God.

Tuesday morning, Joel woke up feeling like total shit. I wasn't out of the woods, by any means, but I at least felt like I could rally to be with the kids. Joel stayed home from work, stayed in bed most of the day, and I did my best to keep the babes happy until our babysitter showed up.

Joel and I both felt better on Wednesday, and then on Thursday, after parent teacher conferences, decided to go out for a date. It was lovely - at one of our all time favorite spots....but something I ate bothered me, and at 3am I woke up and was violently ill. Not fun - but thankfully, after I got it out of my system, I was ok.

Friday, all was seemingly normal, and we went to my parents for happy hour/dinner. When we got over there, Leo started chattering - looked really white - and then over an hour just totally nose dived. I took him home before dinner - stuck him in bed with gatorade and a movie - checked his temp (103.9), and basically decided that this week was just shit. 

Thankfully, Saturday morning, he had slept through the night, woke up with a much lower fever and actually felt great, and we were able to salvage most of the weekend. I went to the gym Saturday morning, hit up the grocery store, and then went to my moms house for happy hour with my sister.

That night, my girlfriend Jenna and her husband Zach came to spend the night with us. We made tacos and once the kids were in bed played darts for hours. 

We had such a blast and basically fell into bed.

Sunday morning - Jenna and I snuck away for a dance class at my gym - my MOST favorite class of the entire week - and then came home to hang for a cup of coffee before they headed out.

Joel and I did a few things around the house....we hung oars in Leo's room, and brought a new couch base down to the basement. I had stopped at a garage sale at a local preschool on Saturday and had bought that red bookshelf for FIVE dollars along with a puzzle organizer for THREE dollars, and literally felt like I had won the lottery. 

 

 (*pretty cool note about these oar's: my mom found that at an antique shop in Lake Geneva, Wi. and we used them at my wedding and my baby shower for Leo. Now they hang in my 3year old son's room.....insane).  

We spent the rest of the day with my sisters, we walked, had drinks, talked, and just hung out before we ordered pizza and they went back on their way.

I will say, as much as it sucks to get used to the new time change - I am SO happy to have the sun shining at 6pm. It gave me SUCH a pep in my step tonight, I cannot even tell you! I am ready for you Spring!!!!!!! 

ohhhhhh, Mexico

You guys, take me back.

We honestly had the best vacation in the world. 

Everything, and I honestly mean everything, went off better than I could have expected. 

The flights were on time and decently smooth, the car picked us up at the airport with two car seats installed (this gave me anxiety for whatever reason), our condo was perfect (had pack and plays and high chairs), we brought the right stuff, was able to grocery shop and create our own mini home, the kids transitioned perfectly, acted perfectly, stayed perfectly healthy, and we had SO much flipping fun.

 

 

 

 

It does. NOT. get better than that.

Truly. 

I'm so thankful for this trip. It was so much fun to be with my whole family, my babies, Joel, in one of my most favorite places in the world.

I only wish we could go back tomorrow. 

 

Vacay Prepping!

::: We've been preparing for our big trip to Mexico! We are renting the condo next to my parents in Punta Mita, and bringing the kids, and we are so excited for our first tropical vacation as a family four.

:: We're carrying on - but sort of cheating. My parents are flying on the same flight with us, and checking a bag, so we are including two puddle jumpers in their suitcase. Since my parents were done in Mexico a few weeks ago, they also stocked up on diapers and wipes for us.

::: Otherwise, everything else (monitors, snacks, 2 sound machines, loveies, outfits, toys, etc.) is coming with us. We have 3 seats, 4 people, 3 carry-on suitcases, 1 purse, 1 backpack, 1 LLBean tote bag, 1 ergo baby carrier, and 1 double stroller. Hot Damn!

::: We are parking at the airport here in Chicago, and being picked up in a car that will have two car seats to take us to the condo.

::: My purse looks like this for the flight. I purchased this purse organizer from Amazon, at the recommendation of Alex and I have been LOVING it. It keeps my bag so much better organized - I can't believe I've been living without it for so long.

::: In my purse, I have some snacks handy, some diapers and changing pad, my headphones, my ipad, my kindle, the kids passports, my wallet, everyone's sunglasses, some CBD oil, tic tacs, and my medicine kit for the kids.

 

 

::: In the LLBean tote, we have....everything else. Toys, kids lovies, games, so many snacks, bottles for Drew, hand wipes, a blanket, Leo's kindle fire and head phones.....probably a few more things that I'm already forgetting.



For snacks, we have pouches, gold fish, raisins, animal crackers, and fruit snacks.



It's hard to know what toys to bring, but for Drew, I brought a few light up/table toys. I borrowed a few from friends so that they're new for Drew, I brought a few mini books, a few trucks and match box cars, a few things for Drew to chew on, and a few sea creatures for Leo to play pretend with.



I bought most of these art supplies at target, but did pick up this water pen thingy on Amazon. We haven't used it yet, but hopefully it's a hit.

::: As far as other things that I am bringing on our trip - I'm going to try out this little floatie for Drew. It's handy because it deflates, and I think it will be nice for her to have on when we are at the little splash pool. I'm also bringing a life vest for her, and a puddle jumper for Leo. I bought this on Amazon but haven't used it, so I'm happy to report back if you are curious.

::: The kids were pretty easy to pack for - Keens for shoes for both of them for the most part, one nice pair of shoes for dinner, and then easy and light clothes, lots of hats, swim suits, and they're pretty much set.



::: We have downloaded plenty of movies and shows for the flights, and we're going to just have to go with flow and get it done!

Here goes nothing!