good advice

Are you picking up what I'm throwing down?

WILW

I am loving my new Erin Condren planner. It's big, I'm not going to lie. I was nervous it wasn't going to fit into my cross body bag...but if I organize all of the products inside, then I can snuggly fit it in.

I love that I already feel more organized!

I love that it's excusable to have candy corn around the house. I love this stuff so much, but if I chew it on the left side of my mouth, where I think a cavity may be hiding, it sends shivers up my whole body.

It's worth it though.

I love this hair cut. Every season I debate chopping off my locks, and if I do...this is the look I would go for. Perfection.

I am loving that I am back on the workout train. I took a good 3 weeks off while I was sick, and there is a definite difference in my endurance and stamina on the treadmill. I'm struggling to even run 3 miles, but at least I'm out there. Hopefully by next week I'll be back to where I was.

I love my weekend plans. I'm already so excited and I know it's going to be a great weekend.

On Friday night I'm meeting up with Hannah from A Big Little Life and my bestie Claire for drinks and small plates at the Paris Club.

On Saturday, a bunch of couples are driving into the suburbs for a day at the pumpkin patch. I can't wait to get lots of pumpkins and gourds to decorate the house with. I think I'll probably cook up some fall cookies too.

On Saturday night I'm celebrating my girl Jenna's 24th birthday. We are going to go to one of my all time favorite restaurants in the city, Hot Chocolate.

Also, I love that the week is more than half way over!!

Happy hump day girlies!

Getting lucky in Kentucky

On Saturday morning, after a really sketchy hotel breakfast, we got all dressed up for the day’s biggest attraction, Keenland. Keenland is held through the entire month of October, and we had timed it to hit up the races on opening day. The drive from UK campus is only about 10 or 15 minutes, and again, the scenery is mind boggling.

We stood in bumper to bumper traffic on our way to the parking lot, but once we got there, we were quickly to our seats. The grounds of Keenland are….*am I becoming a broken record yet?*….goregous. I just couldn’t get over the sweeping views of red, yellow, and oranges. We all loaded up on some mimosa’s and put in our bets for the first two races.

None of us were big winners, but we all got into it. It’s a really great way to spend a gorgeous fall day.

After the races we got Nellie all stocked up on groceries at Kroger, and then headed back to the hotel to freshen up for the night.

We lived it up like college students though. Pitchers of beers, non-stop nachos, wings, burgers, and sweet potato fries with this TDF marshmallow dipping sauce.

After dinner, we took all the youngin’s back to the hotel to pregame and play a few drinking games.

Nellie has seriously the best group of girlfriends and I couldn’t be happier with the way her college life seems to be turning out.

On Sunday, our flight which was supposed to leave at 10, didn’t take off until 3…so that was quite obnoxious, but we tried to make the best of it (after I spent the first hour bitching and complaining.).


Being delayed is a very humbling experience, because there aint a damn thing you can do about it.






*read humbling = my biggest pet peeve in the freaking world. 

Tyrrell's do Kentucky

After a super short flight, we landed in Louisville and headed right in the car for a one hour drive to Lexington.

The color of the trees in Kentucky are absolutely beautiful so the drive was so scenic and lovely, and made me feel happy to be visiting in October.

I do not miss dorm bathrooms.



Once we picked up Nellie (who was a little overwhelmed with the pressure) she took us around her seriously gorgeous campus and to her sorority house, Delta Gamma.

Nellie literally knows everyone on campus. No matter where we were walking, or driving, people were waving, honking, yelling, all just to say hi to this cute little yankee.

We dropped my dad off at the hotel so us girls could do some shopping.

Look how sweet this memorial was at the Apple store.

I picked up a few treats from J.Crew and we headed back to our hotel to freshen up for dinner.

For dinner we went to this amazing restaurant in downtown Lexington called Portofino. We had a few bottles of wine, a good amount of tears, a few shouting matches, and really good food.

Families are not perfect, and mine most definitely is not. We typically put so much pressure on each other and vacations to be absolutely perfect that emotions boil over and someone typically ends up crying.

We hashed it all out before breakfast Saturday morning and everybody was back to good spirits. No one was willing to let a spat ruin a weekend where the 5 of us were together, so I think we made up for it by and large with a great day on Saturday.

 

Deets on that to come tomorrow.

Off we go!

As you read this me and my family  I are heading down to Kentucky for a weekend of horse racing, mint juleps, and some much needed fun. It's been a while since just the 5 of us spent quality time together...we're well overdue.

On Friday we land in Kentucky around 9am, so after we check into our hotel we are going to check out Nellie's dorm, tour the campus, and go to her Sorority house. For dinner we are either going to try Portofino, or another restaurant whose name has escaped me but serves traditional southern food. Any KY girls out there have good recommendations for us?

 On Saturday we are going to Keenland! It's opening weekend in Kentucky and I cannot wait. My whole family loves horse racing (okay....maybe its just the drinks and gambling), and what better place to watch the races than Keenland? Plus, I love any good excuse to whip out a big hat.



I'm really hoping to just enjoy every minute of this mini-getaway. Work has been shittastic and I really need to get out of Chicago and get some fresh air.

Hope you all have a great weekend. See you Monday!

i swoon

I was showing my mom my boards on Pintrest and she asked me if I had pinned all of my decor inspirations in the same day?

I hadn't, I've been building the folder for months. She said, isn't it funny how you are drawn to the same type of styles....without even knowing it?

She picked up on a lot of subtleties in my inspiration images, that I never had.

There is a lot of continuity in what I like which I think is good.

Have you noticed that a lot of your images is in your inspiration folders look similar?

Clearly I know what I like - texture, warmth, layering, neutral colors, patterns, and straight lines.

Since I know I am drawn to those design basics it's easier to add elements to my own house to elevate the design in my own house. Kind of like my post yesterday, I don't want Pintrest to only inspire me in my online life...I want it to have in impact in reality! 



One day...right?


p.s. check out all of my boards on Pintrest here.