My Email is Yelling At Me

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 I woke up this morning to 34 emails. My initial reaction was a bit of panic (omg what happened?!?) but it turns out that these weren’t work emails or notes from friends…it’s Cyber Monday so BUY! SALE! SHOP! NOW!

I felt it on (Black) Friday and now today: my email is yelling at me. 

Even after I deleted everything and did a lot of unsubscribing, I started my day with this nagging feeling that I should be doing something else. What was I forgetting?

Marketing, man- despite being annoyed at all of those emails, my subconscious was still going “You are missing out on once-a-season sales, you should be Christmas shopping! Now!” 

I even started compiling a gift guide to post on this blog of things we love to gift. Because everyone needs one more list with links and a reminder that you should be shopping NOW!

So instead I leave you with a picture of margaritas from a really fun dinner with friends this weekend and the Christmas tree lot that popped up right outside of Big Star. Because just like people over pie, on this Monday I am choosing to reset my subconscious to having visions of friends and tacos and naps and memories of connecting with the things that matter to me from a great Thanksgiving holiday dancing in my head instead of messages from retailers in my inbox. 

If we are being honest, I would rather send everyone tacos and margs for Christmas anyways. Does Big Star ship?

Happy Monday, Friends. I hope you had lovely weekends and Thanksgivings. xo

  

Pure Michigan

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Grand Haven Pier November 2015

This morning I woke up in Michigan and threw on warm clothes and ran out the door to meet my parents for a walk. A stop for coffee at a place that my best friend and I used to go to every Friday morning before our summer jobs (Traverse City Cherry coffee for the win) and we were on the water, walking, talking, having those conversations that just don’t happen on the phone. I don’t know if it was the coffee, our brisk pace (strollers our family is not!) or the unexpectedly warm-ish day but layers came off and we took a longer way back to the car because it was so enjoyable, being outside and being together.

And then I stopped to see my 98 year old grandmother who was in the beauty parlor in her assisted living home having her nails done. #priorities

And then I had lunch with my mom at a diner that still has the best chicken rice soup around.

And then I drove home to Chicago, belting out every song from Hamilton 1.5 times because the trip takes longer than the musical does but you don’t have to twist my arm to rap battle Cabinet meetings multiple times.

It was a really good day. Family can happen anywhere and today it happened in my hometown and I really loved it.

Grand Haven Lighthouse

Link Love

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West Loop Street Art

{street art in the West Loop}

Bon Appetit Magazine got it absolutely right- listen to your elders when it comes to hosting Thanksgiving. The old lady who said her kitchen has vibes made me laugh!

I am super into podcasts- here are 7 local podcasts you should be listening to right now. I have already downloaded Curious City and can’t wait to find out what Chicago would be like had the Great Fire never happened…

Hosting dinner parties is one of my favorite things in the world. This compilation of tips and anecdotes is really fun and timely for the upcoming holiday season.

You guys. Hamilton. I am not kidding when I say I could barely sleep last night because I was so excited after having listened to both 1st and 2nd acts over the course of my evening. A musical that tells the story of the creation of our country as set to hip hop. It is amazing.

Thanksgiving Prep

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LB

This picture sums up what is on the agenda/how we are preparing for our holiday weekend. Wine. Cat. Snuggles. Repeat.

Ryan and I are spending Thanksgiving just the two of us in Chicago and I am excitedx1000 to spend a few days relaxing, cooking and being together in our home base after a busy month of travel. Oh and heading down to the Christkindlmarket on Thanksgiving morning to choose a new ornament for our tree.

Safe travels to all who are hitting the road today!

Thanksgiving 2.0

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We cooked a massive meal for our Thanksgiving of four yesterday so we invited friends over for a Thanksgiving 2.0 tonight…which turned into ordering Pequod’s…and playing Apples to Apples…and watching How The Grinch Stole Christmas. Thanksgiving, it was.

But we still have tons of leftovers. So if anyone wants to be a part of Tgiving 3.0, let us know…

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