Friday Favorites

Aaannnnndddd, it's the weekend. Thank goodness. I am off with my high school friends to celebrate a very special bride to be for the weekend. There will be a lot of wine spritzers, 90s hip hop, and laughing until our face hurts. Cannot wait. I hope you are up to something fun too. Here are my current favorites from the week...

1. I have been without a LBD for sometime, so when I stumble upon this Helmet Lang one it was fate. Thick scuba fabric that does not cling or wrinkle, and can easily be dressed up or down. 

2. Mary and I have been sporting our new Käärmi bands every day. 

3. Loving this in shower body lotion. Nice to not have to be cold out of the shower, then put cold lotion on. Works great too. 

4. Loving the look of steel shower doors. Gearing up for a remodel and hoping we can execute it. Anyone have them? Would love to hear your thoughts. 

5. Found the perfect not really red, not really pink shade of lip gloss that can be layered for less or more impact. 

6. Went a bit off my usual sunglasses style with these Marc Jacobs aviators, for sure my most complimented pair to date. 

7. Still love walking into the family room and seeing this giant ottoman from Minda Home.  And those Caitlin Wilson pillows. 

8. I was gifted this pouch set by Roberta Roller Rabbit and have been using them every day since. They are waterproof and perfect for wet bathing suits and sunscreen. 

9. I have been living in this super soft romper all summer. I wish I had it in five colors. 

Happy Weekend! 

xo

Erin 

Current Essentials

High five for the weekend. It was a busy week with cooler weather that broke out the sweaters, work madness with a closing and a contract, an overdue book club (see what I did there? ha), lots of home cooked meals that warmed us up, and a much needed girls night tomorrow. 

And in the meantime, here are 

just a few things making my world go round right now….

1. Randomly wandered in H&M for the first time in awhile. Picked up a few things, including this super soft hoodie with a fun gold zipper. Perfect for lounging. $35

2. I just started drinking coffee this year. Yes, it is true. And only a shot of espresso here and there at that. I love adding one shot to my chai in the morning. This Nespresso Vertuoline makes it easy and this one is on major sale! Nespresso $199

3. Love stacking this ring with my wedding/engagement rings or all alone. Gorjana $27 (on sale)

4. I have been using a lot of drug store brands for shampoo lately, but this brightening shampoo for blondes is worth the extra mo-la. DryBar $27

5. I have professed my love sleep masks before and this one has anti-aging copper in the fabric and has pads for under your eyes. Ilumiage $35

6. I use this Honest Multi Surface Cleaner everywhere. Perfect for messy kitchens, sticky floors under the table, and greasy stoves. Honest $5

7. I bought these inflatable/packable bumpers for Tommy's bed for Spain and decided to use at home instead of a bed rail. Couldn't love them more and they totally work. Skrunks $34

8. These make wearing slippers outside acceptable. Minnetonka $42

9. This S'mores Slow Churned ice cream is the death of me. There is a swirl of graham cracker bits in it that are to die. I have been eating it straight from the carton nightly. 

I hope you have the best weekend. 

xo

Erin 

Hello Weekend

What do you have planned for the long weekend? I am hoping the weather stays decent and that I get a nap at some point. Big goals! ha Actually, we have some fun plans with friends a couple of days and maybe a trip to the pool if the kids are up for freezing water and chicken fingers. Meanwhile, here is some randomness you might enjoy… 

1. Kind of digging this packable sun hat with the big bow. So preppy Tuckernuck $60

2. Funny and so very true, these cartoons on how smart phones are ruining our lives. Helps me to remember to enjoy the weekend with the family sans phone. 

3. About to reorder this truffle salt. It is by far the best one I have tried for the price. True truffle flavor with just a small amount. I use it on popcorn, eggs, and risotto. 

4. Pizza night tonight and I am trying this dough recipe from Smitten Kitchen. I will let you know how it turns out. 

5. Looking at runners for the kids hallway. Something that can stand up to wet feet from the bath and possibly markers. Need a very long one and this gray stripe and blue stripe are the top contenders. Which one do you like? (dark floors, white walls)

Have a great Memorial Day friends. xo

Erin 

Let's Catch Up

Yes, I am alive! The month of April is gone, how did that happen? And how did I not write?! I promise to be better and am excited to get back to it here on the blog. 

We spent an extended Spring break in Florida with family this month, only after a weekend of stomach flu madness, so it felt very much deserved. The weather and beach was perfection and the kids kept us super busy. Seeing them play on the beach is probably my favorite thing in life, as were the adult only dinners with plenty of fresh seafood. 

So now we are back to the swing of reality finally and settling back into our daily routine. Which now includes a certain three year old waking up at 5:30 every morning (if you have any advice to fix this, please share). So I have added espresso to my mornings (hello dirty chai) and getting in bed earlier than I would like, but such is life. 

Here are a few things that have kept me entertained or inspired while I was away…. 

Got so compliments on these shorts. First venture to Loft, I was a fan. (on sale!) 

I read this in two days. Great page turner, similar to Gone Girl, not quite as good. 

My mom made the most delicious chocolate cake ever using this recipe. 

Obsessed with these new slides from J. Crew. (on sale!)

If you want to have serious design envy check out this Domaine Home feature. ps: The designer and client are both friends. Lucky me! 

This weekend is finally supposed to be nice, thank goodness. So we will be outdoors and enjoying some time with the kids in the sunshine. And luckily, some time without them too. ha

Happy weekend! And it is good to be back.  

xo
Erin 

A Ridiculous Dip & A Reality Check

While Monday usually gives me little satisfaction, this Monday feels incredible.

 Let me explain by starting with our Friday. I had a great day and a fun play date with the kids and after nap time whipped up one of my favorite appetizers (shared to me by one talented friend) and posted this picture on my Instagram at 5pm. 

Life was grand. 

Then the kids would not eat, were whiney, and clearly not themselves. We bathed them and got them ready for bed. 

And then it hit. 

The stomach flu. 

Like a hurricane that rocks your entire house, we had been hit and it was not pretty. 

The parents are spared. 

At first, 

and then it was our turn. 

The entire weekend was horrible and there was nothing to do but survive. 

So while the picture above may look like the perfect weekend image, what happened after was the reality. I considered putting up a picture later, but honestly did not have the strength. 

Luckily, we are on the mend and eating solids again. 

So just a really nice reminder that things are not always as they appear in cyberspace. Actually pretty much never. 

Now back to that dip. I had posted this recipe before if you want to check it out. It is very easy, can be made in advance, and it such a great starter. I highly recommend it. 

I hope your weekend was much more fun than mine! 

xo

Erin 

Happy Weekend!

What are you doing this weekend? Tonight we are celebrating Christmas a little early with some family and going out to dinner at our favorite French restaurant. It is sadly closing tomorrow, so had to get one last visit in! Tomorrow I have two holiday parties with girlfriends and Sunday the Nutcracker with my Mom. So much on the agenda to look forward to.  

I have also started menu planning a bit for next week. This will be the smallest crowd yet, so it has been nice to not think about quantity so much. I am eyeing this ragu for Christmas Eve dinner since church is late and it will be easy to come home to. And a possible surf and turf situation on Christmas Day? Giant crab legs from Costco sound like heaven. And these mushrooms could be a great addition. This only after our traditional Dreamy Sour Cream Waffles. The best part of the day, really. 

Do you have any recipes you love to make for the holidays? Would love some new ones! 

Happy Weekend! 

xoxo

Erin  

A Few Great Things

Just some random goodness for your weekend...

This shot from House Beautiful really struck me this week. Such statements and eclectic touch. Anyone doubting that a collection of things you love can never go together, should remember that it always will.  With the right styling of course. 

Say what you will about Lena Dunham, she is quite the character. And pretty hilarious. Check out this collection of short videos she did as promotion for her new book that came out this week. Her advice is funny but also poignant. 

My usual moisturizer ran out this week and I could not make it over to Sephora to get. So I picked up this cream at Target from Simple and I have to say my skin is looking pretty darn great. Considering it is 1/10 of the price of my usual brand, I might have to substitute this in more often. 

I came across this great company this week doing amazing things for girls like these above while also coming up with engineering genius for us. Meet Thinx. 

Check out their mission here. And check out their cute and ridiculously functional underwear for us. 

Again, why did no one think of this sooner? Your "period underwear" just got so much better. You know you have them in your drawer. Here is how these are better. 

My order is in. Happy helping out weekend. 

xoxo

Erin 

Weekend Getaway

Even though I am not going on any type of trip this weekend, I got really inspired by this fantastic weekend bag to pack for one. 

This bag is from Barrington gifts (no not that Barrington) and you can customize with a fabric choice (there are many) and add a monogram. Love them. And at $275 it is a good price for the quality and size. How great would this be as a wedding present, too? 

So if I was going away this weekend, this is what I would pack. Would be perfect for a little coastal getaway or a quick B&B visit on the lake. 

1. An effortless white dress for dinner out. d.Ra $100

2. Black wedges that go with everything. Seychelles $95

3. So you do not have to bring a blow dryer. Bumble & Bumble Surf Spray $26

4.  J. Crew has a new mix and match tool for bikinis. Love this combo. 

5. A silky tank to wear for brunch. Tibi $160 

6. A breezy beach cover up that you can wear all day. ONE by Pink Stitch $84

7. A versatile bag that goes from tote to cross body. Foley & Corinna $139

8. The best denim shorts. Ever. J. Crew $79 (buy a size down)

9. Leather espadrilles for walks along the coastline. Mint & Rose $139

10. Because it is kind of the only make up you need on vacay. Nars the Multiple in Orgasm $39

Are you off to somewhere fun this weekend? I am next week and can't wait to share. 

Happy weekend. 

xo

Erin 

Friendship in Your 30s

Someone shared (and then I followed) this article about Being a BFF in your 30s. BFF seems silly to use in our 30s, first off, but the article itself brought to light so many things that I have been thinking about lately. Whether you have kids, a demanding career, a relationship, a time consuming extended family, or any of the other thousand things that make your world go round, friendship gets trickier and trickier. 

The article points out that in your 20s you have nothing but time to hang out, spend quality time on the phone catching up, and generally feeling like you really are a BFF (oh how I miss all those boozy, lazy brunches). As time marches on and life begins to get complicated, that time once spent is missed and makes you feel like much less than the friend you once were. But what does emerge (and what is important to concentrate on) from less time spent connecting is the greater bond of having friends that are there no matter what. 

Even if you have not seen them in a few months, even if you have not been able to return their call as fast as you would like, even if you feel that you are in different stations in life, it does not matter. Because when you do get that time together or that phone call is placed at the perfect time or you text back and forth all night, it is just as that friendship always has been. Deep, genuine, and meaningful. 

Time is such a radical thing now and oh so precious. As are the friendships that we care so much about and will develop over the course of our lifetime. I would like to think that those in my life will always be whether it be seeing each other every week, every year, or every decade.  

Tomorrow I get to connect with friends that have been in my life for over two decades and though my time with them is always limited, it means everything to me when those moments happen. Though as women we tend to beat ourselves up about not doing enough in everything we do, sometimes it is nice to just relax and feel confident that you are a great friend no matter the amount of time you get to spend together. And you are the person that your friends support and want to hang out with. Preferably with a nice glass of wine. 

Happy weekend to all the girlfriends out there. Especially mine, who I cherish so much. 

xo

Erin 

PS: How much does that photo make you want to Shag this weekend? 

Happy Weekend

What are you doing this weekend? Besides a few obligations, golf and being outside with the kids is what I am mostly looking forward to. 

I have been kind of obsessed with Zinfandel recently. Not the white zin that I have avoided since the boxed wine days, but the rich loveilness of a red. This Decoy has become a bit of a staple. 

I also plan on making this chopped salad with homemade buttermilk ranch dressing, which I have been craving all week. The ranch more than the salad, but still. 

I got these great Madewell flats this week and am trying to stick with my "no flip flops rule." They are comfortable and are classing up my day. 

These pillows (stripe and diamond) are going to great on my couch this summer, can't wait until they arrive. Along with this cute stripey rug for the kitchen. 

That is pretty much what is making me happy right now. I hope your weekend is filled with fun times and a treat or three. 

xo

Erin  

Wise Words From Garance Dore

illustration: Garance Dore

I have long been a huge fan of Garance Dore. She is a French blogger and artist living in New York. Her style, quick wit, and true honesty towards everything from the perfect lipstick to weight gain keeps her at the top of my daily reads list. She recently weighed in on the ever on going conversation of how  we as women can "have and do it all!" 

While I am a huge fan of girl bosses everywhere and support every lady on this planet to be every bit the person that she dreams of being, sometimes we can find success in not the ladders we are climbing, children we are bearing, and calendars we are filling, but in the quiet solace and happiness of just living. Garance shares such a great perspective of this in this post. 

No one is harder on you than you. As women we feel inadequacies in even the smallest of actions and most of the time we are the only ones paying attention. Having it all or doing it all or whatever that even means is just another way to be hard on ourselves. Because there is no "all." There is just your life and the way you want to live it. And no one's life is like yours, which is what makes it so wonderful. 

Cheers to the weekend and the way you choose to spend it. You always have a fan in me, whatever you plan on doing. Or not do. 

xo

Erin 

PS: I am such a novice and could not for the life of me figure out how to get the accent above the e in Dore! Can someone please tell me how to do this from Safari??

Happy Weekend

What are you up to this weekend? Tonight I will be solo, so wine and House of Cards (obsessed, totally late to the game) are in my future. 

Then we are having people over for an early dinner tomorrow. I am going to grill skirt steak and make some chimichurri, make my favorite potatoes from Miss Gwyneth, and an avocado caprese salad (recipe to come). Oh and repeating that amazing goat cheese appetizer from earlier in the week. 

Meanwhile, I am obsessing over this blazer. 

Halfsies on a cape and a blazer, so chic and Olivia Palmero-esque. 

And this Victoria Beckham dress Zoe Saldana wore on the Cannes red carpet. 

It is simply stunning. 

Have a great weekend everyone! 

xo
Erin 

Get Set... Go

While some minutes the day seems to be dragging on, the next the weeks are flying by and life seems to be happening a little too fast. The holiday week(end) is stacked with an out of town wedding today and tomorrow, family BBQ on Friday, hosting a work BBQ on Saturday, and hopefully a high school style pool party on Sunday (nothing like HS with a baby in tow, and a large bump, but I like to pretend). I am tired thinking about this schedule, yet excited for all the fun activities. 

On the menu for our BBQ on Saturday (keeping it really simple since I only have a few hours to prep): 

Burger, Brats & Balsamic Chicken

Caprese Panzanella (grilled bread mixed with tomatoes, evoo, basil, fresh mozzarella, garlic, vinegar and red onions)

Kale Caesar

Corn on the cob slathered in butter

Spicy Sesame Noodles

and the biggest, most sugary frosted cake I can find at Costco. Craving that butter cream more than life and there is no time for baking. 

My wardrobe for all of this is still to be determined as my options are starting to seriously dwindle, yet I am refusing to buy too many oversized items in the hopes I will be back to a somewhat regular size soon. (wishful) I am wearing a cute Parker chevron maxi dress that still fits, and this Splendid fold over maxi skirt is getting a lot of attention lately. It is so comfortable. The rest is kind of the great debate as well as a total nightmare to plan out this pregnant. 

I hope the rest of your week is filled with All American fun and lots of sugary treats as well. You are probably going to be drinking lots of wine, so you can think of me while you are sipping. I will most likely be sleeping. 

xo

Erin 

Have a Great Weekend!

It is almost here, just get to the end of the day. Tomorrow I have a big wedding to attend in the city celebrating one fabulous Diva. Looking forward to some girl time and catching up with out of towners. I am wearing this dress with some vintage finds I got last week. I will share on Instagram tomorrow. I am going to attempt to wear heels, but I can tell you now that I could barely get my puffy hooves in them, so we will see how that goes. 

BTW, I found out this week that baby girl is still breech (ugh), so if you have any tips on how to get her to turn I would love to hear! Mostly been trying to hang out upside down, which is weird and not seeming to work out too well. 

I hope you have a great weekend! 

xo
Erin 

And I am out...

Photo: Bruce Weber

There is something about a girls-only trip that makes life just so much better. Don't get me wrong, I love traveling with the little guy and I have had plenty of fun out of town with the big guy, but a trip where you are not responsible for anyone else but yourself is pretty liberating. 

It is also nice to just get away for no reason at all. No wedding, no bachelorette, no shower, no work, no event at all. Just hanging out, catching up with no reason to look at the clock, count calories or drinks, no bedtimes, nothing but pure joy of of being with the company around you. 

So here is to a plane ride with a full stack of magazines and bloody (sigh-virgin) Mary's, reverting a bit back to college life (except with more sunscreen and better wine), and zero responsibility. It is nice to get a break from that, right? 

Have the best weekend. I know I will. 

xo
Erin 

Weekend Rewind

How was your weekend? There was a lot of family time over here, plus a date night, finally saw Zero Dark Thirty (kind of long, but good), and I topped the weekend off with a giant piece of cake that I had been craving. Here is a recap... 

I am trying out a new moisturizer, Clinque Moisture Surge. So far I love it. Light and oil free, but my skin drinks it up and does not get dry later in the day. Perfect for layering under make up.

Date night outfit: Equipment shirt, Gap skinny cropped trouser, Jimmy Choo booties, Marc Jacobs clutch, vintage necklace

I had taken a break from the no-chip manicure, but I had to go back. So amazing how long it lasts. 

My go-to pink is Shellac Romantique

My new bedding came from Crane & Canopy. I had originally told you that I was going to get the Serena & Lily set, but I found this set for half the price. 

It came beautifully wrapped with a handwritten note. Bonus is that they donate a set of bedding to charity with every person. The smell of lavender wafted from the box when you opened it. Great packaging. 

Going crazy over coral lips for Spring. 

Nars Satin Lip Pencil in Lodhi, Fresh Sugar Lip Treatment in Coral, MOR lip gloss

Candlelight at Easter Vigil 

I had not made this Herbed Cheese & Sun Dried Tomato Stuffed Chicken in awhile. Forgot how good it is. And easy. 

Some fancy shoes for Easter that I died over. Then when it came to putting them on him Easter morning, one foot would not fit. Literally threw them across the room. 

His sneaks worked fine though. He actually grabbed some eggs. 

Got a little saccharin with the colors on Easter, but I essentially wore the same outfit as date night, except... 

Added a Zara blazer and Banana top that is no less than ten years old. It was just not warm enough for a spring-y dress. Add to that I have two giant bruises on my legs that have not seen the sun for about two years. Not cute. 

Hope your weekend was fantastic. 

xo

Erin 

Weekend Wishes

Just another cold weekend waiting for it to actually be Spring. Ordering pizza with a friend tonight, brunch with friends tomorrow, and the rest of the weekend lazing around with the men in my life. In the meantime, this is what I am dreaming of...

How fantastic is this braided cuff? Perfect with flirty dresses in the summer. 

Bop Bijoux $65

Winter has made me such a hermit that this picture made me crave a dance party. One involving Amy would be peeerfect. 

I pinned this dress and it is haunting me. If you happen to know where it is from or anything similar, send to me! It is gorgeous. 

The perfect nude wedge for day or night. Honestly, I sniff these out every Spring you would think all I owned were nude wedges. 

DVF $295

After the glory of my Shamrock shake on Sunday, I can not stop thinking about a DQ cookie dough blizzard. Thinking another Sunday treat is  in my future. 

I hope you have the best weekend and whatever you are dreaming about today comes true. 

xo

Erin 

Daydreaming

It is such a cliche to keep talking about how Spring is almost here. But can we really help but look forward to a new set of clothing options that we get to enjoy in the sunshine? By this time of year I have gone way beyond trying to look cute while staying warm and wear leggings, boots, and an oversized sweater. Not cute. 

You know what would be cute? Stepping out for a dinner al fresco, drinking some vino, and wearing something light and pretty. 

Sweater Dress / Essie Tart Deco / Sandals / Watch / Bracelet / Clutch

This dress is so pretty and I love the fact that it is knit. I have Tart Deco on right now and it is so bright and coral-ly fun. I can't even start talking about those shoes, I have them in my cart right now, taunting me. Watches have been so big and chunky that a slim band would look so fresh paired with a link bracelet. They would look perfect with a soft, neutral clutch. 

 It is warming up this weekend. A balmy 43. Argh. 

xo

Erin 

This Week

I have not felt quite like myself this week. Between the battle of a sore throat, to the weird change of weather, and my lack of creativity, it has been a week that seemed to just pass me by. There were a few highlights. 

The deer seem to know that we like them around in the evenings. 

Puffy baby jackets and boots make me excited for the first snow. 

Vitamin C, Green Tea, repeat. 

Matt built a fire pit in our woods that got it's inaugural s'mores roast before my Dad left. 

I made my favorite lasagna recipe and purposely made extra to enjoy all week. 

My Goop Birchbox arrived. More to come on that later. 

Trying to shop my own closet for a going away party tonight for one of my favorite people. 

Surprise, no reason at all, flowers are the best. 

Enjoy your weekend! 

xo

Erin 

PS: I am obsessed with this video from The Coveteur. Genius. 

Weekend Wishes

Another rainy day in Chicago. Tonight is the perfect night to go get Mexican food with my Dad, then tuck in early. Excited for better weather tomorrow and a crisp walk with the babe.

I am kind of obsessed with this bee wallpaper. It would be cute in a little girls room, fun in a powder room, and might be a contender for my dining room. 

Melissa over at Fonty Fest shared pictures of her mud room renovation. It incorporates great design and functionality. I am in love with the horse hooks she used.  

I can't decide if pink pants could work in the Fall and Winter. Maybe paired with a black leather bomber and boots? These have been a favorite for awhile...

I like to imagine that one day I will have a pool house like this. Rustic beams, a bar to belly up to, and a low circular table to play cards and sip margaritas at...

Old Navy has some cute baby clothes ($12). This ribbed one piece comes in a bunch of colors and patterns. 

These DVF wedges are on sale and such a pretty color. Lusting after them and I think they would look cute with colored tights.  

How could Matt Boemer not be cast as Christian Grey? I think this picture pretty much locks it in for him. 

Have a great weekend! 

xo

Erin