Fancy Fashion - Madewell

I think the new Madewell fall lookbook is fabulous! So many cute ensembles and great ideas for styling the goodies I already have. And ... it looks like Dr Martens may be making a come back. Just in time! 

{fashionista}

A Look at Home

We've been home much of today, with the rain sprinkling down here and there, keeping us from spending too much time outdoors. I thought I'd take a few pictures of my newest lovelies from Anthropologie. I picked up a couple of plates for my wall when I was there last week but still have to put them up. The colorful whistles are little gifts from grandma's trip to South Africa and I decided to add the hydrangeas to the mix, since my home and garden are currently filled to the tippy-brim with them.  

It's the tiniest of (sweet) details that catch my attention ...

An attempt at drying hydrangeas, which isn't all that pretty really, but still kind of interesting. I suppose they should dry upright in a vase? Oh well, I have enough to try any which way, and row upon row of these look quite (eerily) beautiful.

At the peak of pretty. 

 Friday is almost here! Whew.

Trends for Less

I've had my eye on this dress from Madewell all summer long so I was pretty excited to find a similar style, with that cut out back, at a much more affordable price. This dress sort of reminds my sister and I of middle school as we both had a version of it. And who woulda thought that 20 something years later .... Well, I suppose this is one benefit I've incurred after 3+ years of nursing babies, the option to wear dresses with exposed backs. Fantastic!

The Forever 21 on Chicago's Magnificent Mile was incredible. I had not planned to visit it, only because there were so many other more wonderful places and I have one close to home already. But after the heavy rains started pounding the pavement, I was "forced" into the F21 doors (right next to our hotel). And it was a lovely surprise as this one was well organized and stocked full of all the pretty things I'd already seen elsewhere, only at much better prices. So I ended up with 2 trendy finds - this dress and these brogues, another item I'd wistfully longed for (in a nude color). You just can't beat the prices at this place and I'd rather pick up a trendy item for an unbeatable price than a splurge. 

{dress & shoes - Forever 21, belt - Target}

The Summer Life

These summer months are zooming by and we're clinging to them with all our might, languishing in the heat and adventure these sweltering days bring. These are the best days of our lives!

{thank you Instagram!}

A White Party!

My boys are back, safe and sound, and our family is whole again. We're all relaxed and re-engerized after our vacation-y week, free of work and responsibility and packed full of fun and spontaneity. We need those more often! :)

My (amazing-fantastic-rockstar) sister Daena celebrated her 30th birthday over the weekend with the party of the century. Haha - well, at least in this neck of the woods. We wined and dined, got crazy taking jump shots, and ended the evening in a fairytale. 

Take a look ...

 {poms from etsy, flowers from our back yard}

 My sister and I ...

 all the ladies ...

 the dudes ...  

The lanterns ...

We were so excited to surprise the crowd with the lanterns at the end of the evening and so everyone hopped in their cars and headed to the river. They were quite tricky to figure out and eventually get into the air, but once we realized the process (light, hold down on the ground until it fills with hot air, and let go), they flew off into the night sky so beautifully.

Except this one, which was dead-set on landing in a tree, causing shrieks from the crowd and visions of burning bushes until someone climbed up and saved the day!

(fyi - fire department was previously warned of our endeavors). 

A spectacular end to a very special night. Happy Birthday Daena!

The end. 

Summer in the city

Hello friends! Just posting a quick few pics from day 1 of our trip to Chicago (while walking through the J Crew - multi tasking at it's prime!). We've had a splendid time as you might imagine. Oh, the city!

Here we go...

Oh Anthro. You never disappoint.

Always wanted to try. I scooped up a key lime and salted caramel. Both supremely divine.

I even had the pleasure of visiting a Zara. Pretty cool stuff, especially for the little ones.

 Till later!