Friday Favorites

I feel like I say this every week, but...it was a long one! It actually went by a little quicker than I thought it would. This was the first week of my office's "summer hours" which allows us to have every other Friday off if we work 9-hour days Monday through Thursday, so I've been getting up a little over an hour earlier at 5 a.m. to catch an earlier train and I thought the change was going to make the week just sludge on by, but it was really not bad which I'm grateful for. And the biggest favorite today is having the day off :)

But let's get in to the others...

When my mom and I were planting flowers in my yard, she discovered white peonies! And you know bitches love peonies, so I was very excited about this. I'm hoping more bloom so I can cut them and have some in a vase inside.

Really digging the morning light coming through our windows in the master. Please note the photo was carefully framed so ugly current wall color is not shown ;)

As mentioned, this is the first week I've been biking to work. Few notes: 

-I need a wider seat 'cause ya girl's ass is something to be proud of. 

-Happy to report this cuts my commute to the station in half, but not down to the six minutes Google told me it would be. Not sure who Google thinks is pedaling this bike.

-This photo shows me locking my helmet to my bike but not locking the bike to the rack. Couldn't be more classic me. I even double checked to make sure my $9 helmet was locked. K.

Learning to love my solo time throughout the week when Sammy works. I love being alone and crave alone time, but it's a little different when you actually live along versus living with others and are choosing to be alone (if that makes sense). Monday was kind of a lonely night because Sammy was too busy to come home for dinner, but I tried to make the best of it by reading my beloved Wild.

I love these blooms on my morning walk or bike to the train station. 

This is by no means a quality picture haha but it's definitely a favorite how empty the roads are in the morning on my commute. It's been a really nice way to wake up and start the day by either walking or riding to work without the traffic/car sounds. I've been enjoying how peaceful it is.

And for some reason I'm SUCH a dork about seeing bunnies. Like you'd think they were a magical creature 'cause I freak out every time I see one. And I saw THREE this morning! ;)

Made these roasted potatoes for dinner this week and they were a big favorite. So easy and delicious.

I defrosted a little of my grandma's gravy to put on top of our sausage this week and it was so delicious. Also, the Italian sausage is from Aldi and we couldn't believe how good it was. That frickin' store, I swear.

Finished round four on this lovely lady this week. Balled my eyes out at the end, per usual.

I met my dad and sister for dinner after work on Wednesday at our FAVORITE Chinese restaurant ever. If you're ever in Rolling Meadows, please do yourself a favor and go to Absolutely Chinese. It never, ever disappoints.

I grabbed this denim jacket from Old Navy last weekend and I've been wearing it all week. It has the perfect amount of stretch to it and it's a great wash. I have a lighter one from ON, but it has all my pins on it and has a more relaxed fit, so I wanted to get something a little cleaner for a more polished look. I also grabbed these linen pants on sale for $10 in the chambray print and all white. Can't wait to wear them all summer.

After dinner on Wednesday, I drove back to CL so I could get some practicing in, and my dad and I had a beer out on the patio. This was such a treat and one that I hope is a new tradition for us.

When my parents first got divorced and my dad moved out, my siblings and I saw him on Wednesday nights and every other weekend (although my parents were super chill about this even when they could barely speak to each other and we saw him basically whenever we wanted anyway). On Wednesday nights he would pick us up from my mom's and we would go out to dinner because he didn't yet have a place of his own (he was living with my aunt) where we could hang out or stay the night. I have a feeling it was a really sad time for him, and I know he felt bad he didn't have a place of his own in the beginning, but those were nights I always looked forward to. They were such a bright spot in my week. So when this particular dinner and beer on the patio fell on a Wednesday night, I couldn't help but sit there, in my own home, across from my dad, and bask in how things come full circle. Blessings on blessings.

Sammy's brother and SIL got us a patio umbrella with solar lights inside! Sammy had showed it to me and I said I really liked it and when they asked us for housewarming gift ideas, he sent them this haha. We already had an umbrella for this patio set, but it had gotten discolored by the sun, so it's nice to have a brand new one out there.

Definitely going to love sitting out there this summer. 

As a pretend grammarian, forever my favorite mug ;)

That's all for me! 

Sammy and I are both off today. So far we've slept in, relaxed with a few cups of coffee and a book (me) and a bowl of granola and some video games (him), cleaned the house, and now we're about to leave to do a little shopping (he's just discovered that TJ Maxx sells housewares and is obsessed--ha!--wait till I tell him about HomeGoods ;) ), and just spend the day together. 

We're splitting up for the weekend as I have a graduation party on Saturday night, possibly a gathering to see my cousin's new baby, and a baby shower on Sunday. And Sammy is going downtown Saturday and Sunday for Spring Awakening.

Hope everyone has a fun weekend! xo

*Linking up with Christina and Andrea!