Tuesday Recapping

People, I'm still of the mind there should be a "Tuesday Weekending" link up!! We need something for those of us who can't get their recapping act together on a Monday morning. Which more popular blog (that can harness far more participation than I can haha) wants to partner up?! ;)

This past weekend was a whirlwind. Dinner plans on Friday, two birthdays on Saturday, and a bridal shower on Sunday. All good stuff but I'm already looking forward to a break in these jam packed weekends.

Friday

We had plans after work to meet Sammy's coworker and his girlfriend for dinner. I had already met his coworker and loved him, so I was excited to find his girlfriend was every bit as sweet as I thought she'd be. So thrilled to have another police girlfriend friend. 

We headed over to Woodstock to go to D. C. Cobbs for dinner, but before eating, I really wanted to stop into their bookstore in town, Read Between the Lynes. I don't know why I even went in when we only had five minutes to spare because I needed at least twenty. It was SO cute. I definitely want to go back and scour the shelves. 

I got the fish fry at D. C. Cobbs and decided I should have gone with a burger which is what they're known for. Their fries were excellent though. Still thinking about them.

We came home around 8:30 and I painted my nails, put stamps on our "new address" cards, and wrapped our niece's birthday gift, while we watched The Empire Strikes Back. Star Wars has never been my thing, like I've actively avoided it, but since Solo came out, I've been intrigued primarily because I have such a thing for Harrison Ford. SO we're attempting to watch all the Star Wars movies just so I can go see Solo.

Saturday 

Theoretically, I should have been able to sleep in on Saturday but of course I woke up at 7 a.m. Ugh. I read Wild in bed while Sammy went to go workout, and then we had to get ready for our niece's first birthday.

It was "Twinkle, Twinkle, Little Star" themed and SO cute. They had it at Maretti's in Hoffman Estates and we were all surprised by just how good the food was. 

Yep, that's a real Mercedes this kid received from Sammy's parents ;) 

Only picture I can include of the birthday girl 'cause you can't see her face haha (parents have a no social media rule in regard to posting about her)

Sammy and I split up at this point so he could stay with his family while I left early with my family to head to another party on my side. My cousin in the Navy was in town before her and her husband headed to Florida on vacation, so we stopped by my uncle's to see them and celebrate her birthday.

We hung out there until around 11 p.m., (I eventually fell asleep on the couch for a little while haha I was SO tired!) and then I went back home with my mom to sleep there because we'd both be going to my cousin's bridal shower the next morning. I've only lived in another house for a few weeks, but I love sleeping in my bed at my moms' house when I get the chance haha. Sometime at the end of July we'll be moving my bedroom furniture from her house to our new house, but I knew I'd be spending several Saturday nights there this summer just because of how my weekend plans have turned out and I'd need a place to sleep, so we've left a lot of that furniture alone for now.

Sunday

My mom, grandma, and I went to my cousin Mallary's bridal shower at Venuti's on Sunday morning and it was a gorgeous day and shower. 

There was a fruit punch and Bellini punch station, an appetizer station, and dessert station for later. 

We got the cutest favors: white ceramic berry dishes from Crate & Barrel. So gorge. 

My mom got to meet her godson's new daughter, River Rose. She's absolutely the sweetest little doll there ever was.

That face cracks me up. She's so chill.

Me and the gorgeous bride. Another bridal shower, another opportunity for the SJP floral dress ;) 

It was a really lovely day and I can't wait for the bachelorette party in a few weeks and then the big day in July!

After the shower, we dropped my grandma off and hit Old Navy because I had gotten an email about their linen pants being on sale for $10 for one day only. My mom was just talking about how she wanted another pair of linen pants, so we took the opportunity to do a little shopping. 

I realized while in the dressing room just how much of neutral gal I am ;)

We went back to my mom's house and hung out with my dad and brother who were doing some yard work outside. They helped me haul my bike and hammock into my mom's car so we could take it back to my house later that night. I placed a quick Instacart order while we sat outside talking and then my brother and mom and I headed back to CL.

We dropped off my stuff, unpacked the groceries, and then went back out to Duke's for a quick dinner.

I know I wax poetic about my family all the time, but they're seriously the greatest humans I know. After spending all day doing yard work, my brother and dad filled the tires in my bike, took my hammock apart, and loaded everything in the trunk for me without even being asked (I would have done it myself!). My mom drove me back to CL on a Sunday night (after doing a ton of driving that weekend) and paid for dinner. She and my brother unloaded the car for me and helped me put away the groceries. They're the best. I honestly don't know what I would do without them. Life certainly wouldn't be as comfortable or fun, that's for sure.

The weekend went by quickly, but I'm looking forward to a long weekend coming up. Summer hours have started at work and my first Friday off (we get every other off) is this Friday. Super excited about it because Sammy is off Friday as well, and he's off Thursday so I'm looking forward to coming home Thursday night and hanging out without any plans for Friday except (hopefully!) sleeping in :)

Hope everyone is having a good start to their week! xo

Friday Favorites

I guess it wouldn't be a "Friday Favorites" without including some of my favorite snapshots of our trip to Cabo last week! 

This was the view from our room and I literally jumped up and down when I saw the ocean.

Lobby views 

Views from the buffet.

I was promised tea in bed one morning and I got it ;)

Pool volleyball every. damn. day.

My grandma's birthday was one of the days we were on our trip so after I got off the phone with her, Sammy and I ordered her favorite drink--gin & tonic--and toasted to her 

$25 Amazon dress for the win because I'm really couture.

Frizz-ball hair because Mexico

Hibachi on a Friday night.

Fav spot 

We did breakfast well every day.

Always repping my cubbies.

Back for more...

Because I couldn't stop taking pictures of our views.

We have about 100 more worse than this.

plane ride home

As I mentioned in my previous post, we really enjoyed getting away and spending some quality time together, but that sun is brutal, man. If we ever go back, we'd have to go in the winter months when the temps are a little more tame. 

Another fav--my cousin asked me to be a bridesmaid! Her wedding is next July and she gifted us our bridesmaid's dresses as our gift!

I think they're going to be perfect for a hot July wedding. They're incredibly flattering and stretchy (!!) which is a first for any bridesmaid dress I've had to wear. 

Another fav was getting to see a sneak peek of these two's wedding photos. I mean, come on. How gorgeous are they?

  

Loving on "dawn rising" from Lipsense.

Such a pretty neutral, especially with the matte gloss over it

Sammy and I tried a Sicilian restaurant in Crystal Lake a few weeks ago when we went to see Guys and Dolls and we were floored with how much we liked it. 

Really great photo of him eating their pasta fagioli that we were obsessed with. da Baffone is already a favorite for us. I'm so excited there is a good Italian place to go to once we move over there ;)

Some product favorites for ya (and my thigh, but don't worry about it)

this soft light blurring powder from Becca is incredible. Incredible. It leaves the skin looking so flawless I can't stand it. I won't go back to my translucent powder.

And as usual, Jaclyn Hill is correct. She's recommended this foundation in several videos and raaaaved about it, so I knew I had to check it out the last time I was in Sephora. Bought in on the spot. I'm a longtime lover of Estee Lauder's DoubleWear foundation (and still love it, it's the best full coverage foundation out there), but this Dior foundation is out of control. OUT of control. It's absolutely stunning on the skin and dries so perfectly which is amazing for my oily skin. It's a medium coverage and buildable which is nice for summer. Highly, highly recommend. There's a reason it's the only foundation JHill currently wears. Worth every penny.

Two favorites here from a trip to Target--gotta keep it real--this pretty lingerie from Gilligan & O'Malley and I didn't have to use the anti-diarrheal on our trip. Huge wins. 

Pup snuggles, always a favorite.

Every year, my dad and I work at the Lake County Fair in the culinary division. I always really enjoy doing it with him and my aunts run the textiles division, so it's fun to spend time with them as well. 

We decorate our area with baking supplies and my vintage cookbooks and basically sit around while retirees come and take a look at what ribbons they won on their breads and chocolate chip cookies. It's very nerdy and we're the youngest people there by like 30+ years, but I know they're memories I'm going to look back on. 

Isn't that cake above of the drive-in so cool though?! that was done by a teenager!

  

I always love looking at the quilts too because I've always wanted to be able to quilt but doubt I'll ever have the patience for it. These were done by the same woman and I love her color/pattern combos, especially that Christmas one! I gushed to her about how much I love her work and that she should sell them and I think I freaked her out a little bit. But actually, I want that Christmas one though...

A few weekends ago, my girlfriend from DePaul got married, so Sammy and I spent the day downtown. Sammy wasn't able to attend the ceremony, so I went and then we met for lunch afterward during the gap between the ceremony and reception. 

We met at Homeslice which has some awesome pizza. I got there early so I was able to sip my high life and read Sherman Alexie's new memoir (also a HUGE favorite right now--it is absolutely stunning) and I was living for the quiet, alone time.

Kate's dress was so beautiful, she looked absolutely lovely. 

How cool is this?!

As always, DePaul looked stunning as well.

They had this gorgeous mirror as their seating chart when you walked in.

And a table to take polaroids, so cute.

The champagne cocktail was delicious...

as pictured here ;) with my handsome date.

The reception was at the Peggy Notebaert Nature Museum in Lincoln Park and it was such a fun venue to be at. Cocktail hour was outside in their courtyard among all these pretty blooms and a beautiful white bridge that overlooked a water feature (where we took some sneak peeks of the bride and groom getting their picture taken). 

So simple, so pretty

The centerpieces alternated between this set up of votives, candles, and flowers directly on the table, and larger bouquets. It was so romantic.

One of their bridesmaid's made the cake and it looked so beautiful.

The mushroom raviolis were awesome.

We ate out on the rooftop of the museum and when the sun started to go down, the string lights went on. They had their first dance on the rooftop and then everyone moved into the room right off the roof for more dancing. Sammy had to work at 5 am the next morning, so we left pretty soon after dessert and coffee, but we had such a lovely time celebrating this couple who happen to be some of the nicest people around.

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It's a family weekend this weekend as we have two family birthdays on Saturday--a women's-only surprise lunch for Sammy's great aunt and his nonno's 80th birthday in the evening--and we're going to an Italian fest on Sunday afternoon. Hoping to squeeze in a little relaxation time tonight and maybe a Costco trip somewhere in there. 

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend!

xo