Last Minute

I enlisted my mom to take a shot of my outfit outside of Target when we went on some last minute shopping (for gift boxes; damned odd shaped gifts!).

Top & Belt: Target, Cardi: F21, Cords: Old Navy, Boot: DV via Nordstrom

Bright & Merry

Fifty-one of Fifty-two

The Weekend

This weekend my mom and sister arrived to celebrate Christmas with us.  We've been playing games and eating Christmas-y food, like homemade hot chocolate with peppermint marshmallows!

All Black

Top: F21, Jacket: Target, Pants: ASOS Maternity, Boot: DV via Nordstrom

Fifty of Fifty-Two

{dancing with the people-sized dancing santa bear}

{he has two modes: up un-godly early or impossible to get out of bed}

The Weekend

This weekend flew by in a whirl of kanekelon and Christmas decorations.  I put havana twists in Emberly's hair and we went to a party at Damon's co-worker's house, and these people live for Christmas!  This is the second year we've gone and the kids really love all their decorations!

{Santa tried to get fresh with me right in front of my husband & Mrs. Claus!}

{blazer: Target, Shirt: AE, Top/Necklace: F21, Pants: ASOS Maternity, Boot: DV via Nordstrom}

Party Time

It's that time of year.  Holiday party here, holiday party there!  I love an excuse to dress up!

Dress: American Apparel, Necklace: F21, Bracelet: NY&Co, Purse: Target, Shoe: Aldo

Forty-nine of Fifty-two

The Weekend

This weekend we celebrated the 94th birthday of one of Damon's grandmother's friends.  Damon, Emberly and I also went to her 90th birthday celebration.  If I can be as cheerful and able as this lady, getting older doesn't seem quite so scary!  And the details she recalls about Damon's mother and grandmother... she makes 94 kind of awesome.

{notice how Bauer is too fascinated with the flames to look up for a picture}

Comfy Cozy

An oversized sweater, cuffed boyfriend jeans and soft loafers are the solution to wearing your pjs and slippers out in public!

Scarf & Jeans: Target, Sweater: H&M, Shoe: Sperry via Nordstrom.

Forty-eight of Fifty-two

The Weekend

Crop

Cropped tops are cute with a high waisted skirt or pants, but pregnant, I'm loving them layered over other shirts to add definition above the belly, and to winterize since I seem to have more longer sleeveless shirts than sleeved shirts.

Crop and apparently unseen necklace: F21, Shirt: Martin + Osa {thrifted} Jeans: AE Shoes: super old

Happy Thanksgiving

Forty-seven of Fifty-two

Work Flow + Pregnancy Brain

I telecommute so when I have a conference where I actually get dressed and make eye contact with people, it's kind of exciting!
Not exciting: pregnancy brain.  I honestly don't remember having these issues the first two times.  Maybe I wasn't as busy.  Or maybe 3rd babies need mommy's brain power.  But in a matter of days I forgot so many things that it was hard to laugh about it!  I dumped a bunch of mail at the post office with no postage.  I drove to the library, pulled right up to the drive up book drop only to realize I'd left the books at home on my dining table.  So when I packed my bag for trip, I took my time; carefully planning what I'd wear and doing the appropriate laundry.  And then left the items I washed right there on the bed next to the bag.  Of course I didn't discover the missing bra and shirts until I already hundreds of miles from home and taking my dress pants out of the bag to prevent wrinkling.  Luckily I had a local girlfriend that was able to run me by the mall to rectify the situation.  I'm at a loss for combating this gestational scatterbrained-ness!  Taking my time and making lists was a false sense of security!

Top: Target, Cardi: F21, Pant: Victoria's Secret, Boot: DV via Nordstrom

Sweater: H&M (my friend had to take me to pic it up; the shirt under doesn't cover my belly!), Shirt: AE, Pant: Target, Boot: DV via Nordstrom

Cardigan: F21, Pin: H&M, Jean: AE, Boot: DV via Nordstrom

Gray

Gray threads from Chicago!

Dress: American Apparel, Leggings: F21, Scarf: Target, Bootie: DV via Nordstrom

Top: Lush via Nordstrom, Jean: Old Navy, Scarf: handmade by moi, same Booties unseen

Forty-six of Fifty-two

Oh, Chicago

Damon's birthday and my best friend's birthday are barely more than a week apart.  This year we decided to celebrate with a trip to Chicago, long-time resident on each of our must-see domestic lists.
It. was. fantastic.
We were there from Friday to Tuesday over Veterans' Day weekend.  It didn't feel like enough time, however we had a fairly large group so things may have been more easily coordinated with 2-3 couples.  We used City Pass Chicago to visit museums and the John Hancock building.  We stuffed ourselves with the most delicious fare.  We saw the Bears play.  We were there for the first snow of the season (which was the only really cold day we were there!).  We visited extended family.  And we rode public transportation (a lot.  And it was so easy that I almost wish we lived in a more metropolitan area with a better public transportation system) and hopped in taxis and black cars (Uber was helpful when we found ourselves out of the way late at night).
The kids stayed home with my mom and sister and I'm sure they had a grand time and it was nice for us to have adult time, but I definitely want to take them some day and show them soooo many things!  The Art Institute Museum, Field Museum and Shedd Aquarium in particular.