Alamak! You guys, can we take a second to talk about this month’s Entertainment Weekly cover?
I’m so hyped for the Crazy Rich Asians movie. I finished the last book of the trilogy on my flight back from Denver, and it definitely did not disappoint.
Heya! I feel like the last two months have been busier than usual, but I sat down last night to write this blog post and then suddenly my mind was completely blank.
Does that ever happen? You feel like you’ve just been so busy, but you can’t figure out what’s actually been keeping you busy. I feel like it’s a lesson in prioritization.
Anyway! I wanted to take a second to share a few highlights of the last couple of months with you. After I took a second to unfreeze my brain and scroll through all my social media feeds and remember what I actually did do during September and October, I realized that — even though a lot of my plans got rearranged or canceled due to the NLDS/NLCS and work — I had a ton of fun.
Oh hey guys, happy Sunday! It’s 60 and rainy here in Chicago, buuuttt at least the weather is holding steady this weekend — unlike last weekend in Colorado.
When I started packing for my trip, I took a look at the forecast for Boulder. And… whoa. It had me flying out of 40-degree Chicago weather into 85 degrees in Colorado!
Then, that night, it was scheduled to drop to 20 degrees.
So… yeah. A forecasted 60-plus degree drop in temperature. Plus snow, and rain.
Alllll in a carryon.
Seriously Midwest, I will never knock your weather habits again.
Anyway, I wanted to share a little bit about what I packed, including what I didn’t wear, what I did wear and what I wish I’d brought.
Happy Sunday!
I can’t believe it was only 24 hours ago I departed Colorado, and only four days ago that I arrived! I’ve talked before about how much I love whirlwind weekend trips, and spending the past few days next to the Flatirons was no exception.
When my old coworker Sara took a new job out of Boulder this past summer, she asked if I’d be interested in visiting. No joke, I had my flight to Denver booked less than 24 hours later. I’ve always wanted to visit Colorado, so when I found a $92 round-trip flight that aligned perfectly with my work weekend, I jumped.
You guys, I had the most fired up birthday weekend ever.
I’ve made it a point to go back to Mount Pleasant for every single homecoming weekend since I graduated from Central Michigan University in the spring of 2012.
Granted, I was living in town for two of them while I was attending grad school and working for the local paper, but for the past three years I’ve been living in Chicago, I made it a point to make the trek back to Mount Pleasant every fall to spend time on campus and celebrate with friends.
So, when I saw that homecoming was literally on my birthday this year, my annual visit was absolutely non-negotiable.
I turn 28 today and the countdown to 30 is starting to tick.
Grain bowls are my go-to weeknight dinner. They’re easy to make in advance and throw together, and they’re actually pretty healthy, depending on what you put in them.
Plus, it’s fun to switch out the ingredients for the season. I decided to mess around the other day and try something fall-themed, and I ended up with this farro veggie bowl topped with dijon maple sauce.
I was actually surprised at how good it ended up being!
So, last month, I did something I swore I would never do.
I bought a product from a Facebook ad.
In my defense, it was really hard not to! I’d been seeing ads for Function of Beauty forever, and had been on the fence for about three months before a friend excitedly Facebook messaged me to let me know that she had just bought a customized shampoo and conditioner set.
I immediately knew what she was talking about (thanks, Facebook ads!) and pestered the living hell out of her until she received her set and could give me an honest review.
Her review was glowing, so I took the plunge and ordered a Function of Beauty set for my own.
I’ve talked about it before, but one of my goals this year has been to read more. I’ve been so busy with my full-time job and freelance projects that I just kind of stopped reading, which probably hasn’t been the best for my mental health. Books are one of my favorite ways to relax. There are few feelings I love as much as that of finishing a book, when you flip the final page and can be left alone with your thoughts. Especially if the ending is really good!
Anyway, I knew I wanted to prioritize reading this year and I knew a little push might be what I needed, so I joined a book club!
We were teased with some serious fall-like weather over the past few weeks, which is a huge bummer because temperatures will be creeping up to 90 this week, and I really just want to break out my fall wardrobe!
I guess I can settle for happy hour iced cocktails and afternoon oysters while I wait, but still, I’m ready to trade those oysters for apple pie!
You know what else I’m ready to trade? Sundresses for sweaters.
I put serious effort into cultivating my wardrobe last fall, and I’m really glad that I did. I’m planning on putting every single purchase from last fall back into my rotation again this season. And — like true staples — so many of them are still available to purchase this year, and will wear well into the coming decade, even.
So, let’s look forward to fall fashion!
