Gilded Living

Take my money! Give me all the red velvet cupcakes! Pretty please with sugar on top!

Wherever there is consistent sunshine, the snow has melted...but deep in the woods, where the light barely breaks through, some white remains. I feel like there is a deep life comparison/lesson in here somewhere, but it's been a long week and I'm too tired to think of it. Would anyone else like to offer up some words of wisdom? I'm all 👂s!

My family and I went to IKEA this afternoon to look at kitchen layouts for a remodel going on at home...and to drink lingonberry icees, buy some chip clips, try out all the couches, and make up stories about the imaginary families that live in the house displays. My daughters say their favorite moment was when I made a fake veggie stir-fry, pretending I was on a cooking show. "Oh, you caught me cooking!" 😉 Mine was watching everyone's faces as they sat down on the couches and chairs; it was instantly obvious what they thought of them...we're a family who wear our ❤️s on our sleeves! I'm excited for the weekend and more fun family shenanigans!

Perspective, belief, reality...they can change pretty fast. Mine were flipped upside down within 5 minutes today. Here's how: I was at my friend's gym this morning getting my butt kicked, doing 24" box jumps when he walked over and asked "Should I add the 12" on top?" I laughed, because COME ON, I just landed my first 30" jump a few weeks ago. He smirked over his shoulder as he walked away, saying "OK, we'll do it after class." I laughed and continued to jump in my comfort zone. But then, later, as I was working a heavy bag, I thought, "Hmm, Jordan has been pushing me for years in the right direction and because of it I've completed things I originally didn't think possible (pull-ups, a Spartan race, lifting heavier, punching harder...). What if this is one of them?" And so, after class, I stacked the boxes and stepped beside them. A 63" girl next to a 36" box. It was intimidating. I looked at my friend...

Guess who's planning her next vacation? 🙋! ✔️ Schedule dog sitter ✔️ OK son's school calendar ✔️ Plan roadtrip activities ✔️ Map out Waffle Houses 🔲 Pack warm weather clothes (soon!) Less than 3 weeks until the family crams in the minivan* and hits the road! I can't wait! My very favorite family activity is traveling. We learn so much about each other, about the different people we meet and places we see, we create memories to last a lifetime and plan future adventures, and we all feed our curiosity and wanderlust side-by-side. For me, there is nothing better! * - I always said I'd never drive a red car or a minivan. Wanna guess what color my minivan is... 🤦 #neversaynever.

Those of us who live on the Great Lakes know how very great they really are. We have learned to respect their incredible power. We know how just a glimpse of the lake can relax muscles, clear a mind, make one breathe deeper. We have experienced hours of free fun and made countless memories on their shores and we: beach combing (my daughter Martha and I just spent a couple of hours searching for sea glass this weekend!), body surfing, sailing, playing bags, paddle boarding, kayaking, drinking beer while catching a tan with friends. We set our directions by the lake. (East has always been Lake Michigan for me.) And we know they are so large that you can't see across* them, no matter how hard you squint. Just like Niagara Falls, the Grand Canyon, or Mammoth Cave, unless you've visited the Great Lakes region, you can't fully grasp how great they truly are. I'm so blessed to call the gorgeous HOMES** region of the Midwest home! * - I travel across La...

Please allow me to gush for a moment; I found this photo of my son, August, when scrolling through my phone yesterday and have a few thoughts about it: 1. Umm, when did I become the mother to a not-so-young man?! And gosh, isn't he handsome! 2. Do you think he'll be as dapper and classy as this elevator in our favorite vintage store in Chicago? Am I looking into his future? Should I start searching for the perfect smoking jacket to gift him for Christmas when he's 35? 3. Kidding, he better never, ever smoke. 4. This boy has worked so hard in school this year, getting acclimated to public school after being homeschooled. Third quarter ends this week and then just one more until he has a successful year of high school under his belt. I couldn't be prouder of him! 5. Can we please freeze time now though? Because I can't handle how quickly our living-under-the-same-roof days are coming to a close. Hug your littles tight, mamas and daddies! It's the bi...

...one is silver, and the other gold! What's better than meeting up a girlfriend of 30+ years who also loves beer? Not a whole heLL (those are hockey sticks) of a lot! My friend Brenda and I met playing tennis though our south side town's parks and rec department in grade school, and then finally got to spend our days together in junior high. She was a staple in my life for years: we built a tree house, logged countless hours playing tennis and watching MTV (back when it played music videos), rode the city bus 15 miles to the book store every month or so to buy the new Babysitter's Club books (and then discussed them all at length, long before either of us knew what a book club was), and ate a lot of toast spread with cream cheese, sprinkled with cinnamon and sugar! Those times were great, and so are our recent get-togethers...still talking books and tennis, but now with beer!

Uh oh! I've been caught white-tongued! 😋 Did y'all take advantage of Dairy Queen's free cone day yesterday? Our family swung by for a little dessert before dinner...it was a great way to kick off Spring! 🍦 Thanks, Dairy Queen ! 🍦

It's more than a Waffle House . It's a Waffle home. Always living my best life when roadtripping! Must have items include a satisfied belly full of waffles and hashbrowns, a to-go cup of Cherry Coke  in my hand, and a smile on my face!

The snow and ice are all steadily melting and for the first time all year, our forecast has zero below-freezing temperatures in it. It is finally Spring! Seeing as Winter is in the rear view, it is now acceptable to reminisce about the beauty of winter...like this magical spot I discovered with my kids in January! I felt a little like Eric Larsen , the polar explorer (the first person to visit the North Pole, South Pole, and top of Everest in 1 year), standing up there! Fun fact, he's from my little town of Cedarburg, Wisconsin ! Happy 1st day of Spring, everyone! Let's make the most of this new beginning!

It's Tuesday, which is usually the toughest day of the week for me. It's not Monday, the beginning of something new, and it's not hump day or later...just Tuesday. So let's do a little daydreaming and travel planning, shall we? I took this photo a couple of weeks ago just before touching down in Mexico City . Doesn't the city look gorgeous? Unfortunately, I didn't get to spend much time there; I logged more time drilling my seatmates on their vacations and lives there than I did on the ground. It is definitely a place I want to return to, to check out the incredible history and culture, meet many more friendly people, and taste the food I've dreamed of ever since watching the first episode of Rick Bayless 's show One Plate at a Time many years ago! So, on this Tuesday, tell me: where would you ✈️ off to tomorrow if given the chance? Why? Each comment will be awarded a participation trophy!

Happy St Patrick's Day! ☘️ When Irish eyes are smiling, they're usually up to something...but not in this case! I was just happy to be in Chicago with my family to watch the dying of the river yesterday! Fun fact: The plant-based powdered dye used to color the river green is actually orange! And since it's a 60+ year family secret, only a handful of people know how it works!

Jumping for joy for the weekend...one with big plans! My family and I are in Chicago for all things St. Patrick's Day, once again eating and drinking our way through the city! I love that we're here so often the kids know their way around, have favorite neighborhoods, must-eat treats, and silly traditions...and yet always have a reason to look forward to coming back next time, next month! Make no little plans, friends! Go big or go home! (Unless you need a break, then make big Netflix plans at home!) PS, the full Daniel Burnham quote , which I LOVE, goes like this: "Make no little plans; they have no magic to stir men`s blood and probably themselves will not be realized. Make big plans; aim high in hope and work, remembering that a noble, logical diagram once recorded will never die, but long after we are gone will be a living thing, asserting itself with ever- growing insistency. Remember that our sons and grandsons are going to do things that would stagger us....

This dude, my trainer Mannie, was not playin today. I walked in and was told I'd be doing a 1,900 workout: 200 reps of chosen exercises at each of the 9 stations followed by 11 burpees, 12 after the last round. When that was done, my friend Heather talked me into a "bonus" 100 box jumps, bringing the total to 2,000. If you need me this weekend, I'll be drinking beer and whiskey, eating vegetarian shephards pie, celebrating St. Patrick's Day. I definitely earned it...

Cheers to the weekend! My husband is working from home today and the only thing my homeschool girls have left for the week is an incredible read-aloud * book. If all goes according to plan, the day should be full of snuggles, coffee refills, and last night's dinner leftovers for lunch (I made that spicy ramen again...IT'S SO GOOD). It's gonna be a good day! * - We're currently reading Roll of Thunder Hear My Cry . It has inspired so many thoughtful and sensitive conversations in our house about equality, civil rights, segregation, slavery, humankind, education, and empathy. I strongly suggest it for your family's next read-aloud book! And if you're not a read-aloud family, I strongly suggest you become one! Even my high-schooler and I have a read-aloud going at all times...it's magical! ** - Photo taken at Anheuser-Busch in St. Louis after the factory tour. This Milwaukee girl (translation: home of Miller) was impressed! That's saying a whole...

Social media is known as life's highlight reel. An accurate assessment, IMO. But I don't think most people are trying to brag or one-up the next guy with their posts. I know I'm not. Most people don't want to bring others down with their heaviness, maybe it's too intimate to share with the world, or perhaps they're looking at photos from last month and reminding themselves of happier, carefree times and posting those as a personal pick-me-up. Lately, I've been climbing my way out of a valley. Yes, I've traveled. Yes, I've eaten good food. Yes, I have an amazing family, husband, and children whom I love more than life. Yes, I have some heavy things going on. Yes, I live my life focusing on the positive while, like a duck, I'm frantically kicking my feet under the surface trying to get my life where it needs to go. And so I go on hikes. To think, to plan, to pray and relax, to breathe deeper, to dream bigger, to remind myself how small I a...

I don't usually wear pink, but when I do, I go ALL IN! (How cute is this coverall from Madewell ?!) PS, I wish I could remember what my cousin Samantha and I were talking about when she snapped this photo because I'd love to know what in the world I'm doing with my hands here... * Photo take in Playa Del Carmen , Mexico. Take me back!

I think I'm pretty good at what I do. The Irish in me has created a darn good storytelling writer, my German blood keeps me (and my clients) organized, and the rest of my genealogical make-up/mash-up/mix-up, along with my humble beginnings, keep me hustling and honest. And humorous, if I do say so myself. Having said all of that, at the age of almost 44, I feel a little like I'm playing dress up when I meet with clients. I still can't believe I get paid to do what I do! Do you have any communication-related needs? Let's talk! You can watch me squirm in my Big Girl clothes. ;)

Meandering into Monday like... It's gonna be a busy week full of client work (and a lunch! I love lunches!), kid activities, homeschooling, and school makeup stuff for my oldest who was out with the flu last week...but it'll soon be over and then this girl can celebrate St. Patrick's Day! And in my Irish eyes, there aren't many days in the year that are better than that one! * - Photo taken at Mahekal Beach Resort in Playa Del Carmen, Mexico. It truly is "magical" there!

Dutch, Dutch baby! 🎶 (Na na na na na na na na!) Alright stop, collaborate and listen! Time changes are an old school invention... And springing forward this morning was rough, and will continue to be so all week as we set our alarms for school and work. To start the new schedule off on the right foot, I baked a couple of Dutch babies for my family to enjoy for breakfast this morning; both dusted with powdered sugar, one topped with berries, one plain to later top with lingonberry jam. Both were gone in record time! How are you faring this morning? Any tips on adapting to the time change when waking kids up for school? Please share! (My kids have been homeschooled until this year when my oldest said he wanted to give high school a try...let's just say mornings have been and adjustment.) Wanna try my awesome Dutch baby recipe? It's from the NY Times cooking section ...it's incredible and pretty simple and fool-proof...and pretty! INGREDIENTS 3  eggs ½  cup flou...

Cheers to my husband, who was promoted to Executive Vice President at work this week! We had an awesome time celebrating at At Random in our old stomping grounds in Bay View, followed by The Best pizza at Anodyne ! So proud of this guy!

Please don't tell my dentist or parents (who paid for my braces back in the day) about this picture. But after climbing 1,034 stairs (47 flights) in 11:03 minutes this morning to raise money for the American Lung Association 's Fight for Air climb , I thought I deserved to attempt a fun photo! So fun participating in such a great cause with my friend/trainer/gym owner, Rebecca, who also killed the climb!

I wish my blog had smellovision, because the coffee beans roasting right behind these double doors smell SO GOOD! ☕ Happy Friday, everyone! * - Photo taken at AM Coffee Roastery in Grafton, Wisconsin.

It's International Women's Day ! Major props and appreciation to all the women who have walked before, paving the way for us to choose the paths that best fit our talents, dreams, and desires! Continue to reach for the stars, ladies! Each of you is a hero in my book! * - Photo from Madewell ...I just though it was too perfect not to share!