When Benihana opened a location on Michigan Avenue last year, I was thrilled. I grew up going there with my family and I had missed having one downtown. When they opened, I got to be one of the first to experience the new location (and got a chance to actually be the chef)! It was so much fun and I knew it was a place I wanted to take my daughter when she was old enough to eat table food. Well the time has come (Elia loves all things rice and shrimp) and Benihana did not disappoint! My ... [ Read More ]
Guaclandia is Coming to Chicago!
As we all know, avocados are the hottest recipe accessory! This creamy, buttery, fruit (yep! it's a fruit) has been all the rage for the last couple years. I must say, I dig it. Whether avocado's are the inspiration behind an entire restaurant (or just something you've learned to love on toast), we are all becoming avo obsessed. Which is why I had to share with you the most perfect, fun and FREE event coming to Chicago, Guaclandia! Guaclandia is being launched by the makers of Wholly ... [ Read More ]
Elia’s Rainbow Paradise 2nd Birthday Party
I cannot believe it, but my little girl, Elia, is two years old! It's insane how quickly the time has gone. I remember planning her first birthday party last year and couldn't believe how big she was then. Looking at her now, it honestly feels like a lifetime ago. Elia's first birthday was tough because I had NO idea what she liked. I took an educated guess (aka I picked what I loved) and had a magical unicorn theme. This year though, my little toddler has thoughts, ideas, dreams and ... [ Read More ]
Incredible Edible Egg X Incredibles Party!!!
Elia will be two in just over a month and I can't even put into words how much she's grown and changed. She's really become her own little person, it's CRAZY! With all the milestones and changes however, one thing and remained pretty consistent and that is her love of eggs. It was one of her first words (I was clearly chop liver) and still something she eats every single day. Eggs are a nutritional powerhouse! One large egg has 6 grams of protein and nine essential amino acids. Eggs are ... [ Read More ]
The Perfect Father’s Day Gift
Father's Day is one of the most important holidays for me. Growing up, my Dad was everything to me (and still is to this day). He inspires me every single day to work hard, stay humble and think critically about whatever situation I face in life. While it's impossible to ever show him how much I truly care, Father's Day has always been the easiest way for me to demonstrate my appreciation for all he does. The difficult part is, now that Elia has come along, I have to play double duty and ... [ Read More ]
The Perfect Daddy-Daughter Date Night at Chick-fil-A
Hi guys! Todays blog post is going to be a little different than usual because it's the first one that I haven't written myself! You see, my husband, Dan, took our daughter to the Daddy-Daughter date night at the Chick-fil-A at Old Orchard this week and really wanted to share his story on why he thinks these special nights are so important. After swooning for a minute (I mean, how sexy is that?), I came-to, and realized that this man hasn't even written me a card since we've been together. ... [ Read More ]
My Pinterest-Perfect Playroom (on a budget)!
If you're a reality TV junkie like me, home-makeover shows are in your queue more often than not. I can't help it, I'm obsessed. They give me so much inspiration and all these beautiful ideas. My reality however, is that I don't ever know how to execute these amazing design desires. My husband and I have lived in our home for a year and truthfully, I don't have half the decor I had envisioned when we first moved in. As many of us know motherhood, jobs, obligations, etc. tend to take priority ... [ Read More ]
5 Things to Do with Kids in Chicago During the Winter
Ever since moving to Chicago 4 years ago, I have often found myself saying, "Why would I live anywhere else?" Then, winter hits. It's not so much the cold that kills me, (although it's not my favorite), it's more so being stuck in the house. Especially with a toddler. Now that I have a walking, talking "mini-me" running around, I've had to get creative in finding ways to keep us busy without breaking the bank and keeping us out in the cold. Here are 5 fool proof activities you can do ... [ Read More ]
How a Spoon Sleep Mattress Saved my Marriage
Let me set the stage for you... It's 1am the night before Thanksgiving. My family and I have been traveling to Boston all day and dealing with flight delays. We finally arrive at my in-laws, spent an hour calming down our 1-year old to get her to go to sleep. We crawl into the full-sized, guest bed and immediately, I have my husbands elbow digging into my side. "Can you move over?", I say. "I'm hanging off the bed already!", he says. "Well then at least stop moving around so much!" I ... [ Read More ]
How TO: Get your Baby off a Bottle!
As Moms, we're always searching for the right answer. We are constantly looking for the dos and don’ts and putting pressure on milestones that are supposed to be happening. We're receiving lots of advice, sometimes solicited and other times not welcome. All that in mind, I’ve come to terms with one key thing. There are no rules. Everyone has their own way of parenting and every child has their own way of developing. During Elia's 12 month doctor appointment, I was told it was time for her ... [ Read More ]