The start of the new year always inspires me to declutter. I like to make sure I reassess the things in my home so that it never becomes unmanageable. That's what drew me to the title "The Minimalist Way: Minimalism Strategies to Declutter Your Life and Make Room for Joy" by Erica Layne. She promises to help readers stop living a life of hustle and overwhelm by decluttering their lives, not just ... Read more
My 34th Birthday Wish List | Minimalistic Gifts
It's hard to believe I'll be 34 in just a few weeks. As I get older I find that my wants are fewer and fewer. In reality all I'd like is to see family and friends, though now that we live far away from most of them that doesn't happen often. A text or call from loved ones will make my day on my birthday. It's still fun to think about what I'd like to get, though. Each year I like to share my ... Read more
Checking My Cruelty-Free Beauty Empties on the Think Dirty App
I love sharing my most recent cruelty-free beauty empties and my thoughts about them, but this time I wanted to also search the Think Dirty app for their scores. Think Dirty is an app that lets you scan or search for products to see whether your cosmetics and personal care products contain any toxic ingredients. I have used the EWG database to check my products in the past, but I've fallen out of ... Read more
Mom Guilt and Lack of Sleep
This is a more personal post about some honest thoughts and mom guilt I've struggled with lately. I hope this helps anyone in a similar phase of life feel like they are not alone. It is past midnight and I can't sleep. I went to bed two hours ago, but as soon as my head hit the pillow our toddler woke up. This has been a common occurence lately. Last summer I got through the newborn phase by ... Read more
My Thoughts on “Living Well, Spending Less”
After taking a break from listening to audiobooks on Audible, I felt compelled to start the new year with a self-development title that aligns with my 2020 goals. I chose "Living Well, Spending Less: 12 Secrets of the Good Life" by Ruth Soukup because that book sounded like the perfect fit and choosing it aligns with my goal to save more and spend less. The book begins with the author's spending ... Read more
Unique Date Ideas in Chicago
A goal I haven't shared yet for this year is to go on more dates with my husband. We don't regularly schedule date nights, but I'd like to change that. As Valentine's Day approaches it's a good time to figure out plans, whether you're a married couple, longterm partners or just started dating. I'm sharing five experience date ideas in Chicago. Rage Room: I have wanted to do this since seeing a ... Read more
Galentine’s Day Gift Ideas
** This post on Galentine's Day gift ideas for your best friends contains affiliate links. I am compensated for purchases made after clicking these links at no additional cost to you. Besides Valentine's Day, there's one day I love to celebrate and wish I could spend with my friends each year: Galentine's Day. If you've ever watched "Parks and Recreation," you know it's February 13 and it's a day ... Read more
MLK Jr. Day of Service Events in Chicago
I've been compiling Day of Service events in the Chicago area in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day, which is Jan. 20 this year. In the past volunteering or giving has been important to me on this day. I hope to be able to find childcare or bring my girls to an event this year. If you live in the Chicago area and are looking for ways to give your time, consider these events. Day of Service ... Read more
Family-Friendly New Year’s Eve at Eataly Chicago
We had no plans for NYE, so I figured we would stay home with the girls and have a nice home-cooked meal. But then I saw a giveaway on Instagram hosted by ChicagoGoodLife and Eataly that looked like it would be perfect for us: a family-friendly NYE dinner at Eataly for four (two adults, two children). I won! We were able to have a lovely last meal of 2019 by spending a part of New Year's Eve at ... Read more
My Guiding Word for 2020 + Goals for the New Year
The last week of 2019 was all about just the four of us as a family. We had a lot of downtime instead of the typical busyness of the holidays, and that was a welcomed change. We spent time outdoors enjoying the 60-degree weather in Chicago before the actual winter weather hit and it gave us some hope despite some major letdowns lately that really had us feeling down. I've had some time to think ... Read more