This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser, Walmart Family Mobile. All opinions are mine alone. #SummerIsForSavings #CollectiveBias #WFM2 Summer is breezing past us, and we still have many items left on our Chicago summer bucket list. Some of these activities I would do as part of my own self-care, and some would be fun to do as a family! My goal for the ... Read more
Chicago Eats: Midnight Mac and Cheeserie, XO Marshmallow and Hutch
It's been a minute since I've shared some of the meals I've had recently in Chicago. I like to write these posts regularly for those of you who appreciate a good meal as much as I do. Whether you live in Chicago or you plan to visit, you might consider browsing these posts to see if you want to add any of these restaurants to your Chicago dining list. Midnight Mac and Cheeserie, Rogers ... Read more
End of Summer Cleaning and Decluttering To-Do List
We still have some time in left in summer, but I'm already thinking ahead to the beginning of fall and the decluttering and cleaning I want to do to usher in the new season. A new round of minimizing and cleaning has been on my radar for weeks now, but the busy summer has so far kept me from making much progress. I have started on some of my to-do tasks, though, like sorting through old paperwork ... Read more
Tilt at 360 Chicago
My nephew has been in town this week, so we've been showing him the fun activities the city has to offer. Since I had already been to the Skydeck at Sears Tower twice and only been to 360 Chicago once for a yoga class, I decided it was time to really check out the Hancock building. For some reason the Tilt attraction had slipped under my radar, but I saw it on the 360 website and immediately ... Read more
Kayaking on the Chicago River
** Wateriders of Chicago provided a complimentary kayaking tour. All opinions are my own. One of my Chicago summer bucket list items this year was to kayak on the Chicago River. I have wanted to do this the past two summers, but we have not been able to do so yet. Chicago summers are a dizzying blur of events and happenings, so it's easy for time to escape without being able to cross off ... Read more
Life Update & Favorites
** This post contains affiliate links. I make a small commission on purchases made through these links. Today I'm sharing a compilation of thoughts that wouldn't really compose an entire post on their own. We've had a ton going on lately, and sometimes I struggle to keep up. Planning has helped immensely, as has simply writing things down in a journal or blog to let these thoughts out. I'm ... Read more
Becoming a Mermaid With AquaMermaid Chicago
** Thank you AquaMermaid Chicago for hosting me for a mermaid class. All thoughts are always my own. Photo taken with a GoPro, so quality of image differs from my other posts. Note: Airbnb did a feature on the class I attended. Read it here. I've always been a mermaid at heart. Haven't we all dreamed of being a mermaid? AquaMermaid helped me make that ... Read more
Best Pool Floats for Summer
** This post contains affiliate links. I make a small commission on purchases made through these links. If I could change one thing about my home in Chicago, it'd be that it would have a swimming pool. If you have a pool, do you know just how lucky you are? No, really, do you? The lake isn't exactly conducive to floating on a large tube sometimes, and in fact floats aren't allowed. ... Read more
10 Ways to Feel Like You’re on Vacation
This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #CraftYourCool #CollectiveBiasGrowing up, summer meant visiting my grandparents and extended family, who live in a small fishing town in Mexico. I would spend weeks with them, visiting the beach, soaking in the sunshine and getting my fill of tacos and sopes. Now, summer means plenty of ... Read more
Celebrating Canada’s 150th Anniversary & a Giveaway!
I recently read an article listing Canada, which is honoring its 150th anniversary, as one of the best places to travel in 2017, which sparked my interest in finally setting dates for our trip. Because we can't take a major vacation until winter, we're instead looking at places to explore that aren't too far of a drive from Chicago and have lots of activities to do as a family, especially ... Read more