I love Chicago

While this week has been exceptionally busy for me....  It's been another reaffirming week that my move to Chicago was absolutely the right decision.

With a random sushi and wine night with Brooke on Monday and dinner and drinks last night with Josh and Brooke, it's been a awesome to be back where I can visit with people whenever we want.

I'm going to try to enjoy my last week of summer hours and then head up to Milwaukee this weekend to visit family and meet my new nephew, Liam!

Welcome Liam Wiley

This morning right as Samson and I got back from our morning run/walk, I got a text message from Lauren... "water just broke".

And just like that, I spent the rest of the day glued to my phone waiting to hear the exciting news.

At 3:45ish, I received the text message announcement ' Liam Wiley was born.  Seven pounds and 15 ounces and 21 inches long.

Mama and baby are doing well.  I can't wait to meet the little guy!!

Here's some photos I stole from my family members who happen to be up there today.

The happy family!

 Uncle Brendan and Liam

Grandpa and his grandson

Back in the saddle...

with running.  And it was rough.

For the longest time I've been telling myself I need to get started running again.  I am committed to the half marathon next summer since I was able to defer my entry for this year and I really just need some exercise.  Constituting walking Samson as exercise is not working anymore.

So I set up a running schedule for myself - to try and hold myself accountable.  I decided on the week days that running in the morning when I let Samson out is going to be the most likely time I will actually do it.  So I set up yesterday to be my first day.

My alarm went off.... did I run? No.  So last night I set out all my stuff before I went to bed so that I would see it when I woke up and feel guilty.  Well, that seemed to work.  Samson and I went on a run this morning.

It was be no means far and certainly not fast, but at least it was a start.

Apartment Improvements Round 1

This weekend I had big plans to do some spray painting and decorating.  Well, some of that was done... most was not.

First, I had to do something about my front door.  The front door to my apartment has three frosted windows in it.  Not sure why - since that defeats a good portion of the privacy.  Also, there is a hallway light directly in front of the door.  The first night in my apartment, it was so bright it was like I left a light on.  The second night, I taped some cardstock paper over it to kill some of the light.  It has been like that for a month.  So on Friday, we stopped at Home Depot and found some contact paper (that you use to line shelves).  I thought this would be a good alternative to help dim the lighting since I did not want to put a curtain on the door.

Well, we managed to find some paper and when I added it (3 layers in each pane), it actually looks like it's supposed to be there. WIN!

Then, I wanted to get started with attempting to organize my hallway mural of photos.  I was using the idea from Young House Love.  I don't have as many frames as they have, so I was a little looser with my set up.  I followed their lead and made a newspaper outline of each frame and size to help me layout the walls.

Here are the 3 walls in my hallway with the outlines taped up.  I figured I would start with smaller bunches on each wall and then I could add out from there.

 Hallway 1 next to the door

 Hallway 2 between the bedroom and the living room

Hallway 3 next to the bathroom door

After laying out the frames to see if I liked that order, I started measuring for the nails.  Honestly, I followed YHL's process almost exactly.  I did run into one problem - there seems to be studs ALL over the walls.  So I'm going to have to go back and get some shorter nails for a bunch of the pictures.  Not the worst issue, but a mishap for sure.

Then, I went through and hung things to see how I felt.  Here's what it looks like so far.

 Hallway 1

 Hallway 2

Hallway 3

About half of them don't have any artwork in them and the canvases all need to be painted, but at least I can see what they would look like.  I planned to paint all the black frames white so that everything coordinated together.  I'm glad I have to wait on that a bit... I may change my mind.  Also not sure if I should paint the mirror white.  That bright green works with my colors so maybe with the paint on the canvases it won't stand out so much.

So it's progress at least.  Fewer things taking up space on my table and floor for sure.

While I was at it, I decided to also hang that artwork from California.  There weren't many places I could hang it, so that was a pretty easy decision.  I'm hoping some light from the little window next to the space will play up the colors a bit.

Stubborn... just like her mom :)

On Saturday, I offered to babysit Kayla for a while so Melissa and Justin could go look at some houses.

And this girl loves to be naked!  The first opportunity she had to get me to take off her little outfit, she took off running - squealing with delight while I chased her. :)

Then... she was determined to put it back on herself - WITHOUT my help.  And then she got stuck.

I love this girl.

Lackluster Blogging

I'm sorry for the lackluster blogging lately.  I've been super busy at work and by the time I get home, I don't feel I have much to say that's really worth typing up.

This weekend I am going to try and tackle some decorating projects for my place so that it feels a bit more lived in... we'll see how that goes.

I promise to remember to take photos so that I can blog about it next week.

Happy Friday!

Finally - an outfit post

I have not been taking outfit pictures since I moved for two reasons...

First, I've been way to tired/hot/short on time to make any sort of effort on my appearance for work.  Honestly, it's embarrassing.  I need to correct that immediately.

Second, while I have a full length mirror built into my hall closet door - the lighting is TERRIBLE.

Case in point...

*dress & shoes - Target, belt - old, cardigan - Jcrew

That blue tinted light in the hallway sure looks great, but the light it provides is awful.  You can't even tell that this is the dress from target with all the dots on it.  Plus, my mom cleaned that mirror and it still looks like that.  Terrible.

I need to buy a nice sized full length mirror to put in my bedroom so I can properly see what I am doing in the mornings.  We can just add that to the list of everything else I need to buy for my place - sigh.  :)