So Many Things, Vol. 2

Hello and happy Tuesday! I am finally catching my breath after a wonderful weekend celebrating our Eddie’s graduation from Notre Dame. I haven’t been to lots of graduations in my life, but I think you would be hard pressed to find a university that does it better than ND. The messages of “be a force for good” and “peace at all costs” are hammered home. I really believe the graduates feel as if they’ve been charged–and like it’s their responsibility–to go out and make the world a better place. It’s just the best.

I also love these weekends with our kids because it allows at least a day or two of one-on-one time with them that we don’t typically get. It’s just the coolest thing to walk in your child’s shadow and see what their world is like. Being Eddie’s mom is like being the mom of the mayor. He seems to know everyone and is genuinely energized by saying “hi” and dabbing people up.

It was especially interesting watching Eddie last weekend because even with him returning to Notre Dame for a masters degree in the fall, I can see that it’s starting to hit that adulthood is coming in hot. Even though he doesn’t believe it yet, he is ready for the future ahead of him. This amazing school has taught him well. And the doors it has already opened for him are unbelievable. As I type this, Eddie is in Milan for an intensive class offered for athletes who don’t have time in their schedules to do a traditional study abroad program. Can you even imagine? I didn’t even know how to dream of such things when I was his age and here he is actually living them.

Since getting home Sunday night, I have hit the ground running for Annie’s graduation. She has her last day of high school on Thursday. To celebrate (or commiserate), I’m hosting one of my favorite things tomorrow, a little Senior Mom Send-Off for all the moms who have played a role in Annie’s life, either directly or by being a mom to a friend in her world. It’s my little way of connecting with these moms one more time before our kids go their separate ways and a thank you to them for raising their amazing humans. I’ll share the details of this open house later this week in case you might want to steal this idea down the road.

Before I let you go, I’ve been a little lacking lately in sharing some of my favorite things, so let’s get you caught up!

• No new dinner lineup this week because I feel like I’m a little bit in survival mode until after Annie graduates on June 3, but if you need a little inspo–this weekly menu was very successful with my crew. Two of the meal ideas in this round up were from Fresh Midwest and they were fantastic! Everything you need to make these meals come pre-portioned and ready to be assembled for dinner. These are great to have on hand if you have a full house this summer.
• If you haven’t visited the Lake Forest Showhouse & Gardens yet, you must! Here is post I wrote of some of my favorite moments in this year’s house.
• Do you love Andy Cohen as much as I do? If you do, his new book Daddy Diaries is great! Just enough of him and Bravo tea to make this a very fun read.
• Another book I picked up last week after reading about it in People magazine is called Hot and Bothered: What No One Tells You About Menopause. Not nearly as fun as Andy Cohen, but I’m hoping to learn a thing or two as I feel super ignorant on this topic. I’ll keep you posted on what I think.
• If you plan on visiting Notre Dame any time soon, I’ve updated our list of favorite restaurants. We’ve tried two new ones this weekend–The Breakfast Club and Render–and they were both fantastic.
• Eddie’s favorite dessert is Tiramisu and I picked up one at Gerhard’s in Lake Forest that was nothing short of amazing. Just a reminder that shopping local is always the best!
• Speaking of shopping local, trying to find dressier clothes for my daughter Annie that are “appropriate,” “Annie-approved,” and don’t break the bank is almost impossible. However, last week, I happened to be driving by Blu Violet in Lake Forest and they had two cute looks in their window. We ended up buying both of those, plus one more! (Annie’s looks in this post are all from Blu Violet.) This was a huge win! If you’re still looking for a cute white graduation dress for your daughter that’s under $150, check them out!
• Last week, I told you a little bit more about Annie’s path to Notre Dame. In case you missed it, here’s that post.
• If you’re a mom of a graduate and still need something to wear, here are a few ideas, as well as a few last-minute gift ideas if you need something for a girl graduate. I put this list together last year when Grace graduated from college. Boys are so much tougher. Eddie received a new phone and some much-needed maintenance on his car. Exciting (not!).
• My husband and I started watching Jury Duty last week after I heard about it on Kate Casey’s podcast and it’s hilarious. It’s a mockumentary where all but one of the characters are actors. It’s laugh-out-loud funny where the only one not in on the joke is the hero of the story. It’s a hilarious must-watch!
• I’m about six weeks into my new strength workout with Scott and Mary at Marshall’s 584 and I feel really good. It’s just what I needed to add to my yoga and walking/jogging mix. Here’s a recap of what I’ve been up to with them.
• Lastly, as I was sitting at Eddie’s graduation on Sunday, I realized it had been four years since I stopped drinking. This, without a doubt, has been the best thing I ever did for myself or my family. If you have ever been sober curious, I’d be happy to share the resources that helped me through it. Three of my favorite follows that talk about their experiences in a super helpful and healthy way are My Kind of Sweet, Lemon Stripes, and Kat Can Cook.

Have a wonderful week! Enjoy the sunshine! And go Irish! ☘️

xo,