Team WhiteHall Wedding! 9.13.2019

Dress: BHLDN $300

Shoes: Amazon $46

Hair: Messy bun $0

Makeup: $180 biggest f%@king ripoff of my life but not gonna lie, fake eyelashes are FABULOUS!

Venue: Carnivale

Pre-Wedding Photos: The Ace Hotel

DJ: O'Dea Entertainment

Ceremony Musicians: We Frat Three, Nick Howard, Phil Torre

Officiant: Lee Brophy

Invitations: Designed by Angela Pestano

Thoughts On Bridal Showers

I've never been fake about my feelings on bridal showers. 

We women (who have a sense of humor), often snicker to one another while the bride "ooooohs" and "ahhhhhhhs" and "OH MY GODs" at her gifts. We're all like, "Why are we pretending this is a surprise? You literally told me exactly what you buy you from your hand-selected registry and I bought it! IT'S A $50 CHEESE PLATE. REMEMBER, YOU PICKED IT!?!?!" 

Needless to say, after getting engaged, I was absolutely dreading having to be in the hot seat... Not one, not two, but three times.
Shower Palooza.

Karma is a real bitch, and I knew damn well how I felt going to a gazillion bridal showers, so I certainly knew how all of my girlfriends and family members felt driving to the suburbs for mine. Wooof.  But here's the thing. It was totally delightful and, thanks to champagne and Corona Light, you quickly get over the hot seat and GENUINELY are excited to receive the gifts that you picked. And in a weird way, it IS a surprise! I can't quite explain it. 

I haven't experienced everything in life yet, but it's on my list. So, for now, I will say this: Perspective is massively important. 

Prior to being married, I never actually understood the magnanimity of what it feels like to have everyone you love surrounding you in one room. That the emotion is so thick you can hardly speak without your bottom lip quivering. That it's not at all about the gifts. That I had it all wrong before.

From now on, when I drive to Bumblefuck to attend a bridal shower, I will fully recognize that the event isn't at all about me. It's not at all about the present you give. It's 110% entirely about your presence. It's about showing up for your friend so that she can feel engulfed by so much love she can hardly breathe. It's about being part of a singular moment that will take her breath away. And it also just might very well suck! But let me tell you from firsthand experience, you are significant to someone else and that is a true blessing. 

To the magnificent women who hosted my bridal showers, THANK YOU WITH ALL MY HEART! To those who attended, THANK YOU BEYOND MEASURE. To those whose showers I will be invited to in the future, you bet your ass I'll be there with bells on! Thank YOU in advance for inviting me :) 

Color War

I'll never fully digest the enormity of this life event.
But I can safely say it was the best day of my life :) 

Happy 70th Birthday, Momsta!

Happy 6th Birthday, Stella! 

I love you both so very much :)
 

(Wo)Men's Club

  
Buzz, buzz, buzz... This just in! 

Women's Wednesday kicked off tonight for the first time evs because I joined the Lakeview Men's Club established in 1946... For men. 

Fast forward 73 years later to a silver fox walking into the cigar room to four cute Chicago chicks in lounge chairs drinking canned Hamm's cheering on da Cubbies 🙌 He asked to snap this pic of us because it was "something he had never seen before. Like the Easter bunny." So the second pic is literally of me and the Easter bunny. Because we deserve to experience it all, ladies! 

Far too many women didn't get to enter that basement and they fought damn hard so that we could. Cheers to those who came before us. Cheers to those who continue to fight the good fight. And cheers to those who will carry it on. 

To strong women... 

May we be them.
May we know them.
May we raise them 👊

Easter Egg-Stravaganza at Lincoln Park Zoo

My swan song. 

Literally. 

Goodbye, LPZ. 

You were an exceptional chapter!
I am thrilled to move on to 
After School Matters come May :) 

The friendships I have made here
will remain with me, ALWAYS!