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my kind of sweet

Normalizing the #momlife struggle. finding joy, humor + style in the chaos...

Motherhood

Birthday Weekend In Chicago | Adventures + Mishaps

July 30, 2018

Hi, sweet friends! First, THANK YOU, THANK YOU for all of the birthday love you sent my way over the weekend! We celebrated my birthday weekend in Chicago, but you guys sure do know how to make a girl feel special. I read every message and comment and I truly appreciate it! ALSO – there is still time to enter my birthday Kate Spade handbag giveaway! I’ll be announcing the winner on here TOMORROW MORNING, so be sure to stop back to see if you’re the lucky one!Β 

OK. Let’s talk #momlife. It ain’t no joke, right? And you know what makes it easier? Knowing that we’re all in it together and that the next mom doesn’t have her shit together, either.

So, here’s the thing. I have a lot of cute photos from this weekend. I could share them, along with some outfit links and write that we had a wonderful birthday weekend in Chicago. Done and done.

And while YES – it was wonderful, it also went wonderfully wrong. Real #momlife happened, and shit didn’t go exactly how we had planned. We forgot necessary items, the almost 4 year old made a huge scene in Chanel, the baby was a Stage 5 Clinger and we all slept in the same bed, (More below.)

BUT. Isn’t that where the good stuff is? The messiness? Would we remember this weekend in 10 years if everything had gone according to plan? Probably not.

Before I met The Mister and got married, I always said I didn’t want to find someone I could live happily every after with. I wanted to find someone I could live a messy, complicated, unhappy at times, REAL life with and still be happy. 

As I begin my year of being 38, I’m grateful for this imperfect crew of mine, who remind me constantly that living a perfect life has nothing to do with things going right, and everything to do with laughing and loving each other through it all when things go wrong….

XO

(Also. Don’t ask a 95 year old man to take a photo of your family and call it day. Check to see if he actually took any photos. Because he didn’t.)

(This post contains affiliated links.)

Birthday cake

tank | cut offs | slides

My favorite big girl and me.

You see that cake? I ate most of it. Actually, I just polished off the last piece and a half last night. 

Birthday weekend in Chicago with kids

Checked into the Ritz and ready to conquer the city.

(And by “conquer the city” I mean go for a walk, have dinner at 530pm and be in bed by 9pm.)

Birthday weekend in Chicago with kids

stroller (The best twin stroller ever. If you walk a lot, you probs need it.)

My crew.

Birthday weekend in Chicago with kids

Family selfie fail #1.

Birthday weekend in Chicago with kids

Scout: riding in the bottom of strollers since 2014.

Also, I forgot to bring his harness and leash. What could go wrong with an unleashed, completely deaf, 15 year old dog in the city??

Birthday weekend in Chicago with kids

My future fashion blogger.

This is where the fun started. We decided to pop into Chanel just for the Chanel of it. (Ha. Get it?)

I was hesitant to bring our whole circus into such a high end store, but we threw caution to the wind, put our heads down and pushed our double stroller right on in. And it went well! For the first 5 minutes…

Despite telling Harper not to touch a thing, she couldn’t resist the draw of Chanel. I mean, I get it. It’s Chanel.  

While I was test-driving a Boy bag (drool), I heard a giant crash in the other corner of the store, quickly followed by a very familiar voice saying: “No! Harper! Watch out! Are you OK?!” 

Ummmmm. Oops.

She had gotten a little too curious. She sneaked behind the counter and attempted to “pet” one of the fur bags that was on a huge plexiglass display. Yep. It all came tumbling down.

The entire store stopped and looked. Salespeople rolled their eyes at the annoying family. I was mortified. 

Let’s just say they weren’t sad when we left 30 seconds later…

Birthday weekend in Chicago with kids

She’s already too cool for me.

The Mister and I had some of our wedding photos taken on these stairs, so we thought it would be cute to pose on them with our girls. Not as easy as we thought…

Birthday weekend in Chicago with kids
Birthday weekend in Chicago with kids
Birthday weekend in Chicago with kids

My girly girl.

(Who looks like she’s on house arrest because she won’t take off that ankle bracelet. Also. Don’t you dare ask her to pose for a photo. Don’t do it.)

Birthday weekend in Chicago with kids

dress | sandals | bag

A quick outfit shot before our family photo because we’re all dressed up and we look cute. 

Except. We don’t have a family photo because we asked a 95 year old man to take the photo and of course he didn’t know how and he kept pushing the home button instead of taking the photo, but we didn’t realize that until later because we didn’t check the photo. Oops.

Birthday weekend in Chicago with kids

WOOHOO. Back in the room and ready to party. (And sleep.)

We ALL slept in that bed. All four of us. All night long.

(I use the term “slept” loosely. Doze for 20 minute increments while getting an elbow in the face and a foot in the back is more accurate.)

Birthday weekend in Chicago with kids

There’s no one with whom I’d rather have mishaps and adventures.

Thanks for an unforgettable birthday weekend, babe.

birthday weekend in Chicago birthday with kids celebrating in chicago mom life
by suzanne 
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HI! I’M SUZANNE…

After working as a fashion executive for almost a decade, I’m now a stay at home mama to 3 kids and live on the North Shore of Chicago. I spend my days shopping online, decorating my new home and trying to get in a good workout, all while trying to play with my kids and getting the baby to sleep. Mom life is hard, but it can be sweet… XO

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Mostly coffee. Sharing #momlife one outfit + imperfection at a time.  Also home decor #mykindofsweethome +
@thesobermomlife bc wine doesn’t help. πŸ–€

suzanne
Slowly easing into the whole not wearing loungewea Slowly easing into the whole not wearing loungewear thing. It’s a process. 😬 Are you wearing real clothes yet?? πŸ‘‡πŸ»β€‰
 
I wore this new cardigan + lace cami to breakfast this morning (before promptly changing into...loungewear when I got home. πŸ€·πŸΌβ€β™€οΈ) When I say this cardigan is perfect, I mean it’s PERFECT. And it’s currently 40% off. I’m wearing XS. See it in stories + shop it all here β€”> http://liketk.it/3cGHJ #ltkunder100 #ltksalealert
Sometimes less is more. (With the exception of dar Sometimes less is more. (With the exception of dark chocolate. Obvs.) πŸ™ŒπŸ»   
  
Did you see my @target haul from today in stories? I’ve been looking for the perfect pillows for our entryway bench and I found them. 😍   
  
Shop it all here β€”> http://liketk.it/3cwk0 or in stories πŸ–€ #mykindofsweethome
It’s been a month since we lost my dad. It feels It’s been a month since we lost my dad. It feels like a year. Today, I felt off all day. So, while the kiddos were in the bath, I wrote this...πŸ–€β€‰
 
It goes on.  
 
Phones ring.  
Coffee brews.  
Drains clog.  
Deadlines loom.  
 
We breathe in. Out.  
 
Toast burns.  
Cars pass.  
Clothes wrinkle.  
Kids grow.  
 
We breathe in. Out.  
 
Dogs bark.  
Flowers bloom.  
Tears fall.  
Pages turn.  
 
The sun rises.  
Sets. 
Despite it all.  
 
We breathe in. Out.
So excited to be included in this month’s @sheri So excited to be included in this month’s @sheridanrdmag Shore Vs. City feature! It was so fun + I’ll take any excuse to dress up and be pampered a bit. πŸ˜‰  
 
Also, in case you see pretty pics + forget what goes on behind the scenes, I need to let you in on a little secret: I was scared.  
 
I was scared I would mess it up. That the photos would be awkward (hey πŸ‘‹πŸ»), that my answers to the questions would be lame. That overall I would...come up short.  
 
Still, I said yes, anyway.  
 
I said yes through the fear and I decided to be brave.  
 
I’m telling you this because I think it’s all too easy to assume that other people aren’t scared. That you’re the only one.  
 
I can honestly say that literally ANY time I’ve done something out of my comfort zone, I’ve been scared. (So pretty much like anytime I deviate from my normal everyday comfy routine. 😬) 
 
Being scared isn’t bad.  
 
I think being scared just might be the first step in being brave.  
 
(Oh and also. I don’t mean like β€œin your gut” scared. Listen to your gut. That’s a whole other post. πŸ˜‰) 
 
Thank you to @robinsubarphoto + @theresa.demaria.stylist for making the whole process not at all scary! πŸ–€β€‰ πŸ“· @robinsubarphoto
Life goal: Become a person who makes her bed every Life goal: Become a person who makes her bed every morning. Day one βœ”οΈβ€‰
 
Shop our master bedroom here β€”> http://liketk.it/3bZHx or at the link in my bio @mykindofsweet πŸ–€ #mykindofsweethome
I thought it was an April Fool’s joke. I’ve be I thought it was an April Fool’s joke. I’ve been on a waitlist for the vaccine and got the call that there was an extra dose. πŸ™ŒπŸ» I don’t think I’ve ever moved so fast in my life.  
 
After the brutal month of March, this was the glimpse of hope that I needed. ❀️ 
 
(Also. Please positive comments only. If you spread disinformation or debate science, I’ll block you. It’s not that kinda party.) ✌🏻😘
I got ready today for the first time in weeks. Did I got ready today for the first time in weeks. Did my hair, put on mascara, wore JEANS. The works.  
 
I still feel off and overall pretty down, but it helps to do little things that make me feel like myself again.  
 
If you’re going through a tough time and catch yourself feeling worse after scrolling Instagram, please know you’re not alone.  
 
Also remember that chances are, there is so much more to the story than just a pretty photo.  
 
Day by day, sweet friends.  
 
πŸ–€
Longing for boring, uneventful days...   I woke Longing for boring, uneventful days...
 
I woke up this morning feeling a bit better. Life still feels turned on its side - I guess grief can do that - but I’m feeling some hope, too.  
 
Happy Sunday, sweet friends. β˜€οΈ #mykindofsweethome
Spent most of the day outside, under the sun, with Spent most of the day outside, under the sun, with my family. It’s amazing what fresh air + the smell of spring will do...β˜€οΈβ€‰
 
This photo was taken just a few weeks ago, but it feels like a lifetime. Still living in my fav sweatshirt + these lounge pants. Wearing small in both. It’s all linked in my bio or here β€”> http://liketk.it/3aXW2 #mykindofsweethome  
 
πŸ“· @ironandhoney
I’m not sure when it gets easier.   Maybe it j I’m not sure when it gets easier.  
Maybe it just gets...different.  
 
Spending the day here, watching The Good Place because it’s the only time my heart and mind aren’t on overdrive.  
 
Thankful for my village.  
 
πŸ–€  
 
#mykindofsweethome  
 
http://liketk.it/3aGQI
My heart is heavy.   My eyes are swollen.   My My heart is heavy.  
My eyes are swollen.  
My world is off balance.  
I miss you, Dad. ❀️ 
 
Thank you to everyone for your messages of love and support. I can’t tell you how much they mean to me.  
 
I will slowly get back into the swing of things around here. Creating and sharing content is what brings me joy.  
 
Soon....  
 
❀️
OK. 1000% Team Meghan. πŸ™ŒπŸ»β€‰β€‰β€‰     OK. 1000% Team Meghan. πŸ™ŒπŸ»β€‰β€‰β€‰
   
That’s all. Carry on. πŸ–€  
 
Shop this post here β€”> http://liketk.it/39YXT 
#mykindofsweethome
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