The Cole & Son wallpaper samples I mentioned last week have arrived and they are even better in person than I imagined. Of course, most of the ones I liked and ordered are black, white and grey, but they have tons of depth and texture to them. At this point, I don’t know if our new home will feature any of these beauties en mass (we’re still waiting to close, I’m getting way ahead of myself) but I’m sure hoping so. Time to start saving our pennies!

Source: my own

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Something about this striking young man and his ensemble makes me happy. Maybe it’s the bow tie and the scuffed sneakers? Or the lettered backpack? Whatever it is, I dig it.

Source: The Sartorialist

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The one swimsuit I’ve been eye-ing this season, the Isometric Maillot from Anthro, just went on sale. Time to pull the trigger?

Source: Anthropologie

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It’s a beautiful day in Minnesota and I’m heading to the ballpark to see the Twins take on the Indians. Bring on the hot dogs and peanuts, please. This is going to be a great afternoon, I just know it.

Source: The Sports Bank

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The kitchen in our new home is like new, so it’s pretty low on the priority list for attention. But there is a small part of me that wants to tear the thing down, put up modern white cabinets, add open shelving, tile the back splash and trick it out. Dreaming big over here, that’s for sure.

Source: The Kitchn

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I stopped by our venue on Saturday and was so excited to see this ivy in all its green glory. I think it’s screaming ‘wedding photo opportunity’…

Source: snapped on my phone

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My mom is still asleep (as she should be on Mother’s Day) so I’m sneaking in this blog post before I make her breakfast, work in the yard and enjoy my last little bit of time at home. As usual, it’s been wonderful back in Chicago and I’ve been running around like crazy. Yesterday my sister, friend and I met with wedding planners (we’re calling in reinforcements) and visited our venue to get ideas, check on the remodel and measure throughout the space. The visit made me even more excited for our wedding, if that’s possible, and also added quite a few items to the to-do list. Thankfully I’ve got some pretty amazing guys and gals in my life to help me with each and every item and, most importantly, to keep me sane. The productive day was capped with a night in downtown Chicago visiting my brother, his fiance and my new nephew. Despite by best efforts, the little guy is growing like a weed. I wish I could make him stop! I’m so thankful that we all had a chance to get together and celebrate Mother’s Day. As a family, we’re fortunate to have some pretty incredible ladies in my life, one in particular. Not sure what I would do without that Elle Belle…

Who I hear waking up so I’m off to make her breakfast! Enjoy these links, friends.

• • Chartreuse at MOA.
• • The Mermaid Tail braid will be happening soon.
• • I didn’t know ModCloth sold apartment goods.
• • Glamping in the snow.
• • Stories I’ve Only Told My Mom.
• • Summer color.
• • A beautiful Metro ride.
• • I have to give the ‘Smoky Cat’ a try.

Hoping you have a beautiful holiday and a wonderful week ahead. Looking forward to seeing what it holds!

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Guys, the concert was superb. The perfect mix of old, new and some freestyle in the mix. We were too busy enjoying Pizza Luce before the show started to push our way to the front, but I was quite comfortable in the back and my height, once again, came in handy. I’m waiting for the lack of sleep to catch up with me, but somehow I’m powering through today. It could be the prospect of heading home to Chicago this afternoon or the sugar rush I partook in this morning, either way I expect to be unconscious at a Grandma hour on my mom’s couch this evening. Sounds good to me. I hope you have a wonderful weekend ahead of you. Don’t forget to celebrate that special lady in your life come Sunday. She deserves it.

Source: 星麋 on Flickr

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I can’t remember the last time I went to a good concert, so to say I’m excited about tonight would be an understatement. I’ve been looking forward to the Childish Gambino (more commonly known as Donald Glover who plays Troy Barnes on Community) show for months now. So, I’m signing off early to enjoy some pizza, good friends and good music. Catch you tomorrow before I hit the road for Chicago.

Source: Childish Gambino

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I don’t really need a coat rack like this but for some reason I really want one. Industrial chic at its finest.

Source: weekdaycarnival

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