On March 11, Conor asked me to marry him. He followed the proposal …
On March 11, Conor asked me to marry him. He followed the proposal with drinks and dinner, a surprise engagement party, a brunch with friends, and we flew to Lisbon and Porto, Portugal later that evening. It’s been one of the best weeks of my life–a whirlwind for sure! Thank you …
The past few days have been such a blur but it really happened.
The past few days have been such a blur but it really happened. We’re engaged! I can’t believe I get to spend the rest of my life with this guy. It all happened on Saturday afternoon. We were packing for our trip to Portugal so I was bouncing around from room to …
Back in January, I asked you to share a bit about yourselves and tell …
Back in January, I asked you to share a bit about yourselves and tell me what you wanted me to write about. And I received some incredible feedback that left me feeling inspired to cover a few new topics like how Conor and I met. Then I opened myself up on instagram asking …
As someone with two rescue dogs and memories of rescuing my first dog …
As someone with two rescue dogs and memories of rescuing my first dog at 5 and my first cat at, it was a natural fit when I joined the PAWS professional board last year. A few weeks ago, Jena and I had dinner with Paula Fasseas, the founder of PAWS …
My journey to Chicago is a story I've shared before, but any time …
My journey to Chicago is a story I've shared before, but any time I hit a big milestone like today, I can't not think about how much my life has changed in the past seven years. It was those years that brought friendship, a new career, love, and for the …
Ok, so I maybe baited you with the title of this post because I don’t …
Ok, so I maybe baited you with the title of this post because I don’t have announcement to share right now. But I am working on something exciting that I’ll post about soon, so stay tuned. Today, I want to talk about what’s in store for 2017. And about you. I’ve written about everything …
Happy 2017! I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling so inspired to make …
Happy 2017! I don’t know about you, but I’m feeling so inspired to make this year better than the last. The Everygirl turns f i v e next month, Conor and I will celebrate 2 years in May, and August will mark s e v e n years in Chicago. I know, I …
I don’t believe in New Years resolutions. They’re too big. They’re too much …
I don’t believe in New Years resolutions. They’re too big. They’re too much too quickly and only set us up for disappointment. Lose 10 lbs, work out every day, become fluent in French, and learn to play the guitar. Ok, so some of these things were sort of (breezily) on …
2016 was one of my best years yet. One that came with big changes, …
2016 was one of my best years yet. One that came with big changes, lots of good, and some not so great moments, too. I’ve always been pretty upfront about things I’m struggling with but right now, I’d like to focus on some of my favorite moments from 2016. Conor and I celebrated …
You probably know the pain and grief associated with losing someone you were close to.
You probably know the pain and grief associated with losing someone you were close to. But how do you grieve for a family member you didn’t know very well at all? Am I mourning the loss of the person’s life that ended far too soon or the relationship we’ll never have? Am I …
I woke up to endless texts from friends and scrolled through Facebook to …
I woke up to endless texts from friends and scrolled through Facebook to see post after post about heartbreak and fear. And with tears in my eyes, I tried to process what just happened to our country. As a woman, small business owner, and someone who hopes to be a mother someday–and …
A few months ago, Conor and I filled out an application for a new …
A few months ago, Conor and I filled out an application for a new dog through Greater Chicago Cavalier Rescue. We took turns going back and forth between feeling ready and wanting to wait. And then we saw this face. …
One of my readers asked if I'd share an "about me" post a …
One of my readers asked if I'd share an "about me" post a few months ago. Better late than never, right? Whether you've been a reader for a month, week, or year, chances are there are at least a few things you don't know about me. …
When I started blogging back in 2007, I never imagined it would lead me to …
When I started blogging back in 2007, I never imagined it would lead me to a career in design. Or that I'd travel to visit a friend I met through blogging, spend 3 days in Chicago, pack up and move to the Midwest, and then launch a women's lifestyle website.
In November 2009, I found myself in Chicago for 3 days. 9 months later, I left my …
In November 2009, I found myself in Chicago for 3 days. 9 months later, I left my family, friends, and perfect California weather when I moved from the west coast to the midwest.
At 29, I was finally figuring out what I wanted to do with my …
At 29, I was finally figuring out what I wanted to do with my life. We had just launched The Everygirl, but I wouldn't be salaried for another year, which meant things felt pretty unstable. I had been in Chicago about a year, just went through a breakup and found myself single …
Each year, I set goals for myself, and one is always to give …
Each year, I set goals for myself, and one is always to give back. I usually find some small way to do something, but it never feels like enough (for me). 2016 became the year I was finally going to take some action, so I signed up for The Her …
Starting over in Chicago is the best thing I’ve ever done for myself. It’s …
Starting over in Chicago is the best thing I’ve ever done for myself. It’s where I learned how to be on my own, met people who have changed my life, and launched a website with a fellow Chicago blogger that would change everything. And today, that website turns four. The Everygirl was a …
If I’ve learned anything the past few years, it’s that circumstances and expectations …
If I’ve learned anything the past few years, it’s that circumstances and expectations do not have to define you. I moved out of my mom’s house a month before my 28th birthday, a fear of flying kept me from traveling for almost 10 years, my grades were underwhelming at best, and I …