Instagram Life – November 2015

November went by so fast! Since a good part of the month was above average temperatures, it didn’t even feel like a month that leads into Winter. It just felt like an extension of early Fall. I liked it and hope the mild weather is a preview of what’s to come this Winter. November was great. I was gone every weekend, but I enjoyed every moment of live music, every second relaxing on a girls day, and every memory shared with family for my two thanksgiving weekends!

** Attended a jb and me blogger event in Holland

** Saw City and Colour at Metro Chicago

** #bloggingbusinessandbalance webinar

** Got my Christmas shopping on at the new outlet!

** Finally visited Le Bon Macaron… worth the wait!

** Wine Club #18 was a success

** Short visit with my sister but I loved every second of it! We had a potluck at Trail Point!

** Surprise! Celebrated Leann’s start to her 30^th year and officially being a certified architect!

** Christmas cookie game strong at in Kazoo

December is here! The last month of 2015… I’m sad that the rumors are true, that time does go by faster and faster every year you get older… but I’m also so looking forward to this month and everything that 2016 already has in store for life. Bring on the holidays and the New Year! I’m ready for a fresh start… 

Links… Lately XI

** 24 hours in London

** Venice, Italy – City Guide

** Florence, Italy – City Guide

** 24 hours inParis

** Windows to the world (interactive site that let’s you peek through windows all around the world)

** 22 reasons you should always have champagne in your fridge

** When should you try to fall asleep?

** Desk Evolution over the decades

Friday Five!

{fav new Christmas ornament!}

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Happy Thanksgiving weekend! This week was a short yet extremely busy one, work wise and otherwise. I started off the week with my sissy (best Monday morning ever!), decorated the house for the December holiday, finalized a large project (and another is well on its way), celebrated the holiday down South Michigan, will be heading back to Kalamazoo to help set up for a surprise 30^th for my favorite rival this evening, and am spending tomorrow with my Mom making Christmas cookies and watching the final MSU football game of the season.

Woooohooooo! 

Friday Forte:

{chalkboard message from sissy… not taking it down until Christmas!}

{so many awesome cards from this month's Happy Mail}

{this family brightened up my week!}

{pretty fun box to come home to after a weekend away}

A Snowy pre-Thanksgiving in the Zoo!

This past weekend was the kickoff of the holidays! Max and I celebrated Thanksgiving with my family in Kalamazooo anxiously awaiting the arrival of Court, Hector and my niece and nephew! We relaxed, cocktail-ed, chili-ed, euchre-ed, Thanksgiving feasted, saw Mockingjay Part 2, and cheered on MSU's victory over Ohio State. Saturday was a blizzard, so unfortunately sissy couldn't arrive until Sunday, but we didn't miss a beat and took full advantage the rest of the day with each other. We spent the early afternoon bounding all around the snowy backyard with puppies (and taking lots of selfies) before heading back to Grand Rapids for a family potluck at Trailpoint brewing. 

All in all a pretty good weekend. I love the holidays! Sometimes they bring out the stress, but I always try my best to overlook all that, move on, and really be in the moment during the most wonderful time of the year.

Cheers everyone! 

{look down... look down.., SMILE!} 

City and Colour @ Metro Chicago

It was Alyssa’s birthday weekend so already we were in high spirits! I took a half day from work to hit the road early (didn’t want to chance ANY delays). I arrived in Chicago about two hours before she even got out of work. I immediately booked it to Tweet, my new favorite brunch location (turned gay club at night), for a couple cocktails while I waited. I FaceTimed with family, I chatted it up with bartenders and I studied up even more on Dallas’s new album, If I Should Go Before You. Once back at the apartment, we quickly got read, cheers’ed the birthday girl and were off to Fat Cat, an awesome restaurant bar uptown Chicago (note: if you’re ever there, get the PORK BELLY NACHOS… you won’t be disappointed).

Then it was off to Metro! After getting yelled at by some (a) people that we were trying to squeeze to close to the front (sorry dude, you’re 6 foot… deal with it!) we found our sweet spot a few rows back from the stage. It was a pretty packed venue, but I liked the vibe. I felt that many people there were super fans, and I appreciated that.

What can I say about Dallas Green?! He’s absolutely spectacular. By far best live music I’ve ever heard. He gets better each time (see my first concert experience here)!! I can’t wait to see him again (in GRAND RAPIDS) at the end of January!!