things i'm dreaming of {february}:

these cute ankle boots.
chicken tortilla soup to get me through these frigid temperatures.
the time to make this cute Easter bunting.
this book I've been hearing a lot about.
a sweatshirt acceptable for work.
bright flowers to welcome in spring with.
BROOKIES. 'nuff said.
chopping my hair to this length.
a trip here.

image via

another what we've been up to post.

Ben:
// still serving as the Young Men's president at church
// keeping busy with his thesis and projects
// just flew to Florida for his 2nd conference this month

Lex:
// teaching four 5-year old boys in Primary
// still working in Cardiology
// took a crocheting class through a local community college and feels like a grandma

We:
// went to our first hockey game last night
// were asked to be a "pa" and "ma" on trek this summer
// avoid doing the dishes like the plague and let them build up more days than not
// are planning a quick getaway to Florida in a few months

10 books I love.

The Mayor of Casterbridge by Thomas Hardy // Let It Go by Chris Williams // Unbroken by Laura Hillenbrand // East of Eden by John Steinbeck // The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society by Mary Ann Shaffer and Annie Barrows // The Help by Kathryn Stockett // The Happiness Project by Gretchen Rubin // The Awakening by Kate Chopin // In the Heart of the Sea: The Tragedy of the Whaleship Essex by Nathaniel Philbrick // The Goose Girl by Shannon Hale

I'd write a bit about each book if I wasn't feeling lazy and if the internet didn't already provide you with a million reviews. Instead, I've provided links to each one where you'll find a synopsis. ;)

Happy reading!

girls' trip to Chicago.


A few weekends ago, Ben headed to a conference in downtown San Francisco. We had checked flights to see if it'd be feasible for me to tag along and quickly discovered that we'd basically have to sell our kidneys to make it happen. Instead of illegally auctioning off vital organs, I ended up taking the train up to Chicago ($54 roundtrip! What?!) the day after Ben left to meet my mom for a girls' weekend. It was a ridiculously fun, short, cold trip!
^^Eataly was a fun Italian market/restaurant/store to explore. My cousin (who now lives in Chicago) lived in Italy for 18 months and she showed us different foods around the store that she had eaten while living abroad. We picked up some pear & goat cheese stuffed pasta to make for Sunday dinner, and I discovered that, although not awful, goat cheese isn't my favorite. ;)^^
^^Days leading up to the trip, my weather app was telling me it was going to snow a decent amount and be frigid all weekend long. However, we lucked out with light snow and not too terribly freezing temperatures! Rain boots would have been nice though. :)^^ 
 ^^Post-church snack. I'd heard quite a bit about Garrett Popcorn, so we picked some up to try. The dark chocolate and caramel was to die for. (How cute is that house in the background?)^^
^^I'm a big fan of Impressionist art, but especially anything by van Gogh, Monet, and Renoir. While walking around, I came across the painting I've had as my laptop background for a while now and that was pretty fun!^^
^^Obligatory picture with "The Bean."^^

Food we tried that you should probably try, too: Garrett PopcornCafe IbericoThe Purple PigRosebudGiordano'sGrand Lux Cafe (we went here twice for desserts!)

5 places i want to go this year.

1. Chicago, IL // Living just a short 5 hour drive away, Chicago has become one of my favorite weekend getaways! So much to do, so much to eat. :) This year, I want to try Garrett's Popcorn, see the art museum, and get Spanish food at Cafe Iberico!
Update: Did all three February 7-10!

2. Orlando, FL // I've been once before, but I'm in desperate need of some warmer weather and sun. I would love to go to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter, Disneyworld, and grab some food at Yellow Dog Eats.
Update: Conquered the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at the end of November.

3. New York City, NY // With our friends moving to NYC later this year, I can guarantee we'll be on the lookout for cheap tickets to go visit them. I'd love to see Times Square again, visit the 9/11 memorial, and eat a Levain Bakery cookie.

4. Indianapolis, IN // Ben has an aunt and uncle that live in Indianapolis and with it only being a 4 hour drive away, it sounds like a fun weekend trip! The Civil War museum, Cajun/Creole food at Yats, and a walk along Central Canal are calling my name.

5. London, England // This one is the most unrealistic destination on my list, but it's always fun to dream. :) I'd be over the moon if I could see Big Ben, take a tour of Buckingham Palace, and eat a slow-roast lamb sandwich from Sticky Beaks.

Where do you want to go this year?