A Denim & Crochet Kind-Of Day

Some days, you get dressed and spend the whole day wishing you had worn something else. Whether you woke up late or just felt off when selecting your outfit, you just can’t wait to get home in sweatpants. This was NOT one of those days. I look forward to these rare opportunities which allow me to get a little fancy, such as our Family outing for Mother’s Day. I’m still of the mindset that Sunday brunch calls for the best of the best, be it lace or a full skirt, or in this case…both. 

I had been lusting after this dress long after Lisa wore it and it felt just as magical on, as it did in photos. Apparently, I wasn’t the only one who thought so – Between our (SUPER delicious) meal at Prasino and our walk through town, I received so many kind compliments on the dress. To the elderly gentleman who did a double take and let me know I was beautiful, you made my day. I certainly felt that way…if only everything we wore gave us that kind of boost, right?!

What items in your closet make you feel great?

Wearing:

Dress: Choies (save | splurge)

Shoes: Just Fab (similar)

Jacket: J.Crew

Purse: c/o Sole Society

Blooms: Mariano's

Sunnies: c/o Ditto - Use "SISTERSMARIE" at checkout for your first month free!

Out of the Woods

This post isn't about my outfit, how excited I am about the lovely Spring weather or any other typical topic of blog conversation. It's something totally different, a horse of a different color if you will. It's about feelings and a blessed transformation...
If you follow us on IG, you may have seen that almost two weeks ago, I was bitten in the face by a dog. No, not bitten because that word seems too casual...after all, you can also be bitten by a fly. Instead of searching for the perfect adjective, I can sum up the whole experience by admitting it was truly one of (or maybe the most) traumatic event in my life. Anyone who knows me is well aware of my strong feelings for dogs - In fact, my husband will tell you I like them more than most people which isn't too far off base. So, as with most dogs, I treated this one like one of my own...so quick to lean in and kiss him on the head without any consideration that this interaction might not be reciprocated. The actual moment was so utterly shocking and jarring that I'm not sure I'll ever be able to forget that sound, feeling or surroundings that made up that second in time. Many members of my Family were there and enclosed around me with horror in their eyes, all of us quickly realizing that we would be skipping dinner that was so beautifully prepared and instead, heading to the hospital for what would turn into the longest 6 hours of waiting and hoping for the best.
Post anesthesia (which was the absolute WORST pain you can imagine) and many stitches, I was sent home exhausted and extremely dejected. I was also in quite a bit of pain which made it easy to keep replaying the scene in my mind. And despite everyone's kind words, I was so sure this had not only changed my appearance forever, but worse, my spirit which almost always favors the bright side. The few days that followed were not much better...I had never felt so sad and empty before which sounds very dark but it's true... with the stitches and remaining marks splashed across my face, it was hard to see a light at the end. On the other hand, I have never felt so much love and kindness from those closest to me...my house was an endless stream of visitors, all of whom showered me with flowers, cards, cookies, funny stories and a reminder that all of this was temporary, something I desperately needed to hear. My husband always takes good care of me but with this one, he was exceptional, just listening to me cry and telling me with sincerity I was just as beautiful, making him the luckiest man in the world. If there's a silver lining of this experience, it seems to have brought us closer...it's very easy to enjoy all the wonderful moments together but it's situations like these that truly define a relationship. 
While it was hard to see, I was making progress all along...after the stitches came out, I felt a weight lifted off my shoulders because I finally understood what everyone was trying to tell me. With a little bit of patience and time, I could make the transition back to myself. I started to see the light return to my eyes and smile on my face. I could see that the wounds were healing and would continue to fade. I realized that whatever was broken, could most likely be fixed, making me very lucky because I know how much worse this outcome could have been. Every Dr. I saw acknowledged how hard this must be for me but also pointed out the bigger picture which was, I will come out of this just fine. 

Now that it's just about 2 weeks since that night, I feel so happy with how far I have come and to be out of the woods. It's truly amazing how the body can mend itself, healing from the inside out without you even realizing the changes being made. You don't appreciate how hard it works until your body is put through a trauma...I am in awe of our internal system and thankful to be here, finding my way back to my old self. I still have a few minor areas that may need attention in the future and a scar or two that will be remain a part of my face, but it's nothing that can't be masked, should I choose to. At this point, it's a part of me and that's nothing to be ashamed of.

I've often pictured a scenario in my mind, one far off in the future, where my husband and I are settled on a large piece of land and we spend our time rescuing as many dogs as we can, giving them the love and life they truly deserve. While I'm happy to say this dream hasn't died as a result of this experience, I should also be honest and admit that something has shifted in me. I will definitely approach dogs and animals differently from now on, leading with my hand, not my heart -- until I have confirmation they're into me, that is... then I go in for the kiss ;) In addition, I find myself being a little more appreciative of the everyday things we take for granted...it sounds cliche but I won't apologize for that because it really is true.

Thanks for stopping by, reading my story and supporting me through a tough time. Sometimes it feels better to share something like this...Have you ever gone through something similar? 
How did you handle it? Please do share in the comments, I'd love to hear your experience!

Wearing:
Jacket: J. Crew Tunic: Forever 21 (I'm also in love with this jumpsuit!) Skirt: Forever 21 (on sale!) Shoes: Target (old but similar here) Bag: Just Fab (similar from JCP, so cute for Spring!) Necklace: Forever 21 Sunnies: LOFT  Hat; Target Lipstick: Glominerals "Crush"

Florals Dressed Up & Down

One true sign of a great dress is that it looks just as good dressed down as it does up. When you can pair with sneakers or heels and still pull off an effortlessly put together look, that is considered a big win because it becomes that much more versatile. 

Like Kelly alluded to here, us ladies have SO many dresses that we love but because they are full of prints, colors and embellishments, they often get hung back in the closet to collect dust after one or two wears (so as not to repeat too often...the horror!) But when you make a dress look completely different just by switching out your jacket, accessories and/or shoes, it names on a whole level of new.

 I have been loving all the floral and pattern prints at OldNavy for the Spring season and this dress popped out right away (I like the pixie pant version too!) It’s a great fit so of course I bought the striped version too – I say, when you find something you like, always buy 2... (Pretty sure my husband would like to argue otherwise…)

Swap out a jean jacket for a trench and wedges for sneakers and voilà!

Dress: Old Navy (similar) | Jean Jacket: J.Crew | Sneakers: Converse | Bucket purse: Old Navy (similar)

Trench: H&M (similar) | Wedges: Sole Society (similar) | Clutch: Just Fab | Necklace: LOFT | Sunnies: Target

Sushi Sunday

Call me crazy for going exposing my legs in negative Chicago temps (because you'd be right) but I am OVER sweaters, skinny jeans & boots. Seriously, DONE. Every year I reach this breaking point (much like this) where our hometown weather suddenly seems unbearable and all I can think of are those endless summer days where the most clothing I have to wear is a swimsuit and cover up.

With that said, it's good to make sure you have things to look forward to on the calendar during these months...that's always what makes the time go faster for me. We recently celebrated my brother and Lisa's birthday (happy bday again, sister!) at Kona Grill, one of our favorites. Lisa and I ordered a few of our favorite sushi rolls and added avocado to each because it automatically makes everything more delicious ;)

Jacket: J.Crew (similar) | Blouse: Target (similar) | Skirt: Target (similar)

Booties: c/o Just Fab (almost identical!) | Bag: c/o Shopbop | Sunnies: Target

Gold bangle: Rocksbox | Red bracelet: Gift from Lisa | Lip color: Butter London

How do you make the last few months of winter more bearable?

Holding Onto Summer

As summer winds down, I am always torn between shopping summer sales and stocking up on fall favorites. Sometimes I think I would be happy wearing dresses, shorts, and flip flops all year long but then I stumble upon a great pair of printed slip on sneakers that serve as the perfect transition into sweaters and jeans and I think, hey...this might not be so bad. 

By the way, Old Navy has turned into another version of Target because I can NOT go in there and leave with one item. I recently stopped in "real quick" (an hour) to look for a white swimsuit bottom and left with a bag that was more than overflowing. I had a very tough decision choosing between the animal print sneakers and coral flats so clearly they both had to leave with me ;)

Dress, Shoes, Necklace (similar), Sunglasses: Old Navy // Jacket: J. Crew // Bag: Just Fab (similar)  

How you feel about the transition of seasonal clothes?

Because Kaitlyn MAXImized Her Easter

Having been a married woman for 9 months now, I think one of the more challenging aspects can be figuring out how to incorporate both families into holidays equally. On Easter Sunday we made the rounds starting with my Grandpa's in the morning, his parents for dinner and over to my house for dessert. 

My husband and I are lucky because our parents live about 2 miles away from each other so it makes it easier to MAXImize our time with everyone (I couldn't resist) but it also usually makes for a very busy, albeit, wonderful day. 

And what a gorgeous Spring day it FINALLY was in Chicago! Being blue-eyed, blonde and fair-skinned, I did manage to score quite a sunburn but after months spent inside by the fire on the couch, looking like a lobster for a day feels glorious.

(had to take advantage of an Angelina moment, obvi)

Dress: H&M // Jacket: J. Crew (similar) // Sandals: Piperlime // Sunnies: Target

 Ring: Lili Claspe // Earrings: Kate Spade

How did you spend your Easter?