Things making me smile/on my mind/causing distraction these days:
--Obviously, the news of my bff Kate (aka the Duchess of Cambridge)'s second pregnancy started my day off on the right note. The first time I found out, I was en route home from Vail with my family after a wedding...needless to say I totally freaked out when I didn't have ready access to a computer to read all the coverage. This is where my priorities lie, people. Today, I'm scoping out Suri's Burn Book for the hilarious take on the baby news, and also enjoyed this article about historical second sons in the English monarchy. Let's be real though...I'm clearly insanely pumped for more Kate Middleton pregnancy fashion. Duh.
--My mom and I are home alone currently, as my dad is being epic as usual and deep-sea salmon and halibut fishing in Alaska. Cool right? No thanks. Mom and I shopped all day on Saturday, including a trip to the brand-new Eagan Premium Outlets. They just opened a few weeks ago, and Twin Cities friends, it's so insane. Saturday, for example, I stocked up on a few great basic sweaters from J.Crew Factory for over half-off even the normal price, picked up some jeans at the Gap, and even decided to give ankle boots a try. Why not, when they're practically giving them away??
--I put together a new playlist for gym trips last week, and have been doing my best to carry this summer's pop hits into fall. One of the additions to the playlist, however, wasn't quite the vapid, gym-conducive crap the rest of the playlist consisted of, and I've found myself looping them everywhere from the car to the office. Kaitlin, Max and I fell hard for Johnnyswim at Firefly, and the more I listen to them the more I like them. They're soulful and hipster with this great bluesy tinge that I think is perfect for fall....and did I mention they're stunningly gorgeous? Yup. Check them out--you'll be glad you did.
--Confession: Sometimes at work, I don't have enough work to keep me busy all day. It's a common problem for my team--our roles are very cyclical. I was searching for something to kill time with and stumbled on 40 Days of Dating, which chronicles two friends' attempt at dating each other for 40 days straight from each of their points of view. It was fascinating--I read the entire site in about two days. Apparently they have a movie deal too, which should be interesting!
--Folks, it's football season, and I for one am super excited. My beloved Fighting Irish ended Michigan's 384-game shutout streak on Saturday night in one of the most beautiful victories ever...now I'm all pumped to cheer them on through a great season after all the pre-season drama and scandal. With my move back downtown imminent, I'm looking forward to (hopefully) hosting a gamewatch or two, and if I do, it will definitely feature at least two of these 25 Cheesy Dips That Will Make You Swoon. Click the link. I dare you. It's food porn in its most extreme form.