five on friday!

Happy Friday, friends! I'm linking up for Five on Friday because is there really a better way to jump back into blogging when you've been MIA for two full months?

{one} yard pretties

Brian took the second part of his CFA exam last Saturday, so all of the little To Do lists that I've been adding to over his last few study months are now FRONT AND CENTER to get things checked off! First in line? Getting our yard in shape. We've stayed on top of mowing/weeding, but mulching and planting anything new took a backseat. Not anymore! I've been doing lots of Googling to see what grows best in our sun/shade yard, and these are a few of my favorite "inspirational" ideas for the front and back yards.

We need a new mailbox + a border - the snowplows took ours completely down last winter... as in we found out in the middle of our front yard (womp womp). I think this is so pretty and gives great curb appeal.

My big goal for the front of our house - hydrangeas and hostas. My goal this weekend is to rip everything out of our front bed from the current owners and start planting!

We have two unsightly LARGE trees in our front yard - I've already weeded and dug the perimeter, just need to plant the hostas to fill it in.

 
Building window boxes for the front window are the first item on Brian's to-do list. Our hosue is similar to this - white with navy shutters, and it looks just a tad too bare without something there. And I love how you can swap out the box filler for each season/holiday! I'm lucky to have a guy who enjoys projects like this as long as it means he gets to use his power tools. Fine by me, just make 'em look pretty!


{two} Bloodline

We now have mucho time available to relax in the evenings, and just started watching Bloodline last night. WE'RE HOOKED. We got two episodes in before it got too late, but I'm loving it. Although in my eyes, Coach Taylor can/will/could never do any wrong in my eyes, so it's lovely just to be able to watch him. 



{three} car shopping

After years of sharing a car and commuting together, we're finally making the move to find a car just for me... and I am SO excited! For the majority of the time that we've lived together, commuting together made sense - I'd drop Brian at the train in the morning, drive myself to work, pick him up at night and we'd drive home. Add in buying a house a solid 25 minute drive from my office/the train and having Molly at home waiting for us to let her out/feed her, and it's just gotten way too complicated. So, we're in the market for a second car. My must haves? An SUV (manageable, but roomy), decent on gas... and that's kind of it. Any suggestions? I'm currently loving the GMC Acadia, Nissan Rogue and Murano, and the Ford Edge.
come to mama!


{four} pasta? yes please!

Summer or not, this One Pot Creamy Chicken Marsala Pasta dish is on my "must make" list for the weekend. A little extra gym time to make up for it won't kill me!



{five} HAMILTON

The sole item on my bucket list right now is to see Hamilton. Tickets are outrageous (not to mention sold out), but Brian and I are both on every possible ticket list/alert out there to try and snag two. The soundtrack has been in the background of my life for the past several weeks, and I'm just pretty obsessed all around. It's such a phenomenon, and it's just the BEST phenomenon. Seriously, in the wake of so much negativity, this amazing Broadway musical came along and gave people something to feel excited about and invigorated by... that's kind of amazing. Articles like this have been written by a father who connected with his moody teenage daughter over Hamilton, Lincoln Park Zoo named a new baby camel Alexander Camelton... people can't help but get caught up in the magic. 



And I so know that I would cry if I did get the chance to see the show. Like, cry in the audience. Because I've cried at EVERY show I've seen on Broadway - I think it's a rite of passage and you just get so caught up the experience! Also? I will cry Sunday night when the cast performs on the Tony Awards, and I cried watching this because... perfection.




Have a fantastic weekend!