Happy Sunday everyone, and we hope you all have a great and fun week!! We were so excited to finally unveil the River House living room and Caitlin’s primary bathroom (check them out if you missed them). Oh, and if you also missed M’s incredible home decor gift guide, it’s a must-see. She spent a lot of time crafting each piece, and boy, is it a beautiful scroll. Ok, now on to the link…
This week’s home tour We’re not sure if we’ve highlighted this before, but if so, it’s worth another look! From none other than Reeth Design, this home is moody, cozy, layered, and patterned. Do yourself a favor and look for lots of inspiration.
From Emily: We bought our kids a landline (and other non-tech gifts that are on our radar). Having two tweens means they want the latest technology and while some of it we’re okay with (iPad for traveling, Kindle for reading, Apple Watch for walking around town with your friends), we’re resisting smart phones until the new year and social phones until 16 (all per Jonathan Haidts’ recommendations — and yes, his best friend’s families have similar rules, so hopefully that can stick). And while we don’t mind some video games, one of our kids has a problem regulating their use, so it’s not something we actively encourage in our home. So for Christmas, I got a few things I hope they’ll get excited about without the dangers of technology:
- we bought them tin can wifi landlineWe want them to chat with their friends, have the freedom to make plans (sending messages on their watches is really cumbersome), and hell, just know how to interact with people (we teach them to actively ask questions, respond by making eye contact, etc.). These are phones that tap into your WiFi (so you don’t need a traditional phone line) and can only accept and call approved numbers. Some of his friends are also meeting him. Although they’re not iPhones, and they may be disappointed at first, we’re keeping all our fingers crossed that they’ll enjoy talking on the phone and connecting non-digitally with their friends.
- nex playground is an active family/group video game. God, I hope it doesn’t flop. But since the winters are so bad here, there’s more time indoors than I’d like and the boys in particular gravitate more toward video games (we have limits and try to balance that, but it’s a thing). I don’t really mind if it’s a group playing together in the same room, but when I got it, I had high hopes that it could be an even healthier version of gaming. It comes with a bunch of games (and of course you can buy even more) and it uses a camera to monitor your body while you play active games (running, jumping, etc.). We’re giving it to Charlie for his birthday, early December, in hopes of reviewing it for you after that. But I also know that it’s one of the most popular gifts for families this year and it may sell out. Only time will tell how long 12 year old boys will like it, but considering the volume of games (and the number of boys we have here), I’m hopeful.
- While our children may be too old for this now, the original yoto player Came out, loved it (it was very quiet; that was my only note). But I think it’s gotten better and better over the years, and people appreciate it for the story now, and I think even white noise machines. I would say best for ages 2-8 years.
From Gretchen: A simple but very useful gadget (just in time for holiday decorating). This plug-in timer for outdoor lightsThe lighting situation on my back deck is basically non-existent, so I installed some string lights to maintain a nice glow year-round (and especially in these early dark days of fall/winter. I don’t want to have them on all the time, and I don’t have to go outside to manually unplug them (especially in rainy Oregon). But this helpful timer makes it so I don’t have to do that! It’s waterproof and comes on whenever I want. Comes with tons of easy settings to turn the lights on and off. But my favorite thing is that it comes with a remote that works from up to 100 feet away, so now I just press a button from inside my house, and the lights do their thing!
From Marlee: One of my favorite gifts I got as a child was a sewing machine – I didn’t know how to use it, but I figured it out pretty quickly. I got one almost identical This one (which I also use) for my 10th birthday and immediately became extremely creative, making all kinds of random things, and as I got older, it became necessary to replace items I found at the thrift store. I’m sharing this because I think if you don’t know how to sew/don’t use a sewing machine, it seems like a pretty unrealistic gift to give a child – but if you have an 8, 9, 10 year old child in your life, I think a sewing machine is a great gift idea. It teaches problem-solving and is incredibly useful. You’ll be surprised at how many creative doors it opens once you have it. Too. You should get one for yourself!! It’s never too late to learn – I’m no expert at all, in fact, my craftsmanship is pretty poor. But it’s fun and functional, and it kept me busy for hours growing up. my boyfriend gave me a new, more massive For my birthday this year, and I haven’t been able to use it yet, but now that I’m starting to prepare for hibernation, my mind (and Pinterest) is racking with ideas about what to make 🙂
Updated Gift Guide List!
From Mallory: I recently went to Rag & Bone Outlet and found the BEST stuff for great prices!! Rag & Bone is one of my favorite brands (the quality is amazing), but it’s definitely expensive. But these deals make it more affordable and worthwhile. From the beginning, this jacket So cute (I’m crazy about tweed!!), the quality is incredible, and it fits like a glove (true to size or you can even size down). It was originally $528 – so this deal is super sweet. then I also got upset these cute green pantsWhich are so EHD chic – a great deal too (used to be $298!!) I would wear both of these a ton.
From Caitlin: I’m coming back with a tried-and-true recommendation: I can’t say enough about this merino wool crewneck sweaterI bought it last November, and ever since then it’s been one of the staples in my wardrobe! It exudes all the charm for me – it has a casual and comfortable vibe; It’s so light that it can be thrown under a pair of overalls without adding a ton of weight; It’s still thick enough to keep me comfortable; And most importantly, I feel really great when I wear it 🙂 The tag says it’s dry clean only, but I’ve put it through the wash countless times and have yet to have any issues with it shedding or shrinking. (I do, however, let it air dry.) It’s often hard for me to find basics that fit well, but this sweater definitely fits the bill. I’m so happy to see it back on the market for another season – I promise it’s worth it!
From Jess: I’m someone who desperately needs their support when it comes to getting enough nutrients in my diet. So I started working with Arlene’s dietitian (thanks Cassidy!), and it made a huge difference. One thing she suggested was making “snack packs” so I could have nutrient-packed snacks in one container for each day. Sure, there’s some pre-planning, but then once the work week starts, I’m extremely prepared and have what I need for breakfast. These are the containers I useI bought five, so I’d have one for each workday. Not “Ugh, I don’t want to wash it tomorrow!” As someone who doesn’t have a dishwasher often says, hahaha. If you’re more organized and self-motivated than me, this may seem silly. But if you can tell, having them has been a game-changer.
From Arlin: I know I recommended my aerie sweatshirt Last week, but this week I’m back with some Aerie socks. (Apparently, I’ve been shopping good sales lately.) I’ve been searching all year for crew socks that actually work for me. They were all either too long for my small frame, too tight for my thick legs, or simply made me feel like a serious poser. but i grabbed a handful of colors these striped quarter socksAnd I 100% found the right height and style for me. They make my lame school drop-off outfits feel more intentional. I mean, I threw up red couple I came in with an old-style t-shirt and my gray New Balances, and one of the other moms stopped me and asked me about my “chic” look. I laughed in his face, but accepted the compliment.
Have a nice rest of your day and see you tomorrow for another very fun reveal 😉
Opening Image Credit: Architect: Anne Usher General Contractor: JP Massey sierra custom build Interior Designer: Emily Henderson (me!) and max humfrey Styling: Emily Henderson (me!) | photo by Caitlin Green From: My Brother River House Living Room Revealed – With a TV over the Tiled fireplace
