We want to be the first to say how incredibly proud and grateful we are to the people of Minnesota. What is happening in their communities, and in many other communities across this beloved country, is devastating, terrible, and un-American. Like these brave Minnesotans, we have to speak out, we have to speak out Call our representatives (202-224-3121) and demand it stop. When we work together we are invincible.
From Emily: Charlie is what we call “our cozy king” at home (I’m the cozy queen) and we’re both laying in our “cozy nest” (two coincidentally). extra large dog pillows We as a family turned into pillows on the floor in front of the fireplace to see whatever we were eating at night (still holding on 18 years later). survivorLaugh out loud). Let’s just say cuddling and being warm is one of our shared interests (and he’s a 12 year old boy, so I’ll take any means to connect in a special way). Anyway, Elliot, knowing her interest in all things cozy, got her this warm blanket For Christmas, and we snuggle under it every night. It’s a whole ritual where he “prepares the nest”, and then we put a nest of our own Anthro Faux Fur Blanket over it to seal in the heat. The blanket has four different heat settings and turns off automatically. It is very dreamy and soft.
Also from Emily: Thank you so much to everyone who subscribed to Brian and my personal Substack. If you missed it, check it out his first post here (The first two weeks are free), and yesterday I published a post titled “My Daughter Wants to Be a YouTuber.” What did we tell him? It’s more complicated than you think…
Here are this week’s Instagram highlights:
Did anyone else join the “we heard 2026 is the new 2016” trend? Well, we did, and man, do we miss it.
Emily was honored to be selected as one of Country Living’s Country Design 100!!
From Arlene: I’m back this week with some more suggestions for Christmas. If you’re looking for trendy jewelry that doesn’t require you to choose between groceries and accessories (obviously, please choose food instead of necklaces), I’m here to thank you. roaring. I own a few pieces from the brand, and even after years of wear, they’re still pristine. Keep in mind, they’re not solid gold, but they work that way as long as you take care of them…and sometimes even when you don’t (just avoid any alcohol-based sanitizers, etc.). Although they have great jewelry, my favorites are their fashion items which are mostly under $100—I got it bracelet and this necklace Recently, and they look like a million bucks.
From Jess: I know most of us talk a lot about protein intake, but if you don’t, This is a protein shake Mine and Arlene’s dietitian recommended it to me. It’s 30 grams per can and only 1 gram of sugar. I find that some powders make me a little nauseous, but not this one. I really get the strawberry flavor (very different from me), but it’s great, especially over ice. This has been a huge help in reaching my daily goals (it’s that easy).
From Marley: it My sleep game just got leveled, and I can’t shut up about it. I’m really bad at consistently taking supplements – I’m subconsciously a very “out of sight, out of mind” person, so if I don’t feel immediate results from something, I don’t make it a priority (something I’ve been working on this year!). But I’ve been taking CALM magnesium powder consistently every night for the past 6 weeks, and I’m kicking myself for not trying it sooner. I struggle frequently with sleep, and for most of my adult life, I’ve taken melatonin every night (and if not, special gummies), but since I started taking CALM I’ve given up those things and am sleeping much better. I wake up feeling rested and not drowsy, and I feel like I’ve been zoned out and I’m not tossing and turning the way I usually do. Every night, I take a glass of magnesium powder and drink a cup of Trader Joe’s Bedtime Tea about 90 minutes before bed, and together they’re working really well. It’s $20 for the container, looks like it will last me months, if not, over a year, but I’ve seen sample-sized packs at Whole Foods and other stores if you want to give it a sample. I personally recommend it, but I feel like I had to take it constantly for it to help, and I know it can cause stomach problems for some people (not me), so start with a small dose and work your way up slowly. It’s certainly not a miracle drug by any means, but even drinking it as my nightly ritual helps me relax a lot.
From Gretchen: In keeping with my yoga theme from last week…I decided to treat myself to some pieces from Lululemon. Even when I’m in a spendthrift mood, I can’t justify their price. Instead, my favorite section to visit on their site is “we made too much” tab, where they offer discounts on a ton of Overstock products. Now, as long as there’s a physical Lululemon store in your city and have a simple online account with them (free, as far as I know), don’t be discouraged by the “final sale” marker. I recently purchased a pair of WMTM leggings that I thought would be perfect for hot yoga, but when they arrived, I felt like I’d been punked. They’re a Made of compression material that was so strong it would have cut me in half a second but I was able to take them to the store for a replacement pair. Did Love, no problem. My order was not at all unlucky. Thankfully, I found a new favorite item from the sale section – This super cute patterned onesie. It is perfect for really hot rooms. It’s so buttery soft, hugs in all the right places, and lets most of my body breathe. So if you’re in the market for some new workout clothes, be sure to check out this section before paying full price!
From Mallory: I see all the girls at my gym wearing these gorgeous silver Asics and I’m obsessed!! i tried in And fell in love immediately. Super comfortable, go with everything, and they make me feel like a 90s mom living her best life.
From Caitlin: Mark your calendars: I’ll be glued to my couch next Sunday for Netflix’s new series, glitter and goldWhich is based on the journey of the world’s 3 leading ice dancing teams to the Olympics. I’m not going to talk much about it here, but I have been a competitive figure skater for over 20 years – so believe me when I tell you it will be juicy (like, we’re talking more drama than Real Housewives – the 3 teams they follow are really the lightning rods in the game). Everyone is gorgeous (I performed with the US team at the Stars on Ice show about 10 years ago, and they took my breath away – you’ve never seen a more beautiful married couple!), the athleticism is amazing, and the competition is so, so, so incredibly close. The Olympics will be an absolute nail-biter (I’m rooting for Canada, but I have money on France to win). Join me next week so you too can enjoy the contest in full context!
Thank you for spending some time with us, call your representatives and see you all tomorrow. xx
Opening Image Credit: By Design Caitlin Higgins | Styled by Emily Bowser | photo by sarah ligoria-trump | From: The reveal we’ve all been waiting for! Caitlin’s mostly frugal, postmodern Regency Deco living room
