Happy Sunday, everyone! As we anticipated, we had the best time on our retreat in Portland and continue to feel like the luckiest people on the planet to get to work together. Fun was had, connection was at an all-time high, and we still got a good amount of work done…don’t worry, ha. If only we could also hang with all of you because we clearly wouldn’t be here without you! Maybe someday: Ok, onto this week’s links…

This week’s house tour is a wonderful cabin in the Hudson Valley. It’s classic but so special and looks like it feels like a hug! Just go take a look!

From Emily: The housework never ends, especially after a long trip with four bags of disgusting laundry (I swear some stuff I had to wash twice). So I needed an audiobook to get it all done, and I was so mentally drained that it needed to be GRIPPING, easy, and required no mental work. Boy, did I find one. At the time of writing, I still have 20% left, but I’m absolutely gripped by Alice Feeney’s My Husband’s Wife (book & audiobook). I’m sure it’s a great read as well, but the voice actors are fantastic, and there are some sound effects that are fun, too, so it moves fast and I have no idea how it’s going to end. I don’t need to really break down the plot for you, but it’s a psychological thriller, a body found, a woman who thinks she is someone else, and a tech pharma company that can pinpoint your death day (founded by one of the characters). Set in a small town outside of London and full of so much mystery, with a lot of fun character viewpoints that are easy to follow since the voice actors sound different. It only took about 10 minutes for me to be really engaged in (listen to it on 1.2 speed) and made my 9 hours of chores super enjoyable. As a reminder, if you like podcast series, we recently updated our “most gripping podcast series” blog post, which is a wealth of knowledge (please recommend new ones in the comments).

From Caitlin: I have been on the hunt for the perfect, low-maintenance, almost-sunburnt lip color for years – AND I FINALLY FOUND IT. From Clinique, no less! (I should have known. They were my mom’s go-to for a reason!) And no, it’s not Black and/or Pink Honey – it’s this tinted lip balm stick in Broadest Berry. I’m super pale with a bit of tomato-y redness and blue/purple veins (a real Picasso over here, seemingly), and this berry is the perfect “my lips, but if I went outside more frequently” shade, despite its saturated appearance online. A quick swipe on my nose and cheeks makes me look like I’ve spent the day at the beach, and you don’t need a mirror to apply – really pleased with it. Who doesn’t love an easy one-step makeup solution for summer?

From Jess: I got to see my perfect little almost 2-year-old niece last weekend (before the retreat), so naturally, before I left, my aunt brain told me I needed to bring her something! Cut to me at Gap and found the sweetest little summer dress and metallic sandals (she loves color). I really had to control myself because the amount of out-of-this-world cute clothing they had was immense! Anyway, if you are shopping for little kids, don’t forget to check them out.

From Gretchen: I might just have a new contender in the running for favorite self-tanner. I’m a fan of the 1-hour tan but struggle with timing it right, so I let it bake long enough but still leave enough time to quickly shower it off. But I recently came across this Bondi Sands Liquid Gold, which requires no rinse at all! I was skeptical for sure, but totally love how it came out–a nice, even, not-too-orangey glow. It doesn’t fully develop for like 6 hours, but it dries super fast and doesn’t transfer, plus if I’m last-minute tanning for a trip, 6 hours is usually plenty of time for me to be glow-ready. I use a regular tanning mitt to apply, but also picked up this blender brush, which works SO well on hands and feet so you don’t get that harsh line.

From: Marlee: I recently picked up these shorts from a consignment shop and have been wearing the hell out of them – I love that they’re a longer length but aren’t so wide in the leg. I would recommend sizing up so they’re not too snug. Mine seem to be a little more worn in than the ones in the photo, but I can say that it seems like they hold up super well and have developed a nice fade:)

From Mallory: If you’re looking for a cool hat this summer, start here!! I went into a gift shop when I was in the USVIs, and they had a ton of hats from San Diego Hat (which was comical that I went all the way to the USVIs to find a hat from San Diego lol). I’m weird about hats – sometimes I just feel kinda dumb in a bucket style, but this one genuinely felt so like “me” that I actually wear it A TON. It has the cutest charms, and you can roll the brim of the hat up so it’s not full “bucket,” which I love too. Check out their company – they have a ton of great ones!

From Arlyn: Why oh why do mosquitoes exist?!?! They are just awful, and worse yet, my daughter has a condition where her bites swell up to the point of being scary and hurt her and itch her like crazy for at least a week straight. No one sleeps around here when she has a single bite. I found these mosquito stickers last summer, and they work well. I especially like them because they’re not yet another spray or cream to rub on. It can get confusing what order you put on ointments between sunscreen and bug spray, etc. You just stick these on a few strategic spots on your clothing, and it basically shields you. They’re great for casual outdoor outings, just don’t forget to take them off before throwing your clothes in the wash. For more intense outdoor outings like being in the woods, hiking, or long al fresco evenings in the grass, I use this cream, which we love and works fantastically.

We so appreciate you spending time with us today and can’t wait to see you tomorrow! xx

Opening Image Credits: Photo by Kaitlin Green | From: Farmhouse Pool Update With Wayfair