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The Link Up: The GPS/Texting Watch Em’s Kids (And Parents) LOVE, Arlyn’s Post-Baby Approved Undies, And Our Next YOUTUBE REVEAL Video!!
Happy Sunday! We don’t want to give you any decorating panic with that beautiful fall tablescape since I think most of us are still melting from the summer sun. However, we’ve been shocked at how many people are already searching for fall decor ideas (like a lot)! So if you too are dreaming of a fall breeze and cozy fires then this post that stylist/ entertaining expert, Royale Ziegler, wrote for us a couple of years ago is the one you are going to want to read. It’s all about decorating for the fall (and all of its festivities) once. It’ll be hard not to get excited and inspired. Ok, links?
This week’s house tour was originally a crumbling 1890s spec house in East LA referred to as a Pyramidal Victorian. But then Patrick Bernatz Ward and his wife, Shannon came to the rescue and brought it back to life. So while they restored and designed the entire house, Patrick also designed most of the furniture!! It’s truly incredible. Go check it out here!
READY FOR ANOTHER FARMHOUSE REVEAL YOUTUBE VIDEO??? Us too. Em gets into the nitty gritty of designing her kids’ bathroom and we promise it’s great! Enjoy and come back tomorrow to get more info and see all the beautiful photos:)
From Emily: Our kids have been using the Gabb Watch since last September and we love, love, LOVE it. It’s for kids (ours are almost 8 and 10), to monitor their location and give them the ability to communicate with us (and only us). Maybe there are other products on the market that are just as good or better, but we have been pretty happy with this one (and so have our kids). Basically, it’s GPS (with an awesome real-time locations app that we use) + texting and calling ONLY the people in their contact list (Brian, me, and the grandparents). We live in a very safe quiet neighborhood with tons of families and we really wanted to give them autonomy and a sense of independence, but I feel SO much comfort knowing that I can reach them at all times if I need. As you probably imagine we are a few years away from smartwatches/cell phones (and even longer away from social media) so this “phone” is fairly bare bones and does the exact job we want/need. We also have it set so they can’t use it at all during school hours (they can call one number (Brian’s) in case of emergency). There are a couple of dumb games on it (productivity games), but that’s it (these other ones that have games on it seem so odd to me – like read the room, the parents who want this bare-bones watch likely don’t want their kids on video games either when we can help it). The whole point is outside freedom with a little bit of comfort for us. Independence. There is a monthly plan (I think it’s like $8.99 each) which adds up, but we use it SO MUCH.
From Jess: I did it. I finally bought a tongue scraper and I can’t even being to tell you how much I LOVE it. IT’S SO SATISFYING!! Now I can’t speak to the long-term benefits of helping with immunity and slowing the growth of plaque since it’s only been a couple of weeks, but I can say that my mouth feels cleaner and it’s definitely helped my breath. If it ends up that that’s where the benefits stop that’s good enough for me!
From Caitlin: Let me let y’all in on a little secret: this Head and Shoulders shampoo and conditioner is THE BEST smelling haircare product on the market. Full stop. I’m a big “leave the house with wet hair” girlie (read: lazy, generally unbothered by my appearance) and I am stopped EVERY TIME by someone being like, “wow, your hair smells amazing.” It happened this week in the pharmacy line at Walgreens. It happened when I stopped by my hairdresser for a 10-minute bangs trim. It happened when I was on a Zoom with the EHD team (did I stop a meeting after I caught a whiff of my own hair to tell everyone how good it smelled? YES.). It’s fresh and bright without being too saccharine – I wish I could get an entire shower set that smelled like this stuff! The scent can be a little tricky to find, but I order mine in a $14 set from Target and it’s absolutely worth it (none of the options in the store can compare IMO – you can also grab on Amazon, but it’s almost 2x the price so definitely go the Target route!).
Also From Caitlin: My favorite dress is on sale for $45 this weekend (down from $178 – I paid full price and I still don’t regret it)! If you’re in need of something white, PLEASE give this a peek – it’s SO comfortable and the pockets are awesome and it’s super easy to dress up or dress down. I got a 14 and had a good amount of room in the chest, even with 36F boobs, and the silhouette is pretty cute! (I’m not selling it here – Jess disagrees – BUT but I wore the yellow version to a wedding in June and felt so comfortable and un-selfconscious all night. Pro tip: steam your clothes after your redeye flights! Can you imagine how powerful I woulda felt if I hadn’t been rumpled?!
Today is the last day of the Nordstrom Anniversary Sale and there are still a bunch of great things still available! So if you need some pieces at truly great prices maybe go take a peek. Here is our blog post about our initial picks and below are some more of our favorites:
Tiered Satin Midi Dress | Day Trek Organic Cotton Blend Anorak | Camille Acid Wash Denim Blouse
Clip Dot Pintuck Cotton Top | Topanga High Waist Straight Leg Jeans | Goddess Coin Pendant Necklace
From Mallory: I’m finally getting into running because it’s SO fun to workout outside in the summer (ideally when it’s not 100 degrees but still) but I desperately need some good running shoes. These are on the Nordstrom anniversary sale (my mom has this brand and loves them) but I also keep hearing about the brand Hoka…anyone have running shoe insight?? Right now I wear my APLs which I love and will always love as an everyday walking shoe/weight lifting shoe but the sole just does not have enough support for concrete running impact. Please help!!
From Arlyn: I’ve been on the hunt for undies I actually like to wear, and I’ve gotta tell ya…it hasn’t been easy. For anyone who has had a baby or just has a pooch that just won’t quit poochin’, you know finding underwear that hit you above your fluff (but below your belly button) is crucial to prevent that annoying roll-down. Everything I’ve bought so far has either been way too high-waisted, lower cut than advertised, or pinches in all the wrong places. UNTIL NOW! I became the victim of a scroll-by ad on Facebook for the brand Pact, which sells organic cotton clothing and home goods. I may have just entered a new long-term relationship with their Lace Waist Brief. The lace banding up top prevents muffin tops, the bottom is full coverage to prevent the dreaded wedgie, and, most importantly, the rise is perfect. I found that their sizing runs a touch large so if you’re in between, I’d size down. I went all in on a 6-pack (on sale right now for $48) and I don’t regret it for a second.
Well, thank you as always for spending a little time with us today, don’t forget to watch the newest YouTube video and see y’all tomorrow. xx
Opening Image Credits: Design by Royale Ziegler | Florals by Shawn Chamberlain | Photo by Lindsey Stewart Photography | From: How To Basically Decorate ONCE For Fall, Halloween, And Thanksgiving
That watch is exactly what I have been thinking of for my little one. Thanks for sharing! Also h&s shampoo is full of salt. Yes it smells great but shockingly it is actually a recipe for causing dandruff. I felt so let down when I figured that out by looking at the ingredients list.
Hi Mallory! I just got the Hoka Clifton and love them! That being said, I would highly recommend getting an actual fitting at a running store. They’ll look at your gait and measure every aspect of your foot, arch, etc, and help you find the best fit for your body. Then once you have your fit you can reorder later without redoing it, though it’s good to go back in on occasion because feet change and our bodies change.
Yes to all of this! And…I have a really good friend who is a running coach and PT. I was having knee problems and her first suggestion, since I am over 40, is to always rotate between two different pairs of running shoes, preferably different brands. We get into micro running patterns that can cause joint crankiness if you have old lady joints. I tried her suggestion and was pretty much immediately cured. Now I always rotate (2 days/week in one shoe, 2 days in the other).
I would bet rotating shoes would also help them fully dry out and stink less too!
Mallory, I went to a running store in Minneapolis (called Mill City for anyone local there) and they gave me a bunch of shoes to try. Analyzed how I walked, ran and analyzed my foot anatomy to find me the best shoe etc. When I lived in San Diego YEARS ago I went to Road Runner and they did the same. It was really helpful to try on a bunch of different shoes. Anyways, long story short, I ended up with Diadora Équipe shoes which are light and very supportive for my foot!! I’d highly recommend going to one of those types of running stores to have them really give you good options and usually they have insoles to suggest as well for you depending how high your arches are and such. I’m not even a hardcore runner but it really made a difference! I love my diadoras.
Mallory, longtime runner here, and I second the comments about going to a local running store. And then buy from them after they do the evaluation, at least for the first time. It’s a great way to shop local. I hear good things about the Hokas but I have slightly wider feet, so they hurt me. And you often size up a half size for running shoes because your feet expand when you run. (A running shoe store would likely tell you that as well.)
Caitlin, you are absolutely and forever selling that dress. You are gorgeous, and that color on you! Did not even notice the rumples.
I love that fall decorating post but sadly there are now a ton of broken links. When linking to an older article, it would be great to have working links or maybe even a notation about broken links. Anyone know where that gorgeous orange gingham tablecloth could be found?!
Try Heather Taylor Home. They have a blush gingham that looks very similar to the photo.
It’s the Simone French Gingham Tablecloth from Foundation Goods:
It’s the Simone French Gingham Tablecloth from Foundation Goods.
I have this one from target, a little more brown than orange but I love it!
Mallory – my husband and I have been wearing Hoka sneakers for many years. We are not runners (bad knees) but walk a lot. They have so much support and we love them. Definitely go into a store the first time, then you can order the next pair online once you know the correct size.
Whoo! I’m lovin’ the videos!! ?Yaaay!!!!
I knew you’d choose the check curtain – it’s perfect.
Loved seeing Birdie’s little blue paper heart amongst your tile configurations at the mountain house again.
Gosh, your hair looks so thick and full of body when it’s curly. Seriously. Amazinggg.
Arlyn, “…a pooch that just won’t quit poochin’” Gah!!! LOL ??
I concur on the recommendations for visiting a local speciality running store to get fitting advice and try on a bunch of shoes. The socks you wear can make a big difference, too, so make sure to bring yours (or consider their recommendations) instead of using the little disposable ones in the store. Road Runner Sports is top notch though there aren’t a ton of locations in the LA area (Santa Monica, Studio City, Torrance and Thousand Oaks) but there are others so check in your area. Frontrunners in Brentwood is excellent and Fleet Feet (several locations) is quite good as well.
We recently bought this TV stand from Target and are thrilled with the quality for the sale price (search Threshold Bourne to see all the pieces in the collection, some on sale):
Runner here, echoing the comments about going to a local running store – 100% worth the trip. The employees generally know what they’re talking about and will find you the right shoe.
I alternate between Hokas and Altras, which both have high cushion options. I, too, have wide feet (like another commenter), and am obsessed with the Hoka Mach 4’s, which won shoe of the year from Runner’s Magazine last year. And…every foot is different.
I LOVE Altras! They design differently for male and female feet and as a female runner with fairly wide feet, I find that their shoes fit me really well, especially their Lone Peak trail running shoes. I wear Saucony Endorphin Pros for road running and love the bounce they give me! Definitely go to a running store as they will most likely have an excellent return policy if the shoes don’t work for you (had to do this with Hokas myself as they gave me pins and needles in my feet!).
One other benefit of a local running store–my husband bought shoes (without a fitting because he didn’t want to bother them that day, hah!), ran in them for a month, and realized they didn’t work. He was able to take them back worn, no questions asked and without a receipt! He then got a fitting for a better pair. Those stores usually have amazing return policies. We went to a Fleet Feet–I think they’re nationwide.
We haven’t done watches for our kids yet (Gabb Watch is a good rec!) but we *did* need a family phone. We don’t have a landline but our kids are now old enough to be at home while someone runs to the store or dry cleaner. We got a Light Phone. It’s a cell phone with the same interface as a Kindle e-reader. It’s super boring, makes calls and sends texts only to people we specify. That way our kids can call for help if they need it. And, bonus, if one of the kids heads out for a day-long adventure, I can slip it into their pocket. We’ve had a great experience with it.
HOKAS!!! Only running shoe I’ve ever worn that doesn’t result in shin splints!
Zappos has a sale on them right now (today is the last day). As a shin splint sufferer, do you have a rec for which type? Thank you!!!