Good morning! I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and New Year’s break! It feels like I haven’t hopped on to chat with you guys in a long time. And looking back, my last Weekend Recap was on December 14th, so it has definitely been a bit. Our break went by way too quickly (as they typically do) but I’m excited to be back and feel like I have so many things to catch you guys up on!
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Home Projects & Updates
The biggest news of all to share today – we found out demo starts on our bathroom renovations this week! In true Kurtis and Sarah fashion, we waited until yesterday afternoon to clean out all the cabinets. I have a lot to catch you up on (including the final design plans!) but we are beyond excited to finally start this project. Especially since we had decided to start it around this time last year and had to delay it thanks to 2020! I’ll plan to share the design boards for both spaces for later this week.
The biggest impact of the reno is that Kurtis has to move his temporary home office again since the guys will be in and out of the guest bedroom he’s currently using. As of this morning, he still hasn’t officially decided if he’ll be moving to our dining room or our bedroom. But we’re thinking he’ll need to move for 4-6 weeks until they’re all finished. I’m hoping to give live weekly updates over on my Instagram Stories if you’re wanting to see more real-time updates of the renovation!
We also finally got a new mattress in our guest bedroom connected to the bathroom above. Although our prior one was still fairly comfy, it was 15+ years old and was starting to sink into the middle. I asked Kurtis to sleep on it for more than a week and he loves it! He says his back feels great when we wakes up too (which isn’t necessarily the case with our mattress in our bedroom). I basically hate mattress shopping more than anything, so we were excited to find an affordable bed in a box that is comfy! Can you tell we’re really hoping that by summertime, we can get back to hosting and entertaining again?!
SOURCES: Upholstered Bed | Striped Rug | Bead Chandelier | Mattress | Faux Fiddle Leaf Fig Tree | Arched Mirror | Lamp | ‘O Holy Night’ Canvas
And although it wasn’t on my fall and winter project list, this next task was meant to be and I forgot to add it. I finally took the time to caulk around our upper kitchen cabinets and range hood. Since ours were installed in the heat and humidity of July (2018), it’s natural for the caulk to shrink in the colder months. It’s bugged me for two years and I finally decided to take care of it.
Below you can see the difference it made! The left side has been re-caulked and the right hasn’t. I had to cut the old caulk out in some areas where the painters had applied it more heavily. It took me about an hour to do the whole kitchen, but it was more than worth it. Now I’m just kicking myself I didn’t do it sooner!
These are the “tools” I used for anyone curious. I went with the squeezable tube of my favorite caulk (rather than buying the version intended for a caulk gun). I got mine at Lowe’s a while back but I’ve also used this version from the same brand with equally as great results. I then just run a bead down the trim (usually about a foot or 18″ at a time). I then lightly dip my index finger in the water and run it down the bead of caulk to make it as smooth as possible. I’ll wipe off any excess caulk on the paper towel as I go. It’s pretty straightforward but makes such a big difference! And since our ceilings are un-tinted white ceiling paint, I’m not planning to paint over it. It already blends pretty seamlessly!
There’s a new Studio McGee spring line launching at Target in about two weeks! But for whatever reason they launch a few new pillows already online! I ordered these block print pillows last week and think they’re so perfect for late winter into spring and summer! They both come in the opposite sizes too.
SOURCES: Block Print Pillows | Cane Dining Chair | Cane Dining Chair Look for Less
I haven’t taken a single Christmas decoration down yet other than the ornaments on our bedroom tree. But that’s it. So I’m hoping to tackle that later this week and get things back to normal-ish around here! I also only completed about 1/10 of my project list for the break, but I’m trying to be okay with it! Especially since I’m the most prepared for tax season I’ve ever been. I’m considering that a major win!
Top Sellers Of The Week
Following are the top sellers of the week across all of my channels. Links to each item are below the graphic. Since I’ve missed the last few Weekend Recaps, I thought I’d include the items from the past three weeks. The sale details are specific to the Sunday each of them were published on Instagram so may no longer be applicable, but newer sales may apply! A few have since sold out as well.
BEST SELLERS (each number is clickable): #5 | #4 | #3 | #2 | #1
BEST SELLERS (each number is clickable): #5 | #4 | #3 | #2 | #1
Following are the most recent bestsellers from this past week!
BEST SELLERS (each number is clickable): #5 | #4 | #3 | #2 | #1
I know a bunch of you have wanted these rope chairs for awhile and they sell out so dang quickly every time they come back in stock. I just found this gray pair but I’m guessing they won’t last long again! Sorry for the crappy photo quality but it’s a screenshot from my Instagram Stories. But I thought I’d add them here too, before they sell out!
Around Town & For Fun
The past few weeks have been a bit of a blur. But a really fun and also relaxing blur! We had originally planned to go to Salt Lake to spend Christmas with my side of the family, but around Thanksgiving, I talked it over with my mom and we decided it didn’t make sense since numbers were spiking around the country. So, we ultimately decided to stay home for Christmas.
We were able to celebrate Christmas Eve with our BFFs and goddaughters. We had grilled cheese and tomato soup and it was so good! I think my favorite memory of the night was Zoe eating a grilled cheese but then running to my lap to try my soup. She decided it was better, so she used her grilled cheese as an armrest to eat the soup. It was hilarious! We also decorated Christmas cookies and opened gifts. We got her this vet set and this remote control car and she loved them both! We told her she had to share with baby sister since Elle is too young for her own toys 😉
She caught on pretty quickly to both and we were excited she was still playing with both on New Year’s Eve 😉
We truly had a white Christmas (which isn’t necessarily that often here) when we got hit with a major storm! We got even more snow right before New Year’s Eve and it definitely piled up. Now that we’re both working from home, we find we don’t hate the cold and snow quite as much. It sure is pretty to look at!
We had New Year’s Eve at our friends’ house. And although there were only six adults in attendance, you would think by the spread below there was a whole house full 😉 And in shocking news to most of us, we actually made it past midnight! I think that’s only the second or third time ever in our eight years of celebrating the night together!
We also had a fun dinner with Kurtis’ sister and husband over the weekend with homemade pizza and cards at their house. If you can’t tell, most of our activities revolved around food and drinks and most of my photos were of actual said food and drinks 😉
We watched a bunch of movies over the break, we well. Can you believe I had never seen Die Hard before? I finally told Kurtis I’d watch it – mostly so I could judge if it was a Christmas move like so many claim. And while I liked the movie, I am firmly in camp definitely-not-a-Christmas-movie!
We finally indulged in some much needed downtime. I tried to unplug as much as possible, read a few books, nap when I felt like it, and overall be pretty lazy. It was glorious! Once I started reading in the den, Henley would head there each afternoon and basically not stop crying until I’d come up.
It can be hard for me to focus on downtime, as I easily get distracted. It helped these two would be pin me down when I was reading in the den 😉 One or the other seemed to always be laying on my legs or cuddle up tight so I couldn’t move.
Bailey preferred cuddle time on the couch downstairs which worked out well for our movie nights. Could she be any sweeter?! I think all three are going to be confused by mid-week when they realize we’re no longer spending our days laying on the sofas all day..
Over the holiday, we also finally booked a trip for our 15 year wedding anniversary. Our 15th anniversary was last July, but we postponed our plans not knowing what travel would look like at the time we needed to book. But we’re ready, have a trip planned and are hoping we can still go! I’ll share more as it gets closer.
We’re participating in dry January again this year with our friends, and we each made individual health goals to stick to. I think it helps that there are six of us doing it so we can all cheer each other on, and complain about healthy food and drinking water together 😉 I think we’re all tired of feeling gross and lazy and ready to get back to it!
I spent far less time planning and goal-setting than I initially had hoped for at the start of Christmas break. I’m hoping to get caught up on some of that today and later this week. Regardless, I’m feeling refreshed after the break and ready for a new year!
Recent Buys & Sales
Following are some of the sales that have carried over from the weekend. You can see my top picks here.
- ABERCROMBIE is hosting their winter sale with up to 50% off, plus you can get an extra 20% off 3+ items. You can shop their site here.
- AMAZON has a number of deals sitewide. The Deal of the Day is up to 30% off these silicone reusable food storage bags – perfect if you’re trying to get some meal planning in in the new year! You can shop the sale here.
- AMERICAN EAGLE is offering 25% off AE jeans, joggers and leggings. You can shop their sale here.
- ANN TAYLOR is hosting a Winter Blowout Event with sale items marked up to 80% off! Plus get 40% off full-priced styles with code FRESHSTART. You can shop their site here.
- ANTHROPOLOGIE is offering up to 60% off original prices when you take an additional 40% off sale items at checkout! Plus, they have 20% off bedding bath and furniture. No code required. You can shop their site here.
- BALLARD DESIGNS is offering up to 50% off sitewide during their end of season sale! This antique brass ceiling mount light is such a unique and beautiful option! You can shop their sale here.
- BANANA REPUBLIC is hosting their Essentials Event, with 50% off sweaters, dresses, blouses and dress shirts. They also have 40% off denim, pants and shoes, and up to 75% off sale styles. No code required. You can shop their sale here.
- BLOOMIST is offering $25 off your order of $125+ with code MINDFUL25, plus free shipping on orders of $50+. They are the ones that carry a nearly identical oversized wood chain like we have in our living room, but they have a bunch of other really cute decor finds. This charcoal version of the chain and the small natural option are really beautiful too! You can shop their site here.
- CONTAINER STORE is offering 20-30% off some of their best-selling organizing components! Just in time to get organized for the new year! You can shop their site here.
- GAP is offering up to 75% off sitewide and an extra 50% off sale items with code BIGSALE. Plus get an extra 20% off regular-priced items online only with code ADDON. You can shop their sale here.
- J CREW is offering an extra 50% off one sale style, 60% off two sale styles, and an extra 70% off 3+ sale styles with the same code! Not only that, cardholders can get an extra 20% off their purchase with code CARDLOVE. You can shop their sales here.
- J CREW FACTORY is offering up to 60% off tons of pieces sitewide. Plus get an extra 60% off clearance items with code WINTER. You can shop their sale here.
- KIRKLAND’S is offering 15% off one regular-priced item with code ONLINE15. You can shop their sale here.
- LOFT is offering 72% off seriously good steals with code BRRR. You can shop their site here.
- LULULEMON has a number of post-holiday deals including all these new items in their sale section! They even have my favorite Align Leggings nearly $30-$40 off! You can shop their sale here.
- MADEWELL is offering an extra 30% off sale items with code GIGANTIC. You can shop their sale here.
- MARK & GRAHAM is hosting their New Year Sale with up to 40% off select styles. If you’re on the hunt for luggage, I still think this one couldn’t be more perfect! You can shop their site here.
- MARSHALL’S is hosting their Winter Clearance Event with tons of savings sitewide. Plus get free shipping on all orders of $89+ with code SHIP89. You can shop their site here.
- MICHAELS is offering 20% off all regular priced purchases with code 20MADEBYYOU, plus tons of deals sitewide! You can shop their site here.
- NORDSTROM was supposed to end their Half-Yearly Sale with items marked up to 40% off last night. But it looks like it’s still active on their site as of this morning (not sure for how long!). Plus they have up to 60% off during their Designer Clearance Event. There’s still a lot of sizes and colors left in this under $50 cashmere sweater. They have the Slip pillowcase and sleep mask set marked 25% off – which is a super rare occasion to find them on sale! Several color combos of this super popular Barefoot Dreams blanket are 25% off right now. You can shop their sale items here.
- NORDSTROM RACK is offering an additional 25% off bedding, bath and home organization! You can shop the sale here.
- OLD NAVY is hosting their Epic Clearance Event with items marked up to 75% off. Plus get 20-30% off your purchase depending on how much you spend with code MORE. You can shop their sale here.
- OVERSTOCK is hosting a 72-hour New Year’s sale with up to 70% off 1000s of items and free shipping on everything! You can shop their sale here.
- POTTERY BARN is offering 20% off bedding and bath during their Big Refresh Sale. You can also get free shipping on orders $99+ with code RENEW. You can shop their sale here.
- REJUVENATION is hosting their Bath & Bedroom Event, with up to 25% off. You can shop their sale here.
- RUGS.COM is hosting their Happy New Year Sale with an additional 50-60% off and free shipping and returns! This PB look-for-less rug is also included in the sale! You can shop their site here.
- SERENA & LILY is hosting their Winter Tent Sale with a number of really great items marked down! Plus, you can now get an extra 21% off Tent Sale items with code 2021! You can shop their site here.
- TARGET is up to 25% off home decor and furniture, as well as tons of storage items starting at $4. You can shop their site here.
- TJ MAXX is hosting their winter clearance event with tons of deals sitewide! Feeling major S&L vibes with these counter stools, this bench, these counter stools, and these chairs! You can shop their site here.
- TORY BURCH is hosting their semi-annual sale with an extra 25% sale items (for savings up to 60% off) with code EXTRA! You can shop all of their sale items here.
- TUCKERNUCK has added some new sale pieces that are all darling per usual! You can shop their site here.
- URBAN OUTFITTERS is offering up to 75% off during their clearance event. You can shop their site here.
- VICTORIA EMERSON is offering 40% off your purchase at checkout and free shipping on orders $50+! You can shop their sale here.
- WAYFAIR is hosting an end-of-year clearance event with items marked up to 60% off. You can shop their site here.
- WEST ELM is offering 20% off bedding and bath and up to 50% off furniture, rugs and more. Plus get free shipping on orders $99+ with code FREESHIP. You can shop their sale here.
- WILLIAMS SONOMA is hosting their Winter Clearance Event with up to 75% off tons of items sitewide. You can shop their site here.
- WILLIAMS SONOMA HOME is also hosting their Winter Clearance Event with up to 75% off 100s of items sitewide. You can shop their site here.
I hope you all have a great week and start to the new year!
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Victoria says
Die Hard is definitely a Christmas movie and Die Hard 2 is the best Christmas movie ever! Yes, it does beat It’s A Wonderful Life 😁
I watch Die Hard 2 every year with champagne as I decorate our tree. This year I did the double bill of both! Put me down in Kurtis’ camp.
Debbee D. says
Happy 2021 Sarah!
What a great post, I’m so looking forward to your new bathroom too!
When you have the chance, I’m curious how you are liking your new blind treatment as well.
And how great is it to have cuddle time with your sweet lil fur babies while enjoying some movies or reading a book
-a nice way to start a new year!