One of the perks of being pregnant is that I’ve been politely banished from the bathroom during the messier parts of the renovation. I miss swinging a sledgehammer now and then, but the boys — John and his tile-savvy dad — took over the heavy lifting. They even sealed themselves behind a big plastic tarp … Read more

On this week’s podcast we talk with Dana and Steve Miller of the blog House*Tweaking about what it’s really like to downsize. They made the move to a smaller home even as their family grew, and they share how the change helped them reach financial and family goals — while also being honest about the … Read more

I thought it would be fun to test a few old pregnancy myths and predictors — the kind that say “craving sweets means a girl” or “a heartbeat over 140 means a girl” — and see which, if any, held true for me. So far, most haven’t matched my experience, but a few came close. … Read more

Ready for a post full of awkward photos (of me and Katie B), adorable pictures of Clara and Will, and a few sneak peeks at house-crashing and shopping on the road? Let’s go. This recap of our four days in Atlanta contains over 40 photos, but it’s just a snapshot of the whole road trip. … Read more

Two more duplex rooms are complete and photographed—and these two took a bit of elbow grease. We added tall built-in storage cabinets beside the stacked washer/dryers and installed two hook rails in each room (you can never have too many hooks at the beach). One of my favorite design moves in the whole house is … Read more

If you remember, we finished our previous post by mentioning that we eventually planned to buy a new washer and dryer to fit our more open laundry nook. We couldn’t resist “just looking,” though — and a quick look turned into a purchase once we saw the deals available. We focused on the Whirlpool Duet … Read more

A few readers noticed a small white object on the floor at the left side of the photo in our post about our new salt lamp and asked what it was: It’s actually Burger’s compact food-and-water station. We tuck it behind the media stand so it stays out of the way for people but remains … Read more

Sherry’s post a few months ago about what furniture & decor we still own after downsizing prompted me to look back through photos of our previous house for the first time in a while. It was a fun stroll down memory lane — can you believe it’s been 2.5 years since we moved? It also … Read more

To everyone who’s been asking about Teddy’s birth story, thank you for your patience. I usually let these stories sit for a bit before writing—Clara’s took almost a year because of all the mixed emotions—but Teddy’s birth felt more straightforward and far less frightening. After a traumatic first birth, the idea of a routine, scheduled … Read more

Bet you thought our grouting post was the last word on installing our tile? Not quite. After the grout seemed to have settled, we still had a few less-glamorous but necessary finishing steps: de-hazing, sealing, and caulking. A lot of readers asked for details on those, so here’s a clear, practical rundown of what we … Read more