Note: This is a retroactive post I put together in December 2011 to create a full set of monthly recaps for our first year in the new house. I like details, so here’s what we tackled in January — presented like a high school yearbook. Best Deal: Snagging an energy-efficient front-loading washer and dryer for … Read more

Remember when we mentioned we were on a grocery shopping hiatus? The plan was simple: use up as much food as possible from the fridge and freezer so we wouldn’t have to worry about keeping things cold during the roughly six-hour gap between leaving our house and moving into the new one (which, all going … Read more

Always looking for ways to refresh our home for the season, I quickly transformed a $30 thrift-store coffee table into a lighter, airier piece that works better for warmer weather. Below is the table’s original bookish, low-profile look: And here’s the updated version with a brighter, more reflective feel: I exposed more of the glass … Read more

This time of year we often feel behind on everything—projects, emails, gift wrapping, cleaning, even basic self-care—but somehow we’re ahead in one area: creating our homemade family calendar. For the past five years we’ve put together a simple, colorful calendar in Photoshop. Readers like Lauren and Alexandra have already asked whether the new version is … Read more

You asked about how we handled our own newborn photos, Teddy’s birth announcement, Clara’s four-year picture and annual video, and what I received for Mother’s Day (spoiler: a sentimental photo book of Clara’s quotes). This post rounds up all of that documentation. At first I worried John and I might be unusually document-happy — shooting … Read more

When Jennifer sent photos of her sitting nook transformed into a home office, we had to share the result. Here’s her note: Hey YHLers. I’m totally hooked on your blog and wanted to share my recent home office makeover. It went from a non-functional sitting room (it actually did function as a laundry dumping ground … Read more

We’ve marked April 22nd in many ways over the years. In 1985 I welcomed my little brother into the world (happy birthday, Dan!), and in 2006 we put an offer on a brick ranch and learned it was accepted that same evening. This year we’re doing something a bit more down-to-earth: planning an edible garden. … Read more

We’ve gushed before about how much we love the Kurv (no sponsorship — we genuinely adore it), and now we’re even more excited: we’ve finally found a full-sized vacuum cleaner that we love just as much. In short, it really sucks — in the best way possible. When we combine the carpet-friendly power of our … Read more

… that was Burger’s inspiration for his latest holiday greeting-card photoshoot, which produced this playful mistletoe-themed card we sent to family and friends: While this year’s “Merry Kissmas” design was a cheerful way to share smooches with our circle, we still have a soft spot for last year’s Rudolph-themed card — a collaboration between a … Read more

We’re back with a second place-setting post focused on creating a festive holiday atmosphere. Using only items we already had at home and humming a few Christmas carols for inspiration, I put together seven different tablescapes. Below is a simple, practical play-by-play to help you recreate these looks. I started the first setting by using … Read more