Hello, friends! Welcome to the Limbo between Christmas and New Year’s — what day is it again…? No one knows (and who cares? 😜). This week is always super relaxed and unstructured which is sooo welcome after the scramble of the holidays and before we return to our routines in the new year.
I firmly believe that although we are beginning a new year that the winter is meant for slowing down and continuing to hibernate… I have absolutely no desire to “turn over a new leaf” and embrace the “new year; new me” type of mentality until spring. By then, I’m ready for a refresh, but right now all I want to do is take things slow and to be cozy.
As for life right now, I’m currently running on fumes — even if on vacation. Life with two little ones will certainly keep you on your toes! We actually got some snow on Christmas Eve in New England (for the first time in YEARS) so our holiday felt extra magical and it was so fun for me to watch Sophie play in the fresh powder. This may be the first experience with snow that she’ll actually remember and I think that’s so special.
Today’s Five Things are items that have piqued my interest or things that have been on my mind / going on in my life recently!
(Armando Rafael for The New York Times // Food Stylist: Cyd Raftus McDowell)
BAKED “PIZZA RICE” RECIPE
I just stumbled across this recipe (read: I haven’t tried it yet), but it looks really tasty and I can’t wait to give it a go! It looks like a fairly simple and delicious weeknight meal (that would make excellent leftovers). It’s a vegetarian recipe (which is a lifestyle that I tend to gravitate toward), but it seems like it would be easy enough to add in a protein of your choosing.
I am forever in search of straightforward weeknight meals and while the arborio rice may require a bit of cooking at the start, the whole thing is finished in the oven so you’re not handcuffed to the stove for the entirety of this meal.
Talking about staying cozy, this is the kind of meal that perfectly fits that manner of living!
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GEL LINED GLOVES
I use (and love!) a similar version of this product for my heels so when my husband mentioned his frustration with his hand lotion not being as effective as he wanted it to be, I knew these would be a great option for him to wear to bed.
The gel lining prevents absorption into the gloves themselves, but keeps the product on your hands for maximum exposure. They’re meant to be reused over and over, they’re easy to clean and are quite comfortable. If you struggle with dry, cracked hands (especially in the winter months!), these are a wonderful solution.
*Worth noting: it’s a one-size-fits-most situation so depending on your hand size (or the hand size of your recipient) they may be too small. They’re fairly tight for my husband’s hands, but they work for their intended purpose.
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FAUX FUR BLANKETS
We have had these blankets from Restoration Hardware for close to a decade now and they are arguably one of my favorite practical-yet-decorative items we’ve ever purchased.
I love a tall pile faux fur throw blanket — they give the luxe look of fur, but sidestep the animal cruelty aspect… they’re also incredibly warm despite not being made of real fur! The “fur” is sooo soft and the blankets are super cozy. Basically, they’re the perfect winter throw blankets!
Since ours are from a past season I can’t link to them exactly. However, I’ve rounded up a few super similar options: one from the same retailer as well as some very similar alternatives in the widget below:
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TAPER CANDLESTICKS
As much as I love the color white, I knew that white candlesticks would get visually “lost” in our house, so I chose another neutral that could work across seasons: taupe! I’d also like to get a pale green option to be able to swap between, but this warm color was especially perfect for the holiday season.
I love the 12” height, the dripless element, and their burn time is pretty decent. They’ll be mostly decorative at our house, but I’m not opposed to burning them for special occasions.
This brand makes a variety of colors and with multiple length options — I linked a few more favorites below:
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ICE CUBE SENSORY PLAY
I love following @goodnightfox on Instagram and she recently shared some amazing sensory table ideas for play on her blog. I loved this icy Arctic animal setup for Sophie! We may not be getting any snow in Seattle, but that doesn’t mean we can’t bring it into playtime.
I happened to have the exact arctic animals as the post recommended, but they’re from the Target dollar spot / Bullseye’s Playground area a year ago so I can’t link to them directly. If you want to replicate this activity I found a few similar animal toy options, linked below:
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Wishing you a truly wonderful New Year, friends. Here’s to you and a prosperous, healthy & happy 2025!
Sending hugs —
xx, Natalie
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