Sunwashed Linen

Our Winter Cozy Home

Posted on December 14, 2021December 13, 2021 by Lauren Lane

As Christmas comes upon us, and the holidays come and go, I take comfort in the coziness of winter. When it comes to the weather dipping into the teens, there’s something reminiscent of childhood in coming into a nice warm home that feels super cozy. There are a few things that make our house extra cozy during those cold winter months:

-1- Ambient Lights

There are few things that make a house feel more cozy than the soft glow that comes from a side table lamp or twinkle lights on a Christmas tree. It just exudes cozy.

Friday Favorites {12.10.21}

Posted on December 10, 2021February 24, 2022 by Lauren Lane

AHHH! This month is FLYING! How does that always happen?? Anyone else have an elf on a shelf that this seems like a great idea?

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A post shared by Lindsay | Lindsay Letters® (@lindsayletters.co)

Absolute favorite from the past few weeks was being able to have Thanksgiving with family again this year. It was absolute chaos, and absolutely beautiful. We had so much fun getting to see everyone!

Let’s Look…Favorite Traditions

Posted on December 8, 2021December 6, 2021 by Lauren Lane

It’s the time of each month where I link with other blogs to share a little peek into some small aspect of our lives. I can’t believe this is our last link up of the year! This year, we’ve shared…

In January, we looked at our coffee stations.
February, we looked at our love languages
In March, we shared our perfect night in
April, we looked at our fridge and pantry staples
In May, we looked at our backyard organization
For June, we shared our summer bucket list
July, I shared the most horrendous bathroom organization tour ever
For August, I shared my favorite phone apps and phone case
September, I shared how I meal plan, including my favorite meal planning notepad
October, I shared a truly uninspiring look at our unfinished basement. I mean our holiday storage.
And in November, I shared our holiday meal menu.

This month, we’re sharing our favorite traditions.

I’ve written about some of our traditions in the past. For example, for Halloween, we celebrate with the cousins doing a Halloween carnival!

My sister and I have a couple of games that we remember from the school carnivals we would go to around Halloween that we always had so much fun with. We do fishing for prizes, a Halloween egg hunt, and a “cake” walk.

Christmas Home Tour 2021

Posted on December 7, 2021December 6, 2021 by Lauren Lane

It’s the most wonderful time of the year! (Second most wonderful, in my opinion. The first is the FIRST big garden trip to the garden center in the Spring. 😆. You guys know I LOVE my garden!)

Today, I’m inviting you all into our home decorated for the holidays! Plus, this helps me remember where I put everything when I go to decorate the next year. 😊

Come on inside!

7 Quick Jonathan Takes (v. I)

Posted on December 3, 2021December 5, 2021 by Lauren Lane

I see it happening right before my eyes. This tiny little baby that was once so helpless, and just happy to be held is off exploring his world, is forming opinions about what he likes and doesn’t, and finding his way! I wish I could say I embrace the chaos of the toddler years, but my Type A personality walks a fine line between completely enamored with this new, independent guy that is emerging and letting go of my anxiety around the sheer mess of it all as he explores EVERYTHING. But our little guy’s personality does make me smile constantly. A few quick takes about our littlest gentleman, Baby Jonathan Brooksie, as Harrison calls him.

-1- He’s my reader. The first thing he wants in the morning when he wakes up is a book to read. He walks around with a book at all times, and will shove it up to any adult that will sit and read to him, backing his little booty up to sit down in your lap.

-2- When you ask for a hug right now, he lays his head down on your shoulder. And there’s no better feeling in the world than your kid’s head on your shoulder, as though you’re the most important person in the world.

-3- Harrison can always make him laugh. In fact, listening to the two of them laugh at breakfast, egging each other on, is one of the best sounds in the world.

-4- He’s got a sweet spot for his puppy, Sawyer. Giving her pets and hugs each morning. She obliges, mostly. Until it becomes a fistful grab of fur.

-5- Everybody calls him “Baby J.” All of his family AND his daycare, and Harrison’s classmates. When we walk into Harrison’s classroom to pick him up at the end of the day, his classmates will yell, “HI BABY J!!!” Will he ever not be Baby J? I guess that remains to be seen.

-6- He has a certain fondness for the water table in the toilet. And it’s definitely my LEAST favorite “phase” thus far. 🤢

-7- Everyone comments how relaxed he is. And he really is. Happy to go along for the ride and do whatever. But, oh man, is he my dramatic child when it comes to food. You’d think he went hungry before, because he will throw his body around and wail until food is presented on his tray to his satisfaction.

October & November Book Review

Posted on November 30, 2021December 6, 2021 by Lauren Lane

It took me two months to get here, but I finally have a quorum of books to review for you guys!

I started out October reading Set Boundaries, Find Peace. I started following the author, Nedra Glover Tawwab on Instagram not ago, and I’m always looking for books that give me new insight into how to improve upon my own life. This one was only ok for me. After following her for several months, I felt like many of the concepts she talks about in regards to where people struggle setting boundaries are the basis of her Instagram account as well. So I didn’t feel particularly inspired by anything new in the book. Are they good concepts? Sure. Just didn’t really have me walking away wanting to really make a lot of changes to my own life.

The Best Gifts Our Boys Have Gotten

Posted on November 17, 2021November 16, 2021 by Lauren Lane

Our boys are three and one. They look like this right now:

And

And I think the 1.5 to 2.5 year age group is particularly hard to shop for gifts. They’re active, they want to be big kids, but aren’t quite ready for it yet, and have the attention span of gnat.

Who is Sawyer Francis

Posted on November 16, 2021November 10, 2021 by Lauren Lane

I talk a lot about Mr. Harrison Thomas and Baby J, proper name Jonathan Brooks. But our oldest baby is our fur baby, Sawyer Francis. Let’s talk a bit our oldest referred to most frequently as Soy Soy.

Sawyer joined our family (i.e. just me and Nathan) the year we got married. About a month after we got married. We hadn’t been talking about getting a dog, but on a Friday morning in November, Nathan sent me the sweetest pictures of baby golden retrievers. By Friday evening, Nathan had convinced me to drive to the middle of nowhere Missouri just to *look* at these little puppies. And by Saturday afternoon, we were driving home with the most precious puff ball.

Friday Favorites {11.12.21}

Posted on November 12, 2021November 10, 2021 by Lauren Lane

Fall is really showing off here in Kansas City this week! As I’m writing this, the rain is supposed to be coming in any minute, and I know the leaves will really start coming down. Sawyer and I got out for one last walk before the rain with all the pretty leaves. Also, can you believe that Thanksgiving is only two weeks away?! The holidays always seem to just fly by at the end of the year. It has me thinking about how this time last year, I was finishing up my maternity leave. Time flies, friends.

You guys know I have a real thing for Bravo reality TV. And this is just satisfying every single messy bit about my love. Are you all watching this new series?? I mean, really what could be better than cast members from my two favorite reality shows coming together?

Let’s Look At…Holiday Meals

Posted on November 10, 2021November 8, 2021 by Lauren Lane

Once a month, I link up with other blogs to share a little peek into some small aspect of our lives. This month, we’re sharing our holiday decor storage. Earlier this year, though, we shared…

In January, we looked at our coffee stations.
February, we looked at our love languages
In March, we shared our perfect night in
April, we looked at our fridge and pantry staples
In May, we looked at our backyard organization
For June, we shared our summer bucket list
July, I shared the most horrendous bathroom organization tour ever
For August, I shared my favorite phone apps and phone case
September, I shared how I meal plan, including my favorite meal planning notepad
And last month, I shared a truly uninspiring look at our unfinished basement. I mean our holiday storage.

Today, we’re sharing our holiday meals!

We don’t have a ton of traditions, but many years ago when we would always go to someone else’s house for Thanksgiving dinner, I started making homemade biscuits and gravy on Thanksgiving morning.

We cook up B&G and watch the parade until football comes on…