We have an exciting announcement this week about a new design project we’ve accepted — how it came about, what excites us most, and why it will push us in new ways (yes, it’s out of state). We also share how last week’s spring break trip reinforced our commitment to owning less and spending more time together, although John did bring home one very odd souvenir. Plus: a new approach we’re using to tame our digital photos, a DIY tool that’s impressively simple, and a little bit of nutmeat humor.
What’s New
- Our Spring Break in Fort Lauderdale reminded us that the four of us truly prefer fewer possessions and more shared experiences. We keep returning to that idea: simplifying helps the whole family enjoy time together more.
- This feeling isn’t new — we first talked about it after our 2017 trip, and it’s one of the reasons Sherry keeps revisiting the book Simplicity Parenting. The book’s ideas continue to influence how we organize time and toys for our kids.
- The house we rented was roomy, clean, updated, and pet-friendly. The backyard pool was a highlight — it was stocked with floats left by previous guests (one group must have hosted a bachelorette party, since there were multiple engagement-ring floats).
- We shared a post last year about our Fort Lauderdale trip with a full rundown of what we did, but here are a few highlights from this year:
- Food: We enjoyed tacos, coastal favorites, and a few memorable dessert stops. Sampling local spots and sharing meals together was a big part of the trip’s charm.
- Activities: We explored a beautiful state park with ancient trees, took a sunset water taxi that felt like a special family outing, and visited an airboat show in the Everglades — yes, it was touristy, but undeniably fun, especially when a wild alligator swam beside our boat.
- Evenings were for games: Tenzi became our nightly favorite and Uno is always a hit. Simple rituals like that make a trip feel like a real vacation.
That’s Embarrassing
- I wish I had photographed the cabinet that surprised me in the dark — it might sound dramatic, but in my memory it felt like an attacker. Rather than scare you with imagination, here are a couple of photos showing the unlikely result: a bruise from an encounter with a built-in dresser.
- The first photo was taken in Florida the morning after the mishap; the second was taken later back home as the bruising began to fade.
- If you caught the April issue of Real Simple, you may have seen Sherry’s memorable quote on page 126 — a cheeky bit of nutty, meaty verbiage that made us laugh.
Real Simple Idea House
- We’re thrilled to be designing a room in the Real Simple idea home this summer in Brooklyn, NY. The project will unfold over the next few months and will be revealed in their October issue. Sherry plans to share behind-the-scenes updates on our Instagram as the room takes shape.
- Last year’s show home set a high bar, and seeing other designers’ rooms is inspiring. We’re excited by the creative challenge and the opportunity to contribute something practical and beautiful to the house.
Quick Tip
- To manage the endless stream of phone photos, we’ve been using an app that groups similar shots and suggests the best one while protecting any favorites or edited images. It makes culling duplicates fast and low-stress, which has decluttered our camera roll considerably.
We’re Digging
- I’ve been using a compact StudBuddy stud finder on a recent duplex project. It’s lightweight, accurate, and handy for quick installs — I even shot a short video showing it in action and may share that on Instagram Stories soon.
- Sherry’s new go-to sunscreen for sensitive skin has been working well for her daily use; finding a gentle, reliable product has made summer prep easier.
If you’re trying to track down a recommendation we mentioned in a past episode but can’t remember which show notes to open, we keep a master list of everything we’ve recommended from past shows, plus a page of Book Club picks for all the books we’ve mentioned over the years. Those resources make it easier to find the things we keep talking about.
A quick thanks to our sponsor for this episode — they provided a great mattress option and a discount code for listeners. We appreciate sponsorships that help us keep producing the show and sharing ideas with you.
Thanks for listening and reading — we appreciate your support and can’t wait to share more from the idea house and our next projects.
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