Just to Claireify

Christmas Traditions, Old & New

December 10, 2022 by Claire Leave a Comment

I don’t usually post photos of the fam without the kids faces blurred out, but my phone kinda did the work for me when my mom sent me this shot from B&J’s Trees this year! I’m not sure why the quality is so awful.

Since Christmas basically hasn’t happened since 2019–and in 2019, we were the sleep-deprived parents of a nocturnal five-month-old–I’m excited to do all the things to celebrate this year.

Our Christmas celebrations actually start tomorrow, as we’re doing a smorgasbord and gift exchange with my dad and stepbrother who are leaving for Europe next week. (My stepfamily is from northern Italy and they celebrate there most years.) Then my sister gets into town later in the week and it’s Operation All Things Christmas from there!… Read More »

My Favorite Reads of 2022 (Part 2)

December 7, 2022 by Claire Leave a Comment

Earlier this year I shared my favorite books from the first half of the year. Amazingly, I’m nearly finished with book #34 of 2022… so now that 2022 is nearly over, there’s definitely more to share from my reading list favorites.

My library card and old kindle (given to me in 2015, how much longer do you think it will last? :P) have both gotten quite the workout this year! Reading is a main form of self-care and an escape for me. I generally don’t watch TV as I’m a very sensitive person and most shows leave me feeling “off” emotionally, so if I’m going to escape it’s going to be into a book or the archives of a favorite blog.

(Tell me I’m not the only one who’s weird about TV, haha? I genuinely don’t enjoy most shows or movies, and it has nothing to do with limiting screen time.)… Read More »

Furnishing Our New Space: The Dining Room

December 6, 2022 by Claire Leave a Comment

For my family growing up, the kitchen and kitchen table were the heart of the home. My parents both love to cook, so even after the divorce we’d eat pretty much every dinner as a family and talk about our days.

I didn’t understand why they made such a huge deal out of eating together at the time. But in retrospect I realize it wasn’t all that common to sit down to a homemade meal with one or both parents and siblings every night–but it was definitely invaluable for our relationships.… Read More »

My Favorite Gifts for Pregnant & Postpartum 2022

December 2, 2022 by Claire Leave a Comment

After three kids (and counting? 😛 I always have baby fever around the 2-3 months postpartum mark–hormones are so weird), I have my pregnancy and postpartum favorites down to a science. I’ve spent a lot of money on maternity/postpartum items over the years so I definitely know my way around the shops!

So if I was shopping for a loved one who was pregnant or had a new baby this year–this is what I’d consider getting her. New mamas deserve to be pampered and I would consider most of these brands/items to be the perfect balance between indulgent and functional.

And they’re not baby items 🙂 which although they’re lovely to receive, sometimes it’s really nice to get something just for you in that stage of life!… Read More »

The Best Crunchy-ish Gifts for Babies & Toddlers

December 1, 2022 by Claire Leave a Comment

Since this is already a popular landing page on the blog, I’ve decided to update it annually with my latest toy recommendations/gifts for crunchy babies and toddlers {updated 11/11/2024}..

Whether you’re a crunchy mama yourself, or you’re buying for someone that doesn’t want the latest whizzing plastic gizmo in their kids’ toy room–you’ve stopped by the right place. We are a low-tech, outdoorsy, crunchy family, and I love choosing thoughtful, long-lasting toys made of natural materials for my children.

These are our favorite crunchy gifts for toddlers from over the years, in addition to the ideas I have for my kids this year (at the moment, I have an infant, two and three year boys, plus an older child). If you have any suggestions to add to this list, drop them in the comments! I love learning about new products or companies.