FROM: STELLA

TO: LAURA

1. We had a very low key Christmas in LA this year. I am looking forward to traveling back home again next year, it felt strange to not be getting in a plane. We kept up the holiday cheer with fir needle essential oil in our defuser, a small tree, and the Netflix fireplace.
2. I’ve loved having an instant pot this holiday season for easy & quick meal prep in my limited cooking time given the new family addition. My mom recommended this pasta recipe to me and I made it this week. I loved how delicious it was especially given how little effort I needed to put into the home-cooked meal!
3. Colby turned 6-weeks old this week and it feels like a huge change. He is so much more alert and is starting to recognize faces and voices. Every once in a while he even treats us to a few seconds of a genuine smile. I’ve tried not to get too caught up in the “mommy boards” especially since every baby is different. But it’s nice to know what’s coming and what I should look out for so I usually read a few articles about the age (measured in weeks) that we are approaching and it helps me feel prepared. Plus, what else am I going to read about during the 3 a.m. feedings??
4. I returned to hot yoga this week and it’s been amazing to be back. I kept up with yoga throughout my pregnancy but really missed the heated classes.

FROM: LAURA

TO: STELLA

1. Merry Christmas to those of you who celebrate! It’s been so fun to be back in New Hampshire for Ernie’s first Christmas, I’ve loved getting to share so many of my family’s holiday traditions with him.
2. Some fan-favorite stocking items we got for my family were Wikistix (blast from the past!) and these reusable bags. I got each of my sisters and their husbands a gift pack of these vacuum-seal tumblers and some hot chocolate variety tasters. And loved getting Codenames and Pandemic for other family members, games under the tree are always a hit for the chilly temperatures in NH meaning lots of indoors time.
3. I have a few people I always trust on book recommendations both in person and on the internet (Nora McInenery, Carly). Adventurous Kate is also on that list, and I love that she does both monthly and annual roundups of what she’s reading. This year’s does not disappoint!
4. I’m loving being in New Hampshire with real winter. Living in Los Angeles is lovely and I do really enjoy hiking year-round, blah blah blah. Visiting actual cold is so nice (to do for an amount of time with a determined end date, ha!). I’ve been living in this nursing sweater for ease of staying warm.