Friday Pick-Six: 1/12/18

Here's what we're loving and living this week!

1.  You might remember that we had When Breathe Becomes Air by Paul Kalanthi and The Bright Hour by Nina Riggs on our list of non-fiction books to read last summer.  We recently read this amazing article about Paul's Widow and Nina's widower finding love together.  What a heartwarming update to their stories!

2.  If you're looking for the perfect peanut butter cookie, try these from Gimme Some Oven and thank us later!

3.  After the Golden Globes last Sunday, the gals at Go Fug Yourself have a great recap the whole night.  Can we just talk about how much we love Oprah?!

4.  I made this whole-grain breakfast cake (substituting blueberries for strawberries because that's what we had in the freezer) this week and it's been awesome!  My tweak was using 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract and 1/2 tsp almond extract.  --J

5.  How cool are these moto leggings on sale at GAP?  Maybe they're meant for working out, but we'll be rocking them whenever we can.  Athleisure for life!

6.  If your dry winter skin could use a little help, try this Miss Spa Exfoliating Facial Scrub.  It will get rid of any dead skin and leave your skin feeling softer.

What are you loving and living for this week?  Let us know in the comments below and have a wonderful weekend!

Friday Pick-Six: 12/8/17

Here's what we're loving and living for this week.

1.  This week, our family was in the mood for breakfast for dinner.  We decided to try out this amazing Potato Tot Breakfast Casserole from Real Simple.  It was easy, hearty and the leftovers held up great!  I think this would be perfect for a holiday brunch, too. --J

2.  We both love the look of shellac nails, but we hate trying to remove them ourselves.  What a mess!  Ry discovered these gel nail remover packets at (where else?) Target.  You simply rip open the packet, stick in your finger and let it sit for 15 minutes.  Much less mess than foils and cotton balls all over your bathroom!

3.  If you're Christmas shopping for a kid, I found a great book this week.  Little Leaders: Bold Women in Black History by Vashti Harrison was a student-requested book I purchased for our class.  It features 40 important Black women in American History (and adorable illustrations).  It would be great for a little gal in your life who was in the 6-10 age range. --J

4.  We've mentioned how much we love Julep before, but one of our current faves is the Eyeshadow 101.  It's a crayon style eyeshadow with a smudge stick built in!  Such a great add to your fast makeup routine!

5.  Starbucks has their seasonal drinks out in full force these days, so we've tried a few new options.  Just to change it up a little, we tried the Snickerdoodle Hot Chocolate this week.  It was a little chocolatey, a little cinnamony and totally Christmasey.

6.  At Target's Black Friday sale, I stocked up on pajamas for the whole family.  I am in love with the plaid PJ set from Gilligan O'Malley I got for myself.  It's so cozy and warm! --J

What are you loving and living for this week?  Let us know in the comments below and have a great weekend!

TTO Holidays: Gift Guide for the Kiddos

Welcome to the next Twins Take On the Holidays 2017 Gift Guides!  We're going to bring you some of our favorite things for some of your favorite people this holiday season.  Hopefully this will inspire you to grab some great gifts for everyone on your list.

Today, we bring you our favorite presents for the kiddos in your life!

• Rick Riordan is probably the most popular author with the kids in Jess's class.  They literally fight over these Heroes of Olympus books.
• If you know a preschool girl, then you're a friend of Moana.  This doll is adorable and perfect for tagging along with any little gal.
• This walker is the exact one that Jess's kid used when she learned to walk.  Just be careful, its songs will get stuck in your head for months!
• Jess doesn't know exactly what Minecraft is, but her students are obsessed with it.  
• Who doesn't love PlayDoh?  
• MegaBloks are great for building when Legos are too little for toddler hands.  However, if the kid on your list can handle it, these Wonder Woman Legos are amazing! 
• Razor scooters are still almost as popular as bikes with the elementary set.  
• These two books are favorites with Jess's little one.  They're the kind of books you actually don't mind reading as an adult.
• We aren't big stuffed animal people, but Jellycat ones are the exception to the rule.  They're adorable and the perfect size for little hands.
• The book, Wonder, has been popular for a while with middle grade kids, but with the upcoming movie, it's sure to be a hit this year.
• We love Uggs and these are as cozy as they are cute.  
• Jess enjoys a cup of this pretend coffee about as often as she does her regular morning joe.

We hope this gives you some ideas for the little folks in your life.  What are your favorite things to buy for your favorite kids?  Let us know in the comments and keep an eye our for the rest of our Gift Guides!

Friday Pick Six: 10/27/17

Here's what we are loving and living for this week!

1.  One of our favorite nail polish shades for fall is blue, especially navy.  In Style has a great round-up of navy nail polish colors to check out for the season.

2.  We're always looking for ponytail holders that are cute and comfortable and don't leave a crease in your hair!  Our favorite lately are Teleties!  These adorable hair ties are modeled after an old-school phone cord and the company was created by two best friends.  They come in great colors and two sizes.  Check them out!

3.  Believe it or not, I still have some apples left from the Orchard!  Thinking about making this Effortless Apple Gallette this weekend and serving it up with a little vanilla ice cream! --J

4.  Opaque tights are one of our favorite looks for fall.  They keep your legs warm and provide an elongating, cohesive look.  We recently found Target's A New Day 80D Super Opaque Tights.  They're super opaque, comfy and what a great price!

5.  One of our favorite bloggers, Deb from Smitten Kitchen, released her second book, Smitten Kitchen Every Day this week.  We've already ordered it and can't wait to try out some recipes.  Would you like a blog feature about it?

6.  Obsessed with this GAP cowlneck dress.  How cozy does that look for winter?

What are you loving or living for this week?  Let us know in the comments below and TGIF!

Friday Pick-Six: 8/11/17

Here's what we're loving and living for this week!

1.  We've been looking for a new show to binge watch and we are planning to give Amazon's The Last Tycoon a try.  It takes place in 1930's Hollywood and stars Matt Bomer (from one of Jess's fave shows, White Collar), Kelsey Grammar and Lily Collins.

2.  One of our favorite things to do on our annual beach vacation is read!  The hands-down favorite book of the trip was My Husband's Wife by Jane Corry.  This book has mystery, intrigue and relationship drama.  Read it and thank us later!

3.  If you're anything like me, you have a lot of tomatoes right now!  Our garden is insane and we have more tomatoes than I know what to do with!  I saw this recipe on Real Simple's Instagram and plan to give it a try this weekend. --J

4.  One of our favorite jewelry sources, Three Sisters Jewelry is offering an extra 50% off sale items this week with the code SALE50.  There are some great deals, so check it out!

5.  Believe it or not, I cooked dinner this week!  I used this recipe to make an easy tortellini pasta salad.  I added some cubed grilled chicken and a half of a seeded jalapeño!  Easy and delicious! --J

6.  Sale alert!  GAP is offering up to 50% off EVERYTHING (including jeans, which are hardly ever on sale) plus an additional 20% off your order AND free shipping with the code BESTDEAL.  Check out Monday's post for some of our favorite new arrivals and get ready to shop.  You can also earn GAP CASH, too.

What are you loving and living for this week?  Let us know in the comments below and TGIF!

The TTO Summer Reading List: Non-Fiction

A while back, our mom, the TTO resident book expert, gave you her picks for fiction reading this summer.  Well, we teamed up with her today with her picks for non-fiction reading.  Here's what you need to download/put on hold at your local library right now!

When Breath Becomes Air by Paul Kalanithi:  We first heard about this book from one of our favorite bloggers, Joanna Goddard at Cup of Jo.  It was written by her late brother-in-law and chronicles his battle with lung cancer from the unique perspective of being a neurosurgeon himself.

Wedding Toasts I'll Never Give by Ada Calhoun: This memoir about the ups and downs of marriage is based on the author's popular Modern Love essay (and subsequent podcast, read by the fantastic Kathryn Hahn).

Stories I'd Tell in Bars by Jen Lancaster:  Jen is one of our favorite authors and her memoirs are always hilarious!  This one gets released tomorrow, so we plan to read it on the beach on our vacation!

A Low Country Heart by Pat Conroy:  We've always been fans of the late, great Pat Conroy and this memoir gives some insight into his life as a writer.

The Wonder of Birds by Jim Robbins: This was one of Mom's picks for the summer.  "Everything you've ever wanted to know about our feathered friends."

Astrophysics in a Hurry by Neil deGrasse Tyson: Another one of Mom's picks--read this one on the beach if you want to look and feel smart!

The Bright Hour by Nina Riggs: A memoir from a mom struggling with cancer.  Get the Kleenex, gang.

The Rainbow Comes and Goes by Anderson Cooper and Gloria Vanderbilt:  Journalist Anderson Cooper and his famous socialite mother share their life stories in an interesting and compelling way.  Each chapter shares a conversation between the two that depicts both their shared experiences and complicated pasts.  Very compelling!

Are you planning on reading any non-fiction this summer?  Let us know your favorites in the comments below!

The TTO Summer Reading List: Fiction

One of our favorite things to do on a warm summer day is settling in with a good book.  When we're looking for book recommendations, we have just one call--Our Mom!  Not only does our mom have an impressive personal library, but her local librarian knows her by name.  We checked in with Mom to see what books she's recommending this summer.  This is Part 1: Fiction...look for Part 2: Non-Fiction coming soon.  Here's her list in no particular order...

 I Found You by Lisa Jewell.  A lonely single mom who offers shelter to an amnesiac man and a young bride who is told that her missing husband never existed struggle to make sense of their transforming worlds and their connection to two teenagers whose lives were shattered by secrets two decades earlier.

Before This Is Over by Amanda Hickie.  A devastating epidemic raises the question as to how far a mother will go to protect her family.  Timely and thought provoking.

Into the Water by Paula Hawkins, author of Girl on the Train  - need I say more?

Anything is Possible by Elizabeth Strout.  Small town folks coping with love and loss.  She is an awesome writer if you have not read her other books.

Marlena by Julie Buntin.  I chose this one because my name is Marlene and it is set in Michigan.  A story of two girls also coping with love and loss and, to complicate matters - addiction.

The Twelve Lives of Samuel Hawley  by Hannah Tinti.  12 scars left by 12 bullets reveal a criminal past that impact the present.

Small, Great Things by Jodi Picoult.  Again, not much needs to be said.  This actually came out in 2016 but if you missed it then, don't miss it now.  Timely.  Thought provoking. 

Faithful by Alice Hoffman.  A story of a survivor's path through grief, guilt and recovery.  Alice can always be counted on to tell a great story.

The Sleepwalker by Chris Bohjalian.  A sleepwalking wife and mother who exhibits violent behavior while unconscious, goes missing.   He is one of my favorites - lots of title, if you are not familiar. 

The Stars are Fire by Anita Shreve.  Based upon the true story of the largest fire in Maine in 1947.  She's another who, if you haven't found already, should check out.

And last but not least, The Shadow Land by Elizabeth Kostova.  This woman writes BIG stories with BIG plots and tons of pages but still leaves you wanting more when you turn the last page.  If you have not read The Swan Thieves or The Historian check out all three but not at the same time!  

So that's it for Part 1!  Can you see why we depend on our mom for book recommendations?  She knows everything!!  Stay tuned for Mom's non-fiction picks soon.  What are you planning to read this summer?  Let us know in the comments below!

Friday Pick-Six: 4/14/17

Here's what we're loving and living for this week!

1.  You guys, Veep is coming back for Season 6 on Sunday and we couldn't be more excited!  We've been Julia Louis-Dreyfuss fans since Seinfeld and she's so funny as Selina Meyer, a clueless politician.  Check out the trailer here and tune in on Sunday, April 16th at 10:30 on HBO.

2.  We've loved John and Sherry at Young House Love forever and how adorable (and easy) is their DIY Easter Egg Tree!  If Ryan's cats and Jess's kid wouldn't knock this baby over, we'd be making this in a heartbeat!

3.  Recently, we were lucky enough to attend a book talk/signing with Cynthia D'Aprix Sweeney, author of the wildly popular The Nest.  Cynthia was funny and engaging in person and our evening reminded us of how much we loved this book!  If you haven't read it yet, it's a story about the complicated, dysfunctional relationships between the adult children of the Plumb family.  We also heard that it's been optioned for a movie, which we wholeheartedly support (We even have our own casting ideas!) It's out on paperback now, so check it out!

4.  We might be late to the party, but we finally saw Beauty and the Beast last week!  We especially enjoyed the costumes and sets, which stayed really true to the original cartoon.  The movie was at its best in the musical numbers and we enjoyed old favorite songs.  Also, how handsome is Gaston?  

5.  We have been fans of Bolthouse Farms Juices for quite a while, but recently our mom recommended their yogurt based creamy salad dressings.  They're surprisingly low in calories and don't use high fructose corn syrup.  I just got the Creamy Caesar today and can't wait to try it out for dinner.  

6.  Much like one of our favorite tv characters, Olivia Pope, we LOVE popcorn.  However, until recently, we have found making stove top popcorn kind of a pain.  That is, until we found the Great Northern Popcorn Popper.  All you do is dump the popcorn in, add a little bit of oil, turn the knob for about 5 minutes and you have delicious freshly popped popcorn!  We are pretty sure even Liv would approve!