Sage Sisters

Fall is officially here, the decor is up, the sweaters are on, and we've got a lot to catch up on. We're riding the highs of Grace's best soccer game yet and surprisingly great family nights watching The Voice, alongside the lows of one too many sports weekends, a basketball-practice barf, and getting locked out of the car after a soccer game. We also pour one out for Justin Verlander's retirement.

Then we get into what's in our feeds lately (eyelash content, dirty martinis, crockpot fall recipes, Bravo impersonations, and more), talk fall decor and Halloween plans, react to Brian Austin Green's honest take on loneliness during Dancing with the Stars, feel very old watching the VMAs, and wonder what happened to the weekday happy hour.

ENA: Justin Verlander threw his final career pitch, and his daughter walked out to meet him on the mound. We're not crying, you're crying.

Obsessions:

Kate’s: Vita-C eyepatches green tangerine, $18 for 60

Tween: Bedazzling kit

Anne: Welly First aid Kit 

Tween: Magic Yo-yo

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Sage Haven: Safer Messaging App for Kids

Our special guest today is our hilarious cousin Jackie, our #1 fan and the one who's been feeding us feedback and funny topics from behind the scenes all along. Mostly, we just wanted an excuse to catch up with her, a proud DINK living her best life as Aunt Jackie.

We recap Dancing with the Stars and The Traitors, then get into the Molly Sims vs. Jones Road concealer drama and the YSL Dominique Original. We also talk house purging, building a capsule closet, and whether to sell it all on Poshmark, Whatnot, or Trashie.

ENA: University of Texas freshman Connor Kacena-Merrell won $1.2 million on ESPN's College GameDay by kicking a 33-yard field goal barefoot in Pat McAfee's "Kicking Is Easy" challenge, after missing his first try and getting a second chance when Matthew McConaughey and Kirk Herbstreit each added $100,000. As promised before he kicked, he split the winnings evenly, with $600,000 going to him and $600,000 to Building Tomorrow, a literacy nonprofit supporting primary education in East Africa.

Tech Tip: Update to the new iOS 27. Whole fam has to update but there are some great new parental controls features including Ask to Browse.

Obsessions:

Kate: Mahjong Tiles from Temu, 4 Tortoise Pushers, Mahjong Mat - Green, 31x31, 3mm, & Teal Mahjong Bag

Anne: Amy Lu Meatballs and Breakfast Sausage 

Jackie: Scrigit bionix  

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Sage Haven: Safer Messaging App for Kids

This week we're talking about why you should be the kid in the front row, even when middle school and high school tell you to blend in. In our parenting thoughts, we get into Eileen Gu and Michelle Obama's viral clip about how excited she is for her girls to leave home.

We also share our opinions on the U.S. Open, react to influencers getting banned from Wimbledon, and ask whether practice really makes excellence. Then we dig into why pickles are having a moment (yes, Elf pickle chapstick went viral) and what we think of the Crocs mascot.

Along the way we cover our highs and lows, including a golf invitational full of silliness, a visit to Evansville, a soccer game that turned into a parenting moment, and an MRI. We also share the story of a stuffie left at a Marriott that came back with a book. 

ENA: Melissa's daughter left her elephant stuffie at a Marriott, and the hotel went above and beyond. They took photos of it working out in the gym, having an OJ in the restaurant, and working the front desk, then sent it home with a picture book.

Tech Tip: Tech tip: AI in moderation. New York City banned student AI use through 8th grade for a year. Is a full ban the answer, or is there a happy medium?

Obsessions:

Kate: Vuori Villa Pants - Good for Tall too!

Anne: Molly Green Jean Skirt 

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Sage Haven: Safer Messaging App for Kids

This week we're talking golf cart chaos, a heatwave that won't quit, and treehouse-inspired reminders to slow down. We're also debating the great suede clogs comeback, whether you can actually do the 11 push-up challenge, and a stomach-turning study on just how dirty your water bottle really is after a week of use. Plus: Cal's birthday, an Aptos day trip, a rough stretch with a cold and a dead dishwasher, a tech tip on holding off social media, and our latest obsessions — from a $34 mock turtleneck to Anne's new book-person era.

ENA: A 24-year-old autistic man named Adam James, an aspiring DJ, saved up to attend his first festival — Boomtown near Winchester, England — despite his family's worries about him going alone. A group of guys camping in the next tent took him under their wing and gave him the best weekend of his life. The story went viral, and the festival invited Adam back to actually DJ a set the following year.

Tech Tip: Hold off on social media for as long as possible, but definitely don't let kids on it during elementary school — this comes as Meta and TikTok face ongoing settlement/legal scrutiny over how they've handled kids' safety on their platforms.

Obsession:

Anne: Katy Did Bubble Skirt

Kate: Ann Taylor Mock Turtle Neck

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Sage Haven: Safer Messaging App for Kids

This week we are talking about Cal's Olympics party, adult acne struggles, and a bleach job gone from low to high (RIP Ace's hair budget). Our main topic...Singapore's offering a baby bonus to boost birth rates, so we're asking: would you have a 4th kid for $75K? Plus: why we can't stop talking about Dolly Parton's business genius, our very mixed feelings on Meta's $18B lawsuit settlement, and a full fall content round-up (Bravo is going HARD this season). Anniversary trip excitement, a tech tip on kid gaming safety, and our latest obsessions round out the episode.

ENA: People helping people. A former Indiana football star had fallen on hard times, then a chance encounter with a fellow Hoosier gave him a fresh start. Full story here. 

Tech Tip: If your kid plays social video games, we highly recommend limiting this to only their IRL friends and family and using a non-game platform like iMessage, Google Messages or of course, Sage Haven!

Obsession:

Anne: Monday’s Hair Products: Hair Mask, Repair Shampoo & Repair Conditioner

Kate: New brown suede flats from Nordstrom

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Sage Haven: Safer Messaging App for Kids

This week we are talking camping pad recommendations after a MOTY-worthy "are you gonna complain about your back for 3 weeks?" moment, Lily's first soccer game, and a possible lice scare. Our main topic this week — how good is "good enough" when it comes to your kid's education, and how much should you be pushing (or backing off) as a parent? Plus: content fails that left us saying "wtf" (looking at you, City Spies), a hobby check-in on our new woodworking era, and our latest obsessions from hand sanitizer wipes to Jamie Miller's "Babydoll."

ENA: A little league baseball family with two brothers who made it to the MLB is back at the Little League World Series — this time with the next generation. Kinley Rasmus, daughter of former Atlanta Braves pitcher Cory Rasmus, is pitching for the very same Phenix City, Alabama team her dad and uncle led to the U.S. championship back in 1999 — while her dad now coaches from the dugout. Link

Tech Tip: make sure your kids' devices are set up with their own Apple ID or a Child Account — not yours — so parental controls and age-appropriate settings actually work correctly. 

Obsession:

Anne: Jamie Miller - Babydoll song   &  Amino acids

Kate: FOMIN Hand sanitizer wipes for the kids and me

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Sage Haven: Safer Messaging App for Kids

This week we're talking play...the kind that actually works. Our guest, Dr. Kim Van Dusen (aka "The Parentologist," 120K+ followers strong) breaks down how a little more creativity and playfulness can transform parenting — from getting tweens off the couch, to screen time battles, to finally cracking the "I'm bored" script. She's got a brand new book, Parenting Through Play, and she's sharing the good stuff. Plus: our highs and lows (including a soccer jersey mystery none of us can solve), one dog's odd behavior that led to an early cancer catch, and a quick tech tip to save your eyes during your next scroll.

ENA: A dog's odd behavior led to an early cancer diagnosis. A woman's Chihuahua kept persistently pawing at her — behavior that seemed strange until she realized it was leading her to a breast lump. She got checked out and caught a breast cancer diagnosis early, likely because her dog wouldn't let it go. Global Positive News

Tech Tip: try the 20-20-20 rule — every 20 minutes, look at something 20 feet away for 20 seconds to give your eyes a quick reset.

Obsession:

Anne: Calia Athletic Set - Top & Shorts 

Kate: My Kindle + Libby - Heartwood and Abby Offsides were both fun reads! And I’m reading the Calamity Club now.

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Sage Haven: Safer Messaging App for Kids

This week we're digging into the question everyone's been asking: what's going on with our food? Between summer recalls, grocery store panic, and trying to figure out what "healthy eating" actually looks like day to day with kids, it's a lot to navigate without losing your mind (or becoming a label-reading maniac). We swap real talk on our own family balance, the Yuka app (and when we just ignore it), and share a guest clip take on the Miranda Kerr diet conversation. Plus, our usual highs and lows, including NYC, adventure towers, and a health scare, and an incredible "everything is not awful" story about a 13-year-old who spent 300 hours 3D-printing a wheelchair for a toddler he'd never even met.

Everything is not awful: A 13-year-old boy named Zac Waters spent 300 hours over the summer 3D-printing a wheelchair for a 21-month-old girl he'd never even met, all just to help her out.

Tech Tip: Set a "charging station" rule: school devices and personal devices alike plug in and sleep in a common area overnight, never in the bedroom. It's simple, easy to enforce, and sidesteps the harder conversation about monitoring content altogether, since it's really about location, not surveillance.

Obsessions:
Anne’s: JJD Fit Club
Kate’s:  Hat Attack bag - Travel bag that holds my sun hat!

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Sage Haven: Safer Messaging App for Kids

This week Kate and Anne are easing into fall mode, from planning a tween-friendly NYC trip to finally pulling the trigger on new living room furniture. They cover the fall shopping list (new flats, cleats for fall sports, and everything in between), debate the great mahjong-versus-Catan board game dilemma, and get into whether AI showing up in your social feed is actually a big deal or not. Plus, Kate's officially entering her Housewives era, a heartwarming moment about a teen lifeguard hero, and the usual highs and lows, including a Vuori strap casualty that led to one very unfortunate bare-feet-in-public moment.

Everything is not awful: A 16-year-old lifeguard in Santa Cruz saved a 10-year-old boy, a reminder that there's still so much good happening in the world.

Tech Tip: Android families, exciting news, the Sage Haven app is coming your way soon! Be on the lookout for the launch.

Obsessions:
Anne’s: Cordless Rattan Desk Lamp
Kate’s:  Aussie Bites (Great for a fast breakfast)

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Sage Haven: Safer Messaging App for Kids

Summer's winding down and back to school season is here, so this week we're talking through all the feelings that come with it: the anxiety, the excitement, and everything in between. We share how we're squeezing the last bit of magic out of summer (NYC trip included), our back to school shopping game plan (shoes, backpacks, clothes, and where we're finding the best deals), and how we're mentally prepping for the schedule shift ahead. Plus, we get into the highs and lows of our week, a heartwarming "everything is not awful" moment, and our latest obsessions.

Everything is not awful: Lamar Sparks and his sister share a very powerful, sweet moment at the Firefighters Game.  Another very cool moment at Wrigley!

Tech Tip: Set up Assistive Access on your kids devices! If your kid is getting a new device before going back to school - make sure to set it up with safety guardrails!

Back to School Items

Boys:

Baseball Lifestyle

Nike Shorts

Nike Sweatpants

Kane Shoes

BackPack - Nike Jordan, Plain

Girls:

Gap Wide Jeans

Zara Sweat Outfit - Pants & Top 

Girlie Back Pack , State Back Pack Options

Obsessions:
Anne’s: Loloi Rugs 
Kate’s: Dog Man Book Series for your Tween

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Sage Haven: Safer Messaging App for Kids