Wednesday, July 18, 2012



~SIMPLIFY~

Every so often I get an overwhelming urge to get rid of things. I find myself mentally going thru closets, drawers & cupboards & discarding things. Then, as soon as I find a moment, I dig out the offending items & move them to a designated "donate" bag or shelf. Lately, the notion has spread to other parts of my life. I used to cringe at the boxed foods in my pantry with their hard to read lists of ingredients. While I think we've made great strides in the types of food we buy, starting the process only makes me want to do better. And finally, my amazing children. I believe we must find a balance between showering them with love & instilling confidence - and not more stuff, resulting in whiny, materialistic kids who run our lives.

So, from the over-cluttered closets, to over-processed food & even over-indulged children, how can we stop the cycle, step back & simplify?

Do we need all this stuff? Absolutely, not, and deep down, I think we know that. But a little voice says, "what if we find that perfect use, fix that broken piece or just want to keep it because it's pretty?" I've long hated being governed by things. I love a good purge and the satisfaction of an organized basement. But it doesn't stop me from stashing things to deal with later. I just finished reading "Married to Bhutan" by Linda Leaming, (a country I'm slightly obsessled with), and along with fuleing my desire to visit was a renewed admiration for the way the Bhutanese live. Many of them don't have electricity or plumbing and live in mud homes without insulation. Materially they are a poor country, and yet, they are some of the happiest people on the planet. How so? Because they live in the present, value life, nature and each other & don't care so much about acquiring things. Simplify.

Along with having too much crap (pardon me), why must we put so much of it in our bodies? Because it's easy & we're all pressed for time. I'm no chef & between having an infant, a toddler and a business, I seldom have time to feed myself, let alone concoct a gourmet meal. However, when I do manage to make a dish from scratch I feel an amazing sense of gratification. The website 100 Days of Real Food has been my latest source of inspiration. Coupled with the fact that my son will start solids soon, I am striving to chop a few more veggies and avoid more boxes. Getting back to real food - Simplify.

And finally, this New Yorker article, "Spoiled Rotten" shared by a friend has prompted me to take a closer look at how I deal with my toddler.I want her to be responsible and independent & myself less controlling. I've been wondering about starting her on an allowance, earned thru simple tasks. And I've been looking for ways to handle our battle of the wills. I'll admit that I occasionally resort to promises of treats for good behavior. But rather than rewarding with THINGS, how can I instill values that result in the desire to behave in a certain way? (A child who puts toys away, or gets ready for bed without being asked, or at least without a fight)? I'm not looking for miracles, but these things do happen in other cultures and I'd like to shift a little more in that direction if we could. Less stuff, more focus on responsibility. Simplify.

Anyway, these were the thoughts racing thru my mind at 6:30 this morning and I wanted to share. So, along with the laundry and the laundry list of things to do, I'm going to keep thinking on these points and bit by bit finding ways to incorporate them into our lives. Because, in the end, I want to live for today, enjoy what we have and where we are. And for me that starts with: SIMPLIFY.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

My Gentler Cesarean Birth Story

I want to preface this blog with a request to everyone to set aside your judgments about what labor & delivery "should" look like & instead to embrace every woman's story as her own miracle of birth. By sharing our story, I hope to open women to the idea that you can be an active participant - regardless of the HOW, this is not something that happens to you. You have some choices. Thru some small adjustments, we were able to have a beautiful birth with our second child. This process has sparked conversation, interest & a desire to make changes amongst our practice of midwives & doctors as well as at the hospital where we delivered.

*******

When I learned I was pregnant the first time, I started conjuring images of exactly how the birth would play out. If it's possible, it went exactly the opposite & I learned that a birth plan is a sure-fire way to ensure that nothing will go as planned! Seldom does life  (& it's miracles) follow a plan. When we were blessed to conceive again, I wondered if I dared to hope for the natural drug-free birth I had wanted the first time? I knew I desperately wanted to avoid the emergency cesarean I did have & started to think about factors I might be able to affect. The pregnancy progressed normally & my hopes cautiously soared. But, at 29 weeks, we learned that my amniotic fluid was already getting low. I started bed rest & drinking a gallon of water a day. That also marked the start of weekly (& bi-weekly) ultrasounds, visits with the midwives & a roller coaster of emotions each week as we wondered if TODAY the baby would need to arrive. If the levels went up or remained stable I held on to hope of a natural birth. When they dropped, I tried to accept that a second cesarean might be necessary. After 10 long weeks, I agreed to schedule a cesarean as it was not likely that the baby would tolerate labor well with such little fluid. Leading up to this decision, I started reading, googling & discussing possible options for a different kind of cesarean. Here are the things I wanted to have happen:

1. Music in the O.R. - I wanted my delivery playlist to fill the room with meaningful & comforting songs
2. Dim(mer) lighting - I didn't know if it was possible, but I wanted to minimize the bright sterile lights of the O.R.
3. I wanted my husband & myself to "discover" the gender of the baby together.
4. Skin to skin contact - as soon as possible!

At the pre-op appointment, I planned to bring this up to my mid-wife. Ironically, she came in ready to show me the same video I had seen of a cesarean birth in England that incorporated some of these ideas. She was enthusiastic about implementing these key points & promised to work ahead of time on the lighting & music & getting the rest of the doctors on board.

When we arrived early Monday morning, our "pre-op" room was cozy & dimly lit. Prior to the birth, I relaxed to my delivery playlist & enjoyed a lavender oil foot massage from my husband while reclining in a chair. (I wanted to stay out of the bed). The mood of the nurses was calm & positive. When the time came, I walked on my own to the O.R. My midwife had set up my music, turned on only the lights above the table & gotten all of the team to agree to try this "new" idea. While the anesthesiologist administered the spinal, I leaned on my midwife & focused on the music playing. Shortly after, my husband came in & started to rub my temples with the lavender oil. I was much calmer than the first time around. The ambiance of the room and the team was soothing & exciting at the same time. Things progressed quickly & at the moment of birth, someone lowered the curtain & we discovered the gender of our baby for the first time. Seconds later, he was lying on my bare chest.When I was ready, they took him aside to clean up & weigh him. Not long after, we all returned to our original room for recovery, his bath & breast feeding.

 *skin to skin seconds after his birth*

I don't want to sugar coat a cesarean. It is still a major surgery. Even though it was my second time, I was incredibly nervous. But these few simple changes and a team who was willing to try something different made a huge difference. I had some choices and actively participated in the birth of our son. Whether you have to have a cesarean for medical reasons, or personal choice, I hope that by sharing my story, you can find a way to make your birth story your own.


Acknowledgements:

Brandy Ferner
Brandy's Birth Story Medicine workshop started me on this journey of accepting my previous birth & opening my mind to other possibilities.

Westside Women's Care - Midwives
https://www.facebook.com/WestsideWomensCare?sk=wall
The midwives at Westside are wonderfully supportive. I highly recommend this practice, it's doctors and entire staff.

Exempla Lutheran Medical Center
I appreciate the interest Lutheran has given in publicizing our story in an effort to promote change & choices for other women.

Friday, November 11, 2011

D.I.Y. Fri(day): pennant banner

As I was making a holiday version of these yesterday to "holiday-ize" (that is so not a word!) the all things bean booth, I thought what a great D.I.Y. this could be. I plan to make some to decorate our next baby's nursery & my sister made a bunch for her reception area - the perfect accessory for her ranch wedding.

These are SO easy to make, a great way to re-purpose clothing that is past it's prime & just use up some of those leftover pieces of fabric.



1. Measure out a length of ribbon - leave room on the ends depending on how you plan to attach. (I like 1" grosgrain - it holds up well).
2. Make a triangle pattern - I cut mine from cardstock.
3. Determine the order you want the fabrics to repeat in. I like laying them out along the ribbon to see if the patterns & colors play well together :)
4. Start tracing your triangles!
5. Cut out with pinking shears.
6. Using a fabric glue stick, glue your ribbon to the top (front) of your triangles. You shouldn't need pins but feel free to throw some in for extra hold.
7. Stitch along the top of the ribbon, 1/4" from the edge. Voila - pennant banner! (or whatever you want to call it). Instant decor for any occasion & lots of fun for new babies to look at.
*Play around with your triangle size - mine are pretty big so they stand out in the booth, but some little ones could be fun in smaller spaces.

Happy Friday bean friends!

Wednesday, December 29, 2010

Today's Tip for a greener New Year

While the holidays are my favorite time of year (with Christmas Eve being my favorite day), inevitably, the following days & weeks leave me feeling almost as crazed as the preceding ones. Now, everything I've put on hold comes crashing back to the forefront, along with an irrepressible urge to de-clutter, re-organize, simplify & improve. I tend to rebel against New Year's resolutions, (which I forget as quickly as I make them) & try instead to slowly incorporate simple practices into my daily life over time. As we all try to regain a level of sanity & a rhythm to our daily lives, I'd like to pass along some little tidbits that I have found & intend to work on using myself.


Today's is simply a list taken from a book I received for Christmas called "Healthy Child Healthy World" by Christopher Gavigan.
While the idea of eating completely healthy & organic food is very appealing (& I believe increasingly necessary), it is challenging to do all at once. This list gives a quick snapshot of the fruits & veggies it would be most beneficial to buy organic versions of as well as those that are lowest in pesticides.

"Shopper's Guide to Pesticides in Produce" pg. 69
The Dirty Dozen - buy these organic:
-peaches
-apples
-sweet bell peppers
-celery
-nectarines
-strawberries
-cherries
-lettuce
-grapes (imported)
-pears
-spinach
-potatoes

Lowest in Pesticides:
-onions
-avocadoes
-sweet corn (frozen)
-pineapples
-mangoes
-sweet peas (frozen
-asparagus
-kiwis
-bananas
-cabbage
-broccoli
-eggplant

*Source: Environmental Working Group, foodnews.org

Next time I head to the store, I may swap out my organic bananas & use the money I save for the organic apples & lettuce...

Thursday, November 11, 2010

Limited Edition Holiday Items

I couldn't resist. When creativity strikes (along with the holiday spirit), it doesn't matter how many other things need to be done. We must drop everything, give in and see what we come up with.
Below are the results of such an event.


Introducing the limited edition snowman, available in the baby bean onesies & little bean tees. Signature cropped icon & hand stitched detail. Hat & arm are brown. Choose red or green body. Email info@allthingsbean.com to order. (These are not available on the website). Happy festive-ness :)

Tuesday, November 9, 2010

Upcoming Events

Happy November! At the risk of sounding cliche, I can't believe how fast time is going...

First off, thank-you so much to everyone who attended the Photo Element/all things bean trunk show & photo shoot last Saturday. We had a great time, met some wonderful people & gave away a bunch of goodies, including bean apparel, photo shoots & jewelry from Stella & Dot. We love our bean friends & appreciate your support!

Now, on to to our upcoming events:













Yuma Yoga/all things bean Trunk Show & Cocktail Party

Nov. 20th 6:30 - 9:30

Yuma, AZ

Ladies - join us for a festive evening of prizes, cocktails & hors d'oeuvres! We will be raffling yoga classes & products, and infant & toddler all things bean clothing. Email me at info@allthings bean to RSVP & receive directions.

Two Patooties Holiday Trunk Show

Thursday, November 18 · 5:00pm - 8:00pm
Location: TBD
http://www.facebook.com/home.php?#!/event.php?eid=129419673778895

all things bean will have product available at the Two Patooties Holiday Trunk Show. Two Patooties and Lolas Mexican Arts & Crafts are hosting a Trunk Show Happy Hour! A great time to do some holiday shopping from your favorite local artisans.







Winter Market & Holiday Fair

Dec. 4, 2010 10 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Valdez Elementary (on 29th Ave between Speer and Zuni)
http://winter-market.com/

Please join all things bean & Jibberish body products at this family friendly event.
The Market & Fair features artisans, crafters, and providers of unique, boutique gifts and products from our neighborhood and the surrounding communities. Beyond the fabulous goodies to admire and buy, the Market & Fair also offers entertainment for the whole family: photos with Santa, sing-alongs featuring your favorite holiday tunes, craft-making stations and more!

Thursday, September 16, 2010

News & Events


Good morning bean friends!

I wanted to quickly update you on a few things in the bean world. As we roll into Fall & dare I say, (drum roll) "the holiday season", we have some upcoming events to invite you to. So, break out your jackets or your cocktail attire & join in the festivities! Please email info@allthingsbean.com to sign up for either of the trunk shows. These are RSVP events & providing your email is the only way you can win!

Yours in all things festive, fall & fun,
all things bean

Naturally Loved Grand Opening Party
Sept. 19, 2010 12 p.m. - 4 p.m.
Denver, CO
I've mentioned this store before & this weekend is the official party. Come see this great store on 29th St. in Stapleton & peruse their fantastic assortment of eco-friendly clothing, accessories, toys, diapering products, maternity wear & more. (Of course, there's a nice little display of the baby bean line too).
www.naturallylovedbaby.com

The French Nest Market
Sept. 18, 2010 9 a.m. - 3 p.m.
Ft. Collins, CO
This Sat. Two Patooties will be carrying an assortment of baby & little bean at their booth at the French Nest Market in Ft. Collins from 9-3.
www.thefrenchnestmarket.com

HUNI Highlands Farmer's Market
Sept. 25, 2010 9 a.m. - 1 p.m.
Denver, CO
Jibberish body products & all things bean will make their final Farmer's Market appearance today. Pick up a gift & enjoy the fall weather!
http://www.denverhighland.org/huni.html

Trunk Show & Photo Shoot
Nov. 6, 2010 2 p.m. - 5 p.m.
Denver, CO
all things bean is teaming up with Photo Element to give away 2 photo shoots & various products! Submit your email address to info@allthingsbean.com to enter to win. The grand prize winner will get clothing for their bean & a photo shoot to be done during the party. They will also be featured on the all things bean website. Other prizes include a photo shoot for your family (holiday cards anyone), and other product from the baby & little bean lines. Join us for the trunk show, wine & hors d'oeuvres & prizes at the Photo Element studio. More info to follow if you sign up! Winners must be present to win. Grand prize winner must have a child who wears from 0-3T.

Trunk Show & Holiday Party
Nov. 20, 2010 (time tbd)
Yuma, AZ
all things bean & yuma yoga are throwing a holiday party! Break out your holiday dress & join us for cocktails, a trunk show & chances to win baby & little bean products & yuma yoga classes. Email info@allthingsbean.com to receive details & RSVP.