Sunday, December 18, 2011
Glory days
Monday, October 31, 2011
Respect Your Mother
It is everywhere, on your TV, in your magazines, in your head. You can't escape it...GO GREEN. This catchy little slogan has gone past trendy and is now a permanent fixture of our current society. But how many of us actually live a "green" life? And what does that even mean? I'm sure it has a different meaning for everyone, but for me it means making realistic and smart lifestyle choices that benefit my family and mother nature. Back in the day before being green was a cultural phenomenon, my dad was recycling everything under the sun and by the time I graduated high school, I could not get his "turn the light off when you leave the room, Jessica!" phrase out of my head. Recycle and conserve energy by flipping a light switch, how easy is that?! Once I became a homeowner and began paying our electric bill, my dad's phrase had a little more meaning to me than it did as an adolescent with an attitude!
Recycling would always be a part of our routine at home, but for a lazy Lou like me, I was always finding an excuse to put off the monthly trip to the recycling center. Then my prayers were answered, and Green Door Recycling joined the Emporia business community. Unlike other areas, our city does not provide recycling pick up, along with the trash--although they should! Enter Green Door Recycling, a curbside pickup service. Amy Becker & her crew provide service with a smile and have recycled a ridiculous amount of otherwise trash in just a few short years. Emporians, check it out! www.greendoorrecycling.com
B and I also love to garden, and love the tasty benefits of growing produce right in our backyard. We are still beginning gardeners, and usually stick to staples like tomatoes, onions, lettuce and peppers but we dream of the day when we have a nice chunk of land for corn, okra, beans, squash, melons, eggplant, strawberries and anything else that can survive the Kansas summer sun! In the meantime, we supplement our produce with goods from the Farmers' Market, which has grown exponentially the last two years. How lucky are we to live in a small community with individuals that are dedicated to providing LOCAL, fresh food?! I mean, what is more important than what we put into our bodies? Although not everything is organic, the produce is free of preservatives, hasn't traveled thousands of miles from a mass-producing farm in Mexico or California, and is in season, which means the flavor is beyond anything you will ever find at Wal-Mart. Emporia's organic food selection is pretty darn crappy, and I will use any excuse I can to make a Whole Foods run to KC from late fall to early spring.
I can't wait to get Owen out in the garden pulling weeds with Mama (seriously, it is rewarding and relaxing---call me crazy!) and planting seeds in the spring. I want to teach him that food should be as natural as possible and not come from a box or a drive thru--although we do still indulge in the occasional Taco Bell or Subway yumminess. Everything in moderation, right?!
Now that I'm a mama, I am looking for even more ways to live a cleaner, greener life. I have long been a fan of Burt's Bees lotions, body washes, etc. and I would say 95% of my natural care products, including makeup, is all natural, paraben and phthalate free. Happy to see the big box stores like Target starting to carry these brands, which makes shopping easier. I am also going to try to green up my laundry routine. I just ordered some wooly dryer balls from www.hipmountainmama.com, which take the place of disposable dryer sheets and last for 3-4 years. They absorb moisture, which makes drying time shorter, and also help make clothes super soft. We will see! I also ordered Soap Nuts, which is a biodegradable laundry soap made from a dried fruit--I am a little more skeptical about these, but still excited to wash my clothes with nuts :)
We aren't perfect; my husband drives a gas guzzlin' Ford and the lighting from fluorescent light bulbs give me a headache, but like everything else, we are a work in progress just trying to live a simple and happy life. Saving money and saving the planet is just an added bonus! Always excited to learn about new green products, choices and routines at home...please share yours!
Recycling would always be a part of our routine at home, but for a lazy Lou like me, I was always finding an excuse to put off the monthly trip to the recycling center. Then my prayers were answered, and Green Door Recycling joined the Emporia business community. Unlike other areas, our city does not provide recycling pick up, along with the trash--although they should! Enter Green Door Recycling, a curbside pickup service. Amy Becker & her crew provide service with a smile and have recycled a ridiculous amount of otherwise trash in just a few short years. Emporians, check it out! www.greendoorrecycling.com
B and I also love to garden, and love the tasty benefits of growing produce right in our backyard. We are still beginning gardeners, and usually stick to staples like tomatoes, onions, lettuce and peppers but we dream of the day when we have a nice chunk of land for corn, okra, beans, squash, melons, eggplant, strawberries and anything else that can survive the Kansas summer sun! In the meantime, we supplement our produce with goods from the Farmers' Market, which has grown exponentially the last two years. How lucky are we to live in a small community with individuals that are dedicated to providing LOCAL, fresh food?! I mean, what is more important than what we put into our bodies? Although not everything is organic, the produce is free of preservatives, hasn't traveled thousands of miles from a mass-producing farm in Mexico or California, and is in season, which means the flavor is beyond anything you will ever find at Wal-Mart. Emporia's organic food selection is pretty darn crappy, and I will use any excuse I can to make a Whole Foods run to KC from late fall to early spring.
I can't wait to get Owen out in the garden pulling weeds with Mama (seriously, it is rewarding and relaxing---call me crazy!) and planting seeds in the spring. I want to teach him that food should be as natural as possible and not come from a box or a drive thru--although we do still indulge in the occasional Taco Bell or Subway yumminess. Everything in moderation, right?!
Now that I'm a mama, I am looking for even more ways to live a cleaner, greener life. I have long been a fan of Burt's Bees lotions, body washes, etc. and I would say 95% of my natural care products, including makeup, is all natural, paraben and phthalate free. Happy to see the big box stores like Target starting to carry these brands, which makes shopping easier. I am also going to try to green up my laundry routine. I just ordered some wooly dryer balls from www.hipmountainmama.com, which take the place of disposable dryer sheets and last for 3-4 years. They absorb moisture, which makes drying time shorter, and also help make clothes super soft. We will see! I also ordered Soap Nuts, which is a biodegradable laundry soap made from a dried fruit--I am a little more skeptical about these, but still excited to wash my clothes with nuts :)
We aren't perfect; my husband drives a gas guzzlin' Ford and the lighting from fluorescent light bulbs give me a headache, but like everything else, we are a work in progress just trying to live a simple and happy life. Saving money and saving the planet is just an added bonus! Always excited to learn about new green products, choices and routines at home...please share yours!
Saturday, September 10, 2011
One month
One month into this new adventure...what a crazy month it has been Those first days at the Hopkins Casa were a bit chaotic, trying to adjust to sleeping in two hour increments and feeding round the clock. Lil guy is almost 12lbs! and it is obvious he has not skipped a meal since day one!
I felt so prepared during pregnancy, reading way too much, Googling way too much, and researching way too much about life with a new baby. All the advice leading up to the actual arrival of the baby might as well have gone in one ear and out the other. If only that little pink bundle of love would have come with a detailed instruction manual! Still, that has been one of the joys of being a new mama, figuring out this lil man and relying on those "maternal instincts," even when I wondered what the heck I was doing. I think Owen is pretty forgiving of my shortcomings, as we navigate this new world together. He is also going easy on me, being a relaxed and mellow babe...most of the time :)
I felt so prepared during pregnancy, reading way too much, Googling way too much, and researching way too much about life with a new baby. All the advice leading up to the actual arrival of the baby might as well have gone in one ear and out the other. If only that little pink bundle of love would have come with a detailed instruction manual! Still, that has been one of the joys of being a new mama, figuring out this lil man and relying on those "maternal instincts," even when I wondered what the heck I was doing. I think Owen is pretty forgiving of my shortcomings, as we navigate this new world together. He is also going easy on me, being a relaxed and mellow babe...most of the time :)
One month and Owen is finding his voice. Love hearing our home filled with little squeals, grunts and all sorts of fun baby sounds. At 11.13 lbs and 23 inches, he is off the charts, and on his way to being long & lean, just like daddy. I think eating is his favorite part of the day, although bath time is a close second. Weekends are family shower days :) We are enjoying walks in the stroller, fishing trips to Grandma Irene's lake, and the occasional quick meal at a restaurant. "Quick" is the key word! Lots of changes, but we think this new life suits us just fine.
One month has broken down walls and opened my heart in a way I didn't think was possible. I look at Owen with awe, wonder and pure love, wondering how I deserve such a blessing. Motherhood is such an amazing gift. I am so lucky to be his mama and I know Brandon is one proud papa. So thankful for Brandon, and the amazing partner he is. Life is good.
Friday, August 19, 2011
What a week!
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| Proud papa with Norla and our nurse, Jill |
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| Sweet Baby |
The last week has been a whirlwind of eating, sleeping and pooping, plus visits from all our favorite family and friends. Life with a new baby is definitely an adjustment, and we are enjoying each sleep-deprived moment, one day at a time :)
I am so very thankful for the amazing experience we received at the Topeka Birth and Women's Center. Brandon also said it was the best way we could have welcomed our lil guy into the world. The loving and supportive care we received from the midwives and staff at the Birth Center made this pregnancy and birth such a joyous experience. From prenatal care to birth prep/newborn care classes to the actual delivery, I am absolutely pleased with every aspect of service from the Birth Center. Our midwife, Norla, was such a calm and steady presence, giving me the reassurance that I could do this and that we were going to have a baby!! I wish more women would recognize their own strength and power, and choose to have a natural birth--if they are able. I kept saying, "This really isn't that bad!" throughout the day. Of course it was not a walk in the park, by any means! I simply recognized the energy and natural instinct that is part of having a baby & let my body do the rest. Cheesy? Maybe. But true in every sense. And worth every moment. Again, credit is due to the amazing ladies at the Birth Center, and we look forward to welcoming Owen's little brother or sister there...in a few years of course! Right now we are so in love with our little man, we can't wait to watch him grow!
So we are adjusting to this new life, thankful for a healthy, happy baby. Looking forward to meeting more family and friends in the weeks and months to come! Thanks to everyone for your prayers, good vibes and happy thoughts for Baby Hop during pregnancy & his arrival. We are truly blessed to have the love & support of so many great people during this exciting new time!
Life as we knew it....
Life as we knew it...spontaneous camping trips and dinner dates. Life as we knew it meant sleeping in on Sundays and sharing showers. Life as we knew it allowed for Friday nights hibernating in the basement with a bottle (or two, or three) of wine. Life as we knew it meant life as we created it. Life as we knew it has become a fond memory of sleeping in, running around and living for ourselves. Life as we knew it has been replaced with a new adventure, a new chapter between Brandon and I. We welcomed our sweet baby boy on Wednesday, August 10 at 10:37pm. Months and months of waiting and preparation finally came down to one day, one moment where we welcomed Owen Tyler into the world. Now, life as we know it has replaced our selfish ways, as we live for the needs of this precious little life before us.
Brandon summed up life as we knew it quite well; "It wasn't that something was missing before, but now, everything feels complete."
I can't help the tears that well up in my eyes as I write that statement, because it is so true. We have been so blessed with seven years of creating a beautiful life together, and now it is at a whole new level. Through the creation of this little life, we are becoming selfless, as we grow as a couple, as a family, as a mommy and daddy. I am so grateful for a perfect little boy, with beautiful big eyes and a head full of dark hair, but I am also just as grateful for my partner in love and life.
Brandon summed up life as we knew it quite well; "It wasn't that something was missing before, but now, everything feels complete."
I can't help the tears that well up in my eyes as I write that statement, because it is so true. We have been so blessed with seven years of creating a beautiful life together, and now it is at a whole new level. Through the creation of this little life, we are becoming selfless, as we grow as a couple, as a family, as a mommy and daddy. I am so grateful for a perfect little boy, with beautiful big eyes and a head full of dark hair, but I am also just as grateful for my partner in love and life.
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