Darling Bean

One Car No More

noreply@blogger.com (Christie) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 16:49:00 +0000

I am somewhat sad and somewhat relieved to report we purchased another car. Our one car adventure lasted for almost four months and although we save a ton on car payments, insurance and the such. I lost a ton of sanity. Public transportation in our area is virtually nonexistent. Driving my husband to work, take the bean to her grandmas (on my work days), and getting around almost killed me. Many days I spent two hours or more in the car. For me that is my own personal hell.

So although we have a small car payment and insurance again, I feel tons better. We will figure out another way to save and pay off debt.

Overwhelming Sadness

noreply@blogger.com (Christie) — Tue, 18 Dec 2012 19:42:00 +0000

There have been lots of hugs and kisses around my home since Friday. Both my husband and myself have been deeply touched by the events at Sandy Hook Elementary School last week... as has the rest of the country and the world.

I will take time each and everyday to think of the people that lost their lives not only in this horrible tragedy, but each and every one that plaques our world.

Super excited! A teepee for the bean

noreply@blogger.com (Christie) — Tue, 11 Dec 2012 20:52:00 +0000

As some of you may remember, I am completely in love with play tents and teepees! I decided that this holiday season was the perfect time to buy one for the bean. I am excitedly awaiting its arrival. In the mean time.... I will just look at the Etsy listing over and over.... and over!

Check it out!

From Etsy Seller SnailCandy

One Car Family: The good, the bad and the ugly

noreply@blogger.com (Christie) — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 20:12:00 +0000

It has been almost two months now since we took a huge leap of faith and became a one car family. There have been good days and bad days... i'm not actually sure of which there are more of.

The Good: The money-savings has been awesome! Not dishing out a car payment and insurance for my car has been fantastic. My tags were due in November and being able to immediately shred the bill was something special.

The Bad: Driving sucks! Public transportation is virtually non-existent in our area. Consequently, I have become a bit of a chauffer. I take Mike to work, pick him up, and do all the driving in between.

The Ugly: I have literally "ugly cried" over driving related stress. There have been a few days that traffic has been killer and my total driving time has been well about two hours... not an exciting way to spend your day... especially with an impatient toddler in the back seat.

That all being said, I am really glad we did it. The money we got for the car allowed us to get one HUGE step towards having our debt paid off .... and that feeling trumps everything.

Kansas City Kids Event

noreply@blogger.com (Christie) — Sat, 10 Nov 2012 02:58:00 +0000

Kansas City kids have a great activity this Saturday. If you are local to the area, be sure to stop by Science City on Saturday, November 10th.

Time Warner Cable and Science City are presenting a fun-filled Saturday at Union Station! The event provides a STEM-themed day with family-friendly exhibits, activities, robot rumbles and much more! FREE for the entire family!

Walk For Farm Animals

noreply@blogger.com (Christie) — Mon, 01 Oct 2012 13:47:00 +0000

Our little family recently participated in the Farm Sanctuary Walk for Farm Animals. What a wonderful experience for the Bean's first time as an activist! It was nice to see other vegan families proudly standing up for their beliefs.

Farm Sanctuary is wonderful organization that works hard to protect farm animals from cruelty, inspire change in the way society views and treats farm animals, and promote compassionate vegan living. Check out their web page to learn more about them!

Quote of the Week

noreply@blogger.com (Christie) — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 19:58:00 +0000

Today starts a new type of recurring feature! I don't know about you, but I love a great quote. From thought provoking and inspiring to funny... I love them all. My plan is to start with a weekly quote or thought. If you have a quote you love, please leave it in the comment section!

So here goes...

Until he extends the circle of compassion to all living things, Man will not himself find peace.

--Dr. Albert Schweitzer

Toddler Room Inspiration

noreply@blogger.com (Christie) — Thu, 26 Jul 2012 21:12:00 +0000

As bean approached the two-and-a-half year mark, we are thinking more and more about switching her room over to a "big girl" room. I have been scanning the inter webs to find some inspiration. Here are two rooms I really love. You can find a gallery of wonderful toddler room touches here on my Pinterest.

Find it here at Studio Pebbles

Find it here

Float - Kansas City

noreply@blogger.com (Christie) — Fri, 22 Jun 2012 20:25:00 +0000

Kansas City is host to a really neat downtown exhibit called Float. An artist as put a display of hammocks out in front of our new performing arts center. It is quite relaxing and very few people are ever using them. So of course, I took the time to relax a bit last weekend on a family outing.

Go Fly A Kite

noreply@blogger.com (Christie) — Tue, 19 Jun 2012 20:13:00 +0000

Father's Day weekend was filled with family adventure! The was the Bean's first time flying a kite and although it barely took flight, it was fun for all!

A Weekend Trip

noreply@blogger.com (Christie) — Wed, 23 May 2012 18:22:00 +0000

We spent this past weekend with family in St. Louis.

Make your Mothers Day Green

noreply@blogger.com (Christie) — Mon, 07 May 2012 20:43:00 +0000

Yep... we're tree huggers

In my little family we do everything we can to make responsible choices for ourselves and the environment with live in, Mother's Day is no exception. Enjoy this list of ideas and activities to make your Mother's Day green. An added bonus is that many of these are inexpensive or free,

Plant a tree or shrub in honor of Mom
Take a family bike ride
Enjoy a meatless brunch
Make a donation to Mom's favorite charity
Visit a botanical garden for a nature walk
Take the dogs for a walk
Decorate and install a rain barrel
Visit a farmer's market for some organic fruits and veggies
Indulge Mom with some quite time alone
Have a backyard picnic
Make a creative gift from found items around the house

How are you celebrating Mother's Day this year?

Giving Gardening Another Go

noreply@blogger.com (Christie) — Thu, 03 May 2012 19:17:00 +0000

Some of you may remember my garden blunder of last year. Shortly after planting my tomatoes, something in the yard ran off with them. I am giving it another go this year but with a twist. This year, it's all about container gardening!

So far I have planted tomatoes, peppers and strawberries. I am super excited to make the bean some yummy homegrown goodness!

Wish me luck!

Flashback Friday

noreply@blogger.com (Christie) — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 17:50:00 +0000

one month

six months

seven months

ten months

one year

My Favorite Snacks for the Vegan Toddler

noreply@blogger.com (Christie) — Mon, 09 Apr 2012 23:25:00 +0000

As the mom to a vegan toddler, I have learned to experiment with food. Since dairy and meat are a no-go, we cannot opt for omnipresent yogurt or cheese slice. This is a list of my top three go-to snacks.

Cubed Tofu: This was one of the bean's first finger foods. It is convenient to have pre-cubed in the fridge, the pieces are easy for her grab and easier for her to chew (even when she had only two teeth). Tofu does not need to be cooked before it's edible, so there is virtually no prep time. And, tofu is a great source of protein, calcium and iron!

Avocado: Such a quick, delicious and nutritious snack! Avocados provide healthy fat needed in a vegan diet.

Raisins: These are my go-to, on the go, snack. Full of fiber and iron, these tasty treats are perfect for chubby toddler fingers.

Second Birthday Party

noreply@blogger.com (Christie) — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 02:33:00 +0000

Just a few photos from the bean's second birthday bash over the weekend. It was so much fun to see her enjoy the day. Happy Birthday sweet baby!

Two Years Old!

noreply@blogger.com (Christie) — Sun, 26 Feb 2012 20:25:00 +0000

Just wrapping up the bean's second birthday party. She had a blast. Pictures to come...

Almost Two!

noreply@blogger.com (Christie) — Wed, 11 Jan 2012 02:47:00 +0000

This year has flown by. Here I am again planning a birthday party. Everyone tells you before you have children that they grow up so fast, but you never realize that until you have them. The bean has grown from my sweet baby to my independent toddler in no time at all.

The Bean's first birthday party

Spring time arrives!

Summer fun

My Halloween baby

A nice winter afternoon

Teepees and Toddler Rooms

noreply@blogger.com (Christie) — Tue, 03 Jan 2012 20:57:00 +0000

The bean is approaching the big 0-2 and I am so excited to design her toddler room. Images of well-designed rooms have been completely taking over my Pinterest boards. I cannot get over the darling little teepees and I think they will make such a cute addition to the bean's new room.

Here are a few of my favs.

From http://www.decoideas.net/ (a spanish language site)

From the Land Of Nod

Made my Rachel of Smile and Wave this link has instructions

I am super excited to embark on my adventure of creating a toddler space. What have your experiences been? Any must-follow dos and donts?

Happy 2012!

noreply@blogger.com (Christie) — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 18:49:00 +0000

Although I was snoozing by 11pm, I could still feel the promise of a new year in the air last night. There are few things I love more that a new year. You can start anew and be whoever your heart desires.

I am forgoing the traditional New Years Resolution for what, I hope, will be a bit more motivating... my 12 for 2012! These are my concentrations / goal for the year.

Read a book each month
Take one picture each day
Blog, consistently
Get to know my husband... again
Simplify my life, in all aspects
Buy more items used than new
Cancel cable television
Participate in the Warrior Dash
Grow my client base
Leave more time for spontaneity
Maintain a positive attitude
Be a more creative momma

Do you create resolutions / goals / concentrations each year? I'd love to hear yours and what you do to stick to them.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!

Link Love

noreply@blogger.com (Christie) — Fri, 01 Jul 2011 17:00:00 +0000

Ahh.... It's Friday again. Have a fabulous holiday weekend.

Fantasizing about quitting your day job, here are some steps on how to do it right!
Such a sweet reminder of my own childhood!
New rules for emails, everyone should read this one.
I just adore a good peanut sauce can't wait to try this recipe!
This is a perfect set-up for a summer night with family and friends.
Journaling is such a wonderful tool for my sanity!

Have I mentioned my black thumb?

noreply@blogger.com (Christie) — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 20:41:00 +0000

I am notorious for killing things... no, not in the Dexter sort of way. I cannot seem to keep a plant thriving to save my life. I was born with... a black thumb. This year though I have decide to give it another go, in a really big way. Not another sad houseplant, but instead.... tomatoes. I planted them over the weekend and have successfully watered them everyday! A huge step in the right direction. Hopefully by the end of the summer I will have some yummy homegrown tomatoes in my tummy!

Zits, zits, go away!

noreply@blogger.com (Christie) — Mon, 27 Jun 2011 17:05:00 +0000

I have been plagued by zits since I was a teenager! When I entered by twenties I just knew they would go away. But, as each year ticked by, I realized that was not to be the case. In fact... they got WORSE! Throughout the years I have went to numerous doctors and dermatologists to no avail. I have tried every ointment on the market and most prescription options, aside from going on a long-term antibiotics (I did not want to totally mess up my body!) I ultimately choose being on prescription birth control, which helped the acne, but made me an emotional mess!

Before getting pregnant with the bean, I had my hormone levels tested and found the culprit... slightly elevated androgens! This was a surprise to me as I had no other signs that could be the issue. But this also meant anything topical on my acne was not going to work... the problem was internal.

Throughout my pregnancy, my skin looked great! My hormones were in balance and I was full of hope that this would be the end of my zitty woes. Pregnancy is a huge transformation for a women's body; if anything could make a difference, this would!... Or not... within a month or two of giving birth the zits were back! That on top of a lack of sleep and a whole new body shape did not a happy mamma make! I knew I could go back on hormonal birth control and that would help the issue, but the pill gives me depression and I did not need that on top of all the other ways my life had changed. A discovery mission began and a solution found!

About three months ago, I discovered the regimen that worked for me. And the best part is that it was super inexpensive and all natural! Wow... I just sounded like and infomercial... eek! The Oil Cleansing Method and Chasteberry supplements has saved my skin. Now it's not that I never get a zit, but I am dealing with two at a time with days of clear skin in between. Before I had 10 blemishes at all times and never enjoyed a completely clear skin day.

Here's why it works:

The Chasteberry, an herbal, supplement keeps all your hormones in check. I take one pill each morning.
The Oil Cleansing Method dissolves all the oil, makeup and dirt on my skin, while giving it moisture. If you dry your skin out with traditional cleansers, you produce excess sebum to replenish your moisture. With the OMC, you leave your skin balanced and clean.

This week, I will be doing a more detailed post of the Oil Cleansing Method. I recommend you give it a try, dry or oily skin. I share this with all of you, because this worked for my skin when nothing else did. Sadly though, there is no panacea for acne, and this regimen will NOT work for everyone. I feel I also should mention that herbal medicine is not right for everyone. Check with your doc if you have any questions about herbal supplements.

P.S. It also helps your skin condition and body in general to give up dairy products. This has made a huge difference in my life and I attribute some of my skin's success to this dietary change.

Link Love

noreply@blogger.com (Christie) — Fri, 24 Jun 2011 14:59:00 +0000

So excited for the arrival of the weekend! The bean, Mr. and I have packed a whole lotta fun into two days. We headed to the local kiddie play land on Saturday, then off to an awesome fair of artisans and creators, Maker Faire, on Sunday. In between, we plan on seeing family, playing in the baby pool, walking our crazy canine clan and more. What's on your agenda?

This week was super busy. I picked up a new client and had lots of chores. So, I am sad to say I did not peruse the internet with my normal voraciousness. Needless to say, Link Love is a bit slim this week. Next week I will be introducing my FIRST GIVEAWAY! I am really excited and hopeful it's a success.

On another exciting, and unrelated note, the bean FINALLY got her third tooth!!! She is 16 months old and has had her two bottom teeth since she was 9 months. I was beginning to think she would be a two-teeth-wonder for the rest of her life... not a good look at all! While I am adoring her new forming smile, the new forming attitude, not so much. I am thinking it is just teething pain and shall pass soon. Now on with the links....

I'm really not sure this lady could get any cuter, and Marlowe is a doll as well! and to top of all the sweetness, a tiny ketchup bottle!!
These laundry rooms make me want to sell my house!
As a veggie family we are always looking for toys that align with our food choices. Some of these may just be a great fit.

Have an amazing weekend everyone.

Father's Day in Photos

noreply@blogger.com (Christie) — Mon, 20 Jun 2011 02:43:00 +0000