Life by Design

Is the Healthy Built Environment Worth the Effort?

2021-11-28T00:01:00.002-06:00

After reviewing Lesson 13, I more fully understand the differences and similarities of the eight standards mentioned. I have always thought LEED was important to consider when planning a project. Still, the new standards I've become familiar with this semester have opened my eyes to many new opportunities to incorporate healthy and highly beneficial standards in the future.

The term "healthy buildings" refers to increasing awareness of structures that support people's physical, psychological, and social health. Healthy buildings incorporate a holistic combination of systems to positively impact overall human health and wellness, comfort, community, and the environment.

Another factor to consider is how our world has evolved and, specifically, during the pandemic.

"Work/life balance" is crucial to most working adults, and the past 20 months have placed increased emphasis on one's mental health as well as physical health. I feel strongly that employers need to put a much higher value on providing for their employees' overall safety, health, and wellness.

Designers can work with employers, housing authorities, municipalities, and just about anyone else interested in creating "space" for humans to improve the built environment. An excellent way to enhance evaluations of a space is by using multiple certification programs, such as LEED, Fitwel, or WELL.

I found a website that discusses the World Green Building Council & Wellbeing Framework. On this site, the authors stated neither a green building nor a healthy building certification could dig in on all crucial concepts, but instead, it takes an umbrella framework for thinking about both sides of the coin. The World Green Building Council model seems more logical to meet the needs of the masses more readily. I would suggest this model for designers and clients to pursue a holistic approach to the built environment.

Physical Environment and Wellbeing

2021-11-21T19:01:00.001-06:00

The physical environment is where individuals live, learn, work, and play. People interact with their physical environment through the air they breathe, the water they drink, houses they live in, and the transportation they access to travel to work and school. A poor physical environment can affect our ability and that of our families and neighbors to live long and healthy lives.

While the socio-economic factors most certainly play a large hand in access to quality health and wellbeing resources and also to strategies for families, the physical environment factors have a more direct link to immediate health disparities such as air and water quality. The quality of housing can also have immediate effects on one’s health issues such as asthma, mold, brain and nervous system damage, and infectious diseases to name a few. Lastly, access to transportation to get to the necessary medical treatments could mean life and death for some individuals. I feel that both are important considerations in the overall picture of someone’s health. Thus, I think the physical environment should be a little more heavily weighted and the social and economic factors could be reduced slightly to balance the 4 categories more evenly.

Along with the typical built environmental strategies to make the physical environment a healthier place and encourage wellbeing, I feel that increased access to safe green spaces would increase wellbeing for many. The Woods in and About Town study showed that increased access to and more engaging outdoor spaces can lead to less stress and worry. I honestly believe we push ourselves to the brink of burnout every single day regardless of age and it is wearing on our society as a whole. Kids don’t have enough outdoor time at school or sometimes outdoor spaces at home are not safe enough for them to go out and enjoy after school, as well. They can also be so wrapped up in the many other activities that they lack the time to just be. Students of all ages are addicted to electronics and would rather fully immerse themselves in a device than hang with friends outdoors or talk a walk. Adults tend to be so busy making ends meet and keeping the family schedule going to take time to themselves and work on their own mental wellbeing. That burnout is causing physical damage to our bodies in so many ways.

Like the WIAT study suggested, natural places can be very restorative. The findings of this research are aimed at researchers, policymakers, planners, and managers in public health, environmental studies, urban design, landscape architecture, forestry, and natural resources, geography, and economics. Evidence suggests that being in nature for more than 120 - 150 minutes a week is related to the best possible physical as well as mental health and wellbeing. I would encourage the powers that be to consider these findings and invest in physical environments for increased health and wellbeing.

Sources

https://www.open.edu/openlearn/health-sports-psychology/mental-health/the-benefits-outdoor-green-and-blue-spaces
https://www.sei.org/projects-and-tools/projects/assessing-forestry-commission-scotlands-woods-in-and-around-towns-wiat-programme-on-community-wellbeing/
https://vimeo.com/297952996
https://www.countyhealthrankings.org/explore-health-rankings/measures-data-sources/county-health-rankings-model/health-factors/physical-environment

Neighborhood Assessment - AARP Livability Facts

2021-11-08T08:44:00.012-06:00

This week I am assessing my own neighborhood based on the AARP livability facts. Here is the link if you would like to check it out. It was created in partnership by AARP Livable Communities and the Walkable and Livable Communities Institute. The two organizations shared a goal of helping towns, cities and communities nationwide to become safer, healthier, more walkable and overall livable for people of all ages.

I can't complain too much about my neighborhood as it is close to everything we need in life. We are less than a mile from my daughter's school and walk quite often. We are also within walking distance from a great park but it is a 30 minute trek at 1.3 miles away. See map below for Carley Road, Chapman Ave. and the 40th Street 3-way stop.

While I do live in a "subdivision" per se, it is an old neighborhood and doesn't feel like other subdivisions one may be used to. One drawback to our home is that we live on the corner of two busy streets. This has caused me great anxiety over the last few years due to the safety of my child and animals. For that reason, that's where I'll start with my suggested strategies for improvement.

Carley Road intersects two of the major thoroughfares in Springdale, 412/Sunset Ave and Don Tyson Pkwy. This leads people to engage in high rates of speed as they pass by my house. My child is not allowed to be in our beautiful front yard area unless being supervised by an adult. She can't ride her bike along the wonderful long and straight sidewalks either due to my fear of a rogue car or distracted driver.

I am proposing traffic calming, street trees and/or road diet measures to reduce speeds and add trees to portions of the center lane not necessary for turning. (Left and Top Right: examples of traffic calming/road dieting/street trees, Bottom right: Carley Road)

Next, is the walkability of the neighborhood. While most inner streets within the area have sidewalks, some of the outer areas do not. I propose a simple fix of adding sidewalks to increase safety and walkability. (Left and Bottom Right: examples of sidewalks encouraging safety, Top right: Chapman Ave, portion with no sidewalks)

Lastly, while I said we are fairly close to my daughter's school as well as another at the end of 40th Street. There is a 3 way stop in the middle of these two school zones that create headaches for parents dropping off in the morning or picking up in the afternoon, commuters who are unlucky enough to get caught in the traffic and can impeded the safety of children walking to school. I propose adding a mini roundabout to encourage more fluid traffic flow, reduce the risk of pedestrian collisions and add a more beautiful area. (Left and Bottom Right: examples of mini roundabouts encouraging safety and traffic flow, Top right: 40th St 3-way stop)

A Day in the Life: Nutrition

2021-11-01T22:40:00.002-05:00

This week we are discussing nutrition and nourishment and I’ll be honest this is an area where I struggle and most generally always have.

Growing up, there wasn’t exactly a focus on how to eat properly, and then during my young adult years, affordability was a factor that again led to poor choices overall. That foundation or lack of rather is likely the reason I find it hard to be a good role model for my child when it comes to food. It’s truly as if I need to tell her don’t do anything you see me do when it comes to nutrition, but I know that is not possible. She does eat many more vegetables and fruits than I ever did and usually prefers water, so at least there’s that!

Convenience definitely plays a large role in my life right now and I don’t know that that can change any time soon. I usually choose quick meals from Sam’s Club or frozen meal bags from Walmart. I can make spaghetti, tacos, or crockpot meals that don’t require a lot of prep. But, to be honest, 3 out of 7 days a week tend to be drive-through or order-out days because of our schedules. That’s just a fact of life right now. Once upon a time, before grad school, a full-time job, working from home, and catering to a busy pre-teen child with her many activities, I food prepped on Sunday and also printed new recipes that I actually tried. It was probably the healthiest I’d ever been but also the least busy as well. I kind of miss those days...

So, overall, I would say that lack of time and lack of proper education on nutrition are the two main factors that cause me the most anxiety when it comes to food. The struggle is real with teaching an old dog new tricks when it comes to eating properly.

On the menu for today:

Breakfast – Coffee + protein on the way to school drop-off – I think I can, I think I can...

Lunch – Croissant with bacon, egg, and cheese from a coffee shop on campus after class + water – trying to get a bit more protein but again, on the go!

Snack – A few miniature candy bars from the Halloween bucket while working from home – it's the day after Halloween.. what did you expect?!

Dinner – Veggie pasta + meat + mushroom spaghetti, salad, and a Dr. Pepper to top it off (shh.. this is my happy place) – did you see I used veggie pasta and made a "pre-bought" salad?! I tried!

Snack – Pretzels I found in the pantry after everyone went to sleep and I’m still working 16 hours after starting the day + water – I have no shame this late at night... but I know it's not a great choice but I had WATER, too!

How I could redesign my experience with food?

Take more time for me to eat properly and go to the store alone so I can pay closer attention to details
As my child gets older, I can have her help with meals preparations and be part of the experience
We can plan together to make the experience healthier and more engaging

All these are great ideas but implementing them will take time, effort, and incredible determination.

Wish me luck!
stacey

Designer's Role in Healthy Water and Wellbeing

2021-10-31T20:47:00.004-05:00

After this weeks’ lesson, I have come to realisation that the average person takes for granted access to clean water, sanitation services, and hygienic practices – myself included. I’m sure we’ve all heard about the Flint, Michigan water crisis or read stories of other sanitary crises across the world, but it seems as if it isn’t happening in your backyard, you aren’t likely to take a vested interest in it.

I believe this is one reason why future clients may discount the implementation of WELL standards when pressed to take steps towards positive change. These issues simply don’t affect them the way it does more disadvantaged locations in the U.S. Another reason may be that the cost required to implement WELL Standards is just not worth the ROI to them at the time.

In a TEDtalk called Solving the Sanitation Crisis, the speaker noted that 2.5 Billion people around the globe do not have access to toilets and basic hygiene. That’s a staggering number. Another fact he mentioned was that diarrhea is the 2^nd leading killer of children under 5 years old. As a parent, that statistic is horrifying especially since it is a preventable disease with proper access to hygiene, sanitation facilities, and safe water. Sanitation is a key element in gaining health, wealth, and security in developing countries. It isn’t simply a hardware issue but a human issue that needs to be resolved. Organizations such as Toilet Hackers is working to solve some of these issues.

But what can designers do? Individual actions by designers can play a crucial role in making life healthier and safer in the built environment through advocacy and implementation of iniatives such as the WELL Building Standard.

Some of the WELL water standards include:

Verify the quality of water for human contact through easy to test parameters
Provide access to drinking water that complies with health-based limits on chemical composition
Implement protocols to reduce risk of water quality loss and Legionella colonization
Provide access to drinking water without unpleasant taste, odor, and appearance
Maintain and display consistent high quality of drinking water
Promote proper hydration through the consumption of drinking water over less healthy alternatives by promoting access to drinking water of verified quality
Limit the potential for bacteria and mold growth within buildings from water infiltration, condensation, and internal leaks
Ensure availability of bathrooms and support hygienic hand washing and toilet use practices for all individuals
Conserve water through non-potable water systems without compromising the health of the building occupants

WELL aims to increase the rate of adequate hydration in building users and reduce health risks due to contaminated water and excessive moisture within buildings through better awareness and maintenance of water quality and management. Designers must be persistent with these standards to continue making the built environment a safer and healthier place for all who engage with it.

Bottom line – water is the life source for all humans and every human deserves to have access to safe, clean water and basic hygiene.

Sources
https://www.ted.com/talks/john_kluge_jr_solving_the_sanitation_crisis
https://v2.wellcertified.com/v/en/water
https://www.cdc.gov/healthywater/pdf/global/programs/globaldiarrhea508c.pdf

Designer's Role in Healthy Air and Wellbeing

2021-10-24T21:43:00.004-05:00

Air pollution is considered the most significant environmental threat to human health, causing approximately seven million deaths each year. Exposure to polluted air increases mortality risk to people from stroke, heart disease, pulmonary disease, lung cancer, and respiratory infections. Our buildings and cities worldwide both expose people to indoor air pollution and contribute to the ambient (outdoor) pollution crisis. Both pollution sources have distinct causes across the building lifecycle and must be tackled accordingly to protect human health and wellbeing.

Unfortunately, it is blatantly obvious that those in charge of making decisions that affect the masses do not always put the health and safety of those human beings above profit, policy, or implementing the tough actions necessary to keep people safe. It always seems to be someone else’s problem to solve or not a big enough issue to invest time and energy into taking steps to make healthier decisions that will positively affect individuals in the long run.

Individual actions by designers can play a crucial role in making life healthier for those individuals who cannot always make the necessary choices to keep themselves or their families safe in the built environment. Studies suggest people spend 90% of their time indoors. Exposure to pollutants within the home and other indoor environments can damage human health and worsen in sealed or contained indoor environments with reduced airflow.

All human beings deserve health, comfort, and happiness. Still, socioeconomically diverse populations are affected at a higher rate due to several factors that create disparities in the community members’ overall health, as we looked at in the last lesson.

Designers alone can’t solve all the world’s problems. Still, they tend to be more progressive problem solvers and have the power to help create healthier spaces for all inhabitants, leading to more productive lifestyles and potentially to a more just environment for all.

A few ways designers can tackle air pollutions:

Support the switch to more efficient building material production, particularly around traditional brick firing
Energy-efficient building design (and renovation) to improve the quality of building envelope and consequential energy load for heating and cooling
Passive design strategies, including energy-efficient building fabric, vegetation, and ventilation, can reduce heating or cooling requirements within buildings and maintain comfortable living conditions
Lessen exposure to hazardous chemicals in the indoor environment through conscious product selection and the use of low emission materials, such as low volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emission paints, sealants, adhesives, fixtures, fit-outs, and flooring, as well as low-formaldehyde products
Energy-efficient building design and/or renovation to reduce risk of damp or mold build-up
Minimization of potentially harmful chemicals in building materials
Proper filtration of air for forced air systems, particularly in locations susceptible to poor air quality, such as areas susceptible to wildfires

Bottom line – Architects, designers, and planners are uniquely trained to think in cross-disciplinary ways to solve problems and have a massive role to play in healthy built environments that consider their duty to diversity and inclusion.

Sources
https://worldgbc.org/principle-1-protect-and-improve-health
https://www.cdc.gov/healthyplaces/factsheets/health_issues_related_to_community_design_factsheet_final.pdf|
https://www.architecturaldigest.com/story/justice-in-design-america

Wellbeing in the Workplace - By the Numbers

2021-09-27T00:08:00.002-05:00

This week I am following up on a few of the statistics that were discussed in the client letter from last week. Below are several graphics that demonstrate the lack of well-being in the workplace and the people who can be affected by it.

An estimated 7% of employer health-related costs can be attributed to absenteeism, and another 58% to “presenteeism”—the act of attending work while sick—according to SHRM data. This totals a potential 65% of health-related costs that are directly connected to the well-being of workers (see Figure 1).

Functionality, comfort, and adjustability of furniture showed particular relationships to employees’ reported level of energy at work. Air quality, noise, and natural light also influenced energy levels and showed direct relationships to the likelihood of employees calling in sick (see Figures 2 and 3).

Designing for the ends of the spectrum can and will ultimately include those with hidden disabilities which can affect more than 95% of individuals (see Figure 4).

Mental health disorders account for several of the top causes of disability in established market economies, such as the U.S., worldwide, and include major depression (also called clinical depression), manic depression (also called bipolar disorder), schizophrenia, and obsessive-compulsive disorder. An estimated 26% of Americans ages 18 and older -- about 1 in 4 adults -- suffer from a diagnosable mental disorder each year (see Figure 5).

Several factors in life have an impact on mental health and your office—where you spend most of your time—is one of them. Designing for a healthier workplace can reduce the effects of these factors (see Figure 6).

Finances, Health, and Wellness in the Workplace

2021-09-20T20:36:00.015-05:00

Dear valued client,

The last 20 months have been less than awesome for anyone, let alone a mid-sized consumer goods company trying to meet the needs of their customers and turn a profit. Not to mention, you have felt your fair share of mental, physical, and emotional anguish from your personal and professional worlds colliding without warning due to covid. This pandemic has affected you and all 40 of your employees through stress, turnover, and low morale. You and your leadership team have hit a dead end as to how you can keep up with the customer's growing demands and keep employees happy, too. Have you considered the cost of wellbeing? Or rather, your entire staff not being well in the workplace?

A few facts to consider:

65% of employees think they can find a better position elsewhere.
Employee retention rates hit a record low in March 2020.
By 2030, low retention will, on average, cost the US $430 billion annually.
Good retention can maximize company profits up to 4 times.
The cost of replacing a trained employee can be more than 200% of their salary.
Losing employees leads to decreased productivity for the entire team

In an article titled, "Toward A Wellness Based Workplace," research showed an estimated 7% of employer health-related costs can be attributed to absenteeism, and another 58% to "presenteeism"—the act of attending work while sick—according to SHRM data. This totals a potential 65% of health-related costs that are directly connected to the wellbeing of workers.

Employees who are dissatisfied with their workplace are more likely to call in sick: 35% of those who are dissatisfied called in sick four or more days per year versus only 13% of those who are satisfied. The result was even more dramatic when asked if they find their workplace energizing: 74% of workers satisfied with their workplace reported their space as energizing versus only 4% of those dissatisfied with their environment. Functionality, comfort, and adjustability of furniture showed particular relationships to employees' reported level of energy at work. Air quality, noise, and natural light also influenced energy levels and showed direct relationships to the likelihood of employees calling in sick.

With statistics like these, my question to you is: How can you afford NOT to consider the health and wellbeing of yourself and your staff? The foundation of your livelihood depends on this team's daily collaboration and productivity level, and both are affected by the environment in which these activities are conducted.

What this means:

High-quality work environments improve employee health and satisfaction.
Healthy workplaces empower workers to make better wellness choices.
Empower designers to have wellness conversations.
Shift conversations from medical costs to healthy behaviors.

So you are curious now... where do you go from here? What could be implemented or thoughtfully designed to help your workplace become a more hospitable, healthy, and emotionally supportive environment for all who work there?

Here are a few ideas to consider:

Reposition the Stairwells
Natural Light
Elements of Nature
Air Quality
Collaboration Spaces
Ergonomic Workstations
Health and Wellbeing initiatives
Hybrid work options

Bottom line – Happy workers are more productive, less likely to leave their jobs, and less likely to take time off sick. All these things affect your bottom line.

So, let's talk about strategies. My design skills are at your service.

Sincerely,

Stacey

Sources

https://legaljobs.io/blog/employee-retention-statistics/
https://www.forbes.com/sites/alankohll/2019/01/24/how-your-office-space-impacts-employee-wellbeing/?sh=78f587d564f3
https://www.gensler.com/gri/toward-a-wellness-based-workplace
https://www.corporatewellnessmagazine.com/article/office-design-impact-employee-health-productivity
https://haptivate.co.uk/blog/the-benefits-of-wellbeing-at-work-where-to-start-what-works/
https://corporatedesigninteriors.wordpress.com/2017/11/30/biophilic-design-a-naturally-beneficial-workspace/

Health + Wellness Standards and Laws

2021-09-15T21:30:00.008-05:00

This week, the focus is on Health + Wellness Standards and Laws. So I'll dive right in. I think the standards and certifications that encourage green building or health-related standards such as LEED or WELL AP are fantastic. Their implementation is making significant progress for the greater good of the environment and humans, BUT we can't stop there. Chapter 7 of the Kopec book states that Active Design and Inclusive (or Universal) Design are more prominent in the green certification programs than in either of the two HR Standards discussed. This further reiterates that none of the certificates are all-encompassing in their positive impacts. While I believe the green certifications are essential, making a dent in the inequalities, we face as a society is just as critical.

Maslow's hierarchy of needs is a motivational theory in psychology comprising a five-tier model of human needs, often depicted as hierarchical levels within a pyramid. From the bottom of the hierarchy upwards, the needs are: physiological (food and clothing), safety (job security), love and belonging needs (friendship), esteem, and self-actualization.

I found an article titled Towards a Positive Psychology of Buildings and Workplace Community the Positive Built Workplace Environment, which included these needs and their relationship to the built environment. It highlights the impact of the physical environment on performance, engagement, and gratitude. While it is written with the workplace in mind, I felt the concept could easily be applied to a residential environment. All of the design-related positive built work environment concepts are important to emphasize, but for this post, I want to draw attention to this one: "Physically safe, injury-free environment, the building imparts a sense of security and safety."

Needs lower down in the hierarchy or pyramid must be satisfied before individuals can focus on needs higher up. If individuals never attain a sense of security or physiological comfort, they will never thrive. They will continually struggle or worse, cease to exist.

Shouldn't it be our goal for all humans to reach peak levels? I feel it is a fundamental human right. But for that, we need even more inclusive standards and codes. We need laws to protect the vulnerable and weak. We need advocates to speak on behalf of those who don't have a voice.

I understand one person realistically can not change the world, but each individual can leverage their knowledge, skills, and expertise to make a difference. I also think one person can only truly be dedicated to a few "causes" before you are spread so thin that your ability to make an impact is significantly diminished. So we each must choose our causes, be an advocate, and set forth to make a difference. For me, as I stated in my last blog, I will continue to advocate for additional policies that focus on the individual and their journey to thrive.

To conclude, as designers, I feel if we want to build a better society and do the most good, we need to be advocating for higher standards within the built environment that meet the physical and physiological needs of the inhabitants. Go above the minimum requirements and standards currently set to get by. Do not allow the checklist mentality to be your comfort zone once you can exceed expectations. Until then, ask questions, understand the minimum standards' policies, why they are the way they are, and how they do not work for all individuals. If you fully understand a topic inside and out, you are much more likely to move away from the checklist in a thoughtful and valuable way and drive positive change.

stacey

The Cost of Wellbeing

2021-09-06T16:53:00.000-05:00

After finishing my first assignment in the Health and Wellness in the Built Environment, I saw a trend in my journal entries. Much like my personality implies, I'm an INFJ-T; I am driven by a desire to advocate through strategic constant improvement. How can I make a difference? How can I help solve the problem?

The central concept for this lesson is the cost of wellbeing. It surprised me very little to see the correlation between poor wellbeing and the increased cost of those health burdens. The CDC listed several chronic diseases that contribute to lower wellbeing levels, and I struggle with 3 of the seven listed. Sadly, I am the rule rather than the exception, with 64% of adults are either in the struggling or suffering category from a new disease in a year-over-year comparison.

So what do we as a society do to reverse our overwhelmingly poor wellbeing? The articles I reviewed indicated that workplace organizations could make a difference by enhancing the work environment most adults engage in. The summary gave an excellent overview of how corporations can positively impact employees by offering support, flexibility, programs that promote wellbeing, structures to achieve a level of thriving, and environments in which relationship-building is valued. The CDC stated that over 133 million adults suffer from chronic diseases and over 70% of all US deaths result from one of these chronic diseases. These diseases are also largely due to personal choice, and the vast majority of the deaths are PREVENTABLE.

Regarding my original question(s) – How can I make a difference, and how can I help solve the problem? I am not designing the built environment per se, but I am involved in the talent organization, which falls under human resources. From that perspective, I can advocate normalizing self-care, flexibility, and balance in life. Normalize the inclusion of underrepresented groups as a high priority, bringing more voices and perspectives to the table. Normalize discussing our disabilities, health concerns, and limitations as humans concerning our productivity. I can help advocate that you CAN be productive and have any number of physical or mental limitations. Recognize that all employee abilities are not created equally; therefore, human resource policies should not be one size fits all.

I firmly believe my organization values its associates as humans. I am thankful for the global movement to place a higher value on wellbeing as a WHOLE HUMAN BEING, not just the individual portion that is productive for business ROI. That said, I will continue to advocate for additional policies that focus on the individual and their journey to thrive.

Both corporate policies and personal advocation can reduce the number of struggling or suffering adults, which will lessen the burden of cost. In some small way, I feel that is my way of contributing to a healthier society.

-stacey

Sew Crafty!

2012-09-15T17:16:00.000-05:00

So what do you do if your team has many key players with injuries, playing the number 1 team in the nation and it's pouring down rain? You sew! Bless my Hogs hearts but this was going to be a tough game on the best of days so to keep this naturally anxious momma from screaming at the tv all afternoon at plays I can not control I decided to finish the project I started last week. I loved this fabric with little owls and birdies on it, plus Chris and I both love the color combination of green and purple. Below are a few photos of the the finished product which isn't perfect but was made with a lot of love and a few cuss words! Not bad for my first article of clothing for this spoiled little girl! :)

Whooo rocked the project? Momma!

I added trim to the bottom and it ended up creating an elastic effect. Oops!

Hadley will wear it... And love it!

Bittersweet: Update

2012-08-29T10:14:00.001-05:00

I got the call yesterday afternoon! Good news! No gestational diabetes.

Bittersweet

2012-08-28T10:23:00.000-05:00

This morning I have been at the hospital since 7:15am. I have been fasting since roughly 10pm and I am not a happy camper inside! On the outside I have been chit chatting with the patients coming and going in the lab waiting room, watching my favorite shows Drop Dead Diva and Army Wives, and trying to practice the patience that will be vital when Little Miss Hadley gets here. Grrr.. this is not fun! Telling myself just have faith, be patient, and remember it is all worth it in the end. Only 45 minutes to go!

Yum yum drink and not so happy momma to be..

Follow up to a stressful day?

2012-08-24T13:48:00.002-05:00

Enough said...

Patience, love, and stress

2012-08-23T23:04:00.005-05:00

Most days its easy to think about how wonderful life really is. I have a wonderful husband who despite being a busy grad student would bend over backwards for me (and HJ). A sweet baby girl on the way and a crazy awesome family that supports each other through stress, drama, and the everyday perils of ordinary life. But... I, as some of you know, am quite an anxious person who on occasion gets beyond stressed out about this and that.

This week it has been the fact that Chris has to be gone soooo much for his research. He typically is gone for 3 days then has to run samples over the next 2 days- basically leaving only the weekend for "us" time. However, as I have realized over time, this does not mean we can or should pack in as much excitement as normal families get who see each other daily.

I am the type who loves to be around others and on the go, alot. Chris on the other hand likes his down time and I have unfairly bombarded this only time off with lots of requests for "us" time. He truly does his best to accommodate such a extroverted wife but bless his heart! Chris just reminds me that this will all be over soon and I will be stuck with him at home all the time in the future, as he makes a face as if I would hate that!

I know this research is a necessary evil for finishing the amazing journey called Ph.D candidacy; however, I can't help but become a little sad when he will/has been gone 13 out of the next 14 days. I know I am a grown woman and shouldn't react as if I were a child being left at daycare for the first time- yet I lost it today. Experiencing emotion is healthy right?! I have always thought that getting your emotions out was healthier than repressing them but then again I've never been pregnant before now. This is new territory for me and hopefully has not been to the detriment of sweet baby HJ.

I suppose I do have the benefit of looking to other mothers I respect and seeing that it is completely normal to feel out of control on occasion. That truly does put me at ease a bit. I am not crazy or alone in these emotions. Someone whom I have looked up to for several years is Kelly Martin Stamps. To me she has been the epitome of sweet southern lady turned amazing mother turned funny, wise, and influential blogger. She posted yesterday about becoming Unglued. Like I said a minute ago I feel better about knowing this happens to the best of women out there. Being a good wife or mother has more to do with the fact that you can be honest about things like this, take a deep breath, pray, and move on from it rather than hiding it away and pretending it doesn't exist. Thank you Kelly for making me feel human and for just being you!

Another person who makes me feel loved and human even at my worst is my own mother. It's times like today when I realize that being a good mother sometimes has nothing to do with showing your child how strong they can be. It's showing them that being vulnerable is perfectly fine too. At my worst sometimes I try to push away from any support fearing that it is better to be sad alone. My mother said to me I love you so much that I want to be your punching bag. Basically saying, I am hear to listen and absorb the venom you are feeling because that's what good mothers do. They want the hurt to go away from their child. Vulnerability allows you to let down your guard, get out that emotion, and then start to feel better.

I have been told I have to be strong for HJ. I shouldn't get so stressed out. I feel that in actuality the fact that I get it out, breath, and then move on from it is healthier for us both in the long run. I cried and cried when Chris left. Took a warm shower crying even more. Then fell asleep. Woke up and felt better. I have spent the evening talking to HJ and rubbing my tummy. She has been kicking off and on for the last two hours. Responding to my voice and the tummy rubbing. I feel if she can forgive me for occasionally feeling down or stressed out then life truly is good. I will be there for her just as my mom and husband and friends have been there for me. Love is shown in many ways. The kicks I feel even after such negativity show me that love starts out very early on. I love you too Hadley Jane.

Sneak Peek! Baby HJ's Nursery

2012-08-23T09:10:00.000-05:00

Some of you may have gotten more than a sneak peek if you have visited the Rogers household recently. However! Many of you have not! So I'll give you a little taste of the work in progress.. This as I have said before has been such a fun process. Oh how I love this little girl and so hope she loves her new home as much as we do. Although, I will say it's highly likely my dream of having a girlie girl will be dashed by a tough little chick who loves camo and guns more than pink and ruffles! Maybe we can settle on pink ruffled camo?! Only time will tell... Voila!

Sweat Equity

2012-08-22T13:07:00.002-05:00

Probably self explanatory but here are more photos of Daddy (and Grandpa Fred helped too!) hard at work on the set for HJ's room.

The broken drawer face from the desk. (Previous post)

Daddy sanding the grooves for the headboard.

Hardware off and drawer front sanded.

See! I told you looks can be deceiving! The hutch and chest of drawers
had so much paint it had to be stripped down. Red paint was underneath.

Finally bare wood under all that paint.


Ooh! Daddy finally priming the headboard.

In the next post I'll give you a sneak peek of the perfect furniture and parts of her nursery! Happy Wednesday!

The Perfect Furniture and Potty Pals

2012-08-21T09:26:00.000-05:00

So earlier this month I posted a few photos of what inspired us for the baby's room. I also mentioned that we found potential furniture in my parents storage barn! Finally! After much delay... I have downloaded the photos of that furniture before being transformed into what we hoped would be the cutest furniture I couldn't have ever bought! I say that because I have searched for and priced sets with similar character well into the several hundred dollar range. Excluding us due to budget. Boo..

Nevertheless! We were determined to make this set work for our needs and to be cute to boot! So without further ado... Here are the first photos of the before photos!

The desk was missing a drawer which had fallen off.

The headboard. Wow. And the piece to the right.. Just remember looks can be deceiving.

Potty Pals. And no! I do not claim responsibility for that masterpiece.

10 - 12 years of gross build up in storage.

Stay tuned for the transformation photos and have a swell day!

Baby Adelaide | 8 month shoot

2012-08-20T22:11:00.000-05:00

This past weekend I did a shoot for Baby Adelaide and her parents. This baby has so much character! She had me smiling the whole time. I have been fortunate enough to be involved in several of her life milestones: momma's maternity shots, her newborn shots, and now her 8 month shots (aka 6 month planned shoot)! I look forward to seeing her continue to grow and develop her effervescent personality! See you in a few more months sweet girl. Also, check out her momma's blog Away at Home Mom for a snippet about s. trucks photography!

Design Camp 2012

2012-08-07T13:12:00.000-05:00

This summer I was invited to participate in a design camp for high school students. Thank you to Phoebe Lickwar, Aubrey Pate Mitchell, Alison Turner, Jenny Bermudez, Katie Dunn, Colby Ritter, Robert Whittemore, and the wonderful students who made this week a fantastic experience! Check out the photos from the camp! Also, check out this link for an article on the camp through the University.

Chocolate Chip Coconut Cookies

2012-08-06T20:22:00.001-05:00

Betty Crocker has nothing on me! Ha! Well that may be an overstatement but I am giving her a run for the money. Lately I have tried not to be afraid of trying new things. That may sound funny but I have been scared of learning to cook and bake for most of my life. Maybe it's the fear of failing? Who knows.. but I have to learn sometime! And for Hadley's sake I suppose it's better to try out my cooking on Chris rather than on her! LOL

Sunday I decided to try chocolate chip cookies with an added twist. I used the Hershey's recipe.

Ingredients

2-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
3/4 cup granulated sugar
3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 eggs
2 cups (12-oz. pkg.) HERSHEY'S Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips
1 cup coconut flakes

1 Heat oven to 375°F.
2 Stir together flour, baking soda and salt. Beat butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar and vanilla in large bowl with mixer until creamy. Add eggs; beat well. Gradually add flour mixture, beating well. Stir in chocolate chips and coconut flakes. Drop by rounded teaspoons onto ungreased cookie sheet.
3 Bake 8 to 10 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool slightly; remove from cookie sheet to wire rack. Cool completely. About 5 dozen cookies.

PAN RECIPE: Spread batter in greased 15-1/2x10-1/2x1-inch jelly-roll pan. Bake at 375°F. 20 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool completely; cut into bars. About 4 dozen bars.

Before

After- Baked to perfection!

So half of the recipe made around 40 cookies. After Charlie, Chris, and I taste tested them *all afternoon* we had 8 left this morning! Needless to say I enjoyed them and so did Miss Hadley!


Yummy in my tummy!

One last thing.. I got a text from Charlie today saying the cookies he took home to his roommate were a hit. Guys just don't text to say cookies were yummy unless they were hella good. ;) Yea me!

The Perfect Baby Room

2012-08-06T19:31:00.001-05:00

So it was inevitable that once we found out Baby Rogers was a girl our ideas of a simply sharing a room with the baby and having a modest and simple design was out the window. After hours of searching pinterest and the web for inspiration I was set on the shabby chic and sweet girly nursery I'd always envisioned. I was inspired by these rooms!

Then came searching for the furniture that would be perfect for her room.. I look on craigslist, I priced new furniture, we looked at a few vintage shops but nothing was perfect (or I should say perfect and priced right)! Frustration set in. Then my mother called me with a suggestion. She said the furniture I used as a child was still out in the storage shed. Soooo... Chris and I came down one night to take a look. It was worth a chance!

Once we started digging we found all the pieces in repairable shape and the decision was made to put in the many many hours of labor to bring these pieces back to life!

Baby Love and Summer Milestones

2012-08-05T18:44:00.002-05:00

As most of you know Chris and I are expecting a little one in November. It had been my hope to be one of those fabulous mommas to be that blogged constantly about how wonderful it is to be pregnant and recount the special moments along the way. Unfortunately, that goal is nearly 2/3 incomplete and I am just now getting around to updating my blog since the last day of my college career! Can you blame me though? I have been a little busy... So! I am giving you the quick version of the last 3 months milestones and we will just go from there on the previously stated goal.

May 12, 2012- Graduation

Susie and I after graduation.

June 14, 2012 - We are having a....GIRL!


Baby Hadley Jane at 18 weeks.

June 26, 2012 - The Big Move 2012

New house - Big Mess!

July 26, 2012 - 2nd ultrasound done to make sure everything was perfect with Miss Hadley

Baby Hadley at 24 weeks.

Last day of undergrad...

2012-05-02T16:47:00.000-05:00

Well... it's finally here. I can't really believe it but I have made it through my undergraduate degree program (and alive)! I've had a few milestones along the way that I will never forget either. Met my best friends.

Lesley was my official freshman year (many many years ago). Kelly and I met the year after I decided to take a break from college. Paige my "second" freshman year (first year of interior design) or College 2.0 as sweet Paige would say. And Miss Susie my sophomore year of design- we learned we had more in common than design when we celebrated the first of many joint birthdays together. All of these girls have enriched my life greatly. During that time I was introduced to some of the most caring professors I've ever met. My first nephew was born my second first year. I met my husband my first junior year of school. I withdrew from the program moved to Virginia for that man then moved back before you could say Woo Pig Sooie! Re-enrolled in the program and the rest is history. By the way I love the class that I joined! The last two years of my experience has been so important and special that I can't even begin to blog about it but I'm trying!

I was married the winter of my second junior year. My sweet mother-in-law passed away during that spring and I helped in the Interior Design program all summer. Wow what a summer! The CIDA accreditation taught me so much about responsibility and teamwork. Then came senior year. Programming all semester was challenging at times but with good friends and great company I made it to the last semester. Oh and if we're keeping count of life milestones... I lost my darling baby Hankie dog. :( But sweet nephew number two joined the family! This has been a crazy roller coaster of emotions, life, love and ultimately best learning experience of my life.When I look back at it I realize that while I was just trying to get through the program my life was happening all around. These years weren't just about a degree. It was a time of growth personally and professionally.

The future should be just as excited but I'm sure I will never be able to replace these memories. It was worth every second to just have these people and experiences in my life. Looking forward to the next chapter. Me

Cover Letter and Resume

2012-04-23T10:47:00.001-05:00

I worked on my resume and cover letter over the weekend. I tried the Optimal Resume Builder on the Razorback CareerLink and found it quite helpful. While I had designed a resume last year it just didn't seem to fit every job that I will be going up for in the next few months. Here is the final product. Wish me luck!