Chiropractic Care Can Relieve Stress

The eye twitch was driving me crazy. Not only was it driving me crazy, I looked crazy with the eye twitch. I’d been dealing with it for over two weeks and no amount of deep breathing or “relaxation” made it stop. The only time it came in handy was when I asked the kids to clean. “Go clean your playroom…or else,” *insert creepy and threatening eye twitch*. Regardless of the power that the twitch might have held, it needed to go and so I headed to the chiropractor.

I tend to hold a lot of my stress in my neck and shoulders. Having a chiropractor that is trained in adjusting the atlas has made a big difference for me! She can tell if my atlas is out just by looking at my legs and feet. There have been a few times that one leg was shorter than the other, up to a quarter of an inch! Just imagine all the extra pressure that was being put on the other side of my body to try and support the shortened leg!

Breathing some fresh air while looking at the pasture.

At my initial appointment, before my first adjustment, they took pictures of my stance. I was leaning to one side and also forward in my natural and relaxed stance. Yikes! I was also suffering from extreme vertigo. The world felt like it was spinning, even when I was sitting or lying down. When I would go run errands I was always nervous that I would accidentally fall over! That stress also made it feel like someone was pushing down on my shoulders. Remember how I mentioned that I tend to store stress in my neck and shoulders? All the added worry was a cycle that I couldn’t break on my own. It turned in to a physical ailment.

Allopathic doctors probably would have recommended a pill for the vertigo. The goal being to reduce inflammation or any fluid build up. As you know, there are always side effects for long term usage of any medication. The more I can do through diet choices and chiropractic care, the better chance my body has at maintaining great health. I have upped my intake of minerals, omega 3s, vitamins, and have also begun taking probiotics. All of those things will assist my body in it’s daily functions. One of those functions being handling stress and we have all experienced some stress in our lives!

I have had immense benefit to my overall health from chiropractic care! If you want to locate a doctor who is trained in atlas adjustments, check out this helpful website. You can also make it a point to ask your chiropractor if they have studied atlas adjustments and if they use them in their practice. I’m so thankful for my chiropractor, all the years of study that she has gone through and her consistent attention to detail. She has blessed me greatly!

-Erin (Coffee Mama Bear)

P.S. Don’t forget to check out Part 1 of our Farmhouse Renovation! It has all our flooring, kitchen countertop, and the interior brick installation details!

Freedom can be found in Home-Schooling

I was nervous to start our first day of home school. I had butterflies in my stomach. I was tense. Could I teach kids at different learning levels at the same time? How would that not be distracting? Could I cover a variety of subjects all by myself? A good amount of freedom can be found in home-schooling and yet, I still put myself in a box. A box of other people’s unmentioned standards. The pressure from these imaginary home-school rule makers left me feeling ill-equipped. Then it hit me one afternoon, the only person putting unrealistic pressure on our home-school journey was me. No one was yelling at me to get it all perfect. It was my own thoughts that were skewing the view.

Reading time during home-school - Canva Image — *Reading time during home-school – Canva Image*

Honestly, my kids were so ready to absorb this time together. We were in need of connection after a crazy summer. In those first weeks of schooling we had some bumps in learning style, but I allowed us to pivot to a better method. We were using our new found home-school freedom! I started to see them thrive and we all found a groove in our Monday through Friday schedule. They have different motivators and I began making sure to use what I was learning from them. I had to make room for their voices in this process too.

My kids are blossoming now. I keep reminding myself that this is a special year for us all. That the freedom and time we have to dive into subjects might not always be available to us. We go head strong into the topics that they love and we work through the ones that challenge them. When my oldest sighs and gets discouraged at having to erase a wrong answer I usually reply, “They have an eraser at the end of every pencil for a reason, we all make mistakes. No one is perfect”.

We’ve had conversations about grace and how important it is to give grace to ourselves too. We have talked about failure and how it’s usually through our mistakes that we tend to learn the most. I have touted my amazing skills with erasers…and it’s only because I’ve had a lot of practice with them. Our breaks in the school day include jumping jacks, outside time, a snack, silly songs, learning games on the tablet, and free play. We have time for them to build forts, set up their own grocery store, play with play-doh, enjoy kinetic sand, and explore water coloring. We use a lot of these toys on this list during our play times!

I know that I’m not going to regret this one-on-one time with my kids. Other bumps in our home-school journey will come our way, I’m sure of it. The days are not perfect, but we get to do them together. And if I told you that doubts didn’t still come my way, I’d be lying. They do, but I know what I’ve been called to do and I will not back down from this task.

I try to remind myself that they won’t always be little. They won’t always want to jump in my lap every time I sit down to catch my breath before we tackle the next part of our day. This time is precious, tough, a challenge, a blessing, and a wild ride. To all who are in the home-school journey as well, I pray that God would continue to fill your cup. That you would find encouragement when you need it and that His unending grace and love would cover your family this season.

Sincerely,
Erin aka Coffee Mama Bear

Spring Season Gift Giving Finds!

Let’s gift some love to your girlfriends, family members, and the other awesome ladies in your life! Below is a spring time themed gift guide. Whether it’s a gift for their birthday, a celebration, Mother’s Day, or “just because”, you can find something to make their day a little brighter! I love supporting artisans, small businesses, and fair trade sources, so you won’t find these items in a local big box store. Don’t forget to plan for a bit of extra time on shipping for anything you want to customize!

Spring Time Gift Guide

Something to Wear
Lightweight & Light Pink Scarf – Perfect for spring outfits!
Ginkgo Print Viscose Scarf – Black and white print, easy to match.
Dandelion Silhouette T-Shirt – This is on my list to purchase for myself!
“God is Within Her, She Will Not Fall” T-shirt – Uplifting and sweet.
Bow & Straw Bucket Hat – So cute, I love the style on this one.
Short Brim Straw Hat – Black ribbon and versatile style.

Something Fancy
Flying Bee Barrette – A sweet look for a half-up-half-down look or a bun.
Sunflower Bracelet – Great price, lovely color.
Teardrop Turquoise Fringe Earrings – Lightweight and supports women.
Rose Gold Starfish Project Bracelet – Unique piece, that supports a cause!
Mustard Seed & Baby’s Breath Necklace – Memorable item, special significance to the receiver.
Mother of Pearl Bracelet – Perfect staple piece of jewelry, gold or silver
Spring Colors Lava Beads Bracelet – Great Price. Supports women in Kenya.
Moonstone Necklace – Customizable stone, chain type, and length.

Something to Decorate With
Lavender Watercolor with Frame – A beautiful piece of art, sure to delight.
“He is Risen” Sign – Simple and gorgeous decor item. Write a sweet message on the back for that extra touch of love.
Farmhouse Inspired Spring Wreath – I totally want this for my front door!
Texas Bluebonnet Print – Can be printed on so many mediums like wood, paper, an apron, cotton towel, etc.
Spring Pillowcase – Great for anyone who loves switching out their pillows with the seasons. Remember to buy the pillow insert!

Something Useful & Pretty
Semi-circle Tote Rain-Drop – Affordable and cute print.
Lightweight Navy & Cream Throw Blanket – Gorgeous blanket to welcome spring! Supports women in Ethiopia.
Yellow Roses Mug – Yellow Roses mean “Friendship”.
Dandelion Print Pleated Bag – Love the print
Gardening Apron – She makes high quality items. Great stitching!
Gold Initial & Floral Mug – Lovely design on this mug.

Happy gift giving, friends!
-Erin

Feel free to email me anytime erin@coffeemamabear.com
Check out my Instagram for fun and coffee!

Cup of Encouragement – Best Valentine’s Day Gifts for Coffee Lovers

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Coffee and love are a great pair. Choosing to give coffee as a token of your love…you just WON Valentine’s Day. Whether you are gifting to your mother, father, sister, brother, spouse, your child’s teacher, your neighbor, or your closest friend, coffee will be a delightful present. Unless, they ONLY drink tea, then you really need to reconsider your bond with each other. Kidding. Possibly. We’re still friends, Gina. Let’s get to the gifts you need for Valentine’s Day!

Time for an Upgrade! – Items for Their Daily Coffee Grind

Chemex Coffee Maker – This beautiful glass coffee maker is like giving a gift of art. Only, this piece of art makes coffee and they’ll love you even more because we all know handmade stick figure drawings can only be a present from your toddler now. The coffee does take a little longer to brew with this method, but they will end up with a nice smooth cup. Be sure to buy filters, either paper or a stainless steel mesh insert to go along with it.

French Press Coffee Maker – Another unique and beautiful way to make a cup of coffee is a french press. You can find them in various sizes too! One for home use, one for the office, and one for those times they host brunch, with you in attendance. You might need to write down that brunch hosting requirement in the card…

Aeropress Coffee Maker – Portable, easy to use, and makes a smooth cup. The Aeropress is perfect for the friend who wants a great cup of coffee, but also travels a lot! Also, a great option for people who have to live with other people who do not enjoy coffee…that’s a tough life…they really need this coffee maker. Show them some love. Maybe add in a hug.

Capresso Coffee Grinder – You will literally be elevating their daily grind with this coffee grinder. We have been using ours for years. The great part about this grinder is the settings. Whatever coffee maker they have at home (even keurig has a stainless mesh liner) they can grind the beans at the optimum setting for their maker.

Bodum Bistro Grinder – Going on Amazon reviews for this one, but I did run this through fakespot to make sure they are genuine. (Got a “B” rating.) Less expensive than the previous item on the list, this one also has grind settings. Maybe throw in a pun in your card for this one, “One gift that will help your daily grind be as fine as you. Keep it up, my honey boo.” Obviously, honey boo is optional.

Coffee Subscriptions – They Will Love You

Apropos Roasters – Jennie-Mae is excellent at her craft. We have received beans from Kenya, Nicaragua, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Guatemala…all excellently roasted. You can purchase via Etsy listing and you can message to ask for a custom order. She also does wedding favors, talk about giving your guests an amazing gift…if I’d only known!

White Rock Coffee Roasters – You can buy online, in store, or even snag some of their blends at Central Market, but their subscriptions are where you can save. I’ve purchased several types of roasts from them and I enjoy the variety of flavors they offer! The House Blend or the Brazil Monte Cristo are excellent roasts to try.

Texas Coffee Club – A bunch of coffee, that Texans roast, and send your way within 24-48 hours after roasting and it’s all available to you via subscription! You can also pick all sorts of details – roast level, flavor, notes, whole or ground beans – and you can keep within a specific budget too. You’re sure to find something great to please your…I mean your Valentine’s…pallet.

Barba Coffee Co. – A family owned business, run by brothers, with their father’s nickname as their namesake (Barba means “beard” in Portuguese); this would be a great coffee subscription. They have a cool quiz for you to find your coffee personality (or that of your gift receiver)! You have options for how much coffee to send and how often you want it delivered. Be sure to tell them that Coffeemamabear sent you!

Coffee Apparel & More – They’ll Receive Compliments!

Women’s Coffee Shirts
– “I love you a latte”
– Coffee Heart
– “But First, Coffee”
– “Mama Needs Coffee”
– “Coffee is My Love Language”

Men’s Coffee Shirts
– “Powered by Coffee and Sarcasm”
– Coffee Brewing Apparatus Diagram
– Caffeine Molecule
– Coffee Refill Code
– “It’s 7am Somewhere”

Coffee Books & More
– Craft Coffee: A Manual
– Coffee Obsession Book
– Chemex Cozy
– Latte Earrings
– Coffee Cup Necklace
– Yeti Coffee Mug

I wish you luck and much love on your Valentine’s Day giving this year! If you are a coffee lover and need to send a not-so-subtle hint about what you want this year…be sure to forward this list! Feel free to email me with any questions or comments. erin@coffeemamabear.com

Find me on Instagram – @coffeemamabear
Find me on Facebook – Coffee Mama Bear

Cup of Encouragement – Grief and Coffee

Last Thanksgiving, I was not thankful. I did not want to look people in the eye, accept hugs, smile, or make small conversational chit chat. It took every ounce of self control to sit, make myself numb, and stare at the parade on TV. I wanted to scream. I needed to cry. I didn’t have a desire to eat anything. Turkey, mashed potatoes, and gravy were not going to make this better.

The day before Thanksgiving, I found myself staring a bright red blood. This was not supposed to happen, again. My plan for Thanksgiving day was to do my best to hide the secret that I was pregnant while hanging out with our family. I had already visited with a midwife and started planning what life was going to be like with a third baby. All my dreams broke that morning. My husband ran into the bathroom and hugged me, while I sobbed on the toilet.

I had my first miscarriage in 2015 and shortly after became pregnant again with Charlotte. Charlotte was born in the middle of some crazy times, but we praised the Lord for our rainbow baby. During the grief process, I felt a desire to name our baby that we lost. I chose the name Jesse. Jesse means “gift” and it was truly a gift to be able to hold Jesse in my womb, even if it was for a short time. My husband was the one to name our baby this time, our loss last Thanksgiving. Casey is the name he chose and it means “brave”. Casey would have been born this July.

Casey was a surprise baby, so we knew that Casey had an impression to make on our life, the details unknown to us at the time. Casey pushed me to be brave. This tiny, beautiful person, that I held in my womb for a short time. Just like I knew that my daughter, Charlotte, was going to be an opinionated brown haired girl…I knew that Casey was feisty. In the midst of this surprise we spoke to the Lord, “We will care for this child you have given us because we know that you have a purpose for this life.” God is the giver of life and He places great value on it, even in the womb.

Psalm 139:13-14 – ” For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother’s womb. I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

Job 33:4 – ” The Spirit of God has made me, And the breath of the Almighty gives me life.”

Grief had me in a place where I felt really lost. My brain and my heart were really overwhelmed. I eventually resigned from my wedding album design job and I rested for a couple months. It wasn’t easy for me to rest. I also didn’t have any direction, that’s what bothered me the most. I was very depleted creatively. I needed something that was mine, a project, and a happy outlet for myself. I signed up for Instagram in late April 2019. I still remember staring at the blinking cursor, trying to come up with my Instagram handle. I typed in “Coffeemamabear”. The two most important parts of my everyday.

I have had to wrap myself around the knowledge that I will never be the same. Grief always make a mark. When the girls were smaller I would count, “1…2…” while keeping track of them during shopping trips and even then I felt like I was still missing someone. There should have been another curly haired babe or two to include in the count.

Life is a gift, it is precious, and people fight by all sorts of means to keep it. I know that I really had no control over Jesse or Casey’s future. God knows the reason we lost them and I will never know it while on this earth. I have to rest in knowing that God’s plan is best. I have to place my trust in God. My family will just always feel a little incomplete, while we are here on this earth. I do hold on to this…it will be a sweet reunion for us all when we get to heaven.

Based on my experience with grief, I have figured this part out…grief is not some hill to quickly climb and conquer. Grief is the process of learning how to live with a hole in your heart. Someone can be happy and still be wrestling with grief. You can enjoy food, a sunset, time with friends, music, and still be wading through grief. Sometimes grief will hit at an inopportune time or show itself through anger, anxiety, depression, etc. I’ll end with this…The number one thing you can do at any stage of grief is to be gentle with yourself. Be kind in your self talk and do the best you can to be with people who are kind to you too.

Feel free to email me: erin@coffeemamabear.com
You can also find me on Instagram: @coffeemamabear
And Facebook: Coffee Mama Bear

Cup of Encouragement – Coffee Klatch Board

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I’ve seen some really cute charcuterie boards on Pinterest and I hope to make one someday, but I tend to consume COFFEE way more than wine. That’s when the idea for a food pairing board, specifically aimed at coffee drinkers, came to mind. I gathered the ingredients from my local grocer and brought it all to my parent’s house to assemble. My mother actually came up with the name for the board, “Coffee Klatch”. The word “Klatch” has its origins in Germany. We do have some German heritage in our family. My mother also lived in Germany for a time…in a castle! Dreamy, right?! I love that story, I’ll have to tell it to you later, but there actually is a German word specifically for a meeting or conversation that happens over coffee, “Kaffeeklatsch”.

The way I chose my food items for the board came from my knowledge of a coffee flavor wheel. I’ve spent a lot of time looking at different ones and I now have one taped up by my coffee making station in the kitchen. This is the one I have printed and on my wall. Here is another one that is interactive and printable. These coffee flavor wheels will be your guide to creating a Coffee Klatch Board that your friends and family will enjoy!

In order to not go overboard in price, I chose to stick with a few fruits and some food items I could get from the bulk bins. For example, an entire bag of coconut shreds would have been more expensive than the small scoop that I needed for the board. I bought the nuts from the bulk bins too. It was much cheaper for me that way and then I didn’t end up with extra. I picked out the cheapest fruit options that looked the best and that I knew would pair well with my coffee selections. For the chocolate covered pretzels and peanut brittle, I got the store brand. This board did not include any pastries, but I’m hoping to do a larger Coffee Klatch Board soon to showcase what that could look like if you wanted some heartier offerings.

I have completed some coffee cuppings at home with various coffees from the grocery store, craft roasters, or local (to me) Texas roasters. Your best bet, if you want to choose a coffee outside what you normally purchase is to find a store that sells bulk coffee. You can get a few tablespoons of whole beans, of as many kinds as you want, so you can try a coffee cupping at home. Now, many coffee roasters label their beans with specific notes that they find during their own cupping process. These are helpful for directing you on whether you are getting a coffee with fruit, chocolate, earthy, or other notes. Read, discern, and think about what flavors you normally gravitate towards.

Some coffee shops sell their own roast or they choose a local roaster. Your local coffee shop should be able to help you choose a roast or two if you don’t have time to do a tasting at home. When I visit a coffee shop, I usually aim for their drip coffee of the day. I make it a point to ask them what they have on drip, so that I have an idea of what flavors might be present in the coffee. And if you aren’t sure when they say, “We have a roast from Peru today”, ask them about the notes you’ll find in that particular cup. Your barista is there to help you! Be sure to follow me on Instagram or Facebook to see what coffee shops I am recommending in the DFW (Texas) area. Even if you aren’t in Texas…stop on by my page for some coffee images to brighten your day!

The last and really most important thing to do is INVITE some friends or family over for coffee! Who knows what wonderful conversations will be had and how friendship connections will grow, when you get a group together to just enjoy some coffee. That’s really what this whole “Coffee Mama Bear” thing is about…friendship, encouragement, and coffee. We can ALWAYS use more of those things in our lives!

If you are a craftsman, artisan, maker of cute things, and you live in the DFW area, I would love to chat.
I also accept coffee donations…are you a coffee roaster?!
We can totally be friends. Like, right now.

Feel free to reach me at erin@coffeemamabear.com