A little bit of green mixed with a whole lot of blue

Wow, what a busy week it was. A few of us threw a baby shower for my daughter, Bethany, and her soon-to-be-born son, Lincoln, on Sunday at my home. We planned the party for outside on the patio, and cast a concerned glance toward the sky throughout the day as I started thinking maybe God misunderstood my whole concept of a shower!

Unlike my daughter, Jess's, shower two years ago, this time around I was more environmentally conscious, so I decided to forgo the usual baby shower paraphernalia, like decorative paper plates and napkins.

My daughter's best friend, Nicole, bought compostable plates and bowls made from sugarcane. My daughter, Jess, made napkins out of old receiving blankets. Now they can be washed and given to Bethany to use as diaper wipes. How awesome is that?! Game prizes included hanging baskets of flowers, which also served as decorations for the shower. It all took a little bit more planning, but it was worth it.

After the shower was over, I had to fight the temptation to simply toss the clear plastic cups and forks into the recycling bin. It would have been much easier than hand washing them. But, they got washed and put away for the next event anyway.

While other people spent lots of money, and I do mean lots, on expensive presents from my daughter's registries, I opted to buy some personal care products (from Earth Mama Angel Baby, of course!) and organic clothing, which I arranged, unwrapped, in a wicker laundry basket with a slew of other items, most of which I picked up at garage sales and consignment shops. Appalling, I know, unless you think like me and realize there's nothing wrong, and quite possibly more right, with buying pre-owned items. Unless, of course, you're buying from places like Happy Baby Company where Bethany was registered. What an incredible assortment she received from there, including a  Baby So Smart Everyday Silk Demi Sling, a Tummy Tub with Two-Step Stool and Stand, Sophie the Giraffe and an actual Pittsburgh Cloth Diaper in the city's legendary signature colors.

Since she will be breastfeeding, I also bought Bethany a Mommy Necklace. If you haven't checked them out, you really should. They are a perfect gift for mothers of infants, whether they're nursing or not. The necklaces are unique in that they are designed for the purpose of giving a baby something to hold on to while being fed, without the threat of breaking when being tugged on. Plus they're stylish! Like I said, you should check it out. Unfortunately, you'll have to wait until later in the month to do so, since this small operation is taking a well-deserved break. They'll be back online later in the month.

It was so nice to have my mom and her cousin come into town for the festivities. They stayed through today, and while everything was quite wonderful, I can honestly say I'm now exhausted. But, of course, there's work to be done, blog posts to write and a granddaughter to hug. So, with that said, I think I'll go get to it. I hope you were able to glean some ideas for your next shower. All-in-all, I'd say it was a success...and the fact that it didn't rain was just a bit of delicious icing on the cake!

Keeping it green,

Hana