​It’s near January. And I’m expecting my third son any day now. Nursing and postpartum recovery await me, so this New Year is not about getting my best body nor any sort of diet.
 
Let’s be honest. We’ve all been there, done that, and it’s a bit uninspiring.
 
But what I am interested in is how food can bring relief to my tired, postpartum body while nourishing my new child and the rest of my family. There are foods that heal, and we needn’t be intimidated by lack of money, time, or ability.
 
And whether you’re expecting a baby soon or just curious how food can help balance hormones and elevate your mood after the sugar-infused season we just celebrated, Eugene’s newest specialty grocery store is here to help! Be sure to enter the $50 Whole Foods gift card giveaway too!

​Their produce department often offers $5 off coupons...and, well, it’s just so pretty. 

​Look for their private Whole Foods or 365 label on all sorts of products – Whole Foods has these high quality products manufactured by reputable companies so they can offer them at a lower price. 

​And the Eugene store is designed in a way where it’s also just a fun place to hang out when downtown – think family date with slices of wood-burned oven pizza in their eating area, happy hour at their bar offering local brews, 

​or trying out one of the local businesses housed within Whole Foods: Ellenos Real Greek Yogurt offering fresh yogurt and smoothies (it’s ridiculously good), or a cup of Wandering Goat coffee. 

​When you visit, you’ll also find that there are very well educated team members available to answer your questions and make recommendations based on your interests or needs.

​Currently, Heng Ou’s book, The Essential Art of Nourishing the New Mother motivates me. Ou highlights some of those “trendy” foods we’ve been hearing about, such as bone broth and turmeric, that have been nourishing people for centuries but are currently new again to us westerners.

Listed below are a few of Ou’s favorite pantry items, all of which can be affordably found
​at Whole Foods. Click on links for detailed recipes, inspired by Ou.
​

• Adzuki beans – add to a Mother’s Bowl or soup/stew. They are small (good for picky eaters with texture issues) and the easiest bean to digest.
• Bulk grains and unsweetened dried fruit – combine to make Coconut Dried Fruit Granola.
• Black sesame seeds – add to smoothies or sprinkle in savory or sweet dishes for extra crunch. This ingredient is age defying, offers lactation support for nursing moms, and has B vitamins and iron.
• Goji berries – infuse these to make a nutrient rich hot tea or an iced tea you can sip on all day.

More Whole Foods tips:​

• Check out their weekly sales flyer
• ​The Whole Deal coupon book is available in store
• Download the Whole Foods digital coupon app
• Kids 12 & under can enjoy a free piece of fruit every time they are in the store (fruit is located at the Customer Service Desk).
• The Eugene store offers a private upstairs space that can be reserved for social groups, businesses, boards, etc…for free. The space has been used for mom's coffee dates (they have a baby gate), mom’s night out, and wine & cheese tasting events.
• They are committed to the community! Since opening in September 2016, they have donated over $23,000 to the Eugene/Springfield community through their 5% days.
  
  

Coming up at Whole Foods in Eugene:

• January 6-8, 25% off ALL supplements...some supplements will already be offered at promo price so will actually be 50% off when combined with the sale.
• January 14, Health & Wellness Fair from 10am-2pm – various vendors will be sampling their products, healthy recipe ideas, and Eugene Yoga will be running a couple free yoga classes in the private space upstairs.
• January 21, Barre3 free pop-up class and wellness education from 10:30am-1pm.
• February 11, Free Valentine’s day craft for kids, from 12-2pm.
• February 16, A Registered Dietician from PeaceHealth will be hosting a free educational class on maternal health, from 6pm-7pm.

 
And…Whole Foods Eugene is giving away a $50 gift card to a GoMomGo Reader! So awesome!

To enter:
Comment on this post with what you love about Whole Foods (if you've been there) or what interests you in Whole Foods if you haven't been yet.
You can also enter on our Facebook page & share for more entries.
Giveaway winner will be announced on Sunday, January 1, 2017 at noon. Happy New Year, right?

Hooray!

​There are a few things I hope my children catch on to and hold dear in life. One is music appreciation, and even better, musical skills. We strive to expose them to all types of music and give them ample opportunity to play and experiment. I’m so grateful we live in an artistic community such as Eugene that provides multitude opportunity to learn, appreciate and enjoy music.
 
Recently my 6-year old son and I were invited to check out a brand new business, AllStar Rock Foundation, in downtown Eugene.

Proprietors Shane and Lisa Johnson were inspired by the franchise School of Rock. Their children were a part of the School of Rock in Dallas and they saw firsthand how it instilled confidence, poise, public-speaking ability, and self-awareness. Not all of their children continued on in music, but they all share deep gratitude for the exposure.
 
Caitlin Johnson, their daughter, is AllStar’s bass instructor. She is a bubbly, enthusiastic, generous soul who is so excited for the opportunity to teach Eugene her beloved instrument. She has played with some serious musicians – most recently having played bass for Dalton Rapattoni’s band, Flyaway Hero. Rapattoni is the most current third place winner from American Idol. She was sweet enough to help my three year-old with bass scales…

​ while my six year-old son had a one-on-one lesson with Jake…

​Jake Fitzgerald has been playing music for 11 years. He started on bass at age 10 and went on to study guitar, drums, piano, ukulele, banjo, and dulcimer to name a few. His music influences span the spectrum from Punk, Rock, Folk, Jazz, Classical and beyond, creating a plethora of music styles for him to pull from to expand his own creative styles.  He has had the experience of touring and recording with bands over the years. Jake has an encouraging and good-natured attitude about learning music, which his students love about him. He loves sharing his skills and knowledge of music with all his students and makes each lesson unique to that student.

​What I deeply appreciate about All Star Rock is their conviction to get the students playing onstage as soon as possible, playing music they enjoy. After their first private lesson, the student will get to plug in and immediately get that experience playing on the AllStar stage. This is highly motivating for the student…my 6 year old learned some legit strumming patters and chords on the electric in just one private lesson and was super serious about his opportunity to play on stage. Now, nearly a month after that lesson, he continues to ask when he gets to go back and “plug in”!

​AllStar Rock’s programs are for students age 5 through adult. Students learn how to play by rocking together with fellow peers, creating a supportive and motivating environment in which to learn. Each program is a 10-week course that culminates in at least two performances in a concert-like setting at a local venue (possibilities include Beergarden, Cozmic Pizza, and a few outdoor venues). During the 10 weeks, the student has a 1-on-1 private lesson each week with an instructor and one weekly rehearsal with their newly formed band. This integrated method inspires students to be their best, peaks their interest in the theory of music and creates a team dynamic. You can visit their website to sign up for a free lesson!

​A great way to try out AllStar is to sign up for summer camp! If you sign up before June 10 you get 25% off. Camps are for 7-18 year olds, no experience necessary.

And again, this place isn't just for your kid. I seriously can't stop thinking about doing an adult program at some time. I've always wanted to learn the bass! I highly encourage you to wishlist an AllStar rock program for a much needed gift to you or your partner someday!! I'll come watch you perform at the Beergarden!

Folks, it's August. The end of summer is near. This is both good and bad. Good because school starts again (hello structure, we've missed you so), and scarves and boots and everything pumpkin. Bad because the water in the parks gets turned off and you're stuck inside more often (hello rain, we've missed you too), and some of us become football widows and after a while all the pumpkin everything starts to be a little bit gross. 

However! It's not too late to take advantage of some summer fun. Today I want to share a super fun little afternoon activity that is an excellent "oh gosh what should we do today?" option. 

So the Eugene Saturday Market has a much smaller market on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The location is the same - downtown in the park blocks near 8th and Oak, and it opens at 10:00 am. Here's what we've been doing: we park halfway between the market and the Eugene Public Library downtown branch, which is on 10th between Olive and Charnelton. Think Broadway, from about Charnelton to High. Once we've parked, we spend time at both places - the library and the market. It makes for a really lovely afternoon!

Some thoughts:
Tuesday mornings are the story time for two year olds at the downtown library. There are two chances to catch it: 10:15 and 11:00. If you've got a two year old (blessings unto you) that works perfectly! If not, the library still has lots of fun stuff to check out. - Thursdays are story times for one year olds. Same times as above. - Just for future reference, Wednesdays are for preschoolers and Fridays are for babies under one year old. :) - The Tuesday and Thursday markets don't run all year long. Be sure to check the website below for dates.  - There have been several different food carts at the market when we've been there. These make for such a fun lunch! We've also gotten pizza at Sizzle Pie, which is a super affordable option. We've also packed a picnic lunch and eaten it on the grass at the market.- Next Tuesday, August 11th, is the downtown library's last summer reading program. Nearby Nature is presenting animal-inspired stories and hands on art. There are two chances to catch this: 1:00 and 3:00. Fine print: These programs fill up really fast. You can pick up free tickets starting 30 minutes before the event begins. Be sure to do that. Then be prepared to sit on the floor - the room is mostly floor space with a few rows of chairs in the back. The aisle is narrow and they want people to stay seated. This is not a great choice for wiggly toddlers. - Since the market is open on Saturdays too, this makes for an awesome family date. The library even has a family story time each Saturday at 10:15. Hit the story time, check out a new batch of books for the week, go have lunch at the Saturday Market, grab some veggies to try to entice your children to eat green things, and head home. Doesn't that sound lovely!? - If you're not in a rush, take your time to wander around on Broadway. My four year old loves to just walk up and down the street and look at the people, peek in the windows, and watch the cars and trucks drive by. Lots of wonderful conversation opportunities. - Bring your quarters. Parking on the streets downtown is metered.- Bring a book for yourself. If you're lucky, there will be other littles running around in the outdoor courtyard that's outside of the children's area at the library. The kids can play and you can read and thank your lucky stars that you picked up a latte on the way into the library because this is about as perfect as parenting gets. 
The Essentials:
Parking: I'd say shoot for Broadway on a weekday. On a Saturday? Try the parking garage near 8th and Park. 
Cost: The library is free, and just walking around the market is free as well. 
Food: Pack a picnic or plan on purchasing lunch or snacks. There are lots of options.
Restrooms: Portapotties at the market, flush toilets at the library
Resting/Nursing spots: Lots of benches
Push or Wear: Either one works
Time Frame: Two-ish hours 

Here are the websites: 
Market: http://www.lanecountyfarmersmarket.org/
Library: http://www.eugene-or.gov/library

Is there anything else downtown that you like to do while you're in that area? Please share! 
Happy Adventuring!

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Megan Defferding is the mom to two super fun boys who love to find great stuff to do all around Lane County! Check out her blog series, Happy Adventuring, weekly on GoMomGo.