Archives for January 2020

What the Heck is Female Incontinence??

January 31, 2020

Yep, we just went there. Female incontinence…it’s a thing AND I’m going to talk about it. (This may be the point that you question: “I thought that I was following this woman for style content??)

Here’s the thing: I have three kids. I was lucky enough to not have a c-section (read between the lines here). After having my first baby, I definitely noticed that I began to experience a few “surprises”…definitely when sneezing and sometimes even when exercising. I now understand why my mother crossed her legs every time she sneezed.

Being an avid runner (I ran half marathons after each of my three kids births) and an active mom, at first this was inconvenient. I couldn’t play a game of tag without a restroom break nor jump on a trampoline for more than a minute. Don’t get me wrong, I understood the value of kegels and, like many women who have had children, vowed to practice them at every red light I hit while driving the daily carpool. (Isn’t that a thing? No?)

Fast forward a couple years. My kids are now all in elementary school and, well…we’ve all gotten older. And my “surprises” have gotten worse. I’ve begun to feel more nervous about attending a mid-day exercise class and certainly wouldn’t go out for a run with a full bladder, nor fully hydrated. As an exercise enthusiast, I began to realize that this was impacting my daily life.

So, I bought Depends pads. From Costco (go big or go home, right?!). These were definitely not the answer I was seeking! They’re huge (or, at least the ones found at Costco are huge) and not concealed when wearing my leggings AT ALL. I donated the entire box (less one) to a women’s shelter.

Then I started researching physical therapy. Yes, this is a thing. And yes, you can even buy weights for toning your pelvic floor (I’ll allow your imagine to figure out how this works for yourself). Down the rabbit hole I went! Why? Because I’m a young woman with, hopefully, more than half of my life in front of me still. And my problem was getting worse. I want to remain active for the rest of my life without having to wear giant pads and (even worse) smelling like urine every time I coughed, was surprised, or went for a jog.

Enter the BTL Emsella device and Blue Haven Medical Spa.

As a part of my work, I get invited to a number of events. I really enjoy this opportunity to try new services, learn about advancements in technology, and experience local finds. This fall, I had the pleasure of attending the RealSelf House of Modern Beauty event in Seattle. This event (hosted in cities around the country) is a fantastic opportunity to learn about various products and services within the beauty industry – everything from extracting your own stem cells to make a regenerating serum to education around cosmetic procedures. It was at this event that I was first introduced to the BTL Emsella device…known in the industry as “The Kegel Throne.”

“What is a kegel throne?” you ask. Basically, you sit on the BTL Emsella device (fully clothed, completely non-evasive) and, for less than 30 minutes, high frequency electromagnetic pulses target the pelvic floor. In essence, these pulses deliver the equivalent of nearly 12,000 kegels in one session! This is not a gimmick, BTL Emsella is an FDA-approved treatment to address female incontinence.

After having experienced one session…fully clothed, speaking with device experts and RN technicians, in the middle of the showroom no less, I was eager to do more. The recommended treatment for significant improvement is a series of 6, 30-minute sessions. A quick internet search netted me few results in the Seattle area but, lucky for me, Blue Haven Medical Spa is located in the Green Lake neighborhood, basically my back yard!

The Blue Have team could not have been more welcoming, which is important as you are talking about a moderately (ok, very) embarrassing topic such as incontinence. I primarily worked with Annie, an ARNP board certified practitioner with years of experience in medicine and medical aesthetics. Annie immediately put me at ease and expertly answered all of my questions. She would stay and chat or leave me to surf the internet, respond to emails, or mindlessly scroll social media during my 30 minute sessions.

Was it painful? Not in the least. It was definitely a “different” sensation…a series of vibrations followed by tapping, targeting the perineum area (again, haven’t included this word in my blog to date!). Perhaps uncomfortable at first, you quickly get used to it. Because the device uses electromagnetic pulses, you are advised to remove any jewelry and (here’s a biggie) you cannot use this therapy if you have any metal implants…read: no IUD devices.

I know what you are all wondering next…did it work? I am more than pleased with the results! While I haven’t trampoline tested yet (due to the winter weather in Seattle), I have done a series of workouts involving jumping and running. I purposely did these without first visiting the restroom and NOTHING. Think burpees, jumping jacks, rock-star jumps, and sprints without any leaking. The occasional sneeze? Not a problem.

The results of the BTL Emsella therapy are cumulative; therefore, you do need to do the entire suggested protocol to achieve the best results. However, you are not required to do any follow-up appointments to maintain the results (again, this may vary based on the person). I would highly recommend this therapy for any “friends” (wink, wink) who may experience the occasional, or not-so-occasional any more, issues with incontinence.

{outfit details} leggings: nike | top: girlfriend collective | running shoes: brooks (c/o) | jacket: add down

I partnered with Blue Haven Medical Spa to share my experience with all of you. This was 100% my idea and I reached out to the spa to collaborate. Please dm, email, or comment below with all of your questions. Clearly I am an open book and I am honored to share more of my experience using the BTL Emsella device at Blue Haven.

Thank you for reading. ~Jenn

White Out

January 23, 2020

I’m always looking to get more mileage out of the clothes in my closet. It particularly feels like a win when I can wear “seasonal favorites” throughout the year.

Take summer’s favorite white jeans; a creamy color with a perfectly wide leg, begging to show off your pedicure when worn with a heeled wedge sandal. It’s such a shame to shelve these pants as the leaves change color.

One of the challenges I perceive in transitioning white into winter is the stark contrast between the light color and all of our dark winter pieces. And, while I do love a classically chic black and white look, sometimes the contrast can seem…well, just too black and white.

Instead, I prefer pairing white with softer neutrals, such as dove grey or a light camel color. Or, go full-on mono chrome with a topper in the white family. Your shades of white don’t have to match but should have a similar undertone (think yellow or blueish, even grey). For example, my “Icy Ecru” color jeans pair perfectly with the oatmeal/cool off-white of the sweater. Mixing various textures is also a way to add interest to an entire color look.

Winter worthy shoes can also be tricky with a white jeans. First rule (wait there are no rules)…ok, first thing to never do: wear white shoes with white pants. There may be an exception made for white suiting. Perhaps. Again, a neutral will likely go better here than the start contrast of a dark leather shoe. Basically, you want to create a long leg line with the pant and not have the eye fall to a dark shoe.

Finally, I had a bit of fun amping up my accessories. I love the return of the plaid shirt jacket and then made my purse the standout piece (it also picks up the subtle red in the plaid). However, going to a total monochrome white look is also very chic. I’ve found some inspiration via Pinterest and included a few ideas below. And now I’m on the hunt for an oversized long white coat…totally practical.

above outfit details: Levi’s Ribcage Jeans (c/o Foundation) | jacket | sweater several seasons ago (c/o Filson) | clogs | TAH Circle Bag (c/o)

image via fashionactivation

image via LeFashion

image via This is Glamorous

Happy Friday! Thank you for reading. Back to regularly scheduled programing around here…I hope. Thanks for sticking with me. ~Jenn

Just Ida-Go! (For the Snow)

January 16, 2020

Isn’t it funny the things from our own childhoods that really stick with us? These things that we say “I’m never going to do that” or “Why would my parents make these choices?” Making note of all the things we will do very differently when we are a parents, of course.

One such thing was skiing. My father owned his own business and, being an orthodontist, relied on working with his hands (albeit it in children’s mouths). We enjoyed fabulous family vacations, don’t get me wrong, but not many ski vacations. Worried about falling and an injury that would put our family out of work (you see, my entire family worked in the office), he was not riding the lift up with us or coaching my siblings and me down the mountain. Some of this could also be attributed to his fear of heights. Sure, they took us on some snowy vacations – I remember taking ski lessons with my sister on a family vacation to Central Oregon. We were horrible and I’m fairly sure that we crashed each time we tried to exit the lift. But, if your family isn’t invested in the “ski effort,” it’s really hard to get enough learning hours under your belt to successfully get down the mountain.

Now you see, me being a dismal skier wasn’t the end of the world. While I did grow up in Northern California, I was hours from the mountains. I remember a few invitations with friends to join them at their family cabins, but it wasn’t as if snowy peaks were right outside my door nor a weekly ski bus leaving from school on Friday afternoons. It wasn’t until I went to college in Oregon and met the man pictured in these photos (along side our children), that I started to wish that I was a more experienced (let’s be real, any experienced) skier.

Fast forward a decade (or two), and now we’re raising children in the beautiful Pacific Northwest with the cascade mountains as our neighbors. The ski bus leaves every Friday afternoon from the middle school parking lot. Their elementary school classmates are members of the ski team.

With a goal of becoming a ski family, we started with weekly lessons at the closest mountain. And while the convenience was tops (aside from any pass closures), we often found ourselves holed up in the busy lodge as the kids skied through freezing rain and manufactured snow. On the rare occasion that we did all get out on the mountain, it was a zoo of fellow Seattlites, resulting in long lift lines and crowded runs. After several years of this, we decided to invest our ski school dollars instead into family ski vacations.

Enter Idaho. Washington’s closest neighbor to the east, we fell in love with the Idaho Panhandle, specifically the beautiful town of Sandpoint, last year as we were driving through on our way to visit Glacier, National Park. We loved this little town on the banks Lake Pend Orielle (pronounced Pond-e-ray), snuggly situated between Spokane, Washington and The Selkirk Mountains to the west and Montana (a mere 75 miles east) and The Cabinet Mountains. In fact, we had such a great time passing through, that we returned later in the summer for one final outdoor hoorah – floating in the swimming hole, hiking in the woods…and driving a mere 20 minutes from town up Schweitzer Mountain to check out the resort; making our plans for a winter return. In the summer heat (I love this high alpine climate), it was difficult to imagine the place covered in snow and teaming with snow sport enthusiasts. Yet with obvious construction underway and preparations being made, we could tell that this was a place to return to; and we booked another trip to Sandpoint and our first ski vacation to Schweitzer.

The photos above are taken on a snow-covered City Beach, a central feature of Sandpoint’s small downtown. In the snow, we had it all to ourselves; however, months earlier it was filled with swimming kids, sunbathers, and a dock full of boats.

Skiing with kids is not easy. It is a testament to all of the patience, preparation, and persistence required of parenting. Do you have everything? Have you gone to the bathroom? You’re cold. Too hot. Missing a glove. Oh…and you don’t want to do ski lessons?

Let me assure you. Ski lessons are a requirement. Aside from the obvious; we can all make the connection between professional instruction and improved skiing. Oh, and the fact that parents then get to ski by themselves (we’ll get to more on that in a moment). Lessons with the Schweitzer ski school team were FUN. They all had fun, we all had fun.

Our family was greeted by an instructor who immediately recognized us (and not just by the confused looks on our faces, she actually knew our names). When I signed the kids up for these lessons, I provided score cards from last year’s lessons, so the kids were immediately assigned to groups of their levels. (Although I had this material at the ready, I’m sure that Schweitzer’s knowledgeable ski school team could adeptly place kids in groups based on their skills). The kids then spent the morning sharpening their skills before taking a lunch break…in a yurt. Following lunch, they skied for couple more hours; exploring the mountain (including several trails through the trees, complete with jumps), further perfecting those turns.

Meanwhile, John and I took a few leisurely runs before turning in for an early lunch at The Skyhouse, the lodge atop the mountain. We shared an order of chicken poutine before heading back out to enjoy the view above the clouds and ski for the remainder of the afternoon.

You may notice that I am on a snowboard. Well, I met this boy my freshman year of college. At the time, he was a snowboarder. After several months of dating, my parents allowed me to join his family on a ski vacation (What were they thinking?? Will I allow my kids this adventure in the coming years?? Only time will tell). After flailing after him on the mountain and realizing that all of my college friends were avid skiers (many from the Pacific Northwest), I decided to take up the sport in earnest. As I retell to my children, I took lessons and rode that ski bus (except the one I was on was leaving from my college campus).

Fast forward again to after this college boyfriend and I got married and had three children. We returned to the snow after a very long hiatus. And wouldn’t you know it? He decided to pick-up skiing again. Now, to be fair, John grew up skiing and is an advanced skier. And, with our three kids on skis, it makes a lot of sense for him to be on two boards. But me? I’m securely strapped into one. Never really having learned to ski, this is where I feel the most secure. And while I’m not good (I’ve warned my kids to not expect any of the tricks they see on YouTube), I can hold up the rear. Which has proved helpful when skiing with kids.

After one day of lessons (and a date afternoon for the parents to ski together), we enjoyed 2 more days of family skiing. I feel like we have finally arrived! After years of lessons and our fair share of frustrated, cold, and hungry moments (which, still do happen on occasion), we can ski together as a five-some! At Schweitzer that meant a breeze through non-existent lift lines then dividing into two groups to ride the chairlifts; a parent with each. The kids can exit the chairs safely (with only a couple of mishaps involving yours truly) and then patiently wait for me and alternatively complain about me being on a snowboard.

The two days that we skied as a family, we experienced fresh snow. All the more fun for kids that like to head through the trees and practice their jumps. Which, of course, their father can lead and keep up with. Me? I stay safely on those groomed trails. With the Schweitzer Bowl and the two new lifts on the Outback Bowl, there are plenty of blue runs on both sides of the mountain for families to be entertained all day. And, during our mid-day break, the staff at the village coffee shop gave our kids the royal treatment, with hot cocoa complete with extra whip and candy canes. With new snow, no lines, wide open trails (with breath taking views of Pend Orielle), it’s no wonder Schweitzer claims their resort is like having your own private mountain! Just what we were looking for!

Another thing I was going to do differently as a parent? Fly. Growing up, I just wanted to fly to a destination, like all of the other people (the ones who also spread yellow mustard on their sandwiches). Instead, we would pile into the family Oldsmobile (later the Suburban) and drive up to the Pacific Northwest, or head east; the desert Southwest and Rocky Mountain states were among our favorite destinations. Here in lies the irony in parenting…we (John and I) live for a good road trip. My kids just want to fly, probably to someplace exotic like Hawaii.

So prep that Audible playlist and be sure to pack chains, as adventure awaits east of the Cascades in the beautiful wonderland of the Idaho Panhandle. Whether you come to bask in the warm summer sun on the shores of Lake Pend Orielle or to hit the slopes at Schweitzer (and why not both?!), this area is sure to make you an Idaho convert as well.

A very special thank you to Schweitzer Mountain for partnering with me on this post. It is a pleasure to share this ski resort with you, dear reader. As always, you can expect all opinions to be entirely my own.