Announcement! Baby Shea 2.0 is coming in June!

Surprise! We are having another baby!

Where to begin… I have been feeling very quiet about this pregnancy. Once I told my people directly, I didn’t feel the need to be vocal about it. We are so excited! But I know so many who have suffered losses over the past year, and I just wanted to keep it closer to home for a while. But since I decided to spend more time sharing on SHED, I’ve found it increasingly difficult NOT to share this massive thing going on in my life. What better time than Valentine’s Day to share the love?

Baby James has no idea what is happening!

How did you find out?

We found out in October, right after we got back from our trip from Colorado. I was definitely not expecting it, so probably were more liberal with our actions than I would’ve been–had I known. Whoops! I thought my cycle was going to start the day we left. And then it didn’t come and didn’t come. Conor thought I was being overly obsessive, but on late day 6 I took 3 tests, and it was a resounding positive! COVID life meant Conor was home, so I didn’t have to keep the news to myself all day. We were both so shocked and happy. Still are, really!

Do you know Baby’s Sex?

We found out in December that baby is a GIRL! I was thinking I was going to boy mom city, so I am very pumped that girl clothes are in our future.

What is the baby’s Due Date?

Baby girl will be joining us sometime in early June! Most likely looking like she will be a gemini! This also means we will have 2 under 2 for more than a month! WAHHHHH

How many weeks are you?

I am 23 weeks. I will be 24 weeks in a few days. More than 1/2 way!

How Has Pregnancy been?

Pregnancy has been different from last time. The first trimester was still exhausting and nauseating, but I haven’t had the baby blues that I did last time. I’ve heard that boys can wreak more havoc on your hormones, which could be the case. In general, I’ve felt in better spirits and ready to take more on. Well, in some ways. In other ways, I’m even more exhausted from chasing after a toddler all day. I’m mostly just happy that I feel more like myself than I did the last time around.

I have also started to show sooner, unsurprisingly! This week, I definitely have been feeling belly! I’ve also had a much stronger sweet tooth this time around!

Do you have a name picked out?

We have several names in the running, but nothing decided yet. We are waiting to share the name (whenever we decide) until baby girl is here!

How has James handled the news?

I don’t think he has any idea what we are talking about! We keep telling him he’s going to have a little sister. He likes to push his stroller around, and we tell him he can push the new baby in the stroller, and he points to pictures of babies when we say that. But overall, I don’t think he really gets it. He’s in for a shock come June!

Is this why you moved?

Yes! We needed more space, ASAP!

Is this why you are only posting pics of carbs?

YUP. When I’m prego all I want are CARBSSSSSS.

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So that’s our big news! Thanks for reading! Let me know if you have any other personal or general pregnancy/baby questions. <3 <3 -AHS

Our Bohemian Nursery Tour

If you follow along on Instagram you may have noticed a change recently… my handle changed from @shed.for.the.wed to @shedwellness. Can we say hells yes to Shed for the Wellness!!! Because making “soulful, healthy, eating decisions” is not something that you do just to prepare for weddings. It’s what you do to fuel your life, whatever life stage you are in! As my life has evolved the topics we cover have grown too. More changes will come down the road, but as for now, think of the change as a way to encompass SHED living for all! Along those lines, I asked and you guys answered, you want more baby! Which leads me to our topic today– our nursery tour! While this may be a stretch from talking about healthy eats–beautiful spaces are good for the soul! Having a nursery you like to spend time in falls into the “Soulful” part of SHED! So without further ado, I hope you like it as much as we do!

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I’ve had a lot of people ask me about the nursery and what were some of the key pieces that brought it together. I will be honest, it is still a work in progress. We were gifted some beautiful name art, but I have yet to get them framed! I’ve moved the chair and ottoman several times, so the art surrounding those corners could use a little facelift. But overall, we just are in love with the nursery!

We wanted James to have a beautiful, zen place to spend his time (um and mine!) and wanted it to feel like an extension of the rest of the home. I think we succeeded because now it’s our favorite room! While having a beautiful nursery is far from necessary, it definitely helps with my own zen. It helps me to have a space where everything goes, and it inspires me to keep up with all of the laundry! It’s actually one of the easiest places to keep clean in the house (for now! lol).

We hoped to create a mostly gender neutral room, but with some pops of color. We didn’t have a theme, but bohemian, earthy, eclectic is the vibe we were going for. I knew we needed a big new dresser because oh my goodness, SO MANY BABY OUTFITS. I’d been eyeing a campaign-style dresser and it works just perfectly.

Gemma Extra Wide Dresser from Pottery Barn Kids. Changing Basket from the Basket Bazaar. Sound machine/night light by Hatch.

My mother-in-law is the queen of rattan and she gave us a lot of these small details– the hanging basket on the wall, toy rattan chairs, little umbrella container, etc. We change up the shelves all the time, but I love having my grandmother’s Blessed Mother there. She passed right before I went to college, and it makes me feel close to her. Other items are things we’ve collected from our travels and art we’ve found at local art fairs.

Rattan mirror from Target.

I fell in love with rattan cribs when I was pregnant, and it really set the vibe for the rest of the room. However, they are NOT easy to find in the US. The ladies at Valentine and Co (based in Perth, Aus!) were super helpful in getting this gorgeous crib to us.

James has had so much fun in the macrame swing, since he has been able to sit up we use it almost every day! The Lovevery Play Gym has really been the most utilized of all of the nursery items- he plays there every day! And it really does grow with him.

That little book shelf was not supposed to be permanent, I found it headed for the trash outside our building. I cleaned it up, and I love reusing such a random piece–but we probably need something a little bigger.

Play Gym from Lovevery. You are my sunshine morse code art by Covert Design Co on Etsy.

Jute rattan crib from Valentine and Co. Stars and Moon mobile from Firefly in Love on Etsy. Canopy from World Market. Chair from Anthropologie (can’t link because they don’t make this print anymore).

Macrame Swing from Finn + Emma.

James used the Moses basket bassinet (now currently filled with stuffed animals!) for the first three months in our bedroom. We loved it’s low profile and how it fit so well with our room’s vibe. He can still sit it in, but he’s such a big boy, he’s really outgrown it lengthwise. Right now it is perfect for all of his soft toys!

The glider was probably the most challenging item for me to pick out. I really struggled with finding one that I liked aesthetically, but also was going to be comfortable. This one is beyond comfortable and it doesn’t look frumpy! I have spent countless hours feeding him and rocking him to sleep here, so I am so glad we prioritized comfort.

The sheepskin rug was actually in my nursery when I was a babe, so I love having it for James. The faux sheepskin stool my step mama made for me a few years ago and I love it. We use it as a side table.

Signature Bilia Bassinet and stand from Design Dua. Pup not included.

Glider and Ottoman from Wayfair. Rug from HomeGoods.

So that’s it! Our sweet little man loves his bohemian-chic, rattan paradise (okay and so does his mom!). What do you think? How are you designing your nursery for your little one?

Cheers -AHS

New mom living and the direction of SHED

Our big strong 6 month old man! (We have decided as a family to not share pics showing his face to any public social media at this time.)

My sweet baby boy turns 6 months old this past month, and it has given me pause for reflection. These 6 months have been some of the most contented (albeit exhausting) months of my life. During this time, I have taken a maternity leave of sorts. Along with this, I’ve taken a hiatus from the SHED social media account, and have taken steps to limit my consumption on my personal social media accounts as well. I have tried my hardest to focus my energy and attention on this precious muffin.

That being said, living this way is really isolating. Being a mom is hard. I’m alone with him most of the day, (and especially in winter) sometimes we never leave the house (I’m actively working on changing that!). Not having other adults to talk to and not being able to relate to much of the professional workforce is challenging. It’s an exhausting, never-ending job with no pay, and you never know if you are doing the right things. But yes, it is incredibly rewarding too. Waking up and spending our days together, while monotonous at times, are filled with precious moments. Nothing makes my heart happier than when James finds me in a room and gets the biggest smile on his face. Doing my best for him every day has given me so much joy and honestly, I feel like it is the best job in the world.

“At the closing of the day,
Strengthen what remains.
And oh, what a beautiful season.
Oh, what a beautiful life. ”

— Tedeschi Trucks Band

So after a lot of time and deliberation, I have decided to scale back my coaching business significantly. Right now, baby is too unpredictable to have a consistent schedule with regular calls, and I want to spend as much time as possible with him at this stage. I will still be coaching, but only a very limited number of spots will be available. I will be focusing on finally launching the printed edition of the SHED cookbook. Guys it’s so close, I can’t wait to share it with you!! I also will be focusing a bit more on mom life- just because that is what is happening with me right now!

I will be coming back to social media, slowly but surely. I do miss the real connections I have made with many of you and I’m looking forward to connecting again! Cheers, AHS

Hello Spring! And Hello Giveaway!

So this was a big week. I hit my 500th Instagram post, which is just momentous in itself. Yesterday was the first day of spring, the international day of happiness, the last supermoon of 2019, #nationalproposalday (which I JUST found about), and my 32nd birthday.

I’m still processing my new age, but I also feel good knowing my life is moving into the next phase. While I will be hindering my freedom significantly, it’s freeing knowing that we are entering a new stage of life. I’m really excited of all this next year is going to bring!

…And to celebrate I’m doing a GIVEAWAY! I’m giving away 2 Shed for the Wed Gold Programs (valued at $299 each!) and 3 yoga mats! All you have to do is join my newsletter (below!), follow @shed.for.the.wed on Instagram, and tag a bride or friend in the comments! There will be 5 winners and the contest will run until next Wednesday 3/27.

Follow on @shed.for.the.wed on Instagram! Here’s a preview!

Good luck! Cheers to you, bride tribe! -AHS

Shed for the Preg (Announcement!) and Thoughts on the First Trimester

You may have noticed I’ve been a little different in my posting over the last few months. Well, that’s because, surprise surprise, we are pregnant! I’ve been dying to share all of this with you all!! We are so beyond excited and can’t wait to meet our little bebe!

Things have changed a lot in my world over the past few months. I thought that I was going to be awesome at pregnancy. I was going to be so active, eat so well–I was going to nail it. Well, things don’t always work out as planned. Pregnancy is hard AF yo. And it has taken a toll on me: mentally, physically, and emotionally.

Let me reiterate that we are absolutely thrilled. That first moment when we saw our baby on the ultrasound was absolutely incredible. Pregnancy really is an incredible experience so please don’t take any of this as complaining. I just want to be 100% real with you about my experience. I think that people make everything look so picture perfect in our social media driven world, and I feel a responsibility to share more of the gritty sides of life. Also, everyone’s pregnancy is different, what follows is my particular experience.

What have I been eating?

So yeah, the first trimester. Verrrrrry interesting. To sum it up in two points:

1. Nausea: luckily for me, no vomiting here, but definitely extreme nausea set off my food smells most of the time. Horrible.

2. Food aversions: pretty much every healthy food I rejected. Kale, spinach, squash (my one true love!), sweet potatoes, quinoa, EGGS(!), CHICKEN (omg still makes me wanna 🤢), all of these things have been on my 100% do not eat list.

All I’ve wanted is carbs (hello toaster waffles for breakfast) and cheese (but sometimes cheese is still not ok lol). Cravings: Frank’s hot sauce, pickles and pickle juice, bloody marys (virgin, obvi), citrus fruits, miso soup, sushi, and orange juice. Basically all of the acid.

Well, as I mentioned, I thought I was going to be one of those super healthy pregnancy people (obviously!). Well shocking myself, I have literally have eaten the opposite of my usual routine. I’ve eaten many boxes of Annie’s mac and cheese, pasta of all varieties, toast, peanut butter and jelly. The smell of food preparation of any kind has grossed me out, so I have really been absent from the kitchen. One day tortellini (bread and cheese which are typically in the clear!) sounded gross, so I had gelato for dinner. Yeah, health life fail.

However in weeks 12-14 I’ve really started to feel more like myself, and my tolerance for healthy foods has gone up! I’d even dare to say I’ve started to crave some healthy food! I’ve been eating lots of eggs, and a lot more veggies. Mediterranean and Asian foods have been the best. I have been loving nutrient-packed tabbouli, fresh hummus, and falafel. Miso soup, and California rolls have also really been hitting the spot. You may have seen I started drinking celery juice- I think it’s my body’s way of making up for lost greens. Since I’m feeling better, and subsequently, eating better- I will share my preggo eats with you as time goes on.

physical symptoms?

I have been extremely tired, and my brain hasn’t felt like it was working properly. I’ve been taking naps (and typically, I physically cannot nap).

Because of the sheer exhaustion, I haven’t been working out which I think has only made the fatigue worse. Over the past couple weeks I’ve been slowly adding in some low impact exercises at home and some light weight lifting. This week I even went to a yoga class (not even prenatal!)! I’m hoping to get back into a normal routine soon.

Miraculously, despite my eating and lack of movement, I have put on very little weight so far, about 3ish lbs (they recommend 0-5 lbs in the first trimester and a lb a week after). I also had been Shedding when I got pregnant, so I was on the lighter side for my normal to begin with (highly recommend this btw!).

Also, now I have acne. On my face and on my chest (y tho?!). They say that’s a sign that it’s going to be a girl- so we shall see!

It supposedly get’s better in the second trimester, and I’m already feeling a difference–let me tell you, I am ready for it!

Emotions?

Emotionally this has been the most extreme. I’ve felt very isolated (working from home is tough), and oddly depressed. Besides random bouts of crying, life has felt exceedingly hard. It’s like this experience has shook who I am down to my core. I guess it is probably a side effect of my self constructed identity changing into something new. Usually, I bring my own magic to day to day life, and I just couldn’t bring it. Besides that, I had a perpetual feeling of nervousness that something would go wrong in the pregnancy. AND all the while, I’ve also felt overwhelmed with excitement and joy for what’s to come. So to sum it up–it’s been a really weird time.

The good news is that the morning I woke up on my 12th week of pregnancy, I felt like myself again! I felt motivated, inspired, and excited for the future. I still have huge swings in emotion sometimes, but overall, I really I think I have my magic back. 😉✨

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Now that we are “out,” I will share more with you guys about the experience. I am going to keep posting my healthy eats with #shedapproved versions- because let’s be real, eating for 2 and shedding for the wedding are two very different experiences. I will try not to overwhelm you with too much pregnancy content- but I want to know, what are you curious to learn more about? Let me know here or on any of my social channels. Yay! Thanks for coming along for the ride. -AHS

It's here... LAUNCH DAY

Heeeello, friends! Today is a BIG day. First and foremost, it is my fourth wedding anniversary! (Some may say it’s our “golden” anniversary since we were married on the fourth!) Second and also very important–we are now LIVE! Meaning you can finally buy and download the Shed for the Wed Nutrition Program on our website! YAY!

My goodness, this has been a labor of love. And I am beyond excited to be able to share it with you. I have been working on this program for the past 4 years. While I’ve had many brides go through different iterations of the program - it is now here and packaged up neat and tidy and easily accessible for all of you! I’m not going to lie I feel like I birthed a child. Feeling a bit emosh right now.

To thank you for following me on this journey I have a special 20% discount on the Silver plan just for blog readers! Use code: TWOSHEA20 at checkout. Code expires 10/11/18!

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Curious about the plan?

SHED stands for Soulful Healthy Eating Decisions. It’s what the program is all about. This plan makes you feel good from the inside out! When you eat this way you will find your way to the healthiest version of yourself, slimmed down for the gown, if you will!

The Shed Nutrition Plan has 3 components:

The Handbook

This is your comprehensive guide for healthy living during your Shed journey. 

With this helpful handbook you’ll set your goals to achieve while gaining essential nutritional education as well as 

• Portion control

• Dining out guide

• Detox guide

The Cookbook

The life essence of the Shed program. 

The cookbook is comprised of original recipes that help you lose weight and taste great. All were created with three main goals in mind:

• Anti inflammatory - zen for the body

• Low glycemic load - low sugar

• Nutritarian - phytonutrient dense

The Meal Plans

The 8 weeks of Shed for the Wed meal plans are the suggested sequence of meals for the 8 week duration of the program. 

Each unique plan is flexible so that your eating habits fit with your schedule.

The premium programs (Gold and Platinum) have one-on-one coaching sessions with yours truly!

To learn more about the plans check them out here:

Questions? Read this first!

Have more questions? Send me a note - alexandra@shedforthewed.com! Or slide into my DMs on Insta ;).

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Cheers to many more adventures to come!

Creamy Cashew Cheese Sauce and Vegan Mac & Cheese

News update! Today, we went live with the "Shed Approved" page of the website. It is your go to resource for things you may need during the Shed program. Go check it out! I will update it occasionally with new finds, too. Also, I decided to test out putting the recipes at the top of the post to make it easier to get to. Babble underneath will give you some other ideas on how to use the sauce! :) Let me know what you think of the new "shop" and format! xo

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Creamy Cashew Cheese Sauce

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups roasted cashews (I soaked for about 20 minutes, but my food processor is strong. If you are using a blender that may not have strength, soak for a couple hours)
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 2 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 1 clove garlic, peeled
• 1/4 cup of water (use until you reach your desired consistency)

Instructions

Blend ingredients in food processor or blender! Use in the following recipe and store excess in the fridge for up to 5 days. 

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Vegan Mac & "Cheese"

(SErves 4)

Ingredients

• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion, sliced
• Salt 
• 2 cups spinach
• 12 oz sedanini lentil pasta (from Trader Joe's)
• Cashew cheese sauce above (use enough to cover pasta)

Instructions

In a medium pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and salt (coat in a layer). Lower heat to medium-low and stir onions occasionally, making sure that they don't stick to the pan (add more oil, if necessary). Continue until onions are golden brown (this can take as long as 40 minutes), salting occasionally.  Add spinach to onions, coat with oil from the pan and stir until wilted.

Meanwhile, cook pasta according to directions on package. Drain, and put back into pot. Add cashew sauce, mix well. Serve in bowls with onions and spinach mixture. NOMS. 

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As I mentioned in last week's post the blizzard we had in Chicago really put me in a cooking frenzy.  And severe winter weather means comfort food. I got very excited to try my hand at making cashew "cheese" sauce to make some healthy mac and cheese!  I've seen recipes with butternut squash, but I wanted to keep this as simple as possible. It's a really versatile sauce. You can serve it over: 

• Any gluten-free pasta - chickpea, brown rice, sedanini, etc. 
• Steamed cauliflower - mix the sauce with Frank's hot sauce, it's to die for!
• Chicken with marinara sauce- like a healthy chicken parm! 

Basically, this is an awesome sub for anything you would want cheesy goodness. I would love to hear if you decide to try it! Cheers to "cheese"! -AHS

Cashew sauce in all it's glory. 

I clearly did not listen to my own advice, and had lots of onion stick to the pan. 

SHED Retreat Recap and Exciting News!

I just had the pleasure of hosting the first ever SHED Retreat in Wisconsin! And it was AMAZING. We ate exclusively Shed meals (#shedapproved and oh so yummy), drank lots of wine (not #shedapproved and oh so yummy), and took lots of food pics (#alwaysshedapproved and oh so...wait a sec..). 

And when I say "we"- I mean #TEAMSHED! It was the first time we had the whole Shed team together in the same room since we began working on this project. The powerhouse of talent absolutely rocked it all weekend.  With combined experience in food styling, art direction, graphic design, cooking (though none of us are professional chefs!) and marketing - this crew knows how to get the job done. 

We escaped from the outside world to embrace the beautiful nature surrounding us. We tuned in, focused on our mission, the food, the program and, of course, those pesky little details. 

We documented the beauty of harvesting, cultivating and eating whole real foods as well the joy of the cooking experience. We strategized around what YOU are looking for by listening to TONS of feedback from brides and their bride tribes. And we heard you loud and clear: We're making the meals tastier, easier to prepare, faster to serve and more accessible for all of you! 

We have been through the Shed program, and understand the joys and pains of going through a large lifestyle change, especially before your wedding! One of the most consistent themes we heard was MAKE IT EASIER! And we truly believe Shed is now even easier for our brides to be. 

BONUS: We built the foundations of a robust and beautiful photo library where you'll start seeing these gorgeous images on the website, in meal plans, through all our emails and more!

Added BONUS for us: We got to eat our way through it! 

This fabulous fall weekend provided the foundation for a TON of new Shed content. Stay tuned for amazing photos, recipes, laughs, new meals and more! I literally can't wait to share it with you all, but in the meantime enjoy some of the behind the scenes action and get hyped! 

DON'T FORGET: There is still time to participate in the #shedgratitudechallenge! Tis the season to count your blessings! :) 

-AHS

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We bought A LOT of groceries. Can you tell I'm excited? 

All of the props prepared, clean, and ready to go! 

I'm an amateur photographer, but no better way to improve than to practice! If we brought in a professional, it would only be a disservice to myself later- because I'm the one in my kitchen every day! #pushyourlimitseveryday

Emily on my left, Katherine on my right! See below for their bios! 

We drank champagne...

... and danced/photographed on the tables! 

Drankin 'booch with 2 of the our #shedteambabes (Emily on left, Colleen on right!) 

The #TEAMSHED also happens to be some of my oldest and dearest friends in the world. 

Colleen Connolly- Graphic Designer, extraordinaire! She is the brains behind our soon-to-be released new logo and program materials! (Her portfolio is currently offline for revamping, but will update with her link when available)

Emily Carlson - Advertising Executive by day, food stylist and recipe developer by night. You can follow her instagram @traveling_gourmand! 

Lastly, Katherine Finnegan aka marketing genius, skincare guru, and incredible dishwasher. Google her (yes, she is one of Hinge's most eligible bachelorettes).