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Our house was built in 1978, needless to say we do renos every year. They’re usually little things here and there – new paint, fixing up the garden, etc. We also have big dreams of gutting our kitchen. My husband shows the new kitchen plan to pretty much anyone that walks into our home. Want to see our plans for 2019? Read on!

  New Windows for the Babes Both girls need new windows in their rooms. They currently have the original ones in still and they let cold air in.

  Finish the Wall Rip Out We ripped out a random half wall in our living room to open up more space, and it also had a piece separating the doorway into two. It looks so much better, but we need to finish the drywall.

Curb Appeal We have two entrances to our home – the front, and the side. We use the side entrance to come and go. I want to add some curb appeal to both entrances this year.

  The Secret Garden We started working on this last year and I’d like to do a lot more in 2019. We want to add more flower garden space in our front yard and I’m hoping to figure out some vegetable beds as well.

  The Great Playhouse Redo We started talking about this last year and I hope we do it this year! We want to paint the play structure in our backyard some interesting colours and maybe add some decorations to them.

  Faux Mudroom We don’t have a mudroom. It’s awful. We use our side entrance to come into our home which is attached to the kitchen. Right now, we have a couple mats and two baskets that hold our shoes. We have a closet in the kitchen that we would like to turn into a mini mudroom by taking off the doors and adding hooks/a bench/crates for organization.

  Industrial Shelving This is my husbands project, and it’s going to be amazing. He’s planning to make built in shelving around our tv/tv stand in our living room. There will be wood. There will be pipes. There will be storage. I’m excited.

This is what I have in mind for now, wish me luck on completing it! I’m sure there will be other little projects here and there as well. Plus decorating and rearranging. Do you have any home projects in mind for the year? Let me know in the comments below!

                                                #calgaryblogger #yycblogger #lifestyleblog #homeblog #homedecorating #homedecor #homeplans #homeprojects #decorating #homedecor #yyc #albertablog #albertablogger #canadianblogger #lifeinalberta #livinginalberta #albertalifestyle #calgarylifestyle #calgaryliving #flowersandfeminism #vintagehome #secondhandfirst

Home Project Goals for 2019 Our house was built in 1978, needless to say we do renos every year. They're usually little things here and there - new paint, fixing up the garden, etc.

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In January of 2018 we started shopping secondhand. The last year has been an interesting journey of thrifting, buying on Facebook marketplace and Kijiji and opening our minds to what we can purchase secondhand. The main reason we started doing this was for sustainability, when we purchase something secondhand no new products are being created. This is so much easier on our earth. Plus, when you shop secondhand you tend to get more unique products – which is always a bonus around here.

Scroll on to see what I purchased secondhand for our home in 2018!

                                                                              #secondhandfirst #secondhandshopping #thriftshopping #vintagestore #vintagehome #ecohome #homedecorating #yyc #calgary #alberta #calgaryblogger #canadianblogger #albertablogger #lifestyle #vintagelifestyle #yycvintage #howtoshop #shoppingtips #howtothrift #thrifting #lifestyleblogger #personalblog #mommyblog #sustainable #sustainableliving #sustainableshopping

  What I Bought Secondhand in 2018 In January of 2018 we started shopping secondhand. The last year has been an interesting journey of thrifting, buying on Facebook marketplace and Kijiji and opening our minds to what we can purchase secondhand.

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I See You 2019

What do I want my 2019 to be? What do I want it to look like?

I hope it’s happy, magickal, pretty, fun, healthy, adventurous and much more. I hope it is the following:

ORGANIZED I want 2019 to be organized. Being organized and keeping our home organized makes us happier, less frustrated and less anxious.

SAVE MORE + SPEND LESS I want to save more and spend less. Less spending on STUFF means less…

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Let's Talk: Core Values

Let’s Talk: Core Values

Let’s just blow past the fact that I haven’t written anything here in 5 months, shall we?

(more…)

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June, In Photographs

June The sun is rich And gladly pays In golden hours, Silver days,

And long green weeks That never end. School’s out. The time Is ours to spend.

There’s Little League, Hopscotch, the creek, And, after supper, Hide-and-seek.

The live-long light Is like a dream, And freckles come Like flies to cream.

– John Updike

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A Summer Playlist

https://open.spotify.com/user/21mtmp63l3alpolhn2r6flm3i/playlist/0QIp1zRWg96cpYe2UgSmWD?si=uqQK6SE4SlS5T6Gndo98WA

                                          #spotify #spotifyplaylist #summermusic #summerplaylist #seasonalliving #livingseasonally #summerseason #personalblog #music #lifestyleblog #yyc #calgary #alberta #calgaryalberta #canadianblog #canadianblogger

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Indie, Lately

  Three and a half. She likes dinosaurs, twirly dresses, astronauts, jumping in puddles, singing, ghosts, buses, firetrucks/ambulances/police cars, makeup, jumping on the couch and babies. She doesn’t like thunder, going to bed, spiders, sitting in carts when shopping. She watches Little Princess, Ollie and Moon, Wanda and the Alien, Paw Patrol, Max and Ruby, Simon, Llama Llama. Her favourite movies

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Meet Rachel. A beautiful writer, a loving mama and a powerful woman. I love the way she writes and the vibes she gives off are that of understanding, non-judgement and love. The perfect interview to start back with after a brief break!

Read her blog here: www.amuseofmine.com

Who or what inspires you? All the people I connect with, every single day. I am an easily inspired person, just by nature of my character. I am a dreamer!

I have been honing my ability to see something positive, something inspiring even, in my interactions with people I come across on a day-to-day basis. I am an (over)thinker, and I often catch myself imagining just what another person’s world looks like.

You run a blog at www.amuseofmine.com (I’m going to link this in the actual post, if that’s okay?), what made you start it? What do you hope comes from it? I started my blog only recently, after toying with the idea for far too long. I have always enjoyed writing, and have always written- just not publicly. While it is a pleasure, it is also often cathartic. Further, if I am struggling with challenging decisions, obstacles, even overwhelming emotions, I can write it all down and always find the answer. So in short, blogging is mainly a ‘for me’ activity, and it has been a pleasure so far!

What’s your biggest hope for your kids? Oh my, this one keeps me up at night. Motherhood has brought an entire new array of meanings to life. It brings  the deepest commitment and a protection that is so fierce. The love I have for my daughter is so entirely consuming that sometimes, it physically hurts.

I have so many dreams for my daughter, and watching her become so many amazing things makes my heart incredibly happy. Let’s be real, there are many moments where it’s all daunting and even a tad ugly, but they all meld together into a wonderful, chaotic little picture called life.

I hope that my daughter builds a strong self awareness. I hope she realizes her fears, and in that context that she embraces vulnerability. I hope she can see the people around her as human, and that her lens is always tinted with optimism and grace. And along with that, I hope that she is unstoppable, exuberant and in awe of life.

I have two other children in my life that are especially dear to me. While I am not their mother, I hold the same hopes for them.

You’re a working mama, what do you do? What got you into it? What’s the best part about it? The hardest? I am indeed a working-away-from-home mama. I work 6 days weekly, at two separate jobs. I work roughly 25 hours weekly at a General Motors Dealership (Scougall Motors) in E-Commerce. While it is not a job that is in my field of study at all, it has been a complete joy. The work is straightforward, I complete all duties independently. I can make my own hours, and can do certain parts of the job from home. This has allowed me to take on a second job with ease. I am also employed at our Parent Link Centre in Fort Macleod (Kids First Family Centre) where I act as Parent/Family Support. This position has been one of great value, as it has allowed me to develop great experience and to further my professional development. I am also enrolled in the Labour Doula Certification program through Doula Training Canada. This has been an ongoing study journey for nearly a year, and is an endeavor I am currently pursuing mostly because it is fascinating and of great personal interest to me. At this point, I do not have intentions of practicing full time as a Doula.

My career journey is far from over, however. I aspire to resume my academic journey in the not so distant future.

The hardest part is that I need to spend 8+ hours per day away from my daughter. It’s not only that, it’s the reality that I have to entrust her to someone else’s care. I have to trust that she will be nurtured in a way that is positive to her growth and development. And that’s really freaking tough. Sometimes, I also struggle with the judgement that I receive from others: believe me, working mama’s somehow receive a whole load of negative flack. It is also physically and emotionally exhausting being the breadwinner and parent. There are too few moments of calm.

I read on your blog you’re involved in some committees and organizations. What are you  involved with right now? I am currently assisting in the planning of the 5th annual Fort Macleod Justice Film Festival, and I am so excited about this event! The event is hosted in our very own hometown historic theatre, and this year’s film line up is fantastic. In particular, I am looking forward to the viewing of a film called ‘A Better Man’. The film is so powerful and important: it documents a woman and her abusive ex-partner as they reunite, on her request, years after the abuse. It offers a view of the damage of the violence inflicted, and the recovery process that occurs when the abuser assumes responsibility for his actions. In my opinion this documentary is raw, potentially triggering, and yet so crucial. I have been searching for informed speakers to join us for this event, where we will host a facilitated discussion following each film.

I am also assisting on the Accreditation Committee for our community Approved Family Dayhomes. We are so fortunate to have dayhomes with incredible standards, and a team that ensures that our children are receiving quality care. It is important to me to be involved in these endeavors.

I volunteer in events in the community year round, it’s another great part of small town life!

What are your passions? Personal growth and development is truly one of the most important things. Being the most influential person I can be, in order to create and model healthy relationships too. Travelling, music and writing, spending time outdoors- camping, skiing, mindful and respectful parenting,

What’s something in life you’ve struggled with? What have you learned from it? There are several specific obstacles that I have faced that have been particularly influential to who I am and where I stand right now. From a young age, I struggled with disordered eating and prescription drug addiction. These two were intertwined, and waxed and waned in a rather interesting cycle. The recovery process has been something other than what I would have ever assumed it would be, and its led me on an incredible journey in all aspects. Without reiterating specifics, living with an Eating Disorder and concurrent addiction has fostered a much more tolerant, non judgemental, and ultimately- an empathetic view on just who we are as people. It has made me all the amazing things that I am today.

I refer to it in my mind as my ‘becoming’. Every single great thing that I am today would never have fallen into place if I had not struggled with the hard things. All the hard things that are destined to come across my path from today and forward will undoubtedly be instrumental for growth. They will be exactly what I reminisce fondly about a decade or two later.

What’s something you need to do less of? React. I have a lot of fears. Consequently, I can react with anger, defensiveness, even negative judgement. I am working hard at realizing and developing more mindful approaches to things that seem scary.

What does the world need more of? Tolerance, acceptance, dance parties and snorkeling beaches.

Is there something you’re looking forward to? Yes! I am looking forward to life, on all levels. I am so excited for the journey of parenting, the growth of my most important relationships. I am looking forward to marriage, to building a life with my partner and our girls. I am eager to travel the new places, and to allow my daughter to experience new places and spaces. I cannot wait to take her to the ocean. I am a dreamer, so this list can go on forever!

Also, I am looking forward to longer, warmer days. Come on, summertime.

If someone asked you for a book recommendation, what would you suggest? The Prince of Tides (Pat Conroy) is my all time favorite read. Recent books I have read and thoroughly enjoyed include: Daring Greatly (Brene Brown), In The Realm of Hungry Ghosts (Gabor Mate),The Lonely Hearts Hotel (Heather O’Neill).

What do you wish people knew about you? Over anything else, I want people to know that I am a ‘safe’ person. I will accept you for who you are, where you’re at, and I will not judge you (full disclosure: I am human; we all judge people inadvertently at times. I make it my most mindful intention to be non judgmental). There are also times where I want people to know that I am more or an introvert than they would think.

I need safety, I need alone time. Sometimes, I struggle to share what I truly think or feel; I am afraid of being disliked or degraded. Its ingrained pretty deeply, and even though I am aware of it, I am still a very sensitive soul.

  What’s one thing you would change about the world if you could? I would be so thrilled to see the decriminalization of use of illicit substances, and a harm reduction approach to addicts. Further, I would establish Restorative Justice in place of our current legal system. Equal pay for woman, with onsite, outdoor daycare spaces. Funding for alternative medicine, mindfulness practices in workplaces, access to alternative therapies- (music therapy, play therapy, animal therapy). I would love to see our education system focused on student driven learning, with trauma informed practices integrated in all school, again with outdoor schooling as a norm.

That’s one thing, right?

What was your biggest accomplishment last year? What do you hope to accomplish this year? Over the past year (several years if I am honest), I have learned above anything else, that hate is never the best answer. Hate breeds anger, defensiveness, judgement and shame. Hate always narrows perceptions, closes doors, and hurts people.

Further, there is a difference between hate and boundaries. And that is my goal for this year: to define. I want to be intentional and mindful of the relationships I have. I am hoping to grow in my ability to be assertive, and to be proactive (setting appropriate and respectful boundaries) rather than reactive (fearful or defensive responses to ineffective boundaries).

Are you a feminist? What does feminism mean to you? Although I don’t often identify specifically as a feminist, I absolutely am. In my perspective the word Feminist often (maybe especially so in my demographic) has a stigma attached, and a sometimes ‘prickly’ reaction. Isn’t it that way with many important topics though? I am keen on advocating for respectful and equal treatment of women and mothers in the workplace. Even more important to me is the establishing of healthy relationships, and recognition and support for all types of abuse in domestic situations.

I love to see woman celebrated and respected for their integral place in society; in relationships, in families, in the workplace and in politics.

If a teenage girl came to you for life advice, what would you tell her? “If you have questions, find the answers. If you’re gut is telling you something, listen. Find safe people who support you for who you are and exactly where you’re at. It is okay to be scared, it is okay to be scared- it is not better to hide your emotions. Always look for support, for people who see your worth. Know your worth, never let it go. And take the trip. Always take the trip.”

  What is your ultimate goal, personally and professionally? I hope that I am remembered as what I aspire to be. A mother who loved her hardest, a partner who always built on strengths, a friend who never judged. I hope I am remembered as a supporter, an ally, and an adventurer. I want to be remembered as unstoppable in life, love and growth.

How do you hope you’re remembered? I would like to express my appreciation for being able to participate in your Wild Women series. It’s been a joy to ‘work’ together with an incredible woman, Paige.

                                          #motherhoodunplugged #motherhood #parenting #parents #mom #momlife #mama #motherhoodrising #yyc #calgary #alberta #canada #canadianbloggers #meetmothers #interview #motherinterview #women #strongwomen #feminism #mom #momblog #lifestyleblog #personalblog #canadianblogger #canadianblog #calgaryblog #calgaryblogger #yycblogger #yycblog #raisingbabies #raisingdaughters #children 

Wild Women: Rachel O Meet Rachel. A beautiful writer, a loving mama and a powerful woman. I love the way she writes and the vibes she gives off are that of understanding, non-judgement and love.

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Small Business Summer Wishlist

Small Business Summer Wishlist

This Rose Satin & Lace Sleep Mask by Evelina Apparel, $24.25.

  Forget Me Not Bobby Pins by Damson Tree Pottery, $21.65.

  Bonfire Air & Linen Mist by Beverly + 3rd, $12.80.

  Xeranthemum Annuum Tote Bag by Botany Press, $27.06.

  Fig + Melon Soy Candle by Hopscotch, $28.86.

  Real Flower Pins by Lotus Floral Art, $21.65.

  This Steel Towel Rack by Tarheel Custom Wood, $78.13.

  Akashmoni Wood…

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Hygge is all about simplicity, comfort and coziness. It’s about surrounding yourself with love and warmth. While Autumn and Winter are prime hygge time, you can definitely be hygge in the Summer too! Keep reading for some ideas to help you get started, then let your hygge-ness overflow onto your whole life.

Two of my top tips: add candles and ditch your cell phones to all of these to enhance your hygge experience.

BACKYARD BONFIRE Head to Pinterest and find a recipe for a new drink, grab some roasting sticks and a bag of marshmallows then add some fairy lights.

GAME NIGHT What do you like to play? Chess? Cards Against Humanity? Trivial Pursuit? Or go old school and grab a deck of cards. Throw in as many candles as you can, get everyone to bring their favourite snack and your good to go.

INTIMATE DINNER PARTIES Try to keep your guest list under 6 so that there’s not a lot of stress involved. You could do a potluck, cook everything together or whip up something yourself. Whatever you decide make sure it’s delicious and rustic. Don’t forget to add a good playlist to complete your evening: try this, this or this.

LATE NIGHT MOVIES Do you live somewhere that has a drive in? Try that! If not, grab some blankets, some loved ones and cuddle together on the couch. Maybe add a big bowl of popcorn and wait for it to get dark outside too – so that your hygge candles will really give you the full effect.

DAY TRIPS What could be more Summer hygge that a car packed full of your favourite people, music and snacks? Ditch your phones in the glove-box so you can really be present together and hit the road. You can research somewhere you want to go before hand, buy a day-tripper book or just go!

ANTIQUING/THRIFTING/GARAGE SALING Do you love vintage pieces? How about getting things for a steal? Wake up early, grab some coffee and carpool around your city with a list of garage sales, thrift or antique stores. Tons of communities have “parade of garage sales” on certain days so you can hit up a ton of them in one place. Then tell me about your best finds in the comments!

READING This one can be done solo, with a partner or whomever else you want. I like to do this in the morning while my youngest is still in bed and my oldest is watching Netflix. Maybe you want to join (or start!) a book club? Whatever you do, make sure you get lost in your good book.

SUNTANNING ON THE BEACH Falling asleep while you tan on the beach is definitely hygge, don’t you think? Soak up those rays while you can because before you know it we’ll slip back into our 8 month Winter.

                                          #summerfun #summertime #summer #seasonalliving #livingseasonally #summerseason #hygge #summerhygge #howtohygge #cozyiness #cozy #canadian #canadianhygge #yyc #whattodothissummer #summerbucketlist #summertodo #summertodolist #happiness #friends #family #lovedones #flowersandfeminism #personalblog #lifestyleblog #lifestyle #seasonallifestyle #blog #momblog #canadianblog 

How To: Hygge in the Summer Hygge is all about simplicity, comfort and coziness. It's about surrounding yourself with love and warmth. While Autumn and Winter are prime hygge time, you can definitely be hygge in the Summer too!

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The Calm in The Chaos

The Calm in The Chaos

Life is curious. “The only constant is change.”

Yesterday was chaos. My babies had more energy than even they knew what to do with, The weather couldn’t make up it’s mind. I had so much to do I didn’t know where to start.

Then today came. The rain came. The calm came. So much calm that I’m actually bored. Painfully bored. My entire body is restless and I have nothing to do. Well, nothing I feel…

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I’m not sure how it happened, but somehow I now have a one year old. Each year on their birthdays, I write to my beautiful babies. This is Mabyn’s first write up, I hope one day she reads it and knows how much she means to me.

Mabyn,

I’ve spent the last 365 days loving you. Time has never moved so fast. It feels like days ago we were sitting in our backyard, watching the trees as they swayed back and forth above us.

This past year has been so lovely. You’ve refused to conform. You took 33 hours to birth, an interesting surprise after your sisters 6 hour one. You came 1 second before midnight on the full flower moon, taking the Doctor away from the other baby being born at the exact same time. You refused to cry for the next two days. Since this day last year you’ve wanted to be older and bigger than you are. But you didn’t crawl until 11 months old, cause you’re also kinda clingy. Which I’m entirely okay with. You’ve been ridiculously strong and incredibly sweet. You’ve been obsessed with trees, your sister and food. I hope you keep those passions always.

I’ve never seen a smile take up so much space on such a tiny face. Somehow it manages to get even bigger when someone tells you “no”. You think you’re the funniest person alive. You probably are. I love your chubby cheeks and what you look like when you’re sleeping. I love your sink baths, your refusal to wear socks and the way you cuddle stuffed animals. I love your belly laugh, your little mohawk and your giant eyes.

You’re like bliss in human form. You’re like a full moon, a big ocean wave and a tall tree all mixed into a little fairy. You’re like love and sugar and a thunderstorm. I hope everyone that’s ever apart of your life knows how lucky they are.

“My baby is sweet as can be, she gives me toothaches just from kissing me.”

And for the party… Everything was super fun, delicious and perfect. We had so many people come to celebrate our beautiful girl and I’m so thankful.

Mabyn: A Party and a Love Letter I'm not sure how it happened, but somehow I now have a one year old. Each year on their birthdays, I write to my beautiful babies.

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'It Takes A Village'

‘It Takes A Village’

I read a really beautiful piece written by a woman this morning. You can (and should!) read it here.

She talked about her experience growing up surrounded by a group of female friends. Best friends, sleepovers, perfume sampling together, doing everything together really. Then moving away to a big city in her 20s and forming a new group of women. Filled with women’s marches, broken hearts,…

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I found Cayla on Instagram a while back and have loved following her ever since. She radiates beautiful, strong energy and her pictures are so magickal. I love watching her garden adventures in the Spring and Summer and her family is so sweet as well. Learn more about her below and don’t forget to follow her to join in her adventures!

Her instagram is here. Her art instagram is here.

What does a typical day in your life look like? I wake up at 6 am and start the kettle for tea/coffee. My daughter and husband typically sleep until 8. I used to really hate waking up this early. But now I look forward to it, as it is usually the only alone time I get. I will usually read, work on a creative project, or do some light stretching. Spring and Summer afternoons are my favorite. After breakfast I go outside to check on the garden. A few years ago my friend tried to install a self watering system through out my garden beds while he was house sitting. I really enjoy taking the time to water all of my plants. Needless to say, I ripped out all the self watering hoses as soon as I got home! When you’re spending that one on one time with your plants you establish a bond. And you can notice right away if there is a deficiency or a pest infestation! Now that Juni is a bit older I have been letting her help me in the kitchen with dinner. I think it is so important for tradition like this. I never helped my parents in the kitchen. But I think there is something magical about cooking as a family. Passing down recipes generation to generation. I hope my daughter has fond memories of helping me cook.

You’re like a magical garden fairy! What got you into gardening? What do you grow? What’s your fave thing you grow? I have always been in to gardening. I grew up in a small rural town in Northern Michigan. My Mother has always been an avid gardener. I have memories of weeding her 10+ gardens on our 5 acres. Back then I thought it was a punishment. Now, with all the new technology, weed covers, and all that, I would rather be hands in the dirt, pulling those weeds on my own. You have to be in there doing all the work by hand. That is how you get to know the plants. At my home now we have 9 5×8 beds where we grow all of our vegetables. This past year was the first year we have been able to sustain ourselves over the winter!! What an accomplishment! We still have potatoes in the cellar. My favorite thing to grow is herbs! I dug out a massive bed next to our garage when I was pregnant. It was a labor of love. We have nettle, motherwort, mullein, yarrow, calendula, lavender, flax, mugwort. I would rather be out foraging for these herbs. But it is so beneficial to have them in the backyard. Learning and making our own medicine.

Do you have any advice for people that want to start gardening? Any tips? I believe that everyone should try and grow their own food or medicine. It is a revolutionary act! Take your life into your own hands. Maintaining a garden is fairly simple with a little bit of knowledge and intuition. One book that really helped lay out our whole backyard plan is titled “self sufficiency on a 1/4 acre” We live right outside of Detroit, here in Michigan. Even with a little bit of land you can grow food and support your family. Start small… if you have the land put in a bed or two. If you have a porch or a window, fill a box with some dirt and seeds. Something simple and instantly gratifying to grow is lettuce! Once it pops up, you can pick it as it grows and have a fresh salad every day!

You’re also a rad mama! What’s the best part of being a mama? What advice do you have to people thinking of having a baby? I would have to say my favorite thing about being a mama is having the chance to be a kid again myself. I love watching her discover things for the first time. Playing games and being silly. My advice to people wanting a baby… Family and community are key to survival. Don’t be afraid to ask for help. After my friend had a baby, we all signed up for a day to bring them meals for a month. And when they went back to work and their baby wasn’t in daycare yet, she asked us all to help out until they got him in. At first I thought she was being pretty bold and it was a lot to ask. But honestly, this is what all moms need! We need one another more than we think. I suffered from ppd because I didn’t allow myself the time or freedom. I was too afraid to ask for help.

What’s your biggest wish for your daughter? My biggest wish for my daughter is that she grows into a self thinking, confident woman. I grew up thinking I wasn’t enough, that I wasn’t capable of achieving my dreams on my own. I want my daughter to know she can do anything!

You’re super artistic. What kind of things do you make? I LOVE making things with found objects. Right now I am really passionate about my fiber art. A few years ago I started making these landscapes sewn with recycled fiber remnants. I have always been into thrifting and making my own clothes, so I have saved a lot of unique textiles and scraps. Most would think my studio space is a disaster. There is some sense to the chaos. I also make cute little plush toys! I had an Etsy for awhile. I just do custom orders now.

What’s something you’ve struggled with in life? What has it taught you? Something I have always struggled with is my self confidence and wanting acceptance from everyone. This is such an exhausting way to live. I have given up on a lot of my own dreams because I didn’t think I was good enough. After becoming a mother I have been able to become more comfortable and confident in my own skin.

What’s your fave thing about where you live? You’re least fave? I love living so close to Detroit. There is so much art, music, culture and a sense of community. As much as I love the city, it is also what I like the least. I grew up in rural northern Michigan. I miss the space, exploring the forest, getting lost in nature. I lived in a very small town. My graduating class consisted of 63 kids! All of which I had started kindergarten with. My partner and I dream of moving back north so that our daughter can share the same experiences I had growing up.

Tell me one of your favourite books! My absolute favorite book is Just Kids by Patti Smith. Read it and you will cry your eyes out. I really like books that make me cry. Another favorite is Everything is Illuminated by Jonathan Safran Foer. Outside of novels, I am in LOVE with author and herbalist, Stephen Harrod Buhner. He will BLOW your mind wide open with his fascinating insight on plants and how they communicate with us and the world. 

  What are you ‘known’ for? I guess I am known for being creative and artistic. My friends and family usually come to me when they need decorations made for a party. A custom Halloween costume. Plush toys for their babies.

Can you show me your fave photo you’ve ever taken? Why’s it your fave? Oh! This is a hard one. The photo I find myself staring at most (it is the only picture on my refrigerator) is one I took of my husband and daughter on the porcupine mountains in the upper Peninsula of Michigan. We had hiked 10 miles along the shore of Lake Superior. All the while with my 10 month old daughter on my back. The photo is one of my favorites because it is candid and brings me back to that special day.

What are your priorities right now? Right now I am putting myself first. It is a bit difficult when you have a two year old. I have been trying to incorporate moments of self care throughout the day. It feels good to get to know myself again and reconnect with the things that make me, me.

Whats your ultimate goal, personally and professionally? Our ultimate goal as a family is to move on to land where we can learn to be self sufficient.

                          #motherhoodunplugged #motherhood #parenting #parents #mom #momlife #mama #motherhoodrising #yyc #calgary #alberta #canada #canadianbloggers #meetmothers #interview #motherinterview #women #strongwomen #feminism #mom #momblog #lifestyleblog #personalblog #canadianblogger #canadianblog #calgaryblog #calgaryblogger #yycblogger #yycblog #gardening #mothermagick #gardeningmother #garden #momswhogarden #raisingbabies #raisingdaughters #children #kids #selfsufficient

Wild Woman: Cayla G I found Cayla on Instagram a while back and have loved following her ever since. She radiates beautiful, strong energy and her pictures are so magickal.

[andfeminism-blog]

Since I was tiny I’ve wanted babies. It was the game I played most at home. House, mom, whatever. As I got older, the NEED behind having kids wasn’t as strong. I did want kids, but I could have probably went either way and been happy. Maybe. Now, I wouldn’t want it any other way and I definitely have no idea what I’d be doing right now without my kids.

I read exactly 1 baby book before Indie was born. Bringing up Bebe by Pamela Druckerman. I also read a few little bits of What to Expect When You’re Expecting, but it just wasn’t for me. Honestly, I just never felt the need to read anything about babies. We figured we would just go with our gut and do what felt right. Now, 3 1/2 years and two babies later that’s pretty much how we’ve done it ever since. (I do have a bunch of parenting books on my list now though!)

My parenting style is that I don’t have a parenting style. I guess if you really wanted to you could try to pin me down to something, but really I just go with my intuition. Here’s a few things I tend to go by:

We don’t spank.  We know it’s something that wouldn’t work for us and I personally remember being spanked as a kid and hating it – I don’t need Indie to have that memory from me in her head.

We vaccinate. I’m not even really sure what to say here other than I think every parent on either side is not coming from a place of malice. This is a super hot topic that I don’t feel the need to get into on here!

We buy organic and non organic. Organic shit is expensive, I usually buy the foods that my kids eat organic. If I can’t, I don’t. I also buy local things that can’t afford to get labeled organic which is important to us as well.

I let them get bored. I’m an artist. Therefore I believe boredom to be necessary, it births the best things. Ideas, projects, stories, games. There’s a TON of studies out there that prove this. When we’re bored we daydream and that’s good for your brain!

We live slowly and simply. Not only for them but for me. I try to stay home a lot, especially during the week. While they love to go out and do things, it takes a lot of energy out of such tiny little people (and me!). Being at home helps them recharge and keeps them comfortable. It’s also easier on me and my mental health.

I don’t tell them not to cry. I guess I just don’t see the point. Go ahead and cry, I will hold you while you do. It’s not shameful, embarrassing or weak.

I limit my expectations. I don’t want to put my wants on them. I want them to be who they are, not who I want them to be. So while deep down I hope they do something ‘cool’ with their lives, if they don’t I’m fine with that too.

We talk to them like humans. We don’t do baby talk. It’s just not our thing and is totally just personal preference. We’ve always talked to them like humans, not babies. We are age appropriate with them, but we answer their questions and generally don’t ‘lie’ to them or give them misinformation. Again, it’s just been our intuition to parent this way.

We let them help. Indie is 3 1/2 and wants to help with everything. Yesterday she wanted to help me put my socks on. I let her. She also helps cook, clean, build Ikea furniture, feed the dogs, shovel the driveway, feed her baby sister and a ton more. We recently ripped a wall out in our house and she helped! Everything is done safely and under supervision of course, and it definitely takes a lot longer to finish basically everything – but she loves it and I think it’s really important.

We stress consent. Of course once in a while we will tickle them before asking and stuff like that, but consent is extremely important in our house. We do not make them hug or kiss people (including us), if we’re doing something like tickling/playing/etc and they ask us to stop we do. I stress the importance of asking other kids if they can hug them first. We do this when Indie is playing with our pets, she isn’t allowed to do anything to them that they don’t want. This goes with us as well, if we don’t want her to do something to us we don’t let it slide and we reiterate what consent means all the time.

I ask them to do things they don’t want to do.  On the flip side of the consent topic, I also make Indie do things she doesn’t want to do because that’s a natural part of life. She has to clean up her toys even if she doesn’t want to (although I usually help her at this point), she has to let the dogs in and out of the backyard every day (opening and closing our sliding door), she has to eat at least a little bit of each meal (the times when she doesn’t want to), she has to share her toys with her sister and friends. Things like that.

We talk about money. Money is such a strange topic. My parents never really talked about it with me much. I didn’t learn much about it at all really. Not sure if that was on purpose or not but my mom was raised by older parents so perhaps it’s from another generation. Indie is only 3 and Mabyn is just 10 months old so of course we haven’t gone in depth with them about it but we’ve started talking about how we (as her parents) work to make money. We talk about how when we buy things we have to use that money to trade for them. She doesn’t really get it yet, but one day she will and I want to have it be an open topic. I also found this a couple years ago (through one of my fave parenting resources: Mighty Girl) and have been just dying to buy it for Indie, but have been waiting for her to get to an appropriate age. I’m thinking I may get it for her for Christmas. There’s also this one if you’re interested in a different shape.

We talk about our feelings.  When Indie has a temper tantrum I try to talk to her about it instead of dismissing her feelings or telling her not to be angry. I do tell her not to scream, but we talk about why. Why do you feel this way? It’s okay to be angry but we don’t hit/scream at mama, etc. If I’m sad I don’t just hide it away all the time. Sometimes I’m sad and Indie asks me if I’m sad – I tell her yes and I tell her why. She definitly saw me cry a lot while I was pregnant with Mabyn, at the time I thought I was a bad parent because of it but now I realize it just showed her that it’s okay to have feelings and it’s okay to cry.

We play on the floor together. Sometimes I even just sit there while they’re playing and they even love that. I think it’s important to get on their level. I also try to bend down to talk to them and I try to remember this when I meet friends kids as well. I read an article once and the parent said they decreased temper tantrums and grumpy behavior just by playing on the floor with their kids for half an hour a day – so easy and definitely worth making the time for.

We teach manners early. Please, thank you, sorry, excuse me, etc. Manners are super important to me and we’ve been teaching them their whole lives. We also try to remember to use manners when we talk to the kids: Please pick up your toys, thank you for picking up your toys, etc.

We practice natural consequences.  I let Indie do a ton of stuff. Climb on the dining room table? Yep. Run in circles till she falls over? Yep. Run around the backyard without shoes on? Yep. I explain to her what could happen when she chooses to do something. If you choose to climb the dining room table, you might fall off and hurt yourself (I can’t even count how many times this has happened). If you run around the living room in circles till you’re dizzy you are very likely going to run into the tv cabinet and hurt yourself (also has happened a ton). If you run around outside without shoes on you might step on something and hurt your foot (hasn’t happened as much as you may think). The shoe thing she definitely gets from me, I run around all Summer without shoes on – especially in the backyard. I let her do things and I let her hurt herself because I’m hoping one day it will teach her to be more mindful of her decisions because with every action comes a reaction. If you hit your dad you will get in a bit of trouble, if you take that toy from your sister you will have to apologize and give it back, if you rip up that book you will not have it anymore.

I try not to sweat the small stuff. This goes with the one above. I’ve noticed when my mom is visiting she’s always telling her not to do things and it definitely can put a strain on their relationship sometimes. Things like the ones I talked about above, not climbing on the table, not spinning in circles till she hurts herself, not making messes, etc. To me, when it’s little things it’s just not worth fighting about. I tell her she could hurt herself, she usually ends up doing just that, but at least I’m not constantly telling her no to the little things that in the end really don’t matter. It seems the result so far is a pretty independent 3 year old.

We try not to say the word ‘fat’ in front of them. So this one is a bit tricky and about balance. I am a plus size woman, I’m fine with this, I refer to myself as fat in a totally neutral way. When I call myself fat I’m reclaiming the word that people have used against me for years, I’m not using it in a ‘bad’ way. I also recognize the fact that not everyone in the world feels the way I do about it. However, at 3 years old I don’t feel she has the ability to understand this concept yet. She has no idea what fat is, she has no idea what being a plus sized person is like, she has no idea the history behind it as a societal concept. We try not to say it in front of her because I don’t want her to have the ability to use a word that could have a powerful impact on people. One day when she’s old enough to understand everything behind it (more likely the day someone else teaches it to her), I’ll teach her how I try to use it neutrally. One of my fave quotes on this subject is ‘You aren’t fat, you have fat.’

There’s probably a lot more that I could say here, but for now I’ll leave you with this. I’m just a mama trying my best. If you have any specific questions or things you’d like me to weigh in on with parenting leave them in the comments for me!

                      #parentingstyle #parentingadvice #lifeadvice #honestmotherhood #candidmotherhood #motherhood #parenting #yycmoms #yyckids #calgary #yyc #albertamoms #yycblogger #yycblog #calgaryblogger #calgaryblog #motherhoodrising #raisingbabies #raisingdaughters #family #stayathomemom #sahm #whatsmyparentingstyle #whatsyourparentingstyle #canadianmoms #canadianfamilies #canadianblogger #canadianblog

  What’s My Parenting Style? Since I was tiny I've wanted babies. It was the game I played most at home. House, mom, whatever.

[andfeminism-blog]

Clothes, books, and everything else I’m crushing on for this new season!

The Chelsea Boot from Poppy Barley

These two tops from Additionelle

This dress from there too

  Glossier Cloud Paint in Puff

Laura Mercier Tinted Moisturizer (photo by: https://adayinthelalz.com/)

This book recommended by @frannyandbriar

This book I found on The Mighty Girl FB page

A snake plant for my living room I have one, but would like another

This tray from Home Sweet Farmhouse

This vase from Faceted Concrete

One of these dip dyed macrame water bottle holders from The Larks Head

                          #wishlist #springwishlist #spring #springseason #fashionwishlist #beautywishlist #personalblog #momblog #yycblogger #yycbloger #calgaryblogger #canadianblogger #albertablogger #momwishlist #alberta #calgary #yyc #canada #etsy #supportsmallbusiness #smallbusiness #canadianbusiness

This Mama’s Spring Wishlist Clothes, books, and everything else I'm crushing on for this new season! The Chelsea Boot from…

[andfeminism-blog]

Erin lives in Victoria and is a mama, student and badass blogger. She writes honestly with the world and it’s super refreshing among the cloud of pretend you often find on the internet. Read our interview below and don’t forget to support her by checking out her blog, FB and Instagram!

  Read her blog here. Follow her Facebook Page here. Follow Erin on Instagram here.

  Tell me something little that brings you joy. I’d say that my answer is the same it would have been 10 years ago before I had kids, my family. Especially now, my girls. Being around them is infectious with giggles and laughter. They make me smile from ear to ear daily.

You’re the author of your blog, http://www.unfilteredmommy.com (I’ll add a link here in post), why did you start it? What do you hope comes from it? I have always enjoyed writing, and have dabbled in short stories and poems throughout my life. I wrote reviews and articles online prior to kids. Then life got busy and I forgot about writing. The key with good writing is that you write to something you know and are passionate about. What else am I completely submerged by and passionate about other than my kids. It was a no brainer to fill a void for “me”. I hope to grow my blog and really connect with other people that can relate to my shenanigans. When someone comments a thank you for sharing, or an equally relatable story, it makes me feel good.

What are you going to school for? What got you into it? I’m in school for my Human Resources Management Diploma. I never knew what I wanted to be when I grew up. I started and finished a lot of schooling and courses with no real goal in mind. I got into the love of HR when I was a supervisor at my old company. I helped to manage a sales team of 14 people and was the HR contact for my department. I worked with HR on recruitment, career coaching, policies, and unfortunately terminations. But it was my love for people and understanding how each one of us ticks and thrives that really drove me to want to pursue it as a career. So here I am!

What makes you unique? Ahh that’s a hard question to answer about yourself. I’m goofy, I like to sing even though I’m horrible at it, I swear like a trucker and I sometimes (ok most times) don’t think before speaking.

What is something you’ve struggled with in life? What did it teach you? Being independent. This is something I still struggle with I think. Seeking that approval and being perfect. I think a lot of women struggle with some aspect of portraying the social media “perfect” life stigma when really, not one us truly has their shit together. No one shows that though.

What are you most proud of yourself for? Hands down giving birth, all natural to my girls. My first in hospital and my 2nd at home in a birthing pool. There is nothing else I have ever experienced that gives you that wonder woman adrenaline feeling. You pushed a life out of you, organs, hair, a name, a person. I did that. That’s extremely powerful shit.

Do you have any regrets in life? So many, all a learning opportunity though. Try to not dwell on mistakes and regrets and try to see what you can learn about yourself and why you did that in the first places. Life lessons in every one.

What is your ultimate, holy grail product? This I struggle with. I watch a lot of Youtube beauty gurus and they always through that term out. “This is my holy grail”  I’ve tried such products and nothing has me hearing hark angels. If I were to pick, I love Redken All Soft Shampoo and conditioner, and recently I’ve discovered the chemical peels by Dr. Dennis Gross, which are uber expensive but wow. My skin is glowing. Holy grail, maybe not. Awesome, most definitely.

Tell me about your hobbies. What do you do, or what did you do before you had your girls? I use to love to read and crochet. Now those are things that don’t happen anymore, although I have a scary yarn collection that I can’t bear to part with. I should pick up a book again, just needs to be a page turner. Suggestions? Now my hobbies are writing for my blog, research and netflix while I fold laundry. I actually look forward to that….

Have you been able to cross anything off your bucket list yet? My bucket list has never been too crazy. But my biggest thing was to have children. Originally that was, be finished having 2 kids by the time I’m 30, but I didn’t even have my first until I was 30! Doesn’t always work out the way you think.

What is your biggest wish for your daughters? To be fierce. To be comfortable in their own skin, and own it. I want them to know their worth and never let anyone tell them otherwise. I want them to follow their hearts. I want so much for them…this is such an emotionally charged question. I could write an essay!

What do you hope to accomplish this year? What was your biggest accomplishment last year? I want to grow my blog, add some extra aspects to it, and I have some ideas brewing but I also want to try to finish my schooling this year as well. Hmm…Last year was such a blur with majority of it on maternity leave. Surviving 2 kids? Haha I think going back to school and getting over the fear of being too old, and with a 2 month old and 3 year old, I also thought maybe I was crazy. I think my family did too! But I’m proud that I am doing well with a GPA that is above average. I may be going slow but I’m really proud of myself

What’s your greatest strength? Biggest weakness? This is going to sound so cheeseball but being a friendly, nice person. I am that person that smiles at complete strangers at Walmart or does random acts of kindness because I believe it totally can change someone’s day. There are so many times I’ve smiled at someone and they do a double take and than return the biggest smile and I know, right there that I’ve made that persons day or at least hour or so. You would not believe how many people I smile at that look miserable and don’t actually return it. But I’d like to think they were so taken by surprise that by the time they thought about smiling back, we were long past each other. Hopefully that person passed on a smile to the next.

Biggest weakness? I’m a jumper of interests. So I tend to start projects, crafts and never finish them. IT’s awful. My interests will change so often and I need to learn to stick to whatever I got going on before moving on. The amount of half finished crochet projects hiding in my house right now is embarrassing.

If a teenage girl came to you for life advice, what would you tell her?

Be you.

Travel

Love hard

Do what you need to do to find your passion in life, and find a job that supports that passion

Take risks

Always tell your parents you love them and let them when you arrive somewhere safely

Be kind. Stand up to bullies.

What is your ultimate goal, personally and professionally? Personally, to figure out this mom thing so I can kind of seem like I know what the eff I’m doing. I’m winging it hard core and so far doing ok but would love to look back and think I owned this stage in my life. Professionally, do say I LOVE my job. To have a career that is flexible, to work for myself would be the ultimate dream.

                        #yyc #calgary #canada #victoria #vancouverisland #vancouverislandmoms #victoriamoms #momblog #mominterview #interview #bloginterview #womensupportingwomen #girlssupportinggirls #personalblog #lifestyleblog #reallife #realtalk #yycblogger #canadianblogger #calgaryblogger #calgaryblog #yycliving #motherhood #honestmotherhood #life #theunfilteredmommy #unfiltered

Wild Women: Erin P Erin lives in Victoria and is a mama, student and badass blogger. She writes honestly with the world and it's super refreshing among the cloud of pretend you often find on the internet.