keeping things simple.

We've embraced the life of minimalists.

For so long I've been plagued with stress and anxiety over the clutter and overall feeling of living in an overstuffed can of sardines that has been our life since getting married and I didn't know what to do about it. Then my friend Bethie introduced me to the world of minimalism.

Minimalism looks different for everyone, but it's about learning what you can live without, and then living without it. We're still in the process of purging things and figuring out exactly what our minimalism is, but it's already making me feel better. It's no longer holding on to small things just in case, or having a full storage bin full of sentimental things that are never even looked at. It's not having every book and toy under the sun. It's not having tons of furniture. It's not attaching ourselves to things that are ultimately temporary, while only filling our home with truly beautiful things that we love. It's a balance we're still trying to find, but just the process of getting rid of really unnecessary and useless things is helping me feel more centered and clear headed. I don't want my little forest boys to grow up in a high-consumerism type of home.

This is one of the changes I have been so desperately wanting to make in our life, and now that we've started it's kind of addicting. Getting rid of things is like a weight suddenly lifted. Sorting and organizing is a joy, and I've found that even though the process is slow it's making adapting to the changes a lot smoother. As much as I hate the acute consumerism we seem to live in, it's hard to go from putting huge value on things and having stuff to taking on the mind set that ultimately all the things and all the stuff will deteriorate and what should really be the focus is the people in your life, rather than the things.

By most minimalist standards, we still have a lot of stuff. But I maintain that minimalism looks and is different for everyone. Some people can live with just one pair of shoes year round, while others need several pairs. Some families embrace co sleeping, others feel they benefit most from having a crib. It changes based on your needs, and those are in a constant state of motion and change.

Having less is most definitely freeing and I've actually even lost the feeling of satisfaction in buying new things. Except for a few select things, I don't get excited about buying things new (though I still love getting things from the thrift store, but those aren't really 'new') and I dread having to to the point where I avoid it whenever I can. It's been so great, and it helps to keep things in our life as simple as we can.

and we're gone again!

This weekend we're heading up to what was my second home as a kid - my grandparent's cottage. They rent out adorable one room cabins and there are three of four vacant for the weekend, so we're going with my dad up for a visit and some time away from the noise and chaos of the city. I'm excited to go back up there and to take Seth for what will be his first overnight stay. We went up last year when he was about a month old, but it was only for a quick stop-in type visit, and Kyle wasn't with us at the time so this is his first time seeing where most of my childhood memories are.

Have a beautiful weekend!

embracing more hippie life // a post about floor beds

With the birth of our little Fox boy looming ever closer, we've been talking more and more about the day our little woodland boys will share a room. It won't be until little Fox is at least six months old, but we've been talking logistics on how we would set it up and thinking about what additional furniture we'll need. I've seen a few articles about Montessori floor beds, and I brought it up. Kyle was a touch skeptical at first, but I explained the whole concept behind the floor bed and now I think he was more excited about it than I am.

For those of you unfamiliar with the concept, a Montessori floor bed basically turns the entire room into baby's crib. You put a firm mattress right on the floor, baby proof the room so they're safe if they get out of bed and voila. It helps facilitate freedom and movement, as this is usually done while still in the months of babyhood. But even though we're starting late I have a feeling this is going to be great for all of us.

So far, so good. Seth no longer bangs his head and wakes up long before if humanly acceptable for any of us, and he's totally happy to play in his room on his own. He's only fallen asleep out of bed a handful of times, and that was only in the beginning when the crib was still up as we moved stuff around and got my mom moved in to her new place. After it was down, he happily went to sleep on his bed in a variety of adorable positions. I have no problem hearing him get up, and he knows that if he calls for me or knocks on his door I'll be there to open it. All in all we're really wishing we'd done this sooner.

Seth's bed is just an old futon mattress on the floor, made pretty with cozy textiles. He's got two pillows that are almost never slept on because he favours that huge dog picture above, and a couple baskets filled with quiet toys and a few board books for him to occupy himself with if he's not yet ready for sleep or ready to come play with mommy. I think what I love the most is that I can cuddle him and comfort him as he needs to without having to jostle him around to get him into bed once he's asleep when he's sick or having a bad day. I just lay with him when he needs me until he either falls asleep or no longer needs momma there, then I quietly slip out and he doesn't get upset about being put in bed anymore. It's really helped our bonding and I love getting to watch him fall asleep.


I'm not sure how we'll make this work with the two littles in the same room, but that's a bridge we'll cross when we come to it. I'm pretty sure we're sticking with the floor beds all around though - they're a huge hit in this hippie home!

we're back!

Things have changed quite a bit in our neck of the woods! It was really nice to be unplugged for a while (I almost wish we'd stayed that way!) but I am back in action now! Here are a few updates.

• We're almost 33 weeks along now - and I finally look pregnant consistently!
• We've picked baby names and gotten out the itty bitty clothes.
• I am getting so, so excited to give birth again. (more on that later)
• My mom is 100 percent moved out and our place is almost all in order.
• We decided we are for sure not staying in this city, but Kyle really likes his new job.
• Big dreams have taken root and begun to grow in our hearts - I can't wait to share them with you! (more on that later)
• It's weird not sharing a room with my little Bear, but at the same time it's kind of nice to not have to whisper when we're talking at night. 
• Speaking of which, we've ditched the crib! (more on that later)
• We've become (or are in the process of becoming) minimalists and I've gotten to a point where I hate buying stuff. (more on that later)
• We adopted my mom's cat into our family, and while he is skittish as heck we love him. He is so patient with little Bear and so sweet and cuddly!
• I have never been happier, and my relationships have never been stronger. These winds of change are blissful and lovely.

I'll post specifically about some of those things later but for now have some photos.

my favourite: birth

I know a lot of people might find this one hard to believe, but it is so true my soul sings for it.

Now don't misunderstand, I'm not talking about labour. Labouring is hard work. I had six hours of seriously fast and furious labouring and I kicked and screamed my way through it, stuck in bed on monitors. But when at long last they told me to start pushing, the world slowed. I calmed, my breathing regulated and I stopped screaming. I focused all of my attention inwards and though they tell me it took an hour, it felt so much faster. I opened my eyes to see a little squishy, brand new face staring up at me with eyes full of wonder. In that moment there was nothing but he and I, and I felt absolutely on top of the world because I knew that I had done it all by myself. I had brought that sweet little soul into the world with no physical help from anyone. I am so pumped to do it all over again, to meet our new adventurer and start our new chapter. To know that I have successfully grown and brought into the world two beautiful souls is a joy only a momma bear knows. That feeling - that is my favourite.

milf of the month - DIY hair conditioner

We're back again this month for yet another edition of milf of the month, linkin' up with the beautiful JUSTINE.

For the past couple of months I've been changing out a lot of my store bought products for homemade ones, and I think my favourite is the conditioner. I have been dying my hair for roughly 10 years and that is a lot of damage. My hair was limp, flat and frizzy. Even with store bought conditioners and treatments galore, it would not revive.


Then miraculously I discovered apple cider vinegar, and I went about making my own conditioning rinse. Upon the very first use, my hair was softer, shinier and not longer puffy. It wasn't flat at the roots anymore, either. It has made such a difference in my life that I just had to share. And it's so simple and inexpensive!

All you need is water, apple cider vinegar and a spray bottle.

Mix one part water with one part vinegar right in the bottle, then shake it on up. After you wash your hair, spray the mixture in so it coats well, and then massage your scalp for a couple minutes to let it really take effect. Rinse well, and voila! Beautiful, soft and truly healthy hair!