• Deciding to Follow My Passions and Other Thoughts Over Yarn

    13/02/2017 - By 

    This weekend we went out to a coworker’s house for brunch, which was very nice and I got to meet their super-sweet kids. It was fun to run after a super energetic toddler and have the simplest things make him laugh. And they have Cornish Rex cats!! I took so many photos of their furry friends….the Rex cats look like little princes and are super soft. That took most of Saturday and the rest of the weekend was taken up with movies and crochet. I find crochet so comforting and meditative. There is also something very tribal about having soft…

  • A Quick Five Minute List to Organize Your Whole Week

    30/01/2017 - By 

    Today is the day. I say that every Monday, as I see Monday as the day of the week worthy of mini-resolutions. Far from stressing me out, it creates a sense of order and renewal within me. As soon as I have finished packing the kid’s lunches, I sit and eat breakfast, notepad by my side, planning my week every Monday morning. I don’t go too grandiose.  I make a giant list of everything I can think of: from “clean out the pantry” to “make hard-boiled eggs”. Those items are amazingly different! The pantry could take me two hours whereas…

  • Five of the Easiest Ways To Get a Handle On Your Finances.

    25/01/2017 - By 

    The other day, Josh and I sat down and made the beginnings of some very big decisions. Actually, a long time ago we did that. We made some very vague goals for our future a few years ago, did a couple of quick meetings with advisors (who gave us some vague advice) and patted ourselves on the back. We are great at being adults, we thought. We, of course, followed through on nothing and a few months later felt stuck-again. Like hamsters in a wheel, I tells ya. So we made some more decisions and some promises to each other.…

  • Decluttering and Unexpected Emotions.

    25/10/2016 - By 

    When I begin my decluttering journey, it was more about the effort to find the things I need more quickly and not feeling as if I was drowning in “stuff”. How many times can one person trip over a laundry basket of “things to be sorted later” before they feel frustrated? (Answer: Once past ‘too many times’). Even the amount and assortment of clothing I had was starting to annoy me. (You can read about that here). I took a test in a magazine that pointed out I am a “sentimental clutterer”. I keep things because, once upon a time…

  • The Konmari Method and Saving Money

    07/10/2016 - By 

    On this cold day that feels like it will snow, I am inside doing laundry and reflecting on the state of my house, which I successfully ignored during the warmer months. It is a cluttered mess. Maybe not by some’s standards, but by mine it is. Even trying to find the right winter clothing has been painful….and, by the way, I can’t believe I have to think about that already!! My mom in Saskatchewan already has a foot of snow. Oh, Canada. So what has being stuck inside on cold days made me think about? DECLUTTERING! And saving money because…

  • Why We Have Chosen to Live on Tight Budget.

    07/09/2016 - By 

    It’s September already! The blur of summer has already passed, which may be a relief if you live in Calgary, AB, like I do, where summer was just a string of thunderstorms. The leaves are starting to change colours which always makes me want to begin change in my own life. The transformation of the natural landscape spurs me to transform too….and not just physically. I find myself reflecting on all of the ways my life could be different and I start to prioritize. This year my kids are both in full-time school. My daughter began Grade 3 and my…

  • Things My Husband Has Taught Me

    02/05/2016 - By 

    My Husband is very wise. Here are some fun things his steady, calm, patient attitude has taught me: Things always go on sale. There is no need to pay full price for (almost) anything Some things may be fated, but hard work gives fate a helping hand and will lead you to it faster and surer Kids need limits to feel safe and loved Being outside is a natural anti-depressant and when you don’t feel like doing that at all, that is when you need it the most Good things come to those that wait; but also to those that…

  • Some Truths About My Past

    28/01/2015 - By 

    Today is going to be a very self-indulgent post. I just have to get some facts straight and writing helps. I really thought about not posting this, but it is a part of me and I am generally just stating facts so there you go. Plus, I’m allowed to air my side of things. I have a voice and why should I silence it. I am not doing this to hurt people but to just say facts from what I’ve seen.   I grew up in small town Saskatchewan, in a town of around 3,500. Out of all of the…

  • Why Rewarding Expected Behaviour In Your Kids Is Wrong

    25/04/2014 - By 

    I was on Pinterest today. There were so many pins and boards dedicated to motivating kids to do chores. A lot of the pins involved crafts to set up punch cards or checklists for chores, and at the end the child would receive a reward. I was thinking a sticker, or a family bike ride, a movie night,  or something similar. I was wrong and when I started to read the comments I realized this quickly. Many of the parents posted “Oh this works so amazing. At the end of the list I give him $20 and he has to…