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Ritual is able to hold the long-discarded shards of our stories and make them whole again. It has the strength and elasticity to contain what we cannot contain on our own, what we cannot face in solitude. -Francis Weller Togetherness is one of our family's values ( see them all here ). One way we like to foster togetherness is by creating and honoring our own family rituals. Naturally our rituals have evolved over the years, and will continue to evolve to suit our needs and the season of the life we're currently swimming in. We intentionally made our rituals simple as hell as we want to be able to weave them into our days consistently amongst life's daily chaos and surprises. Our rituals are small and meaningful to us. They foster all the meaningful "c" words: connection, creation, communication and collaboration. Here are a few of our current simple family rituals that help us live out our values unapologetically. Our Simple Family Rituals Seasonal Bucket List // 4 times a year In each new season, we gather together to create one family bucket list of our dreams and desires for that specific time of year. It's a fun way to hear what each family member is craving for fun and growth so we can all work together to make it happen! New Moon Ceremony // monthly Each month when there is a new moon we plan to gather around a fire in our backyard or simply light a candle outside and write down (or draw) our intentions for the month on a small piece of paper. For example, "I want to make space to paint more with my daughter." After we read aloud our new moon intentions we release it in the fire (into the universe) and say, "And so it is." *If someone does not care to share aloud their intentions to the family it's completely okay. The purpose is to gather together, not to force anything. Morning Oracle Card Pulls // daily Almost every morning after I get a warm mug of whatever tastes good, I sit down at our table with my journal, choose an oracle deck (I have 5 to choose from), and light our beeswax candle (the vibe matters). Then, I spread the deck out on a cloth on the table and ask the cards a question. Example: "How can I love more today?" I then choose a card that I feel drawn to and soak in it's "medicine". I usually write my question in my journal, and then write about the meaning of the card and how it relates to my life. Sometimes I will doodle some art in there as well which my daughter loves to join in with. This ritual is done alongside my daughter and not always with. Sometimes she wants to participate, sometimes she doesn't. I invite her to join, but never force it. But, I've noticed her thoughts and speech reflect the uplifting words of the oracle cards more and more which is all that I can ask for. So no matter if she pulls a card or not, she is still soaking in the magic of the deck and is able to observe how her mother primes each new day with the goods . End of the Day: What was your favorite part? // daily This is probably the simplest ritual of them all. Whether we are gathered together eating dinner, in a car, on a walk or about to go to bed this question always bookends our day. One of us simply asks, "What was your favorite part about today?" We all take turns asking each other and answering. Sometimes the conversation goes a bit deeper with more questions, such as " What was hard about today?" or "What's something new you learned today?" depending on our mood and energy. I love how asking one open-ended question can give you such great feedback/information on how each family member is feeling. "Let others witness your process, not your conclusions- your body of work isn't the sum of your best takes, it's the documentation of your evolution, still forming, still fragile, still electric." I hope this post encourages you to create family rituals, no matter how simple or small, that are meaningful to YOU and your family. xx Jillian

We are remembering. We are reclaiming our magic, our wisdom, and our right to be powerful, intuitive and free. -sarah jenks I recently birthed my second wildling at home (with a midwife + my support team). What an honor to be able to experience that incredible journey. His big sister was born 7 1/2 years ago which felt like aaaaages ago. Then I was a new mother who knew nothing about birthing or babies, and very little about my body too. Birthing this time around was vastly different for me, as I felt more empowered and connected to my inner knowing . It was fun to reflect and share some of my learnings after birthing, baby ing and postpartum ing again. And yes - I like making nouns into verbs :). FYI: This is not the post that will link you to all the Amazon products and brands I love. This is the post that will hopefully give you that lil' nudge you needed to trust yourself. I hope this list serves as a friendly reminder that all we need is pretty simple: LOVE , COMMUNITY and YOUR INTUITION . 15 "Things" I've Learned After Birthing a Baby at 39 The 'baby' things you think you'll need, you don't. Make sure you have a partner-in-crime for at least the first week. Let them 'do' so you can 'be'. Tune in to your mothering intuition first. You know way  more than you think you do. Community revives your soul. Who needs "baby containers" when you have the arms of loved ones. Five baby onesies is plenty. Adult diapers are where it's at. Witch hazel is the condiment your undercarriage needs. Tallow balm is the tits! Use it on everything. When you feel you're ready to do more, don't . Keep resting . Cotton really is 'the fabric of our lives'. The ambiance/vibe of your home aids in your healing. Invest in beauty, don't feel guilty for it. Pillows are your friend, keep them close. Cribs and bassinets are pointless, use your bed . Meal trains are a blessing. Ask for help, your community wants to support you. Did you know that you are definitely a bad ass?! ;) xx Jillian

"Motherhood didn't take your artistry. It intensified it. It gave you rawness, truth, contradiction, depth. The world needs exactly that voice." -grace gulley These musings have traveled in tiny mothering moments from my heart to paper. Mothering two wildlings has cracked me wide f*cking open and has helped me remember the importance of creation . The outcome of these creations is of less importance than the act of just making space for it . I once heard that your art doesn't shine unless you share it. So if you've been looking for "permission" to release your raw, imperfect ( and most likely vulnerable ) creations to the world...it's time to unleash your art my friend, even if it's just a whisper. enjoy the art show :) POSTPARTUM It may be uncomfortable. It may be messy. It will feel like eternity. Let it be. ARRIVING YOU WILL You will make mistakes. You will doubt yourself. You won't know what the result will be. You will disappoint others. You will be misunderstood by family and friends. You will feel the fully complexity of your emotions. You will unleash tears, anger, frustration, and you will laugh and experience so much beauty. You will grow. You will trust yourself more and more. You will love harder than you ever imagined. You will be an exceptional mother . HOW WE "DISCIPLINE" Is there really a right or wrong or is that just to please and simplify our own ego? What if instead we pause, listen and observe without judgement? What if we tune in to what feels aligned to our values and be open for others to do the same? Will our aligned actions disappoint people? Absof*ckinlutely We can make soul-aligned choices without harming others intentionally, but also know we will be misunderstood in the process... and that is completely "normal" when paving your own path in motherhood. WHY IS PLAY + PRESENCE SO HARD AS A MOTHER? SLOW DOWN MAMA Slow down mama, Relish in your nows. Savor all your works and efforts. Contentment and contemplation is necessary for rest and growth. It's okay to pause and sit in all that you've accomplished so far. No striving or action is required at the moment. Rest, be and bask in the beauty of this now. MAYBE... We were taught to find the thing and do it well. Maybe there's not just one thing for you. Maybe there are tons of things that you are called to do. Maybe it's enough to be constantly discovering a million little things that make life worth living. What if getting the chance to wake up every morning and uncover new passions is the reason why we're here. Maybe life itself is what feels like magic. More musings to come <3 xx Jillian

You are taking a sacred voyage into more of who you are and who you came here to be. Yesterday we intentionally (and spontaneously) chose a day to honor and recognize our daughter's development and growth as a human. I've heard that every 7 years humans go through a huge transition of development (spiritually, emotionally, physically, mentally, energetically) -- and ever since she turned 7 years Earthside in June I've been witnessing this wild and magical shift in her. She has been stepping over a threshold this 7th year marking a sacred shift. She's been slowly transitioning out of my energetic field (the mother) and into her own unique energetic field, where she still feels safe, nurtured, guided and loved dearly. It's this natural uncoiling where she is recognizing her soul's purpose in the family, in the community and in the world. She's intuitively stepping into new roles and responsibilities with little direction and reminders from outside sources (aka, her parents). She's choosing to help... load the dishwasher, do her laundry, use the bathroom by herself in public places, offer to help carry things, carry her own hot chocolate mug (filled to the brim) at a coffee shop to the table, provide hugs when she notices I'm feeling off or stuck, wash her own hair, and so on. I've been wanting to intentionally make space to honor her and these changes, and funny enough we decided the day of to just do the thing . We told her the day of that we were going to have a small "Rite of Passage" ceremony for her and her eyes lit up with excitement! Little plans were made and stressed about, and it evolved into this perfectly simple and beautiful experience. I'm realizing more and more that rituals and celebrations like these don't have to be grand and overwhelming to host. All we needed was a dedicated space created with deep intention to honor, love and uplift. We invited a couple of close families (last minute), made a large casserole to share, gathered around a big fire and said some special words to show Lucille (my daughter) that we SEE HER FULLY and know she's evolving exactly into the soul she's designed to be. I truly believe that taking the time to just notice our micro-evolutions as a human is sacred and so powerful. It feels important to bring these types of rituals "back home" -- to make space for others to be seen and honored for who they are, and who they are becoming. We all know growing isn't easy. But, it is a meaningful journey of bliss, hardships, experimenting, making mistakes, surrendering to life's surprises and trusting our intuition to guide us. I'm looking forward to holding space for more *Rites of Passages* for our family and our community. thanks for being here, xx Jillian

Less forcing. More flowing. We continued the search for our future home looking in various cities. To make this process a little easier to follow along, I will list the cities and houses we explored in sequential order with a brief overview of what happened. Staunton: The town was sweet, and the house was located in a big neighborhood with lots of neighbors. The house was plenty big and the backyard already had a playhouse ready to go (which Lucille loved). We put in an offer, but were denied (as our house hadn't been sold at the time and the buyer didn't want a contingent offer). Waynesboro: This small town seemed quaint with a really great coffee shop and spacious parks in the area. The house was extra spacious (a little more space than needed) with mountain views and the neighborhood was quiet. We made an exceptional offer and were denied due to unknown reasons. Cue lots of frustration and anger . Staunton (again) : We loved this older quirky house and the backyard was cozy and charming. It was located in a quiet neighborhood and had plenty of space for us all. We were about to put in an offer, but found access to the inspection report before doing so. Sadly, the house had MANY big ticket price things needing attention, so we had to walk away from this one. Staunton (again): We found another house that was a bit smaller than desired, but we could make it work for us. The yard was spacious and had potential for future play projects. The neighbors seemed friendly and the house was in great condition. We put in another great offer and were overbid shortly after. Surprisingly, we were not that disappointed. This is when we realized we were starting to force things. At this point we decided to take a break and recalibrate. When we felt ready to get back in there, we visited at least 10 other homes in a completely different city. There were no homes we felt called to put in an offer, so we continued on the journey. Then, one rainy day my husband saw a piece of property online that sparked some curiosity. The price listed was slightly over our budget, but thought it couldn't hurt to reach out. This particular property had no house on it yet, but a local builder was attached to the land for the future home. We looked at the property on the map and saw that this special property was in a neighborhood (Lucille's wishes), but was also deep in the woods and completely surrounded by trees (our wishes). It seemed too good to be true, so I insisted we drive to see the land as soon as possible. Scottsville: We drove 35 minutes to find a lovely neighborhood and quiet cul-de-sac. I'll never forget the feeling I had once we made it down the long gravel driveway. The driveway opened up to a cozy lot surrounded by tall beautiful pines. We sat in the car (as it was raining), and I immediately felt this resounding HELL YES, THIS IS IT. Nick and I looked at each other and knew we had to find a way to make this happen. THE FINALE: We found a way to custom build a cozy 1300 sq. ft cottage within our budget. After we said "yes" to buying the property (and house), everything seemed to flow without friction. Lucille got her desire of living near people (a neighborhood), and we got our desire for privacy and nature. We truly believe this property chose us and waited patiently for our arrival. And we're so happy it did :). "The more you let go into trust, the creational space of your life expands exponentially." thanks for reading friend, xx Jillian

You're allowed to want more. Our dreams didn't really GET REAL until Nick and I took time to microdose a specific type of plant medicine together. This is honestly something I never thought we would make plans to do as a couple, but life has a funny way of placing things in your path for you to explore and try. So, Nick and I dropped off Lucille at a friend's house and we had five beautiful hours to journey together with specific intentions . During our journey I had this very clear realization that I was outgrowing our current living situation. Not outgrowing the house itself, but the space/property we owned as a whole. I wanted more land, more privacy, more space to play, connect, be surrounded by mother nature, and to invite others to do the same. I pulled out a large poster-size paper we had stored in our closet and asked Nick if we could dream doodle together. We each grabbed a marker and took turns drawing what we dreamed of next for us. We still have this dream doodle (folded up in a safe place) to remind us of that moment when we took time to dream without limits together. We ended our microdosing date with a long walk around our community and reflected on our experience. That is around the time we had officially decided that we were going to sell our house and search for our dream property. We were both terrified, but in the most exciting way possible. Next, we took action to find support. I had found and connected with an amazing realtor and now dear friend. She met with us, led us on a guided meditation that encouraged us to tap in deeper to what we wanted in our next house and property. She gave us next steps in the process of both selling and buying, and her guidance helped simplify the journey tremendously . We decluttered our house ruthlessly, repainted walls, took down personal photos, paid for a deep cleaning of our house and let our realtor (and her amazing team) do their magic in staging our house. We sold our home in less than a week, and received a top dollar offer with the ability to stay in our home a few months (for free). Looking back, selling our home seemed to be the easier part of the journey, as we had no idea the rollercoaster ride the buying journey would take us on. Searching and buying our next home was way MORE STRESSFUL than I had expected. In the beginning we were very excited, as anyone would be. There were lots of houses on the market to explore and see in person. But honestly, we were kind of all over the place . We had a clear vision of what our dream property would look like, but had little clarity on the exact city or area where we wanted to land. Over the next couple of months we visited and saw many, many houses. We happened to find a house Nick and I really liked (for the first time). It was a brand new rancher on a couple acres of land. Sadly, the lot was configured in a strange way. It was surrounded by trees with no neighbors close by, but there was little space useable for a play scape, and other things we dreamed about. The price was just right, the house was beautiful, but the property and surrounding area wasn't exactly what we envisioned. It was also pretty far from the towns we loved to visit, which would make our commute to run errands and homeschooling adventures much farther away than we wanted. We all went to see this house twice and were prepared to make an offer. On the ride home from the second visit we asked our daughter, "What do you think about this house Lucille?" She said point blank, "This doesn't feel like home, and I want to see people." I think Nick and I both took deep exhales together in the car after she said that, because we both felt the same deep down. If we picked this house, we would be settling. We realized that we were both feeling impatient and mentally exhausted, and would have to surrender more to this process if we wanted to find what was TRULY for us. So with the help of Lucille's intuition, we pivoted our search to look in areas with more people (in neighborhoods), and would sacrifice our desire for privacy and acres of land. This was a compromise we would be willing to make so Lucille felt good in our next home. And so the journey continues... Stayed tuned for the finale of our story in part 3 :) xx Jillian

Trust that what is for you will not pass you by. Our journey started with quite an unromantic beginning. It started with me feeling sick. Something felt definitely off with my body . My throat felt tight and constricted, and I spent many nights with my head uncomfortably propped up on a pillow. Sometimes I would get strange aches in my legs or parts of my abdomen. Overall, my body felt the opposite of vibrant and my whole digestive system was out of whack. My mind spiraled hard on some nights thinking that I might be dying. So I started researching, experimenting, took a digestive online course, met with my nurse practitioner and tried various kinds of recommended supplements. Still no changes in how I felt inside my body. After months and months of no change, I decided to invest in a functional medicine practitioner for wisdom and guidance. I took multiple tests (blood, urine and stool tests) and I finally received some answers on why I felt the way I did. Hallelujah! She discovered that I had high mold toxicity in my body, which also was causing candida and yeast overgrowth. My mind was blown, but I was happy to finally have found some explanation to why I felt so strange in my body. After learning about the mold in my body, we began mold tests for the places we could control, our house. Our house tested positive for traces of aspergillus , a fungus often found on dead leaves, stored grain and other decaying vegetation. We were told it wasn't an incredibly high amount, but for some reason I was the only one affected in my family. Learning this information definitely sent me on a highly motivated healing journey, and little did we know would spark our dream-weaving/manifesting skills into action. During the next 3-4 months while I was on the journey to heal my body, I began an AIP diet, started focusing on mantras to help reframe my thoughts, journaled more than ever to help myself process the ups and downs of the way I felt, practiced breathing techniques to reset my nervous system, began using the sauna regularly, and became more educated and empowered about what I put in and on my body. Rachel (my functional medicine practitioner) from Natural Health Rising was such an asset during this process. She takes a complete holistic approach to help you not only heal your body, but your mind and soul as well. With her guidance and wisdom I started to feel better, little by little. I started to put my needs at the forefront and began dreaming unapologetically of what I wanted next in life. My husband and I had talked about where we see ourselves in 5-10 years, and it was on a spacious private property in a small cottage with mother nature all around us. We dreamed about creating a playscape for both big humans and tiny ones. We wanted monkey bars, climbing gyms, swings, a sauna, a cold plunge and access to hiking/walking trails. We dreamed of an outdoor play sanctuary where we could invite and host local community and friends to gather and connect. This dream always seemed like it would be years away from happening, but after everything that I had experience thus far, it seemed our dreams were calling us sooner than expected. So we listened to the call. I think the hardest part about dreaming and manifesting is actually believing it's possible and trusting the process. With the help of Oracle cards I started transforming my thoughts to focus less on the fear and more on the possibilities. For over 6 months I had integrated Oracle cards in my morning ritual. Every single morning I would ask a question, pull a card and be open to receiving its medicine. I would write in my journal what parts resonated with me and anything else that came up on that specific topic. Slowly over time Oracle cards had brainwashed me (in the best possible way) to find the light and wisdom in the challenges, to take time to tune in and listen to my intuition, and to make moves on what made my whole body feel electric. to be continued... Stayed tuned for Part 2 coming soon :) xx Jillian

let's transform the mundane into magic 💫 I love making this magical green sauce and storing it in a mason jar in my fridge that way it's ready to go anytime. Some of my favorite ways to use this sauce is to top on turkey, chicken, beef, butternut squash soup, chicken soup and any kind of roasted veggie! The Magic Green Sauce (AIP approved) INGREDIENTS: 3/4 c. chopped parsley 3 tbsp. red wine vinegar 4 large garlic cloves, chopped 1/2 c. extra virgin olive oil salt and heavy sprinkle of Italian seasoning (or some fresh cilantro if you have it) Directions: Put all ingredients in a small blender and enjoy this sauce on EVERYTHING. happy savoring :)

Roast, mix and blend. I've been making this soup on repeat since September and it never gets old. yum - yum - yum. Feel free to add protein to it to make it a more balanced meal, like ground beef or sausage. However you decide to savor this soup, it's gonna be on point y'all. Simple Butternut Squash Soup (AIP approved) INGREDIENTS: 1 roasted butternut squash 3 cloves of garlic, minced 1/2 yellow onion, diced 16-17 ounces of bone broth (chicken or beef) 1/4 c. coconut cream salt to desired taste sprinkle of nutmeg Directions: Roast butternut squash: Cut squash in half lengthwise, scoop out seeds, brush with coconut oil, avocado oil or beef tallow and sprinkle with salt, roast cut side down on 400* for about 30-40 mins. While squash is roasting, in a medium size sauce pan sauté onions and garlic in oil of choice. Once they are fragrant, add in bone broth and keep on low heat. Once squash is roasted and cooled, scoop the squash "meat" out and add it to the sauce pan. Add in coconut cream, salt and nutmeg. Stir and cook on low-medium for about 5-10 minutes. Turn off heat. Use an immersion blender to blend all ingredients together until smooth. To serve, eat by itself or add crunchy chips and chimichurri for some fun. enjoy this cozy and nourishing soup!

a collection of poems to remind you of how powerful your unique energy is to the world ~ + SUBSCRIBE TO THIS + before you subscribe to one more external output, have you fully subscribed to your own beautiful weird? have you engaged in connecting deeply with the inner content ruminating inside your body? have you invested time, money and energy in loving all of your own juiciness that is waiting to be released? the best lifetime subscription available right now has been with you all along. she's been waiting patiently for you to hit the subscribe button and GO ALL IN. so how about we stop convoluting our precious vibration with yet another distraction and instead cannonball boldly into subscribing to what makes you YOU! + BREATHE my friend + and with each deep breath I let them go. to drift away and fall where they may, the fears, the guilt, the expectations my mind creates. I feel renewed with each inhale and come closer back to me with each exhale, and the day seems so much brighter with each breath I notice. keep breathing slowly my friend. + BRING IT ON + the wrinkle, the crinkles, the freckles, the moles, the creaking bones and tummy rolls, my outer exterior may show my years, but my inner *weirdo* has bought into love not fears. + IT'S ALL ABOUT THE VIBE + it's not what we do, it's how we fill the space. the details of events, actions and things matter little when compared to the vibe that's emitted. it's about the vibration we embody, carry and release that makes a profound impact on the people and the world around us. focusing on our own weird vibe seems to be where most of the magic happens. how we decide to show up and fill up the space is the gift that keeps on giving. + RELAX INTO IT + relax into the unknown, soak in the now and savor the path that leads to what will be. feel the bumps, embrace the chaos. inhale the goods you encounter mindfully, and exhale your vibration fully if able. the magic already surrounds you. slow down, and relax into it. MORE TO COME xoxo

Soak in an intentional oasis and let the love and light back into your being...oh hell yesss! I recently had a solo retreat. An adventure to a new city, in a new space with all of me, myself, and Jillian. When planning this retreat I was both terrified and exhilarated. The thought of me driving 4 1/2 hours to a city I knew little about, staying in an Airbnb by myself and exploring without an agenda for two days seemed like such a wild idea. Naturally, my mind (my ego) wants to protect me from all that is new, different and out of the norm. So all of the debilitating what if questions popped in my head... What if I get lonely? What if something terrible happens while I'm there? But then I asked myself two empowering questions: What would happen if I didn't go? What growth would I be stifling if I chose to stay "safe"and comfortable? This retreat was planned with the purpose to detach from all the roles I play, dive into the beautiful unknown and reconnect with my own needs of curiosity, play and pleasure. I've found it difficult to nurture specific needs when you're always playing a role. And I've said *yes* to many roles in life; friend, wife, mother, provider, listener, educator, lover, etc. It feels empowering to detach from these roles every so often to find pleasure without others' expectations or agenda. A solo retreat gave me space to soak in and savor all the *whimsically weird* inside of me. I came home after my solo retreat not looking any different on the outside, but damn did I feel different on the inside. I felt a new sense of strength in my vibration...a glow-up in how I show up. Peter McWilliams once said, “Comfort zones are most often expanded through discomfort. Be willing to be uncomfortable. Be comfortable being uncomfortable. It may get tough, but it's a small price to pay for living a dream." I highly recommend a getaway with yourself, there's only expansion on the other side. rooting for you :)

"Rules" is not usually my favorite choice of word to use when writing or speaking, but in this case I feel it best describes the power in creating strong & loving boundaries with how we intentionally show up each and every day. 8 Rules for Living Intentional-ish 1. Set a clear direction, not an outcome. Take time to write down what you value. This will serve as an incredible guide when it comes to things you say "yes" to and things you say "no" to. This type of *planning* helps you align the life you want to your every day actions. 2. Surround yourself with uplifting energy. What you consume and the environment you choose has a direct correlation to what you create in the world. Surround yourself with all the things that light you up, books, podcasts, art, decor, smells, sounds and most importantly, amazing humans. Let's practice uplifting your vibration, not stifling it. 3. Be willing to pivot and get creative. Things won't always go as predicted. When life gets wildly unknown, be prepared to open yourself up for what life places in front of you. Plan B, Plan C or even Plan D may be exactly the path intended for you, so allow it to flow through you. Life is meant to flow, not be forced. 4. Enjoy the messiness. I think we all know by now that the journey of life is messy. But life feels more aligned when we choose fun during the process. Our focus is more meaningful when we are fully in the Now (present in the highs and lows), and not on the outcome. Enjoy the process of what's happening at this very moment and watch how magically it all unfolds. 5. Waste as little as possible. Choose and use things purposefully. Wait a bit before impulsively investing in what you want (or think you want) to bring into your world. When we have less and invest intentionally, we open ourselves to more creativity and joy. 6. Nothing is fixed. Life is unpredictable, and we have little control over the events that happen for us. Waking up every morning with a mindset that "life is the dancer and I am the dance" will help bring a sense of ease to what unfolds. It leaves life open for unexpected adventures, new challenges (growth) and a whole world of beauty to discover and savor. 7. Sharing is caring. There is a lovely relationship between what we give and what we receive. The more we include others, the more smoothly things will flow and the more easily opportunities will come to us. The New Radicals sang some true words, "we only get what we give." 8. Put chaos to bed every evening. Chaos shows up in bits and pieces in our day to day. It's up to us to lay that shiz down to sleep before resting our heads. Make sure to *tidy up* whatever feels heavy for you each night, so you can awaken to a fresh start and a whole lotta light! Is there a "rule" you would add to this list? Would love to hear your thoughts below :) xoxo