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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

Since my recent discovery of oxalates, I have transitioned to using coconut flour vs. almond flour in my baking adventures. I have been pleasantly surprised by the versatility and deliciousness with my latest new bakes, including this banana bread. Take those black, overripe bananas off your counter and put them babies to work! Get ready for a simple & moist anytime treat. Maple Coconut Flour Banana Bread INGREDIENTS: 2 very ripe bananas 1/2 cup coconut flour (measure and level off with a knife) 4 large eggs 2 tbsp. maple syrup 1/2 tsp. baking soda 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract sprinkle of fine sea salt Directions: Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a small loaf pan with *a little oil and parchment paper for easy bread removal. *The oil is optional, but helps keep the parchment paper in place for easy pouring. In a large mixing bowl add your ripe bananas and mash with a fork. Next, add in flour, eggs and the rest of ingredients. Mix with a whisk until most of the lumps are gone (or feel free to use an electric mixer). Pour the batter into the lined loaf pan and spread evenly. Bake banana bread for 40-45 minutes or until the center of the loaf has risen and feels firm to the touch. Let bread cool completely before slicing. **FOR BEST SHELF LIFE** Store bread in an airtight container in the fridge if you don't devour it in one day :). enjoy this amazing treat my friend!

"Maybe it’s time to open up our narrow viewpoint and see just how beautiful and powerful parenting can be." - Michaeleen Doucleff I somehow stumbled upon a new parenting book when I was wandering my public library. The universe must have known I needed some extra guidance and practice when it comes to enhancing my mothering skills. This book has transformed my parenting game so much so that I had to share my reflections in this pretty lengthy blog post. This magical book is called Hunt, Gather, Parent: What Ancient Cultures Can Teach Us About the Lost Art of Raising Happy, Helpful Humans by Michaeleen Doucleff. Do yourself a favor, purchase the book so you can underline, dog ear and highlight all the things that resonate with you. Or if reading is hard these days, just browse my notes to see if a spoonful of this magic mama juice satisfies some of the parenting struggles you may be encountering these days. You ready to add some extra love & relaxation into motherhood? Let's go! Michaeleen, the author of this book, traveled with her toddler to various hunter-gatherer communities around the world to dive deeper into parenting styles, learn tools and methods to raise happy and helpful humans (with less stress and overwhelm). I have included my top takeaways, parenting tools and a shit ton of quotes. I've already experimented and embraced these tools in my parenting groove...all I gotta say is WOW! There have been PHENOMENAL changes in my relationship with my daughter after only a month, and I feel like an intentional bad-ass mama even more than before. Here's a photo that embodies nicely my enhanced chill mama vibes. You feel it too, don't you? Alright loves, my book notes start here. Dive in and start experimenting! A new paradigm shift for western parents: T.E.A.M. Parenting (Togetherness, Encouragement, Autonomy, Minimal Interference) The basis for T.E.A.M. Parenting is that "parents or caregivers set the daily agenda and overall schedule for the whole family...they go about their business around the home and community, and expect the kids to follow along, more or less. They welcome the children into their world." "The child is largely in charge of their own behavior. They have an enormous amount of autonomy, and the parent minimally interferes...the parent watches the child and carefully chooses when to influence the child’s behavior (child is unsafe or when parent is transmitting a key cultural value, such as helpfulness or generosity)." "The parent encourages the child, with a whole suite of tools, instead of coercing through punishments or threats. They know their actions and modeling will prove much more effective and much less stressful -- than issuing instructions and commands...whenever possible, the parent harnesses a child’s own enthusiasm to motivate them." T: Togetherness “Rather than scheduling your life around your child, you can simply put your child into your schedule...an invitation for doing things together.” "Instead of having to schedule, pay for, and participate in endless child-centered activities, parents can lead their normal lives, working or relaxing- while kids follow along, learning as they go." *HOW to GUIDE YOUR KIDS to do CHORES VOLUNTARILY* The task should be real, a real contribution to the family. Doable tasks (start small) Never force a task. Focus on working together. E: Encouragement In Western culture, we may believe that children are “pushing buttons” or even being manipulative, but there’s no scientific evidence out there that proves these statements are true. Michaeleen presents an interesting mindset shift for those moments when your child "misbehaves." "Instead of characterizing young children as manipulative button-pushers trying to make us angry, what if we think of them as illogical, newbie citizens trying to figure out the proper behavior? What if we assume their motivations are kind and good, and it’s just that their execution needs some improvement?" “Getting angry at a child has no purpose. It only stops communication between the child and the mom.” - Martha Tikivik “When you yell at children, they stop listening.” -Sidonie Nirlungayuk "Misbehavior is a child’s way of asking for more responsibility, more ways to contribute to the family, and more freedom." *TOOLS to HELP RAISE HAPPY & HELPFUL HUMANS* Tool #1: Parent with calmness. Our kids feed on and mimic our energy, so this makes total sense. Tool #2: Parent with touch. “Physical touch breaks the tension between a child and parent.” -Dr. Larry Cohen “Children have a natural urge to cooperate. They love to please you. And when that’s not happening, it’s because they’re overloaded with tension.” "For kids of all ages, physicality is more effective than lecturing, scolding, or long explanations." According to,The Whole- Brain Child, "when children feel upset, they don’t have access to the 'left' or logical side of the brain. During emotional outbursts, the 'right side' of a child’s brain calls the shots- and the ride side is all about nonverbal communication." Tool #3: Parent with awe. "Replace anger with awe. The more you flex and experience awe - the more you flex this neural muscle in your brain - the easier it becomes to access this emotion in the future." “Children’s brains are waiting for wiring instructions from the world.” Tool #4: Take the child outside. Works every damn time. Tool #5: Ignore It. "Wait a bit before reacting to the tantrum, to see if the emotion passes. Once a parent believes the child is capable of calming themselves down, parents can-and do-ignore their emotional outbursts." Tool #6: Learn the look. "The look proves more effective than telling a child “no” or “don’t do that” and says everything you need to say in a quick, calm glance. It shows who is cool and in charge." Tool #7: Parent with consequence puzzles. “Tell them the consequences of their behavior. Tell them the truth.“ Simplify our parenting talk by telling the child the consequences of their actions. For example, replace “Don’t throw the rock” with “You’re going to hit somebody with the rock.” When we tell a child "don’t” and/or “stop,” we assume they’ll obey the command like a robot: without a thought of their own. "Inuit parents think more highly of children than that. They believe that even young children can think for themselves - or at least they can learn to. So they give a child useful information about their behavior. They give the child a reason to think twice about continuing to do it." Tool #8: Parent through action, not words. "Words and commands are energizing and stimulating, and they often incite arguments. Every time we ask a child to do something, we create an opportunity for fighting and negotiating. But when you keep the conversation to a minimum, you keep the energy low. The chance for debate and fighting plummets." How can a child learn flexibility and cooperation if we always ask them what he or she wants? "Offering options frequently generates negotiations, unneeded decisions, and eventually tears. And most of the time, his/her “wants” are irrelevant to our lives. The family’s priorities come first." A: Autonomy "Let your kid do what they want to do; it’s not your place. Let them be." "Many hunter-gatherer communities go to great lengths NOT to tell the children (or adults) what to do...they believe that children know best how to learn and grow. Anything a parent says– the vast majority of the time–will only get in the child’s way." “A parent or another caretaker watches to make sure he’s safe. But he isn’t stimulated. His agenda isn’t changed by someone intervening. Parents give respect to that one-year-old that he has a legitimate agenda, and the goal is to help facilitate it.” "It’s easy to confuse autonomy and independence. The difference has to do with connectivity." "An independent child operates like a solitary planet. They’re disconnected. They have no obligations to their family or their community around them." Kids with autonomy have freedom...but that freedom is layered with something else; expectations that the child will help their family. Kids are expected to give back to the group whenever possible…consistent connection and teamwork to their family and friends. "Freedom, on its own, can generate selfish kids. But add a punch of teamwork and the child bursts with generosity and confidence." “Everyone does what they want, but they must be kind, share and be helpful.” "You can give children autonomy without sacrificing safety…stay quiet and out of the way to provide a safety net." "Autonomy has tremendous benefits for kids of all ages…inner drive, long-term motivation, independence, confidence and better executive function." "When we step back, wait-a-bit, and let the child handle the world on her own, we convey several important messages…he or she is capable and self-sufficient; that he or she can solve problems on their own; and that he or she can handle what life throws at them." "If we constantly instruct and guide our child’s actions we undermine their confidence and give them opportunities to practice dependency and neediness. We also model bossy, demanding behavior." “Here in Western culture, we aren’t very good at giving kids autonomy. We think we are. We try. But at the end of the day, many kids have little control of their daily lives. We set them up with strict daily schedules and routine, and ensure that an adult supervises every moment throughout the day. In the end, we somehow both macromange and micromanage their lives. And in the process, we generate a huge amount of stress inside our children and in our relationship with them.” By parents lessening their verbal input and training children to handle obstacles and dangers, we empower our kiddos. Support is everything. Newsflash (but not really new news), raising a child is a crazy, wild, heavy job for just the parent(s), it's really a job for a community. Parents should absolutely seek support and build a community, a "circle of love" of mix-aged humans they trust to help uplift and nurture the child. "The goal is to build deep, high-quality connections, not necessarily more connections." "...social support works a bit like a miracle drug. It provides health benefits that ripple through our entire bodies, from our minds into our bloody through our hearts, and into our bones." M: Minimal Interference The opposite of minimal interference, maximal interference, goes against children’s natural inclination for autonomy, self-exploration, and cooperation. This type of parenting style is exhausting, period. Instead, let's step back, relax, and do what is minimally required to help our kiddos learn valuable life skills. In my opinion, this type of "relaxed" parenting sounds way happier for everyone. Alrighty, that's it folks -- for now at least. Were these notes helpful at all? I would love to hear your thoughts! Cheers friend to feeling a little more relaxed in motherhood.

All life is an experiment. The more experiments you make the better. -Ralph Waldo Emerson "Can I watch something?" This was the question we heard at least ten times a day from our four-year-old daughter. My husband and I both knew this wasn't the question or topic that we wanted to be our norm. How do we create a new habit (or question) that focuses less on watching TV and more on what matters most? We pulled the plug, literally, and decided for the month of November to hibernate the big black box that was dwelling on our living room table. We called it No-TV-ember, because gamifying life changes makes everything more fun, right? :) Our daughter was informed the week prior that this was something we were going to do, so it wasn't just decided and gone - poof! We thought it was fair to give her a heads up and explain to her the why behind it (whether she agreed or not). "The TV takes up a lot of space and time in our days that we would love to swap for more time for play, creativity, games and family hangs." So on the night of October 31st, we unplugged our TV and placed it in our walk-in closet. We replaced the giant blank space it left with a bear/doll house (we borrowed from my mom b/c we knew Lucille loved playing with it) and some other homemade family decor that gave our space a fun vibe for this possibly challenging time. See photo below. Then the experiment began. Let’s see what blossoms when there’s no TV to rely on. After day three Lucille stopped asking for TV time and movie nights. I was quite shocked that this transition took just three days for her to start developing new rhythms and habits. NUANCES: We did decide that during this no TV time she could still have access to her tablet, but with consistent boundaries (30 minutes a day, sometimes more for wild life purposes). Also, we only control the TV viewing in our home. It's game on with what unfolds outside our home. What has blossomed from letting go of the TV: More interactive entertainment vs. passive entertainment, such as board games (her favs: Candyland, Ropes and Ladders), card games (her favs: Go Fish, Old Maid, Slap Jack), crafts, coloring, connection with family and friends, outside exploration, role playing, reading, creative play and fun cooking ideas! We created a new project together! Lucille and I have started #WyldeWednesdays. Every Wednesday we invite friends to meet up at an outdoor location to wander and explore together. Bed time has been super consistent (as she doesn't watch movies before bed anymore). She goes to sleep in the window of 7:40-8:00 p.m. - hallelujah! Parenting became a little easier as Lucille became adjusted to new rhythms and boundaries. We don't have as many meltdowns as we used to! We (the parents) canceled our Youtube TV subscription on day 23 of no TV, which saves us $64 a month - woo hoo! TV and movie time have become more sacred and special since it’s now a rare occasion. This experiment was eye-opening to how our family's habits and rhythms can absolutely be transformed if needed (and for the better). Next steps for us... The TV will still live in our closet for now, because we don't miss it honestly. We'll bring the TV out once a week for Family Movie Nights together - yay! This was a challenge we knew we ALL needed. It taught us how to let go of a distraction (or crutch) to help the family focus on what really matters, and amazing transformations have blossomed because of it! I encourage anyone reading this to let go of a distraction in your life for 7 days, or even 28 days...and just see what blossoms. Wanna hear us dive even deeper into this topic? >>Check out our podcast episode 182: We got rid of our TV for a month -it was rad!

Please don't be shy to spread this delicious shiz on everything! I served this creamy spread at our recent Friendsgiving gathering paired with some local sourdough and it was a HIT! We also used this spread as a topping on soups, spread it on sandwiches or just ate it spoonfuls at a time like a creamy lollipop, oh yeah baby! Creamy Feta Spread INGREDIENTS: 8 ounces of full-fat cream cheese 8 ounces feta 1/3 cup full-fat plain greek yogurt 1 tbsp. Extra Virgin Olive Oil 2 garlic cloves, minced 1/4 tsp. oregano or italian seasoning 1/2 tsp. red chili flakes 1 tsp. lemon zest Directions: In a large bowl use a hand mixer to blend the cream cheese, feta and yogurt together. Once the mixture is creamy, add in EVOO, garlic, lemon zest and seasonings. Serve this spread with your favorite sourdough bread, veggies...basically, please don't be shy to spread this delicious shiz on everything :). enjoy the spread friends!

"Realign our lives with our dream for our family...allow our hopes for our children to outweigh our fear." I bought a new homeschool "planner" to help me brain dump my vision and intentions for each season of learning. This writing process gives me an aerial view to help our months/weeks/days (and most importantly my mental space) flow in the direction that we feel is best. For this FALL SEASON I have listed "things" that I want to focus on when filling our unschooling days together. Under each bulleted focus I write down my intentions, as well as reflections on what actually does unfold in our days. This focus list is what helps me maintain a RHYTHM in our days. I do my best to leave open space each day for whatever is needed based on our energy + vibe. Here's our current focus list that's been giving us that cozy Fall Rhythm feeling :) VALUES: Togetherness + Gratitude MINDSET MANTRAS: Practice makes progress. Mistakes are proof we're growing. NATURE: parks, hikes, neighborhood, farms, beach ADVENTURES: Library (once a week)* Waldorf Forest class (once a week)* Carter Mountain Orchard* Grocery Store Friend's houses Local Market Pumpkin Patch Corn Maze Rehoboth, Delaware Ocean City, Maryland *Committed Expectations MOVEMENT scootering, running, tumbling, dancing, hill rolling, hiking, biking STORIES READ-ALOUD: (based on our choices at our local library) 3 Billy Goats Gruff 5 Little Pumpkins How to Catch a Mermaid Bernstein Bears story Elmo story Barnyard story MEALS PREPARED: (based on our mood and ingredients available) Homemade Applesauce Apple Pie Breakfast Cookies Pizza Egg muffins BOREDOM/CREATIVITY: This is where I observe and write down all the activities Lucille dives into when she's feeling"bored"or spacious. ⋓ coloring in her Frozen coloring book ⋓ drawing with chalk outside ⋓ "cooking" in her kitchen ⋓ rice sensory bin ⋓ tablet games ⋓ singing songs + dancing ⋓ acting out movies ⋓ puzzles ⋓ building with different types of materials in our home ⋓ dress-up CONNECTION: This is where I write down all the people we connect with each day whether scheduled or spontaneous. DAILY INVITATIONS: This is where I brain dump "activities" I think my daughter would love an invitation to explore + dive deeper. ⋓ Leaf rubbings ⋓ Puzzle time ⋓ Drawing animals/insects ⋓ Nature hunt ⋓ Painting (suncatcher, free choice, pumpkins) ⋓ Write a card to a friend/family member ⋓ ABC + Numeracy workbook (wipe on/wipe off) GAMES: ⋓ Go Fish ⋓ Candyland ⋓ Ropes and Ladders ⋓ Pictionary on our white board easel ⋓ Rhyming game (in the car) ⋓ Categories (in the car; pick a topic and have to name items in that specific category) CHORES: ⋓ Prep her lunch box before adventures ⋓ Set up her bed each morning ⋓ Sort clothes and put away clean laundry ⋓ Unload the utensils from the dishwasher ⋓ Buckle herself in the carseat I'll use this specific focus list as my rhythm resource until the next season (about 3 months), so we don't feel rushed in our learning flow together. A quote to leave you with that helps prime my mind to continue boldly on this unique learning journey together... "The most memorable moments are rarely planned - stay wildly open to the unknown."