Screen Shot 2020 02 11 At 4.29.02 PM

Screen Shot 2020 02 11 At 4.29.02 PM

Screen Shot 2020 02 11 At 4.29.02 PM

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Striving to create a family life that nourishes body, mind and spirit and honours our infinite interconnectedness.

Journal

Caregiver’s Balancing Head, Heart and Hands

In Waldorf Schools you will hear the expression “head, heart and hands” used to explain the faculties of ...

Simple Preparations for Hanukkah

I am passionate about renewing the festivals that are important to us so that we celebrate them in ...

Simple Preparations for Meaningful Gift Giving

In our home we try to keep gifts simple, small, meaningful, purposeful, and quite often handmade, as well ...

Instagram

I recently broke my coffee fast and began taking o

I recently broke my coffee fast and began taking orgasmic pleasure in one cup a day again. Oh how my love runs deep for this seductive drink. Sadly, my sleep was less restorative and more restless by day 1, I noticed a slight jaw ache from increased grinding day 3, I observed significant mid afternoon energy lulls by day 5 but oh, how I enjoy that morning caffeine hit... so I kept drinking. Yesterday, I fully admitted to myself and friends (sometimes it takes that group accountability) that the coffee was doing more harm than good and chose to listen to my body’s wisdom and give it up again. Back to dandelion lattes and matchas. No, they are not the same and never will be. There really is nothing like a good, strong coffee. But sometimes we need to make decisions based on long term wellness- not short term pleasure. Wish me a smooth withdrawal period! And for those who are caffeine-sensitive like me: listen to your bodies- I’ll be right here making better choices with you! [Note: I’m not insinuating coffee is bad for you- many people metabolize it just fine and it can actually have great health benefits- it’s just not for me!] Pictured here my #flawlessinfive clean beauty set from @beautycounter and a steaming cup of dairy-free matcha. 🍵

Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you who celebrat

Happy Valentine’s Day to all of you who celebrate it in its many forms! 💕 Today we exchanged cards and kisses (chocolate kisses- an intergenerational family tradition) and have been enjoying a cozy snow day at home. Ralphie from @simplyonpurpose is sharing a free Love Language Quiz that each of your children can take so that you can learn more about them and how they most enjoy giving and receiving love. It is such a beautiful gift to know how to speak your child’s love language and I, for one, am very grateful to Ralphie for sharing this FREE resource! Click over to her to find it. 💗

I don’t know what I’m more happy with: our new

I don’t know what I’m more happy with: our new @hellotushy bidet and the fact that we have cleaner bottoms and use 75% less TP now OR the fact that I set it up all by myself with no help from anyone! If you’ve come across @hellotushy before and you weren’t sure how you felt about it - I highly recommend it as a part of your family’s bathroom routine. #lifechanger I’m linking to a list of the very specific health and environmental benefits of using a bidet in my stories. Click through and if you’re interested in purchasing one you can use the coupon code MEAGAN for 10% off! 🚽 ✨#sponsored

Our little toy room is ready for one of our final

Our little toy room is ready for one of our final parent-and-child classes tomorrow. I have decided to close the doors to this little weekly group, beginning in the Spring, to make room for new plans and intentions for both me, my family and you (yes, YOU!). It has been such an enriching experience working one-on-one with local families and I am so grateful for the opportunity but what I have come to learn is that I do enjoy the freedom that this virtual space gives me to work at home in my own time while still being fully present for my growing children. Thank you all for sticking around despite the constant reimagining, reworking and reclaiming of my little virtual corner. I am honoured to be in community with you, both online and on the ground. 💫

To say I was tired is an understatement. I had spe

To say I was tired is an understatement. I had spent an entire decade either making babies, carrying toddlers on my hip, breastfeeding or all of the above at once. It felt as if I never had a moment to myself and if I did, the last thing I wanted to be doing was something physically challenging. A hot cup of tea and some quiet computer work felt luxurious to me. Surprisingly (to me at least) when my youngest started preschool a few days a week last year, my anxiety levels were at an all time high despite having more help at home, decreasing my work load and not having to multi-task quite as much to meet many little ones needs all at once. I have always had a strong practice of “inner work” (meditation, self-contemplation, journaling) but all of a sudden it didn’t feel enough. I went to therapy for the first time in my life to try to get at the heart of the issue. Why did I suddenly feel I was drowning in pools of adrenaline I had never felt before? She explained to me that this is very, very common for mothers who suddenly find themselves with maturing children. We’re not burning our adrenaline up lifting stout little bodies, breastfeeding on demand or running to save them from near-disaster all day long anymore. For those of us who lean towards the more anxious side of the spectrum 🙋🏼‍♀️ - we suddenly stop burning off the stress that we temperamentally tend to harbour. Physically speaking- we’re producing the same amount of adrenaline we always have, but now it’s being stored in our body. The good news, she said, was that weight training has proven to be extremely effective for women with anxiety. My first thought was, well sounds better than cardio! 😂 And so began my love-hate affair with weight training. I still wake up many days with excuses in my head about what I could be doing with my time instead of exercising that day, but when I miss even a few days in a row I can feel my mood plummet. As a bonus, I feel stronger, I have better energy and my immune system is able to cope with all the bugs my little ones keep bringing home. (continued in comments)

Sharing a video on #waldorfwindowstars by lovely S

Sharing a video on #waldorfwindowstars by lovely Sarah from @bellalunatoys in my stories today. They are such a simple craft that bring warming bright colour to the grey days. This is a calming activity for parents who are looking for something meditative to do or for older children (6+) who are working on fine motor skills, patience, focus and precision. Head to my stories to learn about all you need to create them.

Valentine’s Day has never felt commercial to me.

Valentine’s Day has never felt commercial to me. ❤️ It seems to come at the perfect time each year- a warming antidote to the long Winter with Spring celebrations still a couple months away. Sometimes we make homemade cards with construction paper, glue, glitter ✨ and coloured crayons but this year I wanted a little help with premade cards. At the local shops all the modern cards I found were centred around children’s media programs with an assortment of cartoon characters. So I searched @etsy for some vintage cards (which also happened to feel like a more eco-friendly option ♻️) and bought an assortment of adorable cards and envelopes from the 80s- sweet and simple with a touch of loving kindness- just as they should be. 💌❤️

Reading not quite as fast as my TBR pile adds up.

Reading not quite as fast as my TBR pile adds up. I draw a lot of reading recommendations from @theconsciouskid for my children & @reesesbookclub, @beautiful.bibliophile, @ameriesbookclub and parenting recommendations from @simplyonpurpose for myself. I just finished The Marrow Thieves by Cherie Dimaline and am currently reading Daring Greatly by the incomparable, @brenebrown as well as The Girl Who Drank the Moon by Kelly Barnhill (for grades 5-7) which came highly recommended by my son. What are you reading? And more importantly, where do you get your reading list from? 📚

Something about an apple cake that makes a crisp W

Something about an apple cake that makes a crisp Winter day feel warm and delightful! We have been mostly #glutenfree for many years now and as a result, I have played with many different types of flour. I can honestly say after many disappointing trials and errors, the only gluten-free flour I use and LOVE is @pamelasproducts. Their 1:1 works as a substitute for everything, their bread mix is 🍞👌, but it’s their pancake mix that never ever disappoints! You always ask for my recipes so I will try to share BUT I am not much of an exacting baker. I go by feel and mood so these are approximate measurements!! 🍎 2 1/2 cups @pamelasproducts Pancake Mix🍎 4-6 TBS ground cinnamon 🍎 8 TBS melted butter or coconut oil🍎 2 eggs🍎 1/2-3/4 cup maple syrup🍎 3/4 cup apple sauce 🍎 2 peeled and sliced applesMix dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately, add them together until we’ll combined- batter should be slightly thicker than pancake consistency. Grease a pan, pour batter in, add apples to the top and bake at 350-375F for 25-45 minutes depending on the depth and shape of your pan. A knife or fork should come out clean when it’s cooked. #notanad just love @pamelasproducts !

In the midst of winter, I found there was within m

In the midst of winter, I found there was within me an invincible summer. | Albert Camus

Do you have a drawing corner set up for your child

Do you have a drawing corner set up for your children? There isn’t a day that goes by without our little ones making a card or drawing a picture or binding a whole book! It helps that the younger ones want to imitate their older siblings “work” but what I think is even more key if you’d like to inspire a not-so-enthusiastic artist, is to make sure the work space is clean, clear and inviting. Every evening I make sure the crayons are properly put away on their stand, clearing off anything that piled up (scraps, toys, scissors etc.) and that the clean paper is in a neat pile (sometimes this involves me flipping over old drawings and putting them back into the new pile). When they come down in the morning their table presents many fresh and new opportunities.

The new year brings a welcome mental cleanse for m

The new year brings a welcome mental cleanse for me in the deepest, darkest part of Winter. I don’t goal set per se, but I do journal my intentions and take the opportunity to reprioritize my time in a way that feeds and nourishes my body, soul and spirit. This past year I have focused more than ever on physical health- weight lifting a minimum of three times a week, taking supplements and clean eating. Weight lifting is phenomenal for those who suffer from anxious thoughts (🙋🏼‍♀️)and as an added bonus, my energy levels and core strength have significantly increased. I also set a few intentions in regards to creating more opportunities to come together in community with others whether hosting dinners more often or farmhouse music nights. I would love to manifest an abundant regenerative garden this Summer. What are some of the seeds you’re planting right now that will blossom into ‘new beginnings’? |Calendar from the ever-inspiring @morganharpernichols

We just returned from some sunshine ☀️ and I a

We just returned from some sunshine ☀️ and I am already feeling my immune system being challenged by this cold dreary weather. At the first sign of a virus I turn to the most classic of kitchen remedies- honey, ginger, lemon tea on repeat all day long. Today I added some thyme which contains antiviral + antibacterial properties + has been used traditionally to calm coughs and soothe sore throats. I also took a heaping tablespoon of my homemade elderberry syrup made with berries straight from our garden this summer. What do you make from your kitchen apothecary when you’re feeling down? We can all benefit from simple traditional recipes made in the comfort of our own homes. 🍊 🍋 🌿

Wishing you and yours inner light, resolve and str

Wishing you and yours inner light, resolve and strength. Pictured here a new family solstice tradition that I hope to continue for many years to come. We created an outdoor spiral walk. Each person takes a turn walking to the innermost part of the spiral, surrounded by friends and loved ones singing. That person then lights their candle and follows the spiral back out, carrying their new found light back with them. If you’ve done this before, what does the spiral walk mean to you? What are you carrying with you through these darkest nights?🌀

Thanks for the ever-inspiration in the kitchen Ama

Thanks for the ever-inspiration in the kitchen Amanda @mamawatters. Turkey potpie was the perfect day-after Thanksgiving (🇨🇦) lunch. Gluten-Free curtesy of @pamelasproducts all-purpose flour mixed with cassava flour, butter and ice water. #notanad

One of my favourite shots from the week from Claud

One of my favourite shots from the week from Claudi @travel.little.one. As people around the world gather to protest climate change, mothers at home with very small children can often feel isolated and powerless to help. I have said many times on this platform that I believe #peacebeginsinthehome and there are so many small things we can do as families to take steps in the right direction. Minimal and conscious toy, craft and clothing consumption is one small way for families to lessen their own carbon footprint. I think it also sends a message to big businesses that the demand is there for goods that are sourced, produced and distributed in more transparent and ethical ways. Making our own things also sends a subtle message to our children: we can USE WHAT WE HAVE to create beautiful and inspiring playthings. These Apple Stamps are one example of this. We don’t need fancy stamps, paper, glues, glitters and stickers to create beautiful artwork. For more natural crafting inspiration I recommend visiting Laura’s feed @thejoyjournal where she shares many down-to-earth child friendly crafts. 🍎 🍏

This weekend we’re planning some slow Autumn fam

This weekend we’re planning some slow Autumn family traditions🎃making pumpkin pie🍁making leaf crowns and centerpieces🍎picking and juicing the rest of our apples🍄going on an Autumn hikeWhat are your plans for the weekend?

I wonder which snippets of this childhood they’l

I wonder which snippets of this childhood they’ll remember when they’re older. If it will be an overarching feeling or particular experience they hold onto. Whether their childhood memories will become the fabric of the stories they tell themselves about who they are and where they’re going. Will they look back on farm life with gratitude, teenage resentment or ethical suspicion (or maybe a little bit of it all), will they feel it has held them back or pushed them forward? My only hope is that by living, playing and working amongst these animals and plants, they experience the cycle of life daily so that nature’s living wisdom is rooted deeply within their soul, and they can call on it when they need it, forevermore.

We are losing our sense of wonder. Over-exposure t

We are losing our sense of wonder. Over-exposure to our phones, video tutorials and incessant visual and written information means that it is rare for us as adults to sit with the questions we hold. If our child asks “Why is the sky blue?” We draw our phones from our pockets and immediately search for the answer without giving pause to think. We want to share our love for knowledge and truth, but we forget that if wonder is the first step towards knowledge; contemplation and observation are the second and third. The next time your child asks a question you don’t know the answer to (or even that you do) stop and say aloud, ‘I wonder...’. Let that sit for both her and you. ✨ “When we feel wonder we feel enlivened through our own vitality and feel a direct connection with an archetypal spark in the Universe. Wonder is the seed of knowledge.”- David Mitchell 📷: Katrien @growingwildthings #letthechildrenbreathe

“When the child goes out, it is the world itself

“When the child goes out, it is the world itself that offers itself to him. Let us take the child out to show him real things instead of making objects which represent ideas and closing them up in cupboards.” #mariamontessori #letthechildrenbreathe