I’m known as mom to Clayden, Ryler & Brea, wife to Theran, daughter, sister and friend to many. Lucky me.
Daily, I am changing nappies, ensuring there are 5 food groups and an array of colours on my family’s lunch and dinner plates, nursing my baby girl, watering homegrown plants, listening to ‘African Treehouse’ in the car (over and over and ooooover), trying to get outside for a run, kissing owies, refereeing sibling squabbles and picking up Lego.
Our family is beautiful but real, flawed and hopeful.
Disclaimer: I love sugar, luminous (toxic-free) nail polish, candy floss and red wine. I run mainly because it allows me to eat delicious un-paleo foods. I desire to live in an apartment on the West End in NYC at the same time as on Galiano Island, Canada growing my own food and naming our pet bunnies. I am very much on a journey in becoming greener and am certainly not getting this right most of the time.
I need: coffee first thing in the morning. First thing. I need full cream milk in the fridge, condensed milk in the cupboard and a secret stash of chocolate somewhere. And lip ice. I can’t go anywhere without lip ice.
- What are you most passionate about?
Life is better shared. Life is better when we do it together, and truly understand the heartbeat of Ubuntu community. When we recklessly love others and open ourselves up to be loved in return. I love my family, most especially my hubby and kids. I love wine and chocolate and chilli poppers. I love travelling, and sleeping, running and drinking coffee with friends. I love writing Christmas cards and watching the change of season and baking biscuits at home. I love birth. I love cooking with (more so than for) friends who know where our wine glasses and chopping boards live in our kitchen. I most of all love an evening where delicious food is cooked, eaten and the conversation flows past the necessaries and shoes are kicked off, and bodies cuddled into couches late into the night.
- What’s the biggest risk you’ve ever taken?
I think the biggest risk was moving to Vancouver 4 years into marriage and embarking on a life with a full time student (my husband), relying on me to bring home the bacon (or bread for that matter). This was undeniably the best thing we have ever done, and we continually look back on that season with awe and gratitude and astonishment of how rich a season it was. We are total adventurers at heart.
- What makes you angry?
Zuma in parliament. He makes me angry, and then it makes me want to cry.
- If you inherited an acre of land what would you do with it?
Ah! Don’t even tempt me. When I’m frazzled I go to this space in my dreams! I’d grab my closest friends (and their families) and we’d build those ‘prefab homes’. Simple! We would slow down, read stories, watch sunsets, roast our own coffee, drink aged wine, breathe in clean air, watch the stars, grow our own food, and let our kids grow up by getting dirty and staying out late. I’d run, cook, explore and adventure.
- Are you more of a hunter or a gatherer?
I’m totally a gatherer. I’m herding – what feels like cats – DAILY.
- How many pairs of shoes do you own?
Not many! I pretty much wear out one pair of shoes per season. I have two pairs of heels (with 3 kids I don’t need any more than that). My fave shoes are my slippers. No question! I wear the most comfortable clothing possible – harem pants, worn-in jeans – that kind of thing.
- If we came to your house for dinner, what would you prepare for us?
Chipotle Chicken Sweet Potato Skins with sour cream and coriander. And wine! Or you could choose my hubby’s homemade pizza. Delish!
- How would people communicate in a perfect world?
- In a perfect world, face-to-face. We’d break down the walls surrounding us and live in community – sharing the deep joys & sufferings of life. But we don’t live in a perfect world – we live in a time where our Villages are international – and so applications on our phones (like Whatsapp/Facetime) really do allow for beautiful communication, despite us (unfortunately) holding the gadget in front of our faces.
- What do you work toward in your free time?
Free time? Are you kidding? I have 3 kids 5 and under! Free time is spent staring at a blank wall reorganizing my mental to-do list. But IF I did, I’d do more DIY. Hubby and I are renovating our house and are trying to create a warm, loving, beautiful, minimalist-inspired space where we long to be and live, cook and laugh. I’d also love to spend slower more intentional one-on-one time with my kids.
- Name 3 thing in nature you find most beautiful.
Birth (that’s nature right?), birth and birth. I cry at every birth I have the honour of supporting.
- Have you used plastic bags for your shopping in the last two weeks?
In the last 2 weeks? Probably not – I’m on a good wicket. I keep reusable bags in my car and in my handbag. But I do forget (I’m human) and I genuinely feel guilty every time I have to nod at the cashier when she asks me if I need any (I try shove it all in my handbag before I allow the plastic to come home with me…).
- What would you say are some small steps that people can take to improve their relationship to the environment?
To slow down and THINK. Switch themselves OFF auto-pilot when it comes to how we live. We shouldn’t need scare-mongering tactics to change habits, we should just question what and why we do it.
Small practical steps: A post to 5 Effortless Ways to Go Green Today.
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