Life Archives - Page 12 of 19

In Life

A Day for Dad

Today we celebrate the men in our lives who fill the role of Dad. I’m fortunate to have a wonderful Dad to look up to. In fact, I was asked to speak about my dad in church today….but here’s how it went down….

When our pastor’s wife, Diane, asked me one Sunday morning a while back to describe Dad with one word, I immediately teared up and answered with, “Steadfast”.

I googled Steadfast to be sure I was using the best word to describe Dad – yep – Google’s definition pretty much sums up my Dad. Loyal, faithful, committed, devoted, dependable, reliable, true, constant, solid and trustworthy.

As one of his children, that is exactly the kind of father that I need. Dad and I share very different personalities, as an example, Diane asked me to speak and I completely forgot, booking myself into a class in the city, so I wasn’t even there to present my speech where as Dad would’ve written it weeks ago and tweaked it and re-written it in preparation….but he is what I need. Someone to share my hurts and victories with. Someone to share silence with. Someone to share my big ideas and simple problems with.

As I weave my way through life, Dad is a steady place I can retreat to for advice, comfort and a hug. I know that he is still dedicated to his children no matter what we do, what mistakes we make, he loves us and remains by our sides. We haven’t always made this easy. But there he remains.

It is an honour to call him my Dad. He is well-respected within a variety of communities – in our church, at home in our local community, the farming communities and within our family unit.

Years ago I made a scrapbook for Dad of the farm through the years. The last page is this picture of him, sporting a toque, coveralls, holding a one of his lambs with this Clarence Budington Kelland quote, ‘He didn’t tell me how to live, he lived and let me watch him do it.’

Dad, I know you’ll read this – and you heard it all in church, but thank you for being the best Dad a girl could ask for!

To be continued,

Lori

(Photo credit to Christine of Wonkyeye!)

June 18, 2017 By lori@farmfreshstyle.ca

In Adventures/ Life

Retreat to Ava’s Beach House

If your dear friend asks you to attend a retreat with her at a beach house – you say yes and figure the rest out later! Especially when you know you need to ‘retreat’!

This past weekend, I had the pleasure of attending a retreat in Cape Breton with my dear friend, Janice. I haven’t been to a retreat since I was pregnant with Lena…so a few years now 😉 But it seemed like a good time to take a little time for me…so I did!

The setting couldn’t have been more perfect! Perched over the ocean in Margaree Harbour, Ava’s Beach House is exactly what I expect a beach house to be. Painted wicker furniture, collected treasures, great artwork and lots of beds. Oh, and a huge harvest table to eat around { or play fast-paced card games } The huge deck over looks the ocean, and we were treated to scenes of lobster fisherman out in their boats collecting the day’s catch and gorgeous sunsets. And Friday evening, we even got to see some local wildlife…a bear cub….which means momma bear probably wasn’t far. The setting was perfect for relaxing and connecting, except the bear part, maybe!

The speaker for the weekend traveled from BC, Nicole Funk was her name. She spoke about the samaritan woman at the well who met Jesus, and the way He worked in her life and then in turn how she interacted with her community. You can read the interactions in John 4. I’ve heard that story more times than I could tell you, but there is always something new to learn.

It was great to be welcomed into the group of ladies who attended the weekend retreat. A few people I had met over the years of visiting Janice and going to her church with her, but I made some new friends over the course of the weekend, too. Having a supportive community of women is important, whether it be through your church, a group of small business owners, bloggers or whatever. Find your people and soak up the support they offer and be sure to be present for those who may need what you have to offer, too, it goes both ways.

One of the highlights of the weekend was walking down the beach trail from the house to Whale Cove with Janice. The trail ran along side the road, but it was tucked in trees, weaving along the cliffs and then opening up for a grand view of the water. No surprise we had the beach to ourselves but I’m thinking a trip back in the summer might be in order! Getting that time to walk and talk with just Janice is a rare treat. Our time together is usually filled with kids, so this was a luxury!!

I tried to convince Janice to make me eggs and bacon for one breakfast, but since she wasn’t cooking, we opted for brekkie at The Dancing Goat. If you haven’t been, The Dancing Goat is a tasty bakery & cafe in Margaree. If you are going through that area, you need to stop for a meal or at least a treat! And if you are at the Goat for a meal, you need to have dessert, even if you’ve just had breakfast! We did, and yes, it was worth it!! 😉

It isn’t often that I go away without the rest of my crew. And when Janice asked me to go, I could’ve listed lots of reasons not to go. But lately, making time for myself has been harder and I knew I needed it. I am a better mother, wife, friend when I am feeling like my cup is full. And lately I’ve been stretched thin, too thin. So I took this opportunity to spend time working on me and building my relationships. And I feel like I arrived home on Sunday night with my cup filled to overflowing again, ready to tackle what the week has to offer. Be sure to make time for what is important to you and what fills your cup. For me it is faith and friends. For you it could be something else, but make sure you do it. It is important.

I’m pretty thankful for this lady – we have been friends since the first day of our studies in Interior Decorating, which is has been close to half my life now. I would be lost without her! If only I got to hang out with her more! But the weather is better and days are longer and the road to a friend’s house is never long, right?

To be continued,

Lori

June 2, 2017 By lori@farmfreshstyle.ca

In Life

On Motherhood

Photo credit to Christine of Wonkyeye Photography

Here we are, celebrating Mother’s Day. A day set aside to appreciate the women surrounding us who have impacted our lives greatly. This Mother’s Day I want to focus on what Motherhood means to different moms at different stages of motherhood. Motherhood is consistently changing and morphing as the children we mother grow and change and leave us eventually and start their own families, continuing the circle of life.

Motherhood is so many things to so many people. So I thought I would ask some moms who I admire to help me out with this post. I thought I’d best write my part before I saw all the wonderful things the other moms had to say and it influenced what I wanted to say.

I love this quote in the song ‘Boom, Clap’ by Charli XCX. It’s the one line that I think about all the time in regards to my children. In the midst of a world filled with chaos, hatred and uncertainty, my girls are such a joy and bring me so much hope, and love. They truly are my glitter. There is nothing better than after being out in the world throughout the day to come home and be greeted with little arms wrapped around my neck. Or to feel a little body slowly ease its way against mine on the couch, as little limbs creep over and through my own. Or to have a warm body show up in the middle of the night to seek the comfort of momma. When their eyes meet mine in a social setting to receive guidance and affirmation. My girls are growing, changing and learning to find their way on their own in this world more and more with each passing year. And I couldn’t be more proud of the people they are turning into. With their own personalities, likes and dislikes and circle of friends whom they have gathered around themselves. Without those two, my world would be so very empty and hollow. It is an honour to be a mother, Mom, to them, a privilege, my blessing.

Heather MacDonald, who is expecting her first baby any day now, shares her thoughts on motherhood as she awaits the arrival of her first little one. How cute is their nursery, sitting ready to greet a wee one?

Mother’s Day has always been a day for celebration, as I have an awesome mom to be grateful for! This year is a little extra special because I am 38 weeks pregnant, and anxiously awaiting to become a mom myself! From the first little kicks, I’ve felt a connection to this little one. I can’t wait until I can hold my baby in my arms for the first time. We are prepared (as prepared as two new parents can be!), and all we need is our little munchkin to come out into the open world to officially make me a mama!

I asked my dear friend, Janice, to share with us what being a Mom to her own boys, but also some foster children, means to her. Here are her words….and a picture that sums up life with boys 😉

Amazingly, I just came across this the other day that would sum it up for me and gave me affirmation in my purpose… “This is Mothering. This is Kingdom work. It is a Calling. It is not a diversion or even a job. It is a God ordained Mission field assignment, specifically tailored for you and one that only you can fulfill. It is the Lords work, accomplished in the Spirits power, and it is never, I repeat, never, in vain.” I would also have to credit Trevor, who, no matter if I’m completely stay at home mom, or work part-time mom, he values me as the mom to his children and those entrusted to us. I just love falling in love and fostering is a gift for me. It has stretched me and torn me but in my core I know we need to be there for these babes. I already see how fostering has instilled a greater empathy and compassion and joy in our own kids. I love them even more for it. We’ve grieved with our kids when a foster child leaves, but life is not about sheltering our hearts from lose. We’ve also seen miracles as our foster child began to bond with his forever family And we got to witness that. When I think of mothering I also can’t help but think of those amazing moms who’ve influenced my life over the years…my mom(my best friend and encourager),my nana( incredibly gracious and gentle), my friends who given me their own experiences and shared frustrations and fears and victories. Mothering is not about blood to me, it’s about heart.

One of the moms I met in our local community has become a dear friend, Alena, so I asked for her perspective on the stage of motherhood that she currently finds herself.

Being a mom of an 11 year old boy and an 8 year old girl, it’s…hectic and fun and stressful, crazy (the good kind) and absolutely amazing. We recently had “the talk” with our son, and my husband said “so our kid knows about the ‘facts of life’ and still believes in the Easter bunny”. Yup, that’s pretty much where I am right now with parenting. It’s making decisions and choices every day and just hoping they are the right ones, it’s constantly trying to find the right balance, and enjoying my life just as it is, because I really do. I love who my kids are becoming and the relationship we have. I am the mom who never pined for years gone by, I have enjoyed every stage of my kids growing up, and right now is no different. My life as a mom is crazy, hectic, stressful, fun and mine.

I feel quite fortunate to be able to call the talented and lovely Sheree Fitch a friend. So, I pestered her for her take on the stage of motherhood where her children are becoming parents. She replied with a poem she had written with a special addition on the end just for us!

When I was mother of babies

I rocked them, made them better

When I was a mother of toddlers

I helped them with whatever

When I was a mother of teens

I prayed when they went wild

Then I was the mother of adults

Helpless as a child.

But ….now that I’m a grandmother ?

I get to hang with them a while.

Photo Credit to Christine of Wonkyeye Photography

To wrap up this post, I’d like to just say a huge THANK YOU to my own mother, who is not only my mom and neighbour, but a friend and confidante in this crazy world. My life would not be what it is without her being a part of it!

So thank your mom and give her a hug, send her flowers, write her your heart.

To be continued,

Lori

May 14, 2017 By lori@farmfreshstyle.ca

6 In Life

When You Spot a Necklace

The running joke is I’m going to start a fashion blog called ‘Bluejeans and Blundstones’ because, let’s face it, that’s my go-to style. I’m not one to peruse the fashion sites and flip through the latest issue of the hottest magazine. But when a necklace in your Facebook feed stops you in your tracks, you know it’s the one for you.

So, I chatted with Rebecca of Beck & Boosh about it and here it is! A chunky, geometric number with blacks, browns, white and the perfect shade of peach. I use the word peach with hesitation. Peach doesn’t invoke a good colour connotation…..our old bathroom still comes to mind. But all paired together on a black chain makes for a bold look.

I don’t spend a lot of money on clothing, jewelry and footwear, it’s not really my thing. So when I am looking to change up my wardrobe, I need things that are versatile, easy and can be worn in a variety of ways . I’ve paired this necklace with a few outfits from my closet to show you how I would wear it for the Spring season.

First up is an outfit that I would wear to work. A floral shirt with a solid peach back paired with a flirty black linen skirt makes for a dressy but fun outfit for meeting with clients.

Next up, same shirt but paired with a pair of denim capris, because we are talking about me after all. #allthedenim This would be something I would wear for the weekend whether it was hitting the yard sales or going on tour with my family. Easy, but still stylish.

The last outfit in my spring collection is a flowy skirt matched up with a simple top with a geometric trim on it. This would be an outfit I’d wear to work, church or even out on a roadtrip. Simple with a little bit of fun but very comfortable, to boot.

I love wearing this necklace, it adds a bit of edge to an outfit, garners some attention and is so versatile. If you are looking to add a great little number to your wardrobe, click HERE to pop over to Beck & Boosh’s website to order yours today!

And as for me, I’ll head back into my closet to see what else I can pair this baby up with for another day at work!

To be continued,

Lori

I was provided with this necklace by Beck & Boosh but my take on it is just that 😉

April 25, 2017 By lori@farmfreshstyle.ca

In Life

High time for some Randomness

This month has been a month of looking back. Usually January’s are for looking ahead into the coming year. But due to some of what I’ve been working on, I’ve spent time looking back through photos and blog posts of the past. And I have to admit, it’s pretty fun. Funny how things change and how whatever is happening in life reflects itself here in this blog space.

One of the things I noticed is that I posted a fair amount of ‘random’ blog posts, covering a variety of topics that I felt compelled to talk about but didn’t necessarily deserve their own full post. I miss those! They are so fun, I can be my distracted old self and write the way my brain works. Feel free to read THIS and THIS and THIS, if you don’t know what I’m talking about! I haven’t posted many of those at all. Today it changes!! Get ready for randomness!! 🙂

random post

I was looking back for kitchen cabinet pictures for THIS post I just wrote for Stones. Wow, our house has come so far! { You’ll have to head to the Stones post to see what it looks like now! } But, know what else I noticed? Our house seems so much more cluttered now. How does that happen? When did that happen? And how do I fix it? Probably should stop buying stuff and dragging into the house. I need a good purge. Seeing the pictures makes me want to do a major purge, tidy and clean, photograph it all and do a proper Home Tour again, just so you can see what it looks like now. I know you all seem to enjoy home tour posts…..I guess I should do more!

Roadtrip Treasures

I love that when Michael and I travel together, we end up shopping for treasures and checking out wharves. We did that this past weekend, while the girls were at his parents, the above picture is the treasures I scored on our mini road trip. Scrolling back through posts, I came across THIS POST from our anniversary trip to PEI….treasure hunting, coffee and wharves….yep, sounds just like us! He’s pretty good company – I think I’ll keep him!

Um, so, the other thing I noticed is that I made a lot of spelling mistakes, left words out of sentences….I guess I should go back a fix all that! Sheesh, my English teachers would shake their heads at me! Oy!! I feel like I need to go back over all my older posts and check them out, re-share some of them, pin them to Pinterest…get some love going on for some of those ones, too. I’ve covered a lot of ground over the past few years of blogging!

randomness post

I’m long overdue for a visit to my hair dresser…..like at least a month overdue! My hair is longer now than it’s been since the girls were very small. On the left is March and on the right was in the middle of December. It’s been amazingly simple to grow out this time, it seemed to take no time and never hit any of those awkward stages. So, because I’m due for a haircut, I turn to Pinterest, start pinning things I like. Then I show Brenda and she says yes or no, and I listen, she’s my expert! She knows how low maintenance I am (like very, very) and so she gives me styles and cuts that work for me. I’m always amazed at how many people will stop me and ask where I get my hair done, and to be sure, I give the credit to Brenda! When it’s this long, it has some curl to it, so some days, I just let it go curly – way easier when getting ready in the morning, that’s for sure! Or I could just let Hannah put, and I quote, “An inch pony in!” And yep, as long as it seems to me that’s about all it would be!

I thought I would also give you a quick update on the cardboard box Elfie and I gave the girls! { If you don’t know what box I mean, read THIS, where I won Mother of Year!! } They turned that box into a ‘tiny home’ complete with purple Christmas tree, construction paper fireplace and curtains, floor boards, etc. They had so much fun! And when they grew tired of that….they are 7 and 10 afterall….they turned it into a horse stable, complete with tack room. And then they grew tired of that and now it’s a clothing store, called Moiz. I think this might be the last go-round for that box, the most recent doorway really compromised it! Without the HUGE box, Hannah’s room will seem very spacious!

Alright, enough for right now! But there’s blog post brewing about a ‘game’ Lena played that always drove me mad, but now it passes the time on my commute!

To be continued,

Lori

January 26, 2017 By lori@farmfreshstyle.ca

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