Lessons of the trail from this day ♥️

It’s easy to have a good attitude when it feels easy. Having a good attitude when it feels hard and you don’t want to is helping strengthen you to have a will that is strong ♥️

Encourage, praise, respect and affirm your spouse in front of your children! The trail is a wonderful opportunity to do so. “Papa is so strong… carrying all our water and snacks and Hope. He isn’t complaining and willingly serves our family.” Point out characteristics you hope they are attracted to in friends and perhaps a future spouse someday. Stories tied to a memory and activity in nature often take deep roots. ♥️

Happy Monday friends!

MERRY CHRISTMAS 🎄 ✨

Our sweet ray of Hope turned THREE last week! I don’t know how but she keeps getting cuter, sweeter, and brings more joy to our family each year. I’m so very thankful to be her Mama ♥️ watching them grow is the best gift I could ask for!

The message to mothers, although well intended, has had me concerned.

I see so much content on social media, books, and other forums of media telling mothers that if they parent “this way” their kids will turn out like this. Or if they don’t do XYZ their kids will end up____.

So many examples of this… if you take away all your kids Halloween candy they will surely turn out to be a sugar-a-holic.

If you sleep train your kids will be emotionally traumatized.

If you don’t let your kids help in the kitchen every time they wish they will be come unhelpful over the years.

Essentially, if you are the perfect mother (by someone else’s subjective wavering standard) you’ll have perfect kids 😅

Now, regardless of my personal opinion on sleep training, candy, letting toddles help in the kitchen or any other parenting topic…

We are missing (perhaps) the most important aspect.

You see, I’ve known children who have grown up in the worst of childhood situations turn out to be the most wonderful of adults.

And I’ve known children who’ve grown up with wonderful parents talk about their childhood “trauma” as they nitpick the imperfections of childhood.

“For it is by grace you have been saved…” (Eph. 2)

Perhaps the most powerful parenting tool we have is to pray for our children. That despite our imperfections, shortcomings, and failures that our children would become “trees planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season..” (Psalm 1)

Even if by your own standards you do everything “right” as a parent, your children will grow up and likely find faults in their childhood and in your parenting.

And that is good.

Because there is only ONE who is truly perfect and without fault or blemish. Only ONE who can satisfy each of our longings for comfort, hope, love, satisfaction, and joy.

We are not meant to be perfect Mothers. Pray for your children, that despite your efforts, the Lord would work in their hearts. Yes our role as mothers is to nourish, guide, train, love, comfort, and support our families.

But, don’t diminish your role to pray and battle in prayer fiercely for your little ones to become bright flaming arrows in this dark world.

Happy thanksgiving friends 🦃 🍁 🍎!!

Many, LORD my God, are the wonders you have done, the things you planned for us. None can compare with you; were I to speak and tell of your deeds, they would be too many to declare

Psalm 40:5

Today, we take time to tell of our families “stones of remembrance” to our children. Remembering all the times times the Lord has been faithful to our family over the years and thanking Him for it.

Praise to the Lord!

The other day I was working in the yard… pulling out the pesky grass growing in my bed of roses…

And then later I started pulling the weeds growing in the grass.

I stopped and thought about the irony… I view the grass as a pesky weed in the rose bed, but it’s what I want to grow in the lawn… and I view weeds in the lawn as out of place and work to pull them out.

My view of what a yard and lawn should look like is defined by our modern day culture and paradigm of beauty. Which, to be honest, I think looks lovely!!

But the lesson I kept dwelling on… what if the script was completely reversed, and the grass in a lawn was unwanted and the weeds were what we wanted to cultivate growth? Who is to say that grass is a weed in the rose bed but dandelions are weeds in a lawn of grass?

And really… I think this is what we’ve done with our modern day culture of food. We’ve strayed so far from the way our food was intended to be consumed… and found ourselves in a tunnel view of “normalcy” when it comes to food shaped completely by modern day culture.

Eating ALLL of the organ meats (yes including bull fries), fish eggs, raw eggs, raw meat, raw milk… today seem like completely ridiculous practices that most can’t even wrap their head around.

Yet, if I went back in time 200 years ago and told someone that I can eat a banana at Canon beach while walking on a sidewalk holding my pet dogs poop in a plastic bag that will then be added to a landfill …. They would find that completely incomprehensible! Yet, all of what I just said is probably something you’ve never stopped to think twice about. These are the thoughts I get lost in as I’m driving and looking out my window… 😂

Our paradigm shapes everything.

♥️ thankful ♥️

Next year we will celebrate 10 years!!

After much request… I now have an option to purchase the BLANK TEMPLATES ONLY for planning, prepping, and packing for your camping trip. Download the PDF for $5 and use these templates as many times as you need.

This is my BLANK TEMPLATES ONLY download that I extracted from the Restorative Family Camping Guidebook.

It includes:

5 Day Plan and Menu template (longer then 5 day trip, just print out more sheets)

Grocery List template

Prep week check list template

Packing list template for the camp kitchen, camp gear, and individual family members

My seasonal bucket list template

I use these templates for EVERY trip to alleviate the stress and mental load of planning a trip.

The link is in my bio!! I’m aware that my Instagram is usually a season behind when it comes to relevancy and that camping season is coming to a close…. But I’ve never really been one to do things by the rules of IG 🤪

Long live summer… wow, when people tell you life with littles flies by fast they are sure right.

It seems as though these summers are coming to a close far too soon…

No regrets though! I don’t think we’ve turned down a day spent adventuring outside all summer long…

It’s been a cycle of church + rest on Sundays… some sort of trip during the week, come home, try and clean up but also bake all the foods… and then head out again. And sometimes call my friend to come bail me out of the giant mess I made in my house by doing dishes and straightening while we are out. 🤪

Most weeks we have river, lake, pool and ocean all in our hair by the end of the week and I absolutely love it.

I’m so so thankful for this crew that loves to get outside just as much as I do!!

Okay but there is a tiiiiiiiiiiny part of my that is excited for fall weather, cozy sweaters, crafting at home, and seeing the colors change. 🙊

I struck up a conversation with the farmer at the blueberry farm which eventually led to the fact that we had already picked 25lb of blueberries from his farm this season!

His response, “oh wow! I wish I had 25lb of blueberries in my freezer.”

I told him, “oh no, unfortunately we don’t have any blueberries in the freezer.”

He looked puzzled.

But if you know… you know.

Cheers to all you Mamas making the most of U pick berry season and letting your kiddos feast on berries for the few short months of the year!!

Thank you @tatianabuys for the cute pic!!! ☺️

RECIPE: protein berry ice cream!

I saw this recipe for a healthy/easy protein ice cream on Instagram… and I think the person I saw post it got it from another person on Instagram….

So I’m going to post it now to my feed with the disclaimer that this is not original but was inspired by someone who now I can’t find the original post.

😂😂😂😂

But I mean, that’s 100% the reality of Instagram today… am I right?? At least I’m not claiming original credit 😅

BLEND
1 cup cottage cheese (up to you on the low fat option)
1 cup fresh berries
1 scoop Mt Capra Clean Whey Protein
Splash of sweetener of choice

Some favorite combos… blueberry/lemon… strawberry/rhubarb…

You’ll need a good blender! If it’s challenging you can add a little raw milk or water.

Freeze!

It will freeze pretty hard… which makes it perfect to throw in your cooler bag and pack to the beach, river, pool… and as long as my cottage cheese is a clean brand i love having this as an option for Jack, too!

Once you open it up hopefully it will have melted slightly which gives you a good opportunity to whip it into a creamy treat and enjoy!

In preparation of sharing more videos and recipes on outdoor cooking, I thought it might be helpful to post a bit on my journey when it comes to approaching food and wellness.

9 years ago I discovered Weston A Price and all things raw milk, bone broth, sourdough bread, kombucha, kefir, sprouting… and the ultimately the idea of preparing food in a more ancestral way.

4 years ago I went through Chris Kresser’s ADAPT Functional Medicine Health Coaching certification which is a pretty intense course focused on both functional medicine and health coaching. During the functional medicine portion of training we took a DEEP dive into understanding nutrient density and how food affects our overall well being.

About the same time frame (4 years ago) I also discovered Dr Ray Peat and the “pro metabolic” way of approaching food and learned a lot from some of the influencers in this realm producing podcasts and content.

Where am I at today? A few principles I live by:

#1 - I NEVER stop learning. And I learn from everyone who has something to offer. Whether it’s counting macros, vegans, trim healthy mamas…I believe I have the ability to learn, filter, and experiment with what may be helpful for me and my family.

#2 - Ultimately, food that is as close to the source as possible I eat… and enjoy eating. 😃 Meaning, I’m not “gluten free” but I’ll likely pass on cheez-its because of the source of gluten. However, I WILL make my own muffins and baked goods from a local 4th generation flour farm that freshly mills all their grains. Source makes such a difference with how food works for or against you and there is SO much nuance to this.

#3 - I place equal emphasis on not stressing about food/embracing food freedom AND also self discipline. Lately, that looks like eating my last meal of the day around 6PM and not eating again until 8AM. I break my fast with bone broth! For breakfast, i’ll likely enjoy sourdough french toast (homemade) and eggs! There is so much nuance to this but ultimately taking a deep dive into your bodies own metabolic markers and figuring out what works for YOU.

It is often hard to sit in the difficult. I’ve found this to be so true especially in motherhood.

When a season of sleep is hard we want to fix it and get out of the difficulty. Perhaps we gravitate towards buying a product that will help fix our problem.. and another product and maybe more products.

Or maybe if there is something hard about where we live or our surrounding area, we want to get out. Move to a new place… travel… change something up.

If doing a certain activity is hard with kids our urge is to get us out of that situation or activity. To go home, go somewhere warm because it’s too cold, or perhaps somewhere easy.

And getting yourself out of a hard situation is valid. 

But sometimes, I’ve found myself thinking that if I just get out of this hard situation things will get better. When the reality is, I will likely trade one hard situation for another type of hard.

Taking three kids camping solo had a lot of really hard aspects to it. There were moments I was tempted to pack up and head home. But I knew, home would also come with some of the same parenting, lack of sleep, and house renovation challenges.

So, I could choose… do I allow myself and my kids to sit and dwell in some hard moments so that we can equally place value on the good and fun that camping brings? Or, throw in the towel and expect that heading home will solve the hard?

This concept of allowing myself to dwell and sit in the hard has been one of the biggest paradigm shifts for me since becoming a mother. When I had one sweet babe I just thought I could bounce my way out of whatever felt hard. I kept bouncing and bouncing with more “hard” things getting added on my plate…

Until I realized, these scenarios life is bringing to me isn’t about the hard at all. Perhaps, it’s about me learning to continue producing the Fruits of the Spirit in a new context.

To learn to be joyful, patient, kind, gentle, and self controlled despite the circumstances.

(Cont. in comments)

When people ask what I’m training for….

👍👍👍👍 training for LIFE folks!

In all seriousness, one of the biggest paradigm shifts I’ve had when it comes to working out, is recognizing that it is PROTECTION.

You see, especially as Moms… when we get thrown into motherhood our body is forced into carrying 10lb (minimum that grows fast) and holding positions that are just odd for us.

We end up spending our time chasing our kids, watching our kids, nursing babies, sleeping oddly with our kids… and inevitably, what happens your body starts trying to compensate with the sudden lifestyle shift.

Sometimes this manifests in back aches, knee aches, trouble getting off the floor easily, poor posture…

But when we spend the time strengthening our body and focusing on mobility we can rise to the challenge of whatever our season of life holds.

Thank youuuu to @buysfamilyfitness for keeping Rich and I strong and mobile!!!!!

One of my favorite pictures from a lovely spring day at the Oregon coast ✨

I’ve said it before… but I will say it again. The strength of a mother grows as her children grow ✨

The mental strength, emotional strength, spiritual and physical strength.

I look at who I was over 4 years ago today and who I am today…

And I am so thankful for the ways I’ve grown and the ways the Lord has continued to shape and mold me.

I know I will continue growing. And I’ll continue working hard to grow.

Physically, emotionally, spiritually and mentally.

I’m so grateful for these little children who have helped me grow in ways I never would have without them. ♥️

NATURE STUDY
We’ve been slowly immersing ourselves into the idea and discipline of nature study.

@charlottemasonmotherhood introduced us to this style of learning and observing nature through her nature study groups.

As someone who has always enjoyed being outside and getting a good sufferfest in, I WISH I had been more intentional in this are years ago.

To slow down, wonder, notice, and observe…

To be a keeper of all things bright and beautiful.

To expand our creative abilities to capture what we observe in individual and unique ways.

I now take out little watercolor set and paper on all our outings. Although most of the time the girls are just matching the colors to what they see outside, we are ALL enjoying the stillness and slowness this practice incorporates into our outdoor recreation.

I’m also trying to expand my own skills in this area by reading more journals from the great nature studiers like John Muir and the beautiful creative @the_little_oak_learning .

Share your own story, comments, and nature study practices below if you’d like. I’m learning in this area and would love to continue hearing from others years ahead of me!

Summer wellness challenge is kicking off Monday!

Cheers to all you early morning bone broth drinkers! ☕️

… and realizing I never post much on my feed anymore because it’s still all snow and winter. Hoping to catch up the photos to the seasons, soon!

And that’s a winter wrap!! 🎉

Throw back photo of my brothers and I skiing in Japan.

My FAVORITE childhood memories with my siblings are from the slopes.

There is something about being trusted on a big mountain to feel the speed and human powered adventure under your feet.

I remember skiing with no breaks until the last chair with an 🍙 onigiri in my pocket for lunch.

My parents were from the south and we lived an extremely frugal life. They likely had a whole stack of odds against them when it came to getting their kids on the slopes.

But they found a way and I’m so so grateful! It’s the gift that keeps on giving as I know get to live out my childhood on the mountain with my own kids.

Yes, it’s hard work… yes, it can be expensive… yes, the drive is far… yes, the time off is challenging… yes, we bring three kids 4 and under with us… when there is a will there is a way!

So really the question is… as Charlotte Mason would encourage, it is the way of the will. What kind of will do you have? Learn to choose between “I want” and “I will” as a parent. And live it out and pass it down to your kids! If the snow is your thing and it sounds remotely fun to shred the slopes as a family… then go live it up!

Cheers to the spring and summer restorative outdoor family recreation ahead!

I shared a few little wellness stories this week… and all your DMs about appreciating my content made me 😭 thank YOU for each one of them! I know I don’t always respond well on this platform… but know it made a difference in my heart and mind to be a recipient of your encouragement!

So I’m going to end this week (and peace out for my typical Sunday break) with my #1 piece of wellness advice!

Do not make ANY decision out of fear.

What does that look like?

❌ I’m not going to eat gluten because I’m scared of what it will do to my health
✅ I’m taking a break from gluten to experiment how it affects my health

❌ I’m scared to put my kids in public school so I’m going to homeschool
✅ I think there is a better way to educate my kids and want to look into home education

❌ I’m scared of what might be in the water if it’s not filtered so nobody drink it
✅ this water might not be filtered but I know my body can detox with the right support

❌ I’m worried about what [this person] is or isn’t eating and how it will affect their health
✅ each person is on their own health journey and it’s different then mine. I do not know the best choice for them.

❌ I’m avoiding the [practitioner/dentist/doctor/obgyn] because I’m scared of what they will tell me and I’ll likely not agree with it
✅ I am in charge of my own health and can filter and glean wisdom from all people in all fields

❌ I don’t want to do _____ (have close age gaps with my kids/ high intensity workouts / get bad sleep….) because I know that these wellness influencers say it’s not a healthy option
✅ there is no perfect option. Everything has pros and cons and it’s up to me (and applicable family members) to determine what is the best decision for our family

2 Timothy 1:7

For God gave us a spirit not of fear but of power and love and self-control

proverbs 17:22

A joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Matthew 6:34

therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble

BABY FOODS

For some reason doing this with my third made me feel like a first time Mom all over again 😅

So I revisited my very favorite resource I’ve been using since before kids… Nourishing Traditions for babies and childcare to brush up on all things baby foods.

I like to combine a mix of both baby led weaning and some purées. It just depends on if the purpose of giving them food is for playing with (and a little eating) or mostly eating (and a little playing with).

Ancestrally, foods for babies would have rarely been “play” and “sensory” experiences… especially prized nutrient dense foods like animal products.

But I also see tremendous value in the baby led weaning approach, too! Especially how it developed the gag reflex and strengthens the tongue (and ultimately promotes independent eating skills!)

The paradigm that I view all foods through is how it impacts the developing microbiome of your little one and what nutrients the food provides.

So… here is a list of Jack’s top foods we’ve been rotating through!

• bone broth
• liver pate
• eggs
• oxtail
• marrow
• fats like butter, coconut oil, tallow
• raw milk
• smelt ( 🐟)
• salmon
• seasonal winter squashes
• sweet potatoes
• dried wild blueberries (my current go to snack)
• cooked carrots
• cooked apples

There are probably a few others I’m forgetting… but that’s pretty much our current rotation! It honestly hasn’t changed much since what I did with the girls except that I am working to include more water (we’ve used the Berkey filter for 9 years) through out the day as well. About 2oz.

There is a key question I think we often "mis-ask."

"What do you want to do today?"

Ummmmmmmm, I don't know, what do you want to do?

It's like going into a retail store and the associate asks you, "are you looking for anything specific today?" MOST of the time you'll likely say, "no, just looking!"

Questions are complicated little sentences. Rich and I have learned (mostly through the hard way) that if we don't properly think through how we want to spend an adventure day with kiddos we can really miss the mark when it comes to utilizing our time and energy (valuable resources!) and come home feeling depleted and maybe even defeated....😅

so, instead of asking... "so, what do you want to do today?"

Try this...

Ask, "How do you want to spend your day today?"

or, "describe to me some elements of a really solid plan for today?"

They secret isn't JUST in the question though. You have to truly listen empathically (and respectively without interrupting) and reflect back what you heard them say, allow them to elaborate, hopefully the process is reciprocated to you, and then work together to present a plan that you feel hits both of your priorities for the day.

Yes, it takes a bit more effort and work to communicate this way. But the pay off is worth it!

Red Kuri Squash Chili

The red kuri squash is no doubt my favorite of all the winter squashes.

It has an incredibly savory flavor like a freshly roasted chestnut! I know it's mostly out of season and that most people's content is focused on spring by now... but, I'm FINALLY getting around to sharing my favorite RED KURI SQUASH CHILI recipe! I hope you have your instagram "saved" categories organized by seasons! If so, save this in your winter adventure/recipes.

This is by far my favorite food to pack on a winter adventure. It promotes thermostasis (warm body temperatures) with nutrient dense carbs, proteins, and fats.

RECIPE

Chop your red kuri squash in half, deseed it, and roast it in the oven until it's "knife tender"

While roasting the squash, saute up 2lb of ground beef with Thrive Market taco seasoning pack.

Warm up 4-6 cups chicken broth (I like to use my own but Pacifica or Kettle and Fire brands work well too).

Once the squash is tender add the WHOLE THING skin and all into the broth and blend it using an immersion blender.

Add your ground beef and any desirable veggies. I like a mix of mushrooms. You could do beets, carrots, or celery!

Add salt and chili powder to taste and let the soup simmer for 30 minutes.

Soups are easy to warm up at home for adventure days and store in a thermos! You can add sour cream and cheese if you'd like.

Today is my birthday 🎉😃 So TWO THINGS:

🎉 Comment how old you think I am and I will raffle off all the comments to send ONE of you one of my "Avenue to Adventure" desktop planners!

🎉 If I have learned one thing specifically in the world of heath and wellness it is this. If someone is excited to move forward with change in their health journey, EVEN if what they are doing isn't something I might "agree" with, may I never squash their motivation by telling them the "research" or "information" as to why they shouldn't be doing whatever they are excited to do. Most of the time, when other's come to you with excitement, stories, or information they want to be heard and understood. And that is far more important than making the exactly perfectly right health choice in that moment.

Because quite honestly, if I look back at my own journey 10 years ago I have also cycled through many different experiments and have learned SO much. I probably drove my parents and in-laws a little nuts at times with what I was and wasn't eating based off that current season of information I was taking in.

I have much more clarity and am more settled in my view of wellness today. But I know it's far more important for each person to be motivated by their own experiments and journey then for me to tell them what I think they should or shouldn't be doing (and yes, this applies to my family and my husband!).

And, selfishly, I've also learned that it takes a lot of energy and time to educate someone. I rarely spend either of those resources on individuals who just aren't interested in my perspective. I don't take it personally but find that a relationship can be much more enjoyable if I'm not pushing my health views on unwilling participants. Ha! That should have been a no-brainer but took me a few years to learn!!

Rather, if someone comes seeking me out with eagerness to learn and grow in the area of wellness I can invest my education, time, and energy into them and then watch them grow in incredible ways. Now THAT is worth my time. ❤️

Which is why I share less and less "health" information on instagram, but rather focus on my clients and email consumers.

The cycle of health and wellness

In my younger years I sat under the teachings of many older women. Including my own Mother! I remember one wise woman telling us to try and not buy trendy pieces of fashion, but instead look for classic clothing items that will wear well for decades. Because you see, the fashion industry always will cycle and want to draw you into a latest and greatest fashion… for if we stayed content with our wardrobe, how else would they make their money?

It’s quite obvious that fashion cycles. I think we all see that blatantly and finding peace with how you approach this is unique to your journey.

But have you ever thought about this principle in the world of wellness? Last week I read one pubmed study on how incredibly beneficial stevia is and how harmful sugar is. In the same week I read another doctor’s clinical research on how he healed type 1 diabetes with white sugar.

It’s all very confusing. You can pretty much pull research to support almost any view of wellness.

And I think you have to remember this: Information cycles. Nothing new is under the sun.

So may it remind us to let go of any judgment or comparison we subconsciously may harbor with other’s health choices. Each individual is on their own journey and it is truly an incredibly complicated journey.

I’m also reminded to not quickly jump onto a wellness fad. Whether that is supplements, a way of eating, trendy home wellness technology, or really… anything else. But rather, to remember that I am on a unique journey and I have to use discernment to figure out what best serves me and my family.

Lastly, I’m reminded that in person support has immeasurable value over virtual information. We follow tiny glimpses of individuals journey on social media and take what they share as absolute truth for ourselves. Seek out those who you can interact with on a personal level… those who have years, and maybe even decades, of wisdom.

Merry Christmas to you all!!!! 🎄

There is a light
Bright star shining
In the dark night
Old tales come true

All of our fears
Hopes and prayers
He has heard
And answered us

The light came down
Cast the darkness away
He appeared
A helpless child
The light of God came down

There is a light
A new day dawning
Old things pass
All things made new

Prophets have spoken
All He would accomplish
When the light of God
Would dwell with men

The light came down
Cast the darkness away
He appeared
A helpless child
The light of God came to save us

To the world that He made us
O' Lord and savior
Alleluia

- Josh Garrels

I think one of the most challenging aspects of living well in today's environment is knowing what to set your intention toward.

Our time and energy are limited.

But we are faced with unlimited information bombarding us everyday on how we should be living.

Because of this many of us freeze. Not sure how to take the next right step. Or, we are too exhausted to figure out the next right step.

That feeds into the downward spiral of continuing to live in our stressful environment with a lack of nutrient dense foods putting us into a flight or fight state... cortisol levels rise... estrogen levels rise...

Symptoms start to manifest like irritable, hangry, on edge, exhausted, shaky without food, easily agitated, extra pounds our body won't let go of...

We almost don't even recognize our own-self in this state.

Which is why I want to invite you to put NOURISHMENT at the forefront of your intentions in January.

Your time and energy are limited. Let me support and guide you towards nourishing your body, focusing on what is in your control, and establishing rhythms that help you operate from a center of peace.

There are a lot of different philosophies on wellness on the internet right now. That can be a GREAT thing, or that can be an overwhelming thing. This is a world I began immersing myself in almost 8 years ago. I came to a sustainable wellness philosophy that truly works for me about 4 years ago by focusing on nutrient dense foods that I am adding into my daily rhythms and embracing seasonal rhythms.

January's rhythm will look like ADDING IN nourishing foods while eliminating some foods. I'll break it down into 4 weeks with a different focus on each week.

Who is in?! Registration is open! Just DM me and let me know you are in!

The cost is $100/program and I have more logistical information that I sent out to my email list. Let me know if you want that info :)

Ladies! This post is for you!

I have been on a break from working with clients for over a year.

In January I’ll be starting up a group coaching program focused on 30 days of nourishment. Learning the rhythms of food freedom and discipline to restore your metabolism, boost your energy levels, support your immune system, and ultimately to live life with the capacity to embrace experiences and moments you don’t want to miss.

Almost 4 years ago I started my journey as a functional medicine health coach. Since then Ive spent a lot of time with clients and also on my own health journey to understand a few things…

1) the world of health is so overwhelming right now. The information overload often leaves people stuck not feeling truly confident on what the next right step is.

2) January is historically the month that we implement all sorts of health goals… without truly having clarity on the implications, challenges, and unintended affects these goals have on our life. What happens… we fall off the bandwagon only to lose confidence in ourselves and maybe even feel some shame/guilt.

I’ve fine tuned and tweaked Chris Kresser’s 30 day program to focus on what works really really well for me. I’m inviting ladies to come join me for 30 days during the month of January for this program!

Here is the thing though! Although I’ll be 100% in during this program I’m creating the space for you to experiment, collect data on yourself with what works and doesn’t work, try recipes, learn how to test your blood sugar, and add in nutrients to your daily rhythm as you are able.

Ultimately, with the goal that at the end of January you’ll gain:
- a greater sense of clarity around your wellness rhythms
- more education and data backed info with what works for YOUR body
- your own personal 30 days of nourishment plan

The coaching program will include a texting group and weekly group coaching calls.

The heart of coaching is working with individuals to empower them with motivation from within that is sustainable and attainable and unique for each person. That’s my goal :)

I’ll be sending out more information on this program to my email list!

Talking a little bit about layering today…

My first question for you. Is a Jacket an outer layer?! Type your answer in the comments. :)

About ten years ago I managed an outdoor gear shop and trained employees and customers on layering. I also got to attend many workshops from vendors on layering!

Making sure your kids are warm and dry is really the golden ticket to having fun during wet winter months.

That doesn’t mean you need to spend a lot of money… but here are a few things to think about!

If you live in a climate like I do… wet winter months but not really snow all the time… rain gear is way more important than snow gear.

Proper rain gear should be completely water proof. Including seams and zippers. Many companies claim “water proof” but seams and zippers leak. I went through a few cheap rain suit finds that totally leaked before I landed on Reima rain suits and haven’t looked back .

Rain suits should also be wind proof and Breathable.

A rain suit is an outer layer! You can layer up mid layers for extra warmth underneath. Things like fleece, down, or ideally wool are great mid layers.

If you’re not in the snow all day you don’t have to have a snow suit. Depending on your environment and needs you can totally use your rain suit as a snowsuit and just layer up underneath REALLY WELL.

There are certain things you can splurge on and certain things to save on. I snagged a super cheap pair of snow bibs for Piper at a thrift store and they will work just fine for us!

Buuuuut last year I bought second hand cheap Costco mittens… that yesterday lasted about 30mimutes before becoming soaking wet all the way through.

Whereas, I still have my gortex mittens my Dad bought me when I was 11 and they work great!!

It is truly all about figuring out what works for you, your environment, and your activities. Learn to save on key items and learn to splurge appropriately on key items. Both are important!!

Reima is currently having their black Friday sale AND you can stack my friend @brooke.froelich code on top for BROOKE20 20% off!

Needless to say I just snagged Piper some mittens that I’ve heard are the best of the best.

Happy Thanksgiving! 🦃🍁✨

If you’re on my email list… or one of my in person friends… or have just been in my home lately then you’ve probably heard my thoughts unraveling about intentionally slowing down.

We live in a world where we have been conditioned to expect fast and easy and anything we want to be at our fingertips.

Want a tomato in December? No problem! Just run to the store!

Want your coffee re-heated? No problem! Just zap it for 30 seconds!

Need your hair to dry fast? Here is a blow dryer to speed up the process!

And the list goes on and on 😅…. None of these things are really “bad.” But what I’ve seen is that it has programmed me for decades to live a life where I’m always in a hurry.

So how do we slow down?

Well… perhaps we need to start with some questions that dive a few deeper layers then just, how?

What could life look like for you at a slower pace?

What’s possible for you and your family?

How are you living out your values?

What’s important to you about cultivating slowness?

How can you integrate slowness into your routines ✨

You see, we are all on different journeys and the answers I’m finding that may work for me will likely be different than your answers.

Finding what works for you is what’s important. ✨

I often find I’m at peace the most when I’m outside, by a fire, drinking coffee, and either reading God’s truth or worshipping, while watching my kids play in the dirt. The slowest and most peaceful of mornings ❤️

Do you ever stop and marvel at the design and beauty of changing seasons?

I’ve been thinking about winter squash lately.

I know I know… this sounds boring but if you’re inclined… hear me out 😅

There is a design to produce in the autumn months. It’s the fruit and veggies that keep the longest. Apples, pears, red kuri squash, butternut squash, and pumpkins just to name a few…

Unlike the summer produce of berries, tomatoes, and leafy greens that need to be eaten rather quickly after harvest.

Winter squash can be accumulated and stored in a cool dry place for months and months.

Often we overlook the beauty of November. The month of beautiful preparation. The trees prepare for winter by loosing chlorophyll and changing the color of leaves as they drift down to earth.

The ground prepares for winter as it brings forth foods loaded with carbs designed for keep our bellies warm for months.

And ancestrally many families would spend this month preparing their home for winter.

Although I can be tempted to jump straight into Christmas excitement during this time (and yes, I do listen to some Christmas music) I’m trying to lean into nature’s rhythm of preparation.

The girls and I are having fun preparing our home with all the fun fall crafts and bringing nature in for decoration.

We are putting a different spin on our meal rotations… from summer tacos to brothy soups…

And I ask myself, in what ways can I learn from this natural rhythm and metaphorically find the lesson my heart needs today.

✨- Leaf

I remember the first time I handed Piper a wildflower. She was only about 4 or 5 months old. As I held the stem and handed the flower to her, she reached to hold the flower by the petals instead of the stem. Of course, the most interesting part of the flower is what she is inclined to hold. And no one has ever told her to hold a flower by the stem.

I realized in that moment the beauty of childhood. To have an imagination that is a clean slate and unconditioned to playing how we are “supposed” to play.

I also realized the gravity of my responsibility as a parent. As adults we have been conditioned for years and decades to do things certain ways… and too soon we want to impose the “right” way of playing onto our kids. We engage in activities that interest them but spend our words and time telling them how to play the way we think they should.

The first time Piper flew a kite she was more interested in pulling it down the letting it fly. And why not? If that is what brings her the most wonder then as adults why are we telling them otherwise?

From that moment I handed Piper the wildflower I’ve thought so much about this concept. How do we encourage them to wonder, imagine, play, and preserve their childhood? The beauty of unreserved free play. And, how do we then engage ourselves into this play without imposing our adult-conditioned concepts regarding play?

Perhaps, you’re wondering why this even matters at all? This is where children bond, grow, learn, thrive, solve problems, become creative thinkers… and so much more.

I’ve been thinking… trying to organize thoughts about faith, motherhood, family, adventure, and wellness into categories that make sense to me.

People often ask me questions about certain gear items that help get them outside, or how to get kids to sleep outside, or how to even figure out how to integrate your family hobbies into memory making magic together… and although answering those questions are important to me… I think there is an even deeper wisdom found at the very root of who you are. Perhaps you have yet to lay the foundation of your family culture… But, I think when you’re asking these simple “how” questions, that deep inside there is a yearning to figure out your families foundation.

And here are my thoughts organized into a few bullet point categories. I could easily take a deeper dive into each of these bullets and write a whole essay on each one… or create a PDF… or a course… and perhaps I will someday. But not today. 😃

CLARITY: This is essential. Clarity on your faith, clarity on what you value, and clarity on how all your daily decisions fit into what’s truly important to you. Sometimes, we lock ourselves into a parenting strategy because it’s what everyone does…only to find ourselves frustrated because later we realize, it doesn’t align with our own values.

ADAPTABILITY: you don’t know how many times throughout the day Rich and I say, “we gotta pivot.” PIVOT! This is my settlers of cation strategy too… and I must say i’m mostly undefeated. 😉 If you want to continue adventuring together as a family and creating memories together… with each child, with each season of life, with each geographic area you live in… you have to be willing to adapt and figure out how to make FUN and WONDER work in a way that fits your family culture.

GRIT: Yep. You need a lot of this. Quite often the ideas that create the most memories require the most grit. And yes, i do mean the type 2 suffer fun/trips … but I’m also talking about consistency, effort, energy, and that daily will power to do what you know needs to happen.

Okay guys… tell me, is this content you like? If so, maybe i’ll write more on each of these topics!

There is something about the final stages of pregnancy… the mental challenge of continuing the course although even the smallest task become cumbersome and hard.

These final weeks, although hard, is one of life’s greatest teaching metaphors.

Often, when in a hard season we want to hurry and rush out of it. To move on to the next season. Perhaps we even turn into the mindset of “survive” to make it to the next thing.

Much of this stems from our stress induced culture of constant moving, going, and rushing.

But when we constantly focus on the “next” season… and maybe even wish to deliver “early”… we miss out on what our current season has to offer us. To relish those last weeks, days, and moments before welcoming another new baby into the world.

The final days of continuing to nourish your growing baby… to develop the well formed facial structure… give baby the last few days of tranquility and peace in the womb before the chaotic adjustment to this world.

The final days of not nursing on demand 24/7… hopefully sleeping well yourself… and being able to still give so much of your time and energy on your toddlers and kiddos.

The final days of swimming, enjoying summer, and cooking up feasts!

And although the newborn season is over in a blink of an eye… and has its own set of sweetness and hardship… I’m finding that the more I allow myself to focus on the FUN and GOOD of this last stretch of pregnancy, the more content I am to let baby develop and grow just a bit longer.

Of course, everyday is a bit different and the sphere of my capabilities is slowly shrinking… but this is where I am at today. ❤️✨

So many of our summer excursions as a family have been spontaneous… night before or morning of… 😅

Some of you may think these spots like the beach, Mt Hood, the river or lake are just a stones throw away from our backyard!

But the truth is actually most of our favorite spots are around 1.5hrs drive.

And I think a lot of times packing food, snacks, kids stuff, and whatever else you need for the day can feel overwhelming… especially it it’s last minute!

Here are a few of our family rhythms that help us get out the door, have a lot of fun, and eat delicious food! Because I’ve realized a big part of having fun outside is also eating nourishing and delicious food outside 🤣

RHYTHMS
🍱 always always always have rice, canned salmon, and seaweed on hand. Often times I get up, instant pot rice, grab some salmon and sea weed and head out the door!

🍞 I like to bake bread or yummy baked goods on Friday or Saturday since often times we get our Sunday afternoons or on Monday. Even if we aren’t planning on it having it on hand makes it special when you do get out!

🐓 batch cook a whole chicken and keep shredded chicken on hand. This makes for quick and easy chicken salad or tacos!

🫐 seasonal berry picking! It has been SO fun have so much delicious fruit in our fridge that we can pack in a cooler… when you eat seasonally summer fruit turns into a highlight and can make any day a happy one!

Lastly, just be willing to risk it for the biscuit! I’m sure you and I can both think of a million reasons why getting all the little ones loaded in the car, driving, setting up all the gear…. Might be too much work….

But there are very few (yes there are some 😅) times where we felt it just wasn’t worth it! Im so thankful that this summer has been filled with wonderful outdoor adventure time…. Despite the late summer, triple digit temps, and third trimester-ness 😅

Food does tend to help make or break that trip though 😉… so whether or not you are just going on a spontaneous dinner picnic outside… or a full day of sun and fun… I hope this post helps!!

If you have favorite family rhythms that support you in getting outside and enjoying it drop them here! 🌊

Something my midwife always says, “birth is always the same, and always different.”

I’ve been thinking about that…and how pregnancy is always the same, and always different.

Kids are the same and always different.

So much has changed from my first pregnancy to my third…from my first child to my third child. In many ways I feel more prepared this time around to fully understand how adding a new baby into our family changes evvvvverything and at the same time you can’t imagine life without him/her.

This pregnancy the theme has been grace. It caught me off guard and I haven’t felt fully back up on my feet yet… truthfully,  I haven’t really done many of the disciplines I did during my second pregnancy to prepare for birth and baby.

But I’ve thrived in other ways. Fully embracing my role as a Mother… creating boundaries that prioritize spending time with my kids and playing with them. And even releasing some of my former hobbies that don’t serve me during this season. And finding new ways to live out what I do value!

So, here we go… !!! Getting ready for three 3 and under!

Little camp breakfast inspiration ✨

Sourdough bread (Venison for Dinner sand which bread recipe)
Canadian bacon from Costco
Scrambled eggs with cheese
Fresh seasonal tomatoes
Microsprouts
Topped with goat cheese

One of our favorites because it’s loaded with protein, carbs, and plenty of micronutrients! Waking up to a satisfying breakfast outside… giving you fuel for the day!

Favorite campfire breakfasts?! Drop them here in the comments!!

🥘 🔥 🏕

There is always a mystery about childhood. And the truth is, we don’t even come close to tapping into their, adaptability, fun, curiosity, and flexibility…

All too soon we decide, their feet are slightly uncomfortable and they need shoes. But perhaps their feet were met to be slightly uncomfortable so they can grow in their resilience and natural movement?

Or perhaps we decide, they aren’t sleeping well so they need a more rigid sleep space…and we lose their ability to adapt and truly sleep anywhere through anything.

We see their play through our own adult eyes… and try to correct their imagination or tell them the “proper” way to play. When maybe their way is immensely more fun and adventurous.

They show distaste for certain foods, so we give up and put their favorites on their plate just to fill their bellies… when they have the potential to have the most varied and delightful palette that craves nutrition.

Bringing them along to explore the outdoors gets lost in the amount of work and effort it takes… but really, the amount of FUN and JOY children add is far greater than the work. We just lose sight of it.

Maybe having your kid walk barefoot, eat beef liver, sleep anywhere, or adventure in the outdoors is not really what you value… and I think that is perfectly okay. I’m on a pathway of discovery to learn what we love and value as a family… and to watch my littles grow… and be amazed… and truly enjoy them.  These are some categories that came to my mind when I think of how my kids have proven me wrong… or when I think about how the long game is far more telling then short term “needs.”

I’m learning what it means to create restoration and wellness as a family… and it’s always changing. 😃

Happy 8 years of marriage to the one my soul loves ❤️

“Many, Lord my God,
are the wonders you have done,
the things you planned for us.
None can compare with you;
were I to speak and tell of your deeds,
they would be too many to declare.”

Psalm 40:5

Marriage truly keeps getting better and better - and according to a recent marriage book I read we don’t even know how good it gets until 15 years in 😅

We wouldn’t be where we are at today without all the wisdom, truth, time, support, love, hospitality, discipleship, mentorship, and fun many many many sweet people have invested in our marriage!

Here is to reminiscing on all the fun, laughter, and storms we’ve weathered over the past 8 years…. And looking forward and dreaming about the decades to come ❤️

Are you clear on how and why you use social media?

Before Piper was born Rich and I created our own little marriage retreat and one of our topics was social media. Developing family guidelines as to why and when we use it. I’ve learned even more since then… grown in some areas… failed in some areas…

It’s a strange world we live in… there really isn’t a lot of education on social media etiquette.

We each have to learn how to respect the members in our family and their preferences on social media… and in addition we have to set our own boundaries.

Technology is an excellent servant, but a poor master.

Im not ready to throw social media out all together - because honestly there is a lot of GOOD that has come out of it for me. Friendships, education, and entrepreneurship opportunities to name a few.

But I’ve been working to recalibrate why I use social media… and a few thoughts come to mind. Especially as I’m preparing my heart, mind, and home to welcome our third little one into our arms.

• social media is not where I consume current events and information on world news

• social media is not for deep conversations… I don’t reshare or write information on social media that im not having in person conversations with those in my community

• social media should feel light - if it feels heavy, it’s time for a break

• no one has to know you’re on a break

• social media can be used to serve those in your community in person. Don’t scroll pass a need… reach out!

• social media should have clear boundaries on WHEN you do and don’t use it… WHERE you do and don’t use it…, and WHY you do and don’t use it.

Im truly not perfect at this and am constantly working to recalibrate my energy… i almost solely use social media to produce/create and not as much to consume. But I certainly find myself in mindless consumption cycles…

I actually wrote an entire Technology Wellness ebook that is designed to coach you and your family through creating your OWN social media guidelines and implementing them. If that’s something you’re interested in you can always take a peek on my website ✨

In honor of the day before Fathers Day… some local steaks sourced from the butcher grilled by my Dad on his outdoor fire pit!

Cooking over a real fire (no not a gas fake grill fire) is one of the tastiest and healthiest ways to cook!

Not only is your food only exposed to natural flame… but the flavors emulsify… and the mindfulness of the process is calming.

I’ve been experimenting more and more with cooking outside and over a fire. And I’m always inspired by my Dad who just made this fire pit and started cooking amazing delicious meat over it.

Sometimes we over complicate what we need… and perhaps, all we really need is a little curiosity, joy, and grit mixed together to bring us back to some simple ways of life.
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#breatheyourbiome

Homemade Marshmallow Recipe!

To be honest, i’ve tried SO many different recipes since last summer and there are a TON of great ones out there! I’ve tweaked a few things… gotten some tips from others who have experimented… and this is what i’ve landed on!

•In your mixing bow, sprinkle 3TBSP grass-fed beef gelatin (I use Perfect Supplements LEAF10 for 10% off) over 1/2 cup water and set it aside to let the gelatin bloom. 

• Whisk together 1 1/2 cup honey, 1/2 cup maple syrup in a sauce pan over medium heat until the syrup reaches 240 degrees. Add in 1tsp vanilla bean paste or vanilla extract. Let it gently simmer.

•With your mixer on medium speed start mixing the bloomed gelatin/water. Slowly pour in your syrup. 

•While the mixer is on medium speed add 2tsp tapioca flour.

•Mix on high for about 10minutes until you have a white creamy looking whipped texture.

•Quickly pour the marshmallow mixture into a 9x13 greased baking pan. It should be smooth, light, and fluffy, not lumpy.

•Let them sit in the fridge overnight.
•The next day flip the marshmallows out onto a cutting board.

•Cut with a knife dipped into hot water (to prevent sticking).

•Mix together 3tbsp tapioca flour and 1 tbsp powder sugar. Roll each marshmallow cube in the powder to help absorb some of the excess water.

•Set back in the fridge and allow the marshmallows to “dry out” in the fridge just a bit.They will dry out better if each cube is separated on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

•Store in a mason jar, zip loc bag, or tupperware.

Roasting tip!! When roasting - stick the marshmallow straight into the hottest part of the flame. Try and quickly brown the mallow before it gets too “melty.” Unlike conventional marshmallows these will not burn… quick and hot is the name of the game!

I like to pair these marshmallows with simple mills Graham crackers and some enjoy life chocolate to make a delicious and non-inflamatory s'more 😃 

IF you aren’t into making mallows… at least go buy yourself some Smashmallows! The ingredients are so much cleaner than a jett puff or dandies (ugh vegan) mallow. You can usually find smash mallows at target or REI!

Had to put my professional sleep education advice on the feed so you know…. In case you all need to save it to reference back.

“You gotta risk it for the biscuit.”

#breatheyourbiome

One thing I’ve realized… is how we tend to recognize how much TIME we had in our previous season of life.

When you’re in highschool you feel SO busy… only to go to college…

In college you feel SO busy… and then to graduate into your full time work schedule…

… and then you add on having a baby on top of the work schedule…

And then another…

and then social commitments, church commitments, and as your kids grow their commitments…

And I do believe that our capacity grows as we grow. We can never compare our current capacity to a previous season of life… or compare our current capacity to a future season of life.

But why is it that it can be so difficult to truly take advantage of your current present season? To recognize the opportunities to create the life you dream of?

Often, we are either wishing we had a previous season of life back… or looking forward to a future season of life that will enable us to live out a certain dream or goal.

Perhaps this might manifest itself like…

Feeling like you might eat healthier if you had more “access” to healthy local foods

You’ll spend more time outside when the weather is “nicer”

You’ll plan on going on more camping trips when your children are sleeping better

You’ll “slow down” and break free from the American stress induced hustle schedule… if you just didn’t live in America

You’ll start a family worship time once the kids are older and they understand it more.

and maybe the list goes on and on.

So today, I want to ask you. What’s your family dreams? What’s holding you back from living out the values you want your family to operate by? The memories you want to create with your kids? OR, how are you already living those out!?

… we have a unique opportunity to design the pace, lifestyle, home structure, and atmosphere for our family. And it’s such a wonderful gift!

#breatheyourbiome

Adventure squad 👧👧🤰

Third trimester here we come!!

I know it’s a little past wild flower season… but a few of our favorite kid friendly hikes in the Columbia River Gorge to see wildflowers…

• Mosier Plateau
• Rowena Crest
• Catherine Creek

☀️🌼☀️🌼☀️🌼☀️

✨My anytime any day little hiking buddy that’s always available ✨

What a gift!

In a world where I think we are often bombarded with how HARD motherhood is… which, don’t get me wrong. It is completely life altering nothing like it HARD.

And although I do think it’s important to process through how mentally, physically and emotionally challenging the role of a mother is…

I also believe it’s the most magical role in the world! And we get to design our motherhood story.

There’s a lot of talk on the internet about how we don’t Mother in the same way that ancestral tribes did in community… or how modern day motherhood presents so many challenges.

But often I think those tribes would look at us in awe of the fact that we have dishwashers! And laundry machines! And books and technology to learn from any culture at any time.

There is a hard. But all too often we compare our hard to someone else’s easy.

Take a moment today to run wild and let go of the script modern day motherhood wants us to believe about our role.

Get outside! Be spontaneous! Enjoy the mundane! And break free from stress, technology and the negative mindset.

☀️☀️☀️☀️☀️
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#breatheyourbiome

I typed up a thought out modern day motherhood post while I held Hope for her nap today.

And then my phone died.

Retyping annnyyyything really kills my creative energy… so until I get inspired to write out those thoughts again….

Here’s a pic of my two (plus one in my womb!) little munchie minions that I get to hang with most everyday (and night). And I wouldn’t have it any other way!
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#breatheyourbiome

Although having kids close in age is challenging... and can really deplete a Mother's body 😔... it is also SO FUN to see their bond of friendship start to grow even in these sweet toddler years!

They play together, laugh, help each other get dressed, dig for worms together... and this is only the beginning of their friendship. I'm sure we have some difficult years ahead...

But having a sister close in age is such a gift! I pray for their friendship and most importantly their faith every single day.

Now... who knows if baby #3 will be a boy or girl! We are keeping it a surprise. :)

For a short period of time I worked in the architecture / engineering / construction field… and I stumbled across the world of creating play environments for children.

Do you know what the #1 factor that influences how play structures are built for kids in the US? Especially for anything public.

Liability.

Slowly as decades have passed you may have noticed the soft turf replacing hard ground… the weighted seesaw replacing the old school ones that catapult your light weight friend… synthetic materials replacing natural… and even at most parks the absence of monkey bars all together.

Of course, the unintended consequence of this drift is removing children from natural movement and natures elements itself…. Which then causes a cascade of affects on mobility, confidence, microbiome… and so on….

This is not meant to be a “oh gosh another something for stress about in modern day life post.”

But simply, an exhortation to reconnect your child with nature and to strengthen their natural movement with the environment around them.

Do what you can with what you have in the season you’re in.

Here are a few things I like to look for in a play environment! Although, we absolutely go to local synthetic parks too 😂
+ the more natural materials the better! Wood, dirt, mud…

+ climbing structures and monkey bars to promote balance and grip strength

+ structures that help a child learn natural consequences (I try and avoid the weighted/safe type of equipment when I can)

+ and honestly… when in doubt I just take them to a forest full of trees and logs and hills and we imagine, and run, and create, and jump, and squat, and build 🤩

PS- this isn’t limited to kids! One of my favorite no phone times is playing with my kids at the park or in the forest. Learning from them, moving like them, and connecting with them. ❤️

Sometimes… I think we mistake “time” as a value. Especially when it comes to the choices we make raising our kid…

Often, the “is it worth it?” Is determined by time.

But the reality is… this is a pseudo-value.

Because, you see… if you make all your decisions determined by time then you’ll quickly find the fault in how subjective it is.

Is cooking at home from scratch worth it? If time determined our decision we’d say no and eat out all the time. But the deeper value of wellness trumps time.

Is exercise and moving your body important? If time determine whether or not you strengthened yourself you’d quickly find that it’s easier to skip working out all together.

So why is it that when it comes to how we raise our kids we let this subjective value of “time” determine what we do and don’t do?

Yes… it takes a ton more TIME to get ready to get outside with your kids… it takes way more TIME to drive anywhere… and way more TIME than it ever used to before kids.

But there has to be a deeper true value driving why we do what we do with our kids.

And im not here to tell you what that value is. Just that next time you catch yourself making a decision dictated by time… that perhaps it warrants a deeper evaluation.

And if I think we are honest… the reason we, as young parents, often avoid the micro adventures… is because they take so much time. 😉

Now… how many times have I said time in this post?!

Our culture often defines health by what you want immediately.

Losing weight…. Having a baby… clearing acne… the list goes on and on.

But the truth is… wellness is never about an immediate goal. It’s about the consistent, daily choices, learning, hard work, sacrifice, and self discipline to nourish your body for the long haul.

I see the “immediate” health focused goals make the biggest impact on women of childbearing age.

For so long we’ve lacked the education and understanding to set ourselves up for success for decades after our children have long left the nest. Instead, we are left depleted, with a tanked metabolism, low energy, no appetite, and a suffering thyroid.

I’ve talked to many a women that are perplexed at the fact that they can’t get their weight under control, despite having no appetite and eating like a bird.

And there are so many more examples to pull from.

And this is where our paradigm needs to drastically shift! The best thing we can do for ourselves is to start nourishing our bodies from the inside out.

Supporting our thyroid and metabolism with proper nutrients and calories to sustain vitality and energy!

Do you wake up with your stomach rumbling with hunger? Do you have warm hands and feet? How is your energy?

Women… there is so much hope for you! Health can feel complicated and overwhelming… but it’s also an opportunity to thrive for decades to come!

So if you’ve ever popped on my Instagram and wondered… why does she eat such weird food? Or seen me pack a picnic lunch of strange foods… this is why I do what I do! Keeping the long term in focus. ❤️

I’ve had thoughts swirling in my head… as I see information come and go and cycle. We are all made to be truth seekers. Our minds crave information that seems to be the next "TRUTH" that answers our questions.

In the world of wellness I’ve seen this play out as health professionals cycle through what is wellness…cycle through research… cycle through studies…

To where, you can really find a health professional and pile of research to support almost any “view” of health you’re interested in.

Of course, this can feel complicated and overwhelming as our minds and hearts cry out… well, what is true?

And friends, let me tell you none of it is “true.” What I mean is, all wellness on this broken earth has pros and cons. None of it is absolute truth. Although much of it as roots in truth.

The only absolute truth is the living and breathing Word of God. 

We are commanded to steward our bodies well, but that might look different for different people in different seasons.

So, I think my two biggest take aways from these thoughts are…

1) “Here is what we seek, a compassion that stands in awe of what others have to carry rather than in judgment in how they carry it.” I know folks who THRIVE as vegans and I know folks who have suffered as vegans. Even though I am very much a believer in eating an animal nose to tail for the most abundant nutrients, who am I to tell someone they are wrong or right in their journey?

2) My heart and mind and body is drawn to spend more time in the outdoors… it’s where the overload of information fades and I’m consumed with the present moment. The matter of creating the healthiest sleep environment is of no concern because i’m sleeping on the ground, under the stars, and breathing in the forest. My children aren’t vying for my attention as I juggle all the responsibilities I carry in my home, because I’m just enjoying dwelling in nature with them for a few days. Technology is gone. Stress is minimal. And I feel RESTORED.

Those are my thoughts for today, friends. Thank you for reading!

Can I share some post-valentines day ramblings?

Well, the truth is... I forgot Valentines! :( We were too busy hitting the slopes for my birthday - which, by the way is the absolute way to my heart! The best gift in the world... a day on the mountain with those who I love!

But... do you know how Rich learned that a birthday spent skiing/snowboarding is literally THE BEST way to spoil me?

One of the first birthday's we celebrated together we were living in southern California and Rich decided to take me to the "local" "slope" called Mountain High! I tried my hardest to have a good attitude... but, well... when you've grown up in Japan... and then you hit the local slab that's half rock half ice in the middle of the Southern California desert... it was just too big of a disappointment and my heart couldn't take it. Ha! I look back and think... silly ol' Leafy!

But here's the point of the story... we had some great post ice-slab conversations about what a good day on the mountain really means for me! We grew in our relationship through communication, disappointment, unmet expectations, and at the end of the day learned that Rich will never be able to read my mind. ;)

So if you left last weekend feeling a little empty about how your Valentines day looked...then perhaps it's time to just communicate about those unmet expectations! No matter how big or small.

The beauty of relationships is our relationship grows as we grow. Meaning, it's never appropriate to compare your low to someone's high, your year 2 to someones year 10, the year you're significant other nailed valentines to the year someone else's forgot.

And when you're truly seeking to better your relationship through respectful communication, it never hurts to just ask!

"Hey babe, for my birthday tomorrow... would you mind taking the kids, pick up breakfast and coffee, and then bring it back for us to all eat together?"

Or,

"Hey babe, for Valentines next year it would mean the world to me to have flowers waiting in the morning. What are your thoughts on that?"

The end! That's al the ramblings folks :) Thanks for tuning in!

If babywearing doesn't make your non-negotiable list... you might need to add it ;)

Forever thankful for this man.

"Feel the wind blow, through the window, I know,
That we'll make it through
It's a million miles from, where we begun, and I,
I still love you
I remember, as clear as ever, the day,
When we first met
Lord you know I, l love to hold her eyes, in mine
Everyday since
Everyday and night
Together we will grow
Makin' the most of a life
As we hold each other close
As we grow old, may it be told, that we,
Never lost our flame
If love's a fire, Then our desire, is to burn,
Untamed
Everyday and night
Together we will grow
Makin' the most of a life
As we hold each other close"

-Josh Garrels

#breatheyourbiome

Really can’t believe it’s Feb. 1….

December 26-February 1 have felt like a whirlwind for us!

We moved

I restocked my skincare line with my biggest restock yet (@rca_skincare)

We spent a wonderful week in Kauai being beach bums and jungle hikers

We celebrated Pipers 3rd birthday!

It was my 4 year stroke anniversary

…and we managed to get a few Oregon coast days, hiking, and snow days in!

Happy 2022!!

Welcome to my little corner of the instagram world! I’m so glad you’re here! 😃 😃 😃

I’ve been meaning to do an intro-post for probably a few years… it is high time since this platform is supporting my Functional Medicine Health Coaching world that merged with my outdoor education and recreation world…

I’m Aletheia! and I share all things related to creating restorative outdoor adventures and wellness as a family. Although, I have to say I really don’t fall into much of a “niche”…

🌲 I’m not really your typical health account. Although I do like to share nutrient dense foods we prioritize as a family! I’ve never found that I really fit into a category when it comes to wellness.

🌲 I'm not really your typical outdoor family account either. Not a gear guru and I don’t really share all the “tips”videos on how to get your kids outside. 🤦‍♀️

- I AM a design thinker! I merge analytical mastery which creative originality. With an accounting and corporate development background I have a strong affinity for organization! But I’m also a creative free spirit at heart. I love all things adobe creative cloud. Ever heard of an accountant that uses Indesign? Me neither. It’s a strange space…but ultimately I think it what gives me the drive to create resources that are visually appealing and organizationally helpful!

Ultimately, I believe there is nothing new under the sun. The world of knowledge and research spins in a cycle that keeps our constant biological need for change going. And I don’t think that’s a bad thing!

I’m seeing the popular marketing strategy that emerged a decade ago — “content marketing”and “answering common questions”-- TAKE OVER instagram. And now, more than ever we are bombarded with information overload for everything. I’m starting to shy away more and more from sharing “information”with you all.

Cont. in comments!

Have you ever stopped to hear the silence of snow? The way the white blanket softens even the loudest of noises.

The way it can cover even the harshest terrain with majestic and sparkling beauty.

It neutralizes the risk of dangerous water by freezing it in time. Creating a hard surface of ice to pave the way for us to cross.

It creates accessibility to areas in nature we would never be able to access without it...mountain tops...and even the outer rim of civilization.

And yet for as beautiful, safe, and brilliant that snow is. It is equally treacherous, fatal, and a slippery slope.

A loss of footing, a no fall zone, a crack in the ice, a sudden change in weather...

Nature commands respect for what it is.

And I wonder, what parallels can you draw from snow to life? What metaphors does it teach you?

Nature is filled with a deep wisdom to teach. Because the Creator made creation with a wisdom beyond our human comprehension.... and abundant creativity in a way that leaves us with limitless humor and learning.

Can you even?! 😍

By the end of summer/fall it felt like we had our beach days dowwwwwn. Knew exactly what to pack, when to leave, where to go....

Now we are starting over with snow days! They feel overwhelming at first. Getting the kids all layered up. Making the drive. Finding your rhythm.

But the more you do it the easier it gets!

And making a few packing list templates helps too ;)

Happy snow days to everyone!! REALLY hoping the forecast is right for a white Christmas!

So much has changed in the past three winters! Throw back to three winters ago... 38 weeks pregnant with Piper and on my last ski tour.

There is something about winter... the blanket of snow... the cold... and the memories.... I can't help but long to be out playing in a snowy forest!

It does take a lot more work to get our little family out in the snow these days... but the more you do it the easier it gets!

Cheers to winter solstice everyone. The days only get lighter from here on out!
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#breatheyourbiome

And just like that we have a one year old (and almost three year old).

Happy birthday sweet goofy Hope!

She's making it an annual tradition of nose diving off our bed. Really hoping to break this tradition next year. Every parent has those moments...where you just feel like the WORST parent and that you failed big time. The resilience of babies continues to blow my mind.
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#breatheyourbiome

I really can't believe this radiant light, my second born, sweet daughter, and ray of Hope is going to be ONE TOMORROW.

She taught me SO much during pregnancy. I learned how to take a deep dive into my brain's ability to dwell on beauty during times of pain. I never thought I could have a peaceful, and mostly pain free, birth. She burst into this world like a super nova from my body... bright and beautiful.

I learned that our body needs to memorize movement. The daily discipline of forming and practicing to move in ways that support your own natural and biological design... so when you're all consumed with the process of child birth, your body knows what to do. Just listen, breathe, and let the birthing process wash over you like a beautiful ocean wave.

The lessons I learned through her pregnancy and birth, are only small metaphors of the greater life lessons.

I will forever cling to the disciplines, process, and stories childbirth has taught me.

Today, I'm remembering and reflecting on that beautiful process.

Tomorrow, I'll celebrate this precious life that our great Father has entrusted to Rich and I. We couldn't be more grateful.

Keeping that outside nap game strong all winter long!

By now, if you've been in my little corner of instagram... you know I am all about the vast health benefits of sleeping outside.

Not only for adults, but little ones too.

Hope's birthday is coming up very soon... and it has me reminiscing about sleeping outside in our backyard in a hammock while temps were in the 30's for a few days under the full moon. 😅 It was actually right about this time of year one year ago!
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#breatheyourbiome

Nothing like a good sunny winter nap outside 🤩
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#breatheyourbiome

It was one of those days in Motherhood... where I got lost in the vortex of mundane. The day felt long... and slow... my patience thin.

I felt as though I was on an endless but slow and heavy hamster wheel just trying to get the next child fed... to sleep...

By the end of the day it seemed as though I had simultaneously accomplished nothing but also everything because everyone survived.

These are the kind of days that can quickly spiral downwards if they become consecutive... I experienced this when Piper was a few months old and felt at such a loss. I've seen dear friends experience this...

My heart hurts to see the joy of motherhood robbed from sweet mothers in the mundane complexity of day to day tasks.

And that's really one of the MANY reasons why I now know... when I start to feel that pull downward...when the messiness of the home feels overwhelmingly unending...when the children seem a little extra emotional... when I am not myself... just stop.

And get outside.

Time and time again... no matter the weather... it is in nature that we found ourselves again. The beauty of relationship with those we love. Where imaginations run wild. Restoration fills our soul.

Nature integrates an awe for the Creator, movement, imagination, mindfulness, creativity.... it brings the child and adult together in a mutually joy-filled play!

The distractions of technology and the never ending to do list are put aside for a dedicated time.

And it's just meaningful time with those we love.

Yes, it can be exhausting to JUST find the energy to get out the door. It can feel tiring to spend more time layering, packing, and food prepping to facilitate time outside.

It is worth it dear, Mama! It always is.

Put time in your calendar for restorative outdoor time as a family. After an exhausting day of mothering is when you need it most.

"Everybody needs beauty as well as bread, places to play in and pray in, where nature may heal and give strength to body and soul."
- John Muir
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#breatheyourbiome

I thought this picture and story needed a little spot on the feed. You want to know the story of this race?

Well, since having Hope I really haven't run much. I've prioritized healing, resting... and well other things. And that's okay! I run when it brings me joy and works out and I don't ever stick to a training plan. So, running has mostly looked like shorter distance... usually intervals.. and pushing 60lb worth of stroller and kids.

Ha!

But I couldn't resist this race. A mountain by the coast?! My favorite thing in the whole world... so I signed up.

The weekend rolls around and on Saturday i saw runners taking off for the race on IG. And I thought I missed the race! But then I realized they split the 50k and 25k on different days and those were the 50k runners. Phew!

After a long week of work Rich and the girls and I head down to the coast on Saturday night to stay the night. I told Rich I was going to get up early, take an ice dip in the ocean to biohack my muscles... and then race!

Well, Sunday morning I slept in! And by that I mean the girls (my alarm clock) slept in. We woke up at 7:30AM! The race check in was 7-7:50 and the race started at 8. We were a good 30 minutes from the trailhead.

Rich and I rushed around got in the car... both kind of stressing... and neither of us have cell reception to put in the coordinates. I vaguely remember-ish where the race is from when i was looking at the map. So we head down the 101.

Skipping a few details... I'm getting ready in the car... and we roll up at 8:10 AM! Park on a slant... so when I open my car door most of our house (which is stored in the car because I'm a Mom) falls out the door with me...I hear Rich, "oh gosh..."... and then I run over to the race director.

Rich says from the rear view mirror he sees me making a giant "SAFE" (like baseball) sign with my hands... and I don't even remember what I was asking with that sign! Ha!

Anyways, they say I can still run! I'm most likely a good 2 miles behind most of the runners I'd be running with.

Well, I throw on my vest... no time to grab any water or snacks to pack... apparently my vest was twisted for most of the race and I take off!

cont in comm

Today we remembered... we chatted as the girls slept in the car... remembering and laughing. Oh what memories we have...

From our early days of marriage... driving to Yosemite to camp at "a lake." Once we got there Rich told me the lake was 17 miles in. I was commmmmmpletely unprepared but we pulled it off! Oh the bliss of learning to communicate in marriage!

Or when we when to a SUPER LEGIT mountain biking spot... like where all the cool kids ride their bike... and then spent 20 minutes trying to get our two bikes unstuck from each other in the parking lot as they had toppled over in the back of the truck.

OR... when we drove 5 hours away to mountain bike and realized we forgot our bike rack key. So we went to a little craft fair instead.

Oh my...

But there are more...

We rented AT skis (both hadn't skied in 15 years since we converted to snowboards) and skinned up a double black diamond. And then laughed until our bellies hurt trying to figure out how to ski down.

Another time we took our baby backpacking and got 11 miles in when we realized we forgot the tent poles.

At 38 weeks pregnant Richard decided he was going to summit mount hood so he bought me a walkie talkie and I camped out in the truck!

We spent at least an hour today laughing and remembering all the hilarious "misadventures" we have been on! And quite honestly.. i probably only mentioned about 1% of them here!

But more importantly... through all of this remembrance... there is the truth that we forget. In moments of hardship, selfishness, darkness, business... we forget.

But today, as we spent time remembering and laughing together... and fellowshipping with dear friends that feel like family... people who've been with you through thick and thin... in trials... and in the fire with you... and set aside a day to give thanks... I'm more thankful than ever for the Creator who guides us as we walk by faith. For community. For my little family. And for my imperfect marriage.

It is the sweetness of remembering... the beauty of thankfulness... that cultivates joy in my heart that anchors my soul.

It's mountain biking season (rainy season)!

When it comes to clothing to help everyone have a fun time outside...I definitely try and balance between buying consignment, free hand-me-downs, getting deals on ebay/poshmark AND trying to snag some black Friday deals for gear I know will last and really make a difference in our outdoor play!

This doesn't have anything to do with affiliate marketing... just letting you guys in on what deals I'm keeping my eyes out for on this black Friday for kids outdoor clothing:

🌨 Primary colors leggings + fleece
leggings. I purchased these two years ago and found Piper wore them almost all year round. The best base layer that you can easily dress up too :)

🌨 Reima rain and snowsuits (pictured here)! I actually went cheap and tried to buy some FB marketplace rain-suits... and ended up going through two cheapo ones that didn't stand the puddle test. Ugh! Sometimes just finding a sale on a new one that you know will last through a bunch of kids is worth it.

🌨 Stonz booties! Piper doesn't wear these anymore... but for the first two years we have REALLY gotten our use out of these for cold and wet weather! Barefoot footwear approved :)

🌨 Wool layers! Whenever I can find a wool layer on sale I don't regret it and we REALY get our wear out of it. Whether for sleeping in our cold house or camping outside. There are A TON of great wool layering options out there. Just try and find Merino Wool and on sale if you can!

This is my round up of clothing I really prefer to try and find new and on sale. The more this stuff gets used it does wear down... so if you want it to last through several kids it might be worth it to pay the black friday price. We've already gone through a couple of used stonz booties :(

Have fun in the rain and snow this year! Adventures don't have to be grand! Even just enjoying a puddle in your yard for a few hours is worth staying dry and warm!

PS - if you have to choose, prioritize the outdoor gear that's going to get you having fun instead of the cute clothes! Although... i'm always tempted to throw some cute clothes in my online cart.. but never end up pushing purchase. Ha! Anyone else??
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The expanding vocabulary age is just the best!

I’ve had friends tell me I have a hilarious way of phrasing sentences and pronouncing words...

And now... Piper is saying things that are just cracking me up. And I think to myself, “where did she come up with that?”

Only to hear myself saying that same phrase to Rich.... 😂

How is it that living life through your toddler helps you to see things you’ve missed your whole life? 🤪
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#breatheyourbiome

I’ve got good news and I got bad news.

The good news.... there is ALWAYS a sunny day on the Oregon coast in November. Throw back to this November beach run two years ago!

Bad news... pretty sure that sunny beach day was today. And we missed it :(

Maybe we will get one more 🤩
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#breatheyourbiome

Remembering these sweet special moments in my heart.

There isn't often a day I say to myself, "I really regret going outside to play today."
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#breatheyourbiome

If I could simplify “how to run”.... id just say, run like your kids! They run with intuition, joy, and love to feel the speed under their own two feet. Their form... natural movement... it’s amazing

A few of you have asked questions regarded heart rate and training. I’ve never really been one to totally fit into ONE way of thinking or philosophy. I strive to keep an ever growing, learning, and adaptable posture!

The first thing to understand is that there is no perfect way of doing anything in this life. Everything has-pros and cons.

I can certainly see that in a season of extreme stress or acute healing how running would further stress the body.

I also know that there is research backed evidence to how GOOD cardiovascular training can be.

So... what’s an appropriate way to approach running?

✅ when it brings you joy!
✅ prioritizing natural movement
✅ find your balance between discipline and intuition
✅ recognize that with all things wellness begins inside your body and your cardiovascular health is a reflection of that

Some things I personally try and avoid
❌ rigid training plans that tell me how many miles I should run on certain days
❌ running to lose weight
❌ running for time
❌ the binge race binge race culture

I could do a whole separate post on running postpartum....

Someday I’d love to get my Primal Endurance health coaching certification to pair with my functional medicine certification 😅

If you have any further questions about running you can leave them on this post!
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#breatheyourbiome

As Piper would say, "it's so golden." ❤️
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#breatheyourbiome

Autumn. The season of transition between a playful summer and cold winter.

Where green youthful leaves turn into a vibrant array of autumn colors just before they fall from the tree and fade into earth.

Hunters and animals meet in the prairie… to provide and protect their families. The great sacrifice of the hunter to spend nights under a cold moon… and the greater sacrifice of the animal to give its life to feed the tribe.

We are so disconnected from nature.

Perhaps we say a mindless prayer of thanks before our meal… but the gravity of what the meal cost is lost to the modern world of convenience. Have you felt the sting of this sacrifice in your heart? The weight and responsibility we carry.

What does the season of autumn teach us?

Perhaps it's here to tell us, that often, in the final season of life there are vibrant colors to behold. That this too, is a beautiful season of transition. The season between youthful play and fading into earth.

We are so disconnected from nature.

Perhaps, to reconnect… we need to grieve the great sacrifice of the animal to feed our family. To behold the wonder of creatures that live wild in nature. The sheer fact that they are born, survive, and live… the wonder of our almighty Creator who sustains the breath of the forest and the heart beat of an animal… to then become the feast for our table.

Have you stopped and pondered today? Creation is meant to teach us. It’s only a small glimpse of the handiwork of our great and wise Creator.

What the autumn rhythm means... adventuring through nature with kids....

More time to bundle up... more effort to get out the door...

Embracing biking (preferably on trails), hiking... and perhaps a few sunny coast days...

Checking the weather each morning and readying yourself to get outside at the drop of the hat

Preparing your home, heart, and mind for the winter months. Storing up firewood, pulling out the cozy sweaters, and learning from those who’ve gone before you on getting your kiddos on skis!

Keeping your eye out for quality sleds...ditch the cheap plastic ones, please.

And perhaps finding some fun indoor hobbies... sourdough baking... wool felting... and glueing all things fall into your toddlers nature journal.

Drinking in the warm of bone broth, delicious raw milk honey lattes, and lots of soups.

Being aware of how to get as much vitamin D as possible through these months... cod liver oil is a must.

... and embracing joy and gratitude.

This is the season to accept the mud in your house, there’s no such thing as too many baths in a day, and do whatever it takes to be a peaceful homemaker that’s willing to work hard and play hard.

The days are about to get dark much sooner, friends. But don’t worry... the snow is HERE. 😃😃😃😃😃
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#breatheyourbiome

I breathe... and I adapt.

The most important process in nature for living in a complex world is adaptability.

"Nature has learned to navigate and adapt with brilliance to the many situations that has come its way. This has enabled it to undergo a natural development in sequence that assures its survival and growth." - Nicole Levac

When I fight the natural rhythms around me... focusing on what is out of my control... is when I find myself in thought patterns of stress. As a Mama, that might look like worrying about nap schedules and fitting in activities.

Ask yourself, what is the one thing that is important to me today? Perhaps it's peace. Perhaps it's a good sweat.

And adapt to work towards your goal. Give up what's out of your control. Breathe out the stress and tension in your body.

Often, I tell my clients, you don't have to do all the things all the time.

And in that manner, I may share a day with a few snapshots of how we spent time in nature. Seldom is my house clean or am i meal prepping on that day.

On another day I may share a few snapshots of cooking, eating nutrient dense meals, and home life. Seldom, are we also out on big adventures on those days.

The days, the weeks, the months... they follow a rhythm. A natural cycle.

Adapt to what the day holds for you.
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#breatheyourbiome

There are often two paradigms I view wellness from....

The first. Recognizing that everyone is on their own individual journey filled with ups and downs. It's a journey never meant to be compared or judged. There are many many pathways of discovery to healing.

The second is... realizing and standing in awe of the fact that we have dishwashers, and laundry machines, and groceries delivered to our door... we live in abundance!! And rarely do we stress about providing shelter for our family in the midst of a storm... or hunting our next animal to feed the tribe... the stress that our ancestors constantly bore on their shoulders to survive and just DO the little things is something we take for granted and will never understand. And with that, I realize the great opportunity of time, abundance, and information we have access to... there certainly is a stress to living in the age of information and technology and I don't want to diminish the reality of stress today. But....

Take heart. When the temptation is to feel overwhelmed, or frustrated, or blown away by the financial investment it takes to get clean water, non toxic products, quality meats, and fresh produce... take a breath.

You're own your own journey. Whether that looks like baby steps or giant leaps. It's unique to you. This world of wellness is over 8 years old to me...and researching/reading/listening to lectures is something I personally find joy in.

And also, count the many many conveniences at your fingertips to be grateful for. Count them, write them down, express your gratitude for a joyful heart is good medicine.
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#breatheyourbiome