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  • This Is What We Signed Up For
    2026/09/10
    Send us Fan MailSeptember is busy—and sometimes the unexpected kid stuff just keeps coming. Between orthodontist appointments, physio, tryouts, sick days, social plans, broken instruments, and all the little things that pop up, it’s easy to feel frustrated and think, “Really? I have to deal with this too?”But what if we adjusted our expectations and remembered: this is part of what we signed up for?In this episode, I’m sharing the mindset shift that helped me stay calmer during a very chaotic week. I’m also talking about letting go of perfectionism—whether that means counting the imperfect exercise reps, recording a day late, clearing out one garbage bag of clutter, or showing up with temporary teeth that got hilariously stained by berries and seeds.Life is not always neat, organized, or perfect—but it can still be good, funny, and meaningful. Sometimes we just need to lower our expectations a little, stop making the inconvenience bigger in our minds, and give ourselves credit for doing what we can.TranscriptHey guys, how’s it going? How’s your September going? Is it super busy?It’s been really busy for us, but this is what we signed up for, right? That’s actually what I want to talk to you all about today—the mindset shift that helped me this week, and hopefully it will help you too.This week, just like every other week—but this week a lot more—I’ve had a lot of unexpected things happen. Not necessarily bad things, but kid-related things, requests, schedules, and things that I had to deal with unexpectedly. Things we didn’t plan for.While I was preparing to record this, I thought about a conversation I had with my friend. We went for a walk, and she was sharing some of the struggles she’s having at work.She has to work with someone in another department, and every time she has to communicate with that person, they seem surprised and unhappy about the request—even though it’s literally their job to accommodate the department my friend works with.They have to work together on all the events, schedules, calendars, and everything. My friend works in the planning department, and the marketing department is responsible for communicating all the events through emails, flyers, and other communications. So it’s my friend’s job to give marketing all the information about the events, when things should go out, and what needs to be included.Yet every time they communicate, this person seems displeased. Maybe the information came too late, or too early, or there wasn’t enough detail. They just seem unhappy, even though this is their job.We laughed about it and said, “Well, it’s their job to do that, but why are they so unhappy about it?”Obviously, there’s probably some kind of miscommunication or something going on in their head that we don’t know about. Maybe they want things done differently, or maybe there’s something missing from the picture.But from the outside, it looks like it’s their job, and yet they’re bothered every time they have to do it.Then I started sharing about all the things I’ve had to do unexpectedly with my kids. We realized that I was acting exactly like that marketing department.I was thinking, “Oh, really? Do I have to do that now? Couldn’t you have told me sooner? Really?”It’s kind of comical when you think about it, because it is literally my job to take care of my kids. I’m a stay-at-home mom with four children, and I chose to stay home to take care of my family.So when things come up—like an unexpected trip to the orthodontist because my son broke his bracket again—I have to make the phone call, schedule the appointment, drive there, and work it into the rest of our schedule.And this is probably the tenth time he’s broken that bracket.That same boy also got injured again, so I had to get him into physio. I had to make the calls, schedule the appointment, drive him there, and pick him up.Then two of my boys had tryouts for something, but we didn’t know the times until the very last minute.On top of that, I had a sick kid at home. Every day, I didn’t know whether he was going to school or staying home.And if you’re listening to this, you’re probably thinking, “Yes, that’s me. I understand.”We’ve all had sick kids at home. But because we’re hoping for some peace and quiet, we expect the best. Then when we don’t get the best, we have that little feeling of dread and disappointment.I also had to repair an instrument, and this was all in one week.Then there are the social requests. The kids want to hang out with their friends, and there are all the other things that come up.I realized that simply reminding myself, “This is part of my job,” gave me a little bit of a cushion. It helped me calm myself down and not overreact.I’m very easy to overreact and make things into a bigger deal than they need to be. But at the end of the day, this is my job.If I don’t have to do those things, that...
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    14 分
  • Do the Thing Before Your Brain Complains
    2026/09/02

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    Do It Backwards: A Gift to Your Future Self
    In this episode, I’m sharing a simple strategy that is already making my days feel lighter: do the things you’re dreading first. Instead of leaving the kitchen cleanup, preparing vegetables for the kids, Duolingo, exercise, or dinner prep until later, I’m trying to get them done as early as possible—before my brain has a chance to complain.
    I talk about how doing things ahead of time can feel like giving a gift to your future self, and how my husband’s meal-prep habits have inspired me to think differently about cooking for a big family. I also share an update about exploring hormone replacement therapy, what I’ve been learning about perimenopause, and why I’m more open to it now than I expected.
    Plus, I recap the end of our very busy summer: a beautiful hike in Canmore, sushi karaoke in Banff with my parents and kids, and a special visit from longtime friends. It was exhausting, joyful, and a reminder that staying connected to old friendships is absolutely worth the effort.
    So this week, try doing it backwards: pick the thing you’re most likely to put off and do it first. Your future self will thank you.

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    15 分
  • Die with Zero: Spending on Memories, Not Just Saving
    2026/08/26

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    Hey guys! How’s your summer going? Mine is winding down—today’s the last week before the kids head back to school, and honestly, I need a break. I scheduled a full “mama camp” staycation with all the boys, my nephew, and my parents in town. Right now, I’m sitting in the car while they’re at the trampoline park, and it already feels like Thursday even though it’s only Tuesday!
    The big takeaway I want to share with you today is this: read Die with Zero. I listened to the audiobook on YouTube, and it completely shifted how I think about money. Instead of feeling guilty every time I spend, it helped me see that money is meant to be used for experiences—especially when your family can enjoy them the most.
    With five boys (ages 10 to 15), my nephew, and my parents visiting, our family spending is at its peak right now. Sports, clothes, shoes, travel, education—it all adds up. But instead of feeling bad about it, I’m reminding myself that this is the season to invest in memories. Later, when the kids are grown and independent, we won’t need to spend the same way. So why hold back now?
    This book also challenged the idea of saving everything “for the kids.” If you’re planning to leave them money, why not give it when they actually need it—like for university or a mortgage—instead of waiting until they’re in their 60s and don’t need it as much?
    This week, I’m splurging a little more than usual: trampoline park, downhill karting, karaoke with sushi (first time ever!), escape rooms, Activate, and even a family rafting trip this summer. Yes, it’s a lot of money for six people, but I’m practicing gratitude instead of guilt. I’m blessed to be able to do these things, and I don’t want to be the person who saves everything and misses out on the memories.
    So here’s my challenge to you: if you can afford it, spend the money—but feel good about it. And if you can’t, then don’t. Either way, make the choice consciously. And if you’re struggling with the guilt of spending, check out Die with Zero. It’s been a game-changer for me.
    Alright, I’m off to see how the kids are doing at the trampoline park. Love you all—chat next week!

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    14 分
  • “Nothing is perfect”
    2026/08/19

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    16 分
  • It takes a village
    2026/08/12

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    In this episode, I get real about where I’m at right now: 42, in the middle of summer chaos with four boys (including twins), and finally admitting that it doesn’t just take a village to raise kids—it takes a village to take care of *me*.

    After our recent vacation, I hit a low point. My back was flaring up, my mood was all over the place, and I realized I was surrounded by males all day and missing my girlfriends’ support. So I started rebuilding my “village”:

    - Seeing a naturopath for hormones and supplements
    - Going to physio and doing core work for my lower back
    - Looking into acupuncture
    - Seriously considering hormone replacement therapy (HRT), even though I used to think it was “unnatural”

    I’ve always been very “let the body do its thing” and avoided meds unless absolutely necessary. But after months of feeling like the worst version of myself when I’m tired—snapping, raging over tiny things, feeling almost “crazy”—I decided my quality of life matters more than being perfectly natural. I’m still cautious and doing my research, but I’m open to HRT if it helps.

    A few big takeaways I land on in this episode:

    - Hormone decline can start up to 10 years before “menopause age,” and a lot of symptoms (mood swings, rage, anxiety, depression-like feelings) get misdiagnosed or ignored.
    - My husband loves me, but he doesn’t know what to do with my symptoms. It’s on me to lead my own care and then invite him in.
    - Taking care of myself takes effort: booking appointments, trying supplements, doing the exercises, saying no to the extra bread, asking for help.
    - If what I’m doing isn’t fixing it, I need to go back for help—even if I “know what to do,” because consistency is the hard part.

    I end with a gentle nudge to anyone listening: if you’ve been debating booking that appointment, making that call, or trying that thing you keep putting off, this is your sign. Get that one more person into your village who helps *you* feel better, so you can show up better for everyone else.

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    14 分
  • “He doesn’t appreciate me”
    2026/08/05

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    Hey everyone! In this episode, I’m sharing something that’s been really helpful for me as a mom: how to start appreciating yourself, especially when you’re not feeling appreciated by your partner. I talk about how practicing appreciation for what our husbands do can actually help us feel more appreciated too. I also share a simple exercise I used—writing down all the little things I did in a day that I didn’t even plan on doing—to help me see how much I really do for my family. Plus, I get real about the challenges of parenting teenagers, juggling summer schedules, and learning to coach myself through the tough moments. If you’ve ever felt like your hard work goes unnoticed, this one’s for you.

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    9 分
  • Borrow her future
    2026/07/29

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    I have triggers that caused me to be afraid of my kids future, and I always look for a way to comfort those fears and to replace those fears with something else that I have to look forward to in my life and for my kids future and in this episode, I share with you how you could ask the universe to help you solve these problems and comfort those triggers and hopefully this is helpful to you with your fears and triggers

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    8 分
  • My teenagers don’t listen to me, my opinion doesn’t matter
    2026/07/22

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    Please Borrow the strict that I have for dealing with teenagers. It really helps me feel satisfied and happy and calm with my parenting and makes me feel good about the future of my kids. I really do believe this trick works and I think you should listen to this episode and copy it for yourself.

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    15 分