first name: Wendy

age: 30

current city: Vancouver, British Columbia

living situation: I am fortunate to live with three beautiful souls: my husband, my son (four years old), and my daughter (18 months old).

occupation: stay-at-home-mom and blogger

how do you structure your time and space? On a regular weekday, my husband leaves to go to the office very early in the morning before the kids wake up. The majority of my day consists of caring for my two children and running our household, from meals to cleanup, to play time, to circle time (where I like to incorporate learning activities from My Tips To Share).

My son goes to preschool a couple of afternoons a week. In the late afternoons my daughter naps, and my son has quiet time to play with playdoh, color, or make crafts. During that time I write for my blog and/or read other blogs.

My husband comes home and one of us makes dinner. I like cooking, so frequently it is me, but my husband does a good amount too. We have family time (often outside). Some days, I go to an exercise boot camp, and family time happens without me. Next it’s bath time, books, and bedtime. Then, we do a little household cleanup, and often I finish up on my blog while my husband folds laundry. Finally, my husband and I spend some time together. At the present time in our lives this balance works well for us and makes us happy.

using the metaphor of seasons to describe the phases of women’s lives,

-what are the particular challenges and highlights of your current season? I have to start by saying I love all seasons! Just the word makes me happy because I look forward to the beauty and joys in each one, and the renewed feeling from the changing of seasons. It is a great metaphor for life, and with family life some days you can experience four seasons all in one day. My goal in this season is to focus on the positive, to enjoy my time with my children, and see it as a gift to treasure right now. I want to be a good role model because my children are little mirrors reflecting my behavior. I try to listen to my inner voice, to believe in and be confident in myself, to give back, and to believe in others.

I started my blog , Give Love, Create Happiness, to encourage people to believe in and love themselves and to live the best life for them. There is so much beauty and love to go around in the world when your heart is open to it. I want to do my part, however big or small, to increase this beauty and love in the world we share together. Blogging helps me to focus on the good, to unleash my creativity, to give back in a way I am capable of doing while maintaining balance with young children. What I didn’t realize when I started blogging is how much I would receive as a result. It feels like the love and support flood in and I am so very grateful.

-what season(s) preceded this one? In the preceding season, I let my heart guide the way, and I moved with my college sweetheart from the east coast of the US (New York) to the west coast of Canada (British Columbia). The move was very big and life-changing for me. It took me outside of my comfort zone, opened me up, and gave me the ability to truly appreciate what I love about my previous home and the seasons there. As well, it opened my eyes and heart to the beautiful things and seasons a different part of the world has to offer. Fresh out of school and in a place where I knew very few people, I worked outside of the home at a vineyard, in a friend’s newly created coffee shop, and in administrative jobs.

However the most significant part of the preceding season was the time my husband and I spent focusing on one another. We were the center of each other’s universe, which involved growing together and forming a strong bond that has proven to be very beneficial in the next season of our lives – the family life!

-what season(s) might your future hold? Although my goal is to live for right now as much as I possibly can, I am very open to the future and look forward to creating a beautiful one! Maybe the next season will involve creating a job I love that gives me freedom to follow my heart and be creative. I truly feel that being determined and believing in yourself are large components in creating the future of your dreams, and that it is okay for those dreams to change along the way.

favorite family activity/activities: We love swimming at the pool together, going for walks in the evening, dancing to our favorite songs, and having movie nights.

favorite solo activity: Most recently I like to get out of the house and attend fitness classes. I leave needing a break and come home feeling better, stronger, and with more to give. I enjoy writing; reading magazines, online articles, and recipes; and photography. I love baking and having moments of quiet reflection (the shower is great for that!). Crafting, creating art, and making seasonal changes to my home are things I also enjoy but are not at the top of my priority list at this time.

source(s) of inspiration: I am constantly inspired by people: their actions, their words, and their creativity! My children inspire me to be the best person I can be, because what I want most for them is to be happy and loving individuals. My husband inspires me with his inner strength and boundless amounts of love. My family and friends, including people I know and people I know only through their work, all inspire me in so many unique and individual ways that I could never sum it up in a few words. I can say that whenever I need inspiration in different areas of my life, it is always there waiting for me to open my eyes to it and let it in.

best MakeShift moment: The most frequent (weekly) MakeShift moments that happen in our house are meals. The beauty in this is that sometimes those meals are the best ones or they are the healthiest, because they involve a lot of fruits and vegetables that don’t require much prep.

Another MakeShift moment that comes to mind is creating baby gates using dining room chairs (carefully placed on their sides) to make  baby gates when we’re traveling and staying in loved ones’ homes. It is part to protect my baby, part to make my life easier in a different environment, and part to protect someone else’s home (I am sure you know what I mean with young kids!).

Happy Living!

Wendy

find wendy on the web at http://www.givelovecreatehappiness.com

[if you or someone you know would make a good “mother of invention,” please check out the nomination process and questionnaire located on the sidebar to your right.]