Here and Now

Well, it's been seven long months since I last posted in here. I left off with a few of our adventures in South Dakota and I plan on finishing the documentation of everything that we saw in 2016. After all, it was the most exciting and adventure filled year of our lives. For now I wanted to get back into blogging by sharing a little bit about our new life and our new home.

West Mabou Beach, Cape Breton, September 2016

I imagine most people who read our posts are coming from Facebook, but I'll share some background on where we are and how we got here, just incase. 

Our little family did indeed end up on the east coast of Canada, however in a completely different province than we had initially anticipated. Over the Labour Day long weekend we found out that the house we had put an offer on in Prince Edward Island had sold to another buyer. That same evening I saw a story on CBC about a country market in Cape Breton that was looking for people to work there, and if we stayed for five years we would receive 2 acres of land. We knew we had nothing to lose so we sent in our resumes, along with a short cover letter detailing who we are and what we were searching for. After a few days of emails and our Skype interview I was offered a position with the store and we began to pack up and head east from Ontario to start our new life. 

West Mabou Beach, Cape Breton, September 2016

We arrived here in mid September and it has honestly been a whirlwind. Settling into our rental home and a routine with work, meeting new friends and exploring this beautiful island have all taken time but we're doing our best to enjoy absolutely every second of it. There was a lot of media attention when we got here. The job offer, as well as the new employees received attention from local news outlets, CBC Nova Scotia, CTV (Nova Scotia and BC), Vice News Tonight, CNBC, and even The New York Times!

Life moves at a different pace here, and it's not for everyone, but I do know that there has to be more people like us out there who want the same things we do. A slower pace of life, fresh air, green grass and trees. A chance to grow their own food and contribute to a small community. Friendly people, who are happy to hang out at home with friends and don't need to be busy to be happy. I know they are out there, but I think the people who could come and help repopulate this little island don't know enough about it or are too afraid to leave their "stable life" to find this.

Along the Cabot Trail - October 2016

We are enjoying the outdoor lifestyle here during every season, and learning to love winter again has been much easier than we imagined. On Brett's birthday the two of us drove to the Cape Breton Highlands to take part in a snowshoe hike on the Skyline Trail. It was a wonderful day and a beautiful hike. We can't wait to see more of the park this year!

At the top of the Skyline Trail - February 2017

Enjoying the snow - January 2017

When we left our suburban home in BC, we didn't know exactly what our life would look like a year later. Now we have most of what we were looking for, we just need to find the perfect spot to build our forever home and begin growing our own food - hopefully for us as well as this community. We have big dreams and hopes for all four of us, as well as this great little business we have become a part of. I can't wait to continue to share this journey we are on, as well as the remainder of our adventures from 2016. Keep your eyes here for more updates soon!

A Place that will Always Feel like Home

This time four years ago I was preparing for our move to the West Coast from Toronto. I was excited, nervous, anxious and unsure about this big change that we were making. I knew that there would be adventures and struggles, and sure enough we got all of that and more. Way more than we ever could have bargained for.

The Lions Gate Bridge from Stanley Park during our first visit - March 2012

Making the choice to move across the country with a 9 month old was not easy. At the time I was excited to live somewhere new, especially somewhere as beautiful as BC. Neither of us had been to the west coast prior to our decision to move, but we knew we were in for wonderful things. What we didn't expect were the friends that we would make in our time here - only 4 short years. 

We met friends on the ball field (LOTS of friends) who filled our days with laughs and our summers and weekends with awesome adventures. We met friends in classes and at the farmer's market, and while in Mission we really made this place feel like home. We can go out to eat, be in the grocery store or at the farmers market on the weekend and our trips always take longer than planned because we run into a friendly face we want to catch up with. We will miss ALL of the faces and places that we have come to know so well.

A stroll on China Beach, Vancouver Island - August 2014

I will miss the snow capped mountains just outside of our front door, and being on the river in the summer with friends. I'll miss the drive to the dairy in the summer for ice cream with the family, and a winter that never really comes.

Taken during a BBQ on the beach in February 2013

The first year out here I really struggled. I felt so alone at home with a toddler, almost trapped some days with no one to talk to while Brett was at work. There were days that I cried and felt so lonely, but things began to change as we settled into a new home, in a new town and a new neighbourhood. I got involved with things that I loved and I met so many amazing people. All of this feels so hard to leave behind, but at the same time I know that this new adventure will bring us more wonderful things just like moving to BC did.

In four years we made the most of our time in BC. I look back on photos and can't believe all of the hikes we went on and the beautiful places that we had the opportunity to visit. I know we've barely scratched the surface, but that's only more reason for us to be back to visit... or possibly even live one day.

In my 30 years, I've learned that life will take unexpected twists and turns. You need to learn to roll with the punches and make the most of each and every situation. When the difficult strikes, we come together instead of letting it tear us apart and we try to look at the positives. We always try to find the positives and it helps us through those hard times. That's exactly what we've done. Brett losing his job was a big shock, but it was also an eye opener for us. We're ready for something more, even if it means leaving a lot behind. This isn't new to us, and together we'll go on an adventure of a lifetime.

Golden Ears Park - July 2013

As hard as it is to leave the home where Nolan was born, and all of our friends in this beautiful province, we have a wide open road ahead of us. To me, BC will always feel like home and we hope that one day we will return. It all depends on what road life will lead us down next. So as we drive away from our second home today, it's not "good-bye", it's "see you soon"!

On Big Life Changes

Am I making this sound easy? Just sell all our stuff, move into a trailer and travel for a while... then move to the other side of the country. Piece of cake, right? Well, not so much. This whole process, while extremely liberating, exciting and freeing, has been equal parts scary, emotional and stressful. Many nights I lay awake wondering if we're doing the right thing, if we will miss our life here and all of those other late night nagging thoughts. This sh*t is hard! Excuse the language.

While we are crazy busy finalizing plans and downsizing, I know there is a light at the end of the tunnel. Once everything is done here, we will be out there exploring and spending more time together doing the things that we want. Today's post is a little more personal, giving you a bit more insight into some of the crazy and emotional thoughts running through my head recently. 

Are we doing the right thing? Well, YES! Of course we think we are. A couple of years ago, Brett's sister came to visit and told us she was thinking of quitting her job to go back to school. Her decision would bring her and her fiance to the opposite side of the country and be a huge life change. We cheered her on, encouraged her and told her that sometimes you just need to let go and trust it will all work out. Now we find ourselves taking our own advice. While we have done a lot to prepare for this new chapter in our lives, there is still so much left to do and there are a ton of unknowns in the months ahead. Despite the stresses, I keep reminding myself the most important thing is that we will all be together, and we have friends and family who support us in what we are doing.

Our very first visit to Vancouver in March 2012 to find a home

I often remind myself that only four short years ago we were just visiting British Columbia for the first time. Back then I was thrilled that our little family would have the opportunity to live in and explore one of Canada's most beautiful provinces. At the same time, in the back of my mind I was terrified of this big change. We were leaving behind our families and friends to move to the opposite side of the country, and we had no idea if we'd like it. When we arrived, we did our best to embrace it. We met so many wonderful people, went on fantastic adventures and made the most of our time out here, rain or shine. We learned that change is hard and scary, but so worth it. We also learned that going into something with a positive attitude and outlook can drastically effect the outcome of any situation. So this is exactly how we will move forward on our new adventures.

Will we miss our life here? OF COURSE! I bring myself to the brink of tears almost daily thinking about the friends we are leaving behind and all of the things we still want to do. We didn't build our life here overnight. It took a long time to make this place feel like home, and we are surrounded by some seriously awesome friends that have become our family. I will miss them dearly, but they are also the best reasons for us to come back and visit as often as possible.

July 2012 - our first trip to Vancouver Island with our friends who we now consider family

Each night as I snuggle the kids to sleep, I look around whichever bedroom I am in and think of all of the wonderful family moments we have shared here and my heart aches a little. I know at the end of the day a home is strictly bricks and mortar, and it's the people and memories we make that truly matter. Saying good-bye is never easy, and leaving this home where Halle grew into a little woman and where Nolan was born, will not be easy.

The hardest part by far is knowing that Halle struggles with it. We're doing our best to keep communication open with her, while not burdening her with unnecessary details or worry. We stay positive when we discuss it with her or in front of her, and she's enjoyed things like picking out our new truck and trailer. But still, she'll frequently approach us out of the blue, with a tinge of anxiety in her voice and announce, "I need Mama/Dada snuggles" and we know that she's feeling nervous or anxious about what is to come.

We talk about how we will miss our friends and our home, but we will visit and we will make new friends. She knows that we'll have a new house with lots of space to run and play and she'll get to help us decorate her new bedroom... she may also get a cat. I am most reassured when I think about how much she loves travelling, nature and adventure, and how she will flourish with all of these new experiences.

As much as we are about to set out on an adventure we have always dreamed of, I am still feeling small bits of worry along the way. It won't always be easy, but I know deep down it will most definitely be worth it.

Choosing to Live with Less

For years I have had the desire to downsize the amount of stuff we own. When we bought our first home in Toronto we were operating with about 1100 square feet total, and owned way more than we needed. I would attempt to get rid of things, but was never all that successful. Though we manage to keep a tidy home, things get hidden in corners and closets and before you know it the accumulation of items is out of control. Why do we own so much?

These days we live in a consumer driven society. Earn more, spend more, own more! Bigger homes, faster cars. We fill our closets with the latest trends, and then shop seasonally for clothes that society tells us we "need". We work, work, work to spend, spend, spend and our priorities seem to be way out of whack.

Personally my biggest issue with too much stuff and too many commitments is the way that they control my life and my time. Instead of focusing on my husband and children I get caught up in organizing and cleaning a big house full of stuff we don't necessarily need. My view really changed last summer when we spent two weeks living our 17' Boler as we travelled around Vancouver Island.

Camping in Stamp River. Port Alberni, Vancouver Island

Living in such a small space and moving around frequently forced us to bring only the items that we really needed... or thought we needed. We discovered over that two weeks that we didn't even need everything packed into that trailer and could have brought much less with us. Each day I was content to lay down with our napping baby and read a book, rather than scroll mindlessly through social media posts. We were all happy and relaxed, and as soon as I got back to that big ol' house of ours, the stress of maintaining all of that space and "stuff" came rushing back. 

I found myself losing patience with my daughter while I was trying to clean and organize and all she wanted to do was play. My priorities were seriously misdirected, and I knew I needed to address this head on. Not only did we have a lot of stuff, but our children had far more toys than they truly needed.

Over the course of a summer outside, camping in various locations we noticed our daughter was far more happy and confident when out in nature playing with the dogs, sticks, rocks, dirt or just a ball. She listened better and used her imagination more. We would build, discover, swim, splash and just be - so why not have less toys that keep her busy inside and spend more time experiencing life outdoors?

An afternoon climbing, throwing rocks and just "being" on a beach in Ucluelet

As we prepare for our move to the east coast, we are selling the majority of our possessions. Our focus is on items we no longer use or need, and items that it would cost more to ship than it would be to replace. We would like to not spend too much shipping stuff across country, and of course attempt to live with less as we travel in our trailer for a few months.

From owning less, I hope our whole family also finds less desire to buy items. I'd rather collect memories than tangible items. 

When looking back on my own childhood I remember time spent with family more than I do the items they bought me. Not to say I wasn't thankful for the gifts I was so lucky to be given, but my fondest memories of Christmas are of the time spent with family. Annual trips to the tree farm to chop down a tree and decorate it while watching classic Christmas movies, and visiting with family and friends we only saw a few times a year. 

So many people are trying to understand what we are doing. Why are you getting rid of everything? Will you be able to work when you get out there? The whole purpose of our move is to completely change the way we live. No, we won't be making the same money we did out here, but we won't need that much money. Our goal is to be mortgage free, consume less and live a much more simple life. When boredom strikes I would much rather set foot outside to explore with the kids, instead of heading to the local mall to spend money or buy more items that will not bring us happiness.

In beginning this journey, I have heard from others who desire to simplify their lives as well. I hope that in sharing our experience, I can inspire more people to do the same. If you're looking for further inspiration, I suggest the following blogs:

- becoming minimalist

- The Minimalists 

- The Art of Simple

- Be More with Less

Have any of you thought of simplifying your life? What does it mean to you?