It’s Me!

Every Life Has A Story To Tell….

Who me? Start a blog!?  Never in my wildest dreams did I ever think I would have my own blog.  I knew people who had them.  And I loved the blogging story of Julie & Julia, but I just didn’t think I could do it.  Because what did I really have to offer from my very ordinary, regular life? After pondering the idea for nearly a year, my friend and neighbour Annie, one Sunday afternoon over tea boldly suggested (without any prompting from me) that I start a blog.  She said she would even read it!  What a pal! It was at that moment that I knew I was ready to share my experiences. 

Let me go back a few to 2012.  A few years ago I took a leap of something, and decided to leave my position as the executive director of an art gallery.  For many reasons I felt it was time to move on to another…..well, something.  All I knew for sure was that I wanted a break from the world of employment and try living the life of a by-gone woman: the stay at home wife, mother, restless soul.  What is sort of interesting about my situation is I didn’t leave the “working mother” role to stay home with little children or even needy, busy pre-teens (are they ever not needy? kidding!) But with two grown university aged daughters and one 17 year old son, I have chosen to stay home full time with the amazing support of my husband.  What a radical idea for so many women of today!

And yes, many strangers and friends have wondered why has Monica chosen to leave the work force to stay home and do…..what exactly?  Well after leaving my daily routine, my life was now an open house of opportunities that lay before me like the dust bunnies from behind the couch.  You see, I’ve always loved the domestic life.  I love searching, preparing and cooking recipes, perfecting them and making them my own.  Not that perfect meals are always the result, but trying is the best part.  And I must say, my meatloaf has become a favourite of many! I love growing things in the garden and turning them into soup and pickles and jams!  I love organizing the pantry and linen closets, I love sewing, or at least trying!  Square pillows can make anyone feel like a sewing rock star!  I love to garden!  Not so much the maintenance, but the planning and discovering of new plants.  Foliage and fauna are so much like people: they don’t thrive in places they don’t belong, they can be beautiful under the right circumstances and on occasion, they don’t make it through the season.  And sometimes it’s time just to get rid of the ones who invade your life, I mean garden.  But more about life in a garden on another page. 

So who am I.? Well I am a wife of nearly 25 years to Robert, a partner in an accounting firm.  Mother to three a-mazing kids, Jessica 22, Alayna 20 and Riley 17.  I love my 6 year old dog Truman.  I come from the most ordinary, lovely, simple childhood with 2 parents two older brothers and an older sister.  I have an almost finished college diploma. I have worked as a school librarian,  school administrative assistant and director of an art gallery.  I continue to be on community committees and have a full life.  I have amazing and truly wonderful and treasured friendships.  I love to entertain for two or host an office party in the rain!  I love to have the girls over for coffee or an evening of wine and nibbles with friends.  I enjoy having people over for homemade soup and buns after church or brunch on a Sunday morning!  I like things that are simple and meaningful and real.  Be it vanilla, whipped cream, love or friendships – it should always be true and genuine!

My blog, A Homemade Life, will contain stories, oh yeah, did I mention I love to write?! Stories about my life, my musings and generally thoughts and events that come across my life living in rural Manitoba.  It will showcase my mistakes and successes in recipes, craft ideas and anything else I may attempt. I do love Martha Stewart, but who can be a Martha without her 100 staff members following her around?  So, as I try to emulate the likes of Martha or Ina Garten or the ladies from Taste of Home Magazine or even my mother. I will share the life of an ordinary and content housewife of the 21 century in all its shades of everydayness. 

So please enjoy my postings and if a homemade life is what your after, let’s discover domestic bliss together!