Kara Hertlein

Since becoming a mama to 4, it’s taken me a minute (or 1.5 years 😜) to get into a solid morning routine again, a routine that really serves me in this season of my life.

Don’t wanna jinx it..but I think we’re getting there and I can feel the momentum in how I feel throughout my day.

It amazes me how I can forget how good it feels to start my day for me; it amazes me how quickly the body remembers how good it feels when I jump back in.

When I start to get that feeling back, there’s no turning back. One morning at a time, I’ve got this 🤍

I’ve got a date tonight with a sunset, a pizza, and three handsome young men ❥

1120 days ago, we returned from Costa Rica to care for one of the great loves of our lives..

Since then, alongside his birth mom, we’ve been advocating for his birth right as a Canadian citizen to a Canadian passport.

We don’t wish to fill this space with how impossible that process seemed, or how much red tape we were faced with..

Instead, with a lot of happy tears, we would like to share that what felt impossible became very possible for our little man.

And on 2/2/22, just hours after his passport was issued, it felt so right to bring him back to the same place we left to care for him - so he could dip his toes in the ocean for the very first time..

In Costa Rica.

Welcome to my daydream for the past 1120 days my friends 🥺

My wildest dreams for him and for our family are coming true..

.and we’re sending so much love if you’re fighting for something or someone you believe in.

With love, anything is possible. Keep going 💕

With the warmer weather, I’m feeling some serious spring fever my friends! We’ve been cooped up (pun intended) and cannot wait for our third growing season on our lil homestead.

In 2020, we started with these 5 sweet chicks. Betty, Goldie, Birdie, Frizzle and James. Dusty + Alex built a coup; we had so much fun checking for eggs and loving on our new little friends.

In 2021, we added more chicks to the fam. Two sweet farm kittens joined us on Xavier's birthday. We grew an abundance of veggies in 2 garden boxes. The kids and I planted a sunflower patch which was so fun! In the fall, me and my mom planted a few hundred tulips. I cannot express how very excited I am to see them come up in a few months!

This year, I’m going to plant my first cut flower garden. This makes my heart skip a beat. Growing flowers has been a dream of mine for a very very long time! I can't wait to share my love of beautiful blooms with our friends and family. I literally can't stop seed shopping! Haha. Thankfully, Dusty doesn’t mind! The planning keeps my spirits up on the harder winter days.

So it’s 39 days until spring my friends! But who’s counting?! I don’t want to wish time away..but I cannot express how eager I am to see what 2022 has in store for our lil plot of Alberta land ❥

Anyone else have gardening/homestead plans?

Excited to see what we grow together ❥

One year of loving you ❥

Time flies when you’re falling in love.

I’m not sure I’ve met another soul who’s sooo very full of unconditional love. My little sweetie, you keep me so grounded in ways I never knew I needed. You’ve helped me stretch + grow + stretch + grow some more.

You'e deepened my understanding of empathy and compassion.

One of my greatest teachers, you always always bring me back to the right here and now. You make this world such a beautiful place my love, and you make my world absolutely complete!

Loving you has forever changed our entire family in a very powerful way. In a way that only love can!

Every day is a gift together, my only ask is for many many many many more together.

❥

Today an incredible woman was born ❥

Happiest birthday to my middle sis. Arin, you mean the world to me. I wish you an ocean of joy today and always. May this new year in your life be filled with incredible memories and everything you desire.

I love you so so much!

This week, we celebrate the sweetest 5 year old in our home!

My little darling, it’s been one of the greatest joys of my life watching you grow this year. So wise beyond your years! And the only one in the house who fully embraced my Beatle-mania phase of quarantine! haha. May we have many many more years together, planting the garden..walking the farmers fields and belting out Hey Jude in the car.

You are so so loved little sweetie!

Enjoy 5! What a magical age for a little soul!! xo

Relationship goals: you are helping me heal ⚘

Can you believe this, we’ve got a nine year old in the house ❥

November was all about celebrating our sweet boy with lots of family time, a waterpark date, a hockey game and his very first birthday party in our home with friends from school.

At the waterpark, Dusty and I sat in the hot tub watching Alex go on slides on his own..he’s quite vocal he’s ready. We realized this is yet another new stage of parenting our oldest child. There is no warning for these new stages..they just come. Just like that, life changes. Crazy. He's taught me to let him lead and just ride the wave. He pinky sweared he’d never be too cool to skip school with me to have a date, so there’s lots more fun to be had ❥

Happiest birthday to you, sweet Ali. The one who's more like me than anyone I've ever known..you've helped me meet myself. In this very full season of our lives, you continue to amaze us with your growth, patience, heart, generosity and amazing ability to have the absolute best time no matter what.

Stay wild my child.

Yesterday, I helped welcome brand new life!

I'm still collecting my thoughts! But I wanted to share one of the most magical experiences of my life! Oh my gosh, I even got to cut the cord!!

I'm in awe of a very special birth mama in my life who's become family! And her perfect sweet baby boy!! I'm so beyond grateful to be here with them and for them; I don't know if any moment in my life has been more full circle or made more sense ❥

Welcome to the world sweet sweet beautiful baby, you and your mama are so so beyond loved!!