Life. In moderation

Ever felt like the life you are living isn't the one you were meant to live?

Mother. Wife. Daughter. Sister. Granddaughter. Friend. Employee. Citizen. Consumer. Mouse on a wheel? Thinker.

Since becoming a mother a little over 3 years ago, I have struggled to figure out where I fit in this equation. So many of my priorities have changed, not always by choice. There are still other things that I know I want to change but haven't yet.

I am a girl from a regional town, living in the big smoke and dreaming of a simple country life. My soul craves open spaces; rolling hills; grass! Alas, reality is a small suburban paved courtyard, a few herb plants on the back step and a park around the corner.

I am a mother who often doesn't fit in in this modern, consumer driven world and yet struggles to disengage from it.

Like any mother, I want to give my kids the world. But in doing so I wonder are we robbing them of the opportunity to inherit the earth? Don't get me wrong, I like pretty things as much as the next girl; but I am increasingly concerned about the state of the world we are leaving our kids.

Climate change. Overconsumption. Peak oil. Food security. Jobs. Crime.

What will their world look like? And why doesn't anyone warn you about the fear that comes with motherhood? The constant worry, not for yourself anymore, but for your children.

The future is scary. Uncertain. But, the way I see it, we have still have choices.

1. We can be paralysed into inaction.
2. We can put our heads in the sand and ignore what is happening.
3. We can wait for "someone else" to make the changes for us. Or,
4. We can be the change we want to see in the world.

I choose Option 4. For me, that means learning to embrace the simple life I crave, trying to minimise our environmental footprint, while saving for things that are important to us. And doing it all in the city.

Jill of many trades, master of none. Possibly born in the wrong century and learning to be frugal by choice, I'm about up-cycling; crafting; very, very basic cooking (cooking is not my strong point!), waste reduction, sustainability, time and money saving tips thrown in with the day to day challenges of family life. Meet "Mum. In moderation".

Lover of handmade and supporter of work at home families. 

We are learning as we go. This will be a journey. There will be mistakes I'm sure.

Nothing about me is "Pinterest perfect" and possibly not even very interesting; but, at the end of the day I want my boys to know I tried to do my bit to safeguard their future.