The Wildflowers

A Note on the Creative Brain Feeling Stuck

May 24, 2023 by Rebecca Leave a Comment

Hi. Really….hi. If you’re reading this, you’re probably my family or someone who follows me on Instagram and has clicked on my blog link once or twice. (But you’re definitely not my husband who admittedly never reads my blog.)

I started this project back in 2020. In other words, the pandemic. A mom of two in 2020. You can probably guess where this is going. Home ALL the time (of course), not doing much of well…anything, except for raisin those two little darlings that inspired this thing in the first place. I needed something to do. I needed SOME kind of creative outlet. Something that made me feel like I was working on something and that the me that’s on the inside could somehow present to the outside. My eldest daughter was at the time 2.5-3 and my second daughter was 5 months when covid hit and lockdown began. That parenting phase was completely different than the one I’m in now. Now I have a six year old and a 3.5 year old- both going on 16. And months from now I’ll be in an even different phase, as the whole parenting thing goes.

In 2020, I had motivation to really do this whole blog thing. It has been something I had wanted to do for so so long and now I had the time and reason to do it. I worked hard at getting the back end set up and having so many posts on in order to have it go live. I loved doing it. And then after having done 30 posts, I realized that I should really look into learning SEO (search engine optimization- basically what lets Google find your blog) if I wanted this blog to be remotely successful, and at that time I did. I bought books, dug into other bloggers’ posts about it and then even paid someone to help teach me the basics- on zoom of course, given it was still 2020.

After that meeting with an SEO expert, I went from feeling inspired, hopeful and motivated to overwhelmed, confused and intimidated. That SEO backend mumble jumble is freaking scary for a creative brain. And if you have a creative brain at all, you know this. You know what I’m talking about. You know that our brains work in colors and ideas and dreams. You know that our brains work in the big picture, the concept, the creation. What my brain does NOT do well with is the technical, the jargon, the format. I just want to write and take pictures, mmmk? I don’t want to write in a specific way where my posts have a certain amount of key words and questions and links and so on. If you know me at all, you know that I don’t like anything or anyone telling me how to do something!

This SEO person had told me (as it was her job to, it’s what I hired her to do) that I would have to rewrite all 30 posts that I had already done, wsas none of them were SEO friendly or compliant. I downloaded a backend application that would be green, yellow or red based on how my post was doing up against their SEO requirements. And I got a lot of those little red faces, let me tell you. So what did I do? I stopped blogging. I shut down. Because when a creative brain gets faced with that technical stuff that literally looks and sounds like Russian, it runs. It hides. It wants to do anything but get through that hurdle. And then it procrastinates. Creatives are excellent at procrastinating. And building things up in their minds. Rather than just doing the damn thing.

I kept doing my Instagram once in a while because that’s quick and easy, but even that gets very disheartening when you have 4500 followers and Instagram shows your posts to around 150 of them.

And now it’s been two years (hides my face in shame). So this is me saying hi once again, because I’m back baby! And you know what? SCREW SEO. I realized that I can do this blog for ME and maybe you- but I don’t have to do it for SEO or “what’s best” or to “be successful”. I can just do it my way. Because after all…it is my blog. And this season of life has once again called me back into a creative awakening.

Life is all about seasons. Seasons of the year, of our families, our children. But also our energy and our needs. In the two years that I have been away from this platform, I have also sold and bought a house and renovated that house for the past year. So my energy has been on that. And raising my two girls, who keep me on my toes every day. So much of the last two years, coming out of the pandemic and into an entirely new season of life for me, has been about protecting my energy. Moving and setting up our life in a new home and renovating has taken up a LOT of my mental and creative space.

So I give myself grace for stepping away from here as well, because life calls for our focus on things in different ways and sometimes, you need to say, “This is all I have the time and energy for and that’s okay.”

But as our house renovations begin to settle and my girls can sometimes play on their own without asking for a snack or telling me who took what toy, I come into a season of having space again. Space for writing and creating.

So hi.

From the Wildflowers to the Moon

May 17, 2022 by Rebecca Leave a Comment

from the moment you open your eyes
to brand new day
there is an entire world to explore,
let’s go out and start to play.

the earth beneath your feet so strong
holds the dirt that starts new life.
clay and mud and leaves mix together
and worms inch along.

wildflowers bloom and grow
and find their way to the sun
dancing swaying moving
freely letting the wind let them blow.

look up and you will see
the clouds rolling by
the bees, the birds and the butterflies
all find home in the sky.

but look even further
almost past the sun
and find the wind, the spirt
and the light all become one.

and now you’re in the heavens above
they hold the stars, the sun and the moon.
but let’s go back to our home now,
another day starts so soon.

Need a Little Inspiration for Handmade Valentine Cards for Kids?

February 11, 2021 by Rebecca Leave a Comment

In case you need a little inspiration for some handmade Valentine cards for your kids..here are mine that I made for Charlie’s friends last year. She was almost 3 so she helped place the stickers and tape and put the Hershey kiss in the yarn guy. But yes, I did the rest because I enjoy that kind of thing! And what’s better than knowing someone took the time to make you something by hand?

Full disclosure: this year we went to Target and got a box of valentine’s with scratch and sniff donut stickers and taped fun heart pencils to them. That’s what Charlie wanted for her friends and could work on herself. There were 17 kiddos in her class so that was way easier: ) But last year, last year we did it big.

Paper, stickers, heart stamp + washi tape from Paper Source.
Handmade yarn dude from this Etsy shop.

Valentine made of paper, washi tape and stickers

I grew up with those little yarn guys on our Christmas tree. My mom had a mouse and reindeer that I believe students gave her when she was a teacher. She would put Hershey Kisses in them and it’s soooo fun to squeeze their cheeks and find a treat. Fun fact: they’re on our Christmas tree now and Charlie loves them! So I was so excited when I found them on Etsy! They are the perfect little Valentine because they’re cute, handmade and the perfect size for one little candy. Kiddos love them!

If you’ve never used washi tape before, it’s so fun. Find it at any craft store- Michael’s, Paper Source and even Target. It’s a Japanese tape that’s made from shrubs instead of tree pulp so it’s thinner and less sticky. It comes in hundreds of different colors and patterns so it can really add a lot of personality and creativity to any project.

I’d love to see your handmade Valentine cards for your kids! Share them below! And happy love day, friends!

Nashville Guide | Radnor Lake- A Fun, Easy Family Hike

February 3, 2021 by Rebecca Leave a Comment

If you’ve called Nashville home for a bit, there’s no doubt you’re very familiar with Radnor Lake. You can move on to the next post and say, “Been there, done that.” Totally old news for you. But if you are new to our city or just visiting and looking for fun activities, this one’s for you. There is an absolute hidden gem right smack dab in the middle of Nashville and it’s this stunning lake. Okay, well, smack dab in the “south part” of Nashville. I drove past it for years never knowing what lay inside.

You won’t be able to believe such beauty and refuge is hidden in plain sight. Officially called “Radnor Lake State Park,” this gorgeous outdoor spot is about 10 minutes from downtown. I live in the Woodine neighborhood and it’s about a 7 minute drive for me.

Get There

Radnor Lake is accessed off of either Granny White Pike or Franklin Road. Personally I live on the side of Franklin Road, so that has been my go-to.

A windy road will lead you to a small parking lot with public restrooms. There is often a line of cars waiting to park as it is usually full (it’s a popular place!). But, I have never waited more than 10 minutes for someone to leave and grab their spot.

If you are starting on the Franklin Road side, you will start walking down a long paved road that takes you to the lake. You can continue on to the left to stay on a mostly paved path- and if you are bringing a stroller or pet, this is the route for you. Pets are not allowed on the trails and strollers have a hard time navigating them. While walking the lake you will see turtles, fish, ducks, blue herons and if you’re lucky, deer. If you choose to take the path to the right, you will begin on a trail terrain and end up back on the paved road.

Helpful Tips

There are many little lookout points to stop and observe or eat a packed lunch. If you walk the entire “lake path”, it is about 2.5 miles including the paved road from the parking lot. I recently did this hike with Tessa, 16 months, in an Ergo carrier and was just fine. A workout for sure, but good! Expect to pass many people when the weather is nice, but don’t worry about it being too crowded to enjoy. Some people hustle and some people stop and hang out.

There are a few more difficult trails leading up the surrounding hills (which I have never done, to be honest) if you wanted more of a challenge. But the lake path is perfect for children- it is mostly flat with no hard climbing. Because it’s a lake and the path goes fully around, you can choose to do the circle or turn around at any point and make your way back.

1160 Otter Creek Road
Nashville, TN 37220

The beauty and serenity paired with the easy skill level for all family members maakes Radnor Lake a must see + do. It’s gorgeous, incredibly easy to get to (you can go five minutes down the road and be in Brentwood for lunch), and perfect for a non-challenging stroll. Spend an hour or spend a few hours, up to you. Go by yourself for a brisk workout or take the kiddos and have fun spotting all the creatures, flowers and leaves. My kiddos both love it and sometimes we just stop in for a walk on a whim because it’s so close. If you’re visiting, add it to your list and enjoy the beauty!

Encourage Your Kids to Spend More Time Outside with This Fun Activity

January 30, 2021 by Rebecca Leave a Comment

If you’re like me, you want to get your kids outside more. And if you’re also parent on Facebook or Instagram, you might have come across the account 1000 Hours Outside- if not, definitely look it up. It’s a mom of 5, Ginny, who encourages playing outside every day, no matter the weather. She encourages other parents to get their kiddos outside as much as possible by tracking the hours in a fun way and calling it “1000 Hours Outside”. That’s 1000 hours for a one calendar year. She also has a free printout to track this by paper and pen. I have printed this one out too.

But I follow the most beautiful and sweet account on Instagram called “Ark and Luna” who describe themselves as a “Conscious Kids Store.” It’s a mama in Australia (love that social media allows us to connect to small businesses all over the world!) that is also a big advocate for outdoor play and also has an online shop of stunning natural, wooden toys. On her shop site, Hannah also has a section for free printouts she offers. One of them is a collection of three sheets titled, “Outside Every Day.” The concept of both printouts is the same- get your kiddos outside every.day. Or as many days as possible.

Of course it’s also fun to have a cozy, rainy day inside once in a while. But as this pandemic has raged on for almost a year now, I have felt a deep, deep sense of urgency to get Charlie and Tessa outside as much as possible to counteract and step away from more screen time during this pandemic than I’d like to admit.

Tessa is almost 16 months and has less than zero time in movies or shows so it makes me happy that she has never watched anything other than a movie Charlie is watching being on in the background while she plays. We have a TON of beautiful, child-led play in our house. Hours and hours. Charlie does yoga with me. We dance a LOT. It’s been important to me to cultivate a home of open-ended toys that leave a lot of room for creativity. Both of my girls love playing at home.

But I would be lying if I said a lot of movies and Disney junior haven’t happened in our house on the long days during lockdown with nowhere to go. Normally we venture to the library, play dates, the park, lunch, art classes, open gym time. But with those things gone as options (except the park) during this last year, Charlie doesn’t want to play for 12 straight hours a day. I don’t blame her- I don’t either. So she wants to decompress with a movie. And I’ve let her. I don’t find anything wrong with this but my mom guilt (ugh, it’s real huh) has said, “It’s okay. Let it be what it is. But now try to get outside more.” So that’s what we’re doing.

I have also been incredibly inspired by some of my mama friends who do a beautiful, beautiful job at creating a sense of normalcy in their household about playing outside all the time. It’s raining? Put all your rain gear on and go outside. It’s freezing? Bundle up and go outside. Outdoor adventures are their norm.

Charlie loves playing outside but I will admit that it hasn’t exactly been our norm to play outside when it’s freezing or rainy or muddy. But the more we have played outside every day during all conditions, the more she loves it. Just to make it a little more of a tangible goal, I love these printouts. And Charlie LOVES the treasure hunt page. For walks and just for the backyard. She is already a super collector of leaves, shells, sticks, acorns and rocks. We keep her collections in jars so for her these printouts are a fun extension of her collections.

I went one step further and had them laminated at Staples so we could use them over and over again with a dry erase marker. And I love the list on the back of one of the pages of some fun outdoor inspiration! So go play outside, go let nature heal you and your kiddos. Print these out for your kiddos and let them get cold, let them get muddy and let them get dirty. I bet they’ll love filling these pages out as much as Charlie has. And I bet they’ll love playing in the cold, the snow and even the rain: )

Oh and if you need some good outdoor gear, try these! My friend Natalie shared them with me and they have been game changers to make outdoor play in all weather possible. Have fun!

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