Here are some truths I have discovered in my 3.5 years of motherhood since the last time I wrote this after just having my first son. Motherhood means heating up your tea or coffee at least three times a day then either forgetting it in the microwave for half the day or giving up and…
Author: melissalaurelg
I'm a wanderer at heart. I've traveled to 35 different countries in my mere 30 years of life. I can't stop myself. I'm a writer, an anthropologist, an altruist, and a lover of life. I want to have many adventures in this lifetime and want to share them with the world.
Never Enough Time!
There’s never enough time in life for all the things I want to do. Ever since we turned the clocks forward for Daylight savings time, I have been cursing the fact that we lost another hour. I already feel like I am strapped for time and you want to steal another precious hour from me….
Not Drowning, but Treading Water
I’m not drowning, but I’m treading water. I’m not failing, but I’m barely succeeding. I’m not poor, but I’m just paying my bills. I’m not rich, but I’m grateful for all that we do have including a home, food, a car, etc. I’m not a gourmet chef, but I’m feeding my family (sometimes chicken nuggets…
Motherhood: I love it and I hate it
This goes out to all the moms who didn’t grow up their whole life wanting to be a mom. This is for the moms who decided much later in life to have kids or it was a surprise. The women who laid up at night while pregnant scared of what kind of mom they would…
Mothers Need Villages Not Judgements
This fall I gave birth to baby boy number 2. I had a mostly uneventful labor without drugs and welcomed a healthy 9 lb 22 inch boy. My heart, home, and life is now full of love. Time for myself is nil. They say when you have your second kid things don’t just get two…
Moms need a break
This summer has been one of the hardest I’ve ever experienced. Of course, I recognize that there are moms out there dealing with way worse and I want to acknowledge them now, because mama you are a warrior woman who has way too much on your plate. I, personally, am now 32 weeks pregnant with…
How Taking a 7 Month Honeymoon has Helped Our Marriage Last
Today is our five year wedding anniversary. As I reflect over the last five years of our marriage and it’s many ups and downs, I find myself crediting our seven month honeymoon for a lot of the success of our marriage so far. From the moment we met, like literally the first date, we planned…
I Am Worthy!
Last night I couldn’t sleep again for what feels like the umpteeth time. In my anxiety fueled insomnia, I attempted to repeat a mantra to myself. It was simply, “I am worthy!” I am worthy of praise. I am worthy of the love of others and of self love. I am worthy of that raise….
Women Can’t Win
The deck has always been stacked against us. Women, no matter how hard we try, will always fail in societies eyes. I don’t know if it goes way back to the idea that Eve ate the apple or started before the bible was written, but women can’t win. Society is designed in such a way…
There’s No Such Thing as a Perfect Mom!
Before I gave birth to my son, I had a list of things I would definitely do and not do as a mom. I admit I judged moms for letting their kids have too much screen time, too much sugar, too much toys, and I said I will absolutely not do that with my kid….
Ode to the Mom Bod!
I am currently on vacation in Hawaii with my 21 month old son and my husband. It’s the first time I’ve worn a bikini since I stopped breastfeeding my son in June. I look in the mirror and I don’t recognize this flabby belly, bulging thighs, and flat breasts staring back at me. This can’t…
Women Let’s Stop Competing at Work and Start Empowering Each Other to Succeed
I recently had a very negative experience starting a new position, where I felt very unsupported by my female manager. I am calling out her gender for a reason, because time and time again, I have faced discrimination and mistreatment in the workplace by other women superiors. She had zero desire to help me succeed….
Let’s Talk About Breastfeeding
When you are pregnant you hear over and over again from your doctors and women in your family that “breast is best!” They encourage you to nurse your child for one to two years and they teach you how to nurse so you are prepared when your baby needs their first meal. What they don’t…
The Unsung Heroes of COVID: Moms!
There are many amazing people that have been behind the scenes making everything work during this pandemic and not getting recognition. All of the essential farm workers and low wage workers to name a few. Something we need to talk about more though is the unforeseen burden that has fallen on the shoulders of so…
Put Your Mask on First Mama
If you have flown on an airplane, you’ve most likely heard the Flight Attendant say during the safety procedures that parents need to put their mask on first before putting on their child’s. The reason they say this is because you’re no good to your child if you pass out from lack of oxygen. So,…
Dear Parents Raising Boys
Dear Parents Raising Boys, I’m writing you this letter, because our actions over the next 18 years of our son’s lives are pivotal to the future of this country. It is important that both parents take responsibility for the actions of their son. How we and society shape them will impact how we move forward…
I See You Mama…
I’m back! Been writing this post in my head for a few weeks, but as always I’ve had no time to write. I recently did something very out of character for me though. I decided to put myself first and take some extra time off of work for self care during this nutty time of…
Moms: Let’s Stop Judging One Another!
Moms, let’s talk! We need to once and for all agree to stop judging one another. It is hard enough being a mom, we don’t need to also deal with the sneers and grumbles of other moms judging us. We are all doing our best and we need to support each other. I’ll admit that…
Motherhood is…
After almost a year of postpartum motherhood, I’ve realized a few things about this journey that I never knew until I was living in it. I honestly never wanted to be a mother. The moment I discovered where children came from, I said nah, not for me! I wasn’t born thinking my life’s destiny was…
This Too Shall Pass
Times are tough. We are all suffering to varying degrees physically, mentally, emotionally, all of the above. The hardest thing about all of it is the uncertainty. I’m sure many of us wake up each morning or go to bed at night with this one thought lingering in our minds: when will this pandemic end?…
Am I Allowed to Grieve Yet?
I’m feeling this quarantine hard today. It’s like someone I love died a few months ago, and I’m just now grieving. I can’t stop crying. I want to curl up in the fetal position and sob. Most days I feel normal or I’m really good at faking that I’m okay. I even have myself convinced…
Self Care for Mamas
Are you a new mom? Are you struggling to find time to take care of yourself let alone eat and shower when you need to? I know I am. I can barely keep up with eating enough to sustain myself while breastfeeding my son and now all my clothes are hanging off of me. Everyone…
Sifting Through Too Much Parenting Advice
When you become a parent for the first time, you get very used to receiving unsolicited advice. Everyone has their theories on the best parenting. In some ways there’s no right way to parent, but there are definitely some better ways. Unfortunately, no one can agree on what is the best way. I am very…
Postpartum Denial: Accepting You’re Struggling and It’s Okay
When we learned about Postpartum Depression and Anxiety at the Mom Expo last summer, I thought to myself, not me! I convinced myself that I was immune to this scary side effect of giving birth. About 50 to 75% of women experience the baby blues for the first six weeks after birth, 15% of those…
Being a Mom is the Hardest Job I’ve Ever Had
In 2013, my sister and I worked on a cattle ranch in the Australian Outback. Our employers were cruel, verbally abusive, and unforgiving. I felt like Cinderella. We scrubbed floors, dusted rafters, and shoveled cow shit. Everything we did was scrutinized and we were oftentimes told to redo jobs that weren’t up to their standards….
My Birth Story
Talk to any mom when you’re pregnant and they’ll want to share their birth story with you. As a woman close to her due date, these stories can really terrify you. Most women who share their stories had more extreme experiences and the women with easy labors tend to not share. Either way you have…
You Can’t Plan Your Due Date
As you probably can tell from previous posts, I’m a planner. I like to have control over outcomes and to plan everything out meticulously. I’m definitely type A. So, when the OBGYN tells me your due date is Nov. 1st, I plan on it. I set all my plans around this date to make sure…
Pregnancy Brain is Legit
Moms and moms-to-be know exactly what I mean when I say pregnancy brain. It affects everyone differently, but don’t let anyone question whether it is real. I used to be super sharp. I could remember dates, names, and facts without calendars or notes. Now my brain is completely unreliable due to pregnancy brain. This is…
Help! I Don’t Know How to Slow Down!
Ever since I can remember, I’ve been the energizer bunny. I am always busy and always running from one thing to the next. I thrive on adrenaline. Downtime doesn’t come often enough for me and half the time I plan on relaxing, I find chores or other activities to fill that free time instead. This…
The Calm Before the Storm
I have 5.5 weeks to go if little man stays in there until his due date. I’m relatively calm at the moment. Part of me feels that feeling you get at the end of the school year right before the finals. You know this huge test is coming, but that as soon as you finish…
Thoughts of a Soon-to-Be Mother
Somehow I blinked and I’m 33 weeks pregnant. This sure has flown by. I have been so busy, I’ve had no time to write. Many many thoughts have crossed my mind that I wanted to write about, but I honestly haven’t made it my priority. As many women know, pregnancy is a whirlwind and before…
Abandoning Me to Become Mom
Lately, I’ve been grappling with the idea that in three short months, when I give birth I will no longer be just Melissa; I will also be Mom. It has taken me many years, travels, therapists to truly start loving Melissa and even now I’m not always sure of myself. So, accepting this other name…
Things You Shouldn’t Say to a Pregnant Woman
I’m getting sort of tired of the liberties people take with their commentary towards me while I’m a pregnant. I’m sure I’m not the only pregnant woman feeling this way either. So here you go: 1. Wow you look huge! 2. Are you sure you’re not having twins? 3. Did they get your due date…
Finding My Mom Tribe
I’ve had many tribes throughout my adult life. Women need tribes to feel comfort, love, a safe place to bitch and moan over wine, and someone to capture your dumbest moments on camera. Some women maintain the exact same tribe their whole lives if they never move away from home. Others, like me, have different…
Eating Healthy for Two
When you’re pregnant you constantly hear that old adage, well you’re eating for two right before someone hands you another helping or second slice of cake. Well, I don’t know about you, but I’m so tired of it! This isn’t your mom’s or your grandma’s pregnancy. Times and studies have changed to reveal that the…
Hello Baby, It’s Me Mama! Are You in There?
I have not written a word for a while. Believe me I wanted to, but how many times can you complain about nausea or exhaustion, before it is just redundant. I’ve now securely entered my Second Trimester. On Friday, I’ll officially be 16 weeks. I feel a lot better these days, no nausea and my…
Home Buying Feels so much like Online Dating!
Home buying is a tough and emotionally exhausting process. I thought it would feel exciting like those shows on HGTV where you get to peruse homes and choose one from your top three at the end. It’s not! This process is excruciating! My husband and I have looked at 19 homes in 2 weeks and…
That First Ultrasound
Words can’t describe how happy we felt to see our baby for the first time this weekend! For six weeks now we’ve known a baby was growing inside of me, but it didn’t feel real. I felt it every time I got nauseous or exhausted, but was I really growing a baby inside my uterus?…
Goodbye Sleep, See You in Ten Years!
I’ve always had a fickle relationship with sleep since I was 18 years old. I have a chronic bladder condition that wakes me in the night to pee even if I am on the heaviest sleeping drugs. It would ebb and flow though. Some nights depending on stress level and what I ate that day…
I’m Pregnant and Scared to Death!
I have faced many fears in my 31 years of life. I’ve traveled to unsafe countries, backpacked alone across the globe, tackled public speaking, and jumped out of a helicopter over the Swiss Alps. Those were a cinch! Now I’m embarking on a new terrifying adventure: Pregnancy!! I am not scared one bit about being…
On a Quest to Heal Myself
Towards the end of 2018, I set out to find answers and to seek help. I was finally done with suffering and just accepting it as my reality. I wanted to feel happy and healthy again or in some cases for the first time. Healing isn’t easy though even when you finally have those answers…
Setting Goals for the New Year
I’m back! I, unfortunately, lost track of my goals this autumn as life got busier and more stressful. I was doing great keeping up with making a new recipe every Sunday and blogging about it until about mid-November. At that point, the bills were piling up and my husband still didn’t have a job. He…
#TBT: Travel Flashback Part 6: Culture, Tradition, and Ceremony in Bali
Balinese people hold strongly to their traditions. If someone dies and they must have a cremation, everyone in the community closes their business for however many days they need and they all attend the cremation. Their strong sense of community trumps their need to make money. This is something I love about the Balinese people….
Feeling So Thankful for My Family this Holiday Season!
I know I’m a week late on this post, but time just seems to fly by and I barely get a chance to sit down and write anymore. Last week we flew home for a very quick four day visit to see my family back east for Thanksgiving. I normally don’t fly all the way…
Rejuvenation, Self Care, and Sisterhood: The Importance of Women’s Retreats
As women we tend to take care of everyone around us, but do a poor job at taking care of ourselves. We are expected by society to be motherly and nurturing to our children, husbands and friends, but are considered selfish and lazy if we take time for self care. Even if no one around…
Getting Creative with Spaghetti Squash!
My husband and I discovered the exciting world of cooking with spaghetti squash last spring and we still can’t get enough. You can do so much with spaghetti squash, it’s truly a miracle squash! The best part is you can fill the squash with so many different dishes. Here are the three I’ve tried, but…
Keep it Simple and Still Eat Healthy!
Now that I’m getting the hang of cooking, I’m started to learn how to improvise recipes on my own. Sure these recipes I’ve been making are delicious, but they require a lot of ingredients, a lot of prep time and a lot of money. This isn’t going to be easy to keep up when we…
#TBT: Travel Flashback Part 5: The Sun Rises Slowly Over Angkor Wat
Cold air beats against our faces as we fly down the street in our tuk tuk. Once again we are up before sunrise. This time our early rise is intended so we meet the sun not dolphins on the sea. We didn’t realize how cold it can be in Siem Reap this early in the…
Making Soup with Friends
I’m getting in the soup making mood. I love this time of year when you get to put on sweaters and scarves and make soup. Despite the freakishly warm weather we are having for mid October, cough cough global warming cough, I’m still feeling in the spirit to make warm cozy recipes like this delicious…
Easy and Healthy Fall Dishes: Stuffed Roasted Acorn Squash and Slow-Cooker Chicken Enchilada Quinoa!
When my grandmother told me at age 14 that I’d never find a man if I didn’t learn how to cook, I laughed it off. Women should not be expected to be the cook in the household. My parents both cooked. My mom taught my dad how to cook, so that she didn’t always have…
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