Mother's Day thoughts.

This morning as I sit on my back door step soaking in the sunshine, listening to the birds, and drinking my cup of coffee I'm thinking about Mother's Day and what it means to me. My boys have never been big on the cards, and gifts, but for me that really doesn't matter. It may sound strange, but today is just another busy day around our place. Biggest difference is that normally on Mother's Day I have just a little less to do. 

I got to sleep in a bit, and hubby made coffee, did laundry (some of the things he always does when he's home). I went out to the coop, fed and watered the hens, then went back inside to grab that first wonderful cup of go go juice. Hubby is heading back to the city tonight for work so we went over not only today's plans, but the plans for the rest of the week. I know deep down he wishes he could have got me something for Mother's Day, but with break up in full swing, and him only working part time it's just not in the cards this year. 

For me Mother's Day is just another day on the calendar, and I have good reasons for that. My husband doesn't need a special day to get up, make coffee and breakfast for me. My kids don't need a special day to make lunch or supper for everyone. I don't need flowers that will wilt and dry out, but a bag of seeds for my garden, or flowers for my gnome garden is something that means more to me. With our climate those flowers can't be planted for another week or two anyways. 

Mother's Day never falls on a weekend that works for us and our tight budget. Yesterday was my moms birthday, Tomorrow is hubby's 41st birthday, next weekend is May long, I just got my hens last week, and we are doing a yard sale this weekend. It just doesn't fit! Everyday is Mother's Day in this house. Someone is always doing something to help out or put a smile on my face. I don't need 1 day a year to feel special and appreciated, because everyday someone is doing that already.

I know I am blessed to have such an amazing family. It's not all rainbows and lollipops, there are days where my boys drive me nuts, but those before bed hugs and I love yous make it all worth while. So happy Mother's Day to those that celebrate it. I'll stick to my every day is Mother's Day!

~ Niki

Meet The Hens

Ok so obviously I'm not gonna post pics of all the girls individually, but for those of you that we're looking for an update here's some of our new girls. 

This one is my "food hog" unless I'm bringing in food she wants nothing to do with me (yes even if their dishes are full she still comes running if I have a food dish).

The one is one of my "buddies" as soon as I come to the door she runs to me and wanders by my side as I collect eggs, fill up food dishes, and water etc. She's still not sure about my steal toed boots though, shakes her head anytime she tries pecking them lol.

Love spending time with these girls, and they LOVE the weather since that means I can open their window :)

~ Niki

My Kids Rock!

I have to brag up my Dylan tonight. Today while I was out doing errands not only did he do his regular chores, but also went out collected eggs, checked food and water for the hens, even brought them out some treats. Plus is currently feeding their chicks and topping up their water. 

Not to be left out my Joey who did all his chores, put away all the groceries, helped cut up treats for the chicks and hens, and even did some laundry and helped me get loaded up and ready when I left earlier this morning.

It feels so great to not only have my kids understand the how and whys of animal care, but also take a huge interest in the life we are trying to build for our family. A life that in no way shape or form can be a one man show.

Ps this was all on top of their usual reading, and other "school" stuff including doing a bunch of online chemistry experiments. 

Now this momma need to make dinner since all her chores, errands, and some of the construction projects for today are done.

~ Niki

Cool Chicken Coop Plans

I'm always on the look out for new and different ways to construct thing. If it can be made with recycled material well then if definitely is up my alley and grabs my attention right away! I came across a fantastic post tonight on a hoop style coop. Perfect for a couple turkeys or other birds especially over the spring and summer months! Here it is for you to check out yourself. This just might make it onto an upcoming project post yet!!!!

http://www.communitychickens.com/2012/11/stories-from-neighboring-coops.html#.U2mzD_ldU1I

Check it out and let me know what you think!!!

~ Niki

May 14th homestead class plans. Herb Garden & Meet and Greet.

Getting really excited here at the homestead to be starting the homeschool classes in just over a week!

With so much interest one can't help but be excited! So for all you looking for the information here you go!

Date: May 14, 2014

Time: 1:00 - 4:00

Project (s):

Each project will consist of a herb garden starter this is the perfect size to rest on your kitchen counter for fresh herbs for your meals. We will also be making soil block seed bombs for those of you that have a garden space or have larger pots to put herbs in.

I request that anyone interested in any of this years classes please attend this one if possible as we will be going over plans for the entire class term, as well as a fun chat session so everyone gets to know each other a bit as well as their way around the homestead!

No snacks needed for this class as I will be putting a spread together for the first class. Some parents have asked if they can bring something to share with everyone and this is more than ok! I do need to know if anyone in your family has any food allergies, so we can be sure there is something for everyone!

Cost: 10.00/family (one project) 5.00 for any additional projects for the family. 

Tools needed: None just your creativity!

RSVP deadline is Midnight May 10, 2014 as I need to make sure I have enough supplies to cover everyone as well as food ;)

Please email (beyonddreams@live.ca) with the following information:

Contact Name, phone number, and email.

Family member names and ages

How many projects you wish to make

Any food allergies.

We will be offering receipts for those of you turning them in for funding reimbursement, please let me know if you would like them so I can have them ready before class. Once I receive your information I will send you a confirmation email along with all my contact information and directions for those of you that need it!

Payments for classes will be accepted via cash or EMT. 

Can't wait to meet you all have a wonderful week!!

~ Niki

Stuffed Breakfast Peppers (with recipe)

So I found one of my newest easy meal/snack recipes. As with all my recipes I put my own personal twist on it. Pinterest is a killer man all those meal ideas, ugh. This one was well worth trying. It has instantly become a family favourite. Try it in your home and see what you think!

Ingredients 

Bell Peppers

Eggs

Crumpled Bacon

Cubed cheese (or shredded)

Seasonings

Slice bell peppers 1/2 inches thick (we eat 2 - 3 per person)

Place in a hot oiled pan

Put in desired amount of crumpled bacon and any other ingredients you want (we did finely chopped onions once as well as minced garlic)

Once pan is good and hot simply crack one egg in each pepper slice, or scramble up some eggs and put in the middle!

Now this isn't Pinterest, and I'm not a food photographer here's the real deal, some of the egg will seep out the bottom, thus why I said make sure pan is hot first. First time I tried this in a cold pan I think the only part of the egg that stayed in the pepper was the yoke! Lol

Now simply cover with a lid, reduce heat and let it cook. I pour a little water in the pan tho "steam" the tops.

Once the egg is cooked to your liking, simply top with cheese, replace lid, and turn off the heat. Let sit for about 3 min and serve!

These are so good! Also the peppers will be very juicy and have a sweetness to them! Try your own twist and let me know what you think!

~ Niki

Time to bounce!

So the boys did a bunch of yard work today; raking, burning dead leaves, moving some lumber, helped clear out some more stuff in the coops etc. then they decided they were missing their trampoline. SO it was time to set it up! They did an awesome job since I really wasn't much help funny how broken ribs effects so much. (On a side note really can't wait for them to heal lol)

Anyways they packed all the pieces out of storage and started setting it up. They even got all the springs on without my help. I love sing my boys enjoying their time together, even more so when it doesn't involve electronics! Don't get me wron they learn a lot of there laptops, movies, and games, but it's nice to see them getting back to good old fashion fun and fresh air!

~ Niki

Quick Check In.

The last couple days have been pretty busy around here, but it's been so nice to really start getting things checked off the honey do list (mainly mine lol). We got the coops electrical all inspected and bulbs replaced, got the anti theft fixed on my expedition, got some electrical done in the garage, got the trees marked in the new garden are, fixed the chainsaw, knocked down all the trees, got the majority of the coop cleaned out, gazebo set up, etc etc. I feel like I haven't stopped!

I have to admit it's a great feeling to finall see the end nearing on a couple of projects that have been on my list for months. I'm forced to take a bit of a breather right now and rest my back, but plan on getting my butt outside again soon. Hopefully the weather stays good so I can get a bunch of other stuff sold off this week, and finally get to the end of the downsizing we started in September of last year. It's a great feeling to let go of stuff that really doesn't fit you're life anymore.

I'll post more pics once I finish the work on the coop and get the other side cleaned out. I'm so excited to get it all done, and bring some beautiful birds home!

~ Niki

Non Toxic Weed Killer

People are finally starting to realize that using toxic chemicals in your gardens actually does more harm then good. Not only does it destroy the soil, but these chemicals will also leech into the plants you are trying to grow. That being said not everyone has the time to hand pick every garden and flower bed and weeds can take over a garden pretty quick. 

Here is a Natural Non Toxic weed killer to help keep the weeds under control in your garden without subjecting your produce and flowers to chemicals that can and will leech into your plants and then into your system.

http://www.nwedible.com/2014/04/diy-weedkiller.html

~ Niki

Spreading Their Wings.

So far this morning these little chicks have been rather entertaining. Between jumping from one end of the tank to the other, and trying to "fly" out of the tank I'm really glad that we made sure they had a secure roof! Haha. The kids can't get over how quickly these babies are growing, it seems each day they are doing something new and entertaining. Yesterday it was tossing their treats around the tank today flight! 

Hmmm I wonder what tomorrow will bring haha!

~ Niki

New Pressure Tank!

Today we change out the pressure tank. Woo hoo. Ok it might not sound like a big deal to you, but when you loose water pressure at random times, and because the old tank is well old you end up with plugged lines followed by chunks of iron flowing through your lines for a few days after you clear the blockage, yes a new tank is something to celebrate!

Really some days it's just the little things. I plan on celebrating with a nice hot shower once it's all done! 😄

More Younique sent!

So even though my house/homestead to do list seems to be getting behind these days, today I was able to ship off a few more Younique prizes and samples to some very lovely ladies! I'm about 90% ready for my show next weekend back in Stetter. Looking forward to catching up with a bunch of ladies I met at my last show down there. 

Still hoping to add some strong women to my team this month, love the ground floor opportunity, and the fact that the company just keeps growing! The momentum is awesome!! That being said if you or anyone you know is looking to get on board and meet a tone of amazing women not to mention make some really sweet cash on the side send me an email! youniquebyniki@gmail.com

~ Niki

Wet Wet Wet

Between the rain and snow lately things just won't dry out. I have a shed full of boxes and furniture I want to sell off, and a coop full of Christmas stuff I need to store. Seriously starting to feel like a chicken with my head cut off here. My honey do list is growing daily and my time line to get it done is getting shorter. 

If I only had one more shed I could make this work lol. Downsizing is great, and lord knows we needed it, but getting everything sold off is not only stressful, but overwhelming. 90% of the stuff is too good to toss out and too valuable to just give away.

Today is another one of those crappy snow/rain mix kinda days. I could run out and get my dirt to start more seedlings, but a) the dirt piles I've been given are currently mud hills and b) it's not quite warm enough for my seedlings to be outside. I even went to check out all the feed and grain I was given, but even that is far too wet to move just yet. It seems like a never ending circle around here these days. 

That being said I think me and the kids are gonna tackle the basement. Organize all the boxes and totes down there and maybe work on getting joeys Lego stuff set up. Worst case scenario I make room for all the totes and boxes needing to be stored and stick them down there for a week until this weather smartens up. 

Need to get something done, even if it's the stuff wayyyy at the bottom on my list.

~ Niki

Natural Treatments for Common Chick Illnesses

I came across this fantastic link tonight that I thought I would share with you all!

http://www.hobbyfarms.com/livestock-and-pets/protect-your-chicks-from-7-common-illnesses.aspx

This is a great list of common illnesses as well as what to do in case any of your flock gets infected. This is the natural way of treating those illnesses, very important to those of us trying to raise our flocks as organic as possible without pumping them full of medications and chemicals. 

~ Niki

Quick check in.

Today was spent running around delivering stuff I had sold on the local buy n sells, picking up a new pressure tank for the house, grabbing a few groceries, and trying to get as much done while it was snowing/raining as I possibly could. The kids got to have a veg out day after they helped me load up the truck and did all their chores. 

I'm really looking forward to having hubby home tomorrow. Sometimes it's just nice to have that extra bit of adult help around the house. That being said I have a mountain of laundry to tackle, supper to start, cleaning to do, as well as chicks that need their food and water filled for the second or third time today haha. I still can't get over how quickly they are growing up.

Last night was the first night they stayed on the shelf in their tank over night and didn't get brought into my bedroom. The cats actually left them alone other than staining at them through the glass. This for me is great news! Anytime I can cut even one small job out of my day frees up my ability to do something else. 

Well that's it for this check in ... I'll pop in again after I get some stuff done around here.

~ Niki

Homesteading Group for Homeschoolers

I know there's a lot of people especially in the homeschooling community who are looking for ways to either set up a homestead, develop an "urban" homestead, or just learn how to become a little more "off grid". There's nothing better than fresh produce from your own garden, or raising your own meats. Just something about knowing exactly what really going into the food you eat makes it taste that much better. 

Since there was a lot of interest I decided to put together a set of "classes" which will be done as family group projects. With everyone meeting up at our homestead to work on them and try out some new fun stuff! Although I still have a few dates to fill in I'm glad to officially have the dates set and most of the projects scheduled. Now comes the real hard part which is figuring out the cost per project. This I hope to have done in the next few day even if only for the first few dates. 

For those of you here looking for the information here you go! 

Here are the planned dates/projects.
Times will be 1:00 - 4:00 and will include a break for a snack. For prices on individual cases please contact me as some prices haven't been fully set yet.

May 14 - Herb Garden and Meet & Greet (requested that anyone interested in any of the classes please come to this one for full information on the classes as well as what to expect over the next few months) 
May 28 - Compost Bin
June 11 - Chicken Tractor
June 25 - TBA
July 9 - Homemade Butter
July 23 - Weather Station
Aug 6 - Homemade Ice Cream
Aug 20 - TBA
Sept 3 - Cold Storage Rack
Sept 17 - Solar Dehydrator
Oct 8 - Canning
Oct 22 - Swap & Trade

Keep checking in with our blog for more information, as well as posts recapping each project day!

~ Niki

Storing Fresh Eggs

With all the planning that comes with getting laying hens there is also the planning of what to do and how to preserve all those eggs. Knowing that I plan to have many eggs for sale each weeks, as well as for personal use I thought it would be important to really research the best way to keep them, not only for myself, but for my customers.

After digging on various blogs I found one that actually put all these "preservation" methods to a test. Honestly I really wasn't shocked by most of the outcomes, but in the end it was a good read and very educational. 

http://www.motherearthnews.com/real-food/how-to-store-fresh-eggs-zmaz77ndzgoe.aspx?PageId=1

One thing that is so very important for anyone that has their own laying hens whether for personal use or for sale is to not "wash" the eggs. When they are laid they have a special coating which protects them from the air and bacteria keeping them fresh that much longer. 

Give it a read I'd love to hear your input on it! Also since we are homeschoolers we are always looking to experiment with new things. Have you heard of pressure action methods not done on that blog post, let us know! It might just become something we'll need to test out!

~ Niki

Heritage Hogs

Raising my own Hogs are definitely on my future to do list. Not this year though lol

Like most homesteaders I dream big, and plan years in advance. Hog breeds are something that I have been looking into for quite some time. That being said Heritage Hogs, are in the same category as heirloom seeds. It's going back to our roots. This article really grabbed my attention.

http://www.olyfarmstead.org/heritage-breed-hogs/

With a list of various heritage breeds as well as a pile of information it's a great resource for anyone looking at getting a hog or two. Give it a read! And let me know which is your favorite! 

~ Niki

Watermellon Trellis

While searching around online for different ways to make the most of my garden space I came across a great blog post on grooving Watermellon vertically! This for me is awesome news! Watermellon is one of the many things on my "grow" list this year, and 1 plant can take over 15 ft in diameter of garden space! Considering I plan on planting at least 25 of them I was starting to wonder if I would have room for anything else!

Growing Watermellon plants vertically is going to save so much room in my garden I can't wait to incorporate it into my plans! Go to http://squarefootabundance.com/growing-watermelon-on-trellises/ for details!

~ Niki

Easter Babies!

So excited to share with everyone the newests members of the Gurney homestead! We got 2 Cooper babies (2 weeks old) and 2 Gibsons babies (also 2 weeks old) from a wonderful lady and friend Kara at Three Mile Ventures who breeds these beautiful birds. (Make sure you check out her page on facebook!!!)

The Gibsons will lay pretty green eggs, and the Coopers will lay a dark brown egg! We are so excited to watch them grow and mature, and even more excited to try their first eggs. 

Kids are still working on names for them, but so far we have "Bare Bum" and "Morgan" lol

~ Niki

Grazing Options for Chickens.

Anyone that has ever raised chickens knows that if they have lots of area to roam they will munch on the greenery and move on. However this can be an issue for people have have to keep the grazing area to a smaller scale or may not have the idea growing conditions to keep up with the demand. Chickens will pull vegetation out of the ground roots and all for fresh greenery.

There are many ways to curb this issue, either by expanding their free range area, constructing a chicken tractor, or building a grazing grid. Not only is it beneficial for the chickens to get fresh greens, and cut down on your feed bill, but it will make happy healthy birds, and very yummy eggs!

This spring an summer I plan on building many of these options out of recycled material, but in the meantime check out this fantastic post by another blogger and get some ideas of your own for your homesteading projects!

http://www.thegardencoop.com/blog/2012/02/07/grazing-frames-backyard-chickens/

~ Niki

Busy Easter weekend.

Today has been a crazy busy weekend in our home. Not only was hubby home, but it was Easter weekend. Normally I do the big full on meal, but this year I cut it down and spent the extra time helping hubby, cleaning, and planning.

We did a bit of transplanting, and I got even more of that done today along with starting my herbs etc. I love having my hubby home. That being said I love him working too lol. This current job seems to fit nicely schedule wise. He works 3-5 days during the week and is home on the weekends. It's only a temp gig as he's doing it to help get a friends business rolling in a new to them field. Plus it helps put some cash in the bank since he has been laid off since Valentines Day.

He left again early this morning and will be back sometime Friday. We have really awesome family and friends that are letting him crash in their spare rooms as he's a bit of a nomad right now bouncing from one place to the other. It's nice for him that he's able to catch up with everyone too.

Well this girl needs to get back to purging and listing stuff for sale if I'm ever going to get this homestead going lol will post again tonight if I get a chance!

Mother Nature in a mood.

I think this pic pretty much sums up my feelings today ...

I'm a survivor!

A lot of people ask me "how do you do it all" the answer is easy "I HAVE TO!"

I've battled a lot of disappointments, heartache, stress, addiction, etc over my 33 yrs on this earth. The one thing I always come back to is I SURVIVED! I'm not saying there wasn't days I wanted to just crawl into bed and forget the world. I'm also not saying that in one point in my life I considered just ending it all. Because both those statements would be lies. 

That being said ... I SURVIVED! I know it was for a reason, am I always sure what that reason is? No. There are days when I see those around me hurting, see their pain, see their grief, see their heartache, see their stress, and see their fight deminish. Depression is a nasty disease, it can flip you 100 ways in the blink of an eye. The truth is it sucks, but when you find that silver lining, dig real deep and find that strength it can totally turn your life around. 

The biggest thing is realizing that when you are doing things to hurt yourself you are hurting those around you. There are always other options. Talk to someone, look at the situation from a different angle. When you think you have tried everything, take a step back and try something else from a completely different angle. It's not easy I battle this same thing on a daily basis. 

I'm not perfect, I have days where I just can't even think about doing things that I know need to be done. Seeing as I'm human I think that's allowed. Everyone is allowed to have moments of weakness, moments of sadness and heartbreak. The main thing is what we do with it, where we go from there. You can learn from your pain and turn it around into something beautiful and help those around you that are suffering, or you can lie down and wallow. 

Negativity will only breed more negativity. Positive attitudes will breed positives in your life. When you think that you just can't go on, get up, look yourself in the mirror and remind yourself you are here for a reason. You may not know that reason, but you are and one day you will sit back and go "oh THAT'S why I'm here!"

Don't give up, dig deep, or lean on someone who can be strong for you. We all have the ability to do anything and be anything we want. Set little goals each day, as you complete each one you will feel stronger and stronger. There's always someone out there that loves you. You may not have even met them yet. Life is all about choices, make yours, and live your life. 

WTF Snow!

So it's been beautiful around here lately, snow almost gone, getting yard work done etc. hubby told me it's been miserable here all weekend while I was in Stettler. Yesterday and today Mother Nature has been a real bag. Yesterday with the cold and wind and today with the snow. Seriously this girl has stuff to do and it won't get done with the wind or snow, please Mother Nature cut me some slack ...

Catching up with my co worker.

So I've been writing out my blogs quickly and not publishing mainly because I had to track down pics etc. today is my catch up and work day. Thought I'd share my co worker with you. Her name is Ursel, she is my son Joey's cat whom we have had since she was only a few weeks old. She has to be the sweetest most loving cat we have ever had in our family, and she's also super purdy lol

So without further ado here she is to make her blogging debut!

She actually isn't much of a co worker, more of a distraction then anything haha ❤️❤️❤️

More vehicle trouble ...

So my "can't wait to get home" turned into "no other choice but waiting"
I stopped at the Esso in Viking to use the bathroom and get a drink. Normally this wouldn't be an issue, however once I got back out to my truck it wouldn't start.

I called hubby and explained that I figured my started was toast, we decided I would let it sit and try it in a bit and see if the starter would "catch". For the record this is after I checked the battery cables and posts, checked the oil, checked the coolant, checked gas cap for a pressure lock etc.

Then while back on the phone with hubby I turned the key once, twice, and the third time it did a spin. Damnit the ignition snapped. Hubby didn't believe me at first not that I blame him I mean really I've never heard of an ignition snapping off like that and if I was on the other end of the phone I would have probably figured he was loosing it too lol.

A really nice local guy stopped to try and help me out. He popped out the ignition in all it's pieces ( seriously it was a mess) and tried to hotwire it for me, but it still wouldn't start. I knew the starter wasn't working, he figured it was ok, but I've dealt with enough dead starters to know this kinda thing.

Hubby was finishing feeding the boys then gonna head out to rescue me (over 2 hrs away). Then I though hmm I wonder if our amazing former neighbour and mechanic would have any tricks. Well wouldn't you know it, not only did he, he drove the hour and a bit out to Viking to rescue me.

The guys working at the Esso were so nice, they offered to let me sit in the store until he arrived, but due to the fact that my window was rolled down and my truck was loaded from the trade show I wasn't too keen on leaving my truck for very long. I did however pop in to warm up and get coffees.

Well my knight in a shinning sliver 300 showed up, and I knew if there was anyway to get my truck started and on the way home, he would figure it out, and I was right!

Now it took my truck battery being jumped by his car, me inside hot wiring, and him messing with the power wire for the starter (it had snapped off somehow) to get her started, but she did! After a quick run around the block to make sure she was running good, I said thanks for about the 100th time, he went home as did I.

It was past midnight when I finally got home, my boys were waiting up for me in bed, so I got to tuck them in after all. My sweet amazing husband unloaded my truck for me and it got parked in front of the garage. This means I'm gonna be mostly a homebody for the next week since hubby leaves for the city to work for the week, but that's ok, I'm home, I'm warm, and let's face it I'll have time to catch up on blogs and paperwork haha.

Stettler Day 3

So today was a little slower, and honestly my feet were rejoicing for it! Still made some amazing contacts. I was even asked to do a makeover session next time I'm in town! YAY! That will definitely be in the works!

Looking forward to being back on May 2 for the women's show. Gonna see if I can work in a makeover party for that weekend! Now to get my booth packed up, get the truck loaded and head home. As much fun as this has been I'm missing my family and can't wait to be home to tuck in my boys and veg out with hubby before bed. 

See you soon Stettler! Thank you for an AMAZING time! ❤️❤️❤️

Day 2 ... WOW!

First off I have to say thanks to all the amazingly awesome people that stopped by my booth today! An even bigger thank you to everyone who placed orders! You guys are amazing I really feel blessed! Had some great conversations with a bunch of hard working men and women, your stories truly touched my heart. Who would have thought selling makeup would bring so many wonderful people into my life.

I have never felt as at home at a trade show being away from my family as I did today. Between having breakfast and chatting with other vendors, to the women who tried our products and were amazed by their own results. One lady came back to my table grinning from ear to ear over an hour later just beaming over how soft her hands were from trying our moisturizer Brilliant. She can't wait to get it on her face, and honestly I can't wait to see her once she starts using it regularly!

I never thought just how many lives I could touch with this company, but I am so looking forward to the future! THIS is the real deal people. Changing lives making women mor confident about themselves, and seeing those smiles make me so happy to be doing what I'm doing!

Now to head back to a friends place and order some pizza. This trade show has been such an amazing experience I'm over joyed that I have 1 more day to go. That being said ... On the road I go pizza, deep fried pickles, and begging out with a friend is calling to me!

See you tomorrow Stettler!!!

Stettler you ROCK!

Today was day one at the show and I gotta say it was a BLAST! I've had fun at every show I've been too, but honestly so far this one takes the cake! SO many interesting people coming by my booth and talking to me. Very touching stories from women who have had nothing but issues with skin care and cosmetics to the point where they have just given up! I hear this so often it breaks my heart.

I have a bunch of samples to do up and ship off to these ladies next week, show them just how amazing these products are and how they can change their lives too! 

I can't wait for tomorrow although I'm sure my feet can lol Stettler you had me running today what you have for me tomorrow? ❤️❤️❤️

Hello Stettler!

This weekend I'm at the Stettler Trade Show, and so flipping excited it's not even funny! There's 2 HUGE arenas filled with vendors. Just walking into their newly renovated rec centre and seeing all the other vendors bringing in cart after cart of stuff is enough to pump anyone up!

Once again I'm out sharing Younique and all the wonderful products as well as business opportunity with people. This company really has me out stretching my wings. I do find it difficult to be away from my family, but at the same time it's nice to get a bit if a breather. 

So with that being said here's my booth for today, I've decided to offer special deals and bonuses each day so there's a good chance my display will get switched up a bit each day. 3 day trade show here I come!!!

I'm surrounded by awesome vendors, can't wait to get this show on the road!!

Happy Birthday Baby Boy!

Today is the day! My Sweet kind hearted Baby boy is officially 12. I still have no idea where the time went. So here's a mini photo montage of my sweet animal whisperer son! I know this young man is gonna change the world, one animal at a time 😄 ❤️❤️❤️

Another show and lots of fun!

So this time I was at the Lethbridge Health and Wellness Show. Met some incredible people, found even more amazing products, and even ran into extended family I haven't seen in god knows how long!

Here's some pictures from the show!!

It really was an ABSOLUTE Blast! Looking forward to heading down that way again!

~ Niki

Having some fun!

Well today was day 2 of the Lethbridge Health and Wellness Show. I always like to have some fun at these things. My one eye done with the Fiber Lashes and one natural always gets a reaction lol

So just for the sake of he haw here ya go! Me being goofy and having a little fun before my show 😉

~ Niki

Wildlife cam photos

So with the thaw of the snow we've been noticing more and more wildlife signs. A good friend loaned us their bush cam and first night we got a little action!

Now if only it had an audio setting maybe we could finally answer the question "what does the fox say" 😉

~ Niki

Greenhouse in progress

So anyone that knows me knows I'm not exactly the most patient person when it comes to projects. Lol today even though there is still 4' of snow on the ground we got started on my greenhouse! I'm all about repurposing, reusing, and frankly doing things with little to no out of pocket cost.

Pallet greenhouse it is! 

First we shovelled out the snow to give us the room to put up the walls, with the help of some amazing friends, and 3 amazing unschooling boys (yup child labour at it's finest haha). Then we got putting up walls, now this wasn't the easiest thing in the world, but once we got going everything started coming together quite nicely. The best thing is I wasn't looking for something fancy, expensive, or even overly pretty. I want cheap, solid, functional, and usable. That is what we got!

Now it's gonna take a bit before we can get the roof on and all the plastic up, but here it is in all her recycled glory, all for the price of a few screws, dinner, and the gas in the truck used to pick them up!

Stay tuned for more blogs as we do more steps and get this baby completed to grow all kinds of yummy organic produce! 

~ Niki

Compost bin from pallets

Ta Da!

So while I know this probably isn't all that exciting for some, it is for me! I am working really hard on growing our own produce this year. My goal is to one day be fully self sufficient on our own homestead. All this takes trail and error, practise and experience. 

As always if I can recycle I will, and if I can do it and be as cheap as possible then I'm ABSOLUTELY gonna do it! So compost done, next pallet project is the greenhouse. Woo hoo! Ok maybe I'm just a tad too excited haha

~ Niki

Another Road Trip, Another Trade Show, Lots of Excitement.

So I had another trade show this weekend in Calgary! I have to admit my favourite part of these trade shows are all the people I get to meet that I normally never would have. The fact that all the vendors are so open and friendly makes things that much more enjoyable. This one I made some really awesome friends! Not just people you meet once then forget about, but true friends. I really felt a connection with some of these ladies and I can't wait to get to know them better.

This time I don't have pictures of my table because I spent too much time chatting to take any haha.

I did get to sneak in a visit with hubby's aunt again, which was wonderful as always.

The trip home however was the most exciting part of all, and not in a good way. Overnight we figure someone had tried to steal the tire off my husbands new truck. I was going 110 km/hr down the deer foot trail in Calgary when the vibration turned into a banging. After pulling over and checking it out I noticed the lugnuts were finger tight. 

I tightened them as much as I could and drove 7 km down the road going 30 km/hr to Canadian tire hoping they would be able to tork them up and I could get a tire iron. Well in that 7 km I managed to snap off one of the bolts. The service staff there were amazing! They torked up the remaining 4 and even checked all the other lugnuts/tires. They charged me nothing to do this either.

After talking to my husband, and confirming with a friend we decided I would get a tire iron and continue my trip home, stopping every 50 km to check the lugnuts were tight. It was a LONG trip home to say the least. 

I did stop in Edmonton at our former neighbours who went over everything for me, and had picked up the bolts we needed to fix the tire when I got home. After a coffee there and quick visit I was back on the road. Eventually I made it home. This was the longest trip yet for me, and I could really go without anything like this again haha

~ Niki

Trade show traveling.

After talking to my wonderful husband we had decided that I would start traveling around and get the younique brand name out there. Which for me is a bit of a mini vacation every week or two! Hubby is shut down for break up so he's home with the kids and I'm the one on the road! Still not sure how I feel about it, feels so strange being away from the kids. 

On Tuesday I was in Calgary, met some really incredible women. It's so nice to see so many women out doing what they love, however seeing some of the other business models of other direct sales companies really brought home how blessed I am to have found Younique!

Here's a few pictures of my display from the show!

It was a fun Mardi Gras theme, and I'm absolutely looking forward to being a part of it again next year! As much as I missed hubby and the kids being gone for a couple days I have to admit getting out, meeting other women, and being back out in the public was a nice change! 

Heading back to Calgary for another show on the 22nd, Can't wait!

~ Niki