I am not unique in the statement ‘she who wears many hats’. Almost every woman I know (and lots of men – no men bashing here) wear many hats. But what are those hats? They, of course, look different for everyone. Why am I even talking about this? I wanted to give you a glimpse into me and my life beyond the traditional ‘About Me’ page. Not that there is anything wrong with that format, but when you’re looking at major lifestyle changes such as living mindfully, minimalism, zero waste living, and more, there is nothing traditional about those. So what makes me an expert at these types of lifestyles? Who Am I?

Read on to find out more about me, things you’ll find on the blog, and the many hats that I wear:

Mom

Probably one of my favorite hats I wear is my mom hat. I am a mom to a wonderful little toddler, whom I will refer to as ‘E’ or ‘Little E’. If you’re a parent or guardian reading this, you probably understand that I don’t have to go into too much detail about how I feel being a mom to my son. It is wonderful, exhausting, hard as ever, rewarding, degrading, anxiety-filled, heart melting and the most amazing thing ever. Expect stories, good and bad of my experiences, lessons and more.

Wife

My husband and I have been married seven years. We have been together for 13 or 14. Insert all sorts of sappy adjectives here. Honestly, though, he is my best friend, makes me laugh, and we can be total goofs together and have a good time. He truly has made me a better person, and I have grown so much since knowing him. Expect posts on things I’ve learned, funny stories, and more.

Nature Photographer

I have been taking pictures since I was a little girl. I didn’t have an actual camera but spent most of my allowance on disposable cameras taking blurry pictures of gerbils and our pet parrot. Seriously. A few years later, I got my first camera and became very interested in capturing the natural grace the earth has to offer. My parents are avid gardeners, and as a kid, I was forced (kidding, only sometimes) to spend lots of time outside. This is where my inspiration for photographing nature comes from. My goal with my photography is to be able to share the beauty nature offers us — from the small details in my macro photography to gorgeous landscapes found in my travels around the state of MN (my homeland – see more below) and the country.

By now, you may be thinking, this is all great, but what is the connection to this blog? Recently, I  became interested in the positive connection between mental health and nature. The research surrounding this is fascinating. If you just google ‘mental health and nature’ you get page after page of articles and research that show spending time in nature, or even just looking at it through photography can reduce stress, depression and anxiety, slow down breathing, lower heart rate, and much, more (disclaimer: please note that I am not a Dr, researcher, or any sort of professional in this field. To find out more information, please visit the articles listed or talk to your doctor if you have any concerns). With this newfound knowledge, and with my nature photography, I have not only spread nature photos throughout the site but also created 2-minute guided meditations with nature photography. You don’t have to look far to get a relaxing mental break and a healthy dose of nature.

Harry Potter Fan

With the risk of coming off like a crazy fan, I will just say that I’m a huge Harry Potter fan. I’ve read the series through multiple times, and am reading them again in the illustrated versions. I used to have a cat named after my favorite character, Neville (who we knick-named Neville Stinky bottom because his poop was super smelly – sorry if that is TMI). We currently have a cat who we adopted named ‘Finn’, and naturally, I decided his full name would be Seamus Finnegan. I have many more Harry Potter stories I could tell, but I’ll wait for another day. I just wanted to put it out there, that I, Laura, am a big Harry Potter fan.

Edible Cookie Dough Lover

I am not sure if there is anyone more excited about the edible cookie dough trend than me. Granted, I used to just eat the ‘terrible, potential illness-inducing’ cookie dough when I was younger, but I figured I should probably play it safe since the option is there. Luckily for me, Minneapolis/St. Paul has seen a huge explosion in local companies making edible cookie dough. There are food trucks, a vendor at the Mall of America, and you can easily find it at many grocery stores. It’s magical. What are my favorite flavors? I’m glad you asked. I’m a traditional chocolate chip cookie dough fan, but won’t turn down monster cookie dough.

Musical Lover

My love for musicals started young. I remember my mom and I watching old musicals on TV, and occasionally going to see a live performance. Now that I’m older, that love has turned into a super love. My friend and I get season tickets for the Broadway season at a local theatre, and it is something I look forward to all year. I’ve even been known to travel to different cities to see certain broadway actors/shows. In between shows, more often than not I can be found listening to some sort of Broadway musical soundtrack.

My top 5 favorite Broadway musicals in no particular order:

• RENT
• Wicked
• Avenue Q
• Something Rotten
• Tie: Once, Waitress, American Idiot

Other

Here are additionally adjectives I would use to describe myself:

• 30-something year old
• Minnesotan (born and raised)
• Outdoor enthusiast
• Mac and Cheese lover (I have to limit myself to eating it every two weeks (it’s my grocery shopping reward))
• Self-care advocate (it’s really important. Trust me)
• Blogger (hope you would have guessed that!)
• Food lover (love love love it)
• Mantra say-er (they seriously help!)
• Cat and dog owner (love both, but I am a cat-person at heart)
• Minimalist (my family and I are working towards this goal every. day.)
• Gardener (I’m obsessed. In any season that isn’t winter I’m out in my garden)
• Pay-it-forward-er (Isn’t it amazing what a little bit of kindness can do? How far it can go?)
• Word maker up-er (It happens. I apologize in advance)

Reducing (emphasis on ‘reduce’) mental clutter is near and dear to my heart. I know what it is like to constantly feel overwhelmed, stressed, anxious, (basically experiencing mental clutter all the time) etc. I know what it is like to feel like you’re cleaning all the time. I know what it is like to feel like you never have enough time in your day for the things you love doing (or even the things you don’t necessarily love). By incorporating mindful and intentional living, minimalism, and zero waste living, and ultimately REDUCING, you will be able to reduce your mental clutter, which in turn will open up all sorts of new possibilities to help you live a life you love. 

Please feel free to introduce yourself or ask any questions in the comments below!

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