My Blog

30 09, 2023

From Chapter Six – 5 Point Plan When You are Making Changes to Transform Your Life

By |2023-10-02T21:07:25+00:00September 30th, 2023|My Blog|0 Comments

Whenever you are committing to making changes I want you to remember, 5 things: You are Worthy:  You deserve to feel happy most of the time and knowing that you deserve happiness is from knowing that you are worth the effort.  When you heal, you heal everyone around you.  When [...]

14 09, 2023

Standing in Your Shoes: Feeling Jealous? Insecure? Worried? Or Fearful on Night Shifts?

By |2023-09-15T01:19:47+00:00September 14th, 2023|My Blog|0 Comments

Alright my darling, I will go more into this tomorrow, but for now let me tell you that everything you feel and whatever you are going through is normal.  However, when we feel any of these emotions, it's best not to stay there and to solve it with some practical [...]

14 09, 2023

Standing In Your Shoes- Chapter Five, Fire Wife: Standing Strong in Your Relationship, Your Life and Your Dreams

By |2023-09-15T00:05:47+00:00September 14th, 2023|My Blog|0 Comments

"First of all, have you stopped to think about how remarkable you are?  You play an irreplaceable role to many people in your life and an invaluable role to the fire department.  However, as the partner to a firefighter, it's easy to feel overwhelmed, out of the loop, or that [...]

4 09, 2023

For Fire Wife Month Let’s Take Advantage of September to Set and Achieve Some Goals

By |2023-09-04T16:21:01+00:00September 4th, 2023|My Blog|0 Comments

September has always been for me kind of like the New Year so it's when I also like to set some new goals.  This year however, I am wanting to set goals where I can see both achievement and accomplishment over the next 4 weeks.  What do you say?  What [...]

7 05, 2023

Honoring Your Child’s Spirit – Joy is their Inner Rock That Will Always Sustain Them

By |2023-05-07T17:37:04+00:00May 7th, 2023|My Blog|0 Comments

My beautiful first born, Brayden. My beautiful second born, Liam. Those first 5-7 years for children are absolutely imperative and pivital to their foundation of joy.  I believe that if a child is raised with wonder, imagination, fun and optimism, they will have had their joy reinforced and it will [...]

21 03, 2023

Loving and Raising Your Kids in a Fire Family – The Magical Powers of The Virtues Project

By |2023-03-21T00:17:48+00:00March 21st, 2023|My Blog|0 Comments

There is a lot of talk in the media these days about childhood trauma.  Sometimes raising kids can feel overwhelming, particularly when you are in a fire family (schedules, shiftwork) and when there are just so many "parenting" theories and you wonder, how can I do this?  How shall I [...]

18 01, 2023

#4 Relaunching What You Love or Have Lost Along the Way

By |2023-01-18T17:55:50+00:00January 18th, 2023|My Blog|0 Comments

To conclude R-Therapy, after some good retreating, resting, and restoring your soul with the sustenance of good books, good hikes, a massage, pedicure, positive thoughts and new intentions, what my dear have you been toying with? I mean, what has slipped into the forefront of your mind a few times [...]

17 01, 2023

The Law of Divine Compensation (Double for Your Trouble)!

By |2023-01-17T15:32:13+00:00January 17th, 2023|My Blog|0 Comments

The Law of Divine Compensation “...there are four rules for miraculous work creation: Be positive. Send love. Have fun. Kick ass." - Marianne Williamson “The whole of what we know is a system of compensations. Every defect in one manner is made up in another. Every suffering is rewarded; every [...]

17 01, 2023

Gratitude Grows Happiness

By |2023-01-17T15:27:10+00:00January 17th, 2023|My Blog|0 Comments

"Gratitude is a powerful catalyst for happiness. It’s the spark that lights a fire of joy in your soul.” – Amy Collette Virginia Clinton Kelly was a colorful personality, a very positive woman and to her daughter-in-law one of the most beautiful and strongest women she ever knew. While Virginia [...]

11 01, 2023

Re-Store. If You Could Go Shopping for Your Soul, What Would You Buy? Whatever You Do, Choose YOU!

By |2023-01-11T02:27:36+00:00January 11th, 2023|My Blog|0 Comments

"And one day, as she was buried deep in her thoughts, she heard a still small voice ask her "If you could go back in life, what would you have done differently?" And without missing a beat she answered, "I would have chosen me" And finally, she made the choice..” [...]

11 01, 2023

While You Restore – Let’s Create a Vision for Your Life!

By |2023-01-11T01:07:41+00:00January 11th, 2023|My Blog|0 Comments

"When You Change Your Thoughts You Change Your World" - Norman Vincent Peale I have to tell you a couple of my huge pet peeves: negative people and ya-but people. I grew up with one of the most negative school-mates imaginable. She attached herself to me (negative-positive) and everyday she [...]

3 01, 2023

Step #1 Retreat

By |2023-01-03T15:45:40+00:00January 3rd, 2023|My Blog|0 Comments

Have you noticed the word, TREAT in RETREAT?  Well, I certainly did.  That is what this month of January is for me a real treat.  Yesterday I spent my free time reading inspirational books, watched a inspirational show, went for a beautiful fresh air walk and infused my body with [...]

6 12, 2022

Visualization – Decluttering Your Home IS The Law of Attraction & Keeps Those Home Fires Burning!

By |2022-12-06T19:07:58+00:00December 6th, 2022|My Blog|0 Comments

“Have nothing in your houses that you do not know to be useful or believe to be beautiful.” William Morris   "Please Take Responsibility for the Energy You Bring into This Space" Dr. Jill Bolte There is nothing like having your family come for Christmas dinner to get  your butt [...]

1 12, 2022

Creating a Vision for Your Life: Bolstering Your Life Force with Positive Affirmations/Declarations

By |2022-12-01T22:07:07+00:00December 1st, 2022|My Blog|0 Comments

LIFE FORCE the force or influence that gives something its vitality or strength. "the passionate life force of the symphony" - the spirit or energy that animates living creatures, the soul. Fire Life Needs Grounding Energy If you are not used to giving yourself a big pat on the back or speaking [...]

23 11, 2022

Discovering the Greatest Gift of My Life – How to Create Vision and the Reality of Manifestation

By |2022-11-23T23:52:05+00:00November 23rd, 2022|My Blog|0 Comments

I discovered the secret of manifestation when I was a young girl and it was all completely unbeknownst to me.  I'd found an old blue unused photo album in my mother's closet, took some of her old magazines and began cutting pictures out of romantic couples, places I wanted to [...]

12 11, 2022

Interview with Anne and Mike Gagliano, Authors of the Book Challenges of the Firefighter Marriage

By |2022-11-12T16:32:40+00:00November 12th, 2022|My Blog|0 Comments

I had some major technical difficulties 5 minutes before our interview so had to revert to my old laptop to interview this incredible couple.  I highly recommend their book - I absolutely love couple collaborations!  Sorry about the video quality and the uber close-up!  The content of what these two [...]

6 11, 2022

Estrogen Balance – Do Your Symptoms Indicate Too High or Too Low Estrogen Levels?

By |2022-11-06T16:51:02+00:00November 6th, 2022|My Blog|0 Comments

Hello my darlings!  Let's talk estrogen!  The succulent female hormone that gives you that womanly glow, your curves, your toned female organs, and regulates your menstrual cycle, your fertility and brings you to menopause.  Believe it or not, men also have some estrogen and if their testosterone begins to wane, [...]

28 10, 2022

The Business and the Science Behind Creating a Vision for Your Life

By |2022-10-28T15:05:40+00:00October 28th, 2022|My Blog|0 Comments

The Law of Attraction. If you've ever watched The Secret documentary you will remember seeing that many well-known people throughout history used The Law of Attraction to create a life that they loved, achieving all of their dreams and then some. Well, creating and using vision boards, scrapbooks and journals [...]

27 09, 2022

Dread Means New Direction

By |2022-09-27T20:41:08+00:00September 27th, 2022|My Blog|0 Comments

Do you over commit to things in the moment but then when the time comes you wake up dreading the day?  As human beings, as mothers, fathers, friends, daughters, sons, and spouses, we have commitments to our relationships and to getting certain things in our lives done.  We also need [...]

29 04, 2022

The Communication Cure

By |2022-04-29T23:14:18+00:00April 29th, 2022|My Blog|0 Comments

  There is a difference between having great talks with your partner and communicating to your partner.  Most of us can have a laugh and good chats with our firefighter.  But when there is something more serious to convey or your needs aren't getting met, or his aren't, that's when [...]

26 04, 2021

A Little Press Doesn’t Hurt

By |2021-04-26T19:50:11+00:00April 26th, 2021|My Blog|0 Comments

It was the funniest thing! I was home alone when our local paper called me to get a picture for the paper with my book.  So, while my arms are short as all damn hell, I managed to hold the phone in front of me with one hand, then hold [...]

26 04, 2021

New Announcements for May 2021

By |2021-04-26T19:38:32+00:00April 26th, 2021|My Blog|0 Comments

Though COVID has slowed down the plans we've all had, I'm excited that I've been invited to couple of events and I'm looking forward to them! First I've been invited to participate in The Port Moody Author Gala May 11th, via Zoom and on June 16th, 2021 an interview also [...]

26 08, 2020

Tips & Recipes for Starting a Book Club and Fire Wife Community

By |2020-09-23T16:50:37+00:00August 26th, 2020|Book Club and Fire Wife Dinner Parties|0 Comments

Put out the invitation! Pick a time to meet, where and for how long. Will one person host the book club, or will everyone take turns? Do you want to meet in a neutral place or do you want the comfort of someone’s home? Do you want to meet once [...]

4 08, 2020

Meet Krissy

By |2020-08-04T20:18:44+00:00August 4th, 2020|Sisterhood|0 Comments

Krissy is a front-line worker who works both as an ultra-sound technician and with patients who suffer liver failure from alcohol abuse. Her husband is a career firefighter and together they have a 7-year old little boy. Recently I’ve been wondering how the heck couples who are both front-line workers [...]

4 08, 2020

Ross Penhall

By |2020-08-04T19:55:45+00:00August 4th, 2020|News and Events|0 Comments

"It’s not the failure, it’s what you do with the failure, that’s what defines you.” – Ross Penhall Not only is Ross Penhall, a retired West Vancouver Fire Captain, having served 29 years in his city, he is also an internationally renowned landscape artist who has sold one of his [...]

8 04, 2020

Lessons in Isolation

By |2020-08-04T20:37:18+00:00April 8th, 2020|My Blog|0 Comments

There is a lot to be concerned about right now - from world economics to more locally small businesses that are suffering as well as human beings, particularly women and children in domestic abuse situations and families who are not getting enough to eat. Yes, there is a lot to [...]

4 04, 2020

It’ll All Work Out!

By |2020-08-04T20:37:59+00:00April 4th, 2020|My Blog|0 Comments

The other day I talked about some resentment was bubbling up for me with respect to a person who I love very much (I don't think I mentioned love last time!) but who was affecting me greatly during this time of sequester - not my husband and not my children. [...]

11 06, 2019

Dreams of Your Own

By |2020-04-23T17:15:52+00:00June 11th, 2019|My Blog|0 Comments

The trajectory of my life changed drastically when my husband wanted to become a firefighter. I had been going to college to get my media degree when he made this announcement. To say I was unhappy about his choice was an understatement. Since then however, I managed to turn what [...]

21 03, 2019

Finally Getting Back to Normal

By |2020-04-23T17:15:52+00:00March 21st, 2019|My Blog|0 Comments

Good morning! It's a beautiful day here already on the West Coast! I went to my doctor the other day to get more blood tests to see WHY I CAN'T LOSE WEIGHT! My doctor wrote out a requisition for blood tests and then handed me a prescription for diet pills. [...]

2 02, 2019

Make Yourself a Priority

By |2020-04-23T17:15:52+00:00February 2nd, 2019|My Blog|0 Comments

As I put the finishing touches on my Fire Wife book, I am recounting two interviews I did with my friends who are also fire wives. Both of them have said that because a fire marriage is not an easy one, you have to really make yourself a priority. My [...]

3 01, 2019

Happy New Dreams!

By |2020-04-23T17:15:52+00:00January 3rd, 2019|My Blog|0 Comments

It might be January 3rd, but the truth is, I'm still playing Christmas music, I've still got my tree up (until this weekend) and I am still taking it easy. Though the menu plan has improved and I'm going to boot camp tonight, this week is very special to me. [...]

29 11, 2018

Recurring Emotional Stress for Fire Wives

By |2020-04-23T17:15:52+00:00November 29th, 2018|My Blog|0 Comments

Fire Wives at one time or another will experience PTS (post traumatic stress) just because she is married to a firefighter. While what he sees each and everyday would destroy me, the type of PTS I'm speaking of is of an interpersonal level. Whatever he experiences or whatever he puts [...]

18 05, 2018

The Insufferable Firefighter

By |2020-04-23T17:15:54+00:00May 18th, 2018|My Blog|0 Comments

If you could rank your husband's bad moods on a scale from 1-10 where would they land? Recently my husband landed in hospital again. This is the third time with a low white blood cell count. He was the most insufferable person leading up to this hospitalization and I can [...]

13 05, 2018

Where are You in All of This?

By |2020-04-23T17:15:54+00:00May 13th, 2018|My Blog|0 Comments

While having my book for Firefighter Wives edited the other day my editor said, "Wow, a firefighter's life takes precedence over his wife's."  It's true.  From their schedule, to filling in for an extra shift, trading holidays, volunteering, sleeping and sometimes working another job - not only is it true, [...]

11 01, 2018

Two Days…and Two Nights! Woo Hoo!

By |2020-04-23T17:15:54+00:00January 11th, 2018|My Blog|0 Comments

So Mrs. Firefighter wife, do you like those two nights on your own and how do you spend it?   Do you let the house go?  Do you hit the hay early with movies and popcorn in bed?  Having a couple of nights a week to myself is really perfect [...]

3 01, 2018

Happy New Year!

By |2020-04-23T17:15:54+00:00January 3rd, 2018|My Blog|0 Comments

Well, that went fast!  And don't we say that every year.  It would appear that I didn't even blog during the Christmas season.  I love fresh starts and that is exactly what 2018 is to me, a fresh start.  My old trainer, who'd just started up her company again, messaged [...]

24 11, 2017

Moving Toward Your Dreams….

By |2020-04-23T17:15:54+00:00November 24th, 2017|My Blog|0 Comments

When I was in Paris, I knew one phrase, "Je ne parle pas francais' (I don't speak French). I practiced this phrase for about 2 hours over and over again while in Paris before I could say it confidently! I felt terrible not knowing any French while in Paris, because [...]

23 11, 2017

The Golden Rule

By |2020-04-23T17:15:54+00:00November 23rd, 2017|My Blog|0 Comments

Imagine how many relationships would stay together if the Golden Rule was practiced consistently?  Do unto others as you would have done to you.  Treat others as you would like to be treated.  I know a lot of spouses would say, "ya but" he needs to be nice to me [...]

20 11, 2017

Saying Sorry is Balm for the Soul

By |2020-04-23T17:15:54+00:00November 20th, 2017|My Blog|0 Comments

My firefighter texted me last night to say "sorry for what he said...I didn't mean it".  The sorry was amazing because my firefighter's family M.O. was about deflecting and blaming.  We've come a long way my hubby and I.  Though connected by passion, charisma and shared values, when it came [...]

19 11, 2017

Cranky and Grumpy

By |2020-04-23T17:15:54+00:00November 19th, 2017|My Blog|0 Comments

There are times we find those guys we are married too beyond frustrating.  They seem to put more effort into their brothers at the hall than they do with their own families.  Just this past week my husband worked on the boat he we share with another firefighter family, worked [...]

13 11, 2017

My Toughest Critics

By |2020-04-23T17:15:54+00:00November 13th, 2017|My Blog|0 Comments

Well, I handed off one chapter of my book to my husband last night to take to the fire hall.  The chapter I sent is called, Understanding Your Husband's Profession.  So far the reviews have been great though it still needs some editing.  I want to dispel any rumors out [...]

10 11, 2017

What’s Your Marriage Vision?

By |2020-04-23T17:15:54+00:00November 10th, 2017|My Blog|0 Comments

As we all know having a firefighter marriage, it can be difficult to navigate if we don't understand our husband's profession, what they deal with everyday and the results of those difficult days.  It's also essentially important to check in with yourself.  How are you feeling today?  Is there anything [...]

20 10, 2017

The Indomitable Firefighter Wife

By |2017-10-20T21:02:00+00:00October 20th, 2017|My Blog|0 Comments

I have a question for you?  Have you stopped to give yourself a big fat pat on the back today?  I'm serious.  Do you even know who you are?  Today as you go about your day, your routine and your to-do-list, I want you to take a few minutes to [...]

19 10, 2017

So You Married a Firefighter?

By |2017-10-19T22:00:00+00:00October 19th, 2017|My Blog|0 Comments

Hi there!  I am so happy to finally get my blog started before publishing my book, How to Stay Happily Married to a Firefighter. My book is how to stay happily married, because for me, this was not always the case.  Once upon a time I was a very reluctant [...]

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