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Apples on a Tree

A Lifestyle Blog By Stephanie Anderson

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Please use this day to continue learning and eleva

Please use this day to continue learning and elevating voices of black people. Today is not the day to take a break from social media to ignore what is going on.

Check out -

@privtoprog - they share resources every day all about how to move from a place of privilege to creating progress. Look through their “Learn” highlight which includes a list of books and podcast to check out, all about white privilege, talking about race, anti-racism, etc.

@hereweeread - this one is for all the parents out there (but also a good resource for people who would like to be parents one day). They share and sell lots of children books about diversity and inclusion, quite a bit of them based on true stories of powerful black leaders and activists.

@theconsciouskid - another amazing resource for all parents out there. They share parenting education through a critical lens, which includes (but not limited to) information on recognizing racism - systemic and individual - and how you can stand up and do better to teach your children better.

Don’t forget to sign petitions. Donate to if you can. And keep sharing resources and information. Spend today, and everyday here after, learning about how racism systemically impacts your life, how you (as a white person) benefit, and what you can do to help.

If you’re unsure where to start, please check out the “More Resources > Education” section in the Black Lives Matter CARDD in my bio where you can find hundreds of articles, videos, etc to learn more.

#BlackoutTuesday

Do you ever get “touched out” as a parent? I

Do you ever get “touched out” as a parent?

I have a small touch tank. Tim has a small touch tank. Michael has a small touch tank. But Charlotte has the biggest touch tank ever.

I do my absolute best to fill her tank with snuggles, hand holding, hugs, kisses, high fives, props, etc etc. But honestly, it’s exhausting. My time is basically spent between filling her tank, trying to figure out when Michael needs some filling, and running around with my head cut off to get anything done before either of them need their tanks filled more.

By the time Tim gets home from work, I am completely drained, both my mood and my patience, just from being so touched out. And it can make me feel so guilty. For so long, I would see it as, “who doesn’t like affection from their kids? What is wrong with me?”. For the longest time, I thought it wasn’t normal to be touched out.

But after talking with other moms, I’ve realized it is completely normal. It is something nearly every parent experiences at some point or another. Some, like myself, may experience it more regularly if their own tank is pretty small.

And it doesn’t mean anything is wrong with me for experiencing feelings of being touched out.

Personally, I’ve been working really hard on setting limits. Not to take away from my daughter but to allow me to re-charge. I want to keep my daughter’s (and my son’s) tank filled, but I also need to monitor my own as to not get overloaded. Because parents are important too, and this parent needs some alone time here and there.

So if you’re feeling touched out, especially if you experience it frequently like me, just know that it’s normal. You’re still a good parent. There is nothing wrong with you, and it doesn’t make you love your kids any less. Take care of yourself too, parents!

Perfection has been something I’ve strived for l

Perfection has been something I’ve strived for long before I became a parent. The search has only caused issues for me, including a hospital stay in high school and a couple years of therapy.

But right when I had Charlotte, my need for perfection tripled.

I started having anxiety attacks up to five times a day because I couldn’t measure up to what I had in mind as the “perfect parent”. I didn’t enjoy breastfeeding, I didn’t like my post-partum body, I had the hardest time getting my child to sleep through the night before a year, let alone by the time she was 12 weeks, and I always felt like I was failing.

It’s been a long, challenging, and super reflective last two years, but if I could go back to pre-baby me, I would tell her that the perfect parent doesn’t exist.

There is no parent who “does it all” day after day without help.

There is no parent who doesn’t run into challenges.

There is no parent who never questions themselves and their parenting.

There is no such thing as a perfect parent.

There is only parents who try.

Try to be better.

Try to be patient.

Try to be who their children need them to be.

And that is more than enough.

Children don’t need perfection. They just need you.

I’ve always wanted to be a Mom. Ever since I was

I’ve always wanted to be a Mom. Ever since I was four years old, I’d answer every “what do you want to be when you’re older?” question with the answer, “a mom”. This is my third Mother’s Day (although my 2yo did not want to join the picture so it’s hard to tell) and while being a mom is no easy job, it is definitely the best one I have ever had by far. It has made me into a better person who is constantly searching on ways to improve. It has allowed me to grow in ways that I never knew was possible. And it has brought an amount of love into my life that I didn’t know existed.

Not only am I their world right now, but they are my world for the rest of my life. And I am humbled and grateful beyond belief for that.

Happy Mother’s Day to all Momma’s out there - whether that be by blood, by adoptions, by fostering, or by coincidence, earthside, or angel - today’s your day❤️

I miss libraries. I’m grateful we have a lot of

I miss libraries. I’m grateful we have a lot of books here to keep our kids entertained with. I’m also grateful for the videos of read-along books on Youtube. And I’m also grateful for free apps that you can rent eBooks from. But I am going to be so, so happy once libraries open again.

Happy 32nd Birthday to my favourite guy❤️ Tim

Happy 32nd Birthday to my favourite guy❤️ Tim and I started dating just over five years ago, after meeting as co-workers at a Tim Hortons. We instantly bonded over our love for the children in our lives (his nieces and nephew, my little cousins) and I was immediately hooked. There was a little bump in the road when he learned that I was more than a couple years younger than him, but my amazing sense of humour and natural charm quickly smoothed that over😉 It only took a month of dating to know that I wanted to spend my life with him by my side, and thankfully he felt the same! It’s surreal to me that only five years later, we are now Mrs+Mr, as well as Mom+Dad to two little ones (who absolutely adore their father). Life with you, Tim, is better than I could have imagined. Happy Birthday! (I would say that I’m sorry that quarantine has us barely celebrating but realistically, we’d probably be doing this regardless because you prefer laid-back celebrations - so here’s to the simple things!)

I love playing with my kids - I love teaching them

I love playing with my kids - I love teaching them things and showing them how things work. But there’s something super special about watching them play by themselves, or even letting them lead in play. Being able to watch how their imagination works and what they are truly interested in is amazing.

When we took out this play-doh the other day, Charlotte immediately starting poking it and saying, “boop”. Then she went, got her shapes and started to stamp them in. She was repeating each shapes name as she did it (although, all the -gons were always pentagon😂). I love watching her creativity and initiative!

Of course she tried stamping her ducks but I guess she wasn’t pleased with the outcome cause she sent unicorn duck to watch instead😉

Parenting is like a choosing an option on the brea

Parenting is like a choosing an option on the breakfast food buffet table.

There are hundreds of different options on that breakfast buffet table. Just like there are hundreds of different types of parenting styles to pick from.

Just because one person prefers one option doesn’t mean your preference for a different one is any less valid.

You may like the option with lots of add-ons and flavor, while another person prefers a more basic option, and another person prefers the basic type with extra seasoning. Some people want all-organic, some people want local foods only, and some may not give a hoot.

Preferences vary from person to person and that’s ok.

Just like there is no BEST breakfast food, there is also no BEST parenting style.

Ultimately, we are trying to raise our kids to be kind and intelligent adults, just like we are all trying to eat some breakfast. It’s ok that someone does it differently than you. Just eat your breakfast and let them eat theirs too.

Let’s start supporting families. Love more, judge less.
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Obligatory disclaimer that there are some foods that are inappropriate for the breakfast buffet table just like there are some ‘parenting techniques’ that are inappropriate for children.

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