Hi! I’m Marta. I’m so happy that you’re here!
Over the last several years, I have been writing in some form. I used to have a lifestyle blog, then it shifted into a travel blog, and then Covid hit and all of our travel plans for 2020 got cancelled. My love for writing has never stopped and although I have many passions and interests, I want to have one place where I can share about various topics. I am excited to write about motherhood, holistic living, farming, homesteading, nature, ancestral eating, pregnancy & birth, personal finance and more!
I have always loved math and data, so my interest in personal finance came pretty naturally. A few years after college, I discovered several personal finance blogs and podcasts and dove into learning. While there are many great personal finance bloggers out there, ChooseFI is one of my favorite blogs/podcasts. They have so many awesome, free resources on their website and hundreds of podcast episodes.
When Adam and I got married, we consolidated our finances and wanted to be as responsible as we could with our money; this is what truly sparked my interest in personal finance. I quickly learned about the ideas of “financial independence” and retiring early, which are both possible when you reach a financial state where you can live off of your investment income and are not reliant on a salary anymore. I don’t know about you, but my ears certainly perked up when I heard about the idea of retiring before my 60s or 70s!
My interest in holistic and low-toxic living began in 2020. Adam and I moved from Colorado to Maryland (where we both went to college, got married, lived/worked previously, and where our families are). We both started new jobs in 2020 and it was the year I really dove into learning more about living a more holistic lifestyle and reducing or eliminating toxins in our lifestyle, where possible.
In fall of 2020 we knew we wanted to start expanding our family soon, so I learned as much as I could about pregnancy and childbirth and how I could have as healthy of a pregnancy as possible. One of my favorite books for new mamas is called “The Mama Natural Week-By-Week Guide to Pregnancy & Childbirth”. This is such a good resource for any new or expecting mama to learn more about pregnancy from a holistic, natural perspective. The Mama Natural book was my springboard to learning about so many other topics too.
Mama Natural’s book introduced me to topics like midwifery care, common medical interventions during birth, reducing toxin exposure in your home (in personal care products & in food), natural remedies for illnesses, low-toxin baby items, chiropractic care, and breastfeeding.
In late December 2020, when I found out that I was pregnant with our son, I eagerly started researching midwives in my area right away. In many facets of your life, if you do not proactively advocate for yourself, somebody else may decide how things end up going for you. Unfortunately, pregnancy and birth are no different. Feeling empowered and heard in your prenatal care is important and something that I am passionate about. Pregnancy and childbirth is such a sacred time in a woman’s life and all mamas deserves to feel supported and loved during this time.
Although I felt like I had a solid grasp on how to live a healthier, lower-toxin lifestyle, there was still so much to learn about motherhood and parenting. For most of my pregnancy, I assumed I would take maternity leave and go right back to my corporate job afterwards. I knew many moms that did that and I figured I would do the same. Looking back, I can only attribute my change-of-heart and my convictions to stay home to God. I have always been a logical, numbers-driven person, and financially, it made more sense for me to work and for us to pay for childcare than for me to stay home. In my heart though, I knew that is not what I really wanted.
After my son was born, the days turned to weeks, and months, and I felt more convicted in my decision to be home with him. Staying home with him was absolutely a factor in our breastfeeding relationship lasting over 2 years. Once I emerged from the newborn phase, I started to wonder “how would we spend our days?” “how would I entertain my son?” and “my goodness staying home with a baby is much harder than I ever realized!”
Once I learned about the 1000 Hours Outside movement and the plethora of benefits nature provides for children, I figured out how I wanted to spend our days together – I wanted to get outside as much as possible! I joined various nature-based groups to take my son to and I got to meet other mamas too. Now, my son and I spend our days playing, cooking, reading, and every day we make a point to spend time outside, either with friends, or in our own backyard.
Sometimes I can’t believe that I have been only been a mother for 2 years. Over the last 2 years I have learned so much about motherhood from my son, from books, and from mothers who have come before me. I am excited to share my thoughts, experiences and new things I learn here on my blog.