Motherhood Unleashed (Episode information and link at bottom)
by Lisa Helton · May 17, 2023
I had the privilege of chatting with 7 different women, all on different paths of motherhood. Join me as they openly share with us their joys, struggles, advice and comical moments. I love these fabulous women, and you will too. It was hard to fit 7 hour interviews into 2 episodes.
You'll find hope, familiarity, and the comforting knowledge you're not alone on this journey.
Let's be real, motherhood is no walk in the park. It's more like a roller coaster ride through the cosmos—a transformative journey that molds us in ways we can't fully comprehend until we glance back and witness the astounding growth we've experienced.
From those sleepless nights and heart-wrenching miscarriages to tending to sick little ones and wrangling unruly toddlers and teens, not to mention the eternal struggle of deciding what on Earth is for dinner—whew! It can be quite the adventure.
You'll find hope, familiarity, and the comforting knowledge you're not alone on this journey.
Let's be real, motherhood is no walk in the park. It's more like a roller coaster ride through the cosmos—a transformative journey that molds us in ways we can't fully comprehend until we glance back and witness the astounding growth we've experienced.
From those sleepless nights and heart-wrenching miscarriages to tending to sick little ones and wrangling unruly toddlers and teens, not to mention the eternal struggle of deciding what on Earth is for dinner—whew! It can be quite the adventure.
Anona is a woman with a big heart as you’ll be able to tell by her voice and emotions, truly caring for those around her. She serves without need for praise or reward and I’ve heard from many she’s helped randomly without being asked, she’s just there when you need someone.
As a busy mom to six young kids she’s also a photographer specializing in infant photography and has more recently got her realty licence and is now a relator with CIR in Okotoks @anonaadams.realestate So grateful to know Anona and count her as a dear friend. She’s stunningly beautiful and when she’s not riding on her motorcycle giving off cool mom vibes, she’s perched in a tree bowhunting with her husband "You don't need a lot of friends, you just need one or two really good friends. I think too, you need to realize your worth because if you don't know your worth, you're going to struggle" Maddie is such a sweet young mom, I wish I had her wise insights when I was a young mom. Her sweetness and joy is such a breath of fresh air in this world of negativity. I’ve never in all my years seen a baby that smiles ALL the time!!! You can tell he is mimicking and following his mamas lead. As I was interviewing her all I kept thinking was I wish I could have a do-over and be the mom she is striving to be daily. I loved everything she said and how vulnerable and straight forward she was with her answers. She’s outgoing but yet has a shy side. But without a doubt she’s super easy to love.
Maddie is also the photographer responsible for my photo that is now my podcast cover. On top of being mom to her son Tate, she’s a photographer @westyraephotography and also owns a wedding rental business with her husband Ryan. Here’s a peak inside some of Maddie’s interview. I think it's such a privilege to wake up every single day and choose what kind of mom I'm going to be and how I wanna raise my child in the home in the home I want him to be able to come home to. It's such an honourable responsibility to know that I'm his safe place and that I'm his home |
Introducing @clairejohn.son . I first met Claire at church but only really got to know her at Bachelor nights, gathering with some frikkin amazing women (they know who they are 😉) and watching the Bachelor. Claire leaves an indelible impression.. She greets everyone as if they’re the only person in the room and is so excited to see you. She has the talent for making you feel important and like …you matter. I started going to her High-Low fitness classes and she’s is beyond the best instructor! And I’ve been to lots over my 50+ years. Her positivity and genuine excitement that you came to her class is unmatched. So much fun, so high energy and 1000% genuine in her love of everyone. Sounds too good to be true? Nope, she’s real and her name is Claire.
I’ve grown to love her even more as she opens up at the end of part 2. "Of course it's fun when you're child does well in sports or achieves in school, but the things that I remember most when my kids were little they would all come and get on our bed and my husband would always say, "this is all that matters in the world, you are all the most special people in the world to me" I think its just those moments over time when you're all together and you're connecting, sometimes it's at night before everyone goes to bed we gather as a family and my kids would laugh and tell jokes and just laughing together and being together ... they're my most cherished moments" I met Angela (Trinnick) Fordham, over 20 years ago and this interview (that took 3 takes due to technical difficulties) was the first time I’ve spoken to her in the 20+ years. Luckily we have technology and means of keeping in touch. She served a mission for our church here in Alberta and was such a delight and lots of fun. She’d come out to our place in Bragg Creek and do her laundry and go on hikes with me. She’s carried her spunk and love for others into motherhood. It’s been fun watching her grow into a mother.
"Problem is they grow up but as boys they can be very lazy and they love to let their mums do everything for them and you love them so you wanna do things for them, but then they get to the age where you're just like, "I've done too much for them, they need to become more independant now" I just wish I would have instilled more independence into them when they were younger" |
I adore @denisesiemens . She’s a true inspiration to so many. Beautiful stunning 88 year old Mom, Grandma and Great-Grandma shares with us her insights into motherhood. At 78 she reached the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro. She hikes weekly, only recently put down her skis. She’s a strong believer in power of great music. She’s instilled the love of music to her posterity. She’s optimistic, charismatic and classy. I’m honored to have her as a guest on my show.
"I felt like I was losing myself because I was working long long hours, things weren't the greatest at home. And I just needed something, and when someone offered to teach me how to ski I said, "oh know I couldn't do that, I would break my neck" She said I'll do it very gently, and she did. And I was hooked in one day. This isn't very nice but I called it my mental enema And honestly I would get on that ski hill and it would just clear my mind completely out and it was just myself and the hill and I was like a bird, I was free" |
@kimberleykathrynfolkins has been a dear friend of mine for several years now. We met in London, ON when she was a single mom to her 6 kids and we instantly hit it off. When I moved back to Calgary I found the perfect husband for her and it didn’t take long and they were married, blending these two amazing people and families. She now has 2 step daughters and 12 grandchildren. Kimberley is so loving, generous and absolutely gorgeous inside and out. Love her and her kiddos!
I'm here as a friend and that's a different role for the oldest kids, the youngest ones are still like "who you dating?" ... But that's not my place, and I have to know.. it's like the beginning... Where am I and where are they, that's still here, that's still, where's the mother in me?... Where's the friend in me?And I'm 60 years old and still trying to figure out, where do they begin and I end. And it's a dance, we'll figure it out" |
I only met @reeboka2000 Rebecca a couple years ago for a brief time and I was instantly drawn to her laid back welcoming personality. Rebecca’s journey to motherhood has been challenging to say the least. Through IVF and many losses and struggles, she’s now blessed with 2 kids ages 5 and 3. She brings a different perspective due to the fact she and her husband are older parents. Giving birth to her son at 45 and nearly losing her life.
(She will be sharing her full story on a future episode.) She’s warm, funny and beautiful. Here’s a sneak peak into her personality on the Episode 3 Motherhood Unleashed |
"...turned the corner to the last street, nearly to our development and thought, "I'm just so exhausted" I'm just, if I can just ..I'm almost afraid to go home.. almost. And what I mean is that I know when I walk in the door, I'm gonna start my second full-time job. And so I would pull into the parking lot at the grocery store and just find a little corner in the parking lot and just park, it's not too hot outside, I'm not going to get heatstroke.. lean my seat back.. lock the doors and just take like a 15 minute nap in the parking lot at the grocery store.. it's just like hiding. It felt like hiding, like I'm hiding from family but if I don't do this right here, if I don't give myself this 10 or 12 or 15 minute, I don't know it's just impossible to think about getting home and all the hours that are gonna go into getting them bathed and in bed and then through the night, who's getting up, who can't sleep, who's got a head cold, who can't breath...."