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5 BIG Emotional Mistakes People make while buying or selling Real Estate

By Sajida Pellegrini

Buying and Selling real estate is usually a very emotional process. As a REALTOR® I know part of my job is to remain objective and keep my clients on track. This is because people may not be thinking as clearly as they would like to during the process, which can lead to mistakes that can cost them.

Why do people make emotional mistakes in real estate?

Real estate transactions often coincide with important life events both happy and not so happy. For example having a baby can be an amazing joyful experience, however it is often accompanied by many stress factors. Parents are overwhelmed with so many important decisions about the baby, and now have to also think about logistical issues of perhaps needing more living space to raise a family. And can they afford to upgrade to a larger home?

Other emotional life events that often accompany a real estate transaction include divorce, a death in the family or moving to a new city.

I feel like we may have by-passed Spring and headed straight into summer around Alberta…. This sudden change of seasons always seems to create some inner panic in me every year. It’s suddenly hot during the day, colder in the morning and evening and not totally appropriate to wear full on summer clothes yet BUT I’m totally over my winter threads. The panic is real, guys. This year, I’ll admit, I do feel a little more prepared. Maybe it’s because winter lasted so damn long this time around. None-the-less, I thought I would share my favourite spring fashion ideas with you.

1- The Kimono

I was rocking this item last year as well, and thank goodness it seems here to stay! My reasons for loving the kimono are: it covers you up when you need it (spring) and it makes you look put together in an instant when all you are really doing is throwing it on over your yoga pants and a tank top. The best.

A selection of my personal Kimonos from Hot Dame (Sweet Boutique), Belle & Bliss Boutique & The Hudson’s Bay.

2- The Flats

As tempted as we are to wear sandals, some mornings are just not quite warm enough yet and nothing is worse than stepping in some wet, cold, mushy spring grass…. Investing in a pair of easy to slip on flats either in a sporty style or with a more dressed up flair will take you from the playground to a meeting to dinner, all without having to tie them or do up annoying straps. Heels, you say? No mama has time for running around in heels. None.

Esprit flats from a clothing swap!

3- The Leather Jacket

Leather jackets can be difficult to wear in Alberta. It’s usually way too cold in the winter for them and then by full on summer you are sweating just thinking about wearing one. That’s why I wear my leather jackets as much as possible during spring. It’s so easy to throw on over jeans, a dress, even with yoga pants. No, I never stop wearing yoga pants #sorrynotsorry.

BCBG Leather Jacket, yet another gem I acquired from a recent clothing swap!

4- The Mini Backpack

When this trend started, I hated it. It reminded me of the 90’s when girls would wear them. I guess it just made me feel old? I broke down and got one and I am now eating my words. A leather (or leather-like) mini backpack is like the crossbody purse, but even cooler. You look trendy, but you are actually just allowing yourself to be hands free and a super multi-tasker. This style is really difficult to pull off with a pouffy winter jacket, so I think it’s a great spring item.

My first adult mini backpack from Miniso.

5- A New Pair of Jeans

I’ve been coveting the casual and cool look of ripped jeans over winter, but who wants holes in their pants when its minus 20? Now that we’ve got some warmth out there I am loving this look.

Spring denim from Grace & Lace

6- The Jumpsuit

I never, ever thought I would take the jumpsuit plunge. I tried one on recently and it was love at first fit. I feel like the jumpsuit is the new maxi dress. Once you find one that works for your body type, it’s so easy to wear! Note, I said jumpsuit, not romper. Spring gives you a chance to try the one piece trend with full pants first. I’ll report back to you if I ever get brave enough for the romper, haha.

A jumpsuit is a new spring fashion must have!

Chris, one of our gorgeous founders, rocking her jumpsuit from H&M.

7- The Swimsuit

Ok. Ok. This one isn’t exactly spring. BUT warm Alberta sun does get you thinking of beach season. And, we still take our kids swimming to the pool, so there. No one wants to be rushed once they realize they have to go to the beach and last year’s suit is just a little worn out. So, start looking now. Selection is at its best and you might need time for this one.

Spring is the time to start looking for the perfect bathing suit!

This sexy little one piece is from The Hudson’s Bay

I hope this helps you sort out some quick and easy ideas for updating your wardrobe into spring/summer/whatever season it decides to be today. If you want some more ideas, visit us at St. Albert Centre on May 16th where we (The Alberta Mamas) will be sharing some of our favourite curated Spring looks at the Denim and Dresses event!

Let us know, what’s your favourite new Spring fashion item?

FREE Gifts that Mom REALLY Wants for Mother’s Day

Silhouette of four women against the sunset

Alright people. Mother’s Day is coming May 14, 2023. You are getting your fair warning.

On top of this warning, I’m going to help you out.

This is what your wife/partner/spouse REALLY wants for Mother’s Day. I asked my mama friends on Facebook, our contributors, and friends in person. (I happen to also be a mother!)

By Brittaney Moore

Facebook has been around for quite some time, something that is fairly new but widely popular is Instagram. Using Instagram for your business seems foreign to most people, but it is a very important tool to have in the toolbox. I can share with you a few tips to help you get an Instagram account up and running.

First off, grab yourself a coffee. Then, you are going to create an Instagram account for your business. This should be done from a mobile device such as your phone or tablet. Ensure that you use a username that matches the username of all your other social media platforms. This will make it easy for people to discover you. *Side tip when it comes to usernames: Make your username memorable, and easily searchable. Keep it short and to the point. If you are looking to change your username on any platform, I recommend seeking help from a Social Media Manager, such as myself, to help alleviate any negative impacts* Once your profile has been created, it is time to design.

Profile Picture: Your profile picture should be your brand logo. This makes it easy to discover your business. This should also be the case with all your social media pages. If your logo doesn’t fit within the dimensions, I recommend sending it to your graphic designer and having them send you a social media package. This should include graphics that will fit a number of different social media pages. If you do not have a logo, a professional business headshot would be next appropriate. A selfie should never be used as a profile picture in a business page.
Website: You can add a clickable link to your Instagram profile that will lead any viewers straight to your website. You can also use this section to promote any event tickets you may be selling at the time. When your event is over, remember to change it back to your website address to increase website traffic.
Bio: Use this section to tell people about what services or products you offer, what types of things they can expect to see from your page, or any branded hashtags you are using or would like people to use. You only have 150 characters, make each one count.
Facebook Page: You can directly link your Facebook page to your Instagram account. I never recommend “double dipping”. What that means, is that you have the ability to post everything you post to Instagram automatically to Facebook. “Double dipping”. 2 platforms, 1 post. Don’t do it. Your audience on Facebook and Instagram are looking for different tones.
Category: Like your Facebook page, choose this wisely. Choose a category that best represents the products or services that your business offers.
Contact Options: Choose how you would like people to contact you. Enter in your email, phone number, and/or location. This will allow followers to contact your company through direct buttons on your Instagram page

Once you have this completed, your Instagram account is ready to go. Before you go on a posting bonanza, set yourself some Instagram goals. Keep in mind this is your business image, choose your posts wisely. If you ever have any questions or would like to know more about posting on Instagram, you know where to find me.

Brittaney is a Mom to an adventurous boy, an espresso addict, and a Social Media Expert helping Mompreneurs across Alberta.

Find her on Facebook: MooreMediaManagement,

Instagram:@mooremediamanagement, @captamericasmom,

and on her website

mooremedia.management

Taking My Daughter On A Date

Recently my daughter told me that I don’t spend enough time with her. (Annnnnnd cue allll the mom guilt). I was having a super busy day after I was gone all weekend in trainings that were 12 hours each day. She was upset because I told her to play with her sister while I got just a bit more work done. The tears started (hers and almost mine).

I have been a stay at home mom since my first was born. All my time was spent with my kids. Allllll my time. My husband worked out of town and I sort of had to put in double parent duty. I have taken them on all the play dates, mommy and baby classes, volunteered at preschools and so on.

Of course, life changes. My husband no longer works his lucrative out of town job, meaning I also work. (By the way, this isn’t a woe is me. I LOVE the work I do). Even, in reality I work mostly from home, but of course computer time at home isn’t the same thing as play with my children. That’s a whole other story and set of mom guilt.

Anyways, back to the tears. I told her “okay how about you and I go on a date?”. We planned a mommy daughter date in two days when I knew I wouldn’t have to rush to get somewhere after. And this was the amazing result.

It was so simple. So perfect.

We went to the library. Free fun. Read some books together, played some games and worked the sign out process together. I happened to loose her Library card and she got to pick out a new one and everything.

Afterwards we went for a sweet hot chocolate date at Second Cup. She got extra whip cream and I couldn’t have cared if it spoiled her dinner. We talked about her favourite subject in school, her friends and they silly things she loves about them. Pondered why strawberries are red and what strange flavours of popcorn we could come up with.

Now because I’m (sort of) smart, earlier that day I took my younger daughter on the exact same date. Same place and everything. So of course there was no fighting over it all.

At first I was hurt and full of guilt by what my oldest had said to me, but in reality it lead us to these wonderful memories. Memories I know I will keep with me forever.

Time with our kids doesn’t have to be big grand gestures or lots of money. All they want is us. Our love and attention. And that’s pretty amazing isn’t it?

Take care,

Jen is a yoga teacher, fitness enthusiast and health blogger over at www.BitchinHousewife.com

Social Media Basics for the Mompreneur

By Brittaney Moore

With the economy being what it is, more moms have been entering the workforce, and the pressure of being a successful career woman is higher than ever. We are so fortunate that there are many opportunities for moms to work at home, starting a revolution that is known on social media as #momboss. Small Business owning moms are in fact so popular, that we have our own title; a Mompreneur is defined as a female business owner that actively balances everyday mom duties, and the role of an entrepreneur.

As a mom myself, my daily activities include chasing after a toddler, cooking multiple meals that do not get touched, and checking my social media accounts sitting on the toilet to make sure my fellow mom friends look just as exhausted as myself. Through the past few years, we have adapted our social media use as a powerful outlet to create our home businesses. I have more friends on facebook groups that I talk to than I do face-to-face, and I know I am not alone. On average, 1.9 billion people log into Facebook every month. Naturally it is a perfect outlet to build your business, post your sales, gain recognition, and all while your sweet, adorable, tiny humans write on the wall with sharpie.

For the majority of Mompreneurs, your Facebook page and Instagram accounts are your only source of marketing for your business. It seems simple, you’ve posted about a million pictures of your kids eating spaghetti, so how hard can running a Facebook page be? There are several common mistakes that people make when running a Facebook page that can lead to low reach numbers (the amount of people that can see your content), an account suspension, or even removal of a page in its entirety. I am going to share with you a few tips to keep your page active, seen, and following the terms and conditions.

Read through Facebook’s Terms and Conditions. I know that 99% of you have agreed to the Terms and Conditions without reading them. For a personal account, you can probably get away with it, but when you are representing your business, it is a different story. I scroll through Facebook everyday and it is full of businesses that have broken the rules. The biggest one, and my biggest pet peeve, CONTESTS! Personal timelines may not be used to promote contests. This means that contests requiring your followers to “Share this Post” or “Tag a Friend” are not permitted. Failure to comply can cost you your entire page. When most of your customers and clients come from Facebook, the removal of your page can be devastating to your business.

Make your page and all your posts visibly attractive. A trick that I use when creating business pages, and all my posts is always having my devices with me and open. When I create and edit a page, I have it open on my desktop, my mobile phone, and my tablet. The key is to ensure that all your content is easy to read, see, and maneuver from every type of device your potential customers may be using.

Be Interactive. Facebook has so many different options for you to post to your business page. Do not be afraid to use them! By posting different medias such as status updates, pictures, videos, and even going live, you are really engaging your audience and bringing life to your page. Using avenues such as Facebook Live can seem overwhelming, but it doesn’t take too long to figure out and it is a great excuse to change out of your pajamas and attempt a winged eyeliner.

Following these 3 simple tips can help you develop better brand recognition and take your business page to a different level. I can go on and on, giving you tips and tricks for successfully running your business page, but I know by now your tiny humans have strategically thrown every toy they own all over the living room, or it is midnight and you are fighting to keep your eyes open. Keep up the great work, Mama.

Brittaney is a Mom to an adventurous boy, an espresso addict, and a Social Media Expert helping Mompreneurs across Alberta. Facebook: MooreMediaManagement, Instagram: @mooremediamanagement, @captamericasmom, mooremedia.management

Balance, Books and Being a Better Mom

I’m a book lover. I love reading to escape, reading to learn, even reading to keep up to date on who’s dating who in Hollywood.

Recently moving to full-time work, I don’t have as much time to sit and read as I used to. I’ve also been feeling a lot of guilt because I am not always able to completely disconnect from work when my kids are around so I decided to utilize my love of reading to check out some parenting help books. My job also involves a lot of driving around so I figured why not utilize our local library and check out some audiobooks.

I went through a few before I found one that really resonated with me. I’m a firm believer in recognizing that we can’t do too many things at one time, and taking snippets of wisdom from the plethora of parenting literature out there is the best way to approach this stuff. We all parent differently and what works for one family may not work for another, this is why taking pieces works for me. I talked to friends about it after, the pieces I took from it and even they were intrigued.

The book I ended up really hungry to press play on is called Peaceful Parent, Happy Kids by Dr. Laura Markham. At the beginning, she talks a lot about connection. How having a good one with your kids at an early age can really help when those later years come – when you have less influence on them because peers, the world, all that influence starts taking shape in their lives. I think I honed in on this because I feel like that’s something that I missed out on in my childhood and I really felt like I was lacking in giving to my kids with all the other “STUFF” getting in the way.

I picked up on 3 things she suggested doing that sounded like things that would help me, and I stopped listening to the audiobook at that point. Because I can’t do a bunch of things at once, I just need to apply a few things, then go back to it.

Quitting Yelling – her suggestion might not be something all parents would be willing to do. You give a bit of control over to your kids but honestly, I really wanted to see if it worked because I was tired of being that mom. It’s a sticker chart. For the parent. Every day you don’t yell, your kids put a sticker on that day. Crazy thing is, it worked. I’ve got a month and a half worth of stickers to prove it so far. Who knew I was motivated by that? I have come close to yelling and honestly, it’s the fact that I am on a yell-free streak that I don’t want to break.
15 min – 15 minutes, with an alarm of uninterrupted time focused on one child, at least, daily. Now I applied this to work days only. Each of my kids get their one on one15 min with me, one day I chose what we do, the next day they chose. We set an alarm, I ignore my phone and we do something. One day it’s reading a book, the next day it’s painting nails. Of course on the weekend I just try to spend as much quality time with them as possible, no time limit, but with my afternoons working from home with my son, taking that 15 min break to focus on him has been really good. Some people might think this is silly, some people this time comes naturally to. I’m not one of those people so this helped me.
Bedtime snuggles -I used to not want my kids to get used to me laying down with them. They’ll need me to fall asleep and what about the nights I’m not home? My husband even expressed his concern about my starting a dependency but I’ve set some clear expectations for them and it’s working. They know if mama’s not home we don’t get snuggles that night. They know it’s 5 minutes and they know it’s an open forum. Things come up from the day that they hadn’t told me, even though I’d asked about their day. And I just keep thinking those days will come pretty quickly when they’ll say they’re “too big” for bedtime snuggles so you know what, I’ll take them.

As I said, I didn’t finish the book yet. I actually had to return it to the library but I’m on the list again to finish it up. I needed to apply these things first before adding more on my pile.

Do you enjoy parenting books? Have you ever read anything that really resonated with you? As a mom struggling to find balance with recent changes in my world, I’d love to hear your recommendations, tips or advice.

How does she do it?

You’ve seen those headlines, leading into the blog post about an awesome and capable mompreneur on the scene who juggles it all: the carpool, the snack bar, the home (or away) job, the kids, the husband or the single parenting, the downtime, the self-care, the manicures, the crafts, the pets. Maybe she even shares the tears, the wine, or the softness of falling apart in the shower where no one can see you…

People have been asking me how I do it all, in awe and wonder how I do it all, painting me as that person. But I’m here to tell you, I am nothing to be inspired by. I am nothing to aspire to.

Doing it all nearly killed me. Read more

Making a Difference

By Nadia Goodhart

“I am just one person, how can I make a difference?”

I used to ask myself this question all the time. Then I started volunteering. I couldn’t believe how many organizations run on volunteer manpower. From boards to soup kitchens, they all relied on the generosity of individuals to get them through the year.

Why should you volunteer?

Volunteers live longer and are healthier.
Volunteering establishes strong relationships.
Volunteering is good for your career.
Volunteering is good for society.
Volunteering gives you a sense of purpose.

Volunteering exercises your mind and your body. Some organizations need physical man-power like sorting food to fighting fires while others need critical thinking skills like on sitting on a board to translating services into another language.

You can volunteer with friends, neighbors, co-workers or family. You will meet people outside your social circle that want to give back to their community. You will also meet friendly faces (the do-gooders of the world) and may make lifelong friends.

If you are a stay at home parent, unemployed and looking to get back into the workforce, or looking to get into another position at your current job, volunteering is a great asset for your resume. You will learn skills or build on experience that you can take with you into your next job. You can also get references from the volunteer coordinator or supervisor to take to your interview.

There are so many organizations that run on volunteer hours. Volunteers bring diversity, new skill sets and a sense of purpose. Organizations that have a strong volunteer base are usually more successful, have a strong community bond and are more likely to make you feel valued and part of a team. You may work for the less fortunate to gain a better understanding of their situation. You may be able to lend a voice, be an advocate for the vulnerable and show that you care for those who need help. It will also get you aware of your local community’s needs.

Who can volunteer?

There are organizations that require you to be 16 years or older but there are some that welcome kids to volunteer with their parents. The organization would be able to provide you with guidelines of who they need and what duties are involved.

Where can I volunteer?

Some of the organizations that need volunteers year-round are local festivals, community boards, sports teams, religious institutions, charities, Food Bank, vulnerable sector groups just to name a few. Talk to your friends or co-workers and get an idea or where they have volunteered or would like to. Look at social media to see what organizations are doing call out for volunteers.

Do you have a skill that you think others may benefit from? Do you want to work with like-minded individuals? Do you want to grow your network? There is probably an organization that is looking right now for you to apply. You are just one person, but mama YOU will be making a difference when you volunteer.

“Volunteering ignites positive changes on so many levels. It provides much-needed resources to people in need, your community, and worthwhile causes. It also has so many personal benefits. Volunteering helps me feel connected to my community, inspires kindness, and keeps me mentally and physically active. It’s the kind of activity that keeps you coming back for more!” – Jody Spencer – founder of Because Edmonton Cares

Nadia volunteers for a variety of organizations throughout the year. This year, she organized a campaign at her workplace to get people to volunteer 150 hours for Canada’s 150th birthday. Her goal is to seek ways to help her community be a better place. Nadia lives in Edmonton and is a mama to 3.

Celebrate the Season with Simply Supper Fondue – Plus Giveaway

The Alberta Mamas get together once a month to meet and this time we had Simply Supper Fondue! We had so much fun chatting while dipping and tasting all the goodies!

What we loved:

Super generous meat servings.
You could tell the meat was marinated and seasoned – so tender!
The broth was also actually super flavourful too.
There was 6 of us eating and plenty of everything to go around.
There was something for everyone with all the variety.
Everything was pre-portioned and meat was cut into bite sized pieces.
Dips – so many and so many different flavours to try! Kept it fun!

And as a side note;

Cheese fondue was good just more like a spinach dip than your traditional cheese fondue.
We bought a veggie tray to add on even more variety.

The kit we got included Beef Tenderloin, Pork Tenderloin, Chicken and Shrimp, 4 dipping sauces, Spinach & Artichoke Cheese Fondue, Bread, Beef Broth Fondue, apples and potatoes. This Ready to Fondue Package serves 6-8 for $160.

Getting a babysitter is hard enough, never mind on New Years, or really any date night occasion. No prepping involved here – perfect for date night at home! FYI – December 18th is the last day to order if you want a kit in time for New Years Eve.

They have two locations:

Rabbit Hill Road – South Edmonton

Albany Square – North Edmonton

Let us help you make that date night, or get together happen. Enter to WIN!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

This post was brought to you by Simply Supper. As always, all opinions stated are my own.

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