The Will Family

I thought it might be a good idea to make a quick introduction post for anyone who doesn’t know me IRL, so here you go! I’m Ayla, said like Kayla without the K. I was born on Vancouver Island, and have lived in BC most of my life. I’ve been married to my best friend, Landon, for almost 11 years, and we have three beautiful children ages 5, 7, and 9. We currently have 2 dogs, 17 hens, and a horse, but I have dreams of adding a small herd of goats, a few more chickens, and maybe even some ducks. We’ve lived in a mobile home on my in-law’s property for nearly 8 years and I have to say living next door to Grandma and Grandpa has been such a blessing! Our ultimate goal is to spend as much time as possible with our children while they’re young and share Jesus with those around us. If that’s the only thing we accomplish in this life, it will have been a success. We are currently renovating our 38’ holiday trailer so that we can move out to our five acres this spring. We cleared our land and dug a foundation last year, but ran out of time to start building before winter hit. Building will be a slow process, but we plan to get a good start on it this year. Here’s hoping we can get enough done at our property to add a few goats and move our horse out to the property before winter! 🐐 We’re also building a large greenhouse (huge upgrade from my current tiny makeshift one!), and I’m excited to have a big garden again. I grew up canning and preserving food, and I’m doing my best to pass those skills on to our kids. I recently got my first pressure canner so I’m super excited (and a little intimidated) to learn how to use it this year! In my spare time, I enjoy reading (find me over at @aylareadsbooks ), spending time outside (as long as it’s warm), and have recently started teaching myself to play the guitar. I’m excited to share our journey with all of you! Thanks for following along. I’d love to hear a little about you in the comments!

This world runs on disconnect. We’re disconnected, separated from the ones we love for the vast majority of our days. We struggle to slow down, to connect. Life flies by and we miss out. And we often see it as normal. It’s just how it is. But what if it isn’t? **** How do you prioritize connection in your family? #connectedparenting #slowdown #authenticmotherhood #motherhoodunplugged #familyfirst #familytime

This audio says it all. 🔥 We spend our lives waiting for the next best thing and miss what’s right in front of us. #intentionalliving #raisethemwild #wildandfree #1000hoursoutside #outdoorsfamily #raisethemright

Our goal shouldn’t be to raise kids who are cookie cutter images of us. We get to decide what success looks like for us, and one day, they’ll form their own opinions. It might look the same, or similar to ours or it might be drastically different. But in the meantime, we get to watch who they’re becoming; these incredible, funny, kind little humans with their own interests, passions, and personalities. What does this look like in your family? 🗣️: @dinnertablefamily #raisethemright #wildandfree #intentionalliving #connectedparenting #motherhoodunplugged

What example are we setting for our kids? How do they see us treat the ones we love? How do we interact with people around us? Are we someone they’ll be proud of when they’re grown? Will they want to be like us once they figure out who we really are? #raisethemwild #raisethemright #intentionalliving #motherhoodunplugged #connectedparenting #fulltimefamilies

Start a farm, grow some veggies, get some chickens, eat some eggs, drink real milk, play in the woods. They’ll say you’re crazy, but it’s all good. Because we know what our version of a rich life looks like and outside opinions no longer matter to us. 🗣️ @wildmindscommunity #homesteadfamily #homeschooling #eatrealfood #sheinthegarden #canningandpreserving #traditionalskills

Drop a 🙌🏼 if you can relate. What would you add? #crunchymom #canningandpreserving #intentionalliving #homeschoolmom #homesteadingmama

GIVEAWAY CLOSED The Ultimate Holistic Mama Giveaway! We’ve partnered together to bring you the ultimate holistic mama bundle, and one lucky winner will receive: ✨ A LumeBox Red Light Therapy Device ✨ 2 non-toxic candles from @thewildcapri ✨ A 2oz “Cough B Gone” and “Feel Better Fast” from @Earthleywellness ✨ A Greenlife non-toxic slow cooker ✨ A $100 Amazon gift card ✨ A $60 gift card to Just Ingredients ✨ An Ollois cold and flu homeopathy kit To enter: 1️⃣ Like & save this post 2️⃣ Be sure to follow: @authentically.julie @bringinguptheburns @lumeboxpro @the.ungovernable.nurse @thewilldernessfamily @wildandwellblog 3️⃣ Tag a friend in the comments (each tag = 1 entry!) The giveaway closes at midnight CST 11/23/2024, and the winner will be announced in stories and contacted via DM the following day 🫶

And our kids WILL notice. One day they’ll figure us out. They’ll notice if we were truly invested in them, if we cared more about our work than about what was going on in their lives. They’ll remember that we genuinely wanted to hear what they had to say and took the time to answer their (seemingly) small questions. They’ll remember that we looked them in the eyes instead of glancing up briefly from our phones. They’ll remember that we poured ourselves into them and involved them in what we were doing as much as we could. They’ll notice that we didn’t just spend time with them out of obligation, but that we really did enjoy their company. Others might not see it, but they will. #motherhoodunplugged #parenting #raisegoodhumans #raisethemright #raisethemwild

I really would rather spend time with my kids than adults. *most of the time, anyway* Kids are so much fun! They ask big questions and share deep thoughts. They aren’t afraid to tell you what they think and they still see the joy in the little everyday moments. They tell silly jokes and make sure we never forget how to laugh. And sure, they’ll whine and cry sometimes, but give me a crying child over a whiny adult any day. 🤣 #raisethemwild #wildandfree #authenticmotherhood #letthembekids #wildschooling #raisethemright

We might not be able to leave our kids all the money in the world, but they’re still growing up rich. They’re growing up rich in memories. They’re growing up in a family that prioritizes family time above everything else. They’re growing up in a house filled with love, even if it’s small and old (and on wheels). They’re growing up with a knowledge of what really matters most in life. What does “rich” look like to you? #generationalwealth #raisethemright #intentionalliving #intentionalmotherhood #rvfamily #outdoorsfamily

These are a few of my favourite things: My little family. Everyday moments. A good book. Animals. Nature. My husband. Good food. Slow living. Long walks. Mornings with the horses. Hugs from my favourite people. I love this little life we’ve created. What makes you happy? #wildandfree #raisethemwild #1000hoursoutside #outdoorsfamily #intentionalliving #motherhoodunplugged