Welcome to Goat Notes! Goat Notes is a creative and family life blog. We like to live life intentionally around here. We try to consume less, play more and do most things by hand. You can expect posts about nifty and thrifty DIY tutorials, vegetarian recipes (Check out Vegetarian Sundays), snippets from my daily life (check out Solo Aqui), fun childrens' learning activities, outdoor adventures and the overall tapestry of events that make up my life.
If you want to know a little more about the girl behind this blog, check out "GoatNotes FAQ" below. I give answers...I know, shocking.
As always, thank YOU for stopping by! Please feel free to contact me at talktogoat(at) gmail (dot) com, or see my Contact Me page. Or, leave a comment on a post. I try to answer every and all questions to the best of my ability.
XOXO,
Julia
GoatNotes FAQ
1. Why is your blog called "GoatNotes?"
In 2010 I had my son and I was looking for a creative (and high hopes of something lucrative) outlet. So, in the fits of an early morning feeding I decided to start an Etsy shop (um, not the best time to decide to do something major, like start a business. ahem). I titled it GoatNotes. Sort of after my son, because he's a Capricorn, and because "GOAT" stood for "Good' Ol Accents & Trinkets." I sold cards, trinkets, and jewelry that I hand made. I started a blog to help support my etsy shop, and soon realized that far prefered the blog writing part to the Etsy Shop owning.
2. What's up with Vegetarian Sundays?
Vegetarian Sundays is my food blog that I started five years ago, so I could keep track of the vegetarian recipes I create and enjoy. I share some of my favorite and more "family friendly" vegetarian and vegan recipes here on GoatNotes at least once a week.
3. I am visiting the San Francisco Bay Area, what are some fun places to check out (with the
Oh, yes the trips to the SF Bay Area with the children. Well, there is always the Golden Gate and Good'ol Pier 39, but some of my favorites include: Precita Eyes in SF, Coit Tower in SF (see if you can spot the birds of telegraph hill!), Tilden Park Little Farm in Berkeley (it's free!), and if you are looking for some good hikes and outdoor adventures, check out Weekend Sherpa. For family friendly events take a loot at Macaroni Kids or SFGoKids.
Oh, yes the trips to the SF Bay Area with the children. Well, there is always the Golden Gate and Good'ol Pier 39, but some of my favorites include: Precita Eyes in SF, Coit Tower in SF (see if you can spot the birds of telegraph hill!), Tilden Park Little Farm in Berkeley (it's free!), and if you are looking for some good hikes and outdoor adventures, check out Weekend Sherpa. For family friendly events take a loot at Macaroni Kids or SFGoKids.
4. Where do you find all of your free/gently used clothes?
All over! Check out this post for a list. Also at the Just Between Friends Clothing Swaps, and the Peace Love Swaps.
5. What is your favoirte craft material to use with toddlers?
Hands down, contact paper. See it in action with these tutorials:
I also like to use anything from the recycling bin or items found around the house. Q-Tips work great for painting, old Starbucks coffee cups make fun stamps.
6. What do you wish you knew how to do?
Knit. I really want to knit my own socks.
7. How do you get your kid to take a nap?
It's all about consistency. He wakes at the same time every day, he goes down for nap (relatively) at the same time every afternoon and he goes to bed at the same time every night. Granted, sickness, teething, loud noises (like school marching bands or dogs) can interfere with our naps at times. But, the first key is consistency. Second key, routine. We read the same books, drink from the same cup and are laid down the same way every time. There really is no "nap time," there are just multiple "sleep times." I also read the following books, which helped to relive my anxiety around sleep:
8. I am new to vegetarianism can you recommend a good cookbook?
(A). My all time favorite is surprisingly a Vegan Cookbook, but I just adore the combinations, flavors and breadth that is contained in Vegan With a Vengeance. Others that are great to have around include Heidi Swanson's Supernatural Cooking and her other book Super Natural Every Day.
9. I'm a new mom, how did you make your mommy friends?
(A): I can totally relate to this questions because when I had my son most of my friends didn't have children! Well, all I can say is put yourself out there. I joined a couple of meet-up groups on Meetup.com and have made some amazing and wonderful connections that way. You can also take a music and me, a yoga and me, a stroller strides or other classes geared towards moms. Get out of your house and just go do the things you enjoy. Friends will follow.
10. What's your "Day Job?"
Besides being 100% present for my busy toddler, I am a proofreader and copy editor. I work from home reading and correcting all sorts of written documents in those stolen hours of the morning and late evening. In other words, I don't sleep much. It's worth it to me, and GoatNotes is just my little escape so I can dip into my creative side now and then.
If you are looking for a button to share the love (which I say a big, THANK YOU! to you), see below:
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