Discovering the Magic in Our Everyday Lives: An Interview with Tanisha McRae

on home-cooked meals, seasonal crafts, and nurturing connection and presence in the midst of our busy lives

In a world that often rushes by, I began my interview series to uncover how parents and families infuse creativity into their everyday lives. There is something profoundly nourishing to our souls when we engage in the act of creating. It enlivens us, is therapeutic, and fosters joy and connection within our families. My friend, Tanisha, is someone who lives life creatively alive! A mother of six, homesteader, gardener, homeschooler, herbalist, horse aficionado, photographer, and more, her vibrant life exemplifies the spirit of creativity I seek to explore. With so many interesting possibilities, choosing just one topic to discuss was difficult. But when we exchanged ideas, she shared a sentiment that resonated deeply with me during my own season of parenting and I think it will speak to you, too.

Tanisha, when we recently exchanged messages, you said, “Currently, what is driving me is slowness, home-cooked meals, and embracing all of the crafts of the season with my children. I feel time going by so fast and I just want to savor this slow season with them. Although it’s never slow around here... There is plenty to do but I am craving the "magic" again.”

I feel this all so deeply. As we move solidly into the fall season, many of us desire a slower pace, warm meals at home, and traditions with our children that draw us closer together.

Let’s begin with the desire for slowness in the midst of our busy lives. Raising a large family and homeschooling means an inevitable amount of busyness. It reminds me of how people talk about wanting a “simple” life, but often, that lifestyle isn’t simple at all. How do you balance the busyness and demands of life with your desire for a slower pace? What does "slowness" mean to you, and how do you cultivate it?

It’s ironic that I’ve chosen to talk about slowness and simplicity, when just yesterday we spent the entire day and well into the early evening as a family harvesting and processing our animals that we raise here on our homestead to sustain us through winter. It was anything but slow and it was far from simple, but it’s our reality and it’s the life we’ve chosen to lead. I’ve come to realize that “simple” and “slow” may mean very different things to different people. To me, they mean a deeper consciousness. They mean that even though we may be anything but slow, I’m however very conscious in my everyday life. I’ve realized that when I let that consciousness slip away, life feels very fast, chaotic, and anything but slow. 

Recently I’ve felt that consciousness slipping away and I’m determined to return to it. We can have never ending “to-do lists”, but we can do those things with consciousness in a way that makes them enjoyable and we’re aware of everything that’s happening in that very moment. It’s being present in that moment that makes time go “slow”. Five years into this homesteading journey and eight years into this homeschooling journey, I find it interesting that it ever got the label as a more “simple” or more “slow” way of life, because it far from either of those. To me it’s a more conscious lifestyle. A more present lifestyle. I try to cultivate that consciousness no matter how many tasks I have that always seem to continue to stack higher and higher. I can choose to cultivate slowness by being present, by finding the joy in each task, and stopping to see that “magic” that’s always there in each moment.

I love this sentiment. One of the most powerful shifts in my own experience as a mother was to seek to orient toward the joy and beauty in the moment, even when things were difficult. That perspective shift is so profound.

The kitchen table is one of those places where that ordinary magic happens and family meals are a time of connection. You mentioned that you desire more home-cooked meals. My family can easily get in a rut with our meals, so we have been trying new recipes recently. My girls enjoy cooking, and we each take a day to make the dinner of our choice. I’d love to learn more about how you structure your meals and preparation. How do home-cooked meals contribute to your family's connection and sense of togetherness?

In my family, meals are the backbone of our family connection. I’ve always been an avid home cook, I once even had a food blog dedicated to home cooked meals. Today, I look at food and cooking from a whole new perspective. I view food as the backbone to our health and wellness. We literally are what we eat. It’s not something that we just do three times a day, it’s so so much more to me. To me, food also represents the feeling of being cared for and lets my family know that, “everything is going to be okay”.  It’s about creating traditions with our family that will carry on for generations to come. In my kitchen you may find a full blown Thanksgiving feast on a random Tuesday, just because I believe that there are no certain meals reserved for, “special occasions” and that everyday is deemed “special”. Why? Because we woke up that day! And that’s cause for a celebration!

Food to me is an extension of my love. It’s my biggest contribution to my family. I feed people. It’s how I nurture and sustain those that mean the most to me. I have a blackboard in my kitchen where I write the weekly meal menu, and my family absolutely loves it! When that new set of meals hits the wall every person is scrambling to see what’s on it. The joy and the commentary makes me so dang happy. It also holds me accountable. I’ve committed to making it, they’re excited about it, and so it must be made. There are days when life gets away and meals must be changed, and we ebb and flow as needed. Being flexible and adaptable are important qualities to have. I believe that life produces a great cook. The more time you spend in the kitchen the better you’ll get at cooking. I like to pull out a week’s worth of meat from my freezer and base my meals around what I’ve pulled out. This helps me from buying unnecessary ingredients and encourages me to work with what I already have. I’ve never strived to cook “perfectly”, but I do however strive to cook with love. Injecting my heart and soul into every dish that I make. Currently in my kitchen we’re embracing all things fall, with freshly roasted pumpkins that are turned into luscious pumpkin butter and then using that pumpkin butter in bars & pies. Fall is all about hearty stews and soups. Meals that warm the soul. 

That’s so inspiring, Tanisha. Cooking is an outflow of your love and your innate creativity. Cooking really is a creative act. You begin with raw ingredients and together they become something new.

I love how you mentioned prioritizing making seasonal crafts with your children. We have gone through seasons where we do more crafting and then other seasons where we do less. Working on creative projects together brings a level of fun and magic that is so special and memorable. I would love to hear about some of your favorite fall crafts!

I’ve been homeschooling for over eight years now and I’ve noticed that we seemed to have slowed down on our arts & crafts, maybe because my children are growing older and maybe because life has been getting away from us. I’m not really sure, but when I sat down this year to ponder on my intentions for our new homeschooling season, the word “magic” kept popping up in my mind. We once had so much magic in those early years. What I’ve come to realize, is that these crafts that we have done year after year have really have been the igniter in fueling the “magic” in our home, without me even realizing it. Sitting down to draw, paint, or craft after being inspired by a read-aloud was something we almost always did. We still do, but not as much as we used to, and this season I’m determined to bring it all alive again. 

I feel like fall is our season! Whenever fall rolls around it’s like we can breath a little easier and settle into the many traditions we  have this time of year. Things like gathering leaves from our neighbors beautiful red maple tree and using them to create our fall lions, which have evolved so much every single year. I always tell people that this project may start with a single leaf and some scribbles when they’re young, but keep the tradition going and one day you’ll wake up and those little fall lions will have evolved into some pretty amazing works of art. My family’s other favorite thing to do in fall is to make beeswax candles. I’m a huge candle person, but even more so in fall and winter. Candles omit this sense of slowness, serenity, and coziness, it’s like lighting a candle encourages you to just take a moment. It’s one of our favorite things to do together. But sometimes, I like to create magic on my own, and every fall I take some of those beautiful maple leaves we gathered and I dip them in beeswax, hole punch the tip, and I string each one on some twine and I make beautiful strands of garland to hang above our windows. I absolutely love how magical they look when the light hits them just right. I find a sense of calmness and awareness as I stand above the pot of beeswax carefully dipping each leaf. It has become, “my thing” and I think that’s important. To find little things that encourage us to use our hands and creativity outside of our children. All of these things no matter how simple or elaborate are instilling core memories into each of us, they only bring us closer together as a family. Time spent around the table doing anything is how my family builds a deeper connection to each other. I hope that’s what they’ll remember the most when they reflect back on their childhood. The times we spent gathered around our table.

That leads so perfectly into the question I always like to end with: What is something that is making you come alive right now?

What is making me come alive right now? Gosh, so many things! In motherhood, I’m at this whole new chapter where I have three teenage daughters and three tweens! My eldest daughter turned 16 and wanted nothing to do with getting a car, but had saved up her own money to buy her very own horse. She wants to do something in the horse industry when she graduates. As you know, we own multiple horses, and my family really does some of our deepest connection on the back of those horses, riding through the mountains near our home. Yet, there’s something about having your very own that does something to your soul. Connecting and building a bond with an animal of that size truly is remarkable. So I understood her desire to have her “own”. After endless searching, her sixteenth birthday was approaching and she had yet to find that horse that she connected with. My mama heart hurt for her, so I made the decision to offer her my horse that I’ve ridden for the past eight years. This horse has carried my soul through some of my most difficult times, and I truly believe finding a horse like her is like finding a needle in a haystack. I knew that she’d take care of my daughter and she has literally grown up with her. My daughter was only eight years old when I bought her. This was a sacrifice I was willing to make. Sacrifice I believe is a big part of motherhood. We made the agreement that when she outgrows her and is ready to train a younger horse, that I’d buy her back. This horse will live the rest of her days with me. I’ve been watching them learning to connect with each other, and offering my advice when I’m asked. It has lit me up inside seeing them together. Seeing this remarkable animal carrying my child and handling her heart with the upmost care just as she had done for me. That makes me come alive! 

In my own personal journey, I purchased a new horse, which I’m not quite having the same experience I had with my mare. It has led me into deepening my horsemanship knowledge and it has challenged me to think outside the box. In my heart I know whatever is meant to be, will be. So for now, I’m enjoying riding all of our horses, getting them mountain ready, as it’s our goal as a family to take all the horses backcountry camping. 

You know what I’ve also been enjoying lately? Re-decorating my home! Not in the sense that I’m buying new pieces, but instead, working with what I already own. Moving furniture around, changing out artwork, and creating new weavings for the walls, which I haven’t done in forever! I love the way a room can make you feel. It’s the way your home made you feel when you were younger, that is what you remember. Not necessarily the things inside of it, but we do remember the ways we felt in certain rooms of our homes growing up. Homes are meant to be lived in, enjoyed, and so many memories are made inside these walls. I find joy in creating a home that makes people feel cared for, inspires them to be creative, and invites everyone to gather around the table creating memories. That right now is making me come alive, while also getting my creativity flowing again. 

Other Interviews in the Series:

The Art of Gathering: An Interview with Elle Celaya

The Art of Commonplacing: An Interview with Leah Boden

Establishing a Home Life Rhythm: An Interview with Jennifer Pepito

An Interview with Flower Farmer Sarah Davis

An Interview with Pattern Designer Rae Hoekstra

An Interview with Photographer Naomi Ovando