How Does She Do It?… with Janette Shearer

Janette Shearer- Ava to Zoe

Twice a month we interview Mom’s in our How Does She Do It? feature. If interested in participating please reach out on Facebook or Instagram.

 

We are excited to introduce you to Janette Shearer. She is the blogger behind Ava To Zoe. She also makes beautiful handmade leather products at Shop Ava To Zoe. She is also a married mama with two daughters.

Are you an Urban or Suburban Mama, where do you live?

100% I am an Urban Mama, living in Vancouver.

Tell us about your children?

I’ve got 2 girls who couldn’t be more opposite. Ava is 11, full of spice and wit, she is naturally talented in almost everything she does. She keeps us on our toes the most as she will definitely test the waters every chance she gets. Her biggest passions are soccer (she does this 4 days a week), drawing and snowboarding in the winter.
Zoe is 5 and all things sweet and cuddly. She is my princess through and through, loving purple and pink and all that glitters, she will make the world a prettier place.  She gives the best hugs and genuinely feels all the things all of the time. She has taught me to slow down and be ok with the emotions. Zoe loves all things dance, soccer, and drawing/building epic Lego creations.

Tell us about your typical weekday?

A typical weekday for me consists of waking up, getting both girls ready for school and if I’m not running that evening I will go to the gym in the morning for an hour.  After the gym, I typically have lunch then get working on projects on the blog or making handmade genuine leather keychains for my online store Shop Ava To Zoe.  I pick up the kids from school and then come home and finish what I was doing or start tidying up the house before starting dinner, or depending on what day it is, getting one of the kids, sometimes both ready for soccer. 

Do you have help?

My mother in law lives in Whiterock and helps out when she can. 

Who cooks dinner?

I typically do the cooking however my husband does cook a mean beer can chicken. 

How often do you buy something just for you?

I’ve gotten better at it in the last year or so but definitely not on any type of regular basis. If I do buy something just for me, it’s usually a plant to add to my collection.

Do you exercise regularly and if so, what and how do you fit it in?

I began running in 2016 and haven’t stopped since. I was kicked out of my first running group by some local postpartum moms for being to slow which fuelled a very deep competitive love for running so much that I’ve become a Clinic Coordinator aka running coach for SportMedBC. Every year I train for the Vancouver Sun Run and 2020 was the year I decided that I’d go one step further and run a half marathon. With training for the half marathon, I began going to the gym for strength training 3 times a week on my own to help me reach my goal of completing the half marathon. 
I have a running schedule that I create around my family, so if it means I run late at night, I buy running lights and I go at night but running makes me a better mom so I don’t ask for the time now, I just take it, wherever and whenever I can. I used to have a lot of mom guilt about leaving the kids to go to the gym or running but I’ve come to realize that time with their Dad (my husband) is so important and good for them! I’m a much better mom and business owner when I can step away and run it out!

What clothing lines or stores do you like to buy for your children?

I try to buy local when I can but it’s hard with my oldest as she’s in between sizes right now. Not quite big enough for a ladies XS but depending on the brand too big for the XL. Typically fits a Joe Fresh 12-14 pretty well, she’s very tall, muscular and opinionated for her age, so I can’t just pick things up while I’m out because 99% of the time she doesn’t like it. Zoe is much easier to shop for so she tends to get more clothes then Ava, again I like to buy local when I can but admittedly, I’m not much of an online shopper so I tend to get clothes from H&M, Old Navy and Joe Fresh but Zoe does love a good hand me down as well!

I’m totally obsessed with…

Plants, I don’t even know how many I have at this point but I may be known as the plant mama to all my friends.

My favourite drugstore buy is…

The only time I really go to the drugstore is to mail something but I usually end up picking up candy for my husband. I’m more of a hit up the wine store kind of gal! 

My guilty pleasure is…

I wish I was more exciting but going plant shopping is probably my guilty pleasure. Or sneaking away for a Cartems donut with a girlfriend.
Thank you to Janette for taking time out of her day to let us know “How Does She Do It.”

 

 

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