Day one...let's hope there is a day two!

I have accepted the December challenge from a friend on Instagram...

Yes, this challenge is a PHOTO challenge - to post according to topic. BUT, I’ve decided to push myself with a photo AND a writing challenge. I hope you will join me throughout December as I try writing with intention. Often I just write whatever I am feeling and then add a splash of humor for good measure. Send me a message if you want to know where to find all the deets on this December challenge!

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Day 1: Intro post

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I guess now is as good a time as any to reintroduce myself. ((DEEP SIGH)). Autobiography is such a strange thing to me. I think for others it may come naturally but I DREAD IT. If you look at our real estate profile on our Broker’s website you will see that my profile is one of the only ones without a bio. Not because my broker hasn’t tried to get one out of me-because he has. Not because I NEVER write anything-because I do. And not because I haven’t had ample opportunity to find time to do it in the 3-4 years that I have been with Montana Westgate Realty.

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It’s DREAD...no other reason than I just don’t like talking about myself. Moreover, I feel so uncomfortable when I am writing about myself in the THIRD PERSON. It’s like I am pretending that I am not writing about me. Who even came up with that? You know what else makes me really uncomfortable? When someone is acting and you have to interact with them as their character. Anyone with me on that? Like dinner theater when you have to ask the character questions. Am I the only one with sweaty palms right now just thinking about it?

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Perhaps, I’m evading the topic? Ok, here goes: I am Bear, no...not my real name but only

telemarketers use my real name. Here’s a big disappointment - there is no awesome story behind the nickname. I'll do a post on that later. I live in Montana - but I grew up in California which gives me the unique authority to proclaim that there are beautiful souls and ugly ones

despite geographic location. I love all things having to do with homesteading but will never be disciplined enough to be a “go to” authority on any of the aspects. I like to call it homestead-lite...I try to do what I can for our family but fail miserably, often.

I once thought (and still do) that I should start a blog titled the “Feral Mama” or “Ramekin Shenanigans” but for now we are going to continue our focus on “Growing Up Montana”.

We have cows, kids, chickens, dogs, horses. Our family loves Jesus, this country, all things ranching, gardening, rodeo, hunting, canning, camping, exploring. When I say we I mean my husband Cody and the two kiddos “Sissy” and “Boy”. The secret talents I wish I had and often dream about?: playing piano “honky-tonk” style and doing hundreds of pull ups in a row.

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Western Montana and the Bitterroot Valley is our home and we LOVE our life. We began sharing our story with all you beautiful followers about a year ago and have been hugely blessed since day one! I spend most of my days taking care of animals and kids (homeschool) but I am also a real estate agent and photographer. My husband Cody is a real estate broker and together we make a pretty good team in life and in business.

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I hope you are savvy enough to know that social media is what we share. Yes, we have a pretty amazing, beautiful life but we have our struggles and shortcomings as well - I think I’ll save that for another time! But trust me...there is a lot to share.

This was taken from our instagram account: We'd love for you to follow our journey there as well.

https://www.instagram.com/growing.up.montana/