Moving to Arizona from Minnesota with 3 small children?!

[@allitopete]

I grew up in Peoria, AZ and now live in Seattle and it is LIFE CHANGING. Arizona was honestly not a good place to grow up. We ran out of “adventures” very quickly and spent a LOT of time in California. My husband and I both grew up in the same neighborhood and are absolutely in love with raising our kids in Washington. It’s truly incredible.

[@mugesherdil1796]

I also started using only natural fibers last year and I have come a long way surprisingly. Needless to say, I have much less clothing now and I am not mad about it. I HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend that you watch Dr. Yvonne Burkart's videos who is a PhD Toxicologist. She has changed her lifestyle when she was unable to conceive and her new lifestyle allowed her to have 2 children naturally. I am sure you will want to invite her to your podcast once you see her videos (if you haven't already) lol. I have learned soooo much from her and I am so grateful for her expertise!

[@CJ2023Incognito]

I never tell people this because we have so many folks moving here, but Montana is awesome. You are awesome so you would fit right in. ☺️

[@Shannon-en4tt]

As someone who moved from WA state to Phoenix AZ… the heat is too brutal. We’ve been here for two summers and truly we cannot do anything for 6 months (not even in the early mornings or late evenings). The lows don’t go below 90 and the heat is typically 110+ for 3 straight months. Also, putting babies in a car that’s been sitting outside in the heat is terrifying. We truly do not know how people live here. We are military and cannot wait to be somewhere cooler for us and the kids.

[@thecorameyer]

Lol watched the whole thing! Omg you crack me up! "Another thing to have anxiety about " hahahah there are sooo many rabbit holes to go down when it comes to non-toxic living. Pact and Burts Bees are 2 brands i'd highly recommend for organic cotton! They often have big sales which make them much more affordable. Just bought throw blankets on sale from coyuchi (normally $$$) and they are heaven!! Also random thought but the MN lake life is a big reason why people stick around! Winter feels like forever up there but the other seasons are so amazing. Once the kiddos are older y'all can do more "winter sports" which might make it more enjoyable.

[@WhoaLookAtThat321]

Would love for you to dive into more on the health fibers for clothes and how youre doing it! I love the approach to buy cotton as you replace (same for bed sheets etc!) and love the patience to get there in time

[@jackiemarsh8469]

One vote for Montana here! Missoula's particularly sheltered from winter storms so it's easy to get out and enjoy the season still.

[@SheelaghDaly]

I think your hair looks so cute!! It sounds like you throughly thought things through and picked the right option for you :) Loved this update!

[@janine6779]

The Pacific Northwest is the best for year round weather in my opinion! Winters are mild and summers are mild! Lots of mountains and hiking!

[@jessicarae1924]

There is rain season and smoke season.

[@MKSpeakz]

Watching this with my baby girl napping in my arms ❤ motherhood is amazing and I’ve never been this happy in my life

[@k-macky1933]

2:28 as an Arizona native, this made me lol. It’s so dangerously hot most of the year it’s not safe to be outside unless there’s a water source and shade nearby to keep you from getting heatstroke. Definitely cannot go outside anytime you want 🫠 also…running out of water pretty quick there. It’s scary. I live in PA now and the weather is much friendlier here lol

[@shelbys2750]

Missouri is a good state for being able to get outside most of the year. Also there are all 4 seasons, plenty of water, lots of great trails and things to do (depending a little on the area).

[@jessydiaz4119]

We lived in Arizona for two years, it was hell! So horribly hot and dry! Glad you didn't

[@flyhigh2thesky]

Everytime I watch your videos it reminds me how much I want to support other moms who just gave birth. I always enjoy your content. Thanks for sharing.

[@thecorameyer]

Only a couple minutes in but wanna say, yeah girl!! I chopped off 15inches this week and it is SO liberating!! I grew up in WI and lived in MN for yearsss. Spent a winter in Fargo for my husband's job. We moved down to Georgia 2 years ago when I was pregnant with our first. It's the best!! I'd be devastated if we had to move back. I was a nanny back in MN and those winter months were so brutal (esp when it's so damn cold the snow freezes) and it's extra dark and depressing. It's hard being away from family down here while raising/growing our own but I am sooo much happier with the weather and being able to be outside nearly year-round. Anyways, time to watch the rest of your video lol!

[@whoaitsjul]

Hello! Another MN mama here who has also contemplated moving. You are right, the winters here are TOUGH. Something I'll say about living here, the winters are starting to soften and many folks are moving here because of climate change (they call them climate refugees because of how bad hurricanes, hear waves and wild fires are getting in the south/west). There is also water shortages in the SW. This isn't to be like a fear monger (I'm in no way a conspiracy or prepper person, just a regular mom). But these were major factors that made us realize it was worth it to stay here.

[@hannahbayles7624]

I’m also slowly building my natural fiber wardrobe

[@laneadamslivingwell]

I love your random thoughts! Yes please do the work and let us know where to get high frequency fabrics 😂😂😂😂 but seriously!

[@shelbyburnett1173]

There are so many parts of AZ. I lived in Prescott at and it has the best of both worlds. Tropical weather in phoenix then the snow in Flag staff loved it!

[@autismenlightenment]

Yes i live just outside prescott and its nice here. 2 months hot, 2 months cold andthe rest of the year is just nice.

[@kaitiethayer2527]

We are from the westside of WA state but moved over the mountains to central WA a couple years ago for more sun, and we’re loving it. We’re closer to the mountains and we experience all 4 seasons in a very balanced way. Highly recommend.

[@MarianneMedlin-dz4dz]

I cloth diapered for about 2 years and mostly switched to natural fibers. I’m not an expert, but I do run hot at night & my daughter literally turns into an oven when she sleeps. As in, she will be wet with sweat, pillow wet & everything. It’s not always super environmentally friendly, but bamboo pajamas, bedsheets, & pillowcases have been a major game changer for us both. Ironically, clothes marketed as ‘sweat wicking’ I find that while they wick away sweat quickly, I tend to sweat more when I’m in them. I’m a fan of linen, but don’t wear it all the time. I want to try out wool under layers for us this winter.

[@thedesertdaydreamer]

I’m dying because we moved from AZ to CO shortly after we had our son for the exact reason you’re saying you wanted to move 🤣 it is just insanely hot and it’s for over half the year depending on where you live 🥵

[@aliciaanderson3622]

Arizona is fantastic, but if you were to get stuck in a situation where you needed to have your air conditioner fixed in the middle of the summer, it can get pretty sketchy pretty fast. My grandparents moved there after they retired, and we got caught without AC for 2 days. It was probably the most intense 2 days of my life LOL. Just kidding but it was pretty bad.

[@katiemacarthur3658]

That’s funny, my husband specifically wants to move out of Arizona because you CAN’T be outside most of the year (at least in the Phoenix area). It’s so sad, we have to tell the kids they can’t play outside for a good chunk of the year because it’s just too hot. It’s very dangerous to hike in our extreme heat too. But up north there are very pretty places with better year-round temps (like Sedona, Flagstaff)

[@vegginny548]

came here to say this! i have family there, you can’t be outside 9 months of the year unless it’s 10p-6a 😢

[@scottsandry1854]

I grew up in Arizona (Mesa) and spent my childhood outside most of the time throughout the year every year.

[@KatieJane31]

What are you talking about? It’s only an oven for 4 months. The other 8 months you can be outside all day.

[@jamilleoglesby6739]

I moved there for 2yrs, lived in Mesa. No way will I ever move back, miserable. People are nice though

[@natalieboyer9265]

It is really expensive to live in Arizona if you want to own a house and live in Northern AZ.

[@Curly_cue]

I personally would never move away from the Great Lakes because the water availability concerns me. But thats just me. I feel like you should look into Appalachia area for mountains but more mild seasons. i think you underestimate how hard it is to get outside in the extreme heat and how dangerous it really is. It has gotten worse in the SW specifically in just the past few years. It is far easier to suit up and play in 20* than try to not die in 120*. I will say we had to move away from family because of my husband’s work and it is so hard. We are trying to move closer. Holidays are more complicated, its lonely, more expensive to see family, and your kids wont know their family as well as they could.

[@moose5407]

AZ definitely has its pros and cons. I've lived here all my life! I personally can't do cold... Like it gets below 70° and I'm in a hoodie 😂 The summers are rough, but not unmanageable. Just be prepared for the AC bill (as I'm sure are similar to your heating bills in the winter...) Getting out in the mornings/after the sun has gone down is key. Phoenix has a lot to offer but is about 5-10° warmer than Tucson (which is still warmer than Flagstaff - a city in the mountains that gets snow every winter!) Living in either Tucson or Flagstaff are a few hours drive from Phoenix/surrounding cities and helps us to have the cooler weather more often, but we make the drive to Phoenix for the other things it has to offer! Also, water is not as much a concern as people think it is - yes, it doesn't rain often (except Tucson's amazing monsoon season!) but we also don't all have lawns to water/maintain so we save a lot of water that way!

[@ahsa222]

I’ve been in the Phoenix area for 2 yrs and I tell all my friends not to move here. The heat is truly horrible. And I’m from the south! It was over 110 for weeks this summer. I don’t understand the people who choose to move here. I can’t wait to leave. 🥵

[@crabbysuet]

Check out Berea, Kentucky! Four seasons, eco/crunchy culture, hiking families all around, small university, right down the road from Lexington with city-ish vibes. Houses aren't crazy expensive compared to out of state.

[@heyshayla]

I've never heard of Berea, KY! I'll have to look it up and maybe even add it to our list! 🙏

[@kelsieosenbach6764]

I tried merino wool for the first time and loved it!! Don't want to wear anything else! Wooland has a 100 day dress challenge and I did it! Best thing ever!

[@hereforthehoroscopes]

I would follow you to WA!lol except the gray/ rain is brutal. I live in NH and also like mountains ect. And welcome to the clothing rabbit hole, lol. It's a lot. I add slowly. I just told my hubs last night when we have a spare 5k I'm overhauling mu while wardrobe to cotton, linen, wool, ect.

[@Mrsanyak]

As a mom in AZ, I’m so glad you didn’t move here. If you like the outdoors, you will be miserable. Winters are great and we spend so much time playing outside. During the summer, going outside is basically not an option. Even the pool feels like bath water. And summer is not just July and August. It is May to October. Flagstaff is better, but expensive. I hope you can find a happy medium! I’ve yet to find it. 😢

[@hannahgreenhargreaves9447]

I miss the sunshine of AZ so much, as I sit in the gloomy UK which has been my home for nearly a decade. Native of AZ, and did loads of climbing and hiking when I lived there. Maybe Flagstaff could be more your style?? Also, I just got on a natural fibres and anti-EDCs kick, so right there with you on the journey 😚 Love your content!!

[@katmicco1]

Colorado has seasonally the best of all worlds + hiking (even in winter). But expensive, so tradeoffs.

[@nadines8612]

Girl I know it sounds out there but Puerto Rico!! I moved from Toronto to San Juan almost 4 years ago and it's amazing! Rasing two babies going to the beach everyday and jungle hikes are everything! Also, YES! Natural fibers 🙌 Have been moving in this direction for a few years now, and especially for the babes :)

[@heyshayla]

I lived in condado for about 8 months in my 20s! It is an awesome place

[@nadines8612]

@heyshayla That's where we are :) It's such a great mama community here too!! Come 😊

[@willowslater9961]

Book suggestion: “this is where you belong; the art and science of loving the place you live” by melody warnick. You’re already doing so many of the books suggestions but it’s a quick and funny read 😅❤

[@megancasey7075]

We left from wa to Arizona when Covid hit and the weather beats wa any day! Miss family and friends but so much to do!

[@taylormakenziereed8115]

Throwing Chattanooga, TN out there for places to check out! Pretty mild weather (very humid in the summer) and we are about to become the nation's first National Park City! We have tons of hiking all around and a great community for families!

[@heyshayla]

Uuuu this sounds amazing

[@jazminjoyce4253]

Hello! I try to be eco friendly but I'm not hippy granola, i switched a few years ago to natural fibers and it's so good. I do get a little bit of plastic clothing still (i.e. workout gear) but natural fiber clothing can breathe better so you don't swear. Wool helps temperature regulation so not only does merino keep you warm in winter you can get merino running shirts etc to keep you cool in summer. Also wool doesn't hold onto smells the same and you aren't meant to wash it after wearing - only when it actually gets dirty or if it does smell.

[@mamamarianasouza]

For the record, in my experience extreme heat is waaaaaay worse than extreme cold. I’m from Mexico, lived in the jungle for 8 Years and never adapted. Just despise it. Plus you get super poisonous bugs and snakes and stuff and with small kids is terrifying to know those creatures Crawl Around your house

[@chrisdc1689]

Been in AZ for 10 years. 10/10 do not recommend if you like 60F weather 😅

[@silviamoreno2182]

I moved to SC from AZ and I miss AZ, the heat is bad and kinda pain in the b.. but it doesn’t hurt like cold weather, and you don’t have to deal with the snow, but it’s just something there than makes me miss it everyday, the drive, even if the people say the traffic is bad there freeways and highways are better in the west here the traffic is horrible and is not a real city, I miss the sunset, the food, how close is San diego, Flagstaff, Prescott, it’s true about have kids and have to play inside but is the same if the winters are that cold like in MN, but winters in Colorado and Utah are better probably would be the good option

[@sarahshah3008]

Yes to natural fiber clothing! Not to mention every wash in the washing machine contributes to microplastics in our water :( especially fleece.

[@Natasha-tu5qs]

Haha glad to know I'm not the only mum casually cutting her hair at home because it's too annoying 😅 Lived in Tucson for a couple of years and that was fantastic, we could just drive 30 mins and go hiking somewhere. But the summers truly are brutal. At least with the cold you can always just bundle up and go outside. But in that heat, you really just cant be outside after about 10am, so if you want to do any hiking May-Sept you have to be up early.

[@shayladaly3264]

Did you like Alaska? Me and my husband have been thinking about moving there! We visited last year and fell in love but not quite sure if we can make the jump lol

[@heyshayla]

It’s incredible, the people are incredible but it seems they “follow the whales” and are there for the summer Ava go to Hawaii for the winter. The winters are dark. I was on the Kenai peninsula and it was incredible. Whenever I’m trying to decide I ask myself what is the worst thing that could happen?

[@chloeb1642]

Hey neighbor! I didn't know you live in MN! As much as I hate the winter and the summer, I can't imagine living anywhere else. (Except Germany, where we lived for a couple years)

[@chloeb1642]

P.S. I'm 100% natural fibers for the kiddos. It's not a big deal at all. Especially for the baby, it's SO easy to find 100% cotton second hand. I actually haven't bought any clothes for him except a couple wool pieces because I got so many hand me downs and Buy Nothing finds. The 8yo is harder, because second hand clothes in general are harder, but we've still been successful.

[@hollyyoung7380]

I don’t know what this attitude was today, but it was relatable 😂❤️❤️

[@heyshayla]

Hahahahahaha it was weird

[@l8dyfrizz]

We are in a hot, humid, and buggy location atm and it’s so hard feeling trapped indoors most of the year. 😢 I feel you! I plan my week around the weather, if it’s going to be nice one day I make plans to go to a park or something and be outside all day. The type of weather and place you describe yourself liking reminds me a lot of the mountains of Virginia and North Carolina where I have lived in the past! Have you ever visited those locations?

[@heyshayla]

Yes!! I thought about nc too! We love the west coast

[@colleeneee2008]

We considered Tucson very heavily, the lack of water in that area is concerning though 😬

[@MarianneMedlin-dz4dz]

2:05 I go through phases when I just don’t have the patience to ‘waste’ time & money with a salon. lol! Full disclosure, I also go to a salon a few times a year because ‘I don’t have the time to waste doing my hair at home.’ 🤣 Just depends! I have a simple cut, & color.

[@kashbash9645]

You should talk more about the random thing. Don’t sleep in microfibre - also plastic.

[@jocelyntrishell]

I wanna move back to Arizona haha I grew up there. But I live in Utah and it’s also so beautiful and winter isn’t bad

[@devorahb6592]

Love your channel. I think starting it introducing yourself as “hippie, granola, etc” might scare people away who have lots to gain from your channel. Motherhood and mindset which is what much of your channel is about is universal- not exclusive to a “crunchy” population. I consider myself quite mainstream/conventional and appreciate so much of what you share!

[@heyshayla]

I think you’re right with the shift my channel is making, thank you!!

[@michellerotondo9618]

Have you ever considered the central coast of California ??? Perfect weather year round, beach, hiking, safe.. it’s more costly here but you get paid more. My husband is a firefighter and he supports our family on that salary.

[@aeccherr]

Where are you talking about specifically? I’m in Monterey that’s why I ask. Love living here but damn it’s expensive

[@michellerotondo9618]

@@aeccherr we currently live in SLO but I’m from Santa Barbara! Have also lived in Santa Cruz.

[@aeccherr]

Oh nice! I went to school in Santa Barbara. Amazing beautiful place 🙂

[@eirdoula]

Come to Oregon! We are ideal for what you’re looking for.

[@lisak574]

Hey Shayla, I'm a mum of a 3 year old and a one month old. Would love to hear your thoughts on how you prevent your littlest one from catching all the germs and viruses your older ones bring home. Our eldest goes to nursery every day and is regularly sick, which caused our 2 week old baby (at the time) to spend 4 nights in the hospital.

[@delightfullife9489]

Currently living in AZ Phoenix. It’s amazing. Lifestyle is totally it. Heat is hard but you can get in the pool and go out in the morning/night. It’s so great here. 😊

[@orsolyasipos4573]

Just a quick note from a scientist. I really hope it does not sound offensive, but I wanted to let you know that frequency of textiles is 100% nonsensical. Just before anyone goes down that rabbit hole, please do not. It is not a thing. Otherwise, please go ahead with natural materials for clothing, a fantastic choice. Just not because of their "frequency".

[@heyshayla]

Hahahaha how is a frequency of a textile even measured?

[@orsolyasipos4573]

@@heyshayla Nohow, to be precise 😁 You can measure the frequency of light or sound, but not cotton 😂 But of course, anyone can make up anything that sounds scientific and be very serious about it on the internet...

[@valejandra255]

Yes, absolute nonsense and it made me laugh 😂 But I’m also on the train of all natural fibers. Synthetic fibers, however, do have their place, like on a jacket, tents, a sleeping bag, etc., just not next to your skin

[@Nug12b]

I live in AZ!!

[@valeriiearce]

But every summer will get dangerously hotter every year. I'll take cold over 120° any day

[@madisonjane9865]

I vote you come back to WA with me... but I've also considered AZ.

[@morganscott7290]

Utahan here. Lots of pros and cons. But if you love to be outside and you like hot and cold. We got you. There is so much stuff to do here that is outside. Almost all the people you meet here are nice. You can drive one direction for mountains and then drive a different direction to the red rocks and heat. Really, if you love outdoors and want to be outside in a camper or van. Utah would keep you and your family busy all year long.

[@carissapinkey]

We moved from Iowa to Phoenix in 2022. Don’t do it lol

[@heyshayla]

Tell me more

[@carissapinkey]

@ we left Iowa because we hated how long and dark winters are. Snow in April? Hated it! We just KNEW that if we moved to Phoenix we’d be able to be outside more, go for hikes, swim all of the time, enjoy the sunny days. But…it’s not as great as we thought it would be. I can only speak for our experience in Phoenix but the sun gets exhausting. Every day is a sunny day which sounds nice until you don’t have Fall, or until it’s still 90 degrees on Halloween, or when it’s still 70s and 80s in December and it doesn’t feel like Christmas. Summers are also long. They start in April and don’t end until late October. So you’re inside A LOT. Summer nights are disgusting because it cools down but only down to like ~100 degrees. Kids are also not allowed to be outside for camp or recess because it’s too hot. School scheduling is another thing….kids go back to school in July and then get 2 weeks off in the Fall, 2-3 weeks in December, and 2 weeks in March. Which some people don’t mind but we personally do because it limits our travel time in the summer and it’s not like our family back in Iowa is out of school in Fall so timing with the rest of our family and the rest of the world is off. We miss clean air, local lakes, grass, cloudy cozy days, nice people (people here are so rude and midwesterners here agree), and being outside more. Most pools aren’t temperature controlled so in the summer they’re like bath water instead of refreshing. Hiking on dirt and rock isn’t scenic. It’s also incredibly expensive! People who bought a house prior to 2022 don’t feel the inflation the way someone new like us does. Our $329k house in Iowa would be like $1.5M here. We like Gilbert/Chandler but we haven’t been able to find an affordable house yet. A 4 bedroom 1800 sq ft house with no yard, no pool, and dated is at minimum $500k. It’s tough. And because it’s so expensive to live here AND so expensive to fly out of here to the Midwest, traveling doesn’t actually happen for our family that often. We’re a six figure income household too with only 2 kids (1 of which is school age) so it’s not like we couldn’t be well-off elsewhere. We absolutely were. So idk! It’s not what we thought it would be and so we are strongly considering moving elsewhere. I will say it’s nice only needing mostly 1 wardrobe and not having extreme weather events and being able to mostly predict how the weather will be. It’s also nice for us to have more to do because in Des Moines there was some stuff but not a ton. And any shopping we could dream of is here, plus nice areas like Scottsdale. And west coast vacationing is only a drive away. But we have landed on a laundry list of cons that we would’ve never imagined having. Happy to talk more if you’d like and sorry this is so long lol!

[@cakonicek]

@@carissapinkeyI can second this almost exactly. Moved from WI to AZ in 2023. Single income with two babes. thought AZ was going to give us financial freedom, instead we are stuck in this rat race. We are trying to move back to WI. Cold sucks sure, but the heat is just gross. I never feel clean or fresh. As a midwesterner there is very little in az that feels charming,l or restful. The desert has a severe beauty but with small kids we rarely make it out of the valley to hike. And when we do- the trails are packed. Sedona is so busy now days. Not like 10 years ago when we would visit. It’s just too much city. Endless suburb. Not my speed. Hear me out- some people love it here. Truly. But it’s more fun to VISIT AZ and all she has to offer and live in the Midwest. Personally, it’s a little soul sucking here , with little to no green and lakes. Hard to get the Midwest out of my heart. Needed to live here for 1.5 years to reach that conclusion.

[@MarianneMedlin-dz4dz]

2:05 I go through phases when I just don’t have the patience to ‘waste’ time & money with a salon. lol! Full disclosure, I also go to a salon a few times a year because ‘I don’t have the time to waste doing my hair at home.’ 🤣 Just depends! I have a simple cut, & color.