Delaney West

Life goes at a crazy-fast speed for this farrier and mom of three, but she makes a daily effort to slow down and enjoy it.

Family comes first.

All families are unique. Tell us about yours.

Our family consists of my husband Matt, myself, our two daughters Brinlee and Hazel, and our son Stetson. We have two dogs, Norma Jean and Rusty. We have three horses: Bruno, Jelly Bean and Montana. We just bought and moved to our new farm in Scio.

When did you know you wanted to be a mom?

I don’t know that there was a specific time that I knew I wanted to be a mom. I just always knew I wanted to have kids. I’m the youngest of four, and my mom always made it look so easy. She always had everything covered. I always hoped to have a family like ours when I was growing up.

Tell us about one of your proudest mom moments.

One of the most recent ones was when Hazel came home from preschool with a calendar they had made. All the kids in the class had listed what they wanted to be when they grew up. A lot of the answers were policeman, doctor, dancer. Hazel’s was, “I want to be strong like my mommy and work on horse’s feet.” My heart was proud that they think what I do is cool.

What is the most surprising thing you have found wedged between the sofa cushions or behind a carseat?

There are always so many things that my kids leave or wind up in the cushion or seat. Crushed Goldfish crackers. Snack wrappers. Happy Meal boxes. We found a banana one time that was unrecognizable by the kids because it had turned black. I think Stetson must have dropped it while we were driving, and I didn’t realize until much much later.

We’re all moms so we know that no one is perfect all of the time, or even some of the time. Tell us about your most recent “Mother of the Year” moment. You know, like forgetting to pick the kids up from school.

We just moved to our new farm, and there is a pond out the front door. Very pretty. Very landscaped. Very not good for my 2-year-old. We had concerns since we moved in that he was going to end up falling in at some point. As much as we hoped that wouldn’t happen, it did. He was throwing one of those lovely fits 2-year-olds do, and he backed up against the rocks and flipped right into the pond. Thankfully I was right there and pulled him right out. He was totally fine. It was only mid-calf deep, but still enough to worry me even though he wasn’t fazed by it.

No one works harder than mom.

We know that being a mom is a full-time job. How do you balance (or not) motherhood, activities, work, volunteering, household responsibilities, and life in general? What sometimes falls through the cracks?

Balancing work and home life can be a challenge for sure. I think all parents have that struggle. Running my own business can add extra difficulties to the schedule from time to time. But it also has its advantages, too. My family is super helpful. They are really good at helping fill the gaps in the schedule when needed, like picking kiddos up or dropping them off, meeting me half-way to the next event if I’m running late at work. I think all moms get pretty good at figuring things out in a pinch. I have the luxury that I can bring my kids with me pretty much anywhere I go if needed, so that is super helpful. I would say what falls through the cracks most is tidying up the house at the end of the day and maybe having to dig through the pile of clean clothes to find socks in the morning because getting the clothes folded and put away just didn’t make it in the schedule yesterday.

Tell us about your work or volunteerism outside of the home.

I run my own business as a farrier. I went to shoeing school in 2015, and I’ve been doing this ever since. I did my senior project in high school on a career and a hobby: my career was going to be dental hygiene, and my hobby was going to be horse shoeing. I started my prerequisites for dental hygiene and hated it, so I came home and told my parents I was going to go to shoeing school.

Do you have a goal you’d like to accomplish within the next five years?

I would like to grow and raise more animals and crops to be more self-sufficient at home. I also would love to get a small horse boarding program started on our farm.

If mom’s not happy, nobody’s happy.

Tell us about your upbringing. How did it shape the mother you are today?

I grew up in Lebanon, in the same house for 18 years, a block from the high school. My dad was a teacher and everyone knew him. We all ate at the table every night. Our family was close, and with holidays and birthday parties, there was always something going on. I always liked the closeness. We also had a lot of structure. I don’t know that I loved it when I was growing up, but I’ve learned I really like it in my adult and parenting life.

When did you realize you were no longer a child?

When I had my first baby of my own. Going into the hospital it seemed to all hit me. I wasn’t a kid anymore and this was going to change a lot.

If you could turn any activity into an Olympic

sport, in which event would you win a gold medal?

Speed cleaning. When I have 30 minutes to an hour it’s a race to see how much of the house I can get cleaned/picked up before I have to be at the next event.

What is something you will never do again?

One thing I hope to never do again is have a baby with medical troubles. Brinlee had some very scary times while learning about her kidney diagnosis: stopping breathing, high fevers, continuous medication for a year and half, a big surgery at 18 months old, and multiple OHSU visits. I would prefer to never go through something like that again.

Which good habit do you wish you started earlier?

Waking up before my kids. Taking the extra time to get up and get myself ready. Having a few moments of quiet with my Bible and coffee before starting the day.

Tell us something about you that would surprise people who don’t know you.

Small animals like rabbits and chickens kind of freak me out.

What keeps you up at night (apart from kids, of course)?

Any horses that are missing a shoe. And binge-worthy shows that I can’t stop watching.

What keeps you sane?

Church on Sunday mornings. Going for walks around the property. Taking in all the beauty. Watching my kiddos run and play keeps me sane, refreshed and recharged.

What is your least/most favorite household chore?

The dishes are my least favorite chore. I love a clean house, so when I get home I want to clean counters and sweep floors. I don’t know that I would say those are my favorite, but it’s my favorite once they are done.

What is your greatest extravagance?

I started having a nurse come to my house to give me a boost of different vitamins and such and that has been an awesome luxury.

Who is your favorite real-life hero?

My grandma for her faith and steady morals and tireless hands showing me how I want to raise my family. And my mom for always being there for me no matter what, no matter when.

Listen to mom.

Is motherhood what you expected? What surprised you the most?

I think most days it’s better than I expected. Of course we have our not-so-great days. But it truly just goes by so fast. I always heard people say that over the years, but now being the mom with the kids it’s crazy how fast it goes. It’s bittersweet because it’s exciting to see them grow into new and different stages, and also sad to see the baby years go away. You never get those back.

What’s the best advice you’ve received from another mom? What advice would you give your younger mom self?

Don’t rush into the next phase of life. It goes so fast, slow down and enjoy where you are today.

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MOM’s favorite…

Tell us about your favorite…

…family game: Uno

…binge-worthy TV: American Idol, Fear Factor

…way to get out of making dinner: Work late

MOMs love local…

We love locally owned businesses, restaurants, places and organizations. Share your favorite…

…coffee spot: North Santiam

…spot to get a good workout: NW Fit

…hair salon: North Mane

…restaurant to take the kids: Schmizza

…restaurants for a date night: The Point

...local event: The Strawberry Festival