Last year we set out to spend more time making memories and buying less stuff – we wanted to do more together. And what a year it was! Here’s a recap of 2017 – from our adventures to favorite recipes! ♥
Travel & Experiences
The holidays were all about gifting experiences instead of material things. The boys got two big gifts – a trip to California (Santa brought them all suit cases, that clever man) and then tickets to their first ever big concert, to Bruno Mars. We knew it was something everyone would enjoy, and we definitely had a blast together. The concert wasn’t until the Fall – so the gifts from the holidays lasted a LONG time, way more than any objects we could have bought them!
California
We started off 2017 by taking the boys on their first flight with a trip to California. There were so many special memories (and of course lots of great gluten-free eats)! Who needs a snow cone when you can have a MEAT CONE!! We got to introduce the boys to their late-uncles favorite comic book store, I got an updated wedding ring, and Wesley got his 15-minutes of fame by inventing a new dish (that they put on the official menu, The Wesley Waffle!) at Mission Heirloom.
Chicago
The summer brought Matt and I to Chicago (sans kiddos!) for amazing food, shows, and shopping (and a work conference). Matt enjoyed tons of culture and museums while I worked during the day – then at night we were blown away by the amazing gluten-free eats Chicago had to offer. We even got to see Hamilton (another Christmas gift enjoyed later)! And spending this quality time with my best friend was pretty amazing too.
Glamping & Lake Life
Of course there was plenty of camping… err, “glamping” with the boys and some of our dearest friends and family. We always cherish this time in the (sort of) wilderness with the boys, where we get to connect on a different level with them and disconnect from the rest of the world. Smith Mountain Lake is another favorite every summer, and this year was no different. We stay in a house so it’s not quite “glamping” but the lake life is one of our favorites!
Hogsmeade in VA
In October traveled to a nearby city (Staunton, VA) that’s influenced by nearby Polyface Farms. With so many grass-fed and organic restaurants we’ve been several times, but this time the entire town into the Wizarding World (of Harry Potter)! We held hands as we explored the shops, restaurants, and games. Of course we had Butter Beer! But the best part? Seeing an entire city of people come together over magic and wonder. We can’t wait to go back next year!
The Best of the Blog, 2017
2017 was a year of ups and downs, and GROWTH for us as a family- which has had me doing a lot of reflecting. From the boys growing up, to the things that affect our health beyond food. Through Stacy’s safer skincare business with Beautycounter, we raised several thousand dollars across five different fundraisers – what a wonderful gift to be able to give back!
Blog Posts
- 8 Reasons Petroleum Jelly has NO Place in Your Lives and What to Use Instead
- The Golden Years: How Raising Independent, Empowered Kids Can Make Parenting Fun
- Federal Regulation, US Code, and Stacy’s Take on the NIH’s “State of Evidence 2017”
- Be the Change You Wish to See in the World
- Safer Swaps
Videos
- 3 Tips to Kick That MTHFR and THRIVE!
- Fauxmato Sauce
- Wet Eyeliner Tutorial
- Beast Mode Lashes Tutorial
- Instant Pot Hard Boiled Eggs & How To use the InstantPot Video
Podcast Episodes
- 277: Epigenetics, Adoption, and Turning Genes On and Off
- 275: Cancer Risk from Personal Care Items
- 272: What’s the Deal with Essential Oils?
- 269: What Is a Real Detox and What Is Bunk?
- 243 & 244 with Robb Wolf
- 237: Self-Love, Self-Acceptance, Self-Respect
- 235: Denise Minger and Extreme Diet
Recipes!
- Instant Pot Apple Butter BBQ Sauce
- Perfect Paleo Lard Pie Crust
- Veggie-Loaded Broccoli “Cheese” Soup
- Ham & Broccoli Pasta
- No-Bake Peanut Butter & Honey Protein Balls
- Harry’s Cottage Pie
- Hot Chocolate Fallen Souffles
- The Fastest Meatza: the Grain-Free Pizza of Your Dreams
What Says Instagram?
According to Instagram, these are our top 9 posts of 2017. I’m over here shaking my head at how popular meme’s are, but in 2016 every single top post was a meme (except one of me crying) – so, we’re making progress! Tho, according to my tweens, “memes are life” 😉
We’re already enjoying an awesome start to 2018 – we can’t wait to see what more it brings. As always, thank you for being here with us and exploring this life-long journey of being real and being healthy, inside & out!
-Stacy, Matt & The Boys