Summer is off to a great start! Here’s what you’ll find in this week’s newseltter:
I can already tell that this summer is shaping up to be an awesome one! The boys are a fun age, and we’ve been drastically limiting their screen time (find out why here) for a while now, so their imaginations are primed and ready for summertime play. It’s amazing to see what they come up with when electronics are NOT in the picture! Super hero table talk is quite entertaining!
Last weekend we set out on an hour-long drive to go pick cherries (something the boys LOVE), but when we got there the crop was done for the day. Our awesome kids didn’t complain, and were totally game for picking strawberries, kale and turnips instead! The baby kale was perfect for making our NEWLY POSTED Pizza Kale Chips!
Hair in a bun, bathing suit, and freckles = summer vibes! Here I am sharing an unfiltered, no make up photo with you… and my hair is finally long enough to wear up, which is a huge accomplishment for me. For a very long time my hair (and skin and nails) were so unhealthy that I just kept it short. With two autoimmune diseases I thought it would take YEARS to achieve hair-in-bun status.
I’m THRILLED to report that I’ve met my goal, and I sincerely believe that Vital Proteins is the reason my skin, hair, and nails are so healthy. I use the collagen and take the liver pills every day. I will be sharing more about my topical routine soon, but for now I’m loving the summer sun on my skin as often as I can.
If you’d like to know more about Vital Proteins, we reviewed their products HERE and even have an exclusive coupon code you can use for 10% off + free shipping. I’m currently trying out some of their new products, like the Beauty Greens – if you wanted to try them, too – use code VPA-0626-97BR1-LYIQ
Our Favorite Tools and Recipes for BERRIES!
Berry picking is a favorite family past time of ours. And when we pick an abundance we like to freeze them to use throughout the year. Although you don’t need a big, expensive blender to enjoy smoothies, we love our Blendtec because it makes quick work of anything we throw in it. Try our kid-approved Blueberry Coconut Milk Smoothie.
One of our FAVORITE WAYS to enjoy fresh berries is piled on high on top of waffles and served with whipped cream. Our Freezer Waffles are the perfect vehicle, and we make our own whipped cream (without all the added junk) by using the isi Cream Whipper (it’s magical). We use grass-fed cream or this brand of Coconut Milk!
For the waffles, we’ve gotten a ton of mileage (with three boys, we make A LOT OF WAFFLES) out of this waffle maker —> find it HERE!
The farmer’s market is great for finding local berries. We’ve been using this Market Basket for shopping there, and love that it hauls home all of our goods without using a ton of plastic bags. Plus, it folds up and doesn’t take up much space when not in use! Find it —> HERE!
We’ve got baskets of strawberries in the fridge that we can’t wait to put to use this weekend! Summer berry season is the best!
Our Favorite Summer Berry-Filled Recipes
French Toast with Blueberry Sauce