Writing Real Life Paleo was a dream come true. But getting to tour across the country, meet the people who are making our recipes, and hear your healthy living stories, has been indescribable.
From the first stop to the twenty-first stop, we were in awe of the support we received. The last three stops in particular had some of the highest attendance numbers, and the dialogue with these attendees was incredible!
The first of these three final stops was held last Friday in Nashville. Stacy met up with tour co-host, Sarah, and Nashville local Grass Fed Girl, for coffee aged in gin barrels, locally made stone-ground chocolate, and Jeni’s ice cream.
With Minneapolis as a reschedule from the first leg of our tour, the Twin Cities eagerly welcomed us with open arms and shockingly good weather for early January!
This crowd left us saying ‘wow’ several times over! Between the turnout, conversations, energy, gifts – it was top to bottom awesome!
After the event, Stacy headed over to Movement Minneapolis to lift with her strong woman girl crush, Jen Sinkler! After working on the Smolov program for weeks, Stacy was thrilled to have Jen’s expertise for improving her form! The weight-room chat was mostly focused around lifting heavy things, with a brief break to admire one anothers’ nails.
Also located in Minnesota and along for the tour stop fun – Monica, our Operations Manager, the gal behind the scenes who helps hold us together, essentially our right-hand (wo)man. After working together for two years, we finally got to meet her in person while visiting the Twin Cities for the signing! She showed us her great city, and we even got to savor some baby snuggles with her youngest.
And then there was Canada, Sarah’s birthplace and the land where Real Life Paleo is available in every Costco. To say that we were excited about the Toronto stop is an understatement. Stacy got to break in her passport and Sarah got to return to her motherland. Plus, Toronto has the nicest, most polite people we have encountered! We enjoyed meeting you so, so much.
A great example of this kind-hearted behavior occurred when a signing attendee generously offered us a ride to the airport, stopping at Costco on the way, to witness our third book baby on their bookstands. Sarah captured the moment, and thus the Oprah-snorting-ugly-cry ensued!
You guys, this, THIS is our dream – to have our book available for the everyday passerby, the person struggling with their health, who has no idea where to turn, who needs practical information to start and stick to a way of eating that has the potential to heal them and change their life. Like it did ours.
It was the perfect ending to a perfect tour. Thank you, thank you so much for all your love and support! You all helped us create memories that we will cherish for a lifetime.
Returning home was bittersweet; it meant this wonderful tour was over, but also that we now get to turn our attention to our family and the goals that we have for 2015 – including spending more time together as a family.
It’s no secret that the boys LOVE (yes, capital LOVE) to read. And how sweet was this gift from a guest at the Toronto signing?! Good Night Darth Vader was a huge hit! After reading it once, the boys promptly informed us that we would be reading this one every night, and they would be wearing their matching pajamas as well.
As for the four-legged kids of the family, it didn’t take long for our newest kitty to snuggle his way into our hearts. The bengals were a little more apprehensive at first, giving us looks of “what is this thing you’ve brought into our house” for the first week or so. But we’re happy to report that Sweet Potato has finally won them over and now considers the bengals his buddies. Maybe he’s been bribing them with Turkey Liver treats?
Admittedly, sometimes we just like to make other people’s recipes. It’s a nice reset – and this week our kitchen has not been short on the creativity thanks to some recently released paleo cookbooks that we have been cooking from. Congrats to our friends on these beauties!
So far we’ve made The Ultimate Cookie Bars (per Wesley’s request, and to his shear delight) as a snow-day treat from the Nourishing Home’s Everyday Grain Free Baking. These were quick, easy and had a warm gooey center straight from the oven. Nope, we didn’t even wait for them to cool. What? You’ve never hovered over a pan of warm baked goods with a spoon in hand? You will with these – just saying!
We also made Caramel Apple Cinnamon Rolls from A Girl Worth Saving’s Paleo Eats (yep, also as incredible as you might imagine).
Stupid Easy Paleo’s Cider Braised Cabbage, Apples and Onions from her Performance Paleo Cookbook was awesome. We paired it with our Perfect Pork chops (from Beyond Bacon) for an incredible meal that the whole family inhaled!
Announcements
Monday’s with Matt
We’re so excited to be back blogging and writing about what we love – like making homemade bone broth! We appreciate your wonderful feedback on some of our recent posts, like the ones about self-respect and disordered eating, and strive to keep bringing you this fresh, engaging content.
One of the ideas that we are toying with is a series from Matt, published every Monday, where he would monologue a bit about some things he’s passionate about. Did you know he’s written some of our most favorite and popular posts on the blog, such as Fattest People in Paleo, What it Feels Like to Loose 200 pounds, and Your Non-Cooperative Spouse?
Perhaps if we all tell him we would LOVE to read his thoughts on things like Logical Fallacies and the Over Saturation of Paleo in the the Commercial Market he will be brave enough to share his thoughts! I (Stacy) have been so freed by getting back to being honest, open, and sharing what I really am thinking and feeling on the blog – I want Matt to have the same experience! Tell him here, on Facebook!
Cupid’s Undie Run
Want to see Stacy and her Strong Woman Radio podcast co-host Viv put together a video series on the nine fundamental movements for women?! Then help Viv reach her goal in raising money for the Children’s Tumor Foundation by sponsoring her in Cupid’s Undie Run! Every (tax deductible) dollar counts!
Your Favorite Hearty, Healthy & Warming Winter Recipes
Weekly Coupons and Discount Codes!
We’re fortunate to partner with some incredible companies that, like us, work towards promoting health, wellness, and… fun! Your support of these companies helps support us, and we greatly appreciate that.
SPREADSHIRT: 15% off entire order with code: “heart15” (through 1/13)
BRIEFTONS NEXTGEN SPIRALIZER: 15% off on Amazon with code: “YXTKVK3O”
BRIEFTONS TRI BLADE SPIRALIZER: 15% off on Amazon with code: “DEVKD2IH”
SUSTAINAPAK: 20% off with code “primal2015” plus free shipping on all order over $50 (through 1/15)
WILDWAY GRAIN-FREE GRANOLA:
$1 off when you buy one bag (use code: “wildwaypp1”)
$1.50 off each bag when you buy two bags (use code: “wildwaypp2”)
$2 off each bag when you buy three or more bags (use code: “wildwaypp3”)
THE SOX BOX: 10% off with code: “stronglikestacy”
RxBAR: 10% off with code: “paleoparents”
RICKAROONS: 15% off your order with code: “newyear”
