Raising Kids on Real Food!

Yep, I met Vanessa in Utah! 

Vanessa from I Never Grew Up.

Sadly she had to leave early, so I didn’t get a chance to talk her ear off.  Boy I tell ya…..YOU LDS WOMAN make the rest of us look really bad.  I know I’ve said it before, but dang….y’all are good at being creative, domestic and just down right cute.  My sis says I pass for one…..in I could have my coffee and occasional margarita.  She’s right…..except I need more practice at being crafty and domestic.

 

I would have LOVED to have gotten to know Vanessa better.  Now that I’ve spent the last 2 hours skimming her blog, she is fascinating!   She is my kind of gal…..or at least who I want to be when I grow up. 

She has a fabulous segment called “Raising Kids on Real Food”!  As I pull a Totino’s frozen pizza out of the oven, I am feeling extremely guilty looking at all this wonderfully healthy food she makes for her children…..and before you feel too sorry for my son, he rarely gets too much junk….but today….is one of those days.  She shows you the full recipe with a tutorial and makes everything look so simple and pure……as it should be.The night I met her at The Blue Lemon, I was eating one of these…  So good.  I bet your kids will eat this if presented the right way……I am so fortunate to have an adventurous eater….it makes things a little easier.I know that the Fourth of July is over…..but you could make this on any day really…….I mean, she probably made it on the 3rd of July……..since the state of Utah celebrated the 4th on the 3rd……..who’s on 2nd? Never mind…….just eat.  She’ll also take the time to make some of life’s simple pleasures……….like homemade lemonade.Besides schelping good food, she’s looking for simple ways to keep her kiddo’s engaged and happy.  I LOVE this craft!  Kids love it.  It doesn’t take a lot of your help for them to create a master piece they feel proud of.  If you’ve got paper, some water paints…….a straw and a child……you’re good to go. This one may require some of your help, but you’ll be so happy you did.  What a great idea!  Add some leather string or yarn and the kids have some new bling to sport around.  Also a new use for your stamps. Being the purest that she is……not really sure if she is or not………but she makes her own sidewalk chalk…..Kinda cool……I wonder if she knows you can pick it up at The Dollar Store?  :)          But I do like the idea of making it myself……she gets the kids involved, so I guess that counts. Pinwheels!  Make your own pinwheels!  I used to love these when I was a kid….way back when.  And if it means I can run outside in my skivvies, I’m gonna start making some RIGHT NOW!  Another fasinating thing about her, is she’s married to a dog trainer…..a celebrity dog trainer.  Her man is a dog trainer…….which means they are dog people……so tell me this……..why didn’t she offer to take care of my Maybelline while we were in Moab?  She’s got some esplanin’ to do……They would have LOVED her and she would have LOVED playing with that pup.  (she was happy where she was…..lucky me)

I’ll forgive her……

Since summer is in full swing, I think you’ll enjoy her summer recipes and kid crafts!  Go tell her how you found her…..surprise her.  Her site has a lot of other information too……

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Thank you for all the wonderful comments!  I really enjoy them!  All comments are entered to win a Lisa Leonard Creation!

I know this is silly……but I’m in a little competition with someone…..a friendly competition….Can you pleases join my feed burner please……pretty please with sugar on top?