Family

The picture on the left is a selection of the produce in my house this morning. We eat a lot of fruit and vegetables!

{I do have a great resource for being able to keep fresh produce on hand that I will share in a future post.}

In between meals, my kids usually need some fuel to keep them going. I do my best to avoid sugary snacks as I know how bad that is for their health and will cause their blood sugar levels to spike and then plummet. I like to make sure they are getting a good balance of protein, veggies/fruits, fats and whole grains (rice, corn, quinoa, gluten-free oats).

I am far from perfect, but I do my best! My family’s health is really important to me and I know how critical these early years are for kids.

Since eating a (mostly) gluten-free diet, I have had to be a bit more creative with snacks. Here are a few ideas to get your creative juices flowing:

  • veggies & hummus
  • apple slices with peanut or almond butter
  • hard-boiled eggs
  • nitrate-free ham/turkey cubed (I let my 3 year old use toothpicks with these – she thinks that is so great!)
  • smoothies made fresh in my Vitamix (my 1 year old practically hyperventilates when he hears/sees the blender going)
  • any whole fruit or veggie, raw or lightly steamed with real butter and sea salt

What are your snack ideas?

 

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This past weekend, we packed up the kids and headed out for a day hike. We were so blessed to have 60 degree weather with blue skies and sunshine and wanted to take full advantage!

We’d never been hiking at Cougar Mountain before and chose it based on the fact that the trailhead is only 30 minutes from our house, didn’t require a Discover Pass and seemed reasonable for small children. Based on this site, our trek was about 2.5 miles in length.

Below is a small portion of the map located at the parking area. Lots of trails to explore!

This was our first hiking experience with two heavier kids. We weren’t sure what to expect out of Annabelle – when we first started on the trail, it was up hill and she acted deprived of being outdoors. She dawdled and talked and talked and took her sweet time. We gave up hope of making it to the falls and decided it didn’t matter anyway, she was happy to be outdoors.

Suddenly, I had this thought and decided to tell her that baby jaguar needed our help at the waterfall just like in her Dora story. Amazing how something so little could get her attention and give her the motivation she needed (along with the trail grade evening out making it much easier on her little legs).

Obviously, we made it to the waterfall and Annabelle walked about 3/4 of the trip before we put her in the backpack and I put Elijah in the Ergo on my front. He fell asleep and the hike back was easier and faster as we were packing both kids on us.

We had a wonderful time and all slept good that night! The sunshine and fresh air was just what each of us needed. We’ll definitely go back again and do some more exploring!

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Ten Things I Love About You

December 22, 2011

This post is my husband’s gift for the day! I decided to spoil him this year and give him a small glimpse of the generosity he has showed others. For each of the twelve days leading up to Chistmas, he is receiving a gift that corresponds with the number of the day with inspiration from “The 12 […]

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Caramel Pecan Popcorn Balls

December 21, 2011

One of my husband’s favorite childhood treats at Christmas time was Caramel Popcorn Balls. It’s funny that I was just informed of this almost 10 years into our marriage! At any rate, we decided this would be a fun family tradition to start with our little family so I started my search for the perfect […]

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Quick & Simple Tip to Get Your Kids to Finish Their Meal

October 23, 2011

Ever feel like you are constantly having to help your child focus on finishing his or her meal? Feel like a nag saying, “please take another bite” “only 3 more bites, please” “eat your dinner, or else!” or something along those lines… One thing I have noticed with kids is that they love games. I […]

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A New Journey: Life with Food Allergies

October 7, 2011

I grew up eating the Standard American Diet (SAD) complete with Kraft Macaroni & Cheese, Top Ramen, and white bread (without the crust!). I really never knew much different until I met my husband, Brett. At the time we met, he was eating the SAD – however, he grew up eating whole, unprocessed foods void […]

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Slowing Down…

July 1, 2011

Today was  a perfect example of how slowing down helps to embrace some of life’s precious moments. When putting my 3 year old daughter down for her rest time, I stopped. And really listened. And really paid attention. And focused on her big brown eyes. And let her talk. For a long time. And you […]

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Frugal Fun on Father’s Day

June 28, 2011

Father’s Day – a day to celebrate my awesome husband for being such an amazing Daddy to our children. We decided to head up to Seattle in hopes that the fresh air and stimulation would keep the little ones happy which in turn would keep Mommy & Daddy sane. This day, we were successful in those […]

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