My family’s road to recovery begins with multiple forces in the universe coming together to create change.  Those forces are the people and events put in my life.  I thank each one for helping me to create such a dramatic change for my family.  Let’s start with the event…………In July 2011, I had to have gal bladder surgery.  I was so busy taking care of my family and running my little-overachievers around that I forgot to take care of myself.  I realize that my behavior is very normal amongst us mothers, but I am here to tell you………..we need to take care of ourselves.  I started missing events and really feeling terrible.  After my second trip to the emergency room, I knew that I had to have surgery.

Since my life NEVER slows down, my Mother (God Bless Her) sat me down and told me to just schedule the surgery and she would take care of the rest. OK……so surgery is now complete and I’m all better, right? WRONG!!  I now had new symptoms and felt like I had the flu for most of the year.  How could I keep running at this pace if I was sick all the time?

I started reading and reading………….I found that many digestive problems can be caused by the foods we eat.  Food can cause allergies, sensitivities, and just not sit right in your stomach.  There are chemicals and GMOs (Genetically Modified Organisms) put in our processed food and science hasn’t quite figured out how all of that affects us.  Hmmm………..I say.  I wonder if this is my problem.

This brings us to April 2012 and I am celebrating my son’s 5th birthday.  I was feeling so sick that morning and I was afraid I wouldn’t make it to the party.  I couldn’t miss this day!  I held it together and then spent the afternoon chatting with my very lovable and smart cousin-in-law, Erika.  We talked about family, food and recipes.  She then turned me on to the website Crockingirls.com.   Why was this important?  I found that my crock pot could be filled in the morning and then when my family returned home….. whenever that was, we could eat a hot meal that did not get handed to us through a window.  Fantastic!  Why didn’t I think of this sooner?  This was the awakening I so desperately needed.  I took a look at my family and realized that we all could be a lot healthier.  Their little faces seemed to be begging for it.

I knew I could do better, but where do I start?  I started with Salsa Chicken which can be found on the crockingirls.com website.  We have now modified the recipe a bit and prefer to use the chicken to make super yummy burritos.  We leave out the sour cream, shred the chicken right before serving and wrap it up in whole wheat tortillas.  We like to top it with our favorite taco toppings which sneaks veggies into the kiddos without them remembering to resist. Try it!  It’s really great.  The best part for me is that we get to eat before running to scouts, football and cheer practice even when we only have about 15 minutes at home. Amazing! 

Join us as I set out to prove that Juggling Real Food and Real Life is possible. No matter how busy your family is, I invite you to join us on this journey.  I explain how food has changed over the years, share simple real food recipes, and tips for getting meals to the table in a hurry.  As this blog develops I plan to share decluttering tips as I have found that a less cluttered home actually allows me to have more time in the kitchen.  I also share my love for positive sports parenting and the importance of youth sports nutrition.  Come along as we talk Real Food, Real Life, and Real Fun. 

Make sure you subscribe to our free newsletter so you don’t miss anything. You can join us on Facebook for more fun and support along the way. You can also follow us on Twitter if you are interested in learning more about the Real Food Movement. You can also follow our boards on Pinterest.