A Local CHOPPED, Update on Leah from the Multiple Sclerosis Recovery Post, and VAXXED is Coming!

Good morning friends!  I thought I'd throw up a quick mix-up post to let you know what I've been up to around here lately…

First, I've been enjoying our new kitchen!!!!  Here are a few highlights…  Having a gas stove again is SO nice.  I love all the extra room in our cabinets and drawers, because I was a sorting fanatic before the remodel and got rid of a lot or put more stuff in our storage area.  I am very happy with the countertop we picked, you can see a bit of that here with this glass of water — I REALLY love our new water filter and how fresh the water tastes again!  (Click here to learn why we ditched reverse osmosis water and what we got instead — it's so affordable, especially compared to RO systems.)  Instead of giving you a peek at everything right now, I'm working on a video of the whole process that I'm hoping to have time to work on this weekend since we're not going anywhere to celebrate Independence Day.  (Someone reminded me recently to call it that instead of “the 4th of July”, since the holiday means something, it's not just a date on the calendar.)

The picture at the top is where we went at the Downtown Market last week with our friends David & Michelle.  The Market is one of my favorite places here in Grand Rapids, we had such a blast!  It was a really fun atmosphere and just like on Food Network, it was interesting to see what they'd have in their baskets (usually foods from the Market) and what they'd do with them.  At one point they needed an audience volunteer to judge the last entree round, so David raised up Michelle's arm and waved it around like crazy (I may have helped) and they chose her!

I loved this picture of David's face after Michelle was chosen, she thought it was fun and did SO good, but he looked like a little boy who got away with something!  🙂

I was especially thrilled that the guy who won owns the organic grocery AND Loves, the grass-fed ice cream place at the Market!!!  🙂

Also later this weekend we're having more great friends over for a cookout and we're making this yummy meal, one of our favorites around here.  For dessert I'm making these brownies and I'll grab some ice cream to go on top from Loves when I'm at the Downtown Market today.  It's so nice to have that option when you don't want to make homemade ice cream.  (Even though homemade is pretty easy.)  I used to get Breyers in a pinch, but they've added crap to their ingredient label now and I can't find any that I'll buy!

All week the kids and I have been at Vacation Bible School, it's been fun — they asked me to do the teaching time while the kids ate their snacks, so I had a mic, which I always enjoy, lol!  Being gone so much really throws off the schedule at home and now the laundry pile is a mile high.  Oh well, it was worth it, because a couple very sweet nuns came to do a lot of the teaching and they were so great about answering all the kids' questions about what their lives are like, it was just a really special week.

Remember our good friends Bob & Sonia?  Today is Sonia's birthday so tonight they're coming over for bevies and snacks and I'm making this or maybe this (check out the picture at that post, you won't believe I actually took it!) along with this flourless chocolate cake for dessert, with real whipped cream of course, yum!  (I'll also make a quick batch of my coconut oil popcorn.)

Have you seen VAXXED yet?  You can search here to see if it's playing near you, but local readers, click here to get tickets!  There are only 8 tickets left there (and this theatre has real butter for your popcorn!), but if you add your name to the waiting list, they'll hopefully add more shows, this is the 2nd showing here!  The more who go, the more the mainstream will take notice and get the word out that parents need to RESEARCH first, before blindly following what their doc says.  (See my posts about our vaccine decisions here.)

This is the trailer in case you've missed it:

Lastly, I wanted to share an update with you from Leah, who had this amazing Multiple Sclerosis recovery story 3 years ago.  Great news!  Here's what she said when I asked for a little update:  “All is great. I had another little girl in 2014.  I haven't taken anything for the MS since I changed my diet in 2008. I went off the Topamax that controlled my migraines for the final time in 2013. I have been 100% med-free since. I work out several days a week and homeschool the older girls. In my heart I just know one day it will be common knowledge that MS and autoimmune diseases are all from weakening our bodies with toxic foods, meds, etc.”

If you want help cleaning up your diet too, check out my Real Food for Rookies book.  🙂

Did you catch all of these recent posts? Here they are in case you missed them:

• Nutrient-Dense Ceviche Recipe (And What Shrimp to Buy)
• HELP for Arthritis Pain
• Reusable Menstrual Products: How and Why to Make the Switch  (You wouldn't believe how many people freaked out about this post!)
• Are You a Freaked Out Parent or a Confident Parent?
• Curry Chicken Salad: A Great Way to Stretch Leftover Roast Chicken
• Can You Help with 2 More Quick Questions?! (Related to handling the TIME and EXPENSE of real food)

I'm out of time, have a good weekend everyone, and be safe!

(Affiliate links are often included in Morning Mix-up posts.  Check out my affiliate disclaimer here.)