It’s hard to believe a whole year has already passed since I started this blog. This project came about because I felt very strongly that there were people out there who did not know that they could take control of their health without taking drugs or having surgery. I wanted to share my experience in the hopes of maybe helping others discover a different path. A path that does not involve countless doctor’s visits, medical procedures and pain. I’ve heard people say that it’s just easier to take the medicine and have surgery than overhaul their diet. Really? If you’re one of those people, I’m going to keep trying to convince you otherwise!

There were selfish reasons I started the blog as well: I wanted an outlet for my creative juices! I love to cook and create recipes, especially re-create old family favorites that will fit within our Paleo diet and lifestyle. And I wanted to be able to share those creations outside of my house.

This has been a year of tremendous discovery for me. I’ve learned that:

• I love to write – it’s very therapeutic, sort of like talking to yourself, which can be fun because no one argues with you
• I love to cook – I knew this one already
• I love to share recipes – I knew that too
• I love to be challenged – continually coming up with good recipes is hard, but it’s good to do hard things
• I love to help people, even if it’s just one person at a time
• I do not love to market myself
• I do not enjoy the technology side of this business

Every time I come up with a recipe that is a success in this house and I take the time to write it up and post it here on the blog, I feel a sense of accomplishment and I’m hopeful that someone out there in the interwebs will make that recipe and their family will enjoy it as well. That’s why I keep doing it. With recipes like these….

After about six months of writing the blog, I started doing Facebook Live cooking shows on KidCasts. This is a cooperative agreement with the owner of that channel. She needed quality content for her channel and I needed exposure (see the note above about not enjoying marketing). I’ve had people ask why I don’t just do my shows on my Facebook site, but it’s a respect issue. Plus, I am still benefitting from the larger audience over on KidCasts. The best part about the show though is that afterward, every single time, at least one person writes to me with specific health challenges. They are trying to improve their health and have heard of paleo and sincerely want to give it a try, but are overwhelmed and don’t know where to start. This is the situation that just makes my day. Not that someone is having a problem, but that my own difficult experience is being used for some good.

I’d love to do these shows once a week, but honestly, they take a lot of time and effort. As a homeschooling mom I barely have time to dress myself appropriately, so squeezing in these shows is something I value, but simply can’t do all the time. I do feel it’s important to put myself out there in that way though, because readers/viewers want to know who it is that is “talking” to them. That’s how I feel anyway. If I read a blog regularly and then learn that person has a Facebook channel and oh! they do live videos as well, you bet I’m going to watch. I want to see them in action. I want to hear their voice. It makes me feel connected and usually makes me like and/or admire that person even more. And since to know me is to love me (hee hee) I figured I should give you the opportunity to get to know me better as well. So I keep doing the videos when I can squeeze them in. You can catch up on all the past shows through my YouTube Channel here. My IT guy is a tad behind, but he will be getting the latest shows up there pronto.

Next came the cookbook. Right from the very start, I had the idea to put together a collection of holiday recipes because those are the occasions that stress us out. Your whole family is coming for Thanksgiving and you want to feed everyone satisfying food, but you need to stick to your paleo diet. How do you do it? The book has recipes for that! Or you might be wondering what kinds of treats you can make at Christmas time that will still taste good and stick to the paleo diet. I have recipes for you in the book. Some of the recipes in the book have appeared here on the blog, but most are brand new, original content created just for the book. My family and those who have tasted these recipes love them and I think you will too.

And last but not least…cookies! My husband and kids were nothing less than astounded when they first tasted my gingerbread cookies. They are so unbelievably good, I knew from the first bite that they were something special. There is nothing like these cookies in any store around here (except where my cookies are sold, of course). If you happen to be in Raleigh, North Carolina, you can find them at Harmony Farms Health Food Store. If you’re not in Raleigh, you can order through the website and I’ll ship right to your door.

It’s been a busy year. I am far from a success in worldly terms. I don’t have that many subscribers, I don’t have that many followers on Facebook. I hardly ever remember to post anything to Instagram. BUT I am reaching the people who need it. I believe that God laid the idea for this blog on my heart and He continues to carve out little chunks of time for me to work to bring you recipes and other content. I consider it a privilege and I’m so thankful for this platform. I’m thankful for each and every one of you who reads and who “likes” me on Facebook. It’s crazy to think that we can be so connected to people so far away, but it’s great fun. I feel like I have all these new friends because of these social media outlets.

If there is a specific topic you’d like to see me address or have a favorite family recipe you’d like me to makeover, please send it along. I’d love that sort of challenge.

So thanks for reading! Thanks for following along. Here’s to year number two!