Check out the new look for GHS!!!

I'm still tweaking the layout and pondering a switch to Wordpress, but in the meantime, check out the fabulous new header for Growing Healthy Sprouts!!!

As always, my good friend Kareen managed to capture exactly what I wanted to convey without me being able to put into words what it was that I really wanted.

I'm so thrilled with it and happy to finally have time to share it. If you need any design work done, be sure to give her a call.

I'm Back!!!

Anyone wondering where I've been?

Yes, I know it's been quiet around here lately - mostly because at my house, it's been anything but quiet. Our low-key month of May was turned upside down when we found out that Jim's company was closing its operations in Florida - meaning that by month's end, he'd have no job. Fortunately, he had several calls by the time he woke up the next morning and was promptly hired on by one of his clients.

In the middle of all this was my spring dance recital, Big Sprout's year-end homeschool evaluation, a dramatic end to baseball season, the launch of our new business and a week's vacation at Disney. And then things really got busy.

Last week, the Sprouts and I had a photo shoot for PLAYGROUND Magazine, celebrated my dad's birthday (he passed away almost 11 years ago), attended Big Sprout's end-of-season party for baseball, celebrated Little Sprout's birthday, threw a fun-filled birthday bash and attended her dress rehearsal and tap recital. Plus new work projects for two separate clients. And, of course, Father's Day!

Was it an amazing few weeks? Yes! Am I glad it's over? Just a little. Turns out, there is such a thing as too much fun! I loved it all but couldn't maintain that pace for any length of time - at least not with my sanity and good lifestyle habits intact.

I'm sure it will take me a few weeks to catch up around here - I know I have many comments to respond to so I'll start there first. I've also promised to share recipes for some of the dishes I made for Little Sprout's birthday party, and I have new stories to share about our adventures in organized sports. And of course, I will be picking the winner for the May book giveaway in the next few days!!!

GHS is now on Twitter

That's right, Growing Healthy Sprouts is now on Twitter. I'm still not sure quite what that means, but we are!

New Daily Features at Growing Healthy Sprouts

I'm so thrilled with all the great response I've gotten since starting this blog just a few days ago. I really had no idea how much I had to say on this topic, but the Sprouts and I are having a great time with it. We're finally shaping our ideas for what we'd like to share and are starting with the following daily topics:

Meal Plan Monday - I'm a Sunday planner/shopper, so by Monday I'm usually somewhat organized and ready for the week. Each Monday, I'll be sharing our meal plan for breakfasts, lunches and dinners for the week, including links to recipes when possible.

Top Tips Tuesday - We all want our kids to eat healthy food but often struggle with making it happen. On Tuesdays, the Sprouts and I will share our top tips for making healthy living a habit from both a parent and child's perspective.

What's for Dinner Wednesday - I love trying new recipes - so much so that Jim often asks if we'll ever get to have anything we liked again. Each week, I'll share our favorite dinner recipe with Sprout ratings and results.

Food for Thought Thursday - Nutritional research is what made me realize how important our food choices are to current and future health. On Thursdays, I'll be sharing the latest articles and research on how nutrition affects our health.

Fun Food Fridays - Kid-friendly food and Sprout favorites are on the menu for Fridays - sometimes prepared by the Sprouts themselves! We'll share recipes and pictures for healthy food your kids will love.

Stay Active Saturdays - Nutrition is just one aspect of good health; keeping kids active is essential, too. On Saturdays, we'll be sharing some of the Sprouts' favorite activities and keeping you posted on activities for kids in the Orlando area.

Sweet on Sunday - As I've mentioned, my kids certainly aren't kale-loving creatures by nature. We foster good habits through a healthy plant-based diet, but they definitely love treats from time to time (or as often as I'll allow). Fortunately, I've found many healthier ways to indulge their sweet tooth - although you'll probably get plenty of traditional treats in here as well.

I may not hit every topic every week, but I'll be trying hard to cover all the bases as often as possible. I'll also be blogging about our favorite local restaurants, books and cookbooks, sharing my original recipes and posting the results of Big Sprouts new adventures in the kitchen. Thanks for joining us!

Introducing . . . Growing Healthy Sprouts!

Another day . . . another year . . . another blog. Am I really doing this?

Apparently, the answer is "yes". After almost two years of writing my homeschooling blog, Homeschooling in Heels, I found myself with a lot to talk about that didn't relate to the topic of homeschooling. So here it goes . . .

At this time, I have only a vague idea of what this is going to be, so please bear with me. It may not look pretty for a while, I'll probably ramble a bit and the content will always be a bit of a surprise. But there are a few things I know for sure:

1. I like to talk about food, especially as it relates to health. Since I cook a lot and am always swapping tips with friends, I thought this would be a good way to keep everything in one place. So what's on the menu? Think recipe links, kitchen tips and a kid-tested rating system.

2. Since I'm already talking about the kids, I'll go in that direction next. My two little ones are really on board with our health-oriented lifestyle and are really excited about helping with the blog. Both will be working with me on the rating system, Big Sprout will be a regular contributor and Little Sprout hasn't defined her role beyond "best taster" quite yet. We believe that health is a family affair, and this blog will definitely reflect that.

3. We love being active, and I've had a blast watching my kids try everything from triathlon to tennis. I imagine that I'll occasionally share what we're up to, as well as post whatever I can find on youth and family activities in Orlando. Time to get moving!

So that's it for now. I'm off to do a little dancing, then try out my potential first blog recipe!