Scattered Sundays

Phew! I’m pooped but in the best possible way.

I spent the last few days at the Everything Food Conference in Utah! It was so much fun and I learned a metric butt-ton of blogging-related information and met some amazing bloggers.

First things first, Utah is gorgeous and the people are lovely. And I was so excited that I got to meet with not one, but two readers!

First off, right off the plane, I had lunch with Heidi at famous The Red Iguana.

Then, a few hours later I met up with Christina at Burly Burger. I was still full from lunch so I ordered a kid’s meal like a boss.

note to self: start wearing sunglasses 24/7

I was so excited and honored to meet both of them! I brought them each a homemade lotion bar (which hilariously got super smooshed and distorted looking on the plane) and Strawberry Fudge Energy Date Balls. I like to give people my balls. 

The conference was so dang good and I even bought my 2020 ticket on the first day. It was like a hardcore educational and fun adult summer camp.

Any bloggers out there can take advantage of the early bird discount until fall of this year. <—-not an affiliate.

I met up with the lovely Cassie from Cook It Real Good and she became my early morning buddy. Thanks to her jet lag (she was coming from Australia) and my shitty sleep habits, we were both up early and took some great walks in the mornings. I even took her to an American institution – Dunkin Donuts. I think she was sugar high for a few hours afterward.

I’m a light packer and unless I need running shoes, I don’t want to pack unnecessary footwear. I ended up walking miles and miles of steps in my tried and trusted Dr. Scholls Madison sneakers. These are hands down the most comfortable non-athletic shoes I have ever owned. They’re the best!

For any online entrepreneur nerds out there, one of the highlights of the conference was getting to see Pat Flynn (of Smart Passive Income fame) speak twice! I totally geeked out. Oh, and did I mention that Deb from Smitten Kitchen was the keynote speaker for breakfast one morning? 

I stole Jack’s insulated Liberty Bottleworks tumbler for the trip and it was perfect. We have the coffee cup lid and that meant I could walk and get coffee in it in the morning, and rinse it out and use it for water all day long.

The conference had delicious flavored waters (mango and strawberry was so good!) and I just kept refilling my bottle over and over. Even at lunches when there was a drink stand (that cough, used styrofoam, cough), I just had them put my sparkling water in my bottle. Single-use products blow!

On day two, we were introduced to Operation Underground Railroad which was started by a former CIA agent to help rescue children around the world from trafficking. What a powerful and monumental moment.

He spoke about his mission and the statistics – a child is trafficked somewhere in the world every 30 seconds – and we watched a documentary (Operation Toussant) about his team’s mission in Haiti.

You can (and ABSOLUTELY SHOULD) watch the documentary for free on Amazon Prime. If you don’t have prime, I believe you can get a 30-day free trial to watch the movie.

It takes around $10,000 to rescue one child from slavery. If you’d like to help there are three simple ways to be a part of the solution:

1. Share this blog post or the Operation Underground Railroad information on your personal Facebook page.
2. Donate. You can do so on their website or by texting “Save” to 41444
3. Volunteer and look for other ways to get involved.

These last few days were amazing and powerful in so many ways.

Spidey is a coffee addict. We can’t leave our cups unattended for a second.

The boys had a great time while I was out of town and pretty much lived their best bachelor lives in my absence. Troy had a rough hand dealt him because right as I was leaving, Bennett (who had just gotten over a three-day fever) caught Troy’s cold. The only thing worse than a “normal” three-year-old, is a sick three-year-old.

I think if I ever wrote a book about three-year-olds it would be called “What Do You Mean I Can’t Take My Toes Off and Why Don’t You Know That Strange Lady’s Name at Target?”. The sequel would be “All the Feels and I NEED ANSWERS”.

What I’m Listening To This Week

I have been binging (binge listening?) the Cold podcast over the last 10 days. 

Cold is the story of the disappearance of Susan Powell and the eventual deaths of her kids at the hands of her husband. The family has a connection to Washington and much of the case took place in our state so I remember this story vividly.

The podcast has a bunch of episodes and initially, I couldn’t figure out what in the actual hell they had to talk about over 18 episodes! But’s very in-depth and extremely fascinating. 

I will say the host’s cadence and tone of voice bothered me for the first two to three episodes. I either got used to it, got over it, or he got more comfortable as he recorded more episodes.

Comment/Review of the Week

Danielle kindly left this five-star review for Healthy Orange Chicken:

Holy yum, y’all! I make teriyaki/hibachi style chicken often. My family (especially the kids) love that delicious, umami flavor. But the orange and loads of ginger bring a brightness to the dish that I find other recipes often lack. It’s a great, quick weeknight meal, whether you choose the instant pot or stovetop method. Full disclosure, I just did this in a skillet.  I have an instant pot (her name is Stella), but I have limited counter space. This was easy enough to do the old fashioned way. And don’t even think about skipping the baking soda step. It gives a similar texture to the chicken as a brine would but with far less added sodium. 

{Pin this recipe}

On Sustainable Cooks This Week

Where To Buy Bone Broth – Even though you can make it yourself, sometimes you just need to know where to buy bone broth! And what really is the best bone broth to buy? This guide walks you through local and online resources for grassfed bone broth, paleo and Whole30 bone broth, and other broth varieties. 

{Pin this}

Unique Gift Ideas for Mom – Mother’s Day Gift Ideas – Find the perfect Mother’s Day gift ideas with this list of Unique Gift Ideas for Mom. You won’t find the same old typical presents in this gift guide! Treat your mom to something special and creative this year.

{Pin this}

Air Fryer Asparagus {Whole30, Paleo, Vegan, Keto} – Once you taste Air Fryer Asparagus, you’ll never make it any other way! Deliciously tender and perfectly crisp, air fried asparagus is a simple Whole30 side dish that is also vegan, keto-friendly, paleo, and gluten-free. Crispy asparagus is a wonderful side dish for fish, or just a fast and healthy snack you won’t be able to stop eating.

{Pin this}

The Five Most Popular Posts This Week

1. Virgin Mojito Recipe  {Pin this}
2. Trader Joe’s Whole30 Shopping List  {Pin this}
3. Instant Pot Egg Bites  {Pin this}
4. Healthy Sweet Tea Recipe  {Pin this}
5. Removing Rust From Cast Iron Skillets  {Pin this}

I have absolutely no idea what we’re having for dinner this week! What should I make? What are you having?

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