The Beginning....

Do you know where most of your food comes from?  What about your children?  Check out this video clip from Jamie Oliver's food revolution http://youtu.be/bGYs4KS_djg  I remember growing up and visiting my Nannie's house.  She had fruit trees in her front yard, peach or apricot - I can't remember (I have a pretty bad memory), and a fantastic garden in her backyard.  She had strawberries growing behind her house that my brother would feast on.  In her 'barn' the shelves were full of canned goods from her garden - okra, green beans, soup starter, salsa.  Oh how I loved her salsa, even though I had to douse it with ketchup to take the edge off of the heat.  It was homemade, fresh, and fantastically delicious.  I want to bring similar memories to my family even if we live in the middle of surburbia.    - I want my family to know where our food comes from, to appreciate food, and to love healthy food.  But, I don't want to talk about just food...

 My goal is to share information and resources for friends, family, and anyone else who is interested in simplifying their lives and getting a little more healthy.  I'm going to blog about parenting, cloth diapering, health, living green, simple living, gardening, and anything else that crosses my mind.

So, now you know about the blog, here's the scoop on me.  I am a wife, mother, educator, sister, daughter, aunt, friend, nurturer, cook, and a host of other identities.  I enjoy doing for others but am learning how to take time for myself (and I like it).  I'm sure through the blog you will learn my passions and things that bother me.  I am not a doctor, nor do I pretend to be.  I do my fair share of research, but I honestly believe you can find research to support any side of any debate.  What I am going to share with you guys is based on my research and personal experience, you may not share my opinions and that is OKAY.  I am here to share what our family is doing and has done to simplify our lives with the hope that it changes just one life (even if it is my own).

Welcome to Getting Simple with the O'Tooles!