Let’s Doodle Lunch! (GIVEAWAY)
School is almost out for summer. Gigi has a few more weeks and Lulu only has a few more days. I’ve been looking forward to summer: no lunches to pack, no homework to do, no praying to dear God that nothing forces me out of my car when I do the morning drop off in boxer shorts, crazy lady hair and bare feet. So far so good. Then, just when summer can’t get here fast enough, we have a day like today when I foolishly take Lulu bra shopping. Holy... Read More
Namonia for Me, Present for You (GIVEAWAY)
Remember that cold the little mouse ballerina who coughed on me gave me a week ago? It’s not a cold. It’s ‘namonia. But it’s not hospital pneumonia, it’s not even bed rest pneumonia. It’s walking pneumonia. Lace up those toning shoes, strap on the ankle weights and head to the mall pneumonia. Okay, maybe not. So I’m prescribing myself a little breather. Specifically, I’d like an inhaler that applies lip gloss when... Read More
Vegan Pie in The Sky (GIVEAWAY)
I was on Math Team in seventh grade. I’m still not sure how that happened. I was a book nerd. I read books. And not books about math. Unless you count A Tale of Two Cities. See, I‘m such a book nerd I actually said that. Is it a wonder I was bullied on my seventh grade math team? Our math team, wearing matching purple t-shirts with all sorts of algebraic formulas screen-printed on them, would pile onto a big yellow school bus and... Read More
I Take (Mediocre) Photos of My Food (GIVEAWAY)
We interrupt your weekend for a fun announcement and a giveaway. But let me talk about myself first. There are few skills in this life that I was naturally gifted with. I used to be terrible at dressing myself, playing the clarinet, putting on makeup, driving, styling hair, public speaking, cooking, and unfortunately, even walking. And I bruise easily too. I learned early on that if you want to be even mediocre at things, you have to work... Read More
Justin Case (GIVEAWAY)
I’m leaving for San Francisco in the morning, though you wouldn’t know it around here. I’m not packed. My clothes aren’t even clean. I’m washing my jeans in a cocktail dress that I just tried on to make sure it still fits, but then I got distracted and never took the time to took it off. Or couldn’t get it off. One of the two. The potential distraction? Lulu crying because she found out that she is going to be a mouse in The Nutcracker. ... Read More
Thrive Foods in Your Future (GIVEAWAY)
I’m going to go all Back To The Future on you. Pea Daddy and I had a lengthy discussion about Back To The Future during last night’s Modern Family episode, when Mitchell and Cam were mistakenly seeing the yet-to-be-released Muppet Movie. I said, “They’re pulling a Back To The Future on us.” He replied, “Actually, it’d be Back To The Future 2.” Passionate debating ensued. It keeps the spark alive, people. He was right. (This time.)... Read More
Books and Games for Little Peas (GIVEAWAY)
I’m currently trying to eat my way out of a week’s worth of produce before we head out of town. Luckily, I have help. My kids eat vegetables. Willingly. And they love them! (Before you think my life is a fairy tale, please know that I had to explain to Lulu while trying on swimsuits today what stretch marks are. She now wants “Baby Love Wrinkles” too. Feel better?) Lulu used to freak out if any vegetable was on her plate,... Read More
Another One Is On Its Way (GIVEAWAY)
Do I seem like I’ve been a little scatter-brained lately? Are you suspicious that I’m so determined to give up caffeine? I haven’t even told you that I’ve been going to bed before 10 pm every night. My DVR is so confused. Pea Daddy found it odd that I bawled and sniffled for a good thirty minutes this weekend after watching the “Dear Sophie” Google Chrome ad featuring home videos, photos and emails a dad has sent to his daughter... Read More
My Favorite Recipeas and Big News! (GIVEAWAY)
I have a little news to share with you. I’m dying to tell you. But as a part of this week’s festivities, I promised to share with you which of the recipeas on our site and in our book are my very personal favorites. News or no news, I keep my promises. Which also explains why today, I took my two children, as promised, to the absolute worst theme park in the history of theme parks. And they had a blast. I predict listing out my... Read More
The One Where You Show Me Yours
Geez, you guys are adorable. I absolutely loved getting all of your photos these last few days as a part of our Appreciation Week! There were so many great photos, I’m going to try to upload all of them to our Facebook page so you all can drool and laugh over all of them as much as I did. But here are the winners of the $50 Visa gift cards and the Pea Packs. Peas and Thank You Photo Prizes What a good-looking bunch! (I hope... Read More
It Bears Repeating: Make My Man Eat Plants (GIVEAWAY)
I don’t speak for Pea Daddy, but I think he would say that he eats pretty well. Who am I kidding? I constantly speak for Pea Daddy. So I’ll say it, “He eats very well.” Even though you may have read the “meat” of this post before, I think it definitely bears repeating since the question I get asked almost daily is, “How do I get my boyfriend/husband/father to go along with a plant-based diet?” Before I get to that answer... Read More
A Week of Appreciation
The past three weeks have been crazy. The dishes are piling up. I’m so desperate to get them out of my sink that I’m doing moronic things like sticking my Vitamix in the dishwasher. It melted. It’s not pretty, but I’m still using it. Our dressers no longer serve a purpose, we are just getting dressed out of the basket. At least it’s the “clean” basket. I’ve worn the same mascara for three days in a row. It’s better for... Read More
Recipea Reactions (GIVEAWAY)
Today was all about catch up. Not catching up on laundry, emails or removing dried condiments from the in-the-door shelves of the refrigerator. Goodness knows those all needed done. I think the soy sauce bottle is permanently stuck. Enjoy your plain rice tonight, family. Instead we caught up on cloud gazing. On teeter tottering at the park. On cooking something new. Can you take a raincheck on the recipea? How about Sunday, same time, same... Read More
The One You’ve Been Waiting For (GIVEAWAY)
It’s about to get crazy up in here. “Swimming with an umbrella” crazy. “Pea Daddy’s going to kill me for letting his landscaping go to hell, but that looks so fun I can’t say no” crazy. “Mama let me paint while she was on a conference call” crazy. “Pickles and bladder control-challenged peas are art” crazy. I wanted to invoke a little censorship, but Gigi said, “Maybe they’ll put this in a museum someday” and... Read More
Brought to You By the Number Five…and Toasters (VIDEO AND GIVEAWAY)
High five! The release of our book, Peas and Thank You: Simple Meatless Meals the Whole Family Will Love is in FIVE DAYS. (okay, now it is only FOUR, but when we filmed this last night it was FIVE) We thought we’d make another little video for you this beautiful Friday! P&TY release July 26.2011 Is it just me, or can Lulu not keep her hands off me? I feel so used. But in any event, this weekend we’re giving away 5 +5 for a total... Read More
Peas Pre-Orders and Prizes! (VIDEO & GIVEAWAY)
The Peas and Thank You book countdown is underway! The official Peas and Thank You publish date is in just eleven days on July 26th. You know I’m so excited I could just pea. (Sorry, I had to do it.) And it makes me even more excited to hear from you, via your email messages and Tweets, that you want to help us rocket to the best-seller list. Here’s how: if you pre-order now and/or buy the book in bookstores (notice how they are not mutually... Read More
My Country ‘Tis of Pea! (GIVEAWAY)
The Pea Family 4th of July Weekend is almost here. There’ll be a trip to the beach. There’ll be “cheese” stuffed burgers. There’ll be a minor league baseball game. There’ll be strawberry shortcake. There’ll be a day at the museum. There’ll be food carts. With any luck, there won’t be a single firework. You could lose a finger, people. But there will be a whole pack of Peas, just enjoying our time together as a family. To kick... Read More
Ashley, This Is Your Birthday Present! (GIVEAWAY)
I couldn’t keep a secret if my life depended on it. I know I should be stockpiling recipes and rationing them out in case I have the good fortune of getting to write a second book, but as soon as I make something delicious, I immediately want to share it. Except for a few. See, I couldn’t even keep that a secret! Same goes for stories. I just can’t keep my mouth shut, even if it ruins the element of surprise. Which is why my Twitter... Read More
It’s Here! (and a Father’s Day GIVEAWAY)
Look what came in the mail. The. ACTUAL. Book. Not a flier, not a postcard, not a trailer. The sweet smell of ink. The pages I could paper-cut myself on. The words I wrote. The faces I love. The food I cooked. And ate. And ate. And ate. I hate to admit, I cried a little. I just feel so overjoyed that all of you who have already pre-ordered are going to get THIS BOOK. You will not be disappointed. Gigi woke up early this morning to... Read More
High as a Kite
It’s been a remarkable week. I was driving the girls home from school on Monday, wishing I had an obvious way to give back more. I like to think I am appreciative of what I have, not from a financial or material perspective, but in terms of happiness. I absolutely love my life beyond measure. But if I don’t share that, if I don’t have compassion and grace about that, how do I really have anything? And then Alyssa’s story fell (was dropped?)... Read More
Learning About Love
I am a hoarder. Not of cats (child, please!), or Groupons (ahem, Pea Daddy), but of special little foods that I don’t want anyone else to even try for fear that they will like it, scarf it and leave me with an empty jar and a river of tears. My friend Ashley knows me well. And thus she sends me homemade nut butters in massive, conspicuous jars that I can hide in the back of the fridge behind the sauerkraut and miso. No one’s going to touch... Read More
A Sweet Celebration (GIVEAWAY)
I joke a lot about how old I am. The number of prunes I eat. The waist on my jeans creeping higher. The “frosted” highlights in my hair getting a little heavier as more and more grey hairs sprout after ballet recital tryouts, chest x-rays and book deadlines. As much as I look back fondly on my 20s, a stretch-mark free mid-section and impeccable bladder control, I have to say, life just keeps getting sweeter. And an early-bird, early birthday... Read More
New Recipage and Most Popular Recipea (GIVEAWAY)
Anyone who knows me can tell you that I am, always have been and will always be a perfectionist. But unlike anyone who knows me, I don’t think it’s a fault. Then again, I don’t have to live with me, share a bathroom with me or try to not leave a single fingerprint on the stainless steel refrigerator or otherwise bear the wrath of me. As the saying goes, “The day I stop learning is the day I start dying.” And therefore, I will always be... Read More
The Very Lucky Winners
As promised, by random draw I’ve selected three winners for The Very Hungry Caterpillar giveaway. The winner of the Zoobie is Jonelle: The winners of The Very Hungry Caterpillar books are Meg, and Lauren! Congratulations, ladies! Email me your addresses at peasandthankyou@hotmail.com and I will get your prizes to you. And Jonelle, don’t go wearing that zoobie to any youth sporting events. Read More
A Surprise in Store (GIVEAWAY)
As if a giant wiener on wheels wasn’t enough, I have something else fun in store for you today. Literally in store! Love me some puns, can you tell? Among the emails I get each day (from Pea Daddy asking why I put a picture of him with a wiener whistle in his mouth on the internet or from my mother asking what she ever did to make me turn out this way), I get a lot of questions about STUFF. They read something like this: Mama Pea, you... Read More
How Convenient!
There are few things less convenient than waking up and realizing you need to change a set of sheets. Except maybe realizing you need to change the set of sheets you are sleeping in. I plead the Fifth. In any event, rest assured, such was not the case this morning. Lulu was the one in need of Downy fresh sheets. Or at least dry ones. Inconvenient? Yes. But not nearly as upsetting as realizing what she had done while the sheets were being... Read More
Wacky Wednesday Indeed! (GIVEAWAY)
Wouldn’t it be wacky if today I simply retold each and every time I’ve mopped my kitchen floor/cleaned my carpets in the last three days? Would it be “wacky” or blog suicide? 1. Apple juice spill Sunday 2. Cat puke Sunday (frickin’ cat) 3. Coffee spill Sunday (you know it wasn’t me) 4. Smoothie spill Monday 5. Ant infestation following apple juice spill Monday 6. Niagra Falls at the dinner table Tuesday (we aren’t called the... Read More
Seeing Double
I’m so dilated. I’m so dilated Pea Daddy is typing this. I’m so dilated I drank the creepy strands in my kombucha. I’m so dilated I’ve asked for an epidural. Twice. I’m so dilated that my generally $6.82 Whole Foods salad bar got heaped up to $12.74. Only because I’m dilated. I’m so dilated I thought an old man in the Tommy Bahama store was Pea Daddy. Oh, wait. Pea Daddy didn’t want to type that. I’m so dilated I want... Read More
Wacky Wednesday: Show Me The Dough (GIVEAWAY)
Wednesdays really are wacky around here. We tried a new breakfast recipe. With chocolate. Again. Wax on, wax off, Gigi. We juiced. A classic Green Juice in a recycled bottle. If I pay $3 for a kombucha, I’m getting my money’s worth. It’s also my explanation for wearing these overpriced jeans three days in a row. We’ll see which disintegrates first: the bottle label or my skinny jeans. We balleted. We have eight Nutcracker... Read More
A Yearful of Peas? Thank You! (GIVEAWAY)
It’s Peas and Thank You‘s First Birthday! I am so relieved that we get to celebrate a birthday today that doesn’t involve me being up until 2 am making a cake in the shape of a cat, Dora’s head, a unicorn or a cow. Instead, I get to share with you a few highlights of the last year of Peas and give you a few presents! Let’s start with a recap of the last year in photos. A recap that has proven to me that children grow too fast... Read More
Taking Care of Business
We had a jam packed weekend. My Blackberry Cinnamon Rolls needed to be reshot for the book, so the family had to suffer through another batch. Poor tortured souls. Can you hear the screams of protest from here? And then there were the batches… and batches… of cookies. Lulu and Gigi failed to understand that they were intended for bake sale bidders, birthday girls and giveaway winners. . And I hope Pea Daddy’s middle finger isn’t any... Read More
A Day of Mystery
I’m totally stumped as to how to thank all of you for your prayers and support based on yesterday’s post. How about a post on a Friday night, when I’m usually deep in my couch, a glass of red and my DVR? Here you go. First, some good news: though Rachael isn’t out of the woods yet, they removed the pump this evening and her heart is beating on its own. If all goes well she will be out of the ICU and into the cardiac unit tomorrow.... Read More
We Have a Winner!
Hasn’t it been a beautiful day? Something about seeing a friend (who happens to be a blogger and author) on the Today Show can just put a smile on your face. I wasn’t the only Pea excited about it. Lulu said, “We HAVE that book!” I said, “I KNOW HER!” Gigi said, “I want to be on the Today Show.” I hope she gets on somehow besides showing up on a Smuckers’ jar in 2111. I was so proud of how... Read More
Lessons in Beauty (& a Giveaway)
I’d always hoped that I would have girls. I wasn’t just looking forward to dressing them in frilly clothes, having tea parties and injecting even more pink into my home decor. I wasn’t just looking to avoid things that to this day I still have no clue about, namely foreskin and whether or not it should be removed (yes, Caitlin, I just mentioned foreskin in a post about your amazing book). My main hope was to be able to raise... Read More
Old, New, Borrowed, Blue
I truly can’t remember if on my wedding day I had “something old, something new, something borrowed, something blue…” This post has a bit of everything to make up for it. It also is a good opportunity to congratulate both Janetha and Kalin on their nuptials this past weekend. Love you, girls! I’m not exactly traditional, so I’m going to start with the borrowed. They say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery,... Read More
Secrets Don’t Make Friends, but Giveaways Do
I hate to keep secrets from you guys. But how does that saying go? “Why buy the charming, hilarious, almost finished meat-free memoir cookbook when you can have the recipes for free?” So in exchange for my relentless teasing, I have another giveaway for you. I’m just going to make you wait for it first while looking at pictures of recipes that I can’t give you. Yesterday we hosted a birthday barbecue for Pea Daddy with... Read More
Medium Raw Giveaway Winner
Hey Peaps! It seems the blog and I have been on the fritz today. If only I could cram Saltines and Gatorade into my hard drive and make it all better… Speaking of salty, I’m here to announce the winner of the autographed copy of Anthony Bourdain’s Medium Raw. Pea Daddy is a few chapters into it (his own copy, not the winner’s–I assure you there are no root beer stains on the pages), and he says that I should have... Read More
I Like it Medium Raw (Giveaway)
A wise man once said, “You don’t have to agree with someone to want to sit down and have a beer with him.” I completely agree. And that is why last night, I was overjoyed to sit down and have a beer with that wise man, Anthony Bourdain. Alright, I didn’t really sit down and have a beer with him, but I did get to sit in the seventh row of his speaking engagement in Portland, and as far as I’m concerned, I had a pretty... Read More
NuNaturals Stevia Winners
Gigi was quite disappointed when she learned we would not be shooting another video to announce the NuNaturals Stevia Winners. I think she had images of being a lotto girl and calling numbers. That girl has goals, I tell you. Using the Random Integer Generator, the winners of the NuNaturals Stevia gift packs are: 4–melissab sorry to hear about your gramps…lots of prayers and thoughts his (and your) way. when i need a good cheer up i... Read More
Day Away Giveaway
Hey Peaps. I’m not myself tonight. My grandpa had a stroke yesterday. He’s stable now, but when I haven’t been at the hospital, I’ve just wanted to snuggle on the couch with these two, and dig into the double batch of Peanut Butter Blondies I made for my dad’s birthday, which was also yesterday. I took half to the hospital and the other half…nevermind. So I will do my best to put on my big girl panties tomorrow... Read More
