New Year, New Adventures!

Well, it’s getting to be that time of year again, you know the time, when you reflect on what has passed, what and who you’re grateful for, and when you start to think and dream about what might be in store for you in the next year. I’ve got Christmas music blasting and Teddy and I are curled up in front of the fireplace reflecting on our last year.

I for one had a really amazing year, did you? Not only was I able to start working on our food company, Native Life, to bring healthy, grain free foods with no-added sugar to the market (please sign up on our website if you're interested), I was able to have a life changing experience- rowing the pacific with my amazing husband, an experience that brought us closer as a couple and as a team. One experience that I am most grateful for is the interaction that I was able to have with all of YOU. It was so inspiring to hear all of your personal experiences and struggles with sugar, and giving sugar up, and we're still hearing them! We also may not have gotten through the row without the supportive emails and comments you provided us, especially Fred Lincoln and Will Muecke, who both wrote us daily to keep our spirits up. Given that the row was one of the biggest life experiences either of us have had so far, we want to thank you, really, for being on that journey with us.

One question we hear from most people is “What’s next??”. Just living a ‘normal’ life is pretty awesome, especially after our summer vacation rowing across an ocean in a dirty, wet torture chamber... and especially given that I now have virtually unlimited access to amazing soaps and bath oils…but you know how it is, there's always something bigger out there and we do have some awesome plans coming up for 2015.

On the boat we had ‘white space’ to think... and think, and think. We didn’t have the stresses of work or unlimited distraction of emails, Internet and phone. We discovered that we work incredibly well together; especially under stressful conditions- this gave us more confidence in our relationship. We started to think seriously about starting a family when we were out there, and in fact, we started trying to build that family (if you know what I mean). Sounds like a fun distraction, I know, but don’t be fooled. We were so dirty and tired that we were both thanking the universe when our ‘family building’ sessions were over. We weren’t successful on the boat, but we were committed, and when we came back we discovered that it would be highly unlikely that I’d be able to get pregnant without professional help. Like all other goals, we started planning and executing the steps to get us there, but the universe stepped in and just days before I was scheduled to start my first round of IVF, we conceived! Now I’m 5 months and if all goes well, we’ll have a girl arriving in late spring. How lucky are we?!? I’m still eating the same way I was before, although I eat a lot more and have become obsessed with soup, which I lovingly refer to as 'Soupy-doupy' (yes, the funny naming conventions still exist on land). Surprisingly, I have less cravings for Susie Cakes than I had before, but I do have other cravings that make both shock and disgust me (rotisserie chicken, for example, which I eat in the car, with Sami looking worriedly at my from the corner of his eye as he drives away, hoping no one sees us). My six-pack is now a two-pack and well on it’s way to becoming a keg.

Rowing the Pacific was really Sami’s idea, obviously, I mean, who else would pick something so un-fun? We agreed that I’d be able to pick the next adventure, which I’ve been thinking of for the last year since we decided to do the row, and trust me, it’s way more fun. I don't want to go on record just yet, but I can tell you it will be a 50-60 day expedition, it's totally grueling, and of course, there will be no sugar or processed carbs eaten! I hope we have you along for the ride!

We hope you all are in good health and that, if you haven’t kicked the sugar yet, that you’ll consider committing to a New Years 30 day sugar detox- I guarantee you, it will be a great way to start your year!

With much appreciation,

Meredith & Sami