Should Vegan Kids Go to the Zoo?

Jason (now 11) was about 5 yrs old in this picture

I came across some pictures of a petting zoo field trip I took with Jason back in 2007. I want to take the boys to the zoo before it gets too cold.

Going to the circus or rodeo with my family is a no-brainer (hell no!), but I go back and forth about the zoo. I love the zoo and want to share this experience with all three of my kids (my youngest son has never been with me).

For me, veganism is way more than food. I became a vegan for ethical reasons. This is why I feel so conflicted.  

It bothers me that those animals are caged in, but at the same time, they're usually well taken care of like the ones at an animal sanctuary.

I don't know....Maybe I'm still too "young" in this lifestyle to completely grasp why it's so wrong to partake in zoo visits. Is it even wrong or have I convinced myself that it's wrong?  

Anyway, I say all that to say that we're visiting the National Zoo later this month.

I'm really working on being more open about my decisions and feeling okay that I don't fit perfectly in this self-imposed vegan box. It's a process and a journey that I will continue to blog about here.

Thanks for reading! 

What are your thoughts? Should vegans go to the zoo?

Woohoo! 3,000 Subscribers on YouTube

It feels like only yesterday when I wrote about reaching 1,000 subscribers.

Thank you soooo much for all of your support. 

So many things have changed since I started my channel. I was unsure for a long time if I would even continue to make videos. It feel like it took forever for me to find my voice. These days, I'm focusing on moving my channel to a vegan lifestyle family channel.

Even though I will continue to make cooking videos, I will also keep up with grocery store hauls, product reviews, family vlogs, What We Ate Today, and more Vegan While Out (day in the life) type vlogs.

This vegan thing is a lifestyle, yo!  I really want to show it from a family perspective.

Thanks again!

If you haven't already, subscribe to my channel for vegan cooking videos and vlogs.  

    Tell A Friend! :-)

Be Gentle with Yourself-Healthy Eating Journey

I was inspired to record a short vlog about buying Oreos again, after going about a month without eating them. 

I'm really learning not be so hard on myself and to love and embrace my healthy food journey.  Food shouldn't be associated with stress or pain and I'm learning to be gentle with myself.  

I saw this picture on That ARThletic Girl's Tumblr that was right on time!   I hope this video & picture inspires you to be more gentle in your own food journey. Baby steps are okay!

Instead of saying "no more junk food" say "I'm going to eat more leafy greens, drink fresh juice and blend smoothies." 

10 Random Things About Me

I'm really working on making my YouTube channel more than just recipes.  I made a Welcome video several weeks ago showing some of the topics that I plan to cover. 

I want my channel to be more of a lifestyle one...showing what we do when it comes to food as a family, eating out, vlogs about my experiences, tips, reviews, etc. Of course the recipe videos are here to stay.  :-)

My fellow YouTuber Mel (AKA blaxirican) tagged me to do the 10 random things about me video so I filmed it over the weekend.

Here it is....

1. I've been a vegan for 3 years this month-Woohoo!!

2.  I'm a homebody.

3. My husband is my first interracial relationship.

4. I'm the most comfortable in yoga pants and sneakers.

5. I love ratchet music.

6.  I can't dance. 

7. I'm afraid of heights.

8. I drink a lot of tea.

9. The King of Queens is my favorite show & Coming to America is my favorite movie.

10. I didn't start cooking from scratch until I became a vegan.

What are your random tidbits? Let me know in the comments below.