So I am going to do the first-ever GreenSmoothieGirl.com retreat and it’s going to be a BLAST:
Overthrowing the Standard American Diet
One Family At a Time
GreenSmoothieGirl Parents’ and Grandparents’ Retreat 2010
I spent some time brainstorming what the sessions will be, what I think you’ll want to learn about. (I’ve a pretty good idea, reading a lot of your comments on this blog, and emails, the past few years.) But tell me so I know for sure, okay? What can I do for you, to make your parenting or grandparenting job easier?
The retreat will be in Utah, for two days, Friday and Saturday, February 25-26, 2011. Somewhere fabulous (and local, this first year, since my biggest core of readers are here): Provo Marriott, Midway Zermatt, something like that. We’ll check into it and let you know. Ideas welcome.
There will be a mini-retreat WITH YOUR KIDS AGE 5-12 (optional to bring them), for half a day on Saturday. We’ll have whole-foods tastings and ratings, awards for the kids as they open their minds and taste buds, a nutrition class geared toward their level of understanding, a hands-on try-it-yourself clinic to learn to make food for the family and learn to be leaders and helpers in your home.
On Friday and Saturday, I will teach some of the sessions on the 12 Steps to Whole Foods program.
I hope to release my kids’ book Green Kids Rock Out Loud that weekend and send everybody in attendance home with a signed copy.
I already have 3 parents I know who have been WALKING THE TALK for up to 30 years, who have agreed to speak and sit on a panel to answer your questions. Ask away, because they have fed their families a mostly raw diet for many years and their personal stories are AMAZING. Between the three families, they’ve beat cancer, heart disease (pacemaker), cystic fibrosis, and more. Shelley Abegg, Ruth Holmes, and Denley / Jan Fowlke . . . some of my personal heroes! I’m ecstatic that they’ve agreed to prepare, come, and share.
I want you to meet other parents who are doing this and have some opportunities to mingle and to share your ideas and energy, and send you home with a transcript of the ideas of this community of parents. That by itself will be worth your time because GSG READERS ARE AMAZING. Nobody requires your presence on this site and blog that explore living a quality life. So it tends to be truth seekers, creative parents, top-notch people who gravitate here. I personally can’t wait for that community to come together.
I want you to leave energized, empowered, and ready to take on the world. And I want you to leave really well fed. (Of course we will feed you fabulous whole-foods meals.)
You probably want me and my friends to cover some of these topics:
- Infant/Toddler/Nursing mom nutrition
- How to eat whole foods while traveling
- That awful subject . . . school lunch!
- Peer pressure for kids
- How to bring the spouse and kids on board
But that’s just what I want—or what I THINK you want. I’ll have a registration page up soon, but what do you want out of a retreat? Please tell me here.
I’d come! Great excuse to see my girls at BYU while rejuvenating myself in my love for talking healthy eating. I’d love to see some yoga too.
Don’t have any suggestions for you – just wanted to say how excited I am for this! I’m sure it’s going to be GREAT! Keep us updated, for sure!
The mini-retreat with kids sounds great. My kids would be thrilled and amazed to go to a social gathering where the food was GSG standards.
Would the spouses go to the toddler nutrition classes and such or have other choices?
My husband isn’t interested in the same stuff as most of the readers of this blog, if he came to a retreat he might be interested in discussing things like
1) What to eat on holidays and at potlucks
2) “Help! I love to grill and my wife wants salad”
3) You know you’re the spouse of a green smoothie girl/guy if… (how to have a sense of humor about adopting wholefoods lifestyle.)
4) Organic gardening & composting
5) Washing a zillion smoothie cups and salad bowls, Is it worth it?
Yeah!!! I’d come from Arizona to join in the festivities and try to convince my family in Idaho to join me! :)
Yoga! Yes, I had that thought too, great idea.
This sounds great my kids would love this. Plus there aren’t that many retreats you can bring kids to. I’d be interested in hearing about how to have a whole foods lifestyle for athletes, and for people who really need a lot of calories (my husband’s problem, not mine) and tend to lose weight and get spacey if they don’t eat really heavy food.
would I be able to bring a nursing babe to the retreat? (as long as I left the room is she was fussy?!) this is awesome!!
I’ll be there if you have it at the Provo Marriott, and I’ll bring along 5 of my greenest friends :).
I would love to taste the recipes (or as many as feasible) from your 12 Step book. When I read a recipe, I have a hard time seeing it on my table, but if I can taste it then I’m more likely to make it.
This sounds like a fun and rewarding event, as well as a wonderful support group to those of us who are told by family members that we’re just NUTS when it comes to food.
Lala, OF COURSE!
Oops! I forgot to add that the hardest thing for me is healthy foods on the go, whether it’s vacation or shopping for the day. I would appreciate hearing more about this and what others have successfully done. Thanks for all you do for us.
Regina, the parents will attend most or all of the mini-retreat WITH the kids. Since I will be running part of it, I don’t want to have an adults’ part going on at the same time as the kids’ (I don’t want to miss anything!). I want you to see what your kids are learning, too.
I have to figure out an option for child care for those coming from out of town, with kids, the rest of the two days.
Marly, I think events like this are key to remembering we are NOT crazy just because this generation has, well, lost its mind nutritionally.
LOVE the idea and I will be there. Here’s an idea you might want to consider : How about a class on setting up a clutter-free, user-friendly kitchen–a CENTERED kitchen that moms and kids can work in (and clean up) easily? I’ve been teaching this at BYU Ed. Week and national conferences since my book, IT’S HERE…SOMEWHERE, came out in 1985, and folks love it. My research has shown that folks are more inclined to make changes and do new things if the process isn’t too hard–thus the need for a simplified, and centered kitchen. If you like the idea, send me an email and I can send you my bulleted class outline so you can get a feel for what would be covered. Your fan, Alice Osborne
I’m a couple years away from having kids… (trying to wait till my husband is done with school). My husband and I are trying to change our diet now and better our life style now so that we are more prepared to feed our family right.. I would love a womens retreat, learning about how to best take care of your body while trying to get pregnant, pregnant, and nursing. and I would love to hear other womens stories about natural child birth, and vacinations. I have so many questions in these areas and too be honest they are intimidating and scary topics to bring up with just anyone. Just my thoughts, but even if you didn’t cover any of this, i’m in and i’m so excited to come learn from everything you have to offer. Also, LOVE the yoga idea! :)
I just ordered your 12 Step program and am excited to start feeling (and looking) better. My biggest reason for starting this is my kids. I would love to come to a retreat like this. I love Midway but prefer The Homestead Resort to The Zermatt. It is right across the street. It has a much more relaxed country feel to it and I know that they host retreats and conferences. I am looking forward to this and will start saving up to make it. Thanks Robyn!
I would love to come but I’m not sure I’ll be able to fly out to utah. Will you make the seminar available on podcast? (Especially the part about the spouse!) :) thanks!
Sounds like a great idea. I would definitely come if it was held at the Provo Marriott. I’m sure lots of other nutritionally-minded college kids would come, too.
Sounds like a great idea. I would definitely come if it was held at the Provo Marriott. I’m sure lots of other nutritionally-minded college kids would come, too.
I would love to try more of your recipes!
Everything that Regina said!!!! Can’t wait.. is this going to be super expensive?? Do I need to start saving ;-)
We would love to come, especially me and my daughter who persuaded our family to become Vegetarian.
One concern though, February is rather cold and possibly snowy here, how is it in Utah? Will flights in to your area be dependable? Just wondering..
Thanks for all of your great work!
Several of my family members will be there for sure!
Please hold it at the Provo Marriot. This would be perfect and I’ll bring the whole family!
I have been following you for a few months now and am getting swept up! A retreat sounds so fun!
I have been wanting to ask a question for awhile… even if it’s not addressed at the retreat maybe you could answer it another way sometime? What are your best suggestions for a healthy and usable food storage?
I’m super excited to hear this news! I just moved to S.L.C. from Southern Utah…and would love to learn more from your workshops:)
Oooh oooh! I wanna come, I wanna come! My due date is the 28th though. :( Anyway I might be able to get the info from the classes if I’m unable to attend? I love, love, love the idea of a retreat and could really benefit from these classes!
I love your 5 topics for classes. That is so what I want to know about! Thank you! Sounds great!
Lauren, I have a course, Developing a High-Nutrition Food Storage, 80% done. I just need to produce it! Good idea for a class if we have time at the retreat–I have WAY more ideas than we can cover in 2 days!
Kimberly, that is definitely something I need to think about . . . it certainly does snow here!
Kelsey, I think it’s going to be $299 for adults and $69 to bring a child.
LOVE THIS IDEA! Already thinking up creative ways to pay for it! One thing that i would like to see, at the retreat or in some form on the site would be what to do when your children do get sick. I realize that the probability of that happening is greatly reduced with great nutrition, but it still happens. I would be very interested to know what you, Robyn, have done especially when your children were babies. Just some holistic tips and tricks from someone who has actually done it would be so nice. As a young mom I would love this.
Ok, whole other thought, thank you so much for doing the class in Ogden, I loved it and loved being able to talk to you afterwards, I thought that it was so awesome that you took time to talk to every person that wanted to talk. I was the crazy girl that stayed till very last and talked your ear off, I am now making good on my promise to write my story on here ( I apologize for the crazy long post in advance).
I very much relate to Robyn’s story, I too grew up in a large family with a mother who fed us great nutrition, pretty much because it was what was cheap. I am the middle of nine children and my mother was single from the time I was 7, we ate mostly out of our ginormous garden, beans, and corn tortillas. We NEVER had anything processed, no cold cereal, and didnt know what a pop tart was. When I got pregnant and married at 18 I bought all the things that I was ‘deprived’ of growing up. My husband was from a
LOVE THIS IDEA! Already thinking up creative ways to pay for it! One thing that i would like to see, at the retreat or in some form on the site would be what to do when your children do get sick. I realize that the probability of that happening is greatly reduced with great nutrition, but it still happens. I would be very interested to know what you, Robyn, have done especially when your children were babies. Just some holistic tips and tricks from someone who has actually done it would be so nice. As a young mom I would love this.
Ok, whole other thought, thank you so much for doing the class in Ogden, I loved it and loved being able to talk to you afterwards, I thought that it was so awesome that you took time to talk to every person that wanted to talk. I was the crazy girl that stayed till very last and talked your ear off, I am now making good on my promise to write my story on here ( I apologize for the crazy long post in advance).
I very much relate to Robyn’s story, I too grew up in a large family with a mother who fed us great nutrition, pretty much because it was what was cheap. I am the middle of nine children and my mother was single from the time I was 7, we ate mostly out of our ginormous garden, beans, and corn tortillas. We NEVER had anything processed, no cold cereal, and didnt know what a pop tart was.
When I got pregnant and married at 18 I bought all the things that I was ‘deprived’ of growing up. My husband was from a pre-made- freezer meal- TONS of meat- teeny side of veggies no one ate, family. The only veggie he would eat was broccoli, and every meal had to have meat in it, and alot of it. I made what he liked. I was sick every few weeks for 4 years. I slept 12 hours a day and was still so tired. I always figured it was because of having a kid or what not.
One kid later, beautiful baby #2 poped out with eczima, acid reflux, and lactose intolerance. I cut all dairy ( I used to drink almost a gallon of milk a day). One month later woke up thinking I would die from stomach pain, found out I had galbladder issues. I cut most fats and meat. My amazing friend told me about GSG, when I was bemoaning “What am i supposed to eat?”.
For months my husband made fun of my ‘gross concoctions’. Sundays after church I would slide out the blender for a smoothie, he would pull out the deep fryer and breaded chicken. One day, we had a bet, he lost, and had to eat whatever I wanted. Green smoothie it is! He eyed the little glass suspiciously, and took a teeny sip. Then another. “hm, Its really not too bad.” I was floored.
So many times I had cajoled him to take a bite of something i “knew” he would like, and every time he would say “I just really don’t like it”. The next morning I made a big batch of smoothie, pored him a big glass and he drank the whole thing! Later when he asked what the green crap was from my food co-op, I said, “Kale, how did you like it for breakfast?”
Now he pretty much eats anything I put into a smoothie, something I really thought would never happen, it is my little miracle. If you knew him, you would know that it is truly a miracle. I am deeply grateful to Robyn, not only for making it possible for me to have more energy then I have had since I was 16, and my house never looking so good, but giving me the tools to help my husband eat something healthy. Its a start in the right direction, and a start I didnt know would ever be possible.
I would love to fly out from Boston for the retreat. Perhaps with one or two of my oldest children (they will be almost 10 and 7) too. Hubby will have to stay home with the little one. How is Provo for flying into? Do I have to fly to SLC and then fly again to Provo?
Oh I will so be there!!!!! All the ideas so far sound fabulous! I’d love to get an estimate on the cost so I can start saving my pennies!!
The retreat already sounds amazing! I wonder, for those who cannot attend, if it will be possible to purchase a video…Just a thought!
Thanks,
Ann…a new greensmoothie girl
I haven’t read the other comments so these suggestions might be repeated, but a few things I’ve noticed that get discussed here or on the 12 step blog a lot are how to save money while eating whole foods and how to store whole foods (e.g. how long will nuts and seeds keep in the fridge or freezer, how long can sprouts keep, etc.).
Looking forward to coming from San Diego for the retreat! I would be interested in more vegan dishes. Many of your receipes call for eggs & I am not good at converting them to vegan dishes with good results.
I got lazy & went off GS for about a month. I am so tired all the time & realized how much better I feel with GS everyday, plus my grandchildren are asking for them!
Hey Kathleen, actually fewer than 5% of my recipes call for eggs or anything else from an animal. But you can use 1 Tbsp. chia seed soaked in 3 Tbsp. water, to replace a large egg!
Good luck getting back on the wagon! It happens.
Ann, I am considering how to capture the retreat on DVD, transcripts, etc., to be available afterward.
Amy, since posting this, I have more info: the location is going to be at Noah’s in Lindon, about a 40-min. drive from the Salt Lake airport, closer than Provo. (There’s no commercial airport in Provo.)
I will announce this later, but I’m thinking we will do this in April to avoid a possible blizzard scenario.
I was so excited in hearing about the retreat and was planning on bringing my whole family until I saw the possible price. Will there be a family discount? For instance, if I could bring my husband and 14 year old daughter (who, incidentally is planning on going to Culinary school) and myself for $400, I definately would.( I am assuming we would have hotel costs on top of this.) I also agree with holding it in Provo, as it would be more accessible for those flying in. I also liked the kitchen organization class idea.
Hey Susan, gathering costs and will consider that (a discount for an additional adult). Event will be in Lindon, closer to Salt Lake airport than Provo even, at Noah’s.
I cant wait! Just told my hubby to put in a vacay request at work (he travels) when he asked what for my answer was a life changing weekend. haha…he has NO idea what he’s in for! Good thing he’s such a good sport!
I’ll come from Arizona. Sounds great!
How fun! I’d love to be part of this. I agree with having it be later–not in February because of bad weather.
I would really like to hear about my most difficult meal–lunch. Especially lunches I can send with children to school. I have 5 in school right now–a total of 8 children–7 at home.
Can’t wait to hear all the details and I love the idea about kids coming to sample on Saturday. I actually had my twelve year old son say yesterday–Mom I need to start drinking green drinks, yay!
please tell me where to sign up! My family and i have been making the transition along with my sisters, sisters-in-laws and mother. We would love to get some more ideas to continue to motivate us and help our families along. All of your discussion ideas are right on. Thanks for all you do!
I just found your blog tonight & as I’ve had time (inbetween 6 kids & working) I’ve been reading through. I was so excited to come across this entry ~ I am very very interested in this & am hoping that I’ve not missed the annoucnement? I love what your sharing here!!!
How soon before you will post the exact date? I want to bring my daughters and daughter in law’s, that would be 7 of us if everyone came. A family discount would be wonderful. How many can you have come to the retreat?
I am most interested in the retreat for my daughters to get away from the kids, and to learn ideas to take back home. How much of the time will be spent with the children, and how much will be dedicated to empowering the adults to go home and teach their families to eat healthy.
Delia, it will be April 22-23!
A four-hour block will be with the kids on Saturday morning. But the adults will be involved too. I may include an option for adults who don’t want to do the kid stuff WITH the kids. But I don’t know what that will be yet (could be something touristy or just fun).