It ALL BEGAN with THE pizza dough

That one fateful Friday Pizza Night, with twins in kindergarten, an exhausting toddler on my hip, and my husband, in true military style, was away from home, I realized I needed help. I needed my community. So I made the dough, and my friends brought the rest.

Dads rolled in, pizza was grilled, drinks were spilled, knees were bruised, movies were watched, and most importantly, bonds were made. That Friday night was six years ago, and the community and bonds continue to grow into what we have made into a ‘framily’.

In the summer of 2018, we moved back to the US from Germany, I immediately noticed (besides the daily stomach bloat from the change in flour used in the American made breads!) the lack of eye contact kids were making with adults. Cell phones were everywhere; on tables, in young kids hands at the beach, at museums, in restaurants and even being utilized as a baby play toy (just connect and they watch!). It took a moment for me to adjust to this shift in cultural dynamics. Trust me, I love my phone. I hear a “ding” and I get excited! But in Germany, no one ever had a phone on the table. And a great deal of importance, like many countries/cultures, is placed on everyone sitting around the table for a meal. I grew up in America, and this is what I always experienced as a child, so how are we moving away from this?

Why are we, as parents, not being more intentional with the minimal time we have together now? With sports, activities, jobs, school, LIFE, isn’t the family unit and the connection we have with our children and each other one of the most important relationship/life lessons we need to pass on? I truly believe so. And that’s why I’m here - to help you to remember to unplug, laugh and reconnect…

Back At The Table.

“Working with Andrea, at Back At The Table has changed my life in ways I never anticipated. With 5 kids, I used to wake up in the mornings and dread making lunches. I would stress over trying to ensure everyone had a balanced meal. I thought I was doing alright by them; but Andrea taught me how I can do it so much better with a few simple changes. Now I feel confident balancing their meals over the course of a week. ”
— Kelly Dunbar, Military Mom and so much more

Pasta. Italy’s national food. We all love it, but why do people eschew it (appropriate choice in word there…)? There isn’t a problem with pasta per se, but if you want to point out the positives, it’s high in niacin, iron, th
Do yourself a favor and get this cookbook. My daughter has made four cakes from here and each one is just perfect. We all need to break daily for a slice of cake, a cup of tea and a good conversation. Especially now. And most importantly, Back At The
Summer treats - sliced strawberries with a teaspoon of sugar, put in the fridge for the day. Enjoyed over vanilla ice cream for afternoon snack. Back At Table, of course. . . . . #onmyplate #eatwell #eatwelllivewell #simplelife
This is where the conversation starts ✊🏿✊🏾✊🏽✊🏼✊🏻. Back At The Table.
I posted in my stories last night that my seven year old decided not to eat the risotto (that he typically loves) and declared it “disgusting”. He was just in one of those moods we’ve all witnessed in our kids. That’s fine and
Freedom is Not Free. #nsf #weremember #nsfweremember
The reality is that most kids get plenty of protein, even if they’re vegetarian. Protein is found in so many places and while your needs are age specific, think 2-3 portions/per day. A portion looks like the size of the child’s fist. I
Sometimes we need a break. I’ll take it today with donuts from @traderjoes for snack time. It’s not considered a “cheat meal” in my book. It’s considered normal eating, which is indulging in foods you shouldn’t ea
Let’s talk yogurt. We’re fans of it in this house, though it has to be full fat and creamy. We try not to buy the individual cups or squeeze sticks (but sometimes we do!) and stick to larger glass jars. Sometimes vanilla, sometimes pla