My Bio

I was born in Gillette, WY and raised in Wyoming almost my entire life.  I lived in Vermillion, South Dakota for a few years when I was younger and moved back to good old Wyoming.  I then spent about two years in Spearfish, South Dakota where I attended Black Hills State University.

Through middle school and high school, I lived 5 miles out of a small town of 3,000 people.  We raised chickens for eggs and got almost all of our meat from my grandparents in South Dakota who owned a buffalo farm.  I spent many summers back at the farm in South Dakota helping with chores and learning what "work" really was.  While at the farm, I watched my grandma butcher chickens, boil them, and pluck their feathers.  On several occasions, I went to the slaughterhouse with my grandpa where he took cattle and buffalo to be "processed."  I even watched as my grandma would clean and boil buffalo skulls to sell to people.

I was no stranger to what went on at a farm or the standard meat and potato diet.  At home, I raised sheep and pigs for 4-H and would sell them at the fair every year.  And every year it would make me cry when I realized I was sending them off to slaughter while reaping the financial benefits. 

When I was about 11 or 12, I finally pieced together all my feelings and experiences of my life with regard to animals, and decided I wanted to do what I could to help ease their suffering.  So, I decided one day that I would no longer eat meat, which was a novel idea in my family.  However, neither of my parents ever "forced" me to go back to eating meat.  I ate everything except for the meat, and there were never any "special" meals made for me.  I was completely happy with this because, at the time, I had no idea there were so many fabulous animal-free meals to be made!

I had my first daughter when I was 18 and married my high school sweetheart when I was 20.  When I was 21 I had my second daughter.  Through all of this time, I remained vegetarian.  I'm not going to lie, when I was pregnant with my first daughter I craved artificial (and by artificial, I mean cheap white fish) crab meat in butter; and with my second daughter I craved hot dogs.  During both pregnancies I decided to make those meals, and both times I was not able to eat any of it.  I don't think either of my daughters had any meat until they were at least two years old.

In 2005, I graduated with my Associates Degree in Nursing.  I worked as an RN from 2005-May 2011.  In May of this year, I decided that working in the surgery department was not what I wanted for myself.  I have a passion to teach others about Vegan nutrition and its many benefits.  Every day I worked, I attended to patients with chronic diseases such as diabetes, digestive problems, asthma, cancer, high blood pressure, and heart disease (just to name a few).  I knew these problems were not being fixed with drugs and surgery.  I just want to help people live longer, healthier, happier lives.

I never knew there was such a thing as Veganism until I was probably in my mid-20's.  I was a vegetarian for about 12 years or so and then went back and forth with eating meat until February 2010 when I decided Veganism was the lifestyle I was meant to live!  I have not once looked back and do not miss meat, cheese, ice cream, or anything else.

What piqued my (and my family's) interest in the vegetarian diet/Vegan lifestyle were two documentaries we happened to come across on Netflix: The Beautiful Truth and Food Inc.  After the first movie, my husband said, "We should try that (a Vegan diet)," and I agreed.  The next day I emptied my fridge and cupboards of everything that was not Vegan.  That was almost two years ago and I am still Vegan.  My husband goes back and forth, my oldest daughter is vegetarian, and my youngest daughter is recently Vegan. 

I currently live in a town of about 30,000 people in Wyoming where a Vegan lifestyle/vegetarian diet are very unpopular.  The feeling of isolation for the way I live and what I believe was starting to wear on me.  I decided I wanted to move somewhere my lifestyle would be more acceptable.  After some time and deep reflection, I have decided that moving (or getting away, rather) is not necessarily the answer.  That is when I decided it was time to start working on this blog as a way to connect with other Vegans, but more importantly, to help explain more about myself to those I already know.  It will take some time to build this blog the way I want, but it will be a journey.  It is my passion to teach others and connect with other Vegans, vegetarians, and veg curious.  Ultimately, I want to influence all those who read my blog to live a happy, healthy, positive lifestyle.

***UPDATE***
On September 11, 2012 I started a new chapter in this adventure I call life.  I started my new job in the hospital Wellness Department as a Wellness Specialist.  I am loving this job!  Just the other day, I had an experience with a client that confirmed that I am heading down the right path.  Helping others on their journey to good health and overall wellness is exactly what I've been looking to do!