Meet Stacy T., our Spotlight Mom for January 2022!

If you're a mom interested in being in our Mom Spotlight in 2022, please CLICK HERE. 

Please tell us a little about your family:

We are a plant-based homeschooling family of four. My husband and I have been blessed with two girls ages 4 and 5. The girls are super close in age as well as in friendship. Our family is in love with nature, books, art, and health & wellness.

Before we had kids, my husband and I lived downtown, and we absolutely loved being in the city, but after having our first baby we knew we wanted to live and play among more trees and green spaces. Today we spend our days watching butterflies and other insects, collecting leaves, maxing out our library cards and exploring parks and playgrounds.

Do you have a business you'd like to share with our readers:

My husband and I have run Eat Good, a vegan food pop-up for the last few years. We used to be regulars at the Woodlands Farmers Market, but when things shut down in 2020 we stopped and began to focus more on our podcast "Plants Changed My Life" and getting our food truck road ready. Our mission with all we do is to inspire people to make steps toward living a healthier lifestyle.

Favorite place to go in The Woodlands area:

There are so many, but if I have to pick just one it would be Rob Fleming Park -- we love taking walks, riding bikes and having picnics out here.

Favorite blogs I read:

I am always checking WoodlandsMommy.com and bigkidsmallcity.com for ideas on things to do with the girls. I have been on a new mission to have less "stuff" so I like to read bemorewithless.com/archives for inspiration. I love what the folks at earthconsciouslife.org/blog are doing, they always have quick useful tips on upcycling, composing and gardening.

First job:

I was a customer service rep at Rave, a now defunct teen clothing store.

Favorite childhood book or story:

Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs. I remember getting money to buy my very own copy from the Scholastic book fair.

Favorite meal to prepare together:

Pizza with scratch-made crust.

3 Things on my Long-Term To-Do List:

1. Learn to swim (spring/summer 2022)
2. Do a triathlon (fall 2022)
3. Write my first children's book (winter 2022)

How I spend my Friday evenings:

Sitting through back-to-back dance classes for the girls then rushing home to have pizza night!

Favorite non-homemade dessert (and where can we find it):

We found the most delicious banana pudding at SoVeganly in Old Town Spring. Even better, it is gluten-free so my littles can eat it too. (And it does not taste like it is missing the traditional ingredients! )

Best way to spend $50:

Buy a variety of fresh herbs to grow at home. Fresh herbs really take any dish up ten-fold. It's like a gift that keeps on giving.

Something in your purse that has an interesting story behind it:

I have not gotten back to carrying a purse in my post-baby life. I alternate between a fanny pack, a backpack or book satchel. But no matter what type of bag I have, I always have acorns in it. My children love collecting acorns and when we see squirrels we pass them along to them.

My life:

Motherhood is a life-changing experience. (<--That is an understatement!) I never imagined I would trade life as a TV news journalist, to have a front row seat in watching these little girls grow up, and I am so deeply grateful each day to have this opportunity.

How can our readers find you?

Websites:
www.plantschangedmylife.com
eatgoodhouston.com

Instagram:
@plantschangedmylife
@eatgoodhouston

After our initial interview, we learned from Stacy that her daughters have their own business. Here's more: 

The girls' business is called Ivy + Averie Flower Company.  They have always absolutely loved picking and arranging flowers, sticks, leaves-- everything they get their hands on.  We read Bee Fearless by Mikaila Ulmer and they loved hearing her story of how she launched her lemonade company.  They came up with the idea for their business and worked through a business plan.  Their mission is to raise money to help pollinators.  They use upcycled and earth-friendly materials for their containers.  They had their very first business fair in November. Their website is Houstonsflowergirls.com.  

For over 13 years, Alodia Basketball Academy has been providing basketball programs which help fulfill their mission of Developing the Next Generation of Leaders through Sports, and teaching life lessons on and off the court, and we're fortunate to have them right here in The Woodlands area!

Their five-star rated, year-round, co-ed programs, Kindergarten through 8^th grade are offered at Creekside Park Junior High.

Alodia’s coaches are the some of the best in the area with years of experience. They do all they can to elevate player’s confidence and skills while helping them meet new friends and have fun. And while no guarantees, Alodia programs have been instrumental in preparing players for school teams in future years.

Families can read what others say about Alodia, their programs, and coaches by  CLICKING HERE.

Whether it is year-round competitive youth league seasons, skills training, camps during school breaks, training in person or online with world renown trainer Ganon Baker…there is always something for everyone at Alodia Basketball Academy.

Visit website to learn more: alodiasports.com.

Our favorite season of the year is here, and there's plenty to do in 3 short months! Enjoy WoodlandsMommy.com's "Bucket List" of activities to ensure you have the best fall yet: 

1. Visit a pumpkin patch. (Use our list, found here.)  Dress the kids in coordinating fall attire, snap adorable photos, and take home your favorite pumpkin finds. Use one or two to decorate your home or front doorstep, and don't forget to carve Jack-o-lanterns for Halloween.

2. Purchase fresh produce from a farmers market. It's harvest season, and you're bound to find fresh fruit & veggie favorites, farm-fresh eggs, and handmade preserves and pickles at one of the many open-air farmers markets in our area.

Are you looking for an opportunity for your whole family to volunteer? Give Mercy House Global a try! Children are welcome to volunteer alongside their parents, and the coordinator can usually find age-appropriate tasks and duties for children 6 years of age and older.

Mercy House Global is a nonprofit organization located at 5814 FM 1488 Rd in Magnolia, and – according to their website – part of their mission is to engage, empower, and disciple women around the globe in Jesus’ name. Learn more about their mission here.

In the past, finding a volunteer opportunity that all six of my family members can do has been a challenge. Often times, the 7-year-old is too young to help, and the 11-year-old who has special needs might not be able to handle some of the more complicated tasks. For other volunteer jobs, the tasks are too easy and/or too tedious for my teens to enjoy. Mercy House Global was a perfect fit for us!


When I visited the Volunteer tab on the Mercy House Global website, I was surprised to see that some shifts were available for that current week. Those of you with unpredictable schedules might appreciate the opportunity to possibly squeeze into an opening without too much advance planning.

I scheduled our shift for a Monday from 9:30 to 12:30; we arrived, signed in, and got straight to work. We received a quick orientation for each task, and then we were trusted to get the job done without micro-management! Our contact person / coordinator, Ms. Jennifer, was thoughtful and kind. She made us all feel valued, and whenever she passed our area she encouraged the kids as they worked. The atmosphere was pleasant and upbeat, and our work processes were efficient. We bubble wrapped and boxed candles, folded and packaged shirts, packaged beaded garland, and performed a couple other tasks. The materials we were handling were well-made and beautiful, and those candles smelled so good! NOTE: We chose to wear face coverings, but they were NOT required.



I highly recommend volunteering at Mercy House Global! They offer 3-hour volunteer slots Monday – Friday, from 9:30am – 12:30pm. In exchange for your serve, you receive a punch card that can be used to save on Mercy House Global merchandise. Sweet perk!