About
Hey there, I’m Alicia!
I’m a wife, homeschool mom of three girls, dog mom to two ridiculously cute doodles, and soon-to-be grandma (still wrapping my head around that one)
My oldest is married to a pretty great guy and they’ve got a baby on the way which I am SO excited about! 🥰
She has the most wonderful in-laws who have truly become part of our crew, and honestly that’s such a blessing.
My middle is a senior finishing up homeschool and basically doesn’t need me anymore… which is fine. I’m fine. Really, I’m fine… kinda… maybe🤪😭
And my youngest is in 2nd grade so I’ve still got one who thinks I’m cool, for now anyway.
Our house is run by Roscoe the Golden Doodle, Wally the Whoodle and I don’t make the rules, they do.
The Lord has blessed my life with an amazing family and church family, and I truly believe this whole crazy journey happened for a reason so I’m just here to share what I’ve learned along the way.
Love you all,
Alicia
Our Family’s Food Story (Buckle Up)
My food sensitivity journey started way before kids.
As a child I was allergic to most medicines, had a severe mushroom allergy, and couldn’t even take ibuprofen without my stomach staging a full revolt.
My mom became a research warrior (before internet) and turned to natural remedies to help me, and thanks to her I haven’t taken an antibiotic in over 30 years.
She taught me to dig in, ask questions, and figure things out for myself. Knowledge really is power, especially when it comes to your health and the health of your family.
Fast forward to becoming a new mom and wanting to do everything “right” for my baby girl.
Breastfeeding didn’t work out due to low supply so our chiropractor suggested goat milk, she thrived, and I thought okay cool, I’ve got this figured out.
Ummm, No!
By the time my second daughter was two she was dealing with stomach issues and eczema, and then I started noticing something weird with both girls.
Random stomach cramps and throwing up out of nowhere.
By the third time it happened I knew it wasn’t a virus.
One day my middle daughter had just two bites of wheat toast at my parents’ house and within five minutes she had white streaks running from her eye down to her cheek.
That was my “oh no, this is real” moment.
I started working with a natural health professional, keeping a food diary, and eliminating trigger foods one at a time.
Sixty days without dairy, then sixty days without gluten.
And you know what? The changes were wild.
The girls felt better, my oldest was less hyperactive, my middle said her belly finally felt good, my husband’s headaches and joint pain disappeared, and even the eczema started clearing up.
I was told if I wanted an official celiac test I’d have to put the kids back on gluten for 30 days and yeah, no thanks.
I wasn’t about to make everyone miserable just to get a piece of paper telling me what I already knew.
Plot Twist: We Don’t Have to Eat That Way Anymore
Here’s the thing nobody tells you when you start down this road, sometimes the story changes.
After years of research (and I mean YEARS, I could probably have a PhD in Google at this point), real life trial and error, Zyto scans, and working with our holistic chiropractor and Traditional Naturopath, I found two total game changers.
A2 milk. Gentle on the gut with no bloating and no drama. (I use Braums)
Spelt flour. Easier to digest and way less inflammatory than regular wheat. (I use Nature’s Legacy/Vita Spelt unbleached white spelt flour)
These two swaps changed everything and we can eat “normal” food again without everyone feeling terrible afterwards. Best part is, I can cook with both of these and no one ever knows the difference!
I still can’t believe it sometimes.
Now I still keep gluten-free snacks and cake mixes around because finding clean ones is like finding a unicorn, so when I find good ones you better believe I’m sharing them here.
How This Blog Changed My Whole Life
I started this blog because I was tired.
Tired of feeling lost, tired of not getting answers from conventional doctors because none of us had a “full blown allergy,” and tired of watching my kids feel crummy and not knowing why.
So I took matters into my own hands and I researched, tested, failed, and tried again, and eventually it worked.
I wanted to share everything I learned so other families wouldn’t have to struggle the way we did and that was the whole point.
This is Pure & Simple Mama. Let’s figure it out together, one bite at a time.
17 Years of Feeding Picky Eaters (Yes, Really)
What I haven’t mentioned yet is that I also owned an in-home daycare for 17 years.
All that natural health knowledge I gained? I put it to work creating recipes that fed a crowd AND got picky eaters to actually eat.
I helped little ones with issues and worked alongside parents to find natural ways to support their kids.
That experience taught me something important: family wellness goes way beyond food and supplements.
It’s about lasting memories that provide love and a sense of connection.
It’s about creating a content space where families can thrive, whether that’s through the food they eat or the content they consume.
I want families to feel good, stay connected, and build something meaningful together.
Plot Twist: We Don’t Have to Eat That Way Anymore
Here’s the thing nobody tells you when you start down this road, sometimes the story changes.
After years of research (and I mean YEARS, I could probably have a PhD in Google at this point), so many natural health books that have been read, real life trial and error, Zyto scans, and working with our holistic chiropractor and Traditional Naturopath, I found two total game changers.
A2 milk. Gentle on the gut with no bloating and no drama.
Spelt flour. Easier to digest and way less inflammatory than regular wheat.
These two swaps changed everything and we can eat “normal” food again without everyone feeling terrible afterwards.
I still can’t believe it sometimes.
Now I still keep gluten-free snacks and cake mixes around because finding clean ones is like finding a unicorn, so when I find good ones you better believe I’m sharing them here.
How This Blog Changed My Whole Life
I started this blog because I was tired.
Tired of feeling lost, tired of not getting answers from conventional doctors because none of us had a “full blown allergy,” and tired of watching my kids feel crummy and not knowing why.
So I took matters into my own hands and I researched, tested, failed, and tried again, and eventually it worked.
I wanted to share everything I learned so other families wouldn’t have to struggle the way we did and that was the whole point. I wanted others to know I understand how they feel!
What I didn’t expect was that this little blog would completely change my life.
It led me to start a small bath and body products business which led me to discover I actually love writing and teaching. In trying to market my own products and build my own small business, I fell in love with the whole process.
I am a very determined and scrappy woman 😜
If I want to learn something, I dive in and go for it! I refuse to stop learning and you shouldn’t either. It keeps us young and always growing.
I spent two years as a copywriter and now I’m a premium ghostwriter for family wellness and lifestyle brands and food bloggers, writing blog posts, social media content, emails, and newsletters.
Educational emails are my jam and I get way too excited about them.
I built Pure & Simple Mama and Pure & Simple Marketing Strategies out of this journey and honestly? It’s all come full circle.
I found my passion because I set out to help people and funny how that works.
Whether you’re here for recipes, ingredient swaps, gluten-free finds, or just need to know you’re not alone in this mess, welcome.
So, grab a cup of coffee, pull up a chair, and stay awhile! 🥰
This is Pure & Simple Mama. Let’s figure it out together, one bite at a time.