Hello! I've only commented a few times but I'm trying to get used to putting thoughts out there, even if no one will read them. :) I'm a chronic non-poster even though I spend a lot of time on Instagram and I want to get more used to sharing without worrying about what people think.
My chocolate recommendation is Lindt truffles from Walgreens. They feel elegant and fancy and are delicious without putting extra work on you to find them. I don't like white chocolate very much but my mom gave me a bag for Christmas and it's the first time I've really liked white chocolate. I also think chocolate is best when its combined with something eles. Anything sea salt caramel with chocolate is a blessing and the Lindt Truffles flavor is no exception.
I'm a teacher so other than my chocolate recs, life is grad papers and a desperate crawl to the end of the school year. The ruling at the Derek Chauvin trial felt like a small ray of hope but I know there's still so much work to be done. I don't have to do standardized testing but I can feel the weight and frustration it puts on everyone else so I understand the struggle.
Any good thoughts and prayers you can send to teachers during this time is always greatly appreciated! I know I'm not the only one struggling and the encouragement I've gotten from a few people shines a small light in the midst of everything and helps me get through the tough moments.
Thanks for your newsletter every week, Erin! I love them!
My mental bandwidth can only recommend good chocolate... gardening season is a good tiring but still TIRING process. Check out Tapestry Farms if you want to follow along on our journey. Back to chocolate. I would definitely say Endangered Species salted caramel chocolate bars and Chocouers peanut butter cups. Both are fair trade and delicious bites of goodness.
I do have a treasure for you all. Go follow @loswhit @whittfarm @tenderlyrooted and @sharonsaysso and find out about the birds.
Last week was tremendousexhaustingoverwhelmingemotional.
I got a call on Thursday that I was finally getting a surgery I’ve waited almost two years for. An intense surgery with a significant recovery. Literally 20 minutes later got a call my husband’s job wanted to move us. Ig, and for grins they needed the decision by Tuesday.
I. Was. A. Wreck. Not-a- crier-Bandi, was in need of a good cry. Instead got to scramble scramble scramble until finally Tuesday night I could just talk and sob it out with the most wonderful husband around.
There have been minimal highlights this week. A bunk bed marketplace purchase to get my 4th child off the literal floor at night, and a beautiful formatting on a excel document is the extent of my highlight reel. Spending my morning today reading through the swipe up comments instead of mopping is moving onto the highlight reel, also.
I’ve been in a fog. I’m still in a fog. Trying to stay afloat. Lots to do before June 8th. I’m grateful. So grateful. Happy Saturday!
Well apparently the events of the past year coupled with the events of Tuesday and Wednesday were just a bit much for my type 9 self to handle because I had what can only be described as some kind of mini-stroke/panic attack that left me on the couch for the better part of two days. I did rally to do some fun things like meet my first best friend for supper and go with my husband and youngest boy to pick up our butchered beef (just call us Arby’s cuz we have the meats 🤣) but the heaviness of everything has definitely had some physical effects on me this week and I’m not sure how/what to do to move past that or if the heavy is just where I live now.
That Carrhart video 😭
The tweets were perfection! I particularly like the one about the PlayStation. 🤣🤣
Also - any song with a seventies/eighties Chicago-esque vibe gives me so much joy!
Ok, but seriously, AlterEco Brown Butter Chocolate is a gift to your taste buds. Ignore that it's 70% dark. It's divine. If in doubt, try one of their truffles. Doesn't matter which one because they are little flavor bombs of chocolate.
Also, after recently leaving our church in search of a new one, I empathize so much with that question. Granted, we stopped going when churches were all digital and started attending a new one last August and I'm not sure the old church realizes we're not there... probably not the best way to handle that....
Every week I think it will be the week where I actually comment on Friday, and today it's actually happening. Please clap.
The most important subject up for discussion is obviously snacks. Chips and dip all day every day. Tortilla chips (preferably Santitas) because they are cheap and have the structural integrity required for most dipping scenarios. Target store brand hummus is incredible. If you have HEB you're gonna want the ranch dip from the deli section. If you live somewhere with easy access to Cadbury products, the caramel chocolate is a thing of beauty. Apples and peanut butter are perfect for weekends when you have a late breakfast so you don't want real lunch but need something to tide you over.
One silver lining to the Texas winter storm was that I finally had occasion to wear my Carhartt coveralls that I got my first year of vet school (almost 8 years ago) and then never actually needed. I now understand why my dad always harped on about insulated coveralls when I was a kid.
I'm reading the Hunger Games prequel and remarked to a friend that it's served as a good reminder for why I don't read much dystopian fiction.
There's a new season of Running Wild with Bear Grylls, which is a perfect match for my usual amount of available mental bandwidth these days. Especially since I've worked my way through a big chunk of available Tom Cruise action movies.
I'm a huge milk chocolate fan, so pretty non-discriminatory when it comes to buying anything chocolate-related. My favorite healthy snack right now is the Blue Diamond Sweet Thai Chili Almonds. What a delight!
Go to snacks for me are some type of chips and dip; cookies actually anything aside from healthy choices unfortunately. :) Chocolate recommendations: Milka; Cadbury; Anything European. I usually hit World Market. Trader Joe's chocolate is pretty good too. The dark chocolate peanut butter cups; chocolate covered almonds.
- blueberry or cranberry goat cheese with apples, when I'm feeling fancy
- applesauce or aldi's live GFree bars, when I'm teaching
- chips (salt and vinegar, or barbeque), when I want something not healthy adjace
- Dark Chocolate sunflower butter cups from trader Joe's. They recently started having a mini version in a bigger bag at my TJ's and it is *chef's kiss*
- I've also been known to heat up mini versions of a meal for snack when I have the time. Ie, this week it was sweet peas. I'm gonna blame the weird snacks on the food allergies😂
Erin, thank you for your words on finding a new church. I left mine in January after 5.5 years (and 5 years of being the children's ministry director) in January. The biggest thing I have found helpful so far is taking the time to rest between looking. I could feel my heart growing cynical and that's not where I want to be. Taking time is allowing it to soften before looking.
It's been a week around here and I'm just thankful I made it. Treasures include: virtual book club with several other swipes, The Dear Evan Hansen soundtrack (forever a favorite, honestly), A SharonSaysSo Government for Grown Ups class tonight, a rainy Saturday in the forecast, and the new Ted Lasso trailer and release date (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auxeLrtk7tk).
A turd from this week was that my parents have been in the process of moving out of the the house they moved into when I was 12 since February. They closed on the house this week and it hit me harder than I thought it would.
Whoever asked the question about making the heartbreaking decision to leave their church right now. This is a solidarity post.
It's been a major struggle for me as well. I left mine (many reasons) and I struggle in looking for a new one because I fear finding one that is going to be any different or love people any better - me any better, especially as a single person.
Choosing to leave is hard. Choosing to step out and find a new place during a pandemic is somehow harder.
Y'all, I'm so happy it's Friday I literally cannot even.
Most important thing first:
🍟 Here's my snack food remedy for a bad day:
- Potato chips. I ride hard for salt & vinegar chips and Trader Joe's Ode to the Classic Potato Chip.
- Ice cream. If dairy hates your insides like it does mine, I love the Choco Choco Chip Hakuna Banana and I put a big ol' spoonful of peanut butter in it.
- Dill pickles.
- Thai food. I know it's not a snack, but anything with peanut sauce and sticky rice just really turns things around.
- An adult beverage. Currently on my rotation is Peach & Orange Blossom Ketel One in Ginger Beer or Costco brand Sangria with cut up strawberries in it.
Treasures:
😱 I'm smack dab in the middle of finals right now and once this next week is over, I will officially be halfway done with Seminary.
👶🏻 We get to babysit our good friend's 8 month old baby tomorrow night so they can get away for a much needed date night. We have baby fever BAD so I'm pumped for snuggles and to pinch some chunky baby thighs.
🍔 We're having a BBQ with some of our nearest and dearest tonight and I'm just really excited. Most of us are in varying states of vaccinated and things just feel more and more normal every day in my community.
📝 We got an email from the school district this morning and my kiddos are returning to full time in person school in August!! 🥳
Looking forward to reading all of what you've got going on! 💛
Snacks: Popcorners (red bag), dark chocolate sea salt caramels from aldi, Trader Joe’s choc peanut butter cups.
Hello! I've only commented a few times but I'm trying to get used to putting thoughts out there, even if no one will read them. :) I'm a chronic non-poster even though I spend a lot of time on Instagram and I want to get more used to sharing without worrying about what people think.
My chocolate recommendation is Lindt truffles from Walgreens. They feel elegant and fancy and are delicious without putting extra work on you to find them. I don't like white chocolate very much but my mom gave me a bag for Christmas and it's the first time I've really liked white chocolate. I also think chocolate is best when its combined with something eles. Anything sea salt caramel with chocolate is a blessing and the Lindt Truffles flavor is no exception.
I'm a teacher so other than my chocolate recs, life is grad papers and a desperate crawl to the end of the school year. The ruling at the Derek Chauvin trial felt like a small ray of hope but I know there's still so much work to be done. I don't have to do standardized testing but I can feel the weight and frustration it puts on everyone else so I understand the struggle.
Any good thoughts and prayers you can send to teachers during this time is always greatly appreciated! I know I'm not the only one struggling and the encouragement I've gotten from a few people shines a small light in the midst of everything and helps me get through the tough moments.
Thanks for your newsletter every week, Erin! I love them!
-Susanna
Have you tried Toney’s chocolate? It is really the best I have ever had. https://tonyschocolonely.com/us/en
My mental bandwidth can only recommend good chocolate... gardening season is a good tiring but still TIRING process. Check out Tapestry Farms if you want to follow along on our journey. Back to chocolate. I would definitely say Endangered Species salted caramel chocolate bars and Chocouers peanut butter cups. Both are fair trade and delicious bites of goodness.
I do have a treasure for you all. Go follow @loswhit @whittfarm @tenderlyrooted and @sharonsaysso and find out about the birds.
Last week was tremendousexhaustingoverwhelmingemotional.
I got a call on Thursday that I was finally getting a surgery I’ve waited almost two years for. An intense surgery with a significant recovery. Literally 20 minutes later got a call my husband’s job wanted to move us. Ig, and for grins they needed the decision by Tuesday.
I. Was. A. Wreck. Not-a- crier-Bandi, was in need of a good cry. Instead got to scramble scramble scramble until finally Tuesday night I could just talk and sob it out with the most wonderful husband around.
There have been minimal highlights this week. A bunk bed marketplace purchase to get my 4th child off the literal floor at night, and a beautiful formatting on a excel document is the extent of my highlight reel. Spending my morning today reading through the swipe up comments instead of mopping is moving onto the highlight reel, also.
I’ve been in a fog. I’m still in a fog. Trying to stay afloat. Lots to do before June 8th. I’m grateful. So grateful. Happy Saturday!
Well apparently the events of the past year coupled with the events of Tuesday and Wednesday were just a bit much for my type 9 self to handle because I had what can only be described as some kind of mini-stroke/panic attack that left me on the couch for the better part of two days. I did rally to do some fun things like meet my first best friend for supper and go with my husband and youngest boy to pick up our butchered beef (just call us Arby’s cuz we have the meats 🤣) but the heaviness of everything has definitely had some physical effects on me this week and I’m not sure how/what to do to move past that or if the heavy is just where I live now.
That Carrhart video 😭
The tweets were perfection! I particularly like the one about the PlayStation. 🤣🤣
Also - any song with a seventies/eighties Chicago-esque vibe gives me so much joy!
Have a great weekend everybody!
Ok, but seriously, AlterEco Brown Butter Chocolate is a gift to your taste buds. Ignore that it's 70% dark. It's divine. If in doubt, try one of their truffles. Doesn't matter which one because they are little flavor bombs of chocolate.
Also, after recently leaving our church in search of a new one, I empathize so much with that question. Granted, we stopped going when churches were all digital and started attending a new one last August and I'm not sure the old church realizes we're not there... probably not the best way to handle that....
Every week I think it will be the week where I actually comment on Friday, and today it's actually happening. Please clap.
The most important subject up for discussion is obviously snacks. Chips and dip all day every day. Tortilla chips (preferably Santitas) because they are cheap and have the structural integrity required for most dipping scenarios. Target store brand hummus is incredible. If you have HEB you're gonna want the ranch dip from the deli section. If you live somewhere with easy access to Cadbury products, the caramel chocolate is a thing of beauty. Apples and peanut butter are perfect for weekends when you have a late breakfast so you don't want real lunch but need something to tide you over.
One silver lining to the Texas winter storm was that I finally had occasion to wear my Carhartt coveralls that I got my first year of vet school (almost 8 years ago) and then never actually needed. I now understand why my dad always harped on about insulated coveralls when I was a kid.
I'm reading the Hunger Games prequel and remarked to a friend that it's served as a good reminder for why I don't read much dystopian fiction.
There's a new season of Running Wild with Bear Grylls, which is a perfect match for my usual amount of available mental bandwidth these days. Especially since I've worked my way through a big chunk of available Tom Cruise action movies.
ERIN I just bought these carhartt overalls a few weeks ago and they are the best piece of clothing I have probably ever bought. I bought them for working in my home garden ( and the like 1.5 acres of vegetables I grow for work because I am a small time vegetable farmer just masquerading as a communications professional, but I digress). They are the most comfortable pants I own. At 4% elastane they are very stretchy but at 12oz still heavy duty enough for working outside. And they fit like a dream! You want them. You need them. Go forth and buy them: https://www.carhartt.com/products/Carhartt-Rugged-Flex-Twill-Double-Front-Bib-Overall-104556?c3api=1539,115540974463,pla-831135135491&kpid=Ecomm_Shopping_Brand-Plus_go_cmp-12156890376_adg-115540974463_ad-494212993595_pla-831135135491_dev-c_ext-_prd-104556_sig-Cj0KCQjw4ImEBhDFARIsAGOTMj_c_R6p2LRRr_e7g0nmY5pYhtxlGe8fikDRJQ9mPgQX-FD2Hnl4pAYaAm-5EALw_wcB&gclid=Cj0KCQjw4ImEBhDFARIsAGOTMj_c_R6p2LRRr_e7g0nmY5pYhtxlGe8fikDRJQ9mPgQX-FD2Hnl4pAYaAm-5EALw_wcB
I'm a huge milk chocolate fan, so pretty non-discriminatory when it comes to buying anything chocolate-related. My favorite healthy snack right now is the Blue Diamond Sweet Thai Chili Almonds. What a delight!
Erin - what has baby Zac done to his FACE? It's giving me Ray Liotta vibes. https://radaronline.com/p/zac-efron-face-different-plastic-surgery-fillers-botox/
Go to snacks for me are some type of chips and dip; cookies actually anything aside from healthy choices unfortunately. :) Chocolate recommendations: Milka; Cadbury; Anything European. I usually hit World Market. Trader Joe's chocolate is pretty good too. The dark chocolate peanut butter cups; chocolate covered almonds.
Hi friends!
Go to snacks are:
- blueberry or cranberry goat cheese with apples, when I'm feeling fancy
- applesauce or aldi's live GFree bars, when I'm teaching
- chips (salt and vinegar, or barbeque), when I want something not healthy adjace
- Dark Chocolate sunflower butter cups from trader Joe's. They recently started having a mini version in a bigger bag at my TJ's and it is *chef's kiss*
- I've also been known to heat up mini versions of a meal for snack when I have the time. Ie, this week it was sweet peas. I'm gonna blame the weird snacks on the food allergies😂
Erin, thank you for your words on finding a new church. I left mine in January after 5.5 years (and 5 years of being the children's ministry director) in January. The biggest thing I have found helpful so far is taking the time to rest between looking. I could feel my heart growing cynical and that's not where I want to be. Taking time is allowing it to soften before looking.
It's been a week around here and I'm just thankful I made it. Treasures include: virtual book club with several other swipes, The Dear Evan Hansen soundtrack (forever a favorite, honestly), A SharonSaysSo Government for Grown Ups class tonight, a rainy Saturday in the forecast, and the new Ted Lasso trailer and release date (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=auxeLrtk7tk).
A turd from this week was that my parents have been in the process of moving out of the the house they moved into when I was 12 since February. They closed on the house this week and it hit me harder than I thought it would.
So thankful to be here with you all this week!💜
For your chocolate needs. Please trust me on this one.
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/gooey-chocolate-oatmeal-bars/
Whoever asked the question about making the heartbreaking decision to leave their church right now. This is a solidarity post.
It's been a major struggle for me as well. I left mine (many reasons) and I struggle in looking for a new one because I fear finding one that is going to be any different or love people any better - me any better, especially as a single person.
Choosing to leave is hard. Choosing to step out and find a new place during a pandemic is somehow harder.
Hi friends!!
Y'all, I'm so happy it's Friday I literally cannot even.
Most important thing first:
🍟 Here's my snack food remedy for a bad day:
- Potato chips. I ride hard for salt & vinegar chips and Trader Joe's Ode to the Classic Potato Chip.
- Ice cream. If dairy hates your insides like it does mine, I love the Choco Choco Chip Hakuna Banana and I put a big ol' spoonful of peanut butter in it.
- Dill pickles.
- Thai food. I know it's not a snack, but anything with peanut sauce and sticky rice just really turns things around.
- An adult beverage. Currently on my rotation is Peach & Orange Blossom Ketel One in Ginger Beer or Costco brand Sangria with cut up strawberries in it.
Treasures:
😱 I'm smack dab in the middle of finals right now and once this next week is over, I will officially be halfway done with Seminary.
👶🏻 We get to babysit our good friend's 8 month old baby tomorrow night so they can get away for a much needed date night. We have baby fever BAD so I'm pumped for snuggles and to pinch some chunky baby thighs.
🍔 We're having a BBQ with some of our nearest and dearest tonight and I'm just really excited. Most of us are in varying states of vaccinated and things just feel more and more normal every day in my community.
📝 We got an email from the school district this morning and my kiddos are returning to full time in person school in August!! 🥳
Looking forward to reading all of what you've got going on! 💛