Chase is happily decorating the box that arrived carrying my most recent Thrive Market delivery right next to me while Ryder naps so I thought I’d sit down and type up an on-the-fly blog post. I used to love blogging in real time but life came at me fast with two kids. Now I find myself squeezing a blog post in whenever time allows but I admittedly miss the real-time feel of old school blogging. I suppose that’s what social media has done for people now but for some reason I just cannot get myself to dive into social media the way others seem to have done so seamlessly. What can I say? Blogging forever and always has my heart!
So, how are you guys? What have you been up to today? My day began at 5 a.m. as usual when I kicked off the morning with coffee and my devotional and then headed into my office to crank out some emails and followup with some business partnerships I have in the works. Email is the bane of my existence so I treated myself to some slightly more exciting background noise in the form of the season finale of The Bachelor while I ate my oatmeal.
(In today’s mug of oats: Oatmeal + Unsweetened Vanilla Almond Milk + Chia Seeds + Ground Flaxseeds + Frozen Wild Blueberries + Sunflower Seeds + Coconut Butter)
Okay, so let’s chat about The Bachelor! I know a bunch of you were also watching this season. What did you think of the finale? Pete drove me crazy all season with his indecisiveness and that clearly came to a head last night. I was clapping along with everyone else when Hannah Ann seemed to say what was on all of our minds. And then there’s the whole business with Pete’s mom. She was way over the top and while I cannot say I completely disagree with her sentiments (I ultimately don’t think Pete and Madison are the most compatible either), her delivery was intense and just too much. Oh and of course Madison was a class act as always. I always want to root for love and I’m happy she found it with Pete but cannot help but think they might both ultimately be happier with other people once they step away from the show. Time will tell!
The boys both slept in until nearly 8 a.m. today — thank you time change! — so I was also able to work on an upcoming blog post before putting on my mom hat and getting everyone dressed and fed and out the door.
Once Chase was settled at preschool, I turned right around and brought Ryder home so we could take Sadie on a long walk. Ryder woke up with a slightly runny nose and no other symptoms of sickness which normally wouldn’t be a big thing but these are some cray-zee times right now so I figured we should play it safe for the sake of everyone out there and stay close to home.
I set Ryder up with a billion snacks (the only way I can keep him in the stroller for more than 5 minutes these days) and we covered about 3 miles together while I listened to an episode of a new-to-me pop culture podcast called Be There In Five.
I love following the host of the podcast on Instagram @bethereinfive but this was my first time listening to her podcast and it was very entertaining.
Once we arrived home, Ryder was content to play with some toys and I was hungry for an early lunch so I turned to the How Not to Die Cookbook (still one of my all-time favorite cookbooks for amazing plant-based, nutrient-dense recipes) to look for the salad recipe I bookmarked to make when I did a little meal planning on Sunday.
This one was a big-time winner and I’m just kicking myself for not making it sooner! The ginger-sesame orange dressing was fantastic (I altered it a bit to make it easier — let me know if you’d like me to share it in the future) and I will absolutely be making this one again soon. I added some leftover grains and lentils to the cookbook’s recipe to beef up the salad a bit and give it more staying power and mashed the avocado into the baby kale and spinach leaves so it would be a little heartier and loved every bite!
After Ryder and I both were done eating lunch, we piled into the car to return books at the library (they have a car drop-off slot which makes things so easy) and mail a package at the post office before swinging by Chase’s preschool to pick him up and head home.
Once we arrived back at the house, Chase asked if he could be the “package man” and bring the Thrive Market box on our doorstep inside for us to unpack together.
Here are the goods from my latest Thrive delivery:
- Simple Mills Crackers (my favorite for the boys since they have a nice ratio of carbs, fat and protein)
- Simple Mills Pancake & Waffle Mix
- Snack Mates Kids Turkey Sticks (a great on-the-go protein option)
- Organic Red Lentils
- Organic Green Split Peas
- Dr. Bronner’s Castile Soap
- Coconut Aminos
- Organic Coffee
- Organic Black Bean Spaghetti
- Elderberry Syrup
The motivation behind my recent delivery was actually the elderberry syrup which the boys were immediately interested in trying the minute they heard the word “syrup.” They sucked it down like champs and I’m hoping it will do its thing to boost their immune systems right now. I consider myself far from a germaphobe (I’m definitely in the “a little dirt won’t hurt” camp) but it’s hard not to let everything I’ve read about the Coronavirus sink in a bit right now. We’re doing a lot of looong hand washing over here, that’s for sure!
And now I think I’ve officially used up every bit of Chase’s solo play time patience so it’s time for me to go back into mom mode for the day! Ryan is hoping to get off work at a decent time this evening and I’m hoping that once Ryder is up we can take advantage of this gorgeous day (70s and sunny!) and spend some time outside as a family before dinner.
I hope you all have a great Wednesday!
Questions of the Day
- Thoughts on The Bachelor finale!?
- How are you handling the Coronavirus news? Are you taking extra precautions right now? How are things in your area?
- Would you like to see more live-blogging in the future when I might be able to manage to sneak it in? Or do you prefer full-day recaps when it comes to sharing day-in-the-life style content?
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PBFingers is a breath of internet fresh air! Julie, thanks for being so positive and fun. I love all the content included on the blog, find it so relevant and resonant. Keep doing what you’re doing!
This is so kind of you to say. Thank you, Meghan!!
Agree Meghan! Couldn’t have said it better!
Love posts like these! ♡♡♡
Julie!! I’m so sad I missed y’all at Michael and Amy’s shower. First of all, I love your live blogs!!! You should share more of them if that’s what you want to do. Ok second, I also watched the bachelor and your thoughts are exactly the same as mine!!!
Love and miss ya!
Jordan
Aw I missed you, too!!! But clearly the boys were allllll about your FaceTime date! <3 Thanks again for entertaining them and really hope to see you soon!
If you guys like the elderberry syrup, I highly recommend Sweet’s Syrup! It’s made locally in Charlotte so it has the added benefit of local honey as well as cinnamon, and ginger. You can buy it online but since you’re in the area it’s probably sold nearby as well!
Thank you! I’ll look for this!!
I started taking elderberry vitamins this year and I am convinced they help! (Hope I don’t jinx myself)
I had to hide my eyes last night during the Bachelor finale. Barb was just too much. I can’t figure out why they dislike Madi so much… especially since they seemed to really like her when she attended their vow renewal earlier in the season. I’d be terrified to have her as a mother in law! I think he has some major growing up to do. There are all kinds of rumors going around about him right now… including a possible Kelley hook up. Yikes! I’m so excited for Clare’s season! I must admit the only regular podcast I listen to is Reality Steve (the bachelor spoiler guy). He is so funny and following him doubles the fun for me when it comes to the bachelor. I recently listened to his two podcasts with Clare, which made me much more excited for her season! 🙂
What do you use the Castile for? I just bought this but I’m not sure what to do with It!
Ha! We are clearly in a similar boat. I actually bought it to make my own dishwashing soap but when I looked up recipes to make it this morning, a lot of them seem like kind of a pain and require ingredients I don’t have already (and reviews often talk about them leaving a film on dishes). My sister loves it for her daughter’s baths, etc., so I might have to reach out to her for some advice!
I wish you could post more often! I check in every day!
I miss blogging every day so much!! Maybe once the boys are in elementary school it will happen again!?
Simple Mills crackers do not last long in our house! So good for adults & kids. We open a box and by the end of the day, they’re gone!
Ugh, the Corona Virus/COVID-9. I work in an office with over 2,000 people. It’s madness. Basically, if anyone looks sick, they want to send them home. Just keep washing your hands, cleaning your work space, and limiting physical contact. I wipe my office down with Lysol after every meeting!
We are the same way! I swear we can polish off a box in one day if we’re all snacking on them! Ryan is also in a very large corporate office and said it’s crazy over there, too. Hope you all stay healthy!! <3
I love live blogging and day in the life posts both, so either are great!
The Bachelor was wild! I couldn’t believe how rude Peter’s mother was but he clearly has a weird relationship with her. I though Hannah Ann was probably better for him and I agree, he and Madison won’t last long at all.
Yes, live blogging is great! I agree with you, blog>>Instagram! You know, even your sponsored and topical posts are genuine and full of your warmth and personableness. A breath of fresh air, as someone already said. : ) Thank you for sharing with us!
I see a local brand has been recommended, so that’s probably the best route, but TC Elderberry from Traverse City, MI has a delicious syrup once you finish that bottle. We go off and on taking it, but I definitely feel better taking a homemade syrup because the ingredients are minimal – and in supporting a (localish) mama, but you tend to get more for your money. I usually order at least two at a time to save on shipping 😉
Thank you for the recommendation. I have a feeling elderberry is going to become a staple for us because the boys were asking for more first thing this morning!
Always love your posts, live or not! Yours is one of my favorite blogs. Hope you have a great evening enjoying the nice weather!
Love these real time blogs!
I love your blog posts, I’ve been following for years and In these crazy times it’s refreshing to read your sweet posts everyday!
I love these kind of posts too- live or not! Maybe if life gets busy it could be (half) a day in the life- or morning update, afternoon update, whatever! So fun!
Wondering about the Charlotte (?) candle in your photo- does it have a smell? Like the idea of lighting a candle in the morning instead of bright lights but I can’t do strong smells.
Hope you had a great rest of your day!
Will u please share the salad dressing recipe and the salad too
my girls (same age as your boys) have always taken elderberry syrup. and yes, i think it helps in flu and cold season! and they love love love it. i also get mine from thrive!
Hi, Julie! I’ve read you for years, but never commented. Thank you for your honest recommendations and breezy, relatable blog posts. Sincerely, Sydney