Three Things...Gratitude Thread

[WDWEPCOT]

Meatloaf
Homemade Mac & Cheese
Pot Roast
Beef Stew with Dumplings on top

 

[flyingdumbo127]

My favorite hot chocolate which I know comes as no surprise I'm not too happy that it might be discontinued. Do any of you shop at Ralphs or Kroger, any supermarket in that chain? If so, I would greatly appreciate a PM. Thank you!

Campbell's Chicken Broth.
Pancakes, of course

 

[WDWEPCOT]

We don’t have either chain where I live - we used to have Kroger decades ago but they closed up and moved South

 

[TiggerTrigger]

1. Macaroni & Cheese - It's been my favorite ever since I was little. I'm very particular about it and pride myself on my own homemade variety. That being said, there are some "lesser" macs that may also hit the spot. Marie Calendar's Vermont cheddar mac & cheese is delicious. Stouffer's classic also hits a nostalgic spot. While hardly high quality mac, I have a certain fondness for Kraft Easy Mac. My mom used to make me these things called Mug-O-Lunch (from Betty Crocker) when I was really young and she needed to get me a quick bite to eat. While the taste of Kraft's isn't quite the same, there's something reminiscent about the texture that really hits the spot.

2. Beef or Chicken Stroganoff - A secondary gratitude moment with this one...I'm thankful for the Instant Pot, so I no longer have to wait on a slow cooker/crockpot for stroganoff.

3. New England Clam Chowder with Oyster Crackers - I haven't had it in years because I seemed to have developed an sensitivity to bivalves during my pregnancy with DD15. I can eat all other shellfish and sometimes can even tolerate sea scallops. It's too bad because I love this stuff. I worked in a restaurant after college that had some of the best.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

My favorite hot chocolate which I know comes as no surprise I'm not too happy that it might be discontinued. Do any of you shop at Ralphs or Kroger, any supermarket in that chain? If so, I would greatly appreciate a PM. Thank you!

Campbell's Chicken Broth.
Pancakes, of course

You might try using the Kroger app or website. If you don't have a local store or it's a product not sold in store, the app/website often gives shipping options for certain products. If you have a free rewards membership at Ralph's, you should be able to link it to the Kroger app/site. I know I've used mine successfully at other Kroger owned stores like King Soopers and City Market.

 

[1420Elexismc]

Baked mac n cheese
Warm chocolate chip cookies
Stuffing

 

[PollyannaMom]

Do any of you shop at Ralphs or Kroger

Sorry, we don't have that chain here either.

I seemed to have developed an insensitivity to bivalves during my pregnancy with DD15. I can eat all other shellfish and sometimes can even tolerate sea scallops.

I'm the opposite ever since having DS23 - I can have clams, but not scallops.

 

[TiggerTrigger]

Sorry, we don't have that chain here either.


I'm the opposite ever since having DS23 - I can have clams, but not scallops.

I'm not a big fan of mussels, but I'm wondering if either one of us would be able to tolerate those.

I also just realized that I typed "insensitivity" vs. sensitivity. My brain is so consumed about some things right now with some highly insensitive people that it must be seeping into my typing. Sort of a bizarre little psychological slip.

 

[PollyannaMom]

I also just realized that I typed "insensitivity" vs. sensitivity. My brain is so consumed about some things right now with some highly insensitive people that it must be seeping into my typing. Sort of a bizarre little psychological slip.

No worries, I think I read that as "intolerance" in my head anyway.

I'm not a big fan of mussels, but I'm wondering if either one of us would be able to tolerate those.

I'm not even sure whether I've ever had mussels, so I guess I wouldn't miss them - but it is curious.

I know DS can't eat scallops either, so we joke that I somehow "caught" his allergy/intolerance during the pregnancy, but I don't know the real explanation.

 

[PollyannaMom]

3 comfort foods I'm grateful for:


My homemade mac 'n cheese

Warm, fluffy bread

Pink "snowballs" (because they were a treat when I was sick as a kid)

 

[bluecastle]

Comfort foods:
1. Dark chocolate. My current favorite is Ghirardelli 72’s. After reading reports about lead levels, I searched for one that wasn’t too high, found this, and ended up loving it!
2. Tomato soup and grilled cheese. (I’m looking at you, Woody’s Lunchbox!)
3. Cheese, especially melted. A dinner without a bit of melted cheese just doesn’t do it for me.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

everyone. A friend in another area of LA got some for me. Dad found some cocoa, too. I appreciate all of you, always, you know that and thank you for your replies. We will be calling Kroger Customer service to find out if it can be special ordered. Dad will be going back to our Ralph's any day now and can also ask in person. I look forward God willing one day to sharing cocoa and perhaps others favorites with some of you. Would still love to meet. Hugs to all.

 

[leebee]

@TiggerTrigger You hit on all my favorites! We should have lunch together sometime!!

1. Macaroni and cheese is my very favorite food in the world, hands down, no questions asked. While I prefer my own homemade, I will eat just about any mac and cheese. OK... maybe not the canned one that FrancoAmerican made 50 years ago, but all the rest are OK by me!

2. Campbell's cream of mushroom soup with Ritz crackers.

3. Campbell's tomato soup made with milk and grilled cheese sandwiches. (although DD's homemade creamy tomato basil is killer...)

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Good afternoon It occurred to share a picture of the Cocoa just in case any of you did come across it. Again, this is the only version of this product I would want. Thank you all always so very much.

 

[bobbiwoz]

Today's Topic (Thu, 2/22) - 3 comfort foods you're grateful for
Mac and cheese
Grilled cheese and Campbell’s tomato bisque soup
Herbal tea

 

[PollyannaMom]

Today's Topic (Fri, 2/23) - 3 family get-togethers you're grateful for

(If you don't live near family, feel free to sub friends, community events, etc.)

Thanks @Tink-osophy for today's category!

 

[leebee]

Having dinner with our friends, B&T. She hired DH into his first job here, so that's how we met them. Their son is one day older than DD, their daughter her best friend. Their family is all on the west coast, mine is 4 hours away, DH's in the midwest. Our kids grew up together, we were each other's 'emergency contacts" while the kids were in school, etc. They are our best friends here, and we have dinner at their house almost weekly. Not sure where we'd be without them.

Annual cousins reunion, although this has been sidetracked since covid. My cousins are all mostly in Massachusetts, with my side of the group in Maine. We used to get together the week after Christmas for a multi-night meet up in Portsmouth, NH. We'd have breakfast and dinner together every day, and spend the days doing "things" in smaller groups. We'd take over the hotel lobby in the evenings with our snackie-things, beverages, stories, and laughter. Sure wish we could manage to get this going again, but age is taking its toll.

Thanksgiving, although not necessarily a traditional family thing. DH and I both teach at UMaine and work with grad students on a daily basis. Thanksgiving isn't really a long-enough break for many to go home for the holiday, and not an option at all for the international students. We open our home and dinner table to anyone who needs support, celebration, and a good meal on the holiday. We've had students stop by for just dessert, or come for the whole day- and I put them to work... never say no to a potato peeler on Thanksgiving day! It's always fun, and even though I never know in advance how many will definitely show up, there is always enough food and laughter to go around!

 

[slo]

TGIF FRIENDS!

My family is incredibly small - my parents, my in-laws and my DD20. Sadly, my brother and my DD25 chose a different path and left the family. My DH is an only child, so he has no siblings. With such a small family we have no family reunions or parties outside of our little group. Having a tiny family has its advantages and disadvantages. Just when I start thinking how I wish I had a larger family, a patient comes into the office venting about their large family, especially after someone passes away. Then I think how grateful I am for my tiny family - no drama.


#1 - Holidays - they’re all spent at my house. Every holiday with our parents still with us is a gift.

#2 - Birthdays - We always celebrate each others birthdays which is fun. The biggest celebrations were always for my girls.

#3 - New Years Eve (with neighbors) - our neighbors have hosted NYE for the last 15 years. We didn’t go during COVID (they still had it) since I’m immunocompromised and we really missed it. We always have fun that night.

 

[flyingdumbo127]

Dad and I celebrating his birthday together with God recently, by His Grace, meant so much to me.

Memory of my first Christmas Eve midnight mass type service. Attending one had been a lifelong dream. In 2016, God also blessed me by having me sing in His choir at the church during this extra special worship service.

Vague but present memory of spending a quiet Thanksgiving years agonwith my beloved grandma in the small town we both called home.

Gift of each day is to me cause for thanks.

 

[WDWEPCOT]

My family is horribly dysfunctional no get togethers no one speaking to anyone else extended family does not live anywhere close but the dysfunction does cross states and includes them and they will include friends if you dumb enough to bring any around Ive never been to a family reunion of my family or my ex husband as people didn’t get along nor could you get them to get along I don’t know any cousins most I’ve never met as I’ve never met the Aunts & Uncles.
Holidays were NEVER a fun time and were always immediate family but since mental illness ran in my immediate family holidays were not joyful
I’m not telling this for sympathy it’s more educational as people with mental illness struggle with holidays and this massively impacts the people around them and I don’t think people realize how huge this is I think it’s more so now than it used to be like back when I was a kid
The only problem of it is is that when you’re exposed to this is a child it causes lifelong problems counseling can only do so much

I tried very hard to create happy holidays for my family - what was I successful ? I don’t know some years I’m going to say yes and because there was mental illness in my only immediate family a lot of years I’m going to say no - someone was always back in an attitude someone was always causing problems someone was always starting a fight with someone it was never pretty after a while I just gave up
I’m not grateful for any of them don’t mean to sound mean don’t mean to sound ungrateful it’s just the fact that these people no matter what you did for them would not try to use their counseling or any of the other things that were provided to them to not stir up problems and cause trouble I’ll leave it at that
They ran agendas and they weren’t nice ones
I avoid all get togethers especially family but on the same hand I avoid work ones too if I have to do a work event I’m in and out within an hour hour and a half I will not stay Because of what I have been taught I am extremely uncomfortable in these settings and find them very hard to do
It’s from growing up with someone with extreme mental illness as one of your parents - lifelong impact

So no we did not have family gatherings we did not have family reunions we didn’t have vacations we didn’t do any of those things and a few times that anybody came over or visited it did not end pretty it usually ended very ugly because of this I usually avoid these situations like the plague

I’m not sharing this for sympathy or shock value or anything like that I’m just sharing this is more of a learning experience most people don’t know or understand or even comprehend what it’s like to live with somebody with mental illness it is an all encompassing thing and it impacts so much it is so far reaching and it just seep into everything and there’s no planning things because you just never know how it’s going to be from day today people are always very focused on the person with the mental illness and no one thinks about the other person the spouse the parent the person who doesn’t have the mental illness who is their living with them trying to help them or upholding everything else because that person - they are massively impacted but they’re never talked about !