Thinking Bigger: Serving Others and Supporting Small Businesses

Although this time is full of struggle, re-adjusting, loss, learning to homeschool, and bits of frustration or maybe even fear, there are positive ways we can support each other! This time has reinstalled a sense of camaraderie and community. Do y'all agree? Many are serving more than they ever have. It’s a beautiful silver lining to this pandemic. When loneliness sets in, I encourage you to check in on someone else or send a thoughtful note or gift to a loved one; I guarantee it will bring you joy and will only bring comfort to others!

Here on the blog, we've implemented a new series of talks on Thinking Bigger. Last week we touched on How Simplicity Changes Everything, and this week I wanted to talk about serving others and supporting small businesses – A topic that has really been on my heart and surprisingly, has also helped me process during this time.

My family lives in Dallas; we are so close, and it was really tough to cancel the trips we had planned to see each other, not knowing when the safe next time will be. One way that has helped me feel so connected is by sending them presents that remind me of them or fun little things for my sweet nieces! And all the while, I order the items from small businesses. You bring a company joy while sending joy to someone you love, and it doesn’t have to be big!Another long-winded, yet rewarding project we have been diving into is all things home and finishing the furnishing process! With the intension of supporting small businesses, I feel like I have entered an entirely new world of discovering some incredible companies! It makes the purchase that was on the to-do feel much more purposeful.

Fun Ideas

• Create your neighbor a bouquet of flowers from the backyard.
• Write a note to someone you are grateful for.
• Call your grandma.
• Give to a charity that provides meals to others during this time.
• Cook a meal or cookies and deliver it to someone it would help.

Gift Ideas

• Send a bottle of wine from here (it's organic and biodynamic and delicious!)
• A toy for your friend's puppy from here, here, or here.
• Send something cute from here.
• This Box of Sunshine that gives 100% of proceeds to Baby2Baby.
• The cutest organic clothes for kids.
• For new mamas.
• Healthy products from here.

For the Home

• I just got this little vase, mini lamp, and marble counter pedestal (inspo from Ashley Kane).
• These pretty water glasses.
• European linen pool towels for such an affordable price!
• A healthy way to keep the bugs away outside!
• Rugs from here or here!
• Something pretty from here.

To follow along with items I'm getting my hands on, or to see how I'm constantly learning and processing throughout this time, stay up to date on my Instagram. x

How can you serve and support others during this time? Jot down a few ideas and try to implement one this week!

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Flawless Chocolate Chip Cookies

In case we haven't met before, my name is Lauren Sims, and I am an absolute cookie MONSTER. I love all sweets but ever since I was an infant (maybe even before), cookies have won my heart. Particularly chocolate chip.I have several different recipes I rotate through when baking cookies, depending on the occassion and how much time I have. The recipe I'm about to share with you all is for brown butter chocolate chip cookies. I love this one because you don't have to chill the dough, because really...who has time for that. They are also so chewy and stay soft for days!I hope you enjoy these as much as I have!Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies (this recipe is adapted from Baker By Nature, I just made a few changes!)Ingredients:

• 2 1/2 Cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon flaky sea salt
• 15 tablespoons salted butter
• 1 cup + 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 large eggs
• 2 1/2 cups semi sweet chocolate chips

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees (F).
2. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and sea salt; set aside
3. Place 8 tablespoons of butter in a small sauce pan over medium-high heat and cook for about 2 minutes, stirring almost constantly, until the butter has browned.
4. Remove from heat and stir in remaining 7 tablespoons of butter; whisk until completely smooth. Place the bowl in the refrigerator or freezer and bring the butter back to room temperature. *You'll know the butter is at room temperature when you press a finger into the top and it makes a slight indentation.
5. Once the butter is at room temperature, add the sugars and the vanilla to the browned butter and whisk until light & fluffy; about 2 minutes (I use a stand mixer!) Add the eggs and beat quickly, for only about 30 seconds - until they're just combined.
6. Let the mixture rest for 5 minutes, then beat the eggs for another 30 seconds
7. Gently fold in the flour mixture with a wooden spoon, stirring only until the flour begins to disappear.
8. Fold in all chocolate chips
9. Lightly grease a cookie sheet (or place a silipat mat on a cookie sheet! This is the one I use and i'm obsessed with it. Totally transforms your cookies)
10. Roll the dough into balls (I personally like smaller cookies - then you can easily justify eating 5), then place on prepared sheet (make sure to leave enough room in between each cookie for inevitable spreading).
11. Continue this process until all the dough has been rolled.
12. Place baking sheets in preheated oven and bake for 11-14 minutes, or until golden at the edges but still soft in the middle. (I cook mine 10 minutes actually!)
13. let cookies cool for 5 minutes on the sheet before transferring to a wire wrack to cool completely. (This is the wire wrack I use)
14. Enjoy!! Try and cut yourself off after a dozen if you can!

Make sure you follow me on pinterest for more yummy dessert recipes. xx[show_shopthepost_widget id="530788"]