So, this is how it all began…
In late August of 2018, I challenged myself to what I called a "Crockpot Challenge." Our family of 3 enjoyed the warm summer weekends that we never seem to get enough of here in Minnesota, which meant that every Sunday around 5:00, my significant other and I would be sitting out on our patio while our son played in the yard, and without any enthusiasm whatsoever say, "Well, what are we going to do for dinner?" We love eating, it wasn't that. It was that we just didn't want to miss one minute of these precious, beautiful days, where the weather is warm and the three of us just get to be together, and enjoy each other.
So, it was in late August of 2018, after so many Sundays of pizza being delivered, or PB&J sandwiches being quickly thrown together, that I decided to dust off my crockpot, and challenged myself to not only make a crockpot dish every Sunday for 4 weeks straight, but each dish had to be something new, that I had never tried before. It felt daunting when I thought about finding a new recipe, getting the groceries, and then the worst, figuring out how to put it all together. I just felt like there was never enough time and anything that was easy, certainly couldn't be all that good…
Fast forward to the end of September 2018, and not only had I met my challenge of four, new, crockpot meals, I was enjoying it, and had actually come to a realization that entailed three things: 1. Cooking CAN be easy, you just have to find the recipes and make them 2. Trying out new recipes is super fun and there are lots of them that have ingredients I already have in my pantry and 3. The crockpot is underrated. How did I forget how sweet this kitchen appliance is? So, I jokingly said to my significant other, "I should do a YouTube channel that is for people like me that really want to make and enjoy good meals, but are busy and feel like there isn't any time, and show them how fun and easy it can be." He looked at me and said, "Yes, you're going to do that." And, well, we did that.
I say we because he is instrumental in all of this. He pushed me to do it, he kept me motivated to keep going, and he is the reason the video and audio quality is so dang good! He is the man behind the scenes, who makes everything on-scene look great. And not only that, he's the reason that I kept doing it, even when it meant filming at 9:30 at night after our son had gone to bed, or putting a crockpot together at 6:00 in the morning before I got ready for work. Our driver being that making these videos, was a creative outlet for us both; me sharing and being on camera, and him doing the videography and filming work.
So, this started out as a project for us, and it became something for all of you. And that's what I love about Load of Crock. It's truly for everyone. Whether you watch the channel or visit this blog for the humor and fun of it, or if you really want to try new and easy recipes, or figure out ways to simplify things, or all of it, our hope is always that there's something in it for everyone, as there was for us when we started it. This space is for anyone and it truly is what it says it is. Bringing us back to the basics.
Friends. Thanks for visiting and being a part of this Load of Crock community! We still have a lot to do and share with all of you, so stay close and know that what we do and are doing is for us and YOU.
The Woman Behind the Venus Apron
Just a smidge more about me (Betsy)….for those who may be wondering.
I started Load of Crock when my, then, 15-year career in human resources wasn’t fulfilling my creative side. Still in love with and passionate about helping and supporting others, which has always been my biggest driver for my various roles in HR, there still seemed to be a gap. A year and a half into this creative project, after 16 years, I was told my position at my company was being eliminated. I worked hard to see this as an opportunity to make some changes and align what I loved doing with my passion of helping others, and started my own HR consulting company, allowing me to meet new people, and lead various HR strategies and initiatives for different companies with different needs. BUT. Yeah, doesn’t it always feel like there’s a but? I also realized how much more I wanted to do with Load of Crock and how much more there was to share. So I began making it more, including an official business. With more videos, more food, more humor, and simply, just more loads of crock. I continue to strike the balance with both my companies, which have somewhat merged related to how both allow me to be creative and support and help others. With all of this only being possible with the continued and full support of my significant other, Eric.
As you may pick up from the way my recipes are written, to my sometimes less than pleasing to some humor in my videos, to simply the name I chose, Load of Crock, having fun and a good sense of humor has always been a top priority for me. Never taking anything too seriously, you can find me often times playing floor hockey with my son (and sometimes even winning!), continuously razzing my significant other about the socks he leaves all over the house, as well as imbibing in glass of wine or a can of cold beer. I still love a simple, but delicious meal, and capitalize on my family’s outdoor time, taking advantage of all seasons that the midwest brings.
In high school, after giving a presentation that was littered with puns and me talking excitedly with my hands the entire time, I received feedback from some in the class that I “was kind of weird” and my “presentation was a little crazy.” Afterwards, my teacher pulled me aside and said, “Be crazy and weird, and don’t give a (insert explicit word here) about what anyone thinks." Those words have sat me with me for a long time, I won’t say how long, but since I am 26, I guess if you do the math, roughly 8 years. I kid, I joke. For well over half my life, I have taken that with me. And here’s what I can say. I am grateful at a young age I was told this, that I grew up in a family where being a little weird and crazy was “normal” and I have been able to find a way to bring this all to life, in the form of Load of Crock. I appreciate every single one of you who has watched, listened, responded (even the not so nice responses, I get it, I am not everyone’s glass of wine), and shown your interest in Load of Crock. I am so happy and grateful to have you be a part of this community. And let me say, we have many more loads of crock to share, and cannot wait for it all. Thank you. Thank you.
Big hugs,
Betsy