An Ounce of Prevention....

...is Worth a Pound of Cure - Benjamin Franklin

That familiar quote seems to me to sum up the current effort to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. We know that one of the ways to protect yourself besides social distancing and staying at home is to wear a face mask when it is necessary to go out in public. However, face masks are currently in short supply as we all know.  So we, like many others, do not have them. That is until now. 

A couple days ago I opened a drawer and discovered a bag of these cute character face masks. I am not sure where they came from but I thought they adorable and would be great to get out for a party or when our kids are able to come over again when this quarantine is finally over.  But,  it also got me thinking maybe I should try making a face mask.  

So I started looking through my fabric stash and as soon as I saw the Oregon State University fabric I new I should do it. I decided to make it pleated so that the print would show well when in use. It went together so quickly that I was ready to start another one. 

This time though I chose a batik fabric and changed the pattern. There were no pleats on the second one however I added a filter pocket even, though I do not have any certified filters, and then also a nose wire to make it more secure. 

To use up fabric scraps I pieced the top of the blue mask and liked how it turned out. After both were finished it became apparent that the Beaver mask would be for the hubs, if he would even wear it that is. He was a good sport though and tried it on and let me take a picture to show the kids since they are all Beavers too but then I remembered....

...I would see them all in a few hours. 

Just like everyone else, our family is following the mandatory COVID~19 rules.  We have been practicing social distancing, following the stay at home orders and are trying new things to keep in touch while in quarantine. Yesterday, instead of Sunday Supper we had a Tele-Supper which was Sunday Supper on Zoom! The hubs and I were so excited that we decided to wear our new face masks just for fun. Well, we took it a little further and also set up a fancy dinner table with linens, candles, flowers, fancy dishes and served a beautiful dinner for 2. It was so much fun! All the kids joined so even our children that live out of the state could be with us. We began around our usual time and we all had dinner together. In fact, it was the longest Sunday Supper I think we have ever had. It was great and we all agreed to do it again next week or until the restrictions are lifted. In the meantime, I think I will sew up a few more masks just in case anyone else needs one. 

Happy Monday!

the new LITTLE RED WAGON ~ {DIY multi~purpose trailer}

The past several weeks Mr. Wonderful has been working on a "Honey Do" project for me. I asked him if he could make a little multi purpose trailer that could be hitched to the back of either my Dads golf cart {aka: "Dynamite"}  or his tractor { aka: "Sue"}.

He said "piece of cake"!

Before he could start though he needed some measurements and photos. I gladly volunteered to go and do that for him as that was the least I could do to contribute to the project. The first thing to measure was the yard debris can. The hope is the can will fit on the trailer to take it up to the road. Much easier than manually rolling it, especially when it is extra heavy. 

Once we had Dynamite out of the shed and took a closer look it did not seem as likely to be a candidate for the trailer, however, we measured and took pictures anyway. 

Next we headed to the "barn" where Sue is parked. Again we pulled it out to have more room to measure and take pictures. The tractor already has a hitch which would make things that much easier. 

After that the information was delivered Mr. Wonderful and he got started. He is a man with a plan and does not waste any time. 

The frame did not take long to weld up. 

Next he gave the frame a coat of paint.

As well as the wheels. 

He just happened to have a box full of small wheels that he had saved from some go~carts he made years ago for the Jr. High Youth Group Soap Box Derby. 

They were perfect for this project.

Once the sides were cut and attached it just needed a little more paint.

When it was just about finished I went out to take a look and received the full show room demonstration which you can see below. 

Another Honey Do checked of the list.

Happy Saturday!

Food Day Friday: vegetable medley CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

Comfort food seems like a good option these days and what better choice than Chicken Noodle Soup and a Grilled Cheese Sandwich. This week the Man of Steel { aka: the hubs } was out of town for a few days for business so I was home alone, working and holding down the fort. When dinner time rolled around I decided a pot of soup would be nice and the leftover soup would be great for the next couple days. 

Before putting on my apron though, I had to check to be sure I had all the ingredients since our recent trips to our local grocery stores had not been successful. 

Just like so many others we could not find the items on our list but that was okay. We just used what we had on hand which was actually a good thing. 

But I must say, we tried again yesterday and most of the shelves were pretty well stocked so it seems the rush for groceries has settled a bit for now. So, after making sure I had the ingredients for my recipe I  put on my apron and started working on my pot of soup.

While I was prepping it occurred to me that this might be the perfect time to try making a video. It had been on my to~do list for quite a while and in December we picked up a tripod just for that purpose. Over the next few months I fussed around with it but seemed to be intimidated by it all so it just sat there. Well, my family kept encouraging me and for whatever reason this week seemed to be the week I decided to give it a try. So not only is there a recipe below but I have also included my 1st ever, brand new, FOOD VIDEO. It is far from perfect, however, I intend to keep on learning and will be working to improve the quality as I continue to making video's. 

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VEGETABLE MEDLEY
CHICKEN NOODLE SOUP

http://thegrandsurprise.blogspot.com

by Jennifer Stull

Ingredients

• 2 whole boneless, skinless chicken breasts (about 1/2 pound each), cut into 1-inch pieces, (about 2 cups)
• 3 teaspoons vegetable oil (divided)
• 1 cup chopped onion
• 2/3 cup chopped red bell pepper
• 1 medium clove of garlic, minced (about 1 teaspoon
• 2 quarts water
• 1 Tablespoon chicken bouillon granules
• 4 ounces noodles
• 1 cup frozen cut green beans
• 1 cup frozen sliced carrots
• 1 Tablespoon dried parsley

Instructions

1. Saute chicken in 2 teaspoons oil in Dutch oven over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until chicken is cooked through. Remove from pan; set aside.2. Saute onion, red pepper and garlic in remaining 1 teaspoon oil about 3 minutes, or until vegetables are tender-crisp. Add water, bouillon, pepper and salt. Bring to a boil. Stir in noodles, bean and carrots. Cook 10 minutes, then add reserved chicken and parsley. 3. Continue cooking until heated through and noodles are tender, about 2 minutes.

Happy Friday!

St. Patricks Day dinner & dessert

Saturday was a snow day which was very fun and also grocery shopping which became try again another day, and another and finally yesterday the hubs timed it just right and was able to get most of the things on the list. Church on Sunday was virtual and Monday turned into working from home with the hubs for the week. A lot of changes over a few days however one thing that was the same,  St. Patrick's Day, which was of course yesterday.  

A few green and gold decorations made the table festive. 

We had corned beef and cabbage for dinner as we almost always do. 

Since we have not been able to find certain grocery items lately I have been changing up our menu so that it uses things I have on hand.  Well, it just so happened that I had everything for this easy Icebox Cake parfait however, after I made the first one I was running short on time so I decided to go the easy route instead...

...and made a small traditional Icebox Cake on a platter with the rest of the ingredients. It is yummy any way you serve it. 

I actually made the Icebox Cake on Sunday for Sunday Supper knowing that there would be leftovers for our St. Patrick's Day dinner. It worked out perfect and now we will have delicious leftovers for at least a couple more days. 

Happy Wednesday! 

March SNOW

from my list of: one thousand gifts

Health :: family :: Saturday morning calls :: March snow :: date nights :: personal cheerleader/coach/teacher/counselor/advisor :: Sunday Suppers :: safe travel :: patience :: perseverance :: health ::  Online Gathering for Sunday worship & teaching ::  

Blessings, 

beginner Brussels Sprouts

This is the first time we have ever grown brussels sprouts so we are newbies. Actually, I did not have any part in growing them, it was all the hubs aka: the farmer. He had talked about growing some for quite some time and finally did it. He actually started them from seed and then found the perfect spot to plant them, which happened to be in front of one of our windows. It has been an ideal location for growing and is also perfect for viewing, especially during the cold, wet winter months. Not as pretty as the roses and lavender that used to be there but a great conversation piece. And, it is only temporary. 

These green plants are such a strange and interesting vegetable and it is fun to watch them grow and transform into this "jack in the brussels sprout stalk" type of plant. It is surprising how tall it is and how they form at the intersection of the stem and leaf once the leaf it cut. This is at least what I gather from the hubs who is the one that actually is growing them.

The surprising part is he does not eat brussels sprouts however I love them. He is much more interested in the challenge of growing, pruning and harvesting them so I will reap the benefits of his farming skills. 

The first two photos I took earlier in the week when it was sunny however when we woke up to snow this morning I thought I would add one more. I think brussels sprouts are hardy enough for some snow in the middle of March but we will keep an eye on them over the next few days. I am guessing it will not be too much longer before he decides they are ready to eat and I am looking forward to that!

Happy SNOW DAY!

Vegetable Soup & Beer Bread: Round 2 ~ Day 20 THYCA LID

Our days were busy last week with a lot of trips to the hospital for appointments as well as errands, cooking and some fun squeezed in between. Needless to say, there was a lot going on and by the end of the week I got behind on my posts so am back to pick up where I left off. Last Wednesday was actually the 20th and last day of Miss E's Low Iodine Diet because on Thursday she had to fast before her RAI scans.

For the last LID dinner I made a pot of Vegetable Soup since we still had plenty of fresh produce.

To go along with the soup I made Beer Bread which is really easy. I only made a couple little adjustments to my recipe so that it met the LID requirements. We also had some more guacamole which tasted really good on the bread. I am starting to think guacamole tastes pretty good on everything. 

As for dessert, we decided to have the LID Angel Food Cake one more time since her restricted diet would be over the next afternoon and she would be free to eat whatever her heart desired.

This was a very easy, light meal which was perfect for the night before the scans. 

Thursday morning she fasted as required and we went back to the hospital once again. The scans were in the middle of the morning and took around 2 hours. After she was finished and it was confirmed that she could resume a regular diet, we headed straight to Starbucks for Grande Vanilla Latte's just as we had planned. Such a treat after not being able have anything made with regular water, milk products, etc.  Our post scan agenda also included a little shopping trip as well however it was cut short when she received an unexpected call from the hospital. They needed her to return for more images because the areas of concern from the scans a year ago showed up again. She told them about the Latte she had had and they said it would still work because it was a different type of scan that takes 3D images and would still be able to detect the RAI if done right away. We skipped lunch and headed back for her new 4:30 appointment. It took about 40 minutes and once the doctor was satisfied with the images we were able to proceed to our next special activity which was a Girls Dinner Out and needless to say we had a great time. The next couple days were spent checking things off her very organized to~do list of appointments, lunch dates, family dinner, more shopping, etc. As for the results of the scans, we have not heard back yet so do not know what they might indicate or what the next steps are. Maybe no news is good news. In the meantime, Miss E, Papa Bear and I went out for breakfast early this morning to one of our favorite restaurants and then she packed up and headed home. Tomorrow we will all be back to our normal schedules, trying to be patient while we wait for results of the scans. 

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LID Vegetable Soup

http://thegrandsurprise.blogspot.com

by Jennifer Stull

Ingredients

• 1/2 medium head of cabbage, diced
• 1 medium yellow onion, diced
• 1 cup celery, sliced
• 1 green pepper, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 1 - 2 potatoes, **PEELED** and diced
• 1/4 cup fresh basil, chopped
• 1/4 cup fresh parsley, chopped
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon **NON IODIZED** salt
• **DISTILLED**water

Instructions

1. Place first 10 ingredients in a large pot.
2. Add enough DISTILLED water to the pot to cover the vegetables completely. 
3. Over high heat bring the water to a boil. Once the water boils turn down the heat, cover the pot and simmer at least an hour or until the vegetables are tender. 

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LID Beer Bread

http://thegrandsurprise.blogspot.com

by Jennifer Stull

Ingredients

• 1 - 12 ounce Beer
• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 3 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• Dash of **NON IODIZED** salt
• 1/2 cup sugar

Instructions

1. Grease 5 x 9 inch loaf pan. Set aside 
2. Mix all 5 ingredients above and put in prepared loaf pan. 
3. Bake in conventional oven at 350 degrees or convection oven at 325 degrees for approximately 1 hour. 

For more about our THYCA journey go to: 

THYCA LID {low iodine diet} / RAI 131 

or

Papillary Thyroid Cancer

Blessings!