McKay, Tyler, and cousin Lauren back in 1993

What teenage boy wants his 2 little brothers plus his little cousin to accompany him to his doctor's appointment?

We had cousin Lauren for a few days, Brock got a bad ear ache, so we all went to Dr. Weinberg's office together.

Then we went to visit Lauren's Grandma Nellie at her bakery.

The very last little clip we are our way to San Francisco to see about getting McKay's heart fixed. I guess I wanted to film how Tyler fell asleep on top of McKay.

27 years ago! 

Lauren was the sweetest little girl! We enjoyed her so much. 💗

Some people amaze me!

This morning as I went to get the newspaper off our driveway, 
I noticed it looked a bit fuller than usual. 

After taking the plastic off 
(Josie, our carrier always wraps it in plastic for our safety)....
I found two colorful things inside of it. 

I quickly realized there were 2 masks she made for Den and I.

Was not that the sweetest! 



She made them complete with nose shaping flex wire! 
So they will have a tight fit, and not fog up our glasses. 

So many good people in this world, 
and I get to have one of them deliver our paper each Sunday! 

A typical summer's day in 1993

What I find so remarkable about this video, is that Tyler is nothing 
like this now. He is a very patient and kind and loving husband and 
father to their FOUR children.

If this were not so, I would not be showing this now. 😊

Tyler was a tad bit on the bossy side growing up. 

Sometimes I forget that until I run into a video like this. 

Here's just a typical summer day when he was about seven, 
swimming with McKay and our neighbors.

I especially appreciate what my very-dear-to-me-neighbor says towards the end of this video.

My shelf cooking

So about once or twice a week I do shelf cooking now for dinner.

Since we can't go out to eat, and I'm not doing take out, 

shelf cooking is sort of my break.

It will be about 5pm. I just go to my fridge, see what we have, and 

then go to the pantry...and just come up with something on the spot. 

However, tonight I found all I needed in the fridge.

It's kind of fun actually.

For example tonight, 

I put on the counter what I had in the fridge that needed to be eaten.

Some left over baked potatoes that I cut up. That would be my 

base. Then I cut up everything else and made a big stir fry. 

(I decided to opt out of the kidney beans.)

I did cook the bok chow on the side and 

put it on top of our concoction. 

And I had some baby greens that we put dressing on, 

and a mandarin. 

And that was that.

We both loved it. 

Sometimes brown rice will be my base. Or pasta. Or salad. 

Just what ever I have. 

I just noticed that little piece of bread on Den's plate.

I got extra hungry while cooking and found that in the fridge too 

and ate part of it before giving it to him. 

That's why it's so small looking.

I often take bites of his sandwiches too, and he's fine with it.

He's very easy to live with. 💘

Happy Easter everyone!

Where I find peace

My soup adventure

So it started like this....

Nearly a year ago, I was trying to think of some way to preserve the beautiful produce we'd pick up every Saturday at the Farmer's Market. 

I would buy more than we could eat in a week because it all looked SO good. Then I would end up, sadly, throwing too much out at the end of the week.

Then I would do the same thing all over again the following week.

Not good.

I would think....if I only knew how to make really good soup with all of this produce, then I could freeze it for later.

So slowly I started studying recipe after recipe. 

I discovered I can use one same basic recipe for several of these vegetables. 

I also learned that what works best for us, is freezing the soup in individual 1 cup servings. That way I can put one frozen serving in the microwave for 3 minutes and it's ready to eat whenever we feel like it.

Also, all of my soups are whirled up in the blender before freezing...so no mushy tasting vegetables. But rather a nourishing, hot cup of creamed soup (with no cream but you could add that if you want.) 

So far these are the ones I have in our freezer:

broccoli

butternut squash

green pea 

cauliflower

broccoli/cauliflower

broccolini

tomato (from last summer's tomatoes and recipe a little different)

asparagus

pumpkin/white bean (this recipe is a little different)

Here was my storage of soups last October. 

We've eaten these and more have come in their place.

I kept buying little containers to freeze them in....

until I realized I had this extra large muffin tin in my cupboard.....

Shown here with cauliflower soup

I freeze, then dump them in freezer ziplock bags. 

Works great using less freezer space.

Live and learn, right? 

Here's the basic ingredients I use for the broccoli soup, 

for example:

(MINUS that little red potato. I use to think I needed it to bulk it up some, but nope, I prefer without. 

But you could really throw in whatever you want.) 

Here's basically how I do this.

Saute I chopped onion in 2-3 T butter or ghee or avocado oil

Add 4 cups chicken broth and 3/4-1 t salt

Add 4 c chopped up vegetables

Simmer till soft and then whirl in my blender.

You can add other seasonings as well.  

We also like to sprinkle Montreal Steak seasoning just before serving. And maybe a tad bit of milk if we want it to cool off faster and have it more creamy. 

Look at some of my gorgeous vegetables (before simmered, or whirled in the blender....)

I must add here....these soups while highly nutritious, 

are not high enough in calories or protein to make a meal. 

I mostly serve these as I would a vegetable. 

Then when the pandemic came I noticed that hardly anyone was buying fresh vegetables, except me it seems. 

I keep my recipes taped to the inside of a cupboard...

that's how often I make them!

As my Mom would say, "Don't knock it until you try it."