Category Archives: Howto

Addy’s 9th Birthday Party

If you are a fan or have watched ‘Survivor’ or ‘Alone’ you will understand the challenges we enjoyed at Addy’s 9th birthday party. We all gathered on Saturday dressed to survive any challenges thrown at us by our challenge host, (Jeff Probst) Dad Dan.

Addy’s most talented mom made her logs on fire cake or campfire cake! The flames were made from jolly rancher candies!

Before cake and before our survivor challenges began we enjoyed lunch of chili and homemade sourdough and cornbread.

Fortified for the challenges Addy and JJ (the captains) chose their teams.

Team Addy on the left and team JJ on the right with Dan (Jeff) giving the rules and asking the bonus questions for extra supplies to build our shelters. Each team was given a set of supplies to begin and then had the chance to earn extra supplies. The shelters would be judged as to whether they could survive a rain storm (simulated with buckets of water).

 

If you’ve watched ‘Survivor’ you will notice that Dad Dan had Jeff’s look captured to a T! Here he is giving us the rules and the go ahead!

The Shelter making challenge was borrowed more from the TV show, Alone.

There was a time limit and everyone worked fast to get their shelter completed. JJ’s team had supervisors overseeing the work.

Team Addy’s shelter!

Team JJ’s shelter.

The Bucket test would be after cake and presents!

Time for cake before either Addy or JJ would get soaked or stay dry in the bucket challenge!

Time for presents!

From presents we moved on to the very exciting fire starting challenge with only select materials to get our fires going. The team who’s fire burned through the rope first would win the challenge. No matches only a type of flint, a little kindling and other elements plus wood to get the flames going.

The rope you see was what we needed to burn through to win. Not an easy task. It was a group effort from beginning to end.

We got a flame!!!

It was a windy afternoon and we had that challenge to deal with, too.

Team Addy for the fire making win! What an intense and fun challenge this was!

The final test was to see if team Addy or team JJ would stay dry in their shelter.

Team JJ won this event. Addy got the wet end of this challenge! Well done on your shelter, team JJ!

Thanks to Addy’s mom and dad for hosting such a fun 9th birthday for Addy and guests!

After all the excitement of Addy’s birthday party there were more gatherings for dinner and cake and presents for my belated birthday.

The March birthday girls got the hats and songs at the Mexican restaurant.

We then all gathered at our home.  We enjoyed another cake that Addy’s mom made, a Persian cake, for my belated birthday celebration. I was showered with presents and kind words of encouragement.

It was an evening of reminiscing about years gone by and we talked about my mom’s last days and how we had visited her for the last time in person in August of 2013. Laura remembered she had photos from that day on her phone and quickly found this next photo which brought back the memories of our mom wanting to share this portion of Jude with all of us. This is my hand next to the verses that were important to our mom to share.

Here is part of the post that I published on my blog in August of 2013, after our visit with our mom/Baba. Our mom was received in heaven by her Savior on September 13, 2013.

MomAfter the beautiful wedding on Saturday we packed up and headed to my mom and pop’s apartment for a short visit before our flight home. We had a wonderful time around my mom’s hospital bed where she shared her favorite verses from the Bible with us with some added words of counsel. She was able to walk into the living area for a while to eat and watch the video of the wedding of grandson Caleb and sweet Marie that was recorded with my sister’s IPad during the wedding ceremony.  By this point she had to go back to her bed and rest. Dear, Josh, Laura, Katie and I said our goodbyes knowing this would be the last time we would see her alive.  Heavy…

Jude 17-25:

But you must remember, beloved, the predictions of the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ. They said to you, “In the last time there will be scoffers, following their own ungodly passions.” It is these who cause divisions, worldly people, devoid of the Spirit.

But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, keep yourselves in the love of God, waiting for the mercy of our Lord Jesus Christ that leads to eternal life. and have mercy on those who doubt, save others by snatching them out of the fire; to others show mercy with fear, hating even the garment stained by flesh.

Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, to the only God, our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever, Amen. 

It was a lovely way to end a day of joy celebrating our dear granddaughter and being celebrated by my dear family.

Thanks for surviving our 9th and 75th celebration!!

Creamy Poblano Soup

In the past I’ve found good recipes that are included with store flyers. This recipe came from a flyer that Fred Meyer sent out some years past, recipes with a Latin flair. I tried two of their soup recipes. The first one I tried and the whole family enjoyed was this Creamy Poblano Soup. There are no credits given in the magazine for the recipe so I’ll give Fred Meyer the credit.

Creamy Poblano Soup

6 poblano peppers
1 lb. ground beef (80% lean)
2 cups sliced leeks (from 2 large leeks, white part only)
2 cups corn kernels, fresh or frozen
3 cups chicken stock
1 cup whipping cream
salt and pepper to taste

Preheat the broiler in your oven.
Arrange Poblanos on a sheet pan and place 4-6 inches under the broiler.
Cook until charred on all sides, turning every few minutes, about 8-12 minutes or more.
Transfer the charred peppers to a bowl and cover them tightly with plastic wrap.
Let them steam for 10 minutes then peel and chop the peppers, discarding the skin and seeds.
Set aside.

Add the ground beef to a large pot over medium heat.
Cook, stirring often, until the fat is rendered and the beef has begun to brown.
Using a slotted spoon, remove the beef and set aside, leaving the fat in the pan.
Add the leaks and cook, stirring occasionally until they have softened, about 5 minutes.

Add the reserved poblanos and corn, and continue to cook until the corn has cooked through, about 5 minutes. (add some olive oil to pan if it seems dry) Add the chicken stock and simmer until the flavors incorporate about 5 minutes. Stir in the cram and reserved cooked ground beef. Season with salt and pepper. Simmer until the soup is warmed through then serve at once, refrigerating any leftovers.
This will serve 4-6 people.

Notes: I salted the raw beef lightly while it was cooking and I also salted the leeks and corn lightly while they cooked. You could prepare the poblanos a day ahead to speed up the cooking process on the day you want to eat the soup. If you have a gas stove top you can char the peppers over the flame but it’s easier to char them under the broiler.

We really enjoyed this flavorful soup! Poblano peppers have a more gentle spiciness than jalapenos or Anaheim chilies.

Bruschetta Ricotta Cheese Spread

We enjoy Bruschetta which is a simple Italian appetizer consisting of grilled bread lightly brushed with olive oil and rubbed with garlic. From here the varieties are abundant. We enjoy this prepared bread topped with a simple tomato and fresh basil mix or with an added dimension of this ricotta spread.

Ricotta Cheese Spread
Ingredients:

  • 1 cup ricotta
  • 2 tablespoons fresh basil chopped
  • 1 clove roasted garlic minced
  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/8 teaspoon fresh ground pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons chives chopped
  • 1 or more tablespoons of grated Parmesan

Method:

  1. Mix all of these ingredients and store in refrigerator until ready to use.
  2. When your bread and tomato topping is ready arrange on plate and serve.

Tomato Topping:

  • 3-4 roma tomatoes chopped with liquid drained
  • 1 clove minced roasted garlic
  • chopped fresh basil (amount to taste)
  • Small amount of olive oil to just coat ingredients and salt and pepper to taste

Method:

  1. Mix together and serve fresh on toasted or grilled slices of bread spread with olive oil and garlic.
  2.  Spread the toasted bread with the ricotta mixture and top with tomato/basil mix and enjoy.

You can also offer an olive tapenade to your serving platter which will go well with the ricotta spread.

Talking to Myself

I’ve been talking to myself since I finally stepped on the scale last week. Yikes! That number I saw was shocking to me.

Before I stepped on the scale, I had already planned and started a 1200 calorie a day eating plan. I bought a book for inspiration but my choices are personalized.

After a full week on 1200 calories a day I’m telling myself…

1200 calories is plenty of food to eat in a day.

Some days after dinner and being satisfied, I still have 200 calories left to consume.

It’s okay to eat the same thing over and over again if it is what I like.

Adding cucumbers to wraps gives you a delicious crunch and satisfaction.

That a single serving of oatmeal with a walnut, two teaspoons of brown sugar, 1/2 cup of blueberries was delicious and satisfying and under 300 calories. (I’ll be having that for breakfast again)

The varieties of good food I can eat is encouraging and doable.

A Costco chicken deboned chopped or shredded and frozen in smaller portions is a plus.

Shopping with a list of  good things to buy is important. I need to have those items on hand.

Keeping an ongoing, daily list of everything I put into my mouth is necessary for me.

My math skills are being challenged in figuring out calories then adding and subtracting. 🙂

I’m reminding myself that things might be slow going but I’ll be pleased in a month, more pleased in 2 months, etc.

A huge help for me is knowing my ‘girls’ are cheering me on. They are praying with me for resolve to continue doing what is good for me physically and mentally. Accountability is key.

Because of my Plantar Fasciitis I’m not able to walk regularly for extra exercise but I have started chair exercises with a YouTube that is good and going well. Just 10 minutes in the session but still helpful and easy on my feet.

Another reality is that there will be special events where I won’t be counting calories and that is okay.

As my clothes feel less tight I will remember to take notice and be thankful.

You won’t hear any weekly reports from me about this journey but I will try to post something monthly or every six weeks for more accountability.

This ground turkey soup I made on Saturday ended up being 175 calories per cup (8oz.) and was very tasty per Greg and me.

Ingredients

  • 8 oz. cooked ground turkey
  • 1 can chicken broth
  • 1 can Rotel original diced tomatoes and chilies
  • 1 can black beans drained and rinsed
  • 1 small zucchini sliced
  • 2 mushrooms sliced
  • 1 Carrot sliced

Method:

  1. Combine all ingredients in soup pot.
  2. Bring to a boil then turn down to simmer.
  3. Simmer for 30 minutes.
  4. Serve while hot.

Yield: About 5 cups

Note: This was spicy with the Ro-Tel but added some nice depth of flavor.  You can substitute a can of chopped tomatoes instead if you don’t tolerate hot spice.

Some other meals I’ve enjoyed, just to name a few.

  • Low Fat Cottage cheese with pineapple
  • Cooked ground beef wrap with cucumbers and salsa
  • 2 eggs on toast
  • Strawberries with a squirt of whipped cream
  • Avocado and egg on toast
  • Cheese melt on English muffin
  • Teriyaki Chicken breast with rice and brussels sprouts

For the Birds

A couple of weeks ago we started building this birdhouse with Addy and JJ. The involvement with hammers and nails and glue made me fail to get photos of A and J while they were working on it.

Both Addy and JJ are good with directions and the whole building process. Addy’s window is a little more detailed than JJ’s.

It was Addy’s idea to add the B. We had to let all the glue dry at this point and it was time for Addy and JJ to go to Awana. The finishing of the roof would have to happen at a later date.

On Monday afternoon JJ was here while Addy was at dance so we started on the shingles on the roof. The royal ‘we’ was JJ supervising me and giving me tips while he ate an orange.

Here’s an older Autumn photo of Addy and JJ.

I wanted to update y’all on the fires in our parts. The closest fire to us is 74% contained and another fire a little farther from us is 46% contained. The folks from our church who had to evacuate have been able to go back to their homes and they weren’t destroyed. We had a downpour on Sunday and that was helpful, too. Hope all is well in your neck of the woods.

Dance Recital

On Saturday after JJ’s birthday party some time was spent on braiding and curling Addy’s hair for her dance recital. Addy, her mommy and Auntie Lolo left early and we followed later. We waited with anticipation to see Addy come on stage.

The lighting was difficult but I was able to get some photos to show some of the dance moves.

 

 

 

 

 

In this shot you can see the braids and curls that held well throughout the performance. Hats off to Auntie Lolo and her mommy.

She really danced her heart out and it was great to see her confidence on stage. I wish I could have gotten the video to load onto my computer but it just didn’t work for me.

 

 

Baba and Gramps thought you did a wonderful job. You worked hard at your practices and it showed on stage! Well done, Addy!

Home to have a good rest before her next performance on Sunday afternoon.

We found out after the show that there were a few of the young performers who had challenges to overcome and they did it brilliantly. There was one young dancer who was completely deaf. Another amazing young man with a cochlear implant from the same family who was one of the stars of the show. Another performer came to the Haran Dancers without being able to jump or hop. All of these challenges were overcome with practice and patience. We are pleased that our granddaughter can learn and perform in this wonderful school of Irish Dancers with gifted teachers.

DIY Master Shower

We had plans to replace our Master Shower well over a year ago. We purchased the tile then and waited for the right time to begin the project. Our hard well water didn’t do any favors to the floor of this one piece shower insert and it was frustrating to try to clean it. Dear took the old shower stall out and it was hauled to the dump. We envisioned the project being done during the summer but that didn’t happen.

Each step along the way took lots of planning and tweaking.

The floor tile went in first and then it was covered up to protect it during the rest of the project.

At one point we didn’t think we had purchased enough of the 12 x 24 tile sections and we returned to the tile store to see what options we had. We found these decorative 8×8 tiles and added some of the floor tiles to frame them and get a 12 x 12 format. (Did you understand that?).

Greg’s left hand only works at 30% since his stroke so this project was a lot more difficult than the last shower tile project he completed at our old home in Kenmore.

 

Time to apply the grout.

Time for fixtures and safety bars. Another nerve wracking endeavor to cut the holes just right and get them into studs.

Success!

Vanity kicks in now because my shampoos and other product stick out like a sore thumb on these pretty niche shelves because of the color of the packaging.

All that is left for this project is to touch up some of the walls and do some paint touch up.

I’m enjoying our new shower and thankful that Dear persevered during this very tough project. There were times in the process that we both just wanted to walk away.

Our Guest Bath Update

Good morning friends. The forecast here in our corner of Washington State has predictions of heavy wet snow with the possibility of falling trees and branches breaking and downing power lines. Hopefully we will not lose power but if we do, I’ve created a few posts for this week and hopefully the predictions won’t be as dire as forecasted.

When we moved into our current home in September of 2018 we knew that we wanted to make changes in our guest bath. In 2019 we bought a slab of maple wood with a live edge to replace the countertop in this bathroom. That slab lived under the guest bed in what we call the Blue Room for about 3 years. Along the way in those 3 years we bought a new sink for the bathroom, too.

Demolition day…

After he stripped the bathroom, the walls, ceiling and cabinet were painted white.

The slab of wood was measured for cutting the hole for the sink and faucet.

Now it was time to treat the wood with TopOil.

The top oil complete it was time to install the backsplash.

Time for the plumbing. We tried some of our old wall pieces and really didn’t like the look so we contemplated changes that would function better. That wall piece on the side wall got moved to the master bedroom. It poked out to far over the new countertop and imposed on the counter space.

Time to set the sink and hook up more plumbing.

We tried a few pieces over the toilet area and finally settled on this piece with shelves and a rod for hand towels. We found this piece at Wal-Mart.

We are pleased with the update. Josh and Laura were our first overnight guests to enjoy the changes.

Dear does good work and has saved us thousands of dollars over the years by doing these projects himself.

I was going to list the projects that Dear was planning to complete in the next several months but as Providence would have it we had an emergency health event that has changed our plans. Dear suffered a Stroke on Saturday in our home while we were together enjoying our lunch. He and I recognized something was terribly wrong. 911 was called and we had a great response with the EMT’s and the Fire Chief of our area. Once evaluated at our local hospital, Dear was transported to Spokane to the ICU at Sacred Heart for further evaluation. Our son drove me to Spokane and booked a room for us across the street from the hospital. Dear is in expert care and it was determined he should have surgery sooner than later and he will have an Endarterectomy on Tuesday afternoon. We are grateful that things were caught early and the right treatment was given for the best overall outcomes. His brain and speech are in great shape. The lingering symptom is weakness in his left hand. Thanking God for watching over him. Thanking those of you in advance who will pray to our God for Dear’s surgery to go well and for his recovery to be free of complications.

We have had such an outpouring of care and prayers from loved ones, our kids have rallied, our church family in Colville, old friends in Edmonds, Monroe, Bothell, Lynnwood, Kenmore and Poulsbo. Family in New York, North Carolina, Texas, California, my ‘girls’ in British Columbia and Manitoba. We are so thankful to our God for the love and peace we have experienced because of those prayers.

Posts this week will be sporadic if at all.

Hope your new week is going well.

Roof Panels Complete!

Here’s the last steel panel ready to hoist onto the roof of the shop. Be forewarned that this will be a photo overload post.

So happy our son could help.

Me and my shadow are happy to see that last panel fastened into place.

The Ridge Vent is the last part to install on the roof.

Dear is busy preparing the shop pad for the cement to be poured later this week or early next week. We’ll have to have a roller skating party when that’s done before the shop gets filled up with stuff after the walls, windows and doors are in.