settling in

hello friends. hoping you are all well in these unusual circumstances.

loving thanks and goodwill to all those who are helping to keep all of us as comfortable and safe as can be without being granted the option to hunker down at home: doctors, nurses, researchers, bus drivers, shop keepers, trash collectors, airline staff, delivery drivers......

thank you as well to the many who are creatively readjusting their services and talents to online communication to support us all as we begin this attempt to carry on at a new normal: teachers, professors, musicians, exercise instructors, artists, talk show hosts and other celebrities using their influence for good.....

the first few days of this COVID-19 situation had me pulling straight into myself and my family, i couldn't see past my core group. with everyone living away from me and paul, i was making sure communication was quick and accessible with each and everyone, encouraging and checking in that all fridges, pantries, etc. were stocked, mom was ok - well prepared and staying home, creating a sibling whatsapp group to communicate with my brothers and sister - basically going full force into mom and oldest child mode! i am settling in now that all is in place and am checking up with friends and other loved ones. as of this morning, (when this all started i told myself we would take this situation day by day but i have now updated myself to hour by hour) this is where we and our children are and what we/they are doing:

paul is now working from home and after a quick trip to costco for a whole home wi-fi extender system, has set himself up in the spacious and bright studio as he and the wide world of grain trading maneuver this challenging global situation. (he just had to cancel two business trips as well) i am loving having him just down the hall and sharing breakfast, lunch and dinner together. we are committed to making sure we get outside every evening to walk, bike, hike or work in the garden when the weather is nice, which today it is not. snow is falling and predicted to carry on through tomorrow so tonight may be a snowplow exercise for paul. but, these evening outings have become the highlight of our days as we feel a general dissipation of outside time pressures with the regular obligations canceled or closed. have you felt it too? we see families out biking, grandparents and grandchildren hiking together and we stay out and wander until it gets dark.

nicole and brandon are doing well in los angeles. some days they go into work and other days they work from home. they too are taking time out to walk to the beach and last night just before bed sent us all, via our family whatsapp, a calming palm-treetops-quietly-swaying-in-the-ocean-breeze video they took while out walking. lovely.

margo and andrew went into san francisco's order of 'shelter in place' on tuesday, which includes some of the strictest measures in the u.s. right now. people are ordered to stay home but may and are encouraged to go outside to walk dogs, run or hike as long as they do it alone or with family and practice social distancing. only essential needs stores are remaining open. their dogs have never been happier :)

in prague, ben and kensey are mostly upset and processing the fact that their upcoming trips to austria and egypt have been cancelled. last friday, czech republic declared a state of emergency closing their borders except for 11 monitored border crossings. all public facilities closed and ben and kensey are now working from home. kensey told me, to fill time, ben and sebastian have begun gaming together again which for the first time in my life actually warms my heart! i picture them as in days past, playing each other with their headsets on, but now from across the world. ben sends us photos from his early morning runs, mask and social distancing compliant, of the hauntingly empty streets, bridges and city squares of prague. with their tumultuous modern history, the czechs have seen their share of challenging times and ben and kensey are describing the czech general response as, "we've got this!" 

sebastian and madison live in salt lake city, utah and were already feeling a little on edge coping with the challenge of preparing for and adjusting to COVID-19 when an earthquake woke them from their sleep. yesterday morning, a 5.7 magnitude earthquake hit northern utah and tremors continued throughout the day. pictures fell from the wall, ceiling lights were swinging and car alarms went off in their neighborhood which set the dogs barking. yikes! but, they are all good with no permanent damage. only a little shaken ;) and unnerved. 

gabrielle, tucked in bed with her eye patches on, actually slept through the earthquake. that's my girl! gabi chose to remain in provo, utah after b.y.u. closed down last week. she has a lot of family around her and is working hard at her now on-line classes as well as at work at the crepery which is still open for phone orders @thecreperyprovo. people have been calling from the parking lot, putting in their crepe orders, then gabi, with her food service gloves on, brings out their order in a paper bag. she also had to cope with a power outage challenge at work yesterday when a construction worker on a nearby site plowed through a power line. gabi and her coworker quickly filled bags of ice from their ice machine to fill the refrigerator enabling the shop to stay open. tough times!

positivity and resourcefulness are gems these days. true leadership and deep character is manifesting itself. kindness and gentleness are choices and i applaud mothers and fathers who are making their homes a safe haven of security and peace for their children during these challenging times. i would like to leave you with a sweet thought and recipe shared recently by a cookbook author/beautiful mother with five young children living under lockdown in italy as she strives daily to protect, care for and nurture her family at home. 

*i think this sounds good for all of us, thanks @mimithor.

Three Good Things

by Jan Dean

At day's end I remember

three good things.

Apples maybe - their skinshine smell

and soft froth of juice.

Water maybe - the pond in the park

dark and full of secret fish.

A mountain maybe - that I saw in a film,

or climbed last holiday,

and suddenly today it thundered up

into a playground game.

Or else an owl - I heard an owl today,

and I made bread.

My head is full of all these things,

it's hard to choose just three.

I let remembering fill me up

with all good things

so that good things will overflow

into my sleeping self,

and in the morning 

good things will be waiting

when I wake.

five...overnight oats

overnight oats are the answer to early, busy mornings. i made this 'night before' breakfast for gabi and paul for valentine's day and they loved it so much i decided to make this week's mornings filled with 

a variety of more healthy takes on the idea. there is no set recipe for this go-to breakfast but this is how i build them bottom to top:

- 1/2 cup old-fashioned oats

- 1/2 cup milk (2% for paul, skim for me and lactose-free or almond milk for gabi)

- 1/4 cup yogurt - plain greek or with fruit

- handful of any fresh fruit we have around

- and then.....i go for it.....choosing anything from the pantry that makes a delicious combo with the fruit

- cover, label (paul, janet, gabi) and set in the fridge overnight 

- in the morning, stir together, add more milk if needed, savor the deliciousness and out the door we go

*the only challenge is remembering to put them together the night before

monday: cubed apple, brown sugar, cinnamon, vanilla essence and tossed in some walnuts

tuesday: blueberry yogurt, blueberries, almond essence and tossed in some sliced almonds

wednesday: sliced banana, honey, nut butter, peanuts and tossed in some carob chips

thursday: sliced strawberries, vanilla protein powder, vanilla essence and tossed in some chia seeds

friday: chopped pineapple, almonds, agave, coconut and placed a cherry on top - should have tossed in some green......

a very happy st. patrick's day to you. 

simmer pot

with the onset of winter weather, i have harvested our herbs and put the garden to sleep. 

all has been put to sleep except the carrots. they are patiently waiting in their earthen beds until i can get to them. be there soon.......

i've tied and hung bundles of the herbs to dry. i will eventually crush their leaves to add flavor to dinner menus i'll make through the winter.

i've also kept some fresh herbs placed on the kitchen windowsill to tuck into sandwiches, as a final touch atop soups, add to tea, sprinkle in omelets and as an addition to a simmer pot.

a simmer pot is a lovely, natural way to make your home smell wonderful and inviting. with the holidays just around the corner, a simmer pot can add to your festive mood by filling your home with delicious aromas for yourself and your family to enjoy. 

it's also a great way to welcome guests to your home. start a simmer pot a few hours before they arrive. what a great way to share your hospitality and help them feel at home.

i've had a simmer pot going all weekend for healing and comforting. our gabi has just had her tonsils out and is feeling quite miserable. she can't talk, she can't eat, she can barely swallow. once she was home from the hospital, i put together a calming simmer pot combination in an attempt to help her feel relaxed, comfortable and at home. 

a comfort food scent without the comfort food. poor thing.

comfort food simmer pot

1 cup dried lavender buds

1 cup fresh rosemary

1/2 cup dried eucalyptus

4 cups water

add all ingredients to a medium saucepan and stir. 

turn on stove and put to simmer, do not boil. 

continue to add water as needed throughout the day as the water recedes.

*essential oils from the dried herbs are very concentrated and released through simmering.

fresh herbs may also be used but double the amount as for dried herbs.

*have fun coming up with your own botanical combinations

gabi has also had her dear girlfriends by her side as she recovers. 

on silent gabi's behalf, thank you for your kindness, thoughtful presents and cheer.

she is always happier when you are near.

end of summer hair mask

by the end of summer after months of salt water, fresh water, chlorine-rich pool swimming and soaking up the sun's rays, our hair needs a bit of soothing and pampering. i grabbed gabi with her beautiful, bountiful locks and had her try this nutrient-rich hair mask recipe filled with natural ingredients to give her tresses some lovin'. 

she's never one to pass up on some coddling.

"supah nice, supah good!"

end of summer hair mask

2 tablespoons coconut oil   (filled with vitamins and essential fatty acids, nourishes scalp)

2 teaspoons plain yogurt    (adds extra shine, replaces lost moisture, detangler)

4 tablespoons raw honey    (high content of vitamins, nutrients, anti-oxidants, smooth shine)

one egg yolk                      (adds extra protein, vitamins and healthy fats)

mix ingredients together in a small bowl and apply to damp, clean hair. 

wrap hair in a damp towel and

let condition for 20 minutes

thoroughly rinse with warm water and

show off your happy hair!

have a lovely weekend.

five.....boxed school lunches

 2,500 is the approximate number of school lunches you will have made for your child 

from preschool through twelfth grade. wow!

if you have more than one child..........well, you do the math.

 all i can say is well done, you've mightily earned a gold star or let's make it 2,500 gold stars!!

through the years, making healthy school lunches for my five children has been a
self-assigned, nurturing morning task.......
it makes our very early weekday mornings (out the door by 6:15 am) run smoothest.

lately, with my fifth and final child now in 10th grade, i've felt unenthused, uninspired and bored with this familiar and previously comfortable morning routine. i wondered.....why?

and then i did the math.......

approximately 11,500 school lunches over 24 years

.....well, that was easy to diagnose. i am experiencing school lunch burnout.
(those numbers also make me feel old)

come on, janet. you can do this!

so to shake things up and pull me out of the doldrums, we found gabi a sleek, new lunch box with fun compartments to fill and within a week my creative juices were flowing again and i was back on my game......simple.

           

monday: pasta bolognese, blueberries, pineapple chunk, cheese and crackers, rooibos tea

tuesday: paul's homemade gravlax on rye crackers, strawberries, cucumber spears, cherry almond bars, juice

wednesday: california rolls, nut mix, brie and crackers, snickers, bottled water

thursday: marmite sandwich, carrot sticks, butternut soup, apple wedges, lindt chocolate balls, juice

friday: homemade cashew butter and banana on rice cake, protein bar, melon, veggie straws, mandarin, walnuts, bottled water

happy gabi.

have a lovely weekend.

Soothing Vapor Shower Disks

it is cold and flu season. sniff......

luckily, we haven't been hit yet but i am ready when anyone is feeling under the weather and just aching for a hot, steamy shower to ease chesty congestion and the like.

these do-it-yourself vapor bombs are easy to make even if you are the sneezing, snuffling
head cold sufferer. 

this recipe caught my eye listing eucalyptus essential oil as one of the ingredients and brought back a heartwarming memory. 

it was the month of january when we arrived in australia (2nd relocation of 3 :) with toddler nicole and baby margo. both were very sick. we had just left a cold and wintry u.s. entering a hot, steamy, summery australia and their little bodies reacted. a new and thoughtful friend saw our situation and offered her sound, australian advice..........

"just put a few drops of eucalypt oil into the water of a humidifier as your babies sleep. it'll be 'right."

so, after buying a new, aussie power compatible humidifier and adding "eucalypt", we were sold on the soothing powers and disinfectant properties of eucalyptus oil. it was our first step to becoming true blue aussies! 

leanne ended up being one of my best friends and eucalyptus oil continues to be a favorite in our medicine cabinet.

Soothing Vapor Shower Disks

2 cups baking soda

2/3 cup water

15 drops each of peppermint, eucalyptus and lavender essential oils

In a large bowl, mix baking soda and water until blended, resembling a thick paste. Add 15 drops of each essential oil and mix well. Spoon mixture into mini muffin tin (ice cube tray, chocolate mold, etc.) Allow to set overnight until hardened. Store in a tightly closed glass jar.

To Use: Place a shower disk on the floor of the shower. Turn on hot water and slowly breathe in the vapors, relieving upper respiratory ailments. 

*You could also drop a disk into a hot bath as the baking soda has the additional benefits of softening the skin and purging toxins.

five.....dinner salads

paul has been traveling overseas for work a lot this month. gabi and i have missed him. he has however, managed to fit in side trips to england for world cup rugby matches amongst it all, watching his favorite teams play: south africa, australia and new zealand. his best!!

when he's away, gabi and i have decided to make our favorite dinner meals - salad. it's not that paul doesn't like salad it's just that gabi and i love salad and would quite happily eat salad 

every night of the week.........oh yea, we did!!

sunday: cobb salad

monday: pioneer woman chicken taco salad

tuesday: italian pasta salad with homegrown tomato soup

wednesday: chicken caesar salad

thursday: butternut soup and power greens salad with goat cheese, nuts and pomegranate seeds

gabi's best!!

have a lovely weekend.

sand collection

i'm not a big souvenir fan. 

i mean, once in a while i'll fall in love with a momento that i "need" to take home from a

much loved destination. for instance, a slate cheese board from our trip to wales.

but usually, i collect sand from our holidays away.

above, sits our beautiful window seat sand collection. 

i first saw this idea in a magazine and loved it, then my sister began a sand collection, then i decided that i was going to start one as well. it has been an adventure, for sure. 

my very first collection is from 1987 on a trip with paul to new zealand. the last, to this point, is from our most recent family trip to carlsbad, california.

each bottle of sand brings back memories of not only the vacation but the specific ocean or lake sand collecting escapade. one of my favorite sand collecting memories is from our trip to london as we, at low tide, collected sand from the river thames and discovered clay smoking pipes discarded by dock workers as early as the 1500's! it has been a great family vacation tradition.

gray days

there's no doubt about it, it's been a dreary spring over here in boulder.

weeks and weeks of rain, snow, heavy cloud cover, cold temperatures, some below freezing

....gray, gray days. 

we've busted our normal boastful average of 300+ blue sky days per year and after our long, cold, snowy winter we're aching for a touch of spring fever, y'know?

with all of the rain, boulderites have the "f" word on the tip of our lips. no one is saying it (ok, i'll say it.....flood) but we're all feeling it. it's still so real. because of these weeks of consistent, substantial and extraordinary rainfall, at our house paul has had to re-build the same flood water diversions on the property needed during the september flood and set up pumps in the crawl space and ditches to control the high volume rainwater. it's tough, it's stressful, it's losing-sleep-conditions but he's got things under control, coming home from work every few hours to check water levels. 

we've been doing what we can to keep our family's spirits high and stress levels low by.....

coaxing spring with all of our might. faithful hummingbirds have made their appearance and we support them wholeheartedly. brave, bright, cheerful, little things.

encouraging long soaks in hot lavender baths to relax and calm strained nerves and bodies.

in the evenings, comfort food is on the menu. tonight we'll settle down together to enjoy this.

thinking of new ways to pass the time indoors. we're not used to being stuck inside for this long.                         whoa, when was the last time we've/you've done a puzzle? it's been fun!

bringing on the flowers. yesterday i was bound and determined to finally plant something. so i spent a good hour at the garden shop in pouring, cold rain choosing flowers to brighten our days. today, during a break in the weather, i filled hanging baskets for the front porch. if temperatures dip low again, i can move the baskets into the garage and save these bright beauties.

c'mon, bring on the sun!!