The Sniffles, Drive-Through Groceries and a Recipe for Sick Days
Today I woke to discover my head full of sinus pressure and a congested nose. I wanted to scream "Hallelujah"!! This was the moment I had been waiting for over the past 48 hours. The moment when the place on my face that used to hold a nose but had now become a faucet would finally turn off. The fever is gone today too, along with the need to sleep in full fleece under two down comforters and a wool blanket. I am now left with the lingering fatigue, the already mentioned stuffy nose and an awesome cough that I am hoping will result in six pack abs. This beauty of a virus that started in the baby of the family seems determined to wreak havoc on every family member before we can kick it out the door. The most current victim is my poor hubby who hardly left his bed today. And for him, that is huge!
It really does seems like someone in our house has been sick since October. And before you point the blame to the newest member of the family, it should be told that aside from a constantly dripping nose since the day we met her Elie is the only one who has not been sick. Which I am thankful for since we have enough other things going on with her. So I decided maybe we should change some things. We are being more vigilant about handwashing and sharing of items placed in our mouths. I have bought new toothbrushes and separated them out so they are not all clumped together in one cup anymore. Which really is just gross anyway. While the germs are among us we have gone to disposable water cups in the bathroom. Yes, I know it is horrible for the environment but I really can't keep up with washing their other ones every single day. And mostly this is because of the laundry situation.
Laundry for six people is crazy to begin with. But laundry for six SICK people is insane. In my dream home I will have two washers and two dryers. I just added that to my wish list this week. I think it tops getting a urinal. Especially now that they boys have to clean up their own bathrooms. Can I get an Amen from all the moms of little boys out there?! Anyway,
Our latest change hit me last night at the dinner table as I watched child after child get up from the table and refill their cup from the water dispenser in the door of the fridge. You know the cup that had just been in their mouths. The water dispenser is a new phenomena in our home, like just in the last six months new. The first time in my life I have ever owned a fridge that dispenses water and ice from the door. Every time I use it I feel like I am on vacation. So this may be something that veteran water dispenser uses already know, but totally new information for my own brain. New house rule: you may fill you cup from the fridge if it is a clean glass.... you may not use this method if you have already put your cup in your mouth. Those who know me know that I am the farthest thing from a germaphobe. We eat at the park without washing our hands, I never carry hand sanitizer and I allow my kids to eat things off the ground. And it has worked. Until this fall, this fall is kicking our butt... maybe that new fridge is to blame after all.
I discovered another little gem while being sick. Drive through grocery shopping. One of the local grocery stores, Harris Teeter, offers this fabulous program. You order online from the comfort of your couch while sipping hot tea. They call you to let you know of any needed substitutions and ask if you have any last minute additions. You drive up to the front of the store, roll down your window, push a button and say "I'm Mrs. Judkins, I'm here for my groceries". A lovely woman on the other end says " Mrs. Judkins your groceries will be out in just a minute". Sure enough a few minutes later someone is opening my trunk and putting in all my groceries. It is not a store I usually shop at and there are some down sides to ordering online, but for a week like this it was just perfect. Not sure why I have never done this before.
I know lots and lots of families are going through very similar experiences right now. Here is one of my favorite recipes to make when we have the sniffles. I hesitate to add the photo because I am not a food photographer, so just trust me that it tastes better than it looks.
CRANBERRY CHICKEN SOUP
10 drumsticks or chicken thighs (can put them in fresh or frozen)
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (i stock up on these over the holidays and fill up my freezer to use throughout the winter)
1/2 teaspoon grated salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or 2 drops cinnamon EO)
1 teaspoon ground ginger (or 2 drops ginger EO)
zest of an entire orange + the juice
chopped celery, onions and carrots
i whole head of garlic sliced
3 cups of chicken broth (if using frozen chicken)/ 5 if fresh (you may have to add more/less depending on how much broth your chicken makes and how big your crockpot)
Now comes the easy part, which is what you need when you feel like junk. Just throw all this into your crockpot and cook it on low for the entire day. Forgot to do it until halfway through the day, no worries... cook it on high, it will still be good. My kids LOVE drumsticks, so when i make it this way i pour the soup into their bowls and then put the drumstick in the soup with the bone sticking up in the air. Still have yet to solve that mystery but all four children go crazy for meat still on the bone. If you try this out let me know how it goes... hope it hits the spot when your sick like it does for the crew at our place.
It really does seems like someone in our house has been sick since October. And before you point the blame to the newest member of the family, it should be told that aside from a constantly dripping nose since the day we met her Elie is the only one who has not been sick. Which I am thankful for since we have enough other things going on with her. So I decided maybe we should change some things. We are being more vigilant about handwashing and sharing of items placed in our mouths. I have bought new toothbrushes and separated them out so they are not all clumped together in one cup anymore. Which really is just gross anyway. While the germs are among us we have gone to disposable water cups in the bathroom. Yes, I know it is horrible for the environment but I really can't keep up with washing their other ones every single day. And mostly this is because of the laundry situation.
Laundry for six people is crazy to begin with. But laundry for six SICK people is insane. In my dream home I will have two washers and two dryers. I just added that to my wish list this week. I think it tops getting a urinal. Especially now that they boys have to clean up their own bathrooms. Can I get an Amen from all the moms of little boys out there?! Anyway,
Our latest change hit me last night at the dinner table as I watched child after child get up from the table and refill their cup from the water dispenser in the door of the fridge. You know the cup that had just been in their mouths. The water dispenser is a new phenomena in our home, like just in the last six months new. The first time in my life I have ever owned a fridge that dispenses water and ice from the door. Every time I use it I feel like I am on vacation. So this may be something that veteran water dispenser uses already know, but totally new information for my own brain. New house rule: you may fill you cup from the fridge if it is a clean glass.... you may not use this method if you have already put your cup in your mouth. Those who know me know that I am the farthest thing from a germaphobe. We eat at the park without washing our hands, I never carry hand sanitizer and I allow my kids to eat things off the ground. And it has worked. Until this fall, this fall is kicking our butt... maybe that new fridge is to blame after all.
I discovered another little gem while being sick. Drive through grocery shopping. One of the local grocery stores, Harris Teeter, offers this fabulous program. You order online from the comfort of your couch while sipping hot tea. They call you to let you know of any needed substitutions and ask if you have any last minute additions. You drive up to the front of the store, roll down your window, push a button and say "I'm Mrs. Judkins, I'm here for my groceries". A lovely woman on the other end says " Mrs. Judkins your groceries will be out in just a minute". Sure enough a few minutes later someone is opening my trunk and putting in all my groceries. It is not a store I usually shop at and there are some down sides to ordering online, but for a week like this it was just perfect. Not sure why I have never done this before.
I know lots and lots of families are going through very similar experiences right now. Here is one of my favorite recipes to make when we have the sniffles. I hesitate to add the photo because I am not a food photographer, so just trust me that it tastes better than it looks. CRANBERRY CHICKEN SOUP
10 drumsticks or chicken thighs (can put them in fresh or frozen)
1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries (i stock up on these over the holidays and fill up my freezer to use throughout the winter)
1/2 teaspoon grated salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (or 2 drops cinnamon EO)
1 teaspoon ground ginger (or 2 drops ginger EO)
zest of an entire orange + the juice
chopped celery, onions and carrots
i whole head of garlic sliced
3 cups of chicken broth (if using frozen chicken)/ 5 if fresh (you may have to add more/less depending on how much broth your chicken makes and how big your crockpot)
Now comes the easy part, which is what you need when you feel like junk. Just throw all this into your crockpot and cook it on low for the entire day. Forgot to do it until halfway through the day, no worries... cook it on high, it will still be good. My kids LOVE drumsticks, so when i make it this way i pour the soup into their bowls and then put the drumstick in the soup with the bone sticking up in the air. Still have yet to solve that mystery but all four children go crazy for meat still on the bone. If you try this out let me know how it goes... hope it hits the spot when your sick like it does for the crew at our place.
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