Thursday, March 31, 2011

An Important Scrap of History

(Image courtesy of josephsmithpapers.org)


Wow, a piece of history is now available through The Joseph Smith Papers project.  This is a page from the first meeting of the Relief Society.  And, through the miracle of technology, we can see it first hand.  Here is what the page says...

A



Book of Records.



Containing



the proceedings



of



The Female Relief Society of Nauvoo.



[4 lines blank]



The following appropriate frontispiece,



was found lying on an open Bible, in the room



appropriated for the Society; at its first meeting.



Written on a scrap.



“O, Lord! help our widows, and fatherless



children! So mote it be. Amen. With



the sword, and the word of truth, defend



thou them. So mote it be. Amen.”



[decorative lines]



This Book,



was politely presented to the Society by



Elder W[illard] Richards;



on the 17th of March, AD. 1842. [p. 4]

Tuesday, March 29, 2011

It's a matter of saving money and taking care of baby....


We have a new little one who is scheduled to come into our family in a few months. The LRH is going to be a grandparent again....Oh boy....another little one to spoil!

Well, I have been peeking at the prices of baby gear lately....and almost required CPR. So, my daughter and I are putting our heads together and trying some inventive things to help her prepare.  This idea is just one of our endeavors.  We were in a boutique yesterday  that had cute pacifier clips that cost a small fortune.  However, they were really cute.  But, I did not like the clasp to hold the ribbon on to the baby's clothing.  It reminded me of a clasp on a necklace....but super sized.

Well, we gathered a few supplies and came up with our version....which we find to be rather cute!  You will need ribbon, Velcro, a glue gun, and clips (like you would see on a name badge that someone would wear to work).



We found a package of these clips in the office supply section of a big box store.  We removed the plastic tab.


For durability, we are using Grosgrain ribbon.  To avoid fraying, take a lighter and wave it quickly across the edge of the ribbon.  This helps seal the edge.


Cut a small piece and glue it to one side of the clip, covering both edges of the clip.


Using a small crochet needle, work the edges of the ribbon inside the small areas to help it attach.


Cover the open edge of the "v" with the ribbon and blue the rest to the top of the clip.



Cut about 8 inches of ribbon.  Attach your Velcro pieces at the bottom third of the ribbon.


Stitch the Velcro into place and attach your pacifier.


Summary:
  • Time: This takes about 10 minutes to make
  • Cost: At the store, the clip was around $5.00....without the pacifier.  I calculate that we made this for just around $.75 (without the pacifier).

Even though this is a saving of a few dollars, the cumulative effect of these types of decisions can be far reaching. 

Something sweet for a new little one"s arrival!

Sunday, March 27, 2011

Cooking from your food storage......Reaping the rewards in convenience!


One of the most common questions that I hear is "What am I supposed to cook with all of this food storage?".  My answer...."everything!".  Once you have so many things available to you....it will be a matter of convenience for you. Here is one example....Beef Stroganoff.


Cook enough rice for your family.  I use my rice cooker, but a saucepan would work just fine!


I am using two half-pint jars of canned hamburger....no defrosting! It's equivalent to ~1.5 lbs of raw hamburger.



I am using my Condensed Soup Mix, an envelope of Onion Soup Mix, and Sour Cream.



Put your hamburger in the pan along with your envelope of Onion Soup.


Mix enough to equal one can of Condensed Soup (like Cream of Mushroom) which is just over 1 cup.


Pour the soup mix into the meat mixture.


Mix in about 1 Cup of Sour Cream.  If you wish it to be creamier, add more to your liking.


This step is not necessary, but I like to add a little Cumin for taste. You can also add Salt and Pepper to taste.


Mix well and heat through.


Serve over rice (or noodles if you prefer) along with your side dishes. This is an easy meal to prepare...and a quick one because you have your food storage items available.  Yes, I did use Sour Cream from the store, but I could have used Sour Cream powder or Yogurt

Just begin using your food storage staples in your cooking, I promise it will become a logical and easy thing to incorporate once you try.  Do not let food storage be a barrier....let it be a convenience for you!  Feel rewarded for your efforts!

It's a matter of being prepared for a Nuclear accident....

(Image courtesy of greenprophet.com)

It has been difficult to imagine the tremendous challenges for the Japanese people since the recent disasters have occurred.  We have a family member who is there, but is far from the sites of the disaster.  However, it is impacting everyone who lives there in some form or fashion.

The biggest issue that we see most on the news in recent days is the challenges that officials are having in dealing with damaged Nuclear plants.  My heart go out to the 50 individuals who are risking their lives to address this uncharted disaster.  I believe that we should keep them in our prayers....constantly as well as all the impacted individuals in Japan.

Would you know what to do in this situation?  How could you prepare?   Here is some information that I found helpful.  It not only explains what to do, but also what all the alerts mean. Please see this link.

Now, let's discuss some other issues.  Most people found that only their land lines...and old fashioned phones worked during the crisis.  I recently posted about this and you can read about it on this link.

Finally, there is grave concern over the safety of food supplies and in particular, milk in the effected zones.  If you have been obedient to the council given by the Prophets and Apostles, this would not be an issue.  I have to repeat this....food would not be an issue for you. Can you imagine the peace of mind you would have if you had to shelter in place?

I think I will not only donate to http://www.ldsphilanthropies.org/ to help in the humanitarian response, but also try to learn a new recipe etc that I can use only with my food storage supplies. In addition, let us all remember those who have been impacted in any way as we kneel with our families in prayer.

Friday, March 25, 2011

It's Springtime.....It's time to sharpen....skills....tools....etc

Hi all:

We finally have experienced some spring-type weather!  I have heard several friends and neighbors state that they were sure that spring would never come!  This is a great time of year to get your tools ready as you prepare to dive into the yardwork and early gardening.  Here is a video to help you get your tools ready for the upcoming time you will be spending outside!

Thursday, March 24, 2011

Getting ready for General Conference....

Here are some additional ideas to prepare for General Conference http://theredheadedhostess.com/?p=1536

Great trivia questions, photo matching, etc.  Check it out!

Saturday, March 19, 2011

BYU basketball and a 40 year reunion


No doubt, by now, you know what being "Jimmered" means.  You also might have heard that they have advanced to the sweet sixteen in the NCAA March Madness.  However, I was surprised to learn that there is even more to the story. Please see the story at the link below.  Wonders never cease....

ksl.com - BYU basketball reunites missionary and convert after 40 years

Monday, March 14, 2011

Seeds of Self Reliance.....

(Image courtesy of  h3sean.com)

We had beautiful weather these past few days and it brings thoughts of spring and planting.  Many folks have reported going to stores hoping to find starts for their gardens already.  Some have complained that the variety is limited and that the 'supply' is already picked over.  Well, it's early and you can get started.  Learn what the Ensign Magazine shares through the article  Seeds of Self Reliance.

Get your seedlings started, you may find that you are more dependent upon them this year than in years past.  If you haven't ventured into the world of gardening....there is no time like the present.  For ideas on how to start, go to these posts on Gardening.

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Technology can be great a comfort.....


I reported yesterday that we have a family member in Japan who still has not contacted us, however 'the powers that be' state that he has been accounted for.....whatever that means.

Well, we were very excited about a little purchase from i-tunes at 3:00 a.m. this morning.  Our family member has an 'app' that allows him to text for a minimal fee if he can find Wi-Fi.  Well, he bought more time for this "app" this morning....showing us all that he is alive and well, but probably  very busy in helping in with the needs of the area he is currently in. 

We look forward to hearing from him when he is able to contact us, but are grateful for technology that allows us to see him do something that requires him to be 'alive and well'.

(Addendum):  In just a couple of hours after I posted this message, our family member was able to contact my daughter and let her know that he is doing well.  Isn't technology such a blessing?

Friday, March 11, 2011

It's been a difficult day....


(Image  courtesy of Reuters/Kyodo)

Unless you truly have been under a rock, you have heard about the tremendous Earthquake that took place in Japan. It reportedly is one of the most powerful Earthquakes on record...8.9.  People have had to flee for their lives.....and some have been victimized twice.....by the Earthquake and subsequent the Tsunami.

The LRH has a family member who arrived in Japan in the last few days.  We have yet to hear from him, but according to the 'powers that be', everyone is accounted for.

As I sit here watching the coverage with my daughter, I am amazed at how powerful Mother Nature is.  These events have reportedly changed the face and formation of the island.  Populated areas are now underwater.  Great concerns exist because of the instability of 2 Nuclear Power Plants and a 10 Km evacuation has been put into place around them.  They state that a Radiation leak has surely happened.  Where are those people supposed to go? 

The news reports that there is a long line around the subway stations where some train service has been restored.  This island nation uses a great deal of public transportation.

We live in an Earthquake Zone. How would your family fare if you were in the position that the folks in Japan are currently in.  Do you have your 72 hour kit?  Do you have emergency contacts outside of your area for others to call to find out how you are doing? Have you considered taking a CERT class? Have you taken a First-Aid course recently?  Do you have plans in place in case you had to shelter-in-place or worse, shelter somewhere else?

Keep our family member and the People in Japan in your prayers please.  We all have a reason to reflect upon our situation....and how we can reach out to our Brothers and Sisters in Japan.  May the Lord bless us all. 


Wednesday, March 9, 2011

Sunday, March 6, 2011

Walmart has a New Couponing policy.....


For all you coupon queens out there, here is some good news. Walmart has updated it's coupon policy and now accepts more than they have in the past.  Here is a link for all the details

Happy Shopping!!!!!. 

Saturday, March 5, 2011

More General Conference Packets!!!!

(Image courtesy of nurturemama.blogspot.com)

Earlier, I posted a link for a packet for the upcoming General Conference.  It was targeted at Youth and Adults.  Well, we have other little ones to prepare for as well, so here are some options:

This should get you started.  Don't wait until the last minute to get activities for your family ready....and don't forget to provide some favorite treats as well!

Let's get ready!

Thursday, March 3, 2011

It's Official....


The call came Yesterday and one of our Rooster Jr's is going south!  He will be serving in the  Texas Houston South Mission.  Mom had a hard time controlling her emotions yesterday......

Wednesday, March 2, 2011

The New General Conference Journal Notebook.....

(Image courtesyof ldswhy.com)

It's hard to believe, but in just a month it is time for General Conference again.  I look forward to this every 6 months! 

I just received a notice that LDS Resources has published a link for a packet that is aimed at youth, young adults and adults. (Wow, I might not have to play Conference Bingo this time!).  Here is a quote from John Webster of LDS Resources:

"This General Conference Packet is designed to assist older youth (as well as adults) get the most out of General Conference. It is designed to have a Pre-Conference Activity as well as Post-Conference Activity. This is not just simply something to do during General Conference to past time, but to sincerely listen to the prophets and apply their counsel in our personal lives. It is a personal improvement activity."
It appears that the intention is to not only prepare and take notes, but also include this information into you journal.


Here is the link for "The General Conference Journal Notebook".

Check it out today!
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