A matter of preparedness

New Videos' from the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

2012-02-03T10:43:00.000-07:00

Do you remember the fabulous videos unveiled during the First Presidency Christmas Devotional? Well, there are two more Bible Video's that have been produced and are now available for viewing.

Jesus Teaches a Samaritan Woman

Jesus Teaches about the Widow's Mite

They also have wonderful photo's that can be viewed as well. These are wonderful!

Something Yummy To Try!

2012-01-29T11:53:00.000-07:00

As some of you may know, my husband and I have been called to serve in a Young Single Adult ward. This is a congregation for College aged young adults in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. In such a role, we have opportunities to serve in different ways. This week, the Young Single Adult women came to our home for an activity. I offered to provide the 'treats'. These young folks get cookies, brownies (especially brownies), and cakes often. So, I wanted to offer something really different....and healthy. So, here is what I came up with.....Yogurt Parfaits!

Certainly, Yogurt is easily purchased, but please know that you can make it with your own powdered milk. To learn how, please go here. It is easy and delicious.

In addition to the Yogurt, you can set out a variety of toppings. I chose to put out black berries, raspberries, strawberries, and blue berries. Additionally, I set out granola, and mini chocolate chips. I even put a can of whip cream out. Each young lady created their own parfait. I think everyone had seconds! I used lemon and vanilla flavored yogurts for a variety.

Use clear colored cups or bowls so that everyone can see how beautiful their Parfaits are.

It's easy, delicious, and healthy. Give it a try!

What is a Caucus & How can I Participate?

2012-01-24T03:34:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of wikimedia.org

If you haven't noticed, we in the United States are in the throws of the upcoming Political season. Utah has gratefully retained its Caucus system instead of going to a Primary. Why would I say that? It is because our Caucus system allows the grassroots to vote for it's own representatives, who them listen to candidates and their neighbors, and then vote.

Much has been said about the 2010 cycle, particularly when it came to Senator Bob Bennett. Organizations with funds have inferred that the grassroots really cannot or do not understand the issues, or Senator Bennett would have had the nomination again. In my view, Primary Candidates are funded by deep pockets. With deep pockets come inferred obligations. So, Primary Candidates really are not elected by the grassroots, they are elected by those willing to pay for their campaign.

Having said all that, our Caucus system is under fire. Just pick up a newspaper or use a search engine. Look at what happened to Colorado in just a few short election cycles. Their grassroots system is now gone.

So, if you are a resident of Utah, I encourage you to work hard to preserve the system that has been so sacred for so long......because it works. How can 'infiltrators' move into each precinct, influence all their neighbors, get elected (by the thousands) and vote to 'undermine' a candidate? It would really be a logistical nightmare to do as the proponents of a Primary system propose.

Come find out what a Caucus is and learn how to be a delegate if you choose. This is open to everyone. Please see the information below.

What is a Caucus & How can I Participate?

Have you ever wondered how to make your voice heard or your vote count? You’re not alone. Come to our Caucus Awareness Presentation on January 27th at 7:00 PM in the Highland Community Center (old city hall building located at 5378 W 10400 N) to find out what a caucus is, how you can use it to make the changes you want to see in your community, and how to make your voice heard and your vote count.

Learn how the Utah’s unique election process works, how to make it work for you and your neighbors, and how you can become an informed voter. We’ll discuss the roles and responsibilities of delegates and precinct officers and how you can become one. You can make a difference!

The presentation is funded by the Utah Republican Party and sponsored by your precinct. Please note, however, this is a non-partisan political meeting! Current political issues will not be discussed, nor will candidates be endorsed. Participants will learn about Utah’s basic election structure - regardless of party affiliation. This is a safe place for all curious voters who want to learn about the purpose of a caucus.

We welcome adults of voting age, which includes anyone who will be 18 on, or before, November 6, 2012. If you have recently moved here, are a new voter, or simply want to learn more about Utah’s unique system this is for you.

Protect what is preciously yours......learn more about this amazing gift that the Utah Caucus system has to offer.

Who Decides What Your Child should Learn?

2012-01-22T19:49:00.002-07:00

The Following commentary is written by Wendy Hart who serves on our local school board. However, this is not just a local issue, and historically it has been. Nearly every state in the United States has voluntarily adopted the "Common Core", most likely with the best of intentions. However, local control by parents most likely will be a thing of the past if this is adopted. This is a topic that any parent or grandparent needs to be informed about. Take the Time to READ.

Who Decides What Your Child should Learn?

Education is taking a radical turn from where it has been over the last century. In the name of better standards and increased rigor, the relationship parents have to their child's education will forever be obstructed and second-guessed. This was all done without your knowledge and your consent. It was done, in most cases, by well-intentioned people who believe they have the best interests of your child at heart. You need to know how Common Core changes your ability to influence your child's education, the overall educational establishment, and where you stand. If this change is, in your opinion, the best option at this point in time, then, having made an informed decision, I'd recommend sending thank you letters to those who decided on this course of action for you (the governor, the State Superintendent, the state board of education, Bill Gates, Arne Duncan, the NEA, etc.). If you disagree with what is happening, like me, then you need to take action. But either way, we, the people, need to be informed as to how Common Core came to be, the pros and cons, and what, if anything, should be done about it. We are at a crossroads in American education. Will posterity praise us for our foresight or curse us for our slumber?

Once upon a time, parents were in charge of their own child's education. They were involved in selecting the teacher and the curriculum. Even when public education first came on the scene in the mid-1800's, parents were still highly involved in what would be taught to their child. Thomas Jefferson, who advocated a very basic education (reading and some math) for all, said the schools should be managed by "the parents in each ward [district]", not a government entity. The reason for this management, said Jefferson, was "to have good and safe government...[by] not trust[ing] it all to one." The school board is supposed to be the 'local control', but how much input have you had on Common Core? How much input has your local school board had in deciding to adopt Common Core? The answer is none. It was handed down from the State Office, and we will be implementing it. The School Community Councils (SCC) will be selecting the math curriculum from a set of curricula designated by the district and the state. There is no current process for parents to influence the Language Arts component. You are not managing your child's education. Your community is not. Your teachers are not. Your local school board is not. And, now, having made this decision, the State School Board is not.

As a parent, the responsibility for educating your child, lies with you. How much control should you be willing to give away? And at what price?

Parental control of education is a principle that dates back to the first American colonists. In Utah County, we have a culture that values education but places parental responsibility for that education first and foremost. Common Core changes the fundamental relationship between the parent and their child's education. Under the Common Core standards, should you wish to change an aspect of the core, you must get the parents, not just of your school, your district, or even your state to band together to lobby for a change. You must get a majority of parents in 44+ states to put pressure on unelected individuals in a private organization to change those standards. You must also get the Federal Government to go along with it, since they are funding and legislating based on that core.

"The Common Core train is already on the track," you say. I have been asked if it is possible to change it. There are options from the local implementation all the way up to the state legislature. (Oklahoma adopted Common Core and there is a push in their state legislature to rescind it. Utah could do the same thing.) The most common question people ask is, "Isn't it too late to change it?" Is it ever too late to do the right thing?

I will publish a blog on each of the following items every day this week. However, here are the claims about Common Core and my rebuttal.

It's NOT a Federal Program...technically speaking!

Here is what Common Core (now renamed in our state "Utah State Core" due to "concerns" about the word "common") is and is not, according to proponents.

1. It is not a Federal program. I say, it is a national program. More than forty-four states is national. The tests are funded by the US Department of Education. The Federal Government can 'incentivize' adoption of the standards and assessments.

2. It was developed by the governors of the fifty states; it's really a grassroots, state initiative. The National Governor's Association provides the appearance of a state-led initiative. However, those fifty governors didn't create the standards. Big names and big money in the education establishment have been pushing for some type of national, not federal, standards for nearly twenty years. The governors' signing on just gave legitimacy to their efforts.

3. It does not determine assessment testing. The US Department of Ed is funding the assessments and "encouraging" states to adopt those assessments. One of the advantages promoted by Common Core advocates is the standardized testing that will result. We will be able to compare Utah against nearly every other state in the union.

4. It does not determine curriculum. I say it will. Assessments drive curriculum. Teachers will only be able to choose their curricula and other materials from among those things that have been shown to improve test scores, and hence, are approved for Common Core.

5. It is voluntary. If I make you an offer you can't refuse, is it voluntary?

6. The standards are more rigorous. It depends on what state you're in. In Utah, the math standards are rated the same (A-minus for both). Also, who or what defines rigorous?

7. It will not take away local control. If the control over the standards, the assessments, the funding, and (if we implement more merit pay) the teachers isn't removing local control, I don't know what is. We need to understand that every expansion of centralized education is done at the expense of local and parental control. How can it be otherwise?

So, you see a discrepancy. You may wonder how can I make the claims I do when the really smart people, with all the letters after their names pushing Common Core, claim the exact opposite. I'm glad you asked.

Stay tuned for a new blog on each of these subjects every day this week. If you read nothing else on my blog for the next three years, please read and understand this information on Common Core. Share it with everyone in your neighborhood, your church, your family, and pretty much anywhere else in the nation. Become informed and then take action, either in support of it, or against it. This is too important an issue for you to passively accept what others have decided on your behalf is in the best interests of YOUR child.

It's a Matter of Stormy Weather..........

2012-01-21T13:49:00.002-07:00

This week, there has been a great deal of news coverage from the Pacific Northwest. Lots of snow, school and road closures, and even SEA-TAC closed. I have folks important to me that live in that area. It has been very interesting to see how the very same weather has impacted different families. I am going to share some of their thoughts with you. There is a lot to be learned here.....

Family #1:

"Almost an inch of ice on those branches. None of it is snow."

"(Husband) and I stalked up on food! We're ready to be snowed in! Haha!"

"Wahoo! Looks like (Company Name) is closed for third time in 20 years! No work today! Yay!"

"Power outage. Stupid ice. Quit freezing stuff up! We were getting to the good part in L.A. Noire too..."

"I HAVE POWER!!! I've never been more grateful! I had no idea we would've gotten power tonight! We were expecting it to be out for 3-4 days!!! Prayers really do work!!!"

Family #2:

"We spent Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday rotating between sledding, Wii and a sporadic amount of board games. Luckily my kiddos have great snow gear, so when they go out, they can stay out for quite some time. Of course, my front entry way looks like the explosion of snow gear, but at least there is room to dump it and let it dry off."

"Thursday is when the freezing rain started. (Husband's) VP sent out an unprecedented email telling everyone that the roads were too icy, just stay and work from home. It was too miserable to play outside and the ice/snow covered trees are pretty dangerous anyway ( a guy in our town has already been killed by a fallen/broken tree branch)."

"The power went out at about 8 am, but the generator kicked in within 45 seconds and the whole house lit up again. It is 1:30 pm and I can still hear the generator going, so the power must still be out. We are kinda tucked back in the trees, so our power will be the last to come on. I can see reports all over the Puget Sound, 20 minutes aways to 2 hours away, that power is out there too. Puget Sound Energy just reported 200,000 power outages. They are saying it will get worst before it gets better. The airport was shut down this morning."

"But, we are warm, we have TV, wii, computer and plenty of food, so we'll weather the storm well. I guess I should go play some board games with the kiddos and then we'll settle down to a pay per view and I'll work on scrap booking. I did just ask (Husband) when he's going to pretend like we don't have a generator, like the rest of work colleagues, act like his computer battery died and just play with us."

TAKE-AWAY POINTS:

Both of them lost power. One family had a Generator installed that essentially runs the entire house. There was no interruption in power for them. The other family mentioned "Prayers". I am a big proponent for prayer. I seem to bother the Lord often in regard to the safety and well being of my family. However, Family #1 had to wait for the power to come back on. They are a very 'wired' family. I am sure there was a big change in their day having to keep warm and go about their daily routine.
Both of them had food. But only Family #1 mentioned that they had to go out and purchase it. Family #2 had already planned and prepared and did not have to navigate the dangerous roads to ensure that they had enough food for everyone to eat. Because Family #2 had a generator, their daily routine really wasn't altered.
Both of them had to 'entertain' themselves. I am sure both families have things in their homes. However, Family #2 had many options (playing outside with the appropriate clothing, Electronics, and board games). Everyone had things to do. I know which home I would want to be in when I had to be inside for an extended period of time.
Both of these families had employers that closed their doors to protect their employees due to the severe weather. However, Family #2 had the means to ensure that the Father of the family could still be a provider. If they would have had to be home-bound for an extended period of time, he still could have financially provided for his family.
When Family #2 were able to get out of their neighborhood, they found many businesses were not open. Just because you can get out of your neighborhood does not mean that all stores will be open for business.

So, look around your home and see how you were fare in the same situation. Look at your needs, and make a plan to rectify the situation.

It can be cold out there!!!!

It's a matter of .....a Visual Picture!

2012-01-18T21:28:00.001-07:00

You undoubtedly may have had a picture in your minds eye, but here it is 'in the flesh'. Too many times, folks who have a desire to plan and prepare...but often get overwhelmed.

So, to make this more 'doable', our committee made this visual display to help our Relief Society Sisters visualize what an year's supply for one adult would look like. Granted, this only includes Long Term Food Storage Staples, and not the 3 months supply that many folks begin with. However, don't let the point be lost on you. This amount doesn't take up a lot of room, and definitely can be done financially with careful planning.

So, now that you can see it.....go do it!

It's a matter of....The Deseret Industries.

2012-01-15T11:41:00.000-07:00

I am fortunate enough to live in an area that is served by a Deseret Industries. I have been there many times, not only to donate, but also to shop. One year, I bought all the shirts I needed for a Family Photograph at DI and was pleased with myself for saving a 'bunch of money'.

More recently, someone very dear to us chose to transform their life and is now thriving. One essential component of that life-change was the Deseret Industries program. The DI performed miracles that other programs just hadn't been able to provide. Needless to say, we are forever grateful to this program for the new direction and the hope they have provided to this loved one. Words just cannot express it adequately.

I would encourage you to support the Deseret Industries program in your area if you are fortunate enough to have one. There are miracles waiting to happen.....

To view one such miracle, please go to this link and view this video. You may need a tissue or two....

A Valentine's Day suggestion Idea!

2012-01-14T19:18:00.001-07:00

I realize Valentine's Day is a few weeks away, but I just wanted to share the 'spread' we had during our Weekday Relief Society Meeting that we held this time last year. We had a wonderful speaker and were fed spiritually. Then, the doors were opened to our Chocolate Fountain Bar.

We have several ladies who are really watch what they eat either for dietary or personal reasons, and then there are others who like a treat now and then. This allows both groups to enjoy and do as they choose.

We had a variety of items that could be enjoyed with or without a trip to the chocolate fountain. Here is a list:

Several different types of Marshmallows.
Strawberries
Angel food Cake
Brownies
Sliced Apples
Pineapple
Rice Crispy Treats
Pretzels.

There was also ice water with Raspberries.

Add to that, some wonderful visiting....and you have the perfect Valentine's Day treat!

It's a matter of a Crocheted Headband....so easy to do!

2012-01-09T00:08:00.001-07:00

Believe it or not, I made this Knotted Crocheted Hairband in about 30 minutes. It was inspired by a post at "You Seriously Made That?". I wore it to church, and got compliments from the Young Single Adults. I was pleased and surprised. Also, I am not too proud to say that the pictures in the "You Seriously Made That?" blog tutorial are much better than mine. It is difficult to admit defeat, but in this case...you may want to follow her directions until you get to the section on attaching the ribbon.. I made an adjustment to this hairband, which I will show you later.

I made this entire thing from materials I already had. I love when you can do that, don't you? Here is my attempt to show you how to do this:

Single Crochet 2 chains. (You will need a H or a J Crochet Hook). One chain will have 160 single chains stitches and the other will have 300. Fold each chain into thirds.

Now, I am going to introduce some 'abbreviations' to help with this process. "LC" means 'long chain' and "SC" means 'short chain'. The letter "R" means right and "L" means left. So, when combined, "LCR" would mean 'Long chain right side' etc.

Take the LC and make a look with the LCR over the LCL.

Place the SC in a semi-circle on top of the LC.

Take the SCL and place it under the LC loop.

Take the SCL and place it over the LC loop.

Now, don't get lost here.Take the SCR, go under the SCL and over the LC loop.

Pull the ends to make a beautiful knot.

I used Grosgrain ribbon, but you could use Satin ribbon if you chose to. Cut two 15" lengths and two 4" lengths of your ribbon. Here is where I depart from the method proposed by "YouSeriously MadeThat".

Instead of hot gluing the Crochet chains and the ribbon, I chose to sew them. For me, I was concerned that the hot glue could be stiff. In addition, if this headband got tossed in the dryer, I would be concerned that the hot glue would melt all over my clothes. Instead, I used the following method. I sewed the 4" length of ribbon into a loop. I chose to use my Serger, but his could also be done on a traditional sewing machine.

I slipped the loop over the ends of the Crocheted chain. I slide it down nearly to the ends of the chains.

I then slipped the end of the long length of ribbon under the loop.

Lay all rows of the Chain Stitch side-by-side so that they come from the knot to the Ribbon loop in a parallel fashion. Using a Zig-Zag stitch, I sewed across the top and the bottom of the loop. I could have made this a Satin stitch to make it more 'beautiful'. For me, the Zig-Zag stitch was a functional choice.

Finally, I clipped the ends of the chains just below the ribbon loop.

Here is the finished product. Just tie it together at the base of your neck.

I was pleased with how well this project turned out, and was grateful it didn't take a lot of time.

What is the take-away here? If you are new to Crocheting, this project is a really easy introduction, and you get satisfaction very quickly. Having completed something like this gives folks who are new to Crochet the confidence to try something else. It also makes a really nice gift!

Try it!

Religious Freedom.....So Precious....So Needing our Protection...

2012-01-05T04:30:00.000-07:00

Image courtesyof bevanresort

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latterday Saints will be publishing a series of articles on Religious Freedom. I am taking an excerpt from the first article that was published on January 3, 2012 entitled An Introduction to Religious Freedom. It is thought provoking. I have long been concerned about the encroaching restrictions on many of our personal liberties by those with viewpoints encouraging social justice. I find the ideals of Social Justice and associated causes dangerously destroying our Self Determination and Personal Freedoms. That is most likely why I will be reading, with great interest I may add, this series of articles. I encourage you to take the time to do so.

Here is one excerpt from this article that I found particularly thought-provoking:

Challenges to religious freedom are emerging from many sources. Emerging advocacy for gay rights threatens to abridge religious freedom in a number of ways. Changes in health care threaten the rights of those who hold certain moral convictions about human life. These and other developments are producing conflict and beginning to impose on religious organizations and people of conscience. They are threatening, for instance, to restrict how religious organizations can manage their employment and their property. They are bringing about the coercion of religiously-affiliated universities, schools and social-service entities. They are also resulting in reprimands to individuals who act in line with their principles, from health practitioners and other professionals to parents. In these and in many other circumstances, we see how religious freedom and freedom of conscience are being subtly but steadily eroded. And of equal concern, the legal provisions emerging to safeguard these freedoms are often deceptively shallow — protecting these liberties only in the narrowest sense. In many aspects of public life, religious freedom and freedom of conscience are being drawn into conflicts that may suppress them.

Our Personal and Religious Freedoms Are Ours.....To Lose. Act Today!

New year....what about new skills?

2012-01-04T04:02:00.001-07:00

Image courtesy of Craftyminx.com

I have been mulling over the direction I would like to take with 2012. I have lots of random thoughts, but have decided to include new skill sets for sure.
I do Crochet, but have usually limited myself to 2-3 stitches. Well, this wonderful blogger, Craftyminx, has an entire tutorial/syllabus on Crocheting. You even get to graduate! Here are a list of the classes:

•Lesson 1: Welcome & Intro to Crochet

•Lesson 2: Crochet Hook Basics

•Lesson 3: Yarn Basics

•Lesson 4: Yarn Meets Hook

•Lesson 5: After the Chain

•Lesson 6: The Single Crochet Stitch

•Lesson 7: The Half-Double Crochet Stitch

•Lesson 8: The Double Crochet Stitch

•Lesson 9: The Treble Crochet Stitch

•Lesson 10: The Double-Treble Crochet Stitch

•Lesson 11: The Slip Stitch and Weaving in Ends

•Lesson 12: Review

•Mid Term Exam!

•Lesson 13: Increasing

•Lesson 14: Decreasing

•Lesson 15: Creating Texture

•Lesson 16: Working in the Round

•Lesson 17: Granny Square 101

•Lesson 18: Working With Color

•Lesson 19: Preparing for a Pattern and All About Gauge

•Lesson 20: Reading Patterns

•Lesson 21: Reading Crochet Charts

•Lesson 22: Blocking and Seaming

•Lesson 23: Common Mistakes/Fixes and Graduation!

I think I feel a new project coming on.

Go visit this wonderful blog today...and Create!

Its a matter of a Nursing Cover.....for a new baby!

2012-01-01T15:35:00.001-07:00

We have a new little grandson who has graced our family. He came a couple of weeks early, and his parents have been playing a bit of 'catch-up' since he surprised them by his early arrival. Just a few days after this beloved little one was born, his mother contacted me and asked me if I could make her a Nursing Cover. This was needed as he actually was born the day before his mother was to have a Baby Shower with her friends. Since he had arrived, the shower did not happen and she found herself needed a few items, which included a Nursing cover.

I was happy to do this for her. But, as it was December, with all of it's magical events, I had to make sure I got it done quickly, and still kept my other obligations. No worries, it was fun to do and did not take a great deal of time or skill. I found instructions from Pinkatilly and modified them just a little.

I choose colors I knew this new mother liked. I decided to make this Nursing Cover reversible and added a little 'surprise' which I will show you later made from the solid color fabric noted above.

To make this cover, you will need to using "Boning". I found this package that carried the product in a roll.

Cut the fabric for your cover to a 37" by 25" piece. As I was making this reversible, I cut both contrasting fabrics to this size. As you can see from the above picture, I am using a Rotary Cutter, my Self-healing mat, and a straight edge. This helps me get a precise cut and size.

Here, I am altering the pattern. I cut 5" squares of flannel. After they are cut, fold them into triangles and press into that shape.

Cut the strips (one 37" by 2.75" and the other 10" by 2.75"). Fold in half and sew with a 5/8's inch seam. Sew along 3 sides leaving the last side (small side) open. Clip the corners, turn the tie inside out and press. Take the smallest strip, fold in half, place through both "D" rings. Pin the short strip on the right side of the fabric (in half threaded through "D" rings) 6 and 1/2 inches from the center on one side and pin the long strip 6 1/2 inches from the center on the opposite side. Sandwich the strips between the contrasting pieces of fabric. Sew at 3/4" across the top. Place the boning between the strips in the 3/4" seam. Using a Zig-zag foot, sew along the top edge of the boning encasing it in the seam.

Open the fabric and place wrong sides together. Top stitch along the bottom edge of the boning (as above) between the two fabric strips. Turn the fabric again and place right sides together. Pin all edges except the bottom edge and bottom two corners together. Pin the fabric triangles in the bottom two corners. Pin contrasting fabrics with corner triangle. Stick each side from the top, turn the corner, and stopping about 8 inches from the bottom corner. Repeat on the other side. Clip the corners. Using the opening created, turn the unit inside out.

As you can see the flannel triangles are in the lower corners. The flannel is mean to use as a bit of a 'burp cloth' to wipe little mouths during or after nursing.

Pin the opening long the bottom closed. I choose to Top stitch all around the unit to keep both large pieces of fabric together.

To wear, feed the long fabric strip through the "D" rings and adjust the cover to your liking.

So, how much time did this take? Well, I got up early and made this before work one morning. I dropped it off to the new mother during my lunch hour. It was fast, and turned out really cute.

Give it a try!

Survival Top 50

2011-12-27T18:48:00.000-07:00

Hi Folks:

Again, our blog has been listed in the "Survival Top 50" readers choice list. The voting for this year is open again. If you feel like our blog has been helpful to you this year, would you kind enough to vote for it at the following link:

http://www.survivaltop50.com/readers-choice-awards/

Also, if you have suggestions of what you would like to learn more about, please feel free to comment below. I so appreciate all of you and want to thank you for a wonderful 2011. We look forward to learning more together in 2012.

Thank you!

Not a Creature was Stirring....

2011-12-25T06:44:00.001-07:00

Good Morning Everyone and Merry Christmas!!!

It appears that Santa has come, but everyone is still sleeping. The stockings are filled, the Advent Calendar is full. The quiet of the night still lingers.

As I reflect on the events in our family since last Christmas, I have great cause to be thankful. We have had additions to our family. Some born into the family (and one who made a really early and grand entrance while the other decided to peacefully join his parents), others who have received the Sealing Ordinances, and yet others who are anticipating the arrival of new little ones.

We have had joy and cause for prayers as one or more family members were way. One was in harm's way while another is serving in the Lord's vineyard.

We have said goodbye to loved ones who have finished their earthly missions.

We have felt the challenge and blessings of change.

So, as you awaken this morning I encourage you to not only look around you during the activities of celebration. I also encourage you to reflect on the awe and majesty of the Lord's goodness.

He is the reason.....

The Plan for our Progression....

2011-12-21T00:18:00.001-07:00

Courtesy of lds.org

I had the opportunity to teach the Relief Society Lesson this past Sunday on Exaltation. I loved the message and the reminders of the clear path that Heavenly Father has placed before all of us. I was substituting for another sister who had to leave town on a family matter. Her creative mind came up with Salvation University or Exaltation U. Her premise what that Exaltation was analogous to achieving a College Degree.

The required Ordinances were the General Education requirements:

We must be baptised
We must receive the laying on of hands to be confirmed a member of the Church of Jesus Christ and receive the gift of the Holy Ghost.
Brethren must receive the Melchizedek Priesthood and magnify their callings in the Priesthood
We must receive the temple endowment
We must be married for eternity, either in this life or the next.

The Major requirements include:

Love God and our neighbors
Keep the Commandments
Repent of wrongdoings
Search out our kindred dead and receive the saving ordinances of the gospel for them
Attend our Church meetings as regularly as possible so we can renew our baptismal covenants by partaking of the sacrament.
Love our family members and strengthen them in the ways of the Lord.
Have family and individual prayers every day
Teach the gospel to others by word and example
Study the scriptures
Listen to and obey the inspired words of the prophets of the Lord.

Well, as in any lesson in life, application is the key. For me, I pondered upon 2 different life experiences that I have had recently.

I was at work and the phone in my pocket kept vibrating all afternoon. Now, most of you would think, "stop and take the phone out of your pocket and see who was trying to contact you". Yes, that would be the normal response, but in my workplace, it is impossible until I am finished with the procedures I am doing. So, when I finally could check my phone, my text messages were like these: "3 cm"....."5 cm"....."7cm"....."Mom, where are you?" I hurriedly packed up my belongings and rushed to the hospital. I was blessed enough to see the birth of our youngest grandchild. This young boy had kept his first estate and now had come to the earth to receive his body. In regards to his Exaltation, it is incumbent on his parents, his grandparents, and all of us that serve in our callings to teach and serve him to assist him on his journey during this earthly test.
I am reminded of a young man who was raised in an LDS home, but chose to take an alternate path. He joined the military and served a tour of duty in Iraq. He came home and married, and was then called up to serve a tour in Afghanistan. While serving so far from home, he was injured in an explosion where 2 of his buddies were killed. He returned home again and was shortly deployed to Japan. He was there during the recent tragic events. After returning home, he became a young father. The birth of his son made an impression on him, and he worked with the missionaries and the ward members where he lived to ......progress. In October he was ordained a Melchizedek Priesthood holder, and in November his family was sealed together. His first Priesthood Ordinance as an Elder was to bless his son.......until this week...

.............when he dedicated the grave site of his younger brother....who just a few mornings before did not awaken.

The time to prepare for our own Exaltation is now. We do not know when our Earthly Test will end. The pathway is to Exaltation is clearly marked.

The Father has promised through the Son that all that he has shall be given to those who are obedient to His Commandments. They shall increase in knowledge, wisdom, and power, going from grace to grace, until the fullness of the perfect day shall burst upon them" Joseph Fielding Smith.

During this Christmas Season, let us all take the opportunity to reflect on the 'general education' and 'major requirements' that we need to address in this life. After all....Exaltation is the Gift.

The Season of Giving.....and opportunity to help a young family in need.

2011-12-16T04:12:00.001-07:00

Photo Courtesy of the power-of-giving

We have family friends that have 2 children with very unique, costly, and special needs. To help one of the daughters, their son must also enter the hospital and undergo a procedure. Thankfully, there is another donor that is out of state for the 2nd daughter. There is an opportunity for you to help this good family. They are needing not only our prayers at this time, but also donations. Please see the video and the attached article for information. At the bottom of this post are 2 accounts that you can donate to. Let's spread some Christmas cheer this year!

VIDEO COURTESY OF KUTV

(KUTV) UTAH COUNTY - Tyler and Lisy Fish of Utah County knew there was something wrong with their daughter Natalie's health when she was just a toddler. She was always sick.
"A cold or simple cough has brought her to her death bed on many occasions," said Tyler.
After their daughter Alice was born, they saw the same health problems in her.

For years, the family took great care to keep the girls from any germs - meaning no playgrounds, no recess or other normal childhood activities.

Natalie is now 8, Alice is 2. Just three months ago the Fish's learned their daughters' condition has a name: Leaky Severe Combined Immunodeficiency.

A bone marrow transplant is the potential cure.

Doctors at Primary Children's Medical Center are preparing Natalie for chemotherapy to basically remove her deficient immune system and make way for healthy marrow from a donor - in Natalie's case, the donor is her own little brother Blair who is four years old.

"He says his blood has Natalie's medicine," said Lisy who is proud of her little boy, yet nervous for him because giving the marrow will be hard on his body. Alice's donor is a person from another state. Her transplant is expected to happen in January.

For the Fish's, having three children in the hospital is going to be tough. But the parents say the decision to put their children through the procedures was an easy one - since new bone marrow is a potential cure. "I want them to be normal," said Lisy.

Tyler Fish quit his job recently to deal with all the trials their children face.

The Fish's have 5 children and are now in a sort of quarantine situation - trying to keep germs away to ensure good health for everyone before the surgeries and after.

Friends have opened donation funds at two banks to help the family.

Utah Community Credit Union - Account Name: 2 Fish Marrow Wish Fund

Wells Fargo Bank - Account Name: Fish Children Donation Fund

For unto us a gift is given...

2011-12-16T03:53:00.000-07:00

I realize I have been a bit AWOL lately. It isn't because I am lacking at things to say! In fact, I have several posts (with pictures already taken) all lined up in my minds eye. However, there are events in life that take precedence over everything else. This is one.

My Son and Daughter-in-law were blessed with the birth of their first child. He came a couple of weeks early as he was due on Christmas Eve. However, we are grateful he came earlier as we get to spend just that much more time with him.

I am reminded of the great verse from Isaiah 9:6 that begins "For to us a child is born, to us a son is given". In my mind, the first part of this great scripture fits this event and the season. Welcome to the world little one. We are so grateful that you are here safely. We are grateful for the choices your parents made to ensure that you are sealed to them (and us) eternally. We look forward to getting to know you and shower you with love and kisses.

Check...my Christmas list is complete!

Just in case you have been living under a rock.....

2011-12-05T22:08:00.000-07:00

Courtesy of lds.org

I mean no disrespect with this title. Last evening the Annual First Presidency Christmas Devotional was held, and as usual, was awesome! Not only were the messages wonderful, but the accompanying videos were spectacular. You can view not only the entire broadcast, but can see the individual video's for yourself.

To view them and appreciate the beautiful verse from the Bible, please go to this link. As always, the Church produces such a high quality product. Anyone who views them should be spiritually touched.

Enjoy!

Food Storage.....at a Baby Shower!

2011-11-29T08:25:00.001-07:00

Recently, we had a Baby-shower for my beautiful Daughter-in-law, who is due very soon. So, my youngest Daughter and I planned the event and looked forward to having a great time. I decided to try to do something...yes.....with my food storage. I really want to make a huge point here. Food Storage is not for emergencies only! It is for LIVING on an everyday basis! Look what we were able to do with many Food Storage items.

In the photo above, you see a green salad (could have been 'food storage' if this wasn't November as it would have come from my garden), Spinach Dip Pinwheels, Punch, and Fresh Berry Dessert Bites.

The Spinach Dip Pinwheels did not stick around very long (they were yummy!), and are very simple to make. In addition, they make a really nice presentation. I found the recipe online.

Some of the ingredients called for were frozen spinach (already in my freezer), mayonnaise (in my food storage), and flour tortillas (which can be made from food storage ingredients. If you wish to have flavored tortillas, just use tomato or spinach powder in your tortilla dough. These are easily made by using your food processor to make powder from your dehydrated items). I mixed the ingredients in my food processor.

Spread the mixture on your tortilla, leaving about 1/2 inch of space from the edge. Roll up the tortilla. I wrapped mine in plastic wrap and put them into the refrigerator until I was ready to serve them. To serve, cut in 1" slices (and nibble on one or two ends as you go...they are sooo good). and place them on a tray.

The Fruit Berry Bites recipe called for several Food Storage items as well. These included flour, sugar, grated lemon peel (yes, you can dehydrate your own), salt and butter/margarine. I made the cookie part of these treats strictly from my food storage. The topping ingredient list called brown sugar (a staple!) and yogurt. You can make your own yogurt from your powdered milk. I did purchase fresh berries and cream cheese, although you can also make your own cream cheese (an upcoming post).

An easy punch can be made from Hawaiian Punch, White Grape Juice and Sprite! All of these are shelf stable.

Finally, the cupcakes can be made from food storage items with your favorite recipe.

So, in this photo, you can see all the items on a plate...and several of the ladies serving themselves. You can do so many things with your Food Storage staples.....and it can be delicious and fun.

Try it!

Using your Sun-dried Tomatos...

2011-11-27T08:20:00.002-07:00

This may look like a Thanksgiving Dinner....and in a way it was. However, it is the dinner I cooked for our Young Single Adults for a Family Home Evening. Since many of them are far from home, I decided to make a version of a Thanksgiving Dinner for them...which was done about a week before the actual event.

I wanted to share something that I learned from my sister, Dyana D. This is her idea...and it is really, really good. I used my Sun-dried Tomatos that I had dehydrated myself.

They don't look lovely, but I cut up the tomato into small pieces. In this state, the tomato is dry. (When I want to make soft Sun-dried tomatoes, I put them into a jar with Olive Oil for several days before using).

Put the pieces into the melted butter. (I found that it worked better to put them into the bowl with the sticks before you microwave the butter for about a minute. They got softer more rapidly).

Drop in your roll (in dough form)

Here you see that I have lined my sheet with Parchment Paper. I have become a believer in this as it not only makes clean-up faster, but it gives the bottom of the rolls a nice color and texture. Put your dipped rolls on a cookie sheet to rise.

Lay a sheet with plastic wrap over the top of the rolls. Spray with vegetable spray. Then lift the plastic wrap off and turn it over. Place on top of the rolls. Do not wrap it tight. The vegetable spray allows the rolls to rise and 'slide' under the plastic wrap until you are ready to bake them.

Here is the finished product. After they came out of the oven, I again sprayed them with the vegetable spray. After cooling off, I placed the plastic wrap back on them to keep them soft until I was ready to serve them.

So, you can see the basket of rolls on the buffet. I can tell you that they went fast and many of the young men took extras home.....along with some homemade jams.

So, try this next time you make rolls. They are delicious and everyone thinks you have really done something spectacular.

Happy Eating!

Getting your deals....before black friday!

2011-11-22T03:24:00.000-07:00

Courtesy ofwww.writeawriting,com

I have to give credit where credit is due. I saw this link at the Prepared LDS Family blog. The information comes from Candi at Pinching your Pennies. You can update your food storage on many staples that are on sale now for Thanksgiving. Go to his link to find all the deals.

I have to admit, I will have made 2 Thanksgiving Dinners and had one Baby Shower at my house in just over a weeks time when Friday rolls around. I was noticing that I need to restock some of these very items. It's great that they are all on sale right now!

Happy Shopping!

Happy Veteran's Day.....we have much to be grateful for.

2011-11-11T12:19:00.000-07:00

Today, take the opportunity to thank those who chose to serve our country in the military. The comforts, joys, and way of life you enjoy are directly associated with their efforts and sacrifice. May the Lord bless all of those serving at home and abroad. We truly are a grateful nation...........

Scholorships.....that you can help with!

2011-11-02T04:39:00.001-06:00

I am including a couple of video's for you today. Although I have never been a single mother as is the case of one of these individuals, I have been placed in a position of being alone and having to support myself far away from my family. If it wasn't for my education that I chose to complete....and I make that point very clearly.....I chose to complete, I would have been in really difficult circumstances and very alone. There are individuals who need our help in a variety of ways. Here is one worthy cause you may choose to support. Just a few dollars can change the life of a family.....imagine how far that donation can take them in the years to come. You can choose to donate here.

This video also highlights the Perpetual Education Fund.

Governor Herbert Declares Oct. 23 - 29 Winter Weather Preparedness Week

2011-10-25T20:40:00.001-06:00

You may wonder why I am writing a post about the 'Winter' when many of us have been enjoying 'no coat' weather. Well, the truth is, overnight here where I live the temperature is projected to drop by 20 degrees....and stay there. So, Fall....and soon Winter will be upon us. Also, these beautiful winter pictures you see in this post.....were taken 2 weeks ago here in Utah. They were up in a Canyon, and the weather changed overnight. If we had not taken the proper precautions, we could have been one of the statistics.

The following information comes from Bereadyutah:

Winter storms are considered deceptive killers because most deaths are indirectly related to the storm. Fatalities occur in traffic accidents on icy roads, from heart attacks while shoveling snow, and from hypothermia due to prolonged exposure to cold.

Of fatalities related to ice and snow:

About 70% occur in automobiles
About 25% are people caught out in the storm
Majority are males over 40 years old

Of deaths related to exposure to cold:

50% are people over 60 years old
Over 75% are males
About 20% occur inside the home

Bereadyutah recently posted information about Govenor Herbert's declaration. Here is an excerpt:

Governor Gary R. Herbert has declared Oct. 23 - 29, 2011 as Winter Weather Preparedness Week in Utah. The week is an excellent time for individuals, families, businesses, government, schools and media outlets to learn more about winter weather terms and safety rules and review their winter storm preparedness plans.

"Proper planning can save lives," said Governor Herbert. "I call on my fellow Utahns to be cautious on snowy roadways, to heed avalanche warnings and to let someone know your travel plans."

"Preparedness means having extra food in your vehicle, keeping your gas tank near full and paying attention to weather reports," Governor Herbert said.

Winter weather is a significant threat. In an average year, winter weather is directly or indirectly involved in 400,000 vehicular accidents in the United States, leading to 1,300 fatalities. Additionally, many lose their lives due to avalanches or exposure to extreme cold.

At home and at work have available:

Flashlight and extra batteries
Battery-powered NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards (Public Alert) receiver and portable radio
Extra food and water
Extra medicine and baby items
First-aid supplies
Heating fuel
Emergency heating source
Fire extinguisher
Smoke and Carbon Monoxide detectors

In vehicles (cars, trucks, snowmobiles):

Fully check and winterize your vehicle

Carry a winter storm survival kit: blankets/sleeping bags, flashlight, first-aid kit, knife, non-perishable food, extra clothing, a large empty can and plastic cover with tissues and paper towels for sanitary purposes, a smaller can and water-proof matches to melt snow for drinking water, sand, shovel, windshield scraper, tool kit, tow rope, booster cables, water container, and road maps

Keep your gas tank near full
Carry a cell phone
Let someone know your itinerary

Don't be left out in the cold!

Cooking Corn on the cob...and no shucking?

2011-10-23T04:18:00.000-06:00

Yesterday, we went camping into one of the wonderful canyons of Utah. One of the things we had was Corn on the Cob. I wish I would have known about this yesterday. Yes, I could have done this as the cabin we were staying in did have a Microwave. My thanks to Mormon Mom's who blog for posting this video.

A "Spooky" project....for the little ones.

2011-10-12T21:15:00.000-06:00

Well, Halloween is quickly coming upon us.....and I wanted to make something special for our littlest family members who live far away from us. These are pillowcases that each have a different cuff so that each little person has their very own! The body of the pillowcase is the same 'jack-o-latern' fabric.

For directions on how to make these, please see this link.

Just as an FYI, when I made the Patriotic Pillowcases earlier this year, I was unsure how they would be received. However, when "Nonnie" (that's me) went to visit and take care of one set of grandchildren earlier this year, I was surprised to see these pillowcases on each grandchild's bed. My daughter said that they really liked them. So, I am about to send the next installment.

Happy Haunting!

In Honor of our Son, and all the other 51,000 Serving World-Wide

2011-10-10T03:38:00.001-06:00

Some of you may recall that our son, Rooster Junior, is serving in the Houston South Mission. We miss him dearly, but are grateful that he has made the decision to serve his Heavenly Father as a Missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Here is a glimpse of why so many young people make the same decision. If you would like further information about the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, ask your LDS friend or neighbor. Or, you may contact your local ward/congregation and meet the Missionaries in your area by going here. Change your life.....find out more about how the Lord wishes to bless you and your family.

A Device that is nice.....

2011-10-09T09:52:00.002-06:00

This is a Mixing Pitcher that I grown to love. I dislike little clumps of drink mix or sugar floating about when I am mixing a drink. This device helps mix the liquid quickly and efficiently. Here is my method of mixing using this device.

Fill the pitcher with 2-3 inches of water.

Pour in all your drink mix. Today, I am making Apple Drink.

Put the lid of the pitcher on and mix the water and dry ingredients until well mixed. To mix, push and pull the plunger up and down until mixed well.

Then add most of the water. The reason I say 'most' is because I like to put ice in this drink when I serve it. I made this up for a cookout we had later in the day.

Image courtesy of Emergency Essentials

I would like to have shown you the drink that was placed in a very beautiful decanter....but I forgot to take a picture before it was all gone. That fact alone should let you know how much our little crowd enjoyed the Apple Drink.....and no one knew it was.......Food Storage!

Application:

Easy to mix
Can be used to mix powdered milk if you do not have power
Combines liquid and powder efficiently and quickly.

So, consider adding it to your list. Here are several places you can purchase one:

General Conference Breakfast.....easy with Peaches

2011-10-01T19:40:00.003-06:00

Yes, I have a bunch of Peaches right now. So, I decided to use them in a breakfast that is fast and easy.....for General Conference.

This is a version of the recipe by Rita Bingham in her book entitled Natural Meals in Minutes

Peachy Cool-er

2 peaches (I used fresh. Blanch and take the skins off, then slice. Ms. Bingham's recipe calls for canned or bottled Peaches)
1/2 Cup plain Yogurt
1/2 Cup liquid (I used some skim milk, she recommends liquid from the peaches)
I also added some vanilla to taste.

Blend all ingredients until smooth....serves 2!

Soooooo Easy! If you haven't taken a look at her book, you should. It has lots of great ideas and recipes involving many food storage staples. As you read along, you really do want to try the recipes as they look good!.

Enjoy Conference!

It's a matter of.......Salsa with Clear Jel

2011-09-29T04:40:00.007-06:00

(Yes, this is real life...you can see where I spilled Salsa on my towel as I was spooning it into the jars:) )

In previous posts, I have shared with you all that Rooster Senior is serving in the Bishopric of a Young Singles Adult Ward....and that I have chosen not to go visiting these young folks in their apartments empty-handed. Please know that this is a personal decision I have made....not a requirement put upon me by anyone. These young people are often far from home and appreciate something besides Ramen and Fast Food. Here is another 'item' I have chosen to have on hand to take with us as my husband and I go visiting. This is a Salsa Recipe from Food.com. Not only was the recipe highly rated, but it also allows you to adjust the amount you wish to make and calculates it all for you. Finally......it uses a product that I have come to know and love.....namely Clear Jel. For the recipe, please see this link.

In the past when I have canned Salsa 'by the book', I didn't like it. It was watery, and didn't resemble the types of Salsa my family enjoyed. So, this recipe sounded and turned out to be like a big name brand salsa that you often see advertised on National TV.....that isn't made in New York City.

Now, I had a box of tomatoes....that were not going to wait for anyone. So, on the day I processed them...I only had 2 hours to do all of this. Literally, I had worked at the hospital for a better part of the day, came home (with 2 hours to use for this purpose), and then left home to go and serve hundreds of Young Single Adults a meal for a meeting that evening. So, again I used my tools to help me do this and do it efficiently. It is worth having tools that make your task easier and efficient. You do not have to gather tools all at once.....but just obtain them conservatively over time.

I quartered my tomatoes to get them ready to process.

I placed them in the hopper of my Food Strainer and began to process them.

Using the Salsa Screen on my Food Strainer, this is how the puree came out. If the truth be told, I did strain some of the 'watery' liquid away as these tomatoes were very 'juicy'. I knew it would take forever to reduce the liquid amount down if I didn't. Using a hand strainer, I reserved the pulp but discarded the tomato water (a sin to some of you I know). I just didn't have the time to reduce it down.....it wasn't an option.

Time spent processing about a half of a bushel of tomatoes...20 minutes.

This is called an "Alligator".

You cut the onion in half and push the handle down.

This device chops the onions quickly and they fall into this hopper. Look how uniform they are cut. Time spent chopping a small bag of onions....7 minutes.

I added the onions directly to the puree from the hopper.

In the picture above, I am wearing gloves. This is imperative with onions and cutting Jalapeno Peppers....it protects your hands and you will not smell like peppers for days by doing this. Cutting peppers took me about 5 minutes.

Make a slurry of the Clear Jel Powder and just enough water. Clear Jel helps your Salsa get a thicker consistency. In this recipe, you also use Tomato Sauce, which helps with the thicker consistency as well.

Slowly add the Slurry to your other ingredients. Now, at this point I had to put this pot into my refrigerator as I had to change my clothes and get ready to leave. I did not process the Salsa until the next day. As the mixture was cold, it took a while to heat up to a small boil before it was ready to process.

Here are the jars from the first batch and a little surprise. I love my husband, but he can be a bit of a 'hoarder' at times. I often park in the garage and hurry into the house as the garage is a bit 'visually challenging' for me. However, out of the corner of my eye......I spotted another Hot Water Bath Canner. I asked him why he had this. He picked it up in his travels somewhere and didn't really remember. Well.....because of my time crunch....this was a great bonus to me! I processed 24 pints of Salsa in half the time.

So, what is the take home message here? There are many:

Use your tools to be efficient and save time.
Try Clear Jel in Salsa.....it works just great!
Even busy people can do this....I am proof!
I now have something to pair with a bag of chips to take with us as we visit with these wonderful Young Single Adults.

If you decide you can do something.....the Lord will make the way for you. You can do this and many other things to prepare and care for your family. You just need to develop the skill sets to do so.

It's a matter of.....feeling empty-handed!

2011-09-26T23:51:00.001-06:00

In a previous post, I let you all know that Rooster Senior has been called to serve in a Bishopric of Young Single Adult Ward...and I get to along with him! We went visiting some of the apartments of this ward....and when we walked in I felt empty handed. Not that this is necessary, but I just felt like we should have brought something with us as these young people are often far from home. When several of them came over to our home, they commented on how much they appreciated being in a home....with real parents! This just made me laugh as there were plenty of times that my now adult children would tell me that they were looking forward to moving into an apartment and growing out of the family home.

Well, again, not that it is necessary, but I decided to have things prepared to take with us when we go visiting in the future. Here is my first 'item', which is Jam. I made this using Clear Jel instead of Pectin. For recipes and more information, please see this link.

I went to my local Club store and found berries for a really good price. I bought a lot! I made 36 jars of jam for just a few dollars as I had all the ingredients to make the jam in my Food Storage and Pantry.

Time is really of the essence for me....I don't have a lot. I am very serious about that. I have to plan my time in blocks so that I can get everything done. So, I decided to puree my blueberries in my food processor to save time....and it literally only took a few minutes.

First I pulsed it and then let it run.

As usual, mix your sugar with your Clear Jel before adding to the puree.

Add the Clear Jel mixture slowly with a whisk to incorporate it without lumps. Notice the color before the Clear Jel sets up.

After the Clear Jel begins to thicken, the color also darkened.

Now, for time saving tip number two, I have a Food Strainer. My husband likes Raspberry Jam, but really dislikes the seeds. So, I purchased a berry screen to use with my Food Strainer. Here I put the berries in the hopper.

Then I turned the handle. See the berry juice/pulp coming down the slide and the seeds etc going out the left side of the picture? I decided to put the 'waste' pulp through the strainer a couple of times to capture all the juice I could. Isn't it a pretty color?

Process per the recipe instructions.

I made 4 different types of Jam in one evening. I realize I am only showing 3, but 4 gives me a variety to give. I plan to make bread dough in my Bread maker (again, time is the issue) and have it waiting for me when I come home from work, Then I can bake it in mini-loaf pans, put the bread in a cellophane bag with a bow and also put something cute on top of the jar to go with it. Every gadget has parts that can be put into the dishwasher to clean while I am doing something else. I am hoping that these young people can feel a bit of 'home' when we go visiting. As much as they would probably hate to admit it, they do miss their parents and the sense of home.

My whole point in writing this post is not to show how 'fabulous' I am. Quite the contrary....I really am not. However, I am trying to use my gadgets and machines to make the processes faster and more efficient so that I can accomplish as much as I can in a short amount of time.

Consider it!

General Conference Notebook

2011-09-18T21:08:00.000-06:00

Image Courtesy of ldsfriends.com

I have received several requests for the April 2011 Conference packets from the links that were active during March of this year. Some of them no longer are active.

I believe this is what many of you are looking for. I hope you enjoy it!

General Conference Packet from ldsresources.net

It's a matter of Earthquake Preparedness......

2011-09-16T17:26:00.000-06:00

For those who work and live along the Wasatch Front in Utah, this video from Be Ready Utah is particularly for you. But, this video also has applications to all of us about being prepared in our homes and in our business's and schools. Get a pen and paper......you may want to take notes!

Queso Blanco....

2011-09-15T06:37:00.002-06:00

We recently had a large number of Young Single Adults at our home. Why?......because we have a new chapter of our lives that has just begun. Rooster Senior has been called into the Bishopric of a Young Single Adult Ward.....and our Sunday's and some weekday evenings sure look a lot different than they used to.

What does this have to do with Queso Blanco? Well, read on. I recently attended a Cheese making class taught by Raylene from Mama Rae's Cheesemaking Supply. As I sat in this class, I could see the possibilities of this unique cheese and decided to try this application that I will show you below. First, let's see what you need to have.

I decided to make Cheese logs for this gathering of Young Single Adults. In the class, Raylene had many different types of flavored vinegars and Spices she purchased from a Latino Food Store. She said the spices that you purchase in these establishments are a lot fresher and less expensive. I'm all for that. So, I purchased a couple from her list, along with Malt Vinegar. I already had Balsamic and White Vinegar. You will also need Kosher Salt flakes. (These are so much less expensive than the Cheese Salts that you see advertised. It is not iodized, which is needed for cheese making according to Raylene).

Simple things are needed for this. Following Raylene's lead, I used my Hot Water Bath Canner (with the rack at the bottom) and my largest Stock pot. This makes a large double boiler. One thing I would do differently, I would heat the water a lot initially, then put in the stock pot in preparation for the milk. This would significantly cut down on the time needed to make heat up the milk.

Pour your milk into your double boiler. I used 2 gallons of Whole milk. You cannot use UltraPasturized Milk...FYI. Read your labels. (For those of you thinking about your powdered milk, wait until the end of the post).

You will need an actual Dairy Thermometer as the increments are smaller. A traditional candy thermometer is not as accurate. Mama Rae's sells this for $7.00. Heat the milk to 190 degrees Fahrenheit.

Once you reach 190 degrees, reduce your heat to keep the milk at that temperature. Now, this next part is not an exact science......which I really appreciate! Scoop out several cups of hot milk into a bowl. I started with 5 cups, but quickly increased it to much more on the second and third tries....and you will see why in a minute.

I decided to use a Malt Vinegar....which is readily found at grocery stores. Now, remember the "not an exact science" part? Well...do this slowly. Pour in a little bit of vinegar and stir. Do this in small increments until you see curds form and separate from the whey.

This is what it looks like when they separate.

According to Raylene, you need a sturdy cloth for hard cheeses, and she used one for this cheese. Notice that I only put a corner of the cloth in my colander. Pour the contents of the bowl into your cheesecloth-lined strainer. You can capture the whey and use it for other purposes by placing a bowl underneath your colander.

Remember the "use a corner of the cloth" comment? Well, here is why. Use another corner of the cloth to help you twist the cheese in the cloth to drain the whey. It is a bit warm, and the corner makes the heat manageable to touch as you twist the ball.

On this step, again....do it slowly and use a little bit of salt at a time. Sprinkle some on your cheese, then knead it. Taste it to see if it has the amount of salt you prefer. If not, sprinkle in some more. You can always add salt, but you cannot take it away in this process.

Here is the cheese made from 5 cups of milk.....not a grand enough amount for a cheese log. So, feeling a bit more confident, I used more milk on the subsequent attempts at this same process. If you choose to use herbs to flavor your cheese, put them in as your milk warms up. If you choose to use spices, put them in a little at a time before you add white vinegar to curdle the milk.

When I formed the first cheese log and tried some, it had more texture to it than I was used to. So, I added a half package of cream cheese to each log. Two gallons of milk made 4 logs. Each was a different flavor. Here there is Malt flavored cheese (my personal favorite), Balsamic flavored cheese (darker color), Italian spice flavored cheese, and finally Italian spice and Red wine vinegar flavor (I got creative). I found that I had to put these in the refrigerator to set for at least 30 minutes.

Next, I took a plate and covered it with plastic wrap. I then sprinkled some sliced Almonds on the plastic wrap.

I then rolled the cheese log into the almonds and pressed the nuts into the cheese. I wrapped the log tightly.

Here are the final products. I left them in the refrigerator over night.

I placed them on trays with a variety of crackers.

What was the result?

The Malt and Italian with red wine vinegar went first.
The Balsamic was not preferred initially, however the guys took all the leftovers home with them....including crackers!

Now for the powdered milk comment. Raylene stated that you could use Powdered milk....but it cannot be Ultra-Pasteurized or Aspic. If you used Non-fat milk, you would need to add cream to increase the fat content. I have shelf stable Cream that I may try if and when I do this again.

So, try it! It is really quite easy. You may find yourself saying the same thing I did...."Is that all there is to it?"

Addendum (9/17/11): I had a cheese log left in the refrigerator....that I neglected to put out. It stayed in the refrigerator for a couple of days. My husband said that it really tasted great! I tried it as well......and the flavors were really good. They were fine the night of our event.....but having them sit a couple of days really enhanced the taste. FYI.

Water Storage......in the big box store!

2011-09-08T20:31:00.003-06:00

I also saw this sight at Wally World the other day. Look at all the water storage options....and look at the pricing. Get stocked up.....maybe this big box store knows something we dont' know!

I particularly like the variety being offered. I have large containers of water. I also have smaller, more manageable containers as well. This is so that I can easily transport water in my home, or transport it in my vehicle if for some reason we have to evacuate.

My sister lives outside of Austin Texas. This week, she had to evacuate because of the fires burning in the area. In asking her what she decided to take, she said she took her 72 hour kits, photos, legal papers, certain keepsakes..........and her Seminary files! We all place value on things differently. Fortunately for my Sister and her family, they were able to return home within hours. However, it made her think about what was important. She had a few hours to decide. Not everyone does. If the fires had taken out the power, she would be really dependent on her stored water. This is particularly true as the air was very smoky in her area.

Think about it. What would you do? What do you have on hand? Would you be in a position to leave on short notice? Could you haul water if you needed to? Answer your own questions.....and make a plan!

Canning supplies!!!!

2011-09-08T04:08:00.000-06:00

I was in Wally World the other day, and was surprised to see that they were moving in Canning supplies....by the Pallet. In years past, during this time of year, bottles were difficult to find. This is why I was so surprised to see such a large supply. Either they anticipated selling a lot or people have stocked up and don't feel the need to purchase as many. Whatever the case may be, go purchase your needed supplies. Food will only get more precious during our country's fragile economic status. Food could be considered a type of currency.

So, determine what you need, and go out and get it!

Powdered Dairy....

2011-09-04T09:24:00.001-06:00

Image Courtesy of CafeJohnsonia.com

Previously, we have briefly discussed items like powdered butter, powdered sour cream etc. The question that traditionally arises with these products is something like this. "How do I store it once I open the #10 can?.

Well, here is a Video by Anitra Kerr from Simply Living Smart. It is worth watching and answers many questions that often arise with these wonderful products: You can view it here:

http://powdereddairyanitra.blogspot.com/2011/08/blog-post.html

What is CSA?

2011-09-03T20:17:00.001-06:00

Have you ever heard of a CSA? Well, it stands for Community Supported Agriculture. And in my case, this wonderful produce is organically grown at Jacob's Cover Heritage Farm. I purchased a 'share' which entitles me to a fresh box of produce each week. I just head over to the drop location (in my case Allred's Ace Hardward) on Thursday evening and eagerly see what is new for the week.

I took everything out of the box and laid it out on the counter to show you everything that I recieved this week.

Here are some lovely tomatos, and yes there are some light colored varieties. A really yummy snack.

Here is a purple carrot I recieved during a week last year.

Now, I do have a garden as well. But this gives us an opportunity to support a local farm and be exposed to new things. See the white item at the bottom of the box? It is a Pat-a-pan squash.....something that we have never had before.

So, look around your area and see was CSA is available. Here is the contact information for Jacob's Cove Heritage Farm:

info@jacobscove.net,

Jacob's Cove Heritage Farm 1526 South Geneva Road Orem, UT 84058

Phone: 888.880.8039

http://jacobscove.net/

It's 'Hot'.....for your kitchen!

2011-08-28T21:43:00.002-06:00

I had a family friend come over yesterday. She wanted help making an apron to take with her when she moved away for college. She loves the colors Orange and Green, thus the apron she made (which was reversible....Orange on one side and Green on the other), had these colors. There were scraps left over, so I helped make 2 hot pads for her to take with her. They were, of course, Orange and Green. I learned how to do this from a colleague of mine, Melanie F. Here is how you can do the same. This is a simple project and is not time consuming. It also uses the scraps you have on hand.

First, layout your scraps on a flat surface. These scraps are just a cotton/polyester mix. Choose a bowl that is just wider than the width of your hand with fingers spread. Lay the bowl with the lip directly on top of the fabric.

Trace the perimeter of the bowl on to the fabric with a pencil or marking pencil.

The inside of the hot pad is made from scraps of flannel. These are flannel scraps left over from a pajama project I had last fall. As before, trace around the bowl. You will need between 4-6 layers of flannel inside the pad.

Because I love short-cuts, I just pinned the first set of circles on to the fabric and cut them out. This way, I didn't have to retrace the bowl each time.

Next, cut strips of fabric on the bias. I used strips that were ~3 Inches in width. Cutting on the bias allows the fabric to stretch when needed.

After cutting all of these out, you should have the outside fabric circles, the flannel circles, and the bias strips of fabric to finish off the edges.

Stack the circles with one of the outside fabrics at the bottom (facing toward the table surface), the flannel in the middle, and the other outside circle on top. Here I turned the flannel circles wrong-side out to place just under the outside circles. If I hadn't done this, you would have seen the plaid pattern show through. Pin along the outside edge.

I then pressed the circles in half and then quarters. This gave me guidelines to stitch across the circle. I first stitched the circles in half, then quarters, and then eighths.

Next, press the bias tape in half.

Press the edge under about a 1/2 of an inch.

Pin the bias tape around the outside edge of the circle.

Pin the raw edge of the bias tape to the raw edge of the circle. Stitch with about a 1/2" seam all around. Then unpin the tape. Pull it over the raw edge, pin again, and top stitch the folded edge to the opposite side.

Press the hot pad flat with your iron.

Here is the hot pad with the finished apron. It's fun, easy, and very functional. And, it's "matchy-matchy" which our young friend seemed to like.

Try it!

Look out Houston.....my son may be coming to your door!!!!

2011-08-27T03:30:00.000-06:00

Some of you may know that Rooster Jr is serving in the Houston area as a missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I recently saw this video that was posted by my niece. Watch out Houston.....it could be my son coming to your door! I hope you dare to listen!

Visiting Teaching has gone high tech......

2011-08-19T18:49:00.000-06:00

Wow, I'm not sure whether this is helpful or not. However, it is interesting. See what you think....

Too much Zucchini?

2011-08-19T07:03:00.008-06:00

Bountiful harvest of.....Zucchini? Tried to use it in several different dishes? Still have lots left over?

Get out your food processor (or a grater if you want to try the manual method). For your food processor, cut into spears and begin grating.

The Food Processor makes quick work on everything!

Isn't it pretty?

I placed 2 cups worth in each quart-sized bag. Then I labeled and dated each bag. Now they are ready for the Freezer!

Later this winter, when I want to bake something with Zucchini....it will be very easy!

It's Zucchini Time.....

2011-08-17T18:45:00.001-06:00

May gardeners are experiencing an abundance of Zucchini and Squash now. The old jokes about Zucchini (i.e...lock your car....or you might find someone has placed Zucchini inside) are floating around again. I have several of each. So, I thought I would try something new.

I cubed a Zucchini and a Squash. I prepared a marinade and placed the vegetables in a bag. I put it in the refrigerator for several hours.

I had also marinated some chicken breasts. My husband put the chicken on to grill ahead of the vegetables. Here, he is heating up the basket made for grilling foods that are small or in pieces.

Here, the vegetables and the chicken are grilling. I used Olive Oil in the marinade to help it grill.

Here is the final product.

And here is my dinner. (Gosh, my preference for symmetry is very apparent here isn't it?)

What is the take-away?" Try grilling these delicious vegetables....they are quite good!

Keeping your Brown Sugar.....Moist!

2011-08-16T18:20:00.002-06:00

I bought this recently. I have eyed them for a few years now, but just haven't taken the step to purchase one. I have been using the heels of bread to keep the Brown Sugar moist in my container after I had opened the bag. This one is made by http://www.brownsugardiscs.com/. It's a cute little bear....so my grandchildren should like it!

The instructions state that you should "soak (the) disc in water for 15 minutes, then pat dry. Place your disc in with your brown sugar. Your disc will keep your brown sugar soft for up to 3 months. When your sugar begins to harden, re-soak and re-use disc".

I filled a small container with water.

Then soaked the disc in water.

After drying it with a paper towel, I dropped it into my Brown Sugar container.

Here is the disc. I have wondered if a broken piece of a pot could work after it had been cleaned. However, since I now have this cute disc......I will use it.

It will be nice to having to change the heel of bread every once-in-a-while. I am glad I finally took the plunge. Now I will have moist brown sugar......without bread crumbs!

Notice from Food Saver...

2011-08-15T22:14:00.001-06:00

Courtesy of Jarden Consumer Solutions

A few weeks ago, Food Saver launched a Facebook campaign. Supposedly, if they reached so many 'likes', they were going to post a code to receive a 75% of coupon on 4 select models of their Food Saver Machines. Well, it was a rare day that I was working from home....so I decided to 'bite'. The result was that they hit their benchmark without any problem. However, their system online was so overloaded that they could not post the code until 4 hours after the supposed deadline to post it. At the time, you could call and receive 50% of selected models or gamble that you would be lucky enough to get the code and put it in before they ran out of stock. I decided to get myself a machine using the phone method as the online situation was really not time efficient for me.

Food Saver learned a lot that day. But they seem to be up for it again. Here is a notice that I received from them. Check it out if you are in the market for a new machine...

We're offering you another progressive coupon deal this week on our FoodSaver® MealSaver™! Here are the total Likes we would like to achieve by Wednesday, August 17 at 2pmEST in order to offer you a great deal on one of these five-star rated products: http://on.fb.me/r2WPyH

30,000 Likes: 40 % Off ($41.99 +free shipping!)

40,000 Likes: 60 % Off ($27.99 +free shipping!)

50,000 Likes: 80 % Off ($14.00 +free shipping!)

http://on.fb.me/r2WPyH

Baking...In My Grill.....Really!

2011-08-14T18:16:00.001-06:00

Well, I have been fortunate enough to have double ovens in my home. They are really great when you are trying to feed an army or two. However, they have decided to die....and I feel like I have lost a dear friend.

I have been a bit frustrated by this. We do plan to replace them.....but I will be paying in cash and need a few more weeks to have the funds saved. So, I decided to see this as an opportunity.

A couple of years ago, I featured a post on emergency baking. So, I decided to experiment on the word....that I had posted.

The Information is from the "Preparedness Pantry". I re-read it and tried it. I made a favorite Whole Wheat Bread recipe in my Breadmaker (yes....I am that 'lazy').

One of my big complaints is that when I bake any breads is that the bottom doesn't always want to willingly come out of the pan. So, I now help myself by placing a liner of parchment paper at the bottom of the bread pan. Here, you can see that I traced the pan onto parchment paper. I cut the liners out with my scissors.

As the paper curls from being on a roll, I sprayed the bottom of the pan with a vegetable oil spray. It acted as a type of adhesive for the liner. I then sprayed the sides of the pan as well.

Using my new tool (that I bought recently), I divided the dough into to two pieces.

I shaped the bread into two loaves and put them into my mini loaf pans. I covered them with a towel and let the dough rise.

After the dough had risen, I preheated my grill to 350 degrees.

I placed the loaf pans inside another pan. According to the instructions from Preparedness Pantry, the 2nd pan helps protect the bottom of the bread from burning. I placed the loaves on the 2nd shelf away from the flames. As you might imagine, when I opened the grill there was heat loss. I adjusted the burners to bring the heat back to 350 degrees. I turned down the burners when we achieved that level and watched for several minutes to try to ensure that the temperature was maintained.

After 30 minutes (the cooking time recommended for my recipe), I went to get the bread. Here is an important lesson that I learned, the heat rose to over 400 degrees by then, so the loaves were a bit scorched on the outside. I will check the temperature more often when I try this again.

I took the bread out of the pans and placed them on the cooling racks. I sprayed the loaves with the vegetable oil spray and covered them with a towel to cool. I retrieved the parchment paper from the bottoms of the loaves. Here is what one looked like.

After the bread cooled, I sliced one of the loaves. The bread was moist and cooked all the way through. I quickly took some photos because I wanted to try a slice. The butter melted quickly and the taste....was fabulous.

I certainly would do this again. It is not difficult, but I realize that I will need to do some baby-sitting with the temperature when I repeat this procedure. The application of this procedure should not be lost on you:

This is a fun thing to do with your family...and certainly is not hard.
In an emergency, you could bake with your grill....and it would be delicious and comforting.
It is also something that you could do in the summer time if you don't want to heat up your kitchen.
Finally, you can use any recipe that requires baking in this manner. Can you see the possibilities?

Now, Try It!!!! You Can Do It!!!!

Another great idea to help you with your 3-month supply

2011-08-07T13:27:00.003-06:00

I love a good idea....and this is one. I also love to promote good ideas from another smart "chick".

Enjoy!

http://www.3steps.org/Site_3steps.org/3-Month_Supply.html

She has done it again!

2011-08-01T20:12:00.000-06:00

It's that time of year again! I am speaking of Case lot sales. I admire Valorie at http://www.preparedldsfamily.blogspot.com/. She consistently produces the most comprehensive comparison list of the major grocery retailers in the Utah. She reports that she has spent 20 hours preparing this list....so please be appreciative.

Here is the link for the upcoming sale:

Happy Shopping!

Another Sunday Dinner....from our Food Storage!

2011-07-31T15:37:00.000-06:00

I am on this kick where I like to try cooking my Sunday Dinner from items I have in my Food Storage. Today is not different. Today, we had Fish Taco's and they were good!

This is Salsa that I had canned myself.

I don't consider this cheating! I purchase the uncooked Tortilla's at Costco and freeze them. I have made my own in the past and will still do so. But in a pinch, I like to use these.

I drizzled Extra Virgin Olive Oil (from my storage) on to a pan and heated it.

I realize this doesn't look that fabulous, but here I am using my 'grill pan' to grill the fish. I could have easily done this on my grill as well. The fish can marinate in whatever you prefer. I used lemon juice and a few spices today...again all from my Food Storage. This Tilapia (fish) was also in my Freezer....and is part of my Food Storage. After it is cooked, shred with a fork and place the fish in a serving dish.

I used some fresh lettuce, but you could also use cabbage (soaked in a little vinegar....depending upon your preference). Here is a taco ready to go. This didn't take long at all to make.

See, Food Storage is really convenient and delicious! Try something new today!

Chef Brad is coming back to Utah...........

2011-07-28T23:48:00.001-06:00

If you have been following this blog at all, you will note that I really like Chef Brad. I first saw him at Education week a couple of years ago and quickly made sure that I had an electronic pressure cooker and his books. He has a series on BYUTV entitled Fusion Grain Cooking. I have also attended his smaller classes taught at Bosch Kitchen Centers. There is a charge, but you learn a lot and eat very well.

He returns to Utah in August. Here is a link to his August Calendar. Find a location near you....and pay the money! It is really worth it!

Prepare your Ark....August 5th and 6th.....FREE!!!!!

2011-07-27T23:21:00.000-06:00

Look what is coming to Salt Lake City.

In rememberance of Pioneer Day.....

2011-07-24T17:37:00.000-06:00

Courtesy of Familyoldphotos.com

What is this? It is a photo of a little Idaho town called Montpelier. As you can see, it was taken some time ago and was on a postcard. The Little Red Hen has been blessed with significant Pioneer ancestry. However, today I would like to focus on a couple of my ancestors, who lived in this area many, many years ago......along with some of my modern-day commentary.

I am taking this information as excerpts from The History of the Bear Lake Pioneers published by the Daughters of Utah Pioneers. I was given this book by my Grandmother and Grandfather. When I was visiting their home....in Montpelier a number of years ago, the subject of ancestors came up. They quickly retrieved this book and proudly marked specific pages with paperclips and bobby pins. Even though it has been years later, (and both of my Grandparents have now finished their earthly missions), I just haven't had the heart to remove these unique page markers....so they still remain in place.

The first individual I would like to mention is Charles Henry Bridges. He was born in Birmingham England in 1835 and was apprenticing to become a cork cutter. In 1848, he joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and at the young age of 22, he he boarded a ship to American. He had never been away from home before. Fast forward a number of years......we had a missionary son fly to England to enter the MTC there. He had never been away from home either. I gently, but frequently asked my husband to call the MTC in England to make sure he made it. Well, after the Mission President patiently laughed....he reported that our son was there and sleeping. There was a time difference you know.....

Charles made his way to Iowa and was in the company of the Edman Ellsworth's Handcart company, which was one of the first to cross the plains. He was also called to guard Salt Lake City when the Army was sent to Utah.

Enter Francis Elizabeth Pearson Jones Bridges. She was also from England and was born in 1837. She worked with her mother as a nurse to wealthy families. She joined the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in 1855 at the ripe old age of 18. She came to America with several family members in 1859. They left with a handcart company under the leadership of George Howley. I remember how mature I was at 18,,,,and the thought of me going to another country a few years later would never have crossed my mind!

Charles and Francis met at the home of President John Taylor. They lived in Salt Lake City after they were married until 1866 when they were called to help settle the Bear Lake Valley. They made the trip and settled in Clover Creek, which was later named Montpelier. I have moved several times in my adult life....but there were always roads, stores, running water, etc. I don't know if I would have been a very good little camper under the rugged circumstances that my ancestors lived in.

Charles was a man of many talents. However, he was called to "help wash and lay out the dead". There reportedly were no disinfectants at that time, so they used onion to disinfect. It reportedly worked as he never contracted diphtheria or smallpox when they ravaged the area. I work in a hospital environment...and we have so many procedures and safeguards in place, I sometimes feel my hands have been scrubbed about a much as a human can possibly scrub.

Elizabeth was called to serve as a midwife. When she was set apart, she was supposedly promised that "in time of need the Lord would give her knowledge and skill to perform her duties successfully". She brought 1118 infants into the world, and she recorded each birth in a journal. She not only was present at the home birth, but return several times to check up on the mother and baby, What was her fee? A whooping $2.50. Once she was reportedly paid with a live pig. When my daughter was born, she was delivered by an emergency C-section. We had to put her on the Credit Card just to get her out of the hospital!

So, I tip my hat to these and other ancestors who showed the faith and obedience to follow the counsel of their leaders and made tremendous sacrifices. How much different is it today? We are asked by our leaders to do many things. One of which is to be self-sufficient and be prepared. Take a page out of the lives of our Pioneer ancestry....doesn't storing a few items pale in comparison to what they were asked to do?

Having a loved one in the NICU.....

2011-07-21T06:01:00.001-06:00

If you have read my last two posts, they have been about our newest little grandson....who decided to arrive a few weeks early and is now in an NICU. I have had folks ask me what it is like in a Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU). Well, for me personally, this is a familiar environment as I work in a hospital setting and have experience in a NICU. However, it is a whole different ball game when you are suddenly the family member and not the health care provider. Add to that a couple of young parents who are experiencing this scenario for the first time.

So, I decided to show you what the experience is like. There are very strict rules surrounding the NICU which are primarily for the safety and protection of the infant. Above is the scrub sink. Everyone entering the NICU has to scrub their hands and be very, very clean. The water is activated by a motion sensor and the bottles of 'gel' to clean your hands are activated by...

this foot pump. (I secretly always wanted one of these for my home...but alas....it was not to be). This is necessary so that faucets and handles are not touched and thus contaminating clean hands.

This package contains a scrubbing sponge and a nail cleaner. These are used to scrub the hands for 3 minutes.

There are very strict procedures posted on the door....which has a special lock that can only be activated by a code for those entering. There was also another sign that talked about cell phones. Not only were they to be turned off so that the signal did not interfere with the life saving technology, but also they are considered to be a high infection control risk. Think about it, these devices go everywhere with you, and have little crevices. How many of you disinfect your cellphone?

Pain is carefully monitored and managed. Here is the scale used to determine the infants pain level. Pain can certainly come from needle sticks and invasive procedures like the placement of a Ventilator. But, you may be surprised to learn that light, sound, positioning, and touch can also be painful experiences. Consider that this baby should still be in utero and is not 'built' to be experiencing these sensations this early.

A monitor is placed on the baby's foot to monitor it's oxygen saturation levels. Respiratory issues are very big in premature infants so this needs to monitored constantly. Little brains need oxygen.

Computer monitors shows several different measures all on one screen. Heart rate, respirations, etc are tracked and monitored so that instantaneous changes can be made. Premature infants are very fragile.

IV's and electrodes are also used to help monitor vital functions. It is hard for parents to see 'tubes and wires' coming from their infant. They are awkward to manage when you finally get to hold and feed your infant, but certainly can be managed. They are lifesaving connections for their young baby.

For those infants who present with Jaundice, they are placed under UV lights as a treatment.

Little eyes are protected from the light as well.

However, as a grandparent, I am grateful to the medical professionals who use their skill and training to assist my grandson as he attempts to manage his new world. This NICU operates very differently from the units I have worked in with some aspects being positive and some being negative. However, the end result is what matters......as my little grandson is now in the 'step-down' unit which means he is no longer in an Incubator and is in an Isolette breathing room air. His parents now can dress him in his 'cute clothes' and do all of his cares while they are there. The last hurdle is feeding. This little one just doesn't have the strength or endurance to take full feedings yet.....and the coming weeks will be focused on this very important skill.

Finally, these kids have great insurance. As a former manager.....I subconsciously look at the costs of things at times. As I visited the NICU with my adult children and saw the one-on-one staffing for my grandson, the instrumentation, medications, etc....the numbers added up very quickly. I wouldn't be surprised if their bill to date was now in the hundreds of thousands. However, the portion owed by this infants parents is doable. So, now here is a soapbox message......you need health insurance! This is a very important part of being self-reliant and prepared. Imagine if these parents did not have insurance. How could they have foreseen an a premature infants arrival? This bill alone could have bankrupted them. So, be loving enough to your family to protect them. Look at your means and make the choice to be financially prepared by having health insurance. You never know when you need to rely on it.....as my adult children found out this past week.

Little, little blessings.....

2011-07-17T20:40:00.001-06:00

Our newest grandson has been a guest of the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit for the past week. He has been making several remarkable advances and hopefully he will be released in the near future.

Little miracles occur daily. Simple activities that are expected with a newborn are slowly coming to pass. It time to celebrate when he can breathe easily without the ventilator, then with only 3 liters of Oxygen to finally being able to tolerate room air. Then from having a ventilator in his mouth, to tolerating a pacifier to actually taking oral feedings. Having to wait days to hold your baby, to being able to hold his hand in the incubator and finally to hold him.....with all the cords attached to him. And now, my adult children finally will be able to dress their infant son tomorrow. There are still obstacles to overcome, but there are small tender mercies noted every few hours.

Elder Bednar gave a wonderful talk on "Tender Mercies" a few years ago. I feel that this quote certainly fits this situation:

"We should not underestimate or overlook the power of the Lord’s tender mercies. The simpleness, the sweetness, and the constancy of the tender mercies of the Lord will do much to fortify and protect us in the troubled times in which we do now and will yet live."

We are thankful for the small miracles medically, spiritually, and through the kindness of family, friends, and church members. The Lord is always mindful of us all.

"No pain that we suffer....."

2011-07-15T11:12:00.000-06:00

We have been blessed with a new little grandson this week....and he decided that he wanted to come early. His parents only could hold him briefly before he was whisked away to the NICU.

They have not yet been able to hold him, but can touch him and talk to him while he is in the Incubator. He has some issues that may cause him to be in the NICU for up to 3 weeks.

As these adult children are far from their parents, this has been a challenging situation for them. However, thanks to air travel, the Internet, digital cameras and tremendous medical technology and staff, they have been empowered and supported. The technology for this little one is very sophisticated. It is a normal environment for me as I work in the medical arena and have also worked in a NICU. But, let me tell you, it is very different when you are all of a sudden on the 'family side' of the NICU. It's a bit much for young parents, and as a grandparent, I am grateful for the expertise of the medical staff and how proactive they are.

Social media has played a remarkably important part of this early delivery. My adult children have used Facebook, Instant Messaging, Email, and their Cellphones to contact and receive messages from family and friends. The instantaneous messaging has been extremely comforting to them.

Also, new friends have also stepped up. These new parents have been in a new LDS ward for 3 weeks, yet they have seen and heard from several ward members including the Bishop and the Relief Society President. I am very grateful for this support as both my daughter and my grandson have received Priesthood blessings at the hands of priesthood holders from this new ward.

As for the future, words such as "I never thought I would have to deal with anything like this" have been uttered. However, the Lord appears to desire to bless this young family at this time. I found this wonderful quote from President Kimball:

“No pain that we suffer, no trial that we experience is wasted. It ministers to our education, to the development of such qualities as patience, faith, fortitude and humility. All that we suffer and all that we endure, especially when we endure it patiently, builds up our characters, purifies our hearts, expands our souls, and makes us more tender and charitable, more worthy to be called the children of God … and it is through sorrow and suffering, toil and tribulation, that we gain the education that we came here to acquire and which will make us more like our Father and Mother in heaven.” (As quoted by Spencer W. Kimball, in Faith Precedes the Miracle, Salt Lake City: Deseret Book Co., 1972, page 98.)

This is one important aspect of the Plan of Salvation. I look forward to loving this new member of our family, and also see the growth and development that will come to his parents and to all of us.

May the Lord bless them all.

Award winning.....

2011-07-11T22:57:00.002-06:00

I had meant to talk about this 'award' a few months ago, but sometimes 'time' and 'events' just get in the way. Too often, "food storage" foods are viewed as less in quality, taste, and variety. This just doesn't have to be the case. Here is a case in point. Our ward/congregation had a Chili cook-off. This has become quite the competition with some of our neighbors and they guard their Chili recipes quite closely and look forward to competing in this event.

I decided to enter....not because I am the best Chili-maker in the world, but because I wanted to try to make Chili with many of my food storage supplies and use one of my favorite toys.....my electronic pressure cooker.

I cooked some of my dry Kidney Beans in the Pressure Cooker. It is important to know that I have had these particular beans for several years and they were really hard. However, in the Pressure Cooker, they came out just great. I poured them into a strainer so that I could rinse the beans.

I cut up steak....and I really do mean steak. I wanted to win you know! With the this pressure cooker, you can brown the meat inside on a different setting that does not involve pressure. I browned the steak with a little Olive Oil and garlic.

I added other shelf-stable ingredients and the beans into the pot with the steak. Of course, I added seasonings (chili powder, salt, etc to my liking). I then simmered the Chili in the pressure cooker. I can, because this device has so many settings....which is a huge selling point for these devices!

What was the result? An award entitled "What is the secret ingredient?". Well, I did use some fresh items. Just before the judging, I put in some freshly chopped Cilantro and squeezed 2 limes into the mix.

If you think about many of your recipes, they do use food storage/shelf stable foods. You can, of course, combine them with fresh ingredients as well. Also, having good tools like this Cuisinart Electronic Pressure Cooker also makes using them convenient and reasonable. Just like with any hobby or interest, having the right tools makes all the difference. Why would you not infer the same logic with your Food Storage or Emergency planning?

Put on your thinking cap and try using your staples in everyday meals:)

You will never know how much it has cost my generation.....

2011-07-04T11:25:00.000-06:00

My husband and I had a little 'get-away' recently to a Bed and Breakfast in Midway Utah. The weather was beautiful and clear. As we were getting ready to leave, we noticed 'something' up on top of a hill. I actually wondered if it were something left from the Olympics..so I asked my husband to drive up there. I was not prepared for what we found. I have combined the photos that I took along with previous photos that I personally took to share with you on this 235th anniversary of our Independence.

My Sunday Dinner......so easy!

2011-07-03T13:56:00.001-06:00

Here is my Sunday Dinner complete with Barbecue Chicken Breast, Baked Beans, Potato Salad, and a Tossed Salad. We get out of church at noon....we started to eat about 12: 20. How did I do it? Look and see.

I used my Solar Oven (Tulsi Hybrid Solar Oven). It comes with it's own pans. I sprayed both pans (2 of the 4) with Vegetable Oil to make the clean up easier). I put the chicken breasts in the left one (partially thawed) and covered them with barbecue sauce from my food storage room. In the 2nd pan, I placed a pint jar of beans I had canned myself (pintos in this case).

Next, I put in some dehydrated onions, a few big squirts of ketchup, and a bit of Worcestershire sauce.

I placed them into the solar oven, closed the lids and put both side reflectors on. I then made sure it was facing the sun....and left for church.

When I came home, the temperature was between 275 degrees and 300 degrees Fahrenheit.

It appears that I did not put one of the lids on tightly, but no matter, the temperature remained the same.

Rooster Senior helped by taking out the Chicken first....

And then the beans. Theses pans were very hot....always use hot pads (and this oven even comes with one).

We placed the hot pans on hot-pot-holders on our patio table.We also had put a potato salad (made previously) and a quick tossed salad out.

The beans required a little stir to ensure all the ingredients were mixed together (lesson to self, stir before cooking). The chicken was tender and delicious. The beans were really good as well. After eating and having a really nice conversation during dinner, it was a quick trip to take the dishes to the dishwasher. Total time from oven to dishwasher, just under an hour.

What is the point of all of this? A solar oven...with constant heat...can not only cook your foods, but keep them warm at a safe temperature. These foods were not dried out and were very tender. A great deal of the food we had today was from our Food Storage....and we practiced using our Solar Oven. Finally, it was super easy to do. On a hot day like today...who wants to heat up the kitchen.

So, the take home message...food storage is not something 'icky' and difficult. It is actually convenience foods...and they are easily retrieved from your stockpile. Being prepared is about being obedient and exercising your faith. It is also about making your life a bit easier....and healthful. If you need a paradigm mind shift....pray and ask Heavenly Father to help you change your view about stocking up and being prepared. I promise, there is piece of mind when you have your food and supplies in your home. Consider it.

A Patriotic Project.....

2011-06-26T20:59:00.000-06:00

Patriotic Pillowcase!

This is a cute and easy project. I made these for my cute grandchildren (shhhh...don't tell them...they are in the mail). They are a quick way to give a hug to your children or grandchildren...and it is a very simple process! These are Pillowcases by the way!

You will need the following material: 3/4 yard of 45" fabric for the case, and 1/4 yard of your border fabric. Use a standard pillowcase as a pattern. Remember to add 1/2" seam allowance to all sewing edges. I placed the fold of the pillowcase on the fold of the fabric to make it easy.

Fold the edge piece in half lengthwise

Once your pieces are cut, fold the border in half lengthwise

Pin the border edges to the edge of your pillow case.

Sew a 5/8" seam allowance along the raw edge.

I like to finish off the edges with my Serger. You could also accomplish with an overcast stitch on your sewing machine or use pinking shears.

Pin right sides together.

Sew long the raw edges along the raw edges only.

Drop you needle and lift up the pressure foot to turn the corner. Finish the raw edges as you did previously.

Turn the pillowcase inside out. Use a pointed instrument (I am using my scissors) to poke out the corners.

Press the pillow case to flatten the seams and give a crisp clean look

As I have more than one grandchild, I used 3 different types of borders...so that everyone can have their very own.

This is a fun and simple project that gives them a little hug from Grandma & Grandpa (or Mom and Dad, etc) at night. It's easy and inexpensive to do....

Try it!

Happy Father's Day....

2011-06-19T13:12:00.002-06:00

Image courtesy of freewebs.com

Well, hopefully you are enjoying this Father's Day with loved ones far and near. We have Father's who are close by, but most are living very far away from us. Thank goodness for technology that allows us the opportunity to span the miles and keep relationships going.

I'm sure there are wonderful gifts that have been selected and given....and hopefully you are having better weather than we are having here.

So, I thought I would include something fun that Father's and Children can do together....and of course it incorporates food storage staples. My aim is to show you how these things are really mainstream....everyday items that you will always need and have creative and sometimes memory-building uses for as well.\

Incredible Edible Finger Paint
2 rounded Tablespoons of Instant ClearJel
1/4 Cup Sugar
1 packet unsweetened Kool-Aid, any flavor
3/4 Cup Water

Mix instant clear jel, sugar, and Kool-Aid. Add water and beat until smooth.This has the advantage of staying glossy even when it is dry. It will also pliable. After it is dry it will not crack or break like ordinary finger paints do The children can lick their fingers. It tastes good and will not hurt them.

Make some memories for Dad, or with Dad today. Times goes fleetingly by....

Food Storage....and Baby Announcements!

2011-06-16T18:45:00.000-06:00

So, my Daughter and Son-in-law recently wanted to use a creative way to let both sets of "soon-to-be-grandparents" know what the sex of their new baby would be. Here is how they did it. See the cake above? They used a cake mix (which is a shelf-stable food) and added dye to it to announce what they were having. Aren't you curious to know what it will be?

Well, although they attempted to make the cake blue....it looked green. Of course I had a smart-Alec remark...."Oh good....it's a Leprechaun!". I soon repented.... We are very excited to see this little one...in the next few months.

Can you see how creative you can get with shelf-stable foods?

Chef Brad.....one of my favorites!

2011-06-13T23:03:00.004-06:00

A couple of years ago, my sisters, my Mother, and I attended Education week together at BYU. I felt right at home zipping between and through buildings just like I used to many years ago. My family members blindly followed me around....they sure were trusting.....particularly since I do not have any real sense of direction.

At the time, 2 of my other sisters were the Food Storage Specialists in their wards...in different parts of the country. So, we were were careful to attend any classes that dealt with that subject.....enter Chef Brad. His class was held in the Conference Center....which is one of the buildings farthest away from the main campus. My sisters and Mom would begin walking from the Tanner building, I would scurry to the Law School parking lot and drive over and pick up my family. Why? Well, my Mom isn't 20 anymore....and we just didn't want to miss Chef Brad.

He introduced us to cooking with grains and to a wonderful device...an Electric Pressure Cooker. We were so excited about this device that my Mother bought us all one for Christmas! He also taught unique ways to incorporate grains of all types into meals. What a healthy and delicious thing to do.

Later last year, he came to Salt Lake City and one of my sisters and I went to his class. It cost $40.00, but I felt it was well worth it. He made wonderful things, gave the recipes (verbally), gave us yummy things to eat, and introduced us to a Steam Oven....which is now on my covet list.

Well, perhaps you have seen the "Fusion Grain Cooking Show" that he hosts on BYUTV. It's worth setting your DVR for. Since grains constitute a significant portion of long-term storage....don't you think it is worth learning about? Do you know any grains besides wheat, and rice? There are so many unique, but tasty grains.

To view the episodes have already been broadcasted, check out this link.

Oh, and just in case you are wondering where I got this close-up shot of him.....I asked him to pose after the SLC cooking class. He was kind enough to do that.

Here is an episode on a wonderful grain called Amaranth:

Learn more about grains.....watch Chef Brad.

Preparedness 4 deaf......

2011-06-12T14:50:00.002-06:00

Sometimes we find the task of becoming more self-sufficient and prepared a bit overwhelming. Now, imagine that you have family members who have specialized needs. How do you communicate or prepare for them? I cam across this site....preparedness4deaf. It gives instruction via verbalization, and Sign Language and it has many videos.

Someone was really thinking when they prepared this site and these videos. Kudos to them!

Here is one to view ....

Dear 16-year-old-me....

2011-06-10T04:04:00.003-06:00

I loved this video. A good friend of mine posted it on her facebook page. It moved me as it most likely will move you. However, I have a different perspective. I lived with the 'aftermath'. I have 5 darling children....who came into my life in 2 different ways. Two came the traditional way and 3 came all at once. And, just for your information, the 3 are not triplets. When I married, I had 3 little ones who became my focus and my heart. With the arrival of my last two children....my heart was filled and overflowing.

Listen to this message, or you may be listening to the sobs of a 9-year-old little girl who is crying at night for her mother....who has passed away from Melanoma. The frustration of an 11-year-old boy who is angry...at nearly everything. And the tears of a 5-year old boy who is crying because he is beginning to forget how his "Momma" looked....so you make sure that her picture is out for them all to see.

My kids have all expressed frustration about my insistence that they wear Sunscreen....and with a high SPF. I don't care about that.....but I do care that they are around to see their children grow up and enjoy the blessings of life.

When I was a teenager, these concerns were not discussed, and I remember a lot of us using baby oil to help get a quick and deep tan. Holy Cow....what an invitation to disaster! So, as you listen to the frustrated and sometimes angry comments of your children when you insist that they wear Sunscreen......suck it up. You can handle this. If you are a teenager.....suck it up and protect your future. As much as we have made some wonderful family memories together....imagine how much these oldest 3 would have appreciated making them with.....their......Mother.

The Elements.....

2011-06-10T03:40:00.000-06:00

Image courtesy of Stock Photos

Elder Melvin J. Ballard: (he wished) “to call the attention of the Latter-day Saints, and indeed if I had the power, the attention of all the world to the fact that God is speaking through the elements. The earthquakes, the sea heaving itself beyond its bounds, bringing such dire destruction as we have seen are the voice of God crying repentance to this generation, a generation that only in part has heeded the warning voice of the servants of the Lord.” (In Conference Report, Oct. 1923, p. 31.)

Have the elements got your attention yet?

Yes, it refers to repentance....but consider that we have been commanded to provide for our families as well. If you haven't chosen to, or are overwhelmed by the prospect to prepare.....take heart....you can do it. It is a process that begins with a change of heart. Make becoming more self-sufficient a matter of prayer. Once you are 'converted' to the idea of having your food storage and emergency preparedness items, you may be surprised at how many opportunities the Lord will place before you. Your perspective on how to accomplish this task will change and as you enjoy the journey, you will experience peace.

So, what are the elements telling you?

Featured on "Safely Gathered In"

2011-06-08T23:43:00.004-06:00

If all the world is a stage, then I may briefly make an entrance.....stage right! Recently, I was asked to be a guest blogger on "Safely Gathered In". I really love this blog and was very flattered that they would invite me to write a post on Gardening for them. My thanks for their kindness So, if you wish to see my suggestions on gardening.....be please go here.

As for 'real' garden pictures from my back yard, here is this summer's line-up...

I tried an experiment. I sprouted my seeds...in the peat pellets....with my 'under-the-counter' lighting (...can you see my cookie jar off to the right?). The red cubes are actually bins I purchased from a Dollar Store that I turned upside down. This was a very simple way to sprout as my extra bedroom that I used previously is occupied this year. These little stars are making an appearance soon.

Although Broccoli is a 'headliner', I really wanted to point out the PVC Pipe. It is the real star of this picture. I am a very busy person, like most of you are. There are little holes drilled into the bottom of these pipes. It is hooked up to my automatic Lawn Sprinkling System. This is great for me as I don't have to remember to water my garden, it is done automatically. It is a very cost-effective way to water your plants.

Returning for an Encore are......my onions. They have survived the winter and are ready to go. I wasn't sure they would last, but they are just fine. I may plant my onions in the fall this year to see if they come upon their own next spring.

And finally, a Perennial favorite....my strawberry plants. I love to see them begin to grow so early in the season. Don't you just love fresh Strawberries?

So, Mary....Mary......quite contrary.....how is your garden growing?

I hope you and your garden are doing well and that you are looking forward to the fresh produce that hopefully is coming your way.

Summertime Salad....anytime!

2011-06-06T01:38:00.000-06:00

Not long ago, my son left for his mission. We had a luncheon at our home after he spoke in our Ward/Church. Since it had been a very busy weekend (Wedding, reception, baby shower, family, missionary....) I decided to make things that were good, but easy. Here is one. This is a Tortellini Salad that I like to make....from my food storage items. It is really delicious!

It went to my storage room and got Olives and a bottle of Vinaigrette.

I cut up dehydrated pepper slices (that I dried a few months ago) and soaked them in hot water (total time was about 20-30 minutes)

This is a 7 ounce box of dried Tortellini. It's empty because I neglected to take the picture of if when it was full!

Cook the Tortellini according to the package directions

Strain the Tortellini in a colander.

Add sliced Olives and the re-hydrated peppers.

Place ingredients in a gallon Zip-loc bag and pour in Vinaigrette.

Place in your refrigerator for at least 2-3 hours, or overnight.

I would show you a finished product in a pretty bowl but when the company came, my helpful family members placed the salad in a bowl and served it quickly. When I thought about taking a picture...well there was really nothing left!

A variation that you could add would be sliced Pepperoni, which I also have in my food storage. This is an easy and delicious salad to make from shelf-stable foods that you can store.

Consider giving it a try!

Food Storage.....at a Wedding Reception?

2011-06-03T21:57:00.003-06:00

My Niece recently was married (sealed in the LDS Temple) to her best friend...and now husband. Her mother (my sister) did a lot of work to make this day be a very special one for her daughter. Not only is this sister very creative, but all of my sisters are. There are 4 of us, and 3 of us are very creative in many ways....and one of us (me!) is very analytical. However, through the efforts of my sisters, a patient Step-Father and his daughters...this reception was beautiful.

Some of my sisters (and nieces) put together bouquets and boutonnieres, others were cooking and decorating. I was volunteering for dish duty, ran the errands, hauled items in and out of the house, and made suggestions of how to organize and sequence how things could flow better. I also took a lot of behind-the-scenes photos and some special family photos.

I loved the food that was planned and prepared for the reception. It was delicious...and much of it could have been made from your pantry. No kidding, several were made from shelf-stable foods. Let's take a look.....

These are Cake Balls. They are very simple to make, but are delicious and make a nice presentation. Here is the recipe.....don't blink! Prepare any cake mix and cook in a 9x13 inch pan. Let cool, and then shred the cake. Take either a package of Cream Cheese or a container of prepared Frosting. Microwave to soften. Then mix the cake with the softened cream cheese or frosting. Roll into ball. Freeze the balls until they are firm...not hard. Pull out of the freezer and place sucker stick inside. Dip into dipping chocolate and adorn with the sprinkles of your choice. These are placed into little wrappers (think Reece's Peanut Butter Cup papers). These are delicious and unique. They were a crowd favorite.

This is Tortellini pasta that was cooked, placed on skewers and refrigerated. The sauce is a bottled Alfredo Sauce. People dipped and spooned away all night eating this entree.

Here it is again with Marinara Sauce....yum!

This is baked Brie cheese. Brie and Frozen Pastry sheets are easily found in most grocery stores. Here is how it was served...

I have several types of these crackers in my storage. I actually have had pastry sheets in my freezer to have on hand. The Brie can be easily purchased just prior to making this dish. By the way, there were plenty of crackers left...but the Brie disappeared fast!

Also, don't forget that you have to transport some of these things from one location to the other. Here, my sister had purchased several disposable cake plans very inexpensively. They stack nicely......

Think outside of the box......Food Storage does not have to be boring!

Its A Matter of .....Science

2011-06-03T03:39:00.001-06:00

Seriously, I would have 'tuned in' much more had my BYU professor have taught me like this! Plus....the chairs look a whole lot more comfortable than when I was in the catacombs of the Eyring Science Center....

The world needs more teachers like this!

As you awake.....

2011-05-30T06:19:00.001-06:00

Today is Memorial Day. Many co-workers and friends have plans today. I'm sure you do as well. It is my hope and prayer that you will remember the purpose of this day which is as a "day of remembrance for those who have died in our nation's service".

Image Courtesy of http://www.ibiblio.org/

I have beloved family members who have served our country in various locations. One on the shores of Iwo Jima. When asked if he saw the flag flying on Mount Suribachi, he said "no". He was busy saving lives and trying to protect his own. His service was to keep the lines of communication open and repair cables that were broken....often out in the middle of open fire.

Image Courtesy of projectwhitehourse

Another beloved family member served in in the skies over Vietnam. He is quiet and soft spoken. He is a gentle soul, a father and now a grandfather. He served during a time when military members often did not receive the respect they deserved.

Saying goodbye-leaving for Afghanistan

Most recently, we have said goodbye to a younger family member. He has been deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, and most recently to Japan. He was there during the recent Earthquake and Tsunami. He has seen young men such as himself give the ultimate sacrifice, and has sustained injuries as well. He is a soon-to-be-father.

Yes, as you awake this morning, consider that you can because of brave and devoted individuals such as these. All the shopping, parades, grilling, vacationing, etc is because of our military personnel who have chosen to serve you world-wide.

Take a moment as a family and offer your thanks and gratitude both in word and in prayer. Let the military folks and their families that you are acquainted with know that you are grateful for their service and sacrifice. Why..... because....

Freedom isn't really Free.....

Aftermath of the Joplin MO Tornado...

2011-05-29T18:09:00.000-06:00

Nature is so very powerful. I am sure these folks did not expect to have this happen to them. In this video, you will see people trying to take in the aftermath of the Tornado that had just passed through thier town. It is so important that you have your 72 hour kits or bug-out-bags as some call them ready. From looking at this footage, I am hopeful that you can see why.

Wait a bit for the reporter to speak, it will be worth it in my view.

It's a Matter of Cloches.....

2011-05-27T23:12:00.000-06:00

Many people are trying to put in their garden in between rain and snow storms around here. It really has been very difficult weather this year. As such, many folks are trying to protect their precious plants by covering them with Cloches. What are they? Well, they cover small plants and transplants from the harsh elements and thus allow you to plant earlier than you might think you need to do.

This is an experiment that I tried last year. If you know anything about the LRH is that I don't mind saving money anywhere I can. This was one of those little experiments. Above, you see on the left a Cloche that we purchased from a Nursery for about $.99. On the right...well you will see.

I felt the purchased Cloche are recognized that texture. I then tried to replicate the Cloche with things that I had on hand. Here I have 2 pots (from the Dollar Store) that are exactly the same and my roll of Freezer Paper.

I rolled out a long piece of Freezer Paper and cut it off the roll.

Next, I placed one of the pots on my counter.

Then I placed 2 sheets of the Freezer paper on top of the pot. (Be sure to place the waxed side on top of the pot). I then placed the second pot on top of the first and pressed down hard.

I trimmed the excess corners of paper with my kitchen shears. Then I took the newly formed Cloche out from between the two pots.

Because I had used 2 pieces of Freezer Paper I stapled them together to keep them secure.

Here they are side by side. Granted, the purchased one "looks" better than the one I fashioned, but the function is the true issue here. So, I planted my tomato plants and placed them under a purchased Cloche, and then the ones that I made.

Again, not lovely, but we are going for function here. My home-fashioned Cloche is on the left and the purchased one is on the right. I left these on from mid-March until early June as we had snowfall until May 24th of last year.

Here is how my tomato plant looked as it emerged from the Cloche. I thought about pulling the errant grass before filming this, but I decided that you really needed to see how it came out.

Here it is again. After I cleared away the weeds/grasses, these tomato plants grew strong and flourished. I figured that I made the Cloches for less than $.50 versus the purchased ones for $.99. I realize it is only few cents difference, but I like the fact that I could use things I already had around my home and didn't have to run out to the store. Time is sometimes the most valuable commodity for me as I don't feel that I have a lot of it. So for me, this is a good option to use.

Consider it!

Group rides out Joplin tornado inside LDS church building - ksl.com

2011-05-27T03:11:00.001-06:00

Photo courtesy of Carmen McIntyre Borup's Photos - Our Stake Center is Gone...

You may have heard of all the recent Tornado's, floods, and other natural disasters in the news. Here is a first hand account of 8 people who rode out the F5 Tornado in Joplin Mo.....while inside a Stake Center. The above photo shows tithing slips that are still in place....however the building was utterly destroyed around them. If you don't think something big and 'scary' can't impact you......think again.

Group rides out Joplin tornado inside LDS church building - ksl.com

Also, see these first-hand photos from this Stake Center. (You will need to be logged into your facebook account to see these). If you were in this position, what would you have done? Preparedness is more than just having a few buckets of wheat in the basement...it is having a skill set that allows you to make good decisions 'when the time comes'.

Provident Providers.....brings security and confidence.

2011-05-26T20:58:00.000-06:00

Enjoy this message from Elder Hales....

"All my bags are packed, I'm ready to go......"

2011-05-25T21:31:00.002-06:00

Today was the fateful day. Previously, I mentioned that Rooster Junior had been called to serve his mission in the great state of Texas. Today, he was scheduled to enter the Missionary Training Center in Provo Utah. He was so ready to go, but was a bit nervous as well. We took a lot of pictures....much to his chagrin, but I will only share a few here.

The above scene is as you drive into the Missionary Training Center. They greet you, put a colored post-it note on your windshield and then ask you to pull forward. As you drive along the road above, they direct you to a specific place to pull to the curb. As you do so, you are met by several Elder's with a "Host" tag.

The luggage is unloaded.

Hugs were given and sweet words of love and appreciation are shared.

Finally, the "Host" Elders lead your beloved missionary away from the curb and into the Missionary Training Center. You then drive away, wiping your tears along the way.

Oh, and I found the following to be a funny "Only in Utah" moment.

Here our son is loading his bags into the trunk. Take a look over his right shoulder between the trees......can you see the sign?

Here is a better view of the sign. Today, our neighbors are welcoming their missionary son home. Isn't life funny?