Survival Top 50

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....

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....

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.

1. 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.
2. 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.

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...

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.....



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!

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...

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!



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

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!

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

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?

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.

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

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.....

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:

• Sears
• Emergency Essentials
• Nitro-Pak

General Conference Breakfast.....easy with Peaches

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

(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!

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!