Providently Yours

Our little vacation

2010-07-05T12:46:00.000-07:00

We are home after a 10 trip to Idaho and Utah. We visit family and mixed in a little fun. AND we paid cash for 90% of our trip!! About 5% went on debit and one hotel night(5%) went on a credit card that will be paid off next payday. Not bad!!!

Where all did we go you ask? Okay maybe you didn't but I will tell you anyway. LOL! We traveled 11 to 12 hours over to Twin Falls. The Hubbies sister lives there. We call her house our favorite hotel. And really it is. She spoils us! We woke up to Swedish pancakes. Then packed a picnic lunch complete with homemade chocolate chip cookies and went to the City of Rocks for a day of hiking and fun. We came home to Fettuccine Alfredo with an amazing homemade sauce. The next day we woke up to scrambled eggs, orange juice, and homemade muffins. Dang she is awesome!

So we left there and moved on down to Utah. We stopped in to the Hubbies brother's house in Tremonten for lunch. Yum! Hot dogs, chips and chocolate cupcakes! After lunch we moved on to Salt Lake City. The Hubby had Shiloh points to use so we got two connecting rooms for 2 nights. NICE!!! We are talking over $600 in hotel for FREE!!! Plus the hotel and free breakfast and a pool! So breakfast was free except the tip. We had the same server both mornings. He was great!! We used no gas traveling around town due to the cool Trax system and everything is really with in walking distance. Saturday night we went over to the Gateway Mall and ate at the food court and I did a little birthday shopping for my self! (So did not save money on that) Them we went and rode the Trax back to the hotel. Off to bed. Sunday we toured Temple Square and the Church History museum (they have a whole floor for kids to play and run free). Then we hit the JB's for a wonderful lunch and a wonderful server who fixed Bubba's sunglasses. Yah she got a nice tip! Then we hit the pool! My little men might be half fish. LOL!! Monday we went to see the front of the Salt Lake Temple and see the Joseph Smith Building. The we packed up and headed south!

We headed down to Richfield and stayed the night in the Comfort Inn there. Very nice plus a pool and a free breakfast. We had to pay for these rooms but they were a great value. Tuesday morning we headed down to Cove Fort (about 45 mins away). This is home to Fort Willden as well. I am a Willden(well my grandma is)!! YUP got me some family history. It was fun.

After we had lunch we headed back up to Richfield (I was born there) for some groceries and then over the mountains to Koosherem to see the famous and well loved Grandma Bonnie. We just played and helped out for a couple days. I said a most teary good-bye on Thursday and we headed off again.

So Thursday we headed up to Manti to see the Manti Temple. It is soooo pretty. Then back up to Twin Falls. Were we were greeted by a BBQ dinner. Told you we were spoiled. Friday we went to Shoshone Falls, and the us adults went to a session at the Twin Falls temple. What an incredible place. WOW!! Such beauty. After that we took the kids to Gertie's pizza place. YUM!! We then took the kids back to see the temple. It is a both a tribute to our Heavenly Father and to the beautiful land around Twin Falls that he created.

Sadly Saturday morning found us packing up and heading on our way back to Washington and to cloudy skies. But oh to sleep in our own bed!

Cream of Chicken Soup

2010-06-03T16:23:00.001-07:00

OK so I am now hooked on making my own cream of chicken soup. Sorry Campbell soup company but this is by far superior!

Now I got this recipe from a wonderful recipe blog called Our Best Bites. Here is a direct link to Kate's recipe and how to.

I tweaked the recipe to make it more pantry accessible to me.

1 1/2 c.chicken broth (2 cubes chicken bullion and 1 1/2 cups water)
1/2 teaspoon poultry seasoning
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 teaspoon salt (more or less; taste to test)
1/4 teaspoon parsley
dash of paprika
1 1/2 cups milk, divided (I used powdered milk)
3/4 cup flour

Then I followed her directions just as they are. Except I add in chicken.

In medium-sized saucepan, bring chicken broth, seasonings, and 1/2 c. of the milk to a boil. In a bowl, whisk together the remaining 1 cup of milk and flour.

Add to boiling mixture and continue whisking briskly until mixture boils and thickens. Cook until desired consistency is reached, keeping in mind that it will continue to thicken as it stands.

Makes the equivalent of 2 cans of condensed cream of chicken soup. Read as if in the can no milk or water added.

Now I am ready to make chicken gravy over rice or pasta. I add more milk, a huge dollop of sour cream and there you go. Top with cheese and YUM!

Okay so this isn't a pretty dish BUT it is a family favorite at my house. Oh that looks like a HUGE portion, let's say it was for the Hubby!

For a low carb but still awesome flavor recipe look here.

I also now use this soup for my Green Chile Enchiladas. Look for these in an up coming post!

The best gifts ever...

2010-06-03T16:11:00.000-07:00

Ok so my friend Christy over at Thrifty and Thriving (formally known as Bargain Jargon) has a great post about presents. So off you go to read about the best gifts ever!

Apple Trees

2010-05-22T13:23:00.001-07:00

Here is the apple tree we got for our birthdays. A columnar tree grows like a column not big and bushy.

One bonus of a columnar tree is that they grow compactly to the trunk. They are great for a small property. However when ever you buy fruit trees remember that you generally need two. You must have a pollinator.

All About Apples Explore this site. It has a list of all apple varieties. You can look up a local apple nursery and so much more.

I want to make my own...

2010-05-21T08:00:00.000-07:00

On my right hand side bar you will see a list of several things I want to make my self. As you can see I have accomplished a few of them.

Click here for my DIY laundry soap. I made a second batch this week at used my immersion blender on it the next day. AWESOME! It made it all smooth just like store bought.

I made my own bread!!

I have also made my own cream of chicken soup!!

I will be posting about these in the next few days. What do you want to learn to make on your own? What have you made that did or maybe did not work out?

I still have some items on my list and I am always finding more things to try.

WOW where have I been!

2010-05-20T14:05:00.000-07:00

No where fun or out of the ordinary that is for sure. I have been sick and busy and then sick some more. Oh joy!

So here is the first of a few little updates.

THE GARDEN

My garden is having a heck of a time getting started. The Washington weather is crappy right now. We have a few days of near 70 sunny days so we plant. Then we have wind, rain, hail and freezes so everything dies. JOY!!!!

However I have 4 squares of snappy peas planted and sprouting. I have one head of lettuce growing and 3 others that will barely send up sprouts. LOL! All three of my tomatoes look good. ALL of the seeds I started indoors have died. I will try again next year. Oh and my strawberries have have blossoms. I can't wait!! Plus I bought and planted 4 more starts.

My Hubby's mom and dad bought us an apple tree for our birthday so now all we need to get is one more so it can pollinate and get them planted!

I feel like I need to go takes pictures for all of this. The weather literally has been changing by the hour this week. So frustrating!! So if we get a suuny spot vs. a hail spot I will run out!

I made a blog list LOL!!

2010-03-22T18:51:00.000-07:00

http://bsnprogram.com/2010/top-50-blogs-to-help-you-live-healthy/

I am #22. TOO COOL!!

Could you do it?

2010-03-22T06:42:00.000-07:00

Preparing - One Day at a Time

Follow our family of 10 children through a challenge to make "No trips to the grocery store for three months." What will we improvise, what are we glad we have on hand and what will we wish we had? How will we live without fresh milk?

This is an incredible blog. Crystal shows us that it can be done, but we must prepare. Follow her journey and try her recipes. I love this blog and look forward to learning more from this wonderful woman.

From seeds to starts!

2010-03-10T09:00:00.000-08:00

I started with a mini green house ( I accidentally bought the tomato one. You can get smaller ones.), my seeds, and my handy dandy SFG book. This book has all kinds of great information about when to plant and when to start seedlings.

I decided to so cucumbers, beef steak tomatoes, broccoli, and later I added celery.

The green house comes with direction. Thank Goodness!! So I followed them to "pump up" the little planter guys. I did not use the whole tray just a few. Then I planted my seeds.

Next I made a little chart of what I planted. Make sure to add the date!

On the bottom of that same paper I made a very artistic drawing of my outside garden. LOL!! I put what I planted and again made sure to add the date.

As of yet nothing I have planted outside has sprouted. I did how ever find a mystery plant in my other box.

We are pretty sure it may be a bean from last year sad 3 beans from 6 bushes crop. I wish it better luck this year!

Here is my mini green house crop! So stinking cute!!!

Look at those skinny little broccoli plants and those cucumbers.

See those tiny little white flecks in the ones towards the front? Those are my 'mater plants. YEAH!!

No sign of the celery yet....

DIY Laundry Soap

2010-03-09T12:30:00.000-08:00

I finally did it. I had all the stuff and so I made myself do it. I thought it would be really time consuming, but not so.

You will need:

1 five gallon bucket with lid

1 bar of Ivory, Fels Naptha or Zote soap

1 cup Borax

1 cup washing soda

Other tools:

old cheese grater only to be used for soap

a long spoon or paint stirer

sauce pan (comes clean)

First you will grate your bar of soap into your sauce pan.

Then you will fill the sauce pan with water. Heat to a light boil and stir constantly as the soap dissolves. ***DO NOT LEAVE UNATTENDED*** It can boil over quick. Or so I am told I never left it. When the soap is dissolved set aside.

Fill your bucket with 4 1/2 gallons of HOT tap water. As hot as you can get it. Add you soap soup, your borax and washing soda. Stir until well mixed.

Leave to cool for 24 hours. I finished making mine at about 8:30 PM and it was ready to go around 10 am the next day. I know that is not 24 hours but I needed clean cloths. :) It is supposed to look like this when it is done.

Then I stirred it up well and added it to my left over laundry soap bottle. Leave room to shake it up before you use it. You will need to shake it up before each use as it gells up.

I use 2 to 3 cap fulls for each extra large load I run. This come out to 1 to 1 1/2 cups.

You probably want to know cost, huh? Well I would say probably about $7 to start, with the average 5 gallon bucket full maybe costing $2 to make. Heck I pay around $2.99 for that little bottle of all and that last only two weeks.

50 pounds of Ground Beef

2010-03-08T20:08:00.000-08:00

Our ward cooperates with a a co-op that allows us to get some killer deals on bulk purchases through out the year. Our first bulk buy this year was ground beef. 7% fat, no hormones, fresh, YUMMY ground beef for $2.30 a pound! I bought 50 pounds!!! I figure this may last our family of 6 for 3 months. You may think , "What the heck do you do with 50 pounds of ground beef?" Well lucky for you I like to take pictures. LOL!

This is what I started with. Ten 5 pound bags.

This is what I ended with!

Ten pounds were made in to meatloaf mixes (on the right).

Five pounds were made into meatballs. (bottom shelf)

The rest was split between raw (on the left) and pre-cooked (middle).

These are great for quick dinners. Pop in the micro wave for a defrost then cook on HI for about 2 mins. pour into what ever you are making. So fast and easy.

I love my food saver!

***Now I don NOT consider my freezer food storage. It is highly perishable in a power outage or natural disaster. I do not can meat at this time because: 1 I do not know how. and 2 Hubby is not so fond of it. We do store tuna and commercially canned chicken though.***

Look what I found in my garden!!

2010-02-24T21:14:00.001-08:00

Okay so we had a few gorgeous days. I finally had the time to clean out my garden beds. In pulling all the weeds I found this little beauty! A carrot. LOL! I had to run grab my camera to share with you.

SO...I am planning on starting some planting this weekend. I am going to plant peas, carrots and lettuce. Yes you can be sure pictures will be posted. I just can't help myself.

Get out there and start those gardens or if you are still snowed in start planning. Let me know what your doing!

As an FYI...

2010-02-18T09:10:00.000-08:00

I am swamped with life! Aren't we all? So I am just going to post when I can and do my best. I am doing away with the daily themes and will just post what I am working on or what I am inspired to post about.

Thrifty Thurday

2010-01-28T08:00:00.000-08:00

Just a few quick ideas today.

Before you leave to go out be it shopping or to a friends, check your accounts. Know what money is available. Make a goal not to spend more than you need to.

Think before you leave. Grab a snack for the kids, a soda from the fridge, do you have everything you need. Challenge yourself to stop spending money on silly little things that you already have, and to really think before you buy.

Always have a shopping list. Stick too it. Eat before you go grocery shopping.

Got some tricks of your own, or heaven forbid a problem with one of mine, let me know! ;)

WhatEver Wednesday

2010-01-27T20:35:00.000-08:00

Goals Update

See my goals

So I have been working out 5 days a week for an hour plus. I have lost a little over four pounds and one inch off my waist. GO ME!!

I filed our taxes last night. We will be paying off our Tahoe in February, paying off Lowe's while it is still interest free, and putting a hefty amount into our emergency fund.

We will also be doing some major food storage shopping as well with tax money.

I have made some progress on my spiritual side but not as much as I would like. So I will try to get more focus on that this coming month.

How are your goals doing? Keep at it! :)

Tasty Tuesday

2010-01-26T08:00:00.000-08:00

Let's Spice it UP!

Okay so I was planning on do a spicy post myself, however I found one that is perfect on on of my favorite sites. So it's off to another blog for you today!

Go check out Our Best Bites. Here is their post on Spices.

Also have you checked out your spice cupboard lately? I know that mine needed a clean out, and a massive restock. Remember to date new products when you open them. It is a great way to calculate your years supply of an item. And yes you will want spices!

Sunday

2010-01-24T14:34:00.000-08:00

"Luck is when an opportunity comes along and you're prepared for it"

Denzel Washington

Here is wishing you luck!

Whatever Wednesday

2010-01-20T09:09:00.000-08:00

*During the gardening season I use Wednesday to post updates and ideas and as that season is soon approaching I will again be doing this.*

Garden Planning. YES it is this time again.

Jennifer this post is for you!!!

Spring will be here soon. I hope! This rain is driving me crazy!! So in light (hopefully SUNlight) of that we had better get our gardens planned.

But how you ask? Well for that I will direct you to a nice one stop spot for your general gardening information needs. Be sure to check out the gardening links!!

Want more information? Just look to your left on the sidebar. find the Gardening section and go to town.

You can also take a peek at my past gardening post. Lots of good info. and pictures too! Ignore the first post unless you want to make something using white bean flour. LOL!

Tasty Tuesday

2010-01-19T08:10:00.000-08:00

Cook Books

If you are like me you collect recipes from every source. Magazines, newspapers, hand written scraps from your friends house, Internet print out, and everywhere else. LOL!

Well here is my solution: Make your own cook book.

First you will need a few things. I had most of these around my house when I made mine.

A 3-ring binder - 3" would be great and a clear pocket on the front is handy too.

Page protectors - easy to keep clean!

Left over craft paper and stickers if you want

computer paper

I made a cover for mine to match my kitchen color and added a little title.

Then I made dividers labeling the section. Hints and tips, breakfast, breads, soups and salads, main dishes, kids favorites, pasta, cookies, deserts, and cake decorating ideas.

Next start adding you recipes. I have a mix of magazine cut outs ( I LOVE pictures.),

printed out pages,

and hand written. Some of the are on odd ball scraps so I just glue them to a piece of paper first.

A couple of hints here.

If you are printing from a blog: cut and paste to word or whatever program you use. Also include the name of the blog/site you printed from. This makes for easy referencing if you need help or more information about that recipe.

When dealing with hand written recipes, be sure to write who you got the recipe from or what book you copied from.

Also a binder with an inside pocket is nice. Sometimes you want to try a recipe before you add it or you simply don't have time to add it yet.

Are you lucky enough to have a spot to stand this baby up? Make sure to label the spine.

These make great gifts. I made one for my sister one year. It had red and white checked paper and I found some cute little ant stickers. Very Cute!! You can make it so individualized it's insane!!

Remember to think about Christmas, mother's Day, and birthdays. You could even make a smaller Blank Family Recipes Favorites. Make one for each sibling ! Or you could make one for a missionary, collage student, or newly weds.

Sunday

2010-01-17T08:00:00.000-08:00

If you have paid your debts, if you have a reserve, even though it be small, then should storms howl about your head, you will have shelter for your wives and children and peace in your hearts."

President Gordon B. Hinckley

Food Storage Friday

2010-01-15T08:00:00.000-08:00

Every Thing Under the Sun

Please take look at this one page blog. Click here NOW!!

Are you still reading this??? Go NOW!!!

Great simple, easy to read and easy to follow blog.

This gal is amazing!

I think I may come up with a prize for those that go read it. So just in case GO READ IT!!!!!! And be sure comment back here if you do!

Now to figure out a prize.........;)

Money Monday

2010-01-11T08:00:00.000-08:00

Christmas Cash ( Thank Sharron for putting this in my head.)

I know we just got done with that holiday, however there are less than 365 until it is here agian. So...we must plan ahead. A few ideas to help you do so are:

Make a per person budget. List all those you buy for. Include Giving Trees, church Christmas events and other such carities you participate in. Divide it out by month or by paycheck and start saving that cash now.

Make a gift wish list. For example my one and only princess wants an American Girl doll. Oh joy to my budget. LOL!! So we will see, those things are quite spendy, but my kids only get stocking from Santa and one awsome gift from Mom and Dad (this year we got a Wii plus a game per person and one family game).
So knowing this is what Girlie wants I can now keeps my eyes and ears open for any cool deals on these ouch spendy dolls. Plus I can look at sales, clerance items, internet deals through out the year for all of those on my gift list.

Work towards a goal. I mean literally work. My family works at our local fair every year for our house hold that equals Christmas cash and ride money. What can you do to earn that gift money during the year?

Gift swap. What do you make that you can swap with a friend for something they make? I have a cousin-in-law who makes beaded jewlery. Anouther is a scrap book wiz. I like to make sewing crafts. We haven't done a swap as of yet but maybe one day we would. It is an idea. Think about it.

DIY. Make it a home made Christmas. Now don't fool yourself this takes planning. Both time and money. It can be very rewarding though. It is also great it you have a great stash of craft supplies, fabric, canning jars and wood. A great stash of leftovers from other projects can save tons of cash.

Well those are my ideas. Do you have any you want to share?

Food Storage Friday

2010-01-08T12:47:00.000-08:00

Here is a giveaway! Not from me, sorry.

Emergency Essentials is having a great dairy giveaway.

Here is the link to thier preparedness blog.

Good luck and enjoy. Be sure to post here if you win!

New Years Resolutions

2010-01-06T22:40:00.000-08:00

rowan said...
Tel us if you have any new years resolutions. Go on - try something outrageous

Okay well hum (these are not in order of importance)....

Lose wieght. We got a Wii as our Christmas present this year and my game was the Wii fit plus. LOVE IT!! I plan to work out an hour a day, 4-5 days a week. Plus when the weather is nice I plan to walk to pick up the two older kids from school. My little boys will love it and will get some more exercise. This is the year I lose the baby wieght!!
Focus more on spiritual things. Prayer, family home evening, scripture reading, and my calling. I know my life is so much better when I take advatage of these blessings.
Kick some MAJOR debt butt !!! We will pay of our Tahoe this year thus freeing up some major cash to throw into savings and onto other debts. Plus we get paid weekly this gives us 4-5 "extra" paychecks a year. Onto debt they go!!
Visit my Grandma. This will hamper our debt goal alitlle but it has been 3+ years since I have seen her and we miss her dearly.
Get my 3 month supply up to snuff (again), add to my basic year supply, and finally fill my 50 gal water barrel(that we have had 4 years grrr).

Well I am sure there are more to come as the year progresses. Those are just the ones that come to me right now.

Looking into the new year

2009-12-17T16:40:00.000-08:00

I know I jumping the gun alittle (okay alot) but I am just at a dead end. I am fresh out of ideas and motivation. So......give me some ideas. What do you want to learn about? What peaks your interest? What have you had enough of? Help me help you! LOL!

Tasty Tuesday

2009-12-08T08:00:00.000-08:00

The Great Plate O Cookies

We all get them every year. Some of us make them too. It's always the plan for me but not always what happens. However this year I plan I making them with one of my favotite friends so we will have fun.

On the cookie menue (so far)are:

Molasses cookies (Hubby's Grandma's recipe)

Peanut butter blossom cookies (kiss cookies)

Brownies with Hershey's creamy brownie frosting( recipe to come) topped wth Ande's candy bites

A variety of Spritz cookies. These look fun.

What are some of your favorites to make and to get? Got a link or awesome recipr to share?

Happy cookie making!

Money Monday

2009-12-07T12:54:00.000-08:00

Giving Tree

In light of last weeks post about how we asked Santa to give more to those who need it and less to us who do not I felt as the main elf in our house I had better live up to that. So I visited our schools giving tree and picked a couple tags off. We are very blessed with all that we have and we feel it is important to give to those that really need it. We missed the cut off for our church's toy drive so school is the next best place.

I will be taking the kids with me to pick out the toys. I want them to understand and to feel the joy of giving as well.

Tasty Tuesday

2009-12-01T16:16:00.000-08:00

Freezer Meals

(No, this is not my freezer. I wish. It is just an image of the Internet.)

Over at Life as Mom Fishmama is posting about her freezer cooking day for the month. She has recipes, short cuts ,and hilarious updates on her cooking day. To see more of her posts on freezer cooking go here.

If you want a chance to win a book on freezer cooking go check out The Bargain Jargon. Christy is having a give away. The book is Fix, Freeze, Feast: Prepare in Bulk and Enjoy by the Serving by Kati Neville and Lindsay Tkacsik.

As for me I am hoping to make some yummy potato soup and freeze it. I know BIG huh? LOL!

What do you like to make ahead and freeze? What works for you and what didn't work out so well?

Money Monday

2009-11-30T08:00:00.000-08:00

Kid Speak

What I have talked about this far about what to expect under our tree Christmas morning.

Money is tighter this year for us. We are trying to get out off debt and be better prepared for what ever may come. As a result our Christmas gift budget is much smaller and *GASP* all cash.

So for this year (and those to come) I told my kids that Santa has been asked to only bring stalkings. I explained to them that we have been very blessed to have all of the wonderful things we do have. I told them that Santa would then be able to give more to those kids who really needed it. They agreed.

We are getting a pretty cool family present but that will be it. They will be happy enough I am sure.

As for presents between my kids...i think we will go for some semi-homemade gifts. My kids LOVE to be crafty so this will turn out great. I will post when we start working on them.

Money Monday

2009-11-23T21:06:00.000-08:00

NO!!!

No, we are not going out to dinner.

No, you do not need more Lego's.

No, you are not having whoppers when we leave the store.

No, you do not need that really cute pair of red peep toe heels with the bow. NO! :)

"...when we were newly married and had very little money. I was in the air force, and we had missed Christmas together. I was on assignment overseas. When I got home, I saw a beautiful dress in a store window and suggested to my wife that if she liked it, we would buy it. Mary went into the dressing room of the store. After a moment the salesclerk came out, brushed by me, and returned the dress to its place in the store window. As we left the store, I asked, “What happened?” She replied, “It was a beautiful dress, but we can’t afford it!” Those words went straight to my heart. I have learned that the three most loving words are “I love you,” and the four most caring words for those we love are “We can’t afford it.”"

Becoming Provident Providers Temporally and Spiritually May '09 Ensign
Elder Robert D. Hales Of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles

Food Storage Friday

2009-11-20T10:19:00.000-08:00

#10 Cans

Okay you now have or want to get some food storage in #10 cans, but where in the world are you going to put it?!?!

Remember this stuff need to be kept in a moderate temperature and and a dry place. I have stored mine in Girlies closet.

After a trip to the cannery we had WAY to much to put there so I had to branch out. We now store our #10 cans under our bed. We formally had our bed on the floor so now I have a nice high bed and a place to store my cans.

We basically made two big capital E's back to back with most of the boxes so it would support our bed. Then I put my loose cans in. Dried fruit in one spot. TVP in another. Then veggies and eggs& butter.

When the bed skirt is on you don't even know it is there.

What a gratifying thing it is to see cans of wheat and rice and beans under the beds or in the pantries of women who have taken welfare responsibility into their own hands. President Hinkley link

Check out some of these other ideas over at The Preparedness Pantry.

Have a creative way to store your food storage. Please share!!

Thrifty Thursday

2009-11-19T08:34:00.000-08:00

With just a coat of paint.....

What to do with that end table the kids carved their name into? Or an old hutch in drab brown stain? Well add a coat of paint (you may have to do miner sanding first).

Here are a few wonderful examples.

Over at You paid more than me you can see a very awesome hutch that was just painted for a hip new look. Try to just look at the hutches. The rest of her site is so fabulous you will not tend to be to awful thrifty after looking at it. LOL!!!

Check out these cute night stands. A Goodwill find gone well over at jcaroline'sblog.

If you do not currently own any piece you want to redo and are in the mind to shop for some here is a great article on what to be looking for. Also remember Criags List is a great place to look just don't forget to haggle a little.

Bean Update

2009-11-18T20:22:00.000-08:00

Some more recipie sites for various bean flours.

Bob's Red Mill Black Bean flour This site also sales various flours soooo I figure i can trust them to really be bean flour recipies. LOL!! Got to the bottom of this page for several more recipies using different bean flours.

Okay there is all I got for you on beans for a while. LOL!!

Tasty Tuesday

2009-11-17T14:55:00.000-08:00

Bean Flours

This one is for you Jennifer!

Okay I found some GREAT basic information on bean flour at Emergency Essentials.

How to Use Bean Flour in Cooking

taken directly from this site

White beans or fava beans have a milder taste, making white bean flour or fava bean flour suitable for use in most recipes calling for white flour. Substitute 1/4 of the white flour for bean flour.

Bean flour made from kidney, pinto, garbanzo, chana dal or black beans has a stronger flavor and is more suitable for inclusion in meat loaf or when making vegetable patties or vegetarian loaves.

Bean flour can be whisked into soups and stews, adding flavor and goodness. Bean flour can also be used to thicken these dishes.

The Gluten Free Cooking School site had a great post about ways to use bean flours.

I found these tips interesting:

Black Bean Flour: Use as part of your baking mix for chocolate cakes and brownies; try adding a small amount to bread recipes to get that dark whole-wheat look; the Bob’s Red Mill site has recipes for a black bean dip and black bean tortillas

Green Pea Flour: Add reconstituted green pea flour to guacamole to lower the fat content and add extra nutrients; use as part of your baking mix for chocolate cakes and brownies; use to thicken soups and stews.

I know green peas are NOT beans but are in the legume category so......I tend to lump them together.

RECIPES!!!

Big Oven has around 1600 bean flour recipes here. EDIT!!! Iwent to check out several of these recipies and yes some have beans in them and some have flour but I did NOT find a bean flour recipe. GRRRRRR!!!!!

101 Cookbooks had Amazing Black Bean Brownies. They look incredible. YUM!!!!! (Jen I think you hubby could go for those!)

If you do a bean flour recipe search you will also find MANY gluten free sites. Let me tell you they are incredible. I never knew the things you could make with out regular white flour.

Happy Bean Eating!!

Tasty Tuesday

2009-11-10T16:58:00.000-08:00

My awesome Mom in law gave me a great gift. She gave me a book on using my food storage.

The first recipie I tried was the Cream of chicken soup. This was easy and tasted just like CAmpell soups. Texture was alittle thinner but my family loved it. The secret ingrediant.....WHITE BEAN FLOUR! recipe found on page 86 of the book

So here is how you do it.

First get some white beans and run them through your wheat grinder.

Then gather up your supplies:
1 3/4 cups water 5 tablespoons white bean flour
4 teaspoons chicken bullion or base (Iused 4 cubes) 1/2 cup chopped chicken

Bring water and bullion to a boil in a small suace pan. Stir in bean flour and beat untill smooth and thickened. Reduce heat and cook 2 minutes more.

Remove from heat. Pour mixture into blender. blend on high 2 minutes. If desired, add chopped chicken pieces. Use as a substitute for canned cream of chicken soup. Maybe stored in refrigerator up to one week.

We had our with chicken over rice topped with shredded chesse. YUM!! My kids cleaned their plates!

Reviews (taken from Amazon.com)
. . . I was very pleasantly surprised at all the different resources that Cooking with Food Storage Made Easy has. I mean, it is just about everything, not just recipies. I remember seeing something in there about gardening, and storing guidelines, what you should have in your food storage, when to plant different foods in your garden. Wow awesome, is all I can say.

--Retail customer Cooking with Food Storage, by Debbie G. Harman ... is an excellent source for recipes using ingredients from a basic food storage system, such as evaporated and powdered milk, dried onions and potato flakes. Harman suggests using food storage in everyday cooking, not only to keep stored foods fresh, but also to become familiar with how to use them. ... Included in Harman s book are gardening suggestions and recipes for preserving fresh food. --Daily Universe Newspaper

This would make a great Christmas gift!!!

Survival Saturday

2009-10-31T09:00:00.000-07:00

Another blog rave

This one evn talks about guns!! Can't wait to show the Hubby!!

This one is called Utah Preppers. Link here. They have links for several other "prepper" sites around the US. Go take a peak and let my know what you think.

A few post I can't wait to take a deeper look at are:

72-kits/evecuation kits

DIY sanitation AKA killing germs

Well tell me what you think. And remeber these people are hard core!!! LOL!!

Food Storage Friday

2009-10-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

5 Easy Steps to using your Food Storage

1.Figure out what is in your food storage.

Do you have a lot of powdered milk, wheat, rice, beans?

2.Write down a list of the meals that your Family typically eats.

Be sure to include baked good, breakfast and dinner.

3.Look for the ones that you can make simple adjustments to.

Recipes that call for milk are easy to substitute powdered milk to. Taste the same. I keep a container of reconstituted milk in my fridge for cooking purposes.

Do you bake? Try using some whole wheat flour for SOME of the white flour. Pancakes, waffles and cookies are great places to start.

Add rice to your soups, casseroles, and burritos.

4. Start conservative

You have to start out with small amounts of things like wheat. Converting over whole heartedly WILL cause major stomach problems. Take it slow.

Also look at only changing one or two recipes so you do not get overwhelmed. Next week add another and so on.

5.Look for new recipes that use more food storage items.

When looking for new recipes look for ones that have more food storage friendly ingredient lists.

Here are some GREAT food storage recipe sites:

http://safelygatheredin.blogspot.com/

extension.usu.edu

http://www.hillbillyhousewife.com/category/recipes

http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/recipes/

Thirfty Thursday

2009-10-08T16:19:00.001-07:00

I must send you off to another blog today! I read an AWESOME guest post over at The Bargain Jargon today. While you are there look around. Christy is a bargain guru!!

NEVER judge a book by its cover. Same goes for thrift stores!

Go check out this post!

Whatever Wednesday

2009-10-07T11:00:00.000-07:00

Back into the swing of things.

Well school is in full swing, fair is over, summer produce is done so I now have time to breath...and blog!

Post to watch for:

Where to store those #10 cans!

5 ways to use your food storage and save on groceries.

Quick school morning breakfast ideas.

Decorating for the holidays on a budget.

Survival Saturday

2009-09-19T09:00:00.000-07:00

Important Papers!!!

Do you know where your (insert document name here) is? Would you know in an emergency (fire, flood, evacuation)?

So here is were I post a wonderful post about survival all from my own thoughts. LOL!! That is so not going to happen this week. Again I will be sending you off on a blog trip. Ready Set Plan has a great post about documents you NEED to read.

Go Here

Crystal just spells it out in simple,direct, and easy enough for busy moms to do fashion.

Also if you really want to get into this like nobodies business or want more in depth advice check out Trent over at the Simple Dollar. I read this post a while ago and thought it was of great worth but to scary for me. He is a fantastic writer.

Be sure to look around Trent's blog as well as Crystal's they both offer so much valuable information.

Thrifty Thursday

2009-09-17T08:00:00.000-07:00

Think Thrifty

Thrift Stores that is!

My friend Daphne is the queen of second hand store shopping. Goodwill is like her second home. She can find the most awesome finds. Not only the cutest dresses for her girls but every thing from hoodies to dressers. She also knows how to rock it on Craig's list. I often (think at least weekly) find myself ogling her finds.

How does she do it? I ask her this all the time. She goes often. She knows when the racks will be stocked. She is friendly with the workers. She asks questions. She also has their return policy down pat.

Recently Elizabeth and I needed some jeans. So off to Goodwill we went. I got both of us killer dark washed jeans that looked brand new and fit perfectly for $3.99 a pair. NOT BAD!! Not to mention they were name brand not walmart brand.

Parade Magazine (Sunday paper) had a article the Secrets of Secondhand Shopping. A good quick read to get the inside scoop.

Whatever Wednesday

2009-09-16T13:40:00.000-07:00

This blog is about Provident Living, and as you know there is more to PL than food storage and money. So Wednesdays are kind of like mental health days for me. I can brag about my newest PL conquest or vent about my struggles.

This week my struggles are longer than my conquests! Sad but true. I strive, eternally, to figure out and stick with a budget. This is the largest thorn in my side. We don't just throw money around but I am weak and have a hard time saying no to picking up dinner, or throwing the budget out the window for sales. GRRR!! One day it will all click but for now I continue the struggle. Any advice? Seriously people I could use it.

As far as conquest........I finally got the laundry folded and the kitchen counters clean. OH PL conquest........sadly nothing to report this week. Boo-Hoo!!

Tasty Tuesday

2009-09-15T08:00:00.000-07:00

School Lunches Part 2:

Convenience food are easy but costly.

Take fruit cups. You know those presealed little cups of fruit chunks. On average the are $2.50 for a 4 pack. Well make your own and save come cash. Plus my kids can never open those store bought ones with out a mess. LOL!! The American Homemaker did a great post about making her own fruit cups here.

I put mine in cups just like this. Mine are green though.

Make your own lunchables. My kids LOVE to stack their own mini sandwiches. I cut my meat into little circles using an old spice jar top. Mini cookie cutters would be fun too.

What are some of your frugal but tasty lunch ideas?

Money Monday

2009-09-14T12:10:00.000-07:00

Credit Card Emergencies

We all claim our credit cards are just for emergencies. Yeah right! Dinner out is not an emergency. Awesome pair of boots...nope not an emergency. Ummm must have toy for the kiddos? Still not an emergency.

Emergency

e⋅mer⋅gen⋅cy
–noun 1.a sudden, urgent, usually unexpected occurrence or occasion requiring immediate action.
2.a state, esp. of need for help or relief, created by some unexpected event: a weather emergency; a financial emergency.

No were in there does it say a sale a Macy's. LOL!!

Emergency to me means blood and gore, massive flooding, or stranded on the side of the road.

Consider having an emergency fund in place so you do not even have to consider your credit cards.

Money Monday

2009-09-07T20:42:00.000-07:00

Just a quick suggestion

Go get your wallet or purse right now. Hurry up...go get it....got it? Okay now open it up and take out all your credit cards. Done? Now get that "spare one" you hide in the back out. Done? Double check......Okay now close up your wallet or purse. Take a deep breath...STOP do NOT put any of those cards back in there. Yes that does mean the one for Sears too.

Carrying around a credit card makes it a whole lot harder to keep your spending in check. If you don't have the money don't spend it. Credit cards themselves are not evil but the should be used with cation and planning.

Get a small safe box to store them in or hey put them on ice (as in freeze them). Many credit cards offer nice sounding little perks. Often these perks do not compensate for that cards fees and interest rate. BE CAREFUL!!!

Survival Saturday

2009-09-05T09:27:00.000-07:00

Blog Spotlight

Ready Set Plan

You want to be prepared. You want the simple easy way to get there. You like a site with out too much fluff. You know one a mom can read while handing out crackers, nursing a baby and chatting on the phone (yes ALL at once....you know you do it.....I am NOT the only one.... right?) Here is a super, wonderful blog for you!!!

Crystal (AKA the girl with a plan) over at readysetplan is just the gal we have been waiting for! Go check her out! And leave a comment. They make a girl feel so very good!

Food storage Friday

2009-09-04T09:41:00.000-07:00

The Sweet Stuff

Candy for some is a vital part of food storage. it is suggested we put gum and hard candy in our 72 hour kits. Sweets are a comfort food. Here in the next month or so store shelves will be buckling under the weight of sweet treats and candy coated chocolates. Keep you eye out for sales and clearance on your favorite treats and add then to your food storage.

Cake, brownie and cookie mixes are also great to have on hand. Nothing makes my hubby feel better than a brownie! For us this is a quick date night treat as well. I usually combine my coupons with sales to get mixes from $.50 to $.75 a box. Sometimes even better.

Popcorn is also another treat that is a must have in our house. We love movie nights for one, and I can eat popcorn for snack every night and be a very happy woman. Popcorn is also good for upset tummies. My kids totally prefer it over saltines. Air popped, microwaved, or even those nifty jiffy popper ones, it doesn't matter pop corn is a must!

Tasty Tuesday

2009-08-25T17:31:00.000-07:00

School Lunches

I do not buy school lunches. At our school they are about $2.75 and with two kiddos eating 5 lunches a week that is about $27.50 a week. OUCH!! So I thought I would find some ways to spice up their lunch boxes this year.

Banana Sushi

The Kraft foods website also has a lunchbox sulutions spot. It even has a section on lunch box jokes!

I think this looks fun too.

Remember presentation is very important to some kids.

Mom's Lunchbox Cheat Sheet

( from the Kraft site!!)

Place a frozen juice box in your kids’ lunchbox. – it’ll keep the food chilled and will be thawed by lunchtime.

Go for variety. Make sandwiches using whole grain tortillas, bagels or pitas.

Pack antibacterial wet wipes so your kids can clean their hands before and after eating.

Add grated veggies to sandwiches and wraps for crunch – your kids won’t notice they’re eating something that’s good for them!

Use small resealable bags to pack dressings. Kids can open one corner and simply squeeze onto salad, then discard.

Get dipping! Pack salsa, hummus, yogurt or salad dressing for your little ones to dunk their sandwich, veggies or fruit into.

Make bite-sized and mini versions of regular foods like sandwiches. They work well for small appetites and are more likely to be eaten.

Add a quick note to say good luck on a test or “I love you” – it will brighten your child’s day.

Water Storage Myth and Fact

2009-08-21T09:00:00.000-07:00

For the real water storage low down I must refer you to another blog. I can not compete with the entry here.

Not Just For Storing is a great blog ran by an incredible gal in Arizona ( my homeland LOL!!) ENJOY!! And get you some water storage!!

Sunday

2009-08-16T18:21:00.000-07:00

Family.

We all have one. It may not be the cookie cutter family we think everyone else has but it is there. Family is a bond unlike any other. No matter what, we are bound to each other. If we live worthily we have the awesome opportunity of becoming an eternal family. You can move, quit talking, even pass on and yet you are still family.

Friends come and go. Some build relationships that are just as strong as those of family. We live in neighborhoods and attend church. Those bonds form another family. One in which we serve and love each other. We rejoice and morn together. In this day and age many of us do not live as close to our natural families and these bonds help fill in those gaps. Some of us do not come from close and supportive families so in some ways our church families help to fill those needs as well.

In reality we really are one huge family. Sure there will always be an Uncle Ed every one thinks is a little off or that crazy Grandma Sally who has to pinch our cheeks, and there will always be that favorite cousin you can tell anything too. They may not look like the ones you grew up with, but they are there. Best friends become sisters, and golf partners feel more like bothers. A visiting teacher can be the “mom” you are missing. A bishop can easily become that wise “dad” we all need.

Look around you and see what is there. Sometimes I look around at my friends; some are old enough to be my parents other barely reach my knees! They all fill in those little spots that are missing in my life. I see mothers, fathers, brothers, sisters, and nieces, and nephews. I see a family. The faces may not be the same color, they eyes are not the ones I see in my mirror. I do however see hearts that rejoice in the gospel with me. I hear voices that sing the same songs of praise. I see hands that serve along with mine. I see a family.

Tasty Tuesday

2009-08-11T11:04:00.000-07:00

Canning Beans

Last week I learned a new skill! Go Me!! I learned how to can green beans. My mother in law came over and taught me the ways of canning.

We started with about 11 pounds of fresh beans.

We spent a good while snapping the ends off.

Then I had to put them in the jars, add hot water, a little salt, and then lid them. They cooked in a pressure cooker for 20 mins. and then cooled.

Here is the final product !! I have mixed feelings about eating them. On one hand I can't wait on the other they look so pretty and I don't want to ruin them. LOL!!!

Oh and we tried a new way so yummy melon this past week as well. It is called a yellow doll. It taste like a popsicle.
It has a few seeds but they are all in the center and super easy to scoop out. My kids went gaga over this melon it was just so dang good!! If you get a chance be sure to try one.

Money Monday

2009-08-10T09:26:00.000-07:00

Cash Only Please

Last week we spontaneously went "cash only". We withdrew the amount of money we had to spend and used cash all week. It was fun to pay with cash. Remember how you felt when you were a kid and you got to buy your own stuff? The joy of being "grown up". LOL!! It was fun. We stuck to it and even had money left over!!!!

We did not do the envelope system but we might try that next after we get used to this whole cash thing.

Honeyville Grain SALE!!

2009-08-07T00:59:00.000-07:00

SUMMARY: Honeyville is celebrating 58 Years in business! 10% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER* from Thursday, August 6, 2009 thru Tuesday, August 11, 2009 at 6:00PM PST. Simply enter the coupon code HONEY58 during checkout. Act now! Take a look at the WHAT'S NEW category for all of the great new items that we're rolling out including Freeze Dried Broccoli, Dehydrated Green Onions, and Old Fashioned Lemonade in the Long Term Storage Can. http://store.honeyvillegrain.com

P.S. The price of Milk and Egg products, including our Powdered Whole Eggs, is at a historically low level. Take advantage of these low prices, paired with the coupon code to really cash in on the savings.

Thrifty Thursday

2009-08-06T09:00:00.001-07:00

Job Swaps

A great way to save cash and still get the job done is a job swap.
We had some trees that needed to come down, plus some libming up to get done. We have a friend who used to do that for a living (still does as a side job) that needed a room in his shop built. So we help him do our trees and Hubby helped him build the room in his shop.

A friend of mine teaches music lessons from her home. This said friend HATES to clean bathrooms. She had a student who was low on funds. Guess what they did? Yup. Said friend gets clean bathrooms and student gets misic lessons.

What a great way to share our talents and save our cash!!

This can work great with babysitting as well. :)

Canning Instrustions.......

2009-08-05T19:06:00.000-07:00

How to Make Homemade Canned Peaches, Plums, Pears, Plums, Nectarines and Cherries

Here is a great how to complete with photos and detailed instructions.

I think I will be using this when I do pears this fall.

Link

Sara over at Learning the Frugal Life gets the credit with finding these great instrution. Go check out her peaches. They look awesome!

Wednesday

2009-08-05T09:00:00.000-07:00

UPDATES!!!

First here are a few pictures of the goodies we have harvested from our little garden. The heat wave has been causing sadness on everything but the tomatoes so I hope to gave a great harvest photo of them one day!!

I knoe these carrots look small. They are fingerling carrots. They are so crisp and perfect!

My kids think this is the coolest way to eat carrots! So rustic and bugs bunny-ish.

These babies never make it into the house. I can usually pick a handful for the Hubby's lunch every other day or so. Then my father in law likes to eat them too!! I can't walk by with out picky one or two, or five. LOL!!

I can now cross making jam off my want to do list. I made Jam for the very first time with my mother in law back in mid-July. I will be making atleast double that amount next year. Yummy!!

See that little one in front? The Hubby finished that off over a weekend! This is not going to last as long as I had hoped. LOL!!

Tasty Tuesday

2009-08-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

Great recipe site to check out!!!

Perkins good eats

This is not a daily blog, but a personal recipe book. This is good 'ole home cooking with a modern and easy twist. Most post have pictures too!!

Here are a few I can't wait to try:

Polynesian skillet

chicken enchiladas

Thank you Kirsten for the great site referral!!!! Your sister ROCKS for getting all of these wonderful recipes rounded up!

Tasty Tuesday

2009-07-21T14:09:00.000-07:00

Menu Rut

I don't know about you, but in my house menu rut is an often occurring phenomenon. We find something we like and then have it at least once every week. Sad but true. With this summer heat we have been doing the burger and dog thing WAY too much.

There are many sited that can help you plan a menu. Just a few are Hill Billy House Wife, Organized Home, and I'm an Organizing Junkie.

When I create a menu I try to have variety. I try to have a meatless night. I also like to have a rice night as well as pasta. Sometimes I plan all three meals(during the school year) but mostly just a weeks worth of dinners.

An example menu for a week might look like:

(quick fix)Sunday: Soft Tacos/Burritos w/carrots and olives

(meatless & pasta)Monday: Penne w/spaghetti sauce w/green beans

(rice) Tuesday: Easy vegetable rice medley with kielbasa

(beef) Wednesday: Meatloaf (or mini meatloaf) w/veggie and homemade rolls

(chicken) Thursday: BBQ chicken and pineapple skewers with fresh veggies

(out of a box)Friday: Mac'n'Cheese and whatever else we feel like ;)

Saturday: Dinner out or leftovers

See I need menu help too! I fully intend to look at the links posted and get some better ideas.

I know I know....

2009-07-19T12:21:00.000-07:00

I promise I will get back on the blogging boat soon. It has been beyond crazy around here. Sorry!

Sunday

2009-07-19T12:20:00.000-07:00

"Men may fail in this country, earthquakes may come, seas may heave beyond their bounds, there may be great drought, disaster, and hardship, but this nation, founded on principles laid down by men whom God raised up, will never fail. This is the cradle of humanity, where life on this earth began in the Garden of Eden. This is the place of the new Jerusalem. This is the place that the Lord said is favored above all other nations in all the world. This is the place where the Savior will come to His temple. This is the favored land in all the world. Yes, I repeat, men may fail, but this nation won't fail. I have faith in America; you and I must have faith in America, if we understand the teachings of the gospel of Jesus Christ. We are living in a day when we must pay heed to these challenges.

I plead with you not to preach pessimism. Preach that this is the greatest country in all the world. This is the favored land. This is the land of our forefathers. It is the nation that will stand despite whatever trials or crises it may yet have to pass through. (Ye Are the Light of the World, 350-51)

Harold B. Lee

Money Monday

2009-07-13T00:04:00.000-07:00

Dave Ramsey is a financial guru and very well regarded in the financial realm. Here are is baby step to becoming debt free and in control of your finances.

Baby Steps

1. $1,000 to start an Emergency Fund

2. Pay off all debt using the Debt Snowball

3. 3 to 6 months of expenses in savings

4. Invest 15% of household income into Roth IRAs and pre-tax retirement

5. College funding for children

6. Pay off home early

7. Build wealth and give! Invest in mutual funds and real estate

Here is his printable. Want to know more about Dave? Click here to go to his site. Still need help with a budget (I do!!)? Want a free budget guide? Go here.

Where are you and where do you want to go? Have you done or tried Dave's plan? Did it work for you? Do you think this might work for you?

Sunday

2009-07-12T11:40:00.000-07:00

Alma 60:36 Behold, I am Moroni, your chief captain. I seek not for power, but to pull it down. I seek not for honor of the world, but for the glory of my God, and the freedom and welfare of my country. And thus I close mine epistle.

Summer Madness

2009-07-12T11:39:00.000-07:00

Sorry I went missing. This is a busy month in my house but I will be on this ball this week. I hope ;). I got a lot of post rattling around in my head so...we will see. ;)

Sunday

2009-07-05T04:31:00.000-07:00

No constitution on earth has endured longer than ours. We seek and usually find the answers to today’s hardest legal questions within this document of yesterday. The Constitution was and is a miracle. Both Washington and Madison referred to it as such. It was an inspired document, written under the divine guidance of the Lord. James Madison, commonly called the Father of the Constitution, recognized this inspiration and gave the credit to “the guardianship and guidance of the Almighty Being whose power regulates the destiny of nations whose blessings have been so conspicuously displayed to the rising of this republic.” (Prologue, p. 95.) We believe that the Constitution was brought about by God to insure a nation where liberty could abound, where his gospel could flourish. Joseph Smith said, “The Constitution of the United States is a glorious standard; it is founded in the wisdom of God. It is a heavenly banner.” (Teachings of the Prophet Joseph Smith, p. 147.) Again from Brigham Young, “[The Constitution] was dictated by the invisible operations of the Almighty.” (John A. Widtsoe, ed., Discourses of Brigham Young, Deseret Book Co., 1966, p. 359.) From our current living prophet, Spencer W. Kimball, “One of the reasons America is great today is because those men who formulated the Constitution had vision. They looked ahead to today, and all of us here are recipients of their wisdom and foresight.” Among other things, the Constitution guarantees the religious freedom that allowed the Reformation to continue and flourish. The great religious reformers began to throw off the rituals and dogmas that had been attached to Christianity during the dark ages and sought to return to the pure and simple truths of the New Testament.

The above quote is taken from Elder L. Tom Perry, “God’s Hand in the Founding of America,” New Era, Jul 1976, 45

Happy 4th of July!

2009-07-04T16:24:00.000-07:00

Thrifty Thursday

2009-07-02T16:21:00.000-07:00

I have got nothing this week so I am sending you over to Christy's wonderful blog!!

The Bargain Jargon

Also check out ALL the blogs in the frugal living catagory on the left hand side bar!!

Whatever Wednesday

2009-07-01T11:30:00.000-07:00

Garden Tips

Parade magazine had some good tips on Sunday. The link to the whole article is here. The tip I am most eager to try is the one about eggs shells and tomatoes.

Eggshells are a good source of calcium, essential for tomatoes; without it, they develop brown patches known as blossom-end rot. Just crush the shells and sprinkle the bits on the soil.

I'll let you know if it works!

Making resumes work

The News Tribune had a great article Sunday on making the most of your resume work. Be sure to check out other links on their page. There is even a free trail at a networking site. You may think you need not worry about this but odds are you know at least one person who is unemployed right now. So if you don't need it for yourself think about those you know.

Tasty Tuesday

2009-06-30T11:56:00.000-07:00

Spices

This is our final instalment of Bare-Bones Basics, but that does not mean it is not important.

Basic spices that can add life (per Preparedness Principles) to most foods are salt, pepper, vanilla, cinnamon, and chili powder and /or basil. I personally need onion powder, garlic powder, a great grill mix and Johny's.

Look at your super stores (Costco/Sam's) for great prices. Also most super market have baking sales twice a year. Once around the winter holidays (Thanksgiving & Christmas) and again around Easter. These are also the times that your Sunday paper and online coupon sites will have a great number of baking/spice coupons out.

Store your spices in airtight containers. A cool place is also best. Even though they look awesome in a spice rack on your sunny kitchen counter that really is not the best place. A nice cool cupboard is ideal.

Bouillons

"What IS bouillon?", some of you might ask. I know I did at one point.

"Bouillon cubes are compressed, flavor-concentrated cubes of dehydrated meat, poultry, or vegetable stock and spices. Instant bouillon granules are the loose, granular form of the concentrate. Salt is usually listed as the first ingredient; thus , both are very salty." Preparedness Principals pg.72

Ways to use: Add it to any grain you are cooking. I love adding chicken bouillon to rice. No need to add anything else. Add to your soup base, beans, or just to a pot of water for a comforting broth (add a some noodles for a basic soup) for someone who is sick.

As with most foods store in an airtight container is a cool dry cupboard. Generally the life span is 1-2 years but I have used some that has been a few years past that and had no problems.

Money Monday

2009-06-29T14:48:00.000-07:00

Over the last month or so we have done a brief overview of the church's All Is Safely Gathered In pamphlet. As we have done so, I hope that some of you have implemented or improved your money management practices.

I finally worked up the courage to do a budget. Not just my bills this time. I budgeted for everything I thought I would need to. I also set my budget under what we really bring home. I wanted to be able to set some aside in savings.

I have yet to get the courage up to add up all the numbers and see how well (BAD) we did. Thursday is the big day for me to get that done. So I am a little afraid. LOL!! I am going to do it though. One day we will get it figured out. As long as I am actively working on it I will make progress.

As you work on your budget remember that they do evolve. Debt go away (hopefully) and other expenses rear their ugly heads. So we need to review and revamp often.

Food Storage Friday

2009-06-26T08:00:00.000-07:00

Legumes

The food guys list the legumes brake down as 30 lbs. dried beans(any variety you want), 5lbs. Lima beans, 10 lbs. soy beans, 5 lbs. split peas, 5 lbs. lentils, and 5 lbs. dried soup mix.

As always if your not going to eat it don't store it. However legumes provide so many essentials to your diet. You need to have some and variety is always nice. So if nothing else have 60 pounds of any combination of beans (legumes).

Mayo clinic has a great little brake down on different legumes and their uses plus cooking tips. Here

Shelf life: According to a BYU site legumes have a shelf life of 8 years.

Tasty Tuesday

2009-06-24T14:01:00.001-07:00

I know I was supposed to make brown sugar today but alas I do not have molasses. So another day for that. Today we will continue on our pantry basics journey.

Grains

Again we go to the food guys for a great brake down list. A one year supply for one adult brakes down to: 150 lbs. wheat, 25 lbs. flour, 25 lbs. corn meal, 25 lbs. oats, 50 lbs rice, and 25 lbs lbs. pasta. The general rule should be store what you eat, eat what you store. Going by that look at the list see if there is any thing you never use and omit it and beef up another category. In total you should store 300lbs. of grains per person.

Shelf lives: wheat 20+ years, flour 3-5 years, oats 4-5 years, pasta 6-8 years, white rice3-4 years, cornmeal minimum of one year and can be stored up to 5 years. Remember proper storage conditions can extend the life of your food. Cool, dark and DRY! Airtight containers are also a must.

Where to buy? For most of this list you can hit up your local church cannery or mega store(Costco/Sam's). I hear Winco has a great bulk section and gives a little price break if you buy a whole bag.

Survival Saturday

2009-06-20T06:00:00.000-07:00

Have I got a site for you!

This lovely gal posted a comment on this blog a few days ago and of course she left a link to her awesome survival blog. So here it is Preparedness Pro. This gal has covered it all I am not even going to try and list it. Also she has a great blog and site list on her side bar. Go check her out!!

Food Storage Friday

2009-06-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

The Sweet Stuff !!

According to the food guys a year supply for each of these for one person would look like:

Sugars 60 pounds total

3 pounds Honey

40 pounds sugar

3 pounds brown sugar

1 pound molasses

3 pounds Corn syrup

3 pounds Jam

6 pounds Powdered fruit drink

1 pound Flavored gelatin

Remember: Store what you eat, Eat what you store!!

The average American eats over 60 pounds of sugar each year. It is in so many things we love to eat from candy bars and pastry creations to spaghetti sauce and chili. So don't pull the i don't eat sugar bit with me! LOL!! No diets allowed either! :)

Sugar should be stored in dry airtight combiners. If your happens to hardened it is still usable just brake it up with a hammer or warm it in the oven until it is soft enough to use. Indefinite storage life.

Brown Sugar should also be stored in an airtight container. FYI brown sugar is white sugar with molasses add into it. (look for next Tuesday post!!!) You can make you own!!

Honey stored properly honey can keep for decades becoming darker and more flavorful. Airtight and cool temperatures are the key! Hardened honey can be warmed in a water bath to liquidize it again.

Corn syrup and Molasses have a shelf life of about 18 months. As always airtight and cool temps! Corn syrup is a sugar and molasses is a by product of sugar production.

Powdered fruit drink means the cannery fruit drink to me, however I assume that powdered Gatorade or kool-aid is the general idea.(if I am wrong speak up and tell me)

Gelatin to me this is good 'ole JELLO!! Easy to store, cheap to buy, and generally a crowd pleaser. Remember to rotate and check boxes for expiration date.

Thrifty Thursday

2009-06-18T09:00:00.000-07:00

7 ways I saved money this week.

Planned dinner around my pantry instead of making a grocery run.
Using cards I already have instead of buying new spendy ones for teachers thanks yous. Yes the cards are unused!! :)
Opened the curtains and turned off the lights.
Used a redbox code to get a free movie rental.
We ate in all week.
Made cookies and bread. Also made rootbear floats at home VS. going to DQ!!
Used the BBQ instead of heating up the house.

There are a lot of things I do on a normal basis that most people would consider scrimping it. For me though they are just normal. So are a few of those:

Kids and Hubby took lunches to work and school.
Used powdered milk in my recipies.
Always look at clearance first when shopping.

That's all I can think of right now. LOL!! What are some things you do to save money?

Whatever Wednesday

2009-06-17T21:20:00.000-07:00

Garden updates

We have flowers!!! The peas have darling little white flowers.

Strawberries also have TONS of blossoms and some berries again!

The tomato plants has it's "um yeah cute" yellow flowers.

And here are some pictures of the rest of the green stuff. My broccoli that was so pretty is now wilted yuck. No idea what happened or what to do. My radishes are getting HUGE leaves but no root. Again no idea. I did go get a different brand of seed and planted more. We shall see. My second planting of beans is towering over my first planting. Carrots are getting tall.

A little Change!!

2009-06-17T21:07:00.000-07:00

Okay I am a brown girl so sorry you all had such a hard time reading this with a dark background. However...I LOVE THESE GREEN POLKA DOTS!!! I hope you do too!!!

Thrifty Thursday

2009-06-11T08:48:00.000-07:00

Just like the Restaurant

One of my families goals is to stop eating out as much. We would like to keep it down to twice a month, but we will probably bee weak and go out once a week. We will try though. So to accomplish my goal I set about to find the foods I love in a cheaper way. Making them at home. Initially this can cost a bit to get set up with the pantry items you will need to have on hand. In the long run though it is way cheaper. Plus can be a whole lot funner than waiting in line and having to possibly put up with bad service or cranky kids (your or theirs).

In may search I found a great little site that hosted some of my top favorites!

Restaurant Recipes

Below are a few of my to die fors right off the top!

KFC original recipe!!!
olive garden bread sticks recipe
Outback steakhouse potato soup recipe

Whatever Wednesday

2009-06-10T20:23:00.001-07:00

Garden Update

Here is lettuce from our garden. The kids loved it. This picture was taken about 3 weeks ago and can you believe some of this is still in my fridge looking as fresh as the day we picked it!!!

We picked these strawberries tonight to go with our store bought ones. They are tiny but yummy!! I put the quarter in for a size reference.

Other garden news!

Our 1st batch of peas are at least 3 feet tall and the second batch is not too far behind them. Beans are coming along, the second batch is taller. LOL! I gave me radish bed a string talking to then pulled them up. The didn't grow(leafs grew but no ball), so I planted some more!! My first set of carrots are getting so tall. Something ate the greens off the second set but the third is poking up through the soil!! My bigger than I could have imagined broccoli is turning yellow and wilty GRRR!! And my lettuce is awesome and continuing to grow. The 2 second batches are about 3 inches tall. Yummers! Also this month we plan to plant our Halloween pumpkins and some watermelon. We will see how they do.

I need help!!

2009-06-09T21:52:00.000-07:00

Is this blog helpful to you?

Do you visit often?

What do you want to see?

Do you like the daily themes (Money Monday, Tasty Tuesday, Whatever/Workin' it Wednesday, Thrifty Thursday, Food Storage Friday, Survival Saturday, Sunday)?

What would you change?

If ever there was a time to comment now would be great! Thanks!!

Money Monday

2009-06-08T09:00:00.000-07:00

Teaching our Family about Money

As we learn to manage our money better let us also teach our children those lessons.

LDS Living Magazine has a great article about how to teach your kids about money. Click here.

SmartPiggyBank is a site that helps your kids learn how to manage their money.

At my house my two older kids have divider banks. I t is basically a long box with three separate sections. First is tithing, then savings, and then FUN! We tithe 10% of our increase. Then we put 10% into savings. The rest is theirs to spend. They have learned to love the toy clearance isle. LOL!! Tyler has learned to save up for bigger Lego's and Elizabeth has learned it is sad to go broke over Whoppers. Kids will be kids.

Sunday

2009-06-07T09:36:00.000-07:00

In Honor of June being Tratitional Family Month

We, the First Presidency and the Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, solemnly proclaim that marriage between a man and a woman is ordained of God and that the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children.

All human beings—male and female—are created in the image of God. Each is a beloved spirit son or daughter of heavenly parents, and, as such, each has a divine nature and destiny. Gender is an essential characteristic of individual premortal, mortal, and eternal identity and purpose.

In the premortal realm, spirit sons and daughters knew and worshipped God as their Eternal Father and accepted His plan by which His children could obtain a physical body and gain earthly experience to progress toward perfection and ultimately realize their divine destiny as heirs of eternal life. The divine plan of happiness enables family relationships to be perpetuated beyond the grave. Sacred ordinances and covenants available in holy temples make it possible for individuals to return to the presence of God and for families to be united eternally.

The first commandment that God gave to Adam and Eve pertained to their potential for parenthood as husband and wife. We declare that God’s commandment for His children to multiply and replenish the earth remains in force. We further declare that God has commanded that the sacred powers of procreation are to be employed only between man and woman, lawfully wedded as husband and wife.

We declare the means by which mortal life is created to be divinely appointed. We affirm the sanctity of life and of its importance in God’s eternal plan.

Husband and wife have a solemn responsibility to love and care for each other and for their children. “Children are an heritage of the Lord” (Psalm 127:3). Parents have a sacred duty to rear their children in love and righteousness, to provide for their physical and spiritual needs, and to teach them to love and serve one another, observe the commandments of God, and be law-abiding citizens wherever they live. Husbands and wives—mothers and fathers—will be held accountable before God for the discharge of these obligations.

The family is ordained of God. Marriage between man and woman is essential to His eternal plan. Children are entitled to birth within the bonds of matrimony, and to be reared by a father and a mother who honor marital vows with complete fidelity. Happiness in family life is most likely to be achieved when founded upon the teachings of the Lord Jesus Christ. Successful marriages and families are established and maintained on principles of faith, prayer, repentance, forgiveness, respect, love, compassion, work, and wholesome recreational activities. By divine design, fathers are to preside over their families in love and righteousness and are responsible to provide the necessities of life and protection for their families. Mothers are primarily responsible for the nurture of their children. In these sacred responsibilities, fathers and mothers are obligated to help one another as equal partners. Disability, death, or other circumstances may necessitate individual adaptation. Extended families should lend support when needed.

We warn that individuals who violate covenants of chastity, who abuse spouse or offspring, or who fail to fulfill family responsibilities will one day stand accountable before God. Further, we warn that the disintegration of the family will bring upon individuals, communities, and nations the calamities foretold by ancient and modern prophets.

We call upon responsible citizens and officers of government everywhere to promote those measures designed to maintain and strengthen the family as the fundamental unit of society.

This proclamation was read by President Gordon B. Hinckley as part of his message at the General Relief Society Meeting held September 23, 1995, in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The First Presidency and Council of the Twelve Apostles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints

Survial Saturday

2009-06-06T09:03:00.000-07:00

Kids stuff

Here are some handy sites and phone numbers for surviving your children.

Safety Info

Product Safety and recalls Consumer Product Safety Commission 1-800-638-2772

Gun safety LOK-IT-UP Safe Firearms Storage Campaign 1-877-LOK-IT-UP

Burns NW Burn Foundation 1-888-662-8767

Car seats Safety Restraint Coalition 1-800-BUCK-L-UP

WA Poison Center 1-800-222-1222

Parenting Support

Child and Family Web Guide

Common Sense Media this site reviews movies, games, and books.

Family Help Line 1-800-932-HOPE support for parents and families

Food Storage Friday

2009-06-05T09:34:00.000-07:00

Cooking Oils and Fats

One adult needs to store a total of 25 lbs. of fats and oil for their year supply. This can be divided in several ways. According to the food guys calculator they split it up as: 4lbs. shortening, 2gals vegetable oil, 2qts mayonnaise, 1qts salad dressing and 4 lbs of peanut butter. This is ONLY a suggestion. Remember: Store what you eat, eat what you store.

Fats are essential for or health as well as much needed ingredients in some of our favorite recipes. So in short YES you do need this as part of your storage!!

Things to take into consideration:

There are many cooking oil options such as almond, avocado, butter, canola, coconut, corn, grape, lard, nut, olive, peanut, pumpkin, safflower, sesame, shortening, soybean, sunflower, and vegetable blend.
Shortening has a great shelf life (5 years +) but contains trans fats so use sparingly.
Lard does not store well as it tends to go rancid. It has no shelf life out side of the fridge.

Places to buy:

bulk food stores. Costco has great prices on all of these items.
regular grocery stores. These are stocked. Watch sales and use coupons to get the best deals.

How to store:

original container
cool, dark spot
remember to rotate!

Honeyville Discounts

2009-06-04T16:14:00.000-07:00

HAPPY SUMMER from Honeyville Farms

SUMMARY: 10% OFF YOUR ENTIRE ORDER* from Thursday, June 4, 2009 thru Tuesday, June 9, 2009 at 6:00PM PST. Simply enter the coupon code PREPARE09 during checkout. Act now! Take a look at the WHAT'S NEW category for all of the great new items that we're rolling out including Freeze Dried Blackberries, Hard Red and White Wheat in the can, and our new line of Puddings. http://store.honeyvillegrain.com

Thrifty Thursday

2009-06-04T12:31:00.000-07:00

Take a mini vacation

Not everyone can afford a trip to Disneyland or a romantic getaway cruise. Here are some ideas for local and lower cost day trips and mini-vacations.

The local zoo. For me this is Point Defiance and North West Trek. Also we are planning a trip up to Woodland Park Zoo (here is a coupon worth $2 off up to 4 tickets). Point Defiance and NW Trek have a great combo membership you might want to consider. Remember memberships can make up for what you would pay in one or two visits. Plus when you have a membership it is like a prepaid fun-day!

Local water parks and/or theme parks. For me this would be Wild Waves Water Park & Enchanted Village.

Museums and Historical Centers. Places like the Museum of Flight, the Pacific Science Center, and the Tacoma Art Museum are all great places to visit and learn. If your going to Tacoma visit the the Museum District. If you want to be super local check out the Karshner Museum. Keep in mind most museums offer one free or discounted admission day each month.

Looking for something a little more romantic? A Bed & Breakfast can be a sweet treat. Washington is full of them. Just google bed and breakfast and you will find tons of sites ready to help you choose. My personal favorite is the Chinaberry Hill . The view is to die for, the food is killer good, they have an open snack bar, and the owners are total sweet hearts!!

Local landmarks. Snoqualmie Falls, Decetions Pass, Mount Rainer, Mount St. Helen. Take your pick. Washington has so much to offer. State Parks.com has a great list of all national parks.

Whatever you do ENJOY IT!!!

Money Monday

2009-06-01T09:00:00.000-07:00

Build a Reserve

We have been counseled to build our three-month food supply, get our water and then build a financial reserve. The church has not stated a specific amount. Most money gurus will advise anywhere from 3 to 6 months. Longer if you can. No matter what your end goal is it is better to take baby steps then kill your self trying to make huge leaps and bounds. Start with a week then a month and then start again.

You can start by setting up a separate savings account. My good friend Daphne writes our financial column for our wards Provident Living newsletter and this is what she said about savings accounts, " Saving money is a challenge, and what works for one may not work for another, but this is what has worked for us. We have several accounts set up in a high interest bearing account (ING). Typically it takes 2 business days for funds to transfer to your checking account, so you tend to think twice if you really need that thing you want to buy--as a side note, we also keep a savings account attached to our checking acct., in case we need to transfer some over quickly for emergencies. " She also suggest that you have your savings automatically withdrawn each month or paycheck what ever works for you. you can sometimes set this up through your employer if you have auto deposit or through your bank.

President Gordon B. Hinckley has taught: “Set your houses in order. If you have paid your debts, if you have a reserve, even though it be small, then should storms howl about your head, you will have shelter for your wives and children and peace in your hearts” ("To the Boys and to the Men," Ensign, Nov. 1998, 54).

Thrifty Thursday

2009-05-28T16:22:00.000-07:00

Make Your Own

At Make your own you can learn how to make anything from your own insect repellent to skin treatments.

Learn to make your own soaps, lotions, and salt scrubs at Teach soap. These make great gifts too!

Make your own word searches, cross words and mazes at Discovery Education.

Make a Non-Toxic Cleaning Kit at Care2. You can do this using things you already have around your house.

The Simple Dollar has a ton of ideas. The one I am going to try this week is making my own laundry soap. I am about out of my killer stash from last year so....wish me luck!!

Memorial Day

2009-05-25T10:00:00.000-07:00

On Vacation

2009-05-21T21:09:00.000-07:00

We are going camping this weekend so I will post again on Tuesday. Have a wonderful, fun, and safe Memorial Weekend!!!

Working it Wednesday

2009-05-20T09:00:00.000-07:00

Job Fairs

Our local Sunday paper had a section on job fairs this week. So I thought I share some of the information I found.

Kate Lorenz an editor at CareerBuilder.com ( if you are local you can go to southsoundcareerbuilder.com)wrote a quick piece on coming prepared for a job fair. I thought I would just highlight her suggestions. To read the whole article click here.

Main points:

Scouting As in know how to dress and how to act.

Research Know who will be there and what their company is about.

Quick and to the point Time is money don't waste theirs or yours.

Know what to ask If you get the chance know what intelligent questions you want to ask.

Get their card enough said.

Look be fore you leap Look around, and gather all the info the have available before you line up for an interview.

Know how to dress Dress for success

Organize yourself basically have you stuff together and have the materials you will need.

Keep smiling It maybe a long day but make the most of it!

More advice when attending a job fair.

Bring 20-30 resumes. Come early! Research companies buy looking them up one sites like google.com.

How to find a job fair near you. Go to National Career Fairs, EmployementGuide.com, or Careerbuilder.com. For these sites you simply enter your zip code and up pops a world of opportunity!

Tasty Tuesday

2009-05-19T08:55:00.000-07:00

Cooking Essentials

Continuing on with our bare-bones basics I thought we would go over the basic cooking essentials. According to the food guys calculator a year supply of cooking essentials for one adult would consist of: 1# baking powder, 1# baking soda, 0.5# yeast, 5# salt, o.5 gallons vinegar. These are the basics need for many recipes. Most breads, cakes, cookies, rolls, homemade crackers need these items. Some of these items also have non-food uses as well.

Baking powder (per Preparedness Principles) is a blend of an alkali (usually baking soda) and an acid (often cream of tarter). It is known as a double acting leavener. Baking powder has a limited shelf life of 1-2 years. It keeps best stored in a cool, dry place.

Baking soda is also a leavener. It needs to have an acid product mixed with it in order for it to activate. Some examples of this are sour milk, molasses, lemon juice, vinegar and so on. The great thing about baking soda is that it's uses go well beyond the kitchen. It can be used for household cleaning, toothpaste, bug bites and upset tummies. Again store in a cool dry place and this can last you indefinitely.

recipes found on pg. 71 of Preparedness Principles

For 'toothpaste' simply wet your brush and add baking soda. Brush as normal.

For an antacid mix 1/2 teaspoon baking soda to an eight-once glass of water and drink up. (up to 8 times a day(every two hours) for adults, 4 times a day for those 60 and over and not recommended for those under 5)

For bug bites and other skin irritations mix a paste of 2 parts baking soda and 1 part water smooth over irritated area.

Yeast is what makes your bread rise. Unless you really love flat bread this is a basic you will want to have. yeast is best kept in a cool, dry, dark place. It freezes well and it's shelf life is greatly increased when kept in the freezer. Dry yeast comes in three different forms. The most common is active dry yeast. This is what you generally find on the super market shelves in those handy little packages. You can also buy this is 2# blocks in your bulk food sections or at stores like Costco and Sam's club.

Salt is vital to our life and to our health. It is in every cell in our body. It brings out the flavors of food, it preserves food, and it plays a role in helping our bodies to function properly. Salt has an indefinite self life. Store in a clean dry place.

Vinegar is used for pickling, salad dressings and of course vinaigrette. See my previous post for more of the attributes of vinegar. I have yet to see a shelf life for vinegar and my bottle doesn't have a use by date so....I assume it is about the same as the other items today. Store in a cool dry place.

Money Monday

2009-05-18T09:31:00.000-07:00

Use A Budget

This weeks post is also based of the All Is Safely Gathered In: Family Finances pamphlet.

"Keep a record of your expenditures. Record and review monthly income and expenses. Determine how to reduce what you spend for nonessentials. "

This is the council we have been given. The LDS website also provides a budget worksheet to help you follow this council.

Need more ideas on how to create and use a budget? Here are some previous post. Here, here, and here.

“I have discovered that there is no way that you can ever earn more than you can spend. I am convinced that it is not the amount of money an individual earns that brings peace of mind as much as it is having control of his money. Money can be an obedient servant but a harsh taskmaster. Those who structure their standard of living to allow a little surplus, control their circumstances. Those who spend a little more than they earn are controlled by their circumstances. They are in bondage. President Heber J. Grant once said: ‘If there is any one thing that will bring peace and contentment into the human heart, and into the family, it is to live within our means. And if there is any one thing that is grinding and discouraging and disheartening, it is to have debts and obligations that one cannot meet’ (Gospel Standards, sel. G. Homer Durham [1941], 111).

“The key to spending less than we earn is simple—it is called discipline. Whether early in life or late, we must all eventually learn to discipline ourselves, our appetites, and our economic desires. How blessed is he who learns to spend less than he earns and puts something away for a rainy day” (see Conference Report, Oct. 1979, 119; or Ensign, Nov. 1979, 81).

Sunday

2009-05-17T12:06:00.000-07:00

Finding Strength in Challenging Times!

Elder Allan F. Packer Of the Seventy

Here are my favorite quotes from this talk. The bolds are mine. Please click on the link in the title to read the whole talk.

"When I was a young man in high school, one of my passions was American football. I played middle linebacker. The coach worked the team hard, teaching us the basics. We practiced until the skills became natural and automatic. During one play against our biggest rival, I had an experience that has helped me over the years. We were on defense. I knew my assigned opponent, and as the play unfolded, he moved to my right into the line of scrimmage. There was a lot of noise from players and fans. I reacted as the coach had taught us and followed my man into the line, not knowing if he had the ball. To my surprise, I felt the ball partially in my hands. I gave it a tug, but my opponent didn’t let go. As we tugged back and forth, amid all the noise I heard a voice yelling, “Packer, tackle him!” That was enough to bring me to my senses, so I dropped him on the spot.
I have wondered how I heard that voice above all the other noise. I had become acquainted with the voice of the coach during the practices, and I had learned to trust it. I knew that what he taught worked."

"We need to be acquainted with the promptings of the Holy Ghost, and we need to practice and apply gospel teachings until they become natural and automatic. These promptings become the foundation of our testimonies. Then our testimonies will keep us happy and safe in troubled times."

What I learned from this:

As we learn to recognize the promptings of the Holy Ghost we will be able to make better choices. We will be comforted in our times of trial, and we will be able to more fully feel our Saviors love. As we listen to and obey these promptings we will feel our testimonies grow and be better prepared to deal with those hardships to come. No one can take away our testimonies. Not our employer, our bank, the government, or our enemies. It is ours and only ours. It is our responsibility to make it grow. We can not borrow from someone-else, and we can not loan ours out. It is worth our time and effort to fortify it so we may recognise the 'voice' above the noise of the world and follow our Prophet and leaders on the path that leads to true happiness.

I will continue with Elder Packer's talk next week.

Survivial Saturday

2009-05-16T17:27:00.000-07:00

An alternative to normal powdered milk

Check out this post on Prepared LDS Family. Click here. Both of these product are available on line as well. Mourning Moo here and Gossner milk here. I have heard Mourning Moo is pretty yummy. I have not heard about Gossner milk. Read all the comments on the post at Prepared LDS Family if you want to get some "hands on' advice.

Food Storage Friday

2009-05-15T08:59:00.000-07:00

Powdered Milk

A year supply of powdered milk for 1 adult is 60lbs. When stored under ideal conditions powdered milk can be stored up to 20 years. For a great how-to on powdered milk storage go here. The LDS Provident living site also has a great guide on packaging options.

Want to know more about powdered milk? Including nutritional value and more recipe ideas? Go here

Where to purchase? I have bought mine from my local grocery store and most recently from the LDS Church Cannery. The cannery tends to be a cheaper plus if I go one our wards cannery day I can get it canned in #10 cans. You can check out cannery prices here. If you would like to know where your nearest LDS cannery is go here. Please remember you do NOT have to be LDS to access this wonderful resource!!

I know this post is short but the links posted are perfect and well I have no desire to improve on perfection.

Thrifty Thursday

2009-05-14T09:11:00.000-07:00

Joy in Frugality

As I read my Sunday paper I went right for the easy stuff. The parade magazine. I get my bits of gossip, a few comics, and a look at what easy and quick reads there are. With kids and Sunday mornings this is my quick fix. In this process I found an article I thought perfect for this blog. Finding Joy in Frugality by Alix Kates Shulman.

What a great find and a must read for anyone who thinks life ends when ones decides to be frugal. Here are some quotes that I found most enlightening.

"If you don’t need it, don’t buy it; never buy a new one if your old one works; never buy an expensive one when a lower-priced one will do. I abandoned bookstores for libraries, restaurants for my kitchen, boutiques for bargains—and soon found myself enjoying a gleeful sense of liberation."

" Instead of buying what you think you need, adapt your needs to what’s around you. "

Whatever Wednesday

2009-05-13T07:28:00.000-07:00

Show and Tell

Yes I am going to bore you all with more pictures of my awesome garden and a way so awesome coupon deal I miraculously pulled off!! So here we go....

Look at my little peas! They are reaching for the vine! I am so happy!

My second planting of peas are coming up! We are going to have tons of peas!!!

My beans are finally growing. They are lazy. GRRR!!

My second planting of radishes and lettuce are up! Other than that everything is just getting bigger and bigger!!!

So here is my way awesome Albertson's deal. It is to late for anyone to profit from the whole how-to deal so let me just brag. I got ALL this for a whopping $.77!!!! My cheapest deal ever. Yeah for me!

Okay so now that I sound like a total braggy butt... Oh heck I can't help it I am happy!! I hope you all are having success as well. Feel free to share!

Tasty Tuesday

2009-05-12T09:50:00.000-07:00

Dry(powdered)Milk

Number 2 on our Bare-Bones Basic tour is dry milk. Don't cringe yet....LOL! I use this a lot in my cooking. It is a great place to start.

tvsinc.org has some great tips and recipes for using you dry milk.

Milk Gravy:

Milk Gravy
1 cup dry milk cups water

1 tablespoon margarine or butter

3 heaping tablespoons flour

1/2 teaspoon pepper

1/2 teaspoon salt
Mix the water and dry milk together. Add the flour, salt, and pepper. Cook over medium heat until the gravy is thickened. Add the margarine or butter and stir until smooth.

You can then add sausage or hamburger to make a great gravy over rice, biscuits, or pasta!

This site also listed ways to make sweetened-condensed milk, evaporated milk, and buttermilk.

For some of you more adventurous types visit Mormonchic.com. She has everything from making your own sour cream to cheesecake. I am so happy that given dire circumstances I will know how to make sou cream! I will survive!!

Money Monday

2009-05-11T09:10:00.000-07:00

Avoid Debt

Elder Joseph B. Wirthlin taught: “All too often a family's spending is governed more by their yearning than by their earning. They somehow believe that their life will be better if they surround themselves with an abundance of things. All too often all they are left with is avoidable anxiety and distress” ("Earthly Debts, Heavenly Debts," Ensign, May 2004, 42).

In the All Is Safely Gathered In: Family Finances pamphlet it says, "Spending less money than you make is essential to your financial security. Avoid debt, with the exception of buying a modest home or paying for education or other vital needs. If you are in debt, pay it off as quickly as possible."

On the LDS website you can also find debt reduction tools such as a debt-elimination calculator and a family budget worksheet. Both of these tools are beneficial to becoming and staying debt free. Here is a debt calculator that can help you understand the interest you pay and help you calculate how and when you can bee debt free.

"Look to the condition of your finances. Discipline yourself in your purchases, avoiding debt to the extent you can. In most cases, you can avoid debt by managing your resources wisely. If you do incur debt, such as a reasonable amount in order to purchase a modest home or complete your education, work to repay it as quickly as possible and free yourself from bondage. When you have paid your debts and accumulated some savings, you will be prepared for financial storms that may come your way. You will have shelter for your family and peace in your heart" (49).
—See True to the Faith (2004), 48–49

Sunday

2009-05-10T11:46:00.001-07:00

Mother Mother, who willingly made that personal journey into the valley of the shadow of death to take us by the hand and introduce us to birth—even to mortal life—deserves our undying gratitude. One writer summed up our love for mother when he declared, “God could not be everywhere, and so He gave us mothers.”
While on the cruel cross of Calvary, suffering intense pain and anguish, Jesus “saw his mother, and the disciple standing by, whom he loved, he saith unto his mother, Woman, behold thy son! Then saith he to the disciple, Behold thy mother!” (John 19:26–27.) What a divine example of gratitude and love!
My own mother may not have read to me from the scriptures; rather, she taught me by her life and actions what the “Good Book” contains. Care for the poor, the sick, the needy were everyday dramas never to be forgotten.

President Thomas S. Monson An Attitude of Gratitude May 1002 Ensign