Homemade Washing Machine

A few months ago, I ran across a really nifty idea on Preparedness Brings Peace! You will all want one of these! Now, I know you are all asking yourselves, "What is this really cool, amazingly nifty thing that I have to show you?!" Well, everybody, it's your very own personal homemade washing machine! It's all man-powered, but I can just imagine kids standing around in long lines waiting to try it out! (It reminds me of white-washing in Tom Sawyer, or was that Huck Fin? I just can't remember, it's been too long...) Not only can you use this in an emergency, but you can even take it camping! What a cool idea?!

Clothes Washing Kit

Yet another idea from a Preparedness class I attended...a way to do your laundry in an emergency. You can easily put this together yourself.

CLOTHES WASHING KIT
5-gallon bucket with lid (cut hole in middle of lid for plunger handle to fit through)
Toilet plunger (brand-new, clean)
Store in bucket:
Liquid laundry detergent
Stain remover/stain stick
Vinegar (add 1/2 cup to rinse water) helps remove soap
Rope (for clothes line)
Clothes pins

To Use:
Empty contents of bucket.
Place water, small amount of detergent, and clothes in bucket.
Move plunger up and down for a few minutes or until clothes are clean.
Remove soapy clothes and ring them out.
Dump out soapy water (on your garden or lawn.)
Place soapy clothes in bucket and fill with clear, clean water.
Add 1/2 cup vinegar to rinse water.
Move plunger up and down to rinse clothing.
Wring out clothes and hang to dry.
Conserve water - use rinse water for next load of laundry.

NOTE: You could store two 5-gallon buckets, stack one inside of the other. Use one bucket for the soapy water and the other for the rinse water. You may be able to wash and rinse a couple of batches of clothes without changing the soapy water depending on how dirty the clothes are.

Helping Our Home's Be More Energy Efficient

I know we can't always run out and buy new appliances; but, here's a list of things we can do to help lower our monthly utility bills. For more ideas, visit Therm - the Energy Wise Guy at thermwise.com. (If you live outside of Utah or Wyoming, check your local gas provider's website to see if they offer information).

Energy-smart consumers buy natural gas appliances. And the best way to get the most out of every energy dollar is to have a qualified professional periodically make sure your appliances work at peak performance. Saving energy means saving money. Here are some tips that will help you do both:

FURNACE TIPS – The single largest user of natural gas in the home is the furnace. A well-maintained furnace will work more efficiently and last longer. And when it’s time to buy a new furnace, an expert can advise you on the best solution for your home-heating needs.

• Choose an ENERGY STAR furnace – If it's time to replace your existing furnace, consider buying a furnace that's earned the ENERGY STAR label. ENERGY STAR furnaces have an annual fuel efficiency rating (AFUE) of 90% or higher, making them up to 15% more energy efficient than standard models.
• Professional tune-up – A periodic furnace inspection by a heating professional will ensure safe, efficient operation. Change the filter – changing the furnace filter regularly will help keep clean air flowing throughout your home. If the filter becomes dirty or clogged, it will restrict airflow and cause the furnace to stay on longer – using more fuel. Note: If you have a central air conditioner, your filter may need to be changed more frequently because it’s working during the summer too.
• Keep vents and registers unobstructed – Move drapes, rugs and furniture away from heat registers and return-air vents. Free-flowing air through the furnace provides quick comfort for less money.
• Install a programmable thermostat – You won’t have to remember to turn the furnace down when you go to sleep or leave for work. Consistent temperature control will help reduce your fuel usage and lower your energy costs.

WATER HEATER TIPS – This is the second-largest energy user in the home. Even though natural gas water heating is economical, there are ways to stretch your energy dollar.

• Lower the temperature – Reduce the temperature setting on your water heater to 120 degrees Fahrenheit or turn the dial from high to medium. Turn the dial to low if you are going to be gone for a few days or more.
• Reduce hot water usage – Take showers instead of baths to reduce hot water use. Fix leaky faucets and run clothes- and dishwashers with a full load. Install water-flow restrictors in showerheads and faucets. Restrictors can cut hot-water use without affecting comfort.
• Insulate the water heater and hot-water pipes – Install a water-heater blanket and hot-water-pipe insulation. Follow the manufacturer’s installation instructions.
• Choose an energy efficient water heater – When replacing a water heater, the best way to assure performance is to purchase a model with a high energy factor (EF) rating. The higher the EF, the better. Natural gas water heaters with an EF rating of 0.63 qualify for ThermWise Appliance Rebates.

CLOTHS DRYER TIPS – Dry clothes faster and for less money with natural gas. These natural gas dryer tips can help save you money and leave "nothing out to dry."

• Choose a dryer with a moisture sensor – Many new clothes dryers have moisture sensors available. When your clothes are dry, the dryer shuts off, which will save you money.
• Dry full loads – You’ll use less energy per clothing item. And when one load is done, follow up with another load to benefit from the residual heat.
• Clean the lint screen between each load – A clean screen allows for quick drying cycle.

GENERAL TIPS – There are a number of ways to cut your energy costs by making your home more energy efficient.

• Choose products that have earned the ENERGY STAR label. Products in more than 50 categories are eligible for the ENERGY STAR. ENERGY STAR is the trusted national symbol for energy efficiency, backed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy. ENERGY STAR products use less energy, save money and help protect the environment.
• Windows are a major source of heat loss. Consider installing storm or thermal windows. ENERGY STAR windows save you energy and money, increase the comfort of your home and protect your valuable possessions from sun damage. A less expensive alternative is plastic sheeting, which can be fastened over windows to retain heat.
• Set the thermostat between 65 and 70 degrees during the winter, and 58 degrees when away from the house for more than a few hours. Before sleeping, lower the thermostat and add an extra blanket for warmth. Bear in mind that warmer temperatures are recommended for homes with ill or elderly people or infants.
• Keep heat registers and air-return vents unobstructed. Your furnace must be able to circulate air freely to work efficiently. Arrange your furniture with heating economy in mind.
• Heat rises so use registers to direct warm air–flow across the floor. Ceiling fans can also help circulate warm air into the living area.
• Use drapes, shutters, awnings, shade trees, glass with reflective film and/or solar screens to keep your house cooler in the summer. Let sunlight in during the winter to help warm your house.
• When buying new appliances, compare energy-efficiency ratings and annual operating costs. A slightly higher initial cost for a high-efficiency appliance could be paid back quickly through energy savings and lower utility bills.
• Eliminate air leaks in your home with caulking, sealants or weather stripping. Look for leaks around windows, doors, plumbing, ducts, and electrical outlets.
• Close vents and doors in unused rooms and close dampers on unused fireplaces.
• Check to see if the attic and walls have the recommended levels of insulation.

Wednesday Prep Day

Good morning everybody! And what a lovely morning it is....ahhh. Today is a good day for 72 hr. kits because we're going to begin collecting water. Hooray! (We all know how important water is). Each person needs a minimum of two gallons, three is better. You can store water in five gallon jugs or cleaned Pete bottles. Milk jugs can be used too, but they may begin leaking after a year, so rotate them. Because this water will be with the 72 hr. kits, it's best to have something that can be carried - don't buy a 55 gallon drum for this. Another thing to remember about water storage...keep it off the floor as much as possible. And, always remember, water absorbs the smells of the place it's stored. If you keep it in the garage, it could taste like gas. Leave it on the cement, it may taste like dirt. Sweetened Tang, Kool-aid, or other drink flavoring can help mask unwanted flavor if you're worried.

For more information on water storage and purification, visit ProvidentLiving.com.

Now, how is your three months of storage coming? Do you have a plan? If so, keep pluggin' along. You'll get it. If you don't have a plan for your three month supply, lets make one together. To start, make a menu: seven breakfasts, seven or fourteen dinners. Seven's easier to plan, fourteen gives you more options.

1. Write the recipes for each breakfast and dinner down.
2. If you do seven meals, multiply the ingredients by 13 to find out exactly how much of each item you need for three months. If you do fourteen, you can multiply all of the meals by seven or half by seven and half by six. It's up to you.
   
3. Make a master shopping list.
   
4. Begin shopping always remembering to stick to your budget. Little by little you will cross all the items off. Just be persistent and patient.

This month, we are collecting Oats for our long-term storage. Liesa Card suggests a food storage program that fits the way we collect long-term storage on this site; although, there are many ways to go about gathering your storage.

Another way that makes sense is gathering a one year supply for one person at a time. (When you have one year gathered, just do it again). If you have one year for one person, you will also have a six month supply for two people, a four month supply for three, and so on. Isn't that COOL?! (I thought you might like it)! Happy collecting...

Honeyed Chicken Teriyaki

Mmm, today's recipe is a special treat from a little Chinese lady who used to be my next-door-neighbor. They just moved, so we wish them the best of luck!

Honeyed Chicken Teriyaki

2 lb. chicken breasts, skinned and boned
1/2 c. flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
2 eggs, beaten
1/3 c. honey
1/3 c. soy sauce
1 clove garlic, minced
1 tsp. ginger
2 Tbsp. sesame seeds (optional)
Oil (for frying)

These are the instructions I was given...
Cut chicken in 2 inch squares; combine flour, salt, and pepper. Dip chicken in eggs, then coat with seasoned flour. Pour 1/2 inch oil in a wide frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook chicken until golden grown. Meanwhile, heat soy, honey, garlic, and ginger in a small pan. Dip chicken in honey mixture, then place on a rack set in a baking pan. Sprinkle with sesame seeds if used. Bake at 250 for 20 minutes. Brush with glaze after 10 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

Beause I'm all about simplifying, this is what I do...
Mix flour, salt, and pepper. Cube chicken and place in bowl. Break one egg into chicken and mix well. (If it needs more liquid, add the other egg). Add flour mixture and stir to coat evenly. Fry over medium-high heat in pan with enough oil - what ever you think that is -I don't use very much. While cooking chicken, heat honey, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger in pan. When chicken is cooked, add honey mixture. Sprinkle with sesame seeds. (I don't worry about the 20 minute baking 'cause it tastes yummy either way)!

Enjoy with rice and vegetables.

Motivational Monday

Aprons and Apples, Sew Odd...

This might sound a little strange, but I have been in a sewing mood lately! It's weird...all I want to do is get out the sewing machine and whip something up! And, I really want apple pie! I don't even like apple pie, but I like this. So here goes...

What about an apron? Just a little snip snip here and a stitch there and we should be able to complete one before getting too board! Here's a couple links to check out if you'd like to sew one! (No, there isn't a link for the one above. It's from Anthropologie. But I think we could come up with our own pattern, if we try).

http://tipnut.com/56-free-apron-patterns-you-can-make/

http://tipnut.com/free-apron-patterns-tutorials/

Then, to coin a phrase from my mother-in-law, "We're being domestic." On to the apple pie!

Brown Bag Apple Pie

Crust

1 1/2 c. flour
1 1/2 t. sugar
1 t. salt
1/2 c. vegetable oil
2 T. milk

Combine and press into bottom of pie plate.

Filling

6-8 apples, peeled and sliced
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 t. cinnamon
1/2 t. nutmeg
2 T. flour

Toss apples with dry ingredients. Pour into crust.

Topping

1/2 c. flour
1/2 c. sugar
1 stick butter, softened

Combine until crumbly. Sprinkle over pie. Put pie in paper bag and fold up end. Spray bag with water. Bake at 350 for 45 min.. (I didn't cook mine in a bag, but it sounds like fun. I guess I'm just easily amused, hehehe).

Food Storage...on the Path to Preparedness

I ran across Food Storage...on the Path to Preparedness the other day, and thought I'd put a link on here. This is a 14 page handout, compiled by Debbie Kent, that addresses many topics, like:

• Why Should You be Prepared?
• Warnings and Where they can be Found
• The NEW Food Storage Plan
• 90 Days the Easy Way -- Think SOS
• WATER
• Filling 55-Gallon Barrels
• Rotating
• Water Ideas and Rotating Systems
• Financial Reserve
• Long Term Food Storage/One Person/One Year (in addition to your 90 day supply)
• Why Store These?
• I Have a Year Supply...That's All I Need
• What Will This Provide Per Day?
• MENU Using Basic Year Supply
• Survival Mode
• Menu Planning
• Using Your Year Supply
• Storing Your Food Storage
• Inventorying
• How Can I Afford Food Storage?
• How Do I Find all the Food I Need?
• What Are You Going to do With This Info.?
• 6 Steps to Success
• Going the Extra Mile
• Why Do We Prepare
• The Path to Preparedness
• Will You Be Ready?
• Top 10 Reasons Why I Don't Have My Food Storage
• A Year's Supply for $58.81?
• OTHER BASICS and "Fun Stuff"
• Menu Suggestions

Flip through the pages and see if something catches your eye.

Wednesday Prep Day - One Day Late

Wow, everybody! It's Thursday...where did Wednesday go?! This week, for our 72 hr. kits, we're going to gather personal documents. After reviewing two sites, Safely Gathered In and Food Storage Made Easy, I've compiled a small list of items you may want to have.

• Birth Certificates
• Marriage Certificates
  
• Will
• Passport
• Vaccination Records
• Credit Card Information - front and back
• Automobile Insurance Policy
• Homeowners Insurance Policy
• Life Insurance Policy
  
• Social Security Cards
• Bank Statements
• Retirement Statements
• Internet Passwords
• Utility Statements
• Work/Tax Documents that would be difficult to replace
• etc...
  

Whether you choose to keep these items in your 72 hr. kit, file cabinet, fire/water proof box, or ziplock bags in the freezer - yes, people do this too - it's up to you. Just make sure you have a way to remind yourself to grab them when it's time to go.

Now, how is your three months of storage coming? Do you have a plan? If so, keep pluggin' along. You'll get it. If you don't have a plan for your three month supply, lets make one together. To start, make a menu: seven breakfasts, seven or fourteen dinners. Seven's easier to plan, fourteen gives you more options.

1. Write the recipes for each breakfast and dinner down.
2. If you do seven meals, multiply the ingredients by 13 to find out exactly how much of each item you need for three months. If you do fourteen, you can multiply all of the meals by seven or half by seven and half by six. It's up to you.
   
3. Make a master shopping list.
   
4. Begin shopping always remembering to stick to your budget. Little by little you will cross all the items off. Just be persistent and patient.

This month, we are collecting Oats for our long-term storage. Liesa Card suggests a food storage program that fits the way we collect long-term storage on this site; although, there are many ways to go about gathering your storage.

Another way that makes sense is gathering a one year supply for one person at a time. (When you have one year gathered, just do it again). If you have one year for one person, you will also have a six month supply for two people, a four month supply for three, and so on. Isn't that COOL?! (I thought you might like it)! Happy collecting...

Fruit Cobbler

We had this wonderful delight at our neighbor's home on the 4th of July! It was yummy!

1/4 c. butter, softened
1/2 c. sugar
1 c. flour
2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 c. milk
Lg. can fruit, drained (save juice)
1/4 to 1/2 c. sugar
1 c. fruit juice

Heat oven to 375. Cream butter and sugar until fluffy. Stir sifted dry ingredients in alternately with milk. Beat until smooth. Pour into 9 x 13 baking dish. Spoon fruit over batter. Sprinkle with 1/4 -1/2 c. sugar. Pour 1 c. reserved fruit juice over top. Bake 45 - 50 min. During the baking, the fruit and juice go to the bottom and a cake-like layer forms on top. Serve warm with ice cream or whipped cream. Enjoy!!!

(Rae said she doesn't have much luck with peaches because the crust doesn't come up through them easily, but I tried it with smaller peach pieces, and it was perfect)!

Motivational Monday

"You are never lost when you can see the temple."

http://lds.org/conference/talk/display/0,5232,23-1-1032-31,00.html

Happy July 4th!!!

Boy, oh boy! When I started typing this, it was July 5th. Now it's August 5th! Where does all the time go?! I guess we better get started then...

We had so much fun on July fourth! Although, it was way exhausting; I'm not even kidding! First event of the day...a parade! Yeah! We met Aunt Kristy and some of her family and the kids had lots of fun eating free pop sickles and hanging out. I tried to get pictures of the things they liked most, but my camera has pretty much had it!

The children were given water and pop sickles to keep the heat away. Notice Stina's gum...

It's hot out here and the sun is so bright!

Ha! I'm just going to tease the camera all day, mom!

I never tease the camera. It's my best friend!

I don't even remember what these chicks are called. (Isn't that aweful)? It's some group from the high school.

The parade only had four floats, seriously. Three of them were four wheelers.
This was my favorite.

We had lots of fire engines drive by. Mercedes would sing "Be cool about fire safety" each time one passed; and, Christina would hide behind me because the people would squirt water at us!

The horses were Christina and Alex favorite!

After the parade, we all went to Kristy's for a BBQ! Most of Dan's family was there and Grandma and Grandpa Simmonds, Karen, Gary, Desiree, Kili, Taylor, and Steven were there. I hope I didn't leave anyone out! The girls got their faces painted and Christina loved playing with Kinsley.

After the BBQ, we went to Arby's work to pick up Jake. All three of the kids zonked in their seats! It was AWESOME!!! I wanted to sleep too, but there just wasn't time for that because we had one more place to go for the day.

Later that evening, we went to Grandpa Rod and Grandma Rae's home! We had the best cobbler, watched fireworks, and enjoyed each other's company.

Here's Grandpa Rod with Mia, his granddaughter, Mercedes, Rachel, and Sara.

Some of the kids enjoying their ice cream.

Fly me to the moon!

Ben bought two of these monsters. Each one lasted over three minutes! It was AWESOME!!!

Will this ever end?!

Oooooohhhh.....

We are tired, very tired.

Look, ma, I burned my thumb! (Crazy head)! We thought this was the end of our day, but boy were we wrong...

After these fireworks, we went to Grandma Twitchel's home. (I'm not sure how to spell the name). From her yard, we had a great view of the city firewors - close enough they were big, far enough away they weren't scary. After the city fireworks, we went home. (Everyone we were with stayed to watch more fireworks). It was a very busy day and we were all sleepy. I told my dad "It's a good thing we don't inflict this much fun on ourselves every day!"

What We're Up To

I haven't posted pictures for a while...that silly camera is somewhere again. It's been a good couple days. Alex is learning to walk. He's taken up to nine steps at a time and it's fun to watch him. The other thing he does is throw temper tantrums. It's hilarious! He's done it so much that he knows to be careful when he flails his body on the floor because he might smack his head.

Christina let me cut her bangs yesterday. It was a good thing 'cause I think she found the scissors and chopped them a little here and there. I was about to shape the hair on the sides of her face, and she started waving her hands at me and saying "Back away, shoo, back away!" Stina, you make me laugh!

Mercedes has been so busy playing outside! She loves playing with friends, in the water, running, riding her bike. All the things kids her age enjoy! She also loves taking care of her brother and sister. She really is a big helper!

Jake joined Facebook. He's a facebook fanatic who becomes giddy every time he gets a new friend or does some cool Mafia War's thing. Which, by-the-way, he wants everybody to join his mafia, so you better get busy. (Jake say's he "does not become giddy" but I just want you all to know that he does).

Some of our neighbors shared a bunch of strawberries with us; and, I was able to make strawberry jam. It's been a long time since we had strawberry jam, so it was such a treat! Besides the jam, the children loved munching on the fresh fruit all morning! Mmmm...it was a lot of fun and very tasty!

Fun With Utilities

Alright, so we all have utility bills. Whether its: phone, power, gas, city, garbage, etc..., they're there. I'll tell you what I did to help the ebb-and-flow and regulate the payments. Now it does take some work at first, but this system will work for anyone who wants to try.

When I began this system in the Spring of 2008, I gathered bills for all the utilities for the past twelve months. I must admit, I was missing a couple statements, so I either looked them up on line, looked at bank statements, or guesstimated. Now, here comes the fun part.

1. Add ALL the bill amounts together.
2. Divide this total by 12.

This will give you your monthly average spent on ALL utilities.

For example: All our utilities for 2007 equaled $3360.00. So I divided this amount by 12 and the average monthly payment came out to be $280.00.

3360/12=280

What does this mean? This means that each month we put $280.00 into an account just for utilities. If you decide to do this, you will save your average. **Do not and I repeat do not spend it on anything else or you'll mess up the system.** In the Summer and Winter this amount will not be enough to cover the utilities; but, that's why we like Spring and Fall. They help even everything out because it will be too much.

If you want to give this a try, and you begin during the high months, you will have to supplement with extra, but it's worth a shot.

Every six months, recheck your average. This will help you know if what you're putting away is enough. If things have changed, you can adjust.

Happy Budgeting...

Wednesday Prep Day

Good Morning Everybody! Okay, when I started writing this it was morning. Now it's after 10:00 p.m.! Where does the time go? Today we are going to begin collecting a First Aid Kit for our 72 hr. kits. You can make it as basic or involved as you want. You can even have your regular first aid kit and keep it in a place with the 72 hr. kits so you can grab-and-go if needed. If you want ideas for a first aid kit, click here. I also know that I saw one at Walmart a week ago. I didn't get a chance to look at it, but I did note that it had 72 pieces and was $9.00. What else...Oh, check out the American Red Cross for ideas too! Their site is full of information.

Another thing I just want to mention about 72 hr. kits. You don't have to have everything for everyone now. Would it be nice? Of course! Is it always practical to collect everything all at once? No. You must always consider your resources, budget, etc. Five flashlights would be ideal for my family; but, one or two is still better than none. So do what you can and just keep working at it. If you're persistent, you'll get there.

Now, how is your three months of storage coming? Do you have a plan? If so, keep pluggin' along. You'll get it. If you don't have a plan for your three month supply, lets make one together. To start, make a menu: seven breakfasts, seven or fourteen dinners. Seven's easier to plan, fourteen gives you more options.

1. Write the recipes for each breakfast and dinner down.
2. If you do seven meals, multiply the ingredients by 13 to find out exactly how much of each item you need for three months. If you do fourteen, you can multiply all of the meals by seven or half by seven and half by six. It's up to you.
   
3. Make a master shopping list.
   
4. Begin shopping always remembering to stick to your budget. Little by little you will cross all the items off. Just be persistent and patient.

This month, we are collecting wheat for our long-term storage. Liesa Card suggests a food storage program that fits the way we collect long-term storage on this site; although, there are many ways to go about gathering your storage.

Another way that makes sense is gathering a one year supply for one person at a time. (When you have one year gathered, just do it again). If you have one year for one person, you will also have a six month supply for two people, a four month supply for three, and so on. Isn't that COOL?! (I thought you might like it)! Happy collecting...

Quick Cook Bean Instructions

To quick cook beans, add sorted beans and a bunch of water to a pot. Boil 2 minutes. Remove from heat and cover. Let stand one hour. Replace old water with fresh water and simmer covered for 1 and a half to 2 hours or until done.

Mexican Haystacks

This recipe came from I Dare You To Eat It. It is WONDERFUL!!! I experimented and made the Pico de Gallo from canned tomatoes and dry ingredients from my pantry. The only fresh item I had was green onions - which came from my garden. It was GREAT! We loved it and I think I'll do it again. So...on to the Rice and Beans...or as I called it "Mexican Haystacks."

***The remainder of this post is copied directly from I Dare You To Eat It, and can be accessed from the link above***

RICE AND BEANS! RICE AND BEANS! RICE AND BEANS!

This is my new chant. I’ve recently learned how much I**LOVE**RICE**AND**BEANS!!! There are important nutritional details about how the combination of rice and beans provide “whole proteins”…which I don’t really understand…so I’ll just plant a flag that says they are healthy, ridiculously inexpensive, and yum-a-rama!

My conversions began months ago when dearest Kris invited our family to her home for dinner and served us a delightful meal of rice and beans. Ever since then we’ve been faithful followers and continue to enjoy this vegetarian delight on a regular basis.

All you need to do is cook some rice and beans from your long-term storage. I like to prepare both of these in large quantities so that I have them ready and waiting in the refrigerator or freezer.

I’m all about mass-production in order to save time. You could use white rice, or brown rice, or either rice mixed with wheat berries. We prefer black beans but pinto beans would also be great.

From a three-month supply I use a can of sliced black olives and bottled salsa, in a pinch.

The fresh ingredients are just the basic toppings you would normally use for a taco salad. We like grated cheese, diced green peppers, sour cream, fresh avocado, and

Kris’s Famous Pico De Gallo:

8-10 Roma tomatoes, diced

1/2 cup yellow onion, diced

1/2 cup green onion, sliced

1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped

2 limes, juiced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon vinegar

1 tablespoon salt

Mix all the ingredients and chill for an hour or two. Good luck with that.

After the fresh salsa has been made, we spoon a bed of hot rice onto each plate, add a scoop of warm black beans, and then all the other toppings as desired. This is a wonderful, healthy, lite and easy meal that everyone enjoys! No one on our team has missed the meat. Of course you could add a little grilled chicken or beef but you really don’t need to. The rice and beans combined with all the other flavors are completely satisfying and filling without being too heavy. Promise me you’ll try this!

Just a Thought

Lifetime Memories...for Our Children
by Dr. A.D. Witham

Pause with your child-when others hurry by;
Walk with your child-when others are running;
Talk with your child-when others prefer shouting;
Listen to our child-when others appear preoccupied;
Smile with your child-when others can find only frowns;
Play with your child-when others prefer to be entertained;
Praise your child-when others can find only fault;
Learn from your child-when others have forsaken curiosity;
Dream with your child-when others have become cynical;
Read with your child-when others prefer television;
Pray with your child-when others have lost faith;
Apologize to your child-when others pretend perfection;
Discipline your child-when others fail to establish limits;
Hug your child-when others fail to sense the power of touch!

Today's Challenge:

Talk Softly, when you feel like yelling;
Praise, when you want to criticize;
Hug, when you feel like spanking;
Play, when you're too busy.

Motivational Monday

Great and Noble...
that's who YOU are!

"As children of God we are somebody. He will build us, mold us, and magnify us if we will but hold our heads up, our arms out, and walk with him."

--Marvin J. Ashton, "In His Strength," Ensign, July 1973, 24

First Aid Kits

Good morning everybody! It's raining and lovely here on this fine Friday! Last night, I had the opportunity to attend a First Aid class hosted by a wonderful woman in my ward. I'd like to share the hand outs she gave us. They are from Simply Prepared and can be accessed by the link on the right side of the page.

All right...on to the good stuff...

First Aid Kit Guide
http://simplyprepared.com/First%20Aid%20Kits.htm

A good first aid kit should be serviceable everyday as well as in disaster situations. A family first aid kit will be more practical if it is also a medicine chest. Storing all medicines and first aid supplies in one container allows them to be easily included on family trips and outings to provide for most medical and health needs. Store supplies in a closed container, preferably water resistant. Containers that work well are tool boxes, tackle boxes, and plastic storage containers. Keep the kit in a place where it can be used but not easily reached by young children.

Stock your first aid kit with items your family uses on a regular basis and those you may use in an emergency. Keep sufficient quantities for the size of your family but remember to rotate medications.

The following list is a guide:

• antibiotic ointment
• burn ointment
• anti-fungal cream
• anti-itch lotion
• regular prescription medications
• pain relief tablets
• diarrhea medication
• laxative
• eye drops
• ear drops
• soap or antiseptic wash
• eye wash solution
• nose drops
• cough medicine
• allergy medicine
• decongestant
• motion sickness capsules or patches
• throat lozenges
• antacid
• alcohol
• hydrogen peroxide
• petroleum jelly
• sunscreen lotion
• insect repellent
• sterile burn dressings
• bandages, plastic strips
• ace bandages
• gauze pads (4" x 4")
• adhesive tape
• bandages, sterile roll 2" and 4" wide
• triangular bandage
• sterile eye pads
• moist towelettes
• cotton balls
• cotton tipped swabs
• first aid manual
• tweezers
• scissors
• single edge razor blade
• needles and thread
• safety pins
• water purification tablets
• plastic spoons
• pocket knife
• eye dropper
• thermometer
• dental floss
• two pair sterile gloves
• syrup of Ipecac
• baking soda
• salt
• chemical cold pack
• chemical hot pack
• paper cups or collapsible plastic cup
• space blanket
• safety matches
• emergency phone numbers
• phone money

Fanny Pack Emergency Kit
For School, Office, or Car
http://simplyprepared.com/fanny_pack_emergency_kit.htm

Place in a medium or large fanny pack:

• 12-hour light stick
• 1200 calorie food bar
• 3 or more water pouches
• pocket first aid kit
• thermal blanket
• rain poncho
• wet wipes
• pocket knife
• whistle
• dust mask
• ID such as a business card
• home and emergency contact information
• coins for a phone call or a non-expiring phone card
• list of pack contents
• work gloves, if there is room

Dust mask, ID, contact information, coins/phone card and list should be kept in resealable plastic bags. Food bars can be larger if there is room in the pack.

Keep the pack in a school locker, desk, filing cabinet drawer, car trunk, glove compartment, or anywhere else that is accessible when away from home.

Sold!!!

Hello my family!

Today is the day!
The day for what you may say?
The day we got to pay off
the Santa Fe!
HOORAY!!!!

I love that car, but I love not having the debt even more. And even though we were so very blessed to be able to sell it back in February to Aunt Kathy, it has been crazy waiting until NOW to finely pay it off. But that was the deal and now it's done! Yea!

This is me smiling a really big smile!

Love to you all!!!