Monday, May 31, 2010

Happy Memorial Day!

I wanted to take some time today to share with you
some images in honor of
Memorial Day. 
It's easy to enjoy this holiday without much thought .
I wanted to encourage everyone to take time this weekend
to . . .
PRAY for our Soldiers
and
REMEMBER the cost many have
paid for our freedom.
Thank You
to all who have given their lives
for our FREEDOM!

Sunday, May 30, 2010

June Journal Pages!

I can't believe it's time for a new set of Journal Pages.
Time Flies!!!
Here are the new Journal Pages for
JUNE:
Here's the PDF:

Vital Records - Catch Up Day!

We're a Week Ahead . . . So take the day to
Catch Up
on the pages you've missed or put off!
We'll start into the
Finances Section
Next Sunday!
Have a GREAT DAY with your Family!

Dry Pack Cannery Order Form!

It's that time again . . .
Can I get a Woot, Woot?!?
We are not for sure on the Dry Pack Cannery Date,
but it will most likely be in the 2nd week of July.
Here's a link to check prices and print the order form:
If you are interested in going,
Please fill out the form and return it to:
Diane Thomas, Alicia Smith, or Tricia Smith
By June 20th!
We will be ordering
Shelf-Stable Milk from Gossner's
This Month.
Watch for Order Forms Next Sunday!
The Cream and the Half n' Half are AMAZING!

Saturday, May 29, 2010

Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Topping Labels!

If you would like to add a label to your
Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Sauce Jar
Here's the PDF:
Chocolate Raspberry Sundae Topper Jar Labels PDF
It's a great gift for Teacher's and Visiting Teachers!
Wide Mouth and Regular Jar Labels are included
in the PDF!
Enjoy!

Food Storage Meals & Menu Planning - Dessert: Lemon Squares!

Today's Dessert Menu Item Is:
Lemon Squares!
Here's the Recipe:
Lemon Squares Recipe
Crust:
1 1/2 cups Flour
3/4 cup Powdered Sugar
3/4 cup Butter
Lemon Filling:
6 Large Eggs
3 cups Sugar
1 1/3 cup Lemon Juice
Grated Zest of 1 Lemon
1/2 cup Flour
Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
Sift the flour and powdered sugar for the crust
and then Add the butter.
Mix it by hand - it should be a crumbly texture.
Press it into the bottom of a 13x9-inch pan.
Bake the crust for about 20-30 minutes.
Filling:
Whisk together eggs and sugar.
Add the zest and lemon juice.
(I also squeezed the lemon into it after I used the zest.)
Sift the flour over the mixture and stir it until it's mixed in.
Pour over the baked crust and put it back into the oven for
another 35 minutes.
Let it cool completely before cutting.
Store squares in the refrigerator.
To make the Recipe EVEN MORE Food Storage Friendly:
Replace the homemade filling with canned lemon pie filling.
You can also dehydrate your own lemon peels to use in place
of fresh lemon zest.
It's very concentrated so you don't have to use very much.
Here's the Recipe PDF:
Enjoy!

Friday, May 28, 2010

A House of Order: Day Keeper Pages!

My friend Valerie Bybee did the nicest thing!
She made it so that YOU can now type YOUR information
in the pages I previously made for the Day Keeper.
I know . . . she's AWESOME!
Here's the new PDF:
If you've already printed them from the first PDF,
NO WORRIES! . . . They are still the exact same pages,
this PDF just gives you the option of typing the information
instead of filling them out by hand.
She is going to do the same the next set of
Day Keeper pages, so give me just a second to get
the rest of the pages to her.
Thanks Again for your help . . . Bybes!

Preserve It . . . Canning Corner:

Bottled Chocolate Raspberry
Sundae Topper
HOLY COW . . . This one's a keeper!
Ingredients:
1/2 cup Sifted Unsweetened Cocoa Powder
1  1.75-ounce package Ball Original Fruit Pectin
4 1/2 cups Crushed Red Raspberries
6 3/4 cups Granulated Sugar
1 Tbsp. Lemon Juice
6 (8 oz.) half pint glass Preserving Jars with Lids and Bands
Instructions:
Prepare boiling water canner.  Heat jars and lids in simmering
water until ready for use.
Do not boil.  Set bands aside.
Combine cocoa powder and pectin in a medium glass bowl,
stirring until evenly blended.  Set aside.
Combine crushed raspberries and lemon juice in a large
stainless steel saucepan.
Whisk in pectin mixture until dissolved. Bring to a boil over
high heat, stirring frequently.  Add sugar all at once and
return to a full rolling boil, stirring constantly.
Boil hard for 1 minute, stirring constantly.
Remove from heat and skim off foam.
Ladle hot sundae topper into hot jars leaving 1/4-inch
headspace. Remove air bubbles. Wipe jar rims.
Center lid on jar.  Apply band until fit is fingertip tight.
Process Jars in a boiling water canner for 15 minutes,
adjusting for altitude.  Remove jars and cool.
Check lids for seal after 24 hours.
Lid should NOT flex up and down when center is pressed.
Makes about 6 (8 oz.) half pints.
Here's the Recipe PDF:
Serve on top of vanilla ice cream with a few more
fresh raspberries . . . um um um um ummmm!

Thursday, May 27, 2010

Day Farms Picking Schedule!


If you live in the area, I thought you might
like a copy of the DAY FARMS picking schedule.
If you are not from around here and have
the option of picking your own fruits and veggies,
the schedules should be available for you as well.
Day Farms is located on:
2500 W. Gentile St. in Layton, UT.
(801)546-4316
Here's the Schedule PDF:

Preparedness Project - Travel Bag Organizer!

Vacation Time is almost here . . . Time to load the
suitcase and hit the road!
Don't you just love packing?!?
It seems like we spend alot of time organizing everyone's
clothes, trying to make sure that everything is in perfect order
and within minutes of arriving at our destination,
it looks like we just grabbed a load of unfolded laundry
and threw it into the suitcase!
This should help and it's SUPER EASY!
You Will Need:
2 1/2 Gallon Sized Ziploc Bags
(Gallon Sized Ziploc Bags are Perfect for Babies.)
Dryer Sheets
4 Large C-Rings
Hole Punch
and
Packing Tape
To Make the Travel Organizer:
Use the packing tape to reinforce the bottom of the ziploc bags.
Use the hole punch to put 4 holes into the bottom of the bags.
Repeat this process 6 more times.
(7 Total Bags . . . 1 for each day of the week.)
I just used 2 bags for the example.
Hook the bags together using the C-Rings.
Add 1 fresh dryer sheet to each bag.
Here's How It Works:
Put a full outfit into each bag along with the dryer sheet.
At the end of the day, just refold the dirty clothes and
put them back into the bag with the dryer sheet.
Now the clean clothes aren't mixed with the dirty clothes,
and the dirty one's will be refreshed by the dryer sheet.
You can do a quick check to make sure both socks,
belts, and other accessories are not left behind.
The travel bags fit easily into a suitcase or duffle bags.
And . . . They're Reusable!
I have been using mine since 1992 and it's still
hanging in there!
I made one for each member of my family.
I included days of the week cards to help keep my family
organized through the whole vacation!
Note the COLORS?!?
Here's the PDF:
By The Way . . . This is a great option for
72 Hour Kit Clothing.
It makes rotating clothing sizes very easy.
I put the whole outfit into 1- 2 1/2 gallon sized ziploc bag
with a dryer sheet.  I add a sizes and contents card
as well as a dryer sheet and when it's time to rotate,
I just move the older kids clothing to the younger sibblings.
(I have all boys . . . so it's perfect!)
Here's the 72 Hour Kit Contents Card PDF:
I just laminate the cards and use a
Permanent Sharpie Marker.
When I need to make changes, I use alcohol and the
ink wipes right off so the cards are reusable as well!
It's my Collin's Birthday Today,
so I'll post the Day Keeper Part 3 on Friday
instead of today!
Happy Birthday
Colliwog!

Family Activity - Take a Family Penny Hike!

Have you ever taken a
Penny Hike?
They're alot of fun and they only cost 1 Penny!
Gather the Family and . . .
take a hike around the block. Each time you come
to a new street . . . flip the coin.
Heads you turn Right,
Tails you turn Left.
It's as simple as that!
The goal is to: Get Back HOME,
using as few flips as possible.
The sooner you get home . . . the sooner you can dish up
one of these AMAZING Cookies.
They're called:
Peanut Butter Crunch Cookies
Just a little piece of HEAVEN!
Here's the Recipe PDF:
(This is a great Food Storage Recipe!)
P.S.
You may have to do the best 2 out of 3 flips to get
going back in the right direction.
JUST FOR FUN . . .
Add your LUCKY PENNY to you Family Journal
along with some pictures or a map of the path
you took on your hike.
Have a GREAT TIME!
By the Way . . .
This is a perfect FHE Object Lesson on Making Decisions,
BEFORE
you get into a tough situation.
Explain the importance of deciding what you will do
in different situations, long before you get there.
For Example:
If you decide to keep the Word of Wisdom at an early age,
when you are placed in that situation, you will already
know what you will do!
Flipping a coin to make a decision, or putting our choices
into someone elses hands like friends or giving in to peer pressure,
can lead us far
away from our original destination.
Make decisions before you need to . . . so that YOU are the
one to decide where YOU will end up!
My Mom had a GREAT IDEA for the Penny Hike!
Her idea was to . . .
Make a few plates of cookies to take with you on your hike.
Pick a number between 1-10.
Take your penny hike as usual
and when you get to the number you chose . . .
DELIVER THE FIRST PLATE OF COOKIES!
Keep going until all of the cookie plates are gone.
Way FUN!
(Thanks MOM)

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

A House of Order and FUN: Day Keeper Part 2!

Day Keeper Part 2!
Now that you have finished your
Days of the Week pages, we can move on to the
rest of the stuff on the list.
Today's Pages Include:
Calendar Pages
(Jan. - May 2011 and June - Dec. 2010)
Here's the Calendar PDF:
Birthday and Anniversary Cards
Birthday's and Anniversaries
Monthly Expenses Sheets
Bills to be Paid
Babysitter Information
"Here's What We Did This Month" Journal Pages
Running Project List
Important Names and Numbers
Our Family Goals
Visiting Teaching Information
Home Teaching Information
Wants, Needs, and Sizes
2010 Holidays
Weekly Shopping List
Breakfast Repeat
Monthly Emergency Preparedness Planning and Purchases
Authorization for Treatment of a Minor
Daily Quick Clean Schedule
Routines: Table of Contents
Pictures for Family History
My Routines
Kids Routines
Holiday Traditions and Ideas
Tabs
Routines Divider Page
and
Reminders Divider Page
Here's the PDF:
Tabs and Dividers PDF:
Oops!
I sent you MY Breakfast Repeat . . . Here's a blank one for you:
You're getting closer to putting your books together.
The great thing about the Day Keeper is that
you only print the forms you want to use.
I'll show you how to put them together in tomorrow's post.
Here are a few pictures of what the 
Days of the Week Pages look like.
I'll be able to explain how they work alot easier
once you've opened the PDF and been able to see
the forms.
NOTE:
I had put Presentation Books on the Supply's Needed List
in an earlier post. That will be used for the Family Phone Book.
You will definately want to get a 3-ring binder for the
Day Keeper!
(I'm sorry about the mix-up . . . but we will still be using the
Presentation Books, just not for a minute.)
Here's a Finances Tab . . . Just in case you would like one:
I think I will be able to finish posting the forms tomorrow . . .
and then the Day Keeper will be DONE!

Ark Prep 101 - Communication!

Communication!
I have to say, this is the one part of preparedness
that gives me a little anxiety.
My family is spread between 3 schools and work.
I wanted to know that in an emergency,
I could get into contact with each of them and up to this
point, I've been a little stumped.
But then . . .
I was at my parent's home for their
FAVORITE DAUGHTER'S DINNER,
and I saw their ward newsletter.  They had a great idea for
communication in their ward.
Each month they have a
Communication Exercise.
They set a day and time to test their communication system
using
Walkie Talkies!
They make sure that everyone knows what channel
they need to be on for the test.
Each exercise consists of a group check-in and a 
short discussion on emergency preparedness.
Isn't that the greatest idea?!? 
Way to go Henefer 2nd Ward!
I've decided to do this same thing
for my own family. 
Each person in my family now has their own walkie talkie.
The school aged kids have a wrist walkie talkie.
(They're a little easier for them to have at school!)
We decided to try our
Emergency Communications Test
two ways.
The 1st: 
Is to test the walkie talkies on a certain day at a certain time.
We are also doing a check using cell phone texting.
The 2nd: 
 Is to test the system without a prior warning.
I'll let you know how it goes!
The Day Keeper Part 2 Post Is On It's Way
Later TODAY!

Monday, May 24, 2010

Family Home Evening - Family History . . . It's All About Mother's!

The Family History Focus for This Month Is
All About Mother's!
Opening Prayer:
Scripture:
Alma 57:21
"Yea, and they did obey and observe to perform every word
of command with exactness; yea, and even according to their
faith it was done unto them; and I did remember the
words which they said unto me
that their mother's had taught them."
Song:
"Mother Dear" Children's Songbook Page 206
Lesson:
In the April 2010 Conference, Elder Bradley D. Foster
of the Seventy encouraged us to:
"Follow Your Mother!"
Quote:
"In my profession as a farmer and a rancher, I've had a frontrow
seat to observe how a mother's natural affection manifests
itself even in nature.  Each spring we take a herd of cows and their
new calves up along Idaho's Snake River . . .
 . . . On one particularly hot spring day, I was helping with the
roundup by riding at the back of the herd as it moved down the
dusty road toward the corral. 
My job was to gather any calves that had
wandered from the road . . .
. . . After several hours of gathering up stray calves . . . , I yelled
to the calves in frustration, "Just follow your mothers! They know
where they're going!  They've been down this road before!" . . .
As soon as we got the herd into the corral,
we noticed that three of the cows were pacing nervously at
the gate.  They could not find their calves and seemed to sense
they were back on the road somewhere . . .
   . . . We found our lost calves taking a nap in the shade. 
Our approach startled them, and they resisted our efforts
to round them up.  They were frightened because we
were not their mothers! 
The more we tried to push them toward the corral,
 the more stubborn they became. 
Finally I said to the cowboys, "I'm sorry. I know better
than this.  Let's ride back and get their mothers."  I was right.
The mother cows knew exactly where to go to find their calves,
and they led them back to the corral, as I had expected." . . .
 
"Mother's are AMAZING" . . . if I do say so myself!
My mom's greatest legacy
can be seen in the homes of her children.
She taught us the power of prayer, how to find answers
in the scriptures, how to work hard, to cook, to sew, and
most importantly, she showed and continues to show us
unconditional love.
I have been blessed with an equally amazing mother-in-law,
and I am truly grateful every day for such a blessing.
Family Home Evening Activity:
Celebrate Mother's Past, Present, and Future.
To celebrate Mother's Past:
List some of the things you learned from your
Grandma's.
(Add pictures of Grandma's.)
To celebrate Mother's Present:
Have your children list some of the things you have
taught them, as well as some of the things they would
like for you to teach them.
(Add pictures of YOU and YOUR Children.)
To celebrate Mother's Future:
List the qualities found in
The Family: A Proclamation to the World
(Add pictures of the daughter's in your family.)
There are two scrapbook pages for each section:
1 Page for Writting
and
1 Page for Photos!
Here's the Family Home Evening Lesson PDF:
Now for the Family Home Evening Treat:
Strawberry
Cheesecake Trifle!
Ingredients:
2 (8 ounce) Packages Cream Cheese, Softened
2 cups Powdered Sugar
1 (8 ounce) Container Sour Cream
1/2 tsp. Vanilla
1/4 tsp. Almond Extract
1 cup Cool Whip, Thawed
4 Tbsp. Sugar
1 Angel Food Cake, Cubed
2 quarts Fresh Strawberries, Sliced
Instructions:
In a large bowl, beat cream cheese and powdered sugar
until fluffy; add sour cream, 1/2 tsp. vanilla and the almond
extract and set aside.
Fold the cool whip into the cream cheese mixture.
Combine strawberries and sugar, stirring until sugar
is dissolved.
Layer in a large glass bowl:
Cake
Strawberries
Whip Cream Mixture
Repeat until bowl is FULL!
Cover and chill before serving.
WAH . . .LAH!
Here's the Recipe PDF:
Closing Prayer!
Remember to add the completed pages to your
Family History Scrapbook!
Have a GREAT Night!