Monday Message

Enjoy summer with your kids! Build skills and work on your storage. This is a good time to organize and be sure that you rotate.

Baking bread is a great skill to build, check out a few recipes here and here!

“The revelation to store food may be as essential to our temporal salvation today as boarding the ark was to the people in the days of Noah.” Ezra Taft Benson – Prepare Ye – Ensign, Jan. 1974, 69

http://preparednessadvice.com/food_storage/a-list-of-foods-that-i-recommend-you-have-in-your-storage/#.U3y4GJUU9jq - this is a helpful list to spur ideas. No one wants exactly the same thing but maybe things on this list you have not thought of.

http://preparednessadvice.com/food_storage/a-list-of-foods-that-i-recommend-you-have-in-your-storage/#.U3y4GJUU9jq - if you're just starting to put in your storage this is a good place to start.

http://preparednessadvice.com/food_storage/a-list-of-foods-that-i-recommend-you-have-in-your-storage/#.U3y4GJUU9jq here is another list to give you other ideas.

You start your own list what your family likes.

You start finding from scratch recipes and try them out, the ones you like put in a notebook. This will be a valuable part of your storage.

Learn new skills and build on skills you have.

Learn all you can. Never stop learning. It is free, you can choose what you want to learn. Sure you won’t get a diploma but it is worth a lot to you and your family.

http://eatingfoodstorage.blogspot.com/ you might want to read what others have learned, not that this is perfect but it is someone willing to learn. I will mention that I disagree with the old myth that spices don’t have long shelf life. I think that was created by sellers of spices as I have learned that spices keep indefinitely as far as none of mine have ever gone bad. 

http://preparedldsfamily.blogspot.com/p/12-monthly-food-storage-lists.html here is a neat way to gather storage.


http://preparedldsfamily.blogspot.com/2013/08/pictures-of-my-food-storage-room.html sometimes it is good to see what someone else’s storage looks like to get inspired.

http://momwithaprep.com/how-to-get-started-in-food-storage/ I can not say it enough that I like her method of storing food and knowing how much you need. She is just a great resource.

http://momwithaprep.com/101-dehydrating-recipes/  this has tons of ideas on dehydrating.

http://momwithaprep.com/?s=build+a+better+pantry this has terrific ideas.

http://www.restlesschipotle.com/2013/10/buttermilk-bread/  this shows how to make bread. It is good to know this just as good as learning to tie shoes only better tasting! :p Stretch your knowledge, Learn to make many breads. Variety is what one wants to be able to do.

If you are intolerant to wheat then I suggest that you start in right away to learn to make breads without gluten. It can be done but along with this I suggest then that you start storing what it will take to do so.

 http://www.thekitchn.com/want-to-bake-bread-at-home-start-with-one-of-these-3-recipes-189535 this has a variety of breads on it. If you do not have a mixer do it by hand. This is all about making do and learning. You do not have to wait till someday to start learning.


http://everydayfoodstorage.net/2012/05/22/how-to-make-your-bread-look-like-store-bought-bread/food-storage-recipes this is a great idea if your kids don’t like the idea of homemade. I personally like to make my bread to look very pregnant I say, looks much like the buttermilk bread above. But this is an idea that is an angel food cake pan sounds versatile.

http://everydayfoodstorage.net/wonders-of-bread I love this gal, she does much in the way to help you understand using your storage.

Keep working at building skills. Bread-making is a skill so is sewing, now is the time to build it up.

http://thesewingloftblog.com/2014/01/06/sewing-essentials-the-basics/

http://thesewingloftblog.com/2014/01/06/sewing-essentials-the-basics/

http://thesewingloftblog.com/2013/06/17/calculating-continuous-bias/

http://thesewingloftblog.com/2014/04/25/understanding-pattern-markings/

Knitting is a skill and crocheting https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL472F6039135FB1FA

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=beginning+knitting+tutorial

Also learning to be frugal is a skill http://baconandeggs-scifichick.blogspot.com/2013/04/114-frugal-money-saving-ideas-tips.html

Keep working on your storage and grow food, can food, dry food, put away what you can.

Monday Message - Yard Sale Season

Yard sales are a great place to look for pressure canners, water baths, vacuum sealers and a ton of other things!

Provident living classes will start up again two weeks after school starts in the fall to give you time to adjust to your new schedule. I will announce as we get near there. For now just enjoy your families, drop me suggestions for what you want a class on, work on your SKILLS and your STORAGE!

"[The pioneers] were taught by their leaders to produce, as far as possible, all that they consumed, and to be frugal and not wasteful of their substance. This is still excellent counsel. Joseph Fielding Smith, "The Pioneer Spirit," Improvement Era, July 1970, 3.

 We can begin with a one week's food supply and gradually build it to a month, and then to three months.  I am speaking now of food to cover basic needs." Gordon B. Hinkley, "To Men of the Priesthood," Ensign, Nov. 2002, 5.

http://verypink.com/2012/08/08/worlds-best-kitchen-scrubbie/ - this link works, last time it didn't so this even has a YouTube to show you how to make it - very nice scrubbie!

http://www.theyummylife.com/Natural_Room_Scents these are wonderful and frugal all in one - a good thing to save the site.

http://www.budgetsavvydiva.com/2012/07/copy-cat-recipe-homemade-bisquick/ scroll down, it is cheaper to make your own and some recipes call for bisquick so I always have on hand my own.

http://thefrugalfreegal.com/frugal-gift-idea/ this is a very handy thing to have.

http://www.firsthomelovelife.com/2013/12/budget-paychecks-differ.html this an idea for budgeting when you have irregular pay.

http://bargainbriana.com/save-money-by-freezing-food/  this is a good way to be frugal provided you have the freezer and space, something to think about.

YARDSALING....tis the season! So while you are out looking, you should look for (if you do not already have).........vacuum sealer, dehydrator, pressure canner (don't worry about if this gauge is accurate, they are easy to replace the rest never goes bad and if it has a gasket easy to get up and running with a new one), water bath or steamer canner, canning jars canning equipment... you get the idea. Finding them at yard sales saves so much money and yes you can find them.

If you already have an item and you see it for cheap at a sale and know of someone who needs one, pick it up or give them a call to see if they want you to get it. Always check dehydrators by plugging in to hear fan and a fan one is what you want. Have them show you the vacuum sealer too,.. pressure canner - just grab it.

The vacuum sealer, you want it to have a port for the hose. Often you do not find the whole set up but you can obtain it through the internet or sporting stores. If they do have the equipment to go with by all means get it, i.e. hose, jar attachment and hose and any canisters.

Living within our means is our goal and yard sales can help with clothing and things that would be costly like blenders, and other kitchen things and household and gardening stuff etc.

You can find yarn and knitting supplies and fabric and sewing machines (though make sure to test that machine before purchasing it).

If you think the price is too high you can ask if they will take less. If you think it is a good price already I feel fair in not asking if they will take less.

It is good to know prices. Also check out those free boxes. I used to get lots of adult jeans with broken zippers that were in good shape. I would make little jeans for the children from them of course, if you are that size and know how to replace zippers that is good too.

So make a list of what you need and carry that list with you to every sale. It will keep you tethered to reality when you are in there looking at everything wishfully...

http://artandbytes.com/2014/05/back-basics-homemade-liquid-laundry-detergent-for-only-pennies-load/  I love being able to make my own laundry soap. That is one huge savings when I found the recipes! I have friends who have allergies and they have benefited greatly by being able to do this. They cannot even walk down the isle of laundry soap without having terrible problems - saves on two fronts!

http://www.marthastewart.com/267317/salad-table this is a fantastic way to have salad for an extended amount of time.

http://benziecd.org/wp-content/uploads/2013/04/Salad-Table-Instructions.pdf  this has different plans.

http://frugalliving.about.com/od/frugalliving101/tp/60-Frugal-Skills-Everyone-Should-Know.htm you know I have been pressing you to build your skills, well here is a great idea. Either use her list here which is a link to how to do what she has on her list and you could make a list of your own with sites and that would be your go-to for learning your skills or renewing skills you have not worked on for a while. This is a good jumping off site to get you started. Scroll down and see all the good things she has here - great ideas!

http://scienceblogs.com/grrlscientist/2009/01/06/survival-skills-101-frugal-liv/ okay, I like the first one. I hate to window shop. I do like getting ideas to do my own but not to window shop. So here is a list you can read what she has here. Some things won't apply like the coffee, so pick and choose.

http://www.pennilessparenting.com/p/frugal-kitchen-skills.html another list of frugal kitchen skills to build on.

https://www.quickquid.co.uk/quid-corner/2013/09/13/take-the-frugal-living-challenge-step-8-learn-new-skills/ this has some helpful clips, you might enjoy the garden one right now. If you have a dog, how to groom it is on there, cleaning furniture, just a nice way to learn.

I have given you a lot to work with here. Refer back to it and enjoy your summer and learn skills and build your storage!

Monday Message

Provident living: May 13th is our hands-on gardening (weather permitting). I think that the weather won't cooperate but we can talk about gardening anyway. Class is 9:30 a.m. at the Shook's.

Use up Zucchini with Zucchini Mock Apple Pie. Click here for the recipe! It's delicious :)

"The best place to have some food set aside is within our homes, together with a little money in savings.  The best welfare program is our own welfare program. Five or six cans of wheat in the home are better than a bushel in the welfare granary. ... We can begin with a one week's food supply and gradually build it to a month, and then to three months.  I am speaking now of food to cover basic needs." Gordon B. Hinkley, "To Men of the Priesthood," Ensign, Nov. 2002, 5.

"[The pioneers] were taught by their leaders to produce, as far as possible, all that they consumed, and to be frugal and not wasteful of their substance. This is still excellent counsel. Joseph Fielding Smith, "The Pioneer Spirit," Improvement Era, July 1970, 3.

Remember to work on your skills this summer. Always learn something that can help you, help your family... that is a good education without too much cost.

This is a great recipe to have on hand. Store in a canning jar use when needed - http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/07/12/food-storage-recipes-homemade-rice-a-roni/

http://tipnut.com/baking-mixes-seasonings/ - this site has lots more mixes on it which would make summer meals easier to prepare!

http://heart-hands-home.blogspot.ca/search/label/Mix%20recipes - more mixes.. I have shared this before, warrants another search through!

http://heart-hands-home.blogspot.ca/search/label/taco%20seasoning - it is good to have your own on hand. I cannot remember when I last bought a package of taco seasoning mix. Store it in a jar and you are set. Remember to write on the jar what it is and how to use it.

http://heart-hands-home.blogspot.ca/2011/06/corn-bread-mix.html - no more little box mixes, make your own.

http://heart-hands-home.blogspot.ca/search/label/brownie%20mix - keep plenty of this on hand for summer months. The kids could even make it!

http://heart-hands-home.blogspot.ca/search/label/Cinnamon%20graham%20crackers - try your hand at these.

http://rikkisnyder.com/blog/13510966/fudgesicles  these look yummy, you can make for hot summer days.

Skills:
http://organizeyourstuffnow.com/wordpress/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/Toothbrush-Travel-Bag-Easy-Sew.jpg - this would be a great thing to make with your daughters for girls camp and for your scouts as well.

http://shwinandshwin.blogspot.com/2012/09/the-color-block-dress-free-pdf-pattern.html - easy to sew!

http://www.howdoesshe.com/a-real-arm-saver-diy-infant-carrier-handle-cover/ for those carrying baby carriers this is a great idea (sewing).

http://www.gracelaced.com/blog/2011/03/08/spring-is-in-the-hair - crochet project

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/151503974938969867/ - symbols for crochet

http://www.lululoves.co.uk/item/crochet-pattern-granny-square-pincushion.html those who did the granny square class will enjoy this.

http://verypink.com/2012/08/08/worlds-best-kitchen-scrubbie/ - knitting for young and old. This is a good project but will require knowing how to knit as it is a bit different to knit on netting.

http://thepinkcouch.blogspot.com/2010/11/cute-easy-fabric-bandaids.html - cute but extra work I say. But I will tell you that my sister used to stamp on bandaides that always made them cute :)

A few tips that have worked for me...

If you sew and have all those patterns, this is what has tamed mine -- Once you get it all done it is so easy to use  ......  I take the patterns out of the envelope and place in a brown five by seven envelope. On this I write the number and, for me, I put kids in one area and adult in the other. So I use file cabinet drawers for the brown envelope, make make sure you have that number on with who i.e. McCalls and the number. I put my numbers in the right top corner.

They are filed in numerical order the envelope that the pattern came in. I put in page protectors in a notebook. I have one for kids and babies and one for adults. This notebook can go with you to the store when you need to have the info on purchasing items to do the pattern.

The other tip is Children....I put together a box like a photo box and in there I throw old Christmas cards, crayons, glue, pipe cleaners, stickers, just anything you can think of to fill the box. I put one color ink pad and some stamps, some paper, you get the idea this is a special box when our granddaughter comes to visit. She calls it the scissor box. So there you go, it helps them to be creative. Let your imagination go.. you can target each box to your children's interest.

http://www.notwiddletwaddle.com/2013/08/how-to-make-a-boo-boo-bunny.html this is a no sew project and one must always have one of these in the freezer at all times for those boo boos little ones get. You can do the ice cubes but I use those plastic ice cubes that you can reuse. If you have several children you might want several in the freezer. When the boo boo is better you throw back in the freezer for next time.

http://www.budget101.com/frugal-living-articles/1-chicken-5-meal-challenge-4211.html - this will get you thinking on how to stretch your meals.

http://www.hgtv.com/gardening/how-to-grow-salad-greens/index.html - this is a good thing to do if you have a garden or not. You can walk out and pick your salad.

Keep working hard on your storage.

Keep working on your skills. I also am working all the time on mine as well so I am working right with you :)

I am so proud of all of you!

Anadama Bread

Anadama Bread is such a good bread and relatively easy to bake. Delicious!

Anadama Bread

2 c. boiling water

1/2 c. yellow cornmeal

2 tbsp butter

1/2 c. molasses

2 tsp salt

Proof:

2 tbsp yeast

1/2 c warm water

1 tsp sugar

8 c. flour (I did not use all so don't just dump in 8 cups)

Mix the top together and proof the rest and put together and mix and knead.

 

Let raise 1 hour then punch down and shape two loaves. Cover and let raise for the bread to get one inch to one and a half inches over rim. Bake in preheated 350 degree oven bake for 45 min.

Monday Message

Provident living: Our last class till fall will be hands-on gardening. Let me know if you are planning on attending. It will be 9:30 at the Shook's on May 13 (weather permitting).

Frugal cuteness = pillow case dress!

The time will come that gold will hold no comparison in value to a bushel of wheat." (President Brigham Young, Discourses of Brigham Young, p.298.)

“No one knows the time of His coming, but the faithful are taught to study the signs of it and be prepared for it…We need to make both temporal and spiritual preparation for the events prophesied at the time of the Second Coming” Oct. 2007 VT Message in Ensign, Dallin H. Oaks

"For over 100 years we have been admonished to store up grain. ‘Remember the counsel that is given,’ said Elder Orson Hyde, ‘Store up all your grain, and take care of it!... And I tell you it is almost as necessary to have bread to sustain the body as it is to have food for the spirit.’ (Ezra Taft Benson, Journal of Discourses, Vol. 5, p. 17)

http://homemakerschallenge.com/grandmas-budget-trending-zero-balance-budget/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Homemakerschallenge+%28Homemakers+Challenge%29  interesting article on keeping your budget

http://notquiteamishliving.com/2013/03/20-ways-my-grandma-saved-money/ - this is a great thing to read. I remember working at ISU in the food area and we had one lady who would get after us if we did not scrape the bowl. "That is one more cookie," she would say. I learned and applied it to my life. Also, while Brother Shook was in school and we had daycare in our home, he made signs at the grocery store and for a dollar we could get produce that was not perfect to put out and I would can it up. But all in all I think these are good ideas to spur on new ideas.

http://thehomesteadinghippy.com/4-ways-quality-clothing-cheap-free/ - some useful ideas I am sure you all already do.

http://lechaimontheright.blogspot.com/2013/11/frugality-how-to-from-greatest.html?m=1 - interesting what they did for nylons, I tell you we could learn a lot this is a fun read.

http://www.livingwellspendingless.com/2013/01/14/minimal-effort-freezer-cooking/ - now with summer coming on this would be great to have some things done up ahead!

http://www.firsthomelovelife.com/2013/12/budget-paychecks-differ.html - if your income varies this could be helpful.

http://hubpages.com/hub/101-Frugal-Living-Tips-You-Need-to-Know - should be something here to help.

http://acultivatednest.com/category/money-management/ - this has many ideas as you scroll down.

http://www.carriesbusynothings.com/2013/02/defining-need-payoff-step-2.html - frugal

http://bornfreenorthernvirginia.blogspot.com/2012/11/how-to-create-budget-complete-one-step.html

Now I have given you many different budget ideas that you may find something that could help you do better - a great collection of ideas here on being frugal as well :)

Summer can take a chunk out of our budgets too...

http://moneysavingmom.com/2012/06/4-weeks-of-frugal-family-fun-edible-peanut-butter-playdough-day-2.html

http://www.theidearoom.net/2009/08/reward-points-system-and-home-store.html saying "I am bored" there was always a chore in site....this is a great idea making happy helpers.

http://moneysavingmom.com/2012/06/4-weeks-of-frugal-family-fun-marshmallow-toothpick-structures-day-5.html - great fun I could see a FHE here building Tower of Babel or King Benjamin's Tower... let your ideas run!

http://www.pinterest.com/pin/157696424424739019/ - scroll down for tons of ideas. I love the water balloons! We used to have many FHE nights with those and water pistols. One night we armed dad with a small water pistol and the rest of us had large soda bottles, we put squirt tops on and those were our guns. Don't have to tell you who had the upper hand there! :p

http://laughingkidslearn.com/2013/10/diy-chalk-rake.html/ so cute

http://www.thebudgetdiet.com/frugal-family-fun-10-ideas-for-a-family-fun-night

http://www.pinterest.com/search/pins/?q=frugal%20family%20fun

http://www.thethriftydino.com/2012/04/frugal-family-funspy-training.html

This should give you lots of ideas to stay frugal and have fun doing it!

Keep working on your storage. Keep learning and working on skills. Try to plant a garden or container gardening!

You all inspire me I say :)