Monday Message

As Elder Featherstone proclaimed, “The Lord will make it possible, if we make a firm commitment, for every Latter-day Saint family to have a year supply of food reserves…  All we have to do is to decide, commit to do it, and then keep the commitment. Miracles will take place; the way will be opened.”

By the time you get this post there will only be a few weeks till the garden goes in. Take full advantage of being able to do it. This year I probably won’t be gardening unless I get well fast. I have viral pneumonia and it is taking all I have to rest. So this year I will have to work at getting well and do what I can.

http://www.littlehouseliving.com/large-batch-cooking-for-freezer-meals.html - great ideas

http://www.home-ec101.com/pantry-basics/ this is pretty basic and you will want to add to it but now is a good time to get your pantry stocked and organized.

http://www.thriftynorthwestmom.com/how-to-organize-your-pantry/ - ideas to help you stay in budget

http://www.alejandra.tv/blog/2015/01/video-pantry-organization-budget-part-1-4-dollar-store-organizing/ if you don’t watch anything else this is a great video using all dollar tree finds to organize your pantry.

So we have been talking about building our sewing skills, I found this and thought how neat! http://4h.wsu.edu/EM2778CD/pdf/c0677.pdf - tells you what to do or learn then check it off.

http://www.thefrugalgirl.com/2008/08/how-i-plan-my-menu/ - don’t go to the grocery store without a list or you will spend more, in some cases way more.

http://www.thefrugalgirl.com/2011/03/how-i-make-my-grocery-list/ I think you will find this very useful.

Soon the kids will be home all day everyday. Make your plans ahead, have your summer menu and grocery list. If you are ready you won’t throw your arms up and go out to eat spending more than you have or want to spend.

Plan easy meals for the days you want to pull your hair out.

Start now to mix large batches of cookies, roll them in foil label and freeze. Later slice and bake as needed.

Get your mixes made to help you during your busy time.

I know it all sounds like busy work but if you are well prepared it will go smoother.

Remember to take time to learn a skill.

As for me and the fact it takes everything I have to fix a meal, with lots of resting while I do just that, when I have to rest I have books to learn all around me.

I am not up to much else yet so now I must conserve my energy a lot more, work on being more patient with myself and not to push myself - don’t want to go backwards.

We must be flexible, things don’t always go like we want.

So keep working on your skills. Keep working on living providently.

Keep being kind and helpful to others.

Monday Message

“As we have been continuously counseled for more than 60 years, let us have some food set aside that would sustain us for a time in case of need. But let us not panic nor go to extremes. Let us be prudent in every respect.” (Gordon B. Hinckley, October 2001)

Well, I can honestly say my food storage has blessed us on many occasions of late. A huge blessing this week as we have a nasty flu that came on without warning and took us both down at once, flat out.     

On day 20, at the time you're reading this, it has been a ferocious strain of flu that turned into viral pneumonia, it is to be 8 weeks long. I am in bed then get up to fix food, mostly having to rest, get out the pan, rest my head on the counter, open can of soup, put in pan with water, turn on heat, head on counter... you get the idea. If we had to go get food and make it I don’t think we would have been able to. We did utilize going to the doctor to get orange juice and Mucinex. This has been a very hard thing. Dick was having leg cramps because his electrolytes were off, I have powdered Gatorade in storage just for that.

We had no warning whatsoever and went down minutes apart. This flu started on high and is still on high, it is a bedridden thing, barely able to fix food at all.

So, I feel you should have easy things to fix and casseroles in the freezer. Unfortunately, I have been sick since February - that was a stomach bug that lasted 30 days then two weeks with a sinus cold. So I pretty well depleted any sick meals I had early on.

This has been the roughest time in recent history.

What I have learned is you try your best to be prepared and still things happen but we must try to do what we can to do the best we can.

I hope you have been working on your skill building. I read this week that next to cooking, sewing is just as important in your skill building. 

http://stitchandpink.com/2016/03/lets-make-a-sewing-binder.html I think no matter where you are in learning to sew you may want to do this, you know how I feel about binders.

www.stitchandpink.com/2016/04/sewing-binder-part-1lesson-1-hand-sewn-seam.html - this gets you started

Just maneuver around on her site. I think having a visual is very helpful.

I like her idea of putting the sample in a binder and you can look back as a resource.

www.sewmamasew.com/2012/09/basic-bib-tutorial - here is a great project - great gift too.

Even if you hate to sew it is very prudent to know how. I think it is very interesting that second to knowing how to cook from scratch is sewing. They feel that strongly about it - you need this skill. Any guesses on why that would be?? Yes, we need food and clothing, having knowledge to reuse/refashion. 

I like knowing how to sew. Often I am looking for a pattern and I find I don’t like the trends, tight and short seems be the styles. Knowing how to sew you are not at the mercy of trends and you can make modest clothing. I know everyone wants to be in style but if your sewing skills are up you can enhance sleeve lengths, etc. You get the idea.

http://kathyscottage.blogspot.com/2013/05/easy-apron-tutorial.html aprons

http://www.skiptomylou.org/easy-tote-bag-kids-sewing-project/ tote bag

http://www.tillyandthebuttons.com/2012/08/how-to-make-tailors-hams-and-sausages.html I found mine from a yard sale but this is great to make them, they are costly tools.

http://www.thecountrychiccottage.net/2013/06/how-to-make-curtains-super-simple.html being able to make your curtains saves money so do your own. You can use old curtains that don’t fit or use sheets or when I did the kitchen facelift I made those curtains out of one shower curtain that I had on hand from a yardsale long ago.

We knew a gal that made a tablecloth for every holiday for her table. She would wait till holiday passes then get her fabric on sale. So she had Halloween, St. Patrick’s Day, amazing all the wonderful fabrics. Her children always loved the tablecloths.

This same gal took a sheet and strung half a hula hoop through and evened the gathers, then however long she wanted it she would gather and swirl into a flower. This was hung on wall over the little girls' headboard and it was a canopy, very pretty.

So you see with a little skill you can make great things!

Stay healthy and keep working on storage and skills.

Monday Message

Read through this week's Monday Message for a delicious Orange Rolls recipe!

"Plan to build up your food supply just as you would a savings account... We urge you to do this prayerfully and do it now." - President Ezra Taft Benson, General Conference October 1980; and in that same talk, he also said…
“There are blessings in being close to the soil, in raising your own food even if it is only a garden in your yard and a fruit tree or two. Those families will be fortunate who, in the lasts days, have an adequate supply of food because of their foresight and ability to produce their own.”

I think this is powerful. Produce their food, have skills to stretch the food by cooking from scratch, saving on foods purchased, spend wisely, learned skills to help now and in time of need. Raise and teach your children, life is hard so prepare them to be able to manage and to find joy no matter how much they do not have/how to make do cheerfully, not to begrudge things. You can teach them the skills and you can learn with them.  

It is like the fish story, you can feed them a meal or you can teach them to fish and they eat for an entire lifetime. They may never need any of what you teach but I am sure at least once they will need it… fortunes change quickly.

Knowing how to make do is an education. Being happy with what you have is an education. There might be areas you hate but knowing you can do them is an education. Knowing how to live within your means is an education. Learning to work with your spouse or kids when times are tough is an education. Being able to roll up your sleeves and help solve the problem is an education.

I think you see a pattern here, we want to keep learning and growing.

If a husband and wife do not work together but work against each other how can that be happiness? But when you are on the same team you find joy in helping each other and can laugh and have fun - there is no price tag on that.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=how+to+hand+sew&view=detail&mid=8648DFC597B4CFAC1D628648DFC597B4CFAC1D62&FORM=VIRE

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=how+to+hand+sew&&view=detail&mid=E8401B31DAFB8CAEC786E8401B31DAFB8CAEC786&rvsmid=8648DFC597B4CFAC1D628648DFC597B4CFAC1D62&FORM=VDQVAP&fsscr=0
- learn how some basic hand stitching is done.

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=How+to+Thread+a+Sewing+Machine+for+Beginners&&view=detail&mid=56881686F432077F332356881686F432077F3323&FORM=VRDGAR - how to thread a machine. She is using a Brother sewing machine. You can look at your manual for how to thread your machine, if you don’t have a manual you can look online with your machine info.

http://www.craftandfabriclinks.com/sewingbook/sewbook.html - very good if you need to learn sewing.

If you do not have a machine check on freecycle, craigslist, ask on facebook or purchase one if you can. If you're getting it free don’t expect to get the best ever machine, just get one that works and go through the lessons. Or maybe borrow one from a parent to learn on.

You know a stitch in time saves nine is a true thing!

http://www.craftandfabriclinks.com/sewingbook/sewbook.html - how to mend a torn sheet.

http://ellenscreativepassage.blogspot.com/2013/01/free-washcloths.html - make wash cloths from old towels.

So don’t throw away, recycle and be frugal - this stretches out our money. You will feel good for doing it too.

It always makes me think of that Amish fella in front of me in line at the store. He had a nicely stitched patch on his coveralls, his wife proudly extended his work clothes and I am sure he loved that she was doing her part to help him.

Again, it is efficient to keep everything on the computer until the day it gets lost - always generate a hard copy.

http://www.bhg.com/gardening/vegetable/vegetables/planning-your-first-vegetable-garden/ it is time to think about gardening. Teach yourself how by looking up different ways that could be efficient. 

Learn then apply.

We do that in our lives all the time, it is education. Life is education… you can do it - never quit learning!

On a side note, I adapted a variation to the bread mix recipe to make...

Orange rolls

I take out ¼ c water and replace it with orange juice. Add dry ingredients (which is my jar of bread mix). I add two tbsp. grated orange rind and follow the directions till dough is raised. Then roll like for cinnamon rolls, spread with melted butter and sprinkle with sugar. Then cut with pizza cutter to get 48 squares, or as close as you get, layer four squares on side in sprayed jumbo muffin tin holes, let raise then bake at 400 degrees for ten to thirteen minutes. Watch close, you want them gold not burned. Take out and frost while hot.

Frosting

Two cups powder sugar
One tsp butter
One tbsp. grated orange peel
One fourth cup orange juice

Keep learning every day!

If you want me to cover something you need, let me know by sending me an email bshook@huxcomm.net

Keep working with your families, not against. It is like the three legged race, you get farther when you work together.

Monday Message

"Plan to build up your food supply just as you would a savings account... We urge you to do this prayerfully and do it now." President Ezra Taft Benson, General Conference October 1980; and in that same talk, he also said….

“There are blessings in being close to the soil, in raising your own food even if it is only a garden in your yard and a fruit tree or two. Those families will be fortunate who, in the lasts days, have an adequate supply of food because of their foresight and ability to produce their own.”

I was requested to do a whole blog post on sheltering in place so we shall honor the request…

As you know our embassy in Brussels had Americans shelter in place, this does go hand and hand with a 72 hour kit in that we should be prepared to evacuate and be prepared to shelter in place in your home. Now if you have been working on your storage you could easily stay in, what if you did not have your storage?  You could put a loved one in danger to go for food. You could be the neighbor that can share with your neighbors. 

http://www.csusm.edu/em/procedures/shelter.html - this is good
https://www.opcw.org/protection/facts-about-sheltering-in-place/
www.osha.gov/SLTC/etools/evacuation/shelterinplace.html - scroll down for procedures for sheltering in place

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shelter_in_place - more on sheltering in place
http://www.nsemo.org/sites/default/files/files/nsemo_shelter_in_place_checklist_for_businesses.pdf
http://www.nationalterroralert.com/shelterinplace/ - good info

http://emergency.cdc.gov/preparedness/shelter/index.asp - helpful info here too

http://www.cambridgema.gov/emergencymanagement/shelterinplaceinformation.aspx and here

http://www.redcross.org/images/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m4340182_shelterinplace.pdf - Redcross info.
https://www.ready.gov/shelter - more info

http://www.y12.doe.gov/security/emergency-public-information/sheltering-place

https://www.fema.gov/faq-details/Evacuating-v-Shelter-in-place-1370032121004/

http://www.aem.umn.edu/info/Shelter_In_Place.shtml

http://survivalweekly.com/downloadable-files/article-sheltering-in-place/ - very helpful

http://www.bt.cdc.gov/preparedness/shelter/

While we are talking along this line, do you have fire drills and evacuation plans posted on the refrigerator?

Also a tornado plan - We should be ready as we are heading into our severe weather time of year.

It is a good idea to have plans. We had a fire evacuation plan that we were to get out of house and run to the big tree out back.

Be thinking about gardening, it will soon be here. We plant May 15 and after.

http://www.onsuttonplace.com/2016/03/indoor-mason-jar-herb-garden/ - this would be nice in the kitchen

We are responsible for our family to have needed food, clothing, and shelter as best we can.

When we as people put in our storage, if our living space is small, we need to be creative. If we have much room we still need to be creative and most all of us fall in the middle and have to be creative.

I feel we need to go over this again... do not store your food on concrete directly. You need to put wood between the item and a cement floor palettes are easy to get and can be used for this purpose.

I store in buckets I get from bakeries for free. I wash and dry thoroughly. If you purchase buckets make sure they are food grade buckets. We have used buckets for short evacs when in college.

We have had short periods of this but if anything unforeseen were to happen really have your home be a shelter for you and others.

Keep working on skills that you would need in anything that happens. Build your storage, also make sure you have fun board games - you could have no power.

This post is not to scare you, just to help you be prepared for anything. I am proud of you all.