Monday Message

"The greatest events that have been spoken of by all the Holy Prophets will come along so naturally as the consequences of certain causes, that unless our eyes are enlightened by the Spirit of God, and the spirit of revelation rests upon us, we will fail to see that these are the events predicted by the Holy Prophets." George Q. Cannon, Nov. 2, 1879, JD 21:266-67

"Now you ask where do I get the money for these things. I agree I need them, but I'm having a hard time making ends meet. Here is how you do it: Use one or more of the following suggestions: Food Storage Christmas: Use 25-50% of money for food storage, New Clothes: Don't buy instead make it last a few more months, use that money for food storage, Vacation/ Holiday: no vacation or holiday until food storage is complete, Recreation: Cut by 50% use money for food storage, find fun, free things to make lasting memories, Snowmobiles/campers/boats: sell or trade to get a year's supply, Change Diet: eat cheaper foods and use extra money for food storage. 

"The Lord will make it possible, if we make a firm commitment, for every LDS family to have a year's 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 and we will have our storage areas filled.

"I believe it is time, and perhaps with some urgency, to review the counsel we have received dealing with our personal and family preparedness. ... With events in the world today, it must be considered with all seriousness. We are not in a situation that requires panic buying but the instability in the world today makes it imperative that we heed this  counsel and prepare for the future." L. Tom Perry, Nov. 1995.

 "Signs of the Second Coming are all around us and seem to be increasing in frequency and intensity. ... While we are powerless to alter the fact of the Second Coming and unable to know its exact time, we can accelerate our own preparation and try to influence the preparation of those around us.  We need to make both temporal and spiritual preparation for the events prophesied at the time of the Second Coming." Preparation for the Second Coming, Dallin H. Oaks (2004).

"We are living in the prophesied time, 'when peace shall be taken from the earth,' (D&C 1:35) when 'all thing shall be in commotion,' and 'men's hearts shall fail them' (D&C 88:91) These signs of the Second Coming are all around us and seem to be increasing in frequency and intensity.'" Dallin H. Oaks, Conference, April 2004.

"Too often we bask in comfortable complacency and rationalize that the ravages of war, economic disaster, famine and earthquake cannot happen here. Those who believe this are either not acquainted with the revelations of the Lord or they do not believe them.  Those who smugly think these calamities will not happen, that they will somehow be set aside because of the righteousness of the Saints, are deceived and will rue the day they harbored such a delusion.  The Lord has warned and forewarned us against a day of great tribulation and given us counsel, through His Servants, on how we can be prepared for these difficult times.  Have you (we) heeded His counsel?" Ezra Taft Benson, Jun. 1980.

I think we need to listen and pay attention and get prepared.

Life has hard times so work on your skills and get your storage in. If you feel like you are done, take a closer look. I know some feel I have twelve of this or that so I have my storage in… you have one time a month in if that is how you plan, won’t be enough in a real time of need. 

If you bought twelve boxes of pasta that is not a year supply, so go through, take an inventory and if you are good, fantastic! Be rotating it and continue to build it. Look at your first aid kits, your 24 hour kits and if you have it all tended work on your kids’ food storage. It is hard just starting out.

At the same time, work on skill building. just keep learning. It doesn’t end, it never will. 

Don’t be sucked into complacency it is soooo easy to say no not today, I'll do it tomorrow... next week... next pay check.... No, you need to be doing now.

If things went bad and you did not prepare, who would you turn to? Family, yes, but they aren’t prepared to carry your family too. We really need to prepare for our own needs.

We just celebrated our 43rd anniversary. We have known each other since seventh grade. We were high school sweethearts and still are and still best friends.

So we saw our store flyer and decided we would like what was on sale as our gift. So we got 24 cans of green beans and 12 jars of peanut butter.

We did this for Mother's Day and I suspect perhaps some 25 lb bags of flour perhaps three bags of walnuts too for fathers day   

If you really work together and are not set on worldly things this is a good way to use that money for storage. Do we have less happiness? No. Did we still have a great anniversary? Yes. We also like a trip to the used bookstore looking for things that can build a skill. We mainly like the clearance section as we have low funds. Just think what your funds could do when you pull together to get storage in. This is just one way we do it to build in tight times.

You have to be together to do this but instead of regular dinner out and gifts, this helps us to build in areas that might be low.

http://www.foodstoragemoms.com/2017/06/20-items-start-food-storage-plan/ - great ideas

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T_epZRdCucA&feature=em-subs_digest - simple to make

https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/publication/whats-your-plate/help-food-costs - great ideas

I want you to keep storing looking for deals and work them into your storage. Can, dry, build skills. Let me know how it goes for you in the comments below.

Monday Message

"Acquire and store a reserve of food and supplies that will sustain life. ... As long as I can remember, we have been taught to prepare for the future and to obtain a year's supply of necessities.  I would guess that the years of plenty have almost universally caused us to set aside this counsel.  I believe the time to disregard this counsel is over.  With events in the world today, it must be considered with all seriousness."  L. Tom Perry, "If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear," Ensign, Nov. 1995.

"In words of revelation the Lord has said, "Organize yourselves; prepare every needful thing" (D&C 109:8).  Our people for three-quarters of a century have been counseled and encouraged to make such preparations as will assure survival should a calamity come.  We can set aside some water, basic food, medicine, and clothing to keep us warm.  We ought to have a little money laid aside in case of a rainy day." Gordon B. Hinckley

"Brethren, I wish to urge again the importance of self-reliance on the part of every individual Church member and family. None of us knows when a catastrophe might strike. Sickness, injury, unemployment... I do not predict any impending disaster ... yet prudence should govern our lives ... We can begin with a one week food supply and gradually build it to a month, and then to three months. I am speaking now of food to cover basic needs. ... I fear that so many feel that a long-term supply is so far beyond their reach that they make no effort at all.  Begin in a small way... gradually build toward a reasonable objective." Gordon B. Hinckley, Priesthood Session, October 2002.

We lived in New Hampshire for about a year. Originally we are from Iowa and I wasn't used to how long the lines were to check out at the grocery store. It was awful. One time, on a hot holiday, I ran into the store for a container of ice cream but the shortest line put me at the back wall of the store. I put the ice cream back as it would have melted. When we came home to visit, I would go to the store to get cocoa wheats and confetti angel food cake but because I was first in line every time I bought ten all separated.

One day, I was grumbling to myself over lack of choice and waiting in line having these thoughts when a lady got in line behind me. She said don’t you love all the variety? I said you have to be kidding. She explained she lived further north in Maine. To her there was so many choices, to me I found that I was very limited.

I bring this up as I am now starting to see less choices on our shelves, starting slowly if you are not paying attention, just like toilet paper has gotten shorter a while back. I went to get pie filling at the dollar store. I try to replace what I use. Things change and we don’t notice. My guess is it now will take three cans maybe four to make a pie. You try to notice. In my food storage you can see the difference between these cans. Cherry pie filling that I had gotten into my food storage four weeks ago is 21 ounces, the newer one is 15 ounces.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=im07eAmvWgc - short term food storage

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJawKxY3ipA - long term food storage

Click HERE for the recipe!

Your food storage can be very versatile. Above is a picture of the regular bread I make into many things. That loaf is raisin swirl bread.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rpzDBVN8W5Q&feature=em-uploademail food storage

http://preparedldsfamily.blogspot.com/ storage help

http://www.foodstoragemoms.com/2017/06/50-things-everyone-know/ - 50 things everyone should know how to do.

I like to store angel food cake mixes. I add a little powdered drink mix when mixing, shown above was the strawberry flavor.

http://www.foodstoragemoms.com/2017/06/how-much-water-should-you-store-for-your-family/ - water storage

http://www.foodstoragemoms.com/2017/06/garden-skills-need-learn-teach/ - garden

http://www.foodstoragemoms.com/2017/06/25-things-you-need-to-learn-how-to-sew/ - sewing

Gather sewing how-to books to help you build your skills. I get them used.

Pick what skills you are wanting to learn, using coupons and freecycle to gather supplies.

Work on learning your skills and work at gathering your storage and learning about how to use it.

When you walk in the store, ask yourself what can you get for your storage. It might be one jar of peanut butter but it will add up quickly.

Do the best you can.

Monday Message

“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, October 1973)

How hard it must have been to do what Heavenly Father asks you to do?? Got news for you it is still hard now so pray for help.

Some don’t understand why you do food storage. It is no different as from back then, it is hard to gather it.

When I lived out East at the grocery store the grocer did not like me to buy two twenty-five pounds of flour. He said if he sells it to me he would not have it to sell to someone else. Hmmmm, to me this made no sense at all. You are in business to sell, order more, sell more... hmmmm. It was hard for me out east. He also said I baked too much. I was not used to grocers being nasty at me for buying food. I would have had to set him by those porcupines.

Anywhere else you could buy all you want unless it is on sale and has limits.

So while life is still that way use wisdom and get your storage up. You never know when that grocer could move to your store.

This last month I wasn’t able to get more storage but my veggies are growing and I was able to make up a triple batch of hot cocoa mix and make up five English muffin bread kits and six regular bread kits.

Just do the best you can work the best you can and get what you can, it will add up. Remember, rotating is all important.

As you learn new skills you can make great home decorations like in these next few pictures. 

The one with the leaf was Laura’s first home evening lesson she gave us. We still have the leaf and her words but what a great memory on our wall. 

The other is a self portrait by Sarah. This was one of her drawings that I traced onto muslin and sewed it in the same colors she chose in her picture. I then put two teabags in a cup of hot water. I covered a cookie sheet with foil. Once you put the stitchery on tinfoil I take the tea bags and dab them all over the stitchery. Once it is covered toss the teabag and water. Put your stitchery that is already saturated on the cookie sheet in the oven at lowest setting. Bake till totally dry checking every ten minutes.

Doing this skill decorates my walls and I did it for free using only things I already had on hand.

I saw on the news they were showing grinding grain. It is the most healthiest way to have the grain. Of course, if you have issues you would grind what you can have.

How are you doing at cooking from scratch?

For me, I store things to make cakes from scratch so I would benefit from not finding the time to go out to the store and get a box mix. Remember, I have fibromyalgia. So, yes, I need a 'feel less pain day' to then go get in the car, drive to store, get out - ouch - go in, find it, go back to the car, getting in, more fatigue and pain, and drive home. By all that I could have the scratch cake made.

I know you are saying, you don’t have fibro but you may have young kids you would have to drag with you. They might be good till they go in the store and want everything and start bawling and fighting with each other. Now a twenty minute round trip is much longer. Staying at home and making it from scratch takes on a soothing sound now, not to mention it saves money on gas and prevents you from making stress purchases at the store. Makes it sound great, right?

Challenge yourself to sit down and make a menu for a month.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=J56bya1X628&feature=em-lbcastemail - this shows how one family does a no-nonsense way, very interesting.

I like how this article called homemaking skills vintage. http://www.foodstoragemoms.com/2017/05/are-vintage-skills-a-thing-of-the-past/ - I guess vintage is the new code word.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fYicgQBXkCQ&feature=em-uploademail - how to cook without power.

Do those basics with your girls and boys. Summer is the perfect time to do it because in two days they will be bored.

Hint - don’t make it sound awful, find a fun way to do it state of mind.

When you do menus, sit down with cookies, milk, paper, and pencils. Everyone works. Say an older child could help fix their meal, with your guidance, and perhaps learn to make it. You could make a list to choose from. The littles could color the menu. Everyone will have fun. It won’t take as long as trying to get it done with all those interruptions.

Be on the lookout for frugal fun things to do when the kids are home. Frugal is the key word. If you pay a lot they will always expect that. Stay on budget, you can do it. Picnics are fun fun fun! Make your own family carnival with dollar tree prizes. If you do a ring toss and have toddlers, give out prizes for a ring toss attempt. Get creative so everyone gets a prize.

Keep working on storage, look at sale flyers.

Keep learning and teaching basic skills.

Do kind acts for others who might be struggling.

Do the best you can.

Monday Message

Scroll down for a recipe on how I make my own English Muffins!

“I bear my humble witness to you that the great God of heaven will open doors and means in a way we never would have supposed, to help all those who truly want a years supply…All we have to do is to decide, commit to it, and then keep the commitment. Miracles will take place…” Vaughn J. Featherstone, Ensign, May 1976, pg. 116.

“We should ask ourselves; What are the Brethren saying? The living prophets can open the visions of eternity; they give counsel on how to overcome the world. We cannot know that counsel if we do not listen. We cannot receive the blessings we are promised if we do not follow the counsel given” James E. Faust, Reach Up For the Light, pg. 17

Did you plant some veggies? I just love how green Iowa is. My favorite place to be.

My veggies are doing great so far. I look forward to eating them. This is the first time I have planted totally in containers, so far so good.

The peaches on the trees are cute tiny little things. Include your kids and/or grandkids in gardening, they love it. I remember our oldest grandson loved helping me in the garden. Then later at the end of raspberry season there were some left out on the plants. The grandkids went to pick them and really had a ball. They ate all they picked and this is a memory we all share with warmness. In the winter they were sad there were no berries to pick but we painted snow and they loved that too.

I love that we can order from the storehouse. I truly think it a blessing in our time. I know that  a few of you who follow the blog are not members of the Church and are probably wondering if you can order food too - yes, you can. I love this.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s9lAFTdJdF0 - powdered milk. I love these gals. I use two quart jars for my milk just to show you, use whatever you have.

How are you doing putting in storage? Do you have any questions? Feel free to ask in the comments below. 

How are you coming on your skills?

I can report after years of wanting to know how to learn how to Norwegian purl I have now mastered it! What a good feeling to finally accomplish it. When the Olympics were in Oslo, Norway, we watched when they did a little section on knitting. They were continental knitting. I wanted to learn that method and we had taped it (yes, the archaic VCR tapes). I watched and rewatched until I had learned that it is much faster than how I learned to knit. I would use it when I would knit in the round but having to switch back to how I learned to purl slowed everything down.

So here is how I now knit…

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=norwegian+purl+arne+and+carlos&view=detail&mid=A48025FB9409CEECB6A5A48025FB9409CEECB6A5&FORM=VIRE

So now here is how I purl…

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=norwegian+purl+arne+and+carlos&&view=detail&mid=49C81F795CA3E830F2B249C81F795CA3E830F2B2&FORM=VRDGAR- this video helped me to learn this and I am very glad they showed how to do it.

As you know, I am knitting on a sweater. This was the perfect project to develop this skill. Now I am on the ribbing and you can't imagine how nice it is doing ribbing this way. I knit two then purl two faster then it took to write this sentence. All without throwing the yarn and switching my hands. Throwing yarn tends to hurt me a lot after a short while that is one of the reasons I wanted to learn continental.

So there you go, I shared my success in skill building. Share with us what you are working on.

Remember now as yard sales start be looking for canning supplies and vacuum sealers and dehydrators and all the things I have mentioned before, this saves soooooo much money.

A reminder too to plug in the dehydrators and turn on to test before you purchase used. If the motor is nice and smooth, it is good. If it clanks and etc. then don’t get it, even if it is only a few dollars you don’t want to waste your money.

It is harder on food savers as there are different ways to make it run. If it is theirs, have them show you. If not, you can play around but two times I tested in front of a cashier at goodwill and at a yard sale I plugged them in and pushed the start button, nothing happened and they were ready to toss it. But one I had you needed to push down on the corners to start it. They are loud. The last one and newest one I got was at yard sale. It is more tricky. Its handle has to be in the up position then you hit the button but it has several buttons. I use the no-hands canister button, so just play around if they cannot help you. Also, be sure it has a port which looks like a hole on the top.

This is a good thing to do in buying anything with a plug, just ask to plug it in.

http://www.itsalwaysautumn.com/2016/03/11/the-breezy-tee-tunic-free-sewing-pattern.html - this is on my list to tackle.

It is not too soon to be thinking about Christmas...just throwing it out there.

Be looking for fabric and sewing supplies at your yard sale trips as well. If knitting is on your list of skills to learn, be looking for yarn needles and supplies at the sales too.

It is far cheaper to get them at yard sales especially if it ends up being something you don't want to pursue you can give away without expense and try crochet. Put funds aside in your budget for yard sales. Make lists of what you are looking for like school clothes and sizes and what you need. Then, before you go into the sale, review your list as a reminder while you look around.

Over the years I have collected sewing supplies, knitting supplies, school clothes, winter gear, things I could not have afforded new. I got casserole dishes that I gave with the casseroles to the person who needed the casserole. I would gather them for 25 cents, some were in free boxes, same with pie tins. They were a dime many times along with plates to give goodies. 

When we would deliver the goodies we would say don’t return the plate, fill it with a goodie and pass it on. Bread pans - many were ten cents. Jelly jars and regular jars for canning. Don’t limit yourselves. I love bread pans and have saved tons over the years,

blenders, food processors, pasta makers, cast iron pans, even a new aebleskiver cast iron pan, griddle pans, mixing bowls, measuring cups - yes don’t just get one set. I keep a one cup measure in my using flour can and a cup measure in my sugar jar. I keep the measure I most use in the jar, like a half cup in my baking cocoa jar. I use a third cup in the powdered sugar jar... you get the idea.  

Muffin tins jumbo, regular in twelve pan and two six muffin style and three of mini muffins, twenty four in each. Angel food cake pans, I have a big collection of many pans... cake pans, cheesecake pans - all from yard sales. 

Cookie sheets - I always made cookies fresh from the oven when the kids came home from school. Others have to work but this was something I could do for my kids. Laura's friend would come with her. She once told me, how is it you know how to make so many different kinds? So I was big on collecting kitchen things to be able to make our food.

In the picture below you can see I have a round bread pan (it was a dollar) and I use it to make English muffin bread.

Here is the recipe:

Also, be open to different things or ways of doing things. I have always knitted socks with double pointed needles but I am open to other methods. I am not bent on only doing one way. On my skill list I am trying socks on a nine inch circular needle. I'm also learning two other methods - magic loop and two at a time using two circulars. Also, combinations of things like I want to do an afterthought heel. See? The sky is the limit. Do not limit your learning.

There are many ways to do things so don’t limit your self.

Just like making bread. There are so many ways to make it. If you limit how you do things it will be a chore. Be open and explore, there are so many things to learn.

So be working on your storage and haunt yard sales to gather supplies. You will be surprised at how fast you will find things looking at yard sales. Keep putting in storage.