Monday Message

"More than ever before, we need to learn and apply the principles of economic self-reliance. We do not know when the crisis involving sickness or unemployment may affect our own circumstances. We do know that the Lord has decreed global calamities for the future and has warned and forewarned us to be prepared."(President Ezra Taft Benson)

I thought 2020 covered this with all that and more.

This new year will continue on with the pandemic for at least the first six months so we need to continue doing the safe things we learned. When we were told to wear masks, it was to keep you and others safe. We need to continue to listen to the CDC and others who know the best what we need to do. It is not stomping on your rights, it is to keep you alive so you can have rights.

Are we tired of snow and cold yet??

Did you keep a journal of this past year? If not, it isn't too late to start now to journal about what has happened, how you managed, etc. This will help those who come after. We need to let them know what worked and what didn't.

What it was like sheltering at home.

What things did you have happen besides the pandemic? And how did you deal with it? For us it was the Derecho.

It has been a trying year, that much is certain.

We made cloth masks for our families.

The call came for sewists in Iowa to make masks because they were having trouble getting PPE...And we all worked hard doing that.

We learned about grocery pick-ups. We learned to have virtual church meetings.

We all learned computer skills we never knew existed.

We learned everyone goes for toilet paper in an emergency setting.

We learned about cooking from scratch.

We learned to spray parcels and wipe down groceries.

We learned how to zoom and to be together but apart.

We learned that when life is the hardest we could still do it.

We learned even when we have to skip our traditions for holidays it did not kill us and we even tried some new things.

We learned it is very easy to be a hero...by wearing masks.

But most of all we learned!

So while you will never forget, some generations from now they will want to know about it. And if it ever happens again they will learn from us.

But let us prepare for what is yet to happen, something we do not know is coming, so put ourselves in the position to be ready by having some toilet paper ahead by having food storage and other things we need ahead. We will never feel over secure again, we have lost that feeling that it can't happen to us because it has and could again happen to us. We learned there are good people, we learned that if we can do nothing at least we can pray.

If you ever watched Disney's RocketMan...we want to be like Randall and not Gary in the isolation chambers that are our homes. So if you haven't watched that movie now is the time as we are still in our homes trying to not add to the burden of our medical system.

It will take a long time to get back jobs and get back on our feet but we are stronger for it.

We need to look for a silver lining no matter how hard it is to find.

Sometimes the last mile is the longest. Missy says just hang on tight, we aren't done yet.

Monday Message

"Included in the year’s supply of basic foods should be life-sustaining foods that store well for a long time: grains (wheat, rice, corn, or other of the cereal grains); dried milk, dried fish or protein vegetables such as beans and peas and other fresh, canned, dried, or pickled fruit or vegetables; sugar or a sugar substitute such as honey; some form of fats; salt; and water. Fresh taro or sweet potato, and live pigs, chickens, or fish might be considered as a supply in some areas of the world where it is difficult to store food. Remember that regular use of whole grains is important in building a digestive tolerance for roughage." (Barbara B. Smith)

I find I don't tolerate red wheat unless I mix it with white flour. My favorite is white wheat so knowing that steered me to what I needed to store.

Now where I live being in town it would not work to have livestock but I can meat and you can buy canned meat as well.

As you store food remember if your family dislikes certain foods steer clear of them. Store what you like or you might have lima beans that no one will eat. Store only what you eat.

Learning to cook from scratch is a skill that saves us money but it also helps us in what to store as well. So if you make oatmeal bread from scratch, you would need to store flour, oatmeal, salt, sugar, shortening and yeast but with these items in storage you can make many items including oatmeal, so scratch ingredients are frugal and go farther as well.

So storing food is frugal, cooking from scratch is frugal and is a very important skill we should have. Work on having several meals that are a quick fix for days you’re worn out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6jjmk5TgtFU - this is very helpful, I like this gal.

We all need to stick to our budget. If possible, live below your means. Like if you make X amount of money, live on less and bank the rest.

There are several podcasts I watch where they are picking a word for the year. If I would pick one I think kindness would be what I would pick.

A bunch of people set goals for the new year but half will fail to keep the goal so I wanted to share what a friend once said - goals are the stars to steer by, not sticks to beat ourselves with.

We need to continue to stay safe.

We wear our masks whenever we go out. We only hang with those in our bubble (like these gals who are always so cheerful).

We never ever tire of antics by these two...

I think we all should be learning skills. With a sad winter upon us, let’s learn things that bring us joy as well.

Monday Message

"Start now to create a plan if you don’t already have one, or update your present plan. Watch for best buys that will fit into your year’s supply. We are not in a situation that requires panic buying, but we do need to be careful in purchasing and rotating the storage that we’re putting away. The instability in the world today makes it imperative that we take heed of the counsel and prepare for the future." (L. Tom Perry)

As we enter 2021 we can continue with preparing. We saw what 2020 brought us and now we know what can happen and we should prepare for what we do not know that may be coming.

I can tell you that as I am writing this a big winter storm is coming, it is nice I won't have to go out in it. Makes me think I want to hibernate for the rest of winter.

What are you planning to learn this year?

Here is a picture list of what I want to do and learn more in this new year...

Gus and Missy both say it's more important than ever to do the things that will keep us safe like wearing a mask and staying home! 

Monday Message

"Most of us cannot afford to store a year’s supply of luxury items, but find it more practical to store staples that might keep us from starving in case of emergency." (James E. Faust)

It looks like we need to stay the course. I know it is hard but we have done it this far we just need to keep doing it. What will they say about this in the history books I wonder? My thought is we all are glad to see 2020 go.

We are heading into the darkest part of winter and we will need to stay in so we need to find fun things to do inside our four walls.

Keeping this in mind, I started a little knitted ornament about four times now. Never give up! I have it tucked in a small knitting bag. When I am not working on it I have it in the bag, that is when I get a cross look from Missy and when I have it out and working on it, this happens...

Do you spy the bag? I will give you a clue - look under Missy. Yep, she claims it and that is that! I guess I better put it in another bag.

So looking for stuff to work on, I got out some yarn if nothing more than to be inspired but I am pretty sure I will figure out what I can make with it.

I have a list of what I want to do. I want to teach myself...

Free motion applique and writing my name with a regular sewing machine

Chalkboard art

Needle felting, I do know how but want to learn more

More bobbin lace

I want to do more dyeing of fiber

I want to weave more and spin more, sew more, read more, knit more...I think you see what I am saying. I want to find more time to learn and then when this pandemic is over at last, I look forward to being around people once again but for now I choose to stay away and wash hands and wear a mask to help do my part to stop the spread.

I find my thoughts have gone back to a story in the Bible where the poisonous snakes were biting and killing people but all the people needed to do was look upon a staff and be healed but some thought that won't work, it is too easy...wearing masks is easy and works and yet many won't.

I am so sad at the loss of life, sad for their loved ones.

I think we need to find happy things now more than ever.

https://lauragraceweldon.com/2016/02/03/45-cures-for-cabin-fever/

https://www.pinterest.com/pin/149674387589656254/ - I love these ideas.

Yes, we need to go above and beyond to make fun. Even when we are tired, we must make fun for our families. I for one love the pom-pom shooter.

https://www.pinterest.com/whynotmom/indoor-activities-for-cabin-fever/ - I love that castle from the box, I would love to do these things.

The key is to play as well as the kids, playing together brings much more fun and memories.

https://www.todaysparent.com/family/activities/fun-things-to-do-at-home/

I think there are a ton of ideas with these sites, if you have older kids have them help make some as well.

A tip as well you know how fast you tire of Christmas snacking, freeze some and bring it out in a very dull part of winter.

I love the idea of the plastic plates taped to a tongue depressor and bat a balloon back and forth.

Find a corner designated for Legoland. Put masking tape down showing that Legos have to stay inside the space but don't have to be put up all the time, just kept in that space. Maybe write on a piece of paper something like, house or castle or boat and that is the item they need to build but the Legos stay in the taped off area and their creations can stay as long as they like having a place they can just go in and create.

www.freereadfeed.com - I have shared before has free books daily and you can find a free children's book and read one a day. 

You can do a search for what you want to learn and have a free class right there. Also, you could learn it with your kids.

But the main thing I want to stress is find fun, find joy to get you through the darkest time of winter.  Remember “me” time is good too so you can recharge your batteries.

Missy says her “me” time means my bag.

Gus says to stay safe and asks if there's something on his back?? :p