My Latest Food Storage Kick

I struggle to get motivated with food storage until I see someone else's and I hear how they are doing it. So after debating whether or not to post this, I finally decided that if it could help someone else get excited about food storage, it would be worth it.

Our 3 month supply of food storage has been dwindling lately, and I didn't have much motivation to do anything about it UNTIL...I started reading this blog:

myfoodstoragedeals.blogspot.com

I completely agree with everything I've read on this blog. I learn something new every time I read it. She helps you see how easy it can be if you do just a little each week.

Plus, she explains how you don 't have to spend a lot of money to get your food storage. She knows the best prices for everything and helps you know when something is on sale for the lowest price and where to get it.

I love the excitement of getting a good deal, and I love the peace that I feel when I buy food storage.

Here's her method:

• Use her website (www.mealstodeals.com) to know what the best sales are each week (you can get two weeks free subscription, and then it's only $5/month after that)
  
• Buy things only when they are on sale for a really good deal
• She explains how you can shop at Walmart and do price-checking instead of going to all the stores just to buy the sale items
  
• Buy a year supply of each item when it goes on sale
  
• Use your food storage as a grocery store (except for milk, eggs, & produce)
  
• This way, everything you eat was purchased at the lowest sale price!
• Your food storage gets bigger each week as you stock up on the items that are on sale
  
• No or little couponing involved (I just can't handle one more thing to do each week!)

So, can you guess where our tax return money has gone? All I needed was the "go ahead" and I got going on our food storage again.

Emergency Drinking Water: I got this at the case lot sale for less than $18. It stores for a couple of years, and I would much rather drink this water than the old stuff in our 55 gallon drum.




More Shelves: My handyman did this for me as a late Christmas present (thanks, sweetie!) Back then, I promised him if I had this one shelf, I wouldn't need any more. Now I want three more! :)

A Lot of Food on Sale: I got most of this food at the case lots sale, and some at Walmart with price matching (see www.myfoodstoragedeals.blogspot.com). This is the last week of Macey's case lot sale. If you don't have a Macey's close by, you can get the same deals by price matching at Walmart.



More White Wheat: I bought this at the cannery last week. I still have work to do--I need to store it in buckets. For a while there, it was hard to get white wheat, but things have slowed down. I decided that I prefer the white wheat in my home made bread, because it makes it lighter and fluffier. I think it's good to have about 50/50 red to white wheat in the bread. Macey's sale right now includes buckets of white wheat for just $18.99. That is a little more than the cannery, but when you include the cost of what a good bucket costs, the difference is made up. The cannery sells 25 lb. buckets of white wheat for around $7.




An Upright Freezer: I Love it! We found this on Craig's list for $90. It's 20 years old, but these things can last forever! Used freezers are hot items right now. Good deals come up, but they go fast! It's already stocked with sale items from last week's sales. I saved $20 on orange juice alone!




If you want to get going on food storage, but don't know how to begin, I would love to be your "food storage buddy." I think everyone needs a friend who knows how to get started.

And please let me know if you have some more good ideas for our food storage.

A Good Lesson Learned

While visiting my parents' home the other day, their neighbor's dog, Sumee came over to visit. We spent at least 30 minutes playing with her. She let the girls give her hugs and pet her and sit by her. Since we will probably never have a dog of our own, we have to really get our "dog fix" from others' dogs. I decided to get some pictures that we can enjoy, so I ran inside to grab my camera.

When I came running back out, Sumee had led Gracie straight into the street. They were wandering down the middle of a somewhat busy street, while 2 cars waited for me to rescue her. Ahhh! How embarrassing! I felt like an awful mother!

I figure these pictures are worth posting, just for the reminder to myself not to take my chances with my girls out by the street. I guess that's how you learn!

Our Trip to the Emergency Room

Yesterday morning, Millie was acting normal, but tired. Still, she insisted that we go to playgroup at the church. So we went, but she wanted me to hold her the whole time and she fell asleep in my arms (the first time ever!).

When we got home, I noticed she had the chills and a fever of 1o2. 7, so I gave her some Ibuprofen. She just lay limp on the couch. I tried to talk with her, but I was getting no response. She was staring at me but wouldn't say a word. Then she just stared up at the ceiling. I got worried, so I called Paul to tell him that I was going to call the doctor. While I was talking with him, I looked over and Millie was foaming at the mouth, but lifeless on the couch. I hung up, ran over to her, and picked up her limp, pale body. Her eyes were back and over. While I called 911, her eyes closed and she wouldn't respond. She was still breathing heavily and I could feel her heart beating rapidly. 911 sent an Ambulance. Paul was on his way home.

It took the ambulance a few minutes to arrive. They asked a lot of questions, checked her out, and then said she would need to go for a little ride. She was still unconscious and shaking. Her heart rate was at 200. I was still in shock, and didn't know whether to wait for Paul or ride with her. I decided to wait for Paul, since I still had Grace. A few friends saw the ambulance and came running over. They told me to go in the ambulance, and that they would take Grace. But I refused, since the ambulance was pulling away and Paul was so close. I totally regretted this later! I wish I would have gone with her!

Our friend took Grace and we headed to Primary Children's. That ride took forever! It was so hard not knowing how Millie was doing. We had no way to contact her or the paramedics. All we could do was drive, pray and call our family to ask for their prayers. We imagined the worse, but hoped and prayed for everything to be alright.

It was such a relief to walk into the Emergency Room and find Millie with her eyes open. She looked scared and traumatized. The nice nurse and doctor were trying to get her to talk, but with no success. We couldn't even get her to talk for over an hour. She only said about 10 words the entire 5 hours at the hospital. She would only nod her head, and even then, it just didn't seem like Millie. Even when we talked to her about her younger sister, she just gave us a blank stare as if she didn't remember Grace. It was a little scary, but the doctor said that's normal for a little while after a seizure.

As soon as he got a chance, Paul gave Millie a Priesthood blessing. It was simple and brief. But we were so relieved as we exercised our faith once again in her behalf. We knew that Heavenly Father was watching over her. We also felt the power of the prayers being offered by family members.

We relished the time in the hospital with Millie. We felt so grateful to have her still! We read her books, told her stories, cuddled with her on that uncomfortable hospital bed, tried to explain what had happened to her, and comforted her when she was being "poked." We tried to get her to take liquids, but everything came back up. She went through 3 pairs of hospital underwear. Thank goodness for IVs!

The initial diagnosis was a seizure, but it was hard to know how severe it was, and what caused it. After many tests, including a CT scan, they concluded that she had a febrile seizure (fever induced seizure), and that no harm was done. We knew nothing about these seizures before this, but they are fairly common in children. Here's a link to read more about them

It was so nice to come home and find that Gracie was happy at our neighbor's home, a meal had been prepared for us, "get well" balloons were hanging on the porch, treats were delivered by caring neighbors, and many friends and family had contacted us to see if everything was okay. We felt so loved and cared for by everyone. Thank you!

Today, Millie is doing so much better. She was able to keep all her food down, and she ate a lot! I had to bribe her to take a bath (to get rid of the throw-up smell) because she didn't want any of her "special" band aids to come off. She had to wear her green swimsuit all day because it matches her green band aids. She and Gracie both insisted on wearing the yellow balloons around their wrists all day long. Oh, the simple pleasures!

Happy to Be Outside...Even in the COLD!

Millie's Cute Sayings

It's amazing how cute a toddler can be. She makes us laugh everyday! Here are some of her latest phrases:

• A lot of double negatives, like, "Do you can't catch me?" and "Did you didn't tickle me?"
• Referring to nail polish "Do only Millie's don't touch this?"
  
• After hearing my explanation of the difference between toenails and fingernails, she said, "Oh! You have a good memory, Mom!"
• I'll say something like, "Millie, I think it's time for a nap." She'll quickly reply in the same tone that I used, "I hink not!" and continue to argue about it for awhile.
  
• She's picked up on the phrase, "Oh, that's in...stirring!" as a good comment to something I say
  
• Without fail, when I spray hairspray on her hair, she'll say, "a yittle bit more...a yittle bit more...a yittle bit more."
• The other day when I let her use my lipstick, she held it up and said, "Oh, that's nice of you to share with this, Mom!"
• I'll say something like, "Millie, do you want to come sit in this chair?" and she'll say, "No...but thanks for aksking!"
• "Oh...my...gosh!" "Oh my goodness!" "Oh my darlin'!"
  

What Big Sisters Are For

Date Night Is NOT Supposed to be Like This

Why do we have to keep re-learning this lesson?

We had a good reminder that we need a date every week. Thanks, President Coleman! It was my turn to plan our Friday night date. "Let's just take the girls with us to dinner...It will be fun for them to get out" We've tried and failed with that before, but they are so much more grown up now.

China Star sounded good. Never been there before. They had beautiful big fish for the girls to look at. Everything went well until we had to sit at our table. Luckily there weren't many people there yet. The girls were squirming, screaming, and begging to go see the fish again. The water and wantons keep them happy for a few more seconds, but we quickly gave in and went to visit the fish tank again. This is where Paul and I actually got in a quick "love you so much...so glad to be on a date with you, sweetheart!" conversation (which turned out to be the only conversation we got with each other).

The food came and we sat down to eat. Gracie ate a little. Millie didn't like it--big surprise? We tried all our tricks to get her to eat, but with no success. Paul held Grace and tried to keep her happy while still managing to eat. My task was to keep Millie sitting down and somewhat quiet. The restaurant had a lot more people now. Millie kept leaning over to the table behind us. I thought that was harmless until she said loudly for all to hear, "I need to go poo-poo!" (over and over). Then there was more whining, crying, and a loud plate crashing down. I was SO happy to finally be leaving that place and SO embarrassed by our children.

Maybe this is why we struggle with date night. So, I've realized we either need to get a babysitter, get take-out, or go to Arctic Circle where the girls can play while I enjoy my hubby. Any other suggestions?

First Day in the BIG Nursery

We've experienced some rough drop-offs to nursery the past few months, so we were hoping she would grow up quick when she switched to the "BIG Nursery" class.

So, we talked about it for weeks, getting her excited for the switch. She loves the cute little potty in there, so that was the main attraction pulling her in.

On the big day, she got her hair curled like a princess, and she got to wear her beautiful new Sunday dress.

And as you can see from these pictures, it was a good day!



After nursery, we asked her what she learned about. She said, "Jesus." So I asked, "what did your teachers say?" (referring to the lesson) and she replied, "Millie, your hair is so beautiful! I like your pretty clothes."

It's true that we remember compliments and kind words.

Gracie Girl

Is 16 months old
Has a cute blond mullet
Still has some baby fat
Decided to walk on Christmas Eve
Has a bull-legged strut
Is teething in 4 places this week
Jabbers on and on to anyone who will listen, all the while shaking her head and pointing her finger
Makes a new friend each week in Relief Society, and probably disrupts the entire class
But if someone says "hi" to her, she usually makes a mean face and gives a rude grunt as if to say that she only wants to be held by her parents
Is a "daddy's girl" through and through
Whispers the word "dadda" with wide eyes, as if to beg for him to come home
Loves to read a book, cuddle, dance, wash her face, and watch shows
Can't get enough time talking on the phone
loves animals, music, and dollies
Is a treasure in our family.

One Way to Get My Mind Off It...

Migraine
All day long,
Long, long day.
Shades and curtains closed,
Wish my eyes were closed.
Meds don't work,
But some work must go on.
The girls don't understand,
But they don't mind all the TV.
No dinner on the table,
But nothing sounds good.
I'm glad for the reminder that
Most days I don't have a
Migraine.

This is not Millie...

It's "PRINCESS" Millie now...

For a long time there, people would call her a princess, and she was clueless as to what they meant. But thanks to a great Christmas gift from her cousins, and some bargain shopping by mom, she is now prepared to be a princess at any given time.

But there is a very good aspect of this new transformation:

"Princesses are always NICE!"

We remind her every day about this little fact. Most of her bedtime stories evolve around a Princess Millie who loses her crown, looks for it, finds it, and decides to be nice to others.

Isn't it fun to be a girl?

Birthday Boy

PAUL...

is another year older
is my best friend
gives me a kiss the minute he gets home from work
loves being a daddy
takes good care of his princesses
won't let his "queen" clean the toilets or bathtubs
gets more phone calls in one day than I do in a month
wears a white shirt and tie most of the time but doesn't mind it
always sees the positive in others
is very unselfish
is great with kids
loves playing b-ball, golf, tennis, & baseball
is just a little competitive :)
beat all his siblings in a foot race (most of them are athletes)
may have beat his wife in Rummikub once or twice
crosses his pinkie toe for comfort
has been known to fall asleep while standing up at work
has no problem falling asleep at night (thank goodness he doesn't snore)
has never fallen asleep during church
is very interested in people
loves the Lord
is adored by his wife

Where Did December Go?

So many fun MEMORIES...


but not enough PICTURES...


too many TREATS..
(Thanks to our nice neighbors! I guess it's a perk for being Bishop's wife--
I have to learn self-control, or learn to hate sweets, or learn to deal with an extra 5 lbs.)


plenty of SNOW for a SNOWMAN...



Not enough SLEEP, so "catnaps" will have to do...



just enough hair in the back to do GRACIE'S first PIGTAILS...



finally enough COURAGE on Gracie's part to WALK...


a lot of TRAVEL...



so much FAMILY to see...



Not enough time on SANTA'S LAP for Millie, but way too much time there for Gracie



just in time to see TEMPLE SQUARE all lit up...



not enough time to send out CHRISTMAS CARDS...


but we LOVE YOU anyway!

Fun Times!

At Home

Gracie walks with the bar stool instead of her walker


We play with the blocks


Millie puts the dollies to sleep and whispers for us to be quiet


Millie still gets into Mommy's "lickstick"


We paint nails to keep quiet while Gracie falls asleep


Millie draws lots of spiders


And she makes her defiant faces


We visit our neighbor's doggie and feed her rocks through the fence

At The Zoo

Some things never change at Hogle Zoo


Millie might have enjoyed pushing the stroller all by herself even more than seeing the animals


At the Utah Flash Game

Millie was the "big girl" that got to come to the basketball game with Aunt Ang while Gracie went to sleep.

HELP! Technical Difficulties on our Blog

Sometimes when I log onto our blog, I see a big gray square on our family picture (right over my face! :) ) or down lower. I wonder if it's just when I am on there, or if others see it too.

Do you see strange gray squares on our blog?

Thanks. I appreciate the feedback.

Tips from "The Earthquake Lady"

I've been wondering lately what I would do if we had an earthquake. Well, I was very attentive to what "the earthquake lady" (from Homeland Security--Be Ready Utah) had to say when she came to our neighborhood last week. I don't mean to cause fear or anxiety, but I was just so happy to have some more information, that I thought I would share it. I actually left this meeting feeling more at peace than before. Here were some of the most helpful tips she gave:

Preparing your home for an earthquake:

• Make sure your water heater is secured to the wall (if not, there's a $12.00 kit at Home Depot)
  
• In the kitchen, put heavy and breakable things in the bottom cupboards, and light things up top (hmmm...obvious, but very opposite of what I've done)
• use the rubber grip stuff in your cupboards and under things that could slide and fall, such as a table microwave, tv, etc.
• Make a plan from each room of your house, of where you would go for the best shelter
• Make a plan of where your family members would meet if there were no communication after a disaster
  

What to do when it hits:

• If you are outside, stay outside. Get away from buildings or trees
• If you are inside, stay inside and get in a safe place--don't try to go up or down the stairs.
  
• I'm still not sure what the VERY best place to be is, but among the safest places in the home are: a center wall, hallway, closet, or a bathroom; under a sturdy table, or in a door frame (but watch for the door not to shut on you)
  
• The worst places to be inside: on the stairs, near a window, near an outer wall
• If you are near a window and can't move far, at least turn your head away from the window
• If you are driving, safely pull over if you can. You may have to leave your car and walk home. If you are on the freeway, do NOT abandon your car to walk home.
  

She had SO MUCH more information about preparedness, such as what to have in 72 hour kits, cars, etc. See www.BeReadyUtah.gov

Learning at the Feet of an Apostle

We have many great memories that never make it onto our blog. But it's been almost a week, and I still can't stop thinking about last Saturday night, so I think I'll attempt to write about our indescribable experience: Elder David A. Bednar, one of the 12 Apostles of the Lord, spoke at our Stake Conference.


I think sometimes the Saturday night adult session of Stake Conference is sometimes overlooked, but it is one of the most spirit-filled meetings that we have in our church. And this time, with Elder Bednar here to teach us and to share his apostolic testimony, it was one of the most spiritual experiences of my life. He and his wife spoke for almost an hour but I didn't want it to end. He taught us the basics of the plan of Happiness-- the atonement of Jesus Christ, covenants, agency and obedience--but I learned so many new things.

His witness of Jesus Christ was so profound and the spirit was so strong, that I don't know how anyone in the room could have denied his sacred calling. He taught with so much authority and power, that I was enlightened every minute, and my testimony was strengthened and refreshed. I came away with a vision and a desire to be a better disciple of Christ, and a better person. It was one of those life-altering experiences for me.

In light of the recent criticism directed at our church leaders due to their support of proposition 8 (by those out of our church, and those within), I just want to raise my voice in saying that I know the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is true. The leaders of our church are led by Jesus Christ himself. Yes, they are human. But their involvement in supporting and defending the sanctity of marriage between a man and a woman was not just a decision made by a group of church leaders. They have guidance from heaven. They are doing the Lord's will in defending eternal truths that cannot be altered by men. They will never lead us astray. If anyone is wondering what to think of them, they can read from the church website their most recent teachings. They will see that their message is one of love, tolerance, and obedience to God's commandments.

Spontaneous Photo Shoot

Lately, we've had a lot of discussions about the value of a really good camera. So while we were at Grandma and Grandpa Thatcher's house, Mark and Em (Paul's brother and wife) let us test out theirs. Emily casually began taking pictures of our girls out in Mom's flower garden. We jumped in and got some family pictures too. One day maybe we'll plan family pictures and have matching clothes and the girls' hair done. But hey, you can't complain about free photos! Thanks Mark and Em!