Bonnet/apron

To celebrate Pioneer Day this up coming weekend I thought I would show you this bonnet/apron that I have had for a long time.

It has buttons on the waistband that connect to the middle of the apron; making it into a bonnet. I wish I could do a tutorial on it, but I didn't make it.

Clothing: spend or save

This is another article for my Building Zion workshop.

"Clothing- Save or Spend? - summarized from realsimple.com

You always want to be careful with how much you spend on clothing, but when you have some money to go shopping, it's important to think about what items may be worth investing in a higher quality than others. Better fit and craftsmanship and higher-quality materials cost a bit more, but you'll save in the long run, as you won't be spending twice as much buying new, cheaper clothes every year.

• T-shirt - SAVE. Because they're worn close to your body and are washed more often, t-shirts don't get a very long life. Look for shirts that fit you well and that don't look too flimsy or clingy.
• Jeans - SPEND. You can almost wear jeans any time, anywhere. It's a good idea to splurge on one or two good pairs of premium denim-it has a nice dark wash and with a good amount a stretch will fit better and be more comfortable than a cheaper pair.
• Bra - SPEND. Bras can affect the look and comfort of your outfit more than any other item. Spend the time and money to make sure you have a good bra that fits you wonderfully.
• Black pants - SPEND. Black pants are timeless, and a high-quality pair can last years, while a cheaper pair will start to show wear and tear much sooner.
• Jacket - SPEND. One very good jacket makes a great throw-on to upgrade a basic outfit.
• Trendy Items - SAVE. This includes anything with patterns or seasonal colors. Patterns and colors go in and out of style, and there's no reason to invest in clothing that will feel out-dated in a year.
• Dress - Spend. Not a casual sundress, but a nice, basic go-to dress for any occasion. It's nice to have one light-colored and one dark, like black, deep brown or jewel-toned.
• Evening dress - SAVE. Don't pay full price. you won't get much wear out of it.
• Evening bag - SAVE. For something that will be seldom used, it's not worth splurging, even for a special night.
• Raincoat - SAVE. Something utilitarian, basic and soundly-priced will be wonderful. Although it may be worth the money to go for a nice water-proof trench coat if your' living in a rainy climate. You'll look nice and it will never go out of fashion.
• Winter coat - SPEND. Find a good fit made from high-quality fabric that will with stand heavy wear and won't wrinkle. To test for wrinkles, grab a handful of fabric and squeeze hard for 20 sec. If it stays crumpled, that's an indicator of what is to come."

Bridal shower theme ideas

Hurray it is planning time. My sister-in-law is engaged! So my other sister-in-law and I get to plan a bridal shower. I thought as we planned I would blog about it and show you the process we take and the ideas we have. So join us as we plan!

First, we need to pick a theme.

I like to let the bride choose the theme. This way she will enjoy her party. And perhaps the gifts will be some things she is in need of and wants.

Here is a list of some theme ideas. Feel free to leave a comment if you have another theme to add to the list.

Alphabet: inspired by bride-to-be's name

Around the clock: each guest is assigned a time of the day

Beauty: spa, salon

Candy

Cooking

Favorite color

Favorite memories

Garden

Holiday

Honeymoon

Jack and Jill: for men and women

Library: have guest bring a book or something to decorate the library

Lingerie

Linens shower

Month of the year: each guest is assigned a month

Outdoors

Room of the house: each guest is assigned a room

Slumber party

Sports

Stock the pantry

Tea party

Travel

Ice cream sculpting

I think this is the best date idea yet!

You will need:

vanilla ice cream

gloves

assorted candies (for decorating)

knife and spoon

baking sheet

bowl

Put on gloves (you will be eating this later). Place the ice cream on the baking sheet. Using the knife and spoon make your creation. Add candies to decorate! You have 10 minutes.

Afterwards take a picture and then dish a portion of the ice cream into a bowl and enjoy!

Additional items for emergency kits

In yesterdays Relief Society handout it had an overview of Kathi Oram Peterson's article "Additional items to consider for emergency kits" from the Deseret News. I found it helpful and would like to share it with you.

To read the entire article click here.

The overview statement said

"1. Printed emergency plan. Print copies of an emergency plan and give them to your family member.s The plan should show meeting points, locations of emergency centers, evacuations routes and the phone number of someone who lives out of the state that they can call. During a disaster you may not always be able to call with in the city, but out of stat can be possible.

"2. First aid kit. You need the regular essentials but also medications that your family needs on a regular basis. You will need to be diligent to rotate some medications.

"3. Survival books. Survival books give detailed information that explain such things as what to do if an electrical line is down, or how long water must boil before it is safe to drink.

"4. Money. Cash in large and small bills, plus change, will be in high demand. Vending machines are easier to use with exact change.

"5. Duct tape. This all-purpose tape can come in handy to many ways: taping broken windows, repairing torn material, keeping a broken arm/leg taped to a board, etc.

"6. Photos and family history. Have those priceless books plainly marked (like a red x) and in one place ready to grab. If your information is stored on a computer, download a copy to a thumb drive or external hard drive. Keep it updated and in your kit."

To see my First Aid Kit blog post click here

To see my Food Storage blog post click here

To see my 72 Hour Kits blog post click here

Juke Box Tutorial

Today we will be making a 50's party decoration: the Juke Box!

To see my 50's birthday party click here.

You will need:

Card board box

Paint

Black marker

Scissors

Gold stickers

Colored gems

Don't forget to add some "money"!

What do you think?

My new store!

Well, my sister was going to be my guest blogger today. But she is in Utah on Trek with her stake. I am jealous. I never got to go on trek when I was in young womens. So I hope she has a great experience. Hopefully she will be able to be my guest blogger next week.

I started a store on Teachers Pay Teachers. You should go check it out. It isn't anything fancy...I don't want to break copyrights so I am just playing around with designing my own pictures/stuff. If you like what you see let me know and I might just be willing to give it a way for FREE! Yup that is what I said...FREE. So let your other teacher friends and mommas know about it.

Click the HERE to visit my site!

Here is a sample of my Shape Dominoes: perfect for math centers or to use at home.

Cards

My sweet husband and his family surprised me for my birthday this year and got me a Silhouette! I was and still am super excited! I have loved playing around with it. It is amazing! And of course I had to make everyone thank you cards with my new toy. So here they are. Tell me what you think.

My favorite: the frog

A popsicle

An ice cream cone

Tied with tulle

My other favorite: bubbles! This one was for my nieces 3rd birthday.

A flower

Small town dinner

The date night idea this week is...eating dinner in a small town restaurant. Drive to a small town about an hour away. Enjoy some alone time with your sweetheart. Remember to leave topics of work and the children at home.

Food Storage

Building our food storage is also another great and important way that we can prepare ourselves and our family for natural disasters, loosing a job or the unthinkable. Every family should build a one year supply of food storage. You don't need to go buy it all at once. Start off by buying a few extra cans/items when you are at the store to build up a 3 month supply.

According to the LDS food storage calculator you will need the minimum for an adult 7+ years/one child 0-6 years for a one year. To see LDS food storage calculator go here.

GRAINS: 300 lbs/148 lbs

Wheat: 150 lbs/75 lbs

Flour: 25 lbs/12 lbs

Corn meal: 25 lbs/12 lbs

Oats: 25 lbs/12 lbs

Rice: 50 lbs/25 lbs

Pasta: 25 lbs/12 lbs

Spaghetti

Fettuccine

Lasagna

Penne

Rigatoni

Dried corn

Pearled barley

Others (cereal grain)

LEGUMES: 60 lbs/24 lbs

Dry beans: 30 lbs/15 lbs

Soy: 10 lbs/5 lbs

Pinto

White

Kidney

Lima: 5 lbs/1 lbs

Winged

Red

Navy

Pink

Blackeyed

Split pea: 5 lbs/1 lbs

Lentils: 5 lbs/1 lbs

Peanuts

Dry soup mix: 5 lbs/ 1 lb

MILK: 75 lbs/ 37 lbs

Dry milk: Nonfat powdered milk (instant or regular): 60 lbs/30 lbs

Evaporated milk: 12 cans/6 cans

Other: 13 lbs/6 lbs

FAT & OILS: 13 lbs/ 7 lbs

Shortening: 4 lbs/2 lbs

Cooking (vegetable) oil: 2 gals/1 gal

Margarine

Mayonnaise: 2 qts/1 qt

Salad dressing: 1 qt/1 qt

Peanut butter: 4 lbs/2 lbs

SUGARS: 60 lbs/ 29 lbs

White sugar: 40 lbs/20 lb

Brown sugar: 3 lbs/1 lb

Honey: 3 lbs/1 lb

Molasses: 1 lb/1 lb

Corn syrup: 3 lbs/1 lb

Jam: 3 lbs/1 lb

Fruit drink powder: 6 lbs/3 lbs

Flavored gelatin: 1 lb/1 lb

COOKING ESSENTIALS:

Baking powder: 1 lb/1 lb

Baking soda: 1 lb/1 lb

Iodized salt: 5 lbs/3 lbs

Seasonings & spices

Vinegar: 0.5 gal/0.5 gal

Yeast: 0.5 lb/0.5 lb

WATER:

Water (drinking): 14 gal/14 gal

Bleach: 1 gal/1 gal

EXTRAS:

Canned food: fruits, vegetables, meat, soups, beans, chili, etc.

Condiments: ketchup, mustard, syrup, etc.

Dehydrated food: fruit, fruit leather, spices, jerky, etc.

Packages of gravy mix, taco seasoning, fajita seasonings, etc.

COOKING EQUIPMENT:

Blender (electric and hand)

Camp/backpacking stove with fuel

Charcoal

Cooking utensils: can opener, spoons, spatulas, etc.

Dutch oven

Eating utensils, plates, bowls, cups (paper)

Wheat grinder (electric and hand)

NON-FOOD ITEMS:

Aluminum foil

Bathing water

Bathing soap/body wash

Batteries (variety)

Blankets & space blankets

Candles

Cash

Cell phone with charger

Clothes washer (hand operated)

Clothing (complete outfit)

Cotton balls and Q-tips

Deodorant

Dish soap

Face wash

Facial tissue

Fire extinguisher

Female hygiene products

First aid kit: see my blog post here

Flashlights with batteries

Fuel (gasoline, propane, etc.)

Hand soap

Garbage bags and ties

Garden seeds & tools

Hair gel and spray

Infant supplies (diapers, wipes, pacifiers, bottles, formula, jar food, blankets, clothes, etc.)

Important documents

Lanterns with supplies

Laundry detergent

Local maps

Lotion

Matches (waterproof)

Medical masks

Medicine: over the counter and prescription

Paper towels

Plastic containers

Plastic wrap

Ponchos

Portable toilet

Radio with batteries

Razors & shaving cream

Shampoo & conditioner

Sleeping bags

Space heater

Tent

Toilet paper

Tools: hammer, wrench, pliers, etc.

Toothbrushes, toothpaste & floss

Vitamins

Washing water

Water purifier

Whistles

Ziploc bags (variety)

STRESS RELIEVERS:

Board games and cards

Books

Bubble bath

Candy & gum

Coloring books & crayons

Pencil & paper

Puzzles

Are you feeling overwhelmed about now. It is okay. Take a deep breath and say "one item at a time". Starting is better than procrastinating...you will at least have something!

Make a inventory of all the storage you have. This way you will know what you have, where it is, if you need more, how long you have had it. You can make them as detailed as you want. These pictures are just a basic list. Click on the pictures below to for a larger view.

You might be interested in these sites:

Home Storage - How To Begin

Food Storage Made Easy

Provident Living Family Home Storage

Food Storage...and beyond

Provident Living Growing a Garden

Two Cans of Corn: Home Storage For Newlyweds

Home Storage Build on the Basics

Everyday...Food Storage

Provident Living: Using Food Storage

Prepared LDS Family: 3 Month Food Storage Menu

First Aid Kits

Another great way to be prepared is to prepare a first aid kit. These are great to have on road trips, camping/backpacking trips, in our 72 hour kits, in the trunk of the car, in the house, etc.

BANDAGING:

*Sterile dressings to stop bleeding

*2 absorbent cloth dressings (5x9 inches)

*5 sterile gauze pads (3x3 inches)

*5 sterile gauze pads (4x4 inches)

*2 triangle bandages

*Adhesive bandages in a variety of sizes (25+)

*1 roller bandage (3 inches wide)

*1 roller bandage (4 inches wide)

*Moleskin

1 adhesive cloth tape (10 yards x 1 inch)

MEDICATION:

*Over-the-counter medicines: Tylenol, Advil, ibuprofen, aspirin (2) or other pain relievers; laxative; anti-diarrhea medication; Benadryl for allergic reactions

*Prescription medication: diabetic insulin and supplies; heart medication; asthma inhaler; antacid

TOOLS:

*2 pairs of disposable gloves

*Scissors

*1 breathing barrier (if you have children or an infant consider getting ones to fit them as well)

*Oral thermometer

*Tweezers

*Cotton tip swabs and cotton balls

*1 space blanket

*1 instant cold compress

*First aid instruction booklet

DISINFECTANT/OINTMENT:

*Cleansing agent/soap or antibiotic towelettes with disinfectant (5+ packets)

*Antibiotic ointment to prevent infection (5+ packets)

*2 hydrcortisone ointment packets

*Anti-inch medication: hydrocortisone cream

*Burn ointment and aloe vera gel

*Eye wash solution to flush the eyes

EXTRAS:

*Prepaid cell phone

*Radio with extra batteries

*Pocket knife

*Ready to eat food like granola bars

*Water purification kit

*GPS

Sources:

Red cross

WTA

About.com

72 hour kits

Having a 72 hour kit on hand for every member of your family is a great way to be prepared. You never know when and where a natural disaster will happen, your house will catch on fire, you will lose your job, etc. So lets spend a Monday evening helping our family learn about preparedness and starting our 72 hour kits.

My family used old school backpacks to store our kits in. Each member of the family had one. This way if we ever got separated everyone will have what they needed. You can pack in a duffel bag, luggage bag, plastic containers, etc., whatever works best for you and your family. It just needs to be portable.

Here is a list of items you may need/want in your 72 hour kits. Remember you want to pack as light as you possibly can; you may be caring your kit for a long way. Pack smart and with the essentials. The adults and older children can carry more and may need to take some of the elderly or children's gear.

Checklist:

Bedding & clothing:

*Change of clothes: long sleeve shirt, short sleeve shirt, pants, socks, underwear, hat, jacket, gloves, sturdy shoes, etc. (one complete outfit)

*Rain poncho or jacket

*Blankets

*Emergency heat blankets

*Cloth sheet

*Plastic sheet/tent

*Sleeping bag/wool blanket

*Hand and body heating packs

Fuel & lighting:

*Flashlights with batteries

*Lanterns with batteries

*Extra batteries

*Flares

*Candles

*Water proof matches

Equipment:

*Shovel

*Radio with batteries

*Pocket knife

*Pen and paper

*Axe

*Rope

*Duct tape

*First aid kit: click to see what you need in it

*Sewing kit

*Whistle

*Toilet paper

*Toothbrush & paste

*Hand sanitizer

*Hair brush or comb

*Razor

*Soap

*Sunscreen

*Insect repellent

*Local map

*GPS

Personal documents & money:

*Scriptures

*Patriarchal blessing

*Legal documents: (birth/marriage certificates, passport, wills, bank info, etc.)

*Vaccination records

*Insurance policies

*Cash in small bills (at least $20), include quarters for phone calls

*Credit cards

*Pre-pay phone cards

Food & Water:

*Enough water for 3 days per person (1 gallon or as much as they can carry)

*Water purification method

*Can opener

*Eating utensils

*Light weight stove and fuel

Some menu ideas:

Breakfast:

cereal with powdered milk

cup of fruit

fruit roll

granola bar

instant oatmeal

juice box or canned juice

hot chocolate mix

Lunch:

applesauce cup

beef jerky

cheese & crackers

cup of soup & saltine crackers

fruit cup

fruit snack

granola bar

nuts/sunflower seeds

pudding cup

trail mix

juice box or canned juice

Dinner:

applesauce cup

canned tuna, beans, turkey, Vienna sausages, sardines, etc.

chili

fruit cup

fruit snacks

granola bar

jerky

nuts/sunflower seeds

pudding cup

stew/soup & saltine crackers

juice box or canned juice

Snacks:

applesauce cup

candy/gum

cheese and crackers

fruit cup

granola bars

nuts/sunflower seeds

pudding cup

Remember to plan for 3 days (9 meals total). Think of non perishable, quick and easy items. Will you need extra water? A can opener? Try MRE kits.

Tips:

*UPDATE every 6 months! Make sure that all the food, water, medication, credit cards have not expired. Make sure all clothing still fits.

*Don't forget your stress relievers. Candy, toys, security blanket or item, etc.

*Use Ziploc bags to help contain items that may break or spill.

*If you have an infant pack necessary items such as diapers, wipes, bottles, formula, pacifier, etc.

Sources:

About.com

Dorothy at University of California

FREE classroom birthday pack!

Peace, Love and Learning is giving a FREE birthday classroom pack! Head on over to check it out!

Hair care tips

Here are some great hair care tips from my Building Zion meeting.

"To moisturize dry hair, saturate in virgin olive oil. Wrap with a warm towel and leave in for 20 minutes.

For hair with static electricity, rub a dryer sheet in it. It smells great too.

When you don't have time to shower and you have oily hair, try patting baby powder on your roots.

To add shine to your hair, rinse your shampoo out with cold water.

For smooth, soft and shiny hair, condition with white vinegar."

To see my post on make-up basics click here.

To see my post on skin care tips click here.

Cream cheese wonton tutorial

Today we will be making fried cream cheese wontons! They are so quick, easy & yummy!

You will need:

wonton skins (I found mine in the produce section of the grocery store)

cream cheese (my husband and I use about a 1/4 a package or less)

add in (we did green onions, but you can do crab as well)

1. In a small bowl mix cream cheese and diced green onions

2. Add about a tsp of the cream cheese mixture to the center of wonton skin

3. With water moisten the edges of the wonton skin

4. Fold the wonton into a triangle by pressing edges together

5. Add wontons to oil (tip: oil is ready when it starts to swirl)

6. Cook until lightly browned on both sides

Rock climbing

I love summer time! There are so many things to do outside.

Today's date idea is rock climbing! You can rock climb outside or at a climbing gym. Make sure you know what you are doing...to prevent serious injury. You can be certified at a gym.

How is your date night jar coming along? Are you filling it with lots of ideas?

4th of July activities

Are you needing to entertain children and guests during the 4th of July? Here are some activities for your family and friends.

Capture the flag

Croquet

Baseball

Basketball

Bike ride

Bob for apples

Bocce ball

Bowling (use liter soda bottle for pins & play outside)

Build a fort using sheets & other materials outside

Donut eating contest (hang them from a string...no hands)

Egg toss contest

Feed the ducks

Fireworks: your own or the cities

Fishing

Flag football

Fly kites

Four-square

Frisbee

Frisbee golf

Go for a walk

Go miniature golfing

Go rollerblading

Go swimming

Go to a park

Have a BBQ: see my BBQ ideas here

Have a picnic

Hide-and-seek

Hike

Hopscotch

Kickball

Limbo

Night games: No bears are out tonight

Pie contest: who makes the best one?

Potato sack race

Shuffle board or make your own (a smaller version) called kick the disk

Soccer

Street hockey

Relay race

Tackle football

Tag: freeze, tv, shadow, etc.

Three legged race

Volleyball

Watch a parade

Water balloon volleyball

Water baseball

Water fight

Even more outdoor activities here

BBQ menu ideas

July is here! Can you believe it; the year is just zooming by.

Let's get our wheels turning and plan a great 4th of July BBQ. Remember you don't have to make all of these but this will help you gather your perfect BBQ ingredients!

For beverages you will need:

Lemonade

Ice water

Juice

Punch

Soda

Patriotic drink: cranberry juice, blue Gatorade, 7-up, ice cubes

For the appetizers you will need:

Chips & dip (or 7 layer dip)

Crackers & cheese (or a cheese ball)

Shrimp & cocktail sauce

Meatballs

Chicken wings

Veggie plate: carrots, celery, broccoli, cauliflower, tomatoes, pickles, olives (black & green), dip, etc.

Fruit plate: strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, raspberries, etc.

For the main course you will need:

Hamburgers & buns

Hot dogs & buns

Bratwurst

Grilled bbq chicken

Condiments: ketchup, mustard, mayonnaise, relish, salt, pepper, ranch, etc.

Toppings: cheese, pickles, lettuce, tomatoes, onions (raw & grilled), sauteed mushrooms, etc.

For the side dishes you will need:

Potato salad

Green salad

Pasta salad

Fruit salad

Jello salad

Deviled eggs

Baked beans

Watermelon

Coleslaw

Corn on the cob

Green beans (or casserole)

Funeral potatoes

Grilled zucchini

Baked potatoes & toppings

Sweet potatoes & toppings

Potato wedges

Grilled pineapple

For dessert you will need:

Cobbler: apple, cherry, peach, etc.

Cake or cupcakes

Pie: berry, pumpkin, key lime, lemon meringue

Cookies: peanut butter, snicker doodle, sugar, chocolate chip

Brownies (or mint)

Ice cream

Popsicles