Best Buy Ever

Colleen has her first real cold and wheezed all last night. I was more than ready for a nap this afternoon and was able to get one thanks to "Scripture Stories." I got the DVDs for the girls for a Christmas present. Honestly, I was thinking ahead to when church changed from 1pm to 9am. I thought they would be great for keeping the girls entertained Sunday afternoons while I, of course, took a nap. Aleah keeps wanting to watch them and will bring up random details from the scripture stories. Worth every one of the 725 pennies I spent. :)

The Midnight Stars

Aleah wanted me to post this picture she drew on Paint. She says, "it reminds people of when Jesus was born. That's why I put it on your blog. That way we can remember."

1st Winner!

Good News! My brother Chris and his wife had been meaning to go get their long term food storage for awhile now and yesterday they hauled home 700lbs of wheat, rice, beans, etc. He said my post motivated them to finally do it. I'm tearing up. Warm fuzziness. They will be getting a fall colored quilt in the mail before summer. I want to make more, I've got lots of pattern ideas I want to try...

Anyway, Chris and I were talking and he mentioned the only big thing they needed to take care of was water. I told him about these water boxes I had seen on Food Storage Made Easy. They are boxes that hold a 5 gallon bag you fill with water. Easy to stack and store, transport if you need and they are refillable and have a spout for dispensing water. You can find them at Emergency Essentials. They are $35 for a set of 5. More expensive than saving 2 liter bottles but handy.

The Leila Method of rotating your three month supply of food is use it all up - hope the big disaster doesn't happen when you only have a weeks worth of green beans left- and then buy more. Nothing runs out at the same time and well, it works for me right now. If you want to have a more organized method of rotating your food storage check out these cardboard organizers at Can Organizer. They are fairly inexpensive, especially when you compare them with the plastic ones (the reason I developed the Leila Method). There is also a post about how to build your own cardboard can organizers at Food Storage Made Easy. It's pretty cool.

Tax Return Challenge Prizes!

From Simplify

Ok, I know spending money of food storage/saving is not glamorous, fun, etc. and there are real needs that may need to be taken care of first but I really believe in it and am willing to back up my challenge.

Everyone who uses 100% (or 90% depending on your tithing plan) of their tax return for food storage/savings (real savings, not saving for your summer vacation but, you know, that 3 months of income we are all suppose to have in the bank) will get a cuddle-up-on-the-couch sized quilt from me.

* NOTE* They call them lap sized quilts but whenever I hear "lap sized" I think of old ladies in nursing homes sitting in wheel chairs with a "lap sized" quilt over their legs. Anyway...

If you already have a three month supply, a year supply, water, 72-hour kit, no debt, and 3 months of income in the bank -I am impressed-spend your money how you like and you will get a baby sized quilt.

If you can only commit a portion of your tax return to food storage/savings (like me) do what you can, let me know, and you will receive a set of quilted pot holders.

Leave your "I did it!/I Commit!" comments here and let me know what colors, style, and pattern you would prefer your quilted prize to come in. You will receive your prize in the mail 4-6 months after your comment. :)

WE CAN DO IT!

Tax Return Challenge

It is that time of year!

Tax return time.

The poor man's bonus.

I was thinking about all the ways we used our tax return in the past: my trip to Bolivia with Brian, airfare to visit family, home repairs, and most recently to buy liquid propane for the year. This year I want to use it to help buy a car.

I have a challenge for myself (and you) but first some background. I have discovered that I am much better at doing something all at once than saving for it little by little. Kind of a character flaw but good to know. I would rather write a large check and have it over with than pay/save a bit at a time forever. It is the same way with food storage. We had been out of school for three years and hadn't made a dent in long term food storage. My 3 month supply was ok, we had a year's supply of beef on hoof, and a great garden, but I just couldn't get my act together about a year's supply of staple foods.

We moved to Iowa at about the same time our friends the Cooks were moving to New York. They were not going to be able to bring all of their food storage with them so they sold a lot of it to us. We had maybe 100lbs of wheat before and now (I need to add it all up again) I think we have 6-9 months of long term food stored. IT FEELS SO GOOD! Last month I also went shopping and bought multiple cases of the canned goods we use most often. I am finding that I probably only got a months supply of some while it might take us a year to go through the refried beans. IT FEELS SO GOOD! No guilt and good feelings when you look at all that food. Love it! I think for me doing it in big chunks is the answer.

This is my challenge: use your tax return for food storage or getting your finances in order. I would even put food storage above low interest (like student loan, mortgage) debt. Use the Food Storage Pamphlet or the Family Finances Pamphlet to help choose a family goal.

This is my commitment:

Before buying a car I will:

1. Purchase the rest of my long term food (notice I don't have to pack or organize it?)
2. Update and reorganize our 72 hour kits

I also have a simplified rotation plan. I am going to package everything in #10 cans and am not going to rotate it for 15 years. That is it. Hey, they are good for 20-30 years! I will have long term products like wheat, rice, powdered milk, beans and oatmeal in my three month rotation supply so that we are eating what we store and would easily be able to switch over to long term storage if necessary, but no stress about rotation for 15 more years. Ahhh.... It is a freeing idea. Just shove the boxed cases under your bed (perhaps scribble a "don't worry about until 2025" on the box) and go on your way. Beautiful.

Will you join me?

Make a food storage/tax return goal - you won't regret it.

P.S. I will be posting more on food storage later in the year.

And just so you don't feel picked on, I have illusions of having a large reading audience so when I say "you" I am not thinking of you personally but of all my adoring readers - please don't burst my bubble. :)

Winter Wonderland

The last three days have been VERY foggy. The fog has left a layer of hoar frost over everything. The ice/snow crystals just kept getting thicker and thicker. It looked like something out of a painting or how those snow blown fake trees are suppose to look.

Hoar Frost on a Spider Web

An ice storm moved in last night and all of the branches are now covered in ice instead. We have had some branches come down but are ok. This has been the most beautiful winter. The snow has stayed since it fell in December - I love white so much better than brown.

Holiday Home

It finally warmed up last week (20's and 30's instead of -10 to -20) and I took down our outside decorations, but before I did I took some pictures.

I put some berry pics and ribbon on my basic wreath.

I bought some ribbon for $5 and wrapped the columns.

Love it.

Brian said he even saw a couple stop in front of our house to take a picture. I get warm fuzzy/excited/proud just thinking of someone thinking our house is worth taking a picture of.

I bought a bunch of white net lights on after Christmas clearance so the bushes will be lit next year.

I love old houses - especially ours.

Twin Quilts

I started these quilts in October following QuiltDad's amazing step-by-step tutorial. I would sneak downstairs and work on the blocks for 10 or 15 minutes after I switched the laundry or just when I needed a break. The free form wonky-log-cabin blocks were fun and forgiving to make. It was also fun to be part of a quilt-along and see the pictures that other people were posting of their quilts.

The blocks are 12 inches square and the quilts are both about 46x46. I used a double layer of polyester batting because I wanted them to be nice and warm/comfy. As I quilted them and even after they were done I thought it had been a mistake to use the double batting but after they were washed the batting de-fluffed a bit and they are so soft and comfy. I quilted one of them with a simple meandering/stipple with small hearts in the middle of each block. By the next one I felt more confident with and quilted large flowers in the middle of each block surrounded by swirly/loopy things.

The pink wasn't quite wide enough to back a whole quilt so I cut it in half and pieced the back of both quilts. Love it. I also love that I didn't have to buy any fabric for the backing. My goal is to use up some fabric this year (so I can buy more, evil laugh....).

They are going to be gifts for Jeff, who works with Brian, and his wife who just had twin girls yesterday. It feels good to be sewing again.

Aleah's Life

Notice the Cute Scarf Aleah's Mom Made Her For Christmas!

One morning about a month ago while Aleah was cuddling with me in bed she held up three fingers and said, "I love you this much." Thanks... Then she held up TEN fingers and said, "I love Brian THIS much." This conversation has been repeated multiple times. "I love you this much (hands 6 inches apart) but I love Brian this much!" (arms all the way apart) I told Aleah that it wasn't very nice to say that and she almost started to cry and said, "But I love him sooo much." A few days ago she was talking to Brian and told him she liked him because he was gone more. I knew it but I am impressed that she figured it out too. Honestly, he is more fun to play with too.

This month Aleah decided to become a CAVER. She was looking Brian's little rock identification book and saw some precious stones and told Brian she wanted to find that kind of rock. He responded that she would have to go underground to find them. So she decided that she would be a caver and explore caves. She plans on living in caves, trading other cavers rocks for food and bringing a dirty blanket and pillow ("'cause you know it's dirty in caves!" laugh), a flashlight, batteries and rope. She had decided against having children because "you might drop them" or they might fall into the water but has reconsidered the possibility after Brian said he would watch her children while she went caving. She is excited to have us visit her in her cave. She cracks me up. She literally talked to me about it for over an hour just today. We are planning on visiting some local caves this summer.

Aleah also complains that Emily gets to do everything. This happens when I am nagging Emily about practicing the piano and recorder and memorizing spelling words, multiplication facts and state capitals. AUGH! Anyway, all of that (sometimes negative) attention Emily gets was wearing on Aleah so now we do math -- Rock Math. For example, if you find 5 rocks (hold up 5 fingers) and you give 2 of the rocks to Brian (2 fingers go down) how many rocks do you have left? 3. The fun never ends! It has also motivated Brian to start working with her on the violin. They are just doing laid back short practices and she is doing well. Before she decided to be a caver she was planning on living in Ames. Why? "Because that's where the violin shop is!"

Family Reunion

How Brian Looks when we try to plan stuff.

We were making goals and saying what we wanted to do this year for Family Home Evening and a Family Reunion came up. I know we have talked about this but I would like to have everyone's input in one place - here, written, clear.

Dates: We are available in June and August. July and the first part of August are heavy pollinating times for Brian. It seems to me that June wasn't a go for someone and that Marc's girls started school the second week of August so that the weekend of Aug. 8th was the best chance of us all being able to come. Please comment on when the best dates for you are.

Place: I know Marc was thinking Mexico would be fun but Boise would require the fewest number of people to travel. Comment with alternate ideas or if travel is a problem.

Lodging: It would be almost impossible for us all to stay at Brenda's place. We could split between Brenda's, Grandma Shirley's and Rich's (like how I volunteered you guys?) or go "camping." Let's assume for a moment we have agreed to camp. This raises other questions:

Tents or cabins? Tents are cheaper but require more equipment and planning. Cabins are more expensive but have hot water, kitchens and beds. (Can you tell which way I am leaning?) Running water and flush toilets are a must for me whether camping or cabining. Yes, wimpy but I'm ok with that.

Where to camp or cabin? Give me your input. I think someplace with swimming would be nice. Perhaps with canoe rentals but am not picky. Also within 2 hours of Boise would be nice. I don't want to spend all day traveling to Boise only to have to drive six more hours to our camping spot.

So, all of Brian's family please let us know the who, what, when, where and why of what you would like to do for a family reunion.