Food Storage Guideline Change

Okay, so most of the comments on Jessica's blog post about the article on food storage made fun of her enthusiasm.   But I thought it was a worthwhile subject, so here goes (I started to post this as a comment on her blog, but then I realized it was worthy of its own post - I hope you think so, too).

The new guidelines make starting our food storage less ominous, as well as let us off the hook for some of the food rotation. I can't say 54 jars of applesauce isn't a worthy goal still (for my family, that's just over a 3-month supply), but we are asked to take baby steps and not go into debt to do it. The highlights are:

• Start gradually, if necessary, with storing three months of food you regularly eat
• Then add some water storage
• Then set aside a financial reserve
• Then store a one-year supply of life-sustaining foods (many of which have recently been found to last for 20-30 years, so no regular rotation is necessary on these items - wheat, white rice, corn, pinto beans, dried apple slices, macaroni, rolled oats, potato flakes, and powdered milk, to name a few)

Hurray! I don't have to rotate my beans. The old guidelines were the reverse of this. We were told to take care of those life-sustaining items first, then store additional foods that we normally eat. I think the new way is much more reasonable. That way, if you are temporarily unemployed, you eat the way you normally do, and still have your life-sustaining foods that you spent so much time planning out and canning and paying for in your reserve, and you don't have to go through that process again.

Let me emphesize here that the reason we store food is to help our families and neighbors in times of hardship, such as unemployment or natural disaster. Here is a quote from www.providentliving.org that says it best:

"Our Heavenly Father created this beautiful earth, with all its abundance, for our benefit and use. His purpose is to provide for our needs as we walk in faith and obedience. He has lovingly commanded us to “prepare every needful thing” (see D&C 109:8) so that, should adversity come, we can care for ourselves and our neighbors and support bishops as they care for others.

"We encourage members world-wide to prepare for adversity in life by having a basic supply of food and water and some money in savings.

"We ask that you be wise as you store food and water and build your savings. Do not go to extremes; it is not prudent, for example, to go into debt to establish your food storage all at once. With careful planning, you can, over time, establish a home storage supply and a financial reserve."
—The First Presidency, All Is Safely Gathered In: Family Home Storage, Feb. 2007, 1

Katie "Baby"

Baby means anything Katie likes, wants, or owns.  It also means "look at me."  It also means "Katie."  And if you say baby in her presence, she will say, "Baby!"

We went to Once Upon a Child the other day.  I took a big bucket of Katie's baby clothes to see if they would take anything.  They took three things, worth $6.  I guess after you pass the 18 month size, they take more.  There are just too many baby clothes brought in.  I brought Dallin, Aidan and Katie with me.  We picked out some jeans for Dallin and Aidan that fit them great, with the elastic that buttons in the waist.  I love those.  We also picked out a new dress for Katie.  I hadn't planned on a new dress, but I saw a beautiful Laura Ashley dress for $10, and it even had a diaper cover with it.  I showed the kids, and Katie grabbed it and said, "Baby!"  So, of course, I had to buy it.  

I had been putting her in a very summery dress with a long-sleeved blouse under it for the past couple of weeks, as she has outgrown her knit turtleneck dress, and the Christmas dress is really not right for this season anymore.  I have two Easter dresses for her, but they are definitely things she won't wear until Easter.  Way too foofy.  So, this dress made sense.  I'll try to remember to take a picture of her on Sunday.

Katie eats her oatmeal by herself now.  She likes to do it herself.  It is a mess, but she does get most of it into her mouth via the spoon, so I'm letting her.  

Katie is cutting molars.  I'm sleepy.

Our Valentines Day

Our day started early.  Aaron woke up William at about 5am, and they drove out to the Bishop's Storehouse.  Aaron had a computer to add an OS to, and was invited to an early breakfast with the guy in charge there.  William went along because Aaron felt like he needed some attention.  

Aaron got the OS loaded onto the computer, and William helped his grandpa Pratt break down boxes in the cannery (Reo and Merle are serving part-time missions as assistant cannery directors).  When William was done with that, he helped a missionary stock shelves.  

I took Tristin to the high school to catch the bus for a J.V. tournament at Delano/Cokato at 7:15am.  He got to wrestle in three matches, and won one in overtime.  Yeah, Tristin!  He's still getting better, although I can't say he's enjoying it any more.

Katie had been up overnight, and I was tired.  Aaron was surprised to hear that.  He had no idea she was in our bed until a quarter to one.  So, I snuggled with little ones in front of the television for a good part of the morning.  Once Aaron came home, we started getting some work done around the house, and he also taught a make-up piano lesson at 2pm to Steven Dray, a beginning student who has had the misfortune of having his lessons canceled a lot lately, due to Aaron's travel.

Aaron made dinner for me, and we let the kids have kid food.  Aaron prepared a delicious meal, starting with a very good, beautifully-arranged Caesar salad.  It was really pretty on the plate, and tasted great.  Our main course was salmon fillets cooked on a bed of lemon with carrots, onion and zucchini on top, foil dinner style, with a baked potato on the side.  It was very tasty, and there was way too much.  Dessert was a moist chocolate chip cookie cake that was a heat-up and serve variety from the freezer section, with vanilla ice cream.  He would have made something from scratch, normally, but our afternoon was too busy.

We ate in our room, in order to not be interrupted by children - I don't think we've done that in a long, long time! - probably not since Tristin became our babysitter and we started going out every Friday night.  I don't think we were interrupted by children more than once the whole evening.   It was a nice night.  No flowers, no expensive mani-pedi.  No guilt.  Just time with Aaron, and no cooking dinner for me.  Yeah!

What Have I Done?

What I Have Done

I saw this on my friend Leisa's blog and I thought it was fun. It really made me realize what I haven't done in my life...YET! The lines that are bolded are the things that I have done...how about you?

1. Started your own blog
2. Slept under the stars
3. Played in a band (French horn)
4. Visited Hawaii
5. Watched a meteor shower
6. Given more than you can afford to charity
7. Been to Disneyland
8. Climbed a Mountain
9. Held a praying mantis
10. Sang a solo
11. Bungee Jumping
12. Visited Paris
13. Watched a lightning storm at sea
14. Taught yourself an art from scratch
15. Adopted a child
16. Had food poisoning (too recently)
17. Walked to the top of the Statue of Liberty
18. Grown your own vegetables
19. Seen the Mona Lisa in France
20. Slept on an overnight train
21. Had a pillow fight
22. Hitch hiked
23. Taken a sick day when you were not ill (mental health day??)
24. Built a snow fort
25. Held a lamb
26. Gone skinny dipping (I was eight, I think, and my aunt suggested it to my sister, my cousins and me when we were at my grandparent's lakehouse spending the night, so we did it.  It was dark out, and a private lake, but please, kids, wear your suits).
27. Run a Marathon
28. Ridden in a gondola in Venice
29. Seen a total eclipse
30. Watched a sunrise or sunset
31. Hit a home run
32. Been on a cruise
33. Seen Niagara Falls in person
34. Visited the birthplace of your ancestors
35. Seen an Amish community
36. Taught yourself a new language (Czech - I'm not exactly what you'd call fluent, but I can get you to Wenceslaus Square).
37. Had enough money to be truly satisfied
38. Seen the Leaning Tower of Pisa in person
39. Gone rock climbing
40. Seen Michelangelo's David
41. Sung Karaoke
42. Seen Old Faithful geyser erupt
43. Bought a stranger a meal at a restaurant
44. Visited Africa
45. Walked on a beach by moonlight
46. Been transported in an ambulance
47. Had your portrait painted (drawn)
48. Gone deep sea fishing
49. Seen the Sistine Chapel in person
50. Been to the top of the Eiffel tower in Paris
51. Gone scuba diving or snorkeling
52. Kissed in the rain
53. Played in the mud
54. Gone to a drive-in theatre
55. Been in a movie
56. Visited the Great Wall of China
57. Started a business
58. Taken a martial arts class
59. Visited Russia
60. Served at a soup kitchen
61. Sold girl scout cookies
62. Gone whale watching
63. Got flowers for no reason
64. Donated blood, platelets, or plasma
65. Gone sky diving
66. Visited a Nazi concentration camp
67. Bounced a check (not my fault, and the bank reimbursed me)
68. Flown in a helicopter
69. Graduate from college
70. Visited the Lincoln Memorial
71. Eaten Caviar
72. Pieced a quilt
73. Stood in Times Square
74. Toured the Everglades
75. Been fired from a job
76. Seen the changing of the Guards in London
77. Broken a bone
78. Been on a speeding motorcycle
79. Seen the Grand Canyon in person
80. Published a book
81. Visited the Vatican
82. Bought a brand new car
83. Walked in Jerusalem
84. Had your picture in the newspaper
85. Read the entire Bible
86. Visited the White House
87. Killed and prepared an animal for eating (Fish)
88. Had Chickenpox
89. Saved someone's life
90. Sat on a jury
91. Met someone famous
92. Joined a book club
93. Lost a loved one
94. Had a baby
95. Seen the Alamo in person
96. Swam in the Great Salt Lake
97. Been involved in a law suit
98. Owned a cell phone
99. Been stung by a bee
100. Get married to the love of your life

That was fun. Hope you enjoy it as well.

My Valentine Flowers are Right Here

If you're reading this Valentine's week, you will see a beautiful bouquet of roses on the left of the screen.  Yes, it has taken me this long to figure out that there are all sorts of free template codes out there, other than the ones Blogger gives us.  I knew that, deep down, but I just never bothered to look for any before now.

Anyway, to get on with things, Aaron told me the other night that he has thought about getting me flowers a lot recently.   But, he wanted to know how I currently felt about that.  

Most women love getting flowers.  I like flowers.  They are very pretty.  I just don't like the idea of paying for hothouse flowers.  How much do you figure the bouquet of roses off to the left cost?  Probably $60.  Maybe $30, with a coupon, but undoubtedly you'll have to pay $20 for shipping with that deal.  Yes, it is beautiful.  Yes, if I were being proposed to, I might like the idea of the night starting out with a bouquet like that one (that didn't happen - our engagement was an extremely informal discussion while sitting on a couch, probably during a commercial break during an episode of Friends or some other sitcom of the 1990's, but that's not the point).  

For all the romance a bouquet of flowers could mean to someone else, to me it means I could have put that money toward our mortgage principle.  It means I could have built up our savings account a little more.  It means I am going to feel guilty every time I look at it because after it quits dropping crud all over my table that I will have to clean up each morning, and then finally dies, all I'll have left is one more glass vase to take up space in the cupboard above my refrigerator, and $60 less in our grocery budget.

I told Aaron I still feel the same way.  A couple of days later, he asked me what I wanted for Valentine's Day.  We got interrupted before I could think it over.  The other night, I was upset about my nail polish lasting only a day, and I told him I would love a mani-pedi.  I actually told him I thought we should both get a mani-pedi together, but he really didn't go for that idea.  He said he found the idea of paying for someone to manicure one's nails was upsetting, and that it was even more upsetting if one is male.  

I have only had two manicures in my life.  One was for a birthday party of one of my childhood friends.  We went to the Scot-Lewis beauty school and got very simple manicures.  I think I was in about the 3rd grade.  The other was on a whim when I was a teenager.  It was also at that beauty school.  It only cost $5, and I got what I paid for.  It was very rushed, and there weren't many polish options.  It did last a couple of weeks, though, from what I can remember.  However, I have heard some women lately talk about how nice a manicure is, and how their toenails are still pretty two months later, and how nice it is to just look down once in a while and feel good about one's toes.  So, I thought it might be nice.

I have one problem with my idea.  I'm afraid I will feel about the manicure the way I feel about the roses.  Will I feel guilty every time I look at my nails?  Will I be upset when they chip?  What if the polish doesn't last more than a day, like the stuff I have at home?  What if I can't control myself, and I peel it off?

Maybe I should just ask Aaron to make me dinner.

Our Nice Morning

William woke up early to make breakfast this morning.  He brought scrambled eggs and toast with peanut butter to me in my room while I was studying scriptures.  He helped Ben make oatmeal, which is Ben's current favorite breakfast and snack - yes, snack.  He asks for it when he comes home from school sometimes.

I was determined to make it to the gym today, as I haven't made enough of an effort lately. I've actually been putting on a few pounds for the first time in my adult life, other than during pregnancy.  Everyone was healthy - yay!  Katie's other eye was even clear! So I helped Aidan and Katie get ready, while Dallin got himself ready.  

My friend Patty gave me two pairs of shoes her little girl had just grown out of last night at our presidency meeting, and I tried the tennis shoes on Katie.  They fit very well.  While I put them on her, she examined the other pair - white dress shoes with pink-flowered straps.  I asked her, "Aren't they pretty?" and she said, "Pret-ty."  I said, "They are pretty!" and she said, "Yes."  We then repeated the conversation, as I wanted to be sure she really had said it all.  Then I took her in to see Dad, who was studying in his office, and she repeated it to him, too.  What fun!

The kids were happy to go to the child care center.  Dallin and Aidan ran off to play in the back, where the tubes and kids' gym are.  Katie found a little "bike" in the toddler room and scooted around happily as I left her there.

I attended Fitness Pilates for the first time in a year.  The last time I went, I reaggrivated my tailbone area injury.  This time, after 8 months of chiropractic care and a month of private training, I did not hurt myself.  There was a little discomfort there with one of the moves, but I adjusted and didn't push it.  However, the whole thing exhausted me more than I remember.  Of course, I always took a break during the planks and push-ups before, and now I am able to do them without straining my shoulder muscle tissue (thanks to training with Mitra), so I didn't get to stop and rest like I used to.  I burned almost 400 calories during the hour.

When I picked up the kids, Katie was a little upset, as a little girl who I would guess is about two was stealing the book she was carrying around.  She saw me and said, "Ma-ma-ma-ma-ma!"  and was happy.  Dallin was in the gym, where he was playing with a ball.  He told me that he was "...learning so many new things today, this place is a school!" This was said very happily.  We picked up Aidan from the bathroom, where he was washing his hands in a sink just the right height for him, and we left.

I enjoyed my morning, and I hope we will continue on a healthy trend so that I will be able to get back into the routine of getting there three mornings a week.

William's Huge, Mutant Grape

Today at lunch, William had a bunch of grapes.  On this bunch of grapes was the biggest grape he has ever seen.  I've never seen anything like it, either.  It doesn't look much like a grape.  Its shape is that of a pumpkin.  William would like to see if he can enter it into the Guinness Book of World Records, but I don't know if they have a place for mutant grapes.

Our Christmas Eve

Amy inspired me with her last blog entry to actually download some pictures from my camera and post some blog entries. I have been using this blog to vent more than to show off the kids lately, so here goes!

Christmas Eve was spent at my parents' house.  Katie got a Madeline doll from Grammie and Grandpa.  She gave it a hug and patted its back right away.  She calls dolls "bay-bay."  Last week during our bout with food poisoning, she was feeling better and wandering around, and I was still in bed.  She brought me all of the dollies from her room; my old cabbage patch, Tristin's old Raggedy Andy (or should we call it new?  It is the one Aaron bought when we couldn't find his and he couldn't get to sleep without it when he was three, that he could tell wasn't his, so he never played with it), the Madeline doll, and the dolly Jake gave her, too.  She wanted me to feel better, so she thought I could use some "bay-bays."

Aidan got a backpack on rollers from Grammie and Grandpa.  He loves filling it up with toys and emptying it all over my bedroom.  Yes, he thinks my bedroom is a good dumping ground for his toys.  We did a good clean-up of my room this week, though, and got all of the toys out.

Dallin was super-excited to get a velvet art kit.  He has made a lot of beautiful pictures.  

Ben got a fun game called Cadoo.  It is a kid's version of Cranium, made by the same people.  We have played it, and it is a lot of fun, and the right age for the middle kids to play together.

Tristin, Brandon and William were surprised when the gifts they received looked a little strange - like a PUR water filter.  But, judge not by the box!  They each received a Target gift card.  Tristin and William went in on video games, and Brandon got a Zero Gravity car.  It is a remote control car that drives not only on the floor, but on the walls and smooth-surface ceilings.  Pretty cool!

Katie has a clear eye!!!

After 14 months of goobery eyes, Katie's left eye finally cleared up a week ago.  Her right tear duct is still blocked, but now I have hope of avoiding surgery.

 

All of our kids have had blocked tear ducts for at least some amount of time.  Most have cleared up by 1 year, but Brandon and William had the surgery.  Our clinic recommends waiting until the child is at least one year, and my doctor leaves it up to me as to how much longer I want to wait, up to 18 months.  He fully supports waiting, as there are always risks to surgery with general anesthesia.  I regret having their surgery done at one year for Brandon and William, as the kids who came after them had theirs clear up on their own not long after 1 year, and William had one eye for which surgery wasn't successful, and we ended up waiting for it to clear on its own a couple of months later, anyway.

The surgery isn't fun.  They put the child to sleep, you don't get to be there with them, and they come out of it with miserable, swollen, and sometimes, bloody eyes.  The week after the surgery is full of antibiotic eye drops that the child hates having put in 3-4 times a day.  So, you can see why I'd rather just wait.

And now there's hope!