Frugal Home Ideas

With every bit of motivation and excitement, I purchased those white canvases with the hopes of creating something unique and creative for my home.  Forget it - life got it in the way. Fortunately, my Maggie helped me out with a few, but I still have some collecting dust  in my basement.  Here's a fantastic idea from

www.frugalhomeideas.blogspot.com

just a note: I've used those paint can sprayer/holder - they really do work!

I saw this idea in a Lowes Creative Ideas magazine and thought it was amazing.  I wish I had thought of it myself!

In the Lowes magazine, they used high quality stainable wood boards.  I opted for the more economical canvases:

Step 1. Paint your canvas that you got at JoAnne's for 50% off of $15.99 (or at least pretend like you're painting it because you forgot to get a picture of actually painting it. Don't forget your fake candid picture smile!)

2. Step 2- Align your rubber doormat that you got at Target for $19.99 on top of the canvas. The Doormat was slightly bigger than the canvas, so we taped off the outside border from the back.

Step 3. Apply your really cool $3.99 make-a-gun out of your spray paint can thingy (don't worry dad, it's not a real gun)

Step 4. Apply quick thin coats of spray paint

Step Five: Lift your doormat stencil off the canvas to reveal a BEAUTIFUL piece of art. Swoon.

Although I was originally planning on doing 4 of these, like I pictured here:

I decided on 3 because you're supposed to do things in odd numbers in design. It's a rule, I didn't make it up - but I think I might want to do 4 after all.  What do you think?

FREE 8x10 at Walgreens photo

Today only - Free 8x10  at Walgreens Photo. Use coupon code:


  FREEPHOTO  at checkout

Communication Drill TONIGHT!

Don't forget to place one of the colored cards from


 your Emergency Prep binder on your front door.


 Scouts will be checking doors between 7p and 9p 


tonight

Freezer meals from Pinchingyourpennies.com

Great Freezer Family Meals from www.pinchingyourpennies.com

Here are some of my family's favorite recipes for the freezer.
Chicken Tetrazzini
10 oz. dry spaghetti -- (10 to 12)
3 cups grated cheese - Jack or Cheddar
3 Tbsp. margarine
1 1/2 cups finely chopped onion
1 can cream of mushroom soup -- (10 3/4 oz)
1 can cream of chicken soup -- (10 3/4 oz)
1 (10 3/4 oz) soup can milk
3 cups cooked diced chicken
salt & pepper
Cook spaghetti as directed until al dente; drain. Sauté onions in margarine.
Mix onions and remaining ingredients with spaghetti in a large bowl. Put
mixture in containers and freeze. To prepare for serving, thaw tetrazzini
and put in a baking dish. Bake uncovered in a preheated 350* oven until
bubbly, about 30-40 minutes. For 2 people makes 5 casseroles.
Chicken and Rice Bake
1 can Cream of Mushroom soup
1 cup water
¾ cup uncooked regular white rice
¼ tsp. Paprika
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
To freeze: Dump all ingredients into 1 gallon Ziploc freezer bag. Lay flat
in freezer.
To cook: Thaw in refrigerator. Place all ingredients in a 2 quart shallow
baking dish. Cover. Bake at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes or until chicken
and rice are done.

CHEESY Chicken and Rice Bake
1 can condensed cheddar cheese soup
1 cup water
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
¾ cup uncooked regular white rice
4 skinless, boneless chicken breast halves
To freeze: Dump all ingredients into 1 gallon Ziploc freezer bag. Lay flat
in freezer.
To cook: Thaw in refrigerator. Place all ingredients in a 2 quart shallow
baking dish. Cover. Bake at 375 degrees F for 45 minutes or until chicken
and rice are done.
notes: Try it with a can of cheddar broccoli soup and add broccoli
florets for added color and nutrition.

Sweet and Sour Chicken
1- 8 oz. Fat Free French Dressing
1- 8 Oz. can Jelly (whole)cranberry sauce
1 package - Dried Onion Soup Mix
4 Boneless Chicken Breasts (you can add more or less - cut into cube pieces)
To freeze: Dump all ingredients into 1 gallon Ziploc freezer bag. Lay flat
in freezer.
To cook: Mix all ingredients in a 13 x 9 glass pan. Cover with tin foil.
Bake 350 degrees for 45 minutes. Stir and serve over rice or noodles.
note: I like to add a bunch of stir-fry veggies in the bag when I
freeze this. They cook well in the sauce, and add a lot more nutrition to
the meal. (Plus, I don’t have to bother with a side dish this way!)
Chicken Enchiladas
(Freeze the tortillas separately for this easy dinner)
2 cans cream of chicken soup
1/2 pint sour cream
pinch garlic powder
1 can diced green chiles
3-4 chicken breasts, cooked and diced
1 dozen flour tortillas
grated Monterey Jack cheese
Mix first 5 ingredients together in a large bowl. Spoon into a 1 gallon
freezer bag and lay flat to freeze.
To prepare: Thaw sauce and tortillas. Spoon a bit of the chicken mixture
into each tortilla. Roll up and place side by side in a 9 X 13 baking pan.
Pour remaining mixture over enchiladas and sprinkle with cheese. Bake 30
minutes at 350 degrees.

Simple Salsbury Steak
(Campbell's soup recipe)
1 can of mushroom soup
1 pound of ground beef
1/3 cup dry bread crumbs
1 egg beaten
1/4 cup finely chopped onion
1 1/2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms
In a bowl, mix together 1/4 cup of the soup, beef, bread crumbs, egg, and
onion. Shape firmly into 6 patties. (If you are using raw meat, you can
freeze it now and brown the mushrooms and freeze them too, or you can freeze
everything after cooking)
In a skillet over medium heat, cook patties, a few at a time, until browned
on both sides, spoon off fat, set aside.
Stir in remaining soup and mushrooms, return the patties to the skillet,
reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 20 minutes or until done, turning
patties occasionally.
Allow to cool and place patties and sauce into freezer bag. Lay flat to
freeze.
To COOK: Allow to thaw. Reheat and eat!
Easy Pleasing Meatloaf
2 lb. Ground beef
1 package (6 oz.) stuffing mix
1 cup water
2 eggs, beaten
½ cup barbeque sauce, divided
Mix all ingredients well except for ¼ cup of the barbeque sauce. Shape meat
mixture into 2 oval loaves, side by side, in a 9"x13" baking dish. Top with
remaining barbeque sauce. Bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes or until center
is no longer pink.
To freeze: Allow loaves to cool. Wrap individually in tin foil, and place in
1 gallon freezer bag.
To serve: Thaw, and reheat in oven or microwave. Top with more barbeque
sauce, if desired.
CHICKEN & BROCCOLI
(Serves 4 people; 4 times)
1 cup margarine
1 cup flour
8 cups milk
salt and pepper to taste
4 cups cooked chicken, cut up
2 lbs. broccoli, cut up and lightly steamed
2 lbs. cheddar cheese, grated
Make white sauce: melt margarine in a large heavy pan. Add flour, stirring
constantly. When it reaches the boiling point, add milk, mixing constantly
with a wire whisk. Heat until almost boiling, stirring constantly. Remove
from heat. Place cooked chicken into four 8x8-inch baking pans; sprinkle
each pan with grated cheese; cover pans with foil; label and freeze. You can
also store this in zip-top freezer bags, saving the grated cheese to
sprinkle on top at serving time.
To serve: Thaw. Bake at 350 F for 30 minutes, or pour from freezer bag and
heat in heavy pan on stove top.
Serve over cooked rice, spaghetti, or fettuccine noodles.
Chicken Parmesan
1/3 C. dry bread crumbs
2 Tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese
3/4 tsp. Italian Seasoning
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
1 lb. boneless skinless chicken breasts
1 egg, beaten
1 can (8 oz) tomato sauce
3/4 C. shredded mozzarella cheese
To freeze: Combine first four ingredients in a shallow bowl. Dip each
chicken breast in beaten egg, then roll in bread crumb mixture to evenly
coat.
Place chicken on a greased cookie sheet or jellyroll pan. Bake in preheated
375' F. oven 10 min. Turn chicken over; bake 10-12 min. or until chicken is
thoroughly cooked.
Freeze in 1 gallon bag with separate bags of sauce and shredded cheese.
To serve: Thaw overnight in the refrigerator. Reheat chicken in 375' F. oven
until heated through and crust is crispy. Spoon tomato sauce over chicken.
Sprinkle cheese over top. Bake an additional 3 minutes or until cheese is
melted.
Makes 4 servings

Cowboy Delight

1 Lb. Ground beef or Ground Turkey
1 pkg. Elbow macaroni/Sea Shell Pasta
1 Lg. can tomato sauce
2 Cans diced tomatoes (or use bottled spaghetti sauce, or pasta sauce)
salt and pepper -- to taste
pinch garlic powder
pinch onion powder or dry onions
pinch Italian seasoning
3 TBSP. brown sugar
3/4 C. grated cheddar cheese

Brown hamburger and onions. Drain Fat. Cook pasta according to package directions. Rinse. Combine remaining ingredients, EXCEPT cheese, in a very large bowl. Add hamburger and pasta and sauce together. Mix Well.

Spread evenly into a foil pan. Freeze. To Serve: Allow to thaw and then cover with grated cheese. Bake 350˚F oven until cheese melts and casserole is hot.

EMERGENCY PREP COMMUNICATION DRILL

COMMUNICATION DRILL TODAY. PLEASE POST ONE OF THE COLORED CARDS FROM YOUR EMERGENCY PREP WARD BINDER. IF YOU DO NOT HAVE A BINDER, PLEASE LEAVE A NOTE STATING THAT YOU DO NOT HAVE A BINDER.  PLEASE POST CARDS BETWEEN 7P AND 9P


THANKS!!

Digital Photo deals from Walgreens

Thanks to PinchingYourPennies.com   for sharing this great deal from walgreens!

2/23 - Tuesday: 50% 11x14 Posters (Use code POSTERSIZE at checkout)
2/24 - Wednesday: 50% off Canvas (online only) & 99cent Rolls (in store only)
2/25 - Thursday: Free 8x10
2/26 - Friday: 50% off Everyday books (online only) & $5.99 Ink Refills
2/27 - Saturday: 10cent Prints (no min)

FHE Lesson from LDS Living Magazine

FHE: Spiritual Power

by Shauna Gibby

And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them. (1 Nephi 3:7)

Conference Talk:
For more information on this topic read "To Acquire Spiritual Guidance," by Richard G. Scott, Ensign, Nov 2009, 6-9.

Thought:
Assistance will come to you through the Holy Ghost as spiritual guidance. It is a power, beyond your own capability, that a loving Heavenly Father wants you to use consistently for your peace and happiness.

(Richard G. Scott, "To Acquire Spiritual Guidance," Ensign, Nov 2009, 6-9.)

Song:
"Teach Me to Walk," Children's Songbook, p. 177.

Scripture:
And it came to pass that I, Nephi, said unto my father: I will go and do the things which the Lord hath commanded, for I know that the Lord giveth no commandments unto the children of men, save he shall prepare a way for them that they may accomplish the thing which he commandeth them. (1 Nephi 3:7)

Lesson:
Show your family the picture of Abinadi before King Noah found in a paperback copy of the Book of Mormon (or, if available, use Gospel Art Picture Kit, no. 308). Allow each family member to look carefully at the picture and then read together Mosiah 13:1-9. Ask the following questions:

• Why was Abinadi sure he would not be "destroyed at this time"? (See verse 3.)
• How was Abinadi protected from King Noah's men? (See verse 5.)
• Why were King Noah and his priests angry with Abinadi? (See verses 6-8.)
• How might this story give you courage when you face difficult tasks?
  Have someone read the following statement: "When we know who we are and
  what God expects of us--when his 'law [is] written in [our] hearts'--we are spiritually protected." (Russell M. Nelson, "Children of the Covenant," Ensign, May 1995, p. 34.)

Ask, "How does the story of Abinadi help you to have courage in the callings you receive from the Lord?"

(Dennis H. Leavitt and Richard O. Christensen, Scripture Study for Latter-day Saint Families: The Book of Mormon, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2003], p. 129.)

Story:
In our most honest moments, many of us question how strong our testimony really is. How does it feel to have the Spirit? Are some of our feelings just wishes, hopes, and desires as opposed to confirmation of the Spirit? How can we be sure? Why can't we testify with the same certainty as others testify?

These questions are particularly troublesome to teenagers and young adults who have grown up in the Church. Converts have a "before" and "after" with which they can compare, but members who have been raised in the Church have not experienced what it is like to be without the Spirit. Many young men and women who are old enough to be called on missions bear their testimonies along this line: "I believe the Church is true, but I'm not really sure. I hope while on my mission I will receive the same testimony many of you have."

Young people often go through their early life leaning on the testimony of parents, grandparents, older brothers and sisters, and the converts who moved in next door. They don't think that anything spectacular has happened to them personally, and so they wait for a feeling of the Spirit that is more powerful than and different from anything they have ever felt before. Then they receive a mission call and realize that they are going to be testifying to people and must be able to stand on their own spiritual feet. They ask themselves, "Do I have a testimony or not?"

Those who pay the price of studying, praying, and living the gospel soon discover a simple truth. They go into the exercise looking for some spectacular spiritual feelings, different from those ever experienced, only to find out they have felt that same familiar spirit all of their life.

The witness a convert receives is the same witness a person born in the Church receives. One reason it is so spectacular to a convert is that it is new. Those who were born in the Church have had these feelings since birth. They have felt them in sacrament meetings, at youth testimony meetings, during family home evenings, while being administered to during an illness, while reading the Book of Mormon, while listening to inspiring stories from their parents, at the airport while seeing brothers or sisters off on missions, while visiting grounds of a temple, when hearing the Joseph Smith story, and so forth. Spiritual witnesses come at a young age to those who are exposed to experiences of a spiritual nature.

(Glenn L. Pace, Spiritual Plateaus, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 1991].)

Activity:
Set up chairs to make a maze or simply place them in a very disorganized fashion.

Choose one person to be "it," and put the blindfold on him. Choose another person to represent spiritual guidance. Tell the person who is it that you are going to send him to mortality and that there will be things that he can run into. Remind him that he can always have spiritual guidance available to him through the Light of Christ, the Holy Ghost, and other means. He must listen carefully to the right voice, because the voices of the world will also be in mortality.

Take time to tell everyone of the rules to this game: not one may touch the person who is "it" at any time, the voices of the world may move around the room but may not physically interfere with the person's spiritual guidance, the person who is "it" may use his hands to keep from falling, and no one may move an obstacle.

Send the voices of the world into the room, and have the person and his spiritual guidance then enter the room. Proceed with the game.

(Beth Lefgren and Jennifer Jackson, Power Tools for Teaching, [Salt Lake City: Bookcraft, 1988], p. 81.)

Refreshment
Bird's Nest Cookies

• 1 (12-ounce) bag butterscotch chips or chocolate chips
• 1 (12-ounce) can Chinese noodles
• 1 cup miniature marshmallows

Melt the butterscotch or chocolate chips in the microwave in a medium bowl. To do so, microwave on high power for 1 minute and stir. Return to microwave in 30-second increments, stirring each time, until melted and smooth. If you don't have a microwave, bring a saucepan of water to a simmer over the stovetop. Place the butterscotch or chocolate chips in a bowl that is large enough to make contact around the edge of the pan and put the bowl on top of the saucepan. Stir until melted. The simmering water will heat the bowl and melt the chips; just make sure the water never reaches a full boil or splashes into the bowl.

When all the chips are melted and the mixture is smooth, add the remaining ingredients and stir well. Use a tablespoon to drop the batter onto a cookie sheet that has been lined with waxed paper. Refrigerate until the cookies are firm.

Makes 2 dozen cookies.

(Clark L. and Kathryn H. Kidd, 52 Weeks of Recipes for Students, Missionaries, and Nervous Cooks, [Salt Lake City: Deseret Book, 2007] p. 71.)

Free Hogle Zoo Admission tomorrow - 2/24

From Utah Shopping Secrets

Last Hogle Zoo "Wild Wednesday" of the year! Get in FREE February 24th from 9 AM until 4 PM. Regular admission prices are $9 for adults, $7 for seniors and $7 for children ages 3 to 12, so take advantage of this offer!

Diaper Deals from Everyday Food Storage

Diapers….and Food Storage?

Posted by Crystal-Everyday Food Storage on Sunday, February 7, 2010 · Comments 

Okay, so I realize diapers don’t fall under the “food” part of food storage.  But, as you all know, I’m a big believer that food storage shouldn’t JUST be in your pantry but all over your house.  It should consist of all things you’re tired of running out of and making special trips to the store to purchase….and in that case diapers most certainly DOES!  So for all of you who are still purchasing diapers, I wanted to let you know about a great deal fromwww.diapers.com that I just took advantage of on Friday night.

If you go to www.diapers.com and use this referral code (CRYS9404) at check out to receive get $10 off your purchase (if it’s your first purchase there).  Plus, you’ll get free shipping on orders of $49 or more (which, let’s be honest, is very easy to do when you’re talking diapers.)  PLUS, depending on what state you are in, you don’t have to pay sales tax.  AND FINALLY-you can also get a $15 rebate by going HERE on your first purchase fromwww.diapers.com  (make sure you follow the instructions on the last paragraph to opt for the money and not the magazine subscription).  

So basically, I’m stocked for the first two months of my baby’s life and I did it all for cheap without leaving my home (an even better advantage with a toddler running around!)  They carry all brands of diapers (including CLOTH) and in all sizes.  You’ve got to check it out…and tell a friend!!

Using your Freeze-dried berries

Another great recipe from www.everydayfoodstorage.net
Using your food storage --- whole wheat and freeze-dried berries!

Blender Whole Wheat Blueberry Pancakes

1 Cup Milk (translation for powdered milk is 3 T. Dry Milk Powder + 1 C. Water)
1 Cup Wheat Kernels, whole & uncooked
2 Eggs (2 T. dry egg powder+ 1/4 C. Water)
2 tsp Baking Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
2 Tbs. Oil
2 Tbs. Honey or Sugar
1/2 -3/4 Cup Freeze Dried Blueberries
1 -1 1/2 Cup Water (for hydrating berries)

Hydrate your freeze dried blueberries in warm water and allow to sit while you’re making the pancake batter (you’ll want twice as much water as you have blueberries, i.e. if you are using a 1/2 C. blueberries then you’ll hydrate them in 1 C. warm water) Put milk and wheat kernels in blender. Blend on highest speed for 4 or 5 minutes or until batter is smooth. Add eggs, oil, baking powder, salt and honey or sugar to above batter. Blend on low. Pour out batter into pancakes from the actual blender jar (only one thing to wash!) onto a hot greased or Pam prepared griddle or large frying pan and top with desired amount of blueberries. Cook; flipping pancakes when bubbles pop and create holes.

Be sure to check out more "berry" recipes coming soon on www.everydayfoodstorage.net

Latter Day Saint Charities

For photos and information on the tremendous efforts taking place in Haiti,
please visit :   http://www.lds.org/haiti-relief/relief/landing.htm

"Latter-day Saint Charities

Jesus Christ told those who would be His followers that they were to give meat to the hungry and drink to those who thirst. His is a gospel that includes taking in the stranger, loving neighbors as self, and visiting those who are sick or imprisoned. He taught while He lived on the earth—and has since taught through modern prophets—that we are to love and care for each other, that we should visit the fatherless and the widow in their afflictions, and lift up those whose hands hang down and whose knees are feeble.

Latter-day Saint Charities, sponsored by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, is an application of this admonition of Jesus Christ to help others in need. We have sponsored relief and development projects in 167 countries. This assistance is rendered without regard to race, religious affiliation, or nationality and is based on the core principles of personal responsibility, community support, self–reliance, and sustainability.

Unique in its support structure, Latter-day Saint Charities has access to the resources of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, which include food production and processing, grain storage, vocational rehabilitation, donated used clothing, and employment and social services. Largely run with volunteer labor, Latter-day Saint Charities operates both independently and in cooperation with other charitable organizations and governments. Last year, over one million man–days of labor were contributed by volunteers in support of welfare initiatives.

Latter-day Saint Charities provides emergency relief assistance in times of natural disasters. In addition, our primary community development programs include clean water, neonatal resuscitation training, vision care, wheelchairs, immunizations, food production, and other health programs.

The assistance we render is made possible by generous donations of cash and in–kind materials from members and friends of the LDS Church."

The Spirit of Elijah Fireside - Tonight, Feb 21st 7pm

Come and Join us for the 13th Annual Family History Fair Fireside: 

"The Spirit of Elijah"  tonight, Feb 21st at 7pm at the Highland South Stake

Center, 9600 North 6800 West in Highland, UT

Bowls for Humanity

On Friday March 5, 2010, the Food & Care Coalition will be hosting the 4th annual Bowls for Humanity fund raiser at the Historic Southworth Reception Hall at 116 West Center Street, Downtown Provo. The event showcases local art while spotlighting the social service efforts of the Food & Care Coalition.
Handmade soup bowls from local potters will be available for purchase and can be filled with a selection of soups from both Marvellous Catering and Chef Ken. Art from local talent will be on display as part of the gallery stroll. The proceeds from this event will go toward finishing the transitional housing units for the homeless at the Food & Care Coalition in Provo. Please Contact Nancy M. at (801) 373-1825

Event: Bowls for Humanity

Date: Friday March 5, 2010

Time: 6pm-9pm

Location: Historic Southworth Reception Hall 116 W center Provo

Admission: Free

Pottery: $5 up (includes soup and roll)

Soup & Rolls: $3 (disposable bowl)

 

Blue and Gold Banquet 2010

Thanks to the wonderful Cub Scout leaders who do a terrific job with our cub scouts. Another great and fun activity - the Blue and Gold Banquet!  Cakes galore! Pinatas, candy, and dinner!

Stake Women's Conference THIS Saturday! "The Influence of a Woman

The Stake Women's Conference on Saturday the 20th will have a 2 hour block from 1-3pm dedicated to humanitarian aid. Right after lunch in the gym you can come and participate in 11 different projects. The items will go to Iraq, Afghanistan, Haiti, the Christmas Box House here in Utah, and the IHC Hospitals. There will be something for every skill level from sewing, quilting, and cutting fabric to fun crafts.  Please bring your own scissors! And if you can, bring one or more full size personal product such as shampoo, conditioner, comb, brush, body wash, toothbrush & paste, deodorant and feminine products. These will all go in bags for children and teens taken into foster care. Thanks for your help in this very important effort!!

February 23rd - Free Pancakes at IHOP

National Pancake Day and Free Pancakes!
February 23: @ IHOP Restaurants in the U.S.
Come celebrate the 5^th anniversary of IHOP joining to celebrate National Pancake Day, and benefit the Children’s Miracle Network! The event will run all day, from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. IHOP will serve free short stacks of their famous buttermilk pancakes in hopes that guests will make a voluntary contribution to Children’s Miracle Network or other local charities.

Tips on storing oil from Pinching your Pennies

Tips for storing your pantry oil from www.pinchingyourpennies.com

Tips for Storing Oil

If you are like me you try to have some cooking basics on hand. It's hard to make frugal meals or meal plan if you have nothing in the pantry. Additionally, I keep extra basics on hand for emergency purposes.


Canola oil is my oil of choice. Did you know that there are things you can do to make your oil last longer? Yes, there are!

1. Keep your oil in a cool place. Most olive oils and canola oils will stay good for around 7-9 months after opening if kept tightly closed and in regulated temperatures. A few times I have had oil go rancid before the expiration date. But that is rare since I use it quickly and as long as I keep it cool and in a dark place.

2. If at all possible, keep your oil away from light. Keeping it in a cupboard with a door, or even covering it with cloth if it is on an open shelf will help.

If your oil is rancid (smells bad and has an awful taste), don't cook with it. I know you can make soap with rancid oil but I haven't tried my hand at that.

Cabin Fever??? DIY Moon Sand!!!

Another great money saving tip - DIY Moon Sand from www.skiptomylou.com


A few ingredients and you can make your own "Moon Sand."
Mix 9 Cups of play sand (this is really fine sand I found at Wal-Mart).
Next add 3 cups of cornstarch.
Then add 2 1/2 Cups water. Start with 2 1/4 cups and continue adding the water until you have the desired consistency.
Mix well
You can experiment with the ingredients until you get it exactly how you like it.  Be careful though, it is very easy to get sandy oobleck! When finished playing, cover and store. Next time you play add a few tablespoons of water if it needs to be moistened.

It isn't exactly the perfect moon sand but it is close (much cheaper and even the real Moon Sand did not meet my kids expectations) and my kids had a great time!

Highland City Gardening Series with our own Kal Farr!

Gardening Series – Highland Farms

With Master Gardeners Kal Farr and Roger Dixon

 Vegetable Gardening Series for Beginning Gardeners:
The class will focus on gardening skills for people who have limited experience in vegetable gardening.  The course will address the following questions:

Where should I locate my garden?  How large should a vegetable garden be?  What should I plant?   What tools will I need?  How much time will it take?  How do I irrigate the garden?  Is a garden cost effective?  What about fertilizer?   How can I control weeds, plant diseases and insects?

Instructors:  Kal Farr and Roger Dixon.  Kal was the CEO of Thanksgiving Point and was instrumental in developing the gardens there.  Roger is trained as a Master Gardener and is the President of the Utah County Master Gardener Association.  Both are old farm boys with incurable “green thumbs”.

Dates & Times: 

Class #1: Wednesdays, March 3, 10, 17, 24 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.

Class #2: Thursdays, March 4, 11, 18, 25 from 7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Both classes are a 4 week series. We plan to have two field trips during March and one per month May through September. 
Cost:  $30.00
Class Limit:  40 (a minimum of 20 need to be register in order to hold a class)
Age ranges:  no age restrictions, generally adults, but could be scouts working on the Gardening Merit Badge.
Materials (if any):  To be provided by the instructors
Location:  The class will be held at the Highland Gardens Greenhouse & Reception facility on 4800 West.

Stake Women's Conference: "The Influence of a Woman

Saturday,February 20, 2010 at the Stake Center. 

Time: 9:00 am—3:00 pm.

Set time aside for you!  Join us for great classes and projects. There will be several humanitarian projects and we need your help! 

Ward Temple Night - Tues. Feb. 16th

Join us - Tues - Feb. 16th for the 6pm sealing session at Mt. Timpanogos Temple.  If you have names for sealings please contact Jay or Pola at www.polagmorrison@gmail.com

Are you ready for Valentine's Day?

Here'a great tip for Valentine cupcakes from www.atticgals.blogspot.com

Attic Gal Rachelle says...

So this morning as I was running around trying to get my middle schoolers out the door, and help my elementary schoolers get their class valentines together, my 1st grader announces that he had been assigned to bring two dozen cupcakes to his Valentine party - today. Don't we love these last minute announcements?

Well, this week I have done an inventory of my baking supplies and it turns out that I have a heart shaped cake pan, a heart shaped spring-form pan, 3 heart shaped mini spring-form pans, a heart shaped cookie sheet, heart shaped cookie cutters, heart shaped jello molds, heart shaped sandwich cutters, and even a heart shaped pancake mold. But for cupcakes - nothing.

Then I suddenly remembered that when I was a kid my mom once made heart shaped cupcakes by putting a marble between the cupcake paper and the pan, so I grabbed some glass pebbles and made some impromptu heart shaped cupcakes.

They looked kind of funny out of the oven, but once frosted they were simply adorable. Nice save by Mom, if I do say so myself!

The way to a man's heart is through his stomach, and with a houseful of men to love, I had to make a little effort at lovin' from the oven. For Valentines dinner I make 3D heart shaped jello (I have a mold), and canned biscuits were shaped into hearts using a cookie cutter. I didn't cut the biscuits, they were similar in size to the cookie cutter. I just pressed the entire biscuit dough into the shape of the cutter.

And of course, for the meat and potatoes man, heart shaped read meatloaf on a bed of mashed potatoes. Just mold the meatloaf into a heart shape right there in the cake pan. I thought it turned out pretty fun! 

The perfect Valentine for my meat and potatoes man!

This Valentines day we will be having pink heart pancakes with strawberries of course for breakfast. Can't wait!

And I also found some adorable heart shaped lahvosh crackers that I will be serving some love up on as well.