Safely Gathered In Rocks My Food Storage World!

Thanks to this blog:

We are on our way to becoming Safely Gathered In!

Paul and I have been buying bulk items at case-lot sales (thanks to Macy's gigantic case lot and food storage extravaganza's!) to add to our long-term food storage, but I have always felt overwhelmed at the thought of getting everything I needed, how I was going to make meals out of pantry-friendly only food and learning how to make bread out of your own wheat and all the good stuff. It was just too much to wrap my mind around at the time and when that happens, my mind shuts down and automatically files it to "Later." I kept putting it off and adding to my storage in cans for the time being. But then I happened upon these ladies awhile ago and I am hooked!! I love that they have made it so easy! It's like 'Food-Storage for Dummies!' and it's GREAT!! I have been so enthralled with all the information they give and the recipes they share and the way they let you follow along with gathering and rotating long-term storage items and emergency car kits.

I am working on getting my three-month supply together. I love the plan these girls came up with! I finally don't feel overwhelmed (well...as overwhelmed. I still have to think about where to stick all of this stuff)! I have my menu's all planned out and have figured out everything we would need to make all the meals on those menus and have even created me a little system (although I just discovered they have one as well) so I know what I have and what I still need. I have had so much fun getting it together and even found recipes of my own that will work. I am excited to test drive all the recipes I haven't used yet. Now I can add to my 3M Supply a little every time I get groceries and watch out for sales on the items we need. I have never been so excited about food-storage in all my adult/married/responsible life!! Over time, I plan to get myself a wheat grinder and become a Master Wheat Bread Magician and other equally cool (or dorky but still important) stuff!

I am so excited to make myself a cardboard oven and cook us up a meal or desert! Ooohhh cobbler would be delicious. I think I just might do that! Peach Cobbler.

I invite everyone to go over to this blog and read up on everything. I am sure that even those who are better prepared than most can still find some useful tips and information. They have wonderful 'How-To's' and give step by step instructions and pictures on everything. And March's Ensign has several articles on Self-Reliance if any one hasn't read it yet and would like to get themselves psyched about food-storage. I read those articles and found this blog at about the same time - it was like a heavenly thump on the head and an answer to my prayers!

Landscaping Highs and Woes.

Paul and I had a superb little weekend. We are tearing up our entire backyard and re-doing it. Last week we started ripping up our yard little by little when the time allowed. And the weather was just awesome for yard work. I loved being outside working so very much - and the snow today is putting a big cramp on my plans for the week. Oh well - can't complain when the Lord decides to give you 'moisture', right?

The first to go was the totally ugly retarded brick pathway, then the rosebushes surrounding the deck were dug up and thrown out and the Quakies were poisoned to keep them from coming back when we rip them out, and finally, we worked on ripping out the deck. Initially, Paul and I were only going to sand down the deck, replace a few boards, and re-stain it. However, it was brought to our attention by my mother that the best thing for us would be to get rid of it and put down a concrete patio. Why??? Because my neighborhood has a little rat problem. I don't like admitting that but whatya do? Anyway, we can poison to our hearts content, but they will still keep coming back...because they have built homes under our deck. And the more I think of it, the happier I am because the deck was retarded, too and we didn't really like it but didn't really want to do something about it either. But this will make our yard look so much more spacious and lots lots cuter. We are really excited.

So our progress on our yard so far:

This is the retarded brick pathway mentioned:

All gone!!

Our deck before we started and different phases:




And this is why we are getting rid of the deck:


Paul was working on loosening the bolts to a board that runs along the house when he saw something move and he shouted "Mouse!" I thought: Well that would be weird...too weird, actually. So I said "Was it a mouse or a rat?" And Paul said "Mouse - and there's another one!" So I came and took a closer look and said "Babe - those a baby rats. And Ew." (Amanda, I almost called you because I know how much you love mice...how much more would you love a baby rat?? I know I know, I am too kind!) Paul had uncovered the babies nest and there were quite a few of them. We gathered them up and put them in a bucket - and I will spare you the details of how we disposed of them.

See all the junk gathered together? That would be a rats nest. Ten points for whoever can find the baby rat in the picture!

Nine babies total. NINE!! And nine less rats for us to deal with later on!

Daily Rant #6

So my sister is getting married in July. It's going to be a really private small affair in my parents' backyard (that's two weddings in a row, there!) and my sister just wants it to have a really intimate feeling- which I love. She's already been married once and she doesn't feel the need to throw an extravagant wedding again and I agree. That's just retarded. But since Kenny hasn't been married before, and doesn't plan on marrying anyone else, he couldn't narrow down his groomsmen. So what was going to be a best man with a groomsman and a maid of honor with a bridesmaid turned into FIVE bridesmaids and groomsman. All is well though - Kenny can have whatever he wants. So that means that my sister and I are now bridesmaids. We have to find a short dress that is any shade of a softer yellow. Well yellow is supposed to be the color of the summer this year, especially in weddings. But can I find a short yellow bridesmaid dress that is not too casual and not too formal but most of all MODEST?? Of course, not. There is lots out there that is strapless, halter top, spaghetti straps, low cut, really really short and backless. But there is NOTHING with sleeves, nothing that is long enough and nothing that looks good modest!! It is SO frustrating!! Does everything have to be so sleezy? Grrrrr! It's really annoying. Now my mom and I were able to find a pattern and material that will be really great but that's just one more thing to do on top of everything else! She's already making the wedding gown, having to keep up her backyard, cater the food, still do a garden and help with all the other wedding stuff. Is it really too much to ask for designers to make something with sleeves that goes down to about your knees and is CUTE? Honestly.

Bowling - Yeah I Got Nothing Clever This Time.

Last night my family got together to do some bowling. I love going bowling with my family. We go to the All-Star Lanes in Sandy and get two lanes and my parents treat us with the alley's pizza, nachos, fries and drinks. Everyone has a smorgasborg and we have so much fun goofing off, being competitive and chasing the kiddies around.

My hunny pie on the left and my bro Morgan on the right:

My brother snapped this beautiful photo of me - gorgeous, yeah?:

I love the look on Aiden's face!:

Amber and Bronsynn gettin' their swing on:

And a few others of my fam:

This is sexy Benny. Actually he's really just a part of the family. He's my brotha from another motha fo' sho. He's at all our family get togethers. If he's not there, everyone asks where he is.

The girls in my family are constantly trying to get a good photo of my dad, as I have stated before. Tonight was no different:

Attempt #1

He thought he was clever by picking up his cup in a hurry.

Attempt #2

Not so subtle attempt to hide this time.

Attempt #3

You have to enlarge the picture and look between the laughing ladies.

As you can tell, it did not go well.

I was so sucky by my second game, which usually happens for me, so Aiden and I bowled together until I could no longer persuade him to stay and bowl with us. He wanted so badly to go to "Chuck E. Cheese" Chuck E. Cheese is next door but what he meant was to go to the arcade in the bowling alley. So I took him down there and we played Ski Ball till we had enough tickets to get him a prize. He was so freakin' adorable when Bronsynn earned him his last eight tickets by getting 300 points on Ski Ball. He was so excited. I just love that kid. He's my favorite little boy, I must admit.

I had such a great time. It's a chill way to spend your Monday night!

Piece of the Puzzle

For Paul's birthday last month Becky and Judd gave Paul this totally awesome cheeser of a puzzle. We finally had some free time this past weekend so we whipped ourselves up a fire and sat down to do a 750 piece puzzle of whales, fishies, planets, and jungle complete with glitter. We worked on it for a few hours - and we aren't done yet. Sunday night we worked on it some more - and we aren't done yet. I got the entire bottom 1/4 done with all the little fishes while Paul has been working on doing the trees - which is much much harder since every piece looks like the last piece. However, Paul and I love puzzles so thanks to Becky and Judd for providing hours and hours of entertainment!!! We will let you know when we finish!!

(this is just the start - it has much more to it now)

My cutie pie:

More Snowboarding...

Saturday, Paul and I took Gav and Bronsynn snowboarding again on a whim. We had a lot of fun and Bronsynn is already way better than she was the last time. The only part that sucked, which I knew it would, was that the snow was so packed and the more packed it is, the easier it is to catch an edge and the harder the fall. So I felt pretty bad for Bronsynn cuz the thought of face-planting it on that kind of snow can really psyche you out.

Our view from half way down the mountain and then my honey all bundled up:

Bronsynn acting all tough cuz she's a snowboarding chic now and Gaven all dressed up in his green duds:

There is this one hill that you have to get going on pretty fast if you are going to make it up the following hill. And like I said, the snow was packed and a little icy in some areas. Gaven would usually go down with Bronsynn on areas like these to help her keep her speed AND not fall. If you go too slow, then you either have to crawl up the hill or take your bindings off and walk up and it's not fun (trust me, I know from experience). And Gaven is a super pro boarder so he would get the honors of going down with her. They would face each other and hold hands and tilt on the back edges. Worked pretty good. Then it was my turn to go down with her while the boys took off and did jumps. First time down this particular hill: good. Second one: not good. I can't even remember exactly what happened but I was afraid Bronsynn was going to fall so I let her go so that she could just continue coasting and that's when I caught an edge and it flipped me forward in the air about five feet and I landed pretty frickin' hard. I don't get sore when I board - but I am sore now!! Not fun. We would both get psyched out when we had to do it again and we would fall over each other and laugh and laugh.

And I just had to add this:

Before we left, we stopped at Sports Authority to get our passes. The boys ran in and Bronsynn and I waited out in the car. She got bored and decided that she (being only 13) was going to drive the car to the front of the store. (We all have kind of tended to spoil her and we constantly let her drive down the driveway or down the street or something - don't tell anyone.)

The Melting Pot Date

Paul and I have a tradition where every year in February we go to The Melting Pot to celebrate a few special occasions. It's one of our favorite traditions and it's our #1 most favorite place to eat. We love the atmosphere, the cozy booths, the laid back pace (it takes almost three hours) and of course, the food. We look forward to going and getting as stuffed as we can every time! We start off with our cheese fondue, then the California salads, then our main course (the Pacific Rim cooked Coq au Vin style) and lastly, chocolate!! Yeah!!

This stuff is seriously soooo good. It's worth every penny we spend!!

They have this cocktail sauce for your shrimp and a little bit is a big kick. So one thing Paul and I do every year is see how much we can load onto a shrimp and then video tape the reaction. This stuff will clear your sinuses, make your eyes water and threaten to make your brain pop out of it's skull. It's so fun. I have vids but it's so dark in the restaurant that you really can't see us very well. Which is too bad.

Yummy, yummy, yummy I got chocolate fondue in my tummy....

We pretty much get the same menu items every time but we always try a new chocolate. This year was white chocolate amaretto. So flippin' good!! I almost died from the pleasure in my mouth.

And when it's all done, this is what we feel like:

(I can stick my stomach out pretty dang far when I am full and I always tell Paul that I am pregnant and rub my belly like pregnant women always do in movies. Then Paul freaks out. I never get sick of it).