Cooking with Food Storage

Since we are trying to be prepared I found a recipe to try that could use up some of our pinto beans we're storing and may have to eat someday. I really enjoyed this dinner. It fit very nicely into my no white refined, no added sugar diet. My kids tolerated it. They didn't love it. Brett and Bradley ate all of their and Kim and Bryce ate their mandatory 3 bites.

Chicken and Green Chile Slow Cooker Chili

1 and 1/2 cup dried pinto beans
4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
1 cup chopped green chilies, or 1 (7 ounce) can
1 cup green salsa (Herdez brand is what I used) or green enchilada sauce
1 large onion, chopped
1/2 to 1 teaspoon dried cumin
1 to 1 1/2 lbs. boneless, skinless chicken
if desired sour cream, chopped cilantro, tabasco for serving
Coat the inside of your slow cooker with cooking spray. Combine beans, broth, flour, chilies, salsa, onion, and cumin. Place chicken on top. Cover and cook on high for 4-6 hours, or low for 8-10 hours. Remove lid and reach in to the crock pot and shred chicken with fork. Stir into chili taste for seasonings and add salt and pepper if needed and serve.

Estimated Cost: $6.00 for 6 servings
Money Saving Tips: This one relies on dried pinto beans so it's budget friendly already, especially if you've got chicken and canned green chilies on hand. Green salsa is also called salsa verde, but you can also use canned green enchilada sauce.
http://prudencepennywise.blogspot.com/

Mirror Mirror On The Wall

Mirror, Mirror

Shrek, Hallie Berry and Denzel Washington were all having lunch
together.
Shrek said, 'I have always thought that I'm the strongest man in
the world, but how can I be sure?'

Hallie Berry agreed. 'I'm told I'm the most gorgeous of them all,
but sometimes I wonder.'

Denzel Washington said, 'I'm pretty sure I'm the sexiest man alive
but I've never had it confirmed.'

They all decided that the best way to find out if their beliefs were true was to ask the famed talking 'mirror, mirror on the wall' to confirm for them whether Shrek was the strongest, Hallie Berry was the most gorgeous and Denzel Washington was the sexiest. They agreed to meet again the next day for lunch to discuss their findings.

The next day Shrek walked up with a smile. 'Well, it's true. The mirror told me that I am the strongest man in the world.'

Hallie Berry perked up and said: 'And I know for sure that I'm the most gorgeous woman of all'

Denzel Washington lifted his sad, face and said ...




Who in the world is Brian Habel???

Tag!

I am. . . a daughter of God, a mother, a wife, a sister, a aunt, a cousin, a friend and I'm not always good at all these roles.
I think. . . houses should be self cleaning.
I know. . . I am very far from perfect but learning and growing through my trials.
I want. . . more quiet time with no guilt for what I should be doing.
I have. . . . a wonderful husband & 5 terrific kids.
I miss. . . my mother.
I fear. . . being stranded somewhere and being unable to get back to my family.
I hear. . . quiet... hmmmm does that mean someone is up to no good?
I smell . . .apple cinnamon candles I bought for the ladies I visit teach.
I crave . . . cheddar cheese popcorn.
I cry . . . often, doesn't take much, a movie, a sappy commercial, a touching story, a hurt child, a wounded heart.
I search. . . for socks on an almost daily basis.
I wonder. . . how some people manage to keep their houses immaculate.
I regret. . . not keeping in better touch with my extended family.
I wish. . . I had more patience and didn't get defensive.
I love. . . my husband, kids, dad, brothers, in-laws, friends...
I care. . . about how others feel.
I am not. . . very good at getting the kids to get all the chores and homework done.
I remember. . . climbing out of a window in the apartment we lived in when I was young to go play outside.
I believe. . . in the gospel of Jesus Christ.
I sing. . . off key and out of tune and off tempo always.
I argue. . . too much with those I love.
I write. . . on this blog a lot lately.
I win. . . power struggles with Kylie (occasionally)!
I lose. . . when I arm wrestling Brett.
I listen. . . to audio books on my MP3 player.
I don't understand. . . all the mysteries of God.
I can usually be found. . . at home, on the computer, rocking Kylie, reading a book, running errands and occasionally cleaning my house.
I need. . . time for just me once in a while.
I forget. . . how quickly time flies by and that my kids will be gone before I know it.
I am happy. . . when we are together as a family and the kids are all getting along.
I tag... Kristen C. because I want her to start a blog!

Kylie wants her hair done

For the first time ever Kylie wanted her hair done today and actually sat still. She wanted lots of "pretties" in her hair. I think she wanted crazy hair like Kim had for crazy hair day but I did a webbing instead. We told he she's ready to go the "Princess Ball" because she's as pretty as a princess.

Jack-O-Lanterns

Happy Halloween!

From the Habels

Pumpkin Carving

My least favorite part about Halloween... Pumpkin Carving. Actually after tonight I might change my opinion. I didn't even get my hands gunky tonight. That is what I hate most of all. I cut a few tops off and helped Kylie carve her pumpkin but the kids did everything else by their selves or with Brian's help. Brian is a pro at getting the insides cleaned out thoroughly and quickly. It's sure a lot easier now that the kids are independent and want to do it all by themselves. I cringe a little watching them use the knives but they were all careful and no one cut themselves! Happy Halloween!

Reflections of Christ

This beautiful video has gorgeous images and is set to one of my favorite songs.

If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear

On a daily basis we witness widely fluctuating inflation; wars; interpersonal conflicts; national disasters; variances in weather conditions; innumerable forces of immorality, crime, and violence; attacks and pressures on the family and individuals; technological advances that make occupations obsolete; and so on. The need for preparation is abundantly clear. The great blessing of being prepared gives us freedom from fear, as guaranteed to us by the Lord in the Doctrine and Covenants: “If ye are prepared ye shall not fear” (D&C 38:30).
Elder L. Tom Perry


After a review of our food storage last night we came to the conclusion that the best place to start would be with water. We have a good half year supply of food but would be in bad shape without water to cook and clean with. So this month we are working to get our water storage taken care of. Brian spent a long time last night researching water storage and water filters and we decided the best option for us would be to get a Katadyn TRK Drip Ceradyn Water Filter.

We'll store it away up on a shelf and will hopefully never need to use it. But if we do need drinkable water at some future time we will have a resource to filter water from anywhere.

Next we'll work on replacing all the water that has been stored in our shed for far too long without being rotated.

Tackled It!

Hooray! Project tackled. My office has never been as clean as it is right now! Thanks to whoever came up with the idea of Tackle it Tuesday!

Twisted Up

Kylie is always in to or up to something. I just heard her calling HELP. I found her in my bedroom stuck in the curtain. She had twisted round and round and got her hair twisted in the curtain. I could not get it out. I finally had her spin in the opposite direction to loosen the grip on her hair until I was finally able to free her.
Notice the nice bruise above her lip to the side of her nose. Last night she was playing in the room under the stairs and I heard this huge crash. She had fallen and hit the treasure box. She is such a monkey I'm grateful she has never been seriously injured!

Tackle It Tuesday The Office Take 3

Yeah it's Tackle it Tuesday. Time to finish off the office. I've kept the corner and files clean so now I just have my desk area. It's the worst hot spot and always acquires junk! Today I'm going to dejunk it!

Food Storage - Emergency Prepardness

Seeing the new shelves Shaun & Callie had built inspired us to take a look at our food storage. Brian has spent the evening researching on the internet and we've made a list of what we need to get our storage where it needs to be. I organized the food we do have downstairs and we figure we've got at least a 6 month supply. Time to get it back up to a years supply!

Funny Monday!

So we all need a good laugh once in a while! Thanks Heidi.

Welcome Home Crystal

We headed up north so we could attend Crystal's homecoming. She just returned from the Texas Houston Mission. She spoke in church today and did a fabulous job the spirit was so strong as she spoke.
After Sacrament meeting we went back up to Derek's place up Spanish Fork Canyon. They have a huge garage where they served everyone lunch. The kids had a blast playing and riding the 4 Wheeler. It was a great day spent visiting with family and enjoying the beauties of this world.

Lunch & Bowling at The Wilkinson Center

After our Hike to the Y we met Mike & Wendy and Shaun & Callie for lunch at the cougareat and then we headed to the game center to go bowling. The kids all had a fabulous time bowling and playing games. We had 3 bowling lanes next to each other. It was a little crazy with all the cousins but a lot of fun. I got the lowest score of anyone so i guess I need to practice more.

Hiking to the "Y"

We spent Saturday morning hiking to the "Y" up above BYU. Brian and I took our 5 kids plus Kailey on the hike. We were under the impression it was a 1/4 mile straight up hike and would take about 20 minutes.... When we got there we found out it was 1.2 miles, at a steep grade and would take 40 minutes at a good pace. (It took us about 50 minutes to get to the top). We also dressed a little too warm for the hike...sweatshirts were not needed and were shed within about 10 minutes of starting the hike. Had I been smart I would have set them on the side of the trail and retrieved them on the way down...
Kylie wanted me to carry her the whole way. She wouldn't let Brett carry her and Brian has a bad ankle and shouldn't carry her so after a huge power struggle she walked the first part and then I would carry her for a minute or two and then make her walk to the next sign. I did carry her almost the whole way down because she kept slipping and tripping. I worked muscles I haven't worked in a long time!
It wasn't all bad, it was actually a great hike and we'd do it again next time. There was a fabulous view from the top and the way down was fast and easy.

I definitely need spell check!

I Scored a 87%!

Les - I expect you to score a 100 - on your first try!

Toss The Guilt - Catch the Joy

Toss the Guilt and Catch the Joy: A Woman's Guide to a Better Life by Merrilee Boyack

My review

rating: 4 of 5 stars
I really enjoyed this book. It had lots of things it in that were just what I needed to hear.

Here are a few of the things the resonated with me. But don't just read these...If any of these quotes resonate with you I highly recommend reading the book. There is a lot more in there! It was a fun book to read.

In all living have much of fun and laughter. Life is to be enjoyed, not just endured. ~Gordon B. Hinckley

Knowing this, Lucifer works hard at undermining our divine gift. All too often we fall into traps he has designed to estrange us from each other. He delights when we gossip and criticize and judge, when we stew over perceived offenses or measure ourselves against each other, or when we succumb to such envy that we even begrudge each others' successes...

How often have you and I made judgments that are equally unfair? Why can't we resist the urge to second-guess and evaluate each other? Why do we judge everything from the way we keep house to how many children we do or do not have? Sometimes I wonder if the final judgment will be a breeze compared with what we've put each other through here on earth! ~Sheri Dew

Your value to Him is independent of your body mass index, your accomplishments in arts, academics or athletics, your possessions, popularity, or marital status, your current calling in the Church or any other thing which can be a source of comparison and competition. ~Merrill Christensen

Heavenly Father has provided a plan for each of us to receive eternal life. He knows what each of us has experienced... And the Lord reassures us that he knows and he will pass fair and mericful judgement.
One sister thinks, But I was the Relief Society president! And look, I can still wear my clothes from high school. And I had a year's supply and held amazing family home evenings every single week. But in her heart she was constantly critical of others.
Another sister thinks, I struggle everyday with chronic pain from fibromyalgia. My marriage is hanging by a thread. And I am so worried about my oldest daughter. In her heart, she was constantly merciful and forgiving.
How shall the Lord reward them? Fairly!
~Merrilee Boyack

What if we were to decide today that we would make just one assumption about each other-that we are each doing the best we can? And what if we were to try a little harder to help each other? Imagine the cumulative effect, not to mention the effect on us spiritually.... As we are filled with this love, we no longer feel envy or think evil of others. ~Sheri Dew

What a powerful question, "I wonder what their story is?"...

Knowing a person's story can help us withhold judgment and extend love and understanding. But there is an even higher level of this principle: simple acceptance.

I call this level of acceptance "looking at people with Christ's eyes."...We see dysfunctional people, depressed people, addicted people, and he sees brothers and sisters whom he loves dearly, people he is willing to suffer and die for. ~MB

But it's too bad, so sad for Satan. We are far more powerful than he will ever be. We always have been. And we have the power to reject his attempts to destroy us. ~MB

In quiet moments when you think about it, you recognize what is critically important in life and what isn’t. Be wise and don’t let good things crowd out those that are essential. ~Richard G. Scott

When things of the world crowd in, all too often the wrong things take highest priority. Then it is easy to forget the fundamental purpose of life. Satan has a powerful tool to use against good people. It is distraction. He would have good people fill life with “good things” so there is no room for the essential ones. Have you unconsciously been caught in that trap? ~Richard G. Scott

God grant me the serenity
to accept the things I cannot change;
courage to change the things I can;
and wisdom to know the difference.
Living one day at a time;
Enjoying one moment at a time;
Accepting hardships as the pathway to peace;
Taking, as He did, this sinful world
as it is, not as I would have it;
Trusting that He will make all things right
if I surrender to His Will;
That I may be reasonably happy in this life
and supremely happy with Him
Forever in the next.
Amen. ~Reinhold Niebuhr
This is a truth. We must surrender to God's will, and in so doing, we can find happiness.

What if I committed to living just these two spiritual practices (scriptures & prayers) perfectly?
Then, a bold thought took hold in my brain.
Perfectly. As in every single day. As in nothing missing.
And so the idea of the "Perfect Year" was born. I committed right there that I would live a perfect year of daily prayer and scripture study. ~MB

And then his sweet assurance came. I was filled with the knowledge that he loved me enough that he was willing to suffer for every single thing I had done and would do. He loved me. Truly.

All he asked was that I would try. Each day. Try to be more obedient, and when I messed up, to turn to him, repent, and try again. ~MB

You can also look to your patriarchal blessing and see what is unfulfilled. ~MB

I will make a bold statement here and now. Some will not agree with me, but I believe that every woman who wants her family to be centered in the gospel should throw out the video game systems in her home-and throw them away where they cannot be retrieved.

But it is amazing to me how many women justify having these terrible toys in their homes. ~MB

Somehow I don't think the hymn advises, "Because I have been given much, I too must hoard!" ~MB

Mothers who know do less. They permit less of what will not bear good fruit eternally. They allow less media in their homes, less distraction, less activity that draws their children away from their home. Mothers who know are willing to live on less and consume less of the world's goods in order to spend more time with their children—more time eating together, more time working together, more time reading together, more time talking, laughing, singing, and exemplifying. These mothers choose carefully and do not try to choose it all. ~Julie B. Beck

I speak to you this morning not only about a little more effort, a little more self-discipline, a little more consecrated effort in the direction of excellence in your studies. I speak of it also in terms of your lives.

This is the great day of preparation for each of you. It is the time of beginning for something that will go on for as long as you live. I plead with you: Don't be a scrub! Rise to the high ground of excellence. You can do it. You may not be a genius. You may be lacking in some skills. But you can do better than you are now doing. You are students at BYU. Most of you are members of this great Church whose influence is now felt all over the world. You are people with a present and with a future. Don't muff the ball. Be excellent. ~Gordon B. Hinckley

Self-mastery is a rigorous process at best; too many of us want it to be effortless and painless. ~Thomas S. Monson

View all my reviews.

Staheli Farms Family Night

The Bloomington Hills PTA put on a family night at Staheli Farms tonight. It was $25 for a large pizza and admission for a family of 6 to the corn maze. Not a bad deal. We had a great time.

The Corn Maze was fun. Kylie ran like wild and had a huge smile on her face the whole time. Bradley, Kim & Kylie took turns leading us through the maze. We didn't see much of Brett and Bryce but could hear them yelling as they played Marco Polo in the maze.

There are tons of fun things to do at Staheli Farm: Swings, slides, golf, petting zoo, redneck trampoline, horse swings, play house, golf... The kids had a blast!

Straight Line From a Crooked Stick

The Lord can draw a straight line with even the most crooked of sticks.

I know that I can never be perfected through my efforts alone,

and there are still times when I feel as if I am sinking like Peter.

However, I am strengthened when I remember that

Christ’s commandment is not for me to become perfect

and then come to Him.

Instead, He invites me—and each one of us—

to come unto Him and to be perfected in Him.

This power has helped me be a better parent

and a better teacher than I could ever be on my own.

When I focus on Christ, do my best,

and recognize my dependence on Him, I am strengthened.

Crooked though my stick may be,

the Lord is somehow able to draw a straight line,

and I become an instrument in His hand.

From the article Why Did the Lord Call Me?

Family Picture Time!

The picture over our fireplace was taken 4 years ago. Kylie isn't even in it. Last night while we were praying she looked up at that picture and was blessing every one who is in it then said, "I'm not in there" in a sad voice. We're working to rectify that. We actually already had an appointment to get our pictures taken today. Afterwards we snapped a few shots in our front yard. Hopefully we'll get at least one good picture from the ones Michelle took!

Crazy Hair Day

It's Red Ribbon week at school this week and today is crazy hair day. Usually I dye the kids hair with Halloween face paint creme but we have family pictures today after school so I didn't want to deal with trying to get the color out quickly after school. The boys settled for Mohawks. They would have been much better if the boys had not just got haircuts last week.

Bradley's hair is pretty short but we did the best we could.

Kim wanted a mixture of braids and pony tails so this is what she ended up with in the 5 minutes we had until she needed to leave for school.

With Kylie there is no need to do anything for her to have crazy hair. She just gets out of bed and smiles with her bedhead and she's ready for the day! I'm thinking it's time to clean some of her murals off the walls. Notice the lovely pink on the closet door...

Twilight Fight Expanded Fight Scene Footage...

I'm starting to wonder if I'll be surprised by anything in the movie. We've seen clips of just about everything.

I'm excited to go see it in less than a month. Brian & I have tickets to the midnight showing on the day it comes out.

Kudos to the Dads - Especially My Kid's Dad!

Brian shared this with me tonight. I thought it was so cute! Brian is a great dad who takes lots of time with our kids. Thanks Brian! Although I've never seen him do a cheerleading routine!

Yipppeeee! Mission Accomplished... Finally!

OK Seriously That Took FOREVER! It's amazing how much little junk had collected in those drawers that needed sorting. And then the fronts of them were covered in marker and liquid paper that Kylie had "drawn" all over them.

The pictures aren't all that great but I got almost all of her "artwork" off the front of the plastic.


There are still some remains from the liquid paper I didn't get scraped all the way off but it's a heck of a lot better than it was. All my filing is done! That is a great feeling.

And even better. Remember that corner I tackled last week? The one that is always messy. It's still clean!

Hmmmm.... What's on the list for next week? I think I'm falling in love with Tackle It Tuesday!

Tackle It Tuesday

Back to the office... Hopefully no one else has files & storage drawers that look like this. Today's project is to get everything cleaned off the top and then insides of all these storage drawers dejunked.



ETA: It's now 2.5 hours later and I'm still not done. Who knew there could be so much junk in those drawers. I dumped out every single drawer and sorted through it. All the filing is done and the 2 drawers that were full of pencils, pens, markers, crayons, eraser, etc. are all organized.

I got rid of every broken crayon we had and Kylie helped me put all the crayons that were left into containers.
Do you think we have enough pens? That has got to be a 10 year supply!

I have a very sore thumb... I sharpened every single one of these pencils. Why I did that I don't know other than we never have a sharpened pencil. As an after thought it would have been a great job to give the kids while they were watching a movie!

Now on to the junk that was on top of the files and the one drawer I have left to dejunk!