For the Strength of Youth Posters

My dad has always talked to me and taught me about the For Strength of Youth standards, I mean ALAWYS.  He used to talk to me when I was in the womb about the LDS church standards I was suppose to live up to.  That may sound kind of crazy to some people but its true and it worked, they truly sunk in.  I could repeat them back to my dad from the time I could talk and used to tell others all the standards; and when I was faced with temptations I found my dads words popping into my head and affecting my choices.  Now I'm not saying that I never made mistakes or made bad choices, but I like to think I turned out pretty well thanks to my parents raising me the best that they could and teaching me the standards early.

image source lds.org

So when I found out I was pregnant with my first child I knew that I wanted these standards concrete in her head early so that when she was faced with temptations she would have a strong foundation in which she could make good decisions.  So I started teaching her in womb and I have not stopped talking and teaching both my kids the For Strength of Youth standards as set forth from The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.

That is why I decided to create posters for their bedroom wall, so everyday multiply times a day they can see them, I can see them and we can remember to talk about them all the time.

I only have girls so I made the posters to match my girls room, but don't worry I did not forget those of you that have boys.  In the boy posters some of the graphics are changed and the colors are changed.

Click Here to download the For Strength of Youth Posters - BOY

Click Here to download the For Strength of Youth Posters- GIRL

I hope you enjoy them and teach your children no matter how young or old these important standards.

30 Day Yoga Challenge

Alright here's the deal, if you have been reading my blog you know that I had cancer and now I'm trying to recover and get my life back to what it was before or as close to it as possible.  I have basically been doing nothing with my body besides lying in bed, sitting on the couch and light walking for the past two years due to health problems.  So you can imagine that I no longer have any muscles and I'm pretty bad out of shape.
 
The other night I was discuss my problem with my husband and he suggested that I start off simple with yoga.  I thought it was a great idea.  I used to do yoga everyday and loved it.  So I got up the next morning and did a yoga routine, well some of a yoga routine, ok like 5 min tops of the routine.  Pathetic, I know, but for real my body is way out shape.  The next day I hurt everywhere.  

image source dzogchen.gr

I decided that if I was going to truly get back into shape that I needed to set a goal and stick to it no matter what.  That is why I created for myself a 30 day yoga challenge.  Where everyday for 30 days I will being doing yoga.  I'm going to be starting off with just 5 min and build up to a 30 min workout, I hope.  And in the end if I do this I will get a prize, well my husband said he would buy me something special and surprise me.  I love gifts from my hubby so it is really good motivation.  Wish me luck. 

And if your like me and need a super easy easy ease-in to build back up your muscles and want to take my 30 day yoga challenge, I have posted my daily break down of minutes below.

30 Day Yoga Challenge
Day 1 & 2:  5 min
Day 3 & 4:  7 min
Day 5 - 7:  10 min
Day 8 & 9:  12 min
Day 10- 13: 15 min
Day 14 - 17: 17 min
Day 18 - 20:  20 min
Day 21 - 25: 25 min
Day 26 - 30: 30 min

No matter if you need to start off super easy and simple or if you can just jump right in and go for the gold, I really think doing a 30 day yoga challenge will help you feel great.  In fact I found an awesome website http://www.doyouyoga.com/challenge they have created a web video series of a 30 day yoga challenge.  I have done their videos in the past and they are really great.  They explain things really well and move a good pace.  You can also find their yoga videos on YouTube, just search 30 day yoga challenge or DoYouYoga.com

Miley Cyrus VMA performance rant!

Ok truth be told I did not watch the 2013 VMA awards where Miley Cyrus preformed in fact I had no clue it was even happening or what VMA stands for, however Miley caught my attention with all the news over her latest performance and I can't not help myself but write about it.  I tried to find a picture but all them were too inappropriate I was embarrassed to share them on my blog.  So sorry no pictures of the performance.

First off I wish Miley knew that she is A Daughter of God, and that she does not need to act, dress, or behave like she does to get noticed.  I truly feel bad for the girl living in a world where she feels the need to behave in such a nasty manner.  And it really makes me sick that we allow that to be aired on TV.  I'm also worried about all the girls that look up to Miley as a example and someone they want to be, let me just say that she is not a good role model and you should never want to become like Miley.

I really think that it is sad how young women are portraying themselves in this over-the-top sexual manner.  I feel like shouting to the world that being over the top sexual does not make you beautiful, that you are beautiful just the way you are.  You can be beautiful by dressing modest and acting in a wholesome clean way.  In fact, in my opinion young women who do dress modest and act appropriate are way more beautiful then does that choose not to.

I believe strongly that it is my role as a parent to help my children learn right from wrong and what is appropriate and what is not.  When I was growing up my parents would of sent me back to into my room change before allowing me out of house. Actually it started well before I had the choose what I was going to wear.  When I was a baby, infant, toddler my parents dressed me in the way that they wanted me to dress as a adult MODEST!  Which for my family included nothing sleeveless, backless, too short (bottoms like skirts and shorts had to come to my knees, tops had to cover my back when I bent over), too tight, and nothing that a rude, crude or vulgar images or saying on them.   If at any point you could see my underwear or bra I was not allowed to wear it.  Then as I grew older my parent never handed me money and allowed me to go out shopping for clothes on my own.  They said "Their Money, Their Rules".  I was alright with it, heck they were footing the bill for my clothes why not?  So I went shopping with my parents to pick out almost all of my clothes all the way up to when I turned 18.  I know call me crazy but its the truth.  I say almost because I did get a job at 16 and started earning my money so I did occasionally by clothes for myself without my parents around.  But by that point I really felt uncomfortable wearing un-modest clothing because of the way my parents raised me, which by the way is the same way I'm raising my children.  I truly believe that the rules and guidelines you give your children when they are small reflects and dictates how they act as teenagers and adults.

To sum it up  Miley crossed a line with her performance but she was not the only one involved in that performance, someone along the line should have the courage to stand up and say "No, that's not appropriate and we are not airing it on TV for children to view and see!"

My wish is that all young girls and women out there remember they are daughters of God and we need to act like it.  When I was in Young Women's we used to sing a song titled "Walk Tall, You're a Daughter of God"  and it really brings together all my thoughts so I'm sharing the word with you a the bottom of this post.  There is one line that really stands out to me and I hope and pray that all can remember our great worth and not sell ourselves short of it for a performance or peer-pressure or any other worldly temptation that may arise.

Walk Tall, You’re a Daughter of God
words and music by Jamie Glenn
96941_000_005

1. Right now I have a prayer deep within my heart,

A prayer for each of you there is a special part.

That you remember who you are and Him who lives above.

Please seek for Him and live His way; you’ll feel His love.

Chorus:

Walk tall, you’re a daughter, a child of God.

Be strong—please remember who you are.

Try to understand, You’re part of His great plan.

He’s closer than you know—reach up, He’ll take your hand.

2. Long before the time you can remember,

Our Father held you in His arms so tender.

Those loving arms released you as He sent you down to earth.

He said, “My child, I love you. Don’t forget your great worth.”

3. This life on earth we knew would not be easy.

At times we lose our way—His plan we may not see.

But please remember always—please—that you are not alone.

He’ll take your hand. He loves you! He will guide you home.

 

Copyright © 1995, 1984 by Jackman Music Corporation, Orem Utah. Used by permission. All rights reserved. These pages may be copied for incidental, noncommercial church and home use. Arrangements in simplified, solo, and trio available from Jackman Music Corp. (Original version printed April 1979.)

 

Beans and Rice, Rice and Beans!

My husband and I have been Dave Ramsey followers and fans for about 4 years now.  If you don't know who Dave Ramsey is you have got to check out his website, radio show, podcast, or books.  He give financial advice and in my humble opinion ROCKS!  When we first started out with Dave 4 years ago we had just lost our condo due to bad financial planning, my husband going back to school and only working part time, and of course the major housing drop.  Anyways we were in bad shape and lost as to how to ever pick ourselves back up from this mess we had created.  Then along came Dave into our lives.  We started on his plan and never looked back.  He has this baby step program that really works.  We had over $70,000 in debt because of two car payments, and 3 student loans, plus credit cards.  Within 1 year of following Dave and never wavering from the path, selling so much stuff we had only the essentials left, cashing out all our stupid investments we were able to pay off $14,000 of that debt.  We were amazed we swore we had changed we could see an end in sight.  We kept on going down the path but life came at us again and again.  Now today we only have our student loans left to pay off but our progress has slowed and we have lost steam.

So I started listening to Dave's radio show again and he inspired me like he always does to not give up and to get right back on the path.  The other day my husband and I talked and decided to rededicate ourselves to getting rid of the last of our debt and finally being free from the its bonds.  We created a new budget and cut out cost where ever we could.  We also are taking Dave's advise and living off of rice and beans, beans and rice.  Which are actually really good and we are starting to get very creative with.  Not to mention my 4 year old loves to eat rice and beans and is happy to eat them everyday.

Also Dave suggested that we make some kind of tracking system, because the debt we have now is large and we pay on it all the time yet it feels like it is not getting smaller and that is why we lost steam in the first place.  So I have created a thermometer like they do for elementary school kids to fill in till they reach their goal, yup that what I did and put it on our fridge door.  Now we get to watch the thermometer fill up and fill good that we are eating away at that debt little by little.  Making the rice and beans taste even more delicious knowing that they are help us reach our goal! Then one day in hopefully the nearer future we can call Dave at his radio and shout out "We're Debt FREE!"  And what a sweet day that will be.

My thermometer only goes up to $17,000 and we have more than that to pay off so I plan on just changing it out and starting with a new one when we get to that point.  Or maybe I will make a better one that goes higher.  As for now this works for us and helps keep us motivated and I think that is what is the most important in our goal of becoming debt free.

Cinnamon Roll Maple Syrup

I make my own maple syrup and it is tasty.  I started making my own syrup because well I love pancakes and when my husband decided to go back to school well our budget to a huge hit and I needed to find ways to save money.  In fact that is a big reason why I started making a lot of different food products from scratch.  And now that my husband is out of school and we have more cash flowing into our house I still continue to make a ton from scratch because we like it #1.  #2 It saves us money, and who doesn't like that.  #3 It tastes great.  #4 It's fun to make things.  #5 Well I just wanted to add #5 because I thought it would round things out but I can't think of another reason at this time why I do it.

So back to homemade syrup.  First thing you need is some maple flavoring or even imitation maple flavoring, picture below is the kind I use, it also is where I got the recipe I adapted to make my maple syrup.

Maple Syrup
2 Tbsp. Water
1/4 cup Sugar
1 cup Corn Syrup
1/2 tsp. Maple Flavoring

Combine all the ingredients in a med sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Boil for 2 min.  Syrup will thicken as it cools.  Makes about 1 pint.

Now I was making this syrup one evening for dinner.  We often have pancakes for dinner cause we love them so much.  But as I cooking the syrup and making the pancakes I was thinking about how I really wanted a cinnamon roll.  O the cinnamon roll sounded so good at that moment but it was way to late to make them and I was tried.  So I got thinking if somehow I could make my pancakes taste like a cinnamon roll.  That's what lead me to create Cinnamon Roll Maple Syrup, and let me tell you it did not disappoint.  It was delicious and made the pancakes taste similar to cinnamon roll however I can not lie to you it was not as yummy gooey tasting as a cinnamon roll.  But ever since I have made the Cinnamon Roll Maple Syrup we have not gone back to just regular Maple Syrup.  So here is my recipe, hope you enjoy it as much as my family does:

Cinnamon Roll Maple Syrup
2 Tbsp. Water
1/4 cup Sugar
1 cup Corn Syrup
1/2 tsp. Maple Flavoring
1/2 stick of Butter
1 tsp. Cinnamon

Combine water, sugar, corn syrup and maple flavoring in a med sauce pan and bring to a boil.  Boil for 2 min.  Remove from heat.  Add butter and cinnamon combine well.  Syrup will thicken as it cools.  Makes about 1 pint.

As Sisters in Zion

I have always loved the LDS Hymn "As Sisters in Zion"  it has touched my heart and inspired me on numerous occasions.  So when I was preparing to teach my Relief Society lesson and it was on Charity and the Relief Society I knew I had to share my thoughts and the story behind this hymn with my fellow Relief Society sisters.  It is a touching story of the power women have when they work together to carry out the Lords plan.

The story behind the hymn "As Sisters in Zion":

Taken from http://tellmystorytoo.com/julie-rogers/sisters-zion

Emily and Julia Hill were 12 and 15 years old, respectively, when a cousin came to visit their prosperous home in England, sharing news of the Gospel of Jesus Christ restored to the earth in its purity. Julia was curious and Emily wanted to be baptized right away. Her parents would not give their permission.

Some time later, Brother John Halliday visited the Hill home and "bore such a powerful testimony" that Julia also requested permission for baptism, which her parents again denied. Julia moved to another town to work as an apprentice to a milliner and Emily was soon permitted to join her. The girls were baptized when Emily was 16 and Julia 19, the only members of their family of 11 children to do so. Four years later they accepted the call to gather to Zion in the Rocky Mountains of Utah.
They sailed to America in 1856 aboard the Thornton and became members of the Willie Handcart Company in Iowa City, Iowa. These very pretty single girls were given inducements from residents to cut their journey short across the 300 miles of trail through Iowa. Weeks later in their journey, soldiers at Ft. Laramie also tried to persuade the young women to stay, but Emily and Julia persevered despite the shortened rations and coming winter storms.

The girls had volunteered to assist a young new widow, Martha Campkin, with her five small children. It was the only way Captain Willie would allow Martha to join the company. Martha and her little ones all arrived safely in the Valley of their hopes. When Julia’s health broke down on the trail, Emily and friends pulled her in the handcart. In a blizzard on October 23, 1856, Julia collapsed from hunger and exhaustion at the summit of Rocky Ridge. It was Emily who lifted her from the snow and got her going again. Both girls survived and raised large families.

Brother Halliday had given Emily a Priesthood blessing before she left England in which he prophesied "she should write in prose and in verse and thereby comfort the hearts of thousands." Emily’s life fulfilled this promise and she was hailed by Orson F. Whitney as the "possessor of a poetic as well as a practical mind . . . Her busy pen has brought forth many meritorious productions." Emily is best recognized today as the author of the words to "As Sisters in Zion." (See hymn 309, "Hymns of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints", music by Janice Kapp Perry.) Originally 10 stanzas long and titled, "Song of the Sisters of the Female Relief Society," the words were sung to the tune of the hymn "Hail to the Brightness of Zion’s Glad Morning (see hymn 42 in same hymnbook)."

Having left a situation of wealth, education and privilege in England for the sake of their newly embraced faith, one verse from Emily’s original hymn reflects the lifelong efforts of both of the Hill sisters:

The Lord hath established the cities of Zion, The poor of His people are trusting in Him, He makes us a source for His poor to rely on; Oh! Shall we not brighten the eyes that are dim.

2 John 1:13 The children of thy elect sister greet thee.

I wanted to share with everyone her original words so I made this cute full sheet handout, Enjoy!

Canning 301: The Pressure Cooker Method

OK if you have mastered Canning 101: The Boiling Water Method and then you are ready for the Pressure Cooker.

You will need:
A Pressure Canner
Rack for cooking
Timer
Tongs
Jars and Lids
Food to Can

Prep your food and your jars.  See Canning 101 for steps.

Pour 2 to 3 inches of boiling water into the bottom of the pressure canner.

Place jars on rack set at bottom of canner.  Jars must not touch the bottom of the pot.

Fasten pressure canner lid.

Turn heat to maximum.  Let steam exhaust for 10 min.

When the first inch of the steam jet is nearly invisible, close the vent.

At 8 lb. of pressure lower heat slightly.  Let pressure rise to 10 lb.

At 10 lb. pressure (or according to your recipe) start timing.  Hold pressure for full canning period.  Adjusting the temp as needed.

Remove canner from heat and let cool.  Do not pour cold water on it or remove the lid.

When pressure is zero, open vent, then lid.  Tilt lid slightly so the steam will rise away from you for safety.

Set jars on rack or towel leaving space between them.  Tighten lids if needed.  Allow to cool completely the check lids to ensure they sealed.

Store canned items in a cool dark place, and enjoy!

I found this handy dandy picture explanation on the web so I thought I would share it with you.