A Prophet Family Home Evening

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President Monson is celebrating his birthday in August, so I thought it would be a great idea to learn a little more about our living prophet this month. I found this great lesson at Family Home Evening Planner and pretty much just followed their plan. The Bingo game was a hit (maybe because we used Smarties to cover our squares?!), but we also learned a lot about President Monson.

A favorite game at our house is “Where’s the Prophet?” I printed off a picture of President Monson and glued it to a piece of cardboard from a cereal box to make it more sturdy. Hide the picture (we usually hide it someplace close and simple, like behind our backs or under a nearby couch cushion). Then sing these words to the tune of Are you sleeping?

Where’s the prophet? Where’s the prophet? (hiding the prophet)
Here he is. Here he is. (show the picture of the prophet)
His name is President Monson. His name is President Monson.
We love him. We love him.

This is a great simple game for the little one’s to help them recognize our living prophet. I originally saw this idea on Sugardoodle.net here and here a few years when I was serving in the nursery. My nursery kids loved it, and now we play it regularly at home, usually after Family Home Evening.

On another note, I just had to share this funny mama moment. The Ant Bug has been singing “Are you sleeping?” quite a bit recently. She has changed the words a little bit in her version:

Are you sleeping? Are you sleeping?
Brother John? Brother John?
Mommy bells are ringing. Mommy bells are ringing.
Ding, ding, dong. Ding, ding, dong.

I’m not sure what a mommy bell is, but it makes me smile every time she sings it.

"Pray, study, and teach the gospel."

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Elder Ballard asks “What can you do, as a young mother, to reduce the pressure and enjoy your family more?“

Fourth, pray, study, and teach the gospel. Pray deeply about your children and about your role as a mother. Parents can offer a unique and wonderful kind of prayer because they are praying to the Eternal Parent of us all. There is great power in a prayer that essentially says, “We are steward-parents over Thy children, Father; please help us to raise them as Thou wouldst want them raised.”

“I hope all of you dear sisters, married or single, never wonder if you have worth in the sight of the Lord and to the leaders of the Church. We love you. We respect you and appreciate your influence in preserving the family and assisting with the growth and the spiritual vitality of the Church. Let us remember that “the family is central to the Creator’s plan for the eternal destiny of His children” (“The Family: A Proclamation to the World”). The scriptures and the teachings of the prophets and apostles help all family members to prepare together now to be together through all eternity. I pray that God will continually bless the women of the Church to find joy and happiness in their sacred roles as daughters of God.”

M. Russell Ballard, “Daughters of God,” Ensign, May 2008, 108–10

Over on my reading list: Nature, Magic, and Back to School

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I recently finished reading two books that have given me some fresh ideas when it comes to focusing on essential activities with my children. Be sure to visit my reading list for my reviews and more information on:

Last Child in the Woods: Saving Our Children from Nature-Deficit Disorder by Richard Louv

and

Reading Magic: Why Reading Aloud to Our Children Will Change Their Lives Forever by Mem Fox

If you have children starting school this year you can also check out my recommendations for Back to School Books.

The Important Book

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Superheroes and Princesses shared a great idea for a book and corresponding activity that we had to try out.

The Book
The Important Book by Margaret Wise Brown

This delightful book takes something regular (like grass, an apple, the wind) and describes why it is important. Here’s an excerpt:

“The important thing about an apple is that it is round. You bite it, and it is white inside, and the juice splashes in your face, and it tastes like an apple and it falls of a tree. But the important thing about an apple is that it is round.”

After reading this book, the important thing is that you let you let your child make their own important book with things that are important to them.
A few excerpts from the book the Ant Bug created and illustrated:

“The important things about a girl is that she has long hair. She grows very big into a mom. But the important thing about a girl is that she has long hair.”

“The important thing about a chair is that you sit on it. You can also eat on it and you can also play Playstation games and play computer games. But the important thing about a chair is that you sit on it.” (If you read our family blog, you might have noticed a Playstation trend with her.)

“The important thing about a piano is that you play songs on it. You look in a book to look at the notes and play what they are. But the important thing about a piano is that you play songs on it.”

It was interesting to me to see the things that she chose to write about. I think she mostly looked around the room we were in to seek inspiration. We might have had a whole different set of answers if we had done this book outside!

"The Women in Our Lives"

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“The women in our lives are creatures endowed with particular qualities, divine qualities, which cause them to reach out in kindness and with love to those about them. We can encourage that outreach if we will give them opportunity to give expression to the talents and impulses that lie within them. In our old age my beloved companion said to me quietly one evening, “You have always given me wings to fly, and I have loved you for it.”

“Women are such a necessary part of the plan of happiness which our Heavenly Father has outlined for us. That plan cannot operate without them.”

“How thankful I am, how thankful we all must be, for the women in our lives. God bless them. May His great love distill upon them and crown them with luster and beauty, grace and faith.”

Gordon B. Hinckley, “The Women in Our Lives,” Ensign, Nov 2004, 82–85

Nurture Mama’s Recipes

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I’ve been working on a project to organize my recipes. I had an assortment of recipes stored in a few different places, but I wanted to find a way to get everything organized and simplify my menu planning. I was inspired by the 30 Meal Plan posted on nannygoat, but I haven’t completely followed it to the letter.

In a nutshell this is what I did:
1. Sort through my recipes and re-type only the recipes that I really like and use on a regular basis.
2. Make the recipes look cute by copying and pasting to this free recipe card template.
3. Print the recipes, cut them out, laminate.
4. Punch a hole in the corner of each recipe and store them on a binder ring clip.

I keep the recipe ring in a binder where I also store my menu record, coupons, and nutrition information. When it comes time for me to plan my weekly menu I just flip through the cards and pull out the recipes I need for the week. The recipes I select for the week are stored in a magnetic clip on my fridge where they are quick and easy to grab when it’s time prepare dinner.

Listed below are the 30 recipes I compiled. These are the recipes I really love and use most frequently, so I thought I would share some of them with you. I have included links to some of the recipes where possible. If you would like a text copy of my recipes, leave me your email address and I will be happy to share them with you.

Nurture Mama’s Main Dish Recipes

Barbecue Chicken
BBQ Cupcakes
Café Rio Sweet Pork
Colorful Baked Ziti
Cheeseburger Pasta
Chicken and Broccoli Alfredo
Chicken Stuffing in a Pot
Chicken Enchiladas
Chicken Fajitas

Chicken Tetrazzini
8 oz. spaghetti noodles
2 cooked and chopped chicken breasts
1/2 cup shredded zucchini 1 can cream of chicken soup
1/2 cup shredded carrots 1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup chopped onion 1/2 cup milk or heavy cream
3 Tb. butter 1/2 cup Parmesan cheese
1 Tb. minced garlic salt and pepper to taste

While the noodles are boiling, melt butter on a low heat in a frying pan. Add garlic, onion, zucchini and carrots. Sauté for about 3 minutes. Add soup, sour cream, milk, cheese and chicken. Stir over low heat, until noodles are done boiling. Drain noodles and add to the mixture. Toss well and serve immediately.

Classic Noodles and Sauce

Corn Dog Casserole (My kids love this one)
28 oz. can baked beans
1 pkg (or whatever you have) hot dogs
1 pkg corn bread mix (8 oz.) or corn bread from scratch

Pour can of beans into 9 x 13 casserole dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Mix in sliced hotdogs (thinner means more slices and more disbursement throughout). Make corn bread according to directions and pour over the top of beans and hotdogs mixture. Bake at 400 for 20-25 minutes.

Corkscrew Chicken Caesar Salad
Cranberry Chicken
Hawaiian Haystacks

Hula Stir-Fry
1lb chicken, cooked
1-16oz package frozen stir-fry vegetables
1-20oz. can pineapple chunks
2-3oz. packages dried ramen noodles
2/3 cup Worcestershire sauce
½ cup water

Sauté vegetables in covered skillet for 5-7 minutes or until the vegetables are tender but still slightly crunchy. While veggies are cooking, open the noodles and break each block into small pieces in a bowl. Discard the seasoning packets. Add the pineapple, noodles, sauce, and water to the vegetables and chicken in the skillet. Stir and bring to a boil. Turn heat to medium-low. Cover and cook about three minutes or until noodles are tender.

Italian Chicken and Potatoes
Italian Chicken Bowties
Lazy Lasagna in a Crockpot
Macaroni and Cheese (from scratch)
Marinated Baked Pork Chops
Oven Fritatta
Pizza Dough
Pigs in a Blanket
Pizza Sauce(s)

Poppyseed Chicken Pasta Salad
1-2 chicken breasts (depending how much chicken you like)
1 Ranch dressing seasoning packet
1 cup uncooked pasta (preferably tri-color rotini, but macaroni works also)
1 can mandarin oranges OR fresh sliced strawberries, in season
Lettuce Shredded parmesan cheese
Creamy Poppyseed Dressing

Cook chicken. Add Ranch seasoning packet and enough water so the seasoning coats the chicken (usually about 1-2 TB of water). Set aside to cool.
Cook pasta and rinse with cool water.
Mix remaining ingredients. Amounts vary, depending how you like it.
Serves 2-3 people as a main dish.

Pork Chow Mein
Sloppy Joe’s
Spanish Rice and Beans
Tacos

Prayer provides protection

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“Parents should teach their children to pray. The child learns both from what the parents do and what they say. The child who sees a mother or a father pass through the trials of life with fervent prayer to God and then hears a sincere testimony that God answered in kindness will remember what he or she saw and heard. When trials come, that individual will be prepared.

In time, when the children are away from home and family, prayer can provide the shield of protection the parent will want so much for them to have.”

Henry B. Eyring, “That He May Write upon Our Hearts,” Liahona, Aug 2009, 2–7

Prepared Mama: 72-hr Emergency Kits for Kids

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This week I finished assembling 72-hr emergency kits for my two children. I have to admit, their kits are pretty minimalist.
This is what I included:
• 3 day supply of food
• 3 water bottles
• Wash cloth
• Travel size toothpaste and toothbrush
• Wipes and diapers (Sweet Bee only)
• Complete change of clothing
• Emergency blanket
• Family phone numbers
• Coloring book, crayons
• Softie (a special snugly item for the Sweet Bee)

I just used backpacks that I already had around the house. The Ant Bug’s bag has wheels. It’s too heavy for her to carry on her back, but she can use the handle and pull it.

This is the first time I have actually packed kits for children, so I decided to ask my more experienced extended family members for their ideas. Below are some of their very helpful suggestions.

Eliza’s General Tips: I put things into the backpacks (72-hour kits) that I would need for my children for three days. So we start with diapers and wipes and plastic bags for garbage, and then food and basic cleaning supplies. I also have some diaper pins and cloth diapers in case we run out of the disposable diapers. Last year I made a small comfort blanket for each child (piece of fleece with a ribbon sewed around the edge) that is also stored in the 72-hour kit. I made each one in their favorite color. I don’t put some of the first aid things in their backpacks, but I do have some family items scattered among all the backpacks. So, for example, one child might have more food than the others since Kirk’s bag has the water purifier in it.

Katie’s General Tips: I don’t have everything packed and ready yet, but Kyle has a much larger pack than the rest of us. I only packed clothes and food in Kayla’s bag which we could be carrying in our hands anyway. The older kids have all the basics except first aid stuff. Kyle has all that plus things like t.p. and water filter and gas stove, mess kit, etc. I’ve also included little activities for the kids such as coloring books or other books and playing cards. I’ve had to update Kayla’s bag every few months as she grows out of things. I do that when I rotate her other clothes into storage.

Tiffany on Clothing: The clothing idea that I like is to have sweat suits for each person. In time of emergency–if it is summer than you can cut off the sleeves and shorten the pants, or if it is cold then you have warmer clothing. This supposedly solves the problem of having to rotate the clothing seasonally. (If you live in the desert you may or may not want to use this idea!) Of course, for growing kids the only way to make it work size-wise is to stay on top of rotating clothing. Easier said than done! But, I guess you could buy clearance or second-hand sweat pants/shirts–one in each size all the way up the size chart and just devote them to the 72-hour-kit cause.

Becky on Transportation: We got a nice wagon to help carry the load- we also have a bike trailer that could be used to transport children and backpacks. Our neighborhood has emergency drills about twice a year and it has been interesting to actually strap the backpacks on everyone and see how they do for a short walk. Paul and I have backpacking packs so that we can carry most of the items- the children can’t really carry that much so we just keep their packs pretty light.

Tiffany on Transportation: My latest answer to the question of “how can the kids haul their kits?” was to buy a few of the rolling backpacks. That would make it easy for adults as well as children.

Tiffany on Food: My latest idea is to get a large see-through plastic storage bin to put in my pantry. I will then stock it with all the food for the 72-hour-kits and date the items. Then–the food should be easily at hand and visible so I can rotate it more readily! So, if we have an emergency at home we’ll have the food and be fine. If we have to leave in a car then it will be easy to grab the backpack kits and the food box. If we need to we can easily distribute it into the individual kits. So, this isn’t something I’ve done–it just seems to be my latest idea of something that might work for me.

I think the key is to just start doing something. I don’t feel that our kits are exactly perfect yet, but I can keep adjusting things as we go along. At least we’re a lot better off then we were just a few months ago!

Helpful Resources
Prepared LDS Family: This site is amazing and very helpful! Read it, and you’ll be inspired to do something to prepare your family!
If ye are prepared ye shall not fear: This thought-provoking site explores issues of preparedness for the coming hard times.
Team Freeman: Project Prepared Part 3: A real-life example of a 72-hr kit.
Ready.gov: Prepare. Plan. Stay Informed.

"Cultivate your gifts and interests."

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Elder Ballard asks (and answers) “What can you do, as a young mother, to reduce the pressure and enjoy your family more?“

Third, even as you try to cut out the extra commitments, sisters, find some time for yourself to cultivate your gifts and interests. Pick one or two things that you would like to learn or do that will enrich your life, and make time for them. Water cannot be drawn from an empty well, and if you are not setting aside a little time for what replenishes you, you will have less and less to give to others, even to your children. Avoid any kind of substance abuse, mistakenly thinking that it will help you accomplish more. And don’t allow yourself to be caught up in the time-wasting, mind-numbing things like television soap operas or surfing the Internet. Turn to the Lord in faith, and you will know what to do and how to do it.

M. Russell Ballard, “Daughters of God,” Ensign, May 2008, 108–10

All Things Frozen Day 3: Frozen Snacks on a Stick

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Want to hear my secret weapon for dealing with summer heat? Add ICE!

Today’s Activity: Frozen Snacks on a Stick, or in other words–Popsicles

My girls really like to eat frozen things. The Sweet Bee is really hit and miss when it comes to eating (or even trying) most foods, but if it’s frozen I can almost guarantee that she will eat it. So we’ve been experimenting with a few different snacks on a stick.

Our standard favorite is Orange Yogurt Creamsicles.

Here is what you’ll need:
Plain vanilla yogurt
Orange juice
Popsicle mold

That’s it. I don’t use exact measurements. I just start mixing yogurt and juice (I use a glass Pyrex 1 cup measuring cup) until I get the flavor I like. Use a whisk to mix it up. Pour into molds, freeze and enjoy.
We regularly eat this for a bedtime snack (hence the wet hair and lack of clothes–the Sweet Bee just had a bath).
I wrote about last year’s Popsicle concoctions here.

Make and Takes recently had this great post: Treats to Keep the Kids Cool for Summer. We made our own watermelon popsicles and they were a winner at our house!

As you can tell, we had fun with a few different shapes.

Next we loaded grapes on a skewer. Amazing! My kids have been picky about grapes lately, but they’ll eat them frozen! I think the skewer adds to the excitement.
All this talk of popsicles makes me want to start singing that Popsicle song from the 60’s (no, I’m not that old–my parents just made sure I was thoroughly exposed to the music of that decade).

Popsicle ba-ma-ma-ma-ma ba-ma-ma-ma-ma
Popsicle ba-ma-ma-ma-ma
If you want to keep cool it does the trick
And it comes on a stick
Uh-huh-huh uh-huh-huh
Jan and Dean, Popsicle, 1966