My birthday is this week. I welcome birthdays, they are pretty fun. My grandma always said she loved her birthday because it was the special day Heavenly Father gave her to come to earth. I love that perspective.
Not all my birthdays have been great. 16 stands out as probably the worst. I was so excited to turn 16--driving, dating...it was going to be amazing! I had everything in line to get my driver's license that day, and I did. Later that evening, I had to run to the store to get something for school. YES! First time going all legal by myself. All was great until I turned in front of another car and...suddenly my birthday was ruined. Yep, I wrecked my dad's car (thankfully no one was hurt). The cars weren't totaled, but definitely wrecked. And, my dad is an insurance agent. Let's just say it did not go over well. My dad told me that night that he was taking my license away and I wouldn't get it back until I was 19--until that wreck was off my record. I tearfully agreed, convinced that any punishment he gave me was still too light.
The policeman who responded to my accident gave me the best birthday gift ever, no ticket. My dad, meanwhile, was trying to figure out how to get around the system so that accident would not skyrocket the insurance premium. One idea he had for a few days was try to pay for the car repairs out of pocket instead of having the insurance cover it (and have me somehow work it off). I fretted, worried, didn't eat, and was sure my life was over as how could I ever cover those repair costs with my minimum wage job at the mall candy store?
A bit later, my dad shared with me the conversation he had with our insurance company. The gist of the conversation was that the insurance adjuster reminded my dad why we have insurance. It is there to be used when needed, to cover costs that we cannot possibly cover on our own. And this was a case when it was needed. The insurance company repaired the other car, and my parents covered the costs to fix ours.
My dad didn't take away my license, and he gave me that car just after I turned 17. But, I also got to pay the insurance premiums from that time forward. I took that car into our marriage and we had it until we saved enough to buy our minivan...but that's another story.
Elder Ashton in One for the Money talks about the importance of being properly insured. Insurance is there to cover costs that we cannot possibly cover on our own. Just like there was no way I could have paid for all my accident repairs, insurance helped out. I was, however, able to pay the insurance premiums with my candy store wages, so insurance did its job.
One for the Money also talks about the influence outside factors has on your money, and how to wisely prepare for situations that can and will arise.
I challenge you to read sections 10 and 11 of One for the Money and talk with your spouse about these important topics. Make wise decisions and move forward with any changes you may need to make. These are important topics to help the family budget, and therefore the family.
Wednesday, September 26, 2018
Thursday, September 20, 2018
CALM BEFORE THE STORM?
Over the summer, I read a very interesting book that caused me to reflect on many things. Hiroshima by John Hersey chronicles the lives of 6 Japanese survivors during and after the first atomic bomb was dropped in 1945. (As I have said before, being a homeschool mom, I get to learn all kinds of things!). I was also preparing our 72 hour kits while reading this book, and it was hard not to wonder what really would have helped Hiroshima's people the most in the first hours after the bomb as well as long-term.
For about a month, things have been kind of quiet in our little nook of the world. No fires, no earthquake tremors, nothing to really give us much alarm. I have been wondering though, is this the calm before the storm? To be clear, I am not thinking that an atomic bomb is getting ready to land on Southern California. Rather, my mind tends to wander more toward the natural disasters that seems to be so prevalent in our area.
President Benson said, "The revelation to store food may be as essential to our temporal salvation today as boarding the ark was to the people in the days of Noah" (January 1974 Ensign). I have thought about this quote often, I have also heard that "It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark." The time to prepare for emergencies and hardship is now, when things are calm.
Food Storage is a huge component of preparedness. Having food in your home is always a good idea. Water Storage is a huge deal, you can only live for 3 days without drinkable water. Having emergency kits and preparedness items helps make things easier.
Only you can determine what you really need for you and your family. There are several good resources that can give ideas to help you determine what you need.
The Red Cross has a preparedness site that gives great information to building a kit, planning, and being informed.
San Diego County also has a couple different websites to help inform. SanDiego.gov has an emergency preparedness site that has all kinds of links to different resources. Ready San Diego also has news, ideas, and links to help you be ready. These links also give a good idea of what to maybe expect from the county in case of a disaster. But even then, be prepared in case you need to be on your own for 3 days.
And, there's me. I hope I am a good resource! I have learned a lot and would love nothing more than to help you make a plan to be ready for whatever may come.
I challenge you to prayerfully consider what specifically you need to do to be a little more prepared. Do some research and find something you can do, and then DO IT.
For about a month, things have been kind of quiet in our little nook of the world. No fires, no earthquake tremors, nothing to really give us much alarm. I have been wondering though, is this the calm before the storm? To be clear, I am not thinking that an atomic bomb is getting ready to land on Southern California. Rather, my mind tends to wander more toward the natural disasters that seems to be so prevalent in our area.
President Benson said, "The revelation to store food may be as essential to our temporal salvation today as boarding the ark was to the people in the days of Noah" (January 1974 Ensign). I have thought about this quote often, I have also heard that "It wasn't raining when Noah built the ark." The time to prepare for emergencies and hardship is now, when things are calm.
Food Storage is a huge component of preparedness. Having food in your home is always a good idea. Water Storage is a huge deal, you can only live for 3 days without drinkable water. Having emergency kits and preparedness items helps make things easier.
Only you can determine what you really need for you and your family. There are several good resources that can give ideas to help you determine what you need.
The Red Cross has a preparedness site that gives great information to building a kit, planning, and being informed.
San Diego County also has a couple different websites to help inform. SanDiego.gov has an emergency preparedness site that has all kinds of links to different resources. Ready San Diego also has news, ideas, and links to help you be ready. These links also give a good idea of what to maybe expect from the county in case of a disaster. But even then, be prepared in case you need to be on your own for 3 days.
And, there's me. I hope I am a good resource! I have learned a lot and would love nothing more than to help you make a plan to be ready for whatever may come.
I challenge you to prayerfully consider what specifically you need to do to be a little more prepared. Do some research and find something you can do, and then DO IT.
Saturday, September 15, 2018
Using Those Beans
As a kid, we didn't eat beans much...well not ever. My mom wasn't a fan. That's OK, she didn't like bananas either. I remember when I was about 12, my dad took me to Taco Bell and he ordered Pintos N Cheese. I thought I was in heaven, it tasted so good! Not long after, I realized that you could actually buy cans of things called refried beans that were almost like Pintos N Cheese. Who ever knew?! Needless to say, I love beans. They are so awesome--and packed with nutrition!
Over the years, I have learned how to cook with beans and have made some pretty yummy things. A lot of people don't like them because of the gas factor. I have found a few good ways to help with that. (1) Be sure to rinse your beans and discard cooking liquid after cooking them from a dry state. (2) Add a bit of baking soda while cooking dry beans, this especially helps if your beans are a little on the old side. (3) Limit bean intake to one meal every other day or so. Eating beans for back-to-back meals (Or sometimes back to back days) can contribute to an elevated gassy state.
Here are some of my favorite recipes! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! With the Internet, it is easier than it used to be to make some of your favorite restaurant's bean dishes (Rubio's Black Beans, or Panera's Black Bean Soup anyone?). All it takes is a little practice and you'll be a pro. Meanwhile, you can try some of these:
REFREID BEANS
7 c. dry pinto beans
1-2 onions, chopped
6 T Olive Oil
3/4-1 c. Water
2 T Salt
2 T garlic Powder
2 T Chili Powder
2 T Cumin
Cook Dry Beans (My favorite is the crock-pot method: Place beans in slow-cooker. Soak overnight. Turn slow cooker on low or high for at least 4-6 hours until beans are super soft. Rinse cooked beans).
Add other ingredients and mash with a potato masher or hand beaters. Add more water for desired consistency, and more spices to taste.
TACO SOUP
3 cans (or 4 cups) Kidney Beans
2 cans (or 2 cups frozen) Corn
3 cans Diced tomatoes
3 T (1 pkg) taco seasoning
1 lb hamburger
Mix over stove and heat through. Serve with cheese on top. Best with Fritos.
CHILI
7 c. dry beans (Black, Red, Kidney, or a mix)
1-2 lbs. Ground Beef
1 onion
1 green pepper
2 cans green chilis
2 cans tomato Sauce
2-3 cans diced tomatoes
Chili Powder
Red Pepper
Cumin
Salt
Cook dry beans (see crock-pot method above)
In the bottom of a stock pot, cook ground beef with onions and green pepper.
Add other ingredients, using spices to taste.
If you have any awesome bean recipes to share, be sure to include them in the comments of this post! I would love to try them!
Over the years, I have learned how to cook with beans and have made some pretty yummy things. A lot of people don't like them because of the gas factor. I have found a few good ways to help with that. (1) Be sure to rinse your beans and discard cooking liquid after cooking them from a dry state. (2) Add a bit of baking soda while cooking dry beans, this especially helps if your beans are a little on the old side. (3) Limit bean intake to one meal every other day or so. Eating beans for back-to-back meals (Or sometimes back to back days) can contribute to an elevated gassy state.
Here are some of my favorite recipes! I hope you enjoy them as much as I do! With the Internet, it is easier than it used to be to make some of your favorite restaurant's bean dishes (Rubio's Black Beans, or Panera's Black Bean Soup anyone?). All it takes is a little practice and you'll be a pro. Meanwhile, you can try some of these:
REFREID BEANS
7 c. dry pinto beans
1-2 onions, chopped
6 T Olive Oil
3/4-1 c. Water
2 T Salt
2 T garlic Powder
2 T Chili Powder
2 T Cumin
Cook Dry Beans (My favorite is the crock-pot method: Place beans in slow-cooker. Soak overnight. Turn slow cooker on low or high for at least 4-6 hours until beans are super soft. Rinse cooked beans).
Add other ingredients and mash with a potato masher or hand beaters. Add more water for desired consistency, and more spices to taste.
TACO SOUP
3 cans (or 4 cups) Kidney Beans
2 cans (or 2 cups frozen) Corn
3 cans Diced tomatoes
3 T (1 pkg) taco seasoning
1 lb hamburger
Mix over stove and heat through. Serve with cheese on top. Best with Fritos.
CHILI
7 c. dry beans (Black, Red, Kidney, or a mix)
1-2 lbs. Ground Beef
1 onion
1 green pepper
2 cans green chilis
2 cans tomato Sauce
2-3 cans diced tomatoes
Chili Powder
Red Pepper
Cumin
Salt
Cook dry beans (see crock-pot method above)
In the bottom of a stock pot, cook ground beef with onions and green pepper.
Add other ingredients, using spices to taste.
If you have any awesome bean recipes to share, be sure to include them in the comments of this post! I would love to try them!
Thursday, September 6, 2018
LONG-TERM STORAGE, MONTH 5: BEANS
Last night I mentioned to my 12-year-old that you can buy refried beans in a can. He made a face that indicated he did not believe me. I cannot even remember the last can of beans I bought. It has been a really long time. Once I learned how to cook dried beans, it has been a great source of nutrition for my family. We eat beans a lot--at least once or twice a week, and my kids do not even know that you can buy beans any other way.
I hope you all are doing the Long Term Food Storage challenge. Remember, the goal is to have a year's supply of food by May 1, 2019.
This month, we will focus on Beans!
Dried beans are cost-effective and easy to store. The health benefits of beans are huge! They provide a great source of protein, are high in folate, and are a great antioxidant. Those who regularly eat beans are less likely to have heart disease and cancer.
The list of beans is long: lima beans, black peans, kidney beans, lentils, black-eyed peas, garbanzo beans, red beans, soy beans, navy beans, pinto beans...pick a favorite!
The minimum recommendation for storing beans is 60 lbs per person. For my family, that is a total of 570 pounds.
The most-oft question I am asked is "How do I cook dried beans!" My favorite method is to use my crock pot. Let your beans sit in warm water overnight, then in the morning turn on your slow cooker (either low or high is fine, it usually depends how fast I want them cooked). Be sure water is covering the beans at all times. They can take anywhere from 3-4 hours all the way to 8-9 hours. The biggest deciding factor is how old your beans are. I have found that the older my beans, the longer they take to cook. Plan to check them every 2 hours or so to test done-ness. I typically cook an entire crock-pot at a time. I usually do not need that many beans in a single meal, so I freeze the rest. 1 1/3 cups of cooked beans equals a 15 oz can. I typically freeze 3 cups in a quart size freezer bag, so it's about the equivalent of 2 cans per bag. Then, I have beans ready and on hand for the next meal.
I challenge you to use this month to get your bean storage. Store they kinds of beans your family likes to eat and find new recipes to use your beans on a regular basis.
If you would like to add other items to your storage, here are some suggestions for this month:
Medical Supplies: Tylenol, band-aids, antiseptic
Paper Supplies: Toilet paper, Kleenex, Napkins, Paper Plates, Paper Cups, Plastic utensils
Pasta and Rice: Restock!
Previous monthly challenges can be found here:
Month 1
Month 2
Month 3
Month 4
I hope you all are doing the Long Term Food Storage challenge. Remember, the goal is to have a year's supply of food by May 1, 2019.
This month, we will focus on Beans!
Dried beans are cost-effective and easy to store. The health benefits of beans are huge! They provide a great source of protein, are high in folate, and are a great antioxidant. Those who regularly eat beans are less likely to have heart disease and cancer.
The list of beans is long: lima beans, black peans, kidney beans, lentils, black-eyed peas, garbanzo beans, red beans, soy beans, navy beans, pinto beans...pick a favorite!
The minimum recommendation for storing beans is 60 lbs per person. For my family, that is a total of 570 pounds.
The most-oft question I am asked is "How do I cook dried beans!" My favorite method is to use my crock pot. Let your beans sit in warm water overnight, then in the morning turn on your slow cooker (either low or high is fine, it usually depends how fast I want them cooked). Be sure water is covering the beans at all times. They can take anywhere from 3-4 hours all the way to 8-9 hours. The biggest deciding factor is how old your beans are. I have found that the older my beans, the longer they take to cook. Plan to check them every 2 hours or so to test done-ness. I typically cook an entire crock-pot at a time. I usually do not need that many beans in a single meal, so I freeze the rest. 1 1/3 cups of cooked beans equals a 15 oz can. I typically freeze 3 cups in a quart size freezer bag, so it's about the equivalent of 2 cans per bag. Then, I have beans ready and on hand for the next meal.
I challenge you to use this month to get your bean storage. Store they kinds of beans your family likes to eat and find new recipes to use your beans on a regular basis.
If you would like to add other items to your storage, here are some suggestions for this month:
Medical Supplies: Tylenol, band-aids, antiseptic
Paper Supplies: Toilet paper, Kleenex, Napkins, Paper Plates, Paper Cups, Plastic utensils
Pasta and Rice: Restock!
Previous monthly challenges can be found here:
Month 1
Month 2
Month 3
Month 4
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)