The Women Who Knew Jesus

I hope everyone can come to this very special evening! It is going to be AMAZING! 

NOVEMBER

It's that time of year again, the leaves begin to fall and I get a craving to drink apple cider and stay inside all day baking yummy gooey goodies! I really love Autumn and the Thanksgiving Season. I am so grateful for the gospel of Jesus Christ and the blessings that he has given me. I am so thankful for the pure knowledge of the plan of salvation! I am so thankful to be apart of the Relief Society. How lucky are we to be apart of this amazing organization? So for Relief Society Night this November, we are having a "Blessings Auction". It will be Tuesday November 18th at 6:30. Bring a friend and something to auction off that would be a blessing to someone else! We are also going to have a caramel apple bar...so if that is all you are interested in.....haha......COME!!!! This will be our 3rd year having this Blessing Auction and it is really fun! Hope to see you there!

August- {Prepared! Not Scared!}

In August we are going to work on the FOOD portion of our 72 hour kits! To me, this is the most daunting! What am I going to put in them? What kinds of food keep good? What will my kids eat? Will those things fill us up enough so we aren't grumpy? (I get grumpy when I am hungry!) Will it be too heavy to carry? Too many questions-I know! So after many months of research and planning I think I have it figured out. At least for my family anyways! I want to share with you what I have found and give you some tips and pointers on what I think will work. Just a few hints at what we accomplish on August 19th:

* 72 hour food kits that provide -high calories while not sacrificing nutrition
                                               -low cost
                                               -non-cook food items
                                               -food that will taste good so you will want to rotate 

                                                at least 1X a year
                                               -free meal plans and shopping lists! Woohoo

* Freeze dried food taste table-THRIVE LIFE   

* Buddy Burner- Great for cooking a meal in a single pot or small can. You can boil water, cook noodles, mac and cheese, soup, etc. Please save your empty #10 cans, empty tuna cans and heavy cardboard. (If you have food in your kit that needs to be cooked) If you don't you still might want to boil water at some point! 

Hopefully everyone can make because it is going to be awesome! And....if you don't get your kits put together, you can't whine or cry when you don't have anything in the event of an emergency. So lets get prepared!!!

I found this and fell in love with it! I am a list maker and most of the time it is filled with house "chores"! When everything thing is checked off at the end of the day, I have a major feeling of accomplishment. When I saw this, it made me start thinking of those things on my check list. Are those things really that important? NO! I should make this my daily checklist! Who else agrees? 

Super Saturday

JULY! Come and now GONE! Where did that month go? Our Super Saturday was a success! We had lots of fun crafting with Central Ward! Hopefully everyone made something they loved. If anyone wants any information on the Growth Chart, Chalk Paint, Sugar Scrubs, Infinity Scarf, Quiet Books or Nativity let me know!

June Relief Society Night

WOW! I have been MIA on this blog! I am so sorry for all of those who have come here to find info and only found old stuff! Well now that it is catch up time.....I wanted to post some pictures of our fun activity in June. It didn't turn out like planned because it was so windy the day of that we switched from a Picnic in the Park to a picnic in the Cultural Hall! We had a yummy dinner and Sister Nancy Milne, Sister Wanda Drake and Sister Rosalee Charles talked about the importance of keeping histories and scrapbooks. It was so fun-thanks to all those who brought food and spoke to us! Hopefully we can all remember to jot down some notes in our journals and work on organizing all those photos that are stuck in boxes!

Clean Birth Kit Success

Thank you to all who donated and participated in putting together our Clean Birth Kits! Many hands make light work! 75+ Birth Kits in 45 minutes! You guys rock! They are all packed and shipped and on there way to Nepal!

MAY Relief Society Night

Happy Mothers Day

This year, in honor of Mothers Day, will you join me in making a difference in the area of maternal and infant care in the developing world by contributing to the Love A Mama clean birth kit drive? Did you know that 1 in 7 women in rural Papua New Guinea don’t survive childbirth? It’s a sad and shocking statistic that we’re working to see changed through the distribution of clean birth kits and maternal health education.

Moms care about moms. We love our children and we know without a doubt that every mother’s heart beats the same. When given the chance we are quick to lend a hand to other mamas in need. So join with us

Tuesday May 20 at 6:30

and help save a mama’s life this Mothers Day!  

 

 

 

Happy Mothers Day

I just wanted to wish everyone a HAPPY (belated) MOTHERS DAY! There are so many women in the Veyo ward that inspire me! You are such awesome mommy's!  

72 Hour Kit: Important Documents Binder

Along with having your 72 hour kits, I came across what is called an Important Documents Binder! I thought this was such a neat idea! All of your important documents all in one place-what a thought! haha! Birth certificates, social security cards, marriage license, etc. This blog contains all of the printables you can customize to meet your families needs. If you ever had to evacuate your house quickly, this binder would definitely come in handy. 

Website is: http://www.yourownhomestore.com/   all info follows....

Thank you Misty ~ what a great idea :-) 

Important Documents

It is unlikely that any documents you choose to include in your kit will keep you alive.  (-: However, having them all organized and together can make your life so much easier now! (and in the event of an emergency).  I use my binder regularly and it is so nice having it all in one place.  Read through the comments to see many, many situations when people have used their binders on normal days as well as in an emergency.

Making insurance claims, searching for missing loved ones (heaven forbid), staying in touch with family and friends, traveling around the country and accessing your financial accounts will all be much easier if you have some essential documents at your fingertips.

I’m simply going to walk you page by page through my “emergency documents binder.”  I keep this near our kit, but not in it as I access and use it often.   And yes, it is somewhere safe and well hidden.

Family Evacuation Plan:

The front cover:

Download it:

• Evacuation Plan in Microsoft Word 2010
• Evacuation Plan as pdf

Nathan (my husband) and I each have our own prioritized list of what our responsibilities will be when / if we need to evacuate.  If we are given 10-30 minutes notice, we start in at the top or the first list and try to get through as much as we can.  The stuff at the bottom of the list isn’t as essential as the stuff at the top.  If given just a few minutes to evacuate (and doing so on foot), we use the second lists instead.  You can read more about our family evacuation plan here. (although I need to edit it a bit online…the printed one is more accurate!)

Important Phone Numbers:

The first page:

Download it:

• Important Phone Number in Microsoft Word 2010 
• Important Phone Numbers as a PDF

This front side of this page has 6 boxes on it:

• A box with our address and phone numbers
• A box with “essential” info for every member of our family (name, DOB, allergies)
• A box that says: “If you are unsure who to call and it is an emergency, dial 911!
• A box with phone numbers to all our insurance companies along with the insurance policy numbers (car, life, health etc)
• A box with other important emergency numbers (poison control, 24 hr nurse line, gas company, plummer, etc)
• A box with our doctor’s phone numbers.

I have a 2nd copy of this printed and posted inside our pantry for babysitters and even my own use.  I don’t want to have to take the time to look up poison control or even my children’s doctors #s each time I need them.  And if I need the gas shut off, I want it done quick.  Having this posted makes my life simpler.

The back side of this page has 5 boxes on it:

• My husband’s family’s numbers (parents, siblings, grandparents)
• My family’s numbers
• Local friend’s numbers
• Non-local friend’s numbers
• Other important numbers
  

  

Socials & Insurance IDs

In business card sheet protector:

They are easy to access.  I always know where they are and will have them in the event of an emergency.  Enough said.

Family Pictures

In photo sheet protector

If you were to lose a child (during a natural disaster or otherwise) and then find him / her, you may have to prove that he /she belongs to you.  This would be especially true if the child was injured / incoherent and unable to recognize you for any reason.  Having a older and more recent family photo is one very quick way to prove that this child does and has belonged to you for some time.  We will be getting family pictures taken on Saturday, so I will be adding a more recent picture then.  The picture you see is the only one I currently have that includes Bethany, but she is just a few weeks old.

Child ID Kits

With pertinent documents behind it.

Download it:

• Chid ID Kit as a Microsoft Word 2010 Document
• Child ID Kit as a PDF

I created this Child ID Kit after searching for a free one online and not finding one I liked.  Print it out on cardstock.  Write it all the info you can about your child off to the right.  Take their fingerprints and be sure to include the date at the top.  Update this page every 6 months.  These pages are the main reason I keep this folder with me at all times.  If I were to every lose my child, I’d want the police to have all their information as quickly as possible.  I’ve heard horror stories of mothers who can’t remember their children’s birth dates (read similar stories in the comments below), eye color etc. b/c they are so distraught with worry.  I don’t want that to happen to me.

  You may also consider including a DNA sample (a piece of hair will do).

A tip for the fingerprints: DO NOT “roll” your finger when pressing it on the paper.  This can cause the ridges to distort.  And don’t use too much ink: practice on a piece of paper first!

One more note from one of my great readers comments: “Doing your own fingerprints at home can sometimes be difficult because of smudging, etc. Another option is to get a fingerprint card taken at any local police station/sheriff’s office. It’s free at my local police station, but sometimes they charge a small fee. You just need to take a photo ID with you when you go.”

Behind each of my Child ID kits (in the same sheet protector), I keep that child’s birth certificate & shot record.  My kids have no allergies or health concerns, but if they did, I would keep details on that info in this sleeve as well.  If your child does have allergies, I suggest you read TJ’s advice (she is a reader here) about what she does for her kids (read it here)

Adult ID Kits

With pertinent documents behind them

Download it:

• Adult ID Kit as a Microsoft Word 2010 File
• Adult ID Kit as a PDF

If my husband and I were to go missing or not be found after a natural disaster, I would once again want to quickly give authorities as much info as I could.  I keep our birth certificates, immunization records and passports behind each kit.

Pet ID Kit:

I don’t have pets, but many of you do!  One of my fabulous readers, Wren from Her Hero, His Lady created a Pet ID Kit based off the ID kit above.  So, if you have a pet (I do not), you can now download and use her fabulous template!  Thanks Wren!

Download:

• Pet ID Kit as a Microsoft Word 2010 document
• Pet ID Kit as a PDF

Financial Info:

and extra cash / cards

I keep a written copy of all our log-in information for our various online accounts including banks, insurance, cell phone, school loans, facebook, email etc.  (And I’m NOT telling you where I hide this folder!) I do not save this anywhere on my computer though I do store it in a secure online database.  I also keep cash and an extra set of credit cards here.

Other Important Document:

Everything else…

I have a sleeve where I keep all other documents I want a copy of.  Here are a few suggestions you may want to consider:

• Property titles (homes, autos, boats etc)
• Insurance policies
• Copy of car registration
• Will
• Medical directive
• Marriage License
• Written Home inventory (and a DVD of a video inventory)
• Map of your area

I keep the entire folder well hidden but I won’t tell you where.  I suggest keeping it in a water and fire-proof safe.

Concerns About the Risks 

I’ve had many, many people comment or send me emails about their concern over this post.  Some have been very kind, others, not so much.

First, all the numbers / important info in the pictures has been blurred / blocked with software that will not allow it to be “cleaned up.”

Second, yes, having all this in one place creates a risk.  But there is risk no matter what.  If you don’t have the folder at all there are risks.  If you keep it in your home there are risks.  You have to weigh which risk is less scary to you. For me, I’ve decided the risk of not having it is scarier than the risks created by having it.  My folder is very well hidden and does not call attention to itself.  If it were to be stolen, I would know very soon after the fact and would immediately take measures to protect my identity.

The risks of not having this folder and needing it are much more common (just read them comments below about all the times people wished they’d had one).  Some aren’t serious, some are, but I feel “safer” having it.  If you don’t and feel the risks outweigh the benefits, then by all means, don’t make one!  If you are nervous about the risk and what some other ideas, read the comments below, there are lots of great ideas from my fabulous readers!  And if you want to chime in with some other ideas or possible solutions, feel free!  I love differing opinions.  But please, be kind!  Being mean never helps anyone.  (-:

HAPPY EASTER

I hope everyone has a wonderful Easter! It is my prayer that we can all turn to the Savior and remember his atonement for each one of us! He loves us and wants each one of us to come unto him.

APRIL RS NIGHT

Come and learn how to make your own "live yeast"
Tuesday April 15th at 6:30
Sister Chris Putnam is going to teach us and everyone will go home with a sample to start there own! It is very good for people have issues with gluten in there diets!

~~General Conference~~

Some of my favorite General Conference Quotes: HOPE YOU ENJOY!!!

General Womens Meeting

Womens Conference was so awesome! If you didn't get to see it or haven't watched it yet....click here  https://www.lds.org/general-conference/sessions/2014

March- HAPPY BIRTHDAY RELIEF SOCIETY

Herbal First Aid & CPR

    We had an awesome Relief Society last night! I would like to thank Sister Sandy Ellis for coming and talking to us about healthy living and how to use herbs in our first aid kits. It was amazing! She said, "Brigham Young instructed every household to never be without these 4 herbs. Cayenne, Comfrey, Yarrow and Chaparral." A few notes that I took: Cayenne is used to stop bleeding, hemorrhaging or even a heart attack is used immediately. Comfrey is great for broken bones and burns.  Make a burn paste with equal parts comfrey powder, wheat germ oil and raw honey. It has to be RAW! Yarrow is great for cold and flus. Drinking Yarrow hot creates sweat and drinking it cold makes you urinate. Chapparal is a blood cleanser. With most herbs it is a rule of thumb to make a tea with 1 tsp of herb to 1 cup of hot water. However chapparal is extremely concentrated and must be diluted quite heavily. I thought one of the other things she said  that was interesting was that pioneer babies were dying of the "croup" until the Indians taught them how to make an onion poultice.
     When I was a baby I had the so called "Croup." My mom said that my lips were turning blue. I wasn't receiving enough oxygen. (Back back then they didn't know about RSV but it is the same thing. If your child has RSV now, they advise you to go the ER and have your baby suctioned out every couple of hours.) My Aunt Verla came over and immediately made me a Mustard Plaster. My airways opened up! My mom said she was so grateful and it was so easy. (The recipe is below) I bet it is similar to making an onion poultice. I find this stuff so interesting! I hope you can incorporate it into your first aid kits and try it out for yourself!
    We also had Sister LuAnn Carpenter teach us how to do CPR. 1-Establish an airway: support the jaw and tilt the head. If you see fluid or foreign objects, turn the victim onto his/her side and clear. 2-Check for breathing: Look at chest. Listen for air escaping. Feel the air escaping and chest rising. 3-Give 2 rescue breaths: If victim is non-responsive. 4-Give 30 chest compressions: On the center of the chest give 30 compressions and 2 rescue breaths. Do at least 5 times in 2 minutes.
    It is as easy as C-A-B    Compressions (push hard and fast on the center of the victims chest)  Airway (tilt the victim's head back and lift the chin to open the airway) Breathing (give mouth to mouth rescue breaths).
    If you are more interested in Sandy Ellis you can visit her website at http://drmomsherbshop.com  or follow her on her facebook page- Dr Mom's Healthy Living. She his very knowledgeable and so awesome!
    Thanks everyone for coming! Make it a goal to get your FIRST AID KITS put together this month for our 72 hour kits!

First Aid Kit

February