Family Home Evening - Standing with Courage on the Lord's Side!

Today's FHE Lesson was supposed to be a

Family History Family Home Evening

but . . .

Yesterday during our Teachings for Our Times

Relief Society Lesson

we were shown this picture of Samuel the Lamanite.

As my sister Amber pointed out,

this picture opens the door for a Perfect Object Lesson.

(This artwork is available at Real Hero Poster Link or Seagull Book and Tape.)

They have featured both men and women in the scriptures.

They truly are

REAL HEROES

for our children to pattern their lives after.

Opening Prayer:

Scripture:

"Have I not commanded the?

Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid,

neither be thou dismayed:

for the Lord thy God is with thee

withersoever thou goest."

Joshua 1:9

Song:

"Dare to Do Right"

Children's Songbook Page 158

Story:

(Tell the Story of Samuel the Lamanite.)

1 And now, it came to pass that there were many

who heard the words of Samuel, the Lamanite,

which he spake upon the walls of the city...

2 But as many as there were who did not believe

in the words of Samuel were angry with him;

and they cast stones at him upon the wall,

and also many shot arrows at him

as he stood upon the wall;

but the Spirit of the Lord was with him,

insomuch that they could not hit him

with their stones neither with their arrows.

3 Now when they saw that they could not hit him,

there were many more who did believe on his words,

insomuch that they went away unto Nephi to be baptized.

Object Lesson:

Put the picture of Samuel the Lamanite up on the wall.

Print and cut out the arrows.

I made some arrows with some ideas for you to use

as well as some blank ones that you can fill in on your own.

Now ask your family the question below:

"What are some of the temptations Satan is throwing at us today?"

Take turns having your children stand by the wall next to the picture

of Samuel the Lamanite.

As family members give their answers,

have them put the arrows up on the wall next to the child.

(They will be standing as if they were Samuel.)

Ask family members:

"What can we do to make sure that we don't get hit by the temptations of our day?"

"What can we do to have the Spirit of the Lord with us?"

 Remind your family that when we

put our Faith in the Lord

and show courage,

WE CAN STAND AS SAMUEL DID

AND NOT BE HIT!

Closing Prayer:

Don't Forget to take pictures of your children

standing against the wall with the arrows.

This will serve as a reminder for them to be strong,

to have faith, and courage to stand up for what is right!

Here's the PDF:

Samuel the Lamanite FHE Lesson Packet PDF 

Here's the TREAT/GAME:

Spider's on a String

 Halloween-Style Donut Eating Contest!

Tie the donuts to a string and have family members

try to eat the entire donut without using their hands!

(I put a plastic tablecloth under the donuts to make the clean up go FASTER!)

You Will Need:

Chocolate Covered Donuts

(You can use large or small ones.)

Pretzel Sticks

Butcher's Twine

M&M's

and

Milk Chocolate Chips

To Make Your Donut Spiders:

Stick the pretzels into the sides of the donut.

Dip the M&M's into melted chocolate chips and add them

to the donuts to make the spider's eyes.

I used some mini chips for the eyeball centers.

Stick eyeball centers on with the melted chocolate as well.

Put a string through the center and tie it to a main line,

and you're ready to play.

Remember:

NO HANDS!

Have a GREAT NIGHT!

Chocolate Halloween Spiders!

Here's a FAST Halloween Treat
that the whole family can be a part of!

Chocolate Halloween Spiders

You Will Need:

1 Bag Milk Chocolate Chips

M&M's

Pretzel Sticks
Popsicle Sticks

and

Chocolate Sprinkles

To Make the Spiders:

Melt the chocolate chips in a microwave safe bowl

in 30 second intervals.

Stir inbetween.
Short intervals will help keep you from burning the chocolate!

I used a silpat liner but a cold cookie sheet will also work.

Allow to harden . . . I put mine back in the fridge.

That's It!

You can also make your Spiders without the sucker stick.
They look cute on cupcakes or just sitting on a plate.

Wrap them in cellophane, tie them with a ribbon and they

make a great Visiting Teaching Gift!

It's almost time for

. . . THANKSGIVING . . .

Lots of Fun Ideas Are on the Way!

Soooo Exciting!

Vital Records - Photos!

We are on the LAST official section of our Vital Records Binders.

I can't believe how close we are to finishing this BIG FELLA!

During November I will be going back and posting

some of the pages I missed along the way,

(I may have missed a few!)

BUT we will be completely done by the end of November!

For This Week's Assignment:

You will need to make sure your photos are

ELECTRONICALLY PRESERVED!

This may mean saving them on:

CD's

Floppy or Flash Drives

Memory Sticks

or by . . .

Using an outside source like:

Backblaze (My personal favorite!)

Mozy or Carbonite

Make sure that you have properly stored

your negatives and other prints.

REMEMBER:

Pictures like to live where we live!

Temperature and Humidity are important factors to consider

when storing photos and important documents.

This one is a big one but worth the time for sure!

I'm seeing the light at the end of the tunnel . . . WhaWhoooo!

Family Activity - Vampires At Dark!

Vampires At Dark

is a great Halloween game you can play inside,

SO... it's a fun way to entertain the fam when it's too cold

to play outside.

Here's How To Play the Game:

Each person picks a card, looks at it,

and then lays it on the table face down without

telling anyone what was on the card.

Only one person will get the Vampire Card.

That person is "The Vampire" but is NOT supposed to let anyone know.

The rest of the players will get a

"YOU BETTER HIDE . . . THE VAMPIRES ARE OUT!"

Card.

Now you play the game like hide and seek, but the Vampire

(or in Hide and Seek it would be the person that was chosen to be it)

will hide along with everyone else.

Now it gets FUN . . .

The vampire will look for the other players.

When he finds one he whispers, "I'm the Vampire!"

(That's when you find out who's it!)

The person caught has to scream and is now working with the

Vampire to catch the other players.

Keep going until all the players have been caught!

BY THE WAY . . .

You play the game in the dark,

so it's even more SpOoKy when you hear the screams.

This game is soooooo stinkin' fun!
Here's the PDF:

Vampires At Dark Game Packet PDF

To Make the Cards:

Print

Laminate

and

Cut

There is a front and back side to the cards,

so print one side, flip the page over and print the other side.

I LOVE THIS GAME!

Still MORE to Come . . . Check Back

Later Today!

Don't Forget the check the

Food Storage Meals and Menu Planning

Post Below For Another Great Shelf-Stable

Menu Option!

Food Storage Meals and Menu Planning - Dessert: Peanut Butter Oatmeal Squares!

Today's Dessert Menu Is:

Here's the Recipe:

Ingredients:

1/2 cup Shortening

2/3 cup Peanut Butter

1 1/3 cup Brown Sugar, Packed

2 Tbsp. Dried Whole Egg

1/4 cup Water

3 Tbsp. Reconstituted Dry Milk

1 1/4 tsp. Vanilla

1 3/4 cups Whole Wheat Flour

1/2 tsp. Baking Soda

2/3 cup Quick Cooking Oats

Instructions:

Combine shortening, peanut butter, brown sugar,

eggs, milk and vanilla.

(Shortening will be in small lumps.)

Stir together flour and baking soda.

Blend into shortening mixture.

Add oatmeal and blend.

Spread into lightly greased 9 x 13-inch pan.

Bake @ 375 degrees for 15-18 minutes.

Cool.

Cut into squares.

Additions:

Cinnamon Chips or Chocolate Chips can be added before baking.

(I've tried it all three ways and you can't go wrong with any of them!)

Here's the PDF:

Food Storage Meals and Menu Planning - Dessert: Peanut Butter Oatmeal Squares Recipe PDF

EnJOY!

Preserve It . . . Canning Corner - Soup Starts!

You're probably about ready to be done with canning,

but don't put your canning stuff away just yet.

Soup Starts are a great way to save time on busy days, and

who doesn't LOVE a warm bowl of soup

on a cold day!?!

Soup Starts are just the broth and veggies

you would add to your soups and stews.

For my Soup Starts I use:

Carrots

Celery

Onions

Chicken Broth or Beef Broth

Potatoes

Green Beans

(Fresh from the garden is best . . . but Costco frozen beans work very well.)

and

Sometimes I add Tomatoes.

(Not all my boys like tomatoes . . . so I make a few jars without them.)

You can also add cauliflower, mushrooms, broccoli, peppers,

fresh basil or fresh cilantro.

When I make my soup, I add:

2 quart Jars of Soup Starts to 1 quart of Meat

I use chicken or beef broth so that I can use my

Canned Chicken Chunks or Canned Stew Beef.

You can also add pasta or rice to your soup to make it even more hardy.

(I pre-cook these items before I add them to the soup.)

To Make the Soup Starts:

Prepare Vegetables

Select, wash, and prepare vegetables.

You will need to cook vegetables until almost soft.

Caution:

Do not add noodles or other pasta, rice, flour, starch,

cream, milk or other thickening agents to home canned soups.

These items can be added

when you are ready to serve the soup, but not as a part of the soup start.

If dried beans or peas are used, they must be fully rehydrated first.

Note:

You will need a PRESSURE CANNER to process the

Soup Starts.

Prepare the pressure canner and the jars.

Fill jars halfway with the solids mixture.

Add the remaining liquid (broth) leaving a 1-inch headspace.

Add new lids that have been simmered and tighten with rings.

Process pint jars for 60 minutes at 15 psi pressure.

Process quart jars for 75 minutes at 15 psi pressure.

(Follow the instructions on your pressure canner.)

Remember to wait until the pressure has come back down

before trying to open your canner.

Refrigerate any unsealed cans.

For those of you who are still afraid of canning meats,

this is a great place to start and the process is very simple!

Give it a try!

SpOoKs the SpiDer Has Lost His Legs . . . Halloween Game!

-SpOoKs the SPiDeR-

Has lost his legs . . . and he needs YOU to help

him get them back!

You Will Need:

The Printed PDF

2 Dice

2 Packages of Mini Clothespins

Black Spray Paint

Chip Board

Mod Podge

and

A Sponge Brush

Here's the HOW TO:

Cut out the spiders. I left a little bit of a white edge

around the whole spider.

Cut the chipboard just a little larger than the cut out spider.

Use the spong brush to put a thin layer of the Mod Podge

on the back side of the spider.

Place the wet spider onto the chip board and smooth.

Allow the spider to dry for a few minutes.

Brush a thin layer of Mod Podge over the entire spider.

The spider has a front and a back, so just repeat

the same process with the back of the spider.

Spray paint the clothes pins black and you're ready to play!

To Play the GAME . . .

Roll the dice.

If you get a 5, you get to clip a clothespin leg to the #5.

Take turns between players.

Each turn gets 1 roll.

The first one to get all of their legs . . . WINS!

(Pictures coming tomorrow.)

Here's the PDF:

SpOoKs the Spider Game Packet PDF

Spider Fronts:

Spider Backs:

Tomorrow I'll show you a . . .

SpOoKs the SPiDeR Sucker!

You Might Want to Grab Some:

M&M's

A Bag of Pretzel Sticks . . . Not Pretzel Rods

Popsicle Sticks

and

Milk Chocolate Chips

You're kids will have a blast making these
SpOoKy Treats!

Glowing Ghost Decor!

So, I have a few extra tomato cages left over from

my garden and I was thinking . . . if I add a head and some lights

they would make the PERFECT GHOST!

Here it is at night!

It Worked!!!

Here's What You'll Need to Make This Project:

Tomato Cages

Clear White Lights on White Wires

Wire

Black Sticky Back Felt

(I got this at Walmart.)

White Fabric or an Old White Sheet

(I got mine at Walmart . . . way cheap!)

Grapevine Balls

(I got mine from Robert's)
Adhesive Back Rhinestones
(Optional)

and

Ribbon

(OK . . . so I guess I got everything but the tomato cages and grapevine balls at Walmart!)

To Make the Ghosts:

Wire the grapevine balls to the bottoms of the tomato cages.

NOTE:

Tomato cages can be cut to different sizes using wire cutters.

Add lights to the inside of the head and body of the ghost.

I just used some of my ribbon to tie the lights to the cage.
Cover the head with an extra piece of material or fleece.

Use white fabric to cover the entire ghost body.
(I used some of my old sheets.  They don't need to be cut.)

Make sure to stick some of the lights into the grapevine head.

Tie the ribbon around the neck of the ghost.
I tied ribbon on the first ghost, but not on the ones on my front porch.
I decided to take the mouth off . . . It works either way.

 Cut 2 eyes and a mouth out of the sticky-back felt.

Attach the eyes and mouth to the ghost's head.

I added some rhinestones to the eyes of the ghost.

I'll take a picture of the ghosts tonight so you can see the full effect!
Here It Is:

I like them best without the ribbon and without the mouth!
Plug them in and your Glowing Ghosts are ready for Halloween!

Super CUTE . . . Super FUN . . . Super EASY!

Preparedness Project - Wonder Box!

For Today's Preparedness Project

we're going to be making a

Wonder Box!

Just in case you need a refresher as to

what a Wonder Box is . . .

Wonder Boxes work like vacuum flasks.

In these days when we are being warned of

worldwide shortages of food and fuel,

this wonder box and it's simplicity is designed

to keep fod at the temperature needed for cooking.

Using very little fuel you only use about 15 minutes of energy

to bring the food to the required temperature

and then put it into the

Wonder Box.  It acts like a thermos.

On the flip side, it will also keep ice cream cold

for about 4 hours.

Instructions:

Boil your food on the stove for 10-15 minutes until the food

is heated right through.

Use any cooking pot, provided it does not have a long handle, but

do not use a large pot for a small amount of food.

The Wonder Box does not work well if there is a large air space.

Remember that the more food or liquid that you have in the pot,

the longer and better it will cook.

Put the lid on the pot before you remove the pot from the stove
so the lid can also get hot.  Make sure the nest in the bottom cushion
is ready to take the pot and that it is nearby so you do not lose
heat carrying the pot around.
Place pot into the nest of the Wonder Box, making sure that the
sides are snug against the pot, so that there are no air pockets.
Make sure that no one peeks inside.
If this happens, heat will escape, and the food will not
cook properly.
Do not leave the Wonder Box on a metal surface while being used.
Metal is a good conductor of heat and may draw off some heat
through the bottom.
When cooking anything like a roast or a whole chicken, the liquid
around it can boil before the meat has reached the same
temperature.  Make sure the liquid covers the meat and it has
come to a boil.  Meat must be covered with liquid!
The cooking time seems to be 3-4 hours, or all day.
It is sure to never burn.
The Wonder Box is designed for cooking meals,
BUT . . .
It can also be used for keeping food hot, cold or frozen for
3-6 hours depending on what it is.
For Example:
Frozen meat will stay frozen longer than a tub of ice cream.
The cushions filled with polystyrene can be washed
with hot water and soap and hung on the line to dry.

You Will Need:

A Sewing Machine

Needle

Thread

2 3/4 yards of Heavy Fabric

The Pattern

(This pattern will need to be ENLARGED to fit measurements.)

and

Bean Bag Beans

(You can find these at Walmart in the pillow section.)

They are probably the most expensive part of this project,

but if you go now . . . they have been marked down quite a bit.

Here's the PDF:

Wonder Box Cooker Pattern

Wonder Box recipes and instructions originated from a

booklet published by "Compassion" of South Africa

in 1978, 1979, and 1980.

"Compassion" registered the name Wonder Box.

This information may be freely quoted, acknowledgments

being made to "Compassion".

(Pictures By: Kathryn Pratt)

I have

3 NEW Halloween Ideas

to share with you . . .

BUT blogger is not allowing pictures to be downloaded after 5:00 pm today.

I will post as soon as I can add the photos!

Aaaaahhhhhhhh . . . I hope they hurry!

Ark Prep 101 - Beyond the Basics!

I promised INFORMATIVE and FUN as part of today's posts,

So . . . we'll start with the informative!

Every good food storage starts with the

BASICS

Wheat

Rice

Beans and Legumes

Oats

Oil

Salt

and Milk!

I don't know about you, but I would like a little bit more variety

in my menu options . . . for sure!

DEHYDRATED fruits and vegetables

would be a great addition to any food storage and . . .

 YOU can do it at home.

This website:

Dehydrate 2 Store

 Is where I learned how to dehydrate my own

fruits and veggies.

She is a GREAT TEACHER!

You'll be amazed at the possibilities.

Plan on spending some time watching her

How To Videos

She'll take you through the process

STEP BY STEP!

The website will also teach you how to

store the fruits and veggies you dehydrate.

Give it a try . . . You'll be pleasantly surprised at the results,

plus you'll save money

by doing it on your own!

Good Luck!