If ye are prepared, ye shall not fear

Hi Sisters. I just wanted to make sure that all of you are prepared so you don't have to fear things that are coming up in the news about the Swine flu, and other concerns. We have been taught for years to prepare ourselves with food storage, and emergency preparedness items, in the event that things happen in this world that we will need this kind of help. Hopefully all of you have some food storage to be able to get you by for a short term situation.

I was called this morning by my daughter who lives in Park City, Utah. She told me that all Park City Schools were closed for the rest of the week and they even canceled Prom, because 3 cases of the swine flu had been reported. My daughter had told me this past week that she had personally felt like if Swine flu came to Utah that Park City would be one of the first places that it would hit, becasue of all the people visiting Park City as tourists, as well as people flying out of the country for Spring Break and vacations. Wow, she nailed it didn't she! I call that personal inspiration because she has been preparing herself on behalf of her family just in case. I am very proud of her for being prepared. Oh and she even gave me the website for where I can go to find out more about the Swine flu and get info and updates and that is at http://www.cdc.gov/swineflu/swineflu_you.htm

My daughter has inspired me to get better prepared. I have lots of food storage, but very specific things and I have left out purchasing like canned veges and fruit because it expires way too fast and I have wasted so much of those kinds of foods over the years. My daughter prompted me to check my food supply and I found out that my powdered milk has expired. How can you get buy without having some kind of milk, especially if you have children in your house? Well that was put on my today's grocery list. I also realized that though I have wheat to grind and a grinder to make flour to make bread and rolls, I don't have any yeast. Another thing to put on my list. I also found out doing this inventory that all of my sugar that I had stored has also been used over time, and I am completely out. This was a good wake up call for me to get myself better prepared in the event that I might need to be.

My daughter also mentioned some of the symptoms of the Swine Flu and she told me that she had stocked up on the kinds of meds that would treat symptoms of flu and a variety of other things. She said she didn't have any extra children's tylenol, motrin, cold and flu meds, and other things to treat symptoms if she had to hunker down in her home for days to weeks. She also brought up a point that if kids and adults are nauseated, which is one of the symptoms of Swine Flu and other flus, that Gatoraid would be needed to keep the sick person hydrated. Smart Daughter I have, but I contributed to that comment and suggested that maybe we all should have some powdered Gatorade on our food storage as it would last longer than what is in bottles. These are just some things to think about.

Well, I did an inventory on my medications that I keep on hand to treat the colds and flu symptoms for my husband and I as we are empty nesters. Guess what folks... most of my meds are expired too. I think I have just purchased them in the past and forgot about them or used them from time to time as needed, but I realized, if I needed them now, my over the counter meds are expired. Today is the day to change my situation for this.

I don't think anyone needs to panic, but everyone does need to be prepared. Young couples I have the greatest concern for as many couples I have talked to say that they don't have any food storage because they can't afford it, or don't have anywhere to store it, or that they say if anything happens, they will just move in with their parents until the problems are over. I am here to say that moving back home with Mom and Dad for a while is a great solutions if they are prepared for extra, and if they are close enough in proximity to do so, but these other reasons need to be reconsidered. There are all kinds of easy and affordable food storage solutions like the $5 a week plan,( http://members.cox.net/auburnheaven/selfreliant/foodstorageplan.pdf ) or you could do like my youngest daughter does, and that is to buy one or two extra items every time they go shopping and put them away for a rainy day. Where does my daughter put them in her tiny place? Under beds, in a corner of the room, on top of the refrigerator, stacked up in a closet or anywhere she can find. She sayd, "I know I don't have much Mom and I can alwasy come home to you and Dad for a while, but the Prophet has told us to do it, and I want to do it."

I hope my thoughts encourage you to do some thinking about where you stand on your preparedness.

Attention sisters:

It has become quite a task lately for me to keep up with all the new information, design, ideas etc., of my blogs as I actively do 5 of them. I try to get new information on them in a timely manner, and sometimes I have typos, misspellings or other things missed when I edit myself. Some readers have brought it to my attention and I have fixed them, but it would save me a lot of time to not have to go back and fix a project once it has been posted than to find them before it posts. This is why I am writing this. I could really use someone to volunteer to edit my projects or posts before they are actually posted. It would save me so much time, and frustration, because I want to share with you something that is not ridden with mistakes. If there are any of you who could spare a couple hours a month to just go over my projects to edit and look for mistakes before publishing, I would really appreciate it. (I can't pay you so this would be a service) I love to do do this creative work with a valuable purpose in mine, and that is encouraging Visiting Teaching and sisterhood. I can tell by my readership that what I do is needed, wanted and appreciated. If you can help me, please email me at ktgauger@gmail.com

I want to publically thank Maria and Maya for offering to help me translate my ideas into Spanish as that isn't something that I can do myself. This is a much needed service as our Spanish sisters need the same kinds of helps that this blog provides, to encourage and assist them in their own Visiting Teaching. Thanks again.

Family Book Mark and Poster

By request, one of my visitors suggested that she would like to use for her own family, the goals that my own stake set, on the bookmarks and poster below. I have taken off my Stake name on the bookmarks and poster for those of you would would also like to use them for your own family or to give to your V.T. sisters. FYI - I created the poster for my ward R.S. President and she wanted to blow it up to display on the wall of the R.S. Room. You can do this too by saving the poster to your computer and then saving it to a disc or thumb drive or memory stick, and taking it to a copy store that makes posters. You can have one made at a price of anywhere between $4 - $35+ depending on what you want the poster copied and mounted on. I suggest that you just copy on the paper they have available for enlarging and then put it in a poster frame that you can get from any craft store or probably even Walmart. Enjoy! Katie G.


If you live in Lehi and happen to be in the Lehi Gateway Stake, I made this bookmark and Poster for you. Actually my ward Relief Society President wanted me to design it so they could display the Stake Goals in the Relief Society Room. It is the theme for the Stake and listed on the front page of the Stake Website. If you take the poster down to a copy place, you can actually enlarge it to be whatever size you wish to display. Enjoy!

Visiting Teaching Monthly Schedule

I drew this monthly schedule up for those of you who would like to be able to remember who gave the message or handout or treat or whatever the month prior, or so that the distribution of equal partnership responsibility is accomplished. One reader brought to my attention that one month of the year was left off the schedule, so I went back and added it, so this one is complete. (as well as the typo)

Some fun Easter recipes & ideas

I was on the internet looking, NO, searching for some cute ideas to do for my family this Easter. Of course all of these types of things are also applicable for you too, because it doesn't take much to make a couple extra goodies and take them with you when you go do your Visiting Teaching. Right? Anyway, I found a new blog called Olivia Wagner food spot located at http://oliviawagnerfoodspot.blogspot.com/ and I emailed Olivia to see if I could use a couple of her wonderful photos of Easter treats and direct my readers to her blogspot. She graciously gave her permission and she said that the photos were hers but the ideas came from other sources. Well since I don't know where those other sources are, I am just going to tell you to go to her blog to get the recipes. The top photo is Cotton Tail Cookies, and they look so darling that I could imagine anyone would love them! The photo below is of Jelly Bean Nests, however I think I would not add Jelly Beans but Cadburry mini eggs, like is pictured. Such cute ideas for Easter!!! Thanks Olivia!

Even More April ideas for you....

Just so you know when I post, the most current post is on the top, but I have alot more April ideas and posts below, so don't forget to scroll down to get all the great April ideas.My husband just loves for easter to come around because he has a favorite Easter candy. HE LOVES PEEPS! Well in honor of my husband, I have found some great ideas for you to do with peeps for your Visiting teahing ladies as well as whomever you would like. I am going to do one of the Peeps ideas for my Sons & Daughters and son in laws & daughters in law. Keep reading...

My husband isn't the only one who likes peeps. I think is must be one of those strong genetic things because his sisters love them too. The other day when we were visiting with his sisters, one of them told my husband of what they do with Peeps every easter that makes them even tastier than just eating them plain. They take a bamboo shisk a bob stick and poke them into the peeps, turn on the burner on the stove and proceed to roast them. They eat them just like that, but I was thinking a step beyond would be to make Peep smores from the roasted peeps and squish them between two half graham crackers and add some chocolate bar squares and wrap in tinfoil until it is all melty and gooey. Then devour them!!!!

You know me, and I thought about how I love to melt M & M's in the microwave and eat them. Well how about substituting some melted Easter colored M & M's or Chocolate eggs of any variety, but the ones that are candy coated would be the best because they would contribute an added crunch to the mix. Anyway, now that my mouth is watering, just sprinkle some of those melted chocolate candies on top of the roasted Peeps inside half of the graham cracker, and add the other half and squish down a bit. Now that is what I call a Sweet -Peepy- Chocolatey -Crispy- Graham Crackery Easter Sandwich that you will most likely want S'more of!!!!! Yes punn intended.


I found a great idea for Bottling Purple Bunnies at http://creativeholidaygiftideas.blogspot.com/2008/03/easter-bunny-smores.html This is the one that I think I will be doing for my kids! Very Cute! This one would be a great one to do for the sisters that I Visit Teach as well, but there are so many cute ideas, I just don't know how I will pick.

Now if this isn't enough go to http://www.cakespy.com/2008/03/hoppy-easter-cakespys-suggestions-for.html for some other really great ideas to use your Peeps and Easter candy for your Easter Sunday Sugar High.

Just in case you want to emulate Martha Stewart,
she has the recipe to make home made peeps for those of you who don't get enough of them at Easter time. Go to http://www.marthastewart.com/article/homemade-easter-treats?lnc=6384d918a92ee010VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&rsc=top7pop_entertaining_showers_3 Wouldn't you just know that Martha also has a whole workshop at her site that shows you exactly the steps to follow? Go to http://www.marthastewart.com/portal/site/mslo/menuitem.79fd7096c5c97ad593598e10d373a0a0/?vgnextoid=94afe14f8426f110VgnVCM1000003d370a0aRCRD&vgnextfmt=default&rsc=related
and get ready to make your own home made peeps.


One last note about Peeps, and then I will stop Peeping... Another very cute idea for your sisters you visit teach, you could make up a Hot Chocolate bag with peeps to melt in it. The picture shows of how it would look made, and it is so cute with a little peep floating around in it. You could do just about the same basic thing as the idea above with the Bunny peeps smores in the jar, but Use hot chocolate mix poured into a plastic bag in the center of the Jar with Peeps all around the sides of the Jar looking outward. Once again, use a cute spring napkin or a springy piece of cloth for the jar lid. If you want the lid poufy, then add a small amount of cotton batting directly under the fabric and above the sealing lid, then screw on the cap. It is very cute, in fact all the peeps ideas are so cute. You could even do like the picture and get an inexpensive cup and saucer, and set a peep inside and even sprinkle the amount of chocolate that you think it will need, and all the recipient will have to do is add some hot water. Cute, Cute! AND that is all I will write on Peeps!

READER PEEP IDEAS (Feel free to comment with your other peep ideas!
I just received a cute comment from a reader of this blog (AMY G)who shared yet another "Peep" idea. She made up this fun idea as a fun one to do with your family as well as for those she visit teaches. Thanks for the idea Amy G.!!!! (You can see her actual comment below by clicking on "Comments")

"I just discovered your blog and I thought I'd share a peep idea I did a few years ago for the people I visit teach and my family. I took a posterboard and pastel gingham print scrapbook paper and I made giant checkerboards. I cut the paper into squares - I think I made them 1 1/2". You'd have to see how big your posterboard is. Anyways I laminated the boards. I included 2 big boxes of peeps in two different colors - so that they would have more than 12 peeops in each color. It was a peep checker game. Now, each Easter I buy my boys fresh peeps - they love to play - to king the peep we have small pipe cleaner crowns and one year my boys would just smush the peep - they knew smushed peeps were the kinged ones. My local 99 cent store has the big boxes so it's an economical gift too!" AMY G

Katie G Comments... I thought of another way of "Kinging" your peeps. You could king them with a jelly bean, Robin eggs, or other easter candy, and poke it right down into the head of the peep so it sticks. Also, I searched the internet and found a site that had a woven checker board template with insturctions. It was on the Nestle site, and they used their wrapped chocolate candies. To see the template.... go to http://www.verybestkids.com/Categories/TeachersCorner/Math/Article.aspx?articleID=13B157A1-13A9-455A-9866-E4E91BEC141C or http://www.verybestkids.com/Nirf/cm2/upload/BA5B0D65-5DDC-4784-974D-4C25CCC3BFCB/07.03_edible-checkers_tp.gif
I thought about another way to use peeps, as when I do my missionary work at the LDS Addiction Recovery meetings, sometimes the new participants don't realize that they can't have their little children in the meetings with them, so at times, I have taken those children into another room and colored, played games, and did fun things to entertain them while their parents are in the meetings. One game I have played that is loved by all the children is to play tic tac toe using candy or stickers instead of writing an "X" or an "O" with a pencil. So.... for Easter, you could use peeps or jelly beans, or any other kind of Easter Candy, and once the winner gets three in a row, they get to keep all of the candy pieces on the tic tac toe board.