It's Seminary time! and I am starting my second semsester of teaching high school students The Old Testament in the early morning (5:45-6:30 Monday through Friday.) Wha Who any one else super excited for this time like I am? really no one, well Maybe i'm a nerd that really likes early mornings and  haven't grown up yet! 

I Thought I would post these two subway art prints to my blog, I wish I could take the credit for designing them but I can't and the worse part is I seriously have no idea where I got them, a google search of two OT verses from Proverbs and there you go, so Thank you fellow Christian friend for making these! 

So after the short - I mean a wonderful summer full of sun shine, life got better, yes with the positive thinking and with some family therapy life is going better. This summer we moved into our 2nd home, (sold our first house.) We have fallen in love with the location and the neighborhood, Our Church is only a 10 min. drive instead of a 45 minute drive (thank heaven!) DH is adjusting quite well at his new job.

So life is Good once again. I was just thinking to day that I think I understand why we have to go through some trials, it's so we know exactly how to help some one else when they are going through something you have already have experienced and to show love and patience to them. I truly believe that is the only reason why we have to have trials, and that is one of the reason's why when you look back on a trial time in your life you would never want to not go through it, it makes you stronger and refine's you to who Heavenly Father wants you to be. Ins't that a perfect plan that Heavenly Father has for us?

I truly believe that when you are in the rut of everyday life scripture study is so important, I always thought that reading the scripture, feasting on the scriptures as Nephi said was something that I would do when I didn't have little ones. I was wrong. in the midst of trying to reevaluate who I am and who I want to become (moving and redefining my self were the big reasons for self contemplation) I realized that Praying to know who the lord wanted me to be was in my best interest but also for my family's best interest (as I didn't want to relive the last part of my life.) I was awestruck, extremely happy and overwhelmed when I was called to be a co-teacher for early morning seminary for the Ankeny wards. I knew that what I had to go through was for my benefit, so I could be refined into what the lord wants me to become. I will say this about scripture study: first it's not always fun, and it's not always practical, but it's worth it. I read that to really get into the scriptures and to feel the effects of scripture study, to really have the spirit testify of truths of the gospel you should read for 45 minutes a day (sounds a lot like what Dr's tell you to do when your trying to live a healthy lifestyle  to work out 45 minutes a day doesn't it?) However 45 mins a day (I think of it as my time to reevaluate my self, my situations, and reading from the prophets, help me have a bigger and broader perspective than my own. and I love it! I also want to add, that the more I make this into a habit I understand just how simple the gospel, the commandments are and how pure the words truly are!

My 52 item list for food storage

My 52 item list for food storage

You know that I love getting a good deal and then stocking up on it when it is a good deal, with not too many strings attached, like using coupons and store coupons and then going to Ibotta to get an even better price. No, I like the rock bottom deals that happen once a year. The list I made up has the timing when grocery go on sale at the lowest price so you can stockpile

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Here are 52 items that you can buy that isn't that expensive to help with your food storage.  the idea is that each week of the year you get what you think you need for the year, or 3 or 6 months depending on your situation (aka space you have to store.)

For example, I know my family likes spaghetti a lot, I go all out when this is my price point. I will buy at least 52 cans of spaghetti sauce when it's at my price point. the same thing with all the other food, so at any given week you will buy 52 of one thing, that could potentially last you for the year...

the beauty of this plan is that if there isn't a good sale that week or funds are a bit low the sale will come back around every 2-6 months, so it's a really forgivable plan.

These sales are taken from Hy-Vee's sales cycle, but other Grocery stores are on the same general cycle. It's also important to note that I wrote this list knowing that these items are on sale sometime during that month so it is very possible that the item doesn't go on sale the week I say it is, but be on the lookout for that item to be on sale during that month or a couple weeks after.

January January- February is frozen food months look out for good deals. 

week 1 Oat Meal

week 2 granola bars, nutrigrain bars, healthy high protein/fiber bars

Week 3  vitamins (shelf life isn't that long, so restock again in summer) and protein powder, healthy food items

Week 4: Sea Food- frozen, fresh, or canned. its a great time to buy and stock up!

week 5: frozen bread- garlic, warm and ready, frozen noddles.

February: National canned food month

Week 1 Syrup, Honey, pancake mix

Week2 Canned fruit, (I like to buy oranges and peaches, every three months)

Week 3 canned Beans, tomato sauce

Week 4 Frozen Vegetables and  Frozen Pizza's and dinners, be careful to only buy what you have room for.

March

Week juice, apple, lemon, and other juices you drink and cook with.

week 2  Butter

week 3 Strawberries, frozen fruit

week 4 Chicken- whole ones that you can roast and shred and then freeze the meat.

April

Week 1 Ham, (also on sale in November)

Week 2 Spaghetti sauce (march is also a good time to get this deal)

Week 3 Butter (on sale during Easter, best price of the year, I like to freeze it!)

Week 4 Baking supplies, cake, brownie, mixes, Marshmallows, chocolate chips and stock up on flour and sugar, the next good deals won't be until November.

week 5  sports drinks, bottle water, flavored water

May

Week 1 BBQ sauce, Salad dressing and marinades, and salt

Week 2 Hot dogs, brats and other grilling meats

Week 3 Sunscreen, and bug spray

Week 4 fresh berries, and vegetables

June National Dairy month   

Week 1 Dairy - think of freezing yogurt, ice cream, heavy whipping

Week 2 Mason Jars (also on sale in August, but I find them best deals in June)

Week 3 Paper goods, toilet paper. napkins, paper towels

Week 4 Paper goods, plastic ware, paper plates,

July

week 1 Pop sickles

week 2 back to school supplies, pencils, pens, binders, crayons, markers, notebooks (it's a great week to do some shopping (after July 4th))

Week 3 office supplies

Week 4 fresh produce to freeze and can (I like to get tomatoes and make bruschetta)

week 5 baked beans, and other picnic sides (pickles, olives,  suddenly salads)

August ( not a great month for deals on food, I save some  of this month's budget for November)

Week 1 pudding cups

week 2 Cereal (Chex and other cereal are on sale in November)

Week 3 Facial Tissues

week 4 and disinfectant wipes

Week 5  fresh peaches freeze them or can them!

September (also a slow month for deals, I save some money for November and December)

week 1 Apples

week 2 diabetic supplies(only if needed)

week 3 back to school snacks and cereal

week 4 chia seeds

October

Week 1 canned Pumpkin

Week 2 alarm clocks, batteries, smoke detectors

week 3 nuts

week 4 canned soup

Week 5 Tooth past, and oral care

November

week 1 evaporated milk, sweetened condensed milk

week 2 canned vegetables and broth

week 3 Turkey and Ham

week4: Noodles -all kinds, this items goes on sale throughout the year, my price point is $1.00

week 5 flour, sugar, baking supplies

December

week  1 potatoes, like instant potatoes, betty Crocker  boxed potatoes, canned sweet potatoes

week 2 crakers, dips, seasoning mixes for dip

week 3 pie crusts, jello

week 4  canned vegetables and fruit

week 5 spices

 ok, maybe there is a bit more than 52 items for food storage but this really works for me, and it's an easy no brainier way to get a good stock pile. 

I hope this helps!

My ten minute food challenge or food cravings

I am finding myself to not have much will power lately when it has come down to food aka chocolate, so I reread a book: Help me Stop Eating ________! By Paul Wayne Browman. I enjoyed the book for a quick jump start on why I eat and crave certain things. I like to keep it simple, and he explained in a simple yet to the point way, of why I (Americans) eat a lot of junk.  I recommend reading it, but here is a tidbit that I plan on implementing into my life. It's called  My Ten Minute Food Challenge, it's only for ten minutes, and I think almost any one can do this, at home or at work.

My ten minute food challenge

When I crave food when I am not hungry I will do this:

Stop!

Take a couple deep breaths

Ask Why I want this food, or what is stressing me out?

Do a five minute exercise- Hy-Vee Kid fit video, or stretches, yoga poses (youtube)

If I am hungry after exercising then eat a fruit, or a cheese stick with a glass of water

Then decide if I want that food, and enjoy it without feeling guilty.

Other good activities to get your mind off of food are:

Calling a friend and talk

Coloring, blowing bubbles, playing with modeling clay aka playdoh or model magic,  (all kid activities)

Diffuse essential oils, grapefruit, elevation,  or any other favorite ones.

Wish me luck!