Trunk-a-Treat

It was a total HIT! Great games, awesome costumes, lots of candy, great food!! We had a magician who made awesome balloons!! (Thanks Deven) Spooky hunted house...which by the way I screamed when someone grabbed my leg....I bet we all can't wait til' next year's!

Women's Fireside

Sisters!!

Women's Fireside will be on Oct. 22nd from 6:30-8pm

Monroe Stake Center

For all women from ages 18 and over in our Stake.

This is an opportunity for us to meet Sister Silvia H. Allred 1st Counselor from the General  Relief Society Presidency

See you there ;)

2011 Visiting Teaching Luncheon

Here are some pictures of our Visiting Teaching Luncheon. It was a total success!! Thanks to all that were able to attend!

There's "Muffin" like a Visiting Teacher!

Sisters, I just couldnt wait til Sunday to share my good news so I'm going to do it here.....My husband finally has short hair again!

 

Every house has food in the pantry that has been there for weeks if not months, but according to food experts, you may want to think twice before throwing those items out. Many common food products last far longer than you might think.

"We throw out tons of food each year in this country because people don't understand how long they can keep things," said Jo-Ann Heslin, a certified nutritionist and author of The Complete Food Counter.

As Heslin and other nutritionists explain, consumers generally assume that foods should not be eaten after the use-by date on the package, but in reality, this date simply indicates the period of time when the food tastes best, not the date when it will suddenly make you sick.

It's true that fresh foods like fruits and vegetables should not be consumed much after the use-by date has passed, as these products generally spoil quickly (unless frozen), but for countless packaged products, the consumption window can last for years.

"For connoisseurs who have a real taste for a certain food, it's probably a good idea to use it by the best by date, but nothing bad will happen to you if you don't," said Keri Gans, a registered dietician and author of The Small Change Diet.

The general recipe for longevity, according to these experts, is for the food to be low in liquids, sugar and oil, all of which have the potential to mold and spoil the food, or to have "lots and lots" of preservatives, which keep the food fresh longer.

So if you're looking for groceries to buy in bulk and store in your pantry, these products are your best bet.

Canned Beans and Vegetables

Canned food, by definition, lasts longer than most products in the grocery store because it has been specially processed in air-tight cans. In general, canned items can stay good for 12-18 months, according to Gans, but some last even longer. Canned products like beans and vegetables, which are low in acid, can actually last for as long as two to five years. The only exception is if the can is dented or rusty, as that indicates the can has been punctured at some point, which speeds up the spoilage process.

Spices

You may want to think twice before replacing the containers in your spice rack. In general, most common spices like salt, pepper and oregano don't actually expire in the traditional sense, they just become less and less flavorful.

"Salt occurs naturally in nature, it has no expiration date," Heslin said. "There is no difference in 10-year-old salt at all, as long as it hasn't been exposed to moisture."

But over time, the potency and taste of the spice begins to decline, which is why Gans recommends using these spices within two to four years to be safe. Keep in mind too by that point, you'll probably have to use more of each spice in order to compensate for the loss in flavor.

Cereal and Crackers

You might as well start stocking up on crackers and cereal for the winter. According to Heslin, these products are essentially just "edible cardboard" that don't have enough moisture to grow bacteria or mold, so they can last for a very long time. Cereals like Cheerios and Puff Wheat, which have little to no sugar, can last for 18-24 months if unopened, while crackers like saltines can generally last for about two years.

"The safety and nutrient quality of these products doesn't change, but the taste and texture might deteriorate somewhat," Heslin said.

In other words, your body will be fine eating these things after more than a year, but you may find them a bit too stale to make it worthwhile.

Dried Pasta and White Rice

Just as with cereal and crackers, dried pasta and white rice do not contain enough moisture to spoil, and can therefore last for at least two years unopened. Consumers should be mindful though of what kind of pasta and rice they intend to store, though. Brown rice and whole wheat pasta may seem the same, but in reality each of these products contains more oil than their traditional counterparts, and can therefore go rancid much quicker.

Popcorn

Unmade popcorn kernels can last for up to two years, according to Gans, once again because they lack the oils and moisture that would lead to spoilage.

Condiments

All those condiments you have left over from July Fourth festivities may just barely survive until Independence Day weekend next year. Ketchup, mustard, horseradish and salad dressings generally contain no ingredients that can go bad, and according to Gans, they will last for a solid 12 months unopened before they completely lose their taste.

Coca Cola

Old fashioned Coca-Cola is the ultimate bomb shelter beverage. If left unopened, Heslin says a can of coke will take "an extraordinarily long time" to expire. Diet sodas, on the other hand, expire much more quickly because they contain artificial sweeteners that degrade with heat and time.

Honey

Honey can take years to expire, but according to Gans, one can conservatively hold onto it for about a year before its consistency begins to change, hardening and losing its sweet taste. Interestingly, Gans says that honey stays good for 12 months whether it's opened or unopened, making it one of the only foods where that is the case.

Twinkies

Despite all the claims in pop culture to the contrary, Twinkies don't actually last forever. In fact, you'd be lucky to have a Twinkie that is still edible after a few months

*Thanks Sister Johnston for this info!

 

Birthday PaRtY Suprise for Pres. Grayson!

Come and celebrate a surprise 60th birthday "food and fellowship" celebration

for Pres Grayson, this Friday July 8th at our home, 121 Danna Dr. Come between 6:30-7pm.

It does not matter where you park, when he gets home, he will know anyway!

                                                          Sister G

PS -gifts not necessary!

How to Make Simple and Cheap Detergents

Sisters we learned something similar to this a little while ago in a SRS meeting last year. Sister Johnston foward this great email and I thought it would be awesome to post .

Ever wonder why there are so many dish soap commercials? Maybe the companies who make this stuff are trying to hide the fact it's really simple -- and cheap -- to make your own.

According to the latest government data, Americans spend an average of $659 a year on housekeeping supplies. The Bureau of Labor Statistics, which provides that figure, also says the average American earns about $787/week -- which means many people are spending most of (if not more than) a week's pay every year on dish soap, laundry detergent, and other cleaning products.
If that sounds crazy, here's a better idea: Make your own.

Recipes for cleaning products are as numerous as recipes for dinner. Here are just a few to help with dishes, clothes and more.

Dishwasher Detergent
Here's a simple recipe for dishwasher soap:
• 1 cup of borax
• 1 cup of baking soda
• ¼ cup of table salt
• 2 packets (half an ounce) of unsweetened lemon Kool-Aid
You can try to save even more by buying ingredients in bulk, but another idea is to find smaller and much cheaper boxes at your local dollar store: a good idea to since you'll want to try a small amount at first to see if you like the results. The amounts listed above are good for 16 loads -- one tablespoon each -- so even small batches will last a while.
Other recipes online vary: For example, we found one that suggested combining only borax and baking soda, 1 tablespoon each per load. Another suggested adding a little citrus essential oil to make it smell nice: We didn't try that one, however, because we had difficulty finding inexpensive citrus oil online. Then there's this recipe, which goes in a different direction altogether:

• 2 bars of shredded Octagon soap
• 1 cup of baking soda
• ¼ cup of washing soda
• ¼ cup of lemon juice
This one calls for melting the shredded soap in five quarts of water and then mixing in the other ingredients. If that sounds a little like the recipe for laundry detergent we wrote about last year, that's because it is.

Laundry Detergent
Speaking of laundry detergent, that's easy, too. You'll need:

• 4 cups of water
• ⅓ bar of cheap soap, grated
• ½ cup washing soda (not baking soda)
• ½ cup of Borax (20 Mule Team)
• 5-gallon bucket for mixing
• 3 gallons of water
First, mix the grated soap in a saucepan with 4 cups of water, and heat on low until the soap is completely dissolved. Add hot water/soap mixture to 3 gallons of water in the 5-gallon bucket, stir in the washing soda and Borax, and continue stirring until thickened. Let the mix sit for 24 hours, and voila! Homemade laundry detergent.
Other Cleaning Products
If you like the results of your homemade concoctions on clothes and dishes, why stop there? The next time you're at the store, instead of picking up a bottle of some expensive cleanser, grab these six items and make your own cleaning supplies:
• Vinegar. It may smell a little weird, but vinegar can handle everything from dishes to laundry and even weeds. We've written about the wonders of vinegar before.
• Baking soda. Eliminates odors and helps with stains, and also works as a natural method of pest control -- ants hate it.
• Borax. This mineral salt beats bleach as a toilet cleaner and is also useful for scrubbing walls. And as you see in the recipes above, works with laundry, too.
• Fels-Naptha soap. This one's actually made by one of those big cleaning companies: Dial. They recommend it for "pre-treating" stains. In other words, "use this in addition to a bunch of our other expensive products, like Purex!" But you can turn the tables by using it as part of a recipe for your own laundry detergent, and they can keep the Purex.
• Rubbing alcohol. Works as a disinfectant and is also a great glass cleaner. It also gets grime off plastic and metal surfaces like patio furniture or bathroom fixtures.
• Lemon juice. This cuts through dish grease and is an ingredient for homemade furniture polish -- but it's not the easiest thing to preserve long-term.
If making your own cleaning products sounds a little extreme, there are still simple ways to save. The best? Buying generics. And if you insist on using name brands, at least clip those coupons -- but only the ones worth your time.

Playgroup

We have a play group for the summer! Every TUESDAY at 10am

This week, Sister Clawson will be hosting it at her home. If you need her address I will be happy to send it to you.

Bring your kids/grankids to come and play. This way they can run around and interact with other kids during summer.

If you want to host a play date this summer please contact me and let me know. It'll be way fun!! We can get creative if you want. But its not necessary. As long as you wish to open your home and let kids play and have a good time.

Some ideas:

* Play with water sprinkles
*Go and meet at a park
*Water balloons
*popping bubbles
*crafts
*make cookies
*playdough
*play soccer
*bring your own kite and fly it
*zoo
*black bayou
*allow them to play at your house and play with toys
*bike/skate day

*picnic

*ECT.....

 

Hope to see you there ;)

 

Helen had her baby and.....

IT'S A BOY

Welcome baby Cyrus Shumway Tuft to the world!  June 16, 2011

As you can see, one of our amazing sister, Helen Tuft, had her baby #3!!! I heard he was almost 10 pounds! Way to go Helen!! We're so glad everything went well. Baby and mama are doing great!

CONGRATS Tuft and Abell family for your new arrival!

We have an amazing group of awesome sisters in our ward! I love you all!! And we are so happy to see it grow with more amazing families moving in!!

 Relief Society is awesome!

SRS Meeting-Gardening

For our SRS meeting, Brother Carter taught us some really good things about gardening. They have the most beautiful garden I've ever seen. We had a very good meeting, a lot of sisters showed up. Thanks for your support sisters and Thanks Sister Carter and Brother Carter for letting us come to your home and teach us some very good tips about gardening.
 By the way, I do need to say that Brother Carter knows how to make some really good SALSA! Fresh from their garden.....yyuuummmyyy!!