Part 3: Building "A House of Order"-- Easy Freezer Meal!

The last part of our wonderful RS activity involved making an easy freezer meal. The idea behind our entire meeting was to get our homes in order so that we can then serve others. Sisters were encouraged to share the freezer meal with someone they felt could really use it at this time--even if it meant their own family (self-care is also a huge aspect of then being able to fully serve others!).

Below you will find the original recipe Margie used for our activity. However, to make things even simpler for our meeting, we made regular lasagna instead of the lasagna rolls. No-boil lasagna noodles were used, and the dish was layered as follows:

sauce
3 noodles (not touching)
sauce
ricotta mixture
3 noodles
sauce
ricotta mixture
3 noodles
sauce
ricotta mixture
sauce
mozzarella cheese on top (can also be sprinkled on each layer throughout)

As long as the no-boil noodles are layered with the sauce or ricotta mixture and are not touching one another, they will cook just fine! An easy way to make and share a meal like this without worrying about your own dishes is to use a disposable aluminum foil pan covered with foil. Hope you enjoyed the meal and/or sharing it!

Spinach Lasagna Rolls

9 lasagna noodles, cooked
10 oz frozen chopped spinach, thawed and completely drained
15 oz fat free ricotta cheese
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1 egg
salt and fresh pepper
32 oz jar of spaghetti sauce
9 tbsp (about 3 oz) part skim mozzarella cheese, shredded

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine spinach, ricotta, Parmesan, egg, salt and pepper in a medium bowl. Ladle about 1 cup sauce on the bottom of a 9 x 12 baking dish.

Place a piece of wax paper on the counter and lay out lasagna noodles. Make sure noodles are dry. Take 1/3 cup of ricotta mixture and spread evenly over noodle. Roll carefully and place seam side down onto the baking dish. Repeat with remaining noodles.

Ladle sauce over the noodles in the baking dish and top each one with 1 tbsp mozzarella cheese. Put foil over baking dish and bake for 40 minutes, or until cheese melts. Makes 9 rolls.

To serve, ladle a little sauce on the plate and top with lasagna roll.

Here are pictures from the night's activity!

Part 2-Budgeting: Building "A House of Order"-- Recap of our February Quarterly RS Activity!

The second part of our activity focused on budgeting and getting our finances in order as a way to have more peace in our lives and have the ability to give and share with others. As mentioned during the lesson, we are all at different places financially--and that is okay.

The scriptures and general authorities teach that we should get out of debt as soon as possible and avoid debt at all costs. Debt is something that binds us down and literally makes us "servants to the lender." As we strive to live within our means, have a plan, make sacrifices, and work diligently, we can become free from the chains of debt and experience peace from knowing that we are doing what Heavenly Father would have us do. We can have peace of mind and spirit and eliminate stress and worry from our lives as we have our finances in order and are able to take care of our family's temporal needs. We can then share and give to others more abundantly when we do not owe the bank, Visa, or Sallie Mae! ;)

As discussed in our lesson, every specific aspect one program or way of managing finances will not necessarily apply to every person or family--everyone is different. Take bits and pieces of what works for you. Some people are more disciplined and are able to use credit cards as a way to build points--and then pay them off completely each month by using money in their account and therefore not accruing debt. For others, that may not be the best option, and using cash (and debit cards) feels like the best way. Another way to manage over spending is to use the cash envelope system for categories such as entertainment, food, clothing, and gas.

Most importantly, we have been instructed by our Heavenly Father to live within our means and get our finances in order. It may feel overwhelming, stressful, and hopeless at times. But it is possible! Trust in the help that will come as we trust in Heavenly Father and seek His help.

Here are some ideas that were shared at our meeting. And as mentioned that night, much of the information was taken from Dave Ramsey, and you do not have to agree or follow everything he says. Read, learn more, give it a try, and figure out if it works for you.

For more information, check out Dave Ramsey online.

Here is one of the books mentioned as well: The Total Money Makeover

Tips and Ideas that will lead to Financial Peace---

all taken from Dave Ramsey’s Financial Peace University program.

~Put God first--everything we have comes from Him! Tithing always comes first. Pray for help!

~Budget--- Have a plan! (Give-Save-Spend)

            -Make a new budget each month, as some expenses vary month to month.

            -Spend all $ on paper before the month begins—know where your money is going!

            -Use cash/envelope system for certain categories such as food, clothing, and entertainment.

~Avoid using credit cards—use cash or debit cards instead!

~Have an emergency fund so that you do not have to rely on credit or borrowing from family/friends during unexpected emergencies.

~Save ahead of time (a little bit month to month) for upcoming expenses or items you would like to purchase—that way you can pay in cash and it doesn’t rock the budget.

~Get out of debt ASAP using the debt snowball—make sacrifices where necessary.

~ “If you will live like no one else, later you can live like no one else.”

~Get our lives and finances in order so that we can experience peace and then be able to live and give like never before. Once we help ourselves in this way we are free to reach out and help others.

Step 1: $1,000 emergency fund ($500 with an income of $20,000 or less). This fund is for EMERGENCIES ONLY. This is the foundation so that when emergencies arise, credit cards won't have to be the go-to! This is the beginning of peace of mind, knowing that there is money in the bank in the chance of an unexpected expense.

Step 2: Pay off Debt using the Debt Snowball! List all debts in order from lowest balance to highest (excluding house mortgage). Pay only the minimum payment due on all debts except for the lowest balance. Pay as much as possible per month on the lowest debt until it is paid completely. Then apply what was being paid on the first debt to the next, creating a snowball effect. Continue this pattern as each debt is paid off. 

Step 3: 3-6 month Full Emergency Fund.  Once all debts are paid (aside from mortgage), begin saving 3-6 months worth of household expenses. This is considered a fully funded emergency fun in the event of loss of employment or more expensive emergencies. This is separate from saving for items to be purchased. The goal is to have a full emergency fund at all times. 

Step 4: Investing-- more info here. 

Step 5: Save for Children's College Fund-- more info here. 

Step 6: Pay off House EARLY! pay more and make extra payments in order to pay off home before the original pay off date.

Step 7: GIVE. Once our family finances are fully in order, we will have more opportunities to share and give in more abundance. 

Building "A House of Order"-- Recap of our February Quarterly RS Activity! Part 1

On February 11, we met as Relief Society sisters to learn and discuss ways in which to create a more peaceful, orderly home. Margie gave a wonderful lesson including counsel and guidance from church leaders about how organization, order, routines, provident living, and living within our financial means all work together to create a more spiritual, peaceful home. When we examine these aspects of our lives, we can see how the temporal and spiritual are intertwined and greatly influence the other. As we strive to seek Heavenly Father's help and follow counsel provide by church leaders, we can have homes that serve as our own temple and refuge from the outside world. 

Sisters shared great input and thoughts, including the need to be flexible and embrace the disorder and chaos that is bound to happen while children are young and growing--as this shows the joy and happiness that children bring to our homes and lives! Children can learn from parents what it means to create order in our homes, and there are great teaching moments in daily living that will help prepare children for creating their own house of order some day.

Lastly, we were reminded not to be so hard on ourselves!! We do the best we can do---and that's all we can do! We can be a little better and try a little harder each day. As we trust in Heavenly Father and rely on Him, we will be able to achieve the balance we need to create the type of home we would like to have. As we put our own lives in order, we will then have more opportunities and greater means to reach out, serve, and help those around us. Having a peaceful, Christ-centered home will lead us to want to help others have the same experience!

Here are tips from our very own sisters--ways that can help us have more organized, orderly homes. Thanks for sharing!!

“A House of Order”

Organizational Tips From VF1 Relief Society Sisters

Trudy Cook

Since I first got married, 53 years ago this August, I have made tentative menus, meal planners for a week, month or whatever.  It was usually based on how we were paid.  It was a way of knowing what we were going to eat.  For seven days, I might say:  beef, fish, chicken, pork, no meat, lamb  optional.  I did this because, just starting out, it was overwhelming to figure out what to cook.  Then I'd make a meal plan, and my shopping list was generated by the recipes I would cook.  It took all the craziness out of what  we were going to eat.  It included breakfast, lunch, dinner.  Once you get the hang of it,  it doesn't take long and it saves on trips to the store and makes cooking easier.  It is quite cost effective, as you only buy what you need.  It saves lots of time in and out of the kitchen. I used the word tentative, because I never had to cook a meal.  If I didn't want to cook, I didn't, but I was always prepared.  I think it helped me to learn to like to cook.

Kim Wilson

1. De-clutter -  I've learned that the easiest way to keep a clean house is to get rid of things.  I didn't realize it, but every item I owned took a little bit of my time.  I recently went through a giant purge and got rid of 8 bags of items I never use in my kitchen.  I had so much more space, and I haven't missed any of it in 8 months.  Next, I went through the games.  I noticed after I got rid of half of them, my kids actually played with the games we had a lot more.  I guess having so many stuffed in the closet was overwhelming to them, so the simplicity actually helped them play with them more.  Last, I went through the toys.  I had the kids pick their absolute favorites, then, I got rid of 5 bags of toys.  Once again, my kids started playing with the toys more and didn't miss any of the ones we got rid of.  I was shocked.  After these three things, the time I spent cleaning each week was cut down by half!

 2. Christmas every 3 months - I have another friend who takes out one box of toys at a time, then every 3 months or so, she puts them away and pulls out another box.  It makes it exciting for the kids to get new toys to play with and there is so much less to clean up.

 3. The miracle cure to laundry - Our current apartment is a little small for our family, so out of necessity I had to put the kid’s dressers with their clothes in the basement.  (I thought about doing this in the past, so I'm glad I've finally been able to test it out).  I can't believe how much easier it has made my life.  Their rooms stay clean for one (which is a miracle), their clothes are all right next to the washing machine so it's easy to throw them in, and after they are washed, they sort out their own clothes and put them directly in their drawers.  No transporting, folding, transporting, and then putting away.  I finally feel like laundry isn't taking over my life!

Patty Cabot

In terms of organization tips, I have become a list master to try and tackle those crazy things that seem to linger and never get done. I make a few kinds of lists of things to do, e.g.house projects, travel plans, etc. I have my regular weekly planner. In that I put things that must be done at the start of each week.  Then I take a look at my other lists of things that would be nice to get done someday and see which if any I can fit in during that week. This helps me to prioritize. Even one check, each week, off the lingering list helps

Sheryl  Jackson

- I put socks divided by color or white in a linen/mesh bag that zips shut so I never lose a sock.

- Don't let clean dishes sit in the dishwasher over night.

- Put baking soda in the bottom of the trash can (just a little) and change it about every 3 to 6 months. Pour it down the sink to help with the drain smell

- soak dress shirts in the washer with water and oxi clean powder for 1 to 3 hours before washing to get out sweat stains on neck and sleeve cuffs, then drain and wash as you normally would

- drink a glass of water before you eat a meal

Deb Chiapelli

Attached is a picture of something that has made my life easier this year. It is a file I keep on my kitchen counter to take care of paper clutter/mail. I file it right away so I don't have piles of paper sitting around. Then, I can go back and go through it, when I have time. I think you can see some of my categories. In addition to the ones you can see, I have a folder for Bob, me, and the pets.

Sarah Kinghorn

Here are a couple of things that work for me when I do them. The operative word here is WHEN.

a) Wake up and get ready before the kids are up. The days where I am able to read my scriptures (even for a few minutes), make my bed, get dressed, etc. go a lot smoother than when I don't.

b) Meal planning - I've tried to do monthly, but weekly seems to get done more often. It's nice to know what you're going to be having for dinner before 5 p.m. ;)

Also, in this vein I've started making dishes and freezing half of them for another time. Prep work is done for 2 meals. Yeah baby!

c) Planning at night for the next day. I usually just jot down what I want to accomplish - phone calls, errands, chores, etc.

d) I just started exercising again on November 1st. I've found that my day goes smoother if I go straight to the gym after getting Lucy and Andrew on the bus in the morning.

Owenna Nagy

I can't allow myself to leave the house in the morning until one load of wash is in.  What is most helpful for me is to broadly sketch out the week.  If I know what day I will take care of "X", then I don't have to stress over it today.  Then I simply make a To Do list for the day, in broad order of priority.  The list helps me take advantage of "butterfly moments", which otherwise would flutter by with nothing accomplished.

Donna Kneeland

To keep my cooking to a minimum I ask for restaurant gift cards for birthday, Mother’s Day, Valentine’s Day, Christmas, even resorted to Grandparents Day so the cards keep comin’ in so I can keep eatin’ out.

Chris Terrell

I keep a lot of files for different things and I label the outside so I know what is inside when I pick them up.

Devon Linn

We try to give things away if we haven't used them/worn them in one full year (so I get out all my favorite platters once a year to keep them safe).

Each of the kids has a cute, labeled bin that they put their papers from school in. I sort through them about once a week so that at the end of the year only the "favorites" can be kept and put in their school memory books.

I make the kids update their own school memory books for each year on the last day of school. (Not homemade book, store-bought ones that ask questions and have spots for pictures and things).

Label-maker, label-maker, label-maker! It is definitely one of my favorite possessions, and labels on things help tons once everyone in your house can read them because who doesn't like to put things in the place with the label?

Liz Latey

Have separate tote bags packed the night before for your next day's activities. (Bag for gym, bag for kids during doctor appointment, bag for library trip, bag for kids’ sport activity etc). Line up the bags in one central location, so you can grab and go when things are hectic. This helps you mentally go through what you need the next day, as well as gives you time to prevent last minute "emergencies" like an unwashed uniform b/c you've prepared ahead of time.

Crockpots are your best friend, when you've got a busy day--saves you time & money ... and helps your family eat healthier than fast food on the run!

Katie Price

Always do the dishes before bed.

I always grocery shop on Mondays and make it last the week, writing a complete grocery list before I go.

I make our lunches the night before.

Jill Fulop

I have all the kids’ lunches, outfits, outerwear, shoes, backpacks, hairbrushes, squirt bottles, aquaphor for chapped lips, tooth brushes and paste ready at night, so when I wake up in the morning, all I have to do is pop a few fridge items (already prepped), in their bags and make sure they get dressed at the right time (gather up outfit, shoes and outerwear from their individual pile). Usually, I have quite a leisurely morning with no stress. They eat, brush teeth, get dressed, grab backpacks and are out the door.

Ellen King

The thing that's currently helping me the most is having groceries delivered. We use the app Peapod, (which orders from Giant), to build our grocery list. Then we schedule delivery, in a range of hours on a certain day. We have until midnight the day before to add to the list. They app remembers each order and can build a list for us. You can sort by "aisle", lowest price, price per unit or by ingredient like gluten-free. Wade loves this because he can get what he wants when he needs it instead of waiting for me to get to the store. There is a small delivery fee (free for the first 90 days) and we include a driver tip with the order. It's so convenient.

Vermena Lee

Each day I have an assigned chore, i.e. M/W/F laundry, Tue grocery shopping, Thu clean master bath, F wash kitchen floor

2013 I printed out a 12 month calendar and wrote down dinner menus (I go shopping by my menu) and this year I’m using it. So I have a year’s worth of dinners.

Margie Clark

A wise woman once told me, “Never pick up something twice.  When you pick something up, put it where it belongs”.

Laundry – Fold each load as it comes out of the dryer.  Then, the clothes don’t pile up to an overwhelming mound.

~~Stay tuned for following posts including the Budgeting Info and Freezer Meal recipe used during our activity!~~

Upcoming Quarterly Relief Society Meeting~"A House of Order"

Please join us for the first 

Quarterly Relief Society Meeting of 2014!

We will focus on ways to create "a house of order" through simple meals, 

budgeting, and organization. As we strive to put our own lives and homes 

in order we will have a greater ability to serve and help those around us. 

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

7:00pm

Hope you can make it!

Sales by the Month

Hi Everyone,
We all know that there are certain sales that take place at certain times of the year - flour, sugar, baking stuff all goes on sale beginning in November to get ready for the holidays, etc. I came across a month-by-month list of sales that I thought I'd share to help us all save some money. 
Marie Tiller

Monthly Sales

January

• Holiday decor and wrapping paper
• Linens (Invented by a Philly department store in 1878, "white sales" are now practically law.)
• Toys
• Treadmills and ellipticals (Stores are trying to push these out the door before your resolutions tank!)
• Vacation packages

February

• Furniture (The lowest prices hit around Presidents' Day, in order to move merch at a traditionally sluggish time.)
• Homes and condos
• Lobsters and steaks (Grocery stores stock up for February 14 and discount immediately after.)

March

• Chocolate (Yes, it's from Valentine's Day--but really cheap!)
• Luggage (Retailers cut prices to boost sales in a month when people aren't traveling much.)
• Outdoor gear and winter clothing

April

• Cookware (Welcome to the start of graduation and wedding season...)
• Home-improvement supplies
• Tires and auto parts (For National Car Care Month--who knew?!)

May

• Air conditioners (Buy now, not in July.)
• Camping and outdoor gear
• Summer clothes (Memorial Day sales!)
• Mattresses (Stores are making way for the new models.)
• Gym memberships (Because who wants to work out inside when it's beautiful out?)

June

• Caribbean cruises
• Lingerie (Retailers like Macy's, barenecessities.com, and Victoria's Secret turn over inventory this month.)
• Laptops
• Tools and hardware (Happy Father's Day!)

July

• Sandals and swimsuits
• Furniture (New styles introduced at April's big trade show are finally hitting the market, so last year's models are super-discounted.)
• Picnic supplies (Fourth of July + nearing end of summer season = sales bonanza.)

August

• Outdoor grills (Great selection, good prices.)
• Kid clothing and school supplies (It's the annual back-to-school price war that you know so well.)

September

• iPhones and iPods (New models usually debut now, so old ones are cheap.)
• 2013 cars (When 2014's start hitting the lot, dealers have to empty out some parking spaces.)
• Airfare (Vacay's over, sadly.)
• Bikes
• Summer apparel

October

• Grills (Meh selection, awesome prices.)
• Patio furniture
• Winter coats (Yes, they'll go cheap again in March, but these sales offer the best choices.)

November

• Gadgets, electronics, and small household appliances (What with Black Friday and Cyber Monday, this is your sweet spot.)
• Winter clothing (Everyday retailers like Target and Kohl's focus on Black Friday, luxury stores like Nordstrom and Coach on Cyber Monday's online savings.)

December

• Toys (It's all about the second and third weeks this month.)
• Large appliances
• Gift cards (Okay, it's not a sale sale--these good-as-cash cards never have those--but manufacturers offer bundled deals like "Buy $50, get $10 free" to goose holiday shopping.)

Lesson: Temporal salvation for ourselves and others

George Albert Smith, Chapter 20,
Temporal salvation for ourselves and others

George Albert Smith became President of the Church as World War II was ending. The war had left many nations devastated, and thousands of people were without food and other necessities. In a general conference address, President Smith described their plight and urged the Saints to help relieve their suffering:

“They are all [God’s] children. They need us; they need not only our moral support and our religious teaching, but they need food and clothing and bedding and help of all kinds because, in many cases, they haven’t anything left. If you could see some of the letters that come into our office from some of the poor people over there, it would wring your hearts. People who have been taken away from their homes with the idea that they were going to be allowed to settle elsewhere, and all of a sudden deserted, and then when they returned to their homes, found them pillaged and robbed of what they had—everything—and left helpless, with no place to go.”

Because the Church had been in the practice of storing food for many years, it was prepared to help in these circumstances. Efforts to provide such help began near the end of 1945, when President Smith went to Washington, D.C., to make arrangements with the president of the United States, Harry S Truman, to send food and clothing to Europe. During their meeting President Truman said, “We will be glad to help you in any way we can. … How long will it take you to get this ready?”

President Smith surprised him by replying: 

“It’s all ready. … We [have been] building elevators and filling them with grain, and increasing our flocks and our herds, and now what we need is the cars and the ships in order to send considerable food, clothing and bedding to the people of Europe who are in distress. We have an organization in the Church [the Relief Society] that has over two thousand homemade quilts ready.”

President Smith reported to the Saints that as a result of these shipments, “many people received warm clothing and bedding and food without any delay. Just as fast as we could get cars and ships, we had what was necessary to send to Europe.”

 

^{Main topics}

If we are wise with our means, we will be prepared for hard times.

The Lord has directed us to work to earn our own livelihood.

Neither the rich nor the poor should set their hearts upon riches.

Through tithing and other offerings, we assist in the work of the Church and bless those in need.

If we are generous with our means, there is no need for anyone to go without.

 

^{When you think about each topic, ask yourselves these questions:}

^{Why is this principle important?
What makes it hard? (What are the obstacles to living it?)
What makes it easy, or could make it easier to live?
What are the blessings that come from living it?}

The answers may provide insight into why our church teaches principles and how you can live them better.

Conclusion

If we desire to be identified with the kingdom of our Lord, the celestial kingdom, this is our opportunity to prepare,—with love unfeigned, with industry, with thrift, with perseverance, with a desire to do all that is within our power to bless others, to give—not to be always feeling we must receive, but desire to give, for I say to you: “It is more blessed to give than to receive.” [Acts 20:35.]

The Gospel of Jesus Christ is a gospel of giving, not only of our substance but of ourselves, and I thank my Heavenly Father that I belong to such an organization that has been so instructed.

e