My Memories GIVEAWAY

I am so excited to announce that I have my 1st giveaway thanks to My Memories!

 I use to love scrapbooking but then my kids got older and I was always so busy!  Scrapbooking takes so much time and there is so much stuff to store.  I just got to the point that I didnt have the time or space.  So I stopped.  I have found a solution.  My Memories digital scrapbooking!  We have moved into a digital world so why not digital scrapbooking! 

Think about how much time it takes you to dig out all your supplies, which takes all that space to store, and then once you are done you have to clean up.  I HATE cleaning up when I am done.  With My Memories digital scrapbooking software there you no longer have to store tons of supplies and my fave part....NO MORE CLEAN UP!!!  My Memories is a website that offers scrapbook software.  You purchase and download their My Memories Suite to your computer and do all your scrapbooking on your computer.  They also have backgrounds that you can download.  Some are free some you have to purchase.  They have so many CUTE options for backgrounds its almost hard to choose. 

Once I figured out how to use the software I had so much fun!  There seems to be unlimited options on their software.  Once of the things I really like is that you can share your scrapbooking with your friends and family online. 

Want to win a FREE download of My Memories Suite? 

• Leave a comment with your name.
• Become a follower of Thriving Food Storage
• "Like" me on Facebook
• "Like" My Memories on Facebook
• Visit My Memories and choose their favorite digital paper pack or layout, then comment on my blog telling me which ones you like.

For every entry option you do you will receive an additional entry!

The giveaway ends on Thursday, Oct. 6th at 11:59pm. 

My Memories has given me a special code for you to use.  The code does not expire and you can share it with your family and friends!  Use this code STMMMS19059 and you will receive $10 off the purchase of the My Memories Suite Scrapbook software and a $10 coupon for the MyMemories.com store.

Zaycon Foods

I am so excited to start ordering from Zaycon Foods.  I placed my first order yesterday.  I have heard wonderful reviews from friends about their products.  Zaycon Foods is based out of Washington but they have drop locations through out all 48 continental states.  To see a list of all cities visit their website here. 

Right now they have their chicken event going on.  Orders have to be placed by tomorrow.  Sorry for the short notice!  Chicken is $1.49/lb.  You have to buy by the case which is 40#.  A case is $59.60.  This is a great price.  I will defiantly be stocking up!

Zaycon Foods do several different events through out the year including:

chicken
turkey
pork
beef
bacon
fish

Check out their website to learn more about them!

Dutch Oven Cooking

Tonight I had my husband teach me how to use our dutch oven.  It was defiantly WAY easier than I had thought it would be.  In the end I think I will have my father-in-law come over and help me.  :) 

When using a dutch oven there are different things you need to do with it.  Treat it like you would any cast iron.  To clean  your dutch oven NEVER use soap in your dutch oven. After you have cleaned it stick it in a warm oven for a little while.  When it comes out spray pam on it and let it dry.  If you dont use your oven for a while stick it in your oven through a cleaning cycle and it will burn off any smell or any other bacteria that has gotten into it. 








Dont use metal utensils.  They can/will scrape off the cast iron.  That is what I know for now.  When I have my father-in-law come down I will ask him some more questions and post more about using your dutch oven.  There are so many websites out there about dutch ovens.  Check them out.  There is tons of useful info out there.

Tonight we made a cherry cobbler.  I will give you the recipe and tell you how to put it together.  Please dont get scared off when you see how hard it is! 

Cherry Cobbler

1 can cherry pie filling
1 10oz sprite or 7up can
1 box cake mix (any flavor you like)

Dump the cake mix into the dutch oven.  Pour in the soda and stir.  Not much, just for a few seconds.  When you are done with that open the can of cherries and evenly poor them over the cake mix.

Thanks it!  Oh, cook it for about 1 hr.

I really was surprised how easy it was to prepare the oven and cook in it.  Now, depending on how big your oven is will depend on how many briquettes you will need.  The one we used was a 10" so we needed 20 briquettes.  10 on top, 10 on bottom.

We took an empty #10 and poked holes in the bottom so there would be oxygen for the fire.  After we poked the holes we used a can opener to take the bottom out.  We placed a piece of tin foil on the cement outside and the "shell" of the #10 can on top of that.  We then put 20 briquettes in the can.  Lit them and waited for them to turn white.  While we waited we added the ingredients for the cobbler.

We also put tin foil underneath the dutch oven just so we wouldnt get any burn marks on the ground.  When the briquettes were ready we evenly placed 10 underneath the oven around the outside.  If you pile the briquettes in the middle the middle of your food will burn.  So evenly place them around the outside of the oven and you should be good.

Then we did the same thing on the top.  After those were placed we built walls with tin foil just to block the wind.

We then waited an hour and we had cobbler.  I think next time we will cook it just a few minutes less but it was still good.  You can change up this recipe simply by changing the fruit or the cake mix flavor.

Over all I think it was successful.  I can do this on my own now and if we didnt have any power we will be set.  We will have lots of cobbler.  I guess I need to learn how to cook other things now.  :)

Powerless Cooking

This is one topic/storage area that I am really lacking in.  I have a few propane bottles with camp stoves that we can use but other than that I have nothing.  I have heard wonderful reviews on the sun ovens.  There is one big downfall with them...you have to have sun.  I live in the NW so as you know, that means we have very little sun.  I do have 2 wonder boxes and I KNOW how to use them.  Now that is good thing if I am in the middle of cooking and the power goes out.  Or I can use my propane stoves just enough to boil my water and then finish off with my wonder box.  To learn more about the wonder box click here to see a previous post.

My in-laws did give me a dutch oven but I have no idea how to use it.  I think this week I will have my husband teach me how. 

Where I live we tend to loose power in the fall and winter.  Typically its not for very long or even at dinner but you NEVER know!  Its better to be prepared BEFORE something happens.

What do you have for powerless cooking?  Do you now HOW to use it?  What are your thoughts and ideas?

Coming soon!!!

I am super excited to announce that I have been approached by a great company called My Memories to host a giveaway and a review of their product.  My Memories will be giving away to one lucky reader their My Memories Suite software for FREE, a $40 value.  I will post soon on the detail of the giveaway. 


My Memories is a great online company that has all of your digital scrap booking needs covered!  Once you create your digital scrap book you can then share it with your family and friends.  What is so great about this software is that you have no clean up and you dont have to spend tons of money on scrap booking supplies.  I have downloaded their my memories suite and LOVE it!  I will be posting my review in the next week or so.  I hope to have my Hawaii scrap book done by then to share with you.

In the mean time if you want to get started on your scrap booking My Memories has given me a coupon code to share with you.  Using this code at check out you will receive $10 off your software. 

Use this code  STMMMS19059

I know you will have fun with this software.  I sure have!

What will your kids do if you are seperated....

I have been watching show after show the last few days about 9/11.  They have been so interesting and sad.  Its hard to believe that it has been 10 years now.

While watching one of the shows it was talking about parents who were on Staten Island when the twin towers were attacked.  I did not see this part, my friend did, she said that people were not allowed into down town Manhattan.  Some of the people who were stuck on Staten Island had kids in day cares in down town Manhattan.  They were stuck for days so the day cares had to keep the kids.

Have you ever thought about what would happen if a natural disaster struck and you were separated from your kids for an extended period of time.  I have!  My 2 oldest kids go to school across the river.  If Mt. St. Helens were to blow, if we had an earthquake, if we had major flooding....all of which are very possible here....I would NOT be able to get to my kids.  We have talked to them and they know that if something were to happen and I was not able to get to them they are to go to my parents house.

It is important to come up with a plan for your kids NOW, not later or when a disaster strikes.  Your kids NEED to know what they are supposed to do and where they are to go.  Not every one is going to have family by them.  Find friends, church members or someone you trust with your kids.  Talk to them.  Come up with a plan.  You dont want a disaster to strike and just have your kids show up at their door.  

Now that you know who is going to take care of your kids they need to make sure they have enough food and water for your children as well.  It wont do much good if there isnt enough food or water for them.  The same goes for you if you will be having other peoples children come to your house.  Make sure you have enough as well. 

Make sure your children are comfortable with these people.  If they are going to be away from you for a few days they are going to be upset and if they dont know who they are staying with it will only make things harder on everyone.

One thing that I dont have but will be working on very soon is a school 72 hr pack for my kids.  I KNOW that my parents have enough food and water for my children.  BUT what if they are stuck at school.  The school isnt going to have a lot.  Every little bit you can do to help your kids will help!  It doesnt have to be a lot.  Just some water pouches and food bars will do.  I would also add a small first aid kit.

I have learned a lot by watching the History Channel the last few days.  I have been thinking a lot about our 72 hr kits.  I have been working on them for a while now but they are not complete.  The shows have given me different ideas on things to put in them.  I dont have masks.  Something that is needed as I`m not too far from Mt. St. Helens.  If she erupts we WILL need masks.  Gloves, what if you are stuck and need to dig yourself out.  Think about what kind of natural disasters happen where you live and plan accordingly. 

September is National Emergency Preparedness month.  What a better time to get prepared.  There have been so many natural disasters its not a matter of IF...but WHEN something happens.  Its better to be prepared now.  If you wait until something has happened or is predicted the shelves at the stores WILL be wiped out with in hours if not sooner.