Back to School Shopping Tips

It’s that time of year again. Students and parents are hitting the aisles, buying up boxes of pens and pencils, notebooks, folders, pencil boxes, and calculators.
Here are a few money-saving tips:

Take an inventory. A quick look in drawers and closets could reveal supplies you may not have realized you had.

• Recycle supplies. Reuse pens, pencils, folders, pencil boxes, and other supplies from last year.
• Buy in bulk. Buy frequently used tools like pens and pencils in bulk. Most of the time, bulk buying is more economical.
• Check the super-discount bins. Sometimes you can find a great buy.
• Shop consignment stores, thrift shops, and garage sales to find gently used supplies.
• Watch for in-store or online promotions.
• Shop all year. Throughout the year keep your eyes peeled for sales on school supplies like notebooks and folders.

Back to School Treats

Get your child's school year off to a sweet start with these easy-to-decorate school bus cupcakes.

Ingredients

• Cooled cupcakes (baked from your favorite recipe)
• Blue and green frosting
• Sugar wafers

• Chocolate chips
• Black and white decorators' gel
• Red mini M&M's

To make one, first frost a cooled cupcake (baked from your favorite recipe) with blue and green frosting. Cut a small notch from the upper left corner of a sugar wafer, then set the wafer in place just above the green frosting. (You can trim the other end of the wafer if your bus is too long.) Add 2 chocolate chips tips down for wheels, then use black and white decorators' gel for the details. Add a red M&M's Mini for a Stop sign, and you've got one tasty treat kids will line up for.

Congrats to Sharon's daughter Kristi on her upcoming wedding!!!

Sharon's daughter, Kristi is getting married on August 5th in the Bountiful Temple.  Congrats!  I'm sure I speak for everyone when I wish them all the luck and happiness in the world during this exciting time. :)

Employee Spotlight for August!

Our spotlighted employee for August is....Kim Hale.

1.       What do you miss most about being a kid? I miss going home to Texas via a hot 25 hour car ride with the seat belts on the floor. Sitting on the “Hassock” that my grandmother reupholstered with the big center button. Family lined up on the Divan.  We still talk about it.  Car rides to the fruit stands to pick the best snap green beans for dinner. The sound of the kadeedids (? spelling) clicking in the hot night air as I watched my mother’s shadow combing her long hair that she had taken down for the night. She would be in her thin cotton pink night gown. The stillness that over came the busy house hold and my mother’s hushed voice, quietly to her own mother, ”do you need anything Mother, before I go to bed?”

August Birthdays

Celebrating birthdays in August....
Marcia MacKay August 7
Patti Taylor August 17
Susana Burningham August 28
Varonica Ulrick August 30

Happy Birthday!!!

Summer Events

If you're looking for some fun activities to do with your family this Summer, here are some ideas!
Salt Lake Area:
Salt Lake Art Fair presented by The Gateway: July 16 and 17 10:00am-5:00pm.
Folk and Bluegrass Festival: July 23rd 2:00pm to 10:00pm
Teddy Bear Picnic @ Utah's Hogle Zoo: August 6th 10:00am to 3:00pm
Disney Days @ The Gallivan Center: June 21-August 9 11:00am to 1:00pm

St. George Area:
Tuacahn Saturday Market: 9:00am to 1:00pm
Enterprise America Rodeo:  American Legion Rodeo Arena July 21st to July 23rd 8:00pm to 10:30pm
Washington County Fair: August 10th to 13th All Day

Utah County Area: 17th Annual Llama Fest Spanish Fork July 16th 4pm to 9pm.
Cowpoke Roundup at Thanksgiving Point: July 16th 10:00am to 2:00pm.
Comedy at the Point at Thanksgiving Point: July 18th 8:00pm
Emporium Kitchen: Fondue Party at Thanksgiving Point: July 19th 6:30pm to 8:30pm
Mapleton Pioneer Days @ Mapleton City Park: July 23rd

Weber County Area and further North:
Ogden Valley Farmers and Artists Market: 9:00am 2628 North Hwy. 162, Eden Utah
Utah Reggae Festival Downtown July 16th 12:00pm to 10:00pm
Ogden Pioneer Days Rodeo: Ogden Stadium July 20-25 6:30pm
Christmas Village in August: August 1st 7:00pm to 10:00pm @ Ogden Ampitheater
C.V. Gardener's Market: Merlin Olsen Park 100 S. 200 E. Saturdays 9am to 1pm
Movie in the Park @ Elk Ridge Park 1060 East 2500 North: July 23rd at 9:00. Showing "Despicable Me".
N. Logan Pioneer Day Celebrations: North Logan City Pioneer Celebrations will be held July 23rd & 25th…Saturday activities held at Elk Ridge Park 1060 E 2500 North include ‘Run to Deseret’ (at 8a.m.)a Fun Run (5k and 1 mile). Register online at northlogancity.org ($10/participant)….BBQ Dinner & Dance at 630p.m….Movie in the Park “Despicable Me”at 830p.m. then Fireworks at 10p.m. (or dark)….Monday activities include Flag Ceremony/ Breakfast 645a.m. to 9a.m. (donation requested) at Elk Ridge Park...the Parade at 10a.m. (Line-up is at 930a.m. then the Parade begins at 1600 E 1900 North and ends at Mtn View Park…activities at Mtn view Park (1100 E 2100 North) from 11a.m. to 2p.m. (games, food, entertainment, Fire Dept Water-Fun) and Historical Pioneer Displays at LDS Cultural Hall (1100 E 2100 North) featuring North Logan Historic photos, artifacts, quilts and stories from 11a.m. to 2p.m.

Employee Spotlight for July!

This month's spotlilghted employee is Kyndel Marcroft.

1.      What is something nobody here knows about you?  I would like to write a book someday.

2.       What’s your hidden talent?  Excellent bed head.

3.       What’s your favorite meal to cook?  Anything in a dutch oven.

4.       What super power would you choose?  It would have to be flying.  For sure!

5.      What was your most unusual job?  River Guide on the Colorado and Green Rivers.  Paid my way through college.  Lived in Moab for 4 summers. 

Fourth of July Facts

Happy Fourth of July Everyone!  Here are some fun Independence Day facts.  On July the 4th, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was approved by the Continental Congress. Thereafter, the 13 colonies embarked on the road to freedom as a sovereign nation. This most American of holidays is traditionally celebrated with parades, fireworks and backyard barbecues across the country. As you send out your July 4th party invitations, take a minute to think about how much you really know about what we are celebrating.

Independence Day was first celebrated in Philadelphia on July 8, 1776.

Before cars ruled the roadway, the Fourth of July was traditionally the most miserable day of the year for horses, tormented by all the noise and by the boys and girls who threw firecrackers at them.

Both Thomas Jefferson and John Adams died on Independence Day, July 4, 1826.

An Inspired America:

• Thirty places nationwide with “liberty” in their name. Liberty, Missouri (26,232) boasts the highest population of the 30 at 26,232. Iowa has more of these places than any other state at four: Libertyville, New Liberty, North Liberty and West Liberty.
• Eleven places have “independence” in their name. The most populous of these is Independence, Missouri, with 113,288 residents.
• Five places adopted the name “freedom.” Freedom, California, with 6,000 residents, has the largest population among these.
• There is one place named “patriot” — Patriot, Indiana, with a population of 202.
• And what could be more fitting than spending the day in a place called “America”? There are five such places in the country, with the most populous being American Fork, Utah, with 21,941 residents.

Another Fun Recipe

Rocket Dogs

Ingredients

• hot dogs
• prepared breadstick dough (we used Pillsbury brand)
• skewers

• cubed cheese
• mustard

Instructions

Simply wrap hot dogs in prepared breadstick dough (we used Pillsbury brand) and insert a skewer, letting it protrude at the top.

1. Bake the dogs according to the dough package's instructions. Add a triangle of cheese for a topper, tie on a tail made from ribbon or aluminum foil, and squirt on stripes of ketchup and mustard.

Fourth of July Treats

Revolutionary Berries

Ingredients

12 ounces white chocolate chips

Strawberries

Blue sugar or edible glitter

Instructions

1. Melt 12 ounces of white chocolate chips in a microwave according to the package directions (make sure the container and the berries are dry; even a little moisture will alter the texture of the candy).
2. One at a time, dip strawberries into the chocolate and then into blue sugar or edible glitter.
3. Set them to harden on waxed paper.
4. Makes 35 to 45 decorated berries.

July Birthdays

Happy Birthday to:
Brent Blaisdell July 22
Adam Moore July 27

Hooray for Summer!!!

It's finally Summer.  It felt like it would never come.  Now that it's here, here are some Summer safety tips and reminders.

HOW TO HYDRATE
• Drink plenty of fluid. Don't wait until you're thirsty to drink.
• If you must exercise, drink two to four glasses of cool, nonalcoholic fluids each hour
• Avoid liquids with alcohol or sugar -- they will cause you to lose more body fluid.
• Stay away from very cold drinks -- they can cause stomach cramps. Limit your outdoor activity to morning and evening hours and wear lightweight, light-colored, loose-fitting clothing. Monitor young children and elderly people because they are more sensitive to the heat exhaustion or heat stroke. Body temperature can rise to 106°F or higher within 10 to 15 minutes. A very important tip for summer health is to drink enough fluids -- hydrate, hydrate, hydrate.

HOW TO RECOGNIZE HEAT STROKE
If they have a body temperature above 103 degrees Farenheit, red, hot dry skin, and there's no sweating -- which means that the body's sweating mechanism is failing, and the body is unable to cool down. If the person has a rapid strong pulse, headache, dizziness or nausea -- call 911 and get the victim to a shady area in the meantime. Try to cool the victim rapidly using whatever methods you can like spraying them with cool water from a hose.

SYMPTOMS
• Body temp > 103°F
• Red/hot/dry skin
• No sweating
• Rapid pulse
• Headache/dizziness/nausea

HOW TO ALLEVIATE SUNBURN
There's no fast "cure" for sunburns -- it may take days for your skin to heal. To treat the pain, take an over-the-counter pain reliever and keep the area moisturized with aloe or other lotions. Keep the skin cool by using cold compresses or taking a cold bath. Keep in mind that there is no such thing as a "healthy tan." Unprotected sun exposure causes premature aging of the skin

HOW TO IDENTIFY POISONOUS PLANTS
A good rule of thumb is "leaves of three, let it be." Poison oak and ivy usually are clustered in leaves of three. They contain an oil that when gets on your skin can cause an allergic reaction. You only need to be exposed to a very, very little of this poisonous oil -- less than one grain of table salt -- for it to develop a rash. If you do get it on your skin, immediately rinse skin with rubbing alcohol or a degreasing soap like dishwashing soap and lots of water. Rinse frequently so that wash solutions do not dry on the skin and further spread the urushiol. An antihistamine can be taken to help relieve itching.

BEST WAY TO REMOVE AN INSECT STINGER
NEVER squeeze the area or use tweezers because it may push more venom into the skin. Remove the stinger by either scraping your fingernail over the area or using a straight edge like a credit card. You want to wash the area with soap and water -- if there's swelling, apply ice. Try not to scratch because it may cause an infection.

LEARN CPR
Learn how to do Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation, or CPR. This year marks the 50th anniversary of its invention. According to the American Heart Association, "about 80 percent of all out-of-hospital cardiac arrests occur in private residential settings," so knowing how to perform CPR can mean the difference between life and death. It also can resuscitate someone who has suffers a near-drowning -- and as we know, summertime means a lot of time at pools. You can find a class at your local American Heart Association chapter or the American Red Cross.

A Grate Gift for Dad!!!

Too cute to not share...

Ingredients

• Brownie batter
• Black food coloring
• White frosting
• Orange sugar

• Caramel creams
• Red, yellow, and green candy fruit slices
• Hot Tamales candies

Instructions

To make a batch of 12, place liners in a muffin pan, oil them, and fill them two thirds full of your favorite brownie batter, then bake according to the recipe directions. Let the brownies cool.

 

1. In a small bowl, mix one or two drops of black food coloring with 1/4 cup white frosting. Transfer the frosting to a ziplock bag and snip a small section from the corner. Pipe grate lines onto each brownie and let them set for 20 minutes. Add embers with a sprinkle of orange sugar.
2. Prepare the grill food as instructed below and press it in place atop each brownie.
   
   Kebabs = A caramel cream and red, yellow, and green candy fruit slices, cut into small pieces + toothpick skewers
   
   Pork chop = two thirds of a caramel cream, molded with fingers + black food coloring, applied with a toothpick
   
   Hot dogs = Hot Tamales candies + black food coloring, applied with a toothpick

Happy Father's Day!

Father's Day History:
The idea of Father’s Day was conceived by Sonora Dodd of Spokane, Wash., while she listened to a Mother’s Day sermon in 1909. Dodd wanted a special day to honor her father, William Smart, a widowed Civil War veteran who was left to raise his six children on a farm. A day in June was chosen for the first Father’s Day celebration — June 19, 1910, proclaimed by Spokane’s mayor because it was the month of Smart’s birth.
The first presidential proclamation honoring fathers was issued in 1966 when President Lyndon Johnson designated the third Sunday in June as Father’s Day.
Father’s Day has been celebrated annually since 1972 when President Richard Nixon signed the public law that made it permanent.
Dads in the Animal Kingdom:
Most animals never even see their parents! Many never meet their fathers and some never meet their mothers, either. Some insects, fish, amphibians and reptiles hatch from fertilized eggs and face life completely alone. When animals are raised by parents, it's most often the mother who does the rearing. But here are some unusual animal dads.
Catfish: A father sea catfish keeps the eggs of his young in his mouth until they are ready to hatch. He will not eat until his young are born, which may take several weeks.
Cockroach: A father cockroach eats bird droppings to obtain precious nitrogen, which he carries back to feed his young.
Frog: The male Darwin frog hatches his eggs in a pouch in his mouth. He can eat and continue about his business until his tadpoles lose their tails, become tiny frogs, and jump out of his mouth!
Sea horse: The male sea horse has a pouch in which the mother lays her eggs. The father then looks after the eggs for about two months, until they hatch and leave the pouch. He continues to protect the young until they are able to live on their own.
Wolf: When the mother wolf gives birth to pups, the father stands guard outside their den and brings food to the mother and pups. As they grow, he not only plays with them but also teaches them how to survive. Wolves continue to live together much as human families do.
Awwwww.......Tender!  :)

Employee Spotlight for June!

This month's spotlight is on Jeff Williams!  Here are some fun tidbits about Jeff.

1.       What are you most looking forward to this summer? Air conditioning, or my awesome swamp cooler. Going to the canyon for bbqs, going to snowbird and to Oregon, (assuming I can get the time off). Watching Molly grow.

2.       Do you have any nicknames for yourself? “that guy”; they used to call me “The Wise Man” so feel free to adopt that one

3.       What is something about you that nobody here knows? I was once a regular at Highland View Middle School’s Problem Solving Room.

4.       What super power would you choose?  super metabolism and super memory

5.       What was your most unusual job? In high school, I worked at a nursing home feeding the residents; that was pretty weird. Spent the summer working at a fishing site in Alaska.

Grillin & Chillin

 

Chipotle-Mango BBQ Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups mango, peeled, pitted and roughly chopped
• 3/4 cup fresh cilantro (loose pack, not chopped, stems and all)
• 2 chipotle peppers in adobo, plus 1 tablespoon adobo sauce
• 2 tablespoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled
• 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
• 1 tablespoon canola oil, plus extra for grill
• 2 teaspoons kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 2 pounds chicken thighs and drumsticks, bone in, skin on

Directions

Put the mango, cilantro, chipotle, vinegar, garlic, lemon juice, 1 tablespoon of oil and salt and pepper, in a food processor and puree until smooth. Adjust seasonings, to taste.

Add the chicken with half the mango mixture to a resealable plastic bag, and massage to coat the chicken with the sauce. Refrigerate at least 6 hours to marinate.
Put the other half of the mango mixture into a small saucepan and simmer over low heat until thick, stirring often, about 15 minutes. Set some of the simmered chipotle-mango sauce aside to serve on the side and baste the chicken every few minutes with the rest of the sauce.
Preheat a grill or grill pan to medium-high heat and brush with canola oil. Remove the chicken from the marinade and put on the grill.
Grill the chicken turning and basting about every 5 minutes until cooked through, about 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer to a serving platter and serve with the reserved mango sauce.

Fun Summer Facts!

I love to throw these fun facts in each month.  Enjoy!

Mosquitoes, summer's pest, have been around for more than 30 million years.

Watermelon is summer's most popular vegetable. It is part of the cucumber, pumpkin, and squash family. The average American eats 15 pounds of watermelon a year and these juicy favorites are 92 percent water.

The Dog Days of Summer refers to the weeks between July 3rd and August 11th. They are named after the Dog Star (Sirius) in the constellation of Canis Major.

Ancient Romans and Greeks blamed Sirius for the extreme temperatures, drought, sickness, and discomfort that came in late summer.

June is named for the Roman goddess Juno (Hera).

Romans began the summer wedding tradition, choosing June for Juno's blessing. The tradition stuck.

The frequency of a cricket's chirps fluctuates with the temperature. If you count a cricket's chirps for 15 seconds and add 37, you will have the approximate outdoor temperature (in Fahrenheit).

June Birthdays

Happy birthday to:
Terri Flint June 8th
Jeff Williams June 12th

Memorial Day

Here's a yummy recipe for Memorial Day...or any fun Summer day.  Awesome for your next BBQ.
Grilled Peaches & Cream
Ingredients
4 peaches, halved and pitted
2 tablespoons clover honey
1 cup soft cream cheese with honey and nuts
1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Directions

Preheat a grill for medium-high heat.

Brush peaches with a light coating of oil. Place pit side down onto the grill. Grill for 5 minutes, or until the surfaces have nice grill marks. Turn the peaches over, and drizzle with a bit of honey. Place a dollop of the cream cheese spread in the place where the pit was. Grill for 2 to 3 more minutes, or until the filling is warm. Serve immediately.

The Pirates Are Coming!!!

In honor of next week's arrival of the newest installment of The Pirates of the Caribbean movies, I thought it would be fun to post some fun pirate stuff. Enjoy!
The Jolly Roger flag, with its black background and white skull and crossbones, was designed to be scary. This flag was not used by all pirates, usually it was only flown by those sailing in the Spanish Main.
Pirates believed that having women on board their ship was bad luck. They also believed that whistling on a ship would cause the weather to turn stormy (as in ‘to whistle up a storm’).
Almost all pirates stole their ships because they couldn’t buy ships incase they got caught and sent to jail. Once they had taken over a ship they had to convert it for pirate life, this usually meant making more room for sailors to live on board and strengthening the decks to hold the weight of the heavy cannons.
Pirate Captain’s would change out of their expensive, flashy clothes if there was a chance they might be captured. This way they could pretend they where only one of the crew, and not somebody important and hopefully escape.

Pirate’s Code Of Conduct.

No fighting on board ship.
No gambling with cards and dice on board ship.
No women on board ship.
All weapons and pirates to be ready for battle at all time.
Every pirate gets equal amounts of food and drink.
Every pirate gets equal amounts of all loot captured, except for the Captain and the Quartermaster who get twice as much, or any pirate who loses an arm or leg in a fight, he gets an extra half.
Every pirate gets to vote on where the ship goes and what the crew does.
Every pirate does what the Captain or Quartermaster says.
Aha, this be the Code of Conduct for The Pirate Ship, it maybe different on another ship, me Hearty.