Dress to Skirt Refashion

Finished skirt with purchased top.

I bought the dress (below) from Savers, a local thrift store.  The top was a little immodest for our taste, but I knew it would make a super cute skirt!

$3.99 with 50% off, made it only $2.00!!

Here is the back

I cut off the entire top...

folded over the edge to make a casing for the elastic.

Holly suggested using the top as a pocket on the skirt. 

I think it turned out darling.

Self Reliance with Classes at the Henderson Recreation Centers

Downtown Rec Center

Here are some great (low cost) classes offered by the City of Henderson!

• Self-Expansion: Setting Goals (Various Saturdays from Feb-April) - This interactive workshop is for anyone interested in learning the process of goal setting.  We walk participants through creating visions boards, setting goals and how to overcome roadblocks, developing action plans, understanding balance and time management, and keeping ourselves motivated to keep it going.  Participants learn how to apply this process to all areas of their life. $5 for supplies is due to the instructor. (Location: BMRC)
• Driver Safety (50+ years) (Various Thursdays or Fridays) - Learn to adjust your driving responses to age-related physical changes and declining perceptual skills.  Those successfully completing the course may qualify for auto insurance premium reductions.  You must register prior to attending.  Bring a check or money order for $12 payable to AARP (AARP Members) or $14 (non-members). (Location: Various)
• CPR & First Aid (Various Saturdays from 1/7 to 6/9) - This combined CPR/AED and First Aid class introduces lifesaving skills until emergency care arrives.  Subjects include infant, child and adult CPR, cardiac arrest, choke saving, bleeding control, trauma, poisoning, seizures, and treatment for shock.  This two-year certification is accepted by CCSD Nevada adult care licensing, dental licensing and is approved for four credit hours by Nevada child care licensing. Cost $35 (Location: VVRC)
• Pet CPR & First Aid (Various Saturdays from 1/21 to 6/2) - You love your pet.  But what happens if they become sick or injured?  Take this workshop and learn how to treat and bandage simple to complex wounds and injuries, and how to tell when it might be necessary to go to the vet.  CPR/First Aid Certifications is available at an additional cost. Cost $60 (Location: VVRC)

You can register (starting today!!)  for all classes at www.cityofhenderson.com/parks.

Groupon Skype Deal!

Click here for all the details!

Skype to Go

Skype to Go – What is it?

Skype to Go numbers let you call friends, family and colleagues long distance at great Skype rates from any mobile or landline.

Let’s say you live in New York and your friend lives in Australia. You’d like to call her when you’re away from your computer, but you don’t want to pay those hefty international call charges on your mobile or landline.

Just give us your friend’s number in Australia and we’ll convert it into a local Skype to Go number that you can call from any phone.

Next time you’d like to call your friend, dial her Skype to Go number and you’ll get straight through at Skype’s per minutes rates or with your subscription.

What a Call Costs

Call via a Skype to Go number to phones abroad are made up of two charges:

Operator: Your operator will charge you for a local call to your Skype to Go number. This may be included as part of your operator’s calling plan.

You will not be charged if you are calling a number covered by your subscription.

Skype: Skype will charge you the same low rate as if you were calling a phone using Skype on your computer.

For example:

#1 You have a landline that includes local calling. You also have a Skype account, but do not have a subscription to a specific plan. You call China. You don’t get charged anything extra from your local phone company. Skype’s charge for calling China on your account (from Henderson, NV) is .026 USD/minutes (including VAT). The charge is deducted from your Skype account.

#2 You have a landline that includes local calling. You also have a Skype account and a monthly international subscription. You call China. You don’t get charged anything extra from your local phone company or Skype.

The same applies if you make the call from your mobile and the mobile’s local call rates apply.

How to Get Started

1) Go to skype.com and create an account. Download the Skype software to your computer and you are ready to make Skype-to-Skype calls for free!

2) If you wish to make other calls with Skype, you will need to add money to your account. Then you can decide if you’d rather pay per minute at Skype’s low rates, or subscribe to a plan which will allow you to make calls at even lower rates depending on how many calls you plan to make.
3) Once you have money in your account, you can enable Skype-To-Go, which allows you to make calls via Skype from any landline or mobile.

Skype – What is it?

Free/Pay as you Go/Subscriptions

Skype is a software supplication that allows users to make voice and video calls, as well as instant messaging over the internet. Calls to other users within the Skype service are free, while calls to both traditional landline telephones and mobile phones can be made for a fee using a debit-based user account system or monthly subscriptions.

Self Reliance in All Things - Financial & Resource Management

Financial and Resource Management

Just like the visiting teaching message this month, the third way in which we've been counseled to be self-reliant is in the area of financial and resource management. "The prepared person should establish financial goals, pay tithes and offerings, avoid debt, wisely use and preserve economic resources, and save during times of production for times of nonproduction."

("A Little Bit of Planning, a Lot of Success," Ensign, Jun 1977)

In St. Luke, Christ taught a very simple principle concerning this,

"Take heed, and beware of covetousness; for a man's life consisteth not in the abundance of the things which he possesseth."

We know, rather, that we ought to lay up treasures of heaven and live within our means. Elder Robert D Hales also stated, "It takes great faith to utter those simple words, 'We can't afford it.' "This month, let's strive to make and stick with a budget, that we will be more consciences of our in-comings and out-goings.

(for more information, see All is Safely Gathered In: Family Finances)

Thanks to Stephanie for this post!

Introduction post here.

Self Reliance in All Things - Career Development

Career Development

Each of us should hone our skills and ourselves. Even if we are not currently or do not plan to be in the work force anytime soon, we should have a "back-up plan" and develop marketable skills and virtues that will help us should economic needs change. Any opportunity you may have within your time and means to attend a workshop, seminar, online course, etc. jump at the opportunity to train yourself in a field that interests you or even find a way to volunteer in that area.

President Boyd K. Packer has said, "We ourselves are responsible to seek out and take advantage of every opportunity to improve ourselves. There are ordinary virtues which influence our careers even more than technical training among them are these: Integrity, Dependability, Courtesy, Respect for Others, and Respect for Property. Family responsibilities and tight budgets sometimes prevent us from obtaining all the schooling we desire. We can, however, improve ourselves. The only tuition required is the time it takes, the work required and the desire to build into our lives the ordinary virtues so much in demand and so short in supply."

-The Gospel - The Foundation of Our Career," Ensign, May 1982, 84

Is there a field that you have always been curious about or been interested in? Challenge yourself to find out more about it. That's the first step.

Thanks to Stephanie for this post!

Introduction post here.

Self Reliance in All Things - Literacy & Education

Literacy & Education

"The prepared person reads, writes, and does basic mathematics; regularly studies the scriptures and other good books; and uses local resources to teach these skills and habits to all family members. Parents and children should take advantage of public and other educational opportunities."

-A Little Bit of Planning, a Lot of Success," Ensign, Jun 1977

We are blessed to live in a country where most of us are literate, however the scriptures have reminded us to "seek y diligently and teach one another words of wisdom; yea, seek ye out of the best books words of wisdom; seek learning, even by study and also by faith." Our education is never done. We must strive to be life-long learners and encourage our families to do the same. The more we know, our quality of life is improved and we are more prepared for the future. Resources like the public library are invaluable.

Challenge yourself to try to learn one new thing everyday - whether it is a new word, a geography fact, or a scripture.

Thanks to Stephanie for this post!

Introduction post here.

Self Reliance in All Things

The church has a new section on LDS.org called "Self-Reliance" and I was very excited to see our Visiting Teaching Message this month is "Becoming Self-Reliant". The following is an excerpt from a talk by Lane Johnson which explains the 6 different areas of self reliance. Each month Stefanie will be highlighting a different aspect of becoming "Self Reliant in All Things".

"President Marion G. Romney has said that welfare is the essence of the Church. Personal and Family Preparedness is an essential part of welfare. Its purpose is to encourage the economic, intellectual, physical, and spiritual preparedness of family and members.

What is this Personal and Family Preparedness that is so central to the purposes of the Church?

Personal and Family Preparedness encourages families and individuals to become self-reliant in six different areas: 1) literacy and education, 2) career development, 3) financial and resource management, 4) home production and storage, 5) physical health, and 6) social-emotional and spiritual strength. (see the model attached)

Welfare in the family is by no means food storage alone. Home storage is an important part of family welfare, but it is only a half of a sixth of the whole program.

Personal and Family Preparedness isn't just preparation for some kind of disaster; it's preparation for life - the foreseen, anticipated, almost expected needs which can be met through wise preparation.

You can scarcely think of a problem that could arise in the life of any family member-or the family as a whole-that could not be taken care of if preparation were solid enough and early enough in one or more of these six areas. Through this kind of 'provident living', families in most cases really can live happier lives because economic, physical, and emotional problems are held to a minimum and the things that make life worth living are encouraged to a maximum."

(Lane Johnson, "A Little Bit of Planning, a Lot of Success," Ensign, Jun. 1977, 6)

Thanks to Stephanie for this post!