Emergency Preparedness - Step One

We hear a lot about how we need to be prepared for emergencies.  And needing to be prepared is even becoming a reality for some people with various natural disasters happening around the world seemingly more and more.  Needing to be prepared for an emergency can happen to any of us, at any time.  And yet there are many, many of us who are still not prepared at all.

Some emergencies just aren't likely in certain areas.  It is highly unlikely we will experience a hurricane in southern Arizona.

However, there are still emergencies that can happen very quickly and unexpectedly, even in southern AZ.  For example: wildfire, power outage, flooding (seems unlikely, but it can happen here!), nuclear leak (chemical emergency), drought, heat wave, terrorist attack (may sound silly, but could happen)...  I'm sure there are others, but this is just some examples.

I know it feels overwhelming.  But it must be important since we keep talking and hearing about it!  When you think it won't happen to you is when you may find yourself surprised, and you don't want that.  At least I don't!

I feel like I've had an excuse, not a very good one though, since living in a temporary place, namely an apartment.  But we have finally moved into our new house and are living in a permanent place.  Now my (bad) excuse is out the window.  Time to start!

Thinking about getting to having a year supply is SUPER overwhelming.  But I heard some good advice this week -- Start small!  Start with your 72-hour emergency kit, then work your way up from there.  (Or you can start with a car emergency kit.)

Car Emergency Kit
72-Hour Emergency Kit
2-Week Home Emergency Supply
3-Month Supply
Year Supply

I've got my car emergency stuff in my car already.  But actually I need to get another one together for my husband's car.

My advice to start is: MAKE A LIST

Unless you want to purchase a ready-made 72-hour kit, start compiling your own personal list of items for your family's kits.  This is what I have accomplished today.  I don't necessarily know how everything will fit, or maybe I'll take some things out that don't necessarily need to be in there.  But I have my list, and that's a really good starting point.  I would suggest looking at lists of items that other people have put in their kits as a reference to building your own.  Some of my references were:

Self-Reliant Sisters
Food Storage Made Easy
How Does She?
Red Cross
The Moes Family in Texas
Sportsman's News

My PRELIMINARY 72-Hour Emergency Kit List and Notes:

Change out perishables every 6 months - at Conference time - April and October

Gallon jugs of water - one per person stored in garage or closets

Jugs of gasoline in garage/trunk of car

Teach children Morse Code (at least S-O-S)

INDIVIDUAL PACKS

Storage - backpacks - rolling (Not duffle bags)

Food & Water
- 4 (24 oz) sport cap water bottles OR 7 (.5 L) water bottles
- 3 boxes or small bottles of juice or sports drink
- 3 flavor packets (for water)
- 3 granola bars
- 3 snack packs of trail mix
- 3 packages sandwich crackers
- 3 snack packs of dried/dehydrated fruit
- 3 snack packs of jerky
- 3 small cans of beefaroni (pop-tops covered with duct tape)
- 3 small cans of tuna (pop-tops covered with duct tape)
- 1 snack pack hard candy jolly ranchers
- 3 snack applesauces
- 1 package of gum

(depending on where you live you may need to be conscious of things melting, like I do)

Supplies
- 2 plastic forks
- 2 plastic knifes
- 2 plastic spoons
- (camping utensils?)
- pocket knife
- (multi-purpose tool?)
- small manual can opener
- 2 gallon ziplock bags for trash
- hand crank OR shake flashlight
- hand crank OR battery operated radio (weather radio)
- extra batteries
- candles (that won’t melt?)
- lighter
- waterproof matches
- 4 hand warmer packs
- rope
- duct tape
- small shovel (gardening)
- whistle (with neck cord)
- compass (combined with whistle?)
- cash: quarters and dollar bills (how much?) - in a snack bag
- two-way radio (walkie-talkie?)
- filtration water bottle
- camp towel
- work gloves

Personal Care
- hand wipes (18?)
- hand sanitizer
- lotion
- mini shampoo
- mini bar soap?
- 3 days worth of prescription medication
- roll of toilet paper (center tube removed)
- feminine hygene
- sunscreen
- bug repellant
- chapstick/carmex tub
- kleenex
- small deodorant
- toothbrush
- toothpaste
- nail clippers
- compact mirror

First Aid
- medication: ibuprofen/tylenol
- band-aids (how many, what kind - variety?, extra large) (in snack bag)
- 2 x 2 gauze pads
- 4 x 4 gauze pads
- tweezers
- 1 roll sport tape
- 1 pair scissors
- 1 elastic bandage wrap
- 2 pair latex gloves
- light stick?

Clothing & Bedding
- Sneakers (tied to the outside)
- 3 pairs undergarments
- 1 pair sweat pants (a little big) (Winter clothes can be cut off to be made into summer clothes, so double clothing is not needed)
- 1 long sleeve shirt
- 2 pairs long socks
- zip up hoodie jacket
- warm gloves
- warm beanie hat
- sports cap
- small pillow in roll (tied to the outside)
- small mummy sleeping bag (tied to the outside)
- blanket
- plastic sheet (plastic table cloth?)
- rain poncho

Important Documents (laminated on ring?)
- Scriptures (Blue Book of Mormon)
- Patriarchal Blessing (glued inside BoM?)
- Genealogy Records (inserted inside BoM?)
- copy of birth certificate
- family and emergency contact information
- personal identification: with pictures and important dates and places
- allergies notes (to medication and food)
- extra set of house and car keys

Other
- small notebook
- pen and pencil
- deck of cards
- glasses
- “waiting” game ideas written on a piece of paper
- extra cell phone charger
- glasses

PARENT PACK

- Extra 9mm handgun
- Extra magazine of 9mm bullets
- water purification tablets

FAMILY PACK (combined with parent pack?)

- Legal Docs: Birth Certs, Marriage Cert, Passports, Wills, Vaccination Papers, Immunization Records, Insurance Policies
- flares
- blanket
- water (how much?)
- water purification tablets

Winter clothes can be cut off to be made into summer clothes, so double clothing is not needed.


This list is still in the works and in its beginning stage.  I just wrote it out tonight!  My plan is to begin executing this list by buying one or a couple things each week.  Maybe starting with the storage items -- the things to store everything in.  Now wish me luck, and go start your own 72-Hour Emergency Kit list!  I believe in you!

The Kind of Mother I Want to Be

I'm looking forward to the time when I will be blessed to become a mother.  In the meantime, I'm trying to get an idea of what kind of mother I want to be, so I can work on becoming that now.

Making a list of the qualities you want to have as a parent is kind of like making a list of qualities you want in your eternal companion.  Similarly, this is a list of qualities I want to strive to develop in myself.

In no order of importance (because they all are):

• patient
• treat each child equally (of course they also have to be treated appropriate to age)
• treat children as people, with respect
• loving (even in discipline)
• kind
• discipline with an increase of love after
• implement consequences for actions - good and bad
• teach the Gospel at all times in every circumstance, formal and informal
• take time for the small and simple things, the small and simple joys of life
• tell children I love them every day (multiple times I'm sure!)
• fun! and active with them
• reliable
• consistent
• have routines, but also be willing to break them when appropriate
• spontaneous
• high but realistic expectations
• allow children to make choices, of course discipline as necessary
• read and study the scriptures as a family every day
• pray as a family every day
• not too lenient, not too strict
• optimistic and happy (of course there will be times, but I want to be able to take a deep breath and not take things out on my children, or husband for that matter)
• have a united front with husband
• be interested in and supportive of children's interests
• help them discover and cultivate their talents
• someone children can trust and want to ask questions to and talk about things in their lives
• if I'm wrong, own up to it, and don't let children suffer for it
• don't yell at or talk rudely/angrily to children
• be there for them
• spend quality time with them

This list will continue to grow, and I'm sure there are things I forgot to put down.  But it's a good starting point I think.  :)

Young Women's & Personal Progress

Remember last post when I said I got a new calling?

Well, I'm the new Young Women's Secretary in our ward!

The Young Women program in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is for girls ages 12-18.  They have a program called Personal Progress where they complete value experiences and value projects, kind of like earning merit badges in scouts.  There are 8 values now (there used to be 7 when I was in YW's when I was a youth) -- they are: Faith, Divine Nature, Individual Worth, Knowledge, Choice and Accountability, Good Works, Integrity, and Virtue.  This Personal Progress program is to help young women increase their faith in Jesus Christ and personal righteousness.  I earned my Young Woman Recognition (for completing Personal Progress) just a few weeks before I turned 18, and I was proud of it!  I had only started when I was 16 since that was when I really started going to church and being involved.  And now since I am again in the Young Women's program, I want to work on my Personal Progress again and be a good example for the girls.

I'll be working on it, and you'll be hearing about it!  :)

-- Young Women Motto -- 

"Stand for Truth and Righteousness"

-- Young Women Theme --

"We are daughters of our Heavenly Father, who loves us, and we love Him.  We will 'stand as witnesses of God at all times and in all things, and in all places' (Mosiah 18:9) as we strive to live the Young Women values, which are:

Faith

Divine Nature

Individual Worth

Knowledge

Choice and Accountability

Good Works

Integrity, and

Virtue.

We believe as we come to accept and act upon these values, we will be prepared to strengthen home and family, make and keep sacred covenants, receive the ordinances of the temple, and enjoy the blessings of exaltation."

The Lord Gave Me a Temple

One of the reasons our loving Heavenly Father sends His spirit children (us) to the earth is so we can obtain physical bodies.

I love my body!

Recently I have gained greater appreciation for this amazing gift.  And I also realize that it is an amazing blessing that my body is healthy and functions properly so I can do almost anything I want or need to do!  This is my new motivation for taking care of my body, this great gift.  I'm trying to eat regularly, but not too much, and not eat so much cruddy food (some, but not all the time!).  I'm trying to realize my limits when it comes to food!  And I'm getting myself back in shape by exercising regularly.  There are lots of ways to exercise!  In the last two weeks I realize that I don't HATE running as much as I thought.  When it's beautiful outside and you know you're doing something good to benefit yourself and your amazing gift of a body, it can be quite refreshing.  I'm not planning on running a marathon any time soon.  But I'm just sayin'.

I'm thankful for my body!  Its amazing ability gives evidence that there is a God.  And I know there is!

Stress Relief?

A lot of people say that exercise, and lots specifically say running, is what helps them de-stress.  I'm not sure if this particular practice is a stress-reliever or stress-inducer for me.  I guess I'm just not very good at pushing myself through pain.  Soccer practices were never my favorite, all that running and having to be faster than others or a specific time.  Killed me!  I hated it.  Yeah it made/makes me be more in shape, and yeah I probably feel good afterwards, but I just have a really hard time being in the middle of it.  Also, exercise - I guess I'm not so fantastic at getting myself motivated to do it.  I'm trying to be better, and I'm getting there.  But mornings are probably the worst.  And ironically my ideal time to work out (and could be a whole other post discussing that).  If I can stay inside and work out it's usually better.  But trying to get me to get up early and go outside and run?  I can't say that it's easy.  Our new apartment complex has a nice work out facility AND a tennis court AND a racquetball court, and I am determined to do better!  Once we get there.

I think my personal stress relief is sleep.  If you know me at all, you probably know that I enjoy my sleep.  I like the mornings but don't really see much of them.  I'm working on that too.  Baby steps.  So, sleep = stress relief?  I don't know if that really is true, but if I didn't get much sleep the previous night and I find myself alone in my quiet apartment in the middle of the day, the couch is very inviting, and I will probably give in.  This also could be a-whole-nother subject...  I don't pop awake when it's morning-time (I'm not sure many people do? Hopefully I'm not alone in this...) but I also don't have great will power to make myself awake.  My warm and comfy bed is oh so VERY inviting.  It doesn't help that Adam covers the window with a thick blanket, which = no sunlight, and likes all sorts of fans blowing making it chilly up in here.  But on the other hand, if I sleep too much I'm quite susceptible to feeling guilty for doing so.  Which could = some stress.  Hmm.

I really need to learn to lead a stress-free life.  It makes life more enjoyable for me and everyone else around me, and I also worry about my ulcerative colitis acting up when I'm pregnant.  Stress = flare ups.  Example: planning a wedding.  I think I do pretty okay most of the time, but like I just mentioned, I tend to, I guess you could call it stress, when I sleep in and skip my shower to avoid taking another hour or more to get ready and then add a half hour to that to get to work.  I'm lucky though to have a loving boss who doesn't mind what hours I come in to work as long as I get my work done.  She's a good mom, I mean boss.  :D  I just don't want to put any future babies in any sort of harm with any sort of medication I may have to take if I have a flare up while pregnant or breast feeding.

So here's to being stress-free!  Wish me luck on finding my relief-outlet.  Thanks in advance.

Some Money Savin' Tips

I'm no expert, but I'm learning and so I wanted to share!

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Money Saving Tip #1 - Don't spend more than you earn.  This is a no-brainer but apparently lots of people have trouble with this concept.

Money Saving Tip #2 - Create a budget and STICK TO IT.  Make realistic and reasonable goals for how much you want to spend on certain things each month.

Money Saving Tip #3 - Coupons.  (This includes ad-matching.)  But don't buy things you don't normally buy just because you found a coupon for it.  I am a super beginner when it comes to coupons, but I'm trying to learn little by little!

Money Saving Tip #4 - Make a grocery shopping list before you go to the store.  Sounds too easy, right?  But it really does help!

Money Saving Tip #5 - Add up your groceries while you shop.  That way you can make sure to stay on track with your budget.

Money Saving Tip #6 - Keep a price log - of the things you buy and from what store.  This sounded hard and time-consuming when I first heard of it but Adam and I did it tonight and it is pretty simple!  Just write the current prices while you shop next to each item on your shopping list.  And then transfer it to an Excel spreadsheet when you get home.

Money Saving Tip #7 - Don't buy too many things you don't need.  I like to say we each can get one extra item, or maybe get as many extra items that doesn't exceed X amount each shopping trip.  We can live being frugle without living like we're poor!

Money Saving Tip #8 - CHECK THE RECIPT before you leave the store!  Silly?  Not so!  Just tonight Adam and I found we were charged double for something of which we only bought one.  Who knows how many other times that has happened!  Every dollar counts.

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And there you have it.

We are striving for better spending trends, and I feel like we're on a good track!

Do you have any tips of your own?

Hiatus

I've decided to take a short hiatus in my internet fixation.  At least at home.

Starting today, for the next week:

No e-mail, facebook, or blogger.  And instead scripture study, exercise, and going to bed early enough to be able to wake up to get to work on time.

There are lots of things I need to get crackin' on around here but the tasks are intimidating and only get worse as the days go on.  Constantly having to figure out dinner (with my limited knowledge of such) and then making it (with almost zero counter-space), then also grocery shopping (shudder), not to mention breakfast and lunch, cleaning up - everything!, (which goes hand in hand with) organizing... which I've never been good at, and the classic needing-to-go-to-bed-at-a-decent-hour (so I can get out of bed early like a responsible grown-up!).

Maybe re-occurring short term plans are easier to stay with than long, drawn-out, never-ending plans?

Oh a cluster of things!

I am proud to be an American and grateful that I have the freedom and ability to VOTE!  It was Adam's first time this year, so we made documentation.  See our "I voted!" stickers?

Man, I can't wait 'til my face isn't puffy anymore.  I want to take pictures of us to capture the fun we're having in this time of our lives but I'm hesitant because my face makes me look ridiculous.  Oh well, it could be worse.


Last week I made a little something Adam calls "Biscuit Baskets," or also known as "Barbecue Biscuits."

Mmmm...  Are you ready for this?  It's super easy!  (I love those words when we're talking about making dinner by the way!)

Biscuit Baskets

Ingredients:

• Regular sized cupcake pan
• 1 1/2 lb. hamburger
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 cup barbecue sauce
• 2-3 tbsp brown sugar
• Worchestershire sauce
• ketchup
• mustard
• 2 cans regular sized biscuits
• shredded cheddar cheese

Preparation:

• Preheat oven to 400o.
• Brown hamburger and drain.  Lightly salt.  Add onion powder, barbecue sauce, and brown sugar.  Sprinkle Worchestershire sauce, ketchup, and mustard - taste as you go to add the amount desired, not a lot.
• Grease cupcake pan.
• Open first biscuit can, take 2 biscuits out and flatten together.  Lay in cupcake pan and push in so it's secure.  Continue until you use all the biscuits in both cans.  Put in meat mixture.  Top with shredded cheddar cheese.
• Bake at 400o for 10-12 minutes.
• Enjoy!

The day of the 5K came and has gone (Nov 6).  I was reluctant, but I did it!  I ran (well actually jogged and sometimes walked) the 3 miles in about 40 or 45 minutes!  I think that was a pretty good accomplishment for me and my lack of running.  Now that I've done a 5K I don't ever have to do another one!  Haha.  Should've gotten a picture...  Oh well.



Things are coming along with my new business!  (Modestly Formal - http://www.modestrental.com/)  If you don't know what I'm talking about, you missed this post, check it out!  I haven't fully received any dresses yet, so if you want to be the first or second or third to help me out and donate a dress or two, please by all means feel free!  :)

I bought some car stickers for our windows for advertisement:

We shall see what fun this brings!  :)

Update on the goals

I'm happy to report that I'm doing pretty well with my goals!

I've been getting to bed around 10, and most impressively (especially if you know me and how I like to sleep and NOT get out of bed :D) have been getting up around 6!  That's in the A.M.!  Last week it was more like 6:20 but this week it's more like 6.  And it feels good!

Also, I've been working out every day during the week.  And this week I started running in the mornings (yikes) to train for the 5K I decided to do which is in a month.  (Why?? I don't know.)  I switch off days running and working out on the Wii.  Gotta build those muscles!  So don't forget to let them rest.  :)

My current book of the month is House of Learning: Getting More from Your Temple Experience by M. Richard and Kathleen H. Walker.  It is such a wonderful book!  I'm really loving it.  I definitely recommend it, whether you've been "through" the temple or not.  It's a short little book and I'm getting through it pretty quick so I may be able to squeeze another into this month..  Or I may start reading one that is more lengthy and read it through November..  I haven't decided yet what the November Book of the Month will be but I'm thinking The History of Joseph Smith by His Mother by Lucy Mack Smith.  I'm not going to buy any more books for a while till I at least get through the ones I own, and I also want to utilize the great resource of the library more.  That means I'll need to get my hands on this Joseph Smith book by way of persuasion...  Either someone close to me or the library...  Dun dun dun!  I actually sent in a request on the Pima County Library website for them to get it.  We'll see if they do!  They have other LDS material.  We shall see what comes of it.

For the last four days I've written in my journal EVERY DAY!  Aren't you so proud??  (We're allowed to say that we're proud in this sense, it's not being prideful.  President Uchtdorf discussed this in his priesthood session talk this past General Conference.  Very good talk.  I recommend you take a gander.)  I'm trying this out, writing every day.  It definitely makes journal writing less stressful when you write a little each day instead of having to "catch up" and write tons of things you've been meaning and wanting to write about but hadn't found (or made) the time.  Thumbs up on this one.  It makes me feel good!

My craft of the month is a continuation of something I've been working on for, well, a long time.  I started crocheting a UofA colored blanket for Adam almost a year ago...  Wow, a year ago??!  ALMOST a year ago.  I think I started it last December.  I haven't touched it in most of that time since...  So there isn't much to show for it and I still have a long way to go!  To be honest I put off the making of it because I'm intimidated by it.  I want to try to put a big University of Arizona "A" in the middle of the blanket.  But I'm scared I'm going to screw up and that it's going to be BUTT UGLY since there are so many yarn changes and measuring and yikes!  But I finally decided that I'm just going to go ahead and DO IT.  I'm pressing forward, saints!  Hopefully it all works out okay.  He's going to love it no matter what I'm sure, so I guess it's not really that big of a deal.  But I want it to look good, especially since he's probably going to keep it around forever.  By the way, I'm thinking about giving it to him as a Christmas gift...  Which means I can only work on it when he's not around...  This may be tricky.  Or maybe it just won't be a surprise.  Hmm.

Speaking of crocheting, this makes me think of the time at good ol' EAC when my roomies and I all got out our crochet projects and had a crocheting party in our little living area.  Good times.  :)

Shout out to Becky (soon to be Brimhall), Cheyenne (now Shepherd), and Stormy (now Garner).

Yeah for craft parties!!!

I'm doing pretty good on the other things as well (remember we're talking about goals here, I almost forgot too).  Haven't started the memorizing stuff yet.  I'll get around to it.  Lol!

Run run run!

So I learned in church today that our annual stake bbq will be held on Saturday, November 6th.  Along with this bbq (and games and entertainment and stuff...  It's going to be fun, you should come!) there will be a 5K run.  And for some cRaZy reason I've decided to join on this embarkation of running.  (Does that make sense?  Just go with it.)  I've never done a 5K.  I've had tiny slivers of wanting to do one, however.....  So here we go!  I'm a little nervous!  I have 4 weeks to train.  Yikes!  That means I'll be running every day (except Sundays of course) for a while starting tomorrow.  Ahhh.  Hello 6:00 AM.

Feel free to join me if you wish.

I think I want to make t-shirts.  I'm pretty sure I'll need the support!

Goals goals goals!

Goals are important.  They help us progress and be better and just feel like we're doing something with our lives!  Which is why it's important to have both long and short term goals.  Because seeing no results can be frustrating and depressing.

MY GOALS (either already made and in process or recently made and newly in process):

• To bed by 10:00pm
• Out of bed by 6:30am
• Work out for at least about 15-30 minutes at least 3 or 4 days a week (on Wii Fit!)
• Read at least one book every month
• Make dinner a couple times a week
• Get better at playing the hymns on the piano
• Attend the temple at least once a month
• Study in the scriptures every day
• Write in my journal more often, like once a weekish
• Be more involved, go to activities
• Be crafty once a month
• Memorize the 100 mastery scriptures
• Memorize the Articles of Faith
• Memorize the Relief Society Theme
• Memorize The Living Christ
• Memorize The Family: A Proclamation to the World
• Work on family history at least once a month
• Food storage!
• Get our 72 hour emergency kit together
• Work on learning Spanish...  Rosetta Stone
• Drink more water!  For starters I'm trying for at least: one glass in the morning before work, one bottle at work, and one glass at home before I go to bed.
• Be more careful not only about what I eat but when and how much

I think that about covers it?  I'm sure there are things I'm forgetting.  Look at all this fun stuff to do!!