Make ice

This is something everyone can do to prepare make some ice and bag it up. Now if you have an automatic ice maker in your freezer, just bag up a bag of ice each day or every other day. If you have to make your own ice in ice trays, make a batch up, put into bags everyday.

Why bag up ice? You can always use the ice for ice chests for game days, ice for injuries, extra for drinks. The best reason you would want to bag up ice is for emergencies. If the power goes out you have ice to keep your food cold in ice chests.

You never know when you will need extra ice. In an emergency you can not go out and buy ice. Ice runs out first thing. On hot days there is generally no ice to be found or bought even when not an emergency. Every time I go to the store I see the ice bins empty, and a bag of ice is over two dollars a bag.

I can bag up my own ice for free. Fill your freezer with extra bags of ice. If you need room for food, take out a bag of ice.

Just a thought! 

September is national preparedness month

September is national preparedness month. This is the month many people prepare, go through their kits, go over their emergency plans.

With summer over and the seasons changing time to get ready for fall and winter. Time to finish up harvesting the garden, canning, jelly and jam making, dehydrating fruits and vegetables.

Time to go through clothes, put away summer items, and break out the fall and winter items.

Hurricane season will be at its peak, get your 72 hour kits ready. With the changing of weather more severe thunderstorms, and possible tornados time to be sure you have things ready.

Have a fire drill for your home. Go over your meeting place at home. Where will you meet if you can not get back home? Does everyone know where to meet?

Get you car ready for fall and winter. Go through your car emergency kit. Change out the water, food, clothes and supplies. Check batteries. Give your car a once over, check tire pressure, check the spare tire too. Check all fluids.

Go through the first aid kit. Did the kids use up all the bandages? How about the bug sting meds. Check for expiration dates, replace.

This is the time of year to go through kits. See what you need to replace. Take the time to do it. Because you never know when you will need it!   

Keep the germs at bay

As school is back in session. This is a perfect time to talk about proper hand washing, not only at school, but at home also. This is the time of year the bugs of colds, and flu come and visit people.

Wash your hands when you come home, before eating, after using the toilet, after you sneeze or cough.

Carry hand sanitizer, Kleenex, and wash with soap!

A rule in our house, you wash your hands everytime you enter the kitchen or the bathroom. And of course everytime you leave the bathroom.

Basic sanitation will help keep the germs, and cold and flu bugs down to a minimum.

Wash those hands! Wipe down the backpacks, purses with disinfectant. Sterilize the door handles, light switches, phones, remotes, etc anything your hands touch wipe that item down.     

Trying mobile blogging

So since my laptop died. I am trying mobile blogging. So this is a test.

Bag Balm

Have you ever tried or used Bag Balm? Well we have been using Bag Balm in our house for many years. It was always in the house when I was growing up!

Here are a few things I have used it for.
Baby diaper rash will be gone in no time!
On dry cracked feet, just rub on, add a sock on your feet and in the morning your feet will be much softer and feel better
Dry cracked hands! work on, add gloves and let it work!
We use it for cuts and scrapes minor burns.
We put it on our lips when or even before they get cracked or chapped.
Since it was made for cows, we use it on our animals too. Dog paws, rabbit hocks, any open wound!

There are many uses for Bag Balm. This is one thing I use almost weekly in our home. If you have never tried it, I would recommend that you do. Many people have used it years ago and have forgotten about it.

Here is what I have noticed and have personally done. Any where you would use Neosporin (which I use a lot and have in my first aid kits) you can use Bag Balm. Anywhere you would put lotion for dry skin, you can use bag balm.

Here is story from 40 years ago about Bag Balm. We lived in the mountains of Idaho at this time. We were an hour on a good day from town, and two hours away from any hospital or doctor.
My mom and dad were out in the woods cutting wood for the wood stove.  My dad accidentally cut my moms knee with the chain saw. It did not cut the bone, one a very bad flesh wound. This is was because My dad reacted quickly and had use a chain saw all his life. (Mom walked up on him). Mom was hurt and bleeding. Dad stopped the bleeding the best he could, put her on the back of the motorcycle and headed to the house. Now this was back in 1970. They did not have the money to go to the doctor. So old school back woods doctoring came in. They washed the wound well. Then they slabbed on Bag Balm, put on a tight bandage. They did this for a few weeks and mom healed up fine. Just a bad scar. Should she of had stitches, yes of course. But in a pinch it worked! Mom has never had an issue with her knee and the cut she got from the chain saw!

Laundry Tips, homemade laundry soap

So we all have to do laundry. This is one thing everyone has to do, as with doing dishes. It is a never ending battle. Just after you get the laundry done, another load is waiting since you have to wear clothes everyday.

I have been trying out the best way to get clean laundry. Since we have moved to a hotter area with lots of humidity, my husband will come with sweat filled clothes. Trying to get out the perspiration, dirt and grim can be hard at times.

I use tide, borax and Pinesol on almost all my loads. But I needed a pre-treatment that did not cost a lot of money.

I found Fels-Naptha at the store yesterday. I paid maybe a dollar for it. Brought it home and have been researching it this morning and finding tips and other fun stuff about it and other things. I also bought some Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda. 

Here are some links for the Tips and websites I found. There is a site that has many make your own laundry detergent. Great all in one resource.

http://tipnut.com/10-homemade-laundry-soap-detergent-recipes/

Here is another blog about the Fels-Naptha http://www.mnn.com/your-home/at-home/blogs/back-to-basics-fels-naptha

I will be trying out the Fels-Naptha this next week. I hope it works.

I was also looking to add laundry soap to my Food Storage. Since I already buy many of the things needed to make your own. I will be trying a few of the recipes and see what works for me. I now have a front loader washer that does not take as much water, or as much soap to run a load. This may be something I may do on a regular basis.

Now most people wash their clothes to much. We all wear under shirts, tank tops etc under our top shirt. So unless you are really dirty you can wear your shirt another day at least around the house. Pants unless dirty, meaning covered in dirt, grease, mud, sweat, etc can be worn more than one time! Of course your under clothes need to be washed after each use. Same goes for socks.
Sweaters, sweat shirts, etc can have multiple wearings. Have kids come home and change into play clothes they can wear more than once after school or going out in public. I even do this. I wear clothes out and about, come home and change into house clothes.

Sanitation Kit: Hygiene

Well we all have to go to the Bathroom! What if the water is cut off, and you can not use your toilet?

This is why we all need to a sanitation plan in place. Your sanitation kit should be put together and place near your 72 hour kit. You know someone will have to go soon or later! With out proper sanitation diseases can spread and can even cause death.

Place the following into two 5 gallon buckets with tight fitting lids.
Toilet paper
Infant supplies (if needed) Adult Supplies (if needed)
Medium Heavy duty trash bags for lining the buckets at least 13 gallon size
Large heavy duty trash bags for sealing up waste 33 gallon size
bar soap, dish soap, laundry soap
Bottle of bleach
Hand towelettes
Baby wipes
Towel per person, wash cloth person ( if not already included in personal packs)
Tooth paste, toothbrush, mouth wash, Shampoo( if not already included in personal packs)
Medium sized Zipper type baggies for misc uses
Scrub brush, dish cloth, roll of paper towels
1-2 wash pans or wash basins
Rope to tie up for a clothes line
Disposable gloves
Hand sanitizer
Lotion
Hydrogen peroxide
Vinegar
Baking Soda
2-3 Empty spray bottles for peroxide, vinegar, bleach
Borax
super sorb, or chemical toilet type powders to add to bucket
small shovel (if not already included in your 72 hour kit)
face masks
Optional: snap on lid seat for 5 gallon bucket available online, and at outdoor supply stores.

May want to have 2 buckets one for solid waste and one for fluid waste.

Check with your local health dept for their plans regarding waste disposal before a disaster. They will give you guide lines as what to do with your waste. Each city is different, each county is different, each state is different. It all depends on where you live and the resources around you.

Simply Preparing

As we simply prepare for things, I am reminded each week of all the things we need to prepare for. Even just the little things like a flat tire you need to prepare for!

Right now in the news is the threat of Hurricane Isaac. I hope people have taken into consideration and learned from former storms to have a plan, have a kit, and simply be prepared. But you do not have to wait for big storms to come to prepare. Everyday we have things we need to prepare for.

This is what happened to us Friday night/Saturday morning.

Friday night around 10pm, My daughter had a bad blow out on one tire while driving. She was fine, never lost control. She did what we taught her when she started driving years ago. She slowed down, turned on her hazard lights, slowly got over to the side of the road, found a public busy parking lot and parked. Once she parked (under a big light), she called us and my husband went to help her. They did not get home until after midnight.

Saturday morning we had very bad and severe thunderstorms come through our area. I woke up to the rain, wind then the thunder. A few minutes later the NOAA weather radio went off telling us of the severe thunderstorm, the phone alerts went of on the phones, all at once.  Then there are flooding alerts that then followed. This all started at 5am on Saturday, rain started at midnight. By the end of the day we received over 10 inches of rain. The neighborhood was flooded, most roads were impassable. We are lucky enough to live where we personally were not flooded, but all around us was.  Now I really know why we had to but flood insurance before buying the house! We never lost power.

Since I was up at 5am with the storm I made biscuits, coffee, etc. I then put water into the 5 gallon water cooler, just in case. Put all kits in the same place.

9am comes and a tornado warning comes across the weather radio. We all put our shoes on! I then put all kits into the bathroom, (our safer room) had my daughter put the harness on the cat, grab our purses, blankets etc. Husband watched out one side of the house, I watched the other side of the house, had all 3 TVS on the local weather until the threat passed. We are happy to say the tornado did NOT form near us! Whew!!!

Sad thing is we had to go to the bank to deposit paycheck, get a tire fixed from the evening before. So we had to buy a new tire, have it put on and such. This is also the day I had planned to go grocery shopping. Saturday is errand day anyway, right. lol We were able to do all these things, since we knew ways in and out of the neighborhood even with flooded streets.

All this happened with out warning, all happened with in 24 hours.

We could get by with out fixing the tire, and just used my husbands car if we had to, I did not have to go to the store if I could not of and well the check depositing could of waited until Monday or I could of done it online.

So in 24 hours we had a bad blow out tire, severe thunderstorms with lots of wind, 10 inches of rain, flooding, tornado warning. Non the less we had a busy weekend. But we were prepared for all. Taught our daughter what to do late at night in the dark if she gets a flat tire, and she did it!!! Had out kits for the tornado, etc. We all knew what to do with out being told. We just did it! Husband has his jobs, I have my jobs, Daughter has her jobs. Warning comes across the radio and we DO it! The reason why we just do our jobs, is we have a plan, we talk about our plan and we do out plan.

I look at the warnings as real as they are, glad nothing happens and if they do we know what to do.

Glad this weekend is over and all is good!

Non Food Item Plastic Shopping Bags

How many times have you gone to the store and forgot your reusable shopping bags? I know I have. Then you come home with a mountain of these bags.

Well since you have them, might as well use them. We reuse ours for many things, doggy poop pick up, cat box clean up, wet clothes for the beach, muddy shoes for the car, use in packing for trips, someone always needs a bag when they visit to put stuff in to leave, ie wet swim suits, wet towels, etc. We use them to clean out the car, have in the car for trips for trash, we even used some to move food from one place to another. I used them to wrap glass and breakables when were packing to move! When the kids needed a bag to go out for the day and hold towels, change of clothes, they used a one. For Halloween and other parties a great way to send home treats, use for trick or treating. (pillow case works better but in a pinch it works great). I have used them to store clothes and extra linens. I have used them to be box fillers when packing a box for shipping. (my sister really loves that! NOT). We use them in the trash cans for the bathrooms, bedrooms, etc.

There are so many uses for these little bag. some people make things out of them.
They are handy to when you do not want to use a big trash bag. Great for picking up things and you do not have gloves around, light weight for traveling and such. I even have some in my food Storage. 72 hour kits and the like.

So instead of wading them up and placing them in a bag and hang on the wall. I even have a box I stick most of mine in for the house. Today I re used a Clorox disinfection wipes container and folded up the bags and added it to our 72 hour kit,instead of a gallon baggie. I was able to get 30 bags into the container, by folding. By wading up and squishing them into the container I only got 20.

I will be re using my disinfection wipes containers to make more. You can put the bags that are in the containers then in your car, in the bathroom, in your first aid kits, 72 hour kits, on your shelves for use in the food storage room. When you place them into any container you save space and you are more organized! We all need help doing that. I took a big bag of shopping bags and made them into a much smaller space. It only took me maybe 10 minutes. You can have the kids help fold the bags and see how many they can put in to a container. Lots of people use coffee cans with plastic lids with a hole cut out, I have done this in the kitchen.  Kleenex boxes work great too. Just about anything that you want you reuse for this will work.

Here is a link to how to I found out here in blog world... Now I did not decorate mine, I just wrote on the container with a sharpie.
http://tatertotsandjello.com/2011/07/summer-social-guest-project-make_21.html

I took pics, but my camera is being grumpy, go figure.

Using Jams and Jellies

So you now have lots of jams and jellies. It does not matter if you made the jams yourself or bought it at the store. You can use jam many ways other than just for sandwiches.

Here are some things I have done with my surplus of Jams and Jellies.

Add a few tablespoons to pancake batter, a little goes a long way and you do not have whole big berries or fruit. It is a nice treat away from plain pancakes, hotcakes, griddle cakes.

Add a few tablespoons or a bit more to plain muffin mix. instead of using frozen, dried or fresh berries.


Many people use jams for filling when making cookies, bars, and such.

You can use it as a glaze on meats. All depends on what kind of jam you have and what meat you are using.

You can add a bit to plain yogurts, to add flavor to it!

Add some to a bowl of oatmeal. It will give it a bit of flavor and easier to eat for some people!

Warm up some jam and add over Ice cream! Oh so good!

Use jam in between cake layers, you know you want the raspberry filling in your cakes!

Warm up the jam or jelly and thin it down a bit and make flavored syrup for pancakes, waffles, and french toast.

Of course there is toast, bread, sandwiches, on biscuits, on pancakes. Where ever you add fruit you can add jams and jellies as a substitution in many recipes!  

Peanut Butter Recipes

Peanut Butter Recipes....

So now that you have Peanut Butter stored up, now
what? There is more than just eating PB and J sandwiches, PB on crackers, or just eating it on a spoon or on apples. 

Here are a few recipes I found to use up peanut butter. 

Cream of Peanut Soup

INGREDIENTS:

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 stalk celery, chopped
• 1/2 medium onion, chopped
• 1 1/2 tablespoons Pillsbury BEST® All Purpose Flour
• 4 cups chicken or vegetable broth
• 1 cup Jif® Creamy Peanut Butter
• 1 cup milk
• Snipped chives
• Chopped peanuts for garnish

DIRECTIONS:

1. MELT butter in medium saucepan. Cook celery and onion until onion is tender, but not browned. Stir in flour and cook about one minute. Whisk in chicken broth, cooking until thickened and bubbly.
2. REMOVE from heat. Puree mixture in batches, in a blender, until smooth. Return to saucepan.
3. ADD the peanut butter and milk, stirring to blend thoroughly. Heat through, but do not boil. Serve hot or cold. Garnish with snipped chives and chopped peanuts, if desired.

 Prep Time: 20 min

Cook Time: 15 min

Yield: 6 Cups

Recipe from http://www.jif.com/Recipes/Details/420

Crispy Peanut Butter Pretzel Chicken
Serves 6
3 tablespoons fig jam
2 tablespoons prepared stone ground mustard
6 skinless, boneless chicken breasts, thighs or legs
8 ounces sourdough pretzels, coarsely crushed
1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
1 large egg
1/2 cup water
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/4 teaspoon hot sauce
1/2 cup flour
1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
1. Preheat oven to 400°. Mix together fig jam and mustard in a small bowl; set aside.
2. Place pretzels in a food processor, and pulse until coarsely ground. Transfer to a shallow bowl.
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together peanut butter, egg, water, salt, pepper and hot sauce.
4. Place flour in a large plastic bag. Add chicken breasts and shake to coat evenly. Dip chicken in egg mixture, then dredge in the pretzel crumbs, pressing coating lightly to adhere to chicken. Place coated chicken on a rack set over a baking sheet. Bake until chicken is cooked through, approximately 20 to 25 minutes.
5. To serve, divide fig mustard among six plates, and using the back of a spoon, smear it in a line across center of plate. Place a piece of chicken on top of jam, garnish with parsley, and serve hot.
Recipe from http://peanutbutterlovers.com/

Oriental Chicken 'N Noodle Salad

Ingredients

• 8 ounces angel hair pasta or vermicelli
• 1 lb. boneless chicken breasts
• 2 Tbsp. PLUS 3/4 cup Wish-Bone® Italian Dressing
• 3/4 cup sliced green onions
• 2 Tbsp. finely chopped fresh ginger*
• 1/4 cup finely chopped cilantro or parsley
• 2 Tbsp. Skippy® Creamy Peanut Butter
• 2 Tbsp. brown sugar
• 1 Tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 Tbsp. sherry
• 1/4 tsp. crushed red pepper
• 2 medium carrots, sliced
• 1 medium red bell pepper, chopped

Directions

1. Cook pasta according to package directions; drain and rinse with cold water until completely cool.
2. On broiler pan, arrange chicken. Brush with 2 tablespoons Dressing, then broil, turning once, 6 minutes or until chicken is thoroughly cooked.
3. Meanwhile, in 12-inch skillet, heat remaining 3/4 cup Dressing and cook green onions and ginger over medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes or until tender. Stir in cilantro, Skippy® Creamy Peanut Butter, brown sugar, soy sauce, sherry and crushed red pepper. In large bowl, toss pasta with green onion mixture, carrots and red pepper. To serve, arrange on platter, then top with sliced chicken. Garnish, if desired, with additional sliced green onions.

• *SUBSTITUTION: Use 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger and decrease crushed red pepper to 1/8 teaspoon.

Recipe from http://www.peanutbutter.com/

Peanut Butter Energy Bites (Makes approximately 15 cookies)
Ingredients

• 1 c. peanut butter
• 1/2 c. sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 c. wheat germ

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Spray cookie sheet with cooking spray or line with parchment paper.
• Combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir together until everything is fully mixed. The dough will be very thick.
• Scoop dough by the tablespoon onto the cookie sheet.
• Bake for 10 – 12 minutes until the sides of the bites begin to brown.
• Let cool and enjoy!

Flat Stanley Gets Prepared (Kids)

Flat Stanley and Flat Stella are helping kids get prepared. Well at least so it is not so scary. If you have had a child in the last 20 years of so, chances are you have heard of flat Stanley and how this simple character has helped teachers teach the children in their classrooms about the world.

Flat Stanley sleeping in my sons rack while on deployment on an aircraft carrier 2011

Both of my children have had Flat Stanley's in the past and even just recently my nieces have had flat Stanley's. One flat Stanley went on deployment with my son on an air craft carrier! 

Ready.gov has a children's section, in case you did not know. This website has The Flats ready to download, and print to help you and your children get ready!
http://www.ready.gov/kids
There are great resources for parents and fun things for the kids to do!

Flat Stanley and Flat Stella Join FEMA

Flatter World and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) are working together to make younger generations more informed and prepared for the unexpected. The FEMA/Flat Stanley collaboration will continue to provide kids with state of the art interactive and informative experiences both inside and outside of the classroom in the area of emergency preparedness.
FEMA Flat Stanley & Stella are characters created to help teach kids about emergency preparedness, and more specifically about hurricane awareness, and how they can use their interactive experiences to make disaster preparedness plans and kits fun and informative.
Children can download and create their own customized character from the website or Flat Stanley mobile app. Then they can share their experiences of creating a preparedness kit and share their adventure with other Flat Stanley users.
“FEMA” is now a destination on the Flat Stanley Mobile Application so anyone can create a character and send it on a FEMA tour. On the tour, kids can send their characters to visit FEMA headquarters, interact with agency personnel, experience FEMA field operations, and learn how to prepare their classmates and families for emergencies.

http://www.flatstanley.com/resources?subpage=femapage 

Visit the websites, help your children, take pictures of getting ready! You do not have to share your pics, make a small photo album for the kids to have and look at. Put captions by the photos what you are doing, why, etc. That way they can remember why and can review their own album when they want to.

Anything to help make preparing for emergencies, added to food storage and practicing your fire drills can be a bit easier when the kids and learn through Flat Stanley as he is learning how to prepare!

West Nile Virus

In the news of late there has been talk about the West Nile Virus outbreak in Texas. There are other states that involved also. But here is some good information on the subject.

There is great information out there and all you need to do is do a simple search and get the info you need. You can visit your state, county, town, or city websites, health dept websites, etc to see if you need to know what is going on in your area, also they will give you some prevent tips everyone could use to simply to keep the pesky little buggers at bay!

Here is a copy and pasted information from the CDC on the subject, as I do not have proficiency in west nile virus and the like. Here is there link if you want to visit there website. They have all this information in a PDF form for easy printing and saving needs for you!

http://www.cdc.gov/ncidod/dvbid/westnile/wnv_factSheet.htm

What Is West Nile Virus?

West Nile virus (WNV) is a potentially serious illness. Experts believe WNV is established as a seasonal epidemic in North America that flares up in the summer and continues into the fall. This fact sheet contains important information that can help you recognize and prevent West Nile virus.

What Can I Do to Prevent WNV?

New! Prevention measures consist of community-based mosquito control programs that are able to reduce vector populations, personal protection measures to reduce the likelihood of being bitten by infected mosquitoes, and the underlying surveillance programs that characterize spatial/temporal patterns in risk that allow health and vector control agencies to target their interventions and resources.

The easiest and best way to avoid WNV is to prevent mosquito bites.

• When you are outdoors, use insect repellent containing an EPA-registered active ingredient. Follow the directions on the package.

• Many mosquitoes are most active at dusk and dawn. Be sure to use insect repellent and wear long sleeves and pants at these times or consider staying indoors during these hours.

• Make sure you have good screens on your windows and doors to keep mosquitoes out.

• Get rid of mosquito breeding sites by emptying standing water from flower pots, buckets and barrels. Change the water in pet dishes and replace the water in bird baths weekly. Drill holes in tire swings so water drains out. Keep children's wading pools empty and on their sides when they aren't being used.                         

There is more great info on the site, signs, symptoms, etc.

Peanut Butter and Jelly

This is the time of year that Peanut Butter and Jams and Jellies go on sale, Just in time for back to school. This is the perfect time to add Peanut Butter and Jams and the like to your Food Storage.

There are many people who make their own Jams and Jellies. Please make, store and put away. There is nothing like a fresh jams and jellies cooking in the pot before your jar them up. My Children always loved the fresh foam on the jam and eat it with fresh homemade bread!

Peanut Butter is a quick and easy thing to add to your 72 hour kits, and has a shelf life that does not need to refrigerated in times of emergency. The going shelf life of peanut butter is; The official is use by date. Many people that have stored peanut butter: unopened jars that have been kept in a cool, dry, dark place can last between 2-5 years after the used by date. Again this is a personal choice and you do with it what you want to. Always smell your peanut butter you will know by the nose that it is no longer good to eat.

Jams and Jellies are made with sugar and the like. They officially have a used by date on prepackage items. The general rule is about 1 maybe 2 years. It all depends on what it is, how it was made and if it has sugar or sugar free.

Do a simple search, check the websites for the brands you use and see what the manufacturer has to say all about it. When you make your own the general rule of thumb is use it with in a year. I have used jams I have put up for up to 5 years later. Check the seals, and make sure they are not molding or spoiling.

This is the time of year I like to remind people to add a few extra jars to food storage. 

Now if your family has a peanut allergy sufferer you will not want to add peanut butter to your storage as it will be a hazard to the family member.

As with any food storage it is best to use up what you have, replace as needed. Wasting food and throwing it out is a waste of money. Always use the first in first out method. Always date for incoming food on when you added it to your food storage and place behind what you already have on your shelves. Use your food storage and you will never have to throw out food, and your food will be used long before the use by dates!

Whats for Dinner

So what is for Dinner this week?

This weeks menu is:

 Chicken Parmesan with noodles with marinara sauce, Salad.
http://www.hellmanns.com/recipes/detail/8366/1/

Grilled cheese sandwiches, tomato soup, fresh vegetables.

Breaded pork chops, mashed potatoes, green beans.
http://www.tasteofhome.com/recipes/breaded-pork-chops

Bratwurst, mac and cheese, baked beans, salad.
http://www.kraftrecipes.com/recipes/velveeta-ultimate-macaroni-cheese-52089.aspx

Salad with grilled chicken and vegetables.

Catfish, rice, fresh vegetables.
http://allrecipes.com/recipe/oven-fried-catfish-2/detail.aspx

All meals are served with a bread, either biscuits, bread, rolls, or crackers.
All meals have fresh or canned fruit.
All meals have fresh or canned vegetables offered at each meal.
All meals are served with cottage cheese, yogurt, milk or cheese.

So whats for dinner at your house?

Quotes for Back to school

Here are a few Quotes for back to school, education and to never stop learning! 

Education is not preparation for life; education is life itself.  ~John Dewey


The object of education is to prepare the young to educate themselves throughout their lives. ~Robert Maynard Hutchins

Education is a better safeguard of liberty than a standing army.  ~Edward Everett

Education would be much more effective if its purpose was to ensure that by the time they leave school every boy and girl should know how much they do not know, and be imbued with a lifelong desire to know it.  ~William Haley

Its that time of year

It is that time of year. Back to school time. As people are busy trying to get things is order for the kids to go back to school. This is the perfect time to buy certain things to add to your 72 hour kits, 2 week kits and storage in general.

This is the time of year that I buy lots of socks, underwear, tee shirts and pants for everyone. When these items go on sale I buy many. I put some away for spring time to pull out of storage and give everyone a new package of socks, because by then they have holes, or lost pairs, etc. Same thing for underwear, and tee shirts. Now pants is a whole another thing. If you have growing kids you can not buy extra to put away for 6 months or longer. This only works if you have grown children, husbands etc.

Now it the time of year to go through your 72 hour kits, change out the clothing and replace. It is a good idea to go through it and wash it at least once a year, if not twice a year. You do not want to have to use your 72 hour clothes and they smell, have bugs in them or simply do not fit! Just like you have to change and replace out your food and water, the same goes for the clothes.

Wash all new clothes you buy. Now is the time of year to go through your winter and fall clothes, take them out of storage or out of the closet. See what still fits, see what has no holes, etc and wash and get ready for the cooler temps. Since August is almost over cooler weather in many places is coming. Time to put away the shorts and tank tops.

We do not have over filling closets. We have enough clothes for 2-3 weeks. This includes socks, underwear, tee shirts, pants that you can wear more than one day, sweats, long sleeve shirts, sweat shirts, sweaters, etc. The reason I have enough for a few weeks is if I can NOT wash clothes for a while we are good to go. I wash clothes on a regular basis, which is 1 load of wash per person per week. 1-2 loads of towels, 1 load of bedding per person in a week. The reason why I do more towels than anything is we have a pool and the towels start to smell and do not dry completely with the humidity.  

This is also the time of year to buy towels, wash clothes, bedding, and closet supplies. As families are sending their older children to college, the stores have things on sale for people to buy said items. So even though I do not have kids in school anymore I still take advantage of this time of year to buy things to replace and add to my storage.

See what you need, buy what you need and save money at the same time!

Immunizations

One way of being prepared and ready for anything is to have your Immunizations updated and current. All children entering school should have their Shots current and boosters given when they are do. As adults you need to keep your shot boosters updated also.

Pets need to have their shots updated most are yearly!

Keep your Immunization records in your document files kit. These files you take with you even ever you leave your home for evacuation purposes.

You can look up what is recommended or you and your family. Again this is a personal choice. There are many sites, CDC, your states health service or health dept can tell you what you need. Most school districts let parents know when children and what age or grade level needs boosters before school starts.

Most Health districts offer free to low cost immunizations for children. Adults may have to pay a small fee. It all depends on where you live.

http://www.cdc.gov/vaccines/

I personally believe in Immunizations to prevent many things. I have never had an issue with my children or anyone in my extended family having an issue with any shot. I personally feel the benefit out ways any risk!

This is the time of year the flu shots will be coming out. If you are older, very young, work in a place where you are exposed to many people, or have health issues I would recommend you get one. Of course you need to talk with your doctor! Only you and your health care provider can make those choices for you!

This is the time of year to find the info you need and find low cost to free immunizations!
Many doctors have grants for many immunizations and or they can offer them for free for children.

We want to protect our families from many things and this is one easy way to protect them from many illnesses that you do not need to get!

Keeping the BUGS at bay

We all have to think about keeping bugs, and other pests at bay. Nobody wants them in our homes. There are time you have to hire a pest control service to spray for bugs, but in the mean time you should do a few things to help keep them at bay!

Do not invite bugs to live near your home. Keep plants, bushes and trees away from the sides of your home. Do not let the vegetation to grow on your home.

Do not use compost around the foundation of your home. This will invite all kinds of bugs and such to make their home there.

Rake up all leaves and debris from the foundation and the sides of your home.

Make sure the water drains away from your home. Check your rain gutters and see that water drains away from the home.

Keep your lawn trimmed and raked.

Keep your home clean! Clean up on a regular basis. Do not leave dirty dishes in the sinks. Take out the trash or garbage each night. Sweep and mop your kitchen on a regular basis. This is the most basic and most useful thing I can stress! By cleaning your home and keeping your home clean you will not have as much problems as those who live in an unclean home.

Fix any leaky plumbing. Do not allow standing water inside your home.

Store food in sealed glass or plastic containers. Clean up spills and wipe up and clean out cupboards on a regular basis.

Remove and block off indoor pest hiding places.

Block pest entryways.

Clean up after your pet. Keep the puppy piles cleaned up outside. Do not let the food or water sit in bowls. Clean bowls regularly. Do not let food sit in bowls for long periods of time. Refill the water bowls daily with fresh water.

Store fire wood away from the home.

I found a really good PDF on pests and such.

www.epa.gov/oppfead1/Publications/Cit_Guide/citguide.pdf


Of course this is all info for you to do with what your want. Do a search and see what bugs and pests you have in your area. Consult professionals in your area that can give you tips and ideas and even free quotes. Some places need to come out monthly, some bi-monthly, and quarterly and so on. You need to decide what is best for you. No one wants little critters that carry diseases in our homes. I am sure there are things you can plant, use and such that you can do for little to no money. But that is another topic. You have to decide what you need to do for your family and your home.

Margarita Punch, Non Alcoholic!

Margarita Punch

This Punch is a good substitute for lemonade. It is non alcoholic so great for kids. It is really easy to make and everyone will love it! I make a batch and have to have another one ready to go! It will go fast.  

Ingredients

• 6 ounces frozen lemonade concentrate
• 6 ounces frozen limeade concentrate
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 3 cups crushed ice
• 1 liter carbonated lemon-lime beverage
• 2 thinly sliced limes

Directions

1. Combine the concentrates, powdered sugar, and crushed ice in a large freezer proof container.
2. Cover tightly and freeze for at least one hour (or for many days depending on how early you're planning ahead).
3. Place the frozen mixture into a large punch bowl.
4. Slowly pour in the soda and add the lime and/or lemon slices.
5. Serve in chilled (salt rimmed optional) glasses.

Staying cool With HOT summer heat

Summer is well into July and many places are having high temperatures, Heat advisories, and it is simply plain old HOT outside. So what to do to stay cool?

Here are some basic tips:

1. Do not use the Dishwasher during the heat of the day!

2. Do not use the dryer or run the washer during the heat of the day.
(heat of the day is generally Noon to 7-8pm) Of course everywhere is different!
You do not want to heat up your house in the morning before the high temps come in the day. The AC will have to run longer and more.

3. This is a no brain-er but do not use your oven to cook on hot days, do you baking at night.
This goes to say, wash and dry clothes at night, in the cooler temps. Or if you have a clothes line outside hang up the clothes in the morning. Do your dishes at night.

4. Use dark colored curtains on windows to help block out the sun and heat. There are great curtains out there that are made to do just that. Or hang up an extra blanket on the windows. This really will help keep the sun and heat outside. Esp when you are running your AC unit.

5. Make and keep plenty of Ice on hand. Everyone will want to drink cold drinks. Encourage drinking water. or make lemonade or iced tea. Stay away from sodas and caffeine in the heat. Also stay away from alcohol in the heat!

6. Dress for the heat. Wear light weight and loose fitting clothing. Wear light colored clothing as well.

7. Eat smaller meals more often. You may want to eat light foods, like fruit, salads, and such. Heavy foods like pot roasts and potatoes may make you feel too full and not feel well. Put Watermelon, berries, and apples and oranges in the fridge. Eating the cold fruit will help you cool down. Popsicle and freezable pops things will help you cool down also. 

8. Try to stay indoors and stay in AC. Now not everyone will have AC. Go to the library, malls or bookstores to cool down if need be. Many towns and cities have cooling centers when the heat is expected to stay for more than a few days.

9. Do not do your yard work, or go for a jog on these hot days. if you must do strenuous activities, do so in the mornings before the day heats up.


10. Take a cool shower or bath to cool down. This goes for kids as well.

11. Even when working in the house or outside. Take plenty of breaks and slow down. Take time to cool down after doing things. Take frequent breaks. When out doors, find shade and stay out of direct sun.

12. Some people have pools, as we do. We have to limit the amount of time in the pool, due to the direct sun. Do wear sunscreen, even wear t-shirts over your suits. Not only will this keep the sun off you, but the wet t-shirt will help keep you cool.

13. Keep wash clothes and the like around. Get it wet and place on the back of your neck, wipe your face, and chest. When you sweat you want to wipe it away and not feel sticky.

14. Keep doors closed. Do not let the kids run in and out! this lets all the AC cool air out and the hot air in. Find things for the kids to do in the heat of the day that is indoors. Crafts, movies, books, etc. There are many things you can do with your kids to keep them entertained and cool.

15. When all else fails, Take a nap! I believe in naps even for adults. The heat will zap your energy.

We are going through the high heat and staying cool is always a challenge. Good luck to you all who have the high heat temps and trying to stay cool. Remember your pets need shade, water and a cool place to relax also. Do not take your pets to the store with you and leave them in the car. Pets die that way! 
 

First hand Experience of a Tornado

TORNADO

Wow what a few very long and tense hours we had yesterday and into last night. We had Tornado watches posted all day. Then at 8pm our time we had a tornado warning come through. Watching the news and the weather the Tornado came with in 1/4 a mile of us. We could see the winds, and the clouds moving. The official word is that the tornado started as a water spout came on to land becoming a tornado then went back into a water spout over the water and then was making land again.

This is a picture taken by a viewer sent in to the news station. This is over the water as it is coming to land.

The bad thing for the day was the NOAA weather radio was not working. After contacting the news they reported that the station was down due to work crews that had by accident cut down the lines. Not a good day for this to happen. So we were able to keep updated by the local weather and news channels, via the apps they have for the smart phones, facebook, and such. Many of the local news even went and streamed online for those that lost power and could access them via their smart phones.

I was constantly monitoring the weather channel, the apps for weather on my phone. I was alerted to the WARNING via facebook! All since the weather radio was down and not transmitting. I get weather alerts directly to my phone, trust me it was going off all night!

We had our plan in effect and we knew what to do. We were safe and no harm happened to us or where we live. Just 1/4 a mile away is where most things happened. We did have wind and LOTS of rain. There were things that blew around. We had some minor flooding.

Key here is know what to do when watches, and warnings come out. Stay connected to local news channels. Facebook, twitter and the apps that are available are great tools for being updated! Have your family's plan and kits ready to go. Keep things in an easy to get to place. Plan, prepare and be safe. You also need to have a battery powered radio and know what radio station to tune in to.

You also need to follow officials directions. Many people were wanting to look at the damage, it was not safe to be out while there were downed power lines, and debris everywhere. When you are told to stay home, stay inside, it is for a reason.  The pictures and such that are being shared tells us we are all very lucky that no one was hurt seriously. People are out cleaning things up, trying to make things safe. Good news is today is going to be sunny and nice, no storms for today.

When we woke up this morning after all the storms had passed. Trust me I did not sleep all that well. But when we looked out the window, and went outside on our back patio it looked as a brand new day. There was no hint in the sky of the storms and the tornado that came through the night before.

So check another natural disaster of my list of ones I have loved through.

Hurricane WARNING

DURING A HURRICANE WARNING

What is a Hurricane Warning?

A Hurricane Warning is issued by the National Hurricane Center where sustained winds of 74 mph (64 knots) or higher are expected within a specified area within 24 hours or less. All precautions must be completed immediately.

If You Live in a Mobile Home

Check tie-downs, turn off utilities and leave immediately for a safer place. Mobile homes are unsafe in hurricanes, tornadoes or severe thunderstorms. Can you imagine what hurricane-force winds would do to your mobile home?

Prepare for High Winds

Brace your garage door. Lower antennas. Be prepared to make repairs. Awnings, garbage cans, grills, lawn furniture, loose garden tools, toys and all other loose objects can be deadly missiles. Anchor securely or bring indoors. Securely board up or shutter large windows. Draw drapes across windows and doors to protect against flying glass.

Move Boats on Trailers Close to House

Fill boats with water to weigh them down. Lash securely to trailer and use tie-downs to anchor trailer to the ground or house. Check mooring lines of boats that must remain in water, then leave them. Accomplish this ahead of the hurricane watch to save time. 

Store Valuables and Personal Papers

Put important documents (birth certificates, heirlooms, personal inventory lists, pictures, titles, wills, etc.) in waterproof containers and store them in the highest possible location protected from potential flooding. If you evacuate, be sure to take them with you. You should have secured most of your valuables and important papers in a safety deposit box, during the family planning process.

Prepare for Storm Surge, Tornadoes & Flooding

Storm surges, tornadoes and floods are killers associated with a hurricane. In a Tornado Warning, seek inside shelter below ground level if possible. Otherwise, go to the inner-most small room away from outside walls, doors and windows on the lowest level of your structure. If you are outside, seek cover in ditch or other low spot. Do not attempt to outrun a tornado!

Mobile homes and portable buildings are extremely unsafe, during a tornado! The surge of the ocean water plus flash flooding of streams and rivers due to torrential rains cause 90% of the deaths associated with hurricanes. If you anticipate that your family will be at risk, evacuate early before the hurricane watch is issued! Complete evacuation well before the arrival of tropical force winds.

Test your generators. Make sure it is well has good ventilation  and You may want to think about chaining it up or securing it up! 

Bring pets indoors! 

Stay indoors! 

Of course you have have to decide what to do for yourself and your family. Only you are in charge of you and your family. 

Hurricane WATCH

What to do for a Hurricane WATCH.

A Hurricane Watch is issued by the National Hurricane Center to ALERT specific regions or states that hurricane conditions pose a threat to a specified area within 36-48 hours. Monitor storm reports on radio and television closely. Implement your family plan. If evacuation has not already been recommended, consider leaving the area early to avoid long hours along congested and limited evacuation routes.

Here is a list of things to do when there is a Hurricane Watch issued for your area.

 1. Fill up your car with gas.

2. Secure buildings. Have Materials for protecting windows and doors. Have shutters or lumber ready to protect large windows and doors. Be sure to include the needed hardware and tools to securely cover windows and doors. 

3. Review evacuation plan.

4. Listen to a radio or television for official instructions.

5. Check your family's emergency supplies.

6. Bring in outdoor objects (i.e. toys, garden tools).

7. Turn refrigerator and freezer to coldest settings.

8. Secure outdoor objects which cannot be brought inside (i.e. boats, lawnmower).

9. Store drinking water in clean bathtubs, jugs, bottles, and cooking utensils

10. Have non perishable food, that you can prepared with out cooking and need no refrigeration. 

11. Make ice in your freezer for coolers. You will need a lot of ice and there will be little to no ice available to buy right before or especially right after a hurricane! 

12. Start prepping food to eat for the Hurricane. If you staying plan on pre cooking food before the storm hit. If you are evacuating, pre make food to take with you. As always take precautions for food safety and food borne illness. Keep things cold enough in coolers! Lots of ice! 

As always these are suggestions. You need to make your own choices and make your own plan. You need to decide what to do for yourself and your own family. No one can tell you how to prepare. You choose to do what is best for you! 

Hurricane to do list long before the Storm comes

There are many to do lists, and many things that people need to do before any emergency. Since Hurricane season is upon us, I wanted to touch base on a few things I have seen, learned and I do each year.

I would want to encourage everyone in a Hurricane area to go through and update there kits and plans. Now if you do not have a plan or kit, this is the time to make them.

So are a few to do lists:
1. Learn what to do before, During and After a Hurricane. Go to your cities, towns websites, Emergency management websites. Most Places that have hurricanes will put out booklets, pamphlets, etc. Also look at FEMA, RED CROSS, READY.GOV, and other for tips, ideas and checklists.  
2. Discuss with your family's Hurricane plan.
3. Go through, gather or assemble your family's Disaster kits. There are all kinds of check lists out there, but know that you will be with out power for days even weeks, depending on the strength of the storm.
4. Identify your out of state or out of area contact. TELL them they are your contact. Then be sure to tell other family members, friends, etc that they are your contact. Be sure everyone has the name, address and phone number of the contact person. (the reason is everyone can contact this person and update others, You only have to make one call, send one text to the contact). Also on this topic if all family is connected through a social media outlet, ie twitter, facebook, then everyone can know at the same time that you are ok and such.
5. You also need to have for those that need to a plan for those that are elderly, have disabilities, or have special needs. For example if you have someone in your family who needs oxygen to breath, know how long your battery back up is. Plan on if this person needs to be moved to a safer location for power. Plan ahead!
6. Pets. All your pets need to have a plan too. If you are going to a shelter, you can not take your pet. You need to know what to do with spot and fluffy. If you are evacuating you need a kit for them, and all there supplies.
7. You need to know a main evacuation route and an alternative route, in case you are asked to leave. You will need maps! GPS may not work! Also try driving the routes before hand, so you know where to go, landmarks, and smaller highways, or roads. Become familiar with the area especially areas you do not drive on a regular basis.
8. Know how to turn off your utilities in case you need to Evacuate.
9. Know your children's school plans, work plans in case of Emergencies.
10. Take a First aid course, CPR. Update your families first aid kit!
11. Review your status of your automobile, flood, home owners or renters insurance coverages. List and photograph or videotape valuable property. Make hard copies and place in your document kit. Be sure add the phone numbers of all insurances and account numbers. Take this kit with you if you evacuate!
12.List and photograph or videotape valuable property. Write down serial numbers, description, etc. Make hard copies and place in your document kit. Take this kit with you! If you have special insurance an item, be sure to have all the information you need in order to make a claim!

Family Disaster Supplies Kit

Keep these supplies at home throughout the year in preparation for major emergencies or disasters. We recommend that you keep them in a separate "Family Disaster Supplies Kit" so they are easy to find when you need them. Identify a safe room for storage of the supply kit and where you can go if a hurricane hits. Don't forget to rotate and replace expired items throughout the year.

Family members should discuss and plan additional supplies that might be needed over an extended period of time. Be ready for the hurricane season. Some supplies will be required in the event you elect to stay in your home. Others may be required if you evacuate or relocate or go to a shelter. Plan supplies so they are clearly accessible and identifiable. After a hurricane watch is issued, there may be a high demand and short supply of many items.

• AM/FM radio (AC/DC battery operated)
• Baby food, diapers, formula and other supplies
• Backpack, duffel bag, portable cooler or other containers
• Bleach (without lemon or any other additives)
• Canned or packaged foods, milk and beverages (minimum 7-day non-perishable food supply for each family member)
• Can opener (non-electric)
• Changes of clothing, hard soled shoes and rain gear for each family member
• Eating utensils and supplies
• Emergency cooking facilities (camping equipment and supplies are great)
• Extra prescription medications, glasses or hearing aids (see your doctor)
• Fire extinguishers (checked and serviced annually)
• First aid kit (adequate capacity and type for the size of your family)
• Flashlights & extra batteries (size and type for flashlights, radios, etc.)
• Food and water for pets
• Important documents (driver's license, birth certificate, insurance documents, etc.)
• Lanterns and fuel (stored in safe container & location)
• Matches (stored in a safe and protective container)
• Mosquito repellant
• Non-perishable foods, milk and beverages (minimum 7-day supply for each family member)
• Plywood boards ¾" to board up windows (cut & fit ahead of time)
• Quiet games, toys, books and cards
• Sleeping bag and blankets for each family member
• Spare batteries for flashlights, radios, etc.
• Spare keys for home, vehicles, boats, etc.
• Toilet paper, soap, tooth brushes, tooth paste and other personal hygiene items
• Water (1 gallon per person per day for drinking purposes)
• Water purification procedures & tablets (check with your local health department)
• Weather alert radio (AC/DC battery operated)
• Other items preplanned by the family