Emergency Preparedness ~ Braving the Storm

The weather report calls for a storm and everyone runs to the store stocking up on toilet paper, milk, batteries, gas for the generator and snacks. I'm sitting in the beginning of Blizzard 2015, with over a foot of snow, wind whipping, thinking of emergence preparedness and trying to get my thoughts down before we lose power.

I'm thankful that I wasn't one of the thousands running out for supplies yesterday. I've had to do that in the past. Elbowing your way down isles just to find out that what ever you needed in that isle is sold out. Worry and dread in your heart. How will we keep warm? What will we eat? Oh darn, I need diapers and dog food too.

Being prepared is a wonderful feeling. You may be wondering, where do I start? Here is a list of  items that you should have extra on hand in case of an emergency. (Such as bad weather where you lose power for days and can't get to a store.)

• Toilet paper
• Diapers/Wipes
• Pet Food/litter
• Batteries
• Candles/Matches
• Drinking Water
• Water to do dishes/flush
• Blankets
• Food
• Non electronic entertainment (cards, board games, books)
• Flashlights
• Generator/gas
• Prescriptions/vitamins
• First aid supplies
• Feminine Hygiene Products
• Tissues, Paper towels 

So, how much is enough? A three month supply is a good start. I know your thinking, why on earth would I need a three month supply for a two day power outage? In New England, in the Ice Storm of '98 there were people without power for over three weeks. You never know how bad or how long the aftermath of a storm will be. Let me note that your food storage should be a supply of things you already eat on a daily basis. Granted, if your starving you might not be that picky but if you aren't used to eating wheat and have 50 pounds in your food storage, your digestive tract is going to go hey wire when you have to start using it three meals a day.

Here is a list of places you can shop to start building your food storage.

1. Max Life Foods
2. Survival Warehouse
3. Buy Emergency Foods
4. Wise Company
5. The Ready Store
6. Emergency Essentials

I recommend Emergency Essentials. That is where I get my food from.

For water, you can buy gallons of drinking water to keep on hand. For water to do the dishes and flush, consider rinsing and refilling 2 and 3 liter soda bottles and milk jugs or you can buy a water bob and fill it when the weather suspects a storm where power could be lost. (I would suggest doing both just in case.)

Braving the storm doesn't have to be a last minute frantic shopping trip to stock up on every day essentials. Simply buy a few extra things a week and start building up your reserve. Shop coupons and deals to get the best prices. In no time you will be prepared for the next emergency.

Hint: Keep matches, candles, flashlights and batteries together in a place easy to get to. It should be a place out of the reach of children that you can get to in the dark. (in case you wake up in the middle of the night with no power.)

Time to Lose Weight ~ Part 1

This last 15 years has been a long series of saying good bye to one size and moving on up. It's quite depressing if I do say so myself. When I was finishing High School I was 105 lbs. (A little small, I know) At this beginning of this year I hit a whopping 240 lbs. OUCH!

It's been such a struggle. Lose 3 lbs, gain 5. My food addiction and lack of motivation to exercise has kept the scale moving in the wrong direction. I keep insisting that I'm going to get down to my pre-pre-pre-pregnancy weight. (Than add on, I really only want to get down to 125 because I was under weight at 105 lbs.)

I was angry and depressed 4 years ago when I got re-married because I was disgusted that I weighed 180 lbs, now I would practically give my left leg to weigh that again.

Anyways, it's a new year and I am dead set that this is going to be the time I lose it all. I've taken a before picture, which I am to embarrassed to post at the moment and done all the weighing and measuring.  I have an exercise plan and am cutting out a lot of mindless snacking.

So far I've lost 3 lbs. It's not much but this is how I'm keeping motivated.

I made this little chart where I can mark off every pound lost. For every 10 lbs I lose I will get a prize. (I like prizes) I hope that I can get some people to follow me on my weight loss challenge and that I can perhaps inspire others to make this change for themselves. I will keep you updated. :)

A Little Mickey Blanket ~ An adventure in crocheting

Recently I have been working on a circle afghan. Every time I take it out my beautiful 2 year old comes up to it and starts wrapping her dolls in it, calling it a baby blanket. This week I decided I would crochet her a doll blanket. I chose a Mickey Mouse theme (mostly because I knew I had red and black yarn on hand).

I decided half way through that this pattern would be beautiful as a "Frozen" theme. I will probably make another one that is blue and purple with a snowflake. You can find a general outline of the pattern at the bottom of this post.

 Almost done making strips.

 Adding the boarder.

 Ready to stitch on the Mickey Face.

Finished blanket. Folded to half the length.

 Pattern:

Color A. For the width of the blanket (Red shown above), Chain 20 +2 turn, dc in each stitch, turn, chain 2, dc in each dc. Cut yarn leaving a tail. This makes one strip. Make 14 strips using color
 number A.

Color B. For the high of the blanket (Black shown above), Chain 60 +2 turn, dc in each stitch, turn, chain 2, dc in each dc. Cut yarn leaving a tail. This makes one strip. Make 8 strips using color B.

Weave your strips together. Starting on one end, sc the weaved strips together around the exterior of the blanket. Finish off by weaving in loose ends of yarn. (yeah, I know, there are a ton of them.)

For the boarder. Starting at a corner, slip stitch into a sc, ch 4, skip 2 sc and sl st into the next sc. Chain 3, skip 2 sc and sl st into the next sc. Repeat around the edge of blanket. Once all the way round, chain 4, sl st into space of the first chain 3, chain 4, sl st into the space of the next chain 3. Repeat around.

For the Mickey Head. Using color B. Make a magic ring and crochet 10 sc into it, make a sl st into the first sc and fasten off. Repeat. These are your ears. For the head make a magic ring and crochet 10 sc into it. crochet a second and third round using this pattern: sc in first stitch, 2 sc in next stitch, sc in next stitch, 2 sc in next stitch. Repeat this pattern for the third round of the head but sc through one sc of each ear attaching them as you go around.

Using White, sl st in each sc around the Mickey head. Use black crochet thread to attach the Mickey head to the Blanket, stitching in between the blanket and head so the thread doesn't show.

Note: I made this pattern up as I went based off a Pinterest image I saw of a weaved afghan. I followed through to the site but there was no pattern, so I made one up. I would love feedback on this pattern. (It's the first one I've written..) I apologize for errors in the pattern if there are any.