Unfortunately I got a little off schedule with my series on hurricane preparedness. My husband had surgery this week & is on crutches for a few days. Add a sick child to the mix & I'm being pulled in a thousand different directions with no time to finish the posts for the series. I have two more posts to go & will be posting them Monday and Tuesday. I really appreciate all my readers & apologize for the delay.
Trish
Be prepared to evacuate. Planning ahead will make things easier & less stressful on everyone. You should have a plan in place well before hurricane season starts. If a storm does head toward your area, you will be ready to go at a moment's notice. Here are some important things to consider.
If ordered to evacuate, do not wait or delay your departure. If your area is subject to evacuation notices, leave before you are ordered. You will be able to avoid longer travel times and traffic congestion.
Select an evacuation destination that is nearest to your home to minimize the distance you must travel to reach a shelter location. Your home's location versus landfall predictions for the storm will determine which direction you will want to travel. Remember that everyone else will be headed in the same direction so hotels and shelters will fill up quickly. If wait until the last minute to leave, you may have to drive farther to find a place to stay.
Be prepared to wait in traffic. Highways and interstates can become congested on normal traffic days. Add in an evacuation and expect very long delays. Make sure your vehicle is up to date on maintence and has a full tank of gas. If you are traveling with children and/or pets, be prepared to keep them entertained and make neccessary bathroom stops. If possible, make arrangements to stay with a relative or friend who resides in area that would not have to evacuate. Be sure to discuss details of your evacuation plan well in advance of the hurricane seasom.
If you plan to stay at a hotel/motel, make your reservations before you leave. Any hotel/motel along the evacuation route will quickly fill as soon as people start to evacuatae. Be sure to ask in advance about pet policies if travelling with pets.
Deciding to stay at a shelter. For many this is a last resort, as the shelters are generally very crowded, not comfortable and most do not allow pets. Shelters that do allow pets usually have a limit on the number you can bring and require advance registration. Pets should always be up to date on vaccinations and you will be required to show proof to the shelter. Remember to take your Disaster Supply Kit with you. A shelter is only a place to ride out the storm. They will most likely not be equipped with supplies of food and water for everyone.
One of the most important things to understand, if you are told to evacuate, do so immediately.
Check back next Monday for a post on how to secure your home.
Trish
Just a little note ~ I would love to get your feedback & if there is anything specific that you would like to see covered. Thanks.
Creating your Disaster Supply Kit. When putting your supplies together, it's important to remember you may need to pack up and take things with you in the event you cannot stay in your home during the storm. Plan now to know what will fit in your vehicle & be prepared to pack on a few hours notice.
The amount of supplies purchased will vary from family to family. For example, if you decide not stay in your home and travel out the storm's path to stay with relatives, you will not need to pack a huge supply of toiletries, water & food. But if you feel you can stay & ride out the storm, you will need plenty of water, food, batteries, etc. Because once the storm passes, you still may be dealing with power outages and stores with depleted stock.
The following are guidelines from the National Hurricane Center. While this is specific to hurricane preparedness, many of these supplies would be good to have on hand if you live in any area prone to natural disasters such as tornadoes, floods or blizzards.
Water - at least 1 gallon daily per person for 3 to 7 days (This does not mean you have to go out & buy 20+ gallons of water, start saving empty milk & juice containers. These can be sterilized with a small amount bleach & filled with tap water. Remember the gallon daily per person accounts for water needed for brushing teeth, etc. Plan to buy about half your water supply for drinking and fill containers with tap water for the rest. Invest in a Brita filter so you can still filter the tap water before using.)
Food - at least enough for 3 to 7 days
— non-perishable packaged or canned food / juices
— foods for infants or the elderly
— snack foods
— non-electric can opener
— cooking tools / fuel
— paper plates / plastic utensils
(If you have a grill/cook stove make sure you have plenty of gas/charcoal. Keep your grill safely stored in a shed or garage during the storm. If you are without power once the storm passes, you will be at least be able to cook on your grill. You will be able to boil water, cook canned foods, etc.)
Blankets / Pillows, etc. (Know where your sleeping bags are. It may be safer to have your family huddled together in the same room. A comfortable family will be a less grouchy family.)
Clothing - seasonal / rain gear/ sturdy shoes
First Aid Kit / Medicines / Prescription Drugs
Special Items - for babies and the elderly
Toiletries / Hygiene items / Moisture wipes
Flashlight / Batteries
Radio - Battery operated and NOAA weather radio
Telephones - Fully charged cell phone with extra battery and a traditional (not cordless) telephone set (If you plan to evacuate, purchase a few phone cards just in case you can't get a signal on your cell phone. Also be sure to have a car charger for your cell.)
Cash (with some small bills) and Credit Cards- Banks and ATMs may not be available for extended periods
Keys (Very important if you evacuate & leave a vehicle behind. Unfortunately looting follows many disasters & you could come home to find that your house survived but your car was stolen.)
Toys, Books and Games (This will be very important if you have children to entertain. Puzzles & coloring books can occupy a child for awhile.)
Important documents - in a waterproof container or watertight resealable plastic bag
— insurance, medical records, bank account numbers, Social Security card, etc.
Tools - keep a set with you during the storm
Vehicle fuel tanks filled
Pet care items
— proper identification / immunization records / medications
— ample supply of food and water
— a carrier or cage
— muzzle and leash
(You may recall the many news reports after Katrina about the pets left behind because their owners were not prepared to leave with them.)
Tomorrow's post: If you have to leave, preparing for an evacuation.
Trish
The only good thing about a hurricane is the advance notice of the approaching storm. Unfortunately by the time the storm is considered a threat to your area, it is too late to start making plans. The first step to take is developing a Disaster Plan for your family.
-Discuss the type of hazards that could affect your family. Know your home's vulnerability to storm surge, flooding and wind. Do you have loose shingles or siding? Are any sections of your fence wobbly? Is there a water source near your home that could flood in an extreme amount of rain? We almost lost part of fence last season during a tropical storm & discovered that our yard had some low spots that flooded just because there was no place for it to drain.
-Locate a safe room or the safest areas in your home for each hurricane hazard. In certain circumstances the safest areas may not be your home but within your community. For us, a nearby school will open as a shelter.
-Determine escape routes from your home and places to meet. These should be measured in tens of miles rather than hundreds of miles. How many ways are there to evacuate your city? Remember, there may be hundreds or thousands of other families leaving at the same time. Alternate routes may prove very valuable.
-Have an out-of-state friend as a family contact, so all your family members have a single point of contact. Make sure everyone's cell phones are charged & only used for emergency to reserve the batteries. It's also a good idea to have a car charger for your phone. In the event of no cell coverage, make sure each family member is provided with a prepaid phone card.
-Make a plan now for what to do with your pets if you need to evacuate. Note: most emergency shelters do not allow pets, the ones that do require advance registration and your pets must be up to date on vaccinations.
-Post emergency telephone numbers by your phones and make sure your children know how and when to call 911. Every child should learn this because you just never know.
-Check your insurance coverage - flood damage is not usually covered by homeowners insurance. Take a copy of your insurance policy with you if you do have to leave your home.
-Stock non-perishable emergency supplies and a Disaster Supply Kit. More details on this in the next post.
-Use a NOAA weather radio. Remember to replace its battery every 6 months, as you do with your smoke detectors. This could be your only source for storm updates if you lose power. Even if you have a battery operated AM/FM radio, you may not get a signal as the stations may be out also.
-Take First Aid, CPR and disaster preparedness classes. Crazy things can happen during storms. The stress alone could be enough to trigger a heart attack in an elderly person. Not to mention injuries that could be caused from high winds, debris, etc.
Be sure to check back on Monday for Part Two: Putting together a Disaster Supply Kit
Trish
I imagine that most people living in the southeast have become complacent regarding Hurricane Preparedness especially if you live in an area that hasn’t been hit by a major storm in many years. Having lived in NE Florida for several years now, I have become very aware of how real a hurricane threat can be. We have been fortunate to live in area that has not been hit hard by a major storm but we have weathered some pretty nasty tropical storms. In the past, we always waited until the last minute to go buy supplies. This usually resulted in not getting everything we needed because the stores would be sold out of batteries, powdered milk, etc. Many of the blogs I read talk about building up a three month stockpile of food. Five years ago, I would’ve thought that was crazy but given the current state of our country’s economy and lingering uncertainty regarding future terrorists’ attacks on our soil, I now think it’s completely necessary. As I started planning what we want to have in our stockpile, I realized that it should go hand in hand with our hurricane supplies. So over the next two months, I will be working to build our stockpile. Along the way, I will be posting tips and recommendations to share with you. And although I will be focusing on preparing for a hurricane, many of the things I post will be adaptable to other situations. National Hurricane Preparedness Week will be held May 24-30, 2009. The official hurricane season starts June 1st and lasts until November 30th. As we all know, Mother Nature doesn’t always stick to our calendar. I hope to have our supplies fully stocked by the end of May. Check back Sunday for my Step One post. Trish
Wow, check out Michelle's list for March!
This month I continued to build my pantry stockpile, started gathering supplies for hurricane season & expanded my garden.
Some of my best deals:
8 refills packs of Huggies wipes for 99 cent each!
8 bags of cat food - FREE!
6 jars of salsa - FREE!
Hurricane supplies:
Can Opener (hand held model)
Shelf-stable Milk (from Angel Food box)
***I'm in the process of writing several posts regarding hurricane preparedness. If you'd like to receive my series directly in your inbox, sign up at the top of the page.
My Garden Project:
Last spring I got very ambitious & built a 3x6x1 ft gardening frame. I never got around to filling it with dirt, which resulted in no garden. This year I decided to expand my garden to add another 3x12 ft section. I removed the top boards & cut the posts down to 6” high. The removed boards were used to frame the new section. I have been able to expand my garden frame without having to buy more wood. I still need to buy a couple bags of garden soil & manure to improve the soil quality. I already have green peas, beans & lettuce growing in the new section. The tomato plants should be ready to transplant next week & the datil peppers in another two weeks.
Reusable Bags:
I wasn't sure how easy this would be for me to remember, but I have done very well with using my bags. And in the process, discovered that Target & Whole Foods give you a small discount for having your own. It feels so good to come home, unload groceries & not have an overload of little plastic bags. We do reuse them for things like: dirty pull-ups, puppy pads, cleaning the cat box & small trash cans. But we can only reuse so many, at least now it feels like we can recycle the ones we get without having too much excess.
Trish
Here's a breakdown of my recent trip to Publix. It was one of my best trips yet! I saved almost 65%! I took advantage of the Publix coupons for a free 1/4 lb of Boars Head Cheese & a free gallon of milk. Also used FLIP's for the deli meat & produce.
2 bags of Pretzel Crisps
1/4lb Boars Head cheese - Free!
1lb Boars Head ham
1lb Boars Hear turkey
Nature’s Own bagels
4 canisters of Crystal Light mix
2 pkgs of Publix Mozzarella cheese
Pkg of sliced pepperoni
NY Strip Steak
Gallon of Milk - Free!
2 snack cracker packs
2 bags of Doritos
6 boxes of Uncle Bens rice
2 boxes of Frosted Flakes
2 boxes of Frosted mini-wheats
6 jars of Pace salsa - Free plus overage!
Huggies wipes refill pack - 99 cents after $5 Q
6 bags of Goodlife cat food - Free plus overage!
Publix Honey Wheat bread
Kashi cereal bars
2.23 lbs of bananas
2 cantaloupes
Pkg of mushroom
Red pepper
Apple cider vinegar
2 boxes of Ritz crackers
Total OOP: 67.84
Store Q: 9.61
Manu Q: 53.75
Ad Special Savings: 60.47
Advantage Buys: 1.34
Total Savings: 125.17
Well, I've managed to go another month without blogging. So I'm a little behind on getting my list posted for February not to mention that I may have forgotten to write down a few things. It doesn't seem like I got much accomplished but it was a short month.
Reusable shopping bags – made 6 bags from fabric that I’ve had in storage for many years Purchased 4 safe water bottles – this will provide safe drinking bottles for our family & reduce waste Took a bathroom inventory – cleaned & organized toiletries, discovered that I don’t need to buy any makeup, lotion, body spray, shave gel, toothpaste or deodorant for several months Used up two lotions & one body spray from my BBW collection Gave away stroller travel bag Freecycle (it was still in the box, never used) Giving a car seat bag & child flight vest to my sister for her to use when she visits this summer Started seeds indoors for our vegetable garden Transplanted an Azalea bush to another spot in the yard. It seems to have a new lease on life & is full of pink flowers. Reused harness & leash for new puppy, ran them through the washer & let them air dry, look almost like new Also recycle dog kennel & bedding for new puppy Repainted stand for dog dish instead of buying new one Repainted candle sconces to match our living room Received a small cabinet from someone on Freecycle that we are using to hold a TV that was given to us (gotta love free!) March is going to be busy with lots of outside projects. I am working on a 3x6 ft planter box & a 3x12 ft garden plot. It doesn't sound like a big space but I'm going to be utilizing every square inch of the garden. I also have a smaller bed with strawberries (that already have fruit growing) & will plant some flowers on the end of that bed. My biggest challenge will be doing this on a tight budget. I already have the planter box but need dirt & manure. I would love to be able to go 100% organic but it will be a wait & see. The bugs here are terrible & it might prove a losing battle. I've decided if I do need to use any chemicals, it will be very sparingly.
Thanks to Michelle at Leaving Excessfor the inspiration to join her in keeping track of monthly progress. Check out her January excess here.
My list for January:
(For the record my hubby is a Redskins fan so some how I ended up with this fleece. I wore it a couple of times & never liked it. Guess the Chicago Bear fan in me kept coming out.)
We lost one of our pets this week. Higgins, our 12 year old miniature pinscher, passed away Monday night. We miss him terribly but are comforted that he is no longer in pain and free to run & play with his furry friends that went before him. Someday we will play again.
| Just this side of heaven is a place called Rainbow Bridge.
When an animal dies that has been especially close to someone here, that pet goes to Rainbow Bridge. There are meadows and hills for all of our special friends so they can run and play together. There is plenty of food, water and sunshine, and our friends are warm and comfortable. | |
| All the animals who had been ill and old are restored to health and vigor. Those who were hurt or maimed are made whole and strong again, just as we remember them in our dreams of days and times gone by. The animals are happy and content, except for one small thing; they each miss someone very special to them, who had to be left behind.
They all run and play together, but the day comes when one suddenly stops and looks into the distance. His bright eyes are intent. His eager body quivers. Suddenly he begins to run from the group, flying over the green grass, his legs carrying him faster and faster. You have been spotted, and when you and your special friend finally meet, you cling together in joyous reunion, never to be parted again. The happy kisses rain upon your face; your hands again caress the beloved head, and you look once more into the trusting eyes of your pet, so long gone from your life but never absent from your heart. Then you cross Rainbow Bridge together.... Author unknown... | |
For the past six months I have been learning how to use coupons the right way & shop the grocery store sales. This year I am really committed to being more frugal & making my life a little simpler along the way. Looking back, I have been so wasteful with food, money & time.
I have found several blogs that I read daily. Lots of great advice on being frugal, being green & just learning how to live a less complicated life. As I find great tips I will post links here to share & will also post my own ideas along the way.
Today I found wonderful instructions on getting the most out of split chicken breasts (which I have to admit I never bought because I was a little intimidated by the bones). Check out this post by Cooking like a frugalite.
Trish
*Potty training is in full swing. Two weeks into it & the little guy is really catching on. The first couple of days were tough & then I realized I was getting too frustrated with him. I relaxed a little, started giving lots more praise & now he's so excited to use his potty. At least for #1, he hasn't grasped the concept of using the potty for #2 yet. But that will come with time.
*Sofa artwork project: I have this all planned, just need to buy the supplies & start painting. I'm planning to purchase 3 - 2'x3' blank canvasses & paint an absract ocean sunset across them. This will be a cheap way to fill up the large space & add color to a very neutral wall.
*Decided the best solution for my scrappy stuff is to purchase a storage cabinet that will match our livingroom furniture & keep everything there. This will involve moving a smaller shelf unit closer to the front door which works out great because we needed a bigger catch-all storage space for shoes, bags, etc. Now I just need to find an affordable cabinet in the right color.
*The little things: I have started reading two short books to my son every night before bed. He loves it & really gets him calmed down before it's time to sleep. Luckily we have lots of books that were passed down from big sister to read.
Trish
The holidays flew by & I can't believe it's 2009. The past couple of months were consumed with all things holiday & I'm looking forward to a fresh new year. I normally don't make resolutions but I do have a few things that I would like to accomplish. These are in random order.
#1 Potty train the little guy (I'm so sick of changing diapers!)
#2 Reduce debt & increase savings
#3 Centralize & organize my scrapbook stuff
#4 Put some art work over the sofa (We've only lived in the house 3 yrs, so yeah, I think it's time!)
#5 Remember to send out cards for family members' birthdays (got 'em saved on my outlook calendar!)
#6 Spend more time enjoying the little things that make life special
I'm sure there are few other things that I can't think of right now, but these should keep me busy for awhile.
Trish
My daughter & I are planning to go on a mission trip with our church to Costa Rice in July 2009. We attended an informational meeting Sunday night & are really excited about the opportunity to serve. Now we just need to raise the money to pay for the trip. It's going cost $2800 for both of us to go. Please check out the link for the mission we will be working with & if you would like to help us reach our goal click on the Paypal link to make a donation. There is no minimum donation required & every dollar will be greatly appreciated.
Seriously, I don't know where the time goes. I really thought being a SAHM would give me a little extra free time. Umm...not happening. Between cleaning, cooking, laundry, play group, bible study...then throw in a doctor's appointment...my days are flying by.
I have managed to work on a few scrappy projects - Christmas cards, a layout, a mini-album & some digi gift tags. Here's a really cute altered tin that I finished today & actually got photographed. I love how it turned out & plan to use it to hold Christmas cards that we receive.
In addition to scrappy stuff, I've also been busy with things around the house.
Trimmed our "way out control" Jasmine vines which resulted in revealing our very dirty windows & trim that had to be cleaned. Took down the screens to scrub them & realized they are so old the screen material is actually falling apart. But that project is going to wait until next week because it's too hot to open the windows right now anyway.
Took down the hideous vertical blinds over the patio door & hung a really nice black rod with tab top curtains that are a pretty dark orange color. I still need to put a liner behind them but it looks so much nicer to have those blinds gone.
Tomorrow is our community yard sale, if it doesn't rain. I gathered up a bunch of stuff to sell. Hopefully all of it will so I don't have to carry it all back in the house. :)
Have a great weekend!
Here's an Autumn banner that I made for my mantle. I was inspired by the September Project on www.scarletlime.com. So much fun to make & a great way to use up some embellishments.
here's a cute little tote bag that I created using a digi kit by Audrey Neal called "Apple of My Eye". The kit is available on We Are Storytellers along with Audrey's other kits.
So first I created my design using a tutorial on SIStv by Audrey. I did my design a little different & added one of my favorite sayings. Then I added a polka dot yellow ribbon around the top of the bag.
After ironing the design on my bag I added some buttons to the trees, then a running stitch around the design & yellow french notes to the flower centers. This was so much fun to make & planning to make several with different designs for Christmas gifts. These little bags would be perfect for holding a bunch of little presents.
I'm so inspired by all of the banners that I've seen lately. I just love this little witch on the Maya Road site & thought she would be cute in a smaller version too. So this week's freebie is a little hybrid kit to make a halloween banner.
Each page is designed to print on standard 8.5 X 11" size paper. The banners will print best on white cardstock & the embellishments can be printed on kraft or pattern paper. (Print on the reverse side of your paper if you don't want the black outlines.) After you've printed out the desired number of banner sections, fold each in half over a piece of twine. Or fold in half & punch a hole the top corners to thread twine or ribbon through. Print the embellishments on several different patterns to mix & match. Cut out, decorate & add to the banner.
Tons of possibilities. I'm going to be working on mine over the next few days & will post a picture when it's done. Please leave a comment with a link if you decide to make one. I would love to see what you come up with. :) Have fun!
Download halloween_banner1.jpg
Download halloween_banner2.jpg
Here are some "digi" acrylic buttons to get you thinking about halloween. Enjoy!
That's pretty much the best way to describe the newest collection URBAN PREP in the SIStv Boutique. Tons of paper from American Crafts! There's stuff from Bazzill, Fontwerks, Making Memories, Tim Holtz, Heidi Swapp & Maya Road. Not to mention some handmade paper & vintage fabric. Right now you can pre-order all of this awesomeness until August 24th. And if you spend at least $50 in the SIS Boutique by August 24th you earn $10 off your next order! So run, don't walk, be sure to get yours today!!!
