WATER... need water...

So a few weeks ago, I had to use the restroom in the middle of the night and to my surprise when I went to wash my hands no water came out!  My first thought... (after where's the hand sanitizer) was someone turned off our water and is trying to lure us outside!  Disclaimer, I watch way too many of those criminal shows.  I should have realized that if someone was trying to get us outside they would have probably done it when we were awake.  But, my neighbor informed me the next morning that there was a water main break and that we weren't supposed to be drinking the water which we both admitted to doing all morning!   Oh well...

We are so blessed to have running water, what a luxury it is.  I know I am extremely grateful for it and when in the middle of the night it wasn't there, it was a good reminder of how important water storage is.  So I just wanted to share some Fema water guidelines:

- - You should have at least a three-day supply of water and you should store at least one gallon of water per person per day. A normally active person needs at least one-half gallon of water daily just for drinking.

- - To prepare safest and most reliable emergency supply of water, it is recommended you purchase commercially bottled water. Keep bottled water in its original container and do not open it until you need to use it.  Observe the expiration or “use by” date.

- - If you are Preparing Your Own Containers of Water.  It is recommended you purchase food-grade water storage containers from surplus or camping supplies stores to use  for water storage. Before filling with water, thoroughly clean the containers with dishwashing soap and water, and rinse  completely so there is no residual soap. Follow directions below on filling the container with water.

- - If you choose to use your own storage containers, choose two-liter plastic soft drink bottles – not plastic jugs or cardboard containers that have had milk or fruit juice in them. Milk protein and fruit sugars cannot be adequately removed from these containers and provide an environment for bacterial growth when water is stored in them. Cardboard containers also leak easily and are not designed for long-term storage of liquids. Also, do not use glass containers, because they can break and are heavy.

Click here to see more detailed information on emergency water guidelines.

We always try to buy extra cases of bottled water in our home.  And we just recently bought water bricks from Shelf Reliance because I love the way they stack on top of each other and they can easily fit under beds or in closets.

Don't forget to store water!!  You won't be able to last long without water.

Tornado? Seriously?

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So I had finished putting away our Christmas decorations and was about to put my son down for a nap when my husband called:

Husband:  Did you hear about the tornado?  

Me:  What?!  Tornado?!  

Husband:  Apparently it's by blah blah blah... but shouldn't be coming towards us.

Me:  I don't even know what to do in a tornado... what do we do in a tornado!?

The conversation went on but you get the picture right... We are not prepared for a tornado!  Some nearby cities (about 45 minutes away from us) were under the possible impact zones and that was just a little too close for comfort for me.  So of course, it takes something like this to get the motivation to get prepared.  

We recently moved to North Carolina and apparently tornado's are a possibility here, something I did not know.  I did look it up by the way and we'll need to be in low lying areas and if we're home to stay on the bottom floor away from windows.  I plan on going into the downstairs bathroom.  

Luckily the Tornado alert is over and I am officially ready to get ourselves prepared.  So we do still have our 72 hour kit that does need more but we have it, and we have a lot of food but I started going through scenarios in my head...  And these were some of the things I was thinking about that I wanted to share with you to get you thinking.  

--- If we had to leave our home to go to a shelter or even just fend for ourselves out in our car... do I have what I would want/need in my 72 hour kit that we would take with us?  

- Our kit really isn't too bad, but I realized I never packed our extra clothes in there, if we had to leave our home we'd definitely want some warm extra clothes.  

- We have candles in there, but no holders, so I guess we'd have to hold our candles...

- I had taken out the food that was in there because it expired.  

--- Our best scenario would be if we had a disaster but had electricity but just couldn't either leave our house or if stores didn't have anything in stock.
- We actually, thanks to Shelf Reliance, have a lot of food so I wouldn't be too worried about starving.
- We could use more water though.  I plan on buying these water bricks from Shelf Reliance, easy to store and stack.  Plus, when we move again, we'll just use up the water beforehand and easily transport the empty bricks.  

--- Home without electricity.
- So... without electricity we're not as prepared, food wise it would be better if we had a propane stove or something so we could at least heat things up, boil water etc.  (That is now on my list of things to buy).  

- We also don't have a grill and weather permitting that would be handy eating wise.
- And still no candle holders... we really need to invest in some of those.


So just some things to think about... these 72 hour kit lists are very handy but it was really good for me to play out these scenarios in my head to see what we really do or don't have.  The scenarios had me think about how I would use things also.  And don't forget if being more emergency prepared is something that you want to do... just start.  

30 Acts of Kindness

So recently I hit a mile stone in my life... I am no longer in my 20's... I am officially in my 30's!  Wow... I feel old.  ;)  I saw on Facebook a friend of mine participating in the birthday project (see www.thebdayproject.com).  I wanted to share one quote I got off of the blog:

"The Birthday Project is about more than performing random acts of kindness to coordinate with how many years old you are.  It's about recognizing that we are all here for a reason that is bigger than ourselves.  The Birthday Project is the vehicle that will change personal priorities, family traditions, and cultural celebrations for generations to come.  It's about remembering, in the midst of all our busyness, that the day we were born matters.  That WE matter and we are called to remind others that they do too."

I love that, I want each and everyone of you to know that you matter!  And by doing these 30 acts of kindness, I hope I was able to share with others that they matter also.  

This doesn't exactly go with the theme of this blog except to say that I believe that the more kind we are, the more prepared for life we will be.  If we think in terms of giving and service I believe that means we are happier and by being happier and kinder we are better prepared to tackle each day with optimism and love.  Be prepared to share your love with others and making this world a better place one kind act at a time.  

So, I changed it from random acts of kindness to just acts of kindness because they weren't exactly random.  And I wanted to give a disclaimer that I decided to do this last minute so some of them maybe not everyone would consider them acts of kindness but I feel that I was being kind by doing it so I counted them!  :)  

So here are my 30 acts of kindness done on my birthday:

1-2.  I left random treats with a little message on 2 random cars.  

3.  I had to run an errand to the doctor's office and they happened to be moving offices the next day so I gave them a box of chocolate covered macadamia nuts with a note that said "Happy Moving Day!"

4.  I left a note on our mail room bulletin board that said "free smiles" and they could pull off smiles on the bottom!  (I pulled off one so people got the idea, when I went back later that day 2 other smiles were ripped off!)  

5.  I left a treat and note for the mail person, thanking him for delivering our mail.

6.  We had to go to the post office and while waiting in line, I left the fellow behind me go first since he only was buying stamps and I was mailing off 2 boxes.  

7.  I gave the post office worker a treat and little message.  :)

8-9.  I mailed off 2 boxes to two different people in Hawaii.  

10.  I gave a box of box of chocolate macadamia nuts to our management office of our apartment complex and thanked them for all they do.  

11.  I gave my son a new toy.  :)

12.  I also allowed my son to have undiluted juice for lunch.  That was very kind of me as he normally doesn't get juice and if he does, it's half water.  :)  He loved it.

13-15.  I wrote 3 letters of appreciation to different people just to thank them for being a part of life and the blessing they are to me.  

16.  Someone that my husband works with shared the same birthday as me so he also got a treat for his birthday.

17.  I left a compliment on someone's blog.  

18-20. I made muffins and gave them out to 3 of my neighbors.  What a cute little helper I have.

21.  When my husband has to work we meet him on base for dinner, I gave the ID checker at the gate a treat and message.

22.  I gave a toy to a mommy to be.  

23.  I also gave a friend a ride to base so she could also have dinner with her hubby.

24.  I also paid for her dinner as she did not have cash on her.

25.  I gave the lady who takes our money at dinner a treat and message.  

26-27.  I made 2 bags to hand out to these certain homeless people who are always holding signs at these certain areas nearby.  Unfortunately, I guess I was too early when I went to do my errands that morning because they weren't there!  But the bags are made and are sitting in the car ready to give it to them when I pass them by again.  I also tried again later that day and apparently I was too late.  

 28.  I invited our neighbor over for dinner.  She's this sweet elderly lady.  She was so happy for the invitation and when she came for dinner a few days later she brought us flowers, a present for my son and a card saying thank you for being so thoughtful.  It was really sweet and she is just a sweetheart.  

29.  I went through my clothes and donated what I don't use.  I donated it to my nieces and nephews but whatever they don't want they are to donate it on.  :)

 30.  I saved my pink lids from the yogurt we buy and entered them on the computer.  For every lid General Mills donates 10 cents to the Susan G. Komen for the Cure. 

 I thought this was such a fun experience!  I loved how my birthday was pretty much all spent giving!  It turned out also that I opened my presents the day before my birthday because my husband had to work on my birthday and we had a birthday dinner the day after my birthday for the same reason.  So on my actual birthday my focus was on giving service and it was a great birthday.  I look forward to doing this also with my son when he's old enough to understand.

There are so many ways to be kind!  I also posted on my facebook page that whoever was willing could also do an act of kindness on behalf of my birthday and these were some of the responses:

- Helping someone find their kitty

- Said hi to everyone we passed on the river today...offered to help another mom at the library.

 - Held the door open at Starbucks earlier for a lady with a stroller.

  - Noticed one of our girls at volleyball was a bit blue after we won the game, so I took the time to talk to her and encourage her - turns out she is just frustrated with her playing since she is coming off from an injury. She seemed happier after talking with me.

       - Giving change to a little kid who didn't have enough to get a slurpee today... He really wanted on and he looked so sad that he was short on money.

- Filled up my fiance's car with gas. and I paid for gas for a girl whose card wasn't working/the machine wouldn't read it. :)

   - Listened to everyone's problems & paid for our food :)

- Made dinner for my family. Picked up my sister & her baby & gave them a ride to where they needed to go. Made a baby laugh and smiled at a stranger.

-          Helped by selling fundraiser bread tickets for someone else, picking up the bread and delivering them.  And at a potluck, stayed afterwards and helped clean up.

- Stopped at Zippys this morning to buy a napple. I saw this little lady I've seen many times before I think she has a slight disability, anyway, I took out $5 from my wallet and gave it to her. She had a big smile on her face as I waited for my order, she smiled and waved at me as she ordered a coffee.

- Took my kids teachers a thank you gift of Halloween munchies.

- Picked up my dad and step-mom up from the airport and drive them back to Kahuku

- Pretty much be more courteous & respectful to elders.  Opening the doors is like an everyday thing but its just about being courteous to everyone. :)

Giving simple acts of service can be so easy but yet so meaningful to those receiving.  I hope we can all make it a point to make giving acts of service everyday.  I know that most people already do these things and I think that is amazing!  Keep up the good work, your smiles do not go unnoticed.  If you participate in the birthday project or have any acts of kindness given or received that you would like to share, I would love to hear about it.  :)

Fried Ice Cream

So this month the Q-Pon for those of us who are a part of Shelf Reliance's Q Club is for the Macaroon Mix.  And to be totally honest, I'm not a fan of coconut and therefore not interested much in the Macaroon Mix, however with the Q-Pon they listed a recipe for fried ice cream... with some encouragement from my sister I decided I wanted to try it!  

So first off, the night before you want to eat these, you'll need to scoop out however many ice cream balls you want to make.  Cover and put them in the freezer.  They are nice and hard when you take them out the next night.  :)

Then the day of, you heat up the oil and add your macaroon mix.  The recipe said to have it on high heat... but I think mine was a little too hot, it browned really quick!  

I added the cinnamon before I took off the heat and then put it on a plate with a paper towel to drain out some of the oil.

I then added my crumbled frosted flakes.

Once it was cooled, it was ready for the ice cream!  I just put the ice cream in there and rolled it around.  And it was ready to go!

Yum!  If you want it to be more packed on, you can consider using your hands, but I was going for the quick roll around method.  :)

My husband was complaining because he had eaten too much but he wanted a second serving... which he did eat!  It was good.  

THRIVE FRIED ICE CREAM

Ingredients		Instructions
½	gallon vanilla ice cream	The night before, scoop 12 round ice cream balls, cover with plastic, and place on plate in freezer. In a non-stick skillet, heat the oil for 1 minute on high heat. Add the THRIVE Macaroon Cookie Mix slowly to the oil while stirring to blend evenly. Keep on high heat and brown while stirring continuously. After browned, place on paper towels to help dry mixture. Let cool to room temperature. In a medium bowl, lightly crumble the frosted flakes and add the macaroon fried mixture to it. Season with cinnamon. Place each pre-frozen ice cream ball into the fried crunchy mixture and pack to coat. Serve with caramel sauce and chocolate sauce.
2	cups THRIVE™ Macaroon Cookie mix
3/8	cup vegetable oil
1	cup frosted corn flakes
1	tsp. cinnamon

Is the time now?

Well it's getting close to 1 year now since I've joined the Shelf Reliance team as a consultant and I don't regret it one bit!  Switching from having a full time job (with usually unpaid overtime) to becoming a stay at home was a huge difference.  Don't get me wrong, I LOVE being a stay at home mom and getting to watch my little man grow up.  Sometimes I tell my husband I probably won't get another full time job until the kids are out of college, ya know, in case they need help.  Haha.

But joining Shelf Reliance has been perfect for me because... it's mine.  My business that I can work however much or little that I want.  I love that I have something outside of being a stay at home mom that I can do.  And I love that I'm contributing to our family both financially and with the added security and benefits of our home store.  When I take the time to work my business, it's fun for me... I really enjoy the process.  I mean who would have thought... I like to work!  :)

But like I said before, I do like that I control how much work I do.  There are times when I don't do anything with the business and there are other times when I strive to get a lot done in one month and I love that flexibility.

If you are possibly thinking of becoming a consultant, now is actually the time as up until September 14th you can get a 20% discount on any of the kits!  Click here to find out more information about being a Shelf Reliance consultant.  If you have the desire and the drive... you can really succeed with Shelf Reliance.

72 hour kit of choice

So I googled a bunch of different 72 hour kits and found a few that I liked and will share with you all.  It's kind of funny because I don't feel like I have to blog... I just need to direct you to all of these other people's amazing blogs!

The first is Be Ready Utah, I liked that it was a simple one page print out with good info.

Then there's Mormon Share, I thought this was a great website.  It's not a simple one pager, it's actually quite long and has a ton of information about 72 hour kits, I recommend reading through it.

Work It Mom has a great site also.  I like how it reaches out to mom's in particular because most of us really do just like a simple checklist to get things done!

72 Hour Kit Checklist I really liked this site as well, lots of good information, I was actually debating between this one and the Work It Mom site as my final list I'm going off of.

And the last one I'm going to share is the American Red Cross kit suggestion.  Of course the American Red Cross has lots of good information.

Although I really liked the check list form and simpleness of the Work It Mom website I am going to print out and follow the 72 hour kit checklist site.  I thought all the things they listed were pretty important but still straight to the point.  I probably won't follow it exactly but that's what great about all of these, you don't have to follow them exactly and you don't have to buy everything all at once.  

I plan on reviewing the list to see what I do have and what I still need.  And then from there, break it up into what I'm going to buy and when.  Remember, just start.  :)

Strawberry Puree

Last week I made Thrive's Strawberry Puree....  can you say yummy?!

Here's the recipe:

1 tbsp.   THRIVE Simply Peach drink mix
1/2 c.     water
1 c.        THRIVE Strawberries (FD)
1/4 c.     THRIVE White Sugar
1            lemon, juiced

Mix drink mix with water and let sit.  Add sliced strawberries, sugar, and lemon juice and let rehydrate.  Once strawberries are soft, puree in blender until smooth.

SERVING IDEAS:  Serve with toast, bagels, desserts or ice cream

My little helper.  Notice he has strawberries in his hand already.  He took some out to eat before dumping into the blender.  He loves eating those strawberries!

Almost ready to blend.  It was super easy and fast to make!

My little helper scraping out the blender trying to get the goods!

The puree was super good!  I had it with some ice cream and put it on my bagel and cream cheese.  Yum!  I am going to try it on a peanut butter and jelly sandwich too!  Loved making something so easy and so good!