Cheap Thanksgiving and Christmas gifts!

It is so hot here, I can not stop thinking about cold weather!! ....Now when I say cold, I don't really mean cold- just not 120 degrees.
Preparedness and food storage take money, and we all know it is nice to save it when you can.
I found some cool ideas and new blogs that I wanted to share with you.
Good thing my dad does not read my blog- because this is what he will be getting for Christmas. Go here for a do it your self spiced mixed nuts recipe.


One new blog I really like for crafts is notmarth.org She has some really cool do it your self projects. If you click on the link that says tutorials and projects you will her cute ideas.
One idea I am going to do, and I do not think I can wait till Christmas.... I might do this tonight is cobbler baked in jars.

 Here is the link for them- they look delish, and so cute as a gift.
Something else from notmartha are these cute magnets.


 Here is the link for the magnets, the only thing I would do differently is use modge-podge, and not a craft glue.
This one fits my fancy in so many ways. It is a Secret Hollow book and here is the link. You could hide so many great things in there!!! My mind is spinning with things to hide. 

storing perishables

I love finding ways to store perishables. I like using my vacuum sealer's jar lid attachment. You just plug this little guy into the portal on the front of a vacuum sealer. (Not all sealers have the portal- so if you are going to buy one for this purpose, keep that in mind)
Once it is plugged in, the jar attachment goes on top of the canning jar and when you turn the vacuum sealer on it sucks all the air out of the jar! It is so awesome. I love that you may use old canning lids for this- so save your old lids. Keep in mind too if you are buying a wide mouth, regular mouth, or universal attachment. I only have a regular mouth attachment, so I can't use wide mouth jars for this.

Here are some chocolates I got on major sale last year after Easter. I have stored chocolate, whole nuts, and raisins this way, but have not ventured into items like chips, crackers, and even peanut M&M's because of the oils in them. I thought they would not last.
BUT- I was wrong. (this is the first time that has happened)
At the preparedness fair I went to there was a lady who has sealed peanut butter crackers, and they had been sealed a year. She popped the jar open and I had one. It was fresh- I would have thought it came directly out of the package.
When times get tough be it a job loss, illness, economic crash..... I want some freakin' chocolate in my storage! I want all those normal foods that my family will actually eat and be comforted by, and I am sure you do too.

Word of caution...... just make sure you actually seal the jar. If you leave it on the shelf and have the intention of sealing it YOUR FAMILY WILL EAT IT!

cooking with wheat berries.

Enter wheat berries!
I hope you are all storing wheat. It is such a smart buy. Not only will it store FOREVER, and the Lord called it the staff of life. Do you want to be able to make bread, pancakes, cookies.... well hell, anything that needs flour- you need wheat. We of course grind the wheat berries to make flour, or we can sprout them. Or cook with them- I learned something really cool at a  preparedness fair this weekend, and one of the neatest booths I saw was a gentleman who had cooked with wheat berries.  He had a sloppy joe mix and a taco/burrito filling. The burrito filling was really good, and I plan on making it soon.
I have sprouted wheat berries and eaten just a hand full, put them in salads, or on a sandwich. The berries are sweet and really tasty. But I have never cooked with berries like the guy did, and I was impressed with how hearty the filling is. The berries could easily take the place of meat- and this is coming from a carnivore.
If there was a night you wanted to skip the meat or if you were in times of trouble and did not have meat- this would be perfect.
(I really liked the taste of the burrito filling, but you could make your favorite recipe and then just add the berries in place of meat.) I think I will make my sloppy joes and add the berries.

You will cook the berries 1st and then add them to the dish
Here are the recipes:

taco/ burrito filling:
one medium onion
three cups wheat berries ( i might do more)
one 14oz can green or red enchilada sauce ( i think he used green)
one 4oz can green chilies- optional
two cups water
two cups dried refried beans
saute onion clear. add wheat berries, enchilada sauce and water. when mixture begins to boil, add dries refried beans. cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

sloppy joe mix:
one medium onion
one grated carrot
three cups wheat berries
one bottle bbq sauce

saute onion and carrot till tender, add wheat berries and bbq sauce. cover and simmer for 5 minutes.

You will prepare the wheat berries in advance, and here are two methods on how to do it:
stove top method:
To prepare wheat berries, bring to boil 2 cups of water, add 1 cup wheat. Keep the pan covered and when it begins to boil turn the stove to simmer for 30 minutes. For quinoa the ratio is the same as wheat. For barley the ratio is 1 cup barley to 4 cups water.
Crock pot method:
Place 2 cups water and 1 cup wheat in crock pot. Cook on high for 1 hour. Ratio for quinoa is the same, and for barley the ratio is 1 cup to four cups water.

Free PDF Books

I really like both of these, and I think you will too. They would be good to have in case of an emergency.


Where there is no Doctor

Where there is no Dentist

How to make yeast.

One of the most favorite things that my MIL has ever given me is this book.




It is called Passport to Survival and is written by Esther Dickey. It talks about how to survive off of wheat, honey, salt, and powdered milk. She writes about things in the book I will never do like make "wheat meat." ....and I try to never say never BUT there is no way in hello I would ever make that.
If it did not moo or squawk 20 minutes ago it will not be passed off as meat in my house.
There is one REALLY cool recipe in the book on how to make yeast.

Wild Yeast

2 cups flour

2 cups water

2 tsp. honey

Mix well and place in a bottle or crock, uncovered. Allow mixture to ferment for five days in a warm room. Stir several times a day, thus aerating the batter and permitting the air to activate the mixture. It will smell yeasty, and small bubbles will come to the top.

Wild yeast is used in varying amounts in recipes for bread, rolls, hot cakes etc. The fifth day after using some, "feed" the starter (to replace the amount used in baking) using equal parts of flour and water or potato water. In another 24 hours the yeast will foam and work and be ready for use again.

Store the unused portion of the yeast in a refrigerator in a glass or crockery container with a tight fighting lid. Shake it often. To activate it before using it again, add 2 or 3 tablespoons of flour and the same amount of water and stir.

Some say that the yeast spores around the crusty top of the container are beneficial and that one should not keep emptying it and washing it.

Now- you know how to make yeast. Get to it. If you learn how you will not have to worry about storing  yeast!! And remember yeast has a shelf life of 1 year, and 5 years in the freezer.
I am going to try it. I will let you know how it turns out.

barf.

sorry, i have not been posting. i did not drop off the face of the earth, and i was not rubbed out by a marxist for being so brilliant. the truth is i am so sick. i will be back soon.

whole wheat bread that is really whole wheat bread.

I keep seeing recipes for whole wheat bread that call for 1/2 white flour and 1/2 whole wheat. I am not the sharpest tool in the shed but even I realize that does not make any sense. I have a recipe that I love and I am going to share it:
1 1/4 cup hot water (110-114 degrees)
1 heaping tbsp yeast. (I am convinced SAF yeast is the best.)
1/3 cup milk. (I use powdered milk, and I don't mix it with water- just powder straight out of the can.)
1/4 cup veggie oil. (I use coconut oil)
1/4 cup honey
1 1/4 tsp. salt
2 1/2 to 2 3/4 cups of whole wheat flour in the bread with and extra for dusting. I would just round it up to 3 cups to be safe.
I do not use a dough enhancer or vital wheat gluten. It is one more thing to buy and store and I personally believe it is an excitotoxin. You can read a little bit about those here

I mix all this in my Bosch- but I need to learn how to kneed it by hand. I know one day I will not be able to use a mixer.

Add all the ingredients in the mixer starting with the water and yeast, and on down the line. I mix it for 10 minutes.
It should be really sticky- I learned that from the bread master. She likened it to a cake mix, being such a wet batter and it makes a fluffy cake. I was having issues with my bread being too heavy, and she helped me realize I was adding way too much flour. Since this recipe does not use a dough enhancer you need to make sure and not add too much flour, or you will have what my husband called a "tasty brick."

All mixers are different but I use just enough flour till it pulls away from the side of a mixer for just a couple of turns.

After the 10 minutes of mixing I roll it out on a floured surface and give it a couple kneads by hand that will lightly coat the outside of the dough with flour.

This will make the outside of the dough not be sticky but the inside still will be.

 I then roll it out flat and then roll it up like a snake pulling the top roll of the sides down and pinching the end seam and the sides together.

The bottom seam goes on the bottom of the loaf pan. You do not have to roll it like a snake- you can shape it into a loaf, I like rolling it. It creates a nice round shape and I have had more luck with this technique then shaping it like a loaf. Rolling takes practice, if you roll it too loose there will be holes in the bread, if it is too tight it will have a hard time rising, or will not rise at all.
Place your loaf in a greased loaf pan. I oil the top of the loaf and place a towel over it to rise. Careful of the size of the pan- I was using a super huge pan before and could not figure out why my bread was not rising big over the top of it.
Let it rise for about 1 hour 15 minutes. It should be nice and round on top. Bake for 30 minutes at 350 degrees. I cover the top with foil after 20 minutes of it baking so the top is not to brown.
Let it cool on a rack and it is done. Yum.

I have also mixed this in a kitchen aid mixer and it worked just fine.

To have a loaf every day for a year you will need:
52 cups hot water *there are 16 cups in a gallon so you will need a little over 3 gallons
52 heaping tbsp of yeast
17 and 1/3 cups milk
13 cups oil
13 cups honey
65 tsp salt
156 cups of flour there are 10 cups in a number 10 can
* I am still trying to figure out the rest of the conversion. Like how many cups of dry milk in a #10, and how many tbsp are in a pound of yeast etc. If you know could you tell me please!

agenda 21

he who controls the food, has the power. Watch this video on agenda 21.W

mountain house review.

Have you ever tried a mountain house meal? I was so busy today getting ready for a birthday party tomorrow that I forgot about lunch. I hope I am not the only person who forgets momentarily to feed her kids. Luckily my kids know how to whine, and so I grabbed this off the shelf thinking it would be fast, and a good chance to try it out.
It was easy- 2 cups boiling water in the bag and let it set for 9 minutes. My kids liked it, and it was good. Not the best mack and cheese I have ever had, but good. I could have added more cooked noodles- there was not an equal cheese to noodle ratio.
I have stocked my BOB's with MRE's just because of the convenience of the size and the fact that you don't need water. If I had to use my BOB's who is to say I would have access to boil water? For some serious camping, or food storage.... or days when you forget to feed your kids- I am liking the mountain house meals. I bought some more, and next time I crack one open I will let you know how it is.

WRONG!!! Seth Fiegerman

After taking my kids and dog to hell ...I mean the vet. I came home emotionally exhausted and needed a laugh, and I get one with this article. Then my laughter turned to anger as I questioned who writes this crap??
To: Seth Fiegerman 
I seriously hope no one believes this crap. Honey will last FOREVER!! you freakin' idiot. Why am I not getting paid to write this? You freakin' idiot!

"Honey
Honey can take years to expire, but according to Gans, one can conservatively hold onto it for about a year before its consistency begins to change, hardening and losing its sweet taste. Interestingly, Gans says that honey stays good for 12 months whether it's opened or unopened, making it one of the only foods where that is the case." Here is the full article, but please don't believe it.

Here is something else that caught my attention today. This article about New Zealand banning a baby name. Apparently Lucifer has been banned. Really?
Now- Stupidity is not illegal, and either is poor taste but if someone wants to name their baby
Lucifer Hitler Esquire then that is there damn right to do it. If the child does not become a serial killer it can change it's name at legal age and get some counseling.
It really pisses me off when a government agency tries to tell me what I can or can not do with my children. (here comes the libertarian) Where does this end? Mandatory vaccinations? No home schooling? What about the name Will- is that going to be offensive to someone and will be banned also? Then what? All kids will be called Jill if a girl or Jack if a boy? How about a number? Seriously. Where are we going with this.

back to school preparedness.

So the kids got new shoes and some clothes for school.... maybe a new haircut? Those are fabulous things but I like to focus on the chicken little aspects of life!
A witch doctor friend of mine that I love dearly gave me this idea. Like an emergency car kit, or a bug out bag at home these kits go in your child's backpack. Make sure and tape them up to keep fingers out of them, and let the child know what is in there. Depending on the age and maturity level explain what the kit is for, and when it will be used. You can put water, juice, snack, extra house key, flashlight, or a glow stick in the kit -packed up in a plastic pencil box. Do not forget emergency contact information like how/where to contact you if something happens. Remember: your child might get separated from the group- do not think the teacher will always be right there with the kids.
If that were to happen you would want someone to have all the numbers and places that you might be or your child could be taken.
You could even put a reminder for the child of what to do/where to go or where to meet (if you have an emergency meeting place)
Just like a bug out bag these will be personal and tailored to fit your child.

A few months ago I was in a CERT class, and we started to discuss emergency protocol for school children. The room broke out into a discussion and I quickly realized all schools are so different.  I would advise finding out what your school would do in case of an emergency. Ask about shootings, bomb threat, natural disasters, etc. If the principle looks at you like you are crazy- you might want to find a different school, OR be an Erin Brockovich type- research and implement one yourself.
Good luck!

Ron Swanson the ultiamte lebertarian.

We do not have t.v. and have been with out it for maybe a year or so? It first started as a financial sacrifice. I could not understand why I was paying to watch vile crap, and so we turned it off. There is one show my husband and I like to watch and on his lap top we watch Parks and Recreation on the weekends. Ron Swanson is my favorite character of all time, and here is a clip of him explaining how government  and taxes work to a 4th grader.

Last night on KTAR one of the radio hosts was talking about a recent story where two young boys sent 2 dollars to the white house in a letter. They came up with a way to fix the debt crisis, and said if all the kids in the world sent in 1 dollar that would fix it.
The host went on to say something that I completely agree with and that is we raise kids to be little socialists. And we do!
" Share, don't embarrass me, do not say no, please everyone.... blah blah." It is a everyone gets a trophy, everyone is as special as the next one kind of society.
This is walking a tight line because I know it is important to be nice, but there is a difference between being a push-over and being kind. I hope I can help my kids find that, but I am totally going to explain taxes the way Ron Swanson does- it is happening. I should probably home school.

21 ways to stay cool with out A/C

21. Place a frozen milk jug or water bottles infront of a fan.

root cellars/coolers

       The most remarkable thing about my mother is that for thirty years she served the family nothing but leftovers. The original meal has never been found.  

  -Calvin Trillin

              A few years ago I wanted to learn what Christ ate and how food was preserved back then. I was on a mission to improve my diet and overall health. Knowing full well the way we eat food, make food, and preserve food has evolved but our bodies have not. I was interested in the method of food preservation that He would have used, and since I grew up with a refrigerator…. boy did I learn allot. Fermentation was a big method of food preservation, and fermented foods are REALLY good for you. They contain so many beneficial bacteria that will keep you healthy, ward off disease and keep you pooping great! (Good thing we just made some to-go toilets) If you are not sure what fermented foods are a few examples is yogurt, sour kraut or kiefer; although some brands are better for you than others. Drying, smoking and pickling are other methods. Since we refrigerate everything now a days, I would like to tell there are a few items that do not need to be kept in there. Mayonnaise, peanut butter and most condiments will be just fine on the shelf and eggs. Yes! Real eggs! When hens lay the eggs there is a protective coating that is naturally placed on the egg that will preserve it. Eggs from the store have been sterilized, so to simulate the natural coating rub warm mineral oil on the shell and place it point down in a egg carton and store it in a cool dark place and it will stay for 9-12 months.

              Before refrigeration a root cellar was a normal part of life and kept vegetables preserved through the winter.  If you visit http://www.survival-spot.com/survival-blog/build-root-cellar/  you will find many great pictures and plans for a root cellar. This link http://oldfashionedliving.com/rootcellar.html has more information on the different types of root cellars i.e. above ground or mound types. I have some great books on them if you are interested let me know.  I was depressed when I learned that root Cellars work best in colder and more humid climates, but here in AZ we can still have them, we just have to put a pan of water in the cellar or damp towels to imitate the humidity. A root cellar works by using the Earth as it is a natural temperature regulator/cooler.

              Also there is a pot in pot cooler option which was invented not too long ago. It consists of a smaller pot inside a larger one. In between the two pots is filled with sand and water. When the water evaporates it pulls the heat out of the smaller pot that is holding your fruits and veggies! Here is a link to see a picture and learn more http://other90.cooperhewitt.org/Design/pot-in-pot-cooler  

              An evaporative cooler fridge is cheap and easy to make too. It consists of a cheap plastic shelving unit with the top shelf turned upside down and burlap wrapped around the unit. Water is placed in the top shelf that is upside down and then pulled through the burlap.  The water then cools the food inside on the other shelves.  http://www.provident-living-today.com/Alternative-Refrigeration.html   There is also an explanation on how to make ice with a solar oven on this link. ….Talk about a bartering tool!

diatomacious earth

I am back, and SURVIVED GIRLS CAMP!!!!!

I was looking on YouTube one day wanting information on kefir. (kefir is awesome- so good for you and will kill a yeast infection like it was nothing, and it will also help you poop.)  I wanted to make a smoothie with kefir and I thought I would have a good chance finding it. And since everything is on YouTube- I did. The guy in the video talked about diatomaceous earth and said he always added it to his smoothies. I had NO idea what Diatomaceous earth was, and started searching that. Seriously? What did I do before YouTube?

Before I start let me say you MUST USE FOOD GRADE DIATOMACEOUS EARTH!!! NON-FOOD GRADE WILL KILL YOU.

DE looks like all purpose flour, but it is thousand year old fossilized diatoms (bugs). The main uses for DE are to kill bugs in your home, your yard and in your digestive track.  If you look at it under a microscope  DE is jagged, and that is how it kills bugs. The bugs walk through the DE and it cuts them up and dries them out.
I share my backyard with a ton of black widow spiders. They protest about once a month and claim they were here first, and I have invaded their land- it is a constant battle to the death. (I killed 9 in a 20 minute long battle.) One day I saw a big one on the underside of my house- I did not reach it in time to kill it and it snuck into a crack in the house.
I sucked up some DE in that green bulb booger sucker thing the hospital gives you when you have a baby, and I stuck the tip of it in the crack and puffed as much DE in there as I could. A few hours later the sun was setting and I went outside when I saw a big white dead spider hanging in it's web. It was the widow. Gosh, I love this stuff.
I puff it around my food storage, under my couches, around my outside doors, in my cabinets, I put it inside my food storage (grains) to kill anything that is in there too. I puff it in window sills, in light sockets.... tons of stuff. If you see weird white stuff in my house, chances are it is DE.
It is amazing for gardening, and is true organic gardening. I like to pour some on the ant hills out side too, and no worries if my kids or animals eat it.
I give it to my dogs to keep them worm free. It is awesome for any animal- cats, chickens, cows- what have you.
I take it, and I too put it in my kefir smoothie. I found some statistics of people who actually have worms, or some type of parasite and do not know it. It was astounding. So many of us have something and do not know it. When I started taking it I was extra smelly for a few days, and I think it killed something in me, and I stunk till it came out. Yuck.
DE is seriously awesome. It is easy to store, and is beneficial to have. I heard recently on the news about a new out break of bed bugs. That what used to kill them- is no longer doing it, as the bed bugs have become resistant. DE will kill them. If you don't have some, make it a goal and store it.
Remember you MUST USE FOOD GRADE DIATOMACEOUS EARTH!!! NON-FOOD GRADE WILL KILL YOU. 

Here is where I buy my DE they have a great video that explains more about it.

natural bug repellants.

There was an old lady who swallowed a fly, I don't know why she swallowed a fly....
I think I know why. She hates flies, and wanted it out of her freaking kitchen! I hate flies SO MUCH, and for some reason my back porch is a mecca for flies. They love my back door and will wait patiently until the door is opened and fly in. My mom used to tell us to close the door because we were letting all the cold air out. I tell my kids to close the door before they let all the flies in.
Bug repellents have been on my mind not just because of the flies that I hate, but I am also about to go camping with lots of mosquito's- which I hate also.
Here is a link on mosquito repellent. This one is good too.

For flies try this.  I know that mint works, as I have done that for my flies in the past. I need to plant mint around my back door. It would keep flies away, and I can use it for so many different things.
Here is an idea or two for roaches.

Root Cellars

The most remarkable thing about my mother is that for thirty years she served the family nothing but leftovers. The original meal has never been found.    -Calvin Trillin

          A few years ago I wanted to learn what Christ ate and how food was preserved back then. I was on a mission to improve my diet and overall health. Knowing full well the way we eat food, make food, and preserve food has evolved but our bodies have not. I was interested in the method of food preservation that He would have used, and since I grew up with a refrigerator…. boy did I learn allot.

      

         Fermentation was a big method of food preservation, and fermented foods are REALLY good for you. They contain so many beneficial bacteria that will keep you healthy, ward off disease and keep you pooping great! (Good thing we just made some to-go toilets) If you are not sure what fermented foods are a few examples is yogurt, sour kraut or kiefer; although some brands are better for you than others. Drying, smoking and pickling are other methods. Since we refrigerate everything now a days, I would like to tell there are a few items that do not need to be kept in there. Mayonnaise, peanut butter and most condiments will be just fine on the shelf and eggs. Yes! Real eggs! When hens lay the eggs there is a protective coating that is naturally placed on the egg that will preserve it. Eggs from the store have been sterilized, so to simulate the natural coating rub warm mineral oil on the shell and place it point down in a egg carton and store it in a cool dark place and it will stay for 9-12 months.

              Before refrigeration a root cellar was a normal part of life and kept vegetables preserved through the winter.  If you visit here  you will find lots of great pictures and plans for a root cellar. This link  here has more information on the different types of root cellars i.e. above ground or mound types. I was depressed when I learned that root Cellars work best in colder and more humid climates, but here in AZ we can still have them, we just have to put a pan of water in the cellar or damp towels to imitate the humidity. A root cellar works by using the Earth as it is a natural temperature regulator/cooler.

              Also there is a pot in pot cooler option which was invented not too long ago. It consists of a smaller pot inside a larger one. In between the two pots is filled with sand and water. When the water evaporates it pulls the heat out of the smaller pot that is holding your fruits and veggies! Here is a link to see a picture and learn more.

              An evaporative cooler fridge is cheap and easy to make too. It consists of a cheap plastic shelving unit with the top shelf turned upside down and burlap wrapped around the unit. Water is placed in the top shelf that is upside down and then pulled through the burlap.  The water then cools the food inside on the other shelves.         Here is a link for that   There is also an explanation on how to make ice with a solar oven on this link. ….Talk about a bartering tool!

              I hope you have a great Fourth of July! I am thankful to live in the greatest country in the world that has been established with divine inspiration. I am going to build….well, my husband is going to build me a root cellar (ha… ha) I will let you know the progress. Let me know if you want more information on food preservation like smoking etc. Thanks to all who came and made showers and toilets and talked about what to do with your poop! I have not had that much fun in a long time.  God bless America.

GOD BLESS AMERICA

this video is awesome. please watch as he tells the true story behind the national anthem.

my hygiene kit

Hygiene is a big issue after a catastrophe. So much disease is spread through poor sanitary conditions. After the poop hits the fan..... it keeps coming, so what are you going to do with it?
People have asked me when I would use these kits. The answer can very. Gas goes up- trucks stop delivering and I cant get toilet paper. Hyper inflation and I need to buy food, pay water bill... not buy toilet paper or tampons. My house is leveled in an earthquake. I have to evacuate and I would rather go ruff it in the wilderness then go to a FEMA camp.... the list is endless.

Here are the toilet ideas.
The first toilet is a 5 gallon bucket with a noodle from the dollar store that has been cut up one side and slid over the top of the bucket. I have secured it with zip ties after two small holes were drilled in the bucket.
The second toilet is a seat I got from emergency essentials for about 9 dollars. It snaps on and off the top of a 5 gallon bucket.
The third is the same idea as the noodle, but it is pipe insulation.
With the noodle toilet, and the insulation toilet you would probably need to put a bag over the top just to make sure that you keep the noodle/insulation clean.

These are buckets I put together for each member of my family. They each contain a shower curtain- for privacy. A Peri bottle to help spray off their bottom.... you would be surprised how well these work. Also, I have included re-usable toilet paper. (wash cloths)
You can cut and serge the cloths so they are cute and little squares if you want. I figured that would be a waste of time. I am okay with having a big wash cloth to use as I like the idea of extra surface area!

 There are two buckets. One bucket ( white one) fits inside the other one (diamond design). The smaller bucket has a hinged lid, and will hold all the dry items. Toilet paper etc. Then once an item is used it will be placed in the bottom bucket to soak in a little water/soap/bleach solution. (what ever you want to use)
Then when you are ready to wash the used items they will be easier to clean since they have not become dried and crusted. YAY!

This is my solar shower. I looked around and found some bladder types, but I thought they looked cheap and I would be worried that the bladder would get a hole in it... and then what? Full on monkey butt- that's what. I got a 2 1/2 gallon bucket and spray painted in matte black. Matte (not shine) so that it would absorbs the heat. Then I drilled one hole in the side towards the bottom.

 The rest of the hard wear I got from home depot in the plumbing section.

 Here is the gasket that goes on the inside of the bucket (with the rubber red ring) and then the other piece is on the outside.

 Here is the on/off valve so that you can wet down. Turn off the water, soap up, and then turn the water back on to wash off.

These are re-usable maxi pads. The first one pictured is a for lighter flow days, or just a panty liner.

This one has inserts so that you can control the coverage you have. More inserts for nigh time, or a heavier flow.

I also want to get a menstrual cup. There are many different brands if you do a search for them. This is what they look like

It is flexible and you can not feel it. It sits inside and catches everything, then you pull it out and empty it. I found a good price on amazon. Do not forget to store for your daughters- even if they are little, and you think it is crazy! do it.

Now that we have this, we need to think about what to do with our poo. Short term, or long term ideas.
For short term- maybe a week or two. You can bag it, and bury the bag. There are bags specifically sold for this purpose. ...like these.

tragic news

i received some tragic news today.
i work with the young women at my church, and today one of them passed away. she was 13.
my heart goes out to her family. my heart goes out the the other girls at church. they are so young, their faith and testimonies still growing.
they are adorable but hormonal and awkward like we all were at that age, and trying to deal with this reality that just hit them in the face.
i am sure the Lord needed her. i can't blame Him- i love her so much. i would want her home too.
i fell more mortal today then i did yesterday. with a re-newed feeling of patience and love for my family.
remembering that this life is but for a short time. i need to appreciate those around me MORE.
maybe we all need to?
i talk so much about temporal preparedness, but spiritual preparedness is just as if not more important.
preparing ourselves to meet our Savior- because as i am reminded today He might need us at any moment.
i will always love her, and i look forward to the day when i can wrap my arms around her again.
i am sure she will have found all the cute boys. she always had an eye out for them.

20 ways to stay cool with out AC

I live in Arizona, and it is HOT! Don't tell me it is a dry heat, and think that it is a comforting statement. It's just hot. It has been 115-118 the last few days and since I suffer from chicken-little syndrome and not a normalcy bias, I have been wondering how I am going to survive when we get hit with an EMP.
Since an EMP will knock out anything electrical- there goes my AC and fans.  I have been reading a bit and have seen a few ideas that I think are worthy to mention.
Water is the main source for most of the ideas, and in a survival situation if water was scarce that could pose a problem. Just keep that in mind....
1. Turn off and unplug devices such as t.v's that are turn on instantly as they can still give off heat when they are turned off but plugged in.
2. A cool rag on your pressure points will help dramatically.
3. Heat resistant/light reflective window coverings. I need to invest in that. Simple blinds are not going to cut it. You need something to keep the sun out.
4. Opening the windows at night, and closing them during the day. This would not apply to me in AZ because it is still 115 degrees at 2 o'clock in the AM.
5. Place fans in the windows to pull the cooler air from outside. (would not work in an EMP)
6. Spray bottle with water. Living with my mother for the first part of my married life I can say this works. I have fond memories of my husband and I spraying each other down because my mom is tight with her money, and would not turn on the AC.
7. Wetting and wringing out the sheets on your bed. You will sleep better.
8. Stay out of the sun. Snooze or just take it easy.
9. If you can hang out inside your house stay as close to naked as you can.
10. If you must go outside then cover up. People around here go everywhere in coochie-cutters, and tank tops. We need to take a hint from the migrant workers, or even those in the Middle East. They cover up with an Indian cotton, or muslin. That is the way to go. Coochie-cutters and a tank top just make you look slutty, they will not keep you cool.
11. Cook outside. Use your rocket stoves, solar ovens, or grills.
12.Use peppermint. There are many options like fresh peppermint in a pitcher water, peppermint soaps, lotions, or mint teas.
13. When you cook outside use spices. Spices make you sweat more.
14. Sit in the shade outside. It may be cooler out there then in your house.
15. I have not tried this one yet, but a cool slice of cucumber in the middle of your forehead is supposed to cool your body quickly. (again during an EMP- you would not have a cold refrigerator)
16. Instead of searching for the cool side of the pillow, get a buckwheat pillow and it will always be cool. The buckwheat absorbs the heat instead of holding it there next to your face.
17. Cool shower, cool bath, running in the hose.
18. Plant some trees
19. Drink plenty of cool water.
20. Wet and wring out towels and hang them in front of open windows. I would do that at night here.

I will miss tampons-hygiene kit

I have been working on a hygiene kit, and I am almost done with it. I will take pictures and post them when I am finished. Since I try and prep for the worst case scenario, hygiene has been a big subject on my mind. What am I going to use if I can not buy toilet paper? Tampons? What if I can not use my toilet? After 'it" hits the fan, the poop keeps coming... so what are we going to do with it? I know after the earth quake in Haiti there was an outbreak of cholera. Staying clean and free of disease is not easy after a catastrophe.
Instead of buying a butt load of tampons, and storing a butt load of tampons I thought a good option would be a diva cup or  moon cup or even a soft cup. If you search for menstrual cups- you will be surprised at how many different types there are. There is always the option of using a natural sea sponge.
The I learned from a friend how bad tampons really are. You might already know this because I am usually the last person to know anything. After I found out about tampons, I asked a few of my friends about them, and they all knew- so this may be snooze-ville to you BUT if you did not know....
tampons contain many things that are bad for your health like dioxins. Tampon makers bleach the tampons and cancer causing dioxins are by-products of the bleach. There is also conflicting information about tampons containing asbestos, but I happen to believe they do. It is said that the reason asbestos is in tampons, is that the asbestos will make you bleed more, and there for you will buy more tampons. After learning the truth about the tobacco industry and the food industry.... asbestos in tampons makes perfect sense to me. This article talks allot about the truth of tampons, and again if you search it you will find so much information.

But really bottom line it just pisses me off. Can I not just have one thing? One thing in this world that will not kill me slowly with cancer of any type?

Unless I grow my veggies and fruits they all come from a whole different country because the United states can not seem to produce anything anymore. The seed is planted and fertilized with night soil, then it is sprayed will all sorts of pesticides, and picked before it is ripe and then flown here. Just to be waxed beyond recognition once it arrives at the store.

My beef and chicken is riddled with hormones. Milk is complete trash and will give my kids boobs by the time they are 9 years old.
My clothing choices are synthetic crap, and all made by a 5 year old in some different country and laced with bed bugs.

The air is toxic.

Fast food is toxic. Even a sit down restaurant is questionable. One of my favorite things in the world was buffalo wings until a few year ago I was studying oils and learned that rancid oils are completely carcinogenic. Guess what they fry the wings in? Yep.

Cell phones, computers, televisions-anything we plug in give off EMF's. You can read about EMF's here

Seriously? What do I have? And now I can't even have the simple sweet pleasure of a tampon! I am so pissed about this. I will be purchasing a menstrual cup, and I will let you know how it goes.

damsel in distress.

Last night I got home at 10:00 PM. I was out for the evening, first at a church activity and then to china-mart. My husband had left the house the same time I did with my kids to go to his brother's house, and help with a computer problem. I got home and the porch light was off and I unloaded my things on the porch. I tried to make some noise like slamming the car doors. This way our loud large dogs will notify my husband someone is outside, and then I will get help with the groceries. :)

But.... my loud dogs never notified. They did not bark at all. I went up to the door and knocked softly so that the dogs would hear, but would not wake my (supposed to be) sleeping kids.

They did not bark when I knocked.  My dogs let me know when my neighbors get home, so I knew something was wrong. I then realized all the lights in the house were on, and I did not leave them on.  My first thought was my family and my dogs are dead inside my house. I fumbled for my keys, and realized I did not have the new key for the new security screen we just got. Not smart.

Then I realized that I did not have the garage door opener. Not smart.

We do not have a cell phone, so I ran next door to use my neighbors phone. I called my brother in law and asked should my husband be home by now? He wasn't sure. "What time did he leave"? He was not sure. So, then after the practical advice from my neighbor to call the police.... I called a friend of mine in the neighborhood that owns lots of guns. She did not answer.

I remembered that I just purchased a axe at china-mart, and it was sitting on my porch in the dark. I ran back home and fumbled for it in the bag, and ripped the cover off. I was about to go through the back yard to the back of the house when I hear my husband call my name. AAHHH!! I could have killed him!!

Turns out the whole clan was in the bathroom. UGH.

I made some very stupid decisions last night like not having my keys- and shopping so late.

I will never forget when I asked my husband if he ever gets freaked out while walking through a parking lot at night. He looked at me and puffed out a "no." As if to say "do you? how silly!"

Men and women might be on the same planet but I think in certain areas we view the world very differently. I want to be able to take care of myself and I do not want to be a damsel in distress.

 I am not some amazon-bush woman who "doesn't need a man."

I need a man, and I love men- especially my husband.

But I want to be able to take care of myself. I have been flirting with the idea of self defence classes, and shooting classes. I have a new found resolve to set the date, and stop saying "I need to do that."

Always being prepared is filling up my car when the tank reaches 1/2 empty instead of coasting to the gas station on fumes, always having all of my keys when I leave the house, having a full car emergency kit, putting my keys and purse and shoes in their designated places so that if i need to GO I am not dead because I couldn't find my keys. Not wearing flip flops all the time, but actual shoes. These are things I need to work on.   

 Why must she be naked? Seriously? Tied up and naked... that is just sad.

 Almost naked.

 Again with the naked?

 She is almost naked. ....but I do like her eyebrows.

How cool is this ninja spike.
I keep focusing on food storage, and that is important but I can not forget the simple truth that I can't eat if I'm dead....and I can't cook for my family if I am dead, and if that happens they will all die with out me.
Self defence and physical strength are an important part of self reliance.
So we better get to working out and learn how to better protect our bodies, or else we will end up naked and tied to a tree waiting for a man to save us, and that is no place I want to be.

Les Stroud

Some of ya's might like Justin Timberlake or maybe Johnny Deep. I will admit they are nice to look at but I would take Les Stroud over those two chumps any day.
And in a survival situation some of ya's might like Bear Grylls.... but I must chime in on the Grylls vs. Stroud controversy.
My opinion: there is no comparison. Les Stroud kicks the trash out of big bear any day of the week. Besides the fact that I heard Bear got caught sleeping in a hotel suite at night when he was supposed to be out "surviving."
If I had a shirt that said "I love Les" I would totally wear it. I just wish I could shrink him and pack him in my bug out bag.
Here are five videos of Les surviving a flood in different scenarios.
A house, a car, and the work place. Les You da' man.
Watch number 1 here
watch number 2 here
watch number 3 here
watch number 4 here
watch number 5 here

Notice the normalcy bias in the woman that Les interviews who luckily survived Katrina. He asks her why she did not leave? She says that no one thought it would be that bad. Officials have warned in the past about bad floods, but it never happened.
Luckily she stayed calm, and stayed safe.
But... do not think like her and all the others. Do not get caught up in the normalcy bias thinking that nothing will happen. There are first times for everything- just like Katrina.

hygiene kits coming soon.

vinyl

I am so excited about this! Big vinyl lettering will make my storage so much easier to read and it is so much cuter then the normal duct tape tag. My friend over at let your heart soar designs made them for me.

more on bug out bags.

I did not used to brag, I was always very humble but after I had my kids... my brain began to crumble.
So... when I think of a good idea- when something comes to mind? I am overcome with boasting, with gloating I'm inclined. 
I am going to gloat- so prepare yourself:

I have been having a hard time with the clothes in my bug out bags and how much room the take up. So I came up with this

You know this thing?

Well I used it on my clothes!!! It will keep them dry and clean until we need it, and it takes up SO much less room! YAY!

In this picture you can see on the left clothes in a Ziploc. Then in the middle is the first thing I sealed. On the right is the second one I sealed, and it is so much less bulky then the middle one because as I was sealing it I was smacking the clothes and pushing down on them.

I would advise doing that or else the clothes are still bulky.

Here the middle one re-sealed. I pushed down on the clothes this time.

Here are the clothes that were furthest to the left now sealed and ready to go. Now if I could just have an emergency to use all of this stuff!