If I were Santa

Merry Christmas!
If I were Santa I would give you all the food, cash and necessities to get you and yours through your lean times. But, alas, I don't have the resources to do that and besides, becoming self-reliant through provident livingis something the Lord wants us to choose to do for ourselves. So, here is my preparedness present to you:

http://peaceofpreparedness.com


This website is Debbie Kent's accumulation of preparedness information and motivational talks. It teaches us how to live providently so that we can provide for ourselves and our loved ones now and during hard times. The site has a vast and wonderful Resource Library and continues to be my favorite preparedness site so I keep on recommending it for your preparedness questions.

(I plagiarized this post from another preparedness person, but I feel the same way about Debbie Kent's website.  So consider this post "re-gifted".)

Benson: The Lord has warned and forewarned us

We encourage you to be more self-reliant so that, as the Lord has declared, “notwithstanding the tribulation which shall descend upon you, … the church may stand independent above all other creatures beneath the celestial world” (D&C 78:14). The Lord wants us to be independent and self-reliant because these will be days of tribulation. He has warned and forewarned us of the eventuality.

President Brigham Young said, “If you are without bread, how much wisdom can you boast, and of what real utility are your talents, if you cannot procure for yourselves and save against a day of scarcity those substances designed to sustain your natural lives?” (In Journal of Discourses, 8:68.)

Food production is just one part of the repeated emphasis that you store a provision of food which will last for at least a year wherever it is legally permissible to do so. The Church has not told you what foods should be stored. This decision is left up to individual members. ...

From the standpoint of food production, storage, handling, and the Lord’s counsel, wheat should have high priority. “There is more salvation and security in wheat,” said Orson Hyde years ago, “than in all the political schemes of the world” (in Journal of Discourses, 2:207). Water, of course, is essential. Other basics could include honey or sugar, legumes, milk products or substitutes, and salt or its equivalent. The revelation to produce and store food may be as essential to our temporal welfare today as boarding the ark was to the people in the days of Noah.

This talk was given by Ezra Taft Benson of the Quorum of the Twelve, Oct. 1980

Read the rest of the talk:

http://lds.org/ensign/1980/11/prepare-for-the-days-of-tribulation?lang=eng

FEMA says "Resolve to be Ready in 2012"

WASHINGTON, D.C. -- As 2011 – one of the most active years for disasters in recent history – comes to a close and Americans get ready to ring in a new year, the Federal Emergency Management Agency is encouraging all Americans to Resolve to be Ready in the new year by making a resolution to be prepared for emergencies.

As a recent report by the National Climatic Data Center highlights, 2011 has seen more billion-dollar natural disasters than any year on record. This year alone, the U.S. experienced its first hurricane landfall since 2008, the most deadly series of tornadoes since the 1950s, significant earthquakes and severe flooding – hazards that impacted every region of the country. All of these events have served as important reminders that disasters can strike anytime, anywhere, and being prepared is one of the most effective things we can do to protect our homes, businesses and loved ones.

Today, FEMA kicked off its annual campaign, Resolve to be Ready in 2012, which urges Americans to make preparedness a priority during the holiday season by making a new year’s resolution to be ready for disasters or by thinking about preparedness tools for last minute gift ideas.

“One of the most important lessons we can take away from this year is that disasters can impact all of us, no matter what part of the country we live in,” said FEMA Administrator Craig Fugate.  “While we can’t control where or when they might hit, we can take steps in advance to prepare for them – efforts that can go a long way toward protecting our families, homes and business. Resolving to be Ready in 2012 could be the most important pledge you make this year.”

By making a resolution to take a few simple steps in advance, Americans can minimize the impact of an emergency on their families, homes or businesses.  To take the pledge, visit www.ready.gov/resolve or www.listo.gov, which includes free information, checklists, and guidelines about how to put together a kit, make a plan, and stay informed.

Resolve to be Ready in 2012 is a nationwide effort to increase awareness and encourage individuals, families, businesses, and communities to take action and prepare for emergencies in the New Year.  This effort is led by FEMA’s Ready Campaign in partnership with Citizen Corps and The Advertising Council.  For more information, visit Ready.gov and CitizenCorps.gov or follow the campaign on Twitter using the hashtags #ready2012 and #resolve.

Food and Supplies MUCH better than gold

Here is a quote by Brigham Young:


"But pause for a moment, and suppose you had millions of bushels to sell, and could sell it for twenty dollars per bushel, or for a million dollars per bushel, no matter what amount, so that you sell all your wheat, and transport it out of the country, and you are left with nothing more than a pile of gold, what good would it do you? You could not eat it, drink it, wear it, or carry it off where you could have something to eat. 

The time will come that gold will hold no comparison in value to a bushel of wheat. Gold is not to be compared with it in value. Why would it be precious to you now? Simply because you could get gold for it? Gold is good for nothing, only as men value it. "
(Journal of Discourses, 1:, p.250).




Now compare what Brigham Young said to the following article:



Here is a link to a very interesting article dispelling the notion that you should have gold when times are tough (like during war or during a total collapse of society).  This man lived through the Balkan Wars of 1992-1995, and this is what he said about gold:

http://shtfschool.com/trading/on-buying-gold-silver-for-survival-preparedness/

It is interesting, isn't it, that this man is also advocating for owning food and supplies, not gold.  It looks like Brigham Young was correct.

(Of course, I believe Brigham was a living prophet of God, so I am glad to see his ideas corroborated by someone who lived through a war.)

Preparing for an Ice Storm

A survey of the Durham NC Second Ward after the ice storm of December 2002 revealed what preparation the people said they missed most:

Cleaning the house before the storm

Catching up on laundry and sheets before the storm

Having dishes washed before the storm

Having batteries for their battery-powered equipment

For those on well-water, who lost water as well as power, having more disposables such as paper plates.

Benson: Have you ever paused to realize...

Today, I emphasize a most basic principle: home production and storage. Have you ever paused to realize what would happen to your community or nation if transportation were paralyzed or if we had a war or depression? How would you and your neighbors obtain food? How long would the corner grocery store—or supermarket—sustain the needs of the community?

Shortly after World War II, I was called by the First Presidency to go to Europe to reestablish our missions and set up a program for the distribution of food and clothing to the Saints. Vivid in my memory are the people who got on trains each morning with all kinds of bric-a-brac in their arms to go out to the countryside to trade their possessions for food. At evening time, the train station was filled with people with arms full of vegetables and fruits, and a menagerie of squealing pigs and chickens. You never heard such a commotion. These people were, of course, willing to barter practically anything for that commodity which sustains life—food.

An almost forgotten means of economic self-reliance is the home production of food. We are too accustomed to going to stores and purchasing what we need. By producing some of our food we reduce, to a great extent, the impact of inflation on our money. More importantly, we learn how to produce our own food and involve all family members in a beneficial project. No more timely counsel, I feel, has been given by President Kimball than his repeated emphasis to grow our own gardens. Here is one sample of his emphasis over the past seven years:

“We encourage you to grow all the food that you feasibly can on your own property. Berry bushes, grapevines, fruit trees—plant them if your climate is right for their growth. Grow vegetables and eat them from your own yard.” (Ensign, May 1976, p. 124).

This talk was given by Ezra Taft Benson of the Quorum of the Twelve, Oct. 1980

Read the rest of the talk:

http://lds.org/ensign/1980/11/prepare-for-the-days-of-tribulation?lang=eng

Still more gift ideas, part 3

Katadyn water filter- $80 (or sometimes on sale as low as $45).  Buy at REI or from Emergency Essentials.

Headlamp flashlight- You will look like a coal miner, but in a power outage, wearing your flashlight on your head enables you to see what you are doing with both hands free.  You can find these for $6-$30.  Get an LED one,  LED lights use less power to run, so the battery lasts longer.

Glowstick- safer than candles during a power outage, hang them from bathroom doorknobs for children to find their way in the dark.  $1-$4.

Bean recipes:  Who doesn't need more ways to cook beans?  I know that we don't use our food storage beans often enough.

Sprouting kit:  These are quite inexpensive, and make it so simple to grow alfalfa sprouts or other types of sprouts.  $10-$20.

Powdered Eggs-  I use these in ALL my baking.  Most people don't know how freeing it is to never worry if you have fresh eggs in the fridge.  Instead, you've always got the powdered variety in the pantry.  You can order these from food storage companies like THRIVE and Emergency Essentials.

Powdered Milk-  Ditto.  We use this anytime milk is required in any recipe.  (We don't like to drink it as milk, we'll have to learn to do that in times of trouble, but not now.) Again, you can order these from food storage companies like THRIVE and Emergency Essentials.

Herbs, Spices;  When the time comes that we are living off of food storage, herbs and spices will make all the difference whether we are bored out of our minds or making food taste good.  Just ponder eating plain beans and you will run right out and buy a bunch of chili powder and cumin. I think the big sized containers at Sam's Club are a good deal.

Well, those are all the things I could think of off the top of my head, you can come up with a lot more.  Have a very merry Preparedness-themed Christmas!

-- 

Still more gift ideas, part 2

More ideas to buy for your friends and family members.  These will definitely help out in a disaster, and they can also use some of this stuff for camping.

Inverter

Inverter-  $25-$100 or more-  This one cost around $20-$30, and has one electric plug.  (You can buy inverters with two or three plugs, but they cost more.)  You can plug it into the car's power port/cigarette lighter and then plug any electrical device into it.  This one will run a computer, or a TV, etc.  I doubt if it will run a microwave, but I know my friend's inverter was bigger and it would run their microwave.  They plugged a long cord into the inverter and then ran the cord into their house and powered their freezer for a few hours at a time.  Honestly, I don't know how long their car battery lasted but thats the story I heard.

Mr. Heater Portable Buddy Heater- $100. Portable propane-powered heatger, auto shut off safety switch, for indoors.

Sleeping bag rated for 0 degrees- Dick's sells them for $69.  Something to think about owning if the power goes off and your house is frigid inside.

Sleeping bag rated for 20 degrees- Dick's sells them for $49.

JetBoil Zip Cooking System $69 at Dick's, $119 at REI. - Wayne is a big time camper, and he has coveted one of these for a long time.  It is a personal cooking system (only cooks enough for one person) but the fuel can attaches directly to the stove which is directly attached to the pot.  Wayne said it cooks very efficiently, and boils water in 2.5 minutes.

Tent- $70 and up.

Bikes- When times get tough, this will be a good way to transport yourself if there is no gasoline.

Wagons, Bike trailers- transporting things if you have no gasoline.  (Buy these for the kids for Christmas, but plan on using them for yourself in an emergency situation.  Anything with wheels will come in handy.)

Still more gift ideas, part 1

Only 13 more shopping days left until Christmas!  If you didn't buy any of the gift ideas listed in the FoodStorageMadeEasy.net posts that I have linked to lately,  here are some more gift ideas.

You will bless your family members if you give them "preparedness type" gifts, you may even save their lives someday.

Here are some ideas:

Solar powered radio, hand cranked radio.  You'll be able to find out the news during a power outage.

Little TV with an antenna, can be plugged into the car power port/cigarette lighter, or runs on batteries, about $100.  The one we bought in late 2010 has a DVD player in it, so it is even fun for a non-emergency.  None of our old TVs will run on an antenna anymore, because they are all analog so we can only use them by plugging them into the satellite receiver, so we had to buy this little TV especially to receive antenna signals when the power is out.

Recipe book of your favorite recipes.  Many people just find recipes online, and don't use recipe books anymore.  If the power is out for very long, you won't have recipes if they are not printed out.

Bake one of your favorite food storage recipes and bring it to a friend. 

Offer to teach one of your friends to bake bread, also show her how to grind wheat.

Book "One Second After" by William Forstchen.  This is the best book I ever read about the loss of electricity to the whole nation because of an EMP (electromagnetic pulse) and the breakdown of society which followed.  A real page turner that truly makes you rethink your level of preparedness.

The Failure to take Prophetic Counsel

Pres. Henry B. Eyring of the First Presidency

"Korihor was arguing (in Alma 30:20-23), as men and women have falsely argued from the beginning of time, that to take counsel from the servants of God is to surrender God-given rights of independence.  But the argument is false because it misrepresents reality. When we reject the counsel which comes from God, we do not choose to be independent of outside influence.  We choose another influence.  We reject the protection of a perfectly loving, all-powerful, all-knowing Father in Heaven, whose whole purpose, as that of His Beloved Son, is to give us eternal life, to give us all that He has, and to bring us home again in families to the arms of His love.  In rejecting His counsel, we choose the influence of another power, whose purpose is to make us miserable and whose motive is hatred.  We have moral agency as a gift of God.  Rather than the right to choose to be free of influence, it is the inalienable right to submit ourselves to whichever of those powers we choose.

Another fallacy is to believe that the choice to accept or not accept the counsel of prophets is no more than deciding whether to accept good advice and gain its benefits or to stay where we are.  But the choice not to take prophetic counsel changes the very ground upon which we stand.  It becomes more dangerous.  The failure to take prophetic counsel lessens our power to take inspired counsel in the future.  The best time to have decided to help Noah build the ark was the first time he asked.  Each time he asked after that, each failure to respond would have lessened sensitivity to the Spirit.  And so each time his request would have seemed more foolish, until the rain came.  And then it was too late."

(Conference Report, April 1997, 33; or Ensign, May 1997, 25.)


http://lds.org/ensign/1997/05/finding-safety-in-counsel?lang=eng

Go Low Tech to prepare for an EMP (Electromagnetic Pulse)

Have you ever heard of an EMP?

Here is a paragraph from the government's report about EMPs:

http://empcommission.org/docs/empc_exec_rpt.pdf

"Several potential adversaries have or can acquire the capability to attack the United States with a high-altitude nuclear weapon-generated electromagnetic pulse (EMP). A determined adversary can achieve an EMP attack capability without having a high level of sophistication. EMP is one of a small number of threats that can hold our society at risk of catastrophic consequences. EMP will cover the wide geographic region within line of sight to the nuclear weapon. It has the capability to produce significant damage to critical infrastructures and thus to the very fabric of US society, as well as to the ability of the United States and Western nations to project influence and military power.  The common element that can produce such an impact from EMP is primarily electronics, so pervasive in all aspects of our society and military, coupled through critical infrastructures. Our vulnerability is increasing daily as our use of and dependence on electronics continues to grow. The impact of EMP is asymmetric in relation to potential protagonists who are not as dependent on modern electronics. "

(I took that paragraph from the fifth page on the above link.)

I do this blog as part of my church calling as a ward preparedness specialist.  I steer away from political or crazy things on this blog, but since this EMP information is on our government's website I assume I can talk about it in on this blog without looking too wacky.

Let's just consider what would happen if all of our electronics and technology were wiped out in one day.  

Here's some simple things you can do.

Think about every thing you do each day which uses electricity and technology, and come up with things that you can substitute.  Ask yourself, "What if I had no electricity.  What do I need to store NOW, to substitute for that item."

Here are some:

No electric washing machine?  Get some washtubs, and a wringer.

No Dryer?  Get a clothesline and clothespins.

No Electric drill, power saw, chain saw?  Get a hand saw, a handpowered drill, regular screwdrivers, etc.

No Electric wheat grinder?  Get a hand wheat grinder.  (I also have an antique meat grinder, hand powered.)

No electric sewing machine?  You might be able to find a foot-powered treadle machine somewhere.

No Computer or ipad?  Learn to hand write again.  Get pencils, pens, paper.

No computer files anymore?  You better have printed out all your recipes, and other important documents, in case you never have a computer again.  

No internet?  You better have all that stuff in regular old books, on the bookshelf, because you might not be able to look it up anymore.

No grocery stores, or trucks bringing food from faraway farms?  Better have food storage, plus garden tools and garden seeds, because you will need to grow your own food sooner or later.

This might be scary to think about, but if you have the low-tech equivalent, you will be able to make it through most crises and disasters better than someone who relies strictly on electricity.

The twelve Days of Christmas- Day 12- Checklists

I was browsing on one of my favorite websites, Food Storage Made Easy.net, and found that in 2009 they did a whole series on Emergency Preparedness and Food Storage gifts you can give for the 12 days of Christmas.  

Here are their suggestions for Day 12.  The theme for the day is "Checklists".

http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/12/01/day12/

(Note from Amy:  I hope you purchased or made some gifts using these Twelve Days of ideas.  It will bless the lives of your friends and family when times get tough.)

The Twelve Days of Christmas- Day 11- Non-Food Items

I was browsing on one of my favorite websites, Food Storage Made Easy.net, and found that in 2009 they did a whole series on Emergency Preparedness and Food Storage gifts you can give for the 12 days of Christmas.  

Here are their suggestions for Day 11.  The theme for the day is "Non-Food Items".

http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/12/01/day11/

Repeat: Two Quotes by Ezra Taft Benson

“Too often we bask in our comfortable complacency and rationalize that the ravages of war, economic disaster, famine, and earthquake ... cannot happen here. Those who believe this are either not acquainted with the revelations of the Lord, or they do not believe them. Those who smugly think these calamities will not happen, that they will somehow be set aside because of the righteousness of the Saints, are deceived and will rue the day they harbored such a delusion. The Lord has warned and forewarned us against a day of great tribulation and given us counsel through His servants, on how we can be prepared for these difficult times. Have we heeded His counsel?”

Ezra Taft Benson (General Conference, October 1980) (Teachings of Ezra Taft Benson, p.265)

"For years we have been counseled to have on hand a year’s supply of food. Yet there are some today who will not start storing until the Church comes out with a detailed monthly home storage program. Now suppose that never happens. We still cannot say we have not been told. Should the Lord decide at this time to cleanse the Church— and the need for that cleansing seems to be increasing— a famine in this land of one year’s duration could wipe out a large percentage of slothful members, including some ward and stake officers. Yet we cannot say we have not been warned."

Ezra Taft Benson, (“Not Commanded In All Things!”, Council Of The Twelve, General Conference,  April 6, 1965)

These quotes are so good, I just had to post them again.

The Twelve Days of Christmas- Day 10- Comfort Foods

I was browsing on one of my favorite websites, Food Storage Made Easy.net, and found that in 2009 they did a whole series on Emergency Preparedness and Food Storage gifts you can give for the 12 days of Christmas.  

Here are their suggestions for Day 10.  The theme for the day is "Comfort Foods".

http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/12/01/day10/

2011- The Year of the Billion Dollar Weather Disasters

From www.weather.com:


"It has been a volatile year of weather across the United States and the tally of weather-related disasters exceeding a billion dollars keeps rising. 

Earlier this year, 2011 set a record for the most billion-dollar weather disasters in a single year and now the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) has tacked on another two events to list. 

This brings the total number of disasters of this magnitude to a total of 12 with a combined cost exceeding $50 billion this year! The previous record for one year, since records began in 1980, was nine in 2008."



Go to:
http://www.weather.com/outlook/weather-news/news/articles/2011-year-of-billion-dollar-weather-disasters_2011-12-07
and watch the 2 minute video to hear about the twelve different disasters that happened this year in the U.S.A. which each cost at least 1 billion dollars.


Just think, the Japanese earthquake and tsunami, and other disasters which happened in other countries, aren't even being counted in this number.


To me, these disasters are signs that the Second Coming is getting closer.  Do you have your food storage, fuel, and warm clothing?

The Twelve Days of Christmas- Day 9- Fruits and Vegetables

I was browsing on one of my favorite websites, Food Storage Made Easy.net, and found that in 2009 they did a whole series on Emergency Preparedness and Food Storage gifts you can give for the 12 days of Christmas.  

Here are their suggestions for Day 9.  The theme for the day is "Fruits and Vegetables".

http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/12/01/day9/

Benson: You may need to change your priorities

"You do not need to go into debt, may I add, to obtain a year’s supply. Plan to build up your food supply just as you would a savings account. Save a little for storage each pay-check. Can or bottle fruit and vegetables from your gardens and orchards. Learn how to preserve food through drying and possibly freezing. Make your storage a part of your budget. Store seeds and have sufficient tools on hand to do the job. If you are saving and planning for a second car or a TV set or some item which merely adds to your comfort or pleasure, you may need to change your priorities. We urge you to do this prayerfully and do it now.

I speak with a feeling of great urgency. I have seen what the days of tribulation can do to people. I have seen hunger stalk the streets of Europe. I have witnessed the appalling, emaciated shadows of human figures. I have seen women and children scavenge army garbage dumps for scraps of food. Those scenes and nameless faces cannot be erased from my memory."

Ezra Taft Benson, "Prepare for the Days of Tribulation", Nov. 1980 Ensign.

Read the rest of the talk:

http://lds.org/ensign/1980/11/prepare-for-the-days-of-tribulation?lang=eng

The Twelve Days of Christmas- Day 8- Baking Ingredients

I was browsing on one of my favorite websites, Food Storage Made Easy.net, and found that in 2009 they did a whole series on Emergency Preparedness and Food Storage gifts you can give for the 12 days of Christmas.  

Here are their suggestions for Day 8.  The theme for the day is "Baking Ingredients".

http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/12/01/day8/

Benson: Compelling reasons to reemphasize this counsel

There is a great talk by Elder Ezra Taft Benson, given in General Conference, October 1980, entitled "Prepare for the Days of Tribulation".  There are so many good quotes in it, that I am going to break it up into sections and post just a few paragraphs at a time over the next few weeks.



"For over forty years, in a spirit of love, members of the Church have been counseled to be thrifty and self-reliant; to avoid debt; pay tithes and a generous fast offering; be industrious; and have sufficient food, clothing, and fuel on hand to last at least one year.

Today there are compelling reasons to reemphasize this counsel. We heard it done effectively in that great welfare meeting this morning. May I add just a word.

Members of the Church are feeling the economic pinch of higher taxes and inflation coupled with conditions of continuing recession. Some have come to their bishops seeking assistance to pay for house payments, car loans, and utilities.

Unfortunately, there has been fostered in the minds of some an expectation that when we experience hard times, when we have been unwise and extravagant with our resources and have lived beyond our means, we should look to either the Church or government to bail us out. Forgotten by some of our members is an underlying principle of the Church welfare plan that “no true Latter-day Saint will, while physically able, voluntarily shift from himself the burden of his own support” (Marion G. Romney, in Conference Report, Oct. 1973, p. 106)."

This talk was given by Ezra Taft Benson of the Quorum of the Twelve, Oct. 1980

Read the rest of the talk:

http://lds.org/ensign/1980/11/prepare-for-the-days-of-tribulation?lang=eng

Why to Prepare

Here is a great pdf article to read about "Why to Prepare".

http://peaceofpreparedness.com/LDS%20Resources/17%20Why%20Prepare-FINAL.pdf

In Times of Emergency

"Acquire and store a reserve of food and supplies that will sustain life. Obtain clothing and build a savings account on a sensible, well-planned basis that can serve well in times of emergency. As long as I can remember, we have been taught to prepare for the future and to obtain a year's supply of necessities. I would guess that the years of plenty have almost universally caused us to set aside this counsel. I believe the time to disregard this counsel is over. With events in the world today, it must be considered with all seriousness" (L. Tom Perry, "If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear," Ensign, Nov. 1995, 36).

The Twelve Days of Christmas- Day 7-Legumes

I was browsing on one of my favorite websites, Food Storage Made Easy.net, and found that in 2009 they did a whole series on Emergency Preparedness and Food Storage gifts you can give for the 12 days of Christmas.  

Here are their suggestions for Day 7.  The theme for the day is "Legumes".

http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/12/01/day7/


I like the way Juli and Jodi include three gift suggestions for every day:  a free or $1 version, a $20 version, and an expensive version.

The Twelve Days of Christmas- Day 6-Grains

I was browsing on one of my favorite websites, Food Storage Made Easy.net, and found that in 2009 they did a whole series on Emergency Preparedness and Food Storage gifts you can give for the 12 days of Christmas.  

Here are their suggestions for Day 6.  The theme for the day is "Grains".

http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/12/01/day6/

The Twelve Days of Christmas- Day 5-Long Term Education

I was browsing on one of my favorite websites, Food Storage Made Easy.net, and found that in 2009 they did a whole series on Emergency Preparedness and Food Storage gifts you can give for the 12 days of Christmas.  

Here are their suggestions for Day 5.  The theme for the day is "Long Term Education".

http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/12/01/day5/

What happened when Baxter was out of power

I read the account of "Baxter" on another website, and he gave permission to share his story of the big power outage in Davis county, Utah, over the past several days.  We can learn a lot from his experience without power.

Well, I live in Davis County Utah and my power went off this morning in the 70 MPH winds. I am told it may be days before it is restored. The high winds continue and it isn't safe for the cherry pickers that the power company uses. 4 large trees down already. Three across my driveway right where I usually park my truck. For some unknown reason, I had parked it in my other driveway and no damage occurred. Which was good because I used that truck to come to work since my car was blocked in the garage by the fallen trees.

Well, Power back on and I learned some things. 1) Family went stir crazy when it got dark! In winter, it gets dark early. We had 5 hours with no TV or computer every night. The kids and wife thought they would die. We used board games and had a great time. We tried talking - that lasted about 5 minutes before it became yelling. Get board games! Also musical instruments that don't require power. We loved the guitar and harmonicas. Even got out my old accordion. Music helps a lot and fills the silence. I would recommend getting stuff to distract the family in long dark winter nights. 2) Buy and store hundreds of candles. They're cheap and don't require batteries and have no switches to confuse people and don't break when dropped and don't rust. Our flashlights were nice but lots had been moved and couldn't be found. Lots had dead batteries or had been dropped and broken. Candles are great and work every time! Get a thousand matches while you are at it. 3) Get a solar unit with rechargeable batteries but guess what! They only work when there is sun and they have been charged. Won't be much use during winter storms etc. And 70 MPH winds shred your solar panels. They can't be used in these situations. 4) Batteries need to be rotated and checked if you want to power up your i-pod and lap top. And they don't last all that long! Consider getting a set of speakers to plug in so that all can listen. 5) Heat is really, really, really important in the winter! It's not much fun living without it - even with all kinds of gloves hats and coats! My fireplace was worthless and I lost more heat than I gained with the fire. My downstairs gas insert kept the whole house at 65 degrees even without the fan working. It was great! My neighbors all froze to death while we were warm. And remember that water pipes can freeze without heat. 6) A warm meal or even hot chocolate goes a long way. Luckily we had hot water. I have a variety of stoves but the propane one I use camping was the best and easiest. Get 50 cans for storage. The charcoal in a big plastic garbage can was much, much better than my woodpile for my wood cooking stove. 7) Don't waste time and money on a giant generator. (Mine was stolen right at the beginning when I left it out front by my tent trailer.) All the neighbors agree - get a quiet Honda 2000 and just use it for stuff like heater or fridge. Don't need all the rest of the stuff. By the way, to run your regular heater requires lots of power. Use either a couple of electric heaters or have a fan on your gas insert downstairs. Have it downstairs and it will heat the upper floor also. I have a false floor register just above my downstairs gas stove and the heat rises through it and keeps the upstairs warm.  Stay inside in storms. I got whacked in the head by a flying plastic box and about got knocked out. I'm gonna have a nice forehead scar now. 9) I have the ward radio from our stake radio net. Guess what! It doesn't do any good unless everyone is on it at a set time. We need to set a policy of all being on at certain pre-arranged times for it to do any good. 10) Priesthood quorums and boy scouts are wonderful! They take care of lots of things and have lots of energy and keep the spirits up of everyone they help. Just checking on some people brought them to tears and they didn't feel alone. You can feel pretty alone with the power off and the wind howling and large things hitting into your house. 11) Windows are important. They all need blinds or covers to hold in heat. Lots is lost through them. I'm going to replace my old windows with the new fancy ones. Lots of broken windows in the neighborhood and lots of people had the whole frame and everything in it blow into the bedroom. Make sure they are well anchored! 12) Kids need to be watched constantly or they will leave the fridge open or open a window because they feel hot under their 4 blankets. They drop stuff and lose stuff. 13) I would rather die than not have my neighbors and loved ones around and safe. We had a few survival nuts who had their survival equipment out but did not participate in the neighborhood. Good riddance! They were worthless! It's not worth surviving without my friends. I'm going to double and triple all my supplies. Well those are just a few thoughts.

The Twelve Days of Christmas- Day 4- three month supply

I was browsing on one of my favorite websites, Food Storage Made Easy.net, and found that in 2009 they did a whole series on Emergency Preparedness and Food Storage gifts you can give for the 12 days of Christmas.  

Here are their suggestions for Day 4.  The theme for the day is "Three Month Supply".

http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/12/01/day4/

December Provident Living Challenges

Do one of these by the January 2012 Relief Society meeting and win a prize!

Challenge one:

Give at least two Christmas gifts which are “Food Storage” or “Emergency Preparedness” related.  

To give you some ideas.....

On FoodStorageMadeEasy.net, in 2009 they did a whole “Food Storage” Twelve Days of Christmas, with gift suggestions for each day.  I have put links on my blog   http://gottawannaneedagettaprepared.blogspot.com/  to each of their “days of Christmas”, so you can easily find them from there.

For instance, 

on day 6 they give suggestions for gifts which include “grains”.

http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/12/01/day6/

on day 8 the gifts are “baking ingredients”.

http://foodstoragemadeeasy.net/2009/12/01/day8/ .

On each day, they include a free/under $1 gift, a $5-$20 gift, and a more expensive option, so there is something for every budget.

Challenge two:

Browse the website “http://myfoodstoragecookbook.com/

  and THEN MAKE ONE OF HER RECIPES. 

Discover the great dishes she makes using 100% shelf stable ingredients.  She usually includes a photo of all the ingredients which are included in that recipe.

When you use one of her recipes, please report back by email so we can see your comments.  We all like to know about yummy food!

And I hope you will buy all the ingredients to make that recipe 13 times for one of your Three Month Supply meals.

Here are a few I thought looked delicious:

Balsamic Tortellini- takes less than 5 minutes to make.

http://myfoodstoragecookbook.com/2011/09/30/balsamic-tortellini/ 

Hot Ham Rolls

http://myfoodstoragecookbook.com/2011/09/14/hot-ham-rolls/ 

Creamy Chicken Enchiladas.

http://myfoodstoragecookbook.com/2011/08/19/creamy-chicken-enchiladas/

Homemade Cheese Ravioli   (If you want to be a show-off, follow the instructions for this one.  In it, she teaches how to make ravioli using a ravioli rolling pin, and makes mozzarella from scratch using powdered milk!)

http://myfoodstoragecookbook.com/2011/08/24/homemade-cheese-ravioli/