Aug 27
Everyone,
We got back from Utah on a Tuesday. We missed the 5.9 magnitude earthquake that morning. We first heard about it on CNN at the Salt Lake City airport. No issues with our house when we got home that night and everyone fell into bed.
On Wednesday, I went shopping with all three kids to restock our fridge. We went back to school shopping for Butterfly’s start on Monday. Oh how I miss Flower. We unpacked. We tried to get everyone back on east coast time.
On Thursday, I started getting back into my normal routine and checked the weather online. Uh, a hurricane? This week? Awesome.
On Friday, I spent the day running around and prepping for the hurricane. The weather was predicting Saturday-Sunday impacts for us. Mostly rain and strong winds. I figured we should prepare for power outages (in the range of 3-5 days).
So how did I prepare? Here’s my list:
- Water. We have at least a gallon of water for everyone for at least 4 days. Plus some extra for the dog. We are filling up our tubs with water for washing and flushing toilets. We have filled up all our water bottles (we have a ton!) and stuffed them into the freezer to help keep things cold. There is no dry ice to be found in the city. The store said they should get another shipment in on Monday and I hope I don’t have to find it. I saw a tip from someone online that I wish I would have known! She is freezing blocks of ice in her Tupperware and storing them in Ziploc bags. That way, she has a ton of ice blocks in her freezer for use in coolers and her fridge later on. Wish I would have thought of that!
- Food. I bought us extra non-perishable things this week. Canned chicken, beans, pasta. I figure that we will be eating our way through our freezer as fast as possible with no power. In my freezer, I have frozen muffins, pancake mix, several steaks, 2 whole chickens (these are going to be fun to cook with no power!), and lots of hamburgers and hot dogs. I also bought enough fresh stuff for the week, plus a little extra. You never know if we’re going to be without power for days or over a week!
- Cooking fuel. Our whole house is electric. That means, if the power goes out, so does our ability to cook a.n.y.t.h.i.n.g. Luckily, we are prepared with the right equipment of a small gas grill, a fire pit, and several dutch ovens. So this week, I picked up enough propane to last us several days and 2 enormous bags of charcoal. We are also prepared with the ability to use these items. I think it was 2 years ago that I made myself cook outside once a day for several weeks. I learned how to use the dutch ovens (and then clean them after!) I can make bread, muffins, eggs, even cake in those things. I can do anything else on the gas grill like boil water for pasta, make pancakes, fry eggs, cook meat, and more.
- Cars. We filled up both our cars with gas on Friday. Good thing because today while running a small last minute errand, I saw almost all the gas stations with huge lines. Maybe everyone had free time this morning? We also parked our cars in the middle of our parking lot, away from the trees. This is one of those times I am loving not having assigned parking.
- House. We moved all of our potted plants close into the house. Juice rearranged the shed outside (and discovered enough propane to cook for weeks) and brought our bikes inside. He also tied down the shed door (which isn’t latched) and tied down our gate (so it won’t blow open or off it’s hinges). He leaned out the window upstairs and cut off all the branches of the tree that touch our house. I’ve also washed all our dishes and all our clothes.
- Entertainment. We have loads of books, games, toys, and trains. I also have several crafty things to do with the kids if we get super bored. Plus, we can go for walks, take naps, and clean up a little to fill our time. We can learn songs, sing along to my violin, or roast marshmallows. We can write letters, take pictures, and do a few little school things with the kids. I also plan on getting Butterfly ready for her first day of school (packing her back pack, picking out her first day clothes) in hopes that they actually HAVE the first day of school on Monday.
We are prepared! How are you preparing for the storm?
Safire
SafireHurricane Irene 2011, planning hurricanes
Mar 11
Everyone,
With Japan’s recent earthquake and tsunamis around the world, I have been thinking a lot about my family’s emergency preparedness. What do you need to be prepared for an emergency? A few different websites have different ideas. Here are the top ideas to be prepared for an emergency:
1. Have enough food and water for your family for at least 3 days. Commonly called 72 hour kits, these are handy when you need to dash out of your house. Have them stocked, and easily accessible. Include any special needs your family might have, and your pets! Take extra water and food for them. (And know that a lot of evacuation shelters will not accept pets.)
2. Have a plan. Live far from work? Where will you go if the city is evacuated? Where will you meet your family? What if the area is completely evacuated? Where will you go? Have clear and specific routes that you and your family will take. Have a final destination, one preferably out of your area.
3. Know what your work and school evacuation policy is. Does your work want you to check out with a supervisor before you leave and tell them where you are going? Will they hold the kids at school until you get to them? What if you can’t reach them? Decide who will be able to pick up your kids if you can’t make it. I listed a few neighbors to pick up Butterfly at her school, and then my parents who live in Utah.
4. Plan for small home emergencies as well. Have a fire route and practice it with your kids. Discuss who will go where and where the family would meet. My in-laws gave us a fire ladder to use on our two story house. I keep it under Butterfly’s bed in the kids’ room. You have no idea how reasuring it is to see that yellow bundle every time I go looking for toys lost under the bed. I know that if I can make it to the kids’ room, I can make it safely out of the house. When we move the boys to their own room, I intend to purchace a second one to put in there.
5. Have out of town contacts. Sometimes, when phones are down in your area, it would be easier to contact someone out of town. Memorize numbers, and make sure you can reach them. In your 72 hour kits, include these numbers and a prepaid phone card or change to make the call. Check with your out of town contact to see if they would be willing to accept a collect call.
In the end, you just need to prepare for the worst, and everything else will be easy. My worst? In my head it involves us throwing the kids, the dog, and as many supplies as we could get (including the stroller and the wagon) into our van (ditching the two captian chairs that we don’t use) and driving as far west as our gas will take us. Then, we will run out of gas, load up the stroller with the kids, the wagon with our supplies, and walk to Utah. Like pioneer refugees.
In all honesty, the worst we will see here (hopefully) is an extended power outage or perhaps an evacuation for a hurricane. We have been preparing for a power outage here. I can boil water over fire, and cook in my dutch ovens. I can also start a fire, and have a safe place to have said fire. We have water. We have some food. We’ve been discussing where to go if we are evacuated and trying to find someplace a little closer than Utah to head.
My next goal? Those 72 hour kits!
What are your preparedness goals? Anything I forgot on my list?
Safire
Safireplanning, storms, weather emergancy preparedness, planning
Mar 03
Everyone,
If you ask Juice to describe me, he always says, “She’s a planner.” After I get over being called a book that’s only good for a year, I realize that he is right. I’m a planner. And I always have been. I love to have things planned way in advance. The kids kind of let me be more of a “roll with the punches” kind of gal but I still love to plan. And want to plan. Juice is not that way. I suppose that’s why we go together so well.
This summer is going to be big. I have so many fun plans swirling around in my head. I figured I needed to make a list so why not list it all for the joys of the Internet? 
Feel free to skip it unless you want to know what I’ve got planned through the rest of the year. (Yes, I’m that kind of planner.)
March- Pirate’s surgery is this month. Also, Juice’s 31st birthday on the 31st. How much do you want to bet we don’t do anything this year.
April- The boys turn 2! We’ll go out to dinner. Butterfly also starts swimming lessons again and says good bye to dance lessons.
May- Butterfly turns 5! She wants a swimming party. I told her no. Maybe we can have a sprinkler party. Do you think it would be too cold for that? Also, we are headed to Utah! We’ll be there (probably) from the 21st-June 5th. I have many people to see and things to do. Hopefully we’ll get to all of it.
June- We return to Maryland with Flower, our niece, in tow. (Hopefully!) Flower will have a part time job around here this time since I don’t need AS much help with the kids. There will be berry picking. There will be an aquarium membership to make use of. There will be trips to the zoo, the parks, Mt. Vernon. This is a month I’m really looking forward to. Butterfly will also be starting violin lessons.
July- I think this month we are thinking of taking a weekend away with Flower. Maybe we’ll go to the beach for a few days instead of a few hours. Maybe we’ll go to Chincoteague and see the wild ponies again. There’s also the 4th of July which I’m totally going to talk Juice into taking us down on the mall this year. We’ll have Flower, we can manage! After the inauguration, this should be easy!
August- I am going on a girl’s weekend away with my friend Lolli to NYC. This is my 30th birthday present to me. I’m excited but nervous. Also, we have to send Flower back to her house this month so we’ll have to plan something really fun. I know! Let’s go see a museum! 
September- Happy 30th Birthday to me! Butterfly starts SCHOOL! My parents are coming to visit for a week at my birthday and I am SO excited to have them come out again.
October- Off to the PA Renn Faire this year and a nice weekend away. Also, Halloween.
November- Thanksgiving.
December- Christmas.
Okay, now I’m starting to think I’m strange. A whole year planned out? Already? Well, it is just a rough outline. But still, I think time will fly and before you know it, I’ll be back planning next year’s summer!
Safire
Safireplanning
Apr 30
Everyone,
I know I’ve talked a little bit about my Ultimate Road Trip 2009 but it hit me this week that it is a month away. One month. As in 30 days. In 30 days, I will be loading 3 small children, one dog, one Grandpa, one awesome BOB stroller and a boat load of stuff into Fern Tree our van and driving to my parents house. I’m slightly petrified.
A huge shout out to my Dad who is willing to take the time to drive out with me and home with me. He’s going to have to put up with a lot of crying, yelling, song singing, diapers, stops, and kid movies playing in the background. There will be messes to wipe up, snacks to pass out, and toys to find, all while traveling 65 mph on the freeway.
Unless he’s driving then I imagine we’ll be going a tiny bit faster.
So, stops include Ohio, Missouri, Colorado, and Moab Utah where all the sandstone arches are. I will have to be sure to pack my camera. We’ll be staying at my parents’ house for 4 weeks, and then making a huge push to get back to Maryland as fast as possible. Instead of the week it’s going to take us to get there, we hope to get back in 3 days. Juice will be able to take 2 weeks and join us in Salt Lake.
We are really excited to see our family. I hope that Juice’s sister and her family can all come from Idaho and we can get together with all of his brothers and sisters and all of Butterfly’s cousins. We haven’t done that since before I had Butterfly. I think it’s been 4 years since I’ve seen his sister. I’m not sure if she’s even met Butterfly, let alone the boys.
We are also excited to see our friends. My friend Mink and her little girls, Zuke and his family, and others. I’d like to take Butterfly fishing again. Maybe I can talk my dad into taking us camping one night, although he may have enough of us in the car. I am so looking forward to being close to a temple and having some one to watch the kids in the same house we are staying in. I’m looking forward to playing rock band with my brother and doing some shopping with my Mom. I’d like to spend some time with my grandparents and take pictures of the valley at night.
I am in full planning mode for this trip. Okay, I’m also in slight panic mode for it as well. The car needs to be looked at. I need to find a place to put Soot in a kennel in Moab since they don’t allow dogs in the park. (We left her for a month last year…this year it’ll just be easier to take her with. Hopefully.) I need to figure out what I am taking and how to fit it into my van. I’ll need to stop our mail, milk delivery, and Netflix for the month. I’ll need to find a sub for my Sunday School class. I need to get a few new toys and movies for the kids. I need to see if I left my sanity in the ocean last summer or what.
Anyone have any tips for making this trip as smooth as possible?
Safire
Safireplanning, road trips, traveling, trips to Utah
Jan 30
Everyone,
I was thinking about it and I have not driven my car all week long. Nope, I lied. I went to the Metro on Monday morning and the Chinese Food store (what Butterfly calls it) that evening. But yeah, I haven’t driven the car in 4 days at least. And since Juice has been riding the Metro and taking the bus every day, we’re saving money! And gas! And the environment! Yay for us!
Then why do I feel like a hermit these days? Oh, yeah. Right. Freezing cold temps, twins, a pre-schooler, and no motivation. My get up and go is on the fritz right now. I think I used it all up on the Inauguration. (I just love typing that word now that I know how to spell it.) It could also be that my shirt (and hair sometimes) is covered in snot from two runny little noses. Or it could be because I’ve been spit up on more times than I can count this morning so now I have a slightly foul smell following me around.
But I did get a shower today so that’s a win. Well, I was clean before the spit up and the snot.
I am going to drive the car this evening to get out so that’s also a win. Maybe after I change my clothes…
I spent an exhilarating night last night talking to my mom on the phone. We are busy planning their semi-annual trip to visit us. Highlights this year will include sleeping on the Ellipse in front of the White House for Easter Egg roll tickets, the zoo, Mt. Vernon, Easter Sunday, and the boys’ first birthday. We are going to have a ball, as we always do.
Juice is going hiking with the Boy Scouts tomorrow so I am on my own yet again. I think I may take the kids to the mall and do some window shopping and have a little lunch. That is, if I can shut my brain off from planning planning planning tonight in bed.
Maybe that’s where all my get up and go is. The future!
Safire
PS- Professor has learned how to clap and it’s so adorable! And Pirate will come and lay his head on my foot and suck his thumb. Also adorable!
Safireplanning, Professor mile stones, White House Easter Egg Roll
