Simple Halloween Mantle

I've been slowly decorating for Halloween. We enjoy decorating for Halloween around here and I've added a lot to our Halloween decor over the years but this year I am trying to simplify and not buy anything new. I like the challenge of working with what I have.

 Last year our mantle looked like this.. I liked the art I made but didn't really dig the rest of the thrown together look. Funny how you look back at things.

 This year I just removed our large art, left the toparies and candles I already had up. I pulled a mirror that was in storage, added a few pumpkins, an EEK I made by simply mod podging (is that a word?) paper to letters from Jo Ann's and hung a Halloween banner. I'm liking it..for now! haha!

In Case of Emergency 72 hour kit update

A month ago I was asked to teach a class on 72 hour kits.  It gave me a chance to go through our backpacks again and evaluate everything. I thought I would answer a few questions that I have gotten about our 72 hour kits.

(Warning-blogger decided to be difficult, 

please disregard the all caps toward the end of the post..I really am not yelling at you...I promise.) 

Here is a look of some of the items that I have inside our backpacks.

 Hygiene Kit, Small First Aid Kit, Change of clothing, Safety Tube, Flashlight....just a few of the essentials.

 Magnetic Game, Poncho, Emergency Blanket, Extra Glowstick, Flashlight, Batteries and Hand warmers.

 
 As overwhelming preparing for an emergency may be the peace of mind that comes with knowing you are prepared for an emergency is unmeasured.


So lets get started....
 

Someone asked....
Can you share in a little more detail what is on your shelf exactly other than the 72 hour kits. Thanks this is so helpful.

The blue containers you see are part of our Water Storage..did you know that you should store 2 weeks of water for your family? 1 gallon per day! That's a lot of water..I like these blue 7 gallon boxes found at Walmart for $12.00. 

 Buckner Family asked...

Do you get actual copies of your documents?

I scanned all of my documents onto my computer, printed them out, made a cd to give to my dad and put my originals in a safe.

Evie asked..
All this preparedness stuff is overwhelming to me sometimes. I appreciate your post that makes it look more simple. I'd love more details of what you've put in the kits, suggestions and ideas of how to fit it all in each person's pack.

When I was putting together our kit I made a checklist of items so that I could make sure that everyone had what they needed.  

Here is my checklist. Your list may vary. 

Food seems to be the hardest part. I suggest including items you have tried and know that your family will eat. We put oatmeal and granola bars for breakfast. 

 
Lunch I found these great little kits at Target. They are ready to eat meals...you could easily put them together yourself but I thought it was a easy grab and go item. You can do Lipton Chicken Noodle mixes, Cup of Soup if you want to use your water for cooking. Tuna and crackers, peanut butter and crackers, cheese and crackers, cans of soup, whatever you feel like you will be up to..cooking or not. For dinner we like Mountain House meals. Don't forget to include snacks, I put in fruit leather, granola bars, trail mix,the new apple sauce pouches, life savers and gum..Don't put your gum with all of your food..otherwise all of your food will taste like mint. I put it in the front zipper of our packs in a ziplock bag.  Additionally, I put all of the food into a large ziplock bag with a label on the front with the "menu". So food is eaten sparingly. :)  

I hope I have answered questions and I hope that I have motivated you to get started. I'd love to know your progress or any tips you have. 

Now have fun, print out your list and get started! 

Thursday Thoughts

A couple of weeks ago my sweet husband called and told me to bring the kids out to the front driveway, he was on his way home and had a surprise. You could tell in his voice that he was excited to show the girls.

So we all went outside to wait for Daddy to come home.

This is what drove up...

The girls were ecstatic! I on the other hand thought otherwise of this surprise. Thoughts of dust and where in the world am I going to keep something like that. Terrible.. Right?

I've slowly come around to the bear who is now called "Tiny". How couldn't I when I see this....

Just a little reminder to me that it is not the stuff we have but the people we love who we cherish!

Back School Gifts, Tips and Fun

As school was approaching I put together these little gifts for my girls teachers. Each year I usually purchase the usual wish list items, Kleenex, hand sanitizer, wipes, paper, pencils,etc. for the teacher for the first day of school. This year instead I put this little tin from the Target dollar section together with a few little things and added a gift card instead. It made it easier for the girls to carry too!  I think they turned out really cute. I made a little tag that says for my new teacher and the teachers loved it!

 As the girls were putting together their backpacks for the new school year I added one more thing to the usually pencil pouch essentials...a small first aid kit and taped in the inside of the first aid kit are emergency contact numbers just in case. ;)  My kindergartener has already used a band-aid to help a friend who fell at recess.

 

The week before school started we invited a bunch of friends over for a back to school BBQ. It was a lot of fun, I made the back to school pencils for everyone and we watched a short video about standing up for what you believe in..as school approaches and peer pressure hits its always a good reminder that you are not alone! 

 (sorry about the poor picture quality..my camera phone is just so handy!)

What traditions or new things did your family do to get ready for back to school?

Text Decorating

With the kids back at school I've had more time to fiddle with my home decor. Lately I have been decorating via text.

 (sorry for bad picture quality...the following pictures are all from my phone)

 Thankfully I have a supportive friend who understand my fiddling...

 This is usually how it goes...
I am bored so I started to move things around. Which one do you like best?

Then I notice things like the drapes need to be fixed. haha!

I think I like this...

Ok so now what do you think of this? (This is a small narrow wall between my kitchen, hallway and dinning room)

Or this?


Hmm..I don't like this.

Then she will give me a suggestion and I will have to go get a helper..

Scrap that...how about above the kitchen cabinets?

haha!

It's quite fun! I find that when I see what I am doing in pictures I am able to make a decision better. But it usually has to stay up for a couple of days for the final outcome. 

I've done a lot of moving around things in my home and will be slowly posting pictures of the little changes only to get ready to change for the fall.  :)

What have you've been redecorating lately?

Back To School Photo Shoot

 The day before school started I took my girls to the school to find their classrooms and to take a few pictures.

My girls were so excited to start school,especially my kindergartener. She has had it in her head that when she turned five she would go to kindergarten, well she has been five since July and school couldn't start fast enough for her! They were excited to meet their teachers and see their friends. My oldest daughter even said she was excited for homework!We will see how long that lasts.

We had a great summer we marked off most of the things on our Summer To Do list and we were ready  for the back to school schedule. I miss all the kids at home but it is nice to be able to do some of the things I enjoy for a couple of hours during the day and run errands without  20 questions being asked! 

 I just love her new sparkly shoes!

 She is so silly!

 My little kindergartener! There were a few tears shed from me..she was SO ready!

Hip Hip Hooray School Starts Today!

 

We are super excited (or maybe it's just me) that school starts today! Yippee!

Happy First Day of School! 

More pictures and blogging to come! ;)