Autumn Decorating

We woke up Labor Day to a delicious slight chill in the air. Yes, we're still looking at afternoon temps in the high 90s and low 100s, but you can't fool me. Autumn is coming. To celebrate, I pulled out our fall decor and splashed the house with some oranges and reds and browns.

Autumn is my favorite season. The mild weather gives us a chance to peek our heads outside, and its coming is the signal for the most festive time of the year. October (when our real autumn weather sets in) through December is just the most pleasant time I can think of.

Hay rides, corn mazes, pumpkin-carving, costumes, and candy.

Holiday meals, craft fairs and festivals, treat-baking and -delivering, gift-buying and -sneaking and -giving.

Apples, cinnamon, caramel, nuts. Brown, crunchy leaves, sweaters and boots, pinecones, yarn, wool.

Ahh, it's a good time of year.

72-Hour Kits

All the recent talk of the hurricane hitting the East coast and the preparations families made to weather it out and/or evacuate was a good reminder for me to take a look at our family's emergency supplies and make sure things are updated.

Our first priority for emergency preparedness has always been our 72-hour kits (also often called "Go Bags"). I assembled my first when I was living on my own and have added more for my husband and kids as they've come along. The goal of a 72-hour kit is to supply each member of the family with enough food, clothing, toiletries, and emergency supplies to get through 3 days. It should be easy for each family member to grab quickly and carry independently.

We store each person's individual supplies in a backpack or diaper bag and have one duffel for shared family supplies. Containers with back or shoulder straps are ideal, because they lighten the somewhat heavy loads. I've marked the bags with each person's name both to help us know instantly whose is whose and to help emergency personnel identify us if necessary.

Husband's Bag:
3 breakfasts (cereal bars)
3 lunches (canned pasta)
3 dinners (canned chili)
snacks (banana chips, beef jerky, granola bars, hard candy)
complete change of clothes (1 short-sleeved shirt, 1 pair pants, 1 pair shoes - currently some extra flip-flops he had laying around, but eventually I'll buy some lightweight tennis shoes, 2 pairs socks, 1 lightweight jacket, 1 warm hat)
1 light stick
1 emergency blanket
1 whistle
1 dust mask
1 flashlight and extra batteries

My Bag:
same except for the addition of feminine products and nursing pads

Old diaper bag. I like keeping all our bags the same color so we can find each other in a crowd if need be.

Margaret's Bag:
3 breakfasts (cereal bars)
3 lunches (canned pasta)
3 dinners (canned chili)
snacks (banana chips, beef jerky, granola bars, hard candy)
1 can formula (If we were without food for an extended period, the formula could help fortify her diet, even though she's 2 years old.)
complete change of clothes (1 short-sleeved shirt, 1 pair pants, 2 pairs socks, 1 lightweight jacket, 1 warm hat)
1 light stick
1 emergency blanket
1 dust mask
1 infant pain reliever
12 diapers
12 cloth wipes
2 pacifiers
4 toys (book, lovie, ball, flash cards)

Family Bag: (I'd love to have enough of each supply to put one in every individual's bag, but for now a family bag has to suffice until we can afford that.)

Cooking/Eating
2 butane heaters
matches
18 disposable bowls (disposable, so we don't have to waste water washing)
18 sets plastic cutlery
3 plastic cups
1 baby bottle
2 manual can openers
iodine tablets

Self-Care (I use the free samples I get in the mail instead of buying expensive travel-sized cosmetics/toiletries.)
6 multivitamins
12 pain relievers
12 antihistamines
12 cough drops
2 deodorant
1 hand lotion
1 sunblock
1 hand sanitizer
3 toothbrushes
1 toothpaste
1 floss
1 mouthwash
1 shampoo/conditioner
1 bar soap
1 toilet paper
tissues
6 cotton balls
6 cotton swabs
2/4 hair ties and pins
1 nail file
1 length of thread
2 needles

Emergency Supplies
1 pocket knife
1 scissors
4 lantern batteries (size D)
3 long-burning candles
6 rags
2 plastic trash bags
3 plastic grocery bags
1 plastic sheet
3 bungee cords
1 permanent marker
1 50' rope
1 duct tape
1 tool kit
1 crank-powered radio (Ours has a built-in flashlight and LED signal, also crank-powered. We got it at Wal-Mart for $15.)

Other
$50 cash
8 quarters
1 notepad
2 pens
2 pencils
1 pencil sharpener
1 playing cards
1 crossword puzzle book
important papers (car titles, mortgage, insurance information, marriage license, birth certificates, credit card and social security numbers)
current photos of family members
copies of house and car keys
emergency phone numbers

We purchased a pre-assembled first aid kit to ensure we didn't forget anything important, and because it was so compact.

Large Emergency Supplies (stored near but not in kits)
1 electric lantern
1 first aid kit
9 gallons drinking water (1 gallon/person/day)
1 shovel
1 corded land line (works even if power is out)
1 rolling bin (to store all the kits and large supplies in)
1 water barrel
1 gas can

Check out all the stuff this one little kit stores!

Notes

• We rotate our kits twice a year to keep food fresh and clothes in current sizes.
• Food should ideally have an expiration date at least 1 year from the date you're storing it, to give you time to use it in your pantry after replacing it in the kit.
• Avoid pop-top lids, as they've been known to explode and make a mess in storage.
• Pack foods that are not only nutritious, but that your family enjoys eating. Comfort foods are great in a stressful situation. Hard candy and gum are good for keeping spirits up and mouths busy.
• Avoid foods that require water to prepare.
• Pack wet cosmetics/toiletries in zip-top bags in case of leaks.
• Pack tissues, toilet paper, paperwork, etc in zip-top bags to protect from moisture.
• Consider your climate when packing clothes. We pack layers so we don't have to rotate clothes according to season.
• Store enough cash (in a zip-top bag to protect it) in case you don't have access to an ATM or bank.
• Remember to pack things to keep the family entertained. Playing cards, books, and notepads/pens all store compactly and provide a variety of ways to entertain both kids and adults.

Wet and dry things separately bagged, then stored in one large zip-top bag for easy location in the family bag.

Every year we use our tax refund to build our emergency supply storage (not just the 72-hour kits, but food/household goods storage, and our emergency saving's account). This year, we hope to buy a generator and a second water barrel.

Fridge Tour

Well, you've seen my pantry, why not my fridge?

Just as with the pantry, I've been collecting so much inspiration from Pinterest. We're still on a function over form budget, but I've altered many of the tips I've found there to suit our lifestyle. Most of it really comes down to the most basic organization principle, though, of keeping like things together.

Our top shelf holds beverages:

I fill up Margaret's milk sippies as they come out of the dishwasher. It saves me energy at breakfast time and storage space for the cups. I also keep water bottles full in the fridge to grab and go. It's made staying hydrated during pregnancy so much easier. We store our milk in half gallon glass bottles to save space. I bought them from Wal-Mart for $5 apiece.

Lower shelves:

We mostly use Sterilite food storage containers for leftovers. Food stays fresh 2-3 times longer in them, in my experience, and they can go in the microwave, dishwasher, and freezer. They're also BPA-free.  We use Pyrex food storage containers for leftovers that are likely to be reheated in the storage container.

Crispers:

I like the Rubbermaid Produce Saver containers for keeping produce fresh and crisp. I've had a head of iceberg lettuce last over a month in one of these. I love that the lids snap onto the bottoms and the whole set nests nicely for storage.

Door:

I think you're supposed to keep butter up here, but you never know what you'll find in our little space. Right now it's some paintbrushes, a prescription, and a basket of fast food condiment packets.

Now, wasn't that just a fascinating experience? If you're lucky, maybe I'll introduce you to our linen closet sometime...

Little Bear Party

It's been a whole week since this little sweetie:

turned two, and I've got to say, two years old becomes her. In celebration of the big day, we held a Maurice Sendak Little Bear party. For those not in the know, Little Bear is a 6-year-old brown bear cub who, along with his friends Owl, Duck, Hen, Cat, and Emily, loves to explore the woods around his home and create adventures. Our little one is just smitten with the books and TV show.

As usual, we're on a very tight budget at the moment, but with a little ingenuity, a well-stocked craft room, and the good fortune of Dollar Tree stocking many useful crafting items, we managed to hold the party for only $15!

The birthday banner was made from crepe paper leaves and hand-cut letters to spell out her name. The letters were made from the same fabric as the tablecloth I sewed for my very first apartment (which has held up well and graced our buffet table). We hung the leaves from twine with simple laundry clothespins.

Little Bear loves chocolate cake, so a big, gooey one stood front and center at our party. I decorated the cake plate by hot gluing a moss roll (dried moss attached to a mesh wire backing) to our glass cake plate. The roll peeled right off when we were done with it.

The plate sat on a bed of leaves made by stitching some old silk leaves (left over from my Mumkin project) together at the corners and adding a smattering of buttons for interest.

No Little Bear meal would be complete without fish sandwiches (tuna) and honey sandwiches (peanut butter and honey). I scattered some seashells around the fish sandwiches in hopes The Mermaid would turn up for an ocean adventure.

One Little Bear story tells of Little Bear thinking his mother forgot his birthday, so he takes it upon himself to make some "birthday soup" to serve to his friends. He used "carrots and potatoes, peas and tomatoes," so we served up some vegetable soup of our own.

We all enjoyed some "zingy" lemonade, which fortunately was sweeter and far less zingy than the batch Little Bear once attempted. Ours had some blackberries floating in the lemonade, just like Little Bear loves to gather.

When Emily's Granny thinks something is silly, she pronounces it "a lot of applesauce," so we enjoyed some in her honor.

The food markers were made from reindeer moss glued to floral foam disks purchased from the dollar store. I used white school glue, and the moss held just fine. I then stuck a barbecue skewer in the foam base, printed out some Little Bear images I found online onto vellum along with the names of the dishes, and glued the vellum "flags" onto the skewers.

Other tablescaping included:

• shredded aspen wood found at Michael's craft store scattered all around to make things look woodsy
• polished stones
• moss-covered stones nestled here and there, purchased from the dollar store

I laid out a roll of easel paper and a bucket of crayons on the coffee table, thinking it would make a fun guest book/giant birthday card keepsake. Of course, Miss Meg couldn't resist the opportunity to leave her creative mark. She spent more time coloring than anyone else did writing messages!

Overall, the party was quite a success, with good friends, good food, and a sweet brand-new two year old to keep everyone entertained.

Summer Fun on a Budget - Lacing with Pool Noodles

Another indoor activity we've tried this summer is lacing. Margaret's still too young for even the largest store-bought beads, so we tried out an idea we found on Design Dazzle.

We bought three colorful pool noodles from Dollar Tree and cut them into rings. I just used scissors, and it wasn't difficult, but you could try a knife or even a hand saw. Then I cut a length of rope, knotted one of the pieces onto the end, and let Margaret go to town. I found it was much easier for her to string the "beads" after I wrapped the end of the rope with some tape to make it stiff and keep it from unraveling.

A little story about the rope I used. I knew we had some hanging around the house, so I didn't bother buying any when I was out. I got home and lumberingly crawled around our messy garage, climbing on top of the air compressor, squeezing between the van and the wheelbarrow, until I remembered my husband had been using it out back to measure out a fence he was building.

I went outside and gathered it up, but found one end was buried under the ground. I tugged and unearthed about 2 feet of it, bringing up a very frayed end. That's when I realized the ground around where the rope was buried looked quite similar to the mole hills dotting our yard. Seems our little friend tried to make off with our neon green rope. I thought that was pretty darling. My husband, a self-confirmed mole hater, was less amused.