My Preparedness Calling

Brian and I have a new shared calling in our church. We have been wanting to do this ever since we were first married, but I guess the Lord had different plans for us then. We have been given the preparedness calling of the church. We can have an open curriculum. My husband and I are gearing up for teaching classes, disseminating helpful information, and planning ways to get our ward members more involved in the community to get people more prepared in case of any emergency that comes our way.

My church, The Church of JESUS CHRIST of Latter Day Saints (LDS/Mormon Church), have been very vocal about how being prepared is so very important. We as members of the LDS church have been counseled to have a year's supply of food supply and life's necessities for every family member, just in case. On May 21st of this year, before we were called to this calling, there was a Preparedness Fair at our church. I attended, but didn't demo anything because I wanted to see what would be offered and be a student instead. We were taught about Canning Beans & Potatoes, Smoking Meats, Food Storage, Preserving/Sprouting Foods; Water Filtering, Storing, & Alternative Sources; Ham Radio, Alternative Heating Sources, Sanitation, Fires & Alternative Ways to Start Them, Alternative Methods and Sources for Cooking, Sources and Storage for Fuel. They also had displays for a 72-Hour and Basic First Aid Kit. I hoped that we would have had more come from the community, non-members and members alike, but we still had a good turnout. I brought home a packet of information and some notes I wrote. These were helpful demonstrations for the novice beginner and even I learned some things while I was there.

Our background: 
Brian and I are both Master Gardeners. We have been to Soil School taught by Oregon State University (OSU) and other mini courses taught by the local extension service. I have also taken a course in Permaculture, sustainable landscape design also taught by OSU. I am currently in study about wilderness foraging, organic gardening, cool season gardening, gardening year round, companion crops, herbal/natural medicine, etc. I have been volunteering at the Rainier Oregon Community Garden, Hope Gardens, to give food back to those that are in need of it. Brian is learning about aquaponics, a system where you raise fish or other aquaculture (aquatic animals) and the waste produced by them supplies nutrients for plants grown hydroponically (in water) that in turn purify the water. We are placing a aquaponics system at our farm. We are also preparing our farm to be more self-sufficient as well so we can showcase ways of doing so. I will be posting more about preparedness and updates on our farm as well. In the meantime, please see my post on Planting a Fruit/Nut Orchard and Edible Garden with Food Stamps (SNAP EBT).

Some other helpful links:

• Provident Living - Self-Reliance and Welfare Resources
• Prepared LDS Family - A blog on Practical Food Storage and Preparedness Ideas (not just for LDS/Mormon)
• Emergency Preparedness - LDS page about how you can prepare both spiritually and temporally for an emergency.
• 32 Preparedness Quotes from LDS Church Leaders - from the Purpose Driven Motherhood blog
• Emergency Preparedness Family Home Evening Lesson - from LDS Daily
• If Ye Are Prepared Ye Shall Not Fear - October 2005 Talk by Gordon B. Hinkley
• LDS Preparedness Manual - a collection of information from different authors compiled by Another Voice of Warning

7 Ways to Keep Your Family Safe this Season Guest Post and First My Family ZPAK Review

 I received the First My Family "ZPAK" free to facilitate this review.

Guest Post by First My Family:

7 Ways to Keep Your Family Safe this Season

O-M-G the holidays are already here! That’s what everyone says as the decorations go up and the festivities begin. What they don’t talk about are the serious dangers millions of families face during the holiday season.

 FACT: AAA projects that nearly 50 million people will travel this Thanksgiving and another 100 million will likely travel during the December holidays.

 Increased travel during unsafe weather is a recipe for disaster, and as we’ve seen in the past - disasters happen when we least expect. Andrew Torres, CEO and Founder of First My Family, a disaster preparedness company knows that planning ahead can literally save lives. First My Family is most famous for being the official licensee and creator of the AMC The Walking Dead Survival Kit and most recently the AMC The Walking Dead Zombie Preparedness Apocalypse Kit (ZPAK). Andrew has also been in the emergency management and crisis management fields for the last 18 years and knows a thing or two about how to be prepared.

While no one can predict the weather or when catastrophe will occur, by following First My Family’s “Seven Steps to Stay Safe this Season,” families can mitigate their risk and hopefully stay safe and sound this holiday season.

 Seven Steps to Stay Safe this Season

1. Water your holiday tree every day and keep it away from heat sources. According to FEMA,  heat sources cause 1 out of every 6 Christmas tree fires each year. Make sure your tree is well-watered to prevent dryness and position the tree at least three feet away from any heat source. 
2. Prepare for #winter storms by checking your emergency kit! A basic kit should include, food, water, first aid, lighting, warmth and supplies to help start a fire.
3. Pets get cold too. Bring your furry friends inside! If they are outside, make sure they have plenty of non-frozen water and are able to stay warm. Remember, pets are family too!
4. Traveling during the holidays? Make sure you are prepared to get home safe. Every car should have a full tank of gas, charged cell phone, food, water, flashlight with batteries, first aid kit, jumper cables, warm clothes, blanket, shovel and work gloves.
5. Be extra cautious about possible fire hazards. Turn all lights and candles off before going to bed.
6. The holidays can be a lonely time. If you have family members with special needs or aging parents, make sure they can pay their bills, have a warm place to stay during the winter holidays, and know who to call for help.
7. Kids love to play during the winter.  Make sure they are safe by dressing them in multiple layers of clothing. To prevent hypothermia, bring kids indoors if they are shivering and have them come inside often on very cold days.  Don’t let babies sleep in a cold room.

My Review:

The Official AMC The Walking Dead Zombie Preparedness Apocalypse Kit (ZPAK) comes in a custom branded Nalgene Sport Water bottle that is 32oz and BPA Free. It has a custom carabiner and The Walking Dead ZPAK artwork in it. Perfect for everyday use to stay prepared in an emergency or in case of zombie attacks. Included in this handy kit are emergency and survival items that are a great compliment to any survival kit or bug out bag.

First My Family ZPAK Contents

ZPAK Contains:

• (1) 32oz Custom Nalgene BPA Free Wide Mouth Sport water bottle. Made in the U.S.A.
• (1) Custom Carabiner - Not designed for professional climbing
• (1) 5-1 Emergency Whistle with Compass, Flint, Signal Mirror and Carrying Case
• (1) Emergency Mylar Space Blanket to keep you warm during harsh conditions
• (1) Emergency Poncho to keep you dry
• (1) 12-Hour Glow Stick to light up the darkness
• (10) Medical Grade bandages
• *From the creators of The Walking Dead Survival Kit
• Items inside the bottle may fluctuate due to unexpected limitations on supply and can be altered for similar items at the discretion of First My Family

Use the ZPAK container as a water bottle for water or other cold drinks.

I love this small one person survival kit because it is perfect for gifting! It is compact enough to fit in a Christmas stocking or under the tree and perfect for packing in a larger pack. Once you take the contents out of the bottle they come in you can use it as well for a drinking container. The carabiner is great to attach the whole kit to a belt loop or backpack. The contents of this kit are a great start to helping in an emergency. I am probably going to add a healthy protein bar to this kit as well because there is a little room in the water bottle for one. This is great for hiking, climbing, camping, hunting, fishing, or a car ride...just in case.

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BUY IT
Get the ZPAK for $29.95 $ 34.95! Get one for everyone in your family this holiday season!

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.

LifeStraw Go Filtered Water Bottle Review and Giveaway

This review and giveaway is sponsored by Vestergaard through Coyne PR. This post contains affiliate links which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and make a purchase. Thank you for supporting my blog!

LifeStraw Go in Packaging

Water, we all need it to survive. It is said we can live without food for about 3 weeks, but water is a different story. Water makes up about 60% of the adult human body. It is essential to keep our bodies functioning. The estimate of how long a person could live without water seems to be a week (less in hotter conditions), but this is a generous estimate...three to four days is more likely. The dangers of dehydration are very real and could cause death in severe cases. Whether you are exploring the nearby nature trail or camping in the mountains, having access to clean drinking water is always a priority.

The LifeStraw Go by Vestergaard is a filtered water bottle that uses an advanced hollow fiber membrane technology to convert micro-biologically contaminated water into safe drinking water. The Lifestraw filters and removes 99.9999% of bacteria (E. coli, Salmonella, etc.) and 99.9% of protozoa (Giardia, Cryptosporidium, etc.), and some viruses. It will filter a total of 1,000 liters / 264 gallons to 0.2 microns over the filter's lifetime capacity. When the filter has reached its lifetime capacity it will stop taking in water. Since the water filter is detachable, you can simply purchase a replacement filter when the filter has reached capacity. The bottle can be reused indefinitely, saving waste from disposable plastic water bottles.

LifeStraw Go is durable, convenient, lightweight, safe and portable. It requires no: electricity, pumping, batteries, iodine, or chemicals to use. This filtered water bottle meets US EPA drinking water standards and is made of BPA free Tritan plastic. It has a handy carabiner to hook it to a backpack or belt loop so you always have it ready and accessible. LifeStraw Go holds 23 ounces of water and doesn't leak.

The LifeStraw Go is great to take with you different places where you might not have access to clean drinking water. Take the LifeStraw Go with you and rest assured that you will have clean drinking water on-the-go. It is ideal for:

• hiking
• biking
• camping
• travel
• boating
• fishing
• running
• trekking
• survival
• gift giving

The LifeStraw Go filtered water bottle is so easy-to-use. Just fill container with dirty or unfiltered water. Stop at any lake, river, pond, stream, or even a puddle to fill up the bottle. You can even drink directly from the LifeStraw by placing the end directly in the water. After filling screw on the lid and sip filtered water through the mouthpiece and straw. After each drinking session, unscrew the lid and blow through the LifeStraw to expel dirty water. The food-grade silicone mouthpiece is flexible which prevents it from chipping or cracking, and is also removable for easy cleaning.

I will be taking the LifeStraw Go filtered water bottle with me hiking, backpacking, horseback riding, camping, canoeing, kayaking, etc. Everywhere I go the water will taste amazing with LifeStraw Go and I don't have to worry about the water making me sick. It will be so wonderful to have a water bottle I can always rely on to have clean good tasting water any where I go.

LifeStraw Go is wonderful for trips overseas and cross country. This water bottle is also great for storing in a bug out bag or emergency preparedness kit. It makes a great stocking stuffer for anyone young, old, or in between.

LifeStraw Go and I.

Not only does LifeStraw Go provide clean drinking water to the user, but LifeStraw's 'Follow the Liters' campaign provides one school child in Africa with safe drinking water for an entire school year with the purchase of any LifeStraw water filter!

BUY IT:


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Prize:  LifeStraw Go

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DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received this product for free to facilitate this review and the opportunity to give away one for free. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review. This post contains affiliate links which means I may receive a commission if you click a link and make a purchase. Thank you for supporting my blog!

Welmedix SunBurnt and FirstDegree Sunburn and Burn Remedies for Summer Review

I received these products for free to facilitate this review.

The summer season means lots of family fun with: BBQ’s, fireworks, going to the beach, vacations, outdoor sports, outdoor activities and more time at home with family and friends. With all of the festivities, little ouches also come with the territory, such as cuts, scrapes, sunburns and the common household burn. We all should know that we need to wear sunscreen before going outside, especially in the hot summer days. Sometimes though we forget or the day doesn't go as planned. If you've ever gotten a bad sunburn you know that it doesn't feel very good. It hurts and you really need something to sooth the skin and make it feel better.

Welmedix has made two homeopathic products: SunBurnt after sun gel and FirstDegree burn cream that are great for sunburns and minor burns. These products are great for use this summer and throughout the year. These are essential for families to have in their first aid kits at home and on the go. I am so glad to have them in my first aid kit so that I can treat my family's minor burns that can occur and make sure my family is well taken care of. I certainly like to be prepared.

SunBurnt is an after sun gel that is great first aid for sun burns. It temporarily relieves symptoms of mild to moderate sunburn. Great for burning, redness, stinging, rawness, itching, dryness left after a sunburn. It helps reduce skin peeling, soothes and hydrates skin and cools overheated skin. It has Aloe, Calendula, Echinacea and other ingredients to help burns, sunburns, skin itching, burning, and dryness. It goes on as a clear gel and is Lidocaine free.

FirstDegree is a burn cream that is great first aid for minor burns. It aids in the healing of minor epidermal burns and temporarily relieves associated symptoms like: rawness, itching, minor infection. It has Aloe, Calendula, Echinacea and other ingredients to help wound healing, reduce the appearance of scars, soothes pain, cools the burn and/or scald, and antiseptic to prevent infection. Great for burns from stovetop/oven, grill, curling iron, clothing iron, tools/auto. It goes on as a cream and has Shea Butter in it to make it creamier. A portion of the proceeds from buying this product go to providing care to victims of critical burns.

DISCLOSURE/DISCLAIMER: I received product for free to facilitate my review. My thoughts are mine and my family's own opinion and have not been altered by anyone else. I did not receive any other compensation for doing this review.