Oh SANDY!

Sandy has me thinking about the likelihood of disaster on this side of the US.

Where I live both now, and my hometown, have pretty mild and distinct seasons. Yes it gets windy, sometimes there is flooding(because its the PNW and it rains!) but in general I dont have to worry about hurricanes or tornadoes! 

Although I DO worry. With the way weather is changing and our climate acting out of the ordinary, it would be logical to think that this is NOT always the way our weather will occur. I mean historically there is proof of that.

Its been a long summer, winter is coming.

(hopefully someone gets that and will actually comment..)

Then there is the (what I feel) very real thread of earthquakes for this area. I think its long over due.

Heard of the Pacific Ring of Fire???

Well HI Im on it!!!!!

There was just an earthquake in the Alaska/Canada area and are frequently small ones in California. So Im just waiting for the big one! Luckily I think in our home town we would be far enough inland that we would be o.k.

Just knowing that are ways to prepare myself and my family for theses situations makes me feel a little safer. I wish everyone would know a little more so that these situations could be a little easier for them too!

The situation that gets you thinking.

I honestly no one has one of these situations, that you all prepare to some degree BEFORE you have to be shocked into it.
I think I have made mention of my own experience in another post but can not seem to find it. So for those who are new I'll recant it.

I dont remember the exact day but it was sometime during the end of April. We were getting ready to move from Ft. Campbell, KY to Ft. Lewis, WA. It was Jared, Guy, Meghan, Rylan and Me. In the Jetta and a moving truck.
Not knowing much about travel really and how to map out a good route, we just went with what the GPS said. Meghan and I had take the same route when driving over from WA the first time and we felt fine with it. We even planned to stop and see some interesting stuff along the way!
Well we failed to take weather in to account.
Everything was going fine and we had made it to Rapid City, SD to stop for the night, planning to make the slightly out of the way trip to Mt. Rushmore in the morning.
I-90 got closed and we ended up taking SR 212, after getting the ok from a police department in Bell Fourche, SD.
Well....We got stuck out there. In the middle of no where, no towns and just a little cell service.
The Jetta was the first to get stuck, Jared and Guy had Rylan with them. They drifted of into the side of the road and couldnt get the car out.
Meghan and I turned the moving truck around to go back to them. We were going to all attempt to squeeze into the moving truck to try and get back to the town. Some guys in nice big trucks stopped and said they had room for 1 person. Jared wasn't sending me or Meghan with strange men and he wasn't leaving us out there by ourselves. So we sent Guy!
We managed to fit in the moving truck, then realized it was NOT going anywhere either!!
We rounded up everything and trudged back to the car. In a BLIZZARD!!
We made phone calls to the town but they for some reason had NO idea where we were, even though I told them exactly where we were(found out later I was about a mile off).

Here is where the preparedness comes in.
We got pretty lucky with what we had.
I have this quilt that I have had since I was like 8. It goes everywhere with me and its the only thing I sleep with. Well I insisted that Rylan have it in the Jetta with him before we set out on our trip.
Meghans mom had sent us a few small first aide kits. I had a Tupperware ware container filled with random things for our trip including the kits.
Jared and I always over buy when we stop at gas stations on trips. I buy more water than needed and food for "later". I ALWAYS over pack the diaper bag too.  I had enough diapers and wipes to last 3-4 days and a big container of formula, and a bottle of baby juice(he was 18months).
Jared had bought 2 big packs of these jerky/pepperoni bites.
Being in the Army Jared seems to have random gear of sorts scattered everywhere. There were gloves in the car, plastic magazines(for guns) and a pair of safety glasses. All of which came in handy when he had to dig out the exhaust during the blizzard.
That night got pretty cold but with the blanket and body heat of the 4 of us squished in the back of the Jetta, we made due. We even had one of those silver fire blankets that we put up to try and keep our heat in the back of the car.
At one point during the next day, the driver side window fell down in the door. This window was directly facing the wind. We used the fire blanket and Rylans dinosaurs to fill the whole.
Luckily after almost 24hrs the Sharif from Sundance WY and 2 plow trucks found us and a few other people, and took us back to Bell Fourche.


The point is that, we had no idea how long we were going to be out there. They did not know when the storm was supposed to stop or when they could come get us. While we were lucky in what we had, we could have been way more prepared!
Now with 2 kids an one on the way, I feel its even more important to think about situations like this and plan the best we can.

Im on one of those kicks :)

Just wanted to make a quick note of the whole pregnant thing. Im a little over 9wks now. "Morning" sickness has been off and on but has gotten much better, I have not thrown up in a while and can eat more. One thing I have noticed though is that I get a metallic taste in my mouth that kind of makes me nauseous  Its normal and is just due to hormones. Other than that things are just going along fine!

On to the main post. 

Im not quite sure what piqued my kick this morning or how I even got there, but I've been reading two different "prepper" websites this morning.

If you do not know what prepping means here are some resources for some deeper explanations but I will provide my own view.

I do not endorse, belong to, or specifically support all aspects of the websites listed, as with anything in life I take things with a grain of salt and for my own opinion. You should too.

Prepping to survive-What is prepping?

American Preppers Network

SHTF Blog- "sewage" hits the fan

So those are just a few that I have scavenged threw, all with good info.

Why do people prep?-

There are a few different reasons I've seen. Some do it because its part of the Religion, like the LDS church and their food storage practice. Some do it out of a belief of an imminent government fall out. Some do it out of the need to be prepared for natural disasters.

Whats my take/opinion?-

Both Jared and I have thought a lot about the "what if's" of being able to survive in case of anything. There are so many people today who have no idea how to grow a plant. How to feed themselves if food were rationed or gone all together. Skills that, even 2 generations ago, were normal knowledge points are "lost arts" to some people.

I dont know if the government with fall out, but historically I know that being wholly dependent on someone(in any form) to proved my basic needs.

I live in an area that is pretty mellow as far as natural disasters but things are changing it seems. Areas where things do happen are getting hit with harder storms, earthquakes, hurricanes etc. So why not be prepared for that?

I dont think there are any wrong reasons for "prepping". Its your own opinion, and we all hope that we wont NEED to come to need these things but its reassuring that its there, just in case!

I intend for this to be a running subject here since its is such a vast and somewhat in depth topic. There is no way I could fit it into one readable post and I know I would ramble and loose direction!!

My next post(which may be today) will, I think, give you a better idea of why Im starting this!

OOHHH Thats Why I Felt "Off".

I caught the pregnant.

Yep.

I am a little over 5wks infected.

Now you may understand my last blog post. Oh the hormones raging through me!

I know only a few people read my blog but I just had to announce it on here real quick. Just got back from visiting family though so I will do a better post in a day or two!

Just not quite sure about life right now.

Do you ever get that.....empty feeling? Like you don't know what to think or do. Life is kind of just going by, day after day. Its like that awkward moment when you don't have pockets and you don't know what to do with your hands. 

Its like that but, with my entire being. What am I doing, what should I be doing?

I am not working, I am not going to school. The boys and I have not been doing much because I've felt like total crap these last few weeks. 

I am attempting to get everything ready for Rylans birthday but all I can focus on is all the "hard" stuff. Like driving for 6hrs, not sleeping in my own bed, dealing with people I don't like, driving BACK 6hrs, getting settled in our home again. Its sad that these things are overwhelming me when there is good stuff to look forward to. Like Rylans first big birthday with family since his 1st birthday. Meghan and Jared are taking me to the Used concert for my birthday. Those things just seem to be a side thought to the rest.

I have so much to do but I can't bring myself to actually do any of it.

I need something to get me out of this. What that is, I have no idea.

Its the little things!

Lets just say things have been a little crazy in my life these last few months. 

I have not been in our home for longer than 2wks at a time since we first officially moved up here. Going back and forth between here and the valley is starting to take a tole on me which is why this next visit will be it for a while.

While I dont mind moving every so often, I do like to "settle", get in a groove, make a house feel home. I just don't feel like Ive gotten to do that yet.

On top of that, I have yet to find a job. Ive applied at 3 different clinics but have heard nothing yet. Ive applied EVERY where, most of which I get an email back saying Im not "compatible". Seriously? What about me is not compatible? Anywho, after having worked I now feel restless because Im not doing anything.

Our only saving grace right now is that Jared will continue to get paid until November when his contract is up. He has been putting in applications also. He did just get word from a friend that they are hiring security guards at a casino about half hour away and he should hopefully be starting college soon. If only he could settle on what he wants to do.

I've also been looking into school online but have NO idea what I want to do either. I don't see the point in wasting time and money when I don't know what I want.

All these things lead me to think to much, think to much about things like this make me grumpy. At EVERYONE. I yelled at Jared the other day. I apologized of course, I didnt mean to yell and be so angry sounding.

I get short tempered with the kids. I about had a mental break down when I came out of the bathroom to see Gabe drawing in pen all over the tv.

Really I know that its just because we are all "couped up". The boys are used to going to daycare and running and getting energy out. Im used to going to work and talking about things other than power rangers and poopie butts.

Jared woke up relatively early today. The boys had been in kind of a bad mood because I took netflix away. Neither of them will stay away from the xbox and keep turning it off or opening the disc drive, so I was just done. They could either play outside or play in their room. 

I went and took a shower and cleared my mind, got dressed and brushed my hair. I felt a bit better. Gabe was down for a nap so I laid on the couch with Jared and we both ended up falling asleep. It was so nice and comfy. When we are in bed I can NOT fall asleep cuddled up. Im claustrophobic and it creeps me out to lay face to face and breath the same air, or breath air he has exhaled. Im weird I know, but after 7yrs of having him on again off again in my bed, Im just to used to sleeping by myself.  

We have found though that the couch is the one place we fall asleep together, so when I get those moments I  take great advantage.

After waking up, Jared was getting ready to go to BJJ so I took my chance and told him I was going to go get a coffee. I needed out of the house before I had to tackle dinner by myself. That 10min of silence was golden. All I did was drive to Starbucks and get a pumpkin latte and I was rejuvenated. 

The boys and Jared were outside when I got there so once Jared left we just stayed and played.

Came in for dinner and then I got a cool idea. I had extra glow sticks from the Dollar Store so once it got dark I cracked those babys up and we played Light Sabers until bed time.

After a while these "little things" become big things when they mean the difference between being a total bitch and a calm person.

5yrs old? NO!

August and September are big months for my family, much to my grandparents dismay. Maybe we just all enjoy Christmas and Newyears with our spouses a little to much!

There are a LOT of birthdays in these 2 months. 3 cousins in August and 4 of us in September. Brother Dj turned 22 on the 4th of September, Cousin Dj turns 23 on the 23rd, I turn 24 on the 24th and Rylan turns 5 on the 26th. Oh wait and I have an Aunt whos birthday is on the 4th also!

The big one though is obviously Rylans birthday.

My first born baby boy is turning 5! 

How is this even possible! 

Hes supposed to be this big!

Nope Im going crazy because he is actually this big.

(bonus pic of Gabe :))

He can write his name, recognizes all the letters of the alphabet and has a crazy imagination .

He draws such cool pictures and tells funny stories and jokes.

He loves angry birds, power rangers and shares his Daddys love of plains and helicopters.

Hes sensitive and thoughtful, and curious.

He is forever talking about anything and everything, I call him Chatty Carl.

Im going to recount this all now because I wont be at my computer on his actual birthday.

The situation surround Rylans birth and my pregnancy were a little crazy.

Jared and I had been together for a year and engaged for about 3 months when I found out I was pregnant. He had just come and gone for Christmas leave and was back at Ft. Campbell KY. So he found out over the phone.

I was a senior in HS, we had planned on waiting to get married until after I graduated Culinary school in Portland. 

I cant remember when we found out, before or after I got pregnant, but he was set to deploy in late September. The same day as my due date and first day of culinary school. 

So we decided to get married earlier. No way was he going to a war zone with out us being taken care of, should anything happen.

We married a month after I graduated HS, I was 6.5 months pregnant.

After we got married I planned on going back to Ft. Campbell with him for a few weeks, just a visit. While there we came to the realization that If I did not stay there with him, there was very little chance of him getting to be there for the birth of our son. Between the Army letting him stay behind, not knowing exactly when I would have Rylan and, if we would even have the money to get him home, to much was uncertain.

So we decided that I would stay. That was a VERY hard phone call to my mom, who was very upset(it ended up ok though). I felt terrible but I did what I felt was best, Jared deserved to see his son born before heading to war.

I was 4days past my due date when I started having contractions. I labored at home from one afternoon threw the next day. By 11pm my contractions were perfectly spaced for an hour. I wasnt in to much pain but I didnt want to have my baby in the car, so we went to the hospital. 

When I was FINALLY checked(after an hour of sitting there), I was already at 7cm. 

They got me to my room and set up, they told me if I did not get my epi right then, then I wouldn't be able to get it. So I did lol!
I slept for a while, passed out, threw up and the next morning around 7ish, Rylan graced us with his presence. 
We got to spend the next 13 days with Jared, I left KY about 3 days before he left the states. Leaving and taking our child with me was incredibly hard knowing it would be a long 15months and hoping for R&R to hurry up.
Rylan was such an easy and happy baby. The flight home was good and there were so many helpful people. A woman and her daughter helped me with my bags off my last flight all the way to where my mom was standing. They had asked my story, as did many people that day. A young girl with a tiny baby flying, draws a lot of attention. 
The woman helping actually started crying when she saw my mom and I hug.
I wish I knew what her name was so I could thank her for her kindness.

Here is another picture so I can recollect my thoughts.

He looks like a sweet little elf!

So as we approach his 5th birthday and his new "big kid" status, its crazy to see all the changes in him. 
I wouldn't change a thing about our situation because I have such an amazing little boy to hug and cuddle for as long as he will let me!