Thursday, September 5, 2013

Education fun!

Our middle child E(10) is having trouble with place values in math.  We just found this to make it fun to learn. This blog has some great ideas and links to printables to help.

http://eisforexplore.blogspot.com/2013/07/place-value-battleship.html

Monday, September 2, 2013

Moving your Preps.

Unexpectedly Mr. J got an awesome job offer for a job where he could be at home more often.  This by the way would be awesome, because for the last 9 years we have been parted for the majority of the year.  Well, there was one downside to the job.  We have to move to a big city.  There are 3 things that bother me about this.  We have to rent for the first year because of timing issues and the second living in a big city, and the third worry for me, I have to move my preps, stockpiles, and container garden.  OH MY!  Well, we will make it work, we always do.  So in case you find our self in a similar situation, here are a few tips to keep your business to your self, what others call OP SEC.

1. Label your boxes so you know what is in them and which room they go in with out giving away exactly what is in there.  I labeled all my boxes either kitchen or food.  Bathroom or towels for first aid and TP.

2. Find lots sturdy boxes. A local grocery store has been so nice and gives me boxes everyday.  These are great boxes, they are giving me boxes that the 1 gallon milk and water jugs go into.

3. Pack smart, while you want to get as much in a box as you can, it doesn't do you any good if you can't carry it out to the truck. And you really don't want to hurt your back.

4. Pack the truck sensibly.  The things you need first like Kitchen and Bathroom go in the truck last to you can get them off the truck for lunch and potty needs.   If you still have things in your deep freezer and refrigerator then they are the last things on the truck.

5. If you are moving your deep freezer and Refrigerator with food in them, Fill several 2 liter bottles of water and put them in the freezer.  They make huge chunks of ice to help keep things cold in the freezer and Fridge.  If the grid goes down later you can keep things cold for a little while with this trick and then you can drink the water. (By the way, 20 oz bottles filled with water and frozen are great for bug out bags too.  And you can use them in lunch boxes and coolers)

6. Remember not to stress to much.  And try to help the kids transition easier too.