Food Storage

I don't know if I'm the only inspired person I know in this valley or if I'm the only one I know completely off my rocker (probably the latter), but a series of events has made me passionate about food storage. I'm not talking about buying a large bucket of oats and thinking, "Gee, this outta get us through a tough time. Maybe I'll call this 'food storage'." I've done that. I'm talking about buying a FULL YEAR'S supply of food for the whole family. This is a much bigger task than I realized. Right off the get-go I realized it's going to cost well over $1,000. Perhaps double that. I won't break it down for you completely or this list would be way too long, but here's a condensed list that one website suggested (and I went to lots of websites and liked these numbers the best) for me, Annette, and our little baby, Giacomo:

• GRAINS - We need 748 lbs - We have 381.8 lbs
• FATS & OILS - We need 33 units (lbs, qts, gals) - We have 21.16 units
• LEGUMES - We need 144 lbs - We have 23.75 lbs
• SUGARS - We need 149 lbs - We have 40 lbs
• DAIRY - We need 212 units (lbs, cans) - We have 160.375 units
• COOKING ESSENTIALS - We need 22 units (lbs, gals) - We have 44.5 units (This is the only category we have fulfilled and even have a 2-year supply of some of it.)
• OTHER - We need 45 gal - We have 8 gal

I've got a detailed Excel spreadsheet that outlines what we need, what we have, shelf life, and what I spent on it. The other thing that makes a true food storage difficult is the idea of using it and replacing what you've used. In other words, you need to be eating your food storage to some degree so that your bodies don't freak out in an emergency when you have to change your diet from Chocolate Frosted Sugar Coated High Fructose Balls to real food like bread, beans and rice. Luckily, I come from a family that likes to cook--I mean, REALLY cook, like using home grown canned vegetables to make a wicked stir fry and NOT homemade like you just opened the package, added water, and popped it in the oven. Also, Annette comes from a family whose middle name is Emergency Preparedness so I'm sure they will have lots of helpful suggestions on this as we work our way towards self-sufficiency. Anyway, I'm sure I'll blog about this again when we have our entire food storage and EVEN BETTER THAN THAT, I'm sure it'll be time for you to help us move once we've finally amassed it. Thus are my ponderings. The End.

Baby ! ! ! !

Babies are adorable and soon we will have one of those cute little bundles of joy! Around Valentines Day we will be able to find out if it is a boy or a girl. I want both a boy and a girl, I really can't decide. I guess that is best because then I will be happy no matter the gender. Our little bundle will arrive on or around June 25th.

So far, the pregnancy hasn't been super bad, but it seems to just keep getting worse. I was hoping for the 2nd trimester ease, but alas. With backaches and acid reflux, I am getting very little sleep. Trying to sleep upright or at any sort of angel is very difficult. I am not sure why because sleeping in high school science classes was a way too easy. People always say to enjoy your sleep now because once the baby comes you wont get much sleep. At the rate I'm going, I am sure I will get more sleep once the baby comes since I don't get much sleep after 1 or 2 A.M. If anyone has good ideas for sleeping in uncomfortable positions, let me know.

Besides the baby occupying my mind ALL the time, I have to try to refocus my brain to school once again after the holiday break. Thankfully there is a light at the end of the tunnel. I am pretty excited for my job to be ending though to give me more time to study. Hopefully Charles will have a job by the time mine ends.

I really haven't been to worried about him getting a job. I figured that after the holiday season and with companies starting their new year they will have money to hire more people. As it turns out, it looks like things are going well since Charles had a phone interview with a company the other day and will have another phone interview with another in a few days. As well, our Bishop thinks he might know of a job for Charles. I am quite excited and we sure are rooting for the job in Provo.

Life is fun and as long as you have a smile, things will always work out!

A COUPLE WEEKS LATER...

We had another baby appointment yesterday. It went well. I (Charles speaking now) heard the heart beat. I have the feeling we're going to have a little ball o' energy with the way it was moving around in there. What are some good energetic names? How about Watt if it's a boy and Joule if it's a girl? :)