Food Storage :)

So my husband will absolutely laugh if or when he sees me posting about food storage, but I have been wanting to for a while now. For one reason, to show all the hard work I've been doing on this! As it really takes time, effort, research, money, and work work work! But also to share some information I have learned onto anyone who may read this and be even a little more motivated to do more than they are doing currently.

My mom has been on a huge "preparation" kick and I've caught the bug. Today I updated our 72 hour kits. I haven't touched mine since Derrick and I were married, so it's safe to say it was desperately needed. Now we got diapers and toys for Aaron and food to cover everyone. There is no feeling like knowing you are prepared for an emergency. It just feels good!

So over the last year, I've had quite the priority to have the year supply of food per family member that the church has stated. When I was doing my research throughout lds.org and other sites, I found this quote that really lit a fire under my butt. Ezra Taft Benson said,

"The revelation to store food may be as essential to our temporal salvation today as boarding the ark was to the people in the days of Noah." (Found on lds.org)

I don't know about you, but I want to get on that ark! I also read a story that kind of tied us & food storage with Noah's Ark. That really puts your excuses for not saving to shame. If you want a copy of that story, let me know and I'll get it to ya.

Anywho, here are three pages that I have gone back to again and again for reference and even just to jump start again when I feel like quitting, slowing down, spending money elsewhere, or whatever excuse I can come up with. It's also been nice to have an actual amount of what food is a year supply signed by the prophet. I pretty much only go by this list when it comes to my food storage, as I have seen many things out there saying different amounts of this and that. I will add things like peanut butter and brown sugar, but after I get everything on this list. Just have more trust when it's the prophet of God who stated it.

This page is not distributed by the church, but someone put the math together and it just helps put into perspective of how much food it is.

One thing I had a problem with when I first started, was where to put all of this food?? We live in a small basement apartment and are already storing MANY things at both of our parents houses. But I decided to stop making that an excuse. And so this is where I found to put it... behind our couch in the living room. :) It is open for anyone who comes over to see, and isn't the best site to see, but at least we are obeying and storing. I feel not much more can go back there, so now we are going to raise some beds higher and see what all can fit under there.

So now, how much food is really back there? My goal has been to get 3 one year supplies (one for Derrick, one for me, and one for sharing between Aaron and the next little guy to come). And so currently behind our couch is 722 lbs of grain, 264 lbs of beans, 152 lbs of sugar, 40 lbs of milk, and 30 lbs of salt. Whew! Can I say that I am proud of this? For you guys storing food out there, you understand how much work and effort has gone into this pile of food! My water (a couple of 5 gallon containers) and oil I was able to shut in a closet which helps, although I am a slacker when it comes to water. My parents are storing a 50 gallon water drum for us, but not much good it does for us empty and in another city... I guess I am still giving excuses for that one. Still a work in progress. :)

I am going to the cannery (anyone who wants to come with and learn some more, let me know. I am starting to go often. And it's addicting!) hopefully again next week and hopefully finish up on the rest of the grain I need. Or at least grain is my focus this next session. Can I just say that the church is amazing? They are the cheapest I have found anywhere on SO MUCH FOOD! And they have people there to help you and carry it all to your car and just make you feel good. It makes it fun.

Ok... so there is my post. :) I should stop as I really can go on and on and on.

Now just onto recent events with us, Derrick is half way done this week!!! YEAH!!! My chain is half the size and it's quite exciting. Derrick has struggled working with this teacher (she is strict, he is more chill) and is excited to switch. Hopefully the second half will be easier than the first.

Aaron is starting to stack EVERYTHING that he can find. I bought some wood blocks for a craft, and I found him stacking them. I bought him blocks for Christmas, but now I don't know if I should wait a whole two more months. He found a box of gel food coloring and he was stacking as many as he could. I was impressed how high he could get the tower considering their size and shape.

As for me, I am doing great as long as Aaron lets me sleep in. Had the ROUGHEST DAY EVER with Aaron the other day. He pretty much just screamed (and I am SCREAM), ran away from me, and refused to do anything (eat, play, get dressed, change diaper, etc) ALL DAY. It was rough. Never even napped either so absolutely no break from it. Not even a walk or a bath consoled him. Just kept on screaming. If this video works, this was attempt of eating probably #5. I was more forceful than forgiving as I was worried he wasn't eating anything. Mostly, he just swatted the spoon and it went EVERYWHERE. It was a battle unlike any before between us. Had to video to make it kind of comical instead of breaking down and crying myself. At one point I was holding him down to try and put on a diaper after a bath, and he was impossible. Couldn't believe how hard it was for me. But I just held him and told him that the mom ALWAYS wins so he might as well stop. He did calm down enough after that for me to get the diaper on :) But just to run away and scream as soon as it was on, but I'll take it lol

Pregnancy is still really good. The weeks are still just flying by cuz I am too busy to really keep track. I know from having Aaron, the baby comes before you know it and that newborns are hard. So not wanting to rush it, it goes by faster of course. Although today is the first day I have thought "I want this baby now" but that's more because then it will be January where school is over and we will actually know what we are doing with our lives (including where we will be living). It would certainly be nice to see the future sometimes. I am sure everyone feels this way at more than one point in their lives. :)

But I continue to be grateful for all that we have. Keeps it positive when you focus on the good and what you do have. Thanks Bobbi for reminding me this in your recent post. :)