FAMILY FAST

Aunt Sharon has requested that we hold a family fast, on behalf of Josh and Tanah,
and their sweet new baby, Owen.

Please help us by fasting for them for their strength to endure,and for little Owen for good health, and make a complete recovery.

We will be fasting this Sunday, March 22nd.

Thanks for your willingness and prayers on their behalf.

Thank you!

Food Storage Info

I have been thinking about Food Storage and ways to cut back lately, because of this roller coaster (scary) economy.

I got his email today, so I thought I would share it regarding food storage. You can skip it if you want to. Just some good general info for everyone looking to stock up.

For more valuable information like this to help you and your family get prepared visit our new blog where we post new emergency tips and secrets nearly every day.

5 MISTAKES PEOPLE MAKE WITH EMERGENCY SUPPLIES
For most people, emergency preparedness is a brand new concept. As you get prepared, you will hear a lot of different opinions (including my own) regarding the best way to do that. I have helped thousands of people across the country get prepared for life’s unexpected emergencies. As I have done so, I have noticed some common mistakes that people seem to make in getting prepared. Let me share with you what I have seen.

Mistake #1 – Not enough water or no plan for water at all
As has been discussed in this blog before, water is the most often overlooked item in your emergency supplies. People either under prepare for their emergency water supply or simply don’t plan at all. A healthy adult can live for weeks without food but you will die in less than a week without access to clean drinking water. You will need about a gallon of water per person per day. That covers both sanitation and hygiene as well as hydration needs. There are articles in this blog that discuss water storage and water purification. Please take the time to read and make sure you have water stored for your emergency supplies.

Mistake #2 – No hygiene supplies
After a disaster, disease and illness related to conditions of poor hygiene are very common. In most disasters, more people die after the disaster than during the disaster because they cannot maintain proper hygiene. The simple answer is to have personal and family hygiene kits available. These items can be purchased as a kit or put together at home. Here are some items to consider in your hygiene kits:

• Waterless soap or hand sanitizer - You may not always have water available, but you this type of soap will kill the bugs.
• Port-a-Potty – This simple device fits on a 5 gallon bucket and will help keep the waste in a safe place. Make sure you buy bags and deodorizer.
• Toilet Paper/Tissue
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Razor
• Small hand towel
• Bar Soap
• If you have babies: diapers and wipes (handy for other uses as well)

Mistake #3 – Out of sight, out of mind
It is critical to do three things with your emergency supplies: Review, Rotate and Replace. In order to do that you will need to have your emergency supplies in a place where you can get to them at least once a year. Many times, people make the mistake of buying their emergency supplies, typically a significant and important investment, and then never looking at them again until they need them.

• Review: Make sure that at least yearly you review the items in your emergency supplies. Get familiar with what you have in your emergency kits and food storage. Try them out, use the products that you can.

• Rotate: Then rotate out items that need to be used. Pull out the batteries and use them. Rotate at least some of your food supplies. That is why I recommend freeze-dried food. This is food that you will want to eat. Your kids will like it. Rotate out first-aid supplies or maybe medications.

• Replace: After you have rotated out your old supplies to be used (don’t waste them, use them!), then you will need to replace your supplies. Make your list of supplies that need to be replaced and do so right away.

Mistake #4 – Store shelf stable food and water
I see this mistake a lot. What I mean is, many people buy off the shelf items from their local retailer for their food storage. Now, that can work. The food from you grocer will work for food storage. The problem comes from the reality that people typically make mistake #3 with their emergency supplies, so the food never gets rotated. Items purchased from your local grocery store have about a 1 to 2 year shelf life. So you go out and spend a lot of money on food that will expire long before they will ever be able to use it or worse yet before they even look at it again.

The reality is, most people don’t review, rotate and replace. So to compensate for that, buy long term, shelf stable food storage. Typically, that means food that will last for at least 10 years and water that will last for 5 years. It will mean your food and water will be usable when you need it.

Mistake #5 – Forgetting personal and comfort items
Many times when people are putting together their emergency supplies they look only at the basics like food, water, light, warmth, shelter, etc. That is all very important and needs to be done. But, it is important to not forget to put some of your daily personal and comfort items into your 72 hour emergency survival kits and shelter in place supplies.

For example if you have kids, what are you going to do to keep their mind off the current situation? I recommend including in your emergency supplies simple games, coloring books or books to read. Throw in a pack of playing cards into your 72 hour emergency survival kit or some travel checkers or chess. Make sure in your shelter in place supplies you include comfort items like snacks that they like (rotate annually), maybe a stuffed animal, games, books, comfortable clothes, blankets, etc. Keeping you and your families stress level down and spirits up during a disaster is critical for survival.

Also, don’t forget personal medications that you may need. For example, I wear contact lenses. My supplies should include contact solution and a replacement pair of contacts. I should also throw in an old pair of glasses, just in case. You may need a particular medication or personal hygiene item. If it is critical to your survival, then include it. If I didn’t have my glasses or contacts, I would not survive for very long. It is as simple as that.

Welcome Britlynn Rylee Stevens!!!!

Okay, okay, okay......
I know I have been a slacker and have not posted anything about our new little sweetheart, but we have just been busy enjoying her and having some family time.

So we would offically like to welcome BRITLYNN RYLEE STEVENS into our family.
She was 7lbs 10 oz and 20 inches long.
As you can see she has lots of black hair and we think she looks a little like Cade, and a little like Savera did as a baby.
She is a good baby and we feel so blessed to have her in our family!

Cade and Savera are loving having her as their little sister. They cannot see her without wanting to kiss her, hug her, and tell her how much they love her! Britlynn is so lucky to have Cade and Savera to watch out for her and play with her, and teach her!

Birthday Cards and Money!

Hi everyone. Grandma asked me today to apologize to everyone that starting now, she will no longer be able to send Cards and money to the little ones for Birthdays anymore. She is having a tough time budgeting it all in anymore with our rapidly growing family. She feels very sad about it and is afraid of disappointing everyone. She cannot send out letters in place of them either since her hands do not write like they used to. She did say that she will make birthday calls to everyone though! It would be nice if you all let her know that it is okay, and not to feel bad.
Take care everyone!
Love,
Tammy

Happy Birthday Gramma!

Don't forget it is Grandma's Birthday today! Give her a call and make her day! She would love that. She deserves it!

Christmas Eve Party

Hi All!

Christmas is fast approaching. We talked to Grandma last night and she wants to start the party at 6:00 p.m. She requested it be at our clubhouse last year but it was taken so this year we've had it reserved since January :). Here is the address:

4853 Woodbridge Dr.
Holladay, UT 84117

For those who haven't been there before Woodbridge Drive is about 1700 East. You access the complex from Kings Row Drive which you get to from Murray Holladay Road (4780 S.) or from 1300 E.

You can call Josh or I or e-mail me for directions if you need more, pocahontas@rockhuggers.com.

Merry Christmas, love you all!

Chris is Home!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Chris is home! Here is the picture and article that was in the Deseret News the next day. We are so glad to have him home and we are just trying to enjoy having some good quality time together as a family. Thanks for all the support and prayers!






Welcome home for Utah Air Guardsmen


By Lynn Wilde II

Deseret News

After six months of providing security for coalition and noncombatant forces, security for convoys, defending military bases and providing law enforcement duties, 25 Utah Air National Guard airmen came home Saturday from a mission that started on May 16.
The airmen, from the 151st Security Forces Squadron, were late landing at the Utah Air National Guard Base, so family, friends and supporters gathered in a waiting room on base.
"Mommy, where is Daddy?" one boy asked. His mother told him he had to wait for the plane.
While people waited for loved ones, some children ate doughnuts, their smiles made bigger by the frosting. Many of the children wore T-shirts with pictures of their fathers emblazoned on them, proclaiming "My prince has come. I call him daddy," and "My hero."
Brigham Young University fans mingled safely with University of Utah fans — their football rivalry suspended until the plane landed and the airmen returned.
Three generations of one family waited eagerly for Staff Sgt. Geoffrey Neill.
"We're really happy. It's really good timing," said Neill's wife, Jessie, of the return so close to Thanksgiving.
Neill's father, Glen, was happy for his son's return.
"Oh, this is really exciting," he said. "We're glad to get him home."
A voice announced the impending arrival of the C-130.
"Warm up the hugs and kisses," the voice called from the loudspeaker. "They're four minutes out."
A group of bikers, the Patriot Guard Riders, lined up, each holding an American flag, waiting to greet the airmen. They were joined by dignitaries from the base, led by Adj. Gen. Brian Tarbet.
When the plane landed, two firetrucks sprayed an arch of water for the plane to pass through. William Badger of the PGR said the arch was "Air Guard for hello."
After the airmen shook hands with the greeting party and made way for the assembled crowd, the crowd erupted in cheers and whistles.
Staff Sgt. Mike Bechwith met his twin sons, his daughter and wife with a family embrace. His wife couldn't stop crying, too choked up to talk.
One airman, Staff Sgt. Christopher Stevens, was holding his children, Cade, 4, and Savera, 2, in both arms. He said his time in the service was great, but he's not a hero.
"These guys are the real heroes," he said, motioning to his wife, Kristina, and his children, because they held the household together in his absence.
Returning airman Neill said he was "doggone excited" he was home with his family. He returns to a new house, one his wife bought when he was away and has never seen. His daughter, 7-year-old Halley, promised to bake him cookies in her toy oven when they returned home.
Six-year-old Samantha Hooper buried her face in her father's neck, her red eyes telling the tale of her feelings of her airman's homecoming, Tech Sgt. Matt Hooper.
"I'm happy to be home," Hooper said, while Samantha silently cried.