Sam recently went on an extended vacation. She thought that maybe sharing a few thoughts might help you prepare for your long weekend or extended time away from home. (Apologies – I missed getting these up before the long Labor Day weekend!)
Sam offers these short videos: Tips to Prep for Your Vacation
Since they’re short videos, I’ve placed all 4 tips in the post.
Tip 1 is prepping your home so that there are no surprises when you return from your vacation!
No one wants to return home to a bed that needs making before you can hit the sack, or dirty dishes in the sink that makes it frustrating to make a meal. Sam offers a few great tips to prevent potential catastrophes that will quickly ruin a fun vacation!
Tip 2 is prepping your pets for less anxiety on your leaving and less mess on your return home.
Do you have a dog that gets anxious as he watches you start to pack? If so, he’s probably underfoot, whiny, and a bit of a pain. Sam offers a few tips that just might make it easier on everyone!
Tip 3 is prepping your garden.
A couple of brief thoughts on helping to control those pesky weeds while you’re gone!
Tip 4 is for those folks who raise their own chickens.
Sam offers a few ideas to keep them safe and happy with no surprises, hopefully, on your return.
Prepping for Vacation Time can make returning a hundred times more pleasant with a few simple tasks. It’s so nice to return to no dishes in the sink, beds made and ready for you to crash from that ‘relaxing’ vacation, no ants and other bugs because you left food out somewhere, a pet that’s happy your home with no trauma while you were gone, a garden that doesn’t have 10′ weeds growing in it, and, if you have chickens, a hen house that’s happy and just as comfy when you get back as they were when you left.
As you plan for the upcoming holidays, the seasonal tips may change, but the concepts are the same. Prepping for vacation gives greater certainty that you’ll be happy to return. Consider your pets and any anxieties they may have. Be sure any gardening issues or animal care (such as your chickens) are taken into consideration.
Remember: The return from a wonderful time away will be a lot less frustrating if you’re not having to clean before you can sit down and relax. Enjoy that time away!
No matter what you call it, or how you feel about it, being prepared feels GREAT! As we discuss in our Sunday Snacks today, prices fluctuating, news that can’t help but put us on edge, supply chain issues still occurring with no real end in sight, and so much more, Sam and Ellie share their philosophies about preparedness!
We’re not talking about long-term storage as much as 3 months, 6 months, or up to a year. For instance, if you’d begun adding to your pantry last fall and through the winter, the savings on those items, if you had to purchase them today, would most certainly help your budget.
We’ve discussed in other posts how to get started. You can visit our blog page for more information. You can also join our email list and receive a pdf with tips and lists to start your 30-day food supply.
If you like to read the transcript of the video below,CLICK HERE.
Key Tips for Why Preparedness Can Be Satisfying
No panic.
When you see a store with empty shelves, especially items that you use regularly, you’ll be prepared. Always purchase a few items to keep in your pantry staples.
Less worry.
Price fluctuations won’t be so worrying, especially if you were smart enough to purchase ahead when prices were less expensive.
Calm.
When you know you can care for yourself and/or your family, the latest headlines won’t feel so frightening.
Family action.
When the family works together to be prepared, there’s a sense of “We’ve got this” rather than fear.
Sense of community.
If you have an elderly or needy neighbor, you may be able to help.Note of caution: do NOT broadcast about your food storage. Just know you can quietly help if you so choose.
In the video, Sam shares how pleasantly surprised she was to learn that her kids are much more aware and knowledgeable about being prepared than she realized. In recent storms, her daughter did an amazing job of taking leadership at their Scout Camp. And her son takes personal responsibility in noticing and noting on the grocery list when they need to add items to their storage. If you think about it in the same way you would plan for a trip, you’ll soon discover that it’s not as difficult as you might have feared.
It’s never too late to start. Add an extra item or two with each shopping trip. Think about items you use every day and figure out ways to add an extra for your pantry storage.
Find ways to add calm and a sense of satisfaction by being prepared.
One other thought: knowing you have a little extra means that you can quietly help a neighbor or family member through tough times. For instance, if a couple of elderly friends are having a tough time, knowing that you have a couple of cans of food that you can share, or even a prepared meal that you can walk over to them, is worth way more than the price of the food.
We’re here to help. Have a specific question? Give us a shout. Send us a message on FB if you like. But get started!
NOTE: If you enjoy our life hacks and simple common-sense approaches to sustainability and everyday life, please spread the word. Visit and like our youtube channel and our Facebook page. Sign up for our newsletter – the form’s on the HOME page. Share your thoughts with us on youtube or FB. And, please, share us with your friends. Here’s to your peace of mind because you’re prepared!
Between us, we have over 100 years of experience, and Sam’s only 40!
If you enjoy our life hacks and simple common-sense approaches to
sustainability and everyday life, please spread the word.
When bad weather brings with it a loss of power, we’re often stuck wondering what to do for our family’s meals. Sam and Ellie, during today’s episode of Summer Snacks with Sam & Ellie , are discussing alternatives when you have no power to cook your meals.
PLEASE NOTE:Please plan ahead and KNOW what type of cooking stove and fuel you are using. There are many that ABSOLUTELY CAN NOT be used indoors. Don’t add to the already challenging situation you’re in by using a fuel that causes Carbon Monoxide poisoning. Remember, you can’t see or smell this gas. If you’re not sure, get a small, battery-operated, CO detector with an average price of $20. Place it in the area where you’re cooking to be sure you’re safe. Better yet, cook outdoors if possible or find a fuel that’s safe indoors and possibly slightly open a window near the cooking area.
CLICK HERE for the pdf transcript if you like to read along while watching our video.
There are several types of stoves available today:
small ones that would easily fit in a backpack
alcohol-fueled
butane-fueled
propane-fueled
canned heat (like Sterno)
wood or charcoal
candles (yes, it’s slow but it can help when you have no alternative – those little ‘tea candles’ can certainly heat a can of soup or boil water for tea, coffee, or hot chocolate!)
Do your research. Some are safe indoors. Others are not. Be prepared and remember that baking soda poured over a grease fire will help put the fire out. Again, do your research.
Practice for Preparedness
Most importantly, take a weekend and have a ‘pretend’ emergency situation. Have the entire family take part. Maybe even try 2 or 3 different stoves – indoors and outdoors. Give everyone a task. Make it fun and enjoy your meal! When the family practices in this way, an emergency situation will not feel so scary. You’ll be prepared. Each family member will be able to help. Action helps us feel as if we have some control over the situation, which in turn, makes everyone feel more positive about the emergency at hand.
Be SMART and Be SAFE!
NOTE: If you enjoy our life hacks and simple common-sense approaches to sustainability and everyday life, please spread the word. Visit and like our youtube channel and our Facebook page. Sign up for our newsletter – the form’s on the HOME page. Share your thoughts with us on youtube or FB. And, please, share us with your friends. Here’s to your peace of mind because you’re prepared!
Between us, we have over 100 years of experience, and Sam’s only 40!
If you enjoy our life hacks and simple common-sense approaches to
sustainability and everyday life, please spread the word.
When an emergency occurs, such as a power outage, snowstorm, or even a covid lockdown, your family can feel more secure by preparing a 30-day food pantry. In their video for Sunday Snacks with Sam and Ellie, they share some tips and tricks to help you get started.
Each member of the family can choose a meal they love.
Plan a week’s meals (with some snacks) x 4 (a month’s worth)
Check the recipes and list the ingredients.
Inventory what you have on hand.
Determine what you need to add.
Each time you shop, add a couple of the items that you’ll want for your pantry.
Plan your pantry with the oldest items being used first.
(Just like you look for the freshest date when you shop.
You’ll want to use the oldest date first, when you eat it.)
Encourage each family member to double-check the date when grabbing an item for a meal, as well as alert you to low inventory.
Together, maintaining a 30-day food supply is as simple as making dinner!
You’ll be surprised how quickly these simple steps to creating your 30-day food supply will soon have you feeling a little more at ease when you’re threatened with bad weather or another covid lockdown (let’s hope not)! By involving the family, it’s also easier to maintain. In future posts, we’ll share other tips for being prepared. So keep checking back.
NOTE: If you enjoy our life hacks and simple common-sense approaches to sustainability and everyday life, please spread the word. Visit and like our youtube channel and our Facebook page. Sign up for our newsletter – the form’s on the HOME page. Share your thoughts with us on youtube or FB. And, please, share us with your friends. Here’s to your peace of mind because you’re prepared!
Between us, we have over 100 years of experience, and Sam’s only 40!
If you enjoy our life hacks and simple common-sense approaches to
sustainability and everyday life, please spread the word.
Kids love adventures. They love learning new things. But too often they can be easily disappointed by a failure that causes them to feel embarrassed or somehow silly, causing an unwillingness to try again. Or worse yet, that failure may cause them to never want to take on another adventure!
How do we really prepare our kids for adventures in life and do fun things? We think one of the biggest ways is to give them practical experiences, practical experiences including things like going to scouting events, having them take part in our day-to-day lives, and coping with the consequences when they don’t listen.
No, we’re not being harsh here. We’re saying that failing is part of learning. We all know that a baby falls many times before they walk, or a youngster skins their knees while learning to ride their bicycle. But, oh boy, once learned, they’re off and running – or biking – in no time at all. To be confident adults, we need to prepare our children with the tools and experiences to succeed. But we also must help them to see the consequences of choices and to take responsibility. They must experience failure in order to know how to overcome their disappointments.
Join our discussion as we discuss some examples. Then reach out to us and let us know what you think.
NOTE: If you enjoy our life hacks and simple common-sense approaches to sustainability and everyday life, please spread the word. Visit and like our youtube channel and our Facebook page. Sign up for our newsletter – the form’s on the HOME page. Share your thoughts with us on youtube or FB. And, please, share us with your friends. Here’s to your peace of mind because you’re prepared!
Between us, we have over 100-years of experience, and Sam’s only 40!
If you enjoy our life hacks and simple common-sense approaches to
sustainability and everyday life, please spread the word.
Our children turn 18 and the expectation is that they are now ADULTS! Does it happen on their birthday? Of course not, we have to prepare them for the new adventure and journey of entering the adult world. If we’re unhappy that our children seem unprepared, what can we do?
Join Sam and Ellie during Sunday Snacks as they tackle the idea that “18 is NOT a magical number.”
You can follow the transcript by CLICKING HERE while listening to the video.
Our schools don’t teach Home Ec or Woodshop as requirements anymore. And in many homes, mom and dad ‘just do it’ because it’s easier than fighting with the kids.
But that does nothing to prepare our kids to enter the adult world! What can we do to help them out? And no – it’s not better to do it for them!
5 core elements:
Budgeting
Laundry
Cooking
Keeping a tidy home
Maintaining a kempt appearance
In no way, is this list complete. But it is a beginning. Listen in on our discussion. Then let us know what you think.
NOTE: If you enjoy our life hacks and simple common-sense approaches to sustainability and everyday life, please spread the word. Visit and like our youtube channel and our Facebook page. Sign up for our newsletter – the form’s on the HOME page. Share your thoughts with us on youtube or FB. And, please, share us with your friends. Here’s to your peace of mind because you’re prepared!
Between us, we have over 100-years of experience, and Sam’s only 40!
If you enjoy our life hacks and simple common-sense approaches to
sustainability and everyday life, please spread the word.
No matter what you call it, or how you feel about it, being prepared feels GREAT! As we discuss in our Sunday Snacks today, prices fluctuating, news that can’t help but put us on edge, supply chain issues still occurring with no real end in sight, and so much more, Sam and Ellie share their philosophies about preparedness!
