Are you prepared?

On our third day of our recent five day power outage, we decided last minute to book a hotel room with points. As we scurried around packing overnight bags for everyone, my husband asked me if I wanted to bring my oils. At first I said no, since I have several little bottles of my favorites in a pouch on my keychain. Then I decided to bring my box of oils, just in case.

I was definitely glad I did, for sure enough, Hannah had a tummy ache just an hour after checking into the hotel. I was able to quickly pull out the Digestzen, rub a little on her belly, and help ease her discomfort. It felt great to know I had solutions to most common ailments right at my fingertips, but it got me thinking:


Was I prepared in other ways for the storm or other natural disasters and/or emergencies?

Unfortunately, the answer was no. Even though our church counsels us to be prepared for emergencies by having 72 hour kits prepared and to build up to a year's supply of food, in my own family we have been sadly lax in heeding that advice. We had very little in the way of food storage and what we did have wasn't easily prepared using our available cooking methods (the grill). We ended up eating a lot of peanut butter sandwiches, dried cereal, and fast food.

We also didn't have 72 hour kits prepared. Even though we didn't have to evacuate, it would have been nice to have these ready even when we decided to book a hotel at the last minute.

Since we feel there is no time like the present to start, we have since purchased a generator and are working on plans to start building our food storage and other emergency preparedness measures.

What have you done to prepare for emergencies? Do you have any food storage tips or other ideas for us as we get started?

Dinner in a Pumpkin

As you read in my previous posts, our Halloween was a little thrown off due to Hurricane Sandy. Fortunately, we were able to participate in our church's Trunk or Treat party the Friday before. I snapped this picture on my phone before we left the house that night.

Cinderella, a very healthy skeleton, and the Red Power Ranger

Sadly, this was the only picture I got of my kids in their costumes, but aren't they cute?

Last night I tried a new dinner idea, new to us anyway! One of my friends on facebook had mentioned making "dinner in a pumpkin." I thought that sounded interesting and googled it. I came across a five star rated recipe with common ingredients so decided to give a try. The original recipe was from allrecipes.com, titled Teri's Dinner in a Pumpkin Recipe, although I tweaked it for our tastes.

The result was a tasty casserole. The pumpkin was a little undercooked, so we didn't eat as much of it as I think we would have if it had been softer. But overall, it was a fun and yummy meal!

While cooking, the filling puffed up and pushed the lid of the pumpkin off!

Dinner in a Pumpkin
printable recipe
serves 4

1/2 lb ground beef
1/2 lb hot ground sausage
salt and pepper to taste
2 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice, divided
2 Tbsp brown sugar, divided
2 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup rice
1 medium sugar pumpkin
1 can cream of mushroom soup
1 can French-cut green beans
1 cup fresh sliced mushrooms (or a 4 oz can mushroom pieces and stems)

In a skillet, brown ground beef and sausage then drain. Add 1 Tbsp each of pumpkin pie spice and brown sugar, and the rice and chicken stock. Cover and cook at medium-low heat for about 20-25 minutes, or until rice is soft.

Preheat the oven to 400. Meanwhile, cut off the top of the pumpkin and save it. Remove the seeds and stringy pulp. Combine the rest of the sugar and pumpkin pie spice, and rub it into the sides and bottom of the inside of the pumpkin. 

Add mushroom soup, mushrooms, and green beans to meat and rice mixture and stir until well combined. Spoon into pumpkin. Place top on pumpkin and set on a baking sheet. Bake for 1 hour and 15-30 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender.

Serve hot with pieces of the pumpkin. Enjoy!      
    

Update

We have power! We are just thrilled to be back in our home with electricity running again (including heat).

I'm working hard to catch up on the dishes, laundry, and vacuuming that didn't happen all week. But I wanted to hop on to update everyone and also to let you know that I put some new family pictures up on the About page, so check them out!

Have a wonderful weekend everyone!

Powerless

I am typing this on my iPad at the beginning of day 5 without power due to the effects of Hurricane Sandy in our area. We feel very blessed to have suffered no injuries or damage to our belongings in the hurricane. Other than having no power, we are doing just fine.

Last night my patience was wearing thin and my attitude towards our situation was poor, so I decided to sit down this morning and write a little list of things I have been grateful for during this time. Our house is cold, the food in our fridge and freezer has long gone bad, and the laundry and dishes are piling up, but in the midst of it all have been tender mercies that have kept us warm and encouraged.

So in the spirit of Thanksgiving, which is rapidly approaching:

Today I'm thankful for

1) Our kind friends with power who have offered hot showers and the use of their washing machines and dryers!

2) The extra hotel points we were able to redeem to get a warm hotel room for a couple nights with power so that Jared was able to keep working. (Points are gone now and it's supposed to get below freezing tonight so hopefully we get power soon!!)

3) My sweet kids who have had great attitudes through it all and kept me smiling with their innocent questions and observations. Two of my favorites:

Hannah (trying to turn on a floor fan after power had been out for two days): "Uh-oh, this button is broken!"

Nathan: "Is my birthday before or after the lights turn back on?"

4) My wonderful husband who has continued to work, take care of us, and make sure that our friends and the people on his sales team are safe and have their needs met. Not to mention his tenderness in taking care of me last night when I smashed two fingers in our garage door while trying to close it manually (seriously, worst pain ever!)

5) The realization that I had on Wednesday night that all five of us were together in that little hotel room, safe and sound. And that was all that really mattered.

My prayers are with those who lost beloved family members due to the hurricane. May our God wrap His arms around them and comfort them with His love and tender mercies in this time.

Preparing for Cold and Flu Season

I will be teaching a new class online called Preparing for Cold and Flu Season tomorrow evening. Join me as we talk about how to build up your immune system and reduce how often you and your family get sick this year! Essential oils have done wonders for my kids' immune systems and I am excited to share what I have learned with you.

To listen to the class, simply go to www.anymeeting.com/kirkpatrick1 at 9 PM Eastern on Wednesday, October 10. You will be able to listen in and view my presentation. If you have questions as we go you can type them into the chat box.

5 Tips for New Runners

Earlier this year, once I was cleared for exercise after the birth of my third child, I started running for the first time. To my surprise I actually enjoyed it, once I got past the first few weeks of feeling like I was going to die. It felt good to get my blood pumping and endorphins flowing. Since then, I have run in a couple of 5K races and hope to run a half marathon next spring.

Me at my first 5K

While I am certainly no expert on running, I can't seem to do anything without researching it to death online, and running was no exception. So I learned quite a few good tips on starting out as a runner, and I would like to share those with you today.

5 Tips for New Runners:

1) Start Slow. The biggest problem that new runners have is pushing their bodies to run faster and further than they are ready for. If you are not in very good shape, start with a couch to 5K program. Remember that running can be hard on your body. If you are like I was and have never run before, you need to give your body time to adjust and strengthen itself for the particular pounding that running inflicts. If you push yourself too much, you will wind up injured.

A good rule of thumb is to only increase your distance run each week by 10%. Start out with 3 days a week of a half hour of walking/slow jogging. This will be about 6 miles total per week, give or take. Then gradually increase in increments of 10% each week, taking a cut-back week whenever your body starts to feel a little tired or run-down.

2) Get some good shoes. One of the great things about running is that you really only need one thing to get started: a good pair of running shoes. The best place to get these would be at a local running store where they can analyze your gait, but if you decide to get a pair of running shoes at the nearest sporting good chain, that's fine too for starting out! Just don't grab your 10 year old sneakers out from the back of your closet and expect your feet to be happy.

3) Stay Motivated. Running is hard work, but the rewards of a stronger body plus the lifted spirits that the endorphins bring after a hard workout is worth it! The first few weeks will most likely be agonizing, but as your body adjusts, it will get easier. I remember when I first started running outside, I would have to alternate walking and running up the final mile long hill to my house at the end of each run. It seemed impossible to make it up that hill running, but just a few weeks later as I RAN (okay, slowly jogged, but still) up the hill, tears filled my eyes. I could see how much I had improved through just a few short weeks of consistent work, and I felt a huge sense of accomplishment. Keeping a log is a great way to help you keep track of your progress, there are free programs online such as logyourrun.com that are very helpful.

There is all kinds of great motivation to be found online. Join a facebook group focused on fitness, or check out some running blogs. Here are a couple of my favorites:

Hanna at Bouffe e Bambini. This post is what inspired me to start running in the first place: I Have A Dream

Erin at See Mom Run Far: This mom of 12 kids (yes, 12!) is a marathon runner and training towards her goal of qualifying for the 2016 U.S. Olympic Marathon Trials! If she can do it, we all can!

4) Be Safe. If you're running outside, be cautious. Stay aware of your surroundings, don't assume that drivers see you, and wear reflective clothing if running in the early morning or evening. If you are listening to music, be sure that it isn't turned up so loud that you can't hear noises around you (perhaps run with only one earbud in). Female runners have become victims of assault, so try to vary your route and avoid remote areas. Don't be paranoid, but be smart!

5) Have Fun! If you're running on the treadmill, take the opportunity to catch up on your favorite shows. I use the time to watch recorded webinars on essential oils, so that I can gain knowledge to help others in my business while getting in shape. I feel like the ultimate multi-tasker when I do that!

Running outside is infinitely more fun that running on the treadmill however. If you are able to head outdoors, I highly recommend it. Take the time to be thankful for the beauty in nature, the fresh air, and the opportunity that you have to use your body in such an amazing way. When I was first starting out I would remind myself, "I get to do this, I don't have to do this, I get to do this!"

I hope these tips were helpful. Now go run and remember:

Heart to Heart

I wanted to take a few moments to thank the many people who responded to my series of posts on Baby Ray's Birth, both in comments on the blog and Facebook, as well as personal emails. My heart is full with the love that was shown to me, as well as the openness from those who shared their similar stories of heartache and insecurity. Thank you for the loving support you have shown to me!

This blog continues to morph from what it was started as: a meal planning and recipe blog. I think the changes are good, and I love being able to delve a bit deeper into what it means to be a mother. I want to be able to continue to share the recipes my family enjoys, and occasionally meal plans, but also blog about other issues, both from my personal life and more broader topics that affect us all.

I was considering a name change for my blog, but am not sure how best to go about this without completely confusing those who have been loyally following my blog here and on Facebook. So I think for the time being, I will stick to The Menu Mama.

In the upcoming weeks, I plan to blog on how to get started running, playful parenting tips to make mothering young children more joyful, and preparing for cold and flu season with essential oils, as well as a few recipes of course (probably fall-themed).

What are some topics you would like to see me blog about?
Do you have any thoughts on changing the blog name vs keeping it the same?