Generated by All in One SEO v4.9.9, this is an llms.txt file, used by LLMs to index the site. # Living Life in Rural Iowa Living the Simple Life While Preparing for Tomorrow ## Sitemaps - [XML Sitemap](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/sitemap.xml): Contains all public & indexable URLs for this website. ## Posts - [30+ Cookbooks and Manuals You Should Have on Your Reference Shelf for Your Homestead and Your Preps](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/06/30-cookbooks-and-manuals-you-should.html) - Cookbooks are invaluable. They teach us so much about cooking, baking, canning, butchering, and more. They give specific instructions on how to do anything with cooking and the kitchen. They can really help the experiences and the novice alike. While nothing really replaces the experience you get by doing and learning, having resources like cookbooks - [Ten Prepping Habits You Should Be Working On](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/09/ten-prepping-habits-you-should-be.html) - Habits can be good or bad. They can be a wonderful thing or a curse. However, I believe in having good habits as a prepper. We need to be diligent in our personal growth, as habits do this for us. Habits keep us accountable and help us to become better preppers. Some of these habits - [Is Your Home Ready For An Emergency? Four Things You Need To Do Now To Be Ready!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/04/is-your-home-ready-for-emergency-four.html) - Our home. We love coming home to it, resting in it, and just generally being home. Our homes are our safe places. Or are they? Getting our home ready for an emergency was not at the top of my to-do list. That was really bad of me, but I was more focused on other areas - [Why and How You Should Clean Out (And Organize) Your Food Storage](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/01/sunday-savings-on-homestead-week-1.html) - Food storage is our number-two way to be prepared for almost any crisis or situation that can arise in our lives. (Number one is water and water storage.) Our food storage can see us through lean times, no money times, power outages, and other crises. Simply put, we all need food storage. Now, let us - [The Decluttering Decision Tree: A Way For You To Conquer The Clutter](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/11/decluttering-decision-tree.html) - (Updated 5/12/2026) For years, I thought I had to keep everything because I might never know when the kids or I might need it. I had three girls and thought I needed to keep all their clothes for the next one. Never mind, they would also get new clothes for their birthday and Christmas from - [What I Do To Be Organized](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/08/what-i-do-to-be-organized.html) - I am not a naturally organized person. I don't carry around a planner because I forget to write things down in it or forget it altogether. I am a visual person and need to have my organization in front of my face or somewhere my eyes can see. I use these tools to see where - [How To Prepare For A Second Lockdown At Home](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/11/how-to-prepare-for-second-lockdown-at.html) - (Updated 5/4/2026. This was first posted in November 2020 during the worst of the pandemic. While that crisis is considered over, this information remains pertinent. Another pandemic will occur and be considerably worse than the one in 2020. Be prepared!) In the last week, the media has been reporting the certainty of another lockdown occurring - [10 Money Saving Tips for a Frugal Holidays!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/11/10-money-saving-tips-for-frugal-holidays.html) - Christmas time can just be a crazy time! So many people you want to give gifts to, so many things your kids want, and only so much money to spend in your wallet! What is a person supposed to do? I am here to help you! I use these tips to help me - [Frugal Tip Friday: Spend Time with Your Minions](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/04/frugal-tip-friday-spend-time-with-your.html) - Today's frugal tip is not so much frugal as it is just plain needed. Spend time with your minions, ummm...children! I call my kids minions from time to time because we love that movie, Despicable Me. And, sometimes, it fits. As they are growing up more and more, I have learned something. Spend time with - [Frugal Tip Friday: An Idea For Birthday Gifts](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/03/frugal-tip-friday-idea-for-birthday.html) - Ah, birthdays. The four times of the year I love and dread all at the same time. My babies are growing up and I love watching them grow and mature. I dread the birthday shopping. This last year, I started something new. Instead of a gift that could possibly end up in the giveaway box - [Frugal Tip Friday: Waste Not The Paper!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/03/frugal-tip-friday-waste-not-paper.html) - With all the decluttering I have done in the office and seems to never end in that room, I have come across an amazing amount of papers. School papers. Notices. Junk mail that I thought was not. Things that I printed out. The things these papers all have in common? Only one side is used! - [Frugal Tip Friday: Reuse The Wrap!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/02/frugal-tip-friday-reuse-wrap.html) - How many packages do you get? What do you do with all the packing materials that come with those packages? I hope you don't throw it away! I ship a lot of items from selling on Amazon and eBay. I am constantly looking for ways to reduce my costs without giving the appearance of being - [Top 10 Posts of 2013](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/01/top-10-posts-of-2013.html) - Every year, I like to share with you what may have drawn you to this blog of mine, or a post that you might have missed that was wildly popular. These, as do all of my posts, mean a lot to me and I am so happy to share what I have learned with you - [Monday's Frugal Update and Whatnot](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/01/mondays-frugal-update-and-whatnot.html) - I apologize for today's post; there might be some thought loss due to the big football game! I love football! I just wish Notre Dame would start playing well! *smile* This post has been neglected since before Christmas because if I had posted, I would have ruined a lot of Christmas presents! I also tried - [How Uncomfortable Can You Live To Save Money and Still Survive?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2021/11/how-uncomfortable-can-you-live-to-save.html) - Saving money seems to be the name of the game lately. With rising inflation, rising store costs, and a generally higher cost of living, people are looking for any way possible to cut corners and trim costs. The problem is that most people don't want to sacrifice any comforts to really save money when they - [Frugal Tip Friday](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/01/frugal-tip-friday.html) - I am going to start something new this year with this blog. I would like to give each day its own meaning and theme. I will keep the Monday Frugal Update and Whatnot, but every Friday, I am going to post a frugal tip for everyone and hopefully keep them a bit unique! This week's - [Frugal Tip Friday: Pasta Leftovers](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/02/frugal-tip-friday-pasta-leftovers.html) - This week's frugal tip is an offshoot of yesterday's post about Corn Casserole. In the tips and suggestions, I have listed one about using up the ends of pasta that are in boxes. I don't let these gems go to waste! This is still food and money spent. I have actually helped people clean out - [How to Prepare for Fuel Shortages](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2025/09/how-to-prepare-for-fuel-shortages.html) - In the 1970s, we were told that fossil fuels were not infinite and renewable. In the 1980s and 1990s, we were told that we would run out of fuel. That sent the climate changers and environmentalists into a new agenda. We would die off as a species if we didn't have fuel. We needed to - [10 Tips for People Who Want to be Prepared](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2026/02/10-tips-for-people-who-want-to-be-prepared.html) - With everything happening in the world, being prepared is not only prudent but also smart. You can choose to be afraid, but you will be safer, more secure, and better able to handle almost anything if you are prepared. I believe most people want to be prepared, but simply aren't sure how to do it themselves. I want to help you! - [Vital Records: The Most Important Documents](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2026/02/vital-records-the-most-important-documents.html) - Vital records are the documents that prove who you are as a citizen. You need them for many things, like proving who you are, voter registration, flying domestically and internationally, and entering federal facilities. You also need identification to visit someone in prison, enter nuclear facilities, and secure a job. - [10 Gardening Items You Need to Have](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2026/03/10-gardening-items-you-need-to-have.html) - Gardening is an essential skill. You need to know how to grow your own food. If times get hard, you can supplement your grocery bill by growing your own vegetables. You also get the satisfaction of knowing you grew something. (It's the best feeling ever!) - [50 Ways To Save Money This Summer](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2026/04/50-ways-to-save-money-this-summer.html) - Summer can be a spendy time of the year. Sure, you don't have the high heating bills that happen in the winter, but your other bills and expenses can take a jump! Whether you are spending more on gas and food or your water bill is going through the roof, you probably need to find ways to cut back and save money. - [10 Things You Should Always Have In Your Car](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/04/10-things-you-should-always-have-in.html) - That being said, there are certain things you should always have in your vehicle. Whether you are a prepper or not, you should always be prepared for emergencies with your vehicle. You could leave home and run into bad weather. You could be stuck on the side of the road with a broken-down car, or the weather is so bad you can't see. - [Vehicle Maintenance Guide: Simple Steps for Long-Lasting Performance](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2026/04/vehicle-maintenance-guide-simple-steps-for-long-lasting-performance.html) - Vehicle maintenance is very important to your vehicle's health and overall sustainability. The better you take care of your vehicles, the longer they last and the better they run, thus saving you money. With regular care and maintenance, your car can last you several years. - [Stuck In Your Vehicle During A Snowstorm? 13 Things You Need To Do To Survive!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/11/stuck-in-your-vehicle-during-snowstorm.html) - During a snowstorm, it is possible that you will be in a ditch or stuck on the road. You might hit an icy patch and slide into the ditch. You might hit a drift in the road and become stuck. You might have had some confidence you could make it home, but the snow is - [A Vehicle Emergency Kit That Anyone Can Put Together](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/06/what-do-you-carry-in-your-vehicle.html) - Updated 5/23/25 In my opinion, there are some things that everyone should do. One is being prepared for anything, no matter where you are. Where do you spend a good deal of time? For me, that time is spent in or near my vehicle.I like to carry certain items in my vehicles. Some are standard - [20 Must-Have Items For Vehicle Maintenance and Repairs](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/06/20-must-have-items-for-vehicle.html) - Learning how to maintain and perform simple repairs is a critical skill. Most people at this time do not know how to do this. Unless you take a high school shop class geared towards vehicle care and repair, it is not a skill that is taught. Fathers used to teach it to their sons and daughters so they would know what to do, but that is becoming a lost skill, too. - [50 Important Homesteading Skills and Tips (With Links)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/11/50-homesteading-skills-and-tips-to.html) - We all know that skills are critical to survival and more. As preppers, we know that skills will make or break us. As homesteaders, without skills, you will fail on your homestead. - [Home: The Last Prepping Frontier](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2022/02/home-last-prepping-frontier.html) - Home is your place. Your place of calm. Your place of refuge. Your place of sanity in an insane world. - [10 Reasons You Should Be Gardening](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/07/10-reasons-you-should-be-gardening.html) - There are many ways to garden. No matter which gardening method you choose, the results are the same. With a little hard work, weed control, and commitment, you will have produced your own food and gained a skill that, sadly, most people do not have. - [25 Ways To Save Money on Food and Groceries](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2021/02/25-ways-to-save-money-on-food-and.html) - Food can be one of the spendiest areas in your budget if you don't have a handle on your spending. While there are several reasons your money can just disappear at the grocery store, you are still ultimately in control of how it is being spent. - [5 Simple Ways To Save Money Daily](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2022/05/5-simple-ways-to-save-money-daily.html) - You can focus on your daily spending. Most of us probably think our spending game is on point, but we all have work to do in this area if we are honest. Most of these suggestions are simple and you may have heard them before. However, hearing them doesn't mean you are practicing them. - [25 Ways to Save Money by Extreme Living and Saving](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/08/start-saving-money-by-having-poverty.html) - In other words, you will need to practice a level of frugality that most of us don't want to think about. I call this poverty living. We are all living (or should be living) at a level of frugality that seems a little tight, but sometimes we need to get a lot tighter. - [A Disaster is Coming! A 20-Point Checklist to Get You Prepared for the Next Disaster!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/01/a-disaster-is-coming-20-point-checklist.html) - This checklist is to keep you on track and help you plan for getting ready. - [10 Ways to Combat Inflation at the Grocery Store](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2021/07/10-ways-to-combat-inflation-at-grocery.html) - If you have been shopping lately, you have probably noticed an uptick in prices. Grocery stores have been no exception to this. - [The Dirty Truth About How To Start Homesteading is available for sale!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2021/05/the-dirty-truth-about-how-to-start.html) - Have you wondered why you should start homesteading and become independent? I went on that journey myself over the last fourteen years and I have learned quite a few things. I put all those things together and wrote a book! - [How Do You Not Worry About Money? Simple, By Worrying About It.](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/04/how-do-you-not-worry-about-money-simple.html) - So now that you all know I am so far from perfect that only grace can save me, I will share the tips I use for myself to help keep your worries to a minimum. - [Want to Save Money on Groceries?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/04/want-to-save-money-on-groceries.html) - I have a few ways that I have dropped my grocery bill to what it is now and I would love to share those with you. - [Want to Save Money? Lose The Emails That Help You Part From Your Money!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/04/tuesday-savings-on-homestead-lose.html) - Quite honestly, this has been one of my biggest money-saving moves. - [Want to Save Money? Learn To Live With Less!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/04/want-to-save-money-learn-to-live-with.html) - Money is a necessary evil. We need it to pay bills, buy necessities, and put gas in the car. While we hear of people (and possibly know people) who might be able to live without money, it is nearly impossible to do so. - [12 Tips To Help You Get Started Living Self-Sufficiently](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2021/05/12-tips-to-help-you-get-started-living.html) - The self-sufficient life isn't for everyone, but everyone can do it. Unfortunately, with prices rising and items becoming unavailable, being self-sufficient may be the only option most people have to make ends meet. But, with a little creativity, you can be self-sufficient too. - [Think Long Term With Perennials When Planting Your Garden and Yard](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/05/think-long-term-with-perennials-when.html) - Gardening can be a lot of fun, especially when you start reaping the benefits from all that work. Some of the hardest work, but greatest reward when planting your garden is planting perennials. Perennials come in several forms, but what you are looking for are plants, bushes, and trees that will produce food every year. - [20 Things You Can Do On Your Spring Homestead](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/02/20-things-you-can-do-on-your-spring.html) - Spring! The promise of hope. The start of the growing season. The warmer temperatures and fickle weather. The possibilities of what can be done! - [10 Ways To Cope With Isolation, Quarantines, and Extended Power Outages](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/03/10-ways-to-cope-with-isolation.html) - When you are told that you cannot go anywhere for a week or longer, the first thing you may want to do is panic. (Unless you are a prepper and then you are ready for this!) However, panicking will not get you anywhere except to create more chaos and confusion. You need to be calm and focused. - [15 Things You Can Do To Prepare For Uncertain Times & An Uncertain Economy (Getting Ready For The Next Round)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/05/15-things-you-can-do-to-prepare-for.html) - (Updated 3/24/2026. Note from author: This was originally written in 2020. Even though we are not currently in a pandemic, we are facing much uncertainty in this world and from its leaders. The advice is still the same. You need to anticipate what is coming and be prepared for it.) Depending on what part of - [30 Ways To Deal With Stress in Real Life and in a Crisis](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/06/30-ways-to-deal-with-stress-in-real.html) - In a crisis or a situation, you will be under high levels of stress. It will be unavoidable. You will be worried about what will happen, what has happened, and how you will take care of it all. You need to find ways now to cope with stress so you can better manage it when a situation happens. - [How Well Do You Deal With Stress?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/09/how-well-do-you-deal-with-stress.html) - Updated 3/24/2026 Let me preface this by saying that I have had a week from hell this last week. I have been under a lot of stress in the last year or so, but this last week took the cake. Hopefully, tomorrow's blog post will give you more insight into what happened, how I handled - [Prepper's Survival Navigation Book Review](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/03/preppers-survival-navigation-book-review.html) - The Prepper's Survival Navigation: Find Your Way with Map and Compass as Well as Stars, Mountains, Rivers and Other Wilderness Signs by Walter Glen Martin is a great tool to explore the world around you. It is a resource book, a tool, and a great learning book for using maps, compasses, and other ways to find your way around. He also talks about wilderness survival while using these tools. - [We Are All Preppers, But Some of Us Don't Know It Yet](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/03/we-are-all-preppers-but-some-of-us-dont.html) - Prepping is what it is. Exactly what it is. Prepping is getting ready for the future. We are mentally, physically, and spiritually getting ready for something that is going to happen. Whether that "something" is in an hour, a day, a week, a year, or sometime in the future, we are getting ready for it. - [When Fear and Panic Sparks Last-Minute Prepping - How Do You Deal With That?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/03/when-fear-and-panic-sparks-last-minute.html) - What is completely baffling to me is the outright fear and panic buying among many people. The lack of foresight is already frustrating to someone who is a prepper. However, people who previously scoffed at preppers are rushing to stores and clearing shelves. At the same time, those same people are accusing preppers of being hoarders. We are witnessing some crazy times. - [10 Totally Free Prepping Things To Do](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/11/10-totally-free-prepping-things-to-do.html) - Updated 2/15/2026 I love prepping lists! I have many printed and filed in a binder for reference. I am motivated by them and find many ideas to get things done. I am sharing a list of ten free preparation tasks today. Some tasks will take only a few minutes, some will take a few hours, - [Preparedness on the Cheap: Evacuation Plans Part 2](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/04/preparedness-on-cheap-evacuation-plans.html) - Updated 2/15/2026 Now that you know where you are going, if and when you need to evacuate, plan what to take with you. Whether you keep a 72-hour kit, everyone has their own bag, or both, you need some essentials with you. I am choosing to have a 72-hour kit, and everyone will have their - [Preparedness on the Cheap: Evacuation Plans Part 1](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/03/preparedness-on-cheap-evacuation-plans-2.html) - Updated 2/15/2026 (Preparedness on the Cheap is a series of articles for the prepper and everyone else who doesn't have a lot of money, but needs to take steps to be prepared. A good deal of prepping is learning, planning, and organizing. Prepping doesn't have to cost a lot of money, but does involve a - [Water is Vital to Your Survival! What is Your Plan?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/09/water-is-vital-to-your-survival-what-is.html) - Updated: 2/15/2026 We can't live without water! Whether we drink, brush our teeth, shower, cook, clean, or provide water to growing things, we can't live without it. An average person cannot live for more than three days without water. Water is critical to your survival needs. Unfortunately, most people do not prioritize water in their - [Everyday Carry (EDC) Bag: Everyone Should Have One!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/12/everyday-carry-edc-bag-everyone-should.html) - Everyday Carry (EDC) Bags are one of the most important items that a prepared person should have with them. They carry the most immediate things you need for an emergency as well as daily life things. EDC bags are not bug-out bags or get-home bags. They are the bags you carry with you everywhere. You - [10 Ways To Enjoy A Frugal Halloween](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/10/10-ways-to-enjoy-frugal-halloween.html) - Hallowe'en is so much fun! I love seeing all the kiddos dressed up in costumes, pumpkin carving, pumpkin-flavored everything, and the creativity that comes with it all. I think I even like Hallowe'en a little more than Christmas, but that may be because I don't want all the commercialism that goes with Christmas! Hallowe'en - [How to Prepare With Propane](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/07/is-propane-and-other-fuels-good-idea.html) - Updated 9/18/25 Many preppers have some fuel as part of their short-term and long-term preps. For many short-term situations and crises, fuel can be a valuable addition to your preps. A fuel like propane can last longer than other refined fuels due to its nature of being used as a vapor in some applications and - [Stockpiling Fuels: The Right and Wrong Way To Do It](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2021/05/stockpiling-fuels-right-and-wrong-way.html) - Updated 9/18/25 Gas shortages are going to happen. What happened with the Colonial Pipeline was nothing new. There have been shortages since the 1970s in some way, shape, or form. In addition, natural disasters have delayed shipments for a week or longer. However, people panic very quickly now and exhibit very little good sense in - [Do You Really Think You Need That?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2025/08/do-you-really-think-you-need-that.html) - As someone who just moved and had to reduce her belongings drastically, the question asked hundreds of times a day was, "Am I going to use this?" The second question was "Will I need this?" Many things went down the road because of those two questions. Many things are still being decluttered because of those - [15 Cheap Foods to Stockpile in Your Pantry](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2025/08/15-cheap-foods-to-stockpile-in-your-pantry.html) - Food is not exactly cheap anymore and it's getting harder to find a good deal. Prices have increased on many goods, but there are still some good deals to be found. In your food shopping, you need to think outside the box whenever possible. Dollar stores are a great place to purchase cheaper food, but - [Make Your Homemade Chicken Stock From Scratch](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/04/making-chicken-stock.html) - Updated 8/14/2025 In our quest to become healthier, be frugal, and self-sufficient, we have been making our chicken stock from scratch. It's an easy way to stock your shelves with a cooking liquid. I have been using my homemade variety for a little over a year now and I love it! I can my chicken - [Having a Reference Library May Save Your Life](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2025/06/having-a-reference-library-may-save-your-life.html) - The internet isn't working. No matter what you try to do or restart, you can not access your saved documents in the cloud or the file-sharing apps. You need that document on how to treat bumblefoot in your chickens and the other one on preserving pickles. You can't remember how much bleach to add to - [10 Ways To Become Less Dependent on the System](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2025/05/10-ways-to-become-less-dependent-on-the-system.html) - With everything we could want at our fingertips, why would we want to be less dependent on the global supply chain? Why would you bother when you have companies selling cheap goods that can be at your home in a matter of a few days, if not hours? The world is moving at a crazy - [10 Prepping Activities To Do With Your Kids This Summer!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/05/10-prepping-activities-to-do-with-your.html) - Updated 5/23/25 Summer is coming! The kids will be out of school very soon and need ideas to keep them out of trouble and off your nerves. Teaching kids to prep should be at the top of your list of things for them to do. We put a lot of emphasis on adults knowing how - [20 Things To Do NOW to Prepare for Grid Down and Infrastructure Attacks](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2025/05/20-things-to-do-now-to-prepare-for-grid-down-and-infrastructure-attacks.html) - With our advanced technology, we have made ourselves vulnerable to attacks on our country's infrastructure. Other countries and hackers have threatened us with cyberattacks for the last couple of decades, and we have been making enemies with powerful countries. We have entities in our country who want to cause trouble. We have already experienced cyberattacks - [Can You Stop Someone From Looting Your Home?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/09/can-you-stop-someone-from-looting-your.html) - Updated 5/18/2025Inevitably, after every national disaster, riot, or crisis, we hear about looting. People without morals will steal other people's things for their own gain and profit. They will steal anything that looks valuable. They will steal from stores, storage areas, and homes. The looters will probably be in groups and, more than likely, armed. - [20 Books To Give Your Favorite Preppers (and Non-Preppers) For The Holidays!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/11/20-books-to-give-your-favorite-preppers.html) - Update 5/18/2025 Books are among my favorite gifts to give and receive for any holiday or birthday! Almost everyone reads books. Beyond that, reading increases knowledge, brings pleasure, and is generally a good way to relax. These are my favorite prepping fiction and nonfiction books to read and to give. You can give most of - [9 Ways You Can Light Up Your Home When The Power Is Out](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/12/9-ways-you-can-light-up-your-home-when.html) - Updated 5/17/2025 The power has gone out! Now what? The power going out can be scary and discomforting, especially if you have kids. You need to have some ways to light up whatever you are doing. You need to provide some light to comfort you and make the time go by faster. Some lights have - [Three Prong Approach to Food Storage: How to Make Sure You Are Covered For All Situations](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2021/12/three-prong-approach-to-food-storage.html) - Updated 5/17/2025 When you first start preparing, food storage is usually your starting point. Depending on your preparation, you gear your food storage towards that direction. What if I told you you could have your food storage covered in just about any situation? I believe in the three-prong approach to food storage: Quick, easy foods - [How To Incorporate Meal Planning Into Your Food Storage (Free Meal Planning Printable Included!)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/10/how-to-incorporate-meal-planning-into.html) - Updated 5/17/2025 When you first start prepping, one of the first things that most new preppers tackle is their food storage. Whether you start out buying a lot of food at once, add a little bit at a time, and/or preserve everything you can, you stockpile food. While that is a good thing to do, - [Chicken Keeping for Beginners: The Baby Chick Special](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2025/05/chicken-keeping-for-beginners-the-baby-chick-special.html) - Starting your flock is a very special thing. You are taking a big step to being less dependent on the system! While raising chickens may feel intimidating, you will be a pro in no time. Most chicken owners start with baby chicks. All baby chicks are cute, making your decisions harder on what to buy - [Chicken Keeping for Beginners: Coop Basics](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2025/02/chicken-keeping-for-beginners-coop-basics.html) - Chickens are usually the gateway drug for people wanting to be a little less dependent on the system. Chickens are generally low maintenance and easy for people new to small livestock. Considering the fluctuating prices of eggs, keeping chickens makes sense for a constant egg supply. When I started keeping chickens for eggs ten-plus years - [Why You Need to Grow Food One Year and Preserve Food for Two Years](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2022/01/why-you-need-to-grow-food-one-year-and.html) - Gardening can be fickle sometimes. One year you can grow enough for seven families and the following year, you barely have enough for your own family. Many factors can play into this like weather, watering, and neglect. Some years you will have the perfect growing conditions and plenty of time to weed, water, and tend - [Lessons Learned From Hurricane Helene: You Can't Be Too Prepared and You Can't Be Prepared For Everything](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2024/10/lessons-learned-from-hurricane-helene-you-cant-be-too-prepared-and-you-cant-be-prepared-for-everything.html) - Hurricane Helene was as dangerous as the experts predicted it would be. Some reports say it was worse than forecasted, with storm surges higher than average and reaching people who usually do not have issues with storm surges, just minor flooding. What made this hurricane stand out was the destruction and chaos that occurred in - [21 Pieces of Advice for My Adult Kids](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2024/06/21-pieces-of-advice-for-my-adult-kids.html) - Dear Kiddos, I know you all know that I am a fountain of advice and knowledge. Otherwise, you wouldn't call home and ask me things. However, I thought about all the things I have experienced and the mistakes I have made in life. I have done things the right way and definitely the wrong way. - [What Happens When You Can't Make Ends Meet?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2024/05/what-happens-when-you-cant-make-ends-meet.html) - I have been in this position. It's tough—more than tough—it's soul-crushing. When you think you might have a plan, another bill comes in or another expense happens. Unfortunately, this economy is not improving, and more people are finding themselves unable to pay their bills. Having been deeply in debt and beyond broke, I have some - [10 Tips That Could Improve Your Odds of Survival and Save Your Life](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2024/02/10-tips-that-could-improve-your-odds-of-survival-and-save-your-life.html) - In today's society, you can not be too careful. You never know what could happen to you. While we like to think that bad things would never happen to us, that is certainly not the case for many people. Some situations could have been avoided with a little foresight and preparation. Some situations would never - [In Order To Be A Better Prepper, You Must Do Hard Things](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/01/in-order-to-be-better-prepper-you-must.html) - Many people think prepping can be easy and it can be easy. It really can. Getting together the supplies, practicing and learning skills, and reading prepping material is easy and also very necessary to do. Many of us preparedness-minded bloggers and writers advocate how easy prepping is so that we can get everyone to prepare. - [We Are Nine Meals From Anarchy](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/12/we-are-nine-meals-from-anarchy.html) - The phrase "There are only nine meals between mankind and anarchy" was stated by Alfred Henry Lewis in 1906. He was an investigative journalist, editor, and lawyer who wrote for the Chicago Times-Herald. In 1906, the supply lines for food distribution were different than today, but the sentiment is the same. Until yesterday, I had - [Laziness Will Kill You (Literally and Figuratively)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/01/laziness-will-kill-you-literally-and.html) - (Writer's note: I'm talking to me as well as all of you. I realized about four months ago I had a serious problem with laziness. I wouldn't call myself lazy, but it was easier to be lazy than to admit that I had a problem with my phone. I have been making small changes since then to - [So This Is Christmas...](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2023/12/so-this-is-christmas.html) - This is some prepper fiction that I have had written in my head for some time. The title comes from a John Lennon song that likes to run through my head this time of year. I like to run various scenarios to see how they would play out. This version is more hopeful than I - [50 Holiday Stocking Ideas For Preppers (and Non-Preppers)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2023/12/50-holiday-stocking-ideas-for-preppers-and-non-preppers.html) - The holidays can be a fun time to give and receive presents. Many people like to fill stockings for their loved ones. That can be challenging, especially if you are filling stockings for adults. I like to fill stockings with food like candy or something interesting that I found at the store. I also like - [Are We Facing Another Great Depression?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2023/12/are-we-facing-another-great-depression.html) - I have written a lot of articles over the years about saving money, frugality, and generally living as a tightwad. I have even touched on the history of the Great Depression and the subsequent World War II. I studied those two areas in particular because I knew history was doomed to repeat itself. Are we - [Shop Small Businesses This Holidays!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/11/shop-small-businesses-this-holidays.html) - The day after Black Friday is Small Business Saturday. Why do corporate businesses come before small businesses? Because they have the money for advertising and mind control. They have bigger budgets, more staff, and more time to infiltrate your consciousness and convince you to spend your hard-earned money on them. However, small businesses should be - [What Does Your Prepper Want For Christmas? This Prepper's Top 10 Christmas Wishlist!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/11/what-does-your-prepper-want-for.html) - Christmas is a hard time for me. People ask me what I want for Christmas and I have a tough time telling them what I want! Of course, I have an Amazon wishlist and a mental wishlist. However, I still am not sure what to tell my loved ones what I want. Then there is - [Ten Ideas For Christmas Shopping With A Self-Reliant Prepper Perspective](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/11/ten-ideas-for-christmas-shopping-with.html) - Christmas is coming around the corner. To say that I find Christmas shopping painful would be an understatement. However, I have a few tips and tricks to buy presents that fit into my values and beliefs without sacrificing my pocketbook. I have a budget for everyone on my list and they are well aware of - [30 Pantry Staples I Must Have In My Food Storage](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2023/11/30-pantry-staples-i-must-have-in-my-food-storage.html) - Food storage can be daunting and takes time to figure out what you need to have in your stockpile. While I believe you should have the basics, your food storage should be personalized. Often we see lists on the internet telling us to stock up on this or that. I know because I have written - [20 Common Sense Things You Can Do TODAY To Prepare For Tomorrow](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/11/20-common-sense-things-you-can-do-today.html) - Every day, we all just live to get through the day. Some of us think about tomorrow. Some of us think about "what if?" Some of us are so worried about tomorrow that we forget to live today. No matter what, we should all live for today while thinking about how to make tomorrow easier. - [Decide, Plan, Prepare: How To Start Getting Prepared Practically](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2021/11/decide-plan-prepare-how-to-start.html) - We all have this idea prepping can just be done in any way possible. We try to do many things and quickly realize we might not have a direction or a plan to help guide us. In the beginning, many people just started prepping without rhyme or reason. All they know is that they need - [How and Why You Should Be Stocking Up on Baking Supplies This Holiday Season](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2021/11/how-and-why-you-should-be-stocking-up.html) - The holiday season can be a dream season for the prepper. The sales are usually pretty good during this time which makes it an excellent time to stockpile. This becomes especially true for baking supplies. One of the keys to stockpiling for your food storage is to use the sales to your advantage. During the - [Do Not Put All Your Eggs In One Food Storage Basket!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/10/do-not-put-all-your-eggs-in-one-food.html) - When talking to people about food storage, most people are believers in using multiple methods to build up food storage as well as having a variety of foods in their food storage. However, increasingly I have been coming across people who only have one or two things they are stocking up on, one method, or - [10 More Preparedness Items You Should Be Buying Every Month](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/10/10-more-preparedness-items-you-should.html) - In 10 Preparedness Items You Should Be Buying Every Month, I focused on items you needed to have on hand now just in case something happened. It is a pretty great list and I was very happy with the list. However, you all had some great suggestions in the comments about what else you felt - [16 Ways To Stay Warm This Winter & Not Have To Crank Up The Thermostat](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/10/16-ways-to-stay-warm-this-winter-not.html) - Winter is barreling down the tracks as we speak! Since it always promises to be a cold winter here in the Midwest, I thought I would share some tips and tricks to stay warm this winter and not have to crank up that thermostat! Saving money is more important than ever now so if you - [How To Can Chicken (and Save Money!)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2023/08/how-to-can-chicken-and-save-money.html) - Once upon a time when groceries were much cheaper, canned meats were an inexpensive way of adding proteins to your food storage. Nowadays, not so much. Canning your own chicken can save you money. You can take advantage of good meat sales and have another option besides freezing or smoking the meat for preservation. Having - [Coming To My House When SHTF Happens? We Need To Talk...](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/10/coming-to-my-house-when-shtf-happens-we.html) - We occasionally have people say that they are coming to my house when stuff hits the fan or in a TEOTWAWKI situation. While that may sound like a good idea to them, we may have different philosophies about good ideas. When people tell us are coming to our place, I pause a bit. Some people - [10 Non-Perishable Food Preps You Should Be Buying Every Month](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/09/10-non-perishable-food-preps-you-should.html) - New preppers wonder what they should be buying for their preps every month. More experienced preppers wonder what holes they should be plugging in their food storage to be better prepared. We all know we should constantly add and rotate our food storage every month to have a good supply. Since I wrote the 10 - [Why and How You Should Be Stockpiling Clothes](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2021/08/why-and-how-you-should-be-stockpiling.html) - In any kind of SHTF situation, clothes are important. You may only need a few sets of clothing just to survive. However, in an economic downturn or inflation economy, you might want to think about clothing in a different way. Stocking up on clothing will be important, especially if you are unsure if money will - [Five Ways To Teach Your Kids Situational Awareness](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/06/five-ways-to-teach-your-kids.html) - Kids are naturally observant and often notice things we would not expect them to or want them to notice. They often say what is on their minds and ask questions we would never have thought to ask. You can take advantage of this for their safety. When kids are young is a perfect time to - [12 Safety Tips For College Students](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/07/12-safety-tips-for-college-students.html) - (Update August 2023. This was written in 2015. I am now sending my fourth and youngest kid to college. We have learned many things over the last ten years of kids going to college. These tips have proven invaluable for my kids in college. Your kids need to know these things and practice good situational - [Why and How You Should Use Back-to-School Sales To Get Prepared and Stockpiled](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2021/08/why-and-how-you-should-use-back-to.html) - Back-to-school sales in August are some of the best sales all year to get prepared. The variety of things for sale and the low prices can be a budget-friendly way to get your home prepared for whatever could come in the next year. You don't usually see sales like this any other time of the - [The Prepper's Yearbook is available for sale!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/08/the-preppers-yearbook-is-available-for.html) - (Updated 4/16/2023 with new links) The Prepper's Yearbook is available for sale! This is a dream for me as it is the first book I have ever written! I wanted to make prepping as simple as possible for you! As the title suggests, this book will give you five tasks every month to help you - [What Causes Food Supply Shortages and What Can You Do About It?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2021/04/what-causes-food-supply-shortages-and.html) - There is this idea that most of our global systems are infallible. Because we have always had food at our disposal, we don't like to think that our food systems will collapse. However, food supply systems rely on a few factors to keep moving. Transportation is the most important factor in keeping a food supply - [8 Ways To Make Over Your Food Storage - The Need To Improve Your Food Storage](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2023/04/8-ways-to-make-over-your-food-storage-the-need-to-improve-your-food-storage.html) - Did you just wake up one day and realize that a system that you have relied on for years is no longer working for you? I did. I had a lot of food in my food storage that I have termed as "cheap, easy, survival food". I am not talking about MREs. I am talking - [50 Ways You Are Not Being Frugal](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/03/50-ways-you-are-not-being-frugal.html) - Being frugal is not hard, but many people make mistakes in their frugal journey in life. Saving money, making smart decisions, choosing used over new, choosing quality over cheap, and being conscious of where your money goes is time-consuming and somewhat exhausting.However, most people believe they are being frugal without even realizing that they aren't - [Yes, You Can Live Without A Clothes Dryer!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/02/yes-you-can-live-without-clothes-dryer.html) - There are some modern conveniences I would not want to live without: running water and a washing machine for starters. There are some modern conveniences that are not really necessary, but they make life easier. I lived without a microwave for over four months until someone took mercy on my children and bought one. I - [Procrastination Is A Prepper's Biggest Enemy! Here Is What You Can Do About It!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/02/is-procrastination-preppers-biggest.html) - Procrastination is basically the act of putting off doing things when they could be done now. I used to be a top-notch procrastinator until I realized it was a huge deterrent in my life. It was starting to cause a lot of problems. I believed that if I wasn't getting things done, there must be - [The 12 Hand Tools You Need To Have In Your Tool Box](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/03/the-top-12-hand-tools-you-need-to-have.html) - Everyone should have a good selection of tools on hand to be able to fix almost anything. Whether you are a prepper or a homesteader, you will rely on these tools to build and fix most things. If you are into frugal living, you want these tools to help you extend the life of your - [16 Ways To Not Waste Food (and Use Up The Leftovers)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/01/16-ways-to-not-waste-food-and-use-up.html) - One of the biggest problems facing the world today is food. Particularly how much food is wasted when there are so many people who would be happy to eat it. Grocery stores throw out perfectly good food every day and lock it into dumpsters. Restaurants scape tons of food into the trash every day because - [Nine Ways to Beat The Food Rationing System When It Happens Again](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/03/nine-ways-to-beat-food-rationing-system.html) - Right now, food seems to be plentiful in America. There is plenty of it in the stores and you hear stories of how much food is wasted in restaurants and grocery stores. However, there are some factors that could lead us to a rationing system in a hurry if something happened. Those things do not - [When Daily Life (and Life in General) Seems More Important Than Prepping](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/03/when-daily-life-and-life-in-general.html) - Let us sit down and have a chat. Just you all and me. This is a conversation long in coming but needs to be had. Grab your beverage of choice, sit back, and relax.How has life been lately? Crazy? Busy? Too much to do, not enough time? Can't keep up with the kids, the house, - [Soap is the Prep You Should Never Be Without](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/03/soap-is-prep-you-should-never-be-without.html) - Soap is a necessary and good thing to have in your preps and stockpiles. You need it to stay clean, hygienic, and safe to be around. Soap gets rid of germs, body odor, and more. You keep your clothes clean, dishes clean, and sanitize counters, floors, and more with it. Soap can mean the difference between - [10 Best Foods to Keep in Your Emergency Bags](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2023/02/10-best-foods-to-keep-in-your-emergency-bags.html) - One of the basic tenets of emergency preparedness is to have water and food or a way to procure water and food. I am of the opinion that you should have both with you at all times. Water is easy to keep with you. You can either carry a water bottle (or several), keep a - [12 Steps To Take To Deal With (or Prepared For) Any Financial Emergency](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/12/12-steps-to-take-to-deal-with-or.html) - Okay, you have a financial emergency happening. You may have lost your job or half your income. You may be working fewer hours at home. You may have overspent on the holidays. You may not be able to pay your bills. You may be facing a repossession or a foreclosure. You may be facing a - [12 Reasons Why You Should Be Thrift Shopping!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/12/12-reasons-why-you-should-be-thrift.html) - Long before thrift shopping was cool, I was doing it to stretch my budget and because I just couldn't afford new things. In fact, my parents did the same thing! I grew up on hand-me-downs until I outgrew my cousin's clothes. Almost all my books came from used bookstores and the library. We went to - [My 10 Favorite Frugal Living/Financial Books To Read and To Give](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/12/my-10-favorite-frugal-livingfinancial.html) - Finances are a hot topic any day. We are all looking for ways to save money and ways to better spend our money. With daily and monthly expenses threatening to overwhelm us, who wouldn't be interested in how to make our dollars go further? Financial preparedness is just as important as emergency preparedness. We need - [Start Your Spring Garden Now by Planting Garlic, Onions, and Shallots](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2022/10/start-your-spring-garden-now-by-planting-garlic-onions-and-shallots.html) - Being mostly self-sufficient, I like to think ahead about where my food will come from. For many people (me included), that means food storage and preservation. I also think about my gardening and what I could do now to have food later. Planting garlic is generally accepted by most gardeners to plant in the fall. - [12 Canning Supplies You Should Be Stocking Up On All Year Round](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/09/12-canning-supplies-you-should-be.html) - Food shortages (or the threat thereof) have driven more people to grow and preserve their own food. This trend has caused shortages of many canning supplies and ingredients that we have always had good luck finding in the stores. If this year has proven anything, it has proven that people who stockpile goods are not - [National Preparedness Month: Getting Ready for the Future By Covering the Basics](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2022/09/national-preparedness-month-getting-ready-for-the-future-by-covering-the-basics.html) - National Preparedness Month is upon us. I love that a month is devoted to helping people prepare for natural disasters and more. As a prepper, I really want other people to be prepared so I do not have to worry about them. I want to encourage everyone to have a plan and supplies in place - [How To Can Fresh Peaches](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2022/08/how-to-can-fresh-peaches.html) - Fresh peaches are truly a summer delight! I usually buy a few bushels for eating, baking, and preserving throughout the summer. One of my favorite ways to preserve peaches for eating later is to can them. Canning peaches is pretty straightforward. You can use your water bath canner which makes the process easier. Supplies: PeachesWater - [10 Ways to Battle The Biting Insects and Mosquitoes No Matter Where You Live](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/07/10-ways-to-battle-biting-insects-and.html) - Insects can be so beneficial and so annoying. They can help with insect control and eat mites. They can also bite you in places you never thought they could get to. Where I live we deal with the biting flies, the no see ums (sandflies), and mosquitoes. Usually, we need to have unusually wet weather to see - [Scarcity Mindset and Hoarding: Two Trauma Responses That Can Derail Your Prepping](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2022/07/scarcity-mindset-and-hoarding-two-trauma-responses-that-can-derail-your-prepping.html) - Do you know someone who has many things in their house that they don't need but may need 'someday'. They purchase items they will never eat or use, but they would rather have them than be without them. They believe having rooms stuffed with things would help them get through the next Great Depression. These - [Prepper Update: Where I Am Now and What I Am Thinking (May/June 2022)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2022/07/prepper-update-where-i-am-now-and-what-i-am-thinking-may-june-2022.html) - Hello? Is this thing on? Anyone there? Okay, maybe it's not that bad. I have essentially been MIA for the last two months on this blog and almost everywhere else on social media. I could say that life is too busy, but the truth is that I have too much to do most days and - [How To Prepare For Rolling Blackouts and Power Outages](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2022/06/how-to-prepare-for-rolling-blackouts-and-power-outages.html) - Power Outages happen from time to time due to weather events or issues with the electrical grid. We have all experienced them once in a while. Rolling blackouts have been a relatively new event in the last twenty years. Residents of California have experienced them consistently for at least two years of the writing of - [16 Reusable Practical Items You Should Always Have In Your Home and In Your Preps](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/05/16-reusable-practical-items-you-should.html) - Being a prepper and being way more interested in self-reliance, I have become a lot more interested in items that can be reused time and time again. I would not have bought most of these things fifteen years ago, but now? I couldn't imagine life without them.These things I think are important for home and - [Prepper Update: Where I Am Now and What I Am Thinking (April 2022)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2022/05/prepper-update-where-i-am-now-and-what-i-am-thinking-april-2022.html) - April seemed a busy month even though I felt like we were home more and not running to appointments, school events, etc. I'm not sure if I did a whole lot of prepping because I was focused on some other things like making money and keeping living things alive. We got baby chicks on April - [7 Reasons To Stockpile Oats for Food Storage](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2022/04/7-reasons-to-stockpile-oats-for-food-storage.html) - If someone asked me about the core foods I store for my food storage, oats would be in the top ten. I like to store them in various forms to have more versatility, but that is certainly not a necessity for everyone. I want to keep my options open in my food storage which means - [How To Deal With Prepper Overwhelm](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2022/04/how-to-deal-with-prepper-overwhelm.html) - Prepping is a great way to deal with fear and anxiety. You prepare to keep the future looking rosy. You can be ready to go when emergencies happen. You can be ready to ride out financial situations. Prepping has many benefits that can be a game-changer for anyone's life. However, you can get overwhelmed with - [Prepper Update: Where I Am Now and What I Am Thinking (March/April 2022)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2022/04/prepper-update-where-i-am-now-and-what-i-am-thinking-march-april-2022.html) - Wow. A lot has happened since I last wrote you for the monthly update. This website is one of the things that has changed. In mid-March, I moved my blog from Blogger to WordPress which is already better. I also had to get hosting for the blog since I left Blogger which Google hosts. Call - [What This Prepper Buys: The Dollar Tree Food Storage Edition!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2021/08/what-this-prepper-buys-dollar-tree-food.html) - After nearly a year since the last "What This Prepper Buys" article, I am back. I wasn't doing anything crazy or fantastic in prepping, so I didn't know where to go with the next article in this series. However, an acquaintance of mine said something that struck me. They asked how to get started with - [20 Ways To Reuse and Repurpose Old Clothing and Towels Into Something Useful and Practical](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2021/09/20-ways-to-reuse-and-repurpose-old.html) - Being frugal souls, throwing away something that you can reuse again practically seems like a waste. However, sometimes those old clothes are worn so much that they cannot be passed down or donated to the thrift store. What are you to do then?In the spirit of "use it up, wear it out, make it do - [35 Things You Need To Be Prepared For Winter](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2021/12/35-things-you-need-to-be-prepared-for.html) - Winter is upon us again in the Midwest. We just had our first snowstorm that lasted about 18 hours. However, many things can happen in 18 hours to make winter more dangerous and deadly if you are not prepared. One of the most common things that people prepare for in the winter at home is power - [The Pantry Challenge Reimagined: Taking Some Time To Clean Up and Eat Up Your Food Storage](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2021/12/the-pantry-challenge-reimagined-taking.html) - January is an excellent month to do many things. Many people view the start of the year as a way to start over. I view January as a way to take stock of my life and see where I need to improve. I also find that January is an excellent month to tackle your food - [Prepper Update: Where I Am Now and What I Am Thinking (January 2022)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2022/01/prepper-update-where-i-am-now-and-what.html) - Being a prepper in this day and age is very different from when I first started. The circumstances, the reasons, and the needs have changed in big and small ways. Things that I only thought were small chances of happening are now happening. Things that I thought would happen have not and will not.First of - [Stockpiling and Preparing When You Are Lactose Intolerant](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2022/02/stockpiling-and-preparing-when-you-are.html) - Lactose intolerance is a fairly common food intolerance that affects many people. You can be severely or mildly intolerant. Lactose is a sugar in milk that requires an enzyme in the stomach to break it down. Not everyone who is lactose intolerant has the same symptoms, but all of them lack the ability to break - [10 Ways To Prepare For An Economic Downturn (or Financial Collapse)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2022/02/10-ways-to-prepare-for-economic.html) - The world is going crazy, y'all.That is the long and short of it. History has shown us good and bad times. It has given us clues about what happens when the world is about to do a 180 and I think the indications are here now. If you don't see the signs of something happening - [Prepper Update: Where I Am Now and What I Am Thinking (February 2022)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2022/02/prepper-update-where-i-am-now-and-what.html) - Has the world ended yet? No. Are some foolish decisions being made by those in power? Yes. As of right now, war is a definite possibility. Supply disruptions, embargos, and more will be a definite problem. That alone is causing me to rethink my prepping strategies a bit. I start thinking I need to do all the - [When Personal OPSEC Interferes With Talking About Prepping](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2021/08/when-personal-opsec-interferes-with.html) - This world has certainly thrown us some curveballs in the last couple of years. Pandemic, contentious elections, power-hungry elected leaders, meddling global elites, failed military operations, shutdowns, lockdowns, inflation, and more have caused their own kind of chaos that has rarely been seen before. At least, not usually at the same time.I have been a - [We Built A New Chicken Coop: The Why, How, and What We Changed To Keep It Secure and Multipurpose](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2021/07/we-built-new-chicken-coop-why-how-and.html) - From 2014 - 2017, I had my chicken coop in a room in my barn. This worked out great for several reasons: proximity to the house, a ready-made room that was closed off from the rest of the barn, and low cost. I used free and reclaimed materials to build nesting boxes, roosting bars, and - [How Can You Financially Prepare For The Next Collapse?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2021/06/how-can-you-financially-prepare-for.html) - The next collapse is potentially coming. A government cannot keep printing money while keeping the interest rates low and still expect to fight off inflation. What is happening now is called Modern Monetary Theory and I encourage you to read the linked article. As long as we continue to support the government with our taxes - [Laundry: What Should You Store and What Do You Need To Consider?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2021/06/laundry-what-should-you-store-and-what.html) - Laundry is one of those tasks that are inevitable. At some point, you will need to wash your clothes. No matter the situation, life is a bit more bearable with clean underwear and socks. While there are some arguments over how often you need to wash clothes, at some point, you will need to wash clothes. - [Choices](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2021/05/choices.html) - You make choices every day. It has been guessed that an average person will make 2500-3200 choices in a single day. That seems like a lot. However, it makes sense. You are consciously and unconsciously making choices every minute of your day. Even if you don't believe so, you are still making choices. Even though you - [How long could you stay at home without leaving for anything?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2021/04/how-long-could-you-stay-at-home-without.html) - A somewhat hypothetical situation has always been in the back of my mind when prepping. However, this hypothetical situation is not becoming so hypothetical anymore. With past and pending shortages on everything from food to vehicle parts plus unfolding global events, this situation bears much consideration for anyone who needs to consider being prepared at - [12 Areas You Need To Address Whether You Are Prepared Or Not](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2021/02/12-areas-you-need-to-address-whether.html) - For those of you who get my emails, you know I focus more on preparedness than any other subject. While I believe strongly in the other topics I write about, preparedness is where my heart is at home. I still strongly believe in self-sufficiency. I believe that personal responsibility and taking care of yourself is - [Winter Preparedness: Getting Ready For Snowstorms and Blizzards](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2021/01/winter-preparedness-getting-ready-for.html) - I have lived in the Midwest all my life. Snow, snowstorms, ice storms, and blizzards are just a part of life. In fact, you can get a bit immune to them. You know almost exactly when the school is going to let out early or call it for the day. With the great advances in - [How to Work From Home During A Lockdown](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2021/01/how-to-work-from-home-during-lockdown.html) - When the coronavirus pandemic happened, one of the things people were not prepared for was to work from home. A fair amount of people did end up working from home. Many people are still working from home and companies are finding out this is a better solution for everyone. This is one area of preparedness - [New Year and New Challenges: Changing Your Perspective Changes Your Options](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2021/01/new-year-and-new-challenges-changing.html) - One topic that keeps coming up on social media right now is that 2020 was the worst year and that 2021 has to be better. You also see memes and pictures that say that we need to go into 2021 quietly so it isn't a bad year. This year has been different. As much as I - [Why You Should Consider Stockpiling or Find Alternatives For Your Creature Comforts](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/12/why-you-should-consider-stockpiling-or.html) - What do you have or eat that you possibly cannot live a day without? Coffee?Tea?Wine/Beer/Alcohol?Cigar/Cigarettes/Chewing Tobacco?Chocolate?Video Games?Books?Online Streaming Services?Hobby Supplies?Cosmetics/Hair Dyes?Daily Showers?To me, creature comforts are items and services you don't want to live without but could live without if you had to in certain situations. Could you live without them? Sure. They aren't necessary to - [12 Ways To Beat Supply Disruptions](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/11/12-ways-to-beat-supply-disruptions.html) - When a country or an area is going through major upheaval, supply disruptions become inevitable. Whether those supplies are coming from overseas or are produced in your area, you may still have trouble getting food and goods. Trucking companies will rarely haul items to areas they don't feel are safe. Barges may not be able - [What Is Your Prepping Story? What Will Your Prepping Story Be?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/10/what-is-your-prepping-story-what-will.html) - In prepping, a lot of people didn't grow up with parents who were prepared. They may have done things we consider prepping because they wanted to save money. Our parents were raised by their parents who more than likely survived the Great Depression and WWII. Those parents were shaped by their experiences. They knew every - ["That Wasn't So Bad" and Other Lies You Tell Yourself](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/10/that-wasnt-so-bad-and-other-lies-you.html) - We are in an unprecedented time for our generations and this era. We are experiencing things we just thought would be part of our suspicions. Things such as: PandemicsEconomic Downturns (especially for those who went through 2007/2008)Small Businesses FailingLimited Food SupplyPresidential Election Year (An ugly one which is saying a lot after 2016)Changing PoliticsSocial UnrestThe list - [Let Go Of The Things That No Longer Serve You (And Have More Room For Your Preps)!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/10/let-go-of-things-that-no-longer-serve.html) - I have been doing a lot of purging again. Some of the purgings I have been doing have been digital and some of it has been physical. Most of it has been helping my sanity in some way, shape, or form. I have a tendency to keep a lot of emails and then never really go - [How I Plan To Offer Hospitality and Build Community Before The World Goes To Hell](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/09/how-i-plan-to-offer-hospitality-and.html) - If the quarantine has taught me anything in this last year, it has taught me flexibility. I know I have been saying that over the last few posts, but flexibility has been key this year. I would like to think I was flexible before the pandemic, but I have had to reassess that. One of the - [Some Changes on the Blog (For The Better!) and What Plans I Have Going Forward](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/09/some-changes-on-blog-for-better-and.html) - Hey Everyone!If this year has taught us anything, it has taught us to be flexible. I actually like flexibility because my life would not run without some flexibility even though I still have some routines too. With more flexibility, I have been rethinking how I want to get information, insights, and opinions to you all. All - [Censorship Is Changing Prepping and Blogging: Here Is What You Can Do To Fight It](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/09/censorship-is-changing-prepping-and.html) - There is a lot of crazy things going on right now. I don't have to tell you that because if you pay one iota of attention to the events going on around us, you can definitely see that. The world is a crazy place and we are not in control of a lot of it. What - [Money vs. Skills and Stockpile: How and Why Is One More Important Than The Other?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/08/money-vs-skills-and-stockpile-how-and.html) - We live in a society right now that values money over almost anything. Money can buy your way into a multitude of things. Money can buy almost anything tangible and a lot of intangible things. You can pay to have almost anything done. So it makes sense when preppers talk about acquiring gold and silver when - [Self-Sufficiency 101: Pressure Canning Green Beans](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/08/self-sufficiency-101-pressure-canning.html) - In my garden, one of the easiest things to grow and to preserve is green beans. They grow without much effort. You plant the seeds, either bush or pole green beans, set up a trellis if they are pole beans, and provide adequate water. They germinate pretty well and they will grow even in my - [10 Thoughts From A Seasoned Prepper About What Is Coming and What You Can Do](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/08/10-thoughts-from-seasoned-prepper-about.html) - This has been an interesting last six months, hasn't it? While I have been deemed an essential worker and am living in a state that did not shut down, this pandemic has affected me a little bit. It has affected my kids a lot although some more than others. We went from a household of two - [5 Ways To Prepare and Adapt To An Ever-Changing Political and Social Climate](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/07/5-ways-to-prepare-and-adapt-to-ever.html) - The key to surviving and thriving in most situations is being adaptable. Adapting as well as somewhat conforming will help keep you alive. Adapting makes sense because you are trying to survive. Some preppers do not want to be adaptable because they see it as an infringement on their rights and freedoms. Some preppers want to - [10+ Vegetables You Can Grow & Store Without Canning or Freezing](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/06/10-vegetables-you-can-grow-store.html) - Food storage is one of the most fundamental facets of prepping, homesteading, and self-sufficiency. You want to make sure you have your needs for water, food, and shelter covered before all else. That is basic prepping, but in this day and age, you might want to take your food storage to the next level. To increase - [Bartering: How It Works, How It Should Work, and Why It Doesn't Work](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/06/bartering-how-it-works-how-it-should.html) - For many preppers, bartering is part of their plans. Bartering is the exchange of goods and services without the exchange of money. Say you needed eggs from your neighbor, but didn't have any money to pay for them. You might offer some produce from your garden as payment for the eggs. Your neighbor and you - [100 Shelf-Stable Foods To Store In Your Pantry/Stockpile](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/05/100-shelf-stable-foods-to-store-in-your.html) - Besides water, food is the next critical thing to store for any prepper. Food is one of the seven core areas of preparedness. You can live three days without water and three weeks without food, but who wants to do that if you can be prepared ahead of time. Having a good supply of shelf-stable - [Self-Sufficiency 101: Get To Know Your Local Economy](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/04/self-sufficiency-101-get-to-know-your.html) - With the renewed interest in self-sufficiency and learning new skills, we are constantly looking for new ways to live a simpler life. You want to become more independent and learn to produce your goods and food. Those are noble things to do and learn! In the course of learning new things and picking up new skills, - [100 Things You Should Have in Your Home and Your Preps](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/04/100-things-you-should-have-in-your-home.html) - You want to be more prepared. Tougher times are coming. I get it. I really do because I was there too. I had four kids under 13 at home who were depending on me to keep them fed, clothed, and with a roof over their heads. I was struggling on one full-time income with sporadic - [Why Being Prepared Is More Important Than Ever](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/04/why-being-prepared-is-more-important.html) - I'm really frustrated with the state of our country right now. A lot is going on and we are being held hostage by a pandemic.This pandemic is serious, but there were a lot of important people who downplayed the seriousness of this virus. That was a mistake, but a lot of people were comforted and - [10 Ways To Prepare For An Upcoming Recession/Depression](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/03/10-ways-to-prepare-for-upcoming.html) - We are getting a wake-up call as a nation and a world right now. Many of us are experiencing a new kind of reality at the moment. Some of us are working at home. Some of us are still working away from home. Some of us are not working, not getting paid, and aren't sure - [How To Quarantine and Self-Isolate With Kids At Home](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/03/how-to-quarantine-and-self-isolate-with.html) - Generally, most people are not prepared to be home for extended periods. We are mostly on-the-go people who have jobs outside the home and have our kids in school. We have our days planned for that and don't always consider that school or work could be shut down for extended periods.When something does happen that - [Prepping Elitism: The Attitude That May Get You Killed](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/02/prepping-elitism-attitude-that-may-get.html) - If you have been around the prepping world for some time (and it doesn't have to be a long time), you will run into various opinions and ideas on how to do a myriad of things. Many people know how to do technical skills and their ideas are usually valid. Many people have great ideas - [What This Prepper Buys: The Dollar Tree Pandemic Edition!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2020/02/what-this-prepper-buys-dollar-tree.html) - If you have been here for a while, you know I occasionally post a What The Prepper Buys post. These posts give you a glimpse into what I put into my stockpiles as well as how I save money doing it. I actually had the chance to go shopping recently to get what I needed - [35 Ways Being A Prepper Changes Your Life](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/12/35-ways-being-prepper-changes-your-life.html) - Once you discover prepping, you discover your life changes in ways you never imagined. Once you thought preppers were a little crazy and then you discover that while they are a little crazy at times, they also are ready for almost anything.You figure that being a prepper is a good thing, but your mind begins - [16 Personal Safety Tips That Preppers and Non-Preppers Forget](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/11/16-personal-safety-tips-that-preppers.html) - Sometimes we feel like we are invincible. We have an attitude that nothing will happen to us. We don't think about getting into an accident, becoming ill, becoming injured, and worse. We don't think anyone would want to harm us in any way. Sometimes, we just don't think at all.On top of that, in this - [Is Social Media Helping or Hurting Preppers?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/10/is-social-media-helping-or-hurting.html) - Social media can be seen as a boon or bane for most people. For the most part, social media, as well as the internet as a whole, can be seen as beneficial. It allows you to gather a large amount of information that is good for your prepping. It also gives you a sounding board - [Medical Prepping Is More Than Just Gathering Supplies](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/10/medical-prepping-is-more-than-just.html) - Recently, we had an incredibly tough week with a lot of ups and downs. We had not one, but two trips to the emergency room in a week. The first one was pretty understandable and all turned out well. We know why my son is passing out now while he running a race and it - [National Preparedness Month: What Can You Do To Prepare?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/09/national-preparedness-month-what-can.html) - National Preparedness Month takes place every September. Becoming more aware of preparedness is beneficial for everyone. Whether you are new to prepping or a seasoned veteran, preparedness is a very important component to anyone's emergency plans.Why do I think you should prepare? Because it makes good sense! Prepping is a logical thing to do to - [The Revolution Starts With You - 50 Ways To Start Your Own Revolution](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/08/the-revolution-starts-with-you-50-ways.html) - The consensus among most of us now is that the world and our country are absolutely going in the wrong direction. We see a trend towards self-sufficiency and more, but we are being taxed, fined, and forced to pay fees for everything we want to do. Local and county governments have taken this a step - [Sunday Musings: When The World Has Become Too Crazy](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/08/sunday-musings-when-world-has-become.html) - (Sunday musings are my opinions and point of views of things going on in my head, my heart, and in the world. Right or wrong, they are how I feel. I hope to keep this up every week, but this is the first in the series.)Interesting title, eh? I am feeling that right now.This world - [Should You Be Using Electronic Media and Devices for Prepping?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/08/should-you-be-using-electronic-media.html) - Technology is a wonderful tool that can be used for the greater good as well as being used for less than honest intentions. We are using it or partaking of it every day and most of us use it almost every minute of the day. It has become a part of our lives whether we - [10 Foods Your College Kid Needs For Their Own Food Storage](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/07/10-foods-your-college-kid-needs-for.html) - Are you sending off a kid to college this fall? Or will be in a few years? This is a good time to get your kid sent off on a good foundation. If you are a prepper, you will add a few more things to their pile of things that need to go with them.I - ["Use It Up, Wear It Out, Make Do, or Do Without": The Need to Learn Skills and Learn How to Make Do](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/07/use-it-up-wear-it-out-make-do-or-do.html) - We talk a lot about what we need to acquire and purchase as people who live the various lifestyles of prepping, homesteading, and the combination of the two. We talk about what we shouldn't buy as frugal people and sustainability learners. Somewhere in the middle though, we need to understand that we need to get - [What Happens When You Have A Bad Gardening Year?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/06/what-happens-when-you-have-bad.html) - This spring's weather conditions have been anything but ideal. The weather is too hot already in some areas, too cool in other areas, and the rain has been unrelenting. , many conventional crops are not being planted due to flooding and unworkable fields. Many experts are already predicting food shortages due to flooding, livestock loss, - [My Top 10 Frugal Living Hacks That Will Help You Save Money Everyday](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/06/my-top-10-frugal-living-hacks-that-will.html) - I like saving money. I like it a lot. I also have some quirks and one of those quirks is challenging myself to find new ways to do something cheaper. I also think reusing items is cool and recycling items are the best.Those closest to me will just tell you I am weird and they - [You Need To Prep For Where You Are Now, Not Where You Want To Be](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/05/you-need-to-prep-for-where-you-are-now.html) - While preppers can be some of the most positive people you could ever meet, there are some really hopeful preppers that need a reality check. A lot of people in forums and in groups talk about prepping for their bug out location or when they move to a rural location. While that is all fine - [The Penny-Pinching Prepper Book Review](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/05/the-penny-pinching-prepper-book-review.html) - (I will be reviewing books as I read them this year. I have either purchased these myself or were given them for review. As always, I have affiliate links attached to this post to help make a little extra for my family and support this blog.)I have been working through my stack of prepping books - [Does Anyone Really Know What Will Happen After An SHTF Event Happens?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/05/does-anyone-really-know-what-will.html) - As preppers and survivalists, we like to think we have an idea of what will happen after an SHTF happens. We all have ideas of what can be and how horrible it will be. However, we cannot really know what will happen after an SHTF event occurs.Unless you have lived and dealt with the aftermath - [The Case For Why You Need To Become Self-Sufficient & Self-Reliant Now](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/05/the-case-for-why-you-need-to-become.html) - I am going to preface this post today for you. I wrote this about four months ago. I have sat on this post since then. I am usually a pretty positive, fairly practical person. Not much really gets me down on a normal day. However, the state of our economy along with the financial situations - [8 Ways To Quickly and Frugally Build Up Your Food Stockpiles and Pantry](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/05/8-ways-to-quickly-and-frugally-build-up.html) - When you first start prepping, you become a little bit obsessed about obtaining your preps. You never know when you will need it, but you think you need to build up your stockpiles rather quickly.I thought I needed to get my stockpile built as soon as possible and as much as the budget allowed! However, - [Stockpiling Needs vs. Wants: What Do You Need?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/04/stockpiling-needs-vs-wants-what-do-you.html) - Are you stocking up because you need it or because you want it? Do you really need it? How much of it will you use? How important is this item? Should you be spending your money elsewhere?So many questions.Stockpiling can seem so easy and so hard all at the same time. You know you should - [How Prepping Helps With Worry and Anxiety (A Personal Story)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/03/how-prepping-helps-with-worry-and.html) - A fair amount of preparedness sites focus on the how-tos and the reasons you should prepare and rightfully so. They actually help you to know what to do and how to do it. In fact, there are a lot of posts on this site doing the same thing. We just want the world to be - [What Should A Prepper Do With That Tax Refund? 25 Ideas For Spending Your Tax Refund Like A Prepper](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/02/what-should-prepper-do-with-that-tax.html) - Ah, the great tax refund. Not really seen outside of America, but a welcome bonus all the same. If you get one, what do you do with it?I know, I know. If you do your taxes right, you wouldn't get a refund. Yeah, but the government gives credits for kids and putting money away in a - [Now Is The Time To Slay The Debt Monster!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/02/now-is-time-to-slay-debt-monster.html) - Unfortunately, debt has become highly encouraged in this country. You can borrow money for a home, a personal recreation vehicle, a vehicle, land and more. You can just put it on a credit card if you have the money for it now or want to wait to pay for it. For most people, credit and - [Can You Really Live Without Money?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/02/can-you-really-live-without-money.html) - If there is something that the frugal tightwad and prepper in me love, it is stories about living without money. Stories, books, and videos about living without money keep me fascinated. I wonder how they do it. I wonder what they did in life that led to the decision to live without money. I also - [25 Crazy Simple and Easy Ways To Save Money](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/01/25-crazy-simple-and-easy-ways-to-save.html) - This is a new year and you need some money motivation. I totally get it. If Christmas didn't scare you into complete money saving mode, your daily finances might have. However, maybe you just need some new ideas or a reminder of some good old ones.This has some easy ideas and some crazy simple ideas - [What Should The New Year Mean For A Prepper? Goals, Plans, and Assessing The Future!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2019/01/what-should-new-year-mean-for-prepper.html) - Happy New Years Everyone!You have successfully made it through another year. This last year could have been great for you or it could have thrown you through the wringer and left you wondering how much worse can life get. Either way, today is a new day.Now, I am not one of those "New Year, New - [Five Tips on How To Declutter and Get Organized While Still Being A Prepper](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/12/five-tips-on-how-to-declutter-and-get.html) - Being a clean and organized prepper can be difficult at times. You want to accumulate and keep all the things that you might need. You want to be sure you have everything you need. You want to be sure to have everything you might need. You aren't sure what you will need or not need - [Prepper's Dehydrator Handbook Book Review](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/12/preppers-dehydrator-handbook-book-review.html) - (This book was sent to me to review. I am not being paid to review this book, however, there will be affiliate links attached to this review. There is no pressure or expectation to purchase anything unless you feel like this book would be an awesome addition to your library!)One of the major areas of - [Five Types of Items You Should Not Have in Your Preps](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/12/five-types-of-items-you-should-not-have.html) - When you first start prepping, you are just focused on accumulating the goods. You think you need so much stuff and there is a lot of advertisements that will convince you that you need a lot more.You know you need to focus on skills, but in the course of learning the skills, you still need - [Stay Home on Black Friday. Shop Small. Shop Local.](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/11/stay-home-on-black-friday-shop-small.html) - (Originally posted in 2013. Revised and expanded for 2018. The views of the author haven't changed!)Black Friday shopping can be crazy. Stores opening at midnight if they even closed at all. Standing in line and getting a ticket to buy an item at significant savings. Most of the time people are buying things they don't - [Prepping Is About The Little Things](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/11/prepping-is-about-little-things.html) - Prepping can seem like such an expensive adventure. Many people think that in order to be a good prepper you need the big things: a whole house generator, a safe room, a bug out shelter in a hidden location, every gun known to man with several hundred rounds for each gun, and more. With that - [Is It Time For A Financial Reset? 15 Tips For You To Reset Your Finances](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/11/is-it-time-for-financial-reset-15-tips.html) - Sometimes you go through life like you own it. You have your priorities right, your life in order, and everything going well.Then, wham! You get hit with a medical emergency. You lose your spouse. You get divorced or separated. You have to suddenly move. You are faced with bills you did not realize you owed - [55 Ways To Save Money on Your Utility and Water Bills](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/11/55-ways-to-save-money-on-your-utility.html) - The single biggest expense most households have are their utility and water bills. Sometimes those two bills combined are more expensive than the mortgage. Sometimes those two bills are the same as the mortgage and monthly groceries. In other words, they are just expensive. In the twenty-plus years of paying for a utility bill and - [10 Ways You Can Be A Self-Reliant Prepper](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/10/10-ways-you-can-be-self-reliant-prepper.html) - When you first start prepping, you think you have to spend a lot of money to be prepared. And in some ways, you do need to spend money to build up your food storage and purchase some necessary goods. However, at some point, spending money will not continue to make you a better prepper.Being a - [For Better or Worse, I Am Not The Same Prepper I Was Five Years Ago](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/10/for-better-or-worse-i-am-not-same.html) - Lately, I have been going through a lot of stuff. You might say I have been decluttering, but the truth is I have been taking stock of what I have. I have a lot of supplies. I took stock of what I owned, what I should purchase, and let go of a few things. The - [What Direction Should You Take In Prepping?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/10/what-direction-should-you-take-in.html) - I am at a little bit of a crossroads in my preparedness journey. I know which way I lean in prepping, but I am now in a bit of a indecision. I know what I want to accomplish, but how far do I want to go? I have spent (or wasted depending on your viewpoint) - [For Women, Prepping Is More Than Just Being Prepared](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/10/for-women-prepping-is-more-than-just.html) - Everyone should be preparing. Young and old. Men, women, and children. Everyone should be preparing. However, I especially encourage women to be preppers.Women can be seen as being weak, irrational, incapable, and more derogatory terms that are not even remotely truthful. Women can be seen as the weaker sex. Women can be seen as less than - [Small Batch Canning: Saving Time, Money, and Sanity!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/10/small-batch-canning-saving-time-money.html) - Wouldn't it be wonderful if you had time during the garden harvest to can all day, every day? When you see super awesome deals on produce at the store, you could purchase them and can them right away when you get home?You don't have that kind of time? Me neither.A lot of people ask how - [Should I Stay or Should I Go? A Prepper's Guide to Evacuating or Staying](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/09/should-i-stay-or-should-i-go-preppers.html) - As preppers, we like to think we can live through and survive anything. We are tough. We are prepared!However, there is a reason we have and talk about bug-out bags and 72-hour kits incessantly. We want to be prepared if we should have to leave in hurry for any reason. While we want to stay in - [You Have Lessons To Learn From Those That Survived The Great Depression](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/08/you-have-lessons-to-learn-from-those.html) - The Great Depression was an era in American History that people who lived through it would remember indefinitely. They remember how hard the times were, the poverty most people suffered, and just life in general at the time. For most people who remember living through this time, the lessons stuck with them for the rest - [This Kind of Life Is Not Cute or Kitschy...It's A Lot of Work](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/08/this-kind-of-life-is-not-cute-or.html) - This weekend has been busy. I am getting ready to post several pictures on Instagram about what I got done this week and I am still struck by how much work gets done around here every weekend. What strikes me, even more, is how much work there is to do everyday and weekend.I choose this - [The Best Way To Freeze Zucchini (And What To Do With It Afterwards!)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/08/the-best-way-to-freeze-zucchini-and.html) - Zucchini is one of those rare garden plants. Almost anyone can grow it! Zucchini is also (normally) very prolific meaning that it will produce very well for weeks if not months. We love here at Living Life in Rural Iowa so I like to put it up for use in the winter.You can use zucchini - [10 Ways To Prep When Real Life Gets In The Way](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/07/10-ways-to-prep-when-real-life-gets-in.html) - Life just gets crazy sometimes. You have places to be, people to see, kids in activities, work to do, and the never-ending to-do list to conquer. Summer always seems to be particularly busy even though school is (usually) on a break and you have more freedom to do what you want. However, in all of - [What Are You Prepared To Live Without?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/06/what-are-you-prepared-to-live-without.html) - One of the things about prepping is that we tend to accumulate a lot of stuff. Granted, we all believe in food storage and having things on hand to survive a disaster or a power outage. However, I think sometimes the emphasis on accumulating things gets out of hand. We focus on stuff instead of - [20 Great Prepping/Survival Father's Day Gifts For The Dad in Your Life!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/06/20-great-preppingsurvival-fathers-day.html) - Father's Day is a wonderful time to celebrate the man in your life who either helped you bring your children into the world or helped bring you into the world. You may also want to celebrate the men who helped guide and mentor you at some point in your life. There are the standard, boring - [Have You Considered Spare Parts for Your Preps?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/05/have-you-considered-spare-parts-for.html) - One of the most overlooked parts of most people's preparations is spare parts for the equipment they plan to use in an emergency or a crisis. We all like to think we are covered when we have the actual items in our possession, but what if they break? What if the power source runs out? - [Grow and Raise Your Own Food Now So You Can Learn From Loss and Failure Now Rather Than Later](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/05/grow-and-raise-your-own-food-now-so-you.html) - Growing your own food is not easy. Raising your own food is not easy. Many people think they can just put some seeds in the ground and they will have food. Many more people are easily intimidated by raising animals for meat. However, they think they could do it if they had to when an - [Simple 72 Hour Kits: A Step-By-Step System for Busy Families Book Review](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/05/simple-72-hour-kits-step-by-step-system.html) - Simple 72 Hour Kits: A Step-By-Step System for Busy Families by Misty Marsh is a great book about building your 72-hour kit in a way that will be comprehensive and easy to do. Many people find putting together a kit like this intimidating (including me!), but she lays it out in such a way that - [Do You Really Want To Tell People That You Are A Prepper?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/05/do-you-really-want-to-tell-people-that.html) - We all know there is a lot of different kinds of preppers and varying levels of preparedness. When it comes to OPSEC (operational security), I find there are three groups of preppers. There is nothing wrong with these three groups, although, among preppers, there are some disagreements about how deep your OPSEC should go. However, - [Sewing & Mending Kit Essentials For Preppers (And Everyone Else!)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/04/sewing-mending-kit-essentials-for.html) - One of those basic skills everyone should know how to do is to sew and mend their own clothes. It is still a skill I am learning, but one that I feel strongly about improving when I can. We have saved a lot of shirts by sewing the seams back up so my kids could - [Could We Handle Food Rationing Now?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/04/could-we-handle-food-rationing-now.html) - In WWI (somewhat) and WWII definitely, food rationing was one of the few ways that governments in the United States and Britain could keep the soldiers fed as well as its citizens. Everyone was expected to do their share and stay within the guidelines of food rationing. In addition to the food rationing, citizens were - [What Place Does Extreme Frugality Have In Your Life? How Can You Live In Extreme Frugality?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/04/what-place-does-extreme-frugality-have.html) - One of the ideas that have been on my mind has been extreme frugality. I am currently in saving money mode (which is normal) while trying to amp up my frugality game. I am back to using paper coupons, digital coupons, Ibotta, SavingStar, and much more. I'm paying a lot more attention to sale flyers - [Improving Soil with Chicken Litter](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/04/improving-soil-with-chicken-litter.html) - (In March, I wrote an article for the Rootsy Network where I am a guest contributor. I love what they are doing over there! If you are into homesteading, self-reliance, and do-it-yourself, you must check them out!)Most homesteaders struggle to find ways to dispose of all the waste that livestock can produce. One of the - [Dear Preppers, Please Don't Ignore Your Eyes!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/04/dear-preppers-please-dont-ignore-your.html) - As preppers, we try to prepare for what we can. We stock up food, water, and first aid supplies. We try to learn and practice new skills. We read and read some more books and blogs. We do what we can. However, all the prepping in the world will not do you any good if - [Prepping Is Like Being On A Professional Racing Team...You Have To Do The Right Things To Win!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/02/prepping-is-like-being-on-professional.html) - We watch a fair amount of NASCAR. I am continually impressed by the amount of strategy, teamwork, and hard work that goes into this sport. The drivers work hard to be in good condition so they can endure the 500-600 laps races. The teams have meetings to figure out what they can do better and - [The Reality of Selling Eggs From Your Homestead](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/02/the-reality-of-selling-eggs-from-your.html) - (In December, I wrote an article for the Rootsy Network where I am a guest contributor. I love what they are doing over there! If you are into homesteading, self-reliance, and do-it-yourself, you must check them out!)When I started homesteading, I did not decide to homestead because I wanted to make money. I homesteaded because - [Start Planning and Prepping Your Garden Now For A Successful Garden This Summer (And Years After!)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/01/start-planning-and-prepping-your-garden.html) - Gardening is a wondrous thing. You just go to the gardening center and buy whatever looks good. You put seeds in the ground and plant some plants. Voila! You have growing things and eventually, some produce to eat. Gardening just seems that easy, doesn't it? Reality check! You spent all that money on seeds and - [Top Ten Posts for 2017](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/01/top-ten-posts-for-2017.html) - Without further ado, here are the top ten posts of 2017. You read them. You shared them. This is what you all thought was the best posts! 1. Coming To My House When SHTF Happens? We Need To Talk... 2. Have An Overwhelming Urge To Prep? Here Are 25 Things To Do Now! 3. Ten - [10 Homesteading Goals You Should Be Setting This Year](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2018/01/10-homesteading-goals-you-should-be.html) - Homesteading is one of those things that just does not work if you don't have a plan. Part of that plan is setting goals. What do you want to accomplish on your homestead and what do you envision your homestead to be? The possibilities are endless, but you need goals and a plan! 10 Homesteading - [10 Frugal Living Goals You Should Be Making This Year](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/12/10-frugal-living-goals-you-should-be.html) - While everyone should be a frugal lifer, a lot of people struggle to do so. Life happens and you end up spending more money than you want to. You are busy and money just flies out the window. A good deal of living frugally is planning ahead and having goals. What do you want to - [10 Prepping Goals You Should Be Setting For The New Year](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/12/10-prepping-goals-you-should-be-setting.html) - The new year is coming quickly. While I think goal setting can be done any time of year and should be, this seems to be the time of year for most people to set goals. If you are a prepper, winter is a good time to get your goals figured out, written down, and a - [10 Ways to Prep When You Have No Support](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/12/10-ways-to-prep-when-you-have-no-support.html) - You have discovered prepping. You have awakened to the fact that the world isn't right. Everything could be gone tomorrow. Your job could be over with at the end of the month. A storm could take out the power for several days. You suddenly feel an urge to get your stuff together and be ready - [Sunday Thoughts - November 26](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/11/sunday-thoughts-november-26.html) - Happy Sunday Everyone!I didn't promise consistency in this post being weekly and I am sticking to it. We have been busy just trying to get as much done as humanly possible outside on the weekends. Well, let me rephrase that. Rob has been busting his behind to get as much done outside on the weekends - [Plan Your Retirement Now and Secure Your Future!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/11/plan-your-retirement-now-and-secure.html) - Plan Your Retirement Now and Secure Your Future!This is an unpaid sponsored post. I believe strongly in saving for retirement as social security will not likely be enough to cover your expenses in retirement. Please check out this website and the cool tools they have to help you save for retirement! As we grow closer - [Five Prepping Things To Accomplish in November](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/11/five-prepping-things-to-accomplish-in.html) - November is here already. Actually we are already half way into the month because time just flew by! Harvest is just about over with. The gardens are done unless you have cold frames. Everything outside is tucked away, battened down, or cleaned up. November is the month to start focusing on the inside things.Prepping is - [What happens when it is all gone tomorrow?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/11/what-happens-when-it-is-all-gone.html) - In your lifetime, something will probably happen to you that will make you wonder what you are going to do next. You could lose your job. You could be in a car accident and not be able to work or pay bills. You could have a tornado or hurricane wipe out your home and everything - [20 Ideas For Raising Kids Frugally](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/11/20-ideas-for-raising-kids-frugally.html) - Kids can be so expensive. There is the expected expenses of clothing and feeding them. Then there are the unexpected expenses of injuries, wisdom teeth, illnesses, and notes from school saying they owe money for this or that. Either way, kids cost money.I am here to tell you that after raising two kids to adulthood - [Sunday Thoughts - October 29](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/10/sunday-thoughts-october-29.html) - Happy Sunday everyone!To start, I apologize for missing last week. While I realize this weekly post is not everyone's cup of tea, it serves as a place for me to get my thoughts straight. It also helps me keep track of what I have done and not done. Let's put more emphasis on what is - [What This Prepper Buys: The $36 Dollar Tree Spree](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/10/what-this-prepper-buys-36-dollar-tree.html) - Dollar Tree is possibly one of my favorite places to purchase prepping supplies for stockpiling. Everything's a dollar or less and we usually find good generic replacements for high dollar goods. While cheap goods is not always a good thing for prepping, sometimes it is a good way to build up your stockpile. If you - [Easy Skillet Spaghetti: A Great Dinner for a Busy Night!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/10/easy-skillet-spaghetti-great-dinner-for.html) - We are a busy household. A lot of nights we do not eat supper until 7:30 - 8:00 at night. Sometimes we need to make supper on the fly and have something on the table quickly. Sometimes we just want to make something quick and easy because we are tired. This Skillet Spaghetti fits the - [Five Prepping Things To Accomplish In October](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/10/five-prepping-things-to-accomplish-in.html) - October is here and so is fall. This is a great time to work outside, take care of any projects you wanted to get done during the summer, and wrap up any loose ends before winter arrives. October is usually pretty mild in Iowa with an occasional snow storm thrown in the last part of - [To Prep or Not To Prep: You Always Have A Choice, But The Choice Is Yours!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/09/to-prep-or-not-to-prep-you-always-have.html) - I am fortunate to live in an area that doesn't have major natural disasters. Yes, we are at risk for tornadoes. Blizzards hit once in awhile during the winter. We are rarely without power and we are not down for long when bad weather hits. Droughts can be a problem, but never really for long. - [Five Prepping Things To Accomplish In September](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/09/five-prepping-things-to-accomplish-in.html) - The end of August and beginning of September this year has taught us a few things. Being prepared is not only crucial, it is purely survival for those who have been or will be caught in the hurricanes and the wildfires. Living where I do, I get complacent about bug-out bags and having things together - [What Does National Preparedness Month Mean To Me? Time to Assess, Test, & Plan Your Preps!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/09/what-does-national-preparedness-month.html) - Being prepared has different meanings for different people. Many people might prepare for the same things, but most of us have different circumstances. One person might try to prepare for everything possible while the next person just wants to get through the next crisis.September is National Preparedness Month. This is a good time to assess, - [The 10 Cold, Hard, Ugly Truths About Prepping](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/08/the-10-cold-hard-ugly-truths-about.html) - Many people have a dim view of prepping. They think preppers are crazy. They think prepping is easy. A lot of people think they just need a little extra food, an emergency kit, and a case of bottled water and they will be fine. Then disaster is about to strike. All of a sudden, they are - [Preserving The Bounty: How To Freeze Sweet Corn](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/08/preserving-bounty-how-to-freeze-sweet.html) - One of my favorite ways to deal with my garden bounty is to can it. I love canning! However, when I am putting up sweet corn, I like to freeze it. Freezing sweet corn is so easy. Let me walk you through it!How To Freeze Sweet Corn:1.Pick and husk your sweet corn. Make sure you - [Have An Overwhelming Urge To Prep? Here Are 25 Things To Do Now!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/08/have-overwhelming-urge-to-prep-here-are.html) - Some people are now finding an overwhelming urge to prep and/or prep harder. Whether it is world events or personal crisis driving that urge to prep, they just feel this need to prep or to get their preps in order.This is not a bad thing! While some preppers will caution you against panic prepping, getting - [Five Prepping Things To Accomplish In August](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/08/five-prepping-things-to-accomplish-in.html) - There is so much you can do in August! Summer is still here, the weather is mostly nice and hot, and the days are still long. People's gardens are producing like crazy and the farmers' markets are overloaded with the garden goodness. Kids are getting ready to go back to school if they haven't gone - ["If You Haven't Got Your Health, You Haven't Got Anything"](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/08/if-you-havent-got-your-health-you.html) - Yes, that is a direct quote from "The Princess Bride". It is one of my favorite movies of all time. I could quote most of that movie easily, but it has been that quote that has been on mind lately.We really do take our health for granted. We live in this bubble for a long - [Clean Out Your Freezers With Me In August!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/08/clean-out-your-freezers-with-me-in.html) - I declare August as National Clean Out Your Freezer(s) Month.Why? The reasons are endless...School is starting soon for us and may have already started for you.Summer bounty is flowing in from the garden.There may still be meals in the freezer from last year's freezer cooking binge.There may be meat from 2014 in the bottom of - [Prepper's Total Grid Failure Handbook: Book Review](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/07/preppers-total-grid-failure-handbook.html) - One of the topics that come up for discussion at our house is living off-grid or what we will be doing if the grid fails. Our whole house is electric which causes stress and anxiety because we are so dependent on the grid. To alleviate that stress and anxiety, we have been looking at ways - [Five Prepping Things To Accomplish In July](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/07/five-prepping-things-to-accomplish-in.html) - July is the time of the year that flies by so quickly. There is never enough hours in the day to get everything accomplished. The weather is hot and very humid (at least in Iowa it is!). The garden is growing like crazy. The grass and the weeds are either having a competition to see - [What Will You Do When Someone Dies During A SHTF?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/06/what-will-you-do-when-someone-dies.html) - One of the things we never like to think about and is a very tough topic to discuss is death. However, death is inevitable. It will happen and you need a plan in place for normal circumstances. When SHTF happens though, you really need a plan in place. First of all, you need to be up - [Worried About Climate Change? 11 Ways To Make Your Own Changes!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/06/worried-about-climate-change-11-ways-to.html) - Climate change (aka global warming) is the new "hot" topic due to recent events. All these countries are "worried" about the planet and want changes to be made. They want the United States to fund all these changes without any real say about where the money goes. All the while, the two main offenders of - [Five Prepping Things To Accomplish in June](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/06/five-prepping-things-to-accomplish-in.html) - Summer is here! I find that prepping in the Summer is so much easier than any time of the year. While we do have to worry about storms and the "gentle" breezes that try to blow us down, we have decent weather that makes us want to be outside.June is a good month to get - [We forget to live life](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/05/we-forget-to-live-life.html) - Today is my kids' last day of school. They will be out at 11:30 am today and will have the whole summer to do what they want without the restrictions of school (for the most part). Yes, they will have daily and weekly chores to do. They will also have camps to go to, swimming - [Have You Trained Your Kids To Work? What Will They Do When A SHTF Happens?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/05/have-you-trained-your-kids-to-work-what.html) - Kids are natural helpers. Especially when they are younger and they want to "help" with everything. Many parents take advantage of that help and let the kids help them. That is the start of training your kids to be good helpers and workers around the house and the yard.Doing chores and being expected to help - [Ten Great Mother's Day Gift Ideas for the Prepping and Homesteading Moms In Your Life!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/05/ten-great-mothers-day-gift-ideas-for.html) - Mother's Day is coming up soon! I know some of you may have had your gift picked out weeks ago, but some of us have not! Some of you may not exchange gifts and that is totally cool and wise too!I was surfing Amazon today wondering what they recommend for Mother's Day. Usually, I get - [Are You Ready For The Next Influenza Epidemic? How Will You Survive The Next Pandemic?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/05/are-you-ready-for-next-influenza.html) - In doing some research about influenza, I came across the great Influenza Epidemic of 1918-1919. This happened during World War I and affected everyone on both sides of the ocean as well as across the world. It affected soldiers as well as citizens. It is estimated that 50 million people died during this epidemic. That - [Five Prepping Things To Accomplish In May](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/05/five-prepping-things-to-accomplish-in.html) - When May comes around every year, I get excited. I like warmer weather. Nicer weather motivates me to get more done. I can usually start planting my garden in May because the ground has warmed up enough to not kill the plants or seeds. I can clean up the yard, give the house a good - [Monthly Update From The Homestead - April Edition](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/04/monthly-update-from-homestead-april.html) - How has your April been for you? Fairly cool and rainy with rare times of sunny and warm? That is what we had, have, and are currently experiencing. They are talking some snow on Sunday at the time of this writing. What the ?!?!?!I am ready for May and much warmer temperatures to come. I - [The Prepper's Canning Guide Book Review](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/04/the-preppers-canning-guide-book-review.html) - Disclaimer: I was given a copy and asked to review this book. The opinions of this review are mine.The Prepper's Canning Guide: Affordably Stockpile a Lifesaving Supply of Nutritious, Delicious, Shelf-Stable Foods by Daisy Luther was a book I was looking forward to buying and using for this upcoming gardening season. I have almost every - [Five Prepping Things To Accomplish In April](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/04/five-prepping-things-to-accomplish-in.html) - April is a great time to really kick your prepping into gear. Besides the rain, the weather is warm enough to actually want to be outside. April is a great month to make lists and you will see that on at least two of the items this month. I am a big believer in making - [Monthly Update From The Homestead - March Edition (It's Spring!)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/03/monthly-update-from-homestead-march.html) - Why not write the March Update From The Homestead on the last day of the month? At least it is in March! That has been how fast this month has gone and I really haven't had a lot to talk about. I put off the writing of this because almost nothing has happened in the month - [What Is Motivating Me To Prep Now? A Story of Losing Interest and Getting My Prepping Mojo Back!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/03/what-is-motivating-me-to-prep-now-story.html) - I have a renewed interest in prepping.But, Erica, I thought you were a prepper!I was. I still am. But, for the last four months or so, I quit actively prepping. I did talk about it in one of my YouTube videos, but I was trying to figure out what exactly I needed to do. I - [The Biggest Lie We Tell Ourselves (For Preppers and Non-Preppers)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/03/the-biggest-lie-we-tell-ourselves-for.html) - We all like to think we are straight shooters. We are pretty honest with ourselves and with others. However, being humans, we all have the ability to put our heads in the sand. We don't want to see when something bad is going to happen. We don't want to recognize the signs that trouble is - [Why Is A Whistle Important To Carry With You Every Day?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/03/why-is-whistle-important-to-carry-with.html) - Many people have things they carry with them every day. Also known as everyday carry, we all have items that we carry on a key ring, in our pockets, on our belts, and/or in a holster. These are items we couldn't live without or wouldn't want to be without in case of an emergency or - [Five Prepping Things To Accomplish in March](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/03/five-prepping-things-to-accomplish-in.html) - March is a fun time of the year! You never know what kind of weather you will have, if Spring will actually come in March, and if Winter will ever end. Below, I have a few things you can do this month to keep the winter doldrums at bay and make the time go quicker!Five - [Prepping and Decluttering](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/03/prepping-and-decluttering.html) - I have a new video on YouTube today talking about prepping and decluttering. While the two things seem like they might be in conflict with each other, I talk about the process we are going through. Some things I will never get rid and I talk about those. Some things are not worth holding on to - [12 Must Have Items For Prepping For The Elderly](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/02/12-must-have-items-for-prepping-for.html) - One of the areas of prepping that does not always cross one's mind is prepping for the elderly. We all have older people in our lives who will need us in a situation or a crisis. Most of us are planning on our parents or grandparents joining us if they need a place to stay. - [Monthly Update From The Homestead - February Edition](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/02/monthly-update-from-homestead-february.html) - February is here! The month of love, the month of cabin fever, the month of boredom...Actually, we haven't had much in the way of cabin fever. The month started out cold, but today we will be in the 60's for temperatures! In February! I will take it!Just to have a thunderstorm and snowstorm at the - [10 Lessons Learned From The Victorians, The Pioneers, and The 1800's](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/02/10-lessons-learned-from-victorians.html) - The Victorian age in Britain was a fascinating time. Many changes were made from the beginning of the century to the end. Britain experienced a massive industrial upheaval becoming more mechanized and more advanced as the century went on.In the United States, we went through many upheavals resulting in the Industrial Age at the end - [How An Online Book Store Will Work For Me After The Collapse](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/02/how-online-book-store-will-work-for-me.html) - As I have mentioned before, I have an online book store through Ebay. At any given time, I have at least 400 books and magazines listed with more always ready to be listed. I don't just sell books and magazines, but that is my main focus. I really like selling on Ebay so I keep - [Five Prepping Things To Accomplish In February](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/02/five-prepping-things-to-accomplish-in.html) - February can be the most boring month of the year. You are still cooped up in the house. The snow and ice are still making their appearance. Valentine's Day is still a holiday. You know blah, blah, blah.In other words, February is a prime month for cabin fever!As usual, though, I am here for you! - [Paper or Not? What Is Best For Your Preps?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/01/paper-or-not-what-is-best-for-your-preps.html) - Paper goods can be a pretty decisive part of prepping. They are handy to have on hand when you have to reserve water, when someone gets sick on the carpet, and to escape the pressure of doing more laundry. I know a lot of people think you should keep paper goods in your prepping supplies - [Five Prepping Things To Accomplish In January](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/01/five-prepping-things-to-accomplish-in.html) - January can be a slow month in the prepping world. The weather is usually less than ideal to be outside. The desire to work on the New Year's resolutions is strong and you need to take advantage of that! Did you make any prepping goals for the year?I didn't, but I have a list of - [Monthly Update From The Homestead - January Edition (Goals, Life, Etc.)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2017/01/monthly-update-from-homestead-january.html) - Were you ready for the holiday chaos to be over? I was. I love the holidays, but I do not like the craziness of the season. I have scaled back a lot in my celebrating, but the struggle to make the season simple is real. December was also Paige's birthday. She turned 16! Yikes! Where has - [How To Start Saving Money For Next Christmas](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/12/how-to-start-saving-money-for-next.html) - What do you mean next Christmas? Christmas was, like, yesterday! I know, I know. However, now is the time to set your budget for next Christmas and to start saving money for it. You know how much you spent on gifts, food, entertainment, and all the little extras. If you don't know, now is a - [My Mind Is Literally Going In A Hundred Directions...](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/12/my-mind-is-literally-going-in-hundred.html) - I haven't done a post like this in a long time, but the end of the year is coming. This post may be a little long, but I want to explain where I am at right now, what I am interested in now, and where I am at in life. I haven't even looked at - [20 Tips For Surviving Winter in the Midwest (or Anywhere!)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/12/20-tips-for-surviving-winter-in-midwest.html) - Winter can be brutal in the Midwest. The wind blows like crazy, the temperature drops with only an overnight notice, and the snow can really mess things up! For example, this is today's and this weekend's forecast:Just lovely, eh?However, I am here to help you stay warm, dry, and hopefully safe. Winter can catch people off - [10 Money Saving Hacks For A Happier (And Cheaper) Holidays!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/12/10-money-saving-hacks-for-happier-and.html) - In 10 Money Saving Tips for a Frugal Holidays, I focused on how to save money on gifts and stockings. Those tips have saved people a lot of money since the post was published. However, during the holidays, saving money on gifts is not the only way to save money! During the holidays, normally frugal - [Homemade Chili - A Winter's Delight!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/12/homemade-chili-winters-delight.html) - Chili is probably one of our favorite soups/stews at our house. Everyone loves it except for my son who doesn't love beans, but loves the rest of it! My daughters make it at their college apartment for themselves and their friends. This goes over very well for crowds. We make this a lot in the - [Is Prepping Dead?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/11/is-prepping-dead.html) - A lot of news I have been seeing lately is about how we do not need to worry about anything since the new president-elect is going to smooth away our problems. According to many sources, prepping should be on a decline because many of the issues facing us will be gone soon.Do you all really - [Frugal Update for Nov. 17th Vlog - Check it out today!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/11/frugal-update-for-nov-17th-vlog-check.html) - Last night, I posted a video on what we have been up to. I am giving you all an update on the frugal happenings of my life. I am talking about the deer I hit, the damages, and costs. I am also talking about selling things, cold lunches, and other ways we are saving money!What - [Birth and Baby Preparedness: 20 Things You Need To Have!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/11/birth-and-baby-preparedness-20-things.html) - Getting ready for a baby can be difficult in normal circumstances. Add in a crisis or a disaster and you have to be even more ready! Even if you don't have a baby in the house, I recommend having a basic birth kit and a baby kit just in case. You never know who could - [Want to Make America Great Again? Here Are 12 Ways You Can Do Just That!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/11/want-to-make-america-great-again-here.html) - This morning, much of my Facebook newsfeed has been about how this country has been let down by our newly elected President. This is a guy who promised to make America great again. However, he is not who is going to make America great again. Do you know who is going to make America great - [20 Things We Do Not Throw Away](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/10/20-things-we-do-not-throw-away.html) - Every year, more and more trash is accumulated in our landfills due to our wasteful habits. Many people will only use something once and throw it away. Many people still do not recycle their packaging despite the increasing availability of recycling centers. And many people would rather throw away their old things rather than take - [Is It Better To Live Within Your Means or Try To Earn More To Afford More?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/10/is-it-better-to-live-within-your-means.html) - This is a fairly simple question. The answer is much more complicated. Is it better to learn to live within your means? The answer should be yes for many reasons. Many people struggle with this though. We think we are entitled to things. We think we deserve certain things because we work hard. We think we should - [Monday Monthly Update From The Homestead - October Edition](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/10/monday-monthly-update-from-homestead.html) - Since we are close to the end of October, I thought I would update y'all on what we have been doing this last month. There has been a lot of activity and projects getting done around the place!But first, some really sad news. The chickens are gone.Their last day at the farm - snacking on - [Tired of the Election Chaos? A Guide on How To Vote American!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/09/tired-of-election-chaos-guide-on-how-to.html) - I'm tired of the elections, the politics (and I love politics), the saying something and meaning nothing of this current batch of candidates. They sure can promise a lot of things that may or may not happen. They can throw a lot of smoke to cover up their past deeds and mistakes. This year, they - [Birth Control, Sex, and SHTF: What Should You Do?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/09/birth-control-sex-and-shtf-what-should.html) - One of those areas that most people think will go away in the end times or SHTF is sex. Many people think that they will be too stressed out, too worried, too hungry, and too desperate to worry about sex.I happen to think they are wrong.Sex has some benefits that most people do not consider:Sex - [Monday Monthly Update From The Homestead - August/September Edition](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/09/monday-monthly-update-from-homestead.html) - I love this time of year! We are so busy trying to keep up with the yard, the garden, and the projects. So this will be a monthly update for now and in the future. In August, you realize that summer is winding down fast. You may have at least two months left to get everything - [4 Reasons Why It Is Time To Talk To Your Friends and Neighbors About Prepping!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/09/4-reasons-why-it-is-time-to-talk-to.html) - It's 5:30 in the afternoon. The power has been out since 6:30 that morning. You are contemplating what to have for supper on the grill since you can still get to the grill. Thank goodness you moved it to the garage yesterday when the weather started getting bad!Otherwise, everything else is going well. The kids - [It's National Preparedness Month! What You Should Do To Celebrate!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/09/its-national-preparedness-month-what.html) - National Preparedness Month is a very important month in any prepper's year! Many of the preparedness supply companies run great sales. Many of the prepping sites offer a lot of great advice. FEMA and Red Cross even get in on the action. National Preparedness Month is a great time to remind the non-preppers to get a - [Are You Prepared To Lose Instant Gratification When The SHTF Happens?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/09/are-you-prepared-to-lose-instant.html) - Remember growing up with only three channels on your TV? You might have been able to get five channels if you could adjust the antennae just right. If you got to see your favorite teams on TV, that was a special treat! You had to watch what the rest of the family was watching or - [The Back To School Routine - How To Set Up Your Family For Success This School Year!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/08/the-back-to-school-routine-how-to-set.html) - School has started for us! (Excuse me while I do a happy dance!)Starting school is an excellent time to start new routines in your household. I find being organized in the morning starts our day off well. We are on time for work and school. The kids are rarely rushing around to get their things - [What Does Your College Student Really Need?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/08/what-does-your-college-student-really.html) - I have had two kids in college for over three years now. I know there are things they need and don't need. We have experienced dorm life and apartment life. While both are very different, the college student needs are very similar in dorm life and apartment life. Basically, this is home away from home! Your - [Monday Update From The Homestead - August 8 (Garden, Life, Bathroom, and Being Frugal!)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/08/monday-update-from-homestead-august-8.html) - This last week has been busy! Again. Surprised, aren't you? I promise the winter updates will not be nearly as exciting as these summer ones. The weather is nice, hot, humid, and we are just trying to get everything done outside that we can. Except...We ended up doing an impromptu remodel on our downstairs bathroom. You - [Monday Update From The Homestead - July 25 & August 1](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/08/monday-update-from-homestead-july-25.html) - We are still here, still busy, and still finding more and more projects to do. I think the projects are actually finding us, but we always find things to do! I stay busier than I like and most days I have no idea what I need to do first. That is life though and I - [Eight Ways to Avoid Frugal Burnout](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/07/eight-ways-to-avoid-frugal-burnout.html) - Are you tired of pinching pennies?Are you tired of beans and rice?Are you tired of wondering when the debt will be paid off?Are you tired of being frugal?Frugal burnout is a real thing, folks!Constantly watching your pennies and wondering when you can afford what you really need or want just gets to you after a - [Five Reasons Homesteaders Fail (And How You Can Succeed!)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/07/five-reasons-homesteaders-fail-and-how.html) - Homesteading is a really wonderful thing. You raise your own food. You have your livestock. You are well on your way to being self-sufficient. The homesteading blogs and books paint such a great picture of a rosy life. Sure it may be some hard work, but really how hard can it be?People just have no - [Monday Update From The Homestead - July 18](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/07/monday-update-from-homestead-july-18.html) - Another week gone by in a blur...I have an observation to make though. I am sure you all probably know this, but there is nothing like having company or family coming over to make sure you get a lot of cleaning up to do in a very short amount of time!Mowing had to be done - [Monday Update From The Homestead - July 11](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/07/monday-update-from-homestead-july-11.html) - Whew! Another week gone! I swear I am going to figure out how to slow down time...The kids were a busy bunch this last week. They went to their dad's house for two days. Paige drove some more Driver's Ed and worked at the pool (she is a life guard). Dane went to his aunt - [Monday Update From The Homestead - June 27 & July 4](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/07/monday-update-from-homestead-june-27.html) - This last two weeks have really been a roller coaster. We have had a few ups and a few downs. The garden is growing well. All except my peppers. They are not growing much at all. I think I am going to hit them with a shot of fertilizer. My carrots did not come up very - [60 Ways To Save Money Today](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/06/60-ways-to-save-money-today.html) - Saving money is always important. For most people, it is a part of every decision they make. With the economy in a precarious position, we all need to work on saving more money! Practicing good money-saving habits now will help you in the future when the money might be tighter than ever. The tips below will - [Prep for NOW, Not Later!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/06/prep-for-now-not-later.html) - Life changes in an instant. One day life is normal and everyone is going on their own merry way. The next day, you may have to evacuate your home in an hour due to wildfires or flooding. Your kids may have a life-threatening illness or the new superbug. People may be starting to riot on - [Monday Update From The Homestead: June 13 & June 20](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/06/monday-update-from-homestead-june-13.html) - It has been two weeks again and time is flying! I mean to do this every week and hopefully I will again soon. I am lacking pictures for this post, but stay tuned and I will have more!The clothesline is done! Rob finished that last week with minimal assistance from me. I love it because - [Protecting The Garden: Building A Critter Proof Fence](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/06/protecting-garden-building-critter.html) - One of our big projects this year became putting a fence around the garden. I was having a serious problem with rabbits and possibly deer. Never mind the dog that also liked running at full force through the garden. Since I live in a wide-open rural area surrounded by farmland, the critters don't have a problem - [Monday Update From The Homestead: May 31 & June 6](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/06/monday-update-from-homestead-may-31.html) - We have the fence around the garden and the garden is planted! That, my friends, may be the best and biggest news of these last two weeks. Besides mowing, these two things have consumed most of our time. This has been a time consuming project and I will try to get a blog post up about - [Going From Lone Wolf To A Group Living Situation: How Would You Cope?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/06/going-from-lone-wolf-to-group-living.html) - Living by yourself has some perks. You get to make all the decisions. You get to do what you want to do. You get to decide where to live and how to live.Living with others has some perks too. You generally have safety and security in numbers. More people to do the work helps get - [Monday Update From The Homestead - May 15 & 22](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/05/monday-update-from-homestead-may-15-22.html) - This blog post is being sponsored by a tired and out of shape blogger. She is recovering, but sadly knows that she needs to get into shape and soon. I did finally go to the doctor and get some breathing issues addressed. I have had asthma for over 25 years. However, I have been managing it - [Monday Update From The Homestead - April 25 through May 9](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/05/monday-update-from-homestead-april-25.html) - To sum up these last three weeks: we got a lot done! I got to play in the dirt and garden! Yes!I transplanted about 50 raspberry plants to a new area. I just need to get a lot of mulch to help keep the weeds down. The weather is taking care of the watering. As - [Homemade Hamburgers and Baked Potato Slices: Delicious Summer Recipes!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/04/homemade-hamburgers-and-baked-potato.html) - One of our favorite summer meals to eat is Hamburgers and Baked Potato Slices. Both are simple and easy to make. You can also have dinner on the table in under thirty minutes!I start with the Baked Potato Slices first. We use garlic salt to season these potatoes because my family is addicted to it. - [Monday Update From The Homestead - April 18](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/04/monday-update-from-homestead-april-18.html) - Hello! We are having some very lovely temperatures here! The wind seems to want to blow too, but it feels so good to be outside soaking up the sun.We got a fair amount of yard work done. The branches are piled up in three piles around the house and will be loaded into a trailer. - [I Have Been Prepping For Five Years, Now What? A Review Checklist for the Long-Term Prepper](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/04/i-have-been-prepping-for-five-years-now.html) - Many of us have been prepping for quite a while. We started by getting some more food, a few cases of water, and some gear. Then prepping took over our lives and we now have a lot of prepping things and a good size food and water storage. I have been prepping for longer than five - [Monday Update From The Homestead - April 11](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/04/monday-update-from-homestead-april-11.html) - What happened this week?This week was a little exciting, a little bit frustrating, and has a little bit more work involved for us.We are down a chicken. One of the full-grown layers was killed by a hawk. In all the problems I thought I would have with keeping my chickens alive, this was not one - [Making Bread Is A Skill You Need To Learn! Bonus: A Round-Up of Great Bread Recipes!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/04/making-bread-is-skill-you-need-to-learn.html) - One of the skills I have probably worked the hardest on was to make my own bread. I wasn't very positive about my ability to learn how to make bread, but I knew I needed to learn how.I had a bread maker, but I didn't like how the loaves came out of the bread maker. - [Monday Update From The Homestead - April 4](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/04/monday-update-from-homestead-april-4.html) - Happy April! April seems to be the month that truly feels like Spring to me. That may be because the weather and temperatures seem to be better. We have had great temps the last couple days, but of course the wind has been blowing hard! We haven't gotten much done outside as a result.And sorry - [Monday Update From The Homestead - March 21 and Thoughts on Homesteading](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/03/monday-update-from-homestead-march-21.html) - The task of the month here has been bedroom cleaning. In hindsight that might not have been the best idea, but getting Dane upstairs to a new room became a priority. Dane is still working on purging toys and whatnot in both his old and new rooms. He is claiming that he plays with them - [Monday Update From The Homestead - March 14](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/03/monday-update-from-homestead-march-14.html) - This has been another busy week on the homestead. Every week seems busy, but some weeks just wear you out. However, this last week wasn't too bad. We have been doing a lot of little things. Cleaning out the garage and getting the doors to work right has been fun. I had to go to Menards - [Monday Update From The Homestead - March 7](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/03/monday-update-from-homestead-march-7.html) - In order to get back to a more consistent posting, we are bringing back the Monday Update From The Homestead. And folks, the homestead has been busy.As you all know, Rob moved in about six weeks ago. This has been a huge adjustment on everyone's part and we are still working out the kinks. However, - [Are You Frugal?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/02/are-you-frugal.html) - Many people claim to be frugal. Many people are frugal. Many people don't have a clue how to be frugal. Most people don't realize what it takes to be frugal.Frugal is defined as being economical with what you have, not wasting anything, and being careful with your money. Being frugal means you do not throw away something that - [Tax Refund Prepping: Time To Do A MAJOR Food Stock-Up](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/02/tax-refund-prepping-time-to-do-major.html) - What should you do with that good-sized tax refund you get every year? You can blow it on meaningless toys or a trip somewhere. You can save it for a rainy day. However, those things won't keep you alive though when a financial crisis or job loss happens. You need to invest your refund into your - [Make Valentine's Day Cheap and Easy!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/02/make-valentines-day-cheap-and-easy.html) - Valentine's Day can be so expensive! Flowers, candy, cards, stuffed animals, expensive night-outs, expensive dinners at equally expensive restaurants, and the list can go on. Guys and gals alike throw away huge amounts of money and for what? A holiday they might remember? What a huge waste of money!I used to work at a florist shop - [Once A Month Shopping Challenge: Month 3 and 4 Update!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/02/once-month-shopping-challenge-month-3.html) - So...I am being a bit of slacker on keeping you all updated on this shopping challenge.Probably because I didn't want to admit I was a complete failure.Month 3 went smashingly. As I predicted, I made one small trip to the store right before Christmas for apples and Texas toast bread for our traditional apple fritters, - [Ten Lessons Learned About Food From The Depression and Wartime](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/02/ten-lessons-learned-about-food-from.html) - The Great Depression was a time of lean years for many in the United States and all over the world. Many people learned valuable lessons on making food stretch and taking advantage of cheaper processed food that came out during this time. Many people learned to survive on less and some people went hungry. When - [Do You Feel Like Prepping Now?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/01/do-you-feel-like-prepping-now.html) - Anytime is a good time to start prepping. Yesterday is always a better time, but starting now is better than waiting until the actual SHTF happens. And a lot of events are going on right now. Winter is here. The East really knows winter is here now. I had a few friends post pictures of the - [Egg and Spinach Open Faced Sandwiches](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/01/egg-and-spinach-open-faced-sandwiches.html) - Things to know about me:1. I am not a fancy cook. Not at all. I could be if I wanted to, but I really like making uncomplicated things. This sandwich is one of them.2. I will eat cold sandwiches, but I really, really like hot sandwiches with crusty or toasted bread.I make these Egg and - [30 Things You Can Do On Your Winter Homestead](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/01/30-things-you-can-do-on-your-winter.html) - Ahhh...winter. Love it or hate it, winter happens every year. Some of you have much milder winters than we do in Iowa and can still garden year-round. That is not happening here! I can barely see where my garden should be at!I don't know about you all, but I lose hope Spring is coming when - [The LifeStack Storage Giveaway](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/01/the-lifestack-storage-giveaway.html) - Welcome to The Lifestack Storage Containers Giveaway! These containers are really wonderful. They stack well and give you more room for your preps. You can hold water, sugar, flour, salt, and other bulk items in these handy containers. Apartment Prepper did a wonderful review on The Lifestack Storage Containers that I want you to check out: http://apartmentprepper.com/lifestack-storage-containers-review/Are - [Are You Ready For The New Year? My 2016 Goals!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/01/are-you-ready-for-new-year-my-2016-goals.html) - Since my goals for 2015 pretty much didn't get accomplished, I figured I needed a new game plan.What is that game plan?1. Break them down into more manageable and easier to accomplish tasks.2. Print them out. Maybe make the print out fancy or more eye catching.3. Hang my goals in several places in my home. To - [2015 Best of Living Life In Rural Iowa - Top Ten Posts!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2016/01/2015-best-of-living-life-in-rural-iowa.html) - You all read these posts, shared these posts, and shown this blog some love! Thank you so much! I couldn't do this without you all and I wouldn't want to!These posts were the most popular posts in 2015! Counting down from 10 to 1 in popularity, here they are:10. 9.8. 7. 6. 5. 4. 3.2. 1.Thank you again and have a great - [Top 10 Items You Need For Your Food Storage](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/12/top-10-items-you-need-for-your-food.html) - When I started my food storage stockpile ten or so years ago, I made a list of the top ten food items I used almost every day in the kitchen. I was already making most of our food from scratch so I knew what I would need to stock up on. I would carry this list - [Have I Always Been A Prepper Homesteader?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/12/have-i-always-been-prepper-homesteader.html) - Have I always been a prepper homesteader?No.I have been a prepper homesteader for at least the last ten years and maybe longer. I have been wanting to be a homesteader for a lot longer than that. I would read and re-read the Little House on the Prairie books as a kid (and as an adult). - [What This Prepper Buys: The $1 Dollar General Challenge](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/12/what-this-prepper-buys-1-dollar-general.html) - A few months ago, I wrote a post on What This Prepper Buys: A Trip To The Store With Me. I wanted to give you all an idea on what I purchase for my preps and my everyday life. Since I use my preps in my daily life, I buy a lot of things knowing - [Once A Month Shopping Challenge: Month 2 Update & Month 3 Beginning](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/12/once-month-shopping-challenge-month-2.html) - Month 2 Update:November started out with really great intentions. I was set up for the month with one grocery trip and two trips to other stores. I was hosting Thanksgiving and thought I knew how many people were coming. Then two days before Thanksgiving hit. We made a trip to the store when I figured I - [Want an Easier Life? Commit to Becoming Debt Free Now!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/12/want-easier-life-commit-to-becoming.html) - Life is what you make of it. I want a life away from worry and stress. I want a life that I can control within reason. I can't do that when I am stressing out and worrying.The single biggest thing that makes me worry and stress out? Debt.Debt can rule your life. It can make - [22 Ways You Can Live A More Sustainable Life](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/11/22-ways-you-can-live-more-sustainable.html) - One of the ways we have tried to be more self-sufficient to live a more self-sustainable life. We try to produce our own food, raise chickens, recycle, reuse what we can, and generally live life without being consumer-driven. It is not an easy life to live all the time, but the pay off is great!One - [Once A Month Shopping Challenge: Month 2 and November's Meal Plans](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/11/once-month-shopping-challenge-month-2.html) - Here we are, Month 2 of the Once A Month Shopping Challenge!I tried to be a little more prepared for this month. I have officially made my three planned stops as of yesterday. The first stop was to K-Mart to get:2 bags of dog food2 bags of cat food (grain-free for the cat with a - [I Have A Gun! I Don't Need Anything Else!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/11/i-have-gun-i-dont-need-anything-else.html) - Have you heard this phrase?"I have a gun! I don't need anything else!"For someone who believes in being a well-rounded prepper, this phrase really grates on me. Am I anti-gun? Heck no! I believe in having guns for self-defense and hunting. I believe they are a great tool to have when the situation calls for their - [The Once A Month Shopping Challenge: Month One Update](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/11/the-once-month-shopping-challenge-month.html) - My first month's Once A Month Shopping Challenge will be done in just a few days. I will probably go grocery shopping a few days early due to how my budget works and when I get paid. However, I wanted to give you an update so you can see how it is going so far. The - [How I Get Things Done: Doing 5 Things In One Area](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/10/how-i-get-things-done-doing-5-things-in.html) - I am often asked how I get things done. I know I am a single mother with busy kids so that means I have to get things done. Of course, I enlist my kids into helping because, most of the time, it is their mess. At the end of the day, though, most of the - [If I Saw It on YouTube, It Has to Work: Sweet Potato Experiment](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/10/if-i-saw-it-on-youtube-it-has-to-work.html) - One day this last Spring, I saw sweet potato slips at the local greenhouse. I wanted them. I love sweet potatoes and thought it would be a great addition to my winter food supply.However, I have planted sweet potatoes before. They looked like they did really well until I went to dig them and couldn't - [Want To Save Money? Learn To Live On Just Cash.](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/10/want-to-save-money-learn-to-live-on.html) - Money is necessary. It is not evil and it is not good, but it keeps gas in your car, heat in your home, and clothes on your back. Most people need to have money for one reason or another. We would all like to believe that we don't need money, but we would be lying - [A Single Parent Needs These 10 Things!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/10/a-single-parent-need-these-10-things.html) - Some people are single parents right away. Some people become single parents after being married for a while then becoming divorced or widowed. Either way you become a single parent, you have to make big adjustments. You need certain things in your single parent arsenal to be a better one. Because, let's face it, being one - [October Monthly Meal Plan - A First In My World!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/10/october-monthly-meal-plan-first-in-my.html) - In junction with my once a month shopping trip to the grocery store, I needed to work out a month of meals to make. This was actually pretty easy for me because we have a lot of the same meals from month to month. I usually try 2-3 new meals a month as well, but - [Frugal Refrigerator Clean-out Frittata](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/10/frugal-refrigerator-clean-out-frittata.html) - So when you have a lot of eggs that need to be used up, some vegetables in the fridge that needs to be used up, and need a quick meal, what do you do?You make Fritatta! I love frittata. I love saying the word frittata. So much fun!Below is a couple days worth of eggs. - [Do You Want To Join The Once A Month Shopping Challenge?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/10/do-you-want-to-join-once-month-shopping.html) - Do you want to save money? Do you want to shop at the store less?I know I do! I used to shop only once a month for groceries and I have fallen off the wagon. Sad, but true.However, my friend Daisy at The Organic Prepper has issued a Once A Month Shopping Challenge! She is - [The Survival Savvy Family: A Book Review](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/10/the-survival-savvy-family-book-review.html) - I just got done reading The Survival Savvy Family by Julie Sczerbinski. Julie is a fellow blogger that asked for others, including me, to review her book. I love her blog, Home Ready Home, and thought she would write a pretty good book.I was wrong. This book isn't just pretty good. This book is fantastic! - [12 Must-Do Homesteading Tasks For The Fall](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/09/12-must-do-homesteading-tasks-for-fall.html) - Fall has come and now it is time to get those projects done! Time to button up the homestead, secure the buildings, and make sure all the peoples and animals are going to be warm and safe for the winter.This could be the time for panic or you can just simply do what you can - [I Want to Prep, But I Can't!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/09/i-want-to-prep-but-i-cant.html) - Really? Why not?As I mentioned before, I read a lot of prepping boards and comments on posts in various social media outlets. I see a lot of people say that they can't prep (or homestead) because of various excuses.I really loathe excuses. You know what? You don't need anything more than ambition and gumption to prep - [What Happens When The Computers Suddenly Don't Work Anymore?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/09/what-happens-when-computers-suddenly.html) - A while back, I was without a computer for three weeks because my computer died suddenly. I have been thinking more about that now. So much has changed with computers and technology in general in the last four years. Our phones can do dang near anything we want them to. We have so many more social - [Welcome to the 30 Days of Preparedness Giveaway!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/09/welcome-to-30-days-of-preparedness.html) - Welcome to the 30 Days of Preparedness Giveaway!September is National Preparedness Month and the Prepared Bloggers are bringing you an amazing giveaway sponsored by Valley Food Storage and various preparedness authors. These authors are authorities on topics from gardening and chickens to natural medicine and water storage, all to help you become prepared for what - [What This Prepper Buys - A Look At A Trip To The Store With Me](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/09/what-this-prepper-buys-look-at-trip-to.html) - Many people ask me what I buy and I have addresses this in other posts. Besides being a huge fan of Amazon Prime Pantry and Amazon Subscribe and Save, I shop at dollar stores. I love dollar stores!Where I live, I only have a Dollar General. If I know I will be driving by a - [10 Most Important Items A Female Prepper Should Have](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/09/10-most-important-items-female-prepper.html) - This post is a part of the 30 Days of Preparedness Round Robin with Prepared Bloggers! Thank you for visiting!Today, let us focus on the ladies. Women have certain needs and your preps should reflect those needs. I am writing this list with the thought in mind that you might not have a man around - [August Scenes From The Homestead](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/08/august-scenes-from-homestead.html) - Ahh...August. August is one of my favorite months. Everything is green, growing, blooming, ready for harvest, and/or starting to die. The kids start back to school and activities are already in full swing.These pictures would be a day in the life and what is going on around the homestead in August.First of all, it was - [Fajita Vegetable Packets: A Great Way To Use Up The Garden Bounty!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/08/fajita-vegetable-packets-great-way-to.html) - Looking for a way to use up the summer produce from the garden? Scored a good deal on onions and peppers at the farmers market? Let me introduce you to one of my favorite ways to use onions and bell peppers!Fajita vegetable packets! I love fajitas. Love isn't a strong enough word. Fajitas would be my - [Don't Throw Away Those Old Bed Sheets: 22 Ways to Reuse Old Bed Sheets!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/08/dont-throw-away-those-old-bed-sheets-22.html) - Do you have this problem - a pile of old bed sheets that for whatever reason are not suitable for your bed anymore? Or your kids are not into Barbie anymore? Or the dog decided to play tug of war with them while drying on the clothes line? (Real story!)What to do with them? I - [Friday Thoughts - Week of August 14](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/08/friday-thoughts-week-of-august-14.html) - The Friday Thoughts might give you the impression I am obsessed with certain things, but then again maybe not. Many people ask what I think about things and I am not a very good talker. I will start trying to put my thoughts here every week and see what happens. I am going to keep - [Preppers and Homesteaders Need To Eat Healthy Too!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/08/preppers-and-homesteaders-need-to-eat.html) - I have been thinking about healthy eating and diets a lot lately. I hate diets. I hate the idea of depriving myself of something that can be good for me if I eat in moderation and make wise choices. I have been following a modified low-carb diet lately because Rob needs to for his health - [Friday Thoughts - Week of August 7](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/08/friday-thoughts-week-of-august-7.html) - The Friday Thoughts might give you the impression I am obsessed with certain things, but then again maybe not. Many people ask what I think about things and I am not a very good talker. I will start trying to put my thoughts here every week and see what happens. I am going to keep - [Is It A NEED or a WANT? What Should You Spend Your Money On?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/08/is-it-need-or-want-what-should-you.html) - One of the hard lessons in life that I had to learn was distinguishing between needs and wants. Sometimes I had a hard time knowing which was which. Sometimes, when I ignored that little voice in my head telling me I didn't need that item, I got myself into some financial hot water. Lessons learned the - [August 2015 Goals Update](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/08/august-2015-goals-update.html) - My Goals For 20151. Clean, de-clutter, paint, re-carpet, fix the ceiling and organize Paige's room. This room is an unorganized disaster that needs some serious help. Plus she is at that age where she is growing out of everything: clothes, toys, books, etc.2. Clean, organize, paint, and re-carpet the office. This is where I work - [Friday Thoughts - Week of July 24](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/07/friday-thoughts-week-of-july-24.html) - The Friday Thoughts might give you the impression I am obsessed with certain things, but then again maybe not. Many people ask what I think about things and I am not a very good talker. I will start trying to put my thoughts here every week and see what happens. I am going to keep - [9 Things I Have Learned As A Single Mom Prepper/Homesteader](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/07/9-things-i-have-learned-as-single-mom.html) - (Circa 2007 when this journey began)I am the only one who can do for myself and my kids. Of course I have a great support group of family and friends who help, but at the end of the day I am still the only one there for my kids. I have to do the work - [Using Amazon Subscribe and Save for Prepping and Stockpiling](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/07/using-amazon-subscribe-and-save-for.html) - I actually hate shopping. I rarely buy more than what is on my list and do not really want to go into any store. I also don't like that people give you weird looks when you buy 4-5 items when you should only need one. I also don't like to explain myself when they ask - [July 2015 Goals Update](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/07/july-2015-goals-update.html) - Dear June, where did you go?Time for the June update! My Goals For 20151. Clean, de-clutter, paint, re-carpet, fix ceiling, and organize Paige's room. This room is an unorganized disaster that needs some serious help. Plus she is at that age where she is growing out of everything: clothes, toys, books, etc.We are doing a lot - [10 Preparedness Items You Should Be Buying Every Month](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/06/10-preparedness-items-you-should-be.html) - As crazy as it seems, some people make prepping harder than it has to be. Learning skills can be hard, but the end rewards are so worth it. The work can be hard, but the pay off is that jobs get done and you have accomplished something for the future.However...preppers still need stuff. We can - [Preppers, Stop Bashing Each Other's Food Stockpiles Because No One Is Right or Wrong](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/06/preppers-stop-bashing-each-others-food.html) - Over the last month at home, we have been talking about how we need to increase our food storage for more people and for a longer period of time. As much as I want to believe I would have enough for three months and longer, reality tells me that might not be the case. In researching - [Tuesday Savings on the Homestead: Time for a Summer Makeover Project!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/06/tuesday-savings-on-homestead-time-for.html) - This week's Tuesday Savings on the Homestead is brought to you by this blogger! The same blogger who hates shopping, especially furniture shopping! I really have a problem paying new furniture prices. How can they charge so much for a bed frame and whatnot? It should be criminal! I also don't always dig paying used furniture - [The Joys and Concerns of Living in a Rural Area](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/06/the-joys-and-concerns-of-living-in.html) - This weekend is a prime example of why I usually try to make do with what I have. I did more running this weekend than I ever like to do, just to find three rolls of the kind of fencing I wanted. I was not a happy camper, but I have accepted this part of - [Tuesday Savings on the Homestead: Check Your Tires!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/06/tuesday-savings-on-homestead-check-your.html) - The tires on your vehicles are extremely important and they help you save money!Properly inflated tires give you good gas mileage which means you save more at the gas pumps. Properly inflated tires also last longer and will show less wear and tear. You will also have better handling to help avoid accidents.How to check - [June 2015 Goals Update (Updated and Edited)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/06/june-2015-goals-update.html) - May was a busy, busy month. First of all, this one graduated! Jordan graduated from high school on the 17th with a big party on the 16th. We were pretty busy with that. And when we weren't busy with that, we were busy with Dane's big school project. His school has the fourth graders do a - [How My Favorite Books Have Influenced My Homesteading Life](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/05/how-my-favorite-books-have-influenced.html) - I grew up in love with the Little House on the Prairie and Anne of Green Gables books. I still love them. I still read them all the time. I love the adventures of Anne, Laura, and the people they loved and encountered. I love how they dealt with the situations they found themselves in - [Book Review: Countdown to Preparedness by Jim Cobb](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/05/book-review-countdown-to-preparedness.html) - Countdown to Preparedness: The Prepper's 52-Week Course to Total Disaster Readiness written by Jim Cobb is a comprehensive guide to setting up and organizing your preps, gaining skills, and becoming knowledgable over the course of a year. Jim is a preparedness expert having written five books on the subject of preparedness, writes for Survival Weekly, and - [Make Your Own Pet Food and Treats!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/05/tuesday-savings-on-homestead-make-your.html) - Have you seen how much pet food costs nowadays? I tend to buy better quality food and treats because I believe that the by-products are not good for our pets. I also believe that if I wouldn't eat it, they shouldn't eat it either. One of the areas I have tried hard to cut down - [Parents, Life Is Meant To Be Simpler (And Not So BUSY!)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/05/parents-life-is-meant-to-be-simpler-and.html) - Life gets so crazy sometimes. We run and run and run. The kids are involved in several things at once, we can't say no to the latest commitment, and home is only a place to rest your head. Does this sound familiar?Life shouldn't be like that. Yes, I know. I can hear y'all now. Kids - [10 Things To Do When Rain Stops You From Homesteading Outside](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/05/10-things-to-do-when-rain-stops-you.html) - In my area of Iowa, we are soaked. We get about 2-3 days of rain, 2-3 days of no rain, 2-3 days of rain, and now cooler (than I like) temps. We have rain coming again at the beginning of the weekend. My garden is tilled. Nothing is in it. I have a fence to - [2015 Garden Plans and Goals: Becoming More Self-Sufficient Every Year!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/05/2015-garden-plans-and-goals-becoming.html) - Photo by my daughter, Jordan The garden is tilled! Now time to start planting and planning some more. I love gardening and all it entails. I am working on making the homestead into a food producing machine. A lot easier said than done, but every year I make progress.What am I going to do this year?1. - ["What Do You Think Is Going To Happen? Is The World Going To End?"](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/05/what-do-you-think-is-going-to-happen-is.html) - The answer would be "I don't know" or "I doubt it". Literally, I don't know. I can guess and not be right. I can only give you my views and let you make your own decisions. I see a lot of signs of potentially bad things happening, but I don't know which way anything is - [Want to Save Money? Attend A Garage Sale! (Tips for Having a Good Garage Sale Time!)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/05/tuesday-savings-on-homestead-attend.html) - Do you love garage sales? I do love garage sales. I think this is a great way to find things we need and not pay a fortune for those needed things. Last weekend was kind of the official start of garage sale season in Iowa and we definitely partook. We found some shirts, shoes, and - [May 2015 Goals Update](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/05/may-2015-goals-update.html) - My Goals For 20151. Clean, de-clutter, paint, re-carpet, fix ceiling, and organize Paige's room. This room is an unorganized disaster that needs some serious help. Plus she is at that age where she is growing out of everything: clothes, toys, books, etc.This has been on hold for the last month. Between remodeling my work office - [18 Ways To Save (And Make!) Money Homesteading](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/04/18-ways-to-save-and-make-money.html) - Homesteading is not cheap. It can be done frugally, but at some point, you have to open up your wallet. You need equipment, feed, fencing, coops, hutches, and so on. However, you can minimize your costs or prevent future costs by being proactive. You can also make a little money homesteading if you wish. I - [Save Your Back and Arms By Sharpening Your Garden Tools!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/04/tuesday-savings-on-homestead-sharpen.html) - One of the best things you can do for yourself and your garden is to sharpen the tools that you use in the garden. Planting becomes easier with a sharp trowel. Weeding becomes easier with a sharp hoe. Harvesting becomes easier with a sharp knife. Life is easier with sharp tools. And I may not - [10 Frugal Ideas To Get Outside and Have Fun!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/04/tuesday-savings-on-homestead-10-frugal.html) - The weather is beautiful this week in Iowa! I feel like Spring is actually here and I want to play outside! Homesteading, no matter where you are and how you do it, is a lot of work. Homesteading is a lot of work, especially in the Spring! However, Spring is a time to lighten up - [Nine Ways Food Is Money (And Better Than Money!)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/04/nine-ways-food-is-money-and-better-than.html) - From reading many preparedness articles and listening to what other people have to say, I am continually amazed by how many people do not make food storage a priority. Whether you have food storage, the ability to grow and preserve food, hunt or forage for food, or any kind of resupply plan, you have something - [April 2015 Goals Update](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/04/april-2015-goals-update.html) - March was a whirlwind. Between the illnesses and busyness, we did the best we could. We probably ate out too many times, but life is like that sometimes. A tax refund helped cover that cost! My Goals For 20151. Clean, de-clutter, paint, re-carpet, fix ceiling, and organize Paige's room. This room is an unorganized disaster that - [Why You Should Grow And Preserve Rhubarb!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/04/why-you-should-grow-and-preserve-rhubarb.html) - Rhubarb is an excellent addition to any garden! Being that rhubarb is a perennial, you can get a crop every year and fill your refrigerator/freezer with its deliciousness. I was blessed to grow up with a mother that loved rhubarb and canned it into jams. I was doubly blessed to move on to a farm - ["We Just Did"](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/03/we-just-did.html) - My Grandma Rene is 94 years old. She has lived through The Depression, World War II, six sons (no daughters), lost two husbands and still is going strong. She is starting to show some effects of her age, but she still lives by herself, plays cards, and sometimes dances.We have been probing her for more - [Corned Beef Casserole: A Food Storage Friendly Meal!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/03/corned-beef-casserole-food-storage.html) - Corned Beef Casserole is another childhood favorite of mine growing up. I make it now and then when I want comfort food. This is my mom's recipe and I have no clue where she got it from.I also make it for St. Patrick's Day since the traditional foods of St. Patrick's Day does not thrill - [Sunday Savings on the Homestead Week 11: Starting Seeds](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/03/sunday-savings-on-homestead-week-11.html) - Every Sunday I will be posting a Sunday Savings on the Homestead. This posts will concentrate on one money saving thing you and I can do to save money for the week. Some will be easy, some will be be a bit difficult, and all will concentrate on one way to save money for the - [Homemade Apple Fritters](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/03/homemade-apple-fritters.html) - Homemade apple fritters are a family tradition. And no wonder! They are so good! My mom makes these every Christmas morning. She loves to tell the story about who used to make them and where the recipe came from. In fact, when I emailed her to ask her if I could share this recipe, she - [Sunday Savings on the Homestead Week 10: Plan Your Garden!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/03/sunday-savings-on-homestead-week-10.html) - Every Sunday I will be posting a Sunday Savings on the Homestead. This posts will concentrate on one money saving thing you and I can do to save money for the week. Some will be easy, some will be be a bit difficult, and all will concentrate on one way to save money for the - [Daily Habits, Routines, and Prepping: Why Do They Go Together?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/03/daily-habits-routines-and-prepping-why.html) - Many of us do the same things every day. We get up in the morning, take a shower, get dressed, eat breakfast, and start our day. Have you thought about how your daily habits and routines are a part of your prepping?I didn't always see daily habits and routines as part of my prepping. I - [Sunday Savings on the Homestead Weeks 7-9: Sewing Kits, Mend Something, and Fix Something Else](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/03/sunday-savings-on-homestead-weeks-7-9.html) - Every Sunday I will be posting a Sunday Savings on the Homestead. This posts will concentrate on one money saving thing you and I can do to save money for the week. Some will be easy, some will be be a bit difficult, and all will concentrate on one way to save money for the - [Tuna Noodle Casserole - A Food Storage Friendly Meal!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/02/tuna-noodle-casserole-food-storage.html) - Ahhh....Tuna Noodle Casserole. Doesn't that evoke childhood memories?I happen to love it! I eat 80/20 most of the time, focusing on eating healthy. Then sometimes, I want some childhood comfort food. Tuna Noodle Casserole is one of those meals!My Grandma Ertz made it. My mom makes it. We had it during Lent and we had - [Life For Women During Wartime: Life Without Men](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/02/life-for-women-during-wartime-life.html) - (The history geek in me has arisen again. And probably will many more times.)During wartime (WWI and WWII), many men were gone. Men ages 18-42 were either drafted or volunteered to fight. Some were pressed into service in other ways. Some were given reprieve if the government thought their talents lie elsewhere like farming. By - [Do You Have Too Much or Just Enough For Your Needs?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/02/do-you-have-too-much-or-just-enough-for.html) - Here is some questions to ask yourself:1. If you had to leave your home in an emergency, could you?2. Would you be able to leave your things and stockpiles behind?3. Do you buy things just to have them or because they will serve a purpose not yet fulfilled by something else?4. Do you buy a - [Sunday Savings on the Homestead Week 6: Meal Planning and No Eating Out Week](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/02/sunday-savings-on-homestead-week-6-meal.html) - Every Sunday I will be posting a Sunday Savings on the Homestead. This posts will concentrate on one money saving thing you and I can do to save money for the week. Some will be easy, some will be be a bit difficult, and all will concentrate on one way to save money for the - [Maxpedition TRIPTYCH™ Organizer Giveaway](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/02/maxpedition-triptych-organizer-giveaway.html) - Have you heard of this organizing bag before? The Maxpedition TRIPTYCH™ Organizer is one awesome bag! This is a bag you will not have to worry about ripping, tearing, getting dirty and not becoming clean again, and can handle a bit of rain! Who wouldn't want one? Here is your chance! One winner will be chosen - [Food Rationing, Food Storage, and Wartime: We Have Much To Learn](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/02/food-rationing-food-storage-and-wartime.html) - I am a history geek. There is no one era in time that catches my fancy. All of them do. Lately, I have been studying food rationing during wartime during World War 1 and 2 in America and Britain. Some things have really caught my attention.1. The government will step in and tell farmers what - [February 2015 Goals Update](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/02/february-2015-goals-update.html) - I can say this: not much happened this month. I did do a lot of planning and came up with a plan of attack for the first goal. Most of the rest of the goals have been researched and are being worked on. My Goals For 20151. Clean, de-clutter, paint, re-carpet, fix ceiling, and organize - [Sunday Savings on the Homestead Weeks 4 and 5: Make Your Own Bread and Taco Seasoning!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/02/sunday-savings-on-homestead-weeks-4-and.html) - Every Sunday I will be posting a Sunday Savings on the Homestead. This posts will concentrate on one money saving thing you and I can do to save money for the week. Some will be easy, some will be be a bit difficult, and all will concentrate on one way to save money for the - [Nine Things You Need To Live A DIY/MYO Life](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/01/nine-things-you-need-to-live-diymyo-life.html) - A lot of people go into the the preparedness/self-sufficiency/homesteading lifestyle thinking they can buy whatever they need and they will be fine. However, that is far from the truth. Very far from the truth.Much of this lifestyle comes from the fact that most people want the simple life. They want to save money and provide - [Want to Save Money? Turn Down The Thermostat!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/01/sunday-savings-on-homestead-week-3-turn.html) - We all like to be warm in the winter. Some people like a cooler house and some people like a warmer house. I like a warmer house, but my budget does not like a warmer house. So I try to keep the thermostat set to 66-68 degrees. Two weeks ago, however, I caved. It was - [Pay Attention To Your Bills!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/01/pay-attention-to-your-bills.html) - Something interesting happened to me yesterday. I got my utility bill for last month. The fun thing is that it went down!Please let me back up and explain a few things. My whole house is electric. My bill will never be under $200 unless I put in solar panels or not live there for a - [Preparedness on the Cheap: Learning Your Evacuation Routes](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/01/preparedness-on-cheap-learning-your.html) - No one wants to think about evacuating their home. I know I would not leave mine until I absolutely had to or was forced to leave. However, in being prepared, we have to think about all possibilities whether we want to or not.I live in a rural area. I know my evacuation routes by heart. - [Need to Make Money? Sell Something You Don't Need!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/01/sunday-savings-on-homestead-week-2-sell.html) - I have been a purging fool the last couple of weeks. And it feels good! However, I have trouble with some of this stuff just going to the thrift shop or Goodwill. The stuff we are getting rid of is really nice stuff.This week's mission is to sell something you don't need anymore. We all - [Making a Budget: No One Wants To, But We Need To!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/01/making-budget-no-one-wants-to-but-we.html) - In the 13 Ways To Save Money In The New Year post, point #13 was to find someone to be an accountability partner for spending and budget making ideas.Before you can look for an accountability partner, you need to do something first. You need to make a budget.I know, I know. Making a budget is - [13 Ways To Save Money In The New Year!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2015/01/13-ways-to-save-money-in-new-year.html) - A new year and new goals! Yes! One of my goals for the year is to live as frugal of a life as possible. What I was really saying is that we are going on a spending fast. We literally will be cutting back expenses and saving money as much as possible. My finances are - [Are You Setting Goals For 2015? Here Are My Goals For 2015!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/12/are-you-setting-goals-for-2015-here-are.html) - The year 2014 is almost over. Thank goodness. This year has had its high times as well as its low times. I started raising chickens and getting eggs. Woo hoo! This blog has gotten bigger and better. Another woo hoo!However, I felt lost most of the year. Not cool. I realized when I looked back - [Top Posts of 2014!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/12/top-posts-of-2014.html) - The end of the year is here which is unbelievable to me. However, time keeps marching on and life goes on!These are the top posts of 2014! This little old blog really grew this year and it is all because of you! Thank you all so very much for reading this posts, sharing with others, - [December is a GREAT Month To Stock Your Food Storage!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/12/december-is-great-month-to-stock-your.html) - December has been very good to me this month! The sales, the loss leaders, the opportunities....We have been hitting all of them!First of all, December is a very good time to stock up on pork. Some of you may not eat pork and that is fine. However, we do. I have been able to get - [Want An Easy Way To Make Candles? Try Wax Crystals!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/12/want-easy-way-to-make-candles-try-wax.html) - Making candles is a skill I have been working on in the last year. I have done the melt and pour method, the beeswax sheet method, and the wax crystal method so far. The wax crystal method, by far, is the easiest method. This method is great for a beginner! You can do this school age - [Yes, Your Kids Do See What You Do!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/11/yes-your-kids-do-see-what-you-do.html) - This week's weather in northern Iowa has been less than ideal. We never really appreciate a day before Thanksgiving snowstorm. Those have a tendency to make travel a bit difficult.School was cancelled on Wednesday due to several inches of snow being on the ground already and more coming down. The kids were to go down - [Black Friday Berkey Light Giveaway](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/11/black-friday-berkey-light-giveaway.html) - Berkey Light Water Purifier Giveaway We are excited to share this Berkey Light Water Purifier Giveaway that sponsored by our friends at LPC Survival. The Berkey Light Water Purifier is an deal water filtration system for everyday use at home, travel, outdoors or during emergencies. Includes one set of Black Berkey Elements. Includes: 2 Black - [2014 Gardening Update - What Worked, What Didn't Work, and What Needs to Change or Be Done](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/11/2014-gardening-update-what-worked-what.html) - A picture from last year. For some reason, I didn't take any this year!This year's garden gave me a lot of hope that I could actually grow produce and plants could thrive! That being said, there is a lot that needs to be done to the garden and I have already started some of that.I - [The Budget is Getting Tighter! 15 Ways We Are Making Lincoln Scream and You Can Too!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/11/the-budget-is-getting-tighter-15-ways.html) - The budget is getting tighter and going to get a whole lot tighter. I have read a lot of articles lately and talked to a lot of people about money and budgets. Sacrifices are already being made. I sometimes feel like I am getting a bit extreme in my savings and learning to live without - [My Wonder Oven Giveaway!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/10/my-wonder-oven-giveaway.html) - Top Ten Features of My Wonder OvenThe picture of our yummy, deliciously Autumn giveaway was taken by Joyce at My Wonder Oven.com. A group of bloggers decided to let you know about these awesome energy-saving, non-electric slow cookers. In order to slow cook food, all you do is use a pan with a lid and - [25 More Frugal Ideas and Tips](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/10/25-more-frugal-ideas-and-tips.html) - In October 2012, I wrote a post about 25 Frugal Ideas and Tips. I thought that might be all I could offer you, but alas, I have more ideas and tips!26. Don't run out and replace items as they break or wear out. Try to fix them or see if you can live without them. - [Homemade Nesting Boxes for Chickens Using Free or Recycled Materials](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/10/homemade-nesting-boxes-for-chickens.html) - One of the things about my homestead is that I don't have a lot of money to spend. Like none. I have become very good at taking whatever free items come along and putting them aside for future use. I may not know what I am going to be using them for, but at least - [Saratoga Jack Thermal Cooker Giveaway!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/10/saratoga-jack-thermal-cooker-giveaway.html) - Thermal Cooker GiveawayWe are really excited today about our thermal cooker giveaway! We are a group of bloggers who like to show our readers how to use different preparedness items. This Saratoga Jacks Thermal Cooker works very much like a slow cooker. It comes with two stainless steel pans with one lid that fits right - [Preparedness on the Cheap: Evaluate the Perimeter Of Your Property](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/10/preparedness-on-cheap-evaluate.html) - (Preparedness on the Cheap is a series of articles for the prepper and everyone else that do not have a lot of money, but needs to take steps to be prepared. A good deal of prepping is learning, planning and organizing. Prepping doesn't have to cost a lot of money, but does involve a lot - [Monday Frugal and Homesteading Update](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/10/monday-frugal-and-homesteading-update.html) - These last few weeks have been exciting, busy, and exhausting! Many exciting things to tell you about!Jordan turned 18 last week. I have another "adult" in my life. She is my second born and she is so ready to take on the world. She will graduate high school next May and plans to follow Shali - [How Will You Entertain Your Older Kids When The Power Goes Out?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/10/how-will-you-entertain-your-older-kids.html) - Let's face a fact: most kids are very happy playing with something that is electronic. They would play them all the time if they could. I know the pain of that statement because I had a preteen son who was the same way.I worried about how he would entertain himself if the power went out - ["Oh my gosh, she's a prepper!"](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/09/oh-my-gosh-shes-prepper.html) - One of the things that could most annoy me is when some one close me to goes "Oh my gosh, she's a prepper! You should see all the stuff she has put anyway and all the gadgets she has!"Doesn't matter the glare I give them. Doesn't matter if I deny it or semi deny it. - [Monthly Frugal and Homesteading Update - August/September](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/09/monthly-frugal-and-homesteading-update.html) - August is in the books! Yeah! The kids went back to school on the 20th and we have settled very quickly back into a routine. School was a bit more expensive this year to enroll. In the past six years, we have qualified for free lunches which also qualifies us for free registration. While I - [Raising Your Kids To Be The Opposite Of Society's Expectations](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/09/raising-your-kids-to-be-opposite-of.html) - Some beliefs I have encountered:Many people believe that kids need a gentle, coddling introduction to being a grown up.Many people believe that kids cannot function on their own until they are 22-25 years old.Many people believe kids do not need to have a job while in junior high, high school, or college. They should just - [30 Days of Preparedness: Personal Protection and Awareness - What Will You Do To Protect Yourself?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/09/30-days-of-preparedness-personal.html) - When you go out for the day, do you know where you are going? Are you aware of potential situations that may impact you? How do you plan to protect yourself (and loved ones) if danger threatens you?Those are questions I think about everyday. They are not easy questions, but they need to asked just - [30 Days of Preparedness: Stocking the Non-Food Items](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/09/30-days-of-preparedness-stocking-non.html) - People often forget that while they need to have plenty of food stored, they also need the other essentials in life. What would be those you ask? Items such as batteries, toliet paper, feminine supplies, soap, deodorant, and other essentials make life so much easier and better smelling for all of us! Plus there is - [Why don't you do what they do?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/08/why-dont-you-do-what-they-do.html) - My son is smart kid. He appeared to be not paying attention to the television at all last night while I was watching Doomsday Preppers. Most of the time, I see a lot of eye rolling and room leaving from my kids when that show comes on. While I pick up a lot of good - [Make Your Own Face and Eye Cream](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/08/make-your-own-face-and-eye-cream.html) - One of those areas I haven't given up my vanity on is my face. I don't wear a lot of cosmetics, just concealer and mascara. After I get out of the shower, I put on clear lip balm to keep them from chapping. Then I put on eye and face cream.I ran out one morning - [Chaos Scenario: Power Grid Failure Part 4](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/08/chaos-scenario-power-grid-failure-part-4.html) - Please click on Part 1, Part 2, or Part 3 if you have already read the previous installments.You arrive the safe house with your neighbor and your kids. He has you drive inside the garage area to keep the vehicles hidden. Your kids are so tired. You open some cans of food you brought with - [Monthly Frugal and Homesteading Update](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/08/monthly-frugal-and-homesteading-update.html) - This month has been a bit busy and my mind has been going in a different direction. July has been a no spend month. I was very unintentional about it, but the budget demanded it. The budget is going to demand it for August also so no spending unless necessary.The great thing about having a - [How I Preserve Food: Vegetable Soup](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/07/how-i-preserve-food-vegetable-soup.html) - One of the greatest things about preserving your food is making your own food to eat later on! You can control the ingredients, use up what you have on hand, and make delicious food such as this Vegetable Soup. I also like that I can make this recipe in pint jars for work lunches and - [Chaos Scenario: Power Grid Failure Part 3](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/07/chaos-scenario-power-grid-failure-part-3.html) - Please read Part 1 and Part 2 if you have not already!The neighborhood meeting was interesting. Very obvious some people had nothing. Not that you have much, but to have nothing would be bad. They wanted everyone to give them some food. You indicated you had hardly anything and was thinking about leaving. You did - [Chaos Scenario: Power Grid Failure Part 2](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/07/chaos-scenario-power-grid-failure-part-2.html) - If you haven't read Part 1 yet, please click here. The kids and you have been scavenging the house for emergency supplies. One of your kids found several candles in a box and with the candles around the house you have more than plenty or so you think. She also found some lighters and a box - [Chaos Scenario: Power Grid Failure Part 1](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/07/chaos-scenario-power-grid-failure-part-1.html) - Recently I was talking to a friend about a scenario that we both thought was a little out there, but very plausible. What would you do if the power grid failed?Some things you need to keep in mind while talking through this scenario:1. Grocery stores only have 2-3 days worth of food on hand at - [Things in Life Do Not Happen In My Time: Tales From A Frustrated "Homesteader"](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/07/things-in-life-do-not-happen-in-my-time.html) - Today's post will be funny, a bit frustrating, trying not to be whiny, and wondering what decisions I should have made differently. Just for your own information. I do try to warn people. Sometimes.I should have gotten more chickens. Before my family attempts to shoot me about that last statement, I mean I should have - [Want To Save Money? Start Gleaning!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/07/want-to-save-money-start-gleaning.html) - Gleaning is one of my favorite ways to save money! Gleaning helps supply our food stores, gives me more to can, and helps food not go to waste. Gleaning is responsible and helps one to be sustainable as well as economical.But what is gleaning? Gleaning is gathering and collecting food from a field or a - [Please Stop Advertising Your Whereabouts (A Lesson In Safety and Security)!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/07/please-stop-advertising-your.html) - One of the great pluses and downfalls of social media is the ability to let everyone know what you are doing and where you are at at any given time. I personally think social media is very handy and find enjoyment in it. However, the downfalls of social media make me cringe.One of those downfalls - [Introducing the Chickens!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/06/introducing-chickens.html) - One of my huge homesteading goals for this year was to get laying chickens. So far, this is one of the best things I have ever done! The chickens have been fairly easy even though we had a rocky start together, but all in all I can't wait to try meat chickens in a year.We - [Tuesday Homesteading and Frugal Update](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/06/tuesday-homesteading-and-frugal-update.html) - The garden is growing! The garden is growing! And so are the weeds...I have been weeding almost every night and have decided that I need to go back to my original plan of weed blocking material and straw/hay to control the weeds. I didn't really want to, but the weeds are growing as fast as - [Preparedness on the Cheap: Inventory Your Food Storage](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/06/preparedness-on-cheap-inventory-your.html) - (Preparedness on the Cheap is a series of articles for the prepper and everyone else that doesn't have a lot of money, but needs to take steps to be prepared. A good deal of prepping is learning, planning, and organizing. Prepping doesn't have to cost a lot of money, but does involve a lot of - [Tuesday Frugal and Homesteading Update](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/06/tuesday-frugal-and-homesteading-update.html) - Welcome! We have been a busy bunch! We got a lot accomplished, some of it can be debated as it is frugal, and I got a few lessons on good money decisions.The outdoor chicken area is done! Yeah! I got chicken wire fencing wrapped along the bottom of the old kennel, the edges by the - [What Do You Need To Start Canning Your Own Food?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/06/what-do-you-need-to-start-canning-your.html) - Canning, by and far, is one of the easiest things I know how to do. That may be because I steer away from complicated recipes, but I find it so rewarding to pick food from my garden or trees and preserving it myself. Many people are overwhelmed by canning, but with a few good pieces - [Tips For Jumping Into The "From Scratch, Living Off The Land" Lifestyle](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/05/tips-for-jumping-into-from-scratch.html) - This lifestyle isn't for everyone, but everyone can do it. I have found that out quickly. I feel like I am really just getting started after making several feeble attempts. I have to constantly remind myself that raising my own food is the best thing for myself and for myself. I have to remind myself to - [Monday Frugal and Homesteading Update](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/05/monday-frugal-and-homesteading-update.html) - Gotta love the holiday weekends! Is today Monday or was that yesterday....Anywho, let's get this update started!I got the green beans and beets planted tonight. Can't wait for those to get growing! The rest of my already-planted garden is looking fabulous. The summer squash and zucchini are up in the buckets and the lettuce/spinach are - [Having A Garage Sale? Here Are Some Tips!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/05/having-garage-sale-here-are-some-tips.html) - Garage sale season is here! With all the stuff in my house, I keep finding stuff to get rid of! I had a garage sale a few weekends ago and since this isn't my first garage sale, let me give you some tips!1. Price to sell! The goal of the garage is to get rid of - [Monday Frugal and Homestead Update](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/05/monday-frugal-and-homestead-update.html) - I changed the title of this post. I figured for the next few months, it will be completely interchangeable and intertwined. I am trying to homestead as frugally as I can while still understanding it will take money sometimes. I will try to post weekly picture updates also so you can see how well I - [Facing Adversity While Living Life You Want](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/05/facing-adversity-while-living-life-on.html) - I have several hats I like to wear: Gardener, Homesteader, Prepper, Cook, Writer, Seller, Coordinator, Experimenter, Reader, Crafter, Hobbyist, Nature Lover, Natural Lifer, Deal Finder, Tightwad, etc. I have several roles that I try to fulfill in my life: Mom, Girlfriend, Friend, Daughter, Granddaughter, Niece, Cousin, and Acquaintance. What do you do when the people in - [How to Make Simple Syrup](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/04/how-to-make-simple-syrup.html) - Simple Syrup is one of my favorite things to make to sweeten beverages such as Sun Tea. It is very simple, very easy to make, but I am so surprised at how many people don't know how!I prefer it because it is a syrup and blends into the beverage. Nothing against sugar being served, but - [Sun Tea in a Jar](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/04/sun-tea-in-jar.html) - Tea...I love it cold, hot, and always a bit sweet! Green, red, black, herbal, chai, bagged, loose, and any other kind out there. I love it!I have been looking for a more friendly way to make, store, and transport tea. I love sun tea, but in Iowa that is not always practical. Nor is having - [In A Holding Pattern...](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/04/in-holding-pattern.html) - Feels like I am just waiting and waiting and waiting. Waiting for the nicer weather that is now here and hopefully staying. Waiting for the chicks to arrive. Waiting to plant my garden. Waiting to get my yard cleaned up and in shape. Waiting to build my raised beds. Waiting to be outside in my - [$10 Preparedness: First Aid](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/04/10-preparedness-challenge-challenge-1.html) - One of the things I have been trying to do in the last few months is a $10 preparedness challenge. I have mostly been challenging myself and proving to myself that anyone on a budget could prep. I have been budgeting $10 every pay period (bi-weekly) to use towards preps. Preps can be anything! Prepping - [Garden Plans and Goals Update!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/03/garden-plans-and-goals-update.html) - With Spring coming in four days, I would like to start giving regular updates on the progress of the garden this year. I will also share my frustrations too, but I would like to be positive about gardening. Gardening is therapy for me and I want to be an encouragement to all of you!I plan - [Using Your Tax Refund for Your Prepping](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/03/using-your-tax-refund-for-your-prepping.html) - If you are one of those lucky people who get a tax refund, consider yourself blessed. I do! I didn't get as much back as last year and I am perfectly okay with that. However, my tax refund goes towards stocking and restocking my house as well as the necessities and priorities that need to - [Preparedness on the Cheap: Making a Phone List](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/02/preparedness-on-cheap-making-phone-list.html) - One of the cheapest preparedness activities you can do is to make a phone list. This very easy activity will give you and your family peace of mind when an emergency arises. This list will also let your family know who you prefer to do business with as well as who to call if they - [Single Mamas: Life Does Get Better](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/02/single-mamas-life-does-get-better.html) - Dear Single Mamas:Life Does Get Better.Someone said this to me when I was going through my divorce and I thought I couldn't be a single mama, full-time working mama, soccer mama, and whatever hat I also needed to wear. I thought life was going to be even harder when I realized I was truly on - [Tomorrow is Valentine's Day...](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/02/tomorrow-is-valentines-day.html) - ...And this is a holiday that I don't care for.Commercials proclaiming "Show her your love on this special day." Really? If you really are in love, shouldn't you be showing her or him your love everyday?To me, love is not flowers, jewelry, expensive clothes, expensive dinners, and whatnot. Those things are nice and can show - [Choosing Easy vs. Challenging](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/02/choosing-easy-vs-challenging.html) - Some days, it is a war in my mind. The war isn't a new one, at least not to me. I am sure it is not a new one to anyone.The war of doing something the easy way versus doing something challenging or will challenge me.I have written about laziness and entitlement before. This is - [2014 Gardening Plans and Goals](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/02/2014-gardening-plans-and-goals.html) - This year's garden is going to be super awesome! Well, it has to be better than last year. Last year was a pretty much a learning experience (i.e. a failure). I will be doing some things different and expanding a bit.I should be home more this summer since we do not have any more high - [25 Totally Free Things To Do While Staying Home - Winter Edition!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/02/25-totally-free-things-to-do-while.html) - Unless we have plans with family, I usually stay home on the weekends or choose activities to do that will not cost me any money. I try to get my children to do the same, but they are not always feeling that. Especially my teens.Anyway, I always hear about how people don't like to be - [If You Want To Save Money on Your Groceries, Eat Less Meat](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/02/if-you-want-to-save-money-on-your.html) - We ate twice as much meat as our families did in the 1950's. Meat prices have quadrupled since then if not more. Livestock raising has become less about quality and more about quantity. We are becoming more and more obese every day.All those factors have led to our household eating less meat. The only way - [Slow Cooker Applesauce: Eating, Canning, and Freezing Instructions](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/01/slow-cooker-applesauce-eating-canning.html) - Slow Cooker Applesauce is probably one of the easiest recipes I have in my recipe book to make. I love that I can sweeten it to taste (or keep it unsweetened), add spices if I want to, and make enough to can. Slow Cooker Applesauce also has the benefit of saving me money by using the - [Frozen Berry Sauce](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/01/frozen-berry-sauce.html) - Last Saturday morning we decided to have breakfast for lunch. The kids wanted pancakes and Rob wanted French toast. Everyone wanted bacon. I had made a loaf of Golden Egg Bread in the bread maker which is absolutely delightful as French toast. I had some frozen bananas which I turned into Whole Wheat Banana Pancakes. - [Is It Better To Live Within Your Means or Work More To Afford More?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/01/is-it-better-to-live-within-your-means.html) - Is it better to learn to live with your means? I think the answer is yes for many reasons. Many people struggle with this though for many reasons.We think we are entitled to things. We deserve things because we work hard. We should have a fancy new house, a new car, expensive vacations every year - [Corn Chowder](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/01/corn-chowder.html) - One of my very favorite soups has to be corn chowder. I have tried many versions before I created one on my own that had plenty of flavor and could easily become a comfort food. I wanted a corn chowder that could easily be made with ingredients I had on hand and were naturally good - [Find me on Bloglovin'!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/01/find-me-on-bloglovin.html) - Follow my blog with BloglovinI have a new place for y'all to follow my blog at! I would love to see you there!(The link is on the right side!) Thanks,Erica - [Frugal Friday: Clean Up Email Time!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2014/01/frugal-friday-clean-up-email-time.html) - Being frugal is not just for money. A lesson I have learned over the last year is that being frugal applies to all areas of life except for family and friends. The time you spend with them is priceless and cannot be overspent!However, there is an area that has really come to my attention. My - [Are You Struggling Financially This Christmas?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/12/are-you-struggling-financially-this.html) - How is Christmas going for you this year? With Christmas being just two weeks away, are you feeling overwhelmed or joyous? Wondering when that Christmas "miracle" is coming so you can afford to get some gifts? Wondering how you can buy gifts when the bills are piling up? Wondering how you can get presents for - [Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday Shopping: Is the Headache Worth It?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/11/thanksgiving-day-and-black-friday.html) - Thanksgiving Day and Black Friday shopping can be crazy. Stores opening at midnight if they even closed at all. Standing in line and getting a ticket to buy an item at a significant savings. Missing out time with family and friends to go shopping. Employees missing time with family and friends on a holiday to - [Some days and dreams are better than others...](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/11/some-days-and-dreams-are-better-than.html) - I struggle. We all struggle.Sometimes the right response to a situation absolutely does not come to me. Sometimes the right thing to say becomes clouded in what I want to say and can't. I am not a good verbal speaker most days. I have a tough time putting my sentences together and making sense. But - [Planning for Christmas - Week 3](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/10/planning-for-christmas-week-3.html) - With Week 1 and Week 2 down, the planning has begun, the wish lists have been given to you, and you have your lists ready. Right?If you don't, don't feel bad! You have plenty of time yet to get going!This week we will be focusing on three things. None of them are very difficult, but - [Weekend Links](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/10/weekend-links.html) - It's the weekend! Time to conquer and divide! But be sure to relax too!I have a lot of interests and I read about a lot of different things. I always want to share that information with you and I couldn't decide on the best way for a long time. I always want to sound like - [Fatigue and Insomnia: 8 Ways To Deal With Constant Exhaustion](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/10/fatigue-and-insomnia.html) - I have struggled with fatigue on and off for many years and it still never fails to kick my butt when it happens. So I have slowly been sliding back on the caffeine wagon and now I am trying to get back off. No caffeine for me unless it is in tea. Or chocolate. Caffeine - [September Grocery Spending](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/10/september-grocery-spending.html) - In light of my No Spend September Challenge and my goal to keep my grocery budget under $130, I thought I would share what I spent.Please keep in mind a few things:1. I have a fairly decent pantry and food storage area that is fairly well stocked.2. We do have some dietary needs and try - [Monday No Spend Challenge and Frugal Update](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/10/monday-no-spend-challenge-and-frugal.html) - Since I have two weeks to get caught up on the Frugal Update and the No Spend Challenge (sigh), let's get this ball rolling!Last week was homecoming at both schools my kids attend, we have gone to a lot of ball games and cross country meets, Jordan's wisdom teeth out, and not a lot else - [Weekend Links](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/09/weekend-links_29.html) - It's the weekend! Time to conquer and divide! But be sure to relax too!I have a lot of interests and I read about a lot of different things. I always want to share that information with you and I couldn't decide on the best way for a long time. I always want to sound like - [Planning for Christmas - Week 2](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/09/planning-for-christmas-week-2.html) - (I was a bit busy this week and am a bit behind. Monday's frugal update will be next Monday! Thanks!)With Week 1's Planning for Christmas, we got our holiday notebooks and our list of people we wanted to give presents to written in it. This week will be building upon it.First, I want you to - [Weekend Links](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/09/weekend-links.html) - It's the weekend! Time to conquer and divide! But be sure to relax too!I have a lot of interests and I read about a lot of different things. I always want to share that information with you and I couldn't decide on the best way for a long time. I always want to sound like - [How Can I Prep? I Have No Money!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/09/how-can-i-prep-i-have-no-money.html) - I have written before about prepping with little or no money. Prepping with no money takes some creativity, some patience, and some planning. However, I still hear things like: "I wish I could do what you do, but I don't have the money." "I don't have the money for all that stuff!" "I don't have - [Planning for Christmas - Week 1](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/09/planning-for-christmas-week-1.html) - As I mentioned in the Christmas in September post last week, we will be getting ready for Christmas one week at a time! We have plenty of time, we just need to get it planned!This week we will be doing a couple of things. None of them are too difficult and will help you keep - [Monday Frugal and No Spend Update](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/09/monday-frugal-and-no-spend-update.html) - Since we are all about keeping it real on this blog, I will admit this last week has sucked. Big time. Getting back on track financially and doing what I can to make some extra money is getting very difficult. Thank you to the State of Iowa for "helping" in this endeavor. You have not - [Weekend Links!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/09/its-weekend-time-to-conquer-and-divide.html) - It's the weekend! Time to conquer and divide! But be sure to relax too! I have a lot of interests and I read about a lot of different things. I always want to share that information with you and I couldn't decide on the best way for a long time. I always want to sound like - [Kids and Finances - What Do You Tell Them?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/09/kids-and-finances-what-do-you-tell-them.html) - I had a discussion with a friend a few months ago and we came to a point that we had to agree to disagree. We were discussing what you should tell your kids about your finances. This can be a sticky area for most families. I would like to tell you how I handle finances - [Christmas in September - What?!?!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/09/christmas-in-september-what.html) - (From Christmas 2010 - My kids were so little!)Time to start thinking about Christmas!What that you say, Erica? Not ready for that Christmas thing!Me neither, but let's get a positive attitude about it!We have three months and two weeks until Christmas! I also have two birthdays in that time so a little more creative planning - [Monday Frugal and No Spend Challenge Update](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/09/monday-frugal-and-no-spend-challenge.html) - With everything in life, when you are being hardcore about your spending and budget, something will challenge it. The challenge for my budget for at least 9-10 months out of the year is school. Something always comes up that is not planned on. With this week, Paige was going on a class retreat and need - [Weekend Links](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/08/weekend-links.html) - I wanted to start something for the weekends and I couldn't really decide what. I have a lot of interests and I read about a lot of different things. I always want to share that information with you and I couldn't decide on the best way for a long time. I always want to sound - [No Spend September - Will You Join Me?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/08/no-spend-september-will-you-join-me.html) - Due to some unexpected expenses and trying to get caught up on some other bills that I was working on paying off, I am declaring a No Spend September. I am also extending an invitation to you all to join me!A No Spend Month can look a little different for everyone. Some people will choose - [Weekend Ideas and To-Do's](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/08/weekend-ideas-and-to-dos.html) - I am feeling a little lost right now. We are looking at several big changes happening to us over the next week.Four kids going three different directions.College and high school. Junior high school and elementary school at a completely new-to-us school district.School starting next week.A kid moving to college at the end of the week. - [Things to make your Cell Phone/Smart Phone run better](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/08/things-to-make-your-cell-phonesmart.html) - Since I entered the Smart Phone world recently, I have had to learn a lot about this phone! I love its conveniences as well as its very, very helpful features. Some of those helpful features and conveniences come with some downfalls that end up costing you more money and time. They become very inconvenient! Then - [Weekend Links](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/07/weekend-links_27.html) - I wanted to start something for the weekends and I couldn't really decide what. I have a lot of interests and I read about a lot of different things. I always want to share that information with you and I couldn't decide on the best way for a long time. I always want to sound - [Scenes From The Farm](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/07/scenes-from-farm.html) - If you stopped by today and visited with us, this is what you would see!We have bell peppers starting to blossom and some are growing peppers. I can't wait for them to turn red and orange!Some rugs over a chair waiting to go back insideSome wild roses on their last bloomWe are surrounded on all - [Weekend Links](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/07/weekend-links.html) - I wanted to start something for the weekends and I couldn't really decide what. I have a lot of interests and I read about a lot of different things. I always want to share that information with you and I couldn't decide on the best way for a long time. I always want to sound - [Who will you rely on?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/07/who-will-you-rely-on.html) - After listening and watching to several podcasts and videos over the last few years as well as living life, I have figured out a few things. One is be prepared. The next is to take care of your family. The third thing is that having a community of like-minded people is far better than being - [10 Days in July Update](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/07/10-days-in-july-update.html) - I told you all I would try to keep you updated on my progress in 10 Days in July project list. This has been going okay. I would like to be further along, but I am happy with where I am. I am at least getting something done!The list:The Kids Are Gone Project List1. Change - [10 Days In July](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/07/10-days-in-july.html) - 10 Days in July...that is how long my youngest two kids are going to be gone. My oldest two kids will hardly be home either between working at the camp, regular work, college orientation, and summer fun.This already feels weird, but I will taking advantage of the time to do some projects in peace. I - [How to Dehydrate Your Own Blueberries](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/06/dehydrating-blueberries.html) - One day I had a crazy idea. I thought to myself that drying blueberries was a great idea. I mean, why not?To buy dried blueberries in the store or online can cost $13-16 for 8 ounces. OUCH! That is an expensive addition to my granola! So I thought I would try to dehydrate my own - [Those Tired Days](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/06/those-tired-days.html) - I am having one of those periods in my life. I call them the "tired days". I am exhausted. Not physically, but emotionally and mentally.I know I can't be the only one. I know I am not the only one.These days happen when I have a lot going on in my life, some big decisions - [Chocolate Chip Muffins](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/06/chocolate-chip-muffins.html) - Chocolate Chip Muffins are a household favorite! The kids think I don't make these often enough or enough of them when I make them. I have gone to doubling the batch just to get through more than one day!You can make this recipe as healthy as you want or not. I have changed a few - [Nourishing Foods for Your Food Storage](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/06/nourishing-foods-for-your-food-storage.html) - Food storage can be a tricky and confusing thing. What should you store? What does your family eat? What do you like to eat? What is non-perishable but still good for you?A lot of food storage areas I see have a lot of junk food in them. I don't mean just the Little Debbie snacks. - [Quick Chicken & Noodles](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/06/quick-chicken-noodles.html) - One of the many recipes my family enjoys is Quick Chicken & Noodles. The original recipe is from Gooseberry Patch Country Quick & Easy Cookbook. I have made some changes for my family and their preferences.This dish is one of my go-to recipes when we need dinner in a hurry. All the kids love it!Quick - [Homemade Laundry Detergent Revisited](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/06/homemade-laundry-detergent-revisited.html) - I don't usually mess with my recipes once I make them. Especially my cleaning recipes. If they work, why mess with them?Also, I hate to fail. Usually, failure costs money and I hate wasting money too.The truth is that I liked my homemade laundry detergent, but I wasn't in love with it. It worked great, - [Grilled Zucchini and Summer Squash](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/05/grilled-zucchini-and-summer-squash.html) - During the summer, the grill is where it is at! Actually I grill year round, but I love summer grilling. I especially love grilling the fresh garden bounty!This recipe is a super simple side dish or appetizer that can be used with a variety of vegetables. I actually learned this from Rob and was a - [Prepare All Year Round for Everything, Not Just One Thing](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/05/prepare-all-year-round-for-everything.html) - I have been asked over and over again, "What do you prepare for?"They all expect one answer or to hear one thing. The truth is that very few people I know prepare for one thing. They prepare for many things or everything. Very rare that someone ever prepares for one thing. That is foolish and - [MYO Bagged Salad](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/05/myo-bagged-salad.html) - One of the most frustrating things for me in grocery stores is bagged salads. I like to eat healthier because I feel better, but supermarkets certainly do not make it easier for me to do so. They sell bagged salads with some wacky ingredients, lettuce/greens with no beneficial nutrients, and they are so overpriced!Yesterday, I - [Monday Update](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/05/monday-update.html) - Until next week, I will make no promises that I will be posting regularly. Now that I think about it, next week isn't looking good either...maybe the week after that...anyhoo...What has been happening in the crazy busy life of this household?Only this:See the pretty girls ready for prom? That took a bit of work plus - [Teach Your Kids To Work and Survive in Life](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/04/teach-your-kids-to-work-and-survive-in.html) - Would you like to hear what is wrong with our country right now?Most people expect to have their lives handed to them. They expect to have to work as little as possible and get the most money they can. They expect to have grand benefits without having to pay for them. They expect to graduate - [Starting to hate the term "prepper"](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/03/starting-to-hate-term-prepper.html) - "Where are the prepping articles?""I thought you were a prepper, but I haven't seen any posts lately."I almost starting to hate that term "prepper". I dislike calling myself one because I know a lot of people could be categorized as a "prepper", but would never think of themselves like that. They simply want to be - [Weekend Links](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/03/weekend-links_24.html) - Enjoying a quiet Sunday morning? We sure are here. I think the kids are wore out from yesterday which is a good thing since we try to make Sundays quiet and relaxing here. I like some good reading material on Sunday mornings and I would love for you all to check these out!I wanted to - [Changes In The Blog](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/03/changes-in-blog.html) - Hey y'all! Google Reader is doing something tragic! They are closing that handy little service as of July 1st. Google Reader is also taking Feedburner with it!Seriously?!?!What does mean for you? If you subscribe to me by Google Reader or Feedburner, you will need to change the way you subscribe to me by July 1st. - [How to Simplify The Life and Mind: Home](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/03/how-to-simplify-life-and-mind.html) - Simplifying the life and mind is to get rid of the stuff not needed anymore. Needing less to live better.When I talk about simplifying my life, I am not talking just about the material things I own. I am talking about the commitments I have, the obligations I try to meet, and the people in - [Decluttering Life and Mind](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/02/decluttering-life-and-mind.html) - Lately I have been doing a lot of decluttering at home. As I alluded to in Monday's post, I have been noticing things. The more cluttered I am in mind, the worse the stress seems. If my house is really messy and very disorganized, I feel disorganized and sort of lost with what I need - [Monday Update](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/02/monday-update_25.html) - Hello everyone again! This week is a new week. At least, that is what I keep telling myself. I am tired and I did not sleep so well last night. Sometimes I think sleep and I could be better friends, but we both have different agendas so what is the point?Saving money has been an - [Weekend Links](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/02/weekend-links.html) - Before the weekend truly gets started for me, I wanted to get some posts written! This day is proving to be fairly busy already and it is only 8:00!I wanted to start something for the weekends and I couldn't really decide what. I have a lot of interests and I read about a lot of - [Corn Casserole](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/02/corn-casserole.html) - This week's recipe is brought to you today from almost any cookbook my mom has made for family or me. This is a popular recipe with my kids, my family, those that eat it outside of the family, friends, etc. My kids absolutely love it!Here is the disclaimer: if you are an organic, whole foods, - [Coupons or Not?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/01/coupons-or-not.html) - I have a question for the good readers of this blog. Basically, do you use coupons or not? To what extent?I stopped the hardcore couponing because the price of the Des Moines Register went from $2.00 for their Sunday edition to $3.75. In the meanwhile, the coupon selection has decreased. I was not impressed so - [Baked Rigatoni](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/01/baked-rigatoni.html) - This week I am labeling Thursday with a theme! I hope to keep this up the whole year because this is a theme I can get with. Every Thursday I will be sharing a recipe with you all that comes from my ever-growing cookbook collection. In the challenge of trying to eat healthier while still - [Sometimes I just have to suck it up and learn new things](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/01/sometimes-i-just-have-to-suck-it-up-and.html) - Today was one of those days at work. That day when I went to work thinking I was just going to another slightly boring safety meeting in the afternoon with half of my co-workers and found out differently after I got there.I should really know better by now. I should know to ask questions. Mainly - [Life changes and so should us](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/01/life-changes-and-so-should-us.html) - Every year, during the end of December and beginning of January, I think over the year. I think about my life, my relationships, my activities, my family, and life in general. I think about how last year went, what happened, what shouldn't have happened, and what I could have done differently.Something happened to me over - [What to think about the upcoming gun control legislation](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/01/what-to-think-about-upcoming-gun.html) - The upcoming gun control legislation has me as a citizen of this country more than a little worried. We have been given rights as citizens of this country to bear arms and protect ourselves against threats to ourselves, our families, our homes, and our country. We have been given the right with the provision that - [Top 5 Posts of 2012](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/01/top-5-posts-of-2012.html) - Let's take a trip down memory lane....I am always a little surprised by what is the most popular posts for different blogs. This blog is no exception! I want to share with you all what was the most popular posts for the year of 2012.Top 5 Living Life in Rural Iowa Blog Posts:1. Dehydrating Bananas - [2013 Bucket List For My House and Life](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2013/01/2013-bucket-list-for-my-house-and-life.html) - Welcome to my 2013 Bucket List for my home and life! This could also by viewed as a goals list, resolutions, or dreams. I kind of don't care for the word "resolutions" so, please, let us not use it!Without further ado...Erica's 2013 Bucket List1. Buy a sewing machine.2. Make a quilt.3. Buy curtains for the - [Year End Review: The Bucket List](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/12/year-end-review-bucket-list.html) - Remember the bucket list I posted last year? Boy, did I have some lofty goals and ambitions!!!Here is the list from last year and what I got accomplished on it: Erica's Official 2012 Bucket List1. Get my sewing machine fixed - No, need a new sewing machine2. Sew something like a skirt for Jordan. - No3. - [Now that Christmas is over with...](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/12/now-that-christmas-is-over-with.html) - We can get back to the daily life business that suits me so much better. I do apologize for the lack of Christmas posts this year and promise I will have some pre-written and ready to go for next year. I just was not in the Christmas spirit this year. I am not exactly sure - [Some things are beyond understanding...](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/12/some-things-are-beyond-understanding.html) - and today's news proves just that. As of right now, heaven has sixteen new innocent little angels as well as the eight people who dedicated their lives to guiding them. There is one man who choose to end that for them. One man who choose to kill himself in an act of cowardice and selfishness - [What would you do if you won the lottery?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/11/what-would-you-do-if-you-won-lottery.html) - This is the question I am pondering today. Truth is, I have no idea what I would do if I won the lottery. I know things in my life would change drastically and hopefully for the better. I do admit I would love to know what life is like when one does not have to - [Have we lost the ability to take care of ourselves?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/11/have-we-lost-ability-to-take-care-of.html) - From watching the natural disasters that have happened in the last few years, one has to ask that question: have we lost the ability to take care of ourselves?I am starting to think we as a collective group of people have lost that ability. That, or we have lost the common sense, the ability to - [Thanksgiving Leftovers - 3 Ways!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/11/thanksgiving-leftovers-3-ways.html) - One of the greatest food holidays is done and gone. I am a little sad myself as I love Thanksgiving and all the wonderful food that I get to eat on that day! With any meal like that though comes....LEFTOVERS!Yeah!I eat leftovers all the time so I have become a big fan of leftovers. With - [Happy Thanksgiving!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/11/happy-thanksgiving.html) - Happy Thanksgiving from us to you! In the picture above, you can see what I am most thankful for! Have a great day, Eat Well, and Thanks for Reading! - [Dehydrating Onions](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/11/dehydrating-onions.html) - Let me help you save some money and make you think you are a frugal genius! I used to be one of those that bought dried chopped onions in the grocery stores paying anywhere from $.99 to $3.99 for a container of that stuff. Then I got my mom's old dehydrator. I played around with - [Thy Hand Hath Provided: Buy the Cookbook](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/11/thy-hand-hath-provided-buy-cookbook.html) - I want to tell you all about a great cookbook that is available for sale today and thereafter. I won't hesitate to say that I love her recipes on her blog and love her wisdom in canning, cooking, and other things in life. The fact that she put her recipes in a cookbook - in - [How to Can Your Own Potatoes](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/11/canning-potatoes.html) - What you see below was my total crop of potatoes from the garden this year. I planted three rows of 15 plants each and this was it. I might have to set a better watering system next year. Dang heat. I knew I wanted to can potatoes again this year. I love the convenience of opening - [Another year older...](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/11/another-year-older.html) - Today is my 36th birthday! Yeah! For those who are saying, "why advertise your age?", you will find out soon enough. In honor of my 36th birthday, I will attempt an list of 36 things about me and observations I would like to make.1. I am not ashamed of my age or fear growing a - [What Meats Will Meet Your Needs?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/11/what-meats-will-meet-your-needs.html) - In setting up your food storage, a tough area to address is meat. When I started this series, I stopped because I wasn't certain how to address this myself along with the fact that I had changed my mind a few times about how I was going to address this area.The best way to address - [What Can I Say? What Can I Do?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/11/what-can-i-say-what-can-i-do.html) - What can I say? I am dumbfounded. This election was going to be close. I knew that. I wasn't going to say anything afterwards because I knew no matter who the winner was going to be, we as a country were going to have problems. Heck, we already have problems. Many, many problems.However, I am - [MYO Oatmeal Packets](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/11/myo-oatmeal-packets.html) - One of the things I like to do to save money and control what goes into my body is to make my own oatmeal packets. This is actually very easy to do and only take me roughly twenty minutes to do. MYO Oatmeal PacketsWhat you need to get started: Old-Fashioned Oats or Quick-Cooking OatsSalt ( I use - [Steak Skillet](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/10/steak-skillet.html) - Steak Skillet is a meal I could eat happily 3-4 nights a week. It is that good and has all the things I love in this meal: some form of red meat, one dish, simplicity, and the yummy factor. This is also a very simple dish that can be added to or subtracted from without - [25 Frugal Ideas & Tips](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/10/25-frugal-ideas-tips.html) - This morning I was reading through the blogs I have earmarked on the right side of this page and came across Rural Revolution: Frugal Tips. Mrs. Lewis then challenged other blog writers to post their own list of frugal tips and ideas! I am incredibly excited to read what others have posted!Here is what we - [Random Thoughts of a Busy and Somewhat Unfocused Mama](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/10/random-thoughts-of-busy-and-somewhat.html) - Since my mind has been going in many different directions again lately and is losing focus rapidly, I will attempt to refocus here and torture you all with it too.#1 Kids and injuries go together. Right? No? We have a 50% injury rate among kids right now with a pulled groin muscle and a broken - [What Do You Believe?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/10/what-do-you-believe.html) - Last night, after a majority of my kids went to bed, I tried to watch the debates. I couldn't watch much of it because I thought it was a joke. I do apologize if you thought differently and it's okay if you do think differently. I just wanted a straight answer out of both candidates, - [Canning Tomatoes](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/10/canning-tomatoes.html) - This year I have been learning to can tomatoes. Truthfully they intimidated me. All the work and the questions surrounding how to can tomatoes would be enough for me to avoid it! With my newish attitude to produce some of own food, not waste food, and preserve it has caused me to view tomatoes a - [Cleaning for Someone Else...And Avoiding My Own Cleaning!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/09/cleaning-for-someone-elseand-avoiding.html) - Does anyone else find it easier to clean someone else's home instead of their own?I cleaned Rob's last weekend as a thank you for changing car brakes on Shali's car and because it was his birthday weekend. The thought of cleaning my own house in that manner just doesn't do much for me, but it - [Chuckwagon Wraps](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/09/chuckwagon-wraps.html) - In yesterday's post, I mentioned we are incorporating more legumes into our diets. This recipe is one that I have used for awhile with excellent results. The meal is also very quick and easy to put together and serve. The bonus for my family is that we eat it with tortillas. They will eat just - [Could You Please Pass The Legumes?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/09/could-you-please-pass-legumes.html) - Before life interrupted the Food Storage series I started writing, I had covered spices, condiments/sauces, and grains. Today I am going to cover legumes.Quite frankly, I am still working on this area with my family. I am still experimenting with incorporating more legumes in our diet. Legumes are peas, beans, peanuts, and lentils. These are - [Weekend and Frugality Update](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/09/weekend-and-frugality-update.html) - This weekend sure went by fast, didn't it? We ended up not going to Ames yesterday which helped tremendously although I think we all took the day of rest thing very seriously for the first half of the day!So what did I get done? Let's see...1. Make out the monthly grocery list This still needs - [The Weekend Is Coming (I Think?)!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/09/the-weekend-is-coming-i-think.html) - I might actually have a weekend at home this weekend. Or so I thought until I looked at the schedule! My two oldest girls are playing in a volleyball tournament in Belmond Saturday and are watching/trying out for the Iowa All-State Dance Team on Sunday in Ames. And I will be at both.Admittedly, I am - [A Mother's Desire for Her Children](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/09/a-mothers-desire-for-her-children.html) - These last few weeks have been crazy, slightly emotional, and full of firsts/lasts. I find it very hard to believe that my oldest daughter is a senior in high school already. Time really does fly and I look at the wonderfully made, beautifully mature young woman that she has become with awe. She is experiencing - [What Place Do Grains Have In Your Food Storage?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/08/what-place-do-grains-have-in-your-food.html) - Grains are a difficult and somewhat controversial subject when discussing what should be in the pantry and food storage. Somewhat controversial because some food storage specialists believe that one should buy a hand-cranked grain mill, buy wheat by the load, and grind your own. They are very much correct in this thinking when one considers - [What Do You Plan To Put On Your Food?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/08/what-do-you-plan-to-put-on-your-food.html) - Condiments and sauces are another overlooked item in the well-stocked pantry and food storage. From time to time, I like to take stock of what I have and I realized one day badly how I was lacking in this area. I did quickly remedy this area as well as continually add to it.Condiments and sauces - [Spicing Up Your Food Pantry and Storage](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/08/spicing-up-your-food-pantry-and-storage.html) - What do you have in your pantry? If you have followed this blog for awhile, you know I am a complete and total believer in a stocked pantry and well-planned food storage. We eat out of both, but the food from our pantry and food storage would become very bland if we didn't keep a - [I Don't Know Who To Vote For](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/08/i-dont-know-who-to-vote-for.html) - This year's elections have me a little lost, a whole lot confused, and completely frustrated. When I say I don't know who to vote for, it is a little like saying I don't know what color to paint the kitchen. Whatever I choose, I will have live with the consequences for years.The current guy is - [This Week's Frugal Activities](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/08/this-weeks-frugal-activities.html) - This week was a little slow for frugal activities. Not that I wasn't frugal, but that I did more time consuming things like weeding my garden. So onto the list!- I made a big pan of chicken broth/stock. It is simmering while I type. I save the chicken carcasses from when I roast chickens so - [Once A Month Grocery Shopping](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/08/once-month-grocery-shopping.html) - Do you hate grocery shopping? (Um, yes I do. If you like it, that's ok!)Do you want to save time and effort? Do you want to save money and be frugal? Would you like to look into your pantry and see all the food you have to make a meal without thinking about it?Of course - [This Week's (And Last Week's) Frugal Activities](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/08/this-weeks-and-last-weeks-frugal.html) - Well, last weekend was a bit crazy so I did not post these! Ack! So I will give you more of a two week update and hope my memory is that great. Hopefully, these will give you ideas or inspiration to be frugal in your household.- I canned four jars of squash pickles, four jars - [The Single Mama Gig](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/08/the-single-mama-gig.html) - I have had this post cooking in my mind for awhile and not sure how to write it. You see, I never intended to be a single mother. I never wanted to be a single mother. I wanted to be married and have the support of a marriage while raising my children and thereafter.Life threw - [New Member of the Household (Again!)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/07/new-member-of-household-again.html) - We got a new dog! Again, we adopted her from a local pound. They had found her wandering a park in Rochester. They had her for a week or two and had trouble finding a home for her. I took one look at her and fell in love! The Animal Control officers told me she - [This Week's Frugal Activities](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/07/this-weeks-frugal-activities.html) - Sorry about going so long without posting. I have a bunch of posts coming when I get the pictures downloaded from my camera! I had posted this in the comments at The Prudent Homemaker (great blog/website!) This is what I posted in response to her blog post about frugal activities done in the last week. - [Paying Attention?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/07/paying-attention.html) - Anyone paying attention to the news lately? I do not watch the news on television, but I read a lot of it from newspapers and the internet. Here is what is getting my attention:1. Droughts in the Midwest and a good deal of the West. This drought will have an effect that will be widespread - [Garden and Whatnot Update](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/07/garden-and-whatnot-update.html) - Time for an update, but without pictures for right now. Hopefully, in a day or two, I can get pictures taken and up so you all can see what I have and haven't gotten down around my place. I have been working outside later in the day and as much at night as I can - [A Shift in Attitude About Saving Money](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/07/shift-in-attitude-about-saving-money.html) - Some time ago I had a major shift in my attitude when it came to saving money. For quite a while, to my own folly, I thought the only way I could save money was when I spent money. I would do little things at home to save money that were just second nature to - [What I Learned From Grandma Rene](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/06/what-i-learned-from-grandma-rene.html) - Today, my Grandma Rene is 92 years young. I can't hardly believe it! Only in the last few years has she appeared old to me, but she is still active and fairly sharp. Over my life I have learned a few things from her.A little background: She was born in 1920. She grew up on - [Friendship Advice for Teenagers](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/06/friendship-advice-for-teenagers.html) - Looking back at my teenage years, I was a horrible friend. I had no idea how to uphold friendships and no idea how to deal with others when I was hurt by them. I know what I did wrong now by watching my teens negotiate their way through friendships. I also want to apologize to - [Eating Naturally](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/06/eating-naturally.html) - We have been making the switch at our house to watching what we eat. We are trying to make more from scratch and eating more naturally produced foods instead of artificially processed foods. I have friends who are 100% into the clean eating life and I envy them. We are not there and I doubt - [Kids and The Public](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/06/kids-and-public.html) - I just came home from the tractor pulls in Wisconsin. I had a great time and the little break from home life and the kids was just what I needed to get recharged. Notice I said a little break from my kids. I missed them like crazy and wished they could have come, but the - [Food Storage Bucket Style](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/06/food-storage-bucket-style.html) - Five gallon buckets are so handy! I use them for so many things and I can never get enough of them! This is one of the most popular ways that I use them at my house. I store food in them. They are easy to store in, accessible, can hold a fair amount of food, - [Strawberry Jam Fever (and a few tips!)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/06/strawberry-jam-fever-and-few-tips.html) - I have been making Strawberry Jam for the last few days when I have a few moments. I found a really good deal on them at the store as well as getting a few from my garden. We love, love, love strawberry jam! This is also the one thing I can make that my oldest - [Ball games have taken over my free time! (And how to save a little money going to the games!)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/06/ball-games-have-taken-over-my-free-time.html) - Sorry about the lack of posts lately! My kids' ball games have taken over my free time. What I have left over has gone to my garden and my house. I know, I know...I let it happen, but my kids love to play ball!Consequently, June is our most expensive month even beating out December. I - [Fearing what?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/05/fearing-what.html) - Every day, I welcome what people tell me. I like the honesty and the open discussion that comes from comments I receive on this blog. I like to debate and I don't have a problem with people who tell me that I am wrong. Some days I am.This last month, however, I have come to - [Do you have a list of meals?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/05/do-you-have-list-of-meals.html) - I have resisted this idea for a long time. Making a list of meals that we make on a regular basis or that I would like to incorporate on a regular basis. I just didn't think it was necessary. I had many excuses for not doing this too. Excuses such as it was a waste - [Things always happen in threes...](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/05/things-always-happen-in-threes.html) - I grew up with this phrase: Things always happen in threes, especially bad things. Last week proved this right once again (darn it) and could explain the quietness of this blog this last week.Last week Tuesday, I got the health scare I did not want. Did I think it was serious? Not really, but it - [Picking Ourselves Up and Dusting Off](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/05/picking-ourselves-up-and-dusting-off.html) - Life can be hard. It can throw you curve balls you never expected to happen. Divorce. Loss of job. Loss of spouse. Car accidents. Loss of child. Many things can happen. They all take time, love, and patience to recover from.Sometimes, though, people stay tethered to those events. They let those events define them and - [When I Have Too Much On My Mind and Can't Sleep](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/05/when-i-have-too-much-on-my-mind-and.html) - By nature, I am a night owl. I love to be up late and get things accomplished at night. But I know this does not fit my life right now. I need to sleep. Getting to sleep before 11:00 most nights can be difficult.I had one of those nights last night.I couldn't get to sleep. - [Why Store Food?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/05/why-store-food.html) - I have been reading a lot lately on other blogs about stepping up the food storage. I follow several prepping blogs that keep me motivated and give a good direction to go in my food storage. Something occurred to me a few weeks ago when my kids were teasing me about storing food and water - [When I Can't Get It All Done](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/05/when-i-cant-get-it-all-done.html) - Some of you have been incredulous at my routines and schedules. I need them because I lack the self-discipline to get stuff done myself. But I have days where nothing gets done. We may have had a busy day. My energy levels were low. Many excuses can be used here.Last night, it hit me. Out - [Monthly Update for April](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/05/monthly-update-for-april.html) - April has come and gone and I haven't posted a monthly update! Time flies when you are busy!What happened this month? For the family:* Easter spent with family* Paige got second place in the Kossuth County Poetry contest for her age level!* We lost our dog, Shyla, after a lengthy illness. She had been a - [Teenagers and Dating](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/04/teenagers-and-dating.html) - This is not a topic that comes easily to me. Anyone who knew me 20 years ago will probably not believe how my views on dating have changed. When you have daughters and have to be both parents to those daughters, your attitude changes very quickly.All I can think about is protect, protect, protect.Protect their - [Random Thoughts - April Edition](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/04/random-thoughts-april-edition.html) - Since my mind has been so scattered lately, I will attempt to give you all an idea how many different directions it goes!#1 Prom is this week for Shali! Yeah! To me, this is more exciting than when I went myself. She is not my child who loves dresses so to see her get all - [We have a new member in our family!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/04/we-have-new-member-in-our-family.html) - Welcome to the newest member of our family! She is simply adorable!Meet Emmie!Getting her to look at the camera!Emmie is a seven year old coonhound. When we saw her, we couldn't leave without her! We adopted her from the Paws and Claws Humane Society in Rochester. They had several dogs we liked, but we fell - [Tuesday's Thrift Store Finds](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/04/tuesdays-thrift-store-finds.html) - Yesterday, I went to one of our local thrift stores, Everything Under The Sun, to see what she had. She usually has some really cool things in there! I have been on the search for some bigger containers to store my bulk ingredients. This is what I found: The picture doesn't do this a lot of - [Re-evaluating Routines](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/04/re-evaluating-routines.html) - I have been re-evaluating our household routines for the last few weeks. What I was doing was not working anymore. I have been following FlyLady for quite some time now. She has been wonderful for decluttering my house and getting into a routine. She believes in baby steps and that worked for me, especially after - [Think Practical This Easter](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/04/think-practical-this-easter.html) - Some of you may know, or have figured out by now, that I am not one to go overboard for any given holiday. I like holidays. I dislike the over-commercialism and impracticality of the holidays. Mainly because I see a lot of junk being sold that will just sit around in a closet somewhere gathering - [The Way Grandmama Does It: Do You Have The Skills To Survive A Depression?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/04/way-grandmama-does-it-do-you-have.html) - A great article with an awesome quiz about your skills! If you don't pass, don't worry! You can still learn them. And if I am being honest....I didn't pass either! I have a lot to learn! The Way Grandmama Does It: Do You Have The Skills To Survive A Depression?: Want to take a simple - [Personal Information Sheets for Kids](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/03/personal-information-sheets-for-kids.html) - The more I learn about preparedness, the more I learn I am not! Welcome to my weekend project: making a personal information sheet (or a life sheet) for each of my children. I do not have anything like this in a file or in the car if needed. The experts also recommend that you put - [Monthly Update for March](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/03/monthly-update-for-march.html) - March! I love March! This month always seems like the turning point for the me in the year. I want to do things because winter is almost over, spring is coming, and the weather is getting warmer. In Iowa, the weather was so mild this winter that winter did not seem like such a hardship!We - [Prepping: It’s About Responsibility](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/03/prepping-its-about-responsibility.html) - Great article! Personal responsibility is a concept not often heard in our society anymore. Society as a whole finds blaming others to be far easier than stepping up and saying they are personally at fault. When you take personal responsibility for your actions and the care of your family, you will be able to prepare - [What We Need Today](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/03/what-we-need-today.html) - What we need today is...We need a lot of things. In reading and listening to the news over the last few weeks about the upcoming presidential elections and the nomination of the Republican candidate, one thing sticks in my mind. We need a presidential candidate and leader who believes in American standing up for themselves.We - [Trying to Simply Life (And Not Being Very Successful)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/03/trying-to-simply-life-and-not-being.html) - The title says it all. I have been trying to simply life and I have not been very successful at it. I know I have areas I need to work on, but actually doing it has proven to be a bit difficult. Not because I don't want to, but because I am trying to depart - [Dehydrating Bananas (or How to Make Delicious Banana Chips)](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/03/dehydrating-bananas-or-how-to-make.html) - My kids love dried banana chips. Fresh bananas do not get eaten up very fast here, but banana chips do not last very long. And they are so easy to make yourself. Much, much cheaper than buying them at the store.First get out your trusty dehydrator. Blow off the dust if you need to. (This - [Girls and Their Clothing Needs](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/03/girls-and-their-clothing-needs.html) - I try to keep up with the kids and their clothing needs. With the girls now, this is somewhat easy. They just about wear the same size. Even when they were younger, clothing was not really a problem to keep up with. Shali and Jordan wore just about the same size all the time or - [Meal Plan for Week of March 5](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/03/meal-plan-for-week-of-march-5.html) - Below is our meal plan for the week. I need to have a plan and be accountable for it. I skipped a few weeks of planning just to get some things cleaned up and out of the freezer. I am trying to make room for the half of beef that I want to have ordered - [Some Interesting Links](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/03/some-interesting-links.html) - I haven't been posting so much because I have been busy learning! I am trying to learn more about canning, prepping, and to some extent candle-making.Here is what I have been watching on YouTube lately:Canning Chili: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_du998lYkdE&feature=related Canning Potatoes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cUkjSWLNmKw&feature=relatedCanning Beef: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUBRKyAHoOw&feature=relatedCanning Pork: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LghymrKPbSk&feature=g-vrec&context=G2fa4c59RVAAAAAAAAAgHere is some of the blog ideas I have been reading about:Canning - [Honey Oatmeal Bread](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/02/honey-oatmeal-bread.html) - Some of you have asked what kind of bread I make. I make all sorts of bread, but hands down this is my most favorite bread ever. I love it! The taste is wonderful and it smells divine coming out of the oven! I also like this recipe because it can be started in the - [That Show on National Geographic](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/02/that-show-on-national-geographic.html) - Most of you know which show I am talking about. Doomsday Prepper. I couldn't not watch. And for the most part, I was okay with the show. Except the doomsday part. I hate that term.Like I said, I was okay with the show. Until the episode that premiered Tuesday night. I know the producers are - [Four Things You Need To Have Done](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/02/four-things-you-need-to-have-done.html) - To be prepared, I have four things I always like to have done. These might surprise you, but in cases of emergency and disaster they are necessary.1. Always, always stay caught up on washing dishes. What if you lost power? Would you want to worry about not having the dishes done? Do you want to - [How I Save When Shopping For Groceries](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/02/how-i-save-when-shopping-for-groceries.html) - Some days, I find it funny where my blog posts come from. I had a friend ask me how much I spend on groceries for a family that is similar in size to my own family. Then she asked me how I do it. When I got done typing up how I did it, I - [Sorry about the unintended break!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/02/sorry-about-unintended-break.html) - I had no idea how many things were going to be scheduled this last few weeks. If I did, I would have panicked before this week. Even being at home was busy. I was and am very grateful for some of the girl time I had with friends as well as Rob being around a - [All-Purpose Cleaner - DIY Style](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/01/all-purpose-cleaner-diy-style.html) - I have been using this recipe for All-Purpose Cleaner for three months now and I love it. I had previously used Lysol 4-in-1 All Purpose Cleaner, but I did not love the toxicity of the cleaner. I use this now and I think this cleans and disinfects better than Lysol did.I got this recipe from - [Three-Bean Turkey Chili](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/01/three-bean-turkey-chili.html) - This recipe is from quickandsimple.com. I found it when I was looking for more recipes that used ground turkey and a crockpot. If you don't use ground turkey, I would encourage you to try it. It is readily available in the frozen food section and is almost $2.00 a pound cheaper than ground beef. Ground - [Procrastination vs. Laziness - Part 3](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/01/procrastination-vs-laziness-part-3.html) - Procrastination has bitten back at me enough times that I have to deal with it and not let it become a problem. As I mentioned in previous posts, I have struggled with procrastination since I can remember. One can always find it easy to put off what needs to be done for their homes, families, - [Weekly Update - January 22](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/01/weekly-update-january-22.html) - I know, I know. It is a day late. But due to the lovely weather we were having over the weekend in north Iowa and southern Minnesota, I got to stay an extra day at Rob's house. I missed my kids like crazy, but it was nice to spend some extra time with him too. - [Weekly Update - January 15](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/01/weekly-update-january-15.html) - This is our week in review - what we did, didn't do, and maybe should not have done! I want to start doing this to have a better record of our lives as well as let you all know that we live a real, very imperfect life!Jordan in healthy modeSunday and Monday did not go - [Procrastination vs. Laziness - Part 2](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/01/procrastination-vs-laziness-part-2.html) - With this blog I endeavor to be as real with you all as possible. After I wrote the last post, I think I came off as making procrastination vs. laziness look like a black and white issue. It is not like that at all.I know in my daily life I make a very conscious decision - [Laziness vs. Procrastination](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/01/laziness-vs-procrastination.html) - I have a weird little habit when I travel. When I souvenir shop, I don't go for the big items. I buy magnets. I like to collect magnets from all the different places I (or we) travel to. I have one magnet on my fridge from visiting the Abraham Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in - [Frugality and Prepping](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/01/frugality-and-prepping.html) - In the last few weeks I have gotten emails and comments about my lack of prepping posts. Trust me, prepping is never far from my mind. In fact, I have been thinking about it a lot. I have been thinking about how prepping covers almost every area of my life in some way.Prepping showed up - [Ways I Plan To Be More Frugal](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/01/ways-i-plan-to-be-more-frugal.html) - I have thought long and hard about way I plan to be more frugal. But in this household, we are a family so the kids will be fully included into my plans to be more frugal. They just don't quite know it yet! Shush...Ways I Plan To Be More Frugal1. To be more focused on - [The Need To Be Frugal](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/01/need-to-be-frugal.html) - The one New Year's resolution I did not talk about was the need to be more frugal. I need to be. I need to start looking at what I spend and figuring out how to do spend more wisely and save more. I need to look at what we have and what we can do - [23 Day Frugal Living Challenge!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2012/01/23-day-frugal-living-challenge.html) - I wanted to share and challenge you all to the 23 Day Frugal Living Challenge that is being hosted by the blog Frugally Sustainable.This is a great chance for you and me to learn and reinforce our frugal lifestyles. I am hoping to possibly become even more frugal. (My children will be groaning at this!) - [Erica's Official 2012 Bucket List](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/12/ericas-official-2012-bucket-list.html) - A bucket list, you say? You bet! I like life a little better if I have a list of things I would like to do and learn and see. I live pretty much day-to-day so this gives me ideas on what I want to accomplish.To me, a bucket list is just not a wishlist, but - [Are you a goals person?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/12/are-you-goals-person.html) - Are you a goals person? You know the type. They are able to set short-term and long-term goals. They are able to focus on those goals and actually accomplish them.I am not this type of person. I never have been. I used to view goals as a way to let myself down because I would - [Paige's Birthday - With Lasagna and Cake Recipes!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/12/paiges-birthday-with-lasagna-and-cake.html) - Today is Paige's Birthday! Yeah! I find it hard to believe that my baby girl is 11 years old! Where did time go?In the picture, Paige is posing with her early birthday present - a "new" bike! She has really been wanting a new bike that fit her since she had grown too tall for - [Miscellaneous Thoughts #2](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/12/miscellaneous-thoughts-2.html) - So....I am having random thoughts again. Feel free to laugh or shake your head. That is what I do when this happens!#1 Can the Iowa Caucus be over yet? I know that this is important, but for the life of me I can not get excited over it. That and I find myself leaning towards supporting - [Frozen Blueberry Muffins](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/12/frozen-blueberry-muffins.html) - These muffins are a family favorite even with my blueberry haters. They are easy to make a batch and great for on-the-go breakfasts. Plus, I love these to use up the blueberries I froze last summer. I love to have these on hand during the holidays too to give as gifts and to have for - [Peppermint-Mini Marshmallow Bark](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/12/peppermint-mini-marshmallow-bark.html) - Today's holiday recipe is one that we discovered last year and fell in love with. I will not claim it is healthy, but we all know that mint is palate cleanser! (hehehe!) This recipe is from the Food Network and all honors shall go to them!Peppermint-Mini Marshmallow Bark 1 pound white chocolate 1/2 cup chopped peppermints - [Crispy Covered Marshmellows](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/12/crispy-covered-marshmellows.html) - This recipe is again from my mom. I am not sure where she got the recipe, but I love these too.Warning!!! There is nothing healthy or naturally good about this recipe. This is just pure sinful deliciousness!Crispy Covered Marshmellows20-24 ounces large puffed marshmellows, frozen on a tray13 ounce box Rice Crispies Heat together using a - [Molasses Cookies](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/12/molasses-cookies.html) - This recipe was passed down from my Great-Grandmother Youde through the generations to me! I am very thankful for the wonderful recipes that get passed down for us to enjoy.Molasses Cookies3/4 cup shortening or butter (my preference)1 cup sugar1 egg1/4 teaspoon salt4 Tablespoon molasses2 cups flour2 teaspoons baking soda1 teaspoon cinnamon1 teaspoon gingerMix the first - [Pumpkin Cookies](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/12/pumpkin-cookies.html) - Over the next week, I want to share some of my favorite Christmas recipes. One of my most favorite holiday cookies is Pumpkin Cookies. These are simple cookies, but really yummy! This recipe came from my mom!Jordan and my Mom!Pumpkin Cookies1/2 cup butter1 cup sugar1 cup pumpkin1 tsp. vanilla2 cups flour1 tsp. cinnamon1 tsp. baking - [Give The Gift of Books This Christmas!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/12/give-gift-of-books-this-christmas.html) - One of the few Christmas traditions I have set is giving books for Christmas presents to my kids. I love, love, love to read and I wanted to pass that on to my kids. They now love to read also! I usually give them 4-6 books every year and most of the time they have - [Is Your Candidate Electable?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/12/heres-thought.html) - I just heard on the news that someone in the machine feels that Mitt Romney would be a better candidate for president then Newt Gingrich. You want to know why?His electability.Not his credentials. Not his political experience. Not his ability to work with others. Not his experience with societal issues. Not his experience in Washington. - [My Root Cellar](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/12/my-root-cellar.html) - This is my root cellar. Not much to look at I know. It is actually my well room that sits right off my basement. Last year the landlord had spray insulation put on the walls to help seal in the room after I had caulked the room and painted sealer on the walls. This still - [Thanksgiving Is Over...](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/11/thanksgiving-is-over.html) - But being thankful and grateful should not be!Sorry about being gone for a week or more! We had a very crazy, busy, wonderful, and somewhat relaxing week and weekend at the homestead. I had two Thanksgiving dinners and the kids had three dinners. A great deal of wonderful food that we were all thankful for!Not - [Prepping With No Money - Part 2](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/11/prepping-with-no-money-part-2.html) - Last time I wrote this post, I gave you all ideas on how to prep with little or no money and how you could find great deals or items for free. Then I got to thinking:"What about prepping with no money at all? Because, girlfriend, you are broke and in this situation."I talk to myself. - [You Know You Live In Rural Iowa When...](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/11/you-know-you-live-in-rural-iowa-when.html) - You know you live in rural Iowa when...You would absolutely beg for a Trader Joe's or a Whole Foods to be closer to you than 2.5 hours away!Seriously though, this is just because I would like a bigger selection of preferably organic fruits and vegies to choose from. I would like to make kimchi. The - ["No food, no heat, no water! This is just ridiculous. What are we suppose to do?"](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/11/no-food-no-heat-no-water-this-is-just.html) - Something I heard on the radio yesterday has stuck with me clear through today. I was listening to ABC News on KLGA in the morning when I heard that parts of the Northeast had received up to 30 inches of snow. They had lost power and some of the people were quite indignant over this."No - [October's Preparedness and November's Goals](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/10/octobers-preparedness-and-novembers.html) - Today's post is a summary of what I have done for preparedness in October and what I plan to accomplish in November. I will be linking this post to Homestead Revival's Preparedness Challenge! Head on over and check it out! So much to learn about!Food Storage1. Canned pear sauce, pear butter, and potatoes2. Froze tomatoes - [Sometimes we all need a little help...](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/10/sometimes-we-all-need-little-help.html) - I have gotten some feedback from readers on my lack of posts on single parenting. I can understand that. Single parenting is not something I can write easily about. Or keep my opinions to myself on. And I am kind of opinionated.Single parenting is not easy. I am finding it to be easier now that - [Miscellaneous Thoughts](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/10/miscellaneous-thoughts.html) - Sorry about the lack of blog posts! I swear I have adult ADD sometimes. I can't focus on one thing and no one thought is truly completed! Maybe I should put the blame where it belongs, on myself and being too busy!Anyway, here are the random thoughts I have running through my mind. You are - [Menu Plan for October 17 - 30](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/10/menu-plan-for-october-17-30.html) - Here is the menu plan for the next two weeks. I am winging it for this time around because this kind of snuck up on me - just like my cold did!Monday - Find Your Own NightTuesday - Chicken FajitasWednesday - SpaghettiThursday - Chicken Tacos (Crock Pot)Friday - Chipped Beef on ToastSaturday lunch - Pancakes - [Time To Get Serious](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/10/time-to-get-serious.html) - Time to get serious about my spending and tighten down the hatches. And maybe, just maybe, if I tell you all about this I will have to be more accountable for myself.First of all:DID YOU KNOW THAT WE ONLY HAVE 72 DAYS UNTIL CHRISTMAS?!?!If that wasn't enough to inspire panic in my (and possibly your) - [Prepping With Little to No Money](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/10/prepping-with-little-to-no-money.html) - A big misconception in the prepper community and people looking from the outside is that prepping takes a lot of money. Yes, some of the bigger projects do take some money to do. If you are looking to be off-grid, eventually you are going to have to lay some money out for solar power, wind - [Indonesian Chicken with Green Beans](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/10/indonesian-chicken-with-green-beans.html) - I have been asked to share this recipe and I am more than happy to do so. I got it from a iVillage food email in 2006 and am just getting around to trying it! If I get photos taken tonight, I will share those too!Indonesian Chicken with Green BeansCredit: Eater's Choice Low-Fat Cookbook by Ron Goor, - [Homemade Chicken Noodle Soup](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/10/homemade-chicken-noodle-soup.html) - My family loves, loves, loves homemade chicken noodle soup! It is the perfect pick me up on cold winter days and a great soother of upset stomachs and colds. This is so easy to make!This is my original recipe. I have adapted three different recipes and rarely make it the same twice. Also, feel free - [Food Journey and Confusion](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/09/food-journey-and-confusion.html) - I get confused. I am trying to change the way my family and I eat. This has been, and still is, hard. I am still trying to figure the best way and make that way work for my family. I know we make many mistakes. I know I can't control what my teens eat outside - [Working through Cookbooks - Easy Swiss Steak](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/09/working-through-cookbooks-easy-swiss.html) - I have a lot of cookbooks. So much so that I have almost quit buying them unless they have something related to whole foods cooking or food storage cooking. I am still wanting the Food Storage cookbook by Peggy Layton.Right now, I am working my way through 101 Things To Do With A Slow Cooker - [One of Our Favorite Ways to Eat Potatoes!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/09/one-of-our-favorite-ways-to-eat.html) - We love potatoes!Maybe a little too much.They are so simple and easy, but I am not a fan of frou-frou potatoes. I like them in their simple state. My kids feel somewhat the same way. One would prefer no skin on the potatoes and to have them mashed/pureed into fluffiness. One doesn't like them mashed - [Drinking Your Own Drinks](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/09/drinking-your-own-drinks.html) - I was taking a long, hard, cold look at my budget a few weeks ago, knowing I was going to have to tighten the whole thing. An anticipated rise in my car insurance and a car payment for the next six months was going to take a big bite out of my budget.I am already - [Failed Pear Jelly](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/09/failed-pear-jelly.html) - I tried to make Pear Jelly on Sunday while I was making Pear Sauce. I knew you could make apple jelly with the cores and peels of apples and I was pretty certain I could do this with pears. I had found a recipe on the internet for Pear Jelly that stated that pectin would not - [Weekly Update Of Our House and Pear Sauce](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/09/weekly-update-of-our-house-and-pear.html) - We have been a busy crew! I didn't get as much done on the farm as I would have like, but I am content with what got done. I just need to take more pictures!Thursday night, I was at an interview. I was asked to sit on the parents committee for interviewing the superintendent candidate - [Freezer Tomato Sauce](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/09/freezer-tomato-sauce.html) - My good friend, Jessica, gave me some tomatoes, basil and peppers! What to do, what to do...hmmm...Monday night I made a sauce that I could have eaten raw before the freezer! Yum!I found this recipe my mom gave me for Freezer Tomato Sauce! This recipe was taken from the American Profile insert of the weekly - [Food Storage and Preparedness Plans](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/09/food-storage-and-preparedness-plans.html) - I might have to abandon Preparedness Mondays and talk about being prepared more often. Self-sufficiency and preparedness have always been passions of mine and now has become a mindset for me. I love to share with you all what I have learned as well as my mistakes.I wanted to introduce you to a resource that - [Dehydrating The Bounty](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/09/dehydrating-bounty.html) - We have been dehydrating our garden produce as well as what I bought from the Farmers Market lately. I love having dehydrated vegetables in my pantry. I have been doing a lot of onions with plans to do more as well as basil and all kinds of peppers. This was my progress so far:Hard to - [Far Above Rubies: Single Moms Speak](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/09/far-above-rubies-single-moms-speak.html) - Great article! I am blessed to have the great support to help me, but other single parents are not so blessed. This article shows some great ways that you can come along side and support single parents without being intrusive and counterproductive. Thanks!Far Above Rubies: Single Moms Speak: My sister is a single mom with - [Computer will be here today!!!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/09/computer-will-be-here-today.html) - My new computer will be here today! Hooray! Hooray! I want to get back to regularly posting on this blog during the week and I miss doing so! I would have had it yesterday, but the Fed Ex guy needed a signature and no one was home. Go figure! Hopefully I will have everything set up - [Back to School Routine](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/09/back-to-school-routine.html) - We are back in school again! I usually have mixed feelings about the kids going back to school, but despite my feelings, we have to get into a routine! This helps simplify our lives so much.To help our mornings, we like to have our things together the night before. These are things we do to - [August in Pictures](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/08/august-in-pictures.html) - Our August in pictures - we had a lot going on and not nearly enough pictures taken!Family Reunion in Storm Lake at the end of JulyPaige's early birthday present! She was ecstatic!Vacation Bible School Program! First Day of School!Storm that came through and did a lot of damage! Others had it worse though. We were so - [Preparedness Monday - Slightly Off Track](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/08/preparedness-monday-slightly-off-track.html) - Preparedness Monday is slightly off-track seeing that today is Tuesday and what I had planned to blog about is going to wait until next week. I had planned on starting to talk about the ways I have started and added to my food storage as well as what I would like to do.We are switching - [Meal Planning](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/08/meal-planning.html) - Have you ever heard the saying you can not plan too much? I didn't believe that saying either until 2-3 years ago. When Shali went to high school, I suddenly understood this saying in all its glory. One of the areas I knew I had to get my act together in was meal planning.Meal planning - [Cleaning House Guilt](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/08/cleaning-house-guilt.html) - I have Cleaning House Guilt (CHG). Does anyone else ever get this? I think it should classified as an illness, but I doubt any doctor would take me seriously. I just know that when I get CHG, it takes over my life. I start to view myself as lazy and undisciplined. I come home from - [No Spend Update #2](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/08/no-spend-update-2.html) - This whole no spend thing has been very hard to maintain these last 6 weeks. We have been more creative in finding no-money solutions, but we have had a series of mishaps that has made the no spend months almost null and void. The series of mishaps and forced spending has included:1. The air conditioning - [Canning Update](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/08/canning-update.html) - ***Just a note of warning: Blog posts will be a bit irregular because our home computer crashed last night. It will be going to the repair shop and get fixed or rebuilt. Either way, hopefully soon!Anyhoo...back to the regular post for today! The canning update! I will laugh because I don't have a lot to - [Preparedness Mondays: Water](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/08/preparedness-mondays-water.html) - Water is extremely important in preparedness and self-sufficiency. A person can only live three days without water.How much water does a person need to store? Ideally, a gallon a day per person for drinking water. For non-drinking water, I don't think you can have enough water stored.How many days of water storage do you need? - [Preparedness Monday - What About The Cost of Preparedness?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/08/preparedness-monday-what-about-cost-of.html) - What about the cost of preparedness? Well, what about the cost? I think of the costs of preparedness in a few different ways.The monetary costs of preparedness can be a lot or a little, depending on what you are preparing for. You have to decide on what you can afford and what you can't afford - [Paratus Familia: The key to good government.....](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/07/paratus-familia-key-to-good-government.html) - Great article! I think everyone needs to read this because too many people believe the government will take care of them when they should be taking care of themselves! Paratus Familia: The key to good government.....: "When was the last time you saw incredibly well behaved children? Someone 'dressed' to travel? Or a congressman who - [Homemade Dishwasher Detergent](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/07/homemade-dishwasher-detergent.html) - For the last year, I have been making my own dishwasher detergent. I use the powdered version as I haven't found a liquid one that I like and works well. My kids have their doubts on the powdered version working well, but if they would keep up on the dishes and not let the food - [Preparedness Monday - Getting Yourself Ready To Prepare](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/07/preparedness-monday-getting-yourself.html) - Sorry this post is a day late, but we are having one of those weeks at my house. The one where I forget my list of things to remember. Not good. Not good at all!Last week we discussed why I wanted to prepare - my family, continued inflation, and emergencies/hard times. So I have my - [Homemade Applesauce and Banana Bread Weekend](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/07/homemade-applesauce-and-banana-bread.html) - In my quest for frugality this weekend, I was trying to use up food at home. I have been trying to organize my food storage and get it a little more presentable so I can take pictures to post for you all!We had pepperoni and canned olives to use up so we made Pepperoni Pizza - [Start a 1-Acre, Self-Sufficient Homestead - Modern Homesteading - MOTHER EARTH NEWS](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/07/start-1-acre-self-sufficient-homestead.html) - What a great article! The author gives great ideas and strategies for starting your homestead! Remember though, it is all just small steps to get started. Otherwise you will be overwhelmed!Start a 1-Acre, Self-Sufficient Homestead - Modern Homesteading - MOTHER EARTH NEWSHave a great day! - [Learning The Frugal Life: Clearance Finds and Buying Ahead](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/07/learning-frugal-life-clearance-finds.html) - Great article about saving money on kids' clothes by buying ahead! When you find those great deals, you should snap them up! You will be money ahead when the need arises and you already have the needed item. We do this for all the kids at my home.Learning The Frugal Life: Clearance Finds and Buying - [Why Am I Preparing?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/07/why-am-i-preparing.html) - This is the second in the Preparedness Series that I have decided to start blogging about on Mondays. I am not sure how long the series will go for, but I am excited to share my journey with you all!Why am I preparing? When I started storing more food and non-perishables, I didn't think of - [Preparedness This Week](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/07/preparedness-this-week.html) - For preparedness this week or the last two weeks, however you look at it, has been going a little slow. I have accomplished a few things though!I have added to our water storage. In case of emergency, a person can only live without water for three days. Water is crucial and having extra water will - [Blueberry Pound Cake](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/07/blueberry-pound-cake.html) - Today's deliciousness was made Monday night and it is called Blueberry Pound Cake! This dessert is the bomb! I love the simplicity of the dessert as well as being able to use fresh blueberries that are in season! I have made a few changes from the original which I will explain as I go along.Blueberry - [Rural Revolution: The Essential Rules of Liberty](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/07/rural-revolution-essential-rules-of.html) - I am sharing this because I thought it was an excellent post by Patrice from the essay she mentions. She just highlights the main points of the writer's essay. I encourage to also read the essay in its entirety. Rural Revolution: The Essential Rules of Liberty: "Here's an excellent guest post by Brandon Smith entitled - [Prepping vs. Preparedness: What Can I Do To Be Prepared?](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/07/prepping-vs-preparedness-what-can-i-do.html) - I have been coming across a few articles about this comparison this week. I almost had to laugh because I see very little difference between prepping and preparedness. Both of these terms have almost the same goal: anticipating and being ready for every and all contingencies. In my view, the differences would be:Prepping involves the - [No Spend Update #1](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/07/no-spend-update-1.html) - So far, so good on the no spending for July and August!We had one of the weekends I blogged about earlier and had a mini vacation weekend. Most of the ideas were Rob's and he, very generously, took care of most of it! I was surprised and enjoyed it all the more! We built a - [Newest Member of the Family](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/07/newest-member-of-family.html) - We have a new member of the family - a new kitten named Sweetie. (Note: I had no hand in naming her.)She is rather adorable now that she is litter box trained and has stopped waking up the household at night. She is, however, still trying to get along with the queen of the household, - [Money, Money and Trying Not to Spend Money](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/06/money-money-and-trying-not-to-spend.html) - When I think about my finances, I absolutely dislike June. I think June is worse than December for my finances and budgeting. I love that my kids like to play softball and t-ball. Being gone, using more gas, and having to eat convenience food all month just kills my budget. I know ways to make - [Back in Action!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/06/back-in-action.html) - I came back!!! I do have mixed feelings about this, but seriously I can only handle three days of tractor pulling. Then my ears need to re-adjust. I love tractor pulling and meeting new people as well as seeing old acquaintances from last year! I also love the sound of the tractors and engines. So - [Roast Chicken - Slow Cooker Style](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/06/roast-chicken-slow-cooker-style.html) - As some of you know, I am a huge fan of my slow cooker. I even have two - a small 3 quart size and a bigger 6 quart size. I use my slow cookers year round. Besides being more energy efficient than cooking in the oven all day, slow cookers should not heat up - [What to do this weekend? Clean, clean, clean!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/06/what-to-do-this-weekend-clean-clean.html) - Do you ever have trouble with trying to figure out what to do with your weekend? I don't mean making plans and with whom to hang out with. I mean the "cleaning the house" and "what projects to do this weekend" list. I am very good at making lists for projects, but not for house - [Seven Ways to Save Money on Your Laundry!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/06/seven-ways-to-cheapen-your-laundry.html) - Laundry can be so expensive! The cost of laundry detergent, the cost of electricity to run the washer/dryer, and the cost of the water used can add up quickly. The costs go up even further when you add in the extras like fabric softener, dryer sheets, and laundry boosters. I don't know about you, but I don't - [Single Parenting](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/06/single-parenting.html) - You all knew this subject was going to come up some time, right? You knew I might get on my soapbox and let the world know my opinion about single parenting, right? Actually this might be painless for most of those reading today. I am a single parent, not by choice, and due to circumstances I - [Preparedness Last Week](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/06/preparedness-last-week.html) - Ah, this week. What week?!?! I forgot how much of the week can be spent sitting a ball game everyday, but it has left me with very little time for preparedness. I did, however, get a few things done. I added to our food storage at home. Hy-Vee was having a fantastic sale this week on - [Homemade Laundry Detergent](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/06/homemade-laundry-detergent.html) - Homemade Laundry Detergent I have been making homemade laundry detergent for over two years. I had finally ran out of my stockpile of All Free & Clear Laundry Detergent, went to store to buy some more, and got shocked (more like heart failure) over the price! I needed a cheap solution! I do laundry for at - [Rhubarb Pie & Strawberry-Rhubarb Jam](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/06/rhubarb-pie-strawberry-rhubarb-jam.html) - Rhubarb Pie - Yum!!!This particular recipe is from Recipes & Remembrances: Sutherland Community Cookbook and was contributed by Shirley and Pearl Virgil. This is my go-to recipe for Rhubarb Pie as it has never failed me yet! I will confess that I did use a Pillsbury pie crust because I had it in the fridge - [Preparedness Challenge](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/06/preparedness-challenge.html) - These last few months I have been working on Preparedness. What is that? To me, preparedness means becoming more self-sufficient, more self-sustaining, and trying to be ready for anything. I keep asking myself if that is possible and I keep answering myself yes. I have been following the Preparedness Challenge on Homestead Revival and have been - [Five Things I Would Like To Learn](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/06/five-things-i-would-like-to-learn.html) - I have read a lot on other blogs about skills people would like to learn and should learn in order to be more self-sufficient. I like the idea of being more self-sufficient, but some of the things I would like to learn is not always about that as it is the idea of learning and - [Holiday Weekend...](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/05/holiday-weekend.html) - For being a holiday weekend, this weekend went by quickly! I would wish for a holiday week, but I know better than that!We treated this weekend like a holiday since it was also the last day of school on Thursday. The kids went to bed late, slept in, had friends over, had sleepovers, went to graduations, - [Great Article!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/05/great-article.html) - Laurie at Living Well Moms has posted a great article about the FDA controlling the food we eat:Check it out! Thanks! - [Last Day of School!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/05/last-day-of-school.html) - Today is the last day of school for the kids! Congratulations to Jordan on her 8th grade promotion!!! She will be a high schooler next year!I usually look forward to this time with a lot of relief because I am so ready for the craziness to be over. We will still have some craziness with - [Rhubarb Jam](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/05/rhubarb-jam.html) - I got my first batch of Rhubarb Jam made this year! Woo hoo! Looks good too! I wish I would have taken more pictures, but here is the recipe and pictures:Rhubarb Jam5 cups rhubarb, chopped finely4 cups sugar2 boxes of Jell-o, any flavor (I recommend anything red colored)Mix chopped rhubarb and sugar together in a - [Monday, Monday](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/05/monday-monday.html) - Hello again! It's Monday! The weekend was good, but nothing got done. I guess I would have to be home to get anything done...No jam got made, but I think I will at least get one batch done tonight before and after the concert since the rhubarb has to sit in the sugar and jello - [Canning Goals...](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/05/canning-goals.html) - Aren't goals great? I usually shy away from them. I hate to fail myself by setting goals that I might not attain. However, with this goal, I don't have a choice. We are going to can/dehydrate/freeze whatever we can from the garden this year. I don't want to be on food assistance anymore. I hate - [Welcome to Living Life in Rural Iowa!](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/2011/05/welcome-to-living-life-in-rural-iowa.html) - Hello to everyone! Thank you for stopping by to visit! A little about this blog and me: I am a mom to four kids whom you will hear about more in later posts. We are a busy bunch living in the great state of Iowa. We keep busy with sports, choir, and running back and ## Pages - [Welcome to Living Life in Rural Iowa](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/about-me) - Hi, I'm Erica! Welcome if you are new here. If you are visiting again, thank you for coming back. When I started this website, I was a single mom of four trying to keep ahead of the ball game. Now, my kids are grown up and on their own. I also have three sons-in-law and - [Recipes](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/recipes) - Here is a comprehensive list of the recipes I have posted on this blog. Just click on the recipe and it will take you to the blog post! For The Home Homemade Dishwasher Detergent Homemade Laundry Detergent For The Canner Chicken Stock Pear Sauce Potatoes Rhubarb Jam For The Dehydrator Bananas/Banana Chips Onions Peppers For - [Affliate and Privacy Policy](https://livinglifeinruraliowa.com/affliate-and-privacy-policy) - Affiliate PolicyHello! 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