Prepping for a storm....

I missed posting yesterday as we have been a little hectic at the Chamley household and yesterday was also my birthday! :) Wish I could say we were out all day doing fun celebratory things for little ole me but no, we have been preparing for a storm thats headed our way.

Hurricane Florence is headed to the Carolinas and we are in its direct path. It is a little nerve wracking knowing she is brewing and headed for us. Hurricane Hugo had a major hit on our city back in 1989 and this storm looks to be following a similar path. I was only 3 when Hugo hit us but I remember photos of the aftermath and hearing stories from my parents about being without power for weeks and tons of trees causing a large amount of damage to homes and buildings.

I have gathered a few tips for preparing for a storm and thought i'd share them with you guys. One thing we do is because we have a well, we fill our bathtubs up with water, that way we can still use the toilets as normal. We just fill the tank up after each flush. With 2 little kiddos this is pretty important. We also make sure we have candles, matches, batteries, flashlights, and power packs (the little handheld changing things). That way we can try and keep phones and some electronic devices powered up. If possible, a generator is also helpful. We have a small one we are using to keep the fridge on so we don't loose all of our cold food items. Another tip I read was to turn off your HVAC units if a power outage may be expected as it will help keep your HVAC units safe from damage. We also strap down any outdoor items that need to stay out as well as move any items we can in the garage or indoors. Filling your vehicle with gas is also important and filling a few hand held gas tanks if you need them for generators or ATVs or anything like that. Hurricane snacks are also a good idea as well as board games and books.

With two young children being without power these days can be a little grueling. My 2 year old is obsessed with movies and my 5 year old sure loves his iPad screen time. It's amazing how we are so used to power and its such an inconvenience when we are without it. Just think, some people still living today grew up without power or very limited power.

If you are in the storms path, what tips do you have that I missed? How's everyone feeling about Florence?

-Sarah