Brrrrrr!!

Goodness gracious it is cold here in Kansas, but from what I am reading, the entire nation is suffering right along side with me. I didn't have to work today so I told my ex-husband I would take care of the little girls. I have had the best 24 hours with my children. Learning to love and laugh again is not an easy process, but it has been great for my mental health and physical well being.

Well, this illness just went for a ride

So, I decided that I PROBABLY should fill y'all in on everything going on in my crazy life. I mean, that is why my blog is called Birdcage Media. My pocket book is heaving, my throat is crying, and I am so ready for a pause button.

Last week, all of my kids ended up with mild colds. I say mild, but they had a pretty good cough that was associated with them. The colds were gone by Thursday, but their coughs are still lingering. We took Turtle to her well child check and she has been given her vaccinations and we are calling a specialist to figure out this constipation issue we have been battling for two years. It's a little crazy and we feel like we have exhausted all natural and medical routes without using the specialist.

Before her appointment, we had the older two go to their dental exam. Found out that Peanut has not done as much damage as originally thought by sucking her thumb. She will need spacers and an appliance that will prevent her from putting her thumb in her mouth. UNFORTUNATELY, she is starting to act as if that means she can try to suck her thumb until we give her the appliance. *sigh* Bullfrog will also need some spacers, but not for another year. He has been cursed with his father's small mouth.


We had a great family party on Saturday with all healthy family members. Then BOOM, out of the blue, I get a sore throat Sunday night and sometime overnight it becomes so bad I really can't eat. I wrote it off as tonsillitis because I had that before. I get a nice fever with it that lasts for about a day, sore throat (still can swallow and is calmed with some Ricola or Halls), and a mild ear ache. I thought nothing else of it except that I started to notice by Wednesday that I really wasn't able to drink or eat ... ANYTHING. Y'all, I was downing MAYBE 7oz of water a day ... that is a far cry from the 64-80oz that I normally consume. It was starting to wear on me. Tuesday we took Peanut into the Dr because her throat was so bad she could hardly swallow. She was diagnosed with strep. Whomp whomp whomp.  Guess what ... SHE'S allergic to penicillin. Her ONE medication cost us $40.

Wednesday, we decided to have me go in and get checked. Figured I would have to go to KU anyway since Monkey had her hearing test that day (she had failed her tests at Headstart). Well, they were booked so I ended up going to a Minute Clinic. Checked in at 10am, there was a 60-minute wait. 2 1/2 hours and $30 later, test was negative. I didn't feel good about the test at all. For me, if I don't gag, the test hasn't been administered correctly. *laugh* Either way, we rushed over to Monkey's test. She passed on the right ear for high tones but failed on the low tones. She failed completely for the left ear. We have a followup in 6 weeks and if she fails again, we will be talking tubes.

I noticed by Thursday evening my fever was starting to really take hold and I upped my Ibuprofen intake from 200mg every 6 hours to 400mg. That helped mildly. Still was not able to consume more than a cup of applesauce or one small cookie for the entire day. However, Bullfrog has his well child appointment scheduled and has a foot that's been bothering him since horsing around at church a few weeks ago. We ended up getting x-rays. It has been discovered there is no break, but it could be sprained. It's not swollen so he's just supposed to monitor it. Still ... there's another medical bill.

Friday night came and I noticed that my fever had gone up despite my fever reducer. I emailed my husband and we came to the mutual decision that the ER would be visited. We checked into Providence at 10:30pm with our oldest staying up to make sure nothing happened. We really thought I was going to have a swab done, get some meds, and go home. pffffft. That is SO not what happened. I ended up with 2 nurses bouncing back and forth working on me at Providence. Everyone was so nice. The doctor walked in, looked in my mouth, and went "ooof ...." That is NEVER EVER a good sound. Then the words abscess,  CT, drain, and transfer were all mentioned. They gave me an IV and put a steroid in it, followed with morphine. I started feeling pretty good about then. CT Scan was my first ever and that verified the abscess ... just the location of the abscess was not quite clear to the untrained eye. Unfortunately, ENT DR was at The University of KS hospital ... not Providence. We gave hubby's dad a call and got some reinforcements sent over to our house to allow Peanut some sleep. By 1:30am, hubby and I were on our way over to KU. We finally got seen around 3am. The ENT determined that the abscess is actually IN my tonsil, not outside of it. What that meant was I had a choice. I could either let them stick the big long needle down my throat to drain the abscess or I could let antibiotics have a chance on it. Have I ever mentioned how much I HATE needles? Yeah, I went the second route. They gave me another dose of morphine and some scripts for some heavy antibiotics. Hubby and I were finally sent home around 4:40am. Yup .. 6 hours and 2 hospitals later. I don't even want to think about that bill. THANKFULLY I have been able to eat EVERY meal today AND I have consumed close to 70oz of water. My throat is still sore, but not nearly as bad. My meds also were less than HALF the price of Peanut's and I had TWO scripts to fill! TOGETHER they were less than half the cost. That girl and her body's allergy to Penicillin.

So, taking note ... we still have to get Turtle into the Pediatric GI at Children's Mercy and Peanut needs $300 worth of mouth work done. Monkey is still due for another hearing test, and hopefully the fluid will dissipate on it's own, but family history suggests against it. But ... in 9 days we have been at KU MedWest 4 times, Minute Clinic once, Dentist twice and 2 ERs. I am still being closely monitored, as the ER ENT would prefer to see my throat again tonight. However, since I'm able to consume food and liquids, we are waiting until Monday to do a follow-up if necessary.

I now have so much to squeeze in so I apologize for the overflow of sponsored posts that will be coming in over the next few days. I just have been so overwhelmed, tired, and overall feeling of yucky that I have not been on my computer. Thank you for the prayers, outreach of support, and questions of concerns I have gotten via Facebook, Email, and Twitter. I greatly appreciate the love! Y'all are the best.

Better late than never

We had high hopes for Christmas. Our game plan had been to load everyone up on Christmas afternoon and drive down to see my parents. My sisters were both going to be there, as well as my grandmother. We had made both a pumpkin and pecan pie.

However ... 30 minutes before we planned to leave, Turtle threw up EVERYWHERE. We had originally thought it might be from the excitement and too much candy. So, Jeremy loaded the other three kids up and headed down while I stayed home with the littlest (just in case). 1/2 way into the journey ... Monkey threw up (right after commenting that her tummy wasn't feeling so hot). They turned around and came home ... Christmas was off. For the next FIVE days I was cleaning puke and poop. Merry Christmas *not*

Rotating sickies left enough non-sickies to kill all but 2 slices of pie off by Saturday night

This left us with a dilemma. We still had gifts for my family and they still had gifts for us. We needed to reschedule Christmas ... but when?! Schedules for everyone is just INSANE, so getting everyone back together was going to be impossible ... or was it?

Enter technology!!  January 7, my dad had to be up in Kansas City for a follow-up health appointment and my sister miraculously had the day off. My other sister also happened to have a block of time when she could get on FaceTime and we could do Christmas together! Woot!! *before I continue, please note that the smaller photos are taken from my father's camera. They have been left in a very small format and copyrighted since they are NOT taken by me.*

With FaceTime going, we started on the presents. I am not going to show all of them, but a few of them have a story that just need to be shared.

Turtle had a hard time concentrating ... but there was one toy that had her zoned for quite a bit!

Oh - let's not forget where those matching headbands came from ...

You have the Doc McStuffins outfits. Each girl got their own costume and they both came with headbands, ear scopes, and a bandaid. We wouldn't open the costume part, but we let the girls have the accessories. Monkey has since called the outfit her Doctor Who costume because he's the cool doctor.

Bullfrog has only a few interests when it comes to "toys." They are Bayblades, Transformers, Cars/Vehicles, and LEGOs. He LOVES LEGOs. Of course he got a package for Christmas and we joked that it wouldn't take him long to put it together ... it didn't ... only 90 minutes.

All of the children were given new shoes for Christmas ... and every child wore their new shoes to dinner and home. Peanut was given some elastic ties from "Santa" to put on her shoes so she wouldn't have to wear laces. I have to admit ... I REALLY want a pair of Converse shoes now (although I have always loved Converse).

Finally ... we can't have Christmas without smelling the color purple. We got our customary K-State bowl shirts that fit wonderfully and are beautiful. It was such a bittersweet game, but the boys showed fight and came back from a HORRIFIC first half to only lose by 5. Either way, "Santa" gave me a special present in my stocking that I fell in love with. This meal will be fun!

After we finished presents and cleaned up, it was time for us to head to dinner. I was in the middle of a Clean Eating challenge so I knew it was going to be interesting. I spent the day making sure I knew what I could and couldn't eat. I discovered that Golden Corral has a LOT of clean food and I managed to have 2 plates of food, plus a small dessert plate, and kept it under 1000 calories!!

Absolutely no sacrificing on flavor of the food either. My second plate had more carrots, more asparagus, and a few sweet potato fries (more than a few but 3/4 of them were stolen by Turtle).

Have you ever had a time when holidays don't go according to plan? How have you turned it around? Let me know in the comments below ... especially if you have ever used Skype or FaceTime to make a family holiday complete.

Black Friday Deals

Yes, I know that today is only Tuesday and Black Friday is on Friday ... but this is your guide and is early so that you can look through things without having to take time out of your family holiday. I will NOT be posting any Thursday deals. That isn't how I work. While I will be working on Thanksgiving, it is because I am CHOOSING to keep drunks off the road following an event. This is not a mandatory thing. I just want life to be a little bit safer and everyone is able to get home to their families for the holidays. With that said ... Here you go!

Click the graphic to go straight to the deal!

BLOGGERS - Pay attention! There is an AWESOME deal coming Friday and you will want to take part. If you are looking at going to your first conference or your 30th, the Type-A Con should be on that list. It is being held in Atlanta, GA again this year and will be in October. I attended Type-A Con 2014 as my first conference and I suffer from severe anxiety. I can tell you that they make everyone feel SUPER comfortable AND there are plenty of ways to destress. I WILL be going again in 2015!

Use code BLACKFRIDAY at http://typeaparent.com/affiliates?ap_id=HBRedbird to save 30% on your Type-A Parent Conference annual pass starting at midnight EST on Friday. Type-A Parent 7th Annual Conference will be held in Atlanta October 8-10. Type-A Parent offers top notch learning and networking with some of the world's smart bloggers and most beloved brands. Find out more and get your pass at http://typeaparent.com/affiliates?ap_id=HBRedbird

Order on my site!

Get your Mary Kay at a GREAT price on FRIDAY ONLY! When you place an order on my site, it will time stamp it on my email. This will determine your discount. I will then send you an invoice via PayPal that you can pay with your credit card WITHOUT having to give me your information!!! You will see the discount applied on the PayPal invoice. If you have ANY questions on how it works ... please ask me! You will want to remember to add 8.77% Sales Tax & $9.35 for shipping & handling. Limited Edition items are selling out wicked fast so I STRONGLY suggest you order as early as possible because I will try to place as they come in! If something is sold out, I will ask you if you would like a replacement item or your money back.

Other Specials Going on FRIDAY ONLY!

Free shipping from The Land of Nod

Receive free parcel shipping PLUS 15% Off your order at The Land of Nod from 11/27 – 12/1 for a Black Friday/Cyber Monday super sale!

Awesome Deals at Tea

Styles $12, $15 and $17 for Girl, Boy, and Baby

Get Personal with ISeeMe books!

Free Personalization ON Any Toy Now At MelissaAndDoug.com! No Code Needed!Groupon DEALS!
http://www.groupon.com/occasion/doorbusters?elq=62c925e496a34c3896b132ff3c4a2bdc&elqCampaignId=771

Creeper Party

My son turns 10 next week and all he has wanted for the past two years is a Minecraft Party. I wanted to make sure that it was a party that would be bigger so I could justify the bigger expense. I had NO idea that the party would be so cheap! I absolutely LOVE how this turned out ... however, my pleasure with the turnout had no comparison to how happy it made my son.

So, I turned to Pinterest for ideas and found many that I liked. I don't have a color printer though so I had to get a tad more creative. We decided to have a 90 minute party and do pictures, a snack bar, presents, and then two types of crafts.

I used leftover table cloth for the backdrop and then cut 2x2" blocks of black construction paper for the face.

Snack Bar:

The snack bar was several items that are available in Minecraft. MOST of the food I got at the Dollar Tree and the rest was cheap at the grocery store or I homemade.

• Gold - Rolos
• Sticks - Pretzel Sticks
• Coal - Rice Krispie Treats (with black food coloring)
• RedStone - Hot Tamales
• Slime Balls - Cake pops with Green candy coating
• Bread - Oyster crackers
• Cookies - Homemade "Grinch" Cookies (recipe to come)
• Carrots - Baby Carrots
• TNT - Twizzlers
• Diamonds - Blue Jelly Bellys
• Emeralds - Green Jelly Bellys (LIME not sour apple - don't get me started)
• Melons - Candy corn (*I* was going to use melon rings but boychild wanted candy corn and it's his party)
• Pumpkins - Harvest pumpkins (thank you after-Halloween sale!)
• Apples - Caramel Apple Bars (recipe to come)

Crafts:

The first craft we did was make Minecraft items out of Perler Beads. The kids had a blast. I got a HUGE container of Perler beads at Walmart for only $13. Anything not used today was part of JJ's gift. This was the most expensive part of the party.

She made a splash potion

Then our second craft was making dynamite sticks with a full size Rolo bar. We put red construction paper over the candy, wrote TNT on it, and then tore off a small piece of Twizzler Pull & Peel for the fuse.

The party went over awesome. I think that we could have added another 30 minutes on just for the Perler bead crafts. OH! I also used a free font from dafont.com for the cards that were on the snack table!

If you have any questions or comments, please add them and I will get back to you!

A vault on the go ... a NEED for parents

Okay, so back in September, I attended Type-A Con in Atlanta. I didn't expect to come home with anything other than swag. I was SURPRISED (to say the least) when I got an email from one of the sponsors letting me know I had won their iPad Mini drawing. Even more amazing, it was a sponsor that I was VERY interested in because I know MANY parents who need this.

Before I dive into who this sponsor is, let me tell you about my struggles. Jeremy and I both have jobs. He works outside of the house in a traditional work setting. I work from home and drive for Uber. Both are freelance jobs and are flexible ... but I'm also a hermit. Jeremy is the one who goes to the events while I stay home and corral the two toddlers who would make our life a living hell if they attended.

This leads to common problems. Jeremy gets the schedules and I have all the important documentation. Which means, when he is filling out paperwork, he has to call me to get information such as social security numbers, current vaccination records, health insurance information, and so forth. We also don't like to keep things the kids bring home (count four children plus three of them in school plus everyday activities ... yeah, no thanks), but we like to preserve the memories of them and share them with family members.


Enter KidsLink.

You read EVERY where about how there this app is perfect for moms or that app is perfect for moms. However ... KidsLink is the only app that offers parents the ability to store vital information safely AND share things with their friends. You can pick and choose who sees what!

What are things moms desire in an app? Let me tell you what *I* desire in a family app.

• Somewhere safe to store vital documents for my kids that I can access while I'm out and about
• Ability to quickly send information to babysitters, family members, or friends as needed (or desired)
• Ability to virtually scrapbook since I will NEVER get around to it otherwise. (my kids do not have baby books - yeah, I'm that mom)
• Ability to access this information on mobile devices as well as online
• Ability to work with all operating systems (since my family uses both iOS & Android)

Except for the last one, KidsLink manages to work ALL of these into an app. Why couldn't this have come out sooner! I am having to play catch up with getting everything documented on the Cloud. It is great being able to share milestones with my family, and then hilarious pictures that aren't so appropriate for Facebook. I have the ability to store all of the medical information in the vault and set it so certain people can access it ... which means I can allow my sitter to see it while caring for my children and then restrict access!!

*Note ... VERY IMPORTANT NOTE ... KidsLink is downloadable, but you need an invitation to use it! You are welcome to use my code, HBREDBIRD*

Here is a screencast I did with my computer dashboard. It was easier than the mobile dashboard (when it comes to making a screencast). I will tell you that EVERYTHING is so streamlined. It is awesome. Watch the video and let me know your thoughts in the comment section below!

Quick Recap:

• Maintain your child's digital privacy while taking advantage of the ease of social media.
• Share life events and photos only with those you want.
• Organize your professional and personal life (and your kids')

Features:

• Storyboards
• Like Facebook timelines, but organized for each child
• BUT you have complete control over each post! You can make it
• private  to just you and spouse
• Close KidsLink friends and family only
• Shared on Facebook (Instagram coming soon!!)
• Ongoing scrapbook without guilt and without photos getting lost in the photo roll or having to share everything with everyone on Facebook
• Lots of filters and borders, just like Instagram
• Profile and vault
• Private and safe just for you and your spouse/caregivers

Profile:

• Place to track allergies, doctor's contact information, bedtimes, etc.
• Mom and dad can both log in and see.
• Email this to the babysitter

Vault:

• Digital filing cabinet for everything, all PRE-organized by child and type, with NO typing required
• Health insurance cards, birth certificates, driver's licenses, artwork, receipts
• Mom and dad can both log in and see
• Or email to the soccer coach or doctor's receptionist
• Stream and notifications
• Catch up with what friends have made public
• Get and share comments on your and your friends' memories
• All comments get saved in each child's Storyboards
• Get alerted about upcoming wellness visits, health issues in your area, and even documents (like immunization records) that are expiring

Invitation only, but you can download the app from the app store (or use the quicklink http://mykidslink.com/install) and redeem using my code

F - Family Bonding

Spending time together as a family is extremely important for all family members. It creates memories that will last a lifetime, but it also shows the love you have for one another. As parents, it is easy to be caught up in the daily grind and frustrations. Having family activities offers a time to keep in touch with your children.

There are many different types of bonding activities, with the easiest being family dinners. As a Latter-Day Saint, we reserve one night a week to have a Family Home Evening. Now that Peanut is no longer in Allegro, we will have the nights on Monday evening. I am going to list some other ideas for family bonding activities that we have done:

• Annual Backyard Campout (or any other camping trip)

• NERF wars

• Family Walks
• Game Night
• Movie Night (at home – we make snacks and buy sodas)
• Reading at night (real bad right now with my work load)
• Visiting the Park
• Going on Picture Safaris
• “Tea” Parties (or whatever the child wants to serve)
• Staycation (we went to World’s of Fun and stayed in the cabins)

What are some different activities you have done as a family?


I am among nearly 2000 bloggers participating in the A to Z Challenge. Make sure you check them out as well! You can follow #atozchallenge on Twitter to see many updates. I am thankful for each person who visits and comments on my blog.

If you are a blog participating in the A to Z Challenge, you are welcome to join my link up. It will be on EVERY post so that people can have easy access!

Worst-Case Scenario: How to Survive a Flash Flood

Today's blog comes from a guest blogger. Thank you Aaron for jumping in and helping out with my March Series!

You may have seen the news recently about the severe flash flooding that plagued the UK last month causing February 2014 to be officially reported as the "wettest winter in records since 1910." (
Source) Consequently, serious flood warnings are still in place and thousands of homes have been rendered uninhabitable due to the disastrous conditions that normally accompany such extreme weather. During its most dangerous and calamitous period, the UK Environment Agency set up its own interactive online map where you could input your zip code to gauge how much danger your household could be in if the flood waters continued to rise.

No matter your age, gender or social status, when the living conditions of people from around the globe are threatened, our collective "survival of the fittest" human nature becomes apparent, and we as a species endeavor to do our best to combat whatever Mother Nature throws at us. In cases such as this, when vicious conditions become more destructive and take a turn for the worse, any notions of complacency we experience in our everyday lives immediately crumble, and our fight-or-flight instincts kick in instead. We typically start imagining what we would do if we were in the same awful situation. If continuous rainstorms hit the city you reside in over the course of multiple successive days, how would your housing community cope? Do you think you would personally fare well?

If you believe that you would be ill prepared to survive if a flash flood strikes, here are some basic tips that will make your living situation more comfortable.

Before a flood:

1. If your home is flooded, it is essential that you keep as warm and dry as possible, especially if your temperature starts to plummet. Therefore, before a flood, have thick, warm clothes on standby so that you feel comfortable at all times, and make sure that they are easily located so you do not waste time looking for them during times of crisis.
2. Ensure you turn off the electricity source via the fuse box or main breaker, so you can turn it back on at your own discretion. If this is not possible, have your electricity turned off by the power company.
3. Be watchful for any up-to-the-minute changes in weather through the radio or TV, so you can be aware if the present conditions are about to get better or worse. Purchase a spare cell phone specifically in case of weather-related emergencies. Think of keeping a few spare batteries as well, and make sure that these are all fully charged and easy to locate.
4. Collect together an extensive group of items for a dedicated Basic Disaster Supplies Kit. It should include first aid supplies, warm blankets, maps, matches, a fire starter kit, a whistle, water filtration tablets, flashlights, candles and non-perishable food items. Also, make certain that you are familiar with the American Red Cross "Repairing Your Flooded Home" guide.

After a flood:

1. Stay away from any places hit by water damage, as you could unintentionally injure yourself or accidentally cause more damage to the surrounding area. Only move around within areas that have not been flooded (if possible). Remember that floodwaters may be filled with debris, raw sewage, gasoline or other unidentifiable things that may prove hazardous to your health.
2. When flood waters have ebbed away, take into consideration that there are still various risks and dangers present, so stay away from power lines and electrical wires. Be aware of roads that may have become unsafe or structurally unsound.
3. Do not use wet household appliances until they have completely dried out. In certain cases, some items may have to be taken apart and cleaned before you try using them again. Clean and disinfect as much as you can.
4. To help you to process any insurance claims, make sure that all-important paperwork is kept safely under lock and key away from potential water damage.

We will all face dangerous types of weather sometime in the future, be it a sudden blizzard, a relentless heat wave, or an unexpected flash flood. Flooding can unfortunately strike many parts of the world in different ways, and it will not matter if you live within a rural area or in the city, everyone will be affected when the waters start to rise. If a flash flood were to occur tomorrow, would you able to handle yourself and take care of your loved ones? With a little planning and through visualizing some of the worst-case scenarios you could encounter, you should be able to decrease the amount of danger you may find yourself in, as well as making your life a bit more well-organized and tolerable during the difficult days ahead.



About My Blog Guest:

Aaron Bercovich is the owner of Primed Food, an online supplier offering a large selection of disaster food rations suitable for campers, hunters and hikers, including survival kits, military food, fire starter kits and water filtration products.

Natural Disasters - Flood

Continuing on with the natural disaster portion of my March series, I am dedicating this post to floods. Floods can come in two forms, flash flooding and river floods. The scary part of flooding is that it can happen to anyone. They are known to cause massive amounts of damage and cause major financial set backs, especially if you are not prepared.

Flooding can occur after several hours of rain (flash floods), or after days of steady rain that has caused the bodies of water to overflow their banks. Those in low-lying areas are extremely susceptible to flood damage, but water damage is something everyone should know about. The first thing you will want to do is verify that you have insurance to cover flood damage. This is often not included in rental or home owner's insurance unless specifically requested.

There are several things that can cause flooding to occur, including:

•  Hurricanes/Tropical Storms - Hurricanes and tropical storms bring rain, wind, and debris with them. The storm surges and heavy rainfall cause massive amounts of flooding that can damage land thousands of miles inland. Some people will lose everything they own to the flood damage.
• Spring Thaw - Winter weather causes snow to pile and freeze the ground. When the weather begins to warm up, the snow will melt, but the ground is still frozen. Streams, lakes, and other bodies of water will rise from the runoff. In areas where hills or mountains are common, you are likely to see flash floods that occur as the runoff begins to pick up.
• Heavy Rain - The most common cause of flash flooding is due to heavy rain. In addition, the most common cause of heavy rain is Nor'easters. These are storms that occur in the Northeast and can bring massive amounts of rain.
• Levee/Dam Breach - Dams and levees are designed to hold water back to prevent flooding from residential and farmland. They weaken over time and break, but when the water is high enough, it can breach the top. Those who are in an area that are near levees or dams should obtain flood insurance.
• Flash Floods - Flash floods can be extremely destructive, clearing areas in a matter of hours. They follow thunderstorms that bring heavy rain, when the rain is falling too fast for the Earth to absorb it.
• New Construction - Anytime you change the landscape, you are creating an increased risk of flooding. The drainage system will be new and unfamiliar to the environment. In addition, when you decrease the amount of soil, you are decreasing the amount of surface area there is for the rain/snow to absorb.

Unfortunately, there is not a lot you can do to prepare for a flood. You will want to make sure you have everything unplugged, power turned off of both electric and gas, and then move everything you can to the upper floors. You will also want to make sure you avoid any flood waters. Flowing water of over six inches can easily make you fall and lead to drowning. Never drive through flood waters because you can easily be swept  away ... regardless of how heavy your vehicle is.

The best way to prepare for floods are to have an evacuation plan in place and have an emergency kit prepared.

Natural Disasters - Hurricanes

Continuing on with the natural disaster portion of my March series, I am dedicating this post to hurricanes. Much like tornadoes, these monsters can have different category strengths and have the ability to destroy everything in their path. Hurricanes, however, bring with them water ... LOTS of water. Which after the hurricane has passed, leaves behind bugs, mosquitoes, mold, mildew, and many other problems.

Unlike tornadoes, hurricanes have a season where it is common to see them. If you have children who want to know more about hurricanes, I strongly recommend the Magic School Bus: Inside a Hurricane. Hurricane season is typically from the beginning of June to the end of November. Due to the possibility of flooding and storm surges, preparing for a hurricane is much different than a tornado.

First, the terms you will want to know:

• Tropical Cyclone: A cyclone with a non-frontal synoptic-scale shape. They form over the tropics and wind speeds are only at gale strength. The warm air is picked up from the bottom of the cyclone and transported up.
• Tropical Depression: These storms are tropical cyclones with a wind speed of less than 38 mph.
• Tropical Storm: Tropical cyclones with wind speeds between 39 mph and 73 mph are classified as tropical storms.
• Hurricane: Once the tropical cyclone surface wind speed exceeds 74 mph, it is considered a hurricane
• Storm Surge: When the sea level rises abnormally during a storm (hurricane or otherwise) it is called a storm surge
• Storm Tide: The actual level of sea water resulting from the astronomic tide combined with the storm surge.
• Hurricane Warning: Warning is issued when wind speed is above 74 hours and expected to hit within 36 hours.
• Hurricane Watch: A hurricane watch is issued 48 hours before the hurricane is expected to hit.
• Tropical Storm Warning: As with a hurricane warning, tropical storm warnings are issued 36 hours before the storm is to hit.
• Tropical Storm Watch: Again, the watch is issued 48 hours before a tropical storm is to hit.

Hurricanes come in categories that talk about their strength. The categories (just like tornadoes) are ranked one through five.

1. Wind Speeds are less than 100 mph, but can cause damage.
2. Wind Speeds up to 110 mph. Roads become blocked, power outages, damage to homes, and trees may be uprooted.
3. Wind Speeds up to 130 mph. Most trees are uprooted. Water may become limited in supply.
4. Wind Speeds up to 156 mph. Structures are destroyed, areas may become impassable, and power may be out for months.
5. Wind Speeds are over 157 mph. Most areas become inhabitable until a complete rebuild can occur.

 So ... How can you prepare for a hurricane? There are many pictures of people boarding up windows (and that is what you see in movies/tv shows), but that is only part of it. In addition to the windows, you will want to do the following to prepare:

• Create a disaster kit (keep supplies stocked)
• Create an evacuation plan (this includes knowing your city's layout to avoid flooded areas)
• Fill up your tank and have an emergency kit packed
• Secure your home (bring items inside, clip the roof, trim trees, secure your boat, turn the fridge and freezer to the coldest setting and do not open it unless absolutely necessary, unplug unnecessary appliances, shut off the propane, set up a generator)
• Have FLOOD INSURANCE!

Flood insurance is not something that comes automatic on homeowner's or renter's insurance. You MUST purchase it. Find out more at www.floodsmart.gov.

If you are not told to evacuate, and you choose to remain at home ... please take care and be safe. Make sure you are in a secure area of your home with a emergency radio nearby. Put as much distance and protection as possible between the outside storm and yourself. Just because the storm has quieted, it does not mean that it is over. Listen for the all clear to begin checking for damage.

If you have sustained any water damage, make sure you get your property checked for mold and have it properly cleaned.

Natural Disasters - Tornadoes

To start my March series off, I want to talk about the natural disasters that lead to mass shopping trips. Those shopping trips drive me CRAZY. I call it French Toast weather ... everyone is out to buy bread, milk, butter, and eggs. So, heaven forbid the storm of the century comes ... at least you have bread, milk, butter, and eggs. Seriously!

So, let's start off with tornadoes. I HATE tornadoes and yet ... I live in Kansas. Call me crazy, but in reality, Kansas City does not get hit with that many. However, it is important that one is prepared for a tornado.

The first thing to know is that there is no "tornado season." Tornadoes can happen anytime of the year, but they are most common when the weather fronts are colliding. If you are looking for more information on exactly what a tornado is and what causes them, check out the Wikipedia article. I want to talk about preparing for one.

The first step in preparing for a tornado is to have a safe room (or area) designated for shelter and that all family members know how to get there. A safe room is any area that is free from windows, doors, and debris that could cause injuries. It can be in a basement, on the first floor of the home, or in a separate building (such as a cellar). When you own a home, you will want to consider having a safe room build into your home. There is a big difference between having a home that can withstand heavy winds, and having a room that is build with protection from tornadoes as its main purpose. FEMA offers tips on how to build a storm shelter, and what you should consider.

When you are listening to the weather, they will announce whether there is a tornado warning or a tornado watch. It is important to remember that tornado WARNINGS are more pressing than watches. Tornado warnings are often issued when tornadoes have been spotted in the storm system already.

Tornado Watch- It is possible for a tornado to occur. You should watch the sky and stay tuned to your local weather station for weather alerts.

Tornado Warning- Tornadoes have either been spotted or indicated on the radar. If a warning is issued, take cover immediately (preferably with a radio so you can continue to monitor the weather)

Where You Are At	What You Should Do
Any type of solid structure	Go to the designated shelter area (should be on a map if you are in an unfamiliar location). If there is no basement (such as stores), then you should go to the center of the room on the lowest level away from corners, windows, doors, and outside walls. The idea is to have as many walls between you and the outside weather. Make sure you protect your head and neck with your arms. Do NOT open the windows!!
Trailers	If you have been warned of the tornado, evacuate. Trailers and mobile homes do not offer adequate protection from tornadoes.
Outside	Attempt to find the nearest shelter by getting into a secure vehicle and having the seat belt fastened. If the debris begins to fly, then you will want to park and make sure you cover your head with blankets, coats, or your arms. Anything to protect yourself from the debris. Do not get under an overpass or bridge. You are safer in a low, flat location. Do not try to outrun the tornado. They are fickle creatures and can change paths at any time.

TORNADO FACTS:

1. Tornadoes often arrive when the sky is greenish and have a low-lying cloud (usually in a straight line that looks like a wall - aka. wall cloud)
2. You will hear a loud roar that is similar to a train.
3. They can occur with no warning
4. They are transparent until the debris is sucked into the circling winds.
5. Tornadoes can move in any direction, but favor southwest to northeast.
6. Tornadoes move between 30 to 70 miles per hour, so when warnings go out, you should be prepared to take cover immediately
7. Tornadoes are most common between the hours of 3pm and 9pm, but the deadliest are after the sun goes down.
8. Peak tornado season ranges from March to August, but they can easily occur at any time of the year.

MORE INFORMATION:

You can find more information at FEMA's website, NOAA Watch, and the American Red Cross.