It's been a very self-reliant, preparedness couple of days!

(Prepping has been updated; gardening has been updated)

We assembled our bug out bags on Christmas day. Originally, I was going to purchase the FoodInsurance two-week backpacks, but after further research, decided to go another route. At $199 they were a great deal, but they could only handle the food & a few other items, no room for sleeping bags, other emergency items, etc., and I was unhappy with the serving size packaging (yes, I'm aware that it's industry standard to put several servings in one mylar server, but that doesn't make me happier.)

So I opted for real, heavy duty backpacks from REI. On sale, they were just a tad over $100 each. My youngest son and daughter got medium sized 65L ones, DH, oldest boy and I each got large sized 88L ones. All of them have a separate location for a sleeping bag, which we feel is important. I'm sure the FI ones are nice, but I know these REI backpacks will hold up over the long haul.

We originally purchased the 72 hour kits from FI. They were on sale for $85 when I got them (regularly $125). Previously, I posted the quandary as to whether they were worth buying at full retail ($125): in my opinion, the answer is a resounding no. At $85, sure (ish.) We love the solar radio/lantern/siren tool, and the multi-tool is also pretty good. The first aid kit is fine. We are ambivalent about the water filter/bottle, stove, fuel pellets, and aluminum cup. But as I said before, it gets me way further along the one-and-done trail that we have ever been.

On a different note, our dryer broke a few days before Christmas, so we have been hanging clothes on the stairs all over the house (it's been raining outside daily for the past week.) Yesterday my 17yo and I found a great YouTube channel for repairing appliances: 

http://www.youtube.com/user/AppliancePartsPros

Thanks to them, we saved about $100 in repair service, have knowledge which we completely lacked, and feel much more confident that we can learn to repair things rather than depending on someone else, etc. And we have a working dryer (and made some improvements to the venting process while we were at it.) Next: the washer <grin.>

Wishing you all a blessed end of the year~~!