Altoids Survival Tin - Update!

I have so many good posts to share... but all the pictures are on someone else's camera!! Lesson learned. However, I don't need pictures to update you on my recent use of my Altoids Survival Tin.

I think I had it in my head that I could only use it in survival situations, as though I'd 'break the seal' and something would suddenly become perishable and I wouldn't have it if I really needed it later. For example, I took it on a ski trip a month ago and after a day of royally thrashing myself on the slopes I was very sore and wishing I had some Advil. Only after I got home did I remember I had four in my pocket the whole time... *face palm*. In that moment I decided to shift my attitude and use this thing practically! Fortunately, I got another chance with this past weekend's ski trip.

Altoids Survival Tin Uses:

• Advil - I'm new to this skiing game, so yes, I hurt myself. But this time, I only have two golf ball sized bruises, not five softball sized ones like last time. Improvement!
• Nylon cord - I sort of missed the fact that I was supposed to keep that piece of twine the rental place used to tie my boots together. But fortunately, I had a length of cord off the tin. In that awkward juggling moment when my hands were freezing and I was smacking people with my poles, this was a major win!
• Safety pins - The buckles on my brother's ski bib broke. Need I say more?

The moral of the story is these things are HANDY, but you don't need to wait for your plane to crash or a landslide to trap you on the side of a mountain to tap into its usefulness. Just don't forget to restock that Advil! There are more mountains to fall down.

Altoids Survival Tin

I never did show you what I made for my family for Christmas! But first, let's back up. Remember my Preparing for the End of the World post? I had a lot of fun putting together that Pinterest board, Survival Gear, and it has consistently been one of my most visited posts and repinned boards. Is it because the crazies spend the most time online or because there is real value here? Hmmm.... I'd say both.

Failed Mayan apocalypse aside, think about it this way. Ladies, what's in your purse? Guys, do you ever carry a pocket knife? Anybody keep sunglasses in their car? These are all examples of being prepared, just in case. Most of us have extremely urban needs and would find a portable cell phone charger much more valuable than a button compass, but at the end of the day, we all prepare for unforeseen difficulties.

My family enjoys camping, hiking, backpacking and all sorts of other outdoor sports. In general, we all enjoy differing degrees of preparedness as well. For Christmas this year, I wanted to bring these two elements together and create an Altoids Survival Tin for all our outdoor adventure needs.

Here's what we're dealing with:

• Survival Cheat Sheet borrowed from here
• 1 large black garbage bag
• 3 rubber bands
• 5 matches and striker
• 2 needles and thread
• 3 safety pins
• 1 fishing hook
• 1 water purification tablet, good for 1 liter of water
• 4 Advil
• 2 packets salt, 2 packets sugar
• 2 bandaids
• 1 square foot aluminum foil
• 1 stick of gum
• 1 sandwich bag
• 2 cotton balls
• 1 birthday candle wrapped in 5 feet of fishing line
• 1 small hobby saw blade
• 5 feet of duct tape

The orange strip of fabric didn't make it in to the final box. It was just a little chunky. The finishing touch was to wrap the closed box in about 8 feet of thin nylon cord. Some of the items may seem a little random, but everything in here including the tin itself has multiple uses. For example, the sugar can be either a quick burst of energy or can help stop bleeding for small cuts and work as a mild disinfectant.

I really enjoyed making these! So far I've taken mine skiing and will be taking it on a backpacking trip this coming weekend. It's cool to know that I have the potential for fire, shelter and clean water in my pack while out in the wilderness. Check out my various inspirations here, here and here. At the end of the day though, this is where it's at. True story.

If you think of various survival uses for the things I've included in the tin, please leave them in the comments! I'd love to hear your creativity!

And God Bless Us, Each And Everyone!

Christmas self-portrait (look really hard, I'm there)

Well, we're all still here. Good one, Mayans. Though I'm quite pleased since that means I'll now be able to see Hugh Jackman in Les Misérables after Christmas. There are other reasons I'm glad too but that one is quite compelling... ::dreamy sigh::.

I hope you all are finished with holiday preparations and can spend your Christmas Eve relaxing at home in front of a nice fire, maybe have a special somebody rub your feet and bring you a hot beverage or two... no? Wait, you still have presents to buy? Cookies to bake? Gifts to wrap!? SLACKER!! Oh hang on... I'm not done either... that's right. :) But for all you OCD holiday preppers out there, I hope you recognize that it's really ok. Not everything has to be perfect! My house sure isn't. As always, I encourage you to look past the trappings of the Christmas season and remember the wise words of Dr. Seuss: "What if Christmas, he thought, doesn't come from a store. What if Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more?”

Please remember the families from Sandy Hook this Christmas in your prayers and take time to let go of any grudges, hurtful competitiveness and jealousy you may have, especially toward family. You have no guarantee you'll get another chance. I encourage you to give the gift of yourselves this Christmas, just like the little Christ child:

And there were in the same country shepherds abiding in the field, keeping watch over their flock by night. And, lo, the angel of the Lord came upon them, and the glory of the Lord shone round about them: and they were sore afraid. And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people. For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior  which is Christ the Lord. And this shall be a sign unto you; You shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger. And suddenly there was with the angel a multitude of the heavenly host praising God, and saying, Glory to God in the highest, and on earth peace, good will toward men. (Gospel of Luke, 2:1-14)

Merry Christmas everyone!

In Loving Remembrance

I'm not a parent, so I can't begin to imagine what a mother or father feels in a moment like this. Your sorrow isn't just a news story to me; I have a loved one who is a survivor of the shooting at VT. I will hold him tight as we sit down to pray for you tonight. God bless you and keep you close to His heart.

Today is dedicated to these children, teachers and their families:

- Charlotte Bacon, 2/22/06
- Daniel Barden, 9/25/05
- Rachel Davino, 7/17/83
- Olivia Engel, 7/18/06
- Josephine Gay, 12/11/05
- Ana M. Marquez-Greene, 04/04/06
- Dylan Hockley, 3/8/06
- Dawn Hochsprung, 06/28/65
- Madeleine F. Hsu, 7/10/06
- Catherine V. Hubbard, 6/08/06
- Chase Kowalski, 10/31/05
- Jesse Lewis, 6/30/06
- James Mattioli , 3/22/06
- Grace McDonnell, 12/04/05
- Anne Marie Murphy, 07/25/60
- Emilie Parker, 5/12/06
- Jack Pinto, 5/06/06
- Noah Pozner, 11/20/06
- Caroline Previdi, 9/07/06
- Jessica Rekos, 5/10/06
- Avielle Richman, 10/17/06
- Lauren Rousseau, 6/1982
- Mary Sherlach, 2/11/56
- Victoria Soto, 11/04/85
- Benjamin Wheeler, 9/12/06
- Allison N. Wyatt, 7/03/06

My love affair with movie soundtracks

When I was growing up, new movies often got previewed by Mom and Dad before us kids got to see them. The next day the six of us would swarm them and ask all the usual questions... "Did you like it? How was the story? Who was the soundtrack composer?" ...what, who was the what?! Yes, we asked. And it was a big deal.

Assessing movies in my family is really a two-part question: how was the story and how was the soundtrack. It was not unusual (and still isn't) for us to go out to buy the soundtrack and leave the movie. (French Kiss and Legends of the Fall are some examples) Names like John Williams, James Horner, Danny Elfman, Hans Zimmer, Howard Shore, Alan Silvestri, Trevor Rabin, John Powell, Harry Gregson-Williams, George Fenton, Alan Menken and Michael Giacchino are staples in my music selection. It's ridiculously geeky but most of my siblings can identify the film composer before the lead actor's name...

Today, I want to give a shout out to what I consider some under-appreciated soundtracks. These tracks are my go-to pieces, in no particular order. What are some of yours?

• Terry Davies - "Always Summer", Brideshead Revisited
• George Fenton - "The Execution", Anna & The King
• Haygood Hardy - "Morgan Harris", Anne of Green Gables: The Continuing Story
• Jan A.P. Kaczmarek - "Why Did She Have To Die?", Finding Neverland
• Alan Menken - "Kingdom Dance", Tangled
• David Holmes - "11, 12 & 13", Ocean's Thirteen
• John Powell - "Test Drive", How To Train Your Dragon
• Harry Gregson-Williams - "Jake Lonergan", Cowboys & Aliens
• Joe Hisaishi - "The Wind Forest", My Neighbor Totoro
• Lesley Barber - "I Missed You", Mansfield Park

Thoughts on Sisters

I love having sisters. I also love being around other groups of sisters! You can't really understand the wonderful insanity of being one of three or more girls in a family unless you experience it. I got to thinking about what a blessing sisters are last night when I was hanging out with some friends. There are three girls in their family that are right around the ages of three of us girls in my family. I'm convinced this is a recipe for fun. We need to get together an adventure or two.

But back to my sisters. I can't image not having them around. There are five sisters and two sisters-in-law, spanning 24 years worth of age difference, and we all have ridiculously strong personalities in our own ways. (I'm a little worried my baby sister is my clone though...) We have the delicate girly natures, the rough and tumble girls, the adventurous ones, the quiet stay at home types, the athletic ones, the artistic ones, the night owls and the early risers. Basically, I think that if my sisters and I had to rule the world, between all of us we could get the job done. They always challenge me to be more compassionate, patient and to keep laughing. God knew what He was doing putting us all together! I couldn't do without them.

me and two of my gorgeous sisters

So for all of you out there who have sisters, work on those relationships every day and treasure them! Nothing is more beautiful than seeing sisters hanging out together, joking around, teasing each other, praying for each other and just having fun. We are a witness to love in a unique and powerful way, so lets bring that witness to the world!