Outdoors

How to Keep Emergency Water in Your Vehicle Unfrozen During Winter

February 11, 2021 / 21 Comments

If you live in cold country, you know that almost anything stored in your vehicle overnight is susceptible to freezing, especially water. You also know how handy a stash of bottled water can be in an emergency. One of the most important items in any winter survival kit for your vehicle is water. It will stave off thirst and help you stay hydrated if you become stranded during a winter storm or blizzard. Unfortunately, water is also one of the things most quickly …

How to Keep Emergency Water in Your Vehicle Unfrozen During Winter Read More »

25 Things I Learned From Long-Term Camping

June 9, 2021 / 19 Comments

If it’s springtime, that means that camping season is just days or weeks ahead. If you’ve ever gone long-term camping, you’ll be nodding your head in agreement, and then will have plenty more observations to add to this list! Snails can CEMENT themselves to nearly anything, and often they will do it in the least expected places. You MUST make peace with the giant spiders. They eat mosquitoes. Raccoons have no respect for personal property. If you fall asleep in …

25 Things I Learned From Long-Term Camping Read More »

36 Lessons Learned From Testing a 72-Hour Kit

June 11, 2020 / 77 Comments

Over the last two months, on two separate occasions, I had the opportunity to test my 72-hour kit.  Yes, these tests were intentional. Testing a 72 Hour Kit…Why? My background is one of preparedness.  In the military, we made casualty response plans, then tested those plans.  We called them “drills.”  Now, in my post-military life, I’m CERT-trained, and FEMA IS-22 certified and both deal extensively with emergency response and preparation. I’ve noticed many web sites that promote preparedness do not …

36 Lessons Learned From Testing a 72-Hour Kit Read More »

Camping is more than just equipment – Here is a list of skills you need to have

May 30, 2020 / 29 Comments

Have you decided to take the Survival Mom Family Camping Challenge?  If so, you might find this list interesting and helpful. How many of these skills do you already have? Which do other family members have and which will you need to learn? Keep in mind that these skills aren’t just limited to camping. They are basic survival skills as well, which might come in handy someday if you or your children are lost or need to evacuate to a …

Camping is more than just equipment – Here is a list of skills you need to have Read More »

15 Ways to Make Camping With Kids Easier Than You Think

June 12, 2020 / 3 Comments

We don’t believe in waiting until our kids are “old enough” to camp. My first child was 6 months old when we set up the tent in the back yard and spent the night. My second child was 10 months old when we managed to pick the hottest weekend of the entire year to go to a campground. And my youngest was a co-sleeping, nursing infant when we packed her off to the campground with her siblings. Camping with kids …

15 Ways to Make Camping With Kids Easier Than You Think Read More »

How to Survive a Blizzard in Your Vehicle

May 28, 2020 / 18 Comments

How do you survive if you become trapped in your vehicle during a blizzard? With winter fast approaching, this is a good question. The last few years have seen unseasonably cold and snowy winters in the U.S. Along with sustained cold temperatures, many regions experienced blizzard conditions including heavy snowfall and accumulation, combined with strong winds. Numerous areas were affected, including thousands of miles of roads ranging from major commuter highways down to narrow, twisty mountain roads. This became a recipe for motorists …

How to Survive a Blizzard in Your Vehicle Read More »

Basic Steps to Maintain Your Core Temperature

May 30, 2020 / 4 Comments

In a true survival situation, such as if you’re lost in the woods, the first priority is to do everything you can to maintain your core body temperature. Hypothermia (core temperature too low) can kill a whole lot faster than a lack of food or water. Hyperthermia (core temperature too high) is no fun, either. First Steps The first step is to get out of the elements if at all possible. Rain, snow, wind, and even the hot sun can …

Basic Steps to Maintain Your Core Temperature Read More »

32 Wilderness Survival Skills for Kids

May 30, 2020 / 18 Comments

Our very popular list, 32 Survival Skills Your Child Should Know and Be Able To Do ASAP, has been well received but we noticed there were important skills and pieces of knowledge that were missing. So, we went to work and created this wilderness skill set, plus a basic skill set and a mental and urban survival skill set. Kids come in all ages. Not all skills are appropriate for younger kids, in particular. Basic Wilderness Survival Skills for Kids 1. …

32 Wilderness Survival Skills for Kids Read More »

Why Your Family Needs To Go Camping This Summer

May 30, 2020 / 4 Comments

I would be lying if I said I was ready to star in Survival Mom vs. Wild, but believe it or not, I know quite a bit about surviving in the great outdoors. I even taught “Wilderness Survival for Kids” at a local Cabela’s for a while.  As a kid, our family went camping frequently. With five kids in the family, it was the cheapest way to get out of town. I still remember how to pitch a tent, use …

Why Your Family Needs To Go Camping This Summer Read More »

surviving iceland

Surviving Iceland: My #1 Survival Concern

May 30, 2020 / 12 Comments

When my family spent 2 weeks in Iceland this past fall, surviving cold weather was my top concern. Coming from Arizona and now Texas, I tend to go overboard when it comes to preparing for cold weather and packing for this trip was no exception. I knew that our first and most important prep was our bodies — packing the right type of shoes and clothing to keep us warm from the skin out. Start with your skin No matter …

Surviving Iceland: My #1 Survival Concern Read More »