Snowmageddon Checklist

We were given this list in order to prepare for our home study on Sunday, and we've been ticking through it over the past 3 days while we've been snowed in. I'm still holding out hope for day 4!!

The Auditors may check for the following during a home visit:

1. test batteries in the smoke detector
2. check the fire extinguisher for expiration date and in working order
3. laundry soaps and cleaning chemicals on high shelf and locked or a latch on laundry door or a lock on cabinet so that they are not accessible to young children who might mistake windex and such for kool-aide or back spray chemicals in their eyes
4. all guns with a safety lock or in a safe or in a locked cabinet with safety key separate.  Ammo in separate area
5. all liquor in a locked cabinet or out of the house as teens may water it down and carry it to school in their lunch box
6. prescription meds, aspirin, and all over the counter meds, or vitamins must be in a locked container as teens sell pain killers at school or babies eat aspirin like candy
7. Gas for lawnmower cans locked or out of reach as kids “huff” gas to get high
8. No knives out in the kitchen as angry children may harm themselves or others in an impulsive moment
9. all pool owners must take a cell phone with them to the pool
10. if they ask, remember no babysitters under age 21.  all have to have criminal background checks
11. if they ask, we see children every two weeks
12. they may ask to see inside cabinets to check to see if you have a 3 day supply of food
13. they may flush the toiilet, flip the lights, and turn on the stove to see if everything works
14. any tools or woodworking equipment should not be easily accessible to young children
15. deadbolts on doors
16. they may ask to see where the children sleep. Cribs should be away from venetian blind cords.  Cribs should have no broken slats.  Children over the age of 1 cannot sleep in the parent’s bedroom. same gender in a shared room
17. teens need computer safety
18. toddlers need safety gates for stairs
19. car  seats and booster seats are required
20. safety helmets for skating and biking
21. jet skis and alter terrain vehicles are questionable due to impulsivity and developmental lags

We have a long way to go., because on top of all of the "have to"s we also have several "want to"s. Here is what we've accomplished over the past few days:

1. Right before it started to snow, we picked up 2 computer armoires off CraigsList and set them up in our family room, framing the new TV we got for Christmas.

2. We moved our enormous old TV out.

3. We set up the new TV & DVD player (and watched several movies...it's a snow day!!)

4. My husband took apart our former (perfectly good) computer and rebuilt it using a different shell that fit in the computer armoir. After a loooooooooong, sometimes terrifying process, the computer finally worked, so he set up the entire computer.

5. Moved the knives off the counter into a cabinet - one of the bigger sacrifices I'm having to make...haha. It's amazing what a nuisance this is, but I'm sure I'll adjust.

6. I finished all of my 36-page packet (which ended up being 39 pages in the end). my husband finished about half of his packet.

Other than that, we did a lot of thinking and planning, which leaves a lot more doing to be done. We've just decided that we'll do what we can and see what happens on Sunday.

Lastly, I am feeling 100% better today. No headache, and I finally felt like exercising again. Looks like we might be back at work tomorrow.