I’ve lived through enough power outages to know that the first five minutes are oddly exciting. The lights flicker, the kids cheer like we’re at a fireworks show, and everyone grabs a flashlight like they’re suiting up for a mission. But then reality settles in. The fridge hums its last goodbye, the heat cuts out, the coffee machine goes silent, and suddenly I am staring at two wild-eyed children asking if the iPad still works. Spoiler alert, it doesn’t.

Now, I didn’t grow up in a bunker or anything, but my dad, Kyle Harrison, made sure I knew how to keep things running even when the grid didn’t. He’s the kind of guy who has a backup plan for his backup plan and a laminated binder for every possible emergency. He lives in Missouri with my mom, Darlene, and writes a newsletter called The Preparedness Post. Every Monday like clockwork, rain or shine or EMP, that thing goes out with recipes, hacks, gear reviews, and little challenges he dares you to try. I always say he’s the most charming kind of over-prepared, the kind that makes you feel a little better just knowing he exists.

Me, I’m Wendy Hawthorne. I live in Oregon with my husband Steve, who is the king of power tools and has more extension cords than socks, and our two kids, Luke and Charlotte, plus our very loyal black lab, Jasper. We homeschool, which means my kitchen table is both a school desk and a science lab, and my pantry could double as a mini grocery store. I contribute a weekly article to Dad’s newsletter called Wendy’s Corner, where I write about how to keep your family prepared without turning into a full-time squirrel hoarder. My focus is always on the family side of survival, the human side. Because if you’re huddled under a blanket with two kids, a confused dog, and no coffee, trust me, you are going to want a plan.

This book is your plan. It’s the book I wish I’d had the first time the power went out for more than an afternoon. It’s not about digging a bunker in your backyard or buying thousands of dollars worth of gear. It’s about making the most of what you already have, knowing a few tricks to stretch your resources, and staying cozy, fed, and mostly sane when everything around you goes dark. I’ll walk you through it all, chapter by chapter, with stories from our family, tips from Dad, and more than a few lessons learned the hard way.

So if the grid ever quits on you, whether it’s for a day, a week, or who knows how long, you’ll be ready. Maybe not ready for a spa day, but ready enough to keep your crew safe, fed, entertained, and hopefully still speaking to each other.