Envy comes in shades of... white?

Our house is finally wallpaper free!  It has only taken us about 5 1/2 years, but it's all down.  The halls, kitchen, dining room, girls' room, and two of our bathrooms have all been painted and otherwise loved in the past few years.  Our living room and guest/playroom still need a new coat of paint, but they've gotten new furniture and are good for now.  That leaves one big project on my immediate agenda: Our master bedroom and bath.  Hubby and I have always been terrible about letting our bedroom become a) the place to stash any and everything, b) the room that we neglect when updating, decorating, or even cleaning, and c) the exact opposite of the haven it should be.

So, I've been looking for ideas. I'm one of those random people who likes a little bit of anything and everything, so deciding on what to do with a room can be overwhelming.  I flipped through a few pages I tore out of Better Homes or Midwest Living over the years (yes, I know I live in the south. I'm just not sure I decorate like it...) and watched countless slideshows on hgtv.com.  And then I found it.

I have never, ever, ever, ever found a room more... well... me. 

 

This bedroom comes from Donna at Funky Junk Interiors.  I hope she doesn't mind me linking to her blog post or posting this photo, because I claim NO credit for it's fantasticness.  Yes, I made that word up.

There are a few details in the other photos of the room that are a little more feminine than, well, me.  And they definitely would be a little filly for the hubs.  

But the style, the color, the roughed-up, unique, story-to-tell pieces...  I'm kind of drooling on my keyboard.

Here is a post that includes more of her home.  More to love.  And, those of you who have seen my house, work-in-progress that it is, will notice a lot of similarities in the color schemes.  I just wish I were as creative as she is!  Below is her blogging space.  AH-mazing.

 So... anyone want to hit the antique mall with me?

Fat Ogg

Tonight at dinner, Little Sis showed her keen powers of observation when she pointed out that we were refilling Big Sister's milk with "Mommy & Daddy's milk." She was very agitated that Daddy had poured from the green milk carton seemingly by mistake, until I finally convinced her that we were sharing because the girls were almost out of "their" milk.

This led to a discussion about why we have two different kinds of milk in our refrigerator. Truth be told, it used to be because I was too cheap to buy organic milk for Hubby & I, so we had a gallon of regular milk while the girls had a carton of the good stuff. Lately, though, I've tried to be more consistent with my milk, egg and (raw) meat purchases at the grocery store. And that means (besides a higher bill) ideally organic,free-range, humanely treated, and containing no antibiotics or hormones. So now, I buy 1 or 2% organic for the girls and fat free for us. Two similar cartons, one blue and one green. I only had to point out the difference once to Little Sister before she permanently filed it away in her sharp little brain.

Big Sister had her own way of explaining why our milk was different. "Grown up milk has a little bit of grown up stuff in it, like pills." I think that must be how she understood it when I tried to explain her "healthier milk" when we were still buying the regular stuff for ourselves. Now I tried to make sense of the fat content- telling her that kiddos need a little more fat in their diets than adults do.

"But fat is bad. Fat isn't good for you." She replied. "My friend at school says..."

"You're right. Too much fat is not good. It's not healthy. But you don't have too much." I answered, still thinking about her friend at school. I was concerned. Why was this child talking about fat? Was she one of those anorexic children I keep reading statistics about? Was she overweight and self-conscious? Or was she picking on other children for being heavy?

"Mom, what does 'Fat Ogg' mean?" asked Big Sister. And instantly those concerns grew bigger. Where is she hearing this stuff?! Maybe I should homeschool. Nevermind the fact that we'd all kill each other... at least no one here likens people to plump farm animals.

I asked her to tell me more about what she was asking. Where had she heard this? Who said it?

"At school. I read it. On my milk carton. Sometimes it says, "total fat Og."

Oh.


By the way, lest you read this post and think I am on some "holier than thou" soapbox about my grocery purchasing, I'd like to make a confession: This whole conversation took place over a dinner of hot dogs and macaroni and cheese from a box. But the grapes were organic...

Heads up

I've just noticed that one of my new favorite products, Renpure conditioner, is BOGO this week at CVS. I bought the "I Love My Hair" conditioner in North Carolina when I realized the "conditioning shampoo" we had leftover from some random hotel stay was not doing the trick on our salt-watered hair. It had a full rebate attached to try it for free. Great strategy, because I am in love with this stuff.

I've been considering going 'no poo, but I'm not quite ready to make the leap. I recently read that a common ingredient in many conditioners, silicone, can actually strip away your hairs natural oils, moisture & shine. Basically, you create a vicious cycle because after you use the 'cones (look for dimethicone, for example on your ingredient list) you have to keep using them because you can't get a healthy shine on your own anymore. So in an attempt to allow my hair to recover from that and possibly wean myself onto a more natural routine, I've been using Renpure. No 'cones- only natural and organic ingredients. It smells awesome, and I can even use a tiny bit as a leave in on really crazy frizz days. It's not even the "moisturizing" product line, but it definitely gives me more natural moisture than the dove daily treatment conditioner with which it is currently sharing a shelf in our shower.

It's usually $6.99 a bottle, which is more than I like to pay (the couponer/stockpiler in me really seldom PAYS for shampoo or conditioner these days) but the BOGO sale makes it a little less pricey. AND if you could find one with the rebate form, well, you'd basically getting two bottles free!

Just wanted to let you know. You know, unless you shop at my CVS and leave none for me.

That would be very uncool.

You know what else would be uncool? If I were paid to say this. I'm not. The people at Renpure have never heard of me, except (hopefully) to cut my rebate check. I just really like this conditioner and really like you and think the two of you would get along famously.

Hooray for clean dishes!

I've been trying to switch over to more eco-friendly, less chemical cleaners for our home. It is taking a while, because I'm determined to finish up what we had first. While I don't want to purchase more commercial chemical cleaners for my house, I also don't want to be wasteful. It's a weird, fine line. A line I've been pondering lately and plan to post about more soon.

But for now, I wanted to share the BEST dishwasher detergent I've ever used. And I MADE it!

I ran out of my store-bought kind and decided today was the day. I marched out to grab the few ingredients I didn't already have on hand, mixed a big batch, and put it in the dishwasher.

I put a little too much in, but when the rinse cycle was finished I peeked in to find dish perfection. And this is saying something, because I was out of rinse aid. Any detergent I've ever tried in this dishwasher leaves a terrible film if I don't hang one of those rinse aid baskets. Well, the basket has been empty for a few cycles now, but this new detergent rinsed wonderfully.

The recipe came from Passionate Homemaking, and can be found here. She has some other awesome recipes too!

1/2 c. Dr. Bronner's Sals Suds
1/2 c. Water
1/2 c. White Vinegar
1 tsp. lemon juice
3 drops tea tree oil

Mix it all together, cover & store indefinitely. Use 1 Tbsp. for a load of dishes.

I multiplied everything by 4 to make a big batch, and stored it in a plastic rubbermaid canister that I used to keep extra sugar in. I know it's not a completely eco-friendly glass container, but I am reusing something and it didn't cost me anything extra, so I'm completely okay with it!

I'm so excited about this recipe!


And one more thing: for those of you who might be wondering about the "green-ness" of using your dishwasher verses handwashing, check out this link. I was feeling guilty about filling up my dishwasher so often rather than just washing by hand, but this makes me feel better!

Think about it...

I've want to write a meaningful, thought provoking post.

But I'm feeling stuck.

I have more cute pictures of my kids, but my last three or more posts have been cute pictures of my kids. And although I LOVE my kids and could look at them all day (oh wait, I DO!) I also need to be more than just my childrens' photographer/event-narrator.

I could talk about my recent decluttering and organization efforts. About all of the dustbunnies I have eliminated under beds and at the bottom of closets, all of the things that have made their way into a giant moving box headed to Goodwill, and all of the plans I have for places in my house to tackle next.

Or I could blog once more about discipline and the girls' behavior. I haven't said much since the other day when I shared about Big Sister's smileys. But "no news is good news." Things are going a little better on that front.

The truth is, I want to think deeper and share my heart about something completely unrelated to Mommy-dom.

But I also DON'T want to.

I don't want to think about all of the terrible images I've seen of oil seeping into the beautiful blue water in the gulf and into the wetlands and swamps and little animal homes. I don't want to think of the global impact and eventual ramifications. I definitely don't want to think about the people at BP, moving about as quickly as a bored teenager selling smoothies at the mall as they work to solve this problem- about the greed and deception that allowed this problem to happen in the first place.

Because it makes me feel angry. And helpless. And a little hopeless.

The same thing happens when I read about the continued humanitarian crisis in the Sudan, or listen to a story on NPR about the diminished funding for AIDS organizations in Africa (just as they had started to see some progress!) or hear of a case of child abuse and neglect on the evening news.

I don't want to think about it.

Fortunately (and unfortunately?), most of us don't have to think about it. None of these tragedies are in my back yard (although, come hurricane season, who knows where that oil might end up.) So we change the channel. We read about Al & Tipper (or Sandra & Jesse, or Jon & Kate) instead of Kingston and Gaza. We turn on the ballgame, or we head to the mall, and we pour countless hours and dollars into keeping ourselves blissfully ignorant.

But ignorance isn't really bliss.

Because, to use another trite saying, just because we don't hear choose to ignore the tree in the forest... well, it doesn't mean it didn't fall. And these things that have been troubling me- they affect a lot more than just trees.

So, I don't know about you, but I can't sit still. I can't enjoy my fluffy television or my trashy work of fiction. I can't even post one more darling picture of my children on a fancy inflatable waterslide (today, anyway. I'll do it tomorrow!) Because it's not helping to drown out the echoes of falling timber.

I have think about it. We have to think about it. To think about the devastated wetlands and oil-covered marine life. To imagine the eyes of children looking into their mothers' faces wondering when they might eat again, or worse, watching those mothers die of preventable or even treatable diseases. It's time to get out a big map and remind ourselves of all of the countries facing unrest or genocide or famine.

And to remember that God doesn't distract Himself with ridiculous nonsense. He doesn't even take a nap to escape it all. He is there, among the suffering. He is mourning the loss of His children and His creation. And He is most certainly also mourning the inaction- and especially the apathy- of "His people."

We're not all apathetic. I mean, I do care. That's actually why I don't want to think about it. It breaks my heart and I get so discouraged and want to do something. But what can one little housewife do to stop a massive oil spill or stop AIDS or put a halt to ethnic cleansing? I'd rather think about organizing my linen closet- that is something I can fix! I feel so small, and the problems seem so big.

Of course, God is bigger. But that in itself can get discouraging too. Because, if God can fix it, and if God cares about it, why is it still happening? I start to ask, "Why aren't You doing anything about this?!"

But I get two answers. The first is a question. The same question, actually. Thrown back to me. With the third word uncapitalized and in italics.

The second answer is that God is doing something: mobilizing some of His people. And, even now, He is showing more of His people the hurt and need in the world. He has given them (us) countless resources to help. And He is waiting for us to flesh out that prayer that we recite so often from rote memorization, you know with the part that says:

"Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done, on earth as it is in heaven."

Heck, maybe He is just waiting for us to mean it when we pray it.

That's all I'm going to be able to do about any of these huge problems today... pray.

And think. Stop avoiding reality and living in my own little suburban bubble. Remember Christ's passion for the poor and the broken and ask for a heart like His.

Bob Pierce, founder of Samaritan's Purse, is said to be the originator of this prayer: "Lord, break my heart with the things that break yours."

Will you join me in praying this dangerous prayer? That God will break our hearts and move us to action?

In later posts, I'll share some of the small changes my family has made to try to do our part in impacting the big problems. But even Richard Stearns, president of World Vision and the man who wrote the book I reviewed here, says that he can forget about the suffering around him after a few days in the office or at home. It takes a constant, conscious decision to remember the needs of others.

So let's think.

And pray.

An Earth Day Story (ok, I'm a week late...)

Big Sister has been illustrating and "writing" lots of stories lately. Here's one about environmental stewardship, since I missed Earth Day last week. If you want to read a long post about being green, here's last year's post. But I think you'll agree this one is much shorter though equally effective.


"Once there was a boy who littered and made the whole earth dirty.


And then there was a girl who recycled, and she made the whole earth beautiful."

The End.

Why indeed?

"Papa," she asked, "why does the sky have a scratch in it?"

Giveaway reminder!

Just a reminder, I still need eight more comments to be able to give something away!

Some of you (mother) have commented on posts after the giveaway post but skipped the one that has free stuff for you! Even if you're not interested in freebies (who are you, by the way?) I am considering this a challenge just to see who has checked in on my blog this week. I know it is summer and a lot of you have VBS or are traveling, but surely I can find 20 comments, right? Right?... we'll see... Click here to comment if you haven't already.

Em's Cloth Diaper 101: Lesson Two

Continuing our diaper discussion. In my earlier post, I explained the different kinds of cloth diapers. If you thought there were a bunch of those, just wait until you explore the abundance of brands!

I'll be honest, there are many, many brands of cloth diapers out there that I have not tried. For some, the reason is they are more on the "boutique" end of cloth diapers- really cute patterns, embroidery, etc. but their prices are very high (this is something to be pooped in, let's remember). For others, it is because I researched them on The Diaper Pin and read too many negative reviews. There are some diapers or covers that required too much extra care for me when I was just starting out.

For instance, lots of earthy mamas out there simply rave about using Wool Soakers to cover their diapers. But wool has a care routine all its own, and I was too intimidated to try it. I have a hard enough time with laundry/clothing maintenance as it is! (Bad mom confession: the last time I took something to the dry cleaners was at least 5 years ago. And I've only turned on the iron about three times this year!) So maybe some day I'll try wool, but for right now I'll stick with my PUL covers.

The other reason I've not tried many of the diapers out there is simply this: I did lots of research, experimented, and found things I liked. So I didn't need to try anything else! I still like to check out new brands every now and then if Lyd outgrows a particular diaper, but it's too expensive to do too much trial-and-error with diapers. Even with my favorites, there are always quirks that made them imperfect, or at least only perfect for certain times (like nighttime or short trips or whatever). I'll be fully honest about that, because I want anyone who is thinking about cloth diapering to be as prepared as possible; there are enough surprises facing new mamas! So, without further ado, here are the brands of diapers I've used.

• Bumgenius- These are little more synthetic than a lot of "greener" options, but they are still much better for the earth and your little one's baby bottom than those icky disposables! I absolutely love my bumgenius 3.0 pocket diapers. They fit from the time the cord falls off until, well, you don't need them any more. I used them on Big Sister when she was just sleeping in diapers this time last year! You can stuff them as full as you want to- I put a prefold inside of them for night time and never have leak problems. I have heard people talk about having problems with the velcro wearing out on these diapers, but I've used them for a year now- mostly for night or the diaper bag- without encountering this problem. OOH! The best part? You can buy these at your local Target! I also used the BG all-in-one when Little Sis was very little. I just bought two of them for the diaper bag. They fit well but sometimes leaked. They were also, like a lot of all-in-ones, harder to get completely dry.
  
• Baby Beehinds Hemp- These are a one-size fitted diaper, meaning that they snap in all sorts of different settings to fit whatever size your baby may be at the time. These also fit tiny Little Sis and big Big Sister. They are super absorbent and were my go-to nighttime diaper until a few weeks ago. When Little Sister started pulling up & jumping up and down in her crib, the extra liner in these diapers started to give her a dreadful friction rash. Before that, though, they worked wonderfully. Without the liners, they are a fine diaper for the daytime. A word of warning: hemp is really absorbent, but it also can get stinky if you don't wash it really well. These are my most expensive diapers, but they were well worth the investment.
  
• Wickeez fitted diapers- These are the softest, squishiest diapers ever. They soak up moisture and wick it to the outside, meaning two things. 1) Your baby's bottom will stay dry (and poop probably won't stick to their little bottom, either!) and 2) You need a really good cover to hold in the moisture. These aren't great for night because they put a lot of pressure on the cover to keep wetness contained, but they are wonderful for daytime use. I only bought size 1 and it probably will fit Little Sis through most of her diaper-wearing days. They are not an all natural material, though, if that is a priority to you.
• Tender Tush Organics- My first one of these was given to me by a co-worker in Alabama. It was one of the first cloth diapers I ever tried, and I liked it enough to order five more. They are made from a very natural and thirsty organic cotton. They have a soaker flap sown into the diaper, meaning it has extra absorbancy but can dry a little easier. The only drawback to these diapers is that they are in two sizes, so I've already had to retire my infant stash because of Little Sis's chunky legs. Also, they are a bit stiff and may have contributed to that previously mentioned friction problem.
• Tiny Tush One Size Diapers- I actually found this diaper when searching for more of the previous diapers! Mine has snaps to adjust the sizes and add a soaker, but closes with velcro. I think the new ones no longer have any velcro at all, which is probably good because snaps are a lot more babyproof. This diaper does a great job at soaking up daytime wetness, but it is less bulky than most cloth diapers, especially one-size. No complaints about it, other than that it is a little more expensive than some of my other fitteds.
• Happy Heiny's Happy Hempy diaper- This is a fitted diaper that has a pocket for stuffing. It is absorbant hemp but can have a fleece liner inside for more comfort. I really liked these diapers, but they are very size specific and Little Sis outgrew them pretty quickly.
• Baby Kangas One Size Pocket diapers- I have to be honest, when I first used this diaper it was on Big Sister. It leaked every time we used it. We called it the leaky diaper and used it as a last resort. But it turns out I wasn't exactly being fair. First, I only tried it for overnight on a big toddler. And second, I don't think I was stuffing it well. Since then, I've added different stuffers (prefolds and Bumgenius microfiber inserts for night) and it has done wonderfully. I actually bought more of these for Little Sister. I like that it is a one-size diaper like my bumgenius 3.0s, but that it has a really soft inside and snaps instead of velcro. I love that my kiddo can wear it until she is potty trained.
• Indian prefolds- I like the absorbancy of these prefolds much better than the ones you can buy in stores (like gerber). They can just fold up & get tucked into a cover, or I can fasten them with a snappi. The best part is that they cost less than $3. I've even used them at night, although I usually use two and Little Sister looks like a dancer in a Sir Mix-a-lot video.

These are the diapers I recommend. I have also tried Kushies, Sweet Cheeks, Happy Heiny Pocket diapers, and Happy Endings brands. They aren't my favorites, although some CDing mommies swear by a few of them.

As for PUL covers, I recommend Bummis Super Brite (the sizes are very generous on these so Little Sister hasn't outgrown them as quickly as the others) and Thirsties. Again, this is just my preference. There are lots of cute, uber-expensive covers out there, if that's your thing. I've gotten baby poop on too many covers to get that attached to them!

All right class, that's it for today's diaper lesson. Tune in next time for a lesson in washing your diapers, followed by information on the cloth diapering accessories I can't live without!

My first giveaway!

*Updated- I realized that a few of the "regular" readers are out of town this weekend, so I'm going to extend the contest until next Saturday. That should give us plenty of time! ALSO, if you don't have kids/don't have a need for the hand sanitizer, I will let you pick out another item from the Coyote Cove site... Zac & Callen, they do have doggie shampoo!



This is my 111th post! (I kind of missed the 100th one a few posts ago, so this one will have to suffice in the significance department.) I've really come to look forward to sharing some of the wonderful madness that is our lives with you all. Over the past few weeks, I've been hearing from people I never knew read my blog. While it is encouraging to know that something I've written resonates with people, it is a little strange not to even know you're reading! I've only got seven followers listed, but I know there are more of you out there. And yes, relatives count!

So, I'm issuing a challenge. And a reward. I want anyone who reads my blog to comment on this post. Even if you just say, "I read it." I am going to have a drawing for everyone who comments before Monday next Saturday night. If you sign on as a follower, I'll enter you a second time. If you already are a follower (you lucky seven) and you comment, I'll enter you three times.


What are we winning, you ask? One of my new favorite things:


A little while ago, my friend Hope picked up some of this Coyote Pups Naturally Clean hand cleaner from their booth at the local market. I love it. It is like hand sanitizer without the chemicals, alcohol burn, or stink (although Hope says it smells like a hippie. It does smell like lavender and other essential oils, but I guess I rather enjoy smelling like a flower child! ) Here is how it is described on their website: For toddlers, children, and adults, this is an alcohol-free waterless hand cleaner. Aloe gel base with witch hazel and naturally antiseptic, anti-bacterial, and anti-viral essential oils.

It comes in a cute little 2 oz. spray bottle to fit in your purse, diaper bag, or the console of your car. There is also a pump option, but I haven't tried that yet. I know it isn't a giant prize, but it is my very first one. I've got to set the bar a little low to begin, right?

There is one more thing... I need to have at least 20 comments for the drawing to happen. So... ready, set, post!

Em's Cloth Diaper 101- Lesson One

A few people have asked me about cloth diapering lately. Either they are wondering if it is really "greener" (it is) or cheaper (it is), or they are curious about all of the choices out there. I wish when Big Sister was born that I had someone to tell me how easy it is. She was still sleeping in diapers when I was pregnant with Little Sister, so I was able to order and try out a few of the one-size diapers on a toddler and now an infant as well. Little Sister is 1 year old and we've used cloth for most of that time. (We used disposable when she was teeny tiny and I was recovering from the c-section, and recently when she developed a friction-type rash from her obsession with bouncing up & down in the crib combined with some rough hemp inserts- I put CDing on pause to let some medicine clear up the scary bruises). Normally, unless I've just fallen really behind on laundry, cloth is all we use.

As for the first question about "why cloth?" I can't provide any better answer than several other people already have. Here are some links I like to reference:

• Smile Mommy (a diaper service in Nashville)
• Buzzee Bee Diapers (another service, but this is a link to their blog)
• A Calculator found at Diaper Pin, to tell you how much you can save

If you decide to go with cloth, the next question becomes what diapers to use. There are certainly an abundance of different types and brands. I've got some favorites, which of course I'll share, but the Diaper Pin link above is a great place to read reviews. I've only ever found one specific brand of diaper not reviewed at the Pin.

First, the different types. Here are the basics:

1. Prefolds are the old square cloth diapers my mom used on me. They are often called Diaper Service Quality (DSQ) because most services still use prefolds. They can be made of different material, but are most commonly bleached or unbleached cotton. The advantage of prefolds? They are very inexpensive and easy to wash. You can add extra layers to add absorbancy. The disadvantages? They are a bit more complicated, although today you can use a Snappi instead of pins, and one prefold alone isn't the most absorbant option. Prefold diapers need a diaper cover.
   
2. Fitted diapers are diapers that are fitted (Ahoy maties! It's me, Captain Obvious!) They most often fasten with aplix (generic word for Velcro) or snaps. The advantage is that they are easier than prefolds and often more absorbant on their own, but the disadvantage is the higher cost. Some fitted diapers will only fit a baby for a small amount of time, and others are meant to be adjustable so that they can grow with your baby. (There are some diapers, meant to fit from newborn to toddler, often called One-Size. If they still need a cover, I still consider them to fall in the category of fitted diapers.) Fitted diapers need a separate diaper cover most of the time, although there are exceptions.
3. Pocket Diapers are diapers that have room for inserts to be stuffed inside of them to vary the absorbancy. Because they have an outer layer of PUL, Fleece, or another moisture catching material, pocket diapers do not need a separate cover. The advantages are the ability to vary the absorbancy quite easily, as well as the ability to "unstuff" the diaper to make washing & drying easier. Obviously, having the diaper & cover already assembled makes using these dipes easier, too. These are the kind of diapers I use for my diaper bag. The disadvantage is the price, and (in my humble opinion) the fact that not using a separate cover makes it impossible to wipe & reuse the covers in between washing your dipes. (My husband says this doesn't make sense, so I'll try to clarify. If you use a separate cover, you can wipe it out, let it dry, and reuse it after the next change. With the pocket dipes, the cover is the diaper, so you just have to chuck it in the pail after it is wet or dirty. For one thing, this makes more laundry. For another, I personally like to wash my PUL as little as possible because I want it to hold up. Make more sense, dear?) Just to add a little more confusion, there are some adjustable or even "one-size" pocket diapers, but there are also plenty of brands that make S,M,L sizes of pockets.
   
4. All-in-One diapers are so named because there is no assembly required. You don't need to stuff or add a cover. They work just like a disposable, minus the whole throw-in-the-landfill-when-you're-done component. Obviously, these are the easiest to use. I bought a few of these for the diaper bag when we first sprung CDing on the nursery workers at church. They can also be the most expensive, and I find them a bit of a pain to dry. Most all-in-ones are size specific, meaning your baby will outgrow them a few times over the span of CDing.
   

There are some diapers that are hybrids between these four types, but this is the best way I know to explain/organize the options. In our house, we have used a mixture of all four types. I tend to save the All-in-Ones for diaper bag use (and short trips). The pockets used to be reserved as well, but now I like to stuff them (sometimes with a prefold for super absorbancy) and use them at night. I really like fitted dipes for daily use, because they wash easily and because I can rotate and reuse two or three covers in a given day. I also use prefolds- either just folding them and sticking them in the cover or fastening with a snappi. I seldom have problems with leaks, but I don't leave them on really long. I also have a few really cool pre-fitted diapers, which means a pre-fold that has been trimmed to fit. It is not as bulky as other fitted dipes, but I can get it on wiggly Little Sister easier than a prefold. For those of you who sew, here is a step-by-step guide for making these type of diapers.

That's all I have time to type right now, but I'll post again about my favorite brands of each of these kinds of diapers. If you just can't wait to learn more, check out The Pin for an overwhelming amount of information! And if you just can't wait to buy diapers, here are my top three sites:

• Baby Hope's Cloth Diapers- absolutely my favorite!!!
• Cotton Babies
• Baby Cotton Bottoms

Again, you can read reviews of retailers on The Pin as well. Happy researching!

Confessions of a bad mom: Not Me Monday!

Okay, so I've decided to join the fun and post my own Not Me! Monday just like Mckmama on her blog, my charming kids. It will be kind of like the "confessions of a bad mom" I've done in the past. Here we go:

This week, I started back to work part-time at our summer camp. We also had Little Sister's first birthday and a special event at church. Things have been hectic, but I've handled it perfectly. I cleaned up the kitchen- and no, I did not simply hide a few things in the cabinets to make the photos look a little less cluttered. It wasn't me who, in my frantic effort to straighten up my kitchen, cleaned out the fridge and (gasp) threw out a plastic storage container because of something unidentifiable in it. I would never do something so un-green... Nope, I am an earth mama. I haven't found it difficult to switch back to cloth after Little Sister's rash cleared up. Not at all. Nor did I use paper partyware (that I found on sale when I was still pregnant with my sweet darling, by the way).

Nope, I was Ralph Nader meets June Cleaver. I even made a nice cream cheese frosting for her own little cake...which I certainly didn't bake from a box. I especially didn't buy that icky chemical laden (and colorful plasticish chip filled) icing from a can for the rest of the batch.

Nope, not me. Birthday celebrations, even small ones that are just for our immediate family, are supposed to be lovingly planned and prepared for far in advance. That's why it was definitely not me who frantically sent her husband to the grocery store after receiving a phone call from her baby's teacher- asking if I would like to send cookies or cupcakes to go with the ice cream they had planned. (For the baby class?! Who knew?) And it definitely wasn't my child who was sent to school with a package of Murray butter cookies instead of cute homemade cupcakes or even the Sesame Street Letter of the Day cookies I sent DaddyClay out to find. (To be fair, why would I send cupcakes? She hadn't even had her birthday cake yet, and I doubt they really wanted to deal with the mess enough to let the little ones play in them. And don't get me started on food allergies and the numerous ingredients I probably haven't introduced to my apparently sheltered one-year-old).

Oh yeah... one more thing. Even though it saved large amounts of paper towels and clean-up time, I had nothing to do with this:

Happy Earth Day!

Today is Earth Day, and we're pretty excited about it at our house. (I'd be more excited if I weren't feeling awful due to an attack of every nursing momma's nightmare, but que sera sera.) We're not always the greenest family, but we really try to do our part. Here are some things we've done in our home over the last few years in an attempt to be nicer to our earth:

1. Cloth diapers! You knew it was coming. We are saving landfill space, keeping human waste out of landfills (and from running off into our water... think about that!), and using less wood pulp and petroleum. Yes, energy is used to make and wash cloth diapers, too, but we'll use far less (and use them over & over.) We're also keeping chemicals off of our daughter's bottom, and we know exactly what materials are up against her skin.
2. Reduce & Reuse: I try to buy almost all of the girls' clothes second-hand. We don't have a lot of new furniture, and we try to look for sustainably harvested wood when we do consider a purchase. I personally would rather slap some paint on an old piece anyway- more character! I belong to the local Freecycle group and Hubs just joined Swaptree, both to stop ourselves from keeping things that are just taking up extra space (and buying more) and to keep usable items from being thrown away. We have a ton of reusable shopping bags- we keep some in both of our cars in case we make an unplanned stop on the way home. A friend (the Brown-eyed Pea!) gave me some really cute Envirosax bags that fold up to fit in my purse or diaper bag. I use them in retail stores where I never remember to bring my canvas bags!
   
3. Recycling: Our county does not have a curbside program, so we bought big plastic laundry hampers to keep in the garage- one for each type of recyclable. At first we were driving them to a nearby center, but then my hubby helped arrange for us to start collecting recycling at church. An organization for the disabled picks it up. We don't have to take it anywhere out of our way, and they keep the funds and are able to provide work for some of the people they service.
4. Composting: We started small with this one. We just collect our coffee grounds, fruit peels, egg shells and other organic waste in old plastic salad containers. When they get full, we dump them in a pile in the wooded part of our yard beyond the fence. When Hubby mows or when I prune the roses or weed flowerbeds, that goes with it too. Hubs turns it frequently, and it becomes a nice rich fertilizer. We'd eventually like to get a fancy composter or a pretty canister for our counter, but it is possible to start composting without it!
5. Speaking of yard work: last year I planted some perennials (most came from someone at church for free!) that were tough and needed less water. This year we are planning to mulch a larger portion of our yard because the mowing, watering, fertilizing and chemicals sometimes needed for lawn maintenance isn't very green (sidenote- cypress mulch is NOT made from sustainable forests, go with something else.) Trying to use native plants is another way to make your yard more earth friendly. National Wildlife Federation has some great resources on how to make your yard greener and friendlier for wildlife in your area.
6. Using less water: We turn off our faucets when brushing our teeth. We try to water the flowers or fill up the pet water dishes using the water that is wasted when the shower or sink faucet is heating up (although this is a tough one to remember). We cram the dishwasher and the clothes washer full before running a cycle. Whenever possible, we bathe the girls together (that's just easier anyway!) We installed a low flow showerhead that has a "pause" feature for when you're lathering your shampoo or shaving your legs. (Here is a blog I found that is giving away one of these for free! Check it out!) And, although I have mixed feelings about admitting it, I do let it mellow if it's yellow. But only when it's just us at home. If you come over, we will flush. I promise.
7. Using less energy: We tried to weather-seal our home, with mixed results. Our front door is still very drafty, so if anyone has any tips, let us know. Hubby is very good about turning out lights and such (I am a bit forgetful but getting better!), and we have solar lights for our front walk. We use our ceiling fans and are trying to wean ourselves off of the heat & a/c a bit at a time. Oh- and CFL light bulbs. There is no reason not to buy these- even if you're a global warming skeptic, they will save you money! We also try to use less gas when we can, but we do not live within walking distance of anything, so that is difficult.
8. Use less paper (I guess this could have gone under "reduce" but I forgot: We use cloth napkins, cloth baby wipes, and keep our old towels for spills and such. We still use paper towels, but a roll lasts us a long time. We use scrap paper for everything we can, try to print on both sides, and sign up for e-statements, bills, catalogs, etc. I pay my bills online, and if I do get paper bills, I keep the envelopes for any snail mail I might need to send. I haven't bought a box of envelopes in years! We do still get a lot of magazines, though, so we need to work on that.
   
9. Spending wisely: There are a lot of organizations that say they are doing things for the earth- it can be hard to discern where to contribute. We've given to Earthjustice, National Wildlife Federation, and the ASPCA (which is not really about environmental conservation, but is about taking care of creation.) We also broke our bank on one silly dog who came to live with us, in the name of compassion and caring for God's creatures. We try to buy recycled paper products and to support companies that try to offset their carbon footprints, avoid animal testing, etc. I use a lot of natural cleaners, baking soda, vinegar, borax, etc. We buy a lot of organic products, even though they are more expensive. If everyone did, the supply would eventually go up and the cost would go down! I've already seen this happen some in the last few years as being "green" has become more trendy. Another way we try to shop smart is to buy things that have less distance to travel- naturally local farmers' markets are best, but even just things from the same state or region is better than stuff flown in from Chile or wherever. Some people say that is better for the environment than purchasing organic! Also, we try to buy things with less packaging and that are more concentrated or lighter to ship. Did you know eco-friendly powdered detergent is better to buy because it weighs less for transport?
10. Speaking up: My husband shared a very powerful sermon with our church last year about our responsibility to care for God's creation. He has also found some groups in our area who get together to share ideas, raise awareness, etc. for the cause. At our own church, we've started a group to help make things greener- we've already gotten the recycling and convinced the kitchen to stop using disposable dishes! Speaking up also means being informed, voting and voicing your opinion to our civil servants & politicians!!!
    

Did I give you this long list to toot my own horn and try to win a prize for the Greenest Gal? Not hardly. I was just hoping at least one of the above ideas would give you a new way to change the way you treat the earth. If you have questions about how some of those things work, or more ideas to share, please feel free to comment! We definitely still have a long way to go. Here are some things we are planning (or dreaming) to do at our house:

1. Install rainbarrels to water our lawn & gardens, and use gray water more.
   
2. Remember to change our air filters so our a/c and heat run more efficiently.
3. Take shorter (or cooler, or both) showers.
4. Put up a clothesline to dry things outside (we currently have a small drying rack for diapers, but I want a big one!)
   
5. Use more power strips to completely turn off electronics with "stand-by" modes.
6. Invest in CSA (community shared agriculture) by volunteering and purchasing produce.
7. Be more discerning about more of the products we buy- especially toiletries & some cleaning products.
8. Replace our existing appliances with more energy efficient ones.
9. Install other sources of power at our home- solar panels, wind, etc.
10. For our next vehicle, go hybrid or biodiesel.

And here is a really unique idea from my hero, Shane Claiborne. I haven't convinced Hubby to let me do it yet, but one of these days...

And here is a link to part of the Earth Day special I watched in fifth grade. Thanks to Chad M. for sharing it. Bette Midler played Mother Earth. She was (who am I kidding, still is) one of my heroes, so I really paid attention to this one.

Also, I want to let you know about an offer from Reynolds Wrap for a FREE roll of their new recycled aluminum foil. It is only good TODAY, so click here to check it out!

Crater Lake National Park, Oregon

"The earth is the Lord's, and everything in it." Psalm 24:1

Consignment Shopping is my favorite!!!

On Saturday I went shopping, which doesn't sound that unusual unless you know me and how infrequently I go clothes shopping. It's not that I don't love clothes, although I admit I love them a lot less than I did in high school and college. It's more about trying not to be so materialistic, attempting to avoid funding unethical manufacturing and business practices, and of course saving money. So that's why this Saturday was so great- I went out to hit the kids consignment sales! I have been looking forward to this for weeks. First I went to the Just Between Friends sale, because it was the last day and whatever they had left was 50% off. I got some cute things, but only spent about $20. I was saving my money for my next stop: Jack & Jill.

The Jack & Jill sale here is my favorite because not only does it have the most stuff I've ever seen, but they are really picky about what they take. They actually rejected one of my little outfits this year because it had a slightly yellowed spot I didn't even notice. When I shop this sale, I don't have to worry about weeding through junk. And since I was a consigner this year, I got to shop before the sale opened to the public! It's amazing how much more there was this time; most of it was gone by the time I've gotten there in the past. I got a pair of Easter shoes for Hannah, four toys for the girls that are new enough to give for Birthday gifts, two outfits, a swimsuit and a coverup for Lydia, and three sundresses, one pair of jeans, one capri outfit, a new swimsuit, six shirts and two pairs of shorts for Hannah. The grand total? $63. Amazing.

I'm adding another button to my blog- a link to the kids consignment sale website. It has a directory of seasonal sales all over North America. Also, if you live in the Cincinnati area, I am very seriously making plans to start my own sale coming this fall. More about that is sure to come...

An elephant with more talent than me...

A friend of mine posted a video of an elephant painting. It sounds silly, like a circus act. But it isn't silly at all when you watch it. It's beautiful. The elephants at this center are rescue animals, lovingly trained to paint pictures that are then sold to help the rescue efforts. I have to admit, dork that I am, when I first watched it, I thought that the elephant was actually creating the picture, like trying to communicate... it made it a little cooler that way. But it is still pretty amazing to see that cute little trunk wielding a paint brush. If you have hundreds of dollars to invest in art and a good cause, one of these prints can be yours. Really. They are sold online at a fair trade store called Exotic World Gifts. Our little town has its own fair trade store, World Next Door, which is a fantastic place to shop for Christmas gifts. They have hundreds of other amazing products (including a small selection of cloth diapers, just had to throw that in) that are made and bought ethically in poor developing countries. I'm not sure if they have elephant paintings, but they do have paper made out of elephant poop! Seriously, they do.

Back to the painting. You have to click here to watch the video. It is amazing!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=He7Ge7Sogrk

Trash to treasure

I have a confession to make. I am a terrible cheapskate. I clip coupons, buy nearly every article of kids clothes second-hand, and (gasp!) have been known to regift things a time or two. I love the back clearance rack and the days after Thanksgiving and Christmas. Since becoming a mom, I've switched from the Clinique counter to CVS, and from the Limited and Ann Taylor to TJ Maxx and Target. In high school & college I used to get really expensive haircuts & coloring. Now, I can't remember when I last got my hair cut, but I am fairly sure it was at Supercuts.

Part of this is due to the fact that I was an elementary school teacher. During student teaching, I started collecting ANYthing I could use in my classroom. It was pretty much a requirement for getting a certificate: "gathers junk and turns it into a teachable moment? check." The (wonderful) teacher with whom I student taught moved up to a higher grade the year I was hired, so she gave me a lot of her primary resources. Lite brites, cookie cutters for play-do, dry erase boards, and any number of other teaching treasures were all mine, all free. It was teacher heaven!

Another reason I think I'm like this is because I am a stay at home mom. The church actually takes very good care of us, but owning your first home and having kids can be expensive! We weren't like a lot of our (smart) friends who waited and worked for a while before starting a family. No, instead we went from both being students to me being a teacher while my hubby finished seminary to parenthood. Even then, my cheapskate side showed through- I paid $15 to buy a high chair, crib, and changing table from a teaching friend of mine- and that was about all they were worth. Fortunately for Big Sister, my parents saw the absurdity of the labor and materials it would have taken to make those suitable for our little princess and went straight to Babies R Us. Most of my secondhand home purchases actually do work out. A majority of the furniture in our house came from someone else- I have sanded and painted tables, recovered chairs, made creative uses of slip covers, and more. If you don't want it anymore, call me (my husband will be so happy with me for saying that and volunteering to take more junk). Yes, it is an effort to save money, but it is more. Old stuff has character. It has its own story, real or imagined. And actually, I enjoy the project- seeing the potential in something someone else discarded as hopeless. Kind of reminds me of the gospel. Here is one of my favorite projects, my dining room set. In the background you can see some bamboo blinds we picked up from a freecycle post, and under the table is the puppy we "picked up" as a stray!


Honestly, though, I think I am the way that I am because God knows what He is doing. For one, He knows I'll never be uber-wealthy with a masters in education and a minister husband. Even the other career options I've considered (and there are many) are not the kind of professions you choose if you want to be rich: social work, counseling, law... trust me, if I were a lawyer I'd be the poor kind. Not only this, but God has given me a great passion for social justice issues, especially relating to poverty. Because of this, I have a very hard time being upset that I don't have an iphone when a child dies every 5 seconds due to hunger-related causes. I actually feel guilty for having the resources that I do and not sharing more. Hubby and I both decided in the beginning of our relationship that we wanted to be the kind of couple, now family, that helps others and gives freely when there is a need and that trusts God to provide. Lately, in my deepening understanding of living out the love of Christ, that has also translated into making wiser decisions about what to do with my money. I do believe money talks, and I don't want mine to say I support materialism or exploiting people in sweatshops or destroying God's creation or creatures. Of course, I am still a suburban mom, not a member of The Simple Way, so my money unfortunately still says a lot of those things. I'm just trying to keep turning down the volume. (Speaking of The Simple Way, Shane Claiborne will be at Lee this week. Any of you locals want to go with me?!)

So where did this random confession and ensuing guilt trip come from? We've spent the weekend with my wonderful parents, who came down to help us around the house. Besides patching, sanding & priming the former wallpaper-nightmare that is our hall bath, we fixed up some yard toys for Big Sister. The sandbox and playhouse have been around for a little while now, but they were well-loved by their previous owners. The swingset was one of my recent freecycle.org aquisitions. All of them are now cute & very usable, with the cost of some paint & elbow grease. Plus, we kept them from ending up in the dump. I know someday she will look around and notice that some of her "new" toys are actually older than she is (and don't go feeling sorry for her either, she gets PLENTY of new stuff from those same wonderful parents of mine, along with many other people who spoil her to pieces). I'm hoping that this realization will only help to further shape her into a passionate, caring person who refuses to fit any mold and leaves everything, and everyone, better than when she found it. That is my prayer for both of my girls.

So there you have it. Trash to treasure, the theme of my home. And hopefully a little picture of grace. Time to wrap this up. I've got to eat dinner, and then I have to sit down and go through three bags of clothes & shoes my mom brought me from my very fashionable cousin. I hope some fit- I've been worrying about what I'll wear this fall until I work off more of my pregnancy weight. I should know better than to worry. God dresses the lilies of the fields. He keeps giving & giving. I am so blessed.

"Chagganooga"

Like a lot of people, before I visited I only knew this town from the old Glen Miller song. Before Hubby and I were married, I drove down to meet him in Chattanooga before heading to Carson Newman's homecoming together. Although he insisted it was a great little city, I kept hearing "Shovel all the coal in, gotta keep it rollin'... woo woo Chattanooga there you are." What could be so special about it besides big, dirty trains?

Plenty. That first visit was 7 (!?) years ago. We officially moved up here after Hubs finished seminary, right before Big Sister arrived. Trying to move while 9 months pregnant was insane. We still haven't taken down all the wallpaper or hung many of our pictures. For a well disguised introvert like myself, I was so exhausted from being a mommy that I didn't really WANT to go out and make new friends or see the city. Only in the last year or so have I finally begun to realize what a great town this is. We're finally starting to take advantage of all that Chattanooga has to offer- museums, outdoor activities, progressive culture, family friendly parks, and more.

Like Friday evening., when we ventured downtown with the whole family. Hubby didn't have any Upward stuff to do, Big Sis had a coupon to ride the carousel for free, and it would soon be too cold to play in the Coolidge park fountain. Plus, I've been feeling guilty about the lack of fresh air Big Sister gets on non-school days. Our yard is infested with mosquitoes that don't seem to have any kind of curfew as they bite 24 hours a day, which results in giant welts on her tiny arms & legs. We tried going to the park, just us girls, but I try to limit time in public with both girls after the infamous Barnes & Noble incident last month. So, now that Daddy was free to go with us, it seemed like the perfect family outing.

And it was, with the sun setting over the river and the families gathering to dot the landscape of the park. Big Sister approached the water much more gingerly than she had the last time, she wanted to hold Daddy's hand the whole time. He didn't mind. Little Sister stared at the carousel as if it were magical, and it kind of was. We explored the walking bridge, the fair trade shop, the sculptures, and the entrance to the aquarium through the eyes of a three-year-old. It really was perfect.

And then came dinner: with the loooong wait and the awkward "what do we do with our strollers?" question and the tired kids and the tipping booster seat and the lack of crayons for Big Sister's entertainment (I made up a straw wrapper game instead that bought us a few sane minutes) and the fussy baby and the giant glass of coke we knocked over on the way out and the man who "had too much medicine", who fell down in front of us as we crossed back over the walking bridge, leaving an exhausted Big Sister very concerned. (She thought we had knocked him down with our strollers!) But you know what? At some point in all of that madness, Hubby looked at me and started to laugh. It was so awful, so TOTALLY imperfect, that it was still perfect. I can't wait to do it all again.