Cloth Diapers

I have been cloth diapering for 1.5 yrs now. I used disposables for my 1st and part way with my 2nd. I used cloth for the 2nd half of our 2nd and entirely with our 3rd. My conclusion: I wish I had known more about cloth when we had our 1st so I could have used them with all 3 kids! I love my cloth diaper. They are cute, they are just as easy, I save money and I am helping not fill our landfills.

Since I am a SAHM, I have the time to do an extra load of laundry. And I can stuff them while I watch TV at night. Yes, my guilty pleasure is that I like to watch TV and veg after the kids go to bed.

I was very blessed with a dad who loves to spoil his grandkids. So when I decided to switch to cloth, I took him to a store and showed him all the adorable diapers available. Of my 28 diapers, 8 are Blueberry Diapers, 17 are BumGenius and 3 are ones I picked up from Craigslist. My amazing Dad bought the Blueberry diapers and several of the Bums. I ordered the rest of my Bums from Diapers.com and got free shipping and a discount on my first order. Overall, I spent very little on my diapers. And the best part- I can resell them! I have 4 Blueberry diapers that are size M. When #3 outgrows them, I can sell them and recoup some of the investment. All other diapers are OneSize and will last until #3 is diaper free.

Since today's cloth diapers are similar in shape and ease, our parents, the nursery workers at church, and our sitters don't mind changing the diapers. In fact, we have inspired several other new moms to choose cloth.

I love that I don't have to worry about running out of diapers or money to buy diapers. All I have to do is throw them in the wash and viola, I have diapers again! With a frugal budget, it's never a worry. Also, #2 and #3 have never had a diaper rash with the cloth diapers. #2 had them all the time with disposables. I think it was from the absorbing chemicals in them. So not only have I not had to buy diapers, but I don't have to buy rash creams.

If you are willing to front the initial investment and commit to using cloth, it is worthwhile. But if you can't handle the extra loads of laundry (about 5 per month) and can't commit to a year or more, it might not be the right fit. Cloth diapers was the right choice for us. I know it doesn't work for everyone, and no condemnation here! I encourage everyone who is thinking about trying cloth that it can be a great choice.

Leftover Love :)

For some reason, no one in my household will eat leftovers! But with a little creativity, nothing goes to waste around here. I am amazed at how much food is wasted every week in households. People don't seem to realize they are just throwing away their money. I know not everyone cooks, but I do believe everyone can! It doesn't have to gourmet everyday. Simple, delicious dishes are all you need. I have 1 picky eater, 1 gluten-free eater, 1 finicky eater and 1 that is just starting to eat. Yet we seem to do pretty well :)

Here is what this week's dinner menu looks like:

Monday- black bean burgers, fries, green beans
Tuesday- Spaghetti with hamburger in it, salad, garlic bread
Wednesday- Chicken quesadillas- chicken, cheese, pico de gallo
Thursday- Tacos (rest of hamburger from Tues), salad (left over from Tues)
Friday- Chicken parmesan (noodles and sauce left from Tues, chicken from Wed), corn
Saturday- Enchiladas- beef and/or chicken (beef or chicken left from Thurs & Wed, beans and cheese from Thurs)
Sunday- free day (my kids love pb & j or grilled cheese usually)

Having new ways to use leftovers can create an exciting menu without waste. Also, it makes grocery shopping easy. We always have 1 day of vegetarian meals each week. Looking to cut your grocery bill? Try a vegetarian or meatless day each week. Also, by having meals that do not make meat the primary ingredient of the meal you can use it more sparingly and stretch it to other meals.

Quick and easy tip- when I am using hamburger in multiple meals (spaghetti, tacos, enchiladas) I will cook it all at one time, then divide it into separate containers. This keeps me from over using early in the week then having little left at the end. Also, cooking dinner is much quicker if the meat is already done. No matter what my schedule is for that day, I don't have to rush home to cook dinner.

July will start the Food Challenge- can you feed your family on less than $100 per week? You will be surprised at how easy it actually is to feel a family of 4 for less than $100/wk and still have healthy, nutritious food!

A simple afternoon

Since we live in a very fast-pace society, sometimes it is easy to forget simplicity. We have to do everything now. We have to get everything now. We have to be everywhere now. We have to know everything now. One of the beautiful aspects of economic change has been the renewed appreciation of simplicity. Take today for instance. My husband and I have the day off and our 1st grader had a 1/2 day at school. So what did the 5 of us do? Very little. It is easy to beat ourselves up for not having a "productive" day. But what have I done? I transplanted my herb starts to pots, built a strawberry planter for the kids, got the house cleaned, and played in the yard. Dinner has been started and now the 5 of us are sitting here on the couch reading books, talking, and blogging. We have gotten fresh air, some family quality time, the plants were tended to, and it was all done at our own pace. And it didn't cost us anything (well, except the materials I purchased earlier in the week). I am amazed at all the parents that think entertaining kids costs a fortune. Ironically, for my 7 & 3 yr olds, they had an action-packed day with their wagon, swords (sticks), and their imaginations.

New/Old

With only a few days left before we close on our new house, I find myself longing to go shopping for EVERYTHING!!!!! I want new furniture, new kitchen stuff, new bedroom sets, etc. But let's be realistic, it's not going to happen. So, my solution... using what we already have in new ways. I know it seems simple and not too creative, but I'm working on it! I want to use the bookshelves in the playroom. I have a hodgepodge of baskets that will work just fine with them. Furniture will just have to wait. Although, we really do need a new couch set. But for now, I am going to just make new pillows. That will add some color and something "new" to the living room. Vases are going in new rooms. I have a seaglass lantern that will go into the kids' bathroom- I will just need to get new matching hand towels. The shower curtain is pretty neutral and will still work. But for sure, I will be buying paint and adding color to most of the house. Not obnoxious color, but warm and cozy. I am really excited to get started on our new house. And I am very interested to see the "new" spots for some of our "old" things! Even though it will be stuff we already have, I am hoping the effect makes some of this stuff seem new. I will keep you posted!

Oops! Oh, well...

I missed last Friday's post because, well, life is busy! Sometimes it feels as if we never sit still and just breathe. As I was driving to my son's check up today, the sky was clear and the air was comfortable. And all along the drive was the crystal clear view of our mountains. There is beauty all around us but sometimes we are so preoccupied that we forget to notice. So this afternoon, I took all the kids outside to just enjoy the beauty of the outdoors. They enjoyed the fresh air, the giant worm they found, climbing a tree and just simply riding bikes. Sometimes the simple things in life truly bring the greatest pleasures!