In the backyard of our former house lived two blue bins. What lived inside those bins was gold-ok it was black, but worth more than gold to me. It was my compost! I obsessed over what I could add to it, turned it regularly, and grew to love my ugly boxes of decay. Of course, in our adventure known as "moving" I had to dump out my precious compost and yes, I cried.
I've been sitting in our current house, a rental, missing the process of adding to my bins and knowing that after a few years I could feed all my beautiful flowers. This past Monday I decided this was just plain silly. I should be able to compost no matter where I live! With a little bit of research, a power drill, and some worms; I built a vermicomposting bin.
Being in the dead of winter, I didn't want my wormies to become wormcicles, so of course I stored them in our 1/2 bath downstairs! I knew we wouldn't be expecting any guests in the near future and The Father and I could use some exercise walking up the stairs to the throne. This was so much fun already! I fed them a few baby carrots and an apple core and made sure their newspaper bedding stayed dry.
Everything was going well until this morning! CAUTION: Worms on the lam! I woke up to find 15 worms shriveled up into sticks on my laundry room floor. There were 5 more that we rescued just in time. This time we secured the lid to the bin using the attached latches. There were air holes so surely they wouldn't suffocate.
4 hours go by... we return home from an outing to the library and hardware store.
I SHIT YOU NOT- 25 worms all over the bathroom floor, 3 two feet up the wall, 1 on the toilet seat and 1 had made his way into our kitchen!!!!
[insert the quiet sound of Taps being played on a tiny worm-sized bugle]
Where oh where did I go wrong? and better yet, what do I do now?
Did I mention how much worms gross me out? No? Well they do and I use a toothpick to move them from the from one area to another. No, I don't stab them like an appetizer; I just scoop them up and relocate their precious, squirmy selves.
For the moment, they are living in the garage as I try to find a better place for them to live.
I tried... and I failed. I accept my defeat.
Thursday, December 31, 2009
Wednesday, December 30, 2009
Some Gifts
Because you were patient. Here are a few photos of Christmas gifts!
<< The hat didn't want to stay on!The New Year 50
Last night while reading this blog, I discovered the concept of "The New Year 50." Here is how it works. Between Christmas and New Year's you have to get rid of 50 things in your house. They can be small or large. You can pass them on, recycle, upcycle, repurpose, or as a last resort: tossed.
Since, I'm slightly late to the game, I'll be doing my 50 during the first week of the new year. I'm also making it a little more challenging. NOTHING can go in a trashcan! I'll begin January 1st and on the afternoon of the 7th, I'll post my list.
Please wish me luck and feel free to play along!
Since, I'm slightly late to the game, I'll be doing my 50 during the first week of the new year. I'm also making it a little more challenging. NOTHING can go in a trashcan! I'll begin January 1st and on the afternoon of the 7th, I'll post my list.
Please wish me luck and feel free to play along!
Tuesday, December 29, 2009
Diagnosis: Lazy!
LBG's two month check-up went fairly well. The Father and I have been concern that he might be missing some mile stones because he doesn't smile on a regular basis (I've only seen 3,) doesn't work on this neck muscles during tummy time, and doesn't follow small objects with his eyes or head. Turns out, we have a lazy child! He is fully capable of doing capable of doing all these tasks, but only when he feels like doing it. I think our pediatrician thinks we are crazy people!
He is a little on the small size according to the growth chart, but not enough to cause concern. We also discussed his skin issues. He has a fair amount of eczema on his hands, arms, chest, and face. She suggested we lube him up with Vaseline a few times a day especially after his bath. I'm not a fan of Vaseline-too slimy and sticky- so if you have an alternative, please let me know! I'm all ears.
He received two vaccines. One was an oral one that he drank like a champ! I think being hungry helped with that. We called it his appetizer. The other was a shot. He did amazingly well and only cried for about 30 seconds. We go back in January for a second round.
In doing my vaccine research, I learned a lot of babies are super sleepy after getting a vaccine. So, of course, my "Lazy Baby" has decided that he doesn't want to sleep today. He wants to play all. day. long. When he isn't playing, he's talking up a storm! Too bad he doesn't feel like smiling.
We are debating if we should stick with our current pediatrician or find a new one in Nashville. I guess only time will tell.
All in all, today was really great. We got a lot accomplished, which is usually what happens when The Father is home from work.
Success!
Disinfectants and Germies
Ya Think?
I'm not even going to comment on this other than maybe my childhood resistance to washing my hands may not have been such a bad thing.
I'm not even going to comment on this other than maybe my childhood resistance to washing my hands may not have been such a bad thing.
Stop! Put down that tomato!
Recently it has been brought to my attention that there are some shady practices behind commercially grown tomatoes. I'm not a big tomato eater but I do use them in some recipes. This summer, we will be canning our own tomatoes for use in chili and stew during the winter. I don't want our dollars funding slavery practices. Please buy your tomatoes locally. Not only will you be supporting a local farmer, but you will also ensure your dollars aren't going towards bad farming practices.
Here is an excerpt from the article, you can read the whole thing here.
"The beige stucco house at 209 South Seventh Street is remarkable only because it is in better repair than most Immokalee dwellings. For two and a half years, beginning in April 2005, Mariano Lucas Domingo, along with several other men, was held as a slave at that address. At first, the deal must have seemed reasonable. Lucas, a Guatemalan in his thirties, had slipped across the border to make money to send home for the care of an ailing parent. He expected to earn about $200 a week in the fields. Cesar Navarrete, then a 23-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico, agreed to provide room and board at his family’s home on South Seventh Street and extend credit to cover the periods when there were no tomatoes to pick.
Here is an excerpt from the article, you can read the whole thing here.
"The beige stucco house at 209 South Seventh Street is remarkable only because it is in better repair than most Immokalee dwellings. For two and a half years, beginning in April 2005, Mariano Lucas Domingo, along with several other men, was held as a slave at that address. At first, the deal must have seemed reasonable. Lucas, a Guatemalan in his thirties, had slipped across the border to make money to send home for the care of an ailing parent. He expected to earn about $200 a week in the fields. Cesar Navarrete, then a 23-year-old illegal immigrant from Mexico, agreed to provide room and board at his family’s home on South Seventh Street and extend credit to cover the periods when there were no tomatoes to pick.
Lucas’s “room” turned out to be the back of a box truck in the junk-strewn yard, shared with two or three other workers. It lacked running water and a toilet, so occupants urinated and defecated in a corner. For that, Navarrete docked Lucas’s pay by $20 a week. According to court papers, he also charged Lucas for two meager meals a day: eggs, beans, rice, tortillas, and, occasionally, some sort of meat. Cold showers from a garden hose in the backyard were $5 each. Everything had a price. Lucas was soon $300 in debt. After a month of ten-hour workdays, he figured he should have paid that debt off.
But when Lucas—slightly built and standing less than five and a half feet tall—inquired about the balance, Navarrete threatened to beat him should he ever try to leave. Instead of providing an accounting, Navarrete took Lucas’s paychecks, cashed them, and randomly doled out pocket money, $20 some weeks, other weeks $50. Over the years, Navarrete and members of his extended family deprived Lucas of $55,000."
Monday, December 28, 2009
Natural Bling for Baby!
When I was a baby, I wore a gold chain with a pendant around my neck and probably a bracelet, too. I'm sure they were very beautiful but didn't have much to offer besides being pretty.
I've been learning a lot about natural remedies and two that have really struck me are Baltic Amber and Hazelwood! They are typically worn as necklaces and offer relief from many different ailments. We've decided LBG should be decked out with some awesome natural jewelry instead of jump straight to modern medicine.
Baltic Amber is really awesome from what I've read. It is fossilized tree resin which has been used for centuries as a natural pain reliever. When the amber beads are warmed they release small amounts of their natural oils which are absorbed by the skin. Worn as a necklace, they can help relieve teething pain in small children! Sounds like an awesome concept to me. If I can offer LBG some relief from teething pain with out pumping him with medications, I'm all for it!
While reading about Baltic Amber, I also learned about Hazelwood. It's an Aboriginal remedy that helps neutralize our bodies acidity. It is said to help with acid reflux, ulcers, and even some skin problems!
We will be purchasing a hazelwood necklace in the next few days for LBG. He has some reflux issues that bother him. We've avoided modern medicine so far and would like to keep it that way. Hopefully, the necklace will aid us in our quest! He also has quite a bit of eczema so I'm hoping it will help on that front as well.
So now that I've filled you with some new knowledge, here is how you get these awesome pieces of jewelry: Inspired by Finn. The store has beautiful Baltic Amber and Hazelwood jewelry along with lots of information about how the jewelry works! If you are interested in purchasing an item use the discount code "save15" and get 15% off!
Every baby needs some natural bling!
I've been learning a lot about natural remedies and two that have really struck me are Baltic Amber and Hazelwood! They are typically worn as necklaces and offer relief from many different ailments. We've decided LBG should be decked out with some awesome natural jewelry instead of jump straight to modern medicine.
Baltic Amber is really awesome from what I've read. It is fossilized tree resin which has been used for centuries as a natural pain reliever. When the amber beads are warmed they release small amounts of their natural oils which are absorbed by the skin. Worn as a necklace, they can help relieve teething pain in small children! Sounds like an awesome concept to me. If I can offer LBG some relief from teething pain with out pumping him with medications, I'm all for it!
While reading about Baltic Amber, I also learned about Hazelwood. It's an Aboriginal remedy that helps neutralize our bodies acidity. It is said to help with acid reflux, ulcers, and even some skin problems!
We will be purchasing a hazelwood necklace in the next few days for LBG. He has some reflux issues that bother him. We've avoided modern medicine so far and would like to keep it that way. Hopefully, the necklace will aid us in our quest! He also has quite a bit of eczema so I'm hoping it will help on that front as well.
So now that I've filled you with some new knowledge, here is how you get these awesome pieces of jewelry: Inspired by Finn. The store has beautiful Baltic Amber and Hazelwood jewelry along with lots of information about how the jewelry works! If you are interested in purchasing an item use the discount code "save15" and get 15% off!
Every baby needs some natural bling!
What's in Store for 2010?
I can't believe the year is almost over! This year has been insanely packed with emotions.
Starting in January, The Father returned from a 13 month deployment to Afghanistan. Those were the longest 13 months of our lives. Originally, he was supposed to be gone for 15 months; I don't know how we would have made it those last two months. Just the 13 and we were at the end of our emotional strings. What kept us going was knowing that in June, he'd be officially off active duty!
February rolled around and we found out we'd be adding a new member to our family! We didn't know where we'd be living when the baby arrived. We were fairly sure we'd be in Texas, where the Father would be attending law school. We were both excited with the prospects.
March and April arrived and it became very clear we wouldn't be moving to Texas. The job market wasn't favorable. The school deferred his acceptance for one year in hopes that we'd be able to find a job/s that would support our growing family and animals.
May was fairly uneventful. We thought we might be moving back to Mississippi but that didn't happen. I finished up my last recital teaching at Classic Steps and started my life as a stay-at-home-mom.
It's a BOY! June was exciting because we found out our little would be a boy. Our house had been on the market for quite some time since we knew we'd be leaving town-just not sure where we were going. The evening we'd decided to pull it off the market, our realtor called and told us someone had made an offer! For the asking price, no less! What were we to do? In the meantime, The Father accepted a job in Nashville. We'd wanted to take our time finding a new home so we ended up moving in to a rental here in Clarksville. He'd have to drive an hour each way every day, but the rent was affordable and we could take our time looking for a home.
July, August, and September passed with out much to note. We'd met our crazy neighbors, decorated a nursery, and complained about The Father's long hours and lack of being home.
October was the best month by far! LBG made his arrival on the 17th! I can't even compare it to the rest of the year. He's changed our lives in more ways than we could have ever imagined.
November was a turning point for us. We'd started looking at houses hoping to move into one before the new year. My very dear friend and her daughter came to visit and meet LBG! It became very apparent breastfeeding wasn't working and on top of that LBG is lactose intolerant. LBG celebrated his first Thanksgiving!
Here we are in December! The Father's parents paid a visit all the way from Connecticut. We celebrated Christmas while they were here. We put in an offer on our dream house (keep crossing your finger, please!) and hope to hear back soon. We've decided to join a CSA, cloth diaper, and learn how to can our own food!
So, that brings me to the question: What's in store for 2010? I don't have a crystal ball so I can't even begin to imagine what will happen. I do know that LBG we continue experiencing lots of firsts (he will even celebrate his first birthday,) we will be living in a new house somewhere, and we will continue to chug along just as we always have!
Starting in January, The Father returned from a 13 month deployment to Afghanistan. Those were the longest 13 months of our lives. Originally, he was supposed to be gone for 15 months; I don't know how we would have made it those last two months. Just the 13 and we were at the end of our emotional strings. What kept us going was knowing that in June, he'd be officially off active duty!
February rolled around and we found out we'd be adding a new member to our family! We didn't know where we'd be living when the baby arrived. We were fairly sure we'd be in Texas, where the Father would be attending law school. We were both excited with the prospects.
March and April arrived and it became very clear we wouldn't be moving to Texas. The job market wasn't favorable. The school deferred his acceptance for one year in hopes that we'd be able to find a job/s that would support our growing family and animals.
May was fairly uneventful. We thought we might be moving back to Mississippi but that didn't happen. I finished up my last recital teaching at Classic Steps and started my life as a stay-at-home-mom.
It's a BOY! June was exciting because we found out our little would be a boy. Our house had been on the market for quite some time since we knew we'd be leaving town-just not sure where we were going. The evening we'd decided to pull it off the market, our realtor called and told us someone had made an offer! For the asking price, no less! What were we to do? In the meantime, The Father accepted a job in Nashville. We'd wanted to take our time finding a new home so we ended up moving in to a rental here in Clarksville. He'd have to drive an hour each way every day, but the rent was affordable and we could take our time looking for a home.
July, August, and September passed with out much to note. We'd met our crazy neighbors, decorated a nursery, and complained about The Father's long hours and lack of being home.
October was the best month by far! LBG made his arrival on the 17th! I can't even compare it to the rest of the year. He's changed our lives in more ways than we could have ever imagined.
November was a turning point for us. We'd started looking at houses hoping to move into one before the new year. My very dear friend and her daughter came to visit and meet LBG! It became very apparent breastfeeding wasn't working and on top of that LBG is lactose intolerant. LBG celebrated his first Thanksgiving!
Here we are in December! The Father's parents paid a visit all the way from Connecticut. We celebrated Christmas while they were here. We put in an offer on our dream house (keep crossing your finger, please!) and hope to hear back soon. We've decided to join a CSA, cloth diaper, and learn how to can our own food!
So, that brings me to the question: What's in store for 2010? I don't have a crystal ball so I can't even begin to imagine what will happen. I do know that LBG we continue experiencing lots of firsts (he will even celebrate his first birthday,) we will be living in a new house somewhere, and we will continue to chug along just as we always have!
Sunday, December 27, 2009
Stabbing Baby!
Throughout my entire pregnancy, I kept hearing the various debates about vaccinations. I fully believe in the benefits of vaccinating a child and knew that we would be vaccinating LBG. I don't like the idea of depending on other kids to be vaccinated in order to keep my unvaccinated child healthy. However, I didn't exactly know which schedule we would follow. We'd decided to waive the Hep B vaccine while in the hospital because we knew there was very low risk of LBG contracting it. We could always get it at the pediatric clinic.
The CDC has their recommended schedule and Dr. Sears has his. Both make sense to me. What was I to do? We could go fewer trips to the pediatrician and follow the CDC schedule or we could go almost every month and follow Dr. Sears'.
The CDC version involves a lot of injections all at once. Dr. Sears suggest spreading the vaccine out and only doing a few at a time.
The more and more The Father and I discussed schedules, the more and more it seemed to make sense for us to use Dr. Sear's schedule. Then one idea cemented it for us. What if LBG has a terrible reaction? How would we know which vaccine caused it? If we only did a few at a time, then we could narrow down the possibilties.
There ya have it! Dr. Sears for us. We will continue to delay the Hep B vaccine until he is older and starts socilizing with other children.
So, now you probably wondering why I'm writing this. LBG turned 2 months old on the 17th but our pedi cancelled his appointment and rescheduled it for Tuesday. Tuesday is the big day. Our vaccine journey is about to begin. Hopefully it isn't too traumatic.
Please wish us luck!
The CDC has their recommended schedule and Dr. Sears has his. Both make sense to me. What was I to do? We could go fewer trips to the pediatrician and follow the CDC schedule or we could go almost every month and follow Dr. Sears'.
The CDC version involves a lot of injections all at once. Dr. Sears suggest spreading the vaccine out and only doing a few at a time.
The more and more The Father and I discussed schedules, the more and more it seemed to make sense for us to use Dr. Sear's schedule. Then one idea cemented it for us. What if LBG has a terrible reaction? How would we know which vaccine caused it? If we only did a few at a time, then we could narrow down the possibilties.
There ya have it! Dr. Sears for us. We will continue to delay the Hep B vaccine until he is older and starts socilizing with other children.
So, now you probably wondering why I'm writing this. LBG turned 2 months old on the 17th but our pedi cancelled his appointment and rescheduled it for Tuesday. Tuesday is the big day. Our vaccine journey is about to begin. Hopefully it isn't too traumatic.
Please wish us luck!
We are taking the plunge...
Into the land of cloth diapering, that is! Yesterday we decided that maybe we should give it a shot. I've been wanting to try but part of convincing myself that we should do it is also convincing The Father. If I could get him to say yes, I'd give it a go.
So, with out further ado, we are off to learn the Good, the Bad, and the Stinky of CDing!!
Yesterday and today we've been using the cheapy Gerber diapers that usually spend their days as our burp cloths. We haven't been disappointed in them which means having good quality ones will be awesome! LBG is now learning what a wet diaper feels like. I'm also learning that he can't go for hours wearing the same one. We've found that he needs a new diaper just about every hour or so right now. I'm sure he might be able to go a little longer when the good ones arrive.
We are doing this project on a budget so I've only ordered 4 diapers. When they are wet/dirty we will use disposables until they are clean. If it works well for a week or so, we will purchase a whole stash and only use our overnight 'sposies at bedtime. I don't want to use the "sink or swim" mentality because it might set us up for failure.
I've read great reviews about Thirsties' new diaper "Duo Diaper." I've ordered 3 of those. They should fit for quite a few months and then we can move up to the second size. I also ordered a Kushies diaper to try. The Father will only go for the Pocket or AIO variety. He doesn't enjoy folding the prefolds we are currently using. I don't' really enjoy folding them either. Like I said before... I HATE folding laundry and this is no exception!
<< Thirsties Duo Diaper
<<Kushies
The Father just uttered words I never in my life thought I'd hear, "I actually like cloth diapering!"
I can't believe my sweet little boy might actually end up with a fluffy bum! I shall keep you posted!
So, with out further ado, we are off to learn the Good, the Bad, and the Stinky of CDing!!
Yesterday and today we've been using the cheapy Gerber diapers that usually spend their days as our burp cloths. We haven't been disappointed in them which means having good quality ones will be awesome! LBG is now learning what a wet diaper feels like. I'm also learning that he can't go for hours wearing the same one. We've found that he needs a new diaper just about every hour or so right now. I'm sure he might be able to go a little longer when the good ones arrive.
We are doing this project on a budget so I've only ordered 4 diapers. When they are wet/dirty we will use disposables until they are clean. If it works well for a week or so, we will purchase a whole stash and only use our overnight 'sposies at bedtime. I don't want to use the "sink or swim" mentality because it might set us up for failure.
I've read great reviews about Thirsties' new diaper "Duo Diaper." I've ordered 3 of those. They should fit for quite a few months and then we can move up to the second size. I also ordered a Kushies diaper to try. The Father will only go for the Pocket or AIO variety. He doesn't enjoy folding the prefolds we are currently using. I don't' really enjoy folding them either. Like I said before... I HATE folding laundry and this is no exception!
<< Thirsties Duo Diaper<<KushiesThe Father just uttered words I never in my life thought I'd hear, "I actually like cloth diapering!"
I can't believe my sweet little boy might actually end up with a fluffy bum! I shall keep you posted!
Saturday, December 26, 2009
Oh Man!!! What a day?!
OK, first I'll tell you about Christmas... then you get to hear about today!
Christmas Eve, LBG didn't want to go to sleep. Too bad he isn't old enough to understand that Santa Claus can't come if he isn't asleep. We fought for 2 hours *sigh* until he finally decided it was ok to sleep. The Father and I had already set out our gifts and many had already been opened while the Grandparents were visiting last weekend.
In the morning we opened gifts. I won't list everything... just some highlights:
Now, for today! The Father totally shocked me when he said "Ok, let's give cloth diapers a shot!" I just about fell off the couch! We are buying a few from someone on craigslist and then we will order the rest in January. Right now we are "practicing" with our Gerber burp cloths. So far, no complaints from either party. It can only get better when we buy our better quality stash.
We ran a bunch of errands which included buying the rails for LBG's crib. Now, he will have a full size bed when he is all grown up. We then drove across town to my favorite farm store and purchased a pressure canner! We are making apple butter in the crockpot as we speak and will can it in the morning. This is our practice round for the spring, summer, and fall. Lastly, we continued on to an outdoors store where I purchased 3 containers of redworms. They are now living in our homemade worm bin in the downstairs bathroom. Hope any future guests don't mind climbing the stairs.
In other news, we are still waiting to hear if the bank accepted our offer on the house in Nashville.
All in all, we were busy, but I had a blast.
Christmas Eve, LBG didn't want to go to sleep. Too bad he isn't old enough to understand that Santa Claus can't come if he isn't asleep. We fought for 2 hours *sigh* until he finally decided it was ok to sleep. The Father and I had already set out our gifts and many had already been opened while the Grandparents were visiting last weekend.
In the morning we opened gifts. I won't list everything... just some highlights:
- I recieved 3 stainless steel canteens, a fleece coat, some gift cards, tons of yummy bath supplies, and some coffee.
- The Father recieved 2 books about Nashville, coffee, some gift cards, and some coffee.
- LBG cleaned Santa out recieving some wooden bead toys, unfinished wood car and train waiting for me to paint with milk paint, some wooden puzzles waiting to be painted, new bottles, a jumperoo, some cds, a dvd, and some books.
Now, for today! The Father totally shocked me when he said "Ok, let's give cloth diapers a shot!" I just about fell off the couch! We are buying a few from someone on craigslist and then we will order the rest in January. Right now we are "practicing" with our Gerber burp cloths. So far, no complaints from either party. It can only get better when we buy our better quality stash.
We ran a bunch of errands which included buying the rails for LBG's crib. Now, he will have a full size bed when he is all grown up. We then drove across town to my favorite farm store and purchased a pressure canner! We are making apple butter in the crockpot as we speak and will can it in the morning. This is our practice round for the spring, summer, and fall. Lastly, we continued on to an outdoors store where I purchased 3 containers of redworms. They are now living in our homemade worm bin in the downstairs bathroom. Hope any future guests don't mind climbing the stairs.
In other news, we are still waiting to hear if the bank accepted our offer on the house in Nashville.
All in all, we were busy, but I had a blast.
Thursday, December 24, 2009
We Wish You a Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas Eve, boys and girls!
Today we are traveling an hour and a hour and a 1/2 away to visit my friend and her family. They invited us over for Christmas Ever dinner! We don't have any family nearby so this is the next best thing! We are all super excited.
I live by the motto: Why buy what you can easily make?!
Today we will arrive bearing some awesome gifts. Last night we baked Russian Tea Cakes (recipe will follow) and Oatmeal Chocolate chip Walnut cookies. I'm also bringing two jars of Hippy's Hot Cocoa Mix and a jar of homemade laundry detergent!
Tonight Santa Claus will come to visit LBG for the very first time! The Father and I made him some toys. We also bought him a few, too! You will have to wait until tomorrow to find out what the loot is!
Growing up, it was a tradition for my dad to read my sister and I "The Night Before Christmas" from a pop-up book. I want to continue this tradition so LBG now has his own pop-up "The Night Before Christmas!" There was another tradition that we won't be skipping:
Watching a full 24 hours of "A Christmas Story!" The Father slightly dreads this tradition, but Dammit! that TV will be tuned to TBS! I even bought the DVD just in case the cable goes out!
I love traditions! Next year we are planning to celebrate Solstice along with Christmas. We will also be putting an orange and an apple in LBG's stocking.
"Happy Christmas to All, and To All a Good Night!"
Oh yes, I almost forgot!
Russian Tea Cakes
2 sticks of butter softened
1 tsp vanilla
6 Tbsp powdered sugar
2 Cups AP flour
1 Cup Walnuts Chopped
Preheat over to 350. Cream the butter and vanilla until smooth. Combine powdered sugar and flour then stir into butter/vanilla mixture. Add walnuts. Roll into 1 inch balls and bake at 350 for 12 minutes. When cool roll in powdered sugar. Enjoy!
Today we are traveling an hour and a hour and a 1/2 away to visit my friend and her family. They invited us over for Christmas Ever dinner! We don't have any family nearby so this is the next best thing! We are all super excited.
I live by the motto: Why buy what you can easily make?!
Today we will arrive bearing some awesome gifts. Last night we baked Russian Tea Cakes (recipe will follow) and Oatmeal Chocolate chip Walnut cookies. I'm also bringing two jars of Hippy's Hot Cocoa Mix and a jar of homemade laundry detergent!
Tonight Santa Claus will come to visit LBG for the very first time! The Father and I made him some toys. We also bought him a few, too! You will have to wait until tomorrow to find out what the loot is!
Growing up, it was a tradition for my dad to read my sister and I "The Night Before Christmas" from a pop-up book. I want to continue this tradition so LBG now has his own pop-up "The Night Before Christmas!" There was another tradition that we won't be skipping:
Watching a full 24 hours of "A Christmas Story!" The Father slightly dreads this tradition, but Dammit! that TV will be tuned to TBS! I even bought the DVD just in case the cable goes out!
I love traditions! Next year we are planning to celebrate Solstice along with Christmas. We will also be putting an orange and an apple in LBG's stocking.
"Happy Christmas to All, and To All a Good Night!"
Oh yes, I almost forgot!
Russian Tea Cakes
2 sticks of butter softened
1 tsp vanilla
6 Tbsp powdered sugar
2 Cups AP flour
1 Cup Walnuts Chopped
Preheat over to 350. Cream the butter and vanilla until smooth. Combine powdered sugar and flour then stir into butter/vanilla mixture. Add walnuts. Roll into 1 inch balls and bake at 350 for 12 minutes. When cool roll in powdered sugar. Enjoy!
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Give Me a C! Give Me an S! Give Me an A!!!
Every year I suggest The Father and I give ourselves a joint Christmas gift. I suggest a new TV, silverware, even suggested a vacation once. Without fail, he always shoots down my ideas and never offers any suggestions. This year I was determined to find something he might actually agree to.
About a week ago, an idea slapped me across the face! We should treat ourselves to a CSA!
A CSwhat? Community Shared Agriculture. It's the wave of the future. Just imagine eating locally grown/produced foods, helping a farmer do what he does best, and being able to see where your food comes from. To me, the concept is amazing. The best part... The Father agreed to it! In fact, he is actually super excited about our adventure.
The first step was to check out LocalHarvest.org and find what CSA are available in our area. We have decided to go with Avalon Acres Farms. They have a huge variety of items available, and their menu is fairly a la carte! The best part is that they have a drop off site down the street from The Father's office!
We will be joining in the Spring when we move to Nashville. I'm excited because I'll get fresh produce for baby food making and The Father is in love with the idea that they have lamb as one of the meat options!
Just days after we made our decision, we borrowed Food, inc. from our local library- and somehow I lost my library card in the process! After watching the movie, it became very clear that we want to eat better foods. We want to meet our farms and make sure the animals we will soon be eating are raised in a wonderfully humane way. I highly suggest you watch the movie before you put another bite of food in your mouth!
About a week ago, an idea slapped me across the face! We should treat ourselves to a CSA!
A CSwhat? Community Shared Agriculture. It's the wave of the future. Just imagine eating locally grown/produced foods, helping a farmer do what he does best, and being able to see where your food comes from. To me, the concept is amazing. The best part... The Father agreed to it! In fact, he is actually super excited about our adventure.
The first step was to check out LocalHarvest.org and find what CSA are available in our area. We have decided to go with Avalon Acres Farms. They have a huge variety of items available, and their menu is fairly a la carte! The best part is that they have a drop off site down the street from The Father's office!
We will be joining in the Spring when we move to Nashville. I'm excited because I'll get fresh produce for baby food making and The Father is in love with the idea that they have lamb as one of the meat options!
Just days after we made our decision, we borrowed Food, inc. from our local library- and somehow I lost my library card in the process! After watching the movie, it became very clear that we want to eat better foods. We want to meet our farms and make sure the animals we will soon be eating are raised in a wonderfully humane way. I highly suggest you watch the movie before you put another bite of food in your mouth!
You call that clean?!
How can you call your counter top clean if you just sprayed chemicals all over it? Or the kitchen floor for that matter?
I'll be the first to admit, I spent a good 3 or 4 years addicted to Clorox wipes, bottles of bleach, and cans of Lysol. Even better, I'd eliminated paper towels and made my own cloths for use with such cleaning items. Yeah, still can't figure that one out!
Then one day I had an epiphany! If I'd be comfortable licking it, I consider it clean. Would I lick a freshly bleached counter? Would I let my child play on a freshly chemicaled floor? Not on your life! There has to be a better way. Luckily for me, TheNest.com created a Green Living board. This lovely board came to the rescue! Since the creation of this board, I've gained a wealth of knowledge in the clean-cleaning product department.
Did you know vinegar kills most germies?! And on top of that... you can drink it! Sounds clean to me. Dr. Bronner's Magic Castille Soap has 18-in-1 uses, there must be some household cleaning uses. Oooooo, I love kitchen chemistry!
My recipe for All Purpose Spray cleaner:
1 Cup White Vinegar
1 Cup Water
1/4 tsp Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap in the smell of your choice.
Pour into a spray bottle, give it a few shakes, and away you go! I use Almond scented soap, but that is because I have it on hand. I'll probably buy the Tea Tree Oil variety next for it's antibacterial properties!
I use this mix for my counters and my hard floors. This weekend I'm going to mix a batch with a few drops of TTO. We'll see how I like it.
I'll be the first to admit, I spent a good 3 or 4 years addicted to Clorox wipes, bottles of bleach, and cans of Lysol. Even better, I'd eliminated paper towels and made my own cloths for use with such cleaning items. Yeah, still can't figure that one out!
Then one day I had an epiphany! If I'd be comfortable licking it, I consider it clean. Would I lick a freshly bleached counter? Would I let my child play on a freshly chemicaled floor? Not on your life! There has to be a better way. Luckily for me, TheNest.com created a Green Living board. This lovely board came to the rescue! Since the creation of this board, I've gained a wealth of knowledge in the clean-cleaning product department.
Did you know vinegar kills most germies?! And on top of that... you can drink it! Sounds clean to me. Dr. Bronner's Magic Castille Soap has 18-in-1 uses, there must be some household cleaning uses. Oooooo, I love kitchen chemistry!
My recipe for All Purpose Spray cleaner:
1 Cup White Vinegar
1 Cup Water
1/4 tsp Dr. Bronner's Magic Soap in the smell of your choice.
Pour into a spray bottle, give it a few shakes, and away you go! I use Almond scented soap, but that is because I have it on hand. I'll probably buy the Tea Tree Oil variety next for it's antibacterial properties!
I use this mix for my counters and my hard floors. This weekend I'm going to mix a batch with a few drops of TTO. We'll see how I like it.
Tuesday, December 22, 2009
To Chug or to Sip- this is the question
Recently, a friend planted an a new idea in my head. She is planning to skip sippy cups all together and go straight for the straw! She said her reasoning was to avoid a second weaning. Wouldn't it be easier to head straight for the straw rather than go from bottle to sippy cup, to cup with a straw?
Just days before she brought this idea to my attention, I'd discovered Stainless Steel sippy cups! I knew we would be investing in a few! But, of course, now that I have this idea of skipping sippy cups planted in my head, what was I to do?
Straight to Google, I ran!
Sure enough there might actually be benefits to skipping the sippy cup. I've learned that it can reduce the risk of ear infections, and might actually help speech development! Not to mention you don't have to wean from the sippy cup to the cup with a straw or regular cup for that matter.
But... but... but... I want those stainless cups! Never fear, google came to the rescue, again!
I'd like to introduce to you:
The Safe Sippy 2!
This little piece of awesomeness is my dream come true. Not only is a regular stainless sippy cup, it converts into a cup with a straw! Which ever way we decide to go, LBG can have his juice in style!
Just days before she brought this idea to my attention, I'd discovered Stainless Steel sippy cups! I knew we would be investing in a few! But, of course, now that I have this idea of skipping sippy cups planted in my head, what was I to do?
Straight to Google, I ran!
Sure enough there might actually be benefits to skipping the sippy cup. I've learned that it can reduce the risk of ear infections, and might actually help speech development! Not to mention you don't have to wean from the sippy cup to the cup with a straw or regular cup for that matter.
But... but... but... I want those stainless cups! Never fear, google came to the rescue, again!
I'd like to introduce to you:
The Safe Sippy 2!
This little piece of awesomeness is my dream come true. Not only is a regular stainless sippy cup, it converts into a cup with a straw! Which ever way we decide to go, LBG can have his juice in style!
Let's chat about MamaCloth!
On a daily basis, I go back and forth as to whether we should try cloth diapers. Most days, I tell myself, YES! Let's do it. Then reality hits. We formula-feed which makes for some heinously stinky poops. We take those dirty diapers outside to the trash bin where they will sit until the garbage man comes. The Father isn't convinced at all. He wants nothing to do with cloth diapers. Of course, if we were to give it a go, we'd both have to be on board 100%.
So, if I can't give my baby a fluffy bum, why not treat myself to some? I'd used cloth panty liners during my 3rd trimester and was very happy with them. They aren't the best construction but they got the job done. I recently decided to fully make the switch to cloth pads. After scouring my new favorite website, Etsy.com, I chose Crea8tiveMama, as the seller who would pad my undies!
She did not disappoint! I sent her a message asking if she would do a custom order for me. She gladly fulfilled my order of 6 everyday pads, 4 overnights, and a wet bag! Since there are very few surprises left in life, I was not picky about fabrics.
A few days later, I opened my mailbox and was shocked to see a cereal box hidden among a few bills and some catalogs. She used recycled packaging! Such a wonderful idea! Not only has she helped me become a little "greener," she has inspired me! I'm now saving random boxes for mailing out packages.
They arrived just in time for me to try them out! I don't have a single complaint! As soon as I take one off, it goes into a bucket of cold water. There they will sit until it's time to do laundry!
Washing was super easy. I just tossed them into the wash with my undies-nothing special.
Will I be ordering more? You Betcha! I consider my stash very small and as soon as the holidays are over, I'll be placing another order!
So, if I can't give my baby a fluffy bum, why not treat myself to some? I'd used cloth panty liners during my 3rd trimester and was very happy with them. They aren't the best construction but they got the job done. I recently decided to fully make the switch to cloth pads. After scouring my new favorite website, Etsy.com, I chose Crea8tiveMama, as the seller who would pad my undies!
She did not disappoint! I sent her a message asking if she would do a custom order for me. She gladly fulfilled my order of 6 everyday pads, 4 overnights, and a wet bag! Since there are very few surprises left in life, I was not picky about fabrics.
A few days later, I opened my mailbox and was shocked to see a cereal box hidden among a few bills and some catalogs. She used recycled packaging! Such a wonderful idea! Not only has she helped me become a little "greener," she has inspired me! I'm now saving random boxes for mailing out packages.
They arrived just in time for me to try them out! I don't have a single complaint! As soon as I take one off, it goes into a bucket of cold water. There they will sit until it's time to do laundry!
Washing was super easy. I just tossed them into the wash with my undies-nothing special.
Will I be ordering more? You Betcha! I consider my stash very small and as soon as the holidays are over, I'll be placing another order!
Oh Christmas Tree, Oh Christmas Tree
This year, our poor Christmas tree was the topic of a large debate. We have a fake one. It gets used year after year, isn't exactly a fire hazard, and no water to ruin our floors... sounds like a great deal to me!
The decor, on the other hand, brought about this great debate. In our move this past summer, I seemed to have lost all of our lights and ornaments. That's right, there was a huge possibility we would have a castrated tree this year. The Father and I made a deal. He had until the end of the week to find our decorations and lights or I would be purchase all new ones! He had made a great point. Why buy something new if the old ones work just as well?
There was a method to my madness, I assure you! I wanted to convert our lights to Light-emitting Diodes better known as LEDs. They use very little energy and last a veeeeeeery long time! Some research online taught me that I should invest in "warm white" LEDs rather than cool white. OK! Those old lights better not show up!
Low and behold! The Father made the deadline. Lights, balls, and tinsel (kinda like lock, stock, and barrel.) With half a smile on my face, I wound the old lights around our hunk of plastic in the shape of a tree. I must admit our tree is beautiful!
Here is my vow- Next year our tree with be adorned with LEDs or there will be no lights at all!
The decor, on the other hand, brought about this great debate. In our move this past summer, I seemed to have lost all of our lights and ornaments. That's right, there was a huge possibility we would have a castrated tree this year. The Father and I made a deal. He had until the end of the week to find our decorations and lights or I would be purchase all new ones! He had made a great point. Why buy something new if the old ones work just as well?
There was a method to my madness, I assure you! I wanted to convert our lights to Light-emitting Diodes better known as LEDs. They use very little energy and last a veeeeeeery long time! Some research online taught me that I should invest in "warm white" LEDs rather than cool white. OK! Those old lights better not show up!
Low and behold! The Father made the deadline. Lights, balls, and tinsel (kinda like lock, stock, and barrel.) With half a smile on my face, I wound the old lights around our hunk of plastic in the shape of a tree. I must admit our tree is beautiful!
Here is my vow- Next year our tree with be adorned with LEDs or there will be no lights at all!
Monday, December 21, 2009
A Grating We Will Go...
OK, go ahead and laugh. I love, love, love doing laundry! I could sort, wash, and dry all day long. Folding, on the other hand, not so much. A few weeks ago, I decided I'd had enough of my current laundry detergents. They don't have labels with the ingredients and I'm sure they are laced with a million chemicals. It can't be good for baby's delicate skin!
Being a new mom, of course I went out and bought a beautiful bottle of Dreft. After a few weeks of using it, I realized... it smells really strange! I'd been using Tide Coldwater for all of my clothing since it became available on the market. Hey, I was saving the cost of heating water... right?!
After few trips around the block... I mean blog, and I finally found a recipe for homemade laundry detergent that interested me. Be patient. I might share said recipe. That's when the insanity started!
I quickly ran out the door, hopped in the car, and made a dash for Target; on Black Friday, no less! I returned with a bar of Lavender Dr. Bronner's bar soap, a box-style cheese grater, and a beautiful box of Arm and Hammer Washing Soda! I already had a box of Borax just waiting to be opened and a Sam's Club size box of Oxyclean.
As soon as I hopped out of the car. My incredible workout ensued. Never in my life would I have thought grating a measly bar of soap would be so hard-HA!
15 minutes later, a bloody knuckle and thumb, trembling right arm, and a kitchen smelling of lavender my bar of soap was officially a flake! I added the rest of the ingredients into the bowl of soap and whisked with the tiny amount of muscle power I had left. Into a Mason jar, the mix went!
All my sources said to use 2 Tablespoons per large load. I found this to be a bit much for our water and washer. For me, 1 Tbsp is sufficient. Just two loads of laundry and I was sold! I later ordered 6 bars of the Unscented- Baby Mild variety of Dr. B's soap, bought a gallon sized jar, and make myself a mega batch of unscented detergent. I've since started using the unscented detergent for everyone's clothing. I saved my lovely lavender batch for a special occasion!
Since you were so patient...
1 Cup of Borax
1 Cup of Washing Soda
1/2 Cup of Oxyclean
1 finely grated bar of Dr. Bronner's Magic Castille Soap
Did you know- White vinegar makes a wonderful fabric softener? Add 1/4 cup to your rinse cycle and you will be shocked! No, your clothing will not spell like vinegar after they come out of the dryer. I promise!
Below is my beautiful detergent and fabric softener!
Being a new mom, of course I went out and bought a beautiful bottle of Dreft. After a few weeks of using it, I realized... it smells really strange! I'd been using Tide Coldwater for all of my clothing since it became available on the market. Hey, I was saving the cost of heating water... right?!
After few trips around the block... I mean blog, and I finally found a recipe for homemade laundry detergent that interested me. Be patient. I might share said recipe. That's when the insanity started!
I quickly ran out the door, hopped in the car, and made a dash for Target; on Black Friday, no less! I returned with a bar of Lavender Dr. Bronner's bar soap, a box-style cheese grater, and a beautiful box of Arm and Hammer Washing Soda! I already had a box of Borax just waiting to be opened and a Sam's Club size box of Oxyclean.
As soon as I hopped out of the car. My incredible workout ensued. Never in my life would I have thought grating a measly bar of soap would be so hard-HA!
15 minutes later, a bloody knuckle and thumb, trembling right arm, and a kitchen smelling of lavender my bar of soap was officially a flake! I added the rest of the ingredients into the bowl of soap and whisked with the tiny amount of muscle power I had left. Into a Mason jar, the mix went!
All my sources said to use 2 Tablespoons per large load. I found this to be a bit much for our water and washer. For me, 1 Tbsp is sufficient. Just two loads of laundry and I was sold! I later ordered 6 bars of the Unscented- Baby Mild variety of Dr. B's soap, bought a gallon sized jar, and make myself a mega batch of unscented detergent. I've since started using the unscented detergent for everyone's clothing. I saved my lovely lavender batch for a special occasion!
Since you were so patient...
1 Cup of Borax
1 Cup of Washing Soda
1/2 Cup of Oxyclean
1 finely grated bar of Dr. Bronner's Magic Castille Soap
Did you know- White vinegar makes a wonderful fabric softener? Add 1/4 cup to your rinse cycle and you will be shocked! No, your clothing will not spell like vinegar after they come out of the dryer. I promise!
Below is my beautiful detergent and fabric softener!
A Voyage into the Green
The story is simple. I want... no wait, NEED to make changes in my life. I need to learn how live in a more environmentally friendly way. Why? You ask. Again, a simple answer. A sweet little boy is now a huge part of my life and he needs a cleaner world in which to grow up!
Recycling isn't enough. I need to eliminate harmful chemicals, food that isn't close to what it should be, and reduce the amount of trash added to those growing mounds at the landfill. I need to start forming these habits now so I can pass them on to him. Hopefully, he will pass them on to his children... and so on and so forth.
The Father of this sweet little boy, has a rule- I can only make changes if it saves money! Let's see if we can bend that rule just a bit ;)
Please be patient with me. I'm slightly challenged when it comes to blogging. Let's just say it's part of my learning process, too!
Recycling isn't enough. I need to eliminate harmful chemicals, food that isn't close to what it should be, and reduce the amount of trash added to those growing mounds at the landfill. I need to start forming these habits now so I can pass them on to him. Hopefully, he will pass them on to his children... and so on and so forth.
The Father of this sweet little boy, has a rule- I can only make changes if it saves money! Let's see if we can bend that rule just a bit ;)
Please be patient with me. I'm slightly challenged when it comes to blogging. Let's just say it's part of my learning process, too!
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