Milo's birthday weekend

I can't believe that my sweet little boy is already 3 years old! It seems like yesterday that I was driving to Columbus every other week for our prenatal appointments and anxiously awaiting his arrival. I remember how nervous Moe and I were the day we went up to have him....I was very controlled throughout the entire labor, until he crowned. My sweet and wonderful doctor told me she could see his nose and I finally realized that we were going to get to keep him and that he was going to be ok. The tears just started streaming down my face as I pushed the final time and I can't describe the joy and relief that I felt when they placed him on my chest.

Our lives were forever changed in that moment. Milo has been a wonderful addition to our little family and he is such a joy in our lives. He is so loving and sweet and funny and rotten and smart!  He is a huge Mario Brothers fan and enjoys playing pretend quite a bit of the time. He also likes to help me cook and clean the house (when he isn't "too busy" playing). He has been a wonderful big brother to Magnolia and despite the small age difference, he rarely ever has shown the tiniest bit of jealousy toward her.  He likes to teach her how to do things and he loves having her for a playmate.

Happy birthday my little sweet heart! I can't wait to see how your grow and change over the years to come!

How I made my dryer balls

I had been seeing more and more about wool dryer balls online. I really wanted to try some, but spending an extra $30.00 for 4 of them, just wasn't practical for me (and for my budget!). I decided to look into making my own. I searched online and found a few  tutorials on making dryer balls out of skeins of yarn, but I didn't have any wool yarn and purchasing some was just not going to make it cost effective to make them.  So, I started thinking...yeah, dangerous I know :D   I knew I had some wool sweaters laying about the house, some that I had picked up second hand and one that was felted on accident by my sweet husband.  I considered trying to take them apart and using the yard to  make the balls, but once it is felted, a sweater isn't likely to unravel so well...So, eventually my thoughts came around to cutting the felted sweater into thin strips and winding it tightly into a ball, then cutting and sewing a cover out of the same sweater.

I started to work on it one evening and even had help from my husband (he cut the strips for me).  Here are a few pictures.....

I started with one long strip and wound it up as if I were winding a core for a ball of yarn (around two of my fingers and then into a tight little ball), When I got to the end of the strip, I would tuck it securely under a piece of the already wound strip on the ball. Once it was about 9-10 inches in diameter, I cut out some petal shaped pieces from the sweater sleeves (this sweater was too itchy for longies) and sewed them together to form a cover. Pretty simple....and free :D

I suppose I could have shaved that poor linty sweater, but it isn't as if it is going anywhere but the inside of my dryer....

And, here are the three I have covered. I have two more waiting for me to have a free and safe moment to pull out the needle and thread!

Some pretty sweet deals

I am not sure how many of you readers out there like to save money, but I am definitely a thrifty person. Times are tough and our budget is very tight. since, I am sure that I am not the only person out there who is trying to squeeze my dollars until they scream, I thought I would pass along some of these deals that my wonderful sister recently gave me the head's up on at Vitacost. These deals were so great, that I nearly went into shock. Really...Seriously...lol


I will give you a few examples and then, I will tell you the easiest way to locate the best deals.


Muir Glen organic pasta sauce is 12 full size jars for less than 5.00. (yes, seriously) 

Muir Glen organic ketchup is 12 bottles for less than 4.00. 

Nature's Miracle stain and odor remover 12 (24 oz) bottles for 8.25- I plan to use it on my cloth diapers..it is just enzymes which is safe. 

Nature's Path organic Hemp seed oatmeal (sweetened with organic brown sugar)- 8 boxes (each box has 6 packets) for $.63....yes, 63 cents. 

Annie's Homegrown Cheddar Bunnies- 12 boxes (7.5 oz each) for $4.85 

There is also organic baby food (Earth's Best) on there...24 jars for next to nothing and some other squeezable organic baby food for pretty cheap as well. 

I finally found chewing gum for the kids that doesn't have aspartame in it. It is called Glee gum and I bought 12 packs (each with 18 sticks) for 1.70 or something like that...really ridiculously low prices. 


They have rice and pasta and all sorts of good things (brands I have used and paid a lot more for!) for good prices and in bulk for those who can store it.  

Oh, and they have all of the Mrs. Meyers cleaning stuff in bulk as well as,  Ecover laundry detergent and fabric softener in bulk and for very cheap prices. There are just too many awesome deals to list, but if you go to the site and follow the steps listed below you can browse through them and see what you might need/want. You could also just type in what you are looking for in general, for example: maple syrup, and then sort by lowest price. I will tell you that they have organic maple syrup for a steal!  :D  Good luck and I hope you all find something that helps you save a few dollars!


Now, what I do to navigate the site is to click on categories (on the left hand side of the page, second box down....under the search option) Then I click on one of the categories under food and grocery...doesn't matter which one because as soon as that page comes up, look toward the top of the page (below where it says free shipping on orders over 99.00 and 4.99 shipping on other orders) and click on the words "Food and Grocery" that appears right after "Home". It will show all of the food and grocery items. Then click to sort by lowest price. 


 

Pixie Fluff One Size Diaper Review

I was lucky enough to be able to be a tester for the Pixie Fluff one-size diaper. I wanted to do a little review on it, so others would hopefully be familiar enough with it to order one if it fit their needs.

The diaper is sized similarly to many of  the one-sized diapers.  It fits my 29 pounds daughter (35 inches tall) on the largest setting, but will not fit my son who is 35 pounds (39 inches tall). If I were to compare it in size to some other diapers, I would say it is of similar size to the FB, RaR and Babykicks one size diapers.

The interior of the diaper is lined with microfleece and the diaper has internal leg gussets to help hold messes in. The insert that I received with my tester was a loopy fabric over zorb, and it is very absorbent. My daughter has worn this diaper for at least 4 hours without any leakage issues.  I believe that Pixie Fluff is looking at other insert options as well (bamboo being one material considered), so I am sure that you could talk it over with her if you preferred another material. After using this diaper multiple times, I can say that I am very pleased with it.

I will include some pictures of the diaper that I reviewed.

First picture is on the smallest setting.

The next picture is on the largest setting

The last picture is of the interior of the diaper

I almost forgot to mention the adorable engraved snaps! My diaper has little engraved monkeys on the snaps. I think that is just a sweet little touch :D

Note: This review is my honest opinion of the product. I was not compensated in any way for this review.

Diaper Change Diaper Review

I have to say that I am way behind in my blogging, but, I am trying to get caught up. Today I want to review a Diaper Change minky diaper. For those that remember the photo contest Magnolia was in, this was the one of the prizes. It was my very first minky diaper and I wasn't sure what to expect having read so many things about the wicking issues they can sometimes have, but I fell in love once I removed this diaper from the shipping package. I made myself wait a few weeks before reviewing it, so that I could be sure I was giving an honest description of the diaper and it's performance.

 First of all, the diaper is a gorgeous color and so very soft! It is a large and measures about 19 inches when stretched from back to front.  The waist could stretch up to around 25 inches (nearly fully stretched) on the largest setting and fit as small as 12 inches on the smallest setting (unstretched). The elastics have very nice stretch to them, both in the legs and in the waist, allowing for a nice leak-free fit on babies of various sizes. There is a nice elasticized pocket opening in the back for easy stuffing.   We have used this diaper every other day since receiving it, (with various types of inserts from microfiber to hemp)  and we have had zero issues with wicking or leaking. I am very impressed with the craftmanship of this diaper, everything on it is very professionally put together and sturdy. Oh! I want to add that I have had no issues with staining with the Diaper Change diaper either. I know that with some diapers, the lining can be prone to staining, but, this one has held up to the rigorous tests my daughter has put it through (you know how it is, as soon as your put the cute diaper on, they decide to do important baby business!).

I guess the final test of the diaper is how well Miss Magnolia likes it.  When I allow her to choose which diaper she wants to wear, she always points to her Diaper Change diaper (if it is in the basket) and asks for her "soft diaper". That is enough for me :D

I highly recommend Diaper Change diapers for those of you who like a cute and functional diaper that won't sit at the bottom of your fluff pile waiting until everything else has been used before it gets it's day in the sun :D  Check them out for yourself!

Diaper Change Diapers
Diaper Change Diapers on Facebook

And, here are some pictures of our diaper!

Where does time go?

Today was a busy day. My sweet husband took a day off from work to go along on the big back to school shopping excursion, so all 7 of us packed up first thing this morning and headed to the big city. We somehow managed to get all of the shopping done in just a few hours and make it back home in time for Abby's middle school orientation.

How is my sweet little baby already starting middle school??! It seems like just yesterday that I was cuddling her while she slept peacefully in my arms...the sooty curl of her eyelash resting on the gentle curve of her cheek. Her dimpled little fist holding onto my shirt. I remember looking down at her and trying to memorize every single detail about that moment (and so many others like it), because I knew it would pass more quickly than I would want.

 It seems like I closed my eyes and woke up and 13 years had floated by. One day, Abby was a precocious little girl with golden curls bouncing everywhere dancing in my living room and singing, "Once Upon a Dream", and the next she is trying to find the perfect outfits to match her eclectic fashion sense and worrying about what classes she has and who she has them with. I am so very proud of the young woman she has grown into, but there are some times when I really wish I could just snap us back to the moments that I cherish in my heart....back to the times of the sleepy snuggles and the innocent dreams of a loving little sweetie whose biggest worry was which Princess to pretend to be the next day.

 I suppose I will look back on today with the same sort of nostalgia a few years from now.  I will cherish the jokes we shared, as we sat through the speech and slideshow for the new students, and the fun we had trying to find her class and figuring out how to open the stubborn locker.  I will appreciate all of the things she shared with me as we drove to pick up dinner about her life at school. And, as time passes,  I  will watch her get her drivers license and graduate and go on to college and each of those times will bring me back in time...a little journey into the past, that I am not sure anyone but another parent could fully understand.

And, please forgive any grammatical/punctuation errors, as I was typing through the tears... :)

The above picture is of Abby and Emma when they were 3 and 2....I didn't have any earlier ones on this computer and my scanner is not cooperating with me...

Whatever happened to customer service?

Ok, this is a bit of a rant...but, seriously, what has happened to customer service? It doesn't seem to matter where you go, be it a 24 hour "get everything in one trip mart", or the local government/city office, finding a person to to do the job they are being paid to do and with a helpful and kind attitude seems to be as rare as finding a magical flying unicorn that can grant wishes. It really upsets me. I try to always be kind and courteous to everyone. I come prepared for appointments and have all of my paperwork ready and in order for whatever I am trying to get accomplished (a return, paying property taxes, getting a license renewal) and yet, I have found that I am inevitably treated like I am some sort of interruption. It is as if I have invaded someone's home, catching them unaware, while they are trying to watch that long anticipated season finale of whatever (insert your favorite show), instead of walking into a place of business where they are being paid a wage to do a job...and, that job is to help customers (i.e. me!).

What ever happened to customer service?  What happened to people who took pride in doing their jobs to the best of their abilities? Why do companies and governments (federal, state, city) not care about the impression that their employees make on the general public? Is it all just a just a symptom of a larger problem with society? or is it due to a lack of expectation for a good work ethic and personable behavior out of employees?  I am not really sure, but I can tell you one thing. When I find good customer service I will not forget about it. I will give that company my business and I will be happy to do so.

 I can't do much about boycotting the government offices, but I can send an email or a letter when the person chooses to treat me like I am causing them to actually have to work (heaven forbid!) and let the people in charge know just how horribly it reflects on their office/management.  Another thing I can do is do my very best to raise my children to have kindness in their hearts and hands that are willing to help others, whether it be at their job or just out in the world. I am hopeful that with enough parents making the choice to raise their children with empathy, ethics and kind hearts, maybe we can turn this tide and make rudeness and hatefulness more of a rarity.

Cloth diaper stinkies

I love my cloth diapers, but I hate the stinkies that tend to show up every couple of months. I generally battle and battle, stripping the diapers and then rinsing them over and over and sunning, sunning, sunning them until I can finally chase the stinkies away for a little bit.  I was getting tired of watching rinse cycle after rinse cycle, checking to see if the water was (finally) clear or if it was gray or full of bubbles...I needed a solution to this craziness and I need it quickly.

I had been reading online about a few different WAHM detergents that seemed to have a good following in the cloth diapering community. Rock 'n Green and Lulu's in the Fluff, were the ones I seemed to hear a lot about, so I thought I would order a sample of each and see how they worked on my particular issue.

I received the Rock 'n Green sample in hard water formula and the Motley Clean scent. I put it in with the diapers and allowed them to soak(in hot water) in it for a few hours (about 5), then finished the wash and did an extra rinse (I am paranoid about excess soap build up) and hung them out on the line to dry in the sun. The diapers seemed clean and they smelled ok, but there was still a slight hint of odor (I have a rather sensitive sense of smell).  I may have been expecting more from the product than was reasonable...I do tend to have very high expectations (just ask my DH,lol). In the end, I wasn't impressed enough to buy a big bag of it.

A few days later, I received my Lulu's in the Fluff for hard water sample. I was pretty excited to try it out, because I have read reviews and seen pictures after a glamour soak that were just incredible (and exciting for a loon like me...). I immediately put the dirty diapers in a cold wash with 2 TBs of Lulu's. I let them wash through that cycle (constantly checking the water to see how clean they were getting) and was amazed when I opened the lid after the final rinse and spin...there was no stinky odor at all. None. There is usually still a bit of a smell after the first cold wash...I was pretty impressed so far. I wanted to make sure the diapers were really clean, so I ran them through the normal hot wash cycle, again adding 2 Tbs of Lulu's. I felt comfortable enough after the first cycle to actually leave the laundry room (which thrilled my husband) and waited (im)patiently for that cycle to end so I could see how the diapers (and mostly, the inserts) smelled.  I heard the washer stop and went downstairs to check the diapers (ok, ok...sniff the inserts). I reached into the washer tub and grabbed the first insert I could snag and gave it a huge sniff. Nothing. I sniffed again...nothing. There was no odor that my sensitive sniffer could detect at all. I nearly danced a jig, right there, in the laundry room. I immediately told my husband that I was definitely ordering a big bag of Lulu's.  I was impressed with Lulu's and would have no qualms recommending it for my friends out there who cloth diaper.

Now, to be fair, there are a couple of other detergents/products(eco nuts, Clean B, Crunchy Clean) that I have heard do a great job, and I will likely try them out as well and review them. But, for now, Lulu's is #1 in my book.


Lulu's in the Fluff has offered to sponsor a pretty wonderful giveaway on my blog. You could be the lucky winner of a bag of Lulu's in the Fluff (unscented regular or unscented hard water) and a mystery diaper!
To enter you need to be a fan of Lulu's in the Fluff on FB, be a public follower of my blog and post below with which version of Lulu's you would like to try and why :D Make sure to leave your email address or FB name so I can contact you if you are the winner!



I will choose a winner via Random.org at noon(est) on August 16, 2010. Good luck!!

I want to thank Lulu's in the Fluff for sponsoring this wonderful giveaway!
I encourage each of you to try Lulu's and see how wonderful it is for yourselves!


You can order it through numerous retailers. See http://lulusinthefluff.com/retailers.html for a full list. 

And the winner is comment number 24: "24 Heidi said...

OOOH I would love to try the hard water LuLus since I have very hard water. I've been introduced to Rockin Green but am open to anything even better!! :) I am a fan of LuLus on Facebook & I follow your awesome blog!! :D

August 15, 2010 9:58 PM "

Congratulations Heidi! 

Not excited for school to start...

  School starts back up in a few weeks for my big kids and I am not one of those parents that count down the days until they can send them back to school. I really enjoy spending time with my kids.  We hang out all day and if I am lucky there are some crazy antics for my enjoyment. I am generally lucky.  There are days when I am not so sure that the craziness is funny or enjoyable, on those days I try to step back and look at things with a broader perspective. They may have made a huge mess or be super noisy, but I can promise you that I will miss every bit of it when they are grown. So,  I just readjust my attitude,  find the fun in the mayhem and madness and laugh right along with them.
Today was one of those days.  My 9 year old son is having slight attitude issues and my two littlest ones are, well, little. My son had a comment for everything that I said or told him to day today, which seems to be his newest way to challenge me. I changed more dirty diapers than I can remember and somehow in the middle of one of those changes, messed my back up. I am still not sure how that happened, but it is not very pleasant. I also, cleaned up every type of food that I fed the littlest ones and from nearly every surface that the food could attach itself to...seriously. I battled with my cloth diapers one more day, trying to defeat the evil stinky monster that has decided to attack our diaper stash.

After all of that, I was worn out. Done in. Ready for bed at 5 p.m.  Then, my 11 year old gave me a beautiful picture she had drawn and colored for me and my 13 year old told a funny story and taught the babies a funny song and dance and my sweet husband came home from work with a big hug and sweet words for me...And, well...I had to smile. I had to readjust my attitude and see just how richly blessed I am, even on a day when things seem a bit rougher than usual.  I love this life.

My first post...

    I am not very comfortable sharing my writing with the public, but I am all about trying to push myself, so here goes.

   I suppose I could share a little background for those who may not be familiar with my family. I am married to a terrific man, who happened to save me on a dark and rainy night from a strange man who was lurking by my vehicle in a dark, empty parking lot. And, he has been my, "Prince Charming", every day since...We spend most of our time parenting our five children, three of whom are from my previous marriage. The blended family dynamic works really well in our home, but I credit that to having children who love their step-dad and with having such an amazing person to act as a bonus parent to the children, that they can't help but love him. There are always issues, of course. We may not always have an easy path to walk in regards to my ex-husband and differences of opinions on that front, but we try to always emphasize the joys in our lives, rather than dwell on the difficulties.

  Our children are 13, 11, 9, 2 and 1, so we run the gamut of parenting issues :)  We always try to work with each child individually to encourage open communication and a healthy relationship. It is difficult enough to make your place in this world, so we want to the kids to always know that they have us on their side, pulling for them to do the very best they can in their endeavors. We also encourage them to expand their minds, through reading and artistic expression. I am sure that I will share some of their work in the time to come, since I am a proud mommy :D