Tent Revival

The No Stink, No Complications, Diaper Laundry Solution

2012-01-04T16:36:00.000-08:00

This post was written by, and is used with permission of Sarah Beth at whereverafter.blogspot.com.

Let's face it. If you've been cloth diapering for a while, you've probably, somewhere along the road, run into the dreaded "stink."

If you've considered cloth diapering in the past, but talked yourself out of it, it was probably because of what you've heard about the dreaded stink.

I've been there. I've done the research. I've tried it all.

And I've heard it all:

Your diapers stink because they have build up and you need to strip them.
Your diapers stink because you used too much detergent.
Your diapers stink because you used the wrong kind of detergent.
Your diapers stink because you were using vinegar in your wash.
Your diapers stink because you were not using vinegar in your wash.
You need to bleach your diapers to get rid of the stink.
Never bleach your diapers to get rid of the stink, you'll ruin them!

...It goes on and on. It's enough to make your head spin.

When did diaper laundry become so complicated?!

When I first started cloth diapering, I used mostly microfiber inserts, one of the toughest fibers to get clean and stink-free. I was told by the experts to wash my diapers using no more than 1/4 the amount of laundry detergent I would normally use on a load of laundry. Not only that, but I needed to use a special kind of detergent that is considered safe for cloth diapers, if I wanted to prevent problems and build up, whatever that was.

I was new and completely clueless about cloth diapering, so I took the advice, purchased some special detergent, and went my merry way. Fast forward to a few weeks of following this standard cloth diaper laundry protocol, and my microfiber inserts were disgusting. They stunk every time I got them out of the wash. They never seemed to get clean. I made it my mission to figure out why the things could possibly stink so badly after following all of the advice I was given to the letter.

I learned that "build up" is the fear of all cloth diaperers. We are so afraid of it, that we will do everything we can to prevent it, to the point of using as little detergent as possible, or even NO detergent in our wash routine. (Yes, I've had people tell me to just use hot water and maybe some baking soda in the wash.) The worry is, if you use too much detergent, or detergents that are not considered cloth diaper "safe," you could end up with so much residue built up in your diapers that they won't be able to absorb anything else, and they'll leak the next time you use them on your baby.

So I thought, well, maybe I have build up. So I "stripped" my diapers and my washing machine and washed my diapers.

It didn't work. They still stunk.

So I tried switching to a different detergent. I tried many "cloth safe" detergents, both store-bought and home-made. I tried soaking them in the detergents overnight. I tried changing my wash routine. I tried hotter water, more water, less water, more rinses, less rinses. I tried boiling my inserts. I tried vinegar. I tried it all. Sometimes, boiling or vinegar would seem to work at first, but then my diaper inserts would come back with a stinky vengeance a few days later.

Then, one day, an old cloth diapering pro told me to try more detergent. They told me to go to the store and buy some Tide, use the amount recommended on the bottle for my load size, and never look back.

I was worried about everything I had heard about "ruining" my diapers. But I was desperate. So I tried it.

I scrapped all the fancy wash routines and complicated laundry solutions I had heard about and washed my diapers in a hot wash with a whole cap full of Tide.

My diapers came out of the wash smelling like sweet nothing for the first time ever!

And I never looked back.

So, what is the "No Stink, No Complications, Diaper Laundry Solution?"

MORE DETERGENT.

Our babies are pooping on these things. We should be using more detergent on our diaper laundry, not less. It's counter-intuitive to use 1/4 the normal amount of detergent on your dirtiest laundry.

Diaper stink means diapers are not getting clean. Plain and simple. If a diaper comes out of the laundry and still stinks, it needs to go back into the laundry with more detergent, more hot water, and maybe even a little bleach.

Don't be afraid of "ruining" your diapers. I know how much we all love our cutest diapers, but never forget that they are just diapers. They're not made of lace. They can handle it. If you're worried about something made with elastic or delicate materials getting "ruined" in a normal wash cycle with plenty of detergent and the occasional bleach, by all means, take that item out before washing. But remember that these are just diapers. Eventually they will wear out and need to be replaced. We can't prevent that and prevent stink at the same time. They need to be washed.

If your baby pooped on your favorite shirt, what would you do? I'll bet you'd make sure you got that sucker good and clean. Why do we treat our diapers any differently?

It's not about which detergent you use. That's a personal family decision. Lots of factors may affect your choice of detergent: your concern about the environment, the type of water you have, your desire to buy from small businesses instead of big businesses or visa versa, your desire to buy at a certain grocery store, price, allergies, sensitivities, etc. But, in my opinion, which detergent you use is not as important as how much detergent you use.

Don’t spend too much time researching the “best” way to care for cloth diapers. Remember that:
They are cloth, just like everything else. They are washable. They don’t need special treatment unless they're made from delicate or special materials, like wool, or elastic. Even then, be aware that diapers will wear out eventually, just like everything else.

Deal with build up as it occurs, not the other way around. Some cloth diaperers have been using Tide, bleach, and the like for years and have never had build up. Others have dealt with it several times. Either way, it's not something to fear. It won't break your diapers. It's easily remedied with stripping and lots of rinsing. I'd rather have build up once in a great while than stinky dirty diapers every day.

Having problems with ammonia? This is a very informative and helpful article.

Look, I realize that this is a bit of a controversial topic, and that I'm in quite the minority with this kind of advice. (Although, from those that I've talked to, it seems that there are lots of closet Tide, bleach, and more-than-recommended detergent users out there!) I certainly don't mean to imply that I know everything, or that all of the other cloth diaper laundry advice out there is wrong. There are lots of unique situations that account for the large variety of washing advice circulating around out there. I know nothing about allergies and sensitivities, for example, and I'm aware that rashes and allergies and sensitivities can add a whole new level to the laundry debate. But, I do believe that "more detergent" is the answer for many cloth diaperers who are dealing with stink and confused about what to do.

Bottom Line:

If your diapers stink, they aren't getting clean enough. Try using a stronger detergent and plenty of it, before trying the more complicated remedies out there.

Newborn Fluff pt. 1

2011-11-04T12:45:00.000-07:00

Instead of this being a one-right-after-the-other type of two part series, part two of this will be a long time in coming, but I wanted to take time to post about what we are planning to try with this new baby. (Have I even posted on here that we are expecting again? It's been a while since I've been on here, but Hooray! We are expecting a baby girl Lucy Soul, in February.)

I'll start with a little history. With Efrim we got gDiapers as gifts and used disposables until he fit them. In the end gDiapers were a disaster for us anyway. With Julian we used the small gCloth inserts in my covers to start with since they were comparable to other name brand newborn inserts, but he was peeing through them before he was two weeks old.

Since then I have been on Diaperswappers.com forun for almost a year, and learned a whole lot about what works and doesn't work for other people.

So with Lucy we are still going to use my small/size 1 covers, which she will be able to wear for a while, but inside we are going to go with something more absorbent, and we want to use something we can pin or snappi so it fits more snugly around a tiny baby inside a looser cover.

So here is what we have planned:

18 covers (because they're homemade so I can have that many if I want)
12 cloth eez workhorse fitteds
6 gmd infant fitteds
6 bamboo fleece trifolds
6 newborn prefolds

As I discussed in the prefolds and flats comparison Cloth Eez workhorse fitteds, by greenmountaindiapers.com, have a very good reputation as a newborn diaper. They should be both trim and absorbent.

Green mountain diapers also makes an "infant fitted" for just a little more that is supposed to fit from 5-13lbs. I read a review that says they fit even longer, and were her favorite for the newborn stage. I got 6 used off fsot (for sale or trade), but they look bigger than I expected, so we will try those out, but not register for more.

I have a few homemade trifolds that probably won't pin, but they will be about as trim as the gCloth were with a lot more absorbency, and will fit someone really tiny.

We have a few trimmed econobum prefolds that Julian wore when he flooded everything else. They will be too bulky at first, and probably too stiff and thick to snappi. I am also going to get some newborn imagine prefolds as well. I saw a pic on diaperswappers of one snappi'd on a little newborn, and it looked so trim and great.

This gives us a variety, so if we find we are needing more I know what works best.

In any case the small flats the boys are outgrowing will fit pretty soon, and then she will be golden.

I will post pics when we get them, and let you know what we think once we actually get to try everything.

Why use cloth diapers.

2011-11-04T11:23:00.000-07:00

Would you rather consume over 300 pounds of wood, 50 pounds of petroleum feedstocks and 20 pounds of chlorine per year, and throw all of that in a land fill (roughly doubling your families current waste out put), OR about three laundry baskets worth of renewable resources for all of your babies birth to potty, and water (the most renewable resource, water cycle in second grade anyone)?

Would you rather spend about $300 on diapers or $3000? This is a really rough estimate since you can choose a large or small stash, fancy or plain jane, and use it for one baby or five.

Would you rather wrap your baby's tenderest parts in wood pulp and harmful chemicals, or in 100% cotton? All quoted from realdiaperassociation.org, "Disposable diapers contain traces of Dioxin, an extremely toxic by-product of the paper-bleaching process. It is a carcinogenic chemical, listed by the EPA as the most toxic of all cancer-linked chemicals. It is banned in most countries, but not the U.S. Disposable diapers contain Tributyl-tin (TBT) - a toxic pollutant known to cause hormonal problems in humans and animals. Disposable diapers contain sodium polyacrylate, a type of super absorbent polymer (SAP), which becomes a gel-like substance when wet. A similar substance had been used in super-absorbency tampons until the early 1980s when it was revealed that the material increased the risk of toxic shock syndrome by increasing absorbency and improving the environment for the growth of toxin-producing bacteria."

Would you rather give your baby something unique and precious or something mass produced in a chemical plant for the purpose of being thrown away? I like to put my cheap flats and prefolds into cute work at home mom covers (mostly made my me of course). There will be less than a dozen of any of these covers available in the universe. My baby can wear them again and again, and even pass them on to siblings. Precious. It just makes sense to me when I spend hours agonizing over what to feed them and cloth them, and sleep them in to put something precious on their bottom too.

These are all straight forward, but there are som pretty valid reasons people choose not to cloth diaper. I want to show that those reasons are also easily surmountable.

"I just can't add anything to our busy lifestyle. Caring for small children is so much work already."

Trust me, I totally understand this. There is a lot that goes undone in our house. But cloth diapering really doesn't have to be the load of extra work you imagine. If you have a house of small children you are doing laundry every day or two anyway. Diapers are one extra load 2 or 3 times per week, and a lot of people never bother to fold them. You can set up a cute changing table with pretty little baskets, or you can use them right out of the basket. To me it is a lot easier than running to the store every time we run out of diapers- just throw them in the washer, and then the dryer.

"It just costs so much to start up with cloth, even though it is more expensive in the long run, it is easier for us to spend $25 every week or so than all at once."

We have been here too. Living pay check to pay check it seems impossible to afford the start up costs. But I beg you to do what is best for your family in the long run. Find the money somewhere. I regret every dollar we spent on a package of disposables because I didn't think we could afford a better cloth stash. What a great stash we would have now if I had known how to buy in to cloth wisely. I will elaborate in a later post, but it is this simple you can get by with 4 covers and 12 diapers, for as little as $64 dollars you can have enough cloth diapers for 24 hours. Find that money anywhere you can, and then you have $75/month to add more time between washes, and more convenience a little at a time.

"I want to use cloth with my baby, but I don't know how to register for them. So many people will give us disposables anyway. None of my friends and family know how to shop for cloth diapers."

Again, we've been there and done that. I'm there again, trying to get a newborn stash for this baby, but we can't get it all ourselves. Most people register at more than one place, and you probably have a few close friends who are willing to buy things on line, even though it's not as fun as shopping in a store. So this is what we are doing- I'll let you know how it works. I am making a regular Target baby registry for my grandmothers who are not tech savvy, and really just want to pick up something cute, and then I am making an Amazon Universal Registry. My sister or another hostess will have the permalink for this, plus people can find it by searching my name on Amazon. This has a few special baby products that aren't widely available in stores yet, and also our cloth diaper wishlist. That way if someone is willing to shop online for something we really need, they have a straight forward link to the shop and instructions about sizes and colors.

Choosing Prefolds and Flats, Part 2:How

2011-11-04T10:32:00.000-07:00

I just posted this Prefolds and Flats Comparison on Diaper Swappers. I won't burden you with all of the charts here, but I wanted to give a little commentary on my findings, and some recommendations for those of you who are in the market.

Best Price for Value (best over all): Imagine (nickisdiapers.com) hands down.
Just to prove my point, there was a thread on Diaper Swappers the other day where a mama asked whether she should go for cloth eez from green mountain diapers, or imagine from nickis diapers. She had 12 or more responses saying Imagine are shorter (fit better in trim covers), softer, cheaper, etc. Imagine are $10 less per dozen than the other major brands, (ie: brands of the same quality). It is $7 cheaper per dozen for Imagine organic than for the cloth eez or diaper rite in conventional cotton. A lot of times in diapering you get what you pay for, and these price differences would be nothing if the product was poor quality, but I have had both imagine and clotheez prefolds, and just like the diaperswappers mamas said, Imagine are just as durable and absorbent, but softer and better fitting than other brands for an average of $2 each rather than $3.

tip: I always think you should size down in DSQ prefolds. They are almost all 4x8x4 ply, and I always find the size for my boys weight range too long and bulky.

Diaper Rite Large Flats (diaperjunction.com):
A lot of companies including Nickis/Imagine have only 27x27" flats and consider them one size, but as much as I like to size my boys down in things for trimness, these are getting a little short when we pad fold them, and will not snappi at all. Cloth Eez(greenmountaindiapers.com) and Diaper Rite are the only ones I have found with two sizes. So if you need smalls, I stand by Imagine being the best price, but if you need something bigger, go with Diaper Rite which are $4.50 less per dozen than Cloth Eez.

For special types of diapers: Cloth Eez by Green Mountain Diapers
While their prefolds and flats are more expensive than other brands greenmountaindiapers.com has some other neat types of diapers for way below the competition. I have not tried these three things myself, but they are on my newborn list, because they are highly recommended all over.

1. Workhorse Fitteds- These are "prefitteds" meaning a prefold made into a fitted. They come with snaps or no closure and are an especially poular newborn diaper. We are registering mostly these for Lucy in no closure. It is like using a prefold or flat, but with long wings to wrap around, trimmer between the legs, no folding. These are 4.95 each in newborn no closure, or 7.40 each in the other sizes. compare to other prefold to prefitted conversions at $10-12 each, or $7-10 if you provide your own prefolds.

2. Sherpa Diaper- For a while I was making "trifold inserts" out of hemp and bamboo fleece, because they are trimmer than a regular prefold, with 2 body layers of fleece and then you trifold like a prefold and lay it in a cover (or snappi). Making these got very tedious with no serger, and the materials are very expensive. Numerous other work at home moms make these, but because of the cost of materials you are giving away your time if you sell them for less than $6 each, and some sell for as much as $14. Cotton Sherpa is a bit cheaper, but it is still not very profitible for wahms to sell them for an economic price range. Clotheez has Sherpa diapers for 2.95 each in newborn or small and 3.25 in medium. Their Small is the same size as my "one size" was, and if you are trifolding should be plenty of diaper for an average wetter until potty learning. This is just not that much more than a prefold for a really trim luxurious diaper. Even other "name brand" fleece or jersey prefolds (flip and thirsties) are $7-8 each.

Choosing Prefolds and Flats, Part I:Why

2011-10-19T06:49:00.000-07:00

First of all I wanted to give a little explanation, again, about why we use the types of diaper we do. There are so many pocket and all-in-one or all-in-two diapers out there. It seems to a lot of people that the only reason you would use prefolds or flats and covers is because of finances, but I can honestly say that regardless of cost we are not interested in these types of diapers.

For one, I don't find them to be more convenient. A pocket has to be stuffed, just like a cover, and most all-in-ones do not have enough absorbency for an older baby without adding a booster. As far as buying convenience is concerned it makes a lot more sense to me to add another dozen prefolds than one pocket or all-in-one diaper. Either way you are spending $15-24. Why pay for one more change between laundry when you could get 12 for the same price?

The other reason I don't like these options is that they are much more difficult to care for. A cover with PUL inside almost wipes clean, and the cotton prefold washes just like a tshirt, the easiest thing you have to care for. Pockets or all-in-ones on the other hand have synthetic fibers that develop strange smells over time, or a dozen layers of some absorbent fabric pressed up against a waterproof barrier. How does this every get clean? Also, many diapers claim that their insert agitates out in the wash, but I have tried very few that actually did. This means that, unlike with a cover and diaper, any insert that has to be stuffed when it is clean, has to be unstuffed when it is dirty. Yuck.

Finally, many of these diapers are just too bulky. Most are "one size" diapers, which is really such a joke. Who wants to put a diaper on an 8 lb newborn that would fit a 40 lb toddler? So many also have extra fleece stay dry layers and so forth. a pad folded flat in a well fitting cover is as trim as a disposable (and it doesn't grow to ten times it's size when wet), and unlike a pocket or all-in-one this combination will last three changes for $12-20 instead of one.

Covers with prefolds, flats, or fitteds just seem like the most common sense type of diaper to me. With the variety of covers out there, and your options of folding you can meet the needs of any body type and absorbency level a baby could have. They are much more economical and much easier to care for, and simplicity means trimness. We use these diapers because we love them, and they are best for our kids, not because we are broke.

Cloth Diapering Accessories 101

2011-10-18T12:47:00.000-07:00

You will probably not be surprised to hear, that we are pretty minimalist when it comes to cloth diapering accessories. In addition to our diapers, covers, and wipes, we have only a few other helpers.

The first and most important are wet bags and a pail liner. I have a cute wet bag and travel wipes case to match the diaper bag, but it is good to have a back up wet bag too, in case you bring one home with dirty diapers in it, and need to go out again before you can wash it.

My wet bag is from American Country Designs on Etsy, but I like the ones I make better because the front zip is easier to use, and mine are attached inside so the pul doesn't turn inside out in the wash and have to be re stuffed. My wet bags are $14 for all PUL, or $20 with an outer layer of designer cotton print at tentrevival.etsy.com. You can get a 10% discount by using coupon code BLOGREADER.

For a diaper pail we use a small trash can with a Bummis Large Tote as a liner. It used to have a lid to contain the smell, which I'm sure is still around somewhere, but now it lives in the laundry room behind closed doors, so it wasn't used as much and is currently in hiding. I think I paid $16 for mine, but they are $18 now at Cottonbabies.com, which always has free shipping. We love this pail liner because it is really thick and sturdy, it fits our little pail perfectly, it is the least expensive we've found, and it has a drawstring for traveling.

We don't have a diaper sprayer, but I really want one for getting stickier messes off without having to dunk and swish. Who wants to touch that? Yuck. You can get the bumgenius on for $45 at Cottonbabies, it is the mostly popular. The fuzzibunz one is usually $34-$38 on Amazon. Or you can make your own, like in this tutorial for a lot less.

As far as detergent is concerned, there are about a hundred different types, and you can sample them all, or you can trust me when I say that Allen's Naturally Biodegradable is wonderful. The $52/gallon price tag might scare you off, but it uses only 1/4 oz per diaper load, and 1 oz or so per regular load (we use less), so it lasts 6 months or more. The gallon comes with a pump which makes it so easy to use, and I really trust with it that there is nothing left on our clothes after the wash. Use coupon code GOODWASH at Cottonbabies for free detergent shipping. This save a lot since a gallon is so heavy

I want to say here as well that while most cloth diapering websites will tell you you can't use store bought detergent on cloth diapers (anything with softeners, brighteners, or enzymes) We did so for six months or more before ever having any residue problems, and this could have been just because we were using really thick prefolds that needed extra rinsing.

Many websites have various "stripping" instructions for removing stinky residues from your diapers, but I have recently heard that you can use ammonia neutralizer made for fish tanks. It is a very harmless chemical (gentle enough for goldfish to live in) and gets to the source of what is making your diapers smell funny when wet.

Basically every once in a while you may need to run your diapers through a few extra rinses in case there is any build up. Anything "free and clear" will probably not be terrible for your diapers. Even regular powdered tide has quite a large following on Diaperswappers.com.

Super Basic Cloth Wipes Tutorial

2011-10-17T10:38:00.000-07:00

Just like my diaper routine, my wipes routine is very basic, so I thought I would share, just in case any one needs a little demystifying in this area.

I tried making two ply flannel and terry wipes like most cloth diapering websites sell for about $1 a piece, but they were too thick and bulky, and I never really liked them, so we went back to disposables, until we ran out one day and used a few of the boys cheaper wash rags, and they worked amazingly. So I got on Amazon, and searched "baby wash cloths." After comparing reviews and prices on several options, I went with Spa Silk brand, which are usually the first option to pop up. They are usually $6 for 10 wipes.

We like the Parent's Choice (WalMart brand) boxes best because the hole in the lid is big enough to get your whole hand in and pull out a cloth wipe.

Out of the wash I fold all of the wipes in half. We have aquired more and more because we use them for everything. 4 dozen or so is great, but you can get by with a lot less. You can stack the wipes in two boxes.

Then go to the sink and with the wipes set aside on the lid fill the box to just above the little line in the bottom, maybe 3/4" and push the wipes down on it, then pull them out and repeat, this time sitting the dry side downward. You will get the hang of how much water you need for different sized stacks of wipes. If you get the top and the bottom of the stack saturated the middle will be wet by the time you get to them.

I tried a couple of different solutions for the wipes, but in the end I didn't like leaving anything but water on the boys' clean bottoms, and we use them all before they can start to smell musty. If you go through them slower and they smell a little you can use boiled water to wet them instead of straight from the tap.

Just wet one box at a time and then when you run out switch to the other one. Having two boxes helps though if you don't wash your whole stash every time, so you have a place to stack clean dry ones when one box has wet ones still in it.

We just leave the wipes in the dirty diaper like you would with a disposable, and throw them in the wash with everything else. I find myself using clean ones for just about any mess. It is just so convenient to have a box of wet rags every where we go.

just pluggin' away

2011-07-12T08:57:00.000-07:00

I am never very good at getting on here faithfully. Mostly I try to avoid the computer unless I am completely exhausted because it is so hard to get off once I have started. And if I am completely exhausted I don't have anything interesting to say.

Every day is different, will the boys sleep or not? when? I have a few orders here and there. usually a little project to work on every week. I really have a lot to finish today.

I think covers and flats are the key. I am so silly I really don't like making the other kinds of diapers, because I don't think they're as good. Every time I get my pattern where I think it will be just right and there is some problem or other. I just invent more work for myself remaking it over and over, but when I am done it will be a really superior diaper cover.one I thinkwill be worthy of making up someone's whole stash, although I will always love LaDiDa and AMPs also.

I keep trying to find the wool love, but I really like things to be simple. I can't get enthused about adding another type of system to our rotation, even though they are so cute. Maybe it has to do with not having found a fitted I just love, or really that I haven't found many that are affordable, and don't enjoy making them. I should just get better at pinning flats. The day after I sent off our snappi in a free for shipping lot, I visited my friend who was so genius with hers I am dying to buy some more.

So, I don't know if we're doing anything useful or incredible to the world, but we just keep going, doing the things we are doing. Maybe I'll help a few families love what cloth diapering means for them, like I love what it means for me. Maybe I can show a few people that while the things man comes up with to meet our needs will always fail, and our chasing after them is killing us, God's things are beautiful, and they bring life.

Making the Right thing Easy

2011-06-02T10:32:00.000-07:00

My Dad often quoted a friend and horse trainer as saying, "Your job is to make the right thing easy and the wrong thing hard." Since I am not your parent or trainer I will try not to make anything hard, but I kind of figure that making the right thing easy sometimes does that on its own.

My goal with this blog, my business, my children, and any educational ministry I do is to make the right thing easy. I hope to find out through study and experience the best way to take care of my families basic needs and spiritual growth, and then learn the simplest way to do that and pass it on to others. I don't think that being environmentally responsible, a good steward of your resources, generous to those around you, and contemplative should seem like an insurmountable task, but it often does.

I think I've about conquered the cloth diaper thing, now I just have to figure out the best way to communicate it with others. And move on to learning something new myself. If the Lord is willing, some day, probably when I am old, I will have a concise little set of books on all of these subjects and will save future generations of young Christian homemakers a lot of work. Until then I am just a work in progress, which you would know if you could see my kitchen.

For Melissa: Types of Cloth Diapers

2011-06-01T11:05:00.000-07:00

What a whirlwind we've been living in. I have even failed at my once a week postings. Oh well, try try again.

I have been trying to write some basics about cloth diapering, but having trouble knowing where to start, besides just rambling on my opinions. Enter my precious friend Melissa who is having a baby! I was responding to her email about what to register, and could have gone on for hours about cloth diapers, so instead of waylaying her, I thought I would write here what I would say to her. It is a lot easier to organize my thoughts on this when I am pretending to be speaking to a real live friend, instead of some hypothetical stranger who might read this. Keep in mind that I cannot write honestly without the bias of my own opinion.

I guess you always need to start with types of diapers. The way I see it there are 3 major types of diapers:

All In Ones or Pockets

The lines on this can be a little blurry, since some pockets are lined with natural materials, and some AIOs need extra absorbency added past the newborn stage.

Once either of these are stuffed, out of the wash, they should look and go on in one simple piece like a disposable diaper.

Both are usually pretty expensive considering none of the pieces required per change can be used over again.

AIOs take longer to dry.

You can save money by using a one size option, but they may not ever fit baby very well. Efrim was 20 lbs before a Flip one size cover didn't drag to his knees and he still wears it on the smallest setting at 22 mos.

All In Twos or Covers with Lay In Inserts

The main difference between these is that most AI2s have a stay dry, but not wipe clean interior of microfleece or suede cloth, and come with a sewn insert that doesn't have to be folded, but this isn't absolute by any means.

Can still be stuffed as you fold laundry to make diapers ready for use.

The number of covers and inserts you have is totally up to you. 6 covers and 24 inserts is the average. There is more information on this in my Super Basic Tutorial.

You can also choose which type of inserts are best for you, or go with a variety. Most inserts with work with most covers. This makes your stash really customizable for your baby each day. Prices vary from 14/dz for flats, 24/dz for prefolds, 5-9/each for hemp or bamboo trifolds, to 6-12 each for contours. As I have posted on here we really love flats best, and not because they are cheapest, but I like an elasticized contour also.

You can air dry covers after only wet diapers, and wash them only after a dirty diaper. This is the same for fleece lined or "wipe clean" covers. Covers need to be washed every 3 or 4 uses anyway.

The fewer layers sewn together on an insert the faster it will dry. Most covers will hang dry in the amount of time it takes your inserts to tumble dry.

Covers with Fitteds or Pinned Flats/Prefolds, Wool

Some people like the extra blow-out protection offered by an inside diaper that fastens. In my experience this may keep more poop off of the cover, but you end up washing covers almost as often anyway.

The main benefit is for use with pull on covers, particularly wool. Wool covers do not have to be washed as often as others because the Lanolin neutralizes urine. It also breathes and keeps baby cool in the summer and hot in the winter. Many people doubt this, but I read a story of a mom who was skeptical herself and went to check on her daughters in the middle of the night and she said their bellies were warmer under their cotton tshirts than under their wool sleep pants. Also wool is just really cute.

Fitteds are more expensive, costing anywhere from $10 to $40 for "collector" styles. I don't really understand this. Expect to spend an average of $12-14 each. Prefolds and flats are still a cheaper option if you are good at pinning, which I am not. Home made fitteds are another great way to save money.

Wool can be really expensive, with covers running anything from $20-70, but the up side is that you need so few, and if you are using fitteds it is basically like they are your shorts or pants.

Wool and fitteds are especially good for overnights. You can lay another insert inside you fitted diaper to double up without adding a lot of bulk, and a wool cover will absorb three times it's weight in liquid before feeling wet. This is the only thing that works for Julian who still nurses during the night.

Any questions?

Check out my May Special!

2011-05-04T14:21:00.000-07:00

Diaper Circus is having a special to help any one who wants prepare for the Flats and Handwashing Challenge! Buy 5 Covers get a dozen flats free!

Why I am taking the Flats and Hand Washing Challenge

2011-05-03T10:28:00.000-07:00

I just posted on here last week about my new flat love, now here is another reason. Flats make it possible for ANYONE to afford cloth diapering, but not if they don't know about it.

Kim Rosas at Dirty Diaper Laundry, invented this challenge to prove that it can be done, even for those who don't have a washer and dryer!

From May 23- May 30 RJ and I will be using exclusively flats, with 5 of our cheapest covers ( from 2 Bummis Super Lite, 3 Econobums, 2 Flip), and hand washing even the diapers used by babysitters during our anniversary dates. Overnight we plan to use 2 flats with fleece liners on top inside homemade recycled wool pants. If I cannot figure out pinning these will be laid in homemade RRPs. With 12 flats and five covers that is a stash of only $64 for two in diapers. That is less than we spent on disposables in Efrim's first month.

I will continue to update you on this as we go along.

I am doing this because I want to be able to share,from experience, how simple and inexpensive it can be to cloth diaper. I hate to see any one enslaved to the financial burden of a disposable lifestyle.

So often the come back to people's astonishment over someone using cloth diapers is, "There are so many new, wonderful, modern cloth diapers available.", but that is so out of reach for most people. We have used a really simple, tight budget stash from the beginning, and after our days with only 6 gCloth, they have all been a blessing. I do not think that "modern" cloth diapers are what makes this possible, it's really so much easier than people think.

We are blessed with so much, and some people have so little. As God has helped us to have a little more breathing room in our budget, I have been convicted that those extra pennies do not belong to us. There are enough resources for everyone on this planet, so if some are doing with out it is because others have too much. When I spend money frivolously, I am stealing from someone who is in need. We feel called "to live simply so that others may simply live."

That is why I am taking this challenge, and telling every one I know about it.

(It is also a good excuse to light a fire under RJ about the laundry line I've been begging RJ to make so I can line dry.) ha!

Hybrids

2011-04-30T09:15:00.000-07:00

Just for a little more information on hybrids:

I calculated 6 covers, 24 cloth inserts, and half the disposable inserts for the three popular systems. If anyone knows any other systems with a disposable option let me know.

gDiapers (sized)
gPants $18 x 6 x 3 sizes = $324
4 x 6packs small gCloth x $24 each + 4 x 6packs medium/large gCloth x $30 each = $312
4 gRefills per day x 365 days x 2.5 years x .36c each = $1314
TOTAL = $1950

GroVia (one size)
Shells $17 x 6 = $96
12 2packs soakers x $17 each = $312
4 BioSoakers per day x 365 days x 2.5 years x .40c each = $1460
TOTAL = $1760

Flip System (one size)
Covers $14 x 6 = $84
4 x 3packs stay dry inserts @ $12 each + 4 x 3packs organic inserts @ $20 each = $128
4 disposable per day x 365 days x 2.5 years x .28c each = $1022
TOTAL = $1234

Now a few words:

I have yet to understand the benefit of having a disposable insert for your cloth diaper cover. Whoever is changing the diaper still has a wet cover to deal with, and the diaper instead of rolling up in velcro and throwing away dry on the outside is wet all over, and let me just say "biodegradable" or not, nothing is degrading in a closed landfill, especially in a plastic trash bag.

gDiaper inserts are also flushable or compostable. The other brands do not make this claim. While flushable seemed great to me at first, one of the complaints environmental experts have been making lately is increasing levels of toxicity in our sewer systems and water treatment facilities. Now waste and toilet paper have been made out of the same things for a really long time, so I don't think they are to blame. The origin has to be from chemical elements entering this environment, such as the newly popular flushable wet wipes for adults and the absorbent chemicals in flushable diapers. Composting might make this a little better than the other two inserts, but if it is toxic in the sewer, is it good for your veggies? I should also note that gPants do not work well for skinny babies, neither gCloth or gRefills are terribly absorbent, and the two piece shell concept drove me nuts.

I have not tried Grovia Shells or cotton soakers, after Flip I new I didn't care for a snap down rise. Their inserts do have gussets like a disposable diaper, which is nice for catching messes, but again these don't hold as much as a true disposable, or even a prefold.

Flip covers are good, though they run a bit big, and I am annoyed by snap down rises. They have been our work horse covers for about a year now. I am so glad thatI have found something better fitting in recent months, but they really aren't bad. That said, Flip disposable inserts are a joke. They are barely 4 inches wide, so poop will be every where and they are basically stiff paper, like a newspaper with pulpy bits inside. we got a pack for free when we spent fifty on covers and prefolds to start out, and we only used 2 or 3 before chucking them.

All of this said, if you are interested in some sort of compromise between the cloth and disposable worlds, I would recommend using the cover of your choice with gRefills and composting the wet ones, if you trust their testing that it is safe for vegetable gardens. Throw the dirty ones away or if your baby is really regular use cloth when you know they will poop, but since poop is the part most people hate, that's a little counter-intuitive.

Cost of Diapers

2011-04-29T12:22:00.000-07:00

I guess at some point every Diaper Company has to develop their own cost comparison on types of diapers. For all cloth methods I have included 24 diapers and 6 covers, except for wool covers I only included 4 per size since fitteds will keep most poop off and they don't have to be washed as often.

Disposables average of .40c/diaper x 8 changes per day x 365 days x 2 1/2 years = $2920

All In Ones average $22 x 24 OS (0ne size) = $528, sized = $1584

Pockets average $17 x 24 OS = $408, sized = $1224

OS Fitteds average $14 x 24 = $336,
w/ 6 OS covers = $414, w/ sized covers = $570, w/ wool = $768

Sized Fitteds average $12 x 24 x 3 sizes = $864,
w/ OS covers = $942, w/ sized covers = $1098, w/ wool = $1296

Prefolds average $2 x 24 x 2 sizes = $96
w/ OS covers = 174, w/ sized covers = 330, w/ wool = 528

Flats average $1.5 x 24 = $36
w/ OS covers = $114, w/ sized covers = $270, w/ wool = $468

Mini Diapers average $10 x 24 = $240,
w/ OS covers = $318, w/ sized covers = $474

Trifolds average $7 x 24 = 168,
w/ OS covers = $246, w/sized covers = $402

Hybrid will basically be like on of the above cloth methods plus the cost of disposable inserts.

Covers average $13

OS: Econobum = $9, Flip $14, Best Bottom $17
Sized: Bummis Super Lite $10, Thirsties $12, Diaper Circus $16, AMP $16

Wool average $36 (this is very conservative)

Most parents will go with a mixed stash which will end up costing a little more, and cloth diapers require unique accessories that will normally cost around $50-75. Most calculators figure the cost of detergent, water, and electricity at about 13c/per load, and it has been proven that the manufacture of disposable requires the use of more water than that of manufacturing and washing cloth. Each method can be purchased more or less expensively, including disposable.

The most important factor to remember is that the cost of disposables is per child, while most cloth can be used for many.

Other ways to save money on cloth:

-Buy used
- Sew your own
- Sell when you are finished

Flat Love, who knew?

2011-04-29T11:33:00.000-07:00

Where do I start?

Through all of the All-In-One/Pocket love out there I have been a stubborn prefold girl. I fail to see how they are more convenient. I stuff my pockets right out of the wash and I stuff my covers right out of the wash. Pockets are harder to stuff, and they can't be reused.

What finally inspired me to pack all of the prefolds into the closet? Some fancy, new-fangled, "convenient" diaper?

NO! It's flats!

I had wanted to try pinning, so I ordered some in a co op for a really good price, but when I got them I was still really terrible at pinning, so I just pad folded them the same way I just trifold prefolds instead of pinning them. And I fell in love!

They are so squishably soft on our babies' bottoms, not stiff and bulky like prefolds. They are so much trimmer too. They dry in no time, and are really cheap! They are cheaper than prefolds to begin with, but even more than that they are one size! I have never bought a prefold that I liked the size to begin with. I finally decided that I like them 14x14" from early infancy to potty learning,and so I made my trifolds that size. Do you know the size of a standard flat? 27x28"! Perfect.

So fold that baby in quarters and then trifold it like you would a prefold. (and by baby I mean the flat of course, you put the baby in the diaper the usual way.)

Get some organic Imagine's from Nicki's- For this price you can afford to go organic- and never look back!

My husband's birthday

2011-04-16T12:43:00.000-07:00

Yesterday was RJ's 24th birthday! We went to Abilene for the day and had so much fun.

I am so proud of my husband. He is such a good man, and wonderful father. He is just so much fun! I love spending time talking to him, and watching him play with the boys. They love him so much. We have been best friends for 6 1/2 years!

We had to take Julian to the doctor for his 4 month checkup, but we also did a lot of shopping and playing around. We always spend more than we plan to in Abilene, but we never seem to regret it. We went to the Contemporary Art Center and Monks Coffee Shop. This is the Kiwanis Club fountain next door to Monks.

So now for a little more about my husband: He is the perfect combination of sexy and nerdy. He loves anything crafty and creative, and can pretty much figure out how to make anything. He makes newsboy hats and beanies, messenger bags, journals, and sketch books. He loves gardening, especially water gardens and vegetables. We got him a wheel barrow and some blown glass solar powered lights for his birthday. He is right now in the process of getting some salvaged wood, from a friend who tears down old barns and houses, for our raised beds, and getting some billboard tarps to recycle for pond liners. Such an eco-friendly guy. He does any poopy diaper dunking that needs to be done, and frequently washes the dishes to save my poor dry hands. His favorite food is homemade bean burritoes with cheetos and ranch dressing. He would sleep in his Klash if I let him(Buy Shoes. Save Lives.). He has this crazy wild mohawk-y hair that I love. His skin is this beautiful tan/brown color, and he has green eyes with this crown of amber in them. He is just the right size for me in every way, and though this is a strange thing to say about a guy, his skin is so soft. I love it because I have eczema and my skin has never been soft at all. He is perfect (well almost) and I love him so much!

What I Love About Cloth Diapering

2011-04-11T17:46:00.000-07:00

Stewardship

many people list good for the environment and good for your budget separately, but to me they are one and the same issue. I am responsible for being wise about the resources I use. I can not justify spending so much of my husband's hard earned money on something that I throw away, nor can I have peace about throwing away something that requires so many non-renewable resources to produce and will spend eternity occupying a space of land that cannot be used for anything else now.

Convenience

This may be the opposite of what you think. Isn't it easier to throw away a messy diaper than to wash it? Yes, but only a little bit, in my opinion. Meanwhile, it is very inconvenient to me to load the boys into the car and go in and out of the store every time I run out of diapers. I am doing laundry most of the time anyway, so one more load makes very little difference.

Special-ness

Most people will list as their final reason "The Cuteness Factor" but with an, "I have to admit..." or something attached, like it's a guilty pleasure, or unnecessary luxury. I've always kind of blown it off as a non-reason, but I've come to realize that it is actually a major reason for me too. But I wouldn't exactly name it cuteness. It is important to me that my babies have the best that I can give them. Why would I put them in something made in a mass assembly factory out of paper and plastic, when I can give them something beautiful, soft and healthy made by a mom to support her family, or at least in a small factory in the U.S. or Canada that pays people a fair wage?

Buying from local sustainable businesses or especially from work at home moms, is so homogeneous with our way of life. It just feels so right to me in so many ways to support small business.

Even more so, however, it is best for my babies. How many hours during pregnancy do we spend choosing the best blankets and pacifiers and bottles (neither of the last two do I even use any more). We want to choose everything. We are so particular about each and every item we buy or register for our babies. Their clothes and toys and books and toiletries ad infinitum. Why, after all that, would I put trash on their bottom?

I guess that has gripped me more than ever lately- the word disposable- what does that mean, but that from the minute it leaves the factory presses it is destined to be trash. Disposable diapers are precious resources created to be thrown away. Yuck. Why would I wrap my baby in that?

My Favorite Styles

2011-03-26T14:44:00.000-07:00

This is like tutorial part 2, where I give you more specifics (and more opinions) on what covers, inserts, and accessories are best. Every one's opinions will differ, but mine are the right ones (LOL) so I thought I'd share.

Covers:
I love designer cotton printed covers with wipe clean PUL inners, but even my best ones wick a little of the moisture to the outside when the diaper gets really wet (like every time with Julian). Check out The Eli Monster, Brookiellen, or Diaper Circus of course, all on Etsy.

For a really basic cover to solve the wicking problem go with all PUL. Our Flip covers are great for this, but I the snap down rise is just a mess. I am dying to try Bummis Super Lite, because they are sized.

Inserts:
I like Mini Diapers, which go by many names. Chelory has one she calls an elasticized contour, but they are pretty small. I think they'd be a rockin' newborn insert. Bumkins have some, but they are enormous. The one I have that hasn't shrunken to half its original size has to be folded over on all sides. Loveybums has a "snap-in diaper" for their Loveybums-in-One, but I haven't tried it. Personally I think my own pattern is the best.

I also really like Trifolds. This is like a Prefold only it's made out of a stretchy, fluffy material like sherpa, french terry or fleece, in hemp, organic cotton, or bamboo. This sounds like a lot of options, but they really aren't that different. AMP has several varieties. Green Mountain Diapers has a Cotton Sherpa one, which is by far the cheapest available. There are several hemp brands at mainstream diaper shops, but they can be a little pricey, and the measurements seem iffy to me. Again I think mine are best; Hemp Fleece, or Bamboo Double Loop Terry 14x14" for $5. They are as simple as a prefold, but a lot softer, and more trim.

Wipes:
I bought some plain 9x9" 1 ply cotton terry baby wash cloths, and I like them loads more than any other type of cloth wipe I tried. Simple, cheap, you can get them anywhere. Forget the fancy wipes potions and spray bottles, just wet them with water.

Pail Liner:
The first pail liner I tried was a Bummis Large Tote for $16 from Cotton Babies. It has been perfect from the beginning and I've never felt the need to try anything else. End of story.

Wet Bags:
Bummis Fabulous Wet Bags have all of the qualities I like for a good price, but I've never actually tried them. I have one from a precut kit on Wazoodle, and a WAHM made one from American Country Designs on Etsy in a cute print. This is pretty flexible. You just need something made of PUL with a zipper that will fit in your diaper bag. It can be as simple or as fancy as you want.

If you must have an All-In-One:
Envibums are the best! I don't really think it's more convenient, because I have to stuff it out of the wash anyway, and most babies will need more absorbency than is attached, but the small fact that the stuffing goes in between layers makes it a lot less intimidating for parents and nursery workers. The bright minky is adorable, they are one size (and actually fit well) and $2 from each purchase goes to a charity.

my super basic cloth diaper tutorial

2011-03-26T14:05:00.000-07:00

Untitled by AddieLore on Polyvore.com

There are hundreds, maybe thousands, of cloth diaper how-to's, and while all of them claim their purpose is to show you how simple it is to cloth diaper, I am scared when I finish reading them, and I already know it's not that hard. So this is the true simple cloth diaper story:

You basically need 6-8 covers and 24 diapers. If you want it a little easier, and have room in your budget up that to 12 and 36. If you have a tight budget and don't mind a little more work you can get by with as little as 4 and 18. You also need about 24 wipes, 2 or 3 travel wet bags, and 1 or 2 pail liners. Again you can go up or down depending on your budget to convenience ratio. I also like to have about 6 fleece liners for when we use diaper rash cream.

When you get your diapers wash and dry them 3-5 times on hot to "prep" them. Most natural fabrics have oils on them that repel water and this removes them.

Now, stuff all of your insides into covers and arrange them in a basket or something. Fold the remaining inserts and set them aside. Wet wipes and stack them in a used disposable wipes container. Put your pail liner inside a small trash can (with a lid) in a convenient place, and put your wet bag and a smaller wipes container in your diaper bag.

When baby needs a change, you change them the same way you would with a disposable. If it is dirty you dump solids into the toilet, then put it in the pail. Exclusive breastfed poo (EBP) is water soluble and goes straight into the wash. If it is only wet put the absorbent part into the pail and hang the cover to air dry.

When you run out of stuffed diapers, or just as you go about your day, stuff the air dried clean covers with new inserts and put them back in your basket.

Every other day dump all of the dirty diapers from your pail into the wash, add 1/4 Allen's Naturally Biodegradable detergent, super easy with the gallon pump, and wash on hot with a high water level. Tumble dry inserts, hang dry covers. Stuff. Repeat.

Disclaimers:

This is per size. If you really want to save money you can go with a one size system, but be warned you may have babies like mine that they never really fit very well. Most babies will wear small and medium their whole diapering time (depending on the fit of the particular brand).

There are also diapers that come with the absorbent and waterproof components attached. These are called All-In-Ones. Or there are pocket diapers where you stuff the absorbent piece between the waterproof cover and a stay-dry layer. These brag of being more convenient, but are a lot more expensive, and don't save much work in my opinion. I still stuff them all when they come out of the wash, but I can get by with a lot fewer covers.

These wash instructions are for a top load washer. Apparently front loading high efficiency machines can be a little trickier. There are several places with more instructions, like The Cloth Diaper Whisperer. I am not qualified to advise, since I have a simple old fashioned machine.

If you pin your inserts you can use wool covers which are natural and breath. They are rather expensive, but you need only a few. They only need to be washed every 3 or 4 weeks. Melt 1/4" Lansinoh into 2 cups hot water and them pour into a sink full of water. Briefly soak wool things, pat them dry (don't wring), and lay to finish drying.

Haha Try Again

2011-03-25T15:31:00.001-07:00

I just realized my last post has a 1. with no more numbers in the catch up section.

Let's try some quick takes

1. I just went to my first MOPS meeting this morning (Mothers of Preschoolers) it was really great. We talked about making "me time" count so you don't lose yourself in being a mom. It's not that most of us don't have some moments free from babies, but we do stressful things and so still feel deprived when it's over. You have to "work" to make sure you are getting what you need out of the free time you have. I can elaborate on this maybe if I have time this week.

2.Last Saturday we went to my grandparents for the family birthday, and Papa had us go through his books, since they are moving into a smaller house. It was hard for him to say goodbye to so many, but he knows they need to downsize. He said he was happy for us to have them instead of people at a garage sale who would pay very little and not appreciate them. It was better than Christmas. I have not only many wonderful contemporary books for reading, but several theology books and 2 sets of commentaries which are like family heirlooms from my forefathers in ministry, including my Gramma's father Russell Dennis whom Julian is named for (Julian Russell). We also got the boys some Summer clothes on the way home, which is good since Julian is too big for Efrim's clothes from last year.

3. Before that I thought that I was so spoiled when my Thirty-One bags came in the mail the day before. I have two diaper bag sets, with little matching zipper pouches, an overnight bag, and a terrific wallet that fits everything, but is super trim. I love these products, and hope to become a consultant when the recruiting freeze ends this Summer. It will be another way to supplement our income with less investment and growing time than my own business.

4. We have a turtle again! Her name is Lola and she lives with six silver minnows in our living room. We have missed having one so much. She is such fun to watch, and Efrim will just stand by the tank and stare for the longest time.

5.Efrim is starting to say words, finally. Uh-oh, Dog, Ball, Pa, Dad, Hi.

6. Lent. The short story is I'm giving up my lack of self discipline, but my specific rules are; no junk food (especially no sugar)- this mostly has to do with bored mindless snacking all day at home alone, getting into a homemaking routine again, disciplining Efrim more consistently, and bible study.

7. Which brings me to number seven. I found this terrific Bible reading plan on Passionate Homemaking. This gives me the structure I've been needing, and has been such a blessing the last few days.

Ahhh. That's better.

A not so "7 quick takes Friday"

2011-03-25T12:17:00.000-07:00

I didn't want to do this, quick blog on a set day of the week thing. During my good times I can post nearly every day. However, I'm afraid I have to do this, or I will continue to be a feast or famine type of blogger.

So, a lot of people are doing this 7 quick takes Friday thing. And I don't want to do that per say. For one thing I don't really want every post from now on to have the same title. So I guess what I'm doing is setting a minimum. Part of my routine should be to post every Friday with some important things for the week.

So, here's today's quick catch up.

1. Just because I haven't blogged since I posted goals doesn't mean I didn't do them.

I did pretty good with the organizational tasks, but this is definitely an area with on-going room for improvement. I like to think of it as an "extra" task every day. I keep up with laundry, dishes, feeding and clothing boys, and general tidying up. The goal would be to accomplish an additional task each day that looks more like making progress than maintenance; sewing projects, organizing some area, cleaning the bathroom, sweeping, etc.

I ended up breezing through Your Money or Your Life, to get the general principles, but haven't done all the tedious steps. We are going our own way in this area. Saving what we can, investing in home businesses, and praying for the day when we can afford for RJ to work from home, or when we all spend our days at a Non-Profit Coffes House, which is our dream.

Chris Smith no longer works at the Credit Union and they didn't get grant funding this year, so it looked like the business would be on hold, but thanks to our tax refund we are making some nice progress.

Breakfast Church is growing nicely and organically, although I still miss the other young couples with kids we saw when we were going to Midtown Sunday mornings. Incidentally the girls and I are working on a modesty study, but this happens at different times.

Lent has helped with the no sugar thing, but that deserves a post of its own.

I have continued a heavy reading streak, which has fueled a really refreshing time of growth. My grandfather just gave me a huge load of books so this will continue, Yay!

So these are the things I want to keep you up to date on week by week:

1. Homemaking. This is so important. I really want to chart my growth as I go through the "mommy at home coping/thriving" journey. I'm not sure exactly how this looks, but the main thing is to keep making progress in how our home develops, and be really transparent about my journey. This will include; cute baby anecdotes, diet reform, organizational strategies, and so on.

2. Spiritual life. That is part and parcel with #1 for me, since I feel very certain right now that this is t ministry God has been preparing me for all my life, I only say it separately, to insure that it isn't overlooked.

3. Business. This is such a big part of who I am, and I really want to use this blog as a home base for that. The big picture goal is for this business to be a real community for ministry and helping people shape their lives around obedience to Christ and making families that honor him. This blog is the human face of that.

Anything else I need to talk about? Let me know!

Wannabe

2011-01-20T10:42:00.000-08:00

Does anyone else have a huge list of labels for themselves that they don't actually live up to?

On diaperswappers, and other forums I read, everyone has a signature that is tagged on to the end of their replies. It usually has names of husbands, and names and birthdays of kids along with a list of things this woman advocates: cloth diapering, breastfeeding, cosleeping, etc.

It's a new way to define oneself. It's also a bit like girl scout badges. There are little emoticons for several popular categories. "Have you earned your co-sleeping badge?"

Some of these titles I feel I have earned, in other areas I have a long way to go. With a baby who cries when put down, and a house that's a wreck, I really want that babywearing badge, but I have a long list of failed attempts.

The same is true for other areas of my life. I feel more and more called to modest dress, but my sewing time is beyond limited (by aforementioned clingy baby). I have the fabric and pattern making know how for a whole new wardrobe, if only I had a time turner.

I put my Etsy shop on vacation last night. I just can't imagine selling covers to others, when my homemade ones are still the last I reach for with my own boys, and Bekah's are being finished in 5 minute increments. it looks like they will miss my shipping goal of tomorrow.

There's theologian, real food chef, tidy housekeeper, playful mom, fertility awareness expert... I could go on and on.

What do you "wannabe"?

Belief: What am I doing wrong?

2011-01-19T18:49:00.000-08:00

I feel like this is my whole life story.

In high school our pastor preached that in order for God to answer our prayers we must believe that he will answer them when we pray.

I started going to youth camp that summer and saw all around me people so passionate about God that it oozed out in everything they did. You could see, like I'm sure it is said somewhere in scripture, the Spirit of God on their countenances. I came home praying for this desperately, believing that of course, since it was God's will that I be closer to him that he would answer this, but pray as I might, nothing came. After a year of praying this way, I began having a serious crisis of faith that lasted for years.

Repeatedly during my life, people have told me that they were praying for my healing, and that God would heal me. Yet for some reason God has chosen to let me live with my illness.

Eventually I reached my breaking point, and God revealed to me that it wasn't my ability to believe intellectually in who he is, but my willingness to continue following him anyway. (John 6:69, played a huge part in this.)

I continue to pray for healing and closeness, but have learned that in some mysterious way, God is glorified more when I am weak, and so it does not mean he doesn't care for me when he does not say yes to these prayers.

But still something is missing. I believe that God is powerful, and I see him acting powerfully in other people's lives. I believe intellectually that God loves me and can do incredibly powerful things. I would say I even believe this in a deeper way, in my heart, but I have never experienced it.

So right now at our church we are talking about inviting he Spirit to work among us. We are talking about becoming a believing people.

and I want this so badly.

I have been praying again for months, seriously, and hungrily, for that power of the Holy Spirit in the things that I do. For him to be visible on my countenance. I pray often that, like 1 Corinthians 10:31, I will do all I do for God's glory, but not only that that will be my intent, but that my life will actually bring glory to God, like it was created to do. We are created for his glory, and I believe that he has orchestrated the circumstances of my life to give me the exact ministry he has intended for me to do, but it will only actually bring glory to God if people see in my life that he is the reason for it all.

So I pray for this, but I never feel or see anything happening.

So tonight at Planning Meeting we talked about how this study of the Holy Spirit was introduced, but there has been a lack of response and feedback, just a feeling that the congregation was hesitant about this. And while this is exactly what I have been dying to do together as a body, I can't help wondering, is this hesitancy me? I don't really know how to respond, what feedback to give.

I want the Spirit more than anything, and I believe that if the Bible says he will give it to us freely, which it does, that it is true, beyond any doubt, but I don't see it. I want to be a believing person. I am starving for this; to feel his power and glory showing through my life, but where is it?

My deepest belief is that God has the power to do all things, and because he loves us infinitely he chooses to do those good things in our lives, but my experience is that he repeatedly chooses not to do them for me. Whether this is in some ironic way also to his glory or not, where does that leave me as a person of faith? What am I missing. What am I doing wrong?

January Goals

2011-01-11T10:27:00.000-08:00

I am copying this idea from Jessica on Making Home. Instead of making large sweeping resolutions for the year, I am going to make about 5 measurable goals/month, since short term goals are usually easier to keep than long term ones. I may elaborate on some of them, and at the end of the month I will report on how I did. Even though January is half over already I will start there.

1. Tackle at least one organizational project each day.
Our house has become more and more messy since the addition of a cute boy November 4th, not helped by several illnesses and the Holidays. Today I finally organized and put away all of the gift wrapping things, which were scattered across the end of our room, before I sat down to write this.

2. Calculate our gross lifetime earnings, and current net worth as per chapter one in Your Money or Your Life, a book given to us by our special friends the Kimery family, who have become so dear to us as mentors. This is supposed to start us on a path of changing our perspective on and relationship with money.

3. Meet with Chris Smith, the Small Business Grant manager at a local credit union who helped my sister, Rebekah, get a $2000 grant to kick start her Mary Kay business, and who thinks I will be eligible for the next round of grants available in July.

4. Start developing the worship aspects of Breakfast Church, the small group hosted at our church's community house, where RJ and I live.

5. Get back on the (mostly) no sugar wagon. The holidays through me for a loop, and I am so addicted to sweets, but I know it is poison for me, and I want to teach our boys better habits.

6. Finish reading A Generous Orthodoxy.

Okay, I realized as I typed the above that these all pretty much have to do with larger resolutions, only this breaks it down into manageable chunks. So I will also share what my long term goals are for this year.

1. I realized when reading the Duggar's Book, which my mom got me for Christmas, that I have to quit riding the fence about organization and simplicity if we are open to the possibility that God might give us many children. He may choose to give us only the two we have already, but since I believe that simplicity is best, now is the time to get it together. This isn't so much a new year's resolution, but wake up call to quit procrastinating.

2. Your Money or Your Life has nine steps to becoming more financially solvent (or having a better relationship with money as they say). My plan is to take it slow and tackle one per month so I don't get overwhelmed. I wonder if later down the line it is going to say "Step _- Get a job that does not involve selling fast food for near minimum wage, you dummy."

3. I have little assignments like this every month to help be get my business up and running by July. The strategy keeps changing, but most of the important tasks stay the same.

4. We really want to be the best stewards we can of this resource for our whole church, and use our time here to really develop our own philosophy of ministry and getting our hands dirty (which will be literal once RJ starts digging the garden).

5. The first goal I thought of for this new year was that I wanted to take baby steps in reforming our families diet, meal plans, and shopping. I have done lots of real food research, but am alwys lazy when it comes to applying it. There are things we don;t have access to, like raw dairy products, and it can be overwhelming on the whole, but I hope I can take little baby steps to improving our nutrition. I so wish I could afford this E-Course by Kristen at Food Renegade. No doubt my boys will have her book for home school curriculum one day.
This idea first struck me when I read Jessica's article about how her homemaking skills have improved gradually through the years. It was really awesome to realize that it takes time to master the whole house, but I can make constant progress.

6. We have a lot of theology books I haven't read yet. Usually I have read to unwind, so these are the ones I skip over when looking for a new book to start, but I am ready to start stretching my brain in these ways again, and think about something besides cloth diapers and breastfeeding. Maybe I'll be able to read one a month?

Anyway, Efrim is waking up so I'd better go.

Cloth Wipes- Too Simple

2010-12-30T09:11:00.000-08:00

I feel almost silly posting about cloth wipes since our method is so simple, but maybe it will help. I put this off for so long, because of the expense and the plethora of methods and solutions.

If you are using cloth diapers there is no reason to put off using cloth wipes!

In order to save some money, since name brand cloth wipes run about a dollar a piece, I tried sewing my own according to all of the different versions, terry+terry two sided, terry+flannel two sided, flannel+flannel two sided. I learned that flannel will really not get anything off a baby's bottom, and more importantly I realized I didn't like them in two layers at all. It was too thick to get in all those little baby crevices, and just kind of awkward to handle at all.

What I really wanted was just one layer of terry, but my machine doesn't serge, and the little edges would shed threads all over the boys' bottoms. It seemed silly and tedious to hem dozens of one layer wipes, and what they were was basically baby wash cloths anyway. So I went on line and ordered baby wash cloths. I could have gotten them at the store, but they weren't any cheaper, they came in small packages, and I got free shipping ordering them with some other things I was getting on Amazon.

So we fold them in half in our old wipes box (Parent's Choice from WalMart is my favorite box because the opening is really big).

As for wipes solution, I thought it seemed rather silly to pay as much as they all seem to cost, and most of the recipes included essential oils I would have to order online and pay for shipping. It didn't seem like it should have to be complicated at all. The simplest I saw was to add Witch Hazel to water, which would soothe baby's skin and keep the water from getting musty. We did that first, but I hate the smell. Then I read that your water won't get musty if you use boiled water. Perfect since there's always a little left on the stove from making tea or coffee anyway. I just pour 3/4" or so in the bottom, set the wipes in it and squish down to soak it up, then pour in more and flip them over. If a wipe is too wet, I wring it out.

We only wet as many at a time as we use in a couple of days anyway.

So it's that simple; baby wash cloths and plain water.

Covers on Hyena Cart

2010-12-29T20:11:00.000-08:00

Here are a few covers I want to try:

I like the look of Monkey Bunns Pattern (long wings finally!), but she has very limited color selection and only white FOE. What do you think? They are 3 for $25.

Also Squeezie Cheeks make a couple of different patterns I would like to try in cute colors/patterns, and inserts to match. So these would be like all in twos, in popular patterns designed for chubby legged babies. If I like them I can buy the patterns myself. They have short tabs, which aren't as cute, but they are still supposed to fit chubby thighs.

I want a fatty cakes cover in chocolate with blue dots, and a la di da cover in lime. Prints are $12 and Solids are $10. Inserts are $6.75.

Diaper Covers, am I too picky for my own good?

2010-12-29T14:52:00.000-08:00

I have not tried a diaper cover I really like. Meanwhile after dozens on failed homemade projects we are constantly short, and Julian is always leaking.

gDiapers-leaked every time, pop on three different pieces, didn't hold up well at all.

flip/econobum- one size means they don't fit either boy very well. I like the stretch, and the colors, but I hate all the dumb snaps in the front.

nylon pants- when you pull them off the wet diaper is still pinned on and the wet back of their bum is laying on some surface. unless you have elastic in the legs of the diaper there is now poop everywhere.

dappi- tabs are very weird, cotton knit wicks too easily, wide back makes Efrim have a huge butt.

bummis super brite- can never make it fit well, the loop tape feels plastic-y, runs very large, gussets just look silly and are so unnecessary if you make a diaper that fits well in the first place.

homemade nylon- quits being waterproof after drying, pin holes don't reseal, wicks to cotton outer around the legs.

fleece homemade- doesn't wipe clean so it may as well be an all-in-one, have to wash every time, quite bulky.

pul homemade- they've outgrown all of these and the shipping on pul is outrageous. still wick to cotton a little.

brands I haven't tried- organic caboose and loveybums are fleece or wool, so they don't wipe clean, I would need a dozen for each boy. AMP AI2 lined with microfleece, again doesn't wipe clean. Brookiellen, Zookies, or OliveJanes on Etsy might be okay, but all have short tabs and fold over elastic. These are negotiable points since they are mostly aesthetic.

Chelory wipe-able all-in-twos are being made, I don't know about short tabs fitting chubby legged boys without being to long in the rise, but we'll see. Hers are the closest I've seen to what I want. Can't wait till they arrive. Maybe if I love them I could convince her to make longer tabs on another custom. They are only $14, which is pretty unbeatable for WAHM.

My ideal cover- bright solid knit, simple abstract prints, or pastel flannel outer; long overlapping tabs like kissaluvs marvels fitteds or loveybums; truly wipe clean and non-wicking hopefully without the use of fold over elastic; sized or adjustable leg elastic.

Is that too much to ask?

Being able to sew is a double edged sword because it means I can make things just like I want, but then it is hard to settle for less than perfect when I don't have time to sew.

Prefold Diapers

2010-12-29T13:58:00.000-08:00

Prefold Diapers are a great place to start for beginners, since they are so inexpensive, hold up well in the wash, and if you just tri-fold them in a cover are very easy to use.

This is my experience with several different types:

Gerber-
These are the first we used. Everyone says they are not good enough to actually use as diapers, but they were absorbent enough for Efrim up to about 5 mos. They are 10 for $10 at WalMart, and stay soft after a lot of washing (we only had ten most of this time).

Dappi-
First I ordered the regulars (12 for $6.99). These are 2x4x2, so they are of course totally useless as a diaper. I made burp rags for my sister in law with them. Next I tried the extra absorbent ones because they are still only $7.99/dz. They worked well for Efrim until he started wetting more when my milk came in for Julian, but I would not recommend them for naps, overnight, or heavy wetters. Also they got really rough after about 2 months, but if you used fleece liners or something this wouldn't matter, and they are very trim. babybestbuy.com

Chinese Diaper Service Quality-
What a difference DSQ makes! Cottonbabies.com has the best price I can find on these ($24/dz for premium). We ordered even ordered regulars by mistake, which are 4x6x4 instead of 4x8x4, and they have worked great. These are my first choice for Julian. They are so soft and trim, and last him about 3 hrs in the day time, and 4 or 5 at night.

Indian DSQ-
Many sites have their own version of these, and most moms swear by Clotheez, from Greenmountaindiapers.com. I do like Clotheez, but I prefer Imagine, from Nickisdiapers.com because they are a bit cheaper, about an inch shorter (so they fit in all of Efrim's covers without folding over), and I actually think they a just a little bit softer. Either are good. I got organic, and they are my first choice for Efrim. Clotheez are $30/dz for organic mediums, and Imagine are $24/dz.

Econobum (One Size)-
I got 3 dozen of these as seconds for a very good price. If you order them in the kit they are about $1 a piece. They are crazy absorbent. I'm just not very big on one size. In medium and large covers Efrim still has to wear them sideways to fit the cover, so it is really bulky between his legs. Julian has some I trimmed the third section off, and while they are the same dimensions folded as the Chinese DSQ they are so much thicker. Also after about 6 months they are no longer very soft.

Fleece or Terry-
I would love to try some Bamboo or Hemp Fleece or Terry prefolds, since they take fewer layers for the same absorbency and the jersey is just so soft, but at $6-8 each it may be a while before I get some. Eventually though I'm going to order a bamboo 4 pack from Mandi's Menagerie on Hyenacart.com and will get a few hemp 3 layers from AMP whenever I get to try one of their duo pockets.

I trim all of my prefolds to fit lengthwise in a cover. If you use a wrap cover there is just no reason to bother with pinning, and I am not a big fan of the mess with pull on covers.

Hope this helps! Stay tuned for more cloth diaper how-to posts coming up.

What I really want to do

2010-10-25T10:37:00.000-07:00

In case you have been wondering where I am, I have spent the last couple of months pouring most of my time and energy into a two fold effort to prepare diapering needs for my soon to arrive son, and develop these items into something I can sell on Etsy, and later on my own website.

While I feel like God is really doing something in this and has a plan, I am becoming very frustrated. So far, this is looking nothing like what it is supposed to. Instead of doing what I want to do, I am spending a lot of time doing things I desperately don't want to do. What I don't want to do is spend hours at my sewing machine looking at the wall while my son plays behind me. I really don't want to sew for a living at all. I am sick of spending all of my time making diaper covers that turn out ugly and leave scratches and strawberries on Efrim's thighs. I need a break from trying to make this work without time, money, or necessary sewing skills.

I decided to take a new approach, and try to figure out what it is I do want to be doing. This is what I came up with.

1. Sell products I really like that are already being made
Particularly WAHM made products
2. Design products I want that are not being made
Fair Trade Manufacturing
3. Emphasize affordability and environmental responsibility
Can Dappi add an Organic Line?
Can I make existing products more affordably?
4. Sell these products through local consultants providing a holistic products and services package including education and support.
Consultant Compensation and Hostess Benefits
5. Form a network of relationships among families living out these Kingdom principles.
The bottom line is the make doing the right thing easier by providing quality affordable products, and providing the support to make using them easier within the context of relationships that point to Christ as the reason for our lifestyle.

Family UnPlanning, nearly 9months later

2010-10-15T10:36:00.000-07:00

As Julian's arrival draws nearer and nearer, family and friends keep making subtle remarks hoping a third does not follow too closely behind. So I thought I would give an update on where we are with all of this.

Oddly enough, almost as soon as we had conceived Julian, RJ and I felt that for the long term, trusting God should not involve so much a perpetual wandering in the dark, or a free fall, so much as a relationship. Not that this was new concept, but it threw family unplanning into a new light for us.

My belief that contraceptive medication is potentially abortifacient, harmful to a woman's health has not changed. The effect of these drugs is so harmful and unnatural to a woman's body. If anything has become clear to me during my life long health struggles it is that the most natural methods of working harmoniously with our body are best. Aside from my undeniable aversion to making my body inhospitable to new life, I believe that it is sinful to put things in my body that cause it to act contrary to its own natural and healthy processes.

Furthermore, I am still very uncomfortable with using a condom. I feel very strongly that this interrupts God's intended purpose for our marriage relationship. Once I started prayerfully along this journey I would be so convicted that I felt physically ill every time we used this method of birth control.

What has changed is my perspective on natural family planning. It feels so right to me for a couple to work prayerfully in harmony with their bodies' natural processes to space children as the Lord leads them. This requires us, not in some noble free fall into faith, but in a daily conversation with God, to trust his guiding in the area of our family growth and child spacing.

So this is where we are;

I am confident that, at the time of Julian's conception, God was moving strongly in RJ and I's hearts, leading us to trust him with the spacing of our children, and the result of that was this new life. This pregnancy is not an accident, or the result of naive and foolish piety, but submission to God's guidance in our lives.

I believe that the first part of God's plan for child spacing is natural mothering, or what some call ecological breastfeeding. God made my body in such a way, that when I respond intuitively to my baby's needs, and take primary responsibility for caring for and bonding with him, it will wait to allow the conception of another child until this one is old enough to meet his own needs more independently.

This said, following this model strictly in modern society can be very demanding, and our bodies' imperfect health in a fallen world sometimes keep them from functioning as they were made to. Additionally we live in a culture where serving God often means a very limited income in a very material society. Because of these things we intend to carefully watch for signs of returning fertility. If it appears that my body will return to fertility before we are at peace about bringing a new life into our family, we will use the sympto-thermal method of natural family planning, which is much more scientifically reliable than the calendar or rhythm method most former generations are aware of, to abstain during fertile times, until we again feel God calling us to make room for one more.

Telling the right story

2010-09-03T11:14:00.000-07:00

It is no secret that RJ and I are barely making it right now. I really don't want to talk about it that much, to advertise, or place our burdens on other people as well, but it seems to always come out like word vomit.

It is just so much of what occupies my mind lately. I really try to play it down, because we are okay, but the wrong words always come out. In the midst of another story last night I mentioned not liking to leave leftovers at restaurants because we rarely have enough food at home. My mom sent me home with all of the leftovers in their refrigerator. I hate when this happens.

This is the real story. When I balance our checkbook these days, or sit down to pay bills on pay day, it is very discouraging. We seem to have an impossibly small amount left over every time. It is true that I cut our list down to nothing and we went to the grocery store the other night with $15 plus WIC (which made up the difference on a $42 tab). Our refrigerator was almost completely empty when we left home.

BUT

God truly does provide our daily bread. I often do not know what we are going to eat tomorrow, but even with an insatiable toddler and a pregnant woman at home all day we never go without a meal.

Why is this not the story that pours out when I am talking to people? I honestly don't want our choices to become a financial burden on our family and friends. If I tell you that we are broke, it is just because "being careful" is what's in my head all day. It si hard having conversations with people and they say, "Well you just need (ant poison, baby benadryl, vitamins, camera charger, a date...)" and having to fess up that we have $0, without them feeling like they should help. I want to be better at sharing that WE ARE OKAY. God provides our every need. And sometimes my parents help, bless them. I wish we were not an additional strain on their own tight budget. I don't want them to give us money, but then I sometimes don;t know what we would do without it. Sometimes God provides for our needs in ways that make us uncomfortably humble, but that is not my story today.

Do you ever find yourself telling the tough part of a story, and never managing to fit in the part where God saves the day, ever day? Why is it so hard for us to get this part out?

Where I am right now pt. 2

2010-09-03T10:58:00.000-07:00

Our Family

So many things are going on right now.

Mary Beth moved in when school started and the other roommates moved to campus. We miss Leah, but Mary Beth is like family.

RJ starts working at Dominoes tonight. He is working 9am-2am today and tomorrow. He is going to be so tired and we are going to be so lonely. But being able to buy vitamins and waterproof nylon when he get's paid will be pretty nice.

He also turned in a resume and portfolio to Willie's Tees yesterday. This is a t-shirt printing company in town who is looking for a new graphic designer. This would be a real, full time, normal hours, degree using, grown-up job. He is pretty nervous, but I know he will do great if he gets this job.

I can't wait! I would get to see him more often. He would have more energy, and we would maybe even have enough money to do fun things every once in a while. I try not to be materialistic, but a date would be wonderful, and honestly I would really enjoy a modest shopping trip. Nothing out of control, but we could get Julian's pajamas, a Cabbage Patch Doll to give Efrim when the baby comes, and a few winter clothes for me. It would just be fun to walk around shopping together without saying no all the time. I don't know what RJ would spend money on if we had a little extra. He has pretty simple tastes, and a closet full of clothes.

Another possibility (once we pay off our minor medical loans and RJ's wedding suits) would be applying for an internship at World Hunger relief. This would be a little way off, since we really need for him to work a job that pays money for a little while and have some sort of savings. We need cushion in general, and it would especially be wise to have the $2500 for another baby put up before we get pregnant, definitely before we commit to a nonpaying position for a year.

It hope to have my Etsy shop up in the next week or two. I have some more sewing to do, and then I need a friend to come help me take pictures to get things posted. Hopefully RJ can help me make a cute banner, and then I can join the Etsy Cloth Diaper Group, which will list me in their directory for free.

Of course, now that I am in my last trimester, it is really crunch time to start getting everything ready for Julian's arrival. We have to buy the supplies kit, make bedding, and make sure he has sufficient warm pajamas and diapers waiting. I am trying not to get too excited just yet, or the wait will seem interminable. (but it's pretty hard, when he is wiggling so much, I just want to kiss his cute face.) Plus there is so much to do.

Since I am alone all day, my first instinct is to call and make plans with someone, but I think today is going to be my day to organize my thoughts on all of the things that need to be done. If I am lonely tomorrow I will find someone to do something with.

Acts 3 and 4

2010-09-01T08:54:00.000-07:00

We tend to focus on Acts 1 and 2 when we are learning about the early church, but have you read chapters 3 and 4? They will blow your mind. Clearly I have read these before, since there are several passages underlined, but I wonder if I have ever read the whole story together before. You should read it for yourself before you go on to my commentary.

Peter and John are going to the temple, this is not that remarkable an act in itself, it was a normal practice of Jewish people and the early believers as well. So they were just following their normal routine when they are stopped by this man who is crippled. It says he is put in this place every day. Suddenly I read this short little story as I would a letter or e-mail from PLC. This is a real person, with a heartbreaking story of captivity to his physical brokenness.

When he asks them for money, which he is accustomed to doing, this is his only way to live, They reply that they have none. This is easily skipped over when I have heard it before, but when you reach the end of chapter 4 you will see that there is so much more to this statement than meets the eye. Instead they give him something better. Can you imagine, if you got a letter in the mail about a child dying of heart disease, the pain tearing their family apart, and you were able to give them something better than money?

Peter heals the man and he goes walking around, people are naturally astonished, and Peter responds to them, "It is Jesus' name, and the faith that comes through him that has given this complete healing to him." Some times we try to make things so complicated, but all of the power is in knowing Jesus. Peter goes on to share a powerful gospel message with the people who are gathered around, and the scripture says that, in spite of guards coming in to bring Peter and John before the religious officials, many believed- probably several hundred since in addition to the 3,000 from Pentecost, and those who the Lord had been adding to their number daily the total is now counted at 5,000.

When Peter and John appear before the Sanhedrin, and are questioned about their behavior, they are given words by the Holy Spirit, just as Jesus promised in Luke 12:11-12. Thank goodness. Annas and Caiaphas are sitting right before them. These men crucified Jesus probably less than 2 months ago. Can you imagine what they would have said if they had prepared something on their own? Probably not something very spiritual and uplifting. However, through the power of the Holy Spirit, Peter again shares the gospel, very simply. The Sanhedrin are appalled that after killing Jesus to keep themselves safe from Roman suspicion of rebellion, people are still calling attention to his name. They threaten John and Peter, but are not sure what to do because so many people are excited about the miracle which they have seen.

This is the part I have never noticed before, even though I have a few verses in it underlined. Although we are given insight into the thinking of the Sanhedrin and their bewilderment, Peter and John clearly did not see their threats as empty, in light of the persecution that follows shortly, neither should we. They go back to the other believers very aware that, although they know that God has given them a word to share, the threat is very great if they do so. So they pray.

Their prayer goes something like this:

Lord, you are all powerful, you made everything, and you control it all, you even knew that this would happen. So why does everyone still plot against you? It seems like every earthly ruler has taken a stand against the name of Jesus, all that we stand for.

As a matter of fact they just killed him, and you allowed them to do it.

So, Father, consider all of the things against us now, all of the threat that we face. We don't pray that you remove these dangers, Lord, but that you give us boldness to act in spite of them and continue to reach out and heal people in ways that cannot be denied.

And he did, and they did. They were again filled with the Holy Spirit, just as they had been a few days before at Pentecost (so this is not a one time thing, the church is to pray for and receive this filling over and over), and they went out and spoke the words he had given them boldly- in the face of every kind of threat and opposition.

Is this not where we are today? We can gather in our churches and live a life that looks close enough to following Jesus, but is not offensive to anyone. Everyone will like us, and we can all be happy. But the truth is that Jesus, the truth about him and all that his life means, is a stumbling block. If we place the truth before people they will fall, either in submission or defeat. If we live as Jesus truly called us to live, people around us will be offended in one way or another. If we truly follow Christ we are surrounded by threat.

Will we ask the Holy Spirit for the boldness to live the word that God has given us in the face of all that is in opposition to his truth?

I think the next bit is there just to show how radically opposite they were to those around them, how much their obedience was likely to draw attention all on it's own. It says, "No one claimed that any of his possessions was his own, but they shared everything they had."..."There were no needy persons among them." In a culture, that just like our own, revolved around an economy of want and consumption, where the money was the god, Peter truly had no silver or gold. I think a lot of time we pass over verse 3:6, because it is not uncommon for us not to have any cash on our person, or even to "be low on funds". But this is not a day of checking accounts and debit cards. If Peter had no silver or gold, he really had no financial possessions. It was all given to the collective body. They met a man who's only hope was money to spend, and gave him instead a father who owns the cattle on a thousand hills, actually on every hill. Today as our financial burden seems impossible to bear, and resentfully it seems that is sometimes all we ever have to think about, this means everything.

This is another way in which God both made the believers so offensive to the culture around them, and simultaneously made them immune to it. They had nothing to lose.

I always end up with no words to explain. Just read it for yourself and see the power of knowing (the name) Jesus, and the Kingdom that is born in the hearts of those who believe.

Where I am right now. pt 1

2010-08-31T09:40:00.000-07:00

So, I am obviously never going to be a consistently interesting blogger. I just don't have that much to say,and so I get busy and drop off for long periods. Sorry, this is my life.

So I just wanted to update you about what exciting hings are happening in my life/family/church.

Life- God has just been speaking to me so much lately. Not in clear things I can explain to you, for the most part, but giving me a hunger and filling it, in a way that hasn't happened in a while.Two main things;

I am so hungry to be a believing person. This is a phrase made up by a friend, Brian. His wife Hailey spent several months living in a 24/7 prayer community home. He will start a story by saying that the group is somewhat charismatic, but then correct himself by saying that they are believing people. They pray with boldness, confidence and power, believing that God not only can, but will, answer them. This is something I want so badly in my own life.

I have been convicted that my spirit does not show the truth of who God is. I believe in my head all of these things about his compassion, his joy, his extravagant care for people. Everyone we know says that when they visit our friend's Bill and Leslie's antique shop like they are the favorite customers. I want people to feel like that when they enter my home. I want to spend my day glorifying God, even if it's just to my one year old as I fold laundry. Bust so often I feel so tired and humdrum, or when people come over I am so shy and intimidated by them

Basically I try so hard to achieve these things, but seem to always fall short. At least I am making progress by believing that if I ask God to help me glorify him, he will do so.

Saturday morning I went to a worship service at the school, where a friend, Brooke Holloway, spoke on the Holy Spirit. And here all of the pieces started to come together. She read Acts 1:8, the focus verse for the weekend event she was preaching at, and then asked us to write down our experience of the Holy Spirit. I realized I know the Holy Spirit who is a comforter and a counselor, but I have never known the Holy Spirit who brings power. (note: I am not saying here that these are two different spirits, but rather using the word know in reference to personal acquaintance. I have not experienced the Holy Spirit who give us power to follow God's plan) I need his power to believe when I pray, and I need to be filled with his fruit to be able to pour it out on others.

Since I have been wanting a guided Bible study for a while, I am reading through the New Testament either acknowledging my experiences with a certain aspect of the Spirit of God, or praying to experience (know) him in this way. I would encourage you to join me. We can not be his witnesses until we are filled with his breath.

Clothes, again

2010-08-18T08:51:00.000-07:00

Today I want to suspend reality for a minute and talk about the things I would have to wear if we had the money or the time to sew.

At home:

First of all, I have been obsessed with these pajamas since Gabrielle posted about them on DesignMom. I want them in every color they come in. I have a pattern that I could make them with, but I never actually get around to sewing with Efrim under foot and the dishes and laundry constantly piling up. Either way I want about 4 outfits like this for wearing around the house.

Also these pants would be great for mixing with any shirt, especially with plain logo tees when I don't feel like looking so girly.

Delia*s has the best logo tees.

This one reminds me of my favorite shirt growing up. I don't really care anything about basketball, but the color is amazing.

Looking pretty:

I have to start with jeans. I have this determined plan to get in shape after Julian comes and I am going to reward myself with a pair of really sexy jeans. I'm not sure where they will come from, but I will look until I find them.

I like dresses. Pretty much any cute black dress will do, but I especially love this one from Victoria's Secret. They pretty much have the best knit dresses. Huge selection, reasonably priced.

I really want a Little Star Dress from Emersonmade too. Somewhat less affordable.

Lastly I love the look of v-tee and dirndl skirt in black and white (white tee/black skirt or black tee/black and white floral skirt) with bright jewelry and lady like shoes. so simple, so comfy, so classy.

Untitled by AddieLore featuring Yves Saint Laurent skirts

A few more cute dresses:

My friend Hailey is the master of dresses and jeans. I can never make it look as cute as she does.

Dreaming

2010-07-29T11:26:00.000-07:00

This is a polyvore set I made a long time ago. Ever since Chris and Shannon's wedding it seems like anything is possible and I've been dreaming again. It reminds me of this family that the guys live with in Dharma Bums, and I love it.

Where I want to live... by AddieLore featuring Manhattan Portage bags

Emersonmade

2010-07-28T13:06:00.000-07:00

I am pretty sure I have posted about Emersonmade before, but I have one question; Can I be Emerson when I grow up?

Make Grow Gather just had a post featuring her favorite summer day.

Her and her husband live on a farm in New Hampshire and she has the most amazing style.

Design Sponge just covered her in a Sneak Peek.

You can check out her home made flowers and new line of clothing at her store here>

Or find even more images at her blog here>

2010-07-28T10:51:00.000-07:00

Love these WWII food posters at the Smithsonian. Linked by Food Renegade, who just had a beautiful baby!

Children are a Blessing

2010-07-28T08:00:00.000-07:00

I just wrote a long entry on here, that I couldn't post. When I am hurt it is so easy for me to act just as sinful and unloving as those who have hurt me.`

Lately I feel I am so surrounded by people who despise babies. Why is this so culturally acceptable? In a culture where almost any kind of -ism is detestable, where a person is shunned for disliking poor people, or people of a different color or sex than themselves, or old people, it is perfectly acceptable to be repulsed by small children, and to tell their parents so.

The other night we were at my sister's house with a large crowd for the birthday of a friend. Efrim is going through this phase where he plays with his food; putting it into, and spitting it out of his mouth. We are doing our best to teach him this is unacceptable, and progress is being made. Meanwhile, at this party, my husband is sitting on the couch with a young married couple. They grew up in a Christian private school together and were high school sweethearts, married a few months ago. The type of couple who everyone lauds for saving sex for marriage, because this is it's proper place. When Efrim spit out a mandarin orange offered to him by my sister, the young man literally gagged and said, "Let's not have one." As everyone in the room begins to laugh and agree with this, I am becoming more infuriated, when my sweet husband says, with no judgment, only as a testimony. Babies are fun, they are a blessing, you should have one."

Does anyone else face this? Do you have close friends putting off children until who knows when, or if they'll even be able to conceive, once they finally are "ready", because one or both of them find children repulsive, badly behaved, or just too inconvenient? Do you, no matter how you try, take it personally?

Over and over people act as if I am a saint for tolerating things like the drool of a teething six month old. They don't really think I am a saint. They think it is disgusting. My sweet child gives them shivers and makes them gag. But God says children are a blessing. He made them, and we all used to be one. Can we stop acting like this is a matter of personal preference, and say that it is rude and wrong?

Parenting- Still Thinking

2010-07-26T13:55:00.000-07:00

I have been looking around a lot today and want to clarify where I am on this.

I do not hate James Dobson's methods. I do not think that Michael and Debi Pearl are responsible for those people beating their 2 year old little girl to death, and I don't think there is anything morally wrong with scheduling the sleep patterns of an infant or training them to sleep through the night early on. I do not find any scriptures which prohibit spanking in letter or in spirit. Rather I find that the spirit of the scriptures leans toward strict, albeit richly loving, parenting. I do not think it is wrong to let your child cry on occasion.

On the other hand:

While I did not lose trust in my Dobson style parents, I never felt like they trusted me. Although it is clear that Michael and Debi Pearl have a wonderful living relationship with their adult children, I wonder what this relationship was like when the children were 2 or 3.
I tried Babywise and my first son fought being scheduled in any shape or form tooth and nail, did not sleep through the night until he was 7 mos old, and still will not sit still/stay awake for a full feeding.

The children whose behavior I find pleasing have very strict, yet mostly very loving parents. The children whom I cannot stand to be around have parents who do not believe in spanking, or letting their children cry.

I believe that you can spank your children without what many Gentle Christian Mothering Forum users call a combative or us vs. them mentality. I believe that you can occasionally let a small child cry, especially when they are throwing a fit, without losing their trust. I do not agree with those who do not think a child has any reasoning capabilities until he is 8 or 9 months old. I have seen a ten month old intentionally manipulate his mother with my own eyes. While it may be nonsense to strictly "schedule" an infant, I certainly agree with the Ezzos that babies are happier when their parents show that they are in control of the situation, and are insecure and miserable when they are expected to set their own routines and anticipate their own needs. Again, I have seen it.

I know that God is a very strict God, with very particular rules and high standards for our behavior. I also know that he is infinitely loving and tender; never breaking our spirits or breaking our wills, and forgiving to the point of suffering our punishment in our stead.

A terrific resource, at last

2010-07-26T13:43:00.000-07:00

Efrim eats so much! He eats constantly and yet remains in the lowest size bracket for his age. You would think he was starving.

On the other hand, they say that a baby's stomach is the size of their hand, and they shouldn't eat more than that at a sitting. Oops. He usually eat way more than a baby fist size.

Since my June WIC meeting was about portion control I have been looking for information on changing portion sizes and dietary needs of young children. WIC gave me a plate with children's portion sizes explained on it, but I was pretty sure that they were different than what my 10 month old should be eating, and I figured these amounts change pretty often at such a young age when they are growing so fast.

Saturday I finally sat down and looked on BabyCenter. This website is so amazing as a comprehensive resource. I almost always start here when I have a question. After a search I finally found one community forum entry asking for resources on infant/toddler portion sizes and one mother responded with this link:

USDA Food and Nutrition Service Child and Adult Care Meal Program Meal Patterns

Sounds complicated, but it's just the guidelines for what day cares, nursing homes, and other care providers should include in meals in order to meet proper dietary guidelines and get government reimbursement if they qualify. This was so helpful!

I copied down a simplified version of the information and made a chart to record what I feed Efrim for the next three weeks (until his birthday) just to get in the habit of being more aware, and to see how his diet actually measures up. Like I said in the previous post; I like to be super organized and methodical. Usually though this only applies to the planning process and our reality is much more organic and messy.

Creative Photo Ideas

2010-07-26T11:46:00.000-07:00

With Efrim our photo-journalism has been very random and sporadic. We have lots of pictures of some times and few of others. I have tried, somewhat unsuccessfully, to at least get a picture of him on every month birthday.

Those of you that know me, however, know that I am a very methodical person and like to always have a plan. I have worked little by little on developing more organized systems of recording our families growth in photos.

All this to introduce these two cute ideas for recording a baby's monthly growth in the first year.

I love basically everything that Ruby Ellen Bratcher does on Cakies. Their family is the most adorable and creative.

Soul and Boogie: 7 months. I presume Boogie is the name of the chair.

This I found while researching birthday party ideas for Efrim on PartyPerfect. What a cute little boy with his little numbered ties. Of course RJ would prefer bow ties.

Discipling Your Children

2010-07-23T09:13:00.000-07:00

As I have been reading parenting books the last year or so, I feel I end up with more questions than answers.

I have read To Train Up A Child and Home Grown Kids, skimmed James Dobson's Answer Book, and started Parenting Isn't for Cowards.

The James Dobson books were given to me by my mother. I won't go into all of the reasons why I read his work skeptically here, but I have not been bothered by anything I have read so far in these books.

This is my dilemma: I love to be around families where older children are respectful and obedient. I am inspired to be around teenagers who are so much more godly than many adults I know. I crave this for my children. However, in the books I have read where this is the goal of parenting, so much focus is placed on a child's strong will, quest for power, and sinful nature. While I don't dispute that these are facts, I dislike the attitude that this builds between my child and I.

Efrim is 11 mos. old. Can anyone tell me how to train him to follow God and grow in godliness without regarding our relationship as a battlefield? Efrim is very strong willed, already, and so often I find discipline taking over our whole life together. I had a relationship with my mother that looked very much like this, and while I have grown and been blessed by the things she taught me, and we have a good relationship now, I don't want that for my family. I want to have joy in our relationship now, not only in 20 years.

Can anyone tell me how this is possible? I know it has to be, because I know the way that God loves us, and I believe he wants this for us.

Baby Wise

2010-07-23T09:04:00.000-07:00

I wanted to post a little note on a couple of the links.

I was really encouraged by reading Jessica's post on using the Babywise system with her newest little boy, Moses.

We tried this system with Efrim and it went terribly for us. Efrim never would nurse for more than 15 minutes or so, and always wanted to eat again immediately. He would always fall asleep while nursing and if we woke him up he wouldn't go down for a nap later.

I think we will try again with Julian, but Jessica's perspective helped me realize that it is the order that is important, not having a schedule.

We also will have to figure out how this fits in with the Ecological Breastfeeding model described in Natural Family Planning literature, since this is something we really want to try. While we trust God with the spacing of our children and are open to having many little ones around, I would really like to be unpregnant longer than 6 months this time. It is not the babies, but the pregnancy that wears me out.

So pray for us as we weigh all of these important decisions about our newborn's care and our family, and I will keep you posted about our thought processes and the results.

Mothering Links

2010-07-23T08:49:00.000-07:00

This blog has so many interesting posts. Most of them are ahead of where I am right now, but the food for thought is fantastic. After all, it is best to know how to live with 3 or 4 little children BEFORE you have them all.

Large Family Mothering:
Life with little kids
The Herding Principle
Pregnant Life

I have been reading Jessica's blog for over a year now, and am always so encouraged by her practical how to posts with lots of little ones. This latest entry makes me so ready to meet Julian, but I can wait 4 months until he is ready.

Making Home:
Preparing for Baby #4
Preparing for Baby #5
Chronicling Babywise

This is a blog my friend referred me to recently. This is the kind of post you want to take your time with.

Passionate Homemaking:
Training Little Disciples

Life is more important than food

2010-07-23T07:55:00.001-07:00

I want to close this series by giving some perspective on where I am in this process personally. All of this stems from my belief that every decision we make, no matter how mundane, has spiritual meaning, even how we eat. In 1 Corinthians that if we are a believer, our body is a temple of God. A large portion of the Old Testament is a law that was laid out for the children of Israel, I believe mostly for the purpose of showing them and us that everything we do is important to God, and also that we can never do enough right. So I do my best to make choices in every part of my life that honor God, that fulfill his true purpose for me, and that bring glory to him and spread his kingdom, but I do all of this knowing that I can never get everything right. Christ came adn died so that I have freedom from the impossible standard of being all that God created me to be as long as I live on this earth. So here are two important things I have been learning on this journey:

1. Ultimately we have to understand that God is in control.With so many varying opinions, among experts and scientists even, about what is the best nutrition, The best any of us can do is make the choice that seems best withthe knowledge and wisdom we have been entrusted with, and follow it to the best of our ability, trusting that God's grace is enough to bring good from our efforts. At the end of the day it is God who gives us health and sustains us, and it is our hearts that he judges.

2. In Matthew 6 and Luke 12 Jesus tells us not to be anxious about our bodies. "Life is more important that food", he says.Although we all understand that food is necessary for life, and keeping in mind the principles of stewardship listed above, we need to remember that we honor God by living abundant and joyful lives, enjoying his creation, not by doing everything right to the letter. This means that while I should definitely do my best to provide nutrition for my family, even bringing food from far away, like the Proverbs 31 woman, Our diet should never overwhelm or burden me. If I ever become a slave to our nutrition, instead of to God and his kingdom, something is very wrong in my spirit, even if we are doing everything right.

Raw and Lacto-Fermented Foods

2010-07-23T07:54:00.000-07:00

I have very little to say here. I guess that most of you are aware of what a raw food is, and are aware that more nutrients are available in fresh fruits and veggies before they are cooked than after. It is just a matter of the effort to find a source for organic varieties and incorporate more of them into your diet.

As far as lacto-fermenting is concerned, all of the "real food" and "nourishing" websites have me sold that they are tremendous for your health, and a terrific alternative to modern canning methods, but until I can afford to buy Nourishing Traditions I have very little information about what exactly this means or how the process works.

Dr. Price discovered that in traditional cultures, people ate 60-80% of their diet from raw and lacto-fermented foods. Start with what is a reasonable goal for you and work your way up.

Grass fed, Pastured, and/or Wild caught Meats

2010-07-19T09:55:00.000-07:00

This may be where we start getting more controversial. the majority of diets in our current culture will tell you that most meat is bad for you and too high in fat. Eat chicken if you must, but certainly not beef or pork. Fish is also considered okay if you call it a meat (I'm not sure why so many people don't). However, research shows that on the contrary to many popular ideas we do need the nutrients that are in meat. What is killing us is all of the unnatural ingredients given to animals to keep them "healthy" outside of their natural environment so that they can produce an enormous amount of meat at the most efficient rate. Just like toxins in the human body animals store these growth hormones, antibiotics, and pesticides in the large fat reserves that result from a mostly grain diet. That is why traditional research will show that high fat meat is so dangerous to us. It's not the fat itself, although I am sure we could all use less of it, but the chemical poisons in the fat. We need meat, but we are eating the wrong kind of meat. I know it is not easy to come buy in certain areas (erhem, central Texas) but what we need is a moderate amount of beef, chicken, pork, and especially wish that is not only raised, but finished in a natural habitat. Grass fed beef, free range chicken, pastured pork, and wild caught, short life span fish. (short life span relates to how much mercury is built up). Also in most of Dr. Price's healthy cultures people ate at least 10% of their protein from organ meat. This will take me some getting used to, but it surely something I can handle.

This is not to discredit legumes and nuts as a source of protein, since they are excellent, only to say that we do need meat too as long as we are careful of it's source.

Dairy. Dairy too has gotten a bad reputation in modern diet trends, and we try to substitute for it or at least cut out all the fat we can. Here I could repeat most of what I said about meat, only that with dairy there is, in addition to how the animals are raised, an issue of pasteurization. Pasteurization, or rapid heating to kill dangerous micro organisms, hardly seems like a bad thing. In fact, at the time it was invented, before knowledge of infectious disease and sanitation was widespread, it was a lifesaver. However, in our present age, of high sanitation standards, pasteurization is only necessary to kill pathogens resulting from poor living conditions in highly industrialized over packed dairies. Raw milk from organic dairies is consumed safely all over the world. Unfortunately this is even harder to come by than pastured meat, since there are still a lot of misunderstandings. Work to find a source for raw dairy products and eggs, and campaign to make them more available in your area, but if this is unavailable to you at least make the switch to organic. The health of your family is more than worth it.

Excitement!

2010-07-15T09:26:00.000-07:00

Tent Revival Supply Co. News Flash:

My materials are in the mail and I did a scale drawing of my patterns last night, which I will cut out today from poster board. I am SO excited! (that exact sentence is in my journal entry at least three times.)

I have set four goals for myself.

August 1
Have tester kits together for Cheri (boy, small), Rebekah (1 boy, 1 girl, smalls), and Melissa (girl large). Include Instructions page and survey.

September 1
Have Julian's stash together with 6 neutral and 6 bright covers, plus 2 dozen inserts. Also make 12 doublers for Efrim.

November 1
Have Etsy shop up and running with the following products.

1. Organic Knit Cover
2. Bright Cover
3. Tester Kit
4. Complete Kit
5. Dozen Inserts
6. 3 Doublers

February 1
Add to shop.

definitely
1. Dozen Wipes
2. Wet Bag
3. Pail Liner
4. Diaper Bag

maybe
5. Stroller Bag/Changing Pad Clutch
6. Pouch Sling
7. Travel High Chair Ties
8. Diaper Shirts

This is going to require a realignment of my weekly chore rotation.

Refined Sugar and Flour

2010-07-15T09:24:00.000-07:00

This is a huge one for me. You can do your own research and find out that basically refined white sugar and refined white flour are poison. They are so high on the glycemic index that they create a huge blood sugar spike and through all of our endocrine system (hormones that regulate all of your internal functions and equilibrium) into chaos. No wonder we all feel like crap all the time. These are are both, at least for me, the most important and most difficult to change.

Sugar. When we start talking about eliminating sugar from our diet everyone's first thought is to what we are going to replace it with. There are some options, but if you are thinking this way I think you are setting yourself up for failure. We are way too dependent on sweets in the US (and I am the worst) and what we call a sweet tooth is actually an addiction, where our bodies will require more and more to be satisfied. It may be like getting off drugs for some people, but we have to break our addiction before we do anything else. In the end most of your sugars should come from plain raw fruit, with a little bit from whole cane products for a treat. I can go into a choice by choice explanation of what's wrong with other options, but you can find it a hundred other places. Basically anything that is modified using high heat or enzymes is something your body doesn't need. Honey is the most popular substitute, but it is 96% simple sugars, so while it is a natural product it will still cause your blood sugar to spike and fall.

Grains. Most of us know we should be eating whole grains instead of white flour, but we probably aren't very good at it, especially for deserts or when eating out. What we also don't know is that whole grains come with their own set of problems. In the Bran of the grain are "anti-nutrients" which keep us from getting the whole benefit from this food. The solution is to soak or sprout flours (I hadn't ever heard of this either) like people have been doing for centuries. This turns the grain into something like a vegetable which our body digests much more easily. There is a wealth of information on how to do this yourself, or if you can afford it there are grain products available (like Ezekiel Bread) that are made with sprouted grains. However for most of us, this is going to be a really long process of transition and experimenting. In the mean time please eat whole grains. They are still so much better for you than white. I think the biggest part of this whole type of diet is to quit compromising on the things we already know. We can't start trying unusual things until we are willing to commit to what we already know is best for us, and make use of the good nutrition that is already available to us.

Did I mention that many people who have trouble digesting grains, and resultant health conditions like Celiac Disease, often have no trouble eating sprouted grains?! This is enough good news to convince me.

Market Research

2010-07-12T08:20:00.000-07:00

Without going into boring ad nauseam detail, or giving away too much about our product, I wanted to share with you a few exciting products I found this week while perusing the cloth diapering world for Market Research.

Envibums

This is a really amazing company. I am intrigued more by their business model than by their product although the design is really cute. These ladies give $2 from the sale of each all-in-one diaper to a specific cause which is incorporated into the design of that diaper. Their bright solid colors and simple velcro symbols create a really neat look, and I love that they took something practical (the lap velcro to fit a smaller baby) and incorporated it intentionally into a great design. They also make covers, and for every one purchased, they donate one to a mom in need. They have really incorporated the giving back lifestyle very holistically into their product line in a very innovative way. These look pretty bulky, and I'm not a fan of one-size diapers or all-in-ones, but I think they are definitely worth a try.

Tiny gPants

You have all heard on here how we had so many problems with this company initially. After further reflection, a lot of our problems did result from having a seriously deficient stash. In any case, there are some things I really like about this new product. This newborn diaper has fabric sewn to the nylon waterproof liner, which should eliminate the issue of the crummy elastic. Because gDiapers uses nylon instead of PUL, this should be a very trim option for tiny babies, and while they still use velcro I really don't know of another option for newborns. Snaps would just be too bulky. The awesome thing is that these still use the inserts for a small gPant, so if you invest in gCloth, the really expensive part of their system, or if you make your own like I did, they will still fit in a small cover. The deciding factor will be their affordability. Right now tiny gPants are only available in the large gift pack which includes 12 pair. When they finally become available individually we will see whether this is a reasonable price for a product you will only use for about 6 weeks.

SoftBums

Every time I search for cloth diapers I find a new online store and more companies I have never heard of. There are so many different options and some are only carried by one or two stores. These unique one-size diapers are supposed to be very slim, and they adjust with a hidden drawstring instead of fold over snap layers, which I like a lot. They are called an all-in-two system, but I find that most people who use this name are actually just an all-in-one with a removable insert, because the cover is cloth inside and will get wet or dirty and not be reusable. This is another brand I think is worth trying though. Their covers come with three inserts and a doubler a piece, which makes a lot more sense than covers that come with one, so they obviously believe that their cover can be re-used.

GroVia

The only company I have found with more options than CottonBabies. In addition to all-in-one, cover and insert, and hybrid varieties, this company also manufactures a bio-disposable. There are a few other things that set this company apart though. They have very high standards of production and incorporate more organic fabrics in their products. It is always strange to me that so few cloth diapering companies are organic/sustainable. I guess it just shows that most people are in this for economic more than ecological reasons. I really love a company that offers both. When most companies offer higher ecological standards, it comes with a steep price tag, but this is not true of GroVia. Each of their diapering systems is priced competitively with other brands on the market. Finally, GroVia stands out to me because their branding and website are designed so well. This seems like a small thing, but so many diaper websites are created for such a niche market. I like a company that sets themselves on equal footing in the marketplace, it makes their product more appealing to those who aren't already looking for cloth diapers.

Additives and Modified Foods

2010-07-12T08:18:00.000-07:00

The first, most basic, and most urgent step is to get rid of chemically modified foods that have permeated our diet. These are unnatural ingredients that our bodies do not recognize or process as food, especially in the large quantities in which we have come to consume them. Specifically this means eating no hydrogenated oils, nothing high fructose, and no MSG, but the basic idea is to quit eating food with ingredients on the label you don't recognize and foods preserved with high amounts of sodium. Kristen at Food Renegade says you should ask yourself whether this food is something your great grandmother would recognize.

Healthy Natural Fats

This is related to the previous point, but worth expanding on. Any type of vegetable based oil is a modified food. It is a Polyunsaturated fat which your body does not recognize or know how to digest, so it just stores it as fat. Stick to butter, ghee, olive oil and other saturated or mono-unsaturated fats. More on why butter is okay later. But just trust me and quit eating fake fats.

Tent Revival Supply Co.

2010-07-11T10:32:00.000-07:00

For a long time I have been wanting to post about this dream that God has given me. For as long as I can remember I have been designing clothes and furnishings. When I was 9 I started actually labeling my work as fashion design, and when I was 11 my Granny got me a subscription to Vogue, and my education began.

Since going to college, my worldview has widened and my interests become more deep and complex, but my love of design has only grown. Through studying economics and aesthetics in Interdisciplinary Christian Thought, and reading The Beauty of Life by William Morris in Victorian Literature, my hobbies have taken on meaning. Design is about giving people an opportunity to participate in creativity in their everyday lives. It's about how beauty and creation draw us all nearer to God. And it's about the way that our lifestyle choices have spiritual meaning, and effect the lives of people around the world.

During my senior year in college, I took a course in Entrepreneurship, and wrote a business plan for a clothing company using organic and sustainable materials, and fair trade practices to make clothes for the mainstream culture. My idea was that ecological and human rights responsibility shouldn't be only for hippies.

Also at that time an idea began to grow as RJ and I learned more about a biblical theme of simplicity. We were reading works by Shane Claiborne and other New Monastics, but so much of their lifestyle seemed out of reach. While I believe that following Christ should always be radical, I also think it should be simple. That's when a phrase came to mind that I have heard my father say a thousand times. When he is talking about parenting, he refers to a horse trainer friend who says his job is to "Make the right thing easy, and the wrong thing hard." This is where everything starts to make sense for me.

While I don't think it's my job to make life heard for anyone, I believe that the easier it becomes to make the socially and ecologically responsible decision, the harder it becomes to ignore or make excuses for living the way of the ungodly world.

For now I am starting with cloth diapers. This is really practical since I am cloth diapering Efrim and will be adding another shortly, and I am dissatisfied with a lot of the products available to us. We will expand slowly to include a wider product range, making all of the things RJ and I enjoy creating and want to share with others. There are so many great opportunities that I dream of with this that one post cannot hold them all, but I hope to share with you my hopes and dreams, as well as some of the companies that inspire me, in the upcoming weeks, so stay tuned. For now here is our companies mission statement, or to the business world our "elevator pitch"

Beginning with a comprehensive range of cloth diapering products, Tent Revival Supply Co. seeks to make a simpler, more responsible lifestyle accessible to young families from all backgrounds.

Stability

2010-07-11T10:03:00.000-07:00

Over the past few years RJ and I have wrestled with the concept of Stability, as in the vows of St. Benedict. It seems that the most effective ministries take place when a missionary, a pastor, or a family makes a commitment to a community, and fully invests their lives there. At first this was hard for me because I grew up moving a lot and traveling constantly. I don't really like to stay in one place. But as I have been more convinced of the merit of investing one's self this way, and especially as my family grows, I find myself wanting to find a place to stay for a little while.

This is where so many questions begin to arise, mostly "where". It seems like so many things keep holding us in Brownwood. I wanted to stay until this baby comes, so we could stay with Betsy, and then this opportunity to minister from the Nexus Community Home (parsonage) has been such a blessing. But after being here for 6 years I still feel no attachment for this place. Nothing about it makes me want to stay here forever.

As I start to think about what we do like her, and what would make me and RJ want to stay some place, it really is all about the people who live there. More than anything else RJ and I want to live near the people we care about. We want to invest our lives in particular people.

What does that look like at our age when most of our friends are not settling down anywhere yet, and when they do they are more and more scattered? I guess only time will tell. We will stay here until God sets us free from the ties that bind us here, and then who knows? Maybe we will pack up all of our belongings and go on a trip like in Away We Go. We can prayerfully visit the cities of those dearest to us until, like Abraham, God tells us to stay.

Until then we will continue to build the relationships that God has given us, and see what doors he opens us. Ultimately I think the lesson is that, for us the opportunities to follow will be relationships, not jobs, even though that can be a little scary.

For the next few months I would like to have some of the people we hold most dear over to share a meal, and then I will share with you about the time we spent together, and even more importantly what inspires us about who these people are and what hey are passionate about.

Congratulations Chris & Shannon Taylor!

2010-07-11T09:35:00.000-07:00

Last weekend RJ and I along with many friends had the privilege of attending the "family union" of some of our best friends Chris Taylor and Shannon Kelly, in Denton, Texas. Their wedding ceremony was possibly the most beautiful event I have ever experienced, but more than that, the entire weekend was just overflowing with the Spirit of God, as we joined many wonderful friends to share in the love that Chris and Shannon have for one another and for God. It was one of those times when I could truly say, "My cup runneth over."

Chris has been one of our closest friends all throughout college, and as we have come to know Shannon more, I have fallen more in love with her beautiful spirit every time I see her. I cannot wait to share life with this beautiful family for many years to come.

Real Food/Nourishing Traditions

2010-07-11T08:20:00.000-07:00

I have been doing a lot of research lately on diet and nutrition. There is so much subjective information; So many PhDs in Nutrition and Professional dietitians have varying opinions on what is truly healthy. I think we all just have to find out what we believe makes the most sense in regards to stewardship of our family's health, and trust God with the outcome.

What makes the most sense to me is what some people call real food, others call slow food, and some call a nourishing lifestyle. Mostly it stems from the research of Dr. Weston A. Price, and the cookbook Nourishing Traditions, but there is oodles of scientific information to back it up. Basically Price got sick of his patients having more and more disease and went to research the cultures around the world where there was no diabetes, heart disease, or cancer. There are many around the world. What he found was that in these cultures the people ate for the most part the same diet as their ancestors had for generations. They had not added all of our modern convenience foods to their diet. He took note of what these diets looked like and Sally Fallon wrote a cookbook called, Nourishing Traditions, that pretty much encapsulates what this looks like. Over the next few days I will be posting about the main aspects of this type of diet. I hope you will find it informative and helpful. If you have any questions feel free to ask. I may not have the answer, but I would love to find it with you. If you find yourself offended or discouraged by the information presented, please know that that is not the intention and hang on until the end where I will sum up what God has been teaching me about what it looks like to care for our bodies out of faithfulness and devotion to him.

It's a BOY!

2010-07-11T08:18:00.001-07:00

This is just a little post to say: we had a sonogram on Friday and baby #2 is another boy. Julian Russell Barnett will be the sixth great grandson (with no granddaughters) on my mom's side of the family. Every one was really hoping it would finally be a girl this time, but I have a feeling that everyone is going to love this special little boy so much.

Moved!

2010-07-11T07:52:00.000-07:00

So we moved again! This has been a process, but it has been so long since I've posted it may come as a surprise.

The little apartment we were living in is owned by our friends Tristan and Melissa who are selling their place to move to Austin. We were looking for a new place and around the same time our pastor at Nexus resigned. Shane & Katy felt like it was time to move onto new things. When the parsonage became available the lead team at our church started thinking of things to do with it. We could rent it, but it has been a really good resource for the church to have a place for our ministers to live when they were in transition or needed a place. Also RJ and I have been doing our best to have our home always open to the congregation, but at our little apartment it was always very crowded. Since there is a new baby on the way we had been looking at two bedroom apartments, but it was going to be nearly impossible to afford.

All that to say, the lead team proposed to the church that RJ and I live here to make this resource available for the church to do ministry and to share life together, the church voted yes, and here we are! In a three bedroom house, with guests in the spares. Efrim will finally have a real room. We have so much space, and once we fix up some things (something we haven't been able to do in rented spaces) it is going to be so beautiful. We are so blessed.

Postal Protest

2010-05-29T17:14:00.000-07:00

At least once every couple of weeks I get a solicitation from Capital One in the mail. I did at my old house, even though RJ never did, and now we've moved and I still get it, and he still doesn't. This has been happening for over a year. The ridiculous part is that the back of the envelope says Please Recycle. As if the people who send me unwanted mail really care about the environmental impact of wasted paper.

So my mom has been telling me that my Papa says you should tear up the inside pieces and mail them back in the postage paid envelope. Supposedly they won't want to spend money on the postage if they're not getting business so they'll stop sending you things. Has anyone else ever heard of this? Have you tried it? I gave it a try today, but I have a few questions. Do they really care that much about wasted postage if they're already sending me unwanted mail on a regular basis, when I have never showed any interest in their product? If the papers are torn up are they really going to bother to find my name on it to take me off a list?

So next time I am writing a letter to send back. I am going to tell them how hypocritical it is for them to ask me to recycle when they are wasting so much paper. Also I am going to explain how the entire credit card system is a scam and the mindset that perpetuates it (of buying things I can't afford) is destroying our culture. Maybe they'll get annoyed and leave me alone. Maybe they'll even think about their policies, but I doubt it.

Toddler Room

2010-05-29T11:24:00.000-07:00

We don't really have any definite leads, but we have to find a place to move soon. Our friends will be selling the property we are renting by the end of June. This has got me thinking a lot about setting up a toddler room. We will be getting our first two bedroom apartment/house since Efrim is almost a year old, and Baby #2 is following shortly. Although Little Baby will share our room until Efrim grows into a big boy bed, I want to set the room up like it is for them both. I will finally make Efrim's quilt when I make the new one, and it will be on the big boy bed waiting for him.

Area #1 We have a simple platform style twin bed, which will have the gray bedding I used in my college dorm along with his starry quilt, inspired by one in the movie Little Women that I have always loved. Above his bed will hang his star light fixture, and the mobile aunt Katy ordered him from Finland on Etsy. Also he has black gray and white sheep from Bath and Body works.

Area #2 At first Efrim will still sleep in the crib with the bright yellow sheets my mom made and his cuddly gray blanket, but then Baby will move in. For little baby I want mostly cuddly off-white things, with splashes of color. The inspiration is all of the cute pennant and balloon things around lately. I will make a beige quilt with pennants, and I want to find some sort of pretty spherical lanterns in bright colors to hang like a mobile above the bed.

New Baby Room by AddieLore on Polyvore.com

Area #3 I have a rocking chair, but if I am going to be spending a lot of time in this room with the kids, I would like a softer nursing chair and an ottoman with storage. I have looked online and not found anything I really like, so I may find an old chair at a garage sale or something and recover it with my mom. She knows how to make a storage ottoman to match. I love this one from Target, but it was a few years ago, and I don't think armless is going to cut it.

Area #4 I have a beautiful antiqued dresser that matches a bed and bedsife table I used growing up. Someday I want to use the set in a girl's room or guest room, but for now I don't have mattresses for the bed, and it's not very little boyish. The dresser however will be perfect for the kiddos to share and to set up a changing station on top. I haven't had a changing station because I thought I wouldn't use it, and it's true I change diapers pretty much all over the house. But I am thinking that with cloth diapers, and especially with two it might be nice to bring the baby to the diapers and wipes instead of gathering everything up from four corners and bending over them in the floor. Bending over Efrim in the floor or in his crib has been wreaking havoc on my back being pregnant again. I want a clean simple changing station like June Blair's on DesignMom. Once again I love the creamy softness with just a little color.

Domestic Doldrums

2010-05-29T11:21:00.000-07:00

I cannot even begin to tell yuo how much I hate washing dishes. I will put them off and put them off until everything else in the house is done, and then I will run errands, or take a nap. If I can convince myself and my friends that it is bad for my health to do them because it dries out my hands and makes rashes, I will decide they are RJ's responsibility and let them pile up until everything is molding and we have nothing left to use, because he comes home from work every day too tired to do anything, and if I am annoyed because the kitchen is too dirty to cook in I will blame him.

At this point it is sin. There are no other terms, and no excuses. I have been so ashamed, and still not motivated to fix it. Only God can make me a new person in this area of my life. I have been so convicted lately of the way I use my health problems, pregnancy, and lack of experience as excuses not to do the things that God has called me to do as the caretaker of my home, and that I owe my sweet husband, who works so hard so I can stay home to take care of our children and our home.

Prayerfully overcoming this has been my top priority lately. Then right in the middle I have days like yesterday. Days where I can't find the motivation to get off the couch. Days where I cry all day for no reason. Days where Efrim catches on to my bad mood and cries all day to, which only makes it worse. I know this is hormonal because of being pregnant. I had hoped it would pass with the first trimester. I don't know what to do. I push myself to do as much as I can, and dream of a little break, a little escape.

The trick is to keep moving as much as I can, and not let a bad day keep me from getting things done on the next day. Not to fall into a rut. The key is to recognize sin as sin and hormones as hormones, and respond accordingly. Every day I start with prayer is better than it would be without.

unblogging

2010-05-21T14:18:00.000-07:00

I haven't blogged today I know. I am baking for a bake sale for our youth, which I am late to because baby is sleeping. My sister came over who just got back from Spain yesterday. I am reading a lot. I guess today my need to learn things was more than my need to share. I have learned a lot of things to share. I will post them sometime in the next few days.

Interesting things about my baby

2010-05-14T11:54:00.000-07:00

I opened this page twenty minutes ago to write about how I have organized my clothes recently. Then Efrim crawled in my lap and we have been snuggling, being drooled on, getting whacked in the face by a ruler RJ left on the couch, playing Pat-a-Cake, copying growls and squeals, and reading The Very Hungry Caterpillar.

So I thought I would let you know just a few cool things about my baby, Efrim.

Efrim speaks almost exclusively in growls. RJ thinks he will talk like Batman when he learns English. He has six teeth; four on top, two on bottom. The first arrived exactly on his six month birthday. He is very ticklish and always giggles when you pinch the top of his chubby thighs or walk your fingers like a spider on his chest.

Efrim has a reversible belly button. When he is chubby before a growth spurt, or right after a meal it is an inny, but when he is slimmer, or when he arches his back and sticks out his ribs it is an outy. I love to give this belly button kisses, whether it is in or out.

Since Efrim is crawling everywhere the tops of his feet are dirty instead of the bottoms. This looks very silly. His favorite song is You Are My Sunshine. He will almost always stop crying if I play pat-a-cake with his hands. We say "for Efrim and me", "for Mommy and me", "for Daddy and me", and "for Baby and Me"

Efrim's favorite activity lately is to put foam bath tub letters in his mouth and crawl around the house with them. When he is eating a biter biscuit he holds it up in the air and dances. He has discovered that he can crawl over things, but prefers to push them if they are not too heavy. He is slowly learning that I will swat his leg if he goes in the kitchen, and finally deciding that it is not worth it.

He makes more new faces every day, and wants to walk so bad. He prefers putting food in his mouth himself to being fed, and wants what we are having. He may never learn that crying does not get him picked up if I don't keep giving in.

My Little House

2010-05-14T11:40:00.000-07:00

The irony in the previous post is that the lifestyle I often champion, and indeed am seeking, is considered by most people to be a sort of super home. Some ind of crazy high standard. It will include a lot of work, and so it is ironic that I do so much research and dreaming about this kind of living while I am not even vacuuming or washing my dishes.

I admit I'm a mess. So many contradictions, but I am working on reconciling them all. I am trying to teach myself how to care for my home. Until I find a real life teacher and role model I will have to stick with what I've got: Ma Ingalls.

Some of you may have seen me twitter about My mom and Ma Ingalls having it out as my shoulder angels as I look through a pile of stuff deciding what to give away.

It's not like Ma is even very vocal on the subject of housekeeping in the Little House books, but when I read them I dream of a home where we get up and work in the morning, we meet all of our needs, and we go to be at night tired, but with everything in order. Part of this is in the simplicity with which the Ingalls family lives. Some of my favorite parts in the books are when they move to a new house, or fill a store room for the winter, and it describes everything around.

Something deep inside of me wants a three room house where everything I own is in it's place and there are no piles of clutter and boxes in the corner. I am tired of bags of what-not around the perimeter of every room, or realizing that I haven't looked in that box of office supplies I thought was so necessary since I moved in to my house three months ago.

However, there is something else inside of me that thinks it's terrible to give away something in perfectly good condition, that doesn't want to hurt anyone's feelings by getting rid of something they just gave me that I didn't want at all, that is pretty sure one day I will be getting dressed and really wish I still had that necklace.

How do I reconcile these things? I don't know. Any advice is welcome. Until then I can dream. Maybe if I dream enough of the simple things I want our home to be I will want the other things less. So this is my "little house" designed on Polyvore.

Untitled by AddieLore on Polyvore.com

Obedience

2010-05-14T10:04:00.000-07:00

I washed the dishes yesterday.

This may not seem like such big news if you don't know me very well. For two years it has been our family arrangement that RJ does the dishes, because the water dries out my hands, adn I sometimes get rashes because of my excema. I do (however poorly) all of the other chores, so when we explain to our friends that RJ is responsible for dishes, no one has questioned this, even though I stay at home and RJ works full time.

The dishes are not the only problem. Because I was often sick growing up, and chemicals and dust are irritants to allergies, I was never expected to do much cleaning, besides picking up (which I am very good at). The problem is I know very little about how to do other household cleaning tasks. My mom, with my best interests at heart and in love, has encouraged RJ to take on more than his fair share of household tasks, and I have felt entitled to his doing them. When I get sick, or experience fatigue like I have with this pregnancy, I use these things as an excuse to accomplish hardly anything. And when I tell me friends that I am exhausted and only get one chore done a day, they are understanding and don't think anything is peculiar with this arrangement.

Making this home is my job. RJ works as much as 45 hours a week to provide for our family, and I do not even make a home for him to come to. I have read Proverbs 31 and Titus 2. I read A Woman After God's Own Heart. I know that doing caring for my home is what God has commanded me to do, but I always had really good excuses.

How often do we do this with one another's pet sins? We claim to be accountable to one another, but as long as we have good reasons... I can't really tell her what she should do if I don't always do what I should... Every one has hard days and we can't really expect any better...

How long will we help each other make excuses not to do what God has commanded us to?

Dreaming Again

2010-05-14T09:37:00.000-07:00

My husband RJ was asked to come to a church staff meeting a few weeks ago. We used to go to staff meeting every week to help plan the worship gathering, and discuss the life of the church, but since it is at nine o'clock, after Efrim goes to bed, we have not been since we moved away from the house where it is hosted.

When RJ finally got back, around eleven, he told me that our pastor is leaving our church. He and his wife, my best friend, have looked at several places to move to and continue ministry, and although they are not sure where they are going yet, God has led them to feel that their season at Nexus has come to an end.

My first thought was honestly that I didn't care that much, and I didn't know why RJ said it so seriously, since we are planning to leave too. I was pretty sleepy. Then I started to wonder what will happen to Nexus without Shane and Katy? They have been there since the beginning, Brian and us are the only ones left that have been trying to keep our church alive.

When we went to a staff meeting sans Shane and Katy later that week, I was kind of wondering why I was asked to come, and really not optimistic about the next steps for our church. To explain the first, I have tried to be involved in Nexus, and very committed, but have never been asked to be involved in any leadership decisions. To explain the second, we have very few core members. Most of our church is down and out middle aged people who have come to Brownwood after leaving prison or drug rehab, and are struggling in poverty, or college students who don't want to be involved in a "traditional" church. These people strongly rely on the figurehead of who Shane is, even though the vision he casts for our church is the dream of a larger group of us.

However, this meeting went so differently than I had expected. Almost immediately I was filled with peace as we opened with prayer, and I was filled with excitement and vision as we all discussed the gifts God has placed within our body. For a while now, and none of us has anyone but our complacent selves to blame, we have all been laying aside who we felt God calling us to be in order to be who Nexus needed right now. Although we all felt that Nexus is where God wanted us to be, we didn't feel like it was the place for the ministry we were created for, and that for whatever reason God had us here right now, we had to put that part of ourselves on hold. Many of us even go to other Churches throughout the week because we had a deep need that Nexus wasn't filling. We didn't complain, because we didn't want to be self centered church members who felt that the church was there for our benefit instead of us there for the church. Oddly none of us knew that the others felt the same.

For whatever reason God has called Shane and Katy to move on, he has opened our eyes to do what Brian is calling "Dreaming Again". We are seeing that we do not serve some abstract concept named Nexus, but that Nexus is us. We all believed that a church should be a place where we equip each other to do the ministry God has called us to do, but when Nexus wasn't that it never occurred to us that we were in control, that we could start over, or that if Nexus was not serving the purpose of a church there was no purpose in us serving it to keep it alive.

Now we are dreaming of what our church will look like when it is made up of members who are being who God called them to be. We are looking forward to having the Lord as our Shepherd, and discovering that we don't want for any good thing.

Cutest thing ever (for today at least)

2010-05-04T14:43:00.000-07:00

My friend is reading Radical Homemakers and referred me to their website. From there I found HomegrownEvolution.org, a blog by the authors of Urban Homestead, another book on my wishlist. Where I saw this amazing clothesline:

FYI: Another amazing book in this genre is Backyard Homestead. My friend Siobhan got it for me for my birthday! Full of practical advice such as the best breeds of meat, egg, and dual purpose chickens.

Refined Sugars

2010-05-03T09:26:00.000-07:00

My friend Katy is on a diet (The Perfect 10 Diet) which cuts out refined sugars and grains. I don't know all of the details, but I have another friend who has done the same thing and it has been really wonderful for her family. She said it took her a year to really cut it all out, but it was worth it.

Here are some links with food for thought:

Sugar's effect on your health

Sugars: the Bad

This is some lady selling a book, but has good info.

Replacing Refined Sugars with Natural Sugars one step at a time. This is on the Weston A Price website. He did the research behind a book I have wanted to check out called Nourishing Traditions. It seems to have a similar idea and over 700 recipes.

We are exploring the idea of getting rid of sugar in our home. It's a big undertaking. Pray for us to be wise.

Use the good stuff

2010-04-30T10:10:00.000-07:00

read this great post over on SimpleMom.

few years ago, I read this excerpt from one of Erma Bombeck’s columns, when she discovered she was dying from cancer — it was titled “If I Had to Live My Life Over”:

“… I would have burned the pink candle sculpted like a rose before it melted in storage. I would have talked less and listened more. I would have invited friends over to dinner even if the carpet was stained, or the sofa faded. I would have eaten the popcorn in the ‘good’ living room and worried much less about the dirt when someone wanted to light a fire in the fireplace. … I would have sat on the lawn with my kids, even if it meant grass stains.”

It hit home. As I write this, I’m looking at a bottle of perfume — one that I love — that was a Mother’s Day gift in 2005. I’ve used about a quarter of it. I’m not sure if I’m waiting for the queen to visit, an invitation to the presidential inauguration ball, or just some amazingly romantic date with my husband. But for some reason, I hesitate to use it, as though it’s a precious commodity; that once it’s gone, it’s gone.

That’s true, to some degree. But I can just get more perfume, probably as another Mother’s Day gift. If I love it so much, why don’t I just use it?

Do you have something in your life akin to this? For your wedding, did you register for special china in addition to your everyday dishes? How about certain lotions, or soaps, or articles of clothing? Do you have eleven categories of towel types, like Monica does in Friends?

Maybe you’re in the depths of early childhood rearing, like me. You’re up to your elbows in poop and snot, and you lost count the amount of times you’ve picked up the same blocks off the same carpet. Your day is peppered with breakfast, lunch, dinner, nap times, quiet times, time outs, and story time. If you hear Dora’s map yell “I’m the map!” one more time, you might scream.

The liturgy of our day’s everydayness can be numbing. It’s easy to forget about that good perfume, the bone china, the silk skirt. There’s spit-up to contend with.

Make this season of your life — whatever it is — more special with those special things you’re saving. Break out the good china for tonight’s homemade pizza. Let your kids know they’re special with those special little things, and don’t worry so much about the messes they’ll make. Bring out the “fancy guest” towels for your family. You’ll blink, and this season will be gone. That pudgy hand covered in dirt will soon be holding hands in a waltz with her groom.

Enjoy the little things in life. And make them more special by using the good stuff. Don’t wait for that perfect moment — it’s right here.

changes, uncertainty, and guessing

2010-04-30T09:10:00.000-07:00

So I have been praying for God to show me some sort of plan for me to follow since I started college. At first it was a reasonable (if difficult for me the control/planning freak) step of faith to just take it one step at a time. As I got married, graduated and had my baby, it was always assumed that he would tell us what to do with our lives just in time. Now RJ's graduation has come and gone, and we are still in Brownwood. RJ fries chicken for a living and I stay at home convincing an eight month old not to eat paper and electrical cords, and eating often enough to keep moving.

There are so many questions. Do we move somewhere else? Where? Do we just take the initiative to start the home church community we feel called to? How would we even do that? Or should we wait for God to make his timing apparent when a situation arises where such a church start would feel more organic and less forced? Are we committed to be apart of the ministry of Nexus, or has it filled the part of our life that it was supposed to and now we move on? Does RJ work a job just to make money to do what he wants or should he seek a career that is fulfilling and enjoyable? Should he try to find a job using the degree that he has, or was that all a waste? Does he start over training for something he would enjoy more? How can RJ work enough to support our family and have time to build a portfolio?

I have no idea.

For now we are looking for a house to rent. Two bedrooms so there is a place for both kids, and with a yard so RJ can garden. We also have our name on the waiting list at the only apartments that have a washer dryer hook up in the unit. They are income adjusted. RJ is applying for the art teaching position at a local private school. If he gets the job we will return to the question of moving next summer. If not, we may move at the beginning of the year after the new baby gets here. If RJ likes teaching we may try to plant roots here and invest our lives in Brownwood. If not, he will probably start taking online courses in landscaping and agriculture and he can get a job nearly anywhere.

Once again we have the path lit only a step at a time.

We're still alive

2010-04-30T09:00:00.000-07:00

I know it seems like I must have disappeared. I have had a harder time adjusting to this pregnancy than I did with Efrim. Throw in a record allergy season and you get the picture.

The weekend between RJ and I's birthdays I had a terrible asthma attack as the culmination of a week of increasingly terrible allergies. My doctor is in Abilene, which makes visits inconvenient as well as expensive. Foolishly I put them off if I am feeling well and then end up in the emergency room because I have no asthma prescriptions. This is what we did on April 16th. Fun huh?

The following week I was not only weak and battered feeling, but suffering from what I believed to be morning sickness. I turns out it was probably just an allergy to the hydrocodon I was given for my cough (when I don't take it, I don't throw up-magic!)

This week I am finally getting back into the swing of things. Still there are a lot of days where I get done the one chore that RJ requests of me, and then lay on the couch all day, and that is what I can do that day.

Aside from these distractions I must confess that I am not very good at spending a little time on the computer. One link leads to another for hours, and right now spending time with Efrim is more important. He is crawling and pulling up and has been getting in a lot of teeth, and every day his needs are different.

That said I will plan to post a few things every Friday, and maybe others if I think of them during the week. Efrim does nap for two hours every morning, and my chore for the day is not always one I have to get done while he's asleep.

Hormones, don't you love them?

2010-04-09T12:12:00.000-07:00

So Efrim and I are having a pretty good morning. My blood sugar is a little weird, but mostly we are playing and laughing. Then I am sitting at the table feeding him lunch and suddenly, all at once, I am uncomfortably warm, nauseated, and feel like crying.

Another baby is great. I am not even worried about them being so close, but I am really not having any fun being pregnant again.

Efrim's Day,

2010-04-09T08:13:00.001-07:00

I have not been posting lately, which anyone who reads this will have noticed. With various projects, fatigue, and morning sickness, blogging has gone on the back burner. Meanwhile We are FINALLY arriving at a steady (more than two days) routine with Efrim. So I thought I'd share with you what we've been doing instead of blogging.

9:00 am
Official first feeding. We are up with Efrim before this, but I try to start us out at the same time everyday.

Fix breakfast for RJ and I while He plays with Efrim in the floor, and checks in on his Tumblr.

RJ and I eat breakfast, and he leaves for work around 9:45.

10:00
Cereal for Efrim. He loves his oatmeal, and has started to sip from a bottle of very watered down juice as we go. It has been a long time coming to get him to take fluids from a bottle. He really needed more when he started solids, but was not having the whole bottle thing until the last week or so.

After eating Efrim plays in the floor some more, while I kind of take stock of the day, and get dressed if I don't need a shower. Sometimes he needs a little help, which involves a lot of cup stacking one my part, so he has something to knock over, and some singing.

11:00
Milk and a nap. This usually means a nap for mom too lately, but every other day I take a shower here. I am so sleepy all day! I take a nap, complete a task, and want to sleep again.

This is where he day gets unpredictable. From the first Efrim has resisted scheduling. Usually- hopefully- Efrim will sleep until 1:00. This sets him up for a pretty happy, agreeable day. If he won't you never know what the afternoon will hold. Yesterday Efrim woke up at noon, bright eyed and alert, but he was exhausted by 2. I put him down way early for his afternoon nap, and he slept 2 hours here, where he normally only sleeps one. He woke up at four when he normally would be going down.

In any case afternoons are very flexible. Efrim plays a lot, but sometimes needs a lot of attention too. He may sit in my lap and watch a movie with me.

He has milk at one, and normally some food at 2. The last few days he will only eat half a jar of food, and then wants more milk. Since I know that the nutrients in milk are still easier for his body to use, I let him tell me how much he needs. Normally milk feedings are two hours apart, so this could be at 3 or 4 depending on whether he needs more at lunch, and when he takes his nap.

I have been resting during his afternoon nap as well.

from 4-5:30 Efrim has to be pretty good at playing on his own since this is my time to do "If I don't get anything else done today I will..." Wednesday this was straightening up the living room, and making pizza crust, Yesterday I vacuumed and cleared the dish drainer. Today I will make the Pizza I was supposed to finish Wednesday no matter what. If the house falls down around me RJ will finally have his favorite dinner. I would also like to get some work done in the bedroom.

We've only lived here two months and already it is time to declutter.

RJ gets home at 5:30 and we go about the evening's plans, feeding Efrim every two hours. usually he gets more food at 7 and 8 is milk and bedtime.

He is waking up at 11 something, 3 something, and 7 something for milk. Usually he wakes up a few other times during the night,but RJ can get him back to sleep pretty easily. I dream of the day when he will stop waking in between feedings and then cut out the 3 o'clock. We prayed when we started this that we would not get pregnant until he slept through the night, but God chose otherwise. We ask for temporal physical things, and he gives us spiritual gifts by showing us that with him we can get by without them.

So that's what we've been up to. Trying to grow two babies and keep the house in one piece. I do a lot of running for tissues since the oak pollen is so high, and running to the bathroom since my bladder is so squished. Try to eat often so I don't have a meltdown.

Family Mission Statement

2010-03-18T13:07:00.000-07:00

Last week I posted about RJ and I working on a Family Mission Statement. Something to keep our eyes on what matters, to remind of us our goals, and encourage us to put first things first and not sweat the small things.

I found this excellent resource on SimpleMom. We asked ourselves some of these questions, the ones that seemed most pertinent to us, and then wrote up a statement summarizing what is most important to us. Then I went back over the answers to our questions and added some things about service and goals. I highly recommend it.

We, the Barnett family, believe that our purpose is to make the most of the unique resources, knowledge, skills that God has given us, and to share them freely with others, by:

• being open in our relationships, being open to new experiences, and
being open to following God's plans when they are different than ours
• giving more than we take in our relationships to one another and to creation
• living as if physical and temporal things have spiritual and eternal import
• working to reconcile broken relationships with God, people, and creation
• being filled with joy so that we are a blessing to those around us

We will serve one another:

Addie will serve RJ by making a clean and orderly home where the bed is made and his projects are easily accessible. She will provide the family with meals and meet the needs of the children by caring for her own body, changing diapers, feeding them, and playing.

RJ will serve Addie by providing for the families financial needs, washing the dishes, taking care of his body, and playing with the children. He will provide his family with quality time together, and encourage each person's spiritual growth.

We will work together to clean and put away the laundry, and to provide nutritious food from the store and the garden.

We will serve our community:

We will welcome others into our home to share meals and life. We will serve our congregation and other ministers of the Kingdom of God using our unique gifts and skills. We will make our part of the earth a beautiful place. We will be kind to people who are not kind to us and our loved ones. We will share wit others the stories of what God has done for us and the things we have learned about serving him.

In ten years...

We would like our home to be financially sustainable. RJ will be able to provide for our needs by working at things that he enjoys and finds fulfilling. Addie will find ways to make additional income without taking from the time she spends adequately meeting the needs of her family.

We would like to understand more about our identity in the family of God. We would like to be more knowledgeable about sustainably providing for our families needs and the needs of others. We would like to watch our children grow in wisdom, in stature, and in favor with God and men.

Addie will have more peace and not worry about things. RJ will communicate with others about how he is feeling, what he is learning, and what he wants from his life.

We hope that we will facilitate a trusting comeraderie with our children, where they know that we understand and care about what is important to them.

Addie & RJ will still make each other laugh every day, and give themselves frely to one another. We will be more one each day than the day before.

We will meet with the Church daily, being devoted to the teaching of the scriptures, to sharing meals and fellowship, to prayer, and to the sacraments of the Lord's Supper, Servanthood, and Baptism into the person-hood of Christ.

My Cute Laundry Washing Husband

2010-03-18T12:34:00.000-07:00

So since I read Under $1000 a Month, RJ has been wanting to hand wash our laundry. Although this is a great thing to know how to do in case we end up somewhere without a hook-up and would have to pay for a laundry mat, but I have not recognized the appeal when we have a washing machine already. Does it really cost that much to run? I like putting the clothes in, leaving to do other stuff, and coming back to find clothes that I really trust to be clean.

I do however love to hang clothes to dry. It is so romantic and bleaches the stains out of the diapers. I have been asking RJ to hang a line on the porch since we moved in. It's amazing how guys finally get around to doing something when they decide they want it too.

Gilmore Addiction

2010-03-18T12:28:00.001-07:00

Yesterday I had to run to Hastings to rent a couple of discs of Gilmore Girls Season 6. I have been doing well for a few months watching only things on Netflix, but I missed my Gilmore Girls. It's my therapy. I love them! Especially season's 5 and 6. If only I owned them I could watch them whenever, but TV series are so expensive. For now I'll rely on my 99c per disc whenever I want.

Menu Plan

2010-03-18T11:50:00.000-07:00

I failed to mention one of the things I have been working on, which is a meal plan. I have done this a few times before. Basically we go through experimental phases, where I am always learning new recipes, trying new ingredients, shopping on whim. RJ loves these times. He was particularly fond of the lemon parsley pork. After a while, however, I get tired of the disorganization and the erratic grocery bills, and I get hungry for some of my tried and true favorites. There are a few other reasons to plan your meals as well.

1. We can learn, one meal at a time, how to make things more from scratch. Instead of experimenting with completely new recipes each week, we get to perfect one thing at a time. I would rather have the perfect homemade tortillas, than a new mediocre meal every Sunday.

2. It is rare that I go to the store without buying Lettuce, Tomatoes, Avocados, and Onions. This makes these natural choices as we start our garden. Instead of standing in the seed aisle trying to figure out all of the ways I can work radishes into our menu, we go with a plan, knowing that when those plants come up, they will be eaten.

3. When one of our favorite ingredients goes on sale I can stock up, confident that we have several recipes for it to go in, so we won't be sick of eating the same thing over and over.

So here is our plan: I will work to add these recipes over the next few weeks. You will see they are all very simple. My family loves to cook that way. We are not very fancy.

Brisket with Party Potatoes and Green Beans
Hamburgers
Gore family Beef Tacos on Corn Tortillas
Chicken Alfredo with rolls or pasta
Katy's Chicken Tacos
Sausage with Squash and Potatoes
Mexican Chef Salad

Steak with Sour Cream Potatoes and Asparagus
Oven fried Chicken with fresh fruit
Barnett family Burritos on Flour Tortillas with Beans
Chicken Fried Steak with Mashed Potatoes and English Peas
Fajitas
BBQ Chicken with Black Eyed Peas and Deviled Eggs
Tristan's Pizza (RJ's new favorite)

These are not strictly assigned to days of the week. We usually eat at small group one night a week right now. Everything is flexible. We can try new things for RJ whenever we want, but this provides two week's worth of meals that we can cook well, and that share a lot of inexpensive ingredients. It brings order out of chaos, and makes me say yum!

Lucy Clothes

2010-03-17T12:39:00.001-07:00

One bonus of having our babies so close together is we really don't need much of anything for this one. We have almost everything we need, because we had it already for Efrim. The main exception is clothes, if it's a girl. Even with Efrim we didn't need many clothes since we had so many hand-me-downs from friends and family.

Fortunately for us, we have gained some baby clothes expertise. With Efrim I have learned that you basically need about 5 onesies, 3 or 4 pairs of pajamas, and just 2 or 3 cute outfits per size. in Newborn you can trade all but one nice outfit for more pajamas. So here are my daydreams for baby girl clothes.

Simple Baby Girl Wardrobe by AddieLore on Polyvore.com

Simple Baby Girl Wardrobe 2 by AddieLore on Polyvore.com

My Favorite Little Girl Stuff by AddieLore on Polyvore.com

Dedicating Efrim Celebration

2010-03-17T11:27:00.000-07:00

I obviously can't post a lot of pictures yet since E's dedication hasn't happened yet, but I will let you know how things are developing.

First we decided to do this because we still hadn't had a dedication at our church, and I suddenly realized that a baby dedication didn't have to be just what people normally do. It could be whatever I wanted it to be because it's my baby. So I decided we would have a party and ask close family and friends to pray for him- like the fairies in Sleeping Beauty, but less creepy- but our family schedules are so crazy that that is about as far as I had gotten.

Then I finished The Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood one morning and was totally inspired. I just love my southern heritage of hospitality and terrific backyard picnics. Also I love Fairy Godmothers.

I guess to fully understand you have to know what Godparents mean to me. Mostly they are someone who holds you accountable for the spiritual formation of your children. Molly already knows, as do most of our family, that we want her to take our children if anything happens. This is a lot to ask of a young woman who is not even married yet, but we know she will have lots of help. I have another category called Fairy Godparents, which to me means the other people who love you unconditionally and you can talk to them or go to them when you don't feel like you can go to your parents. Like it or not all kids need these. I wish we lived in a perfect world where kids could tell their parents everything, but even if there is not a barrier or problem, it is usually easier to talk to someone a little less invested in you, when you are having a hard time. So we want to ask Rebekah to be our childrens' Fairy Godmother along with Molly. They will be guests of honor at this shindig.

So it will be in my Granny's backyard the day before Easter. I figured it was a day most people had free, and we will be at my Granny's anyway. My Granny's house is just the place you go to to feel safe and loved and festive and to relish the wonderfulness of family.

Our theme will be simple cream with green E's. I have been collecting pictures of parties that inspired me for years, but my computer deleted them all a few months ago. We will have grilled chicken salad and french bread, and my mom is making an oatmeal cake with cream cheese icing. it will be simple and small and perfect and everything I love.

Prayer Necklaces for PLC

2010-03-17T10:41:00.000-07:00

A little over a month ago (or it may be two now) my amazing friend Mary Beth Vasquez, had an idea to make prayer necklaces (inspired by a rosary) to pray for our friends at the Preemptive Love Coalition. They would be a tool and a reminder for supporters, as well as another way to raise funds. Since I have been designing clothes an jewelry as long as I can remember, a design immediately popped into my head and I stole her idea and ran with it. I later asked her permission and she and my sisters are helping to plan this endeavor.

Each of the main color of beads on a necklace are divided into sections of 5 to remind you to pray for 1-The kids who need and are getting surgeries, 2-their families, 3-Preemptive Love workers, 4-the Doctors who perform the surgeries and follow up, and 5-the reconciliation of peoples and cultures. Each section also has a bead of another color which reminds you to pray for a specific aspect of PLC's mission. These themes were stolen from the T-Shirt designs on their website. Blue for Justice Restores, Red for Hope Transfusion, Green for Peacemaker, and Yellow for Heartmender. Then there will be a heart charm at the bottom of the dangle. Each would come with a card explaining how to use it.

We want to host parties where people make these necklaces, pray for PLC and make a donation exceeding the cost of supplies, to the Preemptive Love Coalition. It would be terrific for a church's Women's Ministry to do together. We would love to just buy everything and the participants not have to worry about the cost of supplies, but as two college students, a young professional, and two newlywed parents, we don't have the overhead.

Our first setback was finding the supplies at all. I looked at all of the craft stores in Abilene and on Etsy. All of these were hit or miss about getting what we wanted, most had limited colors and numbers, and were going to drive the expense way up. Finally I found Fusionbeads. They have everything we need at a reasonable price. Now we just have to get the funds to start with. Hopefully the ladies at our church will be willing to commit up front to the project and we can go ahead and order that small amount to run a trial party next month. If the party thing doesn't work out as a long term method, we may just make them and sell them.

Chicken Alfredo Soup

2010-03-17T10:29:00.000-07:00

Also known as Spinach Dip. I don't know what to call this recipe. It is served as an appetizer at our favorite local Italian Restaurant, but we have it as the main course. You dip your bread in it, but it's so much more than dip.

1 12 oz. can evaporated milk, or 1 1/2 cups whipping cream
1 8 oz. can powdery parmesan cheese (the fancy/real kind that is just grated doesn't melt as well)
2 cloves or 1 tbs. garlic
1/4 cup butter
handful of dried parsley
1 cup fresh spinach
1 lb. grilled chopped chicken
opt. 2 fresh chopped roma or plum tomatoes or 1 12 oz. can diced tomatoes no salt added

1 dozen rolls with garlic butter melted on top.

Heat the first five ingredients in a large sauce pan until butter is melted.
Wilt in the spinach leaves and add chicken.
Scoop into 2-4 soup bowls and serve with bread for dipping.

So easy and delicious. Growing up, my mom's Fettuccine Alfredo was my favorite food (I ate most of a recipe by myself when I was two.) Just add 8 oz. of egg noodles instead of the Chicken and Spinach. It will serve up to 6 as a side dish. I think this is just the more grown up version.

(I will add pictures after our dinner party tonight)

The Courtneys

2010-03-17T10:07:00.001-07:00

I love this family. Jeremy and Jessica Courtney, along with their kids Emma and Micah, live and work in Northern Iraq.

I started to say that they work to get heart surgeries for the thousands of children in that area born with debilitating heart defects, but their work is so much more. They develop relationships with these hurting families, showing them the love and healing that only Jesus Christ can give, and they create an environment for dialogue between communities which have known only enmity; between Kurds and Arabs, between Christians and Muslims, between Muslims and Jews, between Turks and Iraqis, between Americans and Middle Eastern peoples.

2 Corinthians 5:18-19 says, "All this is from God, who reconciled us to himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation." Jeremy and Jessica, the rest of the Preemptive Love Coalition team, and even Emma and Micah live out this reconciliation every day. What is reconciliation but healing broken hearts?

Why the Silence?

2010-03-17T09:25:00.000-07:00

I've been a little busy being PREGNANT!

RJ and I are expecting Efrim's little sister (or brother) in November.

So in my early pregnancy exhaustion my priorities are shifting a little. If I only have so much energy in a day. I would rather spend it on the real house and the real baby and the real food than talking about them. Especially the baby, since I am a little down about having to share my time with him. He is so little to have to share mommy so soon. So my number one priority this pregnancy (besides surviving and getting a healthy baby at the end, of course) is to just pour my time into Efrim, enjoying every minute of him.

So here is what I have been spending my time on:

Getting Efrim's six month portraits taken by our friend Chris Taylor (if you live in Texas and need a photographer he is the best)

and also ordering prints of my favorite pictures I have of him thus far.

I have been keeping the mess in our house to a minimum, learning to make crock pot bread, planning a fundraiser for Preemptive Love Coalition, planning a very late dedication party for Efrim, making my Easter Dress, Having friends over for Spinach Alfredo Soup, and Explaining to all of my family why I am pregnant again. If you were doing all of these things would you have time to blog about them too? I'll work on it. (i.e. posts on fundraiser, dedication party, and spinach alfredo soup to follow.)

Just Trying to Figure Things Out

2010-03-12T14:05:00.001-08:00

This will be a short post as I have been totally unproductive in all areas of my life today. Some days it is just harder than others to get off the couch.

I just sit and ponder. I like to be an organized person, purposeful and planned. It is frustrating to me when my baby cries every ime I put him down and I don't know what to do about it. Why is he such a discontent little fellow? What did women do who had so many things to do around their homes to make them run? Did they just listen to screaming all day? Did their babies just get over it? Where did they put them? We know that wealthy women had nannies, and women who worked for others just tied them on, until they were too big, but what about the women who cared for their own homes? What about the babies who were too big? There were no daycares, but women working at home worked just as surely and busily as those who go to an office. What did they do with their babies?

This is the main thing I am trying to figure out, but there are others. I thought about posting today about Family Missions statements. There is a good link at a blog called SimpleMom. A friend named Terri Price told me that she and her husband set out an idea of what they wanted their home/family to be like and then they pray and work toward that end. I want RJ and I to work on this. He has agreed, but seemingly never has time.

I confess that I look for checklists all day, but never find other people's to be very satisfying. A family friend once said that I spend my time making lists. This is the truth. I want everything in life to boil down to bullet points I can check off. I know it is not like this, probably better that it's not, but I often wish for it. I know that the messiness of life makes it beautiful, but it also makes it so damned hard to figure out. If I don't have a checklist how am I supposed to know what to do next.

Sitting here listening to Efrim scream is torturous, but I don't know what else to do for him. He's been fed, and napped, and changed, and I've held him nearly all day. Why does a baby with all of his physical needs met lay in a field of toys (such a mess) and scream?

I am so behind on so many things I need to do, and I can't find the motivation to catch up. I just want to take a nap, but when I lay down I can't sleep. This is just me whining now so I'll go.

What do you do when you feel like this?

BabyBestBuy.com

2010-03-10T14:25:00.000-08:00

I just found this website today in an article I almost didn't read, because it was just another lady explaining her own diapering method. The people who make Dappi Nylon Pants make a lot of other diapering products too. They are REALLY cheap and everyone gives good reviews. I will not be ordering anything right away since I have stuff coming in the mail from CottonBabies already, but when we do order something else we will go here. Check it out for yourself.

The best thing is their Newborn Comfy-fit Cloth Diapers. Like I said in the previous post, most cloth diapers do not fit newborns. Dappi Nylon Pants and Flip/Econobums Covers will fit a newborn, but the prefolds are too big, so most people use Kissaluvs fitteds* in a size 0. These are $12.95. For those of you with no diapering experience, a newborn can use 14 diapers in a day, so these are an enormous investment that you will only use for a few weeks. The Dappi Newborn Comfy-fit Cloth Diapers are a contour diaper*. They come in a two-pack for $2.50! This is unbelievable. You have to see the website for yourself to compare the other prices.

These products would have to be really terrible to make the savings not worth it, and I almost missed it, because I thought I knew what I needed to know already. I also learned from her that you can make doublers out of old microfleece blankets.

Lesson for the day: You always have more to learn.

*Contour Diapers are just shaped like a diaper instead of rectangular like a prefold, but are often still quite a lot more expensive. They save you the trouble of folding and are maybe less bulky, but that's about it. I feel like the extra layers of a folded diaper add absorbency. Most people who use contours also have to use doublers in every diaper. A Fitted Diaper is just a contour with elastic around the edge, and they run nearly as much as an All-In-One Diaper. All-In-One Diapers are just like a disposable made out of cloth, they are waterproof and have fasteners. Everything I read says that they have too many layers to wash and dry effectively and so don't last as long, as well as losing their waterproof-ness with machine drying. They can cost as much as $18 and you need as many as you would inserts which cost about $1 each of you use prefolds. This doesn't make sense to me. Once you are washing diapers anyway you are not really saving a lot of trouble by the fact that they are all one piece. Also Prefolds will fit a baby from 8-35 lbs. Contours, Fitteds, and All-In-Ones come in many sizes so you have to buy them over and over as baby grows.

Happy Birthday Dad!

2010-03-10T08:35:00.000-08:00

Today is my wonderful dad's birthday. His name is Jeff Gore and he is a home missionary to rural and ranching families all over Texas and the whole Western United States. When I talk about traveling all the time when I was little it is because we were on the road with my dad. Sometimes he was preaching, often he was singing, but mostly we were sharing life as a family with people who had little or no access to church, or who had been told that they weren't welcome there. We would do revivals at small rural churches where the congregation was prone to forget that each of them was ministers to those in their community who needed Christ. We built relationships over the years with Cowboy (read folk not country) singers and poets and Cowboy Poetry Gatherings. We set up hospitality stations, prayed, led the national anthem, and the early Sunday church service at Ranch Rodeos (which by the way are much more interesting and authentic than any PRCA rodeo you've been to.) My sister and I are who we are because we grew up in a home where ministering to people's needs-needs of all sorts- was what you gave your life to. It wasn't a mission project, it was who our family was. My dad never set out to be a preacher or pastor, but there are people all over this country who live 100 miles from a church, and they call him when they need prayer, when they need someone to perform a wedding or a funeral, when they need someone to visit a family member in the hospital. Many times my dad would get discouraged at how hard things were, and pray and ask God if we were doing the right thing, and someone would come out of no where just to say, the way you live your life showed me Christ and changed my life.

That's my dad. Happy Birthday! I love you.

I Win!

2010-03-10T08:22:00.001-08:00

I wear cardigans a lot, so it's important to have them to match things. I don't like to wear sleeveless or spaghetti strap dresses with out them, but I hate it when I look mismatched and thrown together, just wearing a neutral cardigan with an outfit that already has more than one solid colored piece. My main colored cardigan that I wear to things is fuschia, but I have cool colored outfits too and no cardigan to match.

Since I got pregnant I have been looking for a teal cardigan. I have an Old Navy card because it earns me rewards where I would normally get all of my clothes anyway. I looked and looked, and never found just the right cardigan for the right price, until the other day.

This image is tiny because it is now out of stock. Right as I went to order it yesterday Old Navy's website went on the fritz, and when it was working again, 15 minutes later, this cardigan was no longer available in this color. If you order with Old Navy or Gap you know this happens a lot. I also know that things frequently come back, but you have to act fast, so I have been checking back constantly. When I logged on half an hour ago, it was still gone. I gave up and started looking at Delia*s and other places online. Nothing Teal. Everything was about $40. So I come back to see if any mediocre cardigans are offered in this color, and what! One the sweater page, the main icon for the cocoon cardigan is once again "New Zealand" which is the name of this exact color. I click on it, and it is only available in a Medium. I added it to bag and clicked check out immediately, and HOORAY! It went through before that dreaded little note came up to tell me it was gone. Incidentally I also ordered it in "Goodnight Nora" and they will be shipped to me shortly!

I am smiling.

Cloth Diapering, Six months in.

2010-03-09T12:04:00.000-08:00

I wrote on here when I was pregnant about all the research I was doing and my journey to choosing all of the very best products for our baby. Needless to say, working with a real live individual baby is a whole lot different than online. Here is what we have learned about cloth diapers.

When I was pregnant and reading all of the reviews gDiapers seemed like all around the best bet. They were simple to use, they came with a disposable/flushable option, they were soft knit instead of swishy nylon, and they came in cute solid colors- not boring like white, but easier to match with clothes than prints. I read thousands of reviews and forums, and read only one negative review. I remember it was only one, because I thought the lady must be nuts. Everyone else loves these. We were big time disillusioned.

First they only fit 8 lbs and up, so Efrim was in disposables for nearly a month, an expense we had not expected, since we thought that most babies were nearly 8 lbs or bigger when born. This is just first time parent foolishness. They now come in a new baby size.

Second, the liners, especially the flushables, always crunched up in the middle, so the snap in liner, and even the outside cover, always got dirty. Since the covers are $17, we didn't get enough of them to have to wash a cover nearly every time it was worn. I was pulling my hair out washing diapers like twice a day for a long time. They said you needed 4-6 covers, this was very reasonable, compared to the dozen or so I had heard you needed of others, gDiapers claims if you put them on right they will be clean for several changes. This was just never true for us.

The other problem we had was the quality. Everyone who wrote reviews was using the same ones on their second and third babies, everything was so simple and well-made. The size smalls we used for Efrim, until he was about 4 months old, are already severely worn out. We did wash them a lot more than they say you should have to. The velcro is all filled with gunk and sticks to everything but itself, and the elastic on the outside edges of the snap in liner is all cracked and distended. It won't hold in any leaks any more. The snap in liners are cheap to replace, but they do this in only a couple of weeks, so you would be getting more constantly. There goes sustainability.

We went on like this for a while, obviously for more than 4 months, simply because I didn't know what else to use, and until RJ graduated and started working more we had no disposable income. Remember this baby was planned for January or February, not August. My mother in law kept asking why we didn't just use plain plastic pants like she did (thank goodness they are nylon now) but I had only found them for $7 a piece. We just couldn't start our diaper stash over like that.

Finally our income improved and I found some better diaper deals. The two best websites I have found are ThanksMama and CottonBabies. All the ones I found when I was pregnant had only one or two kinds of diapers and they were very expensive. Besides the nylon bloomers (my mil's "plastic pants") none of the covers we are trying now existed when I was pregnant. The cheapest ones were $12-13 and came in wildly printed swishy nylon.

My first lesson, Gerber prefolds from the store work just fine. Websites will tell you that these are useless, or only good for burp rags. I could only find chinese or indian cotton prefolds for around $20 per dozen plus shipping and handling. This was just something we couldn't do most of the time. But we also couldn't keep going with 6 gCloth inserts, so I had to try something. The store bought prefolds worked just as well as gDiapers' 6 for $24 gCloth made with hemp and microterry. Gerber are 10 for $10 at Walmart. I had to cut and re-hem them to fit a small gdiaper, but they fit the mediums fine. I now have found that CottonBabies has diaper service quality prefolds at really reasonable prices and no shipping.
Second lesson- "plastic pants" are not so bad. This is a really cheap and simple option that anyone can do. CottonBabies has Dappis brand which are 2 for $5. I don't even have a snappi yet, or real diaper pins. you just pin the diaper on (there are millions of videos on how to do this) and pull the cover over. Order the covers small because they tend to run huge. If the diaper is really soaked, put a changing pad underneath their bottom, because when you pull the cover off the wet diaper will still be pinned on and it will get whatever is underneath the baby wet. The covers dry super fast, if there is only a little poop on them you can usually get it off with a wipe, and the elastic edges are covered in plain lycra cloth so no splitting and wearing out like the gDiapers liners.

Third Lesson- Econobums and Flips. These are two kinds of prefold covers, made by the designers of bumgenius all-in-ones. CottonBabies is the home webpage for this company, but they are available on many others as well. These are two price points for a one size snap on cover. We have one econobums cover, and two flips in the mail. These are great for a few reasons. 1. one-size means if you don't have to keep ordering new ones as baby grows, and if you have two babies in diapers at once, there is no sorting, all of the diapers fit all of the babies. 2. snaps don't wear out like velcro, and you don't have to pin. you just unsnap them and dump the prefold in the diaper pail. 3. since these are adjustable you can double layer the inserts to make it through the night. 4. they have soft fabric on the outside so they aren't so swishy.

The econobums cover we have has worked great. It wipes out and drys fast like a nylon pant, but has all of the features above. The main things that make a flip cover different are vertical snaps- you will have to see the pictures on the website to understand this, but it means they don't fold over at baby's middle. they also have a lip on the front and back that serves as an extra barrier to keep moisture from wicking out around the edges if a diaper gets really wet, and they come in colors. Flips are 13.95 and Econobums are 8.95. This is more than a plastic pant, but I am finding I need fewer of these than gDiapers, not more like I had been told. You can also get them in big starter kits for a cheaper unit price. These come with their own prefold inserts, but it is really big and I'm not sure how to fold it, so I just use it as the changing pad with the nylon pants. They fit regular prefolds really well.

I am getting a snappi, some real diaper pins, the flip covers, and a pail liner in the mail soon, so I will let you know what I think of them. Also, I would like to switch to cloth wipes at some point, so more on that later.

Basically the difference has been made by our desperation to try cheap things, and by the helpful information on these two websites. Like I said I did not find nearly as useful information before. If you are completely new at cloth diapering check out Cloth Diapers 101 at CottonBabies. They answered every question I had.

trying new foods

2010-03-09T11:54:00.000-08:00

Efrim is starting solid foods. He has been eating rice cereal for over a month and we started adding fruits and vegetables on his six month birthday, March 17. We were going to make our own, but we got on WIC to help with our normal grocery bill, and jarred baby food is free. It doesn't have preservatives or anything, so I'm fine with it. RJ is trying to figure out some craft to make with the jars.

First, carrots, which he thinks are great. Next, bananas, even better. We started giving him peas on Friday, not so much luck. We were going a week between adding new things, but I read somewhere that four days is good, which is a lot better. He hates peas. he makes gagging faces and then locks his lips and moans at us. This is not so unexpected. A lot of people don't like peas including RJ. I only bought 4 jars, so it's not a big waste if he never eats the second two (we only could force half a jar down him a day.)

So today we started applesauce. And he's not crazy about this either. APPLESAUCE? Who doesn't like applesauce? I bought lots, because I figured it would be a good staple through trying other things. He isn't so opposed as with the peas, but he's not really loving it either. He will open up wide, but makes a sour face and then grunts/growls as he swallows. Is he just not used to the sour flavor? Will he adjust? Is he going to be a picky eater? I thought that you could just make kids not be picky eaters, by feeding them lots of stuff and making them eat it, but I've been wrong about a lot. Molly and I eat nearly anything, and my cousins who don't are generally pretty spoiled. Does picky eating start with baby food?

I was also told that eating a wide variety of fruits and veggies while breast feeding a 3-5 month old would help them to like more foods. The people who I know who did this, their kids eat anything. So what happened? Why does Efrim not like Applesauce?

I worry too much.

FOUND!

2010-03-09T10:07:00.000-08:00

I finally found what I have been looking for.

All over Etsy people had birthstone charms on custom necklaces that were flat swarovski crystals set in a ring of silver, or gold. Most called them crystal charms or birthstone drops or something of that nature, but if you search these terms, you get little to nothing in supplies, or in a google search. I looked in all of the swarovski pendant and bead sections on every jewelry supply website I could find, nothing.

Finally today I discovered they are called Swarovski Channels, and are in the components section of supply websites, not pendants or beads. Also I learned you can get them with two rings. Obviously I have seen jewelry made with these, but didn't know it was something you could just buy. You will be seeing some projects with these in the future. Here they are on my favorite supply website Fusionbeads. And here is a little etsy round up of my favorite ways to use them:

I love an offcentered necklace like this

you can use the two-ringed ones mixed with other beads and chains to make all sorts of necklaces

and you can make simple earrings

or add them to other findings to make something unique

Kids don't need that many clothes.

2010-03-08T09:51:00.000-08:00

And neither do grownups.

This is a quote from Like Mother, Like Daughter- a very practical blog started by a mother who was always giving her young adult daughters advice on making a home.
"Here is what your pre-adolescent children need: a few, five at the most, bottoms (say, two pairs of jeans and two corduroys). A scant week's worth of tops. Two light sweaters. Possibly a vest. For boys, a good pair of pants for Sundays, and two good shirts. For girls, two nice dresses or two church-worthy skirts and two ditto blouses."

So here are my practice wardrobes for a boy, a girl, a man, and a woman. Specifically my boy, my man, and me, along with my imaginary one-day daughter.

Boy's Wardrobe by AddieLore featuring J Crew jeans

Girl's Wardrobe by AddieLore featuring GAP jeans

Men's Wardrobe by AddieLore featuring Henrik Vibskov vests

Woman's Wardrobe by AddieLore featuring Old Navy jackets

Looks a lot like my travel one, after all Diane von Furstenberg says, "When you figure out your suitcase, you figure out your life."

Unqualified Ministers

2010-03-08T09:16:00.000-08:00

I sometimes have a fear, as more and more grassroots ministry movements take hold, of one thing. While I enthusiastically believe that every believer is called to be a minister and each member of a congregation has something to offer, someone has to have more theological training than a 12th grade Sunday School class.

The doctrines in the Bible are very complex and loaded with cultural meaning from times and places very foreign to our own. To have someone lead a body of believers, a local incarnation of The Church, who has not even studied Ecclesiology in an academic setting is somewhat foolish, if not completely terrifying. So much is at stake. Think through the history of all of the horrific things done in the name of Christ. What is more to blame for these than ignorance.

I attend a church lead by well meaning, godly men, who did not have an undergraduate training in theology, and only one of them has taken a semester of seminary. Believe me, although there are many wonderful things about our church, this costs us something. Those with the most theological training in our church are women, who do not hold the high leadership positions, and because of that hierarchy, are not the voice listened to in major decisions.

By all means, be the church wherever you are. Dream and build and seek the Kingdom of God. Let the Holy Spirit guide you and fill you. But please hold yourself accountable to someone who really knows the word of God, and how to interpret it into right doctrine and practice.

You can read further on Plainly Pagan.

First Interview- Rebekah Reed

2010-03-08T08:32:00.000-08:00

For my first interview I chose to interview my "fake sister". Rebekah has been my sister's best friend for twelve years, and over the past 4 or 5 years has become mine as well. Our families spent a lot of time together growing up and so we are like family. Most of my family and closest friends I will interview during the week of their birthday and kind of spotlight some of their interests, but since I was already highlighting some very Rebekah things this week, I skipped ahead.

I wanted to have this section on my blog, because I feel that as women we learn so much from one another. Since I am reading Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood my mind is revolving a lot around mothers and daughters, so we'll start there. Tell me about your relationship with your mom as you were growing up. What are some things you are really blessed to have learned from her? Were there struggles you seemed to have over and over?

For most of my life, I’ve viewed the relationship that I hold with my mother as one of opposites. My mom was raised in a family that mostly stayed to themselves. She was not allowed to participate in after-school activities and knew little of slumber parties. She and my aunt always grew up at least two years behind their young contemporaries in clothing and fashion and were not allowed to decorate their own room.

Now a mother herself, my mom strove to make sure that I had every opportunity to express myself and cultivate my own personal identity, while still staying inside the basic box of decency and decorum.

While mom was a teenager, my grandma became severely ill and bedridden. Though she was the youngest daughter it was Donna (my mother) who cleaned, cooked and took care of the rest of the family. Since then she has quite faithfully taken care of my father, my brother and I since the beginning. Looking back at the past and seeing how much my mother has done and does for us continually blows my mind. She did everything, and even when she asked one of us to help her, would end up doing it herself to make sure that it was done correctly. Never really being forced to any form of responsibility, I saw no problem in letting mom do all the work, and felt very little consequences for disobedience.

My parents also made the strong decision to begin homeschooling my brother and I, even though it ultimately cost my father his ministerial position and our home and forced us to move. I can attest to the dramatic difference this choice has made on my life as opposed to where I would be if they had chosen the easy road. I was told recently that the way in which my brain processes information is not understood in the public school system, and my intelligence would not have been allowed to be cultivated the way it was by homeschooling. I now look back at the struggles my mother endured while encouraging me to complete my schoolwork and shudder to consider who I would be if she had not be there to cheer me on and endure my complaints.

In the book, several generations of women have terrible relationships with their mothers which cripple them in some way being mothers themselves. While I believe we are made by who our parents are, I tend to be a little less gloom and doom. What kind of parenting legacy have you received from your parents? What things are you afraid you will repeat, and what things can't you wait to do with your own children?

I humbly cling to what attributes of my mother can be found in my character: extremely hard working, a boldness and willingness to step out in faith when called by God, a strong protection for free will. I also seek to be aware of the negative parts of her that I posses: a fear of conflict, an incapability to hand off work to others for fear it won’t get done the way I think is right, and emotional insecurities. By the time that I have put on the mantle of motherhood, I hope I will allow my children to express their individual personality but also make sure they understand the great importance and responsibilities of communal and family life, which requires a bit of bravery for a mother.

Let's talk more about where you are now. I remember when we were probably 17 and 12 you read Josh Harris's I Kissed Dating Goodbye, and were talking about it's principles. I told you you were crazy, but have wished that I had been more guarded with my heart. What do you think you benefited from the concept of courtship? What were the good and bad consequences of relationships where you gave yourself away? What did you do differently in your relationship with Ben?

Dating history for me has been a bit of an emotional rollercoaster. One that has even wrecked a few times! I do wish that some principles in courtship had been applied for the protection of my heart, but it’s almost difficult passing judgment on the mistakes that have ultimately brought me to where I am now. Some of the mistakes though, which have made very deep emotional and psychological scars and truly hindered my present relationships, I would never want my children to have to experience. Now I can see how some of the motions of courtship are set to protect young minds that don’t have a complete understanding of what love is and all that is needed when building a healthy marriage.

My relationship with Ben has been the greatest learning experience of my life. The fact that we were simply friends before being romantic stands out starkly from the rest of my relationships. My feelings toward him held high contents of trust and admiration, rather than simply lust and selfish emotional motives. This was definitely new for me. There was a point in our relationship where I even attempted to end it, feeling like we were too different to understand each other. Ben, heartbroken, said he would allow me to end it, but was still committed to me and would be even if I wasn’t. Talk about conviction! Because of him I understand what real love looks like, even if it isn’t convenient emotionally. I look back on old relationships and appreciate so much where God has put me.

I always feel like I can't describe myself without explaining a lot about my past, and a lot about the future I dream of. I am not myself without those things. What parts of your childhood do you think had the biggest part in making you who you are? What future do you envision for yourself and your family? What values from your past drive you toward your future?

I find myself constantly dreaming up mine and Ben’s future! We’ve even discussed what sort of dog we’ll adopt first. Ben and I both have passionate gifts and talents for Jesus’ ministry that we’re ready to start using. He is theologian and preacher extraordinaire, and I want to be a minister and counselor.

Having listened to my father’s teaching most of my life, I have always remembered his insistence on the idea of “adoption” as an important attribute to God’s character. Western modern culture is so individualistic and families tend to not look far beyond their picket fences or apartment walls. Jesus instructs that we treat people, no matter what relation they may be, even better than we treat ourselves. We are all members of a family. God has pressed the word adoption on my conscience for years, and I’ve gradually, with the help of numerous variables come to understand my future as including children who might not have been born by me, but who my husband and I choose to call our own. I dream about holding these beautiful babies often.

The reason I decided to interview you this week instead of your birthday week, like I plan to do with most family, is because of the Women in Ministry emphasis. Growing up in a conservative evangelical home, like myself, we were generally led to believe that women could not be pastors, that it was unscriptural. What have you learned about this since coming to Howard Payne? Describe for me your journey to your calling.

My first semesters in college opened up a vastly different world that I did not know was acceptable, or that it even existed. Serving, loving and leading people was one thing I definitely understood growing up. I remember deciding that I would rather continue living in a pastoral family for life, and understood this as a call to be a pastor’s wife. Howard Payne University introduced me to professors and students who believed that women could be more than nursery workers and secretaries, but actually lead congregations and preach! Being taught how to properly interpret the Bible, I came to believe that in Jesus’ Kingdom male and female are equal, though they might have outward and inward differences. Ben and I strongly hold to both egalitarian and complimentarian views, and want to live our marriage out in such a way. This includes our roles in Church ministry, though we are not sure what exactly God has planned for our vocational futures. I now hold a ministry position as a youth minister and have preached a handful of times. I am always searching for the best ways to execute my personal ministry. Another providential way I am able to show love to people is through my Mary Kay cosmetic business. You would be amazed at what a woman will tell you when you’re in her home and she has her make-up off!

Now to the important questions. I love to post on this blog about food, and I am totally a recipe junky. What is your favorite food? Do you have a different favorite food to cook than your favorite food to eat? I don't know anyone who doesn't love sharing a meal with friends. What does your fantasy dinner party look like? What foods, activities, and guests would you include? What if you could invite people who you don't know, or who are no longer living?

My favorite food to eat would be a chicken sandwich involving a shocking amount of mayonnaise, or perhaps chicken fettuccini with mushrooms, olives and vegetables! My favorite recipe to make right now is my grandmother’s baked chicken and rice. It’s so easy and tastes so goooood. People always seem to feel special when I make it for them.

At my fantasy dinner party we would definitely be outside! The sun would still be on the horizon as we sat down to dinner but would be replaced by candles in jars hours later as we still laughed over dessert. The menu would include this fantastic Lebanese Panini I had once in Morocco that had chicken, spinach leaves and spices inside and was dipped in a marvelous avocado sauce. Side dishes would include fruit and potato crisps. We’d finish off with cheesecake and chocolate pie. Guitar/mandolin/banjo required. Guests would include Benjamin, Molly, You and yours, Ben’s three best friends – all of whom are named Joshua, Siobhan and Elliott (I imagine Elliott and Efrim about five years older and very interested in climbing the tree that overlooks the table), and Stefanie Beckwith. There are many who I do not know or have died that I would love to entertain, but it is so rare that I see those who I consider dear friends that I must save my pretty dinner party for them.

You know I am also crazy about clothes. Tell me about some of your favorite stand by pieces, that you couldn't live without. Where is your favorite place to shop?

My deepest fashion fantasy involves a warm beach town where underwear is always exchanged for cute swimsuits that peek out of soft, flowy cotton clothing. *sigh* My old standbys are well fitting camisoles in black or white, tasteful shorts, and all kinds of dresses! Though I use pretty standard clothes most often, I have a large assortment of ridiculous items that no one in their right mind would wear (which explains why I have them). I believe in purchasing clothes from resale shops, and would love to wear more vintage. My feet are social creatures, so flip-flops and Grecian sandals are preferred. Or shoes I can slip off easily in the winter.

Most of us have a dozen or more handbags in our closet, and my theory is that it is because we all have a perfect one we are looking for and buy so many almosts that just don't cut it. What would be your ideal handbag in a perfect world?

Your handbag theory is so true!! I AM looking for the perfect bag, and I simply cannot find it. I want something that can hold a binder and keep my constant necessities (the big three: keys, wallet and phone) organized and separated from things like receipts, lip glosses, sunglasses and miscellaneous junk. I also want the strap to be big and comfortable enough to sit atop my shoulder while my arm rests against its body. I really like dark leather, with a small amount of brushed silver hardware. I know you’re out there bag, and I won’t stop looking for you - and when I find you, I just might buy two.

Thanks again for helping with this. I love you so much and just can't wait to share you with the world.

Mary Kay Love

2010-03-05T09:35:00.000-08:00

I commented on my Traveling post how I don't actually own any of the things I "packed" in my imaginary suitcase. The exception to that rule, of course, is the Mary Kay.

Besides that Mary Kay has so many great products- which I have always known thanks to our first Mary Kay lady, Miss Sue, who lived across the street from my Granny as far back as I can remember- I have always loved to do things in the most orderly fashion. I love that one company has all of the beauty products I need, and I can get them all from my sweet "sister" Rebekah.

Rebekah will be the subject of my first blog interview post, this weekend, but for now I will answer the question I know is in all of your minds.

So what products are on my shelf? What beauty supplies can I not live without?

Mary Kay I have by AddieLore on Polyvore.com

Items in this set:
Mary Kay® Lash Lengthening Mascara™, $10
Mary Kay® Mineral Eye Color: Coal, $6.50
Limited-Edition Romantic Notions Set: Soft Sable (Beige/Bronze Skin..., $30
TimeWise® Age-Fighting Moisturizer (combination to oily), $22
Mary Kay® Medium-Coverage Foundation: Ivory 204, $14

This is my wishlist:

Mary Kay I want by AddieLore on Polyvore.com

Items in this set:
Mary Kay® Compact (unfilled), $18
Mary Kay® Mineral Eye Color: Precious Pink, $6.50
Mary Kay® Mineral Eye Color: Espresso, $6.50
Mary Kay® Mineral Eye Color: Coal, $6.50
Mary Kay® Eye Primer

I also like these Eye Colors. I can't ever decide about eyeshadow...

Preemptive Love Coalition

2010-03-05T09:29:00.001-08:00

I hope to talk about Preemptive Love in more depth on many occasions, but don't wait for me. Go check it out for yourself....

my love/hate relationship with headbands

2010-03-04T16:19:00.000-08:00

and thoughts on my hair in general....

though i try and try i can never quite figure out my hair. my mom the cosmetologist says it's great hair, still it never quite behaves as i would like. after trying a rather short style before i got pregnant with my son, my hair is finally getting longer, and i recently cut some deep tapered bangs.

i am pretty old fashioned and prefer updos (i have sensitive skin and wearing my hair down is always itchy), but with a lot of accesories. i love pretty hair flowers, and make my own. i bought some more flowers recently, and will show how i put them together soon.

I would like to learn how to fix it like this:

is that too crazy? i really don't mind looking like an old pentecostal lady.

so more to the point with headbands. i always buy them, thinking this is the one that will look like i want it to, and they never work.

i would love to try this style:

but i'm scared of the headband.

lately i have been really wanting one of these:

but will it work on me at all?

i even have a pattern

I look forward to the day when my hair is long enough again to braid wet out of the shower and just let it dry wavy. then i can just be like an old woman. but i may not be happy then either...

in the mean time do i perm it?

or just razor the ends to give it a better shape?

while your thinking about it, check out this awesome tutorial on how to make a perfect messy bun:

Once a Traveler, Always a Traveler.

2010-03-04T16:08:00.000-08:00

As a child my sister and I lived on the road as much as at home, it seems. My dad is a home missionary to rural and ranching families all over Texas. It is so hard to adjust to a stationary lifestyle, especially with a home body of a husband. I just want to load up my suitcase, hop in the car for a six hour ride, and spend the week with near strangers. You have no idea how hungry I am for a trip like this. This urge was not helped the other day as I watched my fabulously fashionable friend Melissa pack for a weekend trip. This is the vent for a little of my un-homesickness.

traveling by AddieLore featuring J Crew jeans

Items in this set:
Camilla Mini Dress, $550
BURBERRY 3481163 BLUE COTTON/SILK DRESS, 245 GBP
Lourdes Dress, $135
Old Navy Womens Pleated Floral-Print Dresses, $25
Black/white stripe dress, 18 GBP

unexplained break

2010-03-04T12:00:00.000-08:00

This was supposed to be my first day of blogging everyday. Tuesday I went to take Efrim to the dentist and vote for the governor, and never made it home. Yesterday I had a stomach bug and fever, and moved off the couch as little as possible. The blog gods must hate me.

I love J.Crew

2010-03-01T12:15:00.000-08:00

I adore J.Crew Clementine or Gracen dresses in black or champagne. aren't they gorgeous?
Also I have been so wanting a real J.Crew blazer for years, specifically this one for the last six months.
Too bad it costs $215. I ordered a Gap one instead. Do you think it will even come close to comparing?

Lemon Parsley Pork Lumps

2010-03-01T09:18:00.000-08:00

Yesterday for Sunday lunch we had Lemon Parsley Pork Chops, from my favorite cookbook, Great Food Fast, only we didn't have pork chops. When we moved into our new apartment, our friend Jamie who was moving out wasn't going to have electricity for a few days in his new house, so he left us his food. In the freezer there were these oddly shaped bits of pork. I have cooked with them twice and they are delicious.

Lemon Parsley Pork Lumps

1 minced lemon zest
2 tbs parsley
1 clove or tbs garlic
1/2 tsp coarse salt
1/4 tsp mixed freshly ground pepper

2 tbs olive oil
2 lbs pork, apparently any cut will do

1. Combine all of the spices and set aside.

2. Heat the olive oil and brown meat on both sides.

3. Add 1/2 cup of water, bring to a boil. Reduce heat and cover. Cook 8-10 additional minutes until pork is cooked through (mine took a little longer since it was very thick.)

4. Transfer pork chops to a platter, sprinkle seasoning mix on top, and drizzle with pan juices.

I ate mine stacked on top of mashed potatoes and topped with english peas.

source: Great Food Fast, the Everyday Food Collection from the Kitchens of Martha Stewart Living