La, La, La, Laini!

HUGE Rave!

2008-04-22T17:31:00.000-07:00

For Ecover products and company! I had heard of the product and had wanted to try them out. While I was at the Green Festival there was a booth and got a sample of the dish soap. LOVED it. Didn't dry out my hands and wasn't overpowering in the smell department. I was really hoping that they would have a sample of the fabric softener, but they didn't and the lady told me to go on the website and request some. Well I had signed up for the news letter at the green festival and I guess she had made a note next to my name that I was interested in the fabric softener and I got a sample! I had requested a sample from the site as well. They came super quick and there was a nice hand written note inside both of them.

I used the fabric softener on the diaper laundry tonight and EVERYTHING came out SO fluffy and smelling great. I was having some problems with things getting a little crunchy on me and now they are all nice and fluffy and squooshy and smooshy and yummy and um cuddly. I can't wait to try some of the cleaning products they have in their line.

Yup! I am this excited about cleaning products!

Help me reach my goal!Sponsor Me at March for Babies!

2008-03-19T15:31:00.001-07:00

Ellaroo Recall

2008-03-11T15:30:00.000-07:00

Again I don't have one of these, but I know mommas that do.

http://www.cpsc.gov/cpscpub/prerel/prhtml08/08215.html

Beco Recall.

2008-03-08T14:09:00.000-08:00

I don't personally have one of these carriers, but I know moms that do! Here is the information on it. I am going to start adding recalls for children's items when they come through.

http://becobabycarrier.blogspot.com/2008/03/butterfly-recall.html

The great blinkie post!

2008-02-28T16:06:00.000-08:00

Ok here are all the blinkies I promised everyone! Copy, paste and upload to photobucket or Flickr! I will be adding to these, so you can check back for more. If there are any that you would like let me know!

Cloth Diaper:

Breastfeeding and formula feeding:

Attachment parenting and mommy:

Babywearing:

Cloth diaper info videos.

2008-02-28T14:36:00.000-08:00

Dads do it too!

Cloth Diaper information

2008-02-27T22:42:00.000-08:00

I know, I know! I was supposed to have this up a couple of days ago. Better late than never!

First off, a few articles about cloth diapers versus disposables:

http://www.thenewparentsguide.com/diapers.htm

http://www.ilea.org/lcas/franklin1992.html

An interesting article that breaks up the cost of using cloth vs. sposies:
http://www.naturalfamilyonline.com/5-diap/45-diaper-cost.htm

All about washing your cloth diapers.

Now this can be a HUGE debate across the board. Once you find your wash routine, I bet you will argue it's the best as well. Here's mine:

Cold prewash with a squirt of Bac out(I'll get to that later).
HOT wash, cold rinse with detergent(I use Sun or Biokleen), baking soda, and a squirt of Dawn(original not Ultra)
Cold rinse with Grapefruit seed extract and a drop or two of Orange essential oil for a yummy smell.

Also when I get diapers used I will put about a tablespoon of beach in the wash. If you are going to do this, fill the washer with all the water, add detergent and bleach. Let it agitate a minute before adding the diapers.

About once a month I will strip my diapers with RLR. A miracle to cloth diapers. IT can be found in some grocery stores, but I have only been able to find it online. It breaks up all the detergent build up that can cause the diapers to stink.

Here are a few articles on washing diapers that may be useful.

http://www.diaperjungle.com/washing-cloth-diapers.html

http://www.diaperpin.com/howto.asp

http://www.orangestarfish.com/caretips.html

Detergents.

Detergents can be another touchy subject. Some mom's SWEAR by Tide, other can't use it due too rashes. Other go for a more pricey approach with Charlies or Allen, but they can also cause rashes in some children. I can use Biokleen with no problems, while some moms say that they get stinky diapers from them. If your water is hard or soft can also determine detergent use. This site tests all their detergents.

http://pinstripesandpolkadots.com/detergentchoices.htm

Terms key:

RLR: https://moiras.site5.com/~zannaduc/shop/customer/product.php?productid=16397&cat=252&page=1

Bac Out:
I get this at Fred Meyers in the natural section. The link just shows what the bottle looks like! I don;t just use this for diapers. I use it for cleaning around the house as well. Smells like limes!
http://www.drugstore.com/qxp94847_333181_sespider/bi_o_kleen/bac_out_stain_and_odor_eliminator_with_live_enzyme_cultures.htm

Biokleen detergent:
I bought this because it was on sale. I had been wanting to try it out ever since I smelled it. It got out a stain that was SO super set in on a bamboo flat, so I am forever in love. Made by the same company as Bac Out. Smells like grapefruits.
http://www.amazon.com/Ounce-All-Temperature-Laundry-Liquid/dp/B000CBD0VS/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&qid=1204183452&sr=1-6

Grapefruit seed extract:
It is used as an antibacterial. You can also use Tea Tree oil, but I am allergic. This is what I use. About 20 drops in a full load. I also can find this at Fred Meyer or Supper Supplements.
http://store.nutribiotic.com/pgi-productspec?1000

Essential oils:
I love the citrus ones. Whatever your preference is is great! I just add about 5 drops to the rinse. Smells yummy!

Fun Stuff!

Now we get to talk about your stash! I don't know if there is truly a thing called stash nirvana, but hey, to each their own! I am always up for trying new things, but my stash is built up from very basic diapers. I can't give you numbers, simply because I am too scared to count! But I'll give you a run down of what I've got.

Prefolds. You can never have too many of these. I love them! Gerber, Indian, or Chinese. I love them all.

Flats. This was the first diaper that I fell in love with. I use the origami fold, and sometimes will fold a preemie sized prefold in it as a doubler. I have Little Lions, and they are YUMMY. I also have some that are bamboo, that we use for night time.

Pockets. We use Fuzzi Bunz. I love them, they are great for travel, and wash easy. They are also Ryan's diaper of choice.

Fitteds. Now I used to be all over the board on these, but have narrowed them down to my favorites. I make Rita Rumps one size pocket fitteds, that I LOVE. We also use Swaddlebees fitteds and pocket fitteds. I'm a snob and only use the velour kind. Terry is NOT my friend.

Covers. We use Thirsties, proraps, fleece and Wool. Thirsties will last a long time in the medium weight range. I love the colors that Thirsties come in. I also like Prorap covers. They just come in white, but they really worked well for us. I make our fleece covers!

Wool. I put them under the covers category, which they are, BUT they really need their own catagory! I love wool. I love using it because it has antibacterial properties. I am also a wool snob. I am very picky. I make Longies, and will be making some shorts for summer. Brand wise I use Wild Child Woolies, Llamajamas, Ahmay and I have one Luxe. I am a Llamajama whore. Most all of them are hard to some by, and require stalking.

I also use cloth wipes. I had someone make them for me, and I need more! They are soft and yummy. I will also admit that I LOVE to buy wipe bits rather than make my own solution. Just one less step for me. I get unscented and add some essential oil to it as well as a drop of Grapefruit Seed Extract. That stuff comes in pretty handy.

Wool Washing and Lanolizing.

OK, so this is rounding up the last of the tutorials. Obviously you have to handle wool with a little more care. So no washer and dryer, unless you plan on using it on a doll. I found yummy wool wash and I add a little drop of lanolin to the wash. Swoosh it around before adding the wool, and the squoosh the wool around a bit. Then I let it soak for about 15-30 min depending on how dirty it is. A wool wash bar also comes in REALLY handy when it comes to dirt. SUPER stubborn stains I soak in Bac Out. Then when the wool is washed I squoosh the water out(NO wringing!) and throw it in the washer for a SPIN ONLY cycle. It gets SO much water out. Then I lay flat to dry on the dryer. It's usually dry by morning. Since I add the little extra lanolin to the wash I use a spray lanolin when it's dry. Here are a few how to's though!

http://www.cottonbabies.com/product_info.php?cPath=57&products_id=247

http://www.greenmountaindiapers.com/lanolize.htm

Ok folks, so that is all the information off the top of my head! If you have any questions please ask! Leave a comment or email me. I promise I will get back to any questions!

A place where her dreams have room to grow.

2007-10-13T01:58:00.000-07:00

I don't think so! This commercial was brought to my attention and it just left an awful taste in my mouth. The commercial is for the Rose Petal Cottage, and it shows a little girl baking, doing laundry, putting the baby to bed etc. Backwards much? Watch the video for yourself and decide. The one with the mom is the longer version.

http://www.hasbro.com/default.cfm?page=demos

Pass the Ribbon!

2007-10-01T21:57:00.000-07:00

At 1-800-FREE411, we know there are more important things than free directory assistance. That’s why we need your help supporting National Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

Just use the form below to share valuable health information with friends and family. As for our part? Every time a new person calls 1-800-FREE411 during the month of October, we’ll donate one dollar (up to $25k) to benefit the National Breast Cancer Coalition Fund.

Follow the link and pass the ribbon! http://www.free411.com/pink/?cm_mmc_o=atbyp%20VzyfY%20HFzbkCjC4YVBbEflCjCHFzbk%20gBEfwEfCjC2tzybfY%20VyBTyzF

Fold your shirt!

2007-08-18T00:06:00.000-07:00

Ok this is probably to coolest things that I have ever seen! This site shows you how to fold a shirt in 2 seconds flat! Yup 2 seconds. Here's a link, watch the video and try it out for yourself.

http://www.fold-your-shirt.com/

Karma

2007-08-14T23:53:00.000-07:00

OR you are what you put out there. I believe this more than I have ever in the past. The more negative energy that you put out there, the more it reflects on you. Constant negative thinking will take it's toll. The last couple of weeks I have really taken the time to sort things out. To reflect on what kind of energy that I was putting out there. I learned a few things, some not so great, and others that I would really like to continue. I learned that if you say something enough that you will really start to believe it. This is not always a good thing and it is wise to choose your words carefully. Also it is wise to think about who you are saying it to. Thus my new rule of "complaining". I complain once, and that's it. I say what I need to say, no need to beat it to death and dwell on it. I find that if I am angry about something the more times that I talk about it the more angry I become. I noticed this yesterday. I had a problem and I talked about it, said what bothered me, and then started a positive conversation. I gave myself the complain once rule, because I get OVERHELMINGLY tired of hearing about the same negative thing over and over again. So think positive please!

I also had a very pleasant comment from someone in my family. I can't begin to express how much love I felt from such a simple comment. It can be surprising what people see in you. It is also surprising how much confidence they can have in you. I had stated that I thought it would be neat to start a little project, and was told that "That would be perfect for you! I think you should really do it!" So we shall see, what I can do about that. I would need my computer, and there has been some evidence that it has been somewhat tampered with. Hopefully it will get all sorted out and I can begin.

As well as doing all of this "soul searching" Ryan and I have become very nostalgic about certain things. Mainly our time spent on Nantucket. It became clear that what we were both missing, was the sense of community that you feel there. I realize that I am missing certain connections that were so easy to establish there. Being such a small community it was easy to find someone who shared a similar passion. It was easy to find someone with which to make a connection over a common bond. We also miss our time with each other. Not being surrounded by an excessive amount of activities, left more time for us to spend with each other and later as a family. So we are trying to figure out the best way to get that back. It may seem to others that we are trying to isolate ourselves, but this isn't the case. We are trying to forge a tighter bond as a family.