Cloth Freedom

Can I just tell you friends, that I absolutely LOVE, love, love, love cloth diapering!  I know that I shared that I was anxiously awaiting the arrival of my cloth diapers and I have not been let down.  I have been using cloth for a couple months now and a couple key things that I have discovered:

1.  It is great!
2.  The poop is not as bad as I thought (especially when you use a paper liner for the older baby poops)
3.  Cloth wipes are ACTUALLY easier with cloth diapers than disposable wipes.
4.  The laundry doesn't really make a difference to my day-to-day activites
5.  It is slightly addicting!  I want more.  They are so cute and fun!  :)

Enjoying a lazy morning in pj's and diaper! 

Bug #3's first cloth diaper experience!  Cute little fluffy bum!

Milking the Milk

So, I am ALL about little tricks to save money.  This one I got from a great website www.healthyoates.com.  Basically you buy 1 gallon ORGANIC WHOLE milk, which is the same price as skim, 1 percent or 2 percent, and divide.  Separate the milk into two half gallon portions and then add a half gallon of purified water (I use a Brita) to each and voila! you have the consistency of about 2 percent milk for HALF THE COST!!!  That my friends is SWEETNESS!  You can check out their article here.

I also get my milk from Trader Joe's.  They have great organic milk and it is regularly cheaper than Horizon's (unless it is on sale) and better tasting than the other store brands available here (Meijer or Kroger).  Happy Milking!

Living Life...or at least trying too!

Phew!  Life has been crazy!  As I said in my last post (I know, this one is LONG overdue), we recently moved. ugh!  Moving is stinky.  I am surrounded my chaos and clutter and boxes galore!  Things ARE starting to settle down a bit, but not as much as I had hoped.  We have 2 functioning living spaces downstairs (kitchen and living room), well two and a half if you count the office, which is barely functioning.  The upstairs is coming along, except for the fact that my 3 year old stuck her finger through the bathroom sink!!!  It had a rust spot on it and she pushed it and bam! through the sink went her little finger!  Can you believe it?!  I couldn't!  So redoing the guest bath just moved up in priority (which says a lot since it was pretty high up there!)

I guess that in all this chaos and transitions I am just trying to make it through, to survive.  I am not sure what I am trying to make it through too.  I mean, life will always be happening and I am just trying to get to the next point as opposed to enjoying or even tolerating my phase of life right now.  I guess that I had assumed my of my discontentment was related to not having a home, but I am discovering it is more a state of mind, or state of heart that I have been living in.  It is funny how getting exactly what you want and have been asking for is not at ALL what you expected.  Neither is what you learn from it!

A lot on our plate

So as if having a newborn isn't enough we decided to add a bit more to our life.  We bought a house and are moving!  Okay so the timing isn't perfect and wasn't our choice...we put the offer on the house in June and closed in October.  It was a short sale, which is why it took so long.  Honestly I think that we should really look into changing the name, I mean there was nothing short about this process (except of course the money!)

We are really excited about our house and very grateful to be getting out of our small rental.  Especially since the rental is on the 2nd floor!  Phew, no more Costco trips up the stairs!!!  YAY!!!

We are painting, replacing carpet, removing wallpaper etc.  all before we move.  It all seemed like a good idea at the time, but now I am feeling a little overly ambitious.  Hopefully it will all get done and I won't go insane!

Making the switch to Cloth

So I am making the switch to cloth diapers for bug number 3!  Honestly, I really just can't handle paying for diapers anymore.  It seems like such a waste of money to me.  I know that you need something on your baby's cute little bottom, but seriously disposables are like throwing money away.  At least that is the point that I have come too.  Maybe part of it is that my older 2 are only 15 months apart, which means I was going through a ton of diapers a month for a while.   So to save money, mostly and to cut back on our waste and be a little more eco-friendly, I decided to switch to cloth.

While starting to look at all the cloth options and what the cloth diapering world was all about, I about gave up, and I hadn't even started yet!!  It was so stinking overwhelming.  There are so many options to choose from and all the places to buy and what do you need to do.  AHHH!  Please make it stop!  Phew, okay I survived.  Thanks to a great website that I stumbled upon:

www.allaboutclothdiapers.com

This website I found really helpful mainly because it broke down the types of cloth diapers and introduces newbies into the cloth diaper world in a not-so-overwhelming-kind-of-way.  A couple of the posts that really helped me were:

New to Cloth Diapers

Cloth Diaper System

Diapering on a Budget

Recommendations

Once I figured out which system was the way to go, the next step was to figure out where to buy.  That is where this site comes into play:  www.bananapeelsdiapers.com  I was able to purchase everything I needed to get started and the great thing about it that she offers free shipping with orders over $50.  I am a big fan of free shipping.  

So what did I decide to get?  

Flip with Stay Dry Inserts

Econobum

Thirsties Duo-Wrap Covers (I picked one with snaps and one with out, just to see what I like best)

Mainly I am starting with the stay dry inserts and prefolds.  They seemed like the easiest route to start.  I was also given some BumGenius to try as well.  

My order is placed and I am waiting for them to arrive.  Hopefully I will transition well into the cloth diapering world.  

More fun Goodies from Grammy

So on top of the adorable pumpkin hats my mom made Bear Bag and Puppy Purse.  :)  The bugs absoultely love their little bags and shove everything they can in them and cart them around.  Check it out: 

Welcome Bug #3

Welcome bug number 3!!  Our little munchkin was born today at 1:32 am, he weighed in at 9lbs 10ozs and was 20 inches long.  So maybe I should say welcome to our BIG little munchkin!  We are doing well and looking forward to heading home!

Pumkin Heads

I found a picture of a little girl (who I don't know AT ALL!) wearing a cute pumpkin hat on facebook.  So I naturally sent it over to my mom and asked her if she thought she could make it.  Not only did she make it.  She did it in about 3 days and made improvements to the lacking design.  My mom is one awesome crocheter!

Bug number 2

Bug number1

Rule Chart

I thought that this was brilliant!  My girlfriend posted this on Facebook.  She just started implementing this with her 3 year old.  I think that I am going to have to make one of these charts myself.  I love the simplicity of it.  These are the rules.  This is what we do.  Perfect.  Way to go TP!  You are an awesome Mama and friend for this one!

Looking Forward

There are so many things that I am looking forward to:

1.  Having a potty trained bug number 2
2.  Having a yard...preferably with a fence
3.  Not living on the 2nd story
4.  Not bringing groceries up a flight of stairs
5.  Not being preggers (especially in this heat! yikes!)
6.  Having a wardrobe that 1. I like 2. Consists of more that 10 pieces
7.  Fall and fall things and cool weather
8.  Going to the bathroom by myself

But the reality is that is not my life right now.  Bug number 2 is struggling with potty training.  I am struggling with patience with him.  We don't have a yard, in fact we have a parking lot.  Lame.  Our outside time consists of chalk and bubbles, and walking to the playground or going somewhere else to play.  Won't it be nice to just walk outside and play.  I think so.  We live in a second story condo that we are renting.  (We were 'supposed' to be here for a year max, just passed 2 years here).  I have to bring the groceries up stairs because you have to go upstairs when you get here.  I am preggers and nothing fits well anymore, and after wearing the same clothes for 3 pregnancies in less than 4 years you really start to hate them...REALLY HATE them!  It is not fall or cool but that is coming soon! Yay!  And I probably will never be able to pee by myself in any amount of foreseeable future.

But that is okay.  Right?!  It is okay.  It is okay that things are a little out of control and not exactly how I would have envisioned them.   God is good and bigger than my list (which could have gone on WAY past 8, but I felt the need to stop at some point).  I guess it comes down to choosing to be content with some of the things that are happening in life and trusting that God's plans are perfect.  That's the hard part huh?  Choosing and trusting.  It is much easier to complain and wallow in yuckiness.  I want to cling to God's promises but it isn't always easy.  God will work things out for the good.

And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose.  Romans 8:28

I don't think that I was in Paradise today.  

Anemia

My liquid iron from Germany!  

So the results are in and I am freakin' anemic.  I have the worst case that my doc has ever seen!  Awesome.  Go big or go home....that's the way I roll.  Oh goodness.  At least that I know what is going on and it is a pretty easy fix...lots o' iron.  Which by the way spinach it not a good source of.  I know, I thought that it was too.  Apparently it has calcium in it and calcium blocks the absorption of iron.  Who knew.  Vitamin C on the other had helps with the absorption of iron.  So I am taking my special liquid iron from Germany with Orange Juice.  As long as I don't go into labor tomorrow or have some sort of freak cooking accident I should be okay.  Otherwise I will need a blood transfusion!  Yikes!  I told you it was bad.  

When it rains, it pours

So this week has not been my favorite.  I have been feeling yucky during this pregnancy (worse than normal) so after a quick call to my doc on Monday, followed by a not so quick visit that night.  I could have some yucky problems.
My options:  1.  preeclampsia  2.  pregnancy induced hypertension (PIH) or 3. anemia

Since I am slightly anemic and my levels were low when I had my glucose test, they think that is the cuplrit behind my wonky vision and extreme exhaustion.  Tuesday I had to go in to have blood work done, to test it all.  The lab was closed Monday night, bummer.  So another trip to the doc was needed.  Bug number 1 woke up with PINK EYE on Tuesday morning!  Are you kidding me?!  Thankfully my pediatrician called in a prescription for me.  I just couldn't make it to one more appointment.  Today I had had to say goodbye to Rocket.  Rocket is our van.  Bug number 1 named him.  Rocket got hit a while ago at the Farmer's Market and he is getting fixed!  Yay!  But no van, in fact no vehicle for the day.  Goodness.  It has been a long week and it is only Wednesday!

Theology from Bugs, Part 1

Some of the things that bug number 1 says about God and Jesus are particularly funny, so I thought that I would start a little series called, Theology from Bugs.  This way I can record all (and share) all the adorable things she says about God.  I am sure bug number 2 will have some of his own in the near future as well!


Bug number 1 was reading the Christmas Story board book (and yes I know it is July!)  to bug number 2, which is super sweet and adorable in and of itself.  This is how it goes after they are in the manger:  Baby Jesus is safe with the lambs. 

I LOVE IT!!  Now I am not entirely sure what the lambs were protecting Jesus from, but I am sure glad God sent those lambs to protect baby Jesus! :)

One of those kind of days...

Just what the doctor ordered.  A special thanks to my MIL for providing this special treat.  It was very needed today. 

Preparing for Visitors

So we are getting ready for family to come to town for bug number 1's third birthday.  It is always great to have family in town.   I love watching our kids interact with Grandparents.  It is so much fun!  BUT so stinking draining!  We currently live in a 2 bedroom condo, which means no guest room.  :(  So when my husband's parents come in from FL they stay in a hotel.  It just adds that little bit of extra complication to visiting family in trying to shuttle people back and forth.  It is a little bit more complicated but so worth it.  We love having them visit.  Tomorrow we pick up Gigi from the airport!  It should be a good weekend!

Summer Veggies

Our new favorite dish:

Roasted Veggies

Chopped zucchini, red onion, red potato, tomatoes (mainly what I can procure from the Farmer's Market)
toss with EVOO and Matt's Mix.

Heat oven to 350 with empty baking sheet in oven
When oven is heated pull baking sheet out and throw veggies on, it makes a great sizzle.
Cook for 20-25 min*

Delicious!!!

*Potatoes take longer so I put them on a separate sheet and start them first (about 15-20 min) before added remaining veggies. 

Cloth Diapers

So I am thinking about cloth diapering with Bug number 3.  I feel a little, okay a lot overwhelmed just thinking about it.  I don't want my house to smell like pee!  But I really, really, really  like the idea of NOT spending 40 bucks (min) a month on diapers and being more eco-friendly.  I am just starting to look into good websites and options for cloth diapers.  Some helpful resources:

http://www.theclothdiaperwhisperer.com/

http://allaboutclothdiapers.com/

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


This is just the beginning of my research.  Hopefully I can make some good choices after I wig out a bit with all the info floating through my brain!!

Summer Heat

Argh!  This summer has been a hot one!  Yuck and it is just getting started.  I feel like we completely missed spring.  The wonderful time when everything is in bloom and pretty and hanging outdoors is enjoyable versus miserable.  You think that I would be able to handle the heat a wee bit better, since I did live in South Florida for almost 4 year.  But not so much.  Maybe it has something to do with the fact that I am preggers and don't have warm weather clothing that fits right now! 

Matt's Mix

So I recently discovered this at Northville's Farmer's Market and it is AWESOME!!  Everyone needs to try this and use it.  It really is great on everything!  I made roasted veggies, yum-o!

Check it out at www.mattsmix.com  and on Facebook.  It is a great on hand seasoning, especially for picky little ones!!

Our Kids in God's Hands

This article from Focus on the Family goes well with the audio on a Mom's Identity.  Great resources to have as a Mom. 

A Mom's Identity

This is such a great audio about a Mom's Identity from Focus on the Family.   It is only abut 10 minutes, but so worth it.  How often we become all-consumed with our children and quickly spiral into crazy Mama. 

Under the Tough Questions box click on Audio: A Mom's Identity


BontyMama

Arbonne's New Product Launch

Arbonne Cosmetics

Check out these AMAZING new products from Arbonne!  So sweet.  They have outdone themselves again with providing quality products.  They just keep getting better and better.   The new Re9Advanced Set and Re9Advanced for Men and new Arbonne Cosmetics

Re9 Advanced

I just love being with a company that continues to pioneer new and safer ways to amazing skin care with out all the junk. 





katherine bontempo
ID #16367212

Man Overboard!

So I thought that my kiddos were playing nicely on the patio while I cooked dinner.  I was a little off the mark as you can see.  What I thought was playing was dumping toys through the railings and watching them fall.  At least they understand gravity! 

Cleaner of the Year

I just love this stuff!   We have been using Nature's Miracle since we got our dog Lulu.  She is a 15lb Rat Terrier/Dachshund Mix that we rescued from Louisiana after Katrina.  I was working with FEMA doing disaster recovery work and brought home a puppy when I was done.  We tried NM after a couple doggy training accidents and it has been a household staple ever since.  It gets rid of every sort of stain and spill!

LOVE IT!  The best part is, if you have an animal or kid have a bathroom accident it ACTUALLY gets rid of the SMELL!!  So awesome.  I used some today on a stain on our van carpet that was there when we bought it and it came right out.  SWEETNESS!  Gotta love the miracle! 

Lulu

 *Nature's Miracle is available online or at your local pet store.  I purchase it at Petsmart.  

The Happiest Place on Earth...

Okay maybe not.  We recently made the trek down to Florida and headed to Disney.  Since we are from Florida,  we were making our 2 week trip down to visit family and we were offered a Disney trip at the end of it.  Not such a great choice.  We had a great time visiting with family and we got to relax and hang out, well worth the 2 day drive there.  Disney, not so much.  It probably didn't help that being in the middle of the first trimester I was sick as a dog and puking my brains out.  Nothing like walking around all day to make you feel great.  Bug number 1 also smashed her face, literally, on a glass dining room table 5 minutes after we arrived in our hotel.   Needless to say her trip was pretty much over then.  Both kids were super excited to meet Minnie and Mickey the next day.  At least that made up for bug #1's major injury. 

Honestly the kids were a little bit young (#1-2 1/2yrs, #2-17mo) and trying to cram in Disney at the end of a two week vacation was a little much.  Next time we are going to make a special trip just to Disney and make sure that everybody can walk on their own and I don't want to be pregnant during the trip.  All in all, a  lesson well learned. 

Up the stairs

So this is what ONE shopping trip to Costco and Trader Joe's looks like in my house.  It was 8 trips up the stairs, yes up the stairs.  We live on the second story and that means stairs folk.  It was 8 trips up the stairs with groceries and 2 trips up with bugs (one each).  The kids had fallen asleep in the car and hung out there while I unloaded.  I wish I could say that they napped really well when we got home, but they didn't it was more of a rest time than nap time.  Needless to say I got my workout in for the day!

MIA?

Okay, so I realize that I have been MIA for a bit.  Two weeks of traveling followed by no internet, our computer breaking, and no internet again have all contributed to my absence.  But NO MORE! We are a fully functioning techie family again.  Honestly I am just really grateful to have internet again and not to have to use the library or try and find free wi-fi.  Especially since it's not like I can really take the kiddos anywhere and expect them to sit while I check my email and update my blogs.  So now that I am back online, I am still way behind in postings.  Yikes.  Hopefully over the next week I will be all caught up, at least that is my goal.  We will see what happens...

Baby on Board!

Preggos with bug #3!!  Woo-hoo!

Weekend Celebration

What a busy weekend!  It was one of those non-stop kind of weekends, but a really good kind.  Chris and I celebrated our 5 year anniversary this weekend!  Yay for marriage!  Our actually anniversary (Feb. 5th) didn't go so hot.  Both bugs were sick.  Number 2 had a fever and cut 2 teeth while bug #1 fed off his crankiness resulting in two very tired and cranky kids and a very exhausted mama.  Chris was running late home from work.  Not what I had planned.  But you know, while all this was happening, I became more grateful for a "typical day" anniversary vs. a "special day" anniversary.  I got married for the marriage, not the anniversaries.  Life can either make our marriage stronger or break it down, depending on our choices and responses.  I am so grateful for a husband who is willing to work on our marriage and protects it.  Thanks babe!  Here's to another five!!  Cheers!

 

February 5, 2005

What's in the Bible?

Check out this NEW series from the creators of Veggie Tales!  The preview looks so good!  I was laughing out loud!  I love the puppets!  I can't wait to use this as a tool to help teach bugs #1 and #2 about God's Word.  Get excited!

Check them out on Facebook and Twitter

bontymama

Challenge Yourself

Join the Arbonne 8 week weight loss challenge. Jump start your new year with healthy meal plans, supplement, and support to loss the weight you desire and get on a healthier track.  To sign up go to www.gofigure8.com 

Try either the Ready, SET, Go! Chocolate or Vanilla to get your weight loss program off to a start. 

 

Figure 8 Ready, SET, Go! Vanilla

       

Figure 8 Ready, SET, Go! Chocolate

katherine bontempo

ID# 16367212

Start the new year right

Look at these SWEET new products that Arbonne just launched!  They just compliment the Figure 8 line so well and make it so easy to lose weight and get your protein.  Although they are for weight loss, I use our shakes just to maintain health, so don't worry if you aren't trying to loss weight they are a perfect fit for you as well.

katherine bontempo
ID #16367212

Knowing God by Name

I am super excited that bible study started back up again.  It really makes my week.  This semster I am with a whole group of new women.  We range in ages and lifestages.  There is a a sute cute 81 year old.  She reminds me of my great Aunts. *smile*  I love seeing her desire to continue to know God and walk with him.  We started study last week and I can already tell that this is going to be one of those studies that you never forget and change your live.  YAY!! Check it out if you are interested.  

Coupon Trading

This is a great website that allows you to send in coupons you don't want in exchange for coupons on stuff you actually need! Sweet!

eCoupons - Coupons and Deals
Sign Up and Save

Growing Herbs

I got these great herbs from Ikea. The bugs and I had a great time "planting" them.

Basil and Parsley

Cute pots to put them in.

The bugs dropped the soil pods in and added 4 oz water and watched it grow!

New Year, New You!

Happy New Year!

I love new things-not just new items, but new days, new seasons, new outfit combinations, new recipe discoveries, new things. So it goes without saying that I love the New Year. I love that things are fresh again. It is one of the things that I love most about God-you always get a fresh start with God. There is nothing that I need to do to come to the feet of Jesus and experience God's grace and forgiveness. Jesus did it all when he died on the cross. Praise God for his mercy and grace!

May this be a year of blessings and grace for you

BontyMama