Living simple in a complicated world...one day a time.

October '09

2009-11-25T12:46:00.008-06:00

Pumpkins for my Punkin'!

Halloween

My little opera baby

September '09

2009-11-01T09:18:00.004-06:00

September was pretty busy!

State Fair

She wasn't happy about getting off!

Around the house

She is trying to neti...

At the cabin

Mittens!

2009-10-29T13:44:00.003-05:00

Pattern: Lola Flip Top Mitten from 101 Designer One-Skein Wonders

Needles: Size 1 48" circular

Yarn: Patons Kroy Socks 55612 Summer Moss Jaquard

Method: Magic loop, both knit at the same time

These actually turned out pretty good for my first attempt at making mittens with thumbs, and a flap. My gauge was off as usual and they ended up a little smaller than I wanted. They fit but not much room. I'm not sure about the flaps for a 2 year old yet. I haven't put the buttons to hold them up on yet, maybe it will be better then. Now I just have to have time to make myself a pair! I love how this yarn turns out though! This was my first time working with this tiny yarn and my hands kind of cramped up after awhile but I worked on them for 3 days straight.

August '09

2009-10-20T17:06:00.006-05:00

OK, I'm way behind but it was summer and nice and I was busy. Also, our modem broke and then our internet went out a few days after we got our new one! Anyway, here is August in pictures.

At the Cabin

First time fishing!

She won the raffle at the fishing contest!

At Home

Happy birthday punkin'! We bought her this table and a bunch of stuff for her kitchen from Ikea.

"mmm n mmm" cake

I made her shirt with Amy Butler fabric. Maybe someday I will post a tutorial, it's very easy.

One day when she first started not napping anymore I was tired so I closed the bedroom door and got into bed. She wanted to play and when i woke up I found this. All of the pillows were on that couch. She took everything down and arranged it and even found blankets and a few clothing items. She has slept on the floor a few times...even one night all night!

Holy Zucchini!!!

2009-08-12T19:03:00.005-05:00

Sorry, I couldn't decide on a picture so I put them all on! How's that for giant zucchini? I tried to weigh the big one on my scale but it only goes up to 5lbs 4oz...I honestly did not know how much zucchini you could get from only 4 plants. Amazing! So, Dan was asking for bread of course (heaven forbid you just eat it the plain healthy way!) so I started hunting for a whole wheat healthier version and I found a great one that I modified. It's below, with pics! Anyway, if you have zucchini coming out of your ears like I do, or really like zucchini bread and want some all year, you can shred and freeze it. I slice it lengthwise so it will fit in my food processor and shred it that way. Then put it all in a strainer over a bowl and let it drain, pushing down occasionally, until it stops dripping. Use the liquid on your plants, I did and it seems to have worked wonders. Then put the amount your recipe calls for into a freezer bag, squeeze out all of the air, and freeze (don't forget to buy quality freezer bags so you can wash and reuse them!) Everything I found online about freezing this way said to use the liquid that is left in the bag but I didn't. I put the shreds in first and my batter looked really great and did not need the extra liquid. If you use a different recipe see what works for you. By the way, those two giant zucchini yielded 17 1/2 cups shredded!

Here's my zucchini bread recipe. I was inspired by this recipe and of course I had to make changes...I can't leave anything alone!

Mix 3 eggs, 1/2 cup oil, 1/4cup + 2 Tablespoons oil (I used smart balance), 3/4 cup pure maple syrup (not pancake syrup!), 1/4 cup honey, & 2 Tablespoons lemon juice.

In a separate bowl mix 2 1/2 cups whole wheat flour, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon baking soda, & 1/2 teaspoon baking powder. Gently combine with wet ingredients.

Fold in 3 cups packed, shredded zucchini.

Pour into two greased bread pans. I like the smaller glass ones. I think they are 4? by 8? something. 325 for about 50 minutes. YUM!

Skirtie!

2009-08-04T17:34:00.000-05:00

I finished this soaker awhile ago but am finally getting it posted. I think it turned out really cute and would be even cuter if it wasn't huge! I shrunk it a little but it's still too big and next summer she won't need it so I will have to pass it on. It turned out huge because I didn't check my gauge good enough I guess. The ruffle is actually a technique that can be applied to any pattern, but there is also a good pattern with it. You can find it at http://badumbums.com/?tag=soaker . I did a different waistband, kind of like the curly purly but not. I also am not a fan of drawstrings for her because she unties them so I threaded 4 rows of 1/8" elastic through the ribbing. You can see the technique here only this was different elastic and because it was wider had to be sewn together at the ends instead of tied.

Sleeping through the night

2009-07-31T07:45:00.003-05:00

I apologize in advance for the amount of exclamation!

It finally happened! I slept through the night! For probably the first time in over 2 years I slept continuously from 1am to 7:30! There's been a lot of talk about sleep around here. Not just in our house but also in our neighborhood. A neighbor and her husband separately on the same day were both telling me about the "problems" they've been having with their not quite 1 year old sleeping through the night. Dan has also been a little upset when he comes home in the middle of the night from work and there's no room in the bed. And a friend was telling me about people bothering her about where her beautiful daughter is sleeping.

It always upsets me and gets me going when people ask the age old question, "Is she sleeping through the night yet?" I always just say "Nope," trying not to get to excited about it. It is usually followed by, "why do you think she still wakes up?" Deep breath, stay calm... "I don't know." And that is usually the end of it. I really try not to get into it with people, especially people who don't have kids so it doesn't really matter. But seriously, who as a mother, or even a father, with a baby is not asked this at every family event at least by one person? I think it is so crazy that people are so worried about where, when, and how much your child is sleeping but don't worry about what they are eating (well, unless you count the people that ask you if you are still breastfeeding...way to go if your are BTW!), learning, or anything else that's really important.

Your child not sleeping through the night is a problem when you decide to make it a problem. Like most things, it's not a problem if it doesn't bother you. In the case of the neighbors, they both work outside the home. To me they both said the almost exact same thing, "We are tired and at our wits end!" When I talked to mom she was on her way to find a video monitor so she could watch and see if she really needed to go in there, and I saw dad at the grocery store saying he was so tired he couldn't even function. They're trying to get her to sleep in her bed but even before they go to bed she wakes up and is up again shortly after they put her back. Now this time, still trying not to get too opinionated and worked up, actually asked dad, "Where does she sleep, with you?" "No, I have been so against that, but I'm tempted" Seriously trying to hold it back here... Of course it is disruptive and of course you are tired! You are completely waking up every time she gets up, walking down the hallway, rocking her back to sleep for 15 minutes, walking back down the hallway, and then trying to get back to sleep! And it is taking longer for her to get back to sleep because had to completely wake up to get you in there! And because she is waking up so completely her little body is probably getting used to getting up at certain times. Mackenzie and I always wake up around 3 or 3:30. I believe it's because Dan was on that shift for so long and he always came home and woke us up. Instead of telling him that I just told him about attaching our crib to our bed. Wuss!

Anyway, blah blah blah! The point is, people make their own problems. Mackenzie not sleeping through the night wasn't a super huge deal because she was in bed with us. If she woke up I nursed her back to sleep, and now that she has weaned if she wakes up she just wants to snuggle. We have also pretty much fixed the space problem because I attached her crib to our bed with the side off so she is still in our bed but has her own space. She's finally using that crib! Dan is the one who keeps me awake now with his snorting and wiggling and coming home who knows when. I have slept on the couch the last two nights because of him! Plus he likes it when I'm not there because then she snuggles with him instead of me.

Why do babies wake up so much at night? Because they have needs! They are hungry, scared, cold, hot, uncomfortable, lonely, in pain from teething, etc! Your baby needs you! Do you sleep through the night? I didn't even before I had her. I always wake up for stuff like I have to use the toilet, I'm thirsty, I'm hungry, or I just can't get an idea out of my head. They are tiny and helpless and even Mackenzie who is almost 2 and a big girl to us is still completely helpless. They can't survive without you. If people get me really worked up about co sleeping and other bedtime things I tell them, "When I decided to be a parent I didn't do it under the pretense that it would be a 12 hour a day job. A parent needs to parent 24 hours a day." Babies are not hobbies or toys that we can play with when we want or when it's convenient.

A friend of mine always has great quotes and things on her blog. One was "Stand up for your baby's rights, he is depending on you to look out for him." Whatever you do, do whatever is best for you and your child and don't worry about what other people say. Use common sense and intuition and back it up with a little Dr. Sears if you have to. And when people ask you why your baby isn't sleeping through the night answer them with "I'm sure they will when they outgrow the need to wake up," or "When she's ready she will."

June '09

2009-07-18T17:33:00.010-05:00

At the Cabin

Bath time in the sink!
Beach baby
Apparently pine cones aren't allowed in the yard
Have a seat and relax!

Baby birds in the porch
Couch potatoes!

At Home

Painting!

Jumping!

Don't get wet!

Silly!

2009-07-15T23:07:00.002-05:00

A friend sent me this link. What will they come up with next?
http://presurfer.blogspot.com/2009/07/evian-roller-babies.html#links

Eat Your Peas!!! Recipe: Chicken & Snow Peas

2009-07-12T12:26:00.003-05:00

My mom let me plant in her garden this year. As you can see from the above pictures, Mackenzie was very involved in her first garden. We put in carrots, snow and shelling peas, green and yellow bush beans, broccoli, butternut squash, zucchini, green onions, and bell peppers! Look at it now!

We planted towards the end of May and now the snow peas are ready! So what did I do with them? A lot of them were eaten while they were being picked! Last night for dinner I took some of them and just sauteed them with sun dried tomato & basil olive oil as a side to chicken. And, I made this the other night:

I used to get this all the time at a Chinese restaurant that has been closed for awhile. Mine was a little different than theirs but it was really good. I only had the chicken and the peas on hand but next time I want to add some other things. Water chestnuts or cashews would be good additions. Anyway, here's what I did. As with any recipe please read through the whole thing before starting. I also like to cut and mix whatever I can before I start cooking, especially with a stir fry when everything is cooking so fast.

In a hot wok or other large pan with 1-2 tablespoons oil cook 1 to 1.5 pounds chicken breast, cut into bite size pieces. You could also use thighs or whatever. Remove from pan and set aside, try to leave any remaining liquid and oil in the pan.
Add 2 chopped garlic cloves, 1 teaspoon ginger (I used the kind in the tube but you can just grate or chop fresh), and 2-3 cups fresh snow peas to the wok. Saute for a minute or two, just until peas are bright green and everything smells nice.
For the sauce, mix up 1.5 cups chicken stock or broth, 1/4 cup soy sauce, and 1 tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cornstarch. Add the chicken back to the pan and pour sauce over. Simmer until sauce is thickened, about 10 to 15 minutes.
Serve over rice or noodles. I did steamed brown rice.

First ice cream cone alone...on the couch...

2009-06-08T00:01:00.001-05:00

Cabin: May progress

2009-06-04T20:19:00.008-05:00

We've been pretty busy! Here's what we got done on our last two trips to the cabin!

Ahhh...the path to the beloved outhouse! We cleared the overgrown brush & raked. There was also a tree that had fallen down. You can kind of see it in the first picture. We got that cleared out and we also had to re-dig the outhouse hole. Fun! It hadn't been used in so long it was all dirt...except for some feminine pads which were still whole. I'm not even going to start with that right now...diva cup!...ok i'm done for now.

Front yard: We trimmed all of the brush down to the fence line so you can actually see the field. Also got rid of a few stumps and such, raked, cleaned out the fire pit, and re-stacked a messy pile of firewood.

And we finished the paneling on the front wall upstairs. Very nice. Hopefully it won't take too long to match the old stuff. I also made some new curtains but they are tucked up so you can't really see them. They turned out ok, I guess they're pretty good for 1.50/yard fabric from the walmart! They are tiny green/tan check.

And we managed to have some fun and relax a little too!!!

(make sure you watch the video below...that is a genuine treasure troll she is dancing with!)

We also brought our bikes up and rode into town on the last day we were there. We went and played at the park that I used to play in as a child. They have new stuff there but kept the old stuff too so everything I played on is still there! Then we went and had ice cream and malts at Sun & Fun. Can't wait for it to get warmer so we can go swimming!

Quote

2009-05-31T12:20:00.003-05:00

Just saw this on a discussion board as a signature and thought it was funny.

"It doesn't matter how hot a guy is because there is some poor woman, somewhere, sick of his crap!!"

You can't run away from yourself!

2009-05-25T00:01:00.001-05:00

A few weeks ago I put dinner in the oven and Mackenzie was getting very impatient. She didn't understand why raw meatloaf was not a good idea. So I grabbed her and the timer and we went outside for a walk around the block. About halfway around the sun was just right so her shadow was in front of her. She kept stopping and moving sideways and then running again and she was getting really frustrated. Silly punkin was trying to get away from her shadow! No matter what you do you are always stuck with yourself!

Event: May 30 - Sheep Shearing Festival

2009-05-24T09:49:00.001-05:00

Definitely going to this one!
http://www.shepherdschoice.com/?cat=36

Home alone!

2009-05-18T00:01:00.000-05:00

A few Fridays ago, grandma decided Mackenzie should come and spend the night. Yay! Dan worked at 9pm so that meant I was going to be all alone! Pretty much every single time I have been away from her was so I could get something done or a few times Dan and I have gone out. Of course I had a ton of stuff to do, but I decided that I just wasn't going to do it. Sooo...I dropped her off, got home at 7:30, and almost immediately hit the couch. I caught up on some tv watching but not too much because I fell asleep at 10! Usually I don't go to bed that early, but I was obviously tired. I had the remote in my hand and I knew it was going to fall as I was going to sleep but I didn't have the energy to stop it. It's so funny how you get used to things though. Everytime the commercials came on and were so loud I rushed to hit fast forward because I thought she was upstairs sleeping. Oh punkin!

Easter dress pics...finally!!!!

2009-05-11T00:01:00.002-05:00

The pattern was Simplicity 3512 and I picked up the fabric at Joann's. Good to know: the fabric was not only a one way fabric but it also has a very specific order to the design. I had to cut into the fabric everywhere to line up all of the different pieces. And after all of that, I forgot to line up the back with the front since they attach at the shoulders...oh well. I think I will probably never buy fabric like this again because of that. I hated wasting it, but maybe someday I can use all of the scraps to quilt with or something. Other than wool soakers I think this is the first piece of clothing I have made for her. Of course I made a few modifications, I just can't seem to follow directions! I had to make it longer for her and I was worried it would be too small but it actually was a little big.

This weekend: Shepherd's Harvest Sheep & Wool Festival

2009-05-09T07:45:00.002-05:00

http://www.shepherdsharvestfestival.org/index.shtml
My mom and I went to this last year and had a lot of fun. Unfortunately we went towards the end of the last day so we missed the demonstration stuff. We decided yesterday that we weren't going to go but I think I'm changing my mind. I think Mackenzie really wants to see all of the animals!

Cabin Fever

2009-05-04T16:58:00.011-05:00

On a recent trip to my cousins in northern MN, I suggested to Dan that maybe we could start staying in my family's cabin again on a regular basis. I spent the first 5 years of my life in the area and then my dad got a different job in the metro area and we moved. But both my mom and dad's whole family still lived up north so they built a cabin and we went every weekend year round until they separated. Since then it hasn't been used regularly and I'm pretty sure it hasn't been stayed in at all for at least the last year or two. Soooo it needs some work!!! Also, it has electricity but no running water which I absolutely love! So exciting! We got started last week on Dan's days off and we took lots of before pictures and after pics of what we got done. So here are a ton of pictures. I made them small so they wouldn't take up a ton of room but you can click to enlarge!

The steps were in pretty rough shape. The old ones pretty much came down with one hit of the hammer. They lasted pretty long considering they were made with untreated lumber that my uncle cut himself. The new one is quite an improvement!

The first picture here shows the loft, which is the back half, and is the bedroom. The second is the view from the loft. As you can see there is no railing on the stairs or the loft. This was never a problem because I was 6 or 7 years old when the cabin was built. It is however a problem now because Mackenzie is only 1.5. You can also see the boards and junk that is being stored across the beams. With this stuff here the view from the living room area was never really open.

Ta da! A railing and a clear view, well mostly. We stacked the boards and stuff on one side temporarily.

And take a look at little miss helpful. She wanted to be a part of everything! She even learned how to cover her ears when the saw was going (don't worry, we didn't cut with her that close!) And look at those two sleeping in! I was up early both days because when you wake up and have to go outside to go to the bathroom you are pretty much awake by the time you get back inside!

Did I mention there was quite a bit of cleaning to do? There were dead ladybug/asian beetles all over everything! Ewwwww! And the curtains used to be plaid like that blanket on the couch and they are now white.

Mostly cleaned up right before we left. There is still a lot to do but everything reachable and visible is pretty much clean. Much improved I think!

Goodbye cabin! See you in a few weeks!

Random Recipe: Chicken & Dumplings

2009-03-30T00:01:00.001-05:00

I made this last Monday on a blustery spring day. It's so tasty and easy! I really love chicken pot pie, but it always takes too long and makes a mess. This is close enough for me to be happy and it only takes 1 cutting board, 1 knife, 1 bowl, some spoons, and 1 pot! What I also love about this is that you don't have to prep everything. While the butter is melting you can chop, while you are bringing everything to a boil you can cut your chicken, while the chicken is cooking you can make your dumplings, and while your dumplings are cooking you can cleanup! It makes just enough for the three of us for dinner so you might want to double it if you have a bigger family. I haven't tried doubling it so if it doesn't work it's not my fault! Please read the whole recipe before beginning.

Melt 3 tablespoons butter over medium heat in a large dutch oven
Coarsely chop 1 medium onion & 5 carrots. Place in pan. Add 1/2 teaspoon dried OR 1 teaspoon fresh thyme. Cook until onion is translucent
Whisk in 1/4 cup all purpose flour for a minute (this allows the flour to cook a little)
Whisk in 1 3/4 cups chicken stock/broth and bring to a boil
Add about 3 chicken breasts or thighs cut into bite size pieces, cover and reduce to simmer
In a small bowl stir together 3/4 cup all purpose flour, 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder, & 1/2 teaspoon salt
Add 1/2 cup milk and stir only until incorporated, it will be very sticky!
When chicken is cooked stir in about 1 cup frozen vegetables (I used corn and green beans). If you want to use fresh you would probably want to add them with the chicken.
Drop dumpling mixture on top of chicken mixture using two spoons (scoop it onto one spoon and use the other to push it off). I wanted small dumplings so I used tiny kid's spoons (the tiny ones in the IKEA set). Just make a nice topping leaving space in between because they will puff up. I only ended up using half of the dumpling mixture so I put the other half onto wax paper on a baking sheet and put them in the freezer until they were hard and then into a freezer bag. I'm hoping that next time I can just plop them in frozen and have one less step!

Hello?? Spring? Is it really you?

2009-03-22T14:11:00.003-05:00

Silly baby! That's a calculator, not a phone! Anyway, I'm excited again and hoping that I'm not going to be disappointed again! It looks, smells, feels, and sounds like spring. Please don't leave! I hate it when it gets warm and all of the snow melts and then it comes back. Very depressing! Mackenzie and I went and bought seeds yesterday and started our tomatoes. Once they start growing I will put some pics up. I think she will be more interested next year. She doesn't really care right now. She just wanted to run!

IKEA anyone?

2009-03-16T00:01:00.000-05:00

A few weeks ago Dan had a day off and we decided an outing was needed and went on one with our friends/neighbors. We somehow decided IKEA, followed by MOA. Of course 30 minutes after we got to IKEA a blizzard began, so we just waited and walked around the mall all day. We had lunch at the Rainforest Cafe. It was so much fun. We used to go there all the time "back in the day" when there was just two of us...and gas was cheaper. Pictured above are our IKEA finds. Of course everything was for the punkin'! We had been looking for a chair for her for awhile and finally found one we could afford! I can't believe they try to charge you $79 for the ones at Target. This one was $29 and the cover comes off so you can wash it! We also found the miniature set of utensils. They were in the play section, but the tag said they were tested food safe and stainless steel. They were only $5. I had seen a set in a children's catalog that was just 1 fork, 1 knife, and 1 spoon for i think $20! This one is 4 of each and came with it's own little tray. No more plastic! The only plastic we have left is sippy cups, which are bpa free. We are working on drinking out of a glass...fun, fun! The third thing we bought was a tent. As you can see it's quite roomy. You can fit a bunch of pillows, a punkin', a puppy, and a daddy in it! And, you can take it down and roll it up somewhat easily. Of course it was bigger when we got it home than in the store. Oh well. I had been wanting to find or make some sort of place that she could go. I was planning to make a cardboard playhouse after being inspired by this one: http://www.make-baby-stuff.com/cardboard-playhouse-plans.html (love this site, look around!). I of course wasn't going to stick to the plan and was going to make a much more extravagant version. I never got around to getting boxes, but while trying to find boxes on the internet I came across this awesome product which has plans for all kinds of cardboard things http://www.mrmcgroovys.com/t-how-to.aspx (this site also tells you how to get the boxes). Then I thought maybe I would make one from fabric and found a free pattern on the boy scout website. Then we went to IKEA and I saw this and realized that I didn't really have time to make one right now so we bought it. I am glad we did because she's really not as into it as I thought she would be and I think I would have been a little sad if I would have made it and she didn't play in it. Especially since it would have taken me a long time to do it. So, anyway, the new plan is to maybe make a cardboard one when she is a little older and she can help paint it or something. I think we need to get out more. That was like a mini vacation, with souvenirs and everything!

Boy or Girl? Shower Gift

2009-03-09T00:01:00.003-05:00

My cousin is having a baby! She is due April 16th, which is not too far away, and had a shower March 8th. I couldn't go because of a baptism so I gave her her gift early when she was in the area for a birthday party. My cousin and I grew up together. She is 1 month and 2 days older than I am. I am originally from Hackensack, which is a small town about an hour north of Brainerd. After my family moved to the "cities" she started calling me a citiot (city + idiot). Here's the funny thing about the gift I gave her and me being the city girl. She grew up in the country with cows, chickens, etc. She used to help kill and clean the chickens. But when I told her I was doing cloth diapers before I had Mackenzie she said she could never do it because the poop part was too gross! So you can kill chickens but you can't rinse poo in the toilet! Who's the wuss now?! Anyway, she became pregnant and started to change her mind about the whole cloth diaper thing once she realized how many diapers babies use and how expensive it is and she also told me she didn't want the chemicals on the baby. So of course I was excited! But when she told me she was going to register for diapers at Target I began to worry a little. So I decided to get her started with her shower gift: 12 premium unbleached infant prefolds, 2 snappi fasteners, 1 bummis super whisper wrap, and 1 recycled wool soaker made by none other than her dear cousin. I think it's so cute all together. I can't believe how tiny they are! I wish someone would have bought me diapers...

My baby is a rock star!

2009-03-03T22:00:00.001-06:00

Check out that hair! She was meant to be in an 80's hair band! This is usually what it looks like in the morning. I don't know what I'm going to do with it when it gets longer. It's going to be a mess!

Chicken Stock

2009-02-12T16:36:00.003-06:00

Making chicken stock is easy!!! Making it yourself is a great way to save money and also use something that would otherwise be garbage. It doesn't take a lot of time either. Just throw everything in a pot, cover with water, let it simmer, and strain it. After I make a whole chicken I take any chicken off that we didn't eat, shred it, and freeze it until I get enough to use it in something like creamy chicken wild rice or chicken pot pie. Then I freeze the remaining carcass until I have enough to make stock. I usually use 3 or 6 cups of stock/broth when I make my creamy chicken sauce so I froze it in 3 cup amounts in glass quart jars, but you can freeze it the amounts you normally use. I have heard too of freezing it in ice cube trays and throwing them in a bag. This recipe is from my Prime Time Emeril cookbook.

-4 pounds chicken parts (wings, backs, carcasses, and necks)
-2 cups coarsely chopped yellow onions
-1 cup coarsely chopped carrots
-1 cup coarsely chopped celery
-3 garlic cloves, smashed with side of a heavy knife
-4 bay leaves (I never have bay leaves so didn't use them)
-1 tsp whole black peppercorns (also never have these so just used some regular table pepper)
-2 tsp salt
-1 tsp dried thyme
-1/2 tsp dried rosemary (also didn't have)
-1/2 tsp dried oregano
1. Put all the ingredients in stock pot. Add enough cold water to cover the bones by 1 inch. Bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered for 2-3 hours, occasionally skimming off the foam that forms on the surface.
2. Strain through a fine mesh strainer into a large bowl. Cool completely. Cover tightly and refrigerate for up to three days, or freeze up to two months.

January: Kitchen - update

2009-02-01T07:19:00.003-06:00

January has already ended! How is this possible?! My house organization project for January was the kitchen and although I did a pretty good job, I didn't quite get everything I wanted done. Oh well, better than nothing and I'm sure I will finish up a few things and I can finish the other things in July I guess (if this confuses you see post titled "A new year, one month at a time"). Maybe I would have had more done if I didn't have a sick punkin' that turned into a sick momma!

What I did get done: Emptied, cleaned, and organized most of the cupboards and am getting rid of stuff I'm probably never going to use or haven't used in a long time. Found a place for most of the stuff on the counter in the cupboards. Created a cupboard for the punkin' to keep her coloring stuff.
What I wanted done: There were a few cupboards that I didn't get to, the food, and the garbage mainly. I also wanted to get the fridge, inside and on top, a little more organized and it needed to be cleaned. More stuff off of the counter and table. Need a few organizational things like a spice rack and maybe some bins for small things. Cleaned the oven, dishwasher, fridge, etc.

In reorganized and simplifying my home, I want to also think about routines and the things we do in the house, not just things. So for every area I wanted to come up with ways to be more green (here comes the slippery slope).
*We already use earth friendly or homemade natural cleaning products (7th generation dish and dishwasher soap, and homemade vinegar/water all purpose cleaning spray). My husband and I also made a few modifications to a swiffer wet awhile back. I bought a reusable microfiber pad for it and then we made is so you can take the cap on and off and filled it with vinegar and water instead of using that crap that's in there.
*Use less water: I used to do my handwash dishes with a soapy sponge and running water. Now I wait until the sink is full of dishes and fill up that sink with hot water and soap, and then fill up the other sink with clear water to rinse. The time it takes to fill the sinks is much less than the time of running water and you end up using less soap too. Also, we are trying to scrape most dishes before we put them into the dishwasher instead of rinsing them, but there are some I know won't come clean if I don't rinse a little. Already waited until the dishwasher was full, sometimes too full, before running.
*Use less electricity: Turned off the heated dry off on the dishwasher and they are just as dry...it's a conspiracy! I also am starting it at the start option instead of hot prewash. Getting closer to the water saver setting, but I have had bad luck with the dishwasher so I have to do it gradually! We already have a toaster/convection oven that I use most of the time instead of the big electric oven. Why heat up that whole oven for a few egg rolls? Light bulbs are already energy efficient.
*Food: already buy local/organic/sustainable foods. I'm going to start making more homemade foods, thus reducing packaging (and $ too!). I started making bread again, and am trying to figure the yogurt thing out, and also going to try stock. I used to make pasta, maybe I will try that again too. This month I also made my own minestrone soup and froze it instead of buying canned, and have been making my own cream of chicken soup for meals (if I make stock I can use it in this instead of buying!). I use cloth grocery bags too and bring back my plastic produce bags. I would like to make some mesh produce bags though. I also try to buy bulk foods.
*Paper products: We use real cloth towels and washcloths instead of paper towels and napkins. I always get mad when I see the commercials for paper towels and they say it has a cloth like feel. If you use cloth, it will really feel like cloth!
*Garbage/recycling: I recycle everything I can in our cub side bin. I need to get an actual bin for under the sink. I have been using paper grocery bags because I had a bunch and I was used to having to separate our paper, etc. but now we can mix. Everything that can't be recycled in our bin I put in a big box and am going to take to the recycling center. I might figure out a way I can compost and then I would have hardly have any garbage, but I don't know if this will happen (ya know, townhouse and all makes composting a lot of work and planning, but not impossible!)
*Keeping it clean: Clean up for 10-15 minutes after each meal instead of waiting until it's a disaster!

Next: Living room!

Irk! Sewing projects!

2009-01-24T16:45:00.002-06:00

I just spent most of the day cutting out a few diapers to use for nighttime and started sewing and nothing was working. Yesterday I tried to finish a pouch sling I was working on and somehow I measured wrong and its 6 inches too small! Note to self: Don't sew when you've been sick for almost a week and are very tired, no matter how much you want to get things done! Especially combined with your baby being awake and crying half the night before. Think I'll actually remember this next time? Probably not!

Wool soaker

2009-01-19T19:37:00.006-06:00

Someone on the wool soaker yahoo group was asking about elastic thread so I thought I would post these pics to show how I threaded the elastic thread into the waistband and leg cuffs since I couldn't find the website that described how to do it. If you look very closely (or you can click and make the picture very large) you can see that it is threaded through one side of the v on the 1x1 rib stitch on the inside. This way it doesn't show through to the front and it is easily replaceable if it wears out. I just threaded it through with a yarn needle and tied it in a few knots. This is a soaker I knit last fall for a friend's son. I used Paton's Classic Merino and didn't really use one specific pattern, and it was based on his measurements.

Diaper washing update

2009-01-19T14:57:00.003-06:00

I have been washing diapers with the new method for awhile now and it is working really well so far. If there is a smell in the morning it's not as bad as it was. I kind of figure that after 10+ hours pee is going to start to smell. She is pretty wet in the morning so I'm going to start working on some better night diapers...someday! Anyway, I did modify the plan a little bit. I have a little pail in the bathroom for the poopy diapers and then one by the changing table for the wet ones. My modification is that I do a cold rinse with just the poopy diapers first since I use a dry pail. By doing only those diapers I only need to usually do an extra small or medium water setting instead of extra large (my machine has these three settings...why not just call it small, medium, large?!)

Since that was working so well I thought I would try to take it a little further and do the poopy diaper cold rinse, all the diapers hot wash/cold rinse with vinegar in downy ball. I have washed them once this way but haven't had a chance to see if it's worked yet.

I have mostly been drying them on a drying rack in the bedroom over the heat vent. I wash and hang them right before bed so we use less diapers during the drying time since they take so long. They are usually dry around lunchtime this way. They are really, really stiff when dried indoors! Last summer when I did them outside they were crunchy, but not like this. I pop them in the dryer on fluff for 15 minutes and it helps a little. Since they are so stiff I have been still drying them in the dryer every other time.

All of this diaper washing stuff has made me think about simpler diapers, ones with less layers for stink and bacteria to get into. I have been trying to find information on how people used to wash diapers, like my grandma would have for example, but I can't really find anything. If anyone knows I would be interested. I did read somewhere that they were basically just rinsed and dried but I don't know how accurate that is. Those would have been flat diapers, one layer folded into more. Easy to wash quick to dry. I kind of have an idea for a minimal layer diaper that I will try someday. Anyway, that's probably enough for now. I have finished a few projects that I will post once I get the pics uploaded! Also need to post a kitchen update!

P.S.

2009-01-07T23:04:00.002-06:00

Don't forget to go to change.org to vote on the whole toy that's going on that will affect work at home moms and handcrafted children's items! http://www.change.org/ideas/view/save_handmade_toys_from_the_cpsia?full_thread=true

A new year, one month at a time

2009-01-07T22:36:00.004-06:00

My house is a disaster. I have never been good at organizing my space. I was always good at keeping my school and work stuff organized. Most of the reason is because I can't really spend any money on organizing accessories and we have limited storage in our tiny home. So, I'm going to need to be very creative. I've decided to break up the house into monthly projects. Each room/area will be a month and it just turns out that there are six so each area will get twice a year if I stick with it. So we've got kitchen, living room, entry/stairs/hallway, bathrooms, bedroom, bedroom. I'm going to start with the kitchen and work my way up. Here's the deal for each area: clean out, rearrange, and clean. I also want to think about the things I do in each area to see what I can change.

I've already started with the kitchen. I looked through all of my cupboards and made a list of categories. For example: plates/bowls, cups/glasses, kitchen appliances, baking dishes, serving items, grains/pasta, snacks, you get the idea. So now I need to figure out where everything is going to go! There are probably also a bunch of things that need to go away. I don't think we need the baby food mill anymore or the breast milk storage bottles, and probably don't need two waffle makers considering we never use one. I've also been thinking about kitchen routines and things I can change to stay organized and also ways to be more environmentally friendly. I will continue to post my updates.

Happy Birthday Tina!

2009-01-04T18:49:00.002-06:00

Happy birthday to my cousin Tina who is turning 25 today...old lady!! I'm glad I wasn't right when we were younger and I thought I was older than you because my birthday is after...hehehehe :)

Stripping diapers for the last time! (I hope)

2009-01-04T18:08:00.004-06:00

In my diaper stash I have 2 dozen 4x8x8 regular size prefolds and 6 bum genius one size pockets, 2 pairs of wool longies made from used sweaters, 1 soaker I knit, and 1 bummis super whisper wrap. I am in love with my diapers (mostly my prefolds) and will do anything to make them work. It doesn't have to be so complicated, really. I think that the more we do to make things better and the more complicated it gets the worse off we are. I never had one problem until we started solid foods. Then they started to get a little stinky and really stinky in the morning!
These are the most basic instructions you will find for washing cloth diapers: cold rinse, hot wash with 1/4 amount of detergent with cold rinse, and then an extra cold rinse. But then there's is the great question: What detergent do I use? Some people say use anything, others say make sure you use something without any additives. Some say use the full amount of detergent. If you have stinky diapers use more detergent...no wait, some say use less! Don't use vinegar and baking soda on anything with plastic or elastic because it will wear out faster...using vinegar and baking soda is fine! Eeeek! I thought this was supposed to be simple! (If you are considering cloth, don't let me scare you, most people don't have any problems).
So, I started talking to some people. It seems there are two theories on stink and rash that I have come across. 1) Detergent residue & 2) Bacteria. Did you know that detergent does not sanitize? That's right, you the bacteria goes into the washer and the bacteria comes out (I am not a bug freak, I think most of them are good for you, but probably not the ones in your precious little punkin's poo). Ok, so let's go ahead and solve the detergent residue problem. We could sit there and try 10 different detergents in a million different amounts. I started to do that and I don't want to anymore! So let's just take the detergent out all together. There is a woman on the wool soaker yahoo group I belong to that said she doesn't use any detergent at all! She just does a long cold wash and then hangs them on the line to dry in the sun. The washing machine gets all of the icky off (that's what it's supposed to do silly) and the sun, in case you didn't know, naturally disinfects (bacteria :)) them. This method also saves water, it's half the washing time of the basic method, and you hang dry. Hmmm...this makes sense and is very interesting to me. However, I live in MN and it's a little frosty outside right now so how would I disinfect without the sun outside. Ok, let's take care of the second problem. What's natural, cheap and disinfects? Vinegar of course! I did a google search and found this article: http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/386495/how_to_disinfect_and_bleach_laundry.html?cat=6 .

Taking all of this into consideration I have a new plan that will save me time, money, water, and electricity! I will put my diapers in the washer, add vinegar and baking soda, let it do it's thing and then hang them all on my drying rack (added bonus is added humidity in my home). They get a little crunchy this way so I will just pop them in the dryer on fluff for about 10 minutes. When it's warm again (will this actually happen someday?) I can hang them outside and maybe ditch the vinegar and let the sun do the work.

Over the last few days I have been stripping my diapers and I am ready to get started with the new plan. I just hope it works.

Notes:
-When your baby is exclusively breastfed you don't need to rinse off the poo, but once you get to solids you need to get rid of the solids in the toilet (did you know you are supposed to do this with disposables too so human feces doesn't go into the landfill?).
-In addition to vinegar, many essential oils also disinfect
-According to manufacturers of diapers with any PUL (plastic barrier) and elastic, you are not supposed to use vinegar and baking soda because it can break down these things so if you have diapers like this you may want to rethink my washing method. I barely use these types of diapers, but am thinking of making some fitteds and will probably wash them this way anyway because if the breakdown actually happens I can just fix it.

Future related discussions: Cloth diapers are better for the environment; Poo from your diapers in your washer is not disgusting and here's why; My love affair with baking soda & vinegar