I came across a blog last night, shared by a friend on FB, that invited people to write about their breastfeeding journey in 100 words or less. This was an exciting challenge and I wanted to be a part of it but I tend to ramble on and on, as many of you know. How in the world could I ever keep my story to 100 words or less? My journey includes 4 kids, difficulties nursing, tandem nursing, adoption, unexpected pregnancies, forced weanings. It is a very emotional journey for me.
In the end I decided to focus on the emotions I felt in the up and down ride and this is what I came up with. I will be submitting it today and I really hope that they use it. I also hope it's ok that I am sharing it here, I didn't see anything that said I could not share it on my own blog too.
A Breastfeeding Journey of 4....... First time mom, new baby boy..... Nervous, unsure, flat nipples, poor latch, pumping, finger feedings, frustration, trying so hard..... Triumph, he's got it, we're doing it, success...... New life, baby girl, latches on immediately, easy peasy, joyous, content, uneventful..... Surprise, baby girl, adoption, tandem nursing, bonding, comfortable, amazing, bliss..... Unexpected pregnancy, forced weaning, sadness, guilt..... New life number 4, baby girl, breech, emergency c-section, will she get it, fear... Strong latch, no worries, beautiful, blessed, complete..... Ups and Downs, Joy and Sorrow, Hope, sacrifice, attachment...... through it all LOVE!
95 words, WOOT WOOT, I still had 5 to spare, that has to be some sort of record for me!
What would your story look like, in 100 words or less?
If you are interested in reading my complete nursing journey (thus far) you can check out my guest blog The Breastfeeding Rollercoaster: 4 babies, 4 years over at Natural Parents Network
Love,
this content mama,
Christy
Showing posts with label green living. Show all posts
Showing posts with label green living. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 13, 2011
Monday, July 4, 2011
Try It, You'll Like It- Finding Your Cloth Style
Welcome to the First Annual Freedom of Cloth Carnival
This post was written for inclusion in the Freedom of Cloth Carnival hosted at Natural Parents Network by Melissa of The New Mommy Files and Shannon of The Artful Mama. This year’s carnival will run from Sunday, July 3rd through Saturday, July 9th. Participants are sharing everything they know and love about cloth diapering, including how cloth has inspired them.
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Before I stepped into the world of fluffy bums the idea of using cloth was quite intimidating. The wash routines, the clean up but mostly the plethora of styles and options available. There was OS (one size), Fitted, AIO (all-in-ones), AI2 (all-in-2's), Hybrids, Pockets, Flushable Liners, Hemp Inserts, Cotton Inserts, Microfiber Inserts, Organic Cotton, Non-Organic Cotton, Bleached, Unbleached, Wool, Fleece, PUL, Prefolds, Flats, Big Name Brands, Small WAHM (work at home mamas), Solids, Patterns, it just went on and on. A mama could easily get confused and lost in all of the options that are out there.
In the end I went with prefolds and covers because, well, that's what was given to me by a good friend. I think prefolds and covers are a great "stash starter" because you can get a lot more bang for your buck out of them. You can easily diaper 1 baby with 4 covers and 8-12 prefolds (as long as you wash everyday).
At the same time, for me anyways, I think this option is the "hardest" and most time consuming of all of the cloth diapering styles out there. As a busy mama of 3 active little girls all in cloth, anything that cuts down a diaper change by even a few seconds is a huge help to me. I know many mamas absolutely love and adore their prefolds and covers and would never even consider another diaper style. Its really about what you want/need in a diaper.
Once I had the base of my stash established I was able to sample other styles out there. I tried a few pockets, a few AIOs, fleece covers, hybrid diapers, fitteds and even Flats. I must say, having tried the flats I would advise new moms to get Flats and covers to start out with instead of prefolds if they are interested in that route. I liked the flats much more and think they are far superior in performance over prefolds.
I am also very spoiled with my AIO diapers now. I can see why many mamas set out to establish an entire stash of these diapers from the start. If you have unlimited money to spend, then this would be my suggestion for you. Most of us do not have unlimited money though. I do suggest you buy at least 1 AIO diaper to try out. They are VERY user friendly aka they are daddy, grandma, and babysitter friendly. The go on and off just like a disposable.
Pockets are also much more user friendly than Flats/Prefolds with covers. A pocket diaper has a shell with an opening near the back and come with inserts that you stuff inside. Unlike the PUL covers you use with flats/prefolds the pocket shell is not reusable so you will need more of these to get started. Most Pockets feature some sort of "stay-dry" lining to sit between baby's tush and the soaker insert inside. Often the material used for this is suede cloth. I do like the pockets I have for this very reason.
No matter what style you decide to go with I also now suggest every mama get at least 1 fleece cover/soaker per child. I was truly shocked at just how water-proof fleece can be. It is a must have in my book for a successful nighttime diaper. You can even put it over an AIO or Pocket diaper at bedtime.
Once you have picked a style to start out with then you have to decide if you want to go the Big Name Brand or WAHM route. I have both in my diaper stash and must say I love the satisfaction that comes with supporting a WAHM over buying from a big national brand. Many cloth mamas see the big brands like wearing name brand clothes though. Once again its all about your personal preferences. I for one enjoy supporting the little guy and Made in America options whenever possible.
My personal stash is very eclectic, just like my life. I think it represents my personality well. I have a little of this, a little of that and an entire hodge podge of fluffy goodies to cover my girls bums. Each day I choose the diaper that fits my mood. If I am feeling particularly lazy or tired then the girls will be in AIO, if we want to feel a little fun then a cute pattern is in order.
In my personal stash I have:
AIO's
1 Hybrid (its an AIO with a pocket that you can add an insert for extra absorption)
Pockets-both Big Name Brand and WAHM
PUL Covers
Fleece Covers
Fitteds
Prefolds
Flats
and 1 Best Bottom Diaper that I am not sure where to classify it at? Possibly Hybrid as it is a sort of cross between a Cover/Prefold and a Pocket. It has snap in inserts that snap into place on the PUL cover. As long as no poo gets on the cover it is reusable. The inserts also work great stuffed into a pocket. This is also a great suggestion for mamas just starting out. It is very user friendly like pockets but very budget friendly like prefolds/flats and a cover.
My cloth philosophy is don't jump in head first and invest all of your money into 1 specific brand or style. What works for 1 baby may not work for another. Your BFF may swear by pocket diapers but you may end up loathing them. I have read too many horror stories from other mamas about spending all of their money on 1 particular brand/style because of all the good reviews only to dislike that diaper and be stuck with it because they had no more money to purchase anything else.
Buy a few diapers from various brands and in at least 2 styles to try as a starter stash. Cloth diapering does not have to be an all or nothing adventure. You can start out with a few diapers and just do it on a part time basis. Then, once you have a feel for what you like go ahead and purchase your full stash. If you are anything like me, your full stash will be a rainbow of fluff.
Overall just try cloth diapers, don't be intimidated just jump on in. Try it, You'll like it!
If you run into a few styles/brands that do not work for you consider donating them to mamas in need through Spreading the Fluffy Love, Giving Diapers, Giving Hope or The New Cloth Diaper Foundation
Love,
this cloth addicted mama,
Christy
***
Visit Natural Parents Network for the most up-to-date news on the Freedom of Cloth Carnival!
Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants on the following themes. Articles will go live on the scheduled theme day:
This post was written for inclusion in the Freedom of Cloth Carnival hosted at Natural Parents Network by Melissa of The New Mommy Files and Shannon of The Artful Mama. This year’s carnival will run from Sunday, July 3rd through Saturday, July 9th. Participants are sharing everything they know and love about cloth diapering, including how cloth has inspired them.
In the end I went with prefolds and covers because, well, that's what was given to me by a good friend. I think prefolds and covers are a great "stash starter" because you can get a lot more bang for your buck out of them. You can easily diaper 1 baby with 4 covers and 8-12 prefolds (as long as you wash everyday).
At the same time, for me anyways, I think this option is the "hardest" and most time consuming of all of the cloth diapering styles out there. As a busy mama of 3 active little girls all in cloth, anything that cuts down a diaper change by even a few seconds is a huge help to me. I know many mamas absolutely love and adore their prefolds and covers and would never even consider another diaper style. Its really about what you want/need in a diaper.
Once I had the base of my stash established I was able to sample other styles out there. I tried a few pockets, a few AIOs, fleece covers, hybrid diapers, fitteds and even Flats. I must say, having tried the flats I would advise new moms to get Flats and covers to start out with instead of prefolds if they are interested in that route. I liked the flats much more and think they are far superior in performance over prefolds.
I am also very spoiled with my AIO diapers now. I can see why many mamas set out to establish an entire stash of these diapers from the start. If you have unlimited money to spend, then this would be my suggestion for you. Most of us do not have unlimited money though. I do suggest you buy at least 1 AIO diaper to try out. They are VERY user friendly aka they are daddy, grandma, and babysitter friendly. The go on and off just like a disposable.
Pockets are also much more user friendly than Flats/Prefolds with covers. A pocket diaper has a shell with an opening near the back and come with inserts that you stuff inside. Unlike the PUL covers you use with flats/prefolds the pocket shell is not reusable so you will need more of these to get started. Most Pockets feature some sort of "stay-dry" lining to sit between baby's tush and the soaker insert inside. Often the material used for this is suede cloth. I do like the pockets I have for this very reason.
No matter what style you decide to go with I also now suggest every mama get at least 1 fleece cover/soaker per child. I was truly shocked at just how water-proof fleece can be. It is a must have in my book for a successful nighttime diaper. You can even put it over an AIO or Pocket diaper at bedtime.
Once you have picked a style to start out with then you have to decide if you want to go the Big Name Brand or WAHM route. I have both in my diaper stash and must say I love the satisfaction that comes with supporting a WAHM over buying from a big national brand. Many cloth mamas see the big brands like wearing name brand clothes though. Once again its all about your personal preferences. I for one enjoy supporting the little guy and Made in America options whenever possible.
My personal stash is very eclectic, just like my life. I think it represents my personality well. I have a little of this, a little of that and an entire hodge podge of fluffy goodies to cover my girls bums. Each day I choose the diaper that fits my mood. If I am feeling particularly lazy or tired then the girls will be in AIO, if we want to feel a little fun then a cute pattern is in order.
In my personal stash I have:
AIO's
1 Hybrid (its an AIO with a pocket that you can add an insert for extra absorption)
Pockets-both Big Name Brand and WAHM
PUL Covers
Fleece Covers
Fitteds
Prefolds
Flats
and 1 Best Bottom Diaper that I am not sure where to classify it at? Possibly Hybrid as it is a sort of cross between a Cover/Prefold and a Pocket. It has snap in inserts that snap into place on the PUL cover. As long as no poo gets on the cover it is reusable. The inserts also work great stuffed into a pocket. This is also a great suggestion for mamas just starting out. It is very user friendly like pockets but very budget friendly like prefolds/flats and a cover.
My cloth philosophy is don't jump in head first and invest all of your money into 1 specific brand or style. What works for 1 baby may not work for another. Your BFF may swear by pocket diapers but you may end up loathing them. I have read too many horror stories from other mamas about spending all of their money on 1 particular brand/style because of all the good reviews only to dislike that diaper and be stuck with it because they had no more money to purchase anything else.
Buy a few diapers from various brands and in at least 2 styles to try as a starter stash. Cloth diapering does not have to be an all or nothing adventure. You can start out with a few diapers and just do it on a part time basis. Then, once you have a feel for what you like go ahead and purchase your full stash. If you are anything like me, your full stash will be a rainbow of fluff.
Overall just try cloth diapers, don't be intimidated just jump on in. Try it, You'll like it!
If you run into a few styles/brands that do not work for you consider donating them to mamas in need through Spreading the Fluffy Love, Giving Diapers, Giving Hope or The New Cloth Diaper Foundation
Love,
this cloth addicted mama,
Christy
***
Visit Natural Parents Network for the most up-to-date news on the Freedom of Cloth Carnival!Please take time to read the submissions by the other carnival participants on the following themes. Articles will go live on the scheduled theme day:
- Sunday, July 3rd, 2011: Cloth Related Recipes — Writers share their best cloth-related recipes and tutorials.
- Monday, July 4th, 2011: Choosing Your Cloth Style — Today’s posts discuss parents' individual journeys to finding the cloth diapering "style" that best suits their families.
- Tuesday, July 5th, 2011: Cloth Diapering Must Haves — Parents talk about the most important items in their diapering “stash” and why they love them.
- Wednesday, July 6th, 2011: Wordless Wednesday, Inspired by Cloth — We asked parents to share their favorite cloth-related photo with us and turned them into a fluffy Wordless Wednesday photo montage on Natural Parents Network. Link up your own Wordless Wednesday post there!
- Thursday, July 7th, 2011: Cloth Through the Stages: From Infancy to Potty Independence — Today’s participants explain how cloth diapering has served their families throughout one or more stages of their children’s lives.
- Friday, July 8th, 2011: Cloth Troubleshooting and Laundry Day — Seasoned cloth diapering parents share their best tips and tricks for handling common cloth problems and tackling the diaper laundry.
- Saturday, July 9th, 2011: Inspired by Cloth — For today’s theme, we’ve asked writers to explore the ways cloth diapering has inspired them to become "greener" overall.
Sunday, July 3, 2011
Cloth Diaper Review: Two Hip-Peas in a Pod
If you have followed my blog for any length of time then you know I like to write about products I truly love, and I truly love cloth diapers. I don't do this as a giveaway or because the company sent me free stuff * I do it just because I love the product (DIAPER!). In the past I have written about how much I love Econobums, Bummis and all things Blissful Booty.
Today I want to write about another amazing diaper find I have made, Two Hip-Peas in a Pod.
Two Hip-Peas in a Pod was started by 2 cloth lovin WAHM who are also sisters. These mamas are very talented and creative. They make pocket style cloth diapers. Every week when they stock I stalk their page just so I can drool over the yummilicious diapers they have created. I often tell my hubby to count his blessings that we are not rich or else I would break us buying up all of these scrumptious diapers. Only a cloth diapering mama can really understand what I mean. Check out their Hyena cart to get a little taste for what these ladies can do.
These mamas have done things with their diapers that I have never seen any other WAHM do. Not saying they created or invented these ideas just that it was the first time I ever saw it including dividing up and doing 2 prints on the same diaper and using minky on the OUTSIDE of the diaper and not just the inside (although all of their diapers have some sort of minky/velour soft innner).
I do have the honor of owning 2 amazing diapers from these ladies. A Very Hungry Caterpillar diaper and recently a 4th of July diaper.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar diaper is 2 prints in 1 diaper. The back and front cross over snap portion is in the "dots" print (think inside of the book front cover) and the front of the diaper is the "and then he ate..." print with all of the naughty foods he ate that gave him a bellyache. It has green minky on the inside.
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Anyone who knows me knows about my love affair with The Very Hungry Caterpillar. When I found out I could get a diaper in this print I HAD to have one! It was diaper lust at first sight! I am in love with this diaper and so is Kimmy, aka my Fluffy Fashionista. I got this diaper back in April and it has been worn every single day. Its not hard to do with 3 in diapers BUT this one is almost always worn by Kimmy. If I even try to put it on one of the other girls she has a complete meltdown on me. She calls it her "candy diaper" and refuses to let anyone else wear it.
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So I can attest that not only are these diapers fun to look at and have in your collection but they really stand up to the test of time. Being worn and washed everyday from April until now and the diaper still looks and works great.
I had someone ask about leaking issues as she was worried that most WAHM diapers leak. I can promise you this diaper does not leak. I only had issues once with it leaking but it was human error on my part. We were running late for church and Kimmy did not want to wear the diaper I had picked out for her she wanted her "candy diaper" so I grabbed it and stuffed an insert in quickly. After only 20 minutes she was leaking out. When I went to change her I realized the insert was all bunched up inside and the side she was leaking on had no insert at all. So that was my fault for not making sure the insert was properly put in.
The only real issues I have ever had with the diaper is with the minky material, which is no fault of the maker. I have just noticed that minky sometimes tends to hold onto oder more than other materials. This could also be just because Kimmy has very strong concentrated urine because she never drinks enough (can't force a kid to drink, and now your lives are all complete because you know that she has concentrated urine). BUT, I have always been able to get the smell out using either sunning, stripping, Dawn dish soap or most recently fresh lemons (check out my Cloth Tidbits post for more info).
We also JUST got a 4th of July diaper. I am obsessed with 4th of July clothes, not because I like the holiday itself (I actually have a very irrational fear of fireworks and detest the holiday) but because Miss Kimmy herself was born on the 4th of July. She was born 4 days late and I joke that she did it on purpose just so she could have that b-day.
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The 4th of July diaper is a Holiday print that is blue with red/white/blue sparkly flag print stars (you can't see the sparkles from the pics but trust me they are there) and has a white minky (possibly velour as I easily get the 2 confused and it does not have the dots but stripes, feels like minky though) inner. I can't get a picture of the diaper by itself as Kimmy is currently wearing it. The day she opened it up she handed it to me and declared "oooo, a new diaper, put it on my butt!" I think it's safe to say she loves it.
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Yes, Kimmy is turning 3 this year and yes we are starting to try and stir up interest in her to try potty learning but she still loves her diapers and a 4th of July diaper was the perfect gift for her. Anyone who knows her knows that. Just like last year, for her 2nd b-day some good friends of ours gave her binkies. Everyone else laughed that she was too old but that was her favorite gift. I never worried much about her binkie (or bebe as we call them) habit and she self-weaned on her own in January of this year at 2.5 years old. I never made it a big deal and always let her have them when she wanted. I am trying to do the same with diapers.
If you are looking for the perfect cutesy diaper for an upcoming holiday or special event you have got to check these ladies out. I cannot WAIT to see what they come up with for Halloween and Christmas, I just hope I have the $$ to get some diapers at that time (winters are hard for us). In the very least Sariah will still be wearing diapers (as we are working on potty learning for Kimmy and Karma as a pair, Kimmy is more motivated since Karma is doing it too) and she will "need" a Halloween and Christmas one.
Now, what are you waiting for, go check them out and drool!
Love,
this creative cloth lovin' mama,
Christy
P.S. They also make AWESOME mama cloth, theirs is the only REAL mama cloth I own (the rest were crudely made by me, their work WAY better!). I have an upcoming blog post in the works all about my journey into the world of mama cloth.
*I have received or won some free stuff form some of the companies listed but not because I did a review for them. Some we were chosen to be testers for, others I won in contests. None were given to me in exchange for a review, which is kind of obvious since I have no giveaway attached to them. I just love to share about products that I know are good and worth the money.
Today I want to write about another amazing diaper find I have made, Two Hip-Peas in a Pod.
 |
| pretty sure this was the only time Sariah ever got to wear this diaper. |
These mamas have done things with their diapers that I have never seen any other WAHM do. Not saying they created or invented these ideas just that it was the first time I ever saw it including dividing up and doing 2 prints on the same diaper and using minky on the OUTSIDE of the diaper and not just the inside (although all of their diapers have some sort of minky/velour soft innner).
I do have the honor of owning 2 amazing diapers from these ladies. A Very Hungry Caterpillar diaper and recently a 4th of July diaper.
The Very Hungry Caterpillar diaper is 2 prints in 1 diaper. The back and front cross over snap portion is in the "dots" print (think inside of the book front cover) and the front of the diaper is the "and then he ate..." print with all of the naughty foods he ate that gave him a bellyache. It has green minky on the inside.
So I can attest that not only are these diapers fun to look at and have in your collection but they really stand up to the test of time. Being worn and washed everyday from April until now and the diaper still looks and works great.
I had someone ask about leaking issues as she was worried that most WAHM diapers leak. I can promise you this diaper does not leak. I only had issues once with it leaking but it was human error on my part. We were running late for church and Kimmy did not want to wear the diaper I had picked out for her she wanted her "candy diaper" so I grabbed it and stuffed an insert in quickly. After only 20 minutes she was leaking out. When I went to change her I realized the insert was all bunched up inside and the side she was leaking on had no insert at all. So that was my fault for not making sure the insert was properly put in.
The only real issues I have ever had with the diaper is with the minky material, which is no fault of the maker. I have just noticed that minky sometimes tends to hold onto oder more than other materials. This could also be just because Kimmy has very strong concentrated urine because she never drinks enough (can't force a kid to drink, and now your lives are all complete because you know that she has concentrated urine). BUT, I have always been able to get the smell out using either sunning, stripping, Dawn dish soap or most recently fresh lemons (check out my Cloth Tidbits post for more info).
We also JUST got a 4th of July diaper. I am obsessed with 4th of July clothes, not because I like the holiday itself (I actually have a very irrational fear of fireworks and detest the holiday) but because Miss Kimmy herself was born on the 4th of July. She was born 4 days late and I joke that she did it on purpose just so she could have that b-day.
The 4th of July diaper is a Holiday print that is blue with red/white/blue sparkly flag print stars (you can't see the sparkles from the pics but trust me they are there) and has a white minky (possibly velour as I easily get the 2 confused and it does not have the dots but stripes, feels like minky though) inner. I can't get a picture of the diaper by itself as Kimmy is currently wearing it. The day she opened it up she handed it to me and declared "oooo, a new diaper, put it on my butt!" I think it's safe to say she loves it.
Yes, Kimmy is turning 3 this year and yes we are starting to try and stir up interest in her to try potty learning but she still loves her diapers and a 4th of July diaper was the perfect gift for her. Anyone who knows her knows that. Just like last year, for her 2nd b-day some good friends of ours gave her binkies. Everyone else laughed that she was too old but that was her favorite gift. I never worried much about her binkie (or bebe as we call them) habit and she self-weaned on her own in January of this year at 2.5 years old. I never made it a big deal and always let her have them when she wanted. I am trying to do the same with diapers.
If you are looking for the perfect cutesy diaper for an upcoming holiday or special event you have got to check these ladies out. I cannot WAIT to see what they come up with for Halloween and Christmas, I just hope I have the $$ to get some diapers at that time (winters are hard for us). In the very least Sariah will still be wearing diapers (as we are working on potty learning for Kimmy and Karma as a pair, Kimmy is more motivated since Karma is doing it too) and she will "need" a Halloween and Christmas one.
Now, what are you waiting for, go check them out and drool!
Love,
this creative cloth lovin' mama,
Christy
P.S. They also make AWESOME mama cloth, theirs is the only REAL mama cloth I own (the rest were crudely made by me, their work WAY better!). I have an upcoming blog post in the works all about my journey into the world of mama cloth.
*I have received or won some free stuff form some of the companies listed but not because I did a review for them. Some we were chosen to be testers for, others I won in contests. None were given to me in exchange for a review, which is kind of obvious since I have no giveaway attached to them. I just love to share about products that I know are good and worth the money.
Friday, June 24, 2011
Healthy Living: 40 (because I could not come up with more) Uses for Honey
I have been inspired to do these posts for awhile now to document our family's journey to a healthier lifestyle. The motivation has increased recently due to my discovery of a blog called 100 Days of Real Food and from watching the documentary Food Matters.
Up until this point it has just been me alone on a quest to try and improve the overall health of my family with my hubby dragging his feet along the way. Ok, so he was more like a kid not wanting to go take a bath who clings, claws and straddles the door so you cannot place them inside. He refused to give up his fast food, white pasta's, white breads, white sugar, white everything as well as his beloved Mt. Dew.
He watched the majority of Food Matters with me and when it was over he told me I need to help him do better. So he basically gave me full reign to take this family in the healthy direction I have been wanting to go for awhile now.
I must admit it wasn't all him dragging his feet though. I still kept my crutches (hello Dr. Pepper, my frenemy!) and I used his refusal to switch as an excuse to indulge myself but now more. I am going to hold myself accountable and make the changes we so desperately need.
I jumped on Ted's offer too the last time I went to the store. I had been buying both white and wheat bread but this time it was only wheat. I don't think he cares so much because I converted him to wrap sandwiches anyways. They are so yummy that he doesn't care that they are also far better for you.
By far my favorite healthy discovery to date is Honey! Local Honey to be exact but we will get to that in a minute (as there is a difference). Honey has long been used not only for it's sweet taste but also for it's immune boosting and healing properties. In the documentary Food Matters Honey is listed as one of the top Superfoods. The use of honey both as food and as medicine dates back to the Eqyptians.
In researching all to post about the almost magical effects of honey I decided there was way too much information to compact down into 1 post so for now I am going to list some great uses for honey, as many as I can think of/find. In the future I plan to write more on all the wonders that makes up this amber liquid gold.
"Honey is composed of sugars like glucose and fructose and minerals like magnesium, potassium, calcium, sodium chlorine, sulphur, iron and phosphate. It contains vitamins B1, B2, C, B6, B5 and B3 all of which change according to the qualities of the nectar and pollen. Besides the above, copper, iodine, and zinc exist in it in small quantities."
-source: Health Benefits Of Honey
40 (because I could not come up with more) Uses for Honey:
1. Take approximately 1 tblsp of honey and in the palm of your hand mix with approximately 1 tsp of brown sugar. Massage on face and remove with warm water or a warm rag-you will never use chemical facial cleansers again.
2. Next time you are working out or playing sports forget the sports drinks or even the water, instead opt for honey water. Simply mix in 1 teasp per every 8 oz of water. Honey is a natural energy booster, the glucose in honey is absorbed by the body quickly giving you the immediate energy you need and the fructose is absorbed more slowly helping you to sustain the energy boost.
3. Place a dab of honey on a bee sting-the honey will draw the stinger right out. My grandma did this all the time when we were kids.
4. Eat 2 Tblsp of LOCAL honey each day- this not only boosts your overall immune system BUT if you suffer from seasonal allergies local honey can help with the symptoms or even cure the allergies.
5. Next time you are baking some bread replace the required sugar with honey, not only will this make the over all bread healthier but it actually makes it taste yummier too. I have started baking all of our bread goods (bread, rolls, pizza crust, bread sticks, hoagie buns, hamburger buns, etc) with honey instead of sugar.
6. Honey possesses natural antibacterial, antifungal, anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial properties.
7. Use it as a salve on minor burns- because of its natural antibacterial properties as well as natural anti-inflammatory properties making it perfect to treat minor burns.
8. Spread honey on a cut or scrap- Honey is a natural antiseptic and just like with the minor burns the antibacterial properties make honey a great natural healing agent. It also helps reduce swelling and pain and is even believed to help reduce scaring.
9. Help soothe a sore throat- I can personally attest to this one as we have all been sick in our household this week (pesky summer colds!). I had never heard of or used honey for a sore throat before but just continued my daily 2Tbls's in the morning and noticed instant relief! Honey is also antimicrobial so it not only soothes the sore throat but also kills the infection causing it. Which would explain why I am getting better faster than Ted even though I got sick after him.
10. Speaking of being sick, you can also use honey to help aid with other general cold symptoms. Again, with my normal habit of 2Tblsp each day I noticed relief not only of my sore throat but also of my sinus symptoms and over all fatigue. This seems to last a few hours, about the same amount as over the counter medication, and when it wears off I just take 2 more. So the next time you have a cold instead of reaching for the medicine cabinet, reach for the honey instead.
11. Trouble Sleeping? Honey is a great sleep aid. The whole "warm glass of milk and honey" trick your grandma used on you really does work it seems. If milk is not your "thang" try it in a glass of tea, chamomile would be a great option as it is relaxing and also helps with sleep.
12. Honey is great for mild acne problems (see #1 for a simple but wonderful facial scrub)
13. Combine 1/2 cup of honey with 2 tblsp of Olive Oil and apply to your hair as a hair mask. Allow to sit on hair 30 minutes, rinse with cool water (you may want to shampoo to ensure all of the honey is rinsed out). This is a great deep conditioning treatment for hair.
14. Take a "Hot Honey Bath" Add in 1/4-1/2 cup of honey to hot (not burning, but as hot as you can stand it) water and soak. This is not only relaxing but it will also leave your skin silky soft. It is rumored that Cleopatra herself took hot Milk & Honey bathes to keep her skin soft and youthful.
15. Make your kids (and yourself) a nutritious healthy packed lunch simply by making Peanut Butter, Banana and Honey Sandwiches or as we call them in our house Monkey-Bee Sandwiches (we called just peanut butter and banana "Monkey" sandwiches, we added the Bee when we started adding the honey). My kids think I am letting them indulge in a treat as a meal but in reality this is 1 of the most nutritious things I could feed them. We use 100% whole wheat/whole grain bread (I make sure its free of HFCS and other unnatural ingredients), Organic Peanut Butter and local Honey. Sometimes we leave the bananas off and just have "Bee-Butter" sandwiches.
16. For a quick and healthy breakfast toast some 100% whole wheat/grain bread, add a smidge of REAL butter and a drizzle of honey and enjoy. Honey is great for providing a boost of energy.
17. Honey helps prevent cancer- honey contains antioxidants, or bioflavonoids, which gives it carcinogen-preventing and anti-tumour properties. This is not to say that it will cure cancer but it can definitely help prevent it from ever forming in your body.
18. It is believed that taking honey regularly can improve overall blood flow because the glucose provides energy in the bloodstream, which is then distributed throughout the body. Glucose is believed to prevent capillary damage due to its ability to improve your blood flow.
19. Further, it is also believed that regular intake of honey can actually stabilize blood sugar levels.
20. Take the juice from 1 lemon and mix it with 2 Tblsp of honey- not only will this help with a sore throat but it will also help aid digestive problems (sour tummy anyone?).
21. Honey can prevent colon damage- if taken daily the antioxidants found in honey can strengthen the colon.
22. Honey is a natural Anxiety reliever. If you are feeling anxious just take some honey straight or mixed in your favorite beverage/food. Honey creates a natural mood stabilizing effect.
23. Honey can prevents Heart Disease (see #18) Honey can preserve the quality of the produced blood, which can help to prevent heart disease in the process.
24. Honey can even SAVE limbs from antibiotic resistant infections such as MRSA and group A streptococcus better known the Flesh Eating bacteria. (source: Honey Remedy Could Save Limbs by Brandon Keim)
25. Honey is great for eczema. Karma suffers from eczema and a dab of honey on the little dry patches (usually on her back and legs) clears things right up. If you don't want sticky clothes I would suggest some nakey time after you apply the honey.
26. Honey is a great treatment for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (see #'s 2, 4 and 11 for starters)
27. This goes along with #22 as not only can Honey reduce your overall anxiety but in doing so it actually cane IMPROVE memory. Less overall anxiety means better overall brain function including memory.
28. Honey can help improve and cure a Bladder Infection-this is great news to me as I have a lot of kidney/bladder problems including infections and stones. To treat a bladder infection, mix one tsp. honey with two tsp. apple cider vinegar in a glass of water. Stir well and drink once a day until the infection is cleared.
29. To go along with #28 to help pass a kidney stone combine 1 tsp. of basil with 1 tsp. of honey swallow. Kidney stones will be minimized and expelled easier using this concoction should. Take once or twice a day.
30. Suffer from seasonal allergies? Find LOCAL honey and consume daily (see #4). The bee's collect pollen local to your area and turn it into the honey. Giving yourself a low dose of this each day helps your body build up immunity to it so that you are no longer affected when you breath in the same pollen. While there have been no formal studies done to prove this there was a study on allergies and honey conducted by students at Xavier University in New Orleans that produced positive results.
31. Even if the theory above is inaccurate honey is great for helping many sinus problems including to chronic sinusitis sufferers. It is believed that the antibacterial and antimicrobial properties of honey are the reasons for this and as I said in #10 it has helped all of my symptoms with this pesky cold, including the stuffy/runny nose and sinus pain.
32. If you drink tea or coffee (which I don't!) replace the sugar you would normally add with honey.
33. To relieve the achy sting of a sunburn, gently apply a thin layer of honey to the affected area.
34. Honey is lower in calories than sugar, containing 40% less calories than an equal amount of sugar. This makes it very dieter friendly.
35. Honey can treat yeast infections- apply honey to the affected areas, allow to sit 5-10 minutes and wash off with a gentle unscented soap or pure water. Repeat several times a day as needed.
36. Honey can treat athletes foot- rub honey on the infected area before bedtime. Cover the feet with old socks, and leave on overnight. Wash and thoroughly dry the feet in the morning.
36 Honey increases the beneficial Lactobacillus bacteria in the gut when included regularly in the diet.
37. Honey can help heal a diaper rash- with my cold that I currently have I cannot smell anything. This is a blessing and a curse when it comes to stinky diapers. Blessing that I don't have to smell them as I changed them and curse because I am not aware they exist until regular changing times. Because of this Sariah got a bad diaper rash and after learning about the healing properties of honey I decided to try it. For a regular diaper rash just apply a small amount of honey directly to the rash. For a yeast diaper rash mix honey with tea tree oil and apply. This really did help clear the rash up and it had no ill effects on my cloth diapers so I would say it is a cloth diaper friendly option.
38. For a cool summer treat mix up some honey water (see #2 ) and pout into an ice cube tray. Freeze for a few hours and enjoy in your favorite beverage (I like them in cucumber water, you may enjoy them in tea if you drink tea). You could also use popsicles sticks to give the kids a healthy treat.
39. Enjoy honey in place of sugar for all of your recipes, this may need to be tweaked so play around with it. Start out using equal amounts of honey for sugar and then use more or less as needed until you perfect it.
40. Add honey to your morning oatmal or cereal to give a great pick me up for the day. Honey is also great on top of pancakes and waffles in place of syrup.
Make sure the honey you are buying is a good quality 100% pure honey. Watch the big store brands, read the labels, many bigger brands have sugar, water and even High Fructose Corn Syrup in them. They are not pure honey. Try to find a local honey farm to purchase from. I am lucky, one of the "perks" of living in the sticks is that our small country store carries a lot of locally made/grown/harvested foods. I purchase my honey from them, its made less than 20 miles away.
There is no definition for how close honey has to be from to be considered "local". A general consensus seems to be within a 20-30 mile radius or about as far as a bee can travel from the hive.
There are a few types of honey that seem to be held in high reguard for their healing properties, including Manuka Honey. These honey's are, of course, far pricier and I think that while thay may be useful in extreme situations such as #24 when you are trying to save a limb, for the most part as long as you find a good local honey the rest of the benefits can be achieved.
I think I am going to glaze our fish tonight in Honey with some lemon and herbs, can that be #41?
Love,
this healthy livin' (hopefully!) mama,
Christy
Thursday, June 23, 2011
More Exotic Melons
I was so excited this morning, our store finally had some more Lemondrop Melons in. I had been waiting on that for awhile now.
The first time they had the Lemondrop melons it was just 3 melons. This time the had a large section full of various melons. The sign above them just said "Exotic Melons- $3.99 ea". They had 7 different varieties and they were all names I had never heard of before.
Some may be familiar with these already but they are definitely all exotic to me. I wanted to buy 1 of each but at $3.99 per melon I could not afford that. I opted to go for another Lemondrop Melon because I knew they were good and had been craving one. I also wanted to come home and look up the others to see if I would like them.
I took pictures of the melons as there was no way I would ever remember all of the names. I am sure the lady working only a few feet away in the produce section thought I was nuts!
Casaba Melon-
Casaba Melons are a variety of Muskmelon, which are smooth skinned melons including the honeydew. They have no aroma and are not as flavorful as other melons but can be stored longer. The flavor has been described as *"mildly sweet with a cucumber-like flavor " Casaba Melons should be stored at room temperature and are fully ripe when the skin has turned bright yellow (so I am assuming the one pictured above is not ripe yet). They are grown in California and Arizona from June-October.
Casaba are a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin K, Potassium, Copper, Vitamin C and Vitamin B6.
Galia Melon-
According to Wikipedia *"The Galia is a type of hybrid melon originating from a cantaloupe-honeydew cross" It is believed that this melon was originally developed by growers in Israel. Galia Melons are described as *"sweet and aromatic, with a flavor more like a cantaloupe than a honeydew although with a complexity of their own." These melons should be stored at room temperature.
The Galia's peek growth season is May-August.
These melons are a good source of Potassium, Vitamin A and Folate (for you pregger mamas out there)
Santa Claus-
Also called the Christmas Melon or Piel de Sapo. These melons are oblong in shape and look like mini watermelons to me but the flavor is described as *"similar to that of a honeydew but much sweeter" The Santa Claus melon is also grown in California and Arizonia with the growing season spanning June-October. It is also a variety of Muskmelon. These melons tend to be fairly large and are ripe and ready to eat when they are firm with a small amount of softness at the stem end.
The melon was named the Santa Claus melon for it's ability to keep for a long time, often until Christmas. It can be kept, at room temperature, up to 6 weeks longer than most melon varieties.
The Santa Claus melon is a good source of Dietary Finger and Vitamin C.
Lemondrop Melon-
Or is it Lemon Drop Melon, I still don't know. Sadly, we already know there is little info out there on this melon. I would describe it as a tangy cross between a honeydew and cantaloupe. It reminds me of the way my grandmother served both of those melons, with a sprinkle of salt on them for tang.
I am unsure of where it is grown, what seasons, or what nutritional value it holds. Since most melons are great sources of Dietary Fiber and Vitamin C I will assume it is as well.
While once again searching for Lemondrop melons I came across a blog where the woman referenced how these melons reminded her of Israel. I do not know if this means they grow or originate in Israel or that they just resemble other melons that do. I found this tiny tidbit intriguing though as these melons are still a mystery to me overall. She also had a yummy recipe to make a refreshing Lemondrop Melon Limonana Sorbet that I would just LOVE to try but not with the melon I bought today, the kids and I already have our hearts set on enjoying it with our lunch here in a bit.
I also came across another blog, For the Love of Peaches that described the flavor of these melons as "sweet honeydew flavor, followed by WOW....... lemon flavor" . I am beginning to really wonder if it is indeed a new melon hybrid made with the cross of a honeydew melon and a lemon.
Orange Flesh Melon-
When I googled "Orange Flesh Melon" the results all called it an "Orange Flesh Honeydew Melon".
Orange Flesh Honeydew Melons can be stored at room temperature for about 4 days and should then be moved to the fridge. They are ripe and ready to eat when they are firm with a small amount of softness at the stem. It has even been reported that *"Sometimes, the seeds of an especially juicy melon will rattle if the melon is shaken. ". The taste is described as a honeydew melon, only sweeter.
They are also of the Muskmelon variety and are good sources of Vitamin B6, Folate Potassium, and Vitamin C.
Orange Flesh Melons are available May through October and grow in California, Arizona and Texas.
Canary Melon-
I have found flavor descriptions comparing the Canary Melon to both a Cantaloupe and Honeydew melon (and ironically both on Wikipedia in almost the same sentence) *"distinctively sweet flavor that is slightly tangier than a honeydew melon" and then *" The flesh looks like that of a pear but is softer and tastes a little like a cantaloupe." It is a European variety also known as Spanish melon, Juan Canary, Jaune des Canaries and San Juan Canary. The Canary Melon is ripe and ready to eat when the rind turns bright yellow and develops a corrugated look and a slightly waxy feel.
This melon is best stored at room temperature and is known for having a long "shelf life"
Canary Melons are available in California and Arizona and are grown from March to October. They are a great source of Dietary Fiber and Vitamin C.
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Crenshaw Melon-
A Crenshaw melon is a hybrid melon (a cross between a Casaba and Persian Melon) with a very sweet, juicy orange flesh. They are considered to be the sweetest melon variety available. These melons can be stored at room temperature until ripe and then must be stored in the refrigerator, consume within 5 days of melon ripening.
A ripe Crenshaw Melon will be fairly large and firm with a small amount of softness at the stem end. These melons can weigh up to 10 pounds.
They are grown in California and Arizona from June-October.
Crenshaw Melons are an excellent source of Vitamin C
All of the melons (except for the Lemondrop of course) had stickers with the logo from Desert Owl so I decided to google that as well, just to see where the melons came from: The Desert Owl logo is trademarked by Robinson Farms in Blythe, CA. So it looks as if all of these melons grew in California. I try to stick to local produce if at all possible but at least produce grown in the USA so this made me happy to learn.
Growing up my mom rarely bought fruits and vegetables, fresh anyways, so I was unaware that so many varieties of melons existed. I knew there were honeydew, cantaloupe and watermelon. I thought I had made an "exotic" find last summer when I bought some Yellow Flesh Watermelon (which I now love more than regular watermelon, it has a honey taste to it). All of these melons are intriguing me and I cannot wait to try each and every one. I sure hope my store keeps them in stock as I can only afford about 1-2 per week. I will let you all know what I think of each one.
Off to make lunch and enjoy our Lemondrop melon.
Love,
this exotic fruit lovin mama,
Christy
*All qoutes came from either Wikipedia.com or Produceoasis.com which were both excellent sources on all of the above melons except of course for the Lemondrop, alas no one seems to know anything about these melons.
The first time they had the Lemondrop melons it was just 3 melons. This time the had a large section full of various melons. The sign above them just said "Exotic Melons- $3.99 ea". They had 7 different varieties and they were all names I had never heard of before.
Some may be familiar with these already but they are definitely all exotic to me. I wanted to buy 1 of each but at $3.99 per melon I could not afford that. I opted to go for another Lemondrop Melon because I knew they were good and had been craving one. I also wanted to come home and look up the others to see if I would like them.
I took pictures of the melons as there was no way I would ever remember all of the names. I am sure the lady working only a few feet away in the produce section thought I was nuts!
 |
| Casaba and Galia Melons |
Casaba Melons are a variety of Muskmelon, which are smooth skinned melons including the honeydew. They have no aroma and are not as flavorful as other melons but can be stored longer. The flavor has been described as *"mildly sweet with a cucumber-like flavor " Casaba Melons should be stored at room temperature and are fully ripe when the skin has turned bright yellow (so I am assuming the one pictured above is not ripe yet). They are grown in California and Arizona from June-October.
Casaba are a good source of Dietary Fiber, Vitamin K, Potassium, Copper, Vitamin C and Vitamin B6.
Galia Melon-
According to Wikipedia *"The Galia is a type of hybrid melon originating from a cantaloupe-honeydew cross" It is believed that this melon was originally developed by growers in Israel. Galia Melons are described as *"sweet and aromatic, with a flavor more like a cantaloupe than a honeydew although with a complexity of their own." These melons should be stored at room temperature.
The Galia's peek growth season is May-August.
These melons are a good source of Potassium, Vitamin A and Folate (for you pregger mamas out there)
 |
| Santa Claus, Lemondrop and Orange Flesh Melons |
Santa Claus-
Also called the Christmas Melon or Piel de Sapo. These melons are oblong in shape and look like mini watermelons to me but the flavor is described as *"similar to that of a honeydew but much sweeter" The Santa Claus melon is also grown in California and Arizonia with the growing season spanning June-October. It is also a variety of Muskmelon. These melons tend to be fairly large and are ripe and ready to eat when they are firm with a small amount of softness at the stem end.
The melon was named the Santa Claus melon for it's ability to keep for a long time, often until Christmas. It can be kept, at room temperature, up to 6 weeks longer than most melon varieties.
The Santa Claus melon is a good source of Dietary Finger and Vitamin C.
Lemondrop Melon-
Or is it Lemon Drop Melon, I still don't know. Sadly, we already know there is little info out there on this melon. I would describe it as a tangy cross between a honeydew and cantaloupe. It reminds me of the way my grandmother served both of those melons, with a sprinkle of salt on them for tang.
I am unsure of where it is grown, what seasons, or what nutritional value it holds. Since most melons are great sources of Dietary Fiber and Vitamin C I will assume it is as well.
While once again searching for Lemondrop melons I came across a blog where the woman referenced how these melons reminded her of Israel. I do not know if this means they grow or originate in Israel or that they just resemble other melons that do. I found this tiny tidbit intriguing though as these melons are still a mystery to me overall. She also had a yummy recipe to make a refreshing Lemondrop Melon Limonana Sorbet that I would just LOVE to try but not with the melon I bought today, the kids and I already have our hearts set on enjoying it with our lunch here in a bit.
I also came across another blog, For the Love of Peaches that described the flavor of these melons as "sweet honeydew flavor, followed by WOW....... lemon flavor" . I am beginning to really wonder if it is indeed a new melon hybrid made with the cross of a honeydew melon and a lemon.
Orange Flesh Melon-
When I googled "Orange Flesh Melon" the results all called it an "Orange Flesh Honeydew Melon".
Orange Flesh Honeydew Melons can be stored at room temperature for about 4 days and should then be moved to the fridge. They are ripe and ready to eat when they are firm with a small amount of softness at the stem. It has even been reported that *"Sometimes, the seeds of an especially juicy melon will rattle if the melon is shaken. ". The taste is described as a honeydew melon, only sweeter.
They are also of the Muskmelon variety and are good sources of Vitamin B6, Folate Potassium, and Vitamin C.
Orange Flesh Melons are available May through October and grow in California, Arizona and Texas.
 |
| Canary Melon |
Canary Melon-
I have found flavor descriptions comparing the Canary Melon to both a Cantaloupe and Honeydew melon (and ironically both on Wikipedia in almost the same sentence) *"distinctively sweet flavor that is slightly tangier than a honeydew melon" and then *" The flesh looks like that of a pear but is softer and tastes a little like a cantaloupe." It is a European variety also known as Spanish melon, Juan Canary, Jaune des Canaries and San Juan Canary. The Canary Melon is ripe and ready to eat when the rind turns bright yellow and develops a corrugated look and a slightly waxy feel.
This melon is best stored at room temperature and is known for having a long "shelf life"
Canary Melons are available in California and Arizona and are grown from March to October. They are a great source of Dietary Fiber and Vitamin C.
Crenshaw Melon-
A Crenshaw melon is a hybrid melon (a cross between a Casaba and Persian Melon) with a very sweet, juicy orange flesh. They are considered to be the sweetest melon variety available. These melons can be stored at room temperature until ripe and then must be stored in the refrigerator, consume within 5 days of melon ripening.
A ripe Crenshaw Melon will be fairly large and firm with a small amount of softness at the stem end. These melons can weigh up to 10 pounds.
They are grown in California and Arizona from June-October.
Crenshaw Melons are an excellent source of Vitamin C
All of the melons (except for the Lemondrop of course) had stickers with the logo from Desert Owl so I decided to google that as well, just to see where the melons came from: The Desert Owl logo is trademarked by Robinson Farms in Blythe, CA. So it looks as if all of these melons grew in California. I try to stick to local produce if at all possible but at least produce grown in the USA so this made me happy to learn.
Growing up my mom rarely bought fruits and vegetables, fresh anyways, so I was unaware that so many varieties of melons existed. I knew there were honeydew, cantaloupe and watermelon. I thought I had made an "exotic" find last summer when I bought some Yellow Flesh Watermelon (which I now love more than regular watermelon, it has a honey taste to it). All of these melons are intriguing me and I cannot wait to try each and every one. I sure hope my store keeps them in stock as I can only afford about 1-2 per week. I will let you all know what I think of each one.
Off to make lunch and enjoy our Lemondrop melon.
Love,
this exotic fruit lovin mama,
Christy
*All qoutes came from either Wikipedia.com or Produceoasis.com which were both excellent sources on all of the above melons except of course for the Lemondrop, alas no one seems to know anything about these melons.
Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Plastic Guilt
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| Teddy standing next the the offending cups |
As we were cleaning up so that the next 2 teams could play their game I noticed several moms picking up all of the plastic cups that the kids had gone through and putting them in a plastic bag. These are 5 and possibly 6 yr olds (not sure if everyone is 5 on his team) so they got a new little cup every time they got a drink. There are 10 players on the team and there were easily 20+ used cups.
The cups were just used for water. I cringed as I saw them cleaning it all up because I knew they were going to toss them in the trash. Before I could stop myself I blurted out 'don't throw those in the trash I can recycle them!" and then, in a futile attempt to make it "better" I said "I just can't stand to see any plastic go in the trash, it makes me feel guilty" YE-AH, that last statement so did not help!
I do though, I have serious plastic guilt. If I see anything plastic on the ground while we are out and about I will pick it up and take it home so I can recycle it. I recycle every piece of plastic possible in our own home and really try to avoid buying anything packaged in plastic that cannot be recycled. I am the lady who rinses (and yes even washes with soap if need be) out plastic baggies, cups and plastic wrap so it can be recycled.
I have been recycling for almost 3 years now but its only with plastic that I am so hard core. If I see paper or a soda can on the side of the road I can walk on by and not even give it a second thought. If its a plastic water bottle I just can't do it. I have tried to make myself keep going and its almost like an obsessive compulsive need. I just HAVE to pick it up, I can't leave it there.
It's all Oprah's fault too! It was seeing an episode on Earth Day, April 2009 that showed the Great Pacific Garbage Patch that did this to me. I had been recycling for about a year at the time (a little less than as I didn't start until after my first daughter was born) but this episode and the images they showed kicked my recycling into high gear. Before that I was a very laid back wishy washy recycler, sometimes doing it, sometimes not.
What is the Great Pacific Garbage Patch?
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| image credit- google images |
Sadly the Great Pacific Garbage Patch is not unique, every single ocean has their own garbage patch, the Pacific patch is just the largest and most well known of the bunch.
Now, when I see people throwing plastic away I picture it floating in the ocean, choking a sea turtle and killing marine life so I have to go and fish it out of the trash. GASP! Yes, I have fished others plastics out of the trash! It was only once and it was a water bottle on top of the trash but still, I dug in the trash and took it home with me! I keep plastic bags in my car just for this purpose.
I have also been known to sneak out bottles from family and friends houses when they are not looking! So far no one has caught me but I know I will be so embarrassed when they do.
Curse you Oprah! First you give me a serious case of plastic guilt and then you go and retire on me!!
What can you do about it?
Please, PLEASE recycle your plastic! I live in the sticks, I do not have the luxury of having my recycling picked up at my curb each week. I must gather it all up, load it in the car, drive it to a recycling center and sort it all myself. I do this WITH 4 kids! With gas as expensive as it is I only do this about once every 2 weeks when we go do our big grocery shopping as the store we shop at is near the recycling center.
You can also try to avoid buying things that are overly packaged in plastics. Skip the small individual water bottles and either buy a jug or even better a filter for your tap and a reusable water bottle to use instead. Avoid anything that's prepackaged into individual servings. Sure, it may be convenient but at what cost.
We do buy some single serve items such as cheese for the kids but I make sure to recycle all of the plastic from each individual stick.
Skip the plastic bags at the store and use reusable instead. Most places sell them for $1 or less now and if you are particular;y crafty you could probably even make your own with scrap material you have on hand.
Say no thanks to the plastic straws. Plastic straws come in just under plastic bottles and shopping bags as the largest cause of plastic waste. Opt to drink straight from the cup or you could even buy yourself some stainless steel straws. If you do get a straw rinse it out and recycle it once you are done.
Upcycle things that cannot be recycled, only certain types of plastic can be recycled. For all the rest try to find another use for it.
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| image credit- google images Jellyfish caught up and tangled in plastic |
To quote Fabien Cousteau (who is the grandson of undersea explorer Jacques Cousteau) from the Oprah Show:
"The pesticides that you spray on your dandelions run off into the oceans and end up in the food chain, which ends up back in our plates. It's a closed system. Everything's connected. We're all connected with the planet in very fundamental ways." he also went on to say "You wouldn't let a child open up a cabinet under the sink and start tasting the chemicals down there so why would you dump those chemicals down the drain and have them end up on your plate, which you then feed to your child?"
"But Plastics aren't pesticides or chemicals" you say? Plastics are made up of chemicals and as they break down they release those chemicals into the water. Small fish eat the plankton that is floating in the plastic chemical water (if the poor fish don't just eat the plastic itself). Bigger fish eat the smaller fish. We eat the bigger fish and those chemicals find their way right back into out bodies and the bodies of our children.
Surely there is someone else out there who also has a serious case of plastic guilt! I cannot be the only one jumping at a chance to take home the plastic water cups form their son's T-Ball game. Can I?
Love,
this plastic guilty mama,
Christy
Saturday, June 4, 2011
Lemon Drop Melon
Today while perusing the fresh fruit and veggie section at out local store I spotted a small section labeled Lemon Drop Melon (may be called Lemon Melon not 100% sure which is the proper name as our store had it labeled Lemon Drop but when I google it I barely come up with any results for either combination).
We live in the sticks so I am always impressed with the large variety of fresh fruit and veggies our little country bumpkin store has available, and its usually locally (from local small farms) or in the least USA grown produce too. For that reason the selection changes with the seasons and in the summer they get in some very exotic (to us) fruit and vegetables. In the past we have purchased star fruit, pomelos, mangos, pomegranate, kiwi's as well as the staple fruits of the summer from them.
It was their wide selection of fruits that inspired me to create my Food Bucket List. Its a list of foods I want to try eating at least once before I, you know, kick the bucket. It mainly contains a lot of exotic fruits and veggies but also has fun things on it like Deep Fried Snickers and Ostrich Burgers.
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| our Lemon Drop Melon before it was cut up |
I was not sure what to expect from the melon. I imagined it would be somewhat tart or tangy from the name so I was not sure how much the kids would like it. Therefore I only put about 1/4 of the melon into the fruit salad. They. LOVED! It. They were picking the melon out over all the rest of the fruit and asking for more melon before they even touched anything else. I made them finish the rest of the fruit they had on their plates first and then cut up more melon. We ended up eating the entire thing, minus a few slices I held back to try some Lemon Drop Melon Water (which is currently chilling in the fridge, I have yet to try it but hope it's as good as it sounds).
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| Lemon Drop Melon Water |
The whole point of my nonsensical ramblings is.... in the wise words of Yo Gabba Gabba......
TRY IT, YOU'LL LIKE IT!
Try new foods, expand your horizons, buy that crazy looking/sounding fruit. You never know if you will like it if you never try it.
Ok, so now that I have wasterd 30 minutes of my afternoon writing this and a good 5 minutes of your afternoon as you read this I guess I will go and do something a little more productive.
Love,
this fun fruit lovin' mama,
Christy
P.S. Check out my new blog called More Exotic Melons for a little more info on this melon and several other new (to me) melons I discovered.
UPDATE 08/01/11
Check out the comment that Sarah left, she works in the produce department at a grocery store and had some great info to share, thank you so much Sarah! Also, I just bought a Lemon Drop Melon a few days ago and used it for smoothies, I will be posting the recipe soon, it was YUM YUM YUM! Be on the look out for that, I will link it here when it is up.
"Hi! My name is Sarah and I just stumbled across your blog here for the first time, and I'm hoping I can be of a little bit of help. I work for a grocery store in the produce section and it's my job to find out more information to pass on to customers and it just so happens that the Lemon Drop melon is what I'm looking at this week, and I'm happy to share the information that we found.
First off, the Galia Melon and the Lemon Drop Melon (a.k.a. Lemon Melon) are NOT the same melon.
The Lemon Melon came about only in the last few decades from a melon breeder in the Mediterranean region. He originally found a melon that was naturally high in citric acid, which is what gives the Lemon Melon it's lemony taste. Over the next decade or two after it's discovery, it was bred with many sweet-type melons using traditional breeding techniques (Non-GMO) to get the delicious melon that we have today.
As far as nutrition goes, the Lemon Drop Melon is fat free, low in calories (60 calories/cup) and high in Vitamins A and C.
To Sarah: I don't have twitter, I am not "cool" like that and find new technology intimidating. I am on Facebook
Also, I got a notification a few days ago that someone left a comment on More Exotic Melons telling a trick on how to know if the Lemon Drop Melon is ripe. I know many of you are wondering this, however when I go back and look the comment was gone. I remember he said something about the green lines in the rind being dark in color but that's it. So Sorry, I have never been good at how to tell if any melons are ripe. I usually just grab 1, I have not been disappointed yet.
You can feel free to contact me on my personal twitter account, which is sarahwells61 if you have any more questions. Hope this helped! "
Tuesday, May 31, 2011
Flats and Hand Wash Challenge- Final Thoughts and Impressions
Going into this challenge I was convinced it was going to be hard. I thought I would strongly dislike it (trying to get out of the habit of using the word hate!). I was convinced I would fail, at least with Karma, a few days into it and already had my excuses lined up as to why I couldn't continue. "I have 3 girls in diapers!" "its just too much work, I have enough to do being a stay at home mom of 4 little ones" "Karma is a super soaker, there is no way those thin little flat can contain her". The list went on and on.
I was willing to give it a try though because I wanted to see if it was in fact doable. I have a little grass roots project with 2 other mamas called Spreading The Fluffy Love. Our goal is to get diapers to mamas in need who cannot afford to start cloth diapering on their own. I figured if I was able to do this challenge then I could in good conscience ask other mamas to use flats and even hand wash if they did not have access to a washer/dryer.
Once I started my motivation shifted a bit and I also wanted to prove to myself that I could do it so that I could then add some flats and covers to our 72 hr emergency kits and have a sustainable way to diaper the girls if we were ever with out electricity for an extended period of time. We live in the sticks so its very feasible that if something happened, like a huge tornado that knocked the electricity out, we could go days before it was turned back on.
The thing is, I didn't strongly dislike it, I didn't even dislike it a little bit, I enjoyed it. Aside from a few a hiccups along the way it was pretty uneventful. By the third day into the challenge I felt like I had been doing it forever. Perhaps this was because I pretty much cloth diapered like this, using prefolds and the washing machine that is, for months when we first started out. We had a very small stash when we started cloth diapering last summer and I had to use random things from around the house to get through each day. I already knew that hooded baby towels make the best back up diapers, but take forever to line dry.
I actually love flats! In fact I discovered that I like them FAR MORE than I do prefolds! Prefolds and covers were all I had for the first 7 months! Then in March/April I started to get nicer pocket, fitted and AIO diapers and I felt quite spoiled. I began to shove the prefolds to the back and use only the "nice" diapers. I technically now had a stash large enough to only have to wash every other day but I was so sick of the prefolds and covers that I still washed daily so I could strictly use the "nice" diapers.
That's not the case with the flats, I really enjoyed them. If I had it all to do over again I would have bought flats to go with my covers instead of prefolds. Not only do I plan on buying 1 package of flats for our emergency kits I plan on buying a second package just for me to use. Not only are they great to use on their own but yesterday and today I have been using them as boosters folded inside of Blissful Booty AIO diapers and they work great! (yesterday I was using them just on Karma since I ended the challenge Sunday night with her due to an eczema flare up, today on everyone)
This challenge reaffirmed my belief that cloth diapering does not have to be expensive to start out. I think I got sidetracked and forgot that once I finally had "nice" fluff and became spoiled. You don't need hundreds of dollars or a full stash of pocket or AIO diapers to start cloth diapering. You can buy a few basic things like 2-3 reasonable priced covers and a package of flats to start you on your way.
If you have absolutely no money you can still use what you have around your house. Use receiving blankets, hooded towels, old t-shirts for the diapers. There is no need for covers around the house if you can't buy them right away. When you need to go out put on a pair of fleece PJ pants over the diaper, or an old wool sweater if you have one, you could even pin a fleece blanket on top. Fleece and wool are water proof and they will not leak. Fleece is my night time secret weapon, its the only thing that keeps Karma dry over night. Then, you can take the money you would normally use to buy disposables and buy 1 nicer diaper each month. After a few months you will have a nice little stash built up for your baby.
Cloth diapering is available to all moms, no matter what their income is, we just need to think outside the box sometimes. I think too many moms research the options, see the $20-30 diapers and think "I can never buy enough of those, heck I can't even afford ONE!" and write off the entire idea as out of reach. Or they think to themselves, "sure I could afford to buy diapers but I have no place to wash and dry them" and again brush off the entire idea. The idea of using flats and hand washing probably never even occurs to most. Hand washing is not and idea that most think of, but it can be done and you know what, its not bad at all! Just watch out for poop and invest in some gloves!
If I were advising a mama in need who had little to no money and was going to start a flat stash and hand wash them I would suggest:
Blue Dawn- easily available and cheaper than any cloth diaper friendly laundry soap. Its also great to scrub out the shower, tub, sink or wherever it is you are washing the diapers so there is nothing left behind.
Purex Crystals- to help keep stinkies away, make diapers softer and make hand washing fun.
Gerber Flats- cheaper than other flats and again easily available for purchase. Double up though, 1 will not cut it very long. Two will go 3-4 hrs on a baby no problem.
Econobum Covers- they are simple adn white yes, but they do their job and if you watch Cotton Babies they often put them up on their seconds sales for $4.95 each and they always have free shipping. That's where I got mine from. For 1 baby 4-5 would be enough covers so you could get them for $20-25.
For all of the above you could start cloth diapering for under $40! ($12 for flats, $20 for covers, $2 for dawn and $4 for the Purex Crystals).
Think outside the FLUFF! It can be done!
Love,
this flats lovin mama,
Christy
P.S. A HUGE THANK YOU to Carrie Prince Cox for loaning the flats to us so we could be a part of this challenge. We appreciate it very much!
Monday, May 30, 2011
Use What You Have-Flats Challenge Day 7 Recap
Day 7 Recap
Yesterday turned out to be the final day for Karma in The Flats and Hand Wash Challenge after all. She has eczema that often flares up really bad in her diaper area. It flares up in cloth and disposable diapers. Certain cloth diapers seem to make it worse. The worst for her to wear are the PUL covers with prefolds (or in this case flats) as they seem to rub and agitate it more. The inside of her legs and her belly area were just bright red and looked awful. I let her run around without a diaper for a few hours and put her to bed in a Blissful Booty with a fleece cover. She looks much better today. So we failed the final day with her. I still plan on continuing Kimmy and Sariah in flats today through bedtime and will hand wash their diapers.
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| Karma's eczema flare up :( I don't feel like we really failed with her because if all we had were flats and this happened I would just let her run around naked for a few days. |
Yesterday and today I am also boiling the water I use to hand wash with. I was talking with a friend about the challenge and she asked why I was even bothering to do it. I explained to her that it was to prove it was possible for a family to diaper this way but it was also so I could prove that I could do it this way as well. I plan to add a package of flats and 5ish covers in our 72 hour emergency kits. Then if there is ever some sort of disaster and we are out of power for a few days/weeks I can still sustainably cloth diaper the girls. She pointed out if we had no power we would have no hot water to wash with. So I was inspired to boil the water. I am technically boiling it on my electric stove BUT I know I could easily boil it over the fire pit we have if needed.
Use What You Have
When we first started cloth diapering we had very little to work with. The stash would have been small for 1 tush and we had 3 to cover. I had to wash a minimum of once a day and more often twice a day to make the stash last the entire day. So I had to be creative at times using random things we had around the house not only as diapers but also as accessories.
Receiving Blankets, Hooded Towels and T-Shirts
One of the very first things I started using as diapers were receiving blankets, hooded towels and old t-shirts. In fact, I started using them within the first week. They were great to supplement in with our stash to help stretch things until I was able to wash and dry the dirties. Now, I have heard many actually take the time to sew these items into diapers. I did not have a sewing machine at the time so I literally used the items as is. I would trifold them and lay them inside of the cover and use just like a prefold. It worked, they served their purpose well. Milk Bubbles has a few great tutorials up about how to start cloth diapering for free doing exactly this. My favorite of hers are the scarf diapers. I was really wishing I had a cute scarf that I could do the same with but I alas I did not.
Burp Cloths
Everyone has these, in fact if you look closely some of the burp cloths you were given may actually BE flat diapers. I was not given any of these but I was given many hand made burp cloths that I discovered rather quickly made excellent booster pads.
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| the burp clothes I used as doublers |
I simply folded them down in a smaller trifold and laid them flat on top of whatever I was using as a diaper for that particular change. They add a few extra layers of absorbency right in the "wet zone" without adding too much bulk over all to the diaper.
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| burp cloth laid on top of a hooded towel all ready to use as a diaper. |
Receiving Blankets, Baby Wash Cloths or Old T-Shirts
Yes I already listed 2 of those above but this time I am listing them for the purpose of creating your own cloth wipes. Baby Wash Cloths make excellent cloth wipes. Old T-shirts and receiving blankets can be cut up and made into wipes as well. Now, when I first started I did not have a sewing machine so I cut up these things and just left the edges rough. It never bothered me.
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| cloth wipes- you can see the rough edges on the ones I made myself from receiving blankets. There are some baby wash clothes, the pink stripe is an old t-shirt (very soft!) and there are a few flannel ones made by Rockin Mama |
Spray Bottle and Baby Wash
An old spray bottle and some baby wash can create a very simple wipe water for you to use at diaper changes. Add a little warm water in the bottle, a squirt of the baby wash and viola, wipe water. Don't try to make too much though as after a few days it starts to smell stale. I would make up a little bit each morning to use for that day.
Gerber Prefolds
They are useless as actual prefolds on their own. I received some when Kimmy was first born, I planned to try cloth diapering then but did not do any research on the Internet about them. I just tried these prefolds and after a week of solid leaks and nothing being contained I stopped.
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| Gerber prefolds. Great as doublers, horrible as prefolds! |
Once I started up again with all 3 girls last summer I used these as doublers as well. Again, just trifolded and laid in the center. They are a great booster pad, horrible on their own!
Ironically, the Gerber flats I used for this challenge were amazing. I was so impressed with their performance and would definitely recommend them to other moms. I had to use 2 flats per diaper but still, they worked, they did their job and we did not have any leaks all week. So Gerber prefolds no good, Gerber flats awesome!
Microfiber Towels
Most have at least 1 microfiber towel in their home already, if not they are fairly inexpensive at places like Walmart. Karma is a super soaker and after only a few weeks of cloth diapering her I began asking how in the world could I keep her from leaking out all of the time. Most of my cloth diapering mama friends suggested either hemp or microfiber inserts. I could not afford to buy any at the time but I did have a few microfiber towels. Microfiber is not supposed to touch skin so I would place it trifolded inside of a prefold.
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| microfiber towel on top of a flat |
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| microfiber towel folded up inside of a flat. Place in a cover and BAM-great diaper! |
For the purpose of the Flats Challenge I folded it up inside of a flat. This actually made a really nice diaper. Great for overnights and for running errands. Microfiber is not the best on the hand wash side though. It can hold onto smells more than the other materials, it was the only item I ever had stink issues with the whole week. (thank goodness for the Purex Crystals!). It also takes about 2 days to dry hanging up! I know from past experience it can dry in half a day hanging outside in the sun but we had no sun the entire week.
Fleece PJ Pants, Fleece Zip Up PJS, Fleece Blankets and Wool Sweaters
I think some of you may be thinking to yourselves "Sure, all the above is great to use as diapers but what about covers?" FLEECE! Fleece is the answer to that! Everyone has got to have at least 1 pair of fleece pajama bottoms or a pair of zip up footie PJS, even a fleece blanket somewhere in their home. Fleece is waterproof and my secret weapon for no leaks at night. I put the girls to bed in fleece PJs almost every night. I have a few pairs of fleece PJ pants I plan to cut into shorts for the summer so they are not too hot. If you don't have any pajamas try a fleece blanket, you can tie it on or pin it on.
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| my go to fleece PJ pants for Karma |
Wool is also water proof. I have not tried wool but many mamas swear by it for night time. If you have an old wool sweater in your home you can pin that on top of whatever you are using for a diaper, instant cover.
You really do not need covers around the house during the day, these would only be needed at night or when going out. I even saw a blog post by someone also participating in the challenge (that of course I cannot locate now to link!) that mentioned using plastic shopping bags tied over the flats as covers when she had none that were dry. It may not be pretty to look at but it would work. You would only need to do it for a few weeks to a month and then could use the money you saved not buying disposables to buy 1-2 inexpensive covers.
Drying Racks
After only a week of cloth diapering I had stains on the prefolds. My cloth diapering mama friends told me to sun them. I had no place to do this though, or so I thought. I did not own a drying rack or a clothes line. It didn't take long for me to figure out some alternatives.
At first I used some decorative lattice things on the front of our home (no idea what they are called). they work great but because of the direction our house faces they only get sun either early in the am (on the East side of our home) or late in the afternoon/evening (on the West side of our home). So if I needed to sun in the middle of the day I still had no place to do it.
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| decorative lattice things |
That's when I thought of using the side of the old crib we had in the attic. The crib had never had a baby in it (in our home that is, it was given to us when we adopted Karma) and we even lost the hard ware to it when we moved. I called the company and even though it had not been recalled it was a drop side crib and therefore they were no longer making that particular model and would not sell any replacement parts for it. I stuck it in the attic because I had no clue what else to do with it. Now we have 1 side screwed into the wall near the stairs as a "baby gate" and the other we use as a drying rack for diapers. Recycling is good!
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| crib rail drying rack. It was rainy this day so I had it up on the porch hoping the wind would help dry the flats faster. Didn't work! This was the day I had to get creative with the drying. |
My point here is, cloth diapering does not have to be expensive. You can start it with little to no money. I see people all over the place who say they just can't afford to start. There is no rule that says you must start out with a full stash of expensive pocket or AIO diapers. Yes, these diapers are nice. Yes, they make diapering easier but there are cheaper alternatives that you can start with. Then, you can take some of the money you are saving from not buying disposables and slowly build a stash 1 diaper at a time. This allows you to try a wider variety of diapers and get a better feel for what you like.
Take a look around your house, I bet you have a lot of items you could easily use as a diaper in a pinch. It does not have to be a matter of "do I buy dinner today or diapers for my baby?". I know how that feels, we were there. I was the one who thought cloth diapering was all or nothing. That I had to jump in with hundreds of dollars to spend. I didn't realize I could start slow and add a little at a time.
I know for most the challenge is over now, they are writing their final thoughts and impressions blogs today. We will continue (with 2 girls that is) through today and will post our final thoughts tomorrow. I really hope you all come back to check it out. This experience has been really wonderful for us and we have so much we want to share with you. I will give you a little sneak peak on it, if I had it all to do over again I would have started cloth diapering with flats and covers instead of prefolds! I think the flats do a much better job. That will be my new recommendation for mamas looking to start on a very limited budget.
Until then........
Love,
this flats converted mama,
Christy
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