January 25, 2011
Best CD explanation ever
I love this explanation, and I love this dad. If only I could get Shane to stuff my diapers.
January 24, 2011
Monday=Operation Back to the Gym
I have a confession. I haven't worked out in three weeks. Of course I have my excuses-I had a cold three weeks ago, then we had an ice/snow storm two weeks ago, and last week, well, I was just lazy. So three weeks have passed, and now I am sitting here gearing up for the gym. I was doing so good-5 days a week! I weighed less than when I got pregnant by about 7 pounds. I felt awesome. I was even eating healthy at first.
But man did I fall off the wagon. I got the "I can eat whatever I want since I'm nursing" mentality. And boy did I. That's what boredom during a snow week will do to you. Thanks to nursing, I haven't gained any weight back, but I wasn't where I wanted to be anyways, so it's time get with the program. I still want to lose 5-10 more pounds, or, more importantly, look and feel amazing. Of course, the tummy still needs a good bit of work.
Nursing makes me insanely, ravenously hungry. So, I eat A TON. I just need to make sure it's healthy. So I'm eating Quaker Oatmeal with Fiber right now. Starting off on the right foot. Shane and I just went and did a huge grocery shopping yesterday, and we didn't buy any junk. There is plenty of stuff with protein and fiber, and there is a ton of water!
I'm looking forward to embracing my not so old ways, and gearing up for bathing suit season. I have about five months to look great in my bikini. And I will wear it-I just bought it right before I got preggo, so it's still new to me, and I'll be darned if I'm not confident enough to wear it.
Wish me luck!
But man did I fall off the wagon. I got the "I can eat whatever I want since I'm nursing" mentality. And boy did I. That's what boredom during a snow week will do to you. Thanks to nursing, I haven't gained any weight back, but I wasn't where I wanted to be anyways, so it's time get with the program. I still want to lose 5-10 more pounds, or, more importantly, look and feel amazing. Of course, the tummy still needs a good bit of work.
Nursing makes me insanely, ravenously hungry. So, I eat A TON. I just need to make sure it's healthy. So I'm eating Quaker Oatmeal with Fiber right now. Starting off on the right foot. Shane and I just went and did a huge grocery shopping yesterday, and we didn't buy any junk. There is plenty of stuff with protein and fiber, and there is a ton of water!
I'm looking forward to embracing my not so old ways, and gearing up for bathing suit season. I have about five months to look great in my bikini. And I will wear it-I just bought it right before I got preggo, so it's still new to me, and I'll be darned if I'm not confident enough to wear it.
Wish me luck!
January 22, 2011
One of the best ways to save money
I've been making Parker's baby food for almost two months now, and wow, I didn't realize how money we have been saving.
I looked at Walmart last week. The cheapest baby food seems to be Beach Nut, and the Stage One jars are 0.56 each. The Stage Two jars are .78. Gerber and the organic are far more. Not to mention those little Gerber Graduate meals, which are ridiculously high and a huge waste of money, IMO. Plus, you can buy the organic baby food, but think about it-if Gerber is selling the regular baby food, and the organic, how different can it REALLY be?
Parker so far has tried applesauce, bananas, sweet potatoes, green beans, and newly, carrots. He eats both pureed baby food and also slices of fruits and veggies in his mesh baby feeder. I've made all of it homemade, except the applesauce, which I buy the no sugar added applesauce, and Lily also eats those.
I bought two sweet potatoes for $1 at Kroger. Those made 28 meals. That means, each meal was .03. Less than a PENNY a meal!
I bought a bag of carrots at Walmart for .78. Those also made 28 meals, and each meal costs .02. Also less than a PENNY a meal.
The savings are incredible.I even mix in some breastmilk with lots of my baby food for extra benefits. The best part is, all your baby is getting is the vegetable or fruit. No preservatives or any junk.
I use my food processor to blend the veggies or fruits. Some veggies and fruits do not need to be cooked or steamed, like avocados and bananas. For sweet potatoes and carrots, you can bake or steam them and then puree them. I use the website www.wholesomebabyfood.com for a reference, and I love it!
I looked at Walmart last week. The cheapest baby food seems to be Beach Nut, and the Stage One jars are 0.56 each. The Stage Two jars are .78. Gerber and the organic are far more. Not to mention those little Gerber Graduate meals, which are ridiculously high and a huge waste of money, IMO. Plus, you can buy the organic baby food, but think about it-if Gerber is selling the regular baby food, and the organic, how different can it REALLY be?
Parker so far has tried applesauce, bananas, sweet potatoes, green beans, and newly, carrots. He eats both pureed baby food and also slices of fruits and veggies in his mesh baby feeder. I've made all of it homemade, except the applesauce, which I buy the no sugar added applesauce, and Lily also eats those.
I bought two sweet potatoes for $1 at Kroger. Those made 28 meals. That means, each meal was .03. Less than a PENNY a meal!
I bought a bag of carrots at Walmart for .78. Those also made 28 meals, and each meal costs .02. Also less than a PENNY a meal.
The savings are incredible.I even mix in some breastmilk with lots of my baby food for extra benefits. The best part is, all your baby is getting is the vegetable or fruit. No preservatives or any junk.
I use my food processor to blend the veggies or fruits. Some veggies and fruits do not need to be cooked or steamed, like avocados and bananas. For sweet potatoes and carrots, you can bake or steam them and then puree them. I use the website www.wholesomebabyfood.com for a reference, and I love it!
January 20, 2011
I'm sitting in my high chair!
After almost 7 months, and after Parker successfully crawled out of his Bumbo seat, I finally set up his high chair. He is tickled. 
January 14, 2011
Flashback Friday
Only flashing back a year, but here is what I was doing last year: (just got laid off from my first REAL job in marketing, but excited to become a SAHM and bake little P!)
January 13, 2011
Whats Mahaffe-ning?
Not a whole lot-but here is life lately in list form!
1. We have been snowed in for almost 5 days. Lily has been out of school for almost 5 days. We finally ventured to the grocery store today. Shane finally went back to work today. It has been fun spending time with family and relaxing, but I'm going stir crazy. We played countless hours on the Wii, we watched (get ready for this) Nightmare on Elmstreet 3 AND 4, Poltergeist, Felon, Boondock Saints, and Death at a Funeral to name A FEW movies. Speaking of being out of school, I'm glad I didn't plan anything for Lily's winter break because I just found out it was canceled due to this week off school.
2. I have been eating like a crazy person. I finally realized over these 5 days, we have made brownies, a cake, s'mores, and cookies. YIKES. We have also made big breakfasts and ate tons of comfort food for dinner (we've been guests at Shane's family's dinner tables, how could I refuse chili and beef stew and pork tenderloin?)I guess that's what boredom will do.
3. I have eight new Minky diapers coming for Parker (one size, pocket diapers to be exact) and also a new sling to tote Parker around in. I'm so excited for my packages to arrive I can't stand it! I'm also going to order a new wetbag (well, replace the one that broke) but I'm still waiting on the girl to figure out a code to where I don't have to pay for shipping.
4. I had a really bad cold and cough last week, but I am finally feeling better.
5. Shane and I got baptized last Sunday. It was amaaaazing. Our family came to share the special day with us. Unfortunately, I left our wet clothes and towels at church, so that will be yucky to wash when I finally get them back.
6. It's almost baby time! Several friends will be having babies very very soon, and I can't wait to meet these new little friends and snuggle with some newborn sweethearts! Shane would kill me for saying this, but these newbies COULD induce some baby fever. No worries, Parker will still wake me up at 1 am, I can pretend I have a newborn!
1. We have been snowed in for almost 5 days. Lily has been out of school for almost 5 days. We finally ventured to the grocery store today. Shane finally went back to work today. It has been fun spending time with family and relaxing, but I'm going stir crazy. We played countless hours on the Wii, we watched (get ready for this) Nightmare on Elmstreet 3 AND 4, Poltergeist, Felon, Boondock Saints, and Death at a Funeral to name A FEW movies. Speaking of being out of school, I'm glad I didn't plan anything for Lily's winter break because I just found out it was canceled due to this week off school.
2. I have been eating like a crazy person. I finally realized over these 5 days, we have made brownies, a cake, s'mores, and cookies. YIKES. We have also made big breakfasts and ate tons of comfort food for dinner (we've been guests at Shane's family's dinner tables, how could I refuse chili and beef stew and pork tenderloin?)I guess that's what boredom will do.
3. I have eight new Minky diapers coming for Parker (one size, pocket diapers to be exact) and also a new sling to tote Parker around in. I'm so excited for my packages to arrive I can't stand it! I'm also going to order a new wetbag (well, replace the one that broke) but I'm still waiting on the girl to figure out a code to where I don't have to pay for shipping.
4. I had a really bad cold and cough last week, but I am finally feeling better.
5. Shane and I got baptized last Sunday. It was amaaaazing. Our family came to share the special day with us. Unfortunately, I left our wet clothes and towels at church, so that will be yucky to wash when I finally get them back.
6. It's almost baby time! Several friends will be having babies very very soon, and I can't wait to meet these new little friends and snuggle with some newborn sweethearts! Shane would kill me for saying this, but these newbies COULD induce some baby fever. No worries, Parker will still wake me up at 1 am, I can pretend I have a newborn!
January 5, 2011
Fluff
I've been contemplating a cloth diapering blog for awhile, but it took me forever to actually remember to take pictures when I had a good chunk of diapers clean and ready to go. You can Google and learn so much about cloth diapering. It is a whole other world. But here is MY journey in cloth diapering, and it has been both a fun and learning experience!
A bit of a background: I started cloth diapering maybe two months ago, but I feel like I've been doing it forever, it's so easy. My sweet friend Anna showed me how simple it was and even let me borrow a few to see if I like them. I instantly realized that it was an excellent decision for me and my family. We save tons of money, we help the environment, and they are healthier for Parker. Also, my water bill has not gone up, even though I wash more during the week.
I currently have 16 diapers. I would love to have 5 more so I could wash less(well, I need 5 more. I would love to have 16 more!)Here is some of Parker's stash:
The diapers that I have are all pockets (meaning, you have to stuff inserts into them. The point of stuffing the inserts is that when you wash them, you pull the inserts out. They dry quickly and get super clean. There are lots of other types of diapers, but I don't want to be confusing. Google All In Ones, Fitted, All In Twos, Prefolds, Hybrid to get really confused!). This is what an insert looks like (sometimes I use one, like when we are at home, but I use two inserts when we go out or for over night):
The ones I have are also one size, meaning they fit from about 10 pounds to potty training. They have all sorts of snaps to adjust to your babies size. See below.
I got Parker's fluff online from Just Simply Baby and Go Green Pocket Diapers. You can Google either of those. I recommend them both. They are cheaper than most of the CDs on the market, but they are adorable and great quality and do not leak. Now that I've had them for awhile, I want to try other kinds, but I've been on the lookout for sales and what not. I look every day, it quickly turns into an obsession.
Another item you may want to purchase (among a million other things) is a wetbag. It fits in your diaper bag and you just throw your dirty dipes in until you get home. When you get home, you throw them in the diaper pail until wash day. For really poopy diapers, you can spray them off with a diaper sprayer. You can buy those, but luckily, I'm married to a plumber. Here is my makeshift diaper pail and wetbag:
Washing them: Everyone has their own way of washing their cloth diapers. One important thing to remember is to use Free and Clear Detergent (I use plain old All Free and Clear, although there are specific detergents marketed only for cloth diapers). I usually do a cold rinse, then a hot wash with 1/3 of what I would normally use detergent. In the spring and summer, I plan to hang them dry, but for now, I dry them in the dryer (no dryer sheets though!)
Cloth diapers are insanely easy. People should try them, and they will be hooked. It's the only laundry I don't mind doing. The "hardest" part is stuffing the inserts into the pockets, but I don't mind that-honestly! And for those that DO, you can get different kinds where you don't have to stuff or fold anything (All in Ones.)
Fluffy bums are insanely adorable: (even when they are not matching)
A bit of a background: I started cloth diapering maybe two months ago, but I feel like I've been doing it forever, it's so easy. My sweet friend Anna showed me how simple it was and even let me borrow a few to see if I like them. I instantly realized that it was an excellent decision for me and my family. We save tons of money, we help the environment, and they are healthier for Parker. Also, my water bill has not gone up, even though I wash more during the week.
I currently have 16 diapers. I would love to have 5 more so I could wash less(well, I need 5 more. I would love to have 16 more!)Here is some of Parker's stash:
The diapers that I have are all pockets (meaning, you have to stuff inserts into them. The point of stuffing the inserts is that when you wash them, you pull the inserts out. They dry quickly and get super clean. There are lots of other types of diapers, but I don't want to be confusing. Google All In Ones, Fitted, All In Twos, Prefolds, Hybrid to get really confused!). This is what an insert looks like (sometimes I use one, like when we are at home, but I use two inserts when we go out or for over night):
The ones I have are also one size, meaning they fit from about 10 pounds to potty training. They have all sorts of snaps to adjust to your babies size. See below.
I got Parker's fluff online from Just Simply Baby and Go Green Pocket Diapers. You can Google either of those. I recommend them both. They are cheaper than most of the CDs on the market, but they are adorable and great quality and do not leak. Now that I've had them for awhile, I want to try other kinds, but I've been on the lookout for sales and what not. I look every day, it quickly turns into an obsession.
Another item you may want to purchase (among a million other things) is a wetbag. It fits in your diaper bag and you just throw your dirty dipes in until you get home. When you get home, you throw them in the diaper pail until wash day. For really poopy diapers, you can spray them off with a diaper sprayer. You can buy those, but luckily, I'm married to a plumber. Here is my makeshift diaper pail and wetbag:
Washing them: Everyone has their own way of washing their cloth diapers. One important thing to remember is to use Free and Clear Detergent (I use plain old All Free and Clear, although there are specific detergents marketed only for cloth diapers). I usually do a cold rinse, then a hot wash with 1/3 of what I would normally use detergent. In the spring and summer, I plan to hang them dry, but for now, I dry them in the dryer (no dryer sheets though!)
Cloth diapers are insanely easy. People should try them, and they will be hooked. It's the only laundry I don't mind doing. The "hardest" part is stuffing the inserts into the pockets, but I don't mind that-honestly! And for those that DO, you can get different kinds where you don't have to stuff or fold anything (All in Ones.)
Fluffy bums are insanely adorable: (even when they are not matching)
January 4, 2011
A Good Day for a Blog Post
I'm glad I did a favorite 2010 post because I certainly forgot to make a New Year's post. No exciting resolutions to mention, just the usual of gym, eat healthy, etc. Anyways, Parker is napping right now, so I figured it would be nice to do a little post while I'm enjoying my lunch.
We had a great New Years-Lily even stayed up til midnight for the first time. All the kids did in fact. We spent the evening with Shane's family-and it was so nice to hug and kiss everyone and tell them Happy New Year! Since we were up so late (including P, who was ready to nurse and have a clean dipe around midnight),we all slept in til 9 30. It was sooo nice. We spent the day at the mall and had dinner with Shane's aunt and uncle.
Sunday was Parker's baby dedication. It was such a nice ceremony, and it even brought tears to my eyes. Shane's entire family came, and we even had another couple come who are expecting a little one in about five weeks. It was also an AMAZING service, so I was glad everyone came that day. Alas, no pictures.
School has FINALLY started back today! Hooray! Parker and I are just chilling. He is cutting another tooth (he has two bottom ones) so he is already on his THIRD nap today. Poor little guy.
Now, I must enjoy my soup and my DVR!
We had a great New Years-Lily even stayed up til midnight for the first time. All the kids did in fact. We spent the evening with Shane's family-and it was so nice to hug and kiss everyone and tell them Happy New Year! Since we were up so late (including P, who was ready to nurse and have a clean dipe around midnight),we all slept in til 9 30. It was sooo nice. We spent the day at the mall and had dinner with Shane's aunt and uncle.
Sunday was Parker's baby dedication. It was such a nice ceremony, and it even brought tears to my eyes. Shane's entire family came, and we even had another couple come who are expecting a little one in about five weeks. It was also an AMAZING service, so I was glad everyone came that day. Alas, no pictures.
School has FINALLY started back today! Hooray! Parker and I are just chilling. He is cutting another tooth (he has two bottom ones) so he is already on his THIRD nap today. Poor little guy.
Now, I must enjoy my soup and my DVR!
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