change, and she generally forgets how hungry she is during her time on the changing table.That's what works for me this Wednesday, what works for you?
Wednesday, January 19, 2011
Works For Me Wednesday
This is gonna be a quick one! When Monkey gets hungry, she thinks she's going to starve to death. Unfortunately, her formula has to sit for 5 minutes after being mixed, to allow the rice starch to settle and thicken. While we're waiting for her bottle to be ready, I change her toosh. 5 minutes is the perfect amount of time for a diaper change, and she generally forgets how hungry she is during her time on the changing table.
That's what works for me this Wednesday, what works for you?
change, and she generally forgets how hungry she is during her time on the changing table.That's what works for me this Wednesday, what works for you?
Sunday, January 16, 2011
Sunday Update
Goals For This Week
Prepare and stick to a meal plan
Clean and organize the kitchen
Clean and organize our closet
Clean and organize the laundry area
Slim down to 220 pounds
Keep up with Bible and Bible study readings
Take lots and lots of pictures of Monkey, HubbyButt and myself (I'll never be done with this one!)
So, I didn't stick to my goals for the week, but I did get other stuff done!
Update on Cleaning Goals
On Monday, HubbyButt and I got our room totally clean.
It's now much more functional! I finally got HubbyButt to move the DVD player and PlayStation from our bedroom to the living room. The bookshelf in the first picture is now between our bed and the entertainment center, and it's totally organized, there's nothing spilling out of it now!
I WILL be tackling our closet this week, it's a disaster!
I also got the kitchen organized, but forgot to take before and after
pictures. I moved all the spices, baking supplies and bread to the pantry so the cats can't get to them, then I organized the kitchen rack with all the mixing and serving bowls. Pots and pans are still in a lower cabinet, but they are organized. The biggest surprise in completing this task was finding about 100 bags of popcorn! Yes, we eat a lot of popcorn, but not THAT much! Guess what we'll be snacking on? Can you say, "Date night?"
Update on Weight Loss Goals
Anna and I walked about 15 miles this week. I've been drinking a lot of water and a lot of Crystal Light, but I did have a few sodas. I gained .4 pounds this week and am now at 225. I really think it's muscle, as my clothes are fitting a lot better than they were two week ago. Monkey is still 13 pounds.
Update on Christ-relationship Goals
I am keeping up with my reading, and am on pace to read the whole Bible in 88 days (no, I'm not two days ahead, there are two grace days in the reading plan). Leviticus and Numbers were extremely difficult to complete, but I got through it with God's help!
Update on our Sam's Club Purchases
I didn't cook anything new this week, so these are unchanged from last week.
Goals For This Week
Prepare and stick to a meal plan
Clean and organize our closet
Clean and organize the laundry area
Slim down to 223 pounds (5 pound was not realistic, 2 is)
Keep up with Bible and Bible study readings
Take lots and lots of pictures of Monkey, HubbyButt and myself
Maintain the rooms I've already got clean and organize
That's my Sunday Update and updated goals! What are your goals for this week?
Clean and organize our closet
Clean and organize the laundry area
Slim down to 220 pounds
Take lots and lots of pictures of Monkey, HubbyButt and myself (I'll never be done with this one!)
So, I didn't stick to my goals for the week, but I did get other stuff done!
Update on Cleaning Goals
On Monday, HubbyButt and I got our room totally clean.
I WILL be tackling our closet this week, it's a disaster!
I also got the kitchen organized, but forgot to take before and after
Update on Weight Loss Goals
Anna and I walked about 15 miles this week. I've been drinking a lot of water and a lot of Crystal Light, but I did have a few sodas. I gained .4 pounds this week and am now at 225. I really think it's muscle, as my clothes are fitting a lot better than they were two week ago. Monkey is still 13 pounds.
Update on Christ-relationship Goals
I am keeping up with my reading, and am on pace to read the whole Bible in 88 days (no, I'm not two days ahead, there are two grace days in the reading plan). Leviticus and Numbers were extremely difficult to complete, but I got through it with God's help!
Update on our Sam's Club Purchases
I didn't cook anything new this week, so these are unchanged from last week.
Goals For This Week
Prepare and stick to a meal plan
Clean and organize our closet
Clean and organize the laundry area
Slim down to 223 pounds (5 pound was not realistic, 2 is)
Keep up with Bible and Bible study readings
Take lots and lots of pictures of Monkey, HubbyButt and myself
Maintain the rooms I've already got clean and organize
That's my Sunday Update and updated goals! What are your goals for this week?
Friday, January 14, 2011
It's Fit Friday!!
As I mentioned previously, my friend Anna and I started walking again this week. And did we ever! We logged nearly 16 miles between two walks! On Wednesday, we walked from a local lake to the zoo, about 3.75 miles each way. It was gorgeous, and I was so proud of myself for walking all that way, while pushing a stroller even!
Today, we met at a different local park and walked about half way to the NEXT park. Oh my goodness. I think it was around 4 (maybe 5) miles each way. I looked it up on Google Maps, but it refused to cooperate, so I'm just guessing here. I'm super sore and slightly sunburned, but really really proud of myself for sticking it out and just doing it!
It's amazing how easy it is to do things that are good for you, once you stop complaining and start smiling. What's something healthy you did this week, and how do you feel? Tell me in the comments! *Someone please please comment, I'm beginning to feel like I'm talking to myself here!*
 |
| We made it to the zoo!!! Next time, we might even go in! |
It's amazing how easy it is to do things that are good for you, once you stop complaining and start smiling. What's something healthy you did this week, and how do you feel? Tell me in the comments! *Someone please please comment, I'm beginning to feel like I'm talking to myself here!*
Thursday, January 13, 2011
Thursday Thirteen: Things I'm Thankful For
I'm combining two super popular Thursday memes this week: Thursday Thirteen and Thankful Thursday. Pretty self-explanatory, I think, so here we go!
1) My family. HubbyButt and Monkey give meaning to my everyday, and I am so thankful to have them in my life.
2) My salvation. I've said before that I have a very strong faith, and it would be foolhardy of me to not include that in a list of things that I'm thankful for. I know that HubbyButt is also saved, and it delights me to know that we will truly spend eternity together.
3) Patience. This has increased exponentially since Monkey was born, and even more so since I started the Bible in 90 Days Challenge. I have found that I've not been raising my voice and that I've been much more kind to HubbyButt in the last 9 days.
4) Our extended families. I don't know where we would be without our parents and siblings. They have been so supportive through my pregnancy, Monkey's first few months, and they're standing behind our decision to leave my job.
5) Food in our kitchen. As I said previously, there have been quite a few times where I was living day-to-day as far as food goes, so I am extremely grateful to have plenty of food in my pantry.
6) A washing machine of our own. I know that may sound trivial, but having a cloth-diapered baby with reflux in our house means that I wash a lot of laundry. Before Monkey arrived, we were washing at least once a week at HubbyButt's parents' house, and while I enjoy our time over there, it's so nice to be able to get other housework done while the laundry is running.
7) Baby Einstein and Baby Geniuses. By no means do I use the TV as a babysitter, but I do LOVE our Baby Einstein jumperoo
and Baby Geniuses DVDs
. Monkey loves to jump, and the jumperoo has saved our arms! I also LOVE that the music on the Baby Geniuses DVDs isn't dumbed-down at all.
8) Cloth diapers. We have saved sooooo much money since switching to cloth when Monkey was 5 weeks old. I figure we've saved well over $300 in diapers already, and that figure increases every time I do a load of diaper laundry.
9) Netflix on the Wii. My guilty pleasure. I use Netflix every day; I watch movies, TV shows we don't get since we don't have cable, and I will occasionally use it to stream a workout.
10) Facebook and Skype. My parents and grandparents live 12 hours away, and these two wonderful inventions have allowed them to stay up-to-date on Monkey's growth and the new things she does everyday. Monkey also recognizes her Grandma's face thanks to Skype; it's amazing.
11) Kushie's Flushable Liners
. These things are amazing! We started Monkey on vegetables recently, and her poo has changed so much. I just pull off a liner, tuck it into the pocket on her diaper (so it doesn't slide around), and then when she poos, I flush the liner and the poo. They're wonderful. If you're planning on putting a newborn in cloth, I would recommend these, since meconium is soooo sticky icky and horrible to get off diapers. They also sell a washable liner, which I haven't tried.
12) Freedom of speech. Ok, I know it's super corny, but I really am thankful that I can get on here and write whatever I want without fear of censorship.
13) MOPS. I love love love my MOPS group. It's so wonderful to have a few hours every other week to get together with moms that have been where I'm at, both as a mom and spiritually. I got started late, since Monkey was due on the same day as the first meeting of the year (but born 5 days early), but I really feel like I've been accepted as a member of the group and I am so glad to have a slew of moms that I can honestly talk to and ask opinions of.
That's my Thursday Thirteen, what's yours?
1) My family. HubbyButt and Monkey give meaning to my everyday, and I am so thankful to have them in my life.
 | |
| Not the greatest photo, but it is recent, taken on Tuesday |
3) Patience. This has increased exponentially since Monkey was born, and even more so since I started the Bible in 90 Days Challenge. I have found that I've not been raising my voice and that I've been much more kind to HubbyButt in the last 9 days.
4) Our extended families. I don't know where we would be without our parents and siblings. They have been so supportive through my pregnancy, Monkey's first few months, and they're standing behind our decision to leave my job.
5) Food in our kitchen. As I said previously, there have been quite a few times where I was living day-to-day as far as food goes, so I am extremely grateful to have plenty of food in my pantry.
6) A washing machine of our own. I know that may sound trivial, but having a cloth-diapered baby with reflux in our house means that I wash a lot of laundry. Before Monkey arrived, we were washing at least once a week at HubbyButt's parents' house, and while I enjoy our time over there, it's so nice to be able to get other housework done while the laundry is running.
7) Baby Einstein and Baby Geniuses. By no means do I use the TV as a babysitter, but I do LOVE our Baby Einstein jumperoo
and Baby Geniuses DVDs. Monkey loves to jump, and the jumperoo has saved our arms! I also LOVE that the music on the Baby Geniuses DVDs isn't dumbed-down at all.8) Cloth diapers. We have saved sooooo much money since switching to cloth when Monkey was 5 weeks old. I figure we've saved well over $300 in diapers already, and that figure increases every time I do a load of diaper laundry.
9) Netflix on the Wii. My guilty pleasure. I use Netflix every day; I watch movies, TV shows we don't get since we don't have cable, and I will occasionally use it to stream a workout.
10) Facebook and Skype. My parents and grandparents live 12 hours away, and these two wonderful inventions have allowed them to stay up-to-date on Monkey's growth and the new things she does everyday. Monkey also recognizes her Grandma's face thanks to Skype; it's amazing.
11) Kushie's Flushable Liners
. These things are amazing! We started Monkey on vegetables recently, and her poo has changed so much. I just pull off a liner, tuck it into the pocket on her diaper (so it doesn't slide around), and then when she poos, I flush the liner and the poo. They're wonderful. If you're planning on putting a newborn in cloth, I would recommend these, since meconium is soooo sticky icky and horrible to get off diapers. They also sell a washable liner, which I haven't tried.12) Freedom of speech. Ok, I know it's super corny, but I really am thankful that I can get on here and write whatever I want without fear of censorship.
13) MOPS. I love love love my MOPS group. It's so wonderful to have a few hours every other week to get together with moms that have been where I'm at, both as a mom and spiritually. I got started late, since Monkey was due on the same day as the first meeting of the year (but born 5 days early), but I really feel like I've been accepted as a member of the group and I am so glad to have a slew of moms that I can honestly talk to and ask opinions of.
That's my Thursday Thirteen, what's yours?
Wednesday, January 12, 2011
Works For Me Wednesday: Cloth Diapers
If you're a friend of mine on Facebook, you know that I'm crazy about cloth diapering. I feel that, next to quitting my job, it is the single best thing that I've been able to do for my daughter. She's had very few rashes, and she screams bloody murder when I try to put her in one of these things:
That is all fluff for her butt! I don't need any more girl diapers, period, and I think HubbyButt would have my head if I gave in to temptation and got her this, mostly because it's $20. It's made by a WAHM named Joyce and is called a BSRB.
So, this is Works for Me Wednesday, but I haven't really shown you what works for me in cloth diapering. Right now, I LOVE the way Monkey's room is set up; it's so much more functional, especially the diapering and dressing area.
On the left is the diaper storage cart. This is where I keep everything nice and organized. On the top left is bath stuff (baby oil, wash, lotions), flushable liners (the roll that looks like toilet paper), and a few of the pads the hospital gives you to lay on your bed once you get home to keep everything nice and clean (I use these as changing table covers).
Next we have jammies, on the top right. I used to keep jammies in the dresser, but they're so puffy and take up so much space the drawer would get all messy when I took the jammies out.
The middle left cubby is where I keep all my prefolds. They're bulky, so I fold them in half length-wise and store them here.
The next cubby, the middle right, is covers and Flip inserts; I use the covers over the prefolds, so they're right next to each other.
Finally, the whole bottom is diapers that are ready to go. I pre-stuff all my pocket diapers and store them upside down so that they're ready to go; I also make sure that I have at least 1 Flip in this section.
Between the diaper storage and the changing table is a door that is blocked by the changing table. Since I can't open the door, I decided to utilize the space as more storage.
Starting at the top left hand corner, we have all of Monkey's socks and bows in a container I got at the dollar tree. It has a lid, so it's easy to just drop in the over-night bag if Monkey is spending the night at grandma's house.
Between that box and the trash can with the shiny liner is a basket that holds all of Monkey's bibs and burp rags. The basket has now been relocated to the living room, since that's where we spend most of our time.
The trash can with the shiny liner is our diaper pail. We don't use a wet pail, as most of our diapering supplies are microfiber and keeping MF in a wet pail can deteriorate the material. The point of cloth diapering is to save money, and you can't do that if you're constantly having to buy new inserts.
In the front is Monkey's laundry basket and trash can. Pretty self-explanatory, I think.
Finally we have the changing table and dresser. I know a lot of moms don't use changing tables, but I use mine for every at-home change; I love it. There's not much here, as Monkey is pretty long and likes to kick. We keep our coconut oil, washcloths (which are in the old Huggies wipes container, since we use them as wipes), pins and snappi (a handy little guy that replaces pins, and that I haven't quite been able to figure out), and wipes solution (in the blue spray bottle; I use water, baby oil, and baby wash) all on the changing table. I also have a few sample packets of different cloth-safe rash creams and the nasal aspirator (the sucky bulb) in the gap between the changing pad and the end of the table.
And just for the heck of it, here's a new picture of Monkey in cloth.
That's what works for me. What works for you?
She much prefers these:
So, this is Works for Me Wednesday, but I haven't really shown you what works for me in cloth diapering. Right now, I LOVE the way Monkey's room is set up; it's so much more functional, especially the diapering and dressing area.
Next we have jammies, on the top right. I used to keep jammies in the dresser, but they're so puffy and take up so much space the drawer would get all messy when I took the jammies out.
The middle left cubby is where I keep all my prefolds. They're bulky, so I fold them in half length-wise and store them here.
The next cubby, the middle right, is covers and Flip inserts; I use the covers over the prefolds, so they're right next to each other.
Finally, the whole bottom is diapers that are ready to go. I pre-stuff all my pocket diapers and store them upside down so that they're ready to go; I also make sure that I have at least 1 Flip in this section.
 | ||
| I can't figure out how to rotate the photo, but this is what our storage cart looks like. |
Starting at the top left hand corner, we have all of Monkey's socks and bows in a container I got at the dollar tree. It has a lid, so it's easy to just drop in the over-night bag if Monkey is spending the night at grandma's house.
Between that box and the trash can with the shiny liner is a basket that holds all of Monkey's bibs and burp rags. The basket has now been relocated to the living room, since that's where we spend most of our time.
The trash can with the shiny liner is our diaper pail. We don't use a wet pail, as most of our diapering supplies are microfiber and keeping MF in a wet pail can deteriorate the material. The point of cloth diapering is to save money, and you can't do that if you're constantly having to buy new inserts.
In the front is Monkey's laundry basket and trash can. Pretty self-explanatory, I think.
Finally we have the changing table and dresser. I know a lot of moms don't use changing tables, but I use mine for every at-home change; I love it. There's not much here, as Monkey is pretty long and likes to kick. We keep our coconut oil, washcloths (which are in the old Huggies wipes container, since we use them as wipes), pins and snappi (a handy little guy that replaces pins, and that I haven't quite been able to figure out), and wipes solution (in the blue spray bottle; I use water, baby oil, and baby wash) all on the changing table. I also have a few sample packets of different cloth-safe rash creams and the nasal aspirator (the sucky bulb) in the gap between the changing pad and the end of the table.
And just for the heck of it, here's a new picture of Monkey in cloth.
Tuesday, January 11, 2011
Meal Plan ... Tuesday?
So, I didn't get a chance to make a meal plan yesterday. I did, however, take an inventory of everything we have in our kitchen. Believe me, it's waaaay more than I thought we had. Therefore, I'm going to challenge myself to clean out our kitchen by doing a Pantry Challenge. Here's this week's meal plan:
Breakfasts: Cold cereal, Hot cereal, Toast, Fruit, MOPS leftovers,
Lunches: Sandwiches, Soups, Leftovers, Fruit
Snacks: Popcorn, Pretzels, Fruit, Applesauce
Dinner:
Monday: Chicken tacos and rice at HubbyButt's parent's house
Tuesday: Turkey rice soup at HubbyButt's grandparent's house
Wednesday: Chicken and broccoli over rice with cheese sauce (all leftovers from last week)
Thursday: Beef tacos with homemade tortillas (using The Happy Housewife's recipe found here)
Friday: Chili with beans (out of a can, I don't know if I'll be bowling with my in-laws or not, so I need something quick).
Saturday: Frittatas made with leftover chicken, garlic, mushrooms, cheddar cheese
Sunday: Pasta with garlic and butter
For nearly 400 more menu plans, click to visit I'm An Organizing Junkie.
Sunday, January 9, 2011
Sunday Update and BIG NEWS
I'm going to go ahead and start a tradition of my own here: Sunday Updates. I get so busy during the week that I don't always have time to tell you about every minute of my day (tee-hee), so I'll use my posts on Sundays to give you the run-down of the whole prior week.
This week was HUGE for us.
The biggest news, with the greatest impact on us is that I quit my job! I gave notice yesterday that I will not be returning to work. I know, I know, we're broke. But, like I've said before and will say again: GOD WILL PROVIDE. HubbyButt and I prayed and prayed and prayed over this decision; we wrote and re-wrote a budget to see if we could do it; finally, the decision was made for us when my manager disregarded my availability in writing the schedule. I know it seems trivial, but there are so many important moments in Monkey's life, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I missed any of them while working for The Man.
So, that is obviously going to change a whole lot of other things in our life as a family. The budget just got tighter, but we've made it so far, and I'll begin babysitting Monkey's best friend in either March or April. We're going to be just fine.
Update on our Sam's Club purchases:
We have used 1 pound of ground beef. HubbyButt and I don't eat much at each sitting, so we have a lot of leftovers. I'm still eating the macaroni and cheese with hamburger for lunches. I browned and froze the rest for future use.
We have cooked 1 chicken and are still eating off of that as well; I attempted chicken soup, but that went down the drain because it somehow got burned and was just plain nasty. Next time, I'll use a recipe. For lunch today, I had chicken and brocolli over (white) rice with cheese sauce (homemade, super easy). Once I figure out how to add posts under the Recipes heading on the home page, I'll add it there. Next time, I'll use brown rice, since it's healthier and has a bit more flavor than white rice.
HubbyButt is still happily munching away on the sourdough pretzels. I haven't had any.
We have yet to use any of the canned veggies we picked up; I'll be incorporating them into our meal plan this week.
The milk and cereal, of course, are disappearing quite quickly, as is the bread.
Update on my Weightloss Goals
Last week, I weighed Monkey and myself. I'm happy to report that Monkey is a healthy 13 pounds, and am sad to report that I was an unhealthy 230 pounds.
On Tuesday, HubbyButt cut my soda intake completely off. I've not only saved $5.40 (I was spending $1.08 daily for a large Dr. Pepper at McDonald's), but I've lost 5 and a half pounds!!! At my weigh-in last night, I was at 224.6. I've been drinking much more water and just a little bit of juice, about one glass a day.
This week, I'll begin walking with my friend Anna again. She was in Denmark over the holidays and I am sooooo excited to see her again! I'm sure Monkey is excited to see her best friend Smiley again, as well!
Update on Christ-relationship Goals
I decided to join Mom's Toolbox in Reading the Bible in 90 Days. I started on Monday and have finished Genesis; I'll be finishing Exodus tonight. It's so cool to see how quickly I'm making it through, and to see how many pages I've read so far.
I'll be joining HubbyButt's mom's Bible study beginning tomorrow night. We'll begin making our ways through Francis Chan's second book Forgotten God
. I'm really excited to finally commit to a study group and build relationships with not only God, but all the ladies in the group.
Update on my Cleaning and Organizing Goals
I finally got Monkey's room clean and organized!! It took all week but it's finally done. I'm so proud of how it looks and how well it functions. I'll be doing a post later this week on cloth diapering and I'll show you then how I organize (among other things!) our diapers.
Goals For This Week
Prepare and stick to a meal plan
Clean and organize the kitchen
Clean and organize our closet
Clean and organize the laundry area
Slim down to 220 pounds
Keep up with Bible and Bible study readings
Take lots and lots of pictures of Monkey, HubbyButt and myself
This week was HUGE for us.
The biggest news, with the greatest impact on us is that I quit my job! I gave notice yesterday that I will not be returning to work. I know, I know, we're broke. But, like I've said before and will say again: GOD WILL PROVIDE. HubbyButt and I prayed and prayed and prayed over this decision; we wrote and re-wrote a budget to see if we could do it; finally, the decision was made for us when my manager disregarded my availability in writing the schedule. I know it seems trivial, but there are so many important moments in Monkey's life, and I wouldn't be able to live with myself if I missed any of them while working for The Man.
So, that is obviously going to change a whole lot of other things in our life as a family. The budget just got tighter, but we've made it so far, and I'll begin babysitting Monkey's best friend in either March or April. We're going to be just fine.
Update on our Sam's Club purchases:
We have used 1 pound of ground beef. HubbyButt and I don't eat much at each sitting, so we have a lot of leftovers. I'm still eating the macaroni and cheese with hamburger for lunches. I browned and froze the rest for future use.
We have cooked 1 chicken and are still eating off of that as well; I attempted chicken soup, but that went down the drain because it somehow got burned and was just plain nasty. Next time, I'll use a recipe. For lunch today, I had chicken and brocolli over (white) rice with cheese sauce (homemade, super easy). Once I figure out how to add posts under the Recipes heading on the home page, I'll add it there. Next time, I'll use brown rice, since it's healthier and has a bit more flavor than white rice.
HubbyButt is still happily munching away on the sourdough pretzels. I haven't had any.
We have yet to use any of the canned veggies we picked up; I'll be incorporating them into our meal plan this week.
The milk and cereal, of course, are disappearing quite quickly, as is the bread.
Update on my Weightloss Goals
Last week, I weighed Monkey and myself. I'm happy to report that Monkey is a healthy 13 pounds, and am sad to report that I was an unhealthy 230 pounds.
On Tuesday, HubbyButt cut my soda intake completely off. I've not only saved $5.40 (I was spending $1.08 daily for a large Dr. Pepper at McDonald's), but I've lost 5 and a half pounds!!! At my weigh-in last night, I was at 224.6. I've been drinking much more water and just a little bit of juice, about one glass a day.
This week, I'll begin walking with my friend Anna again. She was in Denmark over the holidays and I am sooooo excited to see her again! I'm sure Monkey is excited to see her best friend Smiley again, as well!
Update on Christ-relationship Goals
I decided to join Mom's Toolbox in Reading the Bible in 90 Days. I started on Monday and have finished Genesis; I'll be finishing Exodus tonight. It's so cool to see how quickly I'm making it through, and to see how many pages I've read so far.
I'll be joining HubbyButt's mom's Bible study beginning tomorrow night. We'll begin making our ways through Francis Chan's second book Forgotten God
. I'm really excited to finally commit to a study group and build relationships with not only God, but all the ladies in the group.Update on my Cleaning and Organizing Goals
I finally got Monkey's room clean and organized!! It took all week but it's finally done. I'm so proud of how it looks and how well it functions. I'll be doing a post later this week on cloth diapering and I'll show you then how I organize (among other things!) our diapers.
Prepare and stick to a meal plan
Clean and organize the kitchen
Clean and organize our closet
Clean and organize the laundry area
Slim down to 220 pounds
Keep up with Bible and Bible study readings
Take lots and lots of pictures of Monkey, HubbyButt and myself
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