19 March 2010
15 February 2010
08 February 2010
my sweet boy
On Saturday, I loaded up some formula to take to church for the mission trip to Haiti. James asked what I was doing, and why I was putting his baby brother's milk in a bag. I explained that the milk was for some babies who didn't have any milk. Since he is two, I tried to break it down for him by telling him that some children don't have any food, or books, or toys. He just walked off.
As I was hooking John Brooks into his carseat, James reappeared with his favorite board book about colors. He handed it to me and said, "Here Mommy. I can give this to the children...the children who don't have any books."
Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it. Mark 10:15
As I was hooking John Brooks into his carseat, James reappeared with his favorite board book about colors. He handed it to me and said, "Here Mommy. I can give this to the children...the children who don't have any books."
Truly, I say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God like a child shall not enter it. Mark 10:15
06 February 2010
Your Cloth Diaper Questions Answered!
Q: Why Cloth Diapers?
A: There are really two reasons. First of all, there is a HUGE money savings in cloth diapers. When I first switched to cloth diapers, I was spending $65+ a month on disposable diapers. My initial investment was $300, and it was money well spent. I was able to recoup that in a little over 4 months. The second (and more important reason) is rooted in my belief in the Bible as the Word of God. No, I'm not saying that the Bible says to use cloth diapers...but I am saying that we should be good stewards with what has been given to us, and part of that for me means reducing my family's footprint...partly by throwing away less waste. (We also {mostly*} use reusable shopping bags, reusable dishrags and napkins in the place of paper towels and paper napkins...but that's another post).
Here is the scripture to back it up:
In Genesis 1:26-28, God instructs Adam and Eve to take care of the Earth:
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:28)
and to take care of the Garden of Eden:
And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. (Genesis 2:15)
The earth remains the Lord's (Psalm 24:1) and humans are only inhabitants. Leviticus 25:23 states:
The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants.
A: There are really two reasons. First of all, there is a HUGE money savings in cloth diapers. When I first switched to cloth diapers, I was spending $65+ a month on disposable diapers. My initial investment was $300, and it was money well spent. I was able to recoup that in a little over 4 months. The second (and more important reason) is rooted in my belief in the Bible as the Word of God. No, I'm not saying that the Bible says to use cloth diapers...but I am saying that we should be good stewards with what has been given to us, and part of that for me means reducing my family's footprint...partly by throwing away less waste. (We also {mostly*} use reusable shopping bags, reusable dishrags and napkins in the place of paper towels and paper napkins...but that's another post).
Here is the scripture to back it up:
In Genesis 1:26-28, God instructs Adam and Eve to take care of the Earth:
And God blessed them, and God said unto them, Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it: and have dominion over the fish of the sea, and over the fowl of the air, and over every living thing that moveth upon the earth. (Genesis 1:28)
and to take care of the Garden of Eden:
And the LORD God took the man, and put him into the garden of Eden to dress it and to keep it. (Genesis 2:15)
The earth remains the Lord's (Psalm 24:1) and humans are only inhabitants. Leviticus 25:23 states:
The land must not be sold permanently, because the land is mine and you are but aliens and my tenants.
*The next time you see me at the grocery store and I've forgotten to bring my reusable shopping bags, please don't throw stones at me!
The third reason (yes, I said that there were only two reasons, but I lied...sue me) is that they are so. darn. cute.
exhibit a:
exhibit b:
Ok, so you get the picture(s)...Q: Isn't cloth diapering gross?
A: The short answer is NO, it's not gross. Alot of misconceptions exist about cloth diapers.
Many people think that the cloth diapers of today are the same as the cloth diapers that their great-grandmothers used. That is simply not the case. Cloth diapering products make it extremely easy and not really messy or very stinky. This is how it has worked for me. I primarily use what is called an All In One diaper. This is what I started out with on James, and is part of the regimen I use with John Brooks now. An all in one diaper is very similar to a disposable diaper in the way it goes on the baby and the ease with which it's used. The all in one diapers that I prefer are called Fuzzi Bunz, and they have snap enclosures to ensure a good fit. So I have my stash of clean diapers lined up, and when it's time to change a diaper, I determine whether JB has gone #1 or #2. If he's only peed, then I take the diaper off and put it into a wetbag (with a zipper) to later be washed. Then I put a new diaper on him. If he has pooped, then I remove the diaper, wipe his booty with toilet paper, spray him with some cleaning spray, and wipe him off with a soft washcloth. The washcloth goes into the wetbag and the diaper/toilet paper goes into the bathroom with me. One of the products that I purchased when I started out was a diaper sprayer ($45ish) that connects to your toilet. IT IS GREAT. I drop the toilet paper and excess poo into the toilet, then spray the diaper off. Then it goes into the wetbag until time to wash. (If you want to make it even easier, you can buy flush-able liners that go into the diaper, so when baby poops, you can easily lift it out to flush...no mess!!) The best part about all of this is that nothing stinks. When I used disposable diapers, our house smelled like a toilet! But since I'm flushing what stinks, my house doesn't!
Q: How do you wash them?
A: At the end of the day (or two...that will all depend on the number of diapers that have been purchased) I drop the diapers (separated) into the wash and soak them for at least 10 minutes in cold water. I usually just run the rinse cycle; sometimes I let them sit longer if they are especially soiled or if it's been a couple of days. Then I run a hot, large load with about 1/3 of the detergent that I would usually use for that size load. After it runs, I do another cold rinse cycle. I dry my inserts and wipes (washcloths) on high heat, but I hang my wetbag (I have 2 so I can cycle these) and waterproof covers to dry.
For info on what detergents to use, go to www.abbyslane.com and click on "cloth 101" at the top.
Q: Is it difficult to go out and about with cloth diapers?
A: No, it's not. At the present time, I use disposable diapers when we go to church (for the nursery) and if I'm going to be gone for long periods of time. I did use cloth diapers with James ALL THE TIME, and will with John Brooks when he gets a little older and doesn't have a 100% liquid diet! Some people never use disposable diapers period; I use them some of the time (for convenience).
Well, I hope that I've at the very least given you some insight into why I use cloth. If you would ever like to come and see for yourself, I would love to show you the ropes!
29 January 2010
you'll thank me later
My apologies, Ina, but I changed your recipe. For starters, I didn't have flaked coconut in my pantry. But also, I prefer dried figs and raisins to pitted dates. And I have to have my milled flax seed....really, it's not that I don't respect your cooking expertise...I just wanted to make it my own way.
Deidre's Granola Bars
2 1/4 cups quaker quick oats
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1/4 cup milled flax seed
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2/3 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup chopped dried figs
1/2 cup raisins
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8x12 dish and line with parchment paper.
Combine oatmeal, walnuts, and flax seed. Spread on a sheet pan and toast in oven for 10 minutes. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add wheat germ.
Turn oven down to 300 degrees.
Combine butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir, and pour over oatmeal mixture. Add the figs and raisins and combine well.
Pour mixture over parchment paper and press evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool for a couple of hours. Cut into squares. Eat. Enjoy!
Deidre's Granola Bars
2 1/4 cups quaker quick oats
1 cup chopped walnuts
1/2 cup toasted wheat germ
1/4 cup milled flax seed
3 tbsp unsalted butter
2/3 cup honey
1/4 cup brown sugar, lightly packed
1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 tsp kosher salt
1/2 cup chopped dried figs
1/2 cup raisins
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter an 8x12 dish and line with parchment paper.
Combine oatmeal, walnuts, and flax seed. Spread on a sheet pan and toast in oven for 10 minutes. Transfer to a mixing bowl and add wheat germ.
Turn oven down to 300 degrees.
Combine butter, honey, brown sugar, vanilla, and salt in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium heat. Stir, and pour over oatmeal mixture. Add the figs and raisins and combine well.
Pour mixture over parchment paper and press evenly. Bake for 25-30 minutes. Cool for a couple of hours. Cut into squares. Eat. Enjoy!
19 January 2010
pics of the babe
Here are some new pics of the baby. I can't believe how big he is; it seems like last week that I was anticipating his arrival. And he'll be four months old next week and I'm already mourning the "newborn" phase.
I read a good friend's blog tonight. Her son just turned 13, and as she reflected on the speed with which he arrived at this age, I couldn't help but cry. Before I was a mother, I never understood...and now I just sit by and watch the whirlwind of growing up happen before my very eyes. I want so badly to just push pause for a second, so I can feel like I'm enjoying and savoring it...so that I feel like not missing anything...so that I can stamp it all on my heart so that I never, ever forget. I think that's why I love my camera so much. It keeps what I can't--a perfect picture of right now.
I took a few minutes the other day to set up a "photo studio" in my bedroom. He is such a beauty. I hope you enjoy.
oh, and I can't neglect to give credit to another photographer, who is my greatest assistant! here he is reviewing his latest shot. *wink wink*
I read a good friend's blog tonight. Her son just turned 13, and as she reflected on the speed with which he arrived at this age, I couldn't help but cry. Before I was a mother, I never understood...and now I just sit by and watch the whirlwind of growing up happen before my very eyes. I want so badly to just push pause for a second, so I can feel like I'm enjoying and savoring it...so that I feel like not missing anything...so that I can stamp it all on my heart so that I never, ever forget. I think that's why I love my camera so much. It keeps what I can't--a perfect picture of right now.
I took a few minutes the other day to set up a "photo studio" in my bedroom. He is such a beauty. I hope you enjoy.
oh, and I can't neglect to give credit to another photographer, who is my greatest assistant! here he is reviewing his latest shot. *wink wink*
05 January 2010
You make all things new
2009:
a new job.
a new (to me) car.
a new baby.
made some new friends.
grew apart from some old ones.
reconnected with some really old ones.
four twilight books, two beth moore bible studies, and a dozen road trips.
4,000 pictures (maybe more).
less money, but more time...what a great trade-off.
I'm very excited for 2010. I hope for a few things:
living with even less, so that we can give more.
patience and kindness. sometimes I think I don't have any of either.
when I don't have possessions to give, that I remember to give time.
the following prayer has been taped to my mirror for almost 10 years...but it is still my prayer as I begin 2010.
Lord, I give up all my own plans and purposes, all my own desires and hopes, and accept Your will for my life. I give myself, my life, my all utterly to You to be Yours forever. Fill me and seal me with Your Holy Spirit. Use me as You will, send me where You will, work out Your whole will in my life at any cost, now and forever.
a new job.
a new (to me) car.
a new baby.
made some new friends.
grew apart from some old ones.
reconnected with some really old ones.
four twilight books, two beth moore bible studies, and a dozen road trips.
4,000 pictures (maybe more).
less money, but more time...what a great trade-off.
I'm very excited for 2010. I hope for a few things:
living with even less, so that we can give more.
patience and kindness. sometimes I think I don't have any of either.
when I don't have possessions to give, that I remember to give time.
the following prayer has been taped to my mirror for almost 10 years...but it is still my prayer as I begin 2010.
Lord, I give up all my own plans and purposes, all my own desires and hopes, and accept Your will for my life. I give myself, my life, my all utterly to You to be Yours forever. Fill me and seal me with Your Holy Spirit. Use me as You will, send me where You will, work out Your whole will in my life at any cost, now and forever.
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