The Inquisitive Mom

Nutritionally Balanced & Delicious! The Protein Bakery Review & Variety Pack Giveaway!

2012-01-31T13:50:00.002-06:00

Decadent Wheat flour-free

Rich Protein packed

Flavor-packed Trans-fat free

Satisfying Nutritionally balanced

Filling Guilt-free

At first glance, these look like either-or lists, right? Common experience with healthy alternatives for sweets tells us we can't be both. If you want to exercise, increase your energy, and lose weight, you cannot treat yourself with something scrumptious. Desserts and snacks should be poor imitations of the real thing; lifeless, dry, sweet, but not quite satisfying. Add in phrases like "heart healthy" and "natural ingredients" and your usually talking about carob and wheat germ.

I visited my friend Stephanie's blog Babe's Rockin' Mami last week and there was a picture of her toddler Nate enjoying a huge, indulgent looking brownie. The blog post mentioned The Protein Bakery and I was immediately intrigued. This toddler's treat was protein-packed, created by a fitness instructor, and delicious? This I had to try for myself.

The Protein Bakery generously sent my family a selection of treats to try and my daughter literally licked her lips in anticipation when I opened the box.

They had no clue that these natural treats were high in dietary fiber, low in gluten, and delivered up to 5 times more protein than the average treats they consume. They only saw a feast for the eyes made of generous portions, attractive packaging, and sweet smells.

For my part, I honestly felt a bit reluctant to share. The choices - from the Chocolate Chip Blondie, to the Chocolate Chocolate Cherry Cookie, to the Peanut Butter Cookies - all looked too tasty to miss. So, we decided to divide and conquer over the next couple of days. We quickly discovered that the advice to heat your treats in the microwave to "magically bring out our fresh-from-the-oven taste" is worth taking. While the blondies just get a bit softer and warm, the cookies get a much needed moisture kick that keeps them from being a bit too dry for my taste otherwise.

The Protein Bakery treats can be purchased locally in some areas or shipped to your home. They arrive quickly and last for 3 weeks on the shelf or 3 months in the freezer. Each item has a bakery fresh taste, which probably comes from being made in small batches from scratch daily. They are a bit pricey compared to your average candy bar or cookie, but are only slightly higher than a dry coffee shop muffin or a calorie-packed bakery confection.

I think I was most surprised by how satisfied I felt after eating only a portion of a brownie or blondie. These squares of goodness are compact and over-indulging can actually leave you with a bit of a belly-ache, something my kids experienced. I actually found this refreshing in a treat - it's not often that I find something completely delicious, but feel excited about squirreling away a portion for later. My kids could easily split a blondie or Colossal Cookie and one half of a cookie pack is the perfect portion. Since you only need a small portion to be satisfied, compared to candy and cookies that always leave me wanting more, I think they will save you money (not to mention pounds) in the long run.

These treats totally made their afternoon - and they ask for more every day!

I am definitely a chocolate girl, so while I liked the peanut butter treats, I preferred the chocolate varieties. It's a toss up for my favorite between the cherry goodness hidden inside the divine Chocolate Chocolate Cherry Cookie and the delicately balanced sweetness of the blondie bursting with high quality chocolate chips on top. I was also pleasantly surprised by how much I appreciated the subtle flavors of the oatmeal chocolate chip cookie. I would love to try Wicked Mint Brownie, but I was a bit underwhelmed by the Chocolate Chip Brownie when compared to it's flavorful companions.

Are you licking your lips yet, reading about all of this scrumptious, healthy goodness? Visit The Protein Bakery to order some tasty treats to try today. You can also try for a chance to win your very own Variety Pack filled with an assortment of 2 blondies/brownies, 2 Colossal Cookies, and 4 cookie two packs! Yum! To enter, use the rafflecopter form. Good luck!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

How to Make All the Ladies Jealous and All the Guys Hate You.

2012-01-29T19:38:00.000-06:00

I turned 33 this year and my husband decided to make it a birthday to remember. He knows I am crazy about birthdays, so the cockiness is all tongue-in-cheek fun! Here's what his facebook status updates looked like this past week:

First he threw down the gauntlet:
January 24th: Be it known that this year on my wife's birthday, I will be making all the ladies jealous and all the guys hate me. Again.

January 25th:
Step One: Get a much needed haircut.

Step Two: Take an unannounced half day off of work.

Step Three: Flowers

Kai was sick and both boys were finally napping, so I was thrilled to have him arrive home unexpectedly, flowers in hand, to have lunch. When I told him I was worried about the boys waking up in time to pick up Ella, he said, "Don't worry. I'll do it." So, I relaxed while the boys slept and he picked up our daughter in the rain. Heavenly.

Step Four: Dinner at Lonzerotti's.

We enjoyed a relaxing afternoon, then a dear friend took our fussy baby so we could enjoy a dinner out with the big kids. They surprised me with a gift card to a local movie theater and we enjoyed some yummy dinner and berry cobbler.

He missed this step, Four A, but my president arrived on January 27th. Here are my status updates:

An Amazon box arrived to tease me! I am pretty sure my birthday present is in there, but alas, I have to wait for Tim and Ella to get home.

Tim is living up to his birthday promises! Hidden inside that smiley face box was a Kindle Touch! This is one happy birthday girl!

January 28th:

Step Five: Make an Amazing Cake.

This is a big deal coming from a man who doesn't enjoy baking. Two years ago, he asked me to pick out a fancy cake from a magazine and I selected this one. He surprised me this year, but duplicating this moist, rich, perfectly chocolatey confection.

I would add:
Step Six: Throw a birthday party with three of my wife's favorite things: Decadent dessert, good friends, and great conversation!

Now, I don't want my birthday week to end! Thanks to my husband, this birthday made me feel incredibly special and made for a terrific start to a new year. Here's to 2012! Time to start planning Tim's birthday.

Organize or Bust!

2012-01-27T08:44:00.000-06:00

I'm sending out a distress signal. If I don't find a better way to organize my life, I might go insane.

In the interest of full disclosure, you should know that I am not one of those super women who is actually maintaining an immaculate home, but is too hard on herself. I don't particularly enjoy homemaking, I'm overwhelmed by our organizational challenges and it shows.

My family is in desperate need of simple,affordable organizational ideas, chore divisions, and positive motivators. You might remember that we emptied our kid's toy room before Christmas because they wouldn't pick up their toys. That actually did make a difference, but now Mom and Dad need help with the rest of the house.

What I really need are organization tools that people really use - not fantasy shelves and time-consuming projects off of Pinterest (which I love, by the way). I've spent plenty of money on organization tools over the years and I'm loathe to continue investing in things that don't work. I know that a big part of this is a change of attitude and effort on my family's part.

So, here's the situation:
- We are a family of five living in a 3 bedroom house, we have outgrown our home, but we need to make it work.
- Our two oldest children share a bedroom with bunkbeds and every inch of wall and closet space is basically covered by a bed, 3 dressers (including baby's), and a book shelf.
- We converted the second bedroom to a toy room because we wanted a place to contain the toys and keep crayons, cars, and dolls from invading every room in our home.
- As a result, baby sleeps upstairs in an unused dining room off of our kitchen (making it tricky to clean dishes, etc. after he's gone to bed).
- My husband works full-time, I am a SAHM, I own a Scentsy business, I'm a freelance writer, I am the author of this blog, and I (try to) manage our finances.
- We tackle our home together the best we can, but school, homework, swim lessons, family time, etc. make this a challenge for us during the week.

What I know:
- I'll never change my kitchen challenges (no room to store food), so I am okay with the way it's currently managed.
- I care more about function than fashion - I want things to look organized and cared for, but they don't need to be fancy.
- I need organization ideas that are simple for kids 5 and under to grasp and help with.
- I need a simple family chore chart that doesn't require a lot of money or time to create. Otherwise, I'll spend all my time making a cool chore chart and not enough time actually organizing.
- My family will be happier if our house is organized and we are working together to keep it that way. We just need to feel like it's possible and get motivated!

What I need:
- Concrete ideas.
- Help organizing mail, notes, coupons, bills. What do you do with the bills you've paid? Do you keep them for your records?
- Help with laundry. I need a good system for ensuring it doesn't pile up and gets folded and put away the same day. Oh, and the socks. The evil socks. How do you keep track of socks for 5 people?
- Help organizing coats and shoes. We have a strange, long downstairs room that holds our desk, television, coaches, baby toys, and then shoes, coats, and bags. We have no mud room. I've come to realize that the kids and I want to have about 3 pairs of shoes handy near the door, rather than running to and from our rooms to grab them. We are in and out of the house a lot!
- Ideas for realistically maintaining the house - ie, wiping down bathrooms, sweeping, mopping, dusting, vacuuming, and picking up things - throughout the week that feels realistic and manageable. We tend to do the "deep cleaning" on Saturday, but this is a challenge when the house is in shambles by that time.
- Any other great, easy organizing tips you have for kid's clothes, toys, recycling, and all that stuff families have!

Thank you, thank you, thank you! I will be digging out right now, trying to figure out what to tack first while the sick baby isn't fussing.

30's Little Secrets

2012-01-24T12:10:00.000-06:00

Tomorrow I turn 33 and I wouldn't have it any other way. Movies and books never tell you this sweet little secret because it's too boring: Your thirties are freeing. I freaked out a bit on my 30th birthday, all encumbered by the myth that once 16, 21, even 25 pass you by, a birthday isn't worth looking forward to. I mean, how many women do we know who claim to be perpetually 29?

Thirty isn't perfect. There's those weird hormonal things women only fess up to in quiet whispers or brazenly when things get silly and they're in a confessing mood. A sudden change in your periods, those weird, stiff, black chin hairs (stop looking!), a fundamental shift in your body's gravity, especially if you've had babies. Thirty will never be the new twenty, but all I can say is Thank Goodness!

At (nearly) 33, I'm comfortable being a woman in a way I never felt at 23. Do I wish I was thinner, had less cellulite, never had to wear a bathing suit again? Sure. But I'm also comfortably curvy and more realistic about my dream size. I exercise so I can have more energy and endurance, and avoid gaining more weird older woman weight. Let's be real, though: I don't want to give up indulging in a cookie or two and I like eating yummy recipes from Cook's Illustrated more than I want to fit into a pair of skinny jeans.

Thirty didn't somehow magically rid me of every insecurity, but it did feel like a new beginning, a comfortable shift away from old baggage and tired expectations. When opportunities come my way now, I wonder less if I can and skip over to how I'll get it done. The way I measured success when I was younger - always compared to others, always on a large scale - doesn't suit me anymore. There is so much to celebrate about here and now while simultaneously looking toward the future. And remaining flexible and open to possibilities, accepting that dreams shift, feels more natural now.

Perhaps the most telling freedom I've found in my thirties comes from being comfortable in my own skin. It's odd how feeling confident in your choices, comfortable with your lifestyle, relatively satisfied with the direction you're headed, frees you to focus outward. More than ever, I am eager to meet new people, get involved, engage in the world around me, discover new things, become a part of the community. The question isn't Will I fit in? anymore, but How can I get involved? Who can I meet? What can I contribute?

Just remind me of this blog post when I'm staring 35 in the face two years from now. ;0)

Fuzzibunz Perfect Size Cloth Diaper Review!

2012-01-20T16:49:00.001-06:00

The first time I tried Fuzzibunz Cloth Diapers, I was brand new to cloth diapering. Diaper Daisy sent some one size Fuzzibunz as part of my cloth diaper trial and they overwhelmed me. Compared to their one size counterparts, the Fuzzibunz adjustable system seemed complicated and I struggled with finding the right fit. I decided to go with a different popular brand despite the outstanding reviews I read for Fuzzibunz.

Fast forward a year and a half later. Fuzzibunz are regularly recommended to me as an outstanding diaper and I'm frustrated because my one size stash is not fitting on my third baby, tipping the scales at a hearty weight, but long, with skinny legs. With the Elites near release, the original Fuzzibunz cropped up on Zulily and I decided to purchase them using credits. This turned out to be the best cloth diaper purchase I've ever made: Fuzzibunz One Size Diapers became the only one size cloth diaper to consistently fit my new baby without leaking at his skinny legs. The ability to adjust the waist and legs separately made all the difference and, with a bit of patience, I realized that the system is not complicated.

Since that time, I have added more Fuzzibunz one size diapers to my stash and I am thrilled by the dual adjustable system at the waist and legs, the gorgeous bold colors, and the absorbency. I have several friends looking into cloth diapering for the first time and Fuzzibunz are my first recommendation for an affordable, excellent fitting one size diaper.

Now that I've cloth diapered a newborn, however, I believe that x-small and small sized diapers are a must for a less bulky, comfortable fit for a smaller baby. Before I could confidently recommend a combination of Fuzzibunz sized and one size diapers for my friends, I needed to make a comparison. Fuzzibunz generously sent me a Perfect Sized Diaper in Big Sky and Kai has tested it out for the past 2 weeks.

The Fuzzibunz Perfect Size Cloth Diaper immediately impressed me as being the same quality as it's One Size counterpart. The primary difference between the two diapers is that the sized are targeted toward a specific weight range and can only be adjusted by dual snap settings at the waist. While I appreciate how trim the One Size Fuzzibunz can become at a smaller setting, I think the Perfect Size provide a slimmer fit overall. When your baby is 0 to 3 months, this is especially helpful for small carseat settings, fitting underneath those precious tiny clothes, and when padded with added absorbency for night time.

Size:

I used the Fuzzibunz Size Comparison Chart to select a size for Kai and wavered between small and medium. He is hard to fit because he is well into the weight range for larger diapers, but he is long and trim. I went with the medium, but felt a bit nervous when I first put it on because it needs to be snapped into the smallest setting. Kai could clearly fit into the bigger setting on a size Small, but the Medium pleasantly surprised me and lives up to Fuzzibunz's assertion that it will fit baby for the longest period of time.

Size Comparison: The Perfect Size on the Left (in Big Sky) and the One Size Sized for Kai on the Right (in Watermelon)

Fit:

When I first held up the Medium Perfect Size against the current setting I'm using on the One Size Fuzzibunz, I was concerned that it would be bulky and potentially leak at the legs. My fears were unfounded, as it fit him comfortably. I appreciate that Fuzzibunz diapers don't sag on my baby and have a snug fit around the legs without leaving markings. The material is soft against his skin and the tabs hold the diaper comfortably in place without slipping.

We have used the Perfect Size multiple times in the past couple of weeks for play time, nap time, and travel time without any leaks or fit issues. While the diaper looks generous in size, it is actually very slim fitting and doesn't add noticeable bulk to clothing when compared to other cloth diapers.

Insert Comparison: Perfect Size on the Left and One Size on the Right.

Absorbency:

As with the One Size Fuzzibunz, I like the absorbency of the microfiber inserts. They provide great absorption without adding bulk or leaving excessive wetness against baby's skin between changes. The inserts are also easy to cleanly grab at the edges and pull around the diaper for washing. We have only needed one insert for daytime, even naps, and two for night time. I do not yet have a heavy wetter this time around, so I imagine that additional inserts might be needed as baby grows.

Kai in his Perfect Size.

Look and Durability:

The Fuzzibunz Perfect Size diapers have a quality look to them and the fabric doesn't fade or pill between washes. Fuzzibunz uses durable snaps that make for easy washing and size adjustments. The company also just announced a lifetime warranty on both snaps and PUL (a change from their 1 year warranty), making their diapers an even better investment!

When I introduce someone new to cloth diapers, I love showing them Fuzzibunz with their soft inserts that stay white over time and their selection of colors to suit a variety of tastes. Watermelon is my current favorite color and I hope to see new prints from Fuzzibunz in the future. I'm excited for the summertime when Kai can wear a t-shirt and his Fuzzibunz to play in the grass. With the generous sizing of the medium, I expect it will continue to fit Kai as he grows.

Price:

Fuzzibunz recently announced a permanent price drop for their Perfect Size Diapers:

XS: Was $15.95 / Now $13.95

Small: Was $17.95 / Now $14.95

Medium: Was $17.95 / Now $15.95

Large: Was $17.95 / Now $16.95

You can also buy Fuzzibunz diapers in bulk ranging from 3 to 15 diapers, with an additional cost savings. Since sized diapers require a larger investment up front than one size diapers, I love seeing this price decrease. I would recommend purchasing x-small and small Perfect Size Diapers, as well as some One Size, and this price range makes them affordable.

Overall Impression:

The Fuzzibunz Perfect Size Diaper lives up to the same standards of quality and fit as the One Size version. I think the One Size is trim enough to use once you get past those pesky first 3 to 4 months, but would Irecommend the Perfect Size for younger babies. When we look toward cloth diapering a younger baby again in the future, I'd love to add some x-small and small Perfect Size Fuzzibunz in the Kumquat, Choco Truffle, and Apple Green to our stash!

Thank you to Fuzzibunz for generously sending a Perfect Size Diaper for me to review! I did not receive any compensation for my post and all opinions are my own.

My Life in Status Updates

2012-01-17T12:09:00.001-06:00

The new facebook timeline makes it easy to see every status update, comment, photo, or link you've ever put on facebook. I found myself looking through my updates thinking there were some gems for kid's memory books. In reading many of them, I realized that facebook gives a sappy, silly, and sometimes accurate glimpse into my everyday life. So, just for fun, here are some status updates from the past 6 months:

Ezra: Ella, Daddy's my best friend.

Ella: Well, Mommy's my best friend. Even when she's mean like today.

Ezra: Come take a picture of my poo poo, Mom.
Um, no thanks. We don't need to record everything.

We're sitting down to dinner, Ella volunteers to say the prayer. Ezra won't quiet down, starts banging his fork, and then proceeds to scream when I take it away.
Ella (mid prayer): "and please help Ezra to stop screaming all the time."
(she then sneaks a peek at Kai)
"and please help Kai to stay cute as he gets older."

If my kids had facebook accounts, their statuses would say, "Pushed mom over the edge tonight. She says no dinner until the play room is clean. We'll show her. Who needs dinner?"

Thanks a lot, Fitness magazine. Now when husbands are feeling frisky, they can say, "but it will help you fight colds, honey!" Apparently having sex once or twice a week helps you up your concentrations of disease-fighting immunoglobins.

Me: "You can't eat snacks all the time. Eating lunch and dinner are just part of life."
Ezra: "That's not the life I want."
Me either, kid.

Being a parent always test the bounds of what I am capable of. Case in point: nursing a baby while climbing a ladder to screw on the lightbulb we unscrewed last night when the kids wouldn't sleep.

I know it's ludicrous and I despise doing it, but somehow I can't stop. Why am I yelling at my kids "Stop yelling at each other!"? So annoying.

I went to my husband's work today and, as I watched him walk across the parking lot, I thought "Yum!" It's not that I don't normally think he's a handsome guy. There was just something about seeing him in a different environment, all professional and confident, that turned my head.

Thank you, Zumba for helping me laugh out loud at myself this morning and to pretend I look sexy when I "drop it down. "

Maybe I shouldn't social network today. I strongly suspect my bite is worse than my bark. Ezra's certainly is.

I love having big kids who grow giddy over frosting a cake for family night and, when given the choice, opt for a walk in the rain to school, rather than a ride in the car. I love holding the sweetest baby who looks at me like he's discovered gold - every time.

Ella helping bathe the baby: gentle and sweet. Ezra doing the same: sweet. Either way, it's one of my favorite big kid helping care for baby moments. Ella even wanted to help dry and dress him.

Watching my husband dance using the kinetic? Priceless. This is going to be fun. Love you, honey!

Ezra says to me at 6 am (when I am telling him to go back to bed) "I can't find Ella." I look in her bed, she is not there. All the lights are out. I call her name. No answer. I look in the garage. I call her name throughout the house. No answer. I start to panic and wake Tim up. I'm near tears and she finally emerges from my bedroom closet. Seriously, kid. What a horrible feeling.

Some days it feels like I live on the set of "Let's Make a Deal." Seriously, kids. Not everything is negotiable.

In my next life, I would like to be a man. I am sick = managing myself and three kids. My husband is sick = lying on the couch. Feeling much better this morning. Thanks to everyone who wished me well yesterday. I think it's just a nasty 24 hour bug.

Awash with gratitude for all of my blessings tonight.

No need for schools to invest in 1984 any longer. Simply sign the class up for a free fb account. They will soon learn that rights they never knew they had are being trampled upon and the govt is their enemy or, conversely, that the govt can solve all of their problems if they could only regulate a few more things. See, I know how to trim budgets too!

Hmmm... Ella was listing off people to bless in her prayer and randomly says "please bless the rich and"... (she pauses as if seeking the right word, then "and, um, the old. " afterwards she tells me she remembered the old because "they're nice. "

Need a reminder that life is delicious, invigorating, simply waiting for you to imagine all its possibilities? Follow a 2 year old on his bike, listen to his chatter, and see it all through his eyes.

Bought Tim a new grey suit with a vest, reminiscent of a suit my dad used to wear, but modernized. He looked so handsome. Made my heart ache and soar all at once.

I felt bad laughing at him, but it was pretty funny when Ezra put up one too many lids, sat down, and fell in a bit.

Ah, Felicity on watch Instantly. I could so relate to her... The awkwardness. The uncertainty. Those dang Bens in my life. Enjoying watching again but so glad that it feels like a bittersweet long ago now.

How can I ever stay frustrated by a baby who lights up and breaks out into an enormous grin every time he sees me, even if it's only been a minute?

Looks like my kids are eating parade candy for dinner.

Ezra: I want to be a Fireman when I grow up. Me (in mock distress) come help me fireman! There's a fire! Bring your truck. Ezra: S"orry. Can't. I can't find my truck."

I wonder what the world would look like if all political labels were temporarily erased. What if we had no idea what party or ideology someone subscribed to? Would we hear them differently? Surprise ourselves by who would suddenly make sense to us? Would we be more hopeful? All I know is that the way we are currently "listening" to each other is a colossal failure. Maybe it's time to try something new.

Channeling Mary Poppins: A Look Inside the Brooke Van Gory Upsized Expedient Bag

2012-01-13T18:22:00.000-06:00

You've heard me talk about Brooke Van Gory Expedient diaper bags. I've entered contests to win one. I've blogged about my desire to purchase one. I've celebrated finally purchasing my custom bag on facebook, then shared my experience selecting fabric, viewing sneak peek production photos, and waiting for the bag to ship. My custom Brooke Van Gory Upsized Expedient arrived a few of weeks ago and I've had some time to stuff it full, drag it around with my kids, and try it out.

I know lots of mamas are trying to choose between different diaper bag options and a purse such as this is a big investment. There are numerous directions to go when reviewing a product with so many details and I could fill pages with information. For the purpose of this particular review, I am going to focus on the big questions I had about the Brooke Van Gory Upsized Expedient Bag:
1. Is it large enough to fit multiple cloth diapers, plus a variety of baby items, and toddler gear?
2. Will I have to sacrifice comfort and style for size and functionality?
3. How much can an Upsized Expedient really hold?

I am going to tackle these questions in particular by primarily focusing on the size and functionality, with a few observations about fabrics and design. This review is based on an Upsized Expedient set I purchased independently and I am sharing my honest opinions and experiences with the product. This review is not endorsed or sponsored by Brooke Van Gory Designs.
Overall Impression:
If you are looking to create a one of a kind custom bag, the Brooke Van Gory Upsized Expedient is a unique way to make a statement and carry a functional bag that shows your personality. While the Upsized Expedient fits it's Mary Poppins tagline, it is surprisingly lightweight and can easily meet the needs of moms of twins, a baby and toddler, and families who use cloth diapers. Some style is sacrificed for functionality, but it's a bag I would carry after my diapering days are over. The generous size can be inconvenient at times, but it is an option worth considering for parents whose carrying needs exceed a standard sized diaper bag.

The Bag in Person:

The BVG bag is a practical design with few frills. Be aware that it is all about the colors and fabrics you choose. The Upsized Expedient is substantial, so your fabric will proceed you. You won't recede into the background with this bag. Go bold, go elegant, go whimsical, but make sure you love your fabric.

Detail Fabrics: This is the good stuff of the bag! The options are endless and you can definitely make a statement with your fabrics. I am crazy about all the little details, including the gorgeous strap fabrics, contrasting piping, and peek a boo zipper. Brooke even sewed different thread colors throughout the bag, with blue on the bag body, green on the base straps, orange at the top, and verigated around the top straps. All of these small details make the bag feel special.

Base Fabric: Before receiving the my bag, I envisioned the base fabric being made of a sturdier canvas like the straps. I like the lightweight feel of the fabric (brown on my bag), but I'm a bit ambivalent about the look of it. I'm also not particularly fond of the way it puckers at the top due to the weight of the straps and still shows creases from when it was originally folded. This fabric is definitely not the star of the bag, though, so it's not the focus when casually looking at the bag.

Pockets: This bag had 9 pockets - 4 on the outside and 5 on the inside, one zippered. I don't use bottles or cups for baby yet and Ezra doesn't need to travel with a sippy cup, so I like to use the two outer bottle pockets for tissues, my cell phone, and keys. The big outer pockets (hidden behind your panels of fabric) are great for slipping a shopping list, notebook, or baby's hat - anything you need quick access to. The inside pockets are cavernous and I slip in toys, baby books, snacks, and sometimes my wallet. They are so big in fact, I'd actually like to see one split in two to keep smaller items such as pacifiers, baby asprin, and hand sanitizer. The zippered pocket is great for mom items such as lipgloss, keys, tampons, and gum.

Structure: The Upsized Expedient has built in structure at the base, making it so the bag stands to fill without tipping over. I appreciate this addition to the bag, which helps the bottom remain sturdy, without adding much weight or bulk.
Size and Feel:
Sometimes I reach in the bag and feel a bit like I could be like Mary Poppins and pull out a lamp, mirror, and umbrella! It's a lot of bag, so organization is essential.

Expedient vs Upsized Expedient: I actually have a smaller diaper bag that I love the look of. It's gorgeous and I enjoy carrying it, but it's simply too small. A few cloth diapers in and a change of clothes and I maxed out the bag, with stuff constantly teeming over. This is what helped me finally make the leap to purchasing an Expedient.

To decide which BVG was right for my needs, I took the measurements and compared them to my current bag. I was surprised to discover that the original Expedient was slightly wider and shorter than my existing bag. Problem solved. I ordered the Upsized, which has the following measurements:

H: 16 "
L: 19"
W: 8"
Strap Length 31"

To give you an idea of all the room in this bag, here's Kai who is 7 months!

And Ezra, who is 3.

Here are the boys side by side, for comparison.

Overall, I'm very happy with the size. This is a big bag, but it's surprisingly lightweight and the length of the straps makes it very comfortable to carry. I purchased an extra strap for $10 to go across my body, but haven't needed it yet. I'm kind of glad, because it's a utilitarian adjustable black strap and it doesn't jive with my bag that well. I'm in love with the orange straps anyway - they're one of my favorite parts of the bag!

Side view courtesy of my toddler, the only available photographer at the time.
So, What Fits Inside a BVG Bag?

This is a versatile bag with more room than I can fill some days. I wish I'd had my Upsized Expedient right after Kai was born and I needed diapers for a newborn and a toddler! There is plenty of room for several newborn/small cloth diapers, plus an extra for a toddler. If you cloth diaper and like having lots of go-to items in one place, this is definitely the bag size for you. Just plan to organize, because it's easy to lose things in the depths, there's so much room!

What's currently in my Brooke Van Gory Upsized Expedient?
1 Package of Tissues
1 Cell Phone
1 Key Chain
1 Baby Hat
1 Extra Strap
Random Papers
2 Stuffed Pocket Cloth Diapers
1 Changing Pad
1 Pair of 6/9 month pjs
2 fabric bins
1 Boon Spoon
1 Baby Spoon
2 Jars of Baby Food
1 Snacks Container
1 Wipes Case
1 Nursing Cover
1 Onesie
1 Wallet
1 Flannel Blanket
1 pair of baby socks
Eye Drops
Cell Phone Toy
Toy Rings
Hand Sanitizer
2 Baby Books
2 Rattles
2 Pens
1 Checkbook
1 Miscellaneous Baby Toy
Granola Bar
2 Fruit Snacks
1 Juice Box
1 Baby Jacket

*If I moved a few things around or didn't mind it being super stuffed, I can fit a sling, a baby's coat, or my Soft Structured Carrier Cover.
Accessory Options:
I purchased the Upsized Set, which includes a Changing Pad and Wet Bag, in addition to the bag. These are custom made to coordinate with your bag. Since I used two patterns on my bag, my wet bag is in one fabric and the changing pad in another.

Wet Bag: Brooke offers a unique wet bag option you can't find elsewhere. To save even more space in your bag, she's attached the wet bag on the outside. This is so convenient when you go to change baby. No searching for your wet bag and no stuffing it back in when you're done. Simply unzip, put it in, and go without worrying about soiled unstuffed diapers messing up your bag mojo.

I compared the BVG wet bag to my favorite, the Large wet bag from the Nappy Shoppe. The BVG is slightly smaller than the Nappy Shoppe Bag and uses a slicker white PUL, rather than the brown PUL in the NS bag. I like the wet bag overall and love the clip on feature. My only recommendation would be to make it slightly larger.

Changing Pad: This is fairly simple in design and includes your main body fabric with a flannel backing. I'd be curious to see how it would look using the gorgeous minky with the raised dots, although this would certainly increase the cost. If you are trying to decide between accessories, you might consider a coordinating diaper cover over a changing pad if you are a lazy parent like me and only use one occasionally.

The Custom Experience:

Since a huge part of the appeal of the BVG bag is customizing your own, I thought I'd share a few ideas on things I love about my choices, options I'd do differently, and fun choices for your bag.

First of all, when Brooke Heavey, owner of Brooke Van Gory Designs, says her favorite bag is the one she's currently working on, she sincerely means it. Brooke will patiently help you select fabrics, talk through design choices, and wait while you change your mind over minute details. She wants this to be a great experience for her customers, and it shows.

While I am normally decisive, I found it oddly challenging to decide on my fabric and to visualize all of the different elements. This bag was a big investment for me, something I plan to use for a long time, so I wanted to make enduring selections. To make the process easier, I would recommend deciding ahead of time if you want to choose every little detail of your bag. If so, make sure you understand all of your options, get a good visual of the different design elements you've chosen, and be clear and decisive. If that sounds overwhelming, you might appreciate selecting a few details and enjoying the element of surprise. Either way, perusing the Brooke Van Gory facebook albums is a great way to glean inspiration for your project, as are Brooke's Pinterest Boards filled with an eclectic range of fabrics.

Here are a few design elements I recommend considering for your bag:
* Go All in: Add a surprise fabric color inside your bag (I wish I'd thought of this for mine)!
* Choose a peek a boo zipper color for your bag and wet bag.
* Consider contrasting thread colors, but be aware that this might not be the right choice for a perfectionist because the contrasting thread is less forgiving than a matching thread might be.
* Add variety to your straps by putting one color at on the bag below your hardware and another color above.
* Think outside the box to make the bag your own.

And, lastly, the cloth diaper challenge posed by reader Jill at Life is Not Bubble Wrapped:
"How many,( let's say worst case double stuffed OS pockets) can you fit before adding more things, leaving room for a change of clothes for a toddler, for example?"

I never use double stuffed one sized pockets because I use fitteds when I need extra absorbency. I hope you'll forgive me Jill - I packed a series of single stuffed one size pocket cloth diapers in the bottom of the bag. I fit eight comfortably, with room for a changing pad, wipes case, and tons of space at the top for those extra toddler clothes.You could easily fit twice as many newborn diapers inside the bag, with room to spare.

It's Not All Unicorns and Sunshine

2012-01-12T11:18:00.001-06:00

My facebook status last night a little after 5 pm: Too little sleep, a screeching, willful toddler, and the feeling that I'm running to stand still are all conspiring to conquer my will this week. Heaven grant me patience. And chocolate.

I'm in the midst of making dinner, baby is fussing, and someone starts crying downstairs.

Humor and venting on facebook aren't cutting it. Things are getting more desperate.

5:21 pm: I text my husband Please come home if you can. Reached my breaking point.

5:25 pm: Kids arrive upstairs to complain that they are starving, demand crackers, and simultaneously ask me to play with them.

Maybe dinner will magically make itself? We had frozen pizza for lunch, though, so back to the stove it is to make a "quick" 30 minute meal that is gradually becoming a 45 minute plus ordeal.

5:30 pm: Baby is not happy with snacks and yelling commences downstairs. I head downstairs to talk with my son who's screaming is like fingernails on a chalkboard at this point. He is ornery and unbearable (as he's been most of the day).

5: 33 pm: I throw up my hands, head upstairs, stir my sauce, and start to cry. And it feels good. I felt totally drained, as if I'd given it everything I had, and everyone seemed dissatisfied. Especially me.

This is not a typical day. Often it's better. Very rarely it's worse. Sometimes it's wonderful. Other days it's meh.

We don't blog about this stuff much, because who wants to be a Debby Downer, polluting the world with complaints about the life they chose? Certainly not me.

But last night it occurred to me that maybe someone who is literally or metaphorically standing in their kitchen crying, frustrated, discouraged, exhausted, at their wits end (or all of the above) needs to know that I've been there too. It doesn't make you ungrateful or mean that you're getting "it" wrong.

Everyday won't be unicorns and sunshine, even if we sometimes pretend in the blogging world that it will be. You don't need to be perfect to welcome here. I've been there. You're not alone. You're welcome to cry in my kitchen anytime.

Cloth Diapers: Why Dad Said "Yes"

2012-01-08T21:20:00.005-06:00

My husband doesn't cloth diaper because he can't get enough of cute patterns and vibrant colors. He doesn't cloth diaper because he has strong opinions about baby's exposure to disposables - he just dislikes that they're expensive and fill up our garbage cans. He isn't even a big environmentalist - I'm the aspiring greenie in our home. Tim is on board when it comes to cloth for two reasons: 1. They save money. 2. They're relatively easy to use.

The idea that using cloth diapers can save a family between $1200 and $2000 per child is pretty intriguing. but in truth, most people are interested in cloth diapering for more than money savings. There are usually other motivators, such as a concern for the environment, questions about exposure to chemicals in disposables, and even an interest in living a simpler, less commercial lifestyle. In a perfect world, we would always choose what what we believed to be the healthiest, most environmentally friendly, most cost-effective option. In reality, tight budgets and busy lifestyles mean that even the best of desires and intentions can lose out to low cost now and perceived convenience.

When friends or readers approach me with questions about cloth diapers, I try to keep my husband in mind. As someone who primarily cloth diapers for environmental reasons, who is invested in the cloth diapering community, who embraces cloth diapering as a lifestyle choice, I recognize that I can become overzealous when talking cloth. Learning about cloth diapering shouldn't require a manual, overwhelm even the most eager student, or require someone to become a cloth enthusiast.

Here's the great thing about cloth: It's a realistic, positive choice for families of varying sizes, political and religious affiliations, and income levels. You can choose cloth purely for monetary reason, simply to save the planet with no thoughts of your budget, or somewhere in between. You can make cloth a simple, straightforward lifestyle choice, embrace it as your hobby, decide to become an activist, or even a collector. Whatever your motivations, cloth diapering can be as simple or complex as you choose to make it.

I personally researched cloth for the first time because I saw a friend drying her diapers on a clothing line in the backyard. I can still imagine those diapers drying in the breeze and remember being intrigued by them. I broached the subject with my friend, Kirsten, and she explained how she wanted to live a less commercial lifestyle and that cloth diapers were a part of that goal. She used a simple system of fitteds and prefolds with covers, as well as pockets. All her diapers were the same brand and she learned about them from a family owned online company who helped her after a failed attempt at using prefolds and plastic pants from a big box retailer.

My friend gave me a link and I took it from there. When I returned with plethora of information on the topic (I am The Inquisitive Mom after all) and tons of questions, I overwhelmed her a bit. She purposefully chose a system that was simple and affordable. She bought sized diapers, washed them with Tide, and sunned when possible or air dried them by the fire. Her diapers worked for two little girls, plus my newborn for a time, and will hopefully diaper a fourth baby in the future.

Ezra in his first cloth diaper at 8 months.

I took inspiration from this example and decided to figure out if cloth diapers were right for my family. It's my nature to want to know everything, explore all my options, and ask a lot of questions, so I went the route of trying a variety of diapers, detergents, and accessories. I made an initial investment of $150, selecting moderately priced diapers and a few basic additions such as wet bags and cloth wipes. I've added onto this investment over time, but I've spent significantly less on a system that will potentially diaper three children than I would have on disposables for just one child.

To put things in perspective, we had two children at the time. My oldest wasn't quite 3 and my youngest 8 months. Right around the time we ventured into cloth, we were simultaneously working on potty training our oldest. We're a middle class family and two children in disposable diapers was neither affordable or convenient. We used middle-of-the-road disposables and I tried to purchase them in bulk. Despite this, I felt overwhelmed by the dent disposables put in our budget and the need to constantly bring them out to the garage so they wouldn't stink up our home. I often felt like we were filling our own landfill and it seemed like there should be another way.

Newborn Kai in cloth.

Contrast this with last year when our third baby arrived. I'd already done my research, invested a few hundred dollars in diapers and accessories, and figured out a washing routine that worked with my lifestyle. I'll be honest and say we did face a few frustrating fit issues with our long, thin newborn, but nothing that couldn't have been solved by better planning and a newborn cloth diaper rental.

Rather than purchasing bulky boxes of disposables, stressing over running out for more, buying two sizes, and bombarding the environment once again with garbage, I reused our cloth diapers on both boys. I washed diapers every other day and tossed them in my dryer, something that doesn't take up a great deal of time and was an easy addition to my routine. By now, stuffing a pocket or matching inserts is a quick process and I store them using an uncomplicated system. I won't lie - cloth diapers require a commitment and a lifestyle change, but it doesn't have to overwhelming or complex.

Cloth diapering has proved a good choice for our family. There is no doubt in my mind that it saves us money, especially since I've seen no significant increase in our water bill. It fits well into our lifestyle and the initial investment will be more than worth it as we reuse diapers. Money is still the primary motivator for my husband, but even he isn't immune to telling people that cloth is affordable, cute, and easy.

Ezra growing up in cloth.

Kai in cloth from the start.

If you are interested in cloth diapering, the myriad of options and resources can be confusing. The best way to cut through all of that information? Find a resource or two that you trust - a friend, a blogger, an established and respected cloth diaper retailer like Cotton Babies - and tell them you want help finding a simple, affordable cloth diapering system for your family. They should ask you about your family, your particular needs, and your budget to determine what simple and affordable means for you. A good resource will help you understand your options, but also help you easily reduce them to something manageable. And, once you see the reality of cloth - it's easy to use, adorable to look at, and it's a choice you can feel good about it everyday - your passion for it might surprise you.

Please link, like, tweet, and share this post to spread the word about cloth and to let others know about their opportunity to win!

This content of this post is part of a contest sponsored by Jennifer Labit. I have not received any compensation for my post. Share your thoughts on this topic by commenting below to be eligible to win 12 Bum Genius Diapers as part of this contest!

Little Love Notes

2012-01-07T09:46:00.000-06:00

As a little girl, I loved to leave secret love notes under my parent's pillows. The idea of them laying down at night to discover my sweet nothings delighted me. Early on in my marriage, I discovered the value of a note to share the intimate thoughts threatening to overpower my heart, but also to focus on the positive, and to let my husband know I was thinking of him when we were apart.

I used to travel for my work and stopped in a whimsical shop at the Seattle airport before a flight one morning. The store had a brightly colored notepad fool of silly, sexy, and fun messages on a series of postcards. That little notepad lasted me for years - slipped in Tim's lunch bags, under his pillow, in a suitcase. Writing those notes took only a few minutes, but they brought a spark to my day and I know they meant a lot to him.

While preparing a Christmas message this past December for church, I came across this quote. I think you can omit "Christmas" and put "day", so I am going to take that liberty here.
“This [day], mend a quarrel. Seek out a forgotten friend. Dismiss suspicion and replace it with trust. Write a letter. Give a soft answer. Encourage youth. Manifest your loyalty in word and deed. Keep a promise. Forgo a grudge. Forgive an enemy. Apologize. Try to understand. Examine your demands on others. Think first of someone else. Be kind. Be gentle. Laugh a little more. Express your gratitude. Welcome a stranger. Gladden the heart of a child. Take pleasure in the beauty and wonder of the earth. Speak your love and then speak it again." - Howard W. Hunter

This morning, I saw several links to a post by Jennifer Labit encouraging her readers to strive to be positive and to spread those feelings to others. She inspired me to remember the joy that comes from serving and caring for others, the energy that comes from giving someone else a lift. Jennifer invited readers to encourage others today and come back and share their experiences and ideas. Here are a few ideas I have:
1. My mom used to surprise me with notes of encouragement and love in my lunch box. I'm going to uplift my little girl with notes of my own this coming week.
2. Three kids make finding the inspiration and spare moments trickier, but even though those little notecards are gone, I can still discover ways to remind my husband that he is important and causes butterflies in my tummy. This can be as easy as posting on his facebook wall, but never underestimate the beauty of a handwritten note.
3. Last night, I found myself telling a small businesswoman how much a friend loved the gift I purchased from her shop. I came back for another gift and wanted to share my thanks. Spread some cheer this weekend by sharing your appreciation for a well made item, great customer service, and generous giveaways.
4. If I have an issue or concern - with an individual or business - I have a commitment to addressing it privately and respectively. Public forums such as facebook walls can cause unnecessary damage to someone's reputation and public negative comments only fuel the fires of negativity and frustration. Give someone the benefit of the doubt and the opportunity to right a wrong privately.
5. Call a friend just because as soon as it comes to mind. Our lives are busy. These calls are almost never convenient, but I can't tell you what it's meant to have a good friend call me out of the blue just to see how I'm doing, just when I needed it. Call it the Holy Spirit, call it intuition, or just being aware of others, but it matters.
6. Say I love you. Say it again. Then once more.

How are you inspired to lift someone else today?

The Screaming DNA

2012-01-05T12:35:00.000-06:00

Scientists looking to study the DNA related to screaming need look no further than our house. Ezra came into this world kicking and screaming and he's remained consistent ever since. His life philosophy seems to be, "If you can yell it, why speak it?" He yells when he's happy, sad, mad, and sometimes just because.

Last night at the dinner table, Ella volunteers to pray over our meal. Ezra, in classic fashion, keeps talking, then banging his fork. Why be reverent if you're not the one praying, right? I take the fork, he begins screaming, and the prayer takes a pointed turn:
Ella: (pauses mid prayer) "And please help Ezra that he'll stop screaming all of the time."
She then opens her eyes to take a quick peak at Kai in his high chair and continues.
Ella: "And please help Kai that he'll stay cute as he gets older."

Don't get me wrong - Ezra is all kinds of cute. He's sweet, clever, funny, and creative. Ezra gives amazing hugs and is an awesome playmate. But he has a volcanic temper and he screams. A lot. He even screams out in his sleep - my mom slept in my kid's room on her vacation and says it's up to 3 times per night. Interestingly enough, he mostly screams with his family and friends he feels very comfortable with. Apparently, he's a great kid to babysit.

His vocabulary is growing and he can talk up a storm, so the communication barrier argument doesn't really explain it anymore. I also know from experience that 3 beats out 2 as far as emotional explosions any day. I think we will just need to ride this one out as he learns to accept boundaries, appreciate consequences, and use his words at lower decimals. I'm working to make sure we have good balance so he has dedicated play time with mommy, not too much tv, preschool time, and play time with friends. These are the things I believe can soothe the beast over time - at least blogging mommy does. Real life mommy isn't so sure I'll keep my sanity in the meantime. Hopefully I won't pull my hair out in the process!

Wish me luck...Oh, and check out this post to read about his crazy, vivid dreams involving me falling down the kitchen sink!

The Kitchen Sink Nightmare

2012-01-03T14:05:00.002-06:00

I stopped checking the clock long ago. It only wakes my mind up, where my body only vaguely checks in otherwise. All I know is this: I'd been in dreamland several hours before Ezra arrived in our room, abruptly disturbing my sleep with his frantic demands for a rope. "Get a rope, Dad! Get a rope!" Ah, if I must be woken up, this is the best kind. I heard the call for Dad and immediately rolled over.

Then came the nudge from beside me. "Mindy, tell him you're okay." Hmmm? Apparently, I'd fallen down the sink and Ezra had commenced a serious rescue mission. I reassured him that I was actually in bed and he returned to his room with surprisingly little resistance. Ezra returned to our room at least twice more, each time insisting on a rope. While I appreciated his concern, all I really wanted was to be saved from the starring role in his dream.

The next morning at breakfast, the evening's activities became a bit more clear. I am apparently a very careless woman. While innocently reaching for a spoon in the kitchen sink, I tripped, and fell into the fathomless depths of the drain. Ezra discovered my predicament, enlisted Ella's help, and they rescued me by rope (with no help from Dad, I might add).

Ezra proceeded to lecture me - repeatedly - about not falling into the sink throughout the day. He was even kind enough to check in with me periodically, asking "Are you okay, Mom?" This kid must have some pretty amazing dreams.

I tried to explain the difference between dreams and reality. He was having none of it. I even resorted to telling him my mom taught me not to fall into the kitchen sink. Grandma was there to back me up, but that still didn't cut it. Ezra would not rest until I'd learned my lesson.

Tim suggested that it would be funny to go into the bathroom, climb into the sink, and call to our son for help. That crossed the cruelty line and might scar him for life, I said. Then I briefly considered leaving a photo montage of his dream laying around - "Oh, no! Mom, where are you? It's happening again!" - that would look something like this:

Hmm...I need a spoon...

...but there aren't any in the drawer.

I know! There must be one in the sink.

Got it!

Oh, no! It's slipping!

Ahhh! I lost the spoon!

Help me! I'm falling in the sink!

Save me! Save me! If only someone had a rope!

But that would be too mean...wouldn't it?

As I type this, the kids can only see the bottom picture. Ella asks, "Is that a doll?" I, of course, reply, "No. It's me." She is uncertain. Ezra says, "Is that you? I have a rope!"

The Great Escape

2011-12-29T13:46:00.000-06:00

A third child is great for your family. It's not always so great for your marriage. This phrase has escaped from my mouth far too often of late. We even have a very delightful, smiley, congenial baby the third time around. But life is demanding: Work already takes dad away from home most of the day and Ella goes to school. We've got drop offs/pick ups, swim lessons, girl scouts, family night, church, play dates, and service activities. Add the mundane household chores, dinner, and spending time with the kids and it's hard to find one on one time with your spouse.

My mom surprised (and delighted) us by coming for a visit over Christmas break and I decided to ask if she'd mind watching the kids while Tim and I went on a mini getaway. She agreed and it was by far the best Christmas gift she could have given us!

We considered taking the train into Chicago and wandering the city, but some friends kept recommending going on a romantic getaway instead. It wasn't cheap, but turned out to be the best advice. This trip wasn't about the destination, but about spending time together. I can't tell you how much I enjoyed the drive to the Chicago suburbs without kids to worry over or how much I loved being a bit aimless while we waited for our hotel check in time.

We stayed in an amazing place focused on retreating from the world and simply being together. It was exactly what I needed. I haven't felt that relaxed in six and a half years (since I found out I was pregnant with my first). We kept the tv off, disconnected from the internet (mostly) and I didn't fret over my kids. Going on an overnight getaway isn't always possible, but I highly recommend it. I want to do this quarterly, but yearly is more realistic.

As I look forward to the New Year, I want to incorporate more date nights - at home or out - that honor the idea of disconnecting, focusing on conversation, and separating from distractions. We might not be able to go on a retreat every month, but we can:

- Turn off the tv

- Disconnect from the internet

- Find fun two person activities.

- Be spontaneous and go on unplanned adventures.

What are your favorite date nights? How do you make sure you have quality time with your spouse?

Pinterest IRL: Homemade Laundry Detergent

2011-12-22T09:43:00.000-06:00

Pinterest is a great diversion, a way to get inspired, a fun way to connect with creative people, and a new way to fantasize about your dream home, vacation, or potentially awesome crafting skills. My boards include DIY I'd Actually Like to Do, Fun Projects for Kids, and Great Ideas and DIY Home Tips. Sprinkled among those are dream home and fashion boards, as well as some ambitious recipes. With DIY, however, I wanted to pin things that I could potentially do without getting frustrated or purchasing materials that sit on a shelf for months unused (Hello Wool Dryer Ball Tutorial).

To inspire myself to move past pinning to actually doing, I created my Pinterest IRL board. It only boasts one project to date, Ezra's 3rd Birthday Construction Cake, but I'm going to add Homemade Laundry Detergent today.

I found this homemade laundry detergent recipe on Pinterest from Being Creative to Keep My Sanity and decided to try it out at my house. $20 for 9 months to a year's worth of laundry detergent definitely appealed to me. Plus, cutting down on trips to the store, manufacturing of detergent, and all that packaging seemed eco-minded to me.

Here's all that you need to make the detergent:

From the Laundry Isle:
1 55 oz (3 lb 7 oz) box Arm and Hammer Super Washing Soda
1 4 lb box (2.15 kg or 76 oz) Borax
3 Bars Fels-naptha Soap (I found at the grocery store, but not Walmart)
Optional: Oxyclean or Store Brand. I bought a 6 oz of the Sun Oxygen Cleaner and used half.

From the Baking Isle:
1 4lb box Baking Soda

From Home Improvement Isle:
5 gallon Bucket (I used an orange one from Home Depot)

At Home:
1 Cheese Grater
1 Garbage Bag

This really is a simple recipe, except grating the soap is a time-consuming hassle. The source says you can use a cheese grater or a food processor to get it into small bits. Be warned: this is hard soap. I tried it in my food processor and it simply stuck to the blades. After I'd grated most of my soap, a friend recommended softening it a bit in the microwave before using the food processor. If you try this and it works, please let me know!

I would absolutely recommend using a standing grater if you have one (I don't). My hands were tired!

After you've grated, it couldn't be easier.

Line your bucket, then dump in the ingredients. I recommend putting in half of everything, mixing, then putting the other half in and mixing. I learned this the hard way after dumping my soap at the bottom like the picture in the tutorial.

I mixed with my hands, lifting the bag to make sure all the soap didn't sit at the bottom, then I was done! You can keep a bit in a small container if you don't have room in your laundry room to store the bucket and use a tablespoon or the scoop from your Oxyclean.

The tutorial recommends using 1 tablespoon, but the blog author says she uses two (you'll see this in the comments) so I think that's why her batch only lasted 9 months. My experience with cloth diaper detergent says that less is more - if a recipe calls for 1 tablespoon, try that first. This recipe does not have much of a smell, so if you like pretty smelling laundry, you might consider trying the wool dryer tutorial above (it will also cut your drying time by half!).

I tried my kid's clothes last night using 1 tablespoon in cold water and I was happy with the results!

If you try this tutorial, please feel free to come back and share what you think!

Hadssah's Closet Giveaway and a Pinterest Inspired Construction Cake!

2011-12-19T14:18:00.001-06:00

~Giveaway Extended to Wednesday, January 7, 2012~

In my home growing up, you were Queen for a Day on your birthday. No bed making or chores, your favorite meal for dinner, and the best themed parties. These days, people pay big money for extravagant parties, but we had such an amazing time at home because my of my mom's creativity.

My kids are still little, but I hope to recreate a bit of this magic for them each year, including creating a special cake just for them. Plus, my friend Rosemary helped make Ezra's King for a Day even more special by sending him his very own custom Birthday crown!

You can enter to win your own custom Hadassah's Closet crown below!

My cakes are always ambitious, leading to a series of misadventures, but I try again every year. There's the Pony Cake, Curious George Balloons, and the infamous Ice Cream Princess Cake. I've figured out the cake part, using this Family Fun Buttermilk Cake Recipe time and again. It's delicious, fluffy, and sturdy enough to handle decorating. I still haven't mastered frosting prettily and scouring the stores for those candy accents always stresses me out. Before this year, I think Ezra's car cake proved my most successful. I decided to go simpler this year, though, and when I saw this construction cake on Pinterest, I was sold.

Here's my simpler version

What I love about this cake:
It requires two simply round cakes in any flavor
The frosting is meant to look messy - it's dirt!
The only extras required are construction toys, Oreo cookies, and I used chocolate marshmallows for rocks.
The Trio Construction Set came from Amazon for under $10 and Ezra wanted a crane for his birthday.
It's an easy cake for a 5 year-old assistant to help decorate without stressing mom out!

What I didn't realize about this cake: The fancy, schmancy inside!
I don't want to steal pictures from the amazing blogger at Fredellicious, so go visit this link and see what she accomplished. I, of course, attempted this using her recipes and food coloring. It did not work so well for me - the cake recipes were difficult to halve with all the 3/4 cups/teaspoons required and the food coloring turned out poorly. I wasted two cakes before deciding to return to my tried and true buttermilk recipe. I should have followed my original and correct instinct to skip the fancy inside. My 3 year-old didn't miss it and probably wouldn't have appreciated it enough to justify all that effort.

My cake might not be as fancy, but Ezra loved it and all the kids "Oohed" and "Ahhed" over it!

The best part of it all? My husband decided to check the mail serendipitously right before cake time. Rosemary's adorable custom Ezra Crown arrived just in time for us to crown our Birthday King and let him blow out the candles!

Ezra was thrilled by his crown, but was in such a rush to blow out his candles,

he didn't let his Dad properly tie it on.

His enthusiasm created a bit of "mud" while blowing out the candles.

Rosemary is an amazing mama to her little sweetheart, Hadassah, and blogs about her faith, family, and attachment parenting. I always look forward to reading her beautifully written, thought-provoking, heartfelt posts. She also recently opened her own Etsy shop, Hadassah's Closet, a place to find wonderful felt crowns for birthdays and dress up!

Rosemary made her little girl a crown for her first birthday and loved doing it so much, she wanted to make more. She decided to open her own shop with premade crowns, as well as custom crowns with names, initials, and ages. I know my Ella would love to have one of these pink butterfly crowns for dress up:

All of Rosemary's crowns are entirely hand stitched and made with sturdy ribbon, so they are adjustable to fit a young toddler or adult. They measure 10.5" long and 5" high at the tip of the crown, with an extra 15" of ribbon on each side. She sews craft foam into the body, making the crowns flexible, but firm and durable. The crowns fit comfortably on a little one's head and stay in place, unlike many of their mass-produced counterparts. It's also refreshing to have a toy for my child that isn't made of easily broken plastic and doesn't require batteries to enjoy.

I love the fact that the crowns are adjustable, making them a gift that can endure as your child grows. The design choices are whimsical, but have a sophistication that can be enjoyed by an older child. You can select from a bold, black and white, or brown color scheme, making for a crown to suit any taste. They are also well made to withstand wear and play, a definite must for toys at our house. I can imagine my son wearing his beautifully made crown while playing for years to come, making them worth the $35 investment.

Would you like a custom crown for a little one in your life? Visit Hadassah's Closet to purchase a premade or custom crown from Rosemary's Etsy shop. Rosemary has generously offered one The Inquisitive Mom reader a crown of their choice! To enter, simply use the Rafflecopter form below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Week Night Dinner Adaptation

2011-12-14T15:33:00.001-06:00

It's a typical Tuesday night at our house. I'm somehow behind on my "to do" list, but I managed to do some grocery shopping and I have main and side dishes planned for dinner. My friend is suddenly under the weather, so her two daughters are over playing with my older kids. With the big kids occupied, I sneak up to begin dinner prep. I manage to get all of the ingredients out before the baby wakes up.

I get this guy into a chair, give him some finger foods, and spoon peaches and cereal into his mouth while doing dinner prep at the table. It's multi-tasking at it's best (or worst).

Hmm..I think I need to use the bibs with snaps instead of aplix.

Tonight's menu involves two relatively simple dishes. The side is a tried and true dish we've dubbed "Green Bean Fries" that needs just three ingredients: 1 lb green beans, 1 teaspoon olive oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt. Bake at 450 for ten minutes, turn, bake 10 to 12 minutes more. (Borrowed from America's Test Kitchen.)

The second is the Italian Sausage and Red Peppers recipe from the Red Gold Tomatoes website. I adapted the recipe to suit the size of my family and our particular tastes.
Here's the original recipe:

Italian Sausage and Peppers:

Serves 8

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 34 minutes

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 large red onion cut into two inch chunks

2 red bell peppers cut into two inch chunks

2 green bell peppers cut into two inch chunks

1 pound italian sausage

1 (28 ounce) can Red Gold Whole Peeled Tomatoes

1 teaspoon oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

Directions

- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add vegetables; cook and stir until onions are translucent, about five minutes.

- Add sausage and cook four minutes or until sausage is brown. Add Red Gold Whole Peeled Tomatoes, oregano, salt and pepper.

- Cover and simmer for 25 minutes, until peppers are soft. Serve with crusty Italian bread or over noodles or rice

Here are all of the ingredients needed for tonight's dinner (except the one I forgot - more on that later):

The original Red Gold recipe serves 8, so I first cut it in half to suit my family of 4. I then adapted the recipe based on ingredients available at Aldi yesterday morning, cooking time, and my kid's taste buds. I used the milder trio of peppers and kept the sausage the same because I knew that would be the most popular part of the dish. I also used red gold diced tomatoes with garlic and oregano because that's what I had on hand and I thought it would make for a lighter, brighter flavor.

My adapted recipe looked like this:

Sausage and Peppers Over Couscous

Serves 4

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 25 minutes

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

1 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

1 medium yellow onion cut into two inch chunks

1 yellow bell pepper cut into two inch chunks

1 red bell pepper cut into two inch chunks

1/2 green bell pepper cut into two inch chunks

1 pound pre cooked sausage cut into chunks

1 (14 ounce) can Red Gold diced tomatoes with garlic and oregano

Salt and pepper to taste

1 Box any flavor couscous

Directions

- In a large skillet, heat the oil over medium high heat. Add vegetables; cook and stir until onions are translucent, about five minutes.

- Add sausage and cook four minutes or until sausage is warm. Add Red Gold Tomatoes,salt, and pepper. Stir.

- Cover and simmer for 10 minutes, until peppers are soft. Serve over coucuous.

I'm no cooking expert, but my love affair with Cook's Illustrated has changed the way I cook for the better, encouraging me to slow down, plan ahead, and prep all the ingredients before hand. I used to miss key things like butter or milk at "room temperature" or have meat cooking and try to cut the onion in time to add before the meat overcooked. Prepping saves stress and time in the long run. Trust me.

Here's a step by step of my process. I'll admit that I only had a rough plan as I went along, but this is what adapting a recipe is all about!

I cut the peppers, then rinse them to get all the seeds out.

These are still a bit big at this point, but I eyed and trimmed as I went. Putting the peppers and garlic in a bowl together makes it easy to just dirty one cutting board and dump them all in the pan together.

Next comes the onion.

All done. I love it when a recipe uses mainly fresh ingredients, but doesn't have a long prep time!

You want to trim your green beans ahead of time, rinse, then dry before adding olive oil.

This guy came along to sample the sausage while I prepped. I got a picture of him, but not of the sausage!

You can add aluminum foil to minimize mess. I forgot. Taking pictures distracted me a bit. Mix beans, oil, and salt together with hands, then add to the oven. Flip after 10 minutes. Cook 10 minutes more.

Cooking vegetables, I realized some chunks were a bit big.

I cut them and cooked until onions were translucent.

I added sausage. Mine was precooked, so it didn't need to brown, just warm.

I added the tomatoes and a generous sprinkling of salt and pepper.

I covered and cooked, but would not do this next time. I think warming through would be enough, since I liked the tomatoes firmer in this version and they got a bit mushy after cooking. By the way, I"m using my universal pot lid and my cast iron skillet for this recipe. I highly recommend both.

I used my phone for this recipe and somehow missed the recommendation to serve with rice or pasta. I was tired of pasta and didn't have time for rice, so Parmesan Couscous to the rescue! This takes about 6 minutes to cook and is delicious! You can find it with the rice at just about any grocery store. It's also a great healthy alternative to pasta.

The finished dish!

I really loved the combination with couscous, offering something different from our usual weeknight combinations

I love how bright and inviting this version looks compared to the original, one toned dish:

Looking at the original, I thought we might need cheese to make it palatable for kids, but it wasn't necessary with the colorful, flavorful adaptation.

Ella even tried some peppers (and liked them)!

Tim loves the green bean fries so much, he eats them straight from the cookie sheet!

The real miracle - Ezra at a bite or two!

Healthy. Simple. Delicious. Just right for a weeknight meal!

Don't forget to enter my Red Gold Tomatoes Gift Pack Giveaway!

Tomatoes to the Rescue - Plus a Giveaway!

2011-12-12T16:15:00.001-06:00

A smooth, ripe, red tomato is firm at the first bite, then softens to reveal the tender inside, followed by a delicious burst of juiciness. The flavor is mysterious; not quite sweet like most fruits, but not quite vegetable either. A tomato at its best is satisfying in any variety, from the more robust beefsteak, to the delicate and delightfully juicy cherry. Each time I cut tomatoes for a recipe, I can't resist a quick taste, rolling the seeds over my tongue and licking the juice from my fingers when the prepping is done.

While I adore fresh tomatoes, ideally straight from a garden, canned tomatoes have become an important pantry staple at my house. I've discovered the improved flavor and money savings that comes with making my own sauces, soup bases, and salsas. With a few key ingredients regularly on hand - chicken stock, flour, spices, cream, canned tomatoes, onions, and garlic - I can make a variety of delicious homemade meals. I've even been caught unawares on several occasions recently for potlucks and dinners and these staples have made all the difference.

With three kids, one now in school, a freelance writing job, and the everyday demands of life, my meal plans don't always work out quite the way I'd like. And, let's be honest, "plan" is a bit of an ambitious word for what I do most of the time. Ideally, I pull out a few cookbooks every Saturday, identify meals for the week, and shop accordingly come Monday. In reality, I flip through cookbooks, glance at ingredients, and often stick with old standbys. Plus, sometimes Monday arrives and grocery shopping plans take a back seat to tired kids or deadlines.

I prefer to use Cook's Illustrated/America's Test Kitchen recipes, which I consider to be the standard for home cooks. They are unfailingly delicious, created with home cooks in mind, and always worth the effort. All Recipes is often my friend, though, rescuing me when the day gets away from me, the demands of baby make a planned meal impossible, or I am simply too tired to tackle whatever I have scheduled. I try to be adaptable and most evenings my pantry staples save me from completely submitting to mundane meals, casseroles, and pre-packaged dinners.

In the past five years or so, I've experimented with cooking tools, techniques, and resources, looking for my niche. I feel like I've come into my own in the past year or so, growing in confidence and knowledge. Where I used to rely heavily on recipes, I've found that the right ingredients, combined with a bit of experience, can save me when I don't have the exact ingredients or much time. Quite frequently, I've also found that canned tomatoes - diced, whole, pureed, seasoned - are an important part of improvising a good meal.

This proved true on three separate occasions over the past month where I, admittedly, had tomatoes on the brain. Red Gold Tomatoes sent me a gift package, with several varieties of canned tomatoes, a recipe book, and a few other goodies. The package arrived serendipitously before a church potluck I'd forgotten to plan for. Sunday morning rolled around and I didn't want to bring dessert or bread yet again, but I lacked the time to create a main dish. I decided to turn to Red Gold's Heartwarming Recipes for the Busy Cook for a bit of inspiration.

Many of the recipes proved simple, but actually depended on processed or canned items I didn't have on hand and lacked time to create substitutes for. I discovered a recipe for Mexican Pasta Salad and decided to use if for inspiration. I scanned my cupboards and mixed together the following to create a hearty salsa, mentally crossing my fingers that it would work:
1 can Red Gold Diced Tomatoes Mexican Fiesta
1 can Red Gold Diced Tomatoes
1 cup frozen corn, microwaved
1 can black beans, drained
4 green onions, thinly sliced
Fresh cilantro, chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
Salt and Pepper to taste (be generous)
Served with tortilla chips and a colby jack cheese blend

I was dubious about my creation, but relieved to discover that the blend worked, with friends going back for seconds. I decided to test the waters again last week, beginning with a recipe for weeknight chili and adapting it to the ingredients I had on hand. Canned tomatoes once again played a feature role in making that crockpot dish successful. They also helped me make a quick Tuesday night meal of Cook's Illustrated Chili Mac, a new recent family favorite.

Do you love tomatoes? Are they a pantry staple? What are some of your favorite recipes using tomatoes?

Red Gold has generously offered one The Inquisitive Mom reader their own gift pack. Entering is easy using the Rafflecopter form.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Wild and Wonderful Ezra Turns 3!

2011-12-09T13:38:00.000-06:00

So, I'm at it again, baking up a complicated cake for my child's birthday. The cakes generally do not turn out like the examples and they always stress me out a bit, but I can't help myself. I guess I imagine that one day my kids will look back at their birthday pictures, see those fun cakes, and remember that we really celebrated their birth.

My Ezra turns 3 today and I can vividly remember being 9 months huge 3 years ago, eagerly anticipating the arrival of my second baby before Christmas. I wanted him to come for my sake and for his - who wants their birthday any closer to Christmas than it has to be? I actually promised myself that I'd never have a December baby, but nature has it's own ideas. Right now, Ezra doesn't mind. It's another reason to celebrate and he can't wait for his party tomorrow!
Remember this guy (in no particular order?)

Our friend, Dawn, cut Ezra's hair yesterday and it's transformed him a bit. It seems fitting that he looks like such a big boy for his 3rd birthday too. The nature of the haircut is such a great example of how Ezra can be such a determined, stubborn, and silly guy all at once. Dawn offered to cut his hair because he's made such a stink about a haircut the past 3 times, so much so that Tim had to leave the salon with Ezra's hair untrimmed. He wasn't keen on the home hair cut either, but she was a trooper and stuck with him, despite the wiggles, giggles, and shoulder shrugging.

Doesn't he look handsome?

My favorite part came a couple hours later when he told me the following with a very serious expression:
"Getting your hair cut is fun! Dawn cuts off your hair. She doesn't cut off your head."

That's my Ezra, a boy I feel so lucky to spend every day with. He is an adventurous companion - you never know quite what to expect from him every day. Ezra loves his big sister and adores his baby brother. He was in the kitchen with me this morning, helping his baby brother and repeating under his breath, "I love him."

Ezra is a curious boy, interested in how things work, in love with all things vehicular, and a whiz at puzzles. He'll take a snack - any snack - over dinner and is not enticed to eat by promises of dessert. He is finally interested in books, especially ones about trucks, cars, and trains, and will sit and listen while his sister reads. Ezra's growing so big, counting, learning his letters, figuring out those colors.

Today, I am so happy to be his mom, hanging out, making cake together, and doing whatever he likes.

Happy Birthday, Ezra! I love you!

In Support of Jennifer Labit's Open Letter to the RDIA

2011-12-07T15:40:00.000-06:00

Jennfier Labit, founder of Cotton Babies most commonly known for it's popular Bum Genius Diaper, once again addressed an interesting issue in the cloth diapering community. She wrote an open letter to the RDIA (Real Diaper Industry Association) Board of Directors, asking them to reconsider a clause that excludes businesses that manufacture disposable options from membership. I found her post to be very informative and thought-provoking and I started to craft a comment, then decided to write a letter in support of Jennifer's stance to the RDIA instead.

Dear RDIA Board of Directors,

I appreciate how Jennifer Labit utilizes her blog to discuss important issues in the cloth diapering community in a thoughtful and compelling way. I read her open letter encouraging inclusion of manufacturers of disposable options in your organization. This afternoon, I would like to address this same issue and share why I support including these businesses in the RDIA as well.

While I choose to primarily use cloth only options for diapering, I do so not only for environmental reasons, but also because I am budget conscious. I recognize that others care just as much about the environment, but choose to use disposable options for reasons of convenience, family member preferences, day care, as well as travel. In a perfect world, families would solely use cloth diapers, but the industry needs to recognize that a variety of families use cloth, both full and part time, and work to engage this diverse audience.

I believe that the cloth diapering community can sometimes mistakenly get caught up in the mantra of "cloth only" as the sole viable choice and alienate individuals. This creates a missed opportunity where families who are interested in choosing cloth diapers even part time can make an important impact. Their use of cloth helps expose their communities to cloth diapers and is better for the environment than choosing disposables alone.

We know that the modern cloth diaper industry offers a wide variety of brands, styles, and price points to meet just about an family's needs. Cloth-only attitudes can become barriers to a wider audiences discovering the ease and benefits of cloth, however, by perpetuating the myth that cloth is only for extremists and die hard enthusiasts. Disposable options encourage people to consider cloth diapers who might feel overwhelmed or intimidated by the idea of only using cloth. In my experience, people are much more open to cloth diapers when they have real-life experience using them and disposable options invite a broader range of individuals to give cloth a try.

Clearly, the RDIA membership should be comprised of businesses and manufacturers that are committed to promoting cloth diapering as affordable, environmentally friendly, and easy to use. Their primary goal should be to educate individuals and families about the benefits of cloth and to make cloth diapers readily available. Disposable options should not be the bulk of their business or their primary focus.

I believe that the exclusion of companies such as Cotton Babies, Grovia, or Charlie Banana that offer a hybrid system would be a serious error on the part of the RDIA, however. These innovative companies are important contributors to the cloth diapering community. Their products have real potential to reach diverse audiences and broaden the reach of cloth diapering. They are clearly committed to helping cloth become a mainstream option and promoting cloth diapers as a viable choice for families.

It is my hope that one day in the near future it will be common to see the majority of new mothers weighing the choice between cloth and disposables. Since I started cloth diapering nearly two years ago, I've already had the privilege of seeing this happen with some of my friends. If cloth diapers are to once again become a larger part of mainstream culture, however, I believe that the industry will need to embrace hybrid choices and move forward with an open mind to innovative options.

Calling a Spade a Spade

2011-12-05T18:09:00.000-06:00

When potty training time rolled around with my first, I decided we wouldn't be using any euphemisms at our house. Body parts became their proper names, poop and pee were just that. A little boy came along after our girl, further simplifying the whole boy/girl parts conversation. I remember using the term "stinky" when I was little for number two and having my friends make fun of me for it. And I didn't want my teenage daughter to sit in health class one day blushing because they were using the "v" word instead of vajajay or hoo hoo.

This has all been fine and good, but listening to my kids converse while getting dressed this morning reminded me of some of the funny moments this wealth of knowledge has created. Ironically, I'm afraid that using the real words here will inadvertently welcome Google searchers seeking these terms for something other than a funny mommy post, so I'm going to use abbreviations.

Overheard in the kid's room this morning:
Ella: "Ezra, put your p away! Mommy! Ezra won't put on his underwear. Ezra, put your p away!"
Later, after Ezra finished putting his clothes on.
Ezra: "I put my pants on, Mom. No one can see my p. It's hiding."

There were also the times when my daughter decided to share her new found knowledge with friends at the dinner table and regularly announced which member of our family possessed which part.

I also love the questions that randomly pop up in the grocery store line. There's nothing like having your 3 year-old blurt out the "v" and "p" words while placing orange juice on the conveyor belt.

My all-time favorite has to be a phrase my daughter used to say and I swear my sweet niece said as a toddler. "I have a v on my bum!"

In truth, I'm not sure it matters whether we use euphemisms or not. What ultimately matters is that we started the conversation and it's never closed. I want my kids to be comfortable in their own bodies, to ask my husband and I questions, to feel like this subject isn't taboo or embarrassing. I don't want to regret not talking to them in clear, age appropriate ways about what is private. That's just what the mom in this story did and it inspired me to continue the dialogue with my kids and to make it clear that I'm always here to talk...even if it is in the grocery store line.

2 Going on 30

2011-12-02T11:39:00.000-06:00

My 2 (nearly 3 year-old) has had a horrible, no good, very bad week! My poor husband arrives home at the end of the day and I basically toss my hands in the air and head to any room where this defiant, stubborn, fit throwing, screeching kid is not. I love him, but I can't take another tantrum. Terrible twos? Nah. Three is where the real adventure begins. It's an amazing age where their true personality emerges - for the good and bad.

I had to smile yesterday when this kid

who is known to wear his pants backward, his coat upside down, and two mismatched boots, and who is not shy about picking his nose and eating it, surprised me with a very adult come back.

Part of his incessant whining involves an insistence on constantly watching television and only eating snack foods. Needless to say, this is a no-go at our house. I finally looked at him yesterday and said the following:
"You know, Ezra, you can't just eat snacks all the time. Eating lunch and dinner are just part of life."
His response: "That's not the life I want."

And that's the magic of three. Always a surprise. I feel the same way, kid. Here, have a fruit snack and watch some Big, Big Friend.

The Lowest Prices of the Year - For One Day - Extended - Until Tomorrow

2011-11-29T22:22:00.000-06:00

The Best Prices of the year.
Today Only.
Shop Early for Best Selection.
Deals this good won't come around until next season!
Exclusive Savings.
Discount for Subscribers Only!

and then...

Sale Extended for One More Day! (for the third time)!
Discounts aren't over yet.
Additional stock added!
Yesterday it was Buy 1 Get 1 half off. Today, it's 50% off if you spend $25.
This really is the last sale. No really...until tomorrow.

Signing up for email offers and "liking" business facebook pages has jaded me to sales a bit. Don't get me wrong. I love a good sale. Throw in free shipping and the sale is nearly irresistible. Email sales and special offers daily from companies such as Company Kids, Toys R Us, and The Children's Place have made me realize that I can resist until I actually need something, though. Add Zulily, Plum District, and Totsy (where I can shamelessly link up to refer others in posts like this and get referral credit) and I have to resist. I could find something to purchase at a discount daily without every leaving my computer chair.

The constant sale also creates the feeling of always wondering if I should wait for a better deal to come along and it can keep me from hitting that "complete transaction" button at the bottom of my cart. Case in point: stockings I've been stalking at Company Kids. I guessed they'd go on sale for Black Friday. So I waited and they were, plus free shipping and 15% off. In fact, I purchased some for my kids, then went back to get them for my husband and I, sure this was the best deal of the season. Then Cyber Monday they offered 20% off and free shipping and extended it through today. My one consolation: It looks like they're not on sale, plus the percentage off today.

It's a good thing I can't justify buying more cloth diapers right now, either. I wouldn't have know how to choose between the amazing deals offered all weekend through the many small and big retailers I follow on facebook. I probably would have wasted hours of my life comparing prices for the same items because I wanted the very best deal. I'm sure this will be me next time I'm expecting a baby.

I did ultimately do virtually all of my Christmas shopping virtually. My older son also has a birthday this month, so I ordered some birthday gifts as well. Over the past two days, we've had packages delivered from both the postman and the UPS man. I think this will be a regular pattern up until Christmas. And who doesn't love getting packages?

I'm grateful for the sales, always up for a discount, and regularly scouting for offers. Many of these great deals made it possible to buy my kids some items they will flip over for Christmas. I didn't, however, wait for a major shopping day to buy them. The truth is, who do the retailers think they're kidding? They'll be sales all the way up until Christmas and the same items will be discounted again come New Years.

You Can Win This One, Kid.

2011-11-26T18:49:00.000-06:00

The other morning, we'were all dressed and just about set to walk to school. I'm upstairs trying to throw some clothes on and Ella calls "Mom! I don't want to wear this dress! I want to wear a shirt."

I groan. You see, she picks out her outfits most mornings and I'm cool with that as long as it's weather appropriate. Once clothes are selected, actually getting dressed a midst all the distractions - cute baby brother, books, what's in my lunch box?, combing a doll's hair - can take awhile. Getting 4 people ready to walk the 5 minutes to school each morning is a 45 minute process. At least. And it was time to go.

But I fought this battle last week, saying a firm "No" when she decided to change her clothes last minute. And I technically "won," but the victory felt empty. The fit she threw set us behind anyway and our morning walk was ruined by her dampened spirit. As we hugged goodbye and I gave her the "don't let this ruin your day" pep talk, I wondered if I'd made the right choice.

This morning, I decided to let my daughter have her autonomy. I urged her to make it quick, keeping on the same leggings and shoes. I decided she needed to learn to take responsibility if we were late. I was thrilled to come down to find her not only dressed, but jacket and backpack on. Ella won this one. And I couldn't be happier.

The more experience I have as a parent, the more I recognize the futility of trying to win some imaginary battle. My kids are not foes I am trying to vanquish. Of course, they are also not part of some council I need to consult or compromise with all the time. It's a tricky balance (one I often get wrong), but the phrase "You have to pick your battles" has a whole new significance now for me as a mom.

Walking home from school, I thought about picking my battles and how I've become much pickier about the ones I'll fight, or perhaps just more strategic in the way I fight them. Here are just a few examples:

1. Pants and underwear on backwards. Ezra can win this one. I'm just glad they're on. Taking them off randomly throughout the day or dropping them to pee anywhere outside, now that's where I draw the line.
2. An alternate healthy snack option. Kids are starving, but I'm not budging on another fruit snack, pudding, or granola bar. My options: apple or cheese stick. Ella counteroffers "Banana." I'm sold.
3. Just one more book. This one's a slipper slope and can quickly become a tired delay tactic. I find it hard to resist that push for just one more story, though.
4. Switching up the order of things. I tell the kids to get pjs on, go potty, and brush their teeth. I hear, "No. Brush my teeth first." You need to have a sense of control? Go for it, kiddo. As long as you do all three, the order doesn't matter much.

How do you pick your battles?

A Bite of Home

2011-11-25T10:59:00.000-06:00

The flavors settle in the second day, making leftovers more delicious.

My daughter asks for some and I delight as she devours.

We talk as she eats - and I finish what my son has rejected.

I tell her how ambrosia salad is more than pudding, pineapple, and marshmallows to me.

When Thanksgiving arrives, it's the only dish I must have.

Ambrosia salad is home to me, a piece of my mother when she is not here,

a dish lovingly handed down from my grandmother.

With each bite, I'm a kid, reveling in the chaos of holidays, family, and too much food.

My husband won't really eat it, but I reflexively make an enormous bowl each year.

Our guests, enjoying their first American Thanksgiving meal yesterday, eyed it as an oddity.

After a bit of convincing, Ezra tasted it, then quickly moved on to something new.

I'm fairly certain only Ella and I partook.

I'll admit that pudding, cool whip, marshmallows, and fruit don't exactly scream salad.

But I'll savor this dish for days, piling it up on a plate alongside leftover turkey, mayo, and roll sandwiches.

Late nights will find me sneaking to the fridge, indulging myself with a quick bite from the bowl.

I often forgo the spoon and simply dip in my finger, kidding myself that I'll have just a taste.

Family Thanksgivings became a thing of the past for me early into my teens

as my sisters grew up and moved. After Dad passed away.

I've been generously invited to homes of friends, neighbors, and family over the years.

No matter the destination, I always arrive clutching a generous bowl of Mom's Ambrosia Salad.

When Ella asked if we were making the fruit salad this year, I was thrilled.

She helped me add ingredients, mixing them in one by one, just as I did with my mom.

As we enjoyed a bowl this morning together, hoping for bites of maraschino cherries,

I couldn't help imagining Ella one day mixing Ambrosia salad with her daughter, thinking of me.

(Go here for our family recipe.)

Teen Melodrama? Yes. Twilight? Not so much.

2011-11-21T12:28:00.000-06:00

I came across the article Too Old to Twighlight? on Babble this weekend and it made me smile. I make no secret that I am not a Twilight fan. Yes, I've read all of the books. I've seen the movies - I even took a group of teenage girls from my church to the last premiere. It's not that I don't have a soft spot for stories filmed with teenage angst, hot guys, and melodrama. I just don't dig Twilight.

My dislike- disdain in all honesty - for Twilight has very little to do with the fact that it's aimed at a teenage audience. So is The Hunger Games and I'm eagerly anticipating that movie premiere. Buffy the Vampire Slayer and Veronica Mars also feature teenage protagonists, but I've watched my share of both (and maybe own seasons on DVD). And I'm a bit shamed to admit that I skipped over the college years of Beverly Hills 90210, but just couldn't resist tuning in for that final season to see if Kelly and Dillon ended up together.

Unlike these other shows, Twilight takes itself far too seriously for my taste. It lacks wit, restrains itself in all the wrong places, and is painfully melodramatic. Twilight is so busy being dramatic, in fact, it forgets to laugh at itself a bit. As a result, the characters end up feeling cold and flat despite all their supposed passion. Even the bad guys are uninteresting because they are so one-note evil. There's more fun - and fear - when a bad guy is unpredictable, flawed, and even eerily funny.

I have no shame in saying I think Veronica Mars rocks, but I can admit I go for more shallow fare as well. My secret go-to teenage movie: Save the Last Dance. The raunchy ABC Family (isn't that an oxymoron?) teenage melodrama I quietly watched on Netflix while folding laundry this fall: Make it or Break it. When my husband and I went to the movies Saturday night, I kind of wanted to see the new Footloose instead of Tower Heist. I can totally relate to getting lost in teen stories, to remembering the all-encompassing passion I felt for that boy in English class, to cheering for underdog. I even go for Jacob a tiny bit. But I'll never be a Twilight Mom.

That being said, I may take my fair share of shots at Twilight for being dull and dreadfully serious, with the most annoying female protagonist ever. I might groan about all of its perceived flaws. What I am not mocking, however, is the Twilight Mom's delight in a teen story, something simple, passionate, and heavy handed. I get that. I just don't get Twilight.

Brooke Van Gory Designs Review & Giveaway!

2011-11-17T10:11:00.001-06:00

It's no secret that I'm a big admirer of Brooke Van Gory bags. Now, thanks to the Julia Set, there's another Brooke Van Gory fan in the house. My blog was lucky enough to be selected to review the new Braniac Tote and matching blanket combo, which hits the Brooke Van Gory shop just in time for the holidays (and awesome Black Friday Savings)!

I surprised my 5 year-old daughter with her tote and blanket last week. If you are familiar with my blog, you know Ella is the quintessential girly girl. Her set is, of course, pink and purple with ponies. Here's her reaction to opening the package (Video will orient the right direction after a few seconds):

Working with Brooke to create a personalized set for Miss Ella proved easy and fun. I simply pinned my little heart out on Pinterest, then sent Brooke a link when I finally decided on the perfect fabric. She took it from there and collaborated with Julia from Spit On This to create a one-of-a-kind gift Ella adores. Julia's shop is new to me and I was very excited to discover her wonderful coordinating blankets, burb cloths, and snack bags.

Ella requested to sleep with her blanket the first night, even asking me to remove her existing quilt, and has used it since. She loves to cuddle with the soft minky blanket and to fill her bag with toys and books.The tote is the perfect size for Ella to bring to the library and add just the right amount of books to take home. It's also a great bag for sending along on a play date, bringing quiet activities to church, or packing for a sleepover.

I asked Ella for her review of her Juila Set today and she said,"I like it because it has my favorite animals on it and I like it because it's so cozy when I have it on at night."

From a mom's perspective, I appreciate how this well-made set is practical and functional, yet fun. It's something she will treasure and use beyond this Christmas, unlike some of the toys she's eyeing at the store. The set is also something I picked out just for her and she knows it, making the blanket and bag that much more special. You know you've selected a good gift for a 5 year-old when they want to use it every day to cuddle with while watching tv, make a fort with, lay out to play on top of, and sleep with!

I think the Julia Set would make an excellent gift a boy or girl for a variety of occasions, such as:
* If you have a new pjs for Christmas Eve tradition like we do, make it an extra cozy gift and add The Juila Set.
* Celebrate your child's first library card and give them a Julia Set so they have a bag to carry their treasures in and a blanket to snuggle up and read with.
* Add a Snuggle Love Blanket onto a Quick Tripper purse for a preteen.
* Buy a Julia Set that matches your Brooke Van Gory diaper bag for your little girl.

The Julia Set is $45 for a 13w by 14h tote bag, accompanied by a 33x40 blanket with cotton backed by your choice of minky or fleece. The Snuggle Love Blanket can also be purchased as an accessory to add onto any Brooke Van Gory bag for $32. This is an investment in a gift, but worth the cost in my opinion,especially considering the price and quality of blankets in chain stores. I'm no seamstress, so I love the option of a one-of-a-kind custom set where you pick out the fabric and Brooke and Julia do the rest! Plus, if the entire world of fabric feels a bit overwhelming, Brooke has some terrific Pinterest Boards full of fabric options. She is also always happy to help you find just the right fabric.

Want a Julia Set of your own for Christmas or Hanukkah? Head on over to The Brooke Van Gory Designs Snuggle Shop and order one! Brooke and Julia have also generously offered to make a custom Julia Set for one lucky The Inquisitive Mom reader! Simply use the Rafflecopter entry system below. Good luck!

The Inquisitive Mom's Top 10 Christmas Gifts for Baby 2011!

2011-11-08T12:27:00.001-06:00

When you have an infant at Christmastime, gift ideas can be tricky. This seems to be the case whether it is your first or fifth baby. You want Christmas to be special, but you also want gifts to be useful and meaningful.

This year, my third baby will be 7 months at Christmas. We have quite a few baby toys and things to grow into, plus his birthday is around the corner in the Spring. So, while Kai might receive a few fun toys, I plan to go another direction this year. Rather than purchase lots of items, I am leaning toward high quality, handmade gifts that are purposeful, support small businesses, and are eco-conscious.

The Inquisitive Mom's Top 10 Christmas Gifts for Baby 2011

1. A Sling, Wrap, or Soft Structured Carrier. I have fallen in love with babywearing with Kai! I used a (Sleepy) Boba Wrap quite a bit during Kai's first few months. I also splurged on a Baba sling, which is a more sophisticated, adjustable version of your standard sling and I love the versatility. Most recently, I tried on soft structured carriers and discovered that the right fit is very personal. I decided to purchase a Olives and Applesauce SSC from the FSOT Forum on babywearers.com to give it a try. Close runners up were the CatBird Baby Mei Tai and the Beco Gemini. In my dream world, I'd add a Mei Tai to my collection!

Olives and Applesauce Carrier

New to babywearing like me? I highly recommend joining babywearer.com! I'll also do a post about the O & A and why I selected it over other options soon.

2. A handmade diaper bag. Let's face it, a good quality diaper bag is an investment. There are definitely some great mass produced bags on the market, but I love the opportunity to choose something handcrafted. I recently made the leap and bought my own custom Brooke Van Gory set that includes the upsized expedient, wet bag accompaniment, and matching changing pad. These are billed as Mary Poppins bags come to life and I'm hoping it will fit my cloth diapers and maybe let me slip a sling in there as well, along with other essentials. Choosing all of the details for my bag with Brooke's help was such a fun experience and I can't wait to blog about my bag after it arrives! Plus, if you love BVG, stay tuned because Ella is going to review a brand new product soon!

A Brooke Van Gory Expedient Diaper Bag

I also recommend Maranda Lee Designs. My MLD bag receives compliments where ever I go and it is a great option if you use disposable diapers or just want a quick trip bag.
I haven't tried a Maxwell Designs diaper bag, but I have a Maxwell Designs changing pad and I can attest the quality and craftmanship. Plus, Maggie has exquisite taste in fabrics, her bags are made of eco-friendly materials, and she is terrific!

3. Baby Feeding Items. I have my eye on Boon Spoons and Bowls. I have yet to try these, but I think the Boon Squirt is genius. It's a spoon that holds baby's food in the handle. You just squeeze the amount you need into the spoon, then replace the spoon with a cap to store leftovers. No contaminating the food so you can't use it again and less waste. Plus, so easy to put in your diaper bag.

Boon Squirt

4. Books. Baby is never to young to start a children's book collection. Want to make it really special? Contact your mom and mother-in-law and ask about you and your hubby's favorite children's books. Your moms might even have some to pass down to your child. You can also find great used books at Alibris and Abe Books.

5. A Photo Book. We have 5 years worth of photos on our computer. I started scrapbooking Ella's first year by hand and it is not even close to being finished. I plan to give each one of my kids a Mixbook this year, to catch up, and to keep up the tradition every Christmas. These high quality photo books are easy to store, simple to create, and a great way to digitally scrapbook without purchasing an expensive program.

6. Donate to your favorite cause in your child's name and invite others to do the same. My friend Rosemary's husband Josh at http://designrequest.com/ made an amazing website for his daughter's birthday doing just this. hadassahgrace.com is moving, inspiring, and a great reminder to be grateful for all that we have!

7. A Food Processor. Thinking about making your own baby food? This multi-purpose item will allow you to blend up those peas, prunes, and peaches in no time! Plus, I love using mine for everyday recipes.

8. A handmade treasure made and sold By a WAHM. You can find an amazing selection on Etsy or Artfire. I think that Bellabugs Baby Boutique has the cutest bloomers for little girls. I also love the custom hats at Sew Sweet by Kayla

Sew Sweet By Kayla Hat

9. Cloth Diapers and Accessories. If you're thinking about trying cloth or want to add to your stash, why not give diapers, wipes, wetbags, or that diaper sprayer you want, but don't need to baby for Christmas? Those cool toys you're eyeing for bigger kids? You can put the money you're saving using cloth aside and put it towards those later!
What's on my cloth wish list for 2011? The new Charlie Banana Fashion Collection Prints, Fuzzibunz Elites, and the Bum Genius Free Time AIO.

Charlie Banana Fashion Collection Print

10. A Scentsy Nursery Collection Warmer and Newborn Nursery Bar. These sweet mid-sized warmers are affordable and the perfect accompaniment to just about any nursery decor. (Plus, this is a shameless plug for my business.)

Little Lamb Mid-Size Scentsy Warmer

The Toy Room Experiment

2011-11-07T12:05:00.001-06:00

I've read that money is the number one reason couples argue. I suspect that kids toys come a close second: what to buy, how to store them, how many you need, when to donate them.

In our house, I'm the softy. I firmly subscribe to the notion that play is kid's work. I want my kids to have variety to stimulate their imaginations and keep them engaged. My husband believes that less is more. When he looks at the toys, he sees a mess.

We've lived in our house 4 years, adding 2 children and tons more toys to the mix. This past Christmas, we moved our two older kids into a bedroom together and converted the third bedroom into a toy room. We were tired of having toys everywhere and wanted them consigned to a specific location. I kept a few things - an art table, easel, and play kitchen - upstairs so the kids could play while I cooked.

It worked for awhile, but the kids thought "It's a toy room, so we don't need to pick up." I grew tired of hearing them say "Where's (insert toy here) mom?" Family "clean up parties" grew tiresome and I was sick of organizing the toys in bins so the kids could find toys and play with a few at a time, then finding them dumped out everywhere. I didn't want to constantly push my kids to pick up enormous messes and I wanted them to value what they have.

This past weekend, Tim suggested we just box up the toys and let them have a select few at a time. Once they learned to pick those up and care for them, they could have more. I surprised myself by saying "Ok. Let's do it." I didn't want to lose my nerve, so I immediately started tackling things and gave away the desk and easel, two cool toys sitting unused and taking up space.

I wish I could say the process felt terrific, but it actually felt terrible. I hating boxing up those toys and the empty toy room makes me feel sad. But I want my kids to learn to care for their things and I want to dedicate more time to other areas of my home I've been neglecting because of the toy messes everywhere.

I want to be a good example of being neat and organized. And I'm not. I don't think the kids will be the only ones with items boxed up until they can decide what they'll use and learn to organize them. I'm next.

For now, here's what the toy room looks like.Wish us luck. Any experiences you have to share or advice is more than welcome!

I have a fantasy where we donate some toys in this process and keep favorites. I would love to see them organized in these bins and have stations throughout the room: space for a dollhouse, the train set, trucks/cars, ponies, a kitchen, and tools. But that's already too many things...

Once Upon a Halloween

2011-11-03T11:49:00.001-05:00

Cozy, red footed pjs inspire a last minute costume switch.

My little boy no longer wants to ribbit, so mommy improv kicks in.

He dons a yellow fireman raincoat, boots adorned with bright red trucks,

and a plastic helmet, just too big and cracked, but it'll do.

After weeks of asking, "You're sure you want to be a dinosaur and a frog?"

and consistent nods in the affirmative, they change their minds at the last hour.

Big sis transforms into a pretty ballerina in a brightly colored, bejeweled costume borrowed from friend.

She is easily satisfied, although she needs convincing to wear tights and long sleeve shirt.

It is October after all.

We head out to fill their bags to the brim with sugary confections to rot their teeth

and haunt me with "Can I have more candy, mom?"for the next week or so.

Dear friends give them special candy bags and cards hiding the sweet surprise of a $5 bill.

They ooh and ahh at the decorations, delighted by pumpkins, ghouls, and orange lights.

She rushes ahead of us, confident, excited, eager to declare "Trick or Treat!"

Come on, Mom!

He agrees to the stroller for a short time, then remembers he's too big

and plods along, deliberate and determined in his boots.

Don't rush me, Dad.

Baby peers from Pooh's hunny pot, incredulous, curious, confused.

He is happy to be held close, peering up occasionally at mom or Dad,excited to be carried,

grinning with delight.until exhaustion takes over and he slumbers in the stroller.

What are we doing, Mom?

Mom and Dad are mainly observers, watchmen, chauffeurs, and I like it this way.

I've never been much for costumes, preferring the simplicity of a witches garb on Halloween as a child.

I could do away with this ghoulish night and skip right to Christmas,

but it's a reprieve from the darkness and the cold, plus my daughter eagerly anticipates it each year.

So, I enjoy the leisurely stroll in the cool evening air with my family

and unexpected emotion fills me at the sweet sight of my ballerina, fireman, and hunny pot.

How'd I get so lucky?

The night gets colder, and welcoming porch lights become fewer and farther between.

Exhausted and chilly, the kids finally surrender and sleepily ask to go home.

Once there, they aren't too tired to dump out their loot and begin devouring

until we finally break up the fun and bring out the toothbrushes.

For the next week,

I'm torn between delicious memories of sorting candy collected in a handmade bag,

counting the various chocolate bars - by far the most coveted treat -

and deciding what to eat first and what to save for the grand finale,

and a mom's concern about overindulgence, cavities, and tummy aches.

Ultimately, I mostly just let them enjoy, trying for some moderation along the way.

They're not the only ones tempted by candy and I eat my share (or more).

Soon the smell of Halloween

- the sickeningly sweet combination of fruity, chocolatey, and gluttony -

will be gone,

only to return again come Christmas.

Eco Sprout Soap Review and Giveaway!

2011-10-28T12:58:00.000-05:00

When it comes to cloth diapers, finding a wash routine that consistently keeps your diapers fresh smelling and stain free for an extended period of time can be tricky. I've tried several detergents and they've all done the trick for awhile, but then I've either run into issues: ammonia smells persisted, it didn't work well with my using All Free and Clear on my other laundry, or the cost per load didn't jive with my cding to save money philosophy.

I'm excited to bring you a review of a cloth diaper friendly soap I've used for a couple of months now. I've tested quite a few detergents over the past couple of years, but this is the first review I've written after using one for more than a couple of weeks. After using detergent comparison charts on Diaper Jungle and Pin Stripes and Polka Dots, reading user reviews, and looking at costs per load plus shipping rates, I decided to try Eco Sprout Soap.

At the time, my diapers were in a kind of blah condition. They inserts didn't look as bright and white as I wanted, they had a lingering smell, and just seemed a bit dingy. I am not generally a big fan of any product that requires me to prep before using, but I decided to follow the directions and soak my entire stash in the bathtub to eliminate previous build up. I actually boiled some water to get it really hot, then combined with 4 to 6 tablespoons (I have quite a few diapers) and let them soak overnight. I then did the detergent-free rinses and was immediately impressed by the results.

Since that time, I've used Eco Sprout exclusively on my diapers and even on some of my regular loads of laundry. Here's why I continue using it:

1. A little bit goes a long way. In my top loading washer with soft water, 2 tablespoons does the trick when I wash every other day.

2. Simple wash routine. Presoak/Rinse in cold, hot/cold wash with detergent, then follow up rinse with cold. No extra rinses.

3. Diapers look clean and bright. No lingering smells. No ammonia issues. No pick-me-ups needed yet.

4. Cost. A 96 oz bag cleans 96 to 192 loads for $24.98. I purchase mine from the Fuzzibunz store where I can use my rewards and it used to ship for free - now on orders over $35. Once you know you like a product, however, you can simply buy a couple bags at once.

The only complaints I have - and they are minor ones - have to do with scent and packaging.

1. The scent is barely noticeable and I have tried more than one. I know it ultimately washes out, but it is fun to have the detergent smelling good all the same.

2. The packaging isn't very durable and doesn't always seal easily or well. I'm always afraid it's going to spill. I'd love to see some sturdier packaging with a better seal.

When I use Eco Sprout Soap, I like that I'm supporting a SAHD, an entrepreneur who saw a need in the cloth diapering community and decided to do something about it. I've chatted with Jared via twitter and I can tell he is passionate about making a quality product. He also cares about customer satisfaction and the Eco Sprout website is easy to navigate with clear FAQS and directions.

I love Eco Sprout so much, I contacted Jared and he generously offered a 24 ounce bag for one lucky reader - winner picks the scent. To enter, use the Rafflecopter link below and, if you decide to follow Eco Sprout Soap via facebook or twitter, why not stop and thank them for the giveaway here? Good luck!

Life According to My Kindergartner

2011-10-24T11:30:00.000-05:00

* Consider everyone in your classroom your friend.
* Best part of your day: Lunch.
* Worst part of your day: Look puzzled. Wonder why anyone would ask that. Tell mom that some other kids had their green lights turned yellow and you felt bad for them (and were glad it wasn't you!).
* Tell your mom with frank honesty that the boy you were just standing next to smells and needs a bath. When you see him at the park later, say in delight "There's my friend!" and run to play with him even though he's smelly.
* Little things make your day. Bring a go-gurt (even the generic kind) and you can be part of the go-gurt kids at school. Very cool.
* Homework is fun. Can we get started on it right now?
* Repeat whatever your teacher tells you in earnest. Library books must be returned or they will be overdue. Do you know what overdue means, mom? (Yes, but probably not the kind you're referring to.)
* Tell your babysitter not to open her mouth in the living room because there is a bug going around in our family and you might catch it.
* Important lesson for the week: Don't judge. Do you know what it means to judge, mom? You shouldn't not want to be friends with people because of the way they look.
* Becoming a girl scout: Greatest. Thing. Ever.
* Play dates are an awesome way to hang out with a new friend...and all of her toys.
* Dessert should accompany each meal.
* This dinner looks like something I won't like, but I'll try it and end up liking it 95% of the time. My brother won't even try his, so I win.
* A dress is appropriate for any occasion.
* As long as each garment contains some coordinating colors, patterns can be mixed at will. Fashion is in the eye of the beholder.
* All women with bellies might be pregnant - how exciting!
* If you just ask enough times, you're bound to get your way.

My Kai

2011-10-20T15:35:00.000-05:00

This kid has me wrapped around his little finger.

I'm absolutely smitten with him.

Even when he's making me crazy and I feel totally exasperated because he wants me to hold him the entire day, it is difficult to remain frustrated.

When I enter the room, he instantly perks up and tracks me with his eyes. If he's crying and I come to rescue him, he almost always stops without further complaint. He looks at me like I hung the moon and I adore him.

He has big, luminous eyes, the softest skin, and a killer smile. We’re basically inseparable, sometimes literally connected at the hip. At times, I long for some space, but his charm is pretty irresistible.

He, of course, fusses without reason, keeps me up at night, and teethes like crazy. But he has this smile that spreads like wildfire lighting up his eyes.

I adore the way he coos and it makes me laugh when he tries to talk and nurse at the same time. Kai despises tummy time and doesn't want to be cuddled close. He prefers to be held (always), most often by mom, and standing facing out to see the world.

Kai loves to laugh and take the world in. When we pick his sister up from school, he always grins in the delight. The other day, she fell asleep on the couch and he kept smiling at her, waiting for her to entertain. He's not mobile yet, but you can see in his face that he is ready to move and join in Ella and Ezra's antics.

He's my little companion, my kindred spirti, often in a sling or carrier close to me when we go out. I have difficulty remembering life without him. I keep telling myself to get up less with him at night and put him down more, but then he looks up at me with that sad little face and I give in.

I'm in no rush for him to grow up, just enjoying today and each stage as it comes with sweet Kai.

And so are these two!

Dear Small Business Owners, Engage Me, Invite Me to Learn More, but Please Spare Me the Lecture

2011-10-11T16:26:00.001-05:00

Most days, my facebook feed is teeming over with status updates and links from small retailers and WAHM businesses. I follow them to show my support, to receive product updates, to try and win something, and to watch for specials. I appreciate the online/small town store vibe this can create. It's also an interesting way to get information about how a product is made and to appreciate the people behind a business.

But lately I'm seeing a trend in facebook links and blog posts that I find disconcerting. Apparently, small online businesses are being trampled upon by greedy, uneducated consumers looking for freebies, unrealistic discounts, and advice. To combat this, retailers post "information", usually passive-aggressively, via links to articles written by others. The posts generally use a condescending, even combative, tone. They lecture to their audience about the real costs of handmade items, how deal sites hurt small businesses, why anyone who believes free shipping is a good deal is an idiot, and how small business owners are the life blood of the economy.

Now I'm not disputing that many of these posters have valid points. It's their tone and the method of disseminating the message that I take issue with. Let's be honest. If I am a pesky customer to Amazon and Zuliy, they don't respond by lecturing me about how they deserve my business, why I should pay more for their services, and how my ignorance will be the downfall of their livelihood. They create a business model they can stand behind and retain customers by emphasizing their strengths. In fact, one well-known company recently deviated from this model and their customers responded by leaving in droves.

I try to be an educated consumer. I want to support small, family owned businesses and encourage WAHMs to support their families through creative endeavors. While shopping with these types of vendors, I often find myself in awe of their God-given talents and appreciative of their passion for the products they sell. It feels good to buy from a local store or the online mom and pop business over the big box retailer. I don't, however, feel that I am somehow obligated to buy from these vendors or that I shouldn't consider all of my options when making a purchase.

If money, location, and time were not issues, I would always choose quality over quantity. All of my produce would come from a farmer's market. I would only buy fair trade merchandise. Not a whit of my purchases would say "Made in China." I would ignore the sticker shock found at a small, brick and mortar retailer and vow to never frequent well-known dot coms. My pay pal account would have a long list of charges monthly for gorgeous, handmade items from etsy and artfire.

Money, location, and time do matter, however. I live in a small, midwestern town with few retail options. To offset the cost and time associated with driving to the city for shopping, I do a fair amount of purchasing online. I also find myself running last minute to stores with "mart" at the end to buy goods that I simply need right now.

With the different purchases I make, I try to keep in mind who I'm supporting with my dollar. I also want to be a wise money manager and stretch my budget as far as I can. I can't tell you the number of times I've visited a sale and enthusiastically started to fill my cart, only to realize that the shipping costs cancelled out the savings and I simply could not justify purchasing items at that price. Or the times I've been torn about where to buy an item because I value customer service and don't always want purchases to be about the bottom line.

But, let's be honest. Small businesses aren't perfect and they don't always provide an idyllic experience for consumers. Small business owners send confusing messages to consumers by participating in twitter chats and forums and inviting participants to contact them "any time" with questions, then complaining later when individuals ask for advice without a follow-up purchase They also encourage customers to follow them in hopes of winning something, then complain that their followers are thrifty. And the absolute worst offense small businesses commit: publicly mocking or complaining about difficult or frustrating customers. It's unprofessional and off-putting.

Just like most small business owners would probably say they provide these links to target a small percentage of customers with their message, the same could be said here. I love being associated with a community of talented, passionate small business owners and WAHMs. Most of them spend their days positively promoting their business and providing high quality customer service. I prefer to frequent their establishments, but I don't want to be constantly lectured about why I should shop with them.

I consider myself a customer worth having. Not because I have a great deal of money to spend, but because I am loyal, I like to try new products, and I love to talk about them. If I have a good experience with your business, I tell people about it. If I love your product, I talk, blog, tweet, and link up on facebook about it.

I don't mind positive messages about how my purchases help a family, support the economy, or promote positive business practices. This type of information helps me to be the educated consumer I am striving to become. I don't, however, want to constantly hear about why I should feel guilty for purchasing from larger retailers or be shamed into purchasing from small businesses.

My message to small business owners: Keep my experience positive. Stop lecturing me about why I shouldn't be shopping elsewhere. Provide excellent customer service, offer me incentives to purchase from you, create a unique product, and demonstrate that my business matters. Show me what makes your store worth frequenting. If I'm a happy customer, I'll be back and I'll bring others with me.

Minivan Me

2011-10-10T16:10:00.000-05:00

I drive a minivan. And I like it.

I'm certain there was a time in my life where I boldly declared "I'll never drive a minivan!" Most of us announce this at some point in our teens to mid twenties. Some of my friends in their 30s are still minivan-resistant (yet they drive cars with a similar capacity, usually guzzling gas, or closely resembling an updated station wagon). In our culture, there seems to be nothing that so obviously announces "I have left my youth behind and I am now a parent" as a minivan.

But I don't care.

I went a year without regular access to a car during the day. Pregnant for most of it. With a one and half year-old. Before my second child was born, I was determined to get a new (to me) car. We could have gone with a sedan, but suddenly the possibility of fitting 7 - yes 7! - people in one vehicle proved far too alluring. All that space for stuff and the fold and go seats that make the back truck-like? Yes, please. Suddenly, the minivan looked awesome!

Sure, our maroon Dodge Caravan is just one in a sea of the same. Seriously. Does the Caravan come in any other color? Apparently, mine is identifiable around town, however, because friends will say "I saw your van at the (library, supermarket, park)." I wish I could say it was because I keep the van so immaculate, but it's my Obama/Biden magnet. A fairly small one at that. But I guess it stands out in this small town. Especially in the church parking lot.

My minivan might not be glamorous with its 3 car seats crowding the back, random toys strewn on the floor, crumbs competing for space, and baby gear here and there. But it's actually fun - yes fun - to drive. The ride is smooth and it feels good to sit up high. I know it screams "mommy," but I wouldn't trade it for a "cooler" car if I had the chance - unless it was an electric version.

Don't get me wrong. I don't want to drive a minivan forever. If you see me driving this same van 20 years from now, sad and empty, with exhaust trailing behind me, that will be another story altogether.

You really think that?

2011-10-07T08:45:00.001-05:00

We were at Applebees for our traditional once a month girls night out. The group, usually pushing the table's limits at 8 or more, was lean that night. Four of us sat together, casually talking about life, kids, and whatever came up. Perhaps topics turned more weighty or serious because our small numbers made us less boisterous, more thoughtful.

My 5 year-old had endured her vaccinations for Kindergarten that day. Needless to say, she did not want those shots. I said something like, Ella got her shots today. It's so much worse when they are older. My baby did much better with his recent shots. I think it would be so hard to delay vaccinations.

My friend, a woman I greatly admire and respect, joins in the discussion, sharing that she thinks her family is finally ready to vaccinate their 4 1/2 year-old. She and her husband are very independent minded and openly choose home schooling, a very natural diet, alternative medicine, and cloth diapering. But she never feels the need to announce these things and doesn't have an agenda. They just live their life as they choose. And I want to be more like her.

She could have easily got her back up the moment I opened my mouth, angry that I was making a judgement about her choices. But she didn't. She knows me. Instead, she began sharing how important it was to her research vaccinations in depth, how she never felt comfortable giving those shots to her babies, and how they were still making decisions about their 2 year-old.

A third mom joins in. She has a large family and also homeschools. They generally vaccinate on schedule, but she opts out of some immunizations, such as the chicken pox vaccine. I like this mom. We don't make all of the same choices, but I think she has a terrific family. In fact, she is very private. I once told her about how I blog about my family life and she emphatically said I would never do that.

Then the HPV vaccine comes up, a sensitive topic these days. I am not surprised that she and I are in disagreement about this particular immunization - I will most definitely vaccinate, she will opt out. We both have strong opinions on the matter - mine related to the terrible effects of cervical cancer - hers that it hasn't been tested enough and might need a booster. We discuss. We aren't in agreement. But we're not arguing.

Next, we find ourselves in *gasp* autism/vaccine territory. This is my fault. I like to talk and I tire of always talking about things that feel safe and never digging in deep with people. Something amazing happened. The conversation did not get uncomfortable. The idea that the vaccination-autism link has been disproved was pretty universally agreed upon, but the four of us were obviously in disagreement about the safety/necessity of all vaccines or the validity of the herd immunity argument.

Our conversation entered new territory. The question remained: what is causing autism? My first friend, who eats a very natural diet, proposes that all of the preservatives in our diet and the ingredients we use seem likely as the culprits to her. I pipe in with the little bit of medical/research related knowledge I gleaned from working for the American Cancer Society: In my opinion, the increase isn't as dramatic as it seems. We just have better tools to diagnose it.

At this point, my friend looks at me incredulously and replies You really think that?

I immediately reply, Yes. I do.

And you know what? We smiled. It wasn't awkward. No one was offended. We continued the conversation. In fact, we found ourselves discussing it again the other day. It was a turning point for our friendship. Talking about this kind of thing is safe. We don't have to agree. We don't have to say the other person's opinion/choice is also the best. We're comfortable with our choices and okay letting others make different ones.

For me, this is what makes friendship rich and worthwhile. Talking about how we really feel. Saying what we really think. Not the unfiltered-by-social-gracious kind of sharing, but the this-is-who-I-really-am sharing. Because I have some firm opinions. But I'm still trying to figure so much out. I definitely believe certain choices are best, but I don't think people who choose differently are terrible. And I'm interested in understanding how they made those choices, what they won't budge on, where they're wavering.

Because I am so much more than the shirt I am wearing, my haircut, the number of kids, how I've delivered, what I watched on tv last night, and what I cook for dinner. And so are you. But we live in a culture that tells us that there is no best choice, everyone is okay, and we should be cautious about discussing parenting choices because we might offend someone.

But here's the thing: Right now, my choices related to nursing, discipline, diapering, housekeeping, diet, family activities, and marriage consume my days. They are an essential part of who I am. Some of them are easy, others are difficult. I want to talk about these things, really talk about them, with friends who've made all kinds of decisions. Because who knows? Maybe I will change my mind, consider other ideas that help me solidify my choices, or to better understand and respect why someone else chooses differently.

Why I Let Him Sleep

2011-10-04T13:28:00.001-05:00

I used to judge women like me. Before I had babies, I turned my nose up when I heard nursing women say they were the only ones who woke up with babies in the night. All of my burgeoning feminist instincts rejected this notion. Why should she be the only one waking up? She carries the baby for 9 months, then cares for baby all day, then gets up with baby solo all night. Uh. Uh. Not me.

Fast forward to today. Baby number 3. The third baby nursed, the third to be cared for by a half asleep mom in the middle of the night. Do I sometimes wish my husband was up with me, bringing baby to my side to nurse, learning to make it through the day on interrupted sleep, or needing to pee again at 2 am because baby woke him (and his bladder) up? You bet.

Here's the fantasy:
Baby cries. Tim immediately awakes, rushes to baby's side while I continue snoozing, content that baby is in his father's tender care. Daddy changes baby's diaper, softly singing lullabies, while baby coos contentedly. Dad delivers baby to my side, gently nudging me awake, and we cuddle until baby finishes eating. My husband then scoops our little one in his arms, carefully returning the slumbering infant to his crib, where he snoozes until it's time for baby's next feeding. Every one wakes up the next day, tired, but happy.

Here's reality:
Baby #1: My husband is a student at the University of Washington working three part-time jobs, one in the middle of the night. He's already exhausted and overextended. Even when his work schedule changes, I still can "sleep when she sleeps," so I let him lie. As she gets older, he has midnight pacifier fetching duty and "It's your turn. She isn't hungry."

Here's the truth about my mild-mannered husband, though: waking him up is like disturbing a hibernating bear. He will not wake up to cries on his own and there is no simply nudging him awake. He won't remember being cranky the next morning and his usual response is to wait it out to see if baby will go back to sleep on his/her own, which keeps me awake anyway. Plus, my kids seemed to have a sixth sense that causes them to stop crying the minute I wake dad up and to begin again once he's asleep!

Baby #2: Much the same as the first, except Dad is out of school and has a full-time job. His official night-time job is to get up with our toddler anytime she cries out in the middle of the night or needs something. This isn't as frequent, but it's primarily his gig. Plus, if I've had a rough night with one baby, the "sleep when he sleeps" rule doesn't really apply with 2. So, if Dad is fairly well rested, he can take over when he's home and I have run out of steam at night.

Baby #3: Same as 1 and 2, but more so. I don't want Tim up at night. I want him energetic the next day, able to focus at work, with enough left over at the end of the day to play catch monster with the kids and even take an extra turn putting them to bed if I've totally lost it by the end of the day.

In truth, what seems ideal in principle, isn't always ideal in reality. Sometimes I still have that dream about the "perfect" night with baby, then I just force myself out of bed, scoop baby up, bring him to bed, and nurse him half asleep while my husband slumbers, oblivious, nearby.

Morning Walk

2011-09-30T12:57:00.001-05:00

We head home from taking big sister to school each morning,
the sun lazily emerging,
a cool breeze in our faces.

Baby brother is snug in a sling,

big brother racing ahead

or lagging behind.

He stops to inspect cracks in the sidewalk,

collect rocks in his pocket,

or pile sticks in his hand.

His pants are on backwards,

his shoes might be on the wrong feet,

his shirt tag side out,

but it's better to let him be.

He's too busy to stop for such things,

too big to need my help.

There are leaves to stomp in pieces,

branches to transform into swords.

Every once in awhile, he'll pause to gift me a rock,

grasp my hand.

Then the lure of a swirling leaf will distract him,

lead him to a squirrel to chase,

a truck to admire.

I follow him, in no rush to get home.

I savor the sweetness of him,

patiently awaiting the next time

he'll slip his warm hand in mine.

Changing Diapers Book Review and Fuzzibunz or Rumparooz Giveaway!

2011-09-26T08:00:00.003-05:00

When I first heard about Kelly Wel's new book, Changing Diapers: The Hip Mom's Guide to Modern Cloth Diapering, I was curious and, honestly, a bit skeptical. A book extolling the virtues of cloth diapering with adorable photos of fluffy butts sounded cute, but I wondered if it could go beyond that. Could it reach a broader audience and be something more than a coffee table book for cloth diapering devotees (like myself)? Kelly Wels is highly respected for her knowledge about and commitment to promoting reusable diapers and I wondered if she could create a project that would do more than preach to the already enthusiastic choir. With this in mind, I eagerly accepted an opportunity to review her book.

Just two chapters into this book, I started to overcome my skepticism. Changing Diapers has a practical, definitive audience: Individuals and families considering cloth diapering and those seeking a trusted resource for deciphering cloth diapering terminology, options, and products. Changing Diapers is not looking to persuade the world that cloth is the only option or to tell individuals that there is one right way for every family to use cloth. Instead, it is a practical, straightforward guide offering cloth diapering as a valid, realistic choice and providing easy to read (and use) information for families who decide to cloth diaper.

"The Key point to remember when making choices about cloth diapers is to keep things simple."

page 80.

I actually wish I'd had this book while researching cloth diapers. Searching the internet for information ultimately guided me to some great resources and helped connect me to a fantastic community of parents and retailers. I did, however, give up for a short time when I first looked into cloth because I experienced information overload and I was too overwhelmed by my choices. I eventually returned to try again, but still wished I had a clearer understanding of how to invest my money in cloth. Now, more than a year into cloth diapering (and using cloth on a new baby for the first time) I still feel like there is so much I don't know. Changing Diapers would have proved an invaluable resource then and it's also something I appreciate having on hand now.

"Also, remember that you're a mom. You have a lot to worry about. Do what's best for your family." page 74.

For me, the most useful and instructive chapters are 2: Understanding Basic Cloth Diaper Talk, 4: diapering for the Ages and Stages, and 9: How to Wash Your Cloth Diapers. These chapters provide much-needed information for anyone considering cloth, deciding how to invest their money in cloth, or dealing with challenges or concerns related to cloth diapering. These are the gems of the books and the places I would readily send a friend or turn to myself. In fact, I would love to see some of this information available in mini-book, pamphlet, or little e-book formats that I could purchase and share with a friend or acquaintance looking for specific information about cloth diapers. That way I could share just what they're seeking without overwhelming them with an entire book.

Throughout Changing Diapers, Kelly writes in an interesting, relatable style, without making assumptions about her readers or seeming overly zealous about cloth diapering. I appreciate this about the book because cloth diaper advocates (including myself) can sometimes cross that line and alienate people. I do think that the book does gloss over some of the challenges of cloth diapering a bit, but maybe that's because I'm currently leaving the newborn stage and I am not sure I would have stuck with cloth if this had been my first experience with it. I wish some of the quotes came from individuals willing to talk about real frustrations with cloth diapering (and why they kept with it), their decision to use cloth part-time, or how they were overwhelmed by all of their options in brands, accessories, and styles.

Ultimately, I think Kelly Wels has created a book that speaks to parents about cloth diapering as a valid choice in an interesting, thoughtful way. I hope that Changing Diapers will be available on library and book store shelves across the nation as a guide for those curious about cloth or seriously considering it for their family. Many parents still don't know that the modern cloth diaper is an affordable, realistic, even (sometimes) fun choice for their family. I think this book with it's vibrant photographs, quick tips, and useful commentary will help to change that.

"Knowing what is best for your family is up to you." page 196

Now when my friends ask me where to begin finding information about cloth diapering, I can send them to a single resource to start. Changing Diapers: A Hip Mom's Guide to Cloth Diapering will become my go-to reference book for these situations. Would I give this book at every diaper shower? No. I can just imagine the response from a friend who's never considered cloth: "I need a whole book to learn how to diaper my baby?" For the friend who is curious about their options or seriously considering cloth diapering, however, a copy of Changing Cloth Diapers and a gift card to WAHM store that sells cloth would be a perfect gift.

Interested in purchasing Changing Diapers: A Hip Mom's Guide to Cloth Diapering for yourself? Kelly Wels has generously provided a coupon code to receive 50% off the $17.95 cover price for The Inquisitive Mom readers through October 22, 2011! Simply use the code INQMOM at The Changing Diapers Book site.

As an Inquisitive Mom reader, you also have the opportunity to win your choice of a Rumparooz or Fuzzibunz one-size diaper (two of my very favorite diaper brands!) and one "I'm a Hip Mom and I Love Cloth Diapers" Eco-friendly tatoo from Kelly Wels! Thanks so much, Kelly! Click *Read More* to see the Rafflecopter widget and enter.

Disclosure: I reviewed an online copy of this book. All opinions are my own and no compensation was received. Links within the post are to my affiliate account.

When to Use "You've Got Your Hands Full!": A Tutorial in Pictures

2011-09-23T13:16:00.000-05:00

In case you were considering using the phrase "You've got your hands full!" today, but were uncertain when it is appropriate, here is a handy tutorial. I hear this phrase at least once each day, so I can be considered a trusted resource.

First, let's define what does not constitute full hands.

This only child is best referred to as darling, adorable, or sweet. It is also appropriate to refer to the mother as lucky or blessed.

Don't be confused by this darling brother and sister duo who make shopping twice as challenging. They might look like full hands. They are not. Two kids - whether they are angelic or perfect terrors - require the following advice: Enjoy them now. In a few years, they'll grow up and make you miserable. It is appropriate at this point to refer to the mother as clueless.

Second, let's illustrate what does constitute full hands:

In order to fully graduate to the official You've Got Your Hands Full status, children must come (at a minimum) in three.* At this point, it is also acceptable to add an interjection such as Oh Boy, Oh My, or even Look at You! Wide eyes and raised eyebrows will also work to convey your message.

Need some real life examples so you are sure to apply this phrase at the appropriate time? Here are some handy photos:

Walking kids to school (Add rain gear and your hands will be especially full).

At the grocery store:

Mom carrying baby like this

behind these three.

*Lastly, some notable exceptions to the rule of 3:

Anytime a baby is in a carrier, sling, or wrap (as opposed to the car seat), this creates an exception to the rule of three or more. *See Above Photos

When the mother is pregnant and has one or more children.

I hope you've enjoyed this tutorial. Because everyone knows you can think, but not say, That mom is crazy!, She is overpopulating the earth!, or Didn't anyone ever explain birth control to her? This is where knowing just exactly when to say She's got her hands full! comes in handy.

Dear Netflix CEO, I'm Underwhelmed

2011-09-19T12:29:00.005-05:00

Dear Mr. Hastings,

I have two young children, who happen to be big fans of Netflix. Our family has used your services for so long, my kids don't even know what cable is and they're completely puzzled by advertisements. When they go to watch "tv," they're actually selecting from our instant queue and, for them, a 30 minute show is actually about 21 minutes.

My kids are also playmates, sometimes harmoniously playing alongside each other, other times combative and at odds. It's not uncommon to witness what I call the "snatch and apologize later" maneuver happen at playtime. One kid, usually big sister, decides her brother has a toy that is simply too desirable to pass up. Rather than simply asking for it or inviting her brother to play along, she simply takes it, undeterred by his cries of frustration, then growing angry when he hits in retaliation.

When I am called into mediate, she usually tries to minimize her responsibility and begrudgingly apologizes because she's required to. What she doesn't realize is that her brother adores her and the whole fiasco could have been avoided if she'd simply asked nicely or - even better - showed him her awesome game and invited him to bring his toys and join in on the fun.

In recent months, Netflix has felt like the bullying big sister to my hurt little brother. I've been the adoring baby brother who would happily share or join in on the game if I'd only been asked. I've been a loyal customer of Netflix for more than seven years, joining when it was just DVDs, excitedly watching streaming first on my computer, then X-Box 360, and dropping cable to use Netflix exclusively. I've extolled the virtues of Netflix to my friends over the years and kept the service through incremental price increases without much complaint.

So, when Netflix abruptly announced in July that I would see big changes in September equaling paying 60% more for the same services, it felt like my big sister stole my toys, kicked me, and told me I should like it. The announcement lacked humility and neglected to help me understand any real benefits I would see from the change. It also came without any recognition of my long-term loyalty as a customer - even my cell phone company is smart enough to grandfather in my old rates when they merge with another company. They're clever that way - I stay happy with my current plan until they can lure me with a new, more attraction one that appears to mutually benefits both of us.

When customers such as myself responded to Netflix's announcement with frustration, the initial reply was insulting and arrogant: Customers are free to choose. We have enough customers, so losing a few won't matter much. We can survive without you. Today's apology from you didn't sound much better - it was the classic "snatch and apologize later." This time around, you sounded like the bully who's mom discovered what he's been up to and forces him to call up his victims and apologize. You acknowledged that you "messed up" and go on to justify your actions, but you failed once again to make your customers feel important or appreciated. There are still no accommodations for long-term customers and the letter - which is supposedly all about communication - has the comments section disabled.

Three months ago, I was sure we would, at a minimum, cancel our 1 at a time DVD service. It simply doesn't make good economic sense to pay that much for DVD service when Redbox is readily available and we live in a town with what is clearly an old relic - the local video store. Sure, their selection is not nearly as good and it's less convenient, but they've got something else going for them: customer appreciation. Redbox is a young company, regularly engaging customers with coupon codes and free movies. Family Video offers free movies for kids anytime and will call you with an enticing offer when you haven't come in to rent a movie in awhile. Remember when you were the little guy grateful for my business, asking me to refer friends? I miss that.

Ultimately, my family will probably cancel our DVD service (or Qwiskster) and continue with Netflix streaming, primarily because there isn't much competition. I sincerely doubt, however, that this will remain the case for long. New companies will come along and existing ones will improve their offerings. They'll be seeking an enthusiastic customer base, just as Netflix once did. And, if Netflix continues forward with the same arrogance and disregard for their customers as they've shown recently, I will happily pack up my toys and use other services instead.

Sincerely,

Just You and Me Kid

2011-09-15T08:54:00.000-05:00

Earlier this month, we had the opportunity to go to Ella's Kindergarten Open House. I really needed this because, although Ella is a happy well-adjusted kindergarten, I was not feeling like a happy well-adjusted mom.

Sending my daughter to elementary school for the first time felt like sending her off into the great unknown. This was partly my fault - we were on vacation during the orientation - and partly the school's responsibility. As a new parent in the local school district, I felt a bit like a new kid moving into the neighborhood and starting school halfway through the school year. Everything seemed geared toward seasoned parents. I felt lost and underwhelmed by the school's lukewarm attitude toward parents. And I was not alone - it doesn't take much to have another parent of a Kindergartner secretly "confess" that they also feel lost and a bit emotionally overwhelmed by it all.

The Open House offered an opportunity for me to actually get in the classroom and for Ella to show us what she does everyday. We live away from family and, thankfully, have the most amazing friends. Our friend Georgia took the boys for an hour and Ella got some very rare one-on-one time with Mom and Dad. Ella enthusiastically showed us her school and we had a chance to ask the teachers a few questions. Then the teacher asked a question that would make all of the difference for me as a mom - "Would you like to go on our field trip with us?"

With a nursing infant and a not quite 3 year-old, my first reaction was "How am I going to swing this?", but I simply said "yes." I'd heard that the schools have seriously cut down on field trips, so this might be my only chance to go. After we left the school, my husband looked at me like "What has all the fuss been about?"

Yesterday, we went on our field trip to the fair grounds to see where our food comes from - The Farm (not the restaurant or grocery store, the kid's answers to that question). The field trip helped me overcome some of my "Kindergarten Mom Blues." I appreciated seeing her teacher in action. The structure she is famous for does not feel so rigid when you witness it in person. It also helped to clear up some of the misunderstandings that come home without an adult to interpret them for me. I saw for myself that my daughter is an eager student who is comfortable with her teacher. In truth, she is a mini me, sitting on the edge of her seat waving her hand in the air, barely able to contain her desire to participate (and I loved that her teacher didn't discourage her enthusiasm at all, but was simply helping her to wait to be called on and understand that it can't be her turn every time).

Seeing the animals, talking food, sitting in a combine were all fun enough. The best part, though, was spending the whole day with my daughter, just the two of us. I helped with the class, of course, and interacted with other kids. I didn't have to stop and feed the baby or make time to play with her little brother, or take care of the house, bills, or work, though. Just focusing on Ella was amazing and we both loved it!

Some friends told me awhile back about "one on one" time, then I read about it again in our church magazine. As their family has grown, they've made time weekly for kids to get one on one time with each parent. This is a great way to establish strong relationships with your children and help them feel special. It's time at the park, going out for ice cream, riding bikes; simple, affordable things. Tim and I have talked about doing this, but haven't consistently followed through. Yesterday confirmed to me that our family should do this, not just for the kids, but for mom and dad too!

Climbing inside a Combine!

Hi Mom!

Trying out the Tractor.

Kai did great with the babysitter!

I loved seeing his eyes light up and his enormous grin when I came through the door!

On the Road Again

2011-09-08T14:59:00.000-05:00

Thinking over our road trip, I realized recently that I could do numerous posts elaborating on our many destinations. In the meantime, however, new blog post ideas are piling up. So, I thought I'd share this Road Trip Article I wrote for this week's Source. It really summarizes some of the best and worst parts of the trip, my favorite part being the "lessons learned" at the end.

I did want to share some more photos of our trip, though. For the amount of time we were gone, we really didn't take that many - we were too busy enjoying ourselves! To recap, we traveled from Central Illinois to Mount Rushmore in South Dakota, to small town Idaho for a family reunion, to the Seattle area to visit friends and family, back through McCall Idaho, to Las Vegas to visit my sister and see the Hoover Dam, to the Grand Canyon, with a camping stop in Richfield, Utah, to home - in just under 3 weeks!

Highlights of the trip for the kids were anytime swimming - in gorgeous lakes, the amazing Puget Sound, backyard kiddie pools, and heated campsite pools. They loved meeting new cousins, celebrating Ella's birthday, riding the ferry, and gorging on snacks. By far, their favorite part of the trip involved spending time with Grandma Cathy, Grandma Nancy, and Grandpa!

Highlights for me were getting to know Tim's extended family better, spending time with my mom and sisters, and seeing The Grand Canyon. I think I've called things "awe-inspiring" before, but The Grand Canyon truly trumps anything else I've seen. Someone joked to me that it was "just a big rock," but I would love to go again, camp there, and wake up to the glorious sunlight, clear air, and incredible views for a week straight.

Here's the part where I go picture crazy! I couldn't pair down photos from 3 weeks enough to post individually, so I made a little slideshow (vs a movie, so you can flip through fast). Here's the part where you grab some popcorn and join me for my version of the old-fashioned vacation slideshow!

Pathetic and Powerless...

2011-09-05T21:32:00.002-05:00

I witnessed the hate of the Westboro Baptist Church in person today. They came to our small town to "protest" at the funeral of a fallen soldier.

As soon as people heard this group would be coming to spew their hate, facebook lit up with individuals furious that they would show their faces here. My husband, who is not known as a huge activist, got all riled up on Saturday night, angered by the prospect of them sullying the funeral procession with their presence. He proposed gathering friends to block their vehicles to prevent them from leaving their hotel like we'd read on the internet or devising an alternate way to prevent them from disturbing the grieving family. I felt disgust well up in me and I worried about what type of disruption they would cause.

This morning, my family drove to the park on the main street in town where the funeral procession would come through later today. People lined the street, holding flags and signs that said things like "God loves sinners" and "Coexist" with peace signs in the letters. I actually had to do a little double take to get a glimpse of the Westboro group. They were most noticeable because yellow tape surrounded their protest site - presumably to both protect their legal rights and to ensure that they didn't move any closer to the funeral home. In truth, they had much more space than they needed - the group consisted of only about five people holding up crude signs declaring disgusting, hateful lies.

On our way back from the park, we were awed by the increased number of people lining the streets to pay their respects. The Illinois Patriot Guard Riders were also parked by the funeral home - 160 strong. I noticed that the protesters were gone by this point - and this meant that they were, thankfully, not in place when the actual funeral procession came through. I felt my heart swell in my chest a bit as an enormous American Flag came into view, waving gloriously above the street, held up by two fire truck ladders.

We arrived home and, as I reflected on all that I saw, I posted the following as my facebook status:
"Witnessed the hate of Westboro Baptist Church today and they looked pathetic and powerless - Around 5 people behind some yellow tape were barely a dot on the Avenue compared to the firetrucks displaying an enormous American flag, people lining the streets to honor a fallen soldier, or individuals holding signs representing the true nature of God."

Five

2011-09-01T13:02:00.001-05:00

People always talk about age 2, but 4 is an adventure.

*Four meant a big, independent personality emerging.
*Some days found her racing ahead to be a big kid and others yearning to stay small.
*At four, a new defiance emerged, combined with her always-present strong will.
*Her creativity and vivid imagination delighted and surprised us.
*She honed her rhyming and song-writing skills, often making up a song on a whim.
*Four became the time when a love for reading meant discovering a passion for storytelling and enjoying the Hobbit read out loud with Dad.
*This was the year she could verbalize more than ever, meaning she could have "the best day ever" and "the worst day ever" all in the same day.
*At four, she also learned to wield words like a knife, sometimes like a butter knife "I'm going to live someplace else" and others like a butcher knife "I wish you weren't my mommy!"
*She also grasped the power of an apology, sincere compliment, spontaneous hug.
*My favorite phrase from four: "Mom, I want to be like you when I grow up." It was one of the most wonderful things anyone has ever said to me.
*At four, her younger brother became a real playmate and a true annoyance. Despite their rough days, I knew they were truly close when she quietly leaned into him, then hugged him, as he waited with her class to head in for the first day of Kindergarten.
*Ever a girly girl and fashionista, she continually wore fancy dresses and left her shoes everywhere.
*Her fascination with horses, princesses, and fairies continued and she wanted a pony cake at 5, just she did at 4.
*At 4, she opened her heart up again to her new baby brother, showering him with love and adoration.
*She approached her first day of Kindergarten relatively fearless, confident, excited, ready for a new adventure.

Yesterday, my little girl turned 5. My oldest child. Our sweetheart. She made me a mother for the first time, taught me a new kind of joy, and changed my life. She challenges me and helps me see the world in a whole new way. I feel so blessed to be her mom. And I can't wait to see what five will bring for this amazing little person that I adore.

Headed to school on her 5th Birthday.

Her birthday crown from school.

She had tons of fun at school, bringing cookies, even wearing her crown through the school and sharing a treat with the principal.

My Little Pony Carousel, of course!

Ezra is ready to play too.

A much-anticipated Barbie and horse from Grandma Cathy.

Tiny ponies for the carousel.

Nifty Nappy Wool Care Review & Giveaway!

2011-08-25T10:28:00.000-05:00

Vilate at Nifty Nappy is loved and respected in the cloth diapering community as a go-to expert on wool. She created the super-absorbent Nifty Nappy fitted, popularized the innovative one-size wool covers made out of upcycled materials, and showed caregivers that wool is nothing to be afraid of. An experienced mom of six, as well as a successful businesswoman, Vilate is also known for being generous with her time, eager to help, and a terrific problem solver for all things cloth-diapers. If you gathered together a group of internet-savvy cloth diapering moms, there's a good chance that most, if not all, have received assistance from Vilate at one time or another.

Due to anticipated new CPSIA regulations, Nifty Nappy doesn't mass produce diapers anymore, but Vilate is still an avid part of the cloth diapering community and offering cottage licenses to make her product. I am also thrilled because she is now offering her own line of Nifty Nappy Laundering Products, including Nifty Soap Nuts, Nifty Liquid Soap Nuts, and Sheep in a Jar Lanolizing Potion #9. This product line is an excellent fit for Vilate, who is always my go-to person for caring for wool.

I received a bottle of the Sheep-in-a-jar Lanolozing Potion #9, which is eco-friendly, hypo-allergenic, fragrance free, and biodegradable - making it just right for cloth diaper prep. Wool makes for a terrific cloth diaper cover because it is breathable, has great absorbency, and does not need to be washed after every use. We have a very heavy-wetter at home and have found Nifty Nappy wool and fitteds to be a great night time combo.

In order for wool to do it's job well, though, it needs lanolin to add a waterproof barrier. Every two to four weeks (depending on use), a wool cover needs to be washed and lanolized. This is done by combining soap and lanolin. Lanolin can be a bit pricey unless you buy it in bulk, though, and I've always wanted their to be a quick product to grab and use, instead of doing so much measuring, dissolving, and mixing. The Lanolizing Potion is just that - all you have to do is dissolve just 1 teaspoon in a cup of hot water, then add it to your bowl of warm water to clean 2 to 4 woolies.

Leave it to Vilate to create a product that simplifies things. The potion seems to work so well because it combines liquid lanolin with soap nuts. Using 1 teaspoon every 2 to 4 weeks also means that one jar of lanolizing potion could last awhile, something every thrifty mom loves.

Want to try the Nifty Nappy Sheep-in-a-jar Lanolizing Potion for yourself? Follow the Nifty Nappy facebook page and watch for Vilate to place it for sale there. She is also generously offering one The Inquisitive Mom reader a bottle of the lanolizing lotion, as well as The Liquid Soap Nuts!

Entering is easy using the new Rafflecopter application. Try it below!

The Beginning: Mount Rushmore or "Is that it?"

2011-08-22T16:49:00.000-05:00

It's funny that I took the opportunity to blog about my vacation while camping in the Black Hills near Mount Rushmore with an iffy internet connection, but haven't shared much since. For once in my life, I think I tried to just fully embrace the now and live without stopping to take a hundred pictures or write about what was happening. I began missing blogging toward the end of our nearly 3 week vacation, but it felt good to unplug and just be.

Chillin' at the campsite, waiting for the pool to open.

They would soon find a puddle and these clothes would become filthy.

To provide some perspective on our trip, we started in central Illinois near Springfield with the Seattle area as our destination. We couldn't afford to fly home and my husband suggested for the second year that we take a road trip. Last year I laughed and emphatically said "No way!" Tim is a persistent fella, but he also knows how to let me come to things in my own time (most of the time). I really wanted to go home this summer, so I just closed my eyes and decided to jump into the unknown of a major road trip.

Please excuse my camping hair.

Here are some stats from our trip:
*We traveled a little over 5600 miles round trip.
*We crossed 12 states and slept in 4 - South Dakota, Idaho, Washington, and Utah.
*We traveled with 3 kids under 5 - Ella turns 5 on 8/31, Ezra is 2 1/2, and Kai was 2 1/2 months.
*We saw three major US landmarks.
*We slept in tents, cabins, houses, and our van.
* We traveled nearly 20 hours before stopping to sleep the first leg of the trip.
*I have yet to figure out how many tanks of gas we used, but it was major.
(More to come in future posts!)

Our first major stop came at Mount Rushmore. It was supposed to take about 17 hours, but flooding in Iowa and pit stops made it about twenty. The kids had no idea what they were getting into and they slept for chunks of the trip, so I think this is how we made it in the car this long. Honestly, they were such troopers. Thank goodness for portable DVD players (which we learned to turn off when the scenery turned amazing in the West) and new $5 Walmart DVDs because they were a major source of entertainment on the road.

As you will see in all of these pictures, they were feeling especially camera-shy this day.

I wish we could have stayed in South Dakota for a week. The scenery near Mount Rushmore is incredible and there is so much to do there - 1800s Steam Train rides in the Black Hills, adventures on a Wild Mustang reserve, a reptile garden (whatever that is), panning for gold, camping, a visit to the place where "Dances with Wolves" was made, and more. We only had a late night camping stop in the rain, then swimming at the camp site, then a day viewing the grand national monument, though.

Driving up to Mount Rushmore is pretty amazing, seeing those presidential profiles carved grandly on the rock to your right. During the 10 minute drive to this site, the kids began to fall asleep, of course. We parked at the park ($11 for a 1 year pass isn't bad), pushed the stroller, and carried Kai in his Sleepy Wrap. The sun was shining and it was the perfect day for enjoying the view.

We walked around the park, enjoying the different sides of the monument, but forgoed a tour because I didn't think the kids would have the patience for it. This turned out to be a good call because my favorite moment of the day came when Ella looked at the amazing site people came from all over the world to see and inquired "Is that it?" 5 year-old's verdict of Mount Rushmore: Pretty cool, but what's the big deal? I think they were more impressed with these enormous ice cream cones (Ezra didn't even make it to the cone):

I was quite a bit more impressed, but I can definitely say that the sites to come on our trip only got better.

Separation Anxiety

2011-08-19T14:49:00.000-05:00

Vacation spoiled me. All that family time together felt amazing. I loved tandem parenting with my husband and the luxury of talking with him throughout the day. Things were far from perfect, but it was such a wonderful break from the everyday.

Now we're home and I'm struggling with the transition. Tim is back at work and I miss him. The house wasn't very clean when we left and now we've added piles of clothes to be put away to the mix. I returned and truly felt the impact of having three friends move away this summer, one of them that "go to" friend that I am seriously feeling the loss of. And I've sent my oldest off to all day kindergarten.

I think all of these things are combining to make kindergarten a bit torturous for me. I've been trying to identify where all of these emotions are coming from. My daughter wasn't afraid of kindergarten and showed very little anxiety - but it killed me to drop her off at school. I suddenly recognized the end of an incredibly special time in my life and realized that things were changing for good.

We now live by the school calendar and my girl is gone with someone else I hardly know for a big chunk of the day. They only offer all day kindergarten here and Ella went to two years of preschool, so she is definitely ready to transition. I feel some odd sense of guilt sending her off while we're home all day. I think it's totally misplaced, but I feel it anyway.

Then there's Ella's stony faced reaction to it all. Granted, she hasn't exactly been Little Miss Sunshine for awhile. It's a bit like having a 13 year-old in a 5 year-old's body. Don't get me wrong, she is tons of fun, bright, precocious, and wonderful, but moody. She loved preschool, had terrific relationships with her teachers, and was incredibly eager for Kindergarten. Now that it's come, she says she likes it, but I just can't read her. And I'm sure I'm just projecting my feelings on her. When she looked unhappy after school today, the reason was simple: shoes and socks make her feet too hot.

I think it really comes down to not having much control in this situation and not having a strong relationship with the adult who she spends so much time with. I think we just need some time to get used to each other and I am not used to the way she expresses herself yet. It's probably best to leave things there because I'm feeling hyper emotional and this blog connects to my facebook account.

The truth is, Ella's been perfectly fine. She happily gets up for school, is more compliant getting ready than she has ever been, and says she likes school as much as the fair. Eating lunch there is her favorite part and she likes being a big girl. Mostly, I think it's a difficult transition getting up early again and she is understandably tired when she gets home. She's perked up each day after a snack and a little vegging out time.

Mostly, I'm just a mommy mess trying to adjust to way too many changes at once. I need to just hang in there and not worry so much. But this knot in my stomach hasn't gone away for three days and I feel overwhelmed by so many changes. I decided to return to Zumba this morning, improve my diet, and take it from there with some positive changes I can control. Thank goodness the weekend provides some much-needed family time and an opportunity for me to recover from a week of traveling Monday and Tuesday and sending my oldest off to Kindergarten!

Finally Home and Off to Kindergarten!

2011-08-17T10:35:00.000-05:00

Whew! We just arrived home from our nearly 3 week cross-country trip yesterday afternoon. I am excited to return to blogging, but also loved being forced to step away from the computer and smart phone for awhile. There is so much to share about our trip - pictures, memories, lessons learned. Today, though, is Ella's first day of Kindergarten.

Ella looked a little anxious this morning, but she was primarily excited about her first day in Kindergarten. She can't wait to turn 5 this month and her 2 years of preschool have prepared her for today. Ella seems to love the routine of school and I think she was ready to be a bit more independent again.

She looked so sweet with her freshly combed hair and the new dress Grandma Cathy bought for her. I tried to prepare her for the day ahead, but realized that she wasn't really worried about all of the details. I wanted the morning to go just right, but she needed me to just make it a normal, routine morning.

We live right by the school, so the four of us walked there. Thankfully, Ella is familiar with the school because we've played at the playground on a regular basis. She was such a trooper, walking ahead, eager to go to school. Poor Ezra was excitedly walking next to her, ready for school too.

The main moment Ella looked a bit overwhelmed came when she sat in a circle with her class in the gym, waiting for everyone to arrive. Ezra sat next to her and she reached for him and even kissed him on the cheek. Things went great, until I got up to chat with her teacher for a minute and Ezra disappeared! I found him after a few minutes of panic - calmly walking out of the building.

I adore my little girl and have such mixed feelings about her growing up and going to school. I miss her already this morning. No tears yet, but we'll see. I can't wait for her to come home and tell me about her big day!

The Breast Milk Baby Doll

2011-08-03T20:53:00.000-05:00

I'm on vacation and I'll be in and out online for the next couple of weeks. It's World Breastfeeding Week, so I thought I'd link up to an article I wrote for our local paper sharing my thoughts on the new (and controversial) Breast Milk Baby Doll.

Breast Milk Baby Doll via The Source Newspaper.

More to come on our vacation and the highs and lows of traveling over 2,000 miles with 3 kids under 5!

The Black Hills of Dakota

2011-07-29T10:39:00.000-05:00

I'm snuggling Kai in a campsite near Mount Rushmore and I can hear Doris Day's Calamity Jane singing "Take me back to the Black Hills, the Black Hills of Dakota!" It rained last night, but the glorious sun is shining and we're surrounded by blue sky and lush greenery. We've been awake since 5:30, but the kids have entertained themselves all morning in an enormous mud puddle waiting for the pool to open.

Our family is on our first major road trip across the country, traveling from Illinois to our original Washington home. I am notorious for hating car trips. Oh, and camping. Everyone knows I have a bladder the size of a pea, an aversion to being trapped in the car for prolonged periods, and think "camping" is staying in a bad motel. We can't afford 4 plane tickets, though, so it's 2 adults, 3 kids under 5, and a mini-van for us. We're prepared with a plethora of snacks and new 5 dollar videos from Wally-world to play on our borrowed portable DVD players. It could be miserable or the adventure of a lifetime.

A three-week vacation with my husband is a treasure, so I decided to approach this trip with an open mind and to leave my worries in Illinois.

And you know what? No one is more surprised by me that it's working! We left at 3:45 am yesterday and arrived at our destination at 7:45 pm local time.We stopped 4 times, 3 for gas and none because I had to pee! The kids were fantastic, considering, and the view along the way gorgeous. I even gave up plans to sleep in the van with baby and we slept in a tent - in the rain! - with the family. And I enjoyed myself.

We're seeing the sites today, then headed to Idaho for a family reunion. We'll spend some time in Washington, then see more of the country on our trip home. It's nothing I ever imagined doing, let alone liking. Wish us luck on our long drive this evening. For now, I'm going to soak up some sun, see some sites, and enjoy my family!

Current Position: Mom

2011-07-21T09:49:00.001-05:00

I've been editing my resume and came up with the following for my work history over the past 5 years. I thought it was much more interesting than "excellent multi-tasker." What do you think?

Current Position: Mom

Skills:
- Proficient at typing, tweeting, and writing while nursing a baby.
- Can magically heal most scrapes, bumps, and imaginary boo boos with a kiss.
- Able to grocery shop with one child in a sling, another attempting to exit a shopping cart, and a third grabbing items randomly from the store shelves.
- Can provide satisfactory customer assistance on low levels of sleep.
- Well versed in a variety of lullabies, children's hymns, and nursery rhymes. Capable of making up a song in a pinch.
- Proficient at organizing information for a variety of clients at once, including but not limited to, birthdays, doctor's appointments, play dates, dental check-ups, parties, library craft days, and school field trips.
- Excellent problem solving skills. Examples include extracting stuck limbs, making dinner from a bare pantry shelf, changing a poopy diaper with no available wipes, and entertaining a toddler in a crowded waiting room.
- Expert item finder, specializing in shoe location.
- Can change a diaper, nurse a baby, and make it back to bed in 30 minutes, all in the dark, half asleep.
- Able to guide a child through a task I've showed them how to do 100 times without entirely losing patience.
- Experienced at mediation, including moderating daily fights, hitting, biting, screaming, and temper tantrums.
- Able to sit through repetitive and mind numbing entertainment and emerge smiling.
- Can keep track of multiple children running in different directions at a crowded playground.
- Possesses an unlimited supply of hugs and kisses and distributes them liberally.
- Knowledgeable in fairy tales, unicorns, ponies, fairies, princesses, trucks, cars, planes, and imaginary characters.

What skills would make it to your resume?

Chopping it Off

2011-07-14T14:14:00.000-05:00

I think my need for change/to let go a bit/to let someone else take over for awhile manifested itself last night.

I had a writer's dream assignment to interview a hair stylist and have them cut my hair simultaneously. My plan has been to grow my hair out for quite some time now. I am very bad at growing my hair out, though, because I get bored and impulsive.

It's been a long week and extremely hot. I was thrilled to go out by myself and let Kai get his first bottle of pumped milk. When the hairstylist asked me what I wanted, I threw back my favorite question, "What would you do with my hair?" I swear he showed me a length that would leave quite a bit of hair at my shoulders. Then he started cutting.

And cutting.

And cutting.

The shoulders became the neck. Surprised, but cool with it.
The neck became more of a chin length bob. Surprised, but I can rock the bob.
Then came a surprising cut, but a turn away from the mirror for better lighting and I knew I'd surrendered to it.

Who knows why I didn't speak up? I'm not shy. I was fascinated by his technique. Curious about where he was going. Relieved to let go and let someone else take over.

In the process, I went from this:

To this:

It's a bit of a shock, but blessedly cool and it makes me feel sassy and sexy.

It was definitely surprising for my awesome husband, as he was pretty excited that I was growing it out. While I've had it very short before, this is the shortest it's ever been in our 7 years of marriage. Thankfully, he seems to like that I experiment with my look and take risks sometimes.

It's odd how cutting your hair makes you feel someone lighter in a hundred miniature ways. Who knows if I'll keep it, but it's here for now, so I might as well rock it the best I can, right?

Heard Around Our House

2011-07-11T09:51:00.003-05:00

"We don't have a dog." Pause. "We have a baby." In response to Ezra's cousin asking if we were bringing our dog with us this summer. Baby is highly regarded here. Ezra loves dogs!

"I shoot the thunder!" Dad's way of helping Ezra conquer his fears. Sounds like "Shewt" and "Funder."

"Not fair!" Both kids say this one. Sometimes I probably mutter it as well.

"I'll spank both of you!" An exhausted Ella as we brought her home kicking and screaming from the fair.

"I'm going on a mission." Overheard during playtime. I can see Ezra in a mini suit and nametag right now.

"Is that poop?" Ezra asked incredulously re: picture of Mexican food featuring beans.
"Ew! You stink! I won't sit by you until you get your diaper changed!" Ella helping us to encourage potty training. I wouldn't want my brother sitting right next to me that way either!

"Look! He's smiling at me!" Both kids say this every time he smiles.
"Can I see the poop?" What's the deal with poop anyway? Both kids have a sort of "It's so gross, I have to watch" diaper changing mentality. Wish they could change the diapers as well.

Cooing, laughter, and hiccups from the newest member of our family.

Ella and Tim reading the Hobbit!

Intricate made up songs, lyrics and tunes. Ella is the master of this.
"He/She hit me!" Followed by screaming and spitting at times. We even had a short time of biting. I've never been more furious.

Knock Knock jokes with nonsense punch lines equaling endless fun. It goes something like this: "Knock Knock. Who's there? Head. Head Who? Head with a bird sitting on a branch." It's odd that the jokes aren't funny, but the game is still fun.

E: "I'm going to marry Daddy when I grow up."
Me: "You can't marry Daddy. He's already married to me."
E: "Can I marry Ezra?"
Me: "No. You can't marry your brother. You'll find a boy to marry outside of the family."
Eyes light up. E: "Maybe I could marry Miles (her little girl crush)." She then went on to list the boys she knows as potential candidates. My favorite was when she said one friend might work "If he doesn't grow up to be bossy."

Long, clear sentences from Ezra that make you do a double take. Where did this big boy come from?

"It's a toy room. It's supposed to be messy. Like at Heather's house." In response to my suggestion that she consider taking care of her toys and picking them up, even if they are now in our new toy room.

Deals, Specials, Sales - They're Everywhere!

2011-07-08T12:48:00.000-05:00

I grew up near plentiful shopping and shopped my heart (and my credit card) out in college. For the last four years, however, I've lived in a mid-sized Midwestern town where shopping consists of Walmart, Shopko, JC Penney, local shops, and specialty stores. If I want more plentiful shopping, it's a 35 minute (or more) trip with not much except farmland along the way. With high gas prices and three kids not so crazy about car rides and store hopping, this is less than appealing. This has proved good and bad for me - I spend less on random shopping trips, but it also limits my choices when I am looking to comparison shop.

I've been an internet shopper for quite some time now, spending my share at amazon, gamefly (gifts for hubby), ebay,and overstock. Since I've joined the cloth diapering world and written product reviews, my list of online retailers has grown by leaps and bounds, however. There are wonderful WAHMs on etsy and artfire, as well as a myriad of families with online stores. I follow many of them on facebook or read about their products on blogs and it seems I could take advantage of a special or sale nearly every day. You can visit my facebook page to see some of my favorites under pages I like.

Additionally, I've also discovered the wonders of Groupon, Living Social, Zulily, Baby Half Off, No More Rack, and more! Each one of these provides friend referral credit, so the temptation to share on facebook, twitter, and to link up in a blog post such as this is pretty irresistible and marketing genius! I recently purchased fuzzibunz and teva products from Zulily for amazing prices and even found coupon codes to offset the shipping costs! Today, I purchased a $50 voucher for Mixbook for only $15 from Groupon, which will help me finally get my millions of digital photos organized.

I've recently discovered deal finder websites/facebook pages such as Adventures of a Couponista, Super Coupon Lady, and Deal Hunting Diva, as well. While I will probably never be a serious coupon cutter, they are terrific resources for online deals and coupon codes. I have never had much success with coupons because they tend to be for new products that I'll end up liking, but are too expensive without a coupon, or they are not for items I actually need at the time. Links to online specials help connect me to new websites and specials that I do find useful, however.

Following online specials and deal hunters has definitely paid off for me. While I have to resist buying sometimes, I also like to "window shop" online and file away stores and products for the future. If you are looking to begin connecting with more online deals, I have found the following to help me to organize specials, de-clutter my inbox, and to resist overspending or indulging in random things I don't need because they are "such a good deal."

1. Open a new email or designate one of your existing emails for receiving newsletters and specials.
2. Consider starting a facebook page (or using your blog fb page) to follow coupon sites and businesses, so they don't clog up your friend feed.
3. Never purchase online (even on a specialty deal site) without googling for coupon or promo codes or visiting sites such as retailmenot, freeshipping.org .
4. Watch out for shipping costs. I once promoted a 1 cent special for a company to go along with a review without realizing that the shipping was outrageous. It's not a good deal if the shipping costs are astronomical.
5. Tell yourself that it's not a good deal if A. I can't afford it or B. I don't really need it or won't use it in the near future. Some deals really are to good to pass up now, but in most cases, another sale will come along. (This is my online shopping mantra!)

KAMsnaps Pliers Review & a Giveaway!

2011-07-05T11:34:00.002-05:00

Giveaway Closed! Congratulations Cassondra Law!
When I first started my cloth diaper stash, aplix seemed the obvious way to go. Then, as my son grew and I became more adept and using cloth diapers, snaps became more appealing. For one, they looked better and seemed to secure a diaper more effectively. There was also the first time my son figured out how to undo the aplix - although he's a pro at snaps now too. Most importantly, though, was the wear and tear on aplix. My Bum Genius and Thirsties diapers were beginning to look ragged and some of the aplix simply stopped working effectively. Rather than replace the aplix, I decided to look into replacing it with snaps.

I posted a request via my facebook page for help on how to go about adding snaps and followed a link to KAMsnaps. Their easy to navigate website immediately impressed me. www.kamsnaps.com is geared toward beginners and experts alike. For beginners like me, KAMsnaps offers a detailed, but not overly complicated, introduction to snaps. This easy-to-read FAQs page helped me to understand how snaps work, what I would need to order to get started, the standard size snap for cloth diapers, as well as the pros and cons of pliers and press dies. They also have tutorials with free templates for converting major cloth diaper brands to snaps.

While a press die looked dreamy, especially the discounted backordered option, I decided that the pliers would meet my needs. Pliers are an affordable option at $27 and I love that you can add 200 complete sets of size 20 plastic snaps (just right for cloth diapers) for 25% off with your pliers order. I decided to order the pliers, plus 100 white and 100 brown size 20 snaps. I also added the mixed colors size 20 plastic snaps because I wanted to add a bit of whimsy to my diapers.

I have ordered from KAMsnaps twice now and received a shipping confirmation soon after hitting the "order now" button. Their committed customer service processes and ships orders quickly and answers emails in a timely manner. They also show customers their appreciation through giveaways and sales found through their KAMsnaps facebook page. Additionally, they offer free shipping on most US orders over $28 and Canadian orders over $32.

Overall, I'm impressed by my KAMsnaps pliers. They do involve a bit of a learning curve and I highly recommend carefully reading their online instructions and testing multiple snaps before beginning a project. I did not have the patience to watch a video tutorial (as I should have) and, while I read the instructions, I rushed ahead a bit too soon and learned the hard way that snaps are not easy to remove. Some of my snaps worked and looked right, but I had difficulty getting them to connect to each other properly. I wasted a huge portion of my mixed snaps doing things wrong not once, but twice (when I thought I'd solved the issue). If I'd had more patience to continue practicing with white snaps the second time around, this could have been easily avoided.

Bum Genius Diapers converted to snaps converted by a customer.

I met up with a friend last week who shared her expertise using KAMsnaps pliers with me. Truly, the fix was simple: I was using the wrong cap die. After watching her and seeing all of the beautiful projects she'd created using her KAMsnaps pliers and snaps, I knew that I'd made the right choice purchasing them.

I ordered additional mixed color snaps yesterday and I plan on using them to complete my snap conversion this week. After seeing the change it made in this boring white Bum Genius, I knew I had to have more!

Would you like your own set of KAMsnaps Pliers for your own projects? You can purchase a pair at www.kamsnaps.com using the code "PLIERS3OFF" to receive $3 off any regularly price pliers.

You can also enter to win a $27 Coupon Code for your own pair from The Inquisitive Mom! Thanks to KAMsnaps for generously sponsoring this giveaway!

To enter to win the $27 Coupon Code toward a pair of KAMsnaps Pliers, visit Visit KAMsnaps and tell me your favorite or most helpful tutorial. This entry is mandatory.

After completing the first mandatory entry, you can do any of the following for extra entries! 1 entry = 1 comment. There are lots of ways to enter, so do a few or do them all. Please include your email address if it isn't in your public profile, so I can contact you if you are the winner.

1. Follow The Inquisitive Mom Blog publicly. 1 entry.
2. Follow the KAMsnaps blog publicly. 1 entry.
3. Follow KAMsnaps.com and The Inquisitive Mom on facebook. 1 entry each.
4. Blog about this giveaway. Be sure to include www.kamsnaps.com and The Inquisitive Mom, as well as a link back to this post. 3 entries.
5. Tweet about this giveaway up to 2x per day. 1 entry per tweet. Be sure to include @InquisitiveMom, @KAMsnaps, and a link to this post.
6. Follow InquisitiveMom and KAMsnaps on twitter. 1 entry each.
7. Add my The Third Time Around Button to your website or blog. 2 entries.
8. Subscribe to my blog (left sidebar). 2 entries.
9. Sign up for the KAMsnaps mailing list (left sidebar). 2 entries.
10. Add the KAMsnaps blog button (right sidebar) to your website or blog. 2 entries.

Good luck! This giveaway will be open from Tuesday, July 5, 2011 until Friday, July 15, 2011 at 11:59 CST. Must be 18 years or older to win. Residents from any country may participate. Winner will be selected using random.org and contacted via email. Winner will have 48 hours to respond or a new winner will be selected.

I reviewed product I purchased for this review. All opinions are my own.

Patriotism is More than Waving a Flag

2011-06-29T10:07:00.000-05:00

Just as I don't need to wear a cross around my neck to symbolize my Christianity, I don't need a flag pin on my chest to represent my patriotism. Just as my faith is demonstrated through my actions, so is my patriotism. I don't slap a stars and stripes bumper sticker on my car or to copy and paste facebook status updates proving I bleed red, white, and blue. This is not the way I choose to demonstrate my devotion to country, yet I am deeply patriotic.

For me, patriotism is best shown through engagement - in the political process, in my community, in my family, and in the world. I demonstrate my patriotism each time I vote, write a letter to my editor, call my congressman to share my views, and show my support for an issue or candidate. My love for this country is evident when I serve others, participate in community organizations, attend local events, and support American businesses. I am patriotic when I teach my children critical thinking skills, invite them to discuss complex issues, and teach them to respect diversity.

A proud American respects and appreciates different countries, languages, and cultures. When I am a courteous traveler and demonstrate an interest in cultures other than my own, I represent my country well. As my children learn a second language and encourage immigrants in English language skills, they are making a stronger America. I can show deep patriotism by supporting the success of new immigrants.

I can even represent my patriotism by disagreeing with a war, supporting the return of troops, or expressing a dissenting opinion. To me, we demonstrate our patriotism best when we act with integrity, respect the political process, utilize constructive criticism, and work for change. A patriot shouldn't simply complain and criticize, nor does patriotism require vilifying individuals with opposing views. A patriot should speak up, be law abiding, and encourage others to do the same, no matter their political affiliation.

Neither Fox News nor MSNBC have a monopoly on patriotism. Democrats and Republicans can be equally patriotic and hypocritical. Those who proudly place their hand on their hearts and say the Pledge of Allegiance with devotion, but passionately fight for another's right to abstain from doing the same are patriotic. Our love of country is not represented by how much money we contribute to campaigns, causes, or community, but instead by the conviction we feel to act in a certain way based on that love.

In truth, I am a flawed patriotic, sometimes apathetic and lazy in my devotion to country, other times overly critical and combative. This weekend's Independence Day celebration is an invitation for me to evaluate how I will demonstrate my patriotism and become a better citizen in the future. Flags and yellow ribbons are beautiful when displayed as outer representations of inner convictions, inspirational and moving. The real challenge of patriotism, however, is to do more than simply wave a flag, but to honor what it symbolizes through our actions.

Nearly Flashing the Mailman and Other Adventures in Nursing

2011-06-27T08:06:00.000-05:00

Sometimes I rush up the stairs to answer the door and at the last minute I realize it would probably be best if I put my shirt down.

Other times I am watching the clock, willing baby to nurse just a wee bit faster, asking the kids to put on their shoes in the meantime, and then hurriedly closing the clasps on my bra as I arrive at my destination (or, honestly, some time later after walking around for who knows how long with them undone).

I've been at a friend's house and had her discretely hand over a nursing pad after I've stood up, politely asking "Is this yours?"

I have been guilty of wondering if I could get away with wearing a shirt after a bit of morning leakage because I only have so many that fit.

My husband said to me the other day, "I got up to shower, looked over, and there was you, the baby, and your breast hanging out." This was never the case with baby #1 or #2, but I finally figured out how to nurse lying down!

I am proud of my new found ability to stand, walk, lie down, sleep, and rush to stop a kid from breaking something while simultaneously nursing a baby.

I can breastfeed and attend a twitter party.

Baby went with us out to dinner and the movies at three weeks and I discreetly nursed him over salads, then during the movie, without once feeling awkward or out of place.

Nursing isn't always perfect, pretty, or convenient. It can certainly be an adventure in patience and multi-tasking. It is also unbelievably sweet and rewarding. Not to mention it wills the pounds away.

Just for fun, here's some new photos of Kai and Ezra. Can you believe Kai will be 6 weeks on Thursday?

It Ain't Easy Being Green without Blue

2011-06-21T15:36:00.000-05:00

Last week, storms created conditions we haven't seen in the nearly four years our family has lived in Central Illinois. After a night of endless rain, thunder, and lightening, this is how some of our roadways looked:

The river over the road here blocked our way to church.

If you drove near our home, you wouldn't see any of these challenges.

We did experience one important side effect of the town's water treatment plant being flooded, however:

Our water cannot be treated, so we are on a boil order and urged to strongly conserve water.

I suddenly found myself facing some major challenges Saturday night. While we have food storage and I had bottles included in this, I hadn't been following advice to store as much water as I should. I also had a load of dirty cloth diapers that needed to be washed, as well as other laundry. Our supply of paper products was also limited: I try not to be wasteful, so we don't use these often. I also didn't have disposable diapers and wipes left, so I had 2 kids to buy diapers for at 11 pm.

The reuse and limit use of paper products lifestyle is difficult when you don't have access to clean water. It takes a lot of time and pots to boil enough water for 5 minutes to even clean your dishes or cloth diapers. Plus, when you're asked to seriously conserve water, you need to use some paper, plastic, and disposable items.

So, even if you're a serious greenie, preparation for these kinds of emergencies will keep you from panicking and grabbing all the water, paper products, and frozen foods you can (like many of us have been). Here are some tips of things to keep on hand in case you ever face a water issue:

- Paper plates, bowls, towels/napkins.

- Plastic silverware.

- Bottled water to drink.

- Reuse your plastic juice bottles you would normally recycle. Clean them out and then fill them with water you can use for cleaning, bathing, etc.

- Wet wipes and Clorox cleaning wipes.

- Disposable diapers and wipes.

- Snacks and meals that don't require many dishes to prepare.

- Water sanitation tablets.

- 72 Hour Emergency Essentials Kit.

- Additionally, I would recommend building a regular food and water storage to prepare for any emergency where you might be without access to electricity, water, transportation, and communication.

It could be another few weeks before we have clean water (although the village nearby has a clean supply and is helping provide it to our hospital and nursing home). I've never appreciated water so much in my life!

Fake it to Make it

2011-06-20T09:00:00.004-05:00

Shhh...come closer and I'll tell you a secret...

93% of confidence is acting confident.

Is this statistic official? Nah. But I'm confident it's accurate.

There are very few instances where I'd recommend faking it or putting on a facade of any kind. But when it comes to building confidence, I do so with very few reservations.

Confidence is a funny thing - to gain it, you have to do things that take confidence. Confident people approach others first, walk with their head held high, don't excessively apologize, and look you in the eye. And they do so even on days when they go out in mom jeans without make-up.

Most people don't magically wake up one day and feel confident. The majority of people aren't born with an innate, unshakeable confidence. They get it because they fake it.

Confident people were so scared they nearly peed their pants the first time they tried something new.
Confident people had to bite their tongues multiple times to keep from apologizing out of habit.
Confident people wore red even though it drew attention to them, when all they wanted to do was hide in the corner.
Confident people left the house with their shoulders down and their chin up when they were used to shrinking and slouching.
Confident people spoke up without stuttering or betraying doubt even though they were racked with it.

And then they did it again. And again. Until one day it came naturally. One day it felt real because it was real. They gained confidence by acting confident.

I came across an article in a Parenting Magazine that mysteriously arrived in my mailbox today entitled "Stress is Contagious." While it focuses on how babies respond to parent's clues about how to react in different situations, it emphasizes "It's your behavior that the baby feels, not your physiology." The message? "Mothers who feel confident exhibit less stress" and "You want your baby to be comfortable, so pretend."

The same principal applies here. If you want to gain confidence, act confident. Soon, the other 7% that doesn't need to fake it (and has secretly been waiting to break out the sequins and perform on stage) will follow your lead.