AIO Cloth Diaper Contest

The AIO Cloth Diaper Challenge
Join the Cloth Diaper Challenge by leaving me a comment at the end of this post!
At the end of Next Week we will have a drawing!

After trying cloth diaper services with the first few babes and investing in prefolds and wraps with the 3rd... I finally decided to try the AIO (All In One) Diaper. I had used Fuzzy Bunz in the past a really liked them but the ones I had were not adjustable in size so you had to "invest" in all the sizes and store the diapers, etc... It seemed like a hassle in the long run. So I checked online during this pregnancy and to my surprise there they were... the All In One Cloth Diapers.

Unfortunately I got disenchanted when I began to realize that there were dozens of different companies out there selling all Size fits all diapers now and they all say they have the best diaper. I didn't have the money or the desire to try them all, but I did try a few and here is my choice picks for cloth diapers.

Runner Up is the Envibum Diaper...
made locally in Vancouver, Washington by a fellow Mommie!
Benefits:
one Size fits all, easy to wash (doesn't seem to stain), you can through in dryer,
made of unbleached cotton & plush Minkee... great added bonus: they have a fab guarantee!
You can try out there diaper (1) and if you don't like it send it back with your entire order for a reimbursement! Another cool thing about this company is they give $2 back to a different company based upon the color of diaper you choose! So for example... green diapers give $2 to Food for the Hungry & pink gives $2 to the Pregnancy Resource Center & so on... a different charity for each diaper-- I think that is makes it worth buying the diapers!
They also have a fabulous waterproof diaper that I have used in pools! Works great! Check them out at Envibum.com

Down side... A bit bulky on newborns (not my favorite fit); however they absorb a TON & they keep the moisture and poo off the baby's bum! Another downside is the cost... they are a bit spendy (compared to my #1 pick for diapers)
But not as expensive as most out there on the market
$21.99 per diaper
with discounts for packs

First Place: Favorite Diaper!
Kawaii Diapers
find them at LuvYourBabyCute Designs- cheap price $8.95 each
more luxurious ones 10.95 each
super fast service- received my order in a week!


And sooo many more designs! Go check them out!

Make Sure you leave a comment so I can enter you in a drawing for a free Kawaii Diaper compliments of LuvYourBaby.com










Benefits include:
Easy to Wash- No staining...
Good Price... Fits so well on newborns and toddlers
Buy with Velcro or snaps... I prefer snaps (I think they will last longer)
Come with cotton microfiber inserts that absorb a lot!
Plush Minkee Outer Shell w/Micro Fleece Inner: super soft and comfy for baby!
Very Easy to Use and Wash! They are Designer too!

New Eco Friendly! Minkee Bamboo Diaper are thinner and comfier... they are $10.50 ea
These are really nice too... we have tried out 3!
The Minkee Bamboo diapers come in cute solid colors like these:

Thanks for stopping by and saying hi!
Next Saturday I will announce the winner of the AIO Challenge!

"The American Way"

Tonight I was getting caught up with some friends blogs and ironically my friend, Brenda wrote this post, which totally fits in with what my last post was about... "Work Ethic!"
I can't tell you how many times Isaac and I have had conversations with friends on this same issue Brenda. Your post was very tastefully written and sums up a HUGE issue today's parents need to recognize.
You are totally fair and right to say "farming isn't for everyone." We feel the same way... sometimes we get tired and feel it isn't for us either! =)
However, there are other ways to teach work ethic!
The key is to be parenting purposefully against the tide of mediocrity in this country.
Purposefully teach servant hood, selflessness and gratefulness; rather than indulging desires and the entitlement attitude of "I Deserve!"
So go check out Brenda @ SeriousMoms.com

Afton Field Farm Field Trip

Saturday we went to Afton Field Farms in Corvallis Oregon
with our friends the Scotts

Afton Filed Farms is an Sustainable Living Farm.

We got a hay ride out to see there Broiler Chickens.

They only take 8 weeks to raise before butcher so they have a fast turn over!They house 80 chickens per pen!

We saw...
Honey BeesThey had a huge number of layer hens!
Here are the kids running around with them.
Amazingly they figured out how to have this many chickens without the fear of airborne predators. The have owls and chicken hawks, and used to have a problem, but since they added a few geese to the flock they have had no problems.
Apparently geese can be pretty aggressive and the hawks and owls don't want to mess with them.


BIG PIGS!

Greenhouse Update!

I am so thankful! My boys all worked so hard this weekend and got my new greenhouse built!


I am so excited because this means, regardless of my back issues... I can garden... a little bit at least. Our season can now be extended and we can have some produce year round!

Here are some pics of the guys hard at work and with the completed project!


Littlest Man Hard at Work!
Losing Bolts!

My Mother's Day Gift

Oh, I am so blessed...
My husband woke up this morning got on the tractor and started tilling the land,
leveling it for the building of MY GREENHOUSE!

Yeah! I am SO excited!
The Greenhouse was my birthday present last summer and I have been just waiting to use it!

It's going to be a busy weekend around here!

Thank you Honey!

Starting Seeds

Spring time... scarifying time...soaking time...transplanting time... weeding time...





soon it will be planting time!


The Farmer plants the crop (does the hard labor), but the Lord blesses the work. He makes it grow healthy and protects it. This year my prayer for this garden is for more than blessing the abundance, it is for protection from disastrous pests and massive quantities of weeds. We are drastically down sizing our gardening efforts compared to last year out of necessity. Since I am struggling with my back and getting "larger" towards my third trimester we are planting easier and less quantity. Thank goodness for Farmer's Markets and weekly CSA baskets!
I am praying that my children can "keep the faith" in their desire to bless their family with the work in the garden. It is tiresome work that never goes away... weeds.
It is good for them though!

It's Officially Fall

Luke Loves tomatoes...
look at all the seeds on him from eating them as I pick them!
You would think they were berries!

Hopefully there will be enough left for tomato sauce?:)

Sept.22 was the first day of fall and so to my "little lambs" that means time to pick the pumpkins and most of our squash!

Here they are...

Our Angiosperms that we germinated and scarified and transplanted and now finally harvested!



We have been doing "Exploring Creation's" Botany Science Book along with our Creation videos.
So much cool stuff to learn while we get to "experience it first hand!"

I am so blessed to have my children home with me.
I pray this is a gift that they have the freedom to experience with their own children. Who knows but that the things we take for granted may not always be here for us in the future!
Let us lay our hope and trust in HIM who will provide the strength in these uncertain times our country is in. Let us keep diligently on our knees for our leaders, our country, our rights, and our freedoms.


Well here is the biggest pumpkin weighing in at 88lbs.
This Giant Atlantic didn't get to be 600lbs like the package said it could but we are happy with almost 100!
Next year we want to try it again and actually take care of it... feed it fertilizer and water it when it is hot (we didn't do very good at that this past month). Plus while turning it... it kind of got detached from the vine a month ago.

Great Fun!

"Garage Sale Treasures"

If you read my post on Glass Bottles vs. Plastic Bottles you could have probably guessed that I have figured out in research that obviously this whole plastic issue affects a whole lot more than bottles. It is obviously not very cost effective to get rid of all things and replace immediately with glass or other metals. So in an attempt to store my freezer meals for when baby comes and after harvest season I was on a mission on Friday to find old casserole and Pyrex dishes (with lids). After a couple hours of searching I was pleasantly surprised, blessed rather, to find a small estate sale with a few of my dream items. A Whole $5.00 got me 2 small 8X8 glass bake ware, 1 large 13X9 glass casserole dish, and 2 smaller, older casserole dishes with lids. Woo Hoo! I am so excited!

While I was out and about though, I got to thinking... with so many "great bargains" out there, it would be easy for someone who doesn't have a frugal conscience and a purposeful mind set to bring home "stuff" they don't really need. For example... being i am having a baby soon, of course I saw many great sales for baby clothes. Which is a great way to save money, except, if you already have "enough" for that certain size and season and are only buying it because it is "SO CUTE" and such a "GOOD DEAL."

As wives we have a great responsibility to honor our husbands by the way we spend our money as well as the way "WE DON'T." I am fully guilty of this as we all are. Many times have I bought something, garage sale or not, to come home and a few weeks later, be thinking "why did I buy this?" Just one more thing to clean or pick up, which takes me away from accomplishing my main purposes in my life right now.
I think the same goes for coupon shopping. Do we really "need" the item we are purchasing, or are we just getting it because it is a good deal and then have one more can in the pantry creating clutter and collecting dust. We all know we need 8 bottles of chili sauce in our pantry, right?! :) (Speaking from experience) I do think it is smart to be wise and purchase things with coupons, however, are we using those things up... before expiration dates even?
I have read many times that the life of simplicity is one of true joy. I believe it! I believe that it is one way we can spend more "time" with the Lord! Which in turn gives us the "true joy!"


Good luck on your Garage Saleing adventures this summer.